Collecicvaea Chymkxi t Treatises to CHEMISTRY 11 Zft\ *»- / /d * -a 3 "m. A tCJUxsL vjwxiXu JsteL . Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Research Library, The Getty Research Institute http://www.archive.org/details/collectaneachymiOOphil CoileBanea Chymica : COLLECTION Of Ten Several Treadles CHYMISTRY, CONCERNING The Liquor Al%aheft 9 the Mercury of Philosophers^ and other Curiofities worthy the Peruial. Written by Eir. ?bilaktba,Anonymus, Job.Bapt. Van-Hel- mont, Dr. Fr. Antonie, Bernbard Earl of Trevifan, Sir Geo. Ripley, Rog. Bacon. Geo. Starry, Sir Hugb Piatt, and the Tomb of Semiramis, fee more in the Contents. LONDON, Printed for William Cooper, at the Felican in Little Britain, 1^84. TLIL4L . thereof, f or ,*££* J* f ?," J ack -ftraws InfurreaL %}^^flcurleJZ g Z elhfdom U j Hfiified of tecJMZ i to then: only we give J thjs a ™"f occafion p printing thisQ^Sl '¥' ^ UC u h^cahreat^sl h Z (vextto the ufefdnefs of thentt tfirefirvatton, being h/ji ve J^ To the Reader. gcnious Chymijfs conceived to be, well worth the pernfal, and too good to 'be loji, for the fmalleji Treaiifes on this Subject are not always of the leaji worih or cfeetn, (for 7 ruth needs no large Mattie- rugs to fit her forth.). And for that [mall Treat ije of tie Alkahtft, it was*beJlow- ed upon and fait unto me by a Generous Stranger, who ivas pleaQd to take notice of my care in the prejvrving the Porta Prima at tic end of Mipley Reviv'd, as hkewife of thai general Invitation in the aforefaid Book page 390, which if any other Gent km en foal I be pleajed to Imitate, I hope in time we (ha!! obtain all the loft pieces of the Works of that Famous Modern Engltftl Adept, fo much thirfied after, which will be very acceptable Service to all Philofbphcrs, and not the Itaft iyndnefs unto Tour Servant W. C B, THE THE CONTENTS i.prrenarusPhilalcthafeArcanum, L/ or Secret of the immortalliquor Alkaheft c^hd Ignis-Aqua,i« Eng- hfhWLatiff. ^ ' Page ° 2. AnonymusVPraaice of Lights, £ an bxcelleni and Ancient TreatijUf the Philofophers-ftone. p 27 3- Job, Bapt. Van. Helmonts Pricipi- olum, or the Immature Mmeral EkSrum the fir ft Metal which is the Mmera of Mercury. p 47 4- Fr. Antonie M. D. his Aururn-Po- tab,!e, or his Rteeh, fining his Way and Method how he made and prepared that moft excellent Medicine for the Body of Man. p „ *>je of thePhilofophers-Stone. p.82 6. S,r Geo. Ripley V Bofome-book containing his Philofophical Accurta- a 3 tions The Contents. tions in the making the Philofophers Mercury andEWxm. p. io*. 7. Roger Bacon's Speculum Alchy- m\x, or the true Glafs of Alchemy. p. 125. 8. Geo. Starkeys Admirable Efficacy, and almofi incredible Virtue of true Ojl which is made of Sulphur-luve perCampanam. y '»* P*I39« 9. Sir Hugh PlattsV New and Artifi- cial Remedies againft Famine, writ- ten upon the occafion of the great Dearth in the Tear 1596. p. 1 5 5. jo. TumbaSemiramidis, theTombof Semiramk Hermetically Sealed , which if a Wife Man open, he Jhall find inexhaustible Riches, and the Treajures of Kings, to his content* By H. V. D- THE A /nn* erf- , i ^ ^^*W*^^** f ^ ,-•'. ^ femt's j&efiife ?V 'fanner ^sn Xfc THE SECRET OF THE Immortal Liqjior CALLED ALKAHEST, O R IGNIS-AQJJA. ByElKENEUS PH1LALETHES. Communicated to his Friend, a Son of Art, and now a Fbilofopber. By §>uefiion and Anfwer. LONDON, Printed for William Cooper, at the Pelican in Little Brit at n % 1683. ARCANUM Liquoris Immortalis 1GNIS-AQVM; I S E U ALKAHEST. i 1 hbEIKENJEO THILALttiiA. Amico fuo, Filio ARTIS, jam PHILOSOPHY Per Interrogations acRefponfiones com- mnnicatum. LO N D I N /, Sumptibus Gulidmi Cooper, ad Infigne Pelicani) in Vico vulg6 di6to Little Brit at n. 1683. CO THE SECRET O F T H E LIQUOR Quaeft.i yr TT XHATisthe AHyhefi \J\/ dnfa' «It is a Catholic^ T v andUniverfal Menfirwtm^ and, in a Word, may be called ( IgnU-Aqtta ) a Fiery- Water, an un- compounded and immortal ens, which is pe- netrative, refolving all things unto their n'rft Liquid Matter, nor can any thing reiift its Power, for it að without any reaction from the Patient : nor doth it fuffer from any thing but its Equal by which it is brought Into Subjections but after it hathdiffolved all other things it rcmaineth intire in its former Nature, and is of the fame Virtue after a ihoufand Operations as at the firft. (5) ARCANUM LIQUORIS &lfeal)cft, ■Qu«ft.i.^V UID eft Allybefl > I 1 Refp. 2. Eft Univerfale % & Menfiruum Catholicum, u- unius verbi Ignis-aqua, ens fimplex, immortale, penetrans, cun&a refol- vens in primam nempe Liquidam fuam Ma- teriam, & ejus Virtuti nil refiftere valeat, a- gitque abfque Readtione patientis, nee ab ul- la re patitur nifi a folo fuo Compari a quo fub Jugum trahitur, alias autem res quafvis poftquam diftblvit integer in fua priftina Na- tura manet, tantumque valet milleiima Aftione tanquam Prima. A 3 &j. Cu* 6 I he Liquor Alfomelt. 