C. R.

CHARLES the Second by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greet∣ing. Whereas JOHANNES SEGERƲS WEIDENFELD Gent. hath by his humble Petition represented unto us, That with much Study, and great Expence he hath composed a Tract De Se∣cretis Adepto•um, which he is desirous to Print in Our Dominions, and hath therefore humbly besought us to grant unto him Our Royal Licence and Priviledge for the sole Printing and Publishing thereof: We have received good Testimony of the Usefulness of the said Tract, and being willing to give all fitting Encouragement to such commendable Works; have thought fit to condescend to that his Request; and We do accordingly hereby grant Our Royal Licence and Priviledge unto him the said JOHANNES SEGERƲS WEIDENFELD, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, for, and during the space of fourteen Years, to be computed from the day of the first setting forth of the same: And Our Royal Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby Require and Command, That du∣ring the said Term of Fourteen Years, no Printer, Publisher, or other Person whatsoever, being our Subjects, do presume to Imprint, or cause to be Imprinted without the Knowledge and Consent of him the said JOHANNES SEGERƲS WEIDENFELD, his Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, the aforesaid Tract, or any Part thereof, or to sell the same, or to import into our Kingdom of England any Copies thereof, Imprinted in any Parts beyond the Seas, upon pain of the Loss and Forfeiture of all Copies so Imprinted, Sold, or Imported, contrary to the Tenor of this Our Royal Li∣cence, and of such other Penalties as the Laws and Statutes of this Our Realm will inflict: And of this Our Pleasure, the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Company of Stationers, are to take Notice, that the same may be Entred in their Register, and due Obedience be yielded thereunto. Given at Our Court at Windsor, the 18th. Day of August 1684. in the Six and Thirtieth Year of Our Reign.

By His Majesties Command. SUNDERLAND.

FOUR BOOKS OF JOHANNES SEGERƲS WEIDENFELD, Concerning the SECRETS of the ADEPTS; OR, Of the Use of Lully's Spirit of VVine:

A PRACTICAL WORK. With very great Study Collected out of the Ancient as well as Modern FATHERS of ADEPT PHILOSOPHY, Reconciled together, BY Comparing them one with another, otherwise disagreeing, and in the newest Method so aptly digested, that even young Practi∣tioners may be able to discern the Counterfeit or Sophistical Pre∣parations of Animals, Vegetables and Minerals, whether for Medi∣cines or Metals, from True; and so avoid Vagabond Impostors, and Imaginary Processes, together with the Ruine of Estates.

ISAACUS HOLLANDUS.

2. Oper. Miner. Cap. 3. Pag. 420. Vol. 3. Theatr. Chym.

I discours'd you plainly, using no Allegories; should I tell you of Selbach, Kalcabria, Manessi, and of a red Matter, or of the Sky-coloured Muerach, Illabar, and Calfa∣ria, or the like, you would not easily apprehend me; but I have opened you the way, and removed every Obstacle, that you may not err.

London, Printed by Will. Bonny, for Tho. Howkins in George-Yard in Lombard-Street, MDCLXXXV.

Authori Sacrum.
QUod nemo est ausus citior, quod nemo Sophorum
Praestitit, in calamo claret in orbe tuo
Hactenus in sophicis sparsim tumulata tenebris
Ars jacuit, dubiis inveterata strophis.
Fabula nasutis; avidis{que} Tarantula stultis;
Oedipus ignaris; & Labyrinthus avis.
Hic asinum fingebat equum, mox certior alter
Pone aures leporem se tenuisse putat.
Sic inhians Lapidi, Lapidis vice volvere saxum
Conatur chymici nescia turba gregis.
Hoc quantum tua nunc removendo industria saxo
Contribuat, sophiae judicat ipse tyro.
Semisophi{que} tuos psallent sine fraude labores,
Veri candoris propria signa tui.
Et ciniflona cohors, exspes, prostrata, resumptis
Viribus, antiquum (macte!) subibit onus.
Ne vero sine re sis infelicior ipsis,
Perge laborantem continuare manum,
Participes{que} Sacro digitos carbone notare,
Ut videant sibi Te reddere nolle parem.

Quo tua sedulitas tibi nomen & omen Adepti
Aspirante Dei conciliabit ope.
Postera{que} emeritas cantabit natio laudes
Et referet grates ubere dote pias.
Sic Amico suo cecinit ALBERTƲS OTHO FABER, Reg. Maj. Britannicae Med. Ordinar.

To the Right Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, A CHIEF MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY: Long Life and Health.

THE Arcanums of Paracelsus be∣ing applauded by many men with so many and such am∣ple Encomiums, yet not enough, incited me Ten Years since, first to under∣take the consulting of Paracelsus him∣self about his Medicines. Two Years thereof had elapsed, in which I turn∣ed over his Books day and night, with an indefatigable and invincible Mind, yet with unequal Success, and scarce any Benefit at all: For in the Books of Paracelsus, besides the usual way of concealing Secrets, common

to the Adepts, I found another much greater difficulty withal, yet less fre∣quented by the Adepts; Paracelsus, as Corrector of the Adepts, having pro∣pos'd to himself therein, the instruct∣ing of not only raw initiated Scho∣lars, but even expert Masters of the more secret Chymy, and for this reason he abbreviates his Receipts with wonderful Accurtations, Learned in∣deed to the Learned, but to us seem as lame and impe•fect; and besides, they are so disguised with most in∣tricate Terms of the true Philosophical Chymy, as to illude not only shallow, but profound Capacities: Which Im∣possibility (I had almost said) of un∣derstanding, Paracelsus aggravates, by intermixing Common with Secret Receipts; which is not for a Scho∣lar, but a most experienced Master to distinguish.

But of these Difficulties, the first and greatest Obstacle withal, was my own unhappy Preconception of some

Alkahest: For being now out of the hope of attaining to the preparation of this Liquor by other mens Books, as well as Paracelsus his own De Viribus Membrorum, I betook my self to other places, treating of the Circulatum mi∣nus, and Specificum corrosivum (as synoni∣mous Terms of the Alkahest with some men) to which I added the Aqua or Oleum Salis, Aqua Comedens, Aqua Regis, Circulatum majus, and one after another, being perswaded that some one only universal Menstruum was intended by all, that I might find the Method of preparing this Liquor in all places compared together, which I could not in each severally; but at length despairing, and being overcome by the manifold and almost incredible, yet unsuccessful pains I took, I re∣solved to decline Chymy and Medicine, as Arts too deep for my understand∣ing: When behold! on a sudden the Eyes of my Mind were opened, and I saw all these things differ, not in name only, but also in matter, preparation

and use; so instead of one Liquor Al∣kahest, which I sought for, I found in Paracelsus many Menstruums, with the several Uses of them all in Medicine; now knew I how to prepare, and ac∣cording to Paracelsus, distinguish things into Essences, Magisteries, Astrums, Arcanums, and those which he calls the less Medicines; so that which was in Paracelsus most difficult to be under∣stood by others, became more clear to me than any thing else; and so I obtained the End sooner than the Beginning: Yet the Joy from thence accrewing, fell shorter than expecta∣tion; for having tried several Expe∣riments in vain, I came to understand that these Menstruums of Paracelsus con∣tained something abstruse and un∣known, to be understood, not in the least according to the Letter: where∣upon, examining them more exactly, and comparing their Qualities with the Nature of the Liquor Alkahest, I found a vast difference between it and them; for it is said, There is one Li∣quor

Alkahest, and that universal; but many are the Menstruums of Paracelsus, that indestructible, that destructible; that not mixing with Bodies, these abiding with them; that preserves the Virtues of things, these alter them; that ascends after the Essences of things in destillation, these before their dissolutions, &c. I was at a stand sometime which part to take; one while I wish'd for one indestructible Liquor, rather than many destructi∣ble Menstruums, supposing that one better than many; another while changing my Mind, I desired the Menstruums, as sufficient for many Uses I knew before.

Truth overcame at length, enabling me now to demonstrate the most, if not all the Medicines of Paracelsus in Guido and Basilius: On the contrary, I perceived the Arcanums of Paracelsus, (commonly so called) as prepared by that Liquor Alkahest, or the like, to be more and more different, yea con∣trary to the Authentick: wherefore

as to the Preparation of Medicines, I began to abstain, yea desisted from further enquiring into the obscure Matter, Preparation and Use of that Liquor Alkahest, namely, that which I find described in one place of Pa∣racelsus as a Medicine, but not in the least as a Menstruum: Which Obstacle being removed, I found an easie way from Paracelsus to Lully, Basilius, and other Philosophers of the same Fa∣culty, who I saw agreed all unani∣mously in confirmation of the Para∣celsian Menstruums; yea Light adding Light to Light, appeared so clear, that their preparation, variety, simple and literal sense shewed themselves all at once, one only Word remaining un∣known, yet expressing the universal Basis of all the Adepts, and that is Spirit of Wine, not Common, but Philo∣sophical; which being known and ob∣tained, the greatest Philosophical, Me∣dicinal, Alchymical, and Magical My∣steries of the more secret Chymy, will be in the power of the Possessor. In

no Books of the Adepts, hitherto known of me, have I found any thing rare, that owes not its original Being to this Spirit; so that I dare affirm, that whatsoever Chymical Spirits lower and higher, fixed and volatile, are a∣ble to do, the very same, and more will this our Spirit perform: This it was that moved me to employ all my Study and Endeavours, turning over every Stone in quest of the Spirit of this Wine, and continually ruminating upon those abstruse, and variously disguis'd Terms whereby they cloud∣ed it, as the Key of all Philosophy, behold the Fame of your great Name welcom'd me to Wilde, the Metropolis of Lithuania; and observing that You in expounding Natural Philosophy, ab∣stained from all manner of Intricacy, and as the first and only Person in∣deed using a plain and candid Series of Words in applying common Ex∣amples of Vulgar Chymistry, I rejoyced with my self, thinking, What could not this great man do, if Master of

the more secret Chymy? I resolved with my self therefore to take a Jour∣ney into England, for your sake alone, that I might confer with you about the Menstruums as well as Medicines, and other Secrets of Paracelsus; from whom also I promised to my self very great Assistance in some other things not yet known: Nor indeed has my hope deceived me; for besides the easie admission, common to all Strangers and Foreigners, you have been pleas'd to vouchsafe me a more free Access, received me courteously, and com∣mended my Studies, and thereby rais'd my Mind to greater Things: Which Favours do oblige me to Dedicate this part of my Studies to you your self; Earnestly and Humbly beseeching you kindly to accept it, and continue your Love and Friendly Countenance to him that is and ever will be

Your Honour's Most Obedient Servant, J. S. W.

TO THE STUDENTS OF THE MORE Secret Chymy.

UNder Heaven is not such an Art, more promoting the honour of God, more con∣ducing to Mankind, and more narrowly searching into the most profound Secrets of Na∣ture, than is our true and more than laudable Chymy. This is it which shews the Clemency, Wisdom, and Omnipotence of the Creator in the Creatures; which teacheth not only Speculation, but also Practice and Demonstration, the Beginning, Pro∣gress, and end of things; which restoreth our Bo∣dies from infinite Diseases, as by common means intolerable to pristine health, and diverts our Minds from the Cares and Anxieties of the World (the Thorns and Bryars of our Souls) to Tranquility of Life, from Pride to Humility, from the Love and Desire of worldly Wealth to the Contempt thereof: And in a word, which raiseth us from earth to heaven; Yet for all that may we say of it

with the same truth, that amongst all the Arts, which have yielded any benefit or profit to the World, there is none, by which less honour has hitherto accrued to God Almighty, and less utility to mankind; for lest a Science of so great dignity and utility should be too common, or ill managed by the ignorant and impious, the prudent Possessors of the same made it their business so to describe it, as to make it known to their Disciples only, but exclude unworthy altogether from it: But in pro∣cess of time, the Adepts arriving to a greater per∣fection of Knowledge and Experience, invented sometimes one, some•imes another shorter Me∣thod in their Work, altering Fornaces, Fires, Ves∣sels, Weights, yea, and the Matter it self; who being thereby also constrain'd to make new Theo∣ries and Terms of Art, according to the new in∣vented Practice, it happened, that the Scholar of one Adept understood not the new Theory, much less the practice of another; which also sometimes happened to the Adepts themselves, those especially, which were under the document of some certain Patron in some particular Method and Process; for they had not the power of discerning further than they had learnt; whereupon they commonly suspected all the Notions of other men, especially those that differed from theirs, though in them∣selves good and right, as fallacious and contrary to Nature, or applied other mens Theories, Sen∣tences, and Terms of Art unknown to themselves, to their own private Process, with which they were

acquainted, as I shall by many Examples elsewhere declare; by which very thing they involved this Art in such a Chaos of obscurity, that hitherto neither Masters nor Scholars have scarce had the power of communicating any benefit to the learn∣ed World.

It is to be wondred at, but rather lamented, to see such imperfect Philosophical Systems, as have been hitherto bequeathed to us by the Masters of this Art, not seldom contradicting both Nature and themselves, whereas the Miracles of Nature might by virtue of this Art have been truly and plainly without any convulsion or contraction of words expressed; in which respect I dare, with Philosophical Licence here affirm, that most of the Adepts have by their Writings declared them∣selves to the World better Chymists than Philoso∣phers.

For what I pray could they have better done in Medicine, than to have applied themselves to this Subject, imitating the diligence and industry of Paracelsus? But alas! amongst all, I find perhaps three or four, who have been careful and cordial herein; and therefore the less to be admired, that this noble and necessary Art, has made no greater progress, witness Common Chymistry, where the names of famous Medicines are noised about, them∣selves being unknown, and Shells given for Ker∣nels.

Lately indeed we had not only hope, but pro∣mises also from the Rosy-Crucian Fraternity, as if

they had a mind to make this our Age more happy by their Studies; but no effect being hitherto heard of, we cannot but fear, their fair promises will never be performed.

On the contrary, Experience teacheth, that in∣stead of an universal good derived from the Foun∣tain of this Art, the World hath rather been in∣volved by it in great and many Miseries: for the Adepts affirming, yea more than often with oaths confirming, that they in their Writings treated more clearly and truly of the Art, than any other Philosophers, have thereby instigated many young Novices of all Degrees and Faculties, to begin their Chymical Labours according to the Method of their Prescriptions, exposing themselves not only to intolerable Expences, but also being as it were obstinate in a certain confidence of their under∣standing the Authors genuine meaning, do rather die amongst the Coals and Fornaces, than recede from their Imaginations, once imprinted in them for true: Whereupon some of the more Learned Inquirers ruminating with themselves, how rarely, and with what great difficulty some of the Adepts attained to the Art by the reading of Books only, thought it a point of Prudence to desert the Au∣thors, together with their Books, perswading them∣selves to be able to find out a nearer and easier way by virtue of their own Genius and Reason, trying, repeating, altering, &c. Experiments and Conclusions; but herein were they disappointed of their desired success, no less than as a Mariner

sayling without a Compass, and so such Inquirers would have acted more advisedly, if they had in∣quired in themselves, whether they had overcome all the Difficulties obvious to them, before they applied themselves to this more secret Art, and doubtless many of them would have hearkned to the Counsel of Theobald of Hohenland (who co∣piously described the Difficulties of this Art collect∣ed out of Philosophers Books) and avoided it, as worse than the Plague, or a Serpent: For who of you (saith our Saviour) intending to build a Tower, will not first sit down, and compute the Charge, whe∣ther he has wherewith to finish it, lest having laid the Foundation, and not being able to perfect it, all that beheld it, should begin to deride him, saying, That man began to build, and could not finish the Build∣ing, Luke 14.38.

But I am sensible that these Admonitions will rather be slighted than accepted, especially by those who are loath to have the magnificent Towers built by themselves in the Air, demolished: For notwithstanding the impossibility of removing the aforesaid difficulties by some men, they endeavour to perswade others, that they can teach them, what as yet they know not themselves, and so will rather persist in deceiving, than desist from that which they know to be Weakness and Error: O∣thers think themselves very able to overcome all manner of difficulties, and therefore it is in vain to disswade them from this Art: Others indeed perceiving all the difficulties, and an undoubted

incapacity in themselves of facilitating them, are, though free from all fraud and arrogance, yet by some natural or secret impulse so incited to this Art, as not to be driven from it by any Argu∣ment.

Wherefore having a sense of the frailty which mankind is afflicted with, to them will I dedicate my Studies relating to Medicine. Deceivers I will restrain, shame those that ascribe more to them∣selves than due; but the true Disciples of this Art, I will lead by the hand, that they may not for the future be subject to the derision, reproaches and scoffs of Satyrs, together with the loss of health, as well of Mind as Body, and at length verifie in themselves the lamentable Prediction of Geber, saying, Most miserable and unhappy is he, whom, af∣ter the end of his work, God denies to see the Truth, for he ends his Life in Error; who being constituted in perpetual labour, and surrounded with all manner of Misfortune and Infelicity, loseth all the Comfort and Joy of this World, and spends his Life in Sorrow, without any benefit or reward, Lib. 2. Invest. cap. 38. So with the same Argument will I vindicate this the best of Arts from the Injuries of Defamers, who being deceived, by not knowing the Princi∣ples, accuse it as fraudulent, impossible, and so ridiculous, as that they deter the Lovers of it, and incite them to vilifie all the demonstrations and fa∣mous Testimonies of the same; and lastly, That the Honour and Glory of God hitherto buried in the Ashes of it, may from thence rise again, as a

Phoenix, I will set before your eyes, that which you have not been hitherto able to find in so many Vo∣lumes of this Art, namely, Diana naked, or with∣out Cloaths; that is, I will take from her Face and Body, the Vizards of Tropes, Figures, Parables, barbarous Names, &c. by which she hath been hi∣therto disguised, lest she should be obvious to the knowledge of wicked men. I will expose Diana to you, namely, the very Truth of our Art (with so much study and labour sought in vain) not co∣vered indeed so much as with the Veyl of necessary expression, but her most secret parts shall be expo∣sed to your view, concerning which the Adepts gave exceeding caution to their Disciples, adding a Curse withal, not to divulge them to the unwor∣thy Rabble. Wherefore if you desire to know the Menstruums of Diana, wherewith the Adepts pre∣pared their Philters, the Liquors of Life and Death, if you would know the way how they prepared their Tinctures, either universal or particular for Metals; if lastly, you covet to know how they made pretious Stones, Pearls, perpetual Lights, together with other Secrets of the Art, read the Receipts of the four Books following; Receipts I say, which were either not understood, or altoge∣ther slighted by almost all of you, because of the ruggedness of their Style, which sometimes also you esteemed vain, false, and impossible, compi∣led in a manner meerly to deceive you; yet most true, collected not out of trivial vulgar Chymistry, but out of the best Books of the best Adepts, the

Treasury of Diana; Receipts, I say, so concatena∣ted and elaborated by as well the congruity, as wonderful dexterity of the Masters, that where you take away or deny one of them, you cannot but reject all the rest as false: on the contrary, he that owns one amongst all to be true, must re∣pute all the rest true; and consequently vindicate the Authors of them, our most venerable Masters from all the Infamy of Lying and Scurrility. Va∣riety springing out of Unity, the Fountain of Truth, and returning into it, as into its Ocean, il∣lustrates the excellency of those Receipts: I could never yet satisfie my self, whether there be infinite, or only one Receipt in our Chymy, divided into divers parts, and designed for several Uses: Variety I observe in the various and distinct parts of these four Treatises, but Unity in every part, yea in the Individual of every Part, you will al∣ways find three confirming one Treatise: In the the First Book of Menstruums, you will find also the Medicines of the Second, and Alchymical Tinctures of the Third, and Secrets of the Fourth Book; which very thing is also to be understood of the Second, Third and Fourth Books. Lastly, These Receipts are not only true, but also clear, described by plain and common Words, to be un∣derstood not only according to the Letter, but al∣so by their clearness, illustrating and explaining Places more obscure otherwise not intelligible, so that by one only Process you will sometimes ex∣plain more than ten Theoretical Books, never ex∣plicable but by this Light.


Now these Receipts I was willing to com∣municate to you, ye indefatigable Students of this Art, for the Reasons already given, as also that you may throughly apprehend the absolute necessity of Lully's Spirit of Wine in our Chymy, before I treat with you concerning the Matter and Prepara∣tion of it. No man desires that which is unknown to him, or pursues that which he knows not the benefit of: Wherefore I was desirous first to de∣monstrate the several Ʋses of this Spirit by the Ex∣periments of the Adepts, which if you find true, they will be of such service to you hereafter, as to be much to your detriment to be without them; but if false, slight and give no credit to them, but accuse the Masters, the Authors of them, of Ly∣ing, Deceit and Villany; but such wickedness I never expect from you, whatsoever Adversaries, the blind and ignorant of this Art, will do, we little regard, and if a Zoilus or Momus appear ac∣cording to his Custom, let him chaw the Shell, that is, the homely Style, the slender and slight Observations and Conclusions given upon the Receipts, all which we give him freely; but touch the Kernel he cannot.

But if either now or hereafter you reap any joy or benefit by the sight of Diana, attribute it not to Diana, though of Ephesus, nor to me, but to God Almighty, who hath by his Light brought us out of this Cimmerian Darkness: The time per∣haps will come, wherein I may be further useful and assistant, in procuring liberty for you to em∣brace

Diana in your Arms, as also discourse fami∣liarly with her concerning her Doves, Forest, Foun∣tain, Milk, Aqua vitoe, &c. for at present you read the Inscription upon her Forehead, Touch me not. Wherefore I advise you, not to touch the Secrets of Diana unless you have to try the Fate and Fortune of Acteon.

Inscius Actaeon vidit sine veste Dianam,
Praeda suis canibus non minus ille fuit.
Actaeon, hunting in the Woods alone,
When he the naked Goddess saw unknown,
He (for who could her Fury stay?)
Was to her Fury and his Dogs a Prey.
We may indeed behold her, but not embrace her yet a while; for this is permitted to none but A∣depts, and such as are Masters of the Philosophical Wine; but if you object with the Poet,

Quid juvat Aspectus, si non conceditur Ʋsus?
'Tis not the Sight, but Use that gives Delight.
To these Things I answer you, That by viewing Diana naked,

1. You will find, that all the Secrets of Chymy depend upon one only Center of the Art. namely, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

2. You will understand, that all the Preparati∣ons of all the Secrets are done according to the signification of the Words.

3. You will perceive, that all Processes of what Method and Matter soever, if not without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, are true, and will ne∣ver be false.


4. Whatsoever is rare or select, dispersed here and there by the best of the Adepts, you will have here pick'd and digested into order, so, as that there will be nothing wanting, but the enjoyment of them

5. You will moreover have the convenience of chusing the best and shortest out of all the Pro∣cesses.

6. Or you will be enabled to find out also more of your selves, if these please you not.

7. You will see that he who hath performed even the least thing in this Art, may consequently also perform the greatest.

8. One only clear Process will open the under∣standing of more, otherwise most obscure.

9. You may know also, that the Adepts them∣selves have been sometimes in the dark, and often∣times understood not the style of anothers Wri∣ting: That some have corrected others, and so made the Art more perfect.

10. And to say all at once; No man, though never so Learned, though never so Eloquent, though never so subtil an Impostor, will be able for the future, either by his Authority, Perswasion, or subtilty, to deceive any man, and drive him out of our common Road into an untrodden Path, ex∣cept he be willing himself.

Nor will you alone be free from the Deceipts of other men, but your own Mistakes also; by which you have hitherto most miserably lost all, Time, Pains, Money, Health, and what not? You have

made your very Life it self vain, unprofitable, and offensive to your selves as well as others.

Yea and such are the glittering Rays of our Dia∣na, that I fear they will dazzle your eyes, like as the Israelites were at the sight of Moses de∣scending from the Mountain.

You will scarce believe me, should I affirm, that the Secrets of the Adepts are to be understood and prepared according to the Letter; if you argue it to be improbable that the Adepts should have ex∣posed their Mysteries to the view of all men, they themselves having advertised you of the contrary. What then?

Is not this our Art, saith Artesius, cabalistical, and full of Mysteries? And you Fool believe we teach the Secrets of Secrets openly, and understand our Words according to the Letter; be assured (I am not envious as others) he that takes the Philosophers Sayings ac∣cording to the common sence and signification, has al∣ready lost the Clew of Ariadnes, and wanders up and down the Labyrinth, and it would be of the same be∣nefit to him, as if he had thrown his Money into the Sea. The same thing adviseth Sendivogius in the Preface of the twelve Treatises: I would, saith he, have the candid Reader know, that my Writings ad∣mit not so much a verbal construction, but such rather as Nature requireth, lest afterwards he should have Cause to bewail the expence of time, pains and cost in vain, &c. Because, as Arnold saith in his Speculum, An intention according to the Letter nothing avails, and to operate according to the intention of the Let∣ters,

is the dissipation of Riches. For, saith Geber, Where we spoke most openly we conceal'd the Art, speaking to an Artist not Aenigmatically, but in a plain series of Discourse. Yea Roger Bacon proceeds further, saying, When I swear I say true, believe it a lie, that is, as to the Letter, and therefore when I tell you of Stalks, understand Lead, &c. lib de Arte Chymica, pag. 56. All that I say is false, therefore nothing I say is true; wherefore I pray, believe me not; but when I say true, take it to be false; and if this, the contrary: So that which is false will be tur∣ned into true, and that which is true, into false: I tell you these things, that you may beware of things that are to be avoided, and believe things credible, in writing properly, I write not, &c. p. 301. And though I say, Take this and this, believe me not, operate ac∣cording to the Blood, that is, the Ʋnderstanding, and so of all; leave off Experiments; apprehend my meaning, and you will find, believe me being already a lighted Candle, pag. 345.

These and the like may you alleadge to confirm your Opinion; but give me leave to suggest to you the distinction that is to be made between the Theoretical and Practical Books of the Adepts: In the Theoretical Books there is scarce any thing to be understood literally, all things being paraboli∣cal, aenigmatical, &c. But in the Practical Books all things are clear and intelligible, according to the Letter: Philosophical Wine alone excepted, the foundation and beginning of all Secrets: For ex∣ample, Take the magnum Testamentum of Lully, in

the Theoretical part of which, is Philosophically, that is, by various Sophisms, described the Nature, Matter, and Preparation of Lully's Wine; but in the Practical part of this Testamentum, the Ʋse of this Wine is declared according to the Letter: From hence will you also easily observe, That those A∣depts which reject the Literal Sense are rather Theoretical than Practical: We treating at pre∣sent of the practice of the Adepts, or the Ʋse of Philosophical Wine, will prove that most of the Se∣crets delivered to us by them, are according to the Letter.

But some of you will urge, that the Adepts themselves have even more than often declamed against the Literal Sence of Practice, against the very Descriptions (commonly called Receipts) of Experiments; but let these our Companions know, the Adepts wrote against two sorts of Re∣ceipts.

The first comprehends the Receipts of Smoak∣sellers, Deceivers, wicked men, who pretend they either had them from the Disciple of some Adept, or found them in the Walls of some old Cloister or Sepulcher; against whom hear Dionysius Za∣charias, Pag. 781. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. saying, Before I left the Colledge of Arts, I entred into familiarity and friendship with many other Scholars; they had divers Books of Chymical Receipts, which being lent me, I transcribed with very great diligence, my pri∣vate Master, who had also a long time before began to labour in this Art, consenting; so that before I went

away, I had gathered a very large Book of such Re∣ceipts, I went presently with my Master to the Place where I was to study Law, began to turn over my Wri∣tings; whereof some contained Projections of One up∣on Ten, others upon Twenty, Thirty; a Third, a half part; for the Red of eighteen Carrachs, twenty, &c. into Gold of Crowns, Ducats, and of the highest co∣lour that could be; One was to endure Melting, ano∣ther the Touch-stone, another all Tryals: Of the White likewise, one was to be of Ten penny, another of Eleven, another Sterling Silver, coming white out of the Fire, another white from the Touch: In short, I thought if I were able to perform the least of those things greater felicity could not happen to me in this world.

Especially when I read the Inscriptions of great Persons before such Receipts; one of the Queen of Navarr, another of the Cardinal of Lorain, Tu∣rine, and infinite others, that by such Disguises and Titles, Credit might be given by unwary men.

Bernhard also complains of the same Receipts, pag. 771. ejusd. Vol. If I had had, saith he, at first, all the Books, which I afterwards procured, doubtless I should have sooner attained to the Art, but I read no∣thing but false Receipts, and erroneous Books; be∣sides I happened to confer with none but the most per∣verse Thieves, wicked Men, and Impostors.

The other sort contains Receipts of Adepts themselves, against whom some other Adepts have also sometimes written: As for example, the same Bernhard, Pag. 748. Vol. Theat. Chym. saying,

To withdraw the true Speculators of this Art from com∣mon Errors into the right Way, that they may not waste their Wealth, and lose their Labours, Name and Re∣putation, insisting upon the false Receipts of Books, as those of Geber, Rasis, Albertus magnus, Trames, Lumen, Canonis pandectarum, Demophon, Sum∣ma, and other Seducers, I will first declare my own Errors, &c. And in pag. 750. goes on, Infinite is the number of them, whom to write is needless; and there is great plenty of Books written upon this Subject under Metaphorical Words and Figures, so as not to be easily understood by any but the Sons of Art; the reading of which, leads men out of the right way, ra∣ther than directs to the Work; in the number of which, are Scotus, Arnold, Raymund, Johannes Mehung, Hortulanus Veridicus, &c.

My Business therefore is to satisfie you, and say, That the Authors of the first sort of Receipts de∣ceive actively, wittingly, and willingly: But the Receipts of the later sort, written by Adepts them∣selves, seduce only passively: And this for two Reasons; either in respect of the Adept being less experienced in the Art, and unacquainted with the Practice of his more Learned Consort; for it is impossible for one Adept, though never so expert in his Method, to know the various Experiments of all the other, much less the peculiar Theorems, private Meditations, different Denominations of things, &c. formed or derived from the same: Or in respect of your selves, who extort from those Receipts, as to the Literal Sound, more, than

the Adepts themselves allow, not at all observing that the Spirit of Wine being once and always un∣derstood, the rest you will easily understand. For knowing this, saith Flammel, in his Hieroglyphicks, pag. 28. I perfected the Magistery easily; for having learnt the Preparation of the first Agent, I following my Book according to the Letter, could not err if I would. And a little after; Then following my Book from word to word, I made Projection. But why these? Plenty enough of Examples in this Treatise will instruct you in all these things that are to be understood according to the Letter, except Wine, Lunary, Vegetable Mercury, and other things synony∣mous to the Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or things prepared by the same Spirit, Vege∣table Sal Harmoniack, Philosophical Vinegar, &c.

For this Spirit of Wine being prevaricated, the Adepts knew, that all the rest, though never so plain∣ly discovered to the Sons of Art, could not con∣tribute the least benefit to the Reader: Wherefore I fear not the indignation of the Adepts, nor the A∣nathema's which they thundred out against the Be∣trayers of their Secrets, having herein done nothing more, but (to speak ingenuously) less, than they themselves. I have according to my capacity, me∣thodically digested those things which were here and there confusedly dispersed, but added nothing of my own, and so expect neither Honour nor Thanks from you; but this only, that I may know, if our Studies please; and I shall supply those things that are here wanting and desired, somewhat more

largely; for I will not refuse to assist you yet fur∣ther by the industry of my Studies: So that no∣thing remains, but upon our bended Knees to re∣turn most humble Thanks to the Father of Lights, in vouchsafing us this Art by the Writings of his Servants, and the High Priests of Nature, without which it would be beyond the power of man to ar∣rive to so great a degree of Knowledge.

Now celebrate with me the Urns of our pious Masters, who have for the Welfare of Mankind, rather dispersed, than buried their Talents; and may you oblige your selves to the same good Of∣fice, if you have any of their Writings not yet published.

Finally, It is my earnest Suit to the Adepts now living, that they would please to employ themselves freely in expounding Nature, correcting Philoso∣phy and Medicine; And lastly, refuting all the de∣ceitful Sects of Philosophers, as well in the Acade∣mies, as private Schools, for the advancement of the Glory of God, being singularly eminent in this Art. So be it.


The First Book OF MENSTRUUMS.
RIPLEY, Cap. 2. Medullae Philos. Chym.
We will here demonstrate the clear Practice, how such Menstruums as be Unctuous and Moist, Sulphureous, and Mercureal, well agreeing with the Nature of Metals, wherewith our Bodies are to be artificially dis∣solved, may be obtained.

London, Printed for Tho. Howkins in George-Yard in Lom∣bard-Street, 1685.



The Translator to the Reader.
YOur Business it is, not mine, otherwise than as a Reader, to judge of this Work, but the am∣ple and publick Encomiums of Learned Societies be∣yond the Seas, already declaring their Sentiments of its Rarity and Excellency, are convictive Authorities far beyond my Opinion; and therefore I shall be silent: only this I think necessary to let you know, that our Author, having little spare time himself, left his La∣tine Impression to be by others corrected, which has been the cause of many Errors, and indeed in some Places so gross, that the Author himself could scarce retrieve his own Meaning: This to prevent in the English Translation, he has been pleased to use all Care to have it exactly import his own Mind. I must also tell you, that though I have taken no small pains in endeavouring to make this weighty Work speak true and perfect English, yet my Copy not being punctually observed, you will find many small Mistakes, besides the Errata's inserted at the latter end of the Book, which you may please, as you read, to correct.

Farewel.

G. C.



A Catalogue of Menstruums.
I. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Philosophical Wine only.
1. THE Heaven, Essence, or Spirit of Wine of Lully. 1
2. The Essence, Soul or Spirit of Wine of Rupescissa. 9
3. The Spirit of Wine of paracelsus. 11
4. The Essence of Wine of Guido. 12
II. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and the hottest Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, &c. being Oyley.
5. The Anima Metallica, or Lunaria Coelica of Lully. 16
6. The Aqua Vitae of Paracelsus. 21
7. Another. Ibid.
8. The Aqua Vitae of Ripley. 23
9. The Compounded Aqua Vitae of Ripley. Ibid.
III. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Oyley Sals, as Sugar, Honey, Tartar Common, &c.
10. The Mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus. 31
11. The Spirit of Honey of Lully. 34
12. The Spirit of crude Tartar of Guido. 36
13. The Spirit of crude Tartar of Paracelsus. Ibid.
IV. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Volatile Salts, as Sal Armoniack, Salt of Blood, Urine, &c.
14. The Spirit of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus. 38
15. A Water of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus. 40
16. The Gelative Sulphur of Lully. Ibid.

V. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Fixed Salts of Vegetables and Minerals not Tinging.
17. The Coelum Vegetabile of Lully. 46
The Volatile Salt of Tartar of Lully. 48
18. The Spirit of Wine of Basilius. 52
19. The Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius. 54
20. The Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius. 55
21. The simple Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius 57
22. The Tartarized Spirit of Wine of Basilius. 58
23. The Vegetable Acetum acerrimum or Ignis Adepti of Ripley. 59
24. The Aqua fortissima of Rupescissa. 60
25. Vegetable Mercury acuated with the Salt of Tartar of Lully. 61
26. The simple Vegetable Menstruum produced from 3 Individuals of Lully. 62
27. The Circulatum minus, or Water of Salt circulated of Paracel∣sus. 65
28. The sweet Spirit of Salt of Basilius. 70
VI. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit and Tartar of Philosophical Wine.
29. The Coelum Vinosum of Parisinus. 73
30. The Coelum Vinosum of Lully. 76
Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Parisinus. 78
Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully. 80
Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully. 81
Another. 83
Animal Sal Harmoniack of Lully. 85
Vegetable Sal Harmoniack made by the Accurtation of Lully. 89
Another. 90
31. Coelum Vegetabile of Lully circulated. 92
32. The less Vegetable Menstruum of Lully. 93
33. The Vegetable Menstruum per deliquium of Lully. 94
34. The Vegetable Mercury of Lully. 95
35. The rectify'd Aqua Vitae of Lully. 96
36. The Circulatum minus of Guido. 97
37. The Animal Heaven of Parisinus. 98

VII. Vegetable Menstruums compounded of the aforesaid Simple Men∣struums.
38. The Circulatum majus of Guido. 103
39. The Menstruum acutum of Guido. 104
40. The Coelum majus of Parisinus. 105
VIII. Vegetable Menstruums compounded of Simple Vegetable Menstruums, and Common Argent vive, or other Metals.
41. The Ignis Gehennae of Trismosinus. 110
42. The Alchymical Mercury of Ripley. 113
43. The Exalted Water of Mercury of Ripley. 114
44. The Glorious Water of Argent vive of Lully. 115
45. The incalcinated Menstruum of Lully. 115
46. The Mercurial Water by three Vessels of Lully. 116
The Mercurial Sal Harmoniack, or Mercury of Mercury of Lully. 119
47. The Menstruum of Guido for Pretious Stones. 122
48. The Lunar Menstruum of Lully. 123
49. The Circulatum majus, or Acetum acerrimum of Lully. 124
50. The Circulatum majus of Parisinus. 126
IX. Vegetable Menstruums compounded, made of Simple Vegetable Menstruums, and Things tinging being first fixed.
51. The Circulatum majus, or Metallick Acetum acerrimum of Para∣celsus. 137
X. Vegetable Menstruums compounded, made of Vegetable Menstru∣ums compounded, and Metallick Bodies.
52. The Neapolitan Menstruum of Lully. 144
53. The Pretious Menstruum for Pearls of Lully. 146
54. The Mercurial compounded Menstruum of Lully. 147
55. The sweet Spirit of Mercury of Basilius. 148
56. The incalcinated Menstruum of Parisinus. 149

XI. Vegetable Menstruums compounded, graduated, made of the com∣pounded Vegetable Menstruums impregnated with the Influences of Heaven and Earth.
57. The Etherial and Terrestrial Waters of Metals of Lully. 154
XII. Vegetable Menstruums compounded, most highly exalted, made of compounded Vegetable Menstruums graduated.
58. The Ethereal and Celestial Limes of Lully. 163
XIII. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Matter of Philosophical Wine only.
59. The Green Lyon of Ripley. 172
60. A Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop of Ripley. 174
61. A Menstruum made of Red Lead of Ripley. 179
62. The Simple stinking Menstruum of Ripley. 181
63. The Menstruum of Sericon of Ripley 182
64. The Green Lyon of Roger Bacon. 192
65. The Green Lyon of Paracelsus. 198
66. The Stinking Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop and Common Vi∣triol of Ripley. Ibid.
67. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol and Nitre of Lully. 199
68. The Water calcining all Bodies of Lully. 201
69. The Stinking Menstruum for reducing Metals into Argent vive of Lully. 202
70. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol, Common Vitriol, and Nitre of Ripley. Ibid.
XIV. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Acid or Saline Essences of Salt.
71. The Water or Oyl of Salt of Paracelsus 211
72. The Water of Salt by another Description. 214

XV. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Acid Spirits, as Aqua fortis, Spirit of Nitre, &c.
73. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Paracelsus. 222
74. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Trithemius. 223
75. Vinegar mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Basilius. Ibid.
76. The Spirit of Salt of Basilius. 225
77. The Spirit of Salt of Guido. Ibid.
78. The Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully. Ibid.
79. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of an Anonymous. 226
XVI. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar, and Vo∣latile Salts, as Common Sal Armoniack, Urine, &c.
80. The Oyl of Sal Armoniack of Guido. 229
81. The Water of Sal Armoniack of Isaacus. 230
XVII. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar and fixed Salts non tinging, as well vegetable as mineral.
82. The Aqua comedens of Paracelsus. 233
83. The fixative Water of Trithemius. 234
84. The Aqua mirabilis of Isaacus. 235
85. The resuscitative Water of Basilius. Ibid.
86. The Water of Sallabrum of Paracelsus. 236
XVIII. Simple Mineral Menstrums made of Vegetable Sal Harmoniack and Acids not tinging.
87. The Aqua fortis of Isaacus Hollandus. 240
88. The Aqua Regis of Ripley. 244
89. The Kings Bath of Basilius. 245
90. A Philosophical Water for the solution of Gold of Basilius. Ibid.
91. The most strong Aqua fortis of Paracelsus. 247
92. The Aqua Regis of Guido. Ibid.
93. The Aqua Regis of Lully. 248

XIX. Mineral Menstruums compounded of Philosophical Spirit of Wine, and Acid Spirits not tinging, Spirit of Vitriol, Butter of Antimony, &c.
94. Spirit of Vitriol mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully. 251
95. The Butter of Antimony mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Basil. 253
96. The Water of the fourth Gradation of Paracelsus. 254
97. The Water of the sixth Gradation of Paracelsus. Ibid.
XX. Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and other tinging things, Vitriol, Cinabar, Antimony, &c.
98. The Oyl of Vitriol of Basilius. 261
99. A Menstruum of Basilius made of Hungarian Vitriol. 293
100. The Mineral Menstruum of Isaacus 294
101. The stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol and Cinabar. 294
102. The same. Ibid.
103. The stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol, Cinabar and Nitre. 295
104. The stinking Menstruum of Lully, made of Vitriol, Nitre, Alume, Tartar, &c. 296
105. The dissolving Water for the Red of Isaacus, 297
106. Another. 298
107. Again another, 299
108. A dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White. 299
109. Another. 299
110. A Red Water shining Day and Night of Isaacus. 300
111. Another. 301
112. Again Another. 303
XXI. Mineral Menstruums Compounded, made of Simple Mineral Menstru∣ums and Mercury, the rest of Metals, and other tinging things.
113. The Spirit of Venus, or Spirit of Verdigreece of Basilius. 306
114. The Water of Paradise of Isaacus. 310
115. The Mercurial Vinegar of Trismosinus. 312
116. The Mercurial Water of Trismosinus. Ibid.
117. The Mercurial Water of Albertus Magnus. 313
118. The Mercurial Water of Paracelsus. 315
119. The stinking Menstruum of Lully. 316
120. The Mercurial green Lyon of Ripley. 317
121. The stinking Lunar Menstruum of Lully. 317

122. The stinking Solar Menstruum of Lully. Ibid
123. Philosophers Vinegar made of the Mercury of Silver of Isaacus. 318
XXII. Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philosophers Vinegar, and other Simple Mineral Menstruums, and things tinging being first fixed.
124. The Menstruum of Venus of Isaacus Hollandus. 322
125. A Menstruum of Vitriol of Isaacus Hollandus. 324
126. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus. 332
127. The Oyl of Vitriol shining by Night, of Trismosinus. 335
128. The Circulatum majus of Ripley. 337
129. The Metallick Acetum Acerrimum of Ripley. 338
130. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus, made of Sulphur. 339
XXIII. Mineral Menstruums compounded made of Mineral Menstruums com∣pounded, and Metallick Bodies, and other tinging Things.
131. The Oyl of Mars and Venus of Basilius. 346
132. The S irit of Ʋniversal Mercury made of Vitriol of Basilius, 347
133. The Oyl of Mars and Venus, acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Sol of Basilius. 351
134. The Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury, acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Luna of Basilius. 353
135. The Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Luna of Basilius. 354
136. The S irit of Ʋniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol, and Mars of Basilius. Ibid.
137. The Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphurs of Sol, Mars and Antimony of Basilius. 355
138. The Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn of Basilius. Ibid.
139. A compounded Mercurial Water for the red Work of Isaacus. 356
140. The Philosophers Water made of three Spirits of Isaacus. 357
141. The compounded Water of Silver of Lully. 358
142. The stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the Essence of Sol of Lully. 360
XXIV. Mineral Menstruums compounded of vegetable and mineral Men∣struums mixed together.
143. The Vegetable •ire dissolved in the calcina•ive Water of Lully. 363

144. The Vegetable Heaven dissolved in a mineral Menstruum of Lully. 364
145. Ice compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstr. of Lully. Ibid.
146. The Aqua mirabilis of Ripley. 365
147. The stinking Menstruum acuated with the Sal Harmoniack of Lully. 366
148. The stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully. 366
149. The Spirit of Mercury made with Vitriol, and the fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius. 367
150. The mixt Menstruum of Paracelsus. Ibid.

THE PREFACE.
TO exempt Diana from being exposed Naked to the Petulant Lust of Ʋnsatiable Men, as also to the Scorns and Contempt of the Ignorant, as a Common Prostitute; the Adepts have taken care not only to cloath, but cover her almost with several sorts of Garments: To this kind of Apparel, Antiquity has been pleased, yet not properly enough, to refer an Allegory of the Procreation of Man, deduced from the Analogy of Seed anciently received, how∣ever ill applied to the Mineral Kingdom.

First, They reckon Coition; Secondly, Conception; Thirdly, Impregnation; Fourthly, Birth; Fifthly, Nutriment: If there∣fore no Coition, no Conception; without Conception, no Impregnation; without which no Birth can be premised.

Which Disposition the Ancient Morienus himself confesseth to have been derived to him from Antiquity. Hermes, whom they call Father of the Adepts, in his Tabula Smaragdina, hath de∣scribed to us the Father, Mother, and Nurse of the Chymical In∣fant. No wonder therefore, that such an Ancient and Easie Do∣ctrine as this, should have found so easie an access to Posterity: it would be besides the Intention and Scope to offer those things, which might be inferred by us against this Analogy of Seed: Here let it suffice to remember only, that the greater part, as also the more an∣cient Adepts, comparing the Chymical Magistery to the Generation of Man, did under the Notion of this Allegory, call their Dissol∣vents Menstruums, or Feminine Seed, but the Things which were to be Dissolved, Masculine Seed. My Son, saith Lully, The Vegetable Menstruum is of the Nature of a Womans Menstru∣um, because a Mineral Menstruum proceeds from it by Disso∣lution,

(of Minerals and Metals) and is made artificially as Na∣ture requireth; for it hath the property of an incorruptible Spirit, which is as a Soul, and hath the Conditions of a Bo∣dy, because it generates and produceth Seed as a Woman; there∣fore we call our D. (Dissolvent) Menstrual Blood, or Menstru∣um, because it is Generative and Nutritive, and makes the said C, and (C) (Metals) grow and increase, till they be con∣verted into M (Sulphur of Nature, or Philosophers Mercury) or into Q, (Tincture, or Philosophers Stone) for as Menstrual Blood perfects the Embryo by nourishing, and altering one Principle into another, and one Quantity into another, and one Form into another, yet the Principles and Quantities appearing in every Alteration, under divers Forms, differing from the first Forms themselves, till a certain Substance appears in one entire Quantity, dependent upon several Matters, which is a Body, with Spirit and Soul, reduced into Action: And thus it is with our Infant (Philosophers Stone) Lully, Distinct, 3. Can. 4. Lib. de Essentia, When K. (Colour) appears yellow, then let the Artist know, that the Body of our Infant is formed, made, and compleatly organized, and begins to be prepared for the reception of the vegetable Spirit into it, and Nature continues in that preparation till the yellow K. vanisheth away, and a red K. (Colour) appeareth; and then may the Artist be assured that the said Infant is perfect both in Body and Soul: so that he may let the Fire alone till it grows cold; which be∣ing cold, the Artist will find our Infant round as an Egg; which he must take out and purifie (for it is a hard Stone in the mid∣dle of many Superfluities, as the Infant of a Woman appears after Birth: Can. 11. Distinct. 3. Lib. Essent.) and let him take and put it into some clean Glass Vessel, &c. 3 Distinct. 3 Part Lib. de Essent.

Parisinus, Ripley, Espanietus, and other later Adepts, the Disciples of Lully, had this Analogy of Seed from him, being doubt∣less the most Learned of the Chymical Philosophers. Of this living Heaven, saith Parisinus, Raymund speaks in his Third Book de Quintessentia, in the Chapter beginning, Coelum & Mer∣curius noster; Our Heaven hath the property of an incorrup∣tible Spirit, which is as the Soul of it, and hath the Conditi∣ons of a Body in it, generating and producing Seed, as a Wo∣man,

and herein it differs from the other Principles (of the Art) It is also sensual, because it is apprehended by sense, namely, by sight, taste and smell, as is declared in the first Di∣stinction in the Chapter, which beginneth, Proeterea est principium movendi, scilicet, corpus sive forma: And a little after, speak∣idg of the aforesaid living Heaven, he saith, And in this point our Understanding knows that D. (his living Heaven, or Dis∣solvent) hath a Vegetable property, the similitude of which, R and S (Gold and Silver) do transmit into the Sulphur of Na∣ture, which is the Spirit of Metals, or Stone, or transforming Poyson, according to the signification of Raymund, which sig∣nification he useth in his Alphabetum figuroe arboris Philosophicoe, and therein produceth this following Sentence in Capite de fi∣gura Quintoe Essentioe: As the Vegetative part of the Mother or Nurse, transmits her Likeness into the Son, which she gene∣rates, which property the Son retains, so our Mercury. The Intention of the Philosopher (Lully) is to demonstrate, that the Philosophers Sulphur, or Stone, or transforming Poyson receives all its benefit by the excitation of the vegetative Vir∣tue, which is in this Divine Vegetative Heaven.

The same Author in the Continuation of his Doctrine, saith, And also the Understanding knows, that the said Metals R, and S, (Gold and Silver) retain the property of Menstruum, with which they extend their similitudes into exotick substances, transmuting the said substances into their own kind, which is the reason why we call it Vegetable Mercury; as also because it is extracted out of Vegetables. The same thing at the end of the said Chapter he speaks afresh: And our Understanding also knows, that principle is as a Woman conceiving the Mans Seed, and bringing forth in the same form and virtue, as it was in the beginning. From whence we necessarily conclude, that the Elements of this Stone, namely, Gold, ought to be moved by vertue of a living Quintessence, and the aforesaid Vegetable Heaven, which way I have sufficiently proved and demonstrated. Parisinus in Lib. 1. Elucidarii, pag. 221. Vol. 6. Th. Chym.

Ripley, having the same Master as Parisinus, expounds this Doctrine more briefly, thus; As an Infant in the Womb of the Mother, does by the concoction of temperate heat, convert

the Menstruums into its own Nature and Kind, that is, into Flesh, Blood, Bones, yea, Life, with all other Properties of a living Body; so if you have the Water of Sol and Luna, it will attract other Bodies to its kind, and make their Humors perfect by its intrinsick Virtue and Heat; Ripl. Lib. de Merc. Phil.

We, saith Espanietus, to deal plainly and truly; affirm, that the whole work may be perfected by two Bodies only, that is, Sol and Luna, rightly prepared: For this is that Generation which is performed by Nature with the help of Art, in which the coition of Male or Female is requir'd, and from whence the Off-spring more noble than its Parents, is expected; Sect. 20. Arcan. Herm. Sol is the Male, for he yields the active and informing seed: Luna is the Female; which is called the Matrix and Ves∣sel of Nature, because she receives the seed of the Male into her womb, and nourisheth it with her Menstruum, Sect. 22. Arcan. Herm. Phil. But the Philosophers do not by the name of Luna, mean common Luna, which also acts the parts of a Male in their (white) work; let no man therefore attempt to joyn two males together, it being wicked and contrary to Na∣ture, nor can he hope for any Offspring from such a copula∣tion, but put Gobritius to Beja, Brother to Sister.

Conjugio junget stabili, propriam{que} dicabit.
That he may have from thence the noble Son of Sol, Sect. 23. Arcan. Herm. Phil. I would have the Reader know, saith Sendivogius, that Solution is twofold, though there be many other solutions, but of no effect: the first is only true and na∣tural; the second violent, under which are all the other com∣prehended; the Natural is that, by which the pores of the Bo∣by are opened in our VVater, that the digested seed may be injected into its Matrix: But our VVater is Celestial, not wet∣ting your hands; not common, but almost like Rain: The Body is Gold, which yieldeth seed: our Luna is not common Silver, which receives the seed of Gold. Tract. 10. Novi Lumin. Saturn taking the Vessel, drew up ten parts of the VVater, and presently took some of the Fruit of the solar Tree, and put it in, and I saw the fruit of the Tree consumed and resolved as

Ice in warm water. This water is to this fruit, as a VVoman. The fruit of this Tree can be putrified in nothing, but in this water only; for no other water can penetrate the pores of this Apple, but this: and you must know that the solar Tree sprang also out of this VVater, which is extracted from a magnetical virtue out of the Rays of Sol and Luna, and therefore they have great affinity one with the other: In the Dialogue of Mer∣cury.

Now here we in this Book intend to treat of this Feminine Seed, or dissolving Waters of the Adepts. Great indeed, yea vast is the Treasure of our Chymy; but altogether inaccessible by those that have not the Keys thereof; without which the Adepts themselves could neither dissolve nor coagulate Bodies. If you know not the way of dissolving our Body, it is in vain to operate, is the Advice of Dionysius Zacharias, pag. 798. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. But he that knows the Art and Secret of Dissolution, has attained to the Secret of the Art, saith Bernhard, pag. 40. suoe Epistoloe. For this cause it is, saith Parisinus, that the wise men say, To know the Celestial Water, which reduceth our Body into a Spirit, is the chief Mystery of this Art, in Eluc. pag. 212. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. For without these Menstruums things heterogeneous can never be perfectly mixed. Coral, though never so finely pulverized, can∣not be mixed with the purest Powder of Pearls: Yea Gold mixeth not with Silver (much less with Bodies less perfect) though both be melted together; the Particles of each do indeed touch one another in their extream parts, being in a mass or heap consisting of things heterogeneous, yet they are and do remain all distinct, unblemished and unaltered in their Figures and Properties, no otherwise than as a heap composed of Barley and Oats: But in the more secret Chymy there is no Body, no heterogeneity, but what hath its own peculiar Men∣struum, and with which as being homogeneous to it, it runs into one Con∣crete, rejoycing in the inseparable Properties of either. So long therefore as you intend to joyn Metals with Metals, dry things with dry, with∣out the Menstruums of Diana, so long (to use the Phrase of Espa∣nietus) do you presume to joyn males together, which is a thing wicked and contrary to Nature. Hearken therefore to Bernhard, Pag. 757. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. Perswading you to leave Stones and all sorts of Minerals, likewise also Metals alone, though they are the beginning and our matter. Metals are not only the mat∣ter,

but are also call'd by Lully, the form of the Stone; yet without these Menstruums they signifie nothing. The Form, saith he, which is the Efficient Principle, Former and Transformer of all other Forms of less virtue and power, is described by C, or (C) (Metals) cannot of it self only be the Magistery of the grea∣ter work, &c. Very commodious it is for that Principle to be known, because hereby the Understanding knows it to be one of the two Substances, from which our Infant is produced, ha∣ving in it the condition of a male, from which proceeds a sperm in the belly of our D. (Menstruum or Dissolvent,) Lul. Dist. 3. Lib. Ess. Heaven or Mercury, (Menstruum) is the fourth Prin∣ciple signified by D. It is the Cause and Principle moving C, and (C) from Power to Action, ruling and governing them in its belly, as the VVoman the Infant which she procreates in her Matrix. And in this point knows the understanding of an Artist, that D (Menstruum) hath action upon C, and (C) ru∣ling, governing and reducing them into Action, even as the Heavens above do by their motion, bring things Elementary, into action, And an Artist is to understand that of the two substances, of which our Stone is compounded, and by which it is generated, this, namely, D, (Dissolvent) is the more prin∣cipal. Ibid. In the Book de Medicinis secretis, pag. 336. he goes on; You must know, saith he, that hitherto I have not told you the most secret thing and matter of the whole Magistery, which is our incorruptible Quintessence, extracted out of white or red VVine, which we call Celestial Crown, and Menstruum, after the sublimations, putrefactions, and final depuration of it; which Quintessence is indeed the foundation, principal matter, and Magistery of all medicinal things: My Son, if you have it, you will have the Magistery of the whole thing, with∣out which nothing can be done.

But you, My companions, know, what mean the Menstruums of Diana; you know, I say, they are the highest secrets of the more se∣cret Chymy, much more secret than the Menstruums of Women; that the same also were never acquired but by the extream Pains and in∣genuity of an Adept, most cautiously described, and recommended to us principally as the Keys of the Art: You easily believe Lully, say∣ing, Without these Menstruums nothing can be done in the Ma∣gistery of the Art. Mag. Nat. pag. 329. Or Christopher Parisinus,

That the great secret lies in these Menstruums, insomuch if they be not known, nothing can be done as to the transmuting of Metals. Elucid. pag. 222. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. Wherefore I think it enough to declare to you in short, that these Menstruums, which hitherto you have with so much study, to little purpose sought in the Theoretical Books of Adepts, are now offered to you, being found by me, in Practical Books, no longer shrowded with Obscurity, but dis∣robed, and exposed naked to the sight and understanding of all men: But you have no cause to fear the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which you perceive in any Menstruum, it being familiar and most gentle, because Philosophical. Nor have you need of many Conjurations, to make it appear to you; for in all Pages of the Theoretical Books of Adepts, it offers it self willingly and expects you, provided you pray to God, that he would graciously vouchsafe to open your Eyes; for without his permission or special appointment, it dares not mani∣fest it self to you. By the Menstruums of the Adepts, understand not therefore yours, though they be most secret to you, because I fear they are yet but vulgar, which dissolving a dry Body, are trans∣muted with it into a Salt or Vitriol, not with a true, but seeming coalition and mixture, which a searching Fire easily discovereth, presently separating these same heterogeneous substances again: On the contrary, the unctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine does by its Ʋnctuosity mollifie a dry Body, and transmute it not into a Salt or Vitriol, but into an Oyl: It easily joyns things heterogeneous by its own equal temperament, and is by its homogeneity easily joyned with things homogeneous to it, by which also it is augmented, according to that of Bernhard: No Water dissolveth bodies, but that which is of their species. and which can be inspissated in bodies; for a Dissolvent ought not to differ from that which is dissolved, in matter, but proportion and digestion; Pag. 43. of his Epistles. For Nature is not meliorated, but by its own nature; our mat∣ter therefore can be no otherwise meliorated than by its own matter. Parmenides saith the same, L. de Alchym. pag. 768. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. This Spirit of Phylosophical Wine may be united to all things, and is able to unite all things inseparably. But they that suppose another water, are ignorant and unwise, and will never come to the effect, saith Parisinus in Eluc. p. 222. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. Of which Morienus, pag. 52. thus; As to this Magistery, let Fools seek other things, and seeking err; for they will never attain

to the effect of it, till Sol and Luna be reduced into one body, which cannot come to pass before the Will of God. Which Arnold, if I mistake not, thus expresseth: You will sooner joyn the Sun and Moon in the Heavens, than Gold and Silver in the Earth without our Menstruums.

But you that have hitherto desired one only universal, immortal, indestructible Menstruum, I mean, the Liquor Alkahest. or Ignisa∣qua, that undeclinable word, instead of one, whereof you never yet knew the Name, Matter, Preparation and Ʋse, behold! I offer a great many kinds of universal Menstruums, in their Descriptions more clear, in Virtues equivalent, if not better than this your Al∣kahest. What others have either obscurely, or impertinently said and written of this Liquor Alkahest, we little regard, as Opinions and Conjectures. By the Menstruums of the Adepts, we intend not all manner of Dissolvents, prepared without the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine, and only corroding, but not in the least altering the more minute Particles of Bodies: Nor do we understand an immortal Li∣quor, not permanent with things dissolved in it: But by Menstruum we mean a volatile Liquor made several ways of the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine and divers things, not only separating Bodies, but also continuing with them, and altering them with the addition of it self, so as to be no more two, nor again, what they were before. For out of this Dissolution (the solemn Wedlock, inseparable Ʋnion and Combination of Body and Menstruum) emergeth a new Being, con∣taining the unblemished Properties of the thing dissolved, and the thing dissolving, not at all separable by Art or Nature.

These Menstruums I have distinguished into Vegetable and Mi∣nerals, not as if the Vegetables were made of Vegetables only, and the Mineral of Minerals, but every Menstruum, that hath not mani∣fest acidity, acting without ebullition and motion, is called Vegetable, though it be made of meer Animals or Minerals by the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine. On the contrary, a Menstruum becomes Mineral, so soon as manifest acidity is mixed either with the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine, or a Vegetable Menstruum; for by adding the acidity, it now dissolves Bodies with violence and effervescence. I have subdi∣vided both kinds into Simple and Compound, but not as if the Simple consisted of fewer Ingredients, but because they are of more simple or less virtue. Simple Menstruums tinge Bodies dissolved in them less, but the Compounded more.

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OF Vegetable MENSTRUUMS. The First Kind. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Phi∣losophical Wine only.
I. The Heaven, Essence, or Spirit of Wine of Lully, Described, Can. 1. Dist. 1. Lib. De Quinta Es∣sentia.
TAke Wine Red or White, the best that may be had, or at least take Wine that is not any way eager, neither too little nor too much thereof, and distil an Aqua ardens, as the custom is, through Brass Pipes, and then rectifie it four times for better purification. But I tell you it is enough to rectifie it three times, and stop it close, that the burning Spirit may not exhale, be∣cause herein have many men erred, thinking it ought to be se∣ven times rectified, But my Son, it is an infallible sign to you when you shall have seen that Sugar steeped in it, and being put to the flame burneth away as Aqua ardens. Now having the water thus prepared, you have the matter out of which the Quintessence is to be made, which is one principal thing we intend to treat of in this Book. Take therefore that, and put it in a circulating Vessel, or in a Pelican, which is called the Ves∣sel of Hermes, and stop the hole very close with Olibanum or Mastick being soft, or quick Lime mixed with the White of
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Eggs, and put it in Dung, which is naturally most hot, or the remainings of a Wine-Press, in which no heat must be by ac∣cident diminished, which you may do, my Son, if you put a great quantity of which you please of those things at a corner of the House, which quantity must be about thirty Load: This ought to be, that the Vessel may not want heat, because should heat be wanting, the circulation of the water would be im∣paired, and that which we seek for uneffected; but if a continual heat be administred to it by continual circulati∣ons, our Quintessence will be separated in the colour of Heaven, which may be seen by a diametrical Line, which divides the upper part, that is the Quintessence, from the lower, namely, from the Faeces, which are of a muddy co∣lour. Circulation being continued many days together in a circulating Vessel, or in the Vessel of Hermes, the Hole, which you stopp'd with the said Matter, must be opened, and if a wonderful Scent go out, so as that no fragrancy of the world can be compared to it; insomuch as putting the Vessel to a cor∣ner of the House, it can by an invisible Miracle draw all that pass in, to it; or the Vessel being put upon a Tower, draws all Birds within the reach of its Scent, so as to cause them to stand about it. Then will you have, my Son, our Quintessence which is otherwise call'd Vegetable Mercury at your will, to ap∣ply in the Magistery of the transmutation of Metals: But if you find not the influx of Attraction, stop the Vessel again, as be∣fore; and put it in the place before appointed, and there let it stand till you attain to the aforesaid Sign. But this Quintessence thus glorified, will not have that Scent, except a Body be dis∣solved in it, nor have that heat in your mouth as Aqua ardens: This is indeed by the Philosophers call'd the Key of the whole Art of Philosophy, and as well Heaven, as our Quintessence, which arrives to so great a sublimity, that either with it by it self alone, or with the earthly Stars (Metals) the Operator of this work may do miracles upon the Earth.

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Annotations.
THE twenty four following Kinds of Menstruums will prove, that amongst the Dissolvents of the Adepts, no one is made without the Vegetable Mercury, or Spirit of Philosophical Wine; for it is the foundation, beginning and end of them all: Yea it is ac∣cording to the various and distinct degrees of its strength, sometimes the least, sometimes the greatest of all the Menstruums. It is the least and weakest, when it doth by its simple Ʋnctuosity dissolve only the unctuous or oyly parts of Vegetables, but either reject or leave untouched the Remainder being less oyly and heterogeneous to it self: it becomes the strongest when we temper its Ʋnctuosity with Arids, (that is, dry things, not Oyly) for so it is made homogeneous to things dry-oyly, and to things meerly dry. In respect of which Ho∣mogeneity, the Menstruums of the Adepts differ from the common, because they do by reason of the said Homogeneity, remain with the things dissolved inseparably; yea, are augmented by them, but not with the least saturation, transmuted and melted into a third sub∣stance, and so cannot part without the diminution or destruction of their former Virtues. The permanent Homogeneity of Menstru∣ums with things to be dissolved, is the reason why Essences are made with simple Vegetable Menstruums, but Magisteries with the same compounded, and so these operate more strongly, those more weakly. This is it, to comprehend all in a word, which shews us the various kinds of Menstruums distinct one from another in so many several degrees, now to be described and illustrated by our Annotations.

But that you may more easily understand the following Receipts and me also, I thought it necessary to preadmonish some certain things concerning the Nature and Property of this Spirit of Wine, lest you should judge amiss of a thing not sufficiently understood.

First, You are not to take the Spirit of common Wine, though ne∣ver so much rectified, for the Philosophical Spirit of Wine; for so the following Receipts of all Menstruums would be erroneous and seducing.

Having occasion (saith Zacharias) for a most excellent Aqua-Vitoe for the dissolving of a mark or half a pound of Gold, we bought a large Vessel of the best Wine, out of which we did by a Pellican obtain great plenty of Aqua vitoe, which was of∣ten
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rectified in many Glass-Vessels bought for that end: then we put one Mark of our Gold, being before calcin'd a whole month, and four Marks of Aqua vitoe into two Glass-Vessels, one Retort entring into the other, being sealed, and both placed in two great round Furnaces: we bought also Coals to the value of thirty Crowns at one time, to continue Fire under it for the space indeed of a whole Year. We might have kept Fire for ever before any congelation would have been made in the bot∣tom of the Vessels, as the Receipt promised, no solution pre∣ceding; for we did not operate upon a due matter, nor was that the true water of Solution, which ought to dissolve our Gold, as appeared by experience, pag. 783. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. Ripley admonisheth us of the same thing, who saith, Some think that this Fire (this Fiery Spirit of Philosophical Wine) is drawn from Wine according to the common way, and that it is recti∣fied by distillations often repeated, till its watry Phlegm, which impedes the power of its Igneity, be wholly taken from it. But when such a sort of Water (which Fools call Pure Spirit) though a hundred times rectified, be cast upon the Calxes of any Bo∣dy, be it never so well prepared, we do nevertheless see, that it is found weak and insufficient as to the act of dissolving a Body, with the preservation of its Form and Species, Cap. 2. suoe Medul. Phil. Common Wine (saith he a little lower) is hot, but there is another sort much hotter, whose whole substance is by reason of its aerity most easily kindled by Fire, and the Tartar of this unctuous Humor is thick; for so saith Raymund: That Tartar is blacker than the Tartar from the black Grapes of Catalonia; whereupon it is called Nigrum nigrius Nigro; that is, Black blacker than Black: and this humidity being unctuous, doth therefore better agree with the Unctuosity of Metals, than the Spirit extracted from common Wine, because by its liquefactive virtue Metals are dissolved into Water; which ope∣ration the Spirit of (Common) Wine cannot perform; which, how strong soever, is nothing else but clear water mix'd with a kind of Phlegmatick Water, where on the contrary, in this our Unctuous Spirit distilled, there is no Phlegmatick aquosity found at all. But this thing being rare in our Parts, as well as other Countries, Guido Montanor therefore the Grecian Philoso∣pher found out another unctuous humidity, which swims upon
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other Liquors, which humidity proceeds from Wine; to the knowledge hereof attain'd Raymund, Arnold, and some other Philosophers, but how it might be obtained, said not.

O tortas adeo mentes! assuetaque falli
Artificum vario rerum per inania ductu
Pectora! cum duris quid mollia vina metallis?
Apta epulis, atque apta bibi suavissima vina?
Hic tamen expressam proelis torquentibus uvam
Accipit, & phialae postrema in parte reponit,
Cujus in extremo rostrum connectitur ore, &c.
Thus facetiously sings the Poet and Adept Augurellus, Lib. 2. Chrys. pag. 206. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.

2. That you take not any Oyl, though an hundred times rectified, in∣stead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; for all oyly matters, whe∣ther distilled or expressed, natural or artificial, alone, but much more mixt with other things, as Alkalies, Acids, &c. do by distilling, digesting, &c. in Bath, Dung, Vapor, &c. become thick, pitchy, yea, at length dry, insipid, black as a Coal, and sometimes like a Tyle, capable of being made red hot; which is a manifest sign, that they want rather a Dissolvent, than are themselves Dissolvents.

3. It is necessary to observe that the Spirit of Philosophical Wine appears in two forms, either like an Oyl swimming upon all Liquors, or like the Spirit of Common Wine (to the Nature of which it comes sometimes nearer, and therefore doth from the Ana∣logy borrow its Name) not swimming upon watry Liquors, but mix∣ible with them and its own Phlegm; yet separable by simple Distil∣lation, it easily by this means leaving its Phlegms behind it; but if being rectified, and kindled, it burns wholly away, it affords us the common sign of perfect rectification of the common Spirit, but however, they are not two, but one only Spirit, differing in degree of purity and subtilty. Which to prove, is not necessary, examples being obvious to us in almost every Description of the Vegetable Menstruums.

4. Lastly, Distinction must be made between the first and second Spirit of Philosophical Wine, Father and Son. The first doth in
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its preparation require Laborem Sophiae, the most secret, diffi∣cult and dangerous work of all true Chymistry. The second is easily made with the former Spirit according to the Rule of perfect Chy∣mistry: An Essence makes an Essence, a Magistery a Magistery. Differ they do in Order, not in Nature; they are both of one Virtue, though of different preparation: for this, as hath been lately said, is of a more easie, that of a mor difficult preparation. Essences they are both, the former artificial, the other natural, in Medecines therefore unequal, though alike in Chymistry, as Menstruums, but they are easily di∣stinguished one from the other by their Epithets. The first hath these more general Names in the Latine Tongue, Essentia Vini, Al∣cool Vini, Mercurius Vini, Vinum Vitae, Vinum Salutis, A∣qua Vitae, Aqua ardens, Vinum adustum, Vinum sublimatum, &c. Examples of which you will have in these and the like Re∣ceipts: Take beaten Gold, and let it be resolved into Liquor by the Essence of Wine; Paracels. in Descript. Auri Diaphoret. Lib. 3. de male curatis. Take Flints, and dissolve them in the Es∣sence of Wine, as Salt in Water, &c. Paracels. in Descript. Essen∣tioe silicum, cap. 18. de Morbis Tartar. pag. 327. Take the Crocus of Sol, and the Alcool of Wine, corrected, &c. Paracels. in Tinct, Croci Solis, lib. de proeparat. pag, 81. The Alcool of Wine exiccated or corrected, is, saith Paracelsus, when the superfluity of the Wine is taken away, and the Vinum ardens remains dry and de∣phlegmed, without fatness, leaving no Faeces in the Vessel, pag. 507. But as to this, you will have many more Examples, especially in the following Book of Medecines.

The Second Spirit of Philosophical Wine hath its Sirnames an∣nexed to these more general Names, indicating the radix of its Ori∣ginal, of which the following Receipts may be for Examples. Take the Leaves of Sol four scruples, of the Alcool of Wine drawn from a Pine, from Balm, ana. &c. Paracels. in descript. Balsami Solis, pag. 90. Chyr. major. The Extraction of Mummy is made by mixing it with the Essence of Wine drawn from Celandine, &c. Parac. in descript. Tincturoe Mumioe, cap. 10. Lib. 3. de Vita long. pag. 65. Take the Essence of Wine drawn from Celandine, Mer∣cury of Saturn, &c. Paracels. Lib. 8. cap. 10. de Tumoribus, Pu∣stulis, &c. pag. 138. Chyr. major. In these and the like Receipts he does by the Alcool of Wine, drawn from the Pine, Balm, Celan∣dine, &c. mean the second Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or the Essence of those things made with the former Spirit, which also is
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proved out of the fifth Chapter of the third Book of long Life, pag. 63. Where Paracelsus calls the Essences of Herbs the Elixir of Life, or the Wine of Health, made from this or that Herb: which (he saith) will be manifested in the example of Balm. Digest Balm (with the first Spirit of Philosophical Wine) a Philosophical Month in an Athanar, then separate so, as that the duplicated Elements may appear apart, and the Quintessence, which is the Elixir of Life, will presently shew it self, in Nepitha sharp, in Lolium yellow, in Tincium blackish, in Lupulus thin and white, in Cus∣cuta harsh, in others likewise to be judg'd according to the Pre∣script of Experience. Moreover that Spirit being extracted, and separated from the other, behold the Wine of Health, (Essence of Balm) in which the Pseudo-Philosophers have ear∣nestly laboured some Ages, yet never acquired any thing. And a good part of them that followed Raymund (intending to follow him according to the Letter, understanding Wine red or white) emp∣tied some Butts of Wine in extracting the Quintessence of Wine, but found nothing at all but burnt Wine, which they unhap∣pily used for the Spirit of Wine: sufficient it is to have thus ad∣monished the Spagyrist, which way the Quintessence may be had in Herbs.

This twofold, the first as well as second Spirit of Wine may be made not only out of the Vegetable, but the Animal Kingdom also: So is it read of the Aqua Vitae and Phlegm of the Wine of Ʋrine, in the 16th. Experiment of Lully,, and in Paramiro Paracelsi, pag. 57. Many have diligently laboured to find in man his own Health, Aqua vitoe, Lapis Philosophorum, Arcanum, Balsamum, Aurum potabile, and the like. Which they did rightly; for all those things are in him, as also in the external world. So also hath he a description of the Liquor of Flesh, pag. 505. Take of the Liquor of Flesh six ounces, of Mummy, &c. Here by Liquor, he means the Wine of Flesh, which is proved by Paracelsus himself; saying, Where and according to this it is to be noted, that the Wine of Balm is a Secret in an Asthma: Here also it is to be observed, that by Pulmonaria, not the Herb, but the Liquor, that is, the Wine of it hath place in this Cure: In which words, the Liquor and Wine of Pulmonaria, are synonimous. So in Lib. 8. de Tumoribus, cap. 3. By the Liquor of Hermodactils. And cap. 9. By the Liquor of Balm; and lib. 9. cap. 4. By the Liquor
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Parthenion, And cap. 5. By the Liquor of Bdellium, &c. The Wines or Essences of them all ought to be understood. Though neither the first nor second Spirit can be produced out of the dry Kingdom of Minerals (there are indeed some purely Oyly, as Ole∣um Petrae, Naphthae, Carbonum fossilium, Succini, Agathis, &c. which are reputed Members of this Kingdom, the Oleosity of which notwithstanding differs so little from the Ʋnctuosity of Vege∣tables and Animals, that scarce deserve to be called Subjects there∣of) yet for the same reason that the Essences and Liquors of Vege∣tables are called Wines, is an Essence of the Mineral Kingdom, some∣times also called the Liquor and Wine of Minerals; so the Liquor or Essence of Vitriol or Copper is called Wine of the first Metal, Cap. 12. Lib. 3. de Vita longa, pag. 65.

Being now instructed by the light of these Premises, let us come nearer to the Spirit of Wine of Lully, which we shall find like an Oyl swimming upon its Phlegms, deduced not from the Common, but Philosophical Aqua vitae by Circulation: But all other Essences being made by the belp of some certain Essence, this first Essence of Wine alone must by its own virtues emerge its self out of its own foeculencies and impurities: In this respect the making of Philoso∣phical Wine (red or white) renders the work of all the most secret Chymistry most difficult and abstruse; of which we shall by the Bles∣sing of God) clearly and truly treat in a particular Book; namely, our Fifth. Our purpose at present is to prosecute the Ʋse of this Wine in the making of Menstruums, where we find Aqua vitae the first and weakest of all Menstruums, which, being by circulation alone reduced into an Oyl, is made much more excellent than before. Lully's Receipt is clear enough; yet however we thought it advisa∣ble to confirm at least, if not illustrate it with the Receipts of other Adepts. Johannes de Rupescissa, a Scholar of Lully, had so great an esteem for the first Distinction of his Master's Book of Essence, that he made it his own with a little alteration: He hath described the Spirit of Philosophical Wine after this man∣ner:

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2. The Essence, Soul or Spirit of Wine of Johan∣nes de Rupescissa, described Chap 5. of his Book de Quintessentia.
REpute me not a Liar, in calling Aqua ardens a Quintes∣sence, and saying that none of the modern Philosophers and Physicians have attained to it, Aqua ardens being com∣monly found every where; for I spoke true of a certain: for the Magistery of a Quintessence is a thing occult, and I have not seen above one, and him a most approved Divine, that understood any thing of the Secret and Magistery of it: And I affirm for a truth, that the Quintessence is Aqua ardens, and is Aqua ardens. And may the God of Heaven put prudence in the heart of Evangelical Men, for whom I compose this Book, not to communicate this Venerable Secret of God to the Repro∣bates: Behold now I open the Truth to you. Take not Wine too watry, nor Wine that is black, earthy, insipid, but no∣ble, pleasant, savoury, and odoriferous Wine, the best that can be found, and distill it through cooling pipes so oft, till you have made the best Aqua ardens you can; that is, you di∣still it from three to seven times; and this is the Aqua ardens which the modern Physicians have not acquired. This water is the Matter out of which the Quintessence which we intend principally in this Book, is extracted: because when you have your noble water, you must cause such a Destillatory to be made in a Glass-makers Furnace, all entire of one piece, with one only hole above, by which the water must be put in and drawn out; for then you shall see the Instrument so compleat∣ly formed, that, that which by the virtue of Fire ascends, and is distilled into the Vessel through the Pipes, may be again car∣ried back, in order to ascend again, and again descend continu∣ally day and night, till the Aqua ardens be by the will of God above, converted into a Quintessence; and the understanding of the Operation is in this; because the best Aqua ardens that can be made, hath yet a material mixture of the four Ele∣ments; therefore it is by God ordained, that the Quintessence which we seek for, should be by continual Ascensions and De∣scensions
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separated from the corruptible composition of the four Elements; and this is done, because that which is a second time or oftner sublimed, is more pure and glorified, and sepa∣rated from the corruption of the four Elements, than when it ascends only one time, and so to a thousand times, and that which is by continual ascent and descent sublimed, comes at length to so great an altitude of Glorification, as to be almost an incorruptible Compound, as Heaven it self, and of the Na∣ture of Heaven; it is therefore called Quintessence, because it is in reference to our Body as the Heavens in respect to the whole World; almost after the same manner, so far as Art can imitate Nature, in a near and connatural similitude.

Circular Distillation therefore being for many days made in a Vessel of Circulation, you must open the hole which is in the head of the Vessel, which is indeed suppos'd to have been seal'd with a Seal made of Lutum Sapientioe, compounded of the fi∣nest Flower and the White of an Egg, and of wet Paper most carefully pick'd and mix'd, to prevent the least exhaling. And having opened the Hole, if the Odour (which ought to be super-admirable, above all the Fragrancies of the world) which shall seem to have descended as it were from the sublime Throne of the most glorious God, be so great, that setting the Vessel in a corner of a house, it shall by an invisible force with the fragrancy of the Quintessence (which is wonderful and highly miraculous) attract to it self all people that enter in; then have you the Quintessence which you heard of; to which none of the modern Philosophers and Physicians (except him that I except∣ed before) have so far as I have been able to understand, at∣tained. But if you find not the Odour and Influence of attract∣ing men, as I said, seal the Vessel as before, and bring it to the heat above described, in order to compass your desire by Subli∣mations and Circulations; namely, in finding out this Quintes∣sence so glorified, into an Odour of inestimable fragrancy and savour glorified to a wonder, and the influx of attraction before expressed; and not only so as to yield a wonderful Scent, but also to raise it self more fully to a kind of incorruptibility: it hath not that heat in your mouth which Aqua ardens hath, nor that moistness, that is, such an Aqueity flowing, because the acute heat of the Aqua ardens; and its watery moistness is by
Page 11
Sublimations and Circulations wholly consumed, and the Ter∣reity will remain apart in the bottom: And the Heaven as well as Stars, of which this our Quintessence is compounded both as to Matter and Form, are not as that which is compounded of the four Elements; but there is but little of it glorified so much even to the highest, fill'd with so noble a form, that the power of Matter cannot aspire to any other Form, and so re∣mains uncorrupted, till the Composition be destroyed by com∣mand of the Creator: Nor is the Quintessence which we seek, altogether reduced to the incorruption of Heaven; as neither is Art equal to Nature: yet notwithstanding it is incorruptible in respect of the Composition made of the four Elements, be∣cause should it be altogether incorruptible, as Heaven, it would absolutely perpetuate our Body; which the Author of Nature, the Lord Jesus Christ forbids. Now have I opened to you much of the Secret, to the Glory of the immortal God.

Paracelsus extracts his Essence of Philosophical Wine not out of Aqua ardens, but out of Philosophical Wine it self: Thus;

3. The Spirit of Wine of Paracelsus: Described, Chap. 9. of the Third Book of Long Life, pag. 64.
YOur Wine being powred into a Pelican, digest in Horse-dung, and that the space of two Months continually, you will see it so thin and pure, that a Fatness, which is the Spi∣rit of Wine, will of it self appear in the superficies. Whatsoever is under this is Phlegm, without any nature of Wine; but the Fatness alone being put into a Phial, and digested by it self, is of most excellent energy for long Life.

Guido used the following Method, little differing from the Paracelsian.
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4. The Essence of Wine according to Guido, Described, Pag. 1. Thesaur. Chym.
TAke White or Red Wine, which is better, distil by Bal∣neo till the Matter remain in the consistence of Honey, which being divided into two parts in a duplicated Cucurbit, mixt with the distilled Liquor, and joyn together again, and after the digestion of six weeks, a green Oyl will swim upon the Matter; which separate through a Funnel.

From the Receipts, we think these Things follow∣ing worthy of Observation.
1. That the Wine, Red or White, is not Common, but Philoso∣phical, and that is the only thing that is obscure in these four Books; to be understood not according to the Letter, but by Analogy: but Aqua ardens, Aqua vitae, Spirit or Essence of a Philosophical Wine are the proper Names of it.

2. That the Aqua ardens of Philosophical Wine doth in some things agree with the Properties of Common Spirit of Wine; namely, it goes before its Phlegm in distillation: it is rectified as the Common, from its Phlegm. Lastly, being rectified, it is known by burning Linnen, Sugar, &c.

3. That this Aqua ardens doth by Circulation dayly lose its moi∣sture and sharpness; and is at length converted into a swimming Oyl, the Essence and Spirit of Philosophical Wine. But who ever redu∣ced Common Spirit of Wine, or Aqua Vitis, by bare Circulation into an Oyl? Who, I say, hath by continual Circulation brought that Oyl to Driness; so as to be sublimeable as a volatile Salt, and that not but by a strong Fire, as Isaacus affirms himself to have expe∣rienced, in the Description of his Vegetable Stone? Of which lower in the Third Book.

4. That the Oyl, or Essence of Wine may be divers ways made out of Philosophical Wine.

5. That not only the Time, but also the Scent, Colour, &c. of the Essence are varied according to the variety of Method: The Essence of Lully is like Heaven, that is, of a Sky-colour; the Oyl of Guido is green.

Page 13
6. That it hath not a Scent so fragrant, unless it hath a Body (especially a Metallick or Mineral) dissolved in it.

7. That this Heaven, the first of all Menstruums, is also a Me∣decine; and is called the Essence or Specifick to a long Life.

8. That it is called Heaven for several Reasons by Lully.

First, Because it works Contraries, like Heaven. Our Vege∣table Menstruum, saith Lully, the Celestial Animal, which is call'd Quintessence, preserves Flesh from corruption, comforts things elemented, restores former Youth, vivifies the Spirit, digests the crude, hardeneth the soft, rarifies the hard, fattens the lean, wasteth the fat, cools the hot, heats the cold, dries the moist, moistens also the dry: One and the same thing can do contrary operations. The Act of one thing is diversified according to the nature of the Receiver; as the heat of the Sun, which hath contrary operations; as in drying Clay, and melt∣ing Wax: yet the Act of the Sun is one in it self, and not con∣trary to it self.

Secondly, Because like Heaven it receives the Forms of all Things. As the universal Form (the Macrocosmical Heaven) hath an appetite to every Form, so the Quintessence (of Phi∣losophical Wine) to every Complexion; whereby it is evidently manifest, that the Quintessence of things is said to be of that complexion to which it is adjoyned; if joyned to hot, hot; if to cold, cold, &c. This therefore the Philosophers called Heaven; because as Heaven affords us sometimes heat, some∣times moisture, &c. so the Quintessence in mens Bodies at the Artist's pleasure, &c. Distinct. 1. Lib. Essentioe. To this Hea∣ven we apply its Stars; which are Plants, Stones and Metals, to communicate to us Life and Health, Ibid.

Thirdly, Because like Heaven it moveth all things from power to act. Therefore Heaven or our Mercury is the Cause and Principle moving G (C) (Metals) from power to act: And in this point knows the understanding of an Artist, that D (our Heaven) hath action upon C, and (C) ruling and governing, and reducing it into action; as Heaven brings that which is in Elemental things, by its own motion into action, &c. For we call it Heaven, by reason of its motion; because as the upper Heaven moves the universal Form, and first Master, and Ele∣ments, and Senses, to compound Elemented Individuals; so
Page 14
D moves C, and (C) and the four Elements to M, (the Sul∣phur of Nature, or Philosophers Mercury) or to Q (the Tincture) Distinct. 3. de quarto principio Libri Essentioe.

4. Because like Heaven, it is incorruptible. Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies, by which our Stone is vivified; there∣fore we call it Heaven, and Quintessence, and incombustible Oyl, and by its infinite other Names, because it is incorrupti∣ble almost, as Heaven, in the continual circulation of its moti∣on, pag. 145. Elucid. Testam.

5. Because it is of the colour and clarity of Heaven. Heaven or our Mercury is the fourth Principle in this Art, and is signified by D, of an azure colour and line, and is signified by that colour, be∣cause it is celestial, and of a celestial Nature, as we said before in the description of it, Dist. 3. Lib. Essentioe,

This Essence Johannes de Rupescissa calls Humane Heaven, for the following Reasons:

We ought to seek that thing which is to the four Qualities of which our Body is compounded, as is Heaven in respect of the four Elements: Now the Philosophers called Heaven Quintes∣sence in respect of the four Elements, because Heaven is in it self incorruptible and immutable, and not receiving strange im∣pressions, but by the command of God; so also, the thing which we seek, is in respect of the four Qualities of our Body, a Quintessence, in it self incorruptible so made, not hot dry with Fire, nor moist cold with Water, nor hot moist with Ayr, nor cold dry with Earth; but is it a Quintessence able to work Contraries, as the incorruptible Heaven; which, when it is necessary, infuseth a moist Quality, sometimes a hot, sometimes a cold, sometimes a dry: Such a Radix of Life is the Quintes∣sence, which the most High created in Nature, with power to supply the necessity of the Body to the utmost term which God hath appointed to our Life: And I said that the most High created the Quintessence, which is by the Art of man extracted from the Body of Nature, created by God: And I will name it by its three Names attributed to it by the Philo∣sophers: It is called Aqua ardens, Anima, or Spiritus Vini, and Aqua Vitoe. And when you have a mind to conceal it, call
Page 15
it Quintessence; because this is its Nature, and this is its Name, the greatest Philosophers have been willing to disclose to no man, but caused the Truth to be buried with them: And that it is not moist as the Element of Water, is demonstrated, be∣cause it burns; which is a thing repugnant to Elementary Wa∣ter. That it is not hot and moist as Ayr, is declared, because dry Ayr may be corrupted with every thing, as appears in the generation of Spiders; but that remains always uncorrupt if it be kept from expiring. That it is not dry and cold as Earth, is expresly manifest, because it is exceeding sharp, and heats extreamly: And that it is not hot and dry as Fire, is apparent to the Eye, because it infrigidates hot things, and wastes and eradicates hot Diseases. That it conduceth to incorruptibility, and preserves from corruptibility, I will demonstrate by an Ex∣periment; for if any Bird whatsoever, or piece of Flesh, or Fish be put into it, it will not be corrupted so long as it shall continue therein; how much more will it therefore keep the animated and living Flesh of our Body from all corruption? This Quintessence is the humane Heaven, which the most High created for the preservation of the four Qualities of mans Bo∣dy as Heaven, for the preservation of the whole Universe. And know of a certain, that the modern Philosophers and Phy∣sicians are altogether ignorant of this Quintessence, and of the truth and virtue thereof: But by the help of God I will here∣after declare to you the Magistery of it. And hitherto I have taught you a Secret, the Quintessence, that is, the humane Heaven, Cap. 2. Lib. Essentioe.

