CHAP. I.

THe perfect knowledge of all Sciences is so diffi­cult, that the Life of Man would sooner be at an end, than he can attain unto the compleat understanding of any one of them, (so as to be put beyond all dispute) by the help only ofWhic' [...] yet are not wholly to be reject­ed. Paper­books. Socrates having made a through disquisition in­to almost all Sciences, was then judged the wisest of men by the Oracle; when he openly professed, that he knew nothing at all: This the Preacher seems to confirm to us; I beheld, says he, all the Works of God, Eccl. Ch. 8. v. 17. that a man cannot find out the reason of the Works which are done under the Sun, and the more he labours to find it out, the further it is off; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it out. The Divine Hippo­crates was not ignorant of this difficulty of obtaining knowledge in our Art of Physick, which made him inge­niously to confess it in hisIn Epist. Epistles to Democritus: For, says he, though I am an old man, yet I am not arri­ved to the true knowledge of Physick: And the same per­son avers,1. Apb. 1. That our life is too short for the acquist of any [Page 2]one Science, from the very Foundation thereof. Hereupon he advises us, to honour and esteem those which have endeavoured to search out the hidden works of Wise Na­ture; L. 1. de Diaet. adding withal, that no one of them could be justly blamed, though he were not able fully to find them cut. But it seems the Writer who reformed the Augustane or (Aus­purgh) Dispensatory, was of another mind; his Book was printed at Tergow by William Vorhoven, A. D. 1657. Upon occasion of that Book, a few days since, my re­spected Friend, John de Lanou, a Famous Bookseller of this City, asked my advice, whether I thought it worth his labor to Print it here, &c. 'Tis true, I had heard of the Title before, but I had never seen the Book, for I had not so much leisure as to spend my time in reading such Pieces: Nevertheless, upon that occasion, at spare hours I read it all over, and could not but take notice of, and wonder at that corrupt Custom (so familiar to him and others, against the direct Precept of Hippocrates) that whatsoever a man had honestly found out by great La­bour and Study, and had commended it to Posterity in writing for the good of the Publick, the same should presently be traduced, defamed, and spurned at amongst the Ignorant Vulgar, not by force of Reason and Ex­perience, but by monstrous Calumnies and Reproaches, that so (like Herostratus) they might procure some fame to themselves, by the ruine of other mens Credit. The Reformer of the Auspurgh Dispensatory treads in those steps, railing and declaiming not only against the Ancients, but the Moderns also; Followers of Hip­pocrates and Galen, in such sort, that there is hardly an Arrow in the Quiver of Slander, which he shoots not at them. I had formerly instructed this Man in the way of making V [...]perine Salt, but under a Metaphorical dis­guize (for I had denied to teach him in plain terms) and now he proclaims me for a Cheat,Pharmace. f. 487. and that I hin­der by Imposture the making of it publick: I ingeniously confess, that here, at least in part, the Reformer speaks truth; for whatsoever made Physicians who were lo­vers of Truth famous heretofore, the same things Im­postors do craftily adulterate. Our Hippocrates was a­fraid [Page 3]of such Cheats, which made him conceal his Anti­pestilential Medicament, by which he had procured so much Honour to himself, and had happily and securely cured that Disease; as his Epistles do testifie.

Paracelsus did also dread Impostors, who by his won­derful Art cured the (otherwise incurable) Contagions of the Body, as his Epitaph speaks; which may be seen graven on a stone at Saltsburge, in the Hospital of S. Se­bastians.

In our dayes Lazarus Riverius feared the like Cheats, and for that cause he published his Specifique against Fea­vors under a Metaphor. So Helmont very prudently vai­led the Liquor which (with Paracelsus) he calls by a cor­rupt Name Alcahest; which yet is not free from Adul­terators; but instead thereof the Reformer substitutes Vinegar; In Ap­pend. f. 71. hereupon, being instructed by my loss, I be­came my own School-master, and have often thought upon that Saying of Escheurenterus to Gratarolus, Thou knowest on easier terms the Sentence passed at Bononia, that he was proclaimed a Traytor to his Countrey, and worthy to be hanged, who first made a Filatory at Trent in Germany; which is an Engine whereby Raw Silk by Spindles is artificially drawn into Threads.

So that I have hitherto concealed That which might ennoble a Physician, being jealous, not without cause, lest by my sluggishness and neglect, it might fall into the hands of Impostors, and thereby the worthy and the unworthy should undergo the same Fate.

But the earnest importunity of thisPharmac. 487. Reformer hath caused me to select some things out of the heap of my Observations and Experiments (which I had designed only for my own use) and now to make them publick; yet still I keep to the Precept ofLibro Raaic. None are worthy of the name of Teach­er, but such who teach by sure Prin­ciples and causes. Arist in Protm. Me. taph. Hermes, That the Wisdom of the Author ought to be greater than his Book. But I must follow the Clew of inevitable Fate; and I undertake this labour the more willingly, that I may discover the right way to those that wander, and may bring back Straglers into it: As also, that those who have hitherto opposed this Art, might at length correct their mistakes, and begin to be wiser: And further also, [Page 4]that they who practise it, may assuredly understand that it is founded on the Principles of Nature; and so for the future may be delivered from the crafts and de­ceits of Sophisters and Impostors. In this work, I mind more the Truth of the Cause, than the Ornaments of Elocution; for the speech of Truth, says Euripides, is plain, neither matters it therein what stile we use, espe­cially since Cicero doth not require Eloquence in a Phi­losopher, much less doth Celsus in a Physician: For as Plato saith,Three words are sufficient in a just cause. when we dispute of things, the rudeness or the elegancy of words are not to be heeded, but only that satisfaction may be obtained, as to the Doctrine of the things themselves; neither have I inserted florid di­sputings, or odious altercations, but whatsoever offers it self more occultly to the Senses, that, Experience being my guide, I have despoiled of its coverings, and have exposed the truth of things naked to the eyes of all be­holders, so that every individual man may know it; for Truth loves brevity, not disputation. By this Com­pass I have Steered: Draw near therefore, all ye Lovers of Truth, and you shall behold things (both admirable and pleasant) with your eyes, yea and handle them with your hands, which have hitherto stood remote from our sensation and knowledge. Now to the work it self.

CHAP. II.

Or,

THePharmac. 5.481. Reformer begins with a lofty Brow: Now, says he, let us come to the examination of the Salt of Treacle of the Ancients, whose preparation was so Childish and absurd, that their simplicity did no where more appear than about it, &c. And a little after, Animals only have Volatile Salt, and in a violent Calcination, leave commonly nothing behind them, save only Terra Mortua; yea, the rest [Page 5]of their absurdities are not to be passed over in silence, Do not tastly con­demn the guiltless, not having throughly weighed their cause. in that they substituted Sal Armoniack in the place of Common Salt, not at all, as I perceive, understanding the matter, because all the Sal Armoniack is vanished into Air, and so there remains nothing to them, neither of the Vipers, nor of their added Salt. Thus. he.

But for my part I cannot see that the Ancients deserve to be accused of absurdity or simplicity in this thing, so as to incur the undue reprehension of the Reformer: so thet before we judge, we are to hear, and that both sides; and we ought to find out what the Sal Armoni­ack of the Ancients was, and for what reason they sub­stituted it in the room of Common Salt? and for what end? and wherein their offence lay? so as to merit the rash anger and bitter despight of this Reformer.

To make these things more plain, it is necessary that we dive into the secret nature of certain Salts,No imagi­nary things here. in order to the examination and understanding of them, and of the differences between them, by accidents proper to them, and known to Sense, and that not by Logical and convertible Syllogismes, or imaginary Non-Entities, but by an Experimental and Natural History: I say then, and am ready to prove, that not Animals only have Volatile Salt, but, against the Opinion of this Reformer, that all Vegetables also have not a grain of fixed Salt by Nature, unless they acquire it by Ary. But first I will speak of things more known, proceeding after­wards, by degrees, to those which are more occult. Pliny witnesseth, that Natural Sal Armoniack was in great use amonst the Ancients; It is found, says he,L. 1. Ch. 7. in Africa, in the Country of Cirenia, till you come to the Ora­cle of Jupiter Hammon in lumps, somewhat, long, and under the Sands. Diascorides confirms the same, that Sal Armoniack is praised from the Country where it is found. This Salt endures constant in the fire, being, af­ter its manner, of a more Salt-acid relish, than our com­mon Trencher-salt, as I shall shew, and therefore the Ancients found it more advantagious for Medicines, and for that cause have more commended it to us: But that which is brought to us is not in longish lumps, neither [Page 6]is it Natural, but is made by Art, viz. of the Natural, and of the Volatile Alcaly of Ammals, as the resolution of it shews, according to the Axiom ofAll things ne­cess [...]ily consists of that into which they can be re­solved. Aristorle, for it is divided into an Acid Spirit of Salt, and also into a volatile Alcaly (all salt things are divided into two sub­stances, viz. Alcaly, and Acid, as I shall shew by de­grees) both which being separated, and again reunited, become the Sal Armoniack which it was before. The Acid part or Spirit, hath all the properties of that which is distilled from Common Salt; but the Alcaly is of the same nature with that which is sublimated from Mans Urine, only 'tis not so stinking: Whence I conjecture, that they chose Camels Urine, not Mans, for the com­position:L. 28. c. 8. For the Urine of Camels, as Pliny observes, is more profitable for Fullers, than the Urine of other A­nimals, from whence there must needs be a richer Al­caly; perhaps because they eat no Salt, as other Ani­mals do, for common Salt doth not wash out, or cleanse;Odys. l. 6. from vers. 85. to 96. therefore Nansicca, the Daughter of Alcinous, washed her Linnen in a Fountain on the Sea-shore, as Ho­mer records.

But Artificial Sal Armoniack is made after the same manner as Sope; for Nature works alike in every thing, asL. 1. de Diaet. Hippocrates says, to wit, of the Acid part of Sal Ar­moniack, and the Alcaly of the Urine of Camels (or of other Animals, 'tis all one) I have made the like Salt from the Alcaly of Soot, and the Acid Spirit of Salt, (for want of other) for the Urine doth dissolve the Salt by Maceration; and the Alcaly of the Urine, which o­therwise in a few days would vanish,Sal. Armo­niack. here being delayed and stop'd, finds the Acid which it imbibes; and so of the Acid part of the Salt, and the Alcaly of the Urine, a new Artificial Creature is produced of a salt relish: But that which is not of the same nature, norH [...]p. l. 1. de Diaet. accords with this new Salt, of its own accord is severed, and sinks to the bottom. The clear Salt liquor swimming at top they boil and scum, and again suffer the Faeces to settle, and at last coagulate it into a Cake. This is the Sal Armoniack which is brought to us, but it is not that which the An­cients chose for Salt of Treacle, as the Reformer guesses; [Page 7]but that is the Natural which is found under the Sands ( [...]) as Pliny shews in the fore-cited place, of which I shall speak more clearly in the Progress of this Work; but before I proceed, I must explain more fully what Alcaly is.

CHAP. III. Sal Alcaly, what it is.

IT is not my purpose here to deduce the matter,I call the Senses the Guides of Life, and of all its Operations ab ovp, as they say, or from the very Elements, but to manage a Demonstration concerning things Physical, Natural, Material, and known by our Senses. Know then, that Salt-Kaly is made of the Herb Kaly, coming in great quantity out of Egypt, which is there burnt whiles it is green, and so brought over to us, and is called by some Soda, and Alumen Catinum, but the right name is Sal-kaly. This Salt is not found in Natures three King­doms, unless it be produced by Art, through the help of Fire; whence it is that this Virgin is said by the Ancients to have three Fathers, viz. Nature, Fire, and the Philo­sopher.

This Sal-kaly, as other Salts, is part of the Compositum, Alcaly is inane and empty. yet deprived of its seminal vertues, only it hath an ab­stersive, Sope-like, and resolving property; and by rea­son of this inanition, being as it were without form, it sucks up and imbibes all sorts of Acids, (the Ancients call it impregnation.) Hence it is that all Salts which do mortifie Acids are called by one general name, Alca­lies, which are found not only in the vegetable, but also in the Animal and Mineral Kingdoms: And in these three, there are several sorts of them, viz. six'd, vola­tile, manifest, occult, and of a middle nature, taken from parts of Animals which are to be demonstrated to the eye. But first I shall begin with that which is more known, which is found in a Flint, which considered, quatenus, a Flint, is thought by the unskilful to be under the Regiment only of one Rector; but the skilful [Page 8]Glass-men of Murano have observed, that though taken from its Native place, it weighs 100 l. yet it yearly ac­quires 10 l. orCosmopo­lita says, that the occult Food of Life is in the Aire. thereabouts, to its weight. Hence the Hippocratist learns, that Jovis omnia plena, yea that it re­ceives nourishment from the ambient Air, but as soon as the External and Artificial Fire supervenes, then the skilful Operator sometimes converts it to Glass, and sometimes to Calx or Lime: So that the Hippocratical and Chymical Philosopher comprehends two different Fa­culties in a Flint (being so instructed by hisL. 1. de Diaet. Master Fire and Water so called, for the two reasons which constituted a Flint:) These Faculties the Chymists alter by the help of a due Fire, which alteration is called In­cineration, for of its own accord it turns to a Powder, whence it is called by a common name, Calx or Lime.

In this Calx or Calcinated Ashes, the Chymist again comprehends the above-named Faculties, which for our better understanding, we will now once for all,Acid and Alcaly the instraments of Nature. and at all times hereafter, call the Acid and the Alcaly from their effects.

Calx then, or Lime, hath two Salts, or (as Hippocra­tes) two Faculties in it self,That the Fire is A­cid, the Water Al­caly, I will shew in its place. the Acid, and the Alcaly, both most constant in the fire, and one contrary to the other; and when the Calx is sprinkled with water, then the Salts are dissolved, and act upon one another. The Alcaly sucks in, and acts upon the Acid, and this again assumes the Alcaly, not for the destruction of either, but for the Production and Generation of a new thing, and whatsoever they lay hold on in that Generation, not be­ing too heterogeneous from their natures, is concreted with them into the hardness of stone; so one contrary is coagulated by another.

This knowledge of Calx, if the Reformer had learned out of Hippocrates, the Poor Man had never gone about the fixation of viperine Alcaly with Calx, as with a la­mentable voice he declares in his Discourse concerning Salt of Treacle.Pharmac. f. 485. Contraries are coagu­lated by contraries. After the Hippocratist hath learned, that according to the Laws of Nature, Calx is petrified by contrary Faculties, then he reminds the Lesson of his Master and Instructer, viz. that like is to be dissol­ved [Page 9]by like, and that not only in Artificials, but in Na­turals, especially in Physick, and Humane Bodies, as will anon appear; for Arts do imitate Humane Nature: Hip. l. 1. de. Diaet. they are Hippocrates his words, who also teacheth, That agreeable things adhere to one another.

CHAP. IV. Alcaly and Oyl are made Soap.

CAlx or Lime, as I have said, hath two different Fa­culties, Acid and Alcaly: I have shewed before, that Alcaly hath at least a Soap-like and abstersive ver­tue,Likethings are dissol­ved by like. Hip. de lo­cis in be­mire. which Hippocratists have taught to extract and sepa­rate by its like: Therefore Soap-men add to the Calx a factitious Alcaly, burnt out of Vegetables in a triple proportion, because it mortifies the Acid part in the Calx, and melts the other part by its like; wherefore they moisten a little the Alcalized Ashes, with which they cover over the unslacked Calx, and so leave them, until the Lime or Calx falls asunder, as a sign of mutual action; then they mix them together, and pour on water, that the Mass may become moister (according to the Rule, Salts act not unless they be dissolved) then with a sufficient quantity of water they extract the Lixivious Fiery Alcaly; (I call it Fiery,Of Lime and Honey is made a mixture good for the braw­niness of the Feet. because this boiling Lixi­vium, or Ley, consumed in a moment a Drunken Man with his Woollen Cloaths, so that nothing of him was found but his Linnen Shirt, and the hardest Bones, as I had the Relation from a Credible Person, Professor of that Trade) which Fiery Lixivium they call Magistra, which is glutted with so much Alcaly, that an Egg will not sink in it. Of the same mixture is made also another Lixivium, less saturated, which will not bear up an Egg; with this last Lye (for certain reasons) in boiling of Soap, they first mingle Oyl or Tallow, (which is contra­ry to Alcaly, as containing an occult Acid, as will ap­pear by degrees) but they boil it with a soft fire till they wax white, then they add the Magistra in a triple pro­portion [Page 10]to the Oyl or Fat;The grea­ter is en-creased by the less. Hip. l. 1. de Diaet. Hip l 1. de Diaet. and in biling, the Oyl and Alcaly are coagulated, till they are compacted into one Body, as contraries, and throughly mixed; For they ne­ver consist together in the same, but are always altered; so that of necessity the things severed and produced from them, must be dissimilary in their nature. For out of the mani­fest Alcaly, and the occult Acid in the Oyl, is produced a thing of a Neutral Nature of a salt relish; sometimes they make tryal of it by the tongue, if the taste be sweet, they add the Magistra, if it be biting, it must be boiled till it hath absorbed the Oyl; but if it be more than or­dinarily pungent, then they pour in Oyl leisurely at dis­cretion, as Hippocrates teacheth,L. 1. de Diaet. Spiritus unus trahit, al­ter protrudit, &c One Spirit draws to, another thrusts from, but both do the same thing, and tend to either part, and so they imitate the nature of man. Sea-salt, because it is no vacuous and empty Body, as Alcalyes are, is not coagulated with fat, or Tallow into Soap, for it hath both its Faculties, not to be separated without difficul­ty, as I shall shew hereafter: For which cause, Nausicca the Daughter of Alcinous washed her Linnen out of a Fountain on the Sea-shore, as Homer relates, 6. Odyss.

CHAP. V. The Composition, and Dissolution, or Destruction of Glass.

GLass is made of the same Flint, and the same Sal Alcaly, by the Rule of Contraries, but not the moist way, (as Soap) but by a dry and fiery Fusion and Liquation: For sometimes three, sometimes two parts at least of the Powder of Flints are mixed with one part of Sal. Alcaly (not of Acid, Trencher-salt) which by cor­rosion slacks the Flint, and absorbs it in the fire of Fu­sion. I say, part of the Alcaly sucks up the Acid which the Flint contains for Lime or Calx, and it swims a top of the slaked Flint,A [...]run Croll. in Lep. Medi­ [...]um. and is called Axungia Vitri. The Fel Vitri, being another part of the Alcaly, makes a co­alition with the Flint, and is saturated by it; and be­cause [Page 11] they consist not in the same, as Hippocrates teaches, they both become a Pellucide Mass; then Artificers say, the Glass is baked: But the Alcaly swimming a top, and saturated with the Acid, that they scum off with an iron Ladle, and call it Fel Vitri, and cast it a­way as unfit for Glass, for by the mixture it is changed into Salt; therefore Shepherds give it to their Cattle to lick, especially in places where Salt is dear; this, in moist weather, easily turns to a liquor, and then the Powder of Flints subsides of its own accord: The liquor by heat is coagulated into true common salt, as its Granulation, and also its Distillation shews; but the Bottom, or Eoex, is a Medicine not to be despised in difficulty of Urine, as also is Flint fired and slaked in water.

But this Water is sometimes prescribed without suc­cess, especially when the Flint is less heated by its pro­per heat, and that Diuretick vertuo ceaseth, which then perisheth and ceaseth, when the haat of the fire doth Alcalize the Flint (i. e.) when both Faculties go toge­ther into one, for then it doth not reach to the Urinary places, by reason of its fixedness; yea, at that time it hinders and retards other things which provoke Urine, in as much as it troubles the digestion of the Stomach, (which is made by Acids) and appropriates it to it self.Burning of Glass. Then the Ancients began to reduce Glass into Powder of Flints, by Extinction, into an Acid Salt, with good success.

This Reduction and Preparation which is purely Hippo­cratical and very Ingenious,Pharmac. f. 732. the Reformer (like himself) calls sleight, unprofitable, inept, and by all means to be exploded, See, saith he,A mon­strous Speech is the sign of a mon­strous Wit, says out Galen. how basely such Putative and Wordy Philoso­phers do discover themselves, who are destitute of that Philo­sophy which is true, and into what crrours they fall, discover­able and derideable not only by those who throughly search the secrets of Nature, but even by Clowns and Rusticks, old Wives and Gossips: Glass this way prepared (as our Re­former pungently goes on) cannot be given without danger and hazard to a sick man, though he be not presently sensible of it.

But I will prove against the frivolous Objections and Grounds of this Reformer, that he who taught this Burning of Glass was in the right, and I will vindicate him from those Calumnies wherewith he is aspersed, e­specially from this, That Glass this way prepared, cannot be given to the Sick without danger and detriment. Gl [...]ss, whereof it is com­pounded, into the same and by the same it is resolved.

Take then clear and transparent Glass, melt it with more Alcaly, like Glass, afterwards expose it to the moist Air, and you shall soon find the whole Glass to be resolved into water; your upon this a sufficient Acid, contrary to Alcaly, and the Powder of Flints will sub­side.

This Powder is no longer Glass, but the Powder of Flints, which the Reformer abhors, and says, it cannot be given to the Sick without detriment,In Append. Pharma­cop Reg. f. 136. forgetting that he himself commends the Powder of Flints to Queens for producing of Milk. The Ancients were not acquaint­ed with this separating Art, (which was bestowed on Mortals from above) yet they had some hints of it by discourse; and therefore they began to extinguish or slake the Powder, or Flower of Glass, in Ashes of Bean­stalks, whose Salt is of an Acid salt nature, as I shall shew by and by; they repeated the Extinction always with new Ashes,The over­busie Re­former ha­ving his eye on the Ancients, in the in­terim sees not his own er­rours. and washed away the Powder of the Glass with water, so that every Extinction was the de­struction of the Glass, or Aloaly; this they washed, and again extinguished, until the Bean-ashes had destroyed all the Alcaly, and had left an impalpable Powder. This is the Powder of Flints, as That before melted with Alcaly, and precipitated with Acid, which the Reformer thinks cannot be safely given at Mouth, so much as to Country people, though he commends it to Queens (as I have said) to procure Milk.

In this Preparation (which the Reformer out of his sloth and ignorance) calls sleight, The true preparati­on and knowledge of Sim­ples, re­quires al­most a mans whole life. lies hid the profound knowledge of Natural things, as will appear by degrees, and the taking of it is not at all to be feared, as the Reformer falsly teacheth; But ignorant persons are of necessity subject to great fears.

CHAP. VI.

THere is a way reported and practised of drawing out the Diuretick Vertue from Calcined Flint, by the destruction of the Alcaly, (that is, by a rule contrary to the Alcaly) with Acid Spirits, after this manner; into Spirit of Salt, they put by piece-meal unslaked Lime, the Spirit is presently absorbed by the Alcaly of the Lime with great force and vehement ebullition, they draw forth the insipid Phlegm, and dissolve the Lime sa­turated with the Acid Salt, they melt it with a gentle fire in a Crucible, straining it into a cold Mortar; when it is cold they beat it to Powder, (it then emitting fiery sparks) from which, with hot water, they elicite the saltness; this they purifie and coagulate, and again suf­fer it of its own accord to run into a salt liquor, not unprofitable. But there are some Sophisters and Impo­stors who give forth, that this Liquor is distilled in a Lembick, for they mix the foresaid Liquor with Calci­ned and Powdered Flints in a fourfold proportion, and distil it with an open fire into an Acid Spirit, which by a wrong name they call Spiritus Calcis Basilii. Now let us see to what Original or Parent, we may ascribe the foresaid distilled Spirit.

First of all, the Spirit of Salt was absorbed and swal­lowed up by the vitrifying Alcaly, and most constant in the fire.

Further, the Acid part of the Flint was separated by the water, and cast off under the covert of the Faces.

Thirdly, the fix'd Alcaly of the Flint or Lime drinks up the Acid Spirit of the Salt, and a Salt is made of the volatile Acid and most fixed Alcaly.

Fourthly, they mix this Salt with the Calcined Flints (i. e.) with the unslaked Lime, which abounds more with Alcaly than Acid, as I have shewed in Glass and Soap.

And though this Mixture be urged with the strongest fire, what else can it distil forth than a volatile Acid? that is, the same Spirit of Salt which the Alcaly had ab­sorbed and drunk up: Famous and Learned men have commended this Spirit in the Gout and Stone, as a singu­lar Remedy, but the success hath not answered: But Basilius, ill interpreted and understood, wrote not to Impostors, and therefore he is wrongfully accused by them for a Cheat: Rightly therefore doth the Comoedian commend us, If thou be wise, make thy self ignorant of what thou knowest.

An Addition to this Examen.

By this Method (after you are once instructed in this Hippocratical Learning which I hold forth in this short Tract) you may in every Process,Nature, as to Phy­sick, hath nothing occult in this sub­lunary Globe; but by this method an Hippocra­tist may discover it. as well Chymical as Medicinal, by ingenuity and discourse, discern, prove, and separate Truth from Falshood, without any expence or loss of time, so as no longer to be gulled by Decei­vers and Cheats; yea, by the same method you may in your Operations, and in writing of Books, travel on perpetually the right way (without wandering) in this Natural, Chymical, True, and Ancient Philosophy, through all the three Kingdoms, Animal, Mineral, and Vegetable, as you will confess in the Progress.

CHAP. VII.

FOr our clearer light and understanding, it will be worth the while, before I proceed, to demonstrate to the Eye the difference of Alcalyes, and to shew what the contrariety, or the absorbing and imbibing of Acids is: There are, as I have said, several degrees and Spe­cies of fix'd Salt-Alcaly, as of Tartar, which hath a singular priviledge, of Lime-trees, of Hazel, of all sorts of Oaks, and those which in the Forrests of Norway, Lituania, and Muscovy, are burnt out of green wood in­to [Page 15]to Pot-ashes: Also all hot and Oily Herbs, as Rosemary, Laevender, Rue, &c. all of them, in a word, are contrary to, and destroyers of Acids, whose difference the follow­ing Experiments shew.

Dissolve an ounce and half of sublimate Mercury (which by theHip. l. 2. de Dia [...]t. mixture is changed from Acid and Alcaly into Salt) into fifty ounces of common water di­stilled: into a part of this clear solution, infuse by drops, yet somewhat quickly, the fixed Alcaly of Tartar (which is the Liquor of Tartar resolved of its own ac­cord) this in a moment divides the Compositum, absor­bing the Acid, and the Mercury presently goes to the bottom of a colour obscurely red.

From the Calcined Faeces, or Lees of Vinegar,The won­derful dif­ference of fix'd Al­caely. there is drawn forth with water, Alcaly of Tartar, which though produced out of the same Vine with Wine, yet it precipitates a [...] Mercury sparkling and splen­dent.

But when the same Alcaly is Calcined by Art to a redness, then the same Mercury falls down like pounded Cinnabar.

The Tartar being burnt up, if you add the Calx, and draw forth the Alcaly with simple water, then the fall­ing Mercury glisters like Gold; but extracted out of the Herb Kaly, it precipitates a Mercury, much more dark coloured than the former: The Lye, or Lixivium, which Soap-boilers call (Magistra) which consists of the Calx, and Alcaly of Oaks, yields Mercury darkly yel­low.

There is an Alcaly brought out of Spain, 'tis not cer­tain whether a simple or compounded one, which yet precipitates Mercury of a Tawney yellow co­lour.

But when the same Mercury is precipitated with Al­calyes of Cephalick Herbs, as of Rosemary, Lavender, &c. these indeed are Alcalyes, but not of Ashes, as the for­mer, but much more volatile: These, I say, cast Mercu­ry red and shining.

So Celandine hath a wonderful Alcaly (so that its fisth Essence (which yet I take to be the Gift of Hea­ven) [Page 16] (i. e.) the Alcalized Liquor of this Spiritual Salt is praised,He which hath not tasted the relish of Sales, shall never at­tain to the desired Ferment of Ferments, says the Author of the Rosary. not without a Mystery, by Paracelsus and Lully. [...] and it casts a most red Mercury. I once carelesly neg­lected the small Vessel in which 'twas put, and caused it not to be washed, and about a Month after, at the top of the Liquor there appeared a Golden Flower, not unlike the Flower of Celandine, (it was chamfered in its Coalition, like Nitre) to the wonderment of the be­holders.

These Examples do shew, that by how much Alcaly is fuller of Fire, the Mercury falls so much the darker, be­cause that in the very instant of absorbing,Arsenick, called by Para [...]sus the Soot of Metals, fired with Nitre and resolved, is not ex­cepted. the Fiery Alcaly affects and flashes against its Sulphur like Light­ning; but the further it recedes from Ignipotence, the Mercury falls the brighter: so that volatile Alcalyes, as of Soot, and of all Animals, from the aforesaid Soluti­on, do precipitate Mercury of a white and snowy co­lour; all which will more clearly appear in the Pro­gress. So Mercury precipitated from the Balsam Sa­mech, casts a snowy colour,Balsamus Samech. somewhat inclining to yel­low; but if you pour on more than its Nature can bear, then it turns to a glittering colour.

But salt things, of what kind soever, do not precipi­tate Mercury out of the above-named solution; yea, by how much the nearer they approach to the nature of Salts, so much the less they hurt Acids.

Examples follow.

Alcaly of Saltpeter, though its first Original be from Alcaly of Urine, yet with Sulphur being fix'd into Alca­ly, (and therefore it tasts somewhat saltish) it somewhat disturbs the Mercury so dissolved, but doth not precipi­tate it; but if you add to this Pulverised mixture, be­fore it doth deflagrate, and leave burning, a certain fix­ed and dried Alcaly (of Tartar) and keep it over a gen­tle fire, then first it melts the Sulphur, and the pingue­ous Acid of the Sulphur preparing for its flight, is gree­dily imbibed or drunk in by the Alcaly, which is also pin­gueous; as it happens in the preparation of Lac Sulphuris the moist way: The heat still continuing, the Nitre also is melted, whose sulphureous and inflamable part is asso­ciated [Page 17]to its like, viz. to the Pinguedo of the Sulphur; yea it is greedily received in by the Alcaly (a middle part of which is sufficient, in respect of the Powders, as ofSal Ful­minant. Nitre three parts, of Alcaly of Tartar two parts, of Sulphur one part) and so becomes Salt. In this Salt mass, each of the Sulphurs doth boil, or bubble up, and the fire continuing, and being increased, they take flame, which in the kindling, not enduring the narrow­ness of place in the Salt, bursts out into the Air with a noise like Thunder: That these things are so, the Alea­ly, which is sometime left behind, may inform us, espe­cially when it is kindled not in a Concave, but in a plain place, and very leisurely; for then it is changed by the Acid Spirits into Salt, and doth not any longer precipitate Mercury. Hence by the way we may learn, that

This is the ground why Ceraunocryson, or Aurum Fulminans gives a crack, or loud noise.

