CHAP. I. Naturall Matter, what it is, and from whence.

IN truth the matter of Petrus Bonus. which the Stone is made, is onely one; nor can this neigh­bouring Faculty bee found in any other thing. And it is that which is most like to Gold, it is also that of which it is begot­ten; and it is Argent Vive, alone, pure, without the commixtion of any other thing, and it is obscured with infinite names, and the man­ner of operating is onely one, but [Page 2] it is diversly varied by the Philoso­phers, therefore no wonder if the Art be difficult, and the Artists greatly erre. Neverthelesse Art begets Medicine from the same, or altogether the like principles, as Nature begets metalls. Petrus Bo­nus, page 120.

The Vive Argent is compoun­ded Arnoldus. with Citrine Sulphur, so that they are changed and become the same in one masse Lucide Red, weighty, of which two kindes are sufficient for the composition of the Elixir. He therefore that de­sires to search into the secrets of this Art, it is fit he know the first matter of Metalls, lest he lose his labour. Arnoldus lib. de Alchimia, pag. 1.

Art willing to follow Nature Petrus Bonus. inquires out her end, and findes these principles congealed by Na­ture into this middle Nature, and not impure; and endevours to di­gest [Page 3] and purifie such a Matter with the heat of Fire, that from thence she might draw the form of Gold, with which all imperfect metals are turned into Gold, in as much as they are ordained by nature to this end, Petrus Bonus p. 105.

We say that the whole is but Lullius. one thing, which is varied into the number of three, by its operations, and in varying by one decoction is one thing of one single power, and after this passing by degrees to in­formation, by another digestion it will be another thing, which we call Argent Vive, Earth, Water, and Ferment, Gumm and our se­cond Salsature, bitter and sharp, which by its Compound virtue and propriety got by the second dige­stion, doth loose the whole body, and after by another digestion hath a greater force. And so thou maist understand that in our Ma­gisteriall there are three proper [Page 4] Earths, three Waters, and three proper Ferments; three proper Gumms, three Salsatures, three Argent Vives Congealing, as in our Practise is manifest. Lullii The­orica p. 109.

Such a Matter must be chosen Taulada­nus. in which is Argent Vive, pure, clean, clear, white, and red, and not brought to perfection, but equally and proportionably mixt by a due meane, with such a sulphur, and congealed into a solid Masse, that by our discretion and prudence, and our artificiall Fire, we may attain its inmost purity, that after the perfection of the work it may be a Thousand Thousand times stron­ger then simple bodies digested by naturall heat. Tauladanus pag. 314.

If we had Sulphur and Mercury from that matter upon the Earth, Lullius. of which Gold and Silver are made under the Earth, from them we could easily make Gold and Sil­ver, [Page 5] with the propriety of their own nature. Therefore there is no­thing farther requisite, but that we finde what is nearest to it, of its own nature. Mercury in all Ele­mented substances is one and the same; which Mercury is indeed naturall heat, which produceth as well Vegetables as Minerals, al­though diversly according to the command of Nature. And so our Mercury never is visible, but intel­ligible only, and so it is manifest, that it is in every thing and every place, hence common to all things. Lullii Codicillus pag. 131.

In our Stone, there are the Sun, Flamelius. and the Moon vive, and they can generate other Suns and other Moons; other Gold and Silver, to these, are dead. Flamelii Anno­tationes, pag. 138.

The Philosophers Stone is found Ros. Philos. created by nature and our Mercu­ry, viz. the matter in which the [Page 6] Philosophers Mercury is contai­ned, is that whjch nature hath a lit­tle wrought and framed in a Me­tallick form, but yet left imperfect. Ros. Philos. pag. 231.

I saw a red Toad drinking the Ripleus. juyce of Grapes even till his Bow­els were burst. Riplei Somnium.

Art following Nature will not Vogel. use Argent vive alone, nor Sulphur alone, nor Argent vive and Sul­phur together; but the same Mat­ter mixt and compounded of the same Principles, which Natur [...] hath prepared for Art, like a care­full Mother for her Daughter. An [...] hath conjoyned them from the beginning of the generation of Metals not otherwise, as in Milk, Butter, Cheese, and Whay. But afterwards Art separates and sequester it, and again joyns and digests i [...] being purified by the addition [...] outward heat only: Nature oper [...] ting from within, untill that ou [...] ward [Page 7] Sulphur be divided from the Argent vive. Vogelius pag. 105.

Think with thy self whereto Basilius Val. thou wouldst labour to bring our Stone, then shalt thou know, it flows from no other then a certain Metallick Radix; from whence al­so Metalls themselves are ordained by the Creator. Basilius Valenti­nus page 15.

When I speak of Mercuriall wa­ter, Clangor Buc. doe not understand Crude Mercury, but the Philosophers Mercury of a Red substance, drawn from Mineralls, having the matter in themselves, from Sulphur and Mercury, and that Argent vive and Sulphur are one thing, and proceed from one thing, therefore whiten the Leton, viz. Brasse with Mercury, because Leton is of the Sun and Moon, a compound Ci­trine imperfect body, which when thou hast whitened &c. Clangor Buccinae pag. 503. 470.

The Philosophers Gold and Dunstan. Silver, are two principall Tin­ctures, red and white, buried in one & the same body, which Tinctures can never naturally come to their perfect complement, yet they are separable from accidentall drosse, and earthly lutosity, and after­wards by their proper qualities in their pure Earths the tinctures red and white are found commixtable, and the most fit Ferments for them, so that they may in a man­ner be said to want no other thing. Of this very Body the matter of the Stone, three things are chiefly spoken, viz. The green Lion, Assa foetida, and white Fume; but this is inferred by the Philosophers from the Compound, that they might answer the foolish according to their own folly, and deceive them by the divers multiplicity of names. But doe thou always un­derstand one thing to be really in­tended, [Page 9] although accidentally three things may be so called. For the green Lyon, Assa foetida, and white Fume, are altogether attri­buted to one and the same subject, and are always coucht in one and the same subject, untill by Art made manifest. By the green Ly­on, all Philosophers whatsoever understood, green Gold, multipli­cable, spermatick, and not yet per­fected by Nature; having power to reduce Bodies into their first mat­ter, and to fix volatile and spiritu­all things, and therefore not unfitly called a Lyon. By Assa foetida, we understand a certain unsavory O­dor, exhaled from the unclean bo­dy in the first operation, which may in all things be likened to stinking Assa foetida. The reason why it is called white Fume is this: In the first distillation, before the Red Tincture ascends, there arises a smoak truly white, whereby the [Page 10] receiver is darkned or filled with a certain milky shadow, whence it receives the name of Virgins milk. Therefore where ever thou findest a substance endowed with these three properties, know that it is the matter of the Philosophers Stone. Dunstan. pa. 3.

Therefore let us take a matter Clangor Buccinae. which will be Gold, and which by the mediation of our skill is brought into a true ferment. Clan­gor. pag. 510.

The matter of Metalls is a cer­tain Rosarius Philos. smoaky substance, and it is the first matter of Metalls, containing in it self an unctuous or oyly moi­sture, from which substance the Artist separates the Philosophi­call humidity, which is fit for the work, which will be as clear as a water drop, in which is coucht the metallick Quintessence, and that is placable Metall, and therefore hath in it a meane of Joyning Tinctures [Page 11] together, because it hath the na­ture of Sulphur, and Argent vive. Rosar. Phil. p. 278.

The thing whose head is Red, Dastin. feet White, and eyes Black, is the whole Mystery, Dastin. visio. p. 2.

Know that our Leton is Red, Mori [...]n. but not for our use, untill it bee made White. Morienus p. 38.

When thou wouldst have Mine­rall Lullius. Elements, take not of the first, nor last, because the first are too much simple, but the last, too grosse. When thou art hungry, take Bread, not Meal; when thou wouldst make Bread, take Meal, not the Ear. Lullius Theori. p. 34.

There is a pure Matter, which Eximedes. is the Matter of Gold, containing in it self, the heat which gives in­crease, and hath a power to increase and multiply in its kinde, as all o­ther things. Eximedes, p. 45.

In our imperfect Metall, are the Arnold. Sun and Moon, in virtue and neer [Page 12] power, because if they were not in the Compound, neither the Sun nor Moon could thence be made. Arnold. Epist. pag. 491.

Mercury is in all Elemented Lullius. Substances, one and the same; which Mercury is indeed the na­turall heat which produces as well Minerals as Vegetables, although diversly according to the precept of Nature; and so our Mercury is not visible but intelligible; and it is manifest, that it is in every thing and place, and common to all. Lul­lii Codic. fol. 134. Repelat. 6.

CHAP. II.The Preparation: or the first work, or work of the Winter.

THis is the Preparation, because Senior. there are blinde men, and they have erred a long time, while they were ignorant that this Stone was [Page 15] prepared with this preparation. Se­nior, p. 31.

If the first work proceed not, Dastin. how is the second attained to? Because, if no division be made, there is no conjunction. Dastini Speculum, pag. 56.

We must begin with the sepa­ration Arnold. of the Elements, from the Red earth, as of the pure from the impure. Arnoldus in Hortulanum, pag. 9.

Thou must diligently consider, Pandolph. how this dissolution may be made, and certainly know, that it is not done, but by the water of Mercu­ry; and know, that every body is dissolved with the spirit, with which it is mixt, and without doubt is made spirituall. Pandol­phus in Turba, pag. 16.

Son of Truth, understand, that Lullius. we in the first operation of our work, doe purge and prepare mat­ter for the creation of its Sulphur; [Page 16] which being prepared, by and by in the second preparation, wee compound and create medicine, which how great virtue it hath, will be manifest. Therefore first thou must create its Sulphur, be­cause without that, thou canst not make the compleat Elixir. And when thou hast created Sulphur, then begin the Philosophick work; but ever consider, that the nature and propriety which is in the very spirit, may not be combust in its preparation by the power of the fire. Because then the spirit cannot whiten, nor joyn it self with the Earth: Therefore it often happens, that they who think to make water of life, make water of death, by reason of combustion. Lullii Aper­torium, p. 2.

