NB. But it is expedient, that there be a just proportion observed

in this kind of Work, that you take not overmuch Salt-petre to this

ablution, or converting it into scoria, and so bring all the Lead

into scoria, but the business is so to be managed, that there be left

remaining one third part at least, of those three parts of Lead you

took, which is not reduced into scoria with the Antimony; then may it

be poured out into a Cone, and when ’tis cool, the Regulus is to be

knockt off from the scoria, and Cupellated.

NB. He that is minded to wash Metals after this manner by the help of

Salt-petre, and to reduce them into scoria, must have an especial care

that not a Coal falls into the Crucible, for they will much hurt, and

will again precipitate them, which the Salt-petre hath already imbibed,

and so render the operation invalid. Besides, it is worth the while to

admonish, and tell you that all Arsenick, and Antimony is auriferous,

but yet so, as that one sort is richer than another, and that abundance

of Copper and Iron hath likewise in it Gold, which no body finds out,

nor can it be separated by that old beaten way of Cupellating it with

Lead. But some, or other might here say, Where shall I find Arsenick,

Antimony, Copper, and Iron, which have Gold in them? Had they any thing

of worth in them, others would doubtlesly have extracted it, and not

have suffered it to come to my hands whole and sound? To satisfie such

an one, I answer thus, tho’ those that work on the Metals, do for the

most part know, that there is in Arsenick and Antimony, a Volatile

Gold, yet know they not how to extract it thencefrom with profit, for

the separating way they take would cost more than the Gold they should

have would yield, because (according to their usual way and custom

of working) all of it would vanish away with fume. And this is to be

understood of Arsenick, Auripigment, Cobolt, and Antimony, all which

may (by the way we have here mentioned) be tamed and introduced into

Copper, and be made permanent and fixt.

But now, that there should sometimes be Gold implanted, naturally in

Copper, and should there also be left remaining untoucht, is so done on

this account, because there is not in it so much as to pay the Costs

of the separating it by Lead (for verily the Cupellating it with Lead

on a Test, requires great expences.) This is the reason why Gold lies

immixed in the Copper oftentimes, and cannot be thence extracted with

profit.

The same is to be understood of Iron, for a Vein of Iron doth

oftentimes offer it self, which is very much impregnated with the more

precious Metals, and yet no body either knows, or observes it. For the

Ore of Iron is for the most part wont to be forced out by unskilful

Men who have no care at all of the Gold, but only of such an Ore as

contains a good portion of good and malleable Iron; and suppose they

did certainly know, that there were in 100 _l._ of Iron, some Lots of

Gold, by what means (I pray) would they extract it thencefrom? For

Iron cannot be dealt withal by Cupellation on the Test, much less can

it be separated (as Copper is) by the means of Lead; so that there’s

no reason for any one to wonder that there are so few to be found,

that promise themselves, or seek after much good out of Iron, seeing

it is not so apt a Subject to be separated, and subdued as Copper

is. But by the help of Arsenick, Auripigment, or Antimony, ’tis no

difficult matter to tame, and bring it under, so as to make it yield

forth what it has: And ’tis thus. This Iron, which is auriferous, may

first be cemented with Arsenick, as we have afore taught of doing so

with Copper, then is it to be precipitated into Regulus’s by means of

Antimony, which Reguli being imbued, or mixed with Lead, and reduced by

Salt-petre into scoria, and cupellated, the Gold doth at last offer it

self (which was hidden in the Minerals, or Ores, and so despised) and

that with no contemptible profit. But now if any hath a mind to have

the business yet more perfect, he may instead of Lead, add some Gold,

and then reduce the Regulus into scoria’s, by Salt-petre, and abstract

it from the Gold; for so the Gold you put thereto doth the better hold

that other Gold which it has attracted out of the Regulus, and there

is made a much more plentiful encrease, than if the Regulus had been

scorified upon Lead. Nor are the scoria to be thrown away, but they

may be precipitated by throwing in live Coals, whereby the Salt-petre

doth again let fall the Regulus which it hath swallowed up, and which

Regulus you may separate from the dross when ’tis cold. This Regulus

may be afterwards commodiously used in other Metalick Operations, that

so it may yield anew out of it self the Gold; concerning which business

there will a place fall in to speak of by and by. And besides, those

drossy Offals (which for the gratest part are fixt Salt-petre) are

also of good worth, which may be reserved for the subsequent Metallick

Operation, which may be stiled a perpetual Metallick-working artifice;

so that there is nothing at all wasted, but all things are of use. And

this way of the separation of Metals is so very profitable, as that any

one may get himself sufficient gain for to supply the necessities of

Life. But if you have no fansie to meddle with Arsenick, or Auripigment

and would willingly shun them by reason of their poisonous nature,

they may even be omitted, and you may cement that auriferous Iron,

with the Golden Marchasite, melt it with Antimony, and precipitate it

into Regulus’s. For even by this means too, the Gold that was in the

Marchasite, is brought in use, and yields an increase to that Gold

which is extracted out of the Iron and Antimony. But if so be there be

no Golden Marchasite to be gotten, that separation may be ordered, even

with Iron and Antimony, and if the Iron be but auriferous, the Labour

will not be without profit.

This kind of separation or eduction of Gold out of the volatile

Minerals, and baser Metals will be an egregious aid or benefit to such

as have learned rightly to operate in the Fire, and whom (otherwise) a

grievous want of things and small estate afflicts; for there is enough

of the aforesaid Minerals, every where obvious, but they cannot be well

handled, or wrought upon by reason of their unfixedness and immaturity,

and therefore do they lie neglected and as it were wholly useless, and

are not made beneficial to any. I know that some do well understand

the way of fixing Cobolt, and Bismuth by Salt-petre, and do thence get

an abundance of Silver; and likewise there are some that know how to

tame and subdue Arsenical Realgars by the help of Salt-petre, so that

they suffer themselves to be molten, and yield forth their hidden Gold

and Silver. But he that shall so manage the business as to adjoin

thereto the auriferous imperfect Metals, such an one will make a more

successful work thereof; especially if he gets himself some auriferous

Iron, the which he may get for a small matter: And besides, if he makes

his Salt-petre himself, then all that whole operation of fixing or

separating the volatile Minerals would be done with very little costs,

and yield much gain.

NB. But now if any one would yet get more profit by this separatory

operation, then he must contrive the doing it not in Crucibles or Pots,

but in hearths (or furnaces) where a great heap of the volatile Mineral

may by fixing Nitre melt together, and be precipitated into Regulus:

then the Regulus may be separated from the Scoria, and be depurated by

Nitre in other Furnaces, and be fitted for use; and so by this means

may there be so much gain gotten, the like whereof, the great heaps of

Ores which Men are necessitated to dig out of the bowels of the Earth

with so much expence and charges, will scarce afford.

Likewise all Minerals may by the help of Salt-petre be fixed by the

moist way, so as to yield permanent Gold and Silver; whereby (without

doubt) full as much, if not more, is obtained, as is by the dry way.

The way of operating is this. Dissolve a volatile Mineral, be it

Cobolt, or Zink, Wismuth, Calmei, Arsenick, Auripigment, or any other

the like mineral, in a strong _Aqua-fortis_; the solution being made,

separate the _Aqua-fortis_ again; then shall you have remaining a white

Calx, which is fixed by the virtue of the _Aqua-fortis_: So that now

it will admit of being molten with Lead, of being separated from the

Scoria, and of being cupellated. But he that knows how to melt that

Calx with Antimony and to precipitate it with auriferous Copper and

Iron, gets more Gold than by that operation with Lead. But haply, every

one can’t perform that separation; for the excoction or melting, the

reduction into Scoria, and Cupellating upon the Test, are operations

more known and easier to be done.

Moreover, there are also some Minerals, which may be fixed with the

moist fire, that is, with a most strong _Aq. fortis_, so as to

yield their Gold and Silver in the _Scoria_, but especially Tin,

Quick-silver, and Lead: If a vehemently-strong _Aq. fortis_ be but once

abstracted from Tin, it makes it so fixt, as that it will not fly away

in the greatest Fire, but will melt into a white Glass. But now, if you

would have it to yield forth its Gold, you must melt other Metals with

it, into which the Gold may insinuate it self, and be made corporeal,

such as are Silver and Lead. Lead, if it be dissolved in _Aq. fortis_,

and precipitated by Urine, it gets such a hardness, that it will scarce

melt in a Crucible; if you precipitate it with a Lixivium, it becomes

glassy; if with Salt-water, it is rendered exceedingly volatile;

for common Salt makes all Metals volatile, and on the other hand,

Nitre fixeth them both by the moist and by the dry way, binds them,

and constrains them to abide in the Fire; and this you are to know

aforehand. Now, for the better confirmation of this thing, see how

easily the common Mercury is made to abide the fire, if _Aq. fortis_

shall have been several times drawn off therefrom, insomuch that it

will suffer it self to be made wholly red-hot. But now, if the same be

sublimed with Spirit of Salt, it becomes more and more volatile, so

amongst all Salts there’s not one that fixeth Minerals, save this most

noble Nitre, and this hath a natural aptness to do it both by the moist

and dry way, as hath been even now demonstrated.

And verily, this way of fixing the imperfect Metals (which is done by

the help of Nitre, by either the moist or dry way) is to be preferred

far before that which is done only with a Fire of Wood, not barely on

this account, because it is sooner and speedilier performed, but for

this reason too, because it fixeth better and more durably: For if any

one shall endeavour to make _Arsenick_, _Cobolt_, or other volatile

Minerals, permanent or fixt, by the bare force of common fire, How

much time, I pray, must he allow it? Haply it will require some months

for this kind of Work, if not a whole year, yet at least half a year

’twill need; whereas by the means of Nitre it may be done in one or two

daies: For if a volatile Mineral be mixed with Nitre, do fulminate,

and be edulcorated, and that fulmination be repeated 3 or 4 times, it

will afterwards endure a sufficiently-vehement melting Fire. Or if a

Mineral be only dissolved in _Aq. fort._ and that _Aq. fort._ again

drawn off therefrom, it will even by this means be rendered fixt and

constant in the Fire; so great is the force and virtue that lies hid in

Salt-petre: And this the ancient Philosophers well knew, and therefore

said that the most vehement fire of all was to be used to the fixation

of volatile Minerals; and this fire is hid only in Nitre, and is no

where else to be found; for the Central Fire hath too soon withdrawn

it self from the volatile Minerals and baser Metals, and left them

unripe, and they can be advanced to a maturity, both by our common

Wood-fire, and by the fire of Salt-petre, and be fixed. And now I

suppose that I have more than sufficiently proved, by what I have said,

That Salt-petre fixeth Minerals and Metals, both by the dry and moist

way; nor can any one reasonably deny the same. Moreover, I judge it

not fit to pass this too over in silence, _viz._ That Salt-petre doth

likewise make volatile, not only the unripe Minerals, but also the fixt

Metals themselves; so as that they suffer themselves to be sublimed

and destilled wholly (like common Sulphur or Mercury) save the fæces,

which are somewhat blackish and stay behind. Any understanding man

may easily consider here what benefit is to be hoped for from such a

Destillation of Metals; for seeing that all things are by destillation

brought to the highest purity (as is clearly evident) it may well be

concluded, that when in impure metals the pure parts are separated from

the impure, something of excellency must therefrom proceed. I will say

no more of this matter at present, for I have already clearly enough

demonstrated and plainly enough delivered this kind of destillation or

purification of metals, in the third part of my _Spagyr. Pharmacop._

and have there shewn, that every imperfect metal, if it shall be

destilled, yields volatile Gold, and that that volatile Gold may be

made corporeal, without almost any Cost in a particular way, (and

haply also in a universal, which I confess I have not as yet proved)

thither therefore referr I the studious Reader of Hermetick and truly

Philosophical _Arcana_ and Secrets.

But that the difference of those waies of fixing or concentrating the

volatile Minerals, and likewise the imperfect Metals, may rightly

be perceived and laid open, and that it may appear how much more

compendious and easie that way which is done by Nitre is than that

which is done with common fire; it will be a good help to set down here

some process for an example, by which it will be manifest how laborious

this way of doing it barely with Wood is, and contrarily how easie that

way of doing it by the moist Fire of Nitre is.