I have elsewhere shewed that the Spirit of Nitre in Alcaly is made Nitre of Tartar. Aurum Fulminans. Gold is almost all Sul­phur (after its own sort and manner) as I have also ex­perimentally demonstrated in its place; for which rea­son it is not corroded by Acids. Gold therefore being dissolved in salt water of Nitre, Allum, and Sal Armo­niack, or common Salt, if you pour in by little and lit­tle (not all at once) a certain Alcaly, the Acid Spirit of the Nitre (for the Spirit of Allom or Vitriol in the distil­lation of Aqua fortis doth not ascend) takes to it self a Body in the vacuous and empty Alcaly, and so becomes natural Nitre; but the sulphurous Nitre easily adheres (via humida) to the sulphurousThis is the cause that Gold dissolved in Spirit of Salt, and the same fore-cited Alcaly pre­cipitat, is not falmi­nans, for it returns to Salt, which resists the flame. Gold, because of the si­militude between them; and they are so throughly mix'd together, that by no art of Ablution they can be separa­ted (i. e.) when the Acid of Nitre is imbibed by the Al­caly, it is coagulated into natural Nitre, which finds the Sulphur in the dissolved Gold, and with it, as being of the same nature, to use Hippocrates's words, it receives coagulation, as I have shewed in Calx: But if you pour on more of the Alcaly, so that it exceed the degree of Nitre, then the Nitre also inclines and deflects to the [Page 18]nature of Alcaly, and it can no longer be called Aurum Fulminans, of which more anon. But to return from this digression.

So also Fel Vitri Anat. Croll. in Lupide me­dicam. contracts the same relish, becom­ing Salt from the Acidity of the Flint, for it doth not precipitate Mercury at all.

Liquor of Talck (not Oyl, as the ignorant vulgar think, for it conceives not flame) stirs not Mercury at all; as neither do Salts from all Diuretick Herbs, as Bean-stalks, Broom, S. John's Wort, Rupture Wort, Net­tles, &c. all these, I say, are Acid-salt, and do not pre­cipitate Mercury from the said Solution; but when they are Alcalized by a quick flame or Fusion, then the Mer­cury falls down reddish.

Hence it appears, that that most Learned Man of the Ancients, who taught us to extinguish red hot Glass in the Ashes of Bean-stalks, and not in its Salt, did rightly institute the burning thereof, and not according to the Doctrine of our unskilful Reformer, lest the Salt should unadvisedly assume the nature of Alcaly, of which I have spoken before in the fifth Chapter.

The salts of the Ashes of vulnerary Herbs, such as Bettony, Agrimony, Winter-green, Elatine, Star-wort, Sanicle, &c. all yielding a tart Salt, are therefore unfit for vitrification, and do not precipitate Mercury, which is of the same taste, as shall be shewed in its place: But all the aforesaid Salts, by the fire of Fusion, do change their nature, and become Alcalyes, are vitrified, and do precipitate Mercury of a sparkling colour: Hence Zoar upon Exodus observes, that Glass is made of any Ashes (i.e.) when they are reduced to Alcaly.

Common Salt doth not precipitate Mercury, Conslancy of Salt in the Fire. from the above-mentioned Solution; yea, although it be burnt a long time, and with a quick flame, it would never be­come Alcaly, neither doth it change its nature by dige­stion; wherefore it is the perfectest of all Salts, and by a singular priviledge is called by Helmont, The excellentest of Salts. So Salt of Vipers doth not precipitate Mercu­ry, unless the Acid and the Alcaly be again separated one from the other, of which hereafter.

Salt of Wormwood, being Acid-salt, doth not for that reason precipitate Mercury, Pharmico. f. 788. neither doth it absorb Spirit of Vitriol, as the Reformer teaches under the Title of Coagulated Spirit of Vitriol; but when it is Alcalized, it precipitates Mercury yellow, and then also it absorbs the Acid Spirit of Vitriol, and vitrifies.

Hence we learn, that in a fire stronger than the nature of the thing will bear, Salts will be fixed, and converted into a Neutral thing; wherefore many things are produ­ced by the sole Regiment of Fire, not as if they were entirely generated anew, and brought forth to light for increase (as the vulgar, being ignorant of this Hippocra­tical Learning, do suppose) but only by a simple altera­tion of the Subject, as my Hippocrates shews;L. 1. de Diet. and they also know, who have skill to make an Harmonious Con­junction between the External and Internal.

So also, without the help of Fire, Salts are changed from their natural temper; as for example, mingle Li­quor of Salt of Wormwood, not Alcalized, with Rose­mary, and the Solution becomes milky, both of them being coagulated into a Neutral thing.

On this Foundation stands the Process of the Febri­fuge Medicine of Lazarus Riverius, Riverius Febrifuge. hitherto known to few; but I shall crave leave a little more clearly to ex­plain it, know then, that it is made of one only Sub­ject representing Alcaly, and two Acids, all of them not having yet undergone the Fire, but by Exaltation so of­ten repeated, till you see it again changed from black­ness into a most white, volatile, artificial Salt, not un­pleasant to the taste, to which afterwards the fourth Athleta is added (i.e.) Scammony, as appears in the Pro­cess. But who can enumerate all the Metamorphoses which arise from the mixture of Salts; some of them assuming one form, some another, by their mutual mix­tures, as Hippocrates teaches.L. I. de Diaet.

It is to be observed, that Salt of Soot having its Ori­ginal from the stock of vegetables, doth precipitate Mer­cury from the aforesaid Solution white, spongy,Alcah of Soot is made Salt. and light, as do the volatile Alcalyes of all Animals, as shall be said anon; but if they are converted into Salts, then the Mercury falls no more.

Hence we may conclude, that almost all oily Herbs, and such as are counted hot and pingueous, do yield Sal Alcaly by a light and simple Incineration; to which if the Hippocratist renders its proper Pinguedo, by an hidden Coction, they are converted into an admirable Salt, which is then called by our Chymists (Elixir Parvum) and is of greatSee Riple, Bacon, &c. vertue in Physick, of which in its place. The salts of other Herbs do degenerate and turn into imperfectly Salt, or into Acids, and by a quick flame, or the fire of Fusion, are reduced into vitrifying Alcaly.

CHAP. VIII. The Founders Art doth further shew, that Alcalyes and Acids are absorbed.

ALl. Minerals, of what kind soever, having in them hidden Metalline Bodies, are joyned with Acids, (i.e.) Sulphur of several sorts, which do hinder the Metal from being purged from the impurity of the Mines. In this streight, it is needful to have recourse to Alcalyes, which do the work speedily: Reducing therefore the Mineral to Powder, they mix it with Alcaly, and melt it in a Crucible; the Fusion is accelerated by Nitre, which is kindled with the Sulphur, as part burns away, so part with the Tartar is turned into Alcaly; that Al­caly absorbs all the Acid, with which otherwise all the Metal would fly away; but this way it easily goes to bottom, and that Artists call Regulus (i. e.) pure Metal, free from Sulphur, which again under a Probatory cup­pell with Lead they further purifie, for which you may consult the Say-masters and Refiners, it being my intent to speak only of the Foundation of Salts.

I have told you,Silver flies away with Acid Mi­nerals. that Metals are turned by Acid Mi­nerals into Fume, which is manifest in Silver melted with Lead in an Earthen Pot made of Pot-ashes; put the Sulphur piece-meal into it, whose acidity as it flies away, it also expels the Metal, which you may gather up again with a moist Linnen Cloth spread abroad in the Chimney.

Another Experiment to prove that Metals are carried off by the Acid Mineral, is, that Cement, Gold slies off with the Acid Mineral. which is called Regale, which is made of common salt, and Powder of Bricks, with which they stratifie or spread over Gold Money bound in with Copper: In this Cement the Gold, without Fusion, dismisses the Copper, and toge­ther with the Acid Spirit of Salt, vanishes to smoak, which yet carries off with it something of the Gold; but when the Acid Spirit, being loaded with the Gold, assays to pass through the Earthen Covers, the Gold is precipitated, and sticks to the Covers,Regulus Antimony. whiles the Spirit corrodes them, which are afterwards pounded together with Quick-silver and water: This recollects the Gold, and restores it to his Master, when it is separated from it through Leather.

As Minerals bearing Metals are precipitated into Regu­lus, the same way is Regulus of Antimony precipitated (i. e.) with Tartar and Nitre, because the Alcaly of Tartar imblbes the Acid Sulphur from the Antimony, and segre­gates the pure Regulus.

Antimony is also melted with common Salt, but the Acidity of this latter doth corrode the Antimony in the vehemency of the fire, and it is raised into bubbles, and so less Regulus falls. These examples concerning preci­pitation the dry way, may suffice.

So any Alcaly being dissolved in water (which is call­ed the moist way) as it always drinks up the Acid, it also cleanses Salt-peter from every Acid, which therefore the ablest Physicians do chuse for a great cooler in the Quinzey; for which reason it is called Sal Prunellae. A certain dull Fryar hearing Sal Prunellae to be commanded by Chymists, came by night to a skilful Apothecary, and demanded of him whether this Sal Prunellae. were extracted out of Sloes, or Garden Plums; yet these are the men who would be accounted by vulgar Ideots and silly women, the only Regular Practicioners: I say, they boilNitre burnt with Sulphur, doth more hurt than good in a Quinzey, for it be­comes salt. Nitre in Alcalized Lye, till a drop stands on cold Iron like Suet; then they set it aside in a cool place without pouring it into any other Vessel, and in a night suffer it to concrete into most clear and pure [Page 22]Flakes, which the next morning they wash off; for the Alcaly hath drunk up all the hurtful and impure Acid from it, as it happens also in mans body, as Hippocrates shews in his first Book of Diaet.

CHAP. IX. The Prerogative and Priviledge of Alcaly of Tartar.

I Have mentioned already, that amongst the fixeder sort of Alcalyes, Salt of Tartar is endued with a singu­lar priviledge; for though it be an heavy Body, terre­strial, impure,Gold is almost all Sulphur, and gives the least Mercury of all. and mixed with filth, yet being digested with any Metal whatsoever, in a due space of time, it turns it into running Mercury. Having experimented this, I affirm it for a truth to convince the incredulous; but if any refuse to believe it, I am not much solici­tous.

A Friend of mine endeavouring to obtain Tartar from generous, mature, and clear Wine, did elicit and draw forth the Spirit, and suffered the Phlegme to exhale; the remainder being thick as a Syrup, he permitted to concrete in a cold place, into Pellucid Tartar, which he burnt; and as the custom is, with common water ex­tracted the Alcaly, which he suffered to run down into a Liquor of its own accord. A sudden occasion of­fering it self, that he was to go to Rome with a certain great man; to the end that the precious Liquor might not be lost in the interim, he commanded his Servant to preserve it in a Vessel which he appointed and shewed him for that purpose; his Servant, by a mistake, poured it into a Neighbour [...] Vessel, like the former, in which Silver was which had been dissolved in Aqua fortis, to which Sal Armoniack sublimated and dissolved in distil­led Vinegar (begun for another work) had been added: My Friend returning after nine Months, and seeking for the Liquor of Tartar, he found the Cucurbite into which his Servant was injoyned to put it, quite empty: The Servant answering, that he had poured it into a Neigh­bour [...] [Page 23]Vessel, looking there, he found not the Liquor, but dry Earth (nine Months exsiccated) which he touch­ed with his Rod,Mercury out of Sil­ver. and a great part of the running Mer­cury discovered it self; at that time he could not be­lieve that running Mercury could be made out of per­fect Metals, being so perswaded, according to the Axiom, That it is easier to make, than to destroy perfect Metals, which made him neglect the Experiment, imagining in himself, that the Mercury had fallen into the Vessel by some chance. But at length he learned out of Basilius Valentinus, that Salt of Tartar hath this priviledge above all other Salts.

The ingenious Helmont hath confirmed this Experi­ment in these words; I have found, says he,Tract. po­test Me­dic. S. 4. that the Cru­dity of Saturn is dissolveable by the fat of fixed Salts, and that the parts of the Compositum are so divided, that it suf­fers Silver to run crude.

There came then to my mind a strong Lixivium, wherewith old women boil Litarge to black their hair (of which Porta also makes mention in his Magia Natu­ralis) into which I dropped Spirit of Vitriol, and pre­sently the Alcaly suffered the Metal to run into a white Powder, which I reduced into Lead; by which means, I knew for certain, that Alcalyes do invisibly contain and hide in their Bowels Calcined Metals.

This Experiment being made, Helmont goes on, say­ing, That calcined things are most sharp, but they are dulce­rated with dissolved Sal Armoniack and putrified Tartar; (i.e.) they are turned into running Mercury, which is not any longer tart or biting, as Calcined things are, but in­sipid to the taste.

I return now to the Salt of Tartar, which in form of Liquor was poured into the Cucurbite, in which was Sil­ver corroded by Aqua fortis, with Sal Armoniack: All these changed their nature into Neutral Salts, different from their former state; so the Silver made no more any shew of Silver, of whichLite. de magno mundi. Mirac. Basilius de Tartaro.

Durch, &c. By my Spirit they take revenge, and break (or dissolve) all Metals. For as all Sublunary Bodies (Expe­rience being witness) do consist of two things, Acid and [Page 24] Alcaly (as I shall mechanically shew in this Tract) the same may be said of Silver: from this Silver the Alca­ly of Tartar, by due digestion and coction, hath ab­sorbed so much of the Acid Sulphur,Diana nada. as was sufficient for the Mercury in the state of Silver (now it being se­gregated and divided from it) for its constancy; into the place of Mercury, succeeds the Alcaly (Philosophers call it Adulterium) which it imbraces from the Silver; and therefore loseth its form and beauty, and changeth its nature, so that it is melted even with the gentlest fire, as Lead or Sal Armoniack mix'd with the Calx of Flints,Lana Cor­nea. and it is called by Crollius, Luna Cornea, because it may be cut with a Knife like Horn. This Luna Cor­nea, though it be washed an hundred times with hot water, andAs I have elsewhere said of Fu­rum Fulminans. melted with a swift Flux from Tartar and Nitre, yet it is impossible to Separate them one from the other, unless in Balneo Saturni, in which that of the Sil­ver which remains, returns to pure, but the Salts, with the Lead, into dross and Litarge; which also again, by simple Fusion, is reduced into Lead; but the dross, which were Salts, are hurried into Element together, with the Sulphur of Silver, which they had absorbed.

CHAP. X. That the Bodies of Alcalyes are Vacua, proved by examples.

WHerefore Salt of Tartar is a Medium, A Vacuum in Nature demon­strated by Art. wherein not only Metals, but Minerals also do revive and obtain, as it were, a Resurrection, though by Art, and a strong fire, they seem quite destroyed. Pour Spirit of Vitriol, drop by drop, upon dissolved Salt of Tartar, till the hissing noise cease; reduce the Liquor into Chrystals, or dry it all up, and you shall find a Salt, ha­ving the nature of Vitriol, it provokes vomit, and being superbibed, purges by Stool, as white Vitriol is wont to do:Regenera­tion of Vitriol. It is mingled with Nitre and Quick-silver, 'tis subli­mated into red, to which add common Salt, and it be­comes a Corrosive Sublimate; it is distilled per se as Vi­triol: [Page 25]The whitish Mucilage subsiding in the bottom, is the same Faex, which in dissolved crude Vitriol, by the affusion of Salt of Tartar, falls down black: It endures the fire, and resisteth fusion, as the Colcothar, or Caput mortuum of Vitriol, which yet without the affusion of Spirit of Vitriol was easily melted: That fixed Salt is Vi­triol Regenerated, called by the Writers of the Rudiments of Chymistry, Tartarus Vitriolatus, and Ʋniversale digesti­vum. It is made much more excellent and perfect from crude Vitriol dissolved in water, and Liquor of Tartar poured upon it, until it cease to be troubled, which point of Saturation is not found without difficulty, for if it exceed but one drop, it turns the mixture either in­to Vitriol or Alcaly, of which my Hippocrates, L. I. de Diaet. Nunquam simul in codem consistunt; coagulate the clear Liquor in­to shining Chrystals: This is more Noble than the for­mer, because in distilling the Vitriol, the violence of the fire elevates the Liquamen of the Copper, and mixes it with the Spirit, so that it become troublesome to the Stomach. But in this simple way, the Alcaly consumes only that most simple Natural Acid, which corroded the embrionated Metal in its Flux. This is that simple Acld, agreeable to our Nature, in Acid Fountains, refreshing the Drinkers, and acceptable to the Stomach, though ta­ken in great quantity; of this I determine to speak briefly; yetDe morbis Tartareis. Paracelsus relates, that in a Village called Veltin in Helvetia, there is a Fountain, the like whereto is not to be found in the whole World.

So also Spirit of Nitre reassumes a Body in Salt of Tartar, and becomes cold natural Nitre, Regene­ration of Nitre. conceiving flame, and is a Remedy for the Quinzey, which other­wise being separated are Caustick,Regene­ration of common Salt. Of Acid Spirits, on­ly Spirit of Salt dis­solves Gold, and why? as I have shewed in Aurum Fulminans. If you add Spirit of Salt to the same Salt of Tartar, then, after Coagulation, it becomes com­mon Salt, as it was before it was turned by a strong fire into Spirit; and therefore, since the Acid Spirit of Salt by solution returns to Salt, we may cease our wonder­ment, why amongst all Acid Spirits, no other dissolves Gold, but that of Salt? because that by Corrosion it re­assumes the Nature of Salt, even as the water common­ly, [Page 26]called Aqua Regia, which without Salt touches not the Gold at all.Tartarus Regeneratus by some improper­ly called Tina fo­lia a Phy­losoph [...]n un Distilled Vinegar becomes fat Oyl, concerning flame.

The same Salt of Tartar, if it hath imbibed Vinegar distilled from Wine, is made common Tartar of Wine, having all the properties thereof, excepting only that in humjdo it doth more easily melt: Cleanse this Regene­rated Tartar, by solution, from all its impurity, and af­terwards distil it with a strong fire through a Glass re­tort placed in Sand, and you shall obtain an Oyl, and bitter Liquor, as that which is elicited from crude Tar­tar, yet the Oyl somewhat resembles the goodness of the Wine, of which the Vinegar was made. 'Tis almost incredible to be spoken,What more plea­sant than to know those things, and to see them with our eyes, and handle them with our hands under a grateful silence, which common sense doth not appre­hend, and by nature are put re­mole from us. Oyl made water. Oyl made Aqua Ar­dens Aqus At­dens made Alcaly, and Elementa­ry water. that distilled Vinegar should contain in it an occult fatness, and yet it is very true; but Salt of Tartar hath not this pi [...]guedo, for it is fixed and tryed in the fire. At Rome, from one Ounce of this Regenerated Tartar, I drew forth six Drachmes of Oyl, of an Orange colour, and grateful smell; but at Venice, a pound scarce afforded me one Drachme, and that black, coloured, and stinking: I say, it is even incredi­ble, that in Vinegar, not only the qualities of the Wine, but of the Country where it grows, should manifest themselves. From what hath been said, it appears, that Acids do attract Alcalyes at their pleasure, and rule o­ver them as they lift.

In like manner it reduces Oyls, either distilled or ex­pressed, into their first Elements; for they being mixed in a just proportion (i.e.) to satiety with Salt of Tartar, and digested afterwards out of a Glass retort placed in Sand, one Moity returns Oyl, the other Moity is wa­ter. Again mix this Oyl with new Salt of Tartar, as a­bove, repeat the distillation, and you will see all the Oyl converted into water, a little Earth being left with the Tartar, which you shall know increased in weight; so that Oyl, which otherwise is wholly inflamable, here you may find turned into odoriferous water; and a­gain distilling this water out of a Glass, you will ex­tract Aqua Ardens, which again, with Salt of Tartar, re­turns to Alcaly, and afterwards into Elementary water, like that which remained in the Glass.

There were two pound of the remaining Salt of Tar­tar in the Retort, which I laid upon an Iron Board or Slate, that it might run into a pellucid Liquor: I di­stilled all the Humidity out of the Retort placed in Sand, and breaking the Vessel,Salt of Ta [...]tar turne I into simple E­lements. I again dissolved in the Air the Salt, which was in the bottom, upon the Iron Slate (which is not prejudiced at all) which is done in about forty hours space, and there remained nothing on the Slate besides a little slimy Faex. I again distilled the Liquor, encreasing the fire, as before, till nothing came forth, either dropping or smoaking, and I again dissol­ved the same Salt, having broken the Retort, on the I­ron Slate; I renewed these Operations twelve times, and all the Salt of Tartar was turned into the Element of water: I gathered up the Faeces which were left each time on the Slate, and I extracted all the saltness from the distilled water, with which I made the same Process, as before; so that all the Salt of Tartar, as the Vine­gar, Oyl, and Aqua Ardens, were turned into insipid water, and Terra Mortua, of no savour or smell; which Earth and Water, a little before, seemed Caustical. 'Tis a wonder to consider, what becomes of this Fiery Vital power and vertue, both of the Oyl, Vinegar, and Aqua Ardens, as also of the Salt of Tartar; yet this vertue or form persisted constant in the fire, until the reduction into the Elements; I now call it the Rector, for our clearer understanding of it, of which more particularly in its place: You may call it as you please, either Fire, Form, Archeus, 'tis all one to me; All are like, though they appear unlike, as Hippocrates affirms.L. 1 de Diaet. In Append. ad animad. f. 84. If the Refor­mer had had any knowledge of fixed Alcalyes, he had never prescribed to Podagrical persons Oyl of Venice Soap, for whatsoever of Oyl distils from Soap, is like that from Brick, and contains nothing of Alcaly: so also, they who dissolve the Body of Soap, and say, that it is good for gouty diseases, are in a great mistake; the taste may be an Omen of their disappointment which is found manifestly salt; for it doth not precipitate Mer­cury from the above-mentioned solution.

Wherefore the Alcaly of Tartar seems to bear a re­presentation [Page 28]of the Philosophers Chaos, wherein they say their Mercury hath a Resurrection; of which Para­celsus. The Regeneration, L. 1. de natura re­rum. says he, and Renovation of Me­tals is thus made, as man returns to the Earth whence he was first taken, and so shall be again Regenerated at the last day: So also Metals may again return to Mercury (of which they w [...]re first derived) and be dissolved with it, and r [...]-become Mercury; and again by fire (which also shall judge the World) be re-produced and clarified. This way (as he goes on) are stones Regenerated, Of which see Roger Bacon, Rip­ly, Isaac Holland, yet read them with caution. and also special tinctures of Silver and Gold. Thus far Paracelsus. In the mean while, I would not advise any man to perswade himself, that Salt of Tartar, after whatsoever manner prepared, is the Catholick Chaos of the Philosophers, though Me­tals in it may return-into running Mercury. 'Tis enough in short to have advertised this.

But I am enjoyned silence by Harpocrates, concerning fixed Salt of Tartar, Actaeons example deters me. lest I should be injurious to the curious disquisitions of Learned men, who have spent much labour and pains to attain the full knowledge thereof, it being a Medium giving vivification to many things.The Aca­demical Spi [...]i: un­derstands not this Mystery. Basillus, Paracelsus, and others, have taken great notice of it, who have stript it of its cloathing, and have chosen it for a Dissolver, seeing it doth illuminate and vivifie its objects, almost after the same manner, as the fixed Alcaly of Herbs extracts from Calcined Flint ano­ther, and like Alcaly, which it is not possible to elicite by any other sapour, than by its like; and it makes it much more powerful, and turns it into a nature truly fiery; so that we ought to make our progress from things known to things unknown, as Aristotle rightly adviseth.

This is that which John Baptista van Helmont makes a noyse about,De Prb [...]. c. 17. v. 25 Learn, says he, a dissolvent, which is always the same, and you have attained the inward Essences of things, Tiact. de verbis her­bis, & la­pidibus. which he proves by an example, demanding, why Lapis Ossisragus fix'd, not Calcineable, should cure a broken bone taken by the mouth, and yet not the Stone, or the Gout? I answer this Worthy Man thus, that the ridiculous Al­cakest of the Reformer, and the secret solvent, are no­thing [Page 29]but Vinegar distilled from Aerugo. Append. ad A­nimadv. f. 72. And although it corrodes the Osteocolla Stone, yet the Stone by the corrosion acquires the properties of Vinegar; whence it comes to pass, that it reaches not to the Urinary pla­ces, but is presently precipitated in the Stomach, as hereafter shall be demonstrated to the eye.

Wherefore hitherto, Salt of Tartar hath plaid its part in its mean dress, but when it is dispoiled of its Gar­ments by the hand of a Philosopher, so as to appear in its naked, lucid, and resplendent form, then it reduces the things which are committed to it, into the same, or a matter like it self (I remember having once prescribed Crabs Eyes, so dissolved,He that knows little, fears much. to a Woman in a long Quoti­dian Ague, which could not endure Physical Potions, a Timid Canonical Physician then present, interrupted me, saying, it was a Mineral, and full of danger) and be­cause it is without form, as all Alcalyes are, it assumes the form of that with which it is united (for Sal Tartari is a middle thing between a Mineral and a Vegetable, and therefore easily comprehends the nature of them both) and so goes forward. Thus much is sufficient to have pointed at the differences of fixed Alcalyes.

CHAP. XI. Concerning the Volatile Alcaly of Animals.

AS fixed Alcalyes do absorb all Acids, and according to the nature of the Acid are changed into Salt, as I shewed above; so also the Volatile Alcalyes of all Ani­mals, from whatsoever parts of them extracted, are likewise turned into Salt, imitating the property of the Acid;What Ferment is, I will shew anon. and as Urino contains a Volatile Alcaly by the ferment of putrefaction, so do Sweat, Blood, Flesh, and Bones of all living Creatures, by a diverse ferment, every one according to the vertue, innate to the place. And as I have shewed the intrinsick difference of fixed Alcalyes with Mercury sublimate resolved, and the singular Prero­gative of Salt of Tartar, so touching these Volatile Al­calyes, [Page 30]I will go on to demonstrate in my progress, their peculiar priviledges and endowments. The Alcaly of all Animals, of Urine, of Blood, of Sweat, (yea of the Stones of all Animals) of Serpents,The Al [...]ly of all Animals are alike, and em­pty Bedies. of Frogs, &c. do praecipi­tate a white Mercury out of the aforesaid solution, so that by this Mechanical Method, you can discern no dif­ference, and by consequence this Alcaly is not of a Salt taste, as the Reformer presuming on his own opinion, hath taught; for Salt things, as I have shewn, do not praeci­pitate Mercury out of the aforesaid solution, but it re­ceives a form, according to the property of the Acid, as will more clearly appear in the progress.

The Ancients took notice of this fundamental and spe­cifick difference (which they call Occult.)The occult quality is the Ferment of the place, of which hereafter. I say, they ob­served, that Volatile Alcaly drinks up as much of Sal Ar­moniack as is sufficient for its constancy and saturity, for artificial Sal Armoniack, so that the Alcaly of Urine and the Acid part of the aforesaid Salt, do so strictly embrace one another,Artificial Sal Armoniack that per se, they cannot be separated, for the Salt of Urine, in the torture of the Fire, seeking to escape, carries away with it the A­cid part, which it had absorbed, and they are both subli­mated together into artificial Sal Armoniack.

Now, that Common Salt, either Ours, or the Armo­niack of the Ancients, hath an Acid part, communicable out of the Fire; is proved by this Experiment; viz. Drop Liquor of Tartar upon Salt, when it is resolved, and in a few moments, you shall see the earthy part to be separated,Common Salt is Acid Salt. and the Alcaly of Tartar to embrace the Acid, of which more plainly hereafter: So, without the Art of Distillation, the Ancients essayed to associate the Alcaly of Vipers with Natural Sat Armoniack.

Wherefore the Ancients, after they had observed out of Hippocrates the occult difference of Volatile Alcalies (of Animals) and the Acidity of Common and Cireniack Salt,L. 1 de Diaet. under the name of Faculties, they began to strati­fie Vipers with Natural Sal-Cireniack or Armoniack, as Pliny saith, in the place before-cited (as they saw, con­cerning Urine and Salt) to the end that the Alcaly of Vi­pers might imbibe as much of the Acid Salt,L. 1. de Diaet. as might [Page 31]suffice, for stopping its voluntary flight. This Composi­tion, not altogether without cause, they then called Sal Theriacals, Salt of Treacle; because they had learned, the Flesh of Vipers to be good against many poisons (yea by such an ingenious Viperine Decoction, I have more than once cured the French Pox in Curious Per­sons) and consequently by reason of its seminal and mu­mial Ferment, that the Alcaly of Vipers, must contain the same Faculty.

This Contemplation of the Ancients is unworthily charged by the Reformer with childishness and absurdity; He himself, being much more absurd,F. 481. as not under­standing the memorable Inventions of our Ancestors. And whereas he casts in their Teeth, That they had not the Art of Purifying. That indeed is true; but they are not therefore to be calumniated, nor detracted from, in point of Honour, much less to be scoffed at, for so my Master advises. Some Ages hence, perhaps this Reformer will be laughed at, for writing such absurd thiugs in his Time; for occasion will not be wanting many thousand years hence, to find out, and learn nower and better things; Because Nature discovers not her secrets all at once, Siret l. 7. Nat. Q [...]st. c. 31. neither are they exposed promiscuously to the view of all, but are, as it were shut up in her innor Chappel, of which this Age brings forth, one thing; the Age following [...], another. But let Us hear my Hippocrates speaking much more modestly of this thing; Tis an unworthy thing, L. 1 de Diaet. to blame any one of them for not finding [...], all, are rather to be commend­ed, for seeking and enquiring after.

