The Correction of Fools - Correctio Fatuorum

a treatise quite useful and authentic,
begins with an elegant prologue to the same book.



Published in 1550

Translated to English from Latin by Mitko Janeski.

Correction of Those Who Attempt to Reap the Fruits of the Alchemical Art Without Philosophical Study

Correctio eorum qui absque studio Philosophico conantur artis Alchimisticae fructum percipere.


Since the correction of all things is the augmentation of them.

Therefore, in many sayings of the philosophers, it is written that through art, nature is corrected in its motion, which it had in its first form, since no art can work except by means of nature, and nature itself works inwardly and secretly in art through the guidance of the artist.

From this follows that the imitation of nature's virtue is both an enhancement and a labor, and the increase of the thing itself, since maturity completes its own stage, which nature could otherwise complete, and cannot surpass, unless it is hindered by the opposite, although art does not transcend nature by creating a new nature, through simple labor.

[How does art imitate nature?]

And it is said that art imitates nature, not that it builds a new one, but that it refines the virtue of that nature.

Therefore, art begins to perfect where nature falls short, namely, by uncovering the subtle nature hidden within and revealing it.

From this, the mineral generates metals, but it cannot generate tinctures, although it does indeed secretly contain within itself the potential for tincture, as the Philosopher says: Nature contains within itself what it needs and what perfects it, unless it is moved by art and operation.

Therefore, in our work, art is nothing other than an aid to nature, as is evident in many works of laypeople’s arts, where nature first produces wood.

[How glass is made from wood.]

Second, the burning of wood by fire turns it into ash.

Third, art makes glass from the ash, and this is to be understood in such a manner.

If the first matter of glass had not been hidden in the ashes, art could by no means have made glass from it without physical nature.

And thus, understand that nothing can be extracted from things that does not already exist within them.

Therefore, every species within its species, every genus within its genus, and every nature within its nature naturally brings about growth through the power of nature and produces fruit according to its own nature, and not in any nature contrary to itself.

Since every seed corresponds to its own seed, as we say, with regard to generation.

Therefore, nothing is generated from a human except a human, nor from any animal except one similar to itself.

And with regard to imitating perfect nature, no art working simply as a servant of nature can act except through the composition of that nature.

For if a worse foreign nature is introduced, art no longer simply imitates nature.

But those worse ones infect that nature with foreign nature, and immediately it is no longer from it, as was hoped to happen.

[Useful Rule]

Since everything worse that works in any art strives to destroy the better, and everything better working in any art tries to perfect the worse.

And therefore, it is necessary for every craftsman to know the nature of that thing whose nature his art imitates; otherwise, he himself, through true art, will be recognized as foolish.

OF THE USEFULNESS OF STUDY

Study removes ignorance, and brings the human intellect back to true knowledge, and to the knowledge of whatever thing.

Therefore, it is especially necessary, through the study of this pleasant work, to acquire knowledge, and through the physical teachings to sharpen the intellect, since in them lies the knowledge of truth.

Therefore, if those who work do not despise study, they will sweetly taste the fruit coming from it.

But those who refuse to study, and yet wish to work, should see whether the art itself is an imitation of nature, which the art itself must improve.

For it is impossible for him to prepare the secrets of the philosophers to a perfect end.

The wise say about these things that they pass into practice like a donkey to the table, not knowing to what they extend their snout, except in so far as the external senses, without intellect, through sight and taste, lead to food.

Thus, they themselves, like donkeys, without good true principles, fruitful studies, and without the knowledge of natures, seek to perfect the works of nature and the secret of the whole philosophy, and the best work, which helps human morals, enriches with benefits, assists the poor, and preserves the human body safe, providing it with health, as one can speak of the virtue of that nature.

And therefore, all those who love the pinnacle of this art should strive to persist in study, and draw truth from books, and not from false, deceitful, or fabricated tales.

Because this art is not found except through continuous study, and the knowledge of the sayings of philosophers, or through faithful instruction from a knowledgeable teacher.

For he who has been sluggish in reading books will not be able to be prompt in preparing things.

Similarly, he cannot easily become accustomed to practice, whose mind refuses to labor in theoretical studies.

On the Natural Principles of This Art
Chapter One

There is no doubt that this art has true principles, since nature itself forms metallic bodies from minerals.

In the fourth book of the Meteorology, Aristotle distinguishes mineral bodies into stones, sulfur, and salts.

And some of these are rare, noble, and some of them are ductile, while others are not.

And the reasons and causes of their generation are evident there.

Therefore, it is not necessary to say more about them here.

What are the parts of minerals?
Chapter 2

Mineral bodies are specifically distinguished into two parts, namely the metallic part and the mineral part.

The metallic part, that is, metals which have their origin from Mercury.

And the mineral part, which does not derive its origin from Mercury.

Examples of metals include Gold, the Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and electrum.

[It is not a metallic mineral.]

Examples of minerals include salts, atrament, alum, vitriol, arsenic, auripigmentum, and metals that originate from Mercury.

All metals that have originated from Mercury are ductile and liquefiable, because their substance is aqueous in nature, mixed with a terrestrial substance in a strong mixture, so that one cannot be separated from the other.

Therefore, that aqueous substance is forced to solidify more with cold after the action of heat, and they will thus be ductile or workable.

Water alone does not solidify unless mixed with terrestrial dryness, which alters the watery nature, since in them the moisture is not oily, because their solidification comes from the dry terrestrial substance.

Therefore, they do not dissolve easily, except through the action of intense heat on them, according to how strong and thoroughly mixed they are.

How metals are specifically generated from Mercury.
Chapter 3

The nature of all things that can be liquefied is from quicksilver (mercury) and its substance, because the same quicksilver coagulates from the vapor or heat of white or red sulfur that is not burning.

From this, Aristotle says in the fourth book of the Meteorology: 'If white sulfur is not burning, it solidifies mercury into good silver.

However, if the sulfur is pure with a clear redness, and in it there is a fiery power that simply does not burn, it solidifies into the purest gold, better than the mineral it produced, because every dry substance naturally drinks its own moist substance, so that it remains continuous in its parts.

Therefore, the vapor of sulfur that coagulates quicksilver is from a terrestrial substance, subtle, airy, cooked, and processed from the first mixture, united by the action of heat, after which it is elevated, cooked, and processed until it has the sulfurous power to coagulate quicksilver into metallic bodies.

But when sulfur is simple or burning, it causes perfection or imperfection in metals, as will be shown later through examples of these, since their primary material is quicksilver, because when they melt, they are transformed into it by heat.

It is certain that it was previously quicksilver, because all things are from it, into which they are resolved. Example of ice.

The degeneration of Mercury and the metals generated from it.
Chapter 4

Quicksilver, in the first root of its composition, is made up of white earth, subtle, extremely sulfurous, with clear water strongly mixed in, until it becomes a single substance, not resting on a flat surface, nor adhering to the tangent, due to the dryness, which alters its watery nature.

It is homogeneous in nature, because either it remains whole in the fire and is fixed, or it completely evaporates upwards, as it is incombustible and airy. And this is a sign of perfection.

Therefore, when it previously runs through the sulfurous earth, heated, it ascends upwards.

Therefore, its nature is such that it becomes more subtle through heat.

Indeed, through continuous sublimation, it is excessively purified, boiled, and thickened, and gradually solidifies through white and red sulfur. When sulfur is dissolved many times, and the sublimated quicksilver is first coagulated, it is hardened by the action of heat, until, after thousands of years of successive natural work, it is coagulated into a perfect metal.

From this indeed, in mineral vessels, nature works metals.

In these works, therefore, anyone who wishes to perfect medicine from imperfection must imitate nature, although the bodies differ in their composition from quicksilver, which is generated from it, in the way that it is pure or impure, from pure or impure sulfur.

For if quicksilver coagulates from pure sulfur, in which there is the power of fire, it will be simple gold.

But if the sulfur is bad and weak, and Mercury has a good substance, it converts it into brass.

But if quicksilver is heavy, earthy, and impure, and sulfur is impure, fetid, earthy, and fixed in substance, it will become iron, which later is not easily melted.

Stagnation [probably means Jupiter], however, seems to have good quicksilver, but sulfur that is bad and not well mixed, and therefore it causes a hissing sound when heated.

Lead has thick quicksilver, bad, of an unpleasant and foul taste, and of weak virtue, from which it is constantly corrupted by the violence of fire.

Thus, metallic bodies differ from quicksilver, according to the sulfur within them, whether it is foreign or burning.

This is thus considered: what virtue is in them, since a large quantity of sulfur is imperfection, while quicksilver is incombustible and airy, because sulfur is consumed and burns, and perfection in all work is hindered.

These are the words of Aristotle in the fourth book of the Meteorology: 'It must not be believed that the philosophers were found in any lie, therefore they must be highly trusted.'

On the marvelous formation of those that do not originate from Mercury.
Chapter 5

However, there are smaller or medium minerals, as has been said, which do not derive their origin from Mercury.

And some of these are salts that melt easily in moisture, such as alum, common salt, ammoniacal salt, rock salt, and all types of salts.

And some are virtuous, and do not melt easily with moisture alone, such as orpiment, arsenic, and sulfur, when the moisture of sulfurous bodies is mixed with viscous earth, in a strong mixture with the heat of boiling, until they become virtuous, and are first coagulated by cold.

Atrament, however, are composed of salt, sulfur, and stones, and it is believed that in them there is a mineral power of some liquefiable bodies, which are made from them, such as quicklime, and the field of olives, which are generated from larger grains of ink, and they do not dissolve unless the saltiness in them, which is in the sulfur, dissolves with them, and they are first frozen by cold.

And this already receives a mineral power from some bodies, naturally existing in the earth.

That which receives the iron power will be red and earthy, like the olive.

But that which receives the airy power will be a green quicklime.

Whence it is possible for these two, namely the olive and quicklime, to be generated from it, although all these aforementioned things share in the mineral power with metals.

But metallic bodies cannot be artificially made from them, since they are of a different nature, and because the metals, from their original material, namely, those that did not derive their origin from Mercury, but from quicksilver, are distinct.

I do not deny that with them sophistry can be introduced, to deceive people, because the blackness of lead can be removed, but in truth, lead always remains lead.

Thus, craftsmen can make congelations through them, that is, extract moisture from Mercury with dry substances, so that it appears as if Mercury is coagulated, but that coagulation is the worst.

Whence Aristotle says: 'Alchemists should know that they cannot change the species of things, but they can make similar to them, that is, dye red with a yellowish color, so that it appears as gold, and dye white with whatever color they wish, until it becomes very similar to silver, as those who combine tin with copper and Mercury, and from this make sophistic silver.

And there is also purification through minerals in metals, and it is not impossible, and against these, reason does not stand, but against true gold and silver, which is by no means allowed to be made in nature and art, except through the reduction of bodies to their primary material.

Thus, the species of things can be transmuted, as Aristotle previously stated.

And this happens not through mere liquefaction, but through the resolution of coagulated Mercury, when, with the mixture of its spirit, the body is transformed into Mercury.

