Part 14

And although hitherto it hath not been known to men, yet it hath been known to Fairies of the Woods, Nymphs, and Gyants many ages since, because they come from them. For of such Artificiall men, when they come to Mans age, are made Pygmies, Gyants, and other great and monstrous men, who are instruments of great matters, who obtaine great victories against their Enemies, and know all secrets, and mysteries: because by Art they receive their lives, by Art they receive their bodies, flesh, bones, and blood: by Art they are borne; wherefore Art is now incorporated with, and imbred in them, and they need not learn of any, but others are constrained to learn of them, for by Art they have their originall and present existency, as a rose, or flower in a garden, and they are called the children of Fairies, and Nymphs, by reason that in power, and vertue they are like not to Men, but Spirits, &c.

[Sidenote: Of 3 principles Mercury the Spirit, sulphur is the soul, Salt the body.]

Here it is necessary that wee speak something of the generation of Metalls; but because we have wrote sufficiently of that in our book of the generation of Metals, wee shall very briefly treat of it here, only briefly adding what was omitted in that book. Know that all the seven Metalls are brought forth after this manner, out of a threefold matter, _viz._ Mercury, Sulphur, & Salt, yet in distinct, and peculiar colours. For this reason _Hermes_ did not speak amisse, when he said, that of three substances are all the seven Metalls produced, and compounded, as also the Tinctures, and Philosophers Stone. Those 3 substances he calls the Spirit, Soul, and Body: but hee did not shew how this is to bee understood, or what hee did mean by this, although haply hee might know the three Principles, but did not make mention of them. Wherefore we do not say, that he was here in an error, but only was silent now, that those 3 distinct substances may be rightly understood, _viz._ Spirit, Soul, and Body, we must know, that they signifie nothing else but the three Principles, _i.e._ Mercury, Sulphur, Salt, of which all the seven Metalls are generated. For Mercury is the Spirit, Sulphur the Soule, and Salt the Body, but a Metall is the Soul betwixt the Spirit, and the Body (as _Hermes_ saith) which Soule indeed is Sulphur; and unites these two contraries, the Body, and Spirit, and changeth them into one essence, &c.

[Sidenote: Whether metalls can be made artificially by fire.]

Now this is not to bee understood so as that of every Mercury, every Sulphur, or of every Salt, the seven Metalls may be generated, or the Tincture, or the Philosophers Stone by the Art of Alchymie, or industry, with the help of Fire; but all the seven Metalls must be generated in the mountains by the Archeius of the Earth. For the Alchymist shall sooner transmute Metalls, then generate, or make them.

[Sidenote: Living ☿ is the mother of metalls.]

Yet neverthelesse living Mercury is the Mother of all the seven Metalls, and deservedly it may be called the Mother of the Metalls. For it is an open Metall, and as it contains all colours, which it manifests in the Fire, so also occultly it contains all Metalls in it selfe, but without Fire it cannot shew them, &c.

[Sidenote: The regeneration of metalls into tinctures.]

But generation, and renovation of Metalls is made thus: As a man may return into the womb of his Mother, _i.e._ into the Earth, out of which hee was first made a man, and shall again bee raised at the last day: so also all Metalls may returne into living ☿ againe, and become ☿, and by Fire bee regenerated, and purified, if for the space of forty weeks, they bee kept in a continuall heat, as an infant is in his Mothers wombe. So that now there are brought forth not common Metalls, but Tinging Metalls. For if Silver bee regenerated (after the manner as wee have spoken) it will afterward tinge all other Metalls into Silver, so will Gold into Gold, and the like is to bee understood of all the other Metalls.

[Sidenote: The Soul is that medium wherewith the soule is united to the body.]

Now forasmuch as _Hermes_ said, that the soule alone is that medium which joines the spirit to the body, it was not without cause hee said so. For seeing Sulphur is that soule, and doth like Fire ripen, and digest all things; it can also bind the soule with the body, incorporating, and uniting them together, so that from thence may bee produced a most excellent body. Now the common combustible Sulphur is not to bee taken for the soule of metalls, for the soule is another manner of thing then a combustible, and corruptible body.

[Sidenote: What the soule of metalls is.]