3. Qi. Of what Subftance is it > 4. A. Itiis a noble circulated Salt, prepared with wonderful Art till it Anfwers the De- fires of an Ingenious Artift, yet is it not any Corporal Salt made Liquid by a bare Soluti- on, but is a faline Spirit which Heat cannot Coagulate by Evaporation of the moifture \ but is of a Spiritual uniforme Subftance, vo- latile with a gentle heat, leaving nothing be- hind it, yet is not this Spirit either Acid or Alkali but Sah. 5 . Q. Which is its Equal > 6. A. If you know the one,you may with- out difficulty know the other : Seek therefore, for the Gods have made Arts the reward of Induftry. 7. (\ What is the next matter of the Alk#kcp 8. A. I have told you that it is a Salt, the Fire furrounded the Salt and the Water fwal- lowed up the Fire,yet overcame it not, fo is made the Philofophers Fire, of which they fpeak, The Vulgar burn with Fire, we with Water. ?. Q. Which is the mod nebleSalt> 10. A. If you Defire to learn this defcend into your felf,for you carry it about with you, as well the Salt, as its Vulcan, if you are able to difcern it. ii« CL Which is it, tell me I pray you ? 12 , A. Mans Arcanum Liqnoris Alkaheft. 7 3 . (i_Cu jufnam eft Subftantiae ? 4. R. Sal Circulatus eft nobilis, mira Arte praeparatus, ufquedum voto refpondeat faga- cis Artificis *, neutiquarn tamen fal corporalis eft nuda Recollatione liquidus, at falinus Spt- ritus qui calore non coagulatur evaporatione humidii fed uaiformis eftSubftantiae fpiritua- lis, levi calore volatilis, nee quicquam poft fe relinquens, non tamen acidus eft Spiritus aut Alkaltzatus fed falfus. 5. Q^ Compar ejus quis eft > 6.R. Si Par novifti, Compar haud diffi- culter noveris ; quaere, nam vendidere Dit fudoribus Artes. 7. Q. Ex qua materia proxime fit Al- kaheft > 8. R» Salem efle dixi, Salem circumdedit Ignis, Ignem abforpfit Aqua, nee tamen ei praevalet, fie fa&us eft Iguls Philoibphicus de quo dicitur,Vulguscremat per Ignem, nosper Aquam, p. Qi Sal maxime nobilis quinam? 1 o. K. Hoc (1 cupis difcere, defcende in te- ipfum , nam tecum circumgeritur tarn Sal quam ejus Vulcanw, 11 valeas difcernere. 11. Q. Quis eft, dicfodes? 12. K. San- o Awe uiquur mtvdiicuu 12. A. Mans Blood out of the Body, or Mans Urine, for the Urine is an Excrement ftparated for the greateh 1 part from the Blood : Each of thefe give both a volatile and fixed Salt, if you know how to colledt and pre- pare it you will have a moft precious Balfom of Life. 13. Q^ Is the property of Hurmne Urine more noble than the Urine of any Beatt ? 14. A. By many degrees, for tho' it be an Excrement only, yet its Salt hath not its like in the whole Univerfal Nature. 1 5. Q: Which be its parts > 16. A. A volatile and more fixed } yet ac- cording to the variety of ordering it, thele may be variouily altered. 17. Qi Are there any things in Urine which are different from its inmoft fpecifick urinaceous Nature ? 18. A. There are, viz. A Watery Phlegm, and Sea Salt which we take in with our Meat, and remains intire and undigefted in the Urine, and by Separation maybe divi- ded from it, which f if there be no furfid- cnt ufe of it in the Meat after a convenient time J ceafeth. i£. Q^ Whence is that Phlegm or inllpid watery humidity ? 20. A. It is chiefly from our feveral Drinks, and yet everv thing hath its own Phlegm. 21. g. Ex- Arcanum Liquoris Alkahelt. 9 12. R. Sanguis Humanus extra Corpus, five Lotium Humanum, eft enim Lotium ex- cremenrumex parte maxima a cruoredecifum, utrumque dat falem tarn volatilem quam fix- urn, li roiis collrgcre & praeparare praeito ti- bi erit Balfamum falutis pretioiitlimum. ^.Q^Eflne proprietas Urina? Humanse, major nobilis Urina quorum vis jumentorum? 14. R. Multis gradibus, etiam licet Excre- mentum, Sal tamen ejus non habet iibi fimi- le in tota univerfa Natura. 15. Q: Qyae funt ejus partes ? 16 R. Volattlis & rixior, pro vaWefate tamen tradhtionis alterantur hx multifariam. 17. Q. Suntne aUqua in Urina ab intima ejus Natura Urinacea fpecifica aliena ? 18. R. Sunt, Phlegma aqueum, videlicet, & Sal marinus incibis intxoiumptus acfoipes indigeflufque in Urina habitans,ab eademque per Secretionem divifitylis, qui (iinullus lit ufus fatis in cibis per tempus idoneum ) ccf- fat. ip. Q^ Phlegma ( five Aquea humiditas infulfa^ unde ? 20. K. Sunt potus ex parte maxima, & tamen auaeque habet fuum phlegma. 21. & Ex- to The Liquor Alkaheft. 2 1 .Q. Explain your felf more clearly ? 22. A. Youmuft know that the Urine, partly 1 y the reparative Virtue, is conveyed with what we drink to the Bladder \ partly , conlifts of a watery TerTasC an excrementitious humor of the Blood ) whence being fepa- rated by the odour of the urinaceous ferment, it penetrates moft deeply, the faltnefs being unchanged , unlefs that the faltnefs of the Blood and Urine be both the fame \ fo that whatloever is contained in the Urine betides ! Salt is unprofitable Phlegm. »3« Qi How doth it appear that there is a plentiful Phlegm in Urine \ 24. /4.Thus fuppofe,tirft from the Ta(le,fe- condly from the Weight, thirdly from the Virtue of it. 2 5 . Qi Be your own interpreter ? 