Ashes there is lesse fatnesse, and more drynesse then in the Calx,
which indeed makes it fluxil: but the Calx is fatter, and moister,
then the Ashes, and doth still retain its refine, and fluxibleness,
and especially the Salt, which naturally is fluxil, and makes Metalls
flow, and reduceth them. Hence now it follows, that the Salt must bee
extracted out of the Ashes of Metals, that they may not be brought back
into a Metal, then they are perfectly volatile; and this difference,
and this clause is chiefly to bee taken notice of, for much depends
upon it.
[Sidenote: The errours of Mountebankes concerning Gold.]
For amongst Mountebankes this is no small error, who in stead of
Potable Gold, the Quintessence of Gold, Tincture of Gold, &c. have
given to men an impure Calx of Gold, not considering the difference,
and evill that follows upon it. For there are two remarkable, and
necessary things to be taken notice of here, _viz._
First, that Gold calcined, or powdered, if it be given to Men, is
gathered into one heap in the stomach, or goeth forth again with the
dung, and so it is taken in vain, without doing any good: or that
which is reduced by the great inward heat in mans body, it gilds over,
and makes hard in a crust, both the bowells, and stomach, by reason
of which the concoction of the stomach is hindred, whence many, and
various sicknesses follow, and at length death it selfe.
[Sidenote: When Metallike Arcana are to be taken inwardly.]
As you have heard of Gold, so also must it bee understood of all the
other Metalls, _viz._ that you take not any Metallick _Arcanum_, or
Medicine into your body, unlesse it bee first made volatile, and it be
reduced into no Metall.
[Sidenote: How to make Metalls Potable and Irreducible.]
Wherefore the first degree, and beginning to prepare Potable Gold is
this: so may such a Volatile bee afterwards dissolved in spirit of
Wine, that both may ascend together, bee made volatil, inseparable. And
as you prepare Gold, so may you also prepare potable ☽ ♀ ♂ ♃ ♄ and ☿.
[Sidenote: The raising againe of things is proved by the Whelpes of a
Lyon.]
[Sidenote: How Lyons are made alive againe.]
But to return to our purpose, let us prove by examples, and sufficient
reasons, that things mortified are not dead, and forced to abide in
death, but may bee reduced, raised again, and revived, and this truly
by man, and according to the course of Nature. You see Lions how all
of them are brought forth dead, and first of all are made alive by the
horrible roaring of their Parents, as one that is asleep is raised with
a noise, so also are Lions raised, not that they are thus asleep. (For
they which sleep a naturall sleep must of necessity rise again, which
the Lions of themselves doe not.) For if they were not raised by this
roaring, they would remain dead, and life would never bee perceived in
them. Wherefore it is apparent, that by this roaring they receive their
life.
[Sidenote: The reviving of dead Flies.]
So also you see in all Animalls which are not ingendered, but proceed
from putrefaction, as Flies, which if they bee drowned in water, that
no life at all is perceived in them, and if they were so left, they
would continue dead, and never return to life of themselves any more.
But if you cast salt upon them, and put them in the warme Sunne, or
behind a warme furnace, they will recover their former life, and this
truly is a raising of them up againe. For if this were not done, they
would continue dead for ever.
[Sidenote: The generation of many Serpents of one.]
So also you see in a Serpent, if hee be cut into pieces, and these
pieces put into a gourd glasse, and bee putrefied in Horse-dung, the
whole Serpent will become living againe in the glasse, in the form
either of Worms, or spawn of Fishes. And if those Wormes bee in a
fitting manner brought out of putrefaction, and nourished, many hundred
Serpents will be bred out of one Serpent, whereof every one will be as
big as the first, which is done only by putrefaction. And as it is said
of the Serpent, so also many other Animalls may be raised, and restored
again.
[Sidenote: _Hermes_, and _Virgils_ endeavour to raise themselves after
Death.]
According to this processe _Hermes_, and _Virgil_ have attempted (by
the assistance of Negromancy) to renew, and raise themselves after
death, and to bee born again as infants, but it succeeded not according
to their purpose.
[Sidenote: The Resuscitation of Metalls is twofold.]
But to omit examples, and fall upon the Praxis of Resurrection, and
Restauration, it is necessary, and most convenient to begin with
Metalls, forasmuch as Metalline bodies do oftentimes resemble Mens
bodies.
[Sidenote: The reducing of Metalls into Quickesilver.]
Wee must know therefore, that the Resurrection, and Restauration of
Metalls is twofold. The one which doth reduce calcined Metalls into
their first Metallick body: the other which doth reduce Metalls into
their first matter, _i.e._ into Quicksilver.