It is impossible to fix _Arsenick_, _Auripigment_, _Cobolt_, and

such-like as these without the help of Saltpetre, unless they are

first introduced into other metallick bodies, and are together with

them, burnt with a Fire of Coals, and reduced into Ashes, and turned

into Scoria, and wholly destroyed, and then at last reduced again

into a metalline form, by the force of the intense fire of a Blast or

Bellows: All which, that they may be dexterously performed, you must

proceed on this manner, as followeth.

First of all, the _Cobalt_, _Arsenick_, or any Realgar like these, that

is auriferous, is to be introduced into Copper or Iron by cementation,

in the way that we have aforementioned; then the Copper or Iron thus

cemented with the Realgars, is to be reduced into fine powder, and to

be commixed with Antimony, Calmei, or Calaminaris, the Marchasite, and

such order is to be taken, (if for Gains sake you would do a greater

heap of matter) to have them slowly and by little and little made

red-hot in Furnaces or Ovens, such as in which the flame may have room

to play, and as’twere brandish it self at top of the matters, and stir

them, and so let them be calcined and burnt into ashes, until they emit

no more fume, and this will be in some few daies; then are they to be

reduced in a convenient Furnace, and restored to their metalline form;

then again must they be put into the former Oven, and there be calcined

and burnt into ashes, still stirring them to and fro, and the ashes are

to be reduced, by the vehement Blast of Bellows, and this ashifying and

reduction is to be so long repeated, till there be a Regulus found in

the reduction, and all the residue turns into unprofitable Scoria. This

Regulus then is to be reduced on a Test into Scoria, and the Regulus

being cupellated, the Gold and Silver which the volatile Minerals

contained in them, doth shew it self.

NB. Altho’ this reparation is attended on with indifferent labour, yet

notwithstanding (if there be a great quantity of matter dealt in) it

is also gainful, especially where Minerals and Coals are to be had for

a small price, and also the other imperfect metals (as Lead, Copper,

and the like) that concurr in this kind of Operation; by which it also

comes to pass, that there is a greater quantity of Gold and Silver

extracted. For example, I burn Copper or Iron with Arsenick, Cobolt,

and other poisonous volatile Realgars, or with bare Calmei only, which

also avails to constringe or bind fast; with these I mix Antimony,

Bismuth, Zink, and Lead, and melt them together: Hence ariseth a

brittle mass, which is to be reduced into ashes, either in Ovens, as is

already afore-shewed, with the flame of Wood, which darts it self at

top of that mixt matter, and by heating ripens it, or by live Coals in

a peculiar Furnace, and that on this wise: Let there be built a great

or small Furnace, (of good Bricks or Tiles that will endure the Fire)

according to the quantity of your matter which you take to prepare,

let it be at least a foot over in the inside: in the forepart let it

be open a foots heighth from the Pavement or Ground, to this end,

that the Grate may be put in and taken out, as need is. Then some 2

or 3 foot higher than the Grate, let a door be made, whereby you may

throw in the Coals, and above or at top of the Furnace are to be made

Chimneys, fitted to receive and condense the fume of the metal, that

it may not fly into the air, but being there cool’d, may be taken out.

All this being done, fill the Furnace with Coals, and when they are

well kindled, cast in a portion of your metalline mixture, which will

quickly melt, and being melted, will run through the fiery Coals, and

still keep fuming, and elevate it self up into the appointed Chimneys;

that which melts down through the Coals and Grates, and is in the

form of metal under the Furnace, (which bottom must be made somewhat

shelving), that the metal which falls down may run into a hole or pit,

is to be taken up with an Iron Spoon, and again thrown in upon the

Coals, and this is to be so often repeated, and so long, till all your

whole mixture be burnt into ashes, or carried up in fume, and so shall

be ashified and sublimed in the appointed Tunnels or Chimneys, which

Flores or metalline Fumes you must take and reduce them in a reducing

Furnace, so part of them will pass into a fusile Metal, but brittle.

This Metal now must be again ashify’d in that roasting or burning

Furnace, and be reduced by blast of Bellows; and this ashifying and

reduction is to be so often repeated, till all be seen turned into

Dross or Glass; which Dross or Scorias are then to be reduced with the

most vehement blast of Bellows, and so they will produce a Regulus

which is to be cupellated with Lead, as is abovesaid.

NB. But if so be that of the last-made Scoria a Regulus cannot be made

by the blast of the Bellows, and that the Scoria remain Scoria, ’tis

a sign that you have taken too much Tin, or that your Fire hath been

too intense; and therefore you must take such Scoria, and beat them to

powder, and mix them with a little of either the fluid Ore of Lead,

or Spume thereof, and make them flow in a reducing Furnace, then the

Lead draws the Gold and Silver out of the Scoria, which may afterwards

be cupellated. But as concerning the manner of making the roasting or

ashifying Furnace, as likewise the fusing or reducing Furnace, I cannot

indeed at present here decipher it, but I will do it in the Third Part

following, where more such-like concentrations of Metals shall be

mentioned and treated of. And farther, the well-minded Reader must also

know, that this kind of Concentration is not at all written for those

that are as yet wholly ignorant of the Art of melting metals, but for

such only as have already sweated at the Fire, and have been often and

much versed in such Separations or Liquefactions.

I question not, but there will be many that will despise this my way

of operating, and count it an impossible thing, such are to be left

to please themselves with their own fancies. But withal, some will

be found, to whom the nature of metals is known, and these will give

credit to what I say, and will abundantly profit themselves, especially

in those places where Minerals, Coals, and other things requisite

are to be had for a small price. The greatest Expence in this way of

Concentration is the Coals, which too cannot be any thing much in those

places where there are such vast Woods. Every one may have his liberty

to try it or let it alone.

NB. But I do openly affirm, that if so be any one shall know how

rightly to handle and manage this Work, it may be compared with the

perpetual or alwaies-lasting mines; and where minerals may be had, it

will be most gainful; but I will not perswade any to attempt it in

those Coasts where all things are dear. Nor do I think it amiss to

disswade them that have no experience in these kind of Operations,

lest upon the ill management of the Operation, the effect should not

succeed so luckily as they hoped for, and that then they should lay

the blame upon me. That which I have at present written, is agreeable

to the Truth, and may be successfully and gainfully performed by an

experienced Artist or Laborator: And therefore as I have afore warned,

so do I again advise the unexpert to abstain from this Work, unless he

means to lose his Labour and Expences.

Such things as I have here omitted for brevities sake to speak of the

_Concentration of Metals_, the Third and Fourth Part shall abundantly

declare; but whoever he be that shall know how to bring to pass such a

Concentration, either by the means of Salt-petre, by the dry way of a

flame, or the moist way, by the help of _Aq. fort._ shall have a better

effect than he that useth the Fire of Wood; but on the other hand, this

Fire by Wood is of less Cost than the administration of the Work of

Salt-petre is. Alas! What a deal of costs and labours have I bestowed

in my life, in searching out and trying those kind of businesses, and

having now brought it to this pass, as to be able to yield me the

Reward of my Pains, I am not able to manage so vehement a fire, and

to order the matters which require so great an heat? Therefore do I

now with a willing mind make an offer of these my Experiments, to

those who are of a vigorous age, and have Bodies capable of undergoing

the toiling in the Fire. But that I may return to the things afore

spoken of, and that that ashifying and reduction may not seem to the

unexperienc’d altogether impossible and incredible, I will for their

sakes bring undeniable Reasons or Arguments, whereby it shall be

sufficiently enough evidenced, that such a cineration or turning into

Scoria, hath its foundation in Nature, and that after this manner:

Whosoever he be that hath seen or experienced somewhat in metals,

knows, that the separation of the more excellent metals from the more

vile, is to be done by the benefit of the Fire: for if so be that Gold,

Silver, Copper, Iron, Lead, Tin, should be melted together into one

mass, and you would separate them by the Fire the one from the other;

this cannot be done any other way, but by adding to that mixture some

other adventitious and destructive thing whereby the baser metals may

be dissipated and deprived of their metallick form, of which sort is

common Sulphur and such-like; for this works first on the imperfect

metals, destroys them, or brings them into scoria and dross, which

when they are so, and no more metals, they have no communion with

metals, nor desire or love to be commixt with them afterwards: and by

how much the more sulphureity there is in Metals, so much the easier

doth common _Sulphur_ destroy them and turn them into Scoria: But, by

how much the nobler the metals shall be, so much the less detriment

doth _Sulphur_ bring upon them, and the less able is it to disturb (or

alter) them. But besides, _Sulphur_ does not only do this, but even

the Fire, and Salt-petre both in the moist and in the dry way. It is

done with _Sulphur_, if the metallick mixture be granulated and burnt

therewithal, or that it be despoiled of the metalline Nature, then must

it be molten and by precipitation be driven or be separated into divers

Regulus’s. For the _Sulphur_ converts the _Mass_ into Scoria, which

when they are molten, that which in them is the most noble doth always

separate it self from the Scoria, and settle to the bottom; then next

the most noble part comes other which is excellent, but yet short of

the former, and so consequently it descends from one degree to another,

as from Gold to Silver, from Silver to Lead, from this to Copper, from

Copper to Iron, _&c._ as hath been by my formerly described separatory

Art sufficiently enough shewn. But Nitre performs the separations it

makes in a different manner: For after that the metallick _Mass_ is

molten in a Crucible, and that this (_viz._ Nitre) hath been thereinto

put, it doth in the first place set upon the sulphureous part, and

turns that into Scoria, then the baser Metal, and thus it does on,

so long till it hath attracted all the imperfect Metals to it self,

and reduced them into Scoria: and so the perfect Metals remain alone,

pure; which order or governance of Operation, is also to an again,

extant in my Writings.

Again, the bare fire is wont to keep another different way of

destroying and scorifying Metals, than Sulphur and Nitre do.

For if a Metalline mixture be put in the fire, the more imperfect part

thereof is consumed in the first place, and driven into ashes, the more

excellent part gathers up it self into a globular form; and as long as

it finds any consumable thing therein, so long does it work and act

thereupon, nor leaves it off afore it hath reduced all into ashes. But

that part which is of a constant and durable nature, remains unhurt

by the fire; but yet if the combustible part be too much bigger in

bulk than the abideing part, it does not only carry away with it the

silver, but sometimes also a good part of the Gold, and brings it into

ashes. And now, if those ashes shall be molten with a strong fire, then

the ashes which arise out of the imperfect Metals, are turned into

Glass, or scoria, but the ashes of the perfect Metals do reduce, and

restore themselves into a malleable Body, whether it be Silver or Gold,

according as it had this or that Metalline mixture in it; and if you

proceed yet farther, with melting the aforesaid scoria in the fire,

there will a new Regulus fall out, which contains in it that Metal,

which is the noblest next Gold and Silver, _viz._ Lead, and Copper;

the Tin, and Iron do for the most part abide in the scoria: Even as

it is in Cupellation, or the separation of the Metals by the Cupel,

the separation is there also done, by the bare fire only, and when

the fire acts upon the mixture, it reduceth the Lead into scoria, or

spume, or Litharge, and while this is reduced thus, it spares not the

Tin, Iron, or Copper, forasmuch as they are likewise combustible, and

of affinity thereto, but turns these together also into scoria, which

said scoria do then creep, or sink into that penetrable, and porous

Cineritious Vessel, or Test, as long as any of it remains: But the Gold

and Silver which know not how to be thus burnt up into scoria or ashes,

like the other imperfect Metals are left depured and cleansed upon the

Cupel: The like also, is to be judged of the aforesaid incineration

of Volatile Minerals, or imperfect Metals; that is to say, when they

undergo the force of the fire, they cannot but go into scoria and

ashes, and if they have in them somewhat that is especially good, and

durable, yet the greater part being combustible, has the prevalency;

so that the more excellent part which is in it, is converted together

into ashes and scoria. But yet it may be afterwards reduced, for by

the vehement blast of Bellows, it separates it self from the more base

part, and again assumes a body Metalline, whether it be Gold or Silver.

By this Discourse any one that is not wholly void of all Metallick

knowledge may see, that the Metallick Incineration and Reduction, which

we have afore delivered, is built upon a firm foundation: But he that

cannot understand or apprehend these things, is uncapable of being

holpen by any art. But the following third and fourth parts will yield

a more clear light, or instruction. Furthermore you are to observe,

that there are likewise other ways whereby Metals are reduced into

scoria, and the better and more excellent part is afterwards extracted

out of the scoria, _viz._ by the help of Terrestrial things which are

together, sulphureous, of which sort is all Sand, Flint, and the like.

