Part 9

Nature then taketh great pains, care, and pleasure, to labour in metals; and puts in them a very great length of Time, to bring them to the last degree of perfection, which settles in Gold, the most perfect and incorruptible substance of all others, and the homogeneall and equall in all his parties: whence it is taken for distributive justice, for mingle a party of Gold with 3. or 4. hundreds of silver, or Copper, leaving them melted together to sport never so little within a little Cruset, every portion how small soever it may be, of silver or copper, will suck up its equall part and portion of gold. It is moreover so exactly depured, that it cannot be altered or corrupted by any thing, that is either in the earth, water, air, or fire, nor by any corrosive or poyson that you can apply thereunto. It is not corrupted by clay, nor burnt with any burning thing: nor mortified or devoured, by any green colouring, or dividing water, there is nothing in it superfluous or defective: There are (saith _Hermes_) seven Metallick bodies, of which the most worthy and principall is gold, attributed unto the Sun: from whence it hath its name, for the same that the Sun is to the stars, gold is toward the elementary bodies, what thing soever burning it can bee, cannot burne it, the earth cannot corrupt it, nor the water destroy nor alter, because its complexion is tempered in heat, moisture, coldnesse and drinesse, and there is nothing in it superfluous or deficient. By reason whereof, I finde that those are farre wide of their accompt, which to keep themselves from poysoning, would serve themselves with vessells of gold to eat and drink in; for gold respects no more poisons nor venomes, then it would doe of capon broth: So do silver, pewter, copper, lead & iron, which would therewith change immediately. Even as a fearful man, and of small resolution, who at the encounter of a Serpent or other venemous beast, would grow suddainly pale, and come to change colour: The care, curiosity, and assiduous travell of infinite, rare, and meditating spirits, by the space of 4 or 5000 years, have found in metals secrets without number, and yet knew not to do so well, but that they have left much more to enquire into, and to search after: although there be but seven in all, comprehending therein running quick-silver.

Wherein it is wonderfull, that Nature so copious and abundant in all her procreations, which are divers, is pleased in this respect with so small a number. Metals then, being such whose regiment depends on fire; which is one of the proper visible symboles to represent the most hidden secrets, and mysteries of Divinity; invisible, and imperceptible to our senses.

