Chapter XCIV: Part I: To the well minded Reader (22)

_B._ Whats this, I hear thee utter? I could never have believed you, to have been of such a broken and dejected mind. What? Would you contemn the Writings of the Philosophers, and slight them, because they are above your Capacity, and too hard for your understanding? Tis a wicked thing, to entertain such a thought, much more to utter it. I would have you, rather to persuade your self, that you are not as yet worthy of the Secrets and Gifts of so great worth: For though a Man should torment himself with abundance of hard Labours in this World, and should aflict his Body with uncessant Sweating pains, yet would he not effect ought without the Blessing of God. Do you not know that saying of _Paul_; _Tis not of him that Wills, nor of him that Runs, but of God alone that shews mercy_. You should therefore reckon your self amongst the number of those, that have run in vain, nor hath God injured you at all. What! does not Christ say, _Not all that say unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but they only who do the Will of my Father_. Examine now your self, and see how the Case stands ’twixt God and you. The bestowing of such great things must proceed from God, and not from the Philosophers. The Philosopher may indeed write down the Truth, but yet it is not in his Power, to bestow upon thee the Divine Blessing, which is the very hinge on which all good things depend. Secrets of such great moment are not the Gifts of Men, but of God, who bestows them on whomsoever he pleaseth.

A. _In good time! Is this the Comfort and Instruction, which I begged at your hands? I did not request, you to be my Father Confessor, to hear my Confession of my Deeds, but rather that you would help me, being ignorant and unskilful, by some good and profitable Manuduction and Instruction: For I well enough knew, that wicked Men are never Masters of such great Secrets, nor will I rank my self amongst them. Be pleased but to regard my suit, and only shew me an entrance, whereby I may enter into the right and Kingly way: And as for praying to God, and Labouring without ceasing, leave the Care of that to me: I hope, that God will not deny his Blessing upon my Prayers and Labours._

_B._ Well! since I perceive you to be so throughly bent, with your utmost study and unwearied pressing on, after such an eminent thing as this is, I cannot but shew you that way, which I my self have walked in, and that too, home to the very place which my self am come unto. Verily, I see the promised Land afore my Eyes, and do daily view its Coasts, nor do I doubt, but that I shall shortly enter thereinto, and have the Fruition of its most pleasant Fruits, if no impediment debar me of so great an happiness. And as concerning your self, seeing that you are nimbler of your Feet than I am, there’s no doubt but that you will arrive thereunto, even assoon as I my self. But yet, pray first declare unto me, about what things it is, that you have spent your Monies, your Labours, and your Precious time, and all to no purpose; that so I may (as much as in me lies) the more conveniently reclaim you from your Wandrings and Errors into the right way. Tis in vain for him that is sick, to expect help and succour from the Physician, if he does not shew the place of his Dolour and Grief. Confession is a Medicine to him that goes astray. Confess therefore the Truth, that I may hear, by what things thou hast been mis-led into so many Errors.

A. _[Alas, Sir,] I could not reckon up all, in Order, though I should have time enough of so doing. But your own time, which is far more precious, does not permit, that it should be spent in hearing my foolish Labours. Besides too, the remembrance of so many Labours in vain, and of the loss of not only so much Time but Expences too, causeth a loathing in me, the very remembrance of which I abhor, much more to make a long rehearsal of the same. You may therefore easily guess, that by my insisting upon the bare Letter only of the Philosophers writings, and not understanding the sense and meaning, I have erred from the right way, and have headlong hurried my self into so many Intricacies and Errors. I have searched into Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, because the Philosophers write, that their Stone is Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral; but I see, that I have not had under my hands the true Matter. For if there does appear in any [of these Matters] the Crows head, yet the other Colours which the Philosophers make a description of (as the Dragons Blood, the Peacocks Tail, Virgins Milk, =Coagulum=, or Curdling, and principally that Red and Fire-abiding =Salamander=) did never appear [to my view.] Or, if these [Signs] of =Sanguis Draconis=, or =Lac virginis= appear to sight, in some other Matter, yet notwithstanding the other Colours, and other Signs, which the Philosophers make mention of, did never discover themselves [to my view.] What Labours soever I have used, and whatsoever matters I have dealt in, I have even Laboured in vain, and lost both my pains and Expence, and never have received any good from my laborious Operations. Hereupon I did at last even almost throughly persuade my self, that it was an impossible thing, that, out of one Matter, and by one and the same Labour, one Colour should orderly succeed another, and become visible to the sight, by the bare help of an external Fire, as for example, first if all, in the putrefaction, the Crows head, then the Peacocks Tail, then the Dragons Blood, =Lac virginis=, =Coagulum= or Cheeslike Curdling, and at last the fixt =Salamander=. But forasmuch as it appears to me, by the reading of your Writings, that you have orderly met with the sight of all those Colours in your Labours, in such manner as the Philosophers have described the same, I do firmly believe, and give Credit unto your Sayings, as unto a Man that makes Conscience of his ways, supposing, that you would not write such things unless you had wrought them with your own hands, and could even yet perform them at any time. I only beg your help in shewing me the true matter, and the Key thereof, that I may so order the Business, as to cause the Visibly appearing of one Colour after another, in one Glass, and by the bare help of one only Fire; if you do but thus much for me, you may be confident that I shall be the most contented Man [alive.] Nor do I doubt, but that as touching the remainder, as Multiplication, Projection, and such like, I shall find out those Operations well enough afterwards, by mine own studious Search, if I can but once hit on the entrance of the right, true and Kingly way._

