First therefore of Iron, know that that is mortified, and reduced into
Crocus this way. Make Steel into very thin plates: Make these plates
red hot, and quench them in the best Wine-Vineger, doe this so often
til the Vineger hath contracted a considerable rednesse, then distil of
the Vineger, til there bee nothing but a dry powder remaining. This is
a most excellent Crocus Martis.
There is also another way of making Crocus Martis, which doth partly
exceed the former, and is made with farre lesse costs, and pains, and
it is this.
Strow upon the plates of Steel, Sulphur, and Tartar, being both in
a like quantity; then reverberate them, and this wil produce a most
excellent Crocus, which must bee taken off from the plates.
Also you must know, that every plate of Iron, or Steel, if it bee
melted with _Aqua fortis_; will also make a very fair Crocus; so also
it is made with oyle of Vitriall, spirit of Salt, Allum water, the
water of Salt Armoniacke, and of Salt Nitre; as also with sublimated
Mercury, all which mortifie Iron, and bring it into a Crocus; but none
of these latter wayes is to bee compared to the two former, for they
are only used in Alchymie, and not at all in Physicke; wherefore in
this, use only the two former, and let alone the rest.
[Sidenote: The mortification of Copper.]
[Sidenote: The Vitriall of Copper is made two wayes.]
The mortification of Copper, _viz._ that it may be reduced into
Vitriall, Verdegrease, may bee done many wayes, and there are more
processes in it, yet one far better then another, and one more
profitable then another. Wherefore it is most convenient here to set
down the best, and most profitable, and to bee silent in the rest. The
best therefore, the most easy, and exactest way of reducing Copper into
Vitriall is this.
Let plates of Copper bee dipt in spirit of Salt, or Salt-Petre, and let
them bee hanged in the Aire until they begin to be green, which indeed
wil quickly be, wash off this greennesse with cleer fountaine-water,
dry the plates with some cloath, and wet them again with the spirit of
Salt, and Salt Nitre, and do again as before, so long until the water
bee apparently green, or much Vitriall swim on the top: then poure away
the water, or evaporate it, and thou hast a most excellent Vitriall for
medicine. In Alchymie there is not a fairer, more excellent, and better
Vitriall then what is made by _Aqua fortis_, or _Aqua regis_, or spirit
of Salt Armoniacke. And the processe is this.
Let plates of Copper be melted with one of the aforesaid waters, &
as soon as the greeness is extracted, and the plates dryed, let the
greeness be taken off with the foot of a Hare, or some other way as you
please, as Ceruse is taken off from the plates of Lead: let them bee
again wetted as before, until the plates bee wholly consumed, thereby
is made a most glorious Vitriall, that thou canst not choose but wonder
at it.
[Sidenote: How water of Salt-petre and Salt-armoniack is made.]
The water of Salt Petre is made thus. Purifie, and powder it;
afterwards dissolve it of it selfe in a bladder, put in boyling water.
So thou shalt have the water of Salt Petre.
The water of Salt Armoniacke is made thus: Calcine Salt Armoniack,
and dissolve it in a Cellar upon a Marble, and this is water of Salt
Armoniack.
[Sidenote: Verdegrease may be made two wayes.]
But to make Verdegrease out of Copper, there are divers wayes which
it is not needful here to recite. Wee shall describe only two, but
with a double preparation, _viz._ The one for Physicke, the other for
Alchymie. The processe therefore of Verdegrease to be used in Physick
is this.
[Sidenote: How verdegrease to be used in physick is to be prepared.]
[Sidenote: The Balsom of Copper.]
Take plates of Copper, which wet over with the following matter. Take
Honey, and Vineger, of each a like quantity, of Salt as much as wil
serve to make them up into a thick past. Mixe them well together, then
put them into a reverberatory, or Potters furnace so long as the Potter
is burning his pots, and thou shalt see the matter that stickes to the
plates to bee very black, but let not that trouble thee. For if thou
settest those plates in the Aire, all the black matter wil in a few
days become green, and become a most excellent Verdegrease, which may
bee called the Balsome of Copper, and is commended by all Physitians.
But neverthelesse do not thou wonder that this Verdegrease becomes
green in the Aire, and that the Aire can change the black colour into
so fair a green.
[Sidenote: Aire changeth the Colours of things burnt.]