9. Lastly, That many Receipts more obscure, and otherwise intel∣ligible by no man, are by these illustrated.

Page 16
The Second KIND. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and the hottest Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Roots, &c. being Oyly.
5. The. Anima Metallica, or Lunaria Coelica of Lully; Described in Composit. Animae Transmut. pag. 193. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym.
FIrst you must know, that the Matter of our Stone, or of all the Stones of the Philosophers, together with Precious Stones, which are generated or compounded by Art, is this Metallick Soul, and our Menstruum rectify'd and acuated, or the Lunaria Coelica, which among the Philosophers is called Vegetable Mercury, produced from Wine red or white, as is clearly manifest, being revealed to us by God, in our Figura Individuorum, Distinct. 3. Libri Quint. Essent. &c.

But first, it is expedient to draw our Menstruum by Art from Death, that is, the Impurities and Phlegm of Wine, by the Office of an Alembick, and to acuate it in distillation with per∣tinent Vegetables; such as are Apium sylvestre, Squilla, Sola∣trum, Carduus, Oliandrum, Piper nigrum, Euphorbium, Viticella or Flammula, and Pyrethrum, an equal quantity of all, and pul∣verized. Then the Menstruum must be circulated continually for the space of ten days in hot Dung, or Balneo Marioe.

Page 17
Annotations.
THE Ʋnctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine attracts none but the Ʋnctious natural Essences of Vegetables, as we shall observe below in the Book of Medecines. Essences being thus ex∣tracted, as also all other Oyly things, crude or expressed, and all di∣stilled of both Kingdoms, Animal and Vegetable, this Spirit of Wine doth by simple digestion divide into two distinct parts, two Oyls or Fats, whereof one is the Essence of the thing, the other the Body: The Essence so made we named the Second Spirit of Wine. Both Essences, this by Division, and that by Extraction prepared, are by longer digestion made one with the aforesaid Spirit of Wine. For those things which are of one and the same purity, and of a symbolical Nature, are easily mix'd together, and that inseparably, and so an Essence made by an Essence, is joyned to that Essence. And if we protract Digestion further, one of the Fats, namely, the Body less Oyly, and therefore left hitherto, is at length received also into a symbolical Nature, by reason of which mixtion, not only is the Spirit multiplied, but also made fitter for the Dissolutions of dry things, because the Particles of this Body less Oyly incline to dryness; concerning which way we treat in this Receipt, in the Prescription of which, the Oyl drawn out of Oyly Vegetables, is by distillation together with the Spirit of Philosophical VVine, circulated into a Magistery (or double Essence, Natural and Artificial; of which, lower in its place) by which the Spirit of Wine is multiplied, and made more homogeneous to dry Bodies. There is the same Men∣struum, but a little otherwise described in his Natural Magick. pag. 358. thus; Take Nigrum nigrius Nigro, and distil ten or eight parts of the same in a Glass-Vessel, and in the first distillation you must receive only one half; this again distil, and hereof take a fourth part; and the third distillation you must take in a manner all, and so distil that part eight or nine times, and it will be perfect, but not rectified under one and twenty Distil∣lations. Take of this VVater a quarter of a pound, and acu∣ate the same by distilling it with the Vegetables, which are A∣pium Sylvestre; and so of the rest, of which was spoken above in Anima Transmutationis, in the Chapter which begins, First you must know, &c. And then put it into a Vessel of Circulation in
Page 18
hot dung, or in the remains of a Wine-press with the preserva∣tion of the Species. Which water is also one of the things without which nothing can be effected in the Magistery of this Art.

That Menstruum which ought to be drawn from the Death of Wine by the Office of an Alembick, acuated with the said Vegeta∣bles, and at length circulated, is the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which is by these degrees so exalted, as to be by Lully deservedly called the Matter of all the Stones of the Philosophers, and vertuous Stones (that is, Precious Stones) Anima Metallica, and Lunaria Coelica, which also is called Vegetable Mercury, deduced from Wine red or white.

The Matter of which this Menstruum is made, is called Wine in the former Receipt: the Menstruum must be extracted from the Death of Wine: But in the latter it is called Nigrum nigrius Nigro. To these two Lully adds a third synonimous, pag. 1. Test. novissimi. Take red Wine, which we call the Liquor of Luna∣ria and Nigrum nigrius Nigro. By which synonimous Terms none but a Fool can understand Common Wine; for the common Spirit herefrom distilled, is altogether insufficient to perform such and so great things; yea, all the Arcanums of the more secret Chymy, which we are solicitous to describe, would be prostituted to all men, were this one only Word literally understood: by Wine therefore is meant a Philosophical Secret hidden from all the unexpert.

It is expedient to draw from the Death of Wine, by the Of∣fice of an Alembick, that is, we must rectifie so often till it be∣come most pure, without the Foeces and Phlegm of Wine, which is by Lully called the Death of the Spirit. It is (saith he) purged from all its Superfluity, and Phlegmatick corruptible matter, which is its Death, and which mortifies its Spirit, which hath the power of vivifying its Earth; let therefore the corruptible Phlegm be purged and separated from it by a subtil method, which I will tell you: For what reason? because if it be not well purged, its Earth will never become white, nor will Ma∣trimony be made between the Body and Spirit; and so that Spirit is call'd the Spirit of the Stone in Apertorio.

The Method of Rectification omitted in the former Receipt, is described in the latter, as also in Epistola accurtatoria: This Rectification of Philosophical Wine Sendivogius understood not, as
Page 19
appears by the Sixth of his Epistles, Brux. 25. Martii 1646. Where thus: The second Article (my Companion) of the Page∣sian work, endeavours to repeat the mysterious way of ex∣tracting and preparing Mercury, more than needed, the Autho∣rity of Lully being misunderstood, and the Precepts of other Philosophers ill applied, he commanding the tenth part of his Ma∣gnesia first ascending by distillation to be saved, as the only useful, and truly Mercurial substance; but the other nine parts proceed∣ing by continuance of distillation, to be cast away as of no use, to this end, that the said tenth part reserved, might at length be restored to the Earth remaining after compleat distillation, (which Earth is foolishly supposed to be the Salt and Sulphur of Mercury) and by repeated cohobations, inhumations, digesti∣ons and sublimations described by him, united; but it is a grie∣vous Error, for that which Authors declare concerning the tenth part containing the Spirit, and of inhumations in its own Earth, is otherwise referred than to the extraction and preparation of Mercury, as shall be elsewhere in time demon∣strated; nor for the said extraction and preparation of Mercury is there any Rule to be used besides the bare distilling of Mag∣nesia, whereby the Spirit and Oyl are together elevated to a Siccity even of the Foeces, and separation of the Spirit from the Oyl, and rectification of the same Spirit oftentimes repeat∣ed: But these things we will in their proper place more amply treat of in the Method of operating.

Parisinus, a Disciple of Lully, will correct Sendivogius, who learnt of Lully to rectifie his Spirit of Philosophical Wine after this manner.

Take A (Chaos, our Vegetable Mercury, in which the four E∣lements are found confused, pag. 271. Vol. sext. Theat. Chym.) and put it in a Vessel to be distilled through Y (Balneo, pag. 276.) and in this temperate distillation gather its B. (Celestial ardent Spirit, pag. 269.) continue that distillation this way and me∣thod till you attain to the Signs declared in our Apertorial, and till you know that the said B. is dissolved and separated from its Elemental Nature, continuing this Magistery even to the fourth Revolution: Then put this Celestial fiery Matter into a pure Vessel, and distil slowly with ordinary fire, and take only a tenth part; in the second distillation take half, and in the
Page 20
third, two parts of three; and in the fourth, take four parts of five, and more: Then take that last Celestial Water, and distil it three or four times by the Rule abovesaid, taking the whole without any separation appointed. This observe, and admire the necessity of this Mystery and Foundation, and you will understand the reason why dull and ignorant men make the worst Bread with the finest and purest Flower, because they mix the course part with the fine: The same thing happens to presumptuous Artists, who perswade themselves that they are able to find out the beauty of our Quintessence with the ex∣uberated Spirit negligently purified, without an exact separa∣tion of the pure from the impure. in Elucid. pag. 230. Vol. 6. Theatri Chym.

Which way notwithstanding of rectification so exactly to observe, there seems to me to be no necessity; rectification of the Spirit being good enough, which way soever done, either with fewer or more co∣hobations, provided it be separated from the impurities of the Wine, which you will know (saith Lully) when it burns a piece of Linnen by reason of its vehement heat, that is, as elsewhere more clearly, till a Linnen Cloth moistned with this Spirit, and kindled, be wholly consumed. This rectified Spirit is in distilling, sharpned with the oyly Vegetables nominated in the Receipt, the Oyls of which, being nearest to it, it easily carrieth with it, and is im∣pregnated with the same, and acuated by the aridity contained in them: Yet are we not obliged to use these Vegetables only, and no other, or is it necessary to mix all of them together, as if one or two would not suffice. The Oyl of any Vegetable, or drawn out of a Vegetable with the help of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or already made, and added to the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, will here satisfie us. I will give one form or other in confirmation of this kind of Menstruums; of which sort is,

Page 21
6. The Aqua Vitae of Paracelsus, Pag. 508. Tom. 1.
TAke of the Alcool of Wine exsiccated three pounds, of the Flowers of Rosemary, Macis, Lavender, of each half an ounce; of Cubebs, Cloves, Cinamon, of each two ounces; of Mastick, half an ounce; of both sorts of Storax, half a dram of each; of Doronicum, three ounces; and coho∣bate seven times.

The following Ʋse besides the Alcool of Wine exsiccated, testi∣fies, that this Water is made with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine. Take of the Leaves of Gold, Num. 20. of Pearls not perforated, Granats, Rubies, of each half a drachm; digest for a Month: Then take of this Oyl three or four grains with Malago wine, or the water of Majoram or Sage. This Men∣struum is Vinum Essatum or Essentificatum, or Spi•it of Philoso∣phical Wine impregnated with the Essences of the Oyly Ingredients, with which Paracelsus dissolves Gold and Precious Stones into a most noble Oyl or Elixir, which he says is a Secret against the su∣perfluity of Womens Menstruums. The Description of this Water being clear, requires no other Light: I will therefore propose ano∣ther Receipt more obscure.

7. Another Aqua Vitae of Paracelsus, Pag. 115. Chyr. Min.
TAke of the waters of Melissa, Roses, Cheirus, Sage, Balsamus, of each one pound: of all the Peppers, Cu∣bebs, Ginger, Cinamon, Mastick, red Myrrh, Mace, Cloves, of each two ounces; of the Juyce of Honey, half a pound; of rectifi'd Aqua Vitae, sive pound: Let them be all digested together for the space of nine days, and after that separated, and distilled in a Pelican into a Spirit. Then to this Liquor add an Apple roasted and broken, and let them be digested together with the following Spices upon Ashes for three days; of which take five grains every day. The Spices are these;
Page 22
Take of Cinamon, Cloves, Mace, of each two ounces; of Cheirus, Anthos, of each half an ounce; of Amber, two drachms; of Musk, five grains; of Zibeth, half a drachm; of Ginger, Cubebs, Nutmegs, of each one ounce and half; of Amomus, two drachms; of Zedoary, two ounces and half; of Grains of Paradise, one ounce and half. After Digestion of them all, separate, and keep the Matter in Glass Vessels very close stopp'd.

From the Dose it self of this Prescription, it is manifest that the operation is meerly Philosophical; for if by Aqua vitae he would have understood the Common Spirit of Wine, it would be altoge∣ther ridiculous to give only five grains for a Dose. We meet with many more Menstruums of this kind, which little differing from the pristine Nature of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, were less observed by some Adepts; wherefore Christophorus Parisinus, a Noble Sicilian, doth not very much commend this acuation of the Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine. Some (saith he) have made (the aforesaid Spirit) acute with Vitriol, which way is very good; some with Nitre; some with Cinnabar; some with these two, some with all three; some with their Earth, which way dis∣pleaseth me, because a thick Unctuosity and ponderosity was hereby introduced; some use Vegetables, as Herbs, Roots, Flowers, and Seeds known to you, which have strong (Vege∣table) Mercuries in them; wherefore they that handled it af∣ter this manner, augmented rather its Vegetable Form (Ʋnctuo∣sity) than that they made it more soluble. Parisinus in Eluci∣dario, pag. 231. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym. For this reason, Ripley fol∣lowing the same Master as Parisinus, believed these things to be covered with a Mantle of Philosophy; for so he writes in his Me∣dulla Philosophioe. Raymund saith, it ought to be drawn out from the Death and Faeces of Wine for the space of one hun∣dred and twenty days, by continual rotation, in a Balneo of of the hottest Dung, and that it must be acuated with hot Ve∣getable things, as Piper nigrum, Euphorbium, Pyrethrum, Ana∣cardus, Squilla, Solatrum, Apium Sylvestre, and such like; for without the virtue of these things, as he saith, it is not suffici∣ent to dissolve Metals, except in a long time; but that nothing of doubt or ambiguity may appear, I say, that all these things are covered and shrowded with a Philosophical Mantle: For
Page 23
his meaning is, that in this Spirit may be had another resoluble Menstruum, because without such a resolutive Menstruum Solution can never be made: And that resoluble Menstruum is generated only from the Metallick kind, and is by our resolutive Menstru∣um produced into act, Ripley, pag. 168. Medul. Philos. Ripley did by the resoluble Menstruum produced into act by the Menstru∣um resolutive (that is, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) mean a certain Mercurial Water; of the Preparation of which lower: where likewise it will appear that by the aforesaid Vegetables Ripley thought Lully intended running Mercury; yet nevertheless his following Menstruum proves, that these Vegetables have been some∣times also taken by him literally.

8. The Aqua Vitae of Ripley. Pag. 338. Viatici.
THE Menstruum being distilled from the first Faeces, circulate it with the hottest Species, such as are, Black Pepper, Euphorbium, Pyrethrum, Anacardus, Grains of Paradise, and the like, for the space of 100 days in Balneo; and after that, distil only half of it, and make your putrefaction with it, &c.

It is here manifest that Ripley took these Vegetables, Not Ar∣gent vive, because, Circulation being finished, he distilled only one half of the Spirit, as the most subtil part of the Vegetables; in which case that Metal (Mercury) though dissolved, would remain in the bottom. But whereas Lully acuates the Spirit by distil∣ling, and then circulates; Ripley does this by circulating, and after that distils. To this Aqua Vitae he sometimes adds Oyls, or Essences either of Metals or Vegetables, as followeth;

9. The Compounded Aqua Vitae of Ripley, Pag. 343. Viatici.
CIrculate the strongest red. Wine with known Vegetables, for the space of 120 days, with continual Rotation in Balneo, and then draw only the purest Spirit by distillation; to which put the Oyl of the purest Luna, made without a
Page 24
Corrosive; and let them be circulated together 100 days more, and then is the Water of the nature of the Basilisk, because as a Basilisk kills a man at an instant by the Aspect alone, so this Wa∣ter being put upon Argent vive does without any other Fire, suddenly in a manner congeal it into the purest Silver: And note, if the Fire (Oyl or Essence) of Celandine be put in, or the Fire of the Flowers of Thyme, after the first Circula∣tion, and they circulated together without the Oyl of Luna, the Argent vive will be much better congealed, &c. But that which begets the greater scruple, is the Paraphrase of Lully himself upon this place. We, saith he, would not have you ig∣norant of that you may extract our Argent vive (Veget.) from its Myne another way: The way (my Son) is to take the Herb which is called Portulaca marina, Apium, Squilla, &c. distil the Faeces which remain calcine, draw off the Salt with the distilled water, and abstract the water from it, purifie the Salt by often dissolving and coagulating, and you will have the Salt of the acuating Vegetable Herbs: These (saith he) I meant, when I said, acuate with acuating Vegetables, that is, the Salts, not the simple Herbs: Wherefore you might say, it follows, that this Receipt of the Metallick Soul hath not at all been described, so as to be understood according to the Literal Sense; but I have my Answer ready, namely, that Lully acuated the Spirit of Wine with crude Vegetables also, it is easily proved by the third Distinction of his Book of Essence, in Figura individuorum, al∣ledged by him, where he rehearseth the nearest Individuals, acua∣ting the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as are red Wine, new Honey, Celandine, Flowers of Rosemary, Herb Mercury, red Lilly, Tartar, Mans Blood, and white Wine. Why he chose these, not others, and these only, it is not my business to answer: that which we learn from thence, is, that he commended two of those Individuals to us before the rest, Tartar and Honey, of which thus. There are some Individuals, in which Mercury (Vegeta∣ble) hath a free Act in some respect, in Tartar it hath one free operation only, and in Honey two, and this an Artist ought to know, that he may be certified in this Art, and the first Truth thereof. He prefers Tartar, not for the sake of the Tar∣tar, but the Alkali made from thence, and that he resolves as the best of Alkalies per deliquium, and circulates it being purified
Page 25
with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, according to the Doctrine prescribed in prima Tabula individuorum, in the second Expe∣riment, and in other places. The Alkali of Tartar may be sup∣plied with the Alkalies of Honey, Celandine, and the rest of the Individuals named by Lully, with which the Adepts did also some∣times acuate their Spirit of Wine, as shall be declared below in tht Fifth Kind of Menstruums: But these things make also against the Literal sense of our Receipt, and do prove that the Salts of the Ve∣getables, not the crude Vegetables themselves were taken in the Receipt. But though he made choice of Tartar, because of the strongest Alkali to be from thence prepared, yet did he not for the same reason intimate, that Celandine, the Flowers of Rosemary, Herb Mercury, red Lilly, and mans Blood were better than the rest, because with these he proceeds another way; for he separates the E∣lements from them with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, from which he takes only the Fire or Oyl, which he circulates with the Spirit, and so acuates it, as is clearly enough evident in secunda Tabula Individuorum.

But because Honey surpasseth not only its own collateral Indivi∣duals, but also the Tartar it self (for he saith that the Spirit of Wine in Tartar hath one, but in Honey two free Operations) and therefore attributes his peculiar process to Honey, namely, by di∣stilling the whole Comb, the Honey together with the Wax, with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick. Now be∣tween both processes of Honey, and the rest of the Individuals our Receipt keeps a middle station. If Honey be volatilized as to the whole substance, it becomes thereby a Magistery, which being joyn'd to the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, yields us a Menstruum of the Third kind. But the Fires or Oyls of Celandine, of the Flow∣ers of Rosemary, common white and red Wine, &c. are by separa∣tion of the Elements made with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, Essences, which being added to the said Spirit of Wine, do not al∣ter, but multiply it rather, because an Essence is added to an Es∣sence, that is, the second to the first Spirit of Philosophical Wine. But if Celandine, the Flowers of Rosemary, as also the Vegetables of our Receipt be distilled with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, it does extract and elevate all their Ʋnctuosity with it self, reject∣ing the aridity of them, being more simple, subtil, volatile, and less loaded with dry Particles, than the Ʋnctuosity of crude Honey;
Page 26
and so by being circulated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; it is made indeed a Magistery, yet more inclining to the nature of an Essence, and therefore less dry, and less altering the Spirit of Wine, than that of Honey, and so being now deservedly united with the aforesaid Spirit, it makes a Menstruum different from the Men∣struums of the Third Kind. So the Literal Sense of our Receipt does hitherto stand unmoved. But not to derogate from the Au∣thority of the Author, and his own Commentator Lully, it is ne∣cessary to suppose, that, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being distilled upon the aforesaid Vegetables, he did sometimes out of the remainder prepare an Alkali by calcination, and acuate his Spirit with it, and so make a Menstruum of the Fifth Kind.

From these and the like Receipts, we observe,

1. That Wine, Lunaria, Nigrum nigrius Nigro, the Matter of the Menstruum of Vegetable Mercury or Soul of Metals, is not Common, but Philosophical Wine; nor that the Spirit of this Wine is the Common, but Philosophical Aqua ardens.

2. That a Menstruum of this kind is the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine acuated, that is, tempered with the common Ʋnctuosity of Vegetable Oyls. Mix, digest, and distil any common distilled Oyl with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and you will obtain a Menstruum of the Second Kind much sooner; yea, you will make the same in a moment, if you mix the Essence (Spirit) of Philosophical VVine with the Magistery of an oyly Vegetable.

3. That one oyly Vegetable (Saffron or Macis) of so many, is sufficient for the acuation of the Spirit of Philosophical VVine; nor yet will you err, if you take Triacle; which Spirit of Triacle, made with this Spirit of Wine, will be a Menstruum of this kind.

4. That these Menstruums are Medecines.

5. That these Menstruums made out of meer Vegetables, are pro∣perly called Vegetable Menstruums, tho' some which we call Vegeta∣ble Menstruums compounded, are by reason of the addition of Me∣tals or Minerals, sometimes by the Adepts called Mineral Men∣struums: so Lully in the 34th. Experiment, calls his Circulatum majus made of Gold and Silver, the true Mineral Menstruum. But we distinguish them from the Mineral Menstruums, because
Page 27
they are corrosive, being prepared with the acidity of Mi•eral Salts. But these are most sweet, without any Corrosive, and do kindly dis∣solve things that are to be dissolved.

6. That a Menstruum is call'd the Soul of Metals. Soul is di∣versly taken among the Adepts.

First, For perfect Metal, Gold or Silver. So Arnold in Flore Florum: Philosophers call the Soul a Ferment, because as the Body of man can do nothing without its Ferment or Soul, so is it in the thing propounded; for Ferment is a Substance which converts other things into its own Nature. And you must know, there is no Ferment, except Sol and Luna, that is, Gold and Silver appropriated to those Planets, &c. Ferment therefore must be introduced into the Body, because it is the Soul thereof. This is that which Morienus said, except you cleanse the unclean Body, and make it white, and infuse a Soul into it, you conduce nothing to this Magistery.

Secondly, For Metals, and other things, volatilized with a Phi∣losophical Menstruum. So Lully calls Gold and Silver volati∣lized in the preparation of his Circulatum majus, Menstruum, or animated Spirit. Take, saith he, the animated Spirit of Sol, and the animated Spirit of Luna, joyn them together, &c. So the Tinctures of Gold and Silver volatilized by a Menstruum, as also of imperfect Metals, are by him called Souls. So in the 20th. Experiment he hath the Animal Water of Saturn; in the 21th. Experiment, the Soul of Mars. Yea separating the Elements from all things, he calls the tinged distilled Liquors Souls or animated Spirits, because by them is the dead, dry and fixed Earth again revivified, volatilized, and reduced into a Sal harmoniack. See the Revivification of the Salt of Tartar by its own Water, in the Volatization of it given in the Second Experiment.

Thirdly, For Menstruums themselves. For Menstruums are the Souls of Metals, by which the Metals, otherwise dead, are ani∣mated and revivified: so Lully of this our Menstruum, the Soul of Metals, pag. 195. Comp. Anim. Transm. Otherwise, saith he, Metals cannot be dissolved, unless they be animated with a Vegetable Menstruum, by the power of which, Resolution is made in things resoluble. And in Elucid. Testam. pag. 145. Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies, by which our Stone is vivified. So also Ripley in Libro Mercurii, pag. 108. saith, The Sperm of
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Metals is also called Metallick Aqua Vitoe, because it administreth life and health to Metals, being sick, dead, &c.

Fourthly, For the Ʋnctuosity as well of the Metal as Menstruum. Of both saith Ripley, pag. 150. Medulloe Phil. There is some cer∣tain Similitude of the Trinity to be perceived in the Body, Soul and Spirit (of our Work.) The Body is the substance of the Stone; the Spirit is the Virtue (that is, the Quintessence, which excites Natures from Death) and the Soul is to be taken for the Ferment, which cannot be had but out of the most per∣fect Body (Gold) in Sulphur (of Gold;) there is a Terrestreity for the Body, and in Mercury (Menstruum) an aereal serenity for the Spirit; and in both a natural Unctuosity for the Soul: For they are all fermentable in the Unctuosity of the Body, be∣ing mix'd and inseparably united with it throughout its most minute parts, by which Soul is the Stone formed, because no∣thing can be any way formed without it.

7. That this Menstruum, is called Vegetable Mercury, produced from red or white Wine. The Adepts have many Mercuries.

The First is, Common Argent vive, running or sublimed.

The Second is, The running Mercury of Bodies, extracted out of Metals by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

A Third is, Any Salt Alkali, especially fixed with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

Lully calcines Celandine, and from thence extracts a Salt; of which thus; Repeat this Magistery so often, till you have ex∣tracted all the Salt, which is the Mercurial Part of that Indivi∣dual (Celandine.) These things therefore being done, take all these Dissolutions (Lixivia's) and transmit them through a Fil∣ter, or Linnen-Cloth, that they may be purged from Terre∣streity; then distilled by Balneo congeal, and the moisture be∣ing gone over, in the bottom of the Vessel will remain a Mer∣cury or Salt, of a white colour; and by this means you will have extracted out of this Matter a Mercury, which hath almost innumerable Virtues of acuating the Vegetable Spirit, drawn from (Philosophical) Wine, so as to have the power of dissol∣ving all Metals with the conservation of the Vegetative and Germinative Form.

In Magia Naturali, He calls Tartar calcined, and impregnated with the Vegetable Menstruum, by being four times distilled, then
Page 29
resolved per Deliquium, and coagulated by the Name of Mercury. And saith he, pag. 379, you wil have the Salt of Art, or Te∣stamentary Mercury, without which is nothing done. Some∣times the Salt, or Caput Mortuum, in the separation of the Ele∣ments, called exanimated Earth, he calls Mercury. So in Exp. 6. The inanimated Earth of Ʋrine, dissolved in Water, filtred and co∣agulated, he calls Mercury: Then, saith he, Keep our fixed Sal ar∣moniack, our animal Sulphur, our fixed animal Mercury. Lay a little of which, upon a Fire-hot-plate, and if it melt as Wax without fume, it is a sign you have Argent vive fixed and per∣fectly depurated, wherewith you will be able to produce many Experiments. This is that Mercury, which hath afforded us most convenient relief.

The Fourth Mercury, is either Vegetable or Animal; of which saith Ripley in Pupilla, pag. 300. There are more Mercuries than the two above-said (Mineral the red and green Lyon) name∣ly, the Vegetable and Animal Mercury, because both may be extracted out of some Liquors, as out of Blood and Eggs. Lully Distinct. 3. Libri Essentioe in Figuris & Tabulis Individuorum, de∣scribes the Vegetables and Animals, in which are found these Mer∣curies most readily. There is, saith he, lastly this other Secret of Nature, for the Artist of this Art to know, and really have the knowledge of the Individuals, in which our Mercury is found most easily. Wherefore let the Artists of this Art know, that our Mercury is found in every Elemented Body, yet in some so remote, as to anticipate the Life of Man, before the Artist of this Art can possess it, being extracted, as is expedient: Where∣fore we do in that place reveal those things which contain it most nearly. Of this Mercury, saith Lully, Libro Mercuriorum, pag. 8. VVhen we say common Mercury, we speak of that which the Philosophers understand; and when we say vulgar, we speak of that which the Rustick understands, and which is sold in Shops: Which Ripley in the 326th pag. of his Concordance, thus expresseth; VVhen I speak of Mercury, understand Mercury more common than common.

The Fifth is, The Spirit of Philosohical VVine, which Lully in Exp. 3. calls Vegetable Mercury. So, saith he, will you have a Vegetable Salt extracted from this Individual (Honey) which Salt is most precious, and hath the power of acuating the
Page 30
Vegetable Mercury, and dissolving the two Luminaries, &c. in Exp. 5. Salts he prepares out of Portulaca, Apium, Squilla, &c. with all which, saith he, you may acuate the Vegetable Mercury ex∣tracted out of VVine, either joyntly or severally; of which low∣er in the fifth kind of Menstruums.

The Sixth is, The Philosophical Menstruum it self; for our pre∣sent Menstruum is called Vegetable Mercury, produced from white or red Wine.

The Seventh is, The animated Spirit or Air of every Body, in the separation of the Elements, which Mercury being a Fire or Oyl, is called Sulphur in almost all Receipts.

The Eighth is, Sal armoniack Vegetable, Animal or Mineral, the Sulphur of Nature, which is also called our Mercury, Mercury Sub∣limate, and Philosophers Mercury. Necessary it is we should observe these things in the following Descriptions of Menstruums, except we would some times confound the things themselves with the Names.

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The Third KIND. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Oyly, Salts, or (such as can neither be called fixed nor volatile) hitherto called Essential Salts, such as are Sugar, Honey, Tartar of Common Wine, and other Vegetables.
10. The Mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus. In practica Elucid. p. 231. V. 6. Theat. Chym.
THe way of acuating this Celestial and Burning B (Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine) is to take of the Substances declared to you what quantity you will: But we take the Substances of Flowers United (that is, the Substance of New Honey, pag. 269.) which we put in a Vessel to distill all the Aquosity through Y (Balneo Marioe. pag. 270.) Then we pour in three parts and more of B upon that Substance prepared af∣ter this manner; shutting the Vessel with its Cover, called Ante∣notorium, and put it in Putrefaction for the space of one Natural Day; then with three Distillations by Z. (Fire of Ashes, pag. 270.) we distill till we obtain all the Mercurial Part with the whole Juice of the Blessed Substance by that Method, then re∣peat the aforesaid Magistery with New Substance of Flow∣ers, and making this Regiment four times, at the end of which, you have reduced B solutive from Power into Act by Virtue of the Manna of the Flowers United.

Now take a strong Glass Vessel, able to hold as much Water,
Page 32
as a common Pitcher, with a Neck one span and a half long, to which another Glass Vessel, containing a fourth part only of the Pitcher, must be joyned, and well luted: Into this Vessel put four Pounds of C (the said Menstruum made of Honey) to Circu∣late in Balneo, or Horse Dung, the space of thirty or forty Days, at the expiration of which time, you will have C converted in∣to D (into the Quintessence in its Perfection, drawn from excellent Wine, which is the Form of the Ʋniversal Body reduced into B, and B into C, and then Circulation to be made. This Quintessence is Vegetable, because, all the rest of the sharp Waters destroying Me∣tals, this alone doth by its Virtue vegetate, augment and multiply them. Wherefore this Water is the Mystery of Art, because it is Burning, Calcines, and dissolves Bodies, if it be perfectly rectified, pag. 269.) But the Sign of knowing, whether this Conversion be made, will be a sediment in the bottom of the Vessel, like that, which appears in the Urine of a sound Man. When the Glorious Body draws nigh, after thirty Days in the end of Per∣fection, then will you see D, or the Quintessence in greater cla∣rity and splendor than any Diamond. The clarity whereof surpasses all Precious Things, so as that it is difficult to judge, whether that Divine Liquor be in or out of the Vessel: Then you must separate our Heaven from its Sediment or Hypostasis with Industry, keeping it in a Vessel well luted in a cold place, that nothing may from thence expire. This Quintessence is by the Philosophers called Spiritus Vivus, because it gives Life to humane Bodies, and Metalls, as also Aqua Argenti vivi, Aqua Vi∣toe, Aqua Coelestis, Aqua Divina, Stella Dianoe, Anima, Spiritus Mercurii nostri Vegetabilis, Fumus, Ventus, Coelum Nostrum. To conclude, infinite Names have been given it, which notwith∣standing signifies one and the same thing.

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Annotations.
THe antecedent acuition of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine with Oyly Vegetables, did not so well please Christopher Parisinus, and therefore instead thereof he substituted this, which he found better than the other. The great Mystery and Treasure (saith he) which we teach you in this Chapter, is, how you ought to make B (the Coelestial and Ardent Spirit) acute, which we signi∣fie by C, wherefore give Ear, for I know not how I ought to propound this Doctrine, lest this Secret should be prostituted to all Men: For all the Philosophers that ever have been, have ab∣sconded this Secret under divers Figures, because without all doubt this is the thing, which is the Principal, or one of the Principal Keys of this admirable Science. This I would have you certainly believe, that B hath no solutive Nature actually, but only potentially; for if B were not acuated by the way and means manifested to you, it would have no power of Dissolving: Some made it acute with Vitriol, which way is good enough: Some with Niter: Some with Cinnabar: Some with these two, and some with all three: Some with their Earth, which way displeaseth me, because this way thick Unctuosity and Pondero∣sity was introduced: Some have used Vegetables, as Herbs, Roots, Flowers, and Seeds known to you, which have powerful Mercuries in them; for this Reason it is, That they which handled it this way, augmented rather its Vegetable Form, than made it solutive: Some used Flowers United for acuition, which is the Principal Way, and of our Intention, which is found in the Alphabetum apertoriale: Some not knowing the true way of acuating this B, spent much time in preparing divers Waters, before they could put any Body into B, as happened to us in the beginning, seeking that Practice, which is now manifested to you by the Practice of our Summetta, which though it hath succeeded well, yet with very great Labour. The Mystery of this dissolutive part is difficult, and tedious, and therefore I will undertake the Repetition of it; for having made B acute by this Method, which we now manifest concerning the solution of Bodies, to be perfected without trouble in a little time, you will be certain. But I confess, when I was with you at that time,
Page 34
wherein we made the first beginning of dissolving, we did not understand Raymund Lully in this dissolutive part; but having read him over again returning to our Studies, Practising, Pray∣ing, and Fasting, a perfect Illumination of Mind came to us: this way therefore will I manifest under the Seal of Silence, pag. 231. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym.

Parisinus doth by these Words make us more assured, that the Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine hath no power of dissolving any but Oyly things, because it is Oyl it self; but in order to dissolve dry things also, it is necessary for it to be acuated, that is, so tempered, as to be made homogeneous also to dry things, and so dissolve them, which to be a Work difficult and tedious, his own Experience proveth; out of many acuators therefore of the Adepts, he chooseth Hony before the rest, whose principal acuating faculty, he calls the great Mystery and Treasure of the Art. For according to Lully, the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine in Honey hath two free Operations, that is, this Ʋncti∣ous Spirit is easily Ʋnited to the Ʋnctuosity of Honey, and by the same means also easily tempered with the aridity of Honey. In a Word, there are other indeed, yea all the following Menstruums stronger than this, but none more easie to be prepared, and better for a young Beginner. Lully made the same Menstruum after this manner.

11. The Spirit of Honey of Lully. Cap. 19. Lib. Mercur.
TAke of Aqua Vitoe, and put into this Vegetable Humidity a third part of a Honey-Comb, with all its Substance, Wax, and Honey together, ferment, or digest it in a gentle heat for three Hours, and the longer it stands, the better it is: then let it be Distilled in Balneo, and repeat the Distillation and Fer∣mentation nine times, renewing the Comb every second Distilla∣tion.

Parisinus it seems to me learnt not only the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, but also the preparation it self of this Menstruum, from his Master Lully, though the preparation he corrected a little: Parisi∣nus digests one Pound of Honey inspissated with three or four Pounds of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, for a Day in Balneo, then Di∣stilling
Page 35
three times mixeth them together. The Work he repeats three times, so as at these four times to have joyned four Pounds of Honey together with so many Pounds of Spirit, and Circulates both each time. Lully digests the Hony-Comb three Hours with three parts of Spirit, and in two Distillations joyns both together: He re∣peats the Work four times, so as in eight Distillations to have Ʋnited four parts of Honey with three of Spirit; the Menstruum now joyn∣ed together, he Distills once more, that in nine times or cohobations, he makes his Spirit of Honey. Parisinus made choice of three Ingre∣dients for his Medicine: The most High Creator created three Mines; among Minerals, one, and that is of Sol and Luna: a∣mong Vegetables, the Wine; among Animals, the Bee, pag. 222. Elucid. Lully of these three thus, cap. 46. lib. Mercurior. Amongst all Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals, fixed Gold is chosen for the making of Medicines; and above all the Virtues among Ve∣getables and Animals, are the Virtues of the Juice, or Broth of Lunaria, and the Fly of Besena, which makes Honey.

Parisinus in his Alphabetum apertoriale hath indeed the same way of acuating the Spirit of Wine; but he in the same place super∣adding the Salt of Honey, extracted out of the Caput mortuum cal∣cined to the Menstruum, this acuition is referred not to this, but to another Kind.

But the Honey seems to have this special Priviledge, as if Men∣struums of this third Kind, could be made of it alone; yet you must know that all Oyly Salts, (as are Sugar Cristallized, Manna Cristalli∣zed, crude Tartar of common Wine, &c.) do on one side prove their affinity with Oyly things, but on the other side with dry, and so do by that their Oleosity, introduce their own aridity into the Oyly Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but by their aridity temper the Oleosity of that Spirit. Wherefore the same things are to be understood of Su∣gar and Manna, as have been spoken of Honey; one Example or two we will add of crude Tartar, being dryer then the things aforesaid.

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12. The Spirit of Crude Tartar of Guido. Pag. 51. Thesaur.
TAke of crude Tartar two Pounds, of Spirit of Wine three Pounds, Distill and Cohobate ten times upon its own Caput Mortuum.

Paracelsus prepared this Spirit of Tartar after this manner:

13. The Spirit of Crude Tartar of Paracelsus. Lib. 8. Paragraph, pag. 505.
TAke crude Tartar, beat and digest it seven or eight times in the Alcool of Wine, and Distill it into a Liquor, in which is no Alkali.

Out of the Receipts we observe the things following:

1. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine hath in dry things no dissolving faculty without acuition.

2. That this acuition is the Mystery of the Art, being difficult and tedious.

3. That it is best made with crude Honey, white Sugar-candy, and Manna purified.

4. That such Menstruums as these are somewhat hard to be made with crude Tartar.

5. That Lully by Aqua Vitae, Parisinus by the Celestial and Ardent Spirit, Guido by Spirit of Wine, and Paracelsus by the Al∣cool of Wine, meant not common Aqua ardens, which if a Man try an experiment with the Spirit of common Wine, he will by his own Ex∣perience find the Truth of the Matter confirmed.

6. That Menstruums of this Kind are the Magistery of Honey, Manna, Sugar, crude Tartar, mix'd with Spirit of Philosophical Wine, they are made extempore, thus: Take of the Essence of Philoso∣phical Wine, and the Magistery of Hony or Sugar, equal parts of each, mix.

7. That these Menstruums are Medicaments.

Page 37
8. That not only the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but also the Menstruums themselves have been Circulated, by reason of which Circulation the Menstruums are called Circulatums; and though it be not always expresly declared in Receipts, that they should be Circulated, yet it ought to be understood in all: for this Circulation is the Purification and Melioration of the Menstruum. By F, saith Parisinus, in Alphabeto Summetta, pag. 9. mei M. S s. We mean Aqua Vitoe Circulated thirty Days at least, in which Operation it is Purified from its Terrestreity, so as to raise it self to the Ce∣lestial Virtue of a Quintossence, which is called our Heaven, In∣fluencing upon the Elements such effects, as you may deserved∣ly call miraculous: We therefore Name it Quintessence and Aqua Vitoe, because it vivi••es Bodies. Without this F, no alteration can be made in Bodies, which caution may serve you for a gene∣ral Rule. It is otherwise called Vegetable Water, whereof we have more than often made mention in several places of our Summetta, which we sent you, affirming the difference between F and D to be greater, than between a clear Day and a dark Night, as will appear in the Operation of it in particulars as well as generals, which Virtue proceeds notwithstanding from our Circulation.

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The fourth KIND. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Volatile Salts, such as common Sal Ar∣moniack, Salt of Blood, Urine, Soot, &c.
14. The Spirit of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus. In Tract. Aquil. nig. pag. 13. Aur. Veller. Germ.
TAke of Sal Armoniack one Pound, of common Salt melted one Pound and a half, being very well pulverized and mix'd, sublime them; the Matter sublimed sublime a∣gain with new Salt, and that to be repeated so oft, till the Sal Armoniack be made like an impalpable Spirit, (Powder) then imbibe with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and the Vessel being very close, set it in Balneo to be dissolved; being dissolved decant, and putrify with new Spirit of Wine added the space of eight Days in Balneo, then Distill gently one half in Balneo, and being Distilled pour it again to the remainder, and Distill again, but with a stronger Fire, that all may ascend through the Alembick: Being Distilled, rectifie it so often, till it be without Faeces.

Annotations.
HItherto of things Oyly acuating the Spirit of Philosophical Wine: now follow those things which are less Oyly, Volatile Salts, which though they seem not to be Oyly, yet that they are so is easily demonstrated by the following preparations of Salts Harmoni∣ack, whose Earths, otherwise most fixed and flowing like Wax, are by
Page 39
the Ʋnctuosity alone of the Menstruum made Volatile, but this will not now be our inquiry: It sufficeth us to use crude and common Sal Armoniack, Salt of Ʋrine, Blood, &c. for the acuition of the Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine, which Salts do by their aridity alter their Ʋnctuosity of this Spirit, more than the aforesaid Oyly Matters, and consequently make the Vegetable Menstruum stronger. The same Receipt hath Trismosinus Libro novem Tincturarum in Tinctura Quarta, pag. 59. as also in Tinctura Pitrumorisonis Philosophi Angli, pag. 90. of the aforesaid Book. Trismosinus sublimes crude Sal Armoniack several times upon Salt fused, to be acuated by the acidity of this Salt, and then the better dissolved by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine. Geber de investigat. Ma∣gist, pag. 284. Sublimes Sal Armoniack with an equal proportion of Salt. Aristotle the Chymist perfected this sublimation after this manner, pag. 74. Volum. 3. Theat. Chym. Take of Sal Armoniack one Pound, of Spuma Maris six Ounces, of Sal Gemme, of common Salt and Alum, of each two Ounces, grind them all together, and Sift through a thick Hair Sieve, then put the Matter into an A∣ludel, and sublime, and the Sublimation repeat.

The Sal Armoniack being thus sublimed, is impregnated with the Spirit of Wine, (not common, for then would the process not succeed, but Philosophical Wine) and then dissolved per deliquium: For the Ʋnctuosity of this Spirit cannot dissolve the substance of Sal Armoniack, being heterogeneous to it, but successively, and by slow degrees. Wherefore this dissolution will better succeed according to the Method of Lully. Dissolve, saith he, Sal Armoniack in the Phlegme of Vinum of Lotium, (Philoso∣phical Wine made of Ʋrine) pass it through a Filter, and remove the Water by Balneo, and the Salt will remain coagulated and white; dissolve again with the Phlegm, and Distil it away by Balneo. Then take such a quantity of Aqua Vitoe (Spirit of Philosophical Wine) as you have of Phlegm, and pour them to∣gether upon the same Salt, and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium (Blind Alembick) set it in Balneo twenty four Hours; the Antenotorium being taken away, and an Alembick put on, Distill by Balneo with a most gentle Fire, when the Salt is coagulated, congeal it again, repeat the same Magistery, dis∣solving by turns after this manner, and congealing three times; and so have you reduced the said Salt into a Vegetable Virtue,
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by the help of the Vegetative Spirit, by which you dissolved and congealed it. Lully in Exp. 16. Sal Almoniack is easily dissolved in the Phlegm of Philosophical Wine, and so is by this means sooner joyned with the Ʋnctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine, than if it were immediately cast into this Spirit. That Trismosinus knew also this Method, and sometimes made use of it, appears by the follow∣ing Menstruum.

15. Another Water of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus. In Tinctura Gereton, pag. 98. Aur. Vel. German.
TAke of Sal Armoniack Crude two Pounds, let it be dissolved in Wine (Philosophical) Cristallize it, let the Cristals be dissolved per deliquium; the solution divide into two parts, one of which distil into the other with a Fire sufficiently strong, recti∣fy the parts being joyn'd together into a strong Water of Sal Armoniack. The Sal Armoniack therefore being dissolved either in the Phlegm of Philosophical Wine, (that is, Aqua ardens not recti∣fy'd) or Philosophical Wine it self, Cristallized, and resolved per deliquium, is either by it self, or with the addition of new Spirit of Wine, Distilled into a Water of Sal Armoniack.

This Kind of Menstruums is made not of Sal Armoniack only, but also of the rest of the Volatile Salts, thus:

16. The Gelative Sulphur of Lully. In Exp. 8.
TAke of the aforesaid animated Spirit (of Ʋrine) one part, and of Aqua Vitoe perfectly rectify'd four parts, which pour upon the animated Spirit, and forthwith stop the Vessel, that it may not respire, which Vessel must be a large Bottle, which shake and move with your Hands, so in the twinkling of an Eye or Moment, you will see all the Water converted into Salt; but if any part of Phlegm be in the (Philosophical) Aqua Vitoe, it will be immediately separated from the Salt in the Form of Water; the Aqua Vitoe therefore ought to be very well purged
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from all Phlegm, that, when the work is done, no Matter may remain with the Salt, but be wholly converted, which will be better and more useful, and by this means you will have the Animal and Vegetable Salt, which we will call Coagulative and Gelative Sulphur, because it hath the property and virtue of dissolving the two Luminaries, and reducing them from power to act, their Vegetative and Germinative Form being preserved. Lully sometimes sublimed this Offa or Pap of Ʋrine, in the Ninth Ex∣periment following, thus:

There is, saith he, besides, another way of Copulating the aforesaid Animal Spirit with the Vegetable Spirit, namely, thus: Take of the Animated Spirit, rectifi'd as above, what quantity you will, and pour it upon three parts of our (Philosophical) A∣qua Vitoe perfectly rectifi'd, which Copulation ought to be made in a Body large and high, to which an Alembick may be sud∣denly fitted: the said Copulation therefore being made, you must have presently ready some Cotton-Wooll dipped in Oyl, and very well squeezed, wherewith the Mouth of the Distilling Vessel must be forthwith stopped, and it must be let in within the Neck downward, a hands breath, fastened with a strong Fla∣nel thread, that upon occasion you may draw out the said Cot∣ton-Wooll, •hen put to it an Alembick with a Receiver, very close stopped, and set it in a Furnace of Ashes, giving it at first a gentle heat; but then by degrees increasing the Fire, till it be sublimed: which sublimation you must keep in a Vessel firmly stopped, because with this Salt and other Means you will be able to do Wonders.

Parisinus in his Apertorium, pag. 15. M. S. S. mei, doth by this Salt of Ʋrine acuate his C. or Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which being acuated, he then Circulates by the way used, and before descri∣bed in the Circulation of his Coelum melleum. Lully hath also some∣times used the Volatile Salt of Blood, for the making of these Men∣struums, as in his twelfth experiment. Take Blood ground (Blood drawn from sound and cholerick Men, dryed on a clean Table, that the Phlegm may be separated from it, and then pulveri∣zed, Exp. 11.) put it in a Glass Body with a long Neck, and ha∣ving fitted an Alembick to it with a Receiver, Distil first with a gentle Fire, till the moisture exhale, then encrease the Fire till the Salt be sublimed, which will be very white, gather it warily,
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and keep it; for it is of very great Virtue and Efficacy. You have, my dearest Son, all the Medicines (Salts) which have pro∣perties with the two Luminaries, as also with the other imper∣fect Metals, without which this Art of Transmutation cannot obtain its desired end.

The Things which I observe from the Receipts are:

1. That by Wine, Spirit of Wine, and Aqua Vitae common, is not meant Aqua Ardens, with which it is impossible to reduce or distil common Sal Armoniack into a liquid substance, and though it might, yet that Menstruum would be Common, not Philosophical, being made without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

2. That these Menstruums are made of all Volatile Salts.

3. That the Menstruums of this Kind are the Magisteries of Vola∣tile Salts. Mix the Essence of Philosophical Wine with the Magi∣stery of any Volatile Salt, and you will in a moment make a Menstru∣um of this fourth Kind.

4. That these Menstruums may be also made by Parisinus his way of Coelum melleum, namely by Circulation, and therefore called Cir∣culatums, common Sal Armoniack Circulated, Salt of Ʋrine, Blood, Harts-horn, &c. Circulated, or the Water of Sal Armoniack Cir∣culated, the Water of the Salt of Blood Circulated, &c.

5. That it is very uncertain what Philosophical Menstruum Tris∣mosinus meant by Spirit of Wine: For divers Menstruums have been by the Adepts signified by the same Name of Spirit of Wine; for the most part they meant the simple Spirit of Philosophical Wine, sometimes the same acuated after a different manner, that is, the sim∣ple Vegetable Menstruum. So Basil in his Book of Conclusions, pre∣pares the Oyls of Metals with Spirit of Wine; by which he declares himself to have meant not the simple Spirit, but a simple Vegetable Menstruum, in the preparation of the Oyl of Mercury, he commanding this open Metal to be by the Spirit of Wine, rectify'd first with Salt of Tartar, (which Menstruum we shall have in the following Kinds) reduced into an Oyl; with the rest of the Metals being more compact, do more require: Sometimes also they did by the Spirit of Wine in∣tend Vegetable Menstruums compounded; so Lully, among the other Names of Circulatum majus, reckons up also Aqua Vitae. This Menstruum, saith he, the Wise Men called by almost innumerable Names, the Acetum acerrimum, which converts Gold into a Spi∣rit;
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this is Aqua Sicca, Aqua Solis, Aqua Vitoe, in Exp. 25. Yea, Mineral Menstruums also the Adepts more than often call by the Name of Aqua Vitae. So Albertus in suo Composito de Compo∣sitis, pag. 939. Volum 4. Theat. Chym. Distills a Mercurial Mineral Water; of which thus: Behold, this is the Aqua Vitoe, the Acetum Philosophorum, and Lac Virginis, by which Bodies are re∣solved into the first Matter.

Though therefore it be uncertain to Divine what Spirit of Wine out of such a vast number of Menstruums Trismosinus intended; yet shall we not much err from the Truth, if we take any Menstruum whatsoever, eith•r Simple or Compounded, Vegetable or Mineral, in∣stead of this Spirit; for we may with all promiscuously perfect the same Philosophical Work, differing only in degrees, as being stronger or weaker, which common Spirit of Wine makes altogether impossible, and fallacious: Yet notwithstanding Directions there are, which may in this ambiguity make us more certain; as,

1. Any ambiguous, or unknown Name of any Menstruum, i• easily known by its Synonima's, if there be any in the same Book, or other Writings of the same Adept, as for Example: If in the Description of the Balsamum Samech of Paracelsus, you know not what the Circulatum minus is, the Synonima's (produced by Paracelsus himself, Lib. 10. Arch. in the Description of the Circulatum ma∣jus, (where it is called Primum Ens Salis, and Arcanum Salis) de∣noting moreover the Nature, yea, and preparation of the Menstruum, delivered here perhaps less clearly (quatenus Menstruum) but else∣where more plainly under the Title of Essence or Primum Ens) do put it out of all doubt, that it is the Arcanum of common Salt. But I said, Synonima's in the Writings of the same, not of another Adept, because oftentimes others intended another thing by these Names, yea that Name which hath in one Book the same signification with the rest, hath commonly in another, though of the same Author, a signification different from them; and therefore that Synonymum must, if possible, be had out of the same Book, which must then be compared both with other Writings of the same Author, and also with the Writings of other Adepts, to confirm the meaning of the Author about the identity of the Synonimum, which was doubted of.

2. But if there be no Synonima's in Books of the same Author, it is not convenient for this unknown Name to be explicated by the Wri∣tings of other Adepts, because the Adepts themselves have sometimes
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also erred, in giving an explication either better than was fitting, or altogether contrary, to an obscure Name and Place; yet is it not on∣ly lawful, but necessary also, to observe what they say, especially the Scholars or Followers of the same Author; for though they shew not the Authors Meaning, yet do they their own as to that Matter.

3. But if Synonima's cannot discover the Name, some expression used in the Receipt will perhaps explain more easily, provi∣ded it be rightly examined by an industrious Observer of those Receipts; as,

1. If it be not known, whether the Adept means a Mineral (Acid) or Vegetable Menstruum, it must be enquired by the Particulars following:

First, Whether that Menstruum dissolves Bodies with force or heat, for then it must be Mineral, this Sign betraying the acidity of Minerals Salts: because Vegetable Menstruums dissolve Bodies al∣ways sweetly, and slowly.

Secondly, Whether the dissolution digested for a time be convert∣ed into a Black Colour, or Black Powder swimming upon the Men∣struum, for that signifies a Vegetable Menstruum, because the disso∣lutions of Mineral Menstruums do contain Bodies twice dissolved, once with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, wherewith they become Black, then with the corrosive or acid Spirit of Salts: Therefore the Black Powder and Colour are Signs of a Vegetable dissolution, whereto is added a Milky Opacity, common indeed to both Menstru∣ums, for all weak or weakened Menstruums, containing as it were their aridity less dissolved and precipitated, as also Vegetable disso∣lutions longer digested after blackness, do become Opacous and Milky, and so continue, till they are made diaphanous and most clear, by drawing of the Phlegm, the acid part, or the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine being better concentrated: yet these three Signs we ne∣ver observe in the use of the Mineral Menstruums.

Thirdly, Whether the Adepts admonish the Operator to beware of air or fume in Operation, or Poyson in the use of the thing already prepared; for that is a Sign that his Menstruum is, or was Mineral, because Poysons derive themselves Originally from acidity, for Pearls and Corals, yea Gold and all other Arids, though otherwise most In∣nocent; do, by being prepared with a Mineral Menstruum, become the worst of Poysons.

Lastly, If you see Mineral Bodies distinguished into two Oyls, swim∣ming
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distinctly and severally upon the Menstruum, say, that also was a Mineral Menstruum, because this cannot be done by any Vegetable Menstruum, though never so strong.

2. If it be not known, whether either the simple or compounded Vegetable Menstruum is to be taken, we observe the things follow∣ing as to the use of them:

First, If in the dissolution of a Metallick or Mineral Body, a White Body or some residue be left, then may ye know it to be a simple Vege∣table Menstruum, because it extracts only the Tinctures or Essences of things, dissolving the Oleosity, but not the Aridity of things, on the contrary Vegetable Menstruums compounded, as also Mineral Men∣struums, which are stronger than the Simple, do dissolve the whole Body, not leaving any Foeces.

Secondly, If the whole Body of a thing dissolved be turned into Oyl, swimming upon the Menstruum, that was a Vegetable Menstru∣um compounded, for that only are they able to do: The simple Vege∣table Menstruums are not strong enough, but Mineral Menstruums are too strong; those therefore dissolve not the whole Body, but these dissolve not only the whole Body, but reduce it, being dissolved into Oyl, not one only, but twofold: So the Temperatum of Paracelsus, (a Menstruum otherwise sufficiently unknown) is by use known, to be the Circulatum majus, or a Vegetable Menstruum compounded, be∣cause he reduceth Metals by it into a swimming Oyl, or Magistery.

Thirdly, If in the dissolution or digestion of the thing dissolved, you see it made Black, or cast forth a Black Powder, say it is was a sim∣ple Vegetable Menstruum, because Vegetable Menstruums com∣pounded, and Mineral, as being stronger, do better retain their Body dissolved in them.

3. But the doubt, whether the simple Vegetable Menstruum, or Spirit of Philosophical Wine is to be taken, length of time alone re∣solveth; for the sooner Essences are made in the Mineral Kingdom, the stronger are the Menstruums; and on the contrary: But in the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms it is difficult, if not altogether im∣possible, to discern by the length of time alone the dissolutions of the Bodies as being more opened; of which sort are Oyls, Salts, as also the open Metal Mercury, especially sublimed, being more amply opened by the acidity of Salts.

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The Fifth KIND. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and the fixed Salts of Vegetables and Minerals not tinging.
17. The Coelum Vegetabile of Lully, made of the Salt of Tartar.
In the 34th. Experment.
TAke the best Aqua Vitoe, rectified so, as to burn a Linnen Cloth, as you have seen, operating with me, and therefore no need of amplifying to you the Magistery of this Water: Take therefore of Aqua Vitoe four Pounds, and put it in a Glass Urinal (Cucurbit) which is very sound; then take of the Vegetable Salt sublimed of the second Experiment (Volatile Salt of Tartar) one Pound, grind very well, and put it in the Aqua Vitoe, Iute the Vessel with its Antenotorium (Blind Alembick) firmly, with Wax Gummed, that nothing may re∣spire, then putrifie two Natural Days; after that take away the Antenotorium, and put on an Alembick with its Receiver, the Joynts being very close, and distill upon hot Ashes. Take no∣tice, that the Receiver must be very large and sound, that it may not be broken by the force of the Aqua Vitoe, and thus con∣tinue your distillation with a slow Fire, till all be distilled through the Alembick: But if any part of the Salt remain in the bottom of the Vessel, pour it again upon the Water now
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lately distilled, and distill as before, making the Joynts as close as may be; the distillation repeat in this order, till all the Salt be passed through the Alembick in the Form of clear Water. Then put of the aforesaid Salt one other Pound into an Urinal, and pour the same distilled Water to it; cover the Vessel with its Antenotorium, as before, putrifie as before, then distill as before; and when all the Salt is passed over with the Water, take again as before of new Vegetable Salt one Pound, and pass it all through the Alembick again, as before, with the distilled Water; and by this means you will have those four Pounds of Aqua Vitoe united with three Pounds of the Vegetable Salt, which hath the power of dissolving the two Luminaries (Gold and Silver) and all the other Metals, with preservation of the Vegetable Form. But now we intend to reduce this simple Menstruum in∣to a Celestial Form: Take therefore this simple Menstruum, and put it in a sound Glass Vessel (a Circulatory) four parts of which must be empty, but the fifth full: Stop the Vessel so as not to evaporate, and Circulate in Dung or Balneo sixty Natural Days; and by this Method will you have a clarify'd Menstruum, in which you will see a Sediment, wherefore empty the Celestial Water into another Vessel, and have a care that no Sediment pass over with the Water, which you must keep very close in Balneo.

Annotations.
AS to the facility of preparation, the Coelum melleum of Pari∣sinus is better than the rest of the Menstruums, but this of Lully hath preference among simple Vegetable Menstruums, for it is the Sapo Sapientium, compounded of fix'd Alcalies, and the Ʋnctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine. Fix'd Alcalies are not easily joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but when they are throughly mix'd together, they are easily sublimed into Sal Ar∣moniack, Sulphurs of Nature, or Philosophers Mercuries, the chief Instruments of the more secret Chymy.

Lully having prescribed several Acuators of the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine, speaks at length of acuating this Spirit with these Salts Philosophically Volatilized: Let, saith he, our Menstruum, which is the Quintessence of Wine, be depurated from all
Page 48
Phlegm, and acuated with the Philosophers Armoniack, because it cannot otherwise dissolve Gold, nor Precious Stones: But let the Philosophers Sal Armoniack be well purified, that is, subli∣med, and cleansed from all terrestreity and uncleanness, accord∣ing to the manner of the Philosophers; of which Philosophical Sal Armoniack we have indeed treated largely in our Book, De in∣tentione Alchimistarum, Dedicated to the most Illustrious King Robert, in the Chapter De Salibus Armoniac, &c. and in Clau∣sura Testamenti, otherwise called Vade mecum, in the Chapter which begins, Partus Veroe Terroe. There you may read from first to last the Magistery of making and purifying, together with the Virtues and Energies of this Salt: And know, my Son, that whatsoever we Write in that Chapter, we mean that Salt and nothing else: Read and Peruse that Chapter, because no∣thing can be done in the Magistery without that Salt, for that is the thing with which we acuate our Menstruum, to dissolve as Gold, and Precious Stones, and Pearls, as well for humane Mede∣cines, as for a Metallick and Lapidifick Magistery, and to make Pearls and Precious Stones.

In which Receipt of Lully, we have the Volatile Salt of Tartar given us freely, hitherto sought in vain, with very great pains and cost, of which the Theoretical Philosophers have in their Theories ex∣hibited nothing but what is most obscure. I speak, saith Sendivogi∣us, all things openly; the Extraction only of our Sal Armoniack, or Philosophical Mercury, I have not so openly revealed: Send. in Epilogo 12. Tract. pag. 337. Now, out of his second Experiment alledged, we have the following Description of Sal Armoniack, or Volatile Salt of Tartar, thus:

The Volatile Salt of Tartar of Lully. Out of the Second Experiment.
TAke the best Tartar, pulverize, and put it in an Earthen Vessel not glazed, to calcine the space of three Days, or till it be White: Which being done, dissolve it in the Aqua Vi∣toe, first distill'd (in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, not yet recti∣fy'd) thus; namely, Put this individual, being calcined and
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White, into an Urinal, and pour in the Aqua Vitoe so, as to be se∣ven Fingers above it, and cover the Vessel with its Antenotori∣um (Blind Alembick) and set it on a Furnace of Ashes to simper two Hours, then pour that which is dissolved into another Ves∣sel carefully, but that which remains undissolved dry: then again pour in new Aqua Vitoe, and again boyl it upon Ashes: empty the dissolution again, as before, and keep it with the other former dissolution: the matter remaining in the Vessel, dry again, and take it out of the Vessel, because it must be again calcin'd, to be the more easily dissolved; which being calcin'd, dissolve again with new Aqua Vitoe, and boyl it upon Ashes: this dissolution keep with the other, as above, and repeat this Magistery so oft, till all this individual be calcined, and dissol∣ved: then put all the dissolutions in an Urinal, fitting an Alem∣bick with a Receiver to it, and closing the Joynts very fast, di∣stil by Balneo, till the matter be congealed, or till no more will distil by that degree of heat, then remove the Receiver, and stop it to prevent respiring, and then set the Urinal upon Ashes; and if any corruptible part (Phlegm and unprofitable Earth) remain with the matter, let it be burnt, and the Vessel having remain∣ed two or three Hours, in a Fire somewhat remiss, and not any thing more distilling through the beak of the Alembick, let the Vessel cool, and then pour the same Water (Aqua Vitoe, or Spirit of Philosophical Wine) which you kept before stopt in the Re∣ceiver, upon the matter again: This matter therefore being dis∣solved, distil the Water again in Balneo, as before, which ha∣ving taken away, the Receiver you must keep well stopt from respiring: then set the Urinal in Ashes, and dry the matter; be∣ing dryed, dissolve it in again with the Water which you kept in the Receiver; and if you see the dissolution is not clear and dia∣phanous, you must transmit it so often through a Filter or Lin∣nen Cloth, and so oft dissolve and congeal it by turns, as be∣fore, till it be free from all Terrestreity, and appear clear and splendid: then may you be assured, that the impure and cor∣ruptible part is separated, and you will see the whole matter transmuted into an Oyl. But now, most dear Son, you must proceed to the composition of our Mercury, and Sal Armoniack, the Powers and Virtues whereof are so many and so great, as scarce to be comprehended within the expression of Man. The
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way of which operation is thus: You must know the weight of the Salt or Oyl, which you beheld in the bottom of the Vessel depurated, and pour to it so much of our Spirit (that is Aqua Vitoe rectify'd so, as to burn a Cloth steeped in it) as will be four Fingers above it, or let there be six parts more of the weight of the Aqua Vitoe, than is the Salt or Oyl: the whole being mix'd together, put into an Urinal with a Cover or An∣tenotorium well luted, that it respire not: putrifie in Balneo the space of two Natural Days, then take off the Antenotorium, and put on an Alembick, with a Receiver, close the Joynts well, and distil in a Furnace of Ashes with a slow Fire: which distil∣lation must be continued till the Beak or Head discover no Veins, but suddenly after the Veins disappear, lay aside the Receiver with the distilled Water (Spirit of Philosophical Wine) and stop it close, for now comes the animated Spirit (Spirit of Wine im∣pregnated with the Essence of Tartar) which hath the power of vivifying its Body (or Caput Mortuum) then continue the same distillation, in the end augmenting the Fire, that if any part of Phlegm remain, it may exhale and be removed by that degree of heat: Lastly, the Vessel being cold, take out the matter and grind it: know the weight of the matter, and pour to it four parts of Aqua Vitoe more than is the Earth (Caput mortuum) and covering the Vessel close with its Antenotorium, putrifie as be∣fore, then putting an Alembick to it with a Receiver, well lu∣ted, distill as before, in a Furnace of Ashes: the Soul being with its Spirit gone over, with the same Signs of Veins, as before, ap∣pearing, repeat the same Magistery three times: For then will you have the Spirit perfectly animated, and the Body exanima∣ted and calcined: This Spirit with the Soul (of Tartar) is indeed capable of disposing every Physical operation, but in this place we will use it for the vivifying of the calcined Earth: Take therefore the aforesaid Earth out of its Vessel, and grind it, then put a little of it upon a red hot plate, which if it melt like Wax without fume, is a sign of perfect exanimation; if this sign ap∣pear not, this Magistery must be reiterated, till you have obtain∣ed that sign. Then know the weight of the Earth, upon which pour a fourth part of the animated Spirit, and the Vessel being covered close with its Antenotorium, set it in Balneo two or three days to be congealed, or till it be congealed; which done, re∣move
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the Antenotorium, putting on a Head, and distill in a Fur∣nace of Ashes without a Receiver, that if there be any part of Phlegm, it may be from thence removed, for that which comes out from this distillation will be insipid, of no savour or esteem in the Form of Rain Water: Then again pour on a fourth part of the animated Spirit, as before, and congeal in Balneo, as be∣fore, then distil the Phlegmatick moisture by Ashes, as before, and thus repeat the aforesaid Magistery, till the Earth hath drunk up and attracted to it all its animated Spirit, and attain'd to such a sign, that if you put a small quantity of it upon a Fire-hot Plate, the major part fume away, which will be a sign that the matter is disposed for the subliming of our most precious Mercury, which hath the power of dissolving any Metal what∣soever with the preservation of its Vegetive and Germinative form. Take therefore the aforesaid pregnant Earth, and put it into a Bolt-head (Sublimatory) with a long Neck, which you must lute very well with Lutum Sapientioe, and the luting being dryed, set it with the matter into a distilling Furnace, admini∣string in the beginning a gentle Fire, till the Bolt-head grow hot, whose Mouth must be stopped with Cotton-wooll, and con∣tinue that gentle heat the space of six Hours, then augment the Fire somewhat six Hours more; but if it begins not by that de∣gree of Fire to sublime, increase the Fire gradually to a more violent degree, till it begin to sublime, which Fire continue the space of twenty four Hours, at the expiration of which time, the Vessel being cold, take from thence our Sulphur sublimed (the Vegetable Sulphur of Nature) our Mercury (Vegetable) our Heaven (dry) our Sal Armoniack (Vegetable) our Stone not yet fermented, and call'd by many more other Names, whose fa∣culty is to acuate its Spirit (of Philosophical Wine) as shall be made appear by the Experiments hereafter following:

This Volatilization of the Salt of Tartar is sufficiently tedious, yet easie and clear, according to the tenour of the Receipt. In the follow∣ing kind of Menstruums, we shall have divers examples of making such Sal Harmoniacks, wherefore we will thither reserve those things which are to be admonished about this way of making the Vo∣latile Salt of Tartar. Lully mixeth three pounds of this Volatile Salt with four of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine successively by various distillations, and reduceth the mixture by circulating sixty
Page 52
Days into the Vegetable Heaven. But here we are to be advised, that the Sal Armoniack of Tartar in its own dry Form is a Vege∣table Menstruum; and so according to the prescribed method of the Receipt, it is not always necessary to reduce that into a liquid sub∣stance; for that and the Menstruum made from thence are therein different; because in the making of Heaven, the Ʋnctuosity of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being superadded, and now prevalent, hath absorbed and dissolved the aridity of the Sal Armoniack; but this being this way too much diluted in a greater quantity of that Oleosum, loseth much of it strength, and becomes less fit for the dissolutions of d•y Bodies: But now if the volatile Salt of Tartar be a Menstruum in a dry form, some have unadvisedly said it serves instead of a Philosophical Menstruum, which not∣withstanding is rightly and very well said, if a corrosive Menstru∣um, which we call Mineral, be understood, whose place the vola∣tile Salt of Tartar, or Vegetable Menstruum, may upon several occasions supply.

Now as this Sal Armoniack reduced into a liquid substance by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, makes our Vegetable Heaven; so being dissolved with the Spirit of common Wine it makes the Spirit of Wine of Basilius dissolved with Vinegar, our Vinegar dissolved with Aquafortis, the Philosophers Aqua Regis; and so of many others. At present the aforesaid Spirit of Basilius hath its place.

18. The Spirit of Wine of Basilius. In Fine Libri Revelat.
TAke generous white-Wine (common) and distil after the usual manner, to make a strong Aqua Vitoe thereof in a Copper, which rectifie in a Phial, and separate the Phlegm: this Aqua Vitoe is thus proved: If it burn all away, and leave no A∣quosity behind it, being kindled in a Glazed Vessel; but if any remain, distil yet once or twice, the Joynts being very close, that the Volatile Spirit of the Wine may not exhale: The Aqua Vitoe being thus distilled, and exactly rectifi'd (but have a care that in the time of distilling you put not a Candle to it, lest it hurt you) joyn three Ounces of Tartar perfectly sublimed with a quantity of this Aqua Vitoe in another Phial, so as that the Phi∣al
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be half full, put an Alembick to it with a Receiver large enough, and distil in Balneo Marioe most gently, because of the Volatile Spirits, a little of the Aqua Vitoe being left in the bot∣tom, and as you distil, cool the Alembick with wet Cloaths: thus is the Spirit sooner resolved, and passeth into the Receiver.

This is that Spirit of Wine which Basilius used in several places, especially in his Conclusions, where by the Spirit of Wine he redu∣ceth as well Metallick as Mineral Bodies into Oyl: Whosoever hath imagined to himself another Spirit instead thereof, must have a care lest he prove the truth of this saying to his own detriment: There is yet indeed another description of that Spirit of Wine in Appendice Elucidationis, which notwithstanding differs not from the former, except that in the former description it was read the Volatile Salt of Tartar; but here it is read Sal Armoniack, perfectly subli∣med; but that they are Synonyma's, is even now manifest by the Receipt of Lully: For whatsoever Salt, either fix'd or volatile, is joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical VVine and sublimed, is called our Volatile Salt, our Sulphur of Nature, and our subli∣med Mercury, which may be used promiscuously as Salt Philosophically sublimed; for both those Salts (of Tartar and Sal Armoniack) were by Basilius made perhaps out of one and the same matter: But this his Menstruum is not so strong as the Coelum Vegetabile of Lully; though prepared out of the same Salt of Tartar just as that: For Basilius diminisheth the virtue of this Salt, by adding the Spirit of common Wine: Lully accomplisheth the same work, but with the Spirit of Philosophical VVine: yet Basilius sometimes also made his Menstruum stronger than the Coelum Vegetabile of Lully, by separating the Spirit of common Wine from the Philo∣sophical Sal Armoniack, which indeed he performed two ways: First, by kindling the Menstruum in a Copper Vessel design'd for this use, to burn away the Spirit of common Wine, but leave the Ve∣getable Sal Armoniack by it self, reduced into a liquid substance. The way is this.

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19. The Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius. In the Place as above.
TAke the antecedent Spirit of Wine, being fit for this pre∣paration of the Fiery Spirit, make an Instrument of Cop∣per, which may be taken up in the middle, below and above the Holes, as also above the middle of the Vessel, put on an Alem∣bick with a Pipe, let them be all of Copper, except the Recei∣ver, which must be of Glass, which put in a wooden Vessel into Water, and cover it above with wet Cloaths, in the wooden Vessel let there be a passage, by which the Water, when hot, may fly out, and cold be poured on: all things being thus pre∣pared, the Spirit of Wine prepared is put in through the lower Holes, so as to touch the Holes, then is it kindled, and the Mer∣cury is driven upwards through the middle Holes, and resolved by the coldness of the Water, and passeth out of the Alembick into the Receiver: Thus is the true Spirit of Wine prepared, but in the work never cease from refrigerating, and pour on new Aqua Vitoe, lest it burn too low. In the Addition or Appendix of manual operations, Basilius described this Spirit thus: Take Wine burned (rather Wine to be burned, made of the Sal Armoniack of Tartar, and Spirit of Common Wine) which put in a strong Ves∣sel that can endure the flame of Fire, and kindle it with a Match of Sulphur, and forthwith apply an Alembick of Iron or Cop∣per, with a large Receiver, and the true fiery Spirit of Wine is resolved and distilled into a Liquor: this is the true airy and fiery Spirit of Wine.

Secondly, He impregnates Calx Vive, or Quick Lime, with the Menstruum described in Numb. 18. from which he distills a Men∣struum yet stronger, called Spirit of Calx Vive. Calx Vive, saith he, is strengthened and made more fiery by the pure and not sophisticated Spirit of Wine (made of Sal Armoniack and Spi∣rit of Common Wine very often cohobated, to which Calx add the Sal alkali of Tartar, the dryed Faeces of the same Salt being also added, from which, being thoroughly mix'd, distil the true Spiritus Gehenneus, or Spirit of Hell, in which are great Myste∣ries hidden: the method of acquiring this Spirit I have told
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you, which observe, keep, and accept for a farewel-Gift. Basi∣lius in Repet. Lapidis, in Cap. de Calce viva. Mark, saith he, in the End of this Book, De Medicinis supernaturalibus. I told you of the Virtues and Qualities of Precious Stones, but there are also found many Stones despicable and ignoble, yet of great Vir∣tue, as Experience testifies; though the ignorant and unskilful will scarce give Credit to these sayings, and cannot conceive those things with their dull Brains, yet will I demonstrate it by an Example of Calx vive, which Calx is according to the judg∣ment of the Vulgar, of little value, and contemptible in obscuri∣ty; yet nevertheless there is powerful Virtue in it, which ap∣pears in the application of it against most grievous Diseases: but its triumphant and transcendent efficacy being in a manner unknown to most Men, for the sake therefore of those that in∣quire into Natural and Supernatural Mysteries, do I discover the secrets of this Book: as a farewel also will I reveal the Mystery of Calx vive, and declare first the way of distilling the Spirit of it, which work does indeed require an expert Artist, well inform∣ed before, in this preparation.

20. The Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius. In Fine Lib. de Med. Supernatur.
TAke of Calx vive what quantity you will, grind and pre∣pare it on a Marble into an impalpable Powder, whereto pour of the Spirit of Wine (Menstruum in Numb. 18.) so much as the pulverized Calx is able to imbibe, no Spirit swimming upon the Calx. Then apply an Alembick, lute well, and put a Re∣ceiver to it, abstract the Spirit from it in a most gentle Balneo; this abstraction must be repeated eight or ten times: this Spirit strengthens much the Spirit of the Calx, which is thereby made more fiery. Take the remaining Calx out of the Cucurbit, grind it very well, and add to it of the Salt of Tartar (Alkali) a tenth part, and as much as all of the Earth of the Salt of Tar∣tar, or matter left in extracting the Salt of Tartar, and well dry∣ed, distil them all being well mix'd out of a Retort well luted, three parts of which must be empty, in a Receiver large and firm: Take notice, that the Receiver, into which the Beak of
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the Retort is put, must have a Pipe one Fingers breadth, to which another Receiver is to be applyed, in which must be a little quan∣tity of Spirit of Wine (Menstruum in Numb. 18.) then distil with a soft Fire, and the Phlegm will ascend into the first Receiver; the Phlegm being distilled, increase the Fire, and then will come a white Spirit, in the Form of the white Spirit distilled from Vitriol (Philosophical) which will not descend into the Phlegm, but through the aforesaid Pipe into the other Receiver, there joyning it self with the Spirit of Wine, even as Fire is easily joyned with Fire. Take notice, if this Spirit of Calx be not rightly prepared or impregnated with the like Spirit of Wine, by the aforesaid cohobations, it is in distilling mixed with its Phlegm, extinguished, and loseth its Virtue; so difficult a thing it is to drive deeply into Nature, she reserving many things to her self: This Spirit being now mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, take away the Receiver, pour out the Phlegm, and keep the Spirits of the Calx and Wine wearily: Observe, both these Spirits are separated not without difficulty, for they embrace one another, and in distillation ascend together: Wherefore, if you kindle the Spirits being mix'd and united in a Glass Vessel, the Spirit of Wine is burned, but the Spirit of the Calx remains in the Glass, which keep diligently: This is a great Arcanum, few Spi∣rits do exceed its efficacy, if you knew the use of it, its quali∣ties can scarce be described by way of Compendium. This Spirit dissolves Crabs Eyes, andthe hardest Cristals: these three distil∣led together through an Alembick, and many times cohobated, make a Liquor, three drops of which taken in warm Wine, do break and dissolve the Gravel and Stone in Mans Body, this Liquor expells the very root or cause of that Disease without any pain to the Patient: This Spirit of Calx at the beginning is of a Sky-Colour, but being gently rectified appears white, tran∣sparent and clear, leaving some few Faeces behind it: This Spi∣rit dissolves the most fixed Jewels, and Precious Stones, and on the contrary fixeth all Volatile Spirits by its transcendent heat: This Spirit overcomes all Symptoms whatsoever of the Poda∣gra, though never so knotty and tartarous, all which it dissolves and radically expells.

If Spirit of Wine, acuated with Vegetable Sal Harmoniack be kindled, the Spirit of common Wine is burned, but the Sal Harmoni∣ack
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being incombustible, ascends in the Form of a Liquor, and is called the Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius, but the same Spirit of Wine joyned with the Sal Harmoniack being absorbed by the Calx vive, and then distilled into it self, and then kindled, the Spirit of com∣mon Wine is indeed consumed by the Flame as before, but the Spirit of the Calx, or rather the Vegetable Sal Harmoniack ascends not as before, but remains in the bottom of the Glass because more di∣gested, and made more fixed: But for the greater elucidation of these Spirits, we thought good to add another Description of the Spirit of Calx.

21. The Simple Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius, In manualibus Operationibus.
TAke pure Calx vive, burn it in a Potters Furnace with a most strong Fire, to reduce it to an exact maturity, grind it very fine upon a Marble, and put it in a Cucurbit, pour to it Spirit of Wine made of Philosophical Tartar (as I shall teach in my method of making Aurum potabile) that the Calx may be made like thin Pap; this being done, distil from thence the Phlegm, till the Calx be dry, pour on new Spirit of Wine, and draw of: repeat it six times, then grind the matter very curi∣ously, and put it in a Cellar to be dissolved per deliquium, and within a few days a Liquor will run from it, which being gather'd and distilled by a Retort in Sand, first sends forth a Phlegm to be kept by it self, after that a Spirituous Liquor, which also keep apart: Now take Cristals pulverized, mix them with the same weight of Vive or Mineral Sulphur, burn this matter, continual∣ly stirring it, till all the Sulphur be burned away, then reverbe∣rate in an open Fire the space of three Hours; this done, pour the aforesaid Liquor to this matter. Take also Crabs Eyes, to which also pour the same Liquor of quick Lime in another Glass, let them be digested fourteen Days in a heat strong enough, and from both will ascend an humidity upon the superficies, which decant finely into a little Glass, and rectifie in Balneo, and a Li∣quor will remain in the bottom; three grains of which admi∣nistred in Wine have produced very great and admirable effects.
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This Medicine cures also radically the Stone of the Bladder and Kidneys, as well in Men as Women.

The Spirit of Wine made of Philosophical Tartar, which Basilius promised to give in his method of making Aurum potabile, will con∣firm all the aforesaid Menstruums of Basilius; for those are made of Sal Harmoniack, or the Volatile Salt of Tartar being divers ways prepared; but this Spirit of Philosophical Wine is acuated with the Salt of Tartar, not indeed the common Alcali; but that being reduced together with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine into a liquid substance: for we are to be admonished that it is not always necessary to make the Coelum or Heaven of Lully, and the rest of the Menstruums of this kind, with the Salt of Tartar, as being Philosophically Vola∣tilized, but that sometimes also the same Menstruum may be made of the Salt of Tartar without the sublimation or reduction of it into the Vegetable Sulphur of Nature, by cohobating only the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine upon Salt of Tartar, till it ascend by distillation in the Form of a Milky Liquor. It is thus done,

22. The Tartarised Spirit of Wine of Basilius. In manal. Operation.
THe first thing to be known is that the Philosophers Tar∣tar, wherewith the Lock is opened, is not like common Tartar, as most Men imagine, but is another Salt, though spring∣ing from the same Fountain: This Salt is the only Key to open, and dissolve Metals, if prepared as followeth. Take the Ashes of a fruitful Wine, and draw a Lee or Lixivium as strong as may be out of them with hot Water, which evaporate by boyling it to a driness, that the matter may remain reddish, which rever∣berate in a reverberating Furnace three days, or thereabouts, with an open Fire, till it become white: then dissolve it in Spring-Water, suffer it to settle, decant the clear, filter to sepa∣rate the Faeces, being filtred, coagulate, and you will have the white Salt of Tartar, from which the true Spirit is distilled after this manner: Take Spirit of Wine rectifi'd to the highest de∣gree, and altogether void of Phlegm, (described in Numb. 19.) and pour it to the Salt of Tartar in a Phial with a long Neck, so as to be three Fingers above it, lute an Alembick to the Phial, fit
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a Receiver to it, and digest with a gentle heat, then draw off the Phlegm most softly, and the Spirit of Tartar is opened by Vir∣tue of the Spirit of Wine, and by reason of reciprocal and admi∣rable love they both ascend together; the Faeces remaining, if any be, as also the Phlegm must be cast away; thus will you have the true Spirit of Wine, wherewith Aurum potabile is made.

This truly is a most Noble Menstruum, so as for its excellency to deserve a higher Place than this among the Simple Vegetable Men∣struums; whereas it ought to have been more rightly transferred to the seventh Kind of Menstruums; but it very much at present Illust∣rating the Menstruums of Basilius, and so of greater utility here than there, we will not remove it from hence, yet will we add some examples more clear of such sort of Menstuums. Thus it is done,

23. The Vegetable Acetum acerrimum, or Ignis Adepti of Ripley, made of Tartar calcined. Pag. 331. Concord. Raym. & Guid.
TAke the Tartar of Wine, and calcine it to whiteness. Take of this calcined Tartar one Pound; and being pul∣verized, put it in a great Glass Cucurbit, and pour to it half a Cup, or a little more of the strongest Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, stop the Mouth very close, and let them stand in cold Water twenty four Hours, then put a Receiver to it, and distil in Balneo with an easie Fire, yet so as to be distilled; which easie distillation must be continued, till the Phlegm ascend, which must be known by the taste, then let it cool, and again put new Spirit of Wine to the aforesaid Tartar, the same quantity as be∣fore, doing all things as before: which work you must repeat fifteen times, but when the Vessel is opened in every Imbibition, above all things have a care of the suddain fume of this Ignis Adepti: This work being in fifteen times compleat, lay aside three ounces of this fiered Tartar for a part, to multiply the Mercurial Oyl, as lower will appear. Take the other part of this fiered Tartar, and distil it in Sand with a most strong Fire, which Fire being so distilled hath a white Colour, and is our
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Natura ignita, our Mercury, our Aqua Vitoe, lastly the Key of our Science.

This Menstruum is the same, as to the Ingredients and Virtue, with the Vegetable Heaven of Lully, but it must be Circulated like that Heaven, in order to lose its milky and duskish Colour, and ac∣quire the diaphaneity and clearness of this. This Receipt hath also Johannes de Rupescissa, which it is convenient to compare with this, especially he varying somewhat in Circumstances, by dissolving per deliquium Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine before the distillation of it.

24. The Aqua Fortissima and Vertuosa of Johan∣nes de Rupescissa. Cap. 43. Lib. Essentiae.
THe most Blessed God, the Creator of Secrets, hath made so many wonderful things in Nature, that neither can our Understanding perceive, some few excepted, nor Tongue express the wonderful things of God without stammering: and among the Secrets, I will reveal to you a Water of Divine Action, and the Magistery of it, is, to take the best white Tartar calcined, and put it in an Earthen or Glass Vessel, and pour to it the best (Philosophical) Aqua Ardens you can get, put on an Alembick, and distil the Aqua Ardens very weak, then take it away, being little or nothing worth, except for washing of the Eyes or other parts: Then take you Tartar, and you will find it twice as strong, and this you may prove each time by your Tongue; put other Aqua Ardens to it again many times more, because it will be every time strengthned above measure, and you may bring it to so great a degree of strength, that no created action can be compared to it: But if you would make it a hundred times stronger, grind it, and put it upon a Porphyry or Marble, to be converted into Water, which then must be distilled through an Alembick.

There is yet another way of preparing this Vegetable Heaven, not by sublimation of the Alcali, nor cohobation, but simple Circulation, namely by digesting the Alcali of Tartar, in the Spirit of Philoso∣phical
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Wine, till it swims upon the Spirit of Wine like an Ovl. It is thus done,

25. Vegetable Mercury acuated with the Salt of Tartar of Lully. In Prima Camera Individuorum, dist. 3. Lib. Essen.
IN the first Chamber is signified, that our Mercury is in the power of H (crude Tartar) and in order to draw it out, the Artist must put the said H into E (that is, in a Glass-Makers Fur∣nace) three Natural Days, and there must be a great quantity of it, because but little will be made from thence, which H (Tartar now calcined) you must grind subtilly, and put it into H of Arbo∣ris Philosophical (into dissolution per deliquium) upon a Marble, in a very cold place, and covered because of dust; and H will be converted into T, (oleum per deliquium) which T must the Artist distil through a Filtre in a Glass Vessel, and the Artist having separated T from H, will be able to extract our Mercury out of the said T two ways. First, by the Magistery of the Chapter be∣ginning, Non reputes me, &c. (by Circulation like the Essence or Spirit of Wine of Lully.) Secondly, by the Magistery of the Chap∣ter, Non proetermittam (by the separation of the Elements, of which not in this place.)

