takes away from Copper its colour, and rednesse, and makes it white.
From white Metalls, as Silver, Tinne, Lead, and Iron it takes away the
whitenesse, and makes them red, and yellowish. From Gold it takes away
that faire amiable yellownesse, and golden colour, and makes it black,
and so foule, that nothing can bee more foule.
[Sidenote: How Antimony spoiles and discolours metalls.]
Antimony shews its enmity in this, in that all Metalls with which it is
melted, or mixed, it spoiles, carryeth away, and preys upon, and also
not unlike to Sulphur, by its fume it takes away from Metalls their
true, and naturall colour, and brings in another.
[Sidenote: Quicksilver distroyes metalls, and how.]
[Sidenote: How the loadstone may be spoyled.]
Quicksilver doth destroy Metalls upon this accompt, in that it enters
into Metalls, with which it is joined, and dissolves them, so that
it makes an Amalgama of them: Wherefore the fume thereof, which wee
call common Mercury, makes all Metalls brittle, that they cannot bee
malleated, and calcines them, also it makes all red Metalls of a golden
colour, to bee white: but it is the greatest enemie of all to Iron,
and Steel; for if common Mercury doe but touch a barre of Iron, or
Steel, or that be but smeared over with Mercuriall oile, that bar will
afterward be broken like glasse, and be bowed; which indeed is a great
secret, and deserves to be kept exceeding close. In like manner must
the Loadstone be kept from Mercury, for the like enmity it shews to
that as to Iron. For any Loadstone that Mercury hath but touched, or
which hath been smeered with Mercuriall oyle, or only put into Mercury,
will never draw Iron more. Let no man wonder at this, for there is a
naturall cause for it, and it is this, _viz._ because Mercury extracts
the spirit of Iron, which was hid in the Loadstone, which spirit draws
the spirit of Iron to it: and this is not only in the Loadstone, but in
all naturall things else, so that alwaies a strange spirit in a body
which is not of the same Nature with it selfe, drawes to it self a body
which is of the same Nature: and this wee must know to bee so, not only
in the Loadstone, but also in all other naturall things, as Mineralls,
Stones, Hearbs, Roots, Men, and Brutes.
[Sidenote: What antipathy there is betwixt metalls themselves.]
That Metalls have an enmity, and hate one the other naturally, as you
see in Lead, which is naturally a very great enemy to Gold. For it
breaks asunder all parts of Gold, it makes it foule, weak, spoiles, and
destroyes it even to death, more then any other Metall.
Tin also hates, and is an enemy to all Metalls: for it makes them base,
immalleable, hard, unprofitable, if it bee mixed with them in the fire,
or in melting.
Since therefore you have now heard of the Enemies of Metalls, you must
next know their preservatives, which keep them from all manner of hurt,
or corruption, also strengthen them in their Nature, and vertue, and
exalt their colour.
[Sidenote: Gold is preserved in boyes urine.]
First therefore concerning Gold, you must know, that it cannot bee
preserved better, and fairer then in boyes urine, in which Salt
Armoniack is dissolved, or in water alone of Salt Armoniack. In them in
time the colour is so highly exalted that it can bee exalted no higher.
[Sidenote: How silver is preserved.]
[Sidenote: How Iron and Steel may be preserved.]
[Sidenote: How Copper is preserved.]
Silver cannot be better preserved then if it be boiled in common Water,
or Vineger, in which Tartar or Salt have been dissolved. So any old
Silver, that is made black, and fouled, is renewed by being boiled in
these waters. The best preservative for Iron and Steel is the lard of
a Barrow-hog not salted, which indeed preserves Iron, and Steel from
rust, if once every moneth they be smeered over with it. Also if Iron
bee melted with fixt Arsenicke, it will be so renewed and fixt, that it
will like Silver never contract rust. Copper may be preserved, if it
bee only mixed with sublimed Mercury, or bee smeered over with the oyle
of Salt; and so it will never any more be grown over with verdegrease.
[Sidenote: How Lead is preserved.]
[Sidenote: How the Loadstone is preserved.]
Lead can no wayes bee better preserved then in cold Earth, and in
a moist place, according to the Nature thereof. The Loadstone is
preserved best of all with the filings of Iron, and Steel, for by this
meanes it is never weakened, but daily strengthened.
[Sidenote: The preservation of Salts.]
Now concerning the preservation of Salts, and all things, that are of
a saltish Nature, and may be comprehended under the name of Salt (of
which there are more then an hundred sorts) you must know that they
are to bee preserved in a hot dry place, and in woodden vessells, not
in Glasse, Stone, or Metalls: for in those they are dissolved and
become a Water, and an Amalgama which cannot be in Wood.
