As for that spirit of salt necessary to this work, you may find it in

the first part of my Philosophical Furnaces corrected and amended; but

the way of separation in the fourth part.

And so I finish this work, being published in favour of those who by

war (though honest men) are reduced to poverty. But what things are

deficient in this little tract shall (God willing) be delivered in the

next (which shall follow in a short time) largely and clearly without

fraud.

_FINIS._

THE

SECOND PART

OF THE

Mineral Work.

_Of the Birth and Original of Metals and Minerals, =viz.= How they

are produced by the Starrs, and take to themselves a body out of

the Water and Earth, and are found in a sundry shape. Written

and brought to light for the sake of the Diligent Searchers of

Nature._

A Preface to the Reader.

Courteous Reader,

_Whereas in a former little Book, lately by me published, I mentioned

this little Tract of the Generation of Metals, and through want of

time, could not hitherto make it publick, although earnestly desired

by men of the meanest and highest condition: I have now determined

to spare so much time from my other Imployments, as to do this Work

for the publick good, no ways doubting, but that (although this my

opinion of the Generation of Metals, doth not agree with all the

=Philosophers=) yet will it get credit from, and the assent of not a

few quick-sighted men._

_That which I here declare, I do not exhibit it with flattering words,

or many circumstances, or the testimonies of other Writings, but with

a naked and genuin simplicity; for which very cause I would not make

this little Tract too prolix, but have unfolded my mind with the most

Compendious stile that I could. But let none think that I endeavour

to weaken and nullifie the Opinions of other men concerning the

Generations of Metals, and obtrude mine in the World, no, not in the

least: I leave to every man his free will, and the Liberty of viewing

others, who have written Monuments of this thing, and of comparing of

them with my writings, that he may evidently perceive which of the two

Corresponds most with Nature and Truth: I aim not at any Honour hereby,

as if I were wiser than the common sort: Nor do I reap any benefit by

making this little Book, but ’tis done only for this end and purpose,

That (because I have formerly written of Metalline things, and have

also made mention of this little Tract of the Birth and Nativity of

them) I may give light unto my Writings, and render them more easie

to be understood; for I should most bitterly suffer, if but one only

should be lead into errour by my Writings, but I trust that the light

is springing up unto many, by the guidance whereof they will more

cautiously handle than hitherto they have done. Let the Benign and

Merciful God, our Father of all things, of whose Wonders the Heaven and

Earth are full, give unto His poor needy Children that which may tend

to the Glory of His most holy Name, and to our health._

OF THE

Birth and Nativity

OF

METALS.

There have alwaies been many, and various Opinions concerning the

Original of Metals and Minerals, _to wit_, of what matter they are

first of all generated in the Bowels of the Earth; and how come to such

a fixity, insomuch, that a young Beginner in this hard Science, hath

been in suspence; which of them he should assent unto, and by what

Phylosophy he should direct his course.

And whereas, throughout the whole Universe in so many Nations, there

are so many men, both of high and low degree, as well Learned as

unlearned, who busily seek at this day, to get their Felicity from the

Metals; and whereas, without the true Knowledge of them, nothing at

all of profit can be had (for by what means I pray can any one convert

any imperfect Metal into a better, if he be ignorant of what Parts it

is composed; into what Parts it is to be resolved before that it can

obtain a more Noble Form) and that the Knowledge of their Generation

is worthily necessary for their Melioration; we will in a few words

clearly evidence, What is to be considered as to their Nativity.

Although the whole Company of Phylosophers do almost unanimously

testify, (but yet in succinct, obscure, and ænigmatical Terms) That

Metals receive their Generation from above, by the force of the Stars,

and are produced in the bowels of the Earth; yet some there are, who

contend very ignorantly, and affirm, that Metals have not any seed at

all, as other Animal, and Vegetable things have; and that (upon this

account they have no propogating faculty, but were produced such in the

belly of the Earth, by GOD in the first Creation of things). But this

Deceit is too gross, and palpable, and may be met withal most easily,

by daily experience, declaring the contrary. For when being found in

the Earth, they are by the Miners brought to light, we abundantly, and

ocularly perceive, that even now they daily grow, and will not cease

from this motion, unless rob’d of their Vegetable Vertue and Life, by

external Accidents, which very thing convinceth the Opinion of Errour.

Some there are, who teach that God, when he made the World, did instil

into the Matrix of the Earth, not the Metals themselves, but their Seed

only for its own propagation; which, if so, then long ago, would this

Seed have afforded a new harvest of it self (of which, no footsteps

are any where extant) by its own absolute Vegetation. Know therefore,

that the manner of the Metallick Seed is far different from that of the

vegetable and animal Seeds, which are perceptible to the sence of sight

and feeling.

For the Metals are not all together created in the beginning of things,

but begotten in length of time, out of the bosome of the Elements; and

on them, being created by the Omnipotent GOD, is this Command injoyned,

and this Power implanted, that they should give growth to all things,

by their Vertue and Efficacy; for accomplishing of which thing, the one

cannot in the least want the Company of the other.

For the Stars or Elements of Fire, delivers out the metalline Seed out

of its own bowels; which the air carries down into the Water, that

it may adapt to it self, a palpable form or body, which the Earth

(embraceing it) doth cherish, nourish, and augment from form to form,

until it comes to be a perfect Metal, which it (at length) brings forth

into the light, as a Mother doth her mature young one; which Conception

and Generation of the Metals, taking its Original at the very beginning

of the World, will alwaies continue even unto its Dissolution.

For by the efficacy of the Elements, new things are from thence

generated, and contrarily, old things are destroyed; which thing is not

only done in Metals, but most apparently in Vegetables and Animals: for

none can deny, but that various Hearbs, and little Animals are produced

upon this Stage, by the alone vertue of the Elements, without planting

of the Herbs; and without the Seed of the Animals, which to pursue, I

could lay down many Documents, were it needful, but ’tis altogether

needless, to say any thing of that, of which none are ignorant. And

now, who will not believe, but that the same may be done in Metallicks.

God Omnipotent hath implanted in the Starrs, or Element of Fire, the

vivifying prolifick and seminal vertue of all things, which power it

doth not keep shut up within it self, but sends and lets it down by

Divine appointment into the earths center, by mediation of the air and

the water; which fiery beams cease not, by reason of their implanted

impulse and vertue, to go forward, until they do at last meet with

a place, beyond which it is impossible for them to go, nor can they

stay there any longer, but leaping back from the center unto the

circumference, are dispersed throughout the whole earth, cherishing

and impregnating it: which thing, unless it were done, and those

sidereal vertues should remain in the center of the earth, and never

flow upwards, nothing at all would grow upon the Earth. But because

heat, and whatsoever is of the fire, is endowed with this nature, to go

forward as far as it can, and where it can go no farther, ’tis struck

back, and leaps from the center to the Superfices; which thing is

evident in a burning-glass, whereinto when the Solar beams fall, and

cannot penetrate the compact and polisht metal, they are dispersedly

forced backwards, and in those fiery beams, whilst (every where) they

leap back, do in the porosity of the earth snatch up, as it were, a fat

humidity, adheres thereto, and by mutual mixtion are coagulated into

a certain palpable Essence, out of which, according to the purity or

impurity of the place, a pure, or an impure metal is with length of

time produced; because a metal doth not presently become ripe in the

same moment of time, but the Seed of the Metal is by little and little

nourished and increased in the matrix of the earth, with the heat of

the central fire, until it attains its perfection.

Like as in the generation of Vegetables and Animals, it comes in use,

whose Seed being received into the suitable matrix, takes encrease from

thence by little and little, until (if no obstacles prevent) it obtains

a predestinated and appointed form, whence ’tis, that according to the

purity of the place the metals are also varied: For it is but one only

seed out of which Metals and Minerals do proceed: but the place and

other accidents are the cause of their Unlikeness, as we shall prove in

the subsequent writing.

But to some men it will seem monstrous, that I say there’s a place

in the middle of the Earth, the which nothing can pass through or

penetrate, but is stopt; that which is heavy remains there, but the

more light is carried backwards: which opinion it will be worth while

briefly to explain.

In the Creation of the World, the Elements being as yet not separated

each from the other, but being a _Chaos_, God instituted their

separation, and ordained a place where the more ponderous part of the

mass should be separated, (which is the Earth) which thing is even

continually done, because every heavy thing or earth knits it self to

its assigned point, as a Bee doth to his hive, from whence at length

this Globe is made or born, upon which we inhabit: Presently after,

that which was next in weight, the water, made its separation from the

other Elements, and encompass’d the Superfices of the earth, having

the same center with the earth, insomuch that if the earth were not,

the water it self would have chiefly or primarily encompassed the

stable and founded point of Gravity or the Magnet; but because the

earth exceeding the water in ponderosity, doth intercede, it worthily

assumes its appointed place, and takes the waters upon its back.

Now, as the other two Elements, the lightest of them, the Fire, God

likewise sent to its proper aboad, a place most remotely distant from

the inferiour Globe of the heavy Elements; the other light Element, the

Air, being the _medium_ between the fire and the water, God hath set it

between them two, that constantly touching each the other, they might

mutually circulate, cherish, and uphold each the other, until being at

length dissolved, they are reduced into their own nothing, from whence

they were produced.

For the Fire cannot burn without the Air, nor the Air be conserved

without the Water, nor the Water be nourished without the Earth, nor

the Earth (being as it were dead) bring anything to light, except the

Element of Fire doth first spiritually instill thereinto its own seed,

whence it is afterwards made corporeally and sensibility, such as is

necessary for all growing things.

And now, lest what I have spoken (_viz._ that the Earth hath its own

center unpassable by any thing, whereinto the sidereal rays striking,

are contracted into a streight room, and (driven back) from thence are

sublimed and distilled throughout the whole Orb, from which all kind of

Metals and Minerals (by the help of the Earth and Water corporifying

them are produced) may seem a fable.

Know, that this Philosophy is demonstrable by many uncontroulable

reasons; which Philosophy I do not my self only embrace, but also

many more have done, ’mongst whom the most famous _Sandivow_ is not

the least, who writ, That in the Earths center is a vacuity, in

which nothing can rest, the which thing even the reason or order

of Nature seems to evidence, in whose middle point a void place is

necessarily requisit, into which all the vertues of the Stars may pour

out themselves, may mutually operate upon each other, and excite a

marvellous heat, permitting neither delay or quietude for any thing in

that place: but from thence, even the unbroken vertues of the Stars are

by little and little enforced to go back unto the circumference, where

joyning themselves to the most pure earth, they exclude a metallick

child; so that you need not wonder, because of that most intense heat

that sways there, when as all the Asterisms, the Sun, the Moon, the

other Planets, with Starrs innumerable, do into that place inject their

powers with all their might. If you consider but the solar magnitude

only, being by Astronomical Calculation 64 times the bigness of the

earthly globe (omitting to speak of the other innumerable huge bodies,

that jointly cast their influences into the belly of the earth) what

an unspeakable furious heat thinkest thou that all these will give,

which in the center of the earth muster up their vertues, and make

them manifest and efficacious: Consider a little how much one pugil of

the Sun-beams can do, being taken in a concave glass, or a metalline

ring well polished, or any other instrument, and straightened into

the center for a concave-glass rightly made, having but the Diameter

of a span, doth easily burn wood, or any combustible body; but if the

Diameter be two spans, it melts with the Sun, Lead, Tin, Bismuthum,

and other metals easily fluxible; if 4 or 5 spans, then it melteth

Copper and Silver, and so mollifies Iron, that it may be wrought upon

the Anvil. If now experience evinceth this thing, that a little handful

of the beams collected and strengthened into a point, be of so great

force as to melt even metals, and to fume away ☿, ♁, and Arsnick,

Auripigment, Koboltum, and other volatile and immature metals of like

kind; what thinkest thou would be, if the beams were congregated the

compass of 10 or 20 fathoms, doubtless they would burn up all other

metals, except Gold, like a flame, and elevate them into fume? And what

are 10 or 20 fathoms, if compared to so many thousands of thousands

which are attributed to the Sun, whose heat (passing by to speak of the

other great Starrs) if it were congregated into one place, (which is

so done in the earths center) what an incomprehensible burning heat,

thinkst thou, would be there? verily nothing would be fixt enough to

resist the burning; and indeed there is nothing in reality that doth

resist it, whence necessarily that point is vacuous wherein nought can

rest or remain.