These things being praeviously understoods, let us now consider, What excellence and prerogative, the Viporine Sals of this Reformer hath, above the Inventions of the Ancients, which yet, They prepared by an easte Ope­ration; but He, with great charge, labour, pompous ostentation and triumph.

The Alcaly of Vipers (under that Title, Pharm. f. 486.) distilled out of a Retort, drinks up the Acid Spirit of Common Salt, which I have shewed, with Alcaly ad­ded, to be separable, without the Art of Distillation:The Sal Vipt­verium of the Reformer s [...] Common Salt. from that Conjunction (i. e.) of the Acid Salt. and the [Page 32]Alcaly of Vipers, is made Comon Salt. If we urge this Common Salt with Fire of Sand, it will be elevated in­to Artificial Sal Armoniack, as having all its properties; which is proved by this Experiment.

Mingle the Powder of Salt of Tartar (i. e.) the Fixed Alcaly of Tartar, with an equal part of the Viperine Salt of our Reformer,Pure Alcaly of Vipers. distil this Mixture in a Retort, placed in Sand, and you shall presently see the Alcaly of Vipers to ascend by the neck of the Retort; because the Fixed Alcaly of Tartar apprehends and catches the Acid Salt; then the Alcaly of Vipers, willingly leaves her Acid Companion, whilest it is forced to fly away by Heat. Do the same with Common Sal Armoniack, and you shall find no difference; and therefore what the Ancients did with the Body of Salt, That the Refor­mer performs (with greater labour and cost) with the Spirit of Salt; and if the Ancients Sal Viperirum be of no use, as he says, surely His, hath the same property.

But when,Pure Alcaly of Urine. That Alcaly is expelled with Salt of Tartar from the Common Sal Armoniack, then you will have the pure and dry Spirit or Alcaly of Urine, which the Reformer most foolishly calls Salt Spirit of Sal Armoni­ack; as he also with the same sottishness, calls that Vine­gar, which he distilled from Meal mixed with Sal Armoni­ack, out of a Retort. The Acid Spirit of Sal Armoni­ack, adding withal this gross mistake, These two Spirits out of Sal Armoniack, Append. ad A­mimad. f. 73, 74. the Acid and the Salt (though both of them contain not a drop of Sal Armoniack) though produced out of one Subject, yet are contrary one to another, and being joyned together, destroy one another; wherefore let the Apothecaries carefully distin uish between the Salts and Acids. But the Reformer informs them ve­ry grosly concerning Tastes, yea he presumes to teach them; that, which he is ignorant of, himself; witness, amongst many other things,The Water of Mindererus for the Hearing. Aqua Mindereri, for the Hearing.

For this Water hath Urine and Vinegar for its Founda­tion, which-mixture the Reformer doth not only dis­allow, as believing, without further enquiry, That the Salt and Acid, are destreyed by one another; being igno­rant, [Page 33]that the destruction of one, is the generation of an­other. Thus he huggs his own opinions as the Ape doth her Apelings, but also he asperses a worthy Man with reproach and calumnies, who hath candidly communi­cated his experiences for the Publick good; notwithstand­ing which, the Reformer (after his manner) thus scrib­bles in his Appendix: Besides many other Absurdities, Ad A [...]imadver. Fol. 336. I see Vinegar and Ʋrine to be poured on, which are pla [...]nly contrary one to another; for the Ʋrine of Animals distilled, yields a sharp Saline spirit, which is a destroyer of all Acetous spirits. Thus he.

Hitherto I have demonstrated, that the Volatile Salt of Urine is by no means Salt, but Alcalizate, and there­fore being mixed with Acid, from them both, there a­rises a balt tart Sapor; wherefore from the mixture of the Volatile Alcaly of Urine, and Distilled Vinegar (which two do never concrete,) there is made a distillable, salt, and most piercing Liquor, I question whether any thing be more subtle in nature (of a simple mixture) for an old Obstruction, For which cause the most Ingenious Min­dererus rightly, and with good Judgment,Without hurt or pain it per­vades the Cor­nea Toniea, and dissidves the White­spots in the Pupel, left there by the Small-Pox. The ignorant carp at what they do not un­derstand. commends and prescribes it for Thickness and Difficulty of Hearing; be­cause it is salt as Sweat is, as shall be proved, and in regard of its Symbolicalness and congenious nature thereunto, this Distilled Salt and Volatile Water, pervades the mem­brane of the Tympanum; yea it is willingly admitted into it. I said this Spirit was Salt, which is proved by experience, for it doth not precipitate Mercury, from the often named Solution, as other salt things do not, which according to Galen's opinion do cut, attenuate, and discuss the ex­crements, they dry, they support and strengthen Nature, and that in a rude lump of Salt, why may not then this most subtle Spirit be also Salt? Wherefore let the Skilful judg, whether the most Learned Mind rerus be not un­worthily worthily blamed by Impostors. The Reformer under­stood Hippocrates but ill, who says,L. 6. Prac. That a Physician using veason for his guide, will never enviously calumniate another, for thereby he betrays the weakness of his own mind. Now let [...] consider Salt of Tartar, which drinking up the Acid, [...]ad stparated it from the Alcaly of Vipers, and remained [Page 34]in the Retort, they call that (but improperly) Caput mortuum, especially that from common Sal Armoniack, from whence the Spirit or Urine hath been extracted. That Caput Mortuum is a compound of Acid and Alcaly, and will be doubtless of a salt relish, like the Viperine Salt of this Reformer, and common Sal Armoniack, as hath been said and shewed; and for confirmation thereof I will repeat another Experiment.

Dissolve the said Caput Mortuum in water; cause the foe­ces to go to the bottom, and coagulate the clear liquor with a gentle heat to a Siccity, and with Bole Armoniack in a four-fold proportion, mix it into a very fine powder; urge this with a naked Fire, from a Glass Retort luted, into a great Receiver, and the Acidness of the Salt, which found a body in the Alcaly of Tartar, by the power and heat of the fire is put to flight, but in the greatness of the heat, it flies not alone, because being absorbed by the fixed Al­caly, it carries off with it the fixed Salt of Tartar, so that from the Acid and Alcaly being mixed, and urged with a violent fire, there is extracted a Spirit Semi-Acid-Salt, which, as it is an artificial product from a various mix­ture, doth not precipitate Mercury from the aforesaid so­lution; yet it is not of it self unfit for Medicine, as nei­ther for destroying certain Minerals; but one Operation being finished, part of the Tartar returns into the element of Water, and the Acidity of the Sal Armoniack, from the other part of the Tartar, cloaths it self with a new body, which is again sublimated and separated.

It may be demanded,The Spirit of Sal Armoniack re-assumes a body in Tartar. why in this place a Spirit is eli­cited from the fixed Alcaly of Tartar and the Volatile Acid, whereas above from the Alcaly of Flints, and the Acid spirit of Salt, it succeeds not? To which I answer, that the Acrimony of the Salt of Tartar, in a fire, not very vehement, returns quite to nothing, as I have shewed elsewhere; and for this cause, with its associate, it is easily elevated into Spirit, but the Alcaly of Flints, is more fixed, which before it flies, is rather, with its ad­junct, turned into Glafs.

CHAP. XII. How Volatile Alcaly is generated in an Animal, and the parts of it.

I Have said in the Examination of Mind [...]rerus his water, thatI call Sweat, either that in­sersinly tran­spiring, or that which makes wet; 'tis all one here. Sweat (by the Natural Proto-Chymist) is made Salt, as is also every compound of Acid and Alcaly, U­rine not excepted; which this Operation shews.

Take that Lye, wherein foul Linnen Shirts have been steeped and washed, not boiled, put this Lye into a Glass of a long, narrow, and equal neck, set to a Limbeck at least carelesly, and place it in a digesting Bath or Sand, and in a few days you shall see the Alcaly of Sweat to ascend, yet not stinking, as That which is sublimated from Urine. This Alcaly could not be seperated from Sweat, unless its Salt relish were divided,The pure Al­caly of Sacat. which consists of Acid and Alcaly, both Volatiles, as I have shewed in Mindererus his Water, and elsewhere; so that the Lye is a Fixed Alcaly, absorbing the Acid part of the Sweat in the Heat of Digestion, and the sugitive Alcaly being di­vided from it, goes to top and a cold place.

I once observed, as I was travelling post,Sweat salt and pingueous. this Salt, Volatile, Fat, and (therefore) penetrating and resolv­ing Sweat; how, although my Leggs were armed with Boots made of the choicest Leather, and well waxed, so as to admit neither Rain not Water; yet the Sweat of the Horses, exhaling like a Vapour, had penetrated them, as it also happened to my Companions of good note: To avoid this inconvenience, I invented an Oynt­ment, like Vernish, which in other cases could resist Aqua fortis, and then in a second Journey, for the first days, I found less inconvenience; but the days following, the Sweat had not only penetrated the Ver­nish, but had plainly dissolved it, as far as the Vapour of it reached.

Hence I learned, That Sweat was therefore made [Page 36]Salt by Nature, that it might resolve the filth in living Bodies, which here and there was coagulated in them.

But how the Sweat of all Animals, and whatsoever doth insensily exhale from them, yea of which the Ani­mal consists, doth acquire Saltness. I shall explain a little more clearly, only for the sake of this Viperine Salt, whose Acidity, as it is occult, so the Saltness of it is more subtil and grateful.The Invention of the Salt of Vipers. I profess my self to be the In­ventor thereof, though Momus fret never so much; which the following Epistle shews: And though for Lu­cre of a little Gain in this Age and Theatre of the World, some unskilful men, and ignorant of Natures in­struments, and of this Hippocratical Doctrine, have appeared, who obtrude, I know not what, on the unwary and unexpert, to the Prejudice of my Name, yet I now give the Read [...]r to understand, that, which I have not discovered to any man living hitherto, save by this publique Writing.

BUt to what end should I produce the Testimonies of Learned Men, this present Writing sufficiently de­clares, that this Salt, with all its requisites, was not so much as dream'd of by this Reformer, before I acquaint­ed him with It, as I could shew by his own Letters to me, but that I am willing to consult his Credit: yet unless he produce other Foundations of Art and Nature, than he hath hitherto done, he will never come to the know­ledg of this Salt: No more will men of a far higher Order and Rank than himself, however they boasting­ly and ambitiously word it out, and pretend to be able to attain it.

As Urine and Sweat, so also Blood,The Alealy of Blood Volatile and pure, pre­cipitates a white Mercu [...]. whilest it is yet hot and reaking may be commixed with Lye, and Alcaly be subli­mated from it; but when the same Blood, without the Lye, is distilled out of a Retort, with the Fire of Sand, then in the Caput Mortuum it leaves much Salt, somewhat [Page 38]fixed:More Fixed Salt of Blood, a no­ble Medicine, doth not pre­cipitate Mer­cury. The Alcaly precipitates Mercury from the often­narned Solution into a white Powder, but the Salt, doth not: Hence 'tis manifest, that as the Lixivious and Fixed Alcaly drinks up the Acid from the Blood, so the Ve­latile Alcaly of the Blood catches also it's Proper Acidi­ty, which is Volatile too, and in the Regiment of Fire, they are both fixed into a Salt, as will more clearly ap­pear in the progress.

But least a New Truth should procure me New Envy, I think it worth my Labour, before I go on, to demon­strate, that Hippocrates was not ignorant of the Foun­dations of this Salt: For he in his Golden Books of Diet hath these words,Lib. 1. Priacip All living creatures as well as man, are constituted of two things, different in Vertue, but agree­ing in Ʋse, Fire and Water, both of these together are suf­ficient, both for all other things, and for themselves, but each of them apart, is neither sufficient for it self, nor any other thing, &c. Thus he,

My Master and Philosopher, hath brought these two Faculties on the Stage, Fire and Water, in whose Bow­els allWhen I had recourse to na­tural principles then I knew Art to be true, says Avicen. I will shew those things which no man yet hath assay­ed to explain, Hippoc. ibid. things are contained, which are necessary to perfect generation and transmutation.

A while after he adds, that this is no culinary fire, for he says, men thresh, wash, and grind Corn, and being baked in a hot Oven, they use it; with a sirong fire it is not made up in its Body, but with a soft and gentle one; what this soft fire in all things is, will appear in the pro­gress.

CHAP. XIII. The occult Acid is made Manifest

IN a sound Stomach there is lodged a Volatile and never failing Acid; The Fire (says Hippocrates) is not sufficient for it self; Honco the ap­peti [...]e of Ali­mental things, for they are Al­calys, as will appear in the Progress. by the help of which, Aliments, which are all full of Volatile Alealy, [...]none exocpted (as I shall shew hereaster) are transmutedo and runed, into Chyle or Juice, first Sourish, and afterwards by little and [Page 39]little into Salt (i. e.) mature: whether the Stomach hath this Acid of it self, or elsewhere, it is not my present Enqui­ry, though a certain Writer intimates the sormer: 'tis suffi­cient for me plainly to demonstrate that there is such an Acidity, first by Authority, then by experience.

Hippocrates says, In long loosness of the Intestines, L. 6. Apho. 1. if Acid belching supervene, which was not before, 'tis good. The meaning is, that Acidity returning to the Stomach, it changes the food into Chyle, or Vital Juice, then ne­cessarily Health returns.

Hence all seasonings and sauces for Meat, to sharpen our appetite, are Acid; as Juice of Lemon, Pom­granate, Orange, Verjuice, Tartar, Unripe Grapes, and the like, all which notwithstanding differ much a­mong themselves; of which, to avoid Prolixity, I will not now dispute. See Chap. 10.

To recover this Maidity, when it is lost in Diseases,Acid Juices differ from one another. the Ancients appointe [...], Api [...] Sirrups, of Vinegar and Sugar; of Vinegar mixed with Water, and the like, that by their means, the Weak Stomach might be resreshed, and the Aliment, though taken in a small quantity, might not immediately putrify; which yet is taken notice of by few, especially of those who persuade themselves, that Putrefaction and Chylification are the same things.

There was a certain man of the n [...] Sect, and in his own accompt, no mean Person, who forbad Juice of Lemmon upon pain of death, to one [...] of a Feaver, who exceedingly desired sharp things, as i [...] it were too crude; but he prescribed simple Syrrup of Vinegar. I could not but admire that he should allow Vinegar boiled with Sugar, for an alterative, but not Juice of Lem­mous, in his Meat: He Answered with a loud Voice, that Julip of Vinegar was made of Water and Sugar. Our Hippocrates speaks of such a Physician,L. 1. de Diat. If he doth not know the constitution from the beginning, and that which predominates in the Body, be can never prescribe that which is good for a sick man. Now this Acidty, being oppressed by a long Disease, returns to the Stomach, either of its own accord, or by the Skill of an ingenlous Physician.

But that we may have some knowledge of this Acidi­ty by Experience, Let an healthy Man drink a draught of Milk fasting, and let him presently vomit it up a­gain, and he shall perceive the Acidity with his Tongue, and shall see the Milk vomited up, half curdled, as if Vinegar had been poured on it; (almost the like Acidity, is commonly found in Nature,He which is ignorant of the principles of Nature, hath no true root whereon to ground his Curative inten­tion. Geber. by an helping hand, which in a Glass turns all the Aliment in four or fire hours space, by the help of a gentle heat, from [...] Acid Salt into a Lacteous Chyle: a pleasant spectacle [...] behold, which I can ocularly demonstrate to any who desire to see it; but in this place for some reasons I for­bear.) By the help of this obscure, though grateful Acidity, the Viperine Alcdly is compacted and gathered together for its proper uses.

But no Sapor doth curdle and coagulate Milk, but that which is Acid: Now it [...] p [...]ormed three man­ner of ways,

1. In the Healthy Stomach of all living Animals, Milk is not simply coagulated by the Acid, but in the very coagulation, it is necessarily impressed with the the Vital Vertue of the very Animals, which though it consists in the Acid, yet it differs from every other Acid, and then it is chylified and received for nourishment:An Admirable thing. So in a Dog, i [...] assumes the Nature of the Dog, &c. the handling [...] which Hippocratical Doctrine,Acidity is the Vital Organ, and the bond of the Rector with the body, it may suffice to hint this once for all. being not proper for this place, I do only point at it.

2. In the Stomach of Sick Animals, the Milk is in­deed sowred, but not impressed with a Vital Character; wherefore the Acidity becomes putrefactive, which nourisheth not, but increaseth the Disease.

Hence my Hippocrates in some Feavors (not in all,C. 5. Apho. 65. as some would have it) forbids the use of Milk.

3. Milk is coagulated by manifest Acids, and by all of them, either of the Mineral sort and Class, as are Acid Fountains, Vitriol in substance, Spirit of Vitriol, of Sulphur, of Salt, of Nitre; or it is coa­gulated in one only part of the Animal (i. e.) the Sto­mach, Diven Coagu­lations of Milk. and in no other; which is a sign that the per­ceptible Acidity is not admitted into the other parts: [Page 41]but if it creep into them by chance, it becomes the o [...]use of Diseases and Death, wherefore Acidity lodges at least in all Healthy Stomachs, which, because it generally coagulates Milk, it is called by Dioscorides, What Coagu­lum is. Coagulum, and commonly in Italy Conaglio: yea the Stomach of all Birds, have the above-said Acidity so strong and in so great quantity, that unless they frequently cat Sand or pieces of Bricks, whereby to restrain the super-abounding Acidity, the said Acid would slide down from the Stomach and trouble the other Digestions, whence they would fall into an Atrophy and never grow fat: or else it is coagulated by the Juices of Vegetables; as of Lemmons, Oranges, Bar­beries, Vinegar, and what ever else tastes Acid and Sharp: Milk also sowres of its own accord (as do other Juices, as well of Vegetables as Animals, when they incline to putrefaction, yea nothing can putrify or be generated anew,Acid and Alca­ly in Milk. unless this Acidity do proceed) and then it is also coagulated, and the Whey sepa­rated, which carries off with it the occult Volatile Al­caly, by means of which it doth refrigerate, as shall be shewed in its place.

Both these faculties are latent in good and sound Milk, and therefore they cause an occult Saltness therein; which is the reason, that Salt of what kind soever, either Natural or Artificial, never hurts Milk; yea sublimate Mercury it self, being a compound of the above-named Acid, Minerals (i e.) Vitriol, Nitre, and Salt (whose Acidity being suckt up by the Quick­silver,Salt things do not curdle Milk. as by Alcaly, is changed into a very excel­lent Salt) doth Milk no hurt at all. Hence it ap­pears, that Salt things do indeed dissolve mucilagi­nous compounds, but destroy not harder and more compact Bodies, as will be more plainly manifested in the Sequel.

CHAP. XIV. The Precedent [...] Illustrated by the Resolution and Composition of the Stone.

I said in the foregoing Chapter, that the percepta­ble, or manifest Acidity,The Analysis of the Stone. out of the Stomach, was the cause of Diseases; which assertion, the Composition of the Stone doth confirm, which for greater Illustration, I will now Mechanically resolve, and again compound. Take a Stone, cut out from the Bladder, or coming voluntarily from the Reins, (a drachme or two is sufficient) put it into a Glass Retort new and clean (let not the Stone be beat to Powder, but of that bigness, that it may not stick to the Neck of the Retort) put the Retort into Sand, set too a new and clean Receiver, urge it with a moderate Fire; First of all an Alcaly, like Urine, yet of no smell, will drop into the Receiver, and a little after, you shall see the more fixed part of the same Alcaly to be sublimated in the Neck of tho Retort: mix both those Spirits, the Liquid and the Solid, and keep them diligently in a Glass Vessel, stopped with Wax, For if it be open, they vanish to Air, of which Hippocrates, taken part it is not sufficient, either for it self, L. i. de Diat. or any other.

In the Retort when it is cooled, you shall find the pieces of Stone in the same form as they were put in, yet so light and friable, that if you touch them but lightly, with your finger, they fall to powder, (as dead carkasses in Roma Subterraneâ) upon which entire pieces, if you again pour the Alcaly reserved from the stone, or else other Alcaly of Urine, presently it hardens, as it was before; which is a signe, that the Alcaly, in the aforesaid cadaver, finds an occult Acid, which may absorbe it; for unless it finds the Acid, it abides not alone in the open Aire, but according to its nature, would vanish away, Because being severed, [Page 43]they are sufficient neither for themselves, nor any other; as Hippocrates teacheth.

Hence we learn, That the Stone (for Example) is not congealed, neither in the Bladder nor in the Reins, unless by the Alcaly of Urine, or the Alca­ly of the place, and the Acid unduly, unproperly, and by mistake, falling down from the Stomach, and there being degenerated, the Acid and the Alcaly, being joyned there, must needs concrete into a Masse, as I shall every where plainly shew) and they lay hold also on that which is not much different from their Nature; which, together with these two, un­dergo coagulation, as I have said in Calx or Lime, and daily experience also witnesseth.I know it, says the Author of the Rosary, because of ne­cessity the work mast come to such a Nature

Hence Red Stones are congealed by a little Blood, which falls down in the same place from the Acid, out of the eroded vein; wherefore they are more friable and brittle; but the other Stones, having muci­lage joyned to them, are whiter and thporefore hard­er. This is that, which my Hippocrates most skilful in Chymistry, doth proclaim. These things are thus brought to pass by Divine necessity, yet they know not what they do, but every thing fulfils his destined fate: which is, as if he had said, both these Spirits or Fa­culties, being joyned together, in whatsoever place,L. 1. de Diat. must of necessity concrete and congeale, but being severed, they effect nothing in Nature, neither can they subsist, being neither sufficient for themselves or other things, as my Doctor says. So that, manifest Acidity without the Stomach, in whatsoever place it be, is Morbous and Inimicous to Nature.

This Doctrine of the Old man is most true, for it is daily observed in practice, that Stones do concrete all vacuities of the body, wheresoever the Acid being out of its place, by mistake meets with the Alcaly, as in the Lungs, the Liver, the Vena porta, the Ureters, the Intestinum Colon, and the Bladder of the Gaul: which is against the most Aoute Galen, L. 1 [...] de [...] affect. who teaches, That the Stone is generated in the Bladder and Reins only by heat: wherefore the Stone of all Animals [Page 44](of which we now speak) hath nothing in its Com­position, but Acid and Alcaly, both Volatile, as also Blood or Mucilage; but when it is coagulated in the Bladder of the Gaul, then it lays hold of that bit­terness which it meets there; [...]pp. L. 1. de Diaet. some going hither, some thither, and being throughly mixed amongst them­selves, &c.

Hence we may learn, of what Vertue in dangerous Diseases, the Water tempered with or poured upon the Stone which is found in the Gaul of an Hedg­hog, may be; which yet some ignorant Practicioners do mightily extol: 'tis a wonder they are not afraid of this Stone, as of an igneous or fiery nature, since it is better from the Gaul, which hitherto they have not observed. If the ablution of this Stone were good for any thing, furely one drop of the Gaul of the meanest Fish, were much better then twenty Ablutions thereof.

Wherefore from the coagulation of the Stone, it now appears, how far Lithon-Tribon, Cantharides, the Blood of an Hare, of a Fex, and the like, have hitherto profited in the Stone; so that Paracelsus right­ly judges, that the Stone (and the Knotty Gout) are coagulated like Tartar, by two Faculties, according to the Doctrine of Hippocrates (i. e.) the Acid and the Alcaly; it also coagulates with it some foeces, which by chance it finds there; and Galen witnesses against himself and his followers,Lib. 7 de Meth. The cause being known, 'tis easy to find the remedy; and therefore whatsoever of the Stones of Crabs, of Lapis Judaicus, of Flints, of the Stones of Carpes, of Perches, and the like, being in Powder, or dissolved in Vinegar, is taken at the mouth for the Stone, it indeed imbibes the Antecedent cause of the Co­agulum (i. e.) the Acid as I have shewed; but it doth not abate or diminish the Stone, when it is once coagulated. So also Salt things, by reason of their Acid part, do hinder the concreteing of the Stone, in as much as they consume and drink up the Alcaly of the Urine, so that the Acid roving up and down the Body, can find no Alcaly wherewith to associate or be coagulated; but Salt [Page 45]things do not dissolve the Stone, when it is already con­created.

But that common Salt doth imbibe and absorbe into it self the Alcaly of Urine, and other Alcalyes of Animals, as I have shewen above in the preparation of Sal-Armoni­ack, so I will now further demonstrate by another expe­riment.

'Tis known, That the flesh, of whatsoever Animal, is preserved by common Salt, which in a few days runs down there-from into a Salt Sanguineous Liquor: Boil about a pound of this Liquor, and scum it, and put it into a Glass Retort, and with a gentle fire, draw forth all the moisture; lastly, cover the Retort with sand, increasing the fire, then the Alcaly of the flesh will be elevated in­to the neck of the Retort (like the Alcaly of Urine;) which the common Salt had absorbed and drawn out from the flesh; only by a few days maceration and steeping; after the same manner, the Salt which we eat, must needs con­sume and drink up the superfluous Alcaly (gathered toge­ther here and there in the Gavities or Ventricles (as Hip­pocrates says) which is unfit for Transpiration; reason it self dictates this, and experience beareth witness thereto; for Alcaly by an easy process is sublimated out of Urine, and the Soa-salt remains, as it was eaten, in the bottom,The Dignity of Common Salt. the same way as I just now shewed, concerning the Salt Liquor of Flesh.

Hence we may gather, That Salt is bestowed on Mor­tals, as a necessary support of Health and Life.

'Tis plain from our antecedent Discourse,The Wise say, nothing is more [...]ral, than a [...]ing to be dil­solved by that, of which it is compounded. that by a Me­chanical necessity, the Stone is not dissolved, unless by a middle Sapor between Acid and Alcaly; This Sapor is changed into Urine, of great Strength, and grateful to the intestines (as hath been said) and it ought to be sub­til, that it may pass up and down and pervade all free­ly. If you will call this way of dissolving, either by its contrary, or by its like, you do not much mistake, for the Alcaly if it dissolves, 'tis done by its like; the Acid, if it destroys, 'tis done by its contrary: Who (of what Sect soever) besides Hippocrates, Hiop. de loc. in Homiae. could have unfolded this Riddle to us, wherefore Galen [Page 46]commends Him, not without Cause, asAd Glauc. our Director in Physick, and an excellent Master in the whole course of our Life.

There is also a Specifick Remedy, known to few, which in young people fully and perfectly takes away the Stone of the Blader,A Remedy for the Stone, Asth­ma, Epilepsy. without relapse, and elder persons may also take it at Mouth, without any inconvenience. I would willingly communicate it, if I were not afraid of Impostors; but chance here more prevails then reason: The Asthma and Epilepsie, are also perfectly cured by the same Remedy.

CHAP. XV. A Thing unheard of, and admirable, yet most ancient, discoursed of.

I Have already declared, That the Acidity in the Sto­mach, I have also shewed, That the Stone, Urine, Sweat, and Blood, are Salt. I have also shewed, how the Salt or Sapor taste is divided with fixed Alcaly, that so the Alcaly may be freed from the Acid; now it is my part, to shew, how, Urine, Sweat, and Blood, &c. do acquire this Salt Taste? All Aliments, and whatsoever doth nou­rish, have but a little of the Acid, and much of Volatile Alcaly (as hereafter will be more clearly shewed) (i. e) as much Acid as will bind up and restrain the Alcaly, that it vanish not away (for alone it is not sufficient for it self) as I have formerly noted out (of Hippocrates) the Acidity of the Stomach acts upon that Alcaly;L. 1. de Diat. of these two Sapors is made a Salt-Juice, which being impressed with that Acid Vital Character, is called Chyle: This pas­seth not through the Mesaraicks, neither is it admitted thereunto, unless it put on (after its own manner) a Salt Taste (i. e.) a mature one; otherwise it will be un­grateful and troublesome to the inward parts; and so, the Acidity of the stomach, vivifies the Chyle, that it may be made fit for nourishment.

Hence it is, that myDe bu [...]ibus Hippocrates saith; As the Sto­mach nourisheth, heateth, and cooleth in Animals; so doth the Earth in Vegetables, which sounds thus; That the Stomach is the President of all Actions which hap pen in the Body, for the sake or by means of Vital Acid alone lurking there. I think there is no need,Urine of sound men, Salt. that the Urine of great Drinkers and Toss-pots (who by reason of the quan­tity, they swallow, do piss every hour, especially, if it be Watery Rhenish Wine, which they drunk) should pass through all the Channels and Ducts of the Veins, for then it would come forth tinged; but their Urine, though like in colour to simple Water, is notwithstanding Salt, like That which is produced from moderate drinking; which the Alcalizate Lye proveth, as I have shewed concerning Sweat: On the other side, the Urine of dying men, though they make it, in a little quantity, and tinged to, yet it altogether wants Saltness, and also Alcaly,Urine of dying men Saltless. (besides the common; if they take any in their Meat:) where­fore of necessity that Saltness must be generated from the Impression of the Vital Acidity, having it's place in the Stomach; which forsakes dying men by degrees.

