PYROTECHNY ASSERTED AND ILLUSTRATED, To be the surest and safest means FOR Arts Triumph over Nature's Infirmities.  
Being full and free Discovery of the Medicinal Mysteries studiously concealed by all Artists, and only discoverable by FIRE.  
With an Appendix concerning the Nature, Preparation and Virtue of several specific Medicaments, which are noble and succedaneous to the great Arcana.  
By GEORGE STARKEY, who is a Philosopher by Fire.  
●ondon, Printed by R. Daniel, for Samuel Thomson at the Whitehorse in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1658.   

AN EPISTLE From a Friend of the Author's, To the READER.  
READER,  
WIthout addition, for I am unwilling to miscall thee, who art a stranger to me, and I know not thy due titles or Epithets, but be what thou wilt, but a satire, and I care not: I would not have the Fire fright thee, nor have thee burn thy fingers, but have thee to understand, that a due and per use of that which is a bad Master is to make it a good Servant, who when kept in discreet obedience, can be a thousand ways profitable, and delightful to thee. I here appear like a Prologue-speaker to a Play of Vulcan's, whose Apprentice I am, a kind of junior Cyclops, and my Master bids me tell thee bluntly (without making a leg, or complementing thy favour,) that if thou wilt have patience he will show thee sport enough, and (if thou hast wit) how not to repent of thy twelvepences here laid out for his sake. For thus much I shall anticipate, Thou wilt find the lame leg cured, and Vulcan not only able to walk, but run on both, and that so nimbly that he needs no golden balls to catch his Hippolita, or a Net for Venus, but quickly overtakes the flying Daphne, and does then more than Apollo could, viz. satisfy his own desires and thy wishes. This (Reader,) thou shalt be entertained within the Sequel, which thus I blow the Trumpet to, and hang out also a scurvy kind of picture of the strange Water-Fire-works to be seen within, and without juggling, show thee the Sea burning, and the Fish in a doubt, whether they are roasted or boiled, yet when the Cookery is done it proves the wholesomest dish in the world, and if thou prove worthy to taste, thou wilt confess it both food and Physic, pleasant and profitable.  
If thou ask who first completed these rarities, I answer, a Noble German Artist, One (with reverence be it borrowed) that like another Elijah road here with horses all of fire, and at length having paved his Chariot with love, and guilded it with light, drove directly into eternity, leaving his mantle and a double portion of his spirit upon an Elisha now travelling to and fro, and encompassing the earth to destroy the works of that destroyer, that takes the same journey like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour. And to make up the Triumvirate, I may present to thee this our Author, and so thou mayst like Nebuchadnezar, behold the three children walking in the fiery furnace, choosing that, rather than to fall down and worship the Image which Prince Galen hath set up, and commanded all that are his Subjects to adore and bend their knee to. And further (for the simile is thine, if not fourfooted,) there is a fourth amongst them, who is like the Son of God, that true and Divine Wisdom, and therefore the fire hath no power over them, but is their pleasant garden, and fresh walks, wherein they gather the sweetest flowers, flowers of Sun, the fair Lunaria, apples of Paradise, Fruit from the tree of Life, and therefore are professed enemies to death, and his armies of diseases, the leaves of that tree being for the healing of the Nations. And wonder not, Reader, that I allude to Eden the Garden of God, whose guardian Angel stands sentinel with a naked flaming sword, that no man returns but he that passes thorough untouched of that flaming blade, and he that hath passed through this fiery trial, hath freedom of access to the midst of the Garden, where (thou knowest) God planted his Arborem Vitae: But without fire is no expiation, because no sacrifice, and consequently no service: Because to him that overcomes is it only given to eat of the hidden Manna.  
But by this, perhaps I and this book grow too hot for thee to hold any longer, and away thou throwest it; But prithee Reader which is hottest, thy ignorant dark zeal, or that pleasant and unfeigned divider between the precious and the vile? That (I say) which is a consuming and devouring flame of Hell, or that which kindly heats and warms with blessed and divine love? answer thyself.  
But hold, I am now mounted, and it may be quite out of thy sight, and seem to thee as little as nothing, and accordingly thou esteemest me. Well, I will tell thee though where I am, even in words that thou canst understand, if thou knowest any thing of Aristotle, thou knowest the element of Fire is the highest. Holloo (Reader) there I am, and will make bold with thy Stagirite, and tell that Gentleman, he saith not true (not to give him the lie, lest his Champions stab me behind.) For this Fire burns, and can roast as many animals as his worship reckons up in his muster-book of that subject, and may make a Feast able to dine his great Patron, if he had wine enough too for the royal Fudler. This will the Sphere of fire perform, & besides this any thing that the Culinary doth or can do. For to speak plainly of these two in the words of Trismegist, That which is above is as that which is beneath, and this is a truth most certain, and all for the work of one and the same thing, so that if any difference be, it is the Culinary fire serves all the turns we use it for, in our houses upon earth, and the Elementary doth the same for the Astrologers in their houses of Heaven. Now therefore (Reader) I advise thee to wipe thy eyes, I am nearer to thee then thou thoughtest. And to remove thy prepossession, I protest to thee, I am no Persian Idolater; the fire is not my Deity, yet all is Oracle that it speaks, there is no Amphibology and equivocation in its expression, no, it is the sincerest Being in the World, it can abide no masks or cover what ever, but pulls all off, gives thee the naked presence of all, and woe to the hypocrite (who is nothing but ) that falls into it. It is all gold that lies safe in its bosom, and happy art thou if by thy services thou winnest so much upon it, as to partake of its bosom. It hath its match not where, but only in the Water, Mrs. Aqua is its Eve, and he is a high Priest of Nature that can join their hands and hearts, that can reconcile that great enmity that is between them, and make them embrace: their offspring is still wonderful, and named Wisdom, Length of days, durable riches, true and substantial honour. Ignis-Aqua is a marriage from which we may expect more of a universal peace than the Pope can from a Match of the Son of Spain to the Daughter of France. He with his two Indies joined with her nimble wit, sprightful behaviour, and pleasant and paradisical situation, cannot boast of a completer happiness and a more rich and perfect glory, than the uniting of these two with their Kingdoms and large Territories. For I tell the, He and She have the Empire of the whole World, and (without Hyperbole) the sun riseth and sets within the limits of their jurisdiction. judge now (Reader) of his Purse, that is favourite to these two; and of his Power, whom they will serve; of his Wisdom, whom they teach, of his unparalelled happiness, that can call them his. But I do thee an injury to detain thee thus long: this is the painted Flag (as I told thee,) the living prodigy is within; enter therefore and behold all, and when thou hast done, confess thou never didst see the like: wonder then, & commend his pains that hath travailed into strange Countries to fetch these home to show them to thee, and without envy to teach thee to do the like. I have a mind (Reader,) to put into thy Contemplations and leave thee: Consider then what a strange nature is that thing of, which can never be fed too much, what a Symbol of infinitude lies in a small spark. Here give thy thoughts liberty, and when thou retirest begin again to think whence comes this same thing called Fire, and whither goes it? what is it, and what doth it? when you have taken that turn, step again forward thus, Why doth the Almighty Chemist promise to Epilogue the world with Fire, why did he once wash it with water, and will not now cleanse it again but with fire? why are Fire & Water the Parents of all beings visible, bringing them forth, bringing them up, and yet at last turn Cannibals, and eat their own Children? These and 1000 the like thou mayest pry into without the charge of being curious. Attend therefore to thy Master, Audi Ignis vocem, and be not Childish in thy apprehensions; not a dull and inintelligent Auditor at the Lectures read to thee in Schola Pyrotechnicâ, Hear this experienced Professor, this Doctor illuminate, whose Text is, In the sweat of thy brows, thou shalt eat thy bread, whereof the Poet makes this, Dii vendidere sudoribus arts. Listen not to the cry of the Vulgar, it is a Beast, and wild, and therefore cannot endure the fire, nor to come near it; but call this World a Desert, a Forest of Lions, Bears, Tigers, and (in this sense) it hath but one part, it's all an Africa, behold thyself in the midst of this wood, see thy danger, and the open jaws of roaring beasts, and encompass and secure thyself with a wall of Fire, and then let them howl, they cannot rend nor tear thee, Be not therefore discouraged, if thou art thus engaged, Remember the World hath no Coin to pay off their debts to good men, but such as bears the stamp of evil upon it, and indeed how can that which is all evil itself, bring any good out of its Treasury. Therefore suspect that thy Present is evil, when it pleaseth the evil world, but when it makes faces at thy Physic, and spits & spews out thy pills as bitter, then esteem thy Potion wholesome, although the world take it not, it is a child and without understanding.  
But (Reader) the Carrier stays, I mean the Printer, and if I send not to thee now I shall be prevented to remember my love to thee at this time: I here therefore send it thee, be who thou wilt, and desire only this of thee, to excuse me if (being not yet enough known to myself) I remain unknown to thee, and yet subscribe  
Philanthropos.   

To the Honourable, Virtuous, and most accomplished Gentleman, ROBERT BOYL Esq My very good Friend: All temporal and Eternal happiness be multiplied and continued.  
SIR,  
SInce it was my good fortune first by the occasion of our mutual Friend, Dr. Robert Child, (whose memory being a man most learned and ingenuous, I honour,) to kiss your Honour's hand, your love to me hath ever continued so real and constant, that if I should not take such notice of it, as to my power to acknowledge it, I should worthily deserve the black note of infamy; but yet if I should assign this love of yours as the cause of this present Dedication, I should be very injurious both to you and to the Truths. To you, since your deservings are so great, as to your own personal accomplishments, that were you to me a mere stranger, yet your own worth may above any other that I know in England challenge this Dedication, as one to whom the God of Nature hath been so signally propitious, as to discover many of Nature's most secret operations, in their causes and workings unkown to many learned men. To You I therefore present these my Pyrotechnical lucubrations as a mean Painter may present a draught to the Censure of Apelles, herein acknowledging Your Worth, and also taking off the suspicion of imposture from the things I write, which being thrown humbly at the feet of so able a judge of their verity, desire Your acceptance only according to their worth and reality. Take in good part than I entreat You these Lines, (not such as I wish them,) but such as the rudeness of my understanding could prompt me; assuring you, that though meanly adorned in words, yet they contain such real experiments, which will be very acceptable both to You, and to as many as have delight in the search after the mysteries of Nature, and am confident that these operations in future ages will praise their School, in which I have been a painful, though an unworthy Scholar.  
As for myself I need not make any Apology to your honour, as being known sufficiently to You: and Your Candour and Ingenuity being very ready to excus for me what failings You may discover in me, Now that to such a friend, I affect rather plainness and truth, than the garnish of words, to You, I doubt not, but it will be the rather acceptable; let others judge of my rudeness as they please. I would not be so bold as to prefix this dedication before the first part of this Treatise, which is Apologetical, and somewhat tart, against the abuses of the Galenists, because I would not engage your honour with me in any quarrel, that part therefore I leave to itself to sink or swim according to the weight or lightness of its Reasons and Arguments; the Moving Cause to which smartness, was the uncivility of the Galenical party, in reproaching and reviling this noble Art in general, and Helmont in particular (to both Your honour and Myself a deserved favourite,) whom I formerly made My Chemical Evangelist, but do now believe, not convinced by his Arguments and Reasons, but by experimental Confirmation, and practical ocular demonstration.  
Myself indeed, have from the common Enemy of the worthy Art and Artists of Chemistry and Pyrotechny. received many uncivil abuses upon that very score; on which grounds I may be thought to have written so sharply in revenge: but although it is very true that Parit indignatio versum, yet I can truly affirm, that it was not upon the score of private grudge that I was invited to take up the buckler, but because I saw truth itself affronted, and contemned in the persons of its most deserving Champions, such as were Helmont and Paracelsus; Now fearing lest if such reproaches should pass without Animadversion, the Common people who cannot read either Helmont or Paracelsus; the exotickness of the language in which they wrote keeping them locked from most of our English Nation, yet whose lives are nearly concerned in what they treat of, for this Cause I put pen to paper, who otherwise had rather chosen to lie hid, and did undertake the Apology of those, whose books otherwise I confess myself unworthy to commend. Yet if God, who is only wise, have chosen the mean and foolish things of the world to confound the lofty and wise, I hope no man of understanding will contend with him, nor will any of discretion undervalue a treasure, because in a poor earthen pot hidden: These things I writ not to Your honour, as fearing or suspecting Yourself inclinable to such a spirit of prejudice, but as sensible of mine own undeservingness, I cannot but excuse it to others, who perhaps know me little or not at all, being before hand satisfied, that Your honour would be more willing to cover my imperfections, than I (without impudence) could desire, or with reason expect. And not to detain You longer in the entrance, be pleased to view the House itself; to every Room whereof I shall account it my Happiness to be your Guide, who before, and in all other things am, and must subscribe myself;  
Sir, Your Honour's very Servant George Starkey.   


CAP. I. The Preface.  
NOble and worthy to be written in Letters of Gold is that saying of Cicero, Virtutis laus omnis in actione consistit; To which agrees that of the Poet, Quo mihi fortunam si non concesseris uti? What profit is there of curious speculations, which do not lead to real experiments? to what end serves Theory, if not applicable unto practice.  
And as this holds in all cases, so more especially is it true in Pyrotechny, of which the whole would be vain and useless, unless the Theorems of it were demonstrable practically by the Fire.  
As therefore I have in my foregoing Treatise Apologetically defended the Cause of Chemical Medicine from the unjust reproaches of Galenists, and have proved that their Medidicines are really (that which they falsely charge upon Chemical Modicines) virulent and dangerous, and have moreover convinced them at large of impotency and insufficiency, now it is time to bring on the Stage such a Medicinal apparatus as may be, and appear both safe and effectual.  
The only whine of the Galenists against Helmont, that ever I could hear, is and hath been, that he pulls down, but doth not build up, labours to overthrow the used method of Medicine, but doth not introduce a better.  
How fare that Noble Philosopher hath proceeded in the discovery of the true Medicinal Art, there is no Candid Son of Art, but must confess it, and hath cause to bless God for the same.  
But they who thus complain would be dealt with as infants are by Nurses, have their meat not only prepared and provided, but also chewed and praemasticated for them, which is a thing unreasonable to expect; foolish to demand.  
My advice to such is, that they would once cordially lay to heart, what a great charge lies upon them who have the care of lives, and what a great account will be taken of them at the last day, of which knowing the terror, they may cease from Covetousness, Idleness, and selfconceited Pride; and acknowledging their ignorance, endeavour to attain true skill and knowledge, by those ways and means which God hath appointed.  
For our Books and Writings are only as goads and pricks, and may serve for exhortations to all that are studious and sedulous, that every one for his own particular may endeavour to profit by his own labour and industry, so far as the Almighty shall be pleased to assist him.  
Nor do we as in other Arts, writ with intent that our writings may be understood promiscuously by every Reader, and this is peculiar to this Art, and commanded in the Gospel, that Pearls be not cast before swine, and for this end we so write as not to be understood.  
To what end then do we trouble ourselves and others, will some supercilious Galenist object, if not to be understood? and will urge his example, who meeting wi●h a Book he could not understand, threw it away with this farewell, Quid mihi cum Autore qui non vult intelligi?  
I answer, that practical and speculative doctrines are far different, the one informs the judgement in the Reason of things, the other directs the hand in the mechanical practice.  
Now as to the speculative part, our demonstrations are most plain, true, and evident, as being drawn forth of, and grounded upon, the very nature of the things we treat of; so that of the existency and efficacy of our Medicines, I know nothing that can be desired, but what is fully and clearly extant already in Helmont, Paracelsus, etc.  
But as touching the practical part, we are to be excused, if we so write, as only to be understood by Sons of Art, and that not by bare reading, but by serious meditation, and unwearied prayer to God, joined with indefatigable pains of searching in the Fire, which (under God) is the main Key to unlock all our Mysteries.  
These things being attended; our Books then may serve profitably as Sea-marks, to those who shall travail in these practices, that he may by pondering our Words, know if his operations be true or no; and if not, where his error is, and how to amend it.   

CAP. II. Of the Art of Pyrotechny in General.  
THis Art, called by some Chemeia, or the Art of Separation, by some Alchemeia, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is the Art of separating Salts, is by us called Pyrotechny, or the Art of governing and using the Fire; because that the Fire is the principal agent in our work.  
All other Agents are either singular, and serve each of them but in some Works, as Spirit of Wine, Vinegar, etc. or universal, and serve for the universal solution of all Bodies, as the liquor Alchahest, yet these are neither made nor used but by the means of the fire; therefore that is the most universal Agent in our work, though not of most virtue; of the largest use, though not of greatest efficacy; for we have a liquor which will dissolve and destroy, what it cannot, and what will abide fixed and constant therein, will in our liquor be dissolved, volatized, and separated into its Elements; yet this is our hidden name, or Diploma not communicable: but our outward Agent (the Fire) is visible, and of most universal use, our Agent, since quo non, by which we take our Denomination, and rejoice with Helmont, rather to be per Ignem Philosophi,) then to be created without it, by the Schools.  
The Art of Pyrotechny then (in brief,) is nothing else, then by the help of Vulcan to know how to unlock Nature's secrets, which are shut up in concretes Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral; and to exalt them to the height of their perfection, and that by the means of hidden and secret Agents preparable in Nature, by the fires help, and the Artists craft.  
So then since our Agents themselves, own their formal being to the preparation of the fire, this as the more universal agent gives name to our Art, which from the fire is Denominated Pyrotechny.   

CAP. III. That all that pretend to this Art, are not to be reputed Artists.  
FRom this that hath been said, it may easily be gathered, that all who contend for a share in this Art, are not to be accounted Heirs of the same; For it is not every one that can make a Fire, or a Furnace, that is to be accounted Philosophus per Ignem, that is an Adeptus, but he only who knows how to work with the fire according to the true principles of Nature. Even as it is not every one that can furnish himself with a good pen, a neat inkhorn, and fine paper may be adjudged a good Scribe; nor any who can procure to himself a good sword, that is to be reckoned among expert Fencers, but they only who can with skill and dexterity use both the one and the other. Right so is it in this case, Convenient furnaces, and fitting vessels are so necessary to this work, that without the same, nothing can be done; yet many may provide themselves of these external instruments, who yet in Philosophy are as blind as moles, and as stupid as Asses.  
Nor yet is it every one that can make many subtle operations in the Fire, that is an Adeptus; for the works of God are various and wonderful, and as any subject is handled diversely, it will produce divers effects, which though they may seem glorious to the eye, may yet be really trivial in value, which yet the inventors of them (through ignorance admiring their value at a high rate,) prate and promise, themselves know not what, concerning them; to the disrepute at last not only of themselves, but of their Art.  
Therefore that true Art may not be censured for the sake and cause of these pretenders, who are no Artists, but at the best, are Mimics and Apes unto true Sons of Art, it will not be amiss to decipher some of them, and paint them in their Colours, that so they may be known and esteemed for what they are, and not for what they are not, nor ever were.   

CAP. IU. Of erroneous Operatours more particularly.  
ANd first, in this discovery, I meet with such, who having gotten into their hands some Philosophical Treatise, forthwith have their minds on fire, till they set about the practical part, and endeavour to effect that which in their minds they have conceived.  
These for the most part, chief levelly their aim, at the attainment of the Golden Fleece; for this they spend and are spent, they believe what they read, and imagine thereupon, and account nothing worth their inquiry, but the mastery of Hermes, and think every thing unworthy their pains and trouble, unless it be the great Flixer, no fortune can befall them unless they may happen to stumble upon that unhappy stone.  
This their design (unwilling to be ridiculous,) they will conceal to their power, pretending to the search of some or other more than ordinarily noble Medicine, which they prosecute with that vigour that they may, when that is ended, cure all diseases, hoping in that time to cure the maladies of their purse, and then as for the care of the sick they will leave that to others.  
These Philosophers at their first initiation have some one thing or other on which they dote, one on Rainwater, another on Maydow, a third on Sulphur vive, a sourth on ☿, a fifth on ♁, a sixth on Tartar, a seventh on Cold, an vl on the Nitre of the earth, on which subject they imagine to themselves strange Chimaereal operations, of which as oft as they miss, they are still to begin again, and when they find not what they look for, they account what they find as good as nothing. And thus they run from subject to subject, working subtly but to no end, for because that they hit not the mark proposed, which perhaps, out of the subject they handle is but dotage to imagine, they never proceed to see & seek what God and Nature hath put in the subject, but as soon as oft unsuccesful Trials have convinced them, that the Philosopher's stone is not there, they straightway set themselves to another search.  
These men's knowledge at best is but negative, they can tell you that there the Philosopher's Stone is not, but what is contained in those subjects, that they know not, because they never attempted to know.  
Of this kind of Philosophers there are another sort equally sottish with the former, but far worse.  
These having spent their time and moneys for a long season in these unprofitable studies, and at last having neither money to subsist upon, nor an Art honestly to subsist by, they fall to mere Imposture, and commend that for all diseases of men, which would never cure any disease in Metals, Thus one takes the bones of men long buried, for his universal subject, and of them distils a  liquor, and sublimes a volatile urinous Salt, such as Hartshorn will give, and all bones, especially those which have lain rotting a long time; and this he commends for an universal medicine, and sells at the price of Gold, attributing to it, out of a vain confidence, whatever the Philosophers have ascribed to their Great Elixir.  
Another for his subject takes foot of wood, which by the heat of the bath he promiseth to decoct into the great Elixir, and presuming on this as the true subject, he distils from it a Water impregnated with a volatile urinous salt, and a  Oil, which rectified twice or thrice, he calls it his Ignis Vitae, and commends it against all diseases, and values it at half the rate of Gold.  
These dotages are so gross, that to name them is enough to confute them, and therefore I shall leave these dregs of Chemical Artists, fit to be noted with a black coal.  
Others there are, who having tried the insufficiency of vulgar medicines, do fly unto mineral remedies, and Chemical preparations, and they at first, conceiving great pleasure in the preparation of the same, and perhaps finding some greater success in some of these then in ordinary Drugs, straightway fall to writing of their discoveries that they may appear very learned, and will compile a large Volume of preparations, some perhaps only taken on trust, many imagined only in fantasy, but never tried; This is a very great disingenuity, and to those who first give their Names to this Art, very prejudicial, especially when they shall extol dangerous poisons for choice Medicines, such as Turbith, and other preparations of ☿, and many preparations of ♁, which are not to be reckoned among medicines, nor are they remedies fit for an honest man to use.  
These sort of men have brought into the Apothecary's shops a great sort of Empyrical preparations, which for gains sake, are daily more and more adulterated, insomuch that Chemistry on this score had almost been brought into disgrace, had not some true sons of Art, in every Age appeared, who might pluck off the vizard from these pretenders, and show them to be indeed what they are, empty bubbles, making a great show without any reality, clouds without water, not worthy to be accounted what they boast themselves to be, nothing less than true Philosophers.   

CAP. V Of the true Sons of Pyrotechny.  
WHoever then desires to be a true Son of Art, he must resolve to give himself up wholly unto it, and the prosecution of the same, next unto the service of God, aught to be his chief and main end intended and aimed at.  
He must join prayer unto God, with serious meditation, and diligent industry, this is the way to attain true knowledge; His end must be Charity towards the sick and weak, which God will bless, but be that out of a Covetous mind, and with desire of vainglory shall search after these mysteries oftimes he shall come short of his desires, Therefore is true medicine a serious, secret & sacred art, which requires the whole man, and as it is to be sought for charitable ends, so is it to be employed only with design to glorify God in doing good.  
There are therefore several obstacles of true knowledge, which it is good that every one who will give up himself unto Art, be advised of; that he may avoid and shun them: and these they are.  
First of all, neglect of God, when the Artist doth not seriously implore God's blessing, how can he expect to be prosperous in his search after these mysteries of Nature, since every good gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; It is not the reading of Books, nor is it painful search in the sire, that can do any good; only the blessing of the Almighty, which must be implored by earnest and daily prayer.  
Secondly, vicious living, and wicked Conversation: This will make all a man's endeavours unfruitful, nay rather, this hinders a man from an industrious search; for he who is once infected with vice, will never seriously, as he ought, apply his mind to ingenuity.  
Thirdly, Idleness and Laziness, when a man would fain reap a plentiful harvest, but will neglect the breaking up of his ground, and sowing of his seed: This is the fault of many, who if they cannot attain a thing by reading, or by once attemting, they are discouraged and leave off.  
Fourthly I ride and Conceitedness, who think that all knowledge is with them already, and if for a short time they have laboured in this inquiry, they strait presume themselves nothing inferior to Hermes or Paracelsus; of these, that of Seneca may be verified, Multi ad virtutem pervenire potuissent, nisi se putass nt pervenisse.  
Lastly Covetousness, when men are unwilling to venture their moneys in search of knowledge, and finding a pompous practice accompanied with large gain, without this expense and trouble, they embrace the cheapest and easiest way of gain and profit, accounting money sweet, though gotten out of the ruins of Families, and the destruction of the sick, verefiing the Maxim of an unworthy Emperor, Dulcis odor lucri, ex re qualibet.  
To all such my advice is to keep from meddling with these secrets, they are not for them, but praesupposing thee, friendly Reader, rightly qualified, Pious, sedulous, humble, and charitably endowed: I shall be thy guide, so far as one to another may communicate, without transgressing the Rules of Philosophy, which is to exclude all unworthy persons from this Art, to our power.   