On the difference between the generation of common sulfur, simple sulfur, and Mercury.
Chapter 6

Since sulfur is said to cause metals, it is the element of metals along with mercury.

Now I address the difference in the generation of mercury and sulfur, although both are indeed causes of metals, namely essential mercury.

Sulfur, however, is twofold: namely, living (active) and burning.

Living sulfur causes metals, although they still differ from one another according to how much they are affected by the viscosity of the earth.

However, simple living sulfur, which causes gold and silver, is nothing other than a hot and dry vapor, generated from the purest terrestrial dryness, in which fire predominates in every aspect.

This is called the element of metals along with mercury.

But the generation of common sulfur differs from the generation of mercury, as mentioned above, because the aqueous nature of common sulfur is mixed with extremely viscous earthiness, along with intense heat, and it has become oily.

Thus, the generation of mercury differs in the second aspect from the generation of this sulfur, since it is generated from the most subtle, white, sulfurous earth, combined with the clearest water.

This mixture is so strong that one cannot be separated from the other until it settles on a flat surface, nor does it adhere to anything it touches due to the dryness of the earth, which has altered the aqueous nature through the force of the strong mixture.

Therefore, it is the element, along with simple sulfur, of all ductile metals or is very similar to some ductile substances.

And therefore, due to their agreement in some way during generation, sulfur is mixed with mercury, and one alters the nature of the other.

Therefore, every metallic body is recognized to expressly contain sulfur within itself.

When it melts with the heat of fire, mercury and sulfur appear there: mercury in its substance, sulfur in its color, and as a red film (skin) floating on the surface.

Thus, it is proper for one to adhere to the other, since one cannot be generated into metal without the other.

And the simpler the sulfur is, the more it rejoices in and adheres to simple and pure mercury, and the more strongly they are joined together. Thus, more perfect metals are then generated from them.

Question:

Since the Philosopher generally says that sulfur coagulates, it must be said that it does not.

Because all common sulfur, according to the Philosopher, is foreign and contrary to metals, as Avicenna says: It does not enter into the work unless it originates from it.

Because it always infects, blackens, and corrupts, by whatever means it is prepared through artifice.

For it is itself infected fire, and thus is impeded by fusion.

But if it is calcined, it returns to the earthly substance, like dead dust.

How, then, can it inspire life in others?

For it has a double excess, namely, an inflammable substance and an earthly filth.

[Sulfur of the Philosophers.]

Therefore, considering these points, the sulfur of the common people is not the sulfur of the Philosophers, since the sulfur of the Philosophers is a simple, living fire, vivifying and maturing other dead bodies, so that it fills the defect of nature, as it has an excess of maturity, according to which in its own nature it is perfect, and by art is more and more purified.

[Secret.]

Whence Avicenna: Such sulfur is not found upon the earth, except insofar as it exists in the bodies of the Sun and Moon, and in another, which is that which is said to be revealed only to those to whom God reveals it.

In the Sun, however, it is more perfect because it is more digested and cooked.

How it is possible for smaller metals to be artificially made into metals.
Chapter 7.

But because it was determined in the preceding chapter that smaller metals cannot be artificially made into metals, it remains to be proven here.

First, thus: because smaller metals are not generated from the primary material of metals, which is mercury, since their generation differs from the generation of mercury in form, nature, and composition, therefore they also cannot be made into metals, because for things of the same species, there is one primary matter and sperm from which they are generated.

The first part of the preceding is clear, that smaller metals are not generated from mercury, which is the cause because it always remains in the primary matter of metals, and not from foreign sulfur.

Thus, Aristotle and Avicenna: Therefore, if metals were to be made, it would be necessary that they first pass into the primary matter of metals.

But since this cannot be done artificially, it is therefore impossible for metals to be made from them.

Thus, the first part of the preceding is clearly demonstrated.

Secondly, for the same reason: because smaller minerals cannot be artificially made into metals, which is mercury,

[Against strong waters]

Therefore, they also do not reach the middle and the end, which are metal. In the case of humans, a human cannot be made unless it first turns into sperm, and thus, by adding to it, a human is generated.

But because smaller metals have a nature foreign to metals, although they do participate in some mineral power, and are of weaker virtue, and are burnable, therefore metallic nature does not rejoice in them, but rejects them, and preserves those things which are of its own nature.

For example, if water is mixed with earth, they are separated from each other because earth seeks the ground as it is heavy and dry, while water seeks the surface.

And they can by no means be artificially joined in such a way that these contrary natures stand together in one nature.

Indeed, water can wash and purify the earth, but that the dryness of the earth should be artificially changed into an aqueous moisture, this should not be believed, even though the earth may become moist with water.

Thus, smaller minerals can be combined with metals, and they can purify them and, in some way, introduce a new form, but to remain with them and mature them into the perfect state, nature does not allow.

Therefore, fools, like those engaged in various and sophistical enterprises, lead people astray, namely with things that are disproportionate, which neither give matter nor receive it: namely, the eyes of animals, the shells of eggs, the hair, the blood of a red man, the basilisk, both artificial and natural, worms, plants, roots, and human excrement.

For many fools have labored, and still labor, in these vegetable and sensible things, where, however, they have found nothing of truth, but certain humors, about which we warn the ignorant, so that they may avoid deceptions.

For from these things to be discussed later, they had, over a long time, extracted what they called artificial living silver, and oils, and waters, which they named the four elements, namely water, air, earth, and fire, and into ammoniacal salt, arsenic, and sulfur, and orpiment, which they could have bought better in the market, and completed more quickly.

They also sought in vegetable and sensible things, those lacking moisture, and of the drier, combustible, and corruptible tinctures, which they do not possess.

These, however, were damaged by evident loss.

And these are the reasons: human hair, the brain, human saliva, women's milk, human blood, urine, excrement, embryos, menstruation, and sperm, the bones of the dead, chicken eggs, and simply in all brute animals, fish, and birds, worms, and meats, scorpions, bison, the natural and artificial basilisk, in which the greatest delusion exists, in tortoises, and in the juices of certain herbs, and the flowers of trees, and especially in these, namely, lunar and solar herbs, which are called toxic, and in all those in which they invented names according to their own liking, deceiving themselves and others with metals, desiring to perfect the best with the worst things, and to fulfill nature’s defect with such things, imagining no true virtue in them, nor seeking it, wanting to sow excrement and reap wheat, which seems impossible for practical use.

Therefore it is said, 'If a man sows these and reaps, then he sows excrement, and he will also reap filth.'

"Therefore, it is not surprising that hardly one in a thousand, or none, of such people accomplishes the sowing of gold and silver, and brings you a thousandfold fruit, with their labor, through nature’s mediation, because nature alone has what you seek, and no other thing in the world, since all other things, like foul-smelling substances, yield to nature through the constant action of fire and trial.

There are also other alchemists working with smaller minerals, namely in the four spirits, such as in the sulfur of the common people, arsenic, orpiment, and in ammoniacal salt, wanting to perfect a tincture from these, but they cannot do this, as is clear from the definition of tincture.

Because to tincture is nothing other than transforming the tinged substance into its own nature through the act of tincturing, and to remain with it without any transformation, teaching nature to battle against fire.

For the nature of the tinger and the tinged is in harmony.

For example:

If you have tinged lead, or tin, or any such thing with gold or silver, this agrees in nature, because the origin of both comes from mercury.

The mature joins with the immature so that the immature may be perfected in this way.

But since these four spirits have a nature different from metals, as has been sufficiently stated before, Therefore, if they are to tincture, I ask whether they must be converted, or converted themselves.

If they must be converted, then it is not tincture, as is clear from the definition.

If they are to convert, then by tincturing, they convert into their own nature, which is a terrestrial nature, foreign to the metallic nature. Therefore, by tincturing, they cannot make a metal.

That it converts into its own nature by tincturing is proven, because everything that generates generates something similar to itself.

But because here the tincture of the four spirits is generative, the earth, when heated, will generate something similar to itself, which is earthly, like itself.

Thus, you should despise this tincture and all others that are not found in the proper nature, along with other foreign methods, because in them there is nothing but the consumption of things, the loss of time, and labor, since all other apparent results are non-existent metals, which have been worked on by lesser minerals or similar substances.

Therefore, it is foolish to seek in something that is not in it, and so on, as in seeking gold and silver in foul-smelling and burnable things.

Concerning the simple philosophical sulfur, which does not burn.
Chapter 8

The philosophers have subtly imagined how they could extract those more perfect sulphurs from these bodies and purify their qualities through art, so that they might attain, through art using nature as a medium, that which had not previously appeared in them, although they had it fully and secretly beforehand.

And they assert that this cannot be accomplished without the dissolution of the body and its reduction to the first matter, which is quicksilver, from which they were originally made.

This must be done without the admixture of foreign substances, as foreign materials do not perfect our stone, since nothing benefits a thing except what is closest to it.

This is because it is a medicine of simple and virtual nature, produced from mercurial water, in which gold and silver were previously dissolved.

For example, if ice is placed in plain water, it dissolves in it through heat and returns to its original aqueous substance.

In this way, the water is tinged by the hidden virtue that was also present in the ice.

However, if the ice is not dissolved by heat into water, it does not unite with the water in which it lies, nor does it tinge that water with its virtue, which had previously been coagulated within it in terms of its properties.

In the same way, if you do not dissolve the body into Mercury, you cannot obtain the hidden virtue from it with Mercury, namely the digested and cooked sulfur prepared by nature’s work within the mine.

[Why the Rebis is called a dual thing.]

Thus, the stone is one, a single medicine, which the philosophers call Rebis (the "dual thing") from two substances, namely body and spirit, white or red. In this, many fools have gone astray.

How Red Sulfur is in the Sun and White Sulfur in the Moon
Chapter 9

Since it has been said that the red sulfur of the Philosophers exists in the Sun through greater digestion, and the white sulfur in the Moon through lesser digestion:
Hence, the Philosopher says: "Citrination is nothing other than complete digestion.

[What Citrination Is]

For heat acting upon moisture first produces blackness, and when acting upon dryness, it causes whiteness.

If the fire continues to act upon this whiteness, it transforms it into the purest citrinitas (a golden-yellow state).

All these things can be observed in the calcination of lead.

The Philosopher also says:
Since each of the perfected bodies already contains its own good sulfur with mercury—namely, gold (golden) and silver (silvery) Therefore, white sulfur through citrine is gold.

Wherefore, the sulfur in it is red sulfur, that is, the substance of fire, which has further digested this white.

And thus white and red sulfur exist on both sides in the sun.

Therefore, fire is its perfection, and it is generated in fire.

And so, it joyfully delights in its own fiery nature.

Therefore, certain external things cannot cause this in bodies, since art is nothing other than, through nature, the cooking and digestion of that nature through simple effort.

For example, in the morning when I wake and see my urine is white, I judge that I have not slept enough.

Then I lie down again to sleep, and after sleeping, the urine becomes citrine.

And this is due to the greater digestion of the natural heat existing within me.

Thus, follow nature through art to similarly cook, digest, and mature substantially, since nature already contains within itself the natural fire by which it is matured.

Other things do not have this, and therefore cannot give it.

