_To draw the fix Tincture from Gold, and to make it Spiritual
and Potable, fit for the =Physicians= use, and that easily, in
a short time, without any considerable Charges; and how the
same exalted Spiritual Gold may be changed into a clarified,
transparent, tinging, fix Carbuncle_.
Take of the filings of Gold, or beaten Gold an ounce and half, or an
ounce and quarter, put it into a little, but strong Glass body, pour
upon it two or three ounces of our best _Alcahest_, fit a head to it,
closing it well with a paper dipt in Oyl, apply a great Recipient, and
lute it very carefully, for when the Spirit comes over, it passeth
with great violence, and searches every where for vent, being the
most subtil of Spirits, and very fiery withall: Wherefore take great
care that your Lute be good, or else you will never be able to retain
this Corrosive fiery spirit. The Vessel must stand in Sand, and a
very gentle Fire administred at first, that our secret spirit may by
degrees grow warm in the Glass, and not be too suddenly heated, for
in that case it would be apt to fly away without its prey: But if you
proceed, as is directed, then our moist fire will lay hold of the Gold,
and carry it over in form of a Spirit, but leisurely and by degrees,
at first only of a yellow colour, which afterwards comes higher and
higher. Towards the latter end the fire must be encreased, till the
bottom of the Glass be red hot, at which time the heavy spirits will
come over, bringing the heavy Corporal Gold over with them, a red fix
salt staying behind, which is of great use in Physick and Alchimy, as
we shall see hereafter. The yellow spirit, as well as the red salt,
may, without any further preparation be used outwardly and inwardly
(the strength of them being qualified with Water, or other Liquors) and
by reason of their astringent property, corroborate the Stomach of such
as are old and cold, procure Appetite, consume tough Phlegm and slimy
Matter in the stomach, help Concoction and strengthen the Heart, Brain,
and all outward and inward parts of the Body; open all Obstructions, by
reason of the fiery subtil saline spirit joyn’d with them, penetrating
and cleansing the whole Body, and perform all that can be expected from
a true Potable Gold.
But in order to our Metallick Transmutation, this Solar spirit must be
reduced to a fix, sweet, transparent, and all penetrating Stone; the
way and manner of doing which, we shall declare hereafter. Now in case
we would have this our Golden spirit, to produce more wonderful effects
in Physick, as well as in the Transmutation of Metals, then proceed
thus: Take of Gold one part, of the Martial _Regulus_ of Antimony
two parts, melt them together, pour them forth, and the Gold will be
white and brittle; pulverize the Mass, and put it into a small Glass
body, and pour upon it three times as much of our fiery _Alcahest_,
and by degrees abstract the same, and you’ll have a higher and better
Tincture than from the Gold alone. For _Antimony_ is the _Aries_ of the
Chymists, wherein _Sol_ hath its exaltation. This red Oyl of Gold and
Antimony, may easily be changed into an Universal Medicine or Tincture,
by means of our Catholick Coagulator.
And as we have here taught, how Gold, either alone, or with Antimony,
may be brought over, the same may be said of the Tinctures of Iron and
Copper, which have surpassing Vertues in Physick as well as Alchimy.
We proceed now to shew how with our _Alcahest_, the Tinctures of Common
and Precious Stones may be extracted to great advantage. It may be of
good profit also from hard fix Stones, such as Granates, which have too
much Tincture, to extract part of the same, by which means of Granates,
Rubies may be made, one ounce of which is more worth than 100 _l._ of
dark Granates: which extracted Tincture of Granates may afterwards be
made use of to exalt the colour of Pale Hyacinths, and other white
Precious stones.
In a word, this art of extracting the colour from Granats, and
introducing the same into other stones, is an excellent, profitable
(I had almost said Royal) art, which notwithstanding is so little
practis’d, by reason of the General negligence and slothfulness of
men, undervaluing this excellent art of Fire, tho’ more may be gain’d
by it than by Merchandize or any handicraft whatsoever. Let him who is
a lover of art, set upon the work, and try what God will send him. It
is impossible to set down all particular circumstances of the work so
exactly, but that the unexperienced may after all mistake. It sufficeth
me that I have faithfully pointed out the right way towards the Land of
Promise, leaving the rest to the desirous and active Traveller.
Thus I have in short words acquainted the Reader, with the way of
extracting Tinctures out of Metals and Stones, by means of my New-found
Infernal Fire, and that to very great and good purposes, both in
Physick and Alchimy; and will now in favour of Chymical Physitians
communicate an easy way of bringing the purest Souls and Tinctures of
imperfect Metals, over the helm, with our fiery saline Spirit, for
the effecting of wonders in both faculties. But before I proceed to
the Practise of those secrets, I suppose it will not be amiss if I
endeavour to place our _Sal-Armoniack_ in a greater Light; for seeing
by it, all must be performed, which is here spoken of; it will be
needful to know what properly this word imports.
_Of the Nature and Property of our New-found =Griffons-Claws=, and
Eagles-Wings, and what incredible things may thereby be performed
in =Physick=, =Alchimy=, and other Arts._
A good _Sal-Armoniack_ must have these following properties, _viz._
to dissolve, extract, and to carry that which it hath extracted
in distillation or sublimation over with it; and the better it
performs these, the better is it to be esteemed. Now whereas common
_Sal-Armoniack_, does only lay hold of, and carry over with it, the
most volatile Sulphur of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals; our secret
_Sal-Armoniack_ does not only seize the light Sulphur, but also the
ponderous _Mercury_, and therefore is far more to be esteemed than
the common. But my most secret natural _Sal-Armoniack_, extracts and
carries over from all Metals and Stones their pure parts to admiration:
and yet our _Griffons Talons_ and _Eagles wings_ are much more
powerful, as not only seizing their prey with greater strength, but
also carrying it away with them more swiftly, and even such pondrous
things, which the foresaid cannot elevate, or take away with them.
Moreover this New-found _Sal-Armoniack_ carries over the said Tinctures
not coagulated in the form of _Sal-Armoniack_, but all Spirit, as
being it self no coagulate, but a spiritual _Sal-Armoniack_, and meer
fiery Spirit, wherefore also it is able to perform such great things.
We will now proceed to the Practick part, and see whether there be
such a wonderful _Sal-Armoniack_ in Nature which can perform all these
stupendous effects.