Chapter LIV: Front Matter (54)

Concerning these two, do many of _Ignoramus_ his Fraternity babble many Stories, and falsly boast that no true potable Gold can be prepared, or be in Being without the Philosophers Stone. This conclusion of theirs is clearly untrue, for a Man may easily make Gold and Silver potable, though he hath not any knowledge at all of the universal Medicine, which is to be thus understood, _viz._ when the Gold and Silver either alone or conjoyned, are dissolved in a sweet and not Corrosive _Menstruum_, and rendred fit to be administred to the Sick in Water, Ale, Wine, or any other Liquor. For those kind of Solutions may be taken for a simple potable Gold and Silver.

But now for any one to dissolve Gold in that corroding _Aqua Regis_, or Silver in _Aqua Fortis_, and then to imagine that he hath potable Gold and Silver, he is altogether in an Errour. Potable indeed they are, because they may be drunk like other Liquors: But forasmuch as those kind of Solutions do corrode all things, and bring extream Detriment, they are justly rejected, and the rather because being poured into Wine or Ale, they defile and thicken the same; which, no true potable Gold dissolved in a Not-corrosive _Menstruum_, will do, but when ’tis mixt with Wine, Ale, or Water, it remains bright and clear. Besides too, true potable Gold must be of such a property, as to have no visible corporal Gold producible thereout of, and yet notwithstanding, be able to indue the meaner Metals, yea and _Mercury_ it self with a golden nature, if they be therein boiled, or to coagulate and transmute them into Gold by the dry way in a Crucible, whether it be done with profit or without profit [it matters not.] Now this tinging virtue comes not from corporeal and dead Gold, but from a spiritual living and ringing Gold.

If therefore the common and corroding solution of Gold, cannot be accounted for a true _Aurum Potabile_, and that the spiritual and tinging Gold, which is dissolved without any corrosiveness should not come under this Title neither, whence I pray should it be sought for, and where should it be inquired after. I confess, I do easily perswade my self, that as for the first Ens of Gold if we did but know how to wash and purge it in such wise, as that being turned into a bloud red liquor, it would admit of Distillation by an Alembick or a Retort, we should have a better potable Gold. But where shall we find such an Artificer, as can teach us the way of preparing such a potable Gold? ’Tis therefore our best way to content our selves with such Medicaments as we have at hand, so long untill God bestoweth better upon us. This likewise I believe, that if we did but know such an Artifice as to wash and purge Mercury, in such sort as that it might pass into a ponderous and sweet Water, and if we could so adjoyn some pure Gold thereunto instead of a ferment that they might lift up [or sublime] themselves together, and again become constant and fix: that then, from them would arise a red and soluble Carbuncle, or true potable Gold. But these are onely my simple thoughts and conceptions, no dispraise to those suppositions which other men have entertained concerning this matter. So likewise if spiritual Gold, and the spiritual Sulphur of the Vine be conjoyned by the help of Salt, they give a good potable Gold, which contains in it Gold potentially, but not actually or palpably, as may be seen in my Treatise of the true _Aurum Potabile_, which being clear like Water, and a bright or fair potable Gold, I do adjoyn to my Cates or Sawces instead of White-wine.

But even as White-wine the longer it is kept, the yellower it grows, so likewise white _Aurum Potabile_ doth not retain its whiteness above two or three months, but becomes more and more yellow, and is at length turned into a redness, but still retains its tinging faculty. He therefore that shall not be well pleased with the tast of [my] Wine or potable Gold, let him tarry till being more old they become yellow or red, for then they are of a pleasanter tast, as having (through long Process of time) lost their Sulphureous Tast.

But as touching the manner of making that potable Gold, as also all other unpleasant, sugacious, and unripe metallick Potions, pleasant, ripe, fix, and sweet Liquors, that shall be revealed afterwards.

Furthermore, I do here serve out instead of a good drink, the golden-coloured Soul, or my Tincture made of Niter, of which I have spoken in the second part of my Spagyrical Dispensatory. It is of as much virtue in Medicine as that potable Gold is, which I made mention of but now, but performs nothing in Alchymy or in the Transmutation of Metals; but what it would do if it were made fix and constant in the Fire, I do not as yet know, for I have not as yet brought it to that pass. But how it may be made fix shall be presently shown. This very Tincture in the degree it is at present in, produceth great effects in Medicine, yea and greater too than those which I published about it, in the second part of my Spagyrical Dispensatory. It is of a delightfull Tast to the Palate, it removes the obstructions of the Liver, Lungs, and Spleen, it provokes Urine, expels the Stone, prohibits Obstructions with the Excrements, it may be most safely used by old and young, yea even by those whose strength is much debilitated, and it is wont to afford them present help; it wonderfully Corroborates, and makes all Animals, Minerals, and Vegetables fruitfull, and this will easily appear so to be, if you do but take some Vegetable Seed and macerate in the same, and then put in the Earth, it grows far speedier and ripens much sooner than other Seeds are wont to do.

I have sometimes macerated Wheat, Barly, Pease, and the Seeds of such like Corn in this Liquor for a night, and being thus steeped, have sown it in pure Sand, and they have grown ripe far sooner than those which have been planted in good and fat Earth: which is such a thing, as hath made many Men extreamly to wonder, when they saw Corn grow in bare Sand without any other Earth or Dung, and be able to arrive to such perfect maturity.