By this observation, 'tis as clear as noon-day, that the Vital Instrument, in sound animals, (wherewith the Aliment is impressed, before it glides from the Pylorus, lest it should putrify,The Proto-Chymickdweils in the Stomach. as I have said out of Hippocrates) is Acid, wherewith the Chyle, in the very Stomach (re­presenting an Egg, or grain of Seed,) must be made Salt. In one word, Chyle is made Salt, by and with the Acidity of the Stomach, and the Alcalizated Aliment; So is also the Urine Salt for the same Cause (even of those who never tasted any Salt) their flesh and bones,This Experi­ment shews whither a Gli­ster can nou­rish. yea the very excrements of the Belly are Salt, yet the Alcalye hereof, though it be an hundred times Rect [...]ed, in a few hours, is again changed into That, which it was, by means of the Ferment of the Place, or of this hid­den Acidity, lurking and abiding there; whence We learn, that the Alcaly of every thing,The difference of the Alcaly of Animals cannot be di­stinguished by out senses. doth contain and keep and preserve the occult Acid (imperceptible to sense) of the Animal, or else of that part, whence it was taken. for which: Cause Paracelsus, being illuminated in the [Page 48]A [...] cient Hippocratical Science, and after him, the Famous H [...]lmont, have specificated a Liquor for the Stone,L [...]dus is the Stone cut out of Mans Blad­der. L [...]ndus (by reason of the Symbol, or the Ferment of the place, which it may be lawful for me, to intimate;) (So the Viperine Alcaly, having an Alexipharmacal property (after its manner) is restrained from flight by the above-named and declared Acid, and it is celebra­ted in very many Diseases, especially in the Feet-Gout, Jovnt-Gout,L. 7. c. 2. and its species, (whose pain, as Paraeus first hath observed with unspeakable benefit and advan­tage) is not without occult Poyson) to which, in an exigent, I add a little powder of Sena, of Hermodactiles, and of Cremor Tartar, Pain of the Gout from A­c [...]di [...]. ana a Scruple;) but it goes through all the passages of Man's body, in an occult Saline form, like Sweat; but when it finds a more Acid Sapor in the Cavities, Articles, and Joynts, then it relinquisheth its proper Acid, and imbibes that more potent, dolorous, and burning One: after the same manner, as it happen­eth in Corals dissolved in Vinegar; on which, if a more Acid liquor be instilled, as of Vitriol, or Sulphur: This associates it self to the Corals, and neglects the Vinegar, as is well known to every puny Apothecary (see also the necessity of Precipitation,Different Cooks seldom prepare whol­som Meats. Chap. 28.) But when the Acid is not alcalized into Salt before it passes through the Meseraicks, and by chance is received and entertain­ed within, creeping even to the Blood, it waxes soure, and presently there follow Feavors and Pleurisies; for the Blood, sent forth at that time, concretes into clotts, because the abounding Acid, drives the Alcaly together, as I have shewed in Milk. In this case our Ancestors have found out Specifick Remedies for the Pleurisy, friend­ly to the Stomach (where they resist not nor hinder Digestion) which abound with Volatile Alcaly, that they may restrain and consume the Acid, such as are, Goats-blood,Remedies of the Pleurisy. Juice of Wild-Succory, the Peezil of a Stagg, or Bull, the Seeds of Carduus, and the like, which are prescribed at this very day with good success, especially after Letting-blood, the blood being now soured in the Veins; for then the aforesaid Remedies do easily absorb That which remains, after the same manner as [Page 49]I have shewed concerning Crude Vitriol precipitated with Liquor of Tartar, for one only drop of either Sapor ex­ceeding the other, turns the whole mixture either into Alcaly or Acid; so one drop of the Acid, if it enters in­to the blood, causes a Disease. Hence it appears that Health consists in a very narrow point, which is a tem­perament, ad justitiam, or ad pondus, as Galen speaks,L. 11. de Tem­peram. Which we rather suppose and imagine, then that [...] really is. HenceL. 1. Aph. 3. also that of Hippocrates, Bodies advanced to their full vigor, stay not there, but as weighed in an equal bal­lance, turn down to the contrary sid [...].

By what hath been said, the reason is manifest, why Vitriol exsiceated, performs vital actions, with blood, sweat, urine, or execrements, as it may be drawn to some certain Object, of which I [...] on purpose to speak in this place, least I should exceed the bounds of a Compendium.

Wherefore the Vital Instrument, or Seminal Vertue, (call it as you please) in all [...]ings, is Acidity, either hiel­den, or manise [...]. Th [...] [...]tue resides manifestly in the Stomach, but in the [...] members obscurely, asL d [...] Arte. Hip­pocrates witness [...]n. [...], says He, hath more than one Ventricle, all the Mu [...]cl [...]s hav [...] their Ventricle. Now it is the office of the Stomach to change one thing into another, by the help of the two faculties (i. e.) the innate Acid, and the acquired Alcaly, for so we are to understand this, as my Hippocrates enjoynes, saying,L. 1 de Diaet. Men cut wood with a Saw, one draws to, another thrusts from, so also is the nature of Man. So that the aforesaid Acid (which I have shewed to be occult in Milk) assumes the Alcaly in the Aliments, and whatsoever is not repugnant to its own nature, it coagulates it with it self, and increaseth into a bulk which is vulgarly called Nutrition, but by my Master, Natural Labour, saying,In the begin­ning of the forecited Book Man cannot be healthy, unless he Labour, but it is meet and fit that a Physician throughly know the force of Labours, both of the Natural and also of those which are done by force; and which from them prepare Flesh for augmentation and growth, as upon the Authority of Hippocrates I have given rude Examples in Lime and Sope; but these [Page 50]things being obscure, by reason of their brevity, in the following Chapters, I shall more largly explain, discovering every thing particularly, which here are but generally propounded, That you may know Nature to be alike in every thing, as the VenerableIn aurco car­mine. Pythagoras, with my Hippocrates, doth teach.

Since therefore, whatsoever is put into the Stomach, ought to be changed into a Salt Volatile, and the Chyle is not proportionated, but by reason of some Error, from within or without, hath more or less of Acidity, as we see in Drunkards, who sometimes vomit up what they drink in, of an Acid taste; then,If it be for­ced violently, and overmuch, it loses its suc­cess. the im­portune Acidity, creeping through the Meseraicks, becomes unfit (according to Hippocrates) for Aliment, and for the Subsequent Ventricles, and then, the whole Body falls into an unequal heat, and because the Ali­ment is disproportioned, it must of necessity be unfit for Exhalation,Hi [...]p. l. 1. de Di [...]e. as Hippocrates again teaches in the fore-cited Book, Of necessity, says he, those things which are severed and produced from it, must be unlike, &c.

Whence we say, that the Pores are obstructed, and transpiration hindered; and then a Feavor, or other Disease, must necessarily follow. Hence every Disease, according to Hippocrates, doth generally consist, either in matter coagulated, or in matter more or less dis­solved; and it differs according to the quality of the taste or sapor, of which he reckons an infinite number, in his Book of Old Medicines, L. 6. Apho. 1 and in his Aphorisms, Sowre Belchings, which were not before, comming on sowre and estinking ones, is a good sign; he means not in every loose Disease; for Example, In the Flux of the Bel­ly, Acidity is deficient in the Stomach, and in those Persons where it is, there happens a Flux, or loosness of the Intestines from too much Salt Sapor, which Sapor doth at least dissolve those things, which are but lightly and gently concreted; yet it is never pernicious, but is overcome by Milk alone, because Milk is easily mixed and washed off with Salt things: But if the Acid and Alcaly are proportioned with a due heat, in every Ventricle, like adhearing to like, with­out [Page 51]any strife or variance. This is called San [...]ty, Hipp 1. d [...] Diaet. and so Smegma Sope is perfected and coagulated, which also it self, if it be disproportioned, becomes Mor­bous, and must be dissolved by its like; and again, by its contrary (as I have shewed above) it must be re­duced and recocted for Sanity, and be coagulated into Salt.

'Tis enough to have hinted at these things belonging to this matter, concerning the rise and generation of Volatil Salts in the Animal Family, unless any man shall object, that Volatile Salts are therefore made be­cause we eat Salt things; which I have shewed before to be impossible, by reason of the fixedness of Salt; yea Salt is found in Urine, as it was eaten, being unchanged in its Form and Nature, and without the least Al­teration, as may be easily experimented (i. e.) viz. by the inspissation of Urine, and afterwards by its Calcination, Solution, and Coagulation, where Salt is found granulated; as also, Men live on the Alps of simple Milk alone, whose Urine notwithstand­ing, is not destitute of Acid and Alcaly, which though concreted in the sorm of Salt, yet it is not granulat­ed as Sea-salt, but of a Cubical form; nor doth it endure constant in the Fire, but the Alcaly, with a gentle heat, forsakes the Acid, as Experience doth de­clare.

CHAP. XVI. A return from the former Digression, to the Mecha­nical Demonstration of Alcalyes.

I have shewed the way of Extracting Alcaly out of Sweat, so also out of Urine, out of Blood, out of the flesh of all Animals; I have also declared that Alcaly, with the Acid is changed into Salt, not only in the Stomach, but in all the Ventri­cles, of whichL. de A [...]te Hippocrates reckons an infinite num­ber; [Page 52]and when that Salt hath done its work, then together with its dissident or contrary (i. e.) with the un­ctuous excrements,L. 1. de Diaet. it transpires; and is carried off into Elements, as it happens in all sublunary things, and I have shewed in Fixed Salt of Tartar and Oil (and shall afterwards do it more plainly) and also in Artificial Sope, which after it is made, and hath ser­ved for use, will return into Water and Earth; which transpiration and reduction to Earth, ad orcum, will more manifestly appear by Examples.

Let any one drink,Vitriol sepe­rates Alcaly from Acid. or but lightly taste, a lit­tle Vitriol of Mars, and presently his Tongue wax­eth Black, seeming to swell, as if it were furred with Velvet, whose Pores, are always turged with the Exhalations Occultly Salt, which either are mingled with Spittle, or vanish into Air; so that as soon as ever the Acidity of the Vitriol of Mars perceives the hidden Alcaly in the Spittle, in a trice, it sepa­rates the Colcothar, which sticks to the Tongue and makes it Black. But least you should think I speak of incredible things, behold an Ocular Demonstra­tion.

Dissolve Vitriolum Martis in fair Water, into the clear Solution, instill by drops the fixed Alcaly of Tartar, (i. e.) the Liquor of Tartar, then the [...] ol­cothar falls obscurely greenish.

Alcaly

• Cel [...]ndine
• Lavender
• Wormwood
• Rosemary
• Volatile urine
• Sweat
• Blood
• Vipers.

Praecipitates dissolved Vi­triolum Martis of a

• Yellow
• Green
• Orange
• moredarkthen
• Salt of Tartar
• Darkly green
• Brighter
• Obscurer

• Colour.

Salt of Bean-stalks, troubles it into a Yellowness, and after an ho [...]rs rest, elevates O [...]re from the bottom: Common Salt, as being the perfectest of all Salts, is mixed with Vitriol; So also Mercury sublimate, being an [Page 53]artificial Salt, and also all Acid things, do not precipi­tate Vitriol.

Wherefore only Alcalyes do precipitate Vitriol, enclin­ing to black at bottom, but they are not found fixed in a living Animal; but are only Volatile, and being perpe­tually compact with the Acid, after they have served for use, do exhale from us, and transpire with the Acid un­der an Occult-Salt-Sapor, which will more clearly ap­pear.

The whole body of Man, as long as he lives, is Expirable and Conspirable, as Hippocrates first observed, and what­soever expires, is occultly Salt; but this Salt evaporates not only to the External Surface of the body, but the greatest part of it falls down to the intestines; which is thus proved.

Drink Vitriol of Mars, dissolved in water, and you shall see the excrements of the Belly tinged either black or green, after the same manner, being precipitated by the inward Alcaly; as I have already declared by experi­ment: but in the External habit of the body, dissolved Vitriol is not precipitated by the Effluviums of Salt, there­fore it passes in greater quantity, to the Intestines; So neither is the Urine tinged black, for the Colcothar is pre­cipitated before the liquor is hurried to the Mesaraicks; so that of necessity it must remain in the Bowels.

If therefore the greatest part of the Excrements pass to the Bowels, being designed by Nature for Expulsion, It is sometimes by mistake detained in undue places by the Bonds of Coagulation, or to speak according to Fernelius Language in the First Region of the Body, and then of necessity it must be furthered in order to Expulsion, by some Loosning Medica­ment; So that it seems not to me,Pargatives a­lone are not sufficient to re­cover health, as Hippocrates teaches. that all Loos­ning Medicaments are to be disallowed in Diseases, as some think, neither are they alone sufficient to pro­cure health and recovery, as the greatest part of Phy­sicians do believe and practice, against the Tenent of Hippocrates.

But it may be demanded why Acid Fountains car­rying Iron, make not the Tongue Black, as well [Page 54]as the Excrements of the Belly? That happeneth, be­cause the Natural Acid Spirit corroding the Vein of Immature Iron, being mixed with Water, is not sa­turated, but prevailes in the Compositum; and the Fountain being drunk off in the very Act of Corro­sion, there is not then time given for Praecipitation in the Tongue; but as soon as the grateful Acidity is carried to the Stomach, then the Colcotar falls, or is praecipitated from the Alcaly, which flowes to the dissolved Iron, for defect of one faculty and ex­cess of another, and whatsoever of Mucilage they catch in that Coagulation, they constrain into their own Nature; as I have above-shewed in the Concretion of the Stone, by the Authority of Hippocrates, and in a rude Example in slacked and dissolved Lime. This Coagulum is called by Physicians Obstruction. Obstruction what. The Acid or the Alcaly may now and then exceed in it; so the Stomach repugne not, which is the president of all Actions, asLib. de Hu­mor. Hippocratcs teaches; or if the Acid Wa­ters touch the place (which pass not beyond the Dia­phragma, a thing to be noted) they without doubt destroy it: I said that Acid waters are to be drunk in the very Action of Corrosion; (i. e.) they are to be taken from the living Fountain, for if they flow down a little from it, then the Action ceaseth, and the Acid Spirit being spent and consumed by the unripe Iron, grows faint, and with the Solution is praecipitated into Ocre, which affords not a Black (for it is not prae­cipitated with Alcaly) but a yellowish bottom, as it hap­pens to all Vitriol, passing through and carrying Iron. A Physician of the Canonical Sect, having learned well to quarrel out of Aristotle, a few years since, caused Water out of a Fountain, corroding a Vein of Iron, to be brought from the Country about Trent, to a Noble Senator of this City, being Hypochondriacal, who fear­ing lest the Corroding Spirit would exhale, command­ed the Water to be filled in Glass-jars of a long Neck, and Oil to be poured a-top, and so to stop their Mouths with Wax, and to bind them with a Bladder, rejoy­cing by this subtle Device, as it were, to have impri­soned [Page 55]the Spirit of the Fountain, which he looked upon as Spirit of Wine: yet notwithstanding to such men as these, though they are ignorant of the Instruments of Medicine, God so permitting, we entrust and com­mit our Lives, Fortunes, Wives, Children and Fa­milies.

Hence the bold, though ingenious,Tract. Catar. Deli [...]m. Helmont crys out, That a Physician is now adays a rare thing in Europe. This man if he had been truly versed in Hippocrates his School, and had read over the Book of Nature, he had never so shamefully discovered himself, neither would Physick, the Noblest of all Sciences, Hippo. de Lege. be accounted the meanest: I say he might have known, that the Acidity doth not exhale, but only by its Action on the Iron, grows weak, and then exhales not, but both of them go to bottom in the form of Faeces, which is called Ocre: neither can I sufficiently admire the vani­ty of some pratling Boasters, who with the same stu­pidity, hold forth the distilling of a Fountain,Claud. de in­gressu ad infirm. c. 1. and di­vineing by the bottom; so Rich men are sent away emp­ty, and without advantage or benefit.

The Spaw Water is much more Acid, and though it corrode a Vein of Iron, yet it retains a certain Acidi­ty, and therefore it permits it self, and is capable to be carried to another place.

The Renowned Fame of this Fountain, about ten years ago, moved a Noble Vicentine, curiously to en­quire into the Nature of this Fountain, for his own healths sake; to whom I briefly described its proper­ties, and for what Diseases it was good, being at that time with the Most Illustrious George William, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburge; though afterwards I went into Low Germany. The Noble Man being returned home, by chance related to a Physician of that City, what I had said concerning the Fountain; whereupon he wrote a long Letter, under pretence of Advice, to the Famous and Excellent Theodore Konerdaig, the Dukes Learned and Chief Physician, which he sent unsealed to the Dukes own Hands, and in the Margent my Name was Inserted, that it might easily be read by [Page 56]him viewing the Letter;Falsity hath lit­tle strength. the Duke reading it, and dis­daining so mean a Fellow, asked me, whether I knew who wrote it? I denying it; 'Tis well, says he, that thou art Despised and Reproached by the Vulgar, read it and hand it to Mr. Konerdaige, that he also may know who Wrote it.

The Incomparable Prince gave no ear to Backbiters, but carryed himself, as if he had never read their Re­proaches. The whole Contents was nothing but Ca­lumny and Railing;'Tis the part of a Wise man to undervalue the Calummes of the Unskilful. wherein he accused me, for bring­ing in a new Philosophy; which Reproaches, savouring of nothing but a malignant mind, and stupid ignorance, let them go as they came.

But to the Matter, As Vitriol, and all Waters, containing dissolved Iron, are praecipitated into a black bottom, so also, the Acid Spirit of Vitriol it self, although it be rectified, retains the Liquamen of the Metal, on which, if the purest Alcaly be poured, it is praecipitated indeed, but not into a Black, but in­to Colcotar,Spirit of Vi­triol Dyes the Teeth yellow. constant in the Fire; wherefore they that use this Powder for Whitening the Teeth, are much mistaken: 'tis true, it strengthens the Gums, but it dies the Teeth, with a most tenacious Yel­lowness, as Vitriol it self makes them Black; for per­petually and necessarily something of moisture doth exhale from us, filled with Alcaly, which also about the Cavities or Alveoli of the Teeth, precipitates Col­cothar out of the aforesaid Spirit, which sticks to the Teeth, and makes them Yellow.

CHAP. XVII. Ʋpon Occasion of Vitriol, the Salts of Vegetables are more exactly and throughly considered.

I Have formerly told you, 'That neither Acid nor Salt, nor any other Sapor, doth overcome and destroy Vitriol, but Alcalyes alone, but the Juice [Page 57]of unripe Galls, falls in with Vitriol,Things much different do most of all ac­cord. Hi [...]p. L. 1. de Diaet. and makes a coalition therewith into black, destroying and absorbing the Aci­dity thereof; and therefore this Juice is to be reckon­ed amongst Alcalyes; after this manner, Ink, and all Black Tinctures are made: yea, when the Acidity of the Vitriol is not, to sufficiency, combibed by the Al­caly of Galls; which comes to pass, when the Galls are too ripe, and are washed by the Rain; then the Alcaly doth expire, as it happens to all Vegetables, of which hereafter in its place; then the Vitri­ol erodes and eats out the Cloth, and it becomes as rotten; whence the Vulgar say,The Stuff is spoiled in the dying. La robba e brusada, nella tinta. So also, Letters written with Ink, boil­ed with the aforesaid Galls, do wax pale, because the prevalent Acidity of the Vitriol, consumes the weak Alcaly of the Galls, being washed with the Rain, after the same manner as any Acid Spirit spread upon a Writing, presently destroys the Black Colour (i. e.) the Alcaly, which another fixed Alcaly doth again recover and reduce. So if you write with Water, wherein Vitriol of Iron hath been dissolved, when it is dry, no sign of of any Writing will appear,The Ground of Cryp [...] ­graphy. but if you smear over the Writing with a simple in­fusion of Galls, in a moment the Alcaly of the Galls makes the Writing Black, which by a powerful Acid or A­qua fortis, is presently blotted out, viz. The Alcalyes being consumed by the Acid. Again, smear over the Paper with fixed Alcaly, this will again consume the Acid, and the Writing will re-appear. By what hath been said, it appears, that Vitriol doth not dye Black, un­less its Acidity hath been absumed by some Alcaly or other.

But that the Alcaly of Galls may be made more perfect, anoint them over, at least with some Fat,Alcaly of Galls. or with some Oil, the hidden Acidity of which enters into the Galls, being placed in a pot, in a slow Fire of Ashes, leave them there till you see the Galls become Blacker, but not so as to be reduced to Coals; then their Alcaly will be more fit for Colouring, and an Ounce of such burnt Galls, doth more than a [Page 58]pound of others; yea it colours of it self, because the Acidity of the Fat, by the Fire, hath acted upon its Alcaly.

Very many Vegetables do abound with the like Volatile and Occult Alcaly,Rinds of Pom­granates. as the greater Housleek, Sage, Rinds of Pomgranates; all which do spend and absume the Acid of the Vitriol, and cause the Colcotar to be much less black.

A certain Prince of great Renown, an Enquirer into the Mysteries of Nature, wondered much, when he heard that a certain Gentlewoman of the Nursery in his Court, had taken by Mouth, Rinds of Pomgranates (which are uni­versally judged to be Adstringent) which yet provoked the Courses in her, which had been stopped some Months: To whom, when I declared the copious Alcaly, where­with these Rinds do abound, and that the stopping of the Menstrua did arise from that Morbous Acidity, which the Alcaly of the Rinds had absorbed, it ceased his won­derment.

But you must note, that Artificial Vitriol of an Azure colour,Things tho­rowly mixed and divided are altered. Hip. l. 1. de Diat. (which is falsly called (Cyprus Vitriol) doth not become black, with Galls, though they be burnt, but with Rinds of Pomgranates it tinges obscurely Yellow: Now it is made of the spangles or thin flakes of Copper, by Spirit of Sulphur, or of common Vitriol; both which in a cold place, are Coagulated into somewhat long-angu­lar little stones, hardly dissolvable, and unfit for Distil­lation, because it wholly wants that Cupreous Sulphur. This, with Urine, waxeth Green, and with the Alcaly of Urine, is cast into an Azure bottom, which by Fusion re­turns to Copper.

So also Verdigrease (as proceeding from ripe Copper and Vinegar) doth not wax black with Galls,Distilled Ae­rugo yields Vine­gar. but becomes of a light red or Spadiceous colour, and, by the Refor­mers leave, I know, and have experimented, that no­thing but Vinegar will be distilled from thence, because the remaining Caput Mortuum, after Distillation, by the fire of Fusion, is reduced to pure Copper, of which more hereafter.

Whence it appears, that burnt Brass, with tosted Galls, [Page 59]produceth not a black tincture, as Alexius of Piedmont pro­mises, with which process the Women of this Country do wonderfully vexe themselves, that therewith they may black their hair; for as far as this composition tingeth any thing, it ownes that Vertue to the tosted Galls;Alexius his Se­cret. the burnt Brass contributing nothing thereunto.

But Cyprus Vitriol, is truly Hermaphroditical, richly furnished with natural Acidity, and Cupreous Sulphur;The Metaphor of Mars com­panying with Venus, doth not unfi [...]ly suit here. for which reason it is always moist, and never of it self con­ctetes into small stones, wherefore it very easily grows black with Galls; which is a sign, that it partakes of the Nature of Venus and Mars (for Vitriol of Venus, without Mars, doth not grow black with Galls, as I have shew­ed.)

For Iron and Copper, are of affinity one to another, as Male and Female. This Secret (sayes Basilius) you may take no­tice of, but conceal, for it is of great use. This Vitriol,De Vitriels. dis­solved in water, is of a Tawney colour, if burnt Brass be dissolved in it, or flakes of Copper, or Iron, then it con­cretes into little stones, and becomes vendible, but infe­rior to that which is Medicineable.

The White Vitriol which comes from Gosloria and that also from Carinthia, White Vitriol. doth participate indeed of Mars and Venus, but are not rich in natural Acidity, for which rea­son they very slowly wax black with Galls, a drop of this Solution, mixed with Galls, and falling on Paper makes a Party-coloured Iris, after it is dry.

But Romane Vitriol, which abounds with Iron,Roman Vitriol. though poor in Spirit, yet it colours quickly, because of the Iron; So Artificial Vitriol, which is made of the fileings of Iron,Vitriol [...]m Mar­tis artislciale. with Spirit of Vitriol or Sulphur, doth tinge most readily; and therefore Dyers, for want of Sweet Vitriol, do add fileings of Iron to the Humid, and by consequent the sharp which it doth Corrode, and so the Vitriol is Dulcified.

So also Crocus Martis (which is made of artificial Vitriol, burnt in a covered Crucible, till it be red) being dissolved with Spirit of Salt: and digested with Spirit of Wine,C [...]ocus, Martis, Solutus. ac­quires a golden colour; and becomes a noble Medicine. One drop alone of this Solution in half an ounce of the De­coction or Extract of Galls, becomes perfectly black; [Page 60]pour out this black, and wash the vessel with clean water, and the Ablution will be of the colour of an Amtihyst; A drop of the former, on Paper, after it is dryed, of its own accord represents divers colours, as a Peacocks tail, curious to the eyes of the beholders.

Whilest I was busied heretofore about these curious ex­periments, I perceived my fingers to be tingedwith a Pur­ple colour, as it happens from Gold dissolved in Aqua Regia: and the tincture endured for some days; This Ba­silius calls Sanguis Veneris & Martis, The blood of Venus and Mars, and commands us, not without reason, to ob­serve it accurately, and to conceal it.

Gold corroded by Aqua Regia, and coagulated into the shape of Vitriol, Gold. doth tinge the fingers, as I have said, of a Purple colour; and with the infusion of Galls, the li­quor becomes like yellow Amber, with which, if with a liberal hand you dawb over Paper, after it is dryed, it shines as Varnish.

Silver corroded in Aqua Fortis, Silver. of Nitre, and Alome, with an infusion of Galls, doth not change its nature; if you write on Paper with this mixture, after two days every black letter, is, as it were compassed with a Silver and shining list, which cannot be without Alcaly: Hence this rare Man may understand why the Ancients Metapho­rically called Gold the Male, and Silver the Female: A drop of this Solution, if with a large hand it drop on Paper, after the silver lift it draws and makes another of a Ches­nut colour, a pleasant Spectacle, as if it were so painted on purpose: So also, Tinn, and Lead, being reduced in­to Salt or Vitriol, Leed, Tiau. with the juice of Galls, as also with Alcaly of any sort, yields a white bottom (i. e.) the Al­caly of the Galls drinks up the Acid, and the Metal goes to bottom; but not so in Gold, nor Silver, nor Cop­per, &c.

Quick silver dissolved by Acid things,Mercury. and re-coagu­lated with the aforesaid juice of Galls, waxeth but slow­ly Yellow, imitating Gold; which is to be observed.

Wherefore of the seven Metals, being dissolved by Acids, Iron and Silver, with Galls, do tinge of a black colour: Yea, Silver doth the same without Galls, and the black­ness [Page 61]appears after the Acid Spirits are spent. Other Me­tals, though dissolved and re-coagulated, do shew as if they were Vitriol, but perform not the actions of Vi­triol.

Find out the cause, if you can, for it is not unpleasant to discover it.

A Semi-acid-Salt Spirit, Distilled from the Caput Mor­tuum of Tartar and Sal Armoniack, An admirable Spirit. was mixed with Bole Armonick, of which above. This Spirit, with juice of Galls was greenish in a moment; From which I learned, that the Bole Armonick did necessarily contain in it imma­ture Copper-seed, which the soresaid Spirit catcht away with it in the torture of the Fire; I call it a Copper­seed, for Vitriol made of Copper, with Spirit of Vitriol, being precipitated with juice of Galls, appears of the same green colour, as I shewed above: but when it is made of common Bole-Armonick, then it is black.

Whence it is clear, that the Volatile Salt, or the Al­caly of Galls, or of Pomgranate Rinds,Foundation of black colout. or of Vulnerary Herbs, do not dye of a black colour, unless with Iron, dissolved in an Acid Mineral.

There is another observable thing, that a pure Acid na­tural Spirit, cannot be extracted or acquired by any man; for being Distilled from Vitriol, however rectified, it ne­ver forsakes the Liquamen of the Metal; neither can it be precipitated from it, by any Alcaly, after the com­mon way; for in these it cloaths it-self again with a new body, and returns to what it was, as I have shewed in its place, yet Paracelsus doth praise that Acid Spirit, which is found near the Village Veltin in Helvetia, as in some sort pure, as I have elsewhere observed.

Add hereto, the Counterseit, which the Reformer boasts for Magistery of the Seed of Kermes, which yet is nothing else, but the Alcaly of Allum;Pharm. Regia [...] fol 282. which sucked up the Occult Acidity, from the very grains, for fear of a Vacuum, inasmuch as it lost its own proper Acidity in the Alcaly of Tartar.

CHAP. XVIII. Pass we now out of the Mines (Ʋnder-ground) into a plea­sant Garden, to the more hidden Volatile Alcalyes of Ve­getables.

ALl Vegetables,Mechanical In­struments of Vegetables are the two facul­ties of Hippoc. L. 1. de Diaet. as well as Animals, have Vital In­struments, which they make use of, for their en­crease and propagation. The prevailing Acidity therefore lies sleeping in the Seed (as in an Egg, or in a Stomach) with a little Alcaly, for its sustentation, and with the specifick Rector (of which elsewhere) but when it is cast into the earth, it is dissolved by Humidity, and excited by Heat: The Acid, as being igneous, begins to act upon the Al­caly, to which the Humid also comes, and the Rector, by the assistance of Heat, informs it: So invisibly, the A­cid assumes the Alcaly, and the Alcaly again swallows up the Acid, they tend to each side, as Ferments do, yea they cease not,The Mystery of Fermentation was heretofore hid on pur­pose. till they have finished their several and prefixed Courses for their proper ends; one Spirit draws, another protrudes, as Hippocrates in the fore-cited place.

So that, the Humidity of every Vegetable, contains Acid and Alcaly; in some, the Alcaly predominates, in others the Acid: The Acid is most known, but the Al­caly yet known to few; which I will now demonstrate to the Eye, in the sweet expressed juice of Grapes, as most known; wherein, the first days the Rector is Dormant, who, a while after, applying the Mechanical Organs, the Acid begins to Corrode the Alcaly, and This absorbs the Acid; and so there happens a vehement Contention and Fight, which from the Heat or Boyling is called Fermentation, which lasts till the Acid, as Victor, hath overcome the Alcaly: Fermentum; quòd servendo erescit. In this Fight both the Faculties (or Tastes, or Sapors, Instruments, Mechanical or Archi­techtonical, call them as you please, or else the Arche­us, or Innate Heat &c.) undergo a great overthrow, there being made a mighty slaughter, the Acid being swallow­ed [Page 63]up, destroyed, and enfeebled by the Alcaly, both mu­tually fall in a mutual embrace into a Cadaver (in re­spect of Wine) which is called Tartar.