Thou wilt object, that I speak of many things, but prove a very few;

for who was ever there, and beheld such a Cavity? I Answer thus, that

albeit, there be no ocular Testimony of this thing, yet naturally

Phylosophy affords Testimony sufficient, whereby ’tis in very deed

demonstrated, that such a place there is: now none denies, that the

Sun and Stars by their motion do inviron the terrestrial Globe, and

imprint their beams thereon, which being granted (for no sober man will

contradict this) it also follows, that those hot and invisible beams

do by an innate force and vigor go forwards, until they are somewhere

stop’d, and a further progress prohibited them; which thing is done

in the middle most point of the Earth, or all the Phylosophers are

altogether Lyers, who unanimously believe, that the heat is carryed

directly forwards, and not backwards: but behold an apparent Example

of this thing: Put a Coal upon some thick brass, or iron plate, and

thou shalt see that the side under the Coal will first wax hot by the

penetrating heat; take off the Coal and try with thy hand, and thou

shalt find it hurtful by the overmuch heat; try also the under side of

the Plate, and thou shalt find it to be but gentle warm, and after a

little delay, try yet once again, and thou shalt find that the heat is

gone directly forward, and that the underside of the Plate is hotter

than the upper part, whereupon the Coal lay.

Hence thou maist clearly perceive, that the heat never goes backwards,

but is carried directly forwards; which being so, thou shalt be

enforced to confess _nolens volens_, that in like manner the Astral

heat sticks not in the Superfices of the earth, but pierceth even to

the very bottom center.

Well, but thou wilt again object, If the Sunbeams descends through

the earths thickness, even to the very center, Whence is it, that the

whole earth grows not hot thereby, or at least so warm as it is on the

surface? for ’tis found by experience, that the digg’d-up earth is not

warm, but cold, and no heating beams are therein perceptible. Take

this for an answer, That the dispersed beams of the Sun do not display

their efficacy, but only in those places where they are collected and

become sensible; a hint of which you may observe in the earths surface

it self; where a speedier passage being not permitted, but through the

hardness of the stones, and its own density, there being a stop and

obstruction, the heat becomes duplicated, and manifestly augmented,

insomuch, that in all very hard rocks and clifts there is sometimes

created so great a heat by the continual Conflux and Condensation of

the Sunbeams, that if accidentally, wood or fuel be laid thereto, it

burns and flames up, which never happens in a thin and porous Aire (how

near soever to the Sun) it being uncapable of stoping those beams; for

by how much the higher you ascend into the Aire, by so much the more

intense shall you find the Cold to be; insomuch that the most Touring

Mountains, altho’ posited in warm Countries, are alwaies covered with

Frost, Ice, and Snow, when as in the bottom of those Hills, the Ground

is very warm, and brings forth varieties of Fruit, although it be more

remote from the Sun: The cause of which Cold in the Tops, and of Heat

in the Bottom, only consists in the reflection of the solar Beams,

which are stayed and multiplied below; which thing cannot at any rate

be done in the Fire that is above.

These beams having first passed the superfices of the Earth, where

they were a while joined and multiplyed, are by little and little

debilitated, and return to their simplicity; whence it comes to pass,

that that part of the Terrene Globe, which is furthest distant from

the Centre, hath as little heat, as the Aire on high: but if it were

possible to ascend higher, and nearer to the Sun, the heat would by

little and little be encreased, and be found greatest at the Sun it

self: In like manner may a Comparison be made about the Earths heat,

which near the Surface is very faint, but nearer the Centre, more and

more encreasing; (there being its Seat and Collection) so that the

middle Earth, between the Sun (from whom the heat flow) and the Centre,

where the whole being gathered together, is repercussed, may deservedly

be esteemed the coldest part; of which truth, a certain demonstration

is readily produceable.

For when in the hottest day of Summer, watry Clouds are elevated by

the Winds, higher than ordinary, they are made pure Ice by the force

of a most intense Cold, which fall down in little bits of that form

or shape, which they were imprinted with by the Aire, to the great

detriment of Vegetables; and is by us call’d Hail, and so cold, that we

are not able long to hold it in our hands, and usually lies some daies

in the Suns heat ere it melts by the warm Aire, and returns into Water.

Now then if there were not a great Cold in the middle Region of the

aire; whence is it, that those Clouds are so frozen; and who knows

how great the Cold is, where the Aire, in its own middle point, is

most of all cold; doubtless it is so great, that no living thing is

able to live therein the twinkling of an eye, but would incontinently

be transmuted into a stone, even as we have frequently perceived the

earthy Exhalations born up on high into the middle Region of the

Aire, to have been there coagulated, and compacted into the most hard

stones, and so to have fallen down; and not only stones weighing some

pounds, but also metals too, and chiefly iron of a great weight,

representing the shape of many conglomerated drops, have been in that

part of the Aire condensed out of dry Exhalations, and thrown down

thus concreted; the which thing others have handled more at large;

whence ’tis sufficiently evident, that the Sun-beams, in such places

as they can freely pass through, without any impediment, give not any

heat from themselves: but only where they are detained and fixt, and

by how much harder the detaining matter is, by so much it causeth

a better heat. Thou also seest that Wood, or any porous Body never

contracts from the Sun, so great a heat, as a stone doth; nor doth a

stone, so much as a metal, although all placed the one by the other,

to the Suns heat; the cause of which diversity, doth alone consist in

the pores, of which some bodies have more, some less; thereby granting

a more speedy passage to the heat; for ’tis (as I have often said)

the property of the heat, to hasten directly forwards, as long as

’tis not impeaded, and extreamly unwilling to go back. A Testimony

whereof, as well the Kitchen Fire, as the Solar, or Fulminous Fire

affords unto us; for if any body sitting near the Fire, hath casually

in his pocket, any metal, be it a key, knife or money, the heat (easily

penetrates the thin Garments) lights upon the metal, whereto it adheres

and augments; and gets so much heat, that sometimes it cannot be held

in the hand; but the cloathing, although nigher the Fire, is scarce

gently warm; the same thing usually falls out in Thunder, whose Fire,

because it flyes very furiously, if it hath not room to pass the pores

of solid withstanding bodies, it dissipates and dissolves them in a

moment, and leaves porous bodies whole, which Lightning, often melts

the sword in the scabbard, or money in the purse, the Receptacle of

them being whole: It also breaks the hollow and marrowy bones of

Animals, the flesh remaining whole and sound; the Cause thus, for that

this fulminous heat most swiftly penetrating, is deprived of time to

penetrate, and warm a metal by degrees, and will not return backwards,

contrary to its own nature, and therefore subdues and conquers the

weaker Element by force and power; for Fire only is the most potent of

the Elements, and knows not how to yield to the other three, but they

are compelled to stoop to it, with which priviledge the said Fire is

from God endued, even from its very infancy.

In the same and like manner is it with the Sun’s, Moon’s, and other

Stars heat, and occult Vertues, which by their efficacy, hasten

on forwards so long, until they meet with that which they cannot

penetrate, where making a stand, and heated as it were together, are

compelled to go back, searching after a place to rest, and become

corporeal; for the chiefest heat being in the Earths Centre, gives

not any delay to any thing, but continually drives back, what flows

thither, into the porous and moist Earth, where the Beams being

sublimed and hidden, may cloath themselves with a sensible Corporeity,

and proceed from one degree to another, until they are well concocted

into perfect Metals, no impediment intervening.

But let me not be mistaken by any one, as if it ’twere my Opinion, that

in the Centre of the Earth, the fiery place is constitute, of which the

Scriptures make mention; for I have nothing to say as to that place;

nor desire to know ought concerning it. This place which I describe, is

discovered to us by natural Phylosophy, but that place the Scripture

makes mention of, I leave to Theologists, by which they may terrify the

wicked Multitude, that they precipitate not themselves rashly, and by

Troops thereinto.

And now because the Hellish fire is here mentioned, I cannot omit

to blast the most unsound Opinions of some putatitious Doctrines

thereabouts: There are in many places found Mountains, belching forth,

with huge force, flames, fumes, ashes, and stones: In _Europe_, is

the Hill _Ætna_ of _Scicilia_; in Island, is _Hoctu_, behind Norway;

there’s also _Vesuvius_, adjoining to Naples, and many more other

places in other Parts of the Earth; some part of which continually burn

and fume; others at certain times and intervals; which places, many

account for the fumings of Hell.

But verily this cannot be rational, because those burning Mountains

have a natural Original, and Cause of Fireing, known but to very few;

for in some places are found Mountains wholly Sulphure which being

kindled, either by the Central or Elemental fire of Thunder, or any

other accident cannot but burn, and when such a Mountain hath but once

taken Fire, and begins to burn, who can restrain the burning; no body,

because of the greatness of the Fire, and danger of what may happen,

being therefore left to it self, it feeds downwards, being never

destitute of matter fit for the fire.

And now if any one understanding by the Monuments of the Antients, that

these Mountains have burned for some Ages, yea, and for Thousands of

Years, should wonder, whence Fuel sufficient for that Fire should be

had, let him know, that this may easily be done; that a Mountain should

burn without intermission, not only for the magnitude of the Terrene

Globe, in which a mountainous Wax, or Bitumen, Brimstone, and such like

Combustible Things abound: But also, because of the never-interrupted

Motion of the Stars, whereby they never cease replenishing the Earth

with their out-flowings, and generating (besides Minerals) such

Combustible matters as these, augmenting and cherishing the Fire.

But they endeavour to confirm their Opinion by the lamentable Howlings,

which at some times are heard nigh those Mountains; which Cryes, the

credulous Vulgar People report to be of the Souls, which are lost: But

these are but Trifles; for those Out-cryes are then only uttered, when

the Mountains endeavour to throw out much fire, otherwise they burn and

fume very gently, which as soon as the Adjacent Inhabitants perceive,

they well know, that they shall shortly have an Harvest of ashes, fire,

& stones, out of the Mountains: and that they may avoid the hazard and

danger threatned by the Fire, they carefully keep far enough off. And

for the most part, a great Quantity of the Sulphure is prepared in the

neighbouring parts, whereby the needy get their food, by digging it up,

purging it from its Impurities, and preparing it for humane uses; but

as to the Cryes, it seems to be nothing else in my opinion, but only

the fire breaking forceable through the streight Channels, the hard

Stones and Caverns, and produceing thereby a dreadful sound, which they

commonly call Ejulation, or Howling. They also add, that about those

fiery Mountains, Ghosts, Visions, and Spirits usually appear visibly.

This also is true, and Grounded upon Nature, but yet thou canst not

prove that they are Devils and infernal Spirits; there being even

otherwhere seen, and found diverse Spirits in the Bowels of the Earth,

being Monsters not unwonted, or strange to such as dig, or are Miners,

by which they are frequently injured; yea, and sometimes destroyed,

lamed or infected; sometimes these spirits are hurtless and idle

spectators, or playing with the workmens implements; or even labour

themselves not in the least filling their Pockets, how strongly soever

they shew themselves bent upon their work. But such spirits appear in

various forms, oftentimes resembling an Horse, a Dog, or other Beast,

sometimes a Dwarf-like crooked man; frequently they appear cloathed

with an ashy Cowle of a _Monk_; they usually are Testimonies of great

Felicity and rich Mines; sometimes they do great mischief, by choaking

the Miners with a wicked habit, or throwing them headlong into the

Pits, by reason of whose malice many of the rich Mines are unavoidable

left undigged, they boldly defending their hidden Treasures.

Let these things concerning the spirits, about the burning Mountains,

or those remaining in the profundity of the Earth, and appearing in

the several shapes, be spoken by way of Parenthesis. And now I return

to the thing in hand, and will demonstrate, that there is nothing of

Community betwixt these burning Mountains and the central or infernal

fire, but that these blow out a thick and material fire; which I thus

prove.

First of all, These Mountains do at sometimes cease to burn, breathing

out smoak only between whiles more copiously: sometimes they dye and

expire through want of fuel to supply them.

But the central fire can never be either diminished or vanish as long

as the sun shines and starrs glister, and send down their vertues

into the earths centre. Even as the infernal fire shall never expire,

the Scripture thus testifying, wherefore that fire, though a most

furious Mountainous fire, cannot be either of these two, but is meerly

material, subject to encrease and decrease, and its food desisting,

plainly extinguisheth: Besides, the fire of those Mountains heats not

fervently, but for the greatest part smoke obscurely; but the adjoyning

Earth is very hot, for the space of some miles, so that you cannot long

stand there without injuring your feet. The Waters also which slow down

from them, are boyling hot, and manifestly smell of sulphur a good

Portion whereof they have within themselves.