The Prophets also, were willing to serve themselves for the most part of their parables, and similitudes, ænigmaes, allegories and figures; where they have covered and hid that which they would not so openly declare, for they have very seldome expressed themselves, as did _Esay_ in his 5 Chapter, where he interprets that the vision of the Lord of Hosts, whereof he there brought a parable, was the people of _Israel_, and the men of _Judah_ his delectable plant. And in another passage many waters, are many nations. Moreover _Ezekiel_, 23. having spoken of the two sisters _Aholah_ and _Aholibah_, he set downe that this was _Samaria_ and that _Jerusalem_. God by the mouth of _Moses_, in the 28. of _Leviticus_, and in the 28. of _Deuteronomy_, threatned the Israelites, said, if they come to mis-know him, and do not keep well his commandements, that he would make the heaven over their head brasse, and the earth under them iron, which are the two most terrestriall metals, and most hard and rebellious to melt and to handle, opposing them to the durity of this people, as it is there said. _I will bruise the pride of your hardnesse, and will make heaven over you as iron, and earth as brasse, your labour shall consume unprofitably, your earth shall not bring forth its seed, nor the tree yeeld any fruit._ For metals produce nothing, but are barren; the Poets of their side have used many sorts of Metaphores, and figures, as in the 6. of the _Æneid._ an iron voice, for a strong and resounding voice, and _Hesiod_ calleth the infernall dog _Cerberus_, χαλκεόφωνος, a voice of brasse, because it is the most sounding metall; _His voice shall sound as brasse_, _Jer._ 16. and _Origen_ upon the 25. of _Exod._ Brasse is taken for a strong and thundering voice, because of its resounding. Although I should speake with the tongue of Angels, and have not charity in me, I am as sounding brasse, and as a tinkling cymball. _Pindarus_ hath appropriated to Heaven the Epithet of χάλκεοσ οὐρανὸς Heaven of brasse, in the 10. of the _Pythians_; because of the firme solidity of the firmament, as the word importeth. _Homer_ doth the same in the 3. of his _Odes_, calleth it πολύχαλκος, most brasse, as _Euripedes_ and _Anaxagoras_, make the Sunne a fired iron; for the Greek Poets ordinarily doe put fire and brasse one for another; the same doth _Homer_ in many places, as in the 4. of the _Iliads_, where _Apollo_ to encourage the _Trojans_, remonstrates unto them, that the Greeks have not impenetrable bodies, of stone, or of iron, that they should be able to resist blowes of cutting brasse, without hurting them. These are manners of speech, which are not very strange amongst the Prophets, who have thereby figured out the most part of their solutions, under which some mysteries were shadowed; which if men would take altogether raw according to the letter, without allegorizing thereupon, they would find themselves farre from their reckoning, as the Martyr _Pamphilus_ said well in the defence of _Origen_, speaking of those who to shunne allegories were constrained to stumble at gross impertinencies. They think it of this sort, said he, for that they would not admit of allegories in the holy writ, by reason whereof, as subjecting themselves to the literall sense, they imagine and invent to themselves fine fables, and fictions. And indeed how could a man take according to the letter that of the 33. of _Deut._ speaking of _Aser_? _Thy shoes shall be iron and brasse_, for he would not say that _Aser_ was shod with iron and brasse, but he would understand thereby his force and power, denoted as well by the two metals, as by the shoe; I _will extend my shoe against Idumæa, strangers are my subjects_; These are all allegories and figures, as also in the 60. of _Esay_, _For brass I bring thee gold, and silver in stead of Iron, brasse for wood, and fire for stones_. Marke well how the Prophet observes the relations opposing brasse to gold, and iron to silver; and againe, brasse to wood, and iron to stones; for as gold excelleth silver, and trees stones, it is the same in the metallique order, brasse is more pretious then iron. But all tends to denote that the heavenly mysticall _Jerusalem_, which is the Church triumphant, so much more excellent then the Jewish Synagogue, which was but a figure thereof. And certainely hee that would looke more narrowly thereinto, the Prophets never spake any thing improperly, even to the least trade or mechanick arts; for in their ravishments they saw things in their reall being, within the _Zipheret_ or supercelestiall Sunne, which is a clear shining looking-glasse, a living source of all Idea’s, as Idea’s are of formes. This is furthermore well to be observed, for the regard of metals, which they associate commonly iron and copper for their affinity; will iron make a covenant with iron from the North? and brasse? for iron is easily changed into copper, by means of vitrioll, by putting them bed upon bed in a descensory with a strong fire of bellowes, so long till the iron grow liquid and melt into copper, having first moistned them with a little vineger, wherein there should be dissolved sal niter, or salt peter, sal alcali, and salt of tartar, with verdigrease. Otherwise put of vitriol in powder, and distill the water in a cornue, that which shall remaine calcined in the bottome, impost it with its water, and therein quench the glowing gads of iron, or filings of iron, you shall find them by little and little reduced into copper: Otherwise yet, dissolve vitrioll in common water, evaporate the water, and calcine the congelation that shall rest in the bottome; dissolve that in the like water, and it will become green, evaporate a part thereof and put the rest in a cave for a night, and you shall see greene flakes. Make them red in the fire, after dissolve them three or four times with distilled vinegar, drying them every time, and the flakes will become red, dissolve them againe in the same vinegar, and therein quench the gads or other iron work, as above said. In briefe, that by the means of vitriol, iron is converted into copper, as we may see in penknifes steeped in inke made of copperas or vitriol.