CAP. VI Of the Operations in Chemistry.  
IT is not my purpose or intent, to begin with the Doctrine of Furnaces, nor is this Treatise intended for such as know not what they are: But supposing thee to be skilful in managing of the fire, I shall come to the matter intended, remitting such, who do not know the Mechanical Principles of Pyrotechny, to some other Instructor.  
And to deal ingenuously; let me advise every young Artist, that he must by his own Ingeny, contrive forms both of Furnaces, glasses, and pots, as may suit his intended Work, and accordingly let him alter or  the same.  
Some men can make their own furnaces, others order workmen (every where to be had) to make them for them,) this makes an Artist neither better nor worse, for as a Fencer useth a sword which a Cutler makes, so may it be in this case, but to direct about the form of Furnaces, so as to fit them to the Work intended, this is absolutely required in a Philosopher.  
Nor is there any thing that doth quicken invention more, than a destitution of such things as are to be desired, in want of which oft times an Ingenious man, for a shift finds out such compendious Encheiria's which he would never else have thought on.  
But Instruments being prepared, and materials provided, I advise all that will undertake these discoveries, not to spare pains, study, nor cost, imploring always divine Assistance. And forasmuch as the principles of this Art are most abstruse, let a man not be wearied although he miss often, for these very Errors he may improve greatly to his advantage, if he note all his operations, and seriously ponder every effect. Thus by erring may errors be avoided, and to any that shall thus search, he will perceive, that by ask, seeking, and knocking, he shall find, receive, and have opened to him, the secrets and mysteries of Nature.  
Let his aim be at the most noble Medicines, yet so let him prosecute them, that those of an inferior Rank, which God shall discover unto him, be not neglected, imitating that slothful servant, who buried his Talon, because it was but one; but employing and improving what God doth bestow, let him expect a greater improvement of his Abilities, which ordinarily God doth grant, and give to just and faithful servants.   

CAP. VII. Of the different degrees of Medicines which are to be prepared by this Art.  
ANd thus I am brought by the good hand of God, to take a survey of Medicines, which is indeed but the beginning of my intended task, And here on the Readers part I crave attention, and I on my part shall promise Candour, and Truth.  
Medicines therefore which are truly worthy to be so called, are of two sorts; either specific, or universal, that is, preeisely applicable to some few diseases, or universally powerful in all cases. This division will also admit of a subdivision, which I shall attend in its place.  
The way by which a Medicine (such as ought to be desired) work its effect, is Diaphoretically and Diuretically, by sweat and urine, as for vomits, purges, and the like, I leave them to such who approve them, rather consenting to Helmont, who concludes thus, Reus sim coram Deo, nisi suasero, a purgantibus prorsus abstinendum.  
As for medicines which God hath made for many (not to say most or all) maladies, in their simplicity, that belongs not to this place: for this Treatise only concerns such medicaments which are to be made by the fire.  
And in this discovery it behoves only to rely upon God's blessing and assistance, and to attend the effect of all operations most dilgently, for there is no rules that can be set down before hand, to direct one in his search, for as the Fire is a Heteroclite Agent, so ●s products are not demonstrable by Reason; by mean of it, Corrosives are dulcified, and sweet things made corrosive, Coagulated bodies are resolved and fluid substances congealed, fixed things are made volatile, and volatile things fised: In a word the Concrete gives very little, or no light, by which to estimate the things produced; Nature herein is most free in her operation, wonderful in her effects, her footsteps are vailed with much obscurity, yet by the good hand of God, to be found out with industry.   

CAP. VIII. Of the Keys of this Art in General.  
THE Keys of this Science are Congelation, and Dissolution, Volatization and Fixation, to these all Operations Chemical do tend.  
Separation and Digestion, Fermentation, and Cohobation are all intended for this end, to make that fluid and subtle that before was gross, or that volatile which before was fixed, or on the contrary.  
The mean of all (on Nature's part) is Ferment, on the Artists part, the Application of due Agents and Patients, and external heat according to the exigency of the thing required,  
By these means is sought the hidden virtue of the Concrete, and made to appear openly, which is so far beyond the Concrete in virtue, as it was in its crude simplicity, as the best wine is before the crude juice of grapes in excellency.  
For although some things have their virtue restrained to their form, depending on the vita ultima of the subject, as is especially apparent in all things, which work magnetically, yet seriously in the vast Catalogue of simples, how few things are of use without praevious preparation or correction, either their gross corporality, or their virulent malignity, being an obstinate obstacle to their effectual Energy: for the Corporeous impediment, it is taken away by Dissolution, and Volatization, in which two operations for the most part all the malignity of the subject is either taken away or suspended.  
For the fire as it cleanses that which was foul, so it ripens that which was crude, it digests what was virulent, and inverts its malignity; making it appear with new qualities, and by means of it is the virtue of something exalted, and made more noble by a thousand fold.  
But because the fire alone is but the Destroyer of seminal virtue, and whatever it masters, it doth not only extinguish the same, but it doth alter it notably into strange Heterogeneities, in which that eminent Crasis (of which we boast) is not to be seen, therefore have the Sons of Art invented and prepared means for the praevious dissolution of compacted bodies, by which means the bodies being opened, the more noble parts may be severed from the ignoble and unactive, and by this their end is attained.   

CAP. IX. Of the Keys in particular, and first of the Liquor Alchahest.  
I Am now brought to the Contemplation of a subject of wonder, which is indeed one of the most admirable secrets in Nature, it is an immorral Ens, incorruptible, of power to resolve all the Concretes of the World into their first liquid matter, destroying their corporiety, and bringing them to volatilitie.  
It's name first given by Paracelsus in the German tongue, sounding as much as all Spirit, Algehest, may denote its nature; it is a spirit of so homogeneal a substance, that it is not to be altered in Nature, except only by its compeer, by which it is altered, and loseth its virtue being once joined and mixed with it.  
Of this I intent here to speak very briefly, having elsewhere in a peculiar Treatise handled it sufficiently, and clearly, nor shall I in this place repeat what there is fully set down.  
Yet because that our intent is here to give a short Systeme of the whole Art of Pyrotechny, which cannot be, without this Liquor be treated of, since by means of it the most noble end eminent preparations are performed, therefore it behoves us not to neglect this so worthy a subject, lest our work may appear, (and that most justly) to be lame and imperfect.  
This liquor than is no other than that fire, of which it may be said Vulgus igne cremat, nos aquâ, which the noble Helmont calls his summum and perpetuum Corrosivum, and his Gehennae Ignis, of which we shall discover first its efficacy; secondly its matter and manner of making: which I prefume to a Son of Art, will be accounted a rich Legacy.  
And first it will be necessary to remove a prejudice, which unremoved may derogate much from the esteem of what I am now about to write, and that is, that I may not be accounted a writer at ●overs, a disputer of things which I know not, and a Teacher of what I never yet learned. And here I must appeal to God the searcher of all hearts, who knoweth, that I writ not mine own Imaginations or Fantasies, but what I know to be true, not notionally by bare reading, but really by practical experience.  
For from my tender years I always coveted true Philosophy above all attainments, not valuing any thing in the World comparably therewith.  
For this I was willing to spend and to be spent. and to the glory of God's grace be it spoken, he was pleased so far to be propitious to me (though infinitely unworthy,) that he discovered unto me many secrets, hidden & concealed from most of those who seek after these mysteries, not believed by others, though the Learned men (so esteemed) of the world.  
Now above all things in this World, there was nothing by me so desirably prosecuted as the liquor Alchahest, which I employed myself so seriously upon, that for the space of full eight years, that was ever one of my most painful attempted discoveries, in which tedious journey, my chief refreshing Cordial was the consideration of its excellency and profit when attained, though its tediousness in preparation was a grand discouragement on the other hand, which yet never could prevail with my unbroken spirit to knock me off from this search, till at last through the great mercy of God by seeking and knocking, and ask from the Father of Lights, from whom cometh every good & perfect gift, I attained the true knowledge of this secret, its true original, and manner of preparation, which I shall candidly here lay open so clearly to a son of Art, that he shall not desire a better guide, by whose direction and God's blessing, he may by pains and study attain what I by the same means have attained.   

CAP. X. Of this Liquors virtue and efficacy in general.  
NOW forasmuch as bonum and utile, good and profitable are so convertible, that a thing cannot truly be denominated the former, which is not truly and really the latter, I think it not amiss, in the next place to give an account of the utility of this liquor, which being known, a man will be encouraged to attend with pains in the search of the same.  
The Encomium therefore of this so worthy a secret, I think fit to begin in the words of noble Helmont. In Nature, saith he, there is but one fire, which is our consuming Vulcan, which is originally in Nature, and therefore producible by Art, as to wit, when by striking of the flint & steel together, it is made visible in its sparks, which being taken in tinder, are by an easy art (known to each Kitchinmaid) multiplied into a fire as big as the maker of it pleaseth, which at first though out a Spark, yet being cherished with Fuel proper to it, becomes in short space so great a flame, as would be able to consume whatever is combustible in the whole World, if it were put into it.  
So likewise there is but one Liquor compararable to Fire, yet far more powerful and vehement than the common flame: For those things which will abide in this Fire, being not conquerable by it, are by the other fire destroyed, and altered radically and fundamentally.  
This Fire being distilled from any metal soft and imperfect doth at first time or second, leave them in a fusible substance like wax, of which the Sulphur or tincture is dissolvable in the best Spirit of Wine, and from the residue (being kept three days in a vapouring heat) ☿ quick and running may be separated; The same may be done in harder metals, yea in the perfect metals, in a longer time, by oftener reiterated cohobations.  
But if this Fire be once distilled from ☿ vulgar, it leaves it coagulated and fixed, so that it will endure the test of Saturn, It is left spongious like to a Pumice stone, but heavy like Turbith minerale, brittle, and therefore without difficulty pulverisable, which then cohobated with Water distilled from whites of Eggs, it causeth that distilled water to stink, but becomes of the colour of the best Coral, whence it is denominated Arcanum Corallinum.  
This fire if it be distilled from any Gem or stone subtly pulverised, it turns into a mere Salt of equal weight to the Gem or stone; Pearls it resolves into a milk, which is their first Ens, so also Crabscies (as they are vulgarly called, being otherwise no eyes, but stones found in the head of the Crab) and all vegetable stones, as Peach stones, dates stones, or the like.  
In a word, it doth resolve all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals into their first Ens, and in such concretes as contain in them Heterogeneities, it doth discover and sever, (that it makes separable,) the same.  
The advice of this old Philosopher, to all who had given up their Names to Art, is, that they should with all their might endeavour to attain this Fire, if their aim were at Noble and more than vulgar Medicines; yet concludes it to be so hard and high an attainment, that not every searcher, but only such as are chosen of God, shall be masters of it; therefore that the Champions, (who with Industry strive for this Mastery) be not discouraged with its difficulty, which is the greater, because of the uncouth obscurity of all who hitherto have handled this Subject, being chief Paracelsus, and his great expositor Van Helmont.  
I shall a little more particularly handle this hidden Mystery in its effects, and properties, (such to wit which are to its self peculiar, and to other dissolving liquours incommunicable) by which means the signs and marks by which it may be known will be laid open, which to a studious Son of this Art will be an unparaleld guide and directory, and therefore a Work very acceptable.   

CAP. XI. Of this Liquors Virtue and Efficacy more particularly.  
ANd in the first place, it may not seem from our intended purpose to distinguish between this liquor and other Subjects, between which may be thought a great affinity, the misapprehending whereof hath caused, doth cause, and will cause many Errors, to such who have devoted themselves to this discovery, who imagining uncertain grounds to work on, proceed as ridiculously in prosecution of their end propounded.  
Of these first are those who indistinctly confound this Liquor with the ☿ of the Philosophers, of which sort I know many, who by no means will be beaten off from this conceit, than which there can be none more absurd, if weighed in the balance of right Reason.  
For first these two differ materially and substantially, the one being ☿ truly and properly so called, the other Salt, and is therefore called Sal circulatus major, Salium summus & faelicissimus; Liquor Salis.  
Secondly they differ formally and essentially, The one being not only mettallick but a metal, to wit Philosophical, according to the Philosopher, In metallis per metalla proficiuntur metalla, and according to the joint consent of all masters in that science, who all conclude, that all the principles of the Philosophical Elixir are Homogeneal, coessential one to other, and therefore they do formally remain each with other, and are transmuted, so each into others natures, that agents become passive, and patients active in the progress of the great Elixir.  
And therefore the Philososophers' water is called, Aqua sicca non madefaciens manus, nec quicquam humectans, nisi quod conveniat sibi in materiae homogeneitate atque identitate; Nor is there any difference allowed betwixt perfect Gold, and the ☿ of the Magis, save only this, that one is ripe & perfect, the other crude and imperfect: And Artephus, to put all out of doubt, saith it is the ☿ of Saturnine ♁, in which no metal is dissolved or drowned but Gold, and this he affirms to be the only Agent in the world for the Art.  
Also both he and Trevisan (to put this matter beyond all controversy) conclude and positively determine, that for their work, there is not any Agent profitable, which doth not formally abide with the dissolved bodies, so as with them to become one thing, as the moisture of the ground doth with a grain of wheat which is dissolved in it, and therefore reject as sophistications all dissolving liquors which are not permanent with the Bodies dissolved, and which the bodies resolved cannot recongeal with themselves, so that the Philosophical dissolution of the body, doth cause at the same time, a congelation of the dissolving spirit, that so they may be made one together, with an inseparable Conjunction, for this, read Artephus his secret Book. Also Count Trevisan his book extant in the first vol. of Theatr. Chem. and his Epistle to Thomas of Bononia extant in the 2. vol. of Ars Aurifera.  
Whereas on the contrary the Liquor Alchabest is a real Water, which will wet either hand or any thing else; it will join with any Concretes in the whole World, not barely moistening them; but resolving them, and remaining with them dissolved, distilling over with them, in a fire of the second degree in sand, and yet radically mixing with nothing, being separable from every thing, to which it is mixed in dissolution, as Phlegm is separable from 🝆 of Vitriol.  
So likewise though it dissolve Gold, yet doth it not abide with it when dissolved; which is absolutely requisite in all generations: therefore in brief we shall give the differences which are between the one and the other, and that as they appear in matter, form, and operation.  
Philosopher's ☿ is Antimonial Saturnine Argent vive, a middle Substance, clear like pure silver, (Artephus.)  
The Liquor Alchahest, is a Salt of an exquisite fiery nature, the like of which is not in the world beside, not mineral nor metalline, circulated till it become a very Spirit, which is Algehest.  
Philosopher's ☿ wets not the hand, nor ought else that is not of its own (that is a metalline) nature, nor will it join with any thing else.  
The Liquor Alchahest wets the hand, or any thing besides in the World, and will dissolve each thing according to its kind, and reduce it to its primitive matter, and will mix with it when dissolved as a spirit with an Aquous phlegm, but being not radically joined, is therefore separable from all things that are dissolved by it.  
In the Philosophers ☿ Gold, and Gold only, is drowned, and the dissolver and the dissolved, after dissolution, are united with an inseparable union, so that of both is made one.  
In the Liquor alkahest Gold and other metalline substances are dissolved, but it abides with none of them, nor is it altered by any of them.  
To conclude, the solution made by the ☿ of the Philosophers is in a way of generation, not separating the tincture from the ☿ all part, but conjoining them more firmly each to other, that both may grow up together to a Substance in its own kind multiplicable.  
But the solution made by the Liquor Alchahest is in a destructive way, extinguishing the seed, as to a generative power, for it divides betwixt the Tincture and the ☿, so as when once severed they can never be united again, making the Tincture volatile, which though then admirable, as to medicine, yet is it quite alienated from its metalline nature and disposition.  
To shut up then this discourse, we conclude that though both the ☿ of the Philosophers and this Liquor are very noble secrets, yet are they so distinct each from other, that one hath no dependence on the other, being in their matter, form, and operations, as much different, as can almost be imagined.  
Others there are, who conceive this Liquor, to be a Mercurial water (of which number the Author of the Chemical Dictionary is one, these are his words, alkahest, est ☿ optimè praeparatus contra hepatis obstructiones) some would have it out of Vitriol, the Spirit of it, to wit, mixed and circulated with the pure spirit of Wine; Some would have it to be a pure Spirit of Salt, not to mention dotards, who would have it to be an Aethereal Spiritual water, drawn out of the Air, impregnated with an Esurine Salt; others believe it to be a Spirit of true Nitre, which they distinguish from Saltpetre, but, I presume, know not where to find it themselves, or to direct any body else to find it.  
For my part, I shall willingly admit, and permit, that every one should abound in his own judgement, nor am I careful what men's opinions concerning it are.  
This I know, that the subtleties which are oft in speculative Theory, prove dotages in practice, this my own experience hath to me put out of question.  
The noble Helmont saith positively, That in the whole World, as there is but one Fire, so there is but this one Liquor, nor any other that hath its qualities, which the Adepti do know and can testify, this (as Scholar) I believe, but to deal ingenuously, I know not how to demonstrate to myself, and yet am sure, that such a liquor which he describes, I know to prepare.  
He affirms it also to be, taediosissimae praeparationis, Cap. 9 de Lethiasi, and in his chapter entitled Duelech resolutum, where he teacheth the preparation of the Ludus into Altholizoim, he saith, This is almost difficult work, not in respect of the preparation of the Ludus, for that is done in two hours' space, but in reference to the making of the Liquor Alchahest, and for this he saith, the Adepti have a proof which goes beyond all demonstration.  
This demonstrable proof I must seriously profess is to me unknown, yet (as I said) such a liquor I know to prepare, that shall do all that this great Philosopher attributes to his, but whether mine and his be in every respect one, as I cannot affirm, so I cannot deny it, yet I hope to prepare this which I know, in 50 ♁, nor should I be out, if I should say 40.  
Yet that, which first I did prepare, was done at uncertainty, and therefore in making of it, as I oft erred, so (I presume) I went always the longest and furthest way to the Wood, besides, expecting many errors, I wrought on much of the matter at once, that if one, two, or three trials should fail, I might have matter sufficient to begin again.  
Besides, it being only a discovery, I made it not my whole business, but attended things that I knew together with it, yet since I effected my propounded desire, I considered my operations, and if my calcuculation be not amiss, I know many Chemical preparations, more tedious than it, unless the tediousness of the work were accounted by Helmont on another score, then in reference to the time, which I rather believe, & that is the noisomness of the subject wrought on in its first preparations, which to one operator may be much more than another, according to the way he proceeds in his working and method he follows, or instruments he useth, for great variety may be herein, yet all tending to one end, but this only by the by, I shall now come to the matter intended.  
This is a ponderous liquor, being indeed all Salt, without any wattie Phlegine, it is all volatile, being wholly a Spirit, without any corporietie left in it, of no eminent odour, for all things which send out an odour considerable, are for the most part of a very volatile nature, or consist of many heterogeneities Is is not therefore volatile after the manner of Spirit of Wine, Urine, or the like, which fly with the smallest degree of heat, but (like unto a ponderous Spirit which yields its phlegm in the first place) this when it hath dissolved any vegetable concrete, and made it volatile, will suffer the same by a gentle heat of Baineum Mariae, to be all separated from itself, and to ascend in its various colours, leaving this dissolving Liquor in the bottom of the Cucurbit, no whit weakened in virtue, nor diminished in quantity.  
Thus is it an immortal Ens, that is, whose virtue is not exantlated, by reiterated acting upon concretes, but retaining its vigour unaltered, it is of power to resolve bodies perpetually, being subject to Casualty, but not to mutability, (save only by its compeer,) and is therefore worthily esteemed by those who know it as an unparalelled mystery.   

CAP. XII. Of the Medicines which are preparable by this Liquor, etc.  
FRom what hath been discovered, concerning this Liquors wondered Nature, it may easily be imagined what a Key this is into Physic and Philosophy to such as are masters of the same.  
I need not to illustrate this, urge the admirable medicinal virtue that is in Metals and Mineral Bodies, in Gems, Pearls, and Animal and Vegetable stones, for it doth resolve also Vegetals into their first liquid matter, distinguishing in them all their heterogeneities, by several colours, and distinct places, one above another; in which resolution there always seats itself in a distinct place a small Liquor, eminently distinguishable from the rest in Colour, in which the Crasis of the whole Herb, tree, or seed doth reside.  
In which retrogradation of the Concrete, by this way of dissolution, there is no loss of virtue, but an exalting of the same by many degrees, only whatever virulency is in the Crude concrete, by this operation is wholly extinct, with a preservation notwithstanding of all specific virtues apparent in the Concrete in its simplicity.  
These preparations, (I doubt not but) you will in your mind highly commend, and wish with yourself, that you could make the like, and to say Truth, they are eminent and very desirable, but Velle suum cuique est, nec voto vivitur uno. If you wish the thing and be wise, wish also the means of attaining it, and that is with industry set about it, so shall you be able to resolve all Herbs into their principles, liquid without sediment, of which part will be unctuous and fat, especially in Trees, Gums, Seeds, and many Roots, and part aqueous, in which the volatile Salt of the Concrete will appear to the taste, the Liquor with its own Oil, you may circulate into an essential Salt, which is indeed the first Ens of the Concrete, but if you would have things done in a lesser time, make your dissolutions in a stronger heat, and distil over your Liquor with the dissolved Body, in a due fire, so will the Oiliness be wholly turned into a saline Spirit, which in a distillation by Bath, will come over in various Colours, the Crasis separating itself from the Phlegm, (both by colour, taste, and smell, as also by its time of coming over the Helm distinguishable,) and your Liquor left behind at bottom, as much in quantity, and as effectual in virtue as before.  
Thus, out of Hellebore may be made a noble specific against the Gout, the hypocondriac melancholy Calentures and Delitias in Fevers, out of Colocynthida an excellent Febrifuge. and out of Myrrh, Aloes, and Saffron, an excellent Antihectical medicine, as also against Lypothymy's, Deliquia's, Convulsions Palsies, etc. In a word get this Liquor, and the most rich excellency of vegetables shall be at your command. Of which Helmont commends the first Ens of the Cedar for long life, and next to it the Elixir proprietatis, provided it be prepared by dissolution in a gentle heat, like to the heat of the Sun in the Spring, and after that digested in a like heat till the Oil and Water be united, into an essential Salt, I should advise all Vegetables to be prepared in the like Nature, if you desire to have their eminent Virtue, without losing those peculiar excellencies which depend on the vita ultima of the Concrete, otherwise a speedier preparation makes the Medicine no less effectual for curing diseases, though less powerful as to long life.  
Yet although the blessing of long life, may be found in the vegetable family, by means of this Liquor, in which respect these concretes deserve an high estimation, yet is there nothing comparably of such medicinal efficacy, in these preparations, as is in metalline extracts, which perform that in cure, which to all vegetable means is impossible.  
Of these I purpose to speak but briefly, reserving a more thorough discovery of them to better times; for to deal ingenuously, I have traveled in these searches, as Israel did to the promised land, through a Wilderness of Difficulties, straits, and crosses, all caused through God's permission, by the malice of Satan, and the envy of unreasonable men, insomuch that from the first time, that I was so happy as to see my labour in these searches crowned with success, to this very day, I never had conveniency of reiterating these operations, but have lived contented, that if ever God pleased to make me so happy as to be this way serviceable to mankind, he would grant me opportunity, which hitherto I have wanted, and at present enjoy not, if otherwise, blessed be his name, who having bestowed on me talents, and finding me unworthy, hath made me unserviceable to others, and unprofitable to myself.  
In this Liquor many things I have seen, many things I know by Analogy, and am confirmed of them by what I have read and meditated, and it may suffice any ingenuous man, that what I writ I know to be true, by experimental ocular demonstration, than which no testimony on earth can be more certain.  
Come we then from the Vegetable to the mineral kingdom, in which our Liquor doth approve itself, and may justly be esteemed the Physician's crown and the Philosopher's Diadem, by means of which all diseases, though never so deplorable, may be overcome and cut down, as hay, or weeds with a Sith in the hand of a Mower.  
And here we might take a survey of what it effects on metals; then on minerals; and lastly on Salts, Stones, Pearls, Corals, etc. All which we could represent as in a small map, or Landscape, but that we are unwilling to have this small Treatise swell into a voluminous bulk.  
The King of metals, Gold, of Nature most fixed, that endures, without the least diminution, the most exquisite trials of Vulcan, yet if Calcined into fine Atoms, or laminated into thin leaves, it be put into this Liquor, and digested in a glass well closed, in a heat, such as is the heat of a boiling Bath, in a few days, the Gold will be dissolved in the Liquor, without any sediment; the Liquor then being distilled from it, leaves it in the form of a Salt fusible, which cohobated often with the same Liquor, is made volatile, and comes over in two Colours, white and red, the red is the Hematine Tincture, and the white may be reduced into a white Mercurial Body, after the dissolving liquor is separated from the same,  
This is the highest preparation of Gold that can be made by means of this Liquor, being its fift Essence, and is of power to cure the most deplorable diseases, to which the nature of Man is subject. But the magistery of Gold, which is the first preparation of it, by means of this Liquor, is a most eminent Medicine, against all Malignant Fevers, the Pestilence, Palsies, Plagues, etc.  
Most excellent also is the fift essence of Silver, and Silver potable, made by the same way and process: but the sweet Oil of Venus doth exceed in Virtue both the one and the other, and is thus made.  
Calcine good Vitriol till it be thoroughly wasted, what will waste, then dulcify the Colchotar with pure Water, and dry it, to this dried, put an equal part of this Liquor, for it will be dissolved easily and speedily, distil off your liquor, and pour it back again, and thus cohobate it, at the least twelve or fifteen times, so will all the Body of the Colchotar be brought over the Helm, in form of a green liquor, digest this fame, in a gentle heat, of a Bath, for about a month, and then distil it in a slow fire, so will the whole Metalline substance of the Venus, come over, leaving the Liquor below in the bottom of the Retort, in its intite pondus and Virtue. To this Liquor or Spirit, put an equal quantity of 🜹, dissolved in as much water, as will dissolve it, so shall you separate the green Liquor from a white sediment, which white sediment will give white metal, as fixed as Silver, and which will abide the test of ♄, but yet formally distinct from Silver, which thou (if a Philosopher) shalt easily perceive, however as good to a Metallurgist, as the best Silver, the green Liquor dry up in a viol glass, by evaporating all the moisture, for it is the Sulphur of the ♀, mixed with the 🜹, by which (note that) it is fixed, so that it will abide all Fire, this Sulphur extract with the most pure Spirit of Wine, which will dissolve it, leaving the 🜹, distil away then from it (thus dissolved) your Spirit of Wine, and you have left a very fragrant green Oil of ♀, which is its Sulphur essensificated, by these operations, as sweet to taste as the best Honey, than which Nature hath not a more sovereign remedy, for most (not to say all) diseases: This is the true Nepenthe of Philosophers, causing certain Rest, and assuaging all pains, but ever after sleep, leaving the pattie, either sensibly amended, (in more violent and diuturnal diseases) or quite well, in less rigid maladies.  
Of this subject I can write more experimentally; and upon ☿, as also on Sulphur, and ♁, as being of no great value, though when prepared of most transcendent virtues, I shall be able when I make this Liquor again, to give a larger discourse of it, being unwilling to be a relatour, of what I have on trust from others, but what I in truth know myself: So much I have seen as convinceth me, both of the existency and of the utility of this Liquor, nor do I conceive it so long, or so tedious in making, of which I purpose to satisfy myself (God permitting) shortly, for if it were so tedious to make, and casual in making, neither Helmont nor Paracelsus could try so many experiments with it: Sure I am, that what I made, and was the result of many years' trials, (off and on) but of nigh two years almost daily (I am sure weekly) search, though I was choice of it, yet, my care notwithstanding, my glass (once in distilling) broke, and my skill was at an end, as to practise, but during the time it was in my custody, it was not idle night nor day: For Magisteries I made many, but was mostly unhappy in Quintessences, partly because I was hasty, and would have things done faster than Nature allowed, at last being about to perfect my Sulphur of Venus as I described, I broke my glass, and lost both one and other, being both Volatile.  
But it is safer to make Magisteries, that is, to dissolve the Metalline Calxes, and then draw away the Liquor, and if you please to repeat this three or four times in hard Metals, then have you the Metal or Mineral left, like a sweet Salt, of a fragrant sent, potable in any Liquor, and which will yield its tincture, if dissolved in pure Spirit of Wine.  
However, if you have sure furnaces, that will give heat to your mind, then proceed on, not only to the making metals potable, but also volatile, separate then the Central ☿ from the Tincture, which is the Oil or Sulphur, and fix this, as is taught concerning the Sulphur of Venus, and so you have medicines, which will effect whatever can be desired by either Patient or Doctor.  
I should easily here, (if I should follow the dictate of my Genius) run out into a large Volume, but I should then prejudice and lame a Treatise, which is concerning this Liquor in Latin, which was chief written, while my Trials were in the very working, and which I purpose, shall ere long see the light, in which Reader (if thou canst but attain the Liquor) thou mayst abundantly be instructed how to use it, and so I shall end this discourse, and come to the last thing on this subject promised by me, and I presume expected by thee, and that is, to declare the matter of it, and its manner of making,   