Lully sometimes used the Salt of Tartar depurated instead of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium, as in the First Experiment. You have, saith be, another sign more certain of the purification of this Individual (the Salt of Tartar) namely, when this most pre∣cious Salt will remain in the Vessel upon Fire in the Form of an Oyl, but being removed from the Fire, will suddenly be congeal∣ed. But dearest Son! Let not the Prolixity of time be irksome to you, in dissolving and congealing this Matter so often, to take away Corruption, which remaining, it can never be joyn∣ed with its Spirit extracted from the most precious, and its near∣est Individual, which is the best Wine, freed from all manner of Humidity and Corruption: Then Circulate it in a Circulating Vessel, and so reduce it into a Quintessence, and it will forth∣with embrace its Spirit: this Circulation we perform'd at first
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in thirty days, but afterwards compleated the same in forty days, which Circulation was much better than the the first, because the longer it is circulated, the more is it purify'd, and adepted for any of our Physical Operations, which order when need re∣quires, you also must observe.

Menstruums of this kind may be divers ways made not only out of the Alcali of Tartar, but other fix'd Alcalies may be also taken in∣stead of that, as proves the following Menstruum.

26. The Simple Vegetable Menstruum produ∣ced from the three Individuals of Lully. In Experim. 25.
TAke Aqua Vitoe so acute, as to burn a Linnen Cloth, which transmit again through an Alembick, that it may be perfectly rectify'd: Then take the Salt of Celandine, Salt of Mans Blood, Salt extracted from Honey, as you have them above in their Experiments, all which Salts put together in an Urinal (Cucurbit) and upon every Ounce of those Salts pour four Ounces of the aforesaid Aqua Vitoe, cover it with its Ante∣notorium, (blind Head) then having a little time digested put on an Alembick, with a Receiver annexed, lute the joynts well, and distil in Ashes, suffering the Salts to go over together with the Water: If any thing remain, pour to it again its distilled Water, and when all is come over, pour in new Salt again, to wit, one Ounce, and pass it through the Alembick as before. Thirdly, add again another Ounce of Salt, as above, and distil, repeating this Magistery three times, every time adding new Salt: These things being done, Circulate this Water in a Vessel deep and narrow the space of fifty Natural Days, but observe that the Vessel respire not. Circulation being finished, you will in the bottom of the Vessel see a Sediment like the Urine of a sound Man, which will be white; empty the Water warily in∣to another clean Vessel, and be careful that the Sediment pass not over with the Water, but remain in the bottom of the Ves∣sel: stop the Vessel of the Circulated Water so as not to re∣spire, and keep it in Balneo.

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The preparation of the Salt of Celandine is in the Fourth Ex∣periment. Then take the Ashes of Celandine, gathered in the Month of May at full Moon, with its Roots and Flowers, and put them in a Glass Vessel, and thereto pour the water of Ce∣landine distill'd in Balneo, that you may from thence extract a Salt; and let the matter boyl two hours in a most soft Fire of Ashes; empty the dissolution into another Vessel, but dry the undissolved Earth; and when the Vessel is cold grind it, pouring again new water upon the Ashes as before; make it boyl, and decant the dissolution, as before. This Magi∣stery repeat, till you have extracted all the Salt, which is the Mercurial part of that Individual: then take all those dissolutions and filtre them, that they may be purged from Terrestreity; then distilling by Balneo, congeal; for the Liquor being gone over, in the bottom of the Vessel will remain a Mercury or Salt of a white colour; which Salt you must dissolve and by turns congeal three times; and by this means you will have extracted the Mercury out of this matter, which hath vir∣tues almost innumerable in acuating the Vegetable Spirit drawn from Wine, and hath the power of dissolving all Metals with the preservation of their Vegetative and Germenative Form.

The fixed Salt of Man's Blood is thus prepared in the Eleventh Experiment. Take Blood drawn from found and cholerick men, and put it on a clean Table, and so let it dry that the Phlegm may be separated from it; then take the Blood, grind it very well, and put it into a Glass Body, and with a slow Fire distil the water, which being distilled keep apart; and having augmented the Fire a little but not too intensely, lest the Salt perhaps should sublime; let only the moisture and superfluous Oyl exhale till it will distil no more; then the Vessel being cold, take the burned Earth, put it into a Vessel stopp'd close to keep it from respiring; for in respiring it would vanish away into Smoak: set the Vessel in a reverberating Furnace, but the heat must be exceeding temperate, that the Salt of the Matter which is volatile, and not fix'd, may not exhale; and that the Ves∣sel may not by the violence of the Fire be broken, as hath hapned to us; and let the matter stand in that degree of heat the space of two days, and it will be calcin'd; which done, let the Vessel cool, and being cold, open it; and upon the calcined matter pour its
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own Phlegm, that is the water, which you distill'd at first; let it boyl upon ashes two hours, that some part may be dissol∣ved, and that which is dissolved decant into another Vessel, and again with new water do as before; and thus repeat till you have extracted all the Salt; then draw off the water by distil∣lation in Balneo; and in the Vessel will remain the Salt as white as Snow, of a great many virtues; and if you acuare the Vege∣table Fire with it, it will without doubt dissolve the two Lumi∣naries with the conservation of their Vegetative Form: And with it may be made a most excellent Aurum potabile, to pre∣serve the radical moisture in men, and expel many diseases.

The Third Experiment teacheth the preparation of the Salt of Honey, after this manner: Take new white Honey together with the Comb, put it in a Glass Vessel to putrifie the space of sixty days; then distil, &c. Then take the Earth (Caput mortuum) which remained in the Urinal, and being perfectly ground, put it in an Earthen Vessel, made of Valentinian Chalk, or of that which Crucibles are made of; or if you cannot have this Ves∣sel, put the same Earth between two Crucibles, one joyned to the other, and very well luted; then set them in a reverbera∣ting or Glass-makers Furnace, and there let them stay four or five days, so will the Earth be white; but if you do this work in a reverberating Furnace, have a care that the Fire be not too violent, for so would the Earth evaporate; and if the Fire be too weak, it will never be calcined, a moderate heat therefore is requisite; thus, no such error can happen as we have met with; for when we began this work, we lost all the Earth by the vio∣lence of Fire; but to the purpose; this Earth being calcined, as aforesaid, and the Vessel cold, take it out and grind it; then pour the water which you distilled by Balneo to it, and let the matter boyl two hours upon ashes, and empty the water into another Vessel from the Earth, which Earth you must dry with a gentle Fire. Upon the same ashes pour new Phlegm, and let it boyl, as before, decant by emptying and keeping, as be∣fore, the dissolution of the Body; and thus repeat the Magi∣stery, till you have evacuated all the most precious Salt out of it, and converted it into water: Then take all those dissolutions, and filtre them through a clean Linnen-Cloth, which water you must distil by Balneo; at length in the bottom of the Ves∣sel
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will you have a most Precious Salt, or Vegetable Mercury: Which done, know the weight of the said Congelation or Salt, and pour to it a third part of the Water, which you kept be∣fore, and which you rectify'd seven times in Ashes, (the acid Wa∣ter of Honey) and stop the Vessel with its Antenotorium, and set it in Balneo five Days, then having taken away the Antenotori∣um, and put on an Alembick, you must with a temperate Fire by distillation exhale all the moisture that will distil, and that will be insipid, for the Earth hath received, and in it self retain∣ed the Virtue and Acetosity of the Water: Then again imbibe the Earth with new Water as before, and repeat the Magistery by imbibing, digesting, and distilling so oft as before, till the Earth hath attracted and imbibed all its Water: And so by the help of the living God will you truly have the Vegetable Salt drawn from this individual, which Salt is most precious, and hath the power of acuating the Vegetable Mercury, and dissol∣ving the two Luminaries, and all the other imperfect Metals: And with this may Metals be reduced into their first Matter.

To these Salts requisite for this Menstruum of Lully, I will add the fifth Experiment, which teacheth to prepare Alkalies from Portu∣laca Marina, Apium Sylvestre, Squilla, Euphorbium, Pyre∣thrum, Rosmarinus, Herb Mercury, Solatrum, Oliandrum, &c. with all which you may acuate the Vegetable Mercury drawn from Wine, either joyntly or severally.

This sort of Menstruums is made not only out of the Alkalies of Vegetables, but also out of Mineral Salts, such as common Salt, Sal Gemmae, Alum, &c. Thus it is made.

27. The Circulatum Minus, or Water of Salt Circulated of Paracelsus Lib. 10. Archidox.
TAKE the true Element of Water, or instead thereof another Salt which hath not been as yet boyl'd to plain Driness, or also Sal Gemmoe putrified; pour two parts of the water mix'd with a little Juice of Raphanus to it, putrefie in acu∣rate digestion, the longer the better; let it afterward congeal,
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and putresie again for a Month; then distil in a Retort, the remainder urge with a strong Fire, that it may melt; reverbe∣rate in a Retort, with a continual Fire, dissolve upon a Marble, the water slowing from hence pour to it, and putrefie again; distil again even to an Oleosity; joyn it with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine and that which is impure will fall down, which separate; but let the pure be cristalized in a cold place; pour on again that which is distilled, and cohobate so oft till a fixed Oyl remains in the bottom, and nothing sweet goes over; Digest moreover for a Month, then distil, till the Arcanum of Salt pass over through the Alembeck: Nor let long labour grieve you, for this is the third part of all the Arcanums, which are hidden in Metals and Minerals; and without which nothing can be made useful or perfect.

The same Circulatum hath Paracelsus described in his Treatise of reducing Metals into their first matter or running Mercury; (which is the fourth Treatise in Rosario novo Olimpico Benedicti Figuli (which Description we thought good to compare with this, that they may illustrate one another. Take, saith he, Sal Gemmoe most finely pulverized; put it in a strong Crucible, and increas∣ing the Fire by degrees, melt the Salt, being melted, keep it so for the space of three Hours; the Salt being cold, pulverize it again, and melt it in a new Crucible, according to the aforesaid method, and so proceed five or six times; then to the pulveri∣zed Salt, pour so much of the hot Juice of Raphanus that it may be dissolved (mix the Salt, and squeeze it with a little of the Juice, with a wooden spoon, in a wooden Vessel; being dissolved, strain it through a sleeve, and set it apart; add again a little of the Juice, and repeat till all the Salt be dissolved) coagulate or draw off the water by an Alembick; reduce the Salt into Powder; putrefie in Balneo six days; then distil with an open Fire, like Aqua Regis, observing the degrees of Fire, till nothing more ascends; force it with a most strong Fire for an hour that it may be throughly calcined; pulverize the Salt, being yet hot, very small on a Marble, and let it be dissolved by it self in a moist place; putrefie all that is dissolved in Balneo three days; then distil gradually, by the Rule of Art, all the Liquor through an Alembick in Sand; the remaining Body being well pulverized dissolve on a Marble, putrefie, and distil as before;
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repeat this three times; the remainder reduce into Powder, and put in a Cucurbit; to which pour these three distilled waters, putrefie five days, and again distil in Sand; thus putrefying and distilling, all the Salt will at length ascend through the Alembick, except a little Caput mortuum to be cast away: but the water di∣stilled from the substance of the Salt, putrefie for a Day and a Night, and rectifie twice or thrice, and you will have the wa∣ter of Salt.

This Menstruum made of Sea-salt, or Sal Gemmae, Paracel∣sus made choice of before the rest of the simple Vegetable Menstru∣ums, as the best, because according to his Doctrine, it is the Ma∣trix or Center of Metals and Minerals. Because, saith he, be∣ing instructed by Experiments, and having in other Books also made mention, that the primum Ens, or fifth Essence of the Ele∣ment of Water, is the Center of Metals and Minerals, and having elsewhere also added, that every product ought to dye in that in which it received life, In a German Manuscript these Words are thus read, Das ein iegelich frucht in seiner Mutter, darinnen es das leben uberkommen, sterben muss, That is, eve∣ry Fruit ought to dye in the same Matrix in which it obtains its Life, that afterwards it may receive a new Life better, and so by the deposition of the old Body be reduced into the pri∣mum Ens, or first Being: The way therefore of extracting the Center of Water, in which Metals ought to depose their Body, will I here add.

This Menstruum we will explain by its Branches; whereof the First is, Oyl of Salt dissolved per deliquium. In the first process he dissolves Sea-salt, or Sal Gemmae, in water mix'd with the Juice of Raphanus, putrefies, and with a stronger Fire distils; but the Caput mortuum (the remaining Salt rather) he dissolves on a Marble per deliquium. In the second Receipt he dissolves Sal Gemmae, being first five or six times melted in an equal quantity of the Juice of Raphanus made hot, then coagulates, putrefies, and distils like common Aqua fortis; the remaining Salt reduced into Powder, being as yet hot, he dissolves per deliquium in a moist place. Sometimes he does without this stinking Juice of Raphanus more compendiously prepare that Oyl of Salt per deliquium, and that is, from Salt calcined with Nitre: The Receipt is to take of common Salt, and the Salt of Urine equal parts, to be by the
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Rule of Alchymy calcined two hours, then resolved in a Cellar after the usual manner, &c. From this calcined Salt is distilled a Spirit, which resolveth Gold into Oyl; but if it be again ex∣tracted, and to the highest degree prepared, a most excellent Aurum potabile will be had, but without that extraction (Distil∣lation) the Gold is only resolved; then is it a most pure Art for Goldsmiths in guilding, and for Iron-smiths a constant and precious Treasure to guild with; yet they that prepare it ought to be skilful Alchymists. Libro de rebus Nat. Cap. 4. de Sale. pag. 190. That Paracelsus, by the Salt of Ʋrine intended Nitre is easily proved by what follows. In what place soever (saith he) the Urine of Man or Beast is poured forth, at the same succeeding time is Sal Nitre produced; for Urine gather∣ed and prepared into another Salt, is called Sal Niter. ibidem. But the same Receipt, Tract. de Sale, pag. 171. Puts it out of all doubt, being thus described. Take Salt and Sal Nitre in equal proporti∣on; let them be calcined by themselves till they melt, then re∣solve them into a Liquor.

The Second is, The Oyl or Essence of Salt. In the first pro∣cess he takes the Oyl of Salt per deliquium, and cohobates it so oft with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, till the Salt remains at the bottom in a form of an Oyl, and no Phlegm ascends; but if instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine any Vegetable Men∣struum be taken, as for example; the Menstruum which we treat now of, being already prepared, or Salt circulated, there is no necessity for the Salt to be dissolved per deliquium, but is with less pains re∣duced into an Oyl or natural Essence. Though, saith he, there are more ways to extract the Ens primum of Salt, yet this is most commodious and most expeditious; and after this, there is that other way which we mention'd, speaking of the Elixir of Salt, namely, that new Salt mix'd well with the dissolving water, which is the distill'd Spirit of Salt, the Circulatum minus made of Salt, the water of Salt circulated, (the Arcanum of Salt, the Menstruum which is now in hand) must be putrify'd, and di∣still'd so long, till the substance of the Salt be dissolved, and reduced into a perpetual Oleosity, the Body in the Form of Phlegm being abstracted from it. The place alleadged is in Lib. 8. Archid. de Elixeriis pag. 31. Take Salt well prepared, most white, and pure, put it into a Pellican, with six times the weight of the dis∣solving
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water (by the dissolving water is our water of Salt (circulated) to be understood. Lib. 10. Archid. pag. 38.) Digest them a month together in Horse-dung; then separate the dis∣solving water by Distillation, and pour it on again, and sepa∣rate, as before, and that so oft, till the Salt be converted into Oyl. This way of making the Essence of Salt with the Circula∣tum minus, is much better, and more exquisite than that former preparation performed by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, though Paracelsus affirms the former method to be more useful, and more expe∣ditious than the latter; which is to be understood of the use of both, not the preparation: For the Essence of Salt is both sooner and bet∣ter prepared with some Circulatum minus, than with the simple Spirit of Philosophical Wine; from which Essence of Salt which way soever made, is prepared the Arcanum of Salt; which reason will have more commodious, and more expeditious, in extracting the Essences of things, than the Oyl of Salt, not yet so graduated. In the second Process, Paracelsus commands, indeed, the Oyl of Salt made per deliquium to be putrefy'd; but as to the means of putre∣faction, whether with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or some simple Vegetable Menstruum makes no mention, without which not∣withstanding the Salt would not ascend in the Alembick, and if it were distilled, yet would it be of no use in extracting Essences: He putri∣fy'd therefore the Oyl of Salt per deliquium, for some time with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, then being putrifyed, distil 〈◊〉 with a stronger Fire, the residue of the Salt he again dissolv'd on a Marble, and being dissolved, putrify'd and distill'd it with new Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or some Simple Vegetable Menstruum, so often, till he had distill'd the whole into Spiritual Water of Salt.

The third Branch consists in the Reduction of the Essence of Salt in∣to the Arcanum of the same; for the Natural (that is, Saline,) Es∣sence of Salt, doth by being cohobated sometimes with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, ascend together with it, becomes sweet, and is transmuted into the Arcanum of Salt, or Artificial Essence, of which Arcanums more in the second Book of Medecines. Common Salt therefore distilled with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick, is the Circulatum minus of Paracelsus, the Aqua salis circulati, the Primum ens salis, the Arcanum salis, the Aqua sol∣vens, the Spiritus salis distillatus, the Matrix and Center of Me∣tals and Minerals, &c. It is called Circulatum, by reason of the Cir∣culation
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or Digestion of the Essence of Salt for a Month with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or which is more probable, because of the com∣mon Circulation of all the Vegetable Menstruums for the space of 30, 40, or 60 Days, after the Menstruum was already made, so that this Circulation, though omitted in our Receipt, must be under∣stood in these Circulatums of Paracelsus: It is not therefore called Circulatum minus, as if common Salt had less Virtues in dissolving, than the other Salts, but because it hath those only, and not the quali∣ty of tinging superadded, as the greater Circulatums: after the same manner as Salt is made a Circulatum, may also Vitriol be made a Circulatum, Alum a Circulatum, Tartar a Cir∣culatum, &c. This way also, saith Paracelsus, is the Arcanum or Magistery to be made of Vitriol, as also of all other Salts, Lib. 10. Arch. Cap. 3. Pag. 38.

Lastly, As the saline Essence of Salt loseth its saltness, and be∣comes sweet by being digested and cohobated in the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine; so the Common Spirit of Salt well mixed and di∣gested with the Spirit of Wine, becomes a sweet Menstruum. It is thus done:

28. The Sweet Spirit of Salt of Basilius. Lib. Partic. sub Sulphure Solis & Rep. 12. Clav.
TAke of the Spirit of Salt wholly dephlegmed one part, of the best Spirit of Wine free from all Phlegm, or the Sulphur of Wine, made as I shall tell you lower (the Description of which we lately had in the precedent Pages) one half part, fit an Alembick well luted, and distil strongly, so as that nothing re∣mains: To the Distillation add one other half part of Spirit of Wine, and distil, and that repeat three times, putrefie fifteen days, or till it become sweet, which must be done in a gentle Balneo; thus will you have the Spirit of Salt and Wine with∣out any corrosion for extractions.

But though this Menstruum may deserve its Praises, yet it can scarce be reckoned amongst Menstruums of this Kind, where we dis∣course not of acid Spirits, but fixed Salts; it must therefore be con∣sidered as an Appendix of the circulated Salt: to the Illustratino of which it will not a little conduce.

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From the Receipts we observe,
1. That by Aqua Vitae, or Spirit of Wine, the Adepts did not in the least intend Common, but Philosophical Aqua ardens; for Common Aqua ardens will never perform that which is desired in these Receipts, and it being granted, that it seems to perform, yet Menstruums so made, cannot be Menstruums of the Adepts, but Common, of no efficacy or esteem in the more secret Chymy.

2. That Basilius has indeed sometimes used common Aqua ardens for his Menstruums, but never by it self, but mixed with Vegeta∣ble Sal Armoniack, or Philosophical Salt of Tartar (that is, with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) volatilized; which Salt, being brought into a liquid substance by virtue of this Spirit, is his Men∣struum; for he separates again from thence the Spirit of Com∣mon Wine, either by Flame, or by quick Lime.

3. That the greater quantity of Sal Armoniack is joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, the stronger are these Menstru∣ums made; wherefore Basilius his Menstruums of this Kind, from which all the common Aqua ardens is separated, are to be reputed among the best.

4. That these Menstruums are the Magistery of fixed Salts, by Paracelsus call'd the less Circulatums, or Arcanum of the Alkali of Tartar, Beans, Wormwood, as also common Salt, Alom, Nitre, &c.

5. And therefore that these Menstruums are Medecines.

6. That these Menstruums may be made several ways; as these out of the Sal Armoniack of Lully, by the method of Paracelsus his Circulatums, and so on the contrary, provided the Alkalies or fixed salts be volatilized, and distilled together with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick.

7. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is not easily mixed with these Salts, but by certain degrees: First, He extracts the Tincture or Soul from them, that is, the more unctuous parts; which being more volatile than the rest, are then easily distilled into a volatile Tincture, or (to use Luly's phrase) into the animated Spirit; then the remaining Earth, being now fixed by the same means, is again volatilized by absorbing the said animated Spirit by degrees, and sublimed into Sal Armoniack.

8. That these Sal Armoniacks are sublimed with a very strong fire.

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9. That these Salts are called Harmoniack, by reason of the Harmony ar Perfection of their mixtion. So have you saith Lully, the formal Harmoniack mixtion of all the Elements; wherefore wonder not, if we call it Sal Armoniack; for so it is called, because of its exalted and sublimed property the pure and first Matter of Nature, Lib. Mercur. pag. 155.

10. That the volatile Salt of Tartar, the volatile Salt of Worm∣wood, Carduus Benedictus, &c. common volatile Salt (by Para∣celsus call'd Sal enixum) are rightly term'd Sal Harmoniacks, Phi∣losophical Vegetable Mercuries, and Sulphurs of Nature, &c.

11. That the Spirit of Salt, Nitre, Vitriol, Aqua fortis, &c. are by being cohobated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine made sweet.

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The Sixth KIND. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit and Tartar of Philosophical Wine.
29. The Coelum Vinosum of Parisinus made of the Salt of Philosophical Wine. In Appendice Eluc. Pag. 271. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym.
TAke the Philosophers first Matter, called Chaos (Vegeta∣ble Mercury, the Philosophers Wine) distil its Spirit (ar∣dent) and Watery Element (Phlegm) in its convenient Vessel, as we shall teach in its proper place, till its Body remain in the bottom like melted Pitch, which by two distillations wash with its Watery Element, then pour its Spirit to it, four Fingers above it, mixing the Matter well, till it be well united, and set the Vessel to distil in Balneo with an easie heat: then put it into Putrefaction six Days in a convenient Vessel, and distil in Ashes, (the animated Spirit) then take other Spirit, (ardens) and that being poured to it, put it again into Putrefaction six Days, and so repeat this Magistery, till you see that the Spirit has imbibed and extracted the Soul out of the Body, an infallible sign of which will be, when you see its Earth hard and dry: for then may you be assured, that the Body is for its health-sake dead, which you may vivify and make incorruptible, and it will no more fear Death, nor Corruption in this World. Now take the aforesaid Body, first weigh it, then put it in a convenient Vessel, and pour to it an eighth part of its Spirit (animated Spirit)
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which extracted its Soul, then put your Vessel in a Fire of dige∣stion, (which we shall speak of afterwards) and continue the Fire till you see that the Earth hath imbibed its Liquor: then open your Vessel, put on an Alembick, and gather that little sweat, which will have the taste of hot Water: Imbibe now your Matter for a second time with a seventh part of the afore∣said Spirit, which contains the Soul, and proceed in the metho∣dizing of the aforesaid Magistery: Now for a third time im∣bibe with a sixt part, for a fourth time imbibe with a fifth part, for a fifth time imbibe with a fourth part, and do not multiply the weight of the aforesaid Spirit, but continue it so, observing the aforesaid Method, till the Matter, which hath drunk up its Spirit, and is again united with its Soul, be white. Take now the aforesaid Earth, and put it in convenient sublimation, the lower part of the Vessel being luted below the Matter, and make the pure part sublime from the impure, and so will you have our Mercury, which is clear and shining as a Diamond. This is that which the Philosophers do by divers Metaphors, call the first Vegetable Matter, Sal Armoniack, our Mercury, our Sulphur of Nature, whereas notwithstanding 'tis one and the same thing. Take the other Simple Spirit, which you first ex∣tracted out of your Chaos, that which hath not extracted its Soul, and make it more pure and subtil by the way following: Take of the Vegetable first Matter (Sal Armoniack) which you made before, one Pound, and put it in a convenient Vessel in Balneo, till the Matter dissolve it self (per deliquium) then put∣ting to an Alembick, distil the superfluous Water, then pour on three Pounds of the aforesaid Simple Spirit (ardens) and the Vessel being conveniently stop'd, as will be manifested below, put it into Putrefaction for one Natural Day, after the manner following: Get you a Brass Vessel, about one span and a half broad, and three spans and a half long, which towards the Ori∣fice must have a Copper Bottom pierced with many Holes, the Cover whereof, which is to go into the Vessel, and stop it well, must have one or two Holes: but the Glass Vessels, which you would put to that Copper Vessel, ought to be conveniently co∣vered: in the lower part of those Copper Vessels of Putrefaction must be common Water, those Copper Vessels put upon a Fur∣nace, making a moderate Fire under, by the strength of which
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the fume or vapour of the Water will ascend, and heat the Ves∣sels, in which your Matter is; the whole work of our Supream Magistery will be matured and prepared by this Method, then distil conveniently in Ashes with a heat, scarce unlike to the heat of the Sun, till you have drawn all the Juice from it, then dissolve the Matter by pouring to it of the aforesaid Simple Spi∣rit three parts, in respect of the Matter, which remained in the Vessel, after the aforesaid Juice was abstracted from it; Repeat the Magistery a fourth time, proceeding and observing all things exactly as above: So will you have the Spirit of your Chaos, which is by the Philosophers called Fire depurated, reduced from power into act with the Virtue of the Vegetable Matter. Take therefore a Glass Vessel, strong, able to contain the mea∣sure of a common Urne, pure and long, whose Neck must be strong, and two spans and a half long, whose Cover must be ano∣ther Glass, called Antenotorium, with a Neck turned downward, containing the fourth part of a common Urne, to be put into the aforesaid Vessel: Into this Circulating Vessel put four Pounds, and no more, of the depurated Spirit, which you brought from power to action, by Virtue of the Vegetable Matter, as I taught you before Circulate in Balneo, or Dung the space of sixty Days, and when Conversion is made of the Spirit deduced from power to action by the first Vegetable Matter, then this you will thereby know, that in the bottom of the Vessel will be a Sediment, like the Urine of a sound Man: Then will you see a Quintessence brighter and clearer then a Diamond, which ex∣ceeds the Stars in splendour, so as to be doubted, whether it be contain'd in the Glass or not: which you must dexterously sepa∣rate from its Sediment, and keep in a Vessel close stopped in a cold place: This is that Virtue which the envious have hidden, and obscured by innumerable Metaphors, calling it Spiritus Vi∣vus, Aqua Argenti vivi, Aqua Vitoe, Aqua Celestis, Aqua Dianoe, Anima Menstrui Vegetabilis, Fumus, Ventus, our Heaven, Menstru∣al Blood, Ʋrine sublimed, Menstruum, our Water of Sulphur, our Blessed Stone, giving it infinite other Names, which we mention not here, but have by Experience seen and known them to be one and the same thing.

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Annotations.
MOst of the Adepts knew no other but this way of acuating the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, for they believed there was one only thing, and one only Method: but this is not the last amongst the difficult Methods, nor much different from the Coelum Vegetable of Lully made of the Alkali of Tartar. The Tartar of this Wine is less Oyly than common Tartar, and therefore adjoyned to this, as a higher Kind; but that we may the better understand the Receipt, 'tis convenient to compare it with its Original, taken out of the last Testa∣ment of Lully.

30. The Coelum Vinosum of Lully. In Testam. Noviss.
TAke Red Wine, which we call the Liquor of Lunaria, and Nigrum nigrius nigro, and distil an Aqua ardens in Balneo, and rectify it, till it be without Phlegm, which you will know, when it burns a piece of Linnen Cloth, by reason of its heat, which you will make it do in five times, sometimes in three, and having such a sign, divide it into two parts, and keep one part for the making of the Menstruum, and with the other part abstract the Soul from the Earth (a pitchy mass) by the way which I shall tell you. The way, my Son, is, to distil the Phlegm, till it remain in the form of liquid Pitch, then put to it of the Water (ardens) which you rectify'd, so much, as to swim three Fingers above the Matter, and the Vessel being very close, set it in Dung or Balneo six Days to digest, after that distil all the Water, in which is the Soul, upon hot Ashes, then increase the Fire a little, and take out the Oyl; which keep: then pour in of the other Water (ardens, or Spirit of Philosophical Wine) as before, and put it in Putrefaction six Days, as before, and then distil in Ashes, first the Water, then the Oyl, and thus continue the Ma∣gistery the same way, till you have extracted all the Soul from the Earth, keep it, because it is the animated Water, and keep the Oyl for the Tincture: Then take the Earth being dry and
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hardened, and calcine till it grows white, being white, give the Soul in the Water reserved to it. My Son! the way is this, Take the Earth being white and depurated (Salt) and know the weight, put it in a Vessel of Glass, and pour upon it an eighth part of the animated Water, the Vessel being very close, and place it in Balneo three days, till you see the ardent Spirit con∣densed in the Balneo, and rectify it, till it be without Phlegm, then having put on an Alembick, draw off the Liquor without taste, because the Soul hath embraced the Spirit, which is in that part; and imbibe a second time with a seventh part of the animated Water, and digest as before, and distil away the moi∣sture: A third time imbibe with a sixth part, digest and distil away the VVater: A fourth time pour on a fifth part of the animated VVater, as before: The fifth time give a fourth part, and digest as you know; and continue with the fourth part al∣ways digesting and drawing of the Liquor, till our Earth be pregnant and white: Then take the Earth being pregnant, and put it in a subliming Vessel luted and very close in a Fire of the third degree, the space of twenty four Hours, and sublime the pure from the impure: And thus my Son will you have the Ve∣getable Mercury sublimed, clear, resplendent in the Form of a wonderful Salt. Know you must my Son, that the Philosophers and we do call it properly Vegetable Sulphur, Sal Armoniack, our Sulphur, the Sulphur of Nature, and many other Names we also give it. Take, my Son, of this Vegetable Sulphur, which you made, one Ounce, put it in a Glass Vessel, and pour upon it three Ounces of the VVater, (Aqua ardens rectifyed to the highest) re∣vealed to you before, and the Vessel being covered close, put it in Balneo for one Natural Day, then Distil in Ashes, till all ascend that can, then know the weight of the Salt remaining at the bottom of the Vessel, and pour to it three times its weight of the aforesaid Aqua ardens, and put it in our Balneo the space of one natural Day, then Distil in Ashes, and thus do three times: Then is all the Vegetable Salt come over the Helm with its own VVater, and mixture is made, and the Water clear, which we call Simple Menstruum. My Son! Take a Glass Vessel, which must be white Glass and sound, and it must be a large Vessel, and put into it four Pounds, or six (at most) of this Menstruum thus simply dissolved, and the Vessel being well shut and sealed,
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put it in Balneo or Dung, the space of sixty Days, and it will in that time be converted into a Quintessence exceeding Glorious and Odoriferous, which you will know, when you see in the bottom of the Vessel a Sediment, like that in the Urine of a well Complexioned Youth, and it will be clear and resplendent, as a Star of Heaven: Keep it in a hot and moist place, as is a Balneo, separating it first from its Sediment, and sealing the Vessel well as may be.

Both Receipts agree in all things, except that Lully calcines the dead Earth, and by dissolving in common Water and calcining, puri∣fies it; Parisinus not so: this Earth notwithstanding seeming by this way of putrifying to be made fitter for the Reception of its Spirit; The Receipts consist of these two parts, the preparation of the Vege∣table Sal Armoniack, and the Reduction of the same Salt into a li∣quid Substance or Menstruum: The preparation of the Sal Armoni∣ack is effected by two Operations: In the first, the Soul is extracted out of the Body by Virtue of the Spirit, to exanimate and fix the Earth, and make it melt like Wax on a red hot Plate: In the se∣cond, the Soul is stored to this fixed Earth by times, and this vari∣ously, to make it Volatile: In both Receipts as well of Lully, as Pa∣risinus, the animated Spirit is restored to the Earth so exanimated, in an eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, and fourth part of its weight, till it wholly evaporates upon a fiery hot Plate; this method of im∣pregnating, or revivifying the Dead Body will be confirmed and illu∣strated by the

Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Parisinus. In Apertorio Cap. F. and L. and parte secunda Ci∣tharoe vel Violettoe, and Cap. 5. Elucid. pag. 235. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym.
OUr Vegetable Mercury is that Principle to be admired above all other things of this Art, which consists in the preparation and ablution of its most precious Earth, which is of so great Virtue, as not to be comprehended by the wit of any Men, those only excepted, who have attained to the miraculous effects of it. Our purpose is to take the matter remaining (in
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the distillation of Philosophical Wine) like melted pitch, to which pour of its Death (Phlegm) the height of four fingers above it, agitate; that the tincture, or unctuous superfluous part of it may be dissolved, let the matter settle, decant the tincture, to the remaining matter pour new Phlegm, agitating and decanting so oft, till no more tincture ascends, and the Earth remains white, sparkling like a Diamond, which dry in the Sun or some such heat; being dryed and pulverized, pour to it of C, that is, its (ardent) Spirit, so much as will swim upon it the space of four Fingers, digest in a blind Head three natural Days, then distil with a slender heat of Ashes, till the Veins disappear, take away the Receiver, stop it well, put another to, distil away all the Phlegm with a Fire somewhat stronger, cool the Vessel, take out the Matter being hardened, pulverize, and putting it in the same Vessel, pour to it of C the breadth of three Fingers, lute, and putrefie three days, take away the blind Head, distil through an Alembick, till the Veins ascend, then change the Receiver, as before, repeat these Operations, till the Earth remain white, and fume not upon a hot Plate: Now take a Phial, put the aforesaid Earth into it, lute well the Neck of the Phial, and set it to di∣gest, or calcine rather in Ashes, and you will have your most precious Earth now sit to receive its Spirit (animated) or Soul, with the conservation of its radical moisture. Take this Earth, put it in a round Vessel, a hands breadth deep, broad about the Orifice, and imbibe it with its Soul, or animated Spirit, as we shall declare, cap. L. thus have you so full an Instruction of this Matter, that 'tis impossible for you to err, if you be a faithful Christian. I promised (he goes on cap. L.) to give you full di∣rection for the making of all sorts of Sulphurs for our Magistery, that is, Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Sulphur. Wonder not, that I did first sublime, and vivify the Mineral Sulphur of Na∣ture, I doing this, to give them in order, and that you might the better attend your Practice and Theory: though I know, you are not ignorant, that no dissolution can be made without either Vegetable or Animal Sulphur. Now to our purpose; Take the Vegetable Earth prepared, as I taught you cap. F. im∣bibe it with its animated Spirit, giving an eighth part of it, (in respect of the Earth) cover the Vessel with a Blind Head, digest eight days in Balneo, then lay aside this Head, and draw of all
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the insipid moisture in a gentle heat of Ashes, or of the Sun: then imbibe with a seventh part, digesting in Balneo, and distil∣ling in Ashes, as before; then imbibe with a sixth, then a fifth; lastly a fourth part, and with this quantity repeat the rest of the imbibitions, till the Earth hath drank up two parts and more of its weight: Then take the Earth out of the Vessel, pulverize, and put a little of it upon a red hot Plate, if the greatest part of it fume away, put the powder into a Sublimatory, and sublime the Philosophers Sal Armoniack, giving the beginning of Vegeta∣tion to both the terrestrial Luminaries (Gold and Silver) with∣out which, neither the Vegetable nor Animal Work, yea nothing at all can be done in this Magistery.

This Volatilization of the fixed Earth the Adepts performed other ways also, not always observing the order of the aforesaid weights of the animated Spirit, in the resuscitation or impregnation of the dead Body: For sometimes they imbibed this exanimated Earth with an eighth part of its animated Spirit so oft, till it became animated again, and was made Volatile. Thus Lully made his.

The Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully. Libro de materia Vegetabili in practica quarta.
TAke excellent Wine either red or white, distil by the Rule of Art an ardent Spirit, burning Cotton, evaporate the Phlegm till the Matter remain thick, as melted pitch, to which pour of the ardent Spirit so much, as to swim four Fingers above it: digest for a week in Balneo, then distil the animated Spirit by Ashes, to the Earth pour new ardent Spirit, repeating so oft, till the Earth remain dry, and in the Form of powder: More∣over, you must from the Earth distil an Oyl in Ashes with a Fire sufficiently strong, so as that the Earth being laid on a red hot Plate, casts forth no fume. That Oyl, as also the Phlegm are of no value in the present Work. Calcine or Reverberate the said Earth in a close Vessel, to which pour of the animated ardent Spirit an eigth part in an Alembick, digest in Balneo three days, then gently draw off the superfluous moisture, being insipid as common Water, imbibe as before, and continue so oft, till the
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Earth in a close Vessel, to which pour of the animated ardent Spirit an eighth part in an Alembick, digest in Balneo three days, then gently draw off the superfluous moisture, being insipid as common Water, imbibe as before, and continue so oft, till the Earth be made Volatile, which you will know, if a little of it put on a red hot Plate be almost wholly evaporated: This impregna∣ted Earth sublime with a subliming Fire the space of twenty four Hours: The Volatile and sublimed Salt sublime by it self yet twice, which is to be with the ardent Spirit dissolved, distilled, and forty or fifty days Circulated into an Odoriferous Liquor.

Sometimes they impregnated the Earth from the beginning to the compleat saturity of it, with a fourth part of the animated Spirit, thus:

The Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully. In Apertorio suo.
TAke of the best Juice of Lunaria, that you can find, one Pound or two, and put it into a Vessel with an Alembick, the seams being well joynted and luted, set it in a little Furnace, and underneath make a Fire of one wiek, and with such a gentle heat let the aforesaid Spirits be distilled, and so long, till it be∣gins to make Veins: When therefore the Phlegm begins to shew Veins, then is it a sign, that the Spirit is distilled, which contains in it all the perfection of Life, and then take that distilled Spirit, and keep it very choicely in a Glass well stopt with white Wax, then put another Receiver under the Alembick, and receive the second Water, because it retains yet something of the aforesaid Spirit, though not so strong as the first: distil from that second Water so long, till nothing else comes but Phlegm, which is no otherwise then as common Water, tasting a little, if it has yet any Virtue, than may you distil yet more, but if it be as the other Water pure in taste, then lay aside the Receiver with that second Water, and put another Glass to receive all the Phlegm, distil∣ling so long, till nothing more distils, and then let all the Phlegm be poured away, because it is that, which brings Death to our
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Precious Stone, and this the vulgar knows not, but we know. Now have you the Earth, which remained in the bottom of the Vessel black, like melted Pitch: For that calcination of the Earth cannot be done with a strong Fire, as Sophisters believe, but it is done by its own Spirit, which keeps it from burning, be∣cause its Spirit draws the Soul from its Body, and repels its su∣perfluous Phlegm, and mortifies the Earth, and then vivisies it: Now therefore calcine the aforesaid Earth in this manner; Take the second distilled Water (Aqua ardens mix'd with Phlegm) and pour it upon the black Earth (Pitch) in its Vessel, and mix well, till it be dissolved, because the Earth is presently dissolved. Then put on an Alembick, and lute well, and distil the Spirit with one wick, as I told you before, till you see Veins, then again separate the Receiver of the Alembick with the Spirits, and set it apart, and put another Receiver to, and distil on, looking if there be yet any Spirits there, if not, then the Water which is distill'd, hath a taste like hot common Spring Water, which put away again, because such Water is Phlegmatick, which causeth Death to our Stone: And after the whole distillation take the Vessel with all the Matter, which you will then find more hard than before, and this is the reason, because that Spirit hath attract∣ed the Aereral Soul to it from its Body, it being the place in which the Soul is contained: that Operation repeat so oft, till you see your Matter calcined in the bottom in the Form of a black Powder, or even so long, till you see no more Phlegm arise, so as the last Water to be of as great virtue, strength, smell and taste, as the first: And you must not be ignorant, that in the third distillation those two Spirits (ill and well rectify'd) are to be mixed together upon their Earth, so long, till the Earth and Spirits have those signs aforesaid, namely, the Earth be calcined, and the Spirits yield no Phlegm. Then take the Earth, and with it a fourth part of its weight of the Spirit, and put the Mat∣ter into your Vessel, which we call Retentorium, and place it in a Furnace, continuing an easie heat so long, till the Spirit be alto∣gether coagulated in the Earth. Know Son! that the Body, which was Dead, puts on white Garments, as, if God please, you shall see, when you try the things aforesaid. Son! this must you repeat with new Spirit so long, till you see the Earth altoge∣ther white as Snow: and then is the Earth big and impregna∣ted
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with Eternal clarity, which will bring forth an Infant, ac∣cording to this way: When the Earth is very white, then Son! take it out of its Vessel, and grind it into a most fine powder, and this do upon a Glass Plate, then again put it into a Vessel, luting the Joynts of it well, and set it on a little Furnace, and kindle a Fire, continuing it for thirty Hours, and in the corners and sides of the Vessel you will find our Infant, born and resusci∣tated in the likeness of a powder, most white, most fair, and in such clearness, as the Body of Silver: Keep it therefore in high esteem, because it is your Terra foliata, and it is called the Spirit of sublimed Bodies, converted into Terra foliata; so winto the same the Soul, &c.

Sometimes they impregnated this Earth without observing any weight, as thus:

Another Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully. In Luce Mercuriorum.
TAke Wine red or white, putrify it in Balneo twenty days at least, that the parts of it may be disunited, and the better separated, then by distillation of Balneo, with a most gentle Fire draw off the Aqua ardens, which put in rectification so oft, till nothing of the Phlegm remains: then draw off the Phlegm by distillation with a Fire of Ashes, till a certain matter remains in the bottom of the Vessel like liquid Pitch, and the said Phlegm put apart: then take the said matter, and pour to it of the Phlegm so much, as to swim four Fingers above it, and put it for two days in Balneo, then one day in a Fire of Ashes, that it may boyl leisurely, and you will find the Phlegm much coloured, which empty into another Vessel: set it in Balneo again for two days with new Phlegm, and for one day in Ashes, then empty it into another Vessel, and thus proceed till the Phlegm will be no more coloured, and if Phlegm be wanting, then take the colour∣ed Phlegm, and by distillation draw off one half, or a third part of it by Balneo, and operate with it as before; but when that Phlegm is no more coloured, then will there remain in the bot∣tom of the Vessel an Earth almost white, the Phlegm having at∣tracted
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all the Oyl out of it: if you would separate them asun∣der, put them in distillation of Balneo, then the Phlegm only riseth, and the Oyl will remain in the bottom of the Vessel most red. Take this Earth, and pour to the same of Mercury, (Vegetable, or Aqua ardens) so as to swim two Fingers above it, and put it in a Fire of Ashes for one natural Day, so as to boyl gently, then draw off (distil) the Earth by a Fire of Ashes as be∣fore, and put it apart: And of new Aqua ardens pour to the said Earth so much, as to swim two Fingers above it, and set it in Ashes for a Natural Day, then draw it off by distilling in Ashes as before: and thus proceed till there be no more Spirit (else∣where called Soul) remaining in the Earth, but all pass'd over with the Aqua ardens, which you may know by the Earth re∣maining in a most impalpable powder, and putting it on a Fire∣hot Plate it will yield no smoak, which will be a sign, that it is without Spirit (Soul): which Earth put then into digestion in an Athanor, and there let it stand ten days in a continued Fire. Then take of the Aqua ardens, in which the Spirit (Soul) is, and pour it upon the said Earth, swimming one Finger above it, and put it in an Athanor for one Natural Day: then set it in Balneo, and by distillation draw off the Aqua ardens without the Spirit (Soul) the Spirit remaining in the Earth, then pour on other Aqua ardens; and thus reiterate, till the Earth hath drank up all its Spirit, which you will know by putting the Earth upon a red hot Plate, because the greatest part of it will turn into Smoak; which Earth digest for six Natural Days in an Athanor, then put it in Ashes, increasing the Fire, till by the sublimation the Vegetable Mercury riseth at the sides of the Vessel, and in the bottom remains the Terra damnata, which is not an ingredi∣ent to our Work: Which Mercury gather speedily, and whilst it is new; after its rising, mix it with its Water for two days, and it becomes a Water which hath wherewithal to dissolve all Metals with the preservation of their Form, and this Water we call Vegetable Menstruum.

Animal Sal Armoniacks may also be made the same way as Vege∣table Sal Armoniacks thus is made.

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The animal Sal Armoniack of Lully. In Testam. Novissimo.
SOn! there is another way of this animal Sulphur of Nature, in which there is most accurate knowledge, as in Vegetables, which you must perform by the method which we shall teach you; and Son! the way is to take the Urine of Young Men of good Complexion, and put it in a Glass Vessel forty days, till it be putrified: then take a Cucurbit, and putting on an Alem∣bick in Balneo for the space of forty hours, distil a clear Water, and the Spirit will remain in the Earth (the Soul as Pitch) dry it being well luted, and rectify the Water seven times, and the white Salt (Volatile) which it made in every distillation gather warily, that it may not feel the Air, and put it in its Water (Spi∣rit.) Then put the Earth and Water (Pitch and Spirit) toge∣ther in Balneo or Dung for four days, then distil in the same Bal∣neo, and put it again upon the Ea•••, digest and distil again as before four days; then take the Water by it self, and put it in Dung the space of two Natural D•ys, and distil in Balneo, and again putrify in Dung, and continue this order five times: Then is the Water (Spirit) perfectly rectify'd and clear. This work being ended, restore the Water to the Earth (Pitch) and set it in Dung, then distil in Balneo, and dry up the Earth and the Alem∣bick being taken off, and another Cover put on, sublime for the space of twenty four hours the animal Sulphur of Nature: Then gather it together, and upon the Earth, which remained, pour its (animated) Water, and put it in Dung, and distil in Bal∣neo, dry and sublime as before, repeating, till all the Sulphur be sublimed. Son! We have revealed to you every way of know∣ing our Vegetable Sulphurs, and also the animal Sulphur, with a Declaration of the whole Magistery. Now, with the help of God, we shew you, that there is one way and means in the ani∣mal and in the Vegetable, without any variation.

This Receipt being less clear, in making no mention of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and yet of no worth without it; I will therefore add his sixth Experiment of the rational Animal, where thus:
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Very great, certainly, and incomprehensible Gifts hath the most high God vouchsafed to us; in the acknowledgment of which, our Duty is both Day and Night to love, worship, and revere him with our whole heart, and everywhere extol his Name with all our might: for besides his creating us out of nothing, and redeeming us with his most precious Blood, he hath also made Man partaker of all the Blessings contained in the greater World, and for this reason is called Microcosm; for it has by di∣vine inspiration been revealed to us, that all Virtues as well Ani∣mal and Vegetable, as Mineral are in Man himself, and this very thing I will prove to be true by this wonderful Experiment: Take the Urine of Boys, which must be from the eighth to the twelfth Year, and no more; which Urine gather from those Boys in the Morning, rising out of Bed, a great quantity of which 'tis convenient for you to have, which must be very well putrified in a Glass Vessel, the Vessel being stop'd, not to respire, two parts of which Vessel must be full, the other empty, and thus ought it to be placed in Horse Dung to putrify, till the Urine grows black, which commonly happens within forty or fifty days: but that the Urine may putrify and grow black in a shorter space of time, this we have had for a secret, and proved it by true Experiment, tha••ixing and joyning a Cup of Aqua Vitoe, (Philosophical) but first highly rectified with the aforesaid Urine, will accelerate Putrefaction: Putrefaction being done, put the Urine in an Urinal, (Cucurbit) with an Alembick and Receiver carefully stop'd, two parts of which Vessel must be full, but the third empty, and distil in Balneo with a gentle Fire one part of three, or till it produceth Veins in the Head, which Veins being vanished and gone, remove the Receiver, and being very close stop'd keep it with the distilled Water, which is the Mercury (Spirit) of it, in a place as cold as you can: then con∣tinue the distillation, increasing the Fire, and its Phlegm will be distilled, which requires a stronger Fire to go over the Helm: and thus continue distilling, till the Body appears in the likeness of Honey, or melted Pitch, then let the Vessel cool, and keep the Phlegm, which shall distil: Then take the first Mercury, or first Spirit, which you distill'd in the beginning, and rectify it thus: Put it into a large Cucurbit an Arm and a half high, then put into the Mouth of the said Vessel Cotton enough to stop
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the Mouth of it; which Cotton must be first moistened with Oyl, and pressed out, and tyed to a Hempen Thred, that when you have a mind, you may draw it out of the Neck of the Ves∣sel, and that the Cotton may not fall into the Cucurbit; then put an Alembick to the Cucurbit with a Receiver, the Joynts be∣ing very close, besmeared with Wheat-Flower and Linnen Swaths, that is, impasted with the Pap of Flower bound fast to the Neck of the Cucurbit, to keep the Vessels from respiring, which past (Chymical Lute) being dryed, put the Cucurbit to a Fire of Balneo, boyling gently, and the matter will be sublimed into a most precious Salt: Yet Son! take notice of this, that the Beak of the Alembick must be large and wide, lest the Salt rising and subliming out of the Cucurbit should stop the Mouth of the Beak of the Alembick, when it flows over into the Recei∣ver; for if so, the Vessels would be broken, as it hath also hap∣pened to us, when we brought this Experiment to practice; when you see all the Salt gone over by distillation, there will remain in the Cucurbit a certain Phlegmatick Water, which throw away, as nothing worth; but the Salt empty with care, and keep it in a Glass Vessel very close stop'd, which Salt will be Volatile, and we will use it either for the dissolving of Bodies, or for the making of Medecines. There is also another way of rectifying or purging the aforesaid animal Spirit or Mercury: Take there∣fore that animal Spirit, and distil by Balneo, and half the Liquor being gone over, remove the Receiver, and throw away that which remains in the Vessel: that which is distilled, distil again, taking two parts of it, what remains in the Vessel throw away again as before, and what is gone over, distil again a third time, and take little less than all of it, and thus will you have the ani∣mal Spirit or Mercury perfectly rectify'd, wherewith you may exanimate your Earth, which you had before remaining in the likeness of liquid Pitch: Take therefore that liquid Pitch, or rather Earth dissolved, and pour upon it so much of the afore∣said animal Spirit, as to rise four Fingers above it, the Vessel with its Antenotorium lute, with Wax gummed, that it exhale not, then shake the Vessel or Urinal very well, that the Spirit may be incorporated, and the Earth being well joyned with the Spirit dissolved, put it in putrefaction for two Natural Days, then take away the Antenotorium, and immediately put on an
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Alembick with a Receiver, lute well to prevent respiring, and distil by Ashes: Have a care of the fumes when you open the Vessel, for they are exceeding strong. All the Spirit therefore being by distillation gone over, increase the Fire, that the Soul may be imprinted into the distilled Water, and lastly again in∣crease the Fire thus gradually, till some other Salt or Sulphur be sublimed: When no more will sublime, cool the Vessel, and ga∣ther the sublimation, and lay it with the animated Spirit lately distilled; then take out the hard and burned matter remaining in the Vessel, and grind it, and pour again to it of new Spirit as above, cover the Vessel with its Antenotorium again as above, and putrify, then take away the Antenotorium, and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver well stop'd, distil the animated Spirit by Ashes; which being distill'd again as before, increase the Fire at last, that some part of the Oyl may be forc'd over, and the other part of the Sulphur sublimed; but when you see nothing more will distil, nor any thing sublime, suffer the Vessel to cool, and keep the animated Spirit last distilled with the other distilled before: So also, if any part of the Salt ascends by sublimation, mix it together with the aforesaid Spirit as before, and keep them all in a Vessel close stop'd: then again pour new Spirit upon the Earth, so as to rise three Fingers above it, and joyning an Ante∣notorium to it, putrify as before, and then distil in Ashes as be∣fore: but when nothing more will distil, increase the Fire as much as possible by adding fuel, that the Earth may be calcined, and in this third Operation converted into a Beretine or ash Co∣lour, then the Vessel being cold, and the Receiver with the ani∣mated Spirit taken away, keep it with the rest of the animated Spirit, but put the Earth into a Vessel of Earth or Chalk, which must be sound, and able to endure Fire, covered with the like Vessel, giving it as strong a heat as can be made with wood, and so continue two days, then by that time you will have calcined the Earth; the Vessel being cold, draw out the said Earth, which will be almost white, or of an ash Colour clear and bright, pour so much of its Phlegm upon it, as will swim four Fingers above it, and let it boyl in Ashes four Hours, and then decant the Liquor warily into another Vessel, and keep it; dry the remaining Earth, and pour to it again of new Phlegm as before, then make it boyl as before, then decant as before, and dry the Earth; thus re∣peat
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the Magistery till all the Earth is dissolved, or the most part of it imprinted into that Phlegm, which probably will hap∣pen in the third or fourth dissolution: if any thing remains un∣dissolved, throw it away, for it is an empty Earth of no Virtue, but the Earth which was dissolved in the Phlegm, pass through a Filtre, and then again through a most fine Linnen Cloth, which done, congeal the dissolution in a most gentle Fire of Ashes, in a Glass Urinal, to which must be put an Alembick with its Recei∣ver: which being congealed, dissolve again in the same Water lately filtred, then pass it through a Cloth again, and lastly con∣geal it as before: But this Magistery you must reiterate, till it yields no more Terrestreity in the Filtre: Then keep our Physi∣cal Sal Armoniack, our Animal Sulphur, our fixed Animal Mercu∣ry, whereof lay a little upon a hot Plate, and if it melt as Wax without smoak, it is a sign you have the Argent vive fixed, and perfectly depurated, wherewith you will be able to accomplish many Experiments: This is that Mercury, which hath afford∣ed us most seasonable succour, as shall be manifested in the fol∣lowing Experiments.

To this exanimated Earth restore the animated Spirit by various imbibitions, according to the ways described in the preparations of Vegetable Sal Armoniacks, because, saith Lully, there is but one way and method in the animal, as in the Vegetable, nothing va∣rying.

But the ways of making these Salts being very tedious, we will for a conclusion add Lully's way of abbreviation.

The Vegetable Sal Armoniack made by the accurtation of Lully. In Testam. Noviss.
THis Sulphur (of Nature) may, my Son! with the help of God be wonderfully abbreviated, and the way is this: To take our liquid Pitch (after the Phlegm is drawn off) and put it into a Cucurbit, in a Fire of the third degree, and extract the Oyl, till the Earth remains dry and burned. My Son! calcine as I have taught you, and purify the Earth, and to separate the
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Salt from it, and upon it pour a forth part of the Spirit, which is in the second Water, (distilled out of the Ritch) and digest as above; then drawing off the Liquor (superfluous, insipid, and to be cast away) pour again a fourth part, digest and dry as before, till the Earth be pregnant, the sign will be, that nothing more (of the aforesaid Phlegm or Liquor) will distil, sublime, and you will have the Vegetable Sulphur clean and pure, and of the same Virtue with the first. I charge you, my Son! with the fear of God, not to reveal this most excellent way of abbreviation to any Man.

Parisinus in his way of making Vegetable Sal Armoniack, de∣clares the Oyl extracted out of the Pitch of Philosophical Wine, to be superfluous and inconsonant, Separate, saith he, all the super∣fluous unctuosities, which do burn the perfect and precious Ele∣ments mix'd and latent in that Vegetable Matter, and are repug∣nant to that composition: and a little after; After the separation of the superfluous unctuosity, and aereal substance, which blacks and burns the other precious Elements of this composition, pour to it its ardent and celestial Spirit. Yea, Lully himself has in some Experiments before declared, that Oyl, as also the Phlegm of this Wine to be of no Virtue in the present Work: nevertheless in this accurtation of Sal Armoniack, he not only useth the said Oyl, and in∣deed (which you may wonder at) for the abbreviation, of a most tedious labour, but also affirms that Sal Armoniack thus prepared, is of the same Virtue with the rest. Sometimes he used also the Water or ani∣mated Spirit, together with the Oyl, for present abbreviation, thus:

Another Vegetable Sal Armoniack by the Accurtation of Lully. Lib. de materia Vegetabili in practica septima.
TAke the best red Wine, distil the ardent Spirit, according to Art, so as to burn Cotton, after that the Phlegm, up∣on the matter remaining in the bottom of the Alembick, being thick as liquid Pitch, pour the Phlegm half a foot above it, let it boyl three Hours, decant the tinged Phlegm, pour on other, re∣peating
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so oft, till no more will be tinged, if you have not Phlegm enough, you must draw off the tinged Phlegms in Balneo, which being evaporated, a Vegetable Oyl will remain in the bottom of the Glass, the tincture being drawn out of the Phlegm, the mat∣ter will remain like a dry Earth, upon this dry Earth pour of the ardent Spirit the height of four Fingers, let it boyl two Hours, that which is in the mean time distill'd pour again to the Earth, let it settle two Hours, then decant the animated Spirit from the Spirit or Soul of the Earth, pour new Spirit upon the Earth, doing as before, three times: The Earth being black and calci∣ned, put into a Glass with a long Neck, and pour the Vegetable Oyl (aforesaid) to it, digest in Ashes ten days, then decant, and put it into an Alembick, to which add a fourth part of the ardent Spirit animated, digest in a vaporous Balneo for twenty four Hours, then continue the superaddition of the other three parts of the animated Spirit every twenty four Hours, then distil away the superfluous, insipid, and useless Liquor gently by Ashes, and augmenting the Fire by degrees, sublime the Volatile Salt, &c.

Hitherto of the various preparations of Vegetable Sal Armoni∣acks. We will now proceed to the other part of the Coelum Vinosum, namely, the several ways of reducing these Salts into a liquid sub∣stance. The Adepts did for the most part distil through an Alembick one part of Vegetable Sal Armoniack with three parts of the Aqua ardens, to which Liquor they added again one part of the aforesaid Salt, and distill'd, and that they repeated three, and sometimes four times, to make the weight of the Salt and Water equal; for the great∣er the quantity of the same Salt, the stronger is the quality of the Menstruum, then lastly they circulated the Menstruum, thereby to make it more pure and excellent: But though this Method was more in use among the Adepts, yet either their curiosity or sedulity found out also other ways; so instead of the Aqua ardens, wherewith they prepared the Vegetable Sal Armoniack, as well as the Men∣struum, they sometimes took Aqua ardens circulated, or the Heaven, or Essence of Philosophical Wine, described in Numb. 1. It is thus done,

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31. Coelum Vegetabile of Lully Circulated. Lib. de materia Vegetabili in practica quinta.
TAke the best white Wine, distil the ardent Spirit till it burns Cotton; put this Spirit into a Circulatory two thirds empty, strengthen the Mouth with Wax, and Bury it in hot Dung, with its Mouth downward, for the Spirit to be circula∣ted and digested the space of forty five Days, or till it swims above more pure and clear, (in the Form of an Oyl, see the Hea∣ven, or Essence of Philosophical Wine, in Numb. 1.) having seen this sign, take out the Glass warily, and with a Needle perforate the Wax, that the impure may flow out, then suddenly turn up the Circulatory, that the pure or more fine may remain, which we call the ardent Spirit circulated, which is of a most delicious Sent: now take the residue, from which the Spirit of Wine was drawn, and distil the Phlegm; and upon the matter remaining like melted Pitch, pour the said Phlegm, so as to swim four Fin∣gers above it, digest two days in Balneo, decant the tinged Phlegm, and pour on other, and that repeat so often, till the Phlegm will be no more tinged, which is a thing useless in this operation: Now the Earth calcine in a Reverberatory, pulve∣rize, put it in an Alembick, and imbibe with an eighth part of the ardent Spirit circulated, digest in Balneo, and distil some cer∣tain superfluous moisture by Ashes: continue this imbibition, digestion, and distillation, till the Earth be impregnated with the dry Spirit, which was in the ardent Spirit circulated, of which the sign will be, if it doth almost all evaporate, being a little of it cast upon a red hot Plate: This impregnated Earth being put into a Sublimatory, sublime according to Art into a Volatile Salt, which digest in Balneo two days and more, with six parts of the ardent Spirit circulated, decant the dissolution gently, and if any thing remain undissolved, proceed with it as before, this dissolution circulate thirty days, and it will be a Quintessence to be compared in Virtue with the Aurum potabile of the Ancients.

As these Menstruums are made either weaker or stronger accord∣ing
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to the variety of weight, so also are they more or less pure, by longer, or shorter, or altogether neglected circulation, for some Men∣struums there are of this kind, which the Adepts circulated not: For an Example take the following.

32. The less Vegetable Menstruum of Lully. Lib. de materia Vegetabili in practica prima.
TAke the best Wine (red is the best) two pounds of it, put into a Cucurbit with a blind Head, and luting the joynts well, put it in Balneo, to putrify kindly the space of forty five days, then fit an Alembick to it, and augment the heat, that the ardent Spirit may be distill'd, which rectify thrice by it self, or till it is free from all Phlegm, and burns Cotton; keep this ardent Spirit well stop'd in a cold place: take the matter remaining in the first distillation, and draw off the Phlegm, till it remain thick like liquid Pitch, upon which pour of the Spiritus ardens so much, as to be the space of four Fingers above it, digest three days in Balneo, then distil gently by Ashes three days, and by Virtue of a stronger Fire, the ardent Spirit will carry over the Soul with it, which it could not do in Balneo; keep the distil∣lation: To the remaining Matter pour new Spirit, doing so often, till all the Soul be come over, and that you will know, if by being projected in a small quantity upon a red hot Plate, it yields no smoak, because the matter is now deprived of its Soul, which we call dry Earth, which imbibe with an eighth part of the animated ardent Spirit, digest for three days in Bal∣neo, then distil gently in Ashes the superfluous Liquor, being insipid as common Water: make the second imbibition with a seventh part, and so continue doing as before, till the Earth be made heavier by a fourth part of its weight, and it will be dis∣posed to a reduction into a Volatile Salt by the way of sublima∣tion: This Earth therefore being well pulverized, put into a Sublimatory, administring Fire according to Art, and that which you find sublimed white as Snow, is the Volatile Salt, which keep in a Vessel well stop'd: Take of this Volatile Salt one part, of the ardent Spirit six parts, digest in Ashes, and the
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dissolution is the Vegetable Quintessence apt to dissolve the per∣fect Bodies of Sol and Luna, to make an Elixir, and other Me∣dicines precious and grateful.

Vegetable Sal Armoniack dissolv'd in Aqua ardens (one part of the Salt to six of the Spirit) makes the present Menstruum; but the following is prepared from Sal Armoniack resolved per deliquium.

33. The Vegetable Menstruum per deli∣quium of Lully. Lib. de materia Vegetabili in Practica secunda.
TAke the best white-Wine, putrify it in Balneo twenty days, or longer, then distil the Spiritus ardens according to Art, till it burns Cotton; then draw off the Phlegm, till the matter remains in the bottom of the Vessel thick as liquid Pitch, to which matter pour so much of the Phlegm, as will swim four Fingers above it, digest in Balneo two days, and in Ashes one day, decant the tinged Phlegm; pour new Phlegm to the mat∣ter, doing as before, till no more will be tinged, and the matter remains at the bottom of the Vessel like a white Earth, upon this Earth pour the height of two Fingers of the ardent Spirit, digest for a day in Ashes, and the Soul which is in the Earth, will en∣ter into the ardent Spirit, decant the ardent Spirit being anima∣ted, pour off the ardent Spirit again upon the Earth, doing it so oft as before, till the Spirit draws out no more Soul, and the Earth remains in the Form of a most fine powder, being despoil∣ed of all its Soul, which you will know, if it smoaks not upon a fiery Plate; this Earth digest ten days in Ashes, then put it in Balneo, and pour of the tinged Phlegm so much, as will swim two Fingers over it, distil in Balneo, cast away the distillation as a thing of no Virtue, then again pour the tinged Phlegm upon the Earth, repeating as before, till no Phlegm remains, and the Earth is impregnated with all the tincture that was in the Phlegm: This done, imbibe the Earth with the animated ardent Spirit, digest with an easy heat in Balneo, till the Earth is well dryed, then again imbibe, and so oft as before, till the animated
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ardent Spirit is absorbed by the Earth, and is made Volatile, which you will know, if a little of it cast upon a burning Plate fumes away for the most part; then put this matter into a sub∣limatory, and sublime with a subliming Fire, and that which is sublimed, is the Volatile Salt of the Vegetable matter: put that Volatile Salt into a Phial, digest in Balneo for a day, and it will be reduced into a Water, which we call Vegetable Menstruum, which is a wonderful dissolvent for the radical dissolving of the two Luminaries.

These Menstruums the Adepts made sometimes not of Vegetables Sal Armoniack, but by the way following.

34. The Vegetable Mercury of Lully. Lib. de Mat. Vegetabili in practica sexta.
TAke the best odoriferous Wine, put it in a Circulatory large enough, stop the said Vessel very well with Sulphur melted, and putrify in Balneo twelve or fifteen Days, then distil the Spirit and Phlegm according to Art, till the Spirit burns Cotton; upon the matter remaining like liquid Pitch pour six parts of the Phlegm, digest two Days in Ashes, shaking the Ves∣sel now and then, decant the Phlegm being tinged, pour on other, and doing as before, till it hath extracted all the tincture, and a black Earth remains at the bottom of the Alembick: put the tinged Phlegm in an Alembick, and distil in Balneo, and that which remains at the bottom of the Vessel will be the Vegeta∣ble Oyl, pour the ardent Spirit to the height of four Fingers up∣on the black Earth, distil by Ashes, and that which is distilled will be the ardent Spirit impregnated, to the matter pour new ardent Spirit, repeating as before three times, and in the last in∣creasing the Fire about the end: Calcine the Earth with a Fire of Reverberation into whiteness, out of which extract the fixed Salt with a little of the Phlegm, the fixed Salt being pulverized, put in an Alembick, pour to it the animated ardent Spirit about two Fingers, distil gently in Balneo the insipid and useless moisture, repeat as before, till the animated Spirit ascends with∣out diminution of its Virtue, and then will you have the fixed Salt acuated, which put in an Alembick, and pour to it the
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Vegetable Oyl three Fingers high, digest in Ashes for a day, in∣crease the Fire, and distil whatsoever can ascend; the distillation keep warily, because it is the Vegetable Mercury: But if any of the Salt remains in the Alembick, you must repeat the same operations, till at length all the Vegetable Mercury passeth through the Alembick, which will extract the Tincture of Gold, being calcined with common Mercury and Salt, and lastly with Sulphur, which is an excellent Aurum potabile.

Sometimes they prepared these Menstruums by cohobation alone, without any imbibition: For Example.

35. The rectified Aqua Vitae of Lully. In potestate Divitiarum.
TAke Wine, separate the Spirit warily, as soon and as purely as you can, because you will never separate it so warily, but that it will contain in it some of the purest part of this Phlegmatick Substance, or Water: this Spirit being once se∣parated, is called Mercury, that is, Aqua ardens, the sign of which is, that if you dip a Linnen Cloth in it, it will turn into a flame (if first kindled) and not be burned, but if you separate often times, (rectify) it is called Lunaria rectify'd, that is, Aqua ardens rectify'd, whereof the sign is, that a Linnen Cloth dipp'd in it, burns all away: Separate now all the superfluous Phlegm, till none at all remains, and at the bottom will reside a Pitch; then mix the Lunaria, that is, the Aqua ardens rectify'd, with that substance made like soft Pitch, shaking it well, till it be in∣corporated, and set it to distil, and that which goes over, is cal∣led Man's Blood rectify'd, which Alchymists seek for. That Blood is also called Air or Wind, and of this thing spake the Philosopher, when he said Wind carryed him in its Belly: from the remain∣der separate the superfluous Oyl (called above Vegetable) by di∣stilling it through a Glass Alembick, till nothing remains, which Oyl keep a part, till I shall tell you; but the residue will be a substance black and dry, which reduce to a fine powder, and mix by little and little with the rectify'd Man's Blood, and let them stand together for the space of three Hours, and then di∣stil,
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and then this Water is called Aqua ignea rectificata, or Fiery Water rectify'd: then calcine the Caput mortuum in a Furnace of Reverberation, till it be made like Lime, and this Calx or Lime mix with the Fiery Water rectify'd, and distil seven times, and then is it called Aqua Vitoe rectify'd.

The same Menstruum hath Paracelsus in his Book, de Elixire Vi∣tae, and the Author of the Appendix of the third Volume of Thea∣trum Chymicum. These Menstruums differ not from the afore∣said made of Sal Armoniack, but only in preparation; in those the whole Earth of the Philosophical Wine is by its own Spirit redu∣ced into a liquid substance, with which is performed the same Work, but after another manner: Hitherto ought to be referred the Men∣struum of Guido, made thus:

36. The Circulatum minus of Guido. In Thesauro Chymiatrico.
TAke of the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine one pound, of the Salt of (the same) Wine four ounces, mix, the Joynts being well luted, distil through an Alembick in Balneo, pour back the distillation, and cohobate four times, and it will be prepared. Lully reduceth his Sal Armoniacks with some difficulty into a liquid substance: but Guido distils the Salt of Philosophical Wine by four cohobations into the same Menstruum: the cause of abbreviation is to be sought in the preparation of that Salt, which is two-fold, common or secret; of the common, saith Guido thus: The ardent Spirit of Wine being distill'd, draw off the Phlegm, till the matter remains in the substance of the thinner sort of Honey, which will in a cold Cellar yield Cristals like Nitre, which are called the Salt of Wine, which take out and keep; the remainder evaporate a little while, and take more, &c. Of the secret way of making this Salt, saith Guido also, pag. 8. Thes. Take of the Salt of Wine, and Spi∣rit of Wine, of each four ounces, digest the space of eight or ten days, draw off gently in Balneo, and the Phlegm only will as∣cend, and you will have six ounces of the Salt of Wine, to which Salt add again an equal quantity of its Spirit, and digest again ten days, and draw off the Phlegm, pour new Spirit to the re∣maining Salt, and proceed as above, and thus may you increase
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the Salt of Wine as you please: This latter way of making the Salt of Wine, is not only the multiplication, and addition as well of the quantity, as quality of it, but moreover is also the volatilization of it: It is no wonder therefore, that the Salt, whose half part was Spirit of Philosophical Wine, should so easily ascend with the same Spirit; yet is it to be well observ'd, lest we temper the aridity of the Salt of Wine too much, with too great an addition of Ʋnctuosity, and instead of a Menstruum of this Kind, make a weaker of the second Kind.

What has been declared of Vegetable Menstruums is also to be understood of animal Menstruums; for an Example we will in∣stance.

37. The animal Heaven of Parisinus. In Apertorio.
TAke the Urine of Children, between eight and twelve Years of Age, of good disposition and health, get that which is good, and a good quantity, and put it in many Glass Vessels, which you must not fill above two thirds, that it may the better circulate: To every ten measures of Urine mix of our C. (Philosophical Aqua ardens) half a measure, which must be without any Phlegm, the Vessels being very well sealed with Wax, let them putrefy fifteen days, and then you will find the matter black, and separated from its Terrestreity: And you must know, the longer it remains in putrefaction, the more perfect will be the work, every five days the Dung must be changed: then pour it out into the Vessel, which we described in the Ve∣getable Work, and the Joynts being well luted, distil till you see the sign, which we spoke of in Chap. B. but for a more certain sign, distil only two parts, then take away the Receiver, and put another to, continuing the distillation, till it remains like Syrup or melted Pitch, then take these two parts reserved, and distil by the same Balneo, receiving three parts of four, the remaining fourth cast away, but distil half of these three, and again distil three parts of four parts of this half, which distil twice by them∣selves, and thus will you have your Flower rectify'd, with which we extract Acetum acerrimum out of its own Earth: Take there∣fore this Earth, being in the form of Syrup, to which pour the
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Flower (Spirit) the height of three Fingers, cover the Vessel with a blind Head, and lute the Joynts with gumm'd Wax, put it in putrefaction three natural Days, and shake the matter in the luted Vessel now and then, as is convenient, that the saline parts may the better be dissolv'd; then take away the blind Head, and put on a common Alembick, but have a care in this changing, lest the sharpness of the Salts offend your Eyes: then distil gently in Ashes, and when you have by such a heat extract∣ed all the Water, increase the Fire, that the Oyl or Soul of it may ascend also together with the distill'd Water, whereof one part will be sublimed, the other part will stick to the superficies of the Earth in the form of a white powder, let the Vessel cool, ga∣ther the sublimation; being gather'd, put it in its Water, make the Vessel very close, because it contains the animated Flower, (Spirit) then take out the dry Earth remaining, reduce it into powder upon a Porphyry Stone, pour to it the Flower (or Spi∣rit) the breadth of three Fingers, putrefy three days, distil in Ashes, increasing the Fire with Wood as above, repeat the Ma∣gistery, till the Earth remains of an Ash Colour, then calcine it in a Reverberatory, as we taught you in the Mineral Work, in Chap. 2. And so you will have the animal Earth prepared, abounding with so great Virtue, as not to be expressed. O ab∣solute power! upon which all other powers depend, into what thing hast thou infused such Virtue? No Man will comprehend so great a secret, none will believe, unless he himself hath seen by Experience, as we have seen. Take the animated Flower, rectify it three times in Ashes, always casting away the Earths, (Terrestial Foeces) then distil in Balneo three parts from four, the remainder throw away, this repeat yet once, then distil the whole, so will you have the animated Flower rectifyed. Take now a large Vessel (a Cucurbit) and put in the rectifyed Flower, stop the Mouth of the Vessel with Cotton, put on an Alembick with a Receiver, and with a gentle heat of Ashes all or the great∣est part will be sublimed in the Form of a most precious Salt, with which (if you will) you may acuate our C, which then you must circulate according to the Chap. D. D. wherewith you may perfect all your operations (which we taught in the precedent Chapters) which you will sooner compleat by this Menstruum. But if you desire the animal Sulphur of Nature, it is necessary
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for you to sublime presently after you have rectify'd the desired Flower, namely, by imbibing the Earth according to the method and order which we declared in the Vegetable Work, that is, with an eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, and fourth part, sublime and use to do as in the Vegetable Work, to wit, by acuating the ani∣mated Flower with its animal Sulphur sublimed, circulating, and doing all things as in the Vegetable Work. Now Son! you see how I love you, having repeated such things over and over, and with such pains, lest you should have occasion to complain of me, and that you should be expert in every thing, in which I perswaded my self you might err; therefore have we in this Chapter repeated and described that, which no Philosopher ever did in his great Volume, and I may easily believe, that no Phi∣losopher has presumed to describe so long and ample a practice, as this of ours; all which proceeds from my paternal affection towards you, by which I would oblige you under the pain of God's wrath, not to reveal it to any one, but rather burn it, as soon as you have reduc'd it into use, as you have more than of∣ten promised us: My farther advice is, That you would stre∣nuously endeavour to live according to the triumphant Gospel of Grace and Peace: reject and avoid Evil Societies and Acti∣ons, as we have often admonished you; but if you do otherwise, you will not please him, who is the Donor of this Famous Know∣ledge, of every good Thing, and Grace it self.

From the Receipts we Note.
1. That those things which were noted in the fifth precedent Kind, may hitherto also be referred, the Menstruums of this Kind differing only in matter from the antecedent, these were made of Philosophical Wine only, those of the fixed Salts of divers things, but as to the way of subliming, or the way of making Vegetable Sal Armoniacks, they both agree in all things.

2. That these Sal Armoniacks are called Sulphurs of Nature. In the preparation of Philosophical Wine there is an Earth found, which is called Sulphur, existent in the Vegetable Mercury, coagula∣ting its own Mercury; for the sake of which Earth, they called every other exanimated and fixed Earth, Sulphur; but the animated
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Spirit (Essence, Tincture, &c.) they termed Mercury, to be coagu∣lated by this Sulphur, but both of them being reduced into one Body, and sublimed, they call'd Sulphur of Nature, (not more fixed, but) sublimed.

3. These Salts are call'd Sulphurs of Nature, to distinguish them from Sulphur against Nature, that is, of every Acid. Fire, saith Ri∣pley, differs many ways; for one is a natural Fire, another un∣natural, another elemental, and another contra naturam: Natu∣ral Fire is that which proceeds from the Influence of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, from which are produced the Spirits of burn∣ing Waters, the essential vapours of Minerals, as also the Natu∣ral Virtues of living things; the unnatural is an occasional Fire, which is called a moist Fire, made artificially by Philosophers: it is also called a Fire of the first degree, which is for the meer tem∣perance of heat called Balneo, Stove or Dunghill; in this Fire is made the Putrefaction of our Stone: elemental Fire is that which fixeth calcines, and burneth, and is nourished by things combustible; Fire against (or contrary to) Nature, dissolves vio∣lently, breaks, kills, and destroys the governing power of the Form of the Stone: for it dissolves the Stone into the Water of a Cloud with the destruction of the specifick Form: but it is termed Fire contrary to Nature, because the operation of it is contrary to all natural operations, as Raymond asserts: for all things that Nature hath made, this Fire destroys, and brings to Corruption, unless the Fire of Nature be added to it, &c. Med. Phil. pag. 135. Wherefore also there are four Fires in our art, namely, the Natural, which is the Menstruum Sericonis; the un∣natural, that is, Horse Dung, or Vindemia, and the like: the ele∣mental, viz. maintained by Wood and other combustible things; and the Fire contrary to Nature, that is, all corrosive Waters, made of Vitriol, Salt, and such like things. Viatic. pag. 342. but of these in another place, namely, the fifth Book.

4. That these Salts are to be used presently after the sublimation of them.

5. That Philosophical Aqua Vitae, though never better rectify'd, yet contains in it some certain superfluous moisture, which it expells, either by being circulated by it self, as in the preparation of Lully's Heaven, or imbibed in things fixed; as in the ways of making the said Salts.

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6. That a Menstruum made of Lully's Heaven, with the Essence or Oyl of Philosophical Wine, is no stronger than the rest, as to the preparation of the Sal Armoniack, though it may be sooner made with this Oyl, than simple Aqua ardens, but as the Sal Armoniack already made is mixed, and again circulated not with the thin Phi∣losophical Water, but with the Oyl or Aqua Vitae circulated.

7. That the divers ways of subliming these Salts do most clearly discover to us as well the Nature of that Spirit of Wine, as of these Menstruums, and moreover commends the incomparable Experi∣ence of Lully in these things.

8. Animal Menstruums, tho' extracted out of the Ʋrine, and other parts of Man, are nevertheless not properly so called, so long as the matter of that Spirit of Philosophical Wine was Vegetable, and only acuated with an animal thing: yea the very Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine made also out of the animal Kingdom, as also acuated, would notwithstanding differ not from the simple Vegetable Menstru∣ums in the properties of dissolving, because it would together with the said simple Vegetable Menstruums, very much vary from the tinging faculty of the compounded Vegetable Menstruums, from which it ought to be distinguished; whereas otherwise it might be ranked among the Vegetable Menstruums.

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The Seventh KIND. Vegetable Menstruums compounded of the aforesaid Simple Menstruums.
38. The Circulatum majus of Guido. Pag. 4. Thesauri Chym.
TAke of the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine six Ounces, of the Salt of (the same) Wine four Ounces, the Vessel be∣ing well stopp'd, distil the Spirit in Balneo, which pour back upon the Salt of Wine, and again distil, and this ought to be done twelve times: then distil for a Month in Balneo roxido: Putrefaction being done, take out the matter and distil in a Cu∣curbit, with an Alembick of two Heads or Beaks, in Balneo, and the Spirit of Wine will ascend through the upper Beak into its Receiver, but the Phlegm through the lower into its Vessel: Take out the Salt of Wine, pour one half of the Spirit of Wine to it, and distil with a Retort into the other part of the Wine, distil yet once upon the remainder, and all the Salt will ascend into a strong Menstruum: But if you desire a weaker, add six (other) Ounces of the Spirit of Wine, and if you would have it very weak, pour to it a greater quantity of Spirit, but accord∣ing to the aforesaid weight, it is made our great Vegetable Men∣struum, or Circulatum majus.

Annotations.
HItherto of Simple Vegetable Menstruums; now follow those which are said to be compounded, not as if they are compound∣ed of more Ingredients, but because they are stronger than the Sim∣ple, as well in their qualities of dissolving, as tinging: The Menstru∣ums
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of this Kind differ not from the former in matter, nor in the method of preparing, but in weight only; for the more aridity you add to the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine, the stronger are the Menstruums made. Guido made his less Circulatum of one part of the Salt of Wine, and four parts of the Spirit of Wine; but the greater Circulatum he makes of two parts of the Salt of Wine, and three parts of the Spirit of Wine. The greater quantity of the Salt, the stronger is the Circulatum. The less Circulatums do extract the Essences, or Tinctures of things, but the greater Circulatums do dissolve the whole Body into a Magistery, as will appear in the second Book.

Vegetable Menstruums compounded are made also, if the simple Vegetable Menstruums be taken instead of the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, in the Descriptions of them all; as thus:

39. The Menstruum acutum of Guido. Pag. 8. Thesauri Chym.
TAke of the Vegetable Menstruum (Circulatum minus, descri∣bed in Numb. 36.) one Pound, of Sal Armoniack (common) twelve Ounces, distil by a Retort first with a weak Fire, then a stronger, and the Sal Armoniack will in part ascend, pour it back, and distil yet once: then again add twelve Ounces of new Sal Armoniack, distil strongly in Ashes, pour back, and cohobate yet twice, and you will have our acute Menstruum.

Sal Armoniack reduced into a liquid substance by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, is a Menstruum of the fourth Kind, but the same Salt distill'd with the Circulatum minus of Guido, is made not a simple, but compound Menstruum, and the better for adding so great a quantity of new Sal Armoniack. Parisinus in the third Kind of Menstruums acuates the Spirit of Philosophical Wine with crude Honey, by which way it is made a simple Menstruum of that Kind, but if mixed with its fixed Salt, and distilled through an Alembick, 'tis made a compound Menstruum.

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40. The Coelum majus of Parisinus. In Apertorio.
TAke B, that is, red Wine putrify'd, as you know how, put it in a Glass Cucurbit, with its Alembick, and Receiver well luted, and set it in Balneo, wherein must be so much Wa∣ter, as to swim two Fingers above the said Lunaria, and distil gently, and forthwith you will see Veins appear in the Alem∣bick; continue the distillation so long as they appear, and these Veins will be like Tears clear as Cristal, and when Death (Phlegm) comes, which kills the Spirit, the said Veins or Tears will cease, and appear round as Pearls: then take away the Re∣ceiver, stop it, that the Spirit may not evaporate, and set it in a cold place, and so have you separated the Soul (Spirit) of it, tho' it contains a little of its Death yet in it, and thus continue the distillation (the Receiver being now changed) till all the odorife∣rous Phlegm is ascended, and the matter remains like melted pitch, black and thick, which observe not to dry overmuch, but according to the said Signs only: And thus will you have two ferments from our B. beware of revealing to any one this Practice, which we communicate to you under the peril of your Soul, for you would be the cause of much Evil in this World, to be committed by the Sons of Iniquity: put it there∣fore into the hands of Almighty God, who knows the Will of those that live according to his Will, and the triumphant Gos∣pel, for the Glory of which you have extracted the Form out of B, and the same way you may extract from all Individuals Ani∣mal and Vegetable. Cap. secundum significatum, per C.

Take the Soul (Spirit) of it reserved in the cold place, and di∣stil half of it in Balneo, or till the precious Veins cease from as∣cending, rectify yet twice, observing the same Rules, but the third and fourth time, so soon as the Veins appear, leave off di∣stilling, and try whether it will burn a linnen Cloth, if not, re∣peat the distillation till it doth: then cohobate by it self four or six times in Balneo: And thus have you acquired a way fit for the rectifying of the said Matter or Soul, (Spirit) which is of so great Virtue, as not to be expressed by any Tongue, or the Se∣crets,
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which the Eternal God hath vouchsafed to it, recited; as when we were at Venice, that Famous City, we both saw some Experiments of it; and so keep it well in a cold place. Cap. ter∣tium significatum per D. D. Having declared the method of recti∣fying and separating our ardent Spirit from its Death, depra∣ving its Virtue and Power: you must now know, that it is not able to dissolve the two Luminaries, and reduce them into action, except it be first acuated, as I shall tell you: Though this pre∣paration is to be taught in general, in Cap. F. yet to prevent the loss of time, so soon as you have rectify'd your ardent Spirit, otherwise called the first Flower, I had rather have you forth∣with put it into Practice, which we have in this Chapter signified by these two Letters, D. D. whereof one denotes the acuition of it, the other its Royal Acuator, that is, Salt extracted out of Ho∣ney, by the way which we have oftentimes shewed you, that is, with its most precious Water (of Honey, or the Menstruum de∣scribed in the third Kind, Numb. 10.) and though this Water be good enough, yet this Water, being acuated with its most preci∣ous Salt, of which you will be more certain, will recompence your Labour, and abundantly sustain you, till you attain to the end of your Labour, the great Medicine. Now to the purpose, Take white Honey of young Bees, put it in Putrefaction in large Cucurbits, with their Alembicks in Balneo, and make it boyl continually for an Hour, the rest of the time let it remain in a temperate heat, and this do for the space of fifteen Natural Days, then pour to the matter so much of C, as to swim the breadth of four Fingers above it, covering the Vessels with the blind Heads, and putting them in Putrefaction three Natural Days; then put on the Alembicks with their Receivers, and the Joynts being well luted, distil in Balneo, and when seven parts of eight are distilled, or (which is a more certain sign) when you see round tears or drops ascend, lay aside the Receivers close stopp'd, that nothing may evaporate, keep them in a cool place, for the acuition of the matter; then continue the distillations in the same degree of heat, till nothing more ascends; but if necessity requires a greater Fire, have a care of making it too strong, and when nothing will ascend by the said Rule, take away also these Receivers, and keep them, because they contain the second Wa∣ter or Phlegm for the extraction of the most precious Salt:
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Now put your matter in Ashes, and distil with a heat of the third degree, the Oyl being distilled, suffer the matter to cool, which being pulverized, reverberate in an Earthen Dish in a Reverberatory for eight Days, or till it be calcin'd enough; the sign will be when you find it of an Ash Colour: then pour of the reserved Phlegm to it so much as to cover it the breadth of two Fingers; the Vessel being covered with a blind Head, keep it in Balneo two or three Days, decant the Liquor, and pouring on new Phlegm, repeat so oft, till you have extracted all the Salt, which will exceed Snow in whiteness: And this is that Salt, wherewith we acuate our simple C, (the ardent Spirit for a Menstruum of the Fifth Kind) this is that which gives the begin∣ning of Vegetation to both the Luminaries, reducing them into the Nature of a Quintessence: And with the same may you al∣so acuate, and augment its own VVater (of Honey, or Menstruum of the Third Kind) which hath the power of Vegetating all Mi∣nerals. VVith this alone will you support your self in your ne∣cessity, so as to be in duty bound, my Son! to give thanks to the absolute power: Be careful not to disclose so great a secret to any Man; for we have now declared it so plainly, that 'tis im∣possible to add any thing more. Now take your decantations, which you drew off in Balneo, that the Salt may remain most white, which you must dissolve, filtre, and congeal three times, and it will be fit for all your operations. Now let us descend to the practice of acuition. Take of the Salt aforesaid one ounce, to which being well pulverized, pour four parts of C, that is, the first Spirit (ardent, but because a Menstruum of the fifth, and not of this Kind, would be made by this Spirit, therefore is C, being acuated with Honey, or the mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus, a Men∣struum of the third Kind to be taken) in a blind Head, and the Joynts well luted, putrify the space of two Natural Days, then put on an Alembick with a Receiver, and distil in Ashes: distil∣lation being ended, take a pound of the Salt remaining in the Retort, and add to it four times the quantity of C, putrifying, and distilling in Ashes as before, and the Magistery so often re∣peat, till all the Salt ascends together with its Celestial Spirit, or C, and by this way may you acuate and multiply as you please: but remember that one part of Salt requires four parts of C, (in this place, the Coelum mellifluum of Parisinus.) And you
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must know, I tell you no fabulous Stories, but very distinctly de∣clare to you the order of true Practice, yet with this Proviso, That when first you have brought it into action, you would al∣together conceal it, considering with how great obscurity the ancient Philosophers delivered theirs, which notwithstanding they had not done, but to restrain the ignorant from being too arrogant, for the same reason also do we desire, that, as we have more than often admonished you, you would keep secret, and in convenient time and place work for your self, and the poor of Jesus Christ. Cap. quartum significatum per E. VVe ought to re∣turn infinite thanks to the goodness of the Eternal God, in teach∣ing us so bountifully the way of preparing our Heaven, and ma∣king us partakers of so admirable and inestimable a favour. Cer∣tain it is, when I had compleated this most secret Science, and seen real transmutation the first time, I was in a manner astonish∣ed, and often lifting up my Eyes to Heaven, fell prostrate up∣on the Earth, giving thanks to Almighty God. Now to the purpose: Take a large Glass of such a size, as I shewed you one at Murarium, into which put two or three pounds of that Menstru∣um, stop it well, and circulate in Balneo or Horse-Dung, but have a care lest in changing the Dung you impede the circula∣tion, and so let it circulate the space of forty Natural Days, and then you will find your matter clear as Cristal, with a Sediment in the bottom like Silk, which decant warily into another Glass, keep it very close in Balneo, and you will have a Simple Vege∣table Menstruum, (if made of the ardent Spirit, and Salt of Honey, but a compound, if prepared with the Coelum mellifluum of Parisi∣nus and Salt of Honey) our Heaven is in Virtue beyond expressi∣on, herewith do we truly calcine and dissolve the Luminaries, with the preservation of their radical moisture. This is that which will reduce imperfect as well as perfect Metals from pow∣er into action. And though I may seem not to have delineated to you the Form of the Glass, yet I know, and do remember, that I left some of them at your House, and many other of our Cucurbits, which are every one good. Govern your self ac∣cording to your discretion, we having sufficiently manifested to you the way of Truth in this Chapter.