Wherefore it can bee destroyed by no Fire, seeing indeed it is all Fire it selfe: and indeed it is nothing else but the quintessence of Sulphur, which is extracted out of reverberated Sulphur by the spirit of wine, being of a red colour, and as transparent as a Rubie: and which indeed is a great, and excellent _Arcanum_, for the transmuting of white metalls, and to coagulate living ☿ into fixt, and true Gold. Esteeme this as an enriching treasure, and thou maist bee well contented with this, onely secret in the Transmutation of Metalls.

[Sidenote: Where is the generation of metalls and mineralls.]

Concerning the generation of mineralls, and halfe metalls nothing else need bee known then what was at first said concerning metalls, _viz._ that they are in like manner produced of the three Principles, _viz._ Mercury, Sulphur, and Salt, although not as metalls of perfect, but of the more imperfect, and baser Mercury, Sulphur, and Salt, and yet with their distinct colours.

[Sidenote: Whence the generation of Gemmes.]

The generation of Gemmes is from the subtilty of the Earth, of transparent and crystalline Mercury, Sulphur, and Salt, even according to their distinct colours.

[Sidenote: Also of Common Stones.]

But the generation of common Stones is of the subtilty of Water, of mucilaginous Mercury, Sulphur, and Salt. For of the mucilaginousnesse of Water are produced all stones, as also sand, and gravell are thence coagulated into Stones, as wee often see.

[Sidenote: An artificiall generation of Stones.]

For any stone put in the Water, doth suddenly contract a mucilaginousnesse to itself. Now if that mucilaginous matter bee taken from this Stone, and coagulated in a glasse, it becomes such a Stone, as was in that Water, but it would require a long time before it would be coagulated of it selfe.

OF THE NATVRE Of Things.

_THE SECOND BOOK._

_Of the growth, and increase of Naturall things._

[Sidenote: Heat and Moisture the cause of the growth of things.]

It is sufficiently manifest, and knowne to every one, that all naturall things grow, and are ripened through heat, and moisture, which is sufficiently demonstrated by rain, and the heat of the sun. For no man can deny that rain doth make the Earth fruitfull, and it is granted by all, that all fruits are ripened by the sun.

[Sidenote: An artificiall ripening of things.]

[Sidenote: God hath subjected all things to man.]

[Sidenote: The artificiall generation of fruit.]

Seeing therefore this is by divine ordination naturally possible, who can gain-say, or not beleeve that a man is able, through the wise, and skilfull Art of Alchymie, to make that which is barren, fruitfull, and that which is crude, to ripen, and all things to grow, and to be increased. For the Scripture saith, that God subjected all creatures to man, and put them into his hands as being his own, that hee might use them for his necessity, and rule over the fish of the sea, fowles of the aire, and all things upon the Earth, nothing excepted. Wherefore man might well rejoice that God should so endow him with the excellency of Nature, that all the creatures of God should be forced to obey, and be subject to him, especially the whole Earth, and all things which are bred, live, and move in, and upon it. Since therefore wee see with our eyes, and are taught by daily experience, that by how much the oftner, & more abundantly the rain doth moisten the earth, and the sun doth again with its heat and warmth dry it, so much the sooner doe the fruits of the Earth come forth and are ripened, yea all fruits doe cleerly grow, and increase, what time of the yeer soever it be; Let no man henceforth wonder, that the Alchymist also by a manifold imbibition, and distillation should not doe the same. For what else is rain but the imbibition of the Earth? and the heat of the Sun, but the distillation of the Sun, which drawes up those humidities again? Wherefore I say it is possible by such a kind of Art, even in the midle of Winter to bring forth green Herbs, Flowers, and other fruit, through Earth, and Water, out of the seed, and root: If then this can bee done in all Herbs, and flowers, it may also bee done in many other like things, as in all mineralls, whose imperfect metalls by vertue of a minerall water may bee brought to maturity through the industry, and Art of a skilfull Alchymist.

[Sidenote: The ripening of mineralls.]

In like manner may all _Marcasites_, _Granati_, _Zineta_, _Arsenica_, _Talka_, _Cachymie_, _Bisemuta_, _Antimonies_, &c. (all which carry with them crude Gold, and Silver,) bee so ripened, that they may bee equalized to the most rich veins of Gold, and Silver, only by this Art. So also the Elixir, and tinctures of metals are brought to maturity, and perfected.

[Sidenote: What the growing of the beard of a dead man signifies.]