The processe of the latter is this: Calcine a Metall with common
Quicksilver, put this Calx, and as much Quicksilver into a Sublimatory,
and let them stand so long till both be coagulated into an Amalgama;
then sublime the Mercury from the Calx, then grind it again with the
Metallick Calx, and sublime it as before, this do so often, till the
Metallick Calx shal over a candle melt like wax, or ice, and then it is
well done. Put this Metall in digestion for a time, and it wil all be
turned into Quicksilver, _i.e._ into its first matter, which Mercury
of Metalls is indeed called the Mercury of Philosophers, which many
Alchymists have sought after, but few have found. Now after this manner
may Quicksilver bee prepared out of all Metalls, _viz._ ☿ _auri_, ☽
♀ ♂ ♃ ♄.
[Sidenote: The reduction of Sublimate, and the highest purging of it.]
Now the raising again, or restoring of coagulated Mercury is done by
distillation in a retort: for Quicksilver alone ascends into cold
water, the Ashes of ♄ ♀ or Sulphur being left behind.
Now the raising again, or restauration of Mercury sublimed is done in
seething hot water: but it must first be ground very small, so the
hot water wil seperates it from it the spirit of Salt, and Vitriall,
which it carries up with it, the quicksilver running in the bottome of
the water. Now if this Quicksilver shall be again sublimed with Salt,
and Vitriall, and revived againe in Hot water, and this done seven, or
eight times, it can never bee better purged, and renewed.
And this may bee kept for a great secret in Alchymie, and Physick, and
be much rejoiced in. For by this means all the impurity, blacknesse,
and poisonousnesse is taken away.
[Sidenote: The reduction of calcined and Precipitated Mercury.]
Mercury calcined can never bee restored againe without sublimation; for
unlesse it be sublimed after calcination, it will never bee revived,
wherefore thou shalt first sublime it, and then reduce it as other
Sublimate.
The resuscitation of Azure Cinnabar, _Aurum vitæ_, also of Precipitate,
that they may bee reduced into Quicksilver is thus:
Take either of these, grind it small upon a marble, make it up into
a past with the white of an egge, and sope, then make pills of the
bigness of Filbeards, which put into a strong earthen gourd, upon the
mouth of it put a plate of Iron, with many little holes in it, and lute
it on, and distill it _per descensum_ with a strong fire, so that it
may fall into cold water, and thou shalt have the Quicksilver again.
[Sidenote: The renewing of Wood that is burnt.]
Now the resuscitation, and restoring of Wood is hard, and difficult,
yet possible to Nature, but without much skilfulness, and industry it
can never bee done: But to revive it, the processe is this:
Take Wood which must first bee a Coale, then Ashes, which put into a
gourd together with the Resine, Liquor, and Oyle of that tree, of each
a like weight, mingle them, and melt them with a soft heat, and there
will bee a mucilaginous matter, and so thou hast the three Principles,
of which all things are produced, and generated, _viz._ flegm,
fatnesse, and Ashes.
[Sidenote: The flegme of Wood is its Mercury, the fat its sulphur, the
ashes its salt.]
The Flegm is Mercury, the Fat is Sulphur, the Ashes is Salt. For
whatsoever fumes, and evaporates in the Fire is Mercury: whatsoever
flames, and is burnt is Sulphur, and all Ashes is Salt.
Now seeing thou hast these three Principles together, put them in
Horse-dung, and putrefie them for a time. If afterward that matter
bee put in, and buried in fat ground, thou shalt see it live again,
and a little tree spring from thence, which truly in vertue is farre
more excellent then the former. This Tree or Wood is, and is called
Regenerated Wood, renewed, and restored, which from the beginning was
Wood, but mortified, destroyed, and brought into coales, ashes, and
almost to nothing, and yet out of that nothing is made, and renewed.
This truly in the light of Nature is a great mystery, _viz._ that a
thing, which had utterly lost its form, and was reduced to nothing,
should recover its form, and of nothing bee made something, which
afterward becomes much more excellent in vertue, and efficacy then it
was at first.
[Sidenote: A generall rule for raising of things againe.]
But to speake generally of the Resurrection, and Restauration of
Naturall things, you must know, that the chiefest foundation here,
is, that that bee restored to every thing, and made to agree with
it, which was taken from it in mortification, and separated from it,
which is hard to bee here specifically explained. Wherefore wee shall
conclude this book, and shall speak of these things more at large in
the next book, Concerning the transmutations of naturall things.
[Illustration: *decorative divider*]
OF THE
NATVRE
Of Things.
