be alone, free from sound people, in a place far distant, and
commodious; for all his Body will begin to send forth Fumes and Steams,
like unto a stinking Fog, and Vapours abundantly; the next will Scales
and much Uncleanness fall from his Body; then let him have three drops
of this Medicine, and let him take it in on the fourth day, afterwards
on the eighth or ninth day by the assistance of Gods Grace and Blessing,
he will be quite clean.
_In the Apoplexie._
Let one drop fall upon the tongue of the Patient, it will attract it
forth immediately like unto a Mist or Fume, and restore the party again;
but if he were taken in the Body, or in the Members and Limbs, then give
him three drops at once in good wine, as you have been taught in the
Gout.
_In the Dropsie._
Give one drop in baulm water, or Valerian water six days together, the
seventh day give three drops in good wine, and it is sufficient.
_In the Falling Sickness, and its kinds, as Epilepsie, Catalepsie, and
Analepsie._
In the beginning of the Fit give the Patient two drops in Sage-water,
after three hours, give him three drops more, and it is sufficient. But
if in case any thing should stir again, give him two drops, as hath been
said.
_In a Hectick._
Give the party two drops the first day in water of Violets, the second
day two drops more in good Wine.
_In Agues._
Give the party three drops in the beginning of the Fit, early in a
morning, in good distilled water of St. _John_'s wort, or of Succory,
and the next day two drops more fasting.
_In the Plague._
Give the Patient seven drops in good Wine, let the infected party be
alone, and let him sweat well upon it, by the Divine Assistance that
poison will not prejudice him as to his Life.
_For a prolongation of a healthful Life._
Take and give two drops at the beginning and entrance of the Spring, and
in the beginning or entrance of Autumn likewise two drops; every one
that so takes it, is freed, and well preserved from unhealthful and
infectious Air, except the Disease were by Almighty God ordained for the
death of the party.
We will now step further to the Oil, and its Power, and shew how by it
the Diseases of the impure Bodies of the Metals may be cured.
In the Name of God, take very pure, fine, refined Gold, as much as you
will, or think to be sufficient, dissolve it in a rectified Wine, as is
usual to make _Aqua vitae_; after solution of the Gold, set it a Moneth
in digestion; this distil in a Bath very slow and gently, distil the
Spirit of Wine divers times from it, so long till you see your Gold lie
at the bottom like a Juice: This is the true way and meaning of some of
the Ancients, to prepare Gold. But I will shew and teach you a way much
readier, better, and more beneficial; that in stead of this prepared
Gold, you take one part of the _Mercury_ of Gold, as I have taught the
making of it in another place; abstract from it its water of Airiness,
that it may be a subtle Dust, and take two parts of our blessed Oil,
poure the Oil very slowly upon the Dust of the _Mercury_ of Gold, till
all be in it, set it in a Vial well sealed, in the heat of the first
degree of the secret Furnace; therein let it stand ten dayes and nights,
your Powder and Oil will be quite dry, of a black gray colour. After ten
days give it the heat of the second degree, the gray and black colour
will by little and little become white, till at last it will be of a
heavenly white, and at the end of the ten days it will begin to be of a
pure red, but let not this trouble you; for all these Colours proceed
only from the _Mercury_ of Gold, which swallowed up our blessed Oil,
and now conceals in the innermost part of its Body; but our Oil will
conquer this _Mercury_ of Gold by the power of the fire, and cast it
forth from within, and the Oil will predominate over it with its hot red
Colour, and be continually outwards. And therefore it will be time,
after the expiration of twenty days, that you open the window of the
third degree, wherein the external white Colour and Power will by little
and little enter in into the inward part, and the internal red Colour
will turn outward by the force of the fire. Keep this degree of heat ten
days without diminution or augmentation of it, you will see a Powder
which before was white, to be now very red, but let not redness trouble
you, for 'tis yet unfix'd and volatile. And after these ten days are
ended, thirty days being in all expired, then open the last window of
the last degree of fire, keep it ten days in this degree, this high red
pouder will then begin to flux, let it stand so in flux the ten days,
then take it out, you will find at the bottom a very high, red,
transparent stone of a Ruby Colour, flux'd according to the form of the
Glass, as is taught in the Treatise of _Vitriol_, wherewith you may make
projection. Praise God for such his high Revelation, and thank him for
ever, _Amen_.
