All Diuretick and principally Earth-worms being maturated and

corrected, have a power to strengthen the venereal faculty. But the

correcting of them must not be after the usual Kitchen way of Women,

where Wine, Sugar, Spices, and such like things are added to correct

any subject by. No, but it is to be done by the benefit of Fire, after

a Philosophical manner, without the addition of any other things, not

with the Kitchen Fire, but with that Philosophical, moist, vaporous,

digesting, altering, penetrating, ripening, amending, conserving, and

in one degree always abiding Fire, the which is to be sought after

in Niter. Great is the errour that is committed in the decoctions of

Vegetables, when Herbs, Flowers, Seeds and the like are boiled in

some Liquors, as Water, Wine, Ale, and the like, and being boiled the

decoction is given the Sick to drink, as if it had extracted all the

virtues of the Herbs; nor is it in the mean time considered that in

such decoctions, the penetrating and effectual Spirit, and sweet Oil

vapoured away with the water into the Air, and yet may this be easily

smelt, for the Vapour that goes out in such boilings is always endued

with a sweeter Odour than the remainder left behind is, and which they

use in Medicine, and this can be denied by none. Why I pray are the

Waters in the Shops, where abundance of them are used, and sold, wont

to be distilled now, not any more in a B. _per se_, but for the most

part, in a Copper Still with common water added, to prevent burning

too; of which waters it is likewise said, that they are as good as

those that be distilled in a B. _per se_, without Water, and this is

agreeable to truth: For in the distillation, the most subtil moisture

of the herb onely rising up, and the common Water (as being the

heavier) stays behind in the bottom of the Still, and therefore they

have a certain sign in the distillation of the said waters, _viz._ when

the ascending water, tasts no more of the distilled herb: Then do they

desist from farther operating, and cast away the remaining herb with

the water in the bottom. But such whose study it is to make sweeter

and more efficacious Waters, do take the water which came off in the

distillation, and pour it upon more of the fresh herb, and do again

distil it, and draw off the most pure part of the herb, and make their

Water more efficacious, which way of preparing the Waters of Herbs, is

good and profitable. Besides every one knows, that the Spirit and Oils

of Vegetables, are to be distilled by a Copper Still by the apposition

of a great deal of Water, as we have taught in the first part of this

_Pharmacopœa_: It is therefore manifest, that the common decocting of

herbs in water is of no value, and that the best part vanisheth away

into the Air in boiling, and that the less sweet, and most efficacious

part alone remains behind. Some skilfull Cooks know this full well,

and never put in the Spices into the Pot to boil, but let the flesh

be first boiled, and already set at the Table, by which they take

care of losing the best Odour of the Spices by boiling them. If you

go by the Ale-Brewers when they are boiling the Hop, and the Houses

of the Apothecaries, you shall meet with a far sweeter fragrancy, and

what doth more comfort the heart, than what remains behind, and is

given men to drink? And this cannot be otherwise, by the fore alledged

reasons, for the chiefest and best part go away in boiling. Therefore

I do here again repeat what I said before, and do affirm, that that

Decoction which is done in the cold by the universal fiery Water, is to

be preferred far before that otherway. Now it is sufficiently enough

known that the greatest part of the food we eat, whether Flesh, Fish,

or Pulse, are wont to be boiled in the Kitchen by the help of Water

to preserve them from burning, that thereby they may be the better

digested and concocted by the Stomach. And why are not medicaments

prepared after the same manner? Now though in the decoction of Flesh,

Fish, and Pulse, there goes off some of the vertues of the same, yet

that is a matter of no great moment, for the remainder is what stuffs

the Stomach from whence the body may get its nourishment. But in

medicinal decoctions, no such great quantity is to be administred, but

a little of them given to the Sick to drink of; and therefore they

must necessarily have their vertues left in them, and not be deprived

of them by decoction, and yet this Curtation of theirs cannot be

shunned when the decoctions are done over the fire with common water

in open Vessels. This way therefore of mine, by the fiery Water is far

to be preferred before that other way. For in this decoction there

can’t be lost so much as the least vertues of the herb or Animal,

seeing it is done in the Cold. But all abide together, in the watery

or fiery Water, are ripened, bettered, and changed into medicine,

and must necessarily be transmuted, whether they will or not. There

is no way for the vertues to go off as is in that other decoction,

where the most noble vertues vanish away in the Air. Therefore this

digesting, conserving, ripening, and amending Fire and Water ought to

be highly esteemed by the Physicians, wherewith they may prepare their

medicaments, or at least for the preparing of some few good ones which

cannot else be gotten, as is apparent in Diureticks, which being so

inverted by this Philosophical water, do not onely afterwards expel

Urine, and the Stone, and all things pertaining thereunto; but do also

corroborate, even as all things that have a hot subtil and penetrating

Nature whether simples or compounds are wont to do: Insomuch that they

do not any more cause torments and pains by a forceable expulsion of

Urine and the Stone, but do gently and sweetly stir up to a casting

them out, and do withal strengthen and conserve the virile Nature:

But contrarily those immature and crude Simples, do by their Crudity

and Wildness hurt, and not onely expel Urine, but even stir up pains.

This discourse and proposed matter, concerning the watery Fire and

fiery Water (by the benefit of which venomous Vegetables, Animals and

Minerals may be (as I have taught) turned into wholsome medicaments)

will haply create in many some disagreeable Cogitations, and may seem

to them as if it were a strange thing, that I should call the Liquor

of fixt Niter, and the Spirit of corrosive Niter, fiery Waters, and

watery Fires, whereas there is in them no apparent visible Fire. Well,

to remove this Scuple from their minds, I do in the first place judge

it expedient to demonstrate that Niter is no other than a mere Fire;

For put but Niter on a live Coal, and ’twill all flie up and burn away

in the Air; this now is evidently seen in Gun-powder, in which the

Salt-peter is together with those other added matters discharged all

of it into the Air. Niter being brought by Calcination to a fixity or

constancy in the Fire, or else by distillation to a corrosive Water,

hath not for all this lost its fire, but hath it as yet perfectly

with it self. And that this is true is hereby cleared, _viz._ that

both those Liquors the fixt and the corrosive volatile one being mixt

together, do deposit that nature they got from the Fire, and do return

to their form, or Saltpeter nature. Hence may it be manifestly proved

that both these Liquors as well the fixt one as the acid Spirit may

and ought to be called fiery Waters, seeing that they do in very deed

demonstrate their fiery vertues. For they do yet retain their Fire, and

do melt all things and reduce them into Water, whatsoever you put into

them. This demonstration I hope is a sufficient satisfactory testimony

to such as have any understanding though not so well skilled in the

light of nature. But that I may yet meet with the most unskilfull of

men, who are for the most part wont to measure by their most unskilfull

fancy, such things as are to them wholly unknown, and that I may set

it most clearly before their Eyes, that the said Waters are mere true

Fires; I would perswade them that for trial of the truth they would put

one little drop onely or one small piece of a Grain upon their Tongues,

and see whether or no they will not in less than a moment of time

find, and say that that Fire is hidden in the Water, and is just as if

their Tongue had been touched with a Coal of Fire. But if they would

see the very flame it self, they may coagulate or concenter either

both or either Liquor, either by Antimony or _Lapis Calaminaris_, by

which all Corrosives do chiefly love to be concentred, and to put off

their adjoined Waters. Therefore when you have a mind to see a flame

pour upon your concentrated acid Spirit, or on your fixt Liquor of

Niter, the pure Spirit of Wine, and what is separated from all Phlegm:

By which pouring on, the hidden Fire of the concentrated Niter, will

forthwith manifest it self, and will kindle and burn up the Spirit of

Wine. If he would yet farther try the truth of this thing, let him fix

Niter by _Regulus Martis_, and coagulate it into a fiery Mass, and keep

it in a strong earthen Vessel well shut, that so the Air enter not

therein, and that the Fire may remain so long hidden as he pleaseth.

Now if he would have it grow hot, let him pour in a little water into

the Vessel, which done the hidden Fire will become presently manifest,

and make the Vessel so hot, that it cannot be held in ones hand: By

how much the more the Water is that is poured thereupon, so much the

hotter the Vessel becomes, so that by the too much effusion of water,

there is danger of the Vessels breaking into Pieces. A mean therefore

is to be observed in the pouring water on, if you would have your

Vessel endure the longer, and give a lasting heat. This secret doth

not onely teach the Miracles of Nature, but is likewise profitable for

such as journey in the Winter Season, whether in a Wagon, or a Ship,

day and night, in exceeding cold Weather, for by the help of such a

Vessel may they heat themselves. For if they have a Vessel containing

about one or two Pounds of this concentrated Fire, it will keep heat

for 24 hours: And so in case of necessity such as Journey may have with

them greater and more Vessels, and not be scantied of this Fire. And

if in the extremity of cold they want water, they may heat the Vessel

by stirring up the same Fire with their own Urine. How vile soever

this secret appears, yet lies there in it a great mystery, and what

is serving to true Philosophy, and in which such a fire lies hid as

was buried by the Priests, mentioned in the _Maccabees_, and after

some hundreds of years again digged out and found. For such a kind of

Fire being fenced against the access of the Air, remains uncorrupt

for 100, yea a thousand years, and this verily is a thing most worthy

of diligent consideration. We have by what has been said sufficiently

demonstrated that fixt Niter is a mere Fire, and that it manifests

it self so to be whensoever any one is so minded as to try. The acid

Liquor doth the same, and hath a far different nature and property from

the fixt Niter, the which nevertheless doth also produce to light its

occult Fire according as the Artist pleaseth, and is on this wise done.

Dissolve in it Iron or _Lapis Calaminaris_, and draw off the moisture

by Fire, _N. B._ You shall have nothing else come over or evaporate

save onely a sweet water void of all tast, and the fiery part will

concenter it self in the Iron or in the _Lapis Calaminaris_, and become

a fiery and dry Earth, the which being preserved against the ingress of

the Air, will remain dry, nor will it ever change it self into water.

This fiery Spirit thus concentrated in this Earth is so burning hot,

that if it be put to the Tongue in no bigger a piece than a Hempseed,

it will burn it just as if you had touched it with an hot Iron. And

if you would have fire thereout of, pour in some Spirit of Wine, and

you shall see the flame break out: But if you would warm your self

with that heat, as we before spake of in the fixt Niter, then put in a

few drops of water, which done, the hidden and concentrated Fire will

become manifested (as in the fixt Niter) and continue a long while,

if there be not too much water poured thereupon. If you would quench

your Fire and have the Vessel cool, then shut it, and if you would have

it again hot, then open it and pour on a little water. Thus therefore

shalt thou have this Fire most ready for thy use whensoever thou hast a

mind to employ it. So then all these things do most abundantly confirm

that the acid Spirit of Niter is a cold and hidden fire, for if you

put into it a little piece of Iron or _Lapis Calaminaris_, it will

make the glass so hot, that you cannot hold it in your hand. We hereby

learn that from this Original do the Baths arise, and is thus. When an

acid mineral Spirit joins it self in the Mountains to some Fountain of

sweet Water, and doth together therewithal pass through some Mines of

_Lapis Calaminaris_, or Iron, it becometh so hot that it breaks out

like water heated in a Copper. Nor are Baths any where to be found

save in Mountains, and in places that abound with _Lapis Calaminaris_

or Veins of Iron, as may be seen in many places, but especially in

that of _Aquis Granum_, where the most curious or bravest Baths of all

_Europe_ are found to be, and the Mountains that lie round it do abound

with Iron, and _Lapis Calaminaris_. But as concerning those other

profitable and gallant Secrets, that lie hidden in this concentrated

Fire, ’tis not expedient to speak of them here. We have revealed to

you enough already, and he that learns nothing hencefrom, shall have

nothing, nor is it given him of God to know the unsearchable properties

of this Fire, and to open the Gate of true Philosophy and Hermetical

Medicine. Here then the Son of Art sees what a concentrated Fire is

able to effect, and how its many vertues are as yet impeded by reason

of the Earth, (consisting of the Iron _Calaminaris_, and Antimony)

wherein it is included and hindered from answering the event that may

be hoped for from it. For an impure body is able even to make a pure

Soul inhabiting in it, ignoble and impure, yea and plainly to kill

it; and this may be understood as well of Men as Minerals. Now it may

be easily conjectured what such a pure Soul, and which is separated

from all Fæces is able to do. Things incredible and almost Divine may

be effected by such a Fire. The Fire of common Wood and Coals, if

concentred will perform things wonderfull. But I pray what then will

the concentred Fire of the Sun do, which is a thousand times purer

than that. Next after God, is the Sun, next the Sun the Fire of Coals

and Wood, is of all things in the whole World, the most noble. Were it

lawfull openly for me to declare my opinion of the Fire for the rude

and unskilfull to understand, I should enlighten many a dark Corner.

