of the purified _Saturn_, which take and put into a Stone-pot, pour upon
it a bottle or more of distilled Wine-Vinegar, set a head on, distil the
Vinegar again from it in a Bath, the head must have a hole at the top
to pour fresh Vinegar upon the Matter, and abstract the Vinegar again
from it, pour fresh Vinegar again on, and again abstract it, this
pouring on, and abstracting or distilling off must continue so long,
till the Vinegar be drawn off as strong as it was when it was put in,
then is it enough, and the Matter hath in it as much of the Spirit of
Vinegar as it can contain; then take the Pot out of the Bath, take off
the head, and take the Matter out, and put it into a thick glass which
can endure the Fire, set a head on it, put it in a Cuple with Ashes,
which set on a Furnace, first make a small Fire, and so continually a
little stronger, till your Matter come over as red as Bloud, thick as
Oil, and sweet as Sugar, with a Celestial Sent, then keep it in that
heat so long as it distils, and when it begins to slack, then increase
your Fire till the Glass begin to glow; continu this heat till no more
will distil, then let it cool of it self, take the Receiver off, stop it
very close with Wax, take the Matter out of the Glass, beat it to powder
in an Iron Mortar, with a steel Pestle; and then grind it on a Stone
with good distilled Vinegar, put this Matter so ground into a Pot, poure
good distilled Vinegar upon it, that two parts be full, set the Pot into
a Bath with a head upon it, distil the Vinegar off, poure fresh Vinegar
again upon it, distil it off again: thus do so long, that the Vinegar be
as strong as it was when it was first poured upon it, then let it cool,
take the Matter out of the Bath, take the head off, take the Matter out
of the Pot, put it into a stronger round Glass which can endure the
Fire, as you did before, set it upon a Furnace in a Cuple with sifted
Ashes, set a head on, and a Receiver luted to it, then distil it, first
with a small fire, which augment by degrees, till a Matter come over red
as Bloud, and thick as Oyl, as aforesaid; give it fire till no more will
distil, then let it cool of it self, take off the head, break the
glass-pot, and take the Matter out, powder it again, and grind it on a
Stone with distilled Vinegar, put it again into the Stone pot, poure
fresh Vinegar upon it, set it into the Bath, and its head on, distil the
Vinegar from it, poure it on again as hath been taught, till the Vinegar
remain strong as it was.
Reiterate this distillation in the Bath until the Matter hath no more
Spirit of the Vinegar in it, then take it out, set it in a glass-pot,
distil all that will distil forth in ashes, till the Matter become a red
Oil, then have you the most noble water of Paradise, to pour upon all
fix'd stones, to perfect the Stone; this is one way. This water of
Paradise thus distilled, the Ancients called their sharp clear Vinegar,
for they conceal its name.
My Child, I will now teach you other ways to make the Water of Paradise;
this is an easie way, but not so good, nor doth it that high projection
in humane Medicines, yet it cures all Diseases within and without, but
the other cures miraculously in a short time.
_The second way of preparing the Water of Paradise._
My Child, if you would make it after this manner, you must take the half
of your prepared _Saturn_ which I ordered you to keep, upon which poure
the half of your fix'd and prepared Water of Paradise, take the half,
put it into a Stone-pot, poure weak Wine Vinegar upon it, mix it well
together, then take two pounds of calcined _Tartar_, which is well
clarified by solution and coagulation, so that it leave no more _Faeces_
behind it, _Salt Armoniac_ one pound, which is likewise so clearly
sublimed, that no _Faeces_ remain after its sublimation, pound both
together to a Powder, put them speedily into a pot, and stop it close
immediately, or else it will run out; for so soon as the _Tartar_ and
_Salt Armoniac_ come to the Vinegar, they lift themselves up, and would
immediately run out of the mouth of the pot, wherefore stop the pot
presently, set the pot in a Vessel of Water, they will cool speedily,
otherwise if the cold and hot Matter should come together suddenly, they
would contest together, rise up, and become so hot, that the pot would
break for heat, if it were not set in cold Water; therefore take heed,
when you put the powders in, that you stop it immediately, and set it in
cold Water before you put the other Powder to it, then will they unite,
let them stand a day and a night in that Vessel, then take them out, set
them into a lukewarm Bath two days and nights, let it cool of it self,
take the Stopple off from the pot, and set a head on, set the pot in
sifted Ashes, upon a Furnace, distil with a small fire, and continually
greater till all the Vinegar be over, then augment your Fire notably,
till you see quick _Mercury_ drop out of the Pipe, when it ceases to
drop, then augment the Fire by little and little and drive it so long as
it drops; you may observe when it will leave dropping, if in the space
of one or two _Pater-nosters_ one drop doth fall, then augment the Fire
till the pot glow at the bottom, for twelve hours and when the _Mercury_
is over, then should the _Salt Armoniac_ sublime up into the head, and
the _Tartar_ remain with the Body of _Saturn_ at the bottom of the Pot,
which take out, put it into a Linnen Bag, hang it in a moist Cellar,
the _Tartar_ will dissolve, receive it in a Glass, the body of _Saturn_
remains in the Bag, take it out, and calcine it in a reverberating
Furnace three days and nights, with a great heat, as is taught
elsewhere, then extract the Salt out, as is taught in the Mineral Book.
