Chapter LXXIX: Part I: To the well minded Reader (7)

Note well, after this manner may you distill all other Vegetables into Oils, Spirits, and Emplaisters, and make use of them in this Disease, such as are Saxifrage, Parsly, Cumin, Carraways, and such like other Herbs and Roots: Neither is it always necessary to have the Ash Seed, unless you please: For that this Tree is not to be had in all places, and it yields also at some Seasons but little Seed? _N. B._ Here some may demand and say, you have taught us the manner of preparing Oils, Spirits, and Balsams out of the Seeds, but now if such a Medicine could be made out of the Herbs it would be something, for whence shall so much Seed be had? I Answer. If thou hast not so much Seed, thou may’st make the Medicine out of the whole Plant, as the Root, Stalk, Flowers, and Leaves: And the reason why I mentioned onely Seed, was this, because the chief virtue of all the Vegetables, is occultly placed and concentrated in the Seed, else the whole Plant may (as aforesaid) be made use of, which although it yield not so much Oil as the Seed does, yet may we even this way receive a good quantity: And if we should neither take Seed, Herb, Leaves, or Stalks, yet would the Root alone afford much Oil; but in Trees, as in Ash, Linden, Nut, Cherry, Peach, and the like, the very bare Wood it self will abundantly supply, if distilled _per descensum_, or by a Fire of suppression (of which afore,) so that a little Ash if rightly handled may afford you some pounds.

Nor are you to suppose that this way of plentifully preparing the Oils of Vegetables and clarifying them by Spirit of Salt, serves onely for such Vegetables as are good against the Stone, because I have onely instanced them as examples; No, but even all Vegetables, serving for every Disease, may be by this aforeshown way reduced into most sweet Medicaments. Nay not onely Vegetables may, but also Animals and Minerals too, but with some difference and distinction, which we shall mention in what follows.

There remains yet one thing more to be mentioned about the Oils of Vegetables, and the Distillation of them, and ’tis this. Some or other may reply and say, that haply such Oils as are prepared first by a Retort and _per descensum_, and then rectified and clarified by Spirit of Salt, are not equivalent in their virtues to those which are distilled in a Copper by the help of Water. For prevention of this Quæry, and the removal of such needless cares, we do in the first place demand, in what the virtues of the Animals and Vegetables do consist, whether or no in their connate and occult property, or in the Odour, Savour, and Tast. For answer, the greatest virtue of most Herbs, and living Creatures doth for the most and greatest part consist in their Co-nate or Co-born nature and property, and not in the Odour or Savour, as is sufficiently evident in some Plants, which have scarce any Odour or Savour, and yet are found notably efficacious in Medicine, and some there are both of a Sweet Odour and Savour, which have no Medicinal use, and some that have an ungratefull Odour and Savour, and yet have no mean Medicinal Virtues. And many there be of things which both smell and tast sweet, and are also profitable in medicine, because God hath created them so or to that intent. I must needs confess that sometimes an Odour or Savour of such an Herb as hath but little virtue is notably refreshing and comfortable to the Vital Spirit, nay more, the very seeing of a fair and comely thing is capable of comforting the Heart, and an ugly thing of debilitating it; a notable example hereof we have in a friendly man, and in Gold, as being things which by the very beholding of them do refresh the Heart, whereas contrariwise, an angry man, and a venemous Creature do terrifie it, (_viz._ the Heart) and as ’twere make it Sick, yea and sometimes kill outright. Besides, not onely the seeing of such and such objects do profit or hurt, but even the very voice of a man, or of a living Creature do hurt, weaken, and kill, if proceeding from a malignity. Farther, the bare imagination can effect good or evil, heal or hurt; but this belongs not to this place, but such things are treated of in my short Treatise of things natural and supernatural. That which I have here spoken is to this end, that the unskilfull might know, that the virtues of Vegetables do consist more in their Co-born Nature than in the Savour or Odour, and that this Distillation by a Retort, and rectification by Spirit of Salt, can neither add to or diminish from their virtues, because their virtue remains always unhurt, in what manner soever the Distillation be made, provided that that which is distilled be diligently depurated, and all the ungratefulness removed therefrom which it got in the operation, that is to say, when Oils are adust (or Savour of burning) by their being distilled in a Retort, then that accident may be taken away from them by rectification with Spirit of Salt, and this now I add for the sake of the Ignorant.

