Chapter 6

Wherefore take one part of the Oil, or half an Ounce of _Saturn_, four Ounces calcined according to Art, pour the Oil upon the _Calx_ of _Saturn_, mixing it, set it ten daies and nights in the heat, into the secret Furnace; every two days augment the fire one degree, according to the capacity of the Furnace; after four days and nights set it into the third degree of Fire, therein let it rest three days and nights, then open the Door or Vent of the fourth degree, which must likewise continue three days and nights; afterwards take it out, the _Saturn_ will be above black, like unto Charcole dust, but under this black dust you will find other Colours, throughout pure, red, yellow, which flux with _Venetian Borax_, you will find it converted into good Gold by the power of our Oil, so have you means again to set forward the great work.

We return again to our purpose, where we left off before. You have heard, and have been instructed how to abstract the Spirit of Wine with the Oil over the helm into the Receiver, and to use it for the work to convert _Saturn_ into Gold. But we will now hasten to the other work of the Tincture, and give advice concerning it. It will therefore be necessary to separate the Spirit of Wine again from the Oil, which do as followeth;

Take the mixture of the Spirit of Wine, and of the Oil, set it into _Balneum Mariae_; distil the Spirit of Wine only from the Oil with a very slack heat, so that you may be assured that there is no more of the Spirit to be found in this most precious Oil, which you may easily try; when you see some of the drops ascend over with the Spirit of Wine, it is a sign that the Spirit of Wine is separated from the Oil, then remove all the fire from under the Bath, how little soever it be, that it may cool the sooner. Take away the Receiver with the Spirit of Wine, stop it very close, for it is full of Spirits which it hath retained from the Oil, as you will hear afterwards: But in _Balneum Mariae_ you will find that blessed Oil of _Antimony_ red as Bloud; take it out, wash the Lute off by gentle mollification, that nothing impure may fall into that curious red Oil, when you take the head off; reserve it carefully, that by no means it may receive prejudice, for you have a Celestial Oil, which in a dark night shines like a glowing Cole, and this is the reason, because its internal power and soul is cast forth externally, the hidden Soul being now revealed, shining through the pure Body as a Candle through a Lanthorn, even so at the last day, these our invisible internal Souls shall be revealed, and seen out of the Body, shining as the clear Sun: So keep each apart, as well the Spirit of wine full of power, and wonderful in curing humane Distempers, as also the blessed, red, noble, celestial Oil, which transmutes all the Diseases of the imperfect Metals into the perfection of Gold; and the power of the spiritual Wine extends very far being rightly used.

I tell you, you have obtained a Celestial Medicine, to cure all the Diseases and Distempers of Mans Body; its use is, as followeth;

_In the Gout._

Give three drops in a Cup of Wine fasting to the Party, just at the time when he feels the beginning of his misery, anguish and pain to come upon him, the second and third, use it in like manner; it allaies all pain the first day how great soever it be, and prevents Swelling; the second day it causes Sweat, which is very nasty, tough and thick, very soure in taste, and of an evil sent, and most of all in those parts where the Members are united and joined together by the Joints; and if you should give none in the third day, yet will there be a purgation of the Veins, and of the Excrements, without any molestation or pain; is not this a great power of Nature?

_In the Leprosie._

At the first time take six drops fasting, and cause the impure party to be alone, free from sound people, in a place far distant, and commodious; for all his Body will begin to send forth Fumes and Steams, like unto a stinking Fog, and Vapours abundantly; the next will Scales and much Uncleanness fall from his Body; then let him have three drops of this Medicine, and let him take it in on the fourth day, afterwards on the eighth or ninth day by the assistance of Gods Grace and Blessing, he will be quite clean.

_In the Apoplexie._

Let one drop fall upon the tongue of the Patient, it will attract it forth immediately like unto a Mist or Fume, and restore the party again; but if he were taken in the Body, or in the Members and Limbs, then give him three drops at once in good wine, as you have been taught in the Gout.

_In the Dropsie._

Give one drop in baulm water, or Valerian water six days together, the seventh day give three drops in good wine, and it is sufficient.