_Its Multiplication._
The Ancient Wise, having found the Stone, and prepared it to a perfect
power, and mutation of the imperfect Metals into Gold, have a long time
enquired whether a thing were not to be found to augment the power of
the Stone; and they found two kinds of Augmentation, one of the power of
it, so that the Stone may be brought much higher; of this multiplication
you will find direction in the Treatise of Gold. The other Augmentation
is an augmentation of the quantity of the Stone, in its former power, so
that it receives no more, nor loses any thing of its power, though it
increase in weight, and augment more and more, that out of one Ounce
many Ounces arise and increase.
The Augmentation or Multiplication is done as followeth; Take your Stone
in Gods Name, grind it to a subtile powder, add to it as much of the
_Mercury_ of Gold, as is taught before, put them together into a fine
round Vial, seal it hermetically, set it into the fiery Furnace,
proceeding as you have been instructed before, only this time is
shorter, for whereas before you had ten (thirty) days, now you need no
more than four (ten) days, otherwise the work is one and the same.
Praise and give thanks to Almighty God for his high Revelation, continue
in Prayer for his Grace and Divine Blessing in this Art and Operation,
as likewise for continuance of Health and Prosperity; withal let the
poor be recommended to your Help and Charity.
* * * * *
_Glory be to Almighty God._
_A Work of_ Saturn, _of Mr._ John Isaac Holland.
The PREFACE.
Courteous Reader,
_The_ PHILOSOPHERS _have written much of their Lead which is prepared
out of_ Antimony, _as_ Basilius _hath taught; and I am of the opinion,
that this Saturnine Work of the most_ _excellent Philosopher M._ John
Isaac Holland _is not to be understood of common Lead_, (_if the Matter
of the Stone be not much more thereby intended_) _but of the_
Philosophers _Lead. But whether the Vulgar_ Saturn _be the Matter of the
Philosophers Stone, thereof you will receive sufficient satisfaction
from the subsequent 17 Considerations or Documents. This is published
for the benefit of all the Lovers of this Art, because it expounds and
declares the Stone of Fire._ Vale.
_A Work of_ Saturn
_In the Name of the Lord_, Amen.
My Child shall know, that the Stone called the _Philosophers Stone_,
comes out of _Saturn_. And therefore when it is perfected, it makes
projection, as well in mans Body from all Diseases, which may assault
them either within or without, be they what they will, or called by what
name soever, as also in the imperfect Metals.
And know, my Child, for a Truth, that in the whole vegetable work there
is no higher nor greater Secret than in _Saturn_; for we do not find
that perfection in Gold which is in _Saturn_; for internally it is good
Gold, herein all Philosophers agree, and it wants nothing else, but that
first you remove what is superfluous in it, that is, its impurity, and
make it clean, and then that you turn its inside outwards, which is its
redness, then will it be good Gold; for Gold cannot be made so easily,
as you can of _Saturn_, for _Saturn_ is easily dissolved and congealed,
and its _Mercury_ may be easily extracted, and this _Mercury_ which is
extracted from _Saturn_, being purified and sublimed, as _Mercury_ is
usually sublimed, I tell thee, my Child, that the same _Mercury_ is as
good as the _Mercury_ which is extracted out of Gold, in all operations;
for if _Saturn_ be Gold internally, as in truth it is, then must its
_Mercury_ be as good as the _Mercury_ of Gold, therefore I tell you,
that _Saturn_ is better in our work than Gold; for if you should extract
the _Mercury_ out of Gold, it would require a years space to open the
body of Gold, before you can extract the _Mercury_ out of the Gold, and
you may extract the _Mercury_ out of _Saturn_ in 14 days, both being
alike good.
Would you make a work out of Gold alone, you must labour two whole years
upon it, if it shall be well done: and you may finish a work of _Saturn_
in 30 or 32 weeks at the most. And being both well made, they are both
alike good; _Saturn_ costs nothing or very little, it requires a short
time, and small labour; this I tell you in truth.
My Child, lock this up in thy heart and understanding, this [Symbol:
Saturn] is the Stone which the Philosophers will not name, whose name is
concealed unto this day; for if its name were known, then many would
operate, and the Art would be common, because this work is short, and
without charge, a small and mean work.
Therefore doth the name remain concealed; for the evils sake which might
thence proceed. All the strange Parables which the Philosophers have
spoken mystically, of a Stone, a Moon, a Furnace, a Vessel, all this is
_Saturn_; for you must not put any strange thing unto it, only what
comes from it, therefore there, is none so poor in this world, which
cannot operate and promote this work; for _Luna_ may be easily made of
_Saturn_, in a short time, and in a little longer time _Sol_ may be made
out of it. And though a man be poor, yet may he very well attain unto
it, and may be employed to make the _Philosophers Stone_.