Seeing therefore, as it hath been said, moisture, and heat doe ripen all things, and make them grow, Let none wonder, that the beard, haire, or nailes of a malefactor hanging on a Gibbet, or Wheel do for a long time grow, neither let it be accounted for a sign of his innocency, as the ignorant beleeve, for this is naturall, and from naturall causes. For whilest that any moisture remains in him, his beard, haire, and nailes grow, even till the second year, or till hee bee wholly putrefied, &c.

[Sidenote: The augmentation of ☉.]

Wee must also know, that there are many things that grow for ever, and are increased in bignesse, weight, and vertue, in the Water, and Earth, in which they continue good, and efficacious, as are Metalls, Marcasites, Cachymie, Talka, Granuty, Antimony, Bisemuta, Gemmes, Pearles, Corals, all Stones, and Clay. So also it may be ordered, that Gold may grow, and bee increased in weight, and body, if only it bee buryed in the Earth looking towards the _East_, and bee alwaies soiled with the fresh urine of a man, and pigeons dung.

[Sidenote: How Gold may be generated in a glasse.]

It is possible also that Gold, through industry, and skill of an expert Alchymist may bee so far exalted, that it may grow in a glasse like a tree, with many wonderfull boughs, and leaves, which indeed is pleasant to behold, and most wonderful.

[Sidenote: How the Philosophicall Tree is made.]

The processe is this. Let Gold bee calcined with _Aqua Regis_, till it becomes a kind of chalke, which put into a gourd glasse, and poure upon it good new _Aqua Regis_, so that it may cover it foure fingers breadth, then again draw it off, with the third degree of fire, untill no more ascend. The water that is distilled off, poure on againe, then distill it off againe. This doe so long untill thou seest the Gold to rise in the glasse, and grow after the manner of a tree, having many boughes, and leaves: and so there is made of Gold a wonderful, and pleasant shrub, which the Alchymists call their Golden hearb, and the Philosophers Tree. In like manner you may proceed with Silver, and other Metalls, yet so that their calcination bee made after another manner, by another _Aqua fortis_, which I leave to thine experience. If thou art skilled in Alchymie, thou shalt not erre in these things.

[Sidenote: To make an artificiall stone of any forme.]

Know also that any flint taken out of River water, (and put into a gourd glasse, having River water poured upon it, that the glasse may bee filled, which Water is againe to bee distilled off as long as a drop will arise, and the Stone dryed, and the Glasse againe filled with this Water, and againe distilled off, and this done so long till the Glasse bee filled with this Stone) may in a few dayes by the Art of Alchymie bee made very great, which the Archeius of the Waters could scarce doe in many yeers.

If then thou breake the Glasse, thou shalt have a Flint in the forme of the Glasse, as if it had been put into the Glasse, and although this bee not for profit, yet it is a thing that is strange, and wonderfull.

OF THE NATVRE Of Things.

_THE THIRD BOOK._

_Of the preservations of Naturall things._

[Sidenote: The enemies of things are to be knowne.]

[Sidenote: Death is the enemie of things.]

[Sidenote: There is a Contrariety found in all things.]

That things may bee preserved, and kept from harm, it is necessary in the first place to know what is an enemie to them, that so they may be preserved from that, & not be hurt, or corrupted by it either in substance, vertue, power, or any way whatsoever. Much therefore in this case depends upon the knowing of the Enemie of all Naturall things. For who can take heed of danger when hee doth not know what can hurt him? Truly no body; Wherefore it is necessary to know ones Enemie, For there are many sorts of Enemies. Wherefore it is as necessary to know evill things, as good things: for who can know what is good, without the knowing of what is evill? Truly no body. So no man can know what a blessing health is, that was never sick. Who knows what joy is, that was never heavy, or sad? And who can rightly understand what God is, who knew nothing of the Devil? Wherefore when God made known to us the Enemie of our Soul, _viz._ the Devill, he also signified to us the Enemie of our life, _viz._ Death, which is the Enemie of our body, of our health, and the Enemie of Medicinall, and all naturall things: also he made known to us how, and by which means it may be shunned. For as there is no disease against which there is not created, and found some remedy, which should cure, and expell it: so also there is alwaies one thing ordained against another, one Water against another, one Stone against another, one Minerall against another, one Poison against another, one Metall against another: and so in many more things, all which it is not requisite here to recite.