Many other Salts there are of no great cost, and such as are to be had in vast quantity, with which, Corn being macerated and sown in barren Lands, and in such as are not dunged doth come to perfect maturity; and this I have tried not onely once, but oftentimes; and have also purposed (if God please) to bring it into publick use, in these United Provinces: to which end, the most Supreme Orders, General and Provincial, have granted me a Priviledge (or Patent) for many years; whereby it is forbidden to sow or plant barren, sandy Grounds and undunged, after this kind of way, without my consent. The main Basis of the knack lies in Sea-salt, which may be plentifully had in these places, and be easily prepared and made use of (to fatten lean and dry Grounds with) instead of Dung.

But amongst all such like Medicaments, the Tincture of Nitre bears away the Bell, for it causeth many Stalks to spring up out of one Grane, and to yield fruit, a thousand fold. Nor doth it onely make the Vegetables fruitfull, but Men too, and the terrestrial Animals, and even the Birds themselves that live in the Air. And by the same reason also may it be brought to pass, that even the Metals may be multiplied by the help thereof, as we shall declare anon, in what follows.

Both these Wines or efficacious Drinks doe very well suit with the metallick Sawces or Junkets, they heat the Body, help the concoction of the Stomach, corroborate the Spirits, give good Nourishment, drive forth out of the Body the superfluous Excrements, in a due manner by Stool and Urine, they cause Chearfulness, bestow a prosperous Health, give a comely Look, and change the Complexions into the Sanguine and best Complexion; in the accomplishment of all which things, that pure and golden coloured Tincture of Niter excells.

And here I must make a little digression, and set somewhat more clearly afore your Eyes, the four primary Complexions; from which the other mixt ones do arise, according as a Man partakes the more of this or that Complexion.

Therefore as touching the Complexions, the Ancient Physicians judged thereof according to the form and colour of the Hair, and were of this Opinion, that the Sanguine Complexion which of all others is the purest, produceth red Hairs and a white Skin full of small and bright Pores, such Men being indued with hot and moist Bloud, and of a sound Constitution are diligent, learned, pious, prone to Venery, Ingenious, Chearfull, and for the most part long liv’d, but are subject to hot Diseases, as Feavers, the Plague, and the like; and do in their nature resemble the Sun, amongst the Planets, and Gold amongst the Metals.

The _Cholerick_ have very black Hair, a yellowish Skin, and their Bloud is hot and dry, and they are wrathfull, quarrelsome, strong, bold, Warriours, addicted to Whoredoms, subtle, wicked, false, merciless, rejoycing at others harms, as is wont to be in War. They are tormented with raging Feavers, as also with the overflowing of the Gall, and they are of the nature of _Mars_ and _Venus_ amongst the Planets; and of Iron and Copper amongst the Metals.

The Hairs of the _Melancholy_ Complexion are for the most part betwixt a white and black colour, and their Skin is white. They are of a cold and dry nature, quiet, laborious, musing, industrious, sincere, pious, and mercifull, inclined rather to weeping than laughter, if they hear of any mischances, they aim at Justice, and fear God without Hypocrisie, or esteem of Men. They are subject to all kinds of Diseases, are afflicted with a debility of their Limbs, and are compared to _Saturn_ and _Jupiter_ amongst the Planets, and to Lead and Tin amongst the Metals.

The nature and property of the _Phlegmatick_ is moist and cold, the Hair and Skin white, the Wit dull, a dreaming sleepy quality, negligent, carefull of nothing, obstinate, envious, slow, and gross, and unteachable, the Body consists of thick or homely Limbs, and is wont to be troubled with the Scab, Ulcers, and cold Feavers. ’Mongst the Planets the Moon, and ’mongst the Metals, Silver, are supposed not much to differ from their Disposition.

These are the marks (as is believed) of the Complexions in Men and Beasts. But yet you are to know, that one [single] Complexion doth very rarely bear absolute sway in any Man, but they are for the most part mixt, and so the denomination is given according to the predominant Complexion.

A Man that consists of a sanguine and phlegmatick property, is as it were double complexioned, and both the colour and denomination are divided, so that from red and white, yellow hairs arise, and the Men themselves are of a good, temperate and fruitfull nature; and thus is it to be understood of other Commixtions.

But forasmuch as a pure and sanguine complexion is esteemed the best and wholsomest, the Ancient Physicians in their Cures were wont to call the superfluity of any phlegmatick scabby person, Phlegm and watery Blood: [the superfluity] of the Melancholick, sad and irksome cogitations [or pensive dumps:] and [the superfluity] of Cholerick, a mad raging brain. Now of this Phlegmatick, Melancholy, or Cholerick [person] do we make a Sanguine one, that is, a Man of a sound and pure blood. Upon this account have they ascribed this property unto their Universal Medicine, _viz._ that it does not onely change all the imperfect complexions of Men, as the Cholerick, Melancholy, and Phlegmatick into the Sanguine; but doth also transmute all the imperfect, unripe, gross, and volatile Metals into pure Gold. For if a Medicine be of so much virtue as to convert all the Complexions into the Sanguine one, it will necessarily transmute all the imperfect Metals likewise, as _Saturn_, _Jupiter_, _Mars_, _Venus_, _Mercury_ and _Lune_ into _Sol_ or Gold.