CAP. XIII. Of the matter out of which this Liquor is made, and its manner of making,  
THis Secret so efficacious, and so wonderful as it it is of unspeakable use when found, so it hath found in the World many who have attempted the attainment of the same, & not without good reason since being attained it abundantly recompenseth the pains, & cost laid out upon it, in its virtue & use.  
But as it is in all things, which are sought in the universe so is it in this, there is no endeavour profitable, unless the search be made first In debita materia, and nextly, Per debita media.  
It is not every new thing, nor yet every strange thing, that is, or may be made, that will, when produced, prove to be this Liquor, No verily; let the Artist work his pleasure, yet will not Nature transgress her own known rules, to make what the Operator in his Idle Fantasy shall expect, but that only to which she is bound by the Law of the Creator.  
Now from this mastery, We shall exclude first, all metals, and metalline Bodies, for first, as to the Central ☿ of them, as it is a peerless Creature, so it is commiscible with nothing in the World, but is a single, indestructible Ens, which being a real ☿, will not wet any thing, but that which is Homogeneous to itself (that is) ☿ all, and so is not the Liquor of itself, nor can be by any Art mixed with aught else, either by Sublimation or Dissolution.  
Now as for the Sulphurs of Metals, they cannot be separated radically from the Mercurial Centre, without this Liquors help, and so would come too slowly in, to be the matter of that, which must be perfected, ere they can be separated and had.  
Now for mineral combustible Sulphurs, as they are very sluggish unactive Bodies, so they cannot be really altered in their Nature, but they are made passive medicaments, not active Menstrues, though these passive Medicaments, as to the cure of diseases, are mightily operative, yet as to a dissolutive virtue, in reference to bodies, that they have not, (unless burnt,) and so they yield an acid Liquor.  
We are therefore excused from mineral and metalline Sulphurs and ☿ es, now as for metalline Salts, they also are to our purpose museful, since all of them (none excepted) yield an acid Spirit, and so are contradistinct from our Liquor, which is not acid, for so it could nor be immutable in acting, according to the true rule in Chemical Philosophy, which is, Omnis acidus Spiritus corrodendo corpus ipse fatiscit.  
Our Liquor then being no acid, but a contradistinct Spirit from acidity, we reject from it Salt Peter, Vitriol, Sal Gem, Sea Salt, and in a word, all Salts naturally growing in the earth, or extracted out of the Earth, which all (none excepted) yield an acid Spirit.  
Alcalies' may, above all that are named, claim the praecminence, and truly they deserve it; their Spirits not being acid, and therefore they are dissolvents next to the great Liquor, of highest esteem, of which hereafter we shall treat at large.  
Yet these also, though most noble Spirits, do notwithstanding spend their virtue in dissolving Bodies, and are Coagulated upon them, into a Salt (yet retaining its volatility,) We therefore exclude them from being the Subject of our Liquor.  
To be brief therefore in what I intent, I shall come to the matter indeed, and with it shall discover the practice of the Liquors preparation.  
It is by Helmont called Latex, in these words, Stupefacta est Religio reperto Lettuce, qui, etc. In which place because the whole mystery is in few words couched, I shall become a Candid Interpreter of his enigmatical Sense and meaning.  
He first saith, Ars indagando sollicita est corpori quod tantae puritatis Symphonia colluderet noblscum ut a Corrumpente nequiret dissipari, etc. which we may thus render in English, The Masterpiece at which our Art is levelled, is to find out a Body, which may play with us in such a Symphony, or consenting Harmony, by reason of its exquisite purity, that no corruptive principle can find in it any Heterogeneities by which to work in it a dissipation of parts. This is the true sense of that Paragraph, and indeed is a brief, but very full Description or Determination of the highest object, and the unparallelled Masterpiece of out Art, For it is our (or the Chemical) Art that is solicitous about this discovery, the Logician (mean while) minding his Categories, Enunciations, Moods, Figures, and Demonstrations, etc. the Grammarian his Criticisms in Languages, the Astronomer the Course of the Planets, and the swation of the sixed Stars: but the honest conscionable Physician, he minds the recovering of sick persons, and the conquering of maladies, which that he may perform, his search is after the secret hidden Spirit of things, for the extracting and exalting of which, he lays out with diligence to attain the means, and those are, this Body, here hinted in this forerecited Paragraph, and our immortal liquor, which is the product of that Body.  
This body is neither singly fixed, nor volatile, but both, one substance of two distinct Natures, and essences, which is not obscurely gatherable out of the words themselves, which sound thus, That a Body is sought, which may collude with us, or make sport, play, or game with us in the Symphony, or consenting sound of so great purity.  
This Word Symphony is but a borrowed metaphor from Musicians, from whom this Author borrows oft especially when he discovers and describes these Alchahestical operations, as for instance, where speaking of the grand Arcana's, and their operation, he useth this expression, That they do perform their Cures in Tono unisono, alluding to instruments of Music, which when tuned to unisons, do then sound in the most perfect concord, being in unity, all other concord's being but approaching steps to that perfection: to this a second, which is the most absolute discord, is contradistinct.  
But as a Symphony must always be imagined between two notes at least, so this Metaphor denotes a duality of qualities in this Body, which yet must consent together in Harmony, this is a Cosounding or Symphony.  
That the duality is not in the Body, but in the diversity of qualities under which this one body appears, the words are proof enough, therefore saith the Old Philosopher, Sollicita est Ars (indagando corpori, non indagandis corporibus) which must have been said, if various Bodies had been to be taken for this mastery, as is the judgement of some, who would have ☿ and Tartar, with several other bodies to be used for this work, but out of this Hotchpotch can be expected nothing, but a liquor most certainly weakened much, if not wholly destroyed, as to any active Virtue, by Reason of this irrational mixture.  
It is a Body then (not body) which Art desires to save her longing in this particular, and such a Body, which being one in essence and radically, shows to sight distinguished into a twofold diversity, yet only distinct in qualities or complexion, but agreeing so fundamentally, as being touched by an Artists hand, may in an Artists ear make a musical Harmony and melody.  
Of this body, which is one in essence or kind, two in number or apparency, may be said, that which Hermes in another (but very like) case said of the ☿ of Philosophers and its compeer, That which is above is like to that which is beneath, and that below like to that which is aloft, & all to the production or making out the miracles of one thing: This is our first discovery, concerning the matter of this noble Liquor (which engrave in your mind) that it must be one Body in Kind and Reality, distinct with two faces, that is, superficially and apparently.  
Nor is this body easy to be found our and obtained, of which the voords are a plentiful Witness, which run thus, Ars indagando sollicita est corpori, Art is solicitous, or careful or sedulously industrious, about finding out such a Body: Where observe likewise that the word which is put for finding, signifies such a finding as is made by studious search and inquiry, as a hound that follows upon the sent of the Foot, is properly said, thus to find his game, being compounded of inde and ago, and signifies an uncessant acting upon known grounds, till the thing propounded for to be found be attained; and this is our next discovery, concerning the matter of this noble Liquor, which lesson I advise you so to imprint in your mind, as not to let it slip.  
A third thing in this Body, which is very considerable is, that as it is two numerically, to be found with pains and industry, yea and with difficulty, so is it also admirable when found, enough to puzzle reason, and nonplus sense, to consider how such a Body should be in such a subject, as it is discovered to lie in; Therefore the profound Philosopher adds, Tandem flupefacta estreligio reperto lattice, etc. It brings the Artist to a religious astonishment to consider what he hath found and enforceth him to cry out, O Lord, how wonderful art thou in thy works, etc.  
The thing when found, the discovery when made, may truly be said to be the work of God, and not of man, Who can bring (saith job) a clean thing out of an unclean pure out of impure? this God alone must do.  
Here are Riddles enough to amaze and amuse, both our reason and our sense, that a subject so loathsome should yield a body so pure, that what in its  is so Proteus like, and mutable, that nothing can be more, should give an Ens so unchangeable; Here is requisite a Chemical faith to believe this before sight, which after sight, will astonish reason to contemplate it.  
Not much unlike is this Mystery to the miracle of the Creation, where out of the inform Abyss did spring so many, so rare, so admirable forms: out of the Bosom of the dark rude Chaos, did proceed all that glory, and excellency of beauty that did after appear in the matchless Paradise, Nor is there to reason less likelihood, in this peerless production, where the subject is as unlikely as a man could Imagine, no marvel then if Art be so solicitous in this inquiry, to find such a Body as this, (since it searches for it where it doth) which must be so pure and indissolvable an Ens, so efficacious in its activity, and so permanent in its virtue.  
To recollect ourselves therefore, and to see where we are, here to wit, that we have found the Subject in which this Ens lies hidden so invisible, as that it requires in a manner a Solifidian, to believe its existency, but with industry it is to be attained, and made visible and apparent, and then is so incredibly differing from the subject in which it was couched, that it raiseth an admiration in the Artist to contemplate the effect.  
And yet if the briefness of this Treatise would permit, I could easily silence this admiration, with the contemplation of the like, if not less probable productions, since out of the bosom of corruption all generations do spring forth, but that my intended purpose calls me off; as speedily as may be, I having task sufficient to perform; after this is ended, so great, to wit, as will swell this Treatise to a bulk beyond what I intended.  
A fourth thing therefore that falls under our observation in this discovery is, that this Body being single, contemneth all mixtures with any ferment.  
And inasmuch as Ferment is Parens transmutationis, since this Body will admit no marriage with any other Ferment, it is therefore the washing of a black More, to attempt its transmutation.  
The Reason is rendered, For that it cannot find, Dignius se corpus cui nuberet. The means operative by which it attains this dignity, and peculiar eminency, is by reduction Ad Atomos minimos in Natura possibiles.  
Thus is this Latex, which is vile and contemptible, advanced to transcendent height of purity, and perfection, which Word is soon said, not so soon understood, but hardest of all to be done  
This operarion is in few words taught by Paracelsus, where he saith in his Treatise De Viribus memhrorum, Cap. de Hepate, The Process of the alkahest is (ut à Coagulatione sua resolvatur, ac deinde Coaguletur in formam transmutatam, sicut processus coagulandi & resolvendi docet, etc.) which short process, is the greatest light that acute Philosopher gives concerning this mystery no marvel then if its doctrine hath remained so obscure in the World to this day.  
Nor is helmont's Doctrine much more plain, this being their intent to write so as not to be understood, intending their precepts should be only as goads to young Artists to stir them up to a serious inquiry after such things, which they only gave hints of, but leaving the discovery of all to God only, who will be the dispenser of these his gifts even to the World's end.  
But I have resolved much more apert Candidnes, knowing how profitable this secret would be, if more commonly known unto the Sons of men, therefore I have so far adventured the Censure of all present and future Artists, as to discover these mysteries with much more openness than every yet hath been done.  
To return therefore to our task proposed, which is the explication of that place of Helmont, which of all his writes, doth most fully teach the Matter and manner of making of the Liquor Alcha●est, of which We have unfolded part, in what We have already written.  
Which that we may recollect, in order to a further progress, this in brief is his Doctrine, concerning that Liquor, It is a Body of Salt, appearing in two forms, yet reducible to such a Symphony, that it is not corruptible for the future, it is found in a Latex, by curious and diligent search, and considering the subject in which it lies, it would astonish a man to Contemplate its Nature, as it is, when perfected by Art, and so it is in its original matter, a Subject of contempt, and in its exaltation an object of wonder.  
For finding afterwards, no body more noble than itself to join withal, it is not commiscible with any ferment, and so not capable of transmutation.  
Now that which is added, Sed labor Sophiae anomalum in natura fecit, is but only a further illustration of what had been said before; for the whole that is said of this Liquor, may very aptly be reduced to four heads.  
The first is what the Artist desires: and is comprehended in these words, Ars indagando sollicita est corpori, quae tantae puritatis Symphoniâ colluderet nobiscum, ut à corrumpente nequiret dissipari, This is the sum of what the Artist would attain, and is the chief of all which can be by art sought for.  
The second is, What Art by industry doth find, comprehended in these Words, Et tandem stupefacta est Religio, reperto Lettuce, qui ad minimos reductus Atomos in Natura possibiles, caelebs, omnis fermenti Connubia sperneret. Desperata est ergo ejus transmutatio dignius se Corpus non reperiens cui nuberet.  
The third discovers the Anomality of this production, in these words, Sed Ars Sophiae anomalum in Natura produxit, quod absque fermento commiscibili a se diverso surrexit.  
The fourth contains a short adumbration of the process, in these words, Serpens isle seipsum momordit à veneno revixit, & mori deinceps nescit.  
Thus we have discovered unto us this Liquor in its subject matter, which is a Latex, in its production mediate, which is a body of two Natures, betwixt which in the end must be a Symphony, so to cause incorruptibility, in its final production, which is a Subject uncapable of fetment, and beyond the possibility of transmutation (this to be understood with due limitation:) now let us cousider what is added, Sed Labor Sophiae anomalum in Natura secit, etc. But the labour of Philosophy hath brought forth an anomalous product in nature, which took its being without mixture of any ferment, Heterogeneous to itself. This serpent hit itself, revived from that Venom, and is from thence forth immortal.  
The Anomalitie of this Generation, would require a full Treatise to unfold and lay open, in this place I shall therefore discover it but briefly.  
It is Anomalous, first in its operations, That any Agent in the World should act without repassion (though to Heavenly Bodies natural, yet) with Sublunary Creatures it is unusual, except Vulcan, and this Liquor.  
It is Anomalous in its matter, for the tree (usually) is known by its fruit, and the matter by its product, but here it is otherwise, for this product is immortal, most pure, and incorruptible, though the matter of it be of all in the World most corruptible, impure, and mutable.  
It is Anomalous in its manner of production, for itself becomes ferment to itself, so that without addition of aught, but what is of itself, this so strange an Ens is produced.  
The means of its production is by reiterated solution, and an intervening coagulation, and thus is the Subject brought to the most subtle Atoms, of which in Nature it is Capable.  
This is the Serpents biting of itself, being indeed nothing but a Serpent comparatively, which beginning at its tail, by degrees devours it , and at last is renewed into a pure essence, over which Death hath no power.  
Of its mortality, and immortality, how both are true concerning it, I might largely dispute, and enlarge this Discourse upon the Subject, into a swelling Volume, but the brevity at first proposed to myself, and promised to the Reader, calls me off, and my intended task minds me with what speed I can, to pass forward to that which is behind.   

CAP. XIV. The Conclusion of this Subject, with a Peroration unto Sons of Pyrotechny.  
THus have I (Courteous Readers) with much Ingenuity, endeavoured to unmask unto you Nature in her Physical and medicinal secrets, shown you the true way and means of proceeding in these disquisitions, so as to be fuccessful in them, having taught the necessity of Philosophical Keys, without which nothing can be done in this Art, of which the noblest of all the Liquor Alchahest, We would not pass over in silence, but as becomes a true Interpreter of Nature gave it its due dignity of precedency, as being the noblest, and most eminent of all Keys, more universal (in its operation) than the ☿ of the Philosophers which is but a particular thing, applicable only to its own kind, and that in reference to a generative multiplication of Species, whereas this Liquor acts universally, and without limitation on all the subjects in the whole world, which it destroys as to their vita ultima, and perfectly reduceth to their first matter, in  their eminent virtue is found, by which means those noble Medicines may be prepared, of which both Helmont and Paracelsus glory, nor without cause, since by them may be cured all the infirmities incident to the Body of man, and so the life vindicated from the danger of diseases, which by any one of those great Arcana are conquered, and cut down, as Hay or Grass with a Sith.  
It is a thing very desirable to have those medicines at command, and who would not be willing (though with great pains and cost) to purchase the Horizontal Gold, which being taken inwardly with a few doses, cureth the most desperate diseases, either inward or outward, to which man's Nature is subject, as the Leprosy, Gout, Palsy, Epilepsy, Cancers, Fistulaes', Wolves, Scorbute, Kingse vil, venereal disease, etc. and with one dose, cures all Fevers, and Agues, the Hectic only excepted, which it cures in a month, as also any sort of Consumption, and (in a word) is a perfect remedy for any malady, prevailing over all, but death, (which yet by curing all the miseries of life, which reach the health,) it makes less truculent and dreadful.  
I need not instance in the Glorified Sulphur of Vitriol of Venus, otherwise named the Sulphur of the Philosophers, nor in the Arcanum Corallinum, the glorified Sulphur of the Metallus masculus, by Parcelsus called, his Vinum Vitae, and Membrorum essentia, nor in the ☿ of life, the Lili of ♁, nor in many others, of which the Catalogue would be tedious to give, which the studious Reader may find in both Paracelsus and Helmont, all which as being so many precious jewels (having this Key,) he may (unlocking Nature's Cabinet) command at pleasure, for it is but to tantalise a Reader, to commend to him what he is scarce likely to attain, and surely such is this secret, which scarce the hundredth thousand Artist may or shall be master of, nor any but such only whom the Almighty by a more than ordinary grace shall bring thereto. I would hearty wish (if it so seemed good to the Almighty) that this Secret were more commonly known than it is, But I dare not prescribe Rules to the Most High, knowing that he only will be the Dispenset of this Talon, unto the World's end; nor shall any attain unto it whom he by a peculiar grace, shall not bring unto this knowledge, forasmuch as it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but only in the blessing of the Lord, that such secrets are revealed to such as he hath chosen: To him only be everlasting praise, and dominion, and eternal benediction. Yet would I advise with Helmont, that as many as desire to be masters of the more noble Arcana's in Medicine, should with all their might endeavour the attainment of that secret fire so much esteemed, for it's almost miraculous virtue and effects, of which may be said, Vulgus igne cremet, nos aquâ, and doubtless he that will be industrious and diligent may be pains taking and prayer perfect his desires, to the glory of God, his own comfort, and the relief of many thousands.  
Yet would I not advise any young Artist to make this Secret the beginning of his Chemical Studies as many do, of which fault myself was not innocent, for this is but a preposterous course of searching into Nature's secrets. This being indeed as it were the Corollary or Topstone of Medicinal Art, (not to vie this Secret with the Medicine of the Magis, their Aurum potabile; attained by means of their Stone,) now, who but a madman being to climb up a Ladder, will begin at the uppermost round, and refuse the lower steps, resolving not to step one step, unless he may at first reach the uppermost of all, so mad is he, who would devote himself to the study of true Medicine, and yet will account nothing worth his inquiry, except it be the Mastery of Hermes, or this peerless Key, the Liquor Alchahest.  
From which preposterous practice, that I may seriously dehort thee (whoever thou art) a studious Beginner in the Discovery of, and inquitie after Nature's secrets: consider with me that all the works of Nature, are concatenate or linked together in such admirable order, that one doth subornately and successively discover another, God in his wisdom providing for the necessity and conveniency of unworthy mankind, making one thing to be a Key unto another, and each subordinate discovery a help unto a higher.  
Now that all things in the World are made for the sake and use of man, is confirmed by several places of Scripture, and appears by experience, each day affording Testimonies of the same.  
From Hunger man is secured by a plentiful provision of food, both meat and drink, from cold by  and fire, from diseases by medicines.  
Nor hath God adjourned the cure of the sick unto the time of the attainment of the highest Arcana, since very few there are in an Age, that have this skill (although I believe it to be chief the fault of our neglect, that so few do know, what Legacies out Heavenly Father hath left us in the Creatures) for in simple Concretes may be found the perfect Cure of most (not to say all) diseases, were we but as diligent, as we ought in the inquiry and search after them.  
But because the number of Herbs is almost infinite (as to our knowledge) the virtues of them known to very few, and those which are known, are more precise in operation, and efficacy, so that, a practice upon simples would be very tedious, and difficult, therefore there are some simples that with an easy preparation work admirable effects (as to instance in one Salt, to Wit, Nitre, by which slightly prepared how many diseases may be cured, and by its Spirit many more, and more difficult.  
For verily, although many Concretes are, as nature hath form them of singular virtue, yet the difficulty of practising by them, may appear by instance. As suppose a man who is troubled with Nephritical pains, would be cured, or at least eased, by such a way of practice, for several intentions, several Herbs are gathered, as Virga Aurea, Becapunga, Althaea, Malva Sem. Dauci, etc. These by infusion are composed into a drink, and by it ease is found, yet if a Physician should have many such Patients, they would require a large stock of these simples, which if gathered out of season, are of little or no virtue, and therefore must be provided in due time, and because these diseases will not be confined to such seasons of the year, in which these herbs are in their greatest virtue, they must be therefore gathered seasonably, dried carefully, and kept safely, else their virtue before use, may be either notably impaired or quite lost, now to have sufficient quantity of all herbs which are commended for all the sorts of diseases, to which man's frail Body is subject, seasonably gathered, carefully dried, and safely kept, is a task (I fear) too shamefully neglected by the Doctors of our Age, who commit all this Care to the Apothecaries, in which they are so supinely negligent, that it is a shame to consider.  
But besides this trouble, herbs, or seeds, or flowers, or roots, though never so seasonably gathered, or maturely dried, or carefully kept, yet in short time are liable to a spontaneous loss of Virtue, which is (when gone) irrepatable, which inconvenience to remedy, many inventions are used, but to very little purpose.  
However the Medicinal apparatus for such a practice is so great, that a man may at easier rates remove a Ship of great Burden from Port to Port, then transplant a well furnished Apothecaries Shop, from Town to Town, so that all the remedy that is left, a Physician in this Case, (unless he will be so tied to a place, as not to be able to leave it) is to expect Apothecaries furnished wherever he goes, and for his own part, to attend only the Goosquill practice, (which is the Trade of all our modern Doctors) by which way he may as confidently assure himself, or his befooled Patients of good success, as that Mountebank could, who copying out thousands of Receipts, for several distempers, of which he knew not one, put his patients to draw each one his Chance, at adventure, out of a Bag, with this short prayer, God send thee good luck.  
Moreover who sees not, that notwithstanding the large provision, God hath made for the cure of diseases, by the means of simple Medicaments, that scarce a certain cure of one malady in ten, hath yet been found out, in the common way of practice, and If I should say, not one in so many, I should do them no wrong.  
Therefore hath the necessity of mankind put men upon the search of a more accurate preparation of Simples to the end, that Nature being helped by Art, through her Administration, and its Cooperation. Medicaments may be prepared, which may effect that which before was sought for, in several Simples, and without success, because of either ignorance of their absolute Virtue, or negligence in their gathering, or keeping, or indiscretion in their Application, or Administration.  
Now this is done many ways, and according to the several ways of handling of them, Medicines may be made of various Virtues, and excellency.  
Bare decoction, which is the height of the Galenicalaribes Therapeucie, is a slovenly, ignorant, biundering dotage, the unsufficiency of which kind of preparation of Vegetables, sundry successive Ages have testified, and many sick people to the loss of both their expectation and moneys, and not rarely of their lives, have experimented.  
Which insufficiency, several studious Sons of Art observing, have with all possible diligence, attended the preparation of Simples, and this for the taking away of their superfluous faeces, the maturating of their Crudities, the extinction of their virulency and malignity, and advancing of the hidden Spirit which is aethereal to its transcendent degree of putitie.  
To these, in testimony of their being sent from God for the pulling down of the old ruinous way of the blind Philosophy of the Heathens, were given certain Diplomata, or Evidences of their mission, by the miraculous Testimony of powerful Arcanas, commanding credit in their Doctrine, so new (as to repute) and so Diametrically opposed to the good old way, (so styled and believed) of the Ancients, which without such commanding Arguments, would never lose the repute they had by long prescription gained in the World.  
By this means, the Ingenuous sort being awakened, all of them seeing their own Nakedness, some triflingly sought only for sgleaves to hid the same, others being convinced thoroughly of the insufficiency of Vulgar Medicines, seriously inquired after a more secure way.  
And reading of the rare, and almost miraculous Virtue of some Choice secrets, which so highly adorned, and for that cause were so highly commended by the Antistites or Champions of this discovery, their minds were wholly inflamed with the desire, of them, rejecting, and neglecting all other things below these Top Secrets, as being unworthy their search.  
To these, my present peroration, concerning this foredescribed Subject, is intended, to whom I shall address myself in this sort.  
That you are convinced of the insufficiency of the vulgar method, I am glad for your sakes, I also am of your mind and opinion, and can convincingly satisfy myself and the world, of the Truth of the same, as in the first Apologetical Treatise I have in part done.  
That you also are desirous of the most noble medicines, I commend, only advise, that this devotion of yours be managed by discretion.  
But that you should wave all practice upon, or disquisition after inferior Medicaments, and only prosecute the Liquor Alchahest, the Horizontal Gold, etc. it is so high an injury to discretion, as if a man who is convinced of the reality of the Philosophical ting Elixtrs, Red and White, should reject all means of livelihood, unless he might attain this matchless way of maintenance.  
Should a man never attempt a draught of Painting unless he were certainly able to mend Apelles his draught of Venus, it is unlikely he should ever be a good Limner: or should a man refuse all employment in the Commonwealth, unless he could attain to the Supremacy? He might and certainly would spend all his life unprofitably, or should one absolutely resolve against all deeds of Charity, till he were able to releeval the poor round about him he would be accounted (and worthily) a rash resolved man, yet not unlike to him, who adjourns his practice in medicine, till he may equal Helmont or Paracelsus in medicines.  
For such a man is unerateful to God, injurious to himself, and unrighteous to his neighbour, and with his own hands doth what in him lies to ruin the foundation of his future hopes and expectation.  
If God hath given thee (O man whoever thou art) one Talon; and thou shalt resolve to bury it because but one, how canst thou hope to evade the doom and destiny of the unfaithful servant; for this very sloathfulness, made an example to all posterity.  
The gifts of God are not our own to employ at our pleasure, but are to be used for his Glory, and the good both of ourselves, and such among whom we converse, and in so doing we shall both reap comfort, and may expect an en bettering of our Talents and Gifts, but otherwise if laid aside in despondency, because they are not such as please and like us, they rust, that is, grow worse for want of using, and decrease for want of improving.  
For I look upon a man, that is engaged in these discoveries of Nature, like to a Traveller in his journey, whom every short step advanceth forward toward his journey's end, who if he should forbear to step a step, because a step is but short, and makes him little the nearer to the End proposed, he will never reach the place appointed, and to resolve to stay in one place, till he may with one jump accomplish his desire, is both foolish to imagine, and impossible to perform.  
Just so is it in this Case, the Adept Magical skill, or knowledge, is a long way at a distance from a young Beginner or Tyro, yet is the whole interval filled with variety of Rarities, of admirable Virtue, and still higher and higher in excellency, by how much nearer they approach to the perfection of Nature, which Art can attein to, these intervening secrets are (as it were) so many steps on ward in the journey toward perfection, & do lead to it, & which neglected, it is very rare that any arrive the highest, unless some Chemieal Angel by inspiration, or a Master by information, do that for the Artist which the Angel did by Habakkuk, when he brought him, without stepping one step by the hair of the head, out of judea into Babylon to relieve captived Daniel, which is not an ordinary accident.  
The trodden beaten path, is by employing what Talents God bestows on us, to expect an increase of the same, for first of all, the Analogy that is between Gods Creatures, is such, that by the contemplation of some in their Causes and Operations, which are more visible, & with less difficulty attained, we learn to order and to examine, to work upon, and prepare other things, that are more secret, although not in fallibly, as to any particular receipt, yet not uncertainly, as to the Philosophical Doctrine, and instruction, which we receive thereby.  
Add to this that the hidden spirit which is in all things, is in some more, and in some less noble, and efficacious, and so proportionably is in some more at liberty, in other things more straight shut up, and sealed, and among Concretes of the 3 distinct Kingdoms, Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral may be found, and is to be seen such an agreeableness in nature that one is as it were the Key unto the other, by which it may be opened, and both together (through the power of a supervening serment) may be graduated to a virtue far more noble, then was in them before,  
But more over we are to be remembered, (which else we shall feel with a Witness) that this discovery of nature is not carried on without charge, & expense, when a man shall besides his necessary charges of meat and drink, be necessitated to provide a house convenient for his intent, and in it, to build surnaces, provide several sorts of instruments, besides coals, glasses, servants wages, and all Materials, which charge if it produce nothing that will defray itself, It makes the Philosopher only a fit subject for a Ballad-monger, to be sung to the tune of, Fortune my Foe, etc.  
Such encouragement will soon make a man weary of his Philosophy, being to himself only a subject of discontent, and to others, especially his Kindred an object of reproach and derision, which are but very bad means to incite a man to a resolute progress or to whet his ingeny, for a more acute finding out the things sought for, and desired.  
I shall therefore in brief give the two characters of a wise and disereet, and of a foolish and preposterous searcher after the mysteries of nature, to the end, that being thus personated, and represented, the Reader may the better judge of each of them, and pr●●ound him for imitation, who may (in Reason, be most approved, and reject the other.   