For the Elementary Sun, which bestows upon the whole World all Light,

and all Life, is nothing else but the Garment and Covering as it were

of the omnipotent God. If then the Garment and Covering be so noble,

so efficacious, and so potent, in its Essence, how great then is and

ever will be the Majesty of God, that Eternal Light and Center of all

Lights? We cannot so much as look upon that Garment, _viz._ the Sun

without hurting our sight, nor search out its wonderfull virtues and

properties by all our speculations, and as I may say, Philosophations.

Why then are Men so foolish to speak, and think so lightly of God, and

yet know nothing of him? Hence is it that almost every one feigns to

himself a peculiar God, and worshippeth and adoreth him, which horrid

impiety, the true and onely God abominates. The Ancient Physicians

attributed the round fiery Sphere that hath its rise from God, unto the

Sun, and figured it out by the sign of perfection, _viz._ a Circle with

a prick in the middle, whereby the Center is deciphered. But seeing

that in all things, the Center is far more noble and excellent than the

circumference it self, which hath its birth from the Center, but the

circumference it self doth by so much the more differ from the Center,

and is more unequal to it, by how much the farther off it is from it:

And contrariwise, is to be judged so much the equaller to it, by how

much the nearer it approacheth thereunto: What then shall the prick in

the Sun be, seeing that the Sun it self being but as the circumference

to that point, be such a most noble and excellent Essence? What name

shall we call that point by? To whom is it lawfull thus to do, (_viz._

to describe that name) in this perverse World? I even constrained,

though against my will, to forbear farther discoursing thereabouts, and

to refer it to my Treatise of the concentrating of the Heaven and the

Earth. But thus much I say, that our Terrestrial Fire which we daily

make use of, is the first degree of that Ladder whereby we ascend to

God, so as to comprehend (or lay hold on) this omnipotency, to perceive

and search into it, to Love, Fear, Worship, and at last to see and be

rendred (through Divine Grace) partaker of the Divine Majesty: Seeing

then that the common Fire and which every body knows is as I will yet

again say, the first degree in that Scale or Ladder, whereby we may

ascend to God and his Mysteries, and yet the property thereof is so

much unknown unto us: What I pray shall we think then of the second and

third degree, the which we know nothing of, though we think our selves

to know so much. I do therefore affirm here, and that boldly, that our

knowledge is as nothing, and there is not one amongst many thousands

that knows the second, (much less the third) degree. But haply

hereafter I shall speak and demonstrate more things of this nature.

_A Cordial and Comfortative to be used in great and continual

Diseases._

Take the Flowers of Marjoram, Sage, Rosemary, Mace, two ounces,

Nutmegs, Cardamoms, Zedoary, Galangall, one ounce, chosen Cinamon

eight ounces, extract the Tinctture with Spirit of Wine, then dissolve

in rectified Spirit of Salt, and which is acuated by an addition of

Niter, one ounce of Gold: Pour this Solution to the Spirit of Wine,

which is impregnated with the Tincture of the said simples, and put

them to distill in a Glass Retort in a dry B. There will first come

over the Aromatical Spirit of Wine, not onely sweet but withall

clear, which when it begins to come white and troubled, take off the

Glass that you received your Spirit in, and put on another, and draw

off all the moisture in a gentle heat, till there comes out no more

Spirit of Wine, and an acid Water of an unpleasant Tast follows. Then

take out all the Fire from under your Retort, that it may cool. In

which (when all is cool) and the Solution taken forth, you shall find

the Oil of the Spices swimming on the top, which is as red as blood

and is impregnated with the Tincture of the Gold: The which being

separated by a separating Glass from the Spirit of the Salt, you must

add to the Aromatised Wine that came first over, which will presently

imbibe the said Oil, and be tinged with a most curious red. As for

the remaining Gold, which the Oil of the Spices hath not attracted to

it self, you may precipitate into a tender and bright Calx, and wash

it well with water and add it to the Aromatised Spirit, and Oil with

a sufficient quantity of Sugar Candy, that the Spirit may be rendred

sweet and pleasant. So shall you have a most efficacious _Aqua Vitæ_,

the which doth wonderfully corroborate and refresh the Sick, in all

kinds of weaknesses. But this precipitation is not to be made like

as the common is, in which the Powders that are precipitated do lose

their Metalline form as Gold, which being changed into a yellow Powder

is called fulminating Gold, and being put upon a Plate, and heated,

gives a noise like a Gun, the sound it gives is very loud, and the blow

strikes downwards, so that the bigness of a small Pea being kindled

in a silver Spoon will make a little hole. But you are to precipitate

the Gold on such wise as that it may retain a Metalline form, but so

tender and fine that it may be well brooked even in the Eyes. Neither

must all the Gold be precipitated, but onely the most noble part, and

as it were its Soul, which as to its colour is much fairer and sublimer

than common Gold is. But the more vile part is to be separated by a

peculiar precipitation, and to be reduced by fusion. To this pale part

is its former colour to be restored by Antimony, so that no loss may

be made. If then the former part being precipitated, is better than

pure common Gold, the latter part must necessarily be (being reduced

by fusion) more vile, or thus, if the latter be baser than common

pure Gold, the former shall be better than it is, and will therefore

be more profitable in Medicine, forasmuch as it will (being digested

and consumed in the Stomach) display its virtues, which the common

filed Gold, or yet the Leafe Gold will not do. I purposely tried this

matter, and found the things I tell you of, to be true. But if so be

as any doubt as yet of this thing, concerning the first precipitated

Gold as being the best part thereof, and which we bid you to add to

the Aromatized Spirit, he may melt it down with some _Borax_, and

compare it with the latter precipitated Gold, and then he will easily

perceive the wide difference that is betwixt them. The first will as

to its Colour, far exceed the Gold of the best Duckats or Rose Noble,

but the latter will be far worse. That first being again dissolved

and precipitated after a Philosophical manner, that half of it may

again settle down, it will become more noble, and again leave behind

it a particle of pale Gold. Which operation is verily most worthy

admiration, by the help whereof, Gold certainly may be at length haply

so concentrated, as to be able (when reduced to the highest nobility,

colour, efficacy and vertue) to give colour to the other metals, and

amend them. But this is not what I have hitherto, for want of time,

tried: But I hope (God permitting me) shortly to shew such a Gold to

the studious of Art, seeking after it merely for this cause, that I

might thereof make an excellent medicine. I will treat more plainly and

more fully in my fourth part of the Prosperity of _Germany_, concerning

the Artificial and Philosophical Concentration of Gold and Silver into

good Medicaments; but that I may here give the Lovers of Art some

small Testimony how such a precipitation may be effected, take with

you these few things. The precipitation may be done as well in the dry

as moist way, but there the moist way is used, which is requisite in

the making of this Medicine, but yet it is troublesome and hazardous,

because that sometimes the glasses break, and the Gold falls amongst

the Ashes. But the dry way and which is void of any danger, belongs not

to this place but to the fourth part of the Prosperity of my Countrey.

I mention it for this end onely, that it may be seen and considered,

that it is possible to make some Separation in Gold as well as in the

meaner metals. For he that knows how by the benefit of Art to make

a Separation in some metals of the best part from the worst, hath a

profitable amendment of the metal. We teach in the second part of the

Prosperity of _Germany_, how the volatile and unripe Minerals, may by

Niter be reduced into malleable Metals. In the third part we shew the

way of turning the common and imperfect Metals into perfect Gold and

Silver. Then at last in the fourth part we shew by what means Gold and

Silver may be advanced into more than perfect Bodies and appertaining

to medicine; concerning which Separation more shall be spoken in what

next follows. Nor hath any one reason to make any Scruple and imagine

that I contradict my self, seeing that in the aforesaid medicament

I make use of precipitation and tender Gold, and yet have openly in

many places spoken the contrary, _viz._ that corporeal Gold cannot

be concocted and digested in the Stomach, and this I have most often

tried. For the Gold which we teach the precipitation of here is much

better and more noble than the common Gold, and upon that accompt is

not to be accompted of as corporeal, but for the very Kernel, and Soul

thereof as it were, which being digested in the Stomach of a man, doth

produce its vertues into open light. _N. B._ That the said golden _Aq.

Vitæ_ being to be used, you must first shake the glass a little wherein

it is kept, that so the most subtil Attomes of the Gold may commix

themselves with the _Aq. Vitæ_; then afterwards some few drops of the

same according as the Person and Disease is, are to be administred in

some convenient Vehicle. If you make trial with one or two small drops,

you shall experience its wonderfull heart strengthening Vertues, and

its most profitable use in all weaknesses.

_Another Metallick Medicament prepared by the help of Nitre, out of

a Vein of Lead containing Silver, and most profitable in all the

Sicknesses or Distempers of the Brain._

Take a Vein of Lead that is rich in Silver, nor hath either Copper or

Iron mixed with it, but by how much the richer it is with Silver, so

much the better and more beneficial is it for this work. Separate from

this Vein all the Sulphureity or Brimstony stinch by Niter, according

to the Spagyrical Art, that so the most pure, most subtile, and most

highly Volatile and fluid Mercurial part may remain. Wash off the Niter

as carefully as you can, and separate it, that a bright snow coloured

heavy Powder may remain. This most exceeding fluid and Volatile Powder

is the _Mercury_ of _Saturn_, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, even to 12 grains thereof,

being administred in convenient Vehicles, doth exceeding quickly yield

help in all grievous affects of the Brain, in the Plague, Pains of

Children that are troubled with Worms; it quencheth all internal heat,

and withholds the gross Vapours from ascending up into the Brain, it

opens all the obstructions of the Liver, exhilerates the melancholy,

restores the Lunatick, foolish and phantastick Ingeny, especially if

their Bodies be first prepared by my Antimonial _Panacæa_. Nay more,

this Cephalick medicament will operate yet better, if after the first

preparation by Niter it be again washed, and made more subtil, yea and

plainly fixed, that so it may exercise its vertues and power with the

greater efficacy. Last of all, it is yet rendered most efficacious,

if this _Mercury_ of _Saturn_ be in the last Operation driven over in

a Retort and so converted into a sweet Milk, demonstrating the truth

of that Philosophical saying, _The Fire and Azoth do wash the Laton_.