[Sidenote: The preservation of liquors with oils.]
Moreover you must know how some kind of Waters, and Liquors pressed
out of hearbs, roots, and all other fruits, and Vegetables, which doe
easily contract filth, and slime as if a skin were spread over them,
may be preserved. These Waters therefore, and Liquors must bee put up
into glasses that are narrow towards the top, and wide below, and the
glasses be filled to the top, then adde a few drops of oyl Olive, that
all the Water, or Liquor may bee covered: so the Oyl will swim on the
top, and preserve the Liquor, or Water a long time from filth or slime.
For there is no Water, or liquor if it bee covered with oyl, that will
bee musty, or of an ill savour.
By this means also may two sorts of Water, of Liquors of Wine bee
kept apart in one vessell, that they may not bee mixed: and not only
two sorts, but three, four, five, and more, if only the oyle bee put
betwixt: For they are severed by the Oyle, as by a wall, which wil not
suffer them to be joined together, and united, for oyle and water are
two contraries, and neither can be mixed with the other: For as the
Oyle will not suffer the Waters to be united, so on the contrary, the
Water will not suffer the Oyls to be mixed.
[Sidenote: How clothes are preserved.]
Now to preserve Cloath, and Garments from moths, there is no better
way then with Mastick, Camphire, Amber Gryse, and Muske, and Civet,
which indeed is the best of all, which doth not only preserve them from
moths, but also, drives away moths, and all other vermine, as Fleas,
Lice, &c.
[Sidenote: How all sorts of Wood may be preserved.]
[Sidenote: Fixed oyle of sulphur.]
Also all manner of Woods, as in Houses, Bridges, Ships, or wheresoever
they be, may bee preserved so that they will never bee putrefied,
either in waters, or under waters, or out of water in the earth, under
the earth or above the earth, whether they be set in the rain, or
wind, aire, snow, or ice, in winter, or summer; also that they be not
worm-eaten, nor that any worms may breed in them whensoever they bee
cut. Now this preservative is a great _Arcanum_ against all kinds of
putrefactions, yea so excellent a secret that none may bee compared to
it. And it is nothing else but Oyle of Sulphur, the processe whereof
is this. Let common yellow Sulphur bee powdered, and put into a Gourd
glasse, upon which let there be poured so much of the strongest _Aqua
fortis_, that may cover it three fingers breadth: then draw it oft by
distillation, three, or four times; and last of all, till it be dry.
Let the Sulphur that remaines in the bottome being of a black, sad red
colour, be put upon marble, or in a glasse, and it will easily bee
dissolved into Oyle, which is a great secret in preserving of Wood from
putrefaction, and wormes. For this Oyle doth so tinge the wood that
is nointed with it, that it can never bee washed out of it againe.
Many more things may bee preserved with this Oil of Sulphur; from
putrefaction, as ropes, cords in ships, and masts of ships, in carts,
fishing-nets, and gins which Fowlers, and Hunters use, and such like,
which are oftentimes used in waters, or raine, and are otherwise easily
rotted, and broken, so also linnen clothes, and many other such like
things.
[Sidenote: Which are potable things, and how they are preserved.]
[Sidenote: Which is an enemie to them.]
Also you must know how potable things are to be preserved, by which
wee understand Wine, Beer, Meade, Vineger, and Milke. Now if we
would preserve these from harm, and in their full vertue, it is very
necessary that you know well what is an Enemie to them, and that is
menstruous women: for if they doe handle the foresaid things, or have
any thing to doe about them, or looke, or breath upon them, they
corrupt them. For Wine is thereby changed, and become thick, Beer, and
Mead grow sowre, Vineger grows dead, and loseth its sharpnesse; and
Milke grows sowre, and curded.
This therefore you must well know, before you come to preserve each of
these in particular.
[Sidenote: How Wine is preserved by Sulphur.]
Wine is preserved chiefly by Sulphur, and the Oyle of Sulphur, by which
all Wine may bee preserved a long time, so that it be neither thick,
nor any other way changed.
[Sidenote: Beere is preserved with oyle of Cloves.]
Beere is preserved with Oyle of Cloves, if some drops thereof bee put
into it, to every Gallon two or three drops, or, which is better, with
the Oyl of the root of _Avens_, which doth preserve Beer from sowring.
[Sidenote: Mead is preserved with oyle of Sugar.]
Meade is preserved with Oyl of Sugar, which must bee used as the Oyle
of Cloves abovesaid.
[Sidenote: How Vineger is preserved.]
Vineger is preserved with Oyle of Ginger, which must be used as the
Oyle of Cloves abovesaid.