Now forasmuch as I have often found by the frequent Experiments that I have made, that my said Medicine, or Tincture of Nitre is wont to colour all kinds of Hair, as white, brown, black, (black I say, which may seem impossible unto many, but nevertheless is very true; for to dye white Hair with a yellow colour is a thing commonly known, but to tinge black Hair with a yellow or red colour, is a great secret) and even all other colours, none excepted, with a golden colour; and this it does while it is as yet of an unripe and flying nature: Upon this account I dare perswade my self, that if it were but brought to a fix and constant nature, it could not possibly be, but that it would bestow upon the imperfect Metals, a golden nature and perfection. But by reason of its too tender a nature, which is extreamly impatient of a Fire of Coals, I pondered upon the business more accurately, and perceived, that it is indeed a thing possible to be done, although that hitherto I never had a convenient time of perfecting of the same. And as concerning the manner how it may be done, I cannot but out of Christian Love, discover the same to my Neighbour.

During the time that I considered not the Words of the Angel in the Sepulchre of Christ, saying, _Why seek ye the Living among the Dead?_ and therefore search’d about in filthy Sepulchres, in which I could not find the Life. God at length vouchsafed to look upon me with his gratious and mercifull Eyes, and brought me into the right way, insomuch that leaving the Sepulchres and Monuments or Tombs of the Dead, I began to look for Life amongst the Living, and not amongst the Dead.

God onely is the alone and eternal Life, who bestoweth upon us the so much desirable _Sun_, (as being the Servant of God) by the help of the Air. Let us boil, roast, bake, and labour as much, and in what manner soever we please; yet shall we never find any liveliness, save from the Sun, the Servant, Minister, or instrument of the Omnipotent God. [For else] we [doe but] prepare us Medicaments destitute of virtues, of fine out-side Colours, but within, dead and full of poison, because from things wanting life, no help can be expected.

Forasmuch therefore, as we gave not life unto our own selves, neither can we defend the same against death without that one onely life coming unto us from above: it is very expedient, that, omitting the stinking dung, we betake our selves to the pure and living fountain of God, as being the Centre of all life; and doe seek for life, from the Sun, as being the great master of all the created Palace [or World.] The way of effecting this, will I reveal unto you in a few words.

If we accurately weigh with the utmost of our discretions this whole business, we clearly see it afore our Eyes, that there is no other life to be any-where found, besides that universal life which God hath implanted in the _Sun_, and which the _Sun_ sends down unto us by the help of the Air. Let any one make trial, what way soever it likes him, and he shall find this most true.

If you would putrefie an Herb or Animal in a shut glass, so that the Air cannot penetrate [into it,] there will indeed be Magots generated, but they will want life so long, untill the glass being opened, they receive life and motion from the Air. If you put Herbs, or the Flesh of living Creatures chopt or bruised in a glass, and shut it close, and keep the glass for a while in hot Horse dung, or else in warm water, there will Vermine [or Maggots] be indeed generated, but yet void of life, which (the glass being opened) will begin to stir of themselves; and so having gotten life, creep out, and become greater, and will get other forms or shapes. Place likewise in a warm place, some little Barrel half full of Wine and let the bung-hole be open, that it may putrefie and begin to wax sowre; The ascending vapour will gather it self about the said Bung hole into a tenacious matter, which will yield small little vermine [or Mites,] much like those which are engendred in Cheese; and which at length will, by reason of the Air, live and creep forth. If you put a Cover over the hole, all these little Mites will again dye, because they are deprived of the Air from which Life doth proceed. Then the Cover being again taken off, and the Air admitted, they doe agen creep; and following after the Air, endeavour to get out of the Barrel: out of which, if they doe but stay some hours onely, and feel the full Air; They attain to another form, and get wings and fly away, which cannot be done without the Air, seeing that without it they can have no life.

Let such Earth as hath Seeds sown therein be so covered over, as that the Air cannot penetrate into it; which being shut out, nothing will be brought forth: or let it be some Plant, which hath already sprouted up out of the earth; if you doe but take the Air therefrom, it will cease growing and plainly wither and come to nought.

From whence it is clearly evident, that the rise of all Life is to be imputed to the Air, which very Life it self, the Sun hath first wrought in the Air, and Art knows how to extract the same again thereout of, by a certain Magnetical way, and make it visible, palpable, and sensible.

But all the Air is not meer life, but contains this same life dispersed, or dilated in it, like a great deal of water containing in it but little Salt, it self being visible, but the Salt which is therein, invisible. And just so is the life dispersed in the bodies of Men, and other Animals, and, being invisible, hath its habitation in the blood, so that, without it, the whole body would be immovable and remain dead. Now when either a Man, or any other living Creature is conversant in the open Air, he attracteth to himself by his breathing, (by a certain Sympathetical power and property) as much Air as is requisite for the Heart, (which is the Center, Receptacle, or House of the Life) for the nourishment of the spiritual Life, and as for the residue, and unprofitable part, it casts it away by the Antipathetical virtue and property of the out-blowing (breath or) expiration. So that no Man, no Animal, no Herb, no Mineral, can possibly enjoy a living and growing faculty, if this food of Life were withdrawn therefrom. Which seeing it is so, and cannot be otherwise, it doth necessarily follow, that the true universal Medicine cannot be prepared in any shut up (or close) Vessels as is commonly done. Do but look I pray upon the Birth and Generation of Salt-peter, the Body of which is nothing else but the essential Salt of the Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals, which attracteth to it self the Fire out of the Air, as is well known.