Niter is the true Azoth of the Philosophers, and besides it, is no

other to be found: It is the Scope of the wise men, the universal Bath

of Metals; The said sweet Milk may be coagulated, and fixed into a

transparent and fluid Stone, which again coagulateth and fixeth common

purged Mercury. But I have not as yet so brought it to such pass as

to undergo _Saturn_’s trial in the Cupel as they call it; yet am I

doing it, and hope to bring it to pass. But although the Stone is yet

volatile, yet doth it penetrate the imperfect Metals as _Mars_ and

_Venus_, and makes them easily fluxible and volatile; but seeing it

does so now, what would it do were it reduced to a fixity, this any

one may easily conjecture what effects it would have. Haply this work

is not much different from the work of the little Countreyman. But

seeing that purification is not different from this matter, we think it

worth while briefly to teach, what it is, and in what it consisteth:

But principally because all my writings tend to this end, _viz._ the

separating of the pure from the impure, from which ground have we

given this Book its name. Few are they that know the way and manner

of Separations, and therefore we deem’d it highly necessary to speak

somewhat thereof in this place. For all the Philosophers do cry out

with one voice, make the fixt volatile, and the volatile fixt. An hard

and fixt thing doth by laying down its Earth become fluid and volatile,

and this is a Philosophical separation and operation; after it comes

sublimation and distillation, by which a thing is yet again made more

pure, being separated from its gross Fæces. For by how much the oftner

any thing is distilled or sublimed, so much the purer doth it become,

and by how much the purer it is, so much the more efficacious and

penetrative it is found to be. Now again if the most pure part of that

thing be brought to such a pass as that it will resist the most violent

and all things consuming forces of the Fire, every one will easily

conjecture what may be obtained by such like operations as these. These

things we have spoken do shew the metallick purification, effected

by the benefit of the Spagyrical Art. The ablution of Vegetables,

Animals, and Minerals is threefold; The first washing carries off by

the help of Water the adhering impurities, as Sand, Powder, and Earth.

The second separates the thin and watery parts from the earthy ones,

by distillation, and doth the same thing as sublimation is known to

do in the separation of Metals. The third separation is performed by

the Fire, _viz._ when the subject that is to be purified is made red

hot in the Fire, that so the combustible Sulphur being inflamed may be

consumed, the Mercury may go away in fume, and the fixt Earth onely

with the Salt stay behind, the which is to be understood of Vegetables

and Animals. The case stands otherwise with the Metals, whose three

principles are so knit by nature with so straight and radical a tie,

into such an homogenial matter and so hard, that they very hardly admit

of separation, but do either very slowly and by little and little

ascend together by Cohobation, or else abide constantly together in

the bottom. And albeit that some black Metal, be either by sublimation

elevated into Flores, or by calcination reduced into white Ashes, yet

after reduction the Metal is found to be as before of the same form,

and endued with the same properties, which it had before calcination,

so that these operations do no ways deserve the name of Philosophical

Purgations. How many have deceived themselves, by thinking if they

turned _Mars_ into a red _Crocus_ they should therewithal make _Lune_

fixt, not considering that that _Crocus_ returns by reduction to its

own former nature and Iron shape. Common _Mercury_ is precipitated into

a most fair and most red Powder, and returneth by reduction to its

first running nature. _Saturn_ being calcined by common Salt becomes

red Powder, or a _Minium_, which being reduced is the same Black-lead

as it was before. Hereupon may such an one be deservedly said to wash

the Black-moor that bestows his labour on this work. The same _Saturn_

being washed with Vinegar or any other corrosive liquor, gives indeed a

white Ceruse, but it is but a borrowed colour, and he covers his black

body over with a white Robe, but yet for all that is presently disrobed

of the same by _Vulcan_: The true Philosophers do nothing esteem of

this sophistical Purification. _Saturn_ is by all the Philosophers

accounted for a black and leprous Gold, for they openly say, that there

is in _Saturn_ what the Philosophers seek: Read but _Paracelsus_ his

Book of the vexation of the Alchymists, and there he mentions more. Nor

is it without cause that that old Symbol or Proverb is used amongst the

Chymists. _The Fire and =Azoth= do wash_ Laton. _Azoth_ is Niter, and

_Laton_ signifies the matter of the Stone. Some do ascribe _Laton_ to

_Saturn_, I will forbear, onely thus much is to be observed, that the

word _Laton_ signifies the matter of the Stone, which is to be washed

by _Azoth_ or the _Acetum_ of the Philosophers that is Niter. Verily

I well know that besides the common _Saturn_ and Antimony, there is

another, more easily washed by Niter; but because we here treat of the

Vulgar, or the first Ens of _Lune_, and the reducing it into a good

Medicament by Niter, we will acquisce in what is already spoken, & put

off the explication of the said matter to another place.

_A Uterine approved Medicament._

Forasmuch as I have hitherto taught the preparation of some notably

efficacious Medicines by the help of Niter, and yet have not in the

mean while made any mention of the Sicknesses familiar to the Feminine

Sex. I judged it wholly necessary to help this weak and infirm Sex

(which is appointed for the propagation of mankind) with some singular

Medicament: For (besides those Diseases whereto the Women are subject

as well as the Male Sex) they are yet afflicted with many Sicknesses

that do arise out of the Matrix, wherewith all as well Maids as

married Women, and these last also are troubled not onely before

Child-bearing, but afterwards, _viz._ when the Matrix is not well

purged after Child-birth, and so begets various Sicknesses, Pains,

Winds, Inflammations, Suffocations, the ascending of evil Vapours unto

the Heart, or else by obstruction of the Menstrues, do cause a swelling

Belly, Weakness, Debilitation of the Strength, a straightning of the

Heart and Brain, most vehement Griefs, and lastly Death it self: Or

else the Matrix may be moved out of its place, in Child-birth, its

Bonds broken, and the Matrix it self so much repleated and debilitated

with overmuch moisture, that it has not so much power as to be put

and retained firm in its due place, but some are constrained to leave

it hanging out, to their great detriment, and are extreamly tormented

with this so great a detriment, the Matrix presently slips down out of

the Body by either vehemently walking, or any other violent motions,

and are necessitated always to carry about them a pessary framed to

the intent of keeping the said Matrix up in their bodies, and that

to their exceeding great trouble. Now then for the meeting with, and

resisting these aforenamed and other such like discommodites, but

especially such as are overwhelmed (as it were) with them, I will set

down the way and manner of so doing. As concerning the Matrix and its

Diseases which do arise after Childbirth, if so be that the Matrix

be not rightly cleansed, even the Women themselves know their own

Remedies, and do for that reason plant those Herbs that are usefull

thereunto in their own Gardens, or gather them in a fit season and so

keep them by them, till they have need to use them in expelling the

remains and trash left after Childbirth: Such as these are _Pulegium_,

or Penny-royal, Mother-wort, Mug-wort, Savin, and the like Herbs,

which have a powerfull expulsive virtue, and there are waters too in

the Apothecaries Shops distilled to this intent, concerning which it

is needless to write any more in this place: Thus much onely we would

advise, that such Herbs and Species as are used for such effects,

are to be rendred first more subtile by separating the pure from the

impure, that they may afterwards operate more speedily and better. The

which thing may be most commodiously done on such wise and manner as

I have taught and prescribed in the first Part of this _Spagyrical

Pharmacopœa_ concerning the Essences of Herbs. But the obstructions of

the Matrix, and stoppage of the _Menstrues_ are not so easily unlocked

by bare Medicaments thus barely taken in, for they penetrate not so far

with their Vertues, but rather, as experience teacheth, is effected

by such Medicaments as are applied beneath, and that more easily, and

which we have already mentioned in the Second Part of the Furnaces

in the Ch of Spirit of Urine, where I have manifested a peculiar

instrument by which such necessary Medicaments may be intromitted

into the Matrix. I have therewithall hitherto performed many happy

Cures. Bur forasmuch as I have since that time found out a far fitter

instrument for such diseases, I will clearly describe it for the sake,

comfort, and help, of such Women as are obedient to their Husbands, and

chastly observe the bands of Wedlock, _viz._ both how to prepare and

how to apply the same. You are to get an Instrument made of good Silver

(not of Copper) its figure to be round, and like a small Cane, and shut

in the fore part, and to be a little longer than a man’s finger, and

about that bigness; You are likewise to get another a little smaller

so as to go into the other, which other or bigger one must have three

little edges on its inside all the length of it, thereby to keep the

smaller instrument about the back of a knifes breadth from each side

of the bigger one, that so it may not touch it. In the hinder part let

be a Cover made which may shut the Instrument tight when the Medicine

is put in, lest the spiritual vertue of the same fly back out of the

body, and so order it that it may perform its operation on the Matrix

through the Instrument, which is to be perforated (towards the top)

with holes. To the hinder part of this Instrument let a Thread be tied

whereby it may be plucked out when its operation is over: Therefore

like as the disease is, so shall a suitable Medicament (and what is

made exceeding Spiritual) be applied: On this wise let a small piece of

fine Sponge be embibed therewithall, and let the inner small Pipe be

filled therewith, and be so put up to the Matrix. If the _Menstrues_ be

obstructed, then the most approved remedy is the concentrated Spirit

of Urine, which by its subtile, penetrating, warming, mollifying, and

opening vertue opens the little Veins of the Matrix, and gives an Exit

to the obstructed _Menstrue_. But if the Matrix labour not with this

disease, but is onely besieged as it were with cold and tenacious

humours, then the hot and penetrating Oil of Tiles or Wax, rectified

most subtilly, is to be applied, which being smeared on some Sponge, is

to be conveyed in by the Instrument into the cold and watry Matrix, the

which will thereby be warmed, dried, and freed from the greatness of

its moisture. But if so be the Matrix shall be moved out of its place,

or its cords broken, or too much relaxed, or any other way affected,

and so not be capable of retaining the Matrix, and keeping it from

sliding forth out of the body; Then must astringent things be used,

which may constringe the too much loosened bands, and may heal and tie

the Matrix again in its due place, and strengthen it. Such as these

are the distilled Oils out of mens hair, out of the Wool of Sheep, and

such-like Animals, out of the Horns of Goats, Claws of wild Beasts,

and Feathers of wild and ravenous Birds, and such-like things, which

being laid upon the Coals, do draw themselves up together, and do by

that contraction shew to us as it were their use. But the manner of

distilling and rectifying these Oils we have already taught in the

Second Part of our Furnaces, so that it is plainly needless to repeat

the same in this place. I say, and that truely, that if so be that

these three kinds of Medicaments be rightly applied in those three

affects of the Matrix, that they will perform things even wonderfull,

and many pious Mothers might be preserved sound, a longer time amongst

their poor Children, were they but help’d by such remedies. For it

cannot be that much help should be brought to the sick and hurt Matrix

by the Potions that are drunk of, or the hysterical watry Medicines

that are injected by a Syringe. For such Medicaments as are taken in at

the mouth cannot penetrate with their Vertues home to the Matrix, so as

to help it, to open, to purge, and to heal it, or to heal the dissolved

and relaxed bands. And as for Waters and Decoctions that are applied

beneath, and there injected, they presently slide out again, and do

help the Matrix but little, or nothing at all. But now these Oils of

mine and Spirits are commodiously applied by means of the Instrument,

and discharge their office most efficaciously. But there is yet one

thing necessary here to advise you of, _viz._ that such as desire to

use the Spirit of Urine, Oil of Tiles, or Wax, or Oils out of Horns,

Hairs, or Feathers, for curing of the said defects of the Matrix, do

prepare them themselves, or commit them to such to prepare them, as

are skilled in the Art of distillation, and versed in rectifying such

Spirits and Oils, thereby exalting them to the highest subtilty. For if

so be that any would buy in some Apothecaries shop, those things that

he knows not how they are prepared, and haply such as are corrupted

already, and not fit for use, will be grosly mistaken. For it is not

sufficient (if a thing is to be made use of) that it hath a bare name

onely, and be destitute of the Vertues themselves, and which are no

ways effectual) for the said Sicknesses of the Matrix are here taught

to be cured not with corporeal, but with spiritual and efficacious

Medicaments. It is therefore necessarily requisite, that the Medicines

we have spoken of, _viz._ those Oils and Spirits, be excellently well

prepared, and so as to exercise their Vertues by emitting or ejecting

their invisible odour and vigour onely. The Spirit of Urine is to be so

volatile and very subtile, as that it will vanish away out of an opened

glass, and therefore there needs a greater diligence in preserving

and keeping it; It is to be well preserved in glasses close stopt,

for if the Spirit vanisheth away, there remains onely an unprofitable

Water void of all kind of Vertues. I have therefore taught the making

of peculiar Glasses, which will not let go the Spirits, the shape of

them are described in the Second Part of my Chymical Furnaces, in that

place where I treat of the Spirit of Urine. In like manner the said

Oils are to be well rectified, and to be made exceedingly volatile, so

that being exposed some few hours to the warm Air, they will vanish

away; which if they will not doe, neither will they effect ought. I

must needs confess that all the time in which I have lived, I never

found a good Spirit of Urine, nor well rectified Oil of Wax or Tiles.