In the moon, there is only simple white sulfur, not yet digested like the red nor deprived of its blackness through the action of heat, which it naturally contains within itself.

But the form of fire is veiled and hidden, and you will bring it forth more through art than through nature.

And therefore, it is not impossible that art, through nature, can further digest and perfect this, since it naturally tends toward perfection.

However, it cannot do so by itself unless it is moved by art and operation.

But these efforts, I believe, do not reach a stiff-necked person.

And therefore, true gold is not made unless it is digested and cooked in such a way that the better improves the worse.

For the intention of all philosophers is to perfect the worse with the better.
Fools, however, understand it the opposite way, for they try to perfect the better with the worse.

And they seek in a thing what was never in it—namely, gold and silver in combustible substances, as has been said above.

It is not useful to seek this sulfur in other sick bodies because it is not there.
Chapter 10

It may not unreasonably be asked whether this white and red sulfur can be extracted from other sick bodies to tincture mercury.

I say no, because it has already been said that there is no substance of greater balance than what is found in these two bodies, in which reside the tincturing rays.

For it has already been said that sick bodies contain fetid and combustible sulfur and not the virtual nature found in these (perfected bodies), etc., since no art is effective unless it follows a pre-existing nature.

However, you can purify metals with smaller minerals, but even when purified, they still do not have the golden and silvery nature within them, because the golden digestion and cooking have not occurred in them, as in others, nor has the sulfur been matured in the same way.

And therefore, the immature ones must be aided by the mature ones so that they may mature.

From this, it is clearly evident that lesser minerals cannot dye (or transmute), because imperfect metallic bodies, which do not agree with gold and silver in terms of mature Mercury, cannot dye (or transmute), nor can they impart the nature of gold or silver.

Therefore, they do not tint, but are tinted, because the tincture of gold and silver has a proportional nature with them, namely, with the immature or imperfect ones, because it originates from Mercury.

From this, it is clearly evident that lesser minerals cannot tint, because imperfect metallic bodies, which do not harmonize with gold and silver in the mature aspect of Mercury, cannot tint, nor infuse the nature of gold or silver.

Therefore, it should not be tinted except with those that have the power to be tinted.

Tint, therefore, with gold and silver, because gold imparts a golden color and nature.

For this reason, disregard all others, in which there is not inherently or naturally the power of tinting, for in them there is no fruit, but only the destruction of things and the grinding of bones.

How gold cures the infirmities of humans and the diseased bodies of metals.
Chapter 11

Since among both the common people and the Philosophers, gold holds its form because it remains in its first disposition, it cures leprosy and possesses many other virtues.

This is due to its complete digestion, as the excellence of the fire acting upon it consumes all harmful humors present in diseased bodies, whether caused by heat or cold.

However, silver cannot accomplish this because it does not possess such an excess of fire, nor is it as thoroughly digested and matured by natural processes.

Nevertheless, despite this, silver possesses a hidden and virtual fiery nature, but not as fully as gold, because fire does not produce such elemental qualities in it as it does in gold.

Therefore, silver, remaining in its first disposition, does not cure leprosy as powerfully unless it is first digested by art until it attains the highest degrees of gold’s full maturity.

For this reason, it cures other metallic bodies with less efficacy, according to how much they differ in imperfection and maturity from gold, and due to the defect of infected, foul, and burning sulfur, with which they were generated and coagulated from the beginning.

Therefore, it does not cure.

Since gold is of such great strength among the common people, even in its first disposition, it is not surprising— as experience shows— that if gold is processed in medicines through the artful assistance of nature, and its virtue is refined through digestion, decoction, and the purification of its qualities, it can then cure many or even all illnesses.

This is evident from the highly skilled physician Arnold of Villanova, who cured Pope Innocent of an illness deemed incurable by other physicians using this medicine.

It makes the old young again and brings about rejuvenation, preserves health, strengthens the natural constitution, and expels all bodily illnesses.

It wards off poison from the heart, moistens the arteries, dissolves obstructions in the lungs, and, in short, makes the entire body fit and healthy.

It is so precious that no one can afford it, and so rare that it can be found nowhere. Therefore, etc.

O blessed is the knowledge with its possessor, for whoever has it holds an incomparable treasure.

He is born under a fortunate constellation, enriched above all others in this world, and honored before God and men—not through usury, fraud, or false merchandise, nor through the exploitation of the poor or the oppression of subjects, as the powerful of this world are now enriched.

But this treasure is acquired through the labor of the hands and the industry of the mind. Therefore, he is blessed.

The Philosophers have recognized the truth; therefore, they established this knowledge based on the motion of nature and imitated its method. No philosopher has ever been found to have spoken falsehoods, though they have spoken obscurely, and this they did because of its nobility.

Some, however, write in their books with falsehoods and contradictions.

Beware of its odor, lest it kill you.

Behold the kind of medicine and contradiction that, while it ought to heal, brings death.

It is not surprising that toxic substances, composed of poisons, can do this.

See, fools, how your works differ from the work of nature.

Why do you weary yourselves with such lofty matters, which you cannot reach by such labor unless it happens miraculously, as it did with Blessed John, who made gold from striped rods?

I tell you, as the medicine is, so too is the gold.

Return to the path of truth for your own sake.

I advise you to study and reflect upon the sayings of the wise, from which you may draw out the truth. Do not approach the work haphazardly.

Do not pay attention to 'Take this, take that, I don’t know what, do it this way, I don’t know how. Teach me this, and I will teach you that.

Thus, one deceived person deceives another, and in this way, the whole world has been defrauded by such people.

For if a blind man leads another blind man, both fall into a ditch.

Whenever you see the word 'recipe,' understand that it means 'deceive,' by changing the 'r' to 'd.'

These are the particulars perfected in this art.
Chapter 12.

Universally, to all those who will come across these words, I declare:

For in the entire series of this art, there are only two particulars which are specifically perfected according to the philosophers and nature.

The first particular exists both in white and in red mercury, without the administration of perfect medicine.

Although the body with which it is perfected secretly contains its tincture within itself, as nature requires.

The first thing that is specifically perfected in it from both species of things is this:

Since mercury is composed from the primal matter of all metals, made from excessively white earth, sulfur, and clear water.

Therefore, the whiteness of the earth reveals the transparency of the water, and in it, there is the brightest color, as experience teaches.

And it contains within itself good, mature, and pure sulfur.

Then, it is possible from it to specifically create the sun and the moon.

The philosopher is to be mixed through the art with other metallic bodies, because it is of their nature, and they were generated by it.

Therefore, through art, it is possible to imitate the nature that has been digested in it, so that it may be perfected with them.

And thus, it becomes similar to the metals it embraces, without any foreign mixture, since nature simply delights in its own nature, and not through something external.

But with the sun, it becomes the sun; with the moon, the moon; with Venus, Venus; and so on.

When each one sends its force into it, and also because it contains within itself its good and immature sulfur, which is matured through art.

But other metals, coagulated and infected by sulfur, cannot specifically become like it—neither the sun nor the moon.

The reasoning is: If mercury were transformed and mixed with the sun and moon, then its mercury would have in itself preexisting bad sulfur.

And if it were purified, it could not be so thoroughly purified that it would return to mercury, as before such simplicity.

It is necessary that the body can be dissolved in Mercury.

And when it cannot be dissolved, then its hidden force also cannot be introduced into it.

But naturally, from both parts of the bonded substance, each one in the examination is separated from the other, since in itself it does not secretly have a perfect nature, with which they could properly complete their dissolutions.

Nothing can be dissolved into mercury in it.

And when it cannot be dissolved, then neither can it send its stored force into it.

But the natural force from each side of the stored matter is separated from the other in the examination, since it does not have within itself the perfect nature secretly with which, through their solutions, they could be perfected.

But since it is always necessary for them, through art, that other perfect bodies assist them with their nature, which is naturally perfect.

Secondly, if unresolved bodies were added to the perfect bodies, less gold and silver could be made, since naturally, through solidification, both sides of their nature are stored.

And when there is no medium opening those natures to send one force into the other, they cannot be united by natural conjunction so as to return to mercury, which both sides originated from.

Therefore, through the intensity of fire, they are separated by the imperfect combustion of their nature, as is clearly seen.

Thus, when you wish to unite them, make mercury through mercury, which dissolves and opens the separated natures, so that one can simply pass into the other, and the perfect can send its force into the imperfect, so that it may be perfected with it.

And these are the labors of the particular way.

And thus, gold and silver can specifically be made, not because crude mercury dissolves bodies and reduces them to their primal matter or nature.

But crude mercury cannot do this, and this is because of the crudity of its sulfur, which it had in its first generation.

However, crude mercury made from clear water at the beginning always seeks to corrode, and first, it corrodes what is closest to its nature, namely gold, silver, and so on.

But the other mercury, made from bodies that are solidified, cannot do this, because through solidification, the crude sulfur that was in it before has been altered in nature.

It does not corrode like the first one, nor does it open the stored matter.

Therefore, one force is not sent into the other, but each remains by itself.

Indeed, they are joined in a fluctuating manner, but naturally, from both sides, they are stored.

Therefore, through examination and the harshness of fire, the imperfect is consumed, with the perfect remaining, because one nature cannot assist the other.

But with crude living silver, this can happen, namely, the natures can be restored and opened, so that each thing close to it may help its own nature.

Thus, if silver is dissolved, its silver nature will be found; if gold, its golden nature will be found; if lead, its leaden nature, and so on. Through their sulfur, they are solidified.

Hence the Philosopher says, 'But not other bodies that do not share their nature, as you seek in many foul and impure things.'

Therefore, it is specifically possible from both sides to make gold and silver from it, and not in other bodies, as you have heard.

Note, there are two kinds of solution of bodies into mercury by mercury, and into mercurial water.

The first solution is required for the particulars.

The second is for the universals.

The first solution of bodies into mercury is nothing other than resolution, that is, through pure resolution the stored matter is opened, due to the entry of one nature into another.

And this resolution is in the particulars.

The second solution is into mercurial water and happens universally.

And this occurs, not through the mere dissolution of immature sulfur into mercury, but through the putrefaction of the body and spirit in the moist.

For putrefaction is the solution and separation of all natures bound together.

Thus, the parts bound to one another are separated, and each part is separated from the other.

This happens through the separation and solution of the elements, which in the generation of mercury are connected—namely, water and earth.

And these same parts, when purified in nature through conversion, are united, and they love each other more because of their purification than they did before in nature.

But this separation cannot happen in bodies except through the spirit; thus, the art transcends nature in one way, although artificial things are quickly made, which, however, were previously naturally prolonged.

Do not, however, believe that these are the common elements, such as cloud water or similar things. Rather, the cold and dry is earth, the cold and wet is water, the wet and hot is air, and the hot and dry is fire.

Thus, they are in the natures of the elements.

However, no art can separate the connected parts in generation in such a way that they are simply transformed into the elements that they were, since the first nature changes one quality into another.

Thus, the art can separate well, such as separating the wet from the dry, the cold from the hot.