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From the Receipts we observe.
1. That the Menstruums of this seventh Kind differ from the former simple Menstruums, not in matters, nor in ways of making, but in the weights and use of the Ingredients.

2. That these Menstruums tinge not their dissolution, which is the property of compound Menstruums. Every Vegetable Mercury con∣tains indeed its own tinging Sulphur in its Bowels, sufficient both for it self and others, as will be demonstrated in the third Book, but especially in the fifth, nevertheless we affirm, that every Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine wants Tincture, as being not acuated with things more tinging.

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The Eighth KIND. Vegetable Menstruums compounded of Sim∣ple Vegetable Menstruums, and common Argent Vive, or other Metals,
41. The Ignis Gehennoe of Trismosinus made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Mercury Sublimed. Pag. 7. Aurei Velleris Germ.
TAke of Alum calcined, Nitre, of each two parts, of Salt decrepitated, one part, mix, take of this mixture and Mer∣cury sublimed, of each one pound, sublime by the Law of Art, mix the sublimation with new mixture of Salts, and sublime, and that repeat three times: To this Mercury thus sublimed and pulverized pour the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and draw it off in Balneo to an oleity, cohobate sometimes, and the fourth time will ascend the Mercury together with the Spirit of VVine, rectify the distillation till it leaves no Faeces, and it will be a VVater burning like Hell-Fire: This VVater rectify again in Ashes, till it ascends without leaving any Sediment; lastly, di∣stil through a Paper seven times double in Balneo, and you will have a VVater truly Spiritual, which keep in a Vessel close stop∣ed, by reason it is very Volatile.

Annotations.
THe Kind immediately antecedent is indeed computed in the number of the greater Circulatums, or Vegetable Menstru∣ums compounded, because the Menstruums of that Kind do in the power of dissolving excell the other Simple Menstruums, but not in
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Tincture, which that as well as those do want; but we will now offer those which shall be better; they will not only dissolve, but in dissol∣ving moreover tinge the things dissolved in them, and so make them better; they will not only extract the Essences of things, but trans∣mute whole Bodies into Magisteries: Amongst these, the Vegetable Mercurial Waters, made of common Argent vive, and simple Vegeta∣ble Menstruums have priority; for many of the Adepts being so taught by Experience, have called common Argent vive the open Metal, for it is sooner dissolved than the other Metals, and does by its aridity more temper the unctuosity of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, than the individuals hitherto used in the antecedent Kinds of Menstruums: As concerning this matter, hear the Philosophers, and above the rest the great Paracelsus, Prince, without question, of all the Adepts, who saith, If you intend to convert Metals into a Magi∣stery, and tinge the whole Body altogether into an Essence, you must take the chief and open Metal, to which all the rest have affinity in Nature, and putrify it in its own Matrix, which is situated in VVater, and is call'd the Mother of all Metals, (Pa∣racelsus his Circulatum minus made of common Salt) purge it from superfluities, and reduce it into its liquid first being, that is, the Metallick Acetum acerrimum, the primum Ens of Mercury. Lib. 10. Arch. Cap. 3. pag. 37. As a temperate Essence (he goes on) is drawn out of Herbs (as out of a Vine, for example) by which very Essence, the like Essence may be extracted out of all sorts of Herbs and Roots, so, as that the Mercury of VVine shews not its own Nature, but the Nature of that with which it is essentia∣ted; for the like reason out of Metals and Minerals, the like Mer∣cury or Spirit is extracted out of the open and middle Metal Mer∣cury. Lib. 10. Arch. pag. 39. Mercury vive is the Mother of all the seven Metals, and ought deservedly to be called the Mo∣ther of Metals, for it is an open Metal. Libro de rebus naturalibus, pag. 87. VVherefore call to mind those things which have been said before of half perfect Natural Things, among which Mercury vive is one, which is not brought into compaction, but left in liquidity: Besides you must know, that every generated thing which is open, as Argent vive, is like an open House, into which every Man that will may enter, for so lies Mercury open, that every Physitian may take what he will from it, but it is not so with Gold, Silver, Tin, &c. for that Gate is shut by coagu∣lation,
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till opened, dissolved, and reduced into the first matter by Art, which Metals have indeed many impediments, such as are not in Mercury, for it is open, and wants nothing but the di∣rection of preparation. Tract. 2. lib. 2. de morbis metallicis. 723.

Basilius agrees with Paracelsus, saying: In the beginning of Ge∣neration the first of all is Argent vive, being open, and loosely co∣agulated, because it hath little Salt communicated to it, and therefore is more Spiritual than Corporeal: the rest of the Me∣tals being derived from its Essence, have more Salt, and there∣fore are made more Corporeal. Lib. de rebus natural. & super∣nat. Cap. 2.

Chortalassaeus affirms the same saying: Argent vive is of divers Colours, white, skyish, ash, blackish, one slow, another swift, yet in it self an open Metal, and hath a Body easily transmuta∣ble. Cap. pag. 359. Volum. sexti Theat. Chym.

In searching for Sulphur, despair not, saith Sendivogius, I tell you by all that's sacred, it is in Gold and Silver most perfect, but in Argent vive most easy. Pag. 213. lib. de Sulphure. Of the antient Philosophers I will add Arnold, who in Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Ro∣sarii, saith: The Medicine is as well in Metallick Bodies, as al∣so in Argent vive, as to Nature, because they are found to be of one Nature, but indeed in these Bodies harder, in the Argent vive nearer, but not more perfectly. In Argent vive alone it is found more easily and more nearly, not more perfectly, it being the Father of both those Luminaries, and all things fusible, for they are all derived from it, and therefore are they all resolv'd into it, because Nature embraceth its own Nature more amica∣bly, and rejoyceth with it more, than with that which is Hete∣rogeneous. For in it is the facility of extracting that subtil substance.

Among the Metals there is none that sooner mixeth with the Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine, and is more easily altered, than Argent vive, wherefore the Adepts esteemed it as an open Metal; all other Metals and Mineral Bodies are with very great difficulty dissolved by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but being once counited with this Spirit, they are as well as Mercury, converted into a third substance, never to be divided into their constitutives, that is, Metal and Spi∣rit; This open Metal they made more open sometimes by the acidity of Salts; so Trismosinus did sometimes sublime common Mercury for
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his Hell Fire: yet principal care must be taken, that such Menstru∣ums as these made of Mercury sublimate, be by being dulcify'd with longer than ordinary circulation, or repeated cohobations, freed from all the acidity of the Salts; but this operation being full of danger, yea contrary to the Rule of Vegetable Menstruums, which excludes every Acid whatsoever, we have therefore thought good to advise young Beginners to use crude Mercury, as safer than sublimate. Instead of these we will therefore commend the Menstruums made of crude Argent vive.

42. The Alchymical Mercury of Ripley. In Concord. Raym. & Guidon.
TAke of crude Mercury well purged one Ounce, of our Fiery Tartar, or former Vegetable Salt reserved (in the Fifth Kind in Numb. 23.) three Ounces, grind both together ve∣ry fine upon a Marble, till they be incorporated, then put the matter in a warm Balneo, and let it be all dissolv'd into a kind of white Milk, put it all upon a Pound of crude Mercury, and let it be all dissolved into the like Milk, and thus do in infinitum. This Mercury being dissolved putrify in Balneo, then distil in Ashes first with a gentle Fire, and an insipid Water will ascend, which must be thrown away: then the Fire being more increa∣sed, another Water will ascend more thick, which Water indeed dissolves all Bodies, putrifies, cleanseth and fixeth them, at the end with a more vehement Fire will an Oyl ascend of a Golden Colour, which must be preserved for the dissolving of the red Ferment, and for the multiplying of the red Elixir, for it is our peculiar Gold, not yet fixed by Nature.

Elsewhere instead of Tartar fired (that is, the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine dryed in the Salt of Tartar, or Vegetable Sal Armo∣niack made of the Salt of Tartar, but not yet sublimed) Ripley sometimes used some simple Vegetable Menstruum, with which he made the exalted Water of Mercury, as followeth.

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43. The exalted Water of Mercury of Ripley. Cap. 12. Philorcii.
TAke Nigrum nigrius nigro, and distil an Aqua ardens, and fortify it with Pepper, Squilla, Pyrethrum, Euphorbium, So∣latrum, Anacardus, grains of Paradise, Staphis-agria, and the like in acuity: but this is a great secret. Take the Water of the fifth fortification, and distil, pour it upon Mercury so, as to swim two or three Fingers above it, stop the Vessel to prevent exha∣ling, put the Mercury in Balneo to dissolve for a Month, that which is dissolved of it empty into another Vessel, and keep: pour new Water upon the Mercury not dissolved, and proceed as before, thus continuing, till you have one Pound of Mercury dissolved: Then put the dissolution together in Balneo the space of fifteen Days, and after that distil, and that which ascends keep apart in a Vessel, not to respire, and upon the remaining Faeces pour new Water, and proceed by Balneo as above, and this Work continue, till all the Mercury is exalted: But this is not the Work of idle and sloathful Men. Now this Water thus ex∣alted is by the Philosophers call'd by many Names, for it is Lac Virginis, Aqua roris Maii, and Aqua Mercurii.

Nigrum nigrius nigro, and Philosophical Wine, we have proved before by Lully to be Synonimous: the fortification or acuition of that Water or Spirit, with Pepper, Squilla, &c. we taught in the second Kind. Mercury, though an open Metal, is yet hard enough to be dissolv'd in the aforesaid Menstruum of the second Kind, but the stronger the simple Vegetable Menstruums are, the sooner also is it dissolved; an Example you will have in the following Glorious Water of Lully, where Mercury is in the space of six days dissolved in the Coelum Vinosum of Lully, by a Menstruum of the sixth Kind.

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44. The Glorious Water of Argent vive of Lully. In Testamento Novissimo.
TAke of common Argent vive one Pound, put it in a Glass Vessel, and pour upon it of the Vegetable Menstruum (above described 〈◊〉 the Sixth Kind in Numb. 30.) so much, as to swim four Fingers above it, set it in Balneo or Dung six Days, and it will be all dissolved into a Glorious Water, elevate the Menstruum gently by Balneo, and at the bottom of the Vessel will remain the Light of Pearls, and Soul of Metals: This we meant in the Chapter which begins: Oportet nos cum eo incipere, & cum eo finire. Then take of this Glorious Water of Argent vive one Pound, and mix it with two Pounds of the Vegetable Menstruum, coelificated (of Coelum Vinosum, in Numb. 30.) and it will all become one Water, with which you will dissolve all Bodies, as well perfect as imperfect, for the Production of our Sulphur.

The same way almost he prepares that which he calls the in∣calcinated Menstruum.

45. The incalcinated Menstruum of Lully. In Experim. 34.
TAke common Mercury, brought out of Spain in Skins seal'd with a Spanish Seal, to prevent Sophistication, force it through a fine Skin, then take the Mercurial Water, extracted from Mercury by the Magistery, as we taught you in the Ex∣periment of three Vessels, as you know, and so dissolve the Mer∣cury; being all dissolv'd, draw the Water from it by Balneo, and in the bottom of the Vessel will the Mercury remain in the Form of an Oyl: This therefore we will use to be incerated (circulated rather) into our Heaven or our coelificated Menstruum: Take therefore four Pounds of the coelificated Menstruum (the Vegetable Heaven described in the Fifth Kind in Numb. 17.) and
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one Pound of the aforesaid Mercury reduced into Oyl, and joyn them together, then will you have at length the incalcinated Menstruum, with which you will dissolve the two Luminaries, preserving their Form, and not only preserving it, but also pro∣pagating it in infinitum.

The Receipt of this Menstruum is plain, yet must we declare what he means by the Mercurial Water extracted by the Magistery of three Vessels, the Description of which Menstruum we read thus;

46. The Mercurial Water by •••ee Vessels of Lully. In Experim. 13.
TAke Spanish Mercury, which is brought in Bladders with the Seal of Spain, that it may not be adulterated; sub∣lime it thus: Take Vitriol dryed from all Phlegm, and common Salt prepared, and decrepitated, or first burn'd in Fire; joyn the Mercury with these two, grinding very well, then sublime in a Vessel, at first with a gentle Fire, then increase the Fire, till it be perfectly sublimed: the Vessel being cold, gather the sublimati∣on carefully, and beware of the fumes, being Venomous; im∣bibe the sublimation very well with the Oyl of Tartar (per deli∣quium) and quick Lime, then put the matter into a Retort, and administer Fire, till Mercury vive is gone over into the Receiver; sublime again as before, with the same new Matters, then as be∣fore vivify by a Retort, thus repeat the Magistery four times: Then take this Mercury thus prepared, and make it boyl with (Philosophical) Aqua Vitoe, being dryed, press it through a Goats Skin: Then take this Mercury, and put it in Vessels (three Alu∣dells) which must be firmly and strongly joyned together, and covered on all sides with strong lutum sapientioe, then prepare a Furnace, in which these Vessels may be fitly placed, so as that they may all have equal heat; but the Receiver must by no means feel the Fire, so also the Beak of the first Vessel, through which the Mercury is to pass, must be out of the Furnace: Then give Fire to the said Vessels, so as to be red hot, both with∣in and without, then put in the Mercury through the Pipe on the outside of the Furnace, and presently stop the Mouth of the
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Pipe with Cotton; and by the sharpness of the Fire, part of the Mercury will in a short time distil into the Receiver; but one part in the likeness of Water; separate the Water from the Mer∣cury, and keep it, but that which remains quick, cast again into the said Vessel as before, so oft, till it be through the sharpness of the Fire all converted into Water, empty the Receiver every time into another Vessel, and keep it well stopp'd: Then take of this Water four Ounces, and of the Oyl or Salt of the first Expe∣riment (Salt of Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine) one Ounce, make it go over together with the said Salt, distilling that Water in Ashes with a most gentle heat at first, then in the end increasing the Fire, till more will not distil: Then take new Salt, or Oyl of the same first Experiment, and joyn it with that Water a little before distilled, and make it go over again, distilling by Ashes as before; but this Magistery you must repeat five times, mixing one Ounce of the said Salt or Oyl of the first Experiment every time with three Ounces of the said Water, distilling as before in Ashes, with the same degree of Fire, and the same weight as before, as well of the Water, as of the Salt or Oyl: And by this means will you by the help of God, have a Mineral and Vegetable Water united together, which hath the power of dissolving Mercury, and all Metals, especially the two Luminaries: For the multiplication of this Water you must proceed thus; Take one Ounce of Mercury purged, and five Ounces of the said sharp Water (now prepared) joyn these two together in a small Cucurbit, lute it well, then will the Mercury be forthwith dissolved, which dissolution put in a little Urinal, with an Alembick and Receiver, the Joynts well luted distilling in Ashes, and it will all come over into a Water, some Terrestreity of no moment being left in the bot∣tom of the Vessel: Then may you this way multiply the sa•d Water as much as you will, viz. by taking five parts o• it, and one of Mercury purged, dissolving first, and distilling through an Alembick as before.

He revivisies Mercury sublimate, to be purged after the common way, by the Oyl of Tartar, and quick Lime; being now purged, to digests it in Aqua Vitae, that is, Philosophical; for common Spirit of Wine would be here of no effect, wherein this digestion with Philos•∣phical Aqua Vitae, much of the permanent unctu•sity sticks to the A•¦gent
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vive, altering it exceedingly; then he puts it into divers Alu∣dels, joyned together, and to the Receiver, and made red hot, in or∣der to be converted into a Mercurial Water: The way of distilling by Vessels red hot, I find in many places to have been much in use among the Adepts, but whether they contrived this way for the abbreviating, or more exquisite way of operating, or for what other cause, I know not. Basilius, Lib. particularium, in particul. Solis, distils not Mercury, but Gold often extinguished in the Philosophical Aqua Vitae through a hot Vessel into a red Liquor. Take of Aurum fulminans, saith he, one part, of the Flowers of Sulphur three parts, calcine with a gentle Fire till the Sulphur be consumed, the red hot matter ex∣tinguish in the Spirit of Wine, acuated with some drops of the Spirit of Tartar (the Vegetable Menstruum made of the Salt of Tartar) decant the Spirit, and the powder dry at the Fire, to which being dryed, add again three parts of the Flowers of Sul∣phur, calcine and quench as before: This Work repeat six times, that the powder of the Gold may be made like Butter, soft and fat, which must be carefully dryed, because it melts with a little Fire, this powder being a little heated put into a Retort with a Pipe, and made red hot, and the Pipe being presently stopp'd, distil the red drops falling into good Spirit of Wine put before into the Receiver.

If the Gold being divers times extinguished in the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine is made soft and fat, why might not this be also done in common Mercury, digested according to the Receipt, in the same Spirit of Wine? But suppose Lully propos'd it only to himself, to re∣duce Argent vive into a common acid Liquor, yet does he out of this, with the addition of the Salt of Tartar of the first Experiment, make a Vegetable Menstruum of the Fifth Kind, with which he dissolves common Argent vive, and reduceth it into a Mercurial Water: then he dissolves common Mercury by this Mercurial Water, and draws it off so, as to remain in the Form of an Oyl; which Oyl of Mercury be∣ing dissolved in the Vegetable Heaven, he circulates, and being cir∣culated, calls it the incalcinated Menstruum. If instead of the Oyl of Mercury you take crude Mercury reduced into the true first matter of Mercury, and acuate the Vegetable Heaven with this Mercurial Sal Armoniack, you will make the same, yea a much better incalci∣nated Menstruum. The way of making the Sulphur of Nature of common Argent vive is this following.

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The Mercurial Sal Armoniack, or Mercury of the Mercury of Lully. In Experim. 18.
TAke Mercury being twice sublimed with Vitriol and Salt, put the sublimate upon an Iron Plate, being first very well pulverized, add to it two Ounces of Tin calcined, then set it in a moist place, and it will be dissolved: sublime again, and lay it upon an Iron Plate as before, and it will be all dissolved, and thus may you dissolve as much Mercury as you please: then take this Water, and rectify it seven times in Ashes, or till it will yield no more Terrestreity, then distil it in Balneo with an easie heat, and distil one part of ten, which is of no use, be∣ing Phlegm, which it contracted in the moist place, then know the weight of the Water remaining in the bottom, and to eve∣ry four Ounces put one Ounce of the Vegetable Salt of the first or second Experiment, being both of the same strength, then di∣stil in hot Ashes with an Alembick and Receiver well luted, which being all distill'd, add new Salt to it again, observing the same weight as before, of the Salt as well as Water, then distil again as before, and this same way distil four times, to every distillation adding new Salt as before, and distilling in Ashes, and so will you have a Mercurial Water fit for all Physical Ope∣rations: Then take common Mercury, washed with Vinegar and Salt, and strained through a Goats Skin, put it in a Vessel, and if there be one Ounce of Mercury, add four Ounces of the aforesaid Mineral Water, and having put on a blind Head in Ashes, let it boyl gently, and it will in a short time be all dissol∣ved, empty the dissolution into another Vessel warily, that if any Terrestreity be left in the bottom, it may be separated from the said dissolution, as a thing of no effect: you may this way dissolve as much Mercury as you will. Then take the afore∣said Mercury dissolved, and putrify thirty Days in Balneo or hot Dung, which must be changed every ten Days, that the heat may endure, and not be extinguished: having putrify'd, re∣move the Vessel, and putting on an Alembick to, with an Uri∣nal
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and Receiver well luted, distil all the Water in Balneo, and the Mercury will remain in the Vessel white as Snow, then pour to it so much of this Water, which you now distilled, as to be four Fingers above it; the rest of the Water keep in its Vessel well stopp'd in a cold place, then putting a blind Head upon its Vessel, and sealing the Joynts, putrify a Natural Day, then ta∣king away the blind Head, and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver close luted, distil in Ashes, and increase the Fire, that the Soul may pass over into its distilled Water; lastly, distillati∣on ceasing, let the Vessel cool, take away the Receiver, and keep it well stopp'd, for that which is distill'd therein is the animated Spirit; but to the matter remaining in the Vessel, that is, the Urinal, pour again of the distilled Water so much as will swim four Fingers above it, and having put on a blind Head, putrify as before, and taking away the blind Head by turns, and put∣ting on an Alembick with its Receiver, wherein you kept the other part of the animated Spirit, the Joynts being well luted, distil again by Ashes, and lastly increase the Fire, for the Soul to go over into the distilled Water as before, then the Vessel be∣ing cold, keep the animated Spirit in the Receiver as before, well stopp'd, and to the matter remaining in the bottom pour again new Water as before, and putrify as before, distilling in Ashes, pour the Spirit into the same Receiver, where you kept the other: thus repeat the Magistery, till the Body remains dead, black, and void of all moisture, which you will prove by this sign; take a little of this black Body or Earth, and lay it upon a hot Plate, and if it fumes not, nor flyes away from Fire, then take that Earth, and put into a little Glass-Globe wel luted, and the Mouth well stopp'd; set in a reverberating Fire the space of twenty four hours; then remove that calcined Earth, and put it in hot ashes very well stopp'd to prevent the attract∣ing of any moisture: Then take the animated Water, and recti∣fy it seven times in Ashes, which animated and vivifyed Water divide into two parts, whereof one we will use for the vivisying of the Earth, the other for the dissolving of Sol and Luna: Then take one part of the said Water, and know the weight of the Earth reserved before, grind first, put it in an Urinal, then pour upon it of the aforesaid Water a fourth part of its weight, and joyning a blind Head to it well luted, set the Vessel in Bal∣neo,
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not to touch the Water of the Balneo, but for the matter to be heated by the vapour only, and so let it remain four days; then having taken away the blind Head, and put on an Alem∣bick, distil in Ashes with a gentle heat like that of the Sun, and an insipid Liquor will flow over, which cast away, as nothing worth; then again imbibe with a fourth part of the animated Spirit as above, digesting as above, and distilling the Liquor by Ashes as above: This Magistery thus repeat, till the whole Bo∣dy hath re-assumed its Liquor or Soul, and remains white as Snow, which Body take out, dry, and grind; being ground, put it into a small Cucurbit, strongly luted with lutum sapientioe, and the Mouth of the Cucurbit, stopp'd with Cotton, and set the Vessel in a Furnace of Ashes; but take notice, if the Fire be too violent, the matter will turn into Oyl, and cannot be sublimed, besides there will be danger of breaking the Vessel, as has hap∣pened to us, and therefore we are willing to advise you to con∣tinue an easy heat, till the matter be sublimed: This also ob∣serve, that this way of subliming may also be done in the Fire of an Athanor, but then the matter will not be sublimed in less than the space of three or four days; which sublimation will indeed be most white, as the Scales of Fish, or as Talk: Then warily take out the Magnesia, the first matter of our common Mercury, our Sal Armoniack, our Sulphur, which keep in a small Cucur∣bit, well stopp'd in Ashes, warm as the Sun, but that which re∣mains in the bottom, and cannot be sublimed, cast away, because of no efficacy, its precious Seed being vacuated.

Here he dissolves Mercury with calcined Jupiter upon an Iron Plate per deliquium, with which he cohobates the Vegetable Salt of the first or second Experiment (Salt of Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or sublimed into a Vegetable Sal Armoniack) in equal weight (yet by degrees) through an Alem∣bick; (instead of this Menstruum may be taken the Vegetable Hea∣ven of Lully) with this Menstruum he dissolves common Argent vive, and reduceth it into a white Oyl, out of which Oyl he draws the animated Spirit, repeating the Work, till the Earth of the Mercury remains black, fixed, and without fume on a hot Plate: This exani∣mated and reverberated Earth he revivifies, by imbibing it with a fourth part of the animated Spirit seven times rectify'd, till it be∣comes white and volatile, which then he sublimes into a Mercurial
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Sal Armoniack, the making of which differs not from the antecedent Descriptions of the Sal Armoniacks; but if it be mixed with four parts of Lully's Vegetable Heaven, that which is call'd the incalci∣nated Menstruum is made from thence, and so much the stronger, as that Sal Armoniack is stronger than the Oyl of Mercury, but if this first matter of Mercury be circulated according to its time, you will make a Menstruum deserving the Name of Mercurial Heaven. Guido prepares the incalcinated Menstruum not from common Mer∣cury, but the Mercury of Metals, Sol or Luna.

47. The Menstruum of Guido for Precious Stones. Pag. 92. Thesauri. Chym.
TAke of the Vegetable Menstruum acuated (described in the Seventh Kind in Numb. 38. or Numb. 39.) four parts, of the Oyl of the Mercury of Sol or Luna one part, mix. He elsewhere pag. 84. describes the Oyl of the Mercury of Metals thus: Take of the Mercury of Sol (a Description of which we shall have lower in the third Book) three Pounds, of the red Lyon (Gold sublimed, of the preparation of which in its place in the second Book) twelve Ounces, or equal weight, mix very well, put it in a Cucurbit with its Alembick, lute well, and increasing the Fire by degrees, sublime, and the Mercury will ascend partly quick, partly in the form of a w•••e or Ash-Colour'd Sublimate, and about the lower part of the Glass, of a citrine Colour, mix the quick Mer∣cury again with the Sublimate, and again sublime, and that so oft, till all the Mercury is sublimed, which being so sublimed, put into Phials of a large bottom, and in every one eight Oun∣ces, to putrify in Balneo six weeks, and then six weeks in Balneo rorido, and the sublimed Mercury of Sol will be resolved into a black Oyl, which rectify through an Alembick, first with a weak Fire, then a stronger, lastly most strong, so will you have the Oyl of the Mercury of Sol.

But besides Mercury, that open Metal, Menstruums of this Kind may be also made of the other Metals, though more compact, an Exam∣ple of which we have in the Lunar Menstruum of Lully.

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48. The Lunar Menstruum of Lully. In Experimento 24.
TAke common Mercury, and wash it with Vinegar; when the terrestreity of it is taken away, let it run through a Goats Skin, then put it into those your Vessels, of which you had a Form before, (in Numb. 46.) put the Mercury in those Vessels, and distil with repetition, till it turns all into Water, as I taught you above; then take four Ounces of this Mercurial Water, and therein dissolve one Ounce of the Vegetable Mercu∣ry of the second Experiment (Salt of Tartar sublimed, or Vegetable Sal Armoniack made of the Salt of Tartar) pass it through an Alembick together with the aforesaid Mercurial Water, then in every four Ounces of the Water, dissolve one Ounce of Mercury as before prepared, (that is Vegetable) putrify eight days, then distil by Ashes, increase the Fire at last, that so it may pass into that which was distilled, in which dissolve half an Ounce of Silver cupellated, then putrify three Days, then distil in Ashes, and lastly increase the Fire a little, that all the clearness, or whiteness of the Luna may go over by an airy resolution in this distillation.

He extracts not the whole Silver, but the more Volatile part of it, (called in the ways of making Sal Armoniack, animated Spirit) by the Menstruum of three Vessels already described in Numb. 26. with the Description of it there declared, you may explain those things which are more obscure in the present Receipt. He sometimes joyns the animated Spirit of Luna, and the animated Spirit of Sol toge∣ther, and by circulation reduceth them into an admirable Menstru∣um, after this manner;

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49. The Circulatum majus or Acetum acerri∣mum of Lully. In Experimento 25.
TAke the simple Vegetable Menstruum of three individuals, described before in Numb. 26.) then take Luna, calcine it with Mercury, then take principal care to remove all the Mer∣cury from the calcined Luna, and the same way calcine Sol with Mercury, then let all the Mercury be taken wholly from it: these two Bodies put into Glass Dishes each by it self apart, and to them each by it self apart pour clarifyed Honey, mixing the Calxes of the two Bodies very well with the Honey upon Ashes so as to boyl, then take the Honey from the Calxes, by washing them in hot distilled Water, and the Calxes will remain in the bottom of the Vessel, then mix the Calxes with the Honey again, boyling as before, and mixing with a Spoon as before, and thus repeat your Work three times as well in the Calx of Luna, as Sol: Then take these two Bodies being calcined and washed, and put them into a Vessel of solution severally, and pour upon them of the former coelificated Menstruum (of the three individuals) so much as will swim three Fingers above it, cover the Vessel with a blind Head, luting the Joynts well with wax gummed, that it may no way respire, set it in Balneo for a Natural Day, so as to boyl gently, then for two other Days put it upon Ashes, and let it boyl gently as before, then empty that part of Sol, which was dissolved into another Vessel by it self, which solution will be of a yellow Colour: So also take out the dissolution of Luna by it self apart, and pour it into another Vessel, each of which dissolutions keep in each Vessel as before in Balneo, but the disso∣lution of Luna will be of a Sea or Green Colour; the undissol∣ved Earth as well of Sol as Luna dry upon Ashes: Which done, pour again to each, of the new circulated Menstruums, and the Vessel being covered with a blind Head as before, set it in Bal∣neo, and make it boyl gently as before, and continue the same boyling upon Ashes, lastly decant the dissolution of each Body as before into its Vessel, wherein the other dissolutions above were kept by themselves apart: But this Magistery you must
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repeat, till all the Sol, and all the Luna are dissolved; these dis∣solutions putrify by themselves apart the space of forty Days, after putrefaction put the dissolutions severally into two Urinals, with Alembicks and Receivers stopp'd, and the Joynts being well luted, distil first the whole Menstruum in Balneo, but the Bodies will remain in the form of an Oyl, then again pour upon them so much of their Water lately distill'd, as to swim three Fingers above the Matter, cover the Vessel with a blind Head, and putrify twenty four Hours, then take away the blind Head, and put on an Alembick with a Receiver, and luting the Joynts, distil with a gentle Fire in Ashes; lastly increase the Fire some∣what, that the air (the animated Spirit) may pass over into the Water, last of all likewise force it with a stronger degree of heat, till the Fire (the Soul being more viscous) ascends over into the air; the Vessels being cold, pour again the new reserved Water to the remaining Matter, the animated Spirit of each Body be∣ing first luted in its Receiver, to prevent respiring, cover the Urinal again with a H•nd Head, putrifying as before, and lastly distil in Ashes as before, last of all as before, increase the Fire; thus repeat the Magistery, till both the Bodies of Sol and Luna are by an airy revolution transmitted severally through the Alembick: But if these Bodies will not entirely come over by distillation (a little indeed will remain, which keep for the rest of the Experiments) then take the animated Spirit of Sol, recti∣fy it oftentimes by it self in Ashes, but be sure not to take away any of the Terrestreities, which will every rectification remain in the bottom of the Vessel, but rather pour back the distilled Water always to the same Faeces, till you have performed the Work seven times compleat: And observe the same order in recti∣fying the Water of animated Luna reserved before. This done, joyn these two Waters together, which Conjunction is called the Conjunction of Father and Mother, Male and Female, Man and Woman: And thus will you have the Menstruum majus, the Ani∣mal, Vegetable, and Mineral, being joyned together, and these three reduced into one substance you must circulate sixty Days in a Vessel so luted, as not to respire; Circulation being com∣pleated, you will have the Menstruum majus brought to action, the power of which is so great, as not to be related: This there∣fore is that admirable Menstruum which dissolves all Bodies, with
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the preservation of their vegetative and transmutative Form: This, I say, is that Menstruum containing in it such odour and fragrancy, that nothing can be compared to it: This lastly is the resoluble Menstruum, which is by the Wise call'd by almost innumerable Names, the Acetum acerrimum, which converts Gold into a Spirit: This is the Aqua Sicca, Aqua Solis, and Aqua Vitoe; Parisinus made this Menstruum, (which he otherwise calls the greater Mercury, or compounded Menstruum) by this method.

50. The Circulatum majus of Parisinus. In Apertorio. Cap. G.
TAke of the best calcined Luna three Ounces, of Sol also cal∣cined according to Chapter H, (in which the Calcinations of Metals are after the common way described) two Ounces to each, being put by its self in its Glass, pour of Circulated, or the sim∣ple Quintessence (acuated with Honey, or the Coelum mellisluum described in Numb. 10.) the height of four Fingers, the Vessels with their blind Heads put in Balneo two Days, and in Ashes two more: when you see the Waters in some measure tinged, decant them, and the dissolutions keep by themselves in Balneo well stopp'd, to the undissolved Calxes pour again of E, digesting, decanting, and repeating so often, till the Bodies of Sol and Luna be reduced into a liquid substance, then distil the Composition (Dissolution) of Sol, and the Composition of Luna in Balneo, and the Bodies will remain in the bottom of the Glass like an Oyl; but to the Waters drawn from the said Luminaries in Balneo, put Vegetable Sulphur, according to the weights of the Sol and Luna, and it will in the space of two Days be dissolved in Balneo; so soon as the said Sulphur is dissolved in every of its Vessels, pour every one to its Metallick Oyl, but to avoid Er∣ror, you must know that your dissolved Sulphur is that which we taught the preparation of in Chapter L, namely, that which is extracted out of (Philosophical) Wine, otherwise called, Sal Armoniack, put the Vessels in Putrefaction eight Days, then draw off the Waters in Balneo every one by it self, then pour of new Water the height of two Fingers, cover the Vessels with blind Heads, and digest for a Day in Balneo, then put on
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common Alembicks, and distil the Waters gently in Ashes, then increase the Fire, that the air may also ascend into the Waters; the Vessels being cold, pour new Water to each re∣mainder, cover them with blind Heads, digest in Balneo for a Night, then distil in Ashes, and this repeat as before, till you have extracted all the Liquor of the two Luminaries; keep the Earths, and if a little of it be cast upon a red hot Plate, and burns not, it is an infallible sign, because the said Earth is depri∣ved of its Soul; keep these two Earths mix'd together in dige∣stion of Ashes, for the receiving of their Mercuries, (the distil∣led Airs or Essences) as we shall teach in Chapter L. (in the way of making the mineral Sal Armoniacks, or Metallick of Gold and Silver). Now take the Liquors of both the said Luminaries, that is, their Souls or Mercuries, already pass'd through an Alem∣bick, and joyn them together, distilling through an Alembick in Ashes; if any slimy Earth remains, add it to the former Earths reserved, and this do six times, always removing the slimy Earth: Take a large Vessel or Cucurbit, with an Alembick made all of a piece, in which pour your compounded Menstruum, stopping the Mouth with a Glass Stopple, luted with the white of an Egg, quick Lime, and course Paper, which being dryed, lute then with our Bitumen, made of an equal quantity of Pitch, Wax, and Mastick, and Circulate in a Sophical Balneo, as we shewed you at Mr. Angelo's House in the Famous City of Venice, when we made the simple Circulated Menstruum, and let it be Circula∣ting forty Natural Days, which being expired, you will see our Menstruum or Mercury clearer than Cristal, and more odoriferous than any Perfume: This Menstruum, my Son! hath the power of dissolving the two Luminaries, and reducing them from pow∣er to action; and you must know that by this alone, yet with the addition of its red or white ferment, you will by Circula∣tion make particulars of great projection: This is that which our Captain Raymund Lully, in his Epistola Accurtatoria, spoke of, saying, Having dissolved Sol, and drawn the Water from it in Balneo, then know the Gold is made Spiritual, and irreducible into its former Body, to which if you add a hundred parts of common Mercury, it will congeal it into true Gold: Moreover, my Son! if the said Gold congealed into a Gum be dissolved in some Water, and given to a Patient of what infirmity soever,
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he will in a very few Days return to his good temperament; it removes whiteness of hair, and all other signs of Old Age, re∣stores former Youth, and preserves health even to the time pre∣fixed by the Eternal God: Know also, that should I describe all the Miracles (and indeed they may well be called Miracles) and all the effects performed by this Mercury, which, as I remem∣ber, I sufficiently declared to you by Word of Mouth, and ex∣plained the various Sayings of our Captain in the Book of Quin∣tessence then, &c.

From the Receipts we observe.
1. That these Menstruums are stronger than all the antecedent, as being acuated with better arids, or dry things, and therefore do not extract the Essences, but dissolve the whole Body into a Magistery.

2. That these Menstruums are the Magisteries of Metals and Minerals, and therefore Medecines.

3. That they are made many several ways now known to us.

4. That the Sal Armoniacks of Metals are made the same ways as Vegetable Sal Armoniacks.

5. That every one of them is properly called Philosophers Mercury, or Mercury of the Mercury of Gold, Silver, Iron, &c. sublimed; the Mercury of Antimony, common Sulphur, &c. sublimed, because like common Mercury sublimed, it is most easily resuscitated by hot Water or Vinegar, into the running Mercury of Gold, Silver, Iron, Antimo∣ny, &c. as we shall be better assured by Examples of the following Books.

6. That simple Vegetable Menstruums, do as being permanent Wa∣ters, continue also with things Metallick, and stick most perfectly to them, not for Medicines only, but also for the making of precious Stones, yea Tinctures, as well particular as universal: As to the simple Vegeta∣ble Menstruums, extract the Essences of Vegetables, and the same com∣pounded, that they do make Magisteries for a Medicinal use, we shall ea∣sily agree; but for the unctuous, and most inflamable Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, made of combustible Vegetables and Animals, to be a con∣stitutive to any Chymical Tincture, seems to be an assertion altogether Paradoxical; for which cause are we to be admonished that the Adepts rejected every Combustible Vegetable and Animal, as a thing useless
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for their Tinctures, but never despised the purify'd Elements of Ve∣getables and Animals, made incombustible, or acquiring incombusti∣bility in the process it self, though they have declared them to be (without the ferment of the Stone) insufficient, as also Metals alone without these Menstruums, being therefore mix'd with Metals, they make Tinctures as well particular as universal for Metals, Witness Ripley, saying: If you have a mind to make Gold and Silver by the Philosophical Art, you must for that purpose take neither Eggs nor Blood, but Gold and Silver, which are Naturally and Prudently, and not Manually calcined, for they produce a new Generation increasing their Kind, as all other Natural Things: But suppose a Man might with benefit effect it in things not Metallick, in which are Colours found in Aspect pleasant, as in Blood, Urine, Eggs, and Wine, or in half Minerals taken out of Mines, yet would it be necessary for the Elements of them to be first putrifyed, and joyn'd in Matrimony with the Elements of perfect Bodies. Libro. 12. portar. portu. 1. The Elixir, he proceeds, is not to be made of Wine, as Wine, nor of Eggs, Hair, or Blood, as meerly Eggs, Hair, or Blood, but of the Elements only, and therefore we are to seek, in order to obtain the Ele∣ments in the excellency of their simplicity and rectification; for the Elements, saies the Philosopher Bacon in his Speculum, are the Roots and Mothers of all things living: But the Elements of the things aforesaid are not Ingredients to the making of Elixirs, but by the Virtue and Commixtion with the Elements of Spirits (whereof he recites four, Argent vive, Sulphur, Arsenick, and com∣mon Sal Armoniack,) and Metallick Bodies, and so, as Roger Bacon saies, they are Ingredients, and do make the great Elixir. Mid. Phil. Chym. Cap. 3. We, saith he further, take neither of the first Principles, they being too simple, nor of the last, they being too gross and fecualent, but only the middle, in which is the tincture and true Oyl, separated from any unclean Terrestreity, and Phlegmatick Water; therefore saith Raymund thus: The uncti∣ous Liquor is the near Matter of our Physical Argent vive: And though those Bodies, in which those Mercuries are hidden, be sold openly by Apothecaries at a low Price, according to the saying of the Philosopher in this manner: Our Sulphurs we have from the Apothecaries at a mean Price, yet if you understand not the Art of separating the Elements, according to the Do∣ctrine
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of Aristotle, in is Epistle to Alexander, in the Book of the Secrets of Secrets, where he saith, Separate the subtil from the gross, the thin from the thick, and when you have drawn Wa∣ter out of Air, Air out of Fire, and Fire out of Earth, then have you the full Art: except, I say, you understand this, you will do little or nothing in my Work. Pupilla Alchym. Pag. 298. It appertains not to this place to prove these things by more Examples, it is enough to have instanced these few by way of anticipation, the following Books treating more copiously of this Truth.

7. That the Name (Hell Fire) the Menstruum of Trismosinus, is the proper and common Name of Mercurial Menstruums: for most of the Adepts do affirm Mercury to be of a most hot, yea Fiery Nature: some few deny, accounting it the coldest Metal.

Amongst the Affirmers was the great Paracelsus, saying: We find Mercury to be inwardly of the greatest heat, and no way to be coagulated, but by the greatest cold. Libro. 6. Archid. magic. Whoever think Mercury to be of a moist and cold Nature, are convinced of an open Error, it being of its Nature most hot and moist, by reason of which it always and perpetually sloweth; for if it was of a moist and cold Nature, it would be like frozen Water, and be alwaies hard and solid, and it would be necessa∣ry to melt it by the heat of Fire, as other Metals, which indeed it requires not, having a Natural Liquation and Flux through its own heat, which keeps it in a perpetual Fluxion, and makes it quick, that it can neither dye, nor be congealed. Coelum Phil. Sect. de calore merc. pag. 124. No Name can be found for this Liquesaction (Fluxion of Argent vive) much less the Original of it, by which it may be called, and no heat being so vehement, as to be equivalent to it, Hell Fire ought to be compared to it. Coelum Phil. can.. 1.121. Basilius taught the same, saying: The Fiery Spirit of Sulphur being invisibly incorporated in Mercury, therefore it prefers it self in Fluxion, not to be coagulated, &c. For Mercury is a meer Fire, and therefore cannot be burned by any Fire; no Fire toucheth it so, as to destroy it, for either, &c. Currus triumph. Antimonii, Pag. 40.

And Sendivogius: I Mercury am Fire, &c. My Spirit and the Spirit of Fire love one another, and so far as able, one accompa∣nies the other, &c. If any Man knows the Fire of my Heart, he sees Fire is my Food, and the longer the Spirit of my Heart eats
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Fire, the fatter it will be, the Death of which is afterward the Life of all things, &c. I am Fire within, Fire is my Food. Dialog. Mercurii Pag. 515. Volum. 4. Theat. Chym.

Ripley did by the most hot things of Lully (acuating the Vegeta∣ble Menstruum, without the Virtue of which things, it would not be able to dissolve Metals, but in a long time) understand Mercury: I am, saith he, forc'd to say, that all these things which Raymond speaks (of things most hot) are covered with a Philosophical Veil, for his Saying is, That dissolution must be made with Spirit of Wine, but his intention also is, that in this Spirit (of Philsophi∣cal Wine) may be had another resoluble Menstruum, which is only of the Metallick Kind. Medul. Phil, Pag. 168. For that is Raymund's Water, which Mary the Prophetess speaks of, saying, Make your Water as a running Water, by Divine Inspiration extracted out of the two Mineral and Vegetable Zaiboth (Mer∣curies) that is, circulated together into a Cristalline Water, &c. because, as saith Raymund, there being in Mercury a Point of Igneity, by the power of which is dissolution made, it is requi∣site to animate it with the Water of Vegetable Mercury, other∣wise it can dissolve nothing: And this is the Water containing all those things which you want, and by Virtue thereof are Pearls made. And this Vegetable Water being compounded, doth by Virtue of the Mercury (Mineral) presently dissolve all Bo∣dies, and by reason of its Vegetability (Vegetable Menstruum) revivify every Body, and by its attractive Virtue, (Symbolical Nature) produce an Oyl from every Body, and Mercury draws to it self its like, that is, the Mercury of a Body. Of this Wa∣ter, saith Raymund, in Compendio Art. Transm. ad Regem Rober∣tum: You know, most Serene Prince, that our Stone is made of nothing but Argent vive alone, that is, compounded of Vegeta∣ble and Mineral: And therefore said the ancient Philosophers, the Stone is made of one thing only, that is, Argent vive, Viatic. pag. 345.

Mercurial Waters are called Ignes Gehennae, by reason of this Fiery Nature of Argent vive, the corrosive Specifick was because of the Mercurial Water call'd by Paracelsus Ignis Gehennae. Libro. de Specif. Pag. 29. The Circulatum majus, prepared from Mercury, he calls a living Fire, most extream Fire, and coelestial Fire.

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If you would bring into action, saith he, (the Life of Antimo∣ny hidden in its Regulus) you must resuscitate that Life with its like living Fire, or Metallick Vinegar, with which Fire many of the Philosophers proceeded several ways, but agreeing in the Foundation, they all hit the intended Mark, &c. Yet that Fire, or Corporal Life in common Mercury is found much more per∣fect and sublime, which manifestly proves by its flowing, that there is a most absolute Fire, and coelestial Life hidden in it; wherefore whoever desires to graduate his Metallick Heaven (the Arcanum Lapidis, or Antimonii) to the highest, and reduce it to action, he must first extract the first liquid Being, as the coelestial Fire, Quintessence, and Metallick Acetum acerrimum out of the Corporal Life, (common Mercury) &c. Libro. 10. Archid. Cap. 6. Pag. 39.

Amongst the Deniers, who judge Mercury to be of a cold Nature, is first Bernhard, illustrious for Learning as well as Linage, saying: Whereas Mercury is compounded of the four Elements, they therefore being heated by the common and general Causes, the Natural heat is excited by its own motion, by such motion as this are the Fire and Air in Mercury moved likewise, and by lit∣tle and little elevated, these Elements being more worthy than the Water and Earth of Mercury, nevertheless moistness and coldness are predominant, &c. Lib. Alchym. Pag. 766. Volum. 1. Theat. Chym. Argent vive being most cold, may in a short time be made most hot, and may the same way be made temperate with things temperate by the Ingenuity of an Artist. Epist. ad Thomam, Pag. 57. Art. Aurif. Arnoldus de Villa Nova in the Book, call'd Rosarium, is observed to have declared, that crude Mercury, that is, Argent vive, which is by its Nature cold and moist, may by sublimation be made hot and dry, then by revivi∣fication made hot and moist like the Complexion of Men, &c. The said Arnold, though a Reverend Doctor, and Ingeni•us in other Sciences, yet perhaps handled Experiments in this Art without the Doctrine of Causes; but he saith, that in the first Purgation, the crude Spirit (Argent vive) is sublimed with the less Minerals and Salts, and that Mercury it self, which is in its Nature cold and moist, may be made a Powder by Nature hot and dry, as he saith, this is indeed of no benefit to our Philoso∣phical Work: but suppose a Man may make such a Powder, as
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he speaks of, out of Mercury, namely, dry and hot by sublima∣tion with saline Things, yet these Purgations are vain and im∣pertinent, yea hurtful as to the perfecting of our Work, &c. And if it be said by way of instance, that as by Purging the impuri∣ties of Mercury, the said Arnold dryed it by sublimation, so also, as you say Thomas, moistened it by revivification, and made the Mercury hot and moist, suitable to his own (humane) Body in Nature, this indeed impedes not my Reverend Doctor, nor im∣pugnes the Truth of the Philosophical Art; yea rather the Error appears in this Natural Art: For, as it is clear, Arnold teach∣eth, (if you regard the sound of Words) that Mercury being thus dryed, by hot Water, into which it is cast, is revivifyed, and he saith, made hot and moist, whereas when first sublimed, it was hot and dry: But what Philosopher can truly say, that Mercu∣ry, or any other Metal, is by simple Water, though never so hot and boyling, changed as to its internal quality in Nature, acquires moistness Natural to it self, and so is revivifyed? In this revivification therefore Mercury requires nothing, forasmuch as common Water decocts not, nor alters it, because it enters it not, and that which enters not, alters not, because every thing to be alter'd must first be mixed: Some superficial impurities of Mercury, such Water may indeed wash away from it, but can∣not infuse a new quality into it: For such a Nature as Mercury had when reduced into Powder, and mortified by sublimations, such a Nature exactly will it keep being revivifyed by Water: This I am willing to say with Reverence and Honour to the said Arnold, but I consider and defend the Truth of Nature and Experiment. About the end of his Epistle to Thomas.

But be it what it will, it consists not with our Prudence to adhere to any Opinions, of what Authority soever, but to Truth alone; in which respect we say Argent vive is neither cold, nor hot, yet that being of easier dissolution than the rest of the Metals, it is most fit for this kind of Menstruums; and that the Mercurial Waters prepared from it, may by Chymical Liberty be called Hell-Fires, though besides these Waters the Adepts call also other Menstruums Infernal Fire, of which sort is the acetum acerrimum of Ripley in the Fifth Kind: But the following Arguments taken out of the Text it self do prove, that Arnold, Lully's Master, was as to his reducing of Argent vive into the first Matter or Essence, not sufficiently understood, and mis∣observed
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by Bernhard, taking Aqua servens for common boyling Wa∣ter: Arnold divided the Second Book of his Rosary into four Principal Works; which are, Solution, Ablution, Reduction, and Fixion, as appears by the first Chapter of the aforesaid Book: Of the first Work, namely, the Dissolution of the Stone, in the second Chapter, thus: You must dissolve the Stone (Gold or Silver) being dry and thick, into Argent vive, that it may be reduced into its first Matter; and all this is done by Argent vive only, it alone having the Power of converting Sol and Luna into their first Matter; but Argent vive having a terrestrial and adustible seculency in it without inflammation, and substance of aqueity, you must of necessity take away that which is superfluous, and supply what is wanting, if you desire a compleat Medicine; but the Earthly feculency is to be wholly taken away by sublimati∣on, &c. This sublimation or depuration of Mercury he describes in the third Chapter following: The Craft (Way) therefore of re∣moving the Earthy superfluous substance from it, is to sublime it once or twice with Vitrum (Vitriol formerly so called) and Salt, till the substance of it becomes most white, having ascended most white, cast it into Aqua fervens, till it returns into Argent vi∣ve; then take the Water from it, and Work with it, because it is not good to operate with it, except it be first purifyed this way: and therefore saith Avicen, The first things to begin with, is the sublimation of Mercury, after that, the solution of it, that it may return into its first Matter, and sublime it wholly: Then put clean Bodies in the same, weighed into this clean Mer∣cury, &c.

If we respect the sound of the Words, Bernard in his long Argumen∣tation corrected Arnold deservedly, but if the Sense of the Words, here is nothing deserving Correction: Aqua fervens, the Name of Arnolds Menstruum, is the chief and almost only thing concealed by Arnold in the whole Practice of his Book, which had he manifested, he would have prostituted all the more secret Chymy; but that he meant not common boyling Water, is proved by the following considera∣tions.

1. Gold or Silver must be dissolved into Argent vive, or the first matter, first Being, Essence, &c. by Argent vive, not common, but Philosophically prepared: Nothing reduceth Gold into a first Matter, but a first Matter; as here the first Matter of common Mercury, clean
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Mercury, or the Mercury of Mercury. The Adepts have a Rule, That a first Matter prepares a first Matter; Therefore as Mercu∣ry prepares Mercury; an Essence an Essence; a Magistery a Magi∣stery; so the Philosophers Mercury, or the primum Ens, Essence, &c. of Sol or Luna, cannot be prepared but by the Philosophers Mercury, primum Ens, or some Essence; wherefore by Aqua fervens in this Receipt, we understand the Essence of Mercury, but not in the least common boyling Water.

2. Clean Argent vive, or the first Matter of Mercury, made of Argent vive sublimed by Aqua fervens, cannot be running Mercu∣ry, because it is in the Form of a Liquor: For,

First, The dissolution of Gold made with this clean Mercury is to be filtred. Grind time after time, and imbibe, and boyl-in-Bal∣neo, then distil through a Filter, till it (meaning the Metal dissol∣ved in the Menstruum, Chap. 3.) goes through.

Secondly, In the Dissolution of Gold, the Tincture only is extract∣ed, the Body being left. Be patient, saith he, and extract not the Tincture hastily, nor seek to have things perfect hastily or swift∣ly, for the first Error in this Art is haste, &c. Bodies dissolved are reduced to the Nature of a Spirit, and are never separated, as neither Water mixed with Water, and that because Nature re∣joyceth in Nature, as the Spouse is joyned with the Bridegroom; but those things which are not dissolved, have not pure parts, except they be mollified. Therefore, my dearest, you want wherewith to operate in the dissolution of the Stone, that is, you must separate their purer parts from them, that the Work may be effected with lighter, the heavier parts being cast away. Cap. 3.

Thirdly, Mercury, or the first Matter of Gold prepared with clean Mercury, is also liquid. Chap. 3. The beginning of our Work is to dissolve our Stone (Gold or Silver) into Mercury, or into a Mercurial Water, Chap. 4. No wonder therefore if Mercury pre∣pared by Aqua fervens be called Water: It is saith he, expedient to dissolve Bodies by Water, that is, by Argent vive. Cap. 3.

Fourthly, Because it extracts an Oyl from every thing. Put, saith he, of the purest Mercury so much as to swim four Fingers, or more, which is better upon the substance of the Body, from which you would extract an Oyl, then kindle a gentle Fire un∣der it till you see the Oyl, that is, the Air of it, by little and lit∣tle
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ascend, or be elevated upon the Mercury; gather it warily, and keep it apart, &c. Cap. 10.

3. This Process of Arnold is ordinary, and call'd by the Adepts, The way of separating the Elements, which cannot be done with∣out either a Vegetable or Mineral Menstruum.

4. Aqua fervens among the Adepts is the usual Name of Men∣struum. Dissolve, saith Lully, the purest Sol in its own Aqua fervens, then separate the Phlegm, and the Sol will remain be∣low, &c. Codicil. cap. 43. Pag. 203. That Fire burns Gold more than Elemental Fire, because it contains heat of a terre∣strial Nature, and resolves without any fortitude (force, efferves∣cence, or corrosion) which common Fire cannot do; we therefore enjoyn you to make the Magistery of the hottest things you can get, and you will have an Aqua calida, which resolves every strong thing. Vade mecum. Pag. 272.

Which Form of Speech Bernhard himself knew, out of Mori∣enus: Saying, Know that our Laton is red, but of no benefit to us, till it be made white: Know also, that Aqua tepida: calida, and fervens, Synonima's of one Menstruum) penetrates and whitens, even as it self is (white,) and a moist vaporous Fire ef∣fects all things: Again Bendegid, Johannes Mehungus, and Haly: You that seeking Day and Night spend your Mony, waste your Wealth, and Time, tormenting your Wits in vain about the subtilties of Books, I admonish you out of Charity, through Compassion, as a Father moved toward his Son, that you would, I say, whiten the red Laton by a white odoriferous Aqua tepida, but tear so many Sophistical Books, so many Methods, and leave such great subtilties; believe me, that it may be well with you. Lib. Alchym. 770. Vol. Theat. 11. Chym.

5. It is by the blackness of the dissolution proved, that Arnold's Aqua fervens was a simple Vegetable Menstruum; the black ap∣pearing above, saith he, gather apart, because that is the Oyl, and the true sign of dissolution, because this which is dissolved, attains to the end of sublimity, and is therefore separated from the lower parts, ascending upwards, and aspiring to higher pla∣ces. Cap. 3. Rofarii.

These things we are willing to say, not impeaching the Reverence and Honour of Bernhard, but we contemplate and defend the Truth and Experiment of Arnold.

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The Ninth KIND. Vegetable Compounded Menstruums made of Simple Vegetable Menstruums, and Things tinging, being first fixed.
51. The Circulatum majus, or Metallick Acetum acerrimum of Paracelsus. Lib. 10. Arch. pag. 38.
IF common Mercury ought to be reduced into the first li∣quid Being, then is it first to be mortify'd, and deprived of its Form, and that is done by several sublimations with Vi∣triol and common Salt, that at last it may be made like sixed Cristal: Then dissolve it in its Matrix, namely, in the primum Ens of Salt, (the Circulatum minus made of Salt, or the Water of Salt circulated described above in Numb. 27.) putrify a Month; add to it new Arcanum of Salt (Circulatum minus) that the im∣pure may be precipitated to the bottom, but the pure turn'd into Cristals: sublime the same in a close Reverberatory, being sub∣limed, turn it up continually, till it comes to a redness; this sub∣limation extract with the Spirit of Wine rectifyed to the high∣est (Philosophical Wine) seperate the Spirit of Wine (by distillati∣on) the remainder (the dry Tincture or Crocus of Mercury) dissolve upon a Marble, (per deliquium) and digest for a Month, pour new Spirit of Wine to it, digest for a time, and distil; Then will the Arcanum of the primum Ens, or first being of Mercury rise over in a liquid substance, which is by the Philosophers cal∣led Metallick Acetum acerrimum, and in our Archidoxyes Circu∣latum majus: And the same is to be understood of Antimony, Gemms, and all other Metals.

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Annotations.
THere is a great difference between this and the precedent Kind, though they both treat of Mercurial Waters: The antecedent were made of crude Mercury: This Circulatum of Paracelsus, is indeed made of Mercury, but first fixed: The precedent were most clear; these greater Circulatums are indeed most clear, but also most red, and so much better in their Tinctures than the precedent. The Receipt we will consider as divided into its parts, in the first of which Paracelsus sublimes Argent vive so often, till it be made like fixed Cristal, that is, like mineral or common Cristal, clear and transpa∣rent: As this part is common, so it less needs explaining. In his Book, De Renovat & Restaur. he takes only Mineral Gold or Anti∣mony for the same Work, which Bodies notwithstanding are more bound up than the open Metal, Mercury; and for this reason it may seem to be fit enough for dissolution in Circulated Salt without subli∣mation: For the illustration of the Receipt, we will add the Descri∣ption of the said Book.

Take of mineral Gold or Antimony most finely ground one Pound, of Salt Circulated four Pounds, being mixed, digest them together in Horse-Dung for a Month; from thence will spring a Water, wherefore the pure must be separated from the impure, coagulate it into a Stone, which calcine with Wine cenificated (lenificated) and separate again, and dissolve upon a Marble: Let this Water be putrified for a Month, from it will be produ∣ced a Liquor, wherein are all such Signs, as in the primum Ens of Gold or Antimony, wherefore we deservedly call it the primum Ens of those things: It is no otherwise to be understood of Mer∣cury, and other things also.

In the second part, he dissolves Mercury being so sublimed, in Salt Circulated, the primum Ens of Salt, the Arcanum of Salt, the Water of Salt Circulated, (Synonima's of Paracelsus his Circula∣tum minus) putrifies or digests, precipitates with new Circulated Salt, filters, and lastly reduceth it into Cristals, or Philosophical Vi∣triol. In the Receipt of Lib. de Renov. he adds the weights of things: Take, saith he, of mineral Gold or Antimony one Pound, of Salt Circulated four Pounds, and then digests, and separates
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the impure from the pure, and coagulates into Cristals. Some∣times he dissolves Bodies by some mineral Menstruum, which he draws off two or three times from them, and sweetens them again by taking away all the acidity so far as he is able with common Water: Thus he dissolves common Sulphur in the strongest Aqua fortis (Pa∣racelsus his Aqua regis, to be described in the eighteenth Kind) co∣hobates three times into a black Matter, which he sweetens with di∣stilled Water, Libro de morte rerum.

For it is much at one, whether Gold or Antimony be dissolved by the Circulatum minus only, and reduced into a Philosophical Vi∣triol; or whether Argent vive, for the abbreviation of time, be in the sublimation of it first impregnated with the acidity of Salts, and so made more open for the Work, and then mixed with the Circulatum minus, purified by digestion and precipitation, and lastly reduced into a Philosophical Vitriol; or whether to make the time yet shorter, Sulphur be mixed with a mineral Menstruum, that is, an acid, and the Circulatum minus mixed together, and then freed from the acid, so as with the Circulatum minus to be made the same Philo∣sophical Vitriol; for which way soever Philosophical Vitriol is made, it comes to one and the same effect: but of these Vitriols hereafter in the Receipts of mineral Menstruums.

In the third part, he sublimes the Stones or Cristals of the Mercu∣ry in a close Reverberatory (that is, a Philosophical Egg) always turning it up, till the Vitriol of the Mercury is at length fixed into a most red Precipitate. This part the Sublimations of Sulphur and An∣timony in a close Reverberatory will illustrate. The strongest Aqua fortis being often drawn off from the Sulphur, the remaining matter being made thereby black, and then sweetned, he reverberates, that is, sublimes in a close Reverberatory, and being sublimed, turns up the close Reverberatory, or Philosophical Egg so oft, and continually till it comes to a redness, as Antimony, saith he, which will become first white (sublimate) then yellow, thirdly red, (precipitate) as Cinnabar; which being obtained, you ought to rejoyce, for it is the beginning of your Riches: This reverberated Sulphur gives a most deep tincture to any Luna, reducing it into most excellent Gold, and preserves a Man's Body in most perfect Health: This reverberated fixed Sulphur (observe) is of so great Virtue, as is not fitting to declare. Libro. de morte rerum. pag. 95.

The Reverberation of Antimony is in pag. 67. Chyr. majoris.
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hus: Take of Antimony reduced into a most fine Alcool, (into Philosophical Vitriol with the Circulatum minus, by the way of Mercury in the Circulatum majus; or again into a black and sweet∣ned matter by the way of Sulphur,) what quantity you will, let it be reverberated in a close Reverberatory for the space of one Month (continually turning up the Reverberatory, till the matter will be no more sublimed) and it will be Volatile and Light, first White, then Yellow, then Red, lastly of a Purple or Violet Co∣lour: The Antimony being thus fixed by sublimation, he extracts the tincture, by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which tincture he calls the most Noble, most Precious, and only not Divine Essence of Lily.

In the fourth part he dissolves Mercury being precipitated, and ex∣tracted by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, per deliquium, and digests with new Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and cohobates, till it ascends through the Alembick into the primum Ens or Essence of Mercury, Mercury Circulated, the Circulatum majus prepared from Mercury, &c.

In the Receipt we observe,

1. That Argent vive, Antimony, Sulphur, yea Gold, Silver, and all the other Metals, being dissolved in some simple Vegetable Men∣struum, then reverberated, or by sublimation fixed, dissolved per deliquium, and distill'd into a liquid substance, are Argent vive, An∣timony, Sulphur, Gold, Silver, &c. Circulated, or the Circulatum majus made of Mercury, Antimony, Sulphur, &c.

2. That these Menstruums are called Circulatums, because they were by the ancient Philosophers Circulated for the space of thirty or forty, sometimes sixty Days.

3. That these are called the greater Circulatums, to be distin∣guished from the less Circulatums, being less excellent, the greater having greater strength, and communicating tincture to things that are dissolved in them.

4. That these Circulatums are the first Beings, or graduated Essences of Metals and Minerals, and amongst things Volatile no∣thing can be more excellent than they, they being exalted from a fixed Essence or Astrum, into a much more Noble Essence, called an Arca∣num.

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5. That these Circulatums are Medicines, or Medicinal Arca∣nums.

6. That these Circulatums ore most red. Sublime the Stones, saith Paracelsus, till they come to redness. He extracts the tin∣cture of Lily out of Antimony reverberated to a Purple or Violet Colour; but makes the Soul of Metals out of Sulphur reverberated, of which thus: What Hermes said, that the Soul alone is the means of joyning the Spirit to the Body, was not impertinently spoken: For Sulphur being that Soul, and maturing and excoct∣ing all things, as Fire, it will be also able to bind the Spirit with the Body, and incorporate and unite them together, so as from thence to produce a very Noble Body: The vulgar combusti∣ble Sulphur is not to be reputed the Soul of Metals, but the Soul is something more than a combustible and corruptible Body, and therefore: cannot be burned by any Fire, being all Fire it self, and indeed it is nothing else but the Quintessence of Sul∣phur, which is extracted out of Sulphur reverberated by the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and is of a red Colour, and clear as a Ruby: Which is indeed a great and notable Arcanum to transmute white Bodies, and to coagulate running Mercury in∣to fixed and tested Gold: Accept this as commended to you to make you Rich, and you have reason to be content with this only Secret for the transmutation of Metals. Lib. 1. de gener. rerum, Nat. pag. 87. If Mercury, Antimony, and Sulphur fixed by reverberation, and the Spirit of Philosophical Wine drawn off, be red, and diaphanous as a Ruby, it follows that the same Bodies, vo∣latilized with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, do become more red. From hence we observe, that the Menstruums of Diana are of divers Colours, sometimes white, milky and opake; sometimes most clear, sometimes again most red and most transparent; so that the Arguments of Bernhard, denying the diaphaneity of Menstruums, may be easily resolved: Where Fools, saith he, do out of the less Minerals extract corrosive Waters, into which they put any sort of Metals, and corrode them: for they think that therefore they are dissolved by a Natural solution, which solution indeed re∣quires permanence together, that is, of the dissolvent, and the dissolved, that from both, as from the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result: I tell you truly, no Water dis∣solves a Metallick Species by Natural Reduction, but that wh…
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remains with it in matter and form, and which the dissolved Metals are able to recongeal; which happens not in any sort of Aqua fortis, but is rather a defiling of the Composition, that is, the Body that is to be dissolved: Nor is that Water pertinent to Bodies in solution, which remains not with them in congelati∣ons; Mercury is of this sort, and not Aqua fortis, or that which Fools esteem Mercurial Water, clear and diaphanous: For if they divide and obstruct the Homogeneity of Mercury, how will the first proportion of the Feminine Seed stand and be pre∣served? Pag. 60. Epist. ad Thomam. The Elixir and Azoth (he goes on) that is, the Vital Spirit (Spirit of Life, Philosophical Aqua vitae) and fugitive Soul (animated Spirit) are not diapha∣nous nor transparent, nor clear as the Tear of ones Eye, nor any dissolving Spirit. Pag. 94. Ejusd. Epist. Which cannot be done in a diaphanous, clear and transparent Liquor: because, if the aforesaid Elixir and Azoth, that is, Spirit and Soul had or could shew any diaphaneity, the Earth would now in proportion have dismissed the Water, and separated it self from it, whereas other∣wise it would have inspissated and coagulated the parts of it, caused an opacity in the Elixir and Azoth, and made the Me∣tallick Form to stand congelable: For in restringing fixed Me∣tallick Species, the restringer must of necessity act upon the re∣stringible, and the congealer upon the congelable, which can∣not be done in the aforesaid diaphanous and clear Water: other∣wise it is in Vegetables, in which a simple and diaphanous Water is by decoction inspissated in those Vegetables, which notwith∣standing vanisheth and evaporates at length by the Tryal of Fire, because it is not permanent and fixed in the Composition, not having an Earth Naturally Homogeneous to it in Composi∣tion with it, as Argent vive has; which Earth is indeed the cause of permanent fixion in things Homogeneous; wherefore simple Water cannot by congelation be fixed with Vegetables, as Mer∣cury with Metals: If therefore Mercury hath received diapha∣neity in the Philosophers Work, it will remain in the quality of an irrestringible substance, and will not be congealed upon La∣ton as to a Metallick Form, Species, and Proportion, which car∣ries the congelation of it self neither with it, nor in it, as Water does Earth, which Earth, as aforesaid, is indeed Mercurial, and the first cause of inspissation, coagulation, and fixation: If there∣fore
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that Water remains not in Metallick Proportion, how can the like Species be produced from this Composition? They therefore, that think so to extract a clear transparent Water out of Mercury, and work many wonders by it, are in an Error; for suppose they can make such a Water, yet would it be of no advantage to the Work, nor to the Nature and Proportion of it, nor could it restore or erect a perfect Metallick Species; for so soon as Mercury is altered from its first Nature, so soon is it ex∣cluded from being an ingredient to our Philosophical Work, be∣cause it hath lost its Spermatick and Metallick Nature: By these things therefore it is known, what Truth your Opinion con∣tains, and wherein it is contrary and absurd, you asserting it to be necessary, in order to perfect the great Elixir, to have a Gum, in which are all things necessary to it, containing the four Ele∣ments, and is a most clear Water as the Tear of an Eye, made Spiritual, which causeth Gold to be a meer Spirit: For one Bo∣dy penetrates not another, but a pure Spiritual substance con∣gealed, is that which penetrates and tingeth a Body. Be it, as you say, my Honoured Doctor! that Natures are not joyn'd without a Gum, or Oyly Matter, &c.

Had Bernhard disputed only against every Mercurial Water not permanent, made diaphanous with Aqua fortis, or any other vulgar Menstruum, and not also against the most clear Mercurial Water of Thomas de Bononia, then the Arguments aforesaid had been of great strength; but now the objections against the limpidity of Menstruums as well of this as other Adepts, are of no validity. The same Earth, which being less than well dissolved, is the cause of opacity in Bern∣hard's permanent Menstruum, the very same exactly dissolved is the cause of limpidity with Thomas, inspissating and coagulating the Water, as well, if not better, than if it had been less dissolved. The diaphaneity of Menstruums is defended by Lully, Parisinus, and most of the Adepts: Lully proclaims his Coelum Vinosum to be clear, bright, and resplendent as the Stars of Heaven. In Test. novis. pag. 8. Of which very Menstruum Parisinus thus, in Appen∣dice Elucidarii, pag. 273. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym. Then will you see a Quintessence brighter and clearer than a Diamond, which exceeds the splendor of the Stars, so as to be doubted, whether it be contained in the Glass, or no.

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The Tenth KIND. Vegetable Menstruums compounded made of Vegetable Menstruums compounded, and Metallick Bodies.
52. The Neapolitan Menstruum of Lully. In Exper. 13.
TAke Luna, and calcine with common Argent vive, that is, by amalgaming, and then grinding the Amalgame with common Salt prepared, then evaporate the Mer∣cury with a most gentle Fire, then take away the Salt with hot Water distilled, and so you will have Luna calcined. Take the calcined Luna, and pour to it four parts of the Mercurial Water (described by the three hot Vessels before in Numb. 46.) and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium set upon Ashes, so as to boyl gently, and you will perceive a Green or Sea Colour, which Liquor pour warily into another Vessel, so that the Faeces be not disturb'd, the Matter remaining at the bottom dry with an easie Fire, like the heat of the Sun: Then know the weight of the said Calx, and pour again four parts of the said Mercurial Water upon one part of the said Calx, and the Vessel being cover∣ed with its Antenotorium, as above, let it boyl again gently, the dissolution pour into another Vessel as before, and joyn it with the first dissolution; but remember to keep, the said dissolved Matter continually in Balneo, till the whole Work of dissolution is compleated; repeating the Magistery so oft, 〈◊〉 the whole Body of Luna be fully dissolved and decanted over, which has indeed hapned to us at the second time, and set it in putrefaction
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fourteen Days: Then put it in an Urinal, with its Receiver and Alembick, very well luted, and distil in a Furnace of Ashes, then increase the Fire, that the Soul of the Body may ascend in∣to its Water: The Vessel being cold, examine the weight of the Earth of Luna remaining in the bottom, for I believe of one whole Ounce there will not remain above two Eights (Drachms) of the Body not dissolved, the rest will be perfectly dissolved, (that is, distilled;) But if more of the undissolved Earth remains, then pour to it so much of its Water lately distil∣led, as to be three Fingers above it, and the Vessel being cover∣ed with an Antenotorium, put it in Balneo for a Natural Day, then taking away the Antenotorium, and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver very close, distil by Ashes; at the end of the distillation increase the Fire as before: This repeat, till the whole Body of Luna be pass'd through the Alembick by an airy revolution; and thus will you by the Help of God have a Menstruum, with which you may dissolve Sol.

Annotations.
HItherto we have by Argent vive acuated either the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or Menstruums made with this Spirit, which had so good a faculty of dissolving, that most of the Adepts be∣ing content with these Mercurial Waters, desisted from inquiring af∣ter stronger Menstruums. The Mercurial Water, which Lully terms Glorious, he saith, is sufficient, yea, a proper Menstruum to make the Philosophers Mercury, or Metallick Sal Armoniack, out of all Me∣tals and Minerals. You must know, saith he, my Son! that in the Truth and Faith of God, no Sulphur of Nature of any Metal can be sublimed without this Water of common Argent vive. Test. Noviss. Pag. 12.

But in this Tenth Kind of Menstruums, the Adepts made yet other Menstruums, adding moreover divers Bodies, according to the intended several uses to the aforesaid Mercurial Waters: Lully, to make a more Noble Menstruum for the dissolution of Gold, added Silver to the Mercurial Menstruum: If perhaps he wanted a Men∣struum for Pearls, he joyned Pearls with the Mercurial Menstruum: If he had a mind to make Aurum potabile, he prepared a Menstruum
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out of Gold and Silver, as more suitable to this purpose, yet with some Mercurial Menstruum, and so of others, as you will observe in the following Examples.

53. The precious Menstruum for Pearls of Lully. In Comp. Animoe transmut. Pag. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym.
TAke the Liquor of Lunaria of the third or second rectifica∣tion (Philosophical Aqua ardens rectifyed) pour it upon Argent vive, so as to swim three Fingers above it, and putrefie three Natural Days, and a great part of it will be dissolved with the Water of Lunaria, which decant, and pour fresh Liquor up∣on the Faeces, putrefie in Dung or Balneo, and repeat till all the Mercury is reduced into Water, then joyn all the distillations to∣gether, and draw off in Balneo, and when you see it in a manner thick, so as to be half a Pound of the Water of Mercury and Argent vive, (Vegetable and Mineral) putrifie six Natural Days, then put in Pearls, and they will within ten Hours be dissolved, then exuberate them by the way, which I taught in the exube∣ration of Metals, till they be converted into a Sal(Harmoniack, or Sulphur Naturoe of Pearls) whereof dissolve one Ounce in a Pound of its Menstruum aforesaid, and distil four times, then put in Pearls, and they will in half a quarter of an Hour be dissol∣ved, by reason of the greater subtilty of the Menstruum. As Sil∣ver is joyned to the Mercurial Menstruum made by the three Fire-hot Vessels, for the Neopolitan Menstruum, (which may be so call'd, because it was reveal'd to Lully at Neapolis by Arnold de villa nova) so this Menstruum for Pearls is made of the Sal Armoniack of Pearls, and the Mercurial Menstruum, or Glorious Water of Mer∣cury, which if they be Circulated together a convenient time, you will make thereof a Coelum perlatum.

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54. The Mercurial compounded Men∣struum of Lully. In Experim. 34.
TAke three Ounces of Luna, and three Ounces of Sol, cal∣cine them severally with Mercury, as in the former Ex∣periments, (in the Neopolitan Menstruum) then evaporate it from the said Metals, being calcined, put them severally in di∣stinct solutory Vessels, and put upon them so much of the incal∣cinated Menstruum (described before in Numb. 45.) as will swim four Fingers above it: cover the Vessel with an Antenotorium, putrifie in Balneo two Days, and two Days more in Ashes with a heat like that of the Sun, decant the dissolution, and dry the remainder: being dryed, pour upon them of the incalcinated Menstruum again as before, putrifying in a close Vessel in Balneo, then upon Ashes, and emptying the several dissolutions (of Gold and Silver) into their several Vessels as before: If any thing re∣mains undissolved, dry and dissolve as before, till all the remain∣der be fully dissolved, then putrifie both dissolutions twenty Na∣tural Days, being putrifyed, take the dissolutions, and put them severally into their Urinals with their Receivers, and having luted the Joynts well, distil the Waters of both (Metals) in Bal∣neo; in the bottom of the Vessels will remain the Bodies like melted Honey or Oyl, pour upon those (Oyls) again of their own Waters (The Menstruum now drawn from the Oyls) distilled only by Balneo, so as to swim three Fingers above the Matter, cover both Vessels with their Antenotoriums, and putrifie for a Natural Day: then take away the Antenotoriums, and put on Alembicks, lute well, and distil upon Ashes, lastly increase the Fire, that the Soul or Element of Air may pass over into both their distilled Waters, and last of all increase the Fire to the high∣est degree, that the Element of Fire may pass into the Air: But to the Composition of Luna this Redness or Fire is not ne∣cessary: Distillation being compleated, let the Vessels cool, take the Receivers from them, and keep them very well stopp'd, that they may not respire, and put distinct Schedules or Inscripti∣ons upon them, that when you have occasion, you may not take
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one for the other: Then again to the Earths (of Gold and Sil∣ver, left in distillation) pour their Waters distilled by Balneo as before, and having put an Antenotorium to it, putrifie as before, then distil by Ashes, each Vessel having its own Receiver, where∣in you kept the Souls of those Bodies, and thus repeat the Magi∣stery till the Earths are exanimated and destitute of radical moisture: Then take those Earths, grind well, and joyn them together, then put them in a Glass Egg, and keep them in hot Ashes, till I tell you what to do with them: Then take the ani∣mated Spirit of Luna, and rectifie it seven times in Ashes, then take the animated Spirit of Sol, and after the same manner recti∣fie it seven times in Ashes; the limosities (remaining Earth) which the Spirit of Sol will in every rectification eject, keep ve∣ry close, being the Element of Fire (in the form of an Earth.) Having rectifyed, take the animated Spirit of Sol, and the ani∣mated Spirit of Luna, and joyn them together, then Circulate in a large Vessel, as that wherein we Circulated the simple Men∣struum: continue this Circulation sixty Days, in which time you will have a true Mineral Menstruum (not acid, but made of Minerals, as Mercury, Gold, and Silver,) by which you may ope∣rate innumerable Experiments.

Hereto ought to be referred the Menstruum which is called by Basilius.

55. The sweet Spirit of Mercury of Basilius. Cap. 3. Libri de rebus nat. & supernat.
TAke of Natural Cinabar, or Oar of Mercury, and of the best Oar of Gold equal parts, to which being pulveriz∣ed and mixed, pour the Oyl of Mercury made of Mercury subli∣med, and putrifyed (that is, Oyl of Mercury sublimed alone, no other Ingredients being added, except the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or some Vegetable Menstruum, without which it cannot be made) digest them for a Month, and you will have a Celestial rather than Terrestrial extraction, draw off the extraction in Balneo, and the Phlegm being taken away, in the bottom will remain a ponderous Oyl, dissolving all Metals in a moment; to which add of the Spirit of Wine (Philosophical, or Fiery Spirit
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of Wine of Basilius) three parts, Circulate in a Pellican to a Blood redness, and incomparable sweetness; being Circulated, pour it upon Tartar calcined to whiteness, and distil the Spirit of Mercury with a strong Fire, the Spirit of Wine remaining with the Tartar.

We must distinguish between this Spirit, and another of the same Name, lest one be taken for the other: For Basilius prepared also a Spirit of Mercury from the white Spirit of Vitriol, of which you may read in several places, in the Book de particularibus, especially in the particular of Luna; a Description of which Spirit is lower among the Mineral Menstruums, because it is acid: But the other, namely, this our Spirit of Mercury, is most sweet and fragrant, which you have also in the particular of Luna, as also in the seventh Chapter of the Book de rebus nat. & supernat. where he dissolves the Crocus of Luna in the white Spirit of Vitriol, as also in the most fragrant Spi∣rit of Mercury.

Parisinus for Alchymical Tinctures made a Mercurial compounded Menstruum, of his Circulatum majus, and the first or middle sub∣stance of common Argent vive, thus:

56. The incalcinated Menstruum of Parisinus. Cap. G. Apertoris.
TAke of the Circulatum majus (described before in Numb. 50.) one Pound, of Mercury prepared, as we shall teach in the tenth Chapter, two Ounces, mix, and observe that true putre∣faction be made with this Menstruum: But when first it is incal∣cinated, that is, mix'd with such Mercury, it is no more used for Men's Bodies, but only as Medicines for Metals, now the said tenth Chapter is this, as followeth:

Of reducing common Mercury into the first Matter or Middle Substance.
Now my Son! we will give you full instruction and demon∣stration of decocting and reducing common Argent vive into its first Matter, or middle substance, and as in the foregoing Chapters we declared the way of reincrudating the two Lumi∣naries,
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so now we will demonstrate the ways and means of de∣cocting the said Mercury. First, we will teach the way of di∣stinguishing good Mercury from bad, sophisticated and corrupt∣ed, which way is, to take common Mercury, brought out of Spain in Skins sealed, or if you cannot have this, take any other, and put a little of it in a Silver Spoon heated so, as to make the Mercury evaporate, and if the remainder of it be of a white or citrine Colour, 'tis good; but if of another Colour, bad, and not at all sit for our Work, because sophisticated: Then take of Roman Vitriol two Pounds, melt it in a glazed Vessel, being melted, add one pound of Mercury, and as much of common Salt prepared, stir and shake till they be all mix'd, evaporating the moisture with such a heat as that of the Sun; then take out the Matter, grind, and put it in a Sublimatory, and sublime the Mercury by the usual degrees of Fire: The Vessels being cold, take out the sublimation, to which being put into a Retort, pour of the Vegetable Water without Phlegm (Philosophical A∣qua Vitoe rectify'd) about three or four Fingers, let it boyl in Bal∣neo two Hours, then distil in Ashes, that the Vegetable Water may ascend; then cover the Retort with Ashes, and increasing the Fire, the Mercury vive will ascend into the Aqua ardens, de∣cant the Water from the Mercury, which again sublime with new Matters, and that six times, always casting away the Fae∣ces: But take notice that these seven sublimations must always be transacted in Aludels, because you will no other way sepa∣rate the adustible powder ascending in the Aludels: And to in∣struct you, that you may not err, I will more distinctly repeat the method of the said seven Sublimations: The way is this, to take a Glass Vessel like one of the narrower sort of Cucurbits, with its blind Head, perforated in the upper part of it, into this put two parts of Vitriol very well pulverized, of Mercury one part, and of Salt prepared one part, mixing all well, the Matter being now gently dryed, put on a blind Head, or rather an Aludel, yet observing not to cover the Cucurbit with Ashes above one third, the moisture being evaporated by an easie heat, stop the Hole of the Aludel with a little Cotton, and increasing, sublime, all being cold, take out that which is sublimed, as well out of the Aludel, as the Cucurbit, in which (if not yet cold) dis∣solve the Faeces with hot Water, and so you will easily cleanse
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the said Vessel for its use. Now mix new Matters with your sublimation, and sublime as before, and this repeat seven times; then grind the sublimation into a most fine Powder, put it in the aforesaid Cucurbit with its blind Head, or Aludel, and also with its common Alembick, because of the operation differing from the former; the sublimation being put into a Cucurbit, pour to it of the simple Animal or Vegetable Menstruum (the Animal Menstruum described in Numb. 37. or Vegetable in Numb. 29. but here above he order'd him to take Vegetable Water recti∣fy'd, that is, Aqua ardens) so much, as to be three Fingers above it, cover it with a blind Head, and digest in Ashes twelve Hours, then taking off the blind Head, put on a common Alembick, and draw off the Menstruum in Balneo, lay aside the Alembick again, and put on an Aludel, set the Vessel in Ashes so deep, as to cover the Matter in the Glass, give Fire by degrees, till all the moisture is exhaled, the Hole in the upper part of the Alu∣del stop with Cotton, increase the Fire, that the Mercury may be sublimed: Sublimation being ended, and the Vessels cold, take away the Aludel, and what you find sublimed in it, is not for our purpose; for it is that adust part, which is no Ingredient to our Magistery: Then gather the sublimation from the sides of the Cucurbit, which will be clear as Cristal, and have a care that it be not mix'd with its Faeces, grind, sift, and put it into the same Vessel, being cleansed from the Faeces, and pour the Menstruum drawn off in Balneo to it, cover the Vessel with an Aludel, digest twelve Hours as before, lay aside the Aludel, put on a common Alembick, distil in Balneo, lay aside this Alem∣bick, put on an Aludel, and sublime in Ashes, the Faeces, as also the adustive part being cast out of the Aludel, gather the mid∣dle substance out of the Cucurbit dexterously; with this method you must sublime seven times, or till it leaves no Faeces in the Cucurbit: Having obtained this sign, take the said substance, grind, and put it in a Glass Vessel, pour to it the simple either Animal or Vegetable Menstruum, the height of three Fingers, cover the Vessel with a blind Head, digest gently two Days in Ashes, then decant the dissolution into another Vessel, and that which remains in the Vessel, dry with a temperate heat, like that of the Sun, to which pour new Menstruum, covering the Vessel with a blind Head as before, and repeat the same method,
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till all the dissolvible part is dissolved, and in the bottom of the Glass will remain an indissolvible Earth, to be cast away, as no∣thing worth: Now take away dissolution, that is, your decan∣tations, and distil in Balneo, and the Menstruum being distilled, put on an Aludel, and in Ashes sublime the Cristalline substance, which may truly be called the first Matter of Mercury; this is that middle substance, with which we incalcinate our Menstru∣um, (Circulatum majus, described in Numb. 50.) and make infi∣nite particulars, as we have taught you before: This also is called the Mineral Stone. Now, my Son! will you be able to proceed by infinite ways, yet following these which I have shew∣ed you; and remember, that Mercury thus reduced, is that, which our Captain Raymond speaks of, making mention of the Mineral Stone, as also in the last Chapter of his Book, nam'd Vade mecum, and in many other places of his Volumes. This is that Mercury which Arnold de Villa nova; treats of in his Rosarium, and we declare to you, except Mercury be reduced into the first Matter with the said Vegetable or Animal Water, it is altoge∣ther impossible to do any good with it, by reason of its great Corruption, occasioned by the crudity of it.