_THE SEVENTH BOOK._
_Of the Transmutation of Naturall things._
If wee write of the Transmutation of all Naturall things, it is fit,
and necessary that in the first place wee shew what Transmutation is.
Secondly, what bee the degrees to it. Thirdly, by what Medium’s, and
how it is done.
[Sidenote: What Transmutation is.]
Transmutation therefore is, when a thing loseth its form, and is so
altered, that it is altogether unlike to its former substance, and
form, but assumes another form, another essence, another colour,
another vertue, another nature, or property, as if a Metall bee made
glasse, or stone: if a stone bee made a coale: if wood be made a coal:
clay be made a stone, or a brick: a skin bee made glew: cloth bee made
paper, and many such like things. All these are Transmutations of
Naturall things.
[Sidenote: There are seven principal degrees of transmutation.]
After this, it is very necessary also to know the degrees to
Transmutation, and how many they be. And they are no more then seven.
For although many doe reckon more, yet there are no more but seven,
which are principall, and the rest may bee reckoned betwixt the
degrees, being comprehended under those seven: And they are these,
_Calcination, Sublimation, Solution, Putrefaction, Distillation,
Coagulation, Tincture._
If any one will climbe that Ladder, he shall come into a most
wonderfull place, that hee shall see, and have experience of many
secrets in the Transmutation of Naturall things.
[Sidenote: What Calcination is, and its kinds are.]
The first degree therefore is Calcination, under which also are
comprehended Reverberation, and Cementation. For betwixt these there
is but little difference as for matter of Calcination: Wherefore it is
here the chiefest degree. For by Reverberation, and Cementation, many
corporeall things are calcined, and brought into Ashes, and especially
Metalls. Now what is calcined is not any further reverberated, or
cemented.
By Calcination therefore all Metalls, Mineralls, Stones, Glasse, &c.
and all corporeall things are made a Coal, and Ashes, and this is done
by a naked strong Fire with blowing, by which all tenacious, soft, and
fat earth is hardened into a stone, Also all stones are brought into a
Calx, as wee see in a Potters furnace of lime, and brickes.
[Sidenote: What Sublimation is, and its kinds.]
Sublimation is the second degree, and one of the most principall
for the Transmutation of many Naturall things: under which is
contained Exaltation, Elevation, and Fixation; and it is not much
unlike Distillation. For as in Distillation the water ascends from
all flegmatick, and watery things, and is separated from its body;
so in Sublimation, that which is spirituall is raised from what is
corporeall, and is subtilized, volatile from fixed, and that in dry
things, as are all Mineralls, and the pure is separated from the impure.
Besides Sublimation, many good vertues, and wonderfull things are found
out in Mineralls, and many things are made fixed, and become constant,
so as to abide in the Fire, and that in this manner.
Let that which is sublimed be ground, and mixed with its feces, and bee
againe sublimed as before, which must bee done so long, till it will no
longer sublime, but all will remaine together in the bottom, and bee
fixed.
[Sidenote: The fixation of Mineralls into a stone.]
So there will bee afterward a stone, and oyle when and as oft as thou
pleasest, _viz._ if thou puttest it into a cold place, or in the aire
in a Glass. For there it will presently bee dissolved into an Oyle. And
if thou puttest it againe into the fire, it will againe bee coagulated
into a Stone of wonderfull, and great vertue. Keep this as a great
secret, and mystery of Nature, neither discover it to Sophisters.
Moreover, as in Sublimation many Corrosive things are made sweet in the
conjunction of two matters, so on the contrary, many sweet things are
made Corrosive: many sweet things are made sowre, harsh, or bitter; and
on the contrary, many bitter things as sweet as Sugar.
[Sidenote: Rules concerning Salt Armoniack.]
Here also wee must take notice, that every Metal which is brought
into Sublimation by Salt Armoniack, may afterward in the cold, or in
the aire bee brought into an oyle, and againe bee coagulated into a
stone in the Fire, which indeed is one of the chiefest, and greatest
Transmutations in all naturall things, _viz._ to transmute Metall into
a Stone.
[Sidenote: What Solution is, and its kinds.]
The third degree is Solution, under which are to bee understood
Dissolution, and Resolution, and this degree doth most commonly follow
Sublimation, and Distillation, _viz._ that the matter be resolved which
remaines in the bottome.
Now Solution is twofold: the one of Cold, the other of Heat; the one
without Fire, the other in Fire.