Yet, one quality still possesses the nature of the other in some part of the natural mixture, and through these, they can be reunited by art in reverse, just as they were divided.

If it were not the case that one quality participates in the nature of the other, namely, water participating in the nature of earth in coldness, air participating in the nature of water in humidity, and so on with the others.

Then it would follow that the natural work would be totally destroyed, as the elements would be as simple as they were before, before the generation of mercury.

The art would have destroyed nature, starting from the head, namely from gold and silver, all the way back to the beginning, that is, to living silver.

And beyond these principles of the simple elements, according to how they were before the generation of mercury, it is impossible in the art to go so far.

If it were possible, it would follow that, anew, outside the first matter of the mercury of metals, the art would compose the elements, and conversely, the art would generate mercury as it had destroyed it, which is impossible to do artificially.

Indeed, when the art is destroyed from head to foot, that is, when mercury is built from the foot to the head in a more subtle form with the substance of nature, which it was before, the art permits it.

Thus, the species of things are divided when they are transmuted into a different form than they were before.

As the Philosopher testifies, you would say:
'Let the alchemists know that the species of things cannot be altered (which indeed is true) unless they are transmuted or converted into the first matter, that is, into living silver.'
And beyond this, it does not advise.

To make it otherwise is impossible.

The particular is in the Sun, Mercury, and Sulfur of the Philosophers.
Chapter 13.

As it has been said before, the moon contains in itself white sulfur, just like red gold.

However, the species of fire beneath the whiteness in it is concealed.

Therefore, all silver can be made into gold.

Hence, the Philosopher says, 'There is no gold unless it was first silver.'

Thus, silver contains within itself some undigested qualities, which can be purified by art, so that it particularly transforms into fixed Mercury and into the closest nature of gold, because then it contains within itself what gold also has, through the addition of the red sulfur of the philosophers, which is further refined, and the yellowing is caused in it as an aid to the perfect body, since they are simply of one nature.

And this happens through the solution of the lunar body from dry to wet, and then the same simple nature becomes more obedient to the digestive nature for the introduction of the red sulfur of the Philosophers that does not burn.

This cannot happen in other bodies, because they do not have the same proximity to the perfect nature as the moon itself, which is hindered in their generation by burnable and fetid sulfur, nor are they Mercury, of which the Philosopher speaks.

There is no transition from one extreme to another unless through a medium, that is, gold is not generated from Mercury unless it was first silver.

Nor do they have within themselves the sulfur of simple fire that does not burn, but burning sulfur.

Therefore, they cannot specifically be transformed into fixed Mercury, as was said by Aristotle.

Let the artificers know, etc. But they can do similar things and stain it with red or yellow so that it appears as gold, and whiten it so that it is much like silver.

They can also cleanse the impurity of lead or other sick bodies so that it appears as gold or silver.

However, lead always remains lead, because it does not have within itself the digested qualities of gold and silver, as was stated above.

Similarly, those who take ammoniac salt or other lesser minerals to deceive people, and combine copper or tin with Mercury so that it appears to people as silver, and in some way can be worked with or tested in fire, according to those who are experienced in fire.

[Copper]

"However, they are deceived in this, because they do not have the true silver nature within them, as is evident from their color and examination.

The first reason is: Copper contains within itself a kind of pure Mercury, unless it is infected by strong sulfur, because sulfur has a fetid and burnable quality within it, which consumes the copper, and it has an imperfect redness due to the impure red sulfur, while Mercury has the substance of sulfur.

[Sulfur burns Mercury]

And therefore, it is slower to burn in fire than lead or tin, because Mercury resists fire, unless it suffers violence from the sulfur mixed with it

Note, therefore, divide the good sulfur from Mercury before copper, as you know.

But the reason why lead burns faster is because of the infected Mercury, because the infected Mercury, with imperfect sulfur, like that of lead, seeks something related to its imperfection.

[Beautiful Reasoning]

And when silver and copper are mixed, in silver it finds only the infected substance, but in copper, it first finds burning sulfur, which mixes more quickly.

In the universal mixture, Mercury becomes more infected by copper, since lead is infected by both Mercury and sulfur.

Also, because more evil more quickly adheres to evil, the weaker and worse it will be, and thus it more quickly adheres to copper or silver, infecting and burning it with the nature of copper and silver, as you have heard, since it is sealed by a worse substance and cannot be helped.

Therefore, lead burns copper away from silver, which is more slowly separated without lead, since the more imperfect something is, the weaker and more combustible it will be.

But in the conjunction of tin with copper and Mercury, it in some way opens the natures and unites these two, namely tin and copper, with Mercury being in some way purified on both sides.

And when tin has pure Mercury, and bad sulfur, weakly mixed, Mercury joins with Mercury, and Mercury always has the potential of sulfur, changing the color of copper, which exists in sulfur, so that a new form appears, and also, sulfur cannot burn as quickly as before by Mercury.

And when crude Mercury coagulates through itself, it alternates with them in nature, so that it in some way appears as silver, although it is truly not silver, since it has not undergone the proper digestion and cooking, and the sulfur of simple fire and the virtual nature of silver, from which gold and silver are sufficiently digested and matured through both Mercury and sulfur, and in every perfect digestion.

[The Lesser Mineral Powders]

"Thus, you have the sophistic silver made from tin, copper, and Mercury.

And if you then mix in some powders of lesser minerals, it is not impossible if Mercury acts beyond its power.

However, it is always still imperfect, and in the end, it diminishes and burns in the fire, because sulfur is not of the virtual nature like Mercury itself, but is always secretly susceptible and will corrupt Mercury, no matter how well Mercury is supplied.

And thus, it will later return to dung, just as it was before.

Therefore, understand how true gold and silver differ from the sophistic, although many sophistications are made in the same way by other metals into red and white, with the addition of lesser minerals or some of them.

Those who labor in this are deceived, for they think they have found the true appearance; this is caused by their ignorance, because they do not understand the nature of metals.

On the Nature of Mercury
Chapter 14

Know that Mercury, whether in the earth by the work of nature or externally by the work of art, is never made corporeal unless it is mortified and retained.

[Coagulation of Mercury]

It is mortified and retained through proper sublimation, by the imbibing of sharp waters, by feeding it with related filings, and especially by the vapor of sublimated and prepared sulfur. This leads to its coagulation into hardness and metallic form.

[Into Metallic Form]

The most refined feeding of Mercury is white marcasite for white and red marcasite for red.

Know that this has been tested.

Be cautious in its sublimation and experienced: For I have seen that when it is sublimated in a glass vessel with a long neck, specially prepared for this purpose, it always remains the same no matter how often it is sublimated.

It does not dry further, nor harden, nor does it have an opening above through which its fleeting and watery moisture can evaporate.

[Nodular Mercury]

However, when in sublimation or during other preparations it begins to become nodular, then know that it is already converting into the form you intend.

According to this observation, keep a close eye on it and proceed in the work along the correct path.

This final chapter is attributed to Calisthenes.

Finish.

---

LATIN TRANSCRIPTION

LATIN TRANSCRIPTION

Correctio Fatuorum, Tractatulus satis pervtilis et avtenticus soeliciter incipit.

Prologus in eundem librum.

Cum omnium rerum emendatio sit ipsius augmentatio. Ideo in multis Philosophorum dictis scribitur, quod per artem emendatur natura suum motum quem habuit in prima sua forma, cum nulla ars laborare potest nisi mediante natura, cum ipsa natura in artem intrinsice et occulte laboret per artificis administrationem.

Ex Hoc sequitur, imitationem naturae virtutis esse augmentum et laborem, ipsiusque rei augmentationem, quoniam matura perficit suum gradum, quem natura aliter perficere potest, & illum praeterire nequit, nisi per contrarium fuerit impedita, quamuis bene ars naturam non tan scendit faciendo nouam naturam, per simplicem laborem.

Et udeo dicitur quod ars imitatur naturam, no quod nouam

[Quomodo ars imitetur natura]
aedificet, sed quod illius naturae virtutem subtiliet.

Propter quod incipit ars perficere, ubi natura deficit, subtilem scilicet naturam inre inclusam detegere, & ipsam manifestare.

Ex quo minera generat metalla, tincturas tamen generare nequit, quamuis bene tincturam plenamin se occulte continet, sicut ait Philosophus: Natura continet in se quibus indiget, & quibus perficitur, nisi quod moueatur arte & operatione.

Quare in nostro opere, ars non est aliqud quam adiuuamen naturae, quod patet in multis artium operibus laicorum, ubi natura primo producit lignum,

[Quomodo in ligno sit uitrum.]

secundo ustio ligni per igne uertitur in cinerem, tertio, ars de cinere facit uitrum, et hoc taliter est intelligendum.

Si in cineribus ista prima materia uitri occultata non fuisset, ars nequaquam uitrum ex eo fecisset sine natura physica.

Et sic per pende, quod a nullis rebus elici potest id, quod in ipsis non existit.

Ideo omnis species in sua specie, & omne genus in suo genere, & omnis natura in sua natura, natura liter uirtutis efficit augmentum, & affert fructum iuxta naturam suam, & non in alia sibi contraria natura.

Cum omne semen suo semini correspondet, ut dicimus, quo ad generationem.

Ergo non generatur ab homine nisi homo, nec ab aliquo animali, nisi sibi simile.

Et quo ad imitandam naturam perfectam, non facit aliqua ars simpliciter laborans ministerium naturae, nisi per illius naturae complexionem.

Quoniam si aliena natura peior introducitur, immediate, ars simpliciter non imitatur naturam.

Sed illae peiores extranea naturae inficiunt illam naturam, & statim non sit ex ea, quod fieri sperabatur.

[Regula utilis.]
Quoniam omne peius laboras in aliqua arte, nititur melius destruere, et omne melius laborans in aliqua arte, conatur peius perficere.

Et ideo unicuique artifici naturam imitariuoleti, necesse est illius rei naturam congoscere, cuius rei naturam sua ars imitatur, alias, fatuus ipse per artem ueram dignoscetur.

DE UTILITATE STUDII.

Studium amouet ignorantiam, et reducit humanum intellectum ad ueram cognitionem, & ad cuius libet rei scientiam.

Ergo in primis est necessarium, per studium huius suauis operis scientiam acquirere, & per physica dicta ingenium acuere, cum in ipsis sit congnitio ueritatis.

Si ergo laborantes studium non despexerint, fructum inde peruenientem dulciter degustabut.

Qui autem studere abborruerint, & tamen laborare uoluerint, uideant an ars ipsius naturae sit imitatio, quam ars ipsius emendare debet.

Quoma impossibile est ei, secreta philosophoru ad perfectum finem praeparare.

De hijs sapientes dicunt, quod hij transeunt ad practica sicut asinus ad coena, nescientes ad quid rostru porrigant, nisi in quantu sensus exteriores sine intellectu per uisum et gustu, ad pabulum adducit.

Sic ipsi asini, sine bonis ueris principijs, & fructuosis studijs, ac sine naturarum cognitione, quaerunt perficere opera naturae, & secretum totius philosophiae, ac opus optimum, quod hominem orant moribus, ditat beneficijs, auxiliatur pauperibus, & corpus humanum incolume conseruat, praebens ei sanitatem, prout potest dicere de illius naturae uirtute.