Besides these flaming and smoaking Mountains, there are sometimes found

other Denns or Caverns, breathing forth neither Flame nor Fume, and yet

a great heat, which is another kind of fire, which is largely treated

of in the Chronicles of Metals, where amongst other things, this is

also added; That on a time a Wind gaping, arose in a certain Mountain,

and sent forth a huge heat, and in the night only was some splendor

perceptible, ascending towards Heaven, and sometimes a breathing heat

was only observed.

On this a curious _Monk_ was in himself perswaded to let down into the

cranny, a pot, bound on an Iron Chain, with intent to draw up some

molten Gold, which he believed to be thereunder, which when it came to

touch the fire, it presently melted and fell down, the which in like

sort burnt away like Chaff, with a good part of the Chain also, and

was ejected and thrown up again in the form of a fume, with a great

noise and crack, but the Monk hardly scap’d with his life, the gold

being left behind in the Hell; but thou maist readily divine what sort

of fire this was, which reduced the Pot and Chain into fume in the

twinkling of an eye, that it was not a material fire, because void of

smoak, but the astral fire.

It is well known to the Miners, that the central and gehennal fire

doth oftentimes ascend the high parts of the Mountains, and warm

them, and there cherish and maturate the metals: which Caverns, when

in their searching for Metals, they come nigh unto, they feel too much

heat, that they are even against their wills compelled to desist. But

this heat, although indeed in the action of the growing, Minerals doth

usually excite and make great enough; yet for the greatest part it

derives its Original from the central fire, and this central from the

Starrs. But after what manner and reason the starrs beget the central

fire, and this generates the Minerals and Metals, I will demonstrate to

the unknowing as briefly as I can.

Thus therefore stands the case: We read in _Moses_, in the first

of _Genesis_, that God, when he made the World out of the confused

_Chaos_, did give the Elements their original first, and assigned to

Earth its proper place, and injoyned on earth its Office to be done;

but by what means they are preserved by the interceding perpetual

Circulation, natural Philosophy doth demonstrate. It will not therefore

be to our purpose to treat prolixly of them, but only of the rise

and nativity of metals, will I compendiously speak as far as I know

of them, _viz._ in what manner the metallick kind draws its original

from them, together with its encrease and augmentation, and how having

arrived to the top of their perfection, they come to their end.

I have a little before demonstrated, that the superiour element

of fire, as the Sun, Moon, and the other Starrs, send down their

invisible vertues and fiery beams into the earths center, where they

are congregated, and cause huge heat, and being not permitted there

to rest, leap back again, and are scattered throughout the universal

Globe, and impregnate it with various and wonderful Crescentials, which

are called Minerals by the Philosophers, cherishing and perfecting them

in various forms. The reason and manner of which thing I will here in a

few words unfold.

Every spiritual thing, come it from whatsoever body it will, is

invisible and impalpable, nor can any thing be made of it alone, but

it’s forced to remain a spirit, until it meets with a subject whereto

it may adhere, be united, and by the benefit thereof be turned into a

Corporeal Nature, and pure, answerable to the purity of the subject and

spirit, the spirit is in the room of seed; but the subject answers to

the earth or matrix in which the spirit is concocted, into a sensible

body suitable to its own nature. But ’tis to be known, that the manner

of Metallick conception and generation, is far different from that of

the Vegetable and Animals: For in most Vegetables that have arrived to

their perfection, nature works out a seed for a farther propagation

and encrease, being the most excellent part of the herb, which at the

Springs Entrance being committed to convenient earth, produceth a new

plant in all points like unto the former, from whence it sprang, by

which doing new seeds of the same plant, are always conserved. Although

indeed some plants are not propagated by the seed, but by the root.

Yet they are very few, and in such, the root it self serves instead of

seed. And that in some places Plants grow out of the earth, without

the assistance of either seed or root, its done by the help of the

Elements, in whom the same force of impregnating the void earth and

production of Plants, is at this Instant, as was at first, when they

generated and brought them forth in the beginning of the World. In like

manner is there a twofold production of Animals, the one done by a

proper sperm, by which they are propagated, the other is a production

of some little Animals, upon the world’s stage, even without Sperm, by

putrefaction only, and the mutual action and passion of the Elements.

These two waies have footing also in Minerals, the one is the Universal

impregnation made by the Starrs in the beginning of the world, the

other is Daily. And even as the first generation of Vegetables and

Animals is to be accounted far more excellent than that which is

accidental and quotidian, so is it with Minerals likewise. As some

Vegetables arrive to their perfection, and perish sooner than other

some, so do metals and minerals also; and by how much the sooner and

quicker growth they have, by so much the sooner do they perish; and so

on the contrary. And as a rational and movable Animal is a thousand

times in his nobility and fixity beyond a Vegetable, so also doth a

Mineral, by reason of his fixity, far transcend any Animal; which wants

an immortal soul.

Now when the Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, fatally terminating

their period, are corrupted, and return into a nothing, each Element

takes to it self what is its own. The Starrs, the Spirit, the Earth,

keeps the body which it formerly gave, and the Principles of the thing

do each return unto their Fountains from whence they at first did flow.

And in this manner is there perpetual Death and Regeneration of things,

by the testimony of Experience.

There are many ways by which Metals are brought to light, _viz._

by huge Fires: if by Accident and Carelesness of Shepherds, a Wood

catcheth fire, the Earth by reason of the intollerable heat Gapes, and

the molten Metal flows forth and is detected: sometimes also vehement

Earthquakes discover them.

Besides, the Veins of Metals are found out when deep Wells and Pits are

digged, or by the Plowing in the Fields, they are sometimes dig’d up,

and their Veins discovered: strong Rivers washing away the Earth and

Sand, do sometimes open their Veins; the Fruits of which being found in

the Banks, give cause of searching after them.

They are also discovered by means of an Animal, even an Horse, by

pawing with his foot, beating away the Earth uncovers the Vein, which

happen’d at _Goslaria_ in _Ramelsbug_; even Hogs searching after

Acorns, have diged up Mine-pits; or a pure Metal lifts up it self into

the Aire in the likeness of a Reed, by which means the exceeding rich

Mines of Silver at _Kuttenberg_ in _Bohemia_, was by a Monk manifested

to the World, who walking in the Wood gathered a Silver Reed growing

out of the Earth, and put it in his Cowle, and declared the thing in

the Convent.

Sometimes also most vehement storms pulling up very great Trees by the

roots do open veins. Most frequently a Corruscation gives undoubted

testimony of Veins, which being enkindled by the warm air, runs a long

some space, in the likeness of a blew flame; nor is the finding out

of the process of Veins (not lying over-deep buried) very difficult

if you rightly consider, for they continually breath forth a warm

Sulphureous vapour, upon which, not only the Grass growing is thiner

than is elswhere wont to be, but even the Trees that grow upon them are

dwarf-like, have paler and thiner Leaves than other Trees elsewhere

planted have.

Likewise where the Dew, Hoar-Frost, sooner melts and vanisheth, ’tis a

testimony that a Metal is thereunder; the cause of which melting, is

the warm vapours attending from the Veins.

But that testimony which the most imploy themselves in, in seeking by

an Hazel rod (which my self have many times experienced) is fallacious

and uncertain.

This is the Work of the Art, if any one conjoyning Metals in the Fire

under a certain constellation, melt them into an electrum and make of

them a little Ball, perfortated in the middle, wherein a wand of hazel

of one years growth wanting little boughs, is to be implanted, which

carry streight out before thee where thou conjecturest Metals to be,

when the little Ball, bows the Rod & bends towards the ground it is

without doubt that thereunder are metals, & that the labour undertaken

about them will not be in vain.

This testimony proceeding from the Natural and infallible foundation

of Philosophie, is deservedly to be preferred before all other Arts

concerning the finding out of Metals.

Nor mayest thou wonder thereat, for we are unacquainted with most

things; who is it that can certainly unfold why the Magnet atracts

Iron, and heated Amber attracts Straw, Grass, Thread and other

Vegetables? the whole Earth is full of unsearchable Wonders and Secrets

of GOD which are to be diligently observed by us.

Now as to the causes, why so many kinds of Metals are generated so

unlike amongst themselves; some think one thing, and some another; many

will that the Seven Metals onely have their product from the Seven

Planets, _viz._ Lead from _Saturn_, Tin from _Jupitur_, Iron from ♂.

Gold from the _Sun_, Copper from ♀. Quick-silver from ☿. and Silver

from the _Moon_; but I am not of that Opinion; for how can the Sun,

☽, or any other Planet seek out to it self in the profundity of the

Earth, a peculiar place where to sow its Seed, and procreate a Metal

conformable to it self; whereas we see that no Metal is digg’d out of

the earth, alone, but alwayes mixt with others; for thou shalt never

find Lead but there is silver in it, more or less; no Tin is dig’d

or washed out but it hath Gold and Silver; all Copper and ♂ contains

Silver, and sometimes much ☉ which is neither conceived of, or believed

by the Metallurgists, nor is ever Gold found without Silver or Copper,

and ☽ is very seldom void of ☉ or other Metals; but if each Planet

should generate its own Metal, how comes it that another is adjoyned to

it? I speak of those Metals only, which are either solely contained in

their own Veins, or else are found and washt out in grains in the Earth

or Sand, either pure or mixt with stones.

I exclude those which are (two or three mixt with each other) each in

his own proper Vein, and are a burden or impediment, to one another, as

Metallists speak, and are often carried along a great while together,

and not seldome do come together making one Vein, and are by and by

separated and dispersed into various little Veins; and now, if each

Planet should create his own proper Metals verily he would also chuse

his own place, and would not suffer another to possess his proper nest,

and disturb his operation.

But let us allow to each his proper Metal, and then what Starr should

we assigne to Bismuth Cobolt, ♁ and Zink for their Generator, they

being undeservedly excluded from the Metalline Company, wherewith

they are nearer affined then ☿, being fusible with other Metals, and

brought to use by the Artificers hand, which with ☿ Cannot be done;

indeed some are to be found alone, in Veins, as Lead and Silver, but ☉

being any where found and cleansed from every Mineral, and washed out

of the Sand, yet never wants Silver and Copper; Tin and iron are also

gotten out of the Sand, and Earth in small pieces, never simple, but

mixt with stone; these grains or pieces yield the most Excellent Tin,

(Called by the _Germans_ =Seiffenzin=) and for the most part contains

more Gold than that which is digged out of the pit, Because while those

litle granulated stones are washed out (=Switter or Sintranpen=) many

granulated ones containing much Gold, commix themselves therewith,

and are excocted and melted together with the Tin; in like manner the

little grains of Iron yield the most Excellent Iron. The Miners find

☿ either runing or inclosed in a Red stone but to be excocted and

vivified by Art; sometimes also Copper is found in very little stones

(=Recauplein=) like the Angulated Piris Stones; otherwise all Metals

grow in their own Mines or Veins of the Mountains, out from whence

being gotten with greatest labour and cost, together with hazzard of

life, are purged from the Mine, by beating, washing, and melting; but

how each are to be known, exploded, digged, beaten, washed, melted,

and separated from heterogeneous things, is copiously demonstrated by

the most Famous and Antient Metallists, _George Agricola_ and _Lazarus

Erker_.

I do therefore conclude that Metals, and Semimetals or Minerals, have

their birth from one common Seed, but are by accident severed into

various forms and shapes.

For the Vertues of the Stars being jointly carried into the Centre of

the Earth, do not remain alone, but being mixt each with the other,

goe back into the Caverns of the Mountains, seeking a place of Rest,

where they may make themselves a Body; which if it be pure, makes also

a pure Metal, if impure, an unpure Metal; and such place is most like

unto a Matrix, conceiving Seed from the Male, which if it forms into a

body, cherisheth, and being excocted to maturity, perfects it. Now the

Astral Spirits supply the room of man-like sperm, which being received

into the moist Earth, in Caverns, as in a Matrix, is nourished, and

fashioned into diverse metallick Forms, and palpable Bodies, according

to the purity of the place.

Hence also ’tis evident, That various kinds of Metals are generated out

of one Seed accidentally, because the Metals, whilst in being, do grow

riper by little and little, and are more and more meliorated, and daily

experience doth demonstrate, that they are nobilitated, not only under

the Earth, but even above it. Hence ’tis, that the Miners diging out an

immature Mineral, as _Bismuth_, _Cobaltum_, or _Zinck_ examining it, as

they do silver, and finding nothing, say, that they came sooner there

than they ought, which Minerals being exposed to the Aire, and then

exploded, and tryed after some years, are found to contain much silver.

