Now _Luna_ although it be not so compleatly perfect as _Sol_; yet, ’tis

more perfect than the others, and hath notwithstanding, a Commerce with

this sulphureous Salt; yea, so as to hold common Sulphur a very long

while in a great heat, which we shall declare anon in the separation of

Metals; and if ☽ (which is almost a ripe Metal) doth thus, questionless

the other more imperfect ones will do it more willingly; which thing,

that you may be the more assured of, incorporate a sulphureous Salt

with any Metal, and continue it in a great heat; and after a few hours

you shall see that your Metal will hold that Sulphur, and defend it

against the force of Fire; but if a Metal be in some sort freed from

this sulphureous Salt by a melting Fire, it doth again receive and

hold it; Will it not therefore hold its own, wherein it was born and

from whence it came forth. ♂ excells them all as to this, being not

only a friend to sulphureous and corrosive Salts, but also to Vrinous

which (when it cannot have acid salts) it doth by a magnetick power

attract and defend these in the fire. For example; mix the filings of

♂ with Nitre and salt of Tartar, and these salts, in a melting Fire,

will be fixed with ♂, and resists the Fire. Which thing is most worthy

observation, and by no means to be neglected.

But to return to my former purpose of demonstrating, that Imperfect

Metals are not only, not bettered by corrosive salts and spirits, but

are rather corrupted: Daily experience doth prove it before the eyes,

that all such as have used corrosive spirits in their bettering of

metals, have done no good at all therewith, but have, to their hurt,

lost both their time and labour: whereas those that have used other

_menstruums_ that are not corrosive, have profited more therefrom,

and have seen more than they have sought; such as those are in a way

tending to dissolve metals without corrosives; to make them spiritual,

and radically to unite them, that they may mutually act in, and sustain

or undergo the Fire alike, and may co-operate to purity and perfection,

and may ennoble themselves. Of which _Spiritualization_ more shall be

spoken in the Sixth Chapter, where _Paracelsus_ also treats thereof.

This therefore do I affirm of ♂, that he must be handled with such

_menstruums_ as are not only not corrosive, but contrary to Corrosives,

and such as mollify and separate those Corrosives which the Metals

hold in fusion, that so for the time to come they may attract no more

any moisture, and thereby contract Rust, and be corrupted; but may be

rather able to preserve and defend themselves against Corrosives and

combustible Sulphur. But let none think, that ♂ being by this Antidote

freed from its thick, earthy, and combustible, and corrosive sulphur,

will be wholly turned into ☉, for ’tis the smallest part of ♂ that is

good: by how much the ☉ is more noble than common ♂, by so much is

the ♂, from whence the Sol is separated more vild than other Iron,

and the remainder is nothing else but a most vild Earth or _Scoria_,

void of all metallick fusion. The milk of a Cow or another Animal, if

unmixt with water, is good milk; but yet ’tis far inferiour in goodness

to pure, good, well-wrought Butter; and by how much milk is more vild

than butter, by so much is the whey and acid milk from whence the Cream

is separated, more vild than that which is sweet and abounds with

Cream. If generous wine be spoiled of its spirit most sweet and most

excellent, by the benefit of Destillation, one part of that is better

than 12 parts of wine out of which it was extracted; the remainder

cannot be wine any more, but is much inferiour to good wine, as wine is

to the spirit.

The like is it with Metals, which being deprived of their soul, whereby

they obtained a metallick form, they can no more be malleable Metals.

Therefore ’tis good to consider whether or no in the separation of ☉

out of the Imperfect metals, it will be answerable (in value) to the

metal, and other Expences necessary about extracting it; but now, if

you know how to apply the residue of the Metal to other uses, you may

with the more confidence attempt the separation. But to return to the

words of _Paracelsus_, I will shew how ♂ may, through ♄’s help, arrive

to a Kingly dignity. I have before said, that there is no familiarity

between the most fusile and most hard metal, but the one will be gone

away in fume before the other will melt, and that we cannot want ♄

in the separation of ♂; but how it is to be handled, I will briefly

explain.

Saturn of himself is liquable and volatile, but yet can be made

illiquable and fixt without detriment of the Radical Moisture or

Metallick Nature; so as to undergo the same Fire with ♂, and being

brought to this pass, it is then fit for the separation of ♂. ’Tis

many waies made illiquable (=Hartflussig=) but the best way is by

fixed Salts, of a contrary nature to the superfluous Sulphur in ♂, and

excellently well separated from the _Reguli_ made of ♂; for Nitre and

Salt of Tartar do not only harden ♄, but unite other metals with him,

making them spiritual, and most like to transparent, soluble Glass,

the which having sustained the Fire their proper time, the Agent being

taken away, and the Patient sufficiently purged, the purest part of the

Metals, thus spiritually mixt together, doth by the force of ♄ separate

from the other unprofitable part. The _Regulus_ is purged easily, so

that there’s no need of separating the whole Mass by precipitation and

reducing it into _Reguli_; but ♄, by his innate force, doth in its

due time finish the separation or precipitation of the pure from the

impure, of metals thus spiritually commixt and united. This is enough

spoken concerning the way of separating gold out of ♂, by ♄, _viz._

♄ being first fixed by salts, and made hard to melt, so as to endure

the same force of Fire with ♂, or otherwise ’twill be impossible to

have any thing from ♂ by the usual way of the Refiners, by the help

of scorifying with ♄ (=mit ansieden=) and separation (=abtreiben=)

which even as ♃ also doth not stay with common Lead in a strong fire,

but separate themselves and go into _Scoria_; the which we have also

hinted in the First Part of this little Book, whereto we referr the

Reader. This separation of ☉ out of ♂, may be done with _Regulus_ of ♁

and Nitre, and in some manner better than with common Lead, but that

I do not deliver the whole Process from top to bottom, let no body

wonder thereat, for then the Book would grow to too great a bulk, and

I should not receive any reward the more from the Unthankful: Let it

suffice, that I have declared the manner and the Species wherewith ’tis

to be done; for ’tis for the sake of such Chymists as are most expert

in the Fire and Metalline Works that I write, and not for the common

Destillers of Waters. And as touching what may tend to illustrate what

is said, it shall be supplyed with some Processes at the end of the

seven Rules.

Whereas I have attributed to ♂ in the First Part of this Treatise and

elsewhere, that he doth not only unwillingly deliver his own gold, but

also if any be either accidentally, or of set purpose, added thereto,

he swallows it up and hides it, and will not restore it without

detriment and loss. Some body may admire how it’s possible for to be

done so easily by ♄ and Salts; let him know that this Extraction of

☉ out of ♂ is not any the common Examen or Trial, (=abtreiben=,) but

a true and Philosophical separation (=Seigerungh=) wherewith ♂ being

well dissolved, is most throughly separated from his thick and hard

body, concerning which, I never met with any full pregnant Processes

any where. And albeit that I am not ignorant that many, yea most that

read, will not have any higher thought or consideration, yet I say that

there is something else hereunder; and do believe, that it is to be

esteemed far more excellent than Sol it self; which that thou maist not

over-much trouble thy head about, I will not be shy in communicating

it also unto thee. _viz._ Out of Iron is prepared a Salt without any

corrosive, which is able to extract the soul from Gold, that it will

remain half dead. But ♂ will be impregnated as it were divinely, so

as to be able to give forth a golden Child: the debilitated Gold will

recover its lost Colour and Virtue by ♀ and ♁. Other Philosophers have

likewise made mention hereof, _viz._ that ♂ will not spare even the

King, out of whose bowels he will steal Treasures, and will not blush

to adorn himself with the same. Concerning which Secret the most famous

_Sandivow_ wrote on this wise. “The Chymists know how to change Iron

into Copper or ♀, without the Sun: They likewise know how to make ☿ out

of ♃: Others there are that can make ☽ out of ♄; but if they knew how

to administer the Solar Nature to these mutations, questionless they

would find a thing more precious than any Treasure. On which account I

say, that we must not be ignorant of what metals are to be conjoined

one with the other, and whose nature of them corresponds to Nature.

There is therefore given one metal, which hath a power to consume the

other metals, for it is as it were almost their water and their mother;

one thing there is that only resists it, and is bettered thereby,

_viz._ the _humidum Radicale_ of the Sun and Moon; but that I may

discover it, ’tis called _Chalybs_.”

Thus you see, that from ♂ also some good is to be gotten, although all

speak ill of him; and indeed he is wicked if he gets possession: Nor

will he spare the highest Powers, from whom he will forcibly wrest

their hidden Treasures, but yet by Commerce with ♀ he will again repay

it in time to be distributed amongst the subjects; although the king

being robb’d of his goods, looks pale upon it, yet he lays not down his

Life, and he remaining alive, there is no cause of complaining, for

as long as the Riches are not exported, but remain in the Kingdom,

distributed amongst the subjects, he is able to receive his former

majesty and splendor from his Revenues, and to gather new Riches, and

preserve his kingly dignity whole and sound.

Here I foresee that our common Know-littles, in the light of Nature,

will traduce me, as if I enterpret _Sandivow’s Chalybs_ to be common

♂, and say that ’tis not to be understood according to the Letter, but

the Author would hint somewhat else thereby; but ’tis no matter, what

I have written, I have written, and that not without cause. I am not

ignorant, that he means not common Iron no more than I, but his inmost

Magnetick force and power, or essence, prepared without corrosive, and

known to few, which doth most greedily extract and transmute the soul

of Gold above all other things. And herewith we will rest and cease.

The Fourth Rule.

_Of the Nature of ♀._

_The other Six Metals have in ♀ framed all their colours, and the

=medium= of their Flux (with inconstancy) into an External body. It

would be therefore profitable to hint to the understanding by some

examples, by what means the visible may by the benefit of Fire be made

invisible, and this again made visible and material. All combustible

things may naturally be changed in the Fire, out of one form into

another, as into a Coal, Soot, Ashes, Glass, Colours, Stones, Earth,

but the Earth is reduced into sundry metallick bodies; and if a metal

combust or corrupted with old age, is thereby become unmalleable,

sharp, and brittle, let it well flow, and ’twill again become

malleable._

=Glaub.=] Although that ♀ being malleable more than all the metals, in

and out of the Fire, is fit for all Operations, yet even this is not

void of a combustible sulphur, but is radically polluted therewith, so

that it will most easily, of it self, without addition of any other

sulphur, be reduced into _Scoria_, and be corrupted, which corruption

is occasioned by the muchness of its combustible sulphur; Gold and

Silver being void of that Sulphur, are not subject to destruction. So

that, although they undergo the Fire a most long season, yet go they

not into _Scoria_ like the other imperfect bodies; and for the reducing

of them into ashes, combustible sulphur must be added; whereas the

imperfect metals too much abounding with the same, are changed by a

most light heat into Ashes, Powder, or _Scoria_, which _Scoria’s_ are

melted into either transparent or darkish tincted Glass, according to

the nature of the metal; which Glasses may be melted into malleable

Metal, and again into Ashes and Glass, as you please, but alwaies with

some loss, by reason of some combust parts irreducible into metal,

the metal also remaining, as it was at first, without being any thing

bettered.

He who knows how to melt Metals into pellucid Glass, by the addition

not of metallick things, but of such things as have affinity with the

metals, as Salts, Sand, or Stones, shall in reducing them, alwaies

find his metal better than it was in the beginning: And that the

Reader, for whose sake I have written these things, may the more

throughly understand my mind, I will explain it somewhat more clearly.

_Paracelsus_ hath above affirmed, That every visible metal is an hider

of the other metals lying hid invisibly therein, and that the hider is

to be removed, if you would that those visible metals become visible

and corporeal, which being most truly spoken, I know not what light it

may be illustrated withal. The words also are succinct and easie to be

understood, yet no body believes them; There’s scarce one amongst an

hundred that conceives what they tend unto. _Metals cannot be changed

without putting off their metalline form_; for if you keep them a long

time in Flux, by themselves, or joined with others, if they remain in

their Corporality, they cannot help each the other, but being destroyed

either by themselves, or joined with other Metals, and nourished in

the fire their due time, it cannot otherwise be, but that they should

be bettered, for so long as it retains its metalline form, it cannot

be holpen. ’Tis necessary that a hard body be broken and annihilated,

before there can be made a separation of the pure from the impure.