CAP. XV. The Character of a Preposterous searcher after Nature's secrets.  
AND first I shall begin with him, who without due discretion, enters this field, and manageth his undertaking without prudence, or Reason, of such a one I spoke very briefly in the fourth Chapter, I shall more largely, and lively describe him now.  
Such a one is generally credulous, and confident, and therefore seldom but deceived, he is some way or other convinced of the insufficiency of Vulgar Medicine, both in the method, and medicaments of it, and by some fortune or other, he falls upon some Treatise that speaks of a more effectual way of practice, or meets with some Artist or other, from whom either by Argument, or ocular proof he gets Conviction of the Reality of noble and efficacious Medicines.  
Hence he is invited to study, and entering the List, he meets with variety of Authors, writing concerning rare secrets, and being a man of a ready closing faith, concludes himself already an Artist, and an Adepius in potentia, little doubting, but in short time to be Master of whatever he reads, and to be able to do, whatever he reads or hears, hath been done before him.  
He is for the most part garrulous, and vainly glorious, and in defiance of whatever is beneath his own hopes, is oft declaiming of his Art, where of he hath already promised himself the true attainment; and therefore respects himself as a Master, though of little experience, yet of infinite expectation,  
He overvalues his own parts, and overweening his own judgement, is apt to laughat such, who seek for the Art in vain, of which he is before hand as sure, as he who sold a Bearskin before he had killed the Bear.  
On this account he propounds to himself either the Liquor Alchahest, or the Philosopher's Stone, or both and by means of these (when they are effected) wealth at will, together with rare gems at pleasure, malleable glass for delight, the perpetual light, and Cold potable, which were the undiscoverable mysteries of the Magi.  
helmont's and Paracelsus secrets then, shall be his trivial experiments, the Horizontal Gold, the first Ens of Pearls, the Elemental fire of the Sulphur of ♀, the ☿ of life, and shall be only his recreative diversions.  
But stay, now it is time to see him in his devotion, he will grow grey only in the Contemplation of Eternity, Charity shall be his Alpha and Omega, the Cure of the poor, is the prime of his intentions, nay his only desires, but as for Covetousness, Ambition, Pride, and Vanity, against these he declaims, as against detected malefactors.  
With consideration of what he will do hereafter, he is abundantly satisfied and wholly taken up, & for this end he is seldom unfurnished of a device or two in his head, that may bring to pass, and effect all this, and a great deal more, which my intended brevity will not give me leave to particularise.  
Let us therefore come, and it is time) to take a survey of him in his operations, his receipts (because devoted unto everlasting secrecy) I shall not teach, though I might, as knowing not a few of the means, by which a thousand rare intentions are, or have been designed to be brought about.  
If it be the stone, that our Philosopher longs for, he hath first of all, the thing so tightly portrayed in Idea, that a more curious Drama cannot be given, what it must be, of what form, and how to be used to any of his intentional devices.  
Then he falls foul upon his matter, in which for the most part he begs his question, namely, That such a thing, by such operations, will be the result of that matter so prepared, on which he falls furiously to practise, still expecting or hoping for his propounded desires  
Now because that he aims at nothing inferiout to the perfect mastery, and presumes himself Cocksure of the same, he contemns any thing inferior to the highest attainments, and so although Medicine generally be his pretence, yet with this proviso, that when such Medicines, which he ga●es for are perfected, than woe be to all diseases that shall dare to come in his way, and till then, he will neither meddle with one thing nor other in practice esteeming whatever is below what he seeks, scarce worth the thoughts that are spent in contemning of them.  
By which means he is professedly ignorant of every thing, but what is his ultimate End propounded: and of that he cannot but be really ignorant enough, having no knowledge of it, but what an ignorant imagination hath framed unto him. For what ever a man knows not, he may well be adjudged ignorant of, which may easily be understood by any, and can be denied by none, now what an Idea, any man in likelihood, can make to himself, of a thing he never see nor was ever instructed in, but by various books, the Authors of many of which never see what they desctibed, nor known what they treat of, in which number many whose books are extant may be reckoned, I shall leave to the Consideration of the Indifferent Reader.  
By this means he verifies the Proverb of him, who reaching at a star stumbles at a straw, resolving to appear nothing, unless he may equal the highest, he lives all his life in obscurity, care, and anxiety.  
Although while his hopes are in their blossom he is no small Philosopher in his own imagination, Hermes and he differ little in his own apprehension save that one was of larger practice, but the other was of as acute Theory, this opinion of himself he will nourish so long, until that grey headed experience compel him to alter his judgement.  
For so long as he can defray the charge and expense, he will never be out of practice, and seldom out of Courage, but looking only for the Stone of the Wise, or the Immortal dissolver of Holmont, and Paracelsus, if his Operations miss this mark, he judgeth them only fit for the Dunghill and so addresseth himself to another, (perhaps to another kind of) operation.  
Thus is he daily impoverished, by expense of Coals, and Instruments of Glass, Earth, Iron, etc. And the Charge of the Materials he useth, besides Labourers Wages, and various Furnaces daily made and altered, which will soon sink a fair estate.  
Yet by all means, these Philosophers must have their operations cheap, and to be done for a small charge and cost: However these receipts, what one way and what another, (are in the conclusion) ruinously chargeable.  
For were it no more, but to maintain a man's self, for ten, twelve, or twenty years, and in the mean time to do nothing to the getting of one groat to defray this charge, it would require a fair inheritance to perform this.  
But when a man shall account himself Croesus in effect, how far this mad dotage doth stir him, who believes it to exceed his former allowance in ordinary expense, few that have known any of these Philosophers (and who is it that hath not known some?) but can satisfy themselves, and then besides this, the superadditionarie charge, of erecting Laboratories, contriving furnaces, pots, glasses, etc. The variety of materials wrought on, besides the continual waste of Coals, doth amount to such an expense, as will in short time, sink a fair Estate, not to mention the Hydropic thirst, that they, who once have entered this List, do express, and all to regain what they have expended, and to better their Fortunes, according to what they have proposed in their own Imagination and Fantasy, by which they are carried on so eagerly in their pursuit, that nothing but the falling short of Money, can reclaim them.  
This is the usual end of these Philosophers, how great soever their Estates or Hopes were at the first, and then they lead a life useless to the World, and comfortless to themselves.  
Against these (were it not pity to add affliction to the afflicted) I could declaim Satirically enough, but I shall rather choose to show both them and others, their errors, which in the Character of a true Son of Art (who searches in the fire, according to the true principles of discretion) may be done most conveniently, as being the proper and due place for the same.   

CAP. XVI. The Character of him, who so searcheth Nature's Secrets, as to reap profit thereby, and so attends Pyrotechny, as to be made, Per Ignem Philosophus.  
HAving taken our view of a preposterous intermeddler with Nature's Secrets, and traced him to his end, to wit, want and penury, by reason of which he lives uncomfortably to himself, and unprofitably to mankind the reason of which is (as we have showed at large) an obstinate addiction to one or two grand Secrets, till the attaining of which, he adjourns all his intentions to medicine, as scorning to appear without the grand Arcana's, we now shall come to  and represent such a Student in Nature's Book, who in probability with God's blessing, will have his searches crowned with success.  
Such a one is from his childhood given to studiousness, & from the first of his years of maturity, his mind is busy, and his thoughts pensive, how he may live serviceable to God and mankind, according to the Talents, with which he is entrusted from above.  
Temporal preferments are the least of his thoughts, as being dangerous baits, both for soul and body hazarding oftentimes both: The Gentleman's life of pleasure is to him a burden to think of: the Lawyer's Art of Contention is to him a purgatory to embrace: & to live an idle Speculator, both odious and itkesome.  
He knows that this life is but a race, in which we ought (as to a Goal) to run to Eternity, and therefore the highest employment, he esteems, is to glorify God himself, and exhort others to do the same.  
But because he is rare to be found, who is sufficient for these things, he is sensible of his own insufficiency, and dares not meddle therein further than concerns his own salvation, and being unwilling to partake in other men's sins, and yet absolutely resolved, by no means to live out of employment; he therefore (next to the glory of God, and serviceableness in advancing piety in himself and others) accounts Medicine to be the most desirable, and highest attainment.  
And truly, he that will seriously and soberly weigh and ponder matters as he ought, cannot but conclude the same upon undeniable grounds and reasons; for who is he who cannot experimentally conclude with him who advised to pray,  sit mens sana in corpore sano? it being evident, that while we inhabit these Cottages of Clay, bodily infirmities are (next unto sins) the disturbers of the mind, disabling the soul in all her functions, and rendering our life more burdensome than death, by reason of which many (with job) wish for death but cannot find it, that in the grave they might cease from all worldly sorrows, miseries and infirmities.  
Which though most justly and righteously inflicted for our sins, were yet the object of Christ's mercy and compassion, who went about doing good and curing all manner of diseases among the people, and the Apostles, who after Christ were to publish the Gospel through all the World, they through the power of Christ confirmed the same by Miracles, not to the Conquest, and subduing of Kingdoms, but the Cure of Diseases and Maladies: in imitation of whom this Son of Art is earnest at the Throne of Grace in prayer, and sedulous as to the search after Nature's secrets in the fire, that he may (through the blessing of the most High) by seeking, knocking and ask, find, receive, and attain medicinal Secrets for the restoring of the defects of poor afflicted mankind, of which himself is a member, and so subject to the like miseries and infirmities.  
For this end, he takes advice of those, who went before him, according to the Apostles rule, Proving all things, but holding fast only what is good; on which score, he consults Galen, Hypocrates, Avicen, Rhafis Mesue, Fernelius, Sennertus, etc. all, to wit, both ancient and modern, and this with a sincere aim and intent to better his judgement, and ripen his skill in order to a medicinal practice.  
He doth not (as many do) for company sake, rail at, & cry down the old way, received in the Schools; but makes trial of it according to the Scholastic promises, to bring about (with sincere intentions) his patient's expectations.  
But alas! upon proof, he finds the whole Art, as it is Academically taught, to be but an Emblem of that Stable which was cleansed by Hercules, a miscellaneous Hotchpotch, partly false, partly ridiculous, generally desperate and dangerous.  
I grant indeed, that Nature hath produced almost infinite Simples of rare and excellent virtues, which with duc preparation and application, would cure most (if not all) diseases.  
Yet considering the determinateness of the season, in which they grow & are in their virtue, their restriction to this or that particular soil, according to the Proverb, non omnis sert omnia tellus, their preciseness required, and curiosity in gathering, drying, and keeping, the observance necessary in their fitting for, and application to diseased persons, and lastly their singularity in operation, being each of one sufficient for any case, in these considerations it must be granted that he who would deserve the name of a Physician, must have a larger knowledge then that of Simples, lest he oft be accused by his practice, of a lame and insufficient Method of medicine.  
Add to this, the new Catalogue of Diseases, which daily appeareth on the Stage, and many of them accounted by our Methodists incurable, and so added to a large scroll of the same sort, which hath long since been compiled by them, and all because they wanted distinguishing medicines, with which a Son of Art is stored, as evidences of his being created by and sent from God, and not the Schools.  
Considering which, a true Son of Art, finding the insufficiency of the vulgarly professed method of medicine, doth address himself to other means and ways of furnishing himself with such medicaments which God hath made for the comfort and behoof of man.  
And hearing of Medicaments, commended by Sons of Art (such who were curious to search and study Nature, for finding out of the same, for their virtue, and efficacy against such diseases, which to the old Methodists appear, & by them are confessed incurable; He thereupon engageth himself in the search of the same, especially besides their verbal testimony, having on one hand the evidence of Reason, and on the other hand, the unanswerable conviction of proof, & Experiment to confirm the same unto him.  
What concerns proof and experiment, the Cures of Paracelsus: Quercetan: Suchten, and Helmont, and before them of Basilius Valentinus, etc. are beyondal denial and question, and although that might be a sufficient conviction, to a man rational, yet moreover, there is so clear a light of Reason, for the authorising of the Pyrotechnical way of Medicine, as doth sufficiently convince the Sons of Art, and inables them to stop the mouth of Gainsayers.  
Of this I have spoken largely enough, in my first Chapters of this Treatise, nor do I, nor should Loring the same in again, but that I intent this Chapter, as a short Comprisal of what I wrote before.  
To proceed therefore, a true Searcher of Nature having by practical observation proved the insufficiency of the Old (though vulgarly adored) way of Medicine, resolves (with God's assistance) to spare no labour, nor study, nor expense, in pursuance of such Secrets, which (by Reason he is convinced, and by testimony of Artists he is confirmed) are in Nature, for the enabling of him, who is possessor of them, unto the help of such, to whom it shall please God, they be administered.  
On these grounds he goes on, with a mind resolute and fixed, not wavering nor inconstant to his principles, but with resolution prosecuting his attempts when once undertaken.  
And because he goes about the discovery of secret and hidden mysteries, he provides himself accordingly, resolved not to be discouraged, though he hap to miss again and again, nor to give over his search, although for a long time, he fall short of his desired expectation.  
He acknowledgeth and admireth the greater Arcana,, and could if God saw it good wish himself a master of the highestmedicines, yet contemneth he not, the least knowledge that is true, so that, with whatsoever it is is possible for him to do the least real good, he doth it.  
He ascribeth the glory of his knowledge unto God, from whom acknowledging its receipt, he dare not bury any Talon, but imploies each improvement, which God grants him upon his labours, to do more and more good each day than other, and thus with the help and assistance of the Almighty, he increaseth knowledge day by day.  
And seriously when I contemplate the Series of Natures Arcana's, I adore therein, the wisdom of the Almighty, who in them seems to point out the Method of a man's study, which an Artist cannot miss, if he Consider first, his Neighbour's necessity, and secondly, his own conveniency, to both which in wisdom, God hath suited nature most exactly.  
The necessity of our Neighbour may instruct us, if we consider the variety of diseases, to which poor man is subject, not all of them, of alike difficulty to cure, and yet, the least difficult to cure are as truculent, as any, if not helped by Art.  
To instance in a few cases, first the Fever, how general each year is it among, and how afflictive, yea dangerous and mortal to mankind, and yet certainly to be helped by many preparations, easily made, at any place, at any (and in a short) time, of which kind are our Agues, by us so called, but all known to the Latins and Greeks under one denomination.  
'tis true, that the Greater Arcanas do cure all these diseases with all other, both acute and chronical) in a short time, seldom exceeding, in any fever (except only the Hectic; which is a real Tabes) above one dose, of these Arcana's there are many, admirable of Virtue, but rarely given to any Artist, yet in defect of these, there are many febrifuges, on which a careful Physician may confide, and adventure his credit, not will they ever blemish the reputation of such as use them.  
These particular succedaneous medicines, are the Crown usually of the endeavours of many, to whom the greater secrets are (in God's wisdom for a time) denied: nor are these secrets so rare in number, so difficult in preparation, nor require so long time, being destined, as it were by God, to be easily and quickly provided, for the remedy of such discases which will accept of no truce, of which sort, I could tell many, but that I reserve that discovery to another more proper place.  
Besides these, many other diseases are cured by easy medicines, which (if not mortal are yet) burdensome to the party afflicted, rendering the life uncomfortable, as the Scorbute, Hysterical fits. the jaundice, Convulsions, Cholical fits, Nephritical pains. etc. Which by God's blessings are, have been, and may be certainly cured, by particular Medicines, succedancous to the great Arcana.  
Yea, and those very Diseases, which are so out-daring to Physicians, as the Gout, the Epilepsy, etc. have their mitiora Symptomata,, which are easily cured by particular Remedies.  
Which things considered, it is a madness unexcusable, for any one who shall engage himself in these Discoveries, to resolve against all medicinal practice, till he may be Majorum Arcanorum Adeptus.  
For since there are so many Diseases, so afflictive, nay so truculent, the Cure of which needs not the Greater Arcana, how cruel is he to mankind, and ingrateful to God, and injurious to Nature, who pretending to study Nature, shall neglect the search of such medicaments which are of so great virtue and efficacy, especially so many poor creatures in every hole and corner, standing in need of help, which may abundantly be supplied by succedaneous Medicines to those Grand Alchahestical Arcana, by which a Careful Philician may cure all diseases incidental to the Body of man (though not all with one Medicine, yet) many Acute difeases even with one, and all Chronical diseases (if not by one, yet) each by one, two, or three medicaments varied, as Indications may require.  
I know it will be objected against me out of Helmont, who in his 9 Cap. de Lithiasi writes thus, Nemo sanaverit Lepram qui Liquore Alchahefl non sit potitus, etc. to which I cannot answer experimentally, as never having had a Leper for my patient, yet with all respect to that great Philosopher, I must crave leave, to be of another mind, nor is my diversity in opinion, grounded without a Collateral experiment to confirm me, of which, I shall take time elsewhere to speak more largely.  
I shall conclude this Chapter speedily, having a little touched at the Artists convenience, which (I said before) was to be as it were his line and plummet in his searches, together with his Neighbour's necessity, of which I have already spoken.  
In which place, it is not unseasonable to remember what, and what manner of men they are who usually betake themselves seriously to the study of Ingenious Arts, they are at the best mediocris, for the most part nullius fortunae homines, those of large fortunes in the mean time minding pleasure and luxury, by which means their lives are shortened, their health impaired, and themselves become objects at last of pity (as to their health) to such, whom God makes heirs of Medicinal Science.  
So that according to the Proverb, Soli Philosophantur pauperes, which is a true Proverb suiting with our wretched Age, Philosophy formerly being reputed an entertainment for a Prince, and such who were Philosophers being reputed the companions, only fit for Monarches and great Personages, whereas now, the Art must take its fare, being admired only of the meaner (at the best) of the middle sort of men (as to fortune) and those for their pains, by the Vulgar reputed mad, and deserving to live in want, and disesteem, for addicting themselves to so foolish a Science.  
Of such Sons it is had in esteem, yet according to the Poet, Virtus laudatur & alget, these favourites of Philosophy, although they love her never so well, yet they cannot dress her out in that dress, which she deserves, to make her seem beautiful.  
Hence it is, that whoever he is that courts Nature, he had need court her for an inheritance to have with her a Competency, by which he may both live comfortably, and continue in her service without distraction.  
For this end, he is willing to be at reasonable expense, until he may come a little into her inner acquaintance, expecting then from her a pension proportionable to his service, by which he may be enabled to continue the same, and not be compelled to court another Mistress for a livelihood, whether war, or Courtship or the like.  
And this indeed is the Courtesy of that Nymph, that she suffers none of her servants to be long unrewarded, but doth according to the time, and faithfulness of their service, allot unto each a reward, by which he may both comfortably subsist, and carefully go on, in his future Search, and study.  
But to be master of her greatest secrets, is the Crown that few attain, and those only such, who by an especial grace are elected thereto.  
Now for any one to resolve that unless he may be the commander and disposer of Nature's most rare, and feldome bestowed secrets, he will refuse such as are offered him, it is so high an indiscretion, as cannot be pleaded for.  
Forasmuch as the search into Nature, and her secrets is not to be performed without cost and charge, which, so soon as a man is master of any (though inferior) secret, that will defray; for him to refuse this, because it is not the top secret of Art and Nature, is no less madness, then for a man to refolve to go naked, till he is able to go clad in the richest Satin.  
But such as are sober Sons of Nature, they know and are sensible that each discovery of Nature requires cost and charge, to bring it about, and therefore weighing the necessities of mankind, they are sensible, that many secrets of Nature of an inferior, and some of a middle rank to the highest are very noble, and efficacious, and so not to be slighted, without incurring the censure of folly and madness.  
These therefore he accepts of God thankfully, as pledges of future blessings to be bestowed, or as Io shuah received the Bunch of Grapes, as an earnest of the Promised Land, or as a Metallist accepts a Marchasite, as an Index of a Mine, not far from discovery, many of which pledges, a careful Son of Art shall meet with in this Travel which improved as they ought, will bring glory to God the Giver, comfort to the Patient that makes use of them, and support and encouragement to the Physician the Possessor of them, by experience of which he is encouraged, and by the profit and benefit, enabled to go on with more and more courage, until by industry and the blessing of the Almighty, he by degrees shall discover greater and greater Secrets, till at the last, he arrive to the highest pitch, namely the greatest Secrets of all.  
Some perhaps who will seek means to Carp, and to object, may cast in my Dish, what I in my first part (which was Apologetical) written, namely, that in nature there were so many Secrets jucriferous, that a man should not be compelled, to practise Physic for necessity of maintenance.  
This Objection I might have let alone, till I had met with it, but (if possible) to remove all visible, and seeming Grounds from Cavilling spirits, I shall here anticipate it.  
'tis very true, that Nature is rich and abundantly stored with variety of choice secrets, and those very lueriferous, so bountiful a Lady she is, that none ever yet courted her serionsly, and constantly in vain.  
But yet her ways by which she rewards her servants are good to be considered, for she doth not usually requite their pains and diligence with coined money, (as some great personages being in danger of their lives, to divert their followers have thrown Checkeens and Pistolets among them) No verily, her reward consists in secrets, which are of use and benefit to those, by whom they made use of, and upon that score, lucriferous to the Master and Possessor of them.  
Now these Secrets are of various kinds, which the studious searcher of Nature (unless strangely led by an unfortunate destiny) cannot but meet withal, at the least one or other of them, of which sort I might mention many, but that it is needless in this place, by this Art the Bow Die was found out, by this Art the whitening Yellow Pearls, and coloured Diamonds, hath been found out by others, besides many particular gradations and mineral extractions, known to many, and the product real, true, and not sophisticate metals.  
But the Cure of the Sick is an Employment, that engageth the Consciences of all such, to whom God hath given abilities, as being of a more excellent Nature, yea a Work of Mercy, not misbecoming the hands of a Prince, as God experimentally (for a long time taught our Kings, in the Cure of that Disease; commonly known, and called by the name of the Kings Evil.  
But if must be granted, nor can it be denied, that he who shall devote himself to these studies, must have a Competent Maintenance, else no wise man would, or could excuse his Philosophy of Folly, which maintenance although he might have several ways, he only admires the goodness of God, who so many ways, hath provided in Nature for such as are studious, as they ought, but (as every wise man is known by his choice, where he hath liberty of various choices) makes that his means of support, by which he may do most good, and lead a life most beneficial to many, such is the life of practising the Art of Medicine, and so is the objection answered.  
So then, it is not out of necessity of a livelihood, that a Son of Art is compelled to practice Medicine, for he having other ways at command may make use of any, although (out of conscience) he makes choice of that among many, by which he may do most good, and therefore attends the Practice of Medicine, and attending it, he Conscionably expects, and honestly reaps a living from it.   
Explicit Pars Secunda.   