On this account I affirm, That if the common Seed of Metals, had

alwaies a clean, and fitting Matrix, and no accidental impediments

intervened, nothing else but Gold (the highest perfection of metals)

would be generated; and that this is Natures intention, alwaies to

bring to perfection, what she hath begun: but Gold only attains this

state, all the rest remaining imperfect; but it shall be clearly

demonstrated in the Third Part ensuing, that by genuine Alchymy, even

they may be advanced to the same degree, which if it could not be

demonstrated, that imperfect Metals might by Art, be brought unto

perfection, and by Industry, and the Fire; it might be very probable

and credible, that each Metal had his own appropriated Seed and Planet.

But now, if common lead possessing but little silver, by the usual

trying of the Cupel, may, by the benefit of maturating Salts, be so

far perfected by a short digestion, as to yield much silver; and by a

longer digestion or fixation, to yield, even Gold it self, which it

had not in it before [_Cons. Part 3d._] ’tis evidently perceptible,

that ’twas not Nature’s intent, that Saturn should so remain in his

Saturnine Estate, but that he should be made Silver and Gold.

The other imperfect bodies may also be maturated by digestion, that

they shall yield forth fixt Gold and Silver.

In like manner the spurious Metals or Minerals, as ♁ _Cobolt_, _Zinck_,

_Bismuth_, and others of that kind may be so fixed, as to be behind

them, in the Cupel, good Gold and Silver, which is most plainly done in

the Third Part.

Thus thou seest, That ’tis not Natures Fault, that there is so many

imperfect Metals; but ’tis to be imputed to external Impediments; for

if that Gold lay not hid in the Potentia in the imperfect Metals, by

what Art could it be reduced into action?

Art cannot create either Gold or Silver, but Nature can, and yet doth

not alwaies accomplish it upon the Earth without the industry of Art:

When a Gardner suffers the seed and root of the Plant to wither, nor

commits it to the Earth, that it might be perfected; ’tis not the fault

of the seed, but the Gardner, who suffers it, that it comes thus to

perish. Nature doth very often want help, as appears in the fruits

of Animals, and Vegetables; and why may not help be necessary and

profitable in metalline products, where, by the Artificers ingenuity,

they may be holpen. ’Tis evident then, that Nature aims, as well to

make Gold out of Minerals, and baser Metals, as to make a Man of an

Infant; or a Tree of a Nut: and if it be otherwise, it is not to be

imputed unto her, but to external Accidents.

Now I suppose that I have sufficiently proved by these things, that all

Metals proceed out of one seed and root; and may be reduced thereinto,

and also, that Minerals may be compared unto the first buding of

Vegetables, imperfect Metals to Semi-adult, or half ripe Plants; but

Gold to perfect seed or fruit, brought by Nature unto its end or bound.

But this is to be understood of the Universal Birth, and Generation

of Metals; which for the greater part, drawing their Original in the

profundity of the Earth out of the Central seed, do grow in Caverns and

Veins, and increase together into various forms, and are from these

digged out with great costs, hazards, and labour.

Now there’s another Generation actuated in a plainly-diverse manner,

without the Central common, and propagated seed, done upon the Earths

superficies, by the Operation of the Stars above; yet ’tis the least

part of Metals, that are thus generated. It hath been said, that there

is a twofold manner of Generation, nature makes use of in Animals and

Vegetables, and so its in Metals.

The First is most frequent and notable, the other is rare and

insensible: The one is done in Plants, by the preparation of the seed

or root; the other strongly perfected by the influence of the Stars,

and the Elements efficacy and power: for Example, If Rain-water, being

received into some Vessel, exhales in the heat of the Sun, or of the

Aire, an Earth remains, which by an innate power, produceth various

little Plants, little Animals, small Worms and Flies, without the

access of seed.

The same happens in Metals, when the Sun, or any other Star operates

upon the moist Earth; the astral Vertues are congregated, and being

made corporeal, do exhibit diverse Minerals and Metals, according to

the purity of the Matrix, or moist Earth; where the Water is instead

of the Matrix, and the Stars instead of the Father, or Seed: likewise,

it is not possible for Metals to be generated in the Centre, where all

things are dry, but far off from that place, where the Waters moisten

the Earth, and with which the Central Spirits can join themselves, and

pass into Bodies and Metals.

For a dry spirit cannot coagulate himself into a body, by reason of

his dryness, but wants a fit subject, from whence to take its body,

which is Water: as soon as ever the sulphureous spirit is mixt with the

water, it is no more common water, but the rudiment and beginning of a

metallick generation called ☿ by the Philosophers, not the vulgar being

already made metalline, but a viscous water, which the metallurgists

call Gur or a fermenting spume, which if contained in a convenient

place, and Cherished with the due Central heat, and an humidity, is in

length of time maturated into a metal.

The Conception therefore, and generation of metals is not only in

the profundity of the earth by the mediation of the central spirits

carryed upwards, but also in the superfices by the stars casting their

invisible beams into a subtle, and fat earth where they are held, and

become Corporeal.

For the sidereal fire never ceaseth to infuse its virtues into the

earth, and to Impregnate it with various products of vegetables,

animals, and minerals, according as it meets with a matrix, nor is this

done only in the earth as being most fit for metallick generation, but

even in the air in thick Clouds, do they act the same thing.

Truly we frequently see that not only little Animals, as Palmer-worms,

Caterpillars, Frogs & other insects are there conceived and thence

excluded, and descend mixt with the rain, but tis also evident by

Credible Testimonys, that stones of an hundred weight, also Masses of

Iron in the form of small Conglomerated drops, exceedingly malleable

have fallen down from the air, and also various Comets and other

Igneous substances being gathered together in the air: are kindled;

their matter being taken away they dy, and falling down upon the earth

like a fume of Arsnick they infect it with their brats, whence an

harvest of many deadly diseases doth most plentifully bud forth. Nay

even thunder and lightning it self is nothing else, but a subtle nitre

enkindled, and with the Crack falling stones are procreated in the air;

thence it appears, that not only the central fire doth ingravidate

the Intrals of the earth: but also the Astral fire seeks a place of

creating metals in the superficies or in the air it self, but no where

more apt then in the veins and dens of the earth.

I well know, that there are many Opinions of those metals, which

are not in the bowels of the earth; but are found above either in

the earth, or sand in little grains, but they are for the most part

Erroneous. Most men do think that gold which is found on the banks of

Rivers and there washed out, was not generated in that place, but were

broken off from some veins of gold by the strength of waters, falls,

or floods, and brought thither out of the mountains, which indeed may

be true, for somtimes torrents do hurry alongst them little shining

golden grains which are afterwards taken up on the hairy backs of the

beasts, but that all gold found in Rivers, and streams, is by the help

of currents washt out of the mountains, seems unlikely, but was rather

generated there; for sometimes gold is gathered by a river from whence

the fountains are exceedingly remote and distant, which should bring it

thither.

Likewise in open Mountains, never seen by any fountains, is gold

gathered out of the earth or sand, of which kind is almost all the

gold, which the Hollanders buy of the Indians of the value of an

hundred or thousand markes, which is not gotten out of the fountains

or rivers, but for the greatest part out of the sand in open places,

Elevated from the waters.

Such sublime and dry places have been in Germany, also where the

auriferous earth was carryed down to the rivers, and separated from

the gold, and even to this day where little grains of Zwitter or Tin

are washed out, are grains of gold also found, not in low deep places,

but scattered about the mountains and are usually melted with the Tin,

whence tis that such Tin is generally wont to abound with gold, which

thing I have frequently found experimentally.

The cause why gold is oftner found near rivers and streams is this,

because that being carryed on with force they wash away the sand, being

lighter and leave behind them, the more heavy grains of gold, from

which the remaining sand is washed away with less ado; but now the

Rhenish gold, such as here is in Germany, and the like, is not pure,

but mingled with silver and copper; nor is it always alone, or fine,

like a metal, but in the form of an heavy and sulphureous powder, whose

combustible sulphur being burnt and removed by fusion, it acquires a

golden colour tenderness, ductibility and purity.

But that which is brought from India, is, as to appearance gold, and is

some greater, some smaller graines, and not as that with us is, yet not

fine, but some is found better than other some.

I sometime saw a dutch Merchant having a lump of this kind of gold

well nigh fine or of Twenty four Carracts weighing some Lotons, but

generally they are of the bigness of a midling sand. But that which is

washt out in Hungaria, and Transilvania is esteemed the finest of all,

which I have found equivalent to duckets.

Now I suppose that I have sufficiently demonstrated, that all gold is

not generated by the central fire in the belly of the earth, but also

in the superfices thereof, by the vertue of the superiour stars, and

not only gold, but other, metals and minerals, especially ♂ and ♀ are

in like manner generated, and ♂ most frequently, which is plentifully

found every where in round or angulated little stones, for the most

part of a golden Nature, and though commonly neglected yet deserve well

to be observed.

Such also are those flints which are within of a reddish colour

conteining a golden iron, for there is a great familiarity and

friendship between ♂ and ☉, where under lys hid, a great secret and in

the third part shall be explained more at large.

Now for a further conviction of such as are incredulous, the metals are

generated upwards or here above in a moist earth without the central

seed, this example is conducible in marshy parts, and places that are

always moist, the Superiour Stars have a fit Subject to generate Metals

in, witness Holland, where they yearly dig a peculiar turf or earth,

which they burn instead of wood, which contains, besides sulphur,

Arsnick, ♂ and ♀ yet, all, is not thus, but only that which is dig’d

out of the most deep places, and is called =bactert=, the rest called

=been= seldom contains any thing other thing than, sulphur & a little

Arsnick, whereas the other hath very much, sulphur and Arsnick being

an unwholesome fire to such as are not there unto accustomed, which

although it be in depth Twenty Thirty or Forty feet, yet do they scarce

extract or dig out five or six, or at the utmost ten foot, because in

some depth it wants sulphur altogether, and is unfit for the fire.

Now then such as try for bituminous Turf, or such as search for the

depth of a Marsh, or seek after a sandy bottom, drawing forth the earth

with long borryers or Caugers, do find that by how much the deeper they

go, so much the less, sulphur they find, and at the bottom none at all.

Whence tis evident that sulphur Arsnick, or that Mineral that lys hid

in the earth received his Original from above, and not from beneath.

But the most Metals are produced in the earths bowels, and the fewest

nigh the Circumference, whose seed is found more powerful in the deep,

than in the Circumference; for the sidereal virtues do constantly

hasten to the centre, and not finding further passage fight together,

and strive each against the other, and cause a huge heat, by the

repercussion whereof the whole globe grows warm, and is gravidated with

all kinds of Minerals.

Thus then are all Minerals, and Metals procreated, as well in the

deep as in the Circumference, out of a most subtle Astral seed, with

a sutable moisture wherein it frameth a body to it self, nor let any

wonder that Metals are generated of an insensible, and most subtle

warm vapour, if joyned with humidity, they fall not down from heaven

as a stone from an house, but descend spiritual, and getting a fitting

place in the earth do (by the waters mediation) put on a body, and get

their weightiness from the earth, even as the seeds of vegetables and

Animals, which (as is most evident) give only the form, increase and

life, but supplys not the place of the body it self.

But most false is the foundation of such as imagine, that Metals have

there Original from common running, ☿ and burning sulphur (each being a

semi-mettal) tis indeed certain that metals are born of ☿ & sulphur but

not the common, but such aforementioned, _viz._ Astral, a sulphureous

warm, dry, and spiritual soul, and terrestrial viscous water, from

whose mutual conjunction (as of Male and Female Seed) all Metals are

born.

That Erroneous Opinion hath been the cause of many labours on, ☿

and they are not a few, who have wasted all they had by this, their

philosophy. And how many have attempted to fix common, ☿ either with

or without Gold or Silver, and do at this day attempt the like, with

hopes of turning it into Gold or Silver, but all in vain, my self have

to my loss tryed it, and how far I have come, the third part shall

declare.

