The Art of Distillation/Book 6
The Contents of the sixt Book.
The Spagyricall Anatomy of Gold, and Silver, together with the curiosities therein, and chiefest preparations thereof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
page 173 | |
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Book. 6.
The Spagyricall Anatomy of Gold, and Silver, together with the Curiosities therein, and chiefest preparations thereof.
I Shall first endeavour to shew whence Gold had its original, & what the matter thereof is As Nature (saith Sandivogius) is in the will of God, and God created her: so Nature made for her selfe a seed, (i) her will in the elements. Now she indeed is one, yet she brings forth divers things; but the operates nothing without a Sperme : whatsoever the Sperme will, nature operates, for she is as it were the instrument of any artificers. The Sperme therefore of every thing is better, and more profitable then nature her selfe: for thou shalt from nature without a Sperme, doe as much as a goldsmith without fire, or a husbandman without grain or seed. Now the Sperme of any thing is the Elixir, the balsame of sulphur, and the same as Humidum Radicale is in metalls: but to proceed to what concernes our purpose. Four elements generate a Sperme, by the will of God, and imagination of nature: For as the Sperme of a man hath its center, or the vessell of its seed in the kidneys; so the foure elements by their indesinent motion (every one according to its quality) cast forth a Sperme into the center of the earth, where it is digested, and by motion is sent abroad. Now the center of the earth is a certain empty place, where nothing can rest: and the four elements send forth their qualities into the circumference of the center. As a male sends forth his seed into the womb of the female, which after it hath received a due portion casts out the rest, so it happens in the center of the earth, that the magnetick power of a part of any place attracts something convenient to it selfe for the bringing forth of something, and the rest is cast forth into stones and other excrements. For every thing hath its originall from this fountain, and there is nothing in the world produced but by this fountaine: as for example, set upon an even table a vessell of water, which may be placed in the middle thereof, and round about it set divers things, and divers colours, also salt, &c. every thing by its selfe: then pour the water into the middle; and you shall the see water to run every way, and when any streame toucheth the red colour, it will be made red by it, if the salt, it will contract the tast of salt from it, and so of the rest: Now the water doth not change the places, but the diversity of places changeth the water. In like manner the seed or sperme being cast forth by the foure elements from the center of the earth unto the supersicies thereof passeth through various places, and according to the nature of the place is any thing produced: if it come to a pure place of earth, and water, a pure thing is made.
The seed, and sperme of all things is but one, and yet it generates divers things, as it appears by the former example. The spermie whilest it is in the center is indisserent to all formes, but when it is come into any determinate place, it changeth no more its forme. The sperme whilest it is in the center tán as casily produce a tree, as a metall, and an hearb as a stone, and one more precious then another according to the purity of the place. Now this sperme is produced of elements thus. These foure elements are never quiet but by reason of their contrariety mutually act one upon another; and every one of its self sends forth its own subtilty, and they agree in the center. Now in this center is the Archæus, the servant of nature, which mixing those spermes together sends them abroad, and by distillation sublimes them by the heat of a continuall motion unto the supersicies of the earth: For the earth is porous, and this vapour (or wind, as the philosophers call it) is by distilling through the pores of the earth resolved into water, of which all things are produced. Let therefore as I said before, all sons of Art know that the sperme of metalls is not disserent from the sperme of all things being, viz. a humid vapour. Therefore in vain do Artists endeavour the reduction of metalls into their first matter, which is only a vapour. Now saith Bernard Trevisan when philosophers speak of a first matter they did not meane this vapour, but the second matter, which is an unctuous water, which to us is the first, because we never sind the former. Now the specisication of this vapour into distinct metalls is thus. This vapour passeth in its distillation through the earth, through places either cold, or hot; if through hot, and pure where the fatnesse of sulphur sticks to the sides thereof, then that vapour (which philosophers call the Mercury of philosophers) mixeth, and joyneth it selfe unto that fatnesse, which afterwards it sublines with it selfe, and then it becomes, leaving the name of a vapour, an unctuosity, which afterwards coming by sublimation into other places, which the antecedent vapour did purge, where the earth is subtle, pure, and humid, sills the pores thereof, and is joyned to it; and so it becomes gold: and where it is hot, and something impure, silver. But if that fatnesse come to impure places, which are cold, it is made lead: and if that place be pure and mixed with sulphur, it becomes copper: for by how much the more pure and warme the place is, so much the more excellent doth it make the metalls.