From the Receipts of this Kind we observe:
1. That Menstruums may and ought to be made according to the designed uses, for they are desired not only to dissolve Bodies pro∣miscuously, but rightly also, that the tinctures of things dissolved may not by any Heterogeneous tinctures of the Menstruums be inquina∣ted, but rather illustrated.

2. That these Menstruums being once compounded, the oftner the Composition is repeated by adding new Matter, are endowed with so much a greater Virtue; whereas on the contrary it is manifest, that common Menstruums are this way debilitated.

3. That these Menstruums are most fragrant, and of exceeding sweetness and redness, yet nevertheless called Acetum acerrimum, which dissolves Gold into a Spirit.

4. That these Menstruums are the Essences or Magisteries of Me∣tals made by Magisteries or Essences, and mix'd together into com∣pounded Circulatums.

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5. That these compounded Circulatums may be made not only of Gold and Silver, but also of imperfect Metals and Minerals.

6. That Sal Armoniack may be made of Corals, and other arids, as well as Pearls.

7. That Parisinus his first Matter of Mercury is an Essence ra∣ther than a Magistery, it is indeed sooner prepared than the Mercu∣rial Sal Armoniack of Lully, but is not of the same, but less Vir∣tue.

8. That Parisinus defends Arnold de villa nova in his way of subliming Mercury, (described in the Rosarium) against his Consort Bernhard.

9. That this first Matter of Mercury is a Poyson; wherefore Pari∣sinus the Author gives caution that it is not to he used for humane Medicines, but Metals only, yet if this incalcinated Menstruum be Circulated as the rest, it becomes harmless, and an excel∣lent Medicine.

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The Eleventh KIND. Vegetable compounded Menstruums gra∣duated, made of the compounded Vegetable Menstruums, impregnated with the in∣fluences of Heaven and Earth.
57. The Etherial and Terrestrial Waters of Me∣tals of Lully for the making of Pretious Stones. Canon. 43. distinct. 1. Lib. Quint. Essen.
TAke the Water of Mercury, made by the way, which we declared in our (Novissimum) Testamentum, and in Libro Mercuriorum (the Mercurial Menstruum, or Glo∣rious Water of common Argent vive, described before in Numb. 44.) and in that Water, Son! you must dissolve one half Ounce of the purest Luna, after the filtred dissolution, separate the Water from the Faeces (distil the Menstruum from the Silver through an Alembick) in which the limosity of the Silver will ascend: This Water, Son! resolves all other Bodies, and Argent vive it self, by Virtue of which, Son! Pearls are reformed by the way which I told you in our Testamentum, and in the Compendium su∣per Testamentum & Codicillum missum Regi Roberto.

The second Water is thus made: Take half an Ounce of Lead, and of the aforesaid Water as much as sufficeth, when you see the Lead dissolved, separate the Water by filtred distillation (filtre the dissolution of the Lead) and throw out the Faeces, as
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nothing worth, then distil the Water by Balneo (draw off the Men∣struum in Balneo) and keep the Faeces (the dissolved Lead) for occasion.

The third Water is thus made: Take of Copper one Ounce, and dissolve it in as much of the first Water as you please, and let it rest in its Vessel, in a cold place, for a Natural Day, then separate the Green Water through a Filtre, and pour out the first Faeces, (that which remains in the Filtre must be cast away) then distil the Water through an Alembick, and keep the second Faeces.

The fourth Water is thus made: Take one Ounce of the pu∣rest Tin of Cornwall, which is purer than any other, and dissolve it in a quantity of the first Water, and distil (through a Filtre) that Water (dissolution) with its limosity, and the Faeces which remain cast away, then distil the Water through an Alembick, and keep (the residue, or Tin dissolved) the second Faeces.

The fifth Water is thus made: Take of the purest Iron one Ounce, and dissolve it in a sufficient quantity of the first Water, then distil through a Filtre, and cast away the Faeces, distil the Water through an Alembick, and keep the second Faeces.

The sixth Water is thus made: Take of the purest Gold one Ounce, and dissolve it as I told you in my Testamentum, that is, with pure Lunaria (the simple Vegetable Menstruum without Ar∣gent vive and Silver) mix'd with such a weight of the fifth Water (now prepared from Iron) and do, as you did with the other.

You may also, Son! dissolve all those Metals in this order: Having made the first Water, in it dissolve the Metal, which we commanded you to dissolve after the second way (to wit Lead) then do with it as we told you before. In this second Water dissolve the third Metal, (Copper) and in the Water of the third Metal dissolve the fourth Metal, (Tin) and in the Wa∣ter of the fourth Metal dissolve the fifth Metal (Iron) and in the Water of the fifth Metal dissolve the sixth Metal (Gold.)

Take which of those Waters you like best to dissolve a Metal. Son! these limosities of Metals are called Quintessences, or Mineral Mercury, which the Philosophers esteemed in the Al∣chymical work (in Alchymical Tinctures) and the lapidifick, (in the making of Pretious Stones) and in the Medicinal Work (in the
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preparing of Medicines.) But Son! in the Alchymical Work those Quintessences ought to be more subtil, and to be done by divi∣ding the Elements as we (in the third Book of this Volume) shall declare, but in (making Pretious) Stones, the Quintessence (afore∣said) are not so, in such a subtil Matter, but in Medicine either of them (this two-fold way of preparing) may be used.

Having spoken of the Quintessences of Minerals (of Metallick Waters) how we are to make them, it is now convenient to speak of the division of them in general. And my Son! do thus; When your Metals are dissolved, you must divide every Water (being first filtred, and distilled from its remainder) and every di∣vided Water (now distilled) into two parts, and one part of every part you must put with its own Faeces (the remaining Metal, which the Water had left in distillation) into a Glass Alembick, and di∣stil a Limus deserti, which is Air made out of two Bodies, (or Me∣tals) in the Furnace, which we design'd you first with a gentle Fire, shining with great Mineral Lustre, and with great limosity appropriated to receive Celestial Virtues: And put every one of those Waters into a Glass Vessel, with a long Neck and round, and then stop the Mouth of it with common Wax, and after that with Mastick, and every of those Vessels put in the open Air so, as that neither Stone, nor any other hurtful thing may touch the Glass. Son! Take the material Faeces, from which you resolved the Limus, which are the second Faeces left in the distil∣lation of the Waters which you put in the Air. (Take the Caput mortuum from the distillation of every Limus desertus, or the third Foeces, for the first remaining in the Filtre were cast away, from the second the Limus desertus was distilled; now the Foeces of the Li∣mus desertus, are those which he here calls the second) and put them in a Glass Vessel with a long Neck, which may contain two hands breadth, and put in part of its own Water, which was reserved from that aforesaid limous substance, and stop the Ves∣sels with a Stopple of Wax, and with Leather and Mastick, as you did to the other, and Bury them (Waters of Metals) in a Garden, in an Earth half a Yard deep, and put also something about the Neck of the Vessels, which may appear above ground, for the preservation of them, and let them be there for one whole Year: Son! the Waters which are put into the Earth are of one Nature, and those which are put in the Air of ano∣ther;
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for Son! those which are put into the Earth have a hard∣ning, coagulating, and fixing Virtue and Quality; and those which are in the Air, have the Virtue and Property of being hardened, coagulated and fixed: The Year being ended, you will have all that is desired in the World for this Work, &c.

Annotations.
YOu will perhaps wonder, that we have assigned this so high a place to these Menstruums, they being inferior to many Menstruums of the antecedent Kinds, as to Ingredients, as well as to the method of preparation; but though it be so, nevertheless these Menstruums are by being exposed to the Air for a Year, or for so long a time committed to the Earth, made better and more excellent than the aforesaid Menstruums, as will appear hereafter by the use of them: We will at present explain the methods of making these Waters: The Waters of the first method he makes thus: He dissolves Lead, Copper, Tin, Iron, and Gold in the Glorious Water of Argent vive, acuated moreover with Luna, filtres every dissolution, casting away the Foeces, draws off the filtred dissolutions in Balneo to dry∣ness, divides the distilled Waters into two parts, in one of which he dissolves its own Metal left in the drawing off of the dissolution, which he then distills into a Liquor, which he calls Limus desertus, Quintessence, or Mineral Mercury, and hangs it in the air for a Year, to be his Etherial Water: The Caput mortuum of the Li∣mus desertus he dissolves in the other part of the Water reserved, and Buries it in the Earth for his Terrestrial Water. In Com∣pendio Animae transm. pag. 208. Volum. 4. Theat. Chym. He adds also the Waters of common Mercury and Silver to the rest; the Mercury Water is thus made; Take of common Mercury one Ounce, and dissolve it in the dissolving Water (aforesaid) in the digestion of I. (Ashes) distil through a Filtre, regard not the Faeces, but keep the second (left in the bottom) after distilling through an Alembick.

The Water of Luna is thus made: Take one Ounce of the purest Silver, dissolve it in what quantity of the dissolving Wa∣ter you please, distil through a Filtre, and cast away the first Faeces, then distil through an Alembick in the digestion of H. (Balneo) and keep the second Faeces, you must keep the second
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Faeces of all the Waters in their own Vessels, every one by it self. Moreover (in Compendio Animoe) he divides not the distil∣led Waters into equal parts, as in Libro Essentioe, but draws off the dissolutions of Metals by distilling one half for the Terrestrial Water, and distils the other half for the Etherial Water. You must indeed, saith he, be cautious in resolving the Limus, be∣cause you are to make two Waters or parts of every Limus, di∣stilling one half of the Limus, which you must keep apart, be∣cause the Terrestrial Water is made of that first part, and you must likewise distil the other (half) part, which the Aerial Water is made of, which is hung in the Air as aforesaid, for a Year, Pag. 209. Volum. 4. Theat. Chym.

The Waters made by the latter method are more compounded than those of the first, the first were prepared promiscuously with the Lunar Menstruum, the second not so; for the Water of Lead is made by the Lunar Menstruum, of which Water of Lead is made the Water of Copper; of this Water of Copper is made the Water of Tin; from the Water of Tin he prepares the Water of Iron, but the Water of Gold is made with the Lunar Menstruum, to which is added half of the Water of Iron. O wonderful mixture! I will not say, confusion of Metals! yet doubtless the most acute Philosopher had reasons for it. This method is also in Lapidario, Cap. 9. & sequentibus.

From the Receipts we observe:
1. That the Etherial Waters are the Essences of Metals, exposed to the influences of the Heavens for a Year.

2. That the Terrestrial Waters are the Bodies of Essences, dissol∣ved in their own Menstruums, and Buried for a Year.

3. That the Essences of not only Metals, but the whole Mineral Kingdoms do by such a method yield Etherial and Terrestrial Wa∣ters.

4. That these Waters acquire their principal Virtues by being im∣pregnated with the Stars of Heaven.

The Adepts held divers Opinions concerning the Influences of the Heavens. Some would have the Situations, Aspects, and determinate Times of the Planets to be highly necessary to this Work, but others thought the contrary: Amongst the Affirmers let us hear Thomas Norton, an English Adept, who thus in the Sixth Chapter of his Ordinal. Pag. 99. of Theat. Chym. Britannicum.

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THe Fifth Concord is known well of Clerks,
Between the Sphere of Heaven, and our subtil Werks;
Nothing in Earth hath more simplicity,
Than th' Elements of our Stone will be:
Wherefore they being in Work of Generation,
Have most Obedience to Constellation.
Whereof Concord most kindly and convenient,
Is a direct and fiery Ascendent;
Being Sign common for this Operation,
For multitude of their Iteration:
Fortune your Ascendent with his Lord also,
Keeping th' Aspect of Shrews them fro;
And if they must let, or needly infect,
Cause them to look with a Trine Aspect.
For the white Work may Fortunate the Moon,
For the Lord of the fourth House likewise be it done;
For that is Thesaurum absconditum of Old Clerks,
So of the Sixth House for Servants of the Werks:
Save all them well from great Impediments,
As it is in Picture, or like the same Intents.
Unless then your Nativity pretend Infection,
In contrariety to this Election,
The Virtue of the mover of the Orb is formal,
The Virtue of the Eighth Sphere is here Instrumental:
With her Signs and Figures, and parts aspectual,
The Planets Virtue is proper and special.
The Virtue of the Elements is here material,
The Virtue infused resulteth of them all:
The first is like to a Work-man's Mind,
The second like his Hand ye shall find;
The third is like a good Instrument,
The remnant like a thing wrought to your Intent:
Make all the Premises with other well accord,
Then shall your Merits make you a great Lord.
Amongst the Denyers is Lully himself: Who thus; we say not, that it is the business of an Artist to operate with the Figures and Ima∣ges of Heaven, by the knowledge of their motions, as many
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Philosophers affirm: But it is enough for you to know the in∣fluence of the Celestial heat, informed by the Figure of the Heaven and Stars, by reason of which, Virtues are infused into Matter being aptly appropriated, which receives them by the Natural Industry of an Artist with resolution, which is done by Art imitating Nature, &c. And in this Point the Philosophers have been mistaken, in reprehending those Men that knew, that the Celestial Virtue is too common to every elemented Nature; for by its great Nobleness it takes determination at any time, because in things mixed it is influenced as well by Art as by Nature, and this is done by reason of the Natural Virtues, which are the subject and proper detainer of it in such a man∣ner, as that it receives such a Virtue, according to the proper∣ties of the Matter, and its Kind, which afterwards effects such things by Nature, as are reputed for a Miracle. In like manner let every Artist take Notice, that Nature cannot operate but by the succession of the least particles, nor also can it receive any Virtues but by the succession of its operation, nor can they also do all at once, nor can the Constellations suffer the Station of any time punctually in a certain Virtue, which may not be imme∣diately varied: And it being also granted, that it might, the time of Constellation is so small by reason of the Circles of revo∣lution, as that it may sooner pass from one Virtue to another, &c. Lib. Essen. dist. 1. Pag. 18.

An ingenious Artist, saith Paracelsus, will by diligent animad∣version be able to prepare Metals, so that being guided by true reason, he may promote the perfection of transmuting Metals, by his own work or conduct better, than by Courses of the twelve Celestial Signs, and seven Planets, which therefore to ob∣serve, will be superfluous, as also the Aspects, the ill or good times, day or hour, the prosperous or unhappy State of this or another Planet, which cannot help, much less hurt in the Art of Natural Alchymy; if otherwise, you have a true possible process, operate when you please; but if there be any defect in you, or your Operations, and Understanding, the Planets and Celestial Constellations will fail you. Coelum. Phil. Pag. 125.

If they alledge saith Geber, that the perfecting of Metals is from a certain situation of one or more Starrs which we know not, we answer, that we regard not this situation and motion, nor
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also is it necessarily requisite for us to know it: because there is not any species of things generable and corruptible, but Genera∣tion and Corruption may be dayly and in every instant made from the individuals of it: And it is therefore manifest, that such a position of the Stars is every Day good, and able to per∣fect, and simply to corrupt all the species whatsoever of Indivi∣duals. It is not therefore necessarily expedient for an Artist to expect the place of the Stars, though it might be useful; because it is sufficient for him only to dispose and administer the way of Nature, that She, who is wise, may dispose the situations of those able Bodies agreeing: For Nature can perfect nothing without the motion and position of the Planets. Wherefore if you dis∣pose, and duly consider the Artifice of Nature, whatsoever may be the contingents of this Magistery, it will be perfected un∣der a due position by Nature agreeable to it, without the conside∣ration of it: For when we see a Worm produced from a putri∣fied Dog or other Animal, we do not presently consider the po∣sition of the Stars, but the disposition of the ambient Air, and other causes conducing to putrefaction, besides that position: And from such a consideration we know sufficiently, that Worms are produced according to Nature: For Nature finds convenient places for it self, though we may be ignorant of them. Summa perfect. Lib. 1. parte. 2. Cap. 11.

Petrus Bonus of Ferraria hath the same Opinion of Influences. As to the ninth reason, saith he, we say it is true, that Forms are introduced into things below, by the motion and light of Cele∣stial Bodies, and by their particular Positions and Aspects; but it is not necessary for us to know, nor can we know them, but in a confused manner, as in some things by the Sun, who is the cause of the four Seasons of the Year; Sowing, Reaping, and Planting, being done at certain Seasons; and in some Animals, as Horses, Asses, and Hawks, Conjunctions are made in order to Coition and Generation at some certain Periods of the Sun; but in some these things are done at any time indifferently, as in Man, Pigeons, Hens, &c. Wherefore if we would generate a Worm out of putrifying Flesh, we do not consider any position of the Stars, but only the disposition of the ambient Air, and other causes of putrefaction: Likewise, if we put Eggs in Dung, or such a like place for the production of Chickens, the Form will
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be given at any time in the place and time predestinated by the Celestial Powers, without our consideration herein: After the same manner in the Generation of Lime and Vitriol, and Gold, and Silver, or Sulphur, and Ceruse, and Minium, and Cinabar, likewise in the Composition of Theriacle, and other Confecti∣ons, because these things may be done at any time, and any hour; for the Celestial Virtue is very common to all things, and is circumscribed by the Virtues and Dispositions of those things, which are the subject of it in things Elemented and the Ele∣ments themselves, because, as aforesaid, the Celestial Vertues do operate in the whole Nature of things capable of Generation and Corruption continually according to the disposition of the Matter, either properly or commonly: Wherefore said Lilium, The Work is not caused by the motion of the Powers above, be∣cause it may be done at any time. And Rasis in 70. in Libro Re∣prehensionis: Time operates not any thing in this; and adds because should time operate in it, it would be of no esteem amongst the People. If therefore all contingents in this Magi∣stery concur rightly in their time, their Form will be introduced under a due Position and Aspect of the Stars, at the time prefix∣ed in the Matter, without any consideration herein: And there∣fore said Plato, According to the merit of the Matter, are the Celestial Virtues infused, &c. But as to those things, in which an accidental, new, and hidden Form is infused by the Celestial Powers, as is manifest in Arte Imaginum Coelestium, it is necessary for us to know and observe the determined Positions and Aspects of the Celestial Bodies, according to the time proposed: Because such a Form is imprinted by such alone, and at such a time and no other, as appears in the Books of Astrology concerning the Election of Hours, Images, and Wars, Buildings, Journey, &c. Wherefore Alchymy being no such Art, therefore is it not expe∣dient for a Man to know these things. Margar. pretiosa, Pag. 731: Vol. 5. Th. Chym.

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The Twelfth KIND. Compounded Vegetable Menstruums most highly exalted, made of compounded Vege∣table Menstruums graduated.
58. The Etherial and Celestial Limes of Lully, for the making of Alchymical Tinctures. In Testam. Novissimo.
TAke the Sulphur of Gold, (the Philosophers Mercury made of Gold, or Sal Armoniack of Sol) put it in a Glass Vessel, and pour to it as much as it weighs of the Celestial Ve∣getable Menstruum (the Coelum Vinosum of Lully described in Num. 30.) which you know already; put it in digestion of Balneo six Days, then distil by Balneo; then pour on new Menstruum ac∣cording to the weight of it, and digest in Balneo six Days, then set it in Ashes one Day, distilling all that can be distilled, and put it with the other distilled before: And again pour on new Menstruum, and digest and distil as before; and continue the re∣petition of this Royal Magistery, till all the said Earth or Sul∣phur is emptied of its Air, which is done in two and twenty times, if you know how to operate: Then take all the distilla∣tions and put them in Balneo, and distil the whole Menstruum, and see if all the Air remains in the Form of a Liquor, then will you know that the Earth is emptied of its Air, but if not, repeat with new Menstruum in Balneo, digesting and distilling in Ashes as before three times, and then will all our Sulphur be freed from its Air: Then take the Air which you kept, and upon it put its whole Menstruum, which is that with which you emptied
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the Air, and pour it upon the Earth of the Sulphur of Gold, and put it in digestion in Balneo eight Days, then distil all the Men∣struum in the said Balneo for one Day, and another in Ashes, draw off all the Air and Fire, as much as you can, namely, in another Receiver, which you will know, when the Air begins to change the reddish Colour. Keep that Fire apart, and again put the Air with the Menstruum drawn from it, or with other, and put it to the Earth in Balneo, and digest six Days, and in the said Balneo distil all the Menstruum for one Day, and the Fire in Ashes, separating then every one by it self as you did before, and keep the Fire in Balneo: And again put the Air with the Menstruum upon the Earth, in which is the Fire, and digest as be∣fore, and this Magistery repeat, till the Earth is well emptied of its Fire, which is done in forty times or repetitions. Then must you sublime the Earth after this manner; Take that Earth which remained after the separation of the Air and Fire, and put it in a Glass Vessel, and pour upon it of the Vegetable Menstru∣um, according to the quantity of the Earth, and set it in Balneo for a Natural Day, then another Day distil in Ashes; and again put of the said Menstruum according to the weight of the Earth, and digest in Balneo the space of one Day, and distil in Ashes another Day, and again repeat, digesting in Balneo, and distil∣ling in Ashes, till all the Earth is converted into an impalpable Powder: Then take that, and put of the Menstruum upon it ac∣cording to its weight, and digest in Balneo two Days, then distil in Ashes one Day, and put the distillation in Balneo: Then take the Earth, and put again of other Menstruum equal to its weight, digest two Days, and distil as before; proceed in repeating the inhumations and distillations till the Earth has passed through the Alembick together with the Menstruum: That Earth being thus mixed with the Menstruum, is called Argent vive exubera∣ted according to the intention of the Alcyhmists: put therefore those distillations wherein is that Earth, to be distilled by Balneo, and draw off the Menstruum, and the Earth will remain dry and prepared in the bottom of the Vessel, which keep: Thus Son! have you the Elements of the Sulphur of Gold divided with the help of God. Then must you have the Sulphur of Silver, (the Philosophers Mercury prepared from Silver, or the Sal Armoniack of Luna) and separate the Elements from it, separating the Air
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with the Menstrual Water, and the Fire with the Air and Wa∣ter, and the Earth subliming with the Menstruum, and cause it to pass through the Alembick with the same Menstruum. Thus have you, my Son! the Elements of the white Sulphur, and the Elements of the red Sulphur separated and divided: Now take the Menstruum or Water with which you separated the Ele∣ments of the Sulphurs of Gold and Silver, and for every Pound of the Menstruum in which you dissolved the Gold, dissolve one Ounce of Gold; and in the Menstruum wherein you dissolv'd the Silver, an Ounce of Silver; and put either of them by it self in a Vessel of Circulation in Balneo or Dung, the space of fifteen Days, and there it will be strengthened into its Menstrual Na∣ture: This Water, Son! we call Elemented Menstruum, or Water washed and drawn from the Faeces of the Earth. Now take the two Elements, namely, the Air and Fire of the Sulphur of Gold, put them together into a Glass distilling Vessel, and distil in Ashes with a most temperate heat, till you have three parts of five distilled in the Receiver, then let it cool, and that which is di∣stilled receive by it self, and distil it seven times, and keep it apart, then distil that which you left; when you have distilled three parts of five, continue distilling the two which remained, till you see the Fire congealed at the sides of the Vessel, let it cool till the Fire be congealed: And that Fire which you drew off till the Fire was congealed, (he means that which ascends as yet moist before the sublimation of the Matter from these two parts left) is called the second Air and Tincture, and we call it our Secret, and our Treasure, and the Vapour of the Elements: This, my Son! you must rectify by seven distillations or rectifications, and the Earth, which after the distillation of the first and second Air you drew out of the Vessels, in which you distilled the first and second Air, put in the Fire to be congealed, and that Earth is called Fire: Now Son! prepare this Fire after this manner. Put it in a distilling Vessel, and upon it pour its own Water, which is that wherewith you separated the Elements of the Sul∣phur of Gold, when we commanded to reduce it to a fifth Spirit in the Vessel of Hermes, and said, Take the Water wash'd from the Faeces of the Earth (otherwise the Elemented Menstruum of Sol) five parts of its weight, that is, five Ounces of the said Water (Elemented Menstruum of Gold) to one Ounce of the said
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Fire, and digest in Balneo eight Days, then distil in Ashes most gently, and again put new Water, namely, five parts, digest and distil as before, repeating this method seven times, and so you have the Fire and Earth (of the Sul∣phur of Gold) calcined by Philosophical calcination; and they are the two Elements of the red Sulphur prepared for the de∣sert Limes. And take notice, that you must put the Earth of the white Sulphur, which you calcined and prepared after the separation of the Elements of the red Sulphur with the Earth, which you drew from the Air mix'd with the Fire, and put both with the Fire congealed. Now Son! take the Earth of the Sul∣phur of Silver, which remained after the separation of the Ele∣ments, and prepare it, as you did in calcining and preparing the Earth of Gold, after the separation of the Elements sublimed together with the Menstruum, and reduced into an impalpable Powder, and carryed through the Alembick with the same Men∣struum. You may also prepare the Earth of the Sulphur of Sil∣ver with the Menstruum, that you used in separating the Ele∣ments of the Sulphur of Silver: Then have you the Earths of the Sulphur of Gold and Silver prepared by themselves, which you will know by the sign given you, that is, putting a little of it upon a red hot Plate of Luna, the greater part will fume away: Then take those Earths in equal weight and ounces, and put them in a preparing Vessel, then take the Menstruum, with which you prepared the Elements of Luna, and in one Pound of it, put one Ounce of the Vegetable Sulphur, which we shewed you how to make from the Earth of Wine (Vegeta∣ble Sal Armoniack made of the Earth of Philosophical Wine) and distilling, make the whole pass through the Alembick, and then will you have the Menstruum, with which you extracted the Ele∣ments of the Sulphur of Luna, animated and acuated: Then Son! you must mix and prepare the Earths of the aforesaid Sulphurs (that is of Gold and Silver) together, allowing of the said Men∣struum, now animated and acuated, a fourth part of their weight, digesting and drying, as is done in the making of the Sulphur (of Nature, or Sal Armoniack) till they have drank up four parts of the said Menstruum, and are disposed to sublimation, which you must sublime with a Fire of the fourth degree: And ob∣serve that all those preparations and distillations of the Earths
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are to be done in Balneo: And thus, Son! have you our Sul∣phur or Matter, or Vegetable and Metallick Earth in one Kind united, for the making of the Glorious, High, and Virtuous Stone, which will transform common Argent vive into perfect Sol or Luna, without the help of Fire, but as the Eye of a Basilisk, which kills Animals by sight alone: But it is your interest Son! to use great diligence, and exquisite Ingenuity in making the Roots of this high and lofty Tree, which Roots we call desert Limes, in which the whole Virtue of Heaven and Earth relating to this Magistery will be infused: And the way is this,

Take of the Vegetable (and Mineral) Earth or Sulphur, which you united in one Kind, by sublimation, which is that which you call'd the Earth of Sulphur in one Kind united, put it in a Glass Vessel, and pour so much as it weighs of the Menstruum, with which you separated the Elements of the Sulphur of Luna, and prepared the said kind of Earth, and put it in a Philosophical Bal∣neo three Natural Days, and in that time it will be all dissolved, which being thus dissolved, put in a common Balneo, and distil the Menstruum, and the Earth united to its kind will by sublima∣tion remain as an Oyl, which we call the Philosophers Oynt∣ment; and it is one of the Secrets, which we take care to have concealed: Then,

Take of that Oyl or Oyntment aforesaid ten Drachms, and of the rectify'd Air of the Sulphur of Luna one Drachm (not one Ounce: And of the Air of the Sulphur of Sol one Drachm) and di∣stil in a Fire of Ashes, and that which is distilled, which is almost all, is called the Terrestrial desert Limes, keep it. Take of the Element of the (Fire) Sulphur of Gold already prepared and congealed ten Drachms (not twenty) and of the Element of the Air (Sulphur) of Luna one Drachm, and of the Element of the Air of the Sulphur of Gold another Drachm, and put all in Ashes, and distil; that which is distilled from it, which is almost all, is called the Etherial desert Limes; keep it for occasion.

Take of the Element of the Fire of the Sulphur of Gold one Drachm or two, and rectifie it again thus, pouring upon it fiVe parts of its own Menstruum, which is that, with which you sepa∣rated the Elements of the same Sulphur of Gold, and put it to digest in Balneo for one Natural Day, then distil in Ashes what you can: And again pour the said Menstruum upon it, digest and
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distil by Ashes, and repeat, till it be all pass'd over by a Fire of Ashes. Then take its weight of the said Vegetable Earth, united and sublimed together (prepared above) and you must unite them together (with the distilled Element of Fire) and not distil, but so lay it aside, and it is called the Terrestrial desert Limes, (of Gold) not vaporized.

Take of the said Earth (in one kind united) one Drachm, and of the Oyl of the Air (of the Sulphur) of Luna one Drachm, mix them together, and you will make the same Magistery, as you did with the precedent Gold, and it is called the Terrestrial de∣sert Limes lunificated (not) vaporized.

We do now think good to shew the way of celificating and preparing those (Limes) in order to receive the Virtues of Heaven and Earth, and the way is this: Take Brass or Iron Cages, and let them be like those wherein Parrots whistle, but the twiggs must be closer, so that no Earth, neither Celestial nor Terrestrial can enter, but only the vapour of Heaven and Earth, which you will have by Influence.

Take the Limes (above mentioned, Terrestrial desert) made of ten drachms of the Earth or Sulphur united, which is that which you united with the Earth of the Sulphur of Silver, and reduced into an Oyl or Oyntment; and of one Drachm of the Air (of the Sulphur) of Luna, and one Drachm of the Air (of Sol) mix'd, and that Limes put in a Glass Vessel with a long Neck exactly Sealed with the Seal of Hermes, and put it in the Cage, and set it one Arm or two deep, and let it stand a Year and half, or at least a Year, covering it well with Earth, and keeping it from all dangers, and in that time will it be made a powerful Water, with wonderful fixative Virtues of the Stone, and it hath admirable Virtues acquired from Heaven, which it attracted from the Vapours of the Earth. Son! depend upon this.

Take the Limes (above declared, Etherial desert,) which you made of ten Drachms of the Fire of the Sulphur of Gold, and of one Drachm of the Air of the Sulphur of Luna (and one Drachm of the Air of the Sulphur of Sol) and put it in another Glass Vessel with a long Neck Hermetically Sealed, and put it in another Cage, and hang it in the Air on a Tree, or any private place, free from all Wind, Dust, and Danger; leave it a Year and half, or a whole Year at least, as we said of the other, and
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so will be made a clear Water endowed with the Virtue of hardning, fixing, congealing, penetrating, and making the Stone Volatile, and is called the Mercury of Air of most acute penetration.

Take the (Terrestrial desert) Limes of Gold not vaporized, nor celificated (neither distilled through an Alembick, nor circula∣ted) which is that, that you made (by meerly mixing) of one Drachm of the Element of the Fire of the Sulphur of Sol, and of one Drachm of the Earth (united in its Kind) and that (take also the Terrestrial desert Limes lunificated, not vaporized) which you made out of one Drachm of the Earth of Sulphur united, and one Drachm of the Air (of the Sulphur) of Luna, and put those Limes every one by it self in a Glass Vessel Sealed, as was said of the other, and put it in the Earth the depth of one Arm for a whole Year in a Cage, and in that time will be made a Water of wonderful Virtue in joyning Bodies, and content your self with this.

Take the Limes which you made out of ten Drachms of the Fire or Air, and one of the Earth; and take that which re∣mains of the Air (of the Sulphur) of Luna, because you took but three Drachms of it, when you made the Limes, and let it hang in the Air in a Glass Vessel Sealed, and in a Cage, as you did with the other, and there will it receive the Celestial Virtues, which are the means of Conjunction between the Limes of the Earth, and the Limes of the Fire, and other Limes also.

Take the second Air (the Menstruum Elemented, in which were dissolved the Air and Fire of the Sulphur of Gold, and gently drawn off, that is, three parts only from five of it) which is that, which you drew from the Fire congeled, which we call'd Philosophi∣cal Oyl, and Philosophical Treasure (not that, which is also called the Philosophers Oyntment, made of the Earth united in one Kind, but that which was call'd the Vapour of the Elements) and put it by it self in another Glass Vessel well Sealed, and put it in the Air near the other, which you put for a whole Year.

Take the Menstruum with which you separated the Elements of the Sulphur of Luna (and that Menstruum, wherewith you se∣parated the Elements of the Sulphur of Sol) and put in every Ves∣sel, wherein is Menstruum of Luna (and the Menstruum of Sol) one Drachm of Sulphur (or Vegetable Sal Harmoniack) and set
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it in Balneo, then in Ashes, till you have made it all go over with every Menstruum by it self: Then each Menstruum being thus recti∣fy'd or animated, put in a Glass Vessel Sealed by themselves in their Cages, and hang them in the Air near the other, for a Year.

Take the Oleagineity of Luna (the first, or first Air) which is that, which you drew from the Earth of Luna, when you pre∣pared it for the making of the Sulphur of Luna, which we commanded you to keep, and said it should be for the making (of the Sulphur of Nature) put it in a Glass Vessel Sealed in the Air, and there it will be made a Fluxible and Virtuous Water of wonderful penetration: And what we said of the white Oyl, we say also of the red incerative Oyl (of Sol.) And now Son! you have the Stone (Menstruum) divided into eight parts, three in the Earth, and five in the Air.

Annotations.
THe Ten foregoing Kinds of Vegetable as well Simple as com∣pounded Menstruums, the Adepts made by tempering the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine, with many sorts of dry Bodies, and by such means produced Menstruums adapted equally for every use, and permanent and inseparable, they being of the same Nature with the things that were dissolved. In the Kind immediately ante∣cedent we shew'd you, that all the aforesaid Menstruums, whether simple or compound, exalted with so great Labour to the highest degree by tempering them with dry things, may be raised yet higher, and augmented in their Virtues: For what Art cannot do, Nature can; what the Earth cannot do, Heaven can: For Menstruums perfected by Art, do, by being exposed to the Influences of the Hea∣vens, attain to very great and incredible Virtues by Nature: In the eleventh precedent Kind, we had Menstruums for Pretious Stones, made of the simple Elements of Metals: In this twelfth, he takes the Sulphur of Nature, Sal Harmoniack, or Mercury of the perfect Me∣tals Sol and Luna, instead of crude Gold and Silver, and by expo∣sing the Elements of them to the Heaven and Earth, separates them much more Nobly for the best of all Alchymical Tinctures.

From the Receipts we observe:
1. That Limes in their Compositions are indeed clear, but Cloud∣ed with a wearisome multilocution, and disguised by so great a va∣riety
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of operations, besides also in respect of time made most tedious on purpose to deter young, and unadvised Practitioners.

2. That these Limes differ from the former Etherial and Ter∣restrial Waters in fineness of preparation; these Elements are of the Sal Harmoniack or Philosophical Mercury of Sol and Luna; but those Elements of a crude Metal. For, said Lully, Limes for Al∣chymical Tinctures ought to be of a purer Nature, than those which are for Pretious Stones.

3. That these Limes are Essences graduated, exposed to the In∣fluences of the Heaven and Earth, and consequently are Medicines.

4. That the Sulphurs Naturae of imperfect Metals do also by the same method yield Limes, as strong in their kind, as the Sulphurs Naturae of Gold and Silver in their kind.

Hitherto have we treated of Vegetable Menstruums, now follow those which are called Mineral: But before we proceed further, we are to take notice that by Vegetable Menstruums are meant also Ani∣mal Menstruums: For all the Vegetable Menstruums already al∣leadged, are not called Vegetable in respect of Ingredients; for be∣sides Vegetables, Animals also, and minerals were made use of in their preparations; but by reason of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine produced chiefly from a Vegetable unctuosity; which Spirit, if you knew how to extract out of some Oyly Matter of the animal King∣dom, as the Adepts have more than often done: You might with this Animal Spirit transmute the aforesaid Vegetable Menstruums, in∣to Animal Menstruums, which nevertheless you cannot apply to Mineral Menstruums; for though there are also in this Kingdom thin Oyls, swimming upon watrish Liquors, as Oyl of Petre, Pit-Coals, &c. Yet these are extraordinary Oyls of this Kingdom, pro∣duced either by exorbitancy, or defect of Nature. And therefore such Oyls as these the Adepts referred to both the Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms, for they are of one and the same Nature; where∣as the Oyls of Minerals and Metals are more dry and masculine, then to produce our feminine Seed or Menstruum: Now to recite the parts of Animals, and the way of extracting this Spirit of Philosophical Wine from them, is not proper to this place, but belongs to a peculiar Book, namely, our fifth (treating more copiously of these things) to be published in due time, when God permits; wherefore not mention∣ing Animal Menstruums, we proceed to the Mineral or Acid Menstruums.

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OF Mineral MENSTRUUMS. The Thirteenth KIND. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Matter of Philosophical Wine only.
59. The Green Lyon of Ripley. Libro Accurt. Pag. 383.
TAke the Green Lyon without dissolution in Vinegar (as sometime the Custom is) put it in a large Earthen Re∣tort, which can endure the Fire, and distil it the same way as you distil Aqua fortis, putting a Receiver under it, and luting the Joynts well, that it may not respire; then distil first with a gentle Fire, till you see white fumes appear, then change the Receiver, stopping it well, and distil with a great Fire so, as Aqua fortis is distilled, thus continuing twenty four Hours, and if you continue the Fire the space of eight Days, you will see the Receiver always full of white fumes, and so you will have the Blood of the Green Lyon, which we call Secret Water, and Ace∣tum acerrimum, by which all Bodies are reduced to their first Matter, and the Body of Man preserved from all infirmities. This is our Fire, burning continually in one Form within the Glass Vessel, and not without: Our Dunghill, our Aqua Vitoe, our Balneo, our Vindemia, our Horse-Belly, which effects wonder∣ful things in the Works of Nature, and is the Examen of all Bo∣dies dissolved, and not dissolved; and is a sharp Water, carrying Fire in its Belly, as a Fiery Water, for otherwise it would not
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have the power of dissolving Bodies into their first Matter. Be∣hold! this is our Mercury, our Sol and Luna, which we use in our Work. Then will you find in the bottom of the Vessel Fae∣ces black as Coals, which you must for the space of eight Days calcine with a gentle Fire, &c.

Annotations.
HItherto we have mix'd or tempered the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine with things Oyly, Dry-oyly, Oyly-dry, and purely Dry, and reduced them to divers Kinds of Vege∣table Menstruums; in which we have exhibited Menstruums every way absolute and perfect, in Smell, Taste, and Colour incomparable, dissolving without hissing or effervescence, and permanent with things dissolved: Now follow in order, those which are called Mineral Men∣struums, which though they be of a stinking Smell, of an acid or cor∣rosive Taste, and for the most part of a milky and opake Colour; and dissolve Bodies with very great violence and corrosion, yet neverthe∣less having the same Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as the Vegetable Menstruums for their Foundation, are therefore as permanent as they, yea better than they as to the abbreviation of time; for the acidity of Mineral Salts (for which corrosive or acid Menstruums are cal∣led Minera) lcannot destroy the Nature of the Spirit of Wine, nor the Nature of the Vegetable Menstruum, but by corroding makes the particles of dry Bodies more apt to unite themselves with the Oyly Spirit of Philosophical Wine; but if that acidity be taken away, it becomes that which it was before, namely, either the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine, or a Vegetable Menstruum.

The method which we used in the Vegetable Menstruums, we will as near as we can observe also in these Mineral Menstruums: In the Vegetable we extracted from the Philosophical Wine an Aqua ar∣dens, from which we did by Circulation separate an Oyl or Essence of Wine, which is our Spirit of Wine, which then by acuating divers ways we reduced into the precedent Kinds of Vegetable Menstruums; but in the Mineral we will begin with Philosophical Grapes, the Matter it self of Philosophical Wine, which is elsewhere called Green Lyon, Adrop, &c. Though the Discourse of this Matter appertains not to this place, yet if any thing presents it self to us either in the
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Receipts themselves, or elsewhere, which may tend to a more clear manifestation of it, we will not conceal it; but on the contrary have de∣termined to illustrate and explain things so, as not only to make you more assured of the use and necessity of this Spirit promised to you, but moreover also, that you may have some certain notions beforehand of its Conception, Substance, Nativity, &c.

For the elucidation of this Receipt, we will propound some other Receipts of the same Matter, that being compared together, they may be made the plainer: In the first place we will propose a Menstruum made indeed not of the Green Lyon it self, but of the Green Lyon dissolved with an acid, and reduced into a certain Gum.

60. A Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop of Ripley. Libro accurtationum, Pag. 381.
TAke Adrop, that is, the Green Lyon, which we spoke of before, and dissolve it in distilled Vinegar for the space of seven Days, shaking well the Vessel which the Matter is in, three times dayly, then empty the dissolved Liquor, and distil through a Filtre three times from its Faeces, till it be clear as Cristal, and evaporate the Vinegar with a gentle Fire, till it be thick as Bird-Lime, which you cannot stir by reason of its Vis∣cosity, and being cold, take it out of the Vessel, and keep it; and again make more of it, and this do, till you have twelve Pounds of this Green Lyon or Adrop reduced to the Form of a Gum, then have you the Earth extracted from the Earth, and the Brother of the Earth. Then take a Pound of that Gum, and put it in a Glass Vessel of the bigness of a Bottle, well lu∣ring the Joynts of the Alembick with Glew made of the white of Eggs and Filings well mix'd together.

This Receipt in the Treatise of the Philosophical Adrop (which is in the sixth Volume of Theatrum Chymicum, and inscribed to an anonimous Disciple of the great Guido de monte, but differs not from the Books of Ripley, namely, the present de Accurtationibus, and the Clavisaureae portae, the greatest part of which is ascribed to the Famous Dunstun, Archbishop of Canterbury) is altogether the same as to the Sense, though these Words run better in the Translation
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thus: Now take three Pounds of the aforesaid Gum, put it into a Distillatory able to hold about two Measures, and putting on an Alembick, lute the Joynts with luting made of Ale, the white of an Egg, and Wheat-Flower, Pag. 552. Volum. 6. Theat. Chym. Which is confirmed with the Process or Receipt of the Cla∣vis aureae portae, were thus: Put three Pounds of this Milk (thick∣ned or Gumn'd) into a Glass Pag. 257. Clavis aureoe portoe: and di∣stil in a Sand Furnace, and let the Sand be the thickness of two Fingers under the Vessel, and so round about even to the middle of the Vessel, or till the Matter be covered: put a Receiver to it, making at first a gentle Fire, but not luting the Receiver, till the Phlegm be gone over, and this continue, till you see fumes appear in the Receiver white as Milk; then increasing the Fire change the Receiver, stopping it well, that it may not evaporate, and so continually angment the Fire, and you will have an Oyl most red as Blood, which is airy Gold, the Menstruum foetens, the Philosophers Sol, our Tincture Aqua ardens, the Blood of the Green Lyon, our unctious Humor, which is the last consolation of Man's Body in this Life, the Philosophers Mercury, Aqua soluti∣va, which dissolves Gold with the preservation of its Species, and it hath a great many other Names: And when first the white fumes appear, continue your Fire twelve Hours, in which space if the Fire be strong, will all the Oyl be distilled, which keep well stopp'd to prevent respiring.

This Menstruum differs from the precedent, for asmuch as in this, the Green Lyon is dissolved in Vinegar, but in that, it is all distilled alive, but they are both clearly enough described in themselves; yet the Matter of the Menstruum remaining more obscure, and less in∣telligible to the Reader, we have found out four Reasons in Ripley, why it is called Green Lyon.

First, saith he, by Green Lyon, the Philosophers means the Sun, which by its attractive Virtue makes things Green, and go∣verns the whole World. Tract. de. Adrop. Phil. Pag. 547. Vo∣lum. sexti Theat. Chym. and else where: The Green Lyon is that, by which all things became Green, and grow out of the Bowels of the Earth by its attractive Virtue, elevated out of the Winter Caverns, whose Son is most acceptable to us, and sufficient for all the Elixirs, which are to be made of it; for from it may be had the power of the white and red Sulphur not burning, which
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is the best thing, saith Avicenne, that Alchymists can take, there∣by to make Gold and Silver. But these Words may suffice a Wise Man to know and obtain the Green Lyon. Medulla Phil. Pag. 139.

Secondly, It is moreover also called Green, because that Mat∣ter is as yet sharp and unripe, that is, not yet fixed or perfected by Nature, as common Gold. The Philosophers Green Lyon therefore is green Gold, Gold vive, which is not as yet fixed, but left imperfect by Nature, and for this reason hath it the Virtue of reducing all Bodies into their first Matter, and ma∣king those Bodies which are fixed Spiritual and Volatile. Tract. de Adrop. Pag. 547.

Thirdly, It may also be called Lyon, because as all other Ani∣mals give place to a Lyon, so all Bodies yield to the power of Gold vive, which is our Mercury. Tract. Adrop. Pag. 548.

Fourthly, This Noble Infant is called Green Lyon, because when it is dissolved, it is cloathed with a Green Garment. Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools (Vitriol) is with a violent Fire ex∣tracted that which we call Aqua fortis, in which the said Lyon ought to be elixirated. Medulla Philos. Pag. 139.

These things spoken of the Green Lyon, are also to be understood of Adrop, being a Synonymous term of the same Matter: Take, saith Ripley, Adrop, that is, the Green Lyon. Now as to Adrop he declared as followeth: Adrop, saith he, is Gold and Silver in power but not in sight, as Rhasis saith, and our Gold and Silver, according to the Philosophers, is not common Gold and Silver, for our Gold and Silver are airy, which in order to be well fer∣mented, ought to be joyned with the beloved (common Gold,) Forasmuch as the Philosopher saith, That Adrop in its prosun∣dity is airy Gold, and Adrop it self is called Leprous Gold. And to these Sayings seems to assent Guido, the Greek Philosopher, speaking of the Mercurial or Menstrual Spirit (the Spirit or Blood of the Green Lyon) which is extracted out of the Natural Adrop by Art, where he writes: And that Spirit is Sol extracted out of the Philosophers Solary Water, Arsenick, and Luna: And in the same place presently adds; The Body is the ferment of the Spirit, and the Spirit the ferment of the Body, and the Earth, wherein lies the Fire, dries, imbibes, and fixeth the Water; and the Air, wherein lies the Water, (the Air which lies in the Water,
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it ought to be read according to the Doctrine of separating the Ele∣ments) washeth, tingeth, and perfecteth the Earth and Fire; and so Guido's Saying, that they tinge and perfect, ought to be un∣derstood, that the Stone (the Menstruum drawn from Adrop, or the Green Lyon) is sufficient for the compleating of it self into an Elixir, and that no Exotick or Heterogeneous Matter, as he affirms, is or ought to be introduced to it, but all the parts of it are co-essential and concrete, because the Philosophers meaning was to compleat that work in a short space above the Earth, which Nature scarce perfecteth in a thousand Years under the Earth: Unskilfully therefore according to the Opinion of the Philosophers, as Guido saith, do they proceed, that seek to obtain a ferment from common Silver and Gold for our select Body: For that Matter, in which is Argent vive clean and pure, not (most, is ill read) throughly brought to perfection by Nature, is, as Guido affirms, after compleat purification, a thousand times better than the Bodies of Sol and Luna vulgarly decocted by the Natural heat of the Sun. Concord. Lully & Guidon. Pag. 323. A certain Philosopher saith, He goes on Discoursing of the same A∣drop; A fume (white) is drawn from its own Mines, which if rightly gathered, and again sprinkled upon its own Mines, will there make a fixation, and so the true Elixir will in a short space of time be produced from it: And certainly without those Liquors or Spirits, that is, the Water and Oyl of Mercury (Men∣struum) this Alchymical Body which is Neutral or Adrop, is not purged: And that is the Alchymical Body, which is called Le∣prous Body, that is, black (at the beginning of the Work) in which, as saith Vincentius in his Speculum Naturale, are Gold and Silver in power, and not in aspect; which in the Bowels of it is also airy Gold, to which no Man can attain, except the unclean Bo∣dy be first cleansed, which is without doubt after its compleat dealbation, and then it is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Gold and Silver decocted by Natural heat: The first Matter of this Leprous Body is a viscous Water inspissa∣ted in the Bowels of the Earth: Of this Body, according to the Judgment of Vincentius, is made the great Elixir for the red and white, the Name whereof is Adrop, otherwise called the Philosophers black Lead, out which Raymund commands us to extract an Oyl of a Golden Colour, or such like: Raymund adds,
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But this Oyl is not necessary in the Vegetable Work (namely, for the inceration of the Vegetable Stone) because solutions and co∣agulations are there soon made; and if you can separate it from its Phlegm, and after that ingeniously find out the Secrets of it, you will in thirty Days be able to perfect the Philosophers Stone: For this Oyl makes Medecines (Tinctures) penetrable, sociable, and amicable to all Bodies, and in the World there is not a great∣er Secret. Medul. Phil. Chym. pag. 131.

Ripley hath here recited various Synonima's of this Adrop: We for a time will follow the Green Lyon by the way of Philosophical Lead, as we are directed by Ripley in these very Words: First, un∣derstand, when Avecenn saith, that Gold and Silver are in Lead by Power, and not by sight, and they are left by Nature crude and half cocted, and therefore that ought to be perfectly supplyed by Art, which is left imperfect by Nature, and by way of a fer∣ment digesting and cocting that which is left crude: For a fer∣ment therefore take perfect Gold, for a little (paululum, not paula∣tim) of their fixed substance (those fixed Bodies) will draw and convert much of Bodies not fixed to the perfection of Gold and Silver. And thus will Art help Nature, that in a little space of time that may be done above the Earth, which is not in a thou∣sand Years done under the Earth: And by this means you will understand, how Lead contains in it the greatest Secrets of this Art: For it hath in it Argent vive, clean, pure, odoriferous, not brought by Nature to perfection: And this Argent vive is the Basis and Ground-Work of our pretious Medicine, as well for Metallick as Humane Bodies, so as to be the Elixir of Life, cu∣ring all infirmities: Which the Philosopher meant, saying, There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek: From this are the Soul, Body, Spirit, and Tincture drawn: Moreover also in this Mercury is the Philosophers Fire, always burning equally with∣in the Vessel, and not without: It hath also a great attractive Virtue and Power in dissolving Sol and Luna, and reducing the same into their first Matter: With this Mercury are to be dis∣solved the Calxes of the perfect Bodies in congealing the afore∣said Mercurial Spirit, &c. Pupilla, Pag. 295. But have a care that you operate not with (common) Saturn, because commonly it is said, Eat not of the Son, whose Mother is corrupted, and believe, that many Men err in Saturn. Hear what Avicenn saith,
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Saturn will be always Saturn; yea operate not with the Earth of (Philosoph.) Saturn, which the Spirit of it has despised, and relinquished for the worst Sulphur: Operate only with the fume of it to congeal Mercury, yet not as Fools, but as the Philoso∣phers do, and you will have a very good Work. Phil. Cap. 2. Pag. 188. The whole composition we call our Lead; the qua∣lity of the splendor proceeds from Sol and Luna, and in short, these are our Menstruums wherewith we calcine perfect Bodies naturally, but no unclean Body is an Ingredient, one excepted, which is by the Philosophers commonly called Green Lyon, which is the means of joyning the Tinctures between Sol and Luna with perfection, as Geber himself attesteth, Libro. 42. por∣tar. Pag. 12. To manifest this thing to you, you must know, that it is one of those, which are of the seven Days (Planets) and the meanest of the same, out of whose Body is artificially ex∣tracted Blood, and a vaporous Humor, which is called the Blood of the Green Lyon, from which is produced a Water, called White of an Egg, and Aqua Vitoe, May-Dew, and by many other Names, which to avoid prolixity, we now omit. Phil. Cap. 3. Pag. 190.

The method of extracting the Blood of the Green Lyon out of cal∣cined Lead, or Philosophical Minium is this that followeth.

61. A Menstruum made of the red Lead of Ripley. In pupilla Alchym. pag. 303.
TAke of Lead calcined or rubifyed, or the best Minium, that is, Mineral Antimony, prepared, what quantity you please, yet with this consideration, that you must have so many quarts of distill'd Vinegar, as you have pounds of the aforesaid calcined Lead: To this Vinegar pour the aforesaid Lead in a large Earth∣en Vessel well glazed, then for the space of three Days stir the Matter strongly with a Wooden Spatula six or seven times a Day, cover it well from Dust, and let it not be put to the Fire by any means during all this time, after which separate all that is clear and cristalline by a Filtre into another Vessel, then put it into a Brass Skillet to a gentle Fire, that all the Phlegmatick
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Water may evaporate, till a very thick Oyl is left in the bottom of the Vessel, which suffer to cool; which being done, the Matter will become like Gum, so as to be cut with a Knife, hereof put four Pounds into a Glass Cucurbit with an Alembick, the Joynt being well luted with a Paste made of the Scales of Iron, Flower, and the whites of Eggs well beaten together: put the Vessel in a Furnace of Sand, and not in Ashes, and let the Vessel be buried in the Sand even to the middle of it, and let the Sand be two Fingers thick under the bottom of the Vessel; then put a Receiver to it, but not luted, till you have drawn out all the Phlegmatick Water with a most gentle Fire, which Wa∣ter throw away: When you see a white fume appear, then lute the Receiver, which must be two foot long; which being drawn out, strengthen the Fire as much as you can, and continue it till you have distilled all that can be extracted in twelve Hours, and so will you have the Blood of the Red Lyon, most red as Blood, which is our Mercury, and our Tincture now prepared, to be poured upon its ferment, that is, upon the Calxes of most pure Gold, &c. But if you would use it for the white Work, you must distil your Mercury three times with a slow Fire, always reserving the Faeces apart in every distillation, and then will you have your Mercury most white as Milk: And this is our Vir∣gins Milk, whitened Menstruum, and our Argent vive Philosophi∣cally exuberated; with which by Circulation make an Oyl out of the Calxes of Luna, and proceed in all things, as you did with the red Mercury upon the Calxes of Gold, and you will have a white Elixir, which will convert any Metal into perfect Luna: But the Golden Oyl ought to be perfected and tempered, and well united with artifical Balsom, by the way of Circulation, till out of them is made a most clear and resplendent Golden Liquor, which is the true Aurum potabile, and Elixir of Life more pretious for Mens Bodies, then any other Medicine of the World.

The like Menstruum Ripley hath in his Medulla Philosophiae Chymicae.

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62. The Simple stinking Menstruum of Ripley. Medulla Phil. Chym. pag. 170.
TAke the sharpest Juice of Grapes, and being distilled, dissolve into a clear Cristalline Water, the Body being well Calcined to a Redness, which is by the Philosophers called Sericon; of which make a Gum, which is like Allum in taste, and is by Raymund called Azoquean Vitriol. Out of this Gum with a slow Fire is drawn first a weak Water, which hath its taste no sharpness, no more than Spring-water: And when a white Fume begins to appear, then change the Receiver, and Lute strongly, that it may no way expire; and so you will have your Aqua ardens, Aqua vitoe, and a resolvitive Menstruum, which before was resolvible: This is the Potential Vapour, a∣ble to dissolve, putrifie, and also purifie Bodies, divide the Ele∣ments,, and by its attractive Virtue exalt its own Earth into a wonderful Salt: And they that think there is any other Water, besides this which we speak of, are mistaken in this Work: this Water hath a most sharp taste, and partly also a stinking smell, and therefore is called stinking Menstruum; and it being a very Airy Water, it therefore ought to be put upon its Calxes in less then an Hour after it is distilled or rectified; but when it is poured upon the aforesaid Calxes, it begins to boyl up, and then if the Vessel be well stopp'd it will not leave working, though no Fire be administred to it from without, till it be dryed up in the Calx; wherefore you must apply no greater quantity of it than scarce to cover the Calxes, then proceed to the full compleating of it, as in the work of the compounded Water. And when the Elixir is reduced to a purple Colour, let it be dissolved in the same Menstruum, being first rectified in∣to a thin Oyl, upon which fix the Spirit of our Water by Cir∣culation, and then hath it the Power of converting all Bodies into most pure Gold, and to heal all Infirmities of man's Body, more than all the Potions of Hippocrates and Galen, for this is the true Aurum Potabile, and no other, which is made of Artificial Gold Elemented, turned about by the Wheel of Philosophy, &c▪

The same Menstruum is had in the Vade Mecum of Ripley.

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63. The Menstruum of Sericon of Ripley. In Vade Mecum, commonly called the Bosom-Book.
TAke of Sericon or Antimony thirty Pounds, out of which you will have twenty Pounds or thereabout of Gum, if the Vinegar be good; dissolve each pound of that Sericon in two measures (a Gallon) of Vinegar twice distilled, and having stood a little while in digestion, stir the matter often every day, the oftner the better, with a clean stick, filtre the Liquor three times, throw away the Faeces, to be taken away as superfluous, being no Ingredient to the Magistery, for it is the damned Earth: Then evaporate the filtred Liquors in Balneo Marioe with a temperate heat, and our Sericon will be coagulated into a Green Gum, call'd our Green Lyon, dry that Gum well, yet with care, lest you burn the Flowers, or destroy the Greens of it: Then take the said Gum, put it in a strong Glass Retort well luted, and with a moderate Fire distil a weak Water to be cast away: But when first you perceive a white fume ascending, put to it a Glass Receiver large, and of sufficient capacity, whose Mouth is exactly joyned to the Neck of the Retort, which must be very well luted, lest any of the fume be lost or evaporate out of the Receiver: Then increase the Fire by degrees, till a red fume as∣cends, and continue a stronger Fire, till bloody drops come, or no more fume appears: Then abate the Fire by degrees, and all being cold, take away the Receiver, and forthwith stop it, that the Spirits may not exhale, because this Liquor is called our blessed Liquor, to be kept in a Glass Vessel very close stop∣ped: Then examine the Neck of the Retort, where you will find a white and hard Ice, in the form of a congealed Vapour, or Mercury sublimate, which gather carefully, and keep, be∣cause it contains great Secrets, of which lower: Then take the Faeces out of the Retort, being black as Soot, which are called our Dragon, whereof calcine one Pound, or more, if you please, in a Potters, Glass-makers, or Philosophical Furnace, into a white Snowy Calx, which keep pure by it self, it being called the Basis and Foundation of the Work, Mars, our white fixed Earth, or Philosophers Iron: Now take the residue of the
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Faeces, or black Dragon, and sift it on a Marble, or any other Stone, and at one of the ends light it with a live Coal, and in the space of half an Hour the Fire will run over all the Faeces, which it will calcine into a very Glorious citrine Colour; these citrine Faeces dissolve with distilled Vinegar, after the aforesaid manner, filtre also three times as before, then evaporate the dis∣solution into a Gum, and distil the Menstruum, which is now cal∣led Sanguis Draconis, or Dragons Blood, and repeat this Work in all things as before, till you have reduced all, or the greater part of the Faeces into our Natural or Blessed Liquor, all which Li∣quors pour to the first Liquor or Menstruum, called the Blood of the Green Lyon; the Liquor being thus mix'd, putrefie it in a Glass Vessel the space of fourteen Days: Then proceed to the separation of the Elements, because in this Blessed Liquor you have now all the Fire of the Stone, hidden before in the Faeces; which Secret has been hitherto kept wonderfully close by the Philosophers: Now take all the Menstruum being putrifyed, put it in a Venice Glass of a fit size, put an Alembick to it, and lute with Linnen Rags dipp'd in the white of Eggs; the Receiver must be very spacious, to keep in the respiring Spirit, and with a temperate heat separate the Elements one from another, and the Element of Air, which is the Oyl (ardent Spirit, containing a little white Oyl at the top) will first ascend: The first Element be∣ing distilled, rectifie it in another Vessel fit for it, that is, distil seven times, till it burns a Linnen Cloath, being dipp'd in it and kindled; then is it called our rectify'd Aqua ardens, which keep very well stopp'd, for otherwise the most subtil Spirit of it will vanish away: In the rectifications of the Aqua ardens the Air will ascend in the form of a white Oyl, swimming upon the Aqua (ardens) and a citrine Oyl will remain, which is distilled with a stronger Fire: Mercury being sublimed, and reduced into Powder dissolv'd per deliquium, upon Iron Plates in a cold place, pour a little of the Aqua ardens to the Liquor being filtred, and it will extract the Mercury in the form of a Green Oyl swim∣ming a-top, which separate and distil by a Retort, and there will ascend first a Water, and then a thick Oyl, which is the Oyl of Mercury: Then distil the Flood or Water of the Stone into another Receiver, the Liquor will be whitish, which draw off in Balneo with a moderate heat, till there remains in the bottom of
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the Cucurbit a thick Oyly substance, like melted Pitch, keep this Water by it self in a Glass well stopp'd. Take notice, when first the Liquor riseth white, another Receiver must be put to, because that Element is wholly distilled: Two or three drops of that black liquid Oyl being given in the Spirit of Wine, do Cure any Poyson: Now to this black and liquid Matter pour our Aqua ardens, mix them well together, and let the mixture settle three Hours, then decant, and filtre the Liquor, pour on new Aqua ardens, and repeat the operation three times, then di∣stil again in Balneo with a gentle heat, and this reiterate thrice, and it will come under the denomination of the rectify'd Blood of Man, which Operators search for in the Secrets of Nature: Thus have you exalted the two Elements, Water, and Air, to the Virtue of a Quintessence; keep this Blood for occasion: Now to the black and liquid Matter or Earth, pour the Flood or Water of the Stone, mix them well together, and distil the whole, till the Earth remains very dry and black, which is the Earth of the Stone; keep the Oyl with the Water for occasion: Reduce the black Earth to a Powder, to which pour the afore∣said Man's Blood, digest three Hours, then distil in Ashes with a Fire sufficiently strong, repeat this Work three times, and it will be call'd the rectify'd Water of Fire, and so have you exalted the three Elements, namely, Water, Air, and Fire, into the Virtue of a Quintessence: Then calcine the Earth being black and dry, in the bottom of the Reverberatory, into a most white Calx, with which mix the Fiery Water, and distil with a strong Fire as be∣fore; the remaining Earth calcine again, and distil, and that se∣ven times, or till the whole substance of the Calx be pass'd through the Alembick, and then have you the rectify'd and truly Spiritu∣al Water of Life, and the four Elements, exalted to the Virtue of a Quintessence; this Water will dissolve all Bodies, putrefie and purge them: This is our Mercury, our Lunary, but who∣soever thinks of any other Water besides this, is ignorant and foolish, never attaining to the desired effects.

This Menstruum is made of the same Matter as the precedent Menstruums. For Green Lyon, Adrop, Philosophical Lead, Mi∣neral Antimony, Airy Gold, Mercury, &c. are Synonima's of one and the same Matter: This Matter being dissolved in distill'd Vinegar, and again inspissated into a Gum, in taste like Alum, is by
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Ripley in the Description of the antecedent Menstruum in Numb. 62. called Lully's Vitriol of Azoth, or Vitriolum Azoqueum: Lully in practica Testamenti, Cap. 9. Pag. 159. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. makes a Menstruum of B. C. D. By B. he meant the said Green Lyon, or common Argent vive, which as he says elsewhere, is more common to Men, than vulgar Argent vive, B. saith he, Pag. 153. of the said practica, signifies Argent vive, which is a com∣mon substance consisting in every corruptible Body, as appears by the property of it, &c. By C. he intended common Niter. C. saith he, signifies Salt Peter, which hath a common (acid) Na∣ture, and like Argent vive by the property of its strong (acid) Nature, Pag. 154.4. Volum. aforesaid. By D. he understood Gum Adrop, made of the Green Lyon. D. saith he, signifies Azoquean Vitriol, which corrupts and confounds all that is of the Nature and Being of common Argent vive. In the same place, Both C. and D. he calls the purer mediums. Cap. 58. Theor. Test. pag. 96. You must know Son! saith he, our Bath, you may wash the Nature of (Phil) Argent vive so, as Nature could never do, that is, to make Argent vive a compleat Elixir. But (Phil.) Ar∣gent vive and Metals being both in Nature, and in your Work, extreams, and extreams not being able to joyn themselves, with∣out the Virtue of a middle disposition, which is between the softness of Argent vive, and the hardness of Metal, because there is by reason of that middle disposition a Natural complyance, which is the cause of Conjunction between Body and Spirit, as it is in every thing generated, or in capacity of being generated: In Nature are many mediums, whereof two are more pure, and more viscous, the Green Azoquean Vitriols, with the stony Na∣ture, which is the Salt and Nature of Stones. By the help my Son! of this contemptible Matter is our Stone, which we have so much sought for, procreated, &c.

With the other of these mediums, C, the stony Nature, Salt Pe∣ter, Salt of Peter, or Niter, we have no business at present; but be∣ing solicitous of D. Gum Adrop, or the Azoquean Vitriol of Lully, it will be worth while to consult Lully himself: Of which the Phi∣losopher, Cap. 59. Theor. Testamenti, thus: Son! saith he, the Azoquean Lyon, which is called (Azoquean) Vitriol, is by Nature made of the peculiar substance of common Argent vive, which is the Natural Root, from whence Metal is procreated in its own
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Mine. By common Argent vive, he meant not the Vulgar but Philosophical Argent vive, the natural Root as well of Metals as Minerals. When we say common Mercury, saith he, we speak of that, which the Philosophers understand; and when we name the Vulgar, we speak of that which is known to the Country∣men, and sold in Shops. Cap. 1. Lib. Mercuriorum, which the following Synonyma's of this Mercury, namely, Chaos, Nature, Origo, Green Lyon, Argent vive, Unguent, Oyl, Pasture and Liquor of great Value, do also testifie in Cap. 45. Theor. Test. pag. 75. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.

This common Argent vive, or Green Lyon, must be purged from its Superfluities, before the Aroquean Vitriol of Lully, or the Gum Adrop of Ripley can be made of it. You must saith he, my Son! being a Student of this Science, be stedfast, and not search after this or that, because this Art is not perfected with many things, and therfore we tell you, there is but one only Stone, that is Sulphur, and one only Medicine, namely, the composition of Sulphur, to which nothing is to be added, only the Terrestrial and Phlegmatick Superfluities taken away, because they are and ought to be separated from our Argent vi∣ve, which is more common to men, than Vulgar Argent vive, and is of greater Price, Merit, and stronger Union of Nature, from which and the first forms of it, it is necessary to separate, by the known degrees of separation, all that belongs not to the Sal Armoniack of Metals, &c. Cap. 18. Theor. Test. pag. 33. Volum 4. Th. Chym. We say there is but one only Philo∣sophical Stone (volatile not yet fixed, or matter of a Menstru∣um) extracted from the things aforesaid by our Magistery. And therefore when it comes newly into the World, you must not add any other Powder, or any other Water, nor anything incongruous to it, more than that, which is born in it, being radical to its own Nature, and the Mother of it, which feeds and carryed it, that is Sulphur, which formed the Stone in a Celestial Colour: But before you extract (distil) it (the Stone) throughly, purge, and cleanse it from all its Phlegma∣matick, Terrestrial, and corruptible Infirmities, which are contrary to its Nature, because they are the death of it, with which it is surrounded, which do mortifie its vivificative Spirit. Cap. 7. Theor. Test. pag. 20, of the said Volum. It is to be di∣ligently
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noted, that one of the two aforesaid Natural Principles (Sulphur and Argent vive) is more truly Natural in the whole, and through the whole substance of it, as well within as with∣out, and that is the pure Sulphur, hot and dry, introducing its form, that is, according to which the form of a Metal pur∣sues a pure effect: But the other (Argent vive) is unnatural, that is inwardly natural, and outwardly against Nature; but the internal natural part is made proper and also con-natural to it self, because it comes by its own Nature, but the external part is added to it by accident, and is to be naturally separated from it after the corruption (Putrifaction) of it; wherefore it is manifest that such Argent vive is not in the whole substance of it natural, in the first reception of it, nor is depurated to the full, unless it be depurated by the Ingenuity of Art. C. 5. p. 10. Codicilli.

As to this Purification of Argent vive, or the Green Lyon, Rip∣ley thus: Wherefore saith he, this Mercury (the corrosive Spi∣rit of common Vitriol) is by Raymond called, Our Fire against Nature: Nevertheless the same thing happens in some mea∣sure to this Mercury (the acidity of Vitriol) as also to the o∣ther (Vegetable Mercury, or Green Lyon) which is our natural Fire: For both of them are hidden in the middle or center of their Bodies, that is, between the Phlegmatick Water on one side, and Terrestrial Crassitude on the other side, nor are they obtained without the great Industry of Philosophy, and so those parts can avail us nothing, except only their middle sub∣stance: For saith Raymond, We take neither of the first Prin∣ciples, because they are too simple, nor of the last, because they are too gross and feculent, but only of the middle; wherein is the Tincture, and true Oyl, separated from unclean Terre∣streity, and Phlegmatick Water: Therefore saith Raymond thus; The unctious Moisture, is the near Matter of our Physical Argent vive, pag. 289. Pupilloe Alchym.

Argent vive, or the Green Lyon, is purified by common Vitriol, as thus: When the Argent vive is put in a dry Vitriolated Vapour (Spirit of Vitriol) which is a sharp Water, it is pre∣sently dissolved by the Incision and Penetration, caused by the sharpness, being manifestly strong, and in dissolving, is converted into the Nature of Terrestrial Vitriol, not taking a Metalick, nor a clear Coelestial Form, as appears after the evaporation of
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the said Water, and the congelation of it in the form of Yel∣low Cristals, which Yellowness proceeds from the sharp Sul∣phurous Terrestreity, which was beyond measure mixed in the said Water by Atoms, with an Homogeneous Universality and simplicity, which simplicity was taken and bound by the said Terrestreity, with the alteration of the Light, Clarity, and Lucidity into Obscurity, &c. Cap. 89. Theor. Test. 141. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Son! the thick Vitriolated Vapours from which Vitriol is produced, is very sharp and pontick, and therefore penetrates the parts of the Sulphur, and Argent vive being de∣purated, and penetrating, tingeth that purify'd Matter, con∣gealing it into the Form of that Vitriolated and yellow Ter∣restrial Vapour, which is mixed with them. Wherefore what we have said is manifest, that is, This is the great Gate, name∣ly, that the Terrestrial Virtues must not excel the Coelestial, but on the contrary, if you will have the thing desired, Cap. 85. Theor. Test. pag. 137. of the same Volume. You may re∣member that you would put nothing with the Menstrual (the Matter of the Menstruum) but that which proceeded from it at the beginning of its mixtion; for if you add an incongruous thing, it will presently be corrupted by the incongruous Nature, nor will you ever have that which you would have. Gold and Silver, and Mercury are dissolved in our Menstrual, because it participates with them in proximity and vicinity of the first Nature, and from hence will you extract a white Fume, which is our Sulphur, and the Green Lyon, which is your Unguent, and the stinking Water, which is our Argent vive: But it is requesite for the Green Lyon to be throughly dissolved in the Aqua Foetens, or stinking VVater, before you can have the said Fume, which is our Sulphur, which Sulphur is indeed the same way dissolved from the Body, congealing the Spirit in the form of a dry Water, which we call Stone, and the highest Me∣dium of all our Work, which is the connexion and aggregation of both Natures, that is, of Body and Spirit. Son! This Wa∣ter is called Aqua ignis, or if you had rather Ignisaqua, that undeclinable Word, because it burns Gold and Silver better than Elementary Fire can do, and because it contains in it heat of a Terrestrial Nature, which dissolves without Violence, which common Fire cannot do. Wherfore we enjoyn you to make the
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Magistery of the hottest things you can get in Nature, and you will have a hot Water, which dissolveth all things, Cap. 59. Theor. Test. Pag. 98. Of the same Volume.

These Sayings Ripley comprehends in short, thus: These Words, saith he, may serve a Wise Man in order to know and acquire the Green Lyon: But this Noble Infant is called Green Lyon, be∣cause being dissolved it is Cloathed in a Green Garment. Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools (Vitriol) is extracted by a violent Fire, that Water which we call Aqua fortis (Spirit of Vitriol) in which the said Lyon ought to be Elixirated. For all Alchymi∣cal Gold is made of Corrosives, &c. Pag. 139. Medulla Phil.

This Argent vive, Green Lyon, Philosophers Lead, &c. being purifyed with Vitriol, must be further matured or calcined into a red Colour, Minium, Lead calcined, Sericon, &c. E. (that is, Vitrio∣lated Azoth, Pag. 15. Theor. Test.) the fourth (Medium or Prin∣ciple) is a substance produced from its Mine, and in it, more near to the Nature of Metals, which is by some called Calcantis, and Azoth Vitreus (Mercury Vitriolated, or Azoquean Vitriol) which is the Earth and Mine of Metals, and is by another Name called Ʋrisius, of shining white and red within Black and Green open∣ly, having the Colour of a Venomous Lizard, immediately ge∣nerated out of Argent vive, the Matter aforesaid impregnated with the said hot and dry sulphurous Vapour (of common Vitri∣ol) in its resolution congealed into a Lizard, in which (Azoth Vitriolated) is the form and species of the stinking Spirit in its mixtion, the Mineral heat of which is multiplyed, which is the Life of Metal, and is signified by E. Cap. 3. Theor. Testam. Pag. 12. Volume. 4. Theat. Chym. And a little after: In the Work of Nature is Argent vive, but not such as is found upon the Earth, nor will be, till it be first turned into an apostemated and veno∣mous Blood. In the same place: You must know Son! that by Art and Nature Argent vive is congealed by an acute Water, understand therefore Philosophically, because if it were not sharp and acute, it could not penetrate, which is the first action in dissolution, after which dissolution it is returned into an aposte∣mated Blood, by the mutation of its own Nature into another. Son! there are two things, which ought to stick together by the agreement of contrariety, one pure, the other impure; the im∣pure recedes, Fire being an Enemy, by reason of its Corruption;
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the other remains in Fire, because of its purity, being transmu∣ted into Blood, and this is our Argent vive, and our whole Se∣cret, cloathed with a tripartite Garment, that is, black, white, and red, and that alone we want for the purpose of our Magi∣stery, Argent vive containing all that is necessary for a Quintes∣sence. There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek; for under the shadow of it lies a fifth substance; for the substance of it is pure and incombustible; and all of it is nothing else but Gold and Silver (not common Metals, but airy, being in Mercury, or the Green Lyon) melted and fused within and without by Virtue of the Fire (against Nature) and afterwards purify'd and separated from all its Original Blemish and Pollution; for that Gold which is incombustible, remains fused and liquid, and im∣parts its Golden Nature in the said Mercury, &c. Cap. 62. Theor. Test. Pag. 103. Volume, 4. Th. Chym.

Out of this Philosophical Minium, calcined Lead, or Sericon only, the Adepts sometimes distilled their Menstruums; for Exam∣ple, the first of this Kind in Numb. 59. Sometimes they dissolved this Minium in distilled Vinegar, which being drawn off, they reduced it into Gum Adrop, or Lully's Azoquean Vitriol, out of which they then distilled the stinking Menstruum, or Menstruum foetens, in Numb. 60. Sometimes they dissolved Gum Adrop per deliquium first, and then distilled it. The thirteenth way of practising, saith Ripley, as it here appears, is very curious, and that is in Sa∣turn, (Philosophical) rubified in a Glass Vessel stopp'd, to prevent respiration, with a strong and continual Fire, till it becomes red: Take therefore that rubified Saturn, and pour a good quantity of distilled Vinegar upon it, and shake it very often every Day for a Month (a Week) then separate the Vinegar by a Filtre, and take only that which is clear without Faeces, and put it in Balneo to distil, and after the separation of the Vinegar, you will find at the bottom of the Vessel a white or sky-Coloured Water, which take, and being put in a Bladder five double, to keep out the Water, dissolve it in Balneo into a cristalline Water; put that Water in a Distillatory, and if you will, separate the Elements from it, or distil the dissolved Water, which rectifie in a Circulatory, and the Earth which remained in the bottom (in the distillation) calcine, till it grows like a Sponge, and then is it very sit to reassume its Mercury separated from it, that a new
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Generation may be made, and a Son brought forth, which is called King of Fire, and which is so great in the Love of all the Philosophers, Cap. 17. Philos. Pag. 220. Of this Work Ripley made mention: Cap. 4. of the same Book, Pag. 194. Saying, There is moreover another Work in Gum produced by Vinegar from red Saturn, out of which is the separation of the Elements made, af∣ter it is dissolved in Bladders: The Menstruums of Gum Adrop, which way soever made, were called stinking Menstruums, be∣cause of the stinking smell: This Water, saith Ripley, hath a most sharp taste, and partly also a stinking smell, and therefore is called stinking Menstruum. Assa foetida also is so called from the smell, which our Mercury hath when it is newly extracted out of its polluted Body, because that smell is like Assa foetida, ac∣cording to the Philosopher, who saith; That stink is worst be∣fore the preparation of this Water, which after the circulating of it into a Quintessence, and good preparation, it is pleasant and very delectable, and becomes a Medicine against the Leprosie, and all other Diseases, without which Gold vive, you can never make the true potable Gold, which is the Elixir of Life and Me∣tals, Adrop. Phil. Pag. 548. Volum. 6. Theat. Chym.

These Menstruums they called White Fume, because of their white and opake Colour. It is also called White Fume, saith Ripley, nor without cause, for in distillation a white fume goeth out first, before the red Tincture, which ascending into the Alem∣bick, makes the Glass white as Milk, from whence it is also cal∣led Lac Virginis, or Virgins Milk. In the same place: Out of the red Fume or red Tincture, otherwise call'd the Blood of the Green Lyon, the Adepts did by rectification alone prepare two Mercuries, namely, red and white: Upon this occasion, saith Ripley, I will teach you a general Rule: If you would make the white Elixir, you must of necessity divide your Tincture (the Blood of the Green Lyon) into two parts, whereof one must be kept for the red Work, but the other distill'd with a gentle Fire; and you will obtain a white Water, which is our white Tincture, our Eagle, our Mercury and Virgins Milk: When you have these two Tinctures, or the white and red Mercury, you will be able to practise upon their own Earth, or upon the Calx of Metals; for the Philosophers say, we need not care what substance the Earth is of, &c. Adr. Phil. p. 554. Vol. 6. Theat. Chy. Roger Bacon made a two-fold Mercury thus:

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64. The Green Lyon of Roger Bacon. A Raymundo Ganfrido in verbo abbreviato de Leone Viridi. Pag. 264. Thesauri Chymici Baconis.
THe abbreviated most true and approved Word of hidden things being manifested, I have in a short Discourse abre∣viated to you in the Work of Luna and Sol; in the first place earnestly requiring the Readers not to expose so Noble a Pearl to be trodden upon by Dogs or Swine; for this is the Secret of all the Philosophers Secrets, the Garden of Delights, Spices, and all Treasures, into which he that hath once entred, will want no more: Now that Word, not without cause desired by many Men, was first declared by our eminent Doctor Roger Bacon; afterwards J. Fryer Raymund Jeffery, Minister General of the Order of the Fryers Minors, took care to explain the Word, with as much brevity as I could, to the Sons of Philosophy. In the Name of Christ then, take a great quantity of the strongest Vi∣negar diligently distilled through an Alembick, in which dissolve a good quantity of the Green Lyon, being dissolved, distil through a Filtre, and keep it in Glass Cucurbits well stopp'd: If any re∣markable part of the Lyon remains undissolved, dissolve it with the aforesaid Vinegar, and distil through a Filtre, and being dis∣solved, joyn it with the other Waters before reserved in the Cucurbits, then take the reserved Waters (dissolutions) and distil them all in Balneo Marioe, applying Alembicks to them well luted, that the Cucurbits may not respire, put Fire under, and receive all the Waters, which will be distilled, but have a care that the dissolved Lyon be not altogether congealed in the Cucur∣bits, but that it may remain liquid or soft; then take all the Cu∣curbits, and put all that is in them into one Cucurbit, which lute well with its Alembick, and put it in a Furnace of Ashes, as is fitting, and put a gentle Fire under, because of the temper of the Glass, and because of the Heterogeneous moisture, which is in the Lyon to be rooted out: And take notice, that must be
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always done with a gentle Fire, but when the Heterogeneous moisture is gone over, strengthen the Fire by little and little, and have an Eye continually to the Beak of the Alembick, if a red Liquor begins to go over, but if it does not yet go over, con∣tinue the aforesaid Fire till it doth; but when you see the red Li∣quor distil, change the Receiver forthwith, and lute it well to the Beak of the Alembick, and then strengthen the Fire, and you will have the Blood of the Lyon exceeding red, containing the four Elements, very odoriferous and fragrant (after due putre∣faction) keep it therefore in a good Phial well stopp'd: Then take the Blood, and put it in a Phial close stopp'd to putrefie and digest, in hot Dung, changing the Dung every five Days, there to be digested for the space of fifteen or sixteen Days, and this is done, that the Elementary parts may be dissolved, and be fitter to be divided into the four Elements, and that by distillation; being putrify'd fifteen or sixteen Days, take it out, and put it into a sit Cucurbit, to be distilled with a gentle Fire in Balneo Marioe; but it is enough for the Water to boyl with the Fire, take the Water (distilled) and the Faeces, which you find at the bottom of the Cucurbit, keep carefully the Water which you distilled, distil seven times, always reserving the Faeces which it makes, with the other Faeces reserved before; and so you will have a splendid Water, clear and white as Cristal, and very ponderous, which is said to be the Philosophers Mercury hidden by all the Philosophers, and cleansed and purified from all its superfluities, most choice, and most pretious; keep it therefore warily and wisely in a Phial well stopp'd: Then take all the Faeces of the Mercury, as I have said, before reserved, grind them well on a Marble (with the Phlegm of distill'd Vinegar) dry them in the Sun, and grind again, from time to time imbibing them with the Water of distill'd Vinegar upon the Marble, and drying in the Sun, and repeat the operations of grinding, imbibing, and drying, till all the blackness and superfluity is driven out of the Faeces, which you will know thus: If the Faeces be red, or red∣dish, or citrine by the aforesaid imbibitions and ablutions, then it is well done; but if they be yet black, repeat the contritions, imbibitions, and desiccations, till you have the sign aforesaid, and then keep them▪ Then take a Glass Cucurbit, wherein put the aforesaid Faeces above prepared, with a good quantity of distill'd
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Vinegar, and set it in a Furnace, that is, in Balneo Marioe, put Fire under, and continue it in course, till the Faeces aforesaid be throughly dissolved by Virtue of the Vinegar and Fire, and being well dissolved, take the Cucurbit from the Fire, and distil them through a Filtre as is fitting, all that Water (dissolution of the Foeces) being thus distilled (filtred) put it in a new Cucurbit, well stopp'd; but if any considerable part remains in the Filtre to be dissolved, take that part, and set it again upon the Fire, as you did the first Faeces, in Balneo Marioe, till it be dissolved, that you may dissolve those Faeces which remained with the Vinegar, as you dissolved the first Faeces in Balneo with Vinegar in a Cu∣curbit, then distil through a Filtre as before, and put it with the other Water distill'd before, which you reserved; then take that new Cucurbit, in which you put the aforesaid Faeces dissolved and distilled before, and lute it well with its Alembick, set it on a Furnace in Balneo, give Fire, and distil as is fitting; but have a care that the Faeces be not throughly dryed, but let them be moist or liquid: Then take down the Cucurbit from the Fur∣nace, put it upon Ashes sifted and well press'd, and give it a gen∣tle Fire for the tempering of the Glass, and extracting the He∣terogeneous moisture, which it hath from the Vinegar, and see often to the Beak of the Alembick, if a Golden or Ruddy Liquor distills, if not, continue the Fire till it does; being distilled, pre∣sently change the Glass being very clean, and lute it very well to the Beak of the Alembick, then strengthen the Fire, receive the Ruddy Oyl, and thus continue the Fire, till all the Liquor be di∣still'd, and save the Faeces because they are the Fire, but the Oyl aforesaid the Philosophers us'd to call their occult Sulphur; which you must rectifie thus: put it again in a Cucurbit, put on an Alembick well luted, then set it on a Furnace in Ashes, ad∣minister a gentle Fire, till it distils, receive the Liquor which di∣stills in a Bottle well stopp'd with the Beak of the Alembick, and the remaining Faeces save, because they are the Fire: joyn that Fire with the other Fire reserv'd, and so putrefie by distilling it seven times, and reserving the Faeces, it makes, as I said before, and so you will have your Air or Sulphur well depurated, clear, bright, and perfectly purified, and of a Gold Colour, &c.

The Blood of the Green Lyon being Fifteen Days putrify'd, Ba∣con cohobated Seven times by Balneo, into a clear and ponderous Wa∣ter,
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which he call'd the Philosophers Mercury; out of the Foeces left in the rectifications of this Mercury, dissolved in distilled Vine∣gar, he made a new Gum, out of which he then distilled a Golden Liquor, or ruddy Oyl, which after the Seventh rectification he would have be the Philosophers Air, or Sulphur well depurated, clear and bright: But Ripley used two ways in rectifying the stinking Men∣struum, or Green Lyon, for either he divided the fresh Blood of the Green Lyon into two parts, distilling only one half; the distil∣led part he called, white Mercury, white Tincture, Virgins∣milk, &c. The other remaining part he calls the red Mercury, red Tincture, &c. as it may be seen in his Book called Adrop Phil. in the place before alleadged; or putrify'd the whole Menstruum, the Blood together with the white Fume the space of Fourteen Days, which after that he divided into three Substances, a burning Wa∣ter, a Water thick and white, and an Oyl, of which at length he made a Vegetable Menstruum, which is described by Lully in Potestate Divitiarum, and by Ripley (above in Numb. 35.) in his Vade Mecum.

Concerning these three Substances of the stinking Menstruum, Rip∣ley hath these following Sayings, in his Book named Terra Terrae Philosoph. pag. 319. where thus: When therefore you have ex∣tracted all the Mercury out of the Gum, know, that in this Mercury are contained three Liquors, whereof the first is a burning Aqua vitae, which is extracted by a most temperate Balneo: This Water being kindled, flames immediatly, as com∣mon Aqua vitae, and is called our attractive Mercury, with which is made a Cristalline Earth, with all Metallick Calxes also, of which I will say no more, because in this Operation we want it not: After that there follows another Water thick and white as Milk, in a small quantity, which is the Sperm of our Stone, sought by many men; for the Sperm is the Origi∣nal of men and all living Creatures; whereupon we do not undeservedly call it our Mercury, because it is found in all things and all places; for without it no man whatsoever lives: and therefore it is said to be in every thing. This Liquor, which now you ought to esteem most dear, is that Mercury, which we call Vegetable, Mineral, and Animal, our Argent vivo, and Virgins-milk, and our permanent Water: VVith this Mercurial Water we wash away the Original Sin, and pollution of our
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Earth, till it becomes white, as Gum, soon slowing; but after the distillation of this aforesaid VVater, will appear an Oyl by a strong Fire; with this Oyl we take a red Gum, which is our Tincture, and our Sulphur vive, which is otherwise called the Soul of Saturn, and Living Gold, our pretious Tincture, and our most beloved Gold, of which never man spoke so plainly; God forgive me therefore, if I have any way offended him, be∣ing constrained to gratifie your will.