The Vessels so disposed, a most A [...]noldus. subtill smoke will arise in the A­lembick, and the same will be tur­ned into a clear water, having the [Page 17] nature of these species, whereof the Stone is generated: which Water descends by the Nose of the Alem­bick. Arnoldus in Comment. Hor­tulani. p. 16.

The Phlegm wherein our Sul­phur, Lullius. which is called Gold, is de­cocted, is that in which Air is in­cluded: for our Phlegm is a mid­dle substance; and the first water of Mercury, wherein the principle of the Stone is; viz. its dissoluti­on; nor doth it enter with it, but as it were wetting the parts of things, not generating or increa­sing. Lullii Testam. pag. 1.

It is meet thou prepare the Mat­ter, Lullius. till it be fit to receive our Mer­cury, which we call glorious Mer­cury; and the manner is, That thou take a proportion of the said Earth, and put upon it the fourth part of the said imperfect Menstru­um, wherein is such a Mercury, and set it in a Balneo for the space of six [Page 18] days, and distill it, and so continue untill the Earth be disposed to imbrace a Soul; which will not be done at the first or second time; therefore put it again and again in the Balneo for the space of six days, in a Glasse very well sealed; after that open the vessell, and setting the Alembick on again, with a most gentle fire distill the humidity; and again pour on more of its Menstruum, which hath its seed in it, and digest it as aforesaid, and so continue untill the Earth be disposed to entertain its soul. Son, it is to be observed, when it shall drink up and retain four parts more of its weight, that if thou put a lit­tle upon a heated plate of Gold or Silver, it will all flie up into smoke: then is the Earth pregnant and pre­pared, which ought to be subli­med. Lul. Test. pag. 15.

First, all the superfluous and cor­rupt humidity in the essence of Rosar. Phi­losoph. [Page 19] those things, and also the subtill and burning superfluity must be elevated with a proportionable Fire, and that by Calcining. Then the totall substance remaining cor­rupt in the Calx of these Bodies of the burning superfluous humidity and blacknesse, is to be corroded with the aforesaid Corrosives, a­cute or acerb, untill the Calx bee made white or red. Rosar. Philos. pag. 345.

Our Mercury is made of perfect Scala. bodies, and not imperfect, that is, with the second Water, after they have been duly calcin'd by the first. Scala, pag. 128.

It behoveth thee to extract one Artepheus. living or vive incombustible Wa­ter, and then congeal it with the perfect body of the Sun, which e­ven there is dissolved into nature, and a white congealed substance, as if it were Cream, and would come all white. Neverthelesse, first this [Page 20] Sun in his putrefaction and resolu­tion in this Water in the beginning loses his light; is obscured and waxeth black; at length he will e­levate himself above the Water, & by little and little, a white colour will swim above him, and so the perfect body of the Sun receives life, and in such a Water is inlive­ned, inspired, increased and multi­plied in his specie, as other things: Therefore our Water is a Fountain fair, pleasant and clear, prepared onely for the King and Queen, whom it very well knows, and they it, for it attracts them to it self, and they remain two or three days to wash themselves in that Fountain, viz. some moneths; and these it makes to grow young, and renders them very beautifull.

These three things mutually follow, viz. Humidity, Putridity, and Blacknesse; from whence the glassie house may be posited, and [Page 21] subtilly sited, untill the moist Mat­ter included, by little and little became putrid and black, for the putrefaction begins together with the solution, but the putrefaction is not yet compleat, untill the whole Matter be dissolved into water. Artephus pag. 9.

One of the contraries exceeding Dastin. destroies the rest, whence the Earth is made Water, when the watry qualities overcome it, and on the contrary, this Water must draw forth three things, viz. a Spirit, a Body, and a Soule, whence this Water is threefold in Na­ture, which hath in it self Water, Fire, and Earth. We divide the dissolved Stone in the Elements, and wash it particularly, that it it might be more subtilized, and the better purified, and that at pleasure the Complexion might be more firmly composed, but we distill it very often, as the Water [Page 22] and Air are clean without dregs, and light without filth, pure with­out contraries, for then they wash more easily, touch more plentiful­ly, and work more nobly. For Art (as Aristotle saith) in like manner throws off all superfluities from its work as Nature doth. For Fire extracts that which exists in the interiours of things, and feeds on the sulphurity of them, subtilizing and rarifying at pleasure. And therefore we distill them, that we might sweetly draw out their filth. But we doe it sweetly and with inhumation, lest the excessive Fire consume the sought for sub­tilties. Whence in every distillati­on observe this sign, that univer­sally there be candour and purity in it, and whatsoever drops forth unmixt, put apart, because the work is corrupt if thou doe other­wise. Therefore we so much distill it, untill it send forth no dregges, [Page 23] unlesse happily white ones, and this we iterate seven times, that in their simple purity they might transcend the orders of the seven Planets. For it is meet they be most pure and clean, which by their purity should cleanse and perfect other things. And according to the quantity of distillation they will be clear, and according to the plu­rality of clearness, they will cleanse and touch other things. Whence it ought to be distilled seven times; what is more is evil, because as di­minution hinders, so augmentation corrupts.

In the fourth distillation fol­lows the Lavement, that its every Element might be rectified seve­rally, whence we distill the Water and Aire seven times by them­selves. But thou shalt distill all things with moisture, because dri­nesse corrupts the work with com­bustion: And the Philosophers [Page 24] advise that every distillation be al­ways made seven days with inhu­mation, meaning that inhumation be made seven days between every distillation. Dastini spec. pag. 96.

It behoveth thee to exercise the Rosar. Arnold. separation of the Elements as much as thou art able, to wash off the Water and Air by distillations, and to burn up the Earth by Cal­cination, untill there remain not any thing of the Soul in the Body, unlesse what may not be perceived in the operation, the sign of which will be, when nothing shall be evaporated from the Body, if a little of it be put upon a heated plate. Rosar. Arnold. pag. 423.

As an Infant exhausts all airy Massa Solis & Lunae. vapours in nine moneths, and the menstruum turned into a milky form: so in nine moneths the first work is performed, viz. the se­cond whitenesse, because the whole is coagulated: Neverthelesse the [Page 25] work is finished about six moneths according to the Experience of the Author, but according to Balgus Pag. 1 [...]9. in Turba in an hundred and ninety days. Massa Solis & Lunae. pag. 275.

Let not the water be suffered to stand when it is fit for operation, because it receives its Curd into the bottome, crudled or coagula­ted by the cold of the Aire, and congealing drieth; which hapned to one of my Companions, who for the space of a year found it so, but it was not distilled. Massa So­lis & Lunae. pag. 274.

No solution ought to be made Rosar. Philosoph. without Blood, proper or appro­priate, viz. the Water of Mercu­ry, which is called the Water of the Dragon, and that Water ought to be made by an Alembick with­out the addition of any other thing. Rosar. Philos. p. 223.

The whole course of the work Roymundus Lullius. [Page 26] endures for the space of two years, whence the Stone is of one year, and the Elixir of another to every new Artist who never made it, but to every good and expert Artist who is subtile, one year and three moneths are accounted sufficient, For by what it is corrupted, in like manner it is generated. Lul. Theo. p. 76.

Accommodate well the Fire in Ventura. the furnace, and see that the whole Matter be dissolved into Water, then rule it with a gentle Fire, un­till the greater part be turned into black dust. Because when our Stone is in our vessell, and our Matter feels our Sun, it will pre­sently be resolved into Water. Ven­tura p. 129.

Putrefaction is made with a Rosarius Philos. most gentle Fire, so that nothing may ascend, because if any thing should ascend, there would be made a separation of parts, which [Page 27] ought not to be, untill the Mascu­line and Feminine are perfectly joyned. Rosar. Philos. pag. 261.

The encompassing frigidity of Dastin. the Aire, the binding solidity of the Earth, the dissolving heat of the Fire, the impetuosity and rest­lesse motion of the Water, and exceeding quantity of Multitude doe hinder Putrefaction (as Aristo­tle saith.)

But the calidity of the Air, the subtility of Matter, the gentle­nesse of the Fire, the stability of Rest, the equality of Compounds, the gravity of Patience, the matu­rity of Time, do necessarily induce and hasten Putrefaction; yet so, that the Air be tempered, what is thick subtilized, the Fire modera­ted, Rest preserved, Proportion adequated, Patience strengthened, and the time expected until Nature proceeding naturally shall have compleated her owne worke. [Page 28] Dastin spec. pag. 184.

Our Water must be divided into Scala. two parts, whereof in one part the Body is congealed, viz. with se­ven Imbibitions and Congelati­ons, but in the other part it putre­fies and melts, that the fiery Water abovesaid might be cast forth. Scala Philos. pa. 151.

If the work in its managing be deduced to the finall red state, by corruption before the due term of whitenesse (which it may not be) thou hast erred; then for a reme­dy take away the rednesse with fresh white Water, by imbibition and inhumation. Idem.

There are three Humidities, the Lullius. first is Water, the second is Aire, (the mean between Water and Oil) the third is Oil it self. The Water is distilled to the likenesse or sign of perfect whitenesse, which is transparent splendour, and the shining clearnesse of crystall; and [Page 29] he that attains to this Token hath the Philosophers Mercury, dissol­ving all Bodies, chiefly of the Sun and Moon, because of the vicinity or nearnesse of Nature. Lul. Co­dic. p. 119.

In our whole Magisteriall there Lullius. are three principall Spirits neces­sary, which without the consum­mation of their resolution cannot be manifested, and they are other­wise called three Argent vives, and for Argent vive understand the Water in which the Tincture is carried. Raymund. Theor. p. 122. 24.

If you will hear me, I will truly Ripleus. shew what is that Mercury chiefly profitable: know therefore that there are three Mercuries which are the Keys of Science whom Raymund cals his Menstrua, with­out which nothing is done rightly, but two of those Mercuries are superficiall, the third Essentiall, of the Sun and Moon, perfect Bodies [Page 30] when we first Calcine them natu­rally, but no unclean Body is in­gredienced except one, which is commonly called of the Philoso­phers, The green Lion, which is the mean of joyning Tinctures. With the second Mercury, which is vegetable Humidity, both the Principall, Materiall, and Formall bodies ought to be resolved, other­wise they are of little moment. And with the third, which is Hu­midity, very permanent and in­combustible, the unctuous Tree of Hermes is burnt into Ashes. Ri­pley pa. 25.

