,,basilius ,,valentinus1 ,a ,,benedictine ,,monk1 ,,of ,,natural ,,supernatural ,,things4 ,,also1 ,of the first ,tincture1 ,root1 and ,spirit of ,,metals and ,,minerals1 how the same are ,conceived1 ,generated1 ,brought forth1 ,changed1 and ,augmented4 ,whereunto is added1 ,frier ,roger ,bacon1 of the ,medicine or ,tincture of ,antimony2 ,mr4 ,john ,isaac ,holland1 his ,work of ,saturn1 and ,,alex4 ,,van ,,suchten1 of the ,secrets of ,antimony4 ,translated out of ,high ,dutch by ,,daniel ,,cable4 ,,london1 ,printed1 and are to be ,sold by ,moses ,pitt at the ,white ,hart in ,little ,britain1 #afga4 ,,basilius ,,valentinus1 ,a ,,benedictine ,,monk1 ,,of ,,natural ,,supernatural ,,things4 ,,also1 ,of the first ,tincture1 ,root1 and ,spirit of ,,metals and ,,minerals1 how the same are ,conceived1 ,generated1 ,brought forth1 ,changed1 and ,augmented4 ,translated out of ,high ,dutch by ,,daniel ,,cable4 ,whereunto is added ,,alex4 ,van ,,suchten ,,of ,,the ,,secrets of ,,antimony4 ,translated out of ,high ,dutch by ,d4 ,c4 a ,person of great ,skill in ,chymistry4 ,,london1 ,printed1 and are to be sold by ,moses ,pitt at the ,white ,hart in ,little ,britain1 #afgj4 ,basilius ,valentinus1 ,,of ,natural and ,supernatural ,things4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,because ,i have at this present undertaken to write of the of the first ,tincture1 the ,root of ,metals and ,minerals1 and to inform you of the ,spiritual ,essence1 how the ,metals and ,minerals are at first spiritually conceived and born corporally2 it will be necessary first of all to utter1 and to acquaint you by a speech1 that all things consist of two parts1 that is1 ,natural and ,supernatural2 what is visible1 tangible1 and hath form or shape1 that is natural2 but what is intactible1 without form1 and spiritual1 that is supernatural1 and must be apprehended and conceived by ,faith2 such is the ,creation1 and especially the ,eternity of ,god without end1 immensible and incomprehensible2 for ,nature cannot conceive nor apprehend it by its humane reason3 ,this is supernatural1 what ,reason cannot apprehend1 but must be conceived by ,faith1 this is a ,divine matter1 and belongs to ,theology1 which judgeth ,souls4 ,moreover1 there appertains to supernatural things1 the ,angels of the ,lord1 having clarified ,bodies1 doing that by the permission of their ,creator1 which is impossible for any other ,creature to do1 their ,works being concealed from the ,eyes of the ,world1 and so likewise are the ,works of the ,infernal ,spirits and ,devils unknown1 which they do by the permission of the most ,high ,god4 ,but above all the great ,works of ,god are found and acknowledged to be supernatural1 not to be scann'd and comprehended by ,humane ,imaginations2 such is in especial the great ,grace and ,mercy of ,god which he bestows upon ,mankind out of his great ,love1 which indeed no man can apprehend or know1 and other great and wonderful works which he hath manifested divers manner of wayes by ,christ our ,saviour and ,redeemer1 for the confirmation of his ,omnipotence and ,glory3 ,as when he raised ,lazarus from the dead1 ,jairus his ,daughter1 the ,ruler of the ,synagogue1 and the ,widows ,son of ,naim4 ,he made the ,dumb to speak1 the ,deaf to hear1 and the ,blind to see1 all which are supernatural1 and ,magnalia ,dei2 so also was his ,conception1 ,resurrection1 ,descension1 and ,ascension into ,heaven1 too deep and mysterious for ,nature2 all which is only to be obtained by ,faith4 ,there belongs likewise to supernatural things1 the taking of ,enoch and ,elias into ,heaven1 the divine rapture of ,st4 ,paul in the ,spirit into the third ,heaven4 ,moreover1 many supernatural things are done by ,imagination1 ,dreams1 and ,visions2 many wonders are done by the ,imagination1 witness the speckled ,sheep by the speckled ,rods laid in their watring places4 ,god warned the wise men of the ,east by an especial ,dream not to return again to ,herod2 likewise their three ,persons1 their three ,gifts1 ,presents1 or ,offerings1 and the supernatural ,star1 have all their peculiar and mystical meaning4 ,nor was that ,dream which hapned to ,pilates ,wife natural1 who unjustly adjudged our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ to death4 ,the ,vision of the ,angels which appeared to the ,shepherds at the ,birth of ,christ1 and to the ,women at his ,sepulchre1 who sought his ,body where they had laid it1 cannot be accounted ,natural4 ,there are many other supernatural things done at several times by the ,prophets ,saints2 so was the voice of the ,ass speaking to ,balaam1 contrary to the common course of ,nature2 as also ,joseph's ,interpretation of ,dreams4 ,and so ,god by his ,angels preserves us oftentimes from infinite ,evils1 and delivers us out of manifold ,dangers1 impossible for ,nature to do4 ,all this many others belong to ,theology1 and to ,heaven1 whereunto the ,soul is to have regard4 ,now follows the supernatural things of the visible ,works of ,god1 as we see them in the ,firmament2 to wit1 the ,planets1 ,stars1 and ,elements1 which are above our ,reason1 only their ,course and ,motion is observed by speculation and reckoning1 which belongs to ,astronomy2 it is a visible but incomprehensible ,being1 performing its operation in a ,magnetick way1 out of which likewise divers admirable things are found and observed1 which are altogether supernatural2 understand it thus1 that the ,heaven operates in the ,earth1 and the ,earth affords a correspondence with the ,heavenly4 ,for the ,earth hath also its seven ,planets1 which are operated and bred by the seven ,celestial1 only by a spiritual ,impression or ,infusion1 even as the ,stars operate all ,minerals4 ,this is done incomprehensibly and spiritually1 and therefore it is to be accounted supernatural1 even as two ,lovers1 their persons are visible1 but their ,love one to the other is invisible3 ,humane ,bodies are tangible and natural1 but ,love is invisible1 spiritual1 intangible and supernatural1 comparable to a ,magnetick ,attraction only2 for the invisible ,love which is attracted unto it spiritually by the ,imagination is1 accomplish'd by the desires and fruition4 ,in like manner when the ,heaven hath a love to the ,earth1 and the ,earth hath a ,love1 ,inclination1 and ,affection towards ,man1 as the great ,world to the lesser1 for the lesser ,world is taken out of the greater1 and when the ,earth by the desires of its invisible ,imagination doth attract unto itself such a ,love of the ,heaven1 there is thereby an ,union of the ,superiour and ,inferiour1 as ,man and ,wife are accounted one ,body together1 and after this ,union the ,earth is impregnated by the ,infusion of the ,heaven1 and begins to conceive and bring forth a ,birth sutable to the ,infusion1 and this ,birth after its ,conception is digested by the ,elements1 and brought to a perfect ,ripeness and this is reckoned among the supernatural things2 how the supernatural ,essence performs its operation in the natural4 ,among the supernatural things are likewise reckoned all ,magical and ,cabalistical ,matters which depend thereon1 arising out of the ,light of true knowledge1 not those which proceed from ,superstition1 ,conjuration1 or unlawful ,exorcisme1 such as the ,sorcerers use2 but ,i mean in this place such a ,magick as the ,wise men had that came out of the ,east1 who by ,revelation from ,god1 and by true allowable ,art judged rightly2 or such an one1 as those of old had before us1 usual among the ,egyptians and ,arabians1 before ,writing was found1 they noted1 observed1 and reserved by ,signs1 ,characters and ,hieroglyphicks4 ,such ,blessings may be used1 which ,christ the ,son of ,god used1 as the ,scripture saith2 ,he took little ,children1 laid his hands upon them1 and blessed them4 ,but whatsoever is contrary to ,god and his ,word1 ought justly to be rejected1 and not to be tollerated1 because they are not ,godly1 but ,diabolical4 ,but those ,supernatural things which oppose not ,god and his ,holy ,word1 belong unto ,magick1 and do the ,soul no prejudice4 ,as concerning ,visions which ,holy ,men of ,god have often seen1 it is reason they should be reckoned among those things which are not ,natural2 for whatsoever man speculates and comprehends by the ,mind1 is ,supernatural2 on the contrary1 whatsoever he can take1 see1 and hold is ,natural4 ,let us consider the third part of ,natural ,supernatural things in ,physick1 the ,virtues and ,powers of each2 this ,medicine of every thing must first be driven out of a visible1 tangible1 natural ,body1 and be brought into a spiritual1 meliorated1 supernatural operation1 that the ,spirit which at the first was infused and given to the ,body to live1 might be released1 that it should operate and penetrate as a ,spiritual ,essence1 and ,fire1 having its ,vent-holes left that it might burn and have no opposition1 which might suffocate1 suppress1 or hinder the burning ,life2 whereas otherwise1 if the separation of the ,soul and ,spirit from the ,body should not first be done1 there could not succeed any operation either effectual1 profitable1 or necessary2 for whatsoever is visible1 to be felt1 and inseparably in a ,body1 that is ,natural and ,corporal2 but so soon as there is a separation1 the living departs from the dead1 gaining its perfect operation1 and the natural ,body being separated1 the spiritual ,essence is free to penetrate1 becoming a spiritual and supernatural ,medicine4 ,in brief1 all things 7none excepted7 which we can touch and handle1 are natural1 but they must be made supernatural1 if you would prepare them for ,physick2 for the supernatural only hath a living power in it to operate1 the natural hath only a dead tangible ,form4 ,for when ,adam was made1 he was dead1 having no life of any virtue1 but so soon as the operative quickning ,spirit came to him1 then he manifested his living virtue and power by supernatural admiration1 so that in every thing there is the natural and supernatural united in one1 and bound together in their habitation1 that every thing might be perfect2 for all created things in the world are some supernatural1 only what concerns the ,soul and spiritual matters1 and some are natural and supernatural1 with what concerns the ,elements and ,firmament1 as likewise the ,minerals1 ,vegetables1 and ,animals1 which is known and found1 when they are separated one from the other1 that the ,soul departs out of the ,body1 and the ,spirit forsakes its ,soul1 leaving the ,body an empty habitation4 ,moreover1 you must understand and consider1 that the great and little ,world are made and formed of one first ,matter1 by an unsearchable ,almighty ,essence1 at that time in the beginning1 when the ,spirit of ,god moved upon the ,water1 who was from ,eternity without beginning4 ,the great ,world1 as ,heaven and ,earth1 was first1 then was ,man1 the ,little ,world1 taken out of the greater2 the ,water was separated from the ,earth1 the ,water was the ,matter whereon the everlasting ,spirit of ,god moved2 the ,little ,world was formed of the noblest ,earth1 as its ,quintessence1 by the ,aquosity which yet was in the ,earth1 and all was only ,natural2 but after the breathing in of the ,divine heating ,breath1 immediately the ,supernatural was added2 so then the ,natural and ,supernatural were knit and united4 ,the great ,world is perishable1 yet there will be a ,new ,earth or ,world2 the ,little ,world is ,eternal1 the ,great1 ,created1 ,dissoluble world will again be brought to nothing1 but the little world will be clarified by the ,spirit of ,god1 because he possesses it1 making a ,celestial clarified water out of the aforesaid ,earthly water2 then it will follow1 that the first matter will be turned into the last1 and the last matter will become the first4 ,now the reason why the great world is perishable1 is this1 that the ,spirit of ,god hath not his dwelling or habitation in the great world1 but in the little world2 for ,man is the ,temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 if he do not wilfully defile himself1 adhering to the ,hellish ,fire1 which makes a breach and difference4 ,for he remaines in the little world1 which he formed after his own similitude1 and made him a consecrated ,temple2 otherwise there is every thing in the little world which is to be found in the great1 as ,heaven and ,earth with the ,elements1 and what depends thereon1 or appertains thereunto4 ,we find also that in the first ,creation1 which was performed of nothing1 three things arose2 to wit1 a ,soulish1 ,spiritual1 ,invisible ,essence1 which represented a ,mercurial ,water1 a ,sulphurous ,vapour1 and a ,terrene ,salt2 these three gave a compleat and perfect1 a tangible and formal ,body to all things wherein especially all the four ,elements are contained1 as ,i have already mentioned in my ,writing where ,i treat of the ,microcosme4 ,but that ,i may yet give a little more information of ,natural and ,supernatural things1 as well spiritual as corporal3 ,we find that the ,canaanitish ,woman was cured of her ,flux of ,blood which held her twelve years1 only by a bare touch1 when she touched the ,garment of the ,son of ,god1 her ,disease being natural1 but the ,medicine or ,cure was ,supernatural1 because by her ,faith she gained help from the ,lord ,christ4 ,likewise we have an excellent1 high and supernatural ,miracle in the three ,children1 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego1 who were cast into the fiery ,furnace1 by the ,command of ,king ,nebuchadnezzar1 yet by ,god wonderfully delivered1 and not consumed1 ,dan4 #c4 ,so also the ,confusion of ,tongues1 and ,infusion of divers ,speeches at the foolish structure of the ,tower of ,babel1 which should have reached up to ,heaven1 is esteemed for a ,supernatural ,miracle4 ,and so was that a ,supernatural ,sign1 when the ,children of ,israel did lap water as ,dogs do1 when a small ,number at ,gods ,command1 fought against the ,midianites1 ,judg4 #g4 #f4 ,so the sending of the ,dove by ,noah out of the ,ark1 when she brought an ,olive ,branch in her ,bill1 a ,sign of ,mercy1 and a ,divine ,supernatural ,message4 ,when the ,holy man of ,god ,moses struck the ,rock with his ,rod1 that the hard ,rock yielded ,water1 is beyond humane ,reason2 so was the turning of the salt water into sweet and drinkable1 supernatural4 ,as also the dry passage of the ,children of ,israel through the ,red ,sea2 and the ,budding of ,aarons ,rod1 are all supernatural4 ,in brief1 the ,resurrection of ,christ the ,eternal ,son of ,god out of the grave1 for all the ,tomb-stone1 his appearing to the two men going to ,emas1 his revealing himself to his ,disciples when the ,door was lock'd1 are all ,divine and ,supernatural4 ,divers ,examples more might be recited out of ,divine ,writ1 which for ,brevities sake ,i omit4 ,among ,supernatural things are accounted all ,mineral ,signs1 as the ,appearance of ,spirits1 ,representations1 ,pigmies appearing diversly and numerously1 giving notice of good or bad ,luck1 ,ruine or ,riches2 so also those ,figures1 ,shapes1 or other works found in the ,ores of ,metals1 as of ,men1 ,fishes1 and other ,creatures1 so formed and represented by the imagination of the three first ,principles1 then ripened and fully digested by the ,earth1 and other ,elements4 ,hereunto appertain the ,monsters of the ,earth1 and such things as are found within the ,earth at certain times of a wonderful form and shape1 but not at all to be found when that time is past1 yet appear again and are to be found at some other time4 ,hereunto also belong all ,visions and ,appearances performed by ,water1 ,glasses1 ,cristal1 or other means1 as also those done by ,sigils and ,characters1 which yet are so various1 some being only ,natural1 yet affording ,supernatural appearances or sights2 but the others which are performed by ,conjurations1 are neither ,natural nor ,supernatural1 but ,diabolical1 belonging unto ,sorcery1 and are prohibited all good ,christians2 so likewise all those ,means which oppose ,holy ,writ1 ,gods ,word and ,commandments1 are to be rejected and refuted by true ,natural ,cabalists2 ,i say this1 because a certain distinction and sure order ought to be found of the ,natural1 ,supernatural1 ,unnatural things4 ,in like manner there appertains unto ,supernatural things1 all the ,water-,spirits1 as the ,syrens1 ,succubi1 other ,water-,nymphs1 with their ,relations1 as likewise the ,terrestrial ,spirits1 and those which inhabit the ,air1 who sometimes are heard1 seen1 or perceived1 sometimes foretelling ,death or other ,disasters1 sometimes they discover by their ,apparition ,riches and good ,fortune in certain places1 and the ,fiery ,spirits appertain here also1 which appear in a fiery shape1 or like a burning ,light2 all these are ,spirits having untangible ,bodies1 yet are they not such ,spirits as the right ,hellish ,spirits1 who hunt after mens ,souls as an ,eternal ,jewel1 even as the ,infernal ,lucifer1 the ,devil and his ,dependents do1 who were ejected with him2 but these are such ,spirits which are above ,nature1 set before ,men for admiration1 and are only maintained by the ,elements1 whereby they are nourished and fed2 but when this ,earthly world shall cease1 they also shall decay and vanish with it1 because they have no ,souls to be saved4 ,i will say no more hereof at present1 but refer the opening of such ,circumstances more at large to another opportunity1 where ,i shall particularly treat of ,visions and ,spiritual ,appearances1 which are esteemed ,unnatural by most part of the ,world1 yet truly are ,natural1 but they are found to be ,supernatural in their ,operations and wonderful ,qualities4 ,that ,i may further confirm my ,assertion1 ,i say likewise1 that there are many things to be found in ,physick1 which yield and manifest their workings supernaturally in a ,magnetical way1 operating only by an attractive spiritual power which is attracted to it by the ,air2 for the ,air is the ,medium between the ,physick and the ,hurt or ,distemper1 even as the ,magnet ever doth direct and turn it self towards its ,polestar1 though the star be many thousand ,miles distant from it1 yet the spiritual operation and sympathy between them is so prevalent1 that it is attracted together at so vast a distance by the ,medium or middle ,band of the ,air2 but because this attractive power is only known unto people in general1 or as a thing common1 it is therefore become customary1 and is so esteemed1 there being no notice taken of any further ,secret whence this operative ,faculty hath its ,source or ,original3 ,in like manner ,hurts and ,distempers may be healed and cured1 though the ,patient and ,physitian be very far distant one from the other2 not by ,charmes1 ,exorcismes1 or other unlawful prohibited means1 which are opposite to ,god and ,nature1 but by such means wherein the attractive ,magnetick ,virtue lies to accomplish it4 ,as when a wounded person goes a ,journey1 leaving the ,weapon wherewith he was wounded1 or else of his ,bloud which issued out of the wound with his ,physician1 wherewith he proceeds rightly and by orderly means1 as is usual in dressing a wound1 without all doubt he shall be absolutely cured1 this is no ,witchcraft1 but the cure is performed only by the attractive power of the ,medicine1 which is carried to the ,sore by the means of the ,air1 wherewith it is mundified1 that it may perform the ,spiritual ,operation4 ,some will think these hard sayings1 and impossible in ,nature1 and many will say it is contrary to ,nature1 whereby many will be excited to dispute it1 and raise ,arguments one opposite to the other1 whether it be ,natural or no1 whether it be possible or no1 or whether it be ,sorcery3 ,i will thus resolve them1 that this ,cure is natural1 but as it operates it is supernatural spiritual1 because it is performed meerly by an attractive incomprehensible means1 and that this manner of ,cure is no ,sorcery3 ,i affirm it hereby1 that it is not mixt or accompanied with any ,sorcery1 nor with any other unnatural ,means1 contrary to ,god the ,creator1 or his holy and saving ,word4 ,but it is only ,natural1 out of its supernatural1 invisible1 incomprehensible1 spiritual1 and attractive power1 which received its ,original from the ,sydereal1 and performs its ,operation by the ,elements4 ,lastly1 ,i likewise approve this ,cure to be no ,sorcery1 because the ,devil rather delights in all ,mischief to ,mankind1 than to assist any manner of way for their benefit1 which yet is impossible for him to do without ,gods permission4 ,much more might be written of this ,magnetick ,form1 but ,i chuse rather to be silent2 referring it till ,i come to treat of the ,natural ,miracles of the ,world4 ,the grosser sort of foolish ,wits1 who imagine themselves to be wise ,philosophers1 and all others who are not in their perfect senses1 know no difference in this case1 but the wise and truly discreet well know how to distinguish betwixt that which is natural and that which is supernatural4 ,for do but observe this comparison1 to be proved by a gross ,example1 how many ,creatures are there which dye absolutely in the water1 so that no life is left therein1 but so soon as the pleasant ,summer appears1 the natural heat gives a new life1 the ,body quite restored in the same substance as it was before in its living ,motion2 even as an ,herb1 which dies in the ,winter1 but in the ,spring it manifests it self anew4 ,the death of these things is to be esteemed natural1 but the return of a new life in its knowledge