Moreover as it is with Vegetables, so likewise must you order your distillation of the Oil, Salt, and Spirit of Animals: Neither need you to proceed farther or otherwise. As for the Vertues of both Animals and Vegetables, the Physician ought to know them by their Signature, and not by the books of Writers, because the Signature doth shew us the Vertues of all things much clearer and righter than many Writers, who write many things meerly from hear say, whenas themselves do in truth know very little or nothing at all. And thus for this time I omit to say any more, for that the present occasion will not admit of a more prolix discourse hereabouts. What I have done is for the Sick that are poor, that they might know my method of purifying the Spirits of the Acid Salts from Vegetables or Animals, by Spirit of Salt, and of bringing them into wholsome Medicaments: And this cannot be accomplished so plentifully without this Medium; and now this way being shown, the Poor may also enjoy the benefit of them, and be able to pay the Apothecary, whenas before even the Rich could hardly have any of the good (in them). Note well, you are yet farther to observe, that indeed the Animals are first to be distilled by a Retort (as we spake before concerning the Vegetables) that so their Oil, Spirit, and Volatile Salt, may pass over together; and their Spirit and Volatile Salt may be rectified and purified the aforesaid way. But the Oil will not come over by a bare Spirit of Common Salt, or of Niter, but that Spirit must be first concentrated with _Calaminaris_, and then it brings over the Oils of Animals, else not. But as touching the Concentration of the Acid Spirit for this rectification, we shall speak of it anon, and will therefore first set down (for better instructions sake) one certain process of distillation and rectification, lest any might err, and that all might rightly apprehend my meaning; and ’tis this: Take some pounds of Turpentine, distill thence an Oil, and the Fæces of the Turpentine will stay behind. This Oil though it be rendred by Distillation purer than ’twas before, yet it hath put on another nature by means of the Fire, _viz._ an hotter nature, and therefore serveth not for every effect which the Turpentine before served for, because the Turpentine is not very thick nor very thin, nor too hot or too cold, nor too subtile or too thick or gross, but is of a temperate essence and property, which now by Distillation it possesseth no longer, but, because of its heat and subtilty, it is unusefull. Well, what of all this? Why some or other might have objected to me that indeed things are by distillation rendred more pure and subtile, but doe thereby get an hotter nature and vertue, and therefore that way of purifying doth not doe well in all subjects. Well, to prevent this objection, and that the distilled Oils may after their purification be restored to the same degree of thickness, rarity or thinness, colour or frigidity, that they had before, and yet retain the purity they got by distilling: the method is easie, and is thus done. Suppose that Turpentine be (as it is Turpentine) hot and subtile in the first degree, but being distilled it arrives to the third degree, and being rectified to the fourth. I must now needs confess that that subtile Oil is to be used onely in cold affects, and in no others, whereas it might before have been employed about other accidents. To this I say, and yield, that if it be proceeded with after the common and known way, ’tis so: But my way is far otherwise to be reckoned of: For though hereby the things distilled doe, together with a purity, get a subtile heat, and doe in some operations become too thin and hot, yet in rectifying by the Acid Spirit, such qualities are broken, divided and dissipated, so that it is in part rendered of a like thickness and tenacity as it was at first, and a part of it remains subtile. So that you may have out of one subject, both thin, hot, thick and temperate parts together, but both of those parts pure, as shall be evinced by this Example.

The Spirit of Salt, or of Niter is indeed inwardly a mere Fire, but externally a mere Cold, by which all thin things do stiffen and wax hard. Therefore as the distillation doth induce heat, expels and extenuates, so the rectification doth by the acid Spirit compel or drive the same inward, thickneth it, and reduceth it into an equal temperature: For the Oil in the first distillation is plainly hotter and subtiller both within and without, than ’twas before, but by rectifying it with the acid Spirit, the most subtil part comes over first, then the middle part, and the thickest resides in the bottom, which is of an equal degree of heat and thickness as the Turpentine is, and is as usefull both inwardly and outwardly as the Turpentine it self is. And I have over and above that middle Oil, and that most subtil Spirit burning and penetrative, the which I can make use of for those effects, which require such subtilty, or if I lift, thicken it with what I left remaining of it self behind, which is thick, but yet purified, or else thicken it with some other convenient thing. And thus may I reduce one Subject into as many Degrees as I please, whereas the Turpentine had before but onely one Degree: From hence may the friendly Reader see what _Basis_ this my distillation and rectification by an acid Spirit hath: Whereby not onely a great deal, yea 3, 4, or 5 times more Oil comes over than by the common hot Still; but also the Volatile Salts and the Spirits, and sharp Vinegars may be hereby gotten out of Vegetables and Animals, and besides a pretty quantity of thick Oil to be externally used, and which otherwise in distillation by water in a _Vesica_ or hot Still, would remain wholly behind. The benefit therefore of this distillation and rectification, doth not onely consist in the getting a far greater quantity of the pure Oil, but also in getting the Volatile Salt, (which as to its use is equivalent in vertue to the Oil) and withal, an acid Spirit which abundantly sufficeth both inwardly and outwardly according to its Office. I do therefore earnestly demand of all skilfull Spagyrists (for ’tis in vain to appeal to such as are yet ignorant what the Art of Fire is) whether or no this distillation is not to be preferred before the others, and to be made use of for the benefit of mankind. I hope that the well minded Reader will follow this rule, and will apprehend from this one process onely, so much as to be afterwards easily able to reduce every distilled Oil into its former hardness, by the help of an acid Spirit. Let us consider Amber onely, ’tis indeed a fine transparent kind of stone, which was before (or at first) soft and fluid as Turpentine was, an Oil or a kind of thin Bitumen, but now so hardened by the salt Water that it may be beaten to a Powder, yet may it be distilled and so separated and cleansed from its earthly Nature: And the pure Oil may be reduced into its former hardness, by the help of Spirit of Salt onely: For it became at first hardened by Salt, when it flowed thin out of the Rock: But of this enough, we shall say more of it in another place.

Now follows the Process of purifying Minerals by distillation or sublimation, and of depurating them even to the utmost, by rectifying them by an Acid Spirit. To exemplifie which, I will instance in Common Sulphur, according to which rule the other purification of Minerals may be instituted.