But this is to be done by a genuine Chymical manner, and they are to

be dissolved and throughly opened, with things of affinity with them,

whereby the purer parts may be united, and the more gross may be

separated. If a metal be forced with a most vehement Fire, its parts

do firmly hold together; for if it be fixt, then the parts abide in

the Fire; but if volatile, then the parts thereof fly away together,

their natural bond holds them together, defending them against the

Fires power, but dissolve their bond, and then they are compelled to

submit to _Vulcan_’s Force and Empire, and will let you make of them

what you please. It may well shame the Chymists to work so disagreeably

with Nature, and may well learn by the Husbandman’s labours to send for

Nature’s help. The Husbandman therefore, when he sows his seed, to have

a good Crop therefrom, he casts not his grain upon any sort of earth,

without consideration, but chuseth such earth for each proper seed,

as being well dung’d, may suit best therewith, and in a convenient

season sows his grain, that it, being putrefied and annihilated, may be

multiplied, he leaves it to the warmth of the Sun, and to the vivifying

Rain to concoct and maturate it; well knowing, that without precedent

putrefaction and loss of its form, it cannot be multiplied. He likewise

knows, that when it hath arrived to its maturity it must not be left

in the Field, but must be reaped, and then the better and more heavy

part is to be fanned and separated from the lighter and worser part,

_viz._ the Chaff; the which operation is, by Experience and long Use,

known to be good and needful. This Process must a Chymist observe, for

one Metal may be made the field of another, wherein putrefying, it may

get it self a new body, which being done, he must likewise know how to

separate the new body from the _fæces_, from which ’tis gathered and

made; and how to fan _Vulcan_ like the best and most ponderous, from

the lightest, for both of them will be made better by the foregoing

preparation, and the annihilation of the bodies. When a Country-woman

intends to separate the better part of the Milk from the more gross

and cheesy part, she puts it in a quiet warm place, that the best part

may rise up, and the worst part go down; the which being as yet not

sufficiently purified, she adds her art, and puts it into a Churn, and

doth so long stir or agitate it until another separation be made of the

pure from the impure, which we call _Butter_; which notwithstanding,

had it lain never so long by it self, had never come to have been

Butter, without the Hand and Art of the Country-woman. Who would

believe that in Milk there lies Butter, if he did not daily see it?

This separation of the Butter from the waterishness, proceeds from the

quick shaking and agitation, whereby the Milk heats; and if it doth

not fadge, then do they put thereto some warm moisture, which uniting

it self with the moisture of the Milk promotes a separation, for heat

alone is the meer cause of hastening the separation. This now may

seem a gross Example to the Ignorant, but let none imagine that this

separation of the Butter from the Milk is alledged in vain, but rather

to show the way how out of imperfect Minerals the golden and silver

milk or part, is to be separated by the access or addition of a warm

Mineral water, and by the Fires agitation: Even as warm Water helps

the moisture of the Milk, that so it doth the easier separate its own

heterogeneous Butter (and yet the way of separating the Butter from the

Milk, without agitation, by the affusion of a warm thing and coction,

is not unknown;) so also the Metals are separated, if they are along

time boiled with their own Water.

Now, because of themselves they are compact bodies, if you keep them

in Flux a long season, they remain compact, and are not able by their

own power to shew forth their Good or Evil, nor make it appear, whether

or no they contain Gold or Silver: They are to be a long time boil’d

with Water, that being dispersed, they may be translated out of their

metalline nature, and the pure (by the agitation of the Fire) may be

separated from the impure; which purer part of the metal doth not swim

at the top, like Butter, but settles to the bottom like a _Regulus_,

after the metallick manner, and all being cool, it must be separated

from the _Scoria_, and in a Cupel be washed to the utmost purity

(=abgetrieben=).

But now ’tis worth the while to know what Water this is which is fit

for this Work, and makes a separation of metals; for seeing that it

must have power to dissolve metals, it’s expedient that it be a friend

unto them, and of the same kin, or (that I may speak clearer) ’tis

fit that it be their dissolver and examinator; and this old _Saturn_

hath power to do, out of which it may with small costs and labour be

prepared; but the common _Saturn_, although it be called the Water

of Metals by all the Philosophers (but in the usual washing in the

Cupels ’tis not found so to be) yet as long as it remains in a compact

metalline form, ’tis unfit for this thing; let him first be made Water

himself before he reduceth the metals into water; which work is easie,

of small cost, and of a few hours labour, and it goes into Water,

and the Metals are thereby washt. Of which more shall be said in the

following Chapter of ♄, and elsewhere. This also is to be noted, That

if Copper being dissolved with the Water of Lead, be digested its

proper time, the moisture dries, and the metal is hardened, and returns

into a metallick body; therefore the Solution is to be kept alwaies

liquid by the affusion or pouring on of new water, lest the mutual

action be hindered, which the Philosophers call _Incineration_: Which

being neglected, all the Work doth not presently perish, but there

remains most elegant _Amausa_, and tinged Glass, which shines among the

Copper, giving out from it self a Blood-red Colour, wherewith not only

wooden Vessels may be adorned, but also Glass-Painters may use it; of

which red Glass there hath been some found in old Churches; but ’twas

believed that the Art was throughly lost; but this came not by chance

without doubt, but was purposely concealed by those whose practising

hereabouts did perceive a better thing to lie under it; for the red

_Amausum_ or Glass, being burnt its proper time with a strong fire,

gives a _Regulus_ yielding in the Leaden washing (=im abtreiben=) good

Silver. But if you seek for ☽ out of ♀, it’s better not to make the red

_Amausum_ or Glass at all, but to keep on with Inceration, that it may

not come to be red, but may remain a pellucid and green Glass, even

until ♀ be well washt.

Moreover this is to be noted, That ♀ and the other metals are not

only reducible into soluble and insoluble Glass, by this _Saturnine_

Water, but the same is to be done by the addition of clean Flints

and Salts, by which they are made much fairer than those done with

♄; but in the separation (=Seigerungh=) they are vilder, because the

Dissolvent is not so metalline, and after purgation, they do not so

easily give their _Regulus_ as those that are done with the Water of

♄. There’s also another way, by which the superfluous burning sulphur

of ♀ may be washed, and she cleansed without the water of ♄ or of the

Flints, _viz._ with _Salt-Petre_. If ♀ or any other imperfect metal be

often mixt therewith and burnt, the purer parts come together, and the

combustible parts come together, and the combustible sulphur separates

in the form of _Scoria_. To conclude, This separation and washing may

be done by the help of other fixed Salts, but none so good as the

Water of ♄. Now let the Reader know, that those things spoken in a

rude stile, concerning ♀, want not their weight, even as the following

Chapters will openly declare.

The Fifth Rule.

_Of the Nature and Virtue of =Saturn=._

_Thus speaks =Saturn= of himself: The other Six Planets have excluded

and thrust me out, who am their Examinator, from the spiritual City,

assigning me an habitation with a corruptible body; for what they

neither are, nor will be, I am constrained to be: My six Brethren are

Spiritual, wherefore as often as I am in the fire, they pass through

my body, and both I and they perish together in the Fire, the two

best excepted, ☉ and ☽, who are most neatly and purely washt in my

waters, and wax proud. My Spirit is Water, softning the hard bodies

of my Brethren; but my body is addicted to the Earth, whatsoever I

lay hold on, is also made like the Earth; and is converted into one

body. It would not be good that the World should know what is in me,

or what I could do; it would be better did they but know how to get

that thing which is mine, and is in my faculty, they would lay aside

all other Arts of =Alchymy=, and handle this thing only, which I am

able to perfect. The Stone of Coldness is in me; this is the Water by

which I cause the Spirits of the six other Metals to congeal into the

Corporeity of the Seventh, that is to promote ☉ with ☽. =Antimony= is

twofold, the one sort is the common black ♁, wherewith ☉ being mixt and

melted, is purged; this is of nearest kin to Lead; the other is white

=Magnesia=, =Bismuth=, and nearest to Tin; being mixt with the other ♁,

it encreaseth ☽._

=Glaub.=] Here we have mention made of _Saturn_, from whence the Bath

(spoken of afore) for ♀ and the other metals is prepared, and that

twofold, the common and ♁, both which I have mentioned in my former

Tracts, as profitable for this washing; but one is fitter for some

metals than the other. _Venus_ willingly enters into ♄, and may most

rightly be washed and separated (=geseigert=) with the common Saturnine

water, ♂ and ♃ will not; but ♁ receives them most greedily, holds

and washeth them, which is impossible for the common ♄ to do. Yet

notwithstanding _Paracelsus_ seems to hint at some other thing here,

speaking of the transmutation of ♄ with other metals, aiming (as I

conjecture) as well at an universal as a particular transmutation of

Metals by Saturn. Now Saturn also, as he is the water and washing of

other metals, so may he himself be washed with Salts, which, as I shall

anon declare, are his water.

But let no body wonder that I speak no larger of the nature and virtue

of Saturn, whom I set so high an esteem upon; for it hath been most

frequently mentioned, and after this will be; so ’tis not fit so often

to repeat the same thing, one Chapter illustrates another. See such

other small Tracts as I have written of Saturn, and compare them well

together, and without doubt you will perceive my meaning. That which

_Paracelsus_ adds concerning the difference of ♁ is plain enough, and

wants no illustration; for common Lead and ♁ (although much differing

in the diversity of Sulphurs) was by the Philosophers called Black

Lead. Bismuth, ashy Lead, and Tin, among the ancient Metallurgists, is

white Lead; which appellations we shall leave to the ancients, and say

no more thereof.

The Sixth Rule.

_Of the =Moon=, and her Nature and Property._

_If anyone goes about to reduce ☽ into ♄ or ♂, it will be as difficult

as to make ☽ (with great profit) out of ☿, ♃, ♂, ♀, or ♄. But ’tis not

expedient to make vile things out of good, but to make precious things

out of base and abject things._

_’Tis also fit to know of what matter the Moon is, and whence ’tis

risen; he that is ignorant of this, will find it impossible to make

=Luna=._

Quest. _What therefore is_ Luna?

Answ. _It is the seventh external, corporeal, material, of the Six

metals therein hidden; for alwaies (as it hath been very often said)

the Seventh hath the other Six spiritually hidden within it self;

neither also can these six be without an external, material metal; nor

can any corporeal Metal be without the six spiritual ones and their

Essence. If you melt the seven Corporeal Metals, it doth nothing as to

making ☉: after mixtion, each as its nature is, remains fixt in the

fire, or volatile. For example, mix as well as you can ☿, ♃, ♄, ♂, ♀,

☉ and ☽, it will not therefore follow, that the ☉ and ☽ will transmute

the other five, that they become ☉ and ☽: Although they are blown

together into one mass, yet each remains in its own state, =viz.= if

you take of the corporeal mixtion; for transmutation consists in the

spiritual mixtion and union of Metals, because Spirits admit of no

separation and mortification._

_Although you kill the Body an hundred times, yet will they alwaies

have another Body more noble than the former. And this is the promotion

of Metals from one mortification into another; that is, from a more

ignoble degree to a higher, that is =Luna=, and from a better to the

best, that is =Sol=; a most illustrious and royal Metal; ’tis also

true, and alwaies will be, which hath been often spoken of before,

that alwaies the six metals generate the seventh, and deliver it from

themselves into a palpable and visible substance._

Quest. _Now, then if it be so, that the =Luna=, or any other metal,

is alwaies caused and produced from the other six, What therefore is

its Property and Nature? =I answer=, Out of ☿, ♃, ♂, ♀, ♄, and ☉, no

other metal can be made, but ☽; the reason is, because as to the other

six metals, each are indued with two good virtues, which in all make

Twelve: these virtues are the Silverish or Lunar Spirit, which in brief

understand thus; Silver is compounded into a corporeal Metal, out of

the six Spiritual Metals, and their Properties, in number twelve, and

is likened to the seven Planets, and the twelve Cœlestial Signs; for

the ☽ hath from ☿ the Planet, and ♒, and ♓, a bright white flux and

splendor, ☿, ♒, ♓; also ☽ hath from ♃, ♂, and ♉ a white colour, a great

constancy against the fire and fixation, ♃, ♂, ♉; from ♂, ♋, and ♈, it

hath hardness, a good clangour or sound, ♂, ♋, ♈; from ♀, ♊, ♎, it hath

the means of Coagulation and Malleability, ♀, ♊, ♎; from ♄, ♑, ♏, it

hath a fixt body with heaviness and gravity, ♄, ♑, ♏; from ☉, ♌, ♍, it

hath a sincere purity, and a great constancy, against the violency of

the fire, ☉, ♌, ♍._

_Thus is briefly explained what is the exaltation and cause of the

spirit and body of Silver, with its own compound Nature and Essence._

_It must also be known what matter the metallick spirits do take in

their first Nativity, when they are carried down into the Earth from

the Cœlestial Influences, =viz.= a vile Dirt or Stone, which the

Mine-digger by breaking the body of the metal, destroys and burns in

the fire, in which mortification the metalline spirit assumes another

body, not fryable, but pure and malleable. Then the Alchymist coming,

destroys this metalline body, kills and prepares it by Art, but that

metallick corporeal Spirit makes apparently conspicuous, another more

noble and much more perfect body, whether it be the Sun or Moon; then

both the metallick Spirit and Body being perfectly united, are free and

safe from Corruption by the Element of Fire._

=Glaub.=] _Paracelsus_ in this Sixth Chapter repeats the words which

have been oftentimes afore mentioned, _viz._ That every visible metal

is an hider of the other metals which lie spiritually hid within it;

withal teaching, that it is impossible for corporeal metals, although

melted together never so long, to be meliorated, unless they are first

made spiritual; which I have oftentimes demonstrated and shewed to be

the very Truth, and the right way to Transmutation.

But he doth not in express words teach the way by which they may be

made and rendered Spiritual; nor is it convenient to chew a Morsel, and

thrust it into the mouths of the Ignorant.

Now I say, that as touching the spiritualizing of Metals, _Paracelsus_

doth not advise that Metals be dissolved in corrosive Spirits, &

digested & destilled over the Helm with it, by often Cohobations.

The Spiritualization which he mentions here, is not to be done with

Corrosives, for they are rather corrupted by them than perfected,

neither in Glasses, but in Crucibles, and that in a few hours, without

Corrosives, whereby they are so depurated, and as it were poudered,

that they are transparent in and out of the fire, and dissolvable in

any water. This is a true spiritualization of metals, and gainful if

it hath the said Properties: ’Tis otherwise called by the Philosophers,

the first matter of Metals, and at this time known but to few.