is supernatural2 but because we are accustomed to all these things1 the least part of us consider what is worthy of further ,meditation in this case1 letting both natural and supernatural go away together4 ,most people overpass1 that natural custom which yet is supernatural1 as also monstrous ,births1 and those that bring signs and marks with them into the world2 which may all be natural1 but manifest themselves supernaturally1 by the imagination which caused them3 ,these supernatural forms and customs1 the ,mother of the ,child caused by intervening thoughts1 which unexpectedly happened to her1 as it were by accident3 ,even as we often see and find1 that many ,men naturally are born with some gestures1 which he can never leave1 though he endevour with all his might to do it4 ,the natural gestures of these ,men are natural1 but the conception in the ,womb which caused the imagination of these things is supernatural1 and subject to what the ,heaven imprints4 ,to conclude3 ,i say1 that none can defend the supernatural not to be true by good grounds and reasons1 except he have learn'd to know the natural1 which hath its original1 and gained its shape from the supernatural2 after he hath learned this1 he may evidence it by sure proofs1 that he will be conquerour over those1 who will not believe what is supernatural2 and he will convince the opinions of those who dispute of natural things1 and yet know not the grounds1 saving only a bare pretence1 much talk1 tedious and unprofitable ,debates4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,of the first ,tincture and ,roots of ,metals4 ,but now to come to my intent1 and by ,gods permission to accomplish the same4 ,i undertake to certifie of the first ,tincture1 ,root1 and ,generation of ,metals and ,minerals3 ,know that the first ,tincture and ,root of all ,metals1 is likewise a supernatural1 flying1 fiery ,spirit2 which preserves it self in the ,air1 seeking its habitation naturally in the ,earth and ,water1 wherein it can rest and operate3 ,this ,spirit is found in all ,metals1 more abundant in other ,metals than in ,gold1 because ,gold1 by reason of its well digested1 ripened1 and fixt body1 is tight1 close1 and compact1 and therefore no more can enter into its body than is just requisite2 but the other ,metals have not such fixt bodies1 for their pores are open1 and far extenuated1 therefore the ,tincture ,spirit can the more abundantly pass thorough and possess them4 ,but because the bodies of the other ,metals are inconstant1 the ,tincture cannot remain with those inconstant bodies1 but must depart4 ,and whereas the ,tincture of ,gold is found in none more plentiful than in ,mars and ,venus1 as ,man and ,wife1 their bodies therefore are destroyed1 and the tinging ,spirit taken out of them1 which makes ,gold sanguin1 being first opened and prepared1 and by their food and drink it becomes volatile1 wherefore this volatile ,gold being satisfied with its food and drink1 assumes its own bloud to it self1 dries it up by its own internal heat1 by the help and assistance of the vaporous fire1 and there is a ,conquest again1 which is quite fix'd1 makes the highest ,constancy1 that the ,gold becomes an over-fix'd ,medicine1 by reason of abundance of ,bloud it yields no ,body1 except another superfluous ,body be again put to it1 wherein the abounding fix'd bloud may disperse itself1 this additional ,metallick ,body1 by reason of the great heat of the fix'd ,lions bloud1 is penetrated as by fire1 and purged from all impurity1 and forthwith throughly digested to a perfect ripeness and fixedness3 ,that first of all the ,servant brings the ,matter unto ,riches1 because the ,master before could not spare any of his ,cloaths to give away1 seeing that ,nature had lent and endowed him with one ,noble ,suit only2 on the other side1 the ,king1 when he hath received his ,aides and ,contributions from his ,subjects1 can then distribute possessions1 and permanent ,liveries1 that the ,lord and ,servant may remain both together2 and do not think it strange1 that the ,king needs to borrow of his ,subjects1 because their ,bodies are unfix'd and inconstant1 for they receive much1 and yet can keep but little ,credit3 ,but if the ,king can participate thereof1 he will the better overcome heat and ,frost1 than the ,leprous ,metals can2 and henceforth by this ,receipt he becomes particularly a ,dominator and ,conquerour of all other1 with a great ,victory and triumph of ,riches and of ,health to long ,life4 ,i hope you have from the beginning sufficiently understood concerning this ,natural and ,supernatural ,advice1 and the first tinging ,root of ,metals and ,minerals1 whereon the ,corner-stone is placed1 and where the true ,rock is grounded in its kind1 wherein ,nature hath placed and buried her secret deeply concealed ,gifts2 to wit1 in the fiery tinged ,spirits1 which ,colours they gained out of the starry ,heaven by the operation of the ,elements2 and they can moreover tinge and fix that which before was not tinged and unfix'd1 seeing that ,luna wants the ,robe of the ,golden ,crown1 together with the fixedness1 as likewise ,saturn1 ,jupiter1 and ,mercury do2 and although ,mars and ,venus need not this ,rayment1 but can communicate it to the other five1 yet ,i say1 that they can perform nothing to attain any thing with wealth without the ,lion1 because they are not sufficiently accomodated with a fixedness of their ,mercury1 and a gentleness of their ,salt1 except it be that the ,lion overcome them1 that they have triumphed on both parts1 and gained a remarkable ,melioration altogether2 this ,melioration lies concealed in their ,signate star1 or ,magnet1 out of which all ,metals have themselves received their ,gifts4 ,now ,i will proceed1 and particularly step to the ,birth and ,generation1 how the or ,archaeus manifests its power2 pouring it forth1 and daily reveales it1 whereby all ,metallick and ,mineral ,forms are visibly proposed1 and made formal1 tangible1 and corporal by the ,mineral1 intangible1 flying1 fiery ,spirits3 ,understand therefore further1 and observe with diligence and care1 that by forgetfulness you let not that which is weighty pass away1 nor yet neglect or overlook that which is most profitable1 and on the contrary observe the bare words at length1 passing over the ,truth2 for what ,i write herein1 is undoubtedly held and esteemed that the highest is undoubtedly by many esteemed for the lowest1 and the lowest for the highest ,mystery1 and is so to be reputed4 ,now you must first know1 that all ,metals and ,minerals of the ,earth have one only ,matter and ,mother1 whereby in general they all received ,conception1 gaining a compleat and corporal ,birth4 ,this ,matter which comes out of the ,center1 first of all divides it self into three parts1 to procure one corporal or certain form of each ,metal4 ,these three parts are only fed in the ,earth by the ,elements1 out of their ,bodies1 and nourish'd till they be perfect4 ,but the ,matter which comes out of the ,center is imagined by the ,stars1 operated by the ,elements1 and formed by the ,earth3 ,it is a ,matter to be known1 and the true ,mother of ,metals and ,minerals3 ,it is such a ,matter and ,mother1 whereof ,man himself is conceived1 born1 nourish'd1 and made corporal3 ,it may be compared to the middle ,world1 for what is in the great ,world is in the little ,world1 and what is in the little ,world is also in the greater2 and what is jointly in the great and little ,world is likewise found in the middle ,world1 which unites and conjoins the great and little world2 it is a ,soul which unites and copulates the ,spirit with the ,body4 ,this ,soul is compared unto water1 and it is a right true water1 but not so that it wets as other water doth1 but it is a ,celestial water1 dry1 found in a ,metallick ,liquorish substance2 it is a ,soulish water1 which loves all ,spirits1 and unites them with their ,bodies1 conducting them to a compleat ,life2 therefore it is reasonably found out1 and evidently proved1 that ,water is the ,mocker of all ,metals1 which are heated by the warm aerial ,fire1 or ,spirit of ,sulphur1 which by its digestion makes the ,earthly ,body lively1 wherein the ,salt is evidently found1 which preserves from putrefaction so that nothing might be consumed by ,corruption4 ,at the beginning and birth ,quick-silver is first operated1 which stands yet open with a subtile coagulation1 because little ,salt is imparted to it1 whereby he manifests a more spiritual than corporal ,body2 but all the other ,metals which follow out of its ,essence1 and have more ,salt1 whereby they become corporal1 do all follow this2 so that ,i now begin first with the ,spirit of ,mercury4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,of the ,spirit of ,mercury4 ,though ,i have a peculiar ,stile in writing1 which will seem strange unto many1 causing strange ,thoughts and ,fancies in their ,brains1 yet there is reason enough for my so doing2 ,i say enough1 that ,i may remain by my own experience1 not esteeming much of others prating1 because it is concealed in my knowledge1 ,seeing having alwaies the preheminence before ,hearing1 and ,reason hath the praise before ,folly2 ,wherefore ,i now say1 that all visible1 tangible things are made of the ,spirit of ,mercury1 which excels all earthly things of the whole world1 all things being made out of it1 having their ,off-spring only from it2 for all is found therein which can perform all whatsoever the ,artist desires to find2 ,it is the beginning to operate ,metals1 when it is become a spiritual ,essence1 which is meer ,air flying to and fro without wings2 it is a moving wind1 which after it is expelled its dwelling by ,vulcan1 it is driven into its ,chaos1 where it again enters1 and resolves it self into the ,elements1 where it is elevated and attracted by the ,sydereal ,stars after a ,magnetical manner unto themselves1 out of love1 whence he proceeded before1 and was operated1 because it affects its like again1 and attracts it to it4 ,but if this ,spirit of ,mercury can be caught1 and made corporal1 it resolves into a ,body1 and becomes a pure1 clear1 transparent water1 which is the true spiritual water1 and the first ,mercurial ,root of the ,minerals and ,metals1 spiritual1 intangible1 incombustible1 without any mixture of earthly ,aquosity2 it is that ,celestial water1 whereof very much hath been written2 for by this ,spirit of ,mercury all ,metals1 may if need require1 be broken1 opened1 and resolved into their first ,matter1 without ,corrosive2 it renews the age of ,man or ,beast1 even as the ,eagles2 it consumes all evil1 and conducts a long ,age to long ,life4 ,this ,spirit of ,mercury is the ,master-,key of my ,second ,key1 whereof ,i wrote in the beginning2 wherefore ,i will call2 ,come ye ,blessed of the ,lord1 be anointed1 and refreshed with water1 and embalm your ,bodies1 that they may not putrefie or stink2 for this ,celestial ,water is the beginning1 the ,oyl1 and the means1 seeing it burns not1 because it is made of a spiritual ,sulphur1 the ,salt ,balsam is corporal1 which is united with the ,water by the ,oyl1 whereof ,i will afterwards treat more at large1 when ,i shall write of them1 and mention them4 ,and that ,i may further declare what is the ,essence1 ,matter and ,form of the ,spirit of ,mercury1 ,i say1 that its ,essence is blessed1 its ,matter spiritual and its form earthly1 which yet must be understood by an incomprehensible way2 these are indeed harsh ,expressions1 many will think1 thy ,proposals are all vain1 strange ,effusions1 raising wonderful ,imaginations1 and true it is that they are strange1 and require strange people to understand these ,sayings2 it is not written for ,peasants1 how they should grease ,cart-wheels1 nor is it written unto those who have no knowledge of the ,art1 though they be never so learned1 or think themselves so2 for ,i only account them ,learned1 who next unto ,gods ,word1 learn to know ,earthly things1 which must be pondered and judged by the ,understanding1 founded upon a true ,knowledge1 to distinguish ,light from ,darkness1 who chuse that which is good1 and reject the evil4 ,it is needless for you to know what the beginning of this ,spirit of ,mercury requires1 because it can in no wise help nor advantage you1 only take notice of this1 that its beginning is supernatural1 out of the ,celestial1 ,sydereal and ,elementary1 bestowed on it from the beginning of the first ,creation1 that it may enter further into an ,earthly ,substance4 ,but because this is necessary which hath been declared to you1 leave the ,celestial to the ,soul1 apprehend it by ,faith1 and let the ,sydereal likewise alone1 because these ,sydereal ,impressions are invisible and intangible1 the ,elements have already brought forth the ,spirit perfect into the world by the ,nutriment1 therefore let that alone likewise2 for man cannot make the ,elements1 but only the ,creator1 and remain by thy made ,spirit which is already formal and unformal1 tangible and intangible1 and yet is presented visibly4 ,so have you enough of the first ,matter1 out of which all ,metals and ,minerals grow1 and is one only thing1 and such a matter which unites it self with the ,sulphur in the following ,chapter1 and enters into a ,coagulation with the ,salt of the fifth ,chapter1 that it may be one ,body1 and a perfect ,medicine of all ,metals1 not only to bring forth in the ,earth at the beginning1 as in the great ,world1 but also by help of the vaporous ,body to transmute and change1 together with the augmentation in the lesser ,world3 ,let not this seem strange to you1 seeing the ,most ,high hath permitted1 and ,nature undertaken it4 ,many will not believe this1 esteeming it impossible1 despise and vilifie these ,mysteries1 which they understand not in the least1 they may remain ,fools and ,idiots till an illumination follows1 which cannot be without ,gods ,will2 but remains till the time predestinate4 ,but wise and discreet1 men who have truly shed the sweat of their ,brows1 will be my sufficient witnesses1 and confirm the ,truth1 and indeed believe and hold for a truth all that which ,i write in this case1 as true as ,heaven and ,hell are preordained1 and proposed as ,rewards of good and evil to the ,elect and ,reprobate4 ,now ,i write not only with my hands1 but my ,mind1 ,will and heart constrain me to it3 ,those who are highly conceited1 illuminated1 and world-wise1 hate1 envy1 scandalize1 defame and persecute this ,mystery to the utmost ,rind1 or innermost ,kernel1 which hath its beginning out of the ,center2 but ,i know assuredly1 there will come a time1 when my ,marrow is wasted1 and my ,bones dried up1 that some will take my part heartily1 after ,i am in the ,pit2 and if ,god would permit it1 they would willingly raise me from the dead2 but that cannot be2 wherefore ,i have left them my ,writings1 that their ,faith and ,hope may have a ,seal of ,certainty and ,truth1 to testifie of me what my last ,will and ,testament was1 which ,i ordained for the poor1 and all the ,lovers of ,mysteries1 though it did not behove me to have wrote so much1 yet ,i could not refrain without prejudice to my ,soul1 but to drive a ,light or ,flash through a ,cloud1 that the ,day might be observed1 and the dark ,night1 thick and gloomy1 rainy ,weather expelled4 ,now how the ,archaeus operates further by the ,spirit of ,mercury in the ,earth1 or ,veins of the ,earth1 take this ,advice1 that after the spiritual ,seed is formed by the impression of the ,stars from above1 and fed by the ,elements1 it is a ,seed1 and turns it self into a ,mercurial ,water1 as first of all the great ,world was made of nothing1 for when the ,spirit moved upon the ,water1 the ,celestial ,heat must needs raise a ,life in the cold watrish and earthly ,creatures2 in the great ,world it was ,gods ,power1 and the ,operation of the ,celestial ,lights2 in the little ,world it is likewise ,gods ,power1 and the ,operation to work into the ,earth by his ,divine and ,holy ,breath4 ,moreover the ,almighty gave and ,ordained means to accomplish it1 that one ,creature had obtained power to operate in the other1 and the one to help and assist the other1 to perform and fulfil all the ,works of the ,lord2 and so an influence was permitted the ,earth to bring forth by the ,lights of ,heaven1 as also an internal ,heat1 to warm and digest that which was too cold for the ,earth1 by reason of its humidity1 as unto every ,creature a peculiar fashion according to its kind2 so that a subtile sulphurous ,vapour1 is stired up by the ,starry ,heaven1 not the common1 but another more clarified and pure ,vapour1 distinct from others1 which unites it self with the ,mercurial ,substance2 by whose warm property1 in process of time1 the superfluous ,moisture is dryed up1 and then when the foulish property comes to it1 which gives a preservation to the ,body and ,balsam1 operating first into the ,earth by a spiritual and sydereal influence1 then are ,metals generated of it1 as it pleaseth the ,mixture of the three ,principles1 the ,body being formed according as it assumes unto it the greatest part of those three4 ,but if the ,spirit of ,mercury be intended and qualified from above upon ,animals1 it becomes an ,animal ,substance2 if it goes upon ,vegetables by order1 it becomes a ,vegetable ,work2 but if1 by reason of its infused nature1 it fall on ,minerals1 it becomes ,minerals and ,metals1 yet each one hath its distinction as they are wrought1 the ,animals for themselves1 the ,vegetables1 on another manner and form by themselves1 and so likewise the ,minerals1 each one a several way1 whereof to write particularly would be too tedious1 and yield large and various ,narrations4 ,many one may here demand and not without cause1 how such a ,spirit of ,mercury may be procured1 how to be made1 and after what manner it is to be prepared to expel ,diseases1 and change all the kinds of the meaner and baser ,metals1 as if they were born in a little world1 by transmutation and augmentation of their ,seed2 many expect this with impatience4 ,i answer without concealing any thing1 but will truly discover as much as is permitted me by ,gods ,command1 in manner and form following4 ,in the ,name of the ,lord1 ,take a ,red ,quick-silver ,ore which is like unto ,sinople 7or ,vermilion7 and the best ,gold ,ore you can get2 grind of each a like quantity both together1 before they partake of any fire1 poure an ,oyl of ,mercury1 upon it made per se1 of common1 purified and sublimed ,quicksilver1 set it a month to digest1 you have an ,extract rather ,celestial than ,terrestrial2 distil this ,extract gently1 as in ,balneum ,mariae1 the ,flegme ascends over1 the ,oyl remaining at bottom1 being heavy1 which in a moment receives all ,metals into it poure thrice as much ,spirit of ,wine to it1 circulate it in a ,pellican1 till it be as red as ,bloud1 and become so sweet that nothing may compare with it2 decant the ,spirit of ,wine to a ,liquidness1 poure fresh ,spirit of ,wine upon it1 this reiterate so often1 till the ,matter be exceeding sweet1 and transparent red as a a ,ruby1 then put all together1 poure that which ascended over upon white calcined ,tartar1 and distil it strongly in ,ashes1 the ,spirit of ,wine remains behind with the ,tartar1 but the ,spirit of ,mercury ascends over4 ,if this ,spirit of ,mercury be mixt with the ,spirit of ,sulphur1 together with its ,salt1 and so brought over jointly together1 that they can never be separated1 you have such a work which if it come over1 and it get its ferment with ,gold by solution according to a just measure and time appointed1 and be brought to a perfect ripeness1 unto the ,plusquam perfection1 nothing may compare therewith1 for prevention of ,diseases1 and poverty1 and to a rich excessive recreation of the ,body and ,goods4 ,this is the way to obtain the ,spirit of ,mercury1 which ,i have revealed as far as it is permitted me to do1 by the ,supremest ,emperour2 the ,manual ,operations are found in the ,work which ,i have revealed2 you must wisely observe1 that you may not endure a ,bath in ,hell for me1 by my true admonition to thee1 forasmuch as a true opening of the ,door which leads to the ,royal ,palace1 is performed but with one ,key1 which cures all ,diseases1 be it ,dropsie1 ,consumption1 ,gout1 ,stone1 ,falling ,sickness1 ,apoplexy1 ,leprosie1 or howsoever called in general3 ,this ,medicine likewise cures all kinds of the ,french ,pox1 and all old ,sores of long standing1 be it ,wolf1 ,noli me tangere1 ,tetter1 ,ring-worm1 ,cancer1 ,fistula1 and corroding hollow ,sores2 all which ,i have declared1 and concealed nothing4 ,last of all1 observe1 that you do not discover too much1 or no more1 because all ,art hath its ,original or ,source out of the ,spirit of ,mercury1 which is refreshed and raised to ,life by the spiritual ,sulphur1 that it becomes ,celestial1 with and by the ,salt they are made corporal and formal2 but the beginning of the ,soul1 of the ,spirit1 and of the ,body1 let it be and remain a ,magnet1 even as it is1 and can be acknowledged to be nothing else4 ,this is the summe in brief1 that without the ,spirit of ,mercury1 which is the only true ,key1 you can never make ,corporal ,gold potable1 nor the ,philosophers ,stone4 ,let it remain by this ,conclusion1 be silent2 for ,i my self will at present say no more1 because ,silence is enjoyned thee and me by the orderly ,judge1 recommending the ,execution and further ,search thereof to another1 who hath not as yet reduced the ,matter into a right ,order4 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,of the ,spirit of ,copper4 ,the ,star of ,venus is very difficult1 and not well to be calculated1 as all ,mathematicians and ,astronomers will bear me witness2 for its course is found to be otherwise than that of the other six ,planets1 and therefore its ,birth is otherwise2 for the ,birth of ,venus possesses the ,first ,table1 after ,mercury1 as for what concerns the ,generation of ,metals4 ,mercury makes active1 but ,venus provokes1 giving ,lust and ,desire1 together with the ,beauty which gave occasion thereunto2 though ,i am accounted no ,astronomer1 nor do ,i give my self out for one1 who knows to calculate the ,course of the ,heavens2 for ,i should spend my time in my ,cell in ,prayer1 but that the spare hours after my ,devotion is ended1 may not be spent in vain1 ,i have ordered and proposed it as my aim and intent to exercise my self1 and to spend those hours in the knowledge of ,natural things4 ,so likewise it is not well to be reckoned what arises1 grows or proceeds from ,venus or whence she arose1 grew1 or proceeded2 for she is superfluously cloathed more than she needs1 and yet must want that which she needs most of all in her ,constancy4 ,but you must be advertised1 that ,venus is cloathed with a ,celestial sulphur which far surpasses the brightness of the ,sun2 for there is more and more abundant ,sulphur in her than in ,gold2 but it requires a knowledge what the ,matter of that ,gold ,sulphur may be1 which is1 and rules so plentifully in ,copper1 and whereof ,i make so great a ,cry3 know then that it is likewise a flying very hot ,spirit1 which can pass through and penetrate1 as also ripen and digest all things1 as the imperfect ,metals into perfect1 which the inexpert will not believe4 ,and here a ,question presents it self at hand2 ,how the ,spirit of ,copper can make other imperfect ,metals perfect1 and make them ripe1 whereas in its own ,body it is imperfect and inconstant8 ,for ,answer1 ,i say as ,i have often said1 that this ,spirit cannot possess or inhabit a permanent ,body in ,copper2 for when the habitation is burnt by ,fire1 the ,spirit goes away with it1 and must with impatience leave its ,lodging1 for it dwells therein as a ,sojourner2 but it hath protection in the permanent fix'd ,body of ,gold1 whence no man can expel it1 without the ,warrant of an especial ,judge2 for it is put into the inheritance as an ,heir1 and taken ,root by her permanent ,body1 that she cannot easily be expelled4 ,the ,tincture which ,venus hath obtained1 is in like manner found in ,mars1 more powerful1 high and ,noble2 for ,mars is the ,man1 and ,venus the ,woman1 which ,i speak more of1 seeing ,i write of them4 ,this ,tincture is delivered in ,verdigreece1 and likewise it is found in ,vitriol1 as in a ,mineral whereof a peculiar ,book might be wrote4 ,in all these things a combustible ,sulphur is found1 and yet a ,sulphur which is incombustible1 this is a strange thing1 one is a white ,sulphur1 the other is red in the operative generation2 but the true ,sulphur is incombustible1 for it is a pure true ,spirit1 whereof an incombustible ,oil is prepared1 and it is the same ,sulphur which is made out of one ,root from the ,gold-,sulphur4 ,i open many ,mysteries1 which ought not to be2 but what should ,i do8 to conceal all is not answerable1 but a measure is good in all things1 as you may observe in my last ,advice of protestation2 forget not my desire therein4 ,this ,sulphur may well be called the ,sulphur of the ,wise2 for all ,wisdom is found therein1 unto the ,mercurial ,spirit2 which excels it1 which together with the ,salt of ,mars must be put together by a spiritual ,conjunction1 that three may come into one understanding1 and be advanced to equal operations4 ,this spiritual ,sulphur proceeds in the same manner and form out of the upper ,region1 as doth the ,spirit of ,mercury1 but in another manner and kind1 whereby the ,stars manifest a separation in fix'd and unfix'd1 in colour'd and uncolour'd things4 ,the ,tincture consists only in the ,spirit of ,copper1 and most of all in that of his ,bed-fellow2 it is a meer ,vapour1 stinking and ill-sented in its beginning2 this ,mist must be dissolved in the manner of a ,liquor1 that the stinking1 incombustible ,oil may be prepared thereof2 but yet it must have and take its beginning out of ,mars2 this ,oil unites freely with the ,spirit of ,mercury1 assuming all ,metallick ,bodies speedily unto them1 if they be first prepared in all points as ,i have advised in my ,keys4 ,i observe not the ,order of the ,planets1 and not without just grounds2 for ,i observe the order of their ,birth1 by which ,i am directed2 for because ,venus hath much ,sulphur1 she is sooner digested and ripened together with ,mars1 before other ,metals2 but because unconstant ,mercury shewed them both too little assistance1 therefore no room is left him to work harder1 by reason of the superfluous ,sulphur1 so that they could obtain no melioration of their unfixt ,bodies4 ,now ,i will reveal a ,secret unto thee1 that ,gold1 ,copper1 and ,iron have one ,sulphur1 one ,tincture1 and one ,matter of their ,colour2 this ,matter of the ,tincture is a ,spirit1 a ,mist and ,fume2 as aforesaid1 which can penetrate and pass through all ,bodies1 if you can take it1 and acuate it by the ,spirit which is in the ,salt of ,mars1 and then conjoin the ,spirit of ,mercury therewith in a just weight1 purging them from all impurity1 that they be pleasant and well sented1 without all ,corrosives1 you have then such a ,medicine1 whereunto none in the world may compare1 being fermented with the bright shining ,sun1 you have made an entrance penetrating to work1 and to transmute all ,metals4 ,o ,eternal ,wisdom from the beginning6 how shall we thank thee for such great ,mysteries1 which the ,children of ,men do no wayes regard1 but are despised by the greater number1 to know what thou hast concealed in ,nature1 which they see before their ,eyes1 and know it not2 they have it in their ,hands1 and comprehend it not2 they deal with it1 and know not what they have1 nor what they do1 because the ,internal is concealed4 ,i will yet reveal this unto thee in truth1 and by the ,love of ,god1 that the root of the ,philosophical ,sulphur1 which is a ,celestial ,spirit1 is found with the root of the spiritual supernatural ,mercury1 as also the beginning of the spiritual ,salt1 are in one1 and found in one ,matter1 out of which the ,stone is made1 which was before me1 and not in many things1 though all ,philosophers speak as if the ,mercury1 ,sulphur1 and ,salt were each one a part by themselves and distinct1 that the ,mercury is found in one1 the ,sulphur in another1 and the ,salt in a third2 yet ,i tell you1 this is only to be understood of their superfluity1 which is found to abound most in each1 and may be used and prepared divers ways particularly with profit1 both for ,physick and transmutation of ,metals2 but the ,universal1 which is the supreamest ,treasure of ,earthly ,wisdom1 and of all the three ,principles1 is one only thing1 and is founded and extracted out of one only thing1 which can make all ,metals into one1 it is the true ,spirit of ,mercury1 and ,soul of ,sulphur1 together with the spiritual ,salt1 united together1 inclosed under one ,heaven1 and dwelling in one ,body1 it is the ,dragon and the ,eagle1 the ,king and the ,lion1 the ,spirit and the ,body1 which must tinge the ,body of ,gold to a ,medicine1 that it may gain power plentifully to tinge his other ,companions4 ,o thou blessed ,medicine given by ,god thy ,creator6 ,o thou ,celestial ,magnet of great attractive ,love6 ,o thou valid substance of ,metals1 how great is thy power1 how uninventive is thy virtue1 how durable is thy constancy8 happy is that man on ,earth who knows thy ,light in truth1 which all the world takes no notice of2 he shall not see poverty1 no ,disease shall touch him1 nor no sickness hurt him1 till the appointed time of death1 and till the last hour predestinated for him by his ,heavenly ,king4 ,it is impossible for all the tongues of ,men to utter the ,wisdom which is laid in this ,treasure of the ,fountain1 all ,orators must be silent and ashamed at it1 yea terrified and not able to speak a word1 when they shall behold and discern this supernatural ,glory1 and ,i my self am afraid when ,i consider that ,i have discovered too much4 ,but ,i hope to prevail with ,god by ,prayer1 that he will not charge it on me as a deadly ,sin1 because ,i began the ,work in his ,fear1 obtained it by his ,grace1 and revealed it for his ,glory4 ,o thou holy everlasting ,trinity6 ,i praise1 honour1 and magnifie thee with ,heart and ,mouth1 that thou hast revealed unto me the great wisdom of this earthly ,world1 next unto thy ,divine ,word1 whereby ,i have known thy ,almighty ,power1 and supernatural ,wonders1 which ,man will not discern2 ,i heartily beseech thee to give me more understanding and wisdom1 that ,i may bestow the use and profit thereof with a continual ,sacrifice of ,praise before thee1 unto the ,christian-like ,love of my ,neighbour1 and to my own welfare both spiritual and corporal1 in power and virtue1 that thy ,name may be made glorious1 honoured1 and praised1 for all thy works in ,heaven and ,earth2 and that my ,enemies may know1 that thou art the ,lord full of eternal ,wonders1 that they may repent and be converted1 and not be drowned in the falshood of ,darkness4 ,god the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost help me1 and all of us1 from his heavenly ,throne1 exalted above all ,glory1 ,might1 and ,majesty1 whose ,wisdom hath neither beginning nor end1 and before whom all ,celestial1 ,earthly1 and ,hellish ,creatures must tremble with fear1 to him be ,glory forever1 ,amen4 ,o ,seraphin6 ,o ,cherubin6 how great are thy ,wonders and ,actions1 look graciously upon thy servant1 and be entreated to be pacified that he hath manifested this4 ,the ,reader must moreover know concerning the ,generation of ,copper1 and observe1 that it is generated of much ,sulphur1 but its ,mercury and ,salt are in an equality1 for there is found to be no more or less of the one than of the other1 seeing then that the ,sulphur in quantity excels the ,mercury and the ,salt1 thence arises a great coloured redness1 which possesses the ,metal1 that the ,mercury cannot perform its fixation1 that a fixt ,body should be generated thereof4 ,observe and understand it so of ,copper1 that the form of ,venus ,body is so stated as that of a ,tree1 which abounds in ,rosen1 as the ,larch ,tree1 the ,firr1 the ,pine1 ,deal ,tree1 and other sorts of ,trees more1 the ,rosen of the ,tree is its ,sulphur1 which it evacuates at sometimes by reason of its superfluity1 for it cannot bear it all2 such a ,tree which is tinged with abundance of fatness1 by the digestion of ,nature and the ,elements1 burns quickly and freely1 and is not ponderous1 nor so durable as is the ,oak1 or other hard wood which is close and compact1 whose ,pores are not so open1 as those sorts of light wood1 and wherein the ,sulphur doth not so predominate1 but the ,oak hath therefore the more ,mercury1 and a better ,salt than the ,pine1 ,firr1 and ,deal trees have1 and such wood doth not float so well above the water1 as the ,deal1 being bound closed up compactly1 so that the ,air is easily prevented in bearing it up4 ,so is it to be observed of ,metals1 and especially of ,gold1 which by reason of its abundant1 fixt1 digested and ripe ,mercury1 hath a very close1 fast and compact1 fixt and invincible ,body1 which neither ,fire nor ,water1 ,air1 nor any ,corruption of the ,earth can prejudice1 that the consuming power of the ,elements can do them no harm2 this fixedness close compacted ,conjunction gives evidence of its natural ponderosity1 which cannot be evidenced in other ,metals1 which is to be observed1 not only by weighing it in the scales1 but likewise you will find it thus3 if you lay but a scruple of pure ,gold upon a hundred weight of ,quicksilver1 it immediately sinks to the bottom1 whereas all other ,metals being laid upon ,quicksilver in like manner1 float on the top of it1 and sink not to the bottom1 because they are more open1 that the ,air or ,wind can penetrate them and bear them up4 ,now what further concerns the ,spirit of ,venus or ,copper in ,physick1 you must last of all take notice and observe1 that it is throughout in its virtue and power discerned to be very wholsom and beneficial1 not only that ,spirit which lies in the first ,ens1 but also that very ,spirit which is found in the last ,matter1 its virtue1 power and operation is1 that it is preferred before all other ,medicines in the ,rising of the ,matrix3 ,it's like is not yet found particularly against the ,falling ,sickness4 ,this ,spirit hath also received an especial gift to dry the ,dropsie up2 it preserves the ,bloud from putrefaction1 digests all which is adverse to the ,stomach1 breaks the ,stone1 of what kind soever it be4 ,externally in ,wounds1 this ,spirit lays a ground to heal3 ,noli me tangere and all other ,sores cannot defend themselves1 nor their ill ,qualities1 but this ,spirit doth assault them1 and prepares a good ground for their ,cure2 externally it mundifies and searches out that whereby the ,medicine may operate1 fasten1 and make a beginning of the ,cure4 ,internally this ,spirit penetrates through through1 searching out all that is evil in the ,body2 even as doth the noblest ,vulnerary potion2 ,no ,imposthume can withstand this ,spirit1 but is reformed by it4 ,i say briefly1 observe the ,spirit of ,venus very well1 it will manifest it self to admiration both internally and externally1 that many will esteem it to be incredible supernatural4 ,last of all1 you must understand that this ,spirit of ,copper is a fiery ,spirit1 penetrating1 searching and consuming all evil ,humours1 and superfluous ,flegme in ,man and ,metals1 and may in reason be accounted the ,crown of ,medicines2 it is very fiery and sharp1 incombustible1 but spiritual and unformal1 and therefore as a ,spirit it can particularly help to make unformal things fiery1 digest and ripen them2 and if you are a true ,naturalist1 ,i recommend this ,spirit unto thee2 it will not fail thee in the least1 in any necessity of ,health or ,wealth1 in case you observe it rightly1 and execute according to ,justice4 ,i hope my ,call and ,request will at last take place1 and have a hearing with those who regard ,nature1 and have an earnest and longing desire to search out1 and learn1 whereby they may whet their ,wits1 open their ,eyes1 and let their ,ears hear1 and learn such a thing out of my ,advice1 which was never taken notice of1 or learn'd before1 and is to be found in this ,spirit of ,copper1 internal and external4 ,he that doth not observe1 or truly understand my ,writings1 will not fathom many ,secrets1 nor search out to purpose and in truth1 nor learn to advantage without me1 therefore no ,man can direct me1 as concerning the ,spirit of ,copper1 except he hath beforehand inverted and turned the ,copper inside outwards1 and truly learned all the ,mysteries of its internal ,virtues1 as ,i have done1 if he can find out any thing better1 which ,i know not1 ,i earnestly desire him not to conceal any thing1 so shall his instruction be well rewarded1 with a thousand-fold advantage1 and recommend you herewith to the ,highest ,creator4 ,vain ,reason cannot alwayes apprehend ,each matter which ,venus can bring to an end3 ,no man can find it presently in sence1 ,vain ,reason banns it far away from thence2 ,such a ,spirit only can all things speed1 ,so that ,mercury be joyn'd with it indeed4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,of the ,spirit and ,tincture of ,mars4 ,mars and ,venus have a ,spirit and ,tincture as well as ,gold and other ,metals1 be that ,spirit which is in each ,metal never so mean and little4 ,it is undeniable and known to all1 that many men have many minds1 though all men originally are of one first ,matter1 born and produced from one ,seed2 yet have they divers different ,minds1 because the ,stars have so operated them1 and not without cause2 for the influences of the great ,world operates the next to it in the little ,world2 for all ,opinions1 ,natures and ,thoughts1 together with the whole complection of ,man proceed alone from one ,influence of the ,stars1 manifesting themselves according to the ,course of the ,planets and ,stars1 so that nothing can prevent1 nor can such ,influences hinder it1 when the ,birth hath attained to the end of its perfection4 ,as a man is naturally inclined to study2 one delights in ,divinity1 another in the study of the ,laws1 a third in ,physick1 a fourth will be a ,philosopher2 moreover there are many ,wits who are naturally inclined to the ,mechanicks2 as the one is a ,painter1 another a ,goldsmith2 the one a ,shoomaker1 the other a ,taylor1 a ,carver1 and so forth1 divers and innumerable2 all this happens by the ,stars influence1 whereby the ,imagination is supernaturally founded fortified1 and whereupon it is resolved to rest2 as it is found1 that what a man hath once conceived in his ,mind1 and framed a foundation thereof1 none can divert him from a constant resolution and relying thereon1 except ,death1 which at last concludes all4 ,so is it to be understood of ,alchymists1 who are set upon the search of ,natures ,secrets1 they intend not to cease1 till they have discover'd ,nature1 absolved it quite1 and brought all to an end1 which cannot well be done4 ,even so is it to be understood of ,metals1 according as the ,influence and ,imagination is from above1 so is the ,form2 and although the ,metals be called ,metals in general1 and are such1 yet you have understood by the various minds of men1 which yet proceed from one ,matter1 that there may be manifold and divers ,metals1 one hot and dry1 another cold and moist1 a third assuming a mixt ,nature and ,complection to it self4 ,therefore the ,metal of ,mars being ordained in its degree by a gross ,salt before others in the greatest quantity1 is found to have the hardest1 ungentle1 strongest1 and grossest ,body1 which ,nature appropriated and granted to it1 it hath the least portion of ,mercury1 but more of ,sulphur1 and most of ,salt1 hence1 and from such a mixture or composition is its corporal essence descended1 and born into the world by help of the ,elements4 ,its ,spirit is like to the other ,spirits in operation1 but if you can know the right and true ,spirit of ,mars1 ,i tell you truly1 and in true ,wisdom1 that one grain of its ,spirit or ,quintessence drunk with the ,spirit of ,wine1 strengthens the ,heart1 ,courage1 and ,senses1 so that you shall fear no ,foes2 it raises up in him the ,courage of a ,lion1 and provokes a desire to hunt and fight at ,venus sports4 ,when the ,conjunction of ,mars and ,venus are rightly placed in a certain ,constellation1 they bring ,fortune and ,victory in ,love and ,affection1 in ,battel and joy1 remaining in unity though the whole ,world should be against them3 ,but because ,i am an ,ecclesiastick under ,church ,government1 and dedicated my ,soul to ,god1 without provocation of humane desires1 and lusts of the ,flesh1 for they lead a direct way to ,hell without leave2 but ,gods ,commands1 ,fear1 and a rejection of ,mans ,will1 which are tollerated by his ,commands1 prepare a way to ,heaven1 if they continue in the true calling upon1 and in the true and right ,faith of the only ,throne of ,grace1 ,mediator and ,patron ,jesus ,christ our ,saviour4 ,all ,martial ,diseases are expell'd1 cured1 and healed in an admirable manner by this ,spirit2 such as are the ,bloody ,flux1 the ,disease or ,menstruous ,fluxes of ,women1 both white and red1 and all other ,fluxes of the ,belly1 and open ,sores in the ,legs1 or any part of the ,body1 together with all those ,diseases1 both internal and external1 howsoever they are called1 which bloody ,mars hath caused1 which ,i omit to nominate particularly1 being well known unto the discreet ,physician what ,diseases are subject to the jurisdiction of ,mars4 ,if the ,spirit of ,iron be truly known1 it hath a secret affinity with the ,spirit of ,venus1 so that both may be conjoined in one1 both becoming one only matter1 of a like operation1 form1 substance and being1 healing and expelling the self-same ,diseases1 as also to bring the particulars of the ,metals into a change with profit1 praise1 and excess4 ,but properly ,mars must be observed thus with its virtues1 that in his ,corporal form he only hath an earthly ,body1 which may be used in many things1 for to stanch ,bloud1 externally in ,wounds1 to graduate ,luna1 internally to stop or bind the ,body1 which yet is not good at all times1 and may be used both internally externally in mans ,body1 as likewise in ,metallick affairs2 because without the true known means1 which ,nature hath in her secret ,closet1 much profit cannot be gotten per se4 ,one thing more ,i must at present propose1 that the ,magnet and true ,iron perform almost a like benefit in ,corporal ,distempers1 having almost one kind of ,nature in and with them1 as it is with it in the ,celestial1 spiritual1 and ,elementary ,intellect1 between the ,body1 ,soul1 and the ,chaos1 out of which the ,soul and ,spirit went1 the ,body at last was found out of the ,composition4 ,how shall we now do8 the gross dull-witted ,lads will not apprehend it1 the middle sort of ,wits will take no notice of what ,i write1 and the supernatural wits will descant too much upon it2 ,i must find out a remedy1 