26. A. The Salt of Urine contains all that is properly tfTential to the Urine, the fmell whereof is very (harp, the tafie differs accor* ding as it is differently ordered, fo that fometimes it is alfo Salt with an urinaceous Saltnefs. 27. Q, What have you obferved concer ning. the weight thereof? 28. /4. I have obferved thus much, that three ounc«s or a little more of Urine taken from a healthy man ,will moderately outweigh about 80 Grains of Fountain- Water, from whence Arcanum Liquorfr Alkaheft. 1 1 2 1. Q. Explica te planius > 22. R. SciroUrinam parcitn per Virtutem fecreticem una cum hauitis ad veficam tranf- mitti h partim ex Tetfas ( humore cxcre- mentitio (anguinis) aqueo conlhre, undede- cifum per fermenti unnacei odorem perme- at intime immutata (alfedine, rdti quod fal- fum Sanguintum fit ialiurn Urinaceum, fie quod praeter faiem in Urina quicquid contine- tur Phlegma d\ inutile. 23. Q. Quomodo patet in lotio Phlegma copiofum contineri ? 24. R. Hinc puta.primo quidemex Guftu, deinde ex Pondere, tcrtio ex Virtute. 2 5« Qi. Efto tibi Mercarius > 2 6. R. Sal Urinaeto'umefllntialepropri- um lotio continet,cujus odor ell peracutus gu- ftus pro tra&ationis varietate varius, ut vide- licet nonnunquam quandoque (alius falfedine Urinacea. 2 7« Qi Quid de pondere obfervafti > 28.»R. Hoc nimirum, quod Urinae tres duplo plus unciae ab homine (ano colledSfae, mediocriter Aquae fon tanas circitet Grana 80 praeponderare, unde deftillatum efleLiquorem X- 12 The Liquor Alkaheft. whence alfolhave feen a Liquor diftilled which v/as of equal weight to the faid Wa- ter, whence it is evident that moli of the Salt was left behind» 2p. Q. What have you obferved of its Virtue ? 30. A. The Congelation of Urine by cold is an Argument that Phlegm is in it, for the Salt of Urine is not fo congealed if a tittle moiftned with a Liquid, tho 5 it be Water. 3 1. Q^ But this fame Phlegm tho molt ac- curately ieparated by Defoliation, retains the Nature of Urine, as may be perceived buth by the fmell and tafte? 32.^. I conrefs it,tho little can be difcer- ned by tafte, nor can you perceive more ei- ther by (mell or tafte, than you may from Salt of Urine diflolved in pure Water. 33. Q. What doth Pyrotechny teach you concerning Urine ? 34. A. It teacheth this,to make the fak of Urine volatile. 35. Q. What is then left > 36. A. An earthly blackilh ftinktng Dreg. 37. QJs the Spirit wholly uniform? 38. A, So it appeareth to the light, fmell and tafte \ and yer contained! qualities dire- ctly contrary to each other. 3P Q^ Which be they > 4©. A. By one through its innate Virtue the Arcanum Liqnark Alkaheft. 15 a?que ponderantem praedi&a? Aqua? vidi, un- de confiat rdi&um fere fuifle falem. 2$. Q. Quid de Virtute obfervafti ? 3 o. R. Congelatio Urinae a frigore indicio poftit efle quod Phlegma infit, non etenim fa- li Urinse pauco Liquore (eciam aqueoj made- fafto competit congelatio gelida. 31. Qi At hujufmodi Phlegma ut ut ex- quiiitiflime Deftillatione feparetur, fapit Uri- nam,idque tarn Naribusquam Lingua judica- turn? 32. R. Fateor quidem i guftu tamen pa- rum deprehenditur,neutro quoque modo plus quam in Aqua pura a fate Lotii cohobata per- ciperetur. 33» CL Qp^ docet Pyrotechnia circa uri- nam? 34. R. Hoc, viz. Salem Urinx volatilcm reddere. 35. Qi. Quid turn relinquitur ? 3<5. R. Fsex terrea nigricans fsetulenta. 37. Q^_ Spiritus an totus uniformis } 38. R. Sic quoad vifum & odorem parirer 5c guftum i & turn divcrllficatum inter fe guahtatibus plane contrariis. 39' Qi Qpibus? 40. R. Ab una coagulatur Virtute propria in- 14 The Liquor Alkaheft. the Dulech is coagulated, by the other it is diifolved. 41. Qi What farther? 42. A. In the Coagulation of Urine its Spirit of Wine is difcovered. 43- Q*Js there fuch a Spirit in Urine > 44. A. There is indeed, truly reiiding in every Urine, even of the moft healthful man, moft which may be prepared by Art. 45- Qi Of what efficacy is this Spirit ? 46. A, Of fuch as is to be lamented, and indeed may move our pitty to mankind. 47. Q^ Why fo > 48. A. From htnee the Dulech its moft fierce Enemy hath its original. 49. Q Will you giye an Example of this thing? 50. A. I will. Take Urine and diflolve in ita convenient quantity of Salt-peter : let it (land a Month, afterwards diltil ir, and there will come over a Spirit which burns upon the Tongue like a coal of Fire, pour this Spirit on again and cohobate it 4 or 5 times, abftra&ing every time not above half, fo the Spirit becometh molt piercing, yet not in the leaft (harp ', the heat which goeth out in the rirft deiiillation of the Liquor, after- wards grows fenfibly mild, and at length almoft C if not altogether,) vani(heth, and the fecond Spirit may be perceived mild both by Arcanum Liqnork Alkaheft. 1 5 inhabitante i ab altera diflblvitur, puta Due- lech. 4 1 - Qi Quid praeterea ? 42. K. In coagulatione Lotii, fui Spiritus vini deprehenditur. 