Wherefore my Child, all is concealed in _Saturn_, which we have need of,
for in it is a perfect _Mercury_, in it are all the Colours of the
world, which may be discovered in it; in it are the true black, white
and red Colours, in it is the weight, it is our _Lattin_.
_Example._
The eye of a man cannot endure any thing that is imperfect, how little
soever it be, though it be the least Atome of Dust, it would cause much
pain, that he can rest no where. But if you take the quantity of a Bean
of _Saturn_, shave it smooth and round, put it into the Eye, it will
cause no pain at all; the reason is, because it is internally perfect,
even as Gold and Precious Stones. By these and other Speeches you may
observe, that _Saturn_ is our _Philosophers Stone_, and our _Latten_,
out of which our _Mercury_ and our Stone is extracted with small Labour,
little Art and Expence, and in a short time.
Wherefore I admonish you, my Child, and all those who know its name,
that you conceal it from people, by reason of the evil which might
thence arise; and you shall call the Stone our _Laton_, and call the
Vinegar Water, wherein our Stone is to be wash'd; this is the Stone and
the Water whereof the Philosophers have wrote so many great Volumes.
There are many and different works in the Mineral Stone, and especially
in that Stone which God hath given us _gratis_, whereof many strange
Parables are written in the Mineral Book.
But this is the true Stone, which the Philosophers have sought, because
it makes projection upon all the imperfect Metals, especially upon quick
_Mercury_, and moreover it makes projection upon all diseases
whatsoever, which may come into mans Body, as likewise upon all Wounds,
_Cancer_, _Fistulaes_, _open Sores_, _Buboes_, _Imposthumes_, and all
whatsoever can come externally upon mans Body, therefore this Stone is
not under the Mineral work, but under the Vegetable.
It is the beginning of the Vegetable Book, and the principal; this Stone
is called _Lapis Philosophorum_, the Mineral Stone is called _Lapis
Mineralis_, and the third Stone is called _Lapis Animalis_. This Stone
is the true _Aurum potabile_, the true Quinessence which we seek, and no
other thing else in this world but this Stone. Therefore the
Philosophers say, whosoever knows our Stone, and can prepare it, needs
no more, wherefore they sought this thing and no other.
My Child shall take 10, 12, or 15 pound of _Saturn_, wherein is no
mixture of any other Metal; laminate it thin, have in readiness a great
Stone Jugg, half full of Vinegar, stop the Jugg very close, set it in a
Lukewarm Bath, every three or four days scrape off the calcin'd _Saturn_
from the Plates, and reserve it apart, thus do so long till you have 5
or 6 _l._ of the calcin'd _Saturn_, then grind it very well on a Stone
with good distilled Wine-Vinegar, so as you may paint therewith, then
take two or three great Stone-pots, therein put the _Calx_ of _Saturn_
which you ground, poure good distilled Wine-Vinegar upon it, that two
parts of the Pot be full, stir it well together, stop the Pot close with
a polished Glass or Pebble-stone, set the Pots in a Bath, stir it four
or five times in a day with a wooden Ladle, lay the Glass or Stone
Stopple again over it, make the Bath no hotter than that you may well
endure your hand therein, that is, lukewarm; so let it stand fourteen
days and nights, then decant that which is clear into another Stone-pot,
poure other distilled Vinegar upon the _Calx_ which is not well
dissolved, mix them well together, set it 14 days in the Bath, again
decant it, and poure other Vinegar upon it as before. This decantation
and pouring on continue so long till all the _Calx_ of _Saturn_ be
dissolved, then take all the dissolved _Saturn_, set it in a Bath,
evaporate the Vinegar by a small fire, the _Saturn_ will become a powder
or lump. Or stir it about until it be dry, you have a mass or powder of
a dark yellow, or honey colour, then grind the powder again very finely
upon a Stone with distilled Vinegar; put it into a stone-pot, stir and
mix it well together, set it again into a Bath, which is but lukewarm
so let it stand five or six dayes, stir it every day from the top to the
bottom with a wooden Ladle, cover it again with the glass-Stopple, then
let it cool, poure off that which is dissolved into a great stone pot,
poure other Vinegar upon it, mix and stir them well together, set it
into the Bath as before, reiterate this decantation and pouring on so
often, till no more will dissolve, which try with your tongue, if it be
sweet, it is not enough dissolved, or put some of it into a glass-gourd,
let it evaporate, if any thing remain, it is not yet all dissolved which
would be Gold, and then what remaines in the pot are _Faeces_, and sweet
upon the Tongue; if you find any thing in the Gourd, it is not yet all
dissolved, then may you poure fresh Vinegar upon it, till all be
dissolved, then coagulate it as before, poure other Vinegar upon it,
stir it, set it again into the Bath, reiterate this operation of
solution and coagulation so long till you find no more _Faeces_ at the
bottom, but all be dissolved into a pure clear water, then is _Saturn_
freed from all its Leprousness, Melancholy, _Faeces_, and blackness,
being pure and white as Snow, for it is cleansed from all its
uncleanness, because its coldness stands outwards as _Luna_ doth, and
its heat is internal, fluxible as wax, and sweet as sugar Candy.