Et ideo omnes artis huius apicem diligentes, studijs conetur insistere, & ex libris haurire ueritatem, et non ex mendosis, alias nidosis, neque fabulis fictis.

Quia haec ars non inuenitur nisi per continuu studium, & philosophorum dictorum, cognitionem, aut per fidelem scientem informationem.

Nam qui in legendis libris deses extiterit, in praeparandis rebus promptus esse non poterit.

Item non potest de facili practicae assuescere, cuius mens studijs theoricis renuit insudare.

DE PRINCIPIIS NATURALIBUS HUIUS ARTIS.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

Non est dubitandum, hanc artem habere principia uera, cum ipsa natura corpora metallica format de mineralib.

Un Aristoteles quarto Metheororu, ubi distinguit corpora mineralia in lapides, sulphura, sales, Et horu quaeda sunt rarae, superbae, & quedam illorum ductibilia, quedam non.

Et quae sunt illarum rationes, & causae earum generationis, patet ibidem. Ideo non est necesse, plura hic de illis dicere.

Quot sunt partes mineralium.

Caput 2

Distinguuntur corpora mineralia specialiter in duas partem, scilicet in partem metallicam, & partem mineralem.

In partem metallicam, id est, in metalla quae originem ex Mercurio ducunt.

Et in partem mineralem, quae originem ex Mercurio non trahunt.

De metallis exemplum, ut aurum, Luna, Mercurius, Iupiter, Mars, Saturnus, electrum.

[Non est minerale metallicum.]
De mineralibus exemplum, ut sales, atramenta, alumen, vitriolum, arsenicum, auripigmentum, de metallis que originem ex Mercurio ducunt.

Sunt autem ductibilia & liquabilia omnia metalla, que originem ex Mercurio duxerunt, quia materia eorum est substatia aquea, mixta cum substatia terrea comixtione forti, ut unim ab altero separari non possit, quare cogelatur sibstantia aqueam illa cum frigore magis post actione caloris, & erunt ideo ductibilia seu fabrilia, & non congelatur sola aqua nisi cum siccitate terresti, quae alterat aquositatem, cum in ipsis humor non est unctuosus, quia congelatio eorum est ex siccta te terrestri, ideo faciliter non soluutur, nisi per actionem caloris vehemetem in ipsis, secundu quod sunt fortius, ac fortiter commixta.

Quomodo ex Mercurio generantur metalla in speciali.

Caput 3

Rerum omnium liquefactibilium natura ex argento vivo est & sui substantia, eo quod reporter idem argentum vivuum coagulatur ex vapore sive calore sulphuris albi vel rubei non vrentis.

Unde Aristoteles quarto Metheororum: Si Sulphur album non vrens fuerit congilat Mercurium in argentum bonum.

Si vero sulphur fuerit purum cum rubore claro, & in eo suirit vis igneitatis simpliciter non vrentis, congela in aurum purissimum melius, quam minera produxit, quia omne siccum naturaliter bibit suum humidum, ut in suis partibus sit continuatum.

Vapor ergo sulphuris argentum viuu coagulantis, est ex substantia terrea, subtili, aerea, decocta & digesta a comixtione prima, sibi unita actioe caloris, post ea eleuata, decocta, & digesta, donec habeat vim sulphurea coagulandi argentum viuu in corpora metallica.

Sed quado sulphur suerit simplex vel adurens, perfectionem vel imperfectionem causat in metallis sicut post patebit exemplum de his, quod ipsorum prima materia sit argentum viuum, quoniam cum liquesiunt, per calorem conuertuntur in ipsum.

Certum est ipsa antea fuisse argentum viuum, quia omnes res de eo est, in quod resoluitur. Exemplum de glacie.

Degeneratione Mercurij & quae metalla ex eo generantur.
Caput 4

Argentum viuum in prima sui radice est compositum ex terra alba, subtili, nimiu sulphurea, cu aqua clara fortiter admixta, donec fiat substantia una non quiescens in superficie plana, nec adheret tangenti, ratione siccitatis, quae alterauit aqueitatem in ipso.

Est autem homogenium in natura, quia aut totum remanet in igne & fixatur, aut totum euolat in summum, cum sit incombustibile & aereum, Et hoc est signum perfectionis Et ideo cum prius in terra sulphurea decurrit cale factum, superius ascendit.

Unde eius natura est, ut per calorem subtilietur.

Veruntame continua sublimatione nimium depuratur, decoquitur et inspissatur, ac per sulphur album & rubeum gradatim congelatur, Quando quidem sulphur dissoluitur multoties, & prius coagulatur argentum viuum sublimatum, inceratum caloris actione, donec vix in milibus annorum successiue opere naturae in metallum perfectum coagulatur.

Ex hoc quidem in vasis mineralibus ipsa natura operatur metalla.

In istis ergo operibus, naturam imitari oportet quicunque vult medicinam perficere ab imperfectione perfectam, licet ipsa corpora differant compositione sua ab argento vivo, quae ab eo generantur, eo modo quo ipsum fuerit puram, vel impurum, ex sulphure mundo, vel immundo.

Si enim argentum viuum coagulatur ex sulphure puro, in quo est vis igneitatis, simplex erit aurum.

Si vero sulphur fuerit malum & debile, & Mercurius bonae substantiae, conuertit ipsum in aes.

Si vero argentum viuum fuerit ponderosum terreum & immundum, & sulphur immundum et foetidum ac terreu & fixe substantiae, sit inde ferrum, quod postea non faciliter funditur.

Stagnum vero videtur habere argentum viuum bonum, sulphur vero malum non bene mixtum, ideo interdentes causat stridorem.

Plumbu habet grossum argentu viuum, malum, mali saporis & foetidi, ac virtutis debilis, unde assidue per ignis violentiam corrumpitur.

Sic differunt corpora metallica ab argento viuo, secundum quod ipsis inest sulphur extraneum vel adurens.

Quod sic consyderatur quae virtus sit in ipsis, cum multa quantitas sulphuris est inperfectio, cum argentum viuum sit incombustibile & aereum, quonia sulphur coburit & comburitur & perfectum in omni opere impedit.

Haec sunt verba Aristotelis quarto Metheororum: Non est credendu quod Phylosophi in aliquo mendacio reperti sunt, ergo ipsis summe est credendum.

De formatione mirabilium quae originem ex Mercurio non cucunt.

Caput 5

Sunt autem minora seu media mineralia secundum quod dictum est, que originem ex Mercurio non ducunt.

Et horum quaedam sunt fales quae liquesiunt humido faciliter, ut alumen, sal simplex, sal armoniacum, sal lapideum, & omnia genera salium.

Et quedam sunt virtuosa, nec liquesiunt solo humore faciliter, ut auripigmetum, arsenicum, sulphur, cum aqueitas sulphureorum corporum est commixta cum terra viscosa, commixtione forti cum feruentia caloris, donec facta sunt virtuosa, & prius coagulata sunt ex frigore.

Atramenta vero composita sunt ex sale & sulphure & lapidibus, & creditur in ipsis vis mineralis aliquorum corporum liquabilium, quae ex eis fiunt, ut calcantum, & olocari ager, qui generantur ex maioribus granis attramenti, & non soluutur, nisi soluatur salsedo cum ipsis que est in ipso sulphure, & prius congelantur in frigore.

Et illud iam accipit vim mineralem ab aliquibus corporis, naturaliter in terris existentibus.

Quod accipit vim ferream erit rubeum & terreu, sicut olocar.

Quod autem vim accipit aeream, hoc erit uiride calcantum.

Unde possibile est ista duo, scilicet olocar, & calcantum ab ipso generari, cum tamen haec omnia praedicta participant in ui minerali cum metallis.

Sed corpora metallica ex ipsis artificialiter fieri non possunt, cum sint alterius naturae, & cum metallis ex prima materia popinqua, scilicet cu Mercurio originem non duxerunt, sed ex argento vivo.

Non nego quin cum ipsis sophistica per ea introduci, ad decipiendum homines, propter quod plumbi nigredo abstergi potest, uerundamen plumbum, semper manet plumbum.

Sic artifices possunt facere congelationes per ea. id est, extrahere humidum ex Mercurio cum rebus siccis, ut videatur Mercurius coagulatus, sed illa coagulatio est pessima.

Unde Aristoteles: Sciant Alchimiste, se species rerum permutare non posse, sed similia illis facere possunt, id est, tingere rubeum citrino, ut uideatur aurum, & album tingere colore quo volunt, donec fiat multum simile argento, Ut hij qui conungunt stannu cuprum & Mercurium, & inde faciunt argentum sophisticum.

Et sit etiam purgatio per mineralia in metallis, & non est impossibilis, & contra haec non stat ratio, sed contra verum aurum & argentum, quod nequaquam in natura & arte fieri conceditur, nisi per corporum in primam materiam reductione.

Sic species rerum transmutari possunt, ut prius Aristoteles subdit.

Et hoc sit per solam liquefactionem sed per cogelati Mercurij resolutionem, cum sui spiritus admixtione corpus in Mercurium transformatur.

De differentia generationis sulphuris uulgi, & simplicis, & Mercurij.

Caput 6

Cum dictum sulphur causans metalla, est elemetum metallorum cum Mercurio, nunc pono differentia in Mercurij generatione, & sulphuris, licet bene ex utraque parte causent metallu, scilicet Mercurio essentiali, & sulphur adhuc est duplex, viuum scilicet & vrens.

Viuu causat metalla, quamuis adhuc bene differut unu ab alio, secundum quod plus existit viscositate terrae infectum, cum tamen sulphur simplex viuu, causans aurum et argentum, non est nisi vapor calidus et siccus, generatus ex purissima siccitate terrestri, in qua omnibus moribus praedominatur ignis, & illud dicitur elementum cum Mercurio metallorum.

Sed generatio sulphuris vulgi, differt a generatione Mercurij, ut supra dictum est, quia aqueitas sulphuris vulgi, est commixta cum terrestreitate viscosissima, cum feruenti calore, et facta sunt unctuosa.

Sic generatio Mercurij differt in parte secunda a generatione istius sulphuris, cum sit generatum ex terra subtilissima, alba, sulphurea, cum limpidissima aqua, quoniam transparet admixtione fortissima, ita quod unum ab alio separari non potest, donec non quiescat in sperficieplana, nec adhaeret tangenti propter siccitatem terrae, quae alterauit aqueitatem ratione fortis comixtionis, & ideo est elementum cum sulphure simplici omniu ductibilium vel prope simile est aliquibus ductibilibus.

Et ideo propter cocordantiam aliquo modo ipsorum in generatione commiscetur sulphur Mercurio, & unum alterat in natura.

Quare unumquod que corpus metallicu in se sulphur expresse habere dignoscitur, cu liquesit calore ignis, ibi apparet Mercurius, & sulphur, Mercurius in substantia, sulphur in colore, & in cute rubea superius natante.

Sic proprium est unius, quod sit adherentia alterius, cum unu sine alio in metallum generari no potest.