43. (^ Eftne talis Spiritus in Lotio > 44. R. Eft fane revera inhabitansquamvis Urinam, etiam hominis faniftimi, qui Arte prseparari valet. 45. Q^ Cujufnam eft hie Spiritus efficacise? 4<5. R. Dolenda? lane, & humano generi commiferandae. 47. Q. Quare > 48. K. Hinc Duelech hoftis atrociiTimus fuum habet ortum. 49- Q. Dabifne exemplum hujus rei? 50. R. Dabo. Sumatur Lotium, in eoque diffolvetur idonea Salis-Petraequantitas, iter, per menfem, poftea deftillctur, & exibit pri- m6 Spiritus ardens fupra Linguam ac fi efTet carbo, readfandatut Spiritus & cohobetur quater vel quinquies non abftrahendo quavis vice ultra partem dimidiam, lie fiet Spiritus acutitlimus, nil tamen acefcens > ardor, qui in prima Liquoris deftillatione egreditur, poftea fenilm mitefcit, tandemque fere ( ii non omnino ) filet, mitifque fecundus Spiritus dc- 1 6 The Liquor Alkaheft. by the fmell and tafte which, in the former was mod (harp. 51. Q. What have you obferved concer- ning the former Spirit } 52. A. If it be a little (haked oily ftreaks appear Aiding here and there, juft as Spirit of Wine deftills down the Head ot the Alembick in ftreaks like Veins. 53. Qt. What kind of Putrefaction (hould the Urine undergo that fuch a Spirit may be got from it } v 54. A. In a heat fcarce to be perceived by fenfe \ in a Veffel lightly clofed or covered rather \ it may alio be fomenmes hotter fometimes cooler, fo that neither the heat nor cold exceed a due mean. 55. Q^How may this winy Spirit become moil: perf picuous ? 5 6. A. By fuch a putrefaction which cau- feth a Ferment, and exciteth ebullition, ) which will not happen in a long tirnej if the Urine be kept in a Wooden Veflel,and in a place which is not hot ( but yet keeps out the cold ) as fuppofe behind a Furnace in Winter,where let it be kept till of it felf a fer- ment arife in the Urine and fthrrs up bubbles, for then you may draw from it a burning Water which is fomewhat Winy. 57. <§L Is there any other Sprit of Urine > 58, A. There is > for Urine putrihed with a Arcanum Liquom Alkaheft. 17 deprehenditur tarn ad odorem quatn ad giT (turn, qui in priori erat acutiffimus. 5 1. Qi Quid de priori Spiritu notafti > 52. K. Si parum agitaretur apparuifle qaati oleofas ftrias hinc inde labentesj non fe- cus ac Spiritus vini per ftrias inftar venarum per Alembici caput deftillat. 5 5- Qi Qualis efle debet Lotii putrefa&fo ad ejufmodi Spiritum eliciendum? 54. R. In calore vix ad fenfum percepti- bili,vafe leviter obturato feucooperto poti- us > poffit item quandoque calere, & quan- doque plus frigere, ita ut nee calor nee frigus fit ultra mediocritatem. 55. Qi Quomodo maxime perfpicuus fiet hie Spiritus vinaceus } 5<5. R. Tali putredine qua? fermentum eaufet, proritetque ebullitionem quod baud longo tempore accidet, fi inligneo vafe ad- fervata Urina in loco non calido (frigus ta- men defendentej ut puta pone furnumHye- mis tempore, teneatur quoufque fponte fuc- crefcat in Urina fermentum bullas proritans, inde turn exhibit aqua ardens quodammodo vinacea. 57. Qt. Eftne alius Urinae Spiritus ? 58, R. Sic puta per duarum vel cireiter B heir 1 3 Of the Liquor Alk*heft. a gentle heat the fpace of a fortnight or thereabout fends forth a coagulating Spirit, which will coagulate well rectified Aqna-Vita. 59- Qi How is that Spirit to be prepared which forms the Duelech of it felf with a clear Watery ftalagma i and alfo that which difTolves the fame > 60. A. Urine putriried for a month and half in a heat (moft like the heat ofHorfe- dung ) will give you in a tit VefTel czchftilla- titiom ftalagma according to your defire. tfi.Qi.Doth every Spirit of Urine coagulate the Spirit of Wine ? 62. A. By no means-, this fecond Spirit is obferved to want that Virtue. 63. Ql What doth Urine thus ordered contain befides the aforefaid Spirits t 64. A, It's more fixed Urinaceous Salt, and by accident forreign Marin Salt. 65. Q. Can this more fixed Salt be brought over the Alembick with a gentle heat in form of a Liquor ? 66. A. It may, but Art and ingenuity arc required. 67. Qi. Where is the Phlegm ? 68. A, In the fait sfor in the Preparation of putrefaction the Salt being putrified in the Phlegm afcends together with it. 69. Q. Can it be feparated ? 70. A. It may, but not by every Artift. 71. Qj. What! Arcanum Liquorh Alkphefi. 1 9 hebdomadarum fpatium levicalore putrefadta Urina coagulatorem edit Spiritum, qui A- quam Vitae dephlegmatam coagulat. 5 p. Q: Quomodo parandus eft illeSpiritus qui Duelech de fe formabit claro aqueo fta- lagmate, item ille qui praefatum diflblvit } 60. R. Lotium per fefquimenfem calore ( timi caloris gemulo ) putrefa&um, vafe apto utrumque ftalagma ftillatitium ad vo- turn dabit. 6i.Q^ Goagulatne Urinae Spiritus qui- cumque Spiritum vini. 62. R. Neutiquam, hie fecundus ilia Vir- tute caffus confpicitur. 6 3» CL Qi^d continet Lotium fie tra&a- tum praecer Spiritus praefatos ? 64. R. Salem fuum urinaceum fixiorem,& per accidens Salem peregrinum marinum. 