_B._ [Hold a little, and] do not assume so much unto your self, and think that the things which are so easily said, are with as much Facility done. Have you not Read in _Bernhard Trevisan_, that a certain [Friend of his] had that great Secret as well as himself, only he knew not how to multiply it, nor would _Bernhard_ reveal the same unto him, as having the self same Books, out of which the said _Bernhard_ got the knowledge of Multiplication, himself. But be it as you desire, and seeing you request no more from my hands at this time, but only the matter and some Key, I will satisfie your request, as far forth, as the time and occasion will at present permit.

Attend therefore with diligence to those things which I shall say unto you and such things they shall be too, as unto which you may boldly give Credence. I will not (according to the Custom of many) seduce you, nor will I reveal unto you ought else, but what I have experienced by the Labours of mine own hands: And if you follow the guidance of the bare Letter it self, you will not err, unless God will not permit you to proceed, [but] throw some peculiar impediment and lett in your way.

As touching the matter, which the Philosophers have made that Universal Medicament of, I find that it is not merely _One_, but _Divers_, and this is clearly evident from the Writings of the Philosophers, who openly hint unto us, that one of them used this way and matter; another, that, and yet at length became Masters of their desire notwithstanding. From whence it necessarily follows, that the different matters, of which is made one and the same thing, are not unlike in their more inward parts, but alike, though they do not appear so to be, as to their external hue. For it is a thing possible for two, three, or more things to differ much, [from each other] as to the outward form and shape, whereas notwithstanding in their inward parts, they are so agreeable to each other, as that the self same thing may be produced from the one as from the other. Take, for an example of this thing, the _Seeds_ and _Roots_ of some Herb, the which, as to the outside form, have no likeness to each other, and yet for all that, do they produce one and the same Herb, if they are implanted apart in the Earth. Just thus is it with the Metallick Buds and Stocks which are wont to sprout forth, as well from the Metallick _Roots_, as from the Metallick _Seeds_, in so much, that a Tree grows up of the same Nature and Form from the Metallick _Root_, as Springs from the very _Seed_ it self. Now ’tis evident, that in the Metallick Kingdom, ♄ or Lead supplies the place of the _Root_; ♂ or Iron, of the Trunck or Stock: _Jupiter_ or Tin, of the Bark, ☿ or _argent vive_, of the juice betwixt the Trunck and the Bark; ♀ or Copper, of the green Leaves; _Lune_ or Silver, of the white Flowers; and ☉ or Gold of the ripe Fruit and Seeds. If therefore the Metallick plant is to be multiplyed, that Multiplication cannot be more commodiously effected then by ☉ and ♄, that is, by the Seed, or by the Roof of the said Tree. Whosoever therefore desires to perform ought in this kind, he will not find any convenienter matters, then ☉ or ♄, that is, Gold or Lead. But yet I do not mean those vulgar Metals, but such, in which the Gold lyes as yet immature and invisible, and which is to be made visible, fixt, mature and constant by the help of Art. So then, the self same thing which may be discerned, above, in _Sol_, and appears visible to the sight, is in like manner found beneath in _Saturn_, in an invisible manner. And thus experience it self shews, that, out of two things unlike, as to the outward shape, one and the same thing like them may be made, because their internal parts are of one and the same Nature, and this outside difference or unlikeness proceeds only from the impurity, and defect of Maturation. Out of _Saturn_ therefore, as out of an unripe and impure Gold, some good may be produced: But it must of necessity be well washt, and out of it being well washed, may the first _Ens_ of Gold be extracted, and be fixed. But now, if out of mature Gold, you would yet educe something, it must then again first putrefie and be reduced into nothing, afore any more noble thing can proceed there out of. For it is like to the Seed of the Vegetables, which do’s not admit of any Multiplication of it self, unless they are first put in the Earth and consumed by Putrefaction: And this is proved, and asserted by the Testimony of our Lord Christ himself, who says, that except a grain of Wheat rot in the Earth, it cannot bring forth any Fruit. Certain it is therefore, and firmly true, that Gold cannot be translated into a better degree, unless it be again destroyed, and reduced into such a Body, as out of which it cannot be reduced into its former Golden Body [or Form.]

A. _What is it that you say, can it ever be possible, that a Metal so constant in the fire should be on such wise destroyed, as not to be reducible unto its former Body? Verily I have but small reason to boast of any great matters done by me: For I have for some years past tormented my self hitherto, about decocting and cooking of Gold: I have dissolved it in sundry sharp [and Corrosive] Waters, and have beheld its ascending with its yellow Colour, by a Retort and through an Alembick, but yet I never got ought else in the Precipitation of the same, but common Gold, and which was not in the least bettered thereby. And therefore I did at last conclude with my self, as many others have done, that the common Gold could not be the matter of the Philosophick Stone, and it holds hidden within its Body, no more Tincture than it stands in need of, it self; and that therefore it has not the Faculty of tinging other white Metallick Bodies._

_B._ I do not at all wonder at your falling into this Opinion. There are many others besides you, that are of the same mind; Nay, I my self doubted much about this very thing, _viz._ whether or no, Gold hides within its _inward_ parts any more of _Colour_, than it shews unto us in its outside shape. But then on the other hand, it could not seem at all likely, that such eminent Men should publish such great Fallacies and so many Lyes, merely to seduce Men, by. And whilst I was thus wavering in this kind of doubting, the Truth did at last (after sundry and many inquisitions) by a mere chance present it self unto me; in so much, that I am now clearly convinced of my Error, and am even constrained to believe, that a true Tincture, tinging the imperfect Metals, may be extracted out of Gold. For well may that be believed, which the Eyes see, and the hands feel.