Et inquantum sulphur est magis simplex, intantum magis gaudet & cohaeret Mercurio simplici et mundo, ac fortius cum altero coniungitur, & sic perfectiora tunc ex ipsis generantur metalla.

Questio.

Cum generaliter Phylosophus loquatur, quod sulphur coagulat, dicendum quod non.

Quia omne sulphur vulgi secundum Philosophum, metallis est extraneum, & contrarium, Avicenna: Non intrat in magisteriu quod no est ortu ab eo.

Quia semper inficit & denigrat, & corrumpit, quocunque modo per artificium praeparetur.

Est enim ipsum, ignis infectus, ergo fusione impedit.

Si vero calcinatur, in terream redit substantia, ut puluis mortuus.

Quo ergo modo potest alijs vita inspirare?

Habet enim duplicem superfluitatem, scilicet inflammabile substatiam, et terream foeculentiam.

[Sulphur philosophorum.]
Igitur per haec consydera sulphur vulgi non Philosophorum esse, cum sulphur Philosophorum sit simplex ignis viuus, alia corpora mortua viuificans, & ea maturans, ita quod naturae defectum supplet cum ipsum sit superfluae maturitatis, secundum quod in natura sua sit perfectum, ac per artificium magis ac magis depuratum.

[Secretum.]
Unde Avicenna: Tale sulphur non reperitur super terram, nisi in quantum existit in istis corporibus sole & luna, & in alio, quod est illud, quod nulli dicitur nisi ex parte Dei sibi reveletur.

In sole autem perfectius, quia magis est digestum & decoctum.

Quomodo possibile sit minora metalla, artificialiter fieri metalla.

Caput 7

Sed quia in praecedenti capitulo determinatum est, minora metalla artificialiter impossibile fieri metalla, propterea hic restat, fore probandu. Primo sic, quia minora metalla de prima metallorum materia, que est Mercurius, non sunt generate, quia generatio eorum cum generatione Mercurij in primis differunt in forma, in natura, in compositione, ideo etiam fieri metalla non possunt, quia rerum unius speciei, una est materia prima, & sperma ex quibus generantur.

Prima pars antecedentis patet, quod minora metalla non sunt generata ex Mercurio, quod est causa quia semper manet in prima materia metallorum, & non extranea sulphura.

Unde Aristoteles & Avicenna: Ideo si deberent fieri metalla, oporteret quod primo transirent in primam materiam metallorum. Sed quia artificialiter hoc fieri non potest, ideo minime ex eis metalla fieri possunt. Sic patet prima pars, antecedentis satis declarata.

Secundo ad idem. Quia minora mineralia principium metallorum artificialiter fieri non possunt, quod est Mercurius,
[Contra aqua fortes]
Ideo etiam medium & finem non pertingunt, quae sunt metallum in homine per generationem non potest fieri homo, nisi prius conuertatur in sperma, & sic additum suo silinouus generatur homo.

Sed quia minora metalla a metallis sunt extraneae naturae, quamuis bene in aliqua vi minerali participant, & debilioris sunt virtutis, & adustibilia, ideo natura metallica eo non gaudet, sed respuit, & seruat ea quae sunt suae naturae.

Exempli gratia, Si aqua miscetur terrae, separantur ab inuicem, quia terra petit fundum cum sit grauis & sicca, aqua superficiem, & nequaquam artificialiter sic posunt coniungi quod iste naturae contrarie stent in una natura coniuctim.

Bene quidem aqua potest abluere & mundare terram, sed quod siccitas terrae artificialiter mutetur in aqueum humidum, credi no debet, licet terra madefiat aqua.

Sic minora mineralia, possunt coiungi cum metallis, & ea purgare, & aliquo modo nouam formam introducere, sed cum ipsis permanere, & illud in maturum maturare, natura non concedit.

Quare fatui, ut diuersa negotia & sophistica, ad decipiendum homines adducunt, scilicet res inproportionabiles, quae nec materiam dant, nec eam etia recipiunt: Scilicet secundians, oculos animalium, testas ouoru, crines, sanguinem hominis rufi, Basiliscum, tam artificialem quam naturalem, vermes, herbas, radices, stercus humanum.

Multi enim fatui laborauerunt, & adhuc laborant in hijs rebus vegetabilibus, & sensibilibus, ubi nihil tamen veritatis inuenerunt, sed quasdam humilitates, de quibus indicamus inscijs, ut euitare possint deceptiones.

Nam ex hijs rebus postea dicendis, longo tempore extraxerut quod appellabant argetum viuum artificiale, & olea, & aquas, quas nominauerunt quatuor elementa, videlicet aquam, aerem, terram, & igne, & in salem armoniacum, arsenicu & sulphur, & auripigmentu, quod emissent melius in foro, et citius perfecissent.

Quaesierunt etiam in rebus vegitabilibus & sensibilibus, humore carentium, & siccorum combustibilium & corruptibilium tinctura, quam non habent, Hij vero damnificati sunt damno appareti.

Et istae sunt rationes: Capilli humani, cerebrum, sputum humanum, lac mulierum, cruor humanus, urina, stercus, embrio, menstruu, & sperma, ossae mortuoru, oua gallinarum, & simpliciter in omnibus animalibus brutis, piscibus, & volatilibus, vermibus, & carnibus, scorpionibus, busonibus, basilisco naturali & artificiali, in q maxima trusa est, In testudinibus, & succis quarunda herbaru, & floribus arboru, & specialiter in hijs, videlicet herba lunari & solari, quae dicitur toxicum, & in omnibus in quibus finxerunt nomina ad placitum suum, secundum metalla decipientes se & alios, volentes cum pessimis rebus optimam perficere, & naturae defectum cum talibus adimplere, in hijs nullam virtutem imaginantes veraciter, nec scrutantes, volentes stercus feminare & metere triticu, quod vsui videtur impossibile.

Unde dicitur, Si quae homo seminauerit haec & metet, Ergo sistercus seminat, merdam quoque & metet.

Quare non est mirum quod vix unus inter mille, aut nullus de talibus perficit Semina aurum & argentum, & afferet tibi fructum millesimum, cum labote tuo, mediate natura, quia ipsa solum habet quod quaeris, & nulla alia res mundi, cum alia omnia ut foetida, & naturae cedunt per ignis assiduitatem & examen.

Sunt & alij alchimistae in mineralibus minoribus laborantes, scilicet in quatuor spiritibus ut in sulphure vulgi, arsenico, auripigmento, & in sale armoniaco, volentes ex hijs tincturam perficere, sec hoc facere non possunt, ut patet per diffinitionem tincturae.

Quia tingere non est aliud quam tingendo tinctum in naturam suam transformare, & secum sine ulla transformatione permanere, & docens naturam contra ignem praeliare.

Nam tingentis & tincti natura concordat. Exempli gratia.

Si ex auro vel argento tinxeris plumbum, vel stannum vel aliquid aliud tale, hoc cocordat in naturis, quia originem ex utraque partem ex Mercurio duxerunt, maturum immaturo coniungitur ut immaturum secum in tali via perficiatur.

Sed cum isti quatuor spiritus sint alterius naturae cum metallis, ut sufficienter prius dictum est.

Ideo si tingere debent, Quaero utrum debeant conuertere, vel conuerti.

Si conuerti, tunc tinctura non est, ut patet per diffinitionem.

Si conuertere, ergo tingendo conuertit, in suam naturam quae est terrea natura metallicae naturae extranea, ideo metallum tingendo facere non possunt.

Quia autem tingendo conuertit in suam naturam probatur, Quia omne generans generat sibi simile.

Sed quia hic tinctura quatuor spirituum generans est, terra ignitur generabit sibi simile, quod est terreum sicut ipsum.

Sic & istam tincturam & omnem aliam quae non inuenitur in proprietate naturae despicias cum alijs vijs extraneis, quia in ipsis non est aliud quam rerum consumptio, temporis perditio & laboris, cum omnia alia apparetia sunt, & no existentia metalla, quae per minora mineralia vel consimilia fuerint laborata.

Ergo stultum est quaerere in re, quod in ea no est & c. ut in rebus foetidis & ustibilibus quaerere aurum & argentum & c.

Iterumde sulphure philosophico simplici non urente.
Caput 8

Philosophi subtiliter sunt imaginati, quomodo in istis corporibus perfectioribus sulphura illa elicere possent, & ipsorum qualitates per artem purgare, ut hoc haberent in arte mediante natura, quod in ipsis antea non apparuit, quamuis plenarie & occulte prius habuerunt, Et hoc nequaquam fieri concedunt sine, corporis solutione et in primam materiam reductione, quod est argentum viuum, ex quo facta sunt ab initio, et hocabsque ulla permixtione rerum extranearu, que extraneae naturae lapidem nostrum non emendat, quonia nihil couenit rei nisi quod propinquius est ei, cum sit medicina simplicis ac virtualis naturae, ex aqua mercuriali producta, in qua aurum & argentum prius sunt soluta.

Exempli gradia, Si glacies ponitur in aquam simplicem, soluitur in ea per calorem, & redit in primam substantiam aqueam, & sic aqua tingitur ex virtute etiam occulta quae fuit in glacie.

Si autem glacies non resoluitur per calorem in aquam, non coniungitur aquae in qua iacet, nec illam aquam tingit sua virtute quae in ea antea coagulata fuit, ex parte specierum.

Sic eodem modo si corpus non resolueris in Mercurium, cum Mercurio occultam virtutem ex eo habere non potes, scilicet sulphur digestum & decoctum per opus naturae in minera.

[Rebis quare dicitur bina res.]

Sic enim lapis est unus, una medicina, quae secundum philosophos dicitur rebis ex bina re, scilicet ex corpore & spiritu, albo vel rubeo, in quo multi fatui errauerunt.

Quomodo sulphur rubeum est in Sole & Album in Luna

Caput 9

Cum dictum sit quod sulphur Philosophorum rubeum existat in sole, per maiorem digestionem, & sulphur album in luna per minorem digestionem.

Unde Philosophus: Citrinatio non est aliud quam completa digestio.

[Quid sit citrinatio.]

Nam calor agens in humidum, primo generat nigredinem, & agens in siccum causat albedinem, quam albedinem ignis, si transcedit agens in eo, mutat in purissimam citrinitatem.

Haec omnia in calcinatione plumbi attendi possunt.

Etiam dicit Philosophus.

Quia iam actu unum quodque perfectorum corporum suum bonum sulphur cum Mercurio contineat, scilicet aurum aureum, & argentum argenteum.

Ideo sulphur album per citrinum est aurum.

Quamobrem sulphur in eo est sulphur rubeum, id est, ignis substatia, qui hoc album plus digessit, Et sic sulphur album & rubeum ex utraque parte existit in sole.

Quare ignis est perfectio eius, et in igne generatum est, Et ideo amicabiliter gaudet natura suae igneae naturae.

Unde alique res extraneae hoc in corporibus causare non possunt, cum ars non sit aliud mediante natura, nisi decoctio & digestio illius naturae per simplicem laborem. Exempli gratia, Mane cum surgo, & video urinam meam albam, iudico me parum dormiuisse, tunc repono me iterum ad dormiendum, & accepto somno, urina citrinatur, Et hoc propter maiorem digestionem caloris naturalis in me existentem.

