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 / [by] H.V.D. H. V. D. 1684 Approx. 39 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A36714 Wing D24 ESTC R5297 20508323 ocm 20508323 109423 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A36714) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 109423) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 178:18) 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 / [by] H.V.D. H. V. D. 32 p. Printed for William Cooper ..., London : 1684. Also appears as last part of Collectanea chymica, at reel 88:3. Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Alchemy. Medicine, Magic, mystic, and spagiric. 2008-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-05 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-06 John Pas Sampled and proofread 2008-06 John Pas Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion 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 . From my Study , Jan. 1. 1674. 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 . PARACELSVS 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 't is 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 , Aqua-vitae , 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 .