A. _I rejoyce exceedingly to hear you say, that you have seen the Truth, and I hope that in time you will refresh me with a sight thereof too._

_B._ Whatsoever lyes in my Power to serve you by, I will not in any Case deny unto you: But thus much I would you should know, that the Splendor or brightness of the Truth it self hath shone upon me, but I have never as yet brought the work it self unto an end, by reason of the want of time: But yet however, I am confident and firmly persuaded, that if no impediment chance to happen, I shall bring it to its wished end. And now seeing you are by some years younger than my self and that you have store of time and all other Conveniencies, I dare be confident, that you would finish that Operation much sooner, should I but reveal unto you those things, which I am already arrived to the knowledge of, by the Labours of mine own hands.

A. _Proceed on, I pray, in this your Liberality, and make me, as being a Man following after Honesty, partaker of your Happiness, and I shall be everlastingly obliged to you and yours. And whatsoever Labour or Task is to be undergone for you; I will with a ready and willing mind undertake it, and in all things respectfully regard your wholsome Instructions._

_B._ Well! I trust you, and believe, that you will perform your Promises, by which you bind your Credit; but however you shall give me your hand, and Promise me, that you will conceal the Art in most profound silence.

A. _I will, here’s my right hand, and Credit upon it._

_B._ Hearken then, with your utmost diligence, and with an accurate intention, receive the things which I shall speak unto you.

A. _I do, and listen attentively._

_B._ In the first place then, you are to know, that, if you would make any good thing out of the common Gold, you must perfectly cast out of your mind that Opinion, which hath hurried not a few into no small difficulties, imagining, that (by the help of some _Menstruum_ or other) the _Colour_ of the Gold is to be extracted out of it, and that Silver is to be tinged, with that same Golden Tincture thus extracted, and that, to the remaining white Gold, its Colour may be again restored by the other lesser Metals, as ♂ or _Antimony_, Copper, or Iron: Such thoughts as these you must clearly remove out of your mind, as being those which rob a many of their precious Time and Estates. There are several ways, by which I know how to extract the Colour from Gold, but tis needless to reckon them up here by a tedious repeating of them, seeing they are not any ways profitable, but rather cause loss of Time and Goods. The main thing you are to mind is this, _viz._ to meditate [and enquire] by an accurate and uncessant studious Search, by what means you may destroy Gold, kill it, and so compel it by Putrefaction to produce to view its internal and invisible Colour, and (on the contrary) to introvert (and hide) its external and visible Yellowness. For Gold it self is no other thing save a mere Tincture, to the acquiring of which, there needs not any other thing save the true Key, which unlocks Gold, introverts it, and renders the invisible Colour, visible. Besides, neither are those to be hearkned unto, who boast of reducing Gold into its three Principles, _viz._ _Salt_, _Sulphur_, and _Mercury_; and of freeing those three from all their impurities, and then, of conjoyning them again, being thus Purged, and of Fixing them into an Universal Tincture; and such like most impertinent trifling Processes, as these. For they are mere idle Dreams, and can never be accomplished, but come to just nothing, and clearly delude the Covetous Thirsters after Gain, by their vain dependence thereupon. Nor are there in Gold any of those Feces, which they prate of its being defiled with, neither doth it admit of being severed and dissolved into those three Principles. But put Case it were possible so to be, what profit, I pray, could we hope should accrue to the said Gold by such a fruitless Labour, whereas we see, that it is not in the least measure bettered by such a Separation. It remains therefore for an undoubted Truth, that Gold neither contains any Feces, nor admits it of a resolution into Three Principles, but that it rather requires to be Radically dissolved by a due Putrefaction, and to be so opened or unlockt. And farther, the Labour of such Men is likewise vain, who Endeavour by the help of Saline, Cementations to extract from Gold, its Soul: For though such Cementations may sometimes succeed so well, as that the Gold when taken out is plainly white, yet nevertheless such a white Gold doth as yet contain in it its own peculiar Colour, the which, a little _Saltpeter_ cast in upon it in Flux, doth easily restore unto it: For then that whiteness vanisheth, and the Truth appears, and shews you, that it neither lost its yellow Colour, nor its weight, but retained them both, in the Cementation. Nay, we have been many times deceived our selves by these kind of Operations, and have persuaded our selves, that we had dispoiled the Gold of his Colour or Tincture by the Salts, whereas it had but only attracted a certain _Sulphur_ out of the Salts, by which it was made White. You may give Credit unto me, for I speak experimentally, and do not tell you dreaming Stories. I will instance it unto you, by an Example. Dissolve a little Gold in some _Aqua Regis_, and pour the Solution upon powdered _Tartar_, that so being poured upon the said _Tartar_-powder, it may be hid and covered over: Put this _Tartar_ thus moistened with the Solution of the Gold, in a strong Crucible, the which you must cover well with a Cover, and lute it: Or rather, put it in a Cementary Pot or Vessel, which will be better. The Vessel being placed in the Cementary Fire, the Gold will extract a peculiar _Sulphur_, and become White and Brittle, after its Separation from the _Salts_, by being melted. And now who is it, but would believe, that the Salts had extracted the Colour of the Gold from it, whereas it is no such matter. For a little _Saltpeter_, or else the _Cineritium_, or _Cupel_ can drive away all this white Colour, and restore it to its former Yellowness again; and this is, what my self have several times done and experienced with mine own hands.