In like sort as great a number have attempted to extract runing, ☿ out

of Metals, intending to fix it (as the first of Metals) into Gold or

Silver, but all in vain, for as the beginning was foolish, so the end

terminates in loss; and such have chiefly with much trouble sought

after the ☿ of ♄ or Antimony being perhaps seduced by the sayings of

the Philosophers, who affirm that ♄ the father of all Metals reduced

into ☿ may be easily Changed into Gold, but this is not that running

☿ but a viscous water, that may be handled like the first being of

Metals, according as the Artificer willeth, and may be changed into any

form. I cannot tell what madness possesseth men that aim to reduce ♄

or ♁ into running ☿ in hopes of a more easy fixing it, whereas neither

of both ever was running ☿ and in my opinion will never be, but grant

it may be made ☿ to what will it be more profitable then ♄ it self,

it being hereby made more volatile, and not more fixt, but say they

☿ is a purer substance then ♄ and will therefore the more freely be

amalgamated and fixed with the Sun and ☽ no, by no means. Well! I will

grant that ☿ may be made of ♄ or ♁ which yet I can hardly believe,

what will it profit thee? Nothing at all; but now I readily believe,

and have experienced that ♄ and ♁ being after a Philosophical manner

reduced into ☿ that is, into a viscous water, is most easily joyned

with the ☉ and ☽ and is to be fixed even without them, but twas never

seen that, the putatitious ☿ of ♄ did ever accomplish any praise worthy

thing in the Meliorations of Metals. I grant that running ☿ may easily

be made out of any Metal by the addition of vulgar ☿ and I have tryed

it, but what profit comes therefrom; enquire of those that have to

their loss practised thereabouts.

If running ☿ were the principle of metals, some smal portion thereof

would verily be found in all mines of metals, or in most of them, but

because it is not there found it necessarily follows, that such opinion

is to be accounted a vain fiction.

Now all Philosophers do unanimously testify that nature forms the first

rudiments of metals, out of the Astrall Spirit, and terrestrial water,

by affirming that every thing may by art be reduced into that, out of

which it was at first made.

And whereas metals may be reduced into a viscous water without any

corrosive, and this by a due heat and digestion transmuted into more

pure, and better metallick forms, tis undoubtedly credible that they

proceed from hence, and not only metals, but also many stones, and

mineral things, either conteining metals, or void of them, found upon

the earth, and under it, have their first beginnings after the like

manner, my self having seen some mine-diggers, in sandy mountains

diging for other things, who have accidentally chanced upon this _Gur_

or Kur, thinking it to be a Lump of Fat, one of them carryed it home,

and anointed his shooes therewith, but the next morning he found them

over laid with a stony crust, and the lump or mass it self converted

into an hard stone, but I am not ignorant that stones are otherwise

generated, the reason how, pertains not hereunto.

A metal being reduced into its first matter like to Kur, is in the

Artificers hand to induce into it, what form he lists, nor can it

indeed be ever meliorated unless it be first reduced to its _prima

materia_. In a solid metal, it cannot be perceived of what parts it

is compounded, but being resolved, it’s parts are discovered, and it

being by extraction deprived of its proper Soul, wherein its life and

whole dignity lodgeth it is no more a metal, but resembles an unshapen

brittle earth, without metallick Liquability, and its whole goodness

consists in a very little quantity of soul, and starry masculine seed,

the remaining body being a dead and vile earth.

Finally, even this (which I have mentioned in my treatise of Potable

Gold) sufficiently confirms that metals are also created upon the

earth, because, that not only the solar beams being collected in

various subjects become corporeal, but even the heat of our usual

fires doth likewise do the same thing which the tryals of the Cupels

abundantly testifies, let the Reader search and view the place. Nitre

and other salts are evidently produced by the sun, in a moist earth,

which thing will never be effected in a dry. And the Philosophers

making mention of the melioration of metals, have always minded

inceration, as exceeding necessary to their intention.

In this work, moisture is the patient, and heat supplys the place of an

Agent; this is discernable in Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, there

being nothing that can attain perfection, without due moistening or

endure the action of a maturating heat.

And by how much the thicker and fatter the water is, by so much the

fitter for a matrix, and therein seed will more greedily and speedily

stick and germinate.

But by how much the thinner, it is by so much the more fit it is to be

accounted for the seeds vegetation.

Water of it self cannot be made a metal, unless it be first impregnated

with seed by the stars, and gifted with a Vegetating life; which seed

is the original, the soul, and life of all metals; and how much the

more of such seed they have, so much the better and more fixt they

necessarily are.

On this account I firmly adhere to this Opinion, That metals receive

their Soul, Spirit, and Life from the Starrs, as from an universal

seed, and their Body from the Water as an universal mother, and derive

the diversity of Bodys, and degrees of Goodness according to the

Scituation, purity or impediments thereof, and are digged out by men

(for whose sake (as the noblest Creature) all things are made) with

great greediness, costs, and hazards from the Bowels of the great

Animal, and are prepared and elaborated for their many-fold Uses.

Let thus much suffice as to the generation of Metals; but now by what

means they arrive to the utmost end of perfection and Dye, and are

hindred in their growth, we will not pass over in silence.

Thus therefore the Case Stands, There is a certain time prefixt to

all Creatures, how far they may come or protract their life, which

predestinated time if it be cut off, and attaines not unto its scope or

end, it comes by accident and may not be imputed unto Nature, and this

is done sundry wayes according to the various tempers of such enemies

as they meet withal, some are hurt by the cold Air, prohibiting their

growth, as is evident in Metals digged from their mines or trunks and

exposed to the air, then ceasing to grow, and were they ripe or unripe

Metals, so remaining, but if they get a new matrix, then as the seed

of a plant on the Earth, they begin again to grow and hasten towards

perfection. To some, as to Vegetables and Animals; the aire is the

life, of which being robbed, they expire and Dye. The air destroys

Fish, the water is their life, but the death and destruction of

two-footed and four-footed Animals.

Even as all the elements have their proper ofspring which they cherish,

so are they the destroyers of other things, which the rise and death of

Metals clearly teacheth.

For as soon as ever (being conceived in the earth) they begin to grow,

they become partakers of a certain saltish Nature, as their matrix, in

which, and by which, they are afterwards perfected, wherein as long as

they remain uninterrupted, they go forward, and are bettered in quality

and quantity, but as soon as ever their contrary, as Aire or common

Water meets with them, they are stopt from proceeding further in the

matrix and Dye.

They being (because of this most subtle salt) while in being, most

impatient of both _viz._ Water and Aire.

Now if the aire invades them, their life, consisting in a Volatile

salt, is elevated and drawn back by the Stars: If water breaks in,

they dissolve and are washed away, the matrix being destroyed by its

contrary Element, whence ’tis that such Metals in their _primum Ens_,

lying Embryon like, and obnoxious even to the smallest corruption,

do perish, and never attain to the appointed perfection by reason of

such destructive accidents and injuries, whose tender salt is gon into

sulphur, and is no more subject to the corruption of either Water or

Aire. As for those that are Mature and perfect, if they are not cut

off from their stock being extracted out of the Earth, from which

they have no more nutriment, their sulphurious covering being laid

aside, the defence and safegard of their Nature being banished, they

rightly resemble a decrepid Old man, whose Radical moisture is dryed

up and are dissolved and eaten up by the same Astral Salt, or Vehement

Corruscation, from whence they did spring, and thus are reduced unto

Nothing; amongst which, _viz._ metals, as well as amongst Vegetables

and Animals, Nature observes a perpetual Circulation of Life and Death.

It sometimes happens that the diggers finding a metal excavated by the

Astral salt, like to the Hony Comb by the Bees, are accustomed to say,

that they came thither too late, whence it is concluded that the same

corruscation is the begining and end of metals.

Tis of small moment to know who first digged up metals applying them

to use; _Adam_ was the first to whom GOD revealed the Art, because he

could not want it.

It seemeth certain, that that which was by his successors discovered to

_Noah_, and from him propagated unto us will undoubtedly be conserved

unto the Worlds end, because of its great necessity and benefit.

But as this Art is profitable and useful, and noble, so it is

chargable, costly, and dangerous, and also uncertain of getting gain,

but yet not to be neglected on that account, it being an honest thing,

and pleasing to GOD, and managed heretofore by many Prophets and Kings,

and now at length, diservedly had in great estimation by us Christians,

because of its necessity.

He may well boast of earthly felicity, to whom GOD shall vouchsafe to

give such a Light, of seeing by what Artifice Nature is to be holpen,

and that which is superfluous and adhering to vile and abject metals

every where, may be removed, and the defect supplied; such an one hath

in very deed a rich and durable Mine; neither are Ghosts, Inundations

of Waters, evil Tempests, unwholsome Vapours, and other inconveniences,

that hinder from a purposed intention, to be feared. But verily man, by

reason of the continued wickedness of his Life, being made uncapable

of this high Art and Science, is compelled to get out Metals from the

Earths bowels, in the sweat of his brows, and to pass over his life in

cares and labours.

And thus I conclude this Tract concerning the generation of Metals, and

refer the Reader, desiring things more at large, to the Third Part,

wherein is accurately taught of what property Metals are, how to be

distinguished each from the other, opened without corrosives, reduced

into their first matter, and how by the benefit of art and fire, new

and better Metals are to be generated out of that first matter.

Likewise, how they are to be examined by a far better way and manner

than usual; how to be purged and separated each from the other, and

also unfolding (as far as is permitted) a little Book of the most

expert Philosopher _Paracelsus_, or his Book of _The Vexation of

Alchymists_, whereby the honour due unto him (though much obscured by

evil slanderers) may be again restored unto him, and the whole world

may know that he was most expert in natural things, and wrote very

faithfully, and left unto us a large light, though observed by a very

few, for the encreasing and propagating whereof, and defending it

against the haters of the Light, I will enter upon the Third Part, for

my Neighbour’s good, for the accomplishment whereof I pray GOD, the

Creator of all things, and the Patron of Truth, mercifully to vouchsafe

his assistance. _Amen._

_FINIS._

THE

THIRD PART

OF THE

Mineral Work.

_Wherein under the Title of a Commentary on a little Book of

=Paracelsus=, called, =The Heaven of Philosophers, or a Book of

Vexations=, the Transmutation of Metals are Taught in general;

with an Appendix demonstrating their particular Process, Melting,

Exploration, Separation, and other necessary Operations_.

A Preface to the Reader.

Courteous Reader,

_I will not conceal from thee the reason why I have taken upon me

in this Third Part to explain a Book of =Paracelsus=, called =The

heaven of Philosophers=, lest thou should’st believe I wanted matter

to write, did I not encrease my Book by the Writings of other men.

That Good which I have here decreed to write, I could have done even

without the admixtion of =Paracelsus=’s Books, but this properly is the

cause, because =Paracelsus= in our precedent Age, published very many

most elegant Books for the Publick Good, but obscure enough, and for

this reason are by the unskilful accounted false, and are contemned;

but yet because they are stored with =Arcana=’s or Secrets, they are

most highly to be esteemed. Now, after that I had perceived the said

Books to be true, I did very impatiently bear such sinister reports

of this man, as blazed him abroad for one Ignorant of all things, and

a Vagabond; who in very deed had but a few Equals in true Genuine

=Philosophy=, =Medicine=, and =Alchymy=._

_He did many good turns to all, especially to the Poor, of which many

Testimonies are extant; and amongst others, that Epitaph is to be seen,

which is in the Hospital of St. =Sebastian= at =Saltsburg=, where

he was buried, and to which he bequeathed his Goods, and is graven

in Capital Letters in a Marble, and erected in the Wall, the Tenour

whereof I my self have read, and is thus: =Here lies buried= Philippus

Aureolus Paracelsus, =a famous Doctor of Medicine, who by a wonderful

Art cured those direful Diseases, the Leprosy, Gout, Dropsy, and other

incurable Contagions of the Body, and to his honour gave and bequeathed

his Goods unto the Poor. He died in the year of our Lord, 1541. the

24th. of= September._

_And what hast thou now to say? Had he not been such a one as is

mentioned in the Epitaph, the Magistrate would not have honoured him

with so eminent an Encomium. Moreover, all prudent Lovers of Truth do

to this day believe, that he never had his equal: And although through

the Envy of some unlearned men he is despised, yet it derogates nothing

from him, for he will still remain =Paracelsus=._

_And now, seeing that our =Paracelsus= hath hitherto undergone such

bitter things, and that none have dared to open their mouths against

those slanderers, I will attempt the explication and illustration

of his chiefest Books, and prove that he was not either a Lyer or

Impostor, but most experienced in the light of Nature; and to this

end will I begin with his =Heaven of Philosophers=: I will not avow,

that he could make heaps of Gold and Silver, (himself mentioning not

any such thing, but he only discovers the possibility of the thing,

which even I also will endeavour to declare, although I am ignorant of

doing it in great quantities, which thing I am not greedy after) yet

’tis my contentation to be capable of discovering truth from falshood,

and convince such as are incredulous, having some hopes, that by this

my faithful writing, an occasion will be administred unto others of

searching after and obtaining their desired end._ Amen.