Sons of Wisdome, there are Incertus. three solutions, the first is of a crude Body, the second is of a Phi­losophicall Earth, the third we put in Augmentation. The Virgin is Mercury, because it never propa­gated a body in the Womb of the Earth, and yet it generates the Stone for us, by resolving the Hea­ven, [Page 31] that is, it opens the Gold, and bringeth forth a Soul. Incertus de Chemia. pa. 6.

Metals are reduced to the first Ventura. Matter, when they are driven back, to that first simplicity, which their Elements had in their first Composition, in which there were Spirits and Vapours by nature perfectible to the form of the Compound. Vent. pa. 12.

By Argent vive is understood Ludus Pu­erorum. the humidity of that unction, which is the radicall humidity of our Stone. Ludus Puerorum pag. 174.

The Preparation of this Spirit, is its subtilation, which is perfor­med Vogel. by many distillations, untill it hath gotten crystalline splendour and clearnesse. Vogel. p. 148.

Keep the rectified Water apart, Aristotle. because that is the Mercury of the Philosophers, the water of Life washing the Leton. Aristotle pag. 366.

The whole labour and tedious­nesse Lull. com­pendium. is in this, viz. the separation of the Elements and Sulphur. Air cannot be divided from Metals, unlesse by the twentieth, twenty second, or thirtieth distillation. And the Fire may be divided from the Earth at the eleventh distilla­tion, and as many distillations as there are, so many putrefactions and reiterations of Water and Air together, to wit, of our Menstruall water, and every putrefaction re­quireth eight days, or six continu­ed, so that the division of the Ele­ments, dures the space of an year, but we have compleated it in seven moneths. Lull. compend. pa. 281.

The Alchymists have said that the Stone is compounded of two Waters, viz. of one which makes the volatile Stone, and the other which fixes and hardens it. Idem.

Between every Calcination of Avicenna. the Earth, pour on water mode­rately, [Page 33] to wit, not much nor little; because if much, there's made a sea of perturbation, if little, it will be burnt up into ashes. But sweetly, not hastily, from eight days to eight days, by watering, decocting, and calcining the Earth, till it hath imbibed its Water; therefore when the Earth shall not be white, bray it together with its Water, iterate and calcine it, because Aroc and Fire doe wash the Earth, and take away its obscurity from it; for its preparation is always with Wa­ter, and as the fitnesse of the Wa­ter shall be, so also shall be the clearnesse of the Earth, and by how much the more the Earth shall be white, &c. Avicenna pag. 420, 421.

He which knows not to extract Scala. more things out of one, is igno­rant also to compound one thing of more. Our separation is a sepa­ration of a watry or moist vapour [Page 34] or phlegme in Balneis, a levigation of rarity, a production of princi­ples. Scala. p. 134.

Imbibe Calx or Body often­times, Geber. that thence it may be sub­limed, and yet more purified then before, because the Calx ascends upwards very difficultly or not at all, unlesse holpen by the Spirit. Geber. lib. summae perfectionis pag. 573.

The Vessell being fitly placed in Ventura. the Furnace, the Fire underneath must be continued, then the Va­pour of the Matter will ascend up­wards into the Alembick most subtilly, and the same will be tur­ned into serene bright and cleare Water, having the form of a water drop, and the Nature of all the species of which it is generated, and it descends again by the Crows beak, that is, the Neck of the vessell of the Alembick; and this Water, because it is subtile, [Page 35] doth enter the Body, and extract first the Soule, afterwards it dis­solves all that is left, and turns it into Water. Moreover know that all things which are sublimed are sublimed two ways, some by themselves, and some with others; but our Mercury since it is a Spi­rit, is sublimed by it self, but our Earth, since it is the Calx of the Body, is not sublimed, unlesse ve­ry well incorporated with Mercu­ry. Therefore beat or pound them together, and imbibe till they be­come one Body, because the Body ascends not unlesse incorporated with Mercury. Ventura p. 141.

Dissolve the Gold and Silver in Vogel. Water of their kinde if thou know it. Vogelius p: 78.

And this is the last Preparation, Massa Solis & Lunae. viz. of Spirits often reiterated by Contrition and Assation with their Body, untill thou see these things which thou desirest in it. Massa [Page 36] Solis & Lunae pag. 240.

Sons of Learning, know ye that Afflictes. the whole Work, and the Govern­ment thereof is not done but by Water, with which mingle ye the body of the Magnesia, and put it in its Vessel, and close the mouth carefully, and boil it with a gentle fire, till it be made liquid, for by the heat of the Water, the whole will easily be made Water. Affli­ctes in Turba. p. 32.

CHAP. III.The Weight in Preparation.

IF thou knowest not the quan­tity Dastin. of the very Weight, thou wilt altogether want the doctrine of this Science. Forget not there­fore, [Page 40] that whatsoever ought to dissolve, ought to exceed in the quantity the thing to be dissolved. But the first part of the Water (according to Philosophers) ought to dissolve the Earth, and turn it to its self. Whence they say the Water is to be divided, that with the first part in forty days, it ought to be dissolved, putrefied, and coagulated, till it be turned in­to a Stone, therefore it is meet that Water should exceed the Earth. Dast. spec. p. 208.

When thou dissolvest, it shall be fit the Spirit exceed the Body, and when thou fixest, the Body ought to exceed the Spirit; for therefore is the Spirit that it might dissolve the Body, and therefore is the Body that it might fix the Spirit. Therefore thou must im­pose three thirds of Moist, and one of Dry; for in the beginning of thy operation, help the work in [Page 41] Dissolution, by the Moon, and in Coagulation by the Sun. Idem pag. 96, 98.

There is another Weight singu­lar Massa Sol. & Lunae. or plurall, and it is twofold; the first is of the first operation, and that is in the Composition of the Air, and it is divers accor­ding to divers men. Now there is anothe Weight Spirituall, of the second work, and that is also divers according to divers men. Massa Solis & Lunae p. 177.

I say that the first Water is to be Dastin. divided into three thirds, whereof the first is to impregnate, termi­nate, and whiten the Earth, but the two other thirds are reserved to rubifie the white Earth, that is to be incerated, and lastly to be whitened: But yet no third (as Democritus upon the Magnesia saith) is ingredienced all at once, but every of the thirds is divided into another third, that so the [Page 42] Nine thirds returning to one Earth, might compleat a perfect Decinary. But the three first thirds, are the three first Salsa­tures to perform the first Dealba­tion, but the six other remaining thirds are six parts of Divine Wa­ter to consume the second Deal­bation. But none of those thirds doth altogether ingredience the whole, and at once, but every part of them one after another is seve­rally imposed in their own season, work and order. Dastin. spec. pa. 177.

A small Error in the principles doth cause great Error in things principiated; therefore that thou maist not erre in the first and se­cond work, we have taught always to impose Equals, for so equality shall flourish in both, that the Earth might cease, as the Wa­ter moistens; as the Earth ceases. Idem p. 222.

It is fit to attend what belongs Ripley. to Proportion, for in this many are deceived, therefore that thou maist not spoil the work, let thy Bodies be both subtilly limated with Mercury, and subtilized with equall proportion, one of the Sun, another of the Moon, till all these things be reduced into Dust, then make thy Mercury, of which join four parts to the Sun, two to the Moon, as it is meet, and in this manner it behoveth thee thou be­gin thy work in the figure of the Trinity. Three parts of the Body and as many of the Spirit, and for the Unity of the Spirit, one part more of Spirit then of corporeall Substance. According to Ray­munds Repertory, this is the true proportion. This very thing my Doctor shewed me, but R. Bachon took three parts of the Spirit for one of the Body, for which I have watcht many nights before I per­ceived [Page 44] it, both is the right, take which thou wilt. If also thy Wa­ter be equall in proportion with the Earth and measured Heat, there will at once come forth a new Budde both White and Red. Ri­pley pa. 30.

Take of the whitest Gumme Mundus. one part, and of the Urine of a white Calf another part, and part of a Fishes Gall, and of the Body of Gumme one part, without which it cannot be corrected; and decoct it forty days, afterwards dry it in the warm Sun till it be congealed. Mundus pa. 88.

Take thy dearest Son and joyn Aristotle. him equally to his white Sister, drink to them a Love-cup, be­cause the consent of good will joins one thing to another. Pour on them sweet Wine, till they be inebriated, and divided into smal­lest parts. But remember that all clean things agree most aptly with [Page 45] clean things, otherwise they will generate Sons unlike themselves. Arist. in Tractatulo pag. 362.

Observe the first preparation, Massa Solis & Lunae. and cogitate this, which is the ex­traction of all Spirits from the Body, and the cleansing of them into their Water. Massa Solis & Lunae pa. 240.

Thou must impose three thirds Dastin. of moisture, and one of dry; for in the beginning of thy operation help the work in the Solution by the Moon, and the Congelation by the Sun. Dastin spec. pa. 98.

CHAP. IV.The Philosophers Fire, what?

TAke Water Proportionated Lullius. in quality according to the Body which thou wouldst dis­solve, in such a manner, as the unnaturall may not exceed the naturall heat; for every complexi­onated thing is destroyed, unlesse the Fire of Nature govern it. There are three Humidities, the first is Water, the chief of resol­vable things; the second is Air, and it is the mean between Water and Oil; the third is Oil it self, the cerative of all Elements, and our finall Secret. Lull. practica fol. 175.

Our Fire is Minerall, and va­pours Pon [...]anus. not, unlesse it be too much stirred up, whose proportion must be known, that-it may only stir up the Matter, and in a short time, [Page 52] that Fire without the Imposition of hands, will compleat the whole work. Ponta. pa. 40.