These flakes here are an entry to a higher work, and of more things for Chirurgery and Medicine. But all these practises (you may say) are long and troublesome and rather chargeable then gainfull, and profitable. Also our intention here, is not to stretch to gaine, this booke is not to get bread, but to penetrate into the secrets of nature: from thence to mount and elevate his spirit to spirituall things, whereto sensible do serve as a stair or as _Jacobs_ ladder; and there are no rarer considerations and observances, then in fire, and metallique transmutations: Copper on the other side, is changed into steele; if it bee true that some _Rabbines_ quote, upon that passage lately alledged out of the 15. of _Jeremiah_ 12. Iron and Brass, the Prophet (say they) calleth Iron mixed with Brasse, Steel, which sheweth (for we must disdain nothing of theirs) that Damake Steel was composed of Iron and Copper, that is to say, of Iron halfe covered in Copper, and softned to restrengthen it the more by means of lead. Whereupon make what _Abuhali_ sets downe in a Book of the nature of things.

Make a little long trench within a barre of iron, and cast thereinto melted lead, then make it evaporate with a strong fire as of a coupelle. Put againe therein new lead four or five times, and the iron will grow soft, which you may afterwards make hard againe quenching it in forge water, to make lancets, and other subtill cutting irons, yea that shall cut other iron, without splinters or gapping. And indeed we have found by experience, that to temper well a harnesse against the shot of harquebuse, we first sweeten it with oils and gums, with wax and the like incerative things; and after we harden them by frequent extinctions, in waters that make it fast againe. _John_ the Grammarian expounding this place of _Hesiod_, they wrought in brasse, for iron was not yet knowne, was forced to relate the word χάλκος to the people _Chalybs_ in _Scythia_, who (saith he) first found out the use of iron and steel: the Poet _Lucretius_ in his 5. booke imitates _Hesiod_ in this kinde,

_Antient arms were hands and nails, Stones and fragments of tree boughes, And flames and fires, were first knowne, Afterwards the force of Iron and Brasse, But the use of Brasse, before Iron._

Steel furthermore is made of the most pure and subtiliate iron; for that it participates lesse of the earthinesse, then iron. The artifice of it, is sufficiently knowne, and is common in forges. But to come to that of _Damas_, you must first resweeten it of its too much bitter tartnesse, and after it is reduced into filings to make it red in a cruset, and quench it many times with oil of Olives, where there hath often times been quenched molten lead, suddenly covering the vessell, for fear lest the oil take flame. There are yet other secret observations, which our intention is not to reveal all; it is enough to have attained to the maxims.

Now for that there is such an affinity between iron, and copper, that they may easily be converted one into the other; the same may likewise be done with lead, and tinne, by means of Sal Armonaick, and of certaine incerative powders of Borax, Salt peter, salt of Tartar, Salalchali, and other the like, which are called Atincars. _Panthee_ in his _Voarchadumie_, oil of glasse. Quicksilver also, is changed into lead or tinne, according as it is congealed to an imperceptible vapour, either of the one, or of the other, in this manner. Melt lead or tinne in a cruset, then let them a little cool, so long that they may be taken, but yet hot, or with a staffe of a torch, or the like, make a trench therein, wherein you shall put quicksilver which will be suddainly congealed, but bruiseable into powder. Reiterate that two or three times, and make it afterwards boil in the juice of _Mercuriale_, and will convert it selfe into metall according to the odour of that it was congealed; there is losse therein and that not a little; but yet at least, we may thereby see a possibility of transmutations of metals: In this respect, furthermore of lead, and tinne, there presents a very fair consideration, very uneasie to comprehend, and doth merit, that the cause thereof should bee sought after. We see by experience, that these two metals, each apart, are very soft, and of a tender fusion, yet being mingled they grow hard, and become firm and solid, touching which see what _Averroes_ sets downe in his Book of Vapours. That which doth consolide, and strengthen tinne, is lead; and reciprocally, lead tinne; for the glewish viscosity, which binds their parties, must consist of moisture and drynesse, this being done, there is no conglutination of tinne with tinne, therefore lead is mingled therewith, which is more moist, and with lead, tinne, which is more dry: so that those two mingled together, strengthen one another, better then being separated, and of their mingling, comes to procreate a glewing viscosity, which causeth in them a greater durity then they had, and binds them more firmly, just as sand, and chalke in the composition of Morter, which _Albertus_ also confirmes in his fourth and fifth chapters of Minerals. But wee will put off all these metallique particularities, and their divers transmutations, to our Treatise of Gold and Glasse, upon the 28. of _Job_, where under gold we wil comprehend all that shal depend on metals: and under glasse, stones, as well naturall, as artificiall; and all vitrifications, and enamels. Here we will take but that which will conduce to our subject, which is to treat of things intelligible, by the sensible: after the imitation of the Prophets, and chiefly metals and fire, whose operation is better known in metals, then in the other composed elements. The Prophets then have set down iron and brasse for a firme resistance. _My strength is not the strength of stones, nor is my flesh brasse, Job 6._ and in the 18. _Psal. Thou hast made my arms as a bow of brasse_. Furthermore in the 4. of _Micah, I will make thy horne iron, and will make thy hoofs brasse_.