Now this sirst matter of metalls is a humid, viscous, incombustible, subtle substance, incorporated with an earthy ubuilty, being equally, & strongly mixed per minima in the caverns of the earth. But as in many things there is a twofold unctuosity (whereof one is as it were internall, retained in the center of the thing lest it should be destroyed by fire, which cannot be without the destruction of the substance it selfe wherein it is: the other as it were externall, feculent, and combustible) so in all metalls except gold, there is a twofold unctuosity: the one which is externall, sulphurous, and inflamable, which is joyned to it by accident, and doth not belong to the totall union with the terestriall parts of the thing: the other is internall, and very subtle, incombustible, because it is of the substantiall composition of Argent vive, and therefore cannot be destroyed by fire, unlesse with the destruction of the whole substance whence it appears what the cause is that metalls are more or lesse durable in the fire: For those which abound with that internall unctuosity are lesse consumed, as it appears in silver, and especially in gold. Hence Rosarius saith, the philosophers could never by any meanes find out any thing that could endure the fire; but that unctuous humidity only which is perfect, and incombustible. Geber also asserts the same, when he saith that imperfect bodies have superfluous humidities, and sulphurcity generating a combustible blacknesse in them, and corrupting them; they have also an impure, feculent and combustible terestriety so grosse, as that it hinders ingression, and fusion: but a perfect metall, as gold, hath neither this sulphurous or terrestriall impurity; I mean when it is fully maturated and melted, for whilest it is in concoction it hath both joyned to it, as you may see in the golden Ore, but then they doe not adhere to it so, but that it may be purified from them, which other metalls cannot, but are both destroyed together if you attempt to separate the one from the other: Besides gold hath so little of these corruptible principles mixed with it, that the inward sulphur or metalline spirit doth sometimes and in some places overcome them of it selfe, as we may see in the gold which is found very pure sometimes in the superficies of the earth, and in the sea sands, and is many times as pure as any refined gold.
Now this gold which is found in sands and rivers, is not generated there, as saith Gregorius Agricola in his third book de Re Metallica, but is washed down from the mountains with fountaines that run from thence. There is also a flaming gold found (as Paracelsus saith) in the tops of mountains, which is indeed separated of it selfe from all impurities, and is as pure as any refined gold whatsoever. So that you see, that gold although it had an extrinsecall sulphur and earth mixed with it, yet it is sometimes separated from it of it selfe, viz. by that fiery spirit that is in it. Now this pure gold (as saith Sandivogius) nature would have perfected into an elixir but was hindred by the crude aire, which crude aire is indeed nothing else but that extrin.ecall sulphur which it meets with and is joined to in the earth, and which fills with its violence the pores thereof, and hinders the activity of the Spirit thereof; and this is that prison which the sulphur (as saith the aforesaid author) is locked up in, so that it cannot act upon its body, viz. Mercury, and concoct it into the seed of gold, as otherwise it would doe: and this is that dark body (as saith Penotus) that is interposed betwixt the philosophicall Sunne and Moone, and keeps off the insluencies of the one from the other. Now if any skilsull philosopher could wittily separate this adventious impurity from gold whilest it is yet living, he would set sulphur at liberty, and for this his service he should be gratified with three kingdomes, viz. Vegetable, Animall, and Minerall, I mean he could remove that great obstruction which hinders gold from being digested into the Elixir. For as saith Sandivegius, the Elixir, or tincture of philosophers, is nothing else but gold digested into the highest degree: for the gold of the vulgar is as an hearb without seed, but when gold (i) living gold (for common gold never can by reason that the Spirits are bound up, and indeed as good as dead and not possibly to be reduced to that activity which is required for the producing of the sperme of gold) is ripened it gives a seed, which multiplies even ad insinitum. Now the reason of this barrennesse of gold that it produceth not a seed is the aforesaid crude aire, viz. impurities: You may see this illustrated by this example.
We see that Orenge-trees in Polonia doe grow like other trees, also in Italy, and else where, where their native soyle is, and yeeld fruit, because they have sussicient heat, but in these colder countreys they are barren and never yeeld any fruit, because they are oppessed with cold: but if at any time nature be wittily aud sweetly helped, then Art can persect what nature could not[errata 1]. After the same manner it is in me. talls; for gold would yeeld fruit, and seed in which it might multiply it selfe, if it were helped by the industry of the skilsull artist, who knew how to promote nature (i) to se parate these sulphurous and earthly impurities from gold. For there is a sussicient heat in living gold, which if it stirred up by extrinsecall heat, to digest it into a seed. By extrinsecall heat I doe not mean the heat of the celestiall Sun, but that heat which is in the earth and stirres up the seed, (i) the living spirit that is in all subterraneall sperms to multiply, and indeed makes gold become gold. Now this is a heat of putresaction occasioned by acid spirits fermenting in the earth, as you may see by this example related by Albertus Mago nus, but to which the reason was given by Sandivogius. There was,saith the former author, certaine graines of gold found betwixt the teeth of a dead man in the grave: wherefore he conceived there was a power in the body of man to make and sixe gold but the reason is sar otherwise, as saith the latter author: for saith he, Argent vive was by some physitian conveyed intothe body of this man when he was alive, either by unction, or by turbith, or some such way as the custome was; and it is the nature of Mercury to ascend to the mouth of the patient, and through the excoriation of the mouth to be avoided with the flegme. Now then if