The Tomb of Semiramis Hermetically Sealed

THE TOMB OF SEMIRAMIS Hermetically Sealed, Which if a Wiſe-man open (not the Ambitious Covetous Cyrus) he ſhall find the Treaſures of Kings, inexhauſtible Riches to his content.

H. V. D.

He that exerciſeth Love, will apprehend what I ſay: but if I ſpeak to the ungrateful, he ſhall not comprehend my ſayings.

S. Aug. of Divine Love.

London, Printed for William Cooper at the Pelican in Little Britain. 1684.

Moſt Noble and moſt Famous, S.R.J. curious in the inſpection of Nature, and my moſt honoured Patrons.

NOt only in former times, but alſo in this old Age of the World, nothing hath been deeper buried, nor hitherto more deſired by all, eſpecially the lovers of Art, than the knowledg of that great Myſtery of the Philoſophers, which by a known word is called the Philoſophers-Stone; We therefore preſerving the Inſcription of the Monument, do raiſe this knowledge, buried and obſcured under the pretext of the Tomb of the moſt wiſe Semiramis, formerly Queen of Babylon, out of its Grave, and preſent it to the View of the Learned, which if (not an ambitious covetous Cyrus, but) a wiſe man open, he will to his ſatisfaction find Royal and inexhauſtible Treaſures: I may alſo add conſtant Health: which two, you will ſay, are the principal ſupporters of an happy life.

But ſome haply of no ſmall ingenuity will imagin that this Tomb may be opened by Womens work, or Childrens ſport: but let them know that this Knowledg is a moſt deep River, wherein the Lamb wades, that is, the upright profiteth; and the Elephant ſwims, that is, the moſt Learned do fluctuate, yea are drowned in their opinions, errors and doubts; whilſt one is yet doubtful concerning the true ſubject of the great Work, yea generally a ſtranger to it; another very ſolicitous in acquiring the ſophical Mercury, wearyeth himſelf with unſucceſsful labours, not knowing what it is, or of what form; Another tortures himſelf with vain perplexity to know what the Philoſophers Fire is, what the magical Elements, the Key, or diſſolving Menſtruum, whence it is to be drawn, whether ſweet, or corroſive? cold or fiery? it hath troubled me often to ſee ſuch men ſo concerned, and in vain laborious in thoſe things, wherein they at length could find nothing but vanity and affliction of mind; wherfore commiſerating them by the impulſe of Charity, I do freely impart (though many will accuſe me as guilty of violated ſilence) the Light mercifully communicated to me, that they may uſe the ſame as a Key to the Sanctuary of that ſacred Knowledg.

But the curious Induſtry, and indefatigable Curioſity of you, being moſt excellent in the exact Arcana's and Work of Polydaedalus nature, having invited all the Learned men of the World by your moſt ſweet incitements, to communicate the moſt ſecret things, enjoyneth and obligeth me to make you (the genuine Sons of all ſorts of Knowledg) Heirs of this, which in my judgment is the moſt exact and curious Work of all Nature. But who I am, enquire not. I am a man that makes it my ſtudy to profit others, your Friend, and an admirer of your Vertues, known to many, at leaſt by name.

Farewell therefore, ye Students of Nature, and High-Prieſts of Art, the lofty Stars of Germany, God be with you, and with his Power ſtrengthen your Works and Thoughts, that they may be highly advantagious to the whole Commonwealth of Learning, for the encreaſe of the Publick-good, and the immortal Glory of your own Names.

THE Tomb of SEMIRAMIS Hermetically Sealed.

CHAP. I.

Of the Phyſical ſubject of the Philoſophers Stone.

THE Fear of the Lord is the beginning of our Work, and the end Charity, and love of our Neighbour. Entring therefore with the aſſiſtance of our good God upon ſo divine a Work, it muſt be firſt enquired, what the ſubject thereof is. For as a Plough-man in vain prepares his Ground for Harveſt, unleſs he be aſſured of the Seed; ſo alſo he prepares the Chymical Ground without any recompence, if he knows not what he ſows therein: and herein at this day many do perplex themſelves, and are hurried into different opinions.