If ought of this kind be permixt and molten with the metalline Calxes,

it retains with it the viler part, and lets go the more excellent; as

for instance, there’s the Glass of Lead: For if the ashes of Lead be

molten with Sand, or Flints, all the Lead together with the Flints is

converted into Glass, or scoria, but the Silver or Gold which was in

the Lead separates it self like a Regulus, and descends to the bottom.

Some kinds of Salts also are able to make those scoria’s, _viz._

those Salts which are extracted out of burnt ashes, and are commonly

called Alkalies, such as are the burnt fæces of Wine, the Tartar of

Wine, Potters-ashes made of the ashes of Wood, and other such like;

these also love to dissolve the sulphureous parts of metals, and do

leave the Gold and Silver that is therein whole and sound, and so

make a separation of the good from the evil, and give them a notable

splendour: Concerning which washing, we will treat more fully in the

following third part.

Besides too, even common Salt destroyeth and reduceth the imperfect

metals into scoria, but not after such a manner as Alkalies do by

washing, but by dissolving and extracting. For if a metallick Calx,

or Ore, be powdered and mixt with common Salt, and molten together,

the Salt doth more readily seize upon the metal, than on the rest of

the drossiness, dissolves it, and turns it into as it were scoria. But

to illustrate this thing by an Example, If I would separate a mineral

which hath in it, Iron, Copper, Gold, and Silver, and should melt it

thus mixt with the Salt, then the Salt would the first time lay hold on

the Iron only, and leave the other metals; but if so be there were not

so much Iron, as for the Salt to satisfy its devouring self, it would

dissolve the Copper too, the Silver and Gold remaining untoucht; for

Salt is a common Enemy to Silver, but a Friend to the Iron and Copper,

which it willingly dissolves in the melting, and attracts to it self,

whether it be each apart by themselves, or both jointly together,

which if you are minded again to separate each from the other, you

must powder that molten Mass, and pour water thereupon, and boil it;

so the Iron and Copper enters into the water, together with the Salt,

whereinto if you afterwards put some Iron Rods, the Copper precipitates

it self, and the Iron abides in the salt water, and is made very fit

to use in dying like Vitriol; but if it will not be coagulated like

Vitriol, then the Copper (which hath precipitated it self about the

Iron) is to be washt and molten, out of which comes purer Copper. But

yet such a Copper may be converted to better use than to be molten, of

which more shall be spoken in the third part.

By this means, may one separate and bring into use those Coppery

Minerals, which have much Iron in them, and by which, the Copper is

otherwise rendered unmalleable and unprofitable: and this is such an

Evil, as the Metal-workers have hitherto little known what remedy

to apply; whereas in the mean while there lie in many places no

contemptible Mines of Copper, neglected and unmedled withal, because

they have Iron commixt with them. Some there have been, who have

endeavoured to extract the Iron by the help of a Load-stone, but this

way is too troublesom, and so is not profitable; but it may be aptly

and conveniently done after this manner, did they but know how rightly

to use here that aforesaid salt water, and the precipitated Copper: For

the salt exalteth the Iron, and the Iron doth again exalt the salt, and

animate it, so as that it may afterwards with a little labour and costs

be, all of it, and without any loss, converted into good Salt-petre.

But some or other may say, what profit would there redound unto me,

if I should season one or two, or more Copper minerals with salt,

whereby the Copper may be thence drawn out? I would have such an one to

know, that in that Operation, some hundreds, or thousand pounds may be

done together, and the business may be ordered upon fire in distinct

Furnaces, that so a great profit may be gotten; and not only thus, but

the same may likewise be done without any Furnace or Oven, with many

hundred, or thousand pounds in one Operation, at the open Air in the

Field, or in a Wood, where that Ore and salt are to be found; so that

the salt may serve as a covering to the mineral, and the mineral as a

covering to the salt, and the Wood may serve both for the Furnace and

fire.

This now in my judgment is an artificial extraction of Copper out of

the Mines, (especially when ’tis such an Ore), which (otherwise) is not

of any profit by reason of the immixt Iron, or else consists of such a

lean Vein of Copper, as will not suffice to quit the costs of getting

it out, but yet it may by this means be separated, with no contemptible

profit. For there are every where almost such poor Copper Ore as this

which lie and are not dreamt of: For indeed it cannot be expected,

that, (if when a Copper Mine (or Ore) doth contain in it some small

matter of Copper, it being so overwhelmed as ’twere with the muchness

of heterogeneal medlies or mixtures, that it cannot precipitate it self

into Regulus’s but passeth into Scoria) it should answer the costs that

are to be spent on the forcing it out; and therefore such Minerals must

of necessity remain without use. And how many such kind of Ores have I

found in _Germany_, which a man may have by heaps, but no body regards

them, for that (as we have already said) they are too barren or poor:

Whereas notwithstanding they may be most easily perfected by the help

of Salt, so as to be made very gainful, & the costs exceedingly well

repaid that shall be laid out upon them, especially in those places

where there is such an abundance of Salt, that the Inhabitants know not

what to do with the plenty they have of it. Many such places there are

in _Germany_, as _Tirole_, _Saltzburg_, _Bavaria_, and the Diocess that

we call _Bergtes-gaden_: in which places all the whole mountains do not

only abound with Salts, but have no small portion of Copper too: Nor is

it so in those places only, but likewise every where; Salt is common

and of a small price throughout all _Germany_.

And as we have already shown you, that Iron and Copper may be

commodiously extracted out of the Ores by melting it with common

Salt, and may be again separated from each other by precipitation: So

likewise may the same be done in a moist way by boiling; and is thus,

if the Ore be ground and a long while boiled with very Salt-water, the

Copper will be dissolved and passeth into the Salt-water, out of which

it is to be precipitated, and so fitted for use. But now, if the Salt

be distilled into a Spirit, then is it apt not only to extract Copper,

but also Gold out of the Ore, and will be of exceeding much profit: But

this operation hath already been long ago described by me, in the First

Part of the Mineral Work.

NB. But it will be yet more profitable and gainful to prepare that

water out of the Salts and especially out of Nitre, which water is

but of small price, and yet notwithstanding it is of that Power and

Virtue, as to dissolve or extract all the Metals out of the Ores: and

as well the Silver as the Gold and Copper in the solution, may be again

precipitated singularly or each _Per se_ one after another; and this

kind of water may you likewise use about all Fossiles or Ores with a

most wonderful abbreviation.

But now, if you use common _Aqua-fortis_, it extracts only the Silver

and Copper, and leaves the Gold: and if you take common _Aqua-regia_,

it attracts only the Gold and Copper, and leaves the Silver; so

that neither of these hath (as we use to say) all the points in it,

especially seeing such a kind of Water serves but once only; nor is

there as yet any one found who knows how to separate the metals in

the solution one from another, so as that the water may still remain

good and fit for other the like uses. But as concerning this Water

of mine, thus stands the case, _viz._ One Metal may be precipitated

after another out of the Water, and each distinctly, and yet for all

this, the Water loseth not ought of its Virtue, but may be many times

serviceable; certainly it is a most profitable invention, which (in

the doing or perfecting some metals and minerals) is to be preferred

many degrees before any melting by Fire. For if that there are several

Metals of diverse kinds, in one Ore; as Gold, Silver, Iron, Lead (and

this often happens so) and they should be forced out by Fire, they

would yet remain mixt together; and there’s a great deal of work to

separate them. For first they are to be cupellated on Tests with a

great deal of Lead, that so the imperfect Metals, as the Iron, Copper,

Tin and Lead if therein, may go off; then the Gold is to be separated

also apart, or by a particular operation, by the help of a separating

Water, and this is not every bodies work, nor have all such as are

skill’d in the Art, in all places necessary provision at hand. But on

the other hand, there needs not in that other kind of way, any thing

save the Water and some Glasses, with these may you manage and compleat

all the whole business, and get a great deal of gain without noise and

trouble. For as to such a one as betakes himself to this kind of work,

his Neighbours cannot accuse him, that he will (one time or other)

ruine their Fortunes and Houses by Fire, for they hear no blowing of

the bellows, nor see they any Coals carried into his House. Nor will

the _Smiths_ say that ’tis his fault that Coals are so dear, as ’twas

objected to him who called himself the little Country fellow. Besides

too, he will shun the suspicion of the Magistrates, nor will he give

them occasion to suspect him to be a rich blade, and so torment him

with the more grievous exactions and with quartering of Souldiers.

And now yet more, This kind of extraction does not only appertain to

the getting out the Gold and Silver out of the Ores or Minerals and

such as are volatile and crude, and which are every where to be met

withal, and may without detriment to any, and with a safe conscience be

fixed and separated by the help of this Water: But you may also by the

mediation of this Water, profitably and with very small Labour separate

all metallick mixtures, such as are mixt at their first forcing out

of the Ores, or are melted into one Mass on any other account, and

so obtain each Metal pure and free from all heterogeneities. As for

example, Put case I have in my hands a certain metallick Mass, which

hath in it Gold, Silver, Lead, Tin, Iron, and Copper: Now I would

willingly separate the Gold & Silver therefrom: hitherto there hath

been no other way known of obtaining it but by cupellating such a Mass

or mixture upon the Test with Lead, and so depurating it; in which

cupellation, the Copper, Tin, and Iron, do pass together with the Lead

into the Test, but the Gold and Silver remain behind, which are to be

afterwards separated with _Aqua-fortis_, that you may have each by

it self. But the Iron, Copper, Lead and Tin do remain intermixt with

each other in the Test, and should you again melt them even by the

strongest blast, yet will they be commixt, and can hardly be separated

the one from the other. But by this way of ours if they be dissolved in

the water together, you may continually precipitate thence one Metal

from another, and take them each apart, and not only the Gold and the

Silver by themselves, but the Copper, Tin, Iron, and Argent-vive (each

apart).

But it is not so necessary (if in such a metalline Mass wherein are

contained so many Metals, the Gold and Silver be but the smaller part)

to dissolve all the other baser metals together, to get out the Gold

and Silver; this will not be advisedly done, but it would be better,

first to purify that Mass upon a Test with Lead, and so to separate the

Gold and Silver by the help of that water, or else that Mass may be

burnt with Brimstone, and the Gold be thence precipitated and depured.

But if the Mass hath less of Iron, Copper, and Tin, than of Gold, there

will not be such need of purifying the Mass, by first burning it upon a

Test, and then separating it by _Aqua-fortis_, as is commonly known and

used to be done: but the whole mixture must be dissolved, and the Gold

and Silver, which you please, be separately, or apart precipitated into

a clean Calx, then the Copper also apart, then the Tin; but as for the

Iron, you may forbear to precipitate that, because there are no great

matters to be performed with its Calx, and it will be better to draw

off the _Aqua-fortis_ thence, whereby it may again be had pure, and fit

for use.

Then the Iron which abides behind, if it be made red hot, yields a

most excellent Crocus Martis, and a most excellent Ingredient for

Chirurgeons, for all their Wound-balsams and Exicatory Emplasters; it

is stictick; it will also be serviceable to Painters to make exquisite

colours therewithal, so that the Iron which is the basest Metal in the

whole mixture, if it shall be thus wrought upon and brought into good

Crocus Martis, yields the money that was laid out upon the water, and

yet this very water, after its abstracting from the Iron is not less

fit for use, but is better than it was before. For in its abstraction

from the Iron, it brought over with it some Goldenness, which Golden

property doth afterwards, in other metallick solutions, associate it

self to the Metals, is imbodyed, and yields as much Gold as the price

almost (of the water) afore (thus used) could be judged at.

So likewise there’s no need of reducing the Calx of Venus into Copper,

but it is twice more precious than other good common Copper, because it

can in a few hours space be changed into excellent Verdigrease, and so

is 4 or 6 times the value of Copper it self. Further, it is not needful

to melt down the precipitated Calx of Silver without any farther

profit, but ’tis better to melt it by the means of the liquor of

Sulphur or Antimony, for by this operation will it become auriferous,

and be meliorated. Finally, you are not bound to melt even the Calx

of Sol, without any profit in melting, but you may even thereoutof

draw some profit; for if it be amalgamated with the Mercury of ♄ or

☽ it becomes more augmented from the ♄ and ☽; or else it may be used

by the Goldsmiths to Gild withal, and by Painters, if its brightness

and splendour be first restored unto it, for so it may be used about

Painting or writing. So then, from this operation doth result a

manifold benefit, and both the Iron and Copper, as also the Gold and

Silver are rendered better, and more precious than they would have

otherwise been, if they had been separated each from the other after

the common manner, by the fire.