in such a cure the sickman dyed, that Mercury not having passage out remained betwixt the teeth in the mouth, and that carkasse became the naturall vessell of Mercury, and so for a long time being shut up was congealed by its proper sulphur into gold by the naturall heat of putresaction, being purified by the corrosive flegme of the carkasse, but if the minerall Mercury had not been brought in thither, gold had never been produced there: And this is a most true example that as Mercury is by the proper sul phur that is in it selfe, being stirred up and helped by an extrinsecall heat, coagulated into gold, unlesse it be hindred by: any accident, or have not a requisite extrinsecall heat, or a convenient place, so also that nature doth in the bowels of the earth produce of Mercury only gold and silver, and other metalls according to the disposition of the place, and matrix; which assertion is further cleared by the rule of reduction, for if it be true that all things consist of that which they may be reduced into, then gold consists of Mercury, because (as most grant, Paracelsus assirmes, and many at this day prosesse they can doe) it may be reduced into it. There is a way by which the tincture of gold which is the soule thereof, and sixeth it, may be so fully extracted that the remaining substance will be sublimed like arsenick, and may be as easily reduced into Mercury as Sublimate. If so, and if all Mercury may be reduced into a transparent water, as it may (according to the processe set downe page 76. and as I know how another better and easier way to turn a pound of Mercury of it self into a clear water in halse an houre, which is one of the greate & secrets I know, or care to know, together with what may be produced thence, and shall crave leave to be silent in) why may not that water in some sense, if it be well rectified, be called a kinde of living gold out of which you may perhaps make a medicine, and a menstruum unsit for the vulgar to know. It appears now from what is premised that the immediate matter of gold is probably Mercury, and not certain salts and I know not what as many[errata 2] dream of, and that the extrinsecall heat is from within the earth, and not the heat of the sun, as sone imagine(because in the hottest countreys there is all, or almost all gold generated) who if they considered that in cold countreys also are, and as in Scotland were gold mines in King James his time, would be of another minde then to think that the celestiall sun could penetrate, so as to heat the earth so deep as most gold lies.
I now having in some measure discovered what the intrinsecall, and extrinsecall heat, and the matter of gold is, I shall next endeavour to explaine what those three principles are, viz. Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, of which Argent vive, and gold consist: Know therefore that after Nature had received from the most High God the priviledge of all things upon the Monarchy of this world, she began to distribute places, and provinces to every thing, according to its dignity; and in the first place did constitute the foure elements to be the princes of the world, and that the will of the most High (in whose will Nature is placed) night be fulfilled, ordained that they should act upon one another incessantly. The fire therefore began to act upon the aire, and produced sulphur: The aire also began to act upon the water and produced Mercury: the water also began to act upon the earth and produced salt. Now the earth not having whereon to act produced nothing, but became the subject of what was produced. So then there were produced three principles, but our ancient philosophers not so strictly considering the matter described only two acts of the elements, and so named but two principles, viz. Sulphur and Mercury: or else they were willing to be silent in the other, speaking only to the sons of Art.
The Sulphur therefore of philosophers, (which indeed is the sulphur of metalls, and of all things) is not, as many think, that common combustible sulphur which is sold in shops, but is another thing farre dissering from that, and is incombustible, not burning, nor heating, but preserving, and restoring all things which it is in, and it is the Calidum Innatum of every thing, the fire of nature, the created light, and of the nature of the sun, and is called the Sun; so that whatsoever in any thing is fiery, and airy, is sulphur, not that any thing is wholly sulphureous, but what in it is most thin, and subtle, having the essence of the naturall fire, and the nature of the created light, which indeed is that sulphur which wise philosophers have in all ages with great diligence endeavoured to extract, and with its proper Mercury to six, and so to perfect the great Magistery of nature. Now of all things in the world there is nothing hath more of this sulphur in it then gold and silver, but especially gold, in somuch that osten times it is called sulphur, (i) because sulphur is the most predominant, and excellent principle in it, and being in it more then in all things besides.
Mercury is not here taken for common Argent vive: but it is the Humidum Radicale of every thing, that pure aqueous, unctuous, and viscous humidity of the matter, and it is of the nature of the Moon, and it is called the Moone, and that for this reason, viz. because it is humid, as also because it is capable of receiving the insluence and light of the Sun, viz. sulphur.
Salt is that sixt permanent earth which is in the center of every thing that is incorruptible, and inalterable, and it is the supporter and nourse of the Humidum Radicale, with which it is strongly mixt. Now this salt hath in it a seed, viz. its Calidum Innatum, which is Sulphur, and its Humidum Radicale, which is Mercury; and yet these three are not distinct or to be separated, but are one homogeneall thing, having upon a disserent account divers names: for in respect of its heat, and fiery substance it is called Sulphur, in respect of its humidity, it is called Mercury, and in respect of its terrestriall siccity it is called salt, all which are in gold perfectly united depurated, and fixed.
Gold therefore is most noble, and solid of all metalls, of a yellow colour, compacted of principles digested to the utmost hight, and therefore fixed.
Silver is in the next place of dignity to Gold, and differs from it in digestion chiesly, I said chiefly, because there is some small impurity besides, adhering to silver.