But this is not a place to diſcuſs all theſe things, whilſt ſome do ſeek it in the Animal Kingdom in Blood, Sperm, Sweat, Urine, Hair, Dung, Egs, Serpents, Toads, Spiders, &c. Others are with great diligence imploy'd in the Vegetable Kingdom, eſpecially in Wine for the unprofitable Magiſtery. For though it be manifeſt to us, that the ſupreme Medicine of our health may be obtained in either Kingdom, and indeed in Man, (eſpecially in his heart) as alſo in Wine: for as Gold contains the vertues of all Minerals, ſo do theſe two comprehend the powers of all Animals and Vegetables as contracted into one; yet that the great work of Philoſophers could be made from them, was never in the thought of any Adept, it is therefore requiſit to be ſought in the Mineral Kingdom. But there is alſo here a great company of Diſſenters, ſo that we have need of an Oedipus. For ſome there be that think to extract it out of the middle Minerals, as they call them, namely, Salt, Nitre, Alom, and ſuch other, but all in vain, becauſe they have in them no Argent vive, into which they may be reſolved; in which error even we in our primitive ignorance were alſo involved. It remains therefore to be ſuppoſed, that Metals are the Phyſical ſubject of our bleſſed Stone. But here alſo the matter is in ſuſpence, becauſe Metals are ſome perfect and ſome imperfect.

But in fine we ſay, that all fuſed Metals, but eſpecially the not fuſed, though imperfect, may by the intimate depuration of their original pollution (which yet is very difficult, and by outward appearance ſcarce poſſible) be the ſubject of the Stone, whereof, ſaith Flamel, ſome have operated in Jupiter, others in Saturn, but I (ſaith he) have operated and found it out in Sol: and in Exercit. ad Turbam it is read, That all Metals clean and unclean are internally Sol, and Luna, and Mercury, but there is one true Sol, which is drawn from them. And the Author of the ſecret work of the Hermetick Philoſophy, Can. 16.ſaith, He that ſeeks the Art of multiplying and perfecting imperfect Metals but by the nature of Metals, deviates from the truth; for Metals muſt be expected from Metals, as the ſpecies of Man from Man, of Beaſt from Beaſt. And Can. 18. He proceeds thus: Perfect Bodies are endowed with a more perfect Seed; under the hard ſhell therefore of the perfect Metals lieth the perfect Seed, which he that knoweth how to extract by Philoſophical Reſolution, is entred into the Royal Path. So alſo that Anonymous Philalethes in his Introduction into the King's Sacred Palace, Chap. 19. concerning the progreſs of the Work in the firſt forty days; There is indeed in all (even in the common) Metals, Gold, but nearer in Gold and Silver, though (as the ſame Adept ſpeaks well) there is yet one thing in the Metallick Kingdom of an admirable off-ſpring, in which our Gold is nearer than in common Gold and Silver, if you ſeek it in the hour of its nativity, which melts in our Mercury, as Ice in warm Water, &c.

But leaving now theſe more imperfect Metals, at preſent we declare thoſe two great and more perfect Luminaries Sol and Luna, to wit, Gold and Silver, to be the Phyſical ſubject of the Stone, which way a great part of the Philoſophers have followed, and came to their deſired end. Which ſame thing Augurellus ſhews, 2 Chryſop. when he ſaith, Take a Metal pure, and purged of all its droſs, whoſe Spirit recedes in its ſecret part, and being preſsed with a great weight, lives privily, and deſires to be releaſed from bands, and to be ſent out of priſon to Heaven, being ſpread into thin plates. The ſame in Chryſ. lib. 1. Seek not the principles of Gold any-where elſe: for in Gold is the ſeed of Gold; though being cloſe ſhut up, it retires further, and is to be ſought by us with tedious labour. And concerning the dignity of both the Luminaries, Lully, that Star of Spagyrick Philoſophy, in his Book, P.M. 28. ſaith, Two are more pure than the reſt, namely, Gold and Silver, without which the Work cannot be begun or finiſhed, becauſe in them is the pureſt ſubſtance of Sulphur perfectly purified by the ingenuity of Nature; and out of theſe two bodies prepared with their Sulphur or Arſenick, our Medicine may be extracted, and cannot be had without them. And Clangor Buccinae ſaith, You muſt operate prudently and expreſly, becauſe neither Sol nor Luna can be without ferment, and any other ſeed or ferment is not proper and uſeful, but Gold to the red, and Silver to the white; which bodies being firſt ſubtiliated under weight, muſt then be ſowed, that they may putrify and be corrupted; where one form being deſtroyed, another more noble is put on; and this is done by the means of our Water alone. From hence a certain Anonymous in his Anſwer excellently concludes; As Fire is the principle of Fire, ſo Gold is the principle of Gold; ſuch as the Cauſe is, ſuch is the Effect; ſuch as the Father, ſuch the Son; ſuch as the Seed is, ſuch is the Fruit; Man generates Man, and a Lion a Lion.