and would willingly preserve all these over-wise-people to be my ,friends still4 ,i will now teach1 instruct1 and presently inform you1 seeing that the ,argument it self declares and pronounces its definitive sentence1 therefore the resolution lies open1 and can be declared and resolved1 reserved nor directed to any other sentence of the understanding1 further than for it self4 ,last of all1 reserve this hereupon in this ,chapter1 that there can be no ,house kept to stand in unity between the ,married ,couple1 if the one of them turn his ,coach and drive to the ,east1 and the other towards the ,west1 for they are not equal1 so that they cannot draw the ,coach together in an equal weight1 whereby there arises a great dissention and hinderance1 in obtaining that which was intended3 but if true ,married ,people will carry on their ,house-keeping with a right subsistance1 they must be of one spirit1 mind1 judgment and virtue1 to accomplish all whatsoever is in their heart and mind1 and that the one operate into the other1 if their ,love and ,truth shall be permanent2 for want of one of these things1 the three principles cannot be truly together2 for the ,mercury is banisht1 and too little by reason of the firmness and constancy2 the ,sulphur is too little1 it cannot warm the ,body of ,love1 because it is very much extinct2 the ,salt likewise hath not its right1 convenient1 natural kind1 but is too hard and too much1 seeing it makes a hard coagulation1 is sharp and biting1 because it doth not manifest it self in truth and constancy4 ,even so it goes now in the ,world1 which goes astray1 and is pregnant with such ,vices1 for the constancy is but small1 the ,love little1 and ,truth as little4 ,i hope you will take this ,philosophical ,example in good part1 because ,syrach doth both praise and dispraise the goodness1 truth1 and wickedness of a false ,woman1 and both after a different manner2 and herewith ,i bid ,mars ,farewell1 saying1 that no man knows how to distinguish the ,sentence of one1 much less of all things1 but he who hath in this point taken notice of them1 learned and experimented their ,nature and ,properties1 and truly known and discovered them4 ,god our ,heavenly ,father1 the ,everlasting ,power1 proceeding from all beginning1 separate us so in the ,form1 that the terrestrial corruptible ,body may again attain unto1 contain1 and receive the ,celestial1 ,spiritual and ,incorruptible ,revelation4 ,amen4 ,maist thou not know me alone indeed1 ,and procure a pure help for me in need2 ,resolve then1 and hear what ,i do speak or say1 ,so shalt thou find what ,i can do for aye4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,of the ,spirit of ,gold4 ,the ,clearness of ,heaven hath now commanded me to govern my ,pen1 to reveal a matter of valour and of permanency2 for the ,sun is a burning and consuming ,fire1 hot and dry1 wherein is concealed the right and true virtue of all ,natural things2 this virtue of the ,sun worketh ,understanding1 ,riches1 and ,health4 ,my ,mind is very much grieved1 and my ,spirit is terrified within it self to discover it publickly1 which was not publish'd in common before1 and to make it vocal1 which was concealed in the deep with great secresie4 ,but if ,i consider in my self1 and enter into my ,conscience1 ,i could find no alteration1 nor catch at any thing to disturb my mind1 or bring it to another resolution1 which might cause many ,obstructions3 ,yet will ,i speak with discretion1 and write understanding1 that no evil with may follow1 but rather that ,i may gain a grateful profit1 which ,i have pourtrayed after the manner and occasion1 as the ,philosophers before me have done4 ,mark now1 give your ,mind perfect ,thoughts1 refrain all strange matters1 which are not serviceable to your speculation of ,philosophy1 but rather cause a ruine of that benefit1 which you pursued with so much diligence2 and know if you have a hearty desire and strong affection to gain the ,golden ,magnet1 that in the first place your prayer be truly directed to ,god1 in true ,knowledge1 ,sorrow1 ,repentance1 and true ,humility1 to know and learn the three distinct ,worlds which are subject to ,humane ,reason2 as1 there is the ,super-celestial ,world1 wherein the right immortal ,soul hath its seat and residence1 together with its first coming1 and is according to ,gods ,creation the first moveable ,sense1 or the first moving sensible ,soul1 which hath operated the ,natural ,life from a ,supernatural ,essence2 this ,soul and ,spirit is at first the ,root and ,fountain1 the first ,creature which arose to a ,life1 and the first ,mover1 whereof there hath been so much ,disputing among the ,learned4 ,now take notice of the second ,celestial ,world1 and observe it diligently1 for therein the ,planets rule1 and all the ,stars of ,heaven have their course1 virtue and power in this ,heaven1 performing that ,service therein whereunto they are by ,god ordained1 and in this service they operate the ,minerals and ,metals by their ,spirit4 ,go now out of these #b distinct ,worlds into the third1 wherein is contained and found what the other two have wrought1 to wit1 the ,super-celestial and the ,celestial worlds2 out of the ,super-celestial arises the ,fountain of ,life1 and of the ,soul2 out of the other ,celestial world the light of the ,spirit2 and out of the third or ,elementary world1 the invincible ,celestial ,fire1 which yet may be felt1 out of which1 that which is tangible is digested2 these three ,matters and ,substances produce and generate the ,form of ,metals1 among all which ,gold hath the pre-eminence1 because the ,sidereal ,elementary ,operation hath digested and ripened the ,mercury in this ,metal the more perfectly to a sufficient ripeness4 ,and even as the ,male-,seed is injected into the ,womb1 and touches the ,menstruum1 which is its ,earth1 but the ,seed which goes out of the ,male into the ,female1 is operated in both by the ,sydereal and ,elementary1 that they be united1 and nourished by the ,earth unto the ,birth4 ,even so understand it likewise1 that the ,soul of ,metals which is formed and conceived out of the ,chaos by an intangible1 invisible1 incomprehensible1 concealed1 and supernatural1 ,celestial ,composition of ,water and ,air2 afterwards it is further concocted by the ,celestial ,elementary ,light and ,fire of the ,sun2 whereby the ,stars move the ,powers1 when its heat is perceived in the inward parts of the ,earth1 as in the ,womb1 for the ,earth is opened by the warm operating property of the upper ,stars1 that their infused ,spirit yield a nourishment unto the ,earth1 that it may bring forth somewhat1 as ,metals1 ,herbs1 ,trees and ,animals2 where each one in particular brings its ,seed with it for its farther augmentation and encrease3 ,and as hath been mentioned1 even as ,man is begotten spiritually and heavenly1 ,soul and ,spirit1 and by the nourishment of the ,earth in the ,body of the ,mother is formally brought up to perfection2 even so1 and in like manner1 is to be observed and understood of the ,metals and ,minerals in all points4 ,but this is the true mystery of ,gold1 which ,i will make good to you by an ,example and ,parable to certifie you1 whereby the possibility of ,nature1 and its ,mystery is to be found after this manner4 ,it is evident1 that the ,celestial ,light of the ,sun is of a fiery ,quality and ,essence1 given unto it by a ,celestial1 fixt and permanent sulphurous ,spirit1 by the most ,high ,god1 ,creator of ,heaven and ,earth1 to preserve its substance1 form1 and body2 which ,creature1 by its swift motion and course1 is enflamed and kindled by the ,air through that swiftness in a continued manifestation of it2 this inflammation can never be extinct1 nor decay in any of its power1 so long as its ,course last1 or this whole ,created visible ,world shall remain and continue1 because there is no combustible matter at hand which is given unto it1 by whose consumption this great ,light of ,heaven should fall to decay4 ,even so ,gold is so digested1 ripened1 and made into such a fixt invincible ,nature by the ,superiours in its ,essence1 that nothing can hurt it in the least1 because the superiour ,stars have past through the inferiour1 that the inferiour fix'd ,stars by the influence and donation of the superiour1 cannot in the least give place to its like1 for the inferiour have obtained such a fixedness and permanency from the superiour2 this you may well retain1 observe1 and take notice of as concerning the first ,matter of ,gold4 ,i must yet produce one comparison according to the ,philosophical custom1 of the great ,light of ,heaven1 and of that little terrestrial fire here daily kindled1 and made to burn before our ,eyes2 because that great ,light hath a magnetick simulation and an attractive living power with the small fire here on earth1 but yet it is unformal and incomprehensible1 only it is found to be spiritual1 invisible1 insensible and intangible4 ,it is to be observed and remembred1 as experience manifests1 and is proved1 that the great ,light of heaven bears an especial sympathy1 affection and inclination to the little earthly fire1 by means of the spiritual ,air1 whereby they are both promoted and preserved from ,mortality2 for behold1 when the ,air receives into it a ,coruption1 by too great humidity attracted up by it1 that ,clouds are generated by ,mists1 and farther coagulations1 which hinder the ,sun-beams that they cannot have a reflection1 nor get a right penetrating power4 ,so likewise the small terrestrial fire doth not burn so lively in dusky1 dark1 rainy weather1 nor manifests it self with joy in its operation1 as it doth when there is a fair1 pure1 serene1 unfalsified heavenly ,air2 the reason is1 because the sympathy is bound and hindered by the obstruction of those ,accidents and the waterish ,air1 so that the attractive power is grieved1 that it cannot accomplish its compleat ,love and ,operation as it should1 for this hinderance brings the aquosity to the contrary ,element4 ,now even as the ,sun1 the great ,light of ,heaven1 hath a peculiar community and sympathy with the small terrestrial fire to attract unto it1 after a ,magnetical manner2 ,so also the ,sun and ,gold have a peculiar understanding1 and an attractive power and sympathy together2 for the ,sun hath wrought the ,gold by the three ,principles1 which have their ,magnets1 being nearest related to the ,sun1 and hath gained the next degree to it1 for that the three ,principles are found to be most mighty and powerful therein1 ,gold immediately succeeds it in its corporal ,form1 being composed of the three principles1 and hath its beginning and off-spring from the ,celestial and ,golden ,magnet4 ,this is the supremest ,wisdom of this world1 a wisdom above all wisdom1 yea a wisdom above all ,natural ,reason and ,understanding2 for by this wisdom is comprehended first of all ,gods ,creation1 the heavenly ,essence1 the ,firmamentary ,workings1 the spiritual ,imagination1 and the corporal ,essence1 it contains all qualities1 and properties1 and all whatsoever sustaines and preserves ,mankind4 ,in this ,golden ,magnet sticks and lies buried the resolution and opening of all ,metals and ,minerals1 their domination1 as also the first ,matter of their generation1 their power over health2 and again1 the coagulation and fixation of ,metals1 together with the operation of expelling all ,diseases3 ,take notice of this ,key1 for it is ,celestial1 ,sydereal and ,elementary1 out of which the terrestrial is generated1 it is both ,supernatural and ,natural1 and is generated ,celestially of the ,spirit of ,mercury1 ,spiritually of the ,spirit of ,sulphur1 and ,corporally of the ,spirit of ,salt2 this is all the way1 the whole ,essence1 the beginning and end2 for the ,spirit and the ,body are bound up together in one by the ,soul1 that they can never be separated1 but produce a very perfect1 durable ,body1 which nothing can hurt4 ,out of this spiritual ,essence1 and out of this spiritual ,matter1 out of which first of all ,gold was made into a ,body1 and became corporal1 out of it is made a more true and compleat ,aurum potabile than out of ,gold it self1 which must first of all be made spiritual1 before a potable ,gold can be prepared out of it4 ,this ,spirit cures and heales the ,leprosie and the ,french ,pox1 as being an over-fix'd ,mercurial ,essence1 dries up and consumes the ,dropsie1 and all running and open ,sores1 which have raged a long season1 it strengthens the ,heart and ,brain1 makes a good ,memory1 generates good ,blood1 brings ,lust1 ,delight and ,desires in humane incitation unto ,natural ,affections4 ,if the ,quintessence of ,pearl be mixt with the ,tincture of ,coral1 and be administred with an addition of an equal quantity of this ,spiritual ,essence of ,gold1 the ,dose of two grains taken at once in a just observation1 you may be bold confident of the truth1 that no disaster of any ,natural ,distemper can harm you1 or happen to you1 to the prejudice of your health1 because the nature resides only in the ,spirit of ,gold1 to alter1 remove and amend all weaknesses1 so that the ,body shall be adjudged perfect and free from any ,disease4 ,the ,quintessence of ,pearl corroborates the ,heart1 and make a perfect ,memory1 of the five senses4 ,the ,tincture of ,coral expels all poison1 and evil ,spirits which fly from the good4 ,so can the ,soul of ,gold in a ,water turn the spiritual ,essence of the ,pearl1 and the ,sulphur of the ,coral united in one1 perform such a thing which otherwise ,nature could not be intrusted with1 but seeing that ,experience hath manifested it1 and confirmed the undeniable ,truth1 therefore this ,cordial in this temporal ,life is1 and ought in reason to precede all other ,cordials with admiration and admirable ,effects1 be they called by what name soever4 ,i am an ,ecclesiastical person1 obedient to the ,ecclesiastical degree1 related to the ,benedictine ,order by a ,spiritual and ,divine ,oath1 by which ,order with my internal ,prayer1 ,i obtain comfort and promises of ,gods ,word1 a refreshment to my ,soul1 but in a corporal temptation of my weaknesses1 and for my ,brethren ,i have not found and used a better corroboration by ,gods ,blessing1 than these three ,compounds united3 ,god give1 bless1 and increase this ,virtue and ,power unto the ,end of this temporal ,world1 which ,man must change together with ,death4 ,o thou golden power of thy ,soul6 ,o thou golden intellect of thy ,spirit6 ,o thou golden operation of thy ,body6 ,god the ,creator keep thee1 and grant unto all earthly ,creatures1 who love and honour him1 the true understanding of all ,gifts1 that thy ,will may be done in ,heaven and on ,earth3 ,this is enough revealed at present concerning the ,spirit of ,gold1 until the coming again of ,elias4 ,hereunto ,i add a short process3 ,take a ,spirit of ,salt1 therewith extract the ,sulphur of ,gold1 separate the ,oil of ,salt from it1 rectifie the ,sulphur of ,gold with ,spirit of ,wine1 that it be pleasant without ,corrosive2 then take the true ,oil of ,vitriol1 made of the ,vitriol of ,verdigreece1 therein dissolve ,mars1 thereof make a ,vitriol again1 and again dissolve it into an ,oil or ,spirit1 which rectifie in like manner as before with ,spirit of ,wine1 conjoin them1 and abstract the ,spirit of ,wine from it1 resolve the ,matter which remaines dry in ,spirit of ,mercury1 according to a just weight1 circulate and coagulate it when it is fix'd and permanent without ,ascention1 you have then a ,medicine to tinge ,man and ,metals1 if it be fermented with prepared ,gold4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,of the ,spirit of ,silver4 ,transcriber's note3 ,original heading had ,gold with a handwritten correction to ,silver4 ,the ,tincture and spirit of ,silver manifests its ,colour of a ,watchet or ,sky-colour1 otherwise it is a waterish ,spirit1 cold and moist1 not so hot in its degree as that which is found in ,gold1 ,mars1 and ,venus2 for ,luna is more phlegmatick than fiery1 though it be brought by the ,fire out of its waterish ,substance into a coagulation2 and even as the ,metals gain their tinging ,spirits and ,coagulation1 in like manner do stones get their fixedness1 and colour1 as out of one ,influence4 ,a fix'd coagulated ,mercury is found in the ,diamond1 therefore it is fixeder and harder than the other stones1 and cannot be so broken2 so the tincture of ,mars1 or the ,sulphur of ,iron is found in the ,ruby1 the ,sulphur of ,venus in the ,emerald1 the ,soul of ,saturn in the ,granate2 in ,tin the tincture which is found in the ,topaz2 and ,crystal is appropriated to common ,mercury2 in the ,saphire is found the ,sulphur and ,tincture of ,luna1 but each one according to a peculiar understanding1 and according to its kind1 and in ,metals according to their form and gender2 for when the blew ,colour is taken and extracted out of the ,saphire1 its ,rayment is gone1 and its other ,body is white as a ,diamond1 wanting only the hardness that is in a ,diamond2 even so when ,gold hath lost its ,soul1 it yields a fix'd white ,gold ,body1 which by searching ,students and young ,artists is called fix'd ,luna4 ,wherefore you must now understand and observe1 that even as ,i have declared unto you concerning the ,saphire1 for your apprehension1 even so on the other side1 you must learn to what purpose my ,speech is intended1 for your ,instruction concerning ,metals4 ,for this blew ,spirit is the ,sulphur and the ,soul1 whence the ,silver receiveth its ,life1 both in and above the ,earth1 by ,art1 and the white ,tincture of the ,silver upon white stands in the ,magnetick form of an everlasting thing1 or ,creature1 wherein is likewise found the first ,ens of ,gold4 ,o ye high qualified ,orators6 where is your voice in this case to explain this ,mystery8 ,and you conceited ,naturalists1 where is your ,writings and ,advice of ,reason8 ,and you ,physicians1 ,whither is your ,opinion flown1 to fetch somewhat afar off over the ,seas for to cure the ,dropsie1 and all ,lunary ,distempers8 ,you will say1 that this my speech is too dark for you2 is it so8 then kindle the terrestrial ,light1 seek1 and be not ashamed to make acquaintance with ,vulcan2 and let nothing be irksome unto you1 so will you find by the assistance of the ,eternal ,god1 that the ,spirit of ,silver contains in it to cure and expel the ,dropsie quite alone1 as the ,spirit of ,gold1 and as that of ,mercury can expel the ,consumption radically1 or in the root1 even so that the ,center of those ,diseases cannot be found any more4 ,but that ,luna in the veins of the ,earth is not furnished with such a hot substance or quality in its degree1 but is subjected to a ,waterish ,nature2 this fault lies upon that great ,light of ,heaven1 which by reason of its ,waterish influence1 hath implanted such qualities in the other ,creatures1 and ,planets of the ,earth1 than it hath in ,silver4 ,and albeit that ,silver contains a fix'd ,mercury1 which is generated in it1 yet it wants a hot1 fix'd ,sulphur1 truly to dry up and consume its ,phlegme1 whereby it hath not obtained a compact ,body1 unless it be done afterwards by the art of the ,little ,world4 ,and seeing that its ,body is not compact by reason of the abounding watery substance1 its ,pores therefore are not rightly defended1 nor closed to undergo the weight and endure a ,battel with the ,enemies2 all which ,virtues are to be found in ,gold1 if it shall overcome all ,enemies1 and endure all trials without defect4 ,all things are difficult in the beginning1 but when they are brought to an end they are easie to be understood and apprehended4 ,if you do truly observe the ,spirit and the ,soul of ,luna1 and learn to know it truly1 you may quickly compass the midst of the ,work1 how it shall afford the end with profit2 wherefore ,i will now propose to you an ,example1 and instruct you by a ,countrey-,rule1 that you may apprehend it1 and consider of it1 as ,childrens ,play1 in a high and weighty ,matter1 that you may search it out with advantage2 as followeth3 ,a common ,peasant casts forth 7or sows7 his ,seed in a ,field well dunged and prepared1 this ,seed after putrefaction1 sprouts forth of the ,earth by the operation and furtherance of the ,elements1 and sets before our ,eyes the ,matter of ,flax together with its ,seed which it brings with it augmented2 this ,flax is pluck'd up1 and separated from its ,seed2 but this ,flax cannot be used and prepared for any work profitably1 except it be first putrefied and rotted in water1 whereby the ,body is opened1 and gains an ingress of its doing good2 after this putrefaction and opening1 it is again dried in the ,air and ,sun1 and by this coagulation it is again brought into a ,formal ,being1 that it may do future service4 ,this prepared ,flax is afterwards buck'd1 beaten1 broken1 peel'd1 and last of all dress'd1 that the pure may be separated from the impure1 the clean from the filth1 and the fine from the course2 which otherwise could not be done at all1 or brought to pass without the preceding preparation2 this done1 they spin ,yarn of it1 which they boil in water over the ,fire1 or else with ,ashes set in a warm place1 whereby it is purified afresh1 whereby the filth and superfluities are fully separated from it1 and after a due washing the ,yarn is dried again1 delivered to the ,workmen1 and ,cloth weaved of it2 this ,cloth is purified or whitened by a frequent casting of water upon it1 cut in pieces by ,taylors1 and other people1 so converted to future services in houshold