Now having given some small account of the originall matter, first, and second, and manner of the growth of gold, I shall in the next place set downe some curiosities therein, and preparation thereof. The preparations are chiefly three viz. Aurum potabile, which is the mixtion thereof with other Liquors: Oil of gold, which is gold liquid by it selfe without the mixture of any other Liquor and the tincture, which is the extraction of the colour thereof.
Dissolve pure fine gold in Aqua reg is according to art (the Aqua regis being made of a pound of Aqua fortis, and foure ounces of salt Armoniack distilled together by Retort in sand) which cleare solution put into a large glasse of a wide neck, and upon it pour drop by drop Oil of Tartar made per deliquium, untill the Aqua regis which before was yellow become clear, and white, for that is a signe that all calx of gold is setled to the bottome: then let it stand all night, and in the morning pour off the clear Liquor, and wash the calx four or five times with common spring water, being warmed, and dry it with a most gentle heat.
Note, and that well, that if the heat be too great, the calx takes fire presently like Gun-powder and flies away to thy danger and losse, therefore it is best to dry it in the sun, or on a stone, stirring it diligently with a wooden spatle. To this calx adde halfe a part of the powder of sulphur, mix them together and in an open crucible let the sulphur burne away in the fire, putting a gentle fire to it at the first, and in the end a most strong fire for the space of an houre, that the calx may in some manner be reverberated, and become most subtle, which keep in a viall close stopt for your use.
Then make a Spirit of urine after this manner viz. Take the urine of a healthy man drinking Wine moderately, put it into algourd, which you must stop close, and set in horse-dung for the space of forty dayes, the distill it by Alembick in sand into a large receiver, untill all the humidity be distilled off. Rectifie this Spirit by cohobation three times that the Spirit only may rise. Then distill it in sand by a glasse with a long neck, having a large receiver annexed, and closed very well to it, and the Spirit will be elevated into the top of the vessell like crystall without any aquecus humidity accompanying of it. Let this distillation be continued, untill all the Spirits be risen. These crystals must be dissolved in distilled rain-water, and be distilled as before, this must be done six times, and every time you must take fresh rain-water distilled. Then put these crystalls into a glasse bolthead, which close Hermetically, and set in the moderate heat of a Balneum for the space of fifteen dayes, that they may be reduced into a most clear Liquor. To this Liquor adde an equall weight of Spirit of Wine, very well rectified, and let them be digested in Balneo the space of twelve dayes, in which time they will be united.
Then take the calx of gold above said, and poure upon it of these united Spirits as much as will cover them three fingers breadth, and digest them in a gentle heat, untill the Liquor be tinged as red as bloud; decant off the tincture, and put on more of the aforesaid Spirits, and doe as before till all the tincture be extracted, then put all the tincted Spirits together, and digest them ten or twelve dayes, after which time abstract the Spirit with a gentle heat, and cohobate it once; and then the calx will remain in the bottome like an Oil as red as bloud, and of a pleasant odour, and which will be dissolved in any Liquor. Wherefore this Oil may be the Succedaneum of true gold. If you distill the same solution by Retort in sand there will come over after the first part of the menstruum, the tincture with the other part thereof, as red as bloud, the earth which is lest in the bottome of the vessell being black, dry, spongious and light. The menstruum must be vapoured away, and the Oil of gold will remain by it self, which must be kept as a great treasure: and this is Dr. Anthony's Aurum potabile.
Foure or eight graines of this Oil taken in what manner soever wonderfully refresheth the Spirits, and workes severall wayes, especially by sweat.
Take an ounce of leaf-gold, dissolve it in foure ounces of the rectified water of Mercury expressed page 76. digest them in horse-dung the space of two moneths, then evaporate the Mercuriall water, and at the bottome you shall have the true Oil of gold, which is radically dissolved.
Another processe hereof you may see page 72.
Dissolve pure gold in Aqua regis, precipitate it with the Oil of sand into a yellow powder, which you must dulcifie with warme water, and then dry it (this will not be fired as Aurum sulminans) This powder is twice as heavie as the gold that was put in, the cause of which is the salt of the flints precipitating it selfe with the gold. Put this yellow powder into a crucible, and make it glow a little, and it will be turned into the highest, and fairest purple that ever you saw, but if it stand longer it will be browne. Then poure upon it the strongest Spirit of salt (for it will dissolve it better then any Aqua regis) on which dissolution poure on the best rectified Spirit of Wine, and digest them together, and by a long digestion, some part of the gold will sall to the bottome like a white snow, and may with Borax, Tartar, and salt Nitre be melted into a white metall as heavy as gold, and afterwards with Antimony may recover its yellow colour againe then evaporate the Spirit of salt, and of Wine, and the gold Tincture remaineth at the bottome and is of great vertue.