The Third PART. Containing an Experimental Essay, and a Faithful Discovery of Nature, in her Medicinally Chemical Secrets.  

The first Chapter, being an introductory Historical Narration of my first Salutation of, and first Progress in Chemical Philosophy.  
IN the year of Our Lord 1644. I first began the study of Chemical Philosophy, to which how I came first to be incited would be a discourse in this place, both tedious and useless, only this I must say and acknowledge, that so good grounds invited me, and so good encouragement confirmed me, that from that time, to this present year 1658. I never repent my time bestowed, although the pains, I have since taken therein, were irksome to undergo, and would be tedious to recite.  
My aim and intentions at my first entrance, might possibly be of the same Kind with others, whom curiosity or other incitements allure to the Art, however my progress was such (as to point of industry and diligence) as might become a devoted Son to Hermes, and my aims (as to the general) only Medicine, or at least that principally.  
I had not proceeded far, nor gone on long in these Studies, before I had gotten a reasonable number of Authors, who treat of this learning, whom I first began to read, then to admire, and lastly to desire to imitate.  
This way of Learning, found the easier entertainment, and readier acceptance with me, as one who was in affection disengaged, from the School Philosophy, as requiring a senseless faith to believe it, being indeed at the best, but rotten.  
This (though but a Youth) I perceived easily (as I more largely told you in my first Apologetical part, as also in my Treatise which I wrote De Liquore Alchahest in Latin) and on that account, I valued the time I spent in the attainment of that Philosophy, but lost, and on that score, I readily embraced that Philosophy, which gave its Sons, and Students better hopes.  
This kind of Philosophy I accounted such, and therefore devoted myself wholly to it, yet so, that the necessity of attending Academical Studies, for fear of giving offence to my friends and Tutors, compelled me to bestow a great deal of precious time, in learning that Philosophy which Cordially I Contemned, being convinced of its futility.  
And having (on serious and sober grounds) resolved the Study and employment of Medicine. I first assayed Galen, Fernelius, and Sennertus, with others, to see what I could find in them, and then to these I added the Chemical Writers, hoping by the Theory of the one, and the practice of the other, to find a secure way of curing diseases. And to deal ingeniously) opportunity of practice, offering itself each day, gave me opportunity to find the promises of many proved vain, by the effect, the most absolute conviction of all, though cursed by the Poet, 
— Careat successibus opto  
Quisquis ab eventu, facta notanda putet.  This daily disappointment made me to inquire after other Writers and Authors, and at last, I got all, or at least the most eminent, whom I studied seriously, resolving with myself, that God had not given so rare secrets to Paracelsus, by them to Tantalise all future posterity, but that the same might by industry be attained, to which I thought Reading would conduce, but mistook.  
'tis truth, the books of learned men are of excellent use to such who join practical operation with Reading, but to bare Readers of them, they are useless, there scarce being one receipt barely set down in any solid Author, that was a real Adeptus, but it was and will be found to be either trivial or false.  
And to give each man his due, I must needs thankfully acknowledge, that from helmont's writes I have reaped more real benefit (as to solid learning) then from any that I have read, or met with, either Ancient or Modern, in prosecution of whose discoveries, I have spent these fourteen years, not have I the least cause given me since of Repentance, that ever I undertook them.  
He may be truly called, Paracelsus Great Interpreter, to whose Writings the World is more beholding then the ungratefulness of this Age will suffer to be acknowledged, hour, after Ages will acknowledge his worth, when many Sciolists will be buried in oblivion.  
'Twas first through his incitation and incouragemen that I was set upon the search of the immortal dissolving Liquor, called by Paracelsus, his liquor Alchahest, of which in my second Treatise, I have spoken sufficiently as the order of the discourse did direct and lead me.  
This Liquor (to be ingenious) took me up a great time, as accounting that nothing would remain difficult in Medicine, when that was once attained, and indeed it is a noble Ens, fit to employ the time and study of all who desire to be Physicians.  
But remembering and considering helmont's checking Conclusion, Scientia datur non nisi electis viris, per longam annorum & laborum experientiam, sufficienti sanitate, & pecuniâ instructis, nec peccatorum gravamine, indignitatem meritis: Which in English sounds thus, This Science or Skill, is not given, but only to such, whom God shall choose, by means of the experience of many years spent in labours, where those who search after it, are sufficiently provided, both of money, and health, and by a sinful conversation, shall not render themselves unworthy thereof.  
So that unless a man have lands to live of (and such as have, are rarely favourers, or followers of Philosophy) he must provide himself of some lucriferous experiments, in the mean while, to defray charges, and help him to live, or else his Philosophy will go near to be starved itself, and to starve the Philosopher, before this grayheaded experience, which with much pains, is the teacher of Secrets, can be reached unto.  
To my comfort I can say it, that my studies and endeavours upon and for the great Liquor, were not unsuccessful, yet do I and shall I discommend that Zeal, that carried me on in the search of it, almost to the neglect of all other things, which had I not done, but prosecuted each thing gradually, securing my ground gotten, to be a support for me on all occasions; before I had proceeded on winning new, which is the only way, I had done better, and this I recommend to others, that they may learn by me.  
Nor is it alien from this old Philosopher's advice, which is first to get a dissolver, that may be Immortal and Homogeneal, etc. as any one may read his Counsel in his Treatise of Fevers. But saith he, If you cannot attain to that hidden fire, yet learn to make the Salt of Tartar Volatile, that by it you may make your Dissolutions, the Encomium of which, I leave to every one who can and list to read, in the Author himself.   

CAP. II. Of Specificks.  
IN the former Book, to wit, the second, I did follow the division of Pyrotechny, according to the distinction of medicines which it contains, either universal or specific, in prosecuting of which division, we came to the distinction of the Keys, which are in the art, by them to unlock, to prepare, and perfect Bodies, in order, and with an eye unto Medicine.  
This method brought us to discourse of the Liquor Alchahest, the great universal dissolver of all bodies, without the least loss of virtue, or diminution of its weight.  
I shall now come to the other inferior Keys, and Medicines of a lower rank, than those preparable by that Art, and forementioned Liquor.  
The Subordinate Liquor, then to the great Dissolver is the Spirit of Volatile Alcalies, of which I shall speak here but briefly, reserving a more full and clear manifestation of them, to an Entire Tractate on that Subject, entitled De Mysteriis Alcalium, which I purpose shortly shall see the light.  
Alcalies are Bodies of excellent virtue, according to Helmont, who saith of them, That fixed Alcalies being brought to volatilitie, equal the virtue of the great Arcana, For being endowed with an incisive, or resolving Virtue, they do penetrate even to the Limen of the fourth digestion, and resolve whatever praenatural coagulation they find in the Veins: and in a word, their Spirit is of so exquisite a penetrative Nature, that where they reach not, no other thing in the World will be found to reach; A noble commendation and in which he is not false in the least, and therefore I shall insist on this subject with what fullness I may, not to prejudice that other Treatise on this peculiar Subject, which I even now mentioned, and which I intent shortly shall come abroad into the World.  
The Generation of them, and the Philosophical speculation about their fixity and possibility to be made volatile, I shall leave here untouched, as best befitting an entire Philosophical Tractate of the same.  
Alcalies' then, through Art's craft, and Nature's help, may be made volatile, and by them, excellent Medicaments may be prepared, such to wit, by which all Medicines absolutely required to the Cure of any disease may be prepared.  
The excellent virtue and use of Alcalies' appears from their applicableness to Sulphurs both mineral and vegetable.  
In it any Sulphur is extracted, out of any mean mineral or inferior mettle, insomuch, that Led only, by mediation of fixed Salts, will suffer its Elements of Sulphur and ☿ to be dissolved, and will become a running Argent vive, the Sulphurous and Saline parts being imbibed in the Alcalies, by mean of which also, they may by art be volatized.  
Yea, even by bare boiling, in a strong Lixivium of Tartar, may the Sulphur of ♁ be obtained, separated from the ☿, or Regulus, as by fusion the same is attained more opened and dissolved.  
Hence it is, that if ♁ be melted with an alcaly of Tartar and Salt, the Salts which imbibe the Sulphur, being liquefied either in water, or in a moist place of themselves, the Sulphur of the ♁ runs down, and is invisibly contained in the Lixivium of the Salts, which because it will colour the hands of such as touch it with a Golden Colour, by reason of its invisibly contained Sulphur, which by precipitation with an acid liquor may be made to appear (together with an intolerable stink) in a red form, is by the Tyrocynists named, Sulphur Antimonii Auratum Diaphoreticum, a trivial toy, as by them used, but which may be exalted to a most admirable Virtue.  
Which that it may be done let these Salts impregnated with Sulphur be dissolved, until they be red like blood, and separated from all their terrene feces, then by Art, reduce the whole mass of Salts, with the Sulphur to a volatilitie, in which process there will be a very unsavoury stink, which will, of its own accord pass away, and you shall have of your red lixivium, a sweet mass, without odour, as white as Snow.  
This snow is a Panacaea of ♁, purging certainly, without vomit or nauseousness, even in the weakest Bodies, and without gripping, and is a cure for many (and those Chronical) Diseases.  
But to proceed to a further exaltation of its virtue, Take this snow, and according to the right Art of distillation, proceed with it, to wit mixing it with Potter's Earth dried, and by degrees of fire distil it until all come over (which by Cohobation is obtained,) leaving behind only a damned black insipid Earth, the Spirit being tincted, and fragrant, to colour resembling a potable liquor of Gold, being of a deep tincture, of which five or six drops daily administered, will not fail (even in the most deplorable cases) that may be imagined.  
Thus, if Colchotar of Vitriol, be perfectly washed from its Salt and dried, and then boiled up with an equal part of Salt of Tartar liquefied, and then both in a Crucible melted, and poured out, you shall find that the Colchotar will suffer all its Sulphur almost to be imbibed in the Lixivium: This then by mortification and regeneration bring to volatility and distil it (as was said of the Sulphur of ♁) and you shall have a Liquor of a yellowish green tincture, and fragrant.  
In this Liquor dissolve Argent vive, and you shall find in this Dissolution the Argent vive embraced by the Sulphur (in the Liquor contained) and so fixed, that in the fire both will give a real mettle, but being dulcified with Spirit of Wine, without reduction to a mettle, become a true succedaneous Medicine, to helmont's horizontal Gold, made by mean of the Sulphur of Vitriol of Venus brought into an Oil, by the Liquor Alcha●est.  
The same way may be used in the Sulphurs of ♄, and ♃, yea in the Sulphur of the metallus masculus, which operations are not easily learned from either Helmont or Paracelsus, Although Paracelsus in many places gives clear light to this very thing, but especially where he saith, Sunt praeterea essentiae vini cineratae, quae aurum solvunt. etc. si in circulum dentur, ourum reducunt, etc. By which he means the Salt of Tartar which is of Wine, and reputed by him the best of the Wine, as having more of the essence of it, than any other part of the Wine, this Cinerated, or brought to ashes (as is done to get the Salt of it) and after circulated, that is volatized, till which time it cannot be circulated) it reduceth Gold, etc. Nor is Helmont obscure as to this particular, where he saith, That if the spirit of volatile Salt of Tartar, dissolve either Luna. ☿, Cornu-cervi, Crabseys, or any other simple, it will cure, not only the Fever, but most (if not all) Chronic Diseases. Now ♁ corroded by any Liquor, and not fixed, is an unsafe medicine, and by this Philosopher, in many places condemned, as not fit for an honest man to use: This Liquor then, in dissolving it, gives it a fixation sufficient to make it a very noble Medicine, but being united with a volatile Sulphur (as I taught before,) it then gives it a metalline fixitie, after the same manner, though in a subordinate degree of nobleness, with the fixation of it in helmont's horizontal Gold, which is made and fixed by the Liquor Alchahest.  
There are then three ways of operation upon this volatized Alcali, in order to its application to metalline Bodies.  
First the Alcali is volatized, that is, regenerated by death and life, and brought into a totally volatile Salt (which is of great virtue of itself.) this distilled according to Art, giveth that Noble Liquor of which Helmont and Paracelsus give such noble Encomiums, that wherever that spirit reacheth not, no other will reach.  
This Spirit is volatile and saline (not acid) and therefore more difficult to be attained by our putationers and Sciolists) it dissolves all Concretes, only is coagulated upon them (being dissolved) into a volatile Salt, which being then sublimed from the dissolved Calx, doth in imperfect metals, raise their Sulphur, together with itself, and in perfect metals, it by oft Circulation doth the like.  
Secondly then, this Alcali thus regenerated into a volatile Salt, if mixed with the Calx of either ♀, ♃, ♄, or the Metallus masculus, or with the Regulus of ♁, and with them distilled, it doth make them volatile, and each time the distilled Spirit being put upon the Caput mortuum, is coagulated upon it.  
Proceed by Cohabation, till your sign appear, which it behoves each Philosopher diligently to attend, Coagulate then your Spirit, in which is the metalline Sulphur hidden, & with Spirit of Wine dephlegmed, extract the metalline tincture from the Salt, which when the extracting spirit is drawn away, remains fragrant and very sweet, and is of wonderful virtue, little inferior to any glorified Sulphur, by any Alchahestical operation.  
But thirdly, (and that way I rather choose) let your alcaly be first of all melted with the Calx of any imperfect Metal, and then you have the Sulphur married with the Salt, and by the fusion of fire somewhat opened, this mixture proceed with after the way of volatizing Salt of Tartar pierce, and both being thus putrified and regenerated together, do after in their volatizing, more thoroughly unite together, which for that end, proceed with by cohobation, so long until they be wholly volatized: coagulate the Spirit then into a volatile Salt and use it either with the Salt united, or extract the Sulphur which is fragrant, and sweet, with pure Spirit of Wine, and reckon yourself then Master of a medicine balsamical, which you can never enough value and esteem.  
All the secret then, is to know how to make Alcalies' volatile, which is a Secret that will never come to the knowledge of a lazy person, or a conceited Putationer, it is one of Nature's secret Keys, to fix and to volatize, which in all her three Kingdoms she performs every day uncessantly.  
Let many Tons or never so little quantity of these fixed Salts, be laid in any Field, and in few months all would be transmuted into a volatile salt, Hence it is that Calx, and Ashes enrich grounds for Corn, and yet our Philosophers now adays, have not learned to imitate Nature, in her most ordinary operations.  
The truth is, they who should mind these things, are idle and conceited, they cannot endure the pains of Search, and besides pride themselves, as if all knowledge were with them already, and in the mean time are ready to vex and persecute any, that will not go on in the old Road with them.  
However, Truth must and will prevail, and they who for long time, have contemned it, shall find themselves justly at last contemned.  
What I writ, I writ from the treasury of experience, and I know and am assured, that my Book will be a welcome jewel to many, although a goad in the side, and a prick to the very heart of others, yet let them fret and break their spleen, they never can, nor shall prevail against what I here write.  
Are not our Princes of Zoan fools? Yes verily, while like the savage Indians, they adore Glass, Beads, Copper Bracelets, and trifling looking Glasses, mean time contemning Gold and Pearls.  
They magnify and extol their method of medicine, in defiance of any other way, a method, at which Democritus could not refrain laughing, nor Heraclitus crying to see Wise men (reputed) given up to such professed folly, and poor afflicted souls daily and hourly languishing, and cheated of both money and lives, by those who pretending their care and Cure, could never go beyond a Clysterpipe, or an Urinal: to which they add the Butcheries of Phlebotomy, Scarification, Vesication, and Purgation, and the fooleries of Barley Broths, julaps, and Cordials of which every Confectioner is better stored, than the Apothecary, as usually candying and conserving with better Sugar, Proh tempora! Oh mores!  
Yet certainly there is a remnant, (although but a remnant) who cordially mind, and seek after the better part, and choose it with Mary, nor shall it ever be taken from them: to them as a Friend, and Brother, I intent, and direct these Lines, and they will hear and embrace my counsel.  
And as to the rest, this is all that I (at present) have to say unto them, let them beware, least being too peevishly addicted, to their method, they neglect and pass by the way of being better instructed, and though perhaps they may think scorn, to be instructed by me, yet this Pride will but hereafter bring on them greater Confusion, and condemnation, when they shall see the Catalogue of all they have either killed, or suffered to perish, through Pride of Spirit, disdaining to be taught.  
But to return to our purpose, from which we have a little digressed, namely, to the mystery of preparing Medicines, which whoever undertakes the Care of Lives, and would peforme his undertaking Conscionably, must attend carefully.  
Let him therefore learn, to spoil mineral Sulphurs of their peregrine and malignant virulency, and in them so prepared and corrected, he shall find medicines, that will command all diseases equally as the noble Helmont, most excellently hath written concerning them.  
Of this I purpose to be a little more large and plain, for it is in truth, the very thing that ennobles, and graces a Physician, and therefore (studious Reader) I shall here crave thy serious attention.  
The Kingdoms in which Nature works here below, are known according to the common division to be three, the Animal, the Vegetable, and the Mineral.  
In all of these, she hath provided Medicines for the infirmities of man's life, of which the highest in the Animal Kingdom, are in the Urine and the Ploud, the highest in the Vegetal Kingdom, in the fixed Salts, and them volatized; either by effential Oils or otherwise, as the Artists experience, shall prompt him: In the Mineral Kingdom the Medicinal part consists in the Sulphurs and in the Salts, which are as I may say, ●otum medicinalium tori, the ●es of metals being shut, and homogeneal Substances, and such as will yield to no familiarity with us, but as totally estranged Essences, are most straight looked up, and work not, nisi Sulp●urum intui●u, with respect and reference to their Sulphurs.  
Of this Subject, and of the dignity of mineral and metalline Medicines, above and beyond either Animal or Vegetal, Helmont hath discoursed sufficiently, nor will I repeat what he hath delivered, which would be to cloy, not to edify the Reader.  
But Sulphurs of themselves are either shut up too closely to be unlocked by the Archaeus of our stomach, and so do not give their desired help, nor yield their true virtue if taken in their own Nature, or many of them (besides this) being virulent and malignant in their crude Simplicity, they therefore require to be opened, that both their hidden virtue may be discovered, and their mixed virulency and malignity may by preparation be Corrected.  
1. Of which the great and most solemn way is by the Liquor Alchahest, and to it the succedaneous way by volatile Alcalies, of which I have given some brief touches by way of Essay, in the former part of this Chapter, I shall a little further illustrate, and amplify, what there I begun, and so draw to a Conclusion of this Chapter.  
2. In the operation on Metals this Liquor may very well supply the room of the Great Solvent, and in defect of it may serve a Son of Art, to make his dissolutions of most (or all) Concretes, and the Volatization of the Sulphurs of Inferior metals and minerals.  
3. As for the supreme metals, (viz Gold and Silver and their Compeer in Homogeneitie, to wit, ☿) I should be injurious to the truth, if I should not Confess, that in the preparation of these, this succedaneous Key comes far short of the dignity of the Liquor Alchahest, and yet its effects here, in these Bodies, are such as may deserve the commendation of a noble dissolvent, and not a vulgar Corrosive,  
4. For let Gold or Silver be herein dissolved, the solvent, by acting on them (in a dissolutive way,) is itself coagulated into a volatile Salt, which when the Phlegm (engendered by this coagulation, and the Liquors spending its virtue in dissolving Bodies) is evapoured, 
☞  will in a cool place cristallize.  
5. This volatile Salt sublime 3 or 4 times from the Calx of the dissolved Gold, and you shall find that besides the virtues of ☉ with which it will be endowed, it will carry up with it a volatile tincture of the ☉, leaving the Residue very pale.  
6. Yea and by an Art not difficult to an Artist, expert in Pyrotechny, the Elements of the Gold will be dissolved, and made separable each from other, even as in the Operation by the alkahest, with this eminent difference, that this Liquor by this dissolution, doth each time lose its activity, being coagulated as oft as it is applied to action, and so rejecting a Phlegm, is every operation diminished in quantity, which the Liquor Alchahest doth not suffer.  
So then as for the glorified sweet Snlphurs' of ☉, and Luna, a man that can command these Alcalies volatile, may by their Spirit attain them without the liquor Alchahest (although that doth the work sooner, and with more ease, and without loss of its own virtue) in lieu of which this Spirit is far sooner, and with much more ease attainable, and he that knows the Secret of making of it, may make as much of it as he list.  
But as concerning ☿, that by this Art may be prepared to most incredible uses (as to Medicine) if to wit first the Sulphur of ♁, or of Vitriol of ♀, or of the metallus masculus, which is Augurellus his Sulphur Glaure (according to Helmont) be volatized with the Spirit of volatile Salt of Tartar, (and both make one Liquor together) in this Liquor let Argent Vive be dissolved, and draw away the Phlegm till it be dry, put on more of the Spirit, and resolve it so oft until it will coagulate no more of the Spirit, but that it come off strong as it was put on, thus is the Mercury in these solutions embraced by the spiritualised Sulphur inhabiting the Spirit, and so embraced that each will not leave other but upon as difficult terms, as the ☿ of a metalline Body would be separated from its Sulphur, and may be reduced by an easy Art into a metalline Body, but with greater discretion, and no less ease, and abundantly greater benefit to poor sick Creatures, may it be made into a most noble Medicine, very sweet, and of wonderful virtue, for the Salt of the coagulated spirit is left together with the Coagulate of the ☿, and the Spirit of Sulphur, and of all, thus joined, becomes a sweet precipitate, in the dose of four, or six, or eight grains not oft repeated, curing all acute, and very many (if not most, or all) chronical Discases.  
But were no more to be attained by it, but that it makes the Sulphurs of ♁, ♀, ♃, ♄, or Zink, etc. volatile, it is enough to make it of value to a Conscionable Physician, and studious Artist.  
For these Mineral remedies work beyond what any man who hath not tried by experience would believe, of which Helmont is a sufficient, and a very clear witness. I exhort (saith he) young Artists that by all means they learn to spoil Sulphurs of their exotic and virulent qualities, under custody of which is hid the Vital Fire, composing the Archaeus to pleasant ease and quietness, for there are some Sulphurs which being prepared and perfected, the whole Army of Diseases will be conquered by them, etc. Which I more confidently expect from, and have sound more eminently performed in the Sulphur of Venus, of ♁, and especially in the Sulphur Claure of Augurellus, etc.  
The preparation by that noble Author in that place chief intended is Alchahestical, to which this may justly pass, as a most noble and unparallelled Succedaneum.  
The preparation also of the Metallus masculus its Sulphur in defect of the great dissolvent, may hence be attained, for this volatile salt, doth embrace and in distillation brings over, together with its self that Sulphur in form of a high tincted mettalline Oil, which then coagulated on a fixed Body, the mettalline tincture may be extracted with pure Spirit of Wine, the Salt of the Spirit of Tartar being left behind (as being not dissolvable in pure rectified Spirit of Wine) and is then reduced into that ☿ all Succus or Liquor, by Paracelsus called Vinum Vitae, 
☜  of which Helmont gives so large a commendation, and so noble a Character.  
I know the next question will be, how may this Liquor be attained? to which I answer with Helmont, That it is not sufficient to turn over Books, but Coals and Glasses must be bought, and night after night must be spent: So Helmont did, so I have done, and still continue to do, and so thou must do, whoever wouldst attain these Secrets, I have done my part, taught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the thing, and so have started a game for any one that is curious to hunt: but for the thing itself, and the practical skill, it is God's blessing only, and each man's particular Endeavours, that must give that: study therefore, and take pains, and together with prayer to God join constant labour in the Fire, thus with God's blessing will you find what I by the same means have found.   