65. Q^ Poflitne hie Sal fixior per Alem- bicum levi calore Liquoris fub forma evocari ? 66. R. Poteft, at per Artem ingeniumque. 67. Ck Ubi Phlegma ? 68. R. In (ali \ Praeparatione enim putre- fa&ionis Sal in phlegmate putrefa&us cum eo- dem confufus afcendit. 69. Q^ Poflitne feparari ? 70. R. Poteft, at non a quovis artifice. B 2 71. Q. Quid i o The Liquor Alkaheft. 7 1 . Q. What will this Spirit do, when it is brought to this ? 72. A. Try and you will wonder at what you (hall fee in the (blution of Bodies. 73- Ql Is not tnis tne ^%M ? 74. ^. This Liquor cannot confift without partaking of the Virtues of Mans blood : and in Urine the Footfteps thereof are obfer- vable. 75. Q. In Urine therefore and Blood the Alkabed lies bid > 7 6. A. Nature gives us both Blood and U- rine-, and from the Nature of thefe Pyro- techny gives us a Salt which Art circulates into the circulated Salt of Paraceljus* 77. Qi, You fpcak Ihort I 78. A. I will add this j the Salt of Blood ought fo to be tranfmuted by the Urinace- ous ferment that itfmay lofe its laft Life, preferve its middle Life, and retain its fak- nefs. 79' Ql T° what purpofe is this? 80. A. To manifeft the excellency which is in Mans blood above all other Blood what- ever, which is to be communicated to the U- rrne (after an excrementitious Liquor is fepa- rated from if) whence this Urine excells all others in a wonderful Virtue. 81. Cl Why do you add Urine ? 82. A. -You mull know that totranfmute things Arcanum Uqttaris Alkaheft. 21 7 1 * Ql. Quid faciet hue addu&usSpiritus ? 72. R. Tenta & quod videbis mirabere in .corporibus folvendis. 73. Q^ An non hie Alkaheft \ 74. R. Liquor hie citra humani fanguinis virtutis participationem conftare nequir, 8>c in Urina cjufdem fpe&antur veftigia. 7 5 . Q^ In Lotio ergb & fanguine Alkaheft delitefcit ? /5. R. Sanguinem urinamque pariter dat nobis Natura, cc ab horum Natura falem dat Pyrotechnia, quern circulat Ars in falem cir- culatum ParaceHi. 77' Ql Sub brevi fyrmate loqueris ? 78. R. Hoc addam : Sanguinis falem per urinaceum fermentum fie tranfmutari debere, ut ultimamVitam amittat 5 mediamque fervet, falfedinemque retineat. 79. Q. Quorfum hoc ? 80. R. Ad dignitatem quse ineft fanguini humano prae alio quovis fanguine, Urinas fab eodem decifo excrementitio Liquorej com- municandum, unde talis Urina mira prsealiis cun&is Virtute pollet. 81. (\ Quare Urinam addis? $ 2. R. Ah feias ad res tranfmutandas cor- tUpr 2 2 The Liq nor Alkaheft. things a corruptive Ferment ; is required, in which refpect all other Salts give place to the llrong urinous Salt. S3. CK Cannot the Phlegm be collected apart from the Salt > 84. A. It may»if the Urine be not firft pu- trified. 85. Q. How great a part of the Water is to be reckoned Phlegm ? 8<5. A. Nine parts often or there abouts di- fiilled from frefh Urine are to be rejected, the tenth part ( as much as can be extracted in form of Liquor ) is to be kept '•> from that dried Urine which remains in the bottom by a gentle Fire ( which will not caufe fubli- mation ) let the Salt be extracted with Wa- ter, fothat there be as much Water as half that Urine whence this Feces was dryed s whatfoever is imbibed by the Water let it be powred off by decanting, let it be (trained or purged per deliqumm, then filtre it through a Glafs : Let fretii Water be powred on, and reiterate this Work till the Salt become pure, then joyn this vaftly ftinking Salt with your laft Spirit and cohobate it. Praifed be the Name of the Lord Amen. THE Arcanum Liquor k Alkahelt. 23 ruptionis fermentum adoptari qua dote cun- &a falia urinali olido ccdunt. 83.CLAnnon Phlegma poffit a fale fe- orfim colligi ? 84. R. Poteft,fimod6Urinanonputruerit prius. S5. Q^ Quota pars Aquae Phlegma judi- canda ? 85. K. Novem partes ex decern vel circi- ter a recentiUrinadeft illatse rejiciuntur jdecima pars ( quantum fub forma Liquoris extrahi poteft ) fervetur ; exficcatae Urinae in deftil- lataefundo,calore leni(qui fublimationem non caufat ) extrahatur Sal per Aquam, ita ut Aquae tantum fit, quantum valet dimidium Urinae unde faex hsec exficcata fuit j in aqua quicquid abforbetur effundatur decantando, coletur vel per deliquium purgetur, deinde filtretur aqua per vitrum: recens adfundatur, & reiteretur opus donee Sal purus fuerit, turn conjunge Salem iftum immenfe faetidum cum tuo Spiritu ultimo & cohoba. Sit Nomen Domini benedi&um, Armn> THE THE PRACTICE O F LIGHTS: OR. A N Excellent and Ancient TREATISE OF THE Philofbphers Stone. L N V Printed for William Coop: in Link Britain^ AS r, at the Pelican IOuj. (17) THE PRACTICE O F LIGHTS. SUrely, without any falfehood, the Sci- ence of Alchemy is true and not to be mocked or (corned at, as many blind AlTes do. Many men blunder about this bleiTed Tindrure which have nei- ther Learning nor any fight in Philofophy, which caufeth great (lander and mocking to the great rebuke of this noble and glorious Science of Grace, which Science and cunning is contained