I will say nothing of the Spirits of Hairs, Horns, Feathers or Quills

(for there’s no use of them.) I have indeed found amongst many, a bare

worthless, saltish Phlegm, but the very true Spirit of Urine it self I

have not met withall. The Oils of Tiles and Wax are indeed found in all

Apothecaries shops, but are for the most part corrupted by their long

lying, and are old, thickish, red, tenacious, and deprived of their

due odour, are stinking, and spoiled of all their vertues. For ’tis

very rare that such Oils are rectified, but are sold, such as they be,

when they come first out of the Retort, with a saltish kind of Acrimony

adjoined unto them, which in the rectification abides in the bottom,

and is at last separated from the Oil. Such Oils are of no value, and

appertain not to this curing, for they will do just nothing; and thus

much I could not omit advising you of. For haply when some sick person

or other readeth here in this my book, that such Oils do most highly

conduce to expell the said defaults of the Matrix, and yet perceive no

comfort or help by the use of them, without doubt the fault will be

laid on me, as that I had written a lie, and not upon the ill prepared

Oils. This therefore do I affirm, that except your Oils be good, you

will never have from them the hoped for event. And how (indeed) shall

the sick man know if the Oils be good or not. The Merchant or Seller

of them won’t confess them to be old, ill prepared, and deprived of

their odour. So oft times the fault is laid upon the Authour, and he’s

condemned for writing unprofitable things, and which are not agreeable

to the truth. But the fault verily can light on none save upon the

Magistrates, who (by winking at such things) do permit it. And when

any one goes to be furnished with these things which are requisite, in

some Apothecaries shop, and the Apothecary haply sells but few Wares,

and all the rest wax old as they lie, and are corrupted; and if haply

sometimes one or two such and such Simples or Medicaments be sought

for but once or twice, it may be, in a whole year, he delivers the

things he has by him, which if helpless as to the sick buyer, yet are

helpfull to the Apothecaries purse. But yet this is an unjust thing,

and a thing contrary to the love that is due unto our Neighbour, and

what will burthen the Conscience. The sick man thirsting for help,

puts the hope of his help and comfort in the Medicine exhibited him,

which if not good the disease prevailing, the sick man dyes, but had

good and profitable Medicaments been used, instead of the unprofitable

and evil ones, he might have recovered. He therefore that is guilty of

such evils, let him look to it, what account he will at last give unto

God for his transgression; That which I have aforesaid, doe I again

repeat, and do yet firmly alledge, that the beforementioned Spirit of

Urine, as likewise the Oils of Tiles and Wax, and these other Oils of

Horns, Hairs, and Feathers, and their most efficacious Spirits may be

made use of in the expulsion of the affects of the Matrix of what kind

soever, both in the younger Maids or Women, and in those that are of

riper years, and that with most high admiration. It is therefore a

just and right thing that they should be found in all the Apothecaries

shops, and that they should all of them be prepared after a due manner.

For they are not onely good in those diseases that afflict the Womb,

but do likewise operate miraculously and doe things incredible in many

other diseases and affects of the Body if well and rightly prepared

and duely administred inwardly and outwardly; Concerning which we

have written more at large in the Second Part of the Furnaces, _viz._

how they are to be prepared and made use of. Any one that is endued

with understanding will perceive easily that a living Spirit is far

more efficacious than a dead Body and exanimated Carkass. Forasmuch

therefore as you have here heard that such grievous and incurable

(so accounted at least by almost all Men) diseases of the Matrix, by

which so many Women are swept away without any help, are to be cured

by the alone application of subtile Spirits, and so few know the

preparation of them, I will teach for the sake of that weaker Sex a

better and more effectual Medicine, and withall will prove it by an

example, that all subtile Spagyrical Spirits may be concentrated and

augmented in their Vertues by the help of Art, and that one Spirit hath

the power of concentrating another. And because this Treatise, and all

the Medicaments therein proposed, aim onely at this end, to shew the

wonderfull Vertues of Niter; And it hath been besides shown, how all

the said Medicaments ought, by the help thereof, to be prepared; the

same shall likewise be done in the demonstration of this Medicine.

I taught in the Second Part of my Furnaces to prepare a Spirit of Urine

and _Sal Armoniack_ by the addition of Calcined Tartar; But yet the

already concentrated Urine or _Sal Armoniack_ may be mixed with double

the quantity as its own weight is, of fixed Niter, and so be distilled,

for so those Spirits will be more strong and more efficacious than if

Tartar were added unto them. And if the Oil of Tiles or of Wax, which

is made by the addition of Earth, so heated as to imbibe the Oil or

Wax, be yet once more distilled by the concentrated Spirit of Niter, it

will be brought to the highest subtilty, and ’tis to be done after this

following manner.

Dissolve in one pound of the Spirit of Niter, four ounces of _Lapis

Calaminaris_: Put the Solution in a Glass-Viol upon a vaporous or dry

B, that the Phlegm may evaporate by little and little (for the _Lapis

Calaminaris_ holds all the Spirits, and permits the Phlegm to go off)

and the Spirit of Niter will remain behind in the Viol like Oil. Take

one part of this concentrated Spirit of Niter, and half a part of Oil

of Tiles or Wax, put them both in a glass Retort well luted, and force

them out (by a distillation in Sand) from the concentrated Spirit into

a great Receiver; and by this operation it will be far more penetrative

than it was before. For the Spirit of Niter being by concentration by

the _Calaminaris_ freed from all its Phlegm, and seeing it is thereby

become the more attractive, and can find nothing else that it might

attract, it associates to its self all the humidity that lies hidden in

the Oil, and which could not be separated by the former distillation,

and hereby brings to pass that the Oil doth necessarily become more

subtile and efficacious, yea so penetrative, as that it performeth

wonderfull things, especially in the effects of the Matrix, the which

nought but very subtile Spirits can heal, and which those concentrated

Spirits are wont to do far more certainly and securely than all the

other Medicaments in the whole world: After the same manner is the

concentration and purification of the other Oils to be performed.

And now that none might scruple as to Waters being mixed with the

said Oil or Wax, which have no affinity with Water, the separation of

which from the Oils, I have here taught; I would have such an one to

know, that much fatness, as the expressed Oils of Vegetables are never

without an aqueous moisture, though it be invisible, and cannot be

perceived, for the fire can make it manifest by distillation: As for

instance; There’s Oil olive, one pound of which is wont to yield six or

seven Lots of Acid Water by distillation; and thus do all Oils, Wax,

Turpentine, Rosin, Gums, Pitch, Amber, and all combustible fatnesses.

Yea even the very burning Spirit of Wine it self, and such others

as are prepared of Vegetables, can never be thoroughly rid of their

Phlegm, unless they be poured on some Calcined Salt, and so rectified,

they leave their humidity therein, and become more subtile. But this is

to be noted, that by how much the drier and more attractive that Salt

shall be, so much the readier will it attract the moisture out of the

winy Spirit and hold it. Therefore the Salts of Vegetables, Calcined

Tartar, and principally fixed Niter, serve for such a rectification.

The other Corrosive Salts, as fixt _Sal Armoniack_, Calcined Vitriol,

and such like, do rather love to hold and retain the Phlegm of their

own peculiar Volatile Spirit than of the Spirit of Wine. And thus much

let suffice as to making subtile Oils more subtile, that they may

perform wonderfull things in Medicine. And now having described in

this my Second Part of the _Spagyrical Pharmacopœa_, some of the most

necessary Medicaments, that are preparable by Niter, and have shewed

the way of using them, and which may safely be given in chief diseases

as well for preservation as cure: I could to these add many more, and

so encrease the number of them. But because there are not a few of such

good kind of Medicaments in the writing I have hitherto published,

_viz._ in the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth Part of the

Furnaces, in the _Miraculum Mundi_, and in the Mineral-Book, and there

shall yet follow more in the following third Part in this _Pharmacopœa

Spagyrica_, in the Vegetable work, as also in the second, third, and

fourth Parts of the Prosperity of my Country, I judged it needless any

longer to dwell on these here, but will onely by way of conclusion,

and for (as it were) ornaments sake, yet add one onely Medicament of

Niter, which will be none of the meanest. But forasmuch as this is not

a common preparation, but comprehends in it great Mysteries, it seems

not good unto me to set down its preparation before the eyes of the

perverse world. Let it therefore suffice to give onely some hint, that

the Common Niter, which to our Eyes appears most white, doth contain in

it a Soul of a deep red Colour, which by the benefit of the Vulcanick

Art may be thence educed. For when _Vulcan_ hath reduced that old

Dragon, bound in Chains, unto a most high streight by his Iron and

fiery Mallet, and yet cannot plainly kill him; _Neptune_ coming in to

help, meets the Basilisk with a clear Looking-glass, and turns on him

his own peculiar poison, and so slays him. As soon as he begins to

die, and ceaseth to vomit forth fire, _Neptune_ laying aside all fear,

approacheth boldly near him, and puts a Sheeps-skin over his Jaws, and

receives his Bloud and Soul, and precipitates it into the Salt-sea,

wherein being drowned and choaked, he lays off all his venome and all

his filth, and is converted into a most fair and most red Medicine.