Take of the aforesaid yellow Calx of gold precipitated with Oil ossand, one part, and three or foure parts of the Liquor of sand, or of crystalls; mixe them well together, and put them into a crucible in a gentle heat at first, that the moisture of the Oil may vapour away (which it will not doe easily because the drynesse of the sand retaines the moisture thereof, so that it slyeth away like molten allum, or borax) when no more will vapour away, encrease your fire, till the crucible be red hot, and the mixture cease bubling; then put it into a wind furnace and cover it that no ashes fall into it, and make astrong fire about it for the space of an houre, and the mixture will be turned into a transparent Rubie. Then take it out, and beat it, and extract the tincture with Spirit of wine,which will become like thin bloud, and that which remaines undissolved may be melted into a white metall as the former.
Hang plates of gold over the fume of Argent vive, and they will become white, friable, and fluxil as wax. This is called the Magnesia of gold, as saith Paracelsus, in finding out of which (saith he) philosophers, as Thomas Aquinas, and Rupescissa with their followers took a great deale of paines, but in vaine, and it is a memorable secret and indeed very singular for the melting of metals that are not easily fluxil. Now then gold being thus prepared, and melted together with the Mercury, is become a brittle substance, which must be powdered and out of it a tincture may be drawn for the transmuting of metals.
Take halse an ounce of pure gold, dissolve it in Aqua regis, precipitate it with Oil of flints, dulcifie the calx with warme water, and dry it, and so it is prepared for your work. Then take Regulus Martis powdered, and mix it with three parts of salt Nitre, both which put into a crucible and make them glow gently at sirst, then give a strong melting, fire and then this mixture will become to be of a purple colour, which then take out, and beat to powder, and adde to three parts of this, one part of the calx of gold prepared as before, put them into a Wind furnace in a strong crucible, and make them melt as a metall, so will the Nitrum antimoniatum in the melting take the calx of gold to it selse, and dissolve it, and the mixture will become to be of an Amethyst colour. Let this stand slowing in the fire till the whole masse be as transparent. as a Rubine which you may try by taking a little out and cooling of it. Is the mixture doe not slow well cast in some more salt Nitre. When it is compleatly done cast it forth being flowing into a brazen mortar, and it will be like to an orientall Rubine, then powder it before it be cold, then put it into a viall and with the Spirit of Wine extract the tincture.
This is one of the best preparations of gold, and of most excellent use in medicine.
First make a furnace sit for the purpose, which must be close at the top and have a pipe to which a recipient with a flat bottome must be sitted: When this furnace is thus fitted, put three or four graines, not above at once, of Aurum fulminans, which assoon as the furnace is hot, flyeth away into the recipient through the pipe like a purple coloured fume, and is turned into a purple coloured powder, then put in three or four grains more, and doe as before, till you have enough flowers of gold (that which flyeth not away, but remaineth at the bottome, may with borax be melted into good gold) then take them out and pour upon them rectified Spirit of Wine tartarizated, and digest them in ashes till the spirit be coloured bloud red, which you must then evaporate and at the bottome will be a bloud red tincture of no small vertue.
Take the purest gold you can get, pour on it four times as much Aqua regia, stop your glasse with a paper, and set it in warme ashes, so will the Aqua regia in an houre or two take up the gold, and become a yellow water, if it be strong enough: (be sure that your gold hath no copper in it, for then your labour will be lost) because the copper will be precipitated with the gold, and hinder the firing thereos) then on this yellow water drop by drop pure Oil of Tartar made per deliquium, so will the gold be precipitated into a dark yellow powder, and the water be clear. Note that you pour not on more Oyl of Tartar then is sufficient for the precipitation, otherwise it will dissolve part of the precipitated gold to thy prejudice. Pour off the clear Liquor by inclination, and dulcifie the calx with distilled rain-water warmed. Then set this calx in the sun, or some warme place to dry, but take great heed, and especiall care that you set it not in a place too hot, for it will presently take fire, and sly away like thunder not without great danger to the standers by, if the quantity be great. This is the common way to make Aurum fulminans, and it hath considerable difficulties in the preparation. But the best way is to precipitate gold dissolved in Aqua regis by the Spirit of salt Armoniack or of urine, for by this way the gold is made purer then by the other and giveth a far greater crack and sound. Note that the salt of the Spirits which is precipitated with the gold must be washed away, and the gold dulcified as before.
A sew graines of this being fired give a crack and sound as great as a musket when it is discharged, and will blow up any thing more forcibly farre then gunpowder, and it is a powder that will quickly and easily be fired.
This is of use for phyfick as it is in powder, but especially it is used in making the foregoing tincture.
Take of Oil of sand as much as you please, pour upon it the same quantity of Oil of Tartar per deliquium, shake them well together that they be incorporated and become as one Liquor of a thin consistence, then is your Menstruum or Liquor prepared. Then dissolve gold in Aqua regia, and evaporate the Menstruum and dry the Calx in the fire, but make it not too hot, for it will thereby lose its growing quality, then take take it out and break it into little bits, not into powder, put those bits into the aforesaid Liquor (that they may lye a fingers breadth the one from the other) in a very clear glasse. Keep the Liquor from the aire, and you shall see that those bits of the calx will presently begin to grow; first they will swell, then they will put forth one or two stems, then divers branches and twigs so exactly, as that you cannot chuse but exceedingly to wonder. This growing is reall, and not imaginary only. Note that the glasse must stand still, and not be moved.