[Sidenote: How Milke is preserved.]
Milke is preserved with Oyle of Almonds made by expression, which must
bee used as the Oyle of Cloves abovesaid.
[Sidenote: Cheese is preserved with St. Johns wort.]
Cheese is preserved with St. _Iohns_ wort from worms, for if it doth
but touch it, no worme will breed in it: and if there bee any in
before, it will kill them, and make them fall out of the Cheese.
[Sidenote: How Honey is to be preserved.]
[Sidenote: What its chief enemie is.]
Honey hath no peculiar preservative, onely that it may bee kept from
its Enemie. Now its chief Enemie is bread: for if a little bread made
of Corne bee but put, or faln into it, all the Honey is turned into
Emmots, and spoiled.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
OF THE
NATVRE
Of Things.
_THE FOURTH BOOK._
_Of the life of Naturall things._
[Sidenote: What use the Aire is for as to the life of things.]
[Sidenote: What the life of things is.]
[Sidenote: What things have life.]
No man can deny that Aire gives life to all things, bodies, and
substances, that are produced, and generated of the Earth. Now you
must know what, and what manner of thing the life of every thing in
particular is; and it is nothing else then a spirituall essence,
a thing that is invisible, impalpable, a spirit, and spirituall.
Wherefore there is no corporeall thing, which hath not a spirit lying
hid in it, as also a life, which, as I said before, is nothing but a
spirituall thing. For not only that hath life which moves, and stirres,
as Men, Animalls, Vermine of the earth, Birds in the Aire, Fish in the
sea, but also all corporeall, and substantiall things. For here wee
must know that God in the beginning of the Creation of all things,
created no body at all without its spirit, which it secretly contains
in it.
[Sidenote: What is the difference betwixt the Spirit and the Body.]
For what is the body without a spirit? Nothing at all. Wherefore the
spirit contains in it secretly the vertue, and power of the thing,
and not the body. For in the body there is death, and the body is the
subject of death, neither is any else to be sought for in the body, but
death.
[Sidenote: The Spirit never dyes.]
For that may severall wayes bee destroyed, and corrupted, but the
spirit cannot. For the living spirit remains for ever, and also is the
subject of life: and preserves the body alive; but in the ruine of the
body it is separated from it, and leaves behind it a dead body, and
returnes to its place, from whence it came, _viz._ into the Chaos, and
the Aire of the upper and lower Firmament. Hence it appears that there
are divers spirits, as well as divers bodies.
[Sidenote: The division of the Spirit according to the variety of
bodies.]
[Sidenote: The Spirit is the life of all Corporeall things.]
For there are spirits Celestiall, Infernall, Humane, Metalline,
Minerall, of Salts, of Gemmes, of Marcasites, of Arsenicks, of Potable
things, of Rootes, of Juices, of Flesh, of Blood, of Bones, &c.
Wherefore also know that the spirit is most truly the life, and balsome
of all Corporeall things. But now wee will proceed to the species, and
briefly describe to you in this place the life of every naturall thing
in particular.
[Sidenote: What the life of man is.]
The life therefore of all men is nothing else but an Astrall balsome,
a Balsamick impression, and a celestiall invisible Fire, an included
Aire, and a tinging spirit of Salt. I cannot name it more plainly,
although it bee set out by many names. And seeing wee have declared
the best, and chiefest, wee shall bee silent in these which are lesse
materiall.
[Sidenote: What the life of Metalls is.]
The life of Metalls is a secret fatnesse, which they have received
from Sulphur, which is manifest by their flowing, for every thing that
flowes in the fire, flowes by reason of that secret fatnesse that is in
it: unlesse that were in it, no Metall could flow, as wee see in Iron,
and Steel, which have lesse Sulphur, and fatnesse then all the other
Metalls, wherefore they are of a dryer Nature then all the rest.
[Sidenote: What the life of Mercury is. Mercury is like to a garment of
skins.]
The life of Mercury is nothing else but the internall heat, and
externall coldnesse, _i.e._ it makes the internall part of its body
hot, and the outward part cold, and therefore might well bee compared
to a garment made of skins, which doth even as Mercury make hot, and
cold. For if a man wears such a garment it makes him warme, and keeps
him from the cold: but if the smooth part of those skins bee put upon
his naked body, it makes him cold, and is good against too much heat;
wherefore it was a custome in ancient time, and still is in some
places, to weare skins as well in Summer, as in Winter, as against
cold in the one, so against heat in the other: in Summer they turn the
smooth side inward, and the hairy side outward; and in Winter the hairy
side inward, and the smooth side outward. As therefore you have heard
of the garment of skins, so also it may bee said of Mercury.