You may make projection with the Salt, and coagulate your _Tartar_
again, it will be as good or better than it was, likewise take your
_Salt Armoniac_ out of the Head, it is good again, and if you could have
no _Salt Armoniac_, then take three pound of calcined _Tartar_, likewise
so clarified, that it leave no _Faeces_ behind, you then need no _Salt
Armoniac_, therewith may you likewise extract the _Mercury_ out of
_Luna_ and _Jupiter_, wherewith you may do wonders, as is taught in the
Miner. Book, where is spoken of the Quintessence of Metals.
Now my Child must know, that this _Mercury_ or Quintessence of _Saturn_
is as good in all works as the _Mercury_ of _Sol_, they are both alike
good, and herein all Philosophers agree. My Child, take this _Mercury_
of _Saturn_, so drawn out of the Receiver, put it into a Glass Box.
I have now taught you to make two sorts of the Water of Paradise; and
know, my Child, that the first way is the best; though it be made with
some danger, longer time, and more charge; for the Vinegar is all good,
yet the red Oil is the best; its time is alike unto the end, and though
it be more tedious before you obtain the red Oil, yet it fixes it self
in a short time, if it come to the Matter or fix'd Stone, into a simple
Essence in greater redness; but when the _Mercury_ comes to the fix'd
stone, it holds on a long time in ascending and descending before it
die, and when it is quite dead, it makes the red fix'd Stone again into
a fixt colour, so covering the red stone with its coldness, that the red
stone becomes white again, then must you boil it again gently with a
small Fire, till it begin to be yellow, prosecuting the Fire from one
degree to another, as the Colour is higher and stronger, and that so
long till it attain to a perfect redness, which requires a long time
before it be done, which is not requisite in the red Oil; for the red
Oil dies or coagulates forthwith the stone, the one fixing it self with
the other into a simple Essence, in a short time. Therefore I tell
thee, my Child, that the time of the Oyl is alike long in the end,
though it appear to be of a shorter time with the _Mercury_, but it is
equally long at the end of the Work, therefore I tell you the Art of
both Works, that you may the better understand the Art to make the Oyl
from the innermost Nature of the Stone, which is found afterwards.
The Oyl was unknown to the Ancients, for my Grandfather with his
Companions found it with great labour and length of time.
So there are two ways to dissolve the Stone, and to poure upon it the
clear water of Paradise. Our Ancestors called the Oyl their sharp
Vinegar; therefore, my Child, keep the Name private, and I will teach
you first of all how you shall join the _Mercury_ to your Stone, which
you extracted out of _Saturn_, to dissolve it; afterwards I will teach
you to bring over the helm that red Oil which you extracted out of your
prepared _Saturn_, into a fixt stone, to dissolve your stone.