But you will ſay, The Philoſophers affirm, that the matter ought to be ſuch, that the Poor as well as the Rich may obtain it; from whence that ſaying is, God hath granted this treaſure to be ſought by all men; nor doth he deny that great Good to any man, except to him that makes himſelf unworthy by the depraved affections of his heart. And Geber, You ought not to conſume your goods becauſe of mean price: if you underſtand the principles of Art, which we ſhall deliver to you, you will attain to the compleat Magiſtery. For if it were Gold, or any ſuch coſtly thing, the Poor would be conſtrained to poſtpone this glorious Work. And whereas an Artiſt may often-times happen to erre, a poor man could not repeat the Work after an error committed, which muſt abſolutely be done, if there be no other remedy. And Lilium; This Stone is openly ſold at the meaneſt rate, which if the Sellers knew, they would keep it in their hands, and by no means ſell it. And another Anonymous, Our expences exceed not the price of two Florins: which Arnoldus thus confirms; Hold faſt, becauſe the charge of our moſt noble Art exceeds not the price of two pieces of Gold in its emption, that is, in the operation. And Geber ſaith, If in operations you loſe your money, reflect not injuriouſly on us, but impute it to your own imprudence; for our Art requires no great expences.

To which we anſwer; That we never denied, that beſides Gold and Silver there is not alſo granted another ſubject of meaner value, where we excluded not imperfect Metals, as we mentioned before out of an Anonymous Philoſopher in theſe words; There is yet one thing in the Metallick Kingdom of an admirable beginning, &c. though many Philoſophers would have this vile price to be underſtood of our diſsolving Menſtruum.

Moreover, you will ſay out of Sendivogius Tract. 11. in your Operations take not common Gold and Silver, for theſe are dead things.

We anſwer, by granting that the Stone is not made of common Gold and Silver, as ſuch, and ſo long as they are dead, but when reſuſcitated, and reduced into their firſt ſeminal nature, and made like unto the Philoſophers Gold, then do they not only expreſs their ſeed, but alſo do ſerve inſtead of ferment: which a certain Philoſopher confirms in theſe words, ſaying; Neither the ancient nor the modern Philoſophers have ever made any thing but Gold of Gold, and Silver of Silver, yet that was not common Gold or Silver.

By which it appears, that the Philoſophers Gold is not common Gold, neither in colour nor in ſubſtance, but that which is extracted from them is the white and red tincture.

CHAP. II.

What the Phyſical or Philoſopher's Gold is.

THe Philoſophers Gold or Silver, is a metallick body, reſolved into the laſt matter to wit, into Mercury, which is the firſt matter of the Stone, and is thus proved: Every thing is from that into which it is reſolved: But all Metals are reduced into Argent vive; ergo, they were Argent vive.

For, according to the common opinions of Philoſophers, that which the wiſe men ſeek is in Mercury. Moreover, Mercury is the radix in Alchymy, becauſe from it, by it, and in it are all Metals. And Theophraſtus (that moſt profound Sea of the Spagyrick-Philoſophy) thus ſpeaks concerning the firſt matter of Metals: To extract Mercury from metallick bodies, is nothing elſe but to reſolve or reduce them into their firſt matter, that is, running Mercury, even ſuch as it was in the center of the Earth, before the generation of Metals, to wit, a moiſt and viſcous vapour, which is the Philoſophers Gold or Silver, containing in it inviſibly the Mercury and Sulphur of Nature, the principles of all Metals, which Mercury is of ineffable vertue and efficacy, and contains divine ſecrets.