As touching iron, for a hard and rigorous oppression, according as it is hard and inflexible of its nature, and which doth suppeditate almost all; I will rule them with a rod of iron in the 2. _Psalm._ and in the 4. of _Deut._ _I have brought thee out of the iron fornace of Ægypt_; there where iron denotes servitude, wherein they were, for the oppression of their persons, and the fornace of fire, was that of their souls and consciences constituted amidst so many Idolatries and impieties, which must be unto them a servitude, more intolerable then all travails and afflictions; and the most cruell and pitilesse usages of their bodies, for as much as the soul excels it, for the zeal which they carry to their God, with the same locution the Ecclesiasticke served himself in his 28. speaking of a wicked tongue; happy is he that can save himself from a wicked tongue, for the yoke thereof is as iron, and his band as the band of brasse. But for affliction and anguish, all openly in the 105. _Psal. v. 18. Iron pierced his soul_, speaking of _Joseph_ a prisoner in _Ægypt_, until his word came. To be short, there is not a point of locution figurative, more frequent in the Prophets, then those that are drawn from metals and from fire, which for the reason of its proprieties and effects, as it is one of the most commodious and necessary things of all others, according as it is said before, for it bakes our viands, it warms us, and doth revigour us against the colds; it clears and lightens in the darkness, in lieu of the suns brightnesse, and other infinite usages, and chiefly for the execution of arts and trades: Otherwise we may say that without iron, fire it selfe would as it were be almost unprofitable for this respect. And _Plato_ doth not exempt one onely art from fire, but the pottery of clay, in the 3. of his Lawes, where he treats very excellently of the life of the first men; and although iron and copper had brought them commodities to civilize themselves and to polish them to a more humane life. So that not without cause, these poor beastly Savages of the _West Indies_, did wonder in their grosse understanding, how people in these parts, so well advised and industrious, for a little piece of gold or silver, unprofitable to all uses, should offer them so liberally hatchets, sithes, reaphooks, and other iron work, commodious for all usages, and which they could so shorten that which they had with so great pain perfected but to the halfe with fire, which was to them for all instruments and tools, with some base pointed flints. But we may here likewise alledge to the contrary the hurts and incommodities that iron bringeth, for of it, are forged all offensive arms, wherewith men shorten their dayes by their reciprocall Massacres: for that, it is _Mars_ his true Minister, and exterminator and ruine of mankinde, as _Jupiter_ qualifies it in the 5. of the Iliads,

_Mars, Mars, the plague and ruine of men, contaminated with murders, overthrower of wals._