Take common Brimstone, sublime it the usual way into Flowers, or by it self in a Coated glass retort, or let it be mixt with decrepitated Salt, for so will it be freed from its most crude terrestreity, and be rendered fit for a farther Mundification by an Acid Spirit. Take one pound of these Flowers of Sulphur, and put it into a strong Glass Body coated, then pour in one or two pounds of the Spirit of Niter, or of common Salt, and place it in an Earthen-vessel in Sand: Put there under a Fire, encreasing it gradually untill the Spirit of Salt boils in the Retort, and the Sulphur melts, and there will swim somewhat like Oil on the top of the Water: _N. B._ An Alembick is to be put on the Body, lest the Spirit of Salt ascending up, goes away in fume; but in the Alembick it will be refrigerated, condensed, and may be saved. This boiling is finished in some five or six hours, and so the Sulphur is mundified, and becomes as clear and transparent as Glass. For the Spirit of Salt attracteth the Metalline Parts, which are in the Sulphur, whether it be Copper, Arsenick, Auripigment, Vitriol, or such-like impurities which are commonly adherent, and stickers on to the Sulphur, and would otherwise have remained in it, and done more hurt in Medicine: And this _Paracelsus_ knew, and adviseth to beware of; For certain it is there lye hidden in Sulphur incredible Vertues, and such as its common Flowers do not shew or discover, as being yet infected with Mineral venenate Spirits, which may be taken thencefrom by the Spirit of Salt. And if then either the Flowers be sublimed out of it, or that it be dissolved in a Balneum with Spirit of Juniper, or of Turpentine, or be by any other way reduced into a Liquid form, it doth much good in Medicine, nor is there any more fear of its venomous nature, for the Spirit of Salt hath took that away. I could indeed here mention some preparations of Common Sulphur, into efficacious Medicaments, but that I have intended to proceed no farther with it here, than onely as touching its purification by the Spirit of Salt: the rest we will leave to another time.

As Sulphur may be proceeded with, so likewise may you deal with the other Minerals, and first mundifie them by a Retort, and distill them into black Oils, then may the Oils be clarified with Spirit of Salt, and be reduced into sweet Oils and Balsams. Nor will any man easily believe what notable Vertues there are hidden in the mountainous and terrestrial Minerals, and yet not usefull at all inwardly, because of their Arsenical nature, which may with ease be taken away from them by Spirit of Salt, and be thereby more securely used as to Medicine. And had I not purposely tried it, I would not at all have written of it. For information therefore of the unexperienced, I will tell you a story, whereby it will appear, that those Minerals do usually lodge in them evil and venomous Arsenical Spirits.

In the County or Province of _Erbach_, scituate between the _Mœne_ and _Neker_ in _Franconia_, is found plenty of a Sand knit as it were together by a fluid Mineral, and grown together into huge heaps like little Mountains of a duskish colour; which if you lay on burning Coals, emits a sweet odour altogether like Amber. When I saw it, I put some into a Retort, and distilled an Oil thencefrom, wholly like the Oil of Amber both in colour and smell, and had used it in its stead, had I not shortly after tried another knack: For ordering the Chambers to be fumed with the Sand, because it yielded such a fragrant odour, I very seasonably observed that that fume was unwholsome and venomous, for it caused pains of the Head, and a kind of nauseate, ’twas also offensive to the Stomach, and this made me leave off my Fumigations, and set about rectifying the Oil thence distilled, by the Spirit of Salt, and by this means I got a clear and pure Oil, and the Spirit of Salt attracted to it self the Arsenical Essence, which being purged and rectified, yielded me at the bottom real Arsenick, whence I perceived that all those Minerals are very Arsenical, and no ways fit for internal use, unless they be first mundified by the Spirit of Salt. Many such kinds of Minerals are to be found, which we neither care for, nor know: some of which are as hard as a Stone, some thin, some fluid like Oil; such an one is that Fountain about _Baccharach_ that boils up in the middle of the _Rhine_, and fills the whole _Rhine_ for about three miles space and an half with its fatness, and yields a most fragrant odour, is of a duskish colour. For as I was ferrying by it, I took up some of the water in my hand, and questionless the Fountain of it must needs flow very plentifully, forasmuch as the whole River _Rhine_ is filled therewith as far as you can see, and yet scarce one Man amongst a hundred or a thousand doe in their sailing by it take notice thereof. Doubtless this Fountain hath its efflux and rise out of the Mountains which border on each side the River. Did it break out at the top of the Earth, it would be worth Gold and Cedar, but lying so deep, ’tis of no use. Were curious Men inhabitants there, they would doubtless find out this Fountain; For on this part of the _Rhine_, where the City _Baccharach_ lies, is a high Mountain, where grows pretious Wine, and is in Foreign parts sold at a dear rate, because of its most sweet savour and odour, and by the Inhabitants is called Muscadel, and ’tis a sort of Wine produced onely in this Mountain; nor can the neighbouring adjacent places make the like. Hence I presume that this Fountain at _Baccharach_ ariseth from a Mineral Oil, flowing out from this Mountain into the _Rhine_, and that hence also ariseth the goodness of the Wine. And whereas this Mountain affords not such a quantity of Wine as the Inhabitants wish, they bethought themselves of a remedy for this scarcity, casting in Herb-scarlet into the common Wine, from which it got the same kind of taste, and became almost Muscadel. Nor let it seem strange to any one for the Wine to attract a savour from the Earth lying about it, for ’tis very certain, and I my self have tried it; And since it is so that this matter affords me opportunity of speaking of these things, I will give you my opinion more clearly in what follows.