If you Distill this Tartar out of a Retort,Spirit of Tar­tar. the Acid is ex­cited by Heat, and begins again to act upon the Alcaly; and This likewise on the Acid, and so a new Fermenta­tion begins, for which you must use a very slow fire, and though the Receiver be great, yet the incondensible O­dor of the Fermentation (which Helmont calls Gas) is perceived a far off; yet at last, the Alcaly overcomes the Acid, and doth plainly absorb it, and both of them, for the greatest part are fixed. The Liquor and Oyl in the Receiver are Saturated and Impregnated with Volatile Alcaly, which is of excellent use of it self, yet known to few. If you again re-infuse the Distilled Liquor and the Oyl upon the Caput Mortuum, then the Volatile Alcaly, which the Liquor did contain, is drunk up by the Acid in the Caput Mortuum, and becomes fixed, but that which then re-distills out, will be of greater Affinity, to the Element of Water, and so of less efficacy. But the Re­former here, as every where else, grievously mistakes;Mantis Herm. f. 745. for he says, That Common Spirit of Tartar, which is not rectified from its remaining Caput Mortuum, is by no means to be accounted for pure Spirit of Tartar.

From this his Rectified Spirit of Tartar (and out of his own insipid Brain) he compounds a Medicine,Mantis. f. 750. truly la­mentable, which he calls, A mixture of Three, from the Spi­rits of the Minerals.

First, The Volatile Alcaly in the Tartar, is Saturated with the Acid of the Sulphur of Antimony; That he calls the Tartarized Spirit of Antimony, if by chance, some of the Volatile Alcaly, do yet remain, what doth he then? He mortifies it with Vinegar from Verdigrease, and the Acid of Vitriol; whence this hurtful, though artificial and unprofitable Composition, consists of Elementary Water and Vinegar; this mixture the Ancients called Posca, to which the Reformer adds nothing, but the stinking smell of Tartar. But the Spirit of Tartar, being prudently Di­stilled by an Hippocratist, is not Acid, but somewhat bit­ter, and full of Volatile Alcaly; on which, if you poure [Page 64]Spirit of Vitriol, it waxeth hot, that you can hardly hold the pot in your hands; which is an evident sign, that the Acid of the Vitriol hath drunk up the Alcaly of the Tartar; as it happens when water is poured on Lime, and as in the slacking and heating of Lime, the Salts dye, and it degenerate into a Neutral; the same is to be un­derstood of Spirit of Tartar, with whatsoever Acid it be mixed; so my Master Hippocrates teaches.

I return now,Things tho­rowly mi [...]'d, undergo altera­tion. L. 1. de Diaet. whence I digressed (i. e.) to the Chymical Fermentation of Wine, for whose sake, the Tartar fell to the bottom, as a Cadaver; But the Acidity spread through the Liquor, hath dominion over it, and doth de­fend it, and is called Wine, the Acidity whereof, is grate­ful to the Palate, because of the Alcaly, with which it is joyned, and tempers the Acid, till at length the Acidity, weary of the Alcaly, or excited again by Heat, strives to overcome the Alcaly, and so a new and insensible fight begins, and the Wine foures more, and is called by a common name, Vinegar: from which if the Acidity be separated in a Limbeck,Without Art, there is not found a pure Acid in Nature unmited with Alcaly, and on the contrary. Hippoc. l. 1. de Diat. Aust. 1. Phys. and the bottom burnt by fire, then the Alcaly is found out of that Tartarous bot­tom, though it seem impossible to some, to find Al­caly in so great an Acidity; yet it is true, and it is That which the Philosopher means, when he says, That it is impossible there should be any matter, under which there should not be some form.

Pour or superadde Distilled Acid on this Alcaly, and evocate the watery flegme, having the smell of Aqua Ardeus, or hot water, then from the Acid and the Al­caly, you shall have a re-generated Tartar, which out of a Retort, yields a fat Oyl, and a bitter Water, full of [...]olatile Alcaly; out of the Phlegme, through a Phyal of a long Neck,So the Rector by degrees va­nishes from our External senses into nothing, that Man can­not find out the work which God operates. F [...]cl. 3.11. evocate the Fat burning watery part, which we call Aqua vitae; the other part is elementary water; the Fat re-assumes the Al­caly, out of which again, extract the Elementary Wa­ter, and repeat this operation, and the whole sub­stance of Wine passes into Water and Elementary Earth, void of all taste and smell.

Hence it appears, that the Juice of Grapes hath [Page 65]preserved the Alcaly, and the Acid (in which the Re­ctor doth inhabit) in various hazards, and several al­terations, even unto its last annihilation.

CHAP. XIX. An untrodden Path discovered.

THat which I have spoken in the precedent Chap­ter concerning the Juice of Grapes, the same is also to be understood of the Juice of all Vegetables; for in them all there is Acid and Alcaly, more or less, as Hippocrates and Experience also shew; but with this difference, that in those Vegetables, which we call Cold, the Alcaly doth predominate, and they are not fermentable, unless by the help of an outward Acid, or being excited by heat; but in those which are hot, the Acid prevails, and therefore they are easily fermentable, as in the Progress will appear. Also the Alcaly of some Vegetables is nearer to fix'd, and therefore it joynes in with Acid Minerals; All things are corrupted mu­tually by them­selves the gre­ter by the less, and the less by the greater. Hipp. L. 1. de Diaet. as I have shewed in Galls, in the greater Housleak, in Rinds of Pomgranates, &c. The Alcalyes of others, are much more delicate, so that Acid Minerals do present­ly absume them, in as much as they are nutritive and fit for the digestion of Animals, which consists in a milder Acidity: of which sort are Winter-green, Sa­nicle, Bettony, Fole-foot, &c. Which therefore are called Vulnerary Herbs, whose Alcaly restrains and hinders the injust Acidity vising in the Stomach, as it lessens it also in wonuds, because all Acidity out of the Stomach, is hurtful, morbous, and accompanies putrefaction, which the Vulgar call heat, from the effect, for it causes a Fea­vour, and putrefies Wounds; many skilful Chyrurge­ons have taken notice of that Acidity in wounded men, as the beginner of heat and putrefaction, and have there­fore forbade them the use of Wine, and not without cause, least the subtle and evaporable Acidity of the Wine should encrease the Disease, I say, the Alcaly of [Page 66]these is not discovered with Acid Minerals, Nature delights in its like na­ture. but be­cause they themselves are Nutritive, therefore the said Alcaly associates it self with its similary Nutritives, and with gentler Acids, than Minerals. As for Ex­ample, Dissolve a drachm of Sal Saturni (made with Distilled Vinegar, for that resists not the Digestion of Animals) in about three Ounces of Distilled Water, which hath no Volatile Alcaly) of Rosemary, Lavender, Rue, &c. Suffer the Lees to settle: This Solution be­ing sweet in taste, contains Occult Lead; drop the clear Juice of the foresaid Vulnerary Herbs, into this clear Solution, and it presently grows as white as Milk, which is a sign that the Alcaly of the Herbs absorbs the Acid from the Lead, which falls by degrees.

For as fixed Alcaly, praecipitates Mercury, and Alca­ly, nearer to fixed, praecipitates Vitriol, as I have shew­ed before: so also here, a milder Alcaly requires a milder Examen.

Paracelsus, first observed That hidden Alcaly of Herbs, and it is probable that by the like Examen he took notice of their several minute degrees; he had taken notice, that in wounds, putrefaction came from Aci­dity, and from thence, arose feavorish heats, and corruptions of Wounds; he also first prescribed Vul­nerary Potions, and did happily restrain the said Aci­dity and putrefaction, Paracelsus his Analytick knowledge of Bodies. and called the Herbs Vulnerary. And though John Taugaultius, a French Man, and Gabriel Fallopias, an Italian, both famous Physicians, and excellent Chyrurgeons, do condemn and endea­vour to explode Vulnerary Potions in the Cure of Wounds, affirming, that by their heat they inflame, and extenuate the Blood, and excite its eruption from the Wound; yet though simple Vulnenary Medi­dicaments are not known to every Chyrurgeon, and and are prescribed without distinction and knowledge of their degrees (for all cannot attain this pitch of Sci­ence) nevertheless Experience shews,Ulcers of the Feet or Thighs, and Wounds, are Cured by Potions; why may they not do the same in the Lungs? that the aforesaid Potions are useful; with which, also Paracelsus cured the Ulcers of the Lungs, (as Histories witness,) and also the Hectick Feavor (as I have also experimented) which [Page 67]is an universal and inept Acidity, and that of the solid parts, which in one word, we call Heat, and which, the aforesaid Alcalys do more readily absorb and consume, than Milk; as I have shewed in its place, and the cure it self demonstrates.

Therefore Vulnerary Potions are not to be rejected, but used with good Success, in the curing of Wounds.

Many of the accuratest sort of Chyrurgeons, The brevity of this Compen­dium will not allowme to dis­course of Spe­cifick Acid. Yet see ch. 21. and Phy­sicians have taken notice, that Acid [...]ty is the cause of Heat and Pain; as also that burnt Harts-horn absumes in it self Vinegar, and other Acids of all sorts, whence it comes to pass, that it is given with good success in Feavors, in a great dose, from half an ounce, to an ounce, in any cooling water, containing Volatile Al­caly; For, as they have observed to their great joy, that the said burnt Harts-horn, absorbs and imbibes the Acid Volatile Salt from Vinegar, so it takes away the Acidity accompanying several sorts of Feavors.

Besides Vulnerary ones,Occult Alcalys. there are also more Occult and Volatile Alcalys in Herbs, which we call Cooling, as Lettice, Purslane, Colts-foot, Endive, and its species; whose Alcaly, is very Fugitive, and is found, not on­ly in their Juices, but also in their Waters carefully Di­stilled: Whence we may learn, that such Herbs being dryed, are of no value, because their Alcaly hath eva­porated.

So also the Distilled water of Frogs-Spawn (the whole Spawn with Patience is elevated in è Balneo into a pure water, the black and dry Grains or Specks,Cooling wa­ters have an oc­cult Alcaly. being left behind, which are not to be rejected) doth abound with Occult Volatile Alcaly, and doth presently precipitate Lead out of the aforesaid Solution, more readily, and copiously, than any other cooling water: This water is much to be esteemed in many diseases, arising from a peculiar Acidity: I have known a desperate Hemorrhage from the Womb, happily cured by it, in as much as at first it sucks up the Acidity of the Blood, afterwards it restrains and expels it.

Also this water applyed to the grieved part in the Feet-Gout, presently asswages the pain, in as much as it mor­tifies [Page 68]and alters the Acrimony: But when the pain is more violent, then the Acidity is in greater quantity and vigor, and the Volatile Alcaly consuming the cause of the pain,Volatile Alta­lys ease the pains of the Gout. then must needs, be more manifest, for it indubitably takes away the pain; whence we learn, that the cause thereof proceeds from Acidity, if otherwise, the principal indications are to be taken from things helpful and nocent, as Avicen teaches.

Foolish therefore, and almost Frantick, is the opini­on of certain Canonical Physicians; who, against the Doctrine of Hippocrates, out of ignorance do fear, and perswade the simple, that a greater mischeif is occa­sioned by undertaking to Cure by contraries, and by endeavouring to repel the Catarrh, by such Simples.

For Hippocrates shews, that Volatile Alcaly is empty and void, and that it takes away all pain of the Feet-Gout, (I mean not the knotty and coagulated Gout) all Arthritick, The knotty Feet-Gout doth coagulate, as the Stone, a [...] least by a di­verse Acid. Hippoc. l. 1. de Diaet. Simple water doth nourish, and there is a great Secret in water, as Her­mes saith. Let Canonical Physicians ob­serve, that the Alcaly of com­mon water, doth not as­cend in a Lim­beck. Where­fore, distilled, it cools not, as the water of Frogs-Spawn before spoken of. Nephritick, Sciatick, and such like pain, in a very short time, if it be but outwardly applyed, in as much as it presently imbibes and assumes (being impatient of Vacuity) the Acidness, which is the cause of the pain.

But not only waters, Distilled from cooling Herbs, but also common water both of Wells and Rivers, contains an Occult Alcaly, by means whereof it nourishes Animals and all Plants; Red hot Iron, quenched in water, acquires strength thereby, as Hippocrates teaches in the fore-cited Book, and daily Experience shews; for Iron hath too much of the Volatile Acid, whence it readily passes into Scoria and Rust, but when the Acid is imbibed by the Alcaly, then it is made more compact, and resists more; therefore Cutlers of Knives and Swords, anoint their work with shavings of Horns, heating their blades till the shavings melt, and thus they draw the Al­caly out of the Horns, and their blades become stron­ger. hence it is, that such as pass by their shops, do sometimes perceive the stinking smell of burnt Horns. But it is easily proved, that an Occult Alcaly is in com­mon simple water, by the fore-mentioned solution of Sal Saturni, which presently grows white thereby: So, if [Page 69]Silver be dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and you add simple water to the Solution, it presently waxes white as Milk, but when the same water hath been distilled, then the Alcaly, doth not ascend, neither doth the Solution of Silver grow white any longer thereby. For which cause John Baptista Porta, advises Water to be twice, or thrice distilled, for a Tree of Silver and Mercury, Lib 5. Magna­tur. c. 3. which the Vulgar foolishly call the Philosophers Tree: So also Water distilled from Cephalick herbs, doth precipitate neither Silver nor Lead from the above-named Solution; For these, as I have said, contain not Alcaly in their Juices; So that the Water, distilled only, from cooling Herbs, as also common water not distilled, do contain a Vola­tile Alcaly; by means of this Alcaly, Water doth nou­rish: Hence Lactantius saith, From Water are all things; L. 1. c. 5. which, before Hippocrates, Thal [...]s Milesius, also knew, perhaps by the benefit of this Art, as Laertius witnesseth in his Life; So the Ancient Hermes, Water, saith he, is susceptible and producible of Nutriment in Men, and other creatures: And without Water, Nature operates not, &c.

Now because our discourse is fallen upon Cooling Wa­ters, I shall not pass over in silence the abuse of Rose Water, which is said to cool, but it is disproved by this Experiment.

At Venice, Rose-water, as commonly all other wa­ters, are distilled out of a Copper Vessel (sometimes lined within with Tinn, though oftentimes the Tinn, for age, is worn away.) This Water is prescribed to Chil­dren, because it kills, and expels Worms, and some­times provokes Vomitting, which Operation, and Ver­tue, is Vulgarly ascribed to the Rose-water, whereas Rose-water is not simply cold, but of a temperate na­ture, as containing an occult and insensible Acidity,Rose-water doth not cool unless it be di­stilled through Lead. which is unseparable from it, never leaving it, till it be annihilated; but in flowing through a Copper Limbeck, its Occult Acidity abrades and takes off certain Atomes from the Copper, which are invisibly mixed with the wa­ter; if you would discover or separate the Copper, drop into a little quantity of this water, one or two drops, of the Alcaly of Urine, and presently all the water turns [Page 70]Green, because the Acidity of the water doth more greedily catch the light Alcaly, more similary to it than the Metal, which therefore by little and little, subsides into a greenish bottom; Then the same water, doth no longer provoke Vomit, nor kill Worms, but will be like That which is Distilled through Glass Vessels; but melt the green bottom with Borax, and then it returns to Cop­per again.

Neither is this Occult Nutritive Alcaly found only in Vulnerary and Cooling-herbs,All Pot-herbs contain a Vola­tile Alcaly and cooling, and, as all wound herbs beget Milk in Nurses; for A­cidity is an hin­drance to Milk. but in all Pot-herbs whatsoever, which are therefore desired by the Stomach, abounding with Acidity. This Alcaly is the cause that such as eat boiled Cabbage or Coleworts, before a fit of Drinking, are seldom inebriated, for the Alca­ly of this Herb, as it moderates the inebriateing A­cidity of the Wine in the Stomach, so it absords and consumes That in the Glass.

But why certain simples do specifically Cure some Di­seases,Specifique Me­dicines. as the Juice of Yarrow, the Haemorrhoides; Fu­mitory, the Jaundies; Butchers Broom, the Distem­pers of the Urine; Guajacum and Sarza, the French-pox, and the like; and wherein all the Faculties of Purging simply do consist; it would be tedious to declare in this place, let it suffice to have given some small hint of it, at least in this Writing, wherein, even against my will, I have been inforced to disco­ver Salts hitherto Objection. Occult.

But I hear some whispering an Objection, that I endeavor to shew the Volatile Alcalyes of Vegetables with dissolved Lead, whereas all Salt things do also precipi­tate Lead from this Solution (as we have confessed be­fore) but with this difference that the Lead falls down with the Salt in the form of a Powder: Distil the clear swimming upon the top, and you will have Vinegar, which carryed the dissolved Lead, but it falls from the Vinegar, because Salt hath a greater affinity with Vinegar than Metal; but mix the Alcaly of the Herbs, or rather drop the Juice of the aforesaid Herbs into that Solu­tion of Lead, then it doth not hastily fall down in form of a Powder, but becomes as a Pultiss: Distil [Page 71]the supernating Liquor, and then you shall draw from it, not Vinegar, but an Insipid Water; which is a manifest Argument, that the Alcaly hath suckt up the Acidity.

How much Light this Hippocratical Doctrine may give to a Physician,Solation. as well in compounding Medicines (that one ingredient hinder not another, yea the Vertue of Simples may by this Knowledge be wonder­fully exalted) as in Curing Diseases, let those judge who know how to distinguish Tastes and Sapors, and moderately to invert and vary them, which at present I shall only demonstrate in that one Example of the Nettle, which being fresh and moist, stings and blisters,Vertue of the Nettle. but dryed, astringes, and stops blood: the Juice there­of is coagulated in dissolved Lead, into a Black Gob­bet, which again in fixed Alcaly is presently diluted into an obscure, but penetrable colour; whence we learn, that dryed Nettles boiled in Alcalizate Lye (yet sweet as they call it) do hinder Gray and Hoary Hairs, if every day they be kembed with them; with Vitri­ol, it again concretes into yellowish clots, which, with the Spirit of the same Vitriol, are again dissolved into a clear and pellucid Liquor. Such, I suppose, were the hidden vertues of Roots, and the differences of Shrubs, of which Solomon speaks, which he learned from the wise Ar­tificer of all things, in his Disputation from the Hyssop to the Cedar of Lebanon; for it is not credible, that He unne­cessarily discoursed of first Qualities, and of Elementary Degrees, which our Botanicks boast to measure, as it were, with their tongues: of These it cannot be said, that they are, hidden vertues.

This is the meaning of that Speech of Arnoldus de villa Nova (though on other accounts, his Works want cor­rection) Where Simples are at hand, In Aph. 'tis deceit to use Com­pounds: Whilest I heretofore applyed my Self to this study, I was much assisted by that Eminent and Skilful Botanick, and diligent Apothecary, Johannes Mar [...]a Fero, of this City, who, with singular Care and Study, gather­ed together all sorts of Vegetables, to whose Industry I do owe very much, and accordingly I render him my real and hearty thanks.

By the help of this study, I have also found out a Compound Powder,A Powder a­gainst a Qar­ta [...]. equivalent to, if not exceeding, the vertue of Chinella, in a Quartan, as they can wit­ness, who have bought, and used it, in order to their Health.

CHAP. XX. The Spiritual Representation of Plants.

OUt of what hath been spoken and declared, we may discover the foundation, on which the Spiritual Re­generation of Plants ought to be built, of which Querce­tan speaks in his Book against Anonymus, which he said he had seen at a certain Cracovian Physicians, who knew how to prepare the ashes of every plant so Elegantly, and how to preserve their Spirits (the Authors of their Vertues) so Exactly; that, having above thirty of them in several Glass Vessels, Seal'd with Hermes's Seal, if any one asked to have a Rose, or a Marigold shewed him, then he would put the bottom of the Vessel, wherein was the Rose-ashes (and the like of any other Flower, which he was to shew) to the Can­dle, to warm it a little, and then that fine and impalpable Ashes of it self, would represent the evident form of a Rose, encreasing and growing by degrees, manifestly exhibiting the fi­gure of a living florid Rose, which shadowy representation, when the Vessel was removed from the heat, would again re­turn to ashes. This Secret, says he, I sought after with great study, but could never attain it.

But this Spiritual Resuscitation of Plants, seems not so difficult to the Hippocratical Philosopher, especially when it is prosecuted,The Vulgar burn by Fire, the Ch [...]mi [...]s by Water. not with a violent, but a soft fire, therein imitating Nature, as our Master teaches. I have invented a way for it, which yet by reason of the in­commodity of this place, for such kind of Studies, I have not confirmed by Experience: yet for the sake of the Curious, I will here set it down.

I have Ocularly demonstrated out of Hippocrates, that Acid and Alcaly, the Architectonick Instruments of Na­ture, are in all sublunary things; These, when they are not subjected to the Artificer, but left to the government of Nature alone, then That subject encreaseth and grows strong, as the meanest Flint declares, of which I have spoken in his place: If then it encreaseth and grows, of necessity the Acid, andI have else­where shew'd that the Spirit, is the Bond joyning Soul and Body. Alcaly must have something, which directs their Operations to their proper ends.

This, I elsewhere call the Rector, give it what name you please, provided we understand the thing; for I shall not quarrel about words. These Three, Hermes, that most ancient Philosopher, calls Body, Spirit, and Soul;Nature is like in every thing, as Hermes, Py­thagoras, and a terward, Hippoc. teaches. So that these Three are latent in that Terrene Receptacle, which represents to us the figure of a Seed.

Let half a pound of this Seed, for instance of Poppy, from a full flower or head, be gathered in [...]ir weather, which you must keep in a temperate place till the next Spring, then in the Evening, observe the clearing of the Sky, whether it promise a fair Night, for the Night must be fair wherein the Seed is to be exposed on a large board of Glass, with the edg turned up, that it fall not down, and placed in a Meadow or Garden full of divers Flowers and Herbs (for unless the soil be fruitful, the Dew will be but barren) In the Morning before Sun-rising, you must carefully take away the Seed, now moist with Dew, from the Glass-Board, and put it into a Phyal,They were small Vessels, says Quercetan. fit for that purpose, having its mouth close sealed with Wax, and so keep it, least the Dew should evaporate (which is very light by reason of the Spirits) these Spirits in the following Chapter I shall shewSee Cosmopoli­ta., being occultly Acid and Volatile, yea being the hidden Food of Life; with which the Dew is so impregnated in the Air, that when it is in­cluded in an Egg-shell, and put upon aWhich I think ought not to be round. Spear placed obliquely, then the Egg is lifted up by the heat of the Sun, to the top of the Spear (asIn Magia Na­tura. Hildebrand teacheth) but that the said Dew may be sucked up by the Seed: After­wards in a clear Night, re-expose the said Glass-board with the Seeds, into the aforesaid Meadow, that it may re-attract and draw in the Dew, which you must also a­gain [Page 74]seal up in the aforesaid Phyal, before Sun-rising, that it exhales not; so the Seeds by little and little, by means of the Dew suck'd in, will begin to swell and be turgid, the Acid and Alcaly, acquiring strength from the Dew, and Heavenly Influences, which the Rector will then begin to direct. Let this setting out, and taking in, of the Seeds, be so long repeated, till the Signs of Germination and Vitality do appear. In the interim, whilest these things are a doing, you must, in the same Meadow, stretch and spread abroad clean Linnen-cloths, on wooden-sticks, and so gather the Dew on them, and wring it out, keeping it in a Glass Vessel well stopped, which in its Settling, will afford or depose some Faeces (from the small dust flying up and down in the Air): of this pure Dew, pour as much on the Seeds, as may be about an Inch above them, and so place them, in a Va­porating Bath (forIt Testamen. c. 24. Raimund teacheth, That what Na­ture doth, by the heat of the Sun and Stars, the same it will do by the heat of Fire, provided it be so ordered, as not to ex­ceed the motive and informative Vertue, which is in the matter of the Celestial Insluences) stopping the mouth of the Glass with melted Sulphur: The Acid and Alcaly, in the Hu­mid and Calid, then begin to act upon one another, and so they will be freed from the Earthly body of the Seed, in which they were included; and in the space of a few days, this natural Composition, will wax Green at the top (as it happens to Stagnant Waters, in shadowy places, by the ambient heat of the Summer.) Under this Green Film, is the union of the Faculties perfected, which I have shewed to be Volatile, and together with the Rector,As Hipp. L. 1. of Diet. unseparable from the Acid (being immortal per se) which union may be called Confermentation.

The Receptacle, or body of the Seed, will be a dead Substance, which in a few days will suck up the Viridity, (i. e.) the Bubbles of Fermentation, with the Superfluous Liquor (as we see in Pools, growing green at top) and by little and little, it is turned into a most fine Powder, like Ashes, when it is come to a ripeness. This Vessel, being warmed (so doubtless Quercetan saw it) the Levity of the Dew, being Confermented with the Rector, and [Page 75]the Faculties of the Seeds, will represent the image of I [...]oppy.

The mouth of the Vessel, if it be melted with Glass, I judg, will never decay, and because the Practick part doth not attain to, nor follow the Speculative, word for word, there is therefore need of a Skilful and Ingenious Operator. Hitherto, as I have said, I never had a fit place at Venice, to make this tryal, nor ever shall, for want of fruitful and pure Dew, which is here troubled by the continual steaming ofMalltre is made of Echa­lations of stink­ing Urine, and other mixtures, embracing one another. Lib. 1. of Me­tcors. Halinitre (as the Walls of all the Houses shew) with which, the very Dews being also subtle exhalations (as Aristotle teach­eth, and our own experience confirms) are mixed, and so they fall down mix'd again,

Such a shadowy Regeneration of things, was hid by Paracelsus (being illuminated in this Natural Hippocrati­cal Doctrine) under the Vail and Metaphor of the Gene­ration of Man, whom, certain Grandees of Physick,Sennert. de Con­sil. Edi. C. 4. being ignorant of this Doctrine, understanding litteral­ly, judged him, as an Impious Man, to Banishment.

I add, that in the whole School of Philosophy, there is nothing, though never so diligently sought for, which doth more lively demonstrate to us the Mystery of the Resurrection, than these proper instruments of Nature, being cleansed from their Refuse, by an Hippocratist, and again conjoyned, re-united, and re-produced, if the said Mystery be at all demonstrable by Natural things.

CHAP. XXI. A Summary Rehearsal of what hath been spoken.

THe Alcaly, and the Volatile Acid, in the family of Vegetables, are burnt together by Fire, into a Fixed, or a truly Alcalizate Salt.Fol. 788. The way is indeed promised by the Resormer in his Mantissa Hermetica, in lofty words, but no where to be found; in the mean [Page 76]time, he finds fault with those Salts, whose ashes are burnt with Sulphur; and he blames Hartman, as a bad Writer, In his Appen­dix. fol. 101. and says that nothing can be more fo [...]lishly taught, than to mix Alcaly Salts, with Acids (as if he himself had not taught to mix the Alcaly of Vipers, with the Acid Spirit of Salt; as also the Spirit of Vitriol, with the Alcalizate Salt of Wormwood, Mantiss. f. 788. under the title of Coagu­lated Spirit of Vitriol: and again, in his Appendix f. 100. he extolls, such mixed Salts, with great Praises) and a little after he again admits Ashes to be calcined with Sul­phur: When uncertainty is the Mistriss, what can be chosen?

Know then, that no Vegetable hath any fixed Salt, of what kind soever, unless it be burned with actual Fire; So that the Acid, in burning, may act upon, and ap­prehend the Alcaly,The Air deth Volatize. and likewise the Alcaly on the Acid, as I have shewed in Juice of Wine, and its Tartar: As may be seen in rotten Wood, though you reduce it, ne­ver so carefully to Ashes, in what fire soever, you will never get Salt out of it; for the Acid, and the Alcaly, being both Volatile, are already absumed by the Air, and have left nothing but an unprofitable Cadaver behind, but if it be burnt before Putrefaction, then you may obtain your desire.

Wherefore our chief care and labour in this Work, must be,This action may be called Fermentation, for the instru­ments of Na­ture are chang­ed. that the Herbs may be fresh, and not withered; for then, in burning, the innate Humidity, when it boils up, doth dissolve the Acid and the Alcaly, which, being dissolved, do act mutually one upon another, and one apprehending the other, they are both fixed, accord­ing to the property of the Concrete: But that part, which flies away with the flame, and was not catched by the Acid, turns into Soot, from whence, you may by an easy Method, draw forth Volatile Alcaly, but never Fixed Salt, yet by ingenuity it is reduced to a Con­sistency.

This action deserves to be called Fermentation, for both the instruments of Nature are changed into one Arti­ficial, which, as in the Sope-makers and Glass-makers Art, is turned with the Acid, its contrary, into a Neu­tral thing; so also it happens in Man's body, when it is [Page 77]administred, with its contrary, by a prudent and Hip­pocratical Physician; for it is the same Operation, L 1. of Diet. as our Master teaches.

Take Green Wormwood for an Example, when it is green, fet fire to it, and kindle it in a Chimney, or open place, but take great heed that it doth not flame out, tis enough to turn it only into Ashes, which, after the burning, put in an Earthen-pot, large, and low, or also upon an Iron-plate, the edges turned up, and Coals being kindled under it in a Wind-furnace, that the Vent-hole, or Por­tal, as need requires, may be either opened, or shut: Stir these Ashes with an Iron Spatule continually, till they be very white, and then lay them in a Linnen-bagg Acuminated (or if there be but few, on Acuminated Pa­per) and pour on Common Water, which as it runs through it, being pregnant with Salt, is called a Lye; coagulate this strained Lye in an Iron Frying-Pan (not greased in the Kitchin) with a quick Ebullition, and make it up into a Lump, and when it is as thick, as Honey, continually stir it with a Spatule, and it will be dryed into a grey Powder, which presently put into a Pot not glazed, the mouth of the Wind-furnace being stopped, and cover it with small Coals, mixed with their powder, and leisurely heat it, scarce to Brunity, or Browneness, but not that it may melt, then cool it, and put the Salt, into a Glass Vessel, that it may be dissolved in a sufficient quantity of Water; stir it oftentimes with a Woodden­stick, then suffer the Solution to rest, two or three days, and when it is clear from the Lees, without much stir­ring, pour it out, and in a Leaden, or Glass Vessel, placed in Sand, suffer the Water to exhale, without Bubbles, till a Saline-Cuticle grow a-top; then remove the Vessel, and the next Morning, gather together the shining grains of Salt, which you must swiftly wash in clear water, and then dry: put again the remaining Lye, in the Sand, that the water may exhale, as before, un­to the Cuticle. Both these Salts are to be kept together, in one Vessel, which being prepared after this manner, do resemble the Crasis and Disposition of their Concretes. The rest of the Lye, being of the taste of Urine, and of a stinking smell [...] is to be left to wash Glasses.