Our Laborators now adays know not any metallick spirits, but such, as

by the help of peregrine and noxious things, they drive over by an

Alembick or Retort; but Experience testifies, that these are wholly

useless and unprofitable for Melioration. And although the ancient

Philosophers write, Make the fixt volatile, and the volatile fixt, yet

they mean not that the metals should be destilled. Which sublimation

or destillation they did not meddle with, but all their metallick

labours, as _Solution_, _Putrefaction_, _Destillation_ _Sublimation_,

_Calcination_, _Inceration_, _Cohobation_, and _Fixation_, were done in

one earthen vessel, without Corrosives; nor did they weary themselves

with those ridiculous labours that are done by the means of Glasses.

But of this more in another place.

Now read diligently over and over again what _Paracelsus_ writes at the

end of the Chapter, and it will appear, that he speaks of fusion, and

not destillation in Glasses; where he shews, that a metallick spirit

at its first descending from the stars into the earth, hath a most

vile form, like a stone, or dirt, which the digger of it melts with a

strong fire, whereby it gets a better form, and becomes a malleable

metal. And here he is at a stand, and cannot proceed any farther. Now,

saith _Paracelsus_, the Alchymist comes and takes this metal, and by

his Art destroies the metallick body, killing and preparing it; and

by his labour it assumes a more noble and fixt body, called (because

of its maturity) Gold or Silver. The ☽, although it be more pure and

excellent than ♀, ♂, ♃, and ♄ yet having not arrived to maturity, it is

(in comparison of the ☉) like a flower, which is more excellent than

the herb, but inferiour to the seed, which is the most perfect part

of the same. And, as in Vegetables the flowers are indued with a more

elegant colour than either the seed or fruit: So also is the ☽ more

abounding with Tincture than the ☉; which I have very often tried, and

could demonstrate by many Examples; contrariwise, altho’ the flower be,

as to the form, colour and odour, above the seed, yet in goodness and

durability it is much inferiour; for the flower at an approaching cold

falls away;, but the seed endures, and if it be helped, it produceth

a new herb, flowers, and seed, by which its species are conserved and

propagated. And as in Vegetables the herb is the greatest part, the

flowers less, and the seeds least, so in Minerals is the like order

most fitly observed: for should Nature produce only Flowers and Seeds

with the Herb, whence would there be Grass for Beasts, whereby they

might fill their Bellies, and so yield dung for the Country-man to

dung his ground withal, that it might produce a new Crop of Herbs.

Without doubt there’s more Tincture hidden in ☽ than in ☉, the inmost

part of which is a meer redness; but the centre of ☉ is a most fixt

and splendid Sky-colour, which is to be well observed. As for the

other Properties of ☽, which are most frequently known, ’tis needless

to mention them; as to purity and fixation, ’tis nearest to ☉, and

therefore in metallick things ’tis to be likened to a Flower: ’Tis

plainly void of combustible and preying Sulphur; but being not as yet

arrived and concocted to perfection, it is a most suitable Vehicle to

extract ☉ out of volatile and unripe Marcasites, and other auriferous

Minerals, and to make it corporeal. Concerning which I have formerly

written, and will write more hereafter.

The Seventh Rule.

_Of the =Sun=, its Nature and Property._

_Corporeal ☉ is the seventh Metal of the six spiritual ones; in it self

it is a meer Fire; but the Reason of its being outwardly of an elegant,

yellow, visible, sensible, ponderous, cold and malleable body, is,

because it hath in it the coagulation of the other six metals, whereby

’tis compell’d into a visible body. And as to its being melted with

Elemental fire, ’tis from hence, because it hath a fluidity of Mercury,

♓, and ♒, spiritually hidden in it self; the which is also outwardly

evident, because it is most easily mixt with the ☉, and detained by

him._

_And whereas after melting, it grows hard by the Cold, =viz.= is

coagulated, and grows stiff, that comes from the other five metals, ♃,

♄, ♂, ♀, and ☽; in these five metals the Cold dwells and bears sway,

and therefore ☉ cannot be fluid out of the fire, because of Cold. Nor

can ☿ with his heat, nature, and fluidity help him against the five

cold metals, for its heat sufficeth not to keep the ☉ in perpetual

flux, so that it is enforced to obey the other metals rather than one

only, ☿, who (as to coagulation of metals) hath nothing to do, its

Property being to make liquid, and not hard: It is the work of heat and

life to make liquid, but cold is the cause of hardness, stiffness, and

unmovable, being therefore likened to Death._

For Example. _If you would reduce the six cold metals to fluidity,

whether it be ♃, ♀, ♄, ♂, ☽, ☉, it is to be done by the heat of the

fire, for metals are not melted with cold Snow or Ice, but are hardened

thereby. Now, as soon as they are melted by the fire, and that the

heat ceaseth, the cold rusheth in, whereby the metal stands still,

grows stiff, dies, and remains immovable. And because that ☿ is alwaies

fluid and living, tell me, I pray, whether or no such a thing proceeds

from heat or cold? Some or other may say, it is because of its cold

and moist nature, and that it is living because of Cold; but whoever

saith thus, and believes thus, is ignorant of Nature, and deceived and

seduced with the vulgar, whose belief of any thing is out of the right

way, & amiss, & are therefore to be avoided and shun’d by him that

would truly know; for ☿ is not living, by reason of cold, but because

of its heat and fiery nature, as all things else live because of heat,

for heat is the cause of life, and cold the cause of death._

_But that ☉ is in it self a meer Fire, not alive indeed, but hard,

shewing its fiery heat only outwardly, as yellow mixt with red, and the

other five metals, are cold, =viz.= ♃, ♂, ♄, ♀, and ☽, giving their

virtues to the ☉, =viz.= according to their frigidity a body, by their

fire colours, by their siccity hardness, by their moisture weight or

heaviness, by their resplendancy sound; and that it is not combustible,

and to be destroyed by the Element of Terrestrial Fire, that is by

reason of its fixedness. Fire doth not burn Fire, nor destroy it, but

Fire joined to Fire becomes the greater and more powerful in strength.

The Cœlestial fire descending from the ☉ upon Terrestrials, is not such

a fire as is in Heaven, nor such as our fire is on Earth; but with us

the Cœlestial fire is cold, a rigid and congealed fire; and this is

the body of Gold, and therefore we cannot tame or master ☉ with our

fire, we can only divide it and melt it, as the sun dissolves and melts

snow, congealed ice and water. Wherefore it is not permitted for one

fire to destroy another, because ☉ it self is fire, and in Heaven it is

resolved, but with us it is coagulated._

Gold is in a threefold state with its Essence.

1. _The Cœlestial_ } { _Resolved_.

2. _The Elemental_ } _is_ { _Liquid_.

3. _The Metallick_ } { _Corporeal_.

The End of the Seven Rules.

=Glaub.= We are now come to ☉, a kingly and most excellent Metal,

the which _Paracelsus_ compares to a meer absolute Fire, and so ’tis

found to be, if it be separated into parts; ’tis likewise endued with

a seed-like nature, more hot than the Herb it self or the Flower. But

to what end should we write of bettering it, when as it needs it not,

being already constituted in the highest degree of perfection, and

Nature not being able to promote it to an higher degree: Now then if

it be to be made better, ’tis behoveful to make it Medicine, for never

was a more excellent metal than it seen. An Herb planted in a fruitful

soil, and brought to its perfection by the heat of the Sun, the seed

being ripe, it remains not in the same form, but withers, and the seed

falls away; but if it be seasonably gathered, it lasts a long while,

and may, at your pleasure, be put into the Earth, for the production

of new Herbs of its kind; or else it may be used for the health of

Mankind, having no other notable Use besides. In like manner, Gold

having arrived to its perfection, if it be to be farther advanced, it

must be made Medicine, or be put upon the Metallick Earth, as Seed is

on the Common Earth; where putrefying or augmenting, or growing, it may

exhibit and produce a metalline Off-spring. Every body knows that a

good Medicine may be thence made, and that various waies, but few know

the manner how; but that ’tis able (like the Vegetable seed) to make

Encrease out of the imperfect metals (being its own Earth) _Paracelsus_

teacheth in this place, and many Philosophers witness the same, which

is not only true in a particular melioration, where by attracting its

like out of the imperfect metals, it is encreased; but ’tis also to be

believed as true, that from it may be separated, by the industry of a

skilful metallick Philosopher, its inmost Vegetative power and purest

portion (all its husks, or outside, wherewith ’tis cloathed, being

laid aside) and may thereby be exalted to a more than perfect estate,

although ’tis incredible to many, yet ’tis not in the least to be

doubted of, except we would make all the Philosophers to be Lyers.

As for my self, although I never set my hand to so hard a Task, yet

I believe and affirm it to be in the nature of things, as having

evidently observed by my other metallick Labours, that this Medicine is

in the possibility of Art; the which I will also in due time set upon,

if God give Life and Leisure. What the other properties of ☉ are, and

by what means good Medicines may be prepared therefrom, I have spoken

thereof in many places of my writings, and in its proper place more

also shall be spoken. And here we rest and conclude this little Book of

the Rules of the Seven Metals.

GOD and Nature make nothing in vain.

_The Eternal City of all things (there’s an Eternal place in all

things) without time, without beginning, and without end, is every

where essentially. It operates in that wherein is no hopes, and that

which is accounted impossible, unexpected, incredible, and plainly

deplorable, will be true even to admiration._

=Glaub.=] _Paracelsus_ having finished his Seven Rules of the

Properties of Metals, begins after a sort, to repeat and illustrate his

sentiment or opinion, comforting the Operator, lest happily he should

be discouraged, if his affairs do not presently meet with good success;

but let him ingeniously proceed, because _Nature makes nothing in

vain_; that which is least of all believed, comes most of all to pass;

his words are clear enough of themselves.

Item. _Note now some things on_ Argent Vive.

_Whatsoever whitens is of the Nature of Life, and of the Property and

Virtue of Light, which causeth and makes Life. The Fire with its heat

gives birth to this motion. And whatsoever blackens, is of the Nature

of Death, of the Property and Virtue of Darkness, (having the efficacy

and force thereof) which causeth Death; to the which hardening or

induration the Earth with its Cold is the coagulation and fixation. The

House is alwaies dead, but the Inhabitant is a living Fire: If thou

hast found out the true Use of Examples, thou hast overcome._

=Glaub.=] Paracelsus speaking here of Mercury, mentions Fire, which by

its heat is the cause of Light and Life, but that which blackens, is

the cause of Death; where making as it were a pause or stand, he adds

these pregnant words.

_Sacrifice the fat Vervein (=or Sulphur=). ℞ eight lots of Salt Nitre,

four lots of Sulphur, two lots of Tartar, mix them, and let them flow._

=Glaub.=] Here begin the Complaints of the Alchymists, because

_Paracelsus_ writing of so good a matter, doth so suddenly break off,

adding such a Receipt, as in their judgment hath no affinity with

Mercury, but is to him as a thorn in a man’s eye. This powder indeed is

a good fusile powder, for the reduction of such metals as are otherwise

hard to melt; but in this place ’tis meerly vain and needless, because

☿ by his innate fiery power and heat, doth alwaies flow; wherefore

we want not this Flux for him. Had he written in this place, how he

(_viz._ ☿) is to be coagulated and fixed, we would most willingly have

heard him, and as willingly have been content that he had kept his

fluxing powder to himself.

Such as these ought to blame themselves and not _Paracelsus_, that

wish’d well unto them. The words which went just before, may excuse

him; for he said, that _GOD and Nature made nothing in vain_; whereby

he intimates, that this powder is not so strangely to be look’d on, as

if it did not pertain to ☿, who is more than enough fusile already,

and wants it not. Nor was this mentioned to vex the Alchymist; no,

_Paracelsus_ knew this nimble fusile powder, and its operations upon

the metals, better than he that complains thereof, (’tis of incredible

benefit in the metals, did any one know how to use it) and he placed

it here, that we might perfectly learn its highest force and efficacy

upon the metals; the which thing his foregoing words do also admonish

us of: It operates beyond hope, that which is judged impossible is

unexpected, incredible, and desperate, will prove true to admiration.

Wherefore, think you, would he have added this fire had it not been

needful in this place? doubtless he knew how to burn the wings of ☿,

and thereby to stay his flight. And although I know not how to fix

☿ herewith, yet have I experienced wonderous things as well in the

metals as ☿, for if the metals, especially ☿, be Philosophically joined

herewith, sublimed and destilled, they afford wonderful _Menstruums_.

It’s also here said, _Sacrifice the fat Vervein_ (or Sulphur). ’Tis

full well known, that the superfluous Sulphur in metals that are

imperfect, is the cause of their baseness, and this fire is able to

burn it up, but ’tis impossible that all should know it; there’s need

of use and diligence, if you desire _Icarus_, flying with his Father

_Dædalus_, and approaching too nigh the Sun (whereby his wings being

burnt, he tumbled down into the Sea) should be drowned in the waters.

The which let suffice, for there’s enough spoken unto a wise man; let

us therefore proceed.

_What is to be determined concerning the Coagulation of ☿._

_’Tis not at all expedient to kill ☿, to coagulate him, and then reduce

him into ☽, and to weary him with many sublimations and other things,

for this is but the destruction of the Sun and Moon that is in him.