_In the Falling Sickness, and its kinds, as Epilepsie, Catalepsie, and Analepsie._

In the beginning of the Fit give the Patient two drops in Sage-water, after three hours, give him three drops more, and it is sufficient. But if in case any thing should stir again, give him two drops, as hath been said.

_In a Hectick._

Give the party two drops the first day in water of Violets, the second day two drops more in good Wine.

_In Agues._

Give the party three drops in the beginning of the Fit, early in a morning, in good distilled water of St. _John_'s wort, or of Succory, and the next day two drops more fasting.

_In the Plague._

Give the Patient seven drops in good Wine, let the infected party be alone, and let him sweat well upon it, by the Divine Assistance that poison will not prejudice him as to his Life.

_For a prolongation of a healthful Life._

Take and give two drops at the beginning and entrance of the Spring, and in the beginning or entrance of Autumn likewise two drops; every one that so takes it, is freed, and well preserved from unhealthful and infectious Air, except the Disease were by Almighty God ordained for the death of the party.

We will now step further to the Oil, and its Power, and shew how by it the Diseases of the impure Bodies of the Metals may be cured.

In the Name of God, take very pure, fine, refined Gold, as much as you will, or think to be sufficient, dissolve it in a rectified Wine, as is usual to make _Aqua vitae_; after solution of the Gold, set it a Moneth in digestion; this distil in a Bath very slow and gently, distil the Spirit of Wine divers times from it, so long till you see your Gold lie at the bottom like a Juice: This is the true way and meaning of some of the Ancients, to prepare Gold. But I will shew and teach you a way much readier, better, and more beneficial; that in stead of this prepared Gold, you take one part of the _Mercury_ of Gold, as I have taught the making of it in another place; abstract from it its water of Airiness, that it may be a subtle Dust, and take two parts of our blessed Oil, poure the Oil very slowly upon the Dust of the _Mercury_ of Gold, till all be in it, set it in a Vial well sealed, in the heat of the first degree of the secret Furnace; therein let it stand ten dayes and nights, your Powder and Oil will be quite dry, of a black gray colour. After ten days give it the heat of the second degree, the gray and black colour will by little and little become white, till at last it will be of a heavenly white, and at the end of the ten days it will begin to be of a pure red, but let not this trouble you; for all these Colours proceed only from the _Mercury_ of Gold, which swallowed up our blessed Oil, and now conceals in the innermost part of its Body; but our Oil will conquer this _Mercury_ of Gold by the power of the fire, and cast it forth from within, and the Oil will predominate over it with its hot red Colour, and be continually outwards. And therefore it will be time, after the expiration of twenty days, that you open the window of the third degree, wherein the external white Colour and Power will by little and little enter in into the inward part, and the internal red Colour will turn outward by the force of the fire. Keep this degree of heat ten days without diminution or augmentation of it, you will see a Powder which before was white, to be now very red, but let not redness trouble you, for 'tis yet unfix'd and volatile. And after these ten days are ended, thirty days being in all expired, then open the last window of the last degree of fire, keep it ten days in this degree, this high red pouder will then begin to flux, let it stand so in flux the ten days, then take it out, you will find at the bottom a very high, red, transparent stone of a Ruby Colour, flux'd according to the form of the Glass, as is taught in the Treatise of _Vitriol_, wherewith you may make projection. Praise God for such his high Revelation, and thank him for ever, _Amen_.

_Its Multiplication._

The Ancient Wise, having found the Stone, and prepared it to a perfect power, and mutation of the imperfect Metals into Gold, have a long time enquired whether a thing were not to be found to augment the power of the Stone; and they found two kinds of Augmentation, one of the power of it, so that the Stone may be brought much higher; of this multiplication you will find direction in the Treatise of Gold. The other Augmentation is an augmentation of the quantity of the Stone, in its former power, so that it receives no more, nor loses any thing of its power, though it increase in weight, and augment more and more, that out of one Ounce many Ounces arise and increase.

The Augmentation or Multiplication is done as followeth; Take your Stone in Gods Name, grind it to a subtile powder, add to it as much of the _Mercury_ of Gold, as is taught before, put them together into a fine round Vial, seal it hermetically, set it into the fiery Furnace, proceeding as you have been instructed before, only this time is shorter, for whereas before you had ten (thirty) days, now you need no more than four (ten) days, otherwise the work is one and the same.