_Why is it as white as Snow?_
Because it is purified from all its impurities, and because its
coldness stands external as _Luna_ doth, and its heat is internal.
_Why is it sweet?_
Because the four Elements in it are pure, and separated from all
sulphurous stink and blackness, which _Saturn_ received in the Mine; it
is almost Medicinal, and like unto Nature: And because it is so pure, it
affords some of its internal virtue outwardly, as that of Sweetness; but
the heat is so covered with the cold, that it cannot put forth its power
externally by reason of the cold which is external (the heat of _Saturn_
lies internal, even as in _Salt-Nitre_) as doth the Taste, the Spirit of
Tasting is the most subtile in all things, as is taught more at large in
the Book of Vegetables, how the Air doth dilate it self from all Herbs
and Flowers externally; for the Spirit of the Air lies in the inward
part of all things; for God created nothing in this world but it hath
its peculiar Taste or Air, the Air and the Taste are one Spirit, the
Taste goes out of the Air, as Smoke from the Fire.
But how comes it to pass, that a thing which hath a sweet Air, is bitter
in Taste? The cause is, because the _Faeces_ of that thing are putrid and
stinking in the Elements, that is the Choler or Heat; for whatsoever is
unnaturally hot, hath a bitter Taste; the Air and the Taste are both one
Spirit, and as the Spirit of the Air presses outwards through a hot
thing, so doth the Air embrace the Taste about, and descends the subtile
Taste, that it should not be burnt by the vehement burning Choler, as
in the Herbal is at large express'd.
But the cause why _Saturn_ is sweet in Taste is, that it is almost pure
and clean, having scarce any unnatural heat in it, which can burn the
subtile Tast, therefore it hath the Taste externally, and the Taste hath
the Spirit of the Air lock'd up in it.
My Child, know what I said before, that a thing wherein is much burning
heat, the Air locks up the Taste therein, because the Taste shall not be
corrupted by the unnatural heat. So the Taste includes the Air in it,
when it issues forth from a thing which is externally cold; for the
subtil Spirits of the Air or Sent of a thing can endure no Cold, as we
see daily in Herbs and Flowers that they yield no Sent in the Winter, as
they do in the Summer; but they hide themselves in the Winter, and the
Spirit hath the Sent inclosed in it, and the Spirit of Sent or Air.
Behold a man that hath taken Cold, immediately he loses his Sent, and
his Tasting is diminished. Even so it is here with _Saturn_; it is quite
cold, so that the Taste manifests it self with the Spirit of Sent; for
the Spirit of the Taste hath the Smell in it. Look upon Sugar which is
well clarified from its _Faeces_, how sweet it is in Taste, yet it yields
no Sent, yet there is an extraordinary sweetness in Sugar. What is the
reason of this? Sugar is very cold externally, therefore is it white as
Snow, and of a sweet Taste; yet Sugar internally is hot and moist, of
the temper of Gold, and of such great virtue that it is called the
Philosophers Stone, as it is approved, and very prevalent to cure all
the Distempers of mans Body, as appears by its operation. The reason why
I say this, my Child, is, that you should altogether understand its
internal & external, and the Spirits which are in these things, whereof
we discourse; that thereby you should know Gods wonderful works, and
what wonders he works in these inferiour things, which are all made for
our use.
_What hath God in us, for whose sake he hath created all these Wonders,
and all these things?_
Wherefore, my Child, believe in God, love him, and follow him, for he
loves you, as he makes it appear, and manifests himself in all things,
as well in their Internals as in their Externals. O how wonderful is
our Lord and God, from whom all Wonders proceed!