The Heaven of the Philosophers:

OR,

A Book of Vexations.

By Philippus Theophrastus Paracelsus.

_The Art and Nature of =Alchymy=, and what is to be thought concerning

it; being comprehended in Seven undoubted Rules, respecting the Seven

vulgar Metals._

The PREFACE. _Theophrastus Paracelsus_ to all Alchymists and

Readers of this little Book.

_Beloved and Expert of the Art of =Alchymy=, and all ye who promise

to your selves much Riches and Gains of much Gold and Silver, which

thing =Alchymy= doth plentifully teach, and ye (who being occupied

about these things) would be vexed, and cannot cease until you have

experienced what it gives, and what promises it performs; verily, daily

Experience teacheth, that there is not one of a thousand that becomes

Master of his Desire; which I will not call the fault of the Art or

Nature, but the unskilfulness of the Artificer._

_Wherefore I will not stuff this little Book of =Alchymy= with

difficult Art and tedious Labours, as the common Alchymists are wont to

do._

(℞ ♁ melt it with Nitre and Tartar, of this take one Lot, of Gold one

Lot, of Tin three drams, of Schlich one dram, of Sulphur two Lots, of

Vitriol two lots; let them flow with ☽ in a Crucible with Arsenick.)

_Because also all the signs of Heaven, and the characters of the

Stars and Planets, together with their changed and inverted terms and

names, as also the Receptacles of the matter, and the Instruments of

Artificers are usually very well known; It will not be needful to treat

of these things anew in this Book, although herein are used these

signs, names, and characters, when it seems convenient and profitable._

_Now here is delivered another Reason of =Alchymy=, in seven Rules,

accommodated to the seven Metals, after an infallible manner, although

in Expressions not adorned, but undressed and simple: Yet, as to the

sence, the expressions are abstruse and profound as can be; which may

deservedly be called the Mistriss and Summ of all =Alchymy=; from which

even the mysteries of other things may be produced, divined, and known,

with many new Speculations, from whence new Cogitations and wonderous

Operations, do (by examining and trying) come forth to the Light, that

in many places they are even, in the Examen or tryal it self, found to

contradict the Pleasures of the Philosophers._

_Likewise in this Art nothing is more certain, than that which is least

apprehended and believed; and this is the only fault and cause of all

various Operations in =Alchymy=; whence ’tis that many suffer loss by

their own unskilfulness, and so labour in vain, either because there’s

more of the matter, or less, or equal weight, whence the thing is more

corrupted in operation and destroyed; or if the thing is truly lighted

on, it is become more exalted, and tends unto Perfection._

_For the way is most easie, but is found by but very few. It’s also

expedient, that an ingenious man consider the Art and certain Rule of

=Alchymy=, whether he would make something or nothing: he ought to make

a nothing, that he may bring something unto nothing, and that something

may be again generated out of nothing; which Saying is incredible,

but yet most true; =Corruption makes a good thing perfect=: Yea, good

cannot appear, because of his covering and hider; good also is begun

whilst ’tis hidden; the hider ought to be removed and destroyed,

then the good being freed, will manifestly appear in his lustre,

the =Gloss=: the hider or covering is the Mountain, Sand, Earth, or

Stone wherein the Metal was generated. Now every visible metal is the

obscurer or hider of the other six metals._

_Because therefore that by the Element of fire Imperfect things are

corrupted, burnt up, and sublimed such as the five metals, ♂, ♃, ☿,

♀, & ♄ are; but the Perfect not at all, =viz.= the two most Noble, the

☉ and the ☽, therefore they ought to abide even in the fire, and to

assume their body out of the other Imperfect metals, in which they are

destroyed, and to appear visibly; which thing, how it may be done, and

what helps are thereto necessary, shall be taught in the seven Rules,

=viz.= What the nature and property of every metal is; what operation

he hath, being mixt with others; and what he can do._

_’Tis also to be observed, that these seven Rules cannot forthwith

be understood by one that is somewhat dull, at the first reading and

view, a weak understanding cannot compass hard things. Hence every of

these Rules wants much search and travel. Some are pufft up and proud,

supposing themselves well to understand; and these things are childish,

which are here delivered, and they know far better, and do plainly

contemn these things of mine._

=Glaub.=] This Preface is of it self perspicuous, and needs not any

singular Interpretation or Explication, but indeed the Process which he

mentions requires a more accurate Observation.

_Take Antimony, melt it with Tartar and Nitre, of this take one lot; of

Gold one Lot; of Tin three drams; of Schlich one dram; of Sulphur two

lots; of Vitriol two lots: let them flow with Silver in a Crucible with

Arsenick._

This is the Process of making Gold and Silver, which _Paracelsus_ will

not have to be accounted like unto other Processes, of much labour and

long time, but is confident, that by the help hereof he can get Gold

and Silver with little labour, time, and costs.

’Tis not to be doubted, but that this hath been tryed by thousands,

and frustrated the hope of such as laboured thereabouts; and that not

without cause, they imagining that these are foolish ingredients to be

taken for such work; my self have heard many of those that have made

trial, to be very much displeased: By what means can gold and silver

be made by volatile and preying ravenous things, such as ♁, Vitriol,

Sulphur, & Arsenick are, which do not only yield from themselves no

Gold or Silver, but even corrupt them, and bring them to fume, or at

the least turn them to _Scoria_; my self trying this when I had blown

them altogether, I found that these metalline species, as Schlich,

Vitriol, Sulphur, and Arsenick did, corrupt the Sun and Moon, spoiling

of its metalline form, and transmuted it into _Scoria_ or dross. But

now this is the thing which _Paracelsus_ requires and aims at, and

therefore should not by any means hinder or deterr us; he presently,

for the better explication of his meaning, adds, Something ought

to be made a Nothing; and again, the Nothing to be made Something;

which thing the unskilful doth not heed or believe, that Metals being

corrupted and made _Scoria_, when by the benefit of Art they are

reduced, are by this means meliorated; which albeit it be most true,

yet are they but a very few (as he saith) who believe it to be true:

and he confirms the whole process throughout the Chapter, even to the

Chapter of ☿, and explains it, saying, _Corruption makes a good thing

perfect_.

The Good cannot appear by reason of its covering. The hider or veil

must be taken away, that the Good may be freed and become conspicuous;

that also the first covering, under which metals are hidden, and

wherein they are generated, is a Mountain, Sand, Stone, or Earth, all

which are to be separated by fusion, that the metals may become pure.

Here the Metallurgist desists, and is clearly ignorant of any other

covering. But _Paracelsus_ addeth, That each metal is a hider of the

other metals, which thing the Seven Rules do largely demonstrate, and

adviseth the Chymist not to rest satisfied, when he hath gotten from

the Mines a vendible metal, as ♂, ♀, ♃, ♄, melted from the dross, but

to consult further with natural Philosophy, and to examin whether or

no these are pure enough, without any adhering and deteriorating veil.

How great the difference is betwixt a rude and a vile Mineral (where

the metal is largely dispers’d and commixt with much stony matter

and other impurities) and a tractable metal faithfully separated, is

well known. So much, and more, is the difference betwixt a vulgar and

imperfect metal, and the Gold and Silver which it contains shut up in

its bowels. But because the melting of metals out of their mines is,

by reason of its long use, grown vile, and not esteemed an Art, but

a Trade, and every where exercised, without any ones admiration; yet

in its beginning, before it became so commonly known, it was worthily

accompted a deep Secret, although now disrespected. We may not doubt,

but that even yet another veil adheres to metals, and may with as much

facility be removed; and its inward, pure, and fixt center, Gold and

Silver be melted out and separated, if the way were but known. But

because men do not bestow any further Labour and Industry in searching,

and the use of vulgar metals is highly necessary, we rest contented, in

that metals once melted from their mines become malleable, and fitted

for the use of man: Nor is this unadvisedly done, for the life of man

can as little want Iron, ♃, ♀, and Lead, as it can gold and silver.

_Paracelsus_ teacheth, That imperfect metals are corrupted and brought

into a nothing, by the force of fire; which they cannot sustain or

bear; but their good parts, Gold and Silver, cannot be destroyed, but

in the great strait and force of fire do come together out of the

imperfect metals, and mutually defend each other, the impure portion

being burnt up and removed.

Now then, that the species and ingredients of this process may be

understood, something must be mentioned by us thereabouts.

Thus then ’tis written; ℞. ♁ melt it with Nitre and Tartar, of this

take one lot; ’tis to be noted that you are not to take the lot of the

whole molten mass, but of one of the two, either the upper part being

the _Scoria_, or inferiour or lower being the _Regulus_, which this

flowing mixture sends downward.

But which it is, it cannot be perceived by the words; yet because

_Paracelsus_’s intention here is to destroy gold and silver by the

admixtion of the aforesaid ingredients, and to bring them to nothing,

out of which nothing the destroyed augmentation of the sun may be

afterwards by some additament, obtained, in reducing it, it seems

probable to think that the _Scoria_ of the mixture is not to be taken,

but the _Regulus_, which hath Ingress into Tin, Arsenick, and Schlich,

and unites them with gold and silver, for it is the Property of the

_Regulus_, to unite & conjoin contrary Metals and Minerals.

Tin is joined with malleable metals, and melted and suffers the fire

with them, brings them into _Scoria_, the which thing Sulphur, Vitriol,

and Schlich, also perform, and are here used by _Paracelsus_ for

no other end than to corrupt the sun and moon, and bring them into

_Scoria_. But what schlich (=Schlich=) this is, because no proper

name of Gold, ☽, ♂, ♀, ♄, or ♃, is added, no body can easily tell,

for this is called schlecht by Chymists and Metallurgists when they

take a Mineral excellently well ground, and washed with water, thereby

separating the mineral or the rubish and stone, the heavyer, and more

noble part of the metal remaining in the bottom of the vessel, which

examining they thereby Conjecture the value of the metal or mineral:

this labour they call a bringing into _Schlich_, or also _Secher_, and

because all metals may be reduced into schlichs or calx, this word

Schlich or Calx may suit with all metals, or else it may be that most

small dust or powder in polishing mills, (=Schleiff-muhleu=) where

various Iron Instruments, Swords, Brest-plates, and other Arms are

Polished, and which is wont to be under the grinding stone in deep

guttars destinated to that purpose, or gathered in wooden vessels, and

sold to such as dy black cloaths, and is called calx or Schlich. But

now whether or no, he means this or the calx of any other metal, it is

uncertain, nor doth it much concern; for the Sun and ☽ may be reduced

into a nothing without any of these Calces, and may be again augmented,

and brought into something, as you shall see in the following Chapters

of the Transmutation of metals.

Vain was their expectation who thought to turn all these speices, thus

blown together, into Gold and Silver, but yet could not get any other

thing than a yellow, or spadiceous _Scoria_ contrary to their hopes

but the Corruscation (=Blief=) is most blessed and gladsome, if any

one can get by reduction from a destroyed metal brought into Scoria, a

most noble one and better than heretofore it was. But this destruction

and reduction is not uniform, but is perfected many several ways as the

following Chapters teach.

The First Rule.

_Of the Nature and Property of =Mercury=._

_All things are absconded and hidden in all things, but of all things

there is one which is a coverer or hider of the rest, and is a

Corporeal Body, External, Visible, Moveable: all fluxes are manifest

in this vessel, for this vessel is a Corporeal Spirit, and therefore

all Coagulations, and Consistences are captivated and shut up therein

being overcome by its flux compassed about and strengthened thereby,

what this flux is, its cause and name what it is called, cannot be

found, because there is no heat which may be therewith compared. The

burning of the =Gehennal= Fire may be likened thereunto, on which

account this Flux hath nothing at all of Community or Affinity with

other fluxes, which are melted by the heat of common fire, and become

hard and coagulated by natural cold. These fluxings or meltings cannot

thus operate with ☿, they are too weak, he values them not; hence ’tis

to be observed, that the mortal Virtues of the four Elements have no

ingressive Operations upon the Cœlestial Virtues, which Virtues we also

call Quintessence, because Elements cannot either give unto, or take

any thing from this Quintessence; the Cœlestial or Infernal Virtue

cares not for the four Elements._

_Hence note, That none of the Elements, nor any Elementary thing, be it

dry or moist, hot or cold, none of these can do any thing against that

Quintessential Virtue, but each hath its operation and efficacy for it

self apart._

=Glaub.=] In this Chapter or first Rule of ☿, _Paracelsus_ useth

succinct but yet perspicuous words, saying, that the fluidity of

Mercury ariseth not from the four corruptible Elements, but from the

Quintessence, and therefore hath not any affinity with these Elementary

fluxings and meltings. Now, what this Quintessence properly is, which

_Paracelsus_ here mentions, much might be spoken, but ’tis not so

convenient at this time, my self and other Philosophers have largely

treated thereof, and therefore speak not of it now.