Which he could not do, at the least very uneasily without the means and aid of fire. Also they give it the name of _Mars_. But let us here a little consider a pleasant allegory covered under the fiction of _Venus_, _Vulcan_, and _Mars_. _Venus_ without doubt is mankind, which is continued by venereall propagation of linage. Its lawfull spouse is _Vulcan_, which by conjugall love, brings him all or the greatest part of his necessary commodities, by reason of _Mars_, which is iron. But for that he is his adulterer, he also destroyes the greatest part of what shee procreates; and the husband maintains iron for a double use, good, and bad; for we must not measure the works of the Creator by their apparent incommodities or commodities. For God saw all that he had made, and they were very good; for this goes according as the Creatures apply it. Is there any thing more fair, more pleasant or more delectable to the sight, then a cleare shining flame? any thing that doth more rejoice then light? And on the other side, there is nothing more hurtfull, fuller of damage, nor more dangerous then fire, which burneth and consumeth all that comes neare it. A Satyre the first time he saw it, he rejoiced strangely to see it so fair, so clear, but thinking to approach nearer, to embrace, and to caresse it, when he perceived it so offended, with extreame griefe, hee was never after able to come near it. We may also say the same of iron, as _Plinie_ cals it the best and the worst instrument of life; for therewith (saith he) we til the earth, graffe trees, prune vines, with other infinite commodities and usages, as chiefly to build houses for our covert and safety. But on the other side, we imploy it no lesse, if not more, in our mutuall assassinates and massacres to shorten our life; as if it were troublesome to continue so long. Yet it is so short without the inconveniencies that shorten it and make of iron the most pernicious minister and instrument of all others. To which purpose _Istodorus_ said very well,

_From whence a long while agone earth was drawn from thence now bloud shed,_

Which proceeds rather from our malice and depravation, then from the fault of this inanimate insensible substance, which neither moves to good or to bad, but by our selves.

And yet, saith the same _Plinie_, it seems that nature was not willing wholly to excuse it, but to punish it onely, rendring it subject so to rust, more then any other of the brother hood, and principally by mans bloud, which it is so apt to spill.

The same natures benignity, exacting punishment from very iron by rust, from whence humane bloud revengeth it selfe; for being touched therewith it more speedily draweth rust therefrom. And indeed there is nothing which sooner rusteth iron then mans bloud. But this rust because we are purposely falne upon it, it is not altogether unprofitable, though most wholsome to many good effects, as well within as without the body, beyond that which it doth in tinctures. Wherefore it will do no hurt to touch some thing therein in this place, and therein to reveal that which experience hath manifested unto us to be most rare, and most important, but this is handled divers wayes. Take then filings of iron very clean, and besprinkle them with a little distilled vineger, leaving it so in a cave for two or three dayes or other fresh and moist place; and that will all convert into rust, which you shall bruise very subtilly in an iron or a stone morter. Put it in a little pot, and put thereon boiling distilled vineger, stirring it lustily with a staffe or rod of iron, and the vineger will charge it selfe with the dissolution of the rust: turne it by inclination, and put therein other vineger, reiterating that so long, that all the aluminosity and tincture of the iron be dissolved, and that nothing remaines but blacke and dead earths which you must cast away: cause the vineger to evaporate very sweetly, and there will remain a powder of Canneale colour, which the chymists call saffron of iron; which is made also by putting of small pieces of iron to calcine in Glasse makers Ovens for the space of three weeks or a month; and they will reduce themselves to a small and impalpable powder, as dough, red as blood, but it doth not dissolve it selfe in strong waters. There is neither Bole-armonaic, or _Terra Sigillata_, which can compare to them, who know well to practise their proprieties and consemblable effects.

In regard of the former, take of the phlegme of _Aqua vitæ_, and do upon all the same just that which you did with the distilled vineger upon the rust, it will dissolve more then the halfe: withdraw your phlegm by a light distillation, and upon the gum that shall rest congealed, cast fine _Aqua vitæ_, stirring it strongly with a baston upon warme ashes, but you must not warme it so much as the vineger and the phlegme, and when the _aqua vitæ_ shall be well charged of its dissolution, retire it by a slow distillation in _Balneo Marie_, in a limbeck; for it will serve you againe as before: and if that be very proper for the dysenteries, and fluxes of the belly, with exulcerations and gangrens with small shot; as also is the second Crocum drawne by the phlegme, of very great efficacy: and the third yet of more, drawne by _Aqua vitæ_, which will remain in yellow powder the true essence of iron, which we have searched even to the Center. But in all dissolutions take heed to leave them well in repose, and not to receive but the clear, pure, and neat, without any feces or residences; rather put them for an hour in a warm bath to clarifie them. The vineger that remains, and the phlegm, you may filter, but not the _aqua vitæ_, because of its unctuosity: which makes it difficult to separate it, from its residences; we must therefore attend till it be cleare.