_Now, my Child, why is_ Saturn _fluxible as Wax?_
By reason of its abounding _Sulphur_, which is therein; for I find no
fluxibleness or fusibleness in any thing saving in _Sulphur_, _Mercury_
and _Arsenick_, and all these three are in _Saturn_; so that _Saturn_ is
quickly fluxible, but all these three are cleansed with it from their
uncleanness. And do you not know, that the Philosophers call their Stone
_Arsenick_, and a white thing; and they say their _Sulphur_ is
incombustible; they call it likewise a red thing, all this is _Saturn_,
in it is _Arsenick_; for _Luna_ is principally generated of a white
_Sulphur_, as is plainly taught in the Book of _Sulphurs_, and all
_Arsenick_ is internally red as Bloud, if its inward part be brought
outwards, as is demonstrated in the Book of Colours, _&c._ _Saturn_
stands almost in the degree of fix'd _Luna_. So that in it there is a
red Sulphur, as you see, when its internal is placed outwards, it will
be red as a Ruby; there are no Colours but in the Spirits, so that there
is in it a red and a yellow Sulphur. In it is _Mercury_, as may be seen,
for _Mercury_ is extracted out of _Saturn_ in a short time, and with
little labour.
So that all three are in _Saturn_, but they are not fix'd therein, but
they are clean, pure, incombustible, fluxible as Wax; in it are all
things which the Philosophers have mentioned. They say, our Stone is
made of a stinking menstruous thing: What think you, is not _Saturn_
digg'd out of a stinking Earth? for divers are killed with the ill Sents
and Vapours where _Saturn_ is digg'd, or they live not long who labour
in that stinking black Mine, whence _Saturn_ is digg'd. And the
Philosophers say, our Stone is of little value, being unprepared; they
say, the poor have it as well as the rich, and they say true; for there
are not poorer or more miserable people to be found than those which dig
and work _Saturn_ in the Mine; and they say it is to be found in all
Towns and places, wheresoever you come _Saturn_ is there. They say it is
a black thing: What think you, is it not black? They say, it is a dry
water, if Gold or _Luna_ be to be refined upon the test, must it not be
done with _Saturn_? they must be wash'd and tried with it, as a foul
garment is made clean with Sope. They say, in our Stone are the four
Elements, and they say true; for the four Elements may be separated out
of _Saturn_. They say, our Stone consists of Soul, Spirit and Body, and
these three become one. They say true; when it is made fix'd for the
white _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth, then these three are one.
Whereby is to be observed, that the Philosophers have said true; they
concealed its Name for the ignorants sake, who are not their Children,
to keep them still in their Ignorance. Thus, my Child, the Ancients took
care to conceal the name of the Stone; now let us return to our purpose.
You have now _Saturn_ wash'd and cleansed from all its impurity, and
made as white as Snow, fusible as Wax, but is it not fix'd yet; we will
make it fix the _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth.
Take a Glass-Vial, put half of your purified _Saturn_ into it, reserve
the other half till you have occasion to use it; lay a polish'd Glass
upon the mouth of the Glass, set it in a Cuple with sifted Ashes upon a
Furnace; or set it on the _Tripos_ of Secrets, or in the Furnace wherein
you calcine Spirits; give it Fire so hot as the heat of the Sun at
_Midsummer_, and no hotter, either a very little hotter, or a very
little cooler, as you can best hit it. But if you give it a greater
heat, such as you may keep Lead in flux, then your Matter would melt as
if it were Oil; and having stood so, ten or twelve days, its Sulphur
would fly away, and your Matter would all be spoiled, for the Sulphur
which is in your Matter is not yet fix'd, but is in the external.
Wherefore the Matter melts presently, and though it be clean, yet it is
not fix'd; wherefore give so gentle a fire to it, that it may not flux;
so keep it six weeks, then take out a little of it, lay it on a glowing
hot Plate, if it immediately melts and fumes, it is not yet fixed, but
if the Matter remain unmelted, the Sulphur is then fix'd which is
therein; then strengthen the Fire notably, till the Matter in the Glass
begins to look yellow, and continually more and more yellow, like to
powdered Saffron, then augment the fire yet stronger, till the Matter
begin to be red, then prosecute your Fire from one degree to another,
even as the Powder becomes redder and redder by degrees, so hold on your
Fire, till the Matter be red as a Ruby, then augment the Fire yet more,
that the Matter may be glowing hot, then is it fixt, and ready to pour
the curious Water of Paradise upon it.
My Child must know, that there are two ways of pouring on the Water of
Paradise; I will teach you to make and prepare both, then may you take
which you will; for the one is half as good again as the other.