For here thou must know that daily experience in Alchymie doth shew,
that any dead earth, or _Caput Mortuum_, as soon as it comes out of
the Fire into the Aire, doth quickly get another colour, and leaves
its own colour which it got in the fire. For the changes of those
colours are various. For as the matter is, so are the colours that
are made, although for the most part they flow from the blacknesse
of the dead earth. For you that are skilful in Alchymie see that the
dead earth of _Aqua fortis_ comes black from the Fire, and by how many
more ingredients there bee in it, by so much the more variously doe
the colours shew themselves in the Aire: sometimes they seem red, as
Vitriall makes them: sometimes yellow, white, green, blew: sometimes
mixt, as in the Rainbow, or Peacocks taile. All those colours shew
themselves after the death, and by the death of the matter. For in the
death of all naturall things here are seen other colours, which are
changed from the first colour into other colours, every one according
to its nature, and property.
[Sidenote: The preparation of Verdegrease to be used in Alchymie.]
Now we wil speak of that Verdegrease which is to bee used in Alchymie.
The preparation, and processe of that is this.
Make very thin plates of Copper, strow upon them Salt, Sulphur, and
Tartar ground, and mixed together, of each a like quantity in a great
calcining pot. Then reverberate them twenty foure houres with a strong
Fire, but so that the plates of Copper do not melt, then take them
out, and break the pot, and set the plates with the matter that sticks
to them into the Aire for a few dayes, and the matter upon the plates
wil bee turned into a faire Verdegrease, which in all sharp Corroding
waters, waters of Exaltation, and in Cements, and in colouring of Gold,
doth tinge Gold, and Silver with a most deep colour.
[Sidenote: How Æs vstum, or Crocus of Copper is to be made.]
Now to turne Copper into _Æs ustum_, which is called the _Crocus_ of
Copper, the processe is this:
Let Copper be made into thin plates, and be smeered over with Salt
made into a past with the best Vineger, then let it be put into a
great Crucible, and set in a wind furnace, and be burnt in a strong
Fire for a quarter of an houre, but so that the plates melt not: let
these plates being red hot bee quenched in Vineger, in which Salt
Armoniack is dissolved, alwaies half an ounce in a pint of Vineger; let
the plates bee made red hot again, and quenched in Vineger as before,
alwaies scraping, or knocking off the scales which stick to the plates
after quenching, into the Vineger. Do this so long, until the plates
of Copper bee in good part consumed by this means: then distil off the
Vineger, or let it vapour away in an open vessel, and bee coagulated
into a most hard stone. So thou hast the best _Crocus_ of Copper, the
use whereof is in Alchymie. Many make _Crocus_ of Copper by extracting
of it with the spirit of Wine, or Vineger, as they do _Crocus Martis_:
But I commend this way far above it.
[Sidenote: The sublimation of Quicksilver.]
Now the mortification of Quicksilver that it may bee sublimed, is made
with Vitriall, and Salt, with which it is mixed, and then sublimed, so
it becomes as hard as Crystall, and as white as snow: but to bring it
to a Precipitate, the processe is this:
[Sidenote: How to make a fixt Precipitat Diaphoreticall.]
Let it first be calcined with the best _Aqua fortis_, then distil off
the _Aqua fortis_, and do this about five times, until the Precipitate
become to bee of a faire red colour: Dulcifie this precipitate as much
as thou canst: And lastly poure upon it the best rectified spirit of
Wine you can get, distil it off from it eight, or nine times, or so
often until it be red hot in the fire, and doe not fly: then thou hast
a Diaphoretical precipitated Mercury.
[Sidenote: How to make a sweet Precipitate.]
[Sidenote: And the use of it.]
Moreover, you must take notice of a great secret concerning
precipitated Mercury, _viz._ if after it is coloured, it bee dulcified
with water of salt of Tartar, pouring it upon it, and distilling
of it off so often, until the water riseth no more sharp from the
Precipitate, but bee manifestly sweet; then thou hast a precipitate as
sweet as sugar, or honey, which in all wounds, Ulcers, and Venereal
Disease is so excellent a secret, that no Physitian need desire a
better.
Besides it is a great comfort to despairing Alchymists. For it doth
augment Gold, and hath ingresse into Gold, and with it Gold remaines
stable, and good. Although there is much pains, and sweat required
to this Precipitate, yet it wil sufficiently recompense thee for thy
pains, and costs; and wil yeeld thee more gain, then can bee got by any
Art or Trade whatsoever: Thou maist wel therefore rejoice in this, and
give God, and mee thanks for it.
[Sidenote: How Quicksilver may be Coagulated.]
[Sidenote: How Quicksilver may be turned to Cinnabar.]