Therefore, whereas all Salts are wont to be turned (by the help of the Fire and Air) into burning and live Salt-peter, and that no body can bring the same to pass without Air: we should by good right learn from thence thus much, _viz._ to endeavour to make our Medicaments too, alive by the Air. For a Medicine that is destitute of life will subdue and destroy a Disease even just as much as common Salt will overturn a Mountain, and throw it out of its place, without being animated as it were by the Air, and transmuted into burning and living Salt-peter. Truly therefore and by experience do I say, that all the faculty of growth, all Transplantation, and every life owes its birth to the Air, and without it do they all become dead and so remain.

The Air receives [its] vital food from the Sun, and the Sun derives its Original from God, the Center and Beginning of every Life. And therefore when we are desirous of extracting that vital food out of the Air by the help of Art, and of reducing it into a visible body, it is behoovefull and expedient, that we expose thereunto a certain Magnet, which may draw the same unto it self, and be by little and little augmented therewithall, and may grow both in quantity and virtue, even as an Herb out of the Earth; or as an Animal gets it self growth and encrease by meat and drink, and adds to it self an augmentation of strength and greatness, and at length associates it self unto [or couples with] its like, and multiplieth its kind.

Man himself doth without intermission attract to himself the Air, by the help of his Lungs; but the Heart retains onely the vital food thereof, and rejecteth all the rest like so much excrement. The Body it self also doth daily assume food and sustenance by the Mouth, but the Stomach transmits the nutriment that is separated thereout of, to the Liver, to be reduced into blood and flesh: but the Excrements, as the Dung, Urine, Sweat, and the like, it banisheth out of the body by the usual passages. Thus like wise stands the case with our Medicament. According as the Magnet is, that we expose to the said Air, so accordingly doth it attract its like out of the said Air, whereby it may get to it self, Life, Virtue, and Power. But it cannot possibly be, that it should extract that virtue and faculty simply pure and clean; No, but it gets to it self also a certain, unprofitable, and watery Essence, which is associated unto that [virtue,] which acqueity doth again go off, as a superfluous Excrement, and must necessarily bestow the Life onely upon the Magnet, that it may be therewithall encreased and strengthened. If I desire to have a Vegetable, then must I sow a Vegetable Seed; or such a Magnet is to be placed there, as may associate or adjoyn unto it self its like out of the Air. If you would have an Animal, then an Animal Seed, or Animal Magnet is to be used. But if that which I seek is to be more pure, and more constant [or lasting:] a purer Magnet must necessarily be exposed; for like doth always seek its like; love, o’ercome, and conserve it: according to the testimony of the Ancient Wise men, _Nature rejoyceth with Nature: Nature overcomes Nature: Nature retains Nature_.

* * * * *

And therefore seeing our purpose tends to this, namely, to extract the invisible faculty of Life, the power and virtue of the Sun out of the Air; to concentrate it, and make it corporeal, visible, and palpable; It behooves us to provide our selves with a fitting Seed or Magnet, which may earnestly attract, overcome, and hold the same. Now such Magnets are pure Gold, and the most pure Soul of Salt-peter, both of them being the true off-spring of the vivifying Sun.

Because therefore like desires its like, loves, and seeks after it, a poisonous Magnet must not be exposed [to attract] a vital food: For as is the nature of the Magnet, so likewise doth it attract good or evil out of the Air. It is a thing that Husbandmen are well acquainted withall, namely, that Wheat produceth nothing else but Wheat, and from Tares do Tares arise. If the Seed or Magnet be aureous and pure, it will also acquire to it self pure and golden Virtues, and be encreased by them.

_The manner of so placing the Magnets, that (by Solutions and
Coagulations) they may receive the Astral and vivifying Rays of
the Sun, and may render them visible, corporeal, palpable, and
durable in the Fire._

You must get made some flat and strong glass Dishes or Platters, in which you must put your Magnet the thickness of half a fingers breadth, and expose it moist to the Sun, that the unprofitable humidity may vanish by evaporation. Which done, (and in the Summer time it will be done in a few hours, especially if there were not too much of the Golden Liquor put into the Dishes) expose the same Dishes, which contain in them the [thus] dried Salt, in the night-time, open to the cold and moist Lunar Beams, that the Salt may by its magnetick virtue associate unto it self from the Air, the Water, which carries in it the universal food of the Air, and consequently may be dissolved. This Solution is to be agen set out in the day-time to the Sun-beams, which will again dry up the unprofitable moisture, and leave in the Salt, that vivifying and golden Seed, which it contracted in the cold Night and Air, together with the humidity, which is void of any virtue. The Salt being freed by the Sun from its superfluous moisture, must be again exposed at Night to the Lunar beams, that it may again imbibe the Astral virtues, and may be agen dissolved in the imbibed water, that, being the next day, as the day afore, exposed to the Sun, it may be animated anew with those same virtues: These exposings by turns [to the _Sun_ and _Moon_,] must be so long and so often repeated, untill the said Magnet, (after its being dried at the day time in the Sun) will, at the nighttime, hardly admit of any moisture from the Air, and that being dry and put upon a red-hot Plate, it readily melts without fume. For then may it be applied to use, as being a constant and fix Medicament.