This is the easy and natural way of preparing Salts of Vegetables, which do never melt of themselves, nor are of an ungratesul taste: A Pound of these Ashes, will yield near four ounces of the purest Salt; but four pound of the Ashes of dried Herbs, will scarce afford an ounce of Salt.

Alcalyes,What Herbs yield Alca [...]yes, Salt or Acid, I have saffici­ently shewed before. out of Vegetables, are made after the same manner, of which yet some are easily turned into Liquor, for they are empty, and therefore desire to be satiated from the Air; as I have hinted above in the Occult Aci­dity of the Air, which may suffice.

The Reformer teaches, that the ashes are to be boiled, and the Lye thickned to Siecity,Mant. f. 789. and afterwards commit­ted to the melting fire, without discretion; So, in the place of the Vegetable Salt, there always comes an emp­ty and caustick Alcaly; for the Salt of Wormwood, in its Fundamental Point, is of the Acid Salt, and not purely fixed, as I have shewn; but if it suffer Fusion, then both Tastes or Sapor act upon one another, and are fixed into an Alcaly, as it happens in all Acid Salts made by Art; wherefore from the Regimen of Fire alone, things are altered, and they change their Name, Vertue and Effi­cacy. This is the cause, that the vertues of Salts, pre­pared by ignorant Persons,Fire is a Pub­lick Professor. are never equal, viz. when they are Alcalyz'd, they are commended by the Unskil­ful (for example, Salt of Wormwood) to have done good in the Collick (which then came from Acids, which had been drank) but when it is prepared from Salt-Acid, and Vo­latile to boot, by the Skilful, 'tis good for the Stomach, and against Old Obstructions, and is then the Basis in the Cachectique Powder of Quercetan. A Cachectick Powder. The cause is ascribed to Noxious Humours; So, many Salts, are made fixed, if they be managed with a due Heat, and with all Requi­sites, as the Subject can bear, which otherwise were Vola­tile; for the fixation of Blood requires one kind of Heat and Instruments;All things are done by them through Di­vine Necessity. Hipp. l. 1. de Diaet. the fixing of Nitre, and Arsenick, ano­ther; when the whole Nitre, by Odor only, is turned to Earth, it requires another Tractation; when Mer­cury of it self, doth as it were grow fixed, there is need of another Fire, and Vessel; there are other Requisites, [Page 79]when Antimony and Sulphur are fixed; So also there is a­nother operation of Salts, which are all Volatile, as I have shewed in Rotten Wood.

This is the reason,The Venatians Ingenious. why the wife and prudent Senators of Venice, do cause the Timber, of which they make their Ships of War, while it is green, to lye under water ma­ny years, in their gallant and well-provided Arsenal, least the Air should penetrate it, and by this means, un­der the water, it becomes almost as fixed and as hard, as stones.

But if it begins to be quailed in the Air, before it be watered, then they must burn it a little, that the Acid and Alcaly, may be melted together, and as it were incrustrated; and so it will endure many ages and never rot: In like manner those pieces of Timber are incrustra­ted, which are rammed into the Earth for Foundations of great Buildings, least they should rot.

The Gardeners in these Islands do reduce their Herbs, being dryed, in the Air or Sun, to Ashes, and sell the ashes on their Words and Credit to the Apothecaries: who, find­ing they can get little, or no Salt out of them, do blame the Gardeners, alledging they were naught; Their an­swer is, that in Transporting the Ashes, the Sea-water hath robb'd them of their Salt: many do easily believe this Excuse, being ignorant of any other cause.

But when fresh Vegetables are reduced to Ashes,To this sense Bisilius speaks of Sal Armon. When my Wings are cnt off, and [...]om prepared to the Bath as is done in L [...]tuania, Scandia, and Muscovy, for Pot-ashes, then, in the Igneous Ebullition, the Acid and Alcaly appre­hend one another, are melted and fixed together. But when they are urged with a melting fire, as the Reformer teacheth, then they change their Nature, and are turned into Vitrifying Alcaly, asOn Exod. Zoar hath observed: which yet was not much less fixed in the Concretes, before they passed through the fire; which again by Inversion, doth not only put on Volatility, but is also reduced into Ele­ments, as I have shewed in the Alcaly of Tartar.

But if Alcalyes, be boiled with their proper Distilled Oyls, in a just proportion, observing a due time, with an artificial and occult Circulation, and in a fit Vessel, they afford Ens Mirabile. So Oyl of Cinnamon,Oyl made Salt. being [Page 80]absorbed, by its proper Alcaly (being deprived of its Vestiments) effects in the Palsy, and such like Diseases, as much as can be hoped from it; Oyl of Tartar, being Volatile and Fat, with its proper Alcaly, in a just propor­tion, is made Sope.

When the Reformer heretofore had been informed by me,Evil departs not from the unthankful Man's house. by word of Mouth, of this example of Tartar, he presently boils the Alcaly of Vipers, with Oyl of Tartar, being of a diverse Nature, after a Rural fashion, and with little heed, which, by Coction in a Glass of a long neck, with the Alcaly, acquired the consistence of Sope, yet he blames me for my Friendly Information, in a very long Letter, Saying, The Oyl of Tartar, you advised me to pour on, became like very Pitch, and that so thick, when it was cold, that a man may cut it; So that I perceive you deceived m [...]. 'Tis true, I heard from your mouth before, that the preparation of this Salt, would give great light to Chy­mistry, &c. This great Naturalist had not so much Salt (as we say) in his Brains (though he writes and serib­bles of Salt) as to enquire into the necessary cause of this Inspissation, but presently calls that, which he un­derstands not,f. 487. A Cheat, and an Imposture. But like, as he hath observed the cause of this Inspissation, which is known even to the Vulgar, and to all those who make Sope; even so with the same heed he hath observed the Things, which he Reforms.

Hearken therefore to me, All Oyl, and also all Pingue-Does or Fatts, have an Occult Acid, on which the Al­calyes act, and consume it, otherwise Sope could never be made: for the distilled Oyl of Olives, doth corrode and dissolve Silver insensibly, when it is cast on it but a short space, which would not be, unless Acidity were in it; the remainder being thick, better preserves Iron from Rust, in as much as the aforesaid Acid hath been ta­ken away by Distillation, and is turned, by a strong fire, into a Coal Alcalized, which is plain to the Eye, by the affusion of any Acid Spirit. This is the reason, why the Chief Armourers and Overseers of the Arsenal of this Fa­mous City, before they Oyl their Armour, cause the Oyl to Evaporate at a gentle Fire, almost to the half.

So the common People in sharp Pains (proceeding or­dinarily from Acidity) desire to be annointed withthe Oyl which burns before Images,Thick Oyl of Olives resem­bles Alcaly. and That asswages their Pain. This Relief, the Superstitious People of Greece, attribute to the Image, before which the Lamp burns; But the true cause is, the Spissitude in the Lamp, loses its more subtil Acid part by the flame, and so being de­stitute thereof, it grows impatient, and desires to be Saturated with a new Acid, and finding That in the grie­ved part, it draws it out, and unites it, to it self; and so the Grief either wholly ceases, or is at least mitigated and abated.

The Vulgar believe,Why old Oyl grows mouldy. that Old Oyl is as good as Bal­sam, because the Oyl of a Hundred years old in the Castle of Breschia, eases many from their pains, arising from Acidity; in which Oyl, by reason of its antiquity, the Alcaly hath in part mastered the Acidity, hence at-last it grows very musty; So Venerable Antiquity prescribes Old Oyl in Compositions for External use.

For the same reason, rotten Apples do cool,Rotten Apples. more than boiled ones; which therefore we call, Anodynes.

Fresh Butter hath more Alcaly than Acid, and there­fore it cooles more than Oyl; Hence Schola Salerni, Le­nit, & humectat, solvit sine Febre, butyrum.

Butter mollifies, moistens, and dissolves, yet without a Feavor; for this cause, it is not coagulated in the Milk,Butter. unless the Milk be sowred before, and if in making or Churning of Butter, fixed Alcaly be cast in, which con­sumes the Acid, the Butter will never come; for the Acid must coagulate the Alcaly.

So also Alcalized Salts do easily flow, and are dissolved in the Air, but as soon as Acid is poured on them, to overcome the Alcaly, they harden, and are coagulated.

Sulphur, in its Fat hath an hidden Acidity, Sulphur is Acid. and is most readily dissolved, not only in Oyl, but also in Alcaly, but never in that which is manifestly Acid, though it be most powerful; but if it be fired under a Glass Bell, then its hidden Acidity is turned to Smoak, which is compacted into a most Acid Juice, and the Alcaly which erst did friendly embrace the Sulphur, now is destroyed by It, [Page 82]and a new production is made, different from the for­mer.

But Sulphur is praised by Dioscorides, in the Diseases of the Lungs; though some say, it is the Anima thereof, un­derstand, when it is evacuated by an Hippocratist, and fixed into insipid and milky Earth, then it becomes im­patient of Innanition, and again desires to be satiated with its like: Wherefore it greedily attracts, and absorbes the putrefactive Acidity of the Lungs, which is firmly believ'd to descend from the Head, but without this preparation, it is found altogether unprofitable, for those Diseases, as the Enquirers after Truth, by Nauseating experience, do daily find. This earth is then called by the Skilful,Milk of Sul­pbur. Lac Sulphuris, and that worthily, for it performes ma­ny things, which Crollius hath mentioned under its Ti­tle.

Moreover, Distill also Vinegar (in which I have shewed, that there is Fat Oyl, and Aqua Ardeus) drive the dry Faeces out of the Retort, and there will come forth Acid, and Pingueous Oyl, reduce the Coal left into Ashes, from These, Elicite the Alcaly, by common Water, which again imbibes, and absorbs its own Vinegar: out of the Phlegm is made Aqua Ardeus.

From the Alcaly, and the Acid, you shall have rege­nerated Tartar, so there are All, in all things (i. e.) you shall every where find the Acid and the Alcaly. All things in all things.

Camphire (about which, it is strongly disputed, whe­ther it be hot or cold:) is a Volatile Alcaly, furnished and saturated by Nature,The often smell of Aqua Fort is breeds an A­trophy, with most bitter pains, See Helmont. c. 9. f. 71. with its proper Fatness, as I have shewed, like things may be done by Art; for it imbibes into it self the stinking and corroding Acidity of Aqua Fortis, which Suffocates by its very Smell, and with it, makes a Mock-shew and resemblance of Oyl; but not with a benign, sweet, and grateful Acid (as, Vinegar, and other Acid Juices) which is to be marked: After the same man­ner, Camphire, given at Mouth, doth presently attract to it self that Malign, inwardly Venemous, Stinking, Cor­roding, and Suffocating Acidity, which in Acute Disea­ses, doth range through all the Veins, and torments the Patients without intermission; whereby the Vital Spirit is [Page 83]made purer, chearfuller, and acquires strength, which Avicen, amongst Practicioners, first observed; whence he rightly commends, and calls it,Camphire. A Treacle against hot Poysons; The Vital Spirit, says he, acquires Subtilty, and exceeding Sprightliness, and Vivacity, from It, and therefore it chears and comsorts, even in spight of that Vulgar Proverb, Castrat por Nares, Camphora odore Mares.

I add this, in regard all that I have known,If I speak no [...] the Truth, let me be ashamed. employed about purifying of It, from its Dreggs, by Sublimation, both at Venice, and Amsterdam (they are called Resina­tores) whose houses, smelled of nothing, but Camphire, are most Salacious, Procreative, and full of Children, as, if you will not believe their own Confession, their nume­rous Off-springs may evince.

Camphire so dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and precipitated, or rather reduced, with plain Simple water, is made Soap, wherewith Womans hands being annointed, and afterwards washed with water, it takes away that rough­ness which exasperates the Skin, and makes them soft, and as white as Milk; a singular Ornament for the Fe­male Sex; for ourIn his book of Precepts. Master teaches; That the care of the Sound and Healthy is to be also undertaken, fox Comeliness and Beauties sake.

As the Alcaly of Camphire drinks up nothing,Antimory. but Aci­dity alone; So also doth Antimony, being destitute of its proper and innate Acidity, which consists in a subtil ve­nemous Exhalation, not at all weighty, as its Glass or Powder, called Mercurius Vitae, doth shew, out of which with Acid Wine (its like, but not, with Sweet) is Ex­tracted a Poyson, which the Stomach abhors, and there-there this Wine taken at Mouth, with great violence is rejected from and by the Vital parts, both by Vomit and Seige; and by accident, it sometimes Cures the Diseases of the first Region. Hence Helmont, De [...]br [...]. c. 15, 6. As long as Antimony provokes Vomit, 'tis no remedy for an Honest Man.

But when, That Poyson is expelled out of the Antimony [Page 84]either by the flame of the fire, or by kindled Nitre (of which, I have spoken in its place) then the Alcaly of Antimony is again Saturated with the aforesaid Acid Spi­rits, which yet,The Mines of Vitriol in Ca­ria bia, being emptied, in a few years, in the open Air, are filled again by it. So are also the empty Mines of Sa [...]-peter, at Padua, whence it is called, Anima [...]undi, or Spi­ritus Multifor­ [...]is, by the Wise. For this reason Basilius praises Alcaly of Aesenick as the Treasure of Health; yet I would have none but the Learned to deal in it. coming from flame or Nitre, are not proper to Antimony; So that in a few days space, out of the Air, It draws an Aliment, like it self, as I have shewed in a Flint, which, out of the Air, extracts a nourishment like it self, not like the life of a Dog; So, That, which erst did gently provoke Sweat and Urine, now, like the very Glass of Antimony it self, moves Vomit; Wherefore the flame, as also the Acidity of the Nitre, as they are not Poysons, so they are not proper to the Antimony, now dispoiled and evacuated; and so the Antimony, being re­duced to Alcaly, and rob'd of all taste or sapor, which they call Diaphoretick, if it finds any Venemous thing in Man's body, it attracts it, and is Saturated by it (For Na­ture rejoyces in its like Nature) retaining it, and rejoycing therein, more then if it wandered up and down in Man's body: Wherefore that empty and Diaphoretick Antimony, profits nothing in Diseases, unless when They are accom­panyed with some Acid Poyson, either occult, or mani­fest, as in the Plague, burning Feavors, Petectriales, or Spotted ones; and in diverse inward Ulcers, in what place soever they be; the venemous exhalations of which, being absorbed by the Antimony, then the Pores do open of their own accord, and the Antimony becomes Diaphore­tick, otherwise not: Hence Basilius says, That this Pow­der is of great force, In Repet. Anti­quiss. Lap. f. 80. in my Edition. to Cure many old Ʋlcerated Diseases, &c. (i. e.) whose Acidities are putrefying and escarotick or cor­roding, for These, this Powder imbibes and destroys, and hereby, as I have said, the contraction of the Pores is en­larged and relaxed (this action, the Vulgar call, Ex­siccation, for which cause it is also an Ingredient into that Plaister, which Paracelsus calls, by a barbarous Name, Oppodeldock. But what this Absumption, Imbibition, Pre­cipitation, or Exsiccation are? and how they are effect­ed? I shall again Ocularly demonstrate anon, when I speak of the properties of Iron) and though Pearls, Corals, and other Cordials, do also absume the Acidities, arising about the Heart; yet These are not putrefactive, neither [Page 85]joyned with an hidden Venom; So that, it is one kind of Acid, which, emptyed and Alcalized, Antimony doth imbibe:Commonly 'tis cailed by the general name of Heat. another kind, that Pearls Attract, in the Palpitration of the Heart: another, which Crabbs Eyes draw forth in Wounds and Bruises: another, attracted by Goats-blood, in Pleu­risies: another, by Iron, in Obstructions and Loosnesses: another by the Volatile Alcalyes of Vegetables in Hecticks; another by thd Bezoar Stone, when rich men fall into a Swoon (I say rich men,The weight of a drachm was given to King Edward, see Monardus. for unless the proportion of this precious Stone, which is very dear, be correspondent to that Acidity, which is hateful to Nature, it is given in vain. Hence Crato says, he never observed any good from it, though it were frequently given; which I perswade my self to be true, especially it being prescribed by Grains, as Books perswade: The skilfullest Practicioners of this City, have observed this Defect, as well as Crato, who there­fore perscribe Western Bezoar, not that it is better than the Eastern, but because it is cheaper, and therefore it is given in a greater Dose. For it is commonly believed, to provoke and expel Sweat, which effect yet it doth not produce, unless it hath first consumed the Morbous Acidity (asCh. p. of Pe­stilert Flavors. Hercules of Saxony, a Physician of note, hath observed) for this Stone is considered by them (as many other Sim­ples) to act upon the Body, as a Wedg driven by a Bee­tle, not remembring, that, the Extraneous Sapor, being consumed by the Stone (or its like) the contraction of the Pores is enlarged, and then the whole Body transpires of it self, as old Hippocrates teaches: the truth of whose doctrine, is confirmed by a fly falling into the Eye, whose lids are presently with great violence contracted, not that the Fly contracts them, but the Sense abhors a Forreign Inmate; but as soon as the Fly is taken out, the Eye-lids are again gently relaxed.) I say, it is one sort of Acidity, which Paracelsus his Libium doth consume, in the Dropsy; another, which the Spiritual Salt of Tar­tar destroyes, in Hypocondriacal Melancholy, and all other Diseases of the Spleen: another, that Ostiocolla doth waste, in the rupture of Bones; another, that Co­rals, with their specifick Alcaly, destroy and absorb in the Gonorrhaea, &c. But the aforesaid Simples, do not [Page 86]imbibe (nor so much as enter into) the proper,I have shewed before by Al­caly, that the Seeds of things in the Macro­cosin, are Acid, so in the Mi­crocosm, as well in the Healthy, as Sick. Na­ture studiously Observes the same consent as this daily and common Praris doth declare. innate, and manifest Acidity of the Stomach (as I have shewed) whereby it Concocts, and changes the food into an Acid Vital Juice, which is to be admired. Hence it appears, every Acidity, or Aura (call it as you please) expects, and willingly entertains its convenient Compar and Fel­low (as I have erst shewed in the Earth of Carinthia, eva­cuated of Vitriol) wherewith it delights to be altered, absorbed, and transmuted, and one disturbs not the course or province of another: Hence Man hath obtained the Name of the Microcosm, andIn Tabula. Hermes says, The things which are in the Superior, are also in Inforior Bodies. These are the foundations of Physick, according to the nature of Man, as its inventors first found it out, and judg'd it, an Art worthy to be ascribed to God, and it hath been so ac­counted, as the De V [...]t [...]r. Med [...]in. Old Man teaches; for, says he, in the cited place, It is not Siccity, Humidity, Heat, nor Cold, &c. but Sapors, which he there reckons up, These, myLib. de Arte. Hip­pocrates shews, to be in the Cavities and Ventricles, say­ing, That Man's Body hath many Ventricles (or Sapors) as they can witness, who are solicitous to know them (he means only Chymical Philosophers, for by and by, he subjoyns) of all the aforesaid things, there is none visible and conspicuous to the Eye: Wherefore they are called obscure by me, not that they remain always so; and do ever fly from our understanding, but, as much as is possible, they may be un­derstood and known. For it is possible (to Chymical Hip­po [...]ratical Philosopher) as far as the Nature of the Sick, doth assist in the consideration, and as far as the natures of the Enquirers, are fit for that purpose: For with much la­bour, and no small space of time, they are known and exhi­bited to the Eye. For those things which escape our bodly Eyes, are comprehended by our Followers, by the eyes of their minds, so far he.

Many of these things, by the Authority of Hippocrates, I have clearly demonstrated to the Eye, as much as the brevity of a Compendium will allow, but not to the Intent, that every Hippocratist should imprudently practise or prostitute this Doctrine to,De P [...]is [...]a Mi­dic. and before the Unskilful; Our Master vehemently forbids That, saying, It seems best to [Page 87]me, that they who undertake to speak of this Art, should dis­course only of those things, which are known to the Vulgar, not enquiring into any other, but the Diseases, to which they are usually Obnoxious: which is as much as to say,Speak, as the Many, Think as the Few. Arist. 1. Top. if thou record other things, besides the four Exerementitious Humours, to be the cause of Diseases, and does not pre­tend to expel them with their Concomitants and Atten­dants, the same way that others do; thou shalt be called a Fugitive, an Emperick, and a Paracelsian: Since there­fore, our Master was afraid of Plebeian ignorants, an Hippocratist should often ruminate on that saying of the Comedian, Quodscis, nescis.

To make no further Digression, Out of what hath been spoken, we may conclude, how meet it is, that all Alcalyes, without Acids, should be empty and inanous bodies; for fixed Alcaly, saturated with fixed Acid,Alcaly is a Va­cu [...]m in Na­ture. is made Petrous, as I have shewed in Lime; but when It undergoes a melting heat, then they pass into Glass.

The same fixed Alcaly, boiled to maturity with an Occult Pingueous Acid, the Humid-way, is made Sope.

So fixed Alcaly, mixed with Acid Spirit of Salt, is made Common Salt, having all the properties thereof: So also fixed Alcaly, with the Acid of Vitriol, is made Vitriol, which is called Tartarum Vitriolatum; and though Writers affirm, that the Acid of Sulphur, per Campanam, No body at all doth perish, nor is made That, which it was not be­fore. Hipp. L. 1. de Diaet. doth not differ, from the Acid of Vitriol, yet it is not true; but, as all Acids do retain and preserve the pro­perties of their seed, even unto the very Elements, as I have shewed before in Wine, so doth this Acid Liquor; for when it corrodes a natural Body, as Sand (for Exam­ple) having not yet undergone the fire, then out of It, is sublimated natural Sulphur: Wherefore nothing in the world dies, but all things are transmigrated and changed, asIn Pimandro. Trismegistus rightly determines: and Lucretius also, All things into their own bodies are dissolved, L, 2. nothing by Nature is to naught resolved. Fixed Alcaly, with the Acid Spirit of Ni­tre, is turned into Frigid Nitre, conceiving Flame, and is a Remedy for the Quinzey.

The same Alcaly, with the Acid Spirit of Wine, is made Tartar of Wine, as I have above largely shewn. [Page 88]After this sort, says my Master Hippocrates, doth Na­ture also proceed, which turnes the Aliments, replenish­ed with a Volatile Alcaly, with and by the Acidity of the Stomach,The Ferments of the place which they call Mumail. first of all into Chyle manifestly Acid, and in the subsequent Ventricles, the Alcaly is coagulated, according to the property of the Occult Acid, which the Cavities contain within themselves; So the Alcaly of the Excrements of the Belly, though it be an hundred times rectified, is troubled of its own accord, as I have shew­ed in its place: An Odorous smell is inseparable from the Alcaly of Urine; the Alcaly of the Sweat of a sound Man, doth not stink; so there is a different coagulation of the Stone, as I have shewn in its dissolution and con­cretion. That Acid is different, which hardens the Al­caly in the Bones; another, in the Blood; another, in the Veins; another, in the Hair; and another must ne­cessarily be in the Nails (Reason it self dictates so much) for otherwise every thing would be generated of every thing; So also Sope made with Oyl, differs from That made with Axungia, and this again from that, made with Tallow or Suet. All the Muscles (saysI. de Aste. Hippocrates) have their proper Ventricle; intimating, that every Specifick Co­agulation, doth also require a Specifick Coagulator, which though he be Occult, yet, by Mechanical neces­sity, he must needs be Acid; as I have evidenced in Oyl, Suet, Milk, &c. otherwise, nothing at all in the Uni­verse would be Coagulated; For the things, which have been spoken (says my Doctor) none of them can be seen with the Eye (i. e.) none can understand my Writings,De Arte. unless he be versed in this Chymical, and Salt-fusory Art.

Wherefore Hippocrates found out those things, which, by a grateful consent,The book of Nature is to be read, but Pa­per ones, are not to be re­jected. are subject to the Empire of Art and Nature; On this Foot he places the unmovable Foun­dations of Learning, and from these he hath deduced all Mechanical Progresses, and Explications of Causes, so firmly, that if all Paper Books, with their Authors, were lost; yet by this Method, out of the Great Book of Nature, they may be all again retrieved.

Hence it appears, how many Fables have been ascribed to this worthy Man, which he never so much as dream'd [Page 89]of, yea many things, published under his name, suit not with his Profound Wisdom, so that if he were alive a­gain, he would be ashamed to own them.

The permixture and alteration, which I have demon­strated in fixed Alcalyes with Acids, the same alsoL. 1. of Diet. my Hippocrates would have to be understood, of the Volatile Alcalyes of Animals, for, the Volatile Alcaly of any Ani­mal whatsoever, being saturated with the Acid Spirit of Variol, assumes the nature of Vitriol; but, not having the Colcothar of Iron, it is precipitated, by juice of Galls, into a bottom of a Purple Colour, like to White Vitriol, of which above.

Out of what hath been spoken, 'tis as clear as Noon­day, that the Spirit, is the Vehicle and lodging place of the Soul, and the Bond joyning Soul and Body; which I shall also shew by the following Experiments.

For the same Volatile Alcaly, of what Animal soever, with Spirit of Nitre, is made natural Nitre, conceiving Flame, and is melted in the fire, like ordinary Nitre; The same Alcaly, I say, with Vinegar, is made Tartar, which is wholly Distilled into a Salt liquor, as I have shewed in Mindererus his Water; the same may be said of other Acid Juices; for as fixed Alcalyes are vacuous and empty bodies, so are also the Volatile ones of all Animals, whose preparations the Reformer indeed teaches, which yet is very inane and empty, as all Alcalyes are. Hence my Hip­pocrates, moved to a smiling laughter, pleasantly says,L. 1. of Diet. They know not what they do, but they obey their destined fate. Where­fore the Alcaly of Vipers, being a vacuous and empty bo­dy, is saturated by the Reformer (as empty) with great labour and cost, with the Acid Spirit of Salt,Pharm. f. 486. and what else, I pray, but Common Salt, can issue from it? Be­hold the Cheat and Imposture, which the Reformer hath at last found out, with so much labour, of which triumph­ing before the victory, he thus scribbles, Whosoever thou art, never think there is any other way of Fixing; having spoken this, by and by he [...]recants,Pharm, f. 486. saying (with a low voice) If yet there be any Man, who hath greater Experience in these Operations, I give him occasion, for the Publick good, that, what he hath Experimented herein, he would not suffer [Page 90]to die with him. Alas poor Man! why not? but go too, Let us comply with his desires, he hath made a fair Ora­tion, and no doubt deserves a Statue from the Common-Wealth of Physick,Append. in Ani­madu. fol. 75. for having so politely distinguished the Acid from the Salt, for the benefit of Apotheca­ries.

CHAP. XXII. A Childish Opinion Discovered.

I Will briefly now run over the Acids, In Append. f. 52. which the Re­former teaches, as contrary to Salts, which Doctrine yet, with many others, I find to be false, and full of Ignorance;Fire, both In­ternal and Ex­ternal, Explains the Book of Nature, as the ordinary pro­fessor of the Creator. as shall be demonstrated by Fire, keeping to the Terms usually received (for Fire is here the publick Professor and just Judge; Logick hath no such way of distinguishing, for That only handles true Sciences al­ready found out, and propounds Methodically, and clear­ly and profitably to treat of what is to be known, in eve­ry knowable thing. But I have before distinguished the Tastes or Sapors of Salts, as much as was necessary for the understanding of this present Compendium. Let there be made a Powder of Nitre, The Calcining of Gold, the day, way. and Common Salt, Ana, four Ounces, and two Ounces of Allum, to which add Simple Water, as much as is sufficient for the solution of the Salts (which act not, undissolved) and you will ob­tain a Salt Liquor, to which add two Drachms at least, of Leaf-Gold, mingle the Gold with the Salts, and boil them in a glazen pot, to Siccity: towards the end, encrease the fire, till it affords a smell like That of Aqua Fortis, so the saltness of the mixture erodes the Gold: Dissolve the white Mass in a pot, with Common Water, let the Solu­tion rest in the Glass Vessel, till the Faeces of the Salt do subside: when it is clear, pour it out by inclination; to this clear solution, instil by drops, some fixed resolved Alcaly Ex. Gra. Liquor of Tartar, which presently absorbs [Page 91]the more subtil Acid Spirits, and the Gold presently falls of a Purple colour: In this Operation, the Salt hinders not the Acid Spirits, as the Reformer teaches, but the Al­caly of Tartar, consuming the Acids, destroys the Com­positum.

The same way, but with great force, distilled water of Nitre and Allum, in which Common Salt hath been dis­solved,Galcining of Gold the morst way. dissolves Gold, for if the Salt were not dissolved in water, it would not corrode the Gold: Wherefore Salt doth not destroy the Acid Aqua Fortis, neither in the dry, nor moist way, but adds Vigor to it, like to Sal Armoniack; Hence Basilius, What is found in the Eagle, is also to be met with in me.

Hence it appears, that Gold is not dissolved, but by Salts, but why the Acid Spirit of Salt doth dissolve It, I have elsewhere shewed, viz. by corroding the Spirits, it returns to That, which it natively and originally was, viz. into Salt.

CHAP. XXIII. Obscure things, made manifest.

I Will shew another Experiment, very pleasing to the Eye, manifesting, that Salts are not contrary to Acids.