Therefore, there is not only a great benefit gotten in that way of

operating, in thus extracting Gold and Silver out of their Ores, and

out of the Crude Minerals, and in this so compendious a separation of

a Mass (or mixture) of Metals; but also, that separation brings more

profit than the commonly used and perceived way of separating Gold and

Silver by _Aqua-fortis_ doth, in which way the Mass is to be first

burnt to purity, and all the heterogeneities are to be taken away upon

a Test; then the Silver is to be dissolved in _Aqua-fortis_, and to

be separated from the Gold; this done, then the dissolved Silver is

to be precipitated either by Copper, or by putting water thereunto,

or else the water is to be thencefrom distilled; from whence, there

is not only to be expected no greater profit than what is had (or

gotten) out of the Gold separated from the Silver, but withal even half

the water is lost. But now here (in my way) the greatest part of the

_Aqua-fortis_ is preserved, and is indeed meliorated (if there were Tin

or Iron in the Mass) the very bare Crocus Martis only yields as much

as the water cost, & the Flos Æris is meer gains; the Calx of Silver

is by a solution of Antimony enriched with Gold, the Golden Calx is

augmented by Saturn, and Luna, So that the gain is fourfold, besides

that Gold which is gotten by Separation out of the Silver; and now

may not I justly call this an Artificial extraction or reparation of

the Metals, by the moist way; but now, like as this is a very notably

profitable way of extracting the Metals out of the Ores or Minerals, &

of artificially separating them by the moist way; so likewise may the

same be done in the dry way by fusion; if (_viz._) the Minera’s are

dissolved by Antimony or Lead, & one of the Metals after another shall

be thencefrom precipitated; so that it is not so altogether necessary

to cupellate such a Mass, and by the separatory water (or _Aqua-fortis_

to separate that, which (by that burning on the Test) shall have been

throughly purged; But if all the Metals shall be molten together into

one Mass, there may (first) be precipitated the Gold, then the Silver,

then also the Copper, and by the help of Nitre be rendred pure and

malleable; and this too may be done without much labour or costs; so

that as well by the moist, as also by the dry way, all the Metals may

be very commodiously and compendiously, and in short time separated

the one from the other by the benefit of Salt-petre. Suppose I have

a Mass that has Gold, Silver, or Copper and Iron in it, and I would

have it suddenly depured; therefore I may only burn it with Sulphur,

and by the help of Saturn precipitate one Metal from another, and

purifie the Regulus, by Nitre, and such a Mass though it were 100 pound

weight could I separated with the easy labour of one day, & for 3 or

4 _Dollars_ costs; but as for such an one as hath no use for solution

& precipitation, or hath not convenient melting Pots and Furnaces, he

may granulate such a Mass, and thence precipitate the Gold, Silver,

and Copper, each apart, and draw off the water from his Mars; then the

Mars yields him the price of the water; the Calx of Venus yields the

reward of his pains and labour, and the augmentation or melioration

which happens to the Calx of Sol and Luna in the reduction is clear

gain; so that the Gold and Silver are, as it were gratis, and without

any expence separated from each other, and that both by the dry way and

by the moist way; for the Silver is equally as well graduated and made

auriferous in the dry way, by the fusion or melting in the operating,

or by the transfusing (or through melting) with the Antimony; so then

good Gold may by this way be precipitated out of any Silver not

aureous, provided the business be but dexterously managed.

In the first part of this Book, (where I treated of the concentration

of wood,) I wrote, that a Juice might be pressed, by a peculiar Press,

out of any wood, which afterwards might be turned into good Salt-petre

by the benefit of the Air and time: I likewise there added some

reasons, whereby it might be evinced, that it was possible for Art to

perform such things, which are no other but the Rewards Nature her

self yields, and that the Salt-petre which is wont to be every where

digged out of the Stalls, or Stables of Cattle, is nothing else but the

essential salt of Vegetables, and Animals, which is in a long tract of

time, and by the hidden virtue of the Air, turned into Salt-petre.

But now if any one should haply perswade himself, that if he exposeth

that Juice of the Woods to the Air for some Days, or Weeks, that it

will presently become Salt-petre, certainly he would be much besides

his aim, neither indeed is it lawful to prescribe Nature the time of

her Operation.

Does not a Husbandman deserve to be called Ass, or Blockhead, if some

few days after he hath sown his Corn, he should go into his Field to

see if his Corn were ripe or not? Just thus are you to conceive of this

work, for in all things must you expect the due time, in the Generation

both of Animals, Minerals, and Vegetables, so that there is not the

least need of any farther proof of this matter: For every Generation

requireth its own proper time.

But, that very many haply have wearied themselves with imagining about

that kind of Press, which I have mentioned in the first part of the

_Prosperity of Germany_, and yet have not found it, is not to be much

wondred at. However it is assuredly true, that such a Press may very

easily be prepared, by which you may daily press a great quantity of

Juice out of Wood, be it believed or not believed. But seeing that such

a Press hath been seen with me, and hath been beheld prepared, and wood

squeezed out therewithal, and set to ripen in the Air, sure it cannot

be long ere the truth will manifest it self and publickly vindicate it

self from all its slanderers.

I say again, that such a Press is found by me, and that it is an

artificial one, and is of less costs than will be easily believed. Nay

more, every day brings forth new and better Compendiums, so that there

will not hereafter be any use or need for the Press, to squeeze the

wood out by: but every Vegetable and Animal, may without labour and

trouble be in a short time, and without the press, transmuted into good

Salt-petre, so that many hundred weight of Salt-petre may be generated,

or produced (by the labour of only one person) out of the bare Wood,

Leaves, and Grass, (where they may commodiously be had) and yet ’tis

not the person aforesaid, but the air that causeth this Generation: for

the person doth no more but expose to the air the subject matter, upon

which it may operate, and out of which it may bring forth Salt-petre.

But there is nothing which I admire more at, then, that this present

Age is so sluggish and averse from searching after the secrets of

Nature. Whereas, were but the Properties only of that stupendious,

or wonderful subject Salt-petre, well known, there might well be a

forbearance of reading many Chimical Books seeing that by it alone may

many wonderful things be performed. I have a little afore shown, how

both a moist and dry extraction of Gold and Silver, & the other metals

is to be done by Salt-petre; and if Nitre were of no other use but this

only, yet were it well worthy to be beloved and esteemed by all, and

they should as much as in them lies labour not only to produce it in

plenty out of vile things, but withal to know how to make use of the

same with profit.

But whereas I have not so very openly and clearly described, or

published the precipitation which is done as well by the moist, as

by the dry way of the extraction and separation of metals; I would

not that any one should take it in evil part; for there are exceeding

weighty reasons, that make me fear to prostitute such excellent

Inventions, or to chew meat (as it were) and thrust it into every

Asses mouth. Let it suffice, that I have shewed, that such things are

possible. But yet the Art lies not so fixed in my breast, nor is it

my mind to suffer it to lie buried with me: No, God hath blessed me

therewithal meerly for this end, that I might help and succour others,

to the performance of which, I am most ready and willing; but yet not

every one without any exception, but such as are ingenious Lovers of

the Wonders of God, and know how decently to use all things, least I

being too improvidently liberal, should put new Weapons into the hands

of mine enemies.

I could have buried-over these things in silence, and haply been

at more quiet, but it was no ways possible for me to suppress the

wonderful Works of God, so as to withhold them from coming abroad to

light, and to the view of Men, to the Honour of God. And whensoever it

so comes to pass, that the things delivered at present in this second

part, and which shall be delivered in the following third and fourth

parts, shall be believed, and be brought to effect and be done: then

all the crew of Slanderers and Enemies of the truth shall be confounded

with shame, before the whole World, and that Genuine Alchymy, shall

again be embraced, and honourably flourish: For Salt-petre must be the

Master, as _Paracelsus_ saith, in a certain Chapter where he treats of

common salt, and mentions Salt-petre with a commendable Testimony. Nor

hath _Basil Valentine_ done a less faithful Work as to his Nitre; but

few there are that understand it.

I am not of the mind to boast of the knowledge of many things, but

yet thus much I find, that there is not in all nature any subject

given that may in good deed be compared with Nitre, as to eminency or

excellency; much less deserves to be preferred before it. Let not the

Lover of this Art be disquieted in his mind, so long as there are two

parts to follow, and come forth: For then men will see, and be even

enforced to confess these things which afore they did not believe. And

upon this score do I shorten this part, that I may the sooner come to

the third and fourth parts: In which parts (God willing) there shall

be disclosed many most highly profitable inventions for the benefit of

mankind, but yet they shall be veiled, after that same way and manner,

as others afore me have used to do, that so Pearls may not be cast

afore Swine.

But that I may return to my purpose, and shew that what I have said

is true, and that great things may be done (as to the melioration of

Metals) by the help of Salt-petre, it will be necessary, that those

things which we have already written in this second part be made a

little more clear, and may be visibly demonstrated to the unskilful and

incredulous, in what it is, that this profit we at present speak of, is

seated.

And first, as concerning the Generation of Salt-petre, there hath

been enough said already, _viz._ That it may be prepared by heaps out

of otherwise unprofitable Wood, Shrubs, Briars, _&c._ which rather

endamage the Ground, than do any good, because they become a refuge for

cruel Beasts, which sustain themselves upon the great ruining of the

other Wild ones: Nor needs this work any greater costs than to cause

a House to be built in the Woods, under which the wood, together with

the circulatory Vessel, may stand dry; and besides too, one man is

sufficiently able to manage the whole business, nor is there any thing

else required but those unprofitable underwoods, or Briars, _&c._ or

if you have not such, then, the Leaves that the wind blows off from

the Trees. And if also you add some Salt thereunto, even it will be

likewise turned by the help of the wood into Salt-petre, and hereby

will arise a greater profit: Neither is there any necessity of taking

the Salt we use to season our meat withal. But yet if you can have it

in plentiful quantity (as may be in many places of _Germany_, where

it much abounds) it will be well, but if it be not to be so easily

had, the wood it self will make Salt-petre enough; nor needs there any

other thing, but to begin the work, and let Nature alone to perfect

it, and to produce the Salt-petre. But farther, as _Germany_ doth

never want store of wood, so wants it not salt, for there are whole

Mountains of salt, which to exhaust, is a thing impossible; especially

in the Territories of the Arch bishop of _Saltzburg_, in the Elector of

_Bavaria_’s Country, the Diocess of _Berchtsgaden_ as we call it; which

places, besides their abounding with Salt, do also abound with store

of Wood. Have I not reason to believe that great Treasures and Riches

may be hence reaped. Salt they have at their Feet, and vast Desarts

at hand, which are of no use: O improvident Mankind! What account

shall we give that so behave our selves in our Stewardship. Would it

not be much more praise-worthy to have drawn forth those Treasures,

to the Honour of God, and not to have suffered them to have remained

without being used, and unmanaged; what is the greatness of the charge

requisite to the carrying on this Work that deterrs them? What expence

I pray is it, seeing that a little shead may easily be built in the

Woods? And besides, where great Woods, and many Trees are, there are

also found Minerals both ripe and unripe, and the ripe may be forced

out by Wood, or Coals, the unripe may be fixed, or ripened by the help

of Salt-petre, and the Gold and Silver also may be afterwards thence

separated by the Salt-petre.

And now I pray, would not the Country be enriched hereby with vast

Treasures, and store of Wealth? But put the worst, if every Country did

not abound with store of Wood, yet hath it a great deal of superfluous

Grass and stubble, and this yields as good Salt-petre as the Wood does.