Below _Frankford_, some four miles from the River _Mœne_, there lies a Village called _Hohenheime_ under the _Moguntia_ Elector, and there’s a Mountain which yields very good Wine, though not of so delicate a savour as that of _Baccharach_, yet ’tis of a sweet smell, whereby it exceeds all the Rhenish Wine, and is therefore dear; The cause of this, I attribute to the Soil, in which the Vines grow, which Soil brings forth Stone Coals, and were heretofore digged hence, and are now again sought after, which Coals have in them a sweet Mineral Oil, as I shall shew you. Farther, there lies a high Mountain at the River _Mœne_ about the Castle _Klingenberg_, scituate between _Odenwall_ and _Spessart_, where that Earth is found too, such as I above mentioned, which yields a sweet Oil in distillation. And this Mountain doth likewise produce sweet and good Wine, so that it yields not a whit (in its kind) to that of _Baccharach_ or _Hohenheime_. But now whether or no the Mineral Oil that is not far off to be here found, be wholly the cause, I doe not affirm, but I believe it, for my part, so to be, let another follow his own opinion. There is also a great Mountain at _Herbipolis_, at the _Steine_ so called, that yields pretious Wine, but not of a savour like these three. Hence arose that Proverb: At _Baccharach_ on the _Rheine_, _Herbipolis_ on the _Steine_, _Klingenberg_ on the _Mœne_, and _Hochheime_ on the _Rehn_, are the four best Wines.

I confess there grows good Wine every-where on the River _Mœne_, but yet these four do far exceed all the others, and that haply because of that sweet savour which they attract out of the Earth where they grow. For it is certain that the Vine doth draw an odour and savour (more than all other Plants do) out of the Earth, whence it hath its nutriment: So that it is not very difficult for a good Physician to communicate to the Vine any savour that he listeth (which will be) according to the nutriment which is put to the Root. I make no doubt but that there will be some Zoilists that will make a mock of these Reasons of mine, as concerning the ground and rise of the taste of the Wine at _Baccharach_, _Herbipolis_, _Klingenberg_ and _Hochheime_, and will not attribute the cause to the Soil, but say that my Reasons are invalid shallow ones, the which derision I shall patiently undergo: such kind of Men will rather drink the good Wine even to excess, than produce any reasons whence the savour proceeds. But I speak experimentally, and say that the Vines do attract a savour from the Soil whence they are planted, the which I have many a time tried and found so to be. Verily the Gardiners know, that Man’s dung will give a nutriment or encrease to Flowers, but yet will put an odd smell upon them; And therefore do they carefully shun the putting it to the Roots of sweet-smelling Flowers, but use it rather to such as are void of odour, as Tulips and such-like, that so they may grow the sooner. ’Tis also evidently observed, that if the Root of the Vine be planted in such a place where Man’s dung lieth, it acquires an unpleasant odour, and the Grapes are thereby rendered unfit to be eaten. Besides, the most curious Vine-dressers have long ago attained to this experience, that if the Scarlea or any other odoriferous Herb be applied to the Root of the Vine, it will bestow its Odour on the Grapes, (but it serves for no more years than that onely) whereas if they pour upon the Root an Oil of a sweet and strong Odour, that Vine will produce Muscadel for ten years and more, the which I have handled at large in the Vegetable work, and do mention it herein briefly upon this account; Because that a Mineral Oil lies hid in the Earth in abundance, the which being incorporated in Plants, but in Vines especially, produceth excellent Fruits, whereof but a few Men have the knowledge.

But now that I may yet demonstrate this more clearly to the unskilfull, and consequently incredulous, _viz._ that there is a most great sweetness in the Minerals, which may here be extracted by distillation and rectification with Spirit of Salt, I will instance this example: ’Tis well known to all Men that the Stone Coals which are in many places digged out of the Earth, doe (being burnt) emit an ungratefull Odour, and are hence usually esteemed of as venomous; but in those places where they are plentifully digged, they are daily used in coction, nor doth any hurt arise therefrom: So that it must needs be acknowledged, that they do not stink of themselves, but that the Fire onely is the cause of the stink, and that their innate fatness is of a savoury and sweet-smelling nature, yea so sweet as any Vegetable, as I can easily evidence. You have an Example in Roses, or any other Vegetable, which if distilled by a Retort, loseth its sweet odour, and puts on a smell of burning too: What hinders from being so in Minerals, as in Pit-Coals, and the like? I grant indeed, that if enough Oil would come over out of the Vegetables by an hot Still, there would be no need of this distilling by a Retort, and rectifying by Spirit of Salt, because it requires a great deal of labour; but forasmuch as there doth not distill enough over, ’twill behove us to acquiesce in this method. Nor fear I to affirm, that if it were possible to distill an Oil out of such Coals by a hot Still, it would give place to no Aromatical Oil whatsoever in the sweetness of the smell. From whence, I pray, should so many kinds of Herbs draw such various Odours and Savours, were there not lying hid in the Earth an Universal Sulphur or Balsam?