This interchangeable Solution and Coagulation must be repeated some hundreds of times, and every Solution and Coagulation is to be accounted for a Philosophical day.

If now in the Summer-season the heat of the Sun be not strong enough in our Countries for the effecting of this operation, the said heat may be concentred by Glasses, or metallick Instruments, and be made more efficacious, that the Coagulation may be ripened [or hastned.] But in defect of such Instruments, and want of the heat of the Sun, which is frequently over-cast with store of Clouds, you may easily forward the Coagulation with our Common Fire, and that too with a more unfailable and speedier operation than that is, wherein the drying up by the Solar heat is always to be waited for. And although this operation, which is performed in the _Sun_, is to be accounted of as far the better, yet notwithstanding the _Sun_ doth operate together with our Common Fire after an invisible manner, when we cannot make use of the _Sun_ it self. For wheresoever the Air is, there also is to be found the invisible _Sun_, and the occult virtue and power of life. He that can have the opportunity of using the _Sun_ in this operation, needs not any other Fire. But the using of our Common Fire requireth a peculiar Iron Furnace, whereon the Dishes or Basons are to be placed to dry. But yet the heat must not be underneath, and strike at the bottom of the said Basons, but it must be such as may strike the heat downwards at top of the matter onely, and may gently and by little and little consume the humidity: For else there would be hazard of the Liquors boiling over, and of being lost, if the heat should be placed under the bottom of the Dishes. The Iron Furnace may be made of Iron Plates, resembling Arched work, [or Oven like] and be placed within a Stone Furnace, and have a Door fitted thereunto, that so neither Dust nor Ashes may fly thereinto, and by this way will the Salts be dried in two or three hours time. And now, that you may not need to wait till the night approacheth, you may have a wooden Box or Chest made, and covered over at the top, but pierced full of holes all round about the sides, which (with the Basons placed therein) may in the Winter-season be set abroad to the cold Air, and in the Summer-time may be placed in some moist Cellar, that so the Salts may attract from the Air the food of Life. For in all places of the World doth the Air contain in it (though in one place more plentifully, and better, than in another) that occult faculty and virtue of Life, without which, neither Men nor Animals are able to live. But by how much purer the Air shall be, so much the purer and more excellent is the acquired Medicine. As for the Transmutation of Metals, it matters not much what Air it is that you get, for every sort of Air is fit for this operation. We doe in this place manifest onely the way of fixing it: Now every one knows that a pure and clean Air is better than a gross and an impure one, and that the heat of the Sun is better than the heat of Coles, or of a Lamp.

_Thomas Aquinas_ writes, that God with his Angels cannot want our fire, and therefore is he reproved by _Paracelsus_, because he saith that God cannot want the Elementary fire. Alas, Good man, he did not so accurately weigh this matter, for this proposition tends onely to this end, namely, to set afore our eyes the purity of the Fire necessary for the Coction of our Medicine. From whence it is sufficiently manifest, that a Medicament will be so much the better, by how much the purer the Fire shall be. For a gross Air begets a gross Blood. But in this operation, the Air is the Meat and Drink of our Golden Salt, but the Water or Phlegm is to be driven away by heat, it being a superfluous Excrement adhering on to that Air. Now in those manifold Solutions and Coagulations, the Magnet doth always retain some good thing, and encreaseth both in weight and virtue, and attaineth a constancy: like as Men and other Animals are encreased with Meat and Drink, and doe grow in stature, and multiply themselves. The whole work therefore of making this kingly Medicament by the help of the secret Solar fire, doth consist in a good, pure, and golden Magnet, and afterwards in a true Solution and Coagulation: Which if it be too speedy and strong, the over-much heat will burn up and consume the attracted food of Life. If therefore a Medium be not used, it so happens, as ’tis wont to be in any Earth that is too moist, and therefore not [capable of] bearing fruit. So that nothing is more necessary than to have a due regard of mediocrity, not onely in the Solution, but in the Coagulation likewise.

And this is that way by which the Solution done in the Air, and the Coagulation made in the Sun, doe reduce the Mercurial water, and the Minerals prepared with Salt into fusile and tinging Stones; which thing the Common fire will never perform in a glass closed up, and without the Air.

Note this, and believe it, and doe it, and thou wilt find what thou hast believed, come to pass.

Supper being ended, and the Drinking-bout over, ’tis time for the Guests to go to Bed, unto whom the custom of some is to present a closing Cup, made of good and profitable Herbs, ’mongst which, such as are more bitter, are for the most part in greatest esteem, because they close up the mouth of the Stomach, and beget a quiet Sleep.

Now to parallel this Custom, I will here set one down, for those that are desirous of such like bitter Potions, and such an one as they may prepare according to their pleasure, and apply to use.

Take of common _Aqua Fortis_, which you must rectifie by a Cucurbit, or by a Retort, that it may be bright and clear. Dissolve therein, by boiling in hot Sand, as much cupellated Silver as it will dissolve; but you are to note here, that there must not be any Copper at all in the Silver, for it would spoil the Medicament. Into the Solution pour strong and well rectified Spirit of _Sal-Armoniack_, so long till the _Aqua Fortis_ makes no more Ebullition. When all the tissing and noise is over, there will be about the half part of the Silver precipitated, and settled to the bottom, and will be of an ashy colour. Place the Glass in Sand, put Fire thereunder, and boil the precipitated Silver with the _Menstruum_, in which boiling there will separate yet more Silver out of the _Menstruum_, and the residue will remain dissolved up in the _Menstruum_, which is to be filtered through Cap paper, and then to be evaporated by little and little in Sand, that all the humidity may be abstracted.