A. _Now again, here’s a new Story I never heard of afore, who would ever have believed, but, that when they had taken their Gold (tinged with a whiter Colour than Silver) out of the Cementary Vessel, it had been clearly dispoiled of its Tincture? But now seeing it is not so, there must of necessity lye hidden under such an Action as this, some other Secret and Wonder. Verily it is no trifling Matter thus to make Gold white, without the help of the white Metals; and it is the more wonderful too, because it is not known, from whence that white Colour receiveth its Rise: It could not get it from the =Aqua Regis=, nor could it have it from the =Tartar=, and this makes me still wonder the more. And therefore, pray, rid me of this doubt, and unriddle the business unto me, for ’tis not without cause, that I suppose some great Secret may lye thereunder hidden._

_B._ Attend diligently to what I say, therefore, for its impossible for you to apprehend all things at one very dash [as I may say, and at first.] We will first of all treat about the Gold only, and of other Secrets afterwards in due time. But yet [by the by] I would have you observe in this place, this one thing; that as touching that _Sulphur_, which made the Gold white and brittle, there must needs be a notable Friendliness betwixt them, because it was so easily extracted out of the _Tartar_ by the Gold. And upon this Account there may be ground to suppose, that if the Gold were left lying longer in that close Cementation, that _Sulphur_ which rendered the Gold so white, might haply be rendred Red, and fix in the Gold. For every _Sulphur_ is a Tincture, when it is made fixed, and gets an Ingress, from the other Metals. Do not undervalue this Secret, but fish out the Property of this thing, by a more accurate Meditation, for you will draw from thence much Good.

A. _Verily, I can methinks conjecture, that this very knack hath more in it than it shews for; I will search thereinto more accurately; perhaps this very way is a nearer one, than that which requires the inversion of the Gold. I remember that I have read amongst the Sayings of the Philosophers, this Expression; =That their Gold does not tinge, unless it be first tinged, nor receiveth it a Red Colour, unless it be made first White=. I perceive, that Nature is more abundantly stored with infinite Riches, and that it cannot be so easily Searcht out to the bottom, and the longer a Man seeks, the more he finds and meets with; insomuch that at last, there is such plenty of good things offering themselves to such Seekers, that it makes them puzzeld which to choose, seeing they so commend each others Benefit and Profit. Besides, your words are very hard to be understood, and hard to be born. For it seems a thing exceeding all belief, that the most constant Fire-during-Metal, Gold should be so changed, as to be no more Gold, and very hardly, yea, not at all reducible by the help of Art into its former Body. I do often meet with that Opinion and Decree of the Philosophers in my frequent reading of their Books, =viz.= that Gold must be putrefied, if any better and nobler thing is to be generated thereout of: But whereas it seemed unto me a thing beyond the Power of Nature, and altogether impossible, for such a constant Matter to undergo any Putrefaction, I supposed that the Philosophers pointed at some other thing by that Putrefaction of theirs. Mean while, I earnestly expect from you a Demonstration of the possibility and Truth of this thing._

_B._ Come then, on God’s Name, a little nearer me, and heed well the things which shall be shewn unto you.

We will here take half an Ounce of common Gold, and put it into this _Aqua Fortis_, made of _Vitriol_ and _Saltpeter_, whereto we will add the same weight as the Gold is of, or a little more, of our _Saltarmoniack_, without which, the _Aqua Fortis_ alone, and by it self, is not able to dissolve the Gold.

A. _Pray, Sir, why do you say, Our =Salarmoniack=? Are there several and different kinds of it? For my part, when I dissolve Gold, I put into the =Aqua Fortis=, that [common] =Salarmoniack=, which is every where to be had in the Merchants Warehouses, and is very fit to dissolve Gold into a Yellow water._

_B._ You speak very well after your own way; And I confess, that every _Salarmoniack_ mixt with _Aqua Fortis_ is very good to dissolve Gold; nor is this any new way, for ’tis in very much use amongst all the _Chymists_, who are wont on this wise to dissolve their Gold, but yet that which is thus dissolved, still remains Gold, and doth easily admit of being again precipitated out of the _Aqua Fortis_, and of being reduced by Fusion into the former Body, it had afore its Solution. But if so be, that the Solution shall be made by the help of our _Sal Armoniack_, then is the Case vastly altered, and your attempting its Reduction again will be in vain. For if Gold be but dissolved barely once with our _Saltarmoniack_, it admits not any more of melting, nor doth it of it self return again into a malleable Metallick Body, but gets a Reddish Scarlet kind of Colour in the Tryal [or Crucible] and remains an unfusil Powder. And if you add some _Borax_ thereunto, and set it in the Fire then to melt, it will pass into a Red Glass, which is a sign of its being plainly destroyed, and of its being transmuted into another Body. And therefore I dare aver, that there is seated in our _Salt Armoniack_ a power of inverting, and transmuting Gold, and of making it fit for the Philosophical putrefaction, which thing is impossible to be done by any other Salts whatever they be, and what Name soeever called by.