Calcine fine gold in Aqua regis, that it become a calx, which put into a gourd glasse, and pour upon it good and fresh Aqua regia, and the water of gradation, so that they cover the calx four fingers breadth, this Menstruum abstract in the third degree of fire untill no more will ascend. This distilled water pour on it again and abstract it as before, and this doe so osten till you see the gold rise in the glasse, and grow in the forme of a tree having many boughs and leaves.
Take leaves of gold, and bury them in the earth which lookes towards the East, and let it be often soiled with mans urine, and doves dung, and you shall see that in a short time they will be increased.
The reason of this growth I conceive may be the golds attracting that universall vapour and sperme that comes from the center through the earth (as hath been spoken in the anatomy of gold) and by the heat of putrefaction of the dung purisying and assimilating it to it selfe.
There is found a certaine stone in Bononia, which some call a golden Marcasite, some a solarie Magnes, that receives light from the sun in the day time, and gives it forth in the dark. About this there have been much reasoning amongst Philo sophers, as whether light be really a body, or any kinde of substance, or an [errata 3] accident only, and whether this stone had any gold in it or no, and what it did consist of. He that first discovered it thought that he had found a thing that would transmute metals into gold, (by which it appears that there seemed to be something of gold in it or something more glorious then gold) but his hopes were frustrated by a fruitlesse labour, notwithstanding which I conceive there might be some immature or crude gold in it; for crude gold is a subject (being there is some dise in it) that is most sit to receive the insluencies of the sun according to the unanimous consent of all Philosophers, and therefore is by them not only called Solary but Sol (i) the Sun it sesse.
It is prepared for the receiving of light thus, it is calcined two wayes, first it is brought into a most subtle powder with a very strong fire in a crucible, seconply, being this brought into a powder, is made up into cakes as big as a doller, or a piece of eight, either with common water alone, or, with the white of an egge, put those cakes being dryed by themselves into a Winde Furnace S S S, with coales, and calcine them in a most strong fire for the space of foure or five houres. When the furnace is cold take them out, and if they be not sussiciently calcined the first time, (which is known by their giving but little light,) then reiterate the calcination after the same manner as before, which is sometimes to be done thrice. That is the best which is made with the choisest stones that are clean, pure, and diaphanous, and gives the best light. With this being powdered you may make the formes of divers animalls of what shapes you please, which you must keep in boxes, and they will receiving light from the sun in the day time give light in the night, or in a dark place, which light will vanish by degrees.
With the aforesaid preparations the Ancients did not only preserve the health and strength of their bodyes, but also prolong their lives to a very old age, and not that only but cured thorowly the Epilepsie, Apoplexie, Elephantiasis, Leprosy, Melancholy, Madnesse, the Quartain, the Gout, Dropsie, Plurisy, all manner of Feavers, the Jaundise, Lucs venerea, the Wolse, Cancer, Noli ne tangere, Asthma, Consumption, the Stone,stopping of Urine, inward Impostunes, and such like diseases, which most men account incurable. For there is such a potent fire lying in prepared gold, which doth not onely consume deadly humours, but also renewes the very marrow of the bones, and raiseth up the whole body of man being half dead.
They that use any of these preparations for any of the foregoing diseases, must betake themselves to their bed for the space of two or three houres, and expect sweating to ensue, for indeed it will send forth sweat plentisully, and with ease, and leave no impurity or superfluity in the whole body. Note that they must take it forten dayes together in appropriated Liquors.
Let young men that expect long life, take any of the aforesaid preparations once in a moneth, and in the morning, but they must abstain from meat & drink, till the evening of the same day, for in that time that matter will be digested into the radical humour; whereby the strength of the body is wonderfully increased, beauty doth flourish most wonderfully, and continues till extream old age.
Let old men take it twice in a moneth, for by this meanes will their old age be fresh till the appointed time of death.
Let young women and maids take it once in a moneth after their menstrua, for by this means they will look fresh and beautifull.
Let womon that are in travell take it, and it will help and strengthen them to bring forth without much paine, notwithstanding many difficulties.
Let it be given to women that have past the yeares of their menstrua once or twice in a moneth, and it will preserve them very fresh, and many times cause their menstrua to returne, and make them capable again of bearing children.
It cures the plague, and expells the matter of a carbuncle by sweat most potently.
When I say that this, or it will doe thus or thus, I mean any one of the fore named preparations viz. Aurum Potabile, Oils, or Tincture of gold.
All the severall preparations of gold may, except that of Axrum fulminans, be applyed to silver, of which being thus prepared the vertues are inferiour to those of gold, yet come neerer to them then thofe of any other matter whatsoever, or howsoever prepared.
Note that silver hath some peculiar preparations which neither gold or any other metals are capable of.