Now that Quicksilver may bee coagulated, I said that that must bee done
in sharp _Aqua fortis_, which must bee drawn off by Distillation, and
then the Precipitate is made. But that Quicksilver may bee brought into
a Cinnabar; you must first mortifie, and melt it with Salt, and yellow
Sulphur, and bring it into a white powder, then put it in a gourd, and
put upon it Aludel, or head, and sublime it in the greatest flux you
can, as the manner is, so the Cinnabar will ascend into the Aludel, and
stick as hard as the stone _Hæmatites_.
[Sidenote: There are two kinds of Ceruse.]
[Sidenote: The preparation of them.]
The mortification of Lead to bring it to a Ceruse, is twofold; the one
for Medicine, the other for Alchymie. The preparation of Ceruse for
Medicine is this:
Hang plates of Lead in a glazed pot over strong Wine-vinegar, the pot
being well stopt that the spirits doe not exhale: put this pot into
warm ashes, or in the Winter into a furnace, then alwaies after ten
or fourteen dayes, thou shalt find very good Ceruse sticking to the
plates, which strike off with the foot of a Hare: then put the plates
over the Vineger again, untill thou hast enough Ceruse.
Now the other preparation of Ceruse for Alchymie is like the former,
only that in the Vineger must bee dissolved a good quantity of the
best, and fairest Salt Armoniack, for by this means thou shalt purchase
a most faire, and beautifull Ceruse, for the purging of Tinne, and
Lead, and the whitening of Copper.
[Sidenote: The preparation of Minium out of Lead.]
But if wee would make Minium of Lead, we must first calcine it with
Salt into Calx, and then burn it in a glazed vessel, alwaies stirring
it with an Iron rod, till it be red. This is the best, and chiefest
Minium, and it is to be used as wel in Physick as Alchymie: but the
other which Mercers sell in their shops is nothing worth. It is made
only of the ashes, which remaine of the Lead in the melting of it,
which also Potters use to glaze their vessels, and such Minium is used
for Painting, but not for Physicke, or Alchymie.
[Sidenote: The Crocus of Lead.]
Now that Lead may bee brought into yellownesse, the preparation of
it is not unlike to the preparation of Minium. For Lead must here be
calcined with Salt, and brought to a Calx, and afterwards be stirred
with an Iron rod in a Broad bason, such as tryers of Mineralls use,
in a gentle Fire of Coales, diligently taking heed, that there be not
too much heat, nor a neglect in stirring, for else it will flow, and
become a yellow glasse. And so thou hast a fair, yellow _Crocus_ of
Lead.
[Sidenote: How the Azure Colour is made of silver.]
The mortification of Silver, that of it may be made the Azure colour,
or something like to it, is thus:
Take plates of Silver, and mix them with Quicksilver, and hang them
in a glazed pot over the best Vineger, in which Gilt-heads have been
first boiled, and afterward Salt Armoniack, and calcined Tartar have
been dissolved; in all the rest doe as hath been said of Ceruse, then
alwaies after fourteen days thou shalt have a most excellent, and faire
Azure colour sticking to the plates of Silver, which must be wiped off
with a Hares foot.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Gold.]
The Mortification of Gold that it may be brought into its Arcana, as
into a Tincture, Quintessence, Resine, Crocus, Vitriall, and Sulphur,
and many other excellent Arcana, which preparations indeed are many.
But because for the most part wee have sufficiently treated of such
Arcana in other bookes, as the extraction of the Tincture of Gold, the
Quintessence of Gold, the Mercury of Gold, the Oile of Gold, Potable
Gold, the Resine of Gold, the Crocus of Gold, and in the Archidoxis,
and elsewhere, wee conceive it needlesse here to repeat them. But what
Arcana were there omitted, wee shall here set down, As the Vitriall of
Gold, Sulphur of Gold, which indeed are not the least, and ought very
much to cheer up every Physitian.
[Sidenote: How the sulphur, and the Vitriall of Gold are made.]
But to extract Vitriall out of Gold, the processe is this:
Take of pure Gold two, or three pound, which beat into thin plates,
and hanging them over Boyes urine, mixt with the stones of grapes, in
a large gourd glasse, well closed, which bury in a hot heap of stones
of Grapes, as they come from the presse; when it hath stood fourteen
dayes, or three weeks, then open it, and thou shalt find a most
subtil colour, which is the Vitriall of Gold sticking to the plates
of Gold, which take off with the foot of a Hare, as thou hast heard
concerning other Metalls; as of the plates of Iron, Crocus Martis,
of the plates of Copper, the Vitriall of Copper and Verdegrease, of
the plates of Lead, Ceruse, of the plates of Silver the Azure colour,
&c. comprehended under one processe, but not with one manner of
preparation. When thou hast enough of the Vitriall of Gold; boyle it
well in Rain-water distilled, alwaies stirring it with a spatle, then
the sulphur of the gold is driven up to the superficies of the water,
as fat, which take off with a spoon: Thus also doe with more Vitriall.