only in natural moving or circu- lation and rotation of the Heavens above, as all natural things do in this World by paf- flng their circuit, which the high Creator of Nature keepeth in His marvellous Di- vine Power there as he beginneth and not dfc. The 28 1 he Practice of Light The faying of all the Philofophers is, that no man (hall come to this Science by hatte and heady ftrength, bat by Patience, and long time, and true Governance of P ire. Firfi of all thti noble Science they defcribe of Calcination which I have feen and done all manner of ways as Sophirters and lgnorants do write, unto this day (the more the pit- ty.) But truly I have found a Natural Calci- nation, which rather encreafeth moilture ra- dical than miniftieth it : which Calx is of and £ without any ot her things it is written, nihil demerger etur in Mer curio mfi folem, 1 have kept this compoptum SolU & Mercurii one whole year in firing night and day and in my proportiou I loft my purpofe, for. I took, 24 to one and left off that Work, then I took 3 to 1 : Which I kept in the Fire fea- ven Months (landing in fuch a heat as the Qjj in the higheft of fi fevs banc Aquam refte difponere^ babes totum : fed difficult er fit Aqua ijia, & magno ingmio ex Luna fit Elixir cum Aqua illa^ & ex Sole abf- que puirefa&ifte : non fie ex aliis corporibms nifi poji p itrefadionem. Stude ergo propter iftam Aquam babendam fine qua nihil fit in bac Arte. Chap. 85. The PraEfice of Lights. 31 Chap 86. Hoc Argentum vivum cum corpore conjunttum junt duo [per mat a, de quibnt f admits nafci Aquam-vivam : qua eft Argentum vivum ncjirum, & Aqua-vita qua corpora mortua re- fufcitat. Argentum vivum conflruflum & congelatum dat omnem calorem quo indigemut\ fiat ergo oleum de ipfo cum corrofwa & abhinc trabatur aqua qua dijfblvit omnia : vel cum ipfo oleo mifceatzr ole- um fermenti album vel rubrum & putrefiat totum per Balneum & fac inde Elixir, as red as the Ruby, and in likewife white calx with Luna •, bright (hining and as foft as Silk, which Calx I have examined and pro- ved ok times after this manner. I have put the Calce of Luna into one of our vegeta- ble Menftrms^ and after I have put him into a Limbeck and have dimlled from the faid Cake the faid Men (true, and the faid Calce hath been like a Sponge Spongeous and full of ftrange Colours, and (hining white mar- vellous to fee. Then have I taken this Sub- ftance and put it in a clean VefTel and flop- ped it *faft, and fo have I fublimed out all the Spirit ', and the Body remained beneath as foft as Oyl, and impalpable that no man can exprefs the fubtilnefs thereof : Upon the which Cake I gave my whole Confi- dence : For what learned men foever had feen this Cake, would verily .have known / that 3 2 The Pra&ice of Lights. that it had been the very true and right cake after the teaching of wife Philofophers, for this Body is open and fubtilizate, and his radical humidity faved by his Menjiruwn fa- tens* And this Calce is apt to receive liquefacti- on and all other Opera'ions to it naturally conferving. Now I perceive verily and without doubt how they declare one thing which is true, rirli of the putting to of the Earth and thz Water together in the Philofo- phers Egg, which is likened to the Mafculine and the Feminine, the which fhall bring and gender betwixt them the Child of the Fire, which after (hall never dread the Fire, for himfelf is the very P'ire natural and retrograde to Water and Earth again, and after fo nou- rished in the Fire till he be perfedt white cal- led by titf Name Magnefia. Magnefia eji Aqua compofita & congdata. qua repugnat Igni, & pojiea nunq nam dubitat ilium in aliquofoque ip- famet eft Ignis & de Natura Ignis fit, & in Igne crevit, & faum intinftum fuit ignis» Rcymund T, 7. Cap. &$. Jo. Daltin, Magnefia fane eft Aqua compofita Igni repugnans-> congelata, corpus tutum redigens in ctnerem. Note how herein this wonder- ful Preparation is hid all that ever the Wife- men had. in the which is the Menjiruwn fie» tetr&tlgris Mnir&Naturanftk is the wonderful mar- The Pra&ice of Lights, 35 marvellous and fecrct life of the Stone, as by my Pradricel have feen and approved* f t > r j n the beginning of the nrff corruption .f fmel- leth like foul Brafs : and after that he chav.