CHAP. III.

Of the preparation of Bodies for the Philoſophers Mercury.

AVicen ſaith, If you deſire to operate, you muſt neceſſarily begin your Work in the ſolution or ſublimation of the two Luminaries; becauſe the firſt degree of the Work is, that Argent vive may be made from thence; but becauſe theſe, as the more perfect Bodies, are cloſer bound, and have an harder coagulation, that they may be reduced into Mercury, they do in the firſt place require preparation, and phyſical calcination, which indeed is not ſo neceſſary in Silver; for by reaſon of the cleanneſs and ſoftneſs thereof, our Water eaſily acts upon it; which is not done in Gold and the other Metals, which do all require Calcination, on which our Water then more eaſily acts, eſpecially if thoſe which are impure be depurated for the ſimilitude of ſubſtance.

Concerning the Calcination of Bodies out of the ſecret Work of the Doctor and Biſhop of Trent for the Philoſophers Stone: Metals to be diſſolved ought to be firſt calcined or purged in Lac virginis, and Luna being moſt fine and ſubtilly filed, muſt be diſſolved in Aqua-fortis, and diſtilled rain-water in which Sal Armoniack or common Salt hath been diſſolved; then it muſt be precipitated into a moſt white Calx, and waſhed in decanted water, and the Calx muſt be edulcorated in other rain-water hot, that all the ſaltneſs and acrimony may be taken away, then muſt it be dryed, and it will be a moſt pure Calx.

But Gold muſt be calcined after this manner: Make an Amalgame with Gold (which muſt be firſt depurated by the Body of the black Eagle, that it may be made beautiful and glorious above meaſure) and Mercury very well purged with Salt and Vinegar, and ſtrained through Leather, put it in purified Aquafortis, that all the Mercury may be diſſolved, decant the Aquafortis from the Calx of Sol, waſh the Calx as aforeſaid in warm water, and dry it with a gentle heat, that Calx (if artificially and lightly reverberated, yet ſo that it flow not) will be converted into a moſt beautiful Crocus.

Gold that it may be reduced into the firſt Matter, or Mercury of Philoſophers, is thus otherwiſe calcined, whereof Paracelſus, in his 7th Book of Metamorphoſis concerning reſuſcitation, declares, namely; that Metal muſt be calcined with revivified Mercury, by puting Mercury with the Metal into a Sublimatory, digeſting them together, till an Amalgame be made, then ſublime the Mercury with a moderate Fire, and bruiſe it with the metallick Calx, and as before, repeat the digeſtion and ſublimation, and that ſo often till the Calx being put to a burning Candle will melt like ice, or wax. This Metal ſo prepared, put to digeſtion in Horſe-dung or in Bal. Mariae, moderately hot, digeſting it for a month, and the Metal will be converted into living Mercury, that is, into the firſt matter, which is called the Philoſophers Mercury; and the Mercury of Metals, which many have ſought, but few have found.

Joachimus Poleman of the Myſtery of the Philoſophers Sulphur, by help of his duplicated and ſatiated Corroſive, divides a Metal into the leaſt Atomes, and dilacerates it to be delivered to the fiery Menſtruum, diſſolving it to a tinging Soul.

It is calcined by us another and better way, which Calcination we rather call the firſt ſolution, and it is done by pouring the Wine of Life to the Calxes of Sol or Luna aforeſaid, put into a Phial, (which is our Menſtruum, of which hereafter in Chap. 6.) to the heighth of a fingers breadth, and putting to an Head or Alembick, they muſt be digeſted in Aſhes, or alſo in Sand, and coagulated; being coagulated, you muſt pour on new Menſtruum, as before, and coagulate, and that three or four times, or till the metallick Calx melt at the fire like Wax or Ice, which is ſign of ſufficient Philoſophical calcinations; and this is done with the preſervation of the Metal in its primitive vertue; and this is that which Ariſtotle ſaith in the Roſary, joyn your Son Gabricius (dearer to you then all your Children) with his Siſter Beja, who is a tender ſweet and ſplendid Virgin.

CHAP. IV.