This only I add over and above, That _Paracelsus_ will have the

Quintessence to be a thing not subject to the four Elements, but

permanent and incorruptible, whereby he gives to understand, That

seeing ’tis so, that the fluidity of Mercury hath its originality from

the Quintessence, and not elementary Fire, so its coagulation is in

like manner to be made by the Quintessence and not by the elementary

Fires, be they hot or cold.

But now, what that Quintessence is, that coagulates Mercury, and

transmutes him into Gold or Silver, it may be easily conjectured, that

it is not to be sought for out of Vegetables and Animals, but to be

extracted out of Metals, and ought to be much more pure, fixt, and

meltable than they are.

Many are the things which _Paracelsus_ hath written of this

Quintessence, attributing great Virtues thereunto; he that desires it,

may read thereof in his Writings. Likewise many Philosophers affirm it

to be a thing reduced by the benefit of Art into the purest and highest

substance. Which name of Quintessence, some there are that attribute

unto that Tincture, wherewith perfections are wont to be made. By which

it is evident, That by the name of Quintessence is alwaies understood

the most pure, the best, and the most powerful part of a thing. But be

it what it will be, ’tis clear, That Mercury is a wonderful subject,

nor is to be coagulated and fixed so easily, as many have falsly

believed, and tryed the contrary to their great loss.

Many are the Coals which have been vainly consumed about his fixation,

and are consumed, although alwaies in vain; my self have also, though

not often, handled him with a great deal of tediousness, which although

not permanently fixt, yet observing therein many singular things, of

which I count it expedient to relate something. In him is a most great

power and virtue, most friendly to Metals; he is easily mixed with the

purest Metals, and most difficultly with the impure; which denotes him

to be of a most pure nature: And now, if he come to be fixed, I could

demonstrate, if need were, by indubitable reasons, that a thing more

pure than Gold would flow therefrom. It alwaies produceth something as

often as it is added to Metals, and constrained to undergo some fire,

helping them evidently, even whilst it is in its Volatility; what then

would it do, if being therewith fixed, it were along while melted with

them in the Fire?

This I add for the better Lights sake.

When I was in my youthful days, and saw many attempting to fix Mercury

with Gold and Silver, by Amalgamation, Sublimation, Coagulation,

Precipitation, and other Labours of that kind, to transmute it into

Gold and Silver; my self also attempted somewhat about him, by the

advice of _Paracelsus_’s Sayings, That in Saturn its Coagulation is

to be found. On this account I melted in a little Crucible 6 or 7

parts of Lead, and added one part of Mercury; this I put into another

Crucible where Nitre did flow, that it might be covered over thereby;

in the mean while I melted the glass of ♄, (being made of 4 parts of

_Minium_, and one part of Flints) in a greater Crucible, whereto I put

the two former Crucibles heated to be covered by the glass. These

three I again sunk into a new Crucible flowing with the glass of ♄,

thinking that I should this way keep in the volatile Guest, having now

shut up Mercury in so many walls, I put him to the fire, intending

to fix him, and then indeed he sustained it, not being able to break

through; but increasing my fire, and the Glass melting with Nitre, away

he goes leaving an empty nest, and left ♄’s weight whole and perfect,

which having examined, it yielded a grain of Silver heavier than the

common ☽ which I believed to be Mercury fixt and coagulated, but

reiterating that labour, I found it to be otherways, _viz._ that the

Mercury was not it self fixed, but flown away, but yet by his occult

power penetrated and meliorated the lead, that it afforded a little

silver; also the whole mass of lead was hereby made black, and hardened

like tin, whereby I perceived, that Mercury being a pure, meer fiery

spirit, is most impatient of the Fire, and cannot be fixed without a

Quintessence.

But thus much indeed it can do, if being joined with other metals,

it can be so long held, as to endure the Fire; although it presently

vanisheth away, it doth in a manner change them, not by bettering

them, but stirring them up by its penetration, that they may mutually

act each upon the other, and receive a meliorating faculty, although

without any great profit, as far as I know, but I only intend to

discover its possibility, its miraculous and almost unsearchable

power, for it may deservedly be esteemed a Miracle of Nature. It is a

meer invisible Fire; albeit such as are ignorant account it cold, and

by Art it may be made far more fiery and volatile; which I sometimes

have tryed, where being often injected into a vehement fire, again and

again, and received in Glasses, it hath elevated it self without any

fire, and gone away into its own _Chaos_. In a word, many men have

accomplished prodigious things with Mercury, but all of them without

any fruit; of which more shall be spoken in its place.

The Second Rule.

_Of =Jupiter= and his Nature._

_Whatsoever thing is manifest, (as the Body of =Jupiter= for example)

the six other Corporeal Metals are therein hidden spiritually, and

one more profound and remote than another. =Jupiter= partakes not of

the quintessence, but of the nature of the four Elements, therefore

his fluidity is manifested by a little heat of the Fire, and his

coagulation in like sort perfected by a little cold, and hath communion

with the rest of the metalline Fluxes._

_Wherefore by how much one thing is in nature like to another, by so

much the readier is it united thereunto, if they mutually touch one

another; that also which is nigh, is more efficacious and sensible; for

that which is afar off, doth not enforce, nor is that which is remote,

how great soever it be, much feared. Hence ’tis that heaven is not

desired, because ’tis far distant, nor seen by any one; neither is hell

feared, because it is far off, whose form none hath known and seen, nor

felt the Torment, and therefore ’tis valued as nothing. Those things

then that are absent, are little regarded, or plainly rejected, being

constituted in a thick place, for by the property of the place every

thing is deteriorated or meliorated; which thing may be proved by many

Examples._

_By how much therefore =Jupiter= is farther off from ♂ and ♀, and

nigher to the Sun and Moon, by so much the more Golden or Silver-like

is he in his own body, and seems more great, potent, pellucid,

sensible, more fair, pleasant, notable, palpable, more true and more

certain than elongated, or at a distance. On the contrary, by how much

the more he is elongated, by so much the more vile and abject he is

in the matters aforesaid: for things present are alwaies more notable

than those which are absent: by how much any thing visible is nearer,

by so much a thing invisible is more remote. Therefore it behoves the

Alchymist to study how he may place =Jupiter= in a spiritual =Arcanum=

and remote place, in which are =Sol= and =Luna=; and that he may take

=Sol= and =Luna= from far, and bring them near, into a place where

=Jupiter= existeth corporally, so that the =Sol= and =Luna= may also

be corporal and truly present before his eyes in the =Examen=. For

there are various labours and modes of transmuting metals from their

imperfection, into a perfect state._

_To mix one with another, and again to separate the one from the other

pure and sincere, is nothing else but a genuine permutation made by

the labour of Alchymy. Note, that =Jupiter= hath much Gold, and not a

little Silver. Put to him =Saturn= and =Luna=, and the =Luna= will be

augmented by the rest._

=Glaub.=] Although I do not certainly know the reason why _Paracelsus_

beginning with Mercury, passeth next to Jupiter; nevertheless it is

very probable that he would thereby point at some singular Mystery.

Here he repeateth the former sentence, saying, Every visible metal

hideth in it self the rest invisibly, from which if we would reap any

good, their invisible and spiritual Gold is to be taken and brought

near, or to be visible; and on the contrary, the visible to be removed

afar off and made invisible. But how this ought to be done he doth not

teach, but leaves the Reader to search it out in his seven Canons or

Rules, which are very difficult to be understood not only by a rude

Tyro, but even by one well exercised: And seeing that not one in a

thousand understands them, it is no wonder that his Writings have been

had in Contempt.

Without doubt he aimed at our good, supposing he had written very

clearly, and directed his speech in such a manner, as if he had to do

with one that is skilful in the metalline nature, without having any

respect to the common blindness and ignorance, whereby he received

great thanks, and was highly esteemed of by all.

But what shall we say or do? ’Tis bad meeting with wicked proud men, as

thou most clearly writest; yet because the unexercised, if they have

even once erred, they wrack and abuse the Writer with meer slanders:

Hence it comes to pass, that many desire rather to be silent, and leave

unto fools their own toys and vanities: But the Case being with more

accurate examination considered, it seemeth evil to be revenged on the

Innocent as well as the Guilty.

As for Tin, if thou searchest into its nature and property, it is a

pure (compared with the other metals) unripe metal, abounding with

very much combustible Sulphur, whereby it obtains its liquifaction

and corruption in the fire: which being removed (and it may be done

with a gentle fire) it loseth its metalline fluidity, and very much

resembles unmelted ashes, whereto if you add another sulphur, whereby

that ashes may turn into a metal; and again convertest it into ashes,

repeating this labour until all its combustible sulphur being burnt up,

it refuseth to go into ashes, by Calcination, and then melt it, ’twill

easily give forth its gold and silver in the trial (=im abtreiben=.)

Now, in the being mixt with Lead, it causeth a strife in a strong

Fire, and getting uppermost, turns into ashes, that is to be imputed

to the combustible sulphur, whereby it so being melted with Gold,

Silver, Copper and Iron, it makes them brittle like to Glass, but being

dispelled of that Sulphur, by roasting or calcining by Incineration or

Cementation, or any other way, it doth not any more make them brittle

(which thing to do is full of difficulty) but is melted with them, and

most easily separated with, Venus (=last sich sehgern=) she knowing how

by her kind and flattering words to perswade the two old men ♄ and ♃,

mutually to abide each other in the fire; Gold and Silver will also do

the same thing; but because they are precious and easily flow out of

the Crucible, and the Work may perish, it is sufficient to use ♀, which

also will give from it self its own hidden Gold and Silver, and not to

take these metals which are purified with great labour, and drown them

afresh in impure metals, and destroy them.

There are also other waies of purging ♃, from his superfluous sulphur,

_viz._ a Nitrous fire. If filed ♃, being mixt with Nitre, Sulphur, &

Sawdust, be kindled, part of the tin is elevated up into flores, and

a part remains reducible in a strong fire, which is to be so often

handled the aforesaid way, till all the substance be reduced, into

flores and ashes, the metallick form and nature being most plainly

destroyed; after this, let the flores be gathered out of the Receivers,

and the ashes elixiviated or washed, and by the help of a good Flux be

reduced into a metal, which is to be again filed, sublimed, and burnt,

as before, until all the Tin remains like Scoria, and will not sublime;

which being melted with Lead and separated, (=mit Blen amstieden und

abtreiben=) thou shalt find gold and silver shut up in its bowels.

Likewise pour fixed Nitre (the liquor of it) on the filings of Tin,

digest it its time, supply the evaporating moisture with new Liquor,

that it may be alwaies moist, but yet let it not be too wet, but like

thick water. This Liquor dissolves and takes away the combustible

sulphur of the Tin, and fixeth that which is incombustible, and makes

it capable of enduring the fire; so that being melted with Lead, and

purged (=aensieden und abtreiben=) it yields its gold and silver.

Another separation is thus instituted; Reduce Tin with common ♄ or

_Regulus_, ♁ j. into Glass or Amausa, which keep a good while in

Flux in a strong fire, (forget not the inceration of Nitre or salt

of Tartar) by which labour the purer parts of the ♃ being gathered

together, do give a _Regulus_, the impurer parts separating themselves

with the Lead and Salt into Scoria, the _Regulus_ being purged

(=abgetieben=) thou shalt have the fixed gold and silver in the Cupel.

But ’tis to be known, that these Operations may be done without Copper,

but yet will yield more ☉ and ☽ if Copper be added; not only for that

the ♀ it self gives forth its ☉ and ☽, but because Tin of it self,

without the admixtion of ♀, doth not willingly let go its own ☉ and ☽.

But in seeking of shelter amongst its own ♀, and withdrawing it self to

the _Scoria_, is there hidden (the Labour being finished) the _Scoria_

can no more attract it into it self.

♀ therefore is as it were a Receptacle, wherein the Sun and Moon

collected and separated out of the mass, can defend and hide it self,

and is by Chymists called a Bath or _Balneum_.