Now how, and by what means every thing is to bee preserved, and kept from hurt, wee must know, that many things are to bee preserved in the Earth, and especially all rootes doe for a long time remaine in the Earth without losing their vertue, or being corrupted: in like manner herbs, flowers, and all fruites continue in the water incorrupted, and green: there are also many fruits, and apples that may be preserved in water from all manner of putrefaction, untill new fruit come againe.

[Sidenote: How to preserve flesh and blood.]

So also flesh, and blood, which indeed are putrefied, and grow unsavoury quickly, are preserved in cold fountain-water, and not only so, but by the addition of new and fresh fountaine-water, may be turned into a quintessence, and bee forever preserved from putrefaction, and an ill savour, without any balsome. And this doth not only preserve the flesh, and blood of dead things, but also of the living, wherefore Mans body may bee preserved from all manner of putrefaction, and divers diseases that proceed from putrefaction, better then common Mummie. Now that blood may be preserved of it self from putrefaction, and stinking, and not as a quintessence, & so as it may preserve the blood of the living (as we now said) thou must follow this processe.

[Sidenote: How the Arcanum of mans blood is to be prepared.]

Let the blood bee separated from its flegm, which is separated of its selfe, and is driven to the upper part. This water poure gently out of the vessell, and in stead of it put as much of the water of the salt of blood, which water wee teach to make in our Chirurgerie: That water doth presently mixe with the blood, and preserves it so, that it will never bee putrefied, or grow unsavory, but continue many years as fresh, and very red as it was the first day: and this indeed is a great wonder. But if thou dost not know how to make this water, or hast it not in readiness, then poure upon it so much of the best, and most excellent balsome, and this will doe the same. Now, this blood is the balsome of balsomes, and is called the _Arcanum_ of blood, and it is so wonderful, and of such great vertue, that it is incredible to be spoken; wherefore thou shalt conceale it as a great secret in Physick.

[Sidenote: How metalls may be preserved.]

[Sidenote: What are the enemies of metalls.]

In preserving of Metalls, their Enemies are first to bee known, that so much the better they may bee preserved from harme. The chiefest Enemies of Metalls are all sharp corroding Waters, all Corrosive things, all Salts, crude Sulphur, Antimony, and Mercury. But that you may know particularly how they show their enmity, it is thus. Sharp Waters, and such things as are Corrosive, and Salts shew their enmity, in that they mortifie, dissolve, calcine, corrupt Metalls, and reduce them to nothing.

[Sidenote: How the fume of Sulphur doth discolour metalls.]

Crude Sulphur shews its enmity in the fume thereof: for by its fume it takes away from Copper its colour, and rednesse, and makes it white. From white Metalls, as Silver, Tinne, Lead, and Iron it takes away the whitenesse, and makes them red, and yellowish. From Gold it takes away that faire amiable yellownesse, and golden colour, and makes it black, and so foule, that nothing can bee more foule.

[Sidenote: How Antimony spoiles and discolours metalls.]

Antimony shews its enmity in this, in that all Metalls with which it is melted, or mixed, it spoiles, carryeth away, and preys upon, and also not unlike to Sulphur, by its fume it takes away from Metalls their true, and naturall colour, and brings in another.

[Sidenote: Quicksilver distroyes metalls, and how.]

[Sidenote: How the loadstone may be spoyled.]

Quicksilver doth destroy Metalls upon this accompt, in that it enters into Metalls, with which it is joined, and dissolves them, so that it makes an Amalgama of them: Wherefore the fume thereof, which wee call common Mercury, makes all Metalls brittle, that they cannot bee malleated, and calcines them, also it makes all red Metalls of a golden colour, to bee white: but it is the greatest enemie of all to Iron, and Steel; for if common Mercury doe but touch a barre of Iron, or Steel, or that be but smeared over with Mercuriall oile, that bar will afterward be broken like glasse, and be bowed; which indeed is a great secret, and deserves to be kept exceeding close. In like manner must the Loadstone be kept from Mercury, for the like enmity it shews to that as to Iron. For any Loadstone that Mercury hath but touched, or which hath been smeered with Mercuriall oyle, or only put into Mercury, will never draw Iron more. Let no man wonder at this, for there is a naturall cause for it, and it is this, _viz._ because Mercury extracts the spirit of Iron, which was hid in the Loadstone, which spirit draws the spirit of Iron to it: and this is not only in the Loadstone, but in all naturall things else, so that alwaies a strange spirit in a body which is not of the same Nature with it selfe, drawes to it self a body which is of the same Nature: and this wee must know to bee so, not only in the Loadstone, but also in all other naturall things, as Mineralls, Stones, Hearbs, Roots, Men, and Brutes.