Take fine silver, and dissolve it in twice so much rectified Spirit of Nitre, then abstract halfe of the said Spirit in sand, let it stand a day or two in a cold place, and much of the silver will shoot into Crystals, and in oft doing most of it.
These Crystals are very bitter, yet may be made into pills, and taken inwardly from three grains to twelve; they parge very securely, and gently, and colour the lips, tongue, and mouth, black. If in this dissolution of silver before it be brought to crystals, halfe so much Mercury be dissolved and both shoot together into crystals, you shall have a stone not much unlike to allum. This purgeth sooner, and better, and is not so bitter; It coloureth the nails, hair, skin, if it be dissolved in rain-water, with a lovely brown, red, or black, according as you put more or lesse thereof.
Take of the aforesaid crystals of silver, mixe with them a like quantity of pure Salt-peter well powdered, then put this mixture into the distilling vessell expressed page 77. at the bottome of which must be powdered coales to the thicknesse of two fingers breadth, then make a strong fire that the vessell and coals be red hot, put in a dram of the aforesaid mixture, and it will presently sublime in a silver fume, into to the recipient, which being setled, put in more, and so doe till you have enough. Take out the flowers, and digest them in the best alcholizated Spirit of Wine, that thereby the tincture may be extracted, which will be green.
Take of the abovesaid crystals of silver one part, of Spirit of salt armoniack two or three parts, digest them together in a glasse with a long neck, well stopt twelve or fourteen dayes, so will the Spirit of salt armoniack be coloured with a very specious blew colour, pour it off, and filter it, then put it into a small Retort, and draw off most of the Spirit of armoniack, and there will remain in he bottome a grasse-green Liquor. Then draw off all the Spirit, and there will remain in the bottome a salt, which may be purified with Spirit of Wine, or be put into a Retort, and then there will distill off a subtle Spirit, and a sharp Oil.
This green Liquor is of great use for the gilding of all things presently.
If you take common rain-water distilled, and dissolve, and digest the aforesaid crystals of silver for a few dayes, you shall after the appearance of divers colours find an essence at the bottome, not so bitter as the former, but sweet, and in this Liquor may all metalls in a gentle heat by long digestion be maturated, and made fit for medicine; but note that they must first be reduced into salts, for then they are no more dead bodies, but by this preparation have obtained a new life, and are the metals of Philosophers.
Take of the aforesaid salts, or crystals of silver, and reverberate them in a very gentle fire, then put them into a cellar on a marble stone, and they will in two moneths time be resolved into a Liquor.
Take the aforesaid salt of silver, pour upon it the spirit of salt armoniack and dissolve it throughly, and it will doe as abovesaid.
With a glasse being full of this Liquor you may condense the aire into water in the heat of the summer, as also freeze water.
Take of the calx of silver made by the dissolution of it in aqua fortis, dulcifie it, and boyle it in a Lixivium made of sope-ashes, and it will be as white as any snow.
Take four ounces of aqua fortis; in which dissolve an ounce of fine silver, then take two ounces of aqua fortis in which is dissolved halfe an ounce of argent vive, mixe these two Liquors together in a clear glasse with a pint of pure water, stop the glasse very close, and you shall see day after day a tree to grow by little and little, which is wonderfull pleasant to behold.
I Have set down severall vulgar preparations of gold and silver, and of almost all things else, I shall now crave leave to give an account of some philosophicall preparations of the Philosophers gold and silver. For indeed the Art of preparing of them is the true Alchymie, in comparison of which all the Chymicall discoveries are but abortives, and found out by accident, viz. by endeavouring after this. I would not have the world beleeve that I pretend to the understanding of them, yet I would have them know that I am not incredulous as touching the possibility of that great philosophicall work which many have so much laboured after, and may have found. To me there is nothing in the world seemes more possible, and whosoever shall without prejudice read over the Book entituled the New Light of Alchymie, shall almost whether he will or no (unlesse he resolves not to beleeve any thing though never so credible) be convinced of the possibility of it. What unworthinesse God saw in gold more then in other things, that he should deny the seed of multiplication (which is the perfection of the creatures) to it, and give it to all things besides, seems to me to be a question as hard to be resolved, yea, and harder then the finding out the Elixir it selfe, in the discovering of which the greatest difficult is, not to be convinced of the easinesse thereof. Is the preparations were difficult many more would find it out then doe (saith Sandivogius) for they cast themselves upon most difficult operations and are very subtle in difficult discoveries which the Philosophers never dreamed of. Nay saith the aforenamed author, if Hermes himselse were now living, together with subtle-witted Geber, and most prosound Raimund Lullie, they would be accounted by our Chymists not for Philosophers, but rather for learners. They were ignorant of those so many distillations, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and so many other innumerable operations of Artists now a dayes used, which indeed men of this age did find out and invented out of their bookes. Yet there is one thing wanting to us which they did, viz.to know how to make the Philosophers stone, or physicall tincture, the processes of which according to some Philosophers are these.