One onely drop of this Soul of Niter can tinge an ordinary glass full

of Common water with a golden Colour. But he that can turn this Bloud

of the Dragon by the help of fire into a fire-resisting Salamander,

he may deservedly be compared with the happy _Jason_, and obtain most

great Honours, Treasures, and Riches. From all these things may a

studious Artist easily see what Mysteries lie hid in Niter. The things

which I have hitherto described are onely as it were small sparklings

of those kinds of Mysteries that lie hidden in Niter. There shall be

described in the fourth Part of the Prosperity of my Country, and in

the following third Treatise of this _Spagyrical Pharmacopœa_ more and

eminenter Metallick Medicines, and which are preparable by Niter: and

this is done to the intent, that every one may know, how wonderfull

and excellent a subject Niter is, the which is notably hidden by

the Antients, and never wont to be called by its true name, but by

Enigmatical Riddles. From hence has sprung up even infinite names,

as, a dry water, a water not wetting the hands, an Hermaphroditical

_Mercury_, a _Balneum Regium_, the Soap of the Wise men, the flying

Dragon, the Urine of Boys, a Dunghill, Azoth, the washer of Laton, a

most sharp Vinegar, the Stygian-water, the Death of the Living, the

Life of the Dead, the Purgatory of the imperfect Bodies, the Basilisk,

the forked Serpent, the most great Venome, the Venome of Herbs, the

_Menstrue_ of Women, and such like infinite names, whereby they have

wrapped over its true hidden name in Cimmerian darknesses, but is now

by me revealed, and is set before the eyes of the whole world, and it

shall farther be revealed and detected in the three remaining Treatises

of the Prosperity of _Germany_, which shall very shortly follow, and so

its wonderfull power and most efficacious vertues, which it performeth

in the bettering of Metals, and in preparing Metalline Medicaments may

be manifested and laid open before the whole world. I will not onely

declare this in writing, but also will (God permitting) very shortly

shew, even manually and in very deed in a convenient Laboratory, the

making and use of all my Furnaces, hitherto published in my writings,

and the preparation of many excellent Medicines, as also the truth of

the metalick Transmutation. Nor will I do thus to the end that I may

advance my own profit, but will rather do it for this intent, _viz._

that the health and safety of many thousands may be provided for that

are afflicted with various sicknesses, and that the whole World may

see, believe and confess, that the Transmutation of Metals by the

abject Niter may be effected. But because in such a like demonstration,

if the Laboratory be frequented but for one years space onely, and

daily laboured in, and the confecting of so many Medicaments be shown,

such a great quantity of various Medicaments as I shall have by me,

cannot be all used by my self, nor can they be of any use if laid up,

and therefore they shall be sold to any one for a small and vile price,

that so they may each that needs them use them in their necessity. It

is not Covetousness that driveth us thus to doe, thinking thereby to

get great riches, but onely to get just as much as may serve to pay

for all the necessary matters, as Coals, Glasses, and other things. So

then by this so good and laudable a work, there will not onely be laid

open to the whole world, the occult Mysteries of Nature, to the honour

of God: But withall, the most miserable poor Sick will easily obtain

good Medicaments, and recover their former health. Nay farther, not a

few of such as have been in want will be able by the most profitable

use of Niter in transmuting the inferiour Metals into better, be able

to sustain themselves better and more quietly. But that the whole

world may see and consider that my own peculiar profit and gain is not

sought, but that my Neighbours profit is out of a Christian affection

onely aimed at, there shall be adjoined at the end of the following

third Part, the price of every Medicament; from whence every one may

easily conjecture, that there is not expected any gain or large profit,

but onely the recovering of my disbursements; seeing no one is to be

found who, bestowing great costs in teaching others, would willingly

lose both his Expences and Labour too. I will with a willing mind reach

others, but I will not lay out my Money and run the hazard. The World

is wise enough, and great is the number of those sick people that need

help: And therefore this publick Laboratory will (by God’s help) be

able to bring abundance of profit to all mankind; In this Laboratory

there shall be all the Furnaces and all the Instruments whereof I have

made mention in the Writings by me published, but the resemblances of

them not pictured, because there’s no occasion for that to be added;

And withall, those Furnaces, Presses, and Instruments which we have

mentioned or shall mention in the first, second, third, and fourth Part

of the Prosperity of my Country, and in the Vegetable work, and my

other Writings shall be there to be seen, the which certainly will be

exceedingly helpfull to most men that abhor not to labour, to procure

them food and sustenance in their necessity.

Furthermore, forasmuch as all my Writings hitherto published, are very

negligently and faultily printed here and there by other men, against

my knowledge. I will again send them forth corrected, amended, adorned,

and encreased with the figures hitherto omitted. And this I was

unwilling to conceal from the Lovers and Students of Arts. Herewithall

will I conclude this Second Part of my _Spagyrical Dispensatory_, and

shortly add the Third Part, onely wishing that this Work of mine may

serve for the comfort and assistance of very many sick persons. _Amen._

_The End of the Second Part._

THE

THIRD PART

OF THE

Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.

Wherein is taught, how by Salt and Fire, the Vegetables, Animals

and Minerals may by a _Spagyrical_ way and method be Mundified,

and how from them, Medicaments wonderfully penetrating and most

speedily operating may be prepared.

As for the manner of reducing Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals,

by Distillation into good and pure Medicaments, by the help of the

Spirits of Salt, thus stands the case: The manner and way of distilling

Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals _per se_, after the common manner or

way into Oil, Spirit, and Volatile Salt either in a B. Sand, or naked

Fire, which hath been long ago, and also is at this day in much use, I

cannot in all respects commend, because that such Spirits, Oils, and

Volatile Salts, (whether from Animals, or Vegetables) do all of them

stink, and though they be often rectified, yet do they not totally

lose that innate stink gotten in their Distillation, but do always

retain a kind of an ungratefull _Empireum_, and are thereby loathsome

to the Sick (and that not without cause too) whereas otherwise they

have abundance of virtues; but being rectified with Spirit of Salt

(as I have taught in the second Part of my Furnaces) they become

pure, and losing their stinch are gratefull and acceptable, but not

at all so without that rectification. Now all Men know, especially

the Spagyrists, that the chief virtues of Vegetables and Animals are

placed in their Oils and Volatile Salts, (for you must note that in

Minerals the contrary is found, for their mercurial parts are most

virtuous) but both Oil and Salt do in distilling by a Retort pass over

adust or burnt, and therefore are not made use of, and (the more’s the

pity) are serviceable to none. For all such as distill the Oils of

Vegetables, by the apposition of common water, in Copper Stills, do

know how very little a Portion is obtained by such a process, and that

the greatest part of them (Oils) do abide in the Still, and are of no

profit, because common water can’t be made hot enough, to drive out

the fatness, but it gives onely some little portion, the residue is

made thick and tenacious by the boiling, and remaineth in the Herbs:

Hereupon some Men knowing this thing, do add to the Herbs common Salt,

and Tartar of Wine, whereby the water being rendred one degree hotter,

gives more Oil: This is a way that I do indeed approve of, but yet the

one half part of the Oil will not ascend, and therefore distilled Oils

are commonly very dear, especially if made out of dear things. Whereas

if the Oils were distilled by this method of mine, they would have much

more Oil, whereby the poor might also buy them. I will instance in one

similitude whereby it shall appear, what great profit may be made by

distilling of Oils according to my method, and what a vast difference

there is betwixt my method here described, and the common usual way.

Suppose therefore that I seek after an excellent Medicine for the

Stone, and that I do certainly know that it lies in the Ash, (as I

have clearly enough discovered in the first and second part of this

_Spagyrical Pharmacopœa_, certainly knowing, that the Oil distilled

out of its Seed doth (by manifold experience) far exceed all other

Medicaments against the Stone.) This Ash indeed yields a prety quantity

of Seed, but much of that Seed yields but very little Oil, because

’tis resinous, and doth not distill over with the water, and upon that

account is prepared but by a few, and such poor Men as are sick, can’t

partake of it because of its dearness, and this is much to be bewailed,

that the Omnipotent God should set before our Eyes this Medicine in

such plenty and yet no body enjoy it. Besides this is to be observed,

that if some diligent Physician should distill such an Oil, and yet not

know how to correct it according to my method, he may sometimes do more

hurt than good, because that Oil brings over with it a certain volatile

Salt, which (infects or works on) the Copper Vessel it is distilled in,

and the Copper refrigeratory which it passeth through, and is usually

thereby rendred yellowish, or green, and hath been by many discreet

Men made use of without any regard thereunto, and (by reason of the

Copper) hath put a nauseate and debility of Stomach upon the Sick, and

hath been more hurtfull than beneficial. But now if they had rectified

it with Spirit of Salt once, or at least well shook it in a Glass with

the said Salt Spirit, that so the Copper might have been extracted by

the Spirit of Salt, and so have administred it, they had done well, and

would have gotten a most excellent Medicine, though I confess somewhat

dear, (proceeding this way) because that a Sackfull of the Seed, and as

much as a Porter can carry at once, will scarce give two ounces of Oil,

and this is too dear for the Poor Man’s Purse.

For the sake therefore of all sick People as well Poor as Rich, I will

discover my way that I use in getting the Oils, Spirits, and Volatile

Salts out of all the Vegetables, and that in good quantity, and with

very small Costs, that so all Men may partake of the gifts of God,

and may all have occasion of giving thanks to the Creator of all good

things.

Take therefore in Gods name whatsoever Vegetable you list, and fill

a great Glass Retort therewithall, and by degrees distill over all

that will come. Separate the Oil from the Spirit, and the Spirit by

rectification from the Volatile Salt; rectifie also this Volatile Salt,

and the Spirit upon its own _Caput Mort._ or upon some other Salt of

Ashes being first fired and calcined, and so they will become pure

and lose that fetid stinch that they got in the Distillation: If one

rectification is not enough, add a second or a third, always provided

that it be done on the fixed Salt of that Herb out of which you drew

the Spirit. Now though the Oil be also depurated by a rectification

upon the _Caput Mort._ yet that depuration and rectification is not

comparable to this of mine which I mention here, and therefore well do

we prefer this way, and ’tis thus.

Take your black distilled Oil, put it in a Glass Retort with six or

seven times as much rectified Spirit of Salt, and give first a gentle

Fire, then a greater as the thing requires, so the Oil will pass

over pure with the Spirit of Salt, and the stinch together with the

blackness, will stay behind with a part of the Spirit of Salt. If now

you will have that Oil yet purer, then rectifie it again with new

Spirit of Salt untill both the Odour and Colour thereof please you. As

for the Oil that stayed behind and did not ascend, separate it from the

Spirit of Salt, and ’twill be somewhat thickish like to a black Balsam,

and hath great virtue both inwardly and outwardly, but its inward use

we need not, for we have enough of the pure Oil for that purpose. But

that I may be yet farther serviceable to my Neighbour, and that he

may understand me more thereby, I will make use of this similitude or

example. Put case, that I have some four, five, or six pounds of the

Seed of the Ash, which falls from the Trees in the Month of _September_

or _October_, I do fill a Retort with the Same and by it distill the

said Seeds, and I usually have about one or two, sometimes three, four,

five, or six drams of black Oil, some ounces of Volatile Salt, and

some pounds of Acid Spirit: Now forasmuch as I seek for the Oil onely,

I separate this from the Spirit, and rectifie it with Spirit of Salt

untill it becomes pure, and this I keep for my use; and I make of the

Spirit either a certain Essence, as I have taught in the first part of

my _Pharmacopœa_, or sugered Tablets, (or Lozenges) or what I please:

And by this way do I get more Oil out of five or six pound of the Seed

of the Trees, than otherwise by the _Vesica_ or common hot Still, out

of 100 pound, and that which remaineth after rectifying is profitable

for external uses, if it be prepared as follows, _viz._ Separate this

thick Oil from the Spirit of Salt and mix it with Wax, that so it may

be made somewhat thicker, so as to be spread like an Emplaister, the

which put upon the Reins, and use the distilled Oil inwardly, and thus

this Emplaister will perform as much outwardly as the distilled Oil

operates inwardly, and so the Patient is thereby doubly repaired and

helped. And if you desire yet a third way of healing, then rectifie the

acid Spirit well, and dissolve the Volatile Salt by subliming it with

the Spirit, and use this Spirit every day (besides the inward use of

the distilled Oil) on this wise: Heat it a little, and dip in it some

Linnen Cloaths and therewith wash or bath the Back and Reins putting

on the Emplaister afterwards, and hereby the Sick Person will in a

short time (unless God doth in a singular manner put a stop thereto)

certainly recover.

Note well, after this manner may you distill all other Vegetables into

Oils, Spirits, and Emplaisters, and make use of them in this Disease,

such as are Saxifrage, Parsly, Cumin, Carraways, and such like other

Herbs and Roots: Neither is it always necessary to have the Ash Seed,

unless you please: For that this Tree is not to be had in all places,

and it yields also at some Seasons but little Seed? _N. B._ Here some

may demand and say, you have taught us the manner of preparing Oils,

Spirits, and Balsams out of the Seeds, but now if such a Medicine

could be made out of the Herbs it would be something, for whence shall

so much Seed be had? I Answer. If thou hast not so much Seed, thou

may’st make the Medicine out of the whole Plant, as the Root, Stalk,

Flowers, and Leaves: And the reason why I mentioned onely Seed, was

this, because the chief virtue of all the Vegetables, is occultly

placed and concentrated in the Seed, else the whole Plant may (as

aforesaid) be made use of, which although it yield not so much Oil as

the Seed does, yet may we even this way receive a good quantity: And

if we should neither take Seed, Herb, Leaves, or Stalks, yet would

the Root alone afford much Oil; but in Trees, as in Ash, Linden, Nut,

Cherry, Peach, and the like, the very bare Wood it self will abundantly

supply, if distilled _per descensum_, or by a Fire of suppression (of

which afore,) so that a little Ash if rightly handled may afford you

some pounds.