CAP. III. Of volatile Salts of Herbs, and their Virtue.  
HAving run through the Discovery of Alcalies, foe far as to give a short view of their virtue, in reference to mineral dissolutions, let us now come to discover their use and serviceableness in application to Vegetables, their Preparation, Correction, Purification, and Exaltation in Virtue.  
For Vegetables are of most admirable and excellent efficacy, although subordinate to Minerals, yet so noble in virtue, that Paracelsus glories, and not in vain of most excellent and several cures performable by one Herb duly prepared, as to instance in Wormwood, by which he affirms, That he knows perfectly to cure many (and those deplorable) Diseases.  
O the Care and love of the Almighty for poor mortal man! but fie upon the pride and Arrogancy of our Lordlike Doctors, who like Tantalus are pined for thirst in the midst of a River, and tormented with hunger, yet having so many goodly Apples ready to bob them on the Nose, but let not their Pride and Sloth seduce any Son of Art, to choose with them their wretched lazy, and unconscionable life, which makes them a by word to every Porter, which they are not at all moved at, so long as they can get money, although with the ruin of families and lives.  
Of this preparation of Herbs the noble Helmont speaketh in his ●harmacapolium, and dispensatorium modernum, where he gives counsel by way of Legacy to such who have not tasted the Virtue, of the Circulatum majus, that is the alkahest, how they should prepare simples, which are of great virtue, not by Castrating of them, or clogging them with other simples, by beating all up together into a miscellany, nor yet by bare decoction, by which the Virtue of Odoriferous Vegetals is diminished, and the gummositie of others liquified, which hath the same defects with the Crude Herbs. But by superaddition of a Ferment, for the extraction of the hidden Virtue, by suspending their Virulency, by substitution of one quality for another, or by composition of due ingredients, stirring up new qualities, such as were not in the Concretes simplicity.  
Which Counsel if well attended and followed, it would in short time ruin those Shambles of Butchery unto thousands of poor mortals, the Apothecary's shops, which have been more fatal unto mankind than ever was the sword, by means of which multitudes have died, through the absolute virulency of their medicines (so called, but real poison, not corrected but Ironically) and many more for want of due help, which in their Slops is not to be found.  
To correct them is impossible, they have grown up so long a time, that they seem to have made prescription upon Nature for their future settlement, I shall not therefore wash a Blackmore in labouring to reclaim them, but instruct the ingenuous and industrious in better preparations.  
For the virulency of some Simples cannot be corrected, nor the defects (as crudities, etc.) of others taken away by beating into powders, (which they call species when mingled) nor boiling with Sugar into Tablets, nor by Candying or Conserving with Sugar or Honey, but by bringing into a volatile sacharine essential Salt (not sacharine in taste, but so called from its resemblance of Sugar-Candie) which is done by the superinduction of a ferment, this may be attained.  
First then, let the industrious Artist know, that by means of the fixed Salt of any Herb, any volatile Oil may be transmuted together with the Alcali into a volatile essential Salt, which is of a wonderful penetrative virtue, for being saline it mixeth with the urinary principles and passeth along with the Urine and Excrements, resolving by the way all that it finds to adhere obstinately to the Vessels, in the ways through which it passeth, and being balsamical by reason of the ●ils which are salificated in it, it reacheth as far as any medicine of what Virtue soever.  
Moreover, being of Vegetal and not of Mineral principals, it insinuates itself even into the constitutive principles of our Body, and reacheth the fountain of Animal Life, which is denied to any Apothecary's Drugs.  
For whatever reacheth to the Balsam of Life, must be Salt, since Blood, the seat thereof is saline, the Urine also which is an Excrement separated from the Blood, is likewise saline, so is our sweat, and so the very tears of the eyes, nor can any thing be admitted beyond the limits of the first digestion, but it must be of this Nature; All Herbs the refore, and Vegetables in the Stomach are either digested, or not, if digested, they lose what they were, being made chile, and so become altogether of a new Nature by this formal transmutation, by which (if they were before medicinal) they are spoiled of all that virtue, before they come to be admitted to the second, and if they may retain a few qualities of the Magnum oportet, yet these are too feeble to extirpate a disease settled in any Vessel of the second, much less of the third digestion.  
But if what is taken in, be not digested, it is then cast out at the draught, if by reason of its gummousness or indigestableness it will not yield to be macerated by the ferment of the Stomach, or if it have a mixed virulency, it is rejected either by vomit, if the Venom be violent and apparent, or by siege if the venom be gummous and not so easily found, and a little more gentle, or both ways, if the Venom be of a gummous and very fermental virtue, these never cure but by accident as I fully discovered in my Nature's Explication, etc. and shall not therefore here repeat.  
Vain therefore is the intention of cure that is pretended by these ways, and absurd are those Idle promises of Syrups to reach and to heal the Lungs, when as the Liver that is much nearer cannot be reached either by Syrups or Decoctions, what ever the Galenists persuade their deluded Patients.  
But Salts being of another Nature suffer not in a digestible way by the ferment of the Stomach, but retaining their virtue pass on to the Mesenterial and Mesaraick veins, and so resolve in their passage, whatever preternatural they find, and so become abstersive, diuretic, and diaphoretic.  
This is manifest in Sea-salt, which passing the digestion of the Stomach and of the Duodenum, is received into the Mesaraick veins, and goeth along with the semidigested blood or cruor, until the urinary separation, in which it lies formally the same as it was when it was taken in, and is from thence separated in its entire substance, form and virtue.  
But Alcalies in the Stomach are satiated as to the lixiviate qualities, with the acidity of the Stomach, and produce a neuter, neither acid nor lixiviate, but saline of another nature, and so pass on to the urinary digestion, where they become urinous, but increase a fixed Salt in the urine, different from what it was at its first talking.  
But if they be first volatized by an inseparable union with essential Oils, till both become one Salt this then passeth through all the digestions in which any coagulation may be made (preternaturally, and beside the intent of the Archaeus) Which it resolves and dispels, partly by urine, and partly by sweat, for being essential and volatile, it hath access where Aclalies in their own solitary nature could find no admission.  
For a clear ocular demoastration of what hath been said concerning the vomitive and purgative qualities which are apparent in some vegetables, to convince them to be, and to proceed from a venomous principle, I shall instance in a few (and those most obvious) preparations.  
Let Helle bore black or white, or the juice of Wild Cncumers, or any of the most severely churlish Vegetals be prepared with any fixed Alcalizate Salt, and they lose both the vomitive and purgative quality, and become Diuretic and Diaphoretic, in such sort as a double or triple Doses may be taken of them after this preparation without disturbance, of which half so much before would have proved deadly.  
I would know of any Galenist, if or no the virtue of such simples consist in the vomitive or purgative faculty, and if so, what is become of it by this easy preparation? There is no evasion of the demonstration, the matter of fact an easy experiment will convince, the reason it is that I now crave of them. Perhaps they will think to answer with their old Cavil, to wit, that Chemistry torturing things by the Fire doth by long preparation exantlate the noble Virtues of Simples, and so impose on the credulous Vulgar with a Castration of them instead of exalting their Virtue.  
I grant that decoctions, and long digestions do alter things exceedingly, so the Root Cassava (well known in the Indies) being raw is a mortal poison to man or beast, as many have experimented to the kill of their swine and poultry, but being completely baked, it makes very pleasant and wholesome Bread, and is eaten by many thousands, so Asarum Roots raw either in Powder or Infusion, cause very violent Vomits, which by boiling in water (only for half an hour) become excellently Diuretic, and are an approved Remedy for slow lingering Fevers: So experience teacheth that in the (commonly called) extract of Rhabarb, the extraction of an ounce will not purge so much as one drachma given in powder, the reason of which if any shall ascribe to the vanishing of the virtue in the fire, I shall confure that Assertion by an undoubted proof made by the fire, For let the infusion of the Rhabarbe be made in a Retort, to which let a Receiver be fastened, that not a drop of moisture exhale out of the Retort, which is not catcht in the Recipient, and let fresh liquor be put on as that is decanted, till the tincture cease and the remainder become as insipid as the Powder of a rotten post, and of as little efficacy, let the moisture then be distilled off, till it come to a Rob, and this with so gentle a heat, as to cause not the least danger of an Empyrheume, of this Rob or extract, give as much as may be judged by proportion extracted out of two drachmas of Rhabarbe, dissolved in its due proportion of the water distilled from it, and to please the Experimenter the better, let an equal part of the remaining powder, (after the extraction) be given with it, and these two drathmes will not purge nigh so much as half a dram that was never extracted, but only pulverised and taken crude, by which it is evident, that without diminishing the Substance, one grain, the purgative quality may be diminished notably, only by bare boiling over the Fire, without any empyrheume contracted in decoction, yea and the water distilling off, if it be cohobated again and again, by returning of it when half is distilled over, the Emetic and Cathartick qualities (in no long time) may be wholly overcome, but by addition of the Liquor of an Alcalizate Salt, this is done in half an hours time by decoction. 
☞  Now whither is this virtue vanished that it is gone? If it be answered, That this is the property of the fire Nova product a facere, this Answer I shall wipe away as easily as it is given, for we will use no fire at all that is Culinary, and yet find the same effect.  
●. Therefore let any Vegetal be taken subtly pulverised and seared, and mix it with an Alcali (e.g.) Salt of Tartar, add of White wine or any other Liquor, as much as will make it to the consistence of Dow or a Pultis, so let it stand, that the Alcalizate Salt may penetrate, the powders Centre, and as it dries moisten it again, or keep it in a Gally-glass compressed and covered that it may not dry, and in six week's time at most, the vomitive or purgative quality will be wholly extinct, yet without loss of either the taste or Colour, or smell, more than if it had been moistened with fair Water, nor quite so much for such an humectation only would have superinduced a Fermentation, which by the Alcali is hindered, so then the Specific qualities remain in this last operation, (witness the taste and the smell rather exalted then perverted) but the vomitive and laxative qualities are extinct, and consequently justly concluded to be none of the virtue of the Simples, but distinct from substance and specific qualities, which remain entire with the loss of the former.  
And here ingenuous Reader observe the rottenness of the Calenical structure, who in Herbs of excellent virtue only look to the vomitive or laxative venom, which may well be compared to the slaming sword in the hand of the Cherub, that guards the passage to the tree of life, So this face of Venom oft hides most noble and admirable endowments in many simples, by reason of which Poisonous outside they cannot get admittance into the more retired closerts of Nature, over which so strict a watch is kept, that the Archaeus will be enraged, the Stomach suffer Convulsions (and all the Nerves by an irradiating Deuteropathia) and the whole Microcosm put into an Hurly Burly, rather than it will admit the venom of Hellebore to enter the Mesaraick or Mesentexial veins, but it ejects all with a loarhing, and detestation, but the excellent crasis of which Hellebore may deservedly boast, is not to be obtained, nay scarce perceived in this boisterous disturbing operation thereof, as it appears given in its crudity, or if any of its splenetic, and Cephalick benignity chance to appear amid these tumults, it is but as the Sun shows a glimmering of its beams through the dark veil of a thick black cloud; or a misty fog.  
But this veil being taken away, then appear the true, noble, and specific virtues of it, and consequently of any other churlish Vegetable, which the Galenists by reason of their misty method, cannot endure to behold, with full view, and open eyes, but they are discovered unto us, and taught us by the means and through the discipline of the fire, which is out so much commended Pyrotechny.  
Fire then by little and little in a humid decoction blots out the impression of venom, that is in Vegetals, according to the most true Maxim, Omne Vegetabile venenum coquendo mitescit, diutina verococtione evanescit, and this it doth not by producing a new thing (as when Concretes are distilled) but by maturating the crudity, to which the poison is joined, according to the true Maxim, Omue venenum, vitae concreti ultimae alligatur, Arsenic itself, if by Saltpetre it be but fixed, that is, compelled to abide the decoction of fire, it loseth its venom, otherwise it flies, that is, it will not abide the fiery trial, but there the venom is material, that is, corrosive and corporal, here in Vegetals the venom is deal, fermental, and spiritual, but abhorring decoction, much more the fixed purity of an Alcalizate salt, on which the fire hath stamped its character and impression, that it very well may be called Ignis filius, elsewhere by me named Cauda Vulcani.  
Thus even our Breadcorn, our meat, fish, Beer, and what not, if not well baked or boiled, are all noxious, and though the use of them may be accompanied with nourishment, yet that this is but bad nourishment I shall appeal to young maids, that eat raw Oatmeal, and to children that eat raw fruits, and so the Medicinal virtue in Vegetals is clogged at best with unwholesome crudity, of which it is as rash to make a medicine without decoction, as it is to eat young Cucumbers without pickling, besides many have a venom adhering to their crudity, which provokes the Archaeus to rage and fury, and so perhaps the disease is disturbed, and a light irradiation of the benevolence of the Simple is apparent, through the dark cloud of anxiety, vomitings, and looseness of the belly, which the stupid Doctor marking cries out, O excellent Medicine! not considering that if coming as an enemy, which Nature would not admit, but shut her parlour, and closet doors against it, and mustering her forces endeavoured to throw it out of its first Room, or at least to beat it out at the back door, and yet it left a ray (as it were) of its hidden virtue behind it, what would it have done, had it been stripped of all its hostile malignity, that so Nature might have been familiar with it, and led it up and down from room to room, and from closet to closet, to the very entrance of the privy chamber, to which is no access, but only to the Prince, or his very entire friend, which is far beyond a reconciled Enemy, Such as are Aromatic balsamic essences.  
In a word, a humid decoction or any digestion in a heat, that is not burning, though it ripen crudities, yet it makes no change of the species, if once the heat be graduated above a pepantick or fermenting heat, which is putrefactive ever (where the subject is capable) and so the Parent of Transmutation, as may appear in meat or moist Herbs kept in a febrile heat, such as is the heat of a Horse belly, or horse-dung, which is proportionable to the heat of Man when he is in a feverish temper, This heat incites a ferment, and that causeth a transmutation as a separating or burning heat doth cause the death of the Compound, and by Consequence a new product which is Filius Ignis, But the seminal virtue of the Concrete, is not totally extinguished, but by open burning, for in a close separative heat, the parts are confusedly wrought upon, partly retaining the vita media of the former Concrete, but eminently altered from their former specific forms, through the active impression of Vulcan, whose Character they receive.  
Whereas in an humid heat, the species is unaltered, though the crudities are by decoction taken away, yet this may be without loss of one grain of Substance, the formal properties of the Concrete remaining notwithstanding, So Beef, Pork, Mutton, Fish, or Fowl, by boiling are not changed (save only from raw to ripe) but the Specific determinateness remains still, only the Colour, Taste, Smell, etc. Which were appropriate to the rawness are changed, into others which follow decoction, yet keeping within the bounds of the same species, which although the decoction were continued till a Gelatina, or Ius Consummatum be produced, yet these jellies or Broths, keep their seminal and formally distinct properties, so that Cockbroth, Veal broth, or Mutton broth, are distinctly to be known one from the other, nor are they radically changed, but by mediation of a Ferment (which is not to be found beyond the degree of a feverish or pepantick heat) or by a burning degree of fire, which is Mors artificialis compositi, and would prove seminum extinctor, were it but suffered to act openly, with a free flame or burning.  
To apply what hath been said to our purpose, I would ask the Supercilious Galenist what he can say to oppose the Reason of this Discourse, That wheat is a wholesome Grain all Europe knows, yet it wants not its malignant crudities, till it be Baked, as every Baker can tell you, and every Housewife can instruct herself, so it is in meat, so in Fish, and so in every thing, yea although some tender leaves of Herbs be used and approved wholesome raw, yet this only to sound Stomaches, but to weak constitutions, and crazy healths, even these and delicious Fruits require boiling, baking, or stewing, which convinces that so prepared they are the more wholesome.  
Only the Galenist can be content to have his medicaments crude, that is, his Elaterium, Zalap, Mechoachan, Briony, etc. which beside crudity have also a malignant venom, not to be taken away without previous preparation.  
Besides all vegetable concretes, at least most of them have their Crasis or Virtue involved in a Cummous, Viscous Substance, as a Nut in its shell, which in Herbs or vegetable grain created for man's nourishment, is the Object on which the digestive faculty is exercised, which also if it be taken away by Ferment, although wholesome drinks may be made of them, yet they want their former nutritive faculty of meat, as appears in wine, and Beer, which while Barley, and Grapes were apt for Food, and nourishment.  
But so soon as the glutinous viscous Nature was volatized by Ferment, and so formally transmuted into a New Creature, it became of food a wholesome drink, of virtue to refresh and cheer the spirits (if moderately taken) or to besot and stupefy them (if immoderately used) which effects in the Grain or Grapes was not to be found,  
Whence it is evident, that when Art by the fuperinduction of a Ferment hath volatized, and formally altered the viscosity of a vegetal Concrete, it then as to its Spirit (which was produced of the foresaid Gummous substance) is not liable to the Stomaches dig estion, but is in it only separated, and spiritually hath access to the Heart, and the subtle arterial fibrae, which are the conveying channels of the Spirits from one noble part to another, and their effect is warming, reviving, refreshing, & cheering, which they do more powerfully by how much the Liquor is more generous and spiritual.  
For what ever is digested in the Stomach, is first made chile, or an acid Cremor, which after is by the ferment of the Liver, transmuted into a sanguine salt, and so the blood is salt, which then is not altered, but only refined, and so sent to the Heart, where it is inspired with a spirit of life, which is helmont's aura vitalis, and then the Cruor Hepaticus becomes Sanguis Arterialis, which is the conveier of the Vital spirits to all the Body, bedewing each part with a vital breath or dew, by which the Spirits spent and impaired by the several functions of the Body are repaired, which is the last end propounded by Nature in her appetible desire of meat and drink.  
For Nature doth not in thirst desire Beer or Wine as such, but as moisture, for the supply of the decayed Latex, though provident Art, hath married the Water to a spirit that is familiar to Nature, that at once both the thirst may beslacked, and the Spirits cheered. But of this more fully in my Treatise entitled, The Method and Mystery of Curing diseases, which I intent very shortly to publish, to which I remit the Reader.  
To draw then what hath been said to our present intent and purpose, we shall lay down a few Conclusions.  
First, That all Vegetal Concretes have a gummous viscous Substance, which in Vegetables created for nourishment, is the object on which the ferment of the Stomach acts, and out of which it attracts Chile. This is apparent in all Broths, and Extracts of Grain or Herbs, or the juice of Fruits, which (the aquous part being exhaled) leave a Rob, or Extract, clammy thick, and of the Consistence of Tar, although not pinguous, but viscous, and gummous.  
Secondly, This Gummous body, if it be by a Ferment volatized, produceth a Vinous Spirit, formally distinct from what it was before, and then no longer a proper object for the Ferment of the Stomach to work on, and therefore then no longer nutritive as food, though refreshing as Spirits.  
Thirdly, All Vegetables are not destined for food, some being resinous, or woody, or otherwise of an unyielding nature to the Ferment of the Stomach, are rejected, and may pervert the Digestion, but never satisfy the Appetite, others are of a malignant outside, and so the Stomach abhors them.  
Fourthly, Whatever is digested, is received in Oeconomiam vitalem, into which if it bring any peregrine quality, this straight becomes hostile, and engenders bad Blood, and it is well if the wrong be expiated with boils, scabs, etc.  
Fiftly. Being rejected either by vomit, if the hostility be more apparent, or by siege, if not so virulent, it is conveied (as an Enemy) to the place of Excrements, where, when it comes to receive the ferment of the place (which is stercorious and excrementitious,) it causeth a venomous malignant Gas, and resolves and corrupts the aliment of the Bowels, whence come those gripe, and filthy stools which are produced.  
Sixtly, for the sake of that malignity, the whole stock of Chyle that is in the stomach, and the half transmuted Chyle, which is in the passage from the stomach, toward the Mesaraicks is rejected as unfit for nourishment, and so what Broth soever is taken in, isalso infected, vitiated and rejected, till the malignant character impressed, be blotted out. This is the Noble effect of the Galenists Art.  
From whence we may gather on most unanswerable ground, that that which is medicinal is not, nor aught to be liable to the transmutative digesstion of the stomach, for than it becomes vital, and so no more medicinal, for what ever is peregrine, although it be but the Vita media, yet those light qualities of the Magnum oportet, must submit to the jurisdiction of the several digestions, or else the whole is abhorred as hostile.  
But spiritual essences, although they are materially contained in several concretes, yet so, as not to be found, and brought to light by the only digestion of the stomach, which makes a formal transmutation of what it can master into Chyle, which is fare different from what by Art, and the superinduction of a different ferment might have been had, For fare distinct is that which the stomach produceth out of grapes from that noble spirit, which Art produceth by first changing the juice of the grape into wine.  
Yea and the product follows the disposition of the matter, as is evident in the juice of Grapes, which after Fermentation, the Artist may (if he please) turn into Vinegar, and which without fermentation will only stink and putrify, as after it may become either Vinous or Acetous, according to the Artists pleasure, which products do strangely differ each from other, though both from one and the same material Substance. But this only as a digression. In my other Treatise of the Method and Mystery of Medicine, I shall fully and purposely handle this Subject.  
Three things then I briefly condemn and reprove the Galenists vegetable Apparatus of Medicaments (for as to their Mineral stock, it rather deserves a satire, than a convincing reproof) which render their Method ridiculous, hazardous, uncertain and dangerous.  
The first, and not a trivial fault is their Crude immaturitie, which no Grain, fruit, herb, or root is without, that is formeat, witness Bread unbaked Roots unboiled, or raw Fruits, Coleworts, or Cabbage, without previous decoction, by which Artichokes, Turnips, Parsnips, etc. of harsh, crude and unhealthie, become sound and whole some nutriment, Yea even Beer itself, that hath undergone a fermentation, if drunk new, requires its defect of Age to be supplied by decoction, else both it and new Wines, new Perry, Cider, and Metheglin, are not without sensible offence to the Body, which annoyance is either to be taken away by full Decoction, or by Age which is equivalent to decoction.  
Now can anybe so stupid to imagine, that Rhabarb, or Zalap, etc. have not, beside their venomous malignity, the unnatural Crudity of a Carroot or Parsnip, and therefore as the one is fit meat, so the other fit medicine only for a Hog, the Stomach of man, being by the Creators' appointment, too noble and curious a receptacle for such crude simples, which had they no other fault, yet this alone were enough to discommend them.  
Fie upon those self-condemning Doctors, who will accuse raw Oatmeal as the cause of the Green-fickness in maids, and raw fruit, especially unripe, as the cause of Worms, sharp humours, indigestion, and Obstructions in Children, and yet will prescribe raw Rhabarbe, Zalap, Mechoacan, or Seine infused (which is all one with raw, witness the infusion of Malt before boiling, called commonly Wort) for a Cure of the like griefs, I speak it to their shame, with hopes (if possible) to amend them.  
The second deficiency in their Medicines, is the gummous terrestrictie, which accompanies all Vegetals, which they take no care to macerate and overcome, before the Stomach be cumbered with them.  
This Gummousness I before shown by ocular demonstration in all those mock preparations, commonly called Extracts, which is most evident in the Resina Zalappae, Scammonii, etc. I dispute not with what the extraction be made with, whether with Water, or with a distilled Phlegm or Dew of Vitriol, or any other distilled Water, or with Spirit of Wine (though that is of all the forenamed the best) yet none of these distinguish the gummous viscous parts from the pure, subtle, and saline parts, and so the Stomach either finds a burden without benefit, or at least the benefit so clogged with its burden, that the Archaeus reaps not the due efficacy of the Medicine.  
For as I touched before; the Stomach will not let any gummous viscous Substance pass the Pilorus and Duodenum into the Mesaraicks, nor will the Archaeus of the second Digestion suffer such abuse, but it must be either concocted into Chile, and so received into the economy of Vital principles and by consequence no longer a Medicine, or if it be either too refractory or too malignant, to undergo thatstomachical maceration, it is proscribed among Excrements, the Crasis (like the Nut) never appearing in its effects, being clogged and made ineffectual by the gummositie, which as a shell keeps in its benignirie from diffusing its self.  
For the appetite of the Stomach craves nothing but meat and drink, and by consequence whatever it finds too gross for drink, and unapt for food it rejects to the Excrements, without further examination.  
Most absurd then is that of many Doctors who prescribe Medicinal Herbs, in Cock or Chicken Broth, or in Jelly made of knuckles of Veal, not considering that meat and Medicine are two different and distinct things, and while thus they think to beguile Nature by medicated broths, they pervert the digestion, and verify the Proverb, in their Patients, causing them Medicè, id est, miserè vivere.  
For the Archaeus finding in the stomach broth or Jellies, which are the usual fit objects for its Ferment to work upon for nutriment sake, gins to attempt the Digestion, till finding the Fucus it rejects all, in effect crying out with the Sons of the Prophets, O Medice! mors est in jusculo! and being often so deluded and its ferment wearied in vain, it becomes after more wary, abhorring all meats, for the sake of those which have so often imposed upon it. And if any of this Chyle in which is an unnatural exotic quality, come to the second Digestion, what fermentations, exorbitancies, obstructions, and disturbances it produces, few who have run through a Calenical method (for some Chronical Disease) but can tell to their Cost, and can read this Lecture in themselves, with a Probatum est, upon their own Body.  
Lastly, We accuse and condemn the venomous malignity of many Simples, which they most ignorantly call Medicaments, as Scammony, Elaterium, Aaron Asarum, Colocynthida, with many others which it would be tedious to recount.  
I easily grant, and admit that under the mask of Virulency, most noble virtues for most part are hid (although it is no necessary consequence that always it should be so) yet the Medicinal virtue confists not either in the Emetic or Laxative faculty of a Simple, which it works Qua Venenum, but the Specific excellency is far more secretly hid, and not to be commanded but by a true and Philosophic preparation. Let Fools admire those qualities as medicinal which abate by Decoction, and by complete Decoction are wholly taken away; We know that they are but so many Venoms, and are Concomitant accidonts of the Crudity, and Cummous viscosity of such Virulent Concretes, of which in the first Ens be no footsteps to be found.  
I yield moreover that there are many Simples not intended by Nature for Meat, that are of excellent Virtue, as they are, some Diaphoretic, as Carduus, Camomile Flowers, Rosemary, Sage, Wormwood, etc. others excellently Diuretic, as Virga Aurea, Becapunga, Pimpernell, and many others, which have a Volatile Alcalizate Salt, and are so far forth cleansing, yet they have also the imperfection of Crudity, and the Clog of a Cummous viscosity, which if they were removed, what excellent Remedies would they afford, which are so efficacious as Nature hath produced them.  
I shall shut up this Chapter with a seriousexhortation both to those who profess, and those who stand in need of the Art of Medicine, If the blind lead the blind, it is hazardous lest both fall into the ditch.  
I have heard (with blushing) the vain promises of many Doctors (and those men of no mean repute) how they will decant on Obstructions, Inflammations, and preternatural heat of the Liver, which they will promise to wash (as a Laundress foul linen) with their abstersives, and deoppilate with their apperitive medicines, which alas never reach farther than the ordinary passage of Excrements, unless such which have a volatile Alcaly, which do really oft times much good, if duly applied, but much less than otherwise they would, if rightly prepared, which preparation the following Chapter will more largely discover.   