The Fire which we shew thee is Senior. Water, and our Fire is Fire, and not Fire. Senior. pag. 29.

Argent vive is a Fire, burning, Dardarius. mortifying, and breaking Bodies, more then Fire. Dardarius in Tur­ba 113.

I say with Lullius that this Wa­ter, Vogel. or Vive Argent is called Fire of the Philosophers, not because inwardly it is of its own Nature, hotter then Oil, or the forementi­oned radicall moisture; but because in its actions it is more powerfull then Elementary Fire, dissolving Gold without violence, which Fire cannot doe. Vogel. pa. 145.

Let the Artist well consider what Lullius. are the powers of Fire naturall, unnaturall, and against nature; and what may be the friend, or enemy of each. Lull. Codic. p. 37.

It is fit the heat be so much, as Ventura. that thou maist by sweating send forth the Water, and let it be no way hardened or congealed; be­cause Gumme, contrary to the Nature of other things, sweats, and is coagulated with gentle de­coction. Ventura pa. 113.

Philosophers have four diffe­rent Ripley. Fires, viz. Naturall, Unna­turall, against Nature, and Artifi­ciall, whose divers operations the Artists ought to consider. Ri­pleus pa. 38.

The Fires meeting themselves, Rosin. devour one another. Rosin. pa. 265.

The Spirit is a second Water of Scala. which all the things forementio­ned are nourished, every plant re­fresht and quickned, every light kindled, and it makes and causes all Fruit. The first Water being the Sun is Philosophically calci­ned, that the Body might be ope­ned, and made spongious, that [Page 54] the second Water might the bet­ter enter, to operate its work, which second Water is the fire against Nature by whose power the complement of this Magiste­ry is performed. Scala pa. 125.

We calcine perfect Bodies with Ripleus. the first Fire naturally, but no unclean Body doth ingredience our work except one, which of the Philosophers is called the Green Lion, which is the medium of uni­ting and joining Tinctures. Ripl. pa. 26.

There is a certain Soul existing between Heaven and Earth, arising from the Earth, as Aire with pure Water, the cause of the life of all living things, continually running down upon our fourfold Nature producing her with all its power to a better condition, which airy Soul is the secret Fire of our Phi­losophy, otherwise called our Oil, and mystically our Water. Idem pa. eadem.

Our Mercury is made of per­fect Albert. Bodies, not imperfect, that is, with the second Water, after the Bodies have been duly Calci­ned by the first. Albert. pa. 19.

This Fire is called Humour, be­cause Vogel. in it, as hath been said, heat or the fire of Nature is hidden, even as the heat of Animals, in the Primogenian moisture.

Water since it is Heterogeneall to its Earth; if sensible of the least heat, will evaporate, it being left and forsaken.

The Soul is no other then Oil, Oil then Water. Vogel. p. 134.

If any know to make choice of Flamelius. such Matter as Nature delights, and to inclose it rightly prepared in his Vessel and Furnace; He and I (saith Nature) will forthwith doe the Work: so he provide the re­quisite Fire, Naturall, against Na­ture, not Naturall, and without ardour. Flamel. pa. 123.

We therefore call it Innaturall Lullius. or not Naturall, because it is not naturated of it self, nor takes away any thing from naturated Nature, nay it rather helps her, by the Me­diation of a moderate Exercise, according to what Nature requires in her Reformations. Lullius Co­dic. pa. 24.

Our Fire is Minerall, is equall, is Artepheus. continuall, it vapours not unlesse it be too much stirred up, it parti­cipates of Sulphur, it is taken else­where then of Matter, it de­stroys, dissolves, congeals, and calcines all things, and it is Ar­tificiall to finde out, a compendi­um, and without cost, or at least very little; it is also moist, vapo­rous, digesting, altering, penetra­ting, subtill, airy, not violent, not fuming, encompassing, containing, onely one, and it is the fountain of Life, or which incircles the Wa­ter of Life, and it contains the [Page 57] King and Queens bathing place: in the whole Work that humid Fire shall suffice thee, both in the be­ginning, middle, and end, because in it the whole Art consists, and it is a Fire Naturall, against Nature, and Unnaturall, and without Ad­ustion; And to conclude, it is a Fire hot, dry, moist, cold; think on these things and doe rightly, without any thing of a strange na­ture.

The third is that Naturall Fire of our Water, which is also called against Nature, because it is Wa­ter, and neverthelesse of Gold it makes meer Spirit, which thing common Fire cannot doe: this is Minerall, Equall, & participates of Sulphur, it destroys, congeals, dis­solves, and calcines all things, this is penetrating, subtile, not burning, and it is the fountain of living Wa­ter, in which the King and Queen wash themselves, which we stand [Page 58] in need of, in the whole Work, in the beginning, middle, and end, but not of the other two, except sometimes onely. Join therefore in reading the Philosophers Books these three Fires, and without doubt thou wilt not be ignorant of their sense and meaning concer­ning Fires. Artephius pa. 31.

Weigh the Fire, measure the Dastin. Air, mortifie the Water, raise up the heavy Earth. Dastin spec. pa. 202.

By earnest consideration of Lullius. things Naturall, Innaturall, and against Nature, it behoveth thee to attain the Materiall and Essentiall knowledge of the temper, through all his parts Essentiall, and also Accidentall, that thou maist know how to behave thy self in our said Magistery, having so comprehen­ded the said principles. Lull. Theor. fo. 16.

There are four principall Fires [Page 59] to be observed, in respect of the Substance and Propriety of the four Elements. Idem pa. 174.

Although in our Books we have Lullius. handled a threefold Fire, Naturall, Innaturall, and against Nature, and other different Manners of our Fire; neverthelesse we would signifie one Fire, from more com­pound things, and it is the greatest secret to come to the knowledge of this. Since it is no Humane, but Angelick and heavenly gift to reveal. Lull. Testament pa. 78.

Son, our Argent vive, or part of Lullius. it, is Water distilled from its Earth, and the Earth in like man­ner is our Argent vive, animated, and the Soul is Naturall heat, which stands bound together in the first Essence of the Elements of Argent vive. Idem.

In the Structure of the Fire Trevisane. some differd from others, although they all aimed at the same scope, [Page 60] namely, that it should be made af­ter this manner, lest the fugient should first fly away, before the Fire could any way bring forth the persequent thing. Bernard. Comes pa. 40.

The Fire which we shew to thee is Scala. Water; and our Fire, is Fire, and not Fire. Scala. pa. 148.

Raimond speaking of Fires in his Scala. Compendium of the Soul, saith, It is to be noted that here lie con­trary operations, because as con­tranaturall Fire dissolves the Spirit of a fixt Body, into the Water of a Cloud, and constringeth the Bo­dy of a volatile Spirit into con­gealed Earth: So contrariwise the Fire of Nature, congeals the dis­solved Spirit of a fixt Body into glorious Earth; and resolves the Body of a Volatile Spirit, fixt by Fire against Nature, not into the Water of a Cloud, but the Water of the Philosophers. Scala. pa. 126.

The Water of which the Bath Basil. Valent. of the Bridegroom ought to be made is of two Champions; that is to be understood, confected of two contrary Matters wisely and with great care, lest that one ad­versary may vanquish the other. Basil. Valent. pa. 32.

What ever actions they nomi­nate, Rosin. know that these things are al­ways done by the action of the heat of certain Fire, which causes not Sublimation because it is so gentle, nor may it elevate any smoke naturally, by reason of its debility, whence if it be such as may in a manner elevate and not elevate, it is good. Rosin. ad Sarra­tant. pa. 286.

CHAP. V.The Rise or Birth of the Stone.

THE birth of the Earth is made Lullius. by the way of invented Sub­limation: That the Earth hath conceived and drunk of the Wa­ter of Mercury as much as suffices, you may discern and know it by its volatility, & privation of feces and dregges from the most pure Substance, while it ascends after the manner of most pure and most white dust, or of the leaves of the Moon, or of splendid Talk. But when thou seest the Nature of the most pure Earth elevated up­wards, and as a dead thing even adhere to the sides of the subliming Vessell, then reiterate the sublima­tion upon her, without the dregs remaining below, because that part fixt with the dregs adheres, and [Page 66] then no man, by any mean or indu­stry, can separate it from them. Lull. Codic. pa. 193.

Son, you may know that this Lullius. is the generall head to all Subli­mation of Mercuries. Then take the pregnant Earth, and put it into a Sublimatory vessell luted and well shut up, place it in Fire of the third degree for the space of twen­ty four hours, and sublime the pure from the impure, and so shalt thou have the Vegetable Mercury, sublimated, clear, resplendent, in admirable Salt, which we properly call Vegetable Sulphur, Sal almo­niack, our Sulphur, the Sulphur of Nature, and many other names we impose on it. Lull. Test. p. 4.

The Water approaching, that Semita Semitae. is Argent vive in the Earth; en­creaseth, and is augmented be­cause the Earth is whitened, and then it is called impregnation, then the Ferment is coagulated, viz. is [Page 67] joined with the imperfect Body. Prepare it, as hath been said, till it become one in colour and aspect, and then it is called the Birth, be­cause then is born our Stone, which of the Philosophers is called a King. Semita Semitae. p. 441.

Son, it is a sign when it hath im­bibed, Lullius. and retained four parts more of its Weight, that if thou put a little on a heated plate of Gold or Silver, it will all as it were fly away into smoke, which if it doe not so, reiterate it untill such a Sign appear. Lull. Test. pa. 16.

But to know this day of the Petrus Bonus. Crisis and the Birth or Rise of the Stone, which is the term of the whole consummation of the Work; it is meet to foreknow the Indicating day, since it is the very sign it self, and things indicated are as it were things signified, for there is the perfection, or annihi­lation of the Work, because in that [Page 68] very day, nay hour, the simple Ele­ments arise, purified from all filths, which presently stand in need of Composition, before they fly from the Fire, and are turned into Earth, that is in their fixation, and not sooner nor later. Petrus Bonus pa. 127.

And when thou shalt see that Geber. thing excelling in its whitenesse the whitest snow, and as it were dead, adhere to the sides of the subliming vessell, then reiterate its Sublimation without dregs. Geb. in lib. Summae perfectionis pa. 169.