Take three pound of dryed Vitriol, Tincture of Gold. two pound of Nitre, fix ounces of the Flowers of Common Sulphur, and five pound and a half of Common Salt, and Powder of Bricks, as much as is sufficient (least the Salts should be melted with the Sulphur:) Let there be six pound of this last powder, mingle the small powders exactly, and distil the water, at least out of Sand, put Gold Money into this water, without rectification premised, and in a few hours hours in a warm place, you will see the water tinged with a Golden colour (by occasion of this Tin­cture, [Page 92]It comes to my mind, that not without great la­bour, by the help of Fire, and much Diligence, a Vo­latile Alcaly (of which I have elsewhere spoken) ascend­ed of a grateful smell, so rare and light, that it can scarce be perceived by the touch, sometimes of a grey, sometimes of a white colour, of a Salt taste, biting the Tongue, and so subtil, that, without the irritation by fire, in an open Vessel, of its own accord, it evaporates to Air; whereas of it self it remains constant in fire: I say, by the property of this Alcaly, Gold, Silver, Quick-silver, Chrystal, &c. are made truly potable, so that, it is not only impossible, they should return to their bodies; but moreover they are so freed from the bonds of Co­agulation, that we may freely dally with them, &c. But these, and the like, being not proper for this place, I willingly pass them over.) Pour out the aforesaid wa­ter, and super-adde other, and again distil it in a hot place, till the water be sufficiently tinged; mix and shake the tinged waters together in another Phyal, and into that water put plates of Silyer, first cuppelled, then the water tinged with a Golden colour, presently grows Black, and in a few moments, all the Silver is invisibly dissol­ved, and all falls into a black Calx, which the Skilful in the Art, without contradiction, call Gold: But observe, that water not tinged by Gold, dissolves not, no nor any way affects the Silver.

HenceOf the pro­pertie [...] of Blanets. Basilius de Argento, I have devoted my Soul, my Spirit, and my Body to my King.

Wash the Gold-money, and you will find it something paler, but to have lost little or nothing of its weight: This Experiment is worthy of consideration, but when the aforesaid powders are distilled with a naked Fire, and open, more of the dust of Bricks being added, then it draws forth no Tincture, but wholly dissolves all the Gold: I say, this Experiment (though it seems useless, yet is pleasant, and of great consequence) doth not succeed without Salt: So that Salt doth not hurt these Acid Spirits.

So also simple Aqua Fortis of Nitre and Allum,Sulphur of Antimony. or Vi­triol, corrodes not, nor dissolves Crude Antimony; but [Page 93]add to this water, so much fused Salt (i. e.) clean and finely powdered, as it can dissolve,The Minera of Antimony from the Raurian Mountains, with red spots or Veins, so dissolved, melts Gold. Superfuse This water on the Antimony, only grosly pounded, like the grains of Millium, and presently, with a gentle heat, it acts on the Antimony, and corrodes the Regulus of it; on which presently pour cold water, and you will see the Sulphur seperated, which swims a-top of the water, like Pitch.

But mark, that at one operation, you should dissolve not above two drachms, or there-abouts, for in a grea­ter quantity, the Sulphur is also corroded by the water, and turns to Faeces. Dulcify this Sulphur with cold water, and it will look like the Common, only a little greener. This separation also succeeds not without Salt; so that Acids are not hurt by It.

Of this Sulphur, adding two simples,A Febrisuge Oyl. you may make an Oyl, with which, if you annoint the Back-bone, Hand-wrists, soles of the Feet, one hour before the fit, you may cure all intermitting Tertian Agues and Fea­vors.

This Sulphur is the Basis of the Artificial water, where­in if Silver be dissolved, it precipitates the greatest part of it, into a black Calx, which Aqua Fortis afterwards will not touch.

If Chrystal be coemented with the same Sulphur, as also Crude Antimony, marked with red Spots,Christial ting­ed like Ruby. mix'd with a little Orpiment and powdered, it acquires the colour of a Ruby, but take heed of the wind, for that will make it chink, and crack, or break.

This is that Sulphur of Antimony, whichTract. de Ver­bis, Herbis, & Lap [...]dibus. Remedy of Tympan [...]tis. Helmont ad­vises us, to extract, scarce different from the Common in sight, only it is a little more greenish; how much this Sulphur avails in the Dropsy called Tympanitis, They, who having used it, know, as well as I: yea, I firmly maintain, thatRuland', Ba'­sam of Sulphur Rulandus his Balsam is elicited from this Sulphur: Helmont goes on, make, says he, Cinnabar, I know many do much disquiet themselves with this Operation, but I will now openly and clearly discover it. Melt this Sulphur of Antimony in an Iron spoon, with a gentle Fire, when the Sulphur is melted, of which let [Page 94]there be E. C. an ounce and a half, add about six drachms of Mercury, a little over, or under, 'tis no great mat­ter (for the Sulphur receives as much as it can mortify) mix them continually with an Iron Spatule, till they be cooled, reduce the Mass into Powder (which many fire or kindle with live coals, that the superfluous Sulphur may deflagrate) put this powder into a Retort of a large neck, (I say large, lest it be stopped by the Cinnabar ascending) and by degrees Distil it from Sand; then, that which is superfluous, either of the Mercury or Sulphur, runs down through the neck of the Retort; which gather up,Cinnabar of Antimony. then encrease the fire, that the Cupple may be hot, and the Cinnabar will be elevated; when all is cold break the Retort, reduce the Cinnabar to Powder, which you must seven times more sublimate per se, in a fit Glass Ves­sel, or Retort, and you shall have your intent. By the same way,Common Cin­ [...]ar. Common Cinnabar is also made, but without re­petition of the Sublimation.

Helmont here purposely concealed,There must be but one Rector. that it must not be Common Mercury, but That taken from the very body of Antimony. Errors sought after, are sound out by Opera­tion, not else. To what purpose is this superfluous in­dustry (Let me whisper this word to Our Chymists) when as the same Cinnabar is Sublimated, after Distillation of Butter of Antimony, unless Mercury of Antimony, be here required.

CHAP. XXIV. Nocuments are Documents.

HItherto in those Operations,The Reformer is ignorant what Hermes thought of these Trifles. which are all persorm­ed by Acids and Salts, it no where appears, that they destroy one another; now let us proceed to the Rhapsody of the Reformer, which he proudly calls Man­tissa Hermetica, as we are told in his own Book, Where the true preparation of Mercury Sublimate and Corrosive is, Mantis. f. 801:(as he says) presented to us. Good Wine needs no Bush, as the Poet says, why he adds, True preparation to the [Page 95]Title, I see not. I suspect, that after his accustomed manner, he hath a mind to cheat us with fair words; but let us do the best we can to prevent it.

Mercury (says he) is rightly sublimated with Salt and Vitriol ('tis a wonder he did not fear, lest the Salt should destroy the Acidness of the Vitriol) but because he found it so Writ by others, at length he adds, That the Vitriol must be warily Calcined, lest it be deprived of its Acid Spi­rlt. He thinks he hath advised some great matter here, as also by telling us, That the Sublimation must be twice, or thrice repeated, with new powders of Salt and Vitriol. But why, and to what purpose, this repeated Sublimation with new Powders? for Mercury, being once saturated with the Acid Spirits, what needs any Reiteration of the labour? especially if it be true (as it is most true, in Nature) That all things are governed by certain Numbers, Weights, and Measures, according to that of the Poet.

So that the nature of Mercury, once saturated with Acid Spirits, hath absorbed and imbibed, as much as it can bear, and as much as it wants, from its first Subll­mation, and though it be re-sublimated afterwards, and hundred times, either by it self, or with new powders, yet it stil remains the same Sublimated Mercury: So that, to reiterate the labour, is to make havock of the Pow­ders, and to lose time.

This is that, which the wise Man says in the Proverbs,Chap. 20. v. 10. Ealse Weights and deceitful Ballances, are an abomination to the Lord.

I know the way of Sublimating Mercury, is coveted by many, because they fear, That which is Sold up and down, is mix'd with Arsenick, which, as a dange­rous Drugg, ought not to be added to Mercury in its [Page 96]Sublimation, by reason of subtil Poyson, which it breaths forth in Sublimating, and choaks the Operators: I can shew, that 'tis a subtil Poyson, by the danger I have experimently found in it, my self.

For heretofore,Arsenick when (by the perswasion of Johannes Agricola) I essay'd to sublimate Arsenick so often, that at length it might remain fixed in the bottom of the Ves­sel, for at that time (out of my eager desire after Know­ledge) I feared neither Smoaks, Vapours, nor any o­ther danger: After many Sublimations, when I opened the Vessel, I suck'd in a breath so sweet, so grateful and benign to the Palate, that I even admired it, as having never felt the like before; but after half an hour, I per­ceived my stomach to be contracted and to ake, with a convulsion of all my Members, I breathed with diffi­culty, I pissed Blood, with incredible Heat; suddenly after, I was taken with the Collick, and wholly cramped for the space of an hour and half; being recovered by Milk and Oyl, I was indifferent well, yet a slow Feavor, like a Hectick, stuck by me all the Winter, which I cu­red by Decoction of Vulnerary Herbs, and eating the tops or buds of Cole-worts and Colly-flowers, boiled tender in Water, and seasoned with juice of Oranges, Oyl, and a little Salt; yea I did so covet this meat, that I could scarce restrain my Appetite, till Supper and Meat-time: and by these Remedies, I grew perfectly well.

But in spight of the danger, there are some, who can burn pure Tinn into Powder,Geber de Ar­gent. c. 18. and Basil. de Pro­priet. which, by no Vulgar Art can be again reduced to Tinn, as other Metals; yet with Arsenick, it is made Scoria, part of which, by a singular Skill,7 Metals De fove. becomes pure Silver. Sigismund Wan, a Citizen of Wondsied in Voitland, knew and practised this Art of Se­paration, to his great benefit;Tinn yields Silver. for in the year 1464 he built and endowed a Famous Hospital there, which, as Gasper Bruschius relates, is this day to be seen with the Epitaph of the Citizen aforesaid. Now that Silver may be made out of Tinn, with Arsenick, 2 Vol. Theatri Chym. fol. 39. Clavius proves in his Apology against Ernstus; to whom I refer you. So much for Arsenick, for the sake of the Curious.

I now return to Mercury, whence I digressed, which is sublimated in this proportion:

Take of Mercury or Quick-silver 280 pound (so much one bundle weighs, as it is brought out of Hydria in Sheep­skins) of Mercry Sublimated, twenty pound; of Com­mon Salt, and Salt-Peter, ana 200 l. of the reserved Caput Mortuum, fifty pound; of Vitriol Rubified 400 l. All these must be severally reduced to Powder, under a Mill-stone which is to grind them, turning round and standing upright.

The mixture is made after this sort;The common sublimation of Mercury. The Quick Mer­cury and the Sublimate, must first be mingled with a part of the Common Salt, and of the Salt-petre; and although the Salts be dry, yet, by this Mixture, they become moist; so the Mercury, in being mixed with the said Powders, dies: then add the other part of the Salts, proceeding to mix them with an Iron Instrument, till the Mercury appear no where, quick: This Mixture is very moist, to which if you have a mind to add Rubi­fied Vitriol (which is very dry) it consumes the Humidity in a moment, and they become altogether as hard as stone: wherefore instead of the aforesaid Vitriol, you must add the Caput Mortuum, either reserved from the first Sublimation, or from Aqua Fortis, 'tis all one, so the Mixture becomes moderately dry, which then, you must agitate through a Sieve: afterwards you may con­veniently mix the fifted Powder, with the Rubified Vitriol. Thus the Mixture is made, with which, fill sixteen great Glass Vessels (let the fourth part of them be empty) place them on Stillatories, and you will sublimate Mer­cury out of the Ashes (but not with an open fire, as the Reformer dreams) in four little Furnaces, each of which may hold four Vessels; set Limbecks to the Vessels, at least loosly, with their Receivers: Let the fire be slow for twenty four hours, in that time, the Salts will dissolve the Mercury, and in the Operation it smells like Aqua Fortis, which hurts the Lungs, yea it almost strangles those that suck it in (as the smell of the Vault at Puteoli near Naples, doth, a Dog) after twenty four hours the smell ceases, and then the Mercury begins to be Sub­limated (gather up the Aqua Fortis, which is fortified by the other Powders, and serves for the precipitation of [Page 98] Mercury) continue that heat, till you see the Mercury seperated at top from its Caput Mortuum, in form of a Cake, which commonly happens about the fifth day, if you have not erred in the Operation. When all is cool­ed, by reason of the great weight of the Sublimate, the Glass Vessels will break of their own accord (you must gather up the pieces by themselves, for they have some Sublimate, which you may scrape off, wherewith at another time, running Mercury may be mortified:) Take heed of the Ashes, lest it falls through the chinks upon the Cakes, which they curiously take off, with both hands, and lay aside (they call them loaves) of which every one, will weigh about Twenty five pound, or there­abouts, according to the capacity of the Vessel, which held more or less of the Mixture; So that of 280 l. of the live Mercury, and 20 l. of the Sublimate, you may ga­ther 380 l. of the Sublimate.

Now the live Mercury, thus encreaseth in weight, Eighty pound, not from the Acidity of the Rubified Vi­triol, as theThe Refor­mer's Error. Reformer thinks, which he therefore says, must be warily Calcined, but only from the Common Salt; which I prove thus.

Let the same Mercury be Sublimated,Mercurius Dul­cis Sublimated, of a Red Co­lour. with the same proportion of Nitre and Rubified Vitriol, without Com­mon Salt, then the Mercury ascends Red, and acquires no­thing of weight, or of the Corrosive.

So also,Common Mer­cury precipi­tated. if the same Mercury be precipitated with Aqua Fortis from Nitre and Vitriol, then it waxes shining Red, and acquires no further weight: The cause is, because the Sulphureous Nitre, elevates the sulphur of Vitriol; which do joyntly act, at least upon their like (i. e.) up­on the External Sulphur of the Mercury, and so it can en­crease nothing at all in weight, nor assume a Corrosive Vertue.

CHAP. XXV. Minerva Treated.

NOw, That, Vulgar Mercury, hath a Sulphur, ex­ternal and separable from the effence of Mercury, 2 Part. L 2. Sum. Perfect. besides the testimonies of Geber, and other wise Men, Experience also shews (the furest School-Mistriss, both here, and every where) by this Operation:

Put clean and pure Mercury into a Glass of a plain bot­tom and very narrow mouth: boil it in Sand, first with a slow and moderate, afterwards, with a stronger fire, to that degree, that Mercury may endeavour to ascend; which, if it happen by a simple motion, cause it to subside again. This way, without the addition of any thing, but Ex­ternal fire, it is precipitated shining Red, like That,Sulphur rubifies Mercury. which was precipitated with Aqua Fortis, out of Vitriol and Nitre; and it neither gets, nor loses in its weight, in as much as the small portion, if its proper Sulphur hath mortified and rubified it: as I have shewed in Aqua Fortis from (Sulphureous) Nitre. For it is the property of Sulphur, to rubify Mercury, as I have also demonstrated in the preparation of Cinnabar; which also gets nothing in weight; which our Chymists must attentively consider, for it is of concernment.

Mingle this red Precipitate (either made per se, or o­therwise, of whatsoever condition) with Common Salt, urge this Compositum with a moderate fire, and then it will be elevated into a Sublimate Corrosive: neither doth the Salt here hinder the Acid Sulphurs, yea, without Salt, it would never be made Sublimate Corrosive, out of red precipitate, neither would the Mercury encrease in its weight. So, That precipitate, which Crollius calls Turbith Minerale, in as much as it is made with Spirit of Vitriol or Sulphur, is not red, because little of the Sul­phur of Vitriol is elevated, without Nitre, in the Distilla­tion; [Page 100]but because of the affinity and symbol which it hath in acting, upon the Sulphur of Mercury, it grows Yel­low, and hath acquired no weight, after the aluminous taste is washed away with hot water.

The strength and Vertues of all the aforesaid Precipi­tates are equal, they provoke Vomit, corrupt the Gumms, and, taken often, do cause the Execrable Fty­alism. Hence Helmont, Of Feavors, c. 15.5, 6. As long as Vulgar Mercury can be revificated, 'tis no good Man's Remedy. For as all Me­dicines, are Poyson in reference to us, and not to the Excrements; assaulting us, rather than Diseases: So also is the Vulgar precipitate of Mercury. Hence That of myOf Purging Medicines. Hippocrates, No Physician can primise Health, by prescribing the assuming of Laxatives.

And although many affirm, That Mercury precipitated per se, without the addition of Corrosive, doth mightily pro­voke Sweat, and for that reason cures all Feavors, as well continual, as intermittent, and six or seven times given, wholly cures the French-Pox; yet it is not true, but, as I have said, by reason of its Sulphur, though it be dili­gently handled the common way, yet it remains the same Mercury still. And although Sulphur, with great ingenuity and Art, be separated from it, yet, not enduring a Vacuum, in a small space of time, it regains new, like the former,L. de Diaet. as our Master teacheth, A-part, it is suffi­cient neither for it self, nor any other: Nay, besides Expe­rience, Geber confirms it, and other learned Men. Hence the Author of the Book called Aureum Seculum,f. 90. Very ele­gantly; S [...]turn, his Grand-father, out of meer anger, again changeth it into what it was before; and therefore this Spirit hath obtained the name of Multiformous and of Mercury. Those that have passed through these painful labours, I am not igno­rant, that Mercury is a perfect Metal. know this to be true. But when it is regene­rated and resuscitated out of Silver, or any other per­fect Metal, and also cleansed, as much as is necessary, and, with his requisite, precipitated to a Redness, it becomes a Medicine not to be despised; which provokes neither Stool nor Vomit, unless in an undiscreet dose: yet, it is not the Aurora of the Philosophers, though, as it were, Rain-bows, Peacocks-tails, with sundry ad­mirable [Page 101]colours, appear in the sides of the Glass,Every like is not the same. and in the matter it self, after the same sort, as it happens in Sulphureous Steel, whiles it is under the hand of the Workman; neither let any Man believe, that this Pre­cipitate is that Pana [...]aea, whichAbout the midst of his Sixth part. Crollius saw at Michael S [...]ndivoius's (whose name he expressed in his Preface, with great Letters, here and there, in these words,

Apud Magnum aliquem, cui in aeternum bene sIt, 'Tis a point of Art, to read it. Cum primis egregium Helioc Antharum, bor Ea [...]em, nunc in Christo quiescentem cujuSmodi, IENtis DenI (que) consueVerunt la­t [...]tare tempOrum curnIcVliS:) because it is not by the first Universal matter, reduced to its first matter; But what the first matter of the Philosophers is, besides Hip­pocrates, Ov [...]d also doth indigitate,Metamorph. L. 15. Tempus edax re­rum, (i. e.) the first matter in time doth consume, what­soever is produced in or from it: Hence the Ancients Fabled, that Saturn did devour his own Sons, as the Venerable Pythagoras doth witness; All Secrets (says he) are in Saturn (i. e.) in the most Ancient and first Matter: Of which enough at this time.

Wherefore, the External Sulphur in the Mercury is the cause of Vomit and Salivation, and not the Corro­sive Spirits, with which it is Precipitated or Sublimated;Sulphur of Mercury, is Poyson. which the inunction with Quick silver it self proves, which is not perceived by the Taste, but the most Acid Sulphur of Mercury, as I have shewed, first pierceth the Skin, after the manner of Acids, Then it creeps to the Ventricles, or cavities of the Muscles, which in healthy Men are turgid and full of Spirit, for so they are called by Hippocrates; L. de Arte. Then the second, or at least, the third day, Those who are anointed, either whole, or sick (for now tis all one, to the Mercury) begin to languish; the Tortor abides in the Anointing, until at length,The Catholick Hippocratical Doctrine is every where alike. in all the Ventricles it doth disorder, alienate, and destroy the Occult Acid and Alcaly, or the faculties (as my Hippocrates speaks) which I have shewed to be, and to operate there, That vene­mous Acidity of the Sulphur of Mercury, absorbs the Al­caly of the Ventricles, and makes its fellow, otherwise Occult, with most strong Poyson, more Acid, and ma­nifest; So one faculty is extinguished, and the Acid, mul­tiplyed [Page 102]tiplyed by Poyson, goes on in working, and acts Retro­grade: and, resolves, as Causticks do, all the Aliment in­to a putrid Mash: This, the Vital Vertue or Nature, (call it as you please) endeavouring to expel by fit pas­sages, it partly dissipates it by Sweats, partly, by its purging faculty, it expels it by Stool, with great gripe­ings; Whence it appears, why many who have been Cured by Salivation, after a long space of time, Relapse into their ancient Diseases, 'tis because the Malignant disposition is still left in the Body.

This Occult,Hippocrates re­solves this Doubt for us. but Venemous Acidity of Mercury doth primarily then hurt the Teeth and Gums; for as all Sul­phur hath an Occult Acid (as I have shewed before per Campanum) so Mercury hath an Occult Venemous Sul­phur,Sulphur of Mercury Acid. which doth precipitate and rubify it with a gen­tle, but constant, Fire (like Common Sulphur) which, I have demonstrated above, not only by fire, in an Ex­periment, but also by the authority of Geber.

Now all Acids, especially Putrefactive ones, do offend the Teeth, and Gums (as the Scurvey shews) and dis­solve the Nerves: then the Blood sowres there, and pu­trefies, becoming more stinking than a Jakes, with such a Contagion, that the Lips, by touching it, contract Ul­cers, and the Cheeks ulcerate within; and this happens not only from its External Unction, but also the live Mercury, taken often, in a small quantity, by the mouth, performs the same thing, as Experience shews, and Ron­deletius and Platerus have also observed. Of this sort are the Pills of live Mercury called Barbarossae: The old Ver­ses of Mathesius suit herewith;In Saropta.

Hence it appears, what we are to think of, that Sul­phur, which, at this season, in the mouths of some No­bles [Page 103]of this Court (Fear not your Teeth in the case) un­der the credulous pretence of a fine, sweet, and Vital Steam, or Aura gives forth a sad, filthy, truculent, and stinking Smell. In such cases my Hippocrates says, with a loud voice, Ʋnskilfulness is an evil Treasure, &c.De Lege.

Hence we may see the reason, why Gold-guilders, and they which suck in the steam of Mercury, do often in pro­gress of time, either tremble, or are cramped in their Joynts; but that I may not be too Prolix, I pass over these things in this place.

Wherefore I have observed,Mercury Rege­nerated, an Alexipharma­cum for the French Disease. That Mercury regenerated out of Silver, or other perfect Metals, although boiled a whole year, with a different fire, in the above-named Phyal of a plain bottom, yet it can be precipitated per se, in no degree; and therefore this regenerated Mercury, must needs want that external Sulphur, as appears by Mechanical necessity; in the want of which Sulphur, it may move Sweat, and sweetly perform its Operations, Reason, and Experience confirming as much: But by great Judgement it being divided into its essential parts, and re-conjoyned with new and perfect Sulphur, Then it becomes the subject of all Wonder: L. 2. Of Oc­cult Philoso­phy. as H. C. Agrippa says in his Scale of Ʋnity, but because it is not my purpose now to treat of it, unless only as it serves for Vulgar use in Phy­sick, I will keep my self within my bounds.

It appears then, that neither Vitriol, nor Sulphur, of what kind soever, do add either Corrosive Vertue or weight to Mercury; as the Reformer would make us be­lieve, saying, That therefore Vitriol must be warily Calcined, last the Spirits should perish. For Mercury in Sublimation wants Them not, but only its Humid Sulphur; which, as I have said, is elevated by the Spirit of Nitre; and they both conjoyned, do act at least on the external Sul­phur of the Mercury. But if it be urged with a stronger fire, it arises into a red Powder, not Corrosive, which Huserus and Crollius believed to be the Aroanum Coralli­num of Paracelsus, but they understood not his meaning, but were mistaken in their opinion; but when Common Salt is added to Vitriol and Nitre, then the Mercury is dissolved deeper, by reason of the Salt sapor, and the [Page 104]Sublimate, grows white, becomes Corrosive, and en­creaseth in Weight. And here also, doth not the Acid acquire strength by the Salt? so far is it from destroying it.

So also the Caustick water distilled from Vitriol, or Allum and Sal [...]p [...]tre, which is called Aqua Fortis, acts at least about Sulphur; and unless the Acid Sulphurous Spi­rits, are in part washed away, or are put to flight by the fire, they are Coagulated, with the Mercury, into an Aluminous body, Astringent, and Corrosive.

This Corrosive Mercury, our Reformer would have to be mixed in the Plaister of Froggs,Pharm. f. 681. Plaister of Froggs with M [...]cury. with the Mercury of Vigo; An Absurdinvention, says he, that Mercury can be mortified by Spittle: As if Johan. de Vigo knew not the Corroding of Mercury, who was the Inventor of that Vul­gar Precipitate, from him now called Vigo's Prec p [...]tate. He, I say, made an Emplaister to mitlgate the pains of the Joynts, arising from a Virulent Pox, perswading himself, that Mercury was the true Alexipharmick of this Disease, but he mingled the live Mercury with things, easing Pains, and sometimes with good success; where­fore he advised to mortify the Mercury with Spittle and Oyl of Bayes, which is done in a moment, and after­wards to mix it with the other Ingredients.

This Mortification of Vigo, The Vulgar judges of few things by the rule of Truth, but of most things, by O­pinion. the Reformer laughs at, and perverts that excellent Man's Text and meaning, adding Reproaches and Calumnies to boot; and in stead of quick Mercury, he teaches to add Corrosive, with­out any Alution, or encreasing the fire to expel the Spirits; but whilest it is yet a Liquor, he enjoyns Fat and Oyl, to be super-added, as if the Corroding Acid, would die in the Fat.

Hence it appears, that the Reformer of the Auspurgh Dispensatory, hath not so much as a spark of distinguish­ing Judgement. Surgeons, to consume Proud-flesh, mix the Precipitate Mercury of Vigo, which is commonly sweet in Taste, with Fats and Oyntments, not that the Corrosive Vertue may be destroyed, but that it may not sall off.

So then, if the precipitate of Vigo, being sweet, and [Page 105]insipid to the Taste, mixed with Oyntment, cats up the flesh, surely This Caustick and corroding one of the Ro­former doth exulcerate, and in the place where it ought to asswage Pains, it raiseth new ones.

This is the Artifice, which our Reformer instructs us in, to whom I may well apply that of Plautus.

But Sublimate Mercury doth revive, when its corrode­ing faculty is taken from it: This, Antimony doth, and also Alcalyes. This Antimony, simple Aqua Fortis doth not dissolve, by reason of the Sulphur mix'd with it,Butter of At­timony. as I have shewed above, but, Salt being added, it presently acts upon it, and separates its Sulphur, that it swims a­top, like Pitch. This in the moist way.

So also in the dry way, mingle Antimony with Mer­cury sublimate, which I have demonstrated to be Salt,Mers. Vitae. and presently the Saline Spirits desert the Mercury, and corrode the Regulus of Antimony; but when the Spirits are driven out of the Retort; they run down Saturated with the dissolved Regulus, in the form of Butter, which if it be washed with cold water, the powder of Antimony falls small, rare, light, and very white,Powder of Algerotti. unfitly called Mercurius vitae. But when this Ablution is made with hot water, then it turns Yellowish, and is called Pulvis Al­gerotti.

But the same Butter, if it be dissolved in Spirit of Nitre, which again by reason of its similitude with Sulphur, doth again corrode Sulphurous and dissolved Antimony, and is abstracted by Cohobation, and afterwards appli­ed to the Fire: then (after its manner) it remains constant or fixed; and begins to be called Bezoar Minerale, Bezear Mine­rale. a Cure for great Diseases. But the Mercury, being freed from the Corrosive, representing Metalline Alcaly, is [Page 106]saturated by the Acidity of the Sulphur of Antimony, which is also Metalline,Cinn [...]bar of Antimony. and they both constitute an Occult Salt thing, which by the encrease of the fire, is elevated into Cinnabar; and this again, with a lighter Alcaly, is re­duceable into running Quick-silver, as I have shewed in its place.

So that, Gold is not dissolved, without Salt, in Acids, as neither is Antimony nor Mercury it self; wherefore Salt doth not destroy Acids, nor on the contrary. La­borious Minerva hath discovered This Mystery, which few hitherto have been able to attain unto.

In fine, Salt, if it were at any enmity, either Occult, or Open, with Acids, it would surely be made manifest in the Butter of Antimony alone, which is so sensible a thing, that if but one drop of water fall into it, present­ly the Acid Spirits do associate themselves with the water, and the dissolved Antimony, grows white; but cast com­mon Salt, either natural or artificial, or other salt things, and that in quantity, into the said Butter, and it will not be moved nor troubled at all; so far is it from being destroyed thereby.

CHAP. XXVI.

BUt if any Acid be destroyed, that comes not to pass, by reason of the Salts,I hive shewed that Alcaly is in water, and now that Aci­dity is in fire, though by a rude Example, yet it may suf­fice for our Chymists. as I have said, but the Alcalizates, or those of affinity with them, and It is changed into another nature, according to the difference of the Acid; as for example, The Reformer teaches, how to prepare Crocus Martis, which he calls Aperitive, with Acids, I approve his way in it. He also teaches to prepare another Crocus, which he calls Astrin­gent, in Flame only; not considering, that the flame of [Page 107]fire is also Acid; so that This latter Crocus must needs be like the former, you may call it Astringent, or Aperitive Crocus; according to the effect it works. All inflamable things communicate Acidity to the flame, as Wood, Shrubs, Herbs, &c. The Reformer braggs that this in­flamable Acidity, is the Acid spirit of Sal Armoniack, In Append. f. 73. and in this place he plainly is ignorant of it.

It may seem to many, that I speak a Paradox, when I say; that the flame of the fire is Acid: I am so far from Recanting it, that I further affirm, Fire comes near­est to the nature of Salt, consisting of Alcaly and Acid; Nature alike in every thing. for which cause it is biting, sharp, acetous, subtilly cutting, piercing, pure, incorruptible, incombustible,Pro [...]erties of Fire and Salt. and is that which preserves from Corruption. Now as in Salt, I have separated the Acid part, so I shall shew, by this Experiment following, that it is separable also in Flame.