_N. B._ The _Aqua Fortis_ and Spirit of _Sal-Armoniack_, turn into a liquid and volatile Salt, and have lost their corroding property, which Salt hath introverted the Silver, and drawn its bitterness forth, insomuch that both Salts are converted into one bitter and green Salt. This Salt must be dissolved, filtered, and purified by pouring Water thereon, and again drawing it off; and being hereby rendred more pure, it resolves it self in the cold Air into a green and bitter Liquor, one drop of which is able to make a whole Cupfull of Wine bitter. And this Wine being drunk is profitable to the Stomach, causeth quiet Sleep, dissipates Windiness, and keeps the Belly Soluble.

_N. B._ This Salt guilds over Glasses, and other glazed Vessels with Silver, nor does it vanish away but remains constant. It likewise performs other considerable effects in Alchymy, as may be seen in my other Writings, but especially in the second part of my Furnaces, of the last Edition. And thus do I leave the Guests to their rest, that they may Sleep even till broad Day-light.

The Sun being up, and some of the Guests being very droughty or thirsty with their Yesternight Surfeiting, and being tormented with overmuch Heat; they endeavour to extinguish this Inflammation of the Liver, with cold Fountain Water, or with small Beer, or with hungry and sharpning Wine. Others send to the Apothecaries for some Syrup of Roses, or Violets, and mix that with Fountain Water, and so drink it off. But the burning hot Liver is presently smitten with a sudden horrour, the Stomach is refrigerated, and beset with clammy Humours, and most an end the Limbs are debilitated, the Skin becomes Scabby and cold Feavers possess the Stomach. Instead therefore of such like drink, I will here substitute a far better cooling Potion, which shall not hinder the health, as those do, but be profitable to the same.

Take one pound of Spirit of Salt, not of that yellow, unrectified Spirit that is sold in the Shops, but of our well rectified Spirit; wherein dissolve as much Tartar as it will associate unto it self in a gentle boiling; filter the Solution through Cap-paper, that so all the Fœces which were in the Tartar, may abide in the Paper, and the Spirit of Salt itself together with the [dissolved] Tartar may pass through, bright and clear; if the Solution stands long in a cold place, part of the Tartar will shoot into Crystals, and part thereof will remain mixt with the Spirit of Salt, and give it a gratefull vinous Acidity. If you use white Tartar then the said Spirit will remain white, red Tartar tingeth the same with the colour of a Ruby. _N. B._ The Spirit of Salt is of such a nature, as that it makes all colours more fair. You may therefore use red Tartar to make this Potion withall, because of the loveliness of the colour, wherewith it tingeth the Spirit of Salt, for as to the virtues and efficacy of them, there is no difference to be found between them.

This Tartarized Spirit of Salt is very sweet, and tasts like an acid Wine, some drops of which, being drunk in cold Fountain Water, will not at all hurt the Liver: nor will it onely allay the droughtiness and thirst, but also stir up in the Stomach an Appetite to meat and drink. And therefore I do commend this Tartarized Spirit of Salt, beyond all other thirst-allaying Remedies, and it may be taken safely and pleasantly, both _Summer_ and _Winter_, because the unripe and acid Wines being drunk with Fountain Water and Sugar, do refrigerate the Stomach, and load it with tenacious humours, and weaken the Appetite, and hinder digestion.

Most profitable therefore is this our Spirit unto those, who daily drinking much Ale, may always mix a little of the same with their Ale. For it makes the Ale to tast like an acidish Wine, it allays thirst, so that there will not need such a guzling in of so great a quantity of thick Ale, it discusseth Wind, expells Urine, hinders the generation of the Stone in the Bladder and Reins, and if it be already generated it dissolves and consumes the same, and by little and little drives out the same with the Urine. Being administred to such as are troubled with the Feaver, Gout, Stone, and Scurvy, and that in all their drink, it is a pleasant and profitable Remedy. Concerning the use of which, you may find more spoken in my Treatise, intituled, _The Consolation of Sailors_.

Now besides all this, there is yet one thing more that I shall here admonish you of; namely, that by the Spirit of Salts help may a Remedy be administred to many more hurtfull disorders, but especially in the stead of those sharpish Waters, unto which, Men are wont to come from far and undertake long Journeys, losing their most pretious time and Money, neglecting their Calling, their Houshold Affairs, their Wife and Children, upon the bare hope of recovering their former Health: Whereas notwithstanding, the Spirit of Salt well prepared with Tartar, and having a little Steel Powder put thereinto, will perform the very same effect as the Calibeat Waters are wont to do, and so they may avoid the loss of so much expences, and of their pretious time; and thus every one may discharge and follow his own Calling and Domestick Affairs, and yet for all that, be cured by the help of the Tartarized and Chalibeat Spirit of Salt which openeth the Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen.

But what shall I say much for? Some haply there are that go the more willingly to those Waters every year for other reasons. Such as have old chiding Wives at Home, that take it very ill if their Husbands do but stir out of Doors, and are continually a plaguing them with Scoldings and ill Words, have not these think you great reason to seek some Diversion?