There’s another more compendious way, whereby ☿ is made ☽, of small

cost and charge, without any labour of coagulation: Every man reads in

the Writings of the Alchymists, such Arts as are mean and vile, and

easily preparable, whereby in a short time he might make abundance of

☉ and ☽, and are tired and vexed with the Writings of such as do not

teach them clearly and plainly, and would willingly hear this, =viz.=

Do so and so, and thou shalt have good ☽ and ☉ to inrich thee._

But good Sir stay a while, and wait till the Secret be plainly opened

to thee in positive words without any labour; so as to enable thee (in

as ’twere a moment of time) to take ♄, ☿, and ♃, and make _Sol_ and

_Luna_ thereof. The Art will never be so easily known, how short and

facile soever it be in it self.

=Glaub.=] _Paracelsus_ goes on, and saith, That ’tis not needful to

coagulate ☿, that ☉ and ☽ may be thence made, and that it is to be

done with a most easie labour, and therefore few words are best. And

here _Paracelsus_ is to be compared to that Rich man, who having heard

that many perished with famine, ’tis said that he should answer, That

before he would be tormented with hunger, he would rather feed on rusty

Bacon and Pease, believing that all abounded with this fare; the which

they despising by reason of their daintiness, deservedly perished. In

like manner the good _Paracelsus_ believed, that all Chymists were

his equals, as to the knowledge of Metals, not dreaming of the many

poor Colliers that torment ☿ by their solutions, precipitations,

sublimations, resuscitations, fixations, and other labours; when as

they are ignorant of what it is, what abounds or is wanting therein,

and so for want of knowledge, toil and labour to no purpose: ☿ is a

subject of wonder, and is frequently wont to deceive the Alchymists,

whom (_viz._ ☿) if you would on the other side deceive, when you pursue

him, give him a little breathing (because by force he’s not to be

compell’d) that he may a little wander about, but trust him not too

much, lest flying away, he leaves behind him an empty Nest. For which

Work the first Furnace, with its many Glasses, very well fitted and

united, will serve excellently well. But in few words, ’Tis a subject

of an inexhaustible wonder, the which I alwaies found the most stubborn

of all the metals, that I have bestowed grievous pains about; but yet

do believe, that he that knows rightly to deal with him, will reap a

benefit from him not to be contemned. But who is there that discovers

the Way? Wonders must alwaies remain unknown unto us, and albeit we

know not all things, yet let us acknowledge the great Mercy of GOD, and

give Thanks to Him for that which we do know.

_The Receipts of =Alchymy=._

_What shall we say of the many Receipts and the various Vessels,

such as are the Furnaces, Glasses, Tests, Waters, Oils, Salts,

Sulphurs, Antimonia, Magnesia, Salt Nitre, Alume, Vitriol, Tartar,

Borax, Atramentum or Copperas, Orpiment, Spume of Glass, Arsenick,

=Calaminaris=, =Bole-Armoniack=, Vermilion, Calx, Pitch, Wax, Lute of

Wisdom, Powder’d Glass, Verdigrease, =Salt Armoniack=, Soot, Rosin of

the Pitch-tree, Chalk, Mans-fat, Hairs, Egg-shells, =Lac Virginis=,

=Ceruse=, =Minium=, =Cinnabar=, =Vinegar=, =Aqua-fortis=, =Crocus

Martis=, =Elixir=, =Lazure=, =(ultro-Marine)= Soap, Tutia, =Havergold=,

Crystals. What likewise shall we say to their preparations,

putrefactions, digestions, probations, sublimations, calcinations,

solutions, cementations, fixations, reverberations, coagulations,

graduations, rectifications, amalgamations, and purgations. Most Books

are fully stufft with these Alchymical things, as also what things

are to be done by the benefit of Herbs, Roots, Seeds, Woods, Stones,

Animals, Worms, Bone-Ashes, Cockle-shells, Muscles, =&c.=_

_All these things are the Labyrinths of =Alchymy=, and are great and

but vain Labours. Moreover, although ☉ and ☽ might be made by the means

of these things, yet by reason of the multitudes of them, the Work is

rather hindred than advanced; and therefore it cannot be truly learned

from the aforesaid things, how to make ☉ and ☽. But all such things are

to be omitted, as operate not with the five imperfect Metals, for the

production of ☉ and ☽._

_What therefore is the true Way, and the short Path void of all

difficulties, that leads to the speedy making of good =Sol= and

=Luna=? How long will it be ere thou revealest it? I believe that thou

understandest nothing of this matter, may somebody say, but dost only

mock us with these Riddles. =For answer=: It hath been already spoken

of, and is evidently enough discovered in the Seven Rules; He that

understands not, let him blame himself. Besides, let no body be so mad,

as to perswade himself, that the Art is most easie to be understood,

and to be perfectly known by the vulgar; that is neither so, nor must

it so be; but it will be better understood in an occult and hidden

Sence._

_This is the Art, =viz.= If you make the Heaven or Sphere of ♄ to flow

with life in the Earth, put in all the Planets, or which you please of

them, but let there be of =Luna= least of all; let it flow so long,

until the Heaven of ♄ doth wholly disappear, and the Planets remain

alone dead with their own corruptible Bodies, and have assumed a new,

perfect, uncorruptible body, that body is the Spirit of Heaven, by

which the Planets become again corporeal and alive; as afore, Take out

that new Body from the Life, and out of the Earth, and keep it, for it

is =Sol= and =Luna=. And thus hast thou the Art plainly uncovered and

intire; if thou dost not yet understand and apprehend it, ’tis well,

for so it must be; nor must it be publickly divulged._

=Glaub.=] In this Chapter _Paracelsus_ teacheth, That there’s no

need of so many ridiculous species, for the transmutation of Metals,

but that there’s virtue enough in the metals to operate upon, and to

better one another, if they are rightly conjoined amongst themselves;

yet in some Labours we cannot be without Salts and Minerals, because

they are useful to mollifie hard Metals, and to dispose them to

assume a melioration. But ’tis to be observed, that Corrosives are

to be omitted, and such Salts only to be used as are friendly to

Metals. Likewise other Minerals and Fossiles may be fruitfully used in

fusion, (=Seigerungh=) separation, and other metalline Operations, as

additaments (=als Susans=). The which thing _Paracelsus_ denies not,

but only rejects, and that deservedly, those ridiculous Compositions

of the unskilful Alchymists, which they making in their use Sol. He

dehorts the studious Artist, and endeavours to bring him into the right

way.

Furthermore, he teacheth but in an occult sence, how good _Sol_ and

_Luna_, such as will endure all trials, is to be extracted out of

imperfect Metals; but ’tis so obscurely done, that no body can thereby

understand the thing; and such only as aforehand know somewhat, and

have had the like Labours under their hands, are able to understand his

meaning.

Doubtless this Process hath found many an one work enough, who have at

last attained to nothing; but yet some have by chance lighted thereon,

and so perceived the Truth of his Words, most of which Inventions do

casually happen; and whilst that one thing is sought after, and by

accident lost, something is oftentimes found more excellent than that

which was intended.

In like manner, most things unsought after have happened to me;

and also my Labours have manifested to me the greatest part of

_Paracelsus_’s Arts, and not his Writings. And who will certainly and

plainly teach what lies under that Covering? Many Archers there are,

but few hit the mark. Neither seems it so necessary to take nothing

else but the aforesaid Metals; the which thing _Paracelsus_ also in

his forementioned Process doth hint at, saying, When thou makest the

Heaven, or Sphere of ♄, to flow with Life in the Earth, sow in all the

Planets, or such as you please of them; but let not the Moons part be

biggest, but let it be the least of all. By which words ’tis easily

conjectured, that the greatest part must be of Saturn, whereby the

other metals are to be washed and purified, and the least part of the

Moon. But some body may ask, What reason is there for the Moon being

here, she being already pure, for the washing of whom there’s no need?

Why this hath been already elsewhere answered thus, _viz._ That she may

attract, defend, and make corporeal, the washed, purified, and tender

Sun, which would otherwise remain in the _Scoria_: Notwithstanding

this separation may be made without the _Luna_, but then ’tis not so

gainful. Neither also is it necessary to conjoin the Metals, and so

make but one work in washing them with Saturn; each of them may be

taken apart, and so cleansed, unless a man knew how to contrive the

composition, then indeed the Work would be facilitated, and more Sol

gotten; the which is to be well observed, if either none, or very

little Luna be taken. But if you take not ☽, then ♀ is to be added, as

being of nearest affinity to ☉ and ☽, in its malleability, and so that

will attract the volatile and immature ☉ out of the imperfect Metals,

and defend it in the fire, but much weaker than ☽. Tin and Iron being

most impure and sharp metals, may be washed with Lead, but with much

difficulty, and may be deprived of their spiritual and occult ☉, but

with far greater charges and cost, than if you took in ☽, or at least

wise ♀. Now knowing this, Why do we not give to every one its proper

additament, for the expedition and enriching of the Operation? ’Tis

worth the while to be able to make a good mixtion of Metals, and with

profit to wash them with ♄, in which mixture none believes how much

there’s placed, nor my self neither, had I not with Loss learned the

same. For, when in former years I sought after somewhat in this kind

of operation, as washing and separation, and had sometimes found out

a good _Proba_; I have gone to repeat the same labour again, and have

egregiously erred. And although I have for many years wrought hard in

this kind of labour, and spent much (which I repent not of) yet I dare

not boast of catching the best prey, but am content with a piece of

Bread, but yet I do not dispair, _Good things come slowly on_, and the

thorny prickly Budds spring forth before the Roses come. Now, if thou

learnest the weights the Work will be safe, and thou needest not to

doubt of doing the same in a great quantity. _Paracelsus_ goes on, and

bids you to let the Planets which you have put in, to flow so long with

the Heaven of ♄, until the Heaven of ♄ vanish, the Planets will remain,

having received a new body, which is to be taken out of the Life

and the Earth, which will be ☉ and ☽. And these words are variously

interpreted by sundry men, especially what the Heaven of ♄ is, and are

perswaded, that if that were known, the residue of the Process they

could state well enough. Many understand hereby the common separation

made by a peculiar ♄, taking the _Regulus_ Stellate of ♁, which is

stampt with a Cœlestial Star, the which they blow on and melt with

the Life, (which they interpret to be the fire) in the Earth (a Cupel

or Test =treibscherben=) the bodies being left upon the Test, like

mortified Metals, the which reducing by a fusing addition, and melting

with Lead, (=angesotten=) and promising themselves Gold and Silver,

they find themselves to be in an errour, and accuse _Paracelsus_ of

Sophistry and Deceit, because they can’t make good quantities of ☉ and

☽, by means of his Writings.

And now, what this Sphere of Saturn is, may be variously explained:

It may not unfitly be taken for common ♄, because being fused, it

shines, and is turned round: or it may be taken for its Glass, which

being melted in the fire, shines like the Sun: or it may be the Stellar

_Regulus_ of ♁, because its _Stria_ represents Stars when ’tis broken.

But what benefit is it to know the Heaven of ♄ and to be ignorant of

the true requisite Life, and the reduction of the dead and reducible

bodies. Common Fire is not the Life that _Paracelsus_ mentions, but it

may be stirred up thereby; and so he saith; The fire with its heat, is

the Nativity to this motion: If by the Elemental Fire he should mean

the Life, and by the separation of ♄, or blowing of the _Regulus_ of

♁, (the flowing which _Paracelsus_ mentions) then it must necessarily

follow, that the destroyed bodies which remain, should be made more

perfect, and the Spirit of Heaven should yet remain with them; for thus

he writes, _viz._ The Planets by it do become corporeal and living,

as they were before; but in these kind of separation, scorification,

or blowing off, it is not found so to be; but in these Operations

their Bodies remain like _Scoria_, in which is neither spirit or life,

much less ☉ and ☽ to be found, though never so diligently sought

after. _Paracelsus_ saith expressly, _viz._ That Body (_viz._, of

the slain or kill’d bodies) is the Spirit of Heaven, by which the

Planets do again become corporeal and alive as before; from whence

’tis to be understood, that those bodies are spiritual, & not only

corporeal and resuscitated, but such as may give life even to slain or

destroyed bodies, the which can’t be said of them, for a spirit must be

penetrative and vivifying, and they are not such. For if (according to

_Paracelsus_’s mind) the dead bodies ought to be reduced to Corporality

and Life, ’tis necessary that they have some hidden power; (which

every one knows not) whereby they may demonstrate most speedily their

embodying and vivification in a spiritual manner, without the addition

of any peregrine Flux, or else they are deservedly to be rejected.