Lead with Acid dry Wood is burnt into Minium, but 100 l. Lead made M [...]ium. of Lead, after it is turned to Minium, makes 110 l. I demand how the Minium gets 10 l. in weight? certainly no­thing had been added to it, but the flame only: The flame therefore assumed a body in the Lead, and this bo­dy, which encreased the Lead from the flame, is of an Acid taste, as the following experiment proves.

Distil, out of a Glass Retort, with an open sire, some of the self same Wood, with which you burnt the Lead, and there will extil a Liquor, of an Acid raste; which,That Volatile Al [...]aly is distil­led from Soot, is known to all. out of the Retort in form and manner of flame, embra­ces the Lead, and is mixed with it, and fixed into Alcaly.

Melt again the Minium into Lead, and there will be only 100 l. as before, so that the ten pound gained, was neither Minium nor Lead, but the Acid expelled from the Wood. But This not being of the nature of Lead, is not Colliquated with it, and because it is not sufficient for it self singly, as Hippocrates says, in the reducing the Lead, it flies into Element, as I have shewed before concerning Salt of Tartar, Oyl, Vinegar, &c.

This artificial Alcaly out of Lead, being turned into Minium, with fire and vegetable Acid; or the same Lead [Page 108]with Mineral Acid,Lead made Li­targe. made Litarge, if you boil it with Oyl and Fat, then the Alcaly acts upon the Ocoult Acid of the Fat, after the manner of the Alcalyes: and the Acid again upon the Alcaly, and so they are coagu­lated in a Neutral thing.

Thus is made the Emplaister,Plaisters of Lead most An­cient, Prepa­red by Chymi­cal Art. Triapharmacum, as also That of Cerusse and others of the like sort, as I have shewn in Sope, the cause of whose inspissation, was hi­therto unknown to the Reformer, as appears by his Epistle to me, to wit, That the Oyl of Tartar, with the Alcaly was inspissated like Pitch (as Chap. 21.) And he writes thus to Apothecaries, That these are boiled, ac­cording to Art. But among Metals, there is none that doth more readily associate with fixed Acid than Lead: For according to the species of the Acid, it changes its form, as I have said of Alcalyes. The steam of Vinegar turnes It into white Ceruss; Acidity in flame, into red Minium;Lead yields Colours, and Glass. by the Acid of Sulphur, fire being added, 'tis turned into black; with Acid Minerals impure and mix'd, 'tis-turned into a double Litarge; with the Acid of yel­low Clay, 'tis burnt into Glass of a box-like colour; with the Acid of black Clay, into a swarthy vitreous co­lour, as the Glass-men know; For which cause, Melters and Refiners of Metals do honour it very much, because it absorbs all sorts of Acids, and clears the Metal from all spots.

The Ancients have observed, that all inflamations in living creatures, arise from Acidity (In his Book of Ancient Medicine. Hippocrates attest­ing the same; In Man, says he, there is Acid, bitter, most Acid, and hundreds of other things, which according to their quantity and strength, have various faculties:) For which cause they devised several Oyntments and Plaisters of Lead;How Lead cools. That they might take away that Acidity; and the oftner those foresaid Unguents are changed, the sooner is the Acid consumed, and the Distemper cured. This consumption of the Acid, in condescention to the oapacities of the Vulgar, we call re-frigeration, in as much as it mortifies the cause of Heat.

CHAP. XXVII. A further Probation, that there is Acidity in Flame.

REverberate whole Corals in an open fire,Tincture of Corals. twelve ounces (for example.) for six days and nights (the fire serves the Skilful for distilling Spirit of Vitriol) and you will find fifteen-ounces (i. e.) three ounces encreased, and turned into a most fine powder; this encrease, is nothing else but the Acid from the flame, which dissolves the Corals, and is coagulated and fixed with them, after the manner of Acids, into Salt. If you poure distilled Vinegar on this Salt, it doth not send forth Bubbles, as it otherwise happens in Corals, not reverberated; for they are sa­turated with Acid, and it dissolves Them into a pellucid Semi-Acid Liquor, which though transparent, and co­lourless, yet it hath a Latent Sanguineous Redness, which, the affusion of Spirit of Vitriol, in a moment makes ma­nifest. 'Twas neither the Vinegar, nor the Spirit of Vi­triol, This Tincture is the Rector or Archeus, as long lifed as Coral it self, of great Ver­tue, not de­stro 'd by fire it self, as I have shewed in Wine. which introduced this redness; for then, the Mix­ture would be always red, when the Magistery of Corals is prepared the common way: wherefore of necessity, this redness must be secretly Latent in the Coral, and by the help of Fire be produced to maturity: of which I shall now forbear to speak more, 'tis enough that, contrary to the sleepy Doctrine of the Reformer, I have shewed, that Acid hath not destroyed this Salt, and that, Tincture of Corals, abides constant in the fire, which you may by ingenuity separate, and it will commend and praise it self.

So, place the Regulus of Antimony, Antimony fixed by Acid, from fire. being elevated in­to Flowers; E. C. twelve ounces, on the floure, or hearth, of the Glass-mens Oven, or Furnace, in a large fit Earthen Vessel, well covered, lest the flying Ashes should fall into it, and remove it far from the Eye where [Page 110]the flame plays, that it be not melted; so let it stand eight days, afterwards draw the Vessel nearer to the Eye, every fifth day a little, until about the fiftieth day, then you will find the Flowers of the Regulus fixed into a small, light, and most white powder, and encreased by two ounces, by the Acidity drawn from the fire, which pierced the Earthen Vessel, without hurting it, after the manner of Spirits.

This Regulus, was erst melted, with a gentle fire, now it resists (even Antimonial) Fusion, unless it be urged with quick blowing Bellows, then the Acid Spirits return, from the fire, to their Elements, and you will find twelve ounces of Regulus, as I before shewed in Lead.

In like manner, deal with Crude Antimony, and it will part with its Volatile Acid Spirits, and assume other more fixed ones from the fire, and is turned into a white powder, like Antimonium Diaphoreticum, of greater ver­tue, in Physick, then that which is burnt with Nitre: the reason is, that here, so much of the Sulphur doth not deflagrate with the Nitre, but it is here fixed, by its proper Regulus, by the fire, which this Mechanick shews: Boil Antimony in simple water, let it be mixed with three parts of Nitre, and by turns kindled, and calcined, in that Ebullition,Milk of Sul­phur of Anti­mony, of great Vertue. the Nitre (from the Sulphur of Antimony being burnt to Alcaly) dissolves the Sulphur of the An­timony, which is now fixed (as the boiling or bubbling Alcaly of Tartar doth dissolve common Sulphur, for Milk, as Crollius hath it:) sprinkle Vinegar on this So­lution, being filtrated, warm, (and you shall perceive the Odor of the Sulphur) which presently is drunk up by the Alcaly, and the Sulphur falls into a white, small, rare,Fixed Anti­pesti ential Antimony. light, and spongy Powder, which you must wash: A drachm of this, given with Vinegar, in the Plague is more worth than an ounce of that which is not boiled nor dissolved.

Hence it appears, That the Sulphur of Antimony, which elsewhere deflagrates with the Nitre, here is fixed by its proper Regulus by the Fire, in the above-named Vessel, and so becomes more perfect, so that there is Acidity in the flame of Fire, which I have shewed to be [Page 111]imbibed by Corals, and Antimony, as well as Lead, and so by Iron it self, which with this, and all other Acids, is with fire turned into Rust. So that there is no difference, betwixt that Crocus Martis, C [...]ocus Marth. which is made either with manifest, or Occult Acids; both of them are either binding or loosning.

CHAP. XXVIII. The ways and necessities of Precipitation discovered.

THere are Varieties of Opinions amongst Writers, concerning the Properties and Operations of Iron, and how, and by what manner, it performs them in Man's body,L. 3. P. 2. sect. 2. C. 7. Sennertus gives us a Catalogue of them, but few of them have hit the Mark, by reason of their ignorance of Hippocrates his Doctrine.L. 1. de Diaet. I will therefore shew how It adstringes and how it loosheth.

Iron doth manifestly bind, and consequently it streng­thens the Stomach and neighbour parts. Therefore it is good in the Dysentery, Lientery, Diarrhaea, and all Laxative diseases, &c. But I hear some object, that Iron Medicaments provoke the Terms in Women, and re­store the defects of the Liver, and Spleen, and so do rather Loosen than Bind? Lanswer (not as that Cano­nical Physician, who asserted, That the stones of Crabbs, were a Mineral, and therefore an enemy to Nature:) but my answer is from the works of Nature, in which I have demonstrated out ofL. 1. de Diaet. Hippocrates, That these things must needs so happen by Divine necessity; To wit, that there is often observed to wander up and down in us, a certain dissolved Salt, the Generation whereof, I have shewed before in its place, It consisting of Acid and Alcaly Com­pounded, less agreeing among themselves, and unfit for Transpiration and Sweat. This, by reason of the in­equality of the Sapors, doth not obey Purging Medi­cines, [Page 112]as Experience shews: Call this, if you will, an Humour truly excrementious, lodging either in the first, or in the last region of the Body, produced either by the Womb, Liver, Spleen, Reins, Sweet-bread, Mesentery, or Stomach; as to this point, 'tis all one. Iron then being taken, which as I have shewed Mecha­nically, doth easily imbibe all Acids, presently, That Noxious Liquid-Salt, or Excrementitious Humour, runs hastily to the Iron, and adheres to it, that it may dis­solve it, and so that Saline Excrement, according to the kind of the Sapor, whiles it sticks to the Iron, and cor­rodes it, is coagulated (as we have seen it, with the Acid of Vitriol to be turned into Vitriol, with the Acid of Wine intoAnd becomes the Tincture of Mars of the Reformer in his Appendix, fol. 83. Rust: So also it happens in Copper, which, if Vinegar corrode, it becomes Verdigrease; if the same Copper be corroded by Spirit of Vitriol, it becomes Vi­triol of Venus; Consonant to this Doctrine is, what I have formerly Ocularly demonstrated concerning Alcalyes and Acids) but sithence It cannot be assumed into Aliment, therefore it is purged by Stool,It doth not [...] ­scend the Ʋia­phragma. with the dissolved Iron, of a black colour; which colour ariseth, when the Acid Salt, corrodes the Iron, and the Alcaly precipitates it into Colcothar, as I have shewed above in its place.

But when Iron is drank,As appears in Acid Foun­tains. dissolved in an Acid Liquor, but grateful to the Stomach, The same Liquors being ta­ken, and throughly admitted, the Iron presently, being unfit, as I said, for Aliment, is separated from the Acid, by the Vertue of the Alcaly in the Mixture; In which Segregation the aforesaid Salts or Humours flow to the Iron, and adhere to It, as we see it happens to Silver dissolved in Aqua Fortis, if thin Plates of Copper be cast into the Solution, then presently the Acidity of the Aqua Fortis deserts the Silver, and corrodes the Copper, and the Silver adheres to the Copper,I speak not of him, that ne­ver few any thing in his life, but stin­king Excre­ments. as a compact Powder. Again, put a thin plate of Iron into the Solution, which is now greenish from the Copper, and the water pre­sently leaves the Copper, and corrodes the Iron, and the Copper adheres to the Iron, whiles the Vitriolate water of Goslarla corrodes the Iron, then the Copper falls from the water into the place of the Iron, which contained the [Page 113] Vitriol unripened, this red powder, melted in the fire, turns to Copper: This Precipitation, many learned Men (but ignorant of Hippocrates his Doctrine) have believed to be the transmutation of Iron into Copper): even so Mechanical reason and necessity also do Dictate, that it must be in Man's body, especially, since Nature is alike in every think, as the Old man speaks. For unless the ex­crementitious Humour were of a certain Semi-acid Nature and Taste, the Iron would not be dissolved in the body into a green or black mash, as we daily see, that it is, and I have also shewed in its place. And unless the Ex­crements be so tinged, Iron is unadvisedly given, for it finds not a fit Humour to dissolve it; and in that case, Iron is Astringent,The use and abuse of Acids. though the Aperitive Crocus Martis of the Reformer had been taken by the Mouth. The same thing is to be understood of Acid Spirits, as of Vitriol, Sul­phur, Glass, and Salt, for These, if they find not a wan­dering Alcaly in the body of Man, an enemy to Vitality, and therefore Morbous (which the Acid Spirit may re­ceive into it self) they do more hurt than good, for then by their over much Acidity they infect the neighbour Ali­ment of the Stomach, and make it unfit for Nourishment. A Physician of Rome, a friend of mine, Anno Dom. 1656, in the time of the Plague, used Spirit of Sulphur, in quan­tity, for a Preservative, who thereupon becameThe Remedy of Arthritis is by Alcalyes. Arthri­tical, and was afterwards restored by the Alcaly of Ani­mals, as I have elsewhere shewed, concerning the Feet-Gout. For the Alcaly imbibes the Acid, wanderingly di­spersed over the the body, which was the cause of Dis­ease and Pain in the Ventricles, not being accustomed to things manifestly Acid; for soOf Purging Medicines. Hippocrates teacheth. If any one prescribe Acid meats inconsiderately and without choice, they do no good.

On this principle of Precipitation, was the Golden Nail of the great Duke of Florence made; which Ferdinand the first of happy Memory, graced with this Testimony, which is to be seen with the Nail at Florence.

Mr. Leonard Turneisser in my sight and presence, A Golden Nail. turned an Iron Nail heated in the fire, and immersed in Oyl, into Gold; done at Rome the 20th. day of November after Dinner: [Page 114]Such Nails, I have also, in Sport, sometimes made, with my own hands, but such as deal in Metals the vulgar way, think it altogether impossible that Gold and Iron should Conglutinate; and therefore they firmly believe, that This Nail is really changed out of Iron into Gold, and that which confirms their belief, is, that Gold doth not adhere to Iron; yea Gold melted, corrodes It in a moment, and turns it into RustAs Common Sulphur doth.. But Gold is con­nected with Iron, by means of Precipitation, as I have said, on the same reason and ground, for which Iron precipitates Copper: Cut then an Iron Nail into two parts, moisten the end, at least with Spittle, and presently touch that part with Cupreous Vitriol, and in the very punctum, the extremity of the Iron, waxeth red, and hath now acquired the nature of Copper;The passage from one Ex­tream to ano­ther, is im­possible with­cut a Medi­um, as the Philosopher says. 6. Phys. Now Gold is easily associated to and with Copper; and so fit a Guspe, or point made of Gold to this Cupreous Iron; and with Borax and Golden Solidature or Soder (which is made ofGlew of Gold. Copper money, a little Silver and Gold melted at the Eye is better) melt it after the accustomed manner, in a fitting Coal-fire, and then you shall have the Golden Nail so much spoken of. Turneisser tinged this Nail with Ferrugo, wherewith he hid the Gold, and so (without doubt offered it to that great Prince, to handle with his hands, which being so disguised, the Skilfullest person, that is, would have judged to be Iron. And then heating it by the fire, and dipping it in a certain Oyl (as the Testimonial says) and washing away the Ferrugo, the Gold appeared. This was the Artifice, if it be worthy of that name.

But let us return to Iron, which taken at Mouth, frees from Obstructions arising from the aforesaid Excrement, and so becomes Aperitive by accident,Iron Opens, and Binds. in as much as it absorbs that coagulating wandering Acidity, proscribed by Nature, yet of it self, it is still Astringent; wherefore it is Aperitive by a specifick and appropriate Vertue, but it Binds by a second quality.

CHAP. XXIX. Nux Cassa.
Shell without Kernel.

I Have declared, that Copper is turned by Vinegar into Aerugo, or Verdigrease. This the Reformer advises us to Distil,Append. f. 7 [...]. I remember (says he) that I have made men­tion of a certain secret Menstruum, which hitherto the Canine envy of some Malignant and Ingrateful Fools hath caused me to keep socret, amongst my other Arcana's; A sad severity in Counte­nance, but no truth in his words, Ter. Andr. but now leaving the revenge of all injuries wrongfully offered, by what hand soever, to God, being pressed on by a good conscience, and the benefit of the Publick, I am resolved to publish it, on which the great­est of Remedies do depend, at their main Pillar: What will our Princely Doctor now reach us? Spirit of Venus, and an hidden Menstruum, which for unworthy Mens sake (who can forbear laughing!) he determined to conceal. Oh unskilful Rudeness! who would ever have expected from him, such a great and liberal Contribution, for the pub­lick good, unless he had told us so himself?

'Twas more than a hundred years since, that Basilius Valentinus published this Distillation of Vinegar (in a Book, which he calls, A Manuduction to Physick, Written in the Germane Tongue, and Reprinted at Frankfort by Luke Iennis, An. 1625. in Quarto) under the Title of The true Solution of Pearls. The Reformer borrows it from him, suppressing the Author's Name, for there it is word [Page 116]for word,In Aq. Epilept. Pharm. Regia. f. 170. and this he boasts, not only for an Ʋniversal Solvent, but (seigns it also to be his own Invention, and inscribes it, Our Spirit of Venus) for the Liquor Al­cahest; So that, not without a fatal Prediction, John Fre­derick Bauz, prefixed the Reformer's Name before the Dispensatory, with an Anagramme worthy of him, as may be there seen.To what pur­pose these un­couth, costly, laborious, and nauseous Com­positions, if Vinegar, which is grateful to all, doth the deed. But the Reformer adds without blush­ing; This most excellent Spirit is not only of great vertue in Physick, as being highly Curative of Epileptick, Apoplectick, Hysterical, and Hypochondriacal Distempers, being duly and lawfully exhibited; but is as the Liquor Alcahest, and not as other Acid Spirits, who suffer and are destroyed by Solution, and so are turned into another Ens, &c. I could wish Basilius, when he taught us how to distil this Vinegar, had been afraid of Impostors, as Hippocrates, Paracelsus, and others were. Then the Reformer had never obtruded This, for the Liquor Alcahest, nor had loaded it with so many Encomiums, thereby deluding the World. He advises us to buy this Vinegar at any rate, adding these Vain-glorious and Magnificent words; Enjoy Courteous Reader,Turpe est Do­ctori, &c. this Secret, and let me continue in thy good grace, for my faithful Communication of it. In good time? draw near all ye inquisitive ones, behold a great Secret ma­nisested' never so much as dream'd of before? But Na­ture laughs to see such lyes held forth for truths: There are some, who, without any great labour, time, or ex­pence, do distil a like and much more powerful Liquor out of Lees of Vinegar, into a great Receiver, which yet they proclaim not for Alcahest.

Let us therefore take notice of the Subject from which the Reformer distils this Wonderful Solvent, which, with a worthy Name, he appropriates to himself, and calls it Our Spirit of Venus.

It is Aerugo or Verdigr [...]ase, which is thus made, thin Copper plates are put into Mother of Wine, when it is sowre; this Acidity corroding the Copper, is coagulated with it into Salt, as it happens to every Acid by Corro­sion, as I have Ocularly demonstrated in Lead and Coral: The Reformer mundifies this green Salt with Distilled Vi­negar, from which surely nothing but Vinegar can be [Page 117]distilled, as Basilius in the fore-cited place, doth ingeni­ously confess; as it happens to Spirit of Vitriol by cor­roding Copper, it becomes Vitriol; from which, if you distil it, you can extract nothing else but the same Stag­ma or Spirit of Vitriol, which you poured on it, accor­ding to the Old saying, Nihildat, quod in se, non habet: Melt the remaining Caput Mortuum or Faeces, in a Pipkin, adding thereto a little Nitre and Tartar, then the Copper returns to Copper, as it was before it was changed with the Vinegar in Verdigrease. This is the Secret and my­sterious business the Reformer out of his over-flowing Liberality, is willing to communicate for the Publick good, and perswades us to buy at any rate, saying, Enjoy, Reader, this Secret, &c. Away with this Cheating,Secrets disco­vered, lose their esteem. which even the Vulgar do deride, not believe? Men know well enough, that Secrets are not to be revealed, but in Para­bles, Allegories, Metaphors, and such like Disguisings; So H [...]ppocrates advises, and both He and Venerable An­tiquity doth the same: Speak not (says the Wiseman) in the ears of a Fool, for he will despise the Instructions of thy mouth. So Johannes Picus in his Book of the Dignity of Man, Pythagoras, Plato, Boetius, Macrobius in Scipio's Dream, Cornelius Tacitus, &c. All of them, with one Mouth, affirm that Secrets are not to be divulged, that so unworthy men may not be partakers of them.

But go to? may we not use Vinegar simply distilled with less labour and charge? since it is one and the same thing? Do not the Writers of the Elements of Chymistry teach us to prepare Salt of Pearls and Corals with Distilled Vinegar? and afterwards to wash it? which yet is found to be unprofitable, in as much as the Acids are coagulated with the Solution, as I have often shewed before.

But to contract all in a few words, The Vinegar and Spirit of Venus of our Reformer, are nothing but water impregnated with an Acid Volatile Salt, which, if it corrodes any thing, 'tis presently Coagulated, which af­terwards by combustion is fixed into Alcaly.

Wherein now doth the Magistery of Corals and Pearls of the Reformer exceed That which the Rudiments teach? What Prerogative one hath above the other, [Page 118]we may learn from Spirit of Vitriol and Sulphur, which precipitates both; the reason whereof is, that the more potent Acidity apprehends the Solution, and in it under­goes Coagulation, and therefore encreases in weight, neither can you fetch it back,Append. f. 13. but by a violent fire.

Is it so indeed? doth our Reformer so satisfy God, That Experi­ment is falla­cious, if Know­ledge precede it not. his Neighbour, and the Truth? as he affirms in his Animad­versions? Are these the Inventions taken from true Reason and Experience, hitherto seen, and observed by none else, for the comfort of Mankind? As he boasts in the Preface of his Appendix.

Was Haerus so to be deluded? to whom he promises in his Epistle Dedicatory, to discover what he knew not, to wit, to rectify the Genuine and usual method of compound­ing Medicines, and to free it from Errors, lest the People should be put to the loss of their Money and Health, He that speak­eth the Truth, may do it with­out labour and trouble; and I wonder you sweat and la­bour so? Dant [...], In Append. f. 13. but that they may live more happily. To wit, by proclaiming Vi­negar for Alcahest.

Are these the things, Which leaving his necessary busines­ses he published to the People with so great labour, as his Epilogue speaks?

This Reformer being drunk with his own Vinegar, cants out Wonders, Our Spirit of Venus (says he) Extracts an Adstringent Tincture from Flings of Steel. News indeed! as if all Vinegar with Iron filed, did not grown Red? 'tis knownf. 798. Vinegar grows Red with sha­vings of Iron, but Spirit of Vitriol is coa­gulated with it into Vitriol. to do so to all Blacksmiths. In his Mantissa Her­metica, a little before he teaches, that he can prepare Adstringent Crocus most exactly by Revorberation alone, with­out the mixture of any other thing: Now, to procure Cre­dit to his Vinegar, he grants both: What is this, but im­patiently and foolishly to play the Trifler, yea to pretend to teach the contrarieties of Salts and Vinegar, and yet to know neither.

CHAP. XXX.

OUt of a desire of Knowledge, I red the Pharmacopaea Regia, Writ by our Reformer, out of a vain itch for Glory, but full of many Absurdities. He promises to Kings a Narcotick Sulphur of Vitriol, under the Title of Laudanum; but it amy be truly said, of it,f. 849. The King escaped by the help of Fate, and not of the Narcotick Sulphur of Vitriol, which is no where found in the whole Book of Receipts: So also he promises to Queens a Ludus Praeparatus to beget Milk, which yet he never saw or knew: Hence came the common Proverb, Mentiris ut Medicus. This Sulphur of his, and that Ludus Praeparatus, change not their Soil, nor pass beyond the Seas; they like well the place of their Nativity, and love not to stir further, viz. then the brains of the Reformer.

So in his splendid Appendix to his Pharmacopaea Regia, almost in all his Compositions, we have these Pompous words, Magisterium Nostrum Solubile. An Ostentation so vain, that it would raise laughter in Heraclitus himself, which yet is nothing else,In Append. to Animad. f. 53. but Pearls and Corals corroded with Vinegar, as is known to every Fresh-water Physi­cian. But he himself undervalues and laughs at the long Receipts of Writers; but who ever saw or read longer than those in his Pharmapaea Regia? who,f. 123. more Inelegant ones? Take that Compositum for an example, which, by a specious Title, he calls Pilulae Regiae, where Opium pro­duces all the effects which he promises. To what pur­pose then is the corroded Gold, which, being Simple, hath no affinity with Opium, the ground of the Pills; of these Homer sings,

Truly the huddling together of Simples, made by un­skilful hands,Hipp. 1. Aph. 1. do infatuate and destroy Princes, and causes the nick of the Cure time, which in a moment passes away, to be spent in uncertain conjectures. I shall add but this one thing.'O [...]e matter alone cannot have two Spe­cies together; which our Chymists must diligently ma [...]k. I advise you to avoid Receipt-mongers as much as Juglers, who do boast of their Prodigious Compositions, and so Huckster and make Merchandize of our Diseases, and as it were, cast lots for our Lives: I say it is impossible, or at least very difficult, to determine any thing certainly, unless only Putatively and Conjectu­rally, as I have shewed in the Nettle only. But as of­ten as simple things do not effect what was desired, then its is that they want Composition, as I have clearly shewed in Vulnerary Potions, in Tinctures and Inks; and I will yet further evidence by this one example: Take two parts or pugils of Juice of Sage, of Vitriol of Mars one part or pugil, both of these mixed, do suddenly grow black, for the Occult Alcaly of the Sage doth absorb the Acid of the Vitriol; In an hour the Acid, as it is a Mine­ral, doth conquor the feeble Alcaly of the Vegetable, and the Compositum waxes green: To which add further, three parts of Vitriol, then it assumes not a black colour (as might in reason be thought) but the Alcaly then consumes at least the subtle Acid as turns the Vitri­ol into Ocre, as it happens to It, when the Spirit by little and little decays; but whither do I digress, seeing I know that what cannot be changed and altered, is to be born?

But the Reformer doth perpetually commend such Compositions,Append. f. 48. saying, That both the Sick and Physicians too, would be in an happy case, if such Medicines which are truly Royal, were at hand, and yet of so small a price, that they may be vsed by the poor, &c.

Now to you therefore, O ye Ingenious Pharmacop [...]ans, do I direct my speech, I beseech you to cast up the ac­compt, and to judge (not of many unprofitable and la­borious [Page 121]Compositions, which if they were all at hand and in readiness, the whole City of Auspurgh would scarce contain them, but only of the distilling of this Vinegar from Verdigrease for corroding Coral, for if you reckon up the Vessels and Instruments of Art requisite for the pur­pose, with the Time which is to be spent in it, where will there a poor man be found that can be at such ex­pence? but if this and such like artificial Compositions be dispensed and sold for a small price,

But if I should longer insist on all the gross and Erroneous Opinions of our Reformer which are scat­tered here and there, I might swell a Volume, which may be plainly seen in his first Syrup.Of Wolm­wood, Pharmas. f. 17. This, as others, was invented by the Ancients, that it might be Administred to every individual person, and so be in readiness and at hand in Shops; but seeing many persons can hardly endure the smells, e­specially of Spike, without belching and turning of the Stomach, yea they resist Digestion, as appears in Meats seasoned with Spice, who do destroy the ferment of the Stomach; Hence the Ancients com­mend simple Food as most wholsome. For this cause,Simple Food most profita­ble; the heap­ing together of Sipots is Pesti­ferous. Plin. l. 11. c. 53.5. even for this Syrup, they chose Pontick Wormwood as less Odorous, and boiled it in old Wine, toge­ther with Spike, that the Odor, together with the Spirit of Wine (to which it is easily associated) might wholly be expelled and gone; which, the addition of Juice of Quinces shews; for unless This had been the Intention of the Ancients, instead of this Syrup, they had used Quince-Wine and Wormwood-Wine, as we mayL. 5. c. 49. see in Dioscorides. They preserved the remain­der with Sugar from an hoary Vinew, and thickned it into a Syrup.

So also sundry sorts of Wines, mixed together and drunk, as is usual in Feasts and Banquets, do not only create trouble and labour to the Rector in Man (which I shewed above, Chap. 15. out of [Page 122] Of the Hu­mours. Hippocrates, hath his seat in the mouth of the Sto­mach) to unite them, but moreover do easily In­ebriate Men, and by tender Persons are sometimes violently cast out by Vomit;Gic. Loccat. Nov. 7. Fab 2. observed this also. but when the Juices of the same Grapes (though Multiformous and Va­rious) are united together by Fermentation, then from and by diverse Rectors, one wholsome drink is made, not offending the Stomach; even as Trea­cle is made out of diverse simples, co-united by Fermentation, over which, one only Rector doth Predominate: Hence It is commended by Avicen, as of wonderful Vertue, as I have noted in my Preface.

But since it is none of my Intent to discover Peb­bles in the Sea-shore (as the Proverb is) where there is such an infinite number of them, especially not being delighted with this kind of Writing, it is against my Genius to insist any longer on these Trifles, and therefore I will now withdraw my Pen and Hand.

This is the Stress of the Matter, The Reformer came to act his Part on the Stage before he knew That Nature did act alike in every thing.

Now for a Conclusion, a word or two to our Friends in their ears; the Acid doth inform the Al­caly; with These, the ancient Foundations of Old Phy­sick and of the Viperine Salt, do absolutely agree in a perpetual Concord and an immutable Similitude,The specifick Rector dwells in the Acid, which i [...] forms the Alcaly.(as I have shewed to those that uderstand me aright) from the decree of Nature it self, and out of the Doctrine of my Hippocrates, by the most Harmoni­ous and Mechanick Reason, and the highest necessity.)

My pretended Friend endeavouring heretofore to learn this consent of Nature and Art by examples, and not being able to do it, he rages like a mad Dog, and bites all that come near him; prefe­ring himself far before others, as appears throughout all his Writings; So every Bird likes his own note best, neither is any thing more unjust than an unskilful Man, (as Tirence speakes) Who thinks nothing well done, In Ad [...]. act. 1 sc. 2. but what he does himself.