Young Women also love to visit these Waters and Baths, who meeting not with so much heat in their feeble and aged Husbands, as to beget them with Child, betake themselves to those Waters and Baths, where at all times they meet with active strong Companions, full of strength and Metal, who without doubt do frequent the said places, for this very end, namely, to apply warm suppositories to those cold Women, and uterine emplasters to make them Fruitfull, and to take away Sterility. Such kind of Dames being restored to their former health, and returned Home, their Husbands find (after some few Months) how effectual the use of those Waters have been upon their Wives.

Besides, it most an end happens that the Master and Mistress being absent, the Houshold Affairs are very awkwardly administred and managed by the Children, the Men-servants, and Maid servants; and that common _German_ Proverb doth usually take place; _The Cat being out of the way, The Mice upon the Shelves do play_. The truth of this is sufficiently testified by frequent Examples. And therefore it is much better to drink these acid Waters at Home, whereby both Money and Time is spared, and many evils prevented. And thus much may suffice to have been said concerning a refrigerating Drink.

And now, seeing we have at hand good Cheese and Butter, good Sawces or Cates, and delicate Drink, can we not be here with content? Verily in my Judgment here’s enough disht out for one Banquet. But some may say, in very good time! _Glauber_ [indeed] does not onely teach us the preparation of good Meats, but likewise of Cheese, Butter, Sawces, [or Junkets,] and pretious Wine, but yet tells us not from whence the Milk to make the Cheese and Butter withall is to be had, nor whence the Sugar and Spices for the Cates, and the Grapes needfull to make the Wine with, are to be gotten? What benefit have we by knowing how to make Cheese and Butter, and yet want Cows to yield us Milk? To satisfie these, we will demonstrate unto them, that even both the Milk it self, and the precious Spices, and most excellent Grapes are all attainable by the help of Salt.

In my Treatise called _Miraculum Mundi_, as likewise in that called _The continuation of the same_, and in that Book, _of the nature of Salts_, I have clearly enough shown, that all the faculty of the Growth and Nourishment of all growing and movable Creatures doth take its rise and original out of Salt alone, and that the correction or melioration, not onely of Vegetables and Animals, but even of the Minerals too, is to be sought for from the same.

But forasmuch as this bettering of the Metals meets with but little credit and is very hardly believed and understood, (nay ’tis plainly thought a thing impossible to be effected,) I could not choose but manifest and demonstrate the truth of the same unto the whole World; namely, that like as the Metals are in long process of time maturated by Salt in the Bowels of the Earth: Even so may the same be likewise maturated, mundified, and amended out of the Earth, by Salt, by the help and benefit of Art; not onely by the moist way, but also by the dry, and that with one Fire, in one Furnace, and with one Servant, whom I will in this place call _The Countryman paying his yearly Rent_. When his belly is continually fill’d with Coles, his Plows never cease going, so that weekly, monthly and yearly he is able to pay his master the due hire, namely Gold and Silver, wherewith all things necessary for houshold expences may be gotten.

And although this Countryman, which I will here describe, be not that [great] Country-Farmer, which I have mentioned in the _Third Part of the Prosperity of Germany_: yet notwithstanding he is a little one, and one that will discover so much unto the ignorant as to cause them to believe that the things which I speak of are possible to be done, and that there is a yet richer and better Countryman. But this here is to be accounted as a small Cow, and which will however supply you with Milk, Butter and Cheese, for necessary uses, if not with Sugar, Spices, and Wine too, to be set out upon the Table. If this Country fellow be too little and small for any one, he may even provide himself of a better, and learn by the consideration of this, by what means such Countrymen are to be nourished, that so the Rent may be gotten from him in its due time.

A. _The little Country Tenant with one Plow._ B. _The Countryman with three Plows._ C. _The Countryman’s Cap._ D. _His three Plows._ E. _The Registers to govern the Fire by._ F. _The Glass set in with his Alembick and Receiver._ G. _The Door to shut the Crate._ H. _The Ash-hole._ I. _A Basket of Coals._ [See the Fig. before the 3d. p. of _the Prosperity of Germ._ noted with pag. 76.]

In the first place you must prepare you some pounds of good Spirit of Salt, after the way which I prescribed with Vitriol, without which it will effect nothing, for out of this [Vitriol] it doth in the preparation carry over with it the spiritual Gold, or tinging Spirit, which said [spiritual Gold] is, in the performing of the operation, fixed, together with that spiritual Gold, which lyes hidden in the inferior Metals, and so becomes manifest.

Then (in the next place) you must build you a Furnace, which is called by the Chymists the _slow Henry_, or _dull Harry_, but I call it _The little Country Farmer_ or _yearly Renter_: you may build it, I say, of what bigness you please; or for Example sake, the Tower which holds the Coles may be about Man-heighth, and about one Cubit broad in the inside, but so, that the top part and bottom part be narrower, and the middle part wider. To this Tower you must adjoyn two or three Furnaces, which are here called the Countryman’s Plows, and in which the Vessels are to be placed, which hold the Metals that are to be maturated by the Spirit of Salt, and which have a continual heat, whereby the never-ceasing coction is holpen from the Tower that contains the Coles. Now see that you make all things cleverly and well proportioned, whereby that the Fire may be well and commodiously governed, and may be conserved for twenty four hours at least, without any looking too or medling with, as may be seen by the now described Figure.