But to put an end to this discourse, and that I may shew that the Pit-Coals do contain in them an Oil or pretious and wholsome Balsam, no whit inferiour as to its Vertues to any of the most pretious Oils or Balsams brought us out of the _Indies_ observe but this process.

Fill a Retort with Coals, and distill a black Oil, the which separate from the Acid-water that came over the Helm with it, and rectifie it by Spirit of Salt, and so there will first of all come the clear and pure Oil, then a yellow Oil, not so sweet as the former, and the thick and black Oil remains behind, and serves for to be mixt with Emplaisters; for ’tis a wonderfull healer, by reason of its innate siccity; now the yellow Oil may be yet farther rectified once more by Spirit of Salt, that it may become pure, white, and fair: But if you are yet farther minded to make a difference betwixt these pure Oils, and will again rectifie them with new Spirit, then shall you take the most pure part by it self, which as to heat, subtilty, and sweetness, is fully equal to the true Oil of Peter; and which being kept apart, and used for cold accidents, both inwardly and outwardly, will do the same, yea and much more than is attributed to the Oil of Peter. Nor is there any fear at all of these Oils being Arsenical, for the Spirit of Salt hath took off all the Arsenick in the rectification, and if you please you may use the Oil which comes next after the most subtile Oil in mixing it with Balsams, or it may be safely used by it self, either inwardly or outwardly, and ’twill perform wonderfull things, and such as exceed belief, forasmuch as in Pit-Coals lieth a most great Balsamick vertue; If the depurated Sulphur which we spake of afore be dissolved with this Oil, and reduced into a Balsam, thou shalt have a Medicament, which may deservedly be styled an Universal terrestrial Mineral Balsam, and doth both as to inward and outward uses far exceed all other Balsams: And therefore ’tis in my mind to prepare this Balsam in great quantity, for the benefit of Mankind: The most notable Vertues thereof should I describe, the very description would amount to a particular Treatise, but that belongs not to this place, but it sufficeth me to have at this time explained the manner of the preparation. I may haply (if God please) more largely teach concerning its Vertues, another time, as likewise the Vertues of the rest of my Medicines.

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And thus will I put an end to the Third Part of my _Pharmacopœa Spagyrica_, in which I have (in my opinion) mentioned sufficient enough; and although it be but a small Book to sight, yet do great things lie hidden under it, which one amongst a thousand will scarce comprehend. But that the well-minded Reader may understand, what reality there is lies hidden in this Treatise, I will here teach by way of an Appendix one Process onely, whereby it shall evidently appear how noble the Art of Purging things by distillation is. This operation is well enough known in the Vegetables and Animals, _viz._ that always from the thing you distill, the purer part comes over first, then the more vile part, but the unprofitable earthiness abides in the bottom with the fixed Salt. Now in Metals this Process is not so well known, nor will it be so soon made publick and common, nor indeed is it expedient, for this world is not worthy the knowledge thereof. But that I may satisfie my promise, and shew, that Metals may by distillation be made Spirits, and purged in the highest degree. I will make use of this following Example: ’Tis known to every one, that if any dry thing is to be distilled by the fire, some moisture must be mingled therewithall, which may attract to it self the gross and heavy part, as you may see in the common distillation of Herbs, to which Herbs (when dry) Water is added, with which their savour and vertue distilleth over: And to every dry thing there is requisite its proper humidity, which must of necessity have a Communion or Affinity with the dry, if it be to bring over the dry with it self. Now common Water is able to carry over (in distilling) the odour and savour of Herbs, yea and of Salts, but not of hard Sulphureous or Mercurial Minerals, much less of the fixed Metals. But forasmuch as Metals are Homogeneal, and cannot be purged by any force of Fire, nor separated from the impure part, unless they be dissolved by agreeable and convenient _Menstruums_, and be rendered apt by distillation, for always that which is brought into Flores doth (if reduced) yield such a Metallick body as it at first came from. Thence arose an opinion of an impossibility of separating the pure part from the impure. Indeed to the blockish and unskilfull all things seem impossible, and therefore from them is not to be lookt for any judging of good secrets.

But to return to my purpose, and shew that a Golden Essence may be distilled and separated out of the crude Metals by Distillations, I will make use of a common Example. Dissolve in a Common _Aq. Fortis_, made the usual way of Niter and Vitriol, one Ounce of pure Silver; which being wholly dissolved and reduced into pure Water, pour out the Solution gently into another Glass, that so if haply any Gold were mixt with your Silver it might stay behind, and not be dissolved, or mixed together, lest the Experiment prove fallacious. Then some common Salt is to be dissolved in common Water, the Salt to be in weight equal to your Silver; and this Water is to be added to the dissolved Silver, and to be so long poured out of one Glass into another untill it be well mixt, then let it settle, and let the pure Water be poured off, and a white Powder of the Silver will remain, which is again to be macerated with pure Water several times, untill the Calx of the Silver be freed from all Saltness and Corrosivity; Then dry it, and you shall have a white and tender Powder, and very fusile, so that it will melt even with the flame of a Candle, and is not unlike to a _Mercury_, but may well be called the _Mercury_ of _Lune_, but the Chymists usually call it the horned _Moon_, for being molten it resembles the shape of an Horn, and with this may be wonderfull things effected both in Medicine and Alchymy; but belongs not to this place to speak of, and therefore are to be but just hinted. And like as we have spoken of _Lune_, so likewise must we proceed with _Saturn_; and he will also yield you a white Volatile and fusile Powder, as easily melting, yea easier than the _Mercury_ of Silver, and is deservedly called the _Mercury_ of _Saturn_. These two are willingly associated to a third, _viz._ to Common _Mercury_, and do fix him, and so is that Axiome of the Philosophers fulfilled, _Nature rejoyceth with Nature, Nature overcomes Nature, Nature retains Nature_. Farther, these _Mercuries_ do admit of distillation and a separation of the pure part from the impure, no otherwise than as doth a Vegetable. But the way of doing this is not to be so hastily written, I spent a whole year in searching after it, till I found it, and so let another seek; and if God grants it him, he may enjoy it; And if God vouchsafeth him so much, he will also give him the knowledge how to use it: If the _Mercury_, which in it self is white, volatile and fusile, is rendered more white by distillation; ’tis also a necessary consequence that it will become likewise more volatile, more fusile, and more pure: but of this enough.