Some great Mystery of Art is here discovered by Ripley, for the revealing of which he fears the displeasure of not only the Adepts, but of God himself: Lully, and others have indeed plainly enough declared to their Disciples, though perhaps it may not appear to us being less instructed in the matter, what our Green Lyon is, what common Mercury more common to us than common Argent vive, what the Azoquean Vitriol is, and the Menstruum made thereof; but Rip∣ley affirms that no man ever spoke so plainly of the present Secret. The Adepts have indeed in their Practicks described the use of (Philosophical) Wine without any veyl of Philosophy; and amongst them Raymond and Arnold with some others have attained to the knowledge of the same, but (to use Ripley's expression in Medulla) how it might be obtained they said not: Wherefore they being silent, Ripley the first, and indeed the only man of all, declares to us, that the Key of all the more secret Chymy lyes in the Milk and Blood of the Green Lyon, that is, that the stinking Menstruum (or the parts of it, Mercury and Sulphur, Virgins Milk, and the Lyons Blood, white and red Mercury) being fourteen Days digested gently, is the white and red Wine of Lully, and other A∣depts: Nor was he satisfied in declaring this freely to us, but adds Strength and Light to his Words, in making a Vegetable Menstru∣um the Rectify'd Aqua vitae (described by Lully in Potestate Divitiarum, and by us in Numb. 31.) of the said stinking and corrosive Menstruum, by which one only example he was pleased to teach us, that all Vegetable Menstruums may be made of the said stinking Menstruum: Lully's rectify'd Aqua vitae is made by divers Coho∣bations upon its own Caput Mortuum: We may if we please proceed by another way or method: Distil the Menstruum Foetens, being fourteen Days digested, and first will ascend the Aqua ardens, then the Phlegm, and in the bottom will remain a Matter thick as melted Pitch, which are the Constitutive Principles of all Vegeta∣ble Menstruums.

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Let us therefore desist from further pursuit of the said Green Lyon, which we have pursued through the Meads and Forrest of Diana, through the way of (Philosophical) Saturn, even to the Vineyards of Philosophy. This most pleasant place is allowed the Disciples of this Art, to recreate themselves here, after so much Pains and Sweat, dangers of Fortune and Life, excercising the work of Women, and the sports of Children, being content with the most red Blood of the Lyon, and eating the white or red Grapes of Diana, the VVine of which being purified, is the most secret Se∣cret, of all the more secret Chymy; as being the white or red Wine of Lully, the Nectar of the Ancients, and their only desire, the pecu∣liar refreshment of the Adopted Sons; but the Heart-breaking, and Stumbling-block of the Scornful and Ignorant.

But before we depart hence, I will present you (Paracelsians) with another Dish, and that not unsavory, which is, that the Virgins-milk, or white Mercury (otherwise the white Wine of Lully) extracted out of the Green Lyon is by Paracelsus that Glue of the Eagle, or Green Lyon, so carefully sought for: For Eagle and Green Lyon are to the Adepts Synonyma's of the same thing: For thus Ripley before: You will obtain the white Water, which is our white Tincture, our Eagle, our Mercury and Virgins-milk. Consequently therefore, red Mercury (or the red Wine of Lully) is the Blood of the Red or Green Lyon: For the same Ly∣on is called sometimes Green (in his Youthful Estate) sometimes red (in his more grown Estate) and therefore the Blood is sometimes said to be of the Green Lyon, sometimes of the Red: So Ripley (in the Menstruum described in Numb. 61.) saith; Take the Blood of the Red Lyon being most Red, as Blood, which is our Mercury, and our Tincture now prepared to be poured up∣on its Ferment, that is upon the Calxes of the purest Gold: also elsewhere; The Blood of the Lyon of a Rosey Colour. But let us hear Paracelsus himself.

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65. The Green Lyon of Paracelsus. Aurei Velleris Germ. p. 41.
TAke distill'd Vinegar, wherein dissolve the Green Lyon, putrefie, filtre the Solution, draw off the Liquor in Bal∣neo to an Oyliness; this Oyl or Residue put in a Retort, distil away the moisture in Sand with a gentle Fire: Then increase the Fire, and the Green Lyon, being compelled by the strength of the Fire will yield his Glue, or Air; To the Caput mortuum, pour its Phlegm (the moisture drawn off) putrefie in Dung (or Balneo) and distil, as before, and again will ascend the Spirits; force it strongly, and there will come a tenacious Oyl of a Ci∣trine Colour: Upon the Caput mortuum pour again the first di∣still'd VVater, putrefie, filtre, and distil, as before: Lastly with a most strong open Fire, and there will come over a Bloody Oyl, which is otherwise called Fire: The remaining Earth re∣verberate into whiteness, &c.

Hitherto we have had the stinking Menstruums made of Azoquean Vitriol only, yet sometimes the Adepts have added common Vitriol to it, thus.

66. The stinking Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop, and Common Vitriol of Ripley. Pag. 357. Viatici.
TAke and Grind the Gum made of Sericon with distill'd Vinegar, and as much of Vitriol evaporated, and first distil the VVater with a gentle Fire, then with a strong; receive the Oyl (blood of the Lyon) which separate from the VVater, till you have the pure Oyl by it self.

Sometimes instead of common Vitriol, they added common Nitre to the Azoquean Vitriol; thus Lully in Practica Testamenti made his stinking Menstruum.

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67. The stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol, and Nitre of Lully. Cap. 9. Pract. Testam. p. 159. Vol. 4. The. Chym.
TAke one part of D, (D, signifies Azoquean Vitriol, which destroys and confounds all that is of the Nature and Being of common Argent vive, pag. 154.) and half a part of C, (C, signi∣fies Salt Peter or Nitre, pag. 154.) of the same Volume) which being very well ground, fifted, and mixed together, put in a Glass Cucurbit in a Furnace, and putting on an Alembick, in which the Spirits are by resolution distilled and condensed; lute the joynts of the Vessels with linnen Cloath, impasted and steep∣ed in luting, made of VVheat-flower, and the whites of Eggs, that the united properties of the three Mercuries, namely, Salt∣ish, Vitriolick, and VVatry, being joyn'd and united together, may be preserved: And observe, that the said Powders put in∣to the Cucurbit exceed not the weight of eight Ounces; and to abbreviate the time, put of the like Powder into two other Cu∣curbits, according to the weight of eight Ounces in every Cu∣curbit, and place them upon little long Furnaces, so as I shall declare in the Chapter of Furnaces; put not above three Cu∣curbits upon one Furnace, for the Fire cannot administer equal heat to more, as the mixtion of Nature requires; and let the said Cucurbits be placed the distance of five or six Fingers one from another, and let the bottoms of the Cucurbits be luted with Potters Clay mix'd well with hair; put fine Ashes well sifted and pressed the thickness of five Fingers under them, and to the Beak of every Alembick put a Glass Phial with a long Neck at the end, because the Receiver of those Phials must not feel the heat of the Furnace, nor the Water of the Phials flow back, nor the Spirits recede or fly away: Then must you provide a good quantity of Saw-dust, whereof take two parts, and half a part of the husks of Grapes, or the powder of dry Fire, and mix it with the said Saw-dust, and with this Composition fill your Furnace, then light your Fire at both ends, and let it burn; for
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you must make no other Fire, till you see six, or ten, or fifteen; or twenty drops of Water distil, and when twenty have distill'd, make your Fire with small Wood dry, and so by little and little make the Fire flame directly to the Matter; and see when it di∣stils, that the Water be clear, and when it is at fifteen Points, and the Water clear, and the fumes subtil, continue that Fire equally: And if you see it returned from fifteen to twelve Points, or less, strengthen the Fire, and continue it according to the Point of its distillation, and then thirdly, strengthen your Fire one Point further, and continue it till nothing more distills, and then let the Fire go out, stop your Furnace, and let the Matter cool; and if the Water be clear, without any disturbed Colour, or without muddiness, take and keep it, and stop the Phial with warm Wax, that nothing may respire, nor the Air enter, because the Spirits which are subtil, would presently be corrupted by the Air. Re∣member, when you begin to make the Fire of dry Wood, that your Vessels must be covered with the aforesaid Paste, and wrap∣ped about with Linnen Cloaths, and the Phials well luted to the Beaks of the Alembicks with the same luting, putting a Quill between the Beak of the Alembick and the Phial; for whilst the Fire operates, the Air will for the most part go out and re∣spire, when it hath not a Receiver to retain it, for it is hot, and the subject which retains it, is not able to endure an exceeding heat, and therefore it requires some place wherein it may re∣spire; when therefore you hear it blow, open the Quill-hole for it. O Father! how have you made the practice thus tedious! Son! That you may be acquainted with all things both small and great, and that you may have both a general and particular knowledge of Fires, and other operations, as also of all sorts of luting; because it is not our intention to speak any more of them, there being nothing difficult to the wise, circumspect, and intel∣ligent, and that you may hereafter say, that the stinking Men∣struum is at your command, which is a mean thing, by which all Bodies are in a short time converted into their first Nature, and it is the pure and proper Original of a wonderful and most com∣modious thing, but you must know how to apprehend it with a clear understanding, &c.

The like Menstruum hath Lully in his Magia Naturalis, which is called

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68. The Water calcining all Bodies of Lully Magioe Naturalis. Pag. 359.
TAke of the Earth, that is, D. (of Azoquean Vitriol) five Ounces and a half, and of the Water, that is C. (of Salt Peter and Niter) two Ounces and a half, the Sum of which is the weight of eight Ounces, and being all mix'd, grind the Mat∣ter fine upon a Marble, then put it in a glass Vessel with an Alembick upon it, and distil the whole substance, first making a gentle Fire of Saw-Dust, taking two parts of it, and one part and a half of Coals small or ground, and a little dry Bran, and light the Fire, and let it kindle of it self, till it begins to distil from one Point to twelve (twenty) Points, and then you must begin to strengthen the Fire with small Wood, making the Fire of the Flame right under the Matter, and so continue the Fire till it be returned to twelve or fifteen Points, or also to fewer, and then continue the whole Fire according to the Points of its distillation, and after that strengthen the Fire one Point further, and continue it till the Alembick loseth its Colour, or no more distils; then cease, and let it cool, gather the Water, keep it in a hot and moist place, and have a care that it respires not: And remember to have a Quill in the luting of the Beak of the Alem∣bick, and the Neck of the Receiver, that you may sometimes draw it out, that the Receiver may have vent, for the heat is there so quick, that the Vessel containing the Matter cannot en∣dure it, wherefore it is requisite sometimes to be opened and sometimes shut: Take notice, that this Water, though made of a contemptible thing, hath the power of converting Bodies into their first Matter, which being joyn'd to the Vegetable Virtue is of much perfection, and must be put into practice presently after it is distill'd, that the Spirit which is subtil and of a strange Nature, may not be lost by the Air.

The same Menstruum is described in Lully's Clavicula under this Title,

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69. The Stinking Menstruum for the dissolution of the Calx of Gold and Silver, in order to the reducing them into Argent vive. Cap. 15. Clav. Pag. 299. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
TAke of Vitriol two Pounds, of Salt Peter one Pound, of Cinabar three Ounces (I do not understand by what Error Cinabar has crept in among the other Ingredients of this Menstru∣um, for it is a constitutive not of this, but of the following Menstruum for the dissolving of the Philosophers Stone; especially Lully himself, in Cap. 20. Claviculae, speaking of the extracting of Mercury from a perfect Body, having made no mention of Cinabar, whereas notwith∣standing in the same place he gave a Description of this Menstruum in these few Words, saying: Put of our stinking Menstrual, made of two parts of red Vitriol, and one of Salt Peter, and let the aforesaid Menstruum be first distilled seven times, and well recti∣fy'd) let the Vitriol be rubified and pulverized, then put in the Salt Peter and Cinabar, and grind all together, then put the Matter in fit Vessels well luted to be distill'd; let it be distill'd first with a gentle Fire as the Work requires, and as they know how that have done it: Let this Water be distill'd very often, casting away the Faeces which remain at the bottom of the Cu∣curbit, and so it will be your best distilled Menstruum.

Sometimes they added common Vitriol to the Azoquean Vitriol and Nitre: It is thus done.

70. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol, common Vitriol, and Niter of Ripley. Cap. 1. Pag. 143. Medul. Phil. Chym.
TAke Vitriol made of the sowrest Juice of Grapes, with the Fire of Nature and Sericon (Azoquean Vitriol) joyn'd together in one mass with Natural (common) Vitriol a little dry∣ed, together with the Sol Niter, and out of these distil a Water, which will first be weak and phlegmatick, not colouring the Vessel, which throw away: Then will ascend a white Fume,
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which will make the Vessel look like Milk, which must be ga∣thered, till it ceaseth, and the Vessel is returned to its former colour: For that Water is the Stinking Menstruum, wherein is our Quintessence, that is, the white Fume, which is called the Fire against Nature, without which our Natural Fire could not subsist, whereof we will say more in its proper place: And these, namely, the Mineral and Vegetable Water, being mix'd toge∣ther, and made one Water, do operate contraries, which is a thing to be admired; for this one dissolves and congeals, moi∣steneth and dryeth, putrefies and purifies, dissipates and joyns, separates and compounds, mortifies and vivifies, destroyeth and restoreth, attenuates and inspissates, makes black and white, burneth and cooleth, begins and ends. These are the two Dragons fighting in the Gulf of Sathalia, this is the white and red Fume, whereof one will devour the other: And here the dissolving Vessels are not to be luted, but onely stopp'd slightly with a Linnen Cloth and Mastick, or common Wax: For this Water is a Fire and a Bath within the Vessel, and not without, which, if it feels any other strong Fire, will be presently ele∣vated to the top of the Vessel, and if it finds no rest there, the Vessel will be broken, and so the composition will be left frustrated. So much as this compounded Water dissolves, so much it congeals and elevates (is congealed and elevated) into a glorious Earth: And so it is the secret dissolution of our Stone, which is alwayes done with the congelation of its own Water: And because this Fire of Nature is added to the Water against Nature, so much therefore as it lost of its Form by the Fire a∣gainst Nature, so much it recovers by the Water of Nature, that our work by the Fire against Nature, may not be destroyed or annihilated.

From the Receipts we observe.
1. That the Menstruums of this kind, being made of the very matter of Philosophical Wine, or Philosophical Grapes, are the first of all other Menstruums, either Mineral or Vegetable.

2. That the milky Liquor or Spirit, Virgins Milk, white Mercury, the White Wine of Lully, and the Glew of the Green Lyon, called by Paracelsus the Glew of the Eagle, are terms
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synonymous; and that the Red Liquor, Blood of the Green Lyon, Red Mercury, the Philosophers Sulphur, and the Red Wine of Lully, otherwise by Paracelsus, the Blood of the Red Lyon, are likewise Synonyma's.

3. That the acid Mineral Menstruums, are by digestion or fur∣ther elaboration, transmuted either into a simple Vegetable Men∣struum, or into the Heaven or Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

4. That these acid Menstruums are to be distilled with very great caution, by reason of the excessive effervescence of the Azoque∣an Vitriol, or rather Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which is in this Vitriol caused by the Acids.

5. That Mineral Menstruums are the Heaven, or Essence of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an Acid, so that having acquired this Spirit, you may make them ex tempore by simple dissolution.

6. That the Menstruums even now prepared, are presently to be used, lest they perish.

7. That Menstruums are by dissolving Bodies coagulated.

8. That Metallick Bodies are by these Menstruums reduced in∣to running Mercury.

9. That these are called Stinking Menstruums, because of their stinking smell. By the smell alone we easily distinguish these from those fragrant Menstruums called Vegetable. Thus the unsavoury smell of the Menstruum it self proves that Morienus used the Stinking Menstruum. What is the smell of it, saith King Calid, by way of Question, before and after the making of it? Morienus answereth, Before it is made, the sent of it is strong and unsa∣voury; but after the preparation of it, it has a good sent, ac∣cording to that which the wise man saith: This Water resem∣bles the unpleasant smell of a Body dead, and void of life; for the smell of it is ill, and not unlike to the smell of Graves: He that can whiten the Soul, and cause it to ascend again, and keep the Body well, and take away all obscurity from it, and extract the ill savour out of it, will be able to infuse it into the Body, and in the hour of conjunction exceeding Miracles will appear, Morien. de Trans. Metal. p. 33. Geber also acknowledgeth himself to have operated with a mineral Menstruum, Cap. 25. Sum∣moe perfect. The first natural Principles, saith he, out of which Metals are procreated, are the Stinking Spirit, that is, Sulphur, and Water Vive, which also we allow to be called dry Water.
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And in another Place at the end of his Book de Investigat. he goes on; We do by plain and open proof conclude our Stone to be nothing else but a Stinking Spirit, and living Water, which we also call dry Water, being cleansed by natural decoction and true proportion with such an Union, that nothing can be ad∣ded or taken from it, to which a third thing ought to be added for the abbreviation of the Work, that is, a perfect Body attenuated.

10. That Adrop, the Name of the Matter of these Menstruums, signifies the Philosophers Saturn, or Lead. The first Matter of this leprous Body, saith Ripley, is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth. The great Elixir for the Red and for the White, saith Vincentius, is made of this Body, whose Name is Adrop, otherwise called Philosophical Lead, pag. 132. Medul. Phil. Chym.

Our Stone, saith Arnold, in Speculo Alchym. is called Adrop, which is in Latine Saturnus, in English Lead, and according to the Trojans Dragon or Topum, that is, Poyson, Septima Dispos. Speculi, pag. 596. Vol. 4. Theatr. Chym. I have shewed that the Philosophers gave it divers Names, because of the diversity of Colours; but as to their Intention, they had one peculiar Name, that is, Roman Gold, or Adrop, or Stone above all the Stones of this world, Quarta dispositio Speculi, pag. 594. of the same Vo∣lume. Laton and Azoth are together, and never asunder, but remain always joyned together, but because of the diversity of Colours, the Philosophers call'd them by many Names; and as the Colours are varied and changed, they imposed so many Names; because Azoth among the Indians is Gold; among the Hermians Silver; among the Alexandrians and Macedonians Iron; with the Greeks Mercury; with the Hebrews Tin; with the Tartars Brass; with the Arabians Saturn; and among the Latines, and especially among the Romans Ognividon, (by an Anagram Dono G vini, G signifying Philosophical Mercury, or Sulphur aqueum;) But that none may err, I say it hath one proper Name, and is commonly called by men; and every one knows the Stone, Tertia dispos. Specul. p. 593. of the same Vo∣lume.

Some of the Adepts write not Adrop, but Atrop; by which Name they have been pleas'd to signifie the Matter of these Men∣struums to be as it were the Gate of all the most secret Chymy:
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for Atrop, by the inversion of the Letters is read Porta, a Gate: Thus Robertus Valensis in Gloria Mundi, pag. 305. That you may attain (saith he) to the true foundation, I will once again repeat it to you, and call it the first Hyle, that is, the beginning of all things; it is also called the only Holy; appre∣hend what Elements are in it by those which are repugnant; the Stone of the Philosophers, of the Sun, of Metals, the fugi∣tive Servant, the airy Stone, the Thernian Stone, Magnesia, or the corporal Stone, Marcasite, the Stone of Sal Gemmoe, the Stone of Children, the golden Stone, the Original of worldly things, Xelis, also by inversion Silex, a Flint, Xidar, by the same inversion Radix, Atrop, by inversion, Porta, a Gate; and it hath also as many other Names, yet is but one only thing.

To Robertus Lully seems to incline, who has been pleased to call every alteration of the Azoquean Vitriol, or Matter of the Men∣struums of this Kind, the first Porta or Gate of the Work; thus he call'd the dissolution of the Matter the first Gate. In our whole Magistery, saith he, there are three principal Spirits necessary, which cannot without the consummation of their resolution be manifested, and they are otherwise called, three Argent vives. And because Resolution is so often used for the First Gate of our Magistery which we will declare; the said Reso∣lution is divided into three principal parts: The first is Corpo∣ral, and is called in the Latine Tongue Recfage (that is, Ana∣grammatically sacere G; but by G, he means Sulphur aqueum, Cap. 5. The. Test. pag. 115. Vol. 4. Theat. Chym. or our Mercury, Cap. 20. Pract. Test. pag. 170. of the same Volume.) The second is spiritual, and called Agazoph. The third is spiritual and cor∣poral, and called Ʋbridrugat. &c.

When the Matter in the Resolution of it appears black, this Black∣ness (for which some have call'd it Lead) he would have to be a sign of the first Gate. In the first Resolution, saith he, lies all the danger, and therefore I give you notice, that you must have the Sulphurs of simple Argent vives destroyed by heat, in such manner and form, as that their active property may not be expelled by extraneous heat, and that it may not be sepa∣rated from its moist Subject, which appears wholly black, full of a noble Spirit: That Blackness demonstrates the sign of the first Gate leading into our Magistery, and without it can no∣thing
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be done, because it is the Fire of Nature, which is to create the Stone, and which cannot be manifested without the corruption of its Body, Cap. 28. Theor. Test. pag. 51. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.

Lastly, He calls the Destillation of this Matter the first Gate also. The way of preparing the Stony, and fermentable Spi∣rit is, to take the Juice of Lunary, and extract the sweat of it with a small and gentle fire, and you will have in your power one of our Argent vives in Liquor, in the form of a white water, which is the ablution and purgation of our Stone, and its whole Nature: And that is one of the most principal Secrets, and is the first Gate, as you may understand by the Reasons aforesaid, &c. Cap. 9. Theor. Test. pag. 21. of the same Volume,

Being perswaded by these and the like Quotations, I may affirm, that Atrop is to be written rather than Adrop, because besides the Blackness or Philosophical Lead, Atrop signifies the beginning or first Gate of the Work.

11. That in the Adeptical Chymy are many Green Lyons, to be necessarily distinguished one from another.

By the first the Adepts meant the Coelestial Sun, governing the whole World.

The second is Argent vive, more common to us than common Ar∣gent vive.

The third is called Argent vive dissolved into a Green Colour.

The fourth is Adrop, Azoquean Vitriol, Philosophers Lead, &c.

A fifth is the Stinking Menstruum, otherwise called the Blood of the Green Lyon.

A sixth is the Green Lyon of Fools, Roman Vitriol, Verdi∣greece, &c.

The seventh is extraordinary, namely, common Mercury sublimed.

12. That there are also many Saturns.

The first is common Lead, the impurest of Metals, and consequently the most remote of all in our Art; which to prove by the Sentiments of the Adepts is a thing superfluous, finding almost every where amongst the Adepts a solemn caution for us to beware of this devour∣er of Metals and Minerals, Saturn. Have a care, saith Ripley, (to bring one Witness for all) of operating with Saturn, because it is commonly said, Eat not of the Son, whose Mother is defiled, and believe me, many Men err in Saturn. Hear what Avicenne
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saith, Saturn will be always Saturn, yea operate not with the Earth of (Philosophical) Saturn, which the Spirit of it has despised, and left for the worst Sulphur, &c. Cap. 2. Philorcii. pag. 188.

The second is Adrop, or Azoquean Vitriol, whereof before.

A third is the first Colour or blackness of the first Work; of which lower.

The fourth is Copper, the first of Metals; of which Arnold in Spe∣culo Alchym. disp. 8. Pag. 605. Volum. 4. Theat. Chym. thus: There were, saith he, Philosophers that placed our Science in the seven Planets; and our first Planet is called Venus, the second Saturn, the third Mercury, the fourth Mars, the fifth Jupiter, the sixth Luna, the seventh Sol: The Generation of Copper hath the first place after (the universal) Mercury, saith Basilius, Libro de rebus nat. & supernat. Cap. 4. Of all those things, saith Paracel∣sus, which proceed from Salts, there is none more nearly allyed to the Mineral Virtue, than Vitriol; the reason is, because Salts are Minerals, and all Minerals lie in one Mass and Ares. Now Vitriol in the separation of Minerals, is the last thing, to which is immediately subsequent the generation of Metals, whereof Venus is the first, Lib. 4. Philos. de Element Aquoe, pag. 279. And a little after he saith, The Marcasites and Cachymys being thus separated from the first Matter of Metals, then fol∣lows the first Generation, which is of Venus, &c. Besides, by the separation, whereby the nature of the Marcasites and Ca∣chymys are expelled, the generations of Copper do immediately concur, imprint themselves, and are coagulated together, be∣cause it is the first Metal after the separation of the Marcasites and Cachymys. in the same Book, pag. 281.

The Vitriol of Venus being the first of all things added or joyned to the Vegetable Mercury in the making of Adrop, is called by Lully the first Male. This Fire, saith he, is that Property of the Mercury, which you must endeavour to preserve from burn∣ing, being the Tincture of Vitriol, with which (the Vegetable) Mercury ought to be sublimed, because it is the first Male of it, and is the augmentation of our Tincture, which is a great addi∣tion in virtue and power, when it is joyned with the Tincture of Sol; for if you know how to extract the Property of Mer∣cury from Vitriol and Salt, and make them friendly by con∣junction, which is done by gentle sublimations, you will know
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one of the greatest Secrets of Nature, and the true principal perfection. Codicil. cap. 92. pag. 202. So in many places of his The∣oriae Testamenti majoris, he means Vitriol by his Male; in these especially: The Fire of our Male, pag. 50. The Virtue of the Male, pag. 94. The Virtue of the Sperm of the Male, pag. 108. The Heat of the Male, pag. 72. The Female (Venus) is in this case the Male, and is not so hot as the true (second) Male, Gold, Pag. 73. Vol. 4. Theat. Chym. This Male also Espanietus men∣tioneth in the making of his Menstruum. Take, saith he, the winged Virgin compleatly washed and cleansed, impregnated with the spiritual Seed of the first Male, &c. Sect. 58. Arcani Hermet. Phil.

Paracelsus, the better to express the Masculine Nature of Ve∣nus, calls it Metallus, a Noun of the Masculine Gender, as Me∣tallus primus. Take, saith he, the Coralline Liquor, I mean that which is very diaphanous, to which add a fifth part of the Vitriol of Venus, digest them in Balneo for a month; for by this means the Wine of the first Metal separates it self aloft, but the feculent part of (this) Wine, the Vitriol of Venus re∣tains (he means the residue left in the extraction of Vitriol) and so that first Metal (Metallus primus) is made a perspicuous, di∣aphanous, and truly red Wine, &c. Cap. 12. Lib. 3. De Vita longa, Pag. 65. As the Adepts call'd Venus the first Metal (Me∣tallus primus) in the Masculine Gender, so also they changed Sa∣turnus (Saturn) a Noun of the Masculine Gender, into Saturna, a Noun of the Feminine Gender, to signifie not common Lead, but Venus, being a Feminine Noun, of Copper. I have, saith Ripley, a dear and beloved Daughter, named Saturna, from which Daughter are both the white and red Elixirs assuredly procrea∣ted; if therefore you desire this Science, you must extract a clear water from her, &c.

Sometimes to describe by Saturn, not only Venus, but also the Philosophical preparation of Copper (that is, to be performed by a Vegetable Menstruum) they made it a Vegetable or Herb, that so they might distinguish that which was, from that which was not prepared; Thus Flamel in his Summary: Some unskilful men, and unlearnest Chymists take common Gold, Silver, and Mer∣cury, and handle them so ill, till they vanish away by fume, and thereby endeavour to make the Philosophers Mercury; but
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they do not attain to that, which is the first Matter and true Myne of the Stone: But if they would attain to that, and reap any good, they must betake themselves to the seventh Moun∣tain, where there is no Plain, and from the top downward be∣hold the other six, which they will see at great distance. At the top of this Mountain you will find a triumphant Royal Herb, which some Philosophers call a Mineral, some a Vege∣table, and if pure and clean Broth be made thereof, the better part of the work will be hereby accomplished, and this right and subtil Philosophical Mercury must you take. This Place is thus read in Chortalassaeus, pag. 313. Vol. 6. Theat. Chym. Ascend therefore the Mountain, that you may see the Vegetable, Sa∣turnine, Plumbeous and Royal, likewise also Mineral Root, or Herb, take only the Juice of it, and throw away the Husks.

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The Fourteenth KIND. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the acid or saline Essences of Salts.
71. The Water or Oyl of Salt of Paracelsus. Cap. 3. Lib. 10. Arch. Pag. 38.
THough there be many ways of extracting the primum Ens of Salt, yet this (method of making Salt circulated, the Circulatum minus of Salt, the dissolving Water, the Water or Spirit of Salt circulated, described above in Numb. 27.) is most commodious, and expeditious, and after this is that other way, which we mentioned speaking of the Elixir of Salt, namely, that new Salt being mix'd well with the dissolving Wa∣ter, which is the distilled Spirit of Salt (circulated) must be pu∣trefied, and so long distilled, till the whole substance of the Salt is dissolved, and reduced into a perpetual oleosity, the Body of Phlegm being drawn neatly from it. This way is also taught the preparation of the Arcanum or Magistery of Vitriol and Tartar, as of all other Salts.

Annotations.
WE take notice that the Menstruums of the antecedent Kind are made of the unctuous Matter of Philosophical Wine, purged, dissolved, and volatilized with an acid; in the present we shall observe the contrary, namely, that the acid or saline Essences of Salts made with the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine, are Menstruums of this fourteenth Kind. Paracelsus in the prescribed Receipt reduced Salts by cohobation alone, with the Water of Salt
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circulated into a liquid substance or Oyl, but the Oyl made of common Salt, by the method aforesaid, he commends before the rest to his Dis∣ciples, for the extractions of Metallick Bodies. Certainly, saith he, there cannot be a more Noble and better way, than by the Wa∣ter or Oyl of Salt, prepared as we have clearly described in Al∣chymia (and in Libris Chyrurgicis.) For this Water fundamen∣tally and radically extracts out of all Metallick Bodies their Na∣tural Liquor or Sulphur, and a most excellent Crocus as well for Medicinal as Chymical Operations: It resolves and breaks any Metal whatsoever, converting it out of its own Metallick Nature into another, according to the various intention and industry of the Operator. Manuale de Lap. Phil. pag. 139.

It will therefore be worth while to explain the way of making this Oyl of Salt more clearly to you: First for the illustration of the Re∣ceipt we will propose the Description of the Oyl of Salt alleadged by the Author himself, in the eighth Book of his Archidoxes, which in the Elixir of Salt, Pag. 31. we read thus: Take Salt accurately prepared most white, and most pure; put it into a Pellican with such a quantity of the dissolving Water, as to exceed the weight of it six times: Digest them in Horse-Dung together the space of a Month, then separate the dissolving Water by di∣stillation, pour it again to it, and separate as before, and that so oft, till the Salt is converted into Oyl.

By comparing the Receipts it appears, that Sea-Salt newly made is not to be understood by new Salt, but the same exquisitely purify∣ed: Then it is clear, that the weight of the Water of the circulated Salt omitted in the Receipt of the tenth Book, ought to be so deter∣mined, as to be six times more than the weight of the Salt: More∣over, the time and place of putrefaction omitted in the former process are described in the other, that is, to be digested a Month in Horse-Dung: Besides it is from the Receipts observed, that all the Salt is not converted into Oyl, the Body of the Salt being drawn as a Phlegm from the Essence. Lastly, that the Oyls of Vitriol and Tartar may be also made by the same method.

The Receipts being thus compared, are not only without all obscuri∣ty, but do by the exuberance of their Light give Light also to other Processes, being otherwise less intelligible. So this Oyl of Salt, as the Essence or primum Ens of Salt explains that more obscure Descri∣ption of the Essence of Salts, given in Libro 4. Archid. Pag. 14. Take
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Salts, and calcine them throughly; if they be Volatile, burn (sublime) them, after that resolve them into a tenuity (per deli∣quium) and distil them into a Water (through a Filter.) This Water putrefy (not by it self, but as the Disciples of the Art ought to understand and know, with the Water of Salt circulated) for a Month, and distil by Balneo, and a sweet Water will ascend (the Body of the Salt by the way of a Phlegm) which cast away: That which will not ascend, digest again (with new dissolving Water) another Month, and distil as before, and that so oft, till no more sweetness is perceived. By this way you have now the Quin∣tessence of Salt in the bottom, (like an Oyl) scarce two Ounces out of a Pound of the burned or calcined Salt. One Ounce of this Salt thus extracted, if common, seasoneth Meat more than half a Pound of another; for the Quintessence of it remains only, and the Body is drawn from it by liquid solution. This way is the Quintessence of all Salts separated.

This Process being thus enlightned by the rayes of the antecedent, reflects no small Light upon the said Receipts, namely, that scarce two Ounces are acquired from one Pound of the Salts.

In Clavi Archidoxorum, Lib. 10. Pag. 37. Paracelsus has de∣scribed the Essences of Salts in these Words: The way of extract∣ing the Quintessence of Salts, as Vitriol, Salt, Nitre, Tartar, &c. is this: Cohobate with its own Liquor or Water very often, pu∣trify with the Phlegm, and then draw off the Body in the form of Phlegm even to the fixed Spirit: This Spirit dissolve in its own Water, and by a strong heat separate the pure from the impure with the Spirit of Wine. This Description is most obscure, but made clearer by those aforesaid. The meaning of Paracelsus is this: He putrefies the Salts, and cohobates them so often with their own Liquors or Waters, that is, with their own Circulatums; common Salt with common Salt circulated; Nitre with Nitre circu∣lated; Vitriol with the Water of Vitriol circulated; Alume with the Water of Alume circulated, the dissolving Water of Alume, the Circulatum minus of Alume, &c. till they remain at the bottom in the form of an Oyl, which Oyl being either acid or saline, easily makes an effervescence with the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine or its own Circulatum, and in this heat lets fall some of its impurities, and so becomes purer, which thing is confirmed by the Description it self of the Water of Salt circulated, where he putrefies Salt, being
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melted and resolved per deliquium, with the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, cohobates, and draws it to an Oleity: Joyn it, saith he, with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and the impure will fall to the bottom, which separate, but let the pure be Cristallized in a cold place, pour the distillation to it again, and cohobate so oft, till a fixed Oyl remains at the bottom, and nothing sweet will more distill.

Moreover, this Oyl of Salt as a Menstruum, makes his Process in Chyrurgia intelligible, which otherwise could not be understood.

72. The Water of Salt by another Descri∣ption of Paracelsus. Cap. 2. Tract. 3. part. 2. Chyr. major. Pag. 66.
TAke Salt without any addition of Art being most white by Nature it self (Sal Gemmoe) which must be divers times melted, then being reduced into a most fine Powder mixt with the Juice of Raphanus, stir them together; after resolution distil, distil the distillation with an equal quantity of the Juice of San∣guinea five times more: In this Water are Plates of Sol, being purged by Antimony, easily resolved into Powder; this Powder being thus prepared must be washed with sweet Water distilled, till it hath no taste of Salt, for the Salt not entring into the sub∣stance of it, is easily washed away.

In this Process Sal Gemmae being fused by the method of the Wa∣ter of Salt circulated, is dissolved in the Juice of Raphanus, evapo∣rated and resolved per deliquium, then six times distilled with an equal proportion of the Juice of Sanguinea. In the antecedent De∣scription of this Oyl of Salt, this fusion of the Salt, dissolution in the Juice of Raphanus, and resolution per deliquium is not necessary, be∣cause the Water of Salt Circulated is sufficient of it self to separate the Essence of Salt from its Phlegm: But where we use the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in making the Water of Salt circulated, without the said previous preparation of the Salt, we should have the Work too tedious: In the mean time both Processes agree in weight of Menstruum, for it is all one, whether the Salt be cohobated into an Oyl with six times as much of the dissolving Water, or distilled six times with the Juice of Sanguinea in equal weight. One thing that
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mades the latter Process inexplicable, is the unknown Juice of San∣guinea, but however it is evident by what hath been said, that either the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or the Water of Salt circulated supplies its place. Basilius indeed resolved common Salt with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine not into an Oyl; but reduced into it a Green Stone thus:

Viride Salis of Basilius. In supplemento Libri de conclusion.
TAke common Salt, calcine it well, yet without fusion, re∣duce it to a Powder, resolve per deliquium in a Cellar, or in Raphanus made hollow, then distil in Sand with a quick Fire, and a Water will ascend, the residue in the bottom pulverize, and dissolve it in its distilled Water, and distil again; this repeat till all the Salt has ascended, which will be in the fourth or fifth time: Draw off the Phlegm from the distilled Water in Balneo, the remainder put into a Cellar in cold Water, and you will have Cristals, which take out, and dissolve in the Phlegm; then draw off one half, and you will find new Cristals, repeat the Opera∣tion four times or more, for the oftner, the more fusible will be the Cristals, which being dryed and pulverized on a Marble, pour to them the rectify'd Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, which cohobate from the Salt so oft, till you perceive the Oyl of Salt coagulated into a Green transparent Stone, which reserve.

Paracelsus in his Receipts appointed the calcination of Salt to be done by the fusion of it; but in this Process Basilius prohibits this liquefaction of Salt, wherefore we conclude it to be little essential in the said depuration of Salt, nor do we think it so necessary, for the Salt being resolved per deliquium to be distilled, thereby to be made a fusible Salt; Paracelsus having taught how to make the same Oyl out of fused Salt, which Oyl Paracelsus himself, besides Basilius, in many places affirms to be of a Green Colour. Thus we read of the Green Oyl of Salt: Libro de male curatis, Pag. 170. Chyr. Ma∣joris. Of the Greens of Salt, Libro. 4. de Gradibus, Pag. 154.

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From the Receipts we observe,
1. That these Menstruums are the Essences of Salts not tinging.

2. That the Oyls or Essences of tinging Salts, as Vitriol, &c. may also be made by the same method, and do appertain not to this, but to another Kind.

3. That these Menstruums are by further digestion or cohobation made sweet, and transmuted into volatile Arcanums, less Circula∣tums, or Simple Vegetable Menstruums of the Fifth Kind.

4. That these Menstruums do dissolve Metals into Powder for the extraction of the Crocus or Sulphur of Metals and Minerals: The way we will borrow from Ripley in the Ʋse of Stinking Men∣struums.

Let us, saith he, proceed, Pag. 145. Medul. Phil. Chym. to practise upon the Calx of a (Metallick) Body duly calcined: The Body therefore being prepared, pour upon it so much of this compounded water (in Numb. 70.) as to cover it half an inch, and it will presently boil upon the Calxes of the Body without any external heat, dissolving the Body, and elevating it in the form of Ice, together with the exficcation of it self, which must be taken away by the hand of the Operator: And the remaining Calxes being well dried again by Fire, put so much water to them as before, and proceed in all things as before, continuing the same way of operating, till all the Calxes be well dissolved: which substance being well dissolved, neatly separated, and pulverized, must be put into a good quan∣tity of the rectify'd water of the Fire of Nature (Spirit of Philosophical Wine) that in that Vessel well stopp'd it may by the administration of external heat, together with the excita∣tion of internal heat, be dissolved into an Oyl, which will soon be done, &c. When the Menstruum (of Sericon, in Numb. 63.) is poured upon the aforesaid Calxes (of Metals) it begins to boyl up; and if the Vessel be well stopp'd, it will not leave working, though no external Fire be administred to it, till it be dried into the Calx; wherefore you must not put a greater quantity of it than just to cover the Calxes. In the same place, pag. 171. For in this Operation the less of the Spirit, and the
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more of the Body is put, the better and sooner will be the dis∣solution, which is made by the congelation of the Water. You must have a care therefore, as it is said in the Rosary, that the Belly be not too moist, because then the Matter would not receive driness: And this way must be observed, till all the water be dried up. The same Place, pag. 161.

5. That all the sharpness of this Metallick Powder may be wash'd away with sweet water. That the Menstruums of the Adepts are permanent, is manifest by the ways of making them; but more clearly by the Ʋse of them in the Receipts of the following Books: However Paracelsus seeming to have appointed the contrary by the present ablution of the Menstruum, lest therefore you should fall into the greatest and most dangerous Errour of all the Adeptical Chymy, we thought good to communicate to you an Observation or two about the permanence of Menstruums.

First, That Aqua ardens, the Philosophical that is, is by dige∣stion or circulation divided into Phlegm and Oyl swimming upon it, as you observed in making the Essence or Spirit of Philosophical Wine. You have taken also notice that the same Aqua ardens, or same Oyl made of it, is further concentrated, and rejects the re∣maining Phlegm, but that it self as a meer Oleosum, remains with the inanimated Earths so called, in the Preparations as well of Ve∣getable, as Mineral Sal-Harmoniacks: For it is impossible for the said Phlegm being the vehicle of the unctuous Spirit to abide with things dissolved, much less be fixed with them, they being so con∣trary to it: wherefore the permanence of Menstruums, but rather of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is easie to be understood, namely, as these Menstruums are unctuous mixed with dry things, not in the least diluted in their aquosities, which do all separate themselves as useless in fixation. Examples you will have in Lib. 2. De Astris & Arcanis, and often in Lib. 3. of Philosophical Tinctures.

Secondly, These Menstruums do not presently, or at the first time abide with their dissolutions: For sometimes, nay more than often, we are forced to pour on and cohabate before any part of it will continue with the dissolved Body, whereas in the mean time the rest ascends unaltered.

Thirdly, Nor do the Menstruums persist with all things pro∣miscuously, but are united only to things homogeneous to them, which
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in reason they should remain with. Thus the Simple Vegetable Menstruums do continue with Essences, but not with their relin∣quished white Bodies; whereas the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums being sutable to these Bodies, do dissolve them wholly in the making of Magisteries.

Fourthly, Yea though every Menstruum is either an Essence, or a Magistery, and one Essence prepares another, easily entring and mixing themselves radically one with another, yet so long as they are of different kinds or degrees, are they both separable again, nor do they continue; till one being newly extracted, is raised to the same degree as the other, then do they flow together at length into a mixture not to be separated by Art or Nature.

Fifthly, As to these Mineral Menstruums, you have obser∣ved, that the Acidity of them admits of the same rea∣son with the Phlegm or Aquofity of the Vegetable Menstruums, so far as it is moist, and therefore to be separated in the fixations of things: But as it consists of the dry Particles of Mineral Salts, (but Salts they are dry things dissolved in Acids) it will fall un∣der two several Considerations.

In the first, the Acidity of the Menstruum being perhaps in greater plenty than is necessary, or sticking about the superficies of the thing dissolved, is easily washed away with common Water.

But in the second, the same Acidity being more artificially mixt, and absorbed by the Aridity of the thing dissolved, is made the cause of venenosity, and now cannot be altered but by Vegetable Menstruums transmuting it. Paracelsus commands the wash∣ing not of the Oyl of Salt, but the sharpness of the Salt, which penetrates not into the substance of the Metal, and is easily washed away, but the Ʋnctuosity of the Salt being throughly mixed with the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine; and now united to the Ʋnctuosity of the Metal, common Water cannot touch nor separate. But an Acid received into the bowels of an Arid, he corrects again with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, that it may not become the cause of venenosity: Yet there is a place in Paracelsus, where he seems to have established a particular Decree against the perma∣nence of Menstruums. Many several ways, saith he, Lib. 4. Archid. de Essentia, pag. 12. are found, whereby the Quintes∣sence may be extracted, viz. by Sublimation, Calcination, by Aqua fortisses, by Corrosives, by Sweet, by Sowr, &c. It may
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be done which way you please: Where this is withal to be observed, that every thing added by way of mixture, to the Quintessence, for the necessity of extraction, must be again taken away, and so the Quintessence remain alone, not mix'd, or polluted with any other Matters: For the Quintessence can∣not be extracted from Metals, especially Gold, which cannot be subdued by it self alone; but some fit Corrosive must be made Use of, which may afterwards be separated from it again; so Salt (dissolved) in water, is drawn again from the water left void of Salt: Whereas notwithstanding it must be consi∣dered, that every Corrosive is not fit for this purpose, because they cannot all be separated: For if Vitriol or Alume be mix'd with water, neither can be separated from it again without detriment or corruption, but will leave some sharpness behind them, because they are both watry; and two likes concur to∣gether, which ought not to be in this place: Wherefore it is to be advised, not to put watry to watry, or oyley to oyley, nor resiny to resiny, but a thing contrary must separate the Quin∣tessence, and extract it, as waters extract the Quintessences of things oleaginous, and the oleaginous the Quintessences of wa∣try things, as we may learn by the Quintessences of Herbs: The Corrosives therefore are to be separated again after the separation and extraction of the Quintessence, which may easily be done; for oyl and water are separated with ease; but oyl cannot be drawn from oyl, nor water likewise from water without mixing, which being lest, would indeed infer very great detriment to the Quintessence: For a Quintessence ought to be clear and pure without any mixture, so as to have an uniform substance, by virtue whereof to penetrate the whole Body.

Lest the Essence should be defiled by things added for the necessity of extraction, he commands no Watry Matter to be extracted by a watry Menstruum, an oyley by an oyley, a resiny by a resiny, but by some contrary. This Rule, if understood according to the Letter, is erroneous, for it takes away all the permanence of Menstruums established upon the Maxime so often repeated by the Adepts; The Dissolution of the Body is the Coagulation of the Spirit or Menstruum; and on the contrary: It takes away, I say, all the natural homogeneity of the dissolvent and the dissolved; yea
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is repugnant to the Experience of Paracelsus himself, who had no Menstruum but what remained in a radical mixtion with the things dissolved in it, as by the Ʋse of them we shall prove hereafter. Now an Essence is divers ways coinquinated by things added in the extraction of it.

First, When a Natural or Seminal Essence is extracted by the like Natural Essence of another species; For example, the Essence of Saffron is inquinated and confounded with the virtues of Cina∣mom, in extracting it with the specifick Essence of Cinamom, and therefore the Essences of Vegetables are not to be extracted with a Natural, or rather Artificial Essence, or with the Spirit of Philo∣sophical Wine, not yet specificated.

Secondly, An Essence is inquinated, when a Menstruum or Essence is in greater than convenient quantity used in the extraction of another Essence, by which quantity the quality of the said Es∣sence is washed, wasted, and as it were inquinated; wherefore the superfluity of the Menstruum must always be taken away, that the Essence may remain by it self alone without any mixture.

Thirdly, An Essence is inquinated by extracting it with Air or mineral Menstruums according to some Processes of the Anci∣ents. For an Acid, though it cannot be radically mix'd with any Essence, being no Essence it self, yet is easily absorbed or hidden by the aridity of mineral Essences, and so joyned with the said Essences by accident, and from a thing otherwise innocent, creates a very strong Poyson: This therefore to remove, the Ancients first washed off that which stuck to the outside of the Body, then trans∣muted that which was more deeply admitted, by the digestion of Vegetable Menstruums: But in the making of Essences with acid or mineral Menstruums according to the reformed Process, otherwise called by Paracelsus, the Process of two Colours, the said inquination of an Essence hath no place. In the beginning of this Process the acid being absorbed by the arid, becomes indeed the cause of venenosity, as in the Process of the Ancients; but when this Process of Paracelsus is by industry and ingenuity raised to such perfection, that no more Aridity can remain to hide any Acidity in it, but on the contrary, the whole Body is converted into two Oyls or Fats, from which all Acidity may easily be washed away with common Water, then is there no inquination to be feared from Acids. The Saying of Paracelsus, we suppose is to be referred to this
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Method, he having there treated of it on purpose, especially having said that the oleaginous Essences of Metals are to be extracted by Watry, that is, acid or corrosive Menstruums, but that the watry Essences of Herbs, that is, less oyley in respect of Metals, must be made by Oleaginous, that is Vegetable Menstruums, which things being not in common terms, but obscurely enough deli∣vered, we do therefore leave them to be better explained by his Disciples; but if they were to be understood according to the Let∣ter, it would certainly be an Errour, not indeed to be connived at in the Prince of Adepts: But according to the Proverb, We are Men, &c. For sometimes good Homer himself has nodded, and the Pen of Paracelsus has wanted mending.

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The Fifteenth KIND. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and Acid Spirits, as Aqua fortis, Spirit of Nitre, Spirit of Sulphur, Salt, &c. distilled Vinegar, &c.
73. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Paracelsus. In Tinct. Paracelsica, Pag. 37. Aurei Vel. Germ.
TAke the best Wine (the red or white of Lully) rectify till a Linnen Cloath burneth, being dipp'd therein and kindled: This Spirit is called the Essence of Wine. Take of Vitriol two Pounds, of Nitre one Pound, from which distil Aqua fortis into the aforesaid Essence of Wine, then digest ten Days, that they may be well united.

Annotations.
THat the Adepts acuated the Spirit of Philosophical Wine divers ways as well with Oyly as Dry things, we have given plenty enough of Examples in the antecedent Kinds of Vegetable Menstruums; it shall now be declared in the following Menstru∣ums, which ways this Spirit is to be acuated by Acids. In this Fif∣teenth Kind we will joyn the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine with some Acid Spirits, that by the help of their acidity it may dis∣solve and perfect Arids sooner and easier than before without. Para∣celsus
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in our Receipt intending to asswage the excessive effervescence in dissolving the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in Aqua fortis, di∣still'd the Aqua fortis into the Spirit of Wine, that they might both by degrees be mix'd together, which being thus mix'd one with the other, he digested moreover the space of ten Days. The same Men∣struum is described by Trithemius.

74. Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Trithemius. Pag. 46. Aurei velleris Germ.
TAke of the Spirit of Wine three Pounds, of Vitriol and Ni∣tre one Pound, distil the Spirits of the Aqua fortis into the aforesaid Aqua vitoe, digest eight Days.

This quantity of Aqua fortis is insufficient to dissolve three Pounds of the Spirit of Wine, Ounces perhaps are to be understood for so ma∣ny Pounds. No Art is here required, provided the Acid and Oyly be mix'd together. In former times the Adepts used distilled Vinegar, instead of Aqua fortis, for this Menstruum, thus:

75. Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Basilius. Cap. de Wein Essig. in Repet. Lapidis.
DEr Wein Essig. (Vinegarwine, a single undeclinable Word) is not the Philosophers Vinegar, which is another Liquor, viz. the Matter it self of the Stone, because the Philosophers Stone is made of the Philosophers Azot; but Vinegarwine, is made of common Azot distilled (common Vinegar) and Spirit of Wine (that is, Philosophical.) And elsewhere, Libro de particu∣laribus de particul. Veneris. I spoke even now, saith he, Paraboli∣cally of this preparation, in Libro Clavium (in Repetitione) Capite de Wein Essig. where I said that common Azot (Vinegar) is not the Matter of the Stone, but our Azot or first Matter extracted out of common Azot and Wine, which composition is called the expressed Juice of unripe Grapes, with which the Body of Venus is to be dissolved, and reduced into Vitriol (then into our Azot,
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the first Matter of the Stone, Philosophers Mercury, Spirit of Mercu∣ry made of Vitriol, &c.) which you must very well observe, that you may be free from many troubles and dangers. The Philo∣sophers Mercury, saith he, Libro de Conclusionibus, Sect. 2. de Vi∣triolo Philosophorum, or first Matter of the Stone must be made by Art, for our Azot is not common Vinegar, but extracted by Virtue of common Azot.

Though therefore a Philosophical Menstruum may be made of common Azot or distilled Vinegar, and the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as also sufficient and qualified for the dissolutions of some Bo∣dies, yet being less sharp, especially in the Alchymical use of Metals and Minerals, instead therefore of Vinegar the Adepts took Aqua for∣tis, the sooner to finish their Operations. You must know, saith Isaacus Hollandus, that our Ancestors laboured in the Art divers ways, and yet came to one and the same end, but their Stone made not projection always alike, one making a deep, another a strong projection, as the Works (Menstruums) were sharp, or of a deep Colour: some sweat a long time with pains, before they produced the Stone: others shortned the time by sharpness of Wit, as it is now done every day with sweat and pains. Some of our Ancestors wrought three Years, some four, before they acquired the Stone, for in those days Aqua fortis was unknown, and they used nothing but distill'd Vinegar; but now their Succes∣sors have found out Aqua fortis, which hath much abbreviated the Work. Cap. 6. Lib. 2. Oper. min. pag. 423. Volum. 3. Theat. Chym. Even at that time Bodies were to be opened slowly, namely, by calcination, reverberation, solution in our sharp Vi∣negar (Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) which their posterity observing and considering, quickned their Wits, and found out Aqua fortis, which did much abbreviate the way to them. Cap. 77. Lib. 1. Oper. min. pag, 358. of the same Vo∣lume.

To make the present Kind of Menstruums, the Adepts dissolved this Spirit of Philosophical Wine, not in Vinegar and Aqua fortis only, but in any acid Spirit not tinging, as of Salt, Sulphur, &c. It is thus prepared;

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76. The Spirit of Salt of Basilius. Lib. partic. in particul. Solis.
TAke of the Spirit of Salt accurately dephlegmed one part, of the best Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine without any Phlegm, or of the Sulphur of Wine half a part, the Vessels being luted, distil with a strong Fire, so as that nothing remains.

If you add new Spirit of Wine to the distillation, and digest for some time, it becomes sweet: It is therefore requisite to dissolve the Spirit of Wine in the Spirit of Salt without digestion, lest the acidity or brackishness of this Spirit be lost. Guido sometimes took his Cir∣culatum either minus or majus, instead of the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, into which he distilled the Spirit of Salt.

77. The Spirit of Salt of Guido. Pag. 7. Thesauri Chym.
TAke of the less Vegetable Menstruum (in Numb. 36.) or the great (in Numb. 38.) one Pound, put it in a large Recei∣ver. Then take of common Salt, or Sal Gemmoe, of the Stone of Tripoly, of each four Pounds, distil in an Earthen Retort with an open Fire, first gentle, till all the Phlegm is drawn off, then put the Receiver with the Circulatum to it, and distil the Spirits, till not a drop of the Oyl of Salt ascends, and you will have an acu∣ated Menstruum.

To make these Menstruums stronger, they sometimes separated or drew off the Acid from the Oleosum, that the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine might remain in the form of Oyl or Ice, thus:

78. Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Lully. In Elucidat. Testam. pag. 147. Artis aurifer.
TAke of Vitriol one part, of Nitre one part, of Alume a fourth part, mix them all well together, and distil with a gentle Fire, till the Liquor is gone over, then give a stronger, and lastly most strong, till the Alembick grows white, for then is
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the Aqua fortis prepared. Then take of the aforesaid Water one pound, put it in a large Cucurbit, and pour it upon four ounces of Aqua Vitoe (Aqua ardens) four times distilled, and put an Alembick on with its Receiver, then will it make great noises, boyling exceeding violently without Fire; and there∣fore the VVaters ought to be mixed by little and little. Then put it into a less Cucurbit, and put on an Alembick with its Receiver, and distil the Water in Balneo, that a Matter may remain alone at the bottom of the Vessel in the form of Ice; pour back the water, and distil again, and this repeat nine times, then will an Oyl or Matter like Ice remain in the bot∣tom.

This Menstruum of Lully is clear, and therefore requires not our Explanation. But it is described by an Anonymous in Rhena∣nus, thus;

79. Aqua fortis mixed with the Spirit of Wine of an Anonymous Author. Libro de Principiis Naturae, & Arte Alchym. pag. 28. Syntagm. Harm. Joh. Rhenani.
TAke an equal Quantity of Niter and Alume, distil the Phlegm, till the strong and dissolving Spirits ascend, and set before them new and clean distilled water, and force the Spirits into it with a most strong Fire. Then take the Spi∣rits of Wine being well purged, and artificially distilled in Bal∣neo, take four ounces of them to one pound of Aqua fortis, put them into a large Cucurbit, apply an Alembick to it, stop, and put it into cold water, and let them boyl till they will boyl no more: Then put it in Balneo, and distil the water, so that the Spirits may remain yet moist, then pour the water first drawn off, to them again, and do as before, and that seven times, continually distilling with a gentle Fire, till no∣thing more will distil, but the Matter remains like an Oyl in the bottom.

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From the Receipts we observe these remarkable Things:
1. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an acid Spirit, is a mineral Menstruum. Our Aqua fortis, our Vinegar, distilled Vinegar, Vinegar mixed with the Spirit of Wine, our Spirit of Salt, Sulphur, &c.

2. That the Spirit of the same Wine, is with very great ebulliti∣on dissolved in an Acid, and therefore you ought to be exceeding care∣ful lest you pour too much of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine upon the Aqua fortis, and vice versa: For it would be more safe to di∣stil the Aqua fortis upon the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as Pa∣racelsus adviseth.

3. That Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, may be ta∣ken instead of Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, or Spirit of Salt mix'd with the Spirit of Wine. &c. in Chymical Works espe∣cially.

4. That the more these Menstruums are abstracted from the Acid debilitated in dissolution, the stronger they are made.

5. That the Adepts used also corrosive Menstruums or Aqua fortis. There are some, not only common ignorant Operators, but Adepts also, who not knowing the Preparation and Ʋse of these Menstruums, have written against these corrosive Menstruums. Fools, saith Bernhard, do out of the less Minerals make and ex∣tract corrosive waters, into which they cast the Species of Me∣tals, and corrode them; for they think them to be dissolved by a natural solution; which solution doth indeed require per∣manence together, that is, of the dissolvent and the dissolved; that from both, as the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result. Verily I tell you no water dissolves a Metallick Species by a natural reduction, but that which con∣tinues in matter and form, and which the Metals themselves, being dissolved, are able to re-congeal. Which Quality is not in Aqua fortisses, but is rather injurious to the Composition, that is, of the Body dissolved, &c. Yet thus they think they dissolve, mistaking Nature; but they dissolve not, because the Aqua for∣tisses being abstracted, the Body melts, as before; nor will that water be permanent to it, nor is it to that Body as radical Moi∣sture: The Bodies are indeed corroded, but not dissolved, and
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so much the more alienated from a Metallick Species. Where∣fore such solutions as these are not the foundation of the trans∣mutative Art, but rather Impostures of Sophistical Alchymists, who think this sacred Art lies in these things, &c. Epist. ad Thom. de Bononia, pag. 60. Artis Aurifer. So in the Regeneration of Metals, saith Sendivogius, Vulgar Chymists proceed amiss, they dissolve Metallick Bodies, either Mercury, or Gold, or Saturn, or Luna, and corrode them with Aqua fortisses, and other heterogeneous things not requisite to true Art, then they joyn and force them together, not knowing that man is not genera∣ted from the Body of a man dissected, &c. Tract. 6. pag. 488. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.

Some do by Art corroding Waters make,
In which Metalline Species they calcine;
But then the Liquor doth the Earth forsake,
Nor by mans Skill together they will combine:
This way to Fools we leave, for nothing fit,
But for to wast ones Thrist, beware of it.
Page 41. of the second Part of the Marrow of Alchymy.

These and the like Expressions they reflect against our Mineral or Acid Menstruums, whereas they were written by the Philosophers against Common not Philosophical Aqua fortisses. In that Point, saith Lully, they ignorantly err, imagining the Bodies of Me∣tals to be dissolved, and as I said before, reduced to their first Matter or Nature with Common Aqua fortisses; but if they had read our Books, they would certainly know that these Liquors are repugnant to the intention of the Philosophers, &c. Comp. Anim. Transm. pag. 19•. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Parisinus, a faithful Disciple of Lully, explains his Meaning thus: Those things that are objected by us against Aqua fortisses, namely, that they are of no efficacy in the Art, and nevertheless are taught by Lully, are to be otherwise understood: For he this way puts a difference between the Vulgar and Philosophical Aqua fortisses, &c. And therefore Raymund rejecting sharp Waters, means the Aqua for∣tisses of separation, but not those of the Philosophers, Cap. 6. Lib.•. Elucid. pag. 206. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. But it would be meerly superfluous for us, either by Authorities or Arguments to illustrate that which the Menstruums themselves will demonstrate.

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The Sixteenth KIND. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar, and Vola∣tile Salts, as Common Sal Armo∣niack, Urine, &c.
80. The Oyl of Sal Armoniack of Guido. Pag. 11. Thesaur. Chymiatr.
TAke of the Oyl of Salt (the Menstruum described in Numb. 71.) half a pound, of (Common) Sal Armoniack four ounces. Dissolve the Salt in the Oyl, cohobate the Dissolution three times through an Alembick.

Annotations.
IN the attecedent Kind, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine was dissolved in Acids: Now to make these Oyley-acid Menstru∣ums stronger, the Adepts added to them Salts, that is, Arids dissolved in Acids, and Cristallized. In this present Kind they took Volatile Salts, as being of easier preparation, in the following: fixed Salts, because of stronger virtue. In the Receipt of Guido, there is nothing either difficult or dark, unless you will object against the Ingredients, which cannot be both common, because Guido sub∣limes Gold Philosophically with this Menstruum. Whatsoever also you read in the Books of Practical Chymy, understand always according to the Letter (we need not admonish you to except the Terms of Art) if so, that which is promised in the Preparation
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and use may be performed; if not, seek an Analogical sense not in the method and use of preparation, but in the ingredients; according to which Rule either the Oyl of Salt, or Sal Armoniack, or both ought to be Philosophical, because Gold cannot be Philosophically sublimed with Common Menstruums. The Oyl of Salt of Paracelsus, as also the Spirit or Oyl of Salt of Basilius, wherewith he extracts the Sulphur of Sol, do prove the Oyl of Salt to be a Philosophical Menstruum, Cap. 6. de Rebus nat. & supernat.

Probable it is that Guido meant the same Oyl, for otherwise the Name of Oyl had been improperly attributed by a Philosopher to the thin and common Spirit of Salt. But if you think rather that Gui∣do meant the common Spirit of Salt by the Oyl of Salt, you must by Sal Armoniack understand not the common, but Vegetable Sal Har∣moniack (the Spirit of Philosophical Wine dryed with some Salt, and then sublimed) for so you might also make a Menstruum of the same if not of stronger Virtue, a species of the following Eighteenth Kind: But if both the Oyl of Salt and Sal Armoniack be Philoso∣phical, a Menstruum will be from thence produced yet stronger than both the precedent: Here you may deviate from the true and genuine sense of the Receipt, but never from Chymical Truth, so long as you are guided by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but here you must have a great care that you do not transmute (as sometimes through inadvertence you may) the false Receipts of deceitful Distillers into true ones; an impossible into a possible; a lye into truth; and a wick∣ed Man into a Philosopher.

Sometimes they impregnated common Sal Armoniack with a Tincture, to make a Menstruum higher, thus:

81. The Water of Sal Armoniack of Isaacus. Cap. 47.2. Oper min. pag. 460. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym.
TAke Sal Armoniack, sublime it with Roman Vitriol, one Pound of Sal Armoniack, to two Pounds of Vitriol, then grind upon a Stone the Faeces, and sublime again, then throw away the Faeces, and sublime again with two Pounds of new Vitriol, do as before, repeating nine times: pulverize the Sal Ar∣moniack, and put the Powder into a Glass, pour upon it distilled Vinegar (Philosophical, or some Menstruum of the Fifteenth Kind)
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so as only to be dissolved, and no more, than that the Sal Ar∣moniack may be turned only into Water as yellow as Sol, be∣cause the Sal Armoniack was sublimed by Vitriol, and that pro∣duced the Tincture: And this is that Water of Sal Armoniack, which I promised before to teach you how to make.

From the Receipts we observe:
1. That the Oyl or Essence of Salt becomes a stronger Menstruum by the addition of Volatile Salts.

2. That this ought to be understood also of the Menstruums of the fifteenth precedent Kind.

3. That these Menstruums are the same with the Vegetable Men∣struums of the fourth Kind, excepting only that they have an Acid ad∣ded over and above.

4. That these Menstruums are of most easy preparation, being made by three cohobations only.

5. That it is very difficult for a Man to err, being experienced in the more secret Chymy, for he that understands the practice of this Art, will easily explain the Receipt of every Adept, be it never so ob∣scure, either by the use, or title, or way of preparing; for it is in a manner impossible, not to draw some Light from one or other of the said three, or direction enough to find the same Receipt more clear in the Writings either of the same or some other Adept: And indeed though we sometimes meet with Receipts, which in title, way of pre∣paration, and use, seem to be like the Receipts of vulgar Chymistry, yet a Desciple of our Art will easily determine either for the approbati∣on or reprobation of these Receipts: For there are infallible Signs to distinguish a true from a false Menstruum; this one following shall here suffice: The quality of a good Menstruum is to dissolve Bodies either gently or violently, and make them not only Volatile, but fat also, yea reduce them into a true Oyl either swimming upon, or sinking under watery Liquors. This Attribute of a Menstruum is inconsistent to any common dissolvent, but proper to the Philosophical, and to them alone, being made of the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which Spirit alone doth by its permanence make the dry Sulphur of a Metal both thinner and fatter: That Menstruum therefore in the use of which are promised such things, as cannot be performed by com∣mon
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Menstruums, may be truly called Philosophical, with a caution or two to be observed.

1. That the Receipt must be of some known and not suspected Au∣thor, not of every smoak-seller, promising great and many things with∣out a Foundation, wherefore every Receipt wanting its Authority, though it may seem like a true one, yet we think ought to be rejected as suspicious.

2. That the Receipt must not be alone, described not in one but di∣vers places by the same Author, or at least most clear in its ingredi∣ents: For the same Names have one signification with one, but ano∣ther with another Adept; so long therefore as it is not known by col∣lateral places, what an Author means by his Matters, such a Man's Receipts we declare uncertain.

3. That the Receipt must import a competent Rule in operating, that is, declare whether Matters are to be volatilized in part or in the whole, but whatsoever are more obscure and concise we lay aside as imperfect.

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The Seventeenth KIND. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Phi∣losophical Vinegar, and fixed Salts not ting∣ing, as well Vegetable as Mineral.
82. The Aqua Comedens of Paracelsus. Lib. 10. Arch. pag. 37.
BY Aqua Comedens (Eating or Corroding Water) we mean Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, which must be drawn from common Salt so often, till it is dissolved, and comes over by distillation in the Vinegar.

Annotations.
THe Philosophical Vinegar, or Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, which you acuated with Volatile Salts in the precedent Kind, is made stronger by the mixing of fixed Salts so called. We have described several Vegetable Menstruums made with Alcali Salts in their fifth Kind, which if prepared with Philo∣sophical Vinegar instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, will produce Mineral Menstruums of this Kind, though prepared another way, with this only difference, that they are made more slowly with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but with Philosophical Vinegar much sooner, yea immediately, if either Common or Philosophical Vi∣negar be joyned to the Vegetable Menstruums. Aqua comendens, or Eating Water, is the third Menstruum that we have observed to be made of common Salt. The first is in the fifth Kind of Vegetable
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Menstruums, where common Salt being fused and resolved per deli∣quium, is by Virtue of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine reduced in∣to the Oyl or Essence of Salt, which by being sometimes cohobated with the same Spirit, becomes sweet, and is transmuted into the Ar∣canum of Salt, or Circulatum minus made of common Salt. The second is in the fourteenth Kind, where the aforesaid Oyl of Salt is left in its acid (rather saline) Essence. The third, which is taught in the present Kind, agrees with the first, except only that it is prepared not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but Philosophical Vine∣gar, and so, sooner than that, and in use is stronger, as a Mineral Men∣struum. Dissolve the Arcanum of Salt, or Salt circulated in any Acid not tinging; for example, common Vinegar distill'd, Spirit of Ni∣ter, Sulphur, Salt, &c. and it will produce the Eating Water by sim∣ple mixtion; on the contrary, if you weaken, or take away the Acid of the Eating Water, either by precipitating it with common Spirit of Wine, common Water, &c. or digesting it by it self, you will have the Arcanum of Salt, or Water of Salt circulated. That which has been said of common Salt, is also to be understood of Niter, Alume, and all other Salts not tinging. The Receipt of the Eating Water is clear of it self, except that in the Latin Translation, a Salis Nitri Spiritu is read amiss, the German Authors own Writing having it a Sale communi, Von gemeinen Saltz: The Error it is requisite you should correct.

Menstruums of this Kind are made not only of Mineral Salts not tinging, but also of Vegetable Alcalies, thus:

83. The fixative Water of Trithemius. Pag. 37. Aurei Veller. Germ.
TAke Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine, (described above in Numb. 74.) whereto add of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium half a Pound, distil the Spirit, throw away the Phlegm, and dissolve the remaining Earth or Salt in the Spirit.

Keep the solution for the fixing of things; but for volatilization the Salt of Tartar must be cohobated so oft, till it ascends as the com∣mon Salt in the Eating Water.

Hereto is referred the Menstruum, called

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84. The Aqua Mirabilis of Isaacus. Cap. 29. 2 Oper. Min. & pag. 91. Manus Phil.
TAke old Urine, distil with a weak Fire, then a stronger, that whatsoever can, may ascend; rectifie the destillation, taking away all the Fatness or Oyl, till it leaves no Faeces be∣hind it. The Caput Mortuum left in the bottom, calcine the space of two hours, but without fusion of the Salt, draw all the saltness from the calcined Matter, with common Water; evaporate the Liquor to a thin skin, that the Salt may be Cri∣stalized, repeat sometimes, that the Salt may be made most pure, which dissolve in the distilled Urine. Then take of this regenerated Urine six pounds, of distilled Vinegar, and Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, of each three measures, of Common Salt two pounds, of Sal Armoniack and calcined Tartar, of each half a pound, dissolve them all together into an Aqua Mirabilis.

The like Water almost hath Basilius, but that he distils his through an Alembick; the Description of which followeth.

85. The Resuscitative Water of Basilius. Pag. 81. Currus Triumphalis Antim.
TAke of the Salt of Mans Urine clarified and sublimed, of Sal Armoniack, and Salt of Tartar, of each one part, mix the Salts, pour strong (Philosophical) Vinegar to them, lute with lutum sapientioe, digest the Salts for a Month in a con∣tinual heat, then distil the Vinegar by Ashes, till the Salts re∣main dry, then mix them with three parts of Venetian Earth, force them with a strong Fire through the Retort, and you will have a wonderful Spirit for the making of Running Mercury out of Antimony. The same Water we find also, pag. 39. of his Ma∣nual Operations.

The Adepts have sometimes used some crude Oyley Matter in∣stead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in making these Men∣struums;
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thus Paracelsus volatilized four Salts into a Menstruum of this Kind with Wax dissolved in Aqua fortis.

86. The Water of Sallabrum of Paracels. Libro de reductione Metallorum in Argentum vi∣vum, sive Tractatu. 4. Rosarii novi Olympici Be∣ned. Figuli, pag. 24.
TAke notice there is no shorter Method of reducing Metals into Mercury, known to us, than that which we used in our Book de putrefactione quatuor Salium, which we there called Sallabrum, as thus; each of those (Salts, as lower) must be converted into a pure Water or Oyl (per deliquium) which being mixed in equal weight, are called Lac Veterum, or Milk of the Ancients: Which Philosophical Milk put into a strong Receiver, and distil the Spirits of calcined Vitriol, cal∣cined Alume, and the best Niter, ana, five times upon it, and the mixture will be called Flying Eagle, carrying Metals in its Talons aloft; such a Metal, being sublim'd, grind to powder, from which draw the Spirit of strong Wine being poured to it the height of a Finger, three or four times gently in Balneo, and you will have a quick or running Metal as common Mer∣cury. Now the Eagle is made volatile thus: To the Philoso∣phers Milk acuated with the said Spirits, or Eagle, pour Wax, being very well liquefied and purged, about the thickness of a Finger, distil the Phlegms together with the Spirits by a Cu∣curbit in Balneo, which Matter must be cohobated so often, till they are all coagulated or well mixed; and you will have the Philosophers Borax, which we wrote of in our Book de vir∣tute Vitrioli, wherein the Volatile Eagle absconded it self with its Feathers, namely, Spirits. Now take the Calx of what Me∣tal you please, made of Aqua fortis, one part, of the Flying Eagle half a part, mix, putrefie nine days, the longer the bet∣ter, then sublime the Matter upon Sand in a Cucurbit well lu∣ted, and all the Metal you took will ascend, wherewith pro∣ceed as before. Sallabrum described in the Book mentioned, (de putrefactione quatuor Salium) Take Sal Niter, Sal Gemmoe,
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common Salt, Pot-Ashes, an equal quantity of each, dissolve every one by it self, and purge it from all Terrestreity; out of all being mixed together, make a clear and transparent Wa∣ter, which again coagulate in a clean Vessel, and you will find the Salt of another colour, namely, yellow, penetrating, and sweetning, dissolving and fixing: Love and esteem this Salt, because there are many Secrets in it; for it fixeth the Volatile, and vivifieth the Spirit being dead; and mollifieth the hard and friable, and freeth from any Leprosie and Poyson, sixeth Arsenick, and moreover is the promoter of many famous works to a happy and desired End.

In the first place, let us admonish you to beware of this and such like Menstruums; for a Mystery lies in these Receipts, which to ob∣serve is necessary, lest you begin to doubt the Truth of them after many most dangerous Experiments tried in vain: for you Beginners let this suffice; that it is impossible for Wax, or any other oyley Matter to supply the place of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine. There would be no need of this Spirit in the whole Art, if crude oyley things could perform the same as this most pure and most un∣ctuous Liquor. No man but he that is expert in the Method of preparing the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, can make these Men∣struums, whereas all the rest may be made by any Ideot, if he hath but the Spirit of this Wine given him. The Adepts do in these Receipts both prepare and acuate this Spirit of Wine; no wonder therefore that they either wholly omitted the Mystery, or not suffi∣ciently express'd it in their Compositions; for which reason also these Menstruums do appertain to the preparation of the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine, rather than as all the rest to the Ʋse of this Spi∣rit, or compositions of these Menstruums; nor should I have re∣membred them here, had they not been detrimental to many men; and that to my own knowledge. The Name Sallabrum is given quasi Salis labrum, or Salt-Cellar, not that Salt is to be contained in this Vessel, as Candelabrum, or Candlestick is so called, because Candles are set in it, but rather because the Essence or Fire of some Metals, or some Chymcial Light is either to be reserved, or made in this Sallabrum, as Alume is by Isaacus in Man. Philosophor. pag. 28. called Lucerna, signifying a Lanthorn.

Concerning this Sallabrum, Thomas Aquinas in Lilio Benedicto, pag. 1085. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Thus;

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Adde labrum Salis quanta sit sexta duorum
Conjunge pone{que} simul—
In the same place he calls this Sallabrum the Medium of joyning Tinctures, the middle between two Extreams, between hard and soft, between Luna and the Spirit, between the Body and Spirit: As the Menstrual Blood is the Medium between the Sperm of the Male and Female, so this our Salt, pag. 1085. Sallabrum he calls thundring Salt, illuminating Stone, and fatness of the Eagle, pag. 1087. Sal Alembrot, the Stone Bore (Borax) and fatness of the Eagle, pag. 1097. Tincar, Borax.

This Sallabrum or Saline Labrum is by Paracelsus made of these Salts, Niter, Sal gemme, common Salt, and Alcali.

Guido used these four following in his reduction of Metals into Mercury: Common Salt, Alcali, Sal armoniac, and Salt of Tar∣tar, pag. 23. Thes. Chym.

Thomas Aquinas took the same Salts as Guido, for his La∣brum Salis. The Affinity which I observe between the Salts of Paracelsus, Gemme and Common, I perceive also between the Salt of Tartar, and Alcali of Guido; but the foundation of the Re∣ceipt is not grounded upon these four Salts. Paracelsus was some∣times satisfied with Niter and common Salt fused and resolved to∣gether per deliquium. Nor does the Mystery of the Receipt lie in the Wax, in the room of which if you chose any oyley thing else, you will not err. Instead of the same, he sometimes used Linseed-Oyl in the Water of the sixth gradation; but of this hereafter.

From the Receipts we observe,
1. That these Menstruums are simple Vegetable Menstruums of the Fifth Kind dissolved in Acids. Dissolve any of them in common Aqua fortis, and you will have a Menstruum of this Kind; but take away the Acid, and it will be a Vegetable Menstruum again, as it was before.

2. That these Menstruums are by reason of the Acidity both sooner made, and do more powerfully operate than the said Men∣struums of the Fifth Kind.

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3. That they are not always made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but also with any common Oyley Matter, provided it be un∣dertaken by an Artist expert in the Method of making the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

4. That these Menstruums do by their own strength without any addition of Common Argent vive, reduce Metals and Mine∣rals into running Mercury.

5. That Metals dissolved in these Menstruums, and sublimed, are properly enough called Philosophical Mercuryes, because as Common Mercury sublimate, so these are most easily resuscitated into running Argent vive.

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The Eighteenth Kind. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Ve∣getable Sal Harmoniack, and Acids not tinging.
87. The Aqua fortis of Isaacus Hollandus. Cap. 122. Oper. Min. pag. 397. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
MAke an Aqua fortis with an equal quantity of Sal Har∣moniack, and Sal Niter, dry the Sal Niter to a dry Powder, then mix the Sal Harmoniack discreetly among the Powder of the Sal Niter, so as to be well mixed together, and incorporated one with the other; then distil; not luting the Receiver close to the Beak, before it begins to distil; for if you lute the Receiver at first to the Beak of the Alembick, there are windy wild Spirits in the Matter, which would break the Receiver; but having distilled a little while, lute the Beak without fear, and distil the Water according to Art.

Page 241
Annotations.
BEsides the Philosophers Vinegar, there is a Sal Harmoniack, under the Name of which is comprehended the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine, the root of all Menstrums, being concentrated, dried in an Arid, and sublimed into an admirable Salt. This pre∣sent Kind treats of this Salt, not common Sal Armoniack, dis∣solved in common Acids, not tinging. We have also made indeed Philosophical Menstruums before of common Sal Armoniack, by the help of Philosophical Vinegar, or an Acid mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but the Menstruums of this Kind are stronger than they, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being subli∣med into a Vegetable Sulphur or Mercury, is made better, as be∣ing acuated either with an Alcali, or some fixed Arid, and for this reason being dissolved in an Acid, it yields also a more noble Men∣struum. Isaac in our Receipt mixeth Vegetable Sal Harmoniack with so much of Sal Niter, for the Vegetable Salt to be by subse∣quent distillation dissolved in the Mineral Acid of Sal Niter; but because this way of dissolving, is by reason of the sudden ebullition of the oyley and acid, too dangerous, he durst not therefore lute the Receiver close to the Beak, but the like effervescence appearing in the distillation, of common Sal Armoniack, and Sal Niter, we must prove, that by Sal Harmoniack Isaacus meant not the Common, but Philosophical; which we prove first by the Ʋse of the Menstruum: Of which saith Isaack thus; Dissolve your Sol in the Water made, and put it in Balneo, with a glass Alembick upon it; kindle the Balneo no more than that you may endure your hand in it, and lute the Receiver very firmly to the Beak, and a little hole being made above in the Alem∣bick, put a glass Funnel therein, whereby other Aqua fortis may upon occasion be poured in, and keep the Balneo in that heat aforesaid a day and a night, and when you see your Aqua fortis brought to a small quantity (by distilling) as it was when you dissolved the Sol in it, pour to it new Aqua fortis' and let it gradually distil a day and a night in Balneo, and' when it is thick again, pour Aqua fortis again to the Matter, doing in all respects as before; repeat it three times, always
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pouring to it new Aqua fortis, but the third time distil it dry (to siccity) then let the Body cool, and take the Receiver from the Beak, and stop it firmly with wax, remove the A∣lembick from the Pot, and then take a Drachm or Scruple of the Matter out of the Pot, and put it in a glass Phial, pour common distilled water to it, and set it on a Fornace in Ashes, and let the water boyl half an hour: Then let it cool of its own accord, and stand a day and a night, and a Powder will settle in the bottom of the Vessel; pour off the top of the water gently, and the rest evaporate with a lukewarm heat, to dry your Powder: Being dry, take it out, and heating a silver Plate, put a little of your Powder upon it, and look earnestly whether the Powder fumes not; if you perceive it fume, have a care of your self, for the fume may kill you, &c. pag. 397. of the same Volume. Then he goes on, Cap. 24. saying, Then put your Matter or Powder in it (the subliming Vessel) with a large and clean Alembick upon it very well luted, so as to be certain that no Spirits can pierce the luting; for they are sub∣til beyond description, and should they penetrate, and you re∣ceive the fume, you would die. Lute also a large Receiver to the Beak of the Alembick, and let the luting be in every place throughly dry: Then put Fire under the Fornace, first a very small Fire, and sometimes increase it by degrees, till your Matter begins to sublime, which it will do with a little heat; and when you see the Matter ascend, diligently observe to keep the Fire in the same degree, that it may sublime very gently, which will be easily done; for the Matter is sublimed, and ascends with a very little Fire, pag. 402. of the same Vo∣lume.

Gold dissolved in this Aqua fortis of Isaack, and once or twice cohobated, then washed with common Water, becomes so volatile, as to ascend with a very small heat into a most poysonous Sublimate; if any man does the same by as easie a Method with common Aqua Regis made of Sal Armoniack and Niter, we declare he needs not Menstruums of this Kind; but that common Sal Armoniack is insufficient for such a purpose, even the Novices of vulgar Chy∣mistry have long since experienced.

Besides the Ʋse of this Menstruum, the Encomiums of Sal Harmoniack, which agree not in the least with the Common of
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the same Name, do prove the excellency of this Menstruum. Now, saith he, we have a mind to teach you how and which way to joyn Soul, Body and Spirit together, so as to enter one into the other; for a Congregation of Contraries cannot be so, as to remain together without a Medium (which before in cap. 146. he called Sal Harmoniack or dry Water) Take an exam∣ple from the Dyers that dye Cloaths, &c. Thus it is with our Stone. Though we have rightly prepared the Body, Soul and Spirit, if they enter not into one another, they will neither now, nor at any time ever remain together without the Medi∣um of our dry Water. Now Beloved, where now shall we find this Water? For Geber saith, Our water is not Rain-water. Aristotle saith, Our water is a dry water. Hermes saith, Our water is gathered out of a filthy and stinking Menstrual Matter. Danthynus saith, Our water is found in old Stables, Houses of Office, and stinking Sinks. And Morienus, Our water springs in Mountains and Valleys, and Fools understand not these words, but think it Mercury; it is not Mercury, it is a dry wa∣ter, which causeth all Mineral Spirits, Soul and Body to enter and mix together, and when it has joyned them together, it departs from them, and lets them remain fixed. And this wa∣ter is found in all things of the world. For if this water was not, in vain should we endeavour to make the Stone: For how should we make one of our prepared Matter enter into an∣other? As the Apothecaries gather their Herbs together, so ought we to do either in the Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral Kingdom, to make a perfect work or Quintessence, we ought to have a dry water out of every distinct thing. A dry water therefore is in all things, to make themselves perfect. There∣fore, saith Galen, All things have their own Medicine to make the Stone either in the Mineral, Animal, or Vegetable King∣dom, without the addition of any exotick things. Wherefore when we would make the Stone, or any Fixation, we ought to make that conjunction with our dry water, as was said of the Dyer and Apothecary. Therefore is it, my Beloved! that so many fall into Errors, because they do not understand nor follow Nature: Therefore did I mention the Dyer and Apo∣thecary, for you to understand Nature, by that rude way, that you may in your own mind perceive that no conjunction
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can be made without a Medium.. Wherefore all the works above cited are good, but those two things are not there na∣med, the Spirit, that is, and Dry Water, weights and way of joyning, wherein consists our whole Art: wherefore I conjure you never to reveal this Secret; for all the Art that is in the world is comprehended in it, to make the perfect work in a short time and little pains, Cap. 147, 148, 149. 2. Oper. Min. pag. 524, 525. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym.

Ripley hath described the same Water thus;

88. The Aqua Regis of Ripley. Pag. 349. Viatici.
MAke a corrosive Water of Salt Peter and Harmoniack, and put not above four Ounces in the Destillatory, and draw a water with a slow Fire, wherein dissolve and make the Oyl of Sol, &c.

This Water Basil Valentine calls the Kings Bath, of which thus, in the elucidation of the second Key: Take notice, Friend! and seriously consider, because here lies the principal Secret; Make a Bath, have a care that no strange thing enter into it, lest the Noble Seed of Gold be radically destroyed after the dissolution of it: Exactly therefore, and with care examine the things which the second Key informs you of, that is, what Minerals are to be taken for the Kings Bath, wherein the King ought to be dissolved, and his external form subverted, that his Soul may appear without blemish: To this purpose will the Dragon and Eagle, that is Niter and Sal-Armoniack serve, out of which being united, is made an Aqua fortis, as you will be informed in my Manuals, where I shall treat of the Particular of Sol.

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89. The Kings Bath of Basilius. Lib. Partic. in Particul. Solis.
TAke of Salt Peter one part, of Sal Harmoniack, one part, of Flints pulverized half a part, mix, and di∣stil. Take notice, that this Water must be carefully and exactly distilled; for it cannot be distilled by the common method: He that is expert in the operations of (the more secret) Chymy, will know what is to be done. Ob∣serve, you must have a strong earthen Retort well luted, in the upper part of which must be a Pipe half a span long, and two fingers broad; put a great Receiver to it, lute well, and in∣crease the Fire by degrees till the Retort grows red hot: Then put in a spoonful of this Matter through the Pipe, and sudden∣ly stop the Pipe with a wet Cloath, and the Spirits will pass impetuously into the Receiver; the Spirits being asswaged, put in another spoonful of the said Matter, thus proceeding, till no Matter remains, and you will have Aqua Gehennea, or Hell-water, dissolving the Calx of Gold in an instant into a thick solution, which we mentioned in the third Part, as also in the second Key, not only dissolving Gold, but reducing the same into volatibility, &c.

This Kings Bath is described also by Basilius in Revelatione Manualium Operationum, thus;

90. A Philosophical Water for the Solution of Gold of Basilius. Labore primo Revelation. Man. Operat.
TAke of Salt Peter, and Sal Armoniack, of each two parts of Stones washed one part, grind them together, and by a Retort (with a Pipe) distil the Water into a large Receiver putting in two or three ounces through the Pipe; the Receiver, must be a big one, and lie in a Vessel full of cold Water, and co∣vered
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with wet Linnen Cloaths, that the Spirits may cool; for it will be very hot, stop the Joynts of the Retort very close, kindle a Fire, and the Retort being hot, cast in three ounces of Matter, the Pipe being suddenly stopp'd, the Spirits will pass through, and the Receiver will grow white, and drops fall: When the Spirits are setled, put in three ounces more, stopping the Pipe immediately, proceed as before, changing very often with wet Linnen: Continue this Operation till you have water enough, which stop very well, that it may not evaporate; it is the true Water and Mineral Bath for the King.