affairs1 and when this ,linnen is quite worn out1 and torn1 the old ,rags are gathered together1 and sent to the ,paper-,mills1 whereof they make ,paper1 which is put unto divers uses4 ,if you lay ,paper upon a ,metal or ,glass1 kindle and burn it1 the vegetable ,mercury comes forth and flies away into the ,air1 the ,salt remaines in the ashes and the combustible ,sulphur which is not so quickly consumed in the burning1 dissolves to an ,oil1 which is a good ,medicine for dim and defective ,eyes4 ,this ,oil hath in it a great fatness1 which is the ,matter of the ,paper1 contained originally in the ,seed of the ,flax2 so that the last ,matter of the ,flax which is ,paper1 must again be dissolved into the first ,matter1 which is the fat ,sulphurous ,oyliness of the ,flax-seed1 together with the separation of its ,mercury and ,salt1 that so the first may be made of the last1 and the ground-work revealed1 so the ,virtues and ,operations known by the first4 ,and though this ,discourse be gross and not subtil1 yet you may learn thereby to know what is subtile and secret2 for that which is subtile must be infused into the ignorant by course ,examples1 that thereby they may be taught to reject the gross1 and to embrace that which is subtile4 ,in like manner understand1 that the first ,matter of ,metals must be observed1 known1 and found out by the revelation of their last ,matter1 which last ,matter1 as there are the perfect ,metals1 must be separated and divided asunder1 that it may plainly appear singly before the ,eyes of men4 ,out of which separation may be judged and learnt what the first ,matter was at the beginning1 out of which the last was made4 ,accept of this ,advice concerning ,luna at present4 ,i could have said more1 but ,i must desist at this time until another opportunity2 and intreat you heartily1 admonishing you by your ,conscience1 that you observe all that which ,i have revealed unto you1 of all those ,letters which are contained in the middle between ,alpha ,omega1 that you keep all the ,speeches ,writings1 that you may not undergo a denial of pardon for your ,sins1 a continued perpetual ,vengeance for ,eternity2 which ,i at last reveal unto you thus3 ,take the ,sky-coloured ,sulphur extracted out of ,silver1 rectified with ,spirit of ,wine1 dissolve it according to its ,quantity in the ,white ,spirit of ,vitriol1 and in the sweet-sented ,spirit of ,mercury1 coagulate them together by the fixation of the ,fire1 you have the ,white ,tincture in your ,hands with all its ,medicines2 but if you can get all their primum ,mobile's1 it is then needless1 because you can perfect the ,work at once4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,of the ,soul or ,tincture of ,tin4 ,good ,jupiter possesses almost the mean or middle place between ,metals1 it being not too hot1 nor too cold1 not too warm1 nor too moist1 it hath no excess of ,mercury1 nor of ,salt1 and it hath the least of ,sulphur in it2 it is found to be white in ,colour1 yet one exceeds the other in the three ,principles1 as it is evidently found in its dissection1 the right and true discovery of ,nature4 ,it is generated of such a composition and mixture of the three first ,principles1 being operated1 coagulated into a ,metal1 and brought to the ripeness of perfection4 ,jupiter is a ,god of ,peace1 a ,lord of ,goodness1 a ,ruler and ,possessor of the middle ,region2 as concerning its ,state1 ,essence1 ,function1 ,virtue1 ,form and ,substance2 for it holds the mean2 no special ,disease can happen1 that ,jupiter should cause any remarkable damage1 if its ,medicine be used a little at once1 not too much in quantity2 it is likewise thought needless1 where its ,medicines are not required1 that they should be administred in strange cases with a just ,call1 but we should rather abide by those1 where the ,body and its ,disease have an equal temper with the superiour ,stars and their assistance1 in vertue1 power1 and operation1 and so accord together in their juncture1 that there is not found the least contrariety in the ,operation1 nor in the ,operative ,nature4 ,jupiters ,spirit is found not to be wanting in the least1 in the generation of ,metals1 as likewise no one ,spirit of all the ,metals can be set backwards1 because of necessity they accord together from the lowest to the highest degree1 and must agree together1 as a ,metal is perfect in the great ,earth1 so should the transmutation augmentation succeed in the little world2 understand it after this manner1 that all the degrees from the meanest to the highest ,metal must be passed through in all perfection1 even as the ,metals must finish their course1 from ,saturn unto ,gold1 as concerning the permanency of ,colour and ,body1 notwithstanding that ,saturn possesses the highest place in the highest ,region1 wherein the stars reign and perform their ,course4 ,the generation of ,tin in and above the ,earth1 is brought to light even as ,man is and other ,animals1 which are originally nourished and fed by the ,mothers ,milk2 there is no ,diet to be found on ,earth more fit for the nourishment of all men than ,milk2 for its best part is chiefly an ,animal ,sulphur1 which yields the ,nourishment4 ,even in like manner ,tin is nourished by its ,metallick ,sulphur1 which likewise feeds it with the greatest acceptation1 it assumes in and to it more heat than ,saturn1 therefore is ,jupiter more digested broiled1 whereby its ,body likewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of ,salt4 ,he causes in his ,dominion and ,reign1 that good ,rule be observed1 and ,justice done to all men in his ,court4 ,the ,spirit of ,tin is a ,preserver from all ,distempers ,accidents whereby the ,liver is consumed or put into malady2 its ,spirit is naturally to be compared unto ,honey in ,taste1 its ,mercury being made volatile1 gains a venomous quality2 for it purges violently1 and penetrates through by force1 therefore it is not alwayes to be advised1 that its opened ,mercury should be used alone and simply1 but if a ,correction precede1 there may an excellent benefit succeed1 being used in those distempers and diseases1 which are immediately subject to its ,influence1 that is1 when its venomous volatility is taken away1 and set in a better and fixeder state1 which resists the poison4 ,the ,vulgar ,physician cannot understand this ,description2 for this ,art and knowledge proceeds not from the bare ,talking1 but from ,experience2 the common ,physician hath the foundation and egress in speaking1 but our ,preparation hath its ,rise from speaking1 and then its foundation first of all out of a certain trial1 which manifests it by ,experience1 and this is firmed upon hard ,rocks by manual ,operations1 but the other stands upon moving ,reeds ,sand2 wherefore in reason that which is strong and immoveable1 made by ,natures hand1 ought to be prefer'd before bare ,speeches1 which proceed only from an inconstant phantastical speculation1 because the ,work alwayes will praise the ,master4 ,at present ,i do not indeed speak according to my own ,poetical manner1 nor after such a way as ,i directed my stile1 when ,i treated of the wonderful generation of the seven ,planets in my occult ,philosophy1 nor after a ,magical or ,cabalistical manner and custom2 much less do ,i observe the method which teaches1 and diligently marks the ,mystical1 ,secret and ,supernatural ,arts1 to wit1 of ,hydromancy1 ,a,eromancy1 ,geomancy1 ,pyromancy1 ,nigromancy1 and the like3 ,but my present purpose and intent is directed to reveal ,natures ,secrets1 that all the ,lovers of ,art1 and the ,children which seek and desire wisdom1 may by ,gods ,grace1 ,blessing1 and ,permission1 easily understand1 observe1 mark1 and likewise after diligent observation learn1 retain something that is beneficial2 this concerns the generation of ,metals in two parts1 in the great and in the little ,world1 as likewise what is the true ,medicine contained in the inward part of those ,metallick and ,mineral ,forms1 which must be apprehended and made moveable by their dissection that their first beginning may be made notoriously visible in three distinct things2 ,then is ,nature stript1 and her secret parts discovered by laying off her temporal ,cloathing1 and all the secret ,virtues1 ,powers1 and1 ,operations revealed for ,mans ,health4 ,my ,persecutors1 and1 indiscreet ,physicians will now tell me1 thou talkest much of ,geese1 and knowest not a ,duck2 who knows whether all what thou writest be true8 ,i will stick where ,i am1 and remain by what ,i have tried1 and bears the sway among all my ,associates and ,physitians2 so shall ,i not be deceived1 and am assured that ,i shall not need to take paines to learn any new ,matter4 ,he that is of such a resolution1 may remain with the ,ducks2 for he is not worthy of a roasted ,goose1 nor to learn what is concealed in ,nature4 ,but this in truth ,i acknowledge1 and confess it before the ,supreme ,trinity1 speaking it to the hazzard of that most ,noble ,ecclesiastical ,jewel1 that all what ,i have wrote1 and yet shall write in this point1 is all true1 and shall be found to be no otherwise in truth3 ,but that every ignorant1 or vulgar person1 which are haters and persecutors of this ,mystery1 do not well1 fully1 and clearly understand my ,writings at first2 alas6 that cannot ,i help2 pray unto ,god for his ,grace1 and ye ,persecutors for pardon1 labour without repining1 read with understanding1 then will no ,mystery be withheld from you1 but will be very easie for you to find out4 ,i moreover admonish1 that the finder of this gift of ,god1 above all things give thanks unto ,god day and night without ceasing1 with all reverence and due obedience1 from the bottom of his heart2 because no ,creature can yield sufficient praise which may recompense so great a benefit2 but ,diligence is known by a right and true industry according to our capacity4 ,i have done my part1 which ,i hope to justifie before ,god and the ,world2 for what my ,eyes have seen1 my ,hands felt1 and apprehended by an undeceived ,judgment1 that shall no man take from me in this ,life2 only ,death1 which is the determiner of all things4 ,this my ,speech hath indeed had no force to poure forth from it what is written by me herein2 but what ,i have done is not out of curiosity1 nor out of a desire of vain and transitory ,glory2 but ,i have been induced thereunto by the ,command of ,christ the ,lord1 that his ,glory and ,goodness in eternal and temporal ,matters1 should not be concealed from any man1 but to the praise1 honour1 and glory of his holy everlasting ,name1 that it might be exalted1 acknowledged1 and revealed in his ,majesty by reason of his ,highness and ,almightiness1 through the confirmation of his wonderful ,deeds6 ,and secondly1 ,i have been led thereunto by ,love and ,charity towards my ,neighbour1 for his good as for my own1 and to heap burning ,coals on my ,enemies heads4 ,and last of all1 that all ,opposers may know1 what erroneous waies others have gone against me1 and whether ,i am most of all to be condemned1 or they adjudged most just in what hath been written most truly of the concealments of ,nature2 likewise that the supremest ,mystery may not quite be suffocated in darkness1 nor be drowned in overflowing waters1 but be delivered out of the deep and filthy mire of the ,ideotish ,crew by the right appearance of the true ,light1 and obtain many witnesses by the spreading abroad of a sure1 true1 and right ,confession1 who may follow me in the ,writings of ,truth4 ,in my ,nativity of the twelve ,signes in the ,zodiack1 ,sagitary and ,pisces were allotted unto me2 ,i was born under ,pisces1 for ,i was in ,waterishness before my ,life1 but ,sagitary set an ,arrow to my ,heart1 whereby ,i lost my ,waterishness1 and by the heat ,i became worthy of the dry ,earth2 and although at the first the ,earth was turned by the ,water into a soft substance1 yet you must understand that the ,water was consumed by the heat of the drying ,air1 so that all the soft ,matter of the ,earth went away1 and by this drying up was dignified with a ,hardness2 whereby thou ,learner1 and much ,understander should carefully observe and take good notice1 that ,tin is subject to all the four ,elements1 as also to the other principal ,planets2 which ,elements received their ,center from above1 and are generated as others4 ,to conclude1 ,i let you know1 and give you to understand1 that if thou extract out of ,benevolent ,jupiter its ,salt and ,sulphur1 and lettest ,saturn flux well with it1 ,saturn assumes a fixt body unto it1 purges it self1 and becomes clear thereby1 there being a full change and real transmutation of ,lead into good ,tin1 which may be found to the height by a durable infallible proof4 ,and though you may think this to be false1 yet you must take notice1 that seeing the ,salt of ,jupiter only by its ,sulphur is made more corporal1 yet likewise it hath obtained an efficacy and power to penetrate ,saturn1 the basest and most volatile ,metal1 and bring it to a melioration of its ,equals1 as you will find it in reality4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,of the ,spirit of ,saturn1 or ,tincture of ,lead4 ,saturn to generate his ,metal ,lead1 is placed in the upper ,heaven above all ,stars1 but he possesses the lowest and vilest degree in the under-parts of the ,earth1 even as the supreme ,light of ,saturn is mounted aloft in the highest supremacy of all the ,celestial planets1 so hath its ,children of the lower ,region succeeded it in ,kind2 and ,nature hath permitted that ,vulcan should conduct them to their like1 if ,saturn be content2 for the upper light gives occasion thereunto1 having generated an unfixt ,body of ,saturn1 penetrated with open pores1 that the ,air can pass through this ,saturnine ,body1 that the ,air can keep it aloft1 but the fire can quickly assault it1 because the body is not compact by reason of its unfixedness1 so that it must decay1 which must be in all points observed by him that will attain to the search of it2 for there is a great difference between the fix'd and unfix'd bodies1 and of the causes of their ,constancy and ,inconstancy4 ,and though ,saturn hath an especial ponderosity above other ,metals1 yet observe1 when they are poured forth together1 after their union in the ,flux1 the other ,metals alwaies settle at the bottom1 even as it likewise comes to pass in the pouring of ,antimony through with other ,metals1 whereby it is evident1 that the other ,metals fall through equally1 and are more compact than ,saturn1 for it must give place and preheminence to the other ,metals1 leaving the victory with them2 for it must vanish and be quite consumed with the unfixt inconstant ,metals2 in it all the three properties of the three principles are most course2 and because its ,salt is very fluxible above that of other ,metals and ,planets1 so is its ,body more fluxible1 inconstant1 unfixt1 and volatile1 than any other ,metallick ,body4 ,as ,saturn steps to its regeneration1 so know that in like manner1 as common ,water is forced by the natural coldness1 by the change of the ,heavens1 whereby it becomes a coagulated ,ice1 in like manner is it to be made evident1 that by reason of the great coldness which is found to be in the ,salt of ,saturn above other ,salts2 ,saturn is also coagulated and made corporal2 ,ice dissolves into water by heat2 so likewise the coagulated ,saturn is made fluxible by ,fire1 it hath most of ,mercury in it1 but it is inconstant and volatile2 it hath least of ,sulphur1 and therefore according to its small quantity its cold body cannot be made warm2 it hath little ,salt1 but fluxible1 otherwise ,iron would be more fluxible and malleable than ,lead1 if the ,salt alone could cause a malleableness and fluxibleness1 because ,iron contains more ,salt than any other ,metal3 ,seeing then there is a difference to be found in this point1 you must therefore observe and remember the difference1 and how to distinguish between ,metals4 ,all ,philosophers have wrote as well as ,i1 that the ,salt gives the ,coagulation and ,body to every ,metal2 and it is true2 but to prove it by an example1 how and after what manner this ,relation is to be understood3 ,plume ,allom is esteemed to be only a meer ,salt1 and is approved to be such1 which in this particular may be compared to ,iron1 that the ,salt of the ,plume ,allom is found to be a thing unfluxible as ,iron is4 ,on the other side1 ,vitriol likewise is a ,salt1 manifesting it self in a small quantity1 but fluxible and open1 therefore its ,salt cannot yield such a hard congelation unto its appropriated ,metal1 as the other can2 although all the ,salts of ,metals grew out of one certain ,root1 and out of one ,seed1 yet nevertheless you must observe a difference in their three ,principles1 as also you must observe remember1 that a difference is found in one ,herb from the other1 and likewise how man differs from other ,creatures and ,animals in ,qualities1 ,original1 and the three ,principles2 for one ,herb is indued with more of this1 another with more of that kind1 which in like manner is to be understood concerning ,man and other ,animals4 ,the ,soul of ,lead consists in a sweet quality1 as also doth the ,soul of ,tin1 and sweeter yet1 that nothing almost may be compared to it1 being first of all purified to the highest by separation1 that the pure be well separated from the impure1 that a perfect accomplishment may succeed in the ,operation3 ,otherwise the ,spirit of ,lead is by nature cold and dry1 wherefore ,i advise1 that it be not much used by ,men and ,women1 because it over cools ,nature1 so that the ,seed of both cannot perform their ,natural ,function2 nor doth it much good to the ,spleen and ,bladder1 but in other cases it attracts flegmatick ,humours unto it1 which raise up much ,melancholy in ,men2 for ,saturn is a ,ruler1 and such a ,melancholicus1 whereby a ,man is confirm'd in his ,melancholy1 wherefore its ,spirit is used1 for one ,melancholy ,spirit attracts another unto it1 whereby ,mans ,body is freed and delivered from its infused ,melancholy4 ,externally the ,soul of ,saturn is so healing1 in all ,sores old or new1 ,cuts1 ,thrusts1 or ,accidents by ,means or ,nature1 so that no ,metal can do the like2 it is cooling in all hot1 tumified ,members2 but ,noble ,venus hath the pre-eminence to mundifie and cauterize all putrid ,sores1 and to lay a ground for their ,cure1 which have their access from within2 for in her essence she is hot to dry up1 but ,saturn on the contrary is found to be cold in his ,essence4 ,the ,celestial ,light of the ,sun is much hotter than the ,light of the ,moon2 for the ,moon is much lesser than the ,sun1 and according to its dimension and division it contains an eighth part of the greatness in its ,circle2 if then the ,moon in this her ,magnitude of the eighth part could excel the ,sun1 as the ,sun excels the ,moon1 all ,fruits and ,productions of the ,earth must perish1 and there would be a perpetual ,winter1 no ,summer to be found at any time3 ,but the ,eternal ,creator hath in this case well ordained a certain ,order and ,law for his ,creatures1 that the ,sun should give light by day1 and the ,moon by night1 and so all ,creatures should be served4 ,those ,children which are subject to the influence of ,saturn1 are melancholy1 churlish1 continually murmuring1 as old covetous people1 who do no good to their own ,bodies1 and yet never have enough2 they put their ,bodies to much labour1 torment themselves with thoughts and whimsies1 seldom recreate themselves1 or are merry with other people1 nor do they greatly regard the natural love of fair ,women4 ,in brief1 ,i tell thee that ,saturn is generated of little ,sulphur1 little ,salt1 and much unripe gross ,mercury1 which ,mercury is to be esteemed as a ,froth that floates upon the ,water1 in comparison of that ,mercury which is found in ,sol2 and is much more hot in its degree1 and therefore the ,mercury of ,saturn by reason of its great coldness1 hath not so quick a running ,life as that which is made of ,gold1 wherein more heat is to be found1 whence that running ,life hath its original3 ,therefore in the inferiour world we must take notice of little ,vulcan in the augmentation and transmutation of ,metals1 as ,i have described those three ,principles of ,saturn1 as concerning their descent1 nature1 and complection4 ,and every one must know1 that no transmutation of any ,metal can follow out of ,saturn1 by reason of its great coldness1 only and except to coagulate common ,mercury2 for the cold ,sulphur of ,lead can qualifie and take away the hot running ,spirit of the ,quicksilver1 if the process be rightly ordered1 wherefore it is not amiss to observe1 that ,mercury is so detained1 that the ,theory should agree with the ,practick1 and meet together in a certain measure and concordance4 ,you must not therefore quite reject ,saturn1 nor in all points scornfully neglect him1 because its ,natures and ,virtues are known yet but unto few2 for the ,stone of the wise hath the first beginning of its ,celestial1 high-shining ,colour only out of this ,metal1 and from the influence of this ,planet1 the ,key of ,constancy is delivered unto him by putrefaction1 because the red cannot be made out of the yellow1 except before-hand a white be made out of the beginning of the black4 ,i could yet treat variously1 and at large of many wonderful works of ,natural and ,supernatural things4 ,but because other ,labours prevent me therein1 of making a longer ,narration1 ,i therefore put a ,conclusion