Praise and give thanks to Almighty God for his high Revelation, continue in Prayer for his Grace and Divine Blessing in this Art and Operation, as likewise for continuance of Health and Prosperity; withal let the poor be recommended to your Help and Charity.

* * * * *

_Glory be to Almighty God._

_A Work of_ Saturn, _of Mr._ John Isaac Holland.

The PREFACE.

Courteous Reader,

_The_ PHILOSOPHERS _have written much of their Lead which is prepared out of_ Antimony, _as_ Basilius _hath taught; and I am of the opinion, that this Saturnine Work of the most_ _excellent Philosopher M._ John Isaac Holland _is not to be understood of common Lead_, (_if the Matter of the Stone be not much more thereby intended_) _but of the_ Philosophers _Lead. But whether the Vulgar_ Saturn _be the Matter of the Philosophers Stone, thereof you will receive sufficient satisfaction from the subsequent 17 Considerations or Documents. This is published for the benefit of all the Lovers of this Art, because it expounds and declares the Stone of Fire._ Vale.

_A Work of_ Saturn

_In the Name of the Lord_, Amen.

My Child shall know, that the Stone called the _Philosophers Stone_, comes out of _Saturn_. And therefore when it is perfected, it makes projection, as well in mans Body from all Diseases, which may assault them either within or without, be they what they will, or called by what name soever, as also in the imperfect Metals.

And know, my Child, for a Truth, that in the whole vegetable work there is no higher nor greater Secret than in _Saturn_; for we do not find that perfection in Gold which is in _Saturn_; for internally it is good Gold, herein all Philosophers agree, and it wants nothing else, but that first you remove what is superfluous in it, that is, its impurity, and make it clean, and then that you turn its inside outwards, which is its redness, then will it be good Gold; for Gold cannot be made so easily, as you can of _Saturn_, for _Saturn_ is easily dissolved and congealed, and its _Mercury_ may be easily extracted, and this _Mercury_ which is extracted from _Saturn_, being purified and sublimed, as _Mercury_ is usually sublimed, I tell thee, my Child, that the same _Mercury_ is as good as the _Mercury_ which is extracted out of Gold, in all operations; for if _Saturn_ be Gold internally, as in truth it is, then must its _Mercury_ be as good as the _Mercury_ of Gold, therefore I tell you, that _Saturn_ is better in our work than Gold; for if you should extract the _Mercury_ out of Gold, it would require a years space to open the body of Gold, before you can extract the _Mercury_ out of the Gold, and you may extract the _Mercury_ out of _Saturn_ in 14 days, both being alike good.

Would you make a work out of Gold alone, you must labour two whole years upon it, if it shall be well done: and you may finish a work of _Saturn_ in 30 or 32 weeks at the most. And being both well made, they are both alike good; _Saturn_ costs nothing or very little, it requires a short time, and small labour; this I tell you in truth.

My Child, lock this up in thy heart and understanding, this [Symbol: Saturn] is the Stone which the Philosophers will not name, whose name is concealed unto this day; for if its name were known, then many would operate, and the Art would be common, because this work is short, and without charge, a small and mean work.

Therefore doth the name remain concealed; for the evils sake which might thence proceed. All the strange Parables which the Philosophers have spoken mystically, of a Stone, a Moon, a Furnace, a Vessel, all this is _Saturn_; for you must not put any strange thing unto it, only what comes from it, therefore there, is none so poor in this world, which cannot operate and promote this work; for _Luna_ may be easily made of _Saturn_, in a short time, and in a little longer time _Sol_ may be made out of it. And though a man be poor, yet may he very well attain unto it, and may be employed to make the _Philosophers Stone_.

Wherefore my Child, all is concealed in _Saturn_, which we have need of, for in it is a perfect _Mercury_, in it are all the Colours of the world, which may be discovered in it; in it are the true black, white and red Colours, in it is the weight, it is our _Lattin_.

