_How a Medicine may be prepared of =Sol= and =Luna= together._
_Recipe_ of Gold one ounce, and of Silver two ounces. Dissolve the
_Sol_ in _Aqua Regia_, and the _Lune_ in _Aqua Fortis_. If you mix
both Solutions together, one Metal will precipitate the other, and
both settle to the bottom in the form of a Dark or Ash-coloured Calx.
This Precipitate edulcorate and dry, and mix with the same half its
own weight of our Eagles Feathers. Distil these in a Glass Retort with
strong Fire: then will the Eagles Feathers take up with it self a white
Water; in which, notwithstanding, is latent a red Tincture; but of an
unpleasing Taste, and therefore not to be administred in medicinal
Practice. Yet, if this fierce and horrible Water be mortified by the
help of a _Lixivium_ of Tartar, and afterward some white Glass broke
small be melted in a Crucible with some such Salt, the Glass will be
tinged by the Salt, with an eminent yellowness answerable to the Colour
of Gold. That yellow Tincture may be extracted from the Glass, and
used in Medicine; because it ariseth both from _Sol_ and _Luna_, and
therefore necessarily must be medicinal.
_Note_: That during the Distillation, the Glass vessel contracts divers
Colours, partly red, and partly yellow; _viz._ as long as it stands in
the Fire and is hot; but the Neck remaining out in the Air, continues
white. Here is cause indeed of admiration, that by that mixture of
divers Colours many and various Figures are represented, as Mountains
and Valleys, adorned with Rocks and Trees, so artificially, as they
seem to be the Work of a Painter. Some such Glasses painted, both by
Art and Nature, I gave to some of my curious and ingenious Friends;
who I believe have them yet to show. These Glasses are tinged well and
throughly; sometimes through their whole Body, and that so firmly, as
even the strongest _Aqua Fortis_ or _Aqua Regia_, or any Corrosives
cannot take off those Colours. Which indeed is a most strange and
admirable thing, that even vulgar and corporeal fixed _Sol_ and _Luna_
should be rendred so volatile, as to be able to enter into the compact
Glass, and tinge the same. Spirits have great power, are void of
ponderosity, and when they tinge, the vertue of them is discerned far:
even as the Spirits of men and other Animals are void of all heaviness
or weight; which we clearly discern by this, _viz._ that a man living,
is much lighter than when he is dead.
Moreover, Spirits cannot onely render fixed _Luna_ volatile, and
reduce it into red Bodies as _Sol_ and _Venus_, which without any hurt
of their form, and without increase or diminution of their weight,
they can totally tinge with whiteness; but also Spirits can render
the most fixt and most compact Gold volatile, and induce it into
compact _Lune_, whereby that shall be tinged with yellowness, which
is a thing very wonderfull. But that Spirits can induce Tincture into
Glass, without hurt or augmentation of its weight, deserves greater
admiration; especially because it is the common Opinion of putatitious
Philosophers, that in Glass are no pores, yet the contrary of their
supposition is true. For if it were so, as they perswade themselves,
which way I pray could Tinctures be introduced into them?
_Note_: That Spirits do not onely induce Metallick subtile Tinctures
into compact Metals and Glasses; insomuch, as by the help of white
Spirits, yellow _Sol_, without destruction of its form or species may
totally be tinged with whiteness; and white _Lune_ by the mediation of
red Spirits, be totally tinged with yellowness, and white Glass with
various Colours resembling the Beauty of Jems: but they also extract
fixed Bodies from other fixed Metallick Bodies. As we see, as often as
we cast any mixture of _Sol_, _Luna_ and _Venus_, (melted into a Mass)
into those Spirits; the same Spirits extract the _Luna_ and _Venus_
from the _Sol_, without corruption or destruction of its form, so as
the _Sol_, although this separation is made, doth notwithstanding
remain compact and massy. We have such Spirits as these in our
Possession, and can render the same fit for our purpose.
As for all other Spirits, which are various; _viz._ 1. Are Cœlestial
and Divine. 2. Terrestrial and Diabolick. 3. The Spirits of the four
Elements; these excel the former in power: for they cannot onely pass
through Doors that are shut, but also through the hardest Stones and
Rocks, and there at pleasure sport and perpetrate wonderous things.
As you may learn from those that labour in Mines of Metals, where
such Spirits inhabit, and stoutly defend their Treasures of Gold and
Silver, from such as come to spoil them of the same; wherefore they
invade the Miners, strike them, pault them with Stones or Dirt, blast
them with venomous Vapours, and oftentimes kill many of them at once.
What wonderfull things they in these subterranean Mansions are able to
effect, is more than sufficiently known. In the Mansfieldick Mountains
of _Venus_ or Copper, the Spirits paint all kind of Figures, especially
of Fishes; some of which I my self have seen. About 100 years since
there was dug up a certain Image of _Venus_ upon a black Fissile
Stone, wherein _Luther_ and the Electour of _Saxony_ were so evidently
expressed, as either of them might be seen kneeling before the Image
of Christ crucified. Also another such Fissile Stone was thence dug
up, in which was exactly figured _John Baptist_ baptizing Christ in
_Jordan_. But if our Spirits of Salt can induce Tinctures into the
compact Bodies of Metals; and Elementary Spirits in their subterranean
Habitations, can impress many and various Figures on Stones; what is
that good Cœlestial Spirits shall not be able to effect? Did not these
preserve the three Children in the _Babylonian_ Fiery Furnace? Did
not they bring _Peter_ out of Prison; and the Prophet _Habacuck_ to
_Daniel_ into the Lyon’s Den? Are not they able to bring in, and lead
out? Cannot they render fixed palpable Bodies volatile, spiritual and
invisible, and on the contrary render invisible Bodies visible and
tangible?
Many things might here be spoken touching the Nature, Property and
Difference of Spirits, but that they are not pertinent to our present
purpose. If GOD permit, according as I have purposed, I shall ere
long set forth a peculiar Treatise of Spirits. Here we have heard how
Spirits can bring through shut Doors hard Bodies, and there render
them corporeal and visible. Which may serve for Information to every
Searcher into the Light of Nature.