to this ,treatise at present1 referring the other concerning the concealed ,secrets of ,minerals until ,i have a purpose to write further1 in a particular ,treatise of ,antimony1 ,vitriol1 ,brimstone1 ,magnet1 and which in especial are endowed before others1 and depend upon those1 out of which ,gold and ,silver have their beginning1 middle and end1 together with the true transmutation particularly2 which virtues and power they have received out of one thing1 wherein all these lie to be generated invisibly concealed1 together with all ,metals2 which matter is publick before the eyes of all men1 but because the vertues and powers are very deeply buried and unknown to the most part1 therefore this matter is likewise esteemed as nothing1 or of no value1 and unprofitable1 out of ignorance2 even as the ,disciples of the ,lord going to ,emaus1 their eyes were opened at the breaking of ,bread1 that they knew wonder above wonder1 what the rich ,creator hath placed in the vile creature1 the name is ,hermes1 who carries a flying ,serpent in his ,shield1 having a ,wife whose ,name is ,aphrodita1 who can know the ,hearts of all men1 and yet all is one1 and one only thing1 one only ,essence1 which is common in all ,places1 and known every where1 every one grasps it with his hands1 and uses it in vile matters1 and of small value2 he values the vile at a high rate1 and that which is high he casts away2 it is nothing else but ,water and ,fire1 out of which the ,earth is generated by the help of the ,air1 and is yet preserved4 ,praise be to the most ,high for his ,gifts3 ,at present enough is revealed what my intent was to shew in this ,treatise1 and so ,i depart hence2 for in separation all is to be found4 ,of the ,medicine or ,tincture of ,antimony1 as well to preserve ,mans ,body in ,health1 and to divert all desperate1 and incurable ,diseases1 as also to cure the ,leprosie of ,metals1 to purifie and to transmute them into the best ,gold4 ,written by that ,noble and ,learned ,philosopher1 ,roger ,bacon4 ,stibium or ,antimony1 as the ,philosophers say1 is composed of a ,noble ,mineral ,sulphur1 which they accounted to be the black secret ,lead of the ,wise4 ,the ,arabians call it ,asmat or ,azmat2 the ,alchymists retain the ,name ,antimony4 ,addition4 ,the ,moors call it ,antimony1 others call it ,alabaster1 or ,tarbason4 ,by the ,arabians and ,spaniards it is called ,alcohol4 ,avicennae c4 #g4 calls it ,artemed4 ,alexius of ,piedmont1 in his seventh ,book of ,secrets1 calls it ,talck1 even as ,john ,jacob ,wecker renders it in his ,books of ,secrets2 but ,talck is far different from ,antimony4 ,pliny1 ,book #cc4 ,chap4 #f4 of ,antimony4 ,dioscorides gives a preparation of ,antimony1 ,book #e4 ,chap4 #ci4 ,they call it also ,stibi1 ,stimmi1 c4 ,the ,germans call it ,spies glass1 or as ,george ,fabricius would rather have it1 ,spies glantz4 ,gerlandius calls it ,black ,alcophil1 ,altofel1 or ,alirnu1 others ,cosmet1 and it is twofold1 ,masculine and ,feminine4 ,it will lead us to the consideration of higher ,mysteries1 if we behold and discern that ,nature wherein ,gold is exalted1 even as the ,magi have found that this ,mineral is by ,god ordained under the ,constellation of ,aries1 which is the first ,celestial ,sign1 wherein the ,sun takes its ,exaltation1 though this be not regarded by the ,vulgar2 yet discreet people will know1 and the better observe1 that even in this place also the ,mysteries and ,perpetuity may in part be considered with great benefit1 and in part discovered4 ,but some ignorant and indiscreet people think1 that when they had ,antimony1 they would deal well enough with it by ,calcination1 others by ,sublimation1 and some by ,reverberation1 thereby to obtain its great ,mystery and perfect ,medicine4 ,but ,i tell you1 that here in this place it availes not in the least1 either ,calcination1 ,sublimation1 or ,reverberation1 whereby afterwards a perfect extraction can or might be done or effected with profit1 to transmute the meaner into a better ,metallick virtue2 for it is impossible for you4 ,be not deluded2 some of the ,philosophers which have wrote of such things1 as ,geber1 ,albertus ,magnus1 ,rasis1 ,rupecissa1 ,aristotle1 and many others3 ,but observe this3 ,some say1 that if ,antimony be made to a ,vitrum or ,glass1 the bad volatile ,sulphur is gone1 and the ,oil which may be prepared out of that ,glass1 will be a very fixt ,oil1 and will really give an ingress and ,medicine of perfection to the imperfect ,metals4 ,these words and opinion are good and true1 but it will not be nor appear such indeed2 for ,i tell you truly1 without concealed speeches1 that if you lose any of the aforesaid ,sulphur in the ,preparation or ,burning1 for a small fire may easily prejudice it1 you then have lost the true penetrating ,spirit1 which should make the whole ,body of ,antimony to a perfect red ,oyl1 which should also ascend over the helm with a delightful sent1 and curious ,colours2 observe likewise1 that the whole ,body of this ,mineral1 with all its ,members1 should be but one ,oyl1 and ascend over the helm without any loss of weight1 excepting the feces4 ,how should the ,body be brought to an ,oil1 or yield its pleasant ,oil1 if it be brought to the last being of its degree1 for ,glass is in all things the utmost and last4 ,you shall likewise know that you shall not obtain that perfect noble ,oil in the least1 if it be extracted with corrected ,vinegar poured upon the ,antimony1 nor yet by ,reverberation2 and although its various colours may appear1 yet is it not the right way2 you may indeed get an ,oil1 but you must know that it hath no part of the ,tincture1 or power of transmutation in it4 ,now we come to the ,manual ,operation4 ,take in the ,name of ,god1 and of the ,eternal ,trinity1 fine and very pure ,mineral ,antimony1 which is fair1 white1 massie1 and inwardly full of yellow ,streaks or ,veins1 and likewise of red and blew ,colours1 and small ,veins1 this is the best2 pound it to fine ,powder1 dissolve it by little and little in ,aqua ,regis1 that the ,water may conquer it4 ,after ,solution take it out immediately that the ,aqua ,regis may do it no prejudice2 for it will quickly dissolve the ,tincture of the ,antimony2 for our ,water in its nature is like to the ,ostrich1 which by his heat can digest ,iron1 and consume it to nothing2 for the ,water will consume it1 and turn it to a ,mud1 that it shall remain only as a yellow ,earth1 and then is it quite spoiled4 ,take an ,example hereof from ,silver1 which is dissolved1 fair1 pure and fine in these our ,waters1 but if it stand a night therein while the ,water is strong and full of ,spirits1 ,i tell you1 your good ,silver will be corroded to nothing in these our ,waters2 and though you would reduce it into a ,massie ,body1 you cannot2 for it will remain as a pale yellow ,earth1 and sometimes it will run together in the form of ,horn1 or of a white ,horse ,hoof1 which you can by no ,art reduce into a ,body4 ,wherefore you must remember to take the ,antimony out presently after the ,solution1 precipitate and adulterate it according to the custom of ,alchymists1 that it may not be corroded with its perfect ,oil by the ,water1 and burnt up to nothing4 ,the ,water wherein we dissolve is thus made4 ,r4 ,vitriol1 a pound and a half1 ,salt-,armoniac one pound1 ,azinat one pound1 ,salt-nitre a pound and a half1 ,salt-gemme one pound1 ,allom half a pound2 these are the ,ingredients which belong unto the making of the ,water for the ,solution of ,antimony4 ,take and mix them well together2 at first distil very slowly1 for the ,spirits ascend with greater violence than those of any other common ,aqua fortis2 beware of its ,spirits2 for their ,fumes are very subtile and hurtful in their penetration4 ,when you have adulterated the ,antimony well and purely from the corrosive ,water1 then put it into a clean ,vial1 poure good distilled ,vinegar upon it1 set it forty dayes and nights to putrefie in ,horse-dung1 or in ,balneum ,mariae1 it will be bloud-red4 ,take it out1 and see how much is yet to be dissolved1 decant off gently the pure and clear1 which is red into a ,glass-,gourd1 poure other ,vinegar upon the ,faeces as before1 that if any thing should yet remain therein1 it might be dissolved2 this must be done four times in fourty days and nights2 for if any good be in the ,faeces1 it will be dissolved in that time1 then cast the ,dregs away as unprofitable1 being but ,dirt1 and to be cast to the ,dunghill4 ,put all the ,solutions in a glass-,gourd into ,balneum ,mariae1 distil all the tart ,vinegar from it1 pour it on again1 or else pour fresh1 if this be too weak1 it will quickly dissolve in the ,vinegar2 distil it again from it1 that the ,matter be quite dry2 then take common distilled water1 wash all tartness from it with the ,vinegar imparted to the ,matter1 then dry the ,matter in the ,sun1 which is of a very deep red1 or else dry it very well at a gentle fire4 ,when the ,philosophers find our ,antimony thus secretly prepared1 they say then that its external nature and virtue is inverted internally1 and the internal cast forth externally1 henceforth becoming an ,oil1 which is concealed in its innermost and profoundest part1 till it be well prepared1 and cannot any more be brought into its first ,essence1 untill the last ,judgment2 and it is true1 for so soon as it feels the force of the fire1 it flies away in a ,vapour with all its parts1 because it is volatile4 ,some of the common ,laborators1 having thus prepared ,antimony1 they take one part out because of its consumption1 that they may the better operate it1 they mix with it one part of ,salt-,armoniac1 one part of the ,vitrum 7with others ,titrum7 one part of the ,rebooth 7with others ,cadoli7 wherewith the ,bodies are cleansed2 this mixture they cast upon a pure ,luna1 and if there were eight ,ounces of the ,luna1 they found ten ,drams of good ,gold in the separation1 and sometimes more2 and by this work they gained wherewithal to bear their ,charges1 the better to attend upon1 and attain unto the great ,work4 ,the ignorant called this an induction into the ,silver1 but that is false2 for this ,gold is not brought into it by the ,spirits1 but every kind of ,silver hath one ,ounce of ,gold more or less in the ,mark 7or #h ,ounces7 for ,gold is so united with the ,nature of ,silver1 that it cannot be separated from it1 either by ,aqua fort1 or common ,antimony1 as the ,gold-smiths know4 ,but when the aforesaid ,composition is cast upon the ,luna in the flux1 then happens such a separation1 that the ,luna doth freely let go the ,gold implanted therein into the ,aqua fort1 and is separated from it1 letting it precipitate and sink to the bottom1 which otherwise could not be done at all4 ,therefore it is not an induction into the ,luna1 but a bringing out of it4 ,but we return again to our proposed ,work2 for we would have only the ,oil1 which was only known to the ,wise1 and not to the ,ignorant4 ,when you have rubified the ,antimony very well according to the former ,directions1 you must have in readiness a ,spirit of wine well rectified1 pour it over the red ,powder of ,antimony1 set it four daies and nights in a gentle ,balneum ,mariae1 that it may dissolve very well4 ,and if then any of it remain undissolved1 pour fresh ,spirit of ,wine upon it1 set it again into the ,bath as aforesaid1 all will be well dissolved2 and if perhaps any more ,faeces remain1 they will be very few1 cast them away1 for they are good for nothing4 ,put the ,solution into a glass-,gourd1 with a ,head luted upon it1 set it into ,balneum ,mariae1 with its receiver to take the ,spirits1 distil slowly with a slack heat1 till all the ,spirit of ,wine be come over1 pour it in again upon the dry matter1 draw it off again as before2 this pouring in abstracting continue so often1 till you see the ,spirit of ,wine ascend over the helm in various colours1 then it is time that you follow it with a strong fire1 then with the ,spirit of ,wine ascend red into the helm1 and drop into the ,receiver like a bloody ,oil1 and the tender ,body ascends like a red ,oil1 dropping into the ,receiver2 truly this is the most secret way of the ,wise1 the so much applauded ,oil of ,antimony2 it is a noble1 well sented1 virtuous1 and powerful ,oil1 as you shall hear afterwards4 ,but here ,i will teach and instruct you poor ,operators another way1 because you have not the ,means to attend the great work1 not as the ,ancients did1 with the separation of ,gold out of ,silver4 ,wherefore take one part of the ,oil1 or half an ,ounce of ,saturn1 four ,ounces calcined according to ,art1 pour the ,oil upon the ,calx of ,saturn1 mixing it1 set it ten daies and nights in the heat1 into the secret ,furnace2 every two days augment the fire one degree1 according to the capacity of the ,furnace2 after four days and nights set it into the third degree of ,fire1 therein let it rest three days and nights1 then open the ,door or ,vent of the fourth degree1 which must likewise continue three days and nights2 afterwards take it out1 the ,saturn will be above black1 like unto ,charcole dust1 but under this black dust you will find other ,colours1 throughout pure1 red1 yellow1 which flux with ,venetian ,borax1 you will find it converted into good ,gold by the power of our ,oil1 so have you means again to set forward the great work4 ,we return again to our purpose1 where we left off before4 ,you have heard1 and have been instructed how to abstract the ,spirit of ,wine with the ,oil over the helm into the ,receiver1 and to use it for the work to convert ,saturn into ,gold4 ,but we will now hasten to the other work of the ,tincture1 and give advice concerning it4 ,it will therefore be necessary to separate the ,spirit of ,wine again from the ,oil1 which do as followeth2 ,take the mixture of the ,spirit of ,wine1 and of the ,oil1 set it into ,balneum ,mariae2 distil the ,spirit of ,wine only from the ,oil with a very slack heat1 so that you may be assured that there is no more of the ,spirit to be found in this most precious ,oil1 which you may easily try2 when you see some of the drops ascend over with the ,spirit of ,wine1 it is a sign that the ,spirit of ,wine is separated from the ,oil1 then remove all the fire from under the ,bath1 how little soever it be1 that it may cool the sooner4 ,take away the ,receiver with the ,spirit of ,wine1 stop it very close1 for it is full of ,spirits which it hath retained from the ,oil1 as you will hear afterwards3 ,but in ,balneum ,mariae you will find that blessed ,oil of ,antimony red as ,bloud2 take it out1 wash the ,lute off by gentle mollification1 that nothing impure may fall into that curious red ,oil1 when you take the head off2 reserve it carefully1 that by no means it may receive prejudice1 for you have a ,celestial ,oil1 which in a dark night shines like a glowing ,cole1 and this is the reason1 because its internal power and soul is cast forth externally1 the hidden ,soul being now revealed1 shining through the pure ,body as a ,candle through a ,lanthorn1 even so at the last day1 these our invisible internal ,souls shall be revealed1 and seen out of the ,body1 shining as the clear ,sun3 ,so keep each apart1 as well the ,spirit of wine full of power1 and wonderful in curing humane ,distempers1 as also the blessed1 red1 noble1 celestial ,oil1 which transmutes all the ,diseases of the imperfect ,metals into the perfection of ,gold2 and the power of the spiritual ,wine extends very far being rightly used4 ,i tell you1 you have obtained a ,celestial ,medicine1 to cure all the ,diseases and ,distempers of ,mans ,body2 its use is1 as followeth2 ,in the ,gout4 ,give three drops in a ,cup of ,wine fasting to the ,party1 just at the time when he feels the beginning of his misery1 anguish and pain to come upon him1 the second and third1 use it in like manner2 it allaies all pain the first day how great soever it be1 and prevents ,swelling2 the second day it causes ,sweat1 which is very nasty1 tough and thick1 very soure in taste1 and of an evil sent1 and most of all in those parts where the ,members are united and joined together by the ,joints2 and if you should give none in the third day1 yet will there be a purgation of the ,veins1 and of the ,excrements1 without any molestation or pain2 is not this a great power of ,nature8 ,in the ,leprosie4 ,at the first time take six drops fasting1 and cause the impure party to be alone1 free from sound people1 in a place far distant1 and commodious2 for all his ,body will begin to send forth ,fumes and ,steams1 like unto a stinking ,fog1 and ,vapours abundantly2 the next will ,scales and much ,uncleanness fall from his ,body2 then let him have three drops of this ,medicine1 and let him take it in on the fourth day1 afterwards on the eighth or ninth day by the assistance of ,gods ,grace and ,blessing1 he will be quite clean4 ,in the ,apoplexie4 ,let one drop fall upon the tongue of the ,patient1 it will attract it forth immediately like unto a ,mist or ,fume1 and restore the party again2 but if he were taken in the ,body1 or in the ,members and ,limbs1 then give him three drops at once in good wine1 as you have been taught in the ,gout4 ,in the ,dropsie4 ,give one drop in baulm water1 or ,valerian water six days together1 the seventh day give three drops in good wine1 and it is sufficient4 ,in the ,falling ,sickness1 and its kinds1 as ,epilepsie1 ,catalepsie1 and ,analepsie4 ,in the beginning of the ,fit give the ,patient two drops in ,sage-water1 after three hours1 give him three drops more1 and it is sufficient4 ,but if in case any thing should stir again1 give him two drops1 as hath been said4 ,in a ,hectick4 ,give the party two drops the first day in water of ,violets1 the second day two drops more in good ,wine4 ,in ,agues4 ,give the party three drops in the beginning of the ,fit1 early in a morning1 in good distilled water of ,st4 ,john's wort1 or of ,succory1 and the next day two drops more fasting4 ,in the ,plague4 ,give the ,patient seven drops in good ,wine1 let the infected party be alone1 and let him sweat well upon it1 by the ,divine ,assistance that poison will not prejudice him as to his ,life4 ,for a prolongation of a healthful ,life4 ,take and give two drops at the beginning and entrance of the ,spring1 and in the beginning or entrance of ,autumn likewise two drops2 every one that so takes it1 is freed1 and well preserved from unhealthful and infectious ,air1 except the ,disease were by ,almighty ,god ordained for the death of the party4 ,we will now step further to the ,oil1 and its ,power1 and shew how by it the ,diseases of the impure ,bodies of the ,metals may be cured4 ,in the ,name of ,god1 take very pure1 fine1 refined ,gold1 as much as you will1 or think to be sufficient1 dissolve it in a rectified ,wine1 as is usual to make ,aqua vitae2 after solution of the ,gold1 set it a ,moneth in digestion2 this distil in a ,bath very slow and gently1 distil the ,spirit of ,wine divers times from it1 so long till you see your ,gold lie at the bottom like a ,juice3 ,this is the true way and meaning of some of the ,ancients1 to prepare ,gold4 ,but ,i will shew and teach you a way much readier1 better1 and more beneficial2 that in stead of this prepared ,gold1 you take one part of the ,mercury of ,gold1 as ,i have taught the making of it in another place2 abstract from it its water of ,airiness1 that it may be a subtle ,dust1 and take two parts of our blessed ,oil1 poure the ,oil very slowly upon the ,dust of the ,mercury of ,gold1 till all be in it1 set it in a ,vial well sealed1 in the heat of the first degree of the secret ,furnace2 therein let it stand ten dayes and nights1 your ,powder and ,oil will be quite dry1 of a black gray colour4 ,after ten days give it the heat of the second degree1 the gray and black colour will by little and little become white1 till at last it will be of a heavenly white1 and at the end of the ten days it will begin to be of a pure red1 but let not this trouble you2 for all these ,colours proceed only from the ,mercury of ,gold1 which swallowed up our blessed ,oil1 and now conceals in the innermost part of its ,body2 but our ,oil will conquer this ,mercury of ,gold by the power of the fire1 and cast it forth from within1 and the ,oil will predominate over it with its hot red ,colour1 and be continually outwards4 ,and therefore it will be time1 after the expiration of twenty days1 that you open the window of the third degree1 wherein the external white ,colour and ,power will by little and little enter in into the inward part1 and the internal red ,colour will turn outward by the force of the fire4 ,keep this degree of heat ten days without diminution or augmentation of it1 you will see a ,powder which before was white1 to be now very red1 but let not redness trouble you1 for 'tis yet unfix'd and volatile4 ,and after these ten days are ended1 thirty days being in all expired1 then open the last window of the last degree of fire1 keep it ten days in this degree1 this high red pouder will then begin to flux1 let it stand so in flux the ten days1 then take it out1 you will find at the bottom a very high1 red1 transparent stone of a ,ruby ,colour1 flux'd according to the form of the ,glass1 as is taught in the ,treatise of ,vitriol1 wherewith you may make projection4 ,praise ,god for such his high ,revelation1 and thank him for ever1 ,amen4 ,its ,multiplication4 ,the ,ancient ,wise1 having found the ,stone1 and prepared it to a perfect power1 and mutation of the