A. _Certainly, this is a Divine miraculous thing, to subject Gold, so mightily constant in the Fire, unto Putrefaction, and to reduce it by Putrefaction, into a nothing: For I have read too and again, amongst the Philosophers Writings, that it is an easier thing to make Gold by Art, than to destroy Gold made by Nature. And therefore this Salt must needs be a very wonderful one, which is able to effect these and other, the like almost incredible things._

_B._ Well may you term it a wonderful Salt, for so it is, the like of which, no Man will find in the whole World; though to such as know it, it is so vile and mean a thing; insomuch that scarce any one would think it likely, that such things could be done thereby, as are wont to be, should it be but named by its own proper Title. Does not, I pray, that Philosopher, _Cosmopolita_ [or _Sandivow_] confess, that he hath oftentimes declared the Art, and Secret of the whole Philosophick work, word for word, sometimes to one, sometimes to another, and yet they would not at all believe him, by reason of the meanness, or vileness of the Work? And does not he make frequent mention of his own, and not the common _Sal Armoniack_? But that you may yet give more belief and credit to our Salt, I would have you read the _Turba_ of the Philosophers, wherein you will find all those things which they have published concerning their Salt: And amongst others, hearken to those few words, which the Rosary mentions: _Our Salt dissolves Gold into a red Colour, and Silver into a white Colour, and transmutes them out of their Corporeity into a Spirituality, and with our Salt, are their Bodies calcined. =And for this reason=, Lumen Luminum, =also says=, That if the Omnipotent God had not created this Salt, the Elixir could not have been perfected, and the Study of Chymistry would have been in vain. Avicen =saith=, If thou hast a desire of getting Riches, prepare Salts, that they may be changed into a clear Water, for by the Fire are Salts changed into Spirits: Salts are the Roots of thy work. Hermes =saith=: All Salts are Enemies to our Work, and to our Art, save the Salt of our =Lune=: Arnoldus =saith=, Every Salt that is well and rightly prepared, is of the Nature of =Salt Armoniack=, and the whole Mystery of our Art consists in the Preparation of common Salt: He therefore that knows Salt, and its Solution, to him is the Mystery of the ancient wise Men known. And therefore bend the utmost Meditations of thy Wit upon the Nature of that Salt only, in which the Wisdom of the ancient wise Men, and every Mystery, is found hidden and concealed._ The Writings of the Philosophers are full of those and such like Sayings, and they do every where mightily insist upon Salt. And now, what think you of these Testimonies; what! do the things I have spoken, yet find any belief in your Breast?

A. _Yes Verily, and now I am on your side; but yet I do as yet desire, and heartily wish for this one thing, that you would for once let me see your Labour, whereby I may convince other incredulous Persons, and make them believe too._

_B._ Well, I am content; and come let us go to work, and let us put the Gold in its requisite _Menstruum_, and place it in warm Sand, thereby to hasten forward the Solution of the same; though there is strength sufficient in our _Menstruum_, to dissolve the Gold in the Cold without Fire. We shall in a short time see it of a yellow Colour: And behold that very Colour, and the Gold it self is so changed, as it is never more reducible into its former golden Body. Thus have you now the entrance and beginning, which as yet is vastly distant from the wisht for end: And when you now see the beginning, know, that is the first day of our Philosophick Labour. Next, let us proceed to the Putrefaction of the dissolved Gold, without which, no Colours present themselves to our view. Behold in this very moment, _Sol_ begins to wax black, and in a little while after it will conceive such a thorough blackness, that it will be like to Ink, and may serve to write withal on Paper. This blackness, the Philosophers call the Head of the Crow, by that Name pointing out unto us their Putrefaction; by which, the second day bf our Philosophical Labour is finished.

Our Ground [or Earth] therefore, being sufficiently enough moistned, we must beseech God to bestow upon us the hot shine of the Sun; for without the Suns heat which stirs up the Life in all things, there cannot possibly be any increase and growth. Lend me therefore your best attention. Assoon as the putrefied Body of our _Sol_ shall feel the warming heat of the Sun, its blackness, which was the true Sign of its Putrefaction, will vanish away by little and little, and give place to the access and approach of many most delicate Colours, the which, the Philosophers have named the Peacocks Tail, and this finisheth the third day of our Philosophical Labour. And now, when the Fruit-producing Sun shall have thus illustrated our Field, or Ground with its warmer Rays, but for one day as yet, we may easily see, what is farther likely to come to pass hereafter.