But if any one should now imagine, that metals being by the red fire

deprived of life, made spiritual and again corporeal and living, should

forthwith be all ☉ and ☽; he promiseth more to himself than is right,

and is deceived (for _Paracelsus_ saith, that That new body is to be

taken out of the Life and Earth and kept, for ’tis ☉ and ☽) for ’tis

impossible even for the Philosophers Stone, to convert the whole bodies

of Metals into ☉ and ☽, for out of nothing, nothing can be made, as the

Philosophers say; and Experience testifies, none but God only made any

thing out of nothing; but that thing which is, may by Art be reduced

into nothing, and that again reduced into something. Seeing therefore

that the greatest part of metal is an unprofitable, combustible

noxious Sulphur, which never was a metal, but adhering only outwardly

unto them, and being combust, reduceth their _humidium Radicale_ into

_Scoria_; which _Humidum Radicale_ only (after its destruction) and

not the whole mass of Metal or superfluous Sulphur, is reduced by the

spirit of the Saturnine Heaven, out of nothing unto something, _viz._

a Body and Life; the Sulphur which before the corruption was nothing,

remains still a Nothing; and if thou throughly observe the thing, the

Case stands clearly thus; _viz._ If in this operation there must be a

separation of the imperfect metals, and a gathering together of the

more pure, and a dispersing of the more impure parts; these separated

parts must therefore necessarily be much unlike one another; and by

how much ☉ and ☽ is more pure, if compared with imperfect metals, from

which ’tis separated: And these separated parts are not of the same

Goodness and Nature; as if ten duckets were divided into two parts,

each part would have 5 of the same goodness and weight. Now, if from

one of these halfs you take two or three parts, and put them to the

other half, it only makes the one bigger, and the other less: And if

there be nine parts on the one side, and but one left on the other

side, yet cannot the major part boast of its excelling the other in

quality, but only in quantity: As to Goodness, they are both equal.

But now, if you take a Mineral or Metal commixt with stones, and by

measure divide it into two equal parts, and then pound them, and by

pouring water thereon, separate the lighter parts after the accustomed

manner, and the heavy Metal will settle to the bottom: Now the dross

and metal will fill the former measure, but will very much differ in

their goodness.

Or if any one take two measures of Wine, and by the heat of Fire,

separate the more excellent Spirit by destilling in a Glass Alembick,

and leave the other measure in the Cucurbit: These two parts, though

equal in quantity, yet they do much differ in goodness; the one part

will be more noble than Wine, and the other worser; and as the other

residence is no more Wine, being deprived of Spirit, Life, Soul, and

Strength, and is thereby unable to defend it self from death, but tends

to putrefaction; so on the other hand, the Spirit is not subject to

putrefaction, but preserves other things therefrom.

The like is to be understood of this metalline separation, for the

remainder, from which ☉ is separated, can no more be made Tin, Copper,

or Iron, but is a gross earthy Sulphur, by the reason of the ☉ taken

thence; whereas before it was ♃, ♀, ♂, or ♄. And by how much the Spirit

of Wine is more excellent than common Wine, and ☉ than an imperfect

Metal, by so much also will the Spirit of Wine and ☉ excel, if they

are again separated, and new fæces segregated therefrom. But this is

not so necessary in this place; ’tis sufficient to have declared the

way and reason of this metalline separation, about which we have even

now treated, _viz._ That the whole metal, nor the ½ or ¼ part thereof,

will become _Sol_, and the rest remain a metal; but the separation of

the pure is very small in quantity, in comparison of the much impurity

whence ’tis separated. Nor let any one think he hath not attained

the Art, and so will not rest here, if all things become not ☉; ’tis

sufficient if there be some gotten, and that all the Labour is not

bestowed in vain.

_By what means Crystals are to be Conjured, and all things to be

seen in them._

_To Conjure is no other thing, than well to observe a thing, to know

and understand what it is: Crystal is a Figure of the Air, in which is

to be seen whatsoever is moveable in the air or unmoveable. The like

appears in a Looking-glass, in Crystal, and in the Waters, for the Air,

Water, and Crystals, are all one to Sight; like a Glass wherein an

Object is to be seen, as it were, reverted._

=Glaub.=] I do not fully know what _Paracelsus_ intends by this

Conjuration of Crystals, because it appertains not to the metalline

Arts; but yet it seems not to be here added without good reason,

somewhat he would intimate hereby. We read of the Ancient _Pagan_

Philosophers, that they conjured Crystals, and beheld in them many

wonderful things; the which, whether it be true or no, I leave as I

find it, because in my Judgment, such an Art seems not natural, but

belongs to Diabolical Magick, which I have nothing to do with.

_Paracelsus_ also hath elsewhere written of wondrous Looking-glasses

of the same, and hath taught how to compose them of Metals, melted

together in a certain Time and Constellation; the which many have

attempted to do, but not one (as far as I know) hath attained the

Mystery. It seems very probable, that he intends by this Conjuration

of Crystals, that the Metals are to be made like to pellucid Crystals,

Air, or Water, wherein the soul of the Metal may shine, if you would

spiritualize them, and make them yield their ☉ and ☽. And in this Sence

it agrees with the aforesaid Chapters.

It likewise seems, that the mentioning of this thing is necessary

for the sake of those, who practising on a separation with ♄, have

experienced, the Metals are to be first reduced into Transparent

Crystals, before they part with their occult _Sol_: Which I have

elsewhere spoken more largely of, about _Amausa_, and therefore will

here end.

_Of the Heat of =Mercury=._

_They that believe that =Mercury= is of a moist and cold nature, must

lay down the Bucklers, for ’tis not so, but it abounds with a great

heat and moisture, which being naturally planted therein, keeps it

alwaies fluid: For, were it of a cold and moist Nature, it would

alwaies remain rigid and hard, like to congealed Water, and were to be

melted like other metals, by the heat of the fire, which it (=viz.= ☿)

hath no need of, because it hath already a fluidity from heat, whereby

it flows, and is alwaies constrained to live, and not to die, grow

stiff, congeal, or be fixed. But this is singularly to be noted, that

the Spirits of the seven Metals, or of as many of them as are conjoyned

in the Fire, are wonderfully provoked and stirred up, and =Mercury=

chiefly, and they emit, and send out their forces amongst each other,

for a mutual Victory and Transmutation; the one takes away the Virtue,

Life, and Form from the other, communicating a new Nature and Form;

so the Spirits or Vapours of Metals are stirred up by heat and mutual

action and passion, and are transmuted from one Virtue to another, and

at last to Perfection and Purity. But what else is to be done with ☿,

that so his heat and moisture being taken away, he may catch a great

Cold, and be congealed, stand still, and die; do as you hear in the

following Figment._

℞ _a most pure Silver Vessel, in which shut up =Mercury=, then fill a

Pot with molten Lead, in the midst of which put in the Vessel with the

=Mercury=; let it flow a whole day, and the hidden heat will be taken

away from =Mercury=, and the external heat will communicate to it the

internal cold of the Lead and ☽, being both of a cold nature, by which

=Mercury= will grow stiff, rigid, and become hard._

_=Note=, The Cold which =Mercury= hath need of for its hardening and

death, is not outwardly perceptible, like Snow or Ice, but is rather

hot. Nor is the heat by which =Mercury= flows, felt by the hands,

but ’tis rather cold. Hence Sophisters (that is men speaking without

knowledge) pronounce him cold and moist, and study how to coagulate him

with hot things, and thereby rather liquifie than harden him. Which

thing Experience it self testifieth. True =Alchymy=, which by one only

Art teacheth to make ☉ and ☽ out of the Five Imperfect Metals, useth

no other Receipts, than only from Metals, out of Metals, by Metals,

and with Metals, are Perfect Metals made; for with other things it is

=Luna=; for in Metals it is =Sol=._

=Glaub.=] Here _Paracelsus_ demonstrates their Judgment to be false,

who say that Mercury (in it self a meer Fire) is by nature Cold, and

returns to speaking of Spiritual Metals, the which being stirred up by

great heat of Fire, do operate upon one another, meliorate, change, and

advance to perfection, as hath been taught in the foregoing Chapters.

Then he adds a Fable or Story, how to coagulate or fix Mercury; but it

must not be taken in the literal sence, but of the spiritual ☽, whereby

Mercury is to be promoted to Coagulation, in a moist way, and not in a

dry, as the other Metals are, which Process I never yet attempted. Then

he finisheth with an universal Rule of Transmutation, saying, Perfect

metals are made from metals, out of metals by metals, and with metals,

and that out of some ☽, out of others ☉ is made. He adviseth to take

no strange thing, and only metalline subjects are to be taken for this

Work out of some _Luna_ only; out of others _Sol_ only, or ☉ and ☽,

both are to be extracted, which I have often tried; as in ♄, which of

it self gives only ☽, Tin, ♀, and ♂, by themselves give only _Luna_,

and pure _Sol_; but commixt with other Metals in a due proportion,

they give only ☉, and very little or no ☽: Which maturation is to be

ascribed only to the labour and mixtion, which is deservedly to be

admired.

_What Matter and Instruments are needful in =Alchymy=._

_There is no special need of any thing, excepting a Fire-place, Coals,

Bellows, Tongs, Hammer, Crucibles, Test, =(treib scherben)= and Cupels

made of good Beech-ashes. Then put in ♄, ♃, ♂, ☉, Copper, ☿, and

=Luna=. Proceed to the end of ♄. ’Tis very difficult and uncertain to

find out Metals and Minerals in the Earth and Stones; yet because all

Metals are to be first sought after and digged out of the Earth, this

Labour is not to be contemned, but is Praise-worthy. Nor will this lust

and desire in digging in Mines sooner cease, than the love of young

Men to Maids will fail; and as the Bees are greedy of extracting Honey

and Wax out of the Rose, so prone and forward should a Man be, to find

out the Minerals in the bowels of the Earth, but without Covetousness;

he that is overmuch greedy, receives least, for God doth not fill

all men with gold and silver, but with want, dung, dirt, misery, and

scarcity. Some men also God bestows a peculiar Intellect upon, and a

piercing knowledge of Minerals and Metals; so that they know a far

more compendious way of making =Sol= and =Luna= without digging in the

Mine-pits, and without the Examen or Trying, and Fusion of Minerals. So

that ’tis not so altogether necessary to dig in the Earth for native

=Sol= and =Luna=, but by a certain knowledge it might be made of five

Species, (but of Minerals become Metals, which are Imperfect Metals,

and are so called) =viz.= ☿, ♃, ♄, =Mars=, and =Copper=: Of some more

easily, of othersome more difficultly is =Sol= and =Luna= to be had._

_=Note also=, That out of =Argent Vive=, Lead, ♃, Gold and Silver is

easily made; out of ♂ and ☿ difficultly. Nevertheless ’tis possible,

but in the beginning and access of =Sol= and =Luna=._

_Out of =Magnesia= and Lead comes =Luna=._

_Out of ☿ and =Cinnabar= ariseth pure =Sol=._

_Likewise an Ingenious man (as I well remember) is able by due

attention and preparation so to handle a Metal, as to be able by his

ingenuity to do more in the Transmutation of Metals to perfection, and

to guide the same better than all the Signs and Planets of Heaven can

do. ’Tis also needless to observe the Twelve Signs, and to calculate

the motions and Regiment of the Planets, and to observe a time, a day,

the hour of this or that luckey or unluckey Planet; such things neither

promote nor hinder any thing; they neither hurt nor profit ought in the

natural Art of =Alchymy=: But if thou rightly understandest the art

and possibility thereof, then go to work and labour when thou seest

it most convenient; but if thou want’st the knowledge and practice

thereof, then all the Planets, Stars, and Signs will wholly fail thee.

It also comes to pass, that metals lying long in the Earth, are not

only changed into Rust, but by a longer staying in the Earth, they

return into their Native Stone, of which sort are many found, albeit

they are not observed, for there are found stony pieces of Money, of

the =Gentiles=, which were Metal heretofore, and by Corruption were

transformed into Stone._

=Glaub.=] Here we are, in the first place, taught, that for the making

of ☉ and ☽ there needs not many Instruments nor Species, but the metals

are only to be conjoined, but not by the common separation or washing:

For if you should wash all the metals with Lead, yet would there remain

no more ☉ and ☽ than was taken at the beginning; the rest will descend

with the Lead into the Cupel, and will lie at the top thereof like

_Scoria_; therefore he doth again direct to a spiritual Commixtion and

Philosophical Separation. Also he adds, That ’tis an honest, good,

and necessary thing to dig up Metals, but that the other is the more

excellent, and that deservedly, for it separates Gold and Silver by

Art from the more vile metals; for all such as apply their minds to

metals, do well know with what dangers, costs, labours, and Cares, they

are to be gotten out; but yet ’tis not therefore to be abstained from,

especially since we labour by this Rule, of having a fore-known and

certain end of our pains and work; the which cannot indeed be done in

metallick Mineings, for we are frequently drawn by vain hopes to bestow

all our Estates on the Mines; and having spent all in vain labour, we

are at last compelled to desist from the Work; but yet if it succeeds

well, they yield the more plentiful Returns; and many Chronicles of

Metals do testifie, That many Poor men have, by the Benefit of a rich

Mine-pit, grown most Rich and Wealthy in a few years space. The finding

out of Mines therefore doth wholly consist in Chance and Casualty,

where Profit and Loss are equally and alike to be expected: The Work

is likewise very chargeable, and can’t be set upon by every body, and

therefore ’tis not for ordinary People, who have but little to lose,

but for rich Men, who, though they lose much, are notwithstanding

able to live, unless happily a Poor man lights upon some Earth or

Sand that is very rich in ☉ and ☽, and other Metals, by the washing

whereof he may get a livelihood; or else finding a rich Mine, and so

betakes himself to a Rich man for his Copartner, such a one as is able

to bear the Charges of digging it forth; and this is often done. But

yet be it as it will, the thing is full of uncertainty. Whereas this

Metallurgy, or Work on Metals, which _Paracelsus_ makes mention of, is

to be preferred far before the other, if any one (by the Grace of GOD)

attaineth the Art, whereby he may with profit extract the ☉ or ☽ out

of the already-digged-up Imperfect metals, which are every where to be

sold.