But to come yet nearer to the matter, and to shew that Metals may be so separated by distillation as to become golden, take this Example: Take two Ounces of the aforesaid horny _Lune_, and reduce it into Corporeal or pliable Silver, and separate it by a Cupel, for then thou art assured that no other thing is in it but Silver: Dissolve this Cupellated Silver again in common _Aq. Fortis_, and it will leave a good part of Golden Calx. Now it may be demanded, whence comes this Golden Calx? Comes it from the Silver, or the _Aq. Fortis_, or from the Salt-water, all which three were in use in the precipitation? I answer, that the Spirit of Niter brought over with it self, in the distillation, a certain Goldenishness from the Iron and Copper which were in the Vitriol, and that in the form of a Spirit, and assumed its Body from the _Lune_. Now if any other Body concludes it to be otherwise, _viz._ that the aforesaid Gold comes from the _Lune_ onely, and not from the _Aq. Fortis_, I do but ask him this Query, Why the very same sort of Silver, being dissolved and precipitated out of the _Aq. Fortis_ with Salt of Tartar, or by Copper Plates, be not equally as golden as this is which is precipitated with Salt-water? But some may yet urge farther, that this Gold proceeds onely from the Salt with which the Silver is precipitated, and not from the _Aq. Fortis_ or Silver, because the Silver being dissolved in _Aq. Fortis_, and precipated with Brass Plates, or the Liquor of Salt of Tartar, yields no Gold; but that onely gives Gold which is precipitated with Salt-water. To answer this Objection, and clearly to demonstrate that this Gold owes its Original to them both, _viz._ the Tincture to the _Aq. Fortis_, but the Body to the Silver, and not to the common Salt, (for though there lies hidden in all common Salt a certain Golden power, which may be thence drawn by Art, yet that is not to be done this kind of way, but by another, which we mention in our Book called _the Consolation of Sailours_) I do certainly know, that this Gold proceeding from the precipitated Silver, doth arise from the Vitriol and Silver onely, and not from the Salt: And this may be clearly observed thus; If you add to the Vitriol and Niter a Verdigrease prepared with Sulphur and Salt, the _Aq. Fortis_ will be twice more Golden than if ’twere made of onely Vitriol; the reason is this, because the Iron and the Copper are fixed in the Vitriol, and do not easily yield Gold; but if the Copper be first reduced with Salt and Sulphur into a Volatile Calx, and be added to the Vitriol and Niter, then is this kind of Labour done to profit, else not: This which I write is onely to demonstrate the possibility. And should you add to the Vitriol and Niter, or to Allum and Niter, other Species containing Volatile Gold, as _Calaminaris_, _Zinck_, and such like, the Water will be rendered so much the more Golden: But if you add to the Niter and Vitriol such Species as contain in them Volatile Silver, such as are _Cobolt_, _Bismuth_, _Arsenick_ then the _Aq. Fortis_ is rendered more Silvery, and makes part of the Copper in the Solution purely Silvery, like as the Goldenish water when ’tis in the Solution makes part of the Silver Golden. By which it is demonstrated, that crude Metals are depurated by distillation, and may be made Volatile, and that by that means of Solution, Corporal Gold and Silver may be precipitated out of the Metals, according as the Dissolvent is prepared out of Golden or Silvery Subjects.

This Example I account sufficient to evidence, that the crude Metals may be purged by Distillation so as to become golden. If then it be so with the crude and impure Metals, what then may be done with the pure ones if they be made by Distillation, yet more pure; without all question a most excellent medicine might be from thence prepared, and far to be preferred to Gold or Silver. This discourse do I here make use of to the intent that it may be seen, that even fixt metals being after a due manner opened and made volatile, are capable of sending out their best part, and of being separated by Distillation from the more crude part. But this Treatise appertains not to Alchymy but to Medicine, and yet I thought good to induce this argument, _viz._ (that out of crude Vitriol, may a volatile Gold be drawn by Distillation and be incorporated with Gold and Silver) to this end that all men might know of a certainty, how much good may be done in metals by Distillation, and what a pure substance may be thence drawn. Nor doth _Basil Valentine_ that _German_ Philosopher, doubt expresly to write that the Philosophers Stone is full as easie, yea easier to be prepared out of Vitriol than Gold. If therefore the highest universal medicine both for man and metals may be prepared out of common Vitriol, why may not the same be possible to be done out of the purer metals if they were reduced into Vitriol, and so as to admit of Distillation, whereby the pure may be separated from the impure.