%- eth from favor to fivor. and in Colour ftmge, and at the laft he is ifragrant and fweet fmelling. This I ruv<; rmly proved by the very expe- rience in making of my foresaid Calce not- withstanding the Preparations the Pnilofo- ptershave hid and nothing elfe which I have duly proved, for I have continued our Mercu- ry and Sol in firing ten Months and more, in the w iich procefs, 1 have (een the natu- ral A6fcs with marvellous things incrfdible, except to them that have feen the charging of them as in manner ot othvi Wgec-ble things growing by their own radical rnoift- jre and heat of the Sun, bon< in burniihing ind in divers Colours, fpritiging with leaver 7% an Hauthorn-tree with t lowers marvel- ous in fight to behold : and after this tea nonths I wearyed and halted with Fire uoove, nd my Body did melt and rife from tne Ground and afcended, and the Spirit brake >art out, and the other part of the work vas marvellous to fee j for part of the Sun vas turned into Moon, and 1 afTure all good nd well difpofed men ^ but not to AiTes and )oliih People ; for I would not that they G (hould 5 4 1 he Pra&ic of Lights. (hould fee my Book. But note the Tcflament of Reymnd,wbere he declarethln the 5 5 Chap- ter and (hewcthof the changing of conimqn ; - Mercury rirft ere he may change the Bnd£, | for he faith : The common Mercury may never change the Body but bimfiffbe fir ft changed and made fare Water, and as he is changed fo will he change the Body, and Preparation I never coniidered till now at the laft labour, Wherefore let never man labour, nor bufu himfdf till his Mercury be turned into pure Water and diiiilled, and every Element well redriried and the Earth well calcinated , and the fame Earth from his original corruption well wa- ited, and that once well and truly done, then the Sun and Moon joyned together with this forefaid Mercury. And then beginning your work, and then with the volatile matter thou (halt have both Earth and Water all of one thing and not of divers kinds, and when I thought to beat an end, there was but the beginning, and 1 never perceived it till I had jiudied the 55 Chapter of Keymonds Tejiament. for I never could rind in all the Authors thai ever 1 did read or fee the Preparation fc plainly declared. Ye may read in the Bjo 1 ^ % Art ef him, called clavis fafienti* major is, wher he writeth nihil occult averunt pr£ter Prtpara tionem. And this is the very and true wa; to the Stone of the Philofophers : For al thci The Pra&ice of Lights. 3 5 their wonderful writing is but one thing, and of one thing, and in one thing, which I have (hewed you here afore. Notwithftan- ding with my Cake you may make right good Medicine both man and Venus. But the Royal Stone muft be prepared as 1 have (hewed thee : And after this Preparatien done put the Man and the Woman in their Bed and kgep them clofe, and in tfa Egg (hat he hrought forth a Child, and here is all that the Philo- fophers fay that is but one thing, one work, one VeiTel, one Furnace, though it change into many things after his natures, as ye mayjee in the Tefiament about the 67 Chap- fer, and there he iheweth of the four good Elements : and it is called in the Mattery the firft folution, after depuration, and then reduction which cometh before Fixation. But 1 allure and certifte you, that I have feen with mine Eyes vifible like as I have afore de- clared. And I take to witnefs Reymond in the 67 Chapter, where he maketh thereof md an open certification to all his Friends that •M he and others have done and proved vifible 11 A thefe A6rs. Here I leave to write other ge- 5jM~neral layings of Philofophers, for I intend «hen but only to proceed in this peculiar thing, ffjrtj which I know is poflible to be done : But it u'wii is the hardeft Science in the World to an un- foi 4 knowing Man . And it is lighteft after it is m G 2 un- 3 6 The Pra&ice of Lights. upderftood and known s as i hsve proved mv Uif b/ Experience 6F my Calces divers way*, {bmcriir»' w\i'.\ Blood of common Vitriol^ and a^tr I hsve decocted i: in the Vegetable Mercury ten or twelve days, and of that Pow- der I have tad tine Silver after the quantity. Ald> I have examined this Cake or. Silver and O ngeneum in common Aquafortis, and they have dryed and congealed therein rrurvelloufly bright (liming; lihi a Diamond which w'U melt in toe Vegetable Mercury like Wax, and the Seciet ot this I have not concluded nor many other Secrets of the Cake tor divers Cooliderarions that I fear by the Enemies of the World. The fecond caufe why I do not conclude, is part for Po- verty : for this Science requireth three things fpect3l to conclude it : One is great ingeny and a perfect re^fon in underftanding and handling there, r; Jhefecondis many Books to lead a man from one darf^ faying to another that givetb Light > and the third is Wordly goods to maintain the Expences and Labour, the Subftaoce of the two Lights which the Mercury mult have to work upon, Sol and Luna for thif Su ; ft nee (hall never be loft, though the W ot k-m An do err in his work, but it (hail be rafaa finer and better then it was at the beginning. Neverthelefs, a man may labour againit Nature and deftroy and fpoyl The Pra&ice of Lights. 