[Sidenote: What antipathy there is betwixt metalls themselves.]

That Metalls have an enmity, and hate one the other naturally, as you see in Lead, which is naturally a very great enemy to Gold. For it breaks asunder all parts of Gold, it makes it foule, weak, spoiles, and destroyes it even to death, more then any other Metall.

Tin also hates, and is an enemy to all Metalls: for it makes them base, immalleable, hard, unprofitable, if it bee mixed with them in the fire, or in melting.

Since therefore you have now heard of the Enemies of Metalls, you must next know their preservatives, which keep them from all manner of hurt, or corruption, also strengthen them in their Nature, and vertue, and exalt their colour.

[Sidenote: Gold is preserved in boyes urine.]

First therefore concerning Gold, you must know, that it cannot bee preserved better, and fairer then in boyes urine, in which Salt Armoniack is dissolved, or in water alone of Salt Armoniack. In them in time the colour is so highly exalted that it can bee exalted no higher.

[Sidenote: How silver is preserved.]

[Sidenote: How Iron and Steel may be preserved.]

[Sidenote: How Copper is preserved.]

Silver cannot be better preserved then if it be boiled in common Water, or Vineger, in which Tartar or Salt have been dissolved. So any old Silver, that is made black, and fouled, is renewed by being boiled in these waters. The best preservative for Iron and Steel is the lard of a Barrow-hog not salted, which indeed preserves Iron, and Steel from rust, if once every moneth they be smeered over with it. Also if Iron bee melted with fixt Arsenicke, it will be so renewed and fixt, that it will like Silver never contract rust. Copper may be preserved, if it bee only mixed with sublimed Mercury, or bee smeered over with the oyle of Salt; and so it will never any more be grown over with verdegrease.

[Sidenote: How Lead is preserved.]

[Sidenote: How the Loadstone is preserved.]

Lead can no wayes bee better preserved then in cold Earth, and in a moist place, according to the Nature thereof. The Loadstone is preserved best of all with the filings of Iron, and Steel, for by this meanes it is never weakened, but daily strengthened.

[Sidenote: The preservation of Salts.]

Now concerning the preservation of Salts, and all things, that are of a saltish Nature, and may be comprehended under the name of Salt (of which there are more then an hundred sorts) you must know that they are to bee preserved in a hot dry place, and in woodden vessells, not in Glasse, Stone, or Metalls: for in those they are dissolved and become a Water, and an Amalgama which cannot be in Wood.

[Sidenote: The preservation of liquors with oils.]

Moreover you must know how some kind of Waters, and Liquors pressed out of hearbs, roots, and all other fruits, and Vegetables, which doe easily contract filth, and slime as if a skin were spread over them, may be preserved. These Waters therefore, and Liquors must bee put up into glasses that are narrow towards the top, and wide below, and the glasses be filled to the top, then adde a few drops of oyl Olive, that all the Water, or Liquor may bee covered: so the Oyl will swim on the top, and preserve the Liquor, or Water a long time from filth or slime. For there is no Water, or liquor if it bee covered with oyl, that will bee musty, or of an ill savour.

By this means also may two sorts of Water, of Liquors of Wine bee kept apart in one vessell, that they may not bee mixed: and not only two sorts, but three, four, five, and more, if only the oyle bee put betwixt: For they are severed by the Oyle, as by a wall, which wil not suffer them to be joined together, and united, for oyle and water are two contraries, and neither can be mixed with the other: For as the Oyle will not suffer the Waters to be united, so on the contrary, the Water will not suffer the Oyls to be mixed.

[Sidenote: How clothes are preserved.]

Now to preserve Cloath, and Garments from moths, there is no better way then with Mastick, Camphire, Amber Gryse, and Muske, and Civet, which indeed is the best of all, which doth not only preserve them from moths, but also, drives away moths, and all other vermine, as Fleas, Lice, &c.