If now the common Vitriol of Copper and Iron, do in Distillation yield volatile Gold, why should not the Vitriol of _Lune_ do it much more and yield it nobler, as being indeed the true and onely metallick Vitriol of the Philosophers, which _Basilius_ appoints to be taken for his Work, and doth truely deserve the name of Vitriol. For if you would have your common Vitriol tinge, you must add Galls thereto, but this Vitriol doth truely blacken all things without Galls. But you must not imagine that I do here intend such a Vitriol of _Lune_, as is by solution (in _Aq. Fortis_ reduced into a white Crystal, or such as is precipitated by the water of Salt out of the Solution (in _Aq. Fortis_) no such matter? For this resembles not Vitriol, because it may be again reduced (into Silver.) But the true Vitriol of the Philosophers is prepared out of _Lune_ without _Aq. Fortis_ or such like Corrosives, and is not reduceable in the strongest Fire, but remains a Vitriol, tingeth the Tonge, is astringent, and yields a golden Water, which dissolveth Gold and fixeth it therewith. Such a Vitriol will we make use of in medicine and Alchymy, and leave the common Vitriol for the Dyers. The Ancients called their Salt Vitriol, on this account, because that it did as to its external Figure resemble Vitriol, but though they so called it, yet they took not the common Vitriol, which every wise man may be easily perswaded to believe. So then let the _Lune_ be the Earth, Gold the Seed, and _Mercury_ the (Water, but not the common _Mercury_) with which it is to be watered, and let the rest be committed to God and Art. Thus far have I declared to you my opinion, let every man follow his own. But thus is confirmed the assertion of that excellent Philosopher _Basil Valentine_, who affirms, that even out of common Vitriol may be extracted a certain goldenishness; how much more credible then is it, that a Vitriol prepared out of the more pure metals may yield a better goldenness. Every one may believe what I here write for I have oft times tried it, but yet I have received more Gold sometimes than at other some according as I ordered my process, and reduced my precipitated Silver; for you are to know, that such a kind of Silver as is precipitated out of _Aq. Fortis_, by the Water of Salt is wholly volatile, nor melteth it like to a Calx of _Lune_, but goes away partly in fume, and part is reduced into an horny Stone, and yet by a peculiar Distillation doth all come over, but enough of this. Hereupon is Salt of Tartar to be added to this volatile Calx, lest being molten it vanisheth away in fume, for Borax doth not prevent it. But it melteth better if it be help by that notable fluxing Powder, made of Niter, Tarter, and Sulphur, and it be kindled by a little Coal and burnt up, but then all the Silver doth not melt, but part of it goes away in fume. _N. B._ If you catch this fume which is a thing easily done, it resembles the form of a red Powder, and will abundantly recompence your pains, nor may that saying of _Paracelsus_ be unfitly applied hereunto, _viz._ to corrupt is totally to perfect, because these Flores of Silver are not lost, but are of a greater price than the Silver was. He that well knows this labour (for indeed experience is the best master) will not labour in vain. And if he learns nothing from this little here-taught, neither will he find out ought from a greater. For I have in these few words revealed much, yea haply more than I ought to have done. All which we do in the first and chiefest place attribute to God, next him to Niter, which renders Metals so fluxible. From hence may the well minded Reader percieve that there is in Niter, not onely a power to fix all volatile Minerals and Metals (of which I have treated in my second part of the Prosperity of _Germany_) but also of making them wholly volatile, so that they may be distilled and purged, as is sufficiently evident in the aforegoing example: Besides, there is another way of making Metals volatile, as well as by Niter, but so as that they be not wholly dissolved, but are by a moist nitrous Fire reduced so far as to retain the form which they put upon themselves in the said moist Fire, and yet they become so volatile, as to suffer themselves to be wholly distilled and sublimed, and will in the _Proba_ give Gold, the which the gradatory Water hath made in them. But of these things more at large in the fourth part of the Prosperity of _Germany_: Thus with what hath been said, will I finish the third part of my _Pharmacopœa Spagyrica_.

_The End of the Third Part._

THE
FOURTH PART
OF THE
Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.

Treating of the four principal Pillars of Medicine, _viz._ Sulphur,
Vitriol, Antimony, and Mercury, but chiefly of the great harmony
between the Superiour Elementary Sun and Moon, and the Inferiour
and Terrestrial Gold and Silver, and the magnetick way of
attracting the Virtues of _Sol_ and _Lune_ by the Air, and of
rendring them palpable and visible.