My Child, weigh your fixt stone, take half as much of your _Mercury_,
poure it upon the stone in the Glass, cover the Glass again with a
polish'd Glass which may just fit it, set it in a Cuple with sifted
Ashes, make a small Fire like the Suns heat at _Midsummer_, and give no
more Fire to it, until the Water of Paradise or _Mercury_ become all a
dead Powder. And know, my Child, that the red or fixt Stone, which
before was darkned, when it hath drunk up the Water of Paradise, or
_Mercury_, or how you will call it, that it be a Powder between black
and gray, then augment the Fire from one degree to another, till the
Matter be perfect white, and when it is white, strengthen the Fire yet
more, from one degree to another, till it be of a dark yellow Colour,
then make it yet stronger, till it be of a perfect red; then rejoice,
for your Stone is perfect, and fluxible as Wax. Praise God, who gives
unto us part of his Miracles; and do good to the poor; you may see it
with your fleshly Eyes, and use Gods goodness miraculously in this
corrupt Life, for I tell you in good Charity, that if any one
principally attain to this Stone, that it is given, afforded, and lent
him from God. Whosoever hath this Stone, may live in a healthful state,
to the last term of his Life, appointed him by God, and may have all
whatsoever he desires on Earth.
He shall be loved and esteemed of all people, for he can cure them all
internally and externally of all Diseases which may befall them; but if
the Stone doth not so, it is false, and deserves not the name of the
Vegetable Stone, or Philosophers Stone.
Therefore my Child, if God give you this Stone, look diligently to it,
that you keep your self from offending God, that you make not this Stone
on earth to be your Heaven; govern and rule your self to Gods glory and
to the comfort of poor people, that Gods praise may be augmented, to the
defence of the Christian Religion, and to the relief of poor exiled
Christians I tell you, my Child, if you use it otherwise, God will
leave you here a little while to your own Will, but afterwards he will
speedily send a punishment, either you shall be struck dead, or die by a
Fall; or die some other sudden death, and go Body and Soul to Hell, and
be damned eternally, for your Ingratitude to God, who so graciously
vouchsafed you so precious and great a Gift.
Therefore, my Child, look carefully to it, so to govern your self to
Gods Glory, and the Salvation of your Soul, that the eternal Curse may
not fall upon you; and therefore I have left you this Writing as my
Testament. Enough hath been said to the wise, therefore look to your
self.
_The Multiplication of the Stone now perfected._
Now my Child, you may take the half of your Powder, put it into a Glass
and melt it, have in readiness a Mould made hollow, of Box-wood, great
or small as you please, it must be made smooth and even within with an
Instrument, anoint it with Oil Olive, and when your red Powder is
flux'd, poure it into the Mould, it will be a precious Stone, red as a
Ruby, clear and transparent, take it out of the Mould, and make
projection upon the imperfect Metals, and in the Body of Man.
Take ten times as much of prepared _Saturn_ as I taught you before, by
Coagulation and Solution, till it leave no _Faeces_ behind, then take
your precious red Powder out of the Glass, that two parts be full, set
it into your warm Bath, and let it dissolve: when any thing is
dissolved, decant off that which is clear on the top into another Glass,
poure other Vinegar upon it, let it dissolve again as before, decant and
poure fresh Vinegar upon it so often, till all be dissolved into a clear
Water, which is done usually in ten or twelve days, then set all that
which is dissolved into a Bath, and a head upon it, distil the Vinegar
from it again, and coagulate the Matter so long till it be dry and
shine, then put it into another Glass, which set upon a Furnace in a
Cuple with sifted Ashes, laying a polish'd Glass upon the Mouth of the
Glass.
My Child, know that your Matter is become fixt with the Stone in the
solution, make an indifferent hot fire in the furnace, so hot as the
heat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, or somewhat hotter; till the Matter
begin to be yellow, then go on with the Fire from one degree to another,
till you have a perfect yellow, then increase the Fire from one degree
to another, till you have a perfect redness, which is quickly done, in
half the time for the colour to come, and in the multiplication, but
operate as before in the beginning, and poure Paradise water upon the
Stone, as was taught you before in this Work, boil and mortifie it in
every point to a perfect redness as hath been taught.
Then may you again take half of it out, and make projection therewith,
and multiply the other half again in all points as abovesaid, so may you
always continue working.