A cold dissolution dissolves all Salts, all Corrosive things, & all
calcined things. Whatsoever is of a Salt, and Corrosive quality, is by
it dissolved into Oyle, Liquor, or Water. And this is in a moist, cold
cellar, or else in the Aire on a marble, or in a glasse. For whatsoever
is dissolved in the cold, contains an Airy spirit of Salt, which
oftentimes it gets, and assumes in Sublimation, or Distillation. And
whatsoever is dissolved in the cold, or in the Aire, may again by the
heat of the Fire bee coagulated into powder, or a stone.
[Sidenote: What things a hot Solution dissolves.]
But a hot Solution dissolves all fat, and sulphureous things. And
whatsoever the heat of the Fire dissolves, the same doth coldnesse
congeal into a Masse.
[Sidenote: A double Solution _viz._ of Heat and Cold.]
And whatsoever heat coagulates, is again dissolved by cold, or in the
Aire. Here also we must know that whatsoever Aire, or the Cellar doth
resolve, is of a very great drynesse, and hath a secret corrosive Fire
hid in it: so whatsoever is dissolved in Fire, or in the heat thereof,
hath a sweetish frigidity out of the Fire. Thus, and no otherwise is
Solution to be understood.
[Sidenote: Putrefaction what it is, and its kind.]
Putrefaction is the fourth degree, under which is comprehended
Digestion, and Circulation.
Now then Putrefaction is one of the principall degrees, which indeed
might deservedly have been the first of all, but that it would be
against the true order, and mystery, which is here hid, and known to
few: For those degrees must, as hath been already said, so follow one
the other, as links in a chain, or steps in a ladder.
[Sidenote: The aforesaid order of Degrees is to be observed in making
tinctures.]
For if one of the linkes should bee taken away, the chain is
discontinued, and broken, and the prisoners would bee at liberty, and
runne away. So in a ladder, if one step bee taken away in the middle,
and bee put in the upper, or lower part, the ladder would be broken,
and many would fall down headlong by it with the hazard of their
bodies, and lives.
So you must understand the matter here, that those degrees follow one
the other in a just order, or else the whole work of our mystery would
be mar’d, and our labour, and pains would bee in vain, and fruitlesse.
[Sidenote: The force of putrefaction.]
Now putrefaction is of such efficacy, that it abolisheth the old
Nature, and brings in a new one. All living things are killed in it,
all dead things putrefied in it, and all dead things recover life in it.
Putrefaction takes from all Corrosive spirits, the sharpnesse of
the Salt, and makes them mild, and sweet, changeth the colours, and
separates the pure from the impure, it places the pure above, and the
impure beneath.
[Sidenote: What Distillation is, and its kinds are.]
Distillation is the first degree to the Transmutation of all naturall
things. Under it are understood Ascension, Lavation, and Fixation.
By Distillation all Waters, Liquors, and Oyles are subtilized out of
all fat things. Oyle is extracted, out of all Liquors, Water, and out
of all Flegmaticke things Water, and Oyle are separated.
[Sidenote: Cohobation.]
[Sidenote: Fixation by Destillation.]
Besides there are many things in Distillation fixed by Cohobation,
and especially if the things to bee fixed containe in them Water, as
Vitriall doth, which if it bee fixed is called _Colcothar_.
Allum, if it bee fixed with its proper Water, is called the Sugar of
Allum, which also is resolved into a Liquor, which Liquor if it bee
putrefied a moneth, produceth a Water of the sweetnesse of Sugar, which
is of great vertue, and an excellent secret in Physicke, to extinguish
any Metalline heate in Man, as wee have wrote more at large in our
Booke of Metalline Diseases.
And as you have heard of Vitriall, and Allum, so also Salt nitre, and
other Watery Mineralls may bee fixed by Cohobation.
[Sidenote: What Cohobation is.]
Now Cohobation is, that the dead head be oftentimes imbibed with its
own water, and that again bee drawn off by Distillation.
[Sidenote: The force of Distillation in things to be Transmuted.]
Moreover, in Distillation many bitter, harsh, and sharp things become
as sweet as Honey, Sugar, or Manna; and on the contrary, many sweet
things, as Sugar, Honey, or Manna, may bee made as harsh as Oyle of
Vitriall, or Vineger, or as bitter as Gall, or Gentian, as Eager, as a
Corrosive.
Many Excrementitious things lose their great stink in Distillation,
which indeed goeth forth in the water.
Many Aromaticall things lose their good savour.
And as Sublimation alters things in their Quality, and Nature, so also
doth Distillation.
[Sidenote: What Coagulation is, and its kinds.]
Coagulation is the sixt degree: Now there is a twofold Coagulation, the
one by Cold, the other by Heat, _i.e._ one of the Aire, the other of
the Fire: and each of these again is twofold, so that there are foure
sorts of Coagulations, two of Cold, and two of Fire.