_Example._

The eye of a man cannot endure any thing that is imperfect, how little soever it be, though it be the least Atome of Dust, it would cause much pain, that he can rest no where. But if you take the quantity of a Bean of _Saturn_, shave it smooth and round, put it into the Eye, it will cause no pain at all; the reason is, because it is internally perfect, even as Gold and Precious Stones. By these and other Speeches you may observe, that _Saturn_ is our _Philosophers Stone_, and our _Latten_, out of which our _Mercury_ and our Stone is extracted with small Labour, little Art and Expence, and in a short time.

Wherefore I admonish you, my Child, and all those who know its name, that you conceal it from people, by reason of the evil which might thence arise; and you shall call the Stone our _Laton_, and call the Vinegar Water, wherein our Stone is to be wash'd; this is the Stone and the Water whereof the Philosophers have wrote so many great Volumes.

There are many and different works in the Mineral Stone, and especially in that Stone which God hath given us _gratis_, whereof many strange Parables are written in the Mineral Book.

But this is the true Stone, which the Philosophers have sought, because it makes projection upon all the imperfect Metals, especially upon quick _Mercury_, and moreover it makes projection upon all diseases whatsoever, which may come into mans Body, as likewise upon all Wounds, _Cancer_, _Fistulaes_, _open Sores_, _Buboes_, _Imposthumes_, and all whatsoever can come externally upon mans Body, therefore this Stone is not under the Mineral work, but under the Vegetable.

It is the beginning of the Vegetable Book, and the principal; this Stone is called _Lapis Philosophorum_, the Mineral Stone is called _Lapis Mineralis_, and the third Stone is called _Lapis Animalis_. This Stone is the true _Aurum potabile_, the true Quinessence which we seek, and no other thing else in this world but this Stone. Therefore the Philosophers say, whosoever knows our Stone, and can prepare it, needs no more, wherefore they sought this thing and no other.

My Child shall take 10, 12, or 15 pound of _Saturn_, wherein is no mixture of any other Metal; laminate it thin, have in readiness a great Stone Jugg, half full of Vinegar, stop the Jugg very close, set it in a Lukewarm Bath, every three or four days scrape off the calcin'd _Saturn_ from the Plates, and reserve it apart, thus do so long till you have 5 or 6 _l._ of the calcin'd _Saturn_, then grind it very well on a Stone with good distilled Wine-Vinegar, so as you may paint therewith, then take two or three great Stone-pots, therein put the _Calx_ of _Saturn_ which you ground, poure good distilled Wine-Vinegar upon it, that two parts of the Pot be full, stir it well together, stop the Pot close with a polished Glass or Pebble-stone, set the Pots in a Bath, stir it four or five times in a day with a wooden Ladle, lay the Glass or Stone Stopple again over it, make the Bath no hotter than that you may well endure your hand therein, that is, lukewarm; so let it stand fourteen days and nights, then decant that which is clear into another Stone-pot, poure other distilled Vinegar upon the _Calx_ which is not well dissolved, mix them well together, set it 14 days in the Bath, again decant it, and poure other Vinegar upon it as before. This decantation and pouring on continue so long till all the _Calx_ of _Saturn_ be dissolved, then take all the dissolved _Saturn_, set it in a Bath, evaporate the Vinegar by a small fire, the _Saturn_ will become a powder or lump. Or stir it about until it be dry, you have a mass or powder of a dark yellow, or honey colour, then grind the powder again very finely upon a Stone with distilled Vinegar; put it into a stone-pot, stir and mix it well together, set it again into a Bath, which is but lukewarm so let it stand five or six dayes, stir it every day from the top to the bottom with a wooden Ladle, cover it again with the glass-Stopple, then let it cool, poure off that which is dissolved into a great stone pot, poure other Vinegar upon it, mix and stir them well together, set it into the Bath as before, reiterate this decantation and pouring on so often, till no more will dissolve, which try with your tongue, if it be sweet, it is not enough dissolved, or put some of it into a glass-gourd, let it evaporate, if any thing remain, it is not yet all dissolved which would be Gold, and then what remaines in the pot are _Faeces_, and sweet upon the Tongue; if you find any thing in the Gourd, it is not yet all dissolved, then may you poure fresh Vinegar upon it, till all be dissolved, then coagulate it as before, poure other Vinegar upon it, stir it, set it again into the Bath, reiterate this operation of solution and coagulation so long till you find no more _Faeces_ at the bottom, but all be dissolved into a pure clear water, then is _Saturn_ freed from all its Leprousness, Melancholy, _Faeces_, and blackness, being pure and white as Snow, for it is cleansed from all its uncleanness, because its coldness stands outwards as _Luna_ doth, and its heat is internal, fluxible as wax, and sweet as sugar Candy.