Of the ſecond and true Philoſophical Solution of Bodies, and their reduction into Mercury.

HAving performed Calcination, or the firſt Solution, whereof we have ſpoken in the preceding Chapter, and which (as the anonymous Philoſopher in his Golden Treatiſe of the Philoſophers Stone in his Anſwer hath it) ought to be ſweet and fully natural; that is, which ſhould without noiſe diſſolve the Subject with the preſervation of its radical moiſture, then the Bodies ſo calcined muſt be put into a Phial hermetically ſealed, and in a gentle heat of Bal. Mar. or Dew, be digeſted, or Putrified the ſpace of a Philoſophical Month: for a voluntary Solution is better than a violent; a temperate, than a ſpeedy; as the Philoſopher hath it. And thus is made the ſecond and true Solution of a Metal into viſcous water, or a certain Oleity with the preſervation of the radical moiſture, in which is the true metallick Sulphur, together with the true and moſt noble Mercury: for one of them is always the Magnet, and remains ſolving with the ſolved, and deſires to continue inſeparably, and that becauſe of the ſimilitude of ſubſtance. Wherefore the Ancients ſaid, Nature rejoyceth in Nature, Nature overcometh and altereth Nature, whereby the eſſential or formal Solution is diſtinguiſhed from the corroſive Solution. But you muſt know that from Luna is obtained a liquor, or green tincture, which is the true Elixir of Luna, and the higheſt Arcanum to comfort the Brain. But from Sol by equal putrifaction is produced a Liquor of the higheſt redneſs, which is the true Elixir of Sol, and the quineſſence of Metal. Whereof, ſaith Geber, we make ſanguine Gold better than that produced by Nature, which Nature no wiſe makes. Concerning this Viſcoſity, Geber further ſpeaks briefly: We have moſt exactly tried all things, and that by approved Reaſons, but we could never find anything permanent in Fire, except the viſcous Moiſture, the ſole radix of all Metals, when as all the other Moiſtures being not well united in homogeneity do eaſily flee from Fire, and the Elements are eaſily ſeparated from one another, but the viſcous Moiſture, to wit, Mercury is never conſumed with Fire, nor is the Water ſeparated from the Earth, but they either remain altogether, or go altogether away.

But will you enquire in what weight the Menſtruum is to be eſpouſed to a Metal? The Philoſophers Roſary ſaith, As in the working of Bread, a little Leaven leaveneth and fermenteth a great quantity of Paſte; ſo alſo a modicum of Earth is ſufficient for the nutrition of the whole Stone. Ariſtotle nominates the weight, ſaying, do thus, and coct till the Earth (that is, the Gold) hath exhauſted ten parts of the Water.

The Author of Novum Lumen at the end of his Book breaks forth into theſe words; There ought to be ten parts of Water to one part of Body: and by this way we make Mercury without common Mercury, by taking ten parts of our Mercurial Water (that is, the Mercurial Oyl of Salt putrefied and alembicated) which is an unctious vapour, to one part of the body of Gold, and being included in a Veſſel by continual coction, the Gold is made Mercury, that is, an unctuous vapour, and not common Mercury, as ſome falſly do imagine.

CHAP. V.

What a Quinteſſence properly is.

PARACELSƲS in his third Book of long Life, chap. 2. diſcourſeth thus: A Quinteſſence is nothing elſe but the goodneſſ of Nature, ſo that all Nature paſſeth into a ſpagyrick mixture and temperament, in which no corruptible thing, and nothing contrary is to be found.

He alſo in his fourth Book Archidox. of the Quinteſſence ſaith, A Quinteſſence is a matter which is corporally extracted out of all Creſcitives, and out of all things that have life, being ſeparated from all impurity and mortality, moſt purely ſubtiliated, and divided from all the Elements thereof.

And a little after in the ſame place; You ought to know concerning the Quinteſſence, that it is a matter little and ſmall, lodged and harboured in ſome Tree, Herb, Stone, or the like; the reſt is a pure body, from which we learn the ſeparation of the Elements.