A Corollary Appendix concerning several Noble Specific Remedies, preparable by Pyrotechny, and Succedaneous to the Grand Arcana.  
IN the foregoing Chapter (Candid Reader) I did generally discourse of the Application of Alcalies unto Vegetables, for their Correction, maturation, and preparation, whereby they become admirable means in the hand of a careful Paisician, for the effecting (with God's blessing) the Cure of all kinds of diseases, although not every disease of each Kind.  
This in the foregoing Chapter we did more generally, and did there give an account, of the crude imperfections which accompany all Vegetals, of the gummous terrestriety which is mixed in all Vulgar infusions, extractions, or decoctions of milder Vegetal Simples, and of the malignant poison of other more furious Herbs, which render their Remedies against diseases, at best, lame and imperfect, often Dangerous and Desperate.  
We shown how that nothing may be admitted to the second, and consequently to the third digestion, that is of a Corporeous substance, till it be macerated by the ferment of the first, and whatever is so digested becomes alimentary chile, and no longer a Medicine, and if any exotic qualities render it unfit for Nutriment, the Archaeus (who is God's Vicegerent, and quickly perceives it) rejects it into the draught, where when it receivs the stercoreous Ferment of the Bowels, it excites a fermental Gas, Pontic, and Griping, causing wring of the Bowels, and Wind with lose Stools, by mistake called a Purging (being indeed, only a Venomous Impression on the bowels.)  
I shown that how excellent Virtues soever a Simple may have, yet that Crasis is shut up in the Gummousness, as a Nut in the Shell, unless it be a Volatile Alcalizateness which is apparent, in many Simples, which yet is at the best clogged with the Viscous faeculencie, to which it is united.  
I made it likewise clear, how the Stomach had appetite to nothing, but with an eye to convert it into aliment, which nutritive object was enclosed in the gummous substance, which if it digest, it makes Chile (not a Medicine) for which if it be unapt it rejects it, not considering the Medicinal secrets contained in it, of which the Stomach takes no cognizance.  
I now come to the true and Philosophical preparation of real and true medicines, whose character I shall give briefly, to satisfy the Ingenuous Reader.  
First then, In opposition to what I blamed in the Methodists medicines, their crude immaturities are taken away either by Ferment, or addition of that which is a Fermental Virtue, For although in the former Chapter I instanced in decoction as a Convenient Remedy against these raw Crudities, yet I did never intent solitary decoction for the proper mean of Medicinal preparation, and that first, because it distinguisheth not between the gummous, and the purely saline parts which is absolutely required in the right preparation of medicaments, and secondly because the fire, though it do not formally transmute (in a humid decoction) yet it doth notably alter the qualities of Concretes, especially such as are odorous, and whose Crasis lies in a light essential Sulphur, as Cinnamon, Mace, Nutmegs, etc.  
In preparing of which if at any time decoction be used, yet let it be so, that the odorous and essential parts may be saved, that so they being again married, and more deeply united with their own more fixed substances, both may become one Elixir together.  
Secondly, Then a due preparation distinguisheth between that which is gummous, and that which is purely saline, either by separating one from the other, or by macerating the viscous terrestriety, and by a secret digestion changing it into either a spiritual Sulphur, or a liquable Salt, for Salts and Sulphurs are but Seminum tori, disguises in which the Crasis of Concretes are masked, Which are successively transmutable one into another, so the juice of Grapes (if decocted) the aquous parts exhaling, the Residue becomes a Rob, which is gummous and viscous, this by fermentation is made volatile, and becomes a spiritual Sulphur, or burning Spirit, which by the rectified Spirit of Urine is wholly turned into a Volatile Salt, than which example none can be more plain and convincing, that these Principles, or rather several forms of the same Substance, are convertible each into other, a terrestriety or gummous viscosity is turned into a Volatile Spirit, wholly inflammable, and this into a real pure Salt, not inflammable, and so on the other hand, the Transmutation of Salt, into Sulphur is most evident in the distillation of Tartar which being wholly Saline, and dissolvable in water, by bare distillation is turned the major part of it into an Oil impermiscible with Water.  
When the Concrete is once thus changed, than it is no longer as it was before, liable to the stomachical digestion, but if it be an Oily Sulphur (as distilled Oils are, those especially which rise by force of fire, and are not drawn with water) they resist the Stomachical ferment, and so rise offensively several hours after taking, until the greater part of them are proscribed with the Excrements by siege, and part of them (especially Essences drawn with water) being no way hostile, are admitted to the porch, as it were of the second digestion, where changing their volatile fatness for an urinous saltness, they work away by the Urine, as is evident in Oil of Terebinth, Mace, Nutmeg, etc. of which the Urine will smell apparently some hours after the taking of them.  
But if a Volatile Salt be made either of the Oils or Tinctures of Vegetals, this than needs no farther transmutation, only the Alcaliza●eness of the Salt is satiated with the acidity of the Stomach, and afterward it passeth to the second digestion, and so forward to the third, resolving in its passage all preternatural coagulations, which are the cause of obstructions, and expelling them being resolved, by Urine and Sweat.  
True, this Salt thus passing receives from the Stomachical acidity a saturating of its Alcalizateness if it be Lixiviate, but this is no more to be accounted a transmutation, then when an Alcaly is satiated by reiterate pouring on of Spirit of Vinegar, in which the Alcaly receives an alteration, but not a transmutation, proportionably understand in this case, this Salt being of a pure liquable Nature, and no way hostile, is admitted with out scruple, and doth homage as I may say to the Ferments, that is, takes an external Character of their qualities, at least, shows no resistance to them, and so passeth along with the Chile to the Mesaraicks, being first clothed with the external habit of the places, through which it passeth as a friendly stranger, acting as it goes along, according to the Specific Virtues which it receives from the Creator (which specific virtues remain, not wholly extinct till it comes to the very suburbs of the fourth digestion) because it is admitted only as a stranger, whereas were it to be made one with the Chile, which is destined for nourishment, it could not be admitted to the first step of the second Digestion, till it were totally stripped of all its qualities, which it had in its Concrete Being, such is the difference between Being admitted along with the digestible matter, from one digestion to another, as a Friendly stranger, and being received formally into the Substance of what is digested, the one is the entertainment of a true Noble Medicament, the other of food destined to nuttiment.  
Concerning this Subject many things worthy to be known might be discovered, but the shortness of this present Task will not permit me largely to insist hereon in this place, being intended to discover somewhat briefly, yet fully and plainly, how a sedulous Artist may furnish himself, with a noble Apparatus of powerful specific remedies, for the vanquishing and triumphing over all kind of diseases, in defect of the more secret and seldom attained Arcana, though I must grant, that the cures this way performed, require more care in attendance on them, and more judgement in the administering of Medicines, than those which are performed Tono unisono. And for this cause the noble Helmont reckoning up his specific febrifugall Salts, which might succeed, in the room and defect of his Horizontal Gold, Adds, That if these be given in a due dose, at a due time, and the Patient duly ordered, they will never expose a faithful Phifician to scorn and contempt.  
But thirdly and lastly, Our Medicaments by a due preparation, have their Venom wholly extinguished, then is the poison of the Viper taken away, and we may safely make Theriacle of his flesh, thus is the passage to the Tree of life (pardon my allusion) made open, having first reconciled the angry Cherub, whose flaming sword before did guard it. Blessed be God for ever, who hath called us to these preparations, from out of the faeces or dregs of vulgar confusions, by which species are ignorantly confounded, more ignorantly applied, and many poor Souls, pay the price of their lives, on the score of this perverse blindness, The more is the shame! The more is the pity! The Lord in his due time amend it.  
Come we then, and I presume not without the Readerslonging expectation, to the manner of preparing Medicaments truly and Philosophically, such I mean which require not the Liquor Alchahest, for that were to tantalise, and not instruct the Reader.  
Our Art of preparation is no other than a practical Commentary on helmont's Legacy, to such who are not yet so fare honoured by God as to taste the virtue and efficacy of the Circu latum majus, which is the impatible great dissolving Liquor.  
My advice is, (saith he,) not to castrate those Simples which are of excellent and great virtues, but by Art to make them better, and to advance them, by suspending their virulency, by extracting their hidden qualities, by changing offensive qualities into others, which is done by superinducing a ferntent, or by addition of some noble powerful Medium by which this may be effected.  
For the illustrating of which let me mind the Reader of what I handled more fully before, namely, that both the crudity, and the venom are wasted in decoction by little and little, until in the end they become wholly extinct, as the Circles in water made by the falling of a stone do by little and little vanish away, and at last disappear wholly,  
But this we advised not as the best way of preparation, partly, because it left the gummous vifcosity unconquered, (which is not to be mastered, but by a ferment, that volatizeth it, or else it is to be separated by a proper agent, which is of efficacy sufficient for that purpose) but especially because the fire doth by little and little weaken the specific Crasis of what Vegetable concrete is decocted by it: Therefore the most desirable, and truly Philosophical way to perform this, is by the addition of an Agent, which is penetrative, and fermental, that so it may without any altering sensible heat, 
☞  by a secret circulation, perform that triumphingly and perfectly, which bare decoction doth lamely and imperfectly.  
Such a mean is diligently to be sought for, and highly to be prized when found: such a mean is to be found in the Commonwealth of Alcalies, than which next to the Grand Dissolvent, Nature hath not afforded a more excellent subject that can more accurately perform what the Artist seeks, if it fall into the hands of a mental man, and not of a Bungling Sciolist.  
I gave a hint even now, in the last foregoing Chapter, that Alcalies would at once both ripen the crudities, separate the gummousness, and correct the Venom, where I did but as it were Ex ungue Leonem, measure Hercules by his foot, guess at the Valour of Apollo, by his strangling the serpent while he was yet an Infant in his Cradle, I intended it not as a measure of the Virtue of Alcalies, but as an essay of what might be expected from them, if by an industrious and prudent Artist, they be governed to their ripe Age, if in their Infancy, they do so much what may for the future be expected from them.  
For an ocular proof of what before I touched, see first the Crudity by Alcalies maturated, and ripened, It cannot be denied but that crudity is the cause of corruption in any corruptible thing, which is so predominant in Vegetals, that if moist, they being compressed, will in few hours begin to heat, a previous sign of ensuing putrefaction, if dry, in the open Air, they lose their virtue in a few years, some in a few months, if moistened, they soon Corrupt, Rot, Stink, breed Worms, etc. This Crudity is but in part taken away by solitary Decoction, for boiled Meat, or Herbs, or Seeds will grow Sour, corrupt, and Stink with standing for a time, although not so soon, as raw or unboiled.  
But by means of an Alcaly this crudity is tataken away, that as Myrrh and other Aromatic Spices, used for the embalming of Carcases in Egypt, preserved them from Corruption (usual to all dead bodies of men or Beasts,) for many years, yea, for many Ages, so Alcalies preserve Vegetals, 
rindx;  both from Ferment and Corruption.  
True, the species so confected have still a continual internal maturative motion, whereby they aspire daily to more and more perfection, till they come to an essential Salt, which terminates this their motion, but this without any transmutative Fermentation, or putrefactive Corruption, so that Vegetables thus confected are in a daily Motion to perfection, but it is, retaining their formal, specific, pristine Virtues, only advanced and graduated, not perverted or extinct, as it falls out in all Transmutations.  
Secondly, the separating of the gummous terrestriety, may be most evident in this example, Dissolve Opium in clear Water, or in Spirit of Wine (that makes no difference here) decant it, or filter it tightly, that it be very clear and transparent, then add to it equal part of a strong Lixivium of Tartar, and strait with a strong urinous sent, you shall see a separation, not of a small inconsiderable quantity, but a large quantity of a Resinous Curd, as it is in the mixing of Wine, with warm Milk, let it stand in a simpering heat, till this Coagulum be got together, then filter it again, and you shall find a resinous, or rather gummous Substance, like unto Aloes, for Colour, and breaking, bitter and stupefying, and so it is in all other Concretes, as Wormwood, Rue, Carduus, etc. only let the solution and infusion be as full of the Simple as the moisture will dissolve. This is to be found also in the ordinary elixation of malt (with us called Wort) and briefly in the decocted liquor of all Coucretes, in them especially which are of an eminent taste: can any man desire a more plain proof and demonstration?  
Thirdly, As to the Venom of Vegetals I said sufficient in the former Chapter, namely that there is no Vegetable so furious, so Venomous, 
☜  and deadly, but if decocted with a convenient proportion of an Alcaly, added to the moisture, it is wholly corrected, as to the malignity, although in some, a few offenfive Symptoms may remain, yet such which Age will wholly by degrees, blot out and overcome.  
And here methinks I see some Tyrocynist triumphing with Archimedes (I have found, I have found:) to whom I shall a little address my speech, with truth and caution,  
First then, I say, for the encouragement of all young conscionable practitioners, that this sleight trivial preparation, exceeds the whole confused stock of preparations which adorn the Galenists method, and that by many degrees, for by this means both the Crudities are overmastered, the gummositle separated, and the venom extinguished, that so they of viscous and malignantly poisonous, become digested, saline, and friendly to Nature and to the Archaeus of the Stomaek, and therefore (until a better way discover itself) I shall confidently advise this as a safe way to all beginners, who seek truth more than compliance with any man whatsoever.  
But withal, let such credit me, who will not knowingly deceive them, that this precocious way of preparation doth not fully answer the Artists desire, nay contrariwise, it in many respects falls short of it, for Alcalyes and Concrete Vegetables although in Decoction they easily mix, yet they do not so soon unite radically, that is, enter each others Centre, or profundity, which I shall make plain to the eyes by an easy demonstration, For let Opium or Aloes, or any other Concrete be Elixated by mean of Alcaly, and filtered never so accurately, and then put into a Bottle, you shall find the sides of the Glass and the Bottom fouled with a Viscous Gumminess and residence in a few weeks, a most evident sign that the gummosity was not totally mastered and severed by that speedy way of Elixation. Add to this, that the Alcaly to the taste retains its former lixiviateness, which it will not lose till after a long time each working on the other, at last both will cristallize in form of a Neuter Salt, far different from the sharp lixiviate taste of the first Alcaly, and till than you must expect some troublesome Symptoms accompanying these preparations, which are to be attributed partly to Alcaly, whose corrosive lixiviateness is hostile to the Stomach in some degree, partly to the Concrete, whose Vita ultima not being wholly mastered by this trivial preparation, no marvel if some offensive qualities (which are the Tribuli and Spinae in Vegetal concretes) appear in their application to Medicine.  
Which inconveniencies Art considering, and finding a tedious digestion the only remedy of them, studiously sought out a way of abbreviating this irksome time for its expectation, and by ingenuous ways performed it.  
For Liquid things attain their maturity by long process of time, (witness the making and ripening of Generous Wines, and strong Beer) and they require also an excitation of an acid Ferment, which causeth a working Ebullition, which ceasing, a more secret still Ferment works invisibly and imperceptibly, perfectly maturating, what the working boiling Ferment did but begin, and did only in part, and so after a long time, the Wines become generous, sparkling, lively, and Balsamical.  
But Alcalies are absolutely repugnant to all acidities, and so no such fermentation is to be expected in them, and thence it is that Liquors prepared by means of them attain their highest Energy in a fare more tedious time, unless by Art's Industry that time be shortened.  
And truly this is the mystery of true Pyrotechny to redeem time (than which man hath not a more precious jewel) which to perform is not easy for a Conceited putationer, or a perverse Sciolist. Consider then Nature in her daily operations, how by the vicissitudes of Heat and Cold, Night and Day, Moisture and Dryness, she brings the hardest Iron and Steel, the lasting Brass, the durable Marble to a spontaneous corruption, by means of the Air, and Fire of Nature, which is the fermental virtue. Consider how Ferments are proper to their own places, and where a close, 
☞  and where an open digegestion is required, for a true Son of Art must know the due use of both Air and Fire, Dryness and Moisture, Cold and Heat, this is true Spagyrie, other curiosities are but idle Rhapsodies.  
Alcalies' therefore are to be corrected themselves that they may correct other vegetable Simples, and to be exalted in their own Natures, that so they may draw all other Tinctures to their own excellency.  
For in their Simple fixed Nature they are of a Caustick fiery Lixiviate quality, which must be taken away, and the seminal balsamic virtue, which they want, must be superadded, and their fixed corporietie overcome, that they may become Volatile.  
And here is to be observed that there is a great difference between Alcalies' volatile, and volatized, as there is between distillable, or sublimable, and distilled, or sublimed, the one is in a capacity of being volatized, the other actually so.  
Alcalies' distilled, or made a Spirit, are advanced to the highest pitch of excellency, to which by nature they are ordained, and of this Spirit is that of Helmont to be understood, That wherever it will not reach, nothing in the World can reach.  
This Spirit is attainable by divers means, by some more, by some less in virtue and efficacy, Study to attain this Spirit, next to the Great Solvent, if you would be master of noble medicaments.  
Now Alcalies are volatized two ways, by Alcoolization, and by Elixeration: Pardon me Kind Reader, if I use the known Terms of Art, without which no Art is, and which cannot be put into plain English, without a tedious Periphrasis.  
Alcoolization is a feeding, or imbibing, or circulating a fixed Alcaly with a volatile Spirit, till both be made one, a neutral production arising between them, distinct from each Parent.  
And of this head there are three distinct kind of Spirits, Acetous, urinous, and Vinous, which give the Alcaly Alcoolizated, three distinct appellations, Arcanum Ponticitatis, Arcanum microcosmi, and Arcanum Samech.  
Elixeration is performed by Oils essential, and Tinctures, until of both one Elixir, or Volatile Salt be made, of which are so many Species, as there are diversities of Essential and Distilled Oils.  
Of these I shall here only give a brief essay, reserving a more full handling of them, to a more convenient place.  
Of all the mentioned manners of operation, that which is done by an acetous Alcool, is the most facile, for such a contrariety there is between an Alcaly and an acid Spirit, that they meet not without a tumultuous ebullition, which by degrees ceaseth, and when the Spirit, put on causeth no ebullition, it is a sign the Alcaly is satiated.  
By mean of these Spirits the fixed Alcali loseth its fiery corrosiveness and is made volatile, which an expert distiller shall find totally performed by reiterate cohobation, which may rather be called imbibition, for that Alcaly which would not more of the spirit, but all ebullition at mixing thereof ceased, yet if it be mingled with burntclay, and distilled, in the manner of Spirit of Salt, or Nitre, till all that will distil over, be drawn of, the Caput mortuum imbibe then with a new Alcool, which will take in new spirits, this do while it is a second time satiated, and distil it then with a very strong fire, (at last,) repeat this operation till all the Salt be brought over (with the spirit) which will be then a most noble Spirit Alcalizate. This may be done with Spirit of Vitriol, of Nitre, of Salt, of Vinegar, etc. or in short, with any acid Spirit, and the Spirit thus attained may be called, Acetum forte, Acetum Radicis, etc. As Paracelsus often names it.  
But as concerning many excellent preparations that may be made by Alcalies, they need not for them to be actually distilled, for that is a more tedious work, it is sufficient that they be only made volatile, that is, imbibed with a Spirit, till between them and the Alcaly, a neutral Salt be produced, an insipid Phlegm being only rejected, with this join the corrected Tincture of any Vegeral, and digest both together, till they cristallize in the form of a Tincted Salt, having the Crasis of the Concrete.  
Yea, and the Alcali itself by mixture with acid Spirits, as of Vitriol, of Salt, of Nitre, Sulphur, or the like, yields noble abstersive and diuretic medicines, that with the Spirit of Vitriol (being known commonly by the name of Tartarum vitriolatum) if made truly (that is of pure Salt of Tartar calcined pierce, by a Potter's fire, and good spirit of Vitriol poured on so long till the coullition cease, then dried) it becomes a pleasant sweet medicine, very white in the dose of 10, 15, or 20 gr. repeatted each morning, cleansing the Stomach, resolving powerfully obstructions in the Mesaraicks, and is profitably given as an abstersive, in severs, dgues, jaundite, scorbute, worms in children, as also against cold crudities in the stomach, causing indigestion, & many like cases.  
With Spirit of Nitre a like Salt is attained, but of an easier fusion, tasting of a nitrous cool taste, and is an excellent abstersive in burning and putrid Fevers, gravel, heat of Urine, sharpness in the Stomach, usually called Heartburning, heat in the Back and Kidneys, heat in the Stomach, causing a hot and harsh breath, and many other defects that are seated in the first and second digestions.  
And so with Spirit of Sulphur, Salt, etc. very noble preparations may be made, but much more noble, if the purified tinctures of noble Vegetals (their malignity being first corrected) be united with this Salt in a due proportion (the Salt being liquesied in a convenient Liquor;) digest then the Salt, and Tincture, till both become very clear, for at first mixing they will be muddy, and precipitating a light Faecula, will at last be very clear, decant this clear Liquor that is tincted, and in a slow fire draw away the moisture, till the known sign appear, and in a cool place it will christallize into a pure Salt tincted, with the true tincture of the Vegetal, retaining its taste, odour, and virtue.  
Thus out of Hellebore black or white, Opium or any other Simple, that will yield a tincture in Spirit of Wine, a Salt may be made, which then is called by the name of the Vegetal with which it is joined, as Salt of Hellebore, of Opium, of Zalap, etc. which Salts besides the abstersive virtue of the Salt, have a superadded Specification, according to the intention of the Concrete, by which a sedulous, and industrious Physician, may with God's blessing, cute many and those deplorable diseases.  
But this way of making Salts, is inferior to other preparations, to which I shall come in order, especially such as are made with Vinegar (its spirit to wit) which becomes what it is, only by extinction of the vinous Balsam, and so the acidity (which moderate caused fermentation) by being over exalted, destroys the same, and makes the body of the Wine become Pontic, corrosive, and ungrateful to Nature, only moderately used, it whets the appetite, and so excitatively promotes digestion of gross meats, as Beef (especially cold and fat) or of raw crude meats, as Salads, &c,  
Yea, and the spirits of Nitre, Salt, Vitriol, etc. being distilled by a violent fire, although they become corrosive and abstersive, yet they have in them no seminal balsamic virtue, nor in their corrosive nature are they altogether excusable from offence to the Stomach, for although their acidity assuage thirst, yet this acidity differs much from the acidity of the Stomach, which is fermental, and therefore it behoves it to be changed by it, into its own nature, which how difficult it is, let Philosophers judge, for the acidity of the Stomach to satiate the Lixiviateness of an Alealy, is no hard matter, if the Alcaly do not overpower it, with too much quantity, since the antipathy between an Alcalizateness and all acidities is so apparent to the eye, so that the superfluous acidity of the stomach may satiate a convensent dose of an Alcali (which it shall receive in) without trouble or detriment to itself, and may do this daily (with very good success, where the acidity of the Stomach is too abundant, and the Alcaly thus satiate, becomes mild, and so tempering itself with the residue of the acid Chyle, may pass to the second digestion, where it is clethed with a Saline habit, but for an acidity to work upon an acidity, is as improbable as for one Alcaly to work on another, and for the stomachical acidity, to endure a mineral acidity (unsatiated) were to imagine, that Nature had no discretion. This for a caution to those who are too tampering with acid (especially corrosive) spirits, let them be sure to give them at such a time, when there are Faeces abstergendae in primis vasibus, as about the mouth of the Stomach, the root of the tongue, the throat, etc. and then give them in a competent dose, and lastly continue them not too long, unless in a very discreet dose: Hence it was that the wise and noble Helmont, in his Tractate concerning the Tree of Life, tells a memorable story of one that he advised to use the true clear limpid spirit of Sulphur (not that tincted base adulterated spirit, perfidiously made, and villainously exposed to sale to the ignorant Apothecaries, by our apostate rascal Chemists, which swarm now almost every where) and to take, before each meaor at each meal, in his first drink, two drops of that Spirit, and charged him not to be too overventurous to exceed that dose, as well knowing, that such a dose daily was enough, by its acidity to cleanse the accidental Sordes, adhering to the stomach, which hindered digestion, and by its Sulphurous Gas to keep the meat and drink taken in, from putrefactive corruption, by which means the Patient (being careful to follow this grave advice) lived to a very great age, to wit forty years after this advice given, being then fifty eight years old, and which was very remarkable, in all that forty years was never troubled with the least Feverishness, although once by fall on the Ice he broke his Leg, let the studious Reader consider the example so as to profit by it. Consider then seriously your intention, and so apply your remedies, which if they be not as you would have them, you must by Art make them so, or confess yourself to be no Philosophers.  
All acidities, as acidities, are corrosive and fretting more or less, (witness Crabseys in the least acid white or Rhenish Wine) but no acidity in the world out of the Stomach is comparably the same with the stomachical acidity, which is a peerless Creature, variated in every several Species of Animals, and is an unseparable Companion of the life.  
Now most acidities (nay all that have nothing of Venomous qualities admixed) help the digestion, in as much as they are abstersive, and resolving some feceses Which affect, and afflict (that is obstruct and hinder) the activity of the first Organs, whether as to the appetible, or digestible faculty.  
Of acidities also are various kinds, some which spontaneously are changed by being dried, as the render leaves of Grapes, young Grapes, etc. others by digestion, as the juice of Lemons, and Oranges, others by a light operation on a proper object, as Whitewine on Crabseys, and therefore experience hath taught us to cat Lemmons, and drink White-wine with Sugar, on which acting, in the pepantick digestion of the Stomach, they become cooling, abstersive and diuretic.  
But the acidity of Vinegar, being a product out of Wine over eager or fretted, is of a more resisting Nature to the Stomach, by how much it is estranged from Wine (that is a refresher of the same) and therefore if made in Syrup with Sugar, in no large dose, in some causeth vomit, yet for strong constitutions with strong meats, as roast Beef, or boiled, sauce, etc. it is a wholesome sauce, by some acuated with mustardseed; where note, that so much gross meat or green herbs (which are raw and crude) are eaten with it, as will employ its whole acidity in fretting them, and preparing them for the stomachical Ferment, which then the Stomach digests together with the meat, as being afterward no more acid, and so no way resisting its fermental acidity.  
But as for Mineral acidities, and other products of the fire of Reverberation, and which are as burning as Fire, as (to wit) the Spirits of Vitriol, Sulphur, Sea-salt, Nitre, Salt-gem, etc. those which are minetal want not their deserved suspicion of Arsenical malignity, and so are to be used cautiously with discretion, else envenomed Sulphur, and Vitriol with an Arsenical commixture, will not only frustrate the expected hope of help from their Spirits, but also hurt the Patient to the Physicians just and deserved Confusion.  