Now I will teach you the other way, and the best that is to water your
red fixt Stone or powder with the red Oil, that it be fusible; you must
know how much your red powder weighs, then take half the weight of your
red Oil, to the full weight of the Stone, and poure it upon the red
powder, and when the Oil is poured into the Glass, you may set a small
head on, upon a Furnace in sifted Ashes, joining a Receiver to the Nose
of the head, make a small fire under it, as the heat of the Sun in
_March_, and no hotter; for there is yet some moisture of the Vinegar in
the Oil, that it may be abstracted, continue it in that heat, that can
perceive no moisture in the Head, then augment the fire a little, as the
heat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, and if there be yet more moisture in it,
you will perceive it in the head, but if you perceive it not in 6 or 8
days, then take the head off, and lay the polish'd Glass again upon the
mouth of your Glass, increase the fire, that you can scarce endure your
hand or finger in the Ashes an _Ave-Mary_ while, continue the fire in
that heat till the red Oil be all fixt with the Powder in the Glass,
which you may know thus;
Take a little of the powder out of the Glass, lay it on a glowing Silver
Plate, if the powder melts as wax, and penetrates through the Plate as
Oil doth through a dry Leather, and makes it Gold throughout, as far as
the powder went, then is the Stone finish'd, and if it do not this, you
must then let it stand in that heat till it do so without fuming.
Now, my Child, when the Stone is finish'd, take half of it out of the
Glass, put it into a Glass melting-pot, and melt the powder gently,
which should be done presently, for it melts as Wax; and being melted,
poure it into the Mould of Box-wood as aforesaid, it will be a red stone
clear and transparent as Crystal, red as a Ruby, then make projection
therewith, and set the other half again to multiply.
Then take in Gods Name twenty parts of _Saturn_, which is prepared by
Solution and Coagulation, till it leave no more _Faeces_ behind, as hath
been said at the beginning. Dissolve these twenty parts of _Saturn_,
dissolve by itself in a Glass with distilled Vinegar; likewise dissolve
the powder of your Stone alone by it self in a Glass with distilled
Vinegar, and when both are dissolved into clear water, poure both the
Solutions together into a great Glass, set it into a Bath, a head on,
and a Receiver to it, distil the Vinegar from it in the boiling Bath,
till the Matter be dry, then let it cool of itself, put it into a Glass,
lay a polish'd Glass over the mouth of the Glass, and set it into a
Furnace in a Cuple with sifted Ashes, make a fire under it like to the
Suns heat in _March_, till the powder be perfect white, which is quickly
done.
Then augment your fire from one degree to another, till the Matter
become yellower and yellower, to a perfect yellow; then increase it yet
stronger, from one degree to another, till it be redder and redder, to a
perfect redness; then poure your water upon the red powder with the red
Oil, or with the water of Paradise, or with the clear sharp Vinegar, or
call it how you will, doing in all points as hath been taught, till the
red powder flux like Wax upon a Silver Plate, without fuming,
penetrating it as Oil doth dry Leather, that it become good Gold within
and without; then render thanks unto God, be obedient to him for his
Gifts and Graces.
You may again take one half out of the Glass, and make projection,
setting the other half in again, as hath been taught, so may you work
all your Life-time, for the poor, and perform other duties to Gods
Glory, and Salvation of your Soul, as I have said before; enough to the
wise.
_Projection upon Metal._
Know, my Child, how and in what manner you must use this Stone, which
makes projection upon _Mercury_, and all imperfect Metals and Bodies of
_Mars_, _Jupiter_ and _Venus_, whereof make Plates glowing hot, whereon
straw the Stone, and lay Coals on for a season, that the Stone may
penetrate, but the Stones must be made quick with Gold, and _Jupiter_
also, which is very laborious, as is taught in the projection. But you
must project upon _Saturn_ or _Luna_, which need not be made quick, only
flux them, and cast one part upon a thousand parts, it will be a
Medicine, cast one part of these thousand parts upon ten parts, it will
be the best Gold that ever was seen on earth.
_Its Use in Physick._
This Stone cures all Leprous people, Plague, and all Diseases which may
reign upon Earth, or befal Mankind; this is the true _Aurum potabile_,
and the true Quintessence which the Ancients sought; this is what thing
whereof the whole Troop of Philosophers speak so wondrously, using all
possible skill to conceal its Name and Operation, as aforesaid.