Rupeſciſſa concerning the Quinteſſence, in chap. 5. about the end, ſaith, The Quinteſsence which we ſeek is therefore a thing ingeniated by divine breath, which by continual aſcenſions and deſcenſions is ſeparated from the corruptible body of the four Elements; and the reaſon is, becauſe that wich is a ſecond time, and often ſublimed, is more ſubtile, glorified and ſeparated from the corruption of the four Elements, then when it aſcends only once; and ſo that which is ſublimed even to a thouſand times, and by continual aſcenſion and deſoenſion comes to ſo great a vertue of glorification, that it is a compound almoſt incorruptible, as the Heavens, and of the matter of the Heavens, and therefore called Quinteſſence; becauſe 'tis in reſpect of the Body, as the Heavens are in reſpect of the whole World, almoſt after the ſame way: by which Art can imitate Nature, as by a certain like, very near and connatural way.

CHAP. VI.

Of the Philoſophical Fire, or Diſſolving Menſtruum, or our Liquor Alkaheſt.

THe preparation of this Water, or moſt noble Juice, (which is the Kings true Bath) the Philoſophers always held occult, ſo that Bernard Count Treſne and Neigen, Book 2. ſaid, he had made a vow to God, to Philoſophers, and to Equity, not plainly to explain himſelf to any man, becauſe it is the moſt ſecret Arcanum of the whole Work, and is ſo indeed; for if this Liquor were manifeſted to every man, Boys would then deride our Wiſdom, and Fools would be equal to the Wiſe, and the whole World would ruſh hither with a blind impulſe, and run themſelves headlong without any regard to Equity or Piety, to the bottom of Hell. Augurellus calls this Menſtruum Mercury in theſe words:

Tu quoque nec coeptis Cylleni audacibus unquam

Defueris Argentum vulgo quod vivere dicunt

Sufficit, & tantis praeſtant primordia rebus.

Nor is Argent vive ever wanting to the bold undertaking of Cylenus, it yeelds principles to great things. The ſame doth George Ripley judge in his Preface of the twelve Gates: I will teach you truly, that theſe are the Mercuries that are the keys of Knowledge, which Raymund calls his Menstrua's, without which is nothing done. Geber names it otherwiſe, ſaying, by the moſt high God, this is that Water, which lighteth Candles, gives light to houſes, and yeelds abundance of Riches, Oh the Water of our Sea! Oh our Sal Nitre appertaining to the Sea of the World! Oh our Vegetable! Oh our fixt and volatile Sulphur! O the Caput mortuum, or faeces of our Sea!

Tridenſine in his ſecret work of the Philoſophers Stone, ſaith: The Water which Philoſophers uſed for the complement of the Work, they called Lac Virginis, Coagulum, the Morning-dew, the Quinteſſence, Aquavitae, the Philoſophers Daughter, &c.

Paracelſus variouſly alſo, Azoth, Spirit of Wine temper'd and circulated, Mercurial-Water, Sendivogius, Chalibs; Rupeſeiſsa, Vinegar moſt nobly diſtilled.

Van-Helmont (that moſt profound Philoſopher by Fire) called it, the Liquor Alkaheſt, and thus deſcrib'd it: The Liquor Alkaheſt reſolves every viſible and tangible body into its firſt matter, preſerving the power of the Seed, concerning which the Chymiſts ſay, the Vulgar burn by Fire, but we by Water.

We, by the Philoſophers leave, are thoſe that can at will give names to their products, do call it the Mercurial Oyl of Salt putrefied and alembicated: for Oyl is exalted to an higher degree of a fiery quality, as it is the foundation of the whole metallick ſolution, (which is to be well obſerved) without which nothing can be advantagious in the Art, and it acts the part of a Woman in our Work, and is deſervedly called the Wife of Sol, and the Matrix; and it is the hidden Key to open the cloſe Gates of Metals; for it diſſolves calcined Metals, it calcines and putrefies the volatile and ſpiritual, it tingeth into all colours, and is the beginning, middle and end of Tinctures; and is of one nature with Gold, as Arn. de Villa Nova affirms, unleſs that the nature of Gold is compleat, digeſted and fixed: but the nature of the Water is incompleat, indigeſted and volatile. In a word, it is the Philoſophers Fire, by which the Tree of Hermes is burnt to aſhes.