imperfect ,metals into ,gold1 have a long time enquired whether a thing were not to be found to augment the power of the ,stone2 and they found two kinds of ,augmentation1 one of the power of it1 so that the ,stone may be brought much higher2 of this multiplication you will find direction in the ,treatise of ,gold4 ,the other ,augmentation is an augmentation of the quantity of the ,stone1 in its former power1 so that it receives no more1 nor loses any thing of its power1 though it increase in weight1 and augment more and more1 that out of one ,ounce many ,ounces arise and increase4 ,the ,augmentation or ,multiplication is done as followeth2 ,take your ,stone in ,gods ,name1 grind it to a subtile powder1 add to it as much of the ,mercury of ,gold1 as is taught before1 put them together into a fine round ,vial1 seal it hermetically1 set it into the fiery ,furnace1 proceeding as you have been instructed before1 only this time is shorter1 for whereas before you had ten 7thirty7 days1 now you need no more than four 7ten7 days1 otherwise the work is one and the same4 ,praise and give thanks to ,almighty ,god for his high ,revelation1 continue in ,prayer for his ,grace and ,divine ,blessing in this ,art and ,operation1 as likewise for continuance of ,health and ,prosperity2 withal let the poor be recommended to your ,help and ,charity4 99 99 99 99 99 ,glory be to ,almighty ,god4 ,a ,work of ,saturn1 of ,mr4 ,john ,isaac ,holland4 ,the ,,preface4 ,courteous ,reader1 ,the ,,philosophers have written much of their ,lead which is prepared out of ,antimony1 as ,basilius hath taught2 and ,i am of the opinion1 that this ,saturnine ,work of the most excellent ,philosopher ,m4 ,john ,isaac ,holland is not to be understood of common ,lead1 7if the ,matter of the ,stone be not much more thereby intended7 but of the ,philosophers ,lead4 ,but whether the ,vulgar ,saturn be the ,matter of the ,philosophers ,stone1 thereof you will receive sufficient satisfaction from the subsequent #ag ,considerations or ,documents4 ,this is published for the benefit of all the ,lovers of this ,art1 because it expounds and declares the ,stone of ,fire4 ,vale4 ,a ,work of ,saturn ,in the ,name of the ,lord1 ,amen4 ,my ,child shall know1 that the ,stone called the ,philosophers ,stone1 comes out of ,saturn4 ,and therefore when it is perfected1 it makes projection1 as well in mans ,body from all ,diseases1 which may assault them either within or without1 be they what they will1 or called by what name soever1 as also in the imperfect ,metals4 ,and know1 my ,child1 for a ,truth1 that in the whole vegetable work there is no higher nor greater ,secret than in ,saturn2 for we do not find that perfection in ,gold which is in ,saturn2 for internally it is good ,gold1 herein all ,philosophers agree1 and it wants nothing else1 but that first you remove what is superfluous in it1 that is1 its impurity1 and make it clean1 and then that you turn its inside outwards1 which is its redness1 then will it be good ,gold2 for ,gold cannot be made so easily1 as you can of ,saturn1 for ,saturn is easily dissolved and congealed1 and its ,mercury may be easily extracted1 and this ,mercury which is extracted from ,saturn1 being purified and sublimed1 as ,mercury is usually sublimed1 ,i tell thee1 my ,child1 that the same ,mercury is as good as the ,mercury which is extracted out of ,gold1 in all operations2 for if ,saturn be ,gold internally1 as in truth it is1 then must its ,mercury be as good as the ,mercury of ,gold1 therefore ,i tell you1 that ,saturn is better in our work than ,gold2 for if you should extract the ,mercury out of ,gold1 it would require a years space to open the body of ,gold1 before you can extract the ,mercury out of the ,gold1 and you may extract the ,mercury out of ,saturn in #ad days1 both being alike good4 ,would you make a work out of ,gold alone1 you must labour two whole years upon it1 if it shall be well done3 and you may finish a work of ,saturn in #cj or #cb weeks at the most4 ,and being both well made1 they are both alike good2 ,saturn costs nothing or very little1 it requires a short time1 and small labour2 this ,i tell you in truth4 ,my ,child1 lock this up in thy heart and understanding1 this ,symbol3 ,saturn is the ,stone which the ,philosophers will not name1 whose name is concealed unto this day2 for if its name were known1 then many would operate1 and the ,art would be common1 because this work is short1 and without charge1 a small and mean work4 ,therefore doth the name remain concealed2 for the evils sake which might thence proceed4 ,all the strange ,parables which the ,philosophers have spoken mystically1 of a ,stone1 a ,moon1 a ,furnace1 a ,vessel1 all this is ,saturn2 for you must not put any strange thing unto it1 only what comes from it1 therefore there1 is none so poor in this world1 which cannot operate and promote this work2 for ,luna may be easily made of ,saturn1 in a short time1 and in a little longer time ,sol may be made out of it4 ,and though a man be poor1 yet may he very well attain unto it1 and may be employed to make the ,philosophers ,stone4 ,wherefore my ,child1 all is concealed in ,saturn1 which we have need of1 for in it is a perfect ,mercury1 in it are all the ,colours of the world1 which may be discovered in it2 in it are the true black1 white and red ,colours1 in it is the weight1 it is our ,lattin4 ,example4 ,the eye of a man cannot endure any thing that is imperfect1 how little soever it be1 though it be the least ,atome of ,dust1 it would cause much pain1 that he can rest no where4 ,but if you take the quantity of a ,bean of ,saturn1 shave it smooth and round1 put it into the ,eye1 it will cause no pain at all2 the reason is1 because it is internally perfect1 even as ,gold and ,precious ,stones4 ,by these and other ,speeches you may observe1 that ,saturn is our ,philosophers ,stone1 and our ,latten1 out of which our ,mercury and our ,stone is extracted with small ,labour1 little ,art and ,expence1 and in a short time4 ,wherefore ,i admonish you1 my ,child1 and all those who know its name1 that you conceal it from people1 by reason of the evil which might thence arise2 and you shall call the ,stone our ,laton1 and call the ,vinegar ,water1 wherein our ,stone is to be wash'd2 this is the ,stone and the ,water whereof the ,philosophers have wrote so many great ,volumes4 ,there are many and different works in the ,mineral ,stone1 and especially in that ,stone which ,god hath given us gratis1 whereof many strange ,parables are written in the ,mineral ,book4 ,but this is the true ,stone1 which the ,philosophers have sought1 because it makes projection upon all the imperfect ,metals1 especially upon quick ,mercury1 and moreover it makes projection upon all diseases whatsoever1 which may come into mans ,body1 as likewise upon all ,wounds1 ,cancer1 ,fistulaes1 open ,sores1 ,buboes1 ,imposthumes1 and all whatsoever can come externally upon mans ,body1 therefore this ,stone is not under the ,mineral work1 but under the ,vegetable4 ,it is the beginning of the ,vegetable ,book1 and the principal2 this ,stone is called ,lapis ,philosophorum1 the ,mineral ,stone is called ,lapis ,mineralis1 and the third ,stone is called ,lapis ,animalis4 ,this ,stone is the true ,aurum potabile1 the true ,quinessence which we seek1 and no other thing else in this world but this ,stone4 ,therefore the ,philosophers say1 whosoever knows our ,stone1 and can prepare it1 needs no more1 wherefore they sought this thing and no other4 ,my ,child shall take #aj1 #ab1 or #ae pound of ,saturn1 wherein is no mixture of any other ,metal2 laminate it thin1 have in readiness a great ,stone ,jugg1 half full of ,vinegar1 stop the ,jugg very close1 set it in a ,lukewarm ,bath1 every three or four days scrape off the calcin'd ,saturn from the ,plates1 and reserve it apart1 thus do so long till you have #e or #f l4 of the calcin'd ,saturn1 then grind it very well on a ,stone with good distilled ,wine-,vinegar1 so as you may paint therewith1 then take two or three great ,stone-pots1 therein put the ,calx of ,saturn which you ground1 poure good distilled ,wine-,vinegar upon it1 that two parts of the ,pot be full1 stir it well together1 stop the ,pot close with a polished ,glass or ,pebble-stone1 set the ,pots in a ,bath1 stir it four or five times in a day with a wooden ,ladle1 lay the ,glass or ,stone ,stopple again over it1 make the ,bath no hotter than that you may well endure your hand therein1 that is1 lukewarm2 so let it stand fourteen days and nights1 then decant that which is clear into another ,stone-pot1 poure other distilled ,vinegar upon the ,calx which is not well dissolved1 mix them well together1 set it #ad days in the ,bath1 again decant it1 and poure other ,vinegar upon it as before4 ,this decantation and pouring on continue so long till all the ,calx of ,saturn be dissolved1 then take all the dissolved ,saturn1 set it in a ,bath1 evaporate the ,vinegar by a small fire1 the ,saturn will become a powder or lump4 ,or stir it about until it be dry1 you have a mass or powder of a dark yellow1 or honey colour1 then grind the powder again very finely upon a ,stone with distilled ,vinegar2 put it into a stone-pot1 stir and mix it well together1 set it again into a ,bath1 which is but lukewarm so let it stand five or six dayes1 stir it every day from the top to the bottom with a wooden ,ladle1 cover it again with the glass-,stopple1 then let it cool1 poure off that which is dissolved into a great stone pot1 poure other ,vinegar upon it1 mix and stir them well together1 set it into the ,bath as before1 reiterate this decantation and pouring on so often1 till no more will dissolve1 which try with your tongue1 if it be sweet1 it is not enough dissolved1 or put some of it into a glass-gourd1 let it evaporate1 if any thing remain1 it is not yet all dissolved which would be ,gold1 and then what remaines in the pot are ,faeces1 and sweet upon the ,tongue2 if you find any thing in the ,gourd1 it is not yet all dissolved1 then may you poure fresh ,vinegar upon it1 till all be dissolved1 then coagulate it as before1 poure other ,vinegar upon it1 stir it1 set it again into the ,bath1 reiterate this operation of solution and coagulation so long till you find no more ,faeces at the bottom1 but all be dissolved into a pure clear water1 then is ,saturn freed from all its ,leprousness1 ,melancholy1 ,faeces1 and blackness1 being pure and white as ,snow1 for it is cleansed from all its uncleanness1 because its coldness stands outwards as ,luna doth1 and its heat is internal1 fluxible as wax1 and sweet as sugar ,candy4 ,why is it as white as ,snow8 ,because it is purified from all its impurities1 and because its coldness stands external as ,luna doth1 and its heat is internal4 ,why is it sweet8 ,because the four ,elements in it are pure1 and separated from all sulphurous stink and blackness1 which ,saturn received in the ,mine2 it is almost ,medicinal1 and like unto ,nature3 ,and because it is so pure1 it affords some of its internal virtue outwardly1 as that of ,sweetness2 but the heat is so covered with the cold1 that it cannot put forth its power externally by reason of the cold which is external 7the heat of ,saturn lies internal1 even as in ,salt-,nitre7 as doth the ,taste1 the ,spirit of ,tasting is the most subtile in all things1 as is taught more at large in the ,book of ,vegetables1 how the ,air doth dilate it self from all ,herbs and ,flowers externally2 for the ,spirit of the ,air lies in the inward part of all things2 for ,god created nothing in this world but it hath its peculiar ,taste or ,air1 the ,air and the ,taste are one ,spirit1 the ,taste goes out of the ,air1 as ,smoke from the ,fire4 ,but how comes it to pass1 that a thing which hath a sweet ,air1 is bitter in ,taste8 ,the cause is1 because the ,faeces of that thing are putrid and stinking in the ,elements1 that is the ,choler or ,heat2 for whatsoever is unnaturally hot1 hath a bitter ,taste2 the ,air and the ,taste are both one ,spirit1 and as the ,spirit of the ,air presses outwards through a hot thing1 so doth the ,air embrace the ,taste about1 and descends the subtile ,taste1 that it should not be burnt by the vehement burning ,choler1 as in the ,herbal is at large express'd4 ,but the cause why ,saturn is sweet in ,taste is1 that it is almost pure and clean1 having scarce any unnatural heat in it1 which can burn the subtile ,tast1 therefore it hath the ,taste externally1 and the ,taste hath the ,spirit of the ,air lock'd up in it4 ,my ,child1 know what ,i said before1 that a thing wherein is much burning heat1 the ,air locks up the ,taste therein1 because the ,taste shall not be corrupted by the unnatural heat4 ,so the ,taste includes the ,air in it1 when it issues forth from a thing which is externally cold2 for the subtil ,spirits of the ,air or ,sent of a thing can endure no ,cold1 as we see daily in ,herbs and ,flowers that they yield no ,sent in the ,winter1 as they do in the ,summer2 but they hide themselves in the ,winter1 and the ,spirit hath the ,sent inclosed in it1 and the ,spirit of ,sent or ,air4 ,behold a man that hath taken ,cold1 immediately he loses his ,sent1 and his ,tasting is diminished4 ,even so it is here with ,saturn2 it is quite cold1 so that the ,taste manifests it self with the ,spirit of ,sent2 for the ,spirit of the ,taste hath the ,smell in it4 ,look upon ,sugar which is well clarified from its ,faeces1 how sweet it is in ,taste1 yet it yields no ,sent1 yet there is an extraordinary sweetness in ,sugar4 ,what is the reason of this8 ,sugar is very cold externally1 therefore is it white as ,snow1 and of a sweet ,taste2 yet ,sugar internally is hot and moist1 of the temper of ,gold1 and of such great virtue that it is called the ,philosophers ,stone1 as it is approved1 and very prevalent to cure all the ,distempers of mans ,body1 as appears by its operation4 ,the reason why ,i say this1 my ,child1 is1 that you should altogether understand its internal external1 and the ,spirits which are in these things1 whereof we discourse2 that thereby you should know ,gods wonderful works1 and what wonders he works in these inferiour things1 which are all made for our use4 ,what hath ,god in us1 for whose sake he hath created all these ,wonders1 and all these things8 ,wherefore1 my ,child1 believe in ,god1 love him1 and follow him1 for he loves you1 as he makes it appear1 and manifests himself in all things1 as well in their ,internals as in their ,externals4 ,o how wonderful is our ,lord and ,god1 from whom all ,wonders proceed6 ,now1 my ,child1 why is ,saturn fluxible as ,wax8 ,by reason of its abounding ,sulphur1 which is therein2 for ,i find no fluxibleness or fusibleness in any thing saving in ,sulphur1 ,mercury and ,arsenick1 and all these three are in ,saturn2 so that ,saturn is quickly fluxible1 but all these three are cleansed with it from their uncleanness4 ,and do you not know1 that the ,philosophers call their ,stone ,arsenick1 and a white thing2 and they say their ,sulphur is incombustible2 they call it likewise a red thing1 all this is ,saturn1 in it is ,arsenick2 for ,luna is principally generated of a white ,sulphur1 as is plainly taught in the ,book of ,sulphurs1 and all ,arsenick is internally red as ,bloud1 if its inward part be brought outwards1 as is demonstrated in the ,book of ,colours1 c4 ,saturn stands almost in the degree of fix'd ,luna4 ,so that in it there is a red ,sulphur1 as you see1 when its internal is placed outwards1 it will be red as a ,ruby2 there are no ,colours but in the ,spirits1 so that there is in it a red and a yellow ,sulphur4 ,in it is ,mercury1 as may be seen1 for ,mercury is extracted out of ,saturn in a short time1 and with little labour4 ,so that all three are in ,saturn1 but they are not fix'd therein1 but they are clean1 pure1 incombustible1 fluxible as ,wax2 in it are all things which the ,philosophers have mentioned4 ,they say1 our ,stone is made of a stinking menstruous thing3 ,what think you1 is not ,saturn digg'd out of a stinking ,earth8 for divers are killed with the ill ,sents and ,vapours where ,saturn is digg'd1 or they live not long who labour in that stinking black ,mine1 whence ,saturn is digg'd4 ,and the ,philosophers say1 our ,stone is of little value1 being unprepared2 they say1 the poor have it as well as the rich1 and they say true2 for there are not poorer or more miserable people to be found than those which dig and work ,saturn in the ,mine2 and they say it is to be found in all ,towns and places1 wheresoever you come ,saturn is there4 ,they say it is a black thing3 ,what think you1 is it not black8 ,they say1 it is a dry water1 if ,gold or ,luna be to be refined upon the test1 must it not be done with ,saturn8 they must be wash'd and tried with it1 as a foul garment is made clean with ,sope4 ,they say1 in our ,stone are the four ,elements1 and they say true2 for the four ,elements may be separated out of ,saturn4 ,they say1 our ,stone consists of ,soul1 ,spirit and ,body1 and these three become one4 ,they say true2 when it is made fix'd for the white ,mercury and ,sulphur with its ,earth1 then these three are one4 ,whereby is to be observed1 that the ,philosophers have said true2 they concealed its ,name for the ignorants sake1 who are not their ,children1 to keep them still in their ,ignorance4 ,thus1 my ,child1 the ,ancients took care to conceal the name of the ,stone2 now let us return to our purpose4 ,you have now ,saturn wash'd and cleansed from all its impurity1 and made as white as ,snow1 fusible as ,wax1 but is it not fix'd yet2 we will make it fix the ,mercury and ,sulphur with its ,earth4 ,take a ,glass-,vial1 put half of your purified ,saturn into it1 reserve the other half till you have occasion to use it2 lay a polish'd ,glass upon the mouth of the ,glass1 set it in a ,cuple with sifted ,ashes upon a ,furnace2 or set it on the ,tripos of ,secrets1 or in the ,furnace wherein you calcine ,spirits2 give it ,fire so hot as the heat of the ,sun at ,midsummer1 and no hotter1 either a very little hotter1 or a very little cooler1 as you can best hit it4 ,but if you give it a greater heat1 such as you may keep ,lead in flux1 then your ,matter would melt as if it were ,oil2 and having stood so1 ten or twelve days1 its ,sulphur would fly away1 and your ,matter would all be spoiled1 for the ,sulphur which is in your ,matter is not yet fix'd1 but is in the external4 ,wherefore the ,matter melts presently1 and though it be clean1 yet it is not fix'd2 wherefore give so gentle a fire to it1 that it may not flux2 so keep it six weeks1 then take out a little of it1 lay it on a glowing hot ,plate1 if it immediately melts and fumes1 it is not yet fixed1 but if the ,matter remain unmelted1 the ,sulphur is then fix'd which is therein2 then strengthen the ,fire notably1 till the ,matter in the ,glass begins to look yellow1 and continually more and more yellow1 like to powdered ,saffron1 then augment the fire yet stronger1 till the ,matter begin to be red1 then prosecute your ,fire from one degree to another1 even as the ,powder becomes redder and redder by degrees1 so hold on your ,fire1 till the ,matter be red as a ,ruby1 then augment the ,fire yet more1 that the ,matter may be glowing hot1 then is it fixt1 and ready to pour the curious ,water of ,paradise upon it4 ,my ,child must know1 that there are two ways of pouring on the ,water of ,paradise2 ,i will teach you to make and prepare both1 then may you take which you will2 for the one is half as good again as the other4 ,my ,child1 you may remember1 that ,i ordered you to reserve the one half of the purified ,saturn1 which take and put into a ,stone-pot1 pour upon it a bottle or more of distilled ,wine-,vinegar1 set a head on1 distil the ,vinegar again from it in a ,bath1 the head must have a hole at the top to pour fresh ,vinegar upon the ,matter1 and abstract the ,vinegar again from it1 pour fresh ,vinegar again on1 and again abstract it1 this pouring on1 and abstracting or distilling off must continue so long1 till the ,vinegar be drawn off as strong as it was when it was put in1 then is it enough1 and the ,matter hath in it as much of the ,spirit of ,vinegar as it can contain2 then take the ,pot out of the ,bath1 take off the head1 and take the ,matter out1 and put it into a thick glass which can endure the ,fire1 set a head on it1 put it in a ,cuple with ,ashes1 which set on a ,furnace1 first make a small ,fire1 and so continually a little stronger1 till your ,matter come over as red as ,bloud1 thick as ,oil1 and sweet as ,sugar1 with a ,celestial ,sent1 then keep it in that heat so long as it distils1 and when it begins to slack1 then increase your ,fire till the ,glass begin to glow2 continu this heat till no more will distil1 then let it cool of it self1 take the ,receiver off1 stop it very close with ,wax1 take the ,matter out of the ,glass1 beat it to powder in an ,iron ,mortar1 with a steel ,pestle2 and then grind it on a ,stone with good distilled ,vinegar1 put this ,matter so ground into a ,pot1 poure good distilled ,vinegar upon it1 that two parts be full1 set the ,pot into a ,bath with a head upon it1 distil the ,vinegar off1 poure fresh ,vinegar again upon it1 distil it off again3 thus do so long1 that the ,vinegar be as strong as it was when it was first poured upon it1 then let it cool1 take the ,matter out of the ,bath1 take the head off1 take the ,matter out of the ,pot1 put it into a stronger round ,glass which can endure the ,fire1 as you did