Now after all the Sulphur is taken off, evaporate that raine water
til it bee all dry, and there will remain the Vitriall of Gold in the
bottome, which thou maist easily dissolve of it selfe upon a marble in
a moist place. In these two Arcana’s, _viz._ the Vitriall of Gold, and
the Sulphur of Gold lies the Diaphoreticall vertue. I shal not here set
down their vertues; for in the book of Metallick Diseases, and also in
other bookes wee have set them down at large.
The mortification of Sulphur, that the combustible and stinking
fatnesse may bee taken away, and it brought into a fixed substance, is
thus:
[Sidenote: The mortification and fixation of Sulphur.]
Take common yellow Sulphur finely powdered, and draw from it by
distillation _Aqua fortis_, that is very sharp, and this doe three
times, then the Sulphur which is in the bottome of a black colour
dulcifie with distilled water, until the water come from it sweet, and
it retains no more the stink of Sulphur. Then reverberate this Sulphur
in a close reverberatory as you doe Antimony, then it will first be
white, then yellow, and lastly as red as Cinnabar. And when it is so,
then thou maist rejoice: For it is the beginning of thy riches: This
reverberated Sulphur tingeth Silver most deeply into most excellent
Gold, and the body of Man into most perfect health. This reverberated,
and fixed Sulphur is of more vertue then it is lawfull to speak.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Salts.]
The mortification of all Salts, and whatsoever is saltish, is the
taking away, and distilling off the aquosity, and oylinesse, and of the
spirit of them. For if these be taken away, they are afterwards called
the dead Earth, or _Caput Mortuum_.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Gemmes.]
The mortification of Gemmes, and Coralls, is to calcine, sublime, and
dissolve them into a liquor, as Crystall. The mortification of Pearls
is to calcine them, and dissolve them in sharp Vineger into the form of
Milke.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of the Loadstone.]
The mortification of the Loadstone, is to anoint it with the oyle of
Mercury, or to put it into Quicksilver, for afterward it will not draw
Iron at all to it.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of flints and stones.]
The mortification of Flints, and Stones, is to calcine them.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Marcasites.]
The mortification of Marcasites, Cachyma’s, Talke, Cobaltus, Zinri,
Granuti, Zunitter (_see Transcriber’s Note_), Unismut, and of Antimony
is their Sublimation, _i.e._ that they bee sublimed with Salt, and
Vitriall, then their life which is a Metallick spirit, together with
the spirit of Salt, ascends. And let whatsoever remains in the bottome
of the Sublimatory, bee washed, that the Salt may bee dissolved from
it, and then thou hast a dead Earth, in which there is no vertue.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Realgar.]
The mortification of Arsenickes, Auripigment, Operment, Realgar, &c.
is, that they flow with Salt Nitre, and bee turned into an Oyl, or
Liquor upon a Marble, and be fixed.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of excrements.]
The mortification of Excrements, is the coagulation of Aire.
[Sidenote: The Mortification of Aromatical things.]
The mortification of Aromaticall things is the taking away of their
good smell.
[Sidenote: Of Sweet things.]
The mortification of sweet things, is to sublime and distill them with
corrosive things.
[Sidenote: Of Resines.]
The mortification of Ambers, Resines, Turpentine, Gumme, and such like,
is to turn them into Oyle, and Vernish.
[Sidenote: Of Hearbs and Roots.]
The mortification of Hearbs, Roots, and such like, is to distil off
from them their oyle, and water, and presse out their liquor with a
presse, and also to make their Alcali.
[Sidenote: Of Wood.]
The mortification of Wood, is to turne it into Coales, and Ashes.
[Sidenote: Of Bones.]
The mortification of Bones, is their Calcination.
[Sidenote: Of Flesh.]
The mortification of Flesh, and Blood, is the taking away of the spirit
of Salt.
[Sidenote: Of Water.]
The mortification of Water is by Fire, for all heat dries up, and
consumes water.
[Sidenote: Of Fire.]