Concerning this Fire Johannes Pontanus in his Epiſtle ſaith, The Philoſophers Fire is not the Fire of Balneo, nor of Dung, nor of any thing of that kind, which the Philoſophers have publiſhed in their Writings; it is mineral, it is equal, it is continual, it evapourates not, unleſs it be too much incenſed; it participates of Sulphur; it is taken elſewhere than from the matter; it divide, diſſolves calcines and congeals all things; and it is a Fire with moderate burning; it is a compendium without any great charge, becauſe the whole work is perfected therewith. Study therefore therein: for if I had found this at firſt, I had not erred two hundred times before I attained to practice: wherefore men do err, have erred, and will err, becauſe the Philoſophers have not conſtituted a proper Agent in their Books, except one, namely Artephius. But he ſpeaks according to his judgment; and unleſs I had read Artephius, and perceived his ſcope, I had never attained to the Complement of the Work, &c. Do you conſult him, and ye ſhall know what our Menſtruum is. I have ſaid enough.

CHAP. VII.

Whether the diſſolving Menſtruum be corroſive.

GEBER de Sum. perfect. Cap. 52 ſeems to be of this opinion, whilſt he ſaith, Every thing that is ſolved muſt neceſſarily have the nature of Salt, Alums, and the like. And Paracelſus in his fourth Book Archidox. of the Quinteſſence, a little after the beginning, ſaith thus: It is difficult, and ſcarce credible, to extract a Quinteſſence without a Corroſive out of Metals, but eſpecially out of Gold, which cannot be overcome but by a Corroſive, by which the Quinceſſence and Body are one ſeparated from the other; which Corroſive may again be taken from it. And Chap. 3. of Long Life, Tom. 6. Book 3. he thus ſpeaks: Reſolve Gold together with all the ſubſtance of Gold by a Corroſive, &c. and that ſo long till it be made the ſame with the Corroſive: nor be you diſmayed becauſe of this way of operation; for a Corroſive is commodious for Gold, if it be Gold, and without a Corroſive it is dead.

Yet you muſt know, that our Menſtruum being poured upon Gold, ought not properly be ſaid to be corroſive, but rather fiery; the ſtrength and vertue of which Arcanum overcomes all Poiſons. For every Realgar, that is, Mercury vive and ſublimate, as alſo precipitate, ought to dye in the Elixirium of Sol, and come to a ſingular and excellent tincture; becauſe alſo violent ſolution is not made by our Menſtruum, ſuch as by the Reſuſcitatives, Aquafortis and Regia, and others of this form; but (as was ſaid before in the fourth Chapter) it is done gently, ſweetly, without any noiſe, and with the preſervation of its radical moiſture, with the ſpirits of which (as Lully hath it in his Vade mecum) a vivified vertue is infuſed in the matters.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the practice of the Stone.

WHen you have acquired the tinging Soul of the Planet, or the true Quinteſſence thereof by previous putrefaction, in which the true Mercury, and the Philoſophers true Sulphur are contained: then is your matter prepared, fit to make thereby our bleſſed Stone. Take therefore (in the name of Him that ſaid, and all things were done) of this moſt pure matter a ſufficient quantity, put it into a fixing Veſſel, or Phial, or Philoſophical Egg, hermetically ſealed; place it in an Athanor, as you know, and proceed with a convenient, viz. a digeſting heat, continual, (for that failing it muſt needs dye, or become abortive) ſweet, ſubtile, altering, and not burning (that I may uſe the Counts own words) from the firſt conjunction, even to perfect ablution, government of the Fire, concerning which the anonymous Philalethes may be further conſulted, who by the government of every Planet cleerly deſcribes the diverſities of colours, coagulating and fixing it into the white or red Stone: for (as Raymund Lully advertiſeth) he that hath not power and patience in the work, will corrupt it with too much haſte.

The ſign of the Work perfected will be this: If the Stone being projected upon an hot plate of Venus, doth melt like Wax, and not ſmoke, but penetrate and tinge, then is the Oriental King born, ſitting in his Kingdom with greater power than all the Princes of the World. Hence a Philoſopher crys out, Come forth out of Hell, ariſe from the Grave, awake out of Darkneſs; for thou haſt put on Brightneſs and Spirituality, becauſe the voice of Reſurrection is heard, and the Soul of Life is entred into thee, praiſed be the Moſt High; and let his Gifts redound to the Glory of his moſt boly Name, and to the good and benefit of our neighbour.