That Basilius as well as Isaacus used the Sal Harmoniac not common Sal Armoniac, for his Bath, the Ʋse of the same doth al∣so prove.

Take of this Water three parts, of the Calx of Gold one part, mix them in a Cucurbit, put it with an Alembick upon hot Ashes to be dissolved; if it be not wholly dissolved, pour out the Water, and pour on new, and that till all the Calx is dis∣solved in the water, being cold, white Faeces settle in the bot∣tom, which separate; put all the water together, and digest for a day and a night in Balneo, then removing the Faeces, digest the space of nine Days continually, distil the Water, that the Water may remain in the bottom like Oyl, &c. distil so often, till all the Gold has pass'd through the Alembick. In the same place: This unctious Bath reduceth Gold and all other Metals into Oyls, because it is made of the Oyly Spirit of Philosophical Wine, concentrated, and dryed in some Vegetable Alcali; and Spirit of Nitre, whereas on the contrary Sal Armoniack, or common Aqua Regis, cannot transmute Metals beyond its saline Nature, for that Oleity which it hath not, it cannot give. Isaacus for want of a Re∣tort with a Pipe, perhaps not being at that time known, sustained no small loss of Spirits in distilling this Menstruum, which Basilius did by help of the said Retort endeavour to repair, though that also not without some difficulty.

The later Adepts, Crinot, Trismosinus, and Paracelsus obser∣ving the difficulty of distilling, and the loss of Spirits made it better, who by a plain but better method dissolved the Vegetable Sal Har∣moniack in Spirit of Nitre or Aqua fortis, without any loss, dan∣ger, or delay.

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91. The most strong Aqua fortis of Paracelsus. Lib. 3. Arch. de separ. Elem. pag. 7.
TAke Sal Nitre, Vitriol, and Alume, in equal parts, which distil into Aqua fortis, this again pour to its Faeces, and repeat, distil in a Glass, which Aqua fortis clarify with Silver, and dissolve Sal Armoniack in it.

That Paracelsus neither by Sal Armoniack meant the common, is also demonstrated by the use of the Menstruum, which he thus de∣scribes: These things being done, take a Metal reduced into Plates, and there resolve it into Water, in the same Water, then separate by Balneo and pour on again, this repeating, till you find an Oyl in the bottom, of Sol or Gold a purple, of Luna a la∣zurine; of Mars red and very dark; of Mercury white; of Sa∣turn livid and lead Coloured; of Venus altogether green; of Ju∣piter yellow; in the same place. Whoever dissolved Metals pro∣miscuously with common Aqua regis, both Silver and Gold into an Oyl, either purple or lazurine? Not to say any thing of the reduction of all Metals into two Fats red and white, the Essence thereof, and the Dead Body. It is therefore clear from the effect that Paracelsus dissolved Sal Harmoniack in Aqua fortis for his most strong Aqua fortis.

In making this Menstruum Guido adds the weight of the Sal Harmoniack which Paracelsus omits.

92. The Aqua Regis of Guido. Pag. 22. Thesauri Chym.
TAke Vitriol, common Salt, and Nitre, distil into Aqua fortis, take one Pound of this, four Ounces of (Philoso∣phical) Sal Harmoniack, and distil yet once.

Solomon Trismosinus sometimes dissolved Metals in comm•• Aqua fortis, and to the solution added Sal Harmoniack. Thus he
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volatalized Silver, being dissolved in Aqua fortis, with the afore∣said Salt. Lib. 8. Tinct. quinta. pag. 81. Aurei velleris Ger∣man. Take of pure Luna four Ounces, dissolve it in common Aqua fortis, draw off the Phlegm, to the remainder add six Drachms of Sal Harmoniack, and pour on new Aqua fortis, draw off again in Ashes to an oleity, this repeat four times with new Aqua fortis, then urge it strongly, and the Luna will ascend toge∣ther with the Aqua fortis.

Sometimes he volatilized Gold and Silver together with this Men∣struum. In Tinctura Regis Julaton. pag. 16. Aurei veller. Take of the filings of Gold of Sal Harmoniack, each two Ounces, to which put four Ounces of the best Silver dissolved in eight Ounces of Aqua fortis, draw off to an Oleity, pour on new Aqua fortis, and repeat three times with new Aqua fortis, and the Gold will ascend with the Silver through the Alembick.

Lully made his Aqua Regis by dissolving Vegetable Sal Harmo∣niack in the acid Water of Mercury sublimate.

93. The Aqua Regis of Lully. In Exp. 17.
TAke Mercury being twice sublimed with Vitriol, and com∣mon Salt prepared, each time with new materials, grind, and if there be one Pound of sublimate, take the whites of nine new laid Eggs, which whites beat so long, that it seems to be Water; then mix the white with that sublimate, and put it in a Retort with a long Neck, joyn a Receiver to it very close, gi∣ving it a Fire of Ashes at the beginning most gentle, till it distils by that degree: The distillation ceasing, increase the Fire, and at last give a most violent Fire, and by this means part of the Mercury will turn into Water, and part into running Mercury, which running Mercury being gone over sublime again, then grind and joyn it with the distilled Water, and distil again as be∣fore, repeating the Magistery, till all the sublimate is gone over, and converted into Water: Wherefore you may the same way multiply it as often as you please, always putting new sublimate to the Water, and distilling till it be converted into Water.
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Now take this Water, put it in a small Urinal (Cucurbit) joyn∣ing a Head to it with a Receiver, then distil by Balneo, till the white seems to be gone over mixt with it, which you will thus know; take an Iron or Copper Plate, upon which let one drop of the distillation fall, if it boyls and seems to dissolve, take away the Receiver, joyning another very well luted, and distil by Ashes, and again by Ashes repeat this Magistery seven times: And thus you will have a Mercurial Water, which will serve you in many operations: Take now one Ounce of the Salt of the second Experiment (Volatile Salt of Tartar, declared in Numb. 17.) and four Ounces of this Water (the acid Water now distil∣led from Mercury sublimate) mix them together, and the mixture will presently be dissolved; being dissolved, distil by Ashes with a gentle Fire luting the Joynts well, in the last place increase the Fire, that all the Salt may with the Water pass through the Alembick, then again put one other Ounce of the Salt into the same Water, and by distillation pass it all over as before, and thus repeat this Work of distillation four times, in every distilla∣tion adding an Ounce of the said Salt to that Water: Then will you have at length a Mineral Water vegetated and acuated, with the augmentation of Virtue and Power proceeding from the said most precious Vegetable Salt, without which is nothing done.

Our Annotations upon the Receipts are:
1. That the Menstruums of this Kind are simple Vegetable Men∣struums of the sixth Kind, dissolved in Acids. Take away the Acidi∣ty, and it will be a Menstruum again of the sixth Kind.

2. That these Menstruums are better made of Aqua fortis, it be∣ing an Acid stronger than the rest: yet that they may be also made of any other Acid less strong, as distill'd Vinegar, Spirit of Salt, Sul∣phur, &c.

3. That these are the best of all the simple Mineral Menstruums, both in the facility of making, and excellency of Virtue.

4. That it is much at one, whether the Metal be first dissolved in common Aqua fortis, and then the Vegetable Sal Harmoniack added, or the said Salt first, and then the Metal.

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5. That these Aqua regisses differ from the common, in that they dissolve all Metals promiscuously, Silver as well as Gold, and reduce the same not into a Calx, but Oyl, which cannot be said of common Aqua regis.

6. That Metals dissolved in these Menstruums and sublimed, be∣come the greatest Poysons belonging to this Art.

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The Nineteenth KIND. Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philosophers Spirit of Wine, and Acid Spirits tinging, Spirit of Vitriol, Butter of Antimony, &c.
94. Spirit of Vitriol mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully. Epist. accurtatoria, pag. 327.
THE Spirit of Vitriol is more dry and thick, than the Spirit of the Quintessence of Aqua ardens, and great affinity there is between the Spirit of Vitriol, and the Nature of Gold, because they are both derived from the same Principles with Minerals: The Spirit therefore of Vitriol being joyned with the Spirit of Aqua ardens, inspissates it, and makes it suddenly adhere to Gold, so as to be fixed with it; and believe me, this is a very excellent way of Abbreviation.

Annotations.
THis Difference you may observe between the Simple and Com∣pounded Mineral Menstruums; The Simple dissolve only, but the Compounded do both dissolve and tinge things dissolved; for they are in a wonderful manner exalted by things tinging, and made many degrees better, so as to have enough to serve themselves, and others also, and therefore may deservedly be called graduated, as well as graduatory Waters. Hitherto we have treated of the Simple; In〈…〉
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Nineteenth Kind, we are to consider them as Compounded, of two Spirits, Oyley and Acid tinging, as in the prescribed Receipt of the Spirits of Philosophical Wine and Vitriol mix'd together, and in∣timately joyned by two or three distillations. The Preparation is most easie, in which notwithstanding it will not be impertinent to take no∣tice of this one thing; that both Spirits must be without Phlegm, and exquisitely rectified according to the Advice of the following Anonymus. A burning Oleity is made out of Wine, therefore it participates with Sulphur, and herein is indeed the greatest vir∣tue of the Metallick Nature, which it drew and conceived from the Earth; and as this Oleity, the Spirits that is, are much more agil than the Spirits of other things; therefore their Virtues are much more agil than the Virtues of other things: but yet you must know that those Spirits (as saith the Text of Alchymy, and as indeed the truth is) which come out of Vegetables and Animals, conduce not to Alchymy as they are in a Vegetable Nature, but it is requisite for them to attain to a Metallick Nature by many depurations and distillations, and then they are serviceable to it: Therefore is there one on∣ly stone, and one foundation necessary to the Art, namely, the Metallick virtue, though sometimes Vegetable and Animal things are taken, yet they do not remain in a Vegetable or A∣nimal Nature, but are transmuted into a Metallick and Sul∣phureous Nature, which contains a Metallick Virtue. Where∣upon, said Ferrariensis, cap. 20. suarum Quoestionum: It is im∣possible to coagulate Argent vive, without Sulphur, or some∣thing that hath a sulphureous Nature, because Sulphur is the coagulum of Argent vive, and if there be sulphureities in Wine, having a burning faculty, it argues there is a Metallick Nature in it: wherefore some do operate in Wine and Gold or Silver, to extract out of the Wine its most subtil Spirit, strengthning the virtue of Gold with it, that so the Spirits may be fixed with it, by which consequently the Tincture of the Gold is di∣lated and multiplied, and of a certain there is a very great co∣herence or participation between the Spirits of Wine and the Spirits of Gold, they being both of a hot Nature, and there∣fore the Spirits of Wine are inseparably fixed with Gold; yet it is to be noted, that the Spirits of middle Metals, as Vitriol, &c. are of larger fixation, and more nearly allied to Gold, both
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springing as it were out of one Fountain, namely, out of the Mines of Metals, than the Spirits of Wine, which proceed from a Vegetable Nature; though the Spirits of Wine are more agil and subtil. Some therefore do compound the Spirits of them, so as to joyn the Spirits of Vitriol with the Spirits of Wine, to inspissate one with the other, and to make them more easily united to Gold: But he that intends to operate with these things, must take the strongest Spirits, and the purest Matters, so that the Spirits must be exactly purified before they are fixed with Gold or Silver. Anonym. de Principiis Natur. & Arte Al∣chym. pag. 30. Syntagm. Hermon. Rhenani,

Not only the rectified Spirit of Vitriol, but every Acid Spirit is here effectual, provided it be tinging, and mixed with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, thereby to be made a Menstruum of the same Kind. 'Tis thus made:

95. The Butter of Antimony mix'd with the Spi∣rit of Wine of Basilius. Pag. 88. Currus Triumphalis Antim.
TAke of Common Mercury most purely sublimed, of Anti∣mony, equal parts, grind, mix and distil by a Retort, which retains the Spirits, three times; rectifie this Oyl with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and it is prepared, and of a Blood-colour; in the beginning it was white, and thickens as Ice or melted Butter. This Oyl hath done many wonderful things; yet the Virtue, Faculty, and Operation of it hath al∣ways appeared, making an ill thing good.

This Composition, though given by Basilius, as a Medicine, not as a Menstruum, yet is by Paracelsus in Libro de Gradationibus, described as such.

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96. The Water of the fourth Gradation of Paracelsus. Libro de Gradationibus, pag. 131.
TAke of Antimony one pound, of Mercury Sublimate, half pound, distil both together with a violent Fire through an Alembick, and a redness willl ascend like Blood, thick, which tingeth and graduates any Luna into Sol, and brings this pale Colour to the highest degree, of a permanent Colour.

Though Paracelsus thought it not always necessary to admonish his Disciples of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine as an addition in his Compositions, yet nevertheless ought I to declare to you the necessary addition of this Spirit in this Menstruum, that you may not err; for without it, it would be of no consequence, but rather a dammage to you in the more secret Chymy:

The Adepts made sometimes Menstruums of this Kind, not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but the Matter of it, name∣ly, some Vegetable Oleosum, Thus;

97. The Water of the sixth Gradation of Paracelsus. Libro de Gradationibus, pag. 132.
TAke of Sulphur vive, two pounds, of Linseed Oyl, four pounds, boyl them to a Composition (commonly called the Liver of Sulphur) which must be distilled into an Oyl (by a peculiar and Philosophical manual Operation, appertaining to the making of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine:) To this must be added again the same quantity of Sulphur vive, and boyl'd as before to a Composition, and digested in Horse-dung for a Month, or if longer, better: Then must be added of Sal Niter, Vitriol, Alume (Ingredients of Aqua fortis) Flos Aeris, Crocus of Mars, Cinabar, (to increase the Tincture of the Sulphur) of each half a Verto (einem halben vierling, that is, a fourth part of half a pound, or two ounces) distil whatsoever will ascend, and take away the Liquors, the Oyls only being kept (not
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Oyl, but Oyls, because they are two, White and Red) which must be put into a glass Cucurbit, the Species being added, as before, and the Caput mortuum pulverized; distil them again together as before; then pour the distillation back to the Faeces, and let it be putrified again for a Month, and distilled again: Then the Colours being evacuated or separated (the Red from the White) keep the Red, and rectifie it as is requisite, in which let Plates of Luna be digested a due time, and then reduced by cupellation.

Paracelsus sometimes made this Oyl or Fire of Sulphur by it self, without other tinging things for the graduating of pretious Stones as well as Metals. It is come to that, saith he, pag. 200. Lib. de Sulph. that the Spirit of Transmutation hath given his Receipt of making a Liver or Lung out of Linseed Oyl and Sulphur: The distillation of this Lung or Liver is done many ways; but it is sound by operating, that this Liver yields a Milk nothing differing from common Milk, being thick and fat; it yielded also a red Oyl like Blood: This Milk and that Blood confounded not their Colour and Essence by distillation, but remained distinct and separate one from the other, the White setling to the bottom, and the Red ascending to the top: Now Art has been solicitous in making Silver out of the White or Milk, and out of the Red, Gold; but to me it is plain that never any thing could be either by the Ancient or Modern Philosophers done with the White or Milk (of Sulphur) I do therefore affirm that Milk to be dead, and nothing contained in it: But as to the Red Oyl which yields the Liver, observe, every Cristal or Beril being first well polished or purified, &c. (See the fourth Book concerning the Ʋse of this Oyl in the Gradu∣tions of Pretious Stones) exalts Gems even to the highest de∣gree, yea higher than they can be exalted by Nature: Here also note, that all Silver put into it a due time, at length grows black, and leaves a golden Calx, yet not fixed before its exact time, but a volatile and immature thing; but if it hath its time, it performs all things feasible, whereof no more must be here declared. Thus therefore observe of Sulphur, if it be taken into degrees, the more subtil, clearer, higher, and of quicker operation it is, the higher and better it is: This way are Metals and Stones made. He that is about to attempt it,
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must not think, but know himself able; for it is, as to Opera∣tion, the most dangerous Labour in all Alchymy, and there∣fore requires notable Experience, and repeated Practice, nor must he proceed by Hear-say, but by much Experience, &c.

Yet not being satisfyed with the strength of this Oyl in this twelfth gradation, he was willing to exalt it yet higher with other tinging things, as Flores Aeris, and Crocus of Mars, by which Paracelsus meant not Common but Philosophical Medicines. We perceive, saith he, Lib. 4. Archid. de Essentiis, pag. 16. Verdegrease is accoun∣ted the Quintessence of Venus, whereas it is not; but the Cro∣cus of Venus is a Quintessence so to be understood. Flos Aeris is a (common) transmutation with a thick and subtil substance toge∣ther, extracted out of the whole Complexion of Copper, where∣fore it can be no Quintessence; but the Crocus of Venus, as we have taught, is a true Quintessence, it being a potable thing, without corrosion, and in mixtion divided from the Body, very subtil, yea more than I am minded here to write, to avoid pro∣lixity. So also the Crocus of Mars and the rust of it has hither∣to been esteemed a Quintessence, it not being so; but the (true) Crocus of Mars is the Oyl of Mars, (which is sometimes in a dry form under the Name of an Essence, and called the Philosophical Crocus of Mars in the second Book of Medicines.

From the Receipts we observe.
1. That common Spirit of Vitriol, Butter of Antimony, Arsenick, Tin, &c. mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, are Philo∣sophical Spirit of Vitriol, Philosophical Butter of Antimony, &c.

2. That the Menstruums of this Kind, are the same with the Menstruums of the Fifteenth Kind; but with this difference, name∣ly, in that, Philosophical Vinegar not tinging is prepared, but in this, Philosophical Vinegar tinging; because these are made of the Acid Spirits of things tinging, that is Metals and Minerals; but those of the Acid Spirits of things not tinging, that is Vegetable Salts, and some Minerals, whose dry part was neither Metal, nor any coloured Body.

3. That these Menstruums are not only dissolving Waters, but al∣so gradatory, because prepared with things tinging.

4. That these Menstruums are the Essences of things tinging, or Magisteries dissolved in an Acid, and consequently Medicines.

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5. That these Menstruums, may be also made of crude Oyls; provided a Man knows the way of preparing the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine.

6. That the same two Oyls of Sulphur (whereof the Red is an Essence, after the way of Paracelsus, that is, the best) which Pa∣racelsus elsewhere prepares with the most strong Aqua fortis, de∣scribed before in Numb. 91. are here made by the same Author, of a crude oyly matter.

7. That Vegetables and Animals as such, and crude, are not Ingredients in Philosophical Works, but as they are made incom∣bustible, and reduced into a Metallick Nature. The said sepa∣ration, saith the Author of Via Veritatis, pag. 253. You must well observe, for from hence the Ancient Sophi took occa∣sion to inquire into the Three Natures (Three Kingdoms) namely, the Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral; and they so much learned from it, that the separation of Natures is nothing else but a defect of coction in Nature: Then they considered them somewhat further, how (for instance) those Essences, which were most weakly cocted by Nature, might be succoured in a Natural way, with common Fire, that the Essences which are now combustible, may by their Liquors (which the Anci∣ents through envy called Mercury, and are black, separated from the Essence) be made perfect by Art, so as that the Es∣sences may remain with the Liquor safe and secure from burn∣ing, and the Liquor not be able to separate it self from the Es∣sence: This the Ancients called our Sulphur; for according to this preparation, the Essence is no more Vegetable, nor Ani∣mal, but now by coction made a Mineral Essence, and there∣fore called Sulphur. And afterwards, pag. 264. he thus pro∣ceeds, One Nature is more cocted by its moisture with its Elementary Fire, than another, whereof the Vegetable Nature is in coction the least, because the Essence of it is easily burn∣ed, and the Liquor also is most easily separated from the Ele∣mentary Fire, by the help of common Fire. The Animal Na∣ture) is in coction not much unlike the former (Vegetable Na∣ture) the Essence of it being likewise easily burned, and there∣fore
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the Mineral Nature is in coction the highest, because the Metalick Liquor will be more and better united by coction with the Elementary Fire, than the other two aforesaid Na∣tures: Wherefore also, Metals do resist common Fire, better than the other things comprehended under a Vegetable and Animal Nature, as you may see by Metals put into Fire, which do not Flame as Wood; for the Essence of it is not so cocted with Liquor, as the Metalick moisture with its Essence; and the conjunction of the Liquor with the Essence is not Me∣talick, but simply Vegetable, which is consumed in a black Fume. But when the Essence hath attained to coction by Na∣ture, then it remains not a Vegetable, but is now made a Me∣talick, and is now consumed in a white Fume by common Fire, no otherwise than as you see in perfect Metals, when they are melted in Fire, disperse a white Fume from them. Now consider, saith Chortalasseus, or the Author of Arca ar∣cani Artificiosissimi, in his Cabula Chymica, pag. 369. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. by way of advice; how the aforesaid Speeches of Vegetables and Animals are to be taken, neither of them must be rejected; for they differ one from the other no otherwise, than that the Vapour is purer, and of greater quantity in one than the other; but you may make the more impure, like to the pure Vapour, for they may by subtil management be so reduced, that those two, that is, the Animal and Vegetable, in a Watry Body may be taken together with the Mineral Spirit or Vapour, and then the Mineral Spirit separated from the rest with great discretion, which though it shews it self in a small quantity, is not∣withstanding of the greatest Virtue, and clearer than the Light at Noon: In this state will that Spirit if you please bring the Animal and Vegetable Spirit, so as to be like it self. This is the Foundation of the whole Art, that is, for the Vegetable or Animal Spirit to leave its combustibi∣lity, and become Incorruptible, and Immortal: This is the Key to open all Gates; here you have the true first matter of Gems, and Metals: Yet if I consider this thing right∣ly, it is not the first Matter, but a threefold extraction out of the first matter of Gems; and therefore you ought
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to praise God Eternally, and give him thanks in making you worthy of this matter, and vouchsafing you so much understanding, whereby to obtain to your use that which is the deepest in the Earth. I proceed in this first matter; which if you make Liquid, and open by the incombustible Vegetable Spirit (not common) you will be able to dissolve Gold, Silver, all Minerals, and Gems in it, and make it melt like Ice in warm Water, destroy, mortifie, and re∣new it again; by this means I say, visibly obtain, see, touch, and perceive an Astral Spirit (as a Lanthorn, wherein the Eternal Fire, and Virtue of the highest Star of Eternal Wisdom dwelleth) you will I say, with your Eyes behold an inconsumptible Fire, shining Night and Day; Sun, Moon, Stars, Carbuncles, and a Splendor exceeding all manner of Fire; and observe the perfection of the whole Firmament in it. O man, my Creature! how great a Divine Gift, as that which is above all the Heavens, most excellently clear, and is most deep in the Earth, may you in a few Hours time obtain, whereas she hath been a vast time employ∣ed in it, and in subtilty is far inferior to you, &c. The same Author of this first matter in his Rusticus. pag. 308. of the said Volume, thus: This Doctrine certainly is very wor∣thy of Observation; for many Notable Men, do herein err, thinking they have the first matter, when they have ob∣tained the Philosophers Mercury, or Salt of Metals: For the first matter is made when the Man and Woman are joyned together, witness Count Bernhard, saying: Then is the Conjunction called the first Matter, and not before; that is, of the Stone, and all Metals; concerning which see Turba: For before this is done, we do according to the foundation of Nature, and with good reasons deservedly reject Animals and Vegetables, as things extraneous, and con∣trary and ineffectual to our Work, and our Stone we place rightly among Minerals.

8. That both Spirits ought to be warily mixed, because of the danger of overmuch effervescence.

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9. That these Menstruums are by digestion made sweet, and cal∣led the sweet Spirit of Vitriol, sweet Butter of Antimony.

10. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is sometimes not expressed in the Receipts of Menstruums; but it appears by collateral places, and necessity requires it to be understood.

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The Twentieth KIND. Mineral Menstruums Compounded of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and other tinging things; Vitriol, Cina∣bar, Antimony, Lapis Haematites, &c.
98. Oyl of Vitriol of Basilius. Cap. 6. Sect. 2. Libri de Conclusionibus.
TAke Hungarian Vitriol, dissolve it in distilled Water, coagulate, cristallize, repeat five times, and so purge it from the Salts, Alume, and Niter: This Vitriol thus purged, distil with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine to a red Oyl, which ferment with Spiritual Gold; add to it, its part of the Mercury of Stibium, and you have a Tin∣cture for Man, and reducing Luna into Sol. Visitando Inferi∣ora Terroe, Rectificando{que} Invenies Occultum Lapidem, Veram Medicinam.

Annotations
THE Antecedent Kind contained Mineral Menstruums, compounded of Acid Spirits containing a Metalick Tincture in them; in thus present we use the Bodies of these Spirits, to make the Menstruums a degree better. For a Tincture, for Example
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extracted out of the dry part or body of Vitriol distilled, with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is an Essence, which being in the same distillation dissolved in its own Acid Part, produced a Menstru∣um of this Kind; whereas in the Precedent Kind, that small quan∣tity of Copper, dissolved or contained in common Spirit of Vitriol, and elevated with a violent Fire, is by the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine reduced not into the Essence, but Magistery, little effectu∣al as well through the smalness of its quantity as Tincture: This present Oyl of Vitriol is not the least esteemed among the Secrets of Basilius, and therefore we will a little more exactly consider his most clear description, that by his more abundant Light, we may Illu∣strate darker places. First, Basilius bids us purifie Roman Vitriol by divers solutions, and coagulations; which purification is necessary to separate the Vitriol from strange Dust, Dross, and other imper∣tinent Offals; yet this we think Superfluous, when the Vitriol is pure∣ly cristallized, for the Terestreity setling in the dissolution of Vi∣triol, is not Foeces, but Copper, less dissolved than the rest, and left by the Acid, being too much diluted with common Water: The Vi∣triol being purified, he enjoyns to be distilled with the Spirit of Wine into a red Oyl.

He reduced not only Natural Vitriol, but also Artificial Vitriols made of Metals into such Oyls. The Sugar or Vitriol of Saturn he distills together with the Spirit of Wine into a red Oyl, curing Me∣lancholy, the French Disease, &c. Coagulating and fixing Mercu∣ry, but, if fixed with the Mercury of Mars, tinging thirty parts of Mercury into Gold. Libro de Conclu. Tract. 2. Sect. 1, Cap. 1, de Sul∣phure Saturni. The same way, saith he, is a red sweet Oyl tin∣ging Saturn into Gold, to be distilled out of Sugar or Vitriol of Jupiter, in the following Chapter, which he repeats in Sect. 2. Cap. 2. de Vitriolis Saturni & Jovis. Argent vive he dissolves in Aqua fortis, and being reduced into Cristal or Vitriol, distils with the Spirit of Wine rectify'd before with the Salt of Tartar (the Men∣struum described in Numb. 18.) into a sweet Oyl, curing the French Pox, Old Ʋlcers, Palsie, &c. to be joyned to Martial Tin∣ctures in the Transmutation of Metals. Sect. 2. Cap. 5. de Vitriolo Mercurii: The more fixed Metals, Gold and Silver he distills in Bal∣neo Regis (in Numb. 89.) through an Alembick, which, the Men∣struum being drawn off, he reduceth into Volatile Vitriols, to be
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distilled with the Spirit of Wine into Oyls. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. De Vi∣triolo Solis et Luna. The more dry Metals, Iron and Copper, he prescribes to be distilled into the same Oyls, but omits the way of di∣stilling. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. De Sulphuribus Martis & Veneris, Sect. 2. Cap. 3. De Vitriolo Martis. Cap. 4. De Vitriolo Veneris; but the following Kind of Menstruum will prove that they are to be distilled with Philosophical Vinegar: By these places compared together, we are better assured of divers things: First that the Oyl of Vitriol is not any common Acid of Vitriol, though drawn out of Vitriol most exquisitely purify'd, for the same Oyls may be made with the Vitri∣ols of all Metals by the same Spirit of Wine. Secondly, that common Spirit of Wine is altogether useless to this Work; but that the Phi∣losophical, or Menstruum rather described in Numb. 18. is meant by Basilius by the Spirit of Wine. Moreover, that the Vitriols of Saturn and Jupiter do yield sweet Oyls, because made of some weak Acid, namely, common Vinegar, which is easily altered or transmu∣ted by this Philosophical Menstruum. But that the Oyls of the o∣ther Metals, being made with stronger Acids, either Philosophical Vinegar, or Mineral Menstruums do remain Acid, especiaily the present Oyl of Vitriol, in the distillation of which, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or Vegetable Menstruum is dissolved by the Natural Acid, or common Oyl of Vitriol, and with such a prevalent Acidity, ascends in the form of a red Oyl. Lastly, that this Oyl of Vitriol is commended to us by Basilius as a Menstruum to be fer∣mented with Gold; which we would have you take special notice of; for Basilius hath here and there in his Books discovered many nota∣ble things concerning the Menstruum of Vitriol, but most rarely ad∣vised the distillation of it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; yet without which all Processes and Labours, all Endeavours and ex∣periments are vain, and of no importance in the more Secret Chy∣my.

For the making this Oyl of Vitriol the Adepts sometimes dissolved it in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; which afterwards being cri∣stallized, they called Vitriol corrected or graduated. Of this cor∣rection or graduation of Vitriol Paracelsus, thus: The Description of Vitriol, saith he, is to be directed to Medicine and Alchymy: In Medicine it is an excellent Remedy: In Alchymy it is good for many other things; but the Art of Medicine and Alchymy, con∣sists
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in the preparation of Vitriol: For the Crude is not such, but like Wood, out of which any thing may be carved. Lib. de Vi∣triolo, pag. 200. At first, he proceeds, the Spirit of Vitriol being obtained, the custom was to graduate it to the highest, where∣with being exalted, they cured the Epilepsie, whether new or old, in Men and Women, of what condition soever, &c. But let us return to the beginning, how the Spirit of Vitriol was found; First they distilled the moist Spirit of Vitriol by it self from the Colcothar, then they extended its degree by distilling and cir∣culating it alone to the highest, as the process teacheth: Thus the Water began to be used for several Diseases, as well Inter∣nal as External, as also for the Falling Sickness; so a wonder∣ful Cure was performed: But those that came after were much more diligent in the extraction; for they took the Spirit of Vi∣triol, corrected as before, and distill'd it with the Colcothar eight or ten times with a most strong Fire; so the dry Spirits were mixed with the moist: They urged the work so long, con∣tinually and without intermission extracting, till the dry Spirits were over; then they graduated both Spirits, the moist as well as the dry, in a Phial together their own time: This Medicine they found to be of much greater operation against Diseases, that they confounded all the Humorists in general: Yet is there some correction by Artists added by Spirit of Wine, for better penetration sake, but of no higher degree: But I will commu∣nicate to you my process, which I commend to all Physitians, especially for the Epilepsie, which hath the only cure in Vitri∣ol; wherefore even the Charity of our Neighbour, requires us to appoint the more diligent care in that Disease: Now my Process is for the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine to be imbibed by the Vitriol, and then distilled, as I said, from the dry and moist Spirits, &c. But you must further know, that the aforesaid Re∣ceipts of making the moist Spirit of Vitriol cannot be more clear∣ly described; for an Artist is required to understand it; those sordid Boylers do not in the least understand a thing of so great moment. You must expect sufficient information of all things, from Artists (of the more secret Chymy) Alchymists and Operators, so also to be more instructed by the same in the way of correcting the Spirit of Wine.

Basilius in his Elucidat. 12. Clavium. Where he made the following Menstruum spoke of such a graduated Vitriol, not common.

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99. A Menstruum of Basilius made of Hunga∣rian Vitriol. In Elucid. 12. Clavium.
IF you have obtained such a highly graduated and well prepared Mineral, called Vitriol, most humbly beseech God to give Understanding and Wisdom for the success of your Intention, and when you have calcined it, put it into a Retort well luted: Distil it at first with a slow Fire, then increase it, and the White Spirit of Vitriol will appear in the form of a horrid Fume or Wind, and passeth into the Receiver so long as any of the same Matter is in it: And take Notice, that in this Wind are hidden all the Three Princi∣ples, proceeding from one and the same Habitation; it is not necessary therefore to be always diving in pretious Things, because by this Means a nearer way to the Myste∣ries of Nature lies open, and is obvious to all Men apt to learn Art and Wisdom. Now if you can well and purely separate and free this Expelled Spirit by the way of Distilla∣tion, from its terrene Moisture, then will you find in the bottom of the Glass Treasure, and the Fundamentals of all the Philosophers, hitherto known to few, which is a Red Oyl ponderous as Lead or any Gold whatsoever, as thick as Blood, of a burning and fiery quality, which is the true Fluid Gold of the Philosophers, which Nature com∣pacted of the Three Principles, in which are found Spirit, Soul, and Body, and it is Philosophical Gold, that (Spi∣rit of Philosophical Wine) excepted, with which the Dissolu∣tion of it is performed, &c.

Cinabar the Adepts sometimes added to the Vitriol thus.

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100. The Mineral Menstruum of Isaacus. Pag. 59. Manus Philos.
TAke of the Roman Vitriol calcined to Redness, and Cinaber an equal quantity, mix and pulverize, then pour Aqua Vitae to them, distill and cohobate up∣on the Caput Mortuum three or four times.

The same Menstruum hath Lully in Magia Naturali, but instead of the Caput mortuum, he takes new Species in every Rectification.

101. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol and Cinabar. Pag. 371. Magiae Naturalis.
AFter the Fourth Distillation of the Water aforesaid (Aqua Vitae or Ardens made of Philosophical Wine) Distill seven times with an equal weight of good Ci∣nabar and Vitriol, putting in new things every time con∣stantly, and drying the Matter of the Stone (Vitriol and Ci∣nabar) well in every Distillation, before you pour in the Aqua (Vitae) &c.

102. The same Stinking Menstruum of Lully. Epist. Accurtatoria Pag. 327.
THe Vegetable Stone being Distilled (the Vegetable Menstruum or rather Aqua ardens, or the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) till the Water is free from Phlegme, and that commonly is in the fifth time, take an equal Weight of Vitriol very clear, and of the best Cinabar, mix and grind them well together, dry the Matter in the Sun, till all the moisture is exhaled; then cast in your Water, and Distil first with a gentle Fire,
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and strong in the end, as the custom is in preparing the Phi∣losophers Acute Water; and then the Spirits or Quintes∣sence of Vitriol and Cinabar, which do principally make the Mineral Stone (Mineral Menstruum) do mix and joyn toge∣ther with the Spirit of the Quintessence of Aqua Ardens, which Spirit is the Vegetable Stone; and this continue ten Times, beginning after the fifth (five times after the fifth Rectification of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) and so con∣tinue the Distillations five times with those Bodies (Vitriol and Cinabar:) And you must remember to make the things tho∣rough dry, before you put them into the Water, so that all the Water (all the Phlegme) must be dried up (evaporated) and the Spirits remain, which must be joyned together, be∣cause of the strength of the Aqua Ardens; and every Distil∣lation you must put in new things.

To Vitriol and Cinabar he sometimes added Niter; thus he made this, call'd

103. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of com∣mon Vitriol, Cinabar, and Niter. In Clavicula. Pag. 299. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
TAke of Roman Vitriol calcined to Redness three Pounds, of Salt Peter one Pound, of Cinabar three Ounces, grind all together upon a Marble, then put the Matter in a thick and strong Body (Cucurbit) and pour Aqua Vitae seven times Rectify'd upon it, and put it in Horse Dung fifteen days, the Vessel being well Sealed: Then Di∣stil with a soft Fire, till you have all the Water in the Re∣ceiver, then increase the Fire till the Head (Alembick) be red, then strengthen the Fire till the Head (Alembick) be white, then let the Vessel cool, take away the Receiver, Seal it very well with Wax, and keep it for occasion: Take Notice that the Menstruum ought to be seven times rectify'd by Distillation, every time casting away the Feces, before it be made use of.

Besides the Ingredients of Aqua Fortis and Cinabar, he some∣times adds also Tartar calcined thus,

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104. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol, Niter, Alume, Tartar, and Cinabar. In Experimento 26.
TAke Aqua Vitae so hot as to burn a Linnen Cloth, then take Vitriol free from all Phlegme, so as to Boyl upon Fire without Liquefaction (Vitriol calcin'd the common way) the best Sal Niter, Roch Alume dephlegmed and dried, one Pound of all the aforesaid, of white Tartar calcined, and Cinabar of each half a Pound, grind and sift every one severally through a Sieve; then mix, and put the Matter into a Retort, pouring the aforesaid Aqua Vitae up∣on it, put a Receiver to it, the Joynts being very close, and the Luting first thoroughly dried: The Receiver must be large, as those, wherein Aqua Fortises are commonly distil∣led: Now the Luting being dried, make a gentle Fire at first, till the Retort grows warm, then continue the Di∣stillation in this degree, that you may pronounce ten words between each drop of the Distilling Water, and when it will Distill no more with that Degree of Fire, increase the Fire so as to return the Distillation again to the same ten Words as at first; and this degree continue, till the Distillation in∣creaseth again, and lastly, increase the Fire with Wood, co∣vering the Retort round about with Tiles above, that it may have a Fire of Reverberation; but this observe, the Retort must first be strengthened on all sides with strong Lu∣ting, before this Distillation is begun, and when the Di∣stillation is begun, and when the Distillation is, it ought to be placed in a convenient Fornace, with an open Neck; but it would be best and most commodious in this Work, if the Receiver of this Distilling Water could be handsomly set in a Bason full of cold Water, but if that cannot be, you must at least lay Linnen Cloths dip'd in Water upon the Receiver again and again oftentimes; thus the Receiver may not be broken by the violence of the Spirits, all which particulars mark well. The Distillation being ended, let
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the Vessels cool, and keep the Receiver with the Water very close stopped. Then take the same Mineral dried, and prepared as before, in the same order and measure, which grind together, and put into a Retort, as before, and pour the Water a little before Distilled upon it, fit a Receiver to it, the Joynts being very well Luted, as before, and ha∣ving dried the Luting, put Fire under, the Distillation be∣ing compleated, take again New Materials of the same Weight, and put them again into a Retort with their own Water, and Distil, as before, with the same Degrees of Fire; which being done, and the Vessel cold, take away the Receiver, and keep it carefully with its Distilled Water firmly stopped: For you will have a Physical Mineral Water, or Stinking Menstruum with its Form: This Water hath the power of Calcining, and at the same time dissolving all Metals with the preservation of their Vegetative Form: Many Experiments we have herewith both seen and done.

Isaacus Hollandus to augment the strength of these Menstru∣ums, did rather add some tinging Minerals to the Vitriol, than the Acidity of Niter and Alume. Thus he prepared a Menstru∣um called,

105. The Dissolving Water for the Red, of the first Description of Isaacus. Cap. 103. Oper. Min.
TAke of Roman Vitriol six parts, of Lapis Haematites, Crocus Martis, Cinabar, Aes ustum, Mineral An∣timony, of each one part, being well dried, mix, and putting them into a Retort, pour four Pounds of Recti∣fy'd Aqua Vitae to them, Distill and Cohobate three times upon the Caput Mortuum pulverized.

The following Menstruum being like this, proves it to be of a sanguine colour.

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106. The Dissolving Water for the Red of the second Description of Isaacus. Cap. 45.3. Oper. Miner.
TAke of Mineral Antimony, Aes ustum, Crocus Martis, Cinabar, of each two parts, of Vitriol the weight of all, being all dried and mix'd together, pour to them of Aqua Vitae most purely rectified, the height of two hands; the Vessel being close luted, digest in Balneo the space of ten days, stirring the Matter three or four times every day, that it may be the better incorporated with the Aqua Vitae; these ten days being ended, and an Alembick put on, Di∣still with a gentle Fire, but at last with a most strong Fire twelve hours together, that all the tinged Spirits may a∣scend with the Aqua Vitae: This process repeat, always Di∣stilling the Water with new Matters, till it becomes Red as Blood.

To these two we will add also a third Menstruum of this sort.

107. A Dissolving Water for the Red of the third Description of Isaacus. Cap. 61.3. Oper. Min.
TAke of Roman Vitriol, Cinabar, of each one part, of Crocus Martis, Lapis Haematites, Aes ustum, Verde∣greece, of each half a part; calcine the Vitriol first. If you have a mind, you may extract the Tincture out of Mi∣neral Antimony with (Philosophical Vinegar) and being sepa∣rated from the Vinegar, add it to the former Species, as also as much Aqua Vitae twelve times rectify'd as sufficeth; the Vessel being well luted, digest in Balneo seven or eight times, then having put on an Alembick, and luted the Joynts well, Distill with a gentle Fire two days, then a stronger two days more, then the space of three days, that the Glass may be
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hot; the Glasses being cold, take out the Caput Mortuum, which being well pulverized, digest with the Distilled Wa∣ter for the space of eight days, then Distill the first day gent∣ly, the second more strongly, the third most strongly for the space of twenty four hours, that the Glass may be red hot; then let it cool, the Distilled Water digest with new Matters, and Distill, as before, and that to be three times repeated.

And as these Menstruums were for Red Tinctures, so also he made some for White Tinctures, thus,

108. A Dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White. Cap. 76.3. Oper. Min.
TAke of Roch Alume, Lapis Calaminaris, of the Calx of Eggs, an equal quantity, pour to them as much Aqua vitae rectify'd from all Phlegme as sufficeth, and distil, as the Dissolving Water for the Red.

109 Another Dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White. Cap. 48.3. Oper. Min.
TAke of Roach Alume, Lapis Calaminaris, Calx of Eggs, common Arsenick, an equal quantity, being all pul∣verized, mix, and to the Powder pour as much A∣qua Vitae well rectify'd, as to be the space of three hands a∣bove the Matter, distil with a gentle Fire, then a stronger, lastly, for twenty four hours so as to be red hot; cohobate the distillation yet four times upon the Caput Mortuum reduced in∣to Powder.

Many such Menstruums as these we meet with in several places of Isaacus, in the Descriptions of which, tho the Ad∣dition of Philosophical Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Wine be not al∣ways express'd, yet that it is to be understood in all of them, is evident by the former Receipts of Dissolving Waters: The Menstruums following may be Examples, in the first place that which is called

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110. A Red Water Shining Day and Night of the First Description of Isaacus. Cap. 153. Lib. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 528. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
TAke the Crocus of Mars, Antimony as it is dugge out of the Mines, Red Arsenick, of each one Pound, of Au∣ripigment one Pound, of Roman Vitriol three Pounds, of Sal Niter as much as the weight of all the rest: Grind all to∣gether into an impalpable Powder; mix one Bound of Sal Armoniack with them, and being well mix'd, put the Mat∣ter in an Earthen Vessel, not glazed within, such as can well endure the Fire, and having put on an Alembick, with a Receiver strongly luted, distil Aqua Fortis, as it should be, first with a small Fire, then increasing the Fire by degrees, and a White Water will distil, which being distilled, the A∣lembick will begin to be Red or Yellow; then presently take away the Receiver, and add another, soundly luted, and increase your •ire till a White Spirit goes over; it is the Sal Armoniack which goes over last of all, and strengthen the Fire so long, till the Alembick be altogether clear: When now the Red Spirit goes over, nothing (of Sal Armoniack) goes with it, and so soon as it is gone over (the White Water) the Spirit and (dry) Water (or Sal Armoniack) go over together, then the Alembick becomes White within, as if it was full of Snow, and then increase the Fire till the Spirit and Water are driven through the Beak by Exhalation, as a Man casts forth his Breath by force; so the Spirit and dry Water do breath through the Pipe of the Alembick into the Receiver, and increase the Fire, and the Spirit and dry Water being gone over, the Alembick becomes clean, clear, white, and transparent; then let it cool, and take it from the Fire, put the Water into a Glass, and stop it close. Take the Caput Mortuum, grind it to a fine Powder, put it in pure clear Water for two hours, let it settle, pour off the clear, and pour it upon pure clear Water again, as before, and let it boyl an hour, as before; then let it settle again, add it again
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to the former, cast away the Feces, and that which you poured out (the Solution) evaporate, and a yellow Powder will remain, weigh it, add as much Sal Niter, and mix them together, put them into a Glass, pour your Distilled Water (or Menstruum) upon it, put on an Alembick strongly luted all over, adding a Receiver, and leave it three days upon thee Fornace (to Digest) before you put Fire under, then kindle your Fire, and Distill first with a small Fire, then sometimes a greater, till the White Spirit is gone over, then cease, and you have a Red Water shining Day and Night, which dissolves fixed Luna, as Luna is commonly dissolved, and it will take a Tincture as the purest Sol that ever was seen, yea, it tingeth all White Metals of the colour of Sol.

111. A Red Water shewing Light by Night of the Second Description of Isaacus. Cap. 44. Oper. Min. Pag. 458. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
TAke of Roman Vitriol three Pounds, of Cinabar, Verde∣grese, Cerusse, of each half a Pound, of Crocus Martis, La∣pis haematites of each four Ounces, of Sal Niter as much, as the whole Mass (five Pounds) pulverize and mix them well to∣gether; divide the Mass into three parts, and of one part make an Aqua fortis, which pour upon the powder of another part; distill Aqua fortis again, and pour it upon the third powder, and distill Aqua fortis again; which being done, pulverize all the three Caput Mortuums. Take the Water of Sal armoniack, which I shall teach you below to make (but we have already declar'd it in Numb. 81.) wherewith grind the aforesaid powder so fine, as that a Painter may paint with it, then dry it in your Dry Stove in glass Dishes being dried, grind it dry upon a Stone, and put it into an earthen Pot, and pour the Aqua fortis (before distilled) up∣on it; distill first with a gentle fire the space of twenty four hours, then increase (the Fire) as yet 24 hours more, then increase till it begins to shine, then keep it in the same
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fiery brightness six hours more, then let it cool, take it away from the Fire, and stop the Receiver well: Then grind and pulverize the Caput Mortuum upon a Stone with Vinegar distilled, and extract the Salt or Element of Earth out of the Feces; put the Salt into a Glass, pour yout A∣qua fortis upon it, the Alembick and Receiver being very close, put the Glass in Sand in a Kettle with Water (in Bal∣neo) distill all that will distill, when no more distilleth, let the Balneo boil a day and a night whether it drops or no: Then let it cool, remove it from the Fire, put it in Ashes, use first a weak Fire for 12 hours, then increase the Fire yet 12 hours more; then let it be moderately hot, and let it be so for six hours; then let it cool, take it from the Fire, and cover it well, and having taken away the Feces or Salt, grind them very small with Distill'd Vinegar, put it into a Stone Jugge, and a good part of the Distillation be∣ing poured to it, put it in Balneo, doing as was taught be∣fore; see if it hath yet any Feces, and make the Salt clear; put it again in a Glass, pour on the Aqua fortis again, do e∣very way as before, three or four times, and all your Mat∣ter or Earth will distill with the Aqua fortis, then take it from the Fire, stop close, and keep it well: For you have a pretious Water, above all the Waters that ever I heard of; and believe me in good faith I have seen and done also my self wonderful things with this Water: This Water I have reduced to a Red Christalline Stone, which would give light by night, so as that my Friends might see to eat and drink by it. Keep it well for use, and esteem it as the most secret Water of all you have.

The Method of making such Shining Menstruums is better perceived by the following Water.

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112. A Red and Shining Aqua fortis of the Third Description of Isaacus. Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 354. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.
TAke of Vitriol clarified and purified from its Feces, of Sal Niter, an equal quantity, distill an Aqua fortis out of them according to Art, then take the Caput Mortuum out of the Glass, and reduce it to a fine Powder; then grind it upon a Stone, then put it in common Distill'd Water, and draw out all the Salt, then filter it, that you may have it clean from Feces; congeal again, and being congealed, make it an impalpable Powder, and put the Powder into a Glass, and then pour that Aqua fortis again upon the Powder which you distill'd from thence, and di∣still again all that will distill: Then take out the Caput Mor∣tuum again, grind it to Powder as before, and do in all things as before; this Operation repeat, till you have distil∣led all the Salt within the Aqua fortis: Then have you an ex∣cellent Red Water shining by night like a clear Fire; then rectifie that Water in Balneo, oftentimes distilling, and pour∣ing on again, so as at last to have all the Distillation in Bal∣neo: Then is your pretious Water prepared, by which you may multiply and open your (Philosophical) Stone. These Menstruums are little different, yea almost the same with the former of Isaacus, as to the Ingredients as well as Method of preparation, but the addition of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which Isaacus prescribed in those Dissolving Waters, must of necessity be understood in these his Aqua fortises; for without this Spirit all these Waters would be common, of no Vertue and Ʋse.

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From the Receipts we observe:
1. That all Tinging Bodies whatsoever being either natural∣ly or artificially dissolved in an Acid, and reduced into Salt or Vitriol by the help of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, do yield the present Menstruums, by these two Methods; either by repeated Cohobation, or Simple Distillation; but in this lat∣ter way it is necessary for the Salts or Vitriols of the said Bodies to be first graduated, that is, by various Dissolutions and Coa∣gulations joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and then distilled, where Caution must be had, lest in this gradati∣on of the Vitriol, the Acid, be by Operations less necessary than convenient debilitated; for so you will easily prepare Menstru∣ums unexpectedly of the Eighth instead of this Kind.

2. That these Menstruums differ from Menstruums of the Eighth Kind, these being Acid, but those Sweet. Dissolve a Compounded Vegetable Menstruum of the Eighth Kind in Di∣stilled Vinegar, Spirit of Sulphur, Common Aqua Fortis, &c. and you will immediately have a Menstruum of this Kind; on the contrary, debilitate the Acidity of these Menstruums, and they will be transmuted into Menstruums of the Eighth Kind.

3. That these Menstruums are the Essences of Things tinging dissolved in an Acid.

4. That Hungarian Vitriol (Copper naturally dissolved in an Acid) tho artificially purged from Heterogeneous Salts and Feces, does nevertheless as well as other things ting∣ing, require the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, in order to be reduced into an Oil so excellent in Medicine as well as Alchimy.

5. That it is even much at one by what Acid Copper or any o∣ther tinging Body is reduced into Vitriol, provided it be after∣wards graduated, that is, mixed with the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine: Wherefore you must once for always take notice, that not only in the Writings of Basilius and Paracelsus, but of other Adepts also, as in Via Veritatis, &c. in several places of which you will meet with these Phrases, Things graduated, corrected, exalted, &c. you must understand not Common
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Menstruums, but prepared with the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, and so made fit for the Works of the more Secret Chymy.

6. That Roman Vitriol is reduced into so Noble an Oil, not by the Spirit of Common but Philosophical Wine.

7. That these Menstruums do by continued Cohobations be∣come most red, shining by Night so, that Men at Supper want no other Light; permanent and multiplying the Philosophers Stone; but of these in their proper places, namely, the Third and Fourth Books.

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The One and Twentieth KIND. Compounded Mineral Menstruums of Simple Mineral Menstruums and Mercury, the rest of the Metals, and other Tinging Things.
113. The Spirit of Venus or Spirit of Verde∣greece of Basilius. Libr. Partic. de Particul. Veneris.
TAke of Copper as much as you will, of which make Vitriol the common way, or instead of it take Com∣mon Verdegreece sold in Shops, which will do the same thing; to which being pulverized, pour (Common) Di∣stilled Vinegar, put it in a heat, decant the Vinegar, being transparent and green, to the remainder pour new Vinegar, and repeat the Work, till the Vinegar be tinged, and the Matter remain in the bottom of the Vessel black; draw off the Vinegar being tinged and gathered together either to driness, or to a thin Skin, that the Vitriol may be cristalli∣zed, and you will have the Verdegreece purified (after the common way) to which being pulverized, pour the Juice of Unripe Grapes (Philosophical Vinegar in Numb. 74.) put it in a gentle heat, and digesting you will have a transparent Sma∣gragdine
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Tincture, with which is extracted the Red Tincture of Venus, an excellent Colour for Painters. This Tincture being extracted, mix all the Extractions together, and draw off the Phlegme gently, that the Vitriol being very clear (gra∣duated) may be cristallized in a Cold place, whereof if you have a sufficient quantity, you have also enough Matter for the making of the Philosophical Stone; if perhaps you should doubt to perform such a Mystery with every (Natural) Vi∣triol whatsoever: Concerning this Preparation we lately spoke parabolically in Libro Clavium, Capite de Wein Essig. where we said: That common Azoth is not the Matter of our Stone, but our Azoth or first Matter extracted by common Azoth and Wine, which are the expressed Juice of unripe Grapes, whereby the Body of Venus is to be dissolved and reduced into Vitriol: This is to be well observed, for thus you will free your selves from many Difficulties. Now out of this Vitriol thus prepared, distil a Spirit and Red Oil, &c.

Annotations.
IN the Eighth Kind common Mercury and Metals were ei∣ther by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or by some sim∣ple Vegetable Menstruums converted into compounded Ve∣getable Menstruums. In the Twentieth antecedent Kind, tinging Arids dissolved in Acids are more easily distilled toge∣ther with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine into compounded Mineral Menstruums: But the present Kind volatilizeth the said Bodies, not by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; but Mi∣neral Menstruums, that the Menstruums may be thereby made sooner, easier, and of a higher Kind. In the last Kind we di∣stilled natural Vitriol, being macerated in the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine, or, which is much more conducible, dis∣solved in the same Spirit, and reduced into graduated Vi∣triol, into a Mineral Menstruum: For the natural aci∣dity of Roman Vitriol for the corrosion of Copper, was in the composition of it able and strong enough to dissolve the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in the making of the said
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Menstruum; but here in Artificial Vitriols the matter is other∣wise; for the dry Bodies of Metals co-operating in their Disso∣lutions do debilitate the acid, and therefore Vitriols, contain∣ing this debilitated acidity, are scarce fit either for the dissolu∣tion of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or the constitution of the present Menstruum: Wherefore the Vitriols of Saturn and Jupiter being made with a common acid, do by virtue of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, yield sweet Oils, or Vegetable Menstruums, not at all acid or mineral; for that weak acid re∣maining in the Vitriolification of those soft Metals, is wholly transmuted in the dissolution of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as also in the very Distillation of it self, so that Vitriol being artificially made of Copper and Iron by acids, is distilled not by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but Mineral Menstruums, into a Menstruum of the present Kind; but Gold and Silver need not only these Mineral or Stronger Menstruums, but to be likewise volatilized by the same, and reduced into Volatile Vitriols.

Thus Basilius in Conclusionibus suis. Sect. 2. de Vitriolis. Cap. 1. de Vitriolo Solis & Lunae: reduced Gold and Silver in∣to Volatile Vitriol. It is requisite, saith he, first to have our Water made of the cold Salt of the Earth (Niter) and the Eagle (Vegetable Sal harmoniack) wherewith Gold and Sil∣ver are made spiritual, and coagulated into Cristal, or Me∣tallick Vitriol, by which, &c. In Labore primo Libri Reve∣lationis, ut & in Elucidatione 12 Clavium, this Vitriol of Sol is more exactly thus described: Take, saith he, of this Water (the Kings Bath or Menstruum described above in Numb. 89.) three parts, of the Calx of Gold one part, mixe, put it in a Cucurbit with an Alembick upon hot Ashes, to be dissolved, if it be not all dissolved, pour off the Water and pour on new, and that, till all the Calx is dissolved in the Water, when it is cold, white Feces settle in the bottom, which separate, joyn all the Water together, and digest in Balneo a day and a night; then having taken away the Feces, digest the space of nine days continually, distill away the Water, that the Matter may remain in the bottom like Oyl, the Water distilled from it pour on again being heated, di∣still, as before, pour on again, distill, and this repeat some
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certain times, thus will (the Menstruum) be debilitated, then pour new Water to the Matter like Oyl, digest a day and a night, distill in Sand to an Oyl, pour on Water a∣gain being hot; distill, and that so oft till all the Gold is come over, but this Distillation ought to be done in a low Cucurbit, with a flat bottom, put the Golden Water which came over in a cold place, to cristallize, separate the Water from them. Guido made the Volatile Vitriol of Gold out of Gold sublimed: The Gold he sublimed thus: Take of Gold calcined twelve times with three parts of Cinabar, or of Leaf Gold four Ounces, of the Oyl of Salt (the Menstruum described in Numb. 76.) twelve Ounces, dissolve in ashes. Draw off the Oyl of Salt from it several times, putrifie for a Moneth, then distill, and all the Gold will be sublimed, of a Red Colour in the tenth or twelfth Sublimation; but if it will not be sublimed, joyn all together, and draw off the Phlegme in Balneo, to the remainder add of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium four Ounces gradually, and force it with a stronger Fire, and the Gold will ascend Red with the Menstruum, and be precipitated in the bottom of it; decant the Water from the Gold, upon which kindle Recti∣fied Spirit of (Common) Wine eight or nine times, to take away all the Acidity of the Oyl of Salt. Pag. 11. Thesaur. Chym. With Gold thus sublimed he prepared the graduated Vi∣triol of Sol by the following Method. Take of Gold subli∣med four Ounces and a half, pour to it Radical Vinegar (mix'd with the Spirit of Wine) the height of three Fingers, digest three days in Balneo, decant the Vinegar, and pour on new, till all be dissolved, which draw off in Balneo, but beware of too much; put it in a cold Cellar, and the Vitri∣ol of Gold will be cristallized of a Ruby or Granat Colour, more or less beautiful, according to the Method of Opera∣ting; from which decant the Liquor again to be drawn off to a thin Skin, till you have five Ounces of the Vitriol. Pag. 19. Thesaur. Chym. The same way also he prepared the Gradua∣ted Vitriol of Luna, Pag. 31. as also of Mars, Pag. 36. But Jupiter, Pag. 42. Venus, Pag. 45. and Saturn, Pag. 49. he calcin'd onely, and reduc'd them with the aforesaid Vinegar in∣to Graduated Vitriols, out of all which Vitriols may Men∣struums
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of this Kind be distilled, as Basilius his Spirit of Venus.

Isaacus distilled the Spirit of Saturn out of the Graduated Vitriol of Lead, thus,

114. The Water of Paradise of Isaacus. In Opere Saturni.
TAke of Saturn ten or fifteen Pounds, which no other Metal is mix'd with, beat it into thin Plates, and have a Bottle half full of Vinegar, lute, put it in a warm Balneo, and every three or four days scrape the Sa∣turn that is calcined from the Plates, gather about five or six Pounds of it, grind this calcined Saturn (Ceruse) with distilled (Philosophical) Vinegar, upon a Marble, so as with a Pencil to serve for a Picture, then take a Stone Jugg, and therein pour Distilled Vinegar to the calcined Saturn, leav∣ing a third part of the Jugg empty, mix very well, stop it with a Glass or Stone Stopple, set it in Balneo, stir it five or six times a day with a Woodden Slice or Spoon, stop it again, nor heat the Balneo more than that you may endure your hand in it; let it thus stand 14 days and nights, then pour off the clear, and pour new Vinegar to the Calx not yet dissolved; mix, proceed, as before, repeating, till all the Calx of Saturn is dissolved; put the Saturn being thus dissolved in Balneo, evaporate the Vinegar with a slow Fire, the Saturn will be reduced into a Mass, which move to and fro till it be dry; it will be of a Honey Colour, rub it on a Marble with Distilled Vinegar, like Soap, put it again in the Stone Jugge, being very well mixed, in a warm Balneo the space of five or six days; stir it every day with a Woodden Slice, stop the Glass, let it cool, pour off what is dissolved into another large Stone Jugge, pour other Vinegar to it, mix very well, put it again in Balneo, pour off, and thus proceed, till nothing more will be dissolved, which you may try by your tongue, for if the Vinegar be sweet, it is not enough dissolved; or put a little in a Glass Cucurbit, and
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let it evaporate, if any thing remains, all that will be Gold is not dissolved, and that which remains in the Jugge, or Fe∣ces, if they be sweet upon the tongue, and you find yet some∣thing in the Cucurbit that is not enough dissolved, you may dissolve it by pouring new Vinegar to it. These Solutions coagulate, as before, dissolve in Distilled Vinegar, as be∣fore; these Coagulations and Solutions continue, till no more Feces remain in the bottom, but are all things dissolved into a clear and limpid Water; then is Saturn free from all its Le∣prosie, Melancholy, Feces, Blackness, and Superfluities, and is pure, as (now, being exempted from all filth) fusible as Wax, and sweet as Sugar, &c. Take half of the Purged Saturn, put it in a Stone Jugge, and pour to it four Pounds of Distilled Vinegar, put on an Alembick, and distill the Vinegar in Balneo, but the Alembick must have a hole in the top, through which pour new Vinegar, distill, as before, pour on new and draw off, and that till the Vinegar be drawn off as strong as it is poured on, then is it enough, be∣cause the Matter hath imbibed as much of the Spirits of the Vinegar, as it needs, and as much as it can retain: Take the Jugge from the Fire, and the Alembick being taken off, put the Matter into a Glass that can endure the Fire, put an A∣lembick to it, put it in a Copel with Ashes in a Fornace; make first a gentle Fire, increase it by degrees, till your Matter goes over of the Colour of Blood, and thickness of Oyl, sweetness of Sugar, and of a heavenly smell; if the heat diminisheth, keep it while the Matter distills, increase the Fire, till the Glass begins to be Fire hot, keep it in this heat, till nothing more distills; let it cool by it self, take away the Receiver, and stop it very well with Wax, beat the Matter (Caput mortuum) in an Iron Mortar, with a Steel Pestle, and then grind it upon a Marble with Distill'd Vine∣gar (Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) put it in a Stone Jugge two parts full, distill by Balneo, pour on new Vinegar, distill as before, repeat, till the Vinegar distills with the same strength as it was poured on, let them cool, distill the Matter in a strong Glass upon Ashes as be∣fore, first with a gentle Fire, then alstronger, as you did before, a Red Oil will go over, as before, &c. beat the
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Matter, and proceed again, till the Matter will retain no more of the Spirit of Vinegar in the Distillation in Balneo, then take the Matter, distil what will distil in a glass Cucur∣bit upon Ashes, till you have distilled the Matter into a Red Oil, which is the noble Water of Paradise, by which all Fixed Stones may be resolved, and the Stone made perfect. This Water of Paradise the Ancients call'd their sharp, clear, Vinegar, &c.

Metals sometimes are not reduced into graduated Vitriols, but by repeated Cohobation made Menstruums of this Kind Thus

115. The Mercurial Vinegar of Trismosinus. Libro Moratosan sive Octo Tincturarum in Secunda Tinctura, Pag. 79. Aur. Vell. Germ.
TAke Argent Vive purged the common way, put it in an Alembick, whereto pour very sharp Vinegar (Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine described before in Numb. 72.) three Ounces of Vinegar to one Ounce of Mercury; draw off six times in Balneo, then force it to ascend into the Receiver, being distilled, rectifie it, and it will be prepared.

Sometimes instead of Philosophical Vinegar he used the strongest Aqua Fortis described in Numb. 73.

116. The Mercurial Water of Trismosinus. Libr. Octo Tincturar. in Tinct. quarta. Pag. 80. Aurei Vell. Germ.
TAke of Roman Vitriol, Sal Niter, of each one Pound and a half, of (Vegetable) Sal armoniack four Oun∣ces, of Tiles pulverized one Pound, out of which distil Aqua fortis by the Rule of Art. Take of Venetian
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Mercury sublimed (you must have a care of its Venemous Fume) four Ounces, put it in a Cucurbit, pour the said Aqua fortis to it, draw off strongly, that the Mercury may be well mixed with the Aqua fortis, and it will be pre∣pared.

Albertus Magnus prepared the same Mercurial Water thus,

117. The Mercurial Water of Albertus Magnus. Libro Compositum de Compositis. Cap. 5. Pag. 937. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.
TAke of Roman Vitriol two Pounds, of Sal Niter two Pounds, of Alume calcined one Pound; being well ground and mix'd together put the Matter in a fit Glass Phial, and having luted the Joynts very close, that the Spirits may not evaporate, distill Aqua fortis after the com∣mon way, first with a weak Fire, secondly a stronger, third∣ly with Wood, that all the Spirits may go over, and the Alembick turn white; then put out the Fire, let the For∣nace cool, and keep the Water carefully, because it is the Dissolvitive of Luna, keep it therefore for the finishing of the Work, because that Water dissolves Luna, separates Gold from Silver, calcines Mercury and the Crocus of Mars, &c. This is the first Philosophical Water (Common Aqua fortis) and hath one Degree of Perfection in it. Take of the first Water one pound, dissolve in it two Ounces of (Ve∣getable) Sal armoniack pure and clear, which being dissol∣ved, the Water is presently otherwise qualified, and other∣wise coloured, because the first was of a Green Colour, and the Dissolvitive of Luna, and not of Sol, and presently af∣ter the putting in of the Sal armoniack the Colour of it is turned to a Citrine, and dissolveth Gold, Mercury, and Sul∣phur sublimed, and tingeth a Mans Skin of a most Citrine Colour, keep that Water (Philosophical Aqua Regis) a∣part. Take of the second Water one Pound, and of Mer∣cury sublimed with Roman Vitriol, and common Salt five
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Ounces and a half, put it to the second Water by little and little gradually, seal the Mouth of the Glass well, that the Virtue of the Mercury put in may not suddenly exhale; put the Glass in Ashes temperately hot, and the Water will pre∣sently begin to work upon the Mercury, dissolving it and incorporating; and let the Glass stand thus in hot Ashes, and in the dissolution of the Water, till the Water appears no more, but has wholly dissolved the Sublimed Mercury: Now the Water acts always upon Mercury by the way of imbibi∣tion, till it dissolves it totally: But take notice, if the Water cannot wholly dissolve the Mercury put in, then lay aside the Mercury that is dissolved by that Water, and that which is not dissolved at the bottom dry with a gentle Fire, grind, and dissolve it with new Water as before, and thus repeat this Order, till all the Sublimed Mercury is dissolved into Water: And then joyn all the solutions of that third Water, into one, in a clean Glass, and stop the Mouth of it well with Wax, and keep it carefully: This is the third Philosophical thick qualified Water in the third degree of Perfection, and is the Mother of Aqua Vitae, which dissolves all Bodies into their first Matter. Take the third clarifi'd Mercurial Water, qualifi'd in the third Degree of Perfecti∣on, putrefie it in the Belly of a Horse, to be well digested in a clear Glass with a long Neck, well sealed the space of 14 days, make it putrefie, and the Feces settle at the bot∣tom, then will this Water be transmuted from a Citrine to a Yellow Colour, which done, take out the Glass, put it in Ashes with a most gentle heat, put on an Alembick with its Receiver, and begin to distil by little and little a most clear, clean, ponderous Aqua Vitae, Virgins Milk, most sharp Vinegar, drop by drop, continuing constantly a slow Fire, till you have distilled all the Aqua Vitae gently, then put out the Fire, let the Fornace cool, and keep it dili∣gently apart. Behold this is Aqua Vitae, the Philosophers Vinegar, Virgins Milk, by which Bodies are resolved into their first Matter, which is called by infinite Names. The Signs of this Water are these, if a Drop be cast upon a Cop∣per Plate red hot, it will presently penetrate, and leave a White Impression, it smoaks upon Fire, is coagulated in the
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Air after the manner of Ice: and when this Water is distil∣led, the Drops of it do not enter continually as other Drops, but one is distilled one way, another another way; this Wa∣ter acts not upon Metallick Bodies, as another strong Corro∣sive Water, which dissolves Bodies into Water, but if Bo∣dies be put into this Water, it reduceth and resolves them all into Mercury, as you shall hear hereafter.

Paracelsus made this Water by the following Method.

118. The Mecurial Water of Paracelsus. In Appendice Manualis de Lap. Phil. Pag. 139.
TAke of Mercury seven times sublimed with Vitriol, Sal Niter, and Alume, three pounds of (Vegetable) Sal armoniack sublimed three times with Salt, clear and white, one Pound and a half, being ground together and alcolized, sublime them in a Sublimatory nine hours in Sand: Being cold, draw off the Sublimate with a Feather, and with the rest sublime, as before: This Operation repeat four times, till no more sublimes, and a Black Mass remains in the bottom flowing like Wax; being cold take it out, and being ground again, imbibe it often in the Water of Sal ar∣moniack prepared according to Art (the Menstruum descri∣bed in Numb. 91.) in a Glass Dish, and being coagulated of it self, imbibe it again, and dry nine or ten times over, till it will scarce any more be coagulated: Being ground fine∣ly upon a Marble, dissolve it in a moist place to a clear Oil, which you must rectifie by Distillation in Ashes from all Fe∣ces and Sediment. This Water keep diligently as the best of all.

Lully made his Mercurial Water of Mercury and the Stink∣ing Menstruum thus,

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119. The Stinking Mercvrial Menstruum of Lully. Pag. 63. Testam. Novissimi.
TAke of the Stinking Menstruum four Pounds, and put in one pound of Mercury Vive, put the Matter in Bal∣neo or Horse Dung six days, and it will be all converted in∣to Water, distil by Balneo, and you will have a Mercurial Water, truly Mineral.

Ripley followed his Master in the way of making the Mer∣curial Water, as followeth.

120. The Mercurial Green Lion of Ripley. Pag. 310. Pupillae Alchymicae.
TAke Mercury sublimed with Vitriol and common Salt, to the quantity of 20 or 40 Pounds (in my opinion two or four ought to be read) that you may have enough. Grind it well into Powder, and put it in a Glass Vessel very large and strong, pour to it so many Pounds of the most strong Water (the Stinking Menstruum is the strongest Water in the World, Pag. 138. Medullae) as there are Pounds of Mercury: Shake them soundly together, and the Vessel will become so hot, that you can scarce touch it; stop it well, and let it stand nine days in a cold place, shaking it strongly three or four times each day: Which done, put the Vessel in a Fornace of Ashes, and with a most gentle heat distil away all the A∣qua Vitae (Menstruum) which keep safe by it self, then im∣mediately add another Receiver well luted, kindle a most strong Fire, and continue it till all the Golden Liquor is wholly distilled.

The same ways as the Mercurial Waters are made, may al∣so be made Menstruums of this Kind out of the other Metals, thus.

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121. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum of Lully. In Experimento 29.
TAke of the aforesaid Mineral Water (described in Numb. 104.) as you have it in the former Experiment (Numb. 26.) six or eight Ounces, dissolve in it one Ounce of Luna, which dissolution put into a small Retort to be distil∣led by Ashes; which Distillation ceasing, increase the Fire as much as possible, and when no more moisture will with this degree of Fire distil, cool the Vessel, receive the Distil∣led Water, wherein is the Soul of Luna, and secure it from respiring.

Thus also Lully prepares the Water of Sol.

122. The Stinking Solar Menstruum of Lully. In Experim. 31.
TAke the Aqua Fortis or Mineral Water (described in Numb. 104.) as above, and in every Pound thereof dissolve three Ounces of the Animal Salt prepared and fixed, as you have it in its (Sixth) Experiment: Which be∣ing dissolved, dissolve therein two Ounces of Gold cement∣ed, as you know, after that putrefie eight days, then di∣still by Balneo: Now that which remains at the bottom, will be like melted Honey, upon which Matter pour again some of its own Water distilled by Balneo, so as to swim two fin∣gers above it; putrefie for a natural day, then taking away the Antenotorium, put on an Alembick with a Receiver, so close, as not to respire: Distil by Ashes, till no more will distil, then increase the Fire a little, that part of the Air may pass into the Water; and lastly increase the Fire, that also the Element of Fire may pass through the Alembick; and when nothing will distil with this last degree of Fire, cool the Ves∣sel, take away the Receiver with its Distilled Water, and keep it well stopp'd.

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Isaacus Hollandus made a Mercurial Water sometimes with the Mercury of Luna, thus.

123. Philosophers Vinegar made of the Mercury of Silver of Isaacus. Cap. 99. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 492. Vol. 3. Th. Cym.
TAke of the Calx of Luna one Pound, of Sal armoniack, which must be clear and transparent as Cristal, with∣out moisture, a fourth part, being ground, put them in a Stone Jugge, then take (Philosophical) Vinegar distilled five or six times from its Phlegme, so as to leave no Feces; empty the Vinegar into another Stone Jugge, and having put on an Alembick, place it in Balneo: The Jugge which the ground Calx is in, lute well to the beak of the Alembick, and let the Luting be throughly dried: Then make Fire un∣der the Balneo, and distil the Vinegar leasurely upon the Calx of Luna; and so many Pounds as you have of the Calx of Luna, so many four Pounds of Vinegar distil upon it, and when all the Vinegar is distilled, let it cool gently the space of three days, before you remove the Jugge, for if you re∣move it sooner, the Vinegar, Luna, and Sal armoniack will run over, and you will retain nothing, so vehement is that Matter, for Cold and Hot do come together; and when you would remove it, have a Glass Stopple ready fitted to the mouth of the Jugge, or Receiver, which you must present∣ly lute to it, that the Virtue may not evaporate: Then set the Jugge in Balneo, let the Fire be no hotter than your hand can well endure in the Water up to the Knuckles, or then may be drunk without burning, and thus keep it the space of six weeks: Then let it be cold, break it, and pre∣sently lute an Alembick to the Jugge very firmly, and put a Receiver to the Beak, distil in a temperate Balneo, whatso∣ever will distil, and when now no more distils, take it out, and put it in Ashes, lute the Receiver again to the Beak, and first apply a gentle heat, then sometimes a stronger, till your Mercury begins to sublime with the Sal armoniack,
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as white as Snow, and hanging to the White Matter with clear Fibers, then keep it thus (till you see it sublimes not) in the same heat, to extract the Mercury purely out of the Earth: Then let it cool, take away the Alembick, take out the Mercury being sublimed with the Sal armoniack, which are sublimed into a Mass together, which weigh, that you may know how much Mercury you sublimed out of the Calxes of Luna, for you knew how much Sal armoniack you put in∣to the Jugge: Then put the Sublimate again into a Glass, and again sublime, that you may see whether any Feces re∣main, for you must repeat the Sublimation till no Feces remain. Keep this Mercury till I teach you what to do with it: You must know that in that Vessel, wherein you subli∣med the Mercury with the Sal armoniack, is the Body (com∣monly called Caput Mortuum) or Element of Earth with its Oyl or Fire, this take out and weigh, that so you may the better know, how much Mercury you sublimed also out of it, for you knew how much of the Calx of Luna you had in the Jugge, so you may certainly know how much you have out of it: Then put your Salt or Earth into a Glass, and pour Distill'd Vinegar upon it, and dissolve it into a pure Water, if it yields any Feces, pour off the top gra∣dually, and congeal again, till it leaves no more Feces, then congeal again: Then have you your Salt prepared with your Earth clear as Cristal. Now take your Sublimed Mercury and Sal armoniack, and your clear Salt, and grind them together upon a Marble dry, being ground, put all the Matter into a Glass Plate, set it on a Tripos or our Cal∣cining Fornace, and there let it stand six Weeks, and apply such a heat, as if you would keep Lead melted without congealing: Those six Weeks being expired, let it cool, then put it in a cold Cellar, and cover it with a Linnen Cloth, that no dust may fall in, and in the space of six or eight days it will be wholly dissolved into a clear Water. Now you must know, this is the Philosopers clear Vinegar, for when they write our Vinegar, they mean this Water, and when they say Philosophers Mercury, they mean this Water, and it is their Vinegar which they write or so wonderful∣ly speak of.

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From the Receipts we observe:
1. That Metals and Minerals volatilized with Simple Mi∣neral Menstruums are Menstruums of this Kind.

2. That these Menstruums are the same with the Menstru∣ums of the Eighth Kind dissolved in Simple Mineral Men∣struums, but differ from the antecedent Kind, in being made not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but Philosophical Vinegar.

3. That these Menstruums are the Essences or Magisteries of Things tinging dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums.

4. That those Menstruums being Mineral or Acid, are in Alchymical Processes better than the Vegetable Menstruums of the Eighth Kind, because stronger.

5. That the dissolutions of Metals performed by these Mercu∣rial Menstruums, have been by the Adepts sometimes called A∣malgamations. You must know, saith Isaacus, That this is the best Solution, that ever was found in the World, for herein is no error of Proportion and Weight. For Nature errs not. For when Mercury is dissolved, it dissolves other Metals also, as is rightly taught in other places. Nor will it dissolve more than it is able, nor will it receive more of a Body into it, than its Nature can bear. For whatsoever has no need of it, it cannot dissolve. And it is the best Amalgamation that can be found. 2. Oper. Min. Cap. 103. Pag. 494. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. That Bernhard in Epistola ad Thomam treated not of a dry but of this moist Amalgamation, I shall prove elsewhere.

6. That the Menstruum of Venus, Sol, Luna, &c. is of the same Virtue, as to the faculty of Dissolving, with the Men∣struum of common Argent Vive; this Mercurial Menstruum has been indeed more in use than the other by some Adepts, be∣cause of the more easie way of operating upon the Open Body of Mercury, tho it be less powerful than the rest in Point of Tinging.

7. That there are divers Kinds of Stinking Menstruums: The Thirteenth Kind taught us how to distil the most Stinking Menstruum of all, out of Atrop: For there the Oyly Matter of
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the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine being dissolved in Vitriol, is in its Distillation purged from all its Putrid Feculencies; but the Twentieth Kind treats of Menstruums less stinking, be∣ing made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine now purified and sweet: The present Kind produceth from the same Matter Menstruums of the same Name indeed, but not of the same Stink∣ing Savour, Colour, &c. For Philosophical Vinegar is, by rea∣son of the perfect dissolution of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, Diaphanous, not of a Milky Colour, but in the Distillation of a Menstruum it is made Milky, because the Acidity of the said Vinegar being debilitated by the Aridity of a Body dissolved, cannot retain the Ʋnctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine so well as before, but in the precipitation of which the Distilled Li∣quor becomes Milky; for this reason the Adepts sometimes ad∣ded common Vitriol and Niter to the Azoquean Vitriol, that the said Spirit might the better be dissolved. In a word: The greater quantity of Philosophical Vinegar, or any other Mine∣ral Menstruum stronger than this, is made use of in the making of these Menstruums, the less Milky, and less Stinking will the Menstruums be, because made not of the embrionated Stink∣ing Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but of the same purified by Circulation and Distillation.

8. That these, as all other Menstruums, are by Digestion made sweet and transmuted into Dissolvents of the Eighth Kind.

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The Two and Twentieth KIND. Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philsophers Vinegar, and other Simple Mineral Menstruums and Things tinging being first fixed.
124. The Menstruum of Venus of Isaacus Hollandus. Cap. 82. 3. Oper. Miner.
I Will now Son teach you how to make the Stone, which God gives us freely. You must know it is made divers Ways, but I will teach you the Way which I learnt from my Father. Take of the Stone which God gives us free∣ly (the Vitriol of Venus) as much as sufficeth, which dissolve in (Philosophical) distill'd Vinegar, let the Feces settle, de∣cant the Dissolution from the Feces warily, and filter; draw off the Vinegar with a gentle Fire, that the Matter may re∣main dry; being dried dissolve it again in Distill'd Vinegar, decant, filter, and draw off, and that to be four times re∣peated, till no more Feces settle in the Solution: Then distil away the Vinegar with a gentle Fire, till the Matter be∣comes so dry, as to flie away in the beating of it into Pow∣der, yet retains its Spirits: Now it is prepared for Calcina∣tion. You must know Son, that this Matter is in its Nature
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Stiptick and Astringent, partly volatile, partly fixed, and so dissolved in Distil'd Vinegar, that it may retain the subtil Spirit of the Vinegar, and be calcined together with the said Spirit, made more subtil, be better opened and dissol∣ved, for the Spirit of Vinegar dissolves well before all things. The Vitriol being thus prepared, Put it in a Glass Bottle or Egg, lute hermetically, but the Vessels must be fill'd, that there may be no space for the Spirits to elevate themselves, set it on a Tripos, and there let it remain in a temperate heat, to subtiliate it self: Then take out the Matter, and pulverize it, put it in a Cucurbit, put on an Alembick with a Receiver to it, and so distil in Balneo whatsoever will distil, it will be distilled in about 20 or 25 days: Then lay aside the Distillation, take out the Feces lying at the bottom of the Cucurbit, grind them very fine upon a Stone, put them in a Dissolving Vessel, pour all the Distilled Water to them, seal hermetically, and it will be all dissolved in Balneo without Feces; distil the Solu∣tion in a Cucurbit through an Alembick in Balneo with a moderate heat, that all the Water may separate it self, which keep very choicely; continue the Distillation in Ashes, that you may receive the Element of Air in the form of a ve∣ry noble Citrine Oyl; and this must be done with a strong Fire, lay aside the Air by it self very well stopped near the Water: The Feces being as red as Blood, take out of the Cucurbit, grind them to an Impalpable Powder upon a Stone, put them in a Glass Bottle or Egge, seal, and set it 30 days and nights on a Tripos to be subtiliated with a tem∣perate heat, then take out the Matter, grind it to Powder, put it in a Dissolving Vessel, pour to it the Element of Wa∣ter (above distilled) seal, and put it in Balneo, to be dissol∣ved, as before; distil the Solution through an Alembick in Ashes (the Receiver must be put into cold Water) increase the Fire by degrees, till at length it be hot; so let it conti∣nue five or six days, and in the mean time will ascend the Ele∣ment of Fire in the form of a Red Oyl, suffer it to be cool∣ing three or four days, then take away the Receiver, keep it very well stopp'd, &c.

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Annotations.
WE have had divers graduated Vitriols in the former Receipts, which have yielded us divers Menstru∣ums. The Vitriol in this Kind is made better than all of them; for it is made of Vitriol graduated in a close Ves∣sel, fixed according to Art, and again dissolved in Philoso∣phical Vinegar, that by Distillation it may be made a better Menstruum than those before. In the Ninth Kind of Vegetable Menstruums the graduated Vitriol of Mercury, made of Mer∣cury sublimed and Salt circulated, is in a close Vessel reverbe∣rated into a Fixed Powder, which Crocus of Mercury then volatilized with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, makes a Vegetable Menstruum. If the same graduated Vitriol of Mer∣cury be in a close Vessel reverberated into a Fix'd Precipitate, and then dissolved, not in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but Philosophical Vinegar, or some other Mineral Menstruum, it will be thereby made a Menstruum of this Kind. That which is spoken of the Vitriol of Mercury, must be also understood of the present Vitriol of Venus in our Receipt; where Isaacus dis∣solves the said Vitriol in Phiosophical Vinegar, depurates and graduates, which then he calcines, that is, fixeth upon a Tri∣pos• being fixed it must be dissolved in new Philosophical Vi∣negar, and volatilized, before the Distillation of it, as appears by the Description of the same Menstruum elsewhere given.

125. A Menstruum of Vitriol of Isaacus Hollandus. Cap. 62. 2. Oper. Min.
TAke a great quantity of Roman Vitriol, 10 or 12 Pounds, rather more than less, as much as you will, and dis∣solve the Vitriol in common Water; let the Feces set∣tle, put the clear Dissolution in a Stone Vessel to be congealed, till a thin skin comes over it, then let it cool and stand three days a, nd you will have notable Stones of a green colour clear
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as Cristal; take out those Stones, and put them in small Glass Vessels in a clean Balneo to dry, the Balneo must have such a heat as is of the Sun in the middle of Sum∣mer, and your Stones will be turned into a white Pow∣der, which Powder dissolve in common Distill'd Water, and let the Feces settle, decant the clear into a clean Vessel, as before, and let it be congealed, as before; this repeat, till you can see no Feces left; when you have thus washed and made your Powder white, you may be assur'd your Vitriol is rightly prepared. Now take the white powder of Vitriol, put it in a Glass Vessel with a Neck pretty long, and seal the Neck with the Seal of Hermes so, that no Air can either pass out or in; and then put it in a Plate with sifted Ashes upon a Fornace, put fire under, and put a Burning Lamp under the Fornace, adding such a heat as the Sun yields in the mid∣dle of March, and thus keep it, till you see your Matter grow yellow, and continue it in the same heat, till it be per∣fectly ruddy, then increase the Fire a little, that is, put un∣der one Lamp more, and thus continue it eight or ten days, and then see whether your Matter begins not to be red, if it begins to be red, increase your Fire, and so continue it eight or ten days: But if you gain nothing in redness, increase your Fire with yet one Lamp, and so proceed gradually al∣ways one Lamp being kindled, till your Matter be as deep a red, as a Rose or Ruby; it being now so deeply red, suffer it even thus the space of eight or ten days in the same heat; when you see your Matter remains in the same state, take it out of the Plate with Ashes, and empty it into another strong Glass, pour a good quantity of (Philosophical) distill'd Vi∣negar upon it, and put it in Balneo, let it boil, and stir it with a Woodden Spatula three or four times every day, and thus continue it four days and nights, then let it cool, and pour off the clear; and again pour on Distill'd Vinegar, and that repeat three times; then throw away the Feces, and draw off the Vinegar through an Alembick in Balneo, till your Matter become altogether dry; pour on new Vinegar, and do as before, and that so long, till no more Feces remain in the Dissolution: Then congeal it into a dry Powder, which put into a good thick Glass, and putting on an Alem∣bick
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with a large Head, distil in order to obtain first Saffron Colour'd Spirits, then a Red Oyl, lastly, white Spirits, then let it cool, take away the Receiver, and keep that truly bles∣sed Oyl which is in it. Take away the Alembick, and in the Pot you will find a Matter white as Snow, and clear as Cri∣stal, &c.

The way of making of this Menstruum, we will consider in its several Branches.

The first is concerning the choice of Vitriol, which Reason requires as well as the antecedent Receipt to be graduated, that is, dissolved either in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or Phi∣losophical Vinegar, and Cristallized, for the Calcination of common Vitriol, dissolved in common Water, and purified, in a close Vessel to a most red colour, is altogether Impossible, and of no Efficacy neither; for nothing but the common Acid or com∣mon Spirit of Vitriol is extracted out of common Vitriol, be it never so well purified and calcined: Vitriol therefore well Purged in common Water, is to be chosen according to the pre∣sent Receipt, but after that, according to the antecedent well dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar, that it may be thereby made graduated Vitriol, and the fit Matter of this Menstruum.

The second Branch treats of the calcination or fixation of this graduated Vitriol into redness: Corncerning which, the former process was too obscure, but the present or later clear enough: This Calcination is the true and Philosophical way of fixing this Vitriol, and that chiefly, because citrinity and redness follow blackness and whiteness, the true signs of volatilization as well as fixation, of which Tho. Isaacus said nothing in both the Receipts, yet other Adepts have mentioned these Colours in the fixing of Vitriol. Take that Stone, saith Ripley, Cap. 7. Phil. Cupri Stillicidium (the Green Lyon of Fools, or common Vitriol graduated) and put it, being ground into a Philoso∣phers Egg, and proceed upon it by the way of Putrefaction, as was declared in the Process of Rebis, and continue the Stone upon the Fire, till after blackness and whiteness, it is turned into a red Powder, which many call Vitriol Rubifi∣cated.