37 fpoyl the good Bod ye?. Wherefore I idvife every man not to meddle with this Science unlefs they be well learned and prafriied. Many men do boldly meddle and clafrer therein laying, it is a thing c*ft in the Street and colteth nought, and every man hath it, as well the Poor as the Rich, and every time and place, it is in every Hill and in every Dale, and the Value at the beginning cofteth not pail fifty pence. All thefe thing* be true to them that truly urderftand them. Alfo they fay it is a Natural Mercury which colt no Money which is the privity and all the ground of our Wi{Hom : And all this is no leaiing,bur although it coi\ no ight yet it is not had of nought, andofahrtle fubftancc for ye cannnt have as much Wheat of a hand- ful as of a Bulnel ; thm mark well this rea- fon ; If you wiU have much of th'u Natural Mercury or privy Corruption, which a the R^ot arid Foundation of all thefe ipmdtrjul th ngs^ thou muft have great quantity of their Ma- terials, I fay to thee as a Friend ; U you put 20 pound weight of the Body that Arvttle dechreth with nojiro homogemo, which Body is in Value 24 fcore pounds of cm rant Coyn, it is not of the price of the fecret Stone that we mean of, and it cometh of the qualities of this one thing brought out by Art. And I fay to thee in Charity if thou C 3 hadit 3 8 The Pra&ice of Lights. had ft feen the privity thereof, thou wouldeft foon believe it, and thou wouldeft marvel thereof it is fo light and eaiie a thing,and rea- dy at thy hand if thou have Grace to under- ftand that Corruption. But thou that labou- red herein mult underftand ottrco manner of Corruptions after the definitions of the Philo- fophers : One is Corruption alterative, and the other is Corruption difipative. And if you be a very true Philofopher then (half thou know thefe two Corruptions, as well by theTheo- rick as by the Pradfick, and 1 fay to thee of a Truth that of this Corruption is a new Ge- neration that bringeth forth this blejfed Tin- dure, but corrupt io diftpativa (hall never be brought to natural kind again, and they that labour in this Corruption (hall never lole but their time tor lack of good understanding, for they may fave their good Bodies ever- more. Now Corruptio alterative is evermore in generation, as the Philofopher doth make mention de Generations & Corrupt ione, wide Corrttptio unius eft Gtihratio ahatus, g 44 The Pratt ice of Lights. biding bright (hining, clear, fo that almoft man cannot exprefs the brightnefs which is incredible to any man except to them that have feen it with thth Eyes. And thou that art a finder of thisBnck,I charge thee as thou wilt anfwer to God that thou never (hew this but to a vertuous and wife, difcreet and well difpofed man, which is ever glad to help the Poor and needy People, for with this glorious Science ye may procure many glori- ous Gifts of the ble fled Trinity both in Rich- es and Soul, which lhall never fail you ever- laftingly. Dagloriam Deo, Amen. Magnalmm T)ei> FINIS. VRJECIVIOLVM OR THE Immature-Mineral-Ele&rum. THE FIRST METALL: Which is the MINERA O F MERCVRT. By Job. Bapt. Van-Hdmont. LONDON, Printed for William Cooper, at the Pelican in Little Britain. 1^83. q 47 ; Ele&um Minerale Immatu- rum (id eft ) Metallus frimm eft Minera Mer- curii. 1 "^AKS of the bell: Argent urn vivum, which you (hall Diilil from its own Minera, that is of the bell Hungarian Minera which (hall hold abundance of Argent urn vivum, one pound will hold twelve, thirteen or fourteen ounces of Quickfilver, you (hall diilill this Minera, ( rirft pulverized ) in a Glafs Retou with a Receiver, then you thall iqueeze the Mercury diveis times through Leather. It" you cannot get any Minera Mercurii Hun gar 7- c/, take Spanilh Mercury, which is the bell after the Hungarian, fqueeze it through Lea- ther divers times. If you cannot gee this £/>.*- ///'//; Mercury, take of thi belt Argentum vi- zun, that is to fay, if you put a little of ir into a Silver Spoon, and hold the Spoon o- vcr glowing Coals, and when the Mercury flies 4o Van-tidmonts flyes away it leav s a yellow or white fpot in the Spoon, this Mercury *v;'l ferve, but if the Mercury leave a bla :k fpur it is not good for any Work. Tike the Mercury ^nich leaves a yellow of white fpbi in the Spoon, wa(b it ten or twelve time> with Salt and Vi- rteger, and then fqueete it as many 'imes through Leather, that it may be purged from its outward ibulnefs, the Hungarian and Spanijh Mercury are clean of themfelves and need no walbir.g. Imprimit, y< u are to feparate the Mercu- r'mm coagulatttm from the Mercurius Vivus, without anycorcofivenefs, an-} that the Mer- curvM Vivus fhall be ah ,? e Ml, and Co clear as a Venice Looking- glnfs : VVhich Mercury coagulate Paraaelfh^ni Helmont calls Pr£ci- piolum or Mercuriuf Coagulatus^ and that it (hall be feparated d.-ad from its own Minera, and that the Mercury Vivas (hail be (till alive after that the ?r£cifiolum is fepnrate from it, and that the Corpus Mer:urii vivi is the Fr£ cipiolum Miner a, and that the Elearum Mine- rals immatufum, is the M< ream vrui Minera. Item Helmut &VaracelJUs mentions that when the Argent'im Vivum or Mzrcurius Vivm (hali come to his loca deftinata, that then the At* gentum vivum (hall leave hisPr£cipiolum behind him in the form of a coagulated Mercury,and the Mercurius Vivus will go away alive and remain a Mzrcurius Vivus* The Pr