And if in case every Country, or Seignory had not Minerals of their

own, which might be ripened by Salt-petre, and from whence Gold and

Silver might be drawn, yet nevertheless may they be had out of the

bordering Provinces. Nay more, if so be the already excocted Metals

should be advanced to a maturity by the means of Salt-petre, yet would

not even this kind of work be without an acceptable gain, and it would

be better for us so to do, than to hang them up at the Walls in our

Houses, for Ornament, and Pride’s sake. If an Enemy comes, one Ounce

of Gold, is better than a Thousand pounds of Tin, or Copper, which

the owner thereof must necessarily be constrained to leave behind

him, whereas he could carry away the Gold with him; which kind of

concentration we shall treat of in the following third part: and in

the fourth part shall be taught, by what means even Gold and Silver

may be concentrated, that so it may lie hidden from the Enemy, and be

transported (under another kind of form or shape) into such places,

where it may be free from the Enemies Clutches.

And farther, that water which we speak of, serves not only to extract

Gold and Silver out of the Ores, or Minera’s, (which otherwise, could

not be drawn forth by any excocting or forcing) but also for the

taming, and bringing to use that which is in huge Stones, Flints, and

the baser Fossiles (in which, Gold and Silver are only as it were, a

little sticking, and will not be thence had by any art of melting) and

that with profit too well worth the Labour. So that there is scarce

required 6 or 7 Loths of water to extract the Gold and Silver out of

100 _l._ of Ore; and if there were but 2, 3, or 4 Lots of Silver at the

most, in 100 _l._ of such matter, yet would it be a gainful extraction,

especially if the things, or subject, be Arsenical, or as yet Volatile,

and cannot brook the intenseness of the fire, but are driven away by

a strong blast. _For in that extraction by the water, that which is

volatile, is fixed, and retained together_, that it afterwards admits

of being fused, or molten, and that this is so, will evidently appear

to any, experimentally. Let him but take Arsenick, and dissolve it

in Aqua-fortis, and again draw off the water, and he will be able

presently to melt the Arsenick, and make it red hot. Quicksilver is

well known to be a very Volatile matter, but yet even that, (if the

water of Salt-petre be several times drawn off thencefrom) is made so

fixt as to stand and abide wholly in a most intense fire. For, that

which Wood and Coals do (in a long time) perform; the very same doth

such a water effect in a few hours space.

But some or other may oppose or question thus; How can it possibly be,

that if those matters be so very poor, 8 or 10 pound of water should be

sufficient to extract the Gold & Silver which is contained in them; for

it seems as if 8 or 10 pounds of water were hardly enough to moisten

100 _l._ of Ore or Minera, but would be lost amongst such a deal of

Stuff: Let such an one know, that what I have written is possible and

true; I can prove it and demonstrate it even to the sight; but as

concerning the administration of that Work, ’tis not fit it should be

made too common.

And verily, in this sticks the main difficulty, here is the Art and

Skill; ’tis not for every one to acquit himself here, and if that the

gold and silver were extracted by means of this Water, yet even then

the chiefest of the Art is to know how to precipitate the pure Gold and

Silver thencefrom, and incorporate it, which knack I justly reserve

for my Friends; for verily, this is such an Art, as by the benefit

of it alone I shall renew ancient friendship with many, and moreover

purchase me more new friends: And therefore let no body be angry at me,

or count it amiss, that I would not publickly disclose so excellent

an Invention, and put new Weapons into mine Enemies hands to hurt me

withal. [_This is taught in the following parts._] And if I should do

so much as clearly to mention every thing, yet nevertheless should

I incurr the enmity of many men, as much as if I never had done it;

and besides too, it cannot possibly be, that all things should be so

nakedly and plainly decyphered to the unskilful, as that they should

presently be able to do every thing. If they once make trial, and

cannot do the business that they aimed at in their minds, then they

curse him that writ, and bestow many a bitter wish on him, as if he had

been too obscure in expressing himself, and so they despise that which

is otherwise laudable.

But if so be that the possibility of a thing is only demonstrated,

and no Receipt added, then they will not undertake any frustraneous

Labours, nor will have cause of cursing any. But some or other may

here enquire, Where shall I find such a sort of Minerals and Fossiles,

out of which I may extract Gold and Silver? If any such had been to

have been found, they would not have lain idle & waited for my coming;

others would have taken them away long ago, and converted them to their

own uses. I think it expedient to demand as well of such a one, who

those others should be, that should have taken them away before thee?

If their Experience be as little as thine, and thine no greater than

is theirs, there’s no danger of your fore-preventing or deceiving one

another, seeing you are all alike ignorant of the thing.

Think’st thou that the number of those that are experienc’d in

Metals is so large? ’Tis confest, there are enough Excocters or

Metal-Separators, but yet they must _per_ force leave that untouch’d

which they cannot find out, seeing they know no other way of ordering

their Affairs, but the old Road. It oftentimes happens, that there is

more Gold driven away into the air by these Excocters, than is left

behind in the fire, and yet forsooth that Crew arrogate to themselves

abundance of knowledge, and perswade themselves, that they stand not

in any need of any ones advice. Nor indeed do I invite them to any

new Studies and Operations; let all such as list, use the same way

of excocting or separation that they have learned; but if there be

among them those that are not ashamed to learn better, such may be

counselled. My purpose at present is, to do some acceptable Service

to those that have no Mine pits, and who cannot separate Minerals or

Ore in gross, as I may say, and yet would be very glad to enjoy in

private some little small gleanings as ’twere of the bits or small

pieces that the Excocters leave, whereby they may get sufficient gain

for the commodious sustaining of Life. These are they whom I have a

mind to assist; the Richer sort have enough already to fill or satiate

themselves withal; nor need they any information of mine; as for the

Poor, there’s no regard had to them. The whole Artifice therefore

consisteth in the extracting (when there’s but a very little Water

used) and then in the precipitation of the Metals, so that the Water

may remain good, and fit for other uses. There’s plenty enough of poor

Minerals and Fossiles even every where, and which no body regards and

knows. It would not be amiss to look upon or consider of all Flints,

Rocks, and Stones you meet with, and consider what property they are of.

Concerning this I have written in the First Part of the _Mineral Work_,

_viz._ How by the Spirit of Salt Gold may be extracted out of a Flint:

But as hitherto, few there are that have set about that Work, partly

because they could not prepare the spirit of Salt, and partly because

they knew not how to precipitate from it the extracted Gold, nor knew

how to melt the extracted Calx of _Sol_ with Antimony; all which I must

needs confess, is not for every one to perform. But now this Extraction

which is made by the Water of Salt-petre, doth extract the Silver

too, which being thence precipitated, the water remains as virtuous

as afore; and indeed, if a comparison be made ’twixt this and that

Extraction, there is as much difference as is between black and white,

and between the day and night; therefore I say that this is a thing

worth the learning, for it may be of exceeding much profit in times

of affliction. Greatly is that pledge to be esteemed of, _Which_ (as

the old Proverb is) _redeems its Lord_. Art is no burthen to a man to

carry, but it rather carries or bears up a Man, easeth him, and makes

him be of a cheerful mind, because it is a thing on which we may safely

trust. It is more precious than Gold and Gems, which may be lost, but

this abides firm and constant even to the Grave, and doth abundantly

enrich its master.

This Extraction doth likewise serve for the drawing forth Gold out of

Silver, tho’ it be not gilt, which to do is not in every ones power,

tho’ many know that Silver hath Gold in it, yet if it be not of so much

value as to quit the Costs that are necessarily to be expended upon

it, it is left as it is; and now there is no where separated Gold out

of Silver, unless it be gilt, and they see it sticking thereupon. Any

other silver whatsoever, how much gold soever it possesseth, is not

separated, when as though, sometimes there might be made more gain

thencefrom. But I must needs confess, that the separation of the Gold

from the Silver, the usual and known way is conjoined with abundance

of labour, and not worth the costs spent about making the separation,

unless, haply, the silver partakes much of the Gold: Whereas on the

contrary, this my way of separating is done with light labour and small

costs, and therefore may be used about all silver whatsoever, though it

has in it never so little Gold.

But that the business may be yet more clear, and the better perceived,

it will be useful to add this information. When you would separate the

Gold from the Silver by Aqua-fortis, it must first be purified with

Lead, by burning it upon a Test, now in this work there’s the Test,

Fire, the sufficient portion of Lead, the labour and time spent hereon

to be considered, and when all this is done, then the Lead has entred,

together with the Copper that was in the Silver, into the Test, and

may be esteemed of but as a thing just kept from being lost. Besides

too, the Copper carries away with it, a good part of the silver into

the Test. And altho’ that by a most vehement blast of Bellows the Test

may be molten, and part of the Lead, Copper, and Silver recovered, yet

the expences necessarily requisite to this operation, are more than the

regain’d Metals are worth, so that these costs, charges, and troubles

are too great. Then finally, when all this is done, and that the silver

shall have been depured by burning, then it must after all this, be

granulated, and this is some charge, and then when all this is done, it

may be separated by Aqua-fortis, and being separated, be again molten

into a Mass.

Now my way of working is freed from all these kind of linked labours,

and so much trouble and loss of expences and time may be avoided; for

when I take on me to separate any Silver, whether it has much or little

Gold, I cut it into bits about the length and bredth of my Finger, so

as that I but put it into my separatory Vessel; then I make it gently

or by degrees red hot, to the end that the defilements may be the

better washt off, and the separatory water may the better work upon

it. Then pour I in the water, and suffer the Gold, Silver and Copper

to be dissolved; then (after this) do I precipitate the Gold, then the

Silver, then the Copper; all which operations, from the beginning to

the end, are done in three or four hours space, nor requires it any

expence save only the water, and a little fire, to keep the water warm,

that it may the more strongly work upon and dissolve the Silver; the

Metals thus separated from each other and edulcorated, may be melted;

and now from thence may any one see, how much difference there is

betwixt ours and the common separation of metal, by the moist way; and

if there be any one that would use this way of mine, of separation,

he would doubtlessly get much gain and riches, neither could any

one endammage him by way of prevention, and he would get himself an

exceeding profit wheresoever he be, not only out of guilt Silver, but

also out of any other; for there is not a City so small, but it hath

a Silversmith, who buys up the old Silver, and separates it his own

way, which is very laborious and costly, and therefore he would the

willinglier give his Silver to another to separate, whereby himself

might be spared the labour and cost, were there but any one that would

offer him his help thereabouts.

And seeing that all Copper holds Gold hidden in it, and that that

Copper is not any impediment in this my way of separation, but is

resolved together with the Silver, therefore doth it always bring some

increase to the Gold and consequently more gain; but the labour will be

yet more gainful if it be prepared with a separatory water, which hath

other Golden species or things added thereto in the making, and which

render the water aureous, such as are Lapis Calaminaris, Zink, the

Minerals (or Ores) of Iron and Copper; for hereby is made a water that

is in it self auriferous, and which doth readily (in the separation)

join its volatile Gold to the Silver, and suffer its self to be

incorporated; in so much that even such Silver as hath already been

separated and purged, will yield Gold enough in the separation, if it

be dissolved with such a separatory water, which hath been impregnated

by graduating things.

And even as this same extraction which is done in the moist way,

by the water of Salt-petre is exceedingly eminent and of much use,

as being sufficient to supply many thousands of men with food and

necessaries for life, so as that they need not at all to be compelled

to deceive or damnify one another; so likewise, no less excellent is

the extraction, which is done by the dry way; if, _viz._ the Volatile

Antimonial Minerals, or Ores (whether they contain in them Gold, or

Silver, or Copper, Iron, or Tin, and what metals soever they contain in

them) be molten with twice, thrice, or four times as much Antimony in

a Crucible, and be (by the means of Iron) precipitated into Regulus’s;

for by this work, what good soever there was in the Ores, and even the

Metals themselves, may be obtained each apart: for when the Antimony

hath extracted the Gold out of the Minerals, the Gold may then be first

precipitated, then the Silver, lastly the Copper; and all of them with

a very small cost and little labour, insomuch, that in one days time

many pounds of Gold and Silver may be drawn by this art out of the

Minerals: and this too by a little fire. For the Antimony penetrates

the mineral like water, and dissolves what is good in it; and as for

that which is of an earthy nature it casts off from it self, and brings

it into scoria. But it brings the Metal to a Metalline form in the

precipitation, which must then be cupellated, or purified by the help

of Salt-petre. And if haply you cannot get Antimony for this work, than

common Brimstone may serve in its stead, and it will perform the same

thing, if the Minera be ground and mixt therewith, and be molten in a

covered Pot or Crucible, and be precipitated by Iron, for so the Metals

falls down in a Regulus, and the Sulphur abides behind in the scoria.