Nor are you to suppose that this way of plentifully preparing the Oils

of Vegetables and clarifying them by Spirit of Salt, serves onely for

such Vegetables as are good against the Stone, because I have onely

instanced them as examples; No, but even all Vegetables, serving

for every Disease, may be by this aforeshown way reduced into most

sweet Medicaments. Nay not onely Vegetables may, but also Animals and

Minerals too, but with some difference and distinction, which we shall

mention in what follows.

There remains yet one thing more to be mentioned about the Oils of

Vegetables, and the Distillation of them, and ’tis this. Some or

other may reply and say, that haply such Oils as are prepared first

by a Retort and _per descensum_, and then rectified and clarified by

Spirit of Salt, are not equivalent in their virtues to those which are

distilled in a Copper by the help of Water. For prevention of this

Quæry, and the removal of such needless cares, we do in the first place

demand, in what the virtues of the Animals and Vegetables do consist,

whether or no in their connate and occult property, or in the Odour,

Savour, and Tast. For answer, the greatest virtue of most Herbs, and

living Creatures doth for the most and greatest part consist in their

Co-nate or Co-born nature and property, and not in the Odour or Savour,

as is sufficiently evident in some Plants, which have scarce any Odour

or Savour, and yet are found notably efficacious in Medicine, and some

there are both of a Sweet Odour and Savour, which have no Medicinal

use, and some that have an ungratefull Odour and Savour, and yet have

no mean Medicinal Virtues. And many there be of things which both smell

and tast sweet, and are also profitable in medicine, because God hath

created them so or to that intent. I must needs confess that sometimes

an Odour or Savour of such an Herb as hath but little virtue is notably

refreshing and comfortable to the Vital Spirit, nay more, the very

seeing of a fair and comely thing is capable of comforting the Heart,

and an ugly thing of debilitating it; a notable example hereof we have

in a friendly man, and in Gold, as being things which by the very

beholding of them do refresh the Heart, whereas contrariwise, an angry

man, and a venemous Creature do terrifie it, (_viz._ the Heart) and

as ’twere make it Sick, yea and sometimes kill outright. Besides, not

onely the seeing of such and such objects do profit or hurt, but even

the very voice of a man, or of a living Creature do hurt, weaken, and

kill, if proceeding from a malignity. Farther, the bare imagination

can effect good or evil, heal or hurt; but this belongs not to this

place, but such things are treated of in my short Treatise of things

natural and supernatural. That which I have here spoken is to this

end, that the unskilfull might know, that the virtues of Vegetables

do consist more in their Co-born Nature than in the Savour or Odour,

and that this Distillation by a Retort, and rectification by Spirit of

Salt, can neither add to or diminish from their virtues, because their

virtue remains always unhurt, in what manner soever the Distillation be

made, provided that that which is distilled be diligently depurated,

and all the ungratefulness removed therefrom which it got in the

operation, that is to say, when Oils are adust (or Savour of burning)

by their being distilled in a Retort, then that accident may be taken

away from them by rectification with Spirit of Salt, and this now I add

for the sake of the Ignorant.

Moreover as it is with Vegetables, so likewise must you order your

distillation of the Oil, Salt, and Spirit of Animals: Neither need you

to proceed farther or otherwise. As for the Vertues of both Animals

and Vegetables, the Physician ought to know them by their Signature,

and not by the books of Writers, because the Signature doth shew us

the Vertues of all things much clearer and righter than many Writers,

who write many things meerly from hear say, whenas themselves do in

truth know very little or nothing at all. And thus for this time I

omit to say any more, for that the present occasion will not admit

of a more prolix discourse hereabouts. What I have done is for the

Sick that are poor, that they might know my method of purifying the

Spirits of the Acid Salts from Vegetables or Animals, by Spirit of

Salt, and of bringing them into wholsome Medicaments: And this cannot

be accomplished so plentifully without this Medium; and now this way

being shown, the Poor may also enjoy the benefit of them, and be able

to pay the Apothecary, whenas before even the Rich could hardly have

any of the good (in them). Note well, you are yet farther to observe,

that indeed the Animals are first to be distilled by a Retort (as we

spake before concerning the Vegetables) that so their Oil, Spirit, and

Volatile Salt, may pass over together; and their Spirit and Volatile

Salt may be rectified and purified the aforesaid way. But the Oil

will not come over by a bare Spirit of Common Salt, or of Niter, but

that Spirit must be first concentrated with _Calaminaris_, and then

it brings over the Oils of Animals, else not. But as touching the

Concentration of the Acid Spirit for this rectification, we shall speak

of it anon, and will therefore first set down (for better instructions

sake) one certain process of distillation and rectification, lest any

might err, and that all might rightly apprehend my meaning; and ’tis

this: Take some pounds of Turpentine, distill thence an Oil, and the

Fæces of the Turpentine will stay behind. This Oil though it be rendred

by Distillation purer than ’twas before, yet it hath put on another

nature by means of the Fire, _viz._ an hotter nature, and therefore

serveth not for every effect which the Turpentine before served for,

because the Turpentine is not very thick nor very thin, nor too hot or

too cold, nor too subtile or too thick or gross, but is of a temperate

essence and property, which now by Distillation it possesseth no

longer, but, because of its heat and subtilty, it is unusefull. Well,

what of all this? Why some or other might have objected to me that

indeed things are by distillation rendred more pure and subtile, but

doe thereby get an hotter nature and vertue, and therefore that way

of purifying doth not doe well in all subjects. Well, to prevent this

objection, and that the distilled Oils may after their purification be

restored to the same degree of thickness, rarity or thinness, colour

or frigidity, that they had before, and yet retain the purity they

got by distilling: the method is easie, and is thus done. Suppose

that Turpentine be (as it is Turpentine) hot and subtile in the first

degree, but being distilled it arrives to the third degree, and being

rectified to the fourth. I must now needs confess that that subtile

Oil is to be used onely in cold affects, and in no others, whereas

it might before have been employed about other accidents. To this I

say, and yield, that if it be proceeded with after the common and

known way, ’tis so: But my way is far otherwise to be reckoned of: For

though hereby the things distilled doe, together with a purity, get a

subtile heat, and doe in some operations become too thin and hot, yet

in rectifying by the Acid Spirit, such qualities are broken, divided

and dissipated, so that it is in part rendered of a like thickness and

tenacity as it was at first, and a part of it remains subtile. So that

you may have out of one subject, both thin, hot, thick and temperate

parts together, but both of those parts pure, as shall be evinced by

this Example.

The Spirit of Salt, or of Niter is indeed inwardly a mere Fire, but

externally a mere Cold, by which all thin things do stiffen and wax

hard. Therefore as the distillation doth induce heat, expels and

extenuates, so the rectification doth by the acid Spirit compel or

drive the same inward, thickneth it, and reduceth it into an equal

temperature: For the Oil in the first distillation is plainly hotter

and subtiller both within and without, than ’twas before, but by

rectifying it with the acid Spirit, the most subtil part comes over

first, then the middle part, and the thickest resides in the bottom,

which is of an equal degree of heat and thickness as the Turpentine

is, and is as usefull both inwardly and outwardly as the Turpentine

it self is. And I have over and above that middle Oil, and that most

subtil Spirit burning and penetrative, the which I can make use of for

those effects, which require such subtilty, or if I lift, thicken it

with what I left remaining of it self behind, which is thick, but yet

purified, or else thicken it with some other convenient thing. And thus

may I reduce one Subject into as many Degrees as I please, whereas the

Turpentine had before but onely one Degree: From hence may the friendly

Reader see what _Basis_ this my distillation and rectification by an

acid Spirit hath: Whereby not onely a great deal, yea 3, 4, or 5 times

more Oil comes over than by the common hot Still; but also the Volatile

Salts and the Spirits, and sharp Vinegars may be hereby gotten out of

Vegetables and Animals, and besides a pretty quantity of thick Oil

to be externally used, and which otherwise in distillation by water

in a _Vesica_ or hot Still, would remain wholly behind. The benefit

therefore of this distillation and rectification, doth not onely

consist in the getting a far greater quantity of the pure Oil, but

also in getting the Volatile Salt, (which as to its use is equivalent

in vertue to the Oil) and withal, an acid Spirit which abundantly

sufficeth both inwardly and outwardly according to its Office. I do

therefore earnestly demand of all skilfull Spagyrists (for ’tis in vain

to appeal to such as are yet ignorant what the Art of Fire is) whether

or no this distillation is not to be preferred before the others, and

to be made use of for the benefit of mankind. I hope that the well

minded Reader will follow this rule, and will apprehend from this one

process onely, so much as to be afterwards easily able to reduce every

distilled Oil into its former hardness, by the help of an acid Spirit.

Let us consider Amber onely, ’tis indeed a fine transparent kind of

stone, which was before (or at first) soft and fluid as Turpentine

was, an Oil or a kind of thin Bitumen, but now so hardened by the salt

Water that it may be beaten to a Powder, yet may it be distilled and so

separated and cleansed from its earthly Nature: And the pure Oil may be

reduced into its former hardness, by the help of Spirit of Salt onely:

For it became at first hardened by Salt, when it flowed thin out of the

Rock: But of this enough, we shall say more of it in another place.

Now follows the Process of purifying Minerals by distillation or

sublimation, and of depurating them even to the utmost, by rectifying

them by an Acid Spirit. To exemplifie which, I will instance in Common

Sulphur, according to which rule the other purification of Minerals may

be instituted.

Take common Brimstone, sublime it the usual way into Flowers, or by

it self in a Coated glass retort, or let it be mixt with decrepitated

Salt, for so will it be freed from its most crude terrestreity, and

be rendered fit for a farther Mundification by an Acid Spirit. Take

one pound of these Flowers of Sulphur, and put it into a strong Glass

Body coated, then pour in one or two pounds of the Spirit of Niter, or

of common Salt, and place it in an Earthen-vessel in Sand: Put there

under a Fire, encreasing it gradually untill the Spirit of Salt boils

in the Retort, and the Sulphur melts, and there will swim somewhat

like Oil on the top of the Water: _N. B._ An Alembick is to be put on

the Body, lest the Spirit of Salt ascending up, goes away in fume;

but in the Alembick it will be refrigerated, condensed, and may be

saved. This boiling is finished in some five or six hours, and so the

Sulphur is mundified, and becomes as clear and transparent as Glass.

For the Spirit of Salt attracteth the Metalline Parts, which are in

the Sulphur, whether it be Copper, Arsenick, Auripigment, Vitriol, or

such-like impurities which are commonly adherent, and stickers on to

the Sulphur, and would otherwise have remained in it, and done more

hurt in Medicine: And this _Paracelsus_ knew, and adviseth to beware

of; For certain it is there lye hidden in Sulphur incredible Vertues,

and such as its common Flowers do not shew or discover, as being yet

infected with Mineral venenate Spirits, which may be taken thencefrom

by the Spirit of Salt. And if then either the Flowers be sublimed out

of it, or that it be dissolved in a Balneum with Spirit of Juniper, or

of Turpentine, or be by any other way reduced into a Liquid form, it

doth much good in Medicine, nor is there any more fear of its venomous

nature, for the Spirit of Salt hath took that away. I could indeed

here mention some preparations of Common Sulphur, into efficacious

Medicaments, but that I have intended to proceed no farther with it

here, than onely as touching its purification by the Spirit of Salt:

the rest we will leave to another time.

As Sulphur may be proceeded with, so likewise may you deal with the

other Minerals, and first mundifie them by a Retort, and distill them

into black Oils, then may the Oils be clarified with Spirit of Salt,

and be reduced into sweet Oils and Balsams. Nor will any man easily

believe what notable Vertues there are hidden in the mountainous and

terrestrial Minerals, and yet not usefull at all inwardly, because of

their Arsenical nature, which may with ease be taken away from them

by Spirit of Salt, and be thereby more securely used as to Medicine.

And had I not purposely tried it, I would not at all have written of

it. For information therefore of the unexperienced, I will tell you a

story, whereby it will appear, that those Minerals do usually lodge in

them evil and venomous Arsenical Spirits.