A. _Huy da! what a wonderful thing is this, that I see here? in how short a time, and how speedily hath the Peacocks Tail charged it self into a thick Blood? Who could ever believe it, unless he had seen and beheld it with his own Eyes?_

_B._ I confess it is such a thing as may well cause in any one most exceeding admiration, seeing that there proceed from Art and Nature, Operations of such great moments: God hath made all things very well, and should he not permit such an admirable changing of Colour, to appear in the Operation, verily the Philosopher would be in doubt, whether or no he might hope for an happy Success of all his Labour: And now upon the occasion of this Blood-like Colour, is arisen the Name of Dragons Blood amongst the Philosophers, who say, that when this Colour appears in view, the fourth day of the Philosophical work or Labour is finished.

A. _Good God! how great, and how wonderful are thy wonderous Works, who can find them out by his own Search and Industry? There do daily happen greater and greater encreasings of our Faith, seeing that I behold with mine own Eyes, such things as heretofore exceeded all my belief. And I entreat you to tell me this one thing, whether or no, there lies in this Blood, as ’tis now prepared, a most excellent Power of healing Diseases or no, and if it may safely be made use of, for the healing of Sicknesses without any farther Preparation?_

_B._ Yes verily, there does lye therein hidden, an incredible healing Faculty, and this, its very Signature doth openly witness. For God doth not sign or mark all the Herbs, all Animals, all Stones in vain, by the external Signature of all which, it is an easie matter to know, what use they are of for Mankind. Forasmuch therefore, as our Gold is turned into a thick Blood, it is a most certain Testimony, that it is Serviceable for the curing and amending of Man’s Blood. For, if the most ancient Physicians have made use of Gold, reduced either by filing into a most subtile Powder, or by beating into most thin Leaves, in the Cure of the most desperate Diseases, yea, and of the Leprosie it self too, and this not without Fruit, and Success; how much greater commerce then will this Gold of ours thus changed into a Red Blood, have with the Blood of Mankind. Would it not [think you] abound with a greater Power of freeing it from all false and superfluous Aqueity, and other evil Humours and Impurities, and of reducing it into its former State of Good health? For the occult Virtues of the Gold are no more shut up now, like as when the Corporal filed, or leafe Gold held them lock’d up, that they are unloosed, and released from their Fetters, and so perform their work by most free and unclogg’d Operations. And seeing that Gold is, by Ancient and Modern Physicians, attributed to the Heart, and to the whole Blood of Man’s Body, and seeing that experience it self hath demonstrated, that it takes away the preter-natural affects of the Heart, and heals the corrupted Blood; why should not this our Blood of Gold effect the same with greater Efficacy, and a more happy Success. With this very Blood, have I already performed wonderful things in the most grievous Diseases in the Bodies of Men, after they have been first purged with some _Panacea_. I have therewithal healed the Leaprous in a short space of time, and such as have to no purpose made use of the assistence of the most eminent Physicians for ten or twelve years continually, to their great Costs and Charges, and this I can evidence by most clear Testimonies, which I keep by me. Nay farther, even at this very day in very many places, into which I have sent of this Blood, the detestable Leprosie, the _French Pox_, and other most grievous Diseases of the Heart and Blood (to the Cure whereof, Gold is in an especial manner ordained by God) are taken away by an admirable way of healing: For seeing, that (as we said afore) it strengthens the Heart, and mundifies the defilement of corrupt and polluted Blood, and purgeth them away, it must of necessity likewise expel, as well the open or visible, as the occult and hidden Diseases of the Body of Man. For if Nature be but corroborated, it doth easily subdue and expel Diseases, by the help of other very small Medicaments; the which thing I have by my manifold experiences found to be most true, when I have adjoyned this Aureous Blood to other sutable Medicaments. For it cannot be exprest, what, and how much I have done, both in young and old, with this very Blood so exhibited, in the _Stone_, _Gout_, _Dropsie_, _Leprosie_, _Epilepsie_, and other Chronical Diseases, which have taken deep Rooting in the Body. Therefore if God shall please to lengthen out my days, I will very suddenly publish the use thereof, that so it may be brought into common Use in all Diseases. For this Golden Blood may [probably] be the potable Gold of the Ancients, which never more suffers it self to be reduced into its former malleable Body. I have sundry ways attempted to reduce it, but never could effect the same. But yet this one Case I except, _viz._ a little of this dry Blood, being put upon molten Gold, hath ingress into the same, and the residue swims at the top thereof like an Earth: but yet that little which adjoyned it self to the Gold, is of so great a Power as to make all that whole Body of Gold which it entred into, brittle, yea so brittle, as that it suffers it self to be beaten in a Morter into most fine Powder.