When this Mercury arises, the Ventura. Sun and Moon ariseth together with it in its Belly. Vent. pa. 170.

The Heaven is to be reiterated Scala. so often upon the Earth till the Earth become Heavenly and Spi­rituall, and the Heaven be made earthly, and be joined with the Earth. Scala. pa. 121.

Restore the vive Argent to the Vogel. [Page 69] Earth and decoct it, and as be­fore sublime, and that reiterate nine or twelve times, always aug­menting the Fire in the end, untill the Earth with often sublimation and force of the Calcining Fire become White and more Spiritu­all, part of it being made more subtill, begin something to ascend from the bottome of the Vessell, and to adhere to its sides. But this purging of the Earth, which is performed by Sublimation, is al­together necessary before the Phy­sicall Work begin. Vogel. pa. 228.

The Argent vive exuberated, Clangor. Bucc. that is the Body of the Earth, pas­sing together with the menstruous Matter through the Alembick, and the Sulphur of Nature, is the Spi­rit of Metals, sublimated and tur­ned into foliated Earth, which is the first and neerest matter of Me­tals. Clang. Bucc. p. 480.

Therefore burn it with dry Fire, Aristotle. [Page 70] that it may bring forth a Son, and keep him warily lest he fly away into smoke: and this is that which the Philosopher saith in his Turba, Whiten the Earth, and Sublime it quickly with Fire, untill the Spirit which thou shalt finde in it goe forth of it, and it is called Hermes Bird; for that which a­scends higher is efficacious purity, but that which fals to the bot­tome, is drosse and corruption. This therefore is Dust drawn from Dust, and the begotten of the Philosophers, the white foliated Earth, in which Gold is to be sown. Arist. pa. 371.

Gather carefully what thou fin­dest Lullius. in the middle sublimated, lest it fly away into Smoke, because that is the approved sought for Good, the better Best, the white foliated Earth coagulating as the Rennet of a Lamb, the Ashes of Ashes, the Salt of Nature, the be­gotten [Page 71] Infant, the first and nearest Matter of Metals, the first Subject in which are its proper Elements, to wit of Natur'd Nature; the moist and temperate Matter ought to be reduced and fixt, till it flow with its Ferment, like Wax with­out Smoke, and endure all Fire. Therefore labour with it to Silver, and thou maist quickly begin the Magistery; nor let it wax old with­out commixtion, because thou maist not take it, unlesse new made after the Birth with its Blood. Lul. Codic. p. 117.

If from Subliming little shall Dastin. come forth and clean, the Fire will yet be little. Therefore let it bee encreast. But if much and unclean, the Fire is superfluous, therefore let it be withdrawn. But if much and clean, then the proportion is found. Dast. spec. p. 48.

The Dust ascending higher from Rosar. the Dregs, is Ashes, Honoured, [Page 72] Sublimed, Extracted from the A­shes, but that which remains be­low is Ashes of Ashes, inferiour, vilified, condemned Ashes, a dreg, and like drosse. Therefore make a difference between its clear and limpid, because when it shall a­scend most white as Snow, it will be compleat, therefore gather it carefully, lest it fly away into Smoke, because that is the very sought for good, the white folia­ted Earth, congealing what is to be congealed. Rosarius Arnoldi, pa. 427.

The Calx or Body must be of­ten Geber. imbibed, that thence it might be sublimed, and more yet purged then before, because the Calx doth not at all, or very difficultly climb upward, assisted by the Spirit. Ge­ber. lib. summae perfectionis. p. 172.

O Nature how dost thou burn Artepheus. Bodies into Spirit, which could not be done, if the Spirit were not [Page 73] first incorporated with the Bodies, and the Bodies with the Spirit made volatile, and afterwards per­manent. Therefore the compound receives its cleansing by our Fire: viz. by dissolving the humid, and by subliming what is pure and white, the dregs being cast forth, as a naturall Vomit. For in such a Dissolution and naturall Sublima­tion, there is made a deligation of the Elements, a cleansing and se­paration of the pure from impure, so that the pure and white ascends upwards, and the impure and ear­thy remains fixt in the bottome of the Vessel, which is to be cast forth and removed (because it is of no value) by receiving onely a a middle white substance. And in this is accomplisht our Philoso­phicall and Naturall Sublimation, not in the Vulgar unfit Mercury, which hath no qualities like these, with which our Mercury drawn [Page 74] from the red servant is adorned. Arteph. fo. 21.

The first part abides not, unlesse it be bound to the second in the same hour. Idem.

It is fit that the end be restored upon its beginning, and the begin­ning upon the end. Idem.

When the Artist sees the white Soul risen, let him join her imme­diately to her Body. When the clean and candid Water shall be generated, it is meet we join the Earth to it in the same Hour.

And according to Plato, the Fieri­nesse Plato. is contraried in the hour of coagulation.

And according to Dastin, by the accesse of Cold, the Water may well be turned into dry Earth. Idem.

There is one and the same thing Margarita pretiosa. in the Subject having all these pro­perties, and operations; for while it remains in liquefaction, by rea­son [Page 75] of Subtilty it is called Spirit, without which Spirit there can neither be made Generation, nor Conjunction of the Soul and Bo­dy. Whence in the whole Magi­stery, the Spirit actually rules, un­till the Soul and Body be genera­ted: but while it can fly from the Fire, it is called a Soul, but while it remains in the Fire, and can per­severe, it is called a Body. If therefore in the time of Generati­on the Soul shall stand in the Fire, and his strength prevail, through the force of the Spirit, then she flies from the Fire, and draws with her the Body to flight, and the Workman remains frustrate of his purpose, and expects that which hath been already come and gone, and will never come hereafter, and it seems wonderfull to him: But if the strength of the Body prevail above the strength of the Soul, then by equality of Spirit it is tur­ned [Page 76] from Act into Habit, then the Body retains the Soul altogether, nor ever hath the power to fly from the Fire; and the Workman hath his purpose, which the Aun­cients had, and then the Spirit re­mains always with them, some­times in Act, and sometimes in Habit. But a quick and double in­sight is altogether necessary, speci­ally both in the end of Decoction, and Sublimation, that all the su­perfluities being whitened, the Ar­tist may see the wonderfull and terrible Candor, and may present­ly obtain his joyfull and quiet rest, after this Consummation of La­bour, for then by infrigidating the Moon, the Sun is hidden in her Bowels, and the East is joined to the West, Heaven to Earth, and Spirituall to Corporall, whence is said in Turba, Know ye that ye shall not Die the purple Colour, but in Cold. And Hermes, [Page 77] Whose Nature hath been hot, if Cold find him, it shal not hurt him. And Avicen, Know that he which hath evaporated all, hath wrought well, therefore make it Cold, for then is manifest the hidden, and the Manifest by infrigidating is hid. And this Infrigidation or cooling is done with rest, in which there is no operation of the hands, since it is the end of operation. Margarita pretiosa. pa. 204.

That Earth so mingled with Lullius. Menstruous Matter, is called Ar­gent vive, Exuberated, which ga­ther speedily, and while it is new; after its Birth put it in Water of Metals, in digestion in a tripode of the Athanor. Lull. Test. p. 21.

This is our Mercury sublimed, Dunst [...]. and made fixt from the white al­tered Earth of Bodies, arising first wonderfully by the power and help of the Water. This is that Mer­cury, in stead of which the Fools [Page 78] and Idiots assume that compoun­ded of common Vitrioll, and Sub­limated with Salt, in which they are grosly deceived. Dunstan. p. 18.

Sublime the Body as much as Clangor Buccinae. thou canst, and boil it with clean Mercury, and when the Body hath drunken some part of the Mercu­ry, subtilize it with a Fire quick and stronger, as thou art able, until it ascend in likenesse of most white Dust, adhering to the sides of the Vessell in manner of Snow; But the Ashes remaining in the bot­tome are dregs, and the vilified drosse of Bodies, and to be cast away, in which there is no life, be­cause it is most light Dust, which with a little blast vanisheth, be­cause it is nothing but bad Sulphur excluded by Nature.

Then the dregs being cast away, iterate the Sublimation of the most white Dust by it self without its dregs, till it be fixt, and till it send [Page 79] out no dregs, but ascend most purely, like Snow, the which is our pure Quintessence; And then thou shalt have the Soul Tincting, Co­agulating, and Cleansing, both the Sulphur, and the not burning Ars­nick, which the Alchimists may use, that with it they might make Silver. Clangor Bucc. pa. 519.

When the Water shall necessa­rily Petr [...] Bonus. be generated clean and white, it is meet we join the Earth to it, even in the same hour, and those being joined in their season, all four will be joined, and then the Work is perfect; and if they are not joi­ned, then the Water is resolved into Smoke, with the Earth, and by consequence the other Ele­ments by the force and perseve­rance of the Fire, and so the Work is annihilated; wherefore it is fit an Artist know the simple Ele­ments throughly, before he begin their Composition, that he may [Page 80] know rightly how to compound them to the constitution of the Compound. Pet. Bonus pa. 221.

If any of the purer parts remain Vogel. in the Earth (which thou maist ob­serve from a certain whitenesse, promiscuously shining) think not much to mingle it again with the same Mercury, then Decoct, and at length, as hath been said, Sublime till nothing of the purer essence be left in it. Vogelius p. 209.

In the last day, the World shall Basil. Valent. be judged by Fire, that what be­fore was by its Master made of no­thing, might again by Fire be re­duced into Ashes, from which A­shes the Phoenix might at length produce her young ones, for in such Ashes lies hid the true and genuine Tartar, which ought to be dissolved; and after his dissolu­tion, the strongest Lock of the Kings Closet may be opened. Ba­sil. Valent. pa. 23.

We have shewn thee our Water Lullius. after its congelation with its Fer­ment, which is then indeed called our Magnesia, and if thou under­stand our Waters, thou wilt also understand Argent vive. Lull. Test. fo. 108.

CHAP. VI.The Weights of the second Work.