The mortification of Fire is by Water, for all Water, quencheth Fire,
and takes from it its power, and force.
So now you are sufficiently instructed in few words how death lyes
hid in all naturall things, and how they may be mortified, and bee
brought into another form, and nature, and what vertues flow from them.
Whatsoever should have been said further, we put in the following book,
of the Resurrection of Naturall things.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
OF THE
NATVRE
Of Things.
_THE SIXTH BOOK._
_Of the Resurrection of Naturall things._
[Sidenote: The raising again of Naturall things.]
The Resurrection, and renewing of Naturall things, is not the least,
but a profound, and great secret in the Nature of things, and rather
Divine, and Angelicall, then Humane, and Naturall.
[Sidenote: Death is twofold.]
[Sidenote: What things may be raised againe.]
I desire to bee here understood with great distinction, and no
otherwise then my opinion is, and Nature doth daily, and manifestly
shew, and experience make good, lest I should bee exposed to the lies,
and slanders of Mountebankes, my enemies (which doe construe all
that I doe in the worst sense) as if I would usurp the Divine power,
and attribute this to Nature, which shee was never able to performe:
Wherefore wee must cautiously consider that there is a twofold Death,
_viz._ violent, and voluntary. The one can raise a thing again, the
other not. Wherefore, doe not beleeve those Sophisters that say,
that a thing that is once dead, or mortified, can never bee raised
again, and that make no account of resuscitation, and restauration of
things, which error indeed of theirs is not the least. And indeed it
is true, that whatsoever dyeth, or perisheth with a naturall death,
and what Nature mortifies by reason of her predestination, God alone
can raise again, or must of necessity bee done by his command: so
whatsoever Nature destroyes, Man cannot restore again. But whatsoever
Man destroyes hee can restore again, and being restored spoil again,
and Man hath no further power of himselfe, and if hee should attempt to
doe any thing more, hee would arrogate the power of God to himselfe,
and yet hee would labour in vain, and be confounded, unlesse God did
assist him, or hee had so much faith as to remove mountains: Even to
such a man, this is possible, and greater things then this. Because
the Scripture saith, and Christ himselfe spake it. If thou hast faith
as a grain of Mustard-seed, and saist unto this Mountaine, Goe and bee
removed thither, and it shall bee removed, and all things bee possible
to thee, and nothing impossible.
[Sidenote: What things can not be raised againe.]
But to return to our purpose, what difference then there is betwixt
dying, and being mortified, and which of these may be raised again,
so these are to bee understood. Whatsoever naturally dies hath its
end by predestination, and so the will and ordination of God permits.
Yet it happens that this is also done by divers diseases, and various
casualties, and this can never be raised again, neither is there any
preservative to bee used against predestination, and the naturall term
of life. But that which is mortified, may bee both raised again, and
revived, which may bee proved by divers arguments, which wee shall set
down in the end of this book.
[Sidenote: It is one thing to Dye, and other thing to be Mortified.]
Wherefore there is a great difference betwixt dying, and being
mortified, neither must they bee taken for one, and the same things,
under the same name. For in the very example they are far different.
For look upon a man that dies a naturall, and predestinated death, what
further good, or profit is there in him? Nothing, hee is only cast into
the earth to worms. For hee is a stinking carkasse, and due to the
earth.
But the same is not to be understood of a man that is slain with a
sword, or dies by some such like violent death. For his whole body is
profitable, and good, and may bee prepared into a most pretious Mummie.
For although the spirit of life went out of such a body, yet the
balsome in which lies the life remains, which indeed doth as balsome
preserve other mens bodies.
So you may see in Metalls, when a Metall is about to die, it begins to
bee overcome with rust, and as much as is thus overcome, is dead: and
when all the Metall is devoured with rust, it is all dead, and such a
rust can never bee reduced into true Metall againe, but it becomes
only drosse, and not a Metall. For it is dead, and death is in it,
neither hath it any more balsome of life, but is quite destroyed in it
selfe.
[Sidenote: The difference betwixt the Calx of Metalls, and their ashes.]
Now the Calx of Metalls, and their ashes are two things: And there is a
great difference betwixt these two, for one may be revived, and brought
back again into a Metall, but the other not: the one is volatile, the
other fixed, the one died, the other mortified.
[Sidenote: What the Ashes of Metalls is.]
The Ashes is volatile, and cannot be brought back into a Metall, only
into glasse, and drosse: but the Calx of Metals is fixed, and maybe be
brought back into its own Metall.
[Sidenote: What the Calx of Metalls is.]