A. _I Marry, Sir! these are Miracles indeed, which I see and hear; who will make any farther doubt, but that the Universal Tincture which heals the Sicknesses, or Distempers both of Men and Metals, may he prepared, out of this Golden Blood? For all the Philosophers do with one Consent confess, that their Tincture, when quite perfected and cast in upon molten Gold, doth render the same brittle. And now seeing this Golden Blood of ours, being as yet immature, and not prepared, doth effect the same, would it not, I pray, perform the same much better, if it had but Ingress given unto it, by inceration, whereby it might slow the easier, and enter the more readily. I do not now at all doubt, but that this aureous Blood both can and in time will become an universal Tincture full if Medicinal Virtues._

_B._ Although I am not minded publickly to disclose an _Arcanum_ of such great moment, and so great a Mystery, and to throw such a precious Pearl afore Swine; yet I am of the mind to prepare some quantity thereof, and to part with so much unto the Sick that need it, and that shall desire the same from me, as is requisite for their Use. And not only to the Sick, but to others too, that are willing to apply it to other Uses and Experiments; but especially unto those who would fain try, whether or no, even this very Blood will turn it self (according to my Description) into a white Milk, and then into a Red Stone, and, by a new Reiteration of the work, pass through all Colours. This desireousness, or inquiry after the Truth cannot at all prove any ways disadvantageous to me, or mine. For the Art it self will always remain an _Art_, unless it chance to happen, that some one or other Searcher, which is of a more subtile Ingenuity, should, by his diligent and serious inquiry, search out the very Foundation of the Art it self. Which if it should so come to pass, he must then think, that God hath vouchsafed this Gift unto him, and that he now considers, and well knows, what esteem he ought to set upon it, and by what means he ought to hide it. However, this is most certain, and indubitably true, that this Doctrine, and instruction of mine own prescribed in my Writings, will be a spurring encouragement to abundance of Men (that have hitherto exceedingly doubted of the Truth of this so great a Mystery, and shall now come to know it, laid open by me with such evident Demonstrations,) and cause them to search with a greater and more serious study, and to cast off all other unprofitable Coctions whatsoever. For to what purpose is it to use many things, about that which may be done by fewer and more easie. All things have their time, and so has this _Arcanum_ too its own proper time. But we shall speak more of these things in the following Description of the second universal Medicine. All these things which thou hast hitherto seen, are indeed very good; but we are as yet far off from the end. Have you not likewise read in the Philosophers Writings, that the white Swan doth also shew it self in the Work? Now, if by but as yet _One_ days shining, the Sun shall have illuminated by its brightness the Dragons Blood, you shall see it turned into a white Milk, which Milk the Philosophers have written off, and which at length goes into a _Coagulum_, or Cheeslike Curdling. Look therefore now upon that Milk, which you see to admit of Coagulation and Condensation, by little and little: And thus with this golden Cheese do we finish the Philosophical Labour of the _Fifth_ day.

A. _God be thanked, that this days Labour hath also succeeded, as we could wish. But forasmuch as those things which you mentioned, but now come in my mind, =viz.= that we are far off from the end of the work as yet, and yet too morrow is the Sixth and last day of this our Philosophical week; and farther, seeing you said presently after the beginning of this our Conference, that the whole Work, would be finished in six Days space, and that on the seventh Day we may cease from all our Work and Labours, and sanctifie it, or keep it holy, and give God due thanks for all these his Benefits bestowed on us: Seeing =(I say)= that all these things come now in my mind, ’tis no wonder, if they likewise create in me a great deal of Care and Puzzling, to think, how this can be, that all these things that remain yet behind may be perfected, and brought to a full end in one day._

_B._ Cease your Care [my Friend!] nor do you ought else this Sixth Day, but hourly encrease the Fire by Decrees, and stir it up more and more, that so you may see, by what means our white _Coagulated_ Milk will by little and little pass into a yellow Colour, and will at length be thoroughly Red, and abide most constant in the Fire. This fixed Redness, the Philosophers call their _Salamander_: The Poets tells us a Tale, of a certain Worm that lives in the Fire, which cannot be burnt or consumed thereby. Therefore, after the Philosophers have brought their work through all the Colours, and have at length attained so far, as that there appears no other, but a mere fixed Redness, they named it their _Salamander_, with which (if you except only Inceration and Multiplication) they ended their work, and so do we also finish these our present Labours.

A. _Praise and Glory be to God, by whose Divine help, we have (by so happy and desired a Success) promoted our work to its most desired end._

_B._ _Amen._ And thus will we now put an end to our work, that so we may sanctifie to morrow, which is the seventh Day, to the Honour and Glory of the Divine Bounty.

A. _Ah, my dearest Friend; let me intreat you not to involve me by your immature departure, in greater troubles and difficulties. There are divers scruples and doubts, and these weighty ones too, that perplex my mind, which unless you remove afore, your going away (but I hope you’l stay) I shall of a certain Truth be tormented all this ensuing Night with the most bitter Pill of Disquiet and Anxiety, and then you may well guess with what mind I am likely to celebrate the to morrow Sabbath. For I am yet as plainly ignorant, what use to put that =Salamander= to. As concerning those things, which you have faithfully disclosed unto me hitherto, I trust, I shall not err in their Operation, but as touching Inceration and Multiplication, in which, as in two Cardinal main Points, the very [Pillar or] hinge of the whole Operation lyes, as you said, I must needs confess my self more Blind, as to them, than =Tiresias= was: I must needs say, that I behold the promised Land situate afore mine Eyes, but the way that leadeth thereunto is hedged in with such Thickets, and so many Brambles, that I do not see which way I shall extricate my self out of them. Unless the mercy of God, and your help come in to my assistance, I see that all my Labours will be in vain._

_B._ ’Tis no small trouble you bring me, by your importunity, don’t you see the approaching Evening. You Act just according to the Custom of importunate Men, who having once gotten ones out-held Finger, do snatch in the whole hand. At first, you only entreated me to discover unto you the Matter and Key of the Art, and said, that you would easily find out the rest your self. Why then do you not seek thereafter, and let me go?