The Coagulations of Fire are fixed, the other of Cold are not.
The one is done only by common Aire, or without Fire. The other by the
superiour Firmament of Winter starres, all which coagulate Waters into
snow, and ice.
But the Coagulation of Fire, which alone is here to bee taken notice
of, is made by an Artificiall, and Graduall Fire of the Alchymists, and
it is fixed, and permanent. For whatsoever such a Fire doth coagulate,
the same abides so.
The other Coagulation is done by the Ætnean, and Minerall Fire in
Mountains, which indeed the Archeius of the Earth governs, and
graduates not unlike to the Alchymists, and whatsoever is coagulated by
such a Fire, is also fixed, and constant; as you see in Mineralls, and
Metalls, which indeed at the beginning are a mucilaginous matter, and
are coagulated into Metalls, Stones, Flints, Salts, and other bodies,
by the Ætnean fire in Mountaines, through the Archeius of Earth, and
operator of Nature.
[Sidenote: What things cannot be Coagulated.]
Also wee must know that Fire can coagulate no water, or moisture, but
only the Liquors and Juices of all Naturall things.
Besides also there can no flegm bee coagulated, unlesse in the
beginning it was a corporeall matter, into which by the industry of a
skilfull Alchymist it may return.
So also any mucilaginous, matter, or spermaticke slimynesse may by the
heat of Fire be coagulated into a body and corporeall matter, but never
bee resolved into water again.
And as you have heard of Coagulation, so also know concerning Solution,
_viz._ that no corporeall matter can bee dissolved into Water, unlesse
at the beginning it was water: and so it is in all Mineralls.
[Sidenote: What Tincture is, and its kinds.]
Tincture is the seventh, and last degree, which concludes the whole
worke of our mystery for Transmutation, making all imperfect things
perfect, and transmuting them into a most excellent essence, and into a
most perfect soundnesse, and alters them into another colour.
_Tincture therefore is a most excellent matter, wherewith all Minerall,
and Humane bodies are tinged, and are changed into a better, and more
noble essence, and into the highest perfection, and purity._
For Tincture colours all things according to its own nature, and colour.
[Sidenote: All things that are to be tinged must be fluid.]
Now there are many Tinctures, and not only for Metalline, but Humane
bodies, because every thing which penetrates another matter, or tingeth
it with another colour, or essence, so that it bee no more like the
former, may bee called a Tincture.
Wherefore there are many, and various sorts of Tinctures, _viz._ of
Metalls, Mineralls, Mens bodies, Waters, Liquors, Oyls, Salts, all fat
things, and indeed of all things which may bee brought to flux, out of
the Fire, or in the Fire.
For if a Tincture must tinge, it is necessary that the body, or matter
which is to bee tinged, bee opened, and continue in flux, and unless
this should bee so, the Tincture could not operate. But it would bee,
as if any one should cast saffron, or any colour upon coagulated Water,
or Ice: for so it would not so suddenly tinge the Ice with its colour,
as if it were cast into other water. And although it should tinge, yet
it would at the same time resolve the Ice into Water. Wherefore those
Metalls that wee would tinge, must first bee melted in the Fire, and
bee freed from Coagulation.
And here wee must know, that by how much the stronger fire is requisite
for their melting, so much the sooner the Tincture runs through them,
as Leaven penetrates, and infects the whole masse with sowreness; and
by how much better the masse is covered, and kept warm, so much the
better is it fermented, and makes the better bread: for ferment is the
Tincture of Dowe, and Bread.
[Sidenote: Feces are of a more fixt nature then their Flegme.]
Wee must also note, that all feces are of a more fixed substance then
the liquor of it is, also of a sharper, and more penetrating nature:
as you see in the spirit of Wine which is made of the feces of Wine,
and of _Aqua vitæ_, which is distilled out of the grounds of Beer, and
burns like spirit of Wine, and is inflamed as Sulphur.
[Sidenote: The preparation, and Nature of distilled Vineger.]
Also if of the feces of Vineger another Vineger bee distilled, as
commonly spirit of Wine is distilled, there will bee thereby made a
Vineger of so fiery, and sharp a nature, that it consumes all Metalls,
Stones, and other things, as _Aqua fortis_.
[Sidenote: How the Tinctures of Metalls must be made.]
Moreover, it is necessary, that Tinctures be of a fixt, fluxil, and
incombustible nature, so that if a little of a plate of any Metall red
hot bee cast into them, they will presently flow like wax, without any
manner of fume at all, and they penetrate the Metalls, as oyle doth
paper, or water a sponge, and tinge all Metalls into white, and red,
that is, into Silver or Gold.