IN the operation of our Magi­stery, Rosar. we shall need one onely Vessell, or Furnace, one Disposi­tion, which is meant after the Pre­paration of the Stone. Rosar. Phi­losoph. pa. 240.

The second Work is to turn Dastin. Water and Fire into Earth, and Aire into one simple Substance compounded of Simples. Dastin specul. pa. 106.

If thou impose the Medicines Dastin. equally, thou wilt perceive no Er­ror, but if thou adde or diminish, make haste to correct it: whence if a Deluge proceed it drowns the Region, but if too much Siccity should be, it burns up the Roots of Hearbs. Who therefore putrifies the Body in the equall part, till it be exsiccated, makes the whole, one [Page 86] white Body, for they are at once Inspissated, Incinerated, and Ex­siccated; and this is the Head of the World. Of the Work there­fore (as Democritus saith) let part answer part equally. Idem pag. 122.

In the beginning take our Stones Ripleus. and bury them every one in the Sepulchre of another, and join them together in equall Mariage, that they may lie together, then let them cherish their seed sixe weeks, nourish their naturall Con­ception, and preserve it, not arising all the while from the bottome of their Sepulchre. Which secret de­ceives many. Rip. pa. 44.

Also thus understand, that in Ripleus. our Conjunction, the Male, our Sun, ought to have three parts of his Water, and his Wife nine; which ought to be three to him. Rip. pa. 39.

We cannot with our own pro­per Massa Solis & Lunae. [Page 87] hands work on Mercury, but with ten species, which we call our hands in this Work, that is, nine parts of Water, and the tenth of Earth. Massa Solis & Lunae. pag. 257.

But since there are three parts Rosar. Arnold. of his red Water with him, let it be sublimed on this manner time after time, till it be fixt downward. Rosar. Arnold. pa. 449.

Put clean Bodies in this clean Mercury, poised in an equal bal­lance. Idem pa. 447.

Boil him at the warm Sun, un­till Dastin. he hath dried his Water, which being exsiccated, pound him a­gain with water to his Weight, and boil him at the Sun, till he be dri­ed into a Stone; doe this often­times till he hath drunk of his Water ten times his own quantity, and become dry, hard and red. Dastin spec. pa. 191. 134.

Son, it behoveth thee to mingle Lullius. [Page 88] the Earths of the foresaid Sul­phurs, that is, of Gold, and Silver together, and prepare them by gi­ving them the fourth part of their Weight, of the said menstrous Matter, by digesting and drying, as it is done in the Creation of Sulphur, untill it hath drunk four parts of the said menstruous Mat­ter, and be disposed to Sublimati­on; which thou shalt sublime in Fire of the fourth degree. Lull. Test. p. 24.

Take of the sincere Body one Dastin. part, and of the other Copper three, and mingle them together with Vinegar. Senior in Turba. It is meet the Water exceed the Earth nine times, that so in a De­cinary number, which is a perfect number, the whole Work may be consummate. But (as Diostenes saith) if too much of the Water be at once imposed, it is not con­tained in the Earth; but if too [Page 89] much be substracted, it is not joi­ned to the Earth; Whence all the Water is not to be at once impo­sed on the Earth. Therefore di­vide it into three parts, and every of them into another third, because so one may better fight against one, then against a number of more: Mingle the Hot with the Cold, the Humid with the Dry, and the mixt shall be temperate, neither Hot nor Cold, nor Moist nor Dry; for one tempers another, making the mixt adequate. Dast. spec. pa. 177. 134.

A man may be easily stifled in Basilius Valentinus. great Waters, and little Waters are easily exsiccated with the heat of the Sun, so that they may be as nothing. Therefore that the desired Work might be obtained, a certain measure in the commix­tion of the Philosophick liquorous Substance must be observed, lest the greater overcome and oppresse [Page 90] the lesser Proportion, by which Generation might be hindred, and lest the lesser, in respect of the greater, should be too weak to ex­ercise equall Dominion, for great showers of rain hurt the Fruit, and too much drought produces no true Perfection. Therefore if Neptune have fitly prepared his Bath, weigh well the permanent Water, and consider with diligent care, that thou doe not any thing too much or too little to him. Ba­sil. Valent. pa. 42.

Take of the red Water and Arnold. White, as much of the one as of the other, according to weight, and put them together in a Cu­curbite, made of Glasse, strong and thick, having a Mouth like an Urinall, afterward the whole Wa­ter will be Citrine, even soon e­nough, and so will the true Elixer be perfected in respect of both, viz. perfect Impregnation, and [Page 91] true Coition. Arnold. in Comment. Hortulani p. 34.

Let the Queen born by nine Dastin. Virgins, decently attend the Bed­chamber of so great a King, and so in progresse of time thou shalt determine unity from the denary number. Dastini Epist. fo. 2.

In this Magistery, the Govern­ment Basil. Valent. of the Fire ought to be ob­served, lest the humid Liquor be too soon exsiccated, and the Wise­mens Earth too quickly liquified and dissolved. Otherwise of whol­some Fishes, thou wilt generate Scorpions in thy Waters. Basilius Valentin. pa. 10.

What ever actions they nomi­nate, Rosin. understand always, that these things are done by the action of the heat of certain Fire, which makes not Sublimation, because it is so gentle, nor ought it naturally to elevate any Smoke. Ros. p. 287.

CHAP. VII.Of Imbibition.

LAstly, nourish such an anima­ted Parmenides in Turbam. thing with its own Milk, that is, with its own Water, from which is concreated the Work, or the thing begun from the begin­ning. Exercit. in Turbam p. 165.

Give him the fourth part of Ripley. new Water, and yet he ought to have many more Imbibitions; give him the second, and afterwards the third also, not forgetting the said Proportion: And when thou hast made seven Imbibitions, then thou must turn the Wheel about again, and putrefie all that Matter without addition. Ripley pa. 51.

If thou wouldst Volatise or Im­bibe, Clangor. Bucc. thy prepared Elixer, the se­cond, [Page 97] third, or fourth time, this must be done with the fourth part of the Elixir of Mercury, but doe this oft-times, untill the part of Water perish, that is, waste or con­sume, so that it ascend no further. But yet I command ye, pour not on the Water at once, lest the Ixir be drowned, but by little and little, that is, pour it in at seven times, and powder it, and last of all ex­siccate. Clangor. Bucc. pa. 505.

Moisten and beat it together Hermes. many days, and this nine times, which are assigned by the nine Ea­gles, and in every Dissolution and Coagulation, the effect thereof shall be augmented. Hermes de Chemia pa. 179.

Beat the Earth oftentimes, and Avicenna. by little and little imbibe it from eight days to eight days, Decoct and after moderately Calcine it in Fire, and let it not weary thee to reiterate the Work oftentimes, [Page 98] for the Earth bears not fruit with­out often watering, whence if it be dry, it thirstingly drinks up its humidity and wet. Avicen. p. 420.

If ye make it without weight, Dastin. Death will befall it, therefore put upon it all the rest of its Humor, temper it neither too much, nor too little; because if there be much, a Sea of perturbation will be made, but if little, it will be burnt to a brand. For the heat of the Fire (as Avicen saith) if it may not finde Humidity which it dries up, it burns, but if thou pour in much moisture at once, thou wilt not desiccate but dissolve. There­fore the Weight is every way to be considered, lest too much sicci­ty or superfluous Humour cor­rupt, that through thy whole Work thou dissolve so much by Inhumation, as fals short by Assa­tion, and diminish so much by As­sation, as the Inhumation dissolves. [Page 99] And every dissolution shall always be made by Inhumation, and Con­nexion. The Humour gotten by dissolution, naturall heat onely remaining, shall always be desicca­ted. Dastin. Epist. fo. 5.

I began industriously to exhaust Trevisane. the Water, yet so that there might not remain in it above the tenth part in ten parts. Trevisane p. 47.

It is meet the Water exceed the Dastin. Earth nine times, that so in a De­cinary, which number is perfect, the whole Work may be consum­mate. Dast. spec. pa. 134.

It behoveth thee to take one Cadmon. part of our Copper, and of perma­nent Water, which also is called Copper three parts, then mingle them together with Vineger, and boil them so long, untill they be thickned, and there be made one Stone. Cadmon in Turba. pa. 37.

It is nourished with its own Semita. Milk, that is, with Sperm, of which [Page 100] it hath been from the beginning, but Argent vive is imbibed again and again, till it can imbibe two parts, or what may suffice. Semita p. 442.

Son, settle thy Spirit to under­stand Lullius. what we say, doe not drink unlesse thou eat, nor eat unlesse thou drink; we tell thee this in re­spect of uniform Imbibition, which thou must make of moist and dry successively. Lull. pract. fo. 193.

It is meet the King rest in a sweet Dastin. Bath, till by little and little he hath drunk the Trinity of his Nouri­sher, and let Drink be after Meat, and not Meat after Drink; there­fore let him eat and drink one af­ter another with discretion; desist not therefore to moisten, decoct, and desiccate the King, till he hath devoured his Mothers Milk, the Queen with him being nine times prostrate on the Earth. Dastin. spec. fo. 4.

Let the King after forty days Pythagor. moistning in all his own humour, be always putrefied in equal heat; till he put on his Mothers white Countenance. Pythagoras in Turba pa. 80.

Three times shalt thou so turn Ripley. about thy Wheel, keeping the a­foresaid Rule of repast. Ripley pa. 53.

When thy Matter hath concei­ved, Lullius. expect the Birth, and when it hath brought forth, thou must have Patience in Nourishing the Boy, till he can indure the Fire, and then of him thou maist make free Projection, because the first Digestion is made. Lull. Theor. fo. 30.

At length nourish such an ani­mated Parmenides Body with his own Milk, that is his Water, of which is concreated the Work, or the thing begun from the beginning, but concerning the feeding it is [Page 102] taught, that the Proportion be so ordered in it self, that there be three parts of Water to one of Lead. Parmenides in Turba. p. 165.