Sic sequere naturam per artem similiter decoquere, digerere, maturare substatialiter, cum iam in actu natura contineat in se ignem naturalem quo maturatur.

Hoc alie res non habent, ideo dare non possunt.

In luna non est nisi sulphur album simplex, non tamen digestum sicut rubeum nec sic a nigredine priuatu per actionem caloris, quem in se naturaliter continet.

Sed ignis species est obtecta & occultatam ages in ea plus per artem quam per naturam.

Et ideo non est impossibile quod ars mediante natura hoc plus digerat & perficiat, cum naturaliter intendat perfici, sed per se non potest, nisi moueatur arte & operatione.

Sed isti labores, ut credo, no perueniunt ad hominem dure ceruicis.

Et ideo non fit verum aurum nisi fiat ita digestum & decoctum, ut melius melioret peius.

Quia omnium philosophorum intentio est, cum meliore peius perficere.

Quod fatui cotrarie intelligut, quia cum peiore melius perficere nituntur.

Et hoc quaerunt in re, quod nunquam fuit in illa, scilicet aurum & argentum in rebus adustibilibus, ut supra dictum est.

Quod in alijs aegris corporibus non est utile hoc sulphur quaerere quia ibi non est.

Caput 10

Queri non immerito potest utrum exalijs aegris corporibus hoc sulphur album & rubeum ad tingendum Mercurium elici possit: Dico quod no, quia prius dictu est, quod non est, aliqua res maioris temperantiae, quam in istis duob. corporibus reperitur, quibus insunt radij tingents, cum prius dictu est, quod aegra corpora in se cotineant sulphur foetidum et adustibile et no virtualis naturae, sicut in istis & c. Cum omnis ars non ualeat, nisi praehabita natura, quam sequatur.

Posses tamen cum minoribus mineralibus purgare metalla, quibus purgatis tamen adhuc non habent auream et argenteam naturam in se, quia digestio & decoctio aurea non fuit in illis, sicut in alijs, nec sulphur ita maturu.

Et ideo ipsis imaturis succurrendum est cum maturis ut maturetur.

Igitur non tingunt sed tinqutur, quia tinctura auri & argenti proportionabilem naturam habet cum ipsis scilicet, immaturis vel imperfectis, quia origine ex Mercurio traxerut.

Ex his manifeste patet qd minora mineralia tingere non possunt, quia corpora metallica imperfecta que nō cōueniunt cū auro et argēto ex parte Mercurij maturi, tingere nō possunt, nec naturam auri vel argenti infundere.

Et ideo non est tingendum nisi cum illis quibus in est virtus tingedi.

Tinge ergo cu auro et argento, quia auru aureum tribuit colore et natura.

Quare omnia alia espicias, quibus non inest virtualiter seu naturaliter virtus tingendi, cu in ipsis no sit fructus, sed solum perditio rerum & stridor detium.

Quomodo aurum curet infirmitates hominum & aegra corpora metallorum.

Caput 11

Cum autem inter vulgares & Philosophos aurum formam teneat, quod in prima sua dispositione manes, lepram curet, et plures alias virtutes habeat hoc autem est propter eius completam digestionem, quia excellentia ignis in eo agens, omnes malos humores consumit in corporibus egris existentib. tam ex causa calida quam frigida.

Sed hoc argenbtum facere non potest, quia tantam superfluitatem ignis non habet, nec tantum est digestum et decoctum naturali maturitate.

Tamen isto non obstate, igneitatem occulte & virtualiter habet, sed no ita plene, quia adhuc ignis non facit tales qualitates elementates sicut in auro.

Et ideo argentum in sua prima dispositione manens non curat lepram ita poteter, nisi prius per artem digerat, quousque habeat gradus summos auri in omni maturitate, quare alia egra corpora metallica minus curat infirmitates, secudum quod magis differunt in inperfectione & maturitate ab eis, & ex defectu sulphuris infecti, & foetidi, & vrentis, ex quo, generatione et coagulatione sua facta sunt ab initio, & ideo non curat.

Cum ergo aurum tanti vigoris sit apud vulgares, & hoc in sua prima dispositione manens, quare non mirum, sicut expertum est, si aurum in medicinis per artis ministerium sequentis naturam redigatur, & eius virtus subtilietur per digestione decoctionis, & qualitatum purgationem, quod multas seu omnes egritu dines habeat tunc curare.

Quod patet per Arnoldum de villa nova peritissimum medicu, qui dominum Innocentium Papam cum hac medicina ab infirmitate, ceteris medicis incurabilem liberauit.

De fene facit iuuenem, & reuiuiscere facit, seruat sanitatem, corroborat naturam, & omnem egritudinem corporis expellit, venenum a corde declinat, arterias humectat, contenta in pulmone dissoluit, breuiter totum corpus habile reddit.

Est ita preciosum quod nullus habet exsoluere, & ita rarum quod nullibi poteris reperire, ergo & c.

O foelix scietia cum sciente, qui eam habet incomparabilem thesaurum possidet, in salubri constellatione natus est, et in hoc seculo super omnes ditatus, coram Deo et hominibus honoratus, quia no per usuram & fraudem vel falsis mercimonijs, & pauperum spoliationem, nec per subditorum oppressionem, sicut iam potentes mundi ditantur.

Sed per laborem manuum & indistriam ingenij hic thesaurus acquiritur, ergo beatus.

Philosophi veritatem cognouerunt, ideo eam scientiam posuerunt super naturae motum & modum eius imitantes, nunquam aliquis philosophus repertus est mendacium posuisse, licet obscure locuti sint, & hoc propter eius nobilitatem fecerunt.

Aliqui scribunt in libris suis mendosis & altercatis.

Caue tibi ab odore eius, ne te interfici at.

Ecce qualis medicina & contrarietas, quae cum sanare debet, inducit mortem.

No est miru, quod res intoxicatiue ex venenis compositis, haec facere possunt.

Videte fatui quomodo vestra opera differunt ab opere naturae.

Quare fatigamini in huiusmodi rebus altis ad quas uenire non potestis taliter laborado nisi miraculose eueniat, ut accidit beato Ioanni, qui de virgulatis fecit aurum.

Dico vobis qualis est medicina, tale fit & aurum.

Reuertimini ad viam veritatis propter vosmetipsos.

Consulo vobis studere, dicta sapientum reuoluere, ex quibus veritatem elicite, non causaliter ad opus accedite.

Non aduertatis Recipe recipe, hoc & hoc, nescio quid, & fac taliter, nescio qualiter, Instrueme hoc, & ego docebo te illud.

Sic deceptus alium decipit, & sic tous mundus per tales est defraudatus.

Coecus enim si coeco ducatum praebeat, amboin foueam cadunt, Ubi enim videris, recipe cognita quod significet decipe, mutato r. in d.

Quae particularia sunt quae perficiuntur in hac arte.

Caput 12

Universaliter omnibus intuentibus ad quos praesentes deuenerint sermones, declaro.

Quia in totius artis serie non sunt nisi duo particularia quae particulariter perficiuntur secundu philosophos & naturam.

Primam particulare, tam in albo quam in rubeo existit in Mercurio, sine administratione medicine perfectae, Quamuis bene corpus cum quo perficitur in se occulte ipsius tincturam continet, veluti natura requirit.

Primum quod in eo particulariter perficitur ex utraque specie rerum est illud.

Cum Mercurius ex prima materia omnium metallorum compositus ex terra nimium alba, sulphurea & aqua clara.

Et ideo, albedo terrae transparet limpiditatem aquae, & in est color in eo albissimus, ut docet experientia.

Et continet in se sulphur bonum maturum & mundum, tunc possibile est ex eo particulariter fieri sole & lunam.

Philosophus Admisceatur per artificium alijs corporibus metallicis, quia est de natura eorum, & ipsa generata sunt ab eo.

Et ideo per artificium fieri potest, ut imitetur naturam digestam in illud, ut cum eis perficiatur.

Et sic quibus complectitur metallis fit simile illis, sine aliqua admixtione extranea, Cum simpliciter natura gaudet suae naturae, & non per aliquod extraneum.

Sed cum sole fit sol, cum luna, luna, cum venere venus, & c.

Cum unumquodque mittit in illud vim suam & etiam quia in se continet suum sulphur bonum & immaturum, quod per artem maturatur.

Qa ure alia metalla coagulata & infecta per sulphur adustibile particulariter sicut ipsum, sol & luna fieri non possunt.

Primaratio est: Si enim Mercurium transformarent, & admiscerent sum sole & luna, tunc ipsorum Mercurius haberet in feillud prehabitum sulphur malum, Et si purgaretur, tunc in tantum purgari non posset, quod reduceret in Mercurium, sicut ante talem simplicitatem.

Necetia possit corp9 per Mercurii in eo dissolui. Et cum dissolui non posset, tunc etiam vim seratam in illud mittere non posset, sed naturalis ex vtraq parte seratis, vnumquodq in examine ab altero separetur, cum in se non haberet naturam perfectam occulte, cum qua proprie per ipsorum solutiones perficere possent.

Sed cum semper ipsis necessarium sit mediante arte, ut alia corpora perfecta ipsis subuenirent cum sua natura, quae naturaliter est perfecta.

Secundo si insoluta adiungerentur corporibus perfectis, minus aurum & argentum fieri possent, cum naturaliter per congelationem ex utraque parte naturae earum serate sunt, & cum no est medium aperiens illas naturas, ad mit tendam unam uim in aliam, tunc coniungi non possunt coniunctione naturali, ita ut redeant in Mercurium, quae utraque parte per originem duxerunt, et ideo per vehementiam ignis ab inuicem separantur per combustionem naturae imperfecte. ut bene cernitur.

Ideo cum coniungere volueris, facias Mercurium per Mercurium qui dissoluit & aperit naturas saeparatas, ut simpliciter, unum possit trasire in aliud, & perfectum mittere vim in inperfectum, ut secum perficiatur.

Et isti sunt labores vie particularis, Et sic particulariter aurum & argentum fieri possunt, Non quod Mercurius crudus dissoluit corpora, & reducit ea in primam materiam suam siue natura.

Sed Mercurius corporum hoc facere non potest, & hoc propter cruditatem sui sulphuris, quam in prima sua generatione habuit.

Sed Mercurius crudus ex aqua clara ab initio factus, ille crudum semper appetit corrodere, & primo quod suae naturae vicinius est, scilicet aurum & argentum &c.

Sed alter Mercurius ex corporibus congelatus hoc facere non potest, quia per congelationem illud crudum sulphur, quod antea fuit in eo est alteratum in natuta, non corrodit sicut primum, nec seratum aperit.

Et ideo una vis no mittitur in aliam, sed unum quodque per se manet.

Bene quidem fluctualiter sunt coiuncta, sed naturaliter ex utraque parte sunt serata.

Quare per examen, & asperitatem ignis imperfectum comburitur, perfecto manente, quia una natura alteri succurrere non potest.