But this kind of work requires a skilful Artist or Melter, who hath

already been long and much versed in precipitations; for else he will

be intangled therein, and not find the wish’d for success.

NB. This is to be understood of that kind of Minerals and Fossiles

which partake of _Antimony_, _Arsenick_, _Cobolt_, _Marchasite_ or

_Sulphur_, being such as _Antimony_ and _Sulphur_ love to seize upon

and dissolve in the melting: such Minerals or Ores as have sand and

stones among them, they (_viz._ _Antimony_ or _Sulphur_) will have

nothing to do with them; of this kind are Granates, Talk, and such

like: so neither, doth the water of Salt-petre in the moist way extend

its virtue to all the Minerals, nor extracts it Gold and Silver out of

all of them; but especially it acts not at all on them which are very

sulphureous, unless they are first Torrified or Calcined as ’twere,

and so freed from the _Sulphur_, then at length the water performs its

office else not. Nor doth the water act upon Granates or other Minerals

and Fossiles which are (as to the outward appearance) smooth and as it

were glassy. And therefore all such must first of necessity be master’d

by an incense fire, and subdued.

There are likewise to be found some Minerals and Fossiles which

suffer not what they have in them to be introduced into either Lead

or Antimony, or to bestow their Treasure upon them; nor will they be

forced out nor cupellated, but both are and remain scoria, and do

retain that form of glass which they afore had unless haply you make

them stoop, and master them by a most strong blast; for by this means

they suffer their Gold and Silver to be wrested from them: But they may

be mastered too, if you thereto add in the fusing some Potters-ashes,

or salt of the Lees of Wine, or Ashes made of Wood, and melt them

together, for so by this means also will they be obedient to thee; for

salts dissolve in flux all stony Minerals, and such as resemble glass

and scoria, which otherwise no other fire is able to do. But to make

any more accurate description of that thing, appertains not to this

place, but to the following Third Part of this Book; that which we have

here minded, is only to make light touches as ’twere about shewing the

variety of Fossiles and Minerals; and that, if haply any one should

light on such a Mineral, out of which he cannot extract the metal,

neither by the help of Antimony, nor by the water of Salt-petre, he

should not think it void of every thing or that he has not dexterously

and conveniently enough handled the same, but may know, that the only

cause is, the property of the Mineral it self.

And now, even as the Sulphureous minerals do chiefly admit of being

separated by Antimony admixed in the melting, and those that are stony,

not so; even so the water of Salt-petre doth more willingly extract the

stony Minerals, than the sulphureous ones; but yet, if the sulphur be

taken from them by Torrefaction, it is able to dissolve even these too.

But it chiefly loves those that have Stria, and are a spotted

(Quartzig) sandy, poor kind of Minera: which (otherwise) you cannot

extract commodiously neither by Fusion or by Mercury: But that you

may never be deceived here, it will be altogether expedient to be

acquainted with both ways, both with this which is done by flux, &

with that moist way which is done with Water; both ways are good, and

exceedingly profitable in the separation of the Minera’s or Ores;

and that not only of such as may be every where had, but likewise of

metalline mixtures: whether it be by melting them together, or else

by some sad mischance of your Houses being burnt; or finally, if it

proceed from thence, that Gold and Silver do lie hidden unknown in

copper, Tin, Iron, or Lead; now they may with ease be separated from

each other by both those aforesaid ways, and on such wise as that

nothing may be lost.

The ancients knew not how to extract the Gold and Silver out of Copper

as the modern Refiners are wont to do, but took them together as they

lay and so applied them to any uses whether to make Bells or great

Guns. Neither was the separation by _Aqua-fortis_ so much in use in

those days as in ours: Nay more, if in a Mark of Silver there was

no less than the quantity of a Ducket of Gold, yet notwithstanding

they did not separate it, but did make it up into money as it was,

as the old Coins do sufficiently testify. For it is evident that all

Silver almost, partakes of Gold, and ancients being unexercised and

not well versed in the Art of separation, all the Silver though never

so auriferous was Coined into Money, or put to other uses; but their

successours smelt out what they had done, and therefore bought up all

such Money, and separated it, & made thereof an exceeding gain: so that

there is not in our age so much as a Dollar, Schrenckbergick, Gross,

Crucifer, even to the smallest half Penny, of Gold Coin to be had

throughout all _Germany_, all being changed and bought up and wiped off

the Gold. But yet there is Silver enough left, both made into money,

and wrought up by the _Gold-smiths_, a Mark whereof contains, ⅛ or ¼ of

a Ducket of Gold; and therefore seeing the common way of separation by

_Aqua-fortis_ cannot be of use here, because the costs are too great,

and the little portion of the Gold will not countervail the same; it

may be done this way, and separated by either the moist, or by the

dry way, and that with profit, though there should be less than ⅛th

part of a Ducket in a Mark of Silver. And besides, Bells ever have much

Silver in them, neither was it separated therefrom by the ancients (as

we have said afore): and likewise old Tin hath a great deal of Gold and

Silver in it, which was of old wont to be molten and wrought up with

the Copper into Bells or great Guns. Many there are that well know,

that there is Gold and Silver in these things, but how to extract them

thence, they know not: For Copper admits not of being cupellated (or

purified) by Lead, much less of being separated, & yet more difficult

is it to do it by _Aqua-fortis_. But yet, it may be effected and that

with a great deal of profit by the way which we have shewn, both the

moist and dry too. And therefore he that shall be well skill’d in these

operations, doing it either by melting with Antimony, or by the Water,

will get abundance of profit out of your old and broken pieces of

Bells: Nay should he buy them whole, yet would he get no small matter,

for he may extract their Gold and Silver, and then melt them anew.

For there is not barely in Bells that portion of Gold & Silver which

the Copper and Tin had naturally in them, and of which the Bells are

made; but also, it was the custom of the ancients, (when a new Bell was

molten or founded,) to call some God-fathers or Witnesses (according to

their ancient custom) who named the Bells afore they were baptized: And

like as it is even at this day the usual custom every where throughout

Christendom in the baptizing of Infants for the God-fathers to give

their God-child some Money (or Plate) as a remembrance; so the ancients

did do in the baptizing of their Bells, as they were flowing in the

Furnace they cast thereinto Gold and Silver, to testify their affection

to Holy uses, and also that the Bells might fuse the better, and yield

a clearer sound. Upon this account I say, that ’tis no small gain that

may be gotten out of old Bells, seeing there never is a Bell which is

destitute of Gold and Silver.

And now the well-minded Reader sees what use this extraction and

precipitation of Gold & Silver which is done either in the moist or in

the dry way, is of; and that not only in Minerals and Fossiles, but

likewise in metalline mixtures too, out of which there can nothing be

obtained by any other way.

Who I pray will not now magnifie or highly esteem of Salt-petre, and

take care about having it prepared in great plenty, and so convert it

to his profit, seeing it is clearly manifest that so much good may be

done with it both in Metalline Affairs and Medicine? I do what I am

able, I offer my self to all good Men: If they will not listen to me,

I am not to be blamed but am void of fault. Man’s Life is too short,

than for one Man to be able to describe all the things that may be done

by the help of Salt-petre; neither indeed is it to be wished that many

should know it.

But seeing I but now treated of the precipitation of Metals and

Minerals, I think it worth while, to shew the cause of that

precipitation, that so the studious of Art may have a more certain

foundation of this thing. That which is to be separated, must of

necessity be a bound up or fast knit body, for else it would not

need any reparation; therefore forasmuch as one Metal knits up, or

incloseth another, they cannot be separated from one another, but by

the breaking or destruction of the bonds which they are tied withal,

and knit each within another; this destruction now, is to be done by

the Fire, both in the moist and likewise in the dry way. Copper, Tin,

Iron, and Lead, may in the dry way be separated from Gold and Silver,

if they are Cupellated together on a Test: For then the superfluous

or burning _Sulphur_, in the imperfect Metals acts upon it self and

reduceth its own proper Body or Metal into Scoria, and seeing that

there is a great part of Lead therein, those Scoria are fluxile, and it

doth by little & little (as much of it as goes into scoria) insinuate

it self or slide into the porous Tests of Hearths. But the Gold and

Silver which have no superfluous _Sulphur_, do remain unhurt upon

the Test, washt and clean & do now shew themselves in their clarity

& brightness; This is the separation of the good from the bad, or

the combustible from the incombustible, which is done by the force

of Fire only, and solely: by which, the imperfect Metals are by the

help of Lead converted into brittle scoria, and so creep into the

Tests, and separate themselves from the perfect Bodies; and this is a

very easie work, and well enough known to every body, and is by the

Refiners called Cupellation. But now in this separation, there’s only

a separation made of the imperfect Metals from the perfect, but the

Gold and Silver remain mixt together, and if you would have each apart

too, then ’tis necessary that the one be dissolved and separated from

the other by a most strong _Aqua-fortis_. But if the portion of the

Silver be more than the Gold, then the Silver is dissolved by a common

_Aqua-fortis_ made of Salt-petre and Vitriol, and so the Gold will fall

to the bottom: and this way of separation is well enough known and used

by all the Refiners and Goldsmiths; but if there be more Gold than

there is Silver, then do they dissolve the Gold by _Aqua-regia_, and

so the Silver remains undissolv’d; nor is the _Aqua-regia_ any thing

else but a strong water of Salt-petre, in which some _Sal-armoniack_ is

dissolved; for the common or simple water of Salt-petre doth dissolve

the Silver only and leaves the Gold; and contrariwise the _Aqua-regia_

dissolves the Gold only, and meddles not with the Silver; but if they

know not the right way of ordering the _Aqua-regia_, they are wont to

add to the Gold in the melting so much Silver as may make up three

times the weight that there is of the Gold, and so they separate it by

_Aqua-fortis_, which (kind of operation) we call (=die Quartz=).

There is yet another way of separation, which is known unto them, and

this is done by Cementation, if (_viz._) divers Metals are commixt

together, and they are mixt with Vitriol, Salt, and Tiles, _Stratum

super stratum_, and so kept together a while for some due time in a

continual fire; then the Salt and Vitriol do assume to themselves the

imperfect Metals, and leave the most perfect, that is the Gold, alone.

Cementing doth also attract Silver and Iron, Copper and Lead; but this

kind of separation is only used to impure Gold, perfectly to purifie it.

There is yet another way of separation, which is done by Antimony, and

is likewise only used to Gold, to cleanse it from its impurity and

vitiosity. There is also another way of separating by fusion, in which,

if you would have a metalline mixture which hath Gold, Silver, Copper,

Iron, Tin, and Lead in it, to be separated into its several kinds, then

the mixture must be granulated and burnt with Sulphur, and being burnt,

it must be melted in a Pot, and so by precipitating it either with Lead

or Iron, one Metal must be separated orderly from another; which way is

wont to be used (as far as I know) but by few, because they are not so

understanding in Nature, nor know any cause why one Metal separates it

self from another, sooner and more readily out of the mass or metalline

mixture, and settles to the bottom.

But that the ingenious Lover of Art may have some directory, as

’twere, and some occasion to consider with himself more deeply, and

may have a willingness to undertake so excellent and profitable an

Art, I have a mind to discover the cause of the precipitation. It is

sufficiently evident, that _like rejoiceth with like_, and that there’s

a disagreement ’twixt unlike things. Oil loves to be mixt with Oil, &

Water is willingly united with Water, but not at all with Oil, lest

by a _medium_ intervening. Hence it is, that for as much as one Metal

is of a different nature from another, that such as are alike, love

each other, and such as be unlike do abhor and shun each other; and

therefore when there are divers Metals in one mass, and that you would

separate them, it is necessary that you do it by adding such a thing as

is of affinity to the more imperfect part, and is at Enmity with the

perfecter part. As for examp. Sulphur is a friend to all the Metals,

save Gold, and that it hates; but yet it loves (even in the imperfect

Metals) one better than another: for by how much the more like they

are thereunto, and the more imperfect, so much the more readily is it

a friend or enemy thereto. And therefore when the Sulphur shall have

been put into the mass in the combustion, then the most noble parts

flie off, and do their best to free themselves from the fellowship of

the imperfect and unclean metals; but yet they cannot rid themselves

without some assistance; and therefore if some sulphureous or imperfect

Metal shall be put to the sulphureous mass, then the sulphur laies hold

upon it, and lets go the more perfect part, tho’ not so pure as yet,

but it needs a greater purification; concerning which there may be read

more at large in the Explication of my _Miraculum Mundi_. This work is

called _Precipitation_, when the more perfect part is precipitated and

separated from the more vile, and that out of one and the same mixture.