[Sidenote: What the life of Sulphur is.]
The life of Sulphur is a combustible, stinking fatnesse, for whilst it
burns, and stinks, it may be said to be alive.
[Sidenote: What the life of Salts is.]
Now the life of all Salts is nothing else but the spirit of _Aquæ
fortis_: for that water being drawne from them, that which remains in
the bottome, is called Dead earth.
[Sidenote: What the life of Gemmes and Coralls is.]
The life of Gemmes, and Coralls is only their colour, which with spirit
of Wine may be taken from them.
[Sidenote: What the life of Pearls is.]
The life of Pearls is nothing else but their splendor, which they lose
in calcination.
[Sidenote: What the life of the Loadstone is.]
The life of the Loadstone is the spirit of Iron, which may bee
extracted, and taken away with spirit of Wine.
[Sidenote: The life of Flints what.]
The life of Flintes is a mucilaginous matter.
[Sidenote: The life of Marcasites what.]
The life of Marcasites, Cachymia, Talcum, Cobaltum, Zimri, Granata,
Wismat, and of Antimony is a tinging Metalline spirit.
[Sidenote: The life of Arsenicks.]
The life of Arsenickes, Auripigment, Operment, Realgar, and such like
matters, is a Minerall, and coagulated poison.
[Sidenote: The life of Excrements]
The life of Excrements, _i.e._ of mans dung, or beast dung is their
stinking smell, for this being lost they are dead.
[Sidenote: The life of aromaticall things.]
The life of Aromaticall things, _viz._ of Muske, Amber Gryse, Civet,
and whatsoever yeelds a strong, good, and sweet smell is nothing else
but that gratefull odour: for if they lose this they are dead and of no
use.
[Sidenote: The life of sweet things.]
The life of sweet things, as of Sugar, Honey, Manna, Cassia, and
such like is in their tinging, and subtile sweetnesse, for if that
sweetnesse bee taken from them by distilling, or subliming they are
dead, unprofitable, and nothing worth.
[Sidenote: The life of Rozzens.]
The life of all Rozzens, as Amber, Turpentine, Gumme, is the
muciliginous shining fatnesse, which gives that excellent vernish to
them all: for when they will yeeld no more vernish, and lose their
shining, they are dead.
[Sidenote: The life of Plants.]
The life of Hearbs, Roots, Apples, and other such like fruit, is
nothing else but the liquor of the Earth, which they lose of their own
accord, if they do but want water, and Earth.
[Sidenote: The life of Wood.]
The life of Wood is a certaine Rozzen, for any wood if it want Rozzen
can live no longer.
[Sidenote: The life of Bones.]
The life of Bones is the liquor of Mummie.
[Sidenote: The life of flesh.]
The life of flesh, and blood is nothing else but the spirit of Salt,
which preserves them from stinking, and putrefaction, and is of it
selfe as water separated from them.
[Sidenote: The life of every Element.]
Now concerning the life of Elements, you must know that the life of
Water is its running. For when by the coldnesse of the Firmament it is
congealed into ice, it is dead, and its mischievousnesse is taken from
it, that nobody can bee drowned in it.
[Sidenote: What the life of Fire is.]
The life of Fire is Aire, for Aire makes fire burne with greater
vehemency, and heate: Also there cometh forth from all Fire a kind of
Aire, which will blow out a candle, and drives up a feather, as you may
dayly see before your eyes. Wherefore the flame of Fire is choaked if
it bee so stopt up, that it can neither receive in Aire, and let out
its own Aire.
[Sidenote: What the life of Aire is.]
The Aire lives by, and of it selfe, and gives life to all other things.
[Sidenote: What the life of Earth is.]
The earth of it selfe is dead, but the Element of it is an invisible,
and secret life.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
OF THE
NATVRE
Of Things.
_THE FIFTH BOOK._
_Of the Death, or ruine of all things._
[Sidenote: What Death is.]
[Sidenote: The preparation of Mercury Sulphur and Antimony.]
The death of all naturall things is nothing else but an alteration
and destruction of their powers, and vertues, a predominancy of that
which is evill, and an overcoming of what is good, an abolishing of
the former nature, and generation of a new, and another nature. For
you must know that there are many things that, whilst they are alive,
have in them severall vertues, but when they are dead retaine little
or nothing of their vertue, but become unsavory, and unprofitable.