_Why is it as white as Snow?_

Because it is purified from all its impurities, and because its coldness stands external as _Luna_ doth, and its heat is internal.

_Why is it sweet?_

Because the four Elements in it are pure, and separated from all sulphurous stink and blackness, which _Saturn_ received in the Mine; it is almost Medicinal, and like unto Nature: And because it is so pure, it affords some of its internal virtue outwardly, as that of Sweetness; but the heat is so covered with the cold, that it cannot put forth its power externally by reason of the cold which is external (the heat of _Saturn_ lies internal, even as in _Salt-Nitre_) as doth the Taste, the Spirit of Tasting is the most subtile in all things, as is taught more at large in the Book of Vegetables, how the Air doth dilate it self from all Herbs and Flowers externally; for the Spirit of the Air lies in the inward part of all things; for God created nothing in this world but it hath its peculiar Taste or Air, the Air and the Taste are one Spirit, the Taste goes out of the Air, as Smoke from the Fire.

But how comes it to pass, that a thing which hath a sweet Air, is bitter in Taste? The cause is, because the _Faeces_ of that thing are putrid and stinking in the Elements, that is the Choler or Heat; for whatsoever is unnaturally hot, hath a bitter Taste; the Air and the Taste are both one Spirit, and as the Spirit of the Air presses outwards through a hot thing, so doth the Air embrace the Taste about, and descends the subtile Taste, that it should not be burnt by the vehement burning Choler, as in the Herbal is at large express'd.

But the cause why _Saturn_ is sweet in Taste is, that it is almost pure and clean, having scarce any unnatural heat in it, which can burn the subtile Tast, therefore it hath the Taste externally, and the Taste hath the Spirit of the Air lock'd up in it.

My Child, know what I said before, that a thing wherein is much burning heat, the Air locks up the Taste therein, because the Taste shall not be corrupted by the unnatural heat. So the Taste includes the Air in it, when it issues forth from a thing which is externally cold; for the subtil Spirits of the Air or Sent of a thing can endure no Cold, as we see daily in Herbs and Flowers that they yield no Sent in the Winter, as they do in the Summer; but they hide themselves in the Winter, and the Spirit hath the Sent inclosed in it, and the Spirit of Sent or Air. Behold a man that hath taken Cold, immediately he loses his Sent, and his Tasting is diminished. Even so it is here with _Saturn_; it is quite cold, so that the Taste manifests it self with the Spirit of Sent; for the Spirit of the Taste hath the Smell in it. Look upon Sugar which is well clarified from its _Faeces_, how sweet it is in Taste, yet it yields no Sent, yet there is an extraordinary sweetness in Sugar. What is the reason of this? Sugar is very cold externally, therefore is it white as Snow, and of a sweet Taste; yet Sugar internally is hot and moist, of the temper of Gold, and of such great virtue that it is called the Philosophers Stone, as it is approved, and very prevalent to cure all the Distempers of mans Body, as appears by its operation. The reason why I say this, my Child, is, that you should altogether understand its internal & external, and the Spirits which are in these things, whereof we discourse; that thereby you should know Gods wonderful works, and what wonders he works in these inferiour things, which are all made for our use.

_What hath God in us, for whose sake he hath created all these Wonders, and all these things?_

Wherefore, my Child, believe in God, love him, and follow him, for he loves you, as he makes it appear, and manifests himself in all things, as well in their Internals as in their Externals. O how wonderful is our Lord and God, from whom all Wonders proceed!

_Now, my Child, why is_ Saturn _fluxible as Wax?_