Take of this Stone the quantity of a Wheat-corn, lay it in a little good
Wine in a small Glass, half full, or a quarter full, make the Wine warm,
the Stone will melt like Butter, and the Wine will be red as Bloud, and
very sweet in your mouth, as ever you tasted; for to speak
comparatively, it is so sweet in taste that Honey and Sugar may be
compared as Gall to it; give this unto the Patient to drink, lay him in
Bed, but lay not too many cloaths upon him, the Stone hastens forthwith
to the heart, expelling thence all ill humors, thence dilating it self
through all the Arteries and Veins of the whole Body, rousing up all
humours, the party will sweat, for the Stone opens all the pores of the
Body, and drives forth all humours thereby, so that the Patient will
seem to have been in the Water, yet will this sweating not make him
sicker, for the Stone expels only what is adverse to Nature, preserving
what is consonant unto it in its being, therefore the Patient is not
sicker or weaker; but the more he sweats the stronger and lustier will
he be, the Veins will be lighter, and the Sweat continues till all evil
Humours be driven out of the Body, and then it ceases.
The next day you shall take of it the quantity of a Wheat-corn, in warm
Wine again, you will go to stool immediately, and that will not cease so
long as you have any thing in your Body which is contrary to Nature, and
the more Stools the Patient hath, the stronger and lighter at heart will
he be; for the Stone drives nothing forth but what is adverse and
prejudicial to Nature.
The third day give the like quantity in warm Wine, as aforesaid; it will
so fortifie the Veins and Heart, that the party will not think himself
to be a Man, but rather a Spirit, all his Members will be so light and
lively, & if the party will take the like quantity of a Wheat-Corn every
day for the space of nine days, I tell you, his Body will be as
spiritual as if he had been nine days in the terrestrial Paradise,
eating every day of the Fruit, making him fair, lusty, and young;
therefore use this Stone weekly, the quantity of a Wheat-Corn with warm
Wine, so shall you live in health unto the last hour of the time
appointed for you by God.
What say you, my Child, is not this the true _Aurum potabile_, and the
true Quintessence, and the thing which we seek? It is a spiritual thing,
a Gift which God bestows upon his Friends, therefore, my Child, do not
undertake this Divine Work, if you find your self in deadly Sins, or
that your intent be otherwise than to Gods Glory, and to perform those
things which I taught you before.
I tell you truly, you may see the Work, or begin it, but I am certain
you shall never accomplish it, nor see the Stone, God will order it so,
it will break, fall, or some one Disaster or other will happen, that you
shall never see the Stone, or accomplish it. Therefore if you find
yourself otherwise, do not begin the work, for I know assuredly, you
will lose your Labour; wherefore deceive not yourself. Enough to the
wise.
_Its Use in External Diseases._
My Child, there are some people who have external Distempers on their
Bodies, as Fistulaes, Cancers, Wolf, or evil Biles, or Holes, be they
what or how they will, _&c._ give him the weight of one Wheat-Corn to
drink in warm Wine two days, as is taught before, the whole body within
and without shall be freed from all which is adverse to Nature, and you
shall deal with the open Sores thus;
Take a Drachm of the Stone, seeth it in a pottle of Wine in a Glass, the
space of two or three _Pater-nosters_, that the Stone may melt, the Wine
will be as red as Bloud, therewith wash the Sores morning and evening,
laying a thin Plate of Lead over, in a short time, as in ten or twelve
days the Sores will be whole; and give him every day the quantity of a
Wheat-Corn, in warm wine till he be well. If they be Fistulaes or other
concave Holes, that you cannot come at them, to wash them, then take a
Silver Syringe, and inject of that wine into them, it will heal home, as
aforesaid.
And if one had a pound of the rankest Poison in the world in his Body,
and immediately drink a Drachme thereof in warm Wine, the poison shall
forthwith evacuate by siege, together with all the evil Humors in his
Body.
My Child, here ends the most noble and precious Work which is in the
Vegetable Book; on whomsoever God bestows this Stone, needs no other
thing, in this World, therefore keep it as close and well as you can, to
Gods Glory, who grant that we may walk in his obedience, _Amen_.
* * * * *
_God is blessed in his works._
* * * * *
FINIS.