CHAP. IX.

Of the augmentation of the bleſſed Stone.

WHen by the help of God you have now obtained the aforeſaid incombuſtible Sulphur, red with Purple, that you may by the repeated inverſion of the Wheel (as the Philoſophers term it) know how to augment it; in which no ſmall myſtery of Art is contained, we may the ſame way and method augment it, whereby we made it; yet you muſt know that the oftner our Sulphur, which is our Stone, is moiſtned or nouriſhed by its proper Milk, diſſolved in a moiſt Balneo, and again coagulated and fixed, as in the firſt work, the tinging vertue of it will be always greater; ſo that indeed after the firſt abſolute work, one part will tinge an hundred of purged Mercury, or any other imperfect Metal, in the ſecond ſolution by Lac Virginis, and the coagulation and fixation thereof, one part will tinge a thouſand. And thus time after time is our Medicine augmented and multiplied in quantity and quality, in vertue and weight.

Take therefore one part of our Stone, and pour it upon two parts of Lac Virginis, or the Mercurial Oyl of Salt putrefied and alembicated; ſolve and coagulate as you did in the firſt work, and our Water which before was only a Mineral potentially, is actually made a Metal more precious than Gold. And thus is the Stone mortified by ſublimations, and revivified by imbibitions, which is the chief univerſal way. Theſe things being brought to a deſired end, Projections may at pleaſure be made upon this or that Metal prepared, and decently mundified and fuſed, as you have obtained the tincture either for white or red; the true uſe of this Art, and all the Philoſophers Books, (eſpecially out Philalethes) will abundantly ſhew.

CHAP. X.

Of the phyſical uſe of the Stone both internal and external.

YOU muſt know concerning this bleſſed Stone, that it is an univerſal Medicine containing in it the perfect Cure of all Diſeaſes, as well hot as cold, ſo far as they are known to be curable by Nature, and are permitted by God to be cured. If you enquire, how this moſt perfect Medicine, and Celeſtial Tincture, and ſuch other Univerſal Curatives do act, and operate, by curing contrary things in Man's Body. We anſwer; They perform all this by heating, illuminating, and irradiating the Archaeus, as our Philoſopher Van Helmont hath it in a Treatiſe, entituled, There is in Herbs, Words and Stones a great Vertue, that they do certainly act without their diſſolution or deſtruction, without their penetration, intro-admiſſion, commixture, and commutation, alſo afar off upon the drowſie or inflamed Archaeus, as it were by the ſight alone, by the irradiation or ejaculation of their vertues produced and expoſed, their former weight and properties being yet retained, and not changed. After which manner, as Joachimus Poleman excellently ſaith, They tranſmute the ſpirits of darkneſs, to wit, diſeaſes, (which are all nothing elſe but the properties of the ſeat of death, or the forerunners of dark and obſcure death) into good ſpirits, ſuch as they were when the man was ſound in perfect health, and by this renovation of the defective powers, ſtrength is withal univerſally reſtored.

The doſe of it is from one grain to two, according to the age and ſtrength of the Patient in a draught of warm Wine, or in a ſpoonful of the ſame Quinteſſence diſſolved, and taken every third day. In external Diſeaſes, Wounds, Cacoetheck and Phagedenick Ulcers, Fiſtulaes, Gangreen, Cancer, &c. one grain is taken in Wine every day, or once in two days; but the part externally affected is waſhed in Wine, wherein a portion of our Stone hath been diſſolved; or if neceſſity require, it is injected by a Syringe, putting a plate of Lead, and a convenient Ligature thereupon.

And this is the internal and external uſe of this great Myſtery conſummated, for the acquiſition of which invoke the Light of Light, and with a pure heart pray for the illumination of your underſtanding, and you ſhall receive it: then operate prudently, give relief to the Poor, abuſe not the bleſſings of God, believe the Goſpel, and exerciſe your ſelf in Piety, Amen.

FINIS.