With that permanent humidity, Lullius. which likewise took its originall from vive Argent, imbibe our Stone, because by it the parts thereof are made most clear, as is manifest, when after its perfect putrefaction, from every corrup­tible thing, and chiefly from the two superfluous Humours, viz. the unctuous, adustible, phlegma­tick, and evaporable parts, it is re­duced into its proper incombusti­ble Substance of Sulphur, and without that Substance, it is never corrected, augmented nor multi­plied. Lull. Codic. pa. 46.

The Water is living which came Artepheus. to water its Earth, that it might Germinate and bring forth fruit in its season; for by watering, or bedewing, all things born of the [Page 103] Earth are generated: The Earth therefore doth not germinate without the watering and humidi­ty of May dew, that doth wash, penetrate, and whiten Bodies, like rain Water, and of two Bodies make a new one. Arteph. fo. 17.

Beat the Earth and imbibe it Rosarius Philos. with Water by little and little, from eight days to eight days, de­coct it in Dung, because by Inhu­mation, Adustion is taken away: and let it not weary thee to reite­rate this often, because the Earth bears not fruit without frequent watering. Rosar. Philosoph. p. 355.

As often as ye moisten the A­shes, Dastin. desiccate them by turns, but if it be moistned before it be desic­cated and made Dust, it is drow­ned, inebriated, and reduced to nothing; for he that makes it with­out weight (as Trismegistus saith) kills and strangles it, because who drinks and thirsts not, cherishes in­digestion, [Page 104] and doth invite and in­duce the Dropsie. Dast. spec. pa. 209.

Then must it be beaten, and Afflictes. with the remaining Water and a half, be seaven times moistned, with permanent Water consumed, it must be putrefied, till the desired thing be obtained. Afflictes in Turba.

But ye shall moisten this redness Nicares. seaven times in the remaining Wa­ter, or till it can drink all its Wa­ter, then boil it till it be desicca­ted and turned to dry Earth, then let it be put in a kindled Fire forty days, untill it putrefie, and the Colours thereof appear with the Ashes. Nicares in Tarba 102.

As the same thing is both an Dastin. Embryo, Infant, Boy, and Man, passing from an incompleat Es­sence, to a perfect Complement: So also our Compound, by in­creasing passes from one thing to [Page 105] another better thing, and from in­compleat Essence, with its own Milk is carried forth to his com­plement of the Elixir. And there­fore all its Compound is of the form of the Elements. Wherefore Morienus saith, the disposition of that work is like the creation of a Man, when as he is nourished of himself by increasing from day to day, and from moneth to moneth, till he hath attained his Youthfull age, and in a certain time be com­pleated. Dast. spec. pa. 150.

The near cause of this fixation Lullius. is a very little mixtion of both by their least parts, so that the height of the Volatile, may not excell the height of the fixt Body, but let the vertue of the fixt Spirit, ex­cell the height of the unfixt, ac­cording to the intent of fixation. Son if thou understand this, thou maist have the Treasure of Heaven and Earth. It is required when [Page 106] the Body is so naturally augmen­ted, and nourisht by convenient moisture, that then near the mea­sure, thou imbibe it with the more Water of its nutrition or augmen­tation, according to the Weights revealed by Art, to the conformi­ty of principles, and the quality of the Body given to be augmen­ted, and let it be decocted with a gentle Fire, exsiccating the natu­rall heat, and not exceeding untill it attain its perfect whitenesse. Lul­lii Codic. pa. 157.

And note that after Imbibition Lullius. they ought to be buried seaven days. Therefore iterate the Work many times, though it be tedious, and the Weight in this must be every way observed, lest the too much siccity or superfluous Hu­mour spoile it in the operation, as namely decoct so much by Assati­on, as the Dissolution hath added, and by Imbibition dissolve as [Page 107] much as hath been wasted by As­sation, wherefore thou shall sweet­ly and not hastily irrigate the Earth from eight days to eight days. Idem.

If one Imbibition, one Deco­ction, Dastin. one Contrition doth suffice, they would not so much have ite­rated their sayings, but therefore they did this, that alwaies they might insist on the Work, with­out divorce and tediousnesse. Wherefore also they say, Hope, and so shalt thou obtain. But when it is exsiccated, then by ano­ther Course, let it be delivered to insatiable Comestion, that being by degrees between every Incera­tion, burnt into Ashes, it might try the power thereof. Dastin E­pist. fo. 4.

CHAP. VIII.Of Fermentation.

BY the Testimony of all Philo­sophers Taulada­nus. there are three parts of the Elixir, viz. Soul, Body, and Spirit; The Soul is onely the Fer­ment or Form of the Elixir, the Body is the Paste or Matter, which two parts are to be drawn from Metals only; to wit, the Form from the Sun and Moon, the Matter from Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mars, as also Lullius affirms. But the third part of the Stone is Spi­rit, which since it is the Seat and Chariot of the Soul, it doth pour the Soul into the Body, and com­pounds and joins these two ex­tremes with an indissoluble bond of agreement, which Media­tor being removed, the Soul can never enter league with the Body. For two extremes agree not well, [Page 112] nor tarry in one place, unlesse they are reconciled and confederated by the help of a mean. This Spirit it nothing else then that liquor at­tenuating the Form and Matter of the Stone, and reducing it to a spi­rituall Nature, which Spirit is sometimes called of the Philoso­phers, Heaven, sometimes solutive Mercury, sometimes menstruous Matter, sometimes Quintessence, and infinite other names. Tauladan. pa. 338.

Unto thy Compound adde the Ripley. fourth part the Ferment, which Ferment is onely of the Sun and Moon. And know that there are three Ferments, two of Bodies in pure Nature which ought to be altered, as we have told thee, the third most secret, which we now meditate, is that first Earth with its proper green Water; wherefore while the Lion thirsts, make him drink, untill his body be broken. Ripley pa. 56.

Take the fourth part of the Semita Semitae. Ferment, and let that Ferment be dissolved, and made Earth like an imperfect Body, and prepared af­ter the same manner and order; moreover joine and imbibe it with the aforesaid blessed Water; for Ferment prepares the imperfect Body, and converts it to its own Nature, and it is not Ferment un­lesse Sun and Moon. Semita Semi­tae pa. 444.

Give it fermented Ferment, e­qually Rachaidi­bus. elementated with every E­lement, which is Gold; give it the fourth part, but which is first cal­cined and dissolved into Water. Ferment is twofold, white and red, of which the Ferment of the Sun, is the Sun, and of the Moon, the Moon. But let the Ferment be the fourth part of our Copper. Ra­chaidibus pa. 393.

Thou wilt have no perfect Fer­ment Dunstan. till it be altered, with our [Page 114] Mercury, from its first qualities, into a new whitenesse, between Putrefaction and Alteration. Dun­stan. pa. 7.

They who knew not Natures Lullius. indigency, thought this Ferment ought to be prepared with new menstrous Matter, in which is Fire against Nature, not percei­ving the perdition of the Tempe­rature from which the Body de­parts, by reason of the burning Fire, viz. against Nature. Fer­ment, to wit, a Body, as much as it is understood for Ferment, is not prepared but with naturall Fire and Water of Mercury. Lull. Codic. pa. 211.

Take one part of Ferment, and Rosar. three of imperfect Body, dissolve the Ferment in Water of Mercury equall to it, boil it together with a most gentle Fire, and coagulate that Ferment, that it may be as an imperfect Body. Rosar. Philosoph. p. 317.

Take red Earth, and form it Arnold. into thin Plates, or shaved Dust, and put it in Water, as hath been taught, and it shall not be dissol­ved in it, but onely calcined into red Dust; which done, remove the Water warily, and put it into ano­ther Vessell, like that in which it is, so that the calcined Dust of red Earth may remain in its Vessell without Water, and in the remo­ved Water put white Earth, and that shall be dissolved, and so Wa­ter shall profit thee, and shall not be spoiled. Arnold. in Cament. Hor­tulani pa. 31.

In the preparation of the Fer­ment, Lullius. before its last Fermentation we use vulgar Mercury, not onely solemnly prepared, viz. into Vir­gins Milk, but as it exists in its Nature, by the alone Sublimation to this, that it might reduce the Body of Ferment to its simplicity, and it may be the mean of conjoi­ning [Page 116] Tinctures. Lull. Codic. pa. 215.

Let it be given to an insatiable Dastin. Devourer, afterwards it must be nourisht with grosser meat, that compleat Digestion being recei­ved, it may passe from the Mothers into the Fathers Kingdome. Dast. Epist. pa. 6.

As the Ferment of Gold is Tauladanus Gold; of Silver, is Silver; so the Ferment of Iron, is Iron, of Cop­per, is Copper, and of Lead, is Lead. Therefore every Agent acts according to its form. To some, what we have spoken may seem new; as if the Elixir could be made of all ignoble things, which shall turn all other things as well noble as ignoble, either in­to Mars, or Jupiter, or Saturn, or Venus. Which although it now seem new and incredible to many learned men, and chiefly to Petrus Bonus, a man of singular learning; [Page 117] yet there is no necessary reason, which forbids it may be done. Nay if it were not done, Alchymy had been lost, and the Art of Chy­mistry might have been worthily called a Figment and a Fable. For Nature hath established this Law, viz. That as often as Actives are rigbtly joined with Passives Acti­on and Passion doe immediately follow, and the alteration doth always resent and savour of the nature of the Agent. And as often as that which before had the strength and qualities of the Pati­ent, be so disposed that it can stoutly act, it is necessary that the alteration be answerable and con­formable to the Nature of the A­gent from which it suffered. Wherefore if ignoble Metals dis­posed to suffer or change by the action of Gold or Silver, rightly disposed to Action, it is necessary that noble Metals disposed to suf­fer [Page 118] should be changed by ignoble Metals, skilfully disposed to Act. Tauladanus pa. 297.