But to return to the business in hand, _viz._ To illustrate the

Writings of _Paracelsus_, who deserved much of his Country. He names

some metals, out of which Gold and Silver may easily be extracted, and

others, out of which ’tis difficult to get it, but in both _Sol_ and

_Luna_, is to be added; for ’tis profitable, yea, necessary (the which

I have frequently exhorted to) in the extraction of Gold and Silver out

of imperfect metals, and is volatile, and may the more commodiously

make it corporeal and fixt. Then he adds, That Metals, by a longer stay

in the Earth, do die, and return into stones and earth, from whence

they had their original. The like happens to Man, and all Creatures;

nor is there any thing in the World, how glorious soever it be, but is

vain, empty, and perishing, but the Knowledge, Love, and Fear of GOD

alone.

_What thing =Alchymy= is._

_=Alchymy= is an intention, imagination, and studying, or considering

how or whereby the Species of Metals are transmuted from one degree and

nature into another. Let therefore every ingenious and understanding

man throughly consider the good Art of =Alchymy=, for he that

speculates and well studies, will the sooner attain the Art and find

out the Truth._

_=Note=, That very much is to be attributed to the Stars and Stones,

for the Stars are the framers of all Stones. And all the Cœlestial

Constellations, the Sun and Moon, are in themselves nothing but stones,

from which the Terrestrial do arise, being as it were their burnt part,

Coal, Ashes, Outcast, Excrement, Expurgation, from which the Cœlestial

Stones separating themselves, become clear and transparent by their

proper brightness: And the whole Globe of the Earth is nothing else

but a dejected, slidden down, commixt, broken, recocted Rubbish, and

blown as ’twere into one Mass, having obtained Rest and Constancy in

the middle Circle of the Firmament. ’Tis also to be noted, that =Gemms=

(the names whereof I shall presently mention) together with the other

Stones, came down into the Earth from the Celestial Stones or Stars,

to which they are nearest in all perfection of Purity, Fairness,

Brightness, Virtue, and Constancy, or Fixity, and Incorruptibility

in the fire, and are in a manner like to the Celestial stones and

constellations, being parts of them, and of the Nature derived from

them, and are found by men in an impure gross vessel, and are supposed

by the vulgar (who judge rashly of all things) to have been there

born or generated; such as are found are polished, and are carried

throughout the World to be sold, and are accounted as great Riches,

because of their form, colour, and other Virtues, of which I am now

going to Treat._

Of =Gemms=.

_The =Emerald= is a green Transparent stone; it helps the Eyes,

succours the Memory, defends Chastity; the which being violated, it

self, =viz.= the stone, is hurt._

_The =Adamant= or =Diamond= is a black Crystal; ’tis called =Evax=,

because it produceth Joy: ’Tis obscure, and of an Iron colour, most

hard, is dissolved with Goats blood, and exceeds not the bigness of a

Filberd Nut._

_The =Magnet= is a stone of Iron, because it attracts Iron._

_The =Margarite= is a Pearl, and not a Stone; ’tis generated in shells,

and is white; for whatsoever is generated in Animals, in a Man or Fish,

is not properly a Stone, but only in the opinion of the vulgar: It is

properly a depraved (or a transmuted) Nature on a Perfect Work._

_The =Jacynth= is a yellow pellucid stone; ’tis also a Flower, the

which the Poets fain to have been a Man._

_The =Sapphire= is a Skie-colour stone, of a Celestial nature._

_The =Ruby= is a stone deeply red._

_The =Carbuncle= is a stone of the Sun, emits light and splendour, like

to the Sun in his own nature._

_=Coral= also is like to a stone, all red, it grows in the sea, on wood

or a shrub, of the nature of the Water and Air; ’tis presently changed

by the Air, and turns to a stone, grows red, is incombustible in the

Fire, and therefore may be esteemed a Stone._

_The =Chalcedony= is a stone with bright and obscure colours, with mixt

and cloudy fluidities and colours, ruddy, like to a Liver, the vilest

of all the =Gemms=, shining with every colour._

_The =Topas= is a stone, shining also in the night; ’tis found in

either rocks or stones._

_The =Amethist= is a stone of a red and yellow; it shines._

_The =Crysopassus= is a stone fiery in the Night, and in the day it

appears Golden coloured._

_The =Crystal= is a white transparent stone, like to Water congealed

by the Air, and cold, (or of the Air and Cold) it is sublimated,

extracted, or (as they say) washed out of other Rocks._

_And now, for a Conclusion, I will give you this most true farewel. If

any one will use a right reason, sence, and cogitation towards Metals,

what they are, and whence they come, let him know, that our metals

are nothing else but the best portion of common stones; they are the

Spirit of the stones, that is, the Marrow, Oyl, Pitch, and Fat of the

stones; but it is not sincere, pure, and perfect, as long as ’tis mixt

and hid in the stones; this therefore is to be sought for and found in

stones, and to be known in them and extracted from them; and then it

is no more a stone, but a well-wrought and perfect Metal, assimilated

to the Cœlestial Stars, the which also are peculiar stones, distinct

from these stones. Whoever therefore is willing to find out metals, let

him firmly believe this, and thus account, That he must not be only

intent on the common Metals, nor have his hope placed in the bowels of

the Earth, that so he might get good Minerals from thence, for often

times there is above or without the Earth in sight, which is not in the

profundity and depth thereof, and oftentimes is better, and more rich._

_Therefore all such stones as you meet with, whether great or small,

as great whole stones or flints are to be most accurately search’d or

look’d into, and to be considered of what Nature and Property they are;

for oftentimes a most vile Flint is found to be more excellent than

any Cow. For the Matrix or Rock, =Abbruch=, whence they are gotten,

from whence such a stone did arise, is not alwaies to be earnestly

sought after, that you may have more from thence, for these stones have

no Rock, the Heaven is their Rock; oftentimes also the Abject Earth,

Powder, and Sand, hath much gold and silver Dust, =(Schlich)= which

observe._

=Glaub.=] Here _Paracelsus_ declares what _Alchymy_ is, whose words

being perspicuous enough, need no illustration: Then he leads us to

the birth of metals, the which are generated in the Earth, out of the

Stars above: He attributes to Gemms the nearest place of Perfection,

but does not intend that we should earnestly seek after them, to have

gold and silver from thence, but that the metals should be made like

them, as to their outward Aspect, and then afterwards the ☉ and ☽ is to

be extracted, to which all the scope of the foregoing Chapters tend,

which is to be observed and enquired into, what his meaning is: Nor are

the bare Letters alwaies to be trusted to, here is nothing mentioned by

him in vain. What affinity have Gems with the metals? None at all: And

although sometimes the hidden ☉ and ☽ may be extracted, yet he doth not

at all intend here that we should make that, but repeating the former

Doctrine, he hints unto us, That the metals out of which the ☉ and ☽

is to be extracted with profit, are to be first reduced into soluble

or insoluble Glass, most like to Gemms; a good Company of them he here

reckons up, and adds to what use they serve; not that we might learn

their Nature, Colour, and Properties, (as I suppose) but to teach us,

that as they are found different in Colours and Virtues, even so may

the metals be prepared into Colours like unto them. He that neither

understands nor will believe, let him seek better things, and get help

and assistance elsewhere.

Then at length, by way of addition, he concludes what Metals are,

and that they are not alwaies to be gotten out of the profundity of

the Earth, but are sometimes to be found most plentiful in most vile

powder, sand, and stones; neither is it necessary to be earnest in

seeking their rock or original, whereby more may be gotten, because the

Heaven by its operation generates them every where: he reproves men for

their blindness, because they alwaies gape after great Mines, lying

deep, dangerous to be found, and chargeable to dig out. That which

is laid before their feet, as it were, they disdain to acknowledge,

peevishly affecting the dark, and stubbornly contemning the light

exhibited to them by honest men, and by an innate malice they study to

extinguish it. And thus is this Book ended, the which _Paracelsus_,

a most experienced man, hath left behind him, written of Metallick

things, and is most full of abstruse wisdom, although few believe it,

to the Elucidation and explaining whereof, I have heretofore uttered my

mind, nothing doubting, but that hereafter it will be in better esteem

with All.

Indeed I could have written more openly, and explained his words more

largely, and more exactly have discovered his occult sence, but time

and want of leisure permits it not at present. But if I seem to any

body to have written more obscurely, let him consult with my other

Writings, for they illustrate one another.

_Now follows the Praxis of the aforesaid Theory._

The afore-written Explanation of the Book (_of Vexations_) of

_Paracelsus_, hath taught a most certain and undoubted Transmutation

of Metals, and hath sufficiently advised by what means they are

to be handled. But because this action requires a great experience

in metallick affairs, I am willing to add some special waies of

Proceeding, and that in perspicuous words; but ’tis impossible to

write so plainly that none may erre; it would be too prolix, tedious,

and unfit, and as if many Elements of the Physicks, and other subtile

things, were read to a Child that is not capable of understanding them;

the labour thus bestowed, would be wholly in vain: Nor do I undertake

to instruct the Tyroes or Novices in _Alchymy_, but such as are skill’d

in the metallick labour of fusion, washing, separation, and the like,

of a subtile Intellect and experienced Judgment.

I would verily have written more clearly, did I not fear that the Art

would become a Trade; some will think that I have written too openly,

and will be angry that such Secrets are made known to the World: Who

can satisfie all People? But be it as it will, ’twill be alwaies good

to have done a profitable Work for my Neighbour.

_This is the =ART=._

When thou hast put in the Heaven of ♄, and hast made it to flow with

its Life in the Earth, then add the Imperfect Metals in a due Weight,

_viz._ ♄, ♃, ♂, ♀, and a little ☽; let them flow so long with the

Heaven, until with it they disappear, and having lost their nature and

metalline form, are reduced into earth. This metallick earth being

yet joined to the heaven of ♄, and compassed wholly round therewith,

raise up by the spirit of Heaven, and make it corporeal, and it will

receive its former metalline form; but although it be bettered,

yet let it be killed three, or four, or five times, and raised up,

that the melioration may be greater, and produce in the separation

more =Sol= and =Luna=. There needs no Tyle, (=Muffel=) Cupel, Test,

(=treibs-scherben=) Cucurbit, =Aqua-fortis=, and such like Vessels and

Instruments necessary in other Metalline Labours, but ’tis perfectly

finished in one only Crucible, in one Furnace, with one only Fire, and

in the space of a few hours, from the beginning to the end. And to

speak more plainly in this Process, the Sphere of ♄ is the _Regulus_

of ♁, the Life is a whitening Salt, having its operation and motion

from the Fire; the Earth is the Crucible. And thus hast thou the whole

Process of the Work laid open, the which I have tried above an hundred

times in a small quantity; but let the studious Artist, above all

things, observe the Fire, of what original, nature, and virtue it is,

and the other things will be the more easily understood; for the Wood,

the Coals, and such-like burning things, are not the Fire properly,

but only its habitation, in which the Fire being occultly dispersed

in the Air, is made manifest, visible, and perceptible. Even as the

Man is not the Life or Soul, but only the receptacle wherein the Life

or Soul, being infused from above, doth lodge: Nor is the man any

more a man, but a meer carcass when the soul expires. In like manner

Gold ceaseth to be Gold when deprived of its soul, but is volatile,

and a Mineral without colour. Whence ’tis evident, that the Goodness

of metals consists not in their bodies, but in their souls: On this

account ☽ is added to the Imperfect Metals, that it may receive that

invisible soul which lies largely diffused throughout their bodies,

that it may collect it, make it visible, perceptible, and corporeal,

whereby the mixtion of both (_viz._ of the _Luna_ and the Soul of the

Imperfect Metals) being made, it gets the name of ☉. Some body may ask,

_Whether or no Gold will be produced, if no ☽ be added to the metalline

mixture?_ For answer, There will be ☉ produced, but less in quantity

than if _Luna_ were added, because the most tender (and as it were

incorporeal) golden soul of the imperfect bodies is not able to quit

it self and get out by its own proper force, from so many impurities

as ’tis invironed with, without some other help, nor make a new body;

’tis needful and good to administer and lend to it a body wherein it

may be contracted, and thereto betake it self, for which the _Luna_ is

most fit; the which being by a vivifying Fire radically united with the

unclean metals, and well subdued or exercised in the mutual ascension

and descension, the purer particles of the Imperfect bodies do come

together in this Circulation of the _Luna_, adhere thereto, are mixed,

and become corporeal, the impure corruptible body being left, and a

separation made of the good from the bad.

So then, I have now taught perspicuously the Art of extracting _Sol_

and _Luna_ out of all the Imperfect Metals, either apart, or conjoined

with or without the addition of the _Luna_. If therefore thou attainest

to the Art, I am glad; if not, thou hast no cause to complain of me,

for I have candidly imparted unto thee the meer and naked Truth.

_Another Separation of =Sol= and =Luna= out of the Imperfect

Metals, by ♄._

First of all, melt ♄ well in a melting Vessel, (=Scherben=) add ♃, ♂,

and ♀, mixt in due weight, melt them together, and forthwith the ♃ and

♂ will corrupt the Lead, being reduced into _Scoria_ like to yellow

Earth, and being reduced, they will in part restore their own Lead and

Copper, but the ♃ and ♂ remain like black _Scoria_, which are to be

kept: Let the Coppery Lead flow well again, and again add ♃ and ♂, and

there will be again made _Scoria_, which are presently to be reduced.