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But here riseth some doubt, in that the Red Colour of this Calcined Vitriol, seems to be by Isaacus himself called Volatile, not in the least fixed. This Matter, saith he, will remain red for ever, and not fixed, for if it should be fixed, it would be altogether corrupted, for it must be Dissolved into Water, and distilled through an Alembick, Cap. 65. To disperse this Cloud, you must know, the meaning of Isaacus is, that Vitriol calcined, or by what way soever reduced into redness, remains red, but not also fixed ••ause it must be dissolved in Philosophi∣cal Vinegar, and Distilled through an Alembick. For we find the like, if not the same Phrase, concerning the redness and fixity of the Philosophers Stone, which will easily remove the aforesaid doubt: When the Stone is perfect, saith he, it ought to remain in that State now and for evermore. After Perfection, it cannot be changed for better nor for worse, but will remain a King for ever. Wherefore, if any Man has prepared the true Philosophers Stone, no Multiplication fol∣lows after; wheresoever Multiplication follows after Perfe∣ction, there is not the Philosophers Stone, nor is there a true Stone. It may be a Medicine, or other Stone, of which sort are many wherewith Projection is made, but it is not the Phi∣losophers Stone, which we here Discourse of. When the aforesaid Stone is perfect and prepared, it ought to remain in that State for ever, Cap. 127. 1. Oper. Miner. Pag. 407. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.

As to the Permanence of the red colour in the Philosophers Stone, he declares the following Notions: In Multiplication, saith he, no blackness intervenes, nor do any Colours of the World shew themselves, nor any Whiteness, nor in Subli∣mation does any thing shew it self besides redness, nor in fix∣ation does any Colour shew its self except its own, that is, an egregious redness: For the Stone hath no other Colour but redness, for it is one only substance, one single matter, and as the Heaven invincible: You must also know, tho it were sublimed, it would not be deprived of all its fixity, for when the Stone is made and prepared in the utmost vertue of it, then can it not be changed out of its own Essence into another, for if the Stone could be changed or drawn out of its own Essence into another Essence or Nature, it would not
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be the Philosophers Stone, nor one single Matter, nor a glo∣rified Body; no, no, understand my Discourse rightly, &c. Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 355. of the same Volume.

Isaacus being perhaps perswaded of an unalterable constancy of redness observed in the Multiplication of the Stone of higher Degree or Kind, concludes the Philosophers Stone to be alto∣gether and absolutely immutable: which Opinion to defend in every part, he has sooner ventured to deny the volatilization it self of the Stone, than give way to the a…ing of fixity in Mul∣tiplication: You must know, saith he, if the Stone were sub∣limed, yet would it not be deprived of its fixity. Yea, he has chosen rather to prevert his own Senses (for he himself hath in the same place taught how to volatilize the Philoso∣phers Stone, with some shining Menstruum) and the Sense of the Word Fix (tho upon this Term depends one half of all the Operations in the more secret Chymy) than relinquish this fallacy derived from a Paralogism. The Stone, saith he, may be so often opened as aforesaid, and after that sublimed, and again condensed so as to unite its parts, which we call Fixation; we term it indeed Fixation, but it is not Fixation, but only Condensation, so, as that all the subtil parts of it are again forced into an Union joyntly together, as they were at first, and the Stone will again expect Fire, and we may a∣gain make Projection with it, as we did before. Cap. 76. read 73, 74, 75. Chapters of the same Book.

What we have against this Opinion, we will reserve for the Third Book; in the mean time it will be requisite for you to ob∣serve this one thing: That the Matter of Calcined Vitriol, as also of the Philosophers Stone, multiplied, remains for everred, but not fixed, because either of them may be volatilized with Philosophical Menstruums. But let them be how they will, the Vitriol of Saturn fixed the same way by the same Author, will prove that the graduated Vitriol of Venus, calcined to redness in a close Vessel is fixed. Take, saith he, a Glass Viol, put in it one half of Purged Saturn (Sugar of Saturn made not with common Distilled Vinegar, but Philosophical) reserve the other part by it self till you have occasion, put a fit Glass to the mouth of the Viol, and put the Glass in sifted Ashes in a Fornace, of Tripos Arcanorum, or on a Fornace wherein
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you calcine Spirits; give it a Fire as hot as the Sun is at Mid-summer, no more, except by chance a little hotter or colder, provided it be not so great as to melt the Lead, for so your Matter would be liquid as Oyl, and should it stand so the space of 12 days, all the Sulphur would fly away, and the Matter be corrupted, for the Sulphur of it is not yet fixed, and on the outside only, and therefore the Matter is most ea∣sily melted, and though it be pure, yet is it not fixed; where∣fore the Fire must be so gentle as not to melt the Matter; let it stand so the space of Six Weeks, after which take a little, project it upon a hot Iron, if it presently melts and fumes, it is not yet fixed, but if it remains, the Sulphur of it is fixed: Then increase the Fire notably, till your Matter becomes citrine, and so continually till it grows red, still increasing the Fire till it attains to the colour of Rubies; increase till it is red hot, and then is it fixed, and prepared for Infusion, with the Noble Water of Paradise (the Menstruum described in Numb. 114.)

Besides this, there is indeed another way also of calcining Philosophical Vitriol, which is done in an open Vessel; thus graduated Verdigrese is calcined to redness before the Distil∣lation of it, in the preparation of the Spirit of Venus of Basilius, as we have observed in the precedent Kind, but this belongs not to this place, for the Calx remains volatile, not fixed, which way of Calcining was invented meerly for the seperation of the Phlegme.

The third Branch consists in a new dissolution of this fixed Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar, for which Reason this Vi∣triol is volatilized again, and made fit for Distillation, in the former Receipt, this Solution is wholly omitted, but more ex∣actly described in the latter Process.

The fourth Branch is the single, and frequent Distillation in the several ways of making all these Stinking Menstruums, yet this excepted, that out of this graduated, fixed, and again volatilized Vitriol, the Spirit ascends not White, but of a Saffron Colour (because more Mature) before the Red Oyl; and lastly, the White Spirit appears also, being extracted out of the Salt or White Body.

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Lastly, These words following do prove, that the same Men∣struums may be also made of any other Metals. But if you would extract an Oyl out of Metals, as has been taught of Vitriol; you must dissolve your Metal in Aqua fortis, and make it precipitate, and wash away the Saltness of it with common Water, and being dryed, put into a Glass with a long Neck, and congealed, and put upon a Fornace with Sifted Ashes, make a Fire under it as for Vitriol, till the Metal be alogether red, and till the inside of it is turn'd out∣ward: Then dissolve it in Distil'd Vinegar, as the Vitriol, and Congeal, till no more Feces remain: Then distil, and the Metal will wholly distil into a Red Oyl, and it is the perfect Oyl of the Philosophers, but the Projection of it is not so high, as of the Oyl which was first Salt: And the Oyl of every Metal you must Multiply with the Oyl of Vitriol, as aforesaid: And the Oyl is very easily made after the same manner out of Saturn, and the Projection of it is very high: Give thanks to God, Work, and remember the Poor, dis∣pense the gifts of God to your own Salvation, Cap. 80. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 478. of the same Volume.

All Metals, saith he, Cap. 67. of the same Work, even Jupiter and Luna, will become red as blood, for the inside of all Metals is red, one more red than another: When therefore they are brought to redness, they must then be dissolved (in Philosophical Vinegar) and again congealed, till they be free from any Feces, and yet contain their Elements to∣gether perfectly; for when they are brought to that pitch, nothing remains, save only Feces; for the Earth (the Caput Mortuum) being made subtil and liquid, is likewise dissol∣ved, when you have made it subtil by Dissolving and Coa∣gulating so, as that no more Feces remain. Thus you may Distil it through an Alembick into a Red Oyl. As you was here taught concerning Vitriol, so must you also do with all Metals, as also Mercury, when it is dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and precipitated, the Saltness wash'd away and dried, put it in a Glass, as was said of Vitriol, and done moreover so, as was taught before concerning Vitriol. And that which is here declar'd of Metal, you may also do with Antimony (and all other Minerals.) Open your Ears, and hearken, and open
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your Mind, it was never heard that such a Work should be done with so little Pains.

Here I would advise you to take Notice of the difference be∣tween the Oyls of Vitriol and other bodies; the like Oyl is pro∣duced from all Metals as from Vitriol, yet with this difference, that Vitriol in the Distillation of its Oyl, leaves an Earth or Salt behind it, wherewith the Spirit and Oyl of it are fixed into the Philosophers Stone; but Metals and the rest of the Minerals not so, they totally ascending into Spirit and Oyl, no Earth, Salt or Caput mortuum remaining, whereby to be fixed into the Stone: Vitriol therefore is that alone, which hath all things in it, relating to the Perfection of it self, whereas the Oyls and Spirits of the rest are forced to borrow fixed bodies else∣where for their fixations. You must know, saith he, when you would reduce the Salt of Metals to an Oyl, the same as hath been said of Vitriol, the Elementary Earth of Metals will distil together, with the Oyl red as blood, but that the Earth of Vitriol does not, the Oyl seperates it self from the Earth: God hath vouchsafed such a blessing, that the Phi∣losophers Stone may be made of it alone without Addition, translating all Metals into true Sol, but the Oyl of it must be fixed with the Earth (its own Earth or Salt) but that is not so with Metals, the Earth distils together through the Alem∣bick, and the whole Body is converted into Oyl, translating all Metals into true Sol: Herein do all the Philosophers agree. An Oyl, he goes on, is also made of Mercury, and of Anti∣mony, but their Earth goes over together, and their whole Body turns into Oyl, and remains an Oyl for ever, and with this Oyl you may do wonderful things, which here to recite would be too long. You know also what is written of Anti∣mony and the Oyl of it. Yet must my Son know, That the Oyl of Mercury is much better in all works, wherein the Oyl of Antimony is used. This is a Secret. Cap. 69. and 70. of the same Work.

An Example, That Metals wholly ascend into Oyl, he brings in the following Chapter, namely the 70th, which we will name.

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126. The Circulatum Majus of Isaacus. Cap. 70. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 474. Vol. 3. Th. Chym
TAke this Mercury (the Metals sublimed in the Philoso∣phical Menstruums aforegoing) Dissolve it in Aqua Fortis, with an equal quantity of Vitriol and Niter, being Dissolved, put the Solution in a Glass Vessel, put on an Alembick, set it in Sifted Ashes, give first a gentle Fire, Distil the Aqua Fortis from it, then the Mercury will sublime upwards into the Alembick, when it will sublime no more, take it away; take the Mercury out of the Alembick, put it in a Glass with a long neck, as you did with the Vitriol, put it in a Vessel with Sifted Ashes, light your Lamp under it, so leave it, till it be perfectly red, as hath been taught of Vitriol; Dissolve, Congeal, being clean, Distil it into a red Oyl, as hath been said of Vitriol, but all the Mercury distils into Oyl, so as to leave no Earth.

The Menstruum immediately antecedent in Numb. 125, is in all things clear, except the first Branch of it, wherein is o∣mitted the necessary Dissolution of Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar, before the Calcination of it into redness or fixation. The first Menstruum of this Kind is imperfect, not indeed in this, but in another Branch, insomuch as it is not therein de∣clared, that Vitriol must after the Calcination of it, be again Dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar. In this present third, Tho it be said, that it ought to be made according to the rule of the precedent Menstruums, there is no mention at all made of Philosophical Vinegar, yet without it, Vitriol can neither be fixed into redness, nor when fixed, be again Volatalized or Di∣stilled. The Receipts therefore must be compared as often as the Adepts have either through too much fear or envy left us them imperfect: It is enough, if by comparing them together, we can pick out their meaning or intention, being not fully enough ex∣pressed in every circumstance, the terms being either too obscure, or altogether omitted. Bodies in this Kind are to be fixed, and then volatilized by Mineral Menstruums, as Mercury and
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Antimony, in the Ninth Kind, are first fixed, and then di∣stilled in the greater Circulatums by vegetable Menstruums: This light borrow'd from the said Ninth Kind, will dispel all the Obscurities and Doubts of this Kind. Vitriol therefore purged with common Water by Solutions and Coagulations, must first be graduated, that is several times dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and coagulated according to the Receipt in Numb. 125, as Mercury is dissolved in the Water of Salt, circulated in the Circulatum majus of Mercury. This Vitriol being graduated in a close Vessel, must be fixed into a most red Powder, and being fixed, then dissolved and coagulated in Philosophical Vinegar, that it may again become volatile, as Mercury being fixed in its own Circulatum, is again made volatile by virtue of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine. At last the Vitriol is to be Distilled into its Spirits. Now by know∣ing the method, it is manifest that the mystery of the Receipts consists in the Vinegar, but to remove all scruple from these most excellent Menstruums, we will prove by the very words of Isaacus himself, that he meant not a common but Philosophical Menstruum. Have not I taught you, saith he, how to draw all Metals through the Alembick, so as to Distil wholly into Oyl, leaving nothing; but that alone does the strong Spirit of Vinegar, and makes them (Metals) to be perfectly separated and rectified from their Feces, within and without, as I taught you, and that the inside should be outward, and the outside inward, and then they are so resolved and sub∣til, that the Elements cannot be separated one from another; if you sought all the means in the world, you would not be able to separate these Elements, by reason of their subtility, cleanness and resolution; and when they have the subtil pe∣netrating Vinegar with them, they pass all together through the Alembick with the Vinegar; but if you should put them to fire, and any Spirit of Vinegar (in sufficient quantity) was present, they (the Metal and Vinegar) would be forth∣with fixed together; and because the Vinegar is copiously in their clean, open, subtil Body, they distil into Oyl, and the Spirits of the Vinegar are fixed with the Body: Now you must know thdt the Spirit of Vinegar is more Subtil than all things in the World, yea, a thousand times more subtil than
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the Quintessence of Aqua Vitae, it cannot be contained in any Vessels, but it is easily half fixed, and therefore it easily fixeth the thing to which it is applied, as it is demonstrated in the Vegetable (Work) where the Discourse is of Wine, and the Nature of it, where you will be sufficiently instruct∣ed what Vinegar is, and the Spirit of it, how all things are dissolved and ascend. Cap. 77. 78. 2. Oper. Miner. Pag. 477. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym. You must know, saith he elsewhere, this is the greatest Secret in this Art, for the middle parts of Vinegar are of so great Virtue as to be incredible, by reason of their great Subtility, for every thing they are mixed with, becomes exceeding subtil and penetrable, wherefore they make the (Philosophers) Stone a thousand times more subtil than it was before, and more penetrable, and the subtil parts mix themselves with the Stone, for they are of one Nature, and are both clean and subtil, and are mixed together, as Water with Water, and it is a Medicine of that Nature, as to make every thing fixed which it is mixed with, and of its own Nature wherein it is; and thus are the subtil parts (of Philosophical Vinegar) fixed in the (Philosophical) Stone, and are made of one Nature with the Stone, and they make the Stone as fusible, as an Artist can wish, as he oftentimes dissolves the Stone in Vinegar, and congeals it, for as many or few Spirits remain in the Stone, the more fusible is the Medicine: Wherefore I have taught my Son how to make his Stone so fusible, as thereby to bring Mercury to Sol and Luna; and it is a great Secret, known to few, peruse this Lecture diligently, what vertue there is in Vinegar, and what with the middle matter of Vinegar may be made. Cap. 51. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 337. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.

That Vinegar, which is a thousand times more subtil than the Quintessence of Aqua Vitae, or Spirit of Philosophical Wine: The Spirits of which makes the Philosophers Stone a thousand times more Subtil: That is of one Nature with it; and fixeth every thing it is mixed with; you your selves will say is no common Menstruum, but another of more excellent quali∣ty. Isaacus moreover dissolves and coagulates the Stone in this Vinegar, so oft, till it is converted into Oyl, which will be no
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more congealed. Cap. 51, 59, 107. of the same Book. With the same Vinegar also he made Metals fat, and transmuted them into Oyls, thus he dissolved and coagulated Gold so often continually in New Vinegar, till an Oyl was made thereof as red as blood, as Cap. 54. of the same Book. Sometimes also he did with the same Vinegar reduce Gold to the consistence of an excellent White Oyl, out of which he then distilled a White Spirit, and a Red Oyl apart, and not immixible to∣gether, so subtil, as that he advised the Artist to have a care, lest these Oyls should condense again by too much Rectification, for then being forced with too strong a Fire, the greatest part of them would by reason of their great Subtility penetrate the Glass, and so be lost. Cap. 126, 128, 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 406. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. Who can expect such and so great things from Common Vinegar? The same Vinegar, that dissolved the fix'd Metal Gold, and divided it into Spirit and Oyl, the Consti∣tutives of the Stone out of Sol alone; the same also is required to dissolve fixed Vitriol, and distil it into Spirit and Oyl, the constitutives of the Stone out of Vitriol alone, of the making of which in the Third Book of Alchymical Tinctures.

That this Oyl of Vitriol, shews light by night, affirms Tris∣mosinus, who hath described the said Oyl thus.

127. The Oyl of Vitriol shining by Night, of Trismosinus. Libro Gangeniveron, sive novem Tincturarum in Tin∣ctura prima.
TAke of the best Hungarian Vitriol twelve pounds, grind and dissolve it in pure clean Water, or Rain Water distilled, let the Feces settle, decant the Solution into a Glass Dish, placed in a Brass Bason full of Sand, put the said Bason in Balneo, and draw off the Water to a thin skin; let it cool, and stand three days in a cold place, and in the mean time you will find green Stones, which take out, the remainder
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draw off again to a thin skin, and let it Cristallize, and this seven times repeat, put the Stones in a Stove of the same heat as the Sun in Dog-days, and in such a heat they will turn into a White Powder. The Vitriol being thus prepared, put it in a Cucurbit, with a long neck, well Sealed, in Ashes, under which put a Lamp, so as that the heat exceed not the Sun in March, thus leave it, till the Vitriol begins, to be yellow, being yellow, the Fire of the Lamp increase one Degree, and thus leave it ten days and nights, or till it be∣gins to be red, then again increase the Fire in the Lamp ano∣ther Degree, and thus continue, till the Matter be alto∣gether red as a Ruby, then increase the Fire yet ten days, and the hidden part of the Vitriol is now manifest, and prepared in its redness, as a volatile Matter: The redness thus re∣maining, take the Glass out of the Ashes, and the Matter out of the Glass, and put it in a stronger Glass, to which pour the best Vinegar well rectify'd, stop it well, set it in Bal∣neo, so let it stand four days, yet stirring the Matter with a Spatula made of Haslewood, three or four times a day, let it cool, decant the Vinegar into another Glass, pour new upon the Matter, digest in Balneo, as before, this repeat with new Vinegar three times, the decanted Vinegar gent∣ly draw off, till the Matter remains in the form of a Salt at the bottom, to which, pour new sharp Vinegar, put it four days in Balneo, as before, to dissolve, and let that be re∣peated, till it be free from any sediment: Then coagu∣late the Matter into a dry Powder, and put it in a Glass Cucurbit, with a wide mouth, and a large Alembick, day the Receiver in a Vessel full of Water, lute the Joynts firm, and distil with an open Fire, but very gently, the space of four hours, after that strongly, and the Spirits will ascend yellow, which are called Air; continue the Fire in the same degree, till the Alembick begins to be red; then slow the Fire, that the Alembick may be of a blood colour, then increase the Fire still, that the Glass may be burning hot as a red hot Iron, which keep in that heat, till the Alembick be made of a Snow Colour, then strengthen the Fire yet more, that the Alembick may again be clear and transparent, then let it cool, remove the Receiver, and pour the Oyl into a pure
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Glass, which stop well, and you will have the true Oyl of Vitriol shining night and day in dark places, which keep well for your occasion. But you must know there is a White and Beautiful Oyl found in the bottom, which to its red Oyl, &c.

This Receipt of Trismosinus agrees almost in all things with Isaacus his Description of the Menstruum made of Vitriol, so that it seems to me to be borrowed of Isaacus, especially because the same phrase of Isaacus of the volatile redness of Calcined Vi∣triol is retained: Those things therefore, which were observed before upon the Menstruum of Isaacus, do also hereto relate; but we added this, because Trismosinus does more assure us, that this Oyl shines in darkness, concerning which quality of his Menstruum, Isaacus was silent.

Ripley made Menstruums of this Kind this way.

128. The Circulatum Majus of Ripley. Pag. 395. Accurtationum.
THe time of true Putrefaction and Alteration is com∣pleated in the space of Six Weeks, but it may be done in a shorter time by half, and that by the acui∣tion of our Mercurial Waters, that is, the white and red Water (the milk and blood of the Green-Lyon in Numb. 59.) with common Mercury sublimate, which thus do: Fix and Calcine the Mercury sublimate, and dissolve it in our white or red Mercury (of the said Menstruum) so as to be all one true Water, which Water, being thus acuated, hath the Power of putrifying and altering any Calx of Metals, in the space of three Weeks, and that because the two Fires, name∣ly, of Nature and against, Nature, are then joyn'd together in that Water.

Common Mercury being dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar, or any Mineral Menstruum, and fixed either by Sublimation as the Circulatum majus of Paracelsus, or Calcination as the Vitriol of Isaacus calcined to redness, is then dissolved in a stinking Menstruum, and distilled through an Alembick. He
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reduced all other Metals and Minerals, the same way as he did Mercury, into the greater Circulatums, thus.

129. The Metallick Acetum acerrimum of Ripley. Pag. 266. Clavis aureae Portae.
HAving therefore these two Mercuries, the white and red (of the Stinking Menstruum) practice with them either upon their own Earth (or Caput Mortuum of the said Menstruum) or upon the Calx of Metals prepared, for you need not trouble your self about the Earth, provided the substance of it be fixed: Take therefore any of them, being white, and ferment it thus: For the White Work, take the Calx of Luna, and the altered Earth (a Philosophi∣cal Calx, made of the Mineral Menstruum of Luna) in equal quantity, grind them together, and temper them with the White Mercury, which we call Lac Virginis (in the Descrip∣tion of the Green Lyon) and sublime them very well, keep and gather that which is not fixed, that is, so much as ascends white, and sticking to the parts of the Glass as Mercury sub∣limate, for this is that our Mercury made by sublimation out of the white altered Earth; then grind it upon its own Calxes, tempering, distilling, and subliming it with Lac Virginis, till it be wholly fixed, so as to be immovable by Fire: This is the sublimed and fixed Mercury, for which fools take that common Mercury sublimed with common Vitriol and Salt, wherein they very much err: put it into a Circulatory, and pour Lac Virginis upon it, till it be covered, then let it be circulated and distilled through an Alembick.

An Example of making the altered Earth of Metals, and the way of fixing the said Earth he hath given in Vitriol. Take Vitriol calcined to Ashes (common Colcothar) grind it to a most fine Powder, put it in an Ʋrinal, pour Lac Virginis (the White fume of the Stinking Menstruum) to it, till it be covered with it, stop the Ʋrinal with a Linnen Cloth, and let it stand eight days, then add the same quantity of the former Milk, repeating it from eight days to eight, but
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when it will drink up no more, let it stand in the cold well stopp'd, till a Cristalline Earth appears in the superficies of it, like Eyes of Fish. Seperate this Earth from the thicker parts resided in the bottom, and put it (this graduated Vitriol made not indeed of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, nor Phi∣losophical Vinegar, but the Stinking Menstruum) in a Phi∣losophical Egg, to digest (calcine) discreetly, till it be per∣fectly fixed, then increase the Fire, till it be perfectly citri∣nated, and still increase it, that it may be Rubified in the form and colour of Sanguis Draconis.

Lastly, For a conclusion, we will add the Circulatum Ma∣jus of Isaacus, made of Sulphurs, which being most clear in the graduation, fixation, and volatilization of it, will help to illustrate those things which have perhaps remained more obscure in the antecedent, and make the Receipts in this Kind more clear.

130. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus, made of Sulphur. Cap. 88.3. Oper. Min.
TAke Hungarian or Spanish Sulphur ten or twelve pounds, prepare it upon a Stone, with (Philosophi∣cal) Vinegar distilled, as Painters do their Colours, pour a good quantity of the (aforesaid) Vinegar upon it, put it in Balneo, stir it well with a Woodden Spatula, decoct it in a close Vessel in Balneo the space of six or eight days, stirring it three or four times a day, then let it cool and set∣tle, filter the tinged Vinegar, pour on new, repeat this Work, till no more Vinegar will be tinged: Draw off all the tinged Vinegar in Balneo, that a Powder of a golden Colour may remain at the bottom. This Powder prepare and extract with Vinegar, as before; filter the solution, and draw it off, till at length it leaves no Feces behind it, then draw off the Vinegar, that the rest of the Matter may remain in the form of a Powder. Take of this Powder one part, of Salt prepared one part, of Roman Vitriol dried,
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six parts, mix them all well, and sublime by degrees, first, with a weak Fire, secondly, stronger, lastly, most strong for the space of two days; sublime the sublimation mix'd with its Feces three times, then casting away the Feces, sub∣lime with new Species, and repeat the Work three times, then dissolve the Sublimation in the Dissolving Water for the red (of what Description soever in the Twentieth Kind) the Water being drawn off, sublime, pour on New Water and sublime, and that do three times: Then take seven parts of this Subli∣mation, one part of the Calx of Sol, and sublime: This Sub∣limation being put into a Philosophical Egg, made of Gold (for one of glasswould be of little use for this purpose, because it would become soft as wax) stop it well, and set it upon a Tripos the space of eighteen Weeks to be fixed, but the first six Weeks with a gentle Fire, the next six a stronger, the last most strong: These Eighteen Weeks being ended, take out the Matter (being fixed) reduce it to Powder, to which being put in a dissolving Vessel, pour an equal quantity of our red burning Water (of the aforesaid Dissolving Water for the red) seal or stop the Vessel very well, let it dissolve and settle, then take it out, and distil it through an Alembick in Balneo with a very small Fire: It is necessary for the Receiver, to be well luted, and the Alembick must have a pipe in the upper part, for it must be six times distilled, always with new Red Water, and your Matter will at length become thick as Honey, which distil in Sifted Ashes by degrees, and an Air will a∣scend like Water, then changing the Reciver, an Oyl of a Golden Colour will distil gilding the Alembick, as also the Receiver; let it continue in the same heat till the Alembick be of a Blood Colour, then take away the Receiver; stop it suddenly, put another to, and increase the Fire for the space of twenty four hours, till the Vessel grows red hot, in which heat, let it continue twelve hours, and the Matter will ascend red as blood, and at last also a red fume: These Spirits no more appearing, let the Vessels cool, keep the Di∣stillation, but the Feces reverberate, &c.

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Out of the Receipts these things we observe.
1. THat these Menstruums, made of the graduated Vi∣triols of Metals, fixed in a close Vessel, have the like place amongst Mineral Menstruums, as the greater Circulatums of Paracelsus, have amongst the vegetable Menstruums. Dissolve the aforesaid Circulatums in any Acid Spirit, and you will presently make Menstruums of this Kind.

2. That these Menstruums are Medicines, call'd Volatile Arcanums, dissolved in an Acid.

3. That the graduated Vitriol of Venus, has some certain peculiar Priviledges above the rest.

1. Because in the Distillations of these Menstruums, it hath a Fixed Body, besides a Soul and Spirit, whereby the two a∣foresaid must be fixed into the Stone; but all the other Metals and Minerals being reduced into graduated Vitriols, have no Fixed Bodies, and are divided into two parts only, Spirit and Soul; but because the Adepts found it necessary to borrow some Fixed Body elsewhere for the fixing of these, they therefore more than often affirmed the possibility of making the Stone out of Vi∣triol alone, without any Addition, thus have we heard Isaacus in the antecedent Receipts saying: God hath vouchsafed such a blessing to Vitriol, that the Philosophers Stone may be made of it alone, without Addition, it translating all Metals into true Sol, but the Oyl of it must be fixed with (its) Earth (or Body) but that is not so with Metals, for their Earth di∣stils together through the Alembick.

But who observes not here these Words, Without any Addi∣tion, to be meant of any Foreign Matter, and are so to be under∣stood with some certain restriction? For this most red Oyl of Vitriol, shining by night, and which must be fixed with its Salt into the Philosophers Stone, cannot in the least be produ∣ced from Vitriol alone, and that crude, being not graduated with Philosophical Menstruums.

Moreover as the like Oyl being distilled from Gold, and fix∣in the purified, but not volatalized part of it, is called by Isaacus
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the Stone of Sol alone; whereas notwithstanding, he used his Philosophical Vinegar to the making of it; so the Stone may be said to be made out of Vitriol alone, without Addition, though the same Vinegar was used in the preparation of it.

Lastly, It is manifest by the Kinds of almost all Menstruums, that no Acid (that is, dry and incombustible Matter) can be reduced into Oyl, without an Oyly Menstruum, because it must receive this unctiosity from the Ʋnctions Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine.

2. Because it is of mean value, and so by the Adepts call'd the Stone, which God hath given us freely. This Work, saith Isaacus, you cannot enter upon with a little Matter, you must have at least four or five Pounds of Matter (Gold or Sil∣ver) if otherwise, the Work will be insufficient. For it is not the Work of poor men, except the Stone given us by God freely, might happily be obtained; then other Charge is not necessary, more than Vessels, Coals, and Food, till we have prepared the Stone. And the two Stones, which God hath given us freely, for the White and Red Work, require but half the time, as the Matter which is to be taken for preparation sake, for before we come to Sublimation, the Stone given us freely, is already almost brought to fixation. Cap. 17.1. Oper. Mineral. Pag. 313. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. The same thing is affirmed by Basilius: saying, There is no moisture in Gold, unless it be reduced into (gra∣duated) Vitriol, which would be a Work indeed of no Pro∣fit, but much Charge, because of the great quantity of Vitriol required to the making of the Philosophers Stone; and though there is in Vitriol the desired Spirit of Gold, of a white quality, and a Soul and Salt of a glorious Essence, but how many Countreys, Estates and Riches, have been thus consumed, I will not reckon; but this Admonition I give my Disciples, to follow the shorter way of Nature, that they may not also fall into extream and inextricable Pover∣ty. If you intend therefore, he goes on, to make the Phi∣losophers Stone out of the Vitriol of Sol, as many men in∣deed endeavour, consult with your Purses, and prepare Ten or Twelve pounds of this Vitriol, and then you will fi∣nish your Work, whereas Hungarian or other Vitriol would suffice.

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3. Because it is our Gold full of the Tincture of common Gold. Green Vitriol, saith Ripley, being Stillicidium Ve∣neris (or common Vitriol) is by many Philosophers called Ro∣man Gold, because of the abundance of its Noble Tincture, which ought to be fermented with common Gold, Pag. 140. Medulla Philos. For Vitriol, he goes on, is nothing else but Stillicidium Cupri (or droppings of Copper) in the Mynes, where∣in Copper is generated, as Bartholomaeus (an English Monk and Philosopher) saith; and though it hath an admirable Tincture of redness, yet is that Tincture polluted with an un∣clean terrestreity, which is called its original blemish, which hinders Gold and Silver from being made of it. Therefore saith Raymund, let not the Terrestrial Virtues over power the Coelestial Virtues (of the Sun and the rest of the Stars) and you will have a good thing in Vitriol. Pag. 303. Pupillae.

Arnold to shew the Golden Nature in common Vitriol to his Disciple, resolved to prove it by an Experiment, in Speculo Alchymiae, Pag. 605. Vol. 4. Theat. Chym. where thus by the way of Dialogue. Disciple, I wonder, good Master, that you commended Brass so much, I know not whether there be so great a secret in it, I thought it to be a leprous Body, because of that greenness which it hath in it: Where∣fore I still admire what you said, that we ought to extract Argent vive (Menstruum) out of this Body. Master, Son! You must know, that the Philosophers Brass is their Gold, and therefore saith Aristotle in his Book, Our Gold is not common Gold, because that greenness which is in that Body, is the whole Perfection of it, because that greenness is by our Magistry suddenly turned into most true Gold, as we know by experience; and if you have a mind to try, we will give you a Rule. Take Aes ustum well and perfectly rubified (common to be Sold in Shops) and let it drink seven times of the Oyl Duenech (Spirit of Philosophical Wine) as much as it can drink, always assating and reducing (cohobating and calcining) then cause it to descend (melting this Vitriol being impregnated with the aforesaid Oyl into a Regulus) for pure Gold settles as grains (of Kermes) red and pure; and you must know that so great a redness descends with it, as to tinge some quantity of Silver of a most true Colour, &c.

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To alledge all, that the Philosophers have said of the Gol∣den Nature of Vitriol, would be too much, peruse Basilius alone, especially the fourth and fifth Chapter, De Rebus Na∣turalibus & Supernaturalibus, as also in the Elucidation of the 12. Keyes, and you will find Vitriol more esteemed by him than any Gold, for his Doctrine is that the Tincture of the Vitriol of Venus and Mars, is far better than the Sulphur of Gold, not indeed in its Kind, for it is one and the same in all, but that this Tincture is in the Natural as well as Artifi∣cial Vitriol of Venus and Mars higher, and more noble in Colour, more abundant in Quantity, of easier Separation from its Body, in Preparation, and of less Charge in the use, than the Tincture that is in Gold.

4. Because it is Gold opened, not yet fused, and so of easier preparation. You have laboured, saith Isaacus, a long time, before this Matter is made subtil and spiritual enough to be sublimed: But if you could procure the Stone, which God hath given us freely, there would be no need to prepare it so: But you might presently take it, reduce it to an impalpa∣ble Powder, and wash away the uncleanness of it with a com∣mon Water, till the Matter came clear from it, then dry it again, and it would be ready for Sublimation, in which re∣spect the Work of it is shorter. Cap. 22. Pag. 317. Vol. 3. Theat. Chym. To speak more plainly, saith Ripley, I affirm, that the more subtil a Body is, of the easier Dissolution it is. And moreover you must know, that Dissolution ought to be per∣formed by our Vegetable Menstruum, or some other Vege∣table. And this Vegetable Mercury (Vegetable Menstruum) cannot penetrate a Body, so as to complete the dissolution of it, except the Body be first made spongy; but no Lead is so spongy, nor so subtil, as Red Lead or Minium (Vitriol calcined) and therefore if we would not be frustrated of our expectation, it is necessary for us to take Red Lead, that is, Antimony prepared, which is more spongy and subtil, than any other Lead. For the (Vegetable) Water will suddenly penetrate into it, and dissolve the most subtil parts of it. But now to declare further, concerning the second Body, which is Roman Vitriol, you must know, that it is an easier thing to make the separation of the Elements in a thing com∣plexioned,
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which was never before forced into a hard and compact Substance by the violence of Fire, than to perform the same in a Substance forced into a hard Mass, or in a Me∣tallick and Stony Substance, wherein the Congalative Vir∣tue is extinguished, and therefore in respect to the other is made Intractable, not being soft nor unctious, and conse∣quently less obedient to Solution and Separation; for Vitriol is nothing else but, &c. Pag. 301. Pupillae.

4. That the Adepts in the more secret Chymy meant four things chiefly by the Stone.

1. The Matter of the Menstruum or Spirit of Philosophical Wine, of which God willing, in the Fifth Book.

2. All Menstruums whatsoever, made with the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine. Examples enough you will find in the Re∣ceipts of Menstruums produced to you.

3. Every Matter of the Philosophers Stone; so Gold and Silver are in many places called Stones, but by the Stones which God hath given us freely. Isaacus meant Vitriol for the Red, and Alume for the White. Cap. 39. 3. Oper. Miner. Pag. 67. He hath besides these two other Stones also made of Arseniek and Auripigment both graduated, of which see the Six former Chapters, 1. Oper. and Cap. 112. and 113. 2. Oper. Miner. But of these in their proper places.

4. Every Alchymical Tincture, tho not in the form of a Stone, but Oyl.

5. That Menstruums made of Vitriol or Venus are indeed better than the rest in point of Tinging but not Dissolving.

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The Three and Twentieth KIND. Mineral Menstruums made of Mine∣ral Menstruums compounded, and Metallick Bodies and other Tinging Things.
131. The Oyl of Mars and Venus of Basilius. Libro de Conclusion. Sect. 1. Cap. 3.
TAke of Verdegrese some Pounds, and with (Philosophical) Vinegar distilled make an Extraction, which is cri∣stallized into a Noble Vitriol; out of which by a Re∣tort is distilled a Red Oyl, which dissolves Mars into Vitri∣ol, out of which is the Red Oyl extracted again in a long time, and with a strong Fire; and thus have you the Sul∣phur of Mars and Venus together: with this Oyl is Luna graduated, and a good part of the Kings Crown obtained, a part dissolved with a part of Sol and Luna together, and pu∣trified in this Oyl eight days and nights, is changed into good Gold. Praised be God.

Annotations.
THo every Mineral Menstruum is able enough to dissolve any Body whatsoever, yet the Adepts thought good to acuate them yet more, by the addition of Metallick Bodies, that they might the better dissolve and tinge their Dissolutions. In the present Receipt Basilius dissolves Mars in the Spirit of Venus, described before in Numb. 113. reduceth it into Vitriol, and at last di∣stils it into a Compounded Oyl. Sect. 2. Cap. 4. This Menstru∣um
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he calls Oyl of the Salt of Mars: Now, saith he, I have taught you how to extract a clear Vitriol out of Venus, and to distil its Red Oyl; this Oyl dissolves Mars into Vitriol, and being yet once distilled strongly by a Retort, you will have a Noble Tinging Oyl, or Salt of Mars, which is a Sub∣ject that pays Tribute to the King, and enricheth him. This Oyl dissolves the Purple Spiritual Gold, and brings it over the Helm, &c. The Process of this Oyl of the Salt of Mars, &c. being by its brevity too obscure, will be not a little illustrated by the following Spirit of Mercury.

132. The Spirit of Universal Mercury made of Vitriol of Basilius. Labore 2. Libri Revelat.
TAke Common Copper, make Verdegrese of it after the common way, grind it, pour to it a good quantity of Distilled Vinegar (Philosophical, or Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine) stir it well, and the Verdegrease will be dissolved, let the Feces settle, and the Solution will be very pure, clear and green: Draw off the Vinegar in a Cucurbit to thickness, and in a cold place a weighty Vitriol graduated to the highest degree will be cristallized, which again dissolve in hot Water, evaporate the Water till it be thick; put it again in a cold place, and the Vitriol will be again coagulated: which solution and coagulation must be three times repeated, and the purification of the Vitriol will be perfect: Let the Phlegm evaporate from this Vitriol in a Calcining Pot, and calcine it till it begins to be red, that is enough. Then take pure Flints, calcine, and being red hot, quench them in Distilled Vinegar, repeat some certain times, till they be well calcined: Then again calcine, and when they are a little cool, pour to them (Philosophical) Vinegar made hot, and let them be gradually dried. Of these little Stones thus prepared, take one part, of the Vitriol now calcined two parts, grind and mix, put the Matter in an Earthen Re∣tort, that will not suck up the Spirits, or in a Glass Retort
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well luted, put a large Receiver to it, and the Vessel being well luted, kindle a Fire by degrees the space of 24 hours, then give a stronger Fire 24 hours more, and the Green Spi∣rits will come over White, and the Fire being thus continued Red Drops at last: Keep this violent Fire, till all the Spirits and Drops are gone over, then put the Distillation in a Cu∣curbit, and the Vessel being very close, rectifie it in Balneo with a most gentle Fire, and the Phlegme will ascend, but in the bottom of the Cucurbit will remain the Oyl of Vitriol red and ponderous. This Work being finished, Take pure Filings of Iron, put them in a Cucurbit, pour to them the said Oyl of Vitriol, so as to swim above them, add so much distilled Rain Water, till you see that the Oyl dissolves the Iron; then draw of the Phlegme by Dis•illation, and let the remainder cristallize in a cold place into pure Vitriol, and thus are Mars and Venus joyned together: This Vitriol cal∣cine it under a Tyle, and stir it with an Iron Hook into a fine reddish Powder: This Powder put into a Glass Retort, well luted, and the Vessels being very close, distil by degrees of Fire, as you distilled the Oyl aforesaid, and first you will have a White Spirit, which is the Philosophers Mercury, then a Red Spirit, which is the Philosophers Sulphur, an incom∣bustible Oyl compounded of both the Tinctures of Venus and Mars never to be separated, and this is the Blood of the Green and Red Lyon, with which the King their Father ought to be nourished, draw of the Plegms from this Oyl in Balneo, and it is prepared for Gold to be tinged with it. Take the Caput Mortuum, which is of a Beautiful Crimson Colour, grind it to a most fine Powder, put it in a Glass, pour (Phi∣losophical) Vinegar distilled to it, digest three days in a gentle heat, to extract the Salt, wherein lye the Treasures of the whole World; without which Salt, all labour would be in vain; draw off the Vinegar in Ashes, and the Salt will remain in the Glass, to which, pour the aforesaid Oyl (of Venus and Mars) in a Glass Retort, and the Salt will be presently dis∣solved, and then distil with the same violence, as before, and the Oyl will carry its own Spirit of Salt over with it, which rectify once in Balneo, and it will be ten times stronger than before, and you have the incombustible Oyl of Mercury,
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Sulphur and Salt, issuing out of one root prepared; this Oyl is the true first Matter of Metals, and the true root from which Gold is generated.

This Spirit of Mercury, ye searchers of Nature! has been to my knowledge, detrimental to many unwary men, seeking after it either too inconsiderately, or arrogantly, which to pre∣vent for the future, I will somewhat more clearly manifest the Nature, Qualities, and Original of it. Common Verdegrese reduced into Vitriol by Vinegar, then three times dissolved in common Water, and coagulated, must be calcined to redness in an open Vessel, that the superfluous Phlegm may be drawn away, and made fitter for the ensuing Distillation. But who∣ever calcined Verdegrese purified, in Apothecaries Shops, call'd the flowers of Verdegrese, to redness, without the di∣minution of its Virtues? Who I say has distil'd a most Red Oyl out of this calcined Powder? Verdegrese therefore must be dissolved not in common, but Philosophical Vinegar, in order to be not only purified, but reduced also into Vitriol, gra∣duated to the highest. In the 20th Kind, Basilius distils the same Red Oyl of Venus, ponderous as Lead or Gold, thick as Blood, and of a fiery quality; that is, of extream acidity, out of Roman Vitriol being highly graduated, that is, either macerated, or throughly dissolved in the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine. In the 21th Kind, We took Notice, that the same Vitriol of Copper or Verdegrese being purified with common Vinegar, was reduced into a graduated Vitriol, not indeed by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine alone, but with the juice of Sowre Grapes, that is, mix'd with common Vinegar, or some other stronger Acid, and then distilled into the Oyl of Venus. If Metals, Minerals, and all other Acids dissolved in acids, and reduced into Vitriols, be so graduated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or Philosophical Vinegar, that the desired Oyls may be drawn from them, the reason why Vitriols alone made of Copper, should be deprived of the said Priviledge, cannot easily be apprehended: It matters not whether Vitriol be graduated according to the method given in Numb. 113. or according to the prescription of the present Receipt, for the same Spirit and Oyl is produced either way.

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Now this Oyl of Venus being made, and diluted in common Water, Iron is reduced into graduated Vitriol, which must like the Vitriol of Venus be also calcined into a Red Colour, and then distilled tnto a White Spirit and Red Oyl. The Method of this Process is, in Libro particul. in particulari Martis, thus: Take off the Red Oyl of Vitriol one part, of Spring-water two parts, mix, wherein dissolve the Filings of Steel, filter the Solution warm, then evaporate it gently to the comsum∣ption of a third part, and in a cold place you shall find Cri∣stals sweet as Sugar, the true (that is graduated) Vitriol of Mars, from which decant the Solution, then draw it off a little, and in a cold place you will have New Cristals, which gently calcine under a Tyle, stirring them continually with an Iron Spatula, into a Powder of a Purple Colour, to which pour (Philosophical) distil'd Vinegar; extract the Soul (Tincture or Essence) of Mars, draw off the Vinegar, and edulcorate the Soul: This is that Soul of Mars, which be∣ing dissolved in the Spirit of Mercury, and united with the Soul of Sol, tingeth Luna into Sol.

But of these below, The Vitriol of Mars being graduated and calcined into a Purple Powder in our Receipt, is without the extraction of its Soul distilled into the Philosophers Mercury, and Philosophical Sulphur, the true Oyl of Mars and Venus, the Menstruum next fore-going in Numb. 131. Out of which, to make the present Spirit of Mercury, the Salt must be ex∣tracted out of the Caput mortuum, with Philosophical Vine∣gar, which Salt being mix'd with the Oyl of Mars and Venus, and distil'd together through an Alembick, is call'd the first Matter of Metals.

Basilius sometimes used the Salt and Sulphur of Sol, in∣stead of the said Salt extracted out of the Caput mor∣tuum. Thus,

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133 The Oyl of Mars and Venus, acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Sol of Basilius. In Supplemento.
TAke of the Purple Coloured Gold (the Crocus of Sol, des Konings Purpur Mantel) half an ounce, of the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury (the Oyl of Mars and Venus) one ounce and half, dissolve, to which add of the Salt of Sol two drachms; all being resolved into an Oyl, rectifie it by a Retort, that it may be clear and pellucid.

For the Spirit of Universal Mercury, Basilius took Copper dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar, and cristallized into gra∣duated Vitriol, and with gentle calcination, reduced it into the true Crocus, or Red Powder of Venus: But the Iron he dis∣solved in the Oyl of Venus (distilled out of the said Crocus of Venus) cristallized and calcined into the Crocus of Mars. For the present Menstruum he requireth Gold dissolved in Balneo Regis (described in Numb. 89.) and reduced into a volatile graduated Vitriol, which then being dissolved in Distil'd Wa∣ter, he precipitates with three times as much of Argent Vive, out of the Menstruum but the amalgame from thence produced, he gently calcines under a Tyle, into a Purple Powder or Crocus; as to the making of which here only by the by, but in the fol∣lowing second and third Books, we shall treat more fully of it. The way of making the Salt of Sol, he has thus in Libro particul. in particulari Solis, described: Take the White Body of Sol left in the extracting of its Soul, (the Essence extracted out of the Crocus of Sol, with the sweet Spirit of Salt described in Numb. 28.) reverberate it gently for half an hour, that it may be made corporal, then pour to it the Corrosive Water of Honey well rectified, which in a gentle heat will extract the Salt in the space of ten days: All the Salt being extracted, draw off the Menstruum from it in Balneo, edulcorate the Salt, by repeating Cohobations in common Distilled Water; and lastly, Clarify it with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine, and you will have the Salt of Gold.

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Concerning this Water of Honey, Basilius in Curra triumphali Antimonii, Pag. 77. thus: Out of sweet Honey may be made the strongest Corrosive and Poyson, which is to most men a thing incredible. The same affirms Paracelsus, saying: The like is to be understood in Honey, which by its elevations is made much sharper than any Aqua Fortis and Corrosive, and more penetrative than any Sublimate; such a property of sharpness it hath not Naturally, but by elevation, which changeth this Honey into a Corrosive. Libro 5. Archid. Pag. 18. and elsewhere, Cap. 14. de Morbis Tartar. Pag. 319. Honey of it self is innocent, but in the third elevation be∣comes mortal.

The way of making this Water, is not indeed in the Writings, which we have either of Basilius or Paracelsus; yet easily will a diligent Disciple learn the same, by the Principles of his Art, for either the Coelum Mellifluum of Parisinus must be dissolved in distilled Vinegar, or some stronger acid, or crude Honey coho∣bated in Philosophical Vinegar, that is, common, mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, and the Process will be shorter and better. But this Salt of Gold may be also made without the said Water of Honey, provided the Menstruum be so corrosive as to dissolve the remaining Body of the Gold, thus in Labore tertio Revelat. he reverberates the Caput mortuum of Gold, the space of three days, then calcines it with an equal weight of the Salt of Tartar, which he washeth off with Distilled Water, and extracts the Salt out of the dried Powder with Vinegar, which drawing off the Vinegar, he clarifies with the Spirit of Wine, that is, he dissolves, filters, draws off, and cristallizeth it into the true Salt of Sol. In another place, he extracts the Salt of Gold by the Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury, as in Elucidatione 12. Clavium, where he affirms, that the Philosophers Stone cannot be coagulated or fixed without this Salt; and that he hath taught the way of making it in the fourth Key. By the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury, he means the Oyl of Mars and Venus, not yet reduced into the Spirit of Ʋniver∣sal Mercury, or acuated with its own Salt, and the more fix∣ed part indeed of this Menstruum, which he calls the Philo∣sophers Sulphur, not the more volatile part, which is call'd the Philosophers Mercury: With this Sulphur he dissolves the
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Soul or Crocus of Sol, and converts it into potable Gold. Libro de supernaturali Medicina. Yet sometimes he would have us take the same Oyl of Mercury for the Oyl of Roman Vi∣triol, the Menstruum described in Numb. 98. So in Libro de particular. in particulari Solis, he reduceth the white Body of the King (Gold, left in the extraction of the Soul or Cro∣cus of Sol) with Philosophical Sulphur, which is the second Principle in order; and the Spirit of Mercury (a little before call'd the White Spirit of Vitriol) into pure and malleable Gold, as it was before, not in the least defective in colour and vir∣tue.

Sometimes he acuates the Spirit of Ʋniversal Mercury, with the Sulphur and Salt of other Metals: Thus,

134. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Luna of Basilius. Libr. partic. in particul. Lunae.
THe Sulphur of Luna being extracted and edulcorated, dry the remainder of the Calx of Luna, to which pour the same Corrosive Water of Honey, that you used for the Salt of Sol, digest gently the space of four or five days, that the Salt of the Luna may be extracted, which you will know by the Whiteness of the Menstruum. All the Salt being extracted, draw off the Water of Honey, edul∣corate the Salt, distilling and clarifying it with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine. The remainder left in extracting the Salt of the Luna edulcorate, and dry, then pour the Spirit of Tartar to it, digest fifteen days, and proceed as with the Gold, and you will have the Mercury of Luna (of which in the Second Book, for here we use it not.) The said Salt of Luna hath excellent Virtues for the Body of Man, of which I shall treat in a place more convenient. In the mean time the efficacy of the Salt and Sulphur of Luna you will learn by the Process following. Take the Lazurine Sulphur of Luna, dissolved in the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine (rectified) and coagulated; put it in a Cucurbit, pour to it
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double the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury made of the White Spirit of Vitriol: In like manner take the Salt of Lu∣na extracted and clarified, which mix with three times the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury, lute both the Glasses, and digest gently in Balneo the space of eight days and nights; have a care that none of the Sulphur and Salt be lost, but let them be in the same quantity as they were separated from the Silver. Putrifaction being ended, mix both Dissolutions and distil, &c.

He sometimes acuated this Spirit without Metallick Salt, and Sulphurs only thus:

135. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Luna of Basilius. Libro particul. in particul. Lunae.
TAke of the Sulphur of Luna one part, of the Sulphur of Sol half a part, of the Spirit of Mercury six parts, joyn them together, lute well, digest in a gentle heat, and a Li∣quor will come over of a Red Colour, distil through an A∣lembick, so as nothing to remain.

This Spirit of Mercury he fermented not onely with the Sul∣phurs of the perfect Bodies, but sometimes added to them with∣al the Sulphur of some imperfect Metal, as Mars, thus:

136. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Mars of Basilius. Libro partic. in partic. Solis.
TAke of the Sulphur of Sol and of the Sulphur of Mars, equal parts of each, of the Spirit of Mercury the heighth of two Fingers above them, that the Matter may be well dissolved into a C…n Water of a Ruby Co∣lour, being mix'd, distil through an Alembick; that they may become one; as they were 〈◊〉 first from one Stem, keep it well, that nothing may evaporate.

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Besides the Sulphur of Mars he sometimes added also the Sul∣phur of Antimony, thus:

137. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphurs of Sol, Mars, and Antimony of Basilius. Libro partic. in particul. Antimonii.
TAke of the Sulphur of Antimony two parts, of the Sul∣phur of Sol one part, mix. Take of the Sulphur of Mars three parts, of the Spirit of Mercury six parts, being well luted di… that the Sulphur of Mars may be wholly dissolved; ther• cast in a fourth part of the Sulphur of Anti∣mony and Sol,•ure again, and digest till they be all dissol∣ved, then add another fourth part of Antimony and Sol, repeating the Work, as before, till all be perfectly mix'd, and the Matter made like a thick Red Oyl, distil the whole through an Alembick.

Sometimes he fermented this Spirit after an unusual way, namely, without the Sulphur of any perfect Metal, but meer imperfect onely, thus:

138. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn of Basilius. Libro partic. in partic. Mercurii Vivi.
TAke of the Soul of Mars two Ounces, of the Soul of Saturn one Ounce, of the Soul of Jupiter one Ounce, dissolve them in six Ounces of the Spirit of Mercury, being well dissolved, distil them through an Alembick without any Sediment into a Golden Water like to the tran∣sparent Dissolution of Gold.

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Tho these Menstruums of Basilius may well deserve the first place among the Dissolvents of the Adepts, yet some of the A∣depts made Menstruums not much inferiour to them. Isaacus Hollandus not onely the better to dissolve Bodies, but tinge them also deeper, made his Menstruums of Tinging Menstru∣ums, and common Mercury, but being satiated with the Tin∣ctures (Souls, Sulphurs, &c.) of Tinging Things. Thus made he the Menstruum call'd,

139. A Compounded Mercurial Water for the Red Work of Isaacus. Cap. 43.3. Oper. Miner.
TAke Argent Vive purged with Salt and Vinegar, which sublime with an equal quantity of Aes ustum, Crocus of Mars, Crocus of Venus, and Lapis Hae∣matites; of Roman Vitriol the weight of all, and a little Salt, and repeat the Sublimation seven times, every time with new Species, and the Mercury will be sublimed for the Red. Take of Aes ustum, Cinabar, Crocus of Mars, Venus, Lapis Haematites, Antimony, equal parts of each; of Roman Vi∣triol the weight of all, mix, and reduce to a fine Powder, to which pour of Aqua Vitae compleatly rectifi'd (Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine) the height of two hands breadth, digest in Balneo three days, stirring the Matter daily, then draw off the Aqua Vitae with a gentle Fire, then increase the Fire gra∣dually; lastly, force with a most strong Fire for the space of Twelve hours, that all the Spirits may ascend: This Work must be three times repeated with new Matters continu∣ally. Take of this Water one Pound, of Argent Vive subli∣med for the red as much as sufficeth, or you can dissolve, distil, and reserve.

Besides Mercury he sometimes added also Sulphur and Sal Armoniack sublimed for the red, thus:

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140. The Philosophers Water made of Three Spirits of Isaacus. Cap 10.3. Oper. Min.
TAke of Roman Vitriol six parts, of Lapis Haematites, Crocus of Mars, of Venus, Cinabar, Aes ustum, Mineral Antimony, of each one part, dry well and mix, put the Matter in a Retort, and pour to it of Aqua Vitae rectifi'd (Spirit of Philosophical Wine) four Pounds, distil, and coho∣bate three times, with the Caput Mortuum pulverized: Di∣vide the Water into two parts, whereof save one, in the o∣ther dissolve one Ounce of Salarmoniack, sublimed to red∣ness, in Balneo, which being dissolved, dissolve one Ounce of Sulphur prepared; lastly, also put in an Ounce of Mercury sublimed for the Red Work: These three being dissolved in the Dissolving Water made of Aqua Vitae, you have a Wa∣ter, which is deservedly called the Philosophers Water, by reason of its admirable and secret Virtues, the Miracles of which must not be described, because not convenient for certain Reasons, &c.

The Preparation of Sulphur, Take of Sulphur Vivum 12 Pounds, to which being pulverized, pour distilled (Phi∣losophical) Vinegar, let them boyl gently in Balneo, the Vessel being very close the space of three days; decant the Vinegar being now tinged warily; to the residue, pour New Vinegar, digest, and decant, and so often repeat, till no more Vinegar will be tinged: The tinged Matter distil gent∣ly in Balneo, to the remainder of a fourth part; from the residue, you will in the space of three or four days in a cold Celler receive Cristals (the graduated Vitriol of Sulphur) like Niter, clear as Amber, and of the colour of Gold: The remaining Vinegar evaporate into a Golden Powder, then dissolve the Cristals and Powder in the aforesaid Vinegar, and Cristallize, and that so oft, till the Sulphur leaves no Feces behind it. This is a great Alchymical Secret for the Purging of Sulphur. The Preparation of Mercury, Take of
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Roman Vitriol (by which the Adepts do more than often mean that which is graduated) six or eight Pounds, of common Salt two Pounds, mix them together with three Pounds of Mercury, purged with Salt and Vinegar, sublime the Mer∣cury, and that repeat three times always with new Species, keep the Mercury.

The Preparation of Salarmoniack, Take of Salarmoniack three Pounds, sublime it thrice with Roman Vitriol, and La∣pis haematites, with New Matters every time.

Tho these Menstruums of Isaacus are not so much esteemed, as those before of Basilius, as to the Excellency of Preparation, yet are they of no less but the same Virtue with those, as to the quality of tinging, for they are made of the same Sulphurs, Crocusses, and Essences of Mars, Venus, Sulphur, &c. as the compounded Mineral Menstruums of Basilius were made of. Lully acuates the same Menstruums with Metallick Essences, not indeed already made, but to be made in the preparation of the Menstruum, thus with the Stinking Menstruum, acuated with Vegetable Salharmoniack, he makes the Essence of Luna, which being mix'd with the said Menstruum, becomes a Men∣struum of this Kind, and is called.

141. The Compounded Water of Silver of Lully. Cap. 10. Practicae Testamenti majoris. Pag. 161. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.
IN the Power of A (God,) take one Ounce of F (clear Luna, Pag. 171.) well purged and refined: And that Silver being well beaten (extended with a Hammer) into Leaves, cut them into small pieces, short and slender, then divide them into two equal parts, and take two dissolving Glasses, the Form and Measure of which, you will see in the Chapter of Vessels; and in one of these two, put one Ounce and a half of F. (Menstrual Pag. 171. alleadged by us before, in Numb. 67.) I mean the eighth part of the whole Menstrual, then put in presently one part of F, and be careful immedi∣ately to stop the Mouth of the Vessel with its Cover, and
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lute the joynt well, with the luting aforesaid (in the Preparation of the said Menstrual) or with clear and pure Wax; which done, put it in Balneo Mariae hot for three days, that God may give you a happy day. Then take F (the Dissolution of the Silver) and strain (decant) the Water into another clean Glass Vessel, and incline the Vessel well and warily, that the Earth of F may not be strained with the Water, nor the Water troubled, and stop the said Phial wherein you put the Water of F, and keep it apart. Then upon the Dissolving Vessel of that F, which ought to be dissolved (the other part of Silver to be distilled into a Men∣struum) put its Alembick, which must be close and discreet∣ly joyned with the luting aforesaid; then place it upon Sifted Ashes, and setting it on a Fornace, kindle your Fire and distil, put the Liquor in a Glass Phial, and make a Fire of Saw-dust, and when the Liquor is in a manner all distilled, strengthen the Fire a little with Coals, according to that which is used for the exact calcining of an Earth, but keep it from too much heat, for we have seen it done by the heat of the Sun; understand this well, unless you would be made a fool, give this heat continually for eleven hours, then stop the Fornace, and go to sleep, and in the Morning take your Calcinatory (which is so called because of the property of its operation) and put in the Menstrual often mentioned, wherein G (our Mercurial Pag. 171. or Vegetable Sal armo∣niack) was dissolved (see the Menstruum below in Numb. 147.) and you will see it operate, and the fume ascend, and the Metal calcined with Liquefaction, but stop it better than before with its own stopple, which goes in (to the said Cal∣cinatory) and have a care of puting it into any other heat, till it hath operated by its own Virtue, and when it hath wrought and is quiet, lute the joynt well with common Wax and being so luted, put it in a hot Balneo Mariae three Na∣tural days, as you did elsewhere, because it is so expedient. Then distil the Water, and calcine the Earth (remaining in the bottom) as aforesaid, and repeat so oft till all the Earth is dissolved by this Method in the Form of a Liquor, and the Dissolved Limus, or Oyl by Art dissolved, which is the Substance of a Body depurated by Water, and carried by
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the Water of the Wind, always keep apart, and when it is all dissolved (and distilled) joyn them together, then putrifie six weeks (to be circulated) in a temperate heat, where the Vessel must be very well luted with its Cover, and so ought the Figure of I to be done (the composition, or compound∣ed Water of Luna, Pag. 171. of the same Volume.)

The same way sometimes he prepares the Essence of Gold with the Stinking Lunar Menstruum, by addition of which, he makes the same Menstruum more acute, that is more noble.

142. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the Essence of Sol of Lully. In Experimento 30.
TAke the aforesaid Water, wherein you have the Soul of Luna (described in Numb. 121.) and dis∣solve in it two Ounces or one and a half of the fixed Salt of Ʋrine, as you have it in its Experiment (the sixth, but produced by us in Numb. 30.) which being dis∣solved, dissolve one Ounce of Gold in that Water, putre∣fie eight days, then separate the Water by Balneo, and the Body will remain in the Vessel like melted honey, upon which Matter pour back so much of the Distilled Water, as to swim two fingers above it, cover the Vessel with its Antenotorium, and putrefie in Balneo the space of 24 hours, then put on an Alembick with a Receiver, lute the joynts well, distil in Ashes; lastly, increase the fire ex∣treamly, and that which comes over, keep very close, for it is the animated Spirit, or Soul of the Gold.

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From the Receipts we observe.
1. THat the Menstruums of this Kind are more noble than those of the 20th and 21th Kinds; there the Es∣sences or Magisteries of Metals were dissolved in Sim∣ple Mineral Menstruums, but here in the same compounded.

2. That these Menstruums differ not from the Menstruums of the Tenth Kind, but in the addition of Acidity; dissolve a Menstruum of the said Kind in what Acid you will, and it will be forthwith transformed into a Menstruum of this Kind.

3. That these Menstruums are by Digestion made sweet a∣gain, and Vegetable as before.

4. That these Menstruums are not satiated, but by their Dissolutions augmented, as well in quantity as quality in infinitum.

5. That the Spirit of Universal Mercury, or first Mat∣ter of Metals of Basilius, is by him also called Mercury dupli∣cated, wherein the Kings Mantle is to be dissolved. Sect. 1. Cap. de Sulphure Mercurii, Sect. 2. de Vitriolo Phil. and Sect. 2. Cap. 4. de Vitriolo Veneris. In another place, the Sulphur of Mars and Venus duplicated. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. de dulph. Martis & Veneris. In another place the Soul of Mars and Venus, as in Particul. Veneris.

6. That this duplicated Mercury is made much better by adding the Kings Mantle, the Crocus of Sol, Luna, and o∣ther Metals. That the Menstruums of almost all Kinds are promiscuously called Philosophers Mercuries, but of these more copiously and more exactly in the Third Book.

7. That the Spirit of Universal Mercury of Basilius, is the same with the Magisteries of Mars and Venus, made after the Mineral way; dissolve the Magisteries of Mars and Venus in the common Spirit of Vitriol, and by this simple Dissolution, you will make the same Spirit of Universal Mercury.

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8. That as Mars and Venus, so also Jupiter and Saturn, and the rest of the Metals, may be made into the said first Mat∣ters, that is, of the same Virtues with the first Matter of Mars and Venus, as to the faculty of dissolving: But Mars and Venus are preferred for the excellency and exuberance of their Tinctures.

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The Four and Twentieth KIND. Mineral Menstruums compounded of Ve∣getable and Mineral Menstruums mix'd together.
143. The Vegetable Fire dissolved in the Calcinative Water of Lully. Pag. 363. Magiae Naturalis.
TAke of the Vegetable Water acuated (the Metallick Soul of Lully, described in Numb. 5.) one Ounce, put it in a Phial with a long Neck, into which you poured three Ounces of the Calcinative Water (the Mineral Menstruum described in Numb. 68.) and suddenly cover the Phial with its Cover, luted close with Wax, then place it well in a Balneo, the space of two Natural days, and in that time, the whole Vegetable will be converted into Clear Water.

Animadversions.
THe Adepts acuated the Spirit of Philosophical Wine di∣vers ways, and reduced it into several as well Vegeta∣ble as Mineral Menstruums in the antecedent Kinds. Now in this 24th and last Kind of Menstruums, they mix not either common Oyly or Arid, or Acid Matters, with the Ʋnctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as they did in the aforesaid Compositions of Menstruums, but joyn Vegetable and Mineral
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Menstruums, already perfected together, in order to make Men∣struums of this Kind. The like Menstruum almost is made by Luly, and call'd

144. The Vegetable Heaven dissolved in a Mineral Menstruum of Lully. Pag. 59. Testam. Novissimi.
TAke of the Stinking Menstruum (described in Numb. 99.) one Pound, add one Pound, or half a Pound, which will be enough, of Aqua Vitae most perfectly rectified (Philosophical, described in Numb. 30.) and acuated with the sublimed Salt of Tartar (in Numb. 17.) or Wine: Hold the Vessel in your hands, and do not put it on the ground or any other place, till the fury (of the ebullition) is over, and it is a mixture of a Vegetable with a Mineral; seal it with Wax, and let it stand a day, then put it two days in Balneo, and distil in Ashes, and you will have a limpid, clarify'd and ponderous Water; then put it in a Circulating Vessel very well sealed, the space of sixteen days in Balneo conveniently, till you return, and see the Water well united, and at the bottom of the Vessel, in the form of a Cristalline Salt, keep it.

The same Menstruum but of different weight he made elsewhere, he added half a part of the Vegetable Menstruum to one part of the Stinking Menstruum in the antecedent, but in the following Menstruum he takes more of the Vegetable than Mineral Menstruum.

145. Ice compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums of Lully. Pag. 68. Testam. Noviss.
TAke of the Mineral G, or Stinking Menstruum, three Ounces, and of Aqua Vitae rectifi'd and acuated with the Salt of Tartar four Ounces, put them together in a Glass,
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and distil nine times in Balneo, and in that time it will be all converted into one, as Ice.

Ripley mix'd vegetable and mineral Menstruums thus.

146. The Aqua Mirabilis of Ripley. Pag. 212. Philorcii.
TAke the Tartar calcined white as Snow, grind it up∣on a Marble, and incerate it with Aqua Vitae fortified with its Species, as is premised (with the Menstruum described in Numb. 8.) till it be as thin paste; then put it in a Circulating Vessel, and circulate the Water, till it is whol∣ly dried up in the Tartar; repeat the same Work, and so continue, till it hath drank off the Water double its part and quantity in weight, which done, grind the Tartar, and lay it upon a Stone, or hang it in a Linnen Bag, and put a Glass under to receive the droppings of it, and this must be done in a place under ground, till all the Tartar is distilled into clear Water; out of which, after Distillation and Coa∣gulation, is made a wonderful Salt of Nature, which the Phi∣losophers call Salt-peter, and incombustible Sulphur (proper∣ly the volatile Salt of Tartar) which fixeth any Argent Vive: But to have perfect Aqua Vitae (requisite for this Work) put (Philosophical) Wine in a Circulatory for a hundred days, to be circulated with its Species, and then extract Aqua Vitae out of it (the Menstruum in Numb. 23.) because if you put to it as much Salharmoniack sublimed as Tartar, one drop of it, after it is perfected, suddenly kills a Cancer in the Flesh of Man, and if it be dropped upon ones hand, pene∣trates it, and dissolves every Body. Without this Water we profit little in this Art, and he that has this Water, will not in the least doubt of compleating the Art: But this Wa∣ter is made twice as strong, if an equal quantity of the Mi∣neral Spirit, which is the Philosophers acute Water (the Green Lyon of Ripley in Numb. 59.) be added to it, and then cir∣culated upon the Tartar, and upon the Sal harmoniack to spis∣sity,
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and then dissolved into Water; which if done, this Water will be of greater value than any Gold, and one of the wonderful things of this World.

Sometimes they mixed Vegetable Salharmoniack, instead of Vegetable Menstruum, with Mineral Menstruums. Thus,

147. The Stinking Menstruum acuated with the Salharmoniack of Lully.
TAke of the vegetable G. (Vegetable Mercury or Salhar∣moniack) one Ounce, put it in the Phial with a long neck, wherein you put three Ounces of E before (the Stink∣ing Menstrumm in Numb. 67.) and presently stop it with its stopple, sealed with common Wax, that nothing may respire, then distil in a hot Balneo, the space of three Natural days, into a clear dissolved Water.

As they added Salharmoniack to simple Mineral Menstruums, so also to the same compounded.

148. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum, acuated with Vegetable Salharmoniack of Lully. Cap. 14. Practicae Test. Major. Pag. 163. Vol. 4. Th. Chym.
IN the power of A (God) take one Ounce of the Compounded Water of Silver (described in Numb. 141.) distilled through an Alembick, and put to it one Ounce of the vegetable G. (Mercury or Salharmoniack) dissolve, &c.

Basilius mixed these Menstruums thus.

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149. The Spirit of Mercury mixed with Vi∣triol and the Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius. Labore 3. Libri Revelat.
TAke off this Oyl (the first Matter of Metals made out of Venus and Mars, or Spirit of Universal Mercury de∣scribed in Numb. 132.) eight Ounces, of the Spirit of Wine rectified to the highest (the Menstruum described in Numb. 19.) five Ounces, distil by a Glass Retort, and that three times, always with New Spirit, so as that fifteen Ounces of the fiery Spirit of Wine may be joyned to the eight Ounces of Oyl.

Paracelsus made the following mix'd Menstruum for the Ar∣canum Lapidis or Antimony.

150. The mix'd Menstruum of Paracelsus. Cap. 6. Lib. 10. Archidon. Pag. 39.
WHoever desires to graduate his Metallick Heaven (Antimony) to the highest, and reduce it to an Action, must first extract the liquid primum Ens Coelestial Fire, Quintessence of Mercury, (not of Sol; as it is ill read in the Latine) and the Metallick Acetum acerrimum (the Circulatum majus of Paracelsus described in Numb. 51.) out of its life, that is, common Mercury, by dissolving it with its Mother, that is, the Arcanum of Salt (Salt circulated in Numb. 27.) and mix it with the Stomack of Anthion, that is, the Spirit of Vi•riol (the Menstruum described in Numb. 98.) and in it (the mix'd Menstuum) dissolve, digest, &c. the coagulated Mercury of Antimony (the Regulus of Anti∣mony.)

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From the Receipts we observe.
1. THat these Menstruums are the mixtures of divers Men∣struums.

2. And that they may be made of all Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums, being mix'd together at the Artists pleasure.

3. Yet that they are made the better, the more tinging the Menstruums were.

4. That these Menstruums do by Digestion become sweet and pure Vegetable Menstruums.

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EPILOGUE.
THese are the things, My Friends! which I promised you; the Menstruums of Diana, hitherto by none but the Adepts described, declared, and rightly applied to Ʋse, and are now by me so manifestly explained, and distributed into their Kinds, that they may be distinctly apprehended even by the meanest Chy∣mists. There are indeed many more Menstruums remaining (for Diana has superfluity of Menstruums) which I have not shewed you; but I thought these sufficient, as Examples to you: You, if you please, may collect more, and appropriate them to their Kinds: But if it be our duty to respect the common Good, I could wish you would communicate to me some of the more rare Manuscripts or Impressi∣ons of the Adepts, if you have any in your Studies or Libraries, that they may be of service not only to you, but to all Mankind, or at least signifie their Names to me, that I may either buy, or by entreaty borrow them of you or others; especially you being already well assured, that in Practical Books all Secrets depend upon the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, but that in the Theoretick, they are all most obscure, being figurative, and not in the least to be under∣stood according to the Letter; which, if you keep longer in your Libraries, will be dayly exposed to a thousand dangers, and at length, as nothing worth, being mouldy and rotten, become the Ali∣ment of Time, the Consumer of all things.

In the mean time, despise not these Receipts of Menstruums of∣fered to you, but rather read and peruse them, and every where en∣deavour to find out the Chymical Truth, but those which you do not either understand, or not esteem, cast away as trivial; for if one on∣ly Kind, or any one Receipt of a Kind out of four and twenty, please you, it is sufficient; for we will easily prove that by that one, all the Secrets of the more Secret Chymy may be prepared.

If also you are pleased to object against the Authority, yea Ho∣nesty and Sincerity of this or that Adept, as, Paracel•us, Lully, &c. you may leave him, and reject his Receipts, making choice of
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any other, in whom you may have greater confidence, and we will prove all the rest by his Receipt: Learn therefore the ways of ma∣king these Menstruums, observe their Orders, Degrees, Mat∣ters, Methods of Making, the Virtues of Dissolving, Tinging, Multiplying themselves, &c. and you will acknowledge them to be the best Instruments of all the more Secret Chymy, as Keys, with∣out which nothing, and with which all the Secrets of this Art are opened and unlocked.

To make these Things, which we have declared in the former Discourse, of the Excellencies of the Menstruums, more easie to you, I will here contract into a Breviary, and reduce them into twelve subsequent and infallible Conclusions.

I. That the Descriptions of these Menstruums are un∣derstood according to the Sound of the Letter.
THat the Receipts of this Book contain nothing occult, but the Spirit of Philosophical Wine (the Use only of which we promised to define) you will easily vouchsafe us your Assent. Nor yet is it too obscure, but that it may be properly called an unctuous Spirit, proceeding from the White and Red Wine of Lully, the Constitutives of the Menstruum foetens: The rest, which seem more obscure, are Terms of Art, for the most part explained in the very Descriptions of the Receipts of things made and produ∣ced from this Spirit: But the obscurity, which a shorter or longer description of a Receipt causeth, is by accident, to be easily over∣come and removed by any diligent Disciple of this Art.

II. That no one of the aforesaid Menstruums is prepa∣red without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.
AMong all these Menstruums of the Adepts imparted to you, there is not one, which has not the Spirit of Philosophical Wine for its Basis. There are indeed Menstruums, in the Receipts of which, we meet not with the Name of this Spirit, yet there it is
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lurking under the name of this or that Menstruum. Other Re∣ceipts of Menstruums there are, which do not take the Spirit of Philosophical Wine free, but as it were settered, that is, any Common Oyl; but when in the making of these Menstruums the Spirit is unsettered, as also acuated, such Menstruums cannot in the least be said to be made without it. There are lastly also Men∣struums, in the Receipts of which, neither the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine, nor any Oyley Matter is expresly mentioned (but these are more rare, on purpose alledg'd to shew us either the Envy or Morosity of the Adepts) whereas notwithstanding it is by the Ʋse of the Menstruum, manifest that this Spirit is added through ne∣cessity; for that which is promised, could not otherwise be ef∣fected.

Finally, There are some, which you will affirm may be made with Common Spirit, Common Vinegar, and Aqua fortis, or Com∣mon Sal Armoniack without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine: Suppose it so; but when you proceed to Practice, and try an Ex∣periment with such a Menstruum, you will soon find it not only too weak, but also altogether ineffectual, and destructive in the more Secret Chymy: For it is impossible to do that with a common Menstruum, which the Adepts have prescribed by a Philosophical Menstruum. The Secrets of the more Secret Chymy have this Priviledge, that they cannot be made by any man but him that is possessed of Philosophical Wine.

III. That these Menstruums are prepared from any sort of Matter.
We have demonstrated that the Menstruums aforesaid are made of divers Oleosities, Aridities and Acidities of the three Kingdoms. You have observed the simple Vegetable Menstruums to be made of things neither Tinging nor Acid; Compounded Vegetable Menstruums of things Tinging, not Acid; Simple Mineral Men∣struums made of things Acid, and not tinging; the Compounded, of things both Acid and Tinging. Wherefore being now better assu∣red of your Menstrual Matter hitherto so anxiously sought for, you may take crude Mercury, or Vitriol, Niter, common Salt, Salt of
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Tartar, or Ʋrine, Rain-Water, May-Dew, the Spirit of the World also, by whatsoever Art obtained, or any other Matter also which you have made choyce of before the rest, for the true and universal Matter of a Menstruum, in which choyce you will not err; for it is much at one, whether you make it of Gold or Mercury; whether of Pearls or Arsenick; Vegetable or Mineral Salt, provided you pro∣ceed according to this or that Kind of Menstruums, with conside∣ration also of what Ʋse you would have the Menstruum, lest you prepare an Essence instead of a Magistery, or a Poyson for an Anti∣dote: On the contrary, take pure Honey so applauded by Parisi∣nus, or the Salt of Tartar, commended by Ripley; or common Salt, esteemed by Paracelsus, as the Matrix of Metals; or Vitriol abounding with the Tincture of Gold, extolled by Basilius, or Ar∣gent vive magnify'd by most of the Adepts, as the open Metal: Take, I say, which of them you please, but you must know it cannot in the least answer your expectation, except it be joyned, that is, corrected, exalted and graduated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

IV. That these Menstruums are also prepared by any Method.
YOƲ have here had several Methods of Preparation, which if not satisfactory, you may please to invent new ones. Herein is contained nothing secret, if your Matter, and the Spirit of Phi∣losophical Wine be, without any possibility of being separated, mixed together, and distilled either in part or whole, through an Alembick: For every Matter, by what method soever volatilized and distilled with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, is a Men∣struum.

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V. That these Menstruums are sufficient also for every Use.
YOƲ have now in this Book observed the Use of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as also of most Menstruums in these ways of making Menstruums: hereafter, in the following Books you will perceive them to be sufficient for every purpose. By these means you will make all the Medicines of the Adepts, reduce all Metals into running Mercury, or if you had rather, into the Philo∣sophers Mercury, or first Matter of Metals. By these will you make as well universal as particular Transmutatives of Metals, the best of all in respect of deeper Tincture, shortness of Time, and conciseness of Work. Hereby lastly, will you prepare whatsoever curiosity has been left us by the Adepts, and prescribed in their Books, so that if they have any Preparations without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, you may decline them without any dammage: For these Menstruums do volatilize all fixed Bodies, and fix the volatile and volatilized, dissolve the coagulated, and coagulate the dissolved: Ʋnder which few Notions are comprehended all the Operations of the more Secret Chymy.

VI. That these Menstruums are many.
YOƲ have observed divers Kinds of Menstruums, designed for several distinct Ʋses. Simple Vegetable Menstruums do extract, rather than dissolve Bodies; the Compounded dissolve only, but not extract: That which Vegetable Menstruums do, the Mineral cannot; and so on the contrary: Of Vegetable Men∣struums are made Medicines only, not Poysons; but of Mineral Men∣struums, Poysons only, and not Antidotes without the singular dexterity of an Artist. An Ʋse different and contrary to its self admits no universal Menstruum: The Spirit of Philosophical Wine is indeed the universal Matter of them all, but there is not one of all the Menstruums sufficient for every Ʋse; wherefore, un∣less
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you will for the same reason call every one universal, because they all proceed from the Spirit of Light, the universal Basis of all things, we cannot but deny an universal Menstruum.

VII. That some Menstruums are corrosive.
THat Mineral Menstruums are corrosive, and therefore dis∣solve Bodies with ebullition, is clearly manifest by the Re∣ceipts aforesaid. I would not have you, being perhaps not suffici∣ently instructed in the Sayings of the Adepts, every where decla∣ring against Aqua fortisses, and all Corrosives, either despise, or think ill of them: These are those Menstruums by which the an∣cient Adepts abbreviated their Time and Labour in preparing their Tinctures: And Paracelsus justly entituled himself to the Monarchy of Arcanums, he having been the principal Instrument in compleating not only the Abbreviations of Alchymy, but moreover introducing these Mineral Menstruums to Medicinal Ʋse, and that with so much dexterity, that there seems to be now no hope left to his Disciples of mending any imperfection of this Art, as will be demonstrated in the following Books: Besides, these Menstruums differ from the Vegetable Menstruums no otherwise, than that an Acidum is superadded to them, or to the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine, corroding the Aridum, and dividing it into Atoms, making way for the Oleosum, to be sooner and better incorporated and mixed together, which notwithstanding do by taking away the Acidum, return into the same Vegetable Menstruums they were before.

VIII. That these Menstruums are permanent, yea fixed with Things dissolved in them.
IT is by the former descriptions of Menstruums, manifest, that as well the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as Menstruums made of it, do stick to the things dissolved in them. There is indeed no better Argument to confirm the excellency of Menstruums, than that they are homogeneous and permanent with things dissolved, and con∣sequently
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Dissolvents transmutable with the dissolved into a third substance different from both: These Menstruums therefore are so far from being immutable, that, according to the Edict of the whole Crowd of Philosophers, to wit, The dissolution of the Body is the coagulation of the Spirit, and so on the contrary, nothing in the more Secret Chymy, can be more infallible. Now this permanence of Menstruums you have observed not only in the volatilizations of Menstruums, but also in the fixations of some, thus you had the fixati∣on of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in the greater Circulatums of the Ninth, and Two and Twentieth Kinds; but you will find more in the Preparations of Medicines, as well as Tinctures. They were by an Analogy of the Ancients ill called Menstruums, unless also they could be transformed into the substance of an Embryo, and yield proper Nutriment and augmentation to the Infant: The Spirit of our Wine is indeed an absolute Oleosum, that is, combustible, but here being throughly mixed with Aridums, it becomes incombusti∣ble, and despiseth the violence of Fire: It is also moist, and so uncapable of fixation; but the moister and thinner parts, which it contains, are separated in the work of fixation from the more Oyley Particles being now concentrated. So you observed, that, in the Preparations of the Sal Harmoniacks, or Sulphurs of Nature, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, as also the Vegetable, as well as Mineral Menstruums are partly reduced into insipid Water, and partly sticking to the Matters left in the bottom, and fixed: But better Examples you will have both in the Second and Third Books.

IX. That Menstruums are not satiated with dissolving, but become rather more avidous, and so are by Dissolutions augmented as well in quantity as quality.
THough the Spirit of our Wine is the Basis, Root, and Cen∣ter of all Menstruums, Medicines, Alchymical Tinctures, and Pretious Stones, yet nevertheless doth it dissolve slowly, yea only such Bodies as are homogeneous to it, that is, purely Oyley, as it self is a pure Oleosum, and associate the same to it, transmuting
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into its own Nature, and so multiplies its self by this means. Now so soon as this Spirit is transmuted into an Arido-Oleosum, it does under the name of a Simple Vegetable Menstruum, dissolve Ari∣do-Oleosums, that is, the Sulphurs or Tinctures of the Mineral Kingdom, the pure Aridum being untouch'd, and left in the form of a white Powder, with which Essences the said Menstruums or Essences may indeed melt together, but not in the least be satiated, because there is an Addition and Multiplication of like Parts: But the same Vegetable Menstruums being now compounded of the Simple, do no more extract the Tinctures and Essences of Minerals, but dissolve and transmute the whole Mass or Substance of these Bo∣dies into an Oyl swimming above, which is called a Magistery: Now this being digested together with its Menstruum, at length falls in, is united, and so multiplies the Compounded Vegetable Menstruum. For an Example to young Beginners; The Spirit of Philosophical Wine being a Menstruum of the first Kind, and acuated with the Oyl of Nutmegs, is hereby made a Menstruum of the second Kind; or acuated with Honey, if you would have a Menstruum of the third Kind: distil either of those Menstruums with Common Sal Harmoniack, and you will have a Menstruum of the fourth; but if you desire one of the fifth Kind, cohobate either of them with the Salt of Tartar, and you will have the Ace∣tum acerrimum of Ripley; or with common Salt, and you will make the Sal circulatum of Paracelsus; Cohobate Mercury, or any other Mercury, or any other Metal through an Alembick with this Vinegar or Salt, and you will transmute the Simple Vegetable Menstruums into the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums of the eighth Kind; from which you will further prepare Menstru∣ums of the tenth Kind, by dissolving and volatilizing any other Metal in them. The same Rule you have as to our Mineral Men∣struums: But the Common Menstruums cannot receive beyond their Capacity.

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X. That these Menstruums are also Secrets of the Second Book.
YOu have in this Book observed that among the Vegetable Menstruums there is none but what is either an Essence, or a Magistery, and it will be more copiously demonstrated in the Book of the Preparations of Medicines: You have also taken no∣tice by the aforesaid Receipts of them, especially being compared with the following Descriptions of Medicines, that Mineral Menstru∣ums are the same Medicines, but mixed and dissolved with Acids.

XI. That these Menstruums are likewise Secrets of the Third Book.
IT is now partly clear by the Receipts of them, but will be more clear by the Secrets of the Third Book, that the Simple Men∣struums are the Philosophers Stones not yet fermented; but the Compounded are Menstruums mixed with the Masculine Seed, and therefore Volatile and Fermented Stones.

XII. That these Menstruums are in like manner Secrets of the Fourth Book.
THat these Menstruums do gove Light by Night, and con∣sequently, are perpetual Lights, yield also Matters for Pearls, Pretious Stones, &c. the Receipts themselves do shew; which will be confirmed by the Fourth Book.

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RIPLEY, Cap. 13. Philorcii.
Without these Waters we do little Good in this Art; but he that hath these Waters, will without all doubt compleat the Art.

The End of the First Book.

ERRATA.
EPist. Ded. pag. 5. l. 3. read these for that. Ep. to the Reader, p. 10. l. 10. r. have a mind to. Preface. p. 3. l. 20. for Vegetative, r. Vegetable. p. 8. l. 28. for Minerals, r. Mineral, p. ibid. r. fixt Vegetable. p. ib. l. 8. after that, r. it scarce deserveth. p. 12. l. 6. for mixt, r. mix. p. 14. l. 26. for is it, r. it is. p. 24. l. 12. dele of. p. 31. l. 3. after oyl, r. or middle salts, for salts or. p. 39. l. 5. for their, r. the. p. 42. l. 33. for with, r. which. p. 45. l. 4. for the, r. a. l. 16. for that only are they able to do, r. that only is able to do this. p. 48. l. 16. for as, r. us. p. 54. l. 11. for fly, r. flow. p. 56. l. 14. for drive, r. dive. p. 69. l. 24. for distil, r. distil'd. p. 78. l. 19. for stored, r. restored. p. 81. l. 1. omit the first four lines wholly. p. 95. l. 1. for the latter is, r. it. p. 119. l. ult. dele to. p. 127. l. 12. for Metallick of, r. Me∣tals. p. 128. l. 31. for extract, r. extracting. p. 130. l. 32. for prefers, r. preserves. p. 138. l. 21. for wherefore, r. whereof. p. 146. l. ult. r. for an Aurum potabile, he prepares a Men∣struum out of Gold and Silver thus. p. 152. for away, r. all the. p. 177. l. pen. for out, r. out of. p. 181. l. 8. for its, r. in. p. 182. l. 14. for greens, r. greeness. p. 199. l. 33. for fire, r. Firr. p. 215. l. 5. for into it, r. it into. l. ult. for greens, r. greenness. p. 246. l. 22. for Water, r. Matter. p. 261. l. 3. after Wine, r. and Salts. p. 296. l. 27. dele and when the Destillation is. p. 301. l. 14. for shewing, r. shining. p. 306. l. 2. after Menstruums, r. made. p. 326. l. 27. for Tho, r. tho. p. 349. l. 30. for Acids, r. Arids, d 351. l. 33. for repeating, r. repeated.

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