READER,

_After that I had intended to publish in the Fourth Part of this my =Spagyrical Pharmacopœa=, some singular and excellent Medicines, and such as might much exceed all others, and so must consequently be prepared of choice and excellent subjects and matters; I accounted it my task in the first place to shew you out of what subjects such efficacious Medicines may be drawn and extracted, =viz.= out of Gold, Wine, and Antimony, as likewise out of Vitriol and Mercury, but not the vulgar Mercury._

_Now although most Men are blinded with a thick darkness, but principally those that prosecute the truth with a deadly hatred, and do prate much, and by reason of their blindness and ignorance do affirm, that Gold being a thick and compact body is not at all fit to admit of such a preparation as thereby to display its most efficacious virtues in Man’s Body: And as for Antimony and Mercury, that they are most present Poisons, and can’t serve as Medicines without great danger; but as for Wine, that it is indeed fit to be drunk, but is of no validity in Medicine, not knowing how to imploy it about any Medicinal use, but are rather ready and skilfull Artists at swallowing it down in full draughts; however though they thus chat yet these objections are frivolous, and do proceed from their ignorance which is wrapped about with most thick Clouds, and which I refute by this brief and strong Reply. But I do not at all deny, that Gold reduced even to the smallest Powder, and so made use of (as ’twas wont of old to be by the Ancient, yea and latter Galenists, and is even too at this day) by mixing it with such Medicines as are for the comforting and strengthning the Heart and Vitals of Men, cannot contribute so much as the least Iota to the health and preservation of the body of Man: And so I say of Antimony and Mercury, that they are not at all salutiferous to Man’s Body, but contrariwise are deadly and destructive Medicaments, untill (by a due preparation) they are deprived of all their Venenosity, and thereby rendred fit to be safely made use of. So Wine it self being taken per se as it is, is a restoring and refreshing Drink for Man, provided it be moderately used: But contrarily is a causer of many Diseases if it be frequently and in large quantities swallowed in, and doth operate in Man’s Body more hurt than good, this daily experience doth sufficiently testifie, and renders it evident, that being so immoderately taken, it fills all the Members of the whole Body with Tartar, and makes obstructions and stirs up intolerable Pains, and principally in the Bladder, Reins, and other parts of the Body, =viz.= if coagulated in the Hands, Knees, and Feet, whereupon it doth not easily suffer it self to be exterminated, unless by such Artists as well know the properties and nature of Tartar, but of such Men there is at this day a great scarcity, and therefore that proverbial Verse still takes place._

Solvere Nodosam Nescit Medicina Podagram.

The Art of Physick can’t root out
(Thy dire Disease) the Knotty Gout.

_But he who is so well skilled as to separate the fiery, penetrative, wholsome, and true Medicinal Spirit of Wine; Yea its true Balsam from its Fæces, he will easily expel out of the Body of Man all tartarous impurities and defilements, and will perform things wonderfull in the Stone and Gout. But now forasmuch as the educing so wholsome a Medicine out of gross crude Tartar is known but to a very few, no wonder that there hath been so little or rather nothing at all performed by Physicians in such like most grievous tartarous Diseases that have gotten deep rooting in the Body of Man. But the way how you may be rendred Possessors of such a Spirit of Wine shall be spoken of afterwards. Yet I would not that anyone should perswade himself that my meaning and intention in this place is about the common Spirit of Wine, or either that which is gotten out of Tartar by the usual known way of Distillation. No, there’s a vast difference betwixt that Spirit which I here make mention of and the other. For in this Spirit the crude Tartar is first to be washed by common Water from all its Defilements, and that without the addition of any other things, so as to shine like Snow, then to be afterwards made black by putrefaction, and out of that blackness the said Balsam is to be drawn off, of which we shall hereafter make a more ample Declaration. This now is that Spirit which doth Anatomically resolve the compacted Body of Gold, and converteth the venemousness of Antimony into a wholsome Medicine, and doth perform things wonderfull in all tartarous Diseases. ’Tis the true Wine of Health, and the very =Aq. Vitæ= of the Philosophers, and hath a great familiarity with Gold and Man, and may be excellently compared with the coagulated solar beams._

_Therefore as it is evidently known to every body, that Gold and Wine are advanced on to maturity, by the heat of the Sun, and that Men do notably love and desire both of them. So may any one conjecture what Gold and Wine would do if a Man could but have them reduced to a spiritual essence. Hence now it seems necessary unto me, that before I pass on to the preparation of the said Medicine, I do in a few words describe the harmonial love that is between the superiour and inferiour Sun and Man, that so it may appear, what a bond or tie of love and necessity there is betwixt these three most noble Creatures of God, to one another._

CHAP. I.

_Of the Harmony and Agreeableness between the Superior Elementary,
and Inferiour Earthly Sun, with Wine and Man._

’Tis well known even to the blind Bayards and Barbars, that the Sun in the heavenly Firmament, is the most noble and most eminent Creature God made. For it is that onely light which makes all the Stars partakers of its Splendour, Light and Brightness. ’Tis also the onely Fountain and as it were Father of all the Creatures, because if they are deprived of it, they are in the dark and die: Nay even man himself cannot live without the help of the Sun, and all things would perish, should the Sun be but one moment withdrawn from them. For all things that are do receive their Life and Augmentation from the Sun; and he was (according to _Moses_ his Doctrine) the first and chiefest that did proceed forth by God’s creating, and will doubtless be the last when all things shall be dissolved, and pass into a better State at the final Destruction of this worldly Fabrick. The Sun supplies the place of a heart in the wonderfull Structure of the Macrocosm: And in like manner the heart it self in man’s Body is aptly compared to the Sun, as being the first liver, and last dier in the humane Fabrick; and this is known to every body. And therefore amongst all the Creatures indued with life and motion, man doth in nobility and magnificence excel them all, as having gotten his body from the earth, his Spirit and Life from the Sun, and his Soul from God.