In the County or Province of _Erbach_, scituate between the _Mœne_

and _Neker_ in _Franconia_, is found plenty of a Sand knit as it were

together by a fluid Mineral, and grown together into huge heaps like

little Mountains of a duskish colour; which if you lay on burning

Coals, emits a sweet odour altogether like Amber. When I saw it, I

put some into a Retort, and distilled an Oil thencefrom, wholly like

the Oil of Amber both in colour and smell, and had used it in its

stead, had I not shortly after tried another knack: For ordering the

Chambers to be fumed with the Sand, because it yielded such a fragrant

odour, I very seasonably observed that that fume was unwholsome and

venomous, for it caused pains of the Head, and a kind of nauseate,

’twas also offensive to the Stomach, and this made me leave off my

Fumigations, and set about rectifying the Oil thence distilled, by the

Spirit of Salt, and by this means I got a clear and pure Oil, and the

Spirit of Salt attracted to it self the Arsenical Essence, which being

purged and rectified, yielded me at the bottom real Arsenick, whence I

perceived that all those Minerals are very Arsenical, and no ways fit

for internal use, unless they be first mundified by the Spirit of Salt.

Many such kinds of Minerals are to be found, which we neither care

for, nor know: some of which are as hard as a Stone, some thin, some

fluid like Oil; such an one is that Fountain about _Baccharach_ that

boils up in the middle of the _Rhine_, and fills the whole _Rhine_ for

about three miles space and an half with its fatness, and yields a most

fragrant odour, is of a duskish colour. For as I was ferrying by it,

I took up some of the water in my hand, and questionless the Fountain

of it must needs flow very plentifully, forasmuch as the whole River

_Rhine_ is filled therewith as far as you can see, and yet scarce one

Man amongst a hundred or a thousand doe in their sailing by it take

notice thereof. Doubtless this Fountain hath its efflux and rise out of

the Mountains which border on each side the River. Did it break out at

the top of the Earth, it would be worth Gold and Cedar, but lying so

deep, ’tis of no use. Were curious Men inhabitants there, they would

doubtless find out this Fountain; For on this part of the _Rhine_,

where the City _Baccharach_ lies, is a high Mountain, where grows

pretious Wine, and is in Foreign parts sold at a dear rate, because

of its most sweet savour and odour, and by the Inhabitants is called

Muscadel, and ’tis a sort of Wine produced onely in this Mountain; nor

can the neighbouring adjacent places make the like. Hence I presume

that this Fountain at _Baccharach_ ariseth from a Mineral Oil, flowing

out from this Mountain into the _Rhine_, and that hence also ariseth

the goodness of the Wine. And whereas this Mountain affords not such a

quantity of Wine as the Inhabitants wish, they bethought themselves of

a remedy for this scarcity, casting in Herb-scarlet into the common

Wine, from which it got the same kind of taste, and became almost

Muscadel. Nor let it seem strange to any one for the Wine to attract

a savour from the Earth lying about it, for ’tis very certain, and I

my self have tried it; And since it is so that this matter affords me

opportunity of speaking of these things, I will give you my opinion

more clearly in what follows.

Below _Frankford_, some four miles from the River _Mœne_, there lies a

Village called _Hohenheime_ under the _Moguntia_ Elector, and there’s

a Mountain which yields very good Wine, though not of so delicate a

savour as that of _Baccharach_, yet ’tis of a sweet smell, whereby it

exceeds all the Rhenish Wine, and is therefore dear; The cause of this,

I attribute to the Soil, in which the Vines grow, which Soil brings

forth Stone Coals, and were heretofore digged hence, and are now again

sought after, which Coals have in them a sweet Mineral Oil, as I shall

shew you. Farther, there lies a high Mountain at the River _Mœne_ about

the Castle _Klingenberg_, scituate between _Odenwall_ and _Spessart_,

where that Earth is found too, such as I above mentioned, which yields

a sweet Oil in distillation. And this Mountain doth likewise produce

sweet and good Wine, so that it yields not a whit (in its kind) to that

of _Baccharach_ or _Hohenheime_. But now whether or no the Mineral Oil

that is not far off to be here found, be wholly the cause, I doe not

affirm, but I believe it, for my part, so to be, let another follow

his own opinion. There is also a great Mountain at _Herbipolis_, at

the _Steine_ so called, that yields pretious Wine, but not of a savour

like these three. Hence arose that Proverb: At _Baccharach_ on the

_Rheine_, _Herbipolis_ on the _Steine_, _Klingenberg_ on the _Mœne_,

and _Hochheime_ on the _Rehn_, are the four best Wines.

I confess there grows good Wine every-where on the River _Mœne_, but

yet these four do far exceed all the others, and that haply because

of that sweet savour which they attract out of the Earth where they

grow. For it is certain that the Vine doth draw an odour and savour

(more than all other Plants do) out of the Earth, whence it hath its

nutriment: So that it is not very difficult for a good Physician to

communicate to the Vine any savour that he listeth (which will be)

according to the nutriment which is put to the Root. I make no doubt

but that there will be some Zoilists that will make a mock of these

Reasons of mine, as concerning the ground and rise of the taste of the

Wine at _Baccharach_, _Herbipolis_, _Klingenberg_ and _Hochheime_, and

will not attribute the cause to the Soil, but say that my Reasons are

invalid shallow ones, the which derision I shall patiently undergo:

such kind of Men will rather drink the good Wine even to excess,

than produce any reasons whence the savour proceeds. But I speak

experimentally, and say that the Vines do attract a savour from the

Soil whence they are planted, the which I have many a time tried and

found so to be. Verily the Gardiners know, that Man’s dung will give a

nutriment or encrease to Flowers, but yet will put an odd smell upon

them; And therefore do they carefully shun the putting it to the Roots

of sweet-smelling Flowers, but use it rather to such as are void of

odour, as Tulips and such-like, that so they may grow the sooner. ’Tis

also evidently observed, that if the Root of the Vine be planted in

such a place where Man’s dung lieth, it acquires an unpleasant odour,

and the Grapes are thereby rendered unfit to be eaten. Besides, the

most curious Vine-dressers have long ago attained to this experience,

that if the Scarlea or any other odoriferous Herb be applied to the

Root of the Vine, it will bestow its Odour on the Grapes, (but it

serves for no more years than that onely) whereas if they pour upon

the Root an Oil of a sweet and strong Odour, that Vine will produce

Muscadel for ten years and more, the which I have handled at large in

the Vegetable work, and do mention it herein briefly upon this account;

Because that a Mineral Oil lies hid in the Earth in abundance, the

which being incorporated in Plants, but in Vines especially, produceth

excellent Fruits, whereof but a few Men have the knowledge.

But now that I may yet demonstrate this more clearly to the unskilfull,

and consequently incredulous, _viz._ that there is a most great

sweetness in the Minerals, which may here be extracted by distillation

and rectification with Spirit of Salt, I will instance this example:

’Tis well known to all Men that the Stone Coals which are in many

places digged out of the Earth, doe (being burnt) emit an ungratefull

Odour, and are hence usually esteemed of as venomous; but in those

places where they are plentifully digged, they are daily used in

coction, nor doth any hurt arise therefrom: So that it must needs be

acknowledged, that they do not stink of themselves, but that the Fire

onely is the cause of the stink, and that their innate fatness is of

a savoury and sweet-smelling nature, yea so sweet as any Vegetable,

as I can easily evidence. You have an Example in Roses, or any other

Vegetable, which if distilled by a Retort, loseth its sweet odour, and

puts on a smell of burning too: What hinders from being so in Minerals,

as in Pit-Coals, and the like? I grant indeed, that if enough Oil would

come over out of the Vegetables by an hot Still, there would be no

need of this distilling by a Retort, and rectifying by Spirit of Salt,

because it requires a great deal of labour; but forasmuch as there doth

not distill enough over, ’twill behove us to acquiesce in this method.

Nor fear I to affirm, that if it were possible to distill an Oil out

of such Coals by a hot Still, it would give place to no Aromatical Oil

whatsoever in the sweetness of the smell. From whence, I pray, should

so many kinds of Herbs draw such various Odours and Savours, were there

not lying hid in the Earth an Universal Sulphur or Balsam?

But to put an end to this discourse, and that I may shew that the

Pit-Coals do contain in them an Oil or pretious and wholsome Balsam, no

whit inferiour as to its Vertues to any of the most pretious Oils or

Balsams brought us out of the _Indies_ observe but this process.

Fill a Retort with Coals, and distill a black Oil, the which separate

from the Acid-water that came over the Helm with it, and rectifie it by

Spirit of Salt, and so there will first of all come the clear and pure

Oil, then a yellow Oil, not so sweet as the former, and the thick and

black Oil remains behind, and serves for to be mixt with Emplaisters;

for ’tis a wonderfull healer, by reason of its innate siccity; now the

yellow Oil may be yet farther rectified once more by Spirit of Salt,

that it may become pure, white, and fair: But if you are yet farther

minded to make a difference betwixt these pure Oils, and will again

rectifie them with new Spirit, then shall you take the most pure part

by it self, which as to heat, subtilty, and sweetness, is fully equal

to the true Oil of Peter; and which being kept apart, and used for

cold accidents, both inwardly and outwardly, will do the same, yea and

much more than is attributed to the Oil of Peter. Nor is there any fear

at all of these Oils being Arsenical, for the Spirit of Salt hath took

off all the Arsenick in the rectification, and if you please you may

use the Oil which comes next after the most subtile Oil in mixing it

with Balsams, or it may be safely used by it self, either inwardly or

outwardly, and ’twill perform wonderfull things, and such as exceed

belief, forasmuch as in Pit-Coals lieth a most great Balsamick vertue;

If the depurated Sulphur which we spake of afore be dissolved with this

Oil, and reduced into a Balsam, thou shalt have a Medicament, which

may deservedly be styled an Universal terrestrial Mineral Balsam, and

doth both as to inward and outward uses far exceed all other Balsams:

And therefore ’tis in my mind to prepare this Balsam in great quantity,

for the benefit of Mankind: The most notable Vertues thereof should I

describe, the very description would amount to a particular Treatise,

but that belongs not to this place, but it sufficeth me to have at

this time explained the manner of the preparation. I may haply (if God

please) more largely teach concerning its Vertues, another time, as

likewise the Vertues of the rest of my Medicines.

* * * * *

And thus will I put an end to the Third Part of my _Pharmacopœa

Spagyrica_, in which I have (in my opinion) mentioned sufficient

enough; and although it be but a small Book to sight, yet do great

things lie hidden under it, which one amongst a thousand will scarce

comprehend. But that the well-minded Reader may understand, what

reality there is lies hidden in this Treatise, I will here teach by way

of an Appendix one Process onely, whereby it shall evidently appear

how noble the Art of Purging things by distillation is. This operation

is well enough known in the Vegetables and Animals, _viz._ that always

from the thing you distill, the purer part comes over first, then the

more vile part, but the unprofitable earthiness abides in the bottom

with the fixed Salt. Now in Metals this Process is not so well known,

nor will it be so soon made publick and common, nor indeed is it

expedient, for this world is not worthy the knowledge thereof. But that

I may satisfie my promise, and shew, that Metals may by distillation be

made Spirits, and purged in the highest degree. I will make use of this

following Example: ’Tis known to every one, that if any dry thing is to

be distilled by the fire, some moisture must be mingled therewithall,

which may attract to it self the gross and heavy part, as you may see

in the common distillation of Herbs, to which Herbs (when dry) Water

is added, with which their savour and vertue distilleth over: And to

every dry thing there is requisite its proper humidity, which must of

necessity have a Communion or Affinity with the dry, if it be to bring

over the dry with it self. Now common Water is able to carry over (in

distilling) the odour and savour of Herbs, yea and of Salts, but not

of hard Sulphureous or Mercurial Minerals, much less of the fixed

Metals. But forasmuch as Metals are Homogeneal, and cannot be purged

by any force of Fire, nor separated from the impure part, unless they

be dissolved by agreeable and convenient _Menstruums_, and be rendered

apt by distillation, for always that which is brought into Flores doth

(if reduced) yield such a Metallick body as it at first came from.