Sed cum argento viuo crudo hoc facere potest, scilicet naturas referare & aperire, ut unaqueque res vicina, sit suae naturae adiuuamen.

Ideo si dissoluitur argentum, inueniet argenteam naturam, & si aurum, inueniet auream, si plumbum plumbeam, & c. per ipsorum sulphur congelatur.

Unde Philosophus, Sed non alia corpora quae suam naturam non participant, sicut tu quaeris in multis foetidis rebus & immundis, Et ideo particulariter possibile est ex utraque parte ex eo fieri aurum & argentum, & in alijs corporibus non, ut audiuisti.

Nota, duplex est solutio corporum in Mercurium per Mercurium, & in aquam Mercurialem.

Prima solutio requiritur ad particularia.

Secunda ad uniuersalia.

Prima solutio corporum in Mercurium non est alia, nisi resolutio, id est, per solam resolutionem seratum aperitur, propter ingresum naturae unius in aliam, & ista resolutio est in particularibus.

Secunda solutio est in aquam Mercurialem & fit universaliter, Et illa fit, non per solam dissolutionem sulphuris immaturi in Mercurium, sed per putrefactionem corporis & spiritus in humido.

Cum putrefactio omniu naturarum ad inuicem ligatarum est solutio & separatio.

Et sic partes ligatae ab inuicem separantur, & unaqueque pars ab alia, & hoc fit per separationem & solutionem elementorum, que in generatione Mercurij sunt connexa scilicet aquae & terrae.

Et eaedem partes dum purgatur in natura per conuersionem coniunguntur, & plus se diligunt propter eorum mundificationem, quam antea in natura.

Sed haec separatio fieri non potest in corporibus nisi per spiritum, sic ars transcendit naturam in una via, licet artificialia bene subito fiant, que tamen antea naturaliter prolixa fuerunt.

Non tamen credas, quo haec sint elementa vulgaria, scilicet aqua nubis vel consimilia, Sed frigidum & siccum terra, frigidum & humidum aqua, humidum & calidum aer, calidum & siccum ignis.

Et sic sunt in naturis elementorum.

Tame ne quaquam ars potest partes connexas in generatione ita separare, quod simpliciter in elementa quae fuerunt transmutentur, cum prima natura unam qualitatem mutauit in aliam, taliter ars separare bene potest, ut humidum a sicco, frigidum a calido, Sed tamen una qualitas adhuc de naturali commixtione possidet natura alterius in aliqua parte, & per haec possunt per arte viceuersa coniungi, sicut diuisa sunt.

Si illud non esset, quod una qualitas participaret naturam alterius, scilicet aqua naturam terrae in frigiditate, aer naturam aqua in humiditate, & sic de caeteris.

Tunc sequeretur, quod naturale opus esset totaliter destructum, cum simplicissima essent elementa sicut antea fuerunt, ante Mercurij generatione ars destruxisset naturam a capite incipiens, scilicet ab auro & argento, usque ad principium, id est, argentum viuum.

Et ultra ista principia simplicium elementorum, secundum quod antea fueruut ante Mercurij generationem, ita remote in arte est impossibile.

Si esset possibile, tunc sequeretur, quod de nouo extra primam materiam Mercurium metallorum, ars componeret elementa, & viceuersa ars generaret Mercurium sicut destruxit, quod impossibile est artificialiter fieri.

Bene qui dem ars destruitur a capite usque ad pedes, id est, Mercurium a pede aedificans usque ad caput in subtiliori forma cum substantia nature, que antea fuit, ars concedit.

Sic diuiduntur species rerum cum in alia forma quam antea fuerunt transmutantur.

Ut testatur Philosophus dices.

Sciant artifices alchemie, species reru permutari non posse (quod quide verum est) nisi in primam materiam transmutetur vel conuertantur, id est, in argentum viuum.

Et ultra hoc non consulit. Secus fieri est impossibile.

Secundum particulare est in Sole, Mercurio, & Sulphure Philosophorum

Caput 13

Cum supradictum est quod luna contineat in se sulphur album, sicut aurum rubeum.

Tamen ignis species sub albedine in eo est obtecta.

Ideo omne argentum possibile est fieri aurum.

Unde Philos. No est auru nisi prius fuit argentu.

Sic argentu continet in se aliquas qualitates indigestas, quae possunt ab eo purgari per arte, ita quod particulariter transit in Mercurium fixu, & in vicinissimam naturam auri, quia omne tunc continet in se, quod & aurum, per appositionem sulphuris philosohorum rubei, quo plus digeritur, & citrinatio in eo causatur in adiuctione corporis perfecti, cum sint simpliciter unius naturae.

Et hoc fit per solutionem corporis lunaris de sicco in humidum, & tunc eadem natura simplex, est magis obediens digestiue naturae ad introductionem sulphuris rubei Philosophorum non vrentis.

Hoc aute in alijs corporibus fieri est impossibile, cum, tantam vicinitatem naturae perfectae non habeant sicut ipsum, quod est impeditum, in generatione ipsorum per sulphur adustibile & foetidum, nec ipsa sunt Mercurius de quo loquitur Philosophus. Non fit transitus de extremo ad extremum. nisi per medium, id est, ex Mercurio non generatur aurum, nisi prius fuerit argentum, Nec in se habent sulphur ignis simplicis non urentis, fed sulphur adurens.

Et ideo in Mercurium fixum particulariter transformari non possunt, ut supradictum est per Aristotelem. Sciant artifices & c. Sed similia illis facere possunt, & tingere per rubeum citrinum ut videatur aurum, & album tingere albo, donec multum sit simile argento.

Possunt quoque plumbi immundiciam abstergere, vel aliorum corporum aegrorum ut videatur aurum & argentum, Veruntamen plumbum manet semper plumbum, quia in se non habet qua litates digestas auri & argenti, ut dictum est supra: Ut hij, qui accipiunt sale armoniacum, vel alia minora mineralia, ad illudendum homines, & coniungunt cuprum vel stannum cum Mercurio, ut appareat hominibus argentum, & aliquo modo fabricabile, & in igne examinabile, secundum eos qui in igne experti sunt.

[Cuprum]
Qui tamen in hoc illuduntur, quia veram naturam argenteam in se non habent, sicut apparet in colore & examinatione.

Prima ratio est: Cuprum continet in se aliqualiter mundum Mercurium, nisi in quatum ex sulphure existit de fortis infectum, quia sulphur foetidu & adustibile in se habet quod ipsum comburit, & rubedinem non bene digestam habet, ratione sulphuris rubei & immundi, cum Mercurius habet substantiam pre sulphure,

[Sulphur coburit Mercurium]
& ideo tardius deficit in igne quam plumbum vel stannum, quia Mercurius resistit igni, nisi in quantum violentiam patitur a sulphure sibi commixto.

Nota, Ergo diuide sulphur a Mercurio bono, pre cupro, ut scis. Sed quod plumbum citius comburitur hoc est ratione Mercurij infecti, quia Mercurius infectus cum imperfecto sulphure, sicut plumbu est, quaerit aliquod vicinatum suae imperfectionis.

[Ratio pulchra.]
Et cum argentum & cuprum commixta sunt, in argento non inuenit quam rem infectam, sed in cupro inuenit primo sulphur adurens, cui citius admiscetur, & in commixtione uniuersali, Mercurius cupro magis inficitur, cum plumbum sit ex utraque parte, scilicet Mercurij & sulphuris infectum, etiam quia plus malum citius adhaeret malo, in tantum debilius & peius erit, & ideo citius adhaeret cupro vel argento, inficiens & comburens illud cum natura cupri & argenti, ut audisti, cum ex utraque parte sit serata peiori subuenire non potest, & sic plumbum comburit cuprum ab argento, quod tardius separatur sine plumbo, quoniam in quantum magis imperfectius est, tanto debilius erit & combustibile, Sed in coniunctione stanni cum cupro, & Mercurio, aliquo modo aperit naturas & coniungit haec duo, scilicet stannu et cupru, Mercuriu ex utraque parte aliquo modo mundum, & cum stannu habeat Mercurium mundum,

[Stannum Mercurius mundus.]
& sulphur malum, debiliter commixtum, coniungitur Mercurius Mercurio, & Mercurius semper habet potetiam sulphuris, variando colorem cupri, qui existit in sulphure, ita quod noua forma appareat, & etiam ita cito sulphur comburere no potest sicut ante ipsum Mercurium, Et cum Mercurius crudus coagulatur per ipsum, alternatur cum eis in natura, sic ut aliquo modo apparet argentum, quamuis vere non sit argentum cum in eo non fuerit debita digestio & decoctio, & sulphur ignis non simplicis & virtualis naturae sicut ipsum argentum viuum, ex quo aurum & argentum ex utraque parte scilicet Mercurij et sulphuris sufficienter sunt digesta, & bone maturitatis, & in omni digestione perfecta.

[Iuuamen minoru minoralium.]
Sic habes argetum sophisticum ex stanno, cupro & Mercurio.

Et si tunc admiscueris aliquos pulueres minorum mineralium, non est impossibile si Mercurius super potentiam agat.

Sed tamen semper cum adhuc sit imperfectum, in fine diminuitur & comburitur in igne, cum sulphur non sit virtualis naturae sicut ipse Mercurius, sed semper occulte obnoxius & inficies Mercuriu, quam uis bene Mercurius sit suppeditatus.

Et sic postmodum in stercus redibit, sicut ante fuit.

Sic ergo intellige quomodo verum aurum & argentum differunt a sophistico, licet plures sophisticationes fiant eodem modo per alia metalla in rubeum & album, adiuctis minoribus mineralibus vel aliquo ipsoru.

Sunt aut illi laborantes delusi, cu aestimant se bonam inuenisse apparentiam, hoc facit eorum ignoratia, quia naturas metalloru no cognoscunt.

De natura Mercurij.

Caput 14.

Cias quod Mercurius siue in terra per opus naturae, siue extra per opus artis nunquam corporore, nisi mortificatus & retentus.

[Coagulatio Mercurij.]
Mortificatur autem & retinetur per sublimationem debitam, & per imbibitiones aquarum acutarum, & cibationes limaturarum sibi pertinentium, & per vaporem sulphuris sublimati & praeparati praecipue perducit, coagulatur ad duriciem & formam metallica.

[In formam metallicam]
Sublimior eius cibatio est marchasita alba ad album, & rubea ad rubeum.

Scias quod hoc probatum est, Sis ergo cautus in eius sublimatione & ex pertus: Vidi enim, quod quando sublimatur in vase vitreo cum longo collo, ad hoc parato, semper manet id ipsum quotiescunque etiam sublimatur, & non plus siccatur, nec induratur, nec habet respiraculum sursum, per quod humiditas sua euanida & aquosa euolet.

[Glandosus Mercurius]
Cum autem in sublimatione vel inter alias suas praeparationes incipit fieri glandosus, tunc scias, quodiam conuertitur in speciem quam intendis, & secundum hoc obserua bis ipsum, & procedis in opere via recta.

Istud capitulum ultimum ascribitur Calisteno.

Finish.