A. _Good Sir, be not displeased with this my importunity, proceeding from the too earnest desire, I have, of knowing so great a Secret: And Christ himself saith, if ye shall knock, the Gate shall be opened unto you._

_B._ Well, since I see, that I must expect no quiet from you, till you do likewise learn something from me, concerning Inceration and Multiplication, I will in a few words set afore your Eyes, things of great moment. Look to it, that you listen very Attentively.

A. _I do._

_B._ Have you not read in the Philosophers, when they speak of Inceration, that the out-driven Soul is to be restored to the dead King, that the dead Body may be recalled back to Life, and that it, arising with a more glorious Body, and a more excellent Crown, may prove an helper to its meaner Brethren. The Philosophers words are, as follows. Here the Soul lets it self down, and refresheth the dead Body. For it is not sufficient, that the King be deprived of Life and so left dead: No, no, for necessity requires, that its Soul be restored unto it, which may restore its Motion, and lost Life, to the dead Body. Now, by how much the oftner, the Soul and Life is taken away from the King, and that which is taken away be again restored thereunto, which so much the stronger and more active Body, and so much the Magnificenter a Crown will he arise withal. By these few words have I laid open unto you, Inceration and Multiplication. But yet there are other ways of increasing our fixt _Salamander_, and rendring it fusible, _viz._ by the addition of Mercurial things, which, by their speedy Flux and penetrating Property, do pierce into this our destroyed Gold, dissolve it, and so bring to pass, that there is made of them both (_viz._ of the destroyed Gold, and which admits not of any reduction, and of the Volatile _Mercury_) a certain fusile midling Body, which said Body, thus conjoyned of the two, is to be maturated by the bare Regiment of the Fire. And by this Maturation, is this universal Medicament rendred so fusible, as to have Ingress into all the Metals, and to penetrate them.

A. _[But pray Sir,] Is not this way of giving a more easie Ingress and Flux to our destroyed, and irreducible, Gold, by the =Mercury= of Metals, more facile, and a nearer one than that abovesaid way, which requires a great many Operations, by the reiterating of Inceration and Multiplication?_

_B._ Yes Verily, it is a shorter and easier way, as being void of many tedious Labours, for it needs nothing else, but that the _Mercury_ of some Metals be put into some good strong Glass with the inverted Gold, and be so brought unto Fixation. But yet this Medicament, that is on this wise wrought up with the ☿ to a constancy in the Fire, cannot extend its Colour so largely, as that, which is rendred fusible by so many reiterated Operations, because, in every reiteration, the Tincture is exalted and multiplied. And now, have you any other demands? if so, be brief, for the Evening approacheth.

A. _Yes, Sir, there are many things, that I would ask about, but seeing that my importunity is troublesome, I will at present rest content with those things, I have heard. Only, this one thing more would I gladly know, =viz.= where I ought to seek for the Soul of the King._

_B._ You must look, whither you have driven it, and there must you seek it, and, having found it, you must restore it to the dead King, and so you will again begin your Work, and you shall again bring it through all the Variety of Colours, like as you did at the first time. For when the Soul is restored to the Body, there is made a new Solution, which is to be again putrefied, that it may turn back; and then proceeding farther on according to the same way, as was done in the first Operation, there will appear all the Colours, and they too far more delicate than in the foregoing Labour. The _Crows head_ will be Blacker, the _Dragons Blood_ Redder: The _Lac virginis_ Whiter, and the _Salamander_ more fusile, than it was in the first Operation. For by how much the oftner you shall repeat this Mortification and Vivification of the King, so much the more Magnificent, more precious, and more efficacious a Tincture, will you obtain. Believe it, and give God the thanks, and be mindful of the Poor, assoon as ever you are Master of your Desires. Come to me again upon _Munday_, that I may also teach you (according to my Promise) the way of making another Philosophical work out of the Poisonous, Volatile, and black _Saturnine Magnesia_: And so farewel.

A. _In going away spake thus with himself, Praise and Glory be unto God, who hath thus, by the help of one Man, bestowed on me so great a Grace. I now go home with a cheerful mind, and there will I most desirously wait for =Mundays= approach, that so I may likewise get, from my Friend sent me by God, that other work, [made] out of the Volatile and Philosophical Gold. But this Operation, done with fixed Gold, doth please me wondrously well, especially for this reason, because, in every Reiteration, there do always appear the same Colours, which presented themselves to view in the first Operation. Who would ever have believed, that so many, and such excellent Colours lay hid in common Gold? And now, if this can be demonstrated in the common Gold, what may be expected from the secret Gold of the Philosophers, in which (they say) many more Colours lye hid than do in common Gold. ’Tis a common Proverb, [I confess] that he who seeks from another comes to know many things, but [usually] renders himself ungrateful: But yet however, I cannot chuse but propose unto the Man one Question more, perhaps some sweet refreshing Solar Ray will shine upon me. My Friend! I am come again unto you._

_B._ Well, tell me, what more you have to say unto me?