So on the contrary many things, whilest they live, are bad, but after
they are dead, and corrupted, manifest a manifold power, and vertue,
and are very usefull. Wee could bring many examples to confirme this,
but that doth not belong to our purpose. But that I may not seem to
write according to mine own opinion only, but out of my experience,
it will bee necessary that I produce one example, with which I shall
silence those Sophisters, who say, that wee can receive nothing from
dead things, neither must we seek, or expect to find any thing in them.
The reason is, because they do esteem nothing of the preparations of
Alchymists, by which many such like great secrets are found out. For
looke upon Mercury, crude Sulphur, and crude Antimony, as they are
taken out of their Mines, _i.e._ whilest they are living, and see
what little vertue there is in them, how slowly they put forth their
vertues, yea they do more hurt, then good, and are rather poison, then
a Medicine. But if through the industry of a skilfull Alchymist, they
bee corrupted in their first substance, and wisely prepared (_viz._ if
Mercury be coagulated, precipitated, sublimed, dissolved, and turned
into an oyle, if Sulphur bee sublimed, calcined, reverberated, and
turned into an oyle; also if Antimony bee sublimed, calcined, and
reverberated and turned into oyle) you shall see how usefull they are,
how much strength, and vertue they have, and how quickly they put
forth, and shew their efficacy, which no man is able to speak enough
in the commendation of, or to describe. For many are their vertues,
yea more then will ever bee found out by any man. Wherefore let every
faithfull Alchymist, and Physitian spend their whole lives in searching
into these three: For they will abundantly recompense him for all his
labour, study, and costs.
[Sidenote: What the Death of man is.]
But to come to particulars, and to write particularly of the death,
and destruction of every naturall thing, and what the death of every
thing is, and after what manner every thing is destroyed; you must
know therefore in the first place, that the death of man is without
doubt nothing else, but an end of his daily work, the taking away of
the Aire, the decaying of the Naturall balsome, the extinguishing of
the naturall light, and the great separation of the three substances,
_viz._ the body, soule, and spirit, and their return from whence they
came. For because a naturall man is of the earth, the Earth also
is his Mother, into which hee must return, and there must lose his
natural earthly flesh, and so be regenerated at the last day in a new
celestiall, and purified flesh, as Christ said to _Nicodemus_ when
hee came to him by night. For thus must these words bee understood of
regeneration.
[Sidenote: What the destruction of Metalls is.]
The death, and destruction of Metalls is the disjoining of their
bodies, and sulphureous fatnesse, which may bee done severall ways,
as by calcination, reverberation, dissolution, cementation, and
sublimation.
[Sidenote: Calcination of Metalls is manifold.]
But the calcination of Metalls is not of one sort: for one is made with
Salt, another with Sulphur, another with _Aqua fortis_, and another
with common Sublimate, and another with Quicksilver.
[Sidenote: What Calcination with Salt is.]
Calcination with Salt is that the Metall be made into very thin
plates, and strowed with Salt, and cemented.
[Sidenote: Calcination with Sulphur.]
Calcination with Sulphur is, that the Metall bee made into thin plates,
and strowed with Sulphur, and reverberated.
[Sidenote: Calcination with Aqua fortis.]
Calcination with _Aqua fortis_, is that the Metall bee made very small,
and dissolved in _Aqua fortis_, and precipitated in it.
[Sidenote: Calcination with Sublimate.]
Calcination with sublimed Mercury is this, that the Metall bee made
into thin plates, and that the Mercury bee put into an earthen vessell
narrow towards the top, and wide at the bottome; and then let it be set
into a gentle fire made with coales, which must bee blowed a little
untill the Mercury begin to fume, and a white cloud goe forth of the
mouth of the vessel, then let the Plate of the Metall bee put into
the top of the vessel, and so the sublimed Mercury wil penetrate the
Metall, and make it as brittle as a stone of coal.
[Sidenote: Calcination with Quicksilver.]
Calcination with Quicksilver, is that the Metall bee made very small,
and thin, and be amalgamated with Quicksilver, and afterward the
Quicksilver bee strained through Leather, and the Metall remain in the
Leather like chalke, or sand.
[Sidenote: Divers other sorts of mortification of metalls.]
Now besides these mortifications of Metalls, and destructions of their
lives, know also that there are yet more. For rust is the death of all
Iron, and Steel, and all vitriall, burnt brasse is mortified Copper:
all precipitated, sublimated, calcined Cinnabar is mortified Mercury,
all Ceruse, and Minium of Lead is mortified Lead; all Lazure is
mortified Silver: also all Gold from which its tincture, Quintessence,
Rozzen, Crocus, Vitriall, or Sulphur is extracted, is dead, because it
hath no more the form of Gold, but is a white Metall like fixed Silver.
[Sidenote: A two fold preparation of Crocus Martis.]