The Vessel, in which the Spirit of Salt, with the Metal, is to be exercised (or laboured) with a daily Coction, must be made of such matter as doth not flie with the heat of the fire, nor is not eaten with the sharpness of the Spirit, (but) such as may be seen in my Laboratory, and will for the most part dure and hold the Spirit of Salt a whole year without breaking.

All things being ready and fitted, the Countrymans Belly is to be filled with Coals up to the Neck, and his Head covered with a Cap, that the Fire may not find any out-let, save by the lower holes, through which, the heat may find an entrance into the adjoined Furnaces; and as for the Vessels, they are to be filled with the Spirit of Salt, and with Metals fitted for this Operation, and to be covered with their Alembicks, that the Spirits which ascend in the boiling may be received and conserved. When all the Spirits of the Salt are come over, they are to be again returned back upon the dried matter in the Cucurbit, and are to be agen drawn off by distillation. This operation and cohobation being often repeated, doth ripen and fix the spiritual Silver and Gold, whereby it becomes Corporeal: But yet the Spirit of Salt alone is not able to give Gold, but ripens Silver onely, but by the addition of other Salts, it will give Gold too. And even for the fixation of Silver, common Salt may be also added to the Spirit of Salt, that so the Spirit of the Salt may be made strong in the digestion; yea and in time so very strong, as to fume even in the cold Air, and therefore a little water may be also added besides the Salt.

Hence it comes to pass, that in one days digestion six pounds of Spirit of Salt will give seven pounds of the same; unto which, if you again add one pound of Water, and one pound of Salt, you shall have eight pound of Spirit of Salt: which by the addition of another pound of Salt, and one pound of Water more, it may be farther augmented; insomuch that the Spirit of Salt, by a continually-repeated addition of Water and Salt, gets a perpetual encrease, and the Metal is so far from being at all hindred in its maturation, as that it is daily ripened more and more. For the Agent and Patient are continually encreased, and become bettered both in quantity and quality, which verily is a most excellent work, and never so manifestly described by any body as by my self.

But that I may be yet better understood by every one, I will here adjoyn a way which every one may imitate, and which teacheth how, by the Spirit of Salt alone affording not Gold but Silver, the said operation may be instituted with Copper.

You must take care to have a Vessel made either bigger or lesser, of such matter as the Spirit of Salt cannot spoil or prey upon; And pour thereinto as many pounds of the Spirit of Salt as it will well hold, and as many pounds as there be [of Spirit,] so many ounces of Copper-plate must you put in, and to them add twice as many ounces of Salt, so that to one ounce of Copper there may be two ounces of Salt. The Spirit of Salt being drawn off even till the Copper and Salt be dry, it will be stronger and more in quantity, because, from the adjoyned Salt, it hath acquired to it self an encrease and greater Virtues. Pour this Spirit agen upon the Copper, which in the first distillation was wholly dissolved up; and boil the Spirit of Salt over the fire, that the Copper, together with the Salt, which was not carried over by the Spirit in the first distillation, may be again dissolved.

The Furnace being cool’d, Take the glass out of the Sand, and pass the Spirit of Salt with the dissolved Copper through Cap-paper, and wash the white Calx that remains in the Paper with water, dry it, and melt it with a fix Lixivial Salt, and you shall find as much pure Silver, nay, even somewhat more than the Copper had in it by its own nature. Put the green filtred Solution agen into the Cucurbit, being first well wash’t; of which, if there be six pounds, add thereunto one pound of Salt, and half a pound of Water, that so there may be seven pounds and an half, provided the Cucurbit will contain so many pounds, if not, then put the less matter therein. Then being placed in Sand, draw off the Spirit of Salt from the added Salt, even to dryness, and as much increase as you find it have above six pounds, lay it by, and add as much water to these remaining six pounds, which you must again put upon the dry matter in the Cucurbit, and then agen distill it off till the said matter be dry, and repeat the same Operation again by pouring on and distilling off. If the Spirit of Salt be augmented in quantity one pound, then put more Salt into the Cucurbit, and agen augment the six pounds of Spirit of Salt by the addition of Water, and repeat the pourings on, and drawings off after the aforesaid manner, always removing at each Distillation, the increase that is over and above six pound: and renewing the apposition of more Salt, after that the former is drawn off, untill you shall have gotten in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or tenth Distillation as much Spirit as you at first took, to begin your Distillation, [which was six pound.] Now all the operation consisteth in this knack, namely, that you so operate, as that nothing flies away in fume, for all the encrease ariseth from the Salt and Water which you added thereunto. When you have gained thus much, you may (without adding any more new Salt) pour on the Spirit of Salt several times upon the Salt which is left remaining in the Cucurbit, and agen draw it off so often thencefrom, untill it hath brought over with it self almost all that Salt. Which [Salt] being almost wholly changed by the Spirit of Salt that was poured into the Cucurbit, Dissolve up the remaining Mass of the Copper and Salt, and the Sand being cold, take out your Cucurbit, Filter the Spirit through Cap-paper, and wash the white Powder left in the Paper, and dry it, and melt it as afore with a Lixivial Salt, and you shall have as much pure Silver as the Spirit of Salt was able to fix, of the Copper, in such a time. Then put this green Spirit of Salt into the Cucurbit together with more new Salt, and repeat the said labours ten or twelve times, and the Spirit of Salt will be always encreased and rendred more strong, and the Copper will agen yield forth Silver.