Thence arose an opinion of an impossibility of separating the pure part

from the impure. Indeed to the blockish and unskilfull all things seem

impossible, and therefore from them is not to be lookt for any judging

of good secrets.

But to return to my purpose, and shew that a Golden Essence may be

distilled and separated out of the crude Metals by Distillations, I

will make use of a common Example. Dissolve in a Common _Aq. Fortis_,

made the usual way of Niter and Vitriol, one Ounce of pure Silver;

which being wholly dissolved and reduced into pure Water, pour out the

Solution gently into another Glass, that so if haply any Gold were mixt

with your Silver it might stay behind, and not be dissolved, or mixed

together, lest the Experiment prove fallacious. Then some common Salt

is to be dissolved in common Water, the Salt to be in weight equal to

your Silver; and this Water is to be added to the dissolved Silver, and

to be so long poured out of one Glass into another untill it be well

mixt, then let it settle, and let the pure Water be poured off, and a

white Powder of the Silver will remain, which is again to be macerated

with pure Water several times, untill the Calx of the Silver be freed

from all Saltness and Corrosivity; Then dry it, and you shall have a

white and tender Powder, and very fusile, so that it will melt even

with the flame of a Candle, and is not unlike to a _Mercury_, but may

well be called the _Mercury_ of _Lune_, but the Chymists usually call

it the horned _Moon_, for being molten it resembles the shape of an

Horn, and with this may be wonderfull things effected both in Medicine

and Alchymy; but belongs not to this place to speak of, and therefore

are to be but just hinted. And like as we have spoken of _Lune_, so

likewise must we proceed with _Saturn_; and he will also yield you

a white Volatile and fusile Powder, as easily melting, yea easier

than the _Mercury_ of Silver, and is deservedly called the _Mercury_

of _Saturn_. These two are willingly associated to a third, _viz._

to Common _Mercury_, and do fix him, and so is that Axiome of the

Philosophers fulfilled, _Nature rejoyceth with Nature, Nature overcomes

Nature, Nature retains Nature_. Farther, these _Mercuries_ do admit

of distillation and a separation of the pure part from the impure, no

otherwise than as doth a Vegetable. But the way of doing this is not to

be so hastily written, I spent a whole year in searching after it, till

I found it, and so let another seek; and if God grants it him, he may

enjoy it; And if God vouchsafeth him so much, he will also give him the

knowledge how to use it: If the _Mercury_, which in it self is white,

volatile and fusile, is rendered more white by distillation; ’tis also

a necessary consequence that it will become likewise more volatile,

more fusile, and more pure: but of this enough.

But to come yet nearer to the matter, and to shew that Metals may be

so separated by distillation as to become golden, take this Example:

Take two Ounces of the aforesaid horny _Lune_, and reduce it into

Corporeal or pliable Silver, and separate it by a Cupel, for then thou

art assured that no other thing is in it but Silver: Dissolve this

Cupellated Silver again in common _Aq. Fortis_, and it will leave a

good part of Golden Calx. Now it may be demanded, whence comes this

Golden Calx? Comes it from the Silver, or the _Aq. Fortis_, or from

the Salt-water, all which three were in use in the precipitation? I

answer, that the Spirit of Niter brought over with it self, in the

distillation, a certain Goldenishness from the Iron and Copper which

were in the Vitriol, and that in the form of a Spirit, and assumed

its Body from the _Lune_. Now if any other Body concludes it to be

otherwise, _viz._ that the aforesaid Gold comes from the _Lune_ onely,

and not from the _Aq. Fortis_, I do but ask him this Query, Why the

very same sort of Silver, being dissolved and precipitated out of

the _Aq. Fortis_ with Salt of Tartar, or by Copper Plates, be not

equally as golden as this is which is precipitated with Salt-water?

But some may yet urge farther, that this Gold proceeds onely from the

Salt with which the Silver is precipitated, and not from the _Aq.

Fortis_ or Silver, because the Silver being dissolved in _Aq. Fortis_,

and precipated with Brass Plates, or the Liquor of Salt of Tartar,

yields no Gold; but that onely gives Gold which is precipitated with

Salt-water. To answer this Objection, and clearly to demonstrate that

this Gold owes its Original to them both, _viz._ the Tincture to the

_Aq. Fortis_, but the Body to the Silver, and not to the common Salt,

(for though there lies hidden in all common Salt a certain Golden

power, which may be thence drawn by Art, yet that is not to be done

this kind of way, but by another, which we mention in our Book called

_the Consolation of Sailours_) I do certainly know, that this Gold

proceeding from the precipitated Silver, doth arise from the Vitriol

and Silver onely, and not from the Salt: And this may be clearly

observed thus; If you add to the Vitriol and Niter a Verdigrease

prepared with Sulphur and Salt, the _Aq. Fortis_ will be twice more

Golden than if ’twere made of onely Vitriol; the reason is this,

because the Iron and the Copper are fixed in the Vitriol, and do not

easily yield Gold; but if the Copper be first reduced with Salt and

Sulphur into a Volatile Calx, and be added to the Vitriol and Niter,

then is this kind of Labour done to profit, else not: This which I

write is onely to demonstrate the possibility. And should you add to

the Vitriol and Niter, or to Allum and Niter, other Species containing

Volatile Gold, as _Calaminaris_, _Zinck_, and such like, the Water will

be rendered so much the more Golden: But if you add to the Niter and

Vitriol such Species as contain in them Volatile Silver, such as are

_Cobolt_, _Bismuth_, _Arsenick_ then the _Aq. Fortis_ is rendered more

Silvery, and makes part of the Copper in the Solution purely Silvery,

like as the Goldenish water when ’tis in the Solution makes part of

the Silver Golden. By which it is demonstrated, that crude Metals are

depurated by distillation, and may be made Volatile, and that by that

means of Solution, Corporal Gold and Silver may be precipitated out of

the Metals, according as the Dissolvent is prepared out of Golden or

Silvery Subjects.

This Example I account sufficient to evidence, that the crude Metals

may be purged by Distillation so as to become golden. If then it be

so with the crude and impure Metals, what then may be done with the

pure ones if they be made by Distillation, yet more pure; without all

question a most excellent medicine might be from thence prepared, and

far to be preferred to Gold or Silver. This discourse do I here make

use of to the intent that it may be seen, that even fixt metals being

after a due manner opened and made volatile, are capable of sending

out their best part, and of being separated by Distillation from the

more crude part. But this Treatise appertains not to Alchymy but to

Medicine, and yet I thought good to induce this argument, _viz._ (that

out of crude Vitriol, may a volatile Gold be drawn by Distillation

and be incorporated with Gold and Silver) to this end that all men

might know of a certainty, how much good may be done in metals by

Distillation, and what a pure substance may be thence drawn. Nor doth

_Basil Valentine_ that _German_ Philosopher, doubt expresly to write

that the Philosophers Stone is full as easie, yea easier to be prepared

out of Vitriol than Gold. If therefore the highest universal medicine

both for man and metals may be prepared out of common Vitriol, why may

not the same be possible to be done out of the purer metals if they

were reduced into Vitriol, and so as to admit of Distillation, whereby

the pure may be separated from the impure.

If now the common Vitriol of Copper and Iron, do in Distillation yield

volatile Gold, why should not the Vitriol of _Lune_ do it much more and

yield it nobler, as being indeed the true and onely metallick Vitriol

of the Philosophers, which _Basilius_ appoints to be taken for his

Work, and doth truely deserve the name of Vitriol. For if you would

have your common Vitriol tinge, you must add Galls thereto, but this

Vitriol doth truely blacken all things without Galls. But you must

not imagine that I do here intend such a Vitriol of _Lune_, as is by

solution (in _Aq. Fortis_ reduced into a white Crystal, or such as is

precipitated by the water of Salt out of the Solution (in _Aq. Fortis_)

no such matter? For this resembles not Vitriol, because it may be again

reduced (into Silver.) But the true Vitriol of the Philosophers is

prepared out of _Lune_ without _Aq. Fortis_ or such like Corrosives,

and is not reduceable in the strongest Fire, but remains a Vitriol,

tingeth the Tonge, is astringent, and yields a golden Water, which

dissolveth Gold and fixeth it therewith. Such a Vitriol will we make

use of in medicine and Alchymy, and leave the common Vitriol for the

Dyers. The Ancients called their Salt Vitriol, on this account, because

that it did as to its external Figure resemble Vitriol, but though

they so called it, yet they took not the common Vitriol, which every

wise man may be easily perswaded to believe. So then let the _Lune_

be the Earth, Gold the Seed, and _Mercury_ the (Water, but not the

common _Mercury_) with which it is to be watered, and let the rest be

committed to God and Art. Thus far have I declared to you my opinion,

let every man follow his own. But thus is confirmed the assertion of

that excellent Philosopher _Basil Valentine_, who affirms, that even

out of common Vitriol may be extracted a certain goldenishness; how

much more credible then is it, that a Vitriol prepared out of the more

pure metals may yield a better goldenness. Every one may believe what I

here write for I have oft times tried it, but yet I have received more

Gold sometimes than at other some according as I ordered my process,

and reduced my precipitated Silver; for you are to know, that such a

kind of Silver as is precipitated out of _Aq. Fortis_, by the Water of

Salt is wholly volatile, nor melteth it like to a Calx of _Lune_, but

goes away partly in fume, and part is reduced into an horny Stone, and

yet by a peculiar Distillation doth all come over, but enough of this.

Hereupon is Salt of Tartar to be added to this volatile Calx, lest

being molten it vanisheth away in fume, for Borax doth not prevent it.

But it melteth better if it be help by that notable fluxing Powder,

made of Niter, Tarter, and Sulphur, and it be kindled by a little Coal

and burnt up, but then all the Silver doth not melt, but part of it

goes away in fume. _N. B._ If you catch this fume which is a thing

easily done, it resembles the form of a red Powder, and will abundantly

recompence your pains, nor may that saying of _Paracelsus_ be unfitly

applied hereunto, _viz._ to corrupt is totally to perfect, because

these Flores of Silver are not lost, but are of a greater price than

the Silver was. He that well knows this labour (for indeed experience

is the best master) will not labour in vain. And if he learns nothing

from this little here-taught, neither will he find out ought from a

greater. For I have in these few words revealed much, yea haply more

than I ought to have done. All which we do in the first and chiefest

place attribute to God, next him to Niter, which renders Metals so

fluxible. From hence may the well minded Reader percieve that there is

in Niter, not onely a power to fix all volatile Minerals and Metals (of

which I have treated in my second part of the Prosperity of _Germany_)

but also of making them wholly volatile, so that they may be distilled

and purged, as is sufficiently evident in the aforegoing example:

Besides, there is another way of making Metals volatile, as well as by

Niter, but so as that they be not wholly dissolved, but are by a moist

nitrous Fire reduced so far as to retain the form which they put upon

themselves in the said moist Fire, and yet they become so volatile, as

to suffer themselves to be wholly distilled and sublimed, and will in

the _Proba_ give Gold, the which the gradatory Water hath made in them.

But of these things more at large in the fourth part of the Prosperity

of _Germany_: Thus with what hath been said, will I finish the third

part of my _Pharmacopœa Spagyrica_.

_The End of the Third Part._

THE

FOURTH PART

OF THE

Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.

Treating of the four principal Pillars of Medicine, _viz._ Sulphur,

Vitriol, Antimony, and Mercury, but chiefly of the great harmony

between the Superiour Elementary Sun and Moon, and the Inferiour

and Terrestrial Gold and Silver, and the magnetick way of

attracting the Virtues of _Sol_ and _Lune_ by the Air, and of

rendring them palpable and visible.