The same reason is there in the precipitation made in the moist way, if

(_viz._) _some_ Metals, or _all_ together, be dissolved in the water,

one is thence precipitated after another orderly. First, That which

is the most noble and most perfect, then the 2 & 3, and so regularly,

until they are all precipitated. This is that most excellent and

hitherto wholly unknown, and most gallant Invention wherewith I hope to

become serviceable to my Friends.

He that well understands this precipitation, will gain much, but if

he only meddles with this operation in a careless manner, and meerly

customary as ’twere, and so not know the reason it self, why such, or

such a thing is, he may worthily be compared to an Ass that carrys a

sack, but knows not what is therein contained, nor whither he is to

carry it. Therefore I will yet farther add a more clear information.

Iron precipitates Copper out of both the dry and moist solution; Copper

precipitates silver both in the moist and dry solution: _Mercury_ doth

chiefly precipitate Gold, and altho’ Copper, Iron, Tin, and Lead, do

also precipitate Gold and Silver, yet each Metal hath its own peculiar

precipitation, and farther note, that Precipitations done with Salts do

exceed those done with the Metals, for by them may all the Metals be

precipitated; and this hath even hitherto been kept secret.

And besides, one Metal does not only precipitate another, but doth

likewise change or alter it. As for examp. If I put the Plates

of Copper in a solution of Silver, then (whether the solution or

operation be done either in the moist way or in the dry way) the

silver precipitates it self by means of the Copper. And if I but know

how to manage that business knowingly and skilfully, the Silver will

also graduate some of the Copper into Silver in the precipitation, and

there will be gained more silver than was put in the solution. In like

manner, if I precipitate Copper with Iron, out of a solution of Copper,

then doth the Copper precipitate it self by reason of the Iron, but

withal, some part of the Iron doth exalt it self in the precipitation

into Copper; and seeing that this kind of operation is confirmed by

often Experience, there is none can safely question it. But I do not

say, that in such a gradation all the Iron is turned into Copper, or

all the Copper into Silver; nor did I ever try it; but yet I readily

believe, that it is a thing possible to be done by reiterated workings.

Mercury precipitates Gold most willingly, but only in the moist way,

for in the dry way it cannot subsist; but to precipitate it in that

way, Iron serves excellently well; Copper also and Lead are profitably

useful hereabout also, but yet Iron is better.

There is a singular precipitation of Silver with Mercury, which I will

here mention. The Chymists some hundreds of years ago, made Silver

out of Cinnabar, but without any benefit or profit; neither did their

silver they got come from the Mercury, but from that silver which they

added to the Cinnabar. They took common Cinnabar, made of Quick-silver

and Brimstone, and brake it into small bits, about the bigness of

the Nail of ones Finger, and made Layes, or _Stratum super stratum_,

thereof, with filings of pure Silver, then they luted up all well, and

kept it in a moderate heat for 20, 30, or 40 hours, and by this way

they found that their Cinnabar, which at first was red, was made black;

this matter they cupellated with Lead upon a Test, and so got as much

Silver as was the weight of the Mercury in the Cinnabar.

NB. As much silver as they got, so much wanted there of the silver

they put unto it, and so there was no Gain made from hence; and

they supposed (but falsly) that the Quicksilver extracted the soul

out of the silver put thereunto, and that therefore the said silver

was rendered volatile. Nor indeed is it contrary to Reason, that

_Argent-vive_ should extract the soul from Silver, & thereby convert it

self into silver; and that on the other hand, this exanimated silver be

made wholly volatile, if it be not animated anew by other Metals; and

this is what some have done and attained to, by the help of Lead.

But the Operation which I treat of at present is rather an attraction

or precipitation of silver by Mercury, and this precipitation is to be

done in the moist way, and is most wondrous easie; nor is it without

Encrease or Gain, provided you are willing to wait its time, and ’tis

thus.

If one part of purer silver be dissolved in _Aq. fortis_, and in the

solution two parts of Rain-water be added to one Part of _Aq. fortis_,

and there be likewise thrown in three or four parts of Quick-Mercury,

and all this be left some daies or weeks in a cold place, unmoved, then

the silver precipitates it self out of the Water to the Mercury, and

the Mercury dissolves it self into the Water, and both together yield a

wonderful representation of growing things, like Mountains and Vallies,

and certainly is of a most pleasant aspect. The result of which is

this, _viz._ if they stand so a long time and shall be afterwards

edulcorated and reduced by Lead, then the Silver gets no small encrease

from the Mercury: But yet there’s no gain to be thence had unless those

out growings (or representations of fine things) be suffered to operate

and germinate above a Year: And this, few operators will yield to do,

and to be withheld so long a time from the fruits of their Labours. Now

the reason of this operation is thus: The _Aqua-fortis_ is a moist and

cold Fire, and ripens as well as the dry and hot fire, but he need be a

skillful Artist that sets upon this Work.

It is evident that some of the ancient Philosophers maturated their

Universal Medicine by a moist fire, as you may see in _Artephius_ and

others. Othersome Philosophers extracted a certain secret water, or

universal Menstruum and dissolvent out of the Nitrous Sea, and did

thereby perform most notable things, but they always kept it secret,

and the description they have made thereof, hath been obscured, or

painted over with Riddles, or dark expressions, when they say, that

♄ draws his secret water out of the Sea, of as clear brightness as

the Moon: which way of drawing it belongs not to this place to shew:

only thus much is hinted, that out of Nitre may be drawn an Universal

Menstruum, which is more excellent than the Corrosive Spirit of Nitre,

which said Spirit doth indeed dissolve all things, but after the

manner of corrosives, whereas this which ♄ draws and is of the clear

brightness of the Moon, hath nothing of Corrosivity in it, but is mild

and sweet, and wets not the hands, or tingeth them, as that Corrosive

doth; and altho’ such a water be Volatile, and not fixt, yet is it of

such a nature as to constringe, and fix other fugitive, and unfixt

things. ’Tis a thing most worthy of admiration to consider how those

Natures have a mutual love each to the other, and embrace one another,

and are converted the one into the other. And thus much may suffice to

have been spoken concerning the precipitation of the Metals out of both

the dry, and moist solutions.

Let no body seek to fish ought more out of me by their Letters; but as

for such as formerly have been my friends, and even now are, or shall

hereafter be, to these I will not deny any thing, always provided, that

nothing be done against a _decorum_ (as they use to say) or a discreet

behaviour.

But now if any one thinks that (if he comes flying from the East or

West) I must presently lay aside all my business, and only attend

upon doing and answering what he demands: No, that’s a thing my

Affairs won’t permit me to do, for I have somewhat else to manage. And

therefore would I forewarn such an one, that he enters not on such a

Journey afore he be certain whether or no it stands with my convenience

or not. For this hath many a time already happened unto me, _viz._

for some one to come with a desire of knowing this or that secret,

who (when I would have told it him, but that I had no time then to

accommodate him) hath gone away stomaching at me, and began to reproach

me publickly afore all Men, as if I were some inhumane, or merciless

fellow, and would not satisfy his request. Some also there have been,

who out of the meer malice of their mind have divulged, that I my self

have nothing, seeing they can get nothing from me; there are many such

perverse kind of men to be found, who make no Conscience of enervating,

or sucking out the very Marrow of the Bones of others, so as they may

be but benefited thereby themselves; which verily is a great evil and

inhumanity. How often have such kind of men come unto me, whom, (when

they have spoken with their kind words unto me, and also carry the

garb, and outside show of very honest Men, and promised all decent

thankfulness) I have satisfy’d, and yet have afterwards fled off from,

and broken their Faith: Therefore it is the best way for him who has

any singular thing, to bury it over in silence, and so he need not fear

of being drained by others, that know how (by the perswasive flattering

Art) to get out his skill, and give no thanks afterwards for the same.

If I had not already began to describe the _Prosperity of Germany_,

certainly I would not now begin; but forasmuch as I have taken upon me

to finish what I have begun, I will stand to my promise, and will in

like manner shortly publish (if God shall see it good) the third and

fourth part.

And seeing that in both the following parts, the melioration, or

concentration of the Metals, is chiefly to be done by the help of

Salt-petre, I was willing more amply to confirm in this second part,

that which I wrote in the first part of the Generation of Salt-petre.

And I do again and again averr with the greatest asseveration, that

such a generation of Salt-petre out of wood is very true, and is

founded on Nature her self.

Now must I proceed a little onwards, and withal demonstrate to the

simple, that the putrefactory Stomack, in which the wood is digested

and putrefied, and which transmuteth all wood, and resolves likewise

all Leaves and Grass in a short time, transmutes and reduceth it into

Dung, is as the stomack of Animals is, and this may be done in a most

vast Quantity, as hath been proved in the first part of the _Prosperity

of Germany_; and this no Mortal Man can ever refute, _viz._ that the

essential salt, or salt of Nature, is no other thing but Salt-petre,

but is not as yet burning, or flaming up, until it be animated by the

air, and conceive a life thencefrom, the essential salt of Vegetables,

barely such, is not so, _viz._ Salt-petre, as hath been sufficiently

manifested.

Now whatsoever gives fertility and power of growth, is Nitrous; if

therefore there lay hid no Nitre in Minerals, as in stones, why would

the Gardiners carry slackt Lime into their Fields, and use it instead

of Dung to dung their Fields withal? Whence doth the Salt-petre come

that grows on upon old Walls, if not from the Lime? What is the reason

that the Salt-petre men do seek after old ruined walls, to make

Salt-petre thereout of, were nothing in them? I verily believe that

this is an indubitable Argument, that there is Salt-petre hidden in all

things: For the salt of the World, or the Universal Essential salt, is

nothing else but Salt-petre, when it hath after a due time attracted a

life out of the air, to which end my secret circulatory instrument was

invented, that such an animation might be the more conveniently brought

to pass.

Nor do the other kinds of salts, _viz._ Sal-Gem, the salt made out of

the natural salt fountains, or sea-salt, likewise all salts which are

made out of the Lees of Wood ashes, or of Lime, also Alume and Vitriol,

all these are not so widely different from salt-petre, but they may

easily be transmuted, and converted into salt-petre by the animation

of the air, by the help of my circulatory vessel; but for the better

perception of the operation, I will subjoin this Example.

Dissolve as much Sal-Gem, sea salt, or salt made out of the salt

fountains, or common salt which is frequently used in boiling of

meats, or salt made of Wood ashes, or of the stones of Calx-vive, in

Aq. fortis, as much as the water will assume to its self, or be able

to dissolve, and let it again cool; then the salt does not concrete

or shoot granularly, any more but into longish Cones like salt-petre.

Pour off the Aq. fortis, or Salt-petre water, and dissolve it, _viz._

the salt, again in a Lixivium of Lime, and cristallize it, so shall

you have therefrom a Natural, or Genuine Salt-petre, and no less

combustible than any other Salt-petre that is digged out of the

stables where Cattle have stood. Then again may there be, by the said

Salt-petre water, more salt prepared, either common salt, or salt out

of Herbs, or Wood, and be dissolved and crystallized, from whence

results a new salt-petre, and this operation may be so long repeated,

until all the salt-petre water be turned together with the salt, into

salt-petre.

This transmutation of salt-petre is perfected in some hours, and

from hence may a worthy reward for your pains be reaped, could it be

otherwise performed than in Glasses; and indeed, out of one pound of

salt-petre, would there come an hundred pounds of petre, if a part of

the transmuted salt be still distilled anew into water, and more new

salt be by it again transmuted. But there is no such need of setting

about a work so laborious, seeing there is at hand a far speedier, or

more dexterous way of doing the same, if _viz._ those salts shall be

animated by the air, by the circulation that I have contrived, and

so be turned into salt-petre in great quantity: which animation, or

hatching as ’twere, may be done in vast quantity by easie labour, and

little costs, the air (as we use to say) turning or making both sides

of the Leaf: For one portion continually kindles and animates another,

no otherwise than as a little Leaven doth a great Mass of Dough, and

as a little Fœces, or Yeast, yea, as little as will lie in a Spoon,

serves to ferment a whole Vessel of Ale; the same is done here. And

indeed, common salt-petre may be implanted into other salts, even as

a Vegetable Seed is sown in the Earth, so as thence to get in a short

space of time a great encrease, even an hundred, or a thousand-fold.