Let this Labour of Scorification and Reduction be repeated, until there

remain scarce one or two pound of Lead out of an hundred to be washed,

and you shall find ☉ and ☽ in part, which the Metals give out from

themselves in this operation: But the _Scoria_ which can’t be reduced,

let lie well heated red hot, in a peculiar Furnace, for some daies, and

be fixed, and they will give in the reduction a golden and silvery ♄

or Lead to be washed, that so the remaining ☉ and ☽ which the _Scoria_

drank up, being extracted, may be of use unto us. This labour (which I

never tried in great quantity, will doubtlessly (in my opinion) succeed

in quantities; any one may try the thing, and exactly compute how much

profit may be thence had every year.

Also the most Imperfect Metals may (by the benefit of Salts not

corrosive) be truly and infallibly fixt and wash’d by a particular way,

that they may give much ☉ and ☽, concerning which none need to doubt;

the which I having oftentimes mentioned in my Writings, will not repeat

it again.

Metals also being first reduced into a Calx, may be purged and wash’d

by the glass of Lead, made by the addition of Flints, so as to yield

much _Sol_, concerning which I have written heretofore: But there’s

required much ♄, whereby the metals may be largely diffused, otherwise

it will not let fall the fæces; nor can its more pure parts be gathered

together into a body, and concentrated; I take in the Flints, that they

may receive into themselves the fæces of the unclean Metals, and so

make a separation of the pure from the impure. And like as we are wont

to mix the whites of Eggs to Honey, Sugar, and other Vegetable Juices,

in the purification of them by Water, that thereby the viscousness of

the Juices may be attracted, and so be clarified. In like manner, the

Flints do in this operation occupy the place of the whites of Eggs,

and ♄ of the Water wherein ♂, ♀, or ♃ is to be dissolved; the Labour

is most pleasant and speedy, exceeding gainful, if the Crucibles

(perforated by the Litharge) would but hold the mixture, and not let it

pass through so soon.

But whosoever shall be so happy as to find Vessels which can keep in

the Glass of Lead for ten or twelve hours, he need not be solicitous or

careful of other Arts to inrich himself by. For my own part, I could

never be so happy hitherto, albeit I have carefully sought it for so

many years. One only pound of Iron, ♀, or ♃, doth sometimes yield half,

yea a whole lot of _Sol_, if the Work be rightly managed. And if you

add a fix’d Salt, as of Tartar or bare Pot-ashes, it will then yield

more, but the Crucibles will be the sooner perforated to our grief. I

do believe that one or other will be a curious Searcher after this, and

may in due time find how to make this Work succeed very well, both in

Crucibles and in great Fires, or melting places; and will be thankful

to GOD the Giver, and to me the Writer hereof. Heretofore I did set by

this Labour very highly; and although I would not then communicate it

to any body for a great price, yet now (being not permitted to make any

further Progress therein) I freely bestow it, that others also may try

their fortune.

Also imperfect metals are purged from their combustible and noxious

sulphur, by the suddain fire of Nitre, of which we have formerly spoken

about Mercury, the which is to be lookt on as the most speedy, and as

it were a momentary Melioration of metals N. B. especially if they are

reduced into a soluble salt without a Corrosive, for which thing ♂ and

♀ are most fit, exhibiting a Philosophical Vitriol, the which may be

most commodiously purifyed to perfection. There’s a great secret lies

here under, and haply greater than a particular work may require; let

the Poetical fable of _Venus_ and her son _Cupid_ be considered of;

what is there meant by _Cupid_, whether or no it be not ☉. Verily I

could discover more good ways of producing ☉ and ☽ out of the more vile

metals, but because there’s enough already spoken in the explication of

the seven Canons or Rules, it seems good to me to forbear. He that doth

not understand that nor can apprehend its drift or scope, will not be

profited by the addition of more things. If the fundamentals are laid

open, any one will conveniently administer his intent and labours: But

yet I will add over and above, a most pleasant work, Parabolically,

being the foundation and Basis of the whole Alchymical Art, under

which is comprehended the radical solution of metals, _Conjunction_,

_Destillation_, _Sublimation_, _Ascention_, _Descension_, _Cohobation_,

_Cementation_, _Calcination_, _Inceration_, and _Fixation_, and so I

will end the work of _Transmutation_.

There was a man (♄) who had two sons, (_Bismuth_ or _Tinglass_, and

♃) the younger (♃) said to his Father (♄), give me my portion, (Note

well, _Bismuth_ and ♃ were always accounted Lead, as well by the

Philosophers, as by the ancient workers on metals, the one _viz._

_Bismuth_, they called an ashy colour’d Lead, the other (♃) a white

Lead, and this a black Lead,) and behaved himself stubbornly and

unmannerly, that is, ascending or getting up; his Father gives it him,

and he goes a wandring therewith, (Note well, when ♃ and _Bismuth_

together with ♄ do feel the fire, the ♃ is separated from the ♄ and

_Bismuth_, and ascending, takes some-what from ♄ with it, and becomes

a Contumacious _Scoria_, and this is to go a wandring) and he enters

into an Inn, _where ♂ the Host, and ♀ the Hostess_, had the sign

of the World (♁) in a hanging Table, who having entertained him,

dispoiled him of all his Fathers goods, (Solution) Then there grew

such a great scarcity of Corn (with drought) that all men were even

deformed by reason of the Famine (corruption), to prevent which he

is enforced to keep hogs, (that is to dwell with fætid Nitre) and to

feed on huskes, (that is _Tartar_) (inceration, imbibition) by which

being humbled (Digestion, Circulation, Edulcoration, Putrefaction) he

returns to his Father, (Incorporation) as a lost Son, (some thing is

made nothing, and nothing is made something again) he brings forth

a new Garment, (_Argenteous_) he puts a Gold Ring on his finger, (☽

impregnated with ☉) after which he remains constant with his Father,

and becomes a good and thrifty Householder, that is, a fixt metal.

And now that I thus compare this Transmutation of imperfect bodies,

especially of ♃ to the parable of the lost Son let no body be therewith

displeased, for I did it for the easier knowledge thereof. There lies

under it a great secret, I never observed the like-changes in my whole

Labours; for first of all, in the Solution appears a blackness, which

haveing remained his time, there follows the tail of the Peacock,

greenness and then whiteness; but whether or no a redness would

follow, if it be detained longer in digestion, I am not certain, for

I never arrived beyond the whiteness. It is a most pleasant Labour,

greatly exhilerating the Artificers mind, of small charges and little

difficulty; if they, find the weight and good vessels, it shews the

way and opens the Door to higher Secrets, happy is he who attains

the things, he’ll never be satisfyed with the sight thereof, nor

admiration, how rich, generous, fair and glorious Nature is in her

retirements. Note well, that every Metal may be washt apart with ♄

and Salts, so that being exalted, it may yield ☉ and ☽ in separation,

and pass through all colours, but it will not be so profitable, as

if they were all joined together, for then one operates spiritually

upon the other, changeth and perfects him. And now having abundantly

discovered, how ☉ and ☽ is to be extracted out of the imperfect metals,

and because in that labour ☉ and ☽ is most an end jointly together,

’tis very necessary to know, by what Art they may be separated each

from the other, that so each may be had by it self, which is to be

done thus; If this mixture hath more ☉ than ☽, ’tis most profitably to

be melted by Antimony and precipitated into a Regulus with Iron washed

with Nitre and purifyed. This work you may find described in my former

Books. N. B. If the Nitre in the separation of purification of the

Reguli, prey upon some of the ☉ and ☽ and attract it to it self, let

none grieve thereat and account his labour lost, but let him remember

the saying of _Paracelsus_, Destruction or Corruption makes the good

perfect; The Nitrous Scoria, in which the cleansed Reguli are, let be

carefully kept and fixt, then by a strong flux let them be reduc’d and

you shall receive the lost Son, much more elegant than he was before

it’s being lost, so that hereby you lose not, but rather become a

gainer. Here would be a fit place to speak of a certain profitable work

if the drift of the thing would permit. Enough is spoken to a wise man,

Fools will not profit by any thing: But if it contain more ☽ than ☉,

let the mixture be at first of all granulated, and burnt with Sulphur,

let it be precipitated, either with ♁ alone or without it, with lead

and Salts; thus separating the ☉ from the ☽ into Reguli; then wash it

with Nitre or with Lead, and let it be purifyed, the work being to

be done in like manner. You are to note that if the precipitation be

done with ♄, then the _Caput mortuum_ (=Halb Kopff=) is to be added,

whereby the work will be apparently hastned and bettered. N. B. If

the Reguli of the maturated or fixt Metals be coppery or pale, they

need not be washt, but ’twill suffice if being granulated, they are

precipitated with Salts, and the _Caput Mortuum_ (=Halb Kopff=,) all

the ☉ and ☽ will come forth in peculiar Reguli, the Copper and the

Lead will be scorifyed, and may in acute Furnaces (=Stich ofen=) be

reduced, and be aplyed to other uses according to the rule of Art.

I judge it inexpedient to heap up more things concerning Extraction

(=Seigeren=) washing, and the separation of metals, being every where

mentioned in my other writings. Also it will be needless to explain,

by what manner metals may be more commodiously melted so as to yield

more and better metals, as also how the poor and rough Minerals that

abound with a preying and devouring Sulphur, whereby the metal in its

fusion, is turned into _Scoria_, and affords so little profit, that

being not able to quit cost, they remain unmanaged, the which Sulphur

especially in the Minerals of Copper and Lead, may by a singular Cement

or Gradatory fire, be inverted and changed, so that afterwards in

their fusion, It’s so far from swallowing up the metal, and turning

of it into _Scoria_, that it rather exalts it so as to give ☉ in the

separation, the which could never have been done without this burning

or roasting. No body doth throughly search after any help for this or

that metal, either before the melting or in the melting of it, if the

gross fire is not able to melt it down, but most frequently the best

part remains in the _Scoria_ without profit or use. ’Tis possible for

an experienced Chymist, profitably to extract that ☉ and ☽ which the

_Scoria_ have swallowed up, what by fusion and by adhibiting suitable

_Menstruums_. A work of this nature hath been hinted in my discourse of

the Extraction of Flints, and more shall be likewise mentioned when I

come to write of the felicity and hidden Treasures of _Germany_, which

time let the Reader with patience expect. A nother benefit would arise

to such as work on metals, if they had the perfect way of separating

☽ and separating the ☉ by precipitation, that lies therein, (=Neider

Schlagh=) that it may not be so unworthily wasted with the ☽ by the

Artificers.

And thus I conclude this Appendix or addition to the Mineral work, the

which I have brought forth to light with a good will for my Neighbours

sake, that so, being accepted with a serene mind, the Glory of God may

be thereby advanced; for which end I wish with all my heart a divine

benediction on the Labours of every honest and active searcher into the

metalline affairs. _Amen._

The APOLOGY of

John Rudolph Glauber,

Against the Lying Calumnies of

CHRISTOPHER FARNNER.

’Tis an ancient Proverb, _He that toucheth Dung is defiled, and will

alwaies savour of a Dunghill_. Experience makes it evident.

I ever hated Quarreling, as more agreeable to the Pevishness of Women,

than the more Generous Temper of Christian Men; and have, as much as I

might, alwaies declin’d it, being rather desirous to suffer injuries,

to bear losses, by silence to forgo those things I might lawfully

lay claim to, to undergo any thing, so that I might enjoy my beloved

Peace (with which GOD has blest me hitherto). Neither have I ever,

so long as I have liv’d in the World, (and I am pretty ancient) been

taken, by the worst of men, for a contentious Person: But perfidious

_Farnner_, unprovoked, urges me to this vindication of my self, by

going about not only to hurt my Person, but also by a Pride no less

than his Envy, to explode and defame all my Writings, and by infamous

Letters dispersed abroad, to render me odious to all good men. Which

wicked Enterprize, though I heard of it by many, I durst not believe,

till a printed Epistle of his came to my hands, which having perused, I

thought I could not enough admire his detestable Impiety, and the many

scandalous names he had for me.

Art thou not ashamed _Farnner_, to expose my Works to the contempt

of others, when thou neither dost, or ever canst understand ’em, and

before now hast prais’d ’em, as may be proved from your own hand? I’m

sure I never merited that you should cavil at me where-e’er you come,

and proclaim my Writings unprofitable. You ought rather all your Life,

in consideration of the many benefits you have receiv’d at my hands, to

have behaved your self as a Man grateful to me; but instead of that,

notwithstanding the Obligation that lies upon you to the contrary,

you have despightfully recompensed all my kindness with the basest

Ingratitude, which is directly opposite to goodness.

To what end do you deny that you had your greatest knowledge from me,

and in the mean time expose it as your own, and upbraid me from whom

you had it?