Let the Ferment be prepared, Clangor Bucc. that the powder may be white and subtill, if thy intention proceed to white; but if to red, then let thy powder be of Gold prepared most Citrine; and there shall not be other Ferment: the reason is, be­cause those two Bodies are shi­ning, in which are tingent splendid Raies, excelling other Bodies na­turally in whitenesse and rednesse. And if thou wouldst ferment white Earth, divide that Earth into two parts, one part thou shalt augment to a white Elixir, with its conserved Water, (and so it never ceases to be of it) and the other part put into its Glasse, that is, the Furnace of its Digestion, and increase the Fire to it, untill by the force of the Fire, it be turned into most red Dust, even as dry [Page 119] combust Saffron. And if thou wouldst that the most white Eli­xir have the Tincture of Rednesse, transforming and tincting Mer­cury, the Moon and every Body into the most true Sun, or Soli­ficous Body; then ferment its three parts with another part and a half of most pure prepared Gold, and let the powder be most sub­tile with two parts of Solificous Water artificially reducing by Union by the least parts into one Chaos even unto the inmost part of the Body, and place it in its Glasse in his Fire, and decoct it, that the most true bloody red Stone might shine forth. Clang. Bucc. p. 529.

There is no other Ferment but Lullius. of the Sun or Moon. And it is not Ferment untill the said Bodies be turned into their first Matter, be­cause it is expedient, that Ferment be compounded of the Sun, and [Page 120] the most subtile Earth. Where­fore if thou knowest not how to reduce two perfect Bodies into their first Matter, thou canst have no Ferment. Lull. Theor. p. 92.

For this is Minerall, that when Massa Solis & Lunae. thou putst Water on the Earth, the White overcomes the Ci­trine and Red; and whitens them into whitenesse of Silver. Then the Citrine overcomes the White and Red, so that it makes them Citrine, above the Citrinity of Gold, and then the Red over­comes the Citrine and White, and reddens them into a Tyrian red­nesse, and when thou seest these, rejoice. Massa Solis & Lunae. pa. 212.

CHAP. IX.Of Projection.

A Dry earthy Body tincts not, Artepheus. unlesse it be tincted, and be­cause it enters not, therefore it al­ters not. Therefore it tincts not Gold, because the hidden Spirit thereof ought first to be extracted from its Belly by our white Wa­ter, that it might become altoge­ther spirituall. Arteph. fo. 13.

Many through ignorance have Ripley. destroied their Work, when they have made Projection upon im­pure Metall; for their Tinctures by reason of Corruption doe not remain, but vanish, because they removed not from the Bodies those things which after Projecti­on are brittle, dark, and black. See therefore thou first Project thy Medicine on Ferment, then that Ferment will be brittle as Glasse; [Page 128] then cast that brittle Substance upon Bodies clean and very pure, and presently thou shalt see them curiously coloured with Tincture which will abide all Trials. So make three, four, or five Projecti­ons till the Tincture of thy Medi­cine begin to decrease, then is there an end of making further Projecti­on. Ripley pa. 62.

But the manner of Projection Avicenna. is, that thou Project one part of the foresaid Medicine upon a hun­dred parts of fused or powred Gold, and it makes it frangible, and the whole will be a Medicine of which one part Projected upon a hundred of any fused Metall turns it into the best Gold. And likewise if thou work with the Moon; But if the Medicine or E­lixir should not have ingresse, take of the Stone extracted in the first operation, and of the foresaid Mercury a like quantity, and min­gle [Page 129] them together, and incorpo­rate them by grinding upon a Stone, and then distilling in a Bath, that they might the better be joi­ned together, then dry them. Avi­cenna pa. 435.

Son, compound the Minerals, Lullius. which pertain to the Minerall Ma­gistery, by multiplying their ver­tue thus: Take one part of the Powder or Dust, viz. an ounce or pound, and Project it upon ten parts of Amalgama, made of one part of the Moon or Sun, and five of Mercury, and the whole shall be turned into Powder or Dust according to the condition of Dust; and Project one of those ten parts, upon other ten of A­malgama or simple Mercury, so proceed by Computing and Pro­jecting untill thou see the Matter turned neither into Dust nor Me­tall, but into a hard frangible Masse, and make triall of it, viz. [Page 130] how many parts, one part can turn into Metall; and by this manner thou shalt necessarily finde the end of Projection, otherwise thou shalt never finde it, unlesse it be first converted into a hard fran­gible Masse, as we told thee be­fore. Lull. Test. pa. 64.

But this is the greatest Secret, Ventura. that the vertue of the Medicine shall be also augmented in the Projection, not onely in extensive Quantity, but also in the vertue of Perfection and Goodnesse, viz. If the Medicine be Projected in a due Proportion upon a Body, and the whole be put into Fire, and augmented by its degrees, and be oftner dissolved, and oftner coa­gulated, till it be more fluxill then Wax. Wherefore if in Projection the Medicinebe so much weakned that it cannot have ingresse any longer, ingresse is given to it if part of the first Medicine be joi­ned [Page 131] to it, and it be decocted by dissolving and coagulating till it flow. But by how much lesse the vertue of the Medicine is, it is ne­cessarily convenient to administer the Fire from the beginning, and according to the degrees of Time, by so much the more temperature. But if there shall nothing remain of the first and most perfect Me­dicine which might be added, (which lest it happen to him, the ingenious Artist must chiefly be­ware) thence it will be fit to doe otherwise. The third manner is (according to Rosarius) that a little part of the Medicine, whether white or red, be joined with the Stone or our Mercury, (which was never in the Work) and let it be put to digestion as before, and de­cocted by Putrefying, Subliming, and Fixing, untill the whole be­come a tinctured Oil, then again thou shalt have the perfect Stone; [Page 132] and this is done in a few days, and with lesse cost, labour, and hazard. But always keep some part for Ferment, as well of the White as Red; and this wise Consideration shall excuse thee of much trouble. Ventura pa. 195.

Let one part of Medicine be Clangor. taken, and ten parts of putrefied Mercury, so that Mercury be made hot even to Fumosity, and then let the Medicine be cast upon it, which will presently flow, even penetrating the least parts; then by a convenient Fire made strong, let the flowing Mercury be gathe­red together, of which let a little part be taken, and let as much of his vive Mercury be put to the Fire, and let the Weight be pro­ved; If the added Mercury shall notably recede, then it affects the Medicine to its farthest parts. But if the Body in the Body shall not be notably broken, but that the [Page 133] Matter be yet frangible, and too soft or hard, then again take a little of this, and as much of crude Mercury, and in all things pro­ceed, as hath been said, till thou have thy intent. Clangor. Bucc. pa. 539.

CHAP. X.Multiplication.

EVery encreasing or growing Semita. thing, both Vegetable and A­nimall, is multiplied in its kinde, as Men, Trees, Grain, and the like, for of one Seed, a thousand are ge­nerated, therefore it is possible that things be infinitely encreast. Semita Semitae pa. 438.

But thou shalt multiply the Bacon. Medicine thus; After thou hast compleated it, take notice on how many it fals, which being fore­seen, again resolve, and congeal it, and in every Resolution the Tin­cture is doubled, that if before its resolution one part fall upon a hundred, afterwards it will fall up­on two hundred. Bacon fo. 19.

Medicine may be multiplied Scala. two ways, first by Dissolution and Reiteration of Congelation, and [Page 137] this is its virtuall Multiplication in Goodnesse or Quality; the second by Fermentation, and this is its Multiplication in Quantity. Scala 165.

The Multiplication of Medi­cine Rosar. is performed two ways, one by the reiterated Dissolution and Coagulation of the Stone; the second by Projection of the first Elixir Stone upon a Body, either White or Red, in such a Quantity, that the same Body may also be turned into Medicine, and then there may be put together to dis­solve in their Water and menstrous Matter, and so the first Elixir is the Ferment of such a Tincture; and so doe Women that bake. Rosar. Philosophor. pa. 347.

The Augmentation in Good­nesse Clangor. and Quality, is to dissolve and coagulate the very Tincture, that is, to imbibe and exsiccate it in our Mercury. Or thus, take [Page 138] one part of the prepared Tincture, and dissolve it in three parts of our Mercury, then put it in a Vessell, and seal the Vessell, and cover it with hot Embers, till it be exsiccated and become Dust, then open the Vessel, and again imbibe and exsiccate as before, and how much the oftner thou dost this, so often shalt thou gain some parts. Or else take of the fixt Matter which tincteth, that is, of the prepared Tincture three parts, and of the Philosophers Mercury one part, and put it into a Vessel, and seal the Vessel, and put it among hot Embers as be­fore, and exsiccate it, that it may be made Dust, then open the Ves­sel, imbibe, and exsiccate it as be­fore: And the Water that is Ar­gent vive or Mercury, addes no­thing to the Weight, or to the Body, unlesse as much as remains of the Metallick humidity.

Also Multiplication in Quantity is made by mixtion of the Medi­cine with vulgar Argent vive in a Crucible, which Argent vive in­deed is turned into red Dust by admixtion of the Stone, and again, that, of that Argent vive which should be cast upon other Argent vive, is again also turned into Dust, and so thou shalt make reite­rations of the Dust of Argent vive upon other Argent vive, un­till the Argent vive cannot be tur­ned into Dust, but remain turned into a perfect Metall. Clangor Buc­cinae pa. 533.

If thou wouldst multiply it, it Artepheus. is fit thou dissolve the red again, in a new dissolutive Water, and in an iterated decoction to whiten and redden it by the degrees of Fire, by reiterating the first Regi­ment or Work. Dissolve, Con­geale, Reiterate, by Closing, Ope­ning, and Multiplying, in Quanti­ty [Page 140] and Quality, as thou pleasest. Because by a new Corruption and Generation, is again introduced a new Motion, and so we cannot obtain an end, if we would always operate by Reiteration, Dissoluti­on and Coagulation, by the me­diation of our Dissolutive Water, that is, by dissolving and coagula­ting through the first Regiment or Work, as hath been said. And so the vertue of it, is augmented and multiplied in quantity, so that if thou hast an hundred in the first Work, in the second thou shalt have a thousand, in the third ten thousand, and so by prosecuting, thy Projection will become infi­nite, in truly, perfectly, and fixed­ly tincting or giving Tincture to every Quantity, how great soever, and so by a thing of no value is added, Colour, Weight, and Ver­tue. Arteph. fo. 37.