TAke the minerall Electram being immature, and made very subtle, put it into its owne spheare, that the impurities, and supersluities may be washed away, then purge it as much as possibly you can with Stibium after the Alchymisticall way, lest by its impurity thou suffer prejudice. Then resolve it in the stomack of an Estridge, which is brought forth in the earth, and through the sharpnesse of the Eagle is confortated[errata 4] in its vertue.
Now when the Electrum is consumed, and hath after its solution received the colour of a Mary gold, doc not forget to reduce it into a spirituall transparent essence, which is like to true Amber, then adde halfe so much, as the Electrum did weigh before its preparation, of the extended Eagle, and of entimes abstract from it the stomack of the Estridge, and by this meanes the Electrum will be made more spirituall. Now when the stomack of the Estridge is wearied with labour, it will bee necessary to refresh it and alwayes to abstract it. Lastly, when it hath againe lost its sharpness adde the tartarizated quintessence, yet so that it be spoyled of its redness the height of foure fingers, and that passe over with it. This doe so often till it bee of it selfe white, and when it is enough, and thou seest that signe, sublime it. So will the Electrum be converted into the whiteness of an exalted Eagle, and with a little more labour be transmuted into deep rednesse, and then it is fit for medicine.
TAke of our earth through eleaven degrees, eleaven graines, of our gold, and not of the vulgar, one graine, of our lune, not of the vulgar, graines two but be thou admonished that thou take not the gold, and silver of the vulgar, for they are dead, but take ours which are living, then put them into our fire, and there will thence be made a dry Liquor: First the earth will be resolved into water, which is called the Mercury of Philosophers, aud in that water it will resolve the bodies of the Sunne, and Moone, and consume them that there remaine but the tenth part, with one part, aud this will be the Hamidum Radicale Metallicum. Then take the water of the salt Nitre of our earth, in which there is a living streame if thou diggest the pit knee deep, take therefore the water of it, but take it cleare, and set over it that Humidum Radicale, and put it over the fire of putresaction and generation, but not such as was that in the first operation. Governe all things with a great deale of discretion, untill there appeare colours like to the taile of a Peacock, governe it by digesting of it, and be not weary till these colours cease, and there appeare throughout the whole, a green colour, and so of the rest, and when thou shalt see in the bottome, asbes of a fiery colour, and the water almost red, open the vessell, dip in a feather, and smeere over some iron with it if it tinge, have in readiness that water which is the menstruum of the world (out of the spheare of the Moone so often rectified, untill it can calcine gold) put in so much of that water as was the cold aire, which went in, boyle it again with the former fire untill it tinge againe.
TAke the matter, and grinde it with a physicall contrition, as diligently as may be, then set it upon the fire, and let the proportion of fire be known, viz. that it onely stirre up the matter, and in a short time, that fire without any other laying on of hands, will accomplish the whole work, because it will putrefie, corrupt, generate, and perfect, and make to appeare the three principall colours, black, white, and red: And by the meanes of our fire, the medicine will be multiplied, if it be joined with the crude matter, not only in quantity but also in vertue. Withall they might therefore search out this fire (which is minerall, equall continuall, vapours not away, except it be too much stirred up; partakes of sulphur, is taken from elsewhere then from the matter; pulleth downe all things, dissolveth, congealeth, and calcines, and is artificiall to finde out, and that by a compendious, and neere way, without any cost, at least very small, is not transmuted with the matter, because it is not of the matter) and thou shalt attaine thy wish, because it doth the whole work, and is the key of the Philosophers, which they never revealed.
TRue; without all falsity; certaine, and most true. That which is inferiour is as that which is superiour; and that which is superiour is as that which is inferiour, for the accomplishing of the miracles of one thing. And as all things were from one, by the mediation of one, so all things have proceeded from this one thing by adaptation. The Father thereof is the Sun, and the Mother thereof the Moon; the wind carryed it in its belly. The Nurse thereof is the earth.
The father of all the perfection of the whole world is this: The vertue thereof is entire, if it be turned into earth. Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the thick, sweetly, with a great deale of judgement. It ascends from the earth up to heaven, and againe descends down to the earth, and receives the powers of superiours, and inseriours. So thou hast the glory of the whole world: Therefore ler all obscurity fly from thee. This is the strong fortitude of the whole fortitude, because it shall overcome every thing that is subtle, and penetrate every solid thing, as the world is created: Hence shall wonderfull adaptations be, whereof this is the manner, wherefore I am called Hermes Trismegistus having three parts of the philosophy of the whole world. It is compleat, what I have spoken of the operation of the Sun.
FINIS.
IF I shall hereafter see that what I have here I done shall deserve a second Edition, I shall thereunto adde some other parts of Chymistry, viz. Sublimation, and Calcination, which here I have omitted (except what I have wrote by the way in reference to the perfecting of any kind of Distillation:) for indeed Distillation (which is the making, extracting or purifying of Liquors) is the chiefest subject of this discourse, and indeed the whole, except some Spagyricall experiments, and curiosities, set downe in the fift Book.