In the 4th. Chapter, which treats of ♀, a more large account is given

of this labour of metalline Glass. Moreover gold and silver may be

separated out of tin in this wise.

Melt common Lead in a Test (=treib scherben=) under a Muffle (=een

muffel=) and being throughly hot, cast in a little ♃, and it will

incontinently have Ingress, but will forthwith ascend and kindle like

burning sparks and go into ashes; which must be taken off with a

crooked Instrument, and more new Tin put in; which being burnt, let it

be taken out. Repeat this labour so long, till all the Lead be devoured

as it were by the Tin.

Put these ashes on a Test, under a Muffle, and let them be yet well

heated by the fire for an hour; so that if any grains of ♄ remain, they

may be made ashes, and the calcined ashes of the tin may be the better

fixed. Reduce these ashes, and ’twill become a metal, which let be

again made ashes upon a Test; repeat this labour, until in reduction

it refuseth to go into a metal, but remains a _Scoria_ and a metal

destroyed; which put into an excellent Crucible, and by a Flux made of

Tartar and Nitre, let it melt its due time, and the fixed Tin, together

with part of the Lead, will go to the bottom into a _Regulus_; which

being washed (=abgetrieben=) makes manifest the gold and silver hid

in the Tin on the Test. This Labour is neat, easie, and but of small

charge, especially where wood and coals are cheap, the _Scoria_, from

which the _Regulus_ is separated, is not to be thrown away, but kept

for other uses, of which we shall presently speak.

Now he that promiseth Gain unto himself from this small work on a

Test, is deceived, because hereby is only found how much ☉ and ☽ is

contained in an hundred weight of ♃, and what costs are expended in

its melting, whereby may be computed what gains may be expected every

day, nor indeed is this work (thus done under a muffle) so profitably

accomplished, as ’tis in greater Furnaces, where being a greater heat

of fire, a more plentiful gain is promised. And although because of

many various Imployments my self never tryed, yet I will briefly

delineate and describe how a large Return may be made, according to

Calculation, computed by a smaller quantity.

An hundred of Tin requires 10 or 12 C. of ♄; (the work being wisely

handled) the price of the Lead, ♃, Coals and Labour, being summed up,

and being substracted from the ☉, there seems to remain but a very

little to defray the charges. But if you look thereinto a little more

narrowly, you will find a recompence and benefit arising thence, not

to be despised, especially if you use Lead impregnated with ☽, which

by reason of not considering the benefit and gain, remains unseparated

therefrom. Likewise you may use a golden ♃, such being often found

as contains as much ☉ as the ♃ costs; and you may also meet with ♄,

which contains as much ☽ as the Lead is worth, but not separated by

the Refiners, because they are ignorant of this separation, which by

the usual way cannot be separated with profit: and that your Labour

may be the more beneficial, you may add to your ♃ some golden or

silver stones and minerals, as Marcasites, ♁, Arsenick, Auripigment,

Cobolt, and various Pyrites or Kisij (which because of the small

quantity of their included ☉, are never wont to be melted) & let them

be _scorified_, which yielding also their gold and silver, do bring in

a greater profit; but especially if these Minerals having been first

melted with Copper, are by the benefit of Iron (or melted with Iron)

brought into _Regulus_, and their Gold reduced to a narrow compass,

which _Regulus_ being thrown into the Lead, together with the Tin, let

be made into _Scoria_, and then their ☉ is gotten without much charge,

and is depurated by the Tin. But now, if you would have this separation

profitable, it is not to be done in Crucibles, but in well compact

Furnaces or Hearths, whereon the bright flames running, let your metals

be throughly heated or calcined, and your Calcination, Incineration,

or Annihilation being accomplished, let Reduction be made in an acute

Furnace, (=im Stichofen=,) of which thing my time permits me not to

give any larger account; its sufficient to have experienced the truth

thereof in a lesser quantity; any one may try his fortune in Metallick

Operations.

Now, although there are more waies of separating ☉ and ☽ from ♃, yet

what I have already declared seems sufficient for this time; the

following Chapters, wherein the nature of the other metals is treated

of, will manifestly open what I have decreed to discover concerning

them.

The Third Rule.

_Of =Mars= and his Property._

_The six hid Metals have thrust out, or expelled the seventh from

them, and made him Corporeal, leaving unto him lowest Dignity, and

imposing on him the most thick hardness and labour. In this body have

they manifested their whole strength, and hardness of Coagulation to

be, shutting up, or keeping inward, their Colours and Nobility, with

their Fluidity. ’Tis hard and full of Labour, to make a Prince or King

of a Peasant, or common Fellow: But ♂ by his Vertue, obtains Honour,

and gets up into the high Throne of the King: But ’tis expedient, that

care be used, least hastily posting forward, he be taken. It is to be

considered by what Art ♂ may be promoted to the Throne; but the ☉ and ☽

put in the place of ♂ with ♄._

=Glaub.=] We are come now to _Mars_ in order, it being the _3d._

according to the Compute also of the Astronomers, descending from

above. Now _Paracelsus_ doth not attribute the first place to ♄, as the

Astronomers do, but to ☿; and haply, not without great Cause, hinting

hereby some singular thing. He goes on, and says _Mars_ is rude, sharp,

and thick, because the other Metals have cast out their most ignoble,

and basest part upon him, which thing experience testifies: He is

composed of hard knotty Timber, and hath in him but little good; he is

sharp and churlish, and not at all to be compared to gentle, tender,

and noble ♃; but if he be once freed from his knottiness, which is

hard to do, and render’d tractable, he shews his Virtue, and discovers

himself also to be a partaker of the Royal Blood. _Paracelsus_ adds,

that ♄ can take away his knots, and elevate him to an higher degree,

although the Astronomers are very much displeas’d with the Conjunction

of these two, as being the Author of all evil, and have therefore

inserted peace-making, and benign _Jupiter_ in the middle. Now that

Lame _Saturn_ may polish and make crabbed ♂ smooth, _Paracelsus_ tells

you that there’s need of Caution, lest by over hastiness, he bring

loss upon himself. He stoutly resists, nor doth he easily yield, but

rather busily contrives how to captivate and destroy others; yet

_Paracelsus_ mentions its possibility; whose Reasons, Way, or Manner,

we will briefly illustrate. ♄ indeed is by Birth, fitted to wash the

other imperfect Metals, and to purge them from their superfluous

Sulphur, if any good doth accidentally adhere unto them, but knows not

how to remove their radical, and innate Impurity; and that it is not

alone sufficient for this thing, the trial of the Test witnesseth; for

although you add Iron to ♄, to be separated upon the Cupel; (=Abgehen

Lassen=) yet hath it no sincere ingress into ♄; but if it be so far

brought by great labour, it doth not remain, but speedily separates to

the Superficies, like _Scoria_, and leaves nothing with the Lead, but

what was accidentally in it, himself withdrawing with his whole power,

and native goodness; Tin also doth the same; but Copper albeit it swims

not upon the Lead, nor goes away, yet it is not therewith radically

joined, but being reduced with the Lead, into Liquable _Scoria_,

descends into the porous Ashes, of which we have accurately treated in

the Fourth Part of our Furnaces, and in the Appendix.

Lead is not therefore the true washing of Metals, but that it may so

become, ’tis clear that it must be aptly prepared; and if you do more

exactly contemplate on the thing, you’ll find it very rational; for by

what means can ♄ the most liquable of all the Metals, freely copulate

with ♂, which is the hardest: Indeed ’tis true, that they enter each

into the other by mutual fusion; but ’tis forcedly and superficially,

not radically; as if one boils Water, mixt with Meal, into a Pulse; the

Water thickens, the Flour moistens; yet neither entring into the other,

radically; but the Water getting into the Pores of the Meal, or Flour,

makes it Pap: In the same manner is it with ♄ and ♂, they are indeed

mixt; but cannot equally sustain the violence of the Fire. ♂ doth not

alter his breeding or wit; but in the melting together, remain an hard,

and not easily melted Metal; nor is the humidity and liquability of the

Lead hereby corrected; for although they are become one Mass, yet each

keeps his old Condition: but if they are so order’d, that both of them

may undergoe the same Fire; then the Iron will yield, and deliver his

Gold unto the Lead, and his warm Volatile Sulphur maturates the Silver,

lying hid in the Lead; exalts it, and makes it corporeal, that each

bestows on the other, his Goodness and Virtue; each supplies the others

defects, and both are perfected; for although hard crabbed ♂ be made

flow with liquid and combustible Sulphur, or a Sulphureous Mineral, as

♁, _Arsenick_, or _Auripigment_; yet is not any transmutation made,

each remaining in his own Nature, without alteration; like as ☿ being

reduced into _Amalgama_, with ☉ or ☽, makes no solution, only adheres

unto the Gold, and easily separates therefrom, leaving the Gold to

himself: But if any one know how to conjoin, ☉ and ☽ with _Mercury_

radically, they would not forsake one the other; but would perfect

themselves mutually in a strong Fire; so would the other Metals too,

were they but radically commixt. Some one may ask, what is this radical

or spiritual Commixtion of the Metals, and what I understand thereby?

for Answer, They are to be so united with an implanted Love, that they

freely join together, and so remain equally, enduring prosperity and

adversity; and neither of them discernible from the other, that they

penetrate the shut Gates, and thick Walls, without any obstacle; that

the Volatile exhales not in the Fire: that which is liquable, separates

not from what is illiquable; thereby penetrating the Vessel, leaving

behind it, the more fixt, or rougher part, in the form of _Scoria_:

But thou mayst demand by what means I spiritualize the Metals, and

radically conjoin them; what, must they first be dissolved in _Aqua

fortis_, or other corrosive Spirits, and be distilled by an _Alembick_,

that they may become Volatile? No, I mean not any of this; this kind of

spiritualization is a meer deceitful, and cheating Labour, hindering

many thousands, which otherwise would be nigher to the Truth: All

the Philosophers disswade you therefrom, that you do not torment the

Metals with sharp spirits, whereby instead of being perfected, they are

corrupted and mortifyed radically. ’Tis madness to pour more Water into

any one that is suffocated with Water, thereby to restore him to Life;

this is to put the Bridle on the Horse’s Tail. Now ’tis evident, that

the superfluity in imperfect Metals, is their combustible and corrosive

Sulphur; and by how much, the more imperfect and base they are, so

much the more of a combustible Sulphur do they possess: an evident

Testimony, of which we have in Iron, or ♂: ’Tis only his acid Sulphur

that deprives him of every degree of dignity, which gross, acid, and

vitriolated Sulphur, did he not so much abound withal, he would not

contract Rust so easily; and by the attractive Moisture be so soon

corrupted: and were he not so quickly rusty, he would be put to better

uses, than now he is. But you may object, that you cannot conceive, how

he can have such a corrosive Sulphur, whence should it happen to him,

for the Mineral, and Stones, whence he is extracted, do not appear to

be impregnated with such a Sulphur; whence comes it therefore to be in

him? Besides, if the Mineral did partake of such a Sulphur, surely it

would never abide a Fire so violent, but it would be driven away.

My Friend, thou dost not at all understand the Nature of Metals, and

for what end it was, that Nature left such a Sulphur in Iron, and the

other imperfect Metals; for it is a Nutriment unto their better Parts,

being like an _Embryo_, and as it were, a Covering or a Matrix, in

which a noble Child is maturated, and is (after the ripeness of the

pure Metal) thence excluded. For Natures intention was not, that Iron

should be but Iron, but rather Gold; but the digger not willing to wait

so long, and knowing the manifold uses of Iron, allows not time for it

to become Gold, just like the Fisher-man (who catching a very small

Fish, and the Fish desiring to return into the Water, until being grown

bigger, he might the better fill the Platter) said, nay, but I will

hold thee, as thou art, for ’tis uncertain, whether or no, being grown

bigger, thou mayst then be found. Just thus doth the Miner do, he waits

not the Irons becoming Gold, but puts it to its present use.

’Tis commonly known, that there is abundance of corrosive Salt therein,

which is not combustible in melting Fire, neither needs it any further

demonstration; it having been also treated of in the Annotations of my

Appendix: and that thou mayst see that a Metal can preserve, and keep

its volatile combustible Sulphur in a melting Furnace, I will expound

it somewhat clearer: Gold having already obtained its perfection (it

being a mature product) Nature hath separated this combustible Sulphur,

or acid volatile Salt therefrom; because it needs it not for any

further nutriment: neither would it hold it, if it should be put unto

it, but thrusts it from it in the Fire, and hath no affinity therewith,

as the other imperfect Metals have.