I never before believ’d you unfaithful, but alwaies thought you candid,

and have communicated so great things to no man as to your self. I

believe you will not deny your coming twice from _Lochgovia_ to me

at _Kitzinga_, and entreating me to communicate some Secret to you,

whereby you might get a livelihood. Have you not been forced twice,

being repulsed, to return home with this Excuse, That I wanted time to

instruct you? And when you came the third time, I suffered my self to

be perswaded, and did communicate some Secrets to you _gratis_, on this

consideration, That you should impart those things wherewith I trusted

you, to no man without my leave; which you promised by an Obligation,

(_viz._ That you wou’d keep all things secret) under the penalty of

Disgrace, and the forfeiture of all your Goods. Why hast thou falsified

thy Word, and contrary to thy Promises, so wickedly ridicul’d me among

all men, when with thy whole Family thou didst promise to be faithful

to me? Not only Obligations, but also thine own Letters are Witnesses:

Neither do I question, that if I had lost or wanted them to convince

thee, thou wouldst have denied, and that with an Oath, that thou

wast ever beholden to me for any thing, as thou hast already begun,

and as thou in thy spightful Writings despisest all my Secrets, and

proclaimest thine (which yet are mine) with praise. You doubt whether

or no the reading this will make me repent that I ever trusted you

with so many things, which I had never done, had not you obliged your

self to labour diligently with me in my Laboratory, to produce those

things for the profit of us both. But what can I do with them? They are

perished and gone which yet might sufficiently have sustain’d both you

and me, had not you made ’em publick.

I pray, What gain can you hope for from them, now they are every where

known? Wherefore when I see those things taken from me, and by you

imparted to all men, in spight of me, for your own advantage, I think

fit (for I cannot hope for any farther profit from them privately)

to make ’em known to the World; and by the Grace of GOD, I may live

without them: But if I also should buy all thy goods which thou

unjustly possessest and sellest to every man, of thee, and distribute

them about the world, thou wilt see thou canst not easily recover them,

or others in their room. I indeed will give you nothing for the future,

neither can my unfaithful Servant, whom you have made as good as your

self, give you any thing, for whatever he hath learn’d of me these

two years, he has given you, which you also have laid up among your

own wares and exposed to sale. Who will hereafter trust you, you have

so wickedly deceiv’d me? Every man will abominate you, and shun your

Partnership and Company, neither undeservedly, for the Laws of your own

Obligation make this your Fate: So the merit of the Crime shall return

upon the Author, and you can be more sure of nothing, than that Divine

Vengeance will pursue you. I confess indeed some others, as well as

you, have injur’d me, but none by so wicked an act; whom nevertheless

GOD (to whom I refer’d my Cause) hath so severely punished, that each

of them, by one cause or other, has brought upon himself his deserved

Reward of Punishment. But I had yet farther tolerated you to exercise

your Trade at your pleasure; neither had I followed you to _Lochgovia_,

to urge your Obligation to you, but had committed Vengeance to GOD;

only for that you were not content to sell those things publickly for

your filthy lucre, which you had of me, and which you obliged your

self to keep secret, and to take that profit to your self which was

due to me, but also you have rendered me, and the things you had from

me, odious; which has been so much to my disadvantage, that I can no

longer bear, but am now resolved to the utmost to refute those impious

and lying Calumnies, which you by your Letters have sent into the

world concerning me, and to defend my self and my Works, against which

you have so wickedly inveighed, that all the world may see how great

your perfidiousness has been towards me, and that your Heart acted by

Hellish wickedness, has raged against me with horrid Lyes, Taunts and

Reproaches, contrary to all manner of Equity: You must needs know,

that nothing can be more troublesome to me, than to spend that time

in reproving your Lyes, which I could otherways employ to greater

profit; wherefore I shall answer your trifling stories as briefly as

is possible. Every wise man will easily see how frivolous your Excuse

is. Do you think that any honest man will believe you, if you say you

don’t owe the greatest of your Knowledge to me? No surely, for no man

is ignorant of it: About two years since, you did not know how to bring

a Crucible to the Fire, much less to make a trial of Brass; which you

did not learn of me, but my unfaithful Servant taught it you, whom you

for that cause esteem; yet seeing you know so much, how lawfully may I

complain of him, what a Rascal he has been to me, and that you for that

very reason have taken him to your self, that you may fish from him

whatever he had learned in those two years he served me; although he

did not shun you, because he was unwilling to communicate those things

he had learn’d of me to any man else.

And so you make your self Master of my Secrets, and Covenant with him

to undo me and mine: Is this the part of a good man? You do not only

expose those things you had of me, but those also which my perfidious

Servant has since given you, to be sold at a price, when you have no

right to sell another mans goods, to which you have no title. We’ll

come to the point and expose all your wickedness, as well your impious

speeches, as perfidious actions, to the view of the world: But first of

all, I will lay before you the obligations you gave me, as most sure

pledges of your truth, that by the review of them, you may judge your

self how honest you have been, and how faithfully you have kept your

promises; and every man shall thence see, (especially those among whom

you have so wickedly ridicul’d me) with what base ingratitude you have

recompensed all my Favours.

_The first Obligation which =FARNNER= gave me, runs thus_;

_Forasmuch as the most excellent and learned Mr. =John Rudolph

Glauber=, moved by a singular affection towards me, has communicated,

shewen and demonstrated to me undernamed, some of those secrets whereof

he is Master, and hath enjoined me to silence; I therefore bind my

self, and promise upon my Credit and Reputation, and call God and my

christian profession to witness, that I will divulge none of those

things to any man living: but if it be so (which God forbid) that I

do at any time communicate any of those things to any man, then I

shall most willingly renounce all my right in those Goods, movables or

immovables, which I shall possess, and give him absolute power to take

them to himself, and convert them to his own use and advantage: and

not that only, but I give him farther power to proclaim me perfidious

and wicked, to defame me and make me abominable to all men, for which

reason, the laws of Silence shall be observed by me most strictly. Nay

farther, in consideration of the many benefits he has bestowed on me,

I give up my self, my beloved wife, and my children to serve him in

all things lawful and honest, to go when and where he pleases, and to

ease his labours; and if he dye first, (which God avert) to be alike

serviceable to his whole Family, which care he also has promis’d to me

and mine: I promise then, (if my Fates grant me life) that I will be to

my utmost, serviceable to him so long as he lives: In witness whereof,

I have hereto set my hand and seal. Given at =Kitzinga=, the =15th= day

of =June, 1652=._

Testis, Spirensis Canonicatus Quæstor, _Lochgoviæ_ & _Horrhemi_.

Christopherus Farnnerus.

The second _Obligation_.

_=I Christopher Farnner=, for the time being Canonicate Quæstor of

=Spire, Lochgovia and Horrheme=, in the Dukedom of =Wirtemberg=, to

all by whom these presents shall be read, make known, that the most

excellent and learned Mr. =John Rudolph Glauber= for little or no

reward, has communicated some of his secrets to me, and with me made

a covenant after this manner, That I must oblige my self for what he

hath already done, or hereafter shall do for me, to be all my life

thankful, not only to him, but to his Children also. But for as much

as ’tis most certain, this life will have an end, but we know not the

time when, the first Obligation is not full and clear enough, and for

that cause I bind my self and promise, (so help me God) and swear by

the King of Heaven who always bears witness to the Truth; and farther,

upon my Credit and Reputation, for the preservation whereof every

Christian man should be induc’d to keep his promise, if (which that God

would in mercy avert, I shall not cease to put up my daily Prayers) the

above named Mr. =Glauber= and his beloved wife shall die, and leave

their Children unmarried, I do oblige my self by this most solemn Oath,

to observe faithfully, and as a Christian man ought, these following

things: =viz.= I will forthwith take his Children to an inheritance

with mine, and to my utmost skill, instruct them in the secrets of

their dead Father, and shew them all things requisite and necessary,

as fully as to my own Children; and that after this manner, That what

ever of their Parents heritage belongs to them, they shall wholly

possess, and they shall lawfully demand it as their proper due; and if

any thing goes from him, I will redeem it, so that my Children shall

lay no claim to it: on the contrary, (for those secrets communicated

to me, which hereafter may redound to my profit) I make the aforesaid

Mr. =Glauber’s= Children Heirs with mine, that they may be admitted

equally to my Estate, and alike enjoy the Goods of me living: But

if I =Farnner=, contrary to my expectation, shall depart this World

before Mr. =Glauber=, he is bound to instruct my Children in his Art,

according as they are qualifyed, only so far, as that thereby they may

get their living, and that they may not be burdensome to him. He may at

his pleasure instruct him that he shall esteem most fit in some secret,

with which he shall afterwards teach his Brethren to get themselves

maintenance. And for the same cause, I call my little Son =Alexander=,

and surrender him to Mr. =Glauber= and his service, so that he may keep

him as long as he shall be willing, and it shall not be in my power to

take him from him according to the agreement we have both made with

him: all which things are restrain’d to this on either side, That if

the Parents of either part die before their Children are provided for,

which God forbid, and our Children shall be free by the early death

of their Parents, then each shall to his utmost, provide for his own

Children._

_That all these things may be observed the more firmly, I affix my

Seal and name, and by my own hand writing, oblige my self so, that if

at any time I falsify my word, my Children may be call’d to witness my

perjury. Given at =Kitzinga= the =10th= of =September=, in the year

=1652=._

Christopher Farnner.

NB. I did not require this obligation of _Farnner_, neither wou’d I

have taken it, but admonish’d him to be true to the first, with which I

was content; for he gave me this for no other reason, but to get more

out of me: But, because I had found out his cheats, and he wou’d not

be advis’d for his own profit, he at last makes mention of this new

obligation, in a certain epistle of his, thinking thereby I was oblig’d

to a farther communication of my Art to him, tho I have often told him,

that I valu’d not this last obligation but wou’d give it him again:

But when he refus’d to take it, I cancell’d it, and kept it by me, for

this reason, that it might be seen how he had bound himself by this new

Obligation, which certainly he wou’d never have done, without very good

cause.

_Expressions gathered out of certain of =Farnner=’s Epistles sent

to me; from which is evident how greatly he is beholden to me._

_Therefore I faithfully assure you, that I will shortly leave my House,

and take a Journey farther off, to provide for my Family; my Wife too

is very willing to go with me, and to be interested in our agreements,

but I can’t see what shou’d oblige her to it, when it can’t be effected

very commodiously: Yet I resolve, if nothing extraordinary hinder me,

after eight daies, that is, on the =¹⁴⁄₄th.= day of =April=, to depart

hence, and then answer your most friendly Letters, together with my

beloved Wife, and all my Family, to take part with you in all your

Labours, and help you with the greatest diligence. But because I intend

to be so suddenly with you, I shall write no more at this time._

March 26th. 1653.

Out of another Epistle, _July_ 17th. 1653.

_I hope you will excuse me, that I did not come to you, because

hindered by my Wife’s faultiness, who telling me she wou’d come with

me, privily laid Obstacles in my way; this offence wou’d not destroy a

Knave: Wherefore I again intreat you not to cast me off, but continue

your wonted favour to me; and I shall endeavour in my place to give

you ample satisfaction; neither shall any thing hinder my speedy

performance of what I have promised._

Out of another Epistle, _July_ 29th. 1653.

_Forasmuch therefore as I have by the wicked deceit of my Wife, broken

the many Promises I made of coming to you, unless I wou’d have taken

her wicked =Amasius= or galant, as Companion in the Journey; it has

at length pleased God to take her away, and so put me in a capacity,

=Worthy Sir=, of serving you without the least impediment, wherefore

I give my self wholly to your Commands: And altho’ I have been

perswaded by Persons of principal Authority to marry again, I will

not, but commit my self to be manag’d by your Counsel, as you were my

Father. Therefore, since we are parted, if my Fates grant me Life and

Prosperity, I will come to you, and commit my self to your guidance and

protection, Worthy Patron; for which reason I shall forbear to write

any thing at this time of your Laboratory, more than what I see in your

Letters, that all things may proceed the more regularly. Wherefore,

though I have been solicited by many, yet shall reject all as much as

I may commodiously, in hopes of this, that when I have first gotten

your consent, I may communicate my labour to some, whereby I may get a

good Sum of Money: But these things shall be deferred till our happy

meeting._

In another Epistle he saith;

_That he was confident he could find out all my Art by my Writings,

except that the Vessels do not alwaies abide the Fire, and that the

Apothecaries refused to buy his Medicines, unless he would teach them

the way to prepare ’em: Again, he would give me Fifty R. Dollers for

each month, for my part, as may be shewn from himself; these are his

words: And if he was not oblig’d to me, why would he give me Fifty R.

Dollers each Month?_

From all which (and much more I might add, which for brevities sake I

omit) it evidently appears, that _Farnner_ was obliged to me, which

he would never have been, had not he receiv’d some benefit from me,

which render’d him bound to me: But if he is oblig’d to me, why was

he so wicked, as in his lying Epistles so malapertly to despise, and

disparage me and my Secrets, which he had from me? Hence then every man

may perceive what they ought to judge of him, that he has both behav’d

himself most perfidiously wicked toward me, and also, that he has

sufficiently declar’d himself the most ungrateful in the World.

But that no man may suspect that I wrest any word of _Farnner_’s, in

his obligations given to me, to his disadvantage, or my own ends, I

have taken care to have his own hand-writing view’d by Notaries and

Witnesses, who will attest, that what I have printed is word for word

the same with what I have in writing under his own hand.

_A Specification of those =Chymical Secrets= which =Farnner=

learn’d of =Glauber=, and in the trial found true, and of those

which yet are found and brought to trial; where it must be known,

that those, of which there is no mention made here, if =Glauber=

should relate them, they would not answer his expectation in

Practice, according to his information: Also the Charge which he

must be at who will make trial of those Secrets after a right

manner, is here added._