But the sluggish Companions who had rather fatten themselves with

eating, drinking, and sleeping, and wholly give themselves to laziness,

who is able to wait so long in the expectation of this thing? Alass for

ye, ye sloathful, lazy, and devouring Gluttons, with what face dare

ye so manifestly to betray your laziness? I pray, if you put out your

Money to Use, and have 5 or 6 _per C._ as we use to say, a Year, must

you not expect the years revolution afore ye receive it? And besides,

you run here a hazard too, least your Debtor breaks, and defraud you

of the very Principal it self: If you lay out your Moneys on building

Houses, so to make a great gain thereby, may not your Tenant be reduced

to such wants as not to have wherewithal to pay you, unless haply,

out of the very Stubble, or Litter of his poverty? May not your Ships

which float about in the Sea, be cast away by Storms and Tempests, or

be taken by Pirates? Why are ye not as Patient in your expectation as

the Husbandman is, who after he hath sown his Grain, must wait a whole

year afore he reaps with advantage what he hath sown. Nay, yet more,

if he be pretty fortunate, he scarce gains 6 in the 100, the costs and

pains being reckoned; and in the mean time he is in fear, lest the

Corn should be blited by the cold, or being near ripe, should by a bad

season be spoiled and corrupted in the field. If there happens a year

that is droughty, then the Corn cannot grow up high, or ’tis eaten by

the Mice; but now in the preparation of Salt-petre all those Cares are

saved, and 100 Dollars may yearly yield thee 2, 3, 4, or more gains,

and that without any wronging thy Conscience, and without endamaging

any other, and without Extortion; for if thou hast much Salt-petre,

thou maist promise thy self much gold and silver also, for there will

alwaies be such as buy it up; and if thou attentively heedest, thou

hast so much delivered thee in my Writings, as that thou thy self

maist spend it all on the melioration and Separation of Metals: Nor

needest thou, if thou thinkest it good, sell any of the same. Nor is

there any reason that thou should be asham’d or repent of such a Work,

because one man is sufficient, without any others help, to manage the

greatest operation: nor need there great expence, save only a little to

build a Small Cottage, wherein the Salt-petre may be kept dry. If you

have huge Woods at hand, you may make your Salt-petre out of wood; if

you want wood, then out of the dung of Horses, Oxen, or other Beasts,

and Sheep, or else out of even common Salt, which we use in seasoning

our Meats, out of wood-ashes, and out of Lime: Whatever it be prepared

from, it will not cost much, for 1 _l._ of Salt will yield thee 1 _l._

of Salt-petre.

But haply some or other may be in the mind to think or demand, why

_Glauber_ himself sets not about this work, and reserve the whole Gain

to himself? To these I answer, that I am not of Such a greedy desire,

as to wish for all to my self; nor will it at all be unacceptable to

me, if another hath likewise somewhat; nor will it be at all less

lawful for me to do for my self so much as seemeth me good, as for any

other to take his liberty, and to do to himself as seemeth him good.

Besides too, I am not of the mind to make the thing so very common, but

will see whom I communicate ought unto, that so it may be applied to

good uses, and not come into the hands of the Unworthy.

The first ten years however Salt-petre will not be of so vile a price,

but that it may be made and sold to profit; Who knows whether or no

he shall live so long? And if at the utmost it should after 20 or 30

years be of so mean a price, because of this Invention of mine, yet in

the interim they may all that while enjoy the profit of the same; and

it may be expected from the hands of God, that He will, for the time

to come, provide for them some other waies: But never will it be so

vile, as to be worth nothing; and if it were so, that you could not

make any Money of it, (tho’ it is impossible that it should ever be

such a drug) yet (by that manuduction which I have afore given in the

1, 2, and 4_th._ Parts of my _Furnaces_; as also in _The Explication of

Miraculum Mundi_; in the _2d._ & _3d._ Part of my _Pharmac. Spagyr._

and in This Second, and shall be in the following Third and Fourth

Parts of the _Prosperity of Germany_;) it may be improved about many

eminent uses, and so Gain be thereof made; for Salt-petre is such a

Subject, as you can never have too much of, and is therefore worth

our labouring after, and our endeavouring how to prepare it in good

quantity, and withal, of finding out what benefit it is naturally able

to afford us; for it is even a wonder to consider how great things may

be done by the help thereof: It is the greatest Poison and yet may a

most excellent Medicine be thereout of prepared: Colder it is than Ice,

and yet hotter than any fire. It is the Generator of all things, and

also their Corrupter; it vivifies and kills all things; it is heavier

than gold, and yet lighter than the Wind; it is also Fire and Water,

Air and Earth, Male and Female; it impregnateth and suffereth it self

to be impregnated; it is light, and is also darkness; it is black and

white: There are in it as many Colours as the world affords; it is fixt

and volatile, corporeal and spiritual; it kindles and burns all things,

and doth also quench all burnings; it is the Beginning of all things,

and yet it causeth the End of all things; that which is Soft, it makes

to be congealed and become stiff; and again, that which is stiff or

hard, it makes soft.

O Thou Creator of all things, How great a vastness is there of

thy wonderful Works? and what a fewness is there of those who

understand, or know, or labour to know it! O thou eternal Light!

illuminate the dark breasts of the lost Sons of the World; O thou

vivifying fire, mollifie, enkindle, heat the stubborn hearts of

sluggish Mankind, that are oppressed with sleep, and frozen with

cold, that so they may seek thee, and know thee, and learn to

fear thee in true Humility, and to honour & worship thee without

Hypocrisie. _Amen._

_An Admonition, and short Repetition of those things which

are treated of in this Treatise._

_That the Friendly Reader may make this Book yet of more use and

benefit to himself, I thought it worth while by way of an Overplus,

again to set here afore his eyes those Secrets which have been herein

mentioned, what ’tis that the use of them doth consist properly in._

_First of all, it hath been shown, how by the means of Salt-petre, all

Volatile, and immature Minerals are to be brought to a ripeness both

in the moist way and in the dry way, that so they may yield forth out

of themselves in the melting, good durable Gold and Silver. Then I

taught by what way the Volatile, Arsenical, Coboltick, and Antimonial,

Auriferous, and Argentiferous Minerals, may by an easy labour, be by

an artificial fusion, and extraction, and also by a precipitation

into Regulus’s, and by the purification or cupellation of the said

Regulus’s, by the help of Salt-petre, converted or brought into use in

the dry way, and the Gold and Silver hidden in them be drawn forth.

Thirdly, I have shown the extraction of Gold and Silver out of all

the barren, or poorer sort of Minerals or Ores, which are not worth

the charges of excocting, or the usual way of proceeding, and of the

drawing them out by a singular Art, with the water of Salt-petre, and

of rightly working them; which way is to be preferred far afore any

usual excoction of those poorer kinds of Minerals, not only because

such an extraction is performed without a melting fire, and a Furnace;

but also, because in this extraction there is more obtained than is

by excoction or forcing out: And yet farther, that which was Volatile

in them is fixed together, and retained, by that Water of Salt-petre

which would otherwise in a melting Fire fly away in fume. And more

than this too, Gold and Silver may by this moist way and that with

very easie Labour be extracted and in a due manner perfected, and that

commodiously and with no small profit, out of any, the vilest Fossiles

(or things dig’d out of the Earth) as out of disesteemed Earths,

Dusts, Sands, and Flints, from whence, otherwise you cannot extract

any thing neither by Excoction nor by Mercury: So that in all places

of the World what coast soever, so it be somewhat a dryish soil, is to

be found such kind of Earth, Clay (or Marle) Sand, Flints, and such

like which contain in them a thin or sparing kind of Gold and Silver,

and from which they may profitably be extracted. Verily it is a dainty

Art which may be used in all parts of the World, nor is it at all

burdensom to carry, but may be excellently (well, or safely) preferred

till need requires. But this is to be noted that the fatter Earth or

Clay must first be made red hot and burnt afore it be moistned with

the Water of Salt-petre. For without so doing, the Earth would always

remain thick (or clammy,) would drink up much water, and it would

not easily be separated, but being burned, it suffers it self to be

extracted no other than as if it were Sand. So neither do the Ore or

Fossiles of Iron which are auriferous and abound with Iron, suffer the

Gold to be extracted and precipitated out of them as readily as other

Minera’s or Ores do. But the iron, (if then be overmuch of it) makes

the Water thick and pappy like Mud. And therefore you must put into

that solution a part of common Water, to make it the thinner, that so

the Gold and Silver may be the easilier precipitated thencefrom. The

auriferous Coppery Ores are to be burnt first, if they are sulphureous,

if not, they may then be extracted, though not burnt. The sandy, stony,

brittle, and pebblish, Fossiles need no other preparation but to be

burnt and ground._

_Likewise all auriferous Irony, or Coppery Ores, may be separated by

common salt, without a Furnace, or melting fire, and that in the open

air (as we said afore where we treated of the poorer Coppery Minera’s,

or Ores:) and many hundreds of pounds may be done at one time, and

with one labour, and the Gold which is extracted mixtly with the

Iron and Copper, may be separated out of the solution, by the moist

precipitating way there delivered, and that with a mighty profit and

gain, because that same precipitation hurts not in the least either the

Copper, or the Iron, as to their malleability._

_In like manner may you precipitate the Gold out of any Vitriol water,

and that in quantity (when it has any in it): and on such wise too,

that the precipitation of the Vitriol shall not at all change ought of

its nature; and this is so compendious a way, as that if there were

contained no more than one quarter of a Drachm of Gold in 100 =l.= of

Vitriol, yet would not that precipitation be of no use or profit. And

on this wise and manner may all other Mineral waters be precipitated._

_Moreover, as concerning the means of easily preparing the salt so

as to serve for the extracting the Copper, in all Countries, but

especially on the Sea Coasts, the Concentration of salt out of the

waters, or the Sea will afford you no mean, or obscure Documents

touching that thing; which concentration it treated of in the Book

Intituled, =The Consolation of Navigators=._

_But forasmuch as there is mention made in this Treatise of a yet other

certain Artificial separation of Gold and Silver out of the imperfect

Metals, in which, Antimonial scoria have place, in a forenamed

extraction, which I would willingly (but as yet have not) delivered;

let no body so construe it, as if I either purposely, or carelesly

omitted the same: No! The Case is far otherwise, and this is the true

reason; seeing this Book now in hand is become more prolix than I

intended, I determined with my self to reserve that most profitable

process for the following third part, which God willing, I will very

shortly publish, till then, I entreat the Friendly Reader to expect or

wait for it with a good and patient mind._

_Mean while he may acquiesce with these two ways, =viz.= the dry and

the moist, and delight himself herein, and withal take care (as far as

in him lies) to have ready by him, some quantity of Salt-petre; for the

following third part shall treat of nothing else but the performing

and doing of processes by the help of Salt-petre. He therefore that

knows how to make it in plenty at a small rate, may hope for so much

the greater benefit; and this I judged expedient, to add here for

admonitions sake. More shall be discovered (God willing) in the third

and fourth following parts._

[Illustration: A. Ein Kleiner Zinßbaur mit einem Plug. B. Ein

Zinßbaur mit 3:Pflüge. C. Deß Zinßbauren Huet. D. Deß Zinßbauren

3:Pflüge. E. Die Register dar durch daß Feür regiret wirt. F. Daß

eingesetzte Glaß mit seinem Helm vnd Recipienten. G. Die Thüer Zu

dem Röster. H. Daß Aschenloch I. Ein Körblein mit Kohlen.]

[Illustration:

☉ ☽ vnd ♂︎ mit ♃ Gagen,

♄ mus die Garne tragen,

Stelt ☿ recht nach dem Windt,

So wird gefangen Fraw ♀ Kindt.]

THE

THIRD PART

OF THE

Prosperity of Germany.

In which is Delivered,

The way of most easily and plentifully extracting _Salt-petre_ out

of Various Subjects every where Obvious and at Hand.