Now as for the acid spirits of Nitre, or Seasalt, of all others they are the most clear from suspicion of their danger as to virulency: let him that useth them attend both the dose and the times of repeating the Doses, that would use them honestly and commendably.  
And so much concerning the abstersive nature of acid Spirits, with some necessary Cautions concerning their use. Now we shall add a little, as to Alcalies, in their Corrosive lixiviate Nature, that from the view of Both, as they are alone, and of themselves, we may make a third Neutral product, yet partaking the abstersive Nature of either parent.  
Alcalies we say then, are of an abstersive Nature as saline, but hostile to the Stomach as lixiviate, or calcineous, the reason is obvious to a weak eye, because of the contrarictie (pardon my expression) which is evident between lixiviate, and acid qualities, which if both be in an high degree they resist even to an actual flagration (as appears in slacking of quick Lime, and also in the mixture of strong Oil of Vitriol, with a well calcined Salt of Tartar) however the least perceptible acidity, cannot meet with the least actual or potential lixiviate Alcaly, but there is strait a tumultuous resistance made of each to other, as is apparent in any Alcalizate Salt and Vinegar, or in the least sour Vinegar, or Wine, and powdered Crabseys, nor is there any end of this contest, till either the acid or lixiviate quality, or both, be mortified, that is satiated, and so extinguished, unless the two opposite substances so meet, that one overpowers the other, and then it forceth the other to submit to itself.  
Hence it follows, that where the ferment of the stomach is only strong enough (which ferment to be an acidity we have before shown more than once) there it must needs debilitate the appetible, and digestive faculties, (both of them while they are taken) and this debilitation in a very weak Stomach, may prove an extinction for a time, which is an effect not commendable nor .  
Hence it follows, that only where a superfluous acor is in the stomach, there the application of Alcalies in their proper Nature is excusable, otherwise it must make an alienation (at least) if nor a pessumdation of the appetite, and digestion, which are both excited and performed by acidity, to which an Alcaly in its Nature is contradistinct.  
So than although we deny not, that both Alcalies and acid Spirits are abstersive, and commendable medicaments in their proper place, applied in due cases with due caution, and deliberate judgement, both as to time and dose, yet because there are many cases in which both of them may be improper, and do actual hurt, the one in reference to its corrosive acidity, the other to its lixiviate Caustick hostility, we affirm and lay down for undeniable, these few positions concerning them.  
First, That the virtue that is in these forementioned Salts or Spirits, consists not in the Corrosive or Caustick qualities, but that these are only impressions of the fire on the Subjects, and may be taken away without doing the Spirits or Salts any harm.  
Secondly, That the operations they perform, which are Medicinal, and for the opening obstructions, they perform far more powerfully when dulcified, than while retaining their Ponticitie.  
Thirdly, That both the Acidities, and the Alcalies being the products of extreme fire, have neither of them any seminal Crasis in them, but act the volatile acidity, as a mineral acetousness, not attained but by the extreme fire of Reverberation, the fixed lixiviate Salt, as it is a Salt, and purified by the violent action of the Fire.  
Fourthly, Then these being joined together, produce a mild temperate Salt, cooling cleansing, and opening obstructions in the Stomach, Pylorus, and Mesaraicks,  
Fiftly, That being dulcified, such a dose may be given of them without any offence, nay rather with much refreshment to the Patient, of which a third part in the pristine Nature of each, could nor be given without offence at least, if not danger.  
Sixtly, I shall add that what ever Tincture of any Vegetable (being first prepared, corrected, and purified) is joined with this Salt, and duly digested and ordered with it, it will christallize together with it into a pure Salt, having the odour, taste, and smell, the virtues also and efficacy of the added Concrete.  
To conclude then this Subject, let me give the Reader a taste of what benefit he may reap by these preparations.  
He shall have mineral and acid Spirits dulcified, Corrosive Salts made mild, that so being friendly to Nature, they may have entrance to the Stomach, Pylorus, and Mefaraicks, where becoming Diuretic, they resolve and bring away all obstructions or Coagulations which they can Master, and what they cannot singly perform, by addition of several Species, which according to their kinds are made one Salt, together with them it may be performed.  
For, the forenamed Salts as they are singly dulcified, have no seminal or proper determination of their virtue, but are indefinitely abstersive, and deoppilative, in the ways through which they pass, which virtue is determinated to operate on the head, by the addition of Cephalick Simples, which it doth salificate, that is, makes their (otherwise clammy) tinctures, to become faline, and to christallize, and so by addition of any other simple Concretes, different specificated Salts may be had, as many and as divers, as there are sorts of Concretes to be gotten or procured.  
But these preparations (though much nobler than the Galenical Conserves, or Syrups, or Candied things which are done with Sugar, are yet inferior to those preparations which are made by Elixeration of Tartar with essential Oils, and Spiritualised Tinctures, or brought into a Samech, with pure rectified Spirit of Wine.  
For by means of these the Salt is made not only volatile and sweet, and so it becomes inoffensively abstersive and penetrative, but it is also endowed with balsamic and aromatic qualities, and so doth not salificate only the Tinctures, 
☜  that are prepared with it, but also spiritualizeth them, for in the Salt which is made by acid Spirits, and an alcaly, although Tinctures by it are cristallized, & made Salt, yet are they not so spiritualised, as to be free from future Empyrheumes, as in these other preparations they are. So Sugar is cristallized, and reiterately refined, yet will it burn, and be turned into heterogeneities, foul, filthy and stinking, by the fire.  
'tis true that Alcalies by Acid Spirits, if they, being satiated, are after distilled, by cohobation are volatized; but this Spirit which is thus gotten, is acid, as other Spirits, distilled with a strong fire, are, although it be very penetrative, and dissolving metals, and being by them turned into a volatile coagulated Salt, be of a most admirable virtue and efficacy in Medicine, yet the Salt when it is barely satiated, and not distilled, hath only the abstersive and medicinal intentions of the Alcaly, and spirit of Nitre, or Vitriol, etc. which is less noble than the other by many degrees, so that as to application unto Vegetals, that which is made by elixirated Oils, or a pure vinous spirit (which is wholly Sulphur volatile) is far more noble, efficacious, and penetrative for a medicinal use than the other, the reason is evident, in that they have a nearer relation to them (which are this way prepared) than they which are made of mineral Spirits, which are as remote from Vegetables in their nature, as the subjects out of which they were drawn by the operation of the fire.  
But Alcalies and Oils essential and burning spirits are radically of kin each to other, and so the Alcaly by them recovers what it lost by burning, that is a seminal, vital, essential Balsam, and so becomes not only volatile, but fermental and exceeding sociable to our Nature, and so an admirable mean of preparing & advancing noble Vegetals, those especially which are odorous, balsamic, and aethereal.  
And here I shall before I pass, answer two objections which captious Spirits may make, the one opposing my Doctrine to noble Helmont, the other opposing me to myself.  
For the first they will object helmont's Doctrine, That volatile Spirits (as of Wine, Vinegar, etc.) are fixed by means of fixed Salts, whereas I affirm, That the Salts by their Spirits are volatized.  
To which I shall answer. That both are true, for the spirit is upon the Alcali robbed of its saline parts, rejecting the residue in form of an insipid aquous phlegm: Thus is the Spirit (as to the Saline part of it) fixed, in respect of what it was, yet not so fixed, but that by fire it will be made to distil over into a Recipient, which a fixed Alcaly alone would never do, so that the Alcaly is made more Volatile, and the Spirit more fixed than before.  
And therefore Helmont speaking of this operation in his Tractate concerning the Duelech, saith, That a Spirit acting on a Body in a Corrosive way is in a manner fixed (quodammodo fixatur) being so fixed, that it will abide a great heat to what it would before, thus Spirit of Wine which was extremely Volatile, so as to fly with the least heat, becomes (as to its Saline part) so fixed, that it will not fly but in a heat equal to the Distillation of Aqua Fortis, which may (and not unworthily) be called a Fixation.  
But besides there is a great mystery in these Operations, which will be more conveniently touched in the answer to the other objection, which I shall therefore make, that in the answer to it, full satisfaction may be given to an Ingenuous Reader.  
The Objection than is of such who would oppose me to myself, First in that I say that the Spirit of Volatile Alcalies is not Acid, but contradistinct to acidity, whereas in another place I affirm of a Volatile Spirit of Tartar that it is Acid, as all Spirits drawn by the fire are. And Secondly, That in my first Tractate, entitled Natures Explication, etc. I writing of Alcalies' Elixerated by Oils Essential, affirmed them to be the most slow for Virtue and Efficacy of all Preparations, by which Alcalies are volatized, whereas in this Tractate I affirm, That Alcalies by Elixeration with Oils, or by reduction to a Samech, by rectified Spirits, are the most noble as to Vegetal preparations.  
To which Objection, in both parts of it, I answer as I did to the former, that both are very true; only it behoves the careful Reader to consider in what respect the one and the other may be affirmed.  
To answer then the last part of the Objection first, I say still, that Salt of Tartar (if elixerated with an essential Oil) becomes a very noble Medicament, but as to its virtue, as an active dissolving menstrue, it is of all other the most sluggish, according to helmont's most true observation, Ex salibus illa languidiora reperi, quae sequebantur Sulphurum prosapiam. So Spirit of Wine is nothing so dissolving a menstrue as Spirit of Vinegar, especially for mettalline Bodies, but nothing comparable to Aqua fortis, Spirit of Nitre, Oil of Vitriol or the like. It is one thing to be a menstrue for mettalline bodies, and a far different thing to be a noble medium to volatize and exalt vegetal Tinctures, which want a fermental exaltation of their Natures, much more than a Corrosive sharpness to open their bodies: each than are of use in their own way and kind.  
But besides, The question is concerning Alcalies edulcorated, and made volatile, not actually volatized; and here we must yield the Garland to elixirated Salts, especially to such which are exalted into a Samech, for they have their seminal Balsamic Virtue restored to them, of which the other are deprived by burning of the fire, and not restored by addition of acid Corrosive Spirits, which wanting it themselves, cannot give what they have not.  
These then meeting with Vegetal Tinctures, become Fermental each to other, and advance each other into a true essential Balsam, which is of wonderful Virtue.  
Now as concerning the acidity of some Alcalizate Spirits, and the non acidity of others, the difference therein lies in the preparation of, and operation upon them, and according to the variety used herein, various products appear, and are brought to light: for the Philosopher is an instrumental helper of, and cooperator with Nature, and the Fire is an instrumental help to the Philosopher.  
Happy is that Philosopher, that shall make his preparations so, that a gentle heat may make the Alcalies to fly, he (without jesting) may command Nature's choicest secrets: but if he must be enforced to use the help of the extremest heat, that will stamp a fiery Impression on the produced Spirit; and so are the Objections answered.  
However to satisfy the studious Reader, I shall add, that the Spirit attained by means of Pontic Spirits, will be acid and pontic, and those obtained by mean of essential Oils, which are Vegetal Sulphurs and rectified spirits of Wine, which are but Sulphurs in a disguise, (witness the inflamableness of them) will not be acid: and therefore Helmont reckoning up the Spirits of all Salts, concludes them acid, Exceptis Alcalizatis, & Sulphurum essentialium in Vegetabilibus, etc.  
Now to proceed to the Operations on Salts by means of essential Oils, and Alcoolizate Spirit of wine, that so I may draw to a Conclusion of this discourse, having first fully satisfied the studious Reader.  
I join the Elixeration with Oils, with the making it into a Samech, with Spirits, as being much of one nature, and the one way convertible into the other by the Artists craft and industry.  
For essential oils and burning Spirits are but the same thing in a various disguise, and both of them are hard to be reconciled with fixed Salts.  
Concerning essential Oils and Salts, Helmont saith expressly and truly, That if they be joined without any water, within three months' time (occulta & secreta circulatione) they will all be turned into a volatile Salt, and of Spirit of Wine he saith, That Salt of Tartar by its bare touch doth turn one half of it into water (robbing it of its volatile Saltness, and fixing that upon itself, with a kind of fixity) but in both, there is something sufficiently obscure, nor easily to be understood; For first of all, in the Elixeration of Oils and Alcalies, the pondus is not set down, and the time is tedious (viz. three months) which if a man should expect and miss, he hath no comfort but to think that he erred in helmont's (hidden and secret) digestion, which will prove (like the Alchemists peck of Coals) but a cold comfort. So also in the operation on Salt of Tartar, with most deflegmed Spirit of Wine, true, the Salt by its bare touch will so transmute it, but how to make them touch, that is the difficulty, For pure Salt, in pure spirit of wine, sinks to the bottom like sand in fair and common water, nor will they touch each other that is be mingled one with the other, no marvel than if several Sciolists have complained of the tediousness of this operation, that in threescore rectifications they could not perfect the Balsamum Samech.  
For put case the Spirit of Wine be not absolutely pure, the Salt attracts its aquosity, and so helps to deflegme it tightly, but doth not rob it at all, whereas if the Spirit be tightly deflegmed, it toucheth not the Salt at all, nor will six distillations reiterated rob it one ounce, much less one half, because there is no union, nay no mixture, and where that is not, there can be no action nor passion.  
And here my tired Coleburners are in a Labyrinth, because they know not the mean of conjunction, which is not any superadditional Substance to the matter, but only modus dispositionis of which if any be ignorant, let him be ignorant.  
Phie, fond pretenders, to that in which you are but Bunglers: do you not see the heavenly influences, how by a mean they visit, and make fruitful earthly bodies: for shame learn to imitate Nature in her most ordinary operations.  
Alcalies' then with essential oils are to be joined, that both may make a Sapo together, and then time by a secret fermental decoction will transmute each into a third neuter, made of both, which is a volatile Elixir, so also Alcalies and pure Spirits are to be joined together, that one may seem to eat up the other, and then this touch will be like the clutches of a thief, whose hands are bands, else no mixture, no union, and by consequence no operation each on other. (N.B.)  
And indeed this, and this only is the Gordian knot that puzzles, and for ever will puzzle the doting  Alchemists, they know not the true means, to reconcile extremes, but fancy new exotic substances, not knowing the mystery of spiritual love (an inseparable concomitant of true life) how that it is never without bodies, but always follows its own bodies due disposition, which disposition is our hidden name, our diploma, our mystery incommunicable, but the gift of God to whom, and when he pleaseth, To him be all Honour, and Glory, and everlasting Benediction.  
O foolish Operatours! that by your devised heats, would draw down celestial influences, and introduce ferments (the true parents of all forms) and yet know not by any of your heats to imitate the Sun in the Bermuda in producing Oranges or Lemons: Cease  Artists, and let me the meanest of Philosophers (yet one truly regenerated by the fire) instruct you better, and pray to him who above all is the great Master (whom no Scholar yet went beyond) that he would be your guide and director, for here (to deal ingenuously) my speech is misty and very obscure.  
Let Alcalies and Oils purely prepared, embrace each other in the bond of Love, which will appear in a kind of an urinous scent, and a saponary mixture, which will be white and thick like Cream, continue your decoction, till your mixture end in an union, and the Oil and Salt be both dissolvable without the least oiliness swimming at top, this solution make with Spirit of Wine, which will mix (doubt it not) the Oil and the Salt being once radically, and inseparably united.  
This Solution in a due heat rectify, and you shall have a volatile burning Spirit, of the odour and taste of the Oil, and after it an insipid phlegm, and at bottom a noble tincted balsamic Elixir.  
1. The volatile Spirit deflegme tightly, and then unite it to the remaining balsom, and digest them together, till the Spirit be made one with the more fixed balsom, howbeit rest assured that both are volatile.  
2. Which that you may advance, yet more and more in virtue, according to the quality of the essential Oil, cause this Balsam to dry, 
☜  and cristallize without any extraneous addition of substance or separative culinary heat, then will this crystalline Salt (like an infant that is hungry) feed on, and in short time transmute into its own nature, any essential Oil, or if you please rather, the same with which it was at the first produced.  
3. Feed it then, till it have at last eaten up thrice as much of the essential Oil as was of the Alcalizate Salt, in which feeding, let there be a succession of Humectation and Exsiccation, of cold and heat, the exsiccation and cold, 
☜  the Air will give (understood Philosophically) the humectation and heat, the fire will give (understood not vulgarly) which are the main wheels, by which nature Circulates all, yea the hardest things, in the great World, to a transmutation, understand this, and neither the Secret of the alkahest, nor the mysteries of the Sun, and Mercury will be hidden from thee.  
4. Thou seest Reader, how presuming upon thy capacity, I have transgressed near hand in my desire of Candour towards thee, I have (as it were) met thee half way, and brought great secrets home to thy door, in a manner half naked, and yet rouse up thy attention, and have a little more patience, and I will proceed yet further in my Candidness, which I have already begun.  
Thou hast seen the Alcaly, and the Oil, their mixture, digestion. union, and feeding, until they come to such a proportion of the volatile to be coagulated and united, upon and with the fixed, that both by this means may become volatile, and spiritual together.  
Therefore as becomes a true Philosopher, give them fire, and in a due heat make them fly, which if they do not easily enough to thy mind, imbibe them (and dry them by a flow digestion as before) with a convenient Liquor, as for instance good wine, or spirits, on which it feeds and grows each circulation more and more volatile and spiritual, till at last it will sublime in a gentle heat of Sand, in the form of a glorified Salt, than which the kingdom of the Vegetables hath not a more noble medicine.  
For the making of Samech, let pure Spirit of Wine, and pure Salt of Tartar (without any mixture of any thing, save only the addition of true spiritual love which is the aethereal fire, the secret fire, and the true and only exciter of the Ferment) be joined, and so digested, and in few days most part of the Spirit will be retained in the Salt, separate the Phlegm carefully and discreetly, and renew your Spirit as much as it lost (you may put on each time of the Spirit four times the weight of the Salt) thus in four or five reiterations (or six you may make if you please) you shall have a balsam tincted like a pure Ruby, of a grateful taste and smell, which is a noble medicament, called by Helmont the Balsamus, or the Arcanun samech.  
Proceed to the highest exaltation of it thus, Let this Balsam, 
☜  without any extraneous addition to its substance be dried, without any vaporous heat of Vulcan, then will it like a living child, thirst for its own food, which give it by several and temperate imbibitions, till this wheel have been seven times turned round upon it, then make it fly in a modest heat of Sand, and it will be a most noble balsamic essential salt, which is as to medicinal use Alcalium apex, and may worthily be reputed Medici Corona.  
This operation you see hath great affinity with the foretaught way of Elixeration, by essential Oils, now I shall teach the Coincidency of these two ways, and both Mineral and Vegetable additions to them, by which they are ennobled beyond what can be believed by him that hath not tried.  
For the conjoining both ways together, I need say no more, having taught to dissolve the united Oil and Salt, with pure Spirit of Wine, and to distil it with it, and after its exiccation to feed it with the like Spirit, five, six, or seven times, or oftener, as your reason shall seem to advise you.  
But besides, as to all aromatical simples, as Anise, Fennel, Cummin, Coriander, Clove, Mace, Nutmegs, Cinnamon, etc. who sees not, that their Crasis lies in a light Spiritual Oil, which by distillation with pure Spirit of wine is extracted, and becomes so one with the Spirit, that it seems for taste and smell no whit inferior to the simple Aroma, from which it was drawn; this Spirit Circulate with pure Salt of Tartar, after the manner of the Sameches process, and you have both a Samech, and an Aromatic Elixir, either of Cinnamon, which is noble for the cure of the Palsy, Epilepsy, Convulsions, Vertigo, etc. or of any other, as your mind and reason, and intended use shall dictate.  
This Reader is a discovery, for which (unless you will be mainly ingrateful) you cannot but be thankful, and yet I am resolved farther to oblige thee with more, and more noble secrets.  
For a mineral advancement of these preparations, take freely this Candid instruction. Thou mayst read it in Helmont, and find it here confirmed, That a Sulphur may be extracted out of ♁, the Metallus masculus (which in a Parenthesis, I tell thee is Zink) and so out of Lead, and Tin: But there is a natural Sulphur, known by the name of Sulphur Vive, and was to Hypocrates, his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a noble pure Sulphur, wholly inflammable, without any faeces, and consequently hath in it little danger of an adulterate mixture, which is common (and that Arsenical, the most malignant) in the ordinary (vulgarly fold) Brimstone.  
What concerns the Medicinal excellency, that is in mineral Sulphues, which are more familiar so us, then true mettaline Sulphurs, none that is a Philosopher, but he must acknowledge: my time and space here, will not give me leave Philosophically to ventilate it, but in my next part of Pyrotechny, which shall be, Its victory and Triumph, in which I shall discover ten most secret mysteries, of which the first shall concern the mysteries of the Microcosm, the second shall discover the mysteries of Alcalies, the third of Sulphurs, the fourth of ♁, the fift of ☿, the sixth of ♀, the seventh of ♄ and ♃, the eight of Mars, the ninth of the metallus masculus, the tenth of Sol, and his Sister Luna, it will fall in opportunely and in order and therefore to that place I shall remit the Reader, that in this point desires full satisfaction.  
To proceed then in my present intended task, this Sulphur vive, or any other external combustible Sulphur, separated from any mineral, or soft mertal, the extraction of which I shall candidly, and clearly teach in that my Triumph of Pyrotechny, for its conquest and victory over all its clamorous and railing adversaries (that being a piece intended for my Archidoxes, or most choice secrets, with which I shall appear as with my Philosophical Diploma, or evidence of my mission, by which it may be made out that I am sent from God, for pulling down this rotten ruinous building of the Galenists method, and woe be to them on whom that ruinous heap will fall, for the fall of it will be very great, but this only as a digression.  
I say any extracted Sulphur, or Sulphur vive, which is a most noble, subject, fraught with incomparably excellent rarities, cohobate with Oil of Therebinth, in an indifferent quick fire of sand, till the Oil have wholly brought over the Sulphur in the form of a tincted Oil, yet faerid, the water that separates itself in this distillation (which will be some, though not much) throw away, with this Oil proceed to Elixeration, as with any other distilled Oil, when the union is complete, Elixate it with pure Spirit of Wine, distilled from Cardamom seeds, and distil off the Spirit, and the Phlegm, till the tincted balsam remain very red, rectify the Spirit, and reunite it to its balsam, digest it in a secret digegestion till it be dry, thus is all the foetor, wholly taken away, and the Elixir smells fragrantly, which feed with fresh Aromatic Spirit, six or seven times, then make it fly, and you shall have a glorious, tincted, balsamic, essential, volatile Salt, which call Elixeratum Samech sublimatum, and add Sulphuris Vivi, or Antimoniale, etc. according to the Sulphur which was married to, and volatized with the Oil of Therebinth.  
This Medicine is universal, and wonderfully restorative, curing all diseases powerfully in tono unisono, a little inferior, but a noble Succedaneum to the grand Arcana, which require an Alchahestical preparation.  
This Operation, is very tedious to bring it to this height, but being so advanced, it is a middle way to prepare the Essentia membrorum, and Vinum vitae of Paracelsus, which (out of the Metallus masculus, especially, or out of Antimony) besides its incredible cures by it performable, it restores the body of man wonderfully, renewing really the hair, teeth, and skin, which Medea was fabled, to have performed for her Father in law old Aeson.  
But if your leisure or opportunity will not give you leave to advance these Medicaments to the forementioned height, yet at least bring them to an Elixir, and rectify this in pure spirit of wine Aromatical, either with Cinnamon, or Cloves, or Cardamom, etc. deflegming both the Ruby, (or rather blood) red Balsam or Samech, and the Spirit, then reunite the Spirit thus deflegmed, and its Samech, and decoct them till they become inseparable, so is the Mineral Faetor changed into an Aromatic fragrancy, and I will assure you a Medicine on which you may rely with confidence, for the cure of all (unless the highest graduated, or obstinately Chronical, hereditary) diseases.  
Come we now to apply our elixirated Samech, for I shall be cafter unite them, since experience showeth us, that these two ways, will so easily and profitably marry each other) to the preparing, advancing, and spiritualizing noble Vegetal tinctures, which are of excellent efficacy, and make the Samech by many degrees more powerful than it was before, when (to deal candidly) it was of most admirable efficacy.  
And here Reader take my counsel, let the Basis of thy Elixir be Oil of Therebinth, which I elsewhere call Oleum perpetuè virentis, for which take these few, but not trivial reasons.  
First, The tree is perpetually green, yea in the most exquisite frosts, the trees growing in the cold frozen Regions, as Russia, Newfound land, etc.  
Secondly, For most part grows on high, and barren sandy grounds, yet runs so much of that fat, that had it not vent, the Tree for farness would be choked.  
Thirdly, The Oil is fragrant, admirably Diuretic and excellently Abstersive, and healing both inwardly and outwardly, and in Conorrheas, and scalding Vrines got on a Venereal score, it hath not its peer in the Vegetal family.  
Fourthly, The tree is not much unlike the Cedar, and is a wood of long duration, if kept dry.  
Whence it may be gathered, that the Oil besides a diuretic and healing quality, doth also promise, at least gives hopes (on probable conjectures) of long life, and of amending the constitution, bringing it to a virid flourishing temper, of youth and strength and vindicating it from the cold declining Winter, of wasting old Age.  
But lastly, It is to be had in large quantities, without the least fear of adulteration (its price being security sufficient, for its unmixed sincerity) and so seems to be destinated by God (the father of the poor) for the comfort of poor people, to whose relief being elixerated alone, it may be applied an hundred ways with excellent success, but with far more, if first distilled with a mineral Sulphur, till both by oft cohobation be married in a volatile Oil, this then elixerated, extracted with Spirit of Wine, and with it rectified, till it lose its faetor, and then both Spirit and tincted balsom make one Elixir, this salificated, and fed with Spirit of Wine (enriched with Aromatical Spirits) till it be fully satiated, then sublimed (as was taught more at large before) or if not sublimed, but kept in a fragrant elixerated Samech, it will be of admirable virtue and essicacie, or if it be married with prepared Tinctures of noble Vegetables, thus,  
This Alcaly thus elixerated, with twice or thrice as much Oil of Therebinth, till both Salt and Oil will dissolve inseparably in Spirit of Wine, this Spirit let it be enriched, with distilling it from Cinnamon, and with it dissolve your Elixir, distil the volatile Spirit from the Balsamic (ruble-coloured) Samech, dephlegme both, and reunite them.  
Then have ready some noble Vegetal Tincture, which for example sake, I shall instance in Myrrh, Aloes, and Saffron, and of them make an Elixir proprietatis Samech.  
These Species beaten up and mixed with equal part of pure Salt of Tartar, are by an artificial digestion so macerated, that they will yield their full Tincture, prepared, corrected, and advanced, this Tincture then extracted with pure Spirit of Wine, enriched by reiterate distillation with spirit of cinnamon, this then added to the former elixerated Samech, the Spirit abstracted (which will be wonderfully fragrant) both the balsamic Elixir and the Spirit being purely dephlegmed, both are then reconjoined, and by a secret digestion made all one inseparably, that is, the Samech, the fragrant Spirit, and the Tincture, which all make a (balsamic Sameth