before1 set it upon a ,furnace in a ,cuple with sifted ,ashes1 set a head on1 and a ,receiver luted to it1 then distil it1 first with a small fire1 which augment by degrees1 till a ,matter come over red as ,bloud1 and thick as ,oyl1 as aforesaid2 give it fire till no more will distil1 then let it cool of it self1 take off the head1 break the glass-pot1 and take the ,matter out1 powder it again1 and grind it on a ,stone with distilled ,vinegar1 put it again into the ,stone pot1 poure fresh ,vinegar upon it1 set it into the ,bath1 and its head on1 distil the ,vinegar from it1 poure it on again as hath been taught1 till the ,vinegar remain strong as it was4 ,reiterate this distillation in the ,bath until the ,matter hath no more ,spirit of the ,vinegar in it1 then take it out1 set it in a glass-pot1 distil all that will distil forth in ashes1 till the ,matter become a red ,oil1 then have you the most noble water of ,paradise1 to pour upon all fix'd stones1 to perfect the ,stone2 this is one way4 ,this water of ,paradise thus distilled1 the ,ancients called their sharp clear ,vinegar1 for they conceal its name4 ,my ,child1 ,i will now teach you other ways to make the ,water of ,paradise2 this is an easie way1 but not so good1 nor doth it that high projection in humane ,medicines1 yet it cures all ,diseases within and without1 but the other cures miraculously in a short time4 ,the second way of preparing the ,water of ,paradise4 ,my ,child1 if you would make it after this manner1 you must take the half of your prepared ,saturn which ,i ordered you to keep1 upon which poure the half of your fix'd and prepared ,water of ,paradise1 take the half1 put it into a ,stone-pot1 poure weak ,wine ,vinegar upon it1 mix it well together1 then take two pounds of calcined ,tartar1 which is well clarified by solution and coagulation1 so that it leave no more ,faeces behind it1 ,salt ,armoniac one pound1 which is likewise so clearly sublimed1 that no ,faeces remain after its sublimation1 pound both together to a ,powder1 put them speedily into a pot1 and stop it close immediately1 or else it will run out2 for so soon as the ,tartar and ,salt ,armoniac come to the ,vinegar1 they lift themselves up1 and would immediately run out of the mouth of the pot1 wherefore stop the pot presently1 set the pot in a ,vessel of ,water1 they will cool speedily1 otherwise if the cold and hot ,matter should come together suddenly1 they would contest together1 rise up1 and become so hot1 that the pot would break for heat1 if it were not set in cold ,water2 therefore take heed1 when you put the powders in1 that you stop it immediately1 and set it in cold ,water before you put the other ,powder to it1 then will they unite1 let them stand a day and a night in that ,vessel1 then take them out1 set them into a lukewarm ,bath two days and nights1 let it cool of it self1 take the ,stopple off from the pot1 and set a head on1 set the pot in sifted ,ashes1 upon a ,furnace1 distil with a small fire1 and continually greater till all the ,vinegar be over1 then augment your ,fire notably1 till you see quick ,mercury drop out of the ,pipe1 when it ceases to drop1 then augment the ,fire by little and little and drive it so long as it drops2 you may observe when it will leave dropping1 if in the space of one or two ,pater-nosters one drop doth fall1 then augment the ,fire till the pot glow at the bottom1 for twelve hours and when the ,mercury is over1 then should the ,salt ,armoniac sublime up into the head1 and the ,tartar remain with the ,body of ,saturn at the bottom of the ,pot1 which take out1 put it into a ,linnen ,bag1 hang it in a moist ,cellar1 the ,tartar will dissolve1 receive it in a ,glass1 the body of ,saturn remains in the ,bag1 take it out1 and calcine it in a reverberating ,furnace three days and nights1 with a great heat1 as is taught elsewhere1 then extract the ,salt out1 as is taught in the ,mineral ,book4 ,you may make projection with the ,salt1 and coagulate your ,tartar again1 it will be as good or better than it was1 likewise take your ,salt ,armoniac out of the ,head1 it is good again1 and if you could have no ,salt ,armoniac1 then take three pound of calcined ,tartar1 likewise so clarified1 that it leave no ,faeces behind1 you then need no ,salt ,armoniac1 therewith may you likewise extract the ,mercury out of ,luna and ,jupiter1 wherewith you may do wonders1 as is taught in the ,miner4 ,book1 where is spoken of the ,quintessence of ,metals4 ,now my ,child must know1 that this ,mercury or ,quintessence of ,saturn is as good in all works as the ,mercury of ,sol1 they are both alike good1 and herein all ,philosophers agree4 ,my ,child1 take this ,mercury of ,saturn1 so drawn out of the ,receiver1 put it into a ,glass ,box4 ,i have now taught you to make two sorts of the ,water of ,paradise2 and know1 my ,child1 that the first way is the best2 though it be made with some danger1 longer time1 and more charge2 for the ,vinegar is all good1 yet the red ,oil is the best2 its time is alike unto the end1 and though it be more tedious before you obtain the red ,oil1 yet it fixes it self in a short time1 if it come to the ,matter or fix'd ,stone1 into a simple ,essence in greater redness2 but when the ,mercury comes to the fix'd stone1 it holds on a long time in ascending and descending before it die1 and when it is quite dead1 it makes the red fix'd ,stone again into a fixt colour1 so covering the red stone with its coldness1 that the red stone becomes white again1 then must you boil it again gently with a small ,fire1 till it begin to be yellow1 prosecuting the ,fire from one degree to another1 as the ,colour is higher and stronger1 and that so long till it attain to a perfect redness1 which requires a long time before it be done1 which is not requisite in the red ,oil2 for the red ,oil dies or coagulates forthwith the stone1 the one fixing it self with the other into a simple ,essence1 in a short time4 ,therefore ,i tell thee1 my ,child1 that the time of the ,oyl is alike long in the end1 though it appear to be of a shorter time with the ,mercury1 but it is equally long at the end of the ,work1 therefore ,i tell you the ,art of both ,works1 that you may the better understand the ,art to make the ,oyl from the innermost ,nature of the ,stone1 which is found afterwards4 ,the ,oyl was unknown to the ,ancients1 for my ,grandfather with his ,companions found it with great labour and length of time4 ,so there are two ways to dissolve the ,stone1 and to poure upon it the clear water of ,paradise4 ,our ,ancestors called the ,oyl their sharp ,vinegar2 therefore1 my ,child1 keep the ,name private1 and ,i will teach you first of all how you shall join the ,mercury to your ,stone1 which you extracted out of ,saturn1 to dissolve it2 afterwards ,i will teach you to bring over the helm that red ,oil which you extracted out of your prepared ,saturn1 into a fixt stone1 to dissolve your stone4 ,my ,child1 weigh your fixt stone1 take half as much of your ,mercury1 poure it upon the stone in the ,glass1 cover the ,glass again with a polish'd ,glass which may just fit it1 set it in a ,cuple with sifted ,ashes1 make a small ,fire like the ,suns heat at ,midsummer1 and give no more ,fire to it1 until the ,water of ,paradise or ,mercury become all a dead ,powder4 ,and know1 my ,child1 that the red or fixt ,stone1 which before was darkned1 when it hath drunk up the ,water of ,paradise1 or ,mercury1 or how you will call it1 that it be a ,powder between black and gray1 then augment the ,fire from one degree to another1 till the ,matter be perfect white1 and when it is white1 strengthen the ,fire yet more1 from one degree to another1 till it be of a dark yellow ,colour1 then make it yet stronger1 till it be of a perfect red2 then rejoice1 for your ,stone is perfect1 and fluxible as ,wax4 ,praise ,god1 who gives unto us part of his ,miracles2 and do good to the poor2 you may see it with your fleshly ,eyes1 and use ,gods goodness miraculously in this corrupt ,life1 for ,i tell you in good ,charity1 that if any one principally attain to this ,stone1 that it is given1 afforded1 and lent him from ,god4 ,whosoever hath this ,stone1 may live in a healthful state1 to the last term of his ,life1 appointed him by ,god1 and may have all whatsoever he desires on ,earth4 ,he shall be loved and esteemed of all people1 for he can cure them all internally and externally of all ,diseases which may befall them2 but if the ,stone doth not so1 it is false1 and deserves not the name of the ,vegetable ,stone1 or ,philosophers ,stone4 ,therefore my ,child1 if ,god give you this ,stone1 look diligently to it1 that you keep your self from offending ,god1 that you make not this ,stone on earth to be your ,heaven2 govern and rule your self to ,gods glory and to the comfort of poor people1 that ,gods praise may be augmented1 to the defence of the ,christian ,religion1 and to the relief of poor exiled ,christians ,i tell you1 my ,child1 if you use it otherwise1 ,god will leave you here a little while to your own ,will1 but afterwards he will speedily send a punishment1 either you shall be struck dead1 or die by a ,fall2 or die some other sudden death1 and go ,body and ,soul to ,hell1 and be damned eternally1 for your ,ingratitude to ,god1 who so graciously vouchsafed you so precious and great a ,gift4 ,therefore1 my ,child1 look carefully to it1 so to govern your self to ,gods ,glory1 and the ,salvation of your ,soul1 that the eternal ,curse may not fall upon you2 and therefore ,i have left you this ,writing as my ,testament4 ,enough hath been said to the wise1 therefore look to your self4 ,the ,multiplication of the ,stone now perfected4 ,now my ,child1 you may take the half of your ,powder1 put it into a ,glass and melt it1 have in readiness a ,mould made hollow1 of ,box-wood1 great or small as you please1 it must be made smooth and even within with an ,instrument1 anoint it with ,oil ,olive1 and when your red ,powder is flux'd1 poure it into the ,mould1 it will be a precious ,stone1 red as a ,ruby1 clear and transparent1 take it out of the ,mould1 and make projection upon the imperfect ,metals1 and in the ,body of ,man4 ,take ten times as much of prepared ,saturn as ,i taught you before1 by ,coagulation and ,solution1 till it leave no ,faeces behind1 then take your precious red ,powder out of the ,glass1 that two parts be full1 set it into your warm ,bath1 and let it dissolve3 when any thing is dissolved1 decant off that which is clear on the top into another ,glass1 poure other ,vinegar upon it1 let it dissolve again as before1 decant and poure fresh ,vinegar upon it so often1 till all be dissolved into a clear ,water1 which is done usually in ten or twelve days1 then set all that which is dissolved into a ,bath1 and a head upon it1 distil the ,vinegar from it again1 and coagulate the ,matter so long till it be dry and shine1 then put it into another ,glass1 which set upon a ,furnace in a ,cuple with sifted ,ashes1 laying a polish'd ,glass upon the ,mouth of the ,glass4 ,my ,child1 know that your ,matter is become fixt with the ,stone in the solution1 make an indifferent hot fire in the furnace1 so hot as the heat of the ,sun at ,midsummer1 or somewhat hotter2 till the ,matter begin to be yellow1 then go on with the ,fire from one degree to another1 till you have a perfect yellow1 then increase the ,fire from one degree to another1 till you have a perfect redness1 which is quickly done1 in half the time for the colour to come1 and in the multiplication1 but operate as before in the beginning1 and poure ,paradise water upon the ,stone1 as was taught you before in this ,work1 boil and mortifie it in every point to a perfect redness as hath been taught4 ,then may you again take half of it out1 and make projection therewith1 and multiply the other half again in all points as abovesaid1 so may you always continue working4 ,now ,i will teach you the other way1 and the best that is to water your red fixt ,stone or powder with the red ,oil1 that it be fusible2 you must know how much your red powder weighs1 then take half the weight of your red ,oil1 to the full weight of the ,stone1 and poure it upon the red powder1 and when the ,oil is poured into the ,glass1 you may set a small head on1 upon a ,furnace in sifted ,ashes1 joining a ,receiver to the ,nose of the head1 make a small fire under it1 as the heat of the ,sun in ,march1 and no hotter2 for there is yet some moisture of the ,vinegar in the ,oil1 that it may be abstracted1 continue it in that heat1 that can perceive no moisture in the ,head1 then augment the fire a little1 as the heat of the ,sun at ,midsummer1 and if there be yet more moisture in it1 you will perceive it in the head1 but if you perceive it not in #f or #h days1 then take the head off1 and lay the polish'd ,glass again upon the mouth of your ,glass1 increase the fire1 that you can scarce endure your hand or finger in the ,ashes an ,ave-,mary while1 continue the fire in that heat till the red ,oil be all fixt with the ,powder in the ,glass1 which you may know thus2 ,take a little of the powder out of the ,glass1 lay it on a glowing ,silver ,plate1 if the powder melts as wax1 and penetrates through the ,plate as ,oil doth through a dry ,leather1 and makes it ,gold throughout1 as far as the powder went1 then is the ,stone finish'd1 and if it do not this1 you must then let it stand in that heat till it do so without fuming4 ,now1 my ,child1 when the ,stone is finish'd1 take half of it out of the ,glass1 put it into a ,glass melting-pot1 and melt the powder gently1 which should be done presently1 for it melts as ,wax2 and being melted1 poure it into the ,mould of ,box-wood as aforesaid1 it will be a red stone clear and transparent as ,crystal1 red as a ,ruby1 then make projection therewith1 and set the other half again to multiply4 ,then take in ,gods ,name twenty parts of ,saturn1 which is prepared by ,solution and ,coagulation1 till it leave no more ,faeces behind1 as hath been said at the beginning4 ,dissolve these twenty parts of ,saturn1 dissolve by itself in a ,glass with distilled ,vinegar2 likewise dissolve the powder of your ,stone alone by it self in a ,glass with distilled ,vinegar1 and when both are dissolved into clear water1 poure both the ,solutions together into a great ,glass1 set it into a ,bath1 a head on1 and a ,receiver to it1 distil the ,vinegar from it in the boiling ,bath1 till the ,matter be dry1 then let it cool of itself1 put it into a ,glass1 lay a polish'd ,glass over the mouth of the ,glass1 and set it into a ,furnace in a ,cuple with sifted ,ashes1 make a fire under it like to the ,suns heat in ,march1 till the powder be perfect white1 which is quickly done4 ,then augment your fire from one degree to another1 till the ,matter become yellower and yellower1 to a perfect yellow2 then increase it yet stronger1 from one degree to another1 till it be redder and redder1 to a perfect redness2 then poure your water upon the red powder with the red ,oil1 or with the water of ,paradise1 or with the clear sharp ,vinegar1 or call it how you will1 doing in all points as hath been taught1 till the red powder flux like ,wax upon a ,silver ,plate1 without fuming1 penetrating it as ,oil doth dry ,leather1 that it become good ,gold within and without2 then render thanks unto ,god1 be obedient to him for his ,gifts and ,graces4 ,you may again take one half out of the ,glass1 and make projection1 setting the other half in again1 as hath been taught1 so may you work all your ,life-time1 for the poor1 and perform other duties to ,gods ,glory1 and ,salvation of your ,soul1 as ,i have said before2 enough to the wise4 ,projection upon ,metal4 ,know1 my ,child1 how and in what manner you must use this ,stone1 which makes projection upon ,mercury1 and all imperfect ,metals and ,bodies of ,mars1 ,jupiter and ,venus1 whereof make ,plates glowing hot1 whereon straw the ,stone1 and lay ,coals on for a season1 that the ,stone may penetrate1 but the ,stones must be made quick with ,gold1 and ,jupiter also1 which is very laborious1 as is taught in the projection4 ,but you must project upon ,saturn or ,luna1 which need not be made quick1 only flux them1 and cast one part upon a thousand parts1 it will be a ,medicine1 cast one part of these thousand parts upon ten parts1 it will be the best ,gold that ever was seen on earth4 ,its ,use in ,physick4 ,this ,stone cures all ,leprous people1 ,plague1 and all ,diseases which may reign upon ,earth1 or befal ,mankind2 this is the true ,aurum potabile1 and the true ,quintessence which the ,ancients sought2 this is what thing whereof the whole ,troop of ,philosophers speak so wondrously1 using all possible skill to conceal its ,name and ,operation1 as aforesaid4 ,take of this ,stone the quantity of a ,wheat-corn1 lay it in a little good ,wine in a small ,glass1 half full1 or a quarter full1 make the ,wine warm1 the ,stone will melt like ,butter1 and the ,wine will be red as ,bloud1 and very sweet in your mouth1 as ever you tasted2 for to speak comparatively1 it is so sweet in taste that ,honey and ,sugar may be compared as ,gall to it2 give this unto the ,patient to drink1 lay him in ,bed1 but lay not too many cloaths upon him1 the ,stone hastens forthwith to the heart1 expelling thence all ill humors1 thence dilating it self through all the ,arteries and ,veins of the whole ,body1 rousing up all humours1 the party will sweat1 for the ,stone opens all the pores of the ,body1 and drives forth all humours thereby1 so that the ,patient will seem to have been in the ,water1 yet will this sweating not make him sicker1 for the ,stone expels only what is adverse to ,nature1 preserving what is consonant unto it in its being1 therefore the ,patient is not sicker or weaker2 but the more he sweats the stronger and lustier will he be1 the ,veins will be lighter1 and the ,sweat continues till all evil ,humours be driven out of the ,body1 and then it ceases4 ,the next day you shall take of it the quantity of a ,wheat-corn1 in warm ,wine again1 you will go to stool immediately1 and that will not cease so long as you have any thing in your ,body which is contrary to ,nature1 and the more ,stools the ,patient hath1 the stronger and lighter at heart will he be2 for the ,stone drives nothing forth but what is adverse and prejudicial to ,nature4 ,the third day give the like quantity in warm ,wine1 as aforesaid2 it will so fortifie the ,veins and ,heart1 that the party will not think himself to be a ,man1 but rather a ,spirit1 all his ,members will be so light and lively1 if the party will take the like quantity of a ,wheat-,corn every day for the space of nine days1 ,i tell you1 his ,body will be as spiritual as if he had been nine days in the terrestrial ,paradise1 eating every day of the ,fruit1 making him fair1 lusty1 and young2 therefore use this ,stone weekly1 the quantity of a ,wheat-,corn with warm ,wine1 so shall you live in health unto the last hour of the time appointed for you by ,god4 ,what say you1 my ,child1 is not this the true ,aurum potabile1 and the true ,quintessence1 and the thing which we seek8 ,it is a spiritual thing1 a ,gift which ,god bestows upon his ,friends1 therefore1 my ,child1 do not undertake this ,divine ,work1 if you find your self in deadly ,sins1 or that your intent be otherwise than to ,gods ,glory1 and to perform those things which ,i taught you before4 ,i tell you truly1 you may see the ,work1 or begin it1 but ,i am certain you shall never accomplish it1 nor see the ,stone1 ,god will order it so1 it will break1 fall1 or some one ,disaster or other will happen1 that you shall never see the ,stone1 or accomplish it4 ,therefore if you find yourself otherwise1 do not begin the work1 for ,i know assuredly1 you will lose your ,labour2 wherefore deceive not yourself4 ,enough to the wise4 ,its ,use in ,external ,diseases4 ,my ,child1 there are some people who have external ,distempers on their ,bodies1 as ,fistulaes1 ,cancers1 ,wolf1 or evil ,biles1 or ,holes1 be they what or how they will1 c4 give him the weight of one ,wheat-,corn to drink in warm ,wine two days1 as is taught before1 the whole body within and without shall be freed from all which is adverse to ,nature1 and you shall deal with the open ,sores thus2 ,take a ,drachm of the ,stone1 seeth it in a pottle of ,wine in a ,glass1 the space of two or three ,pater-nosters1 that the ,stone may melt1 the ,wine will be as red as ,bloud1 therewith wash the ,sores morning and evening1 laying a thin ,plate of ,lead over1 in a short time1 as in ten or twelve days the ,sores will be whole2 and give him every day the quantity of a ,wheat-,corn1 in warm wine till he be well4 ,if they be ,fistulaes or other concave ,holes1 that you cannot come at them1 to wash them1 then take a ,silver ,syringe1 and inject of that wine into them1 it will heal home1 as aforesaid4 ,and if one had a pound of the rankest ,poison in the world in his ,body1 and immediately drink a ,drachme thereof in warm ,wine1 the poison shall forthwith evacuate by siege1 together with all the evil ,humors in his ,body4 ,my ,child1 here ends the most noble and precious ,work which is in the ,vegetable ,book2 on whomsoever ,god bestows this ,stone1 needs no other thing1 in this ,world1 therefore keep it as close and well as you can1 to ,gods ,glory1 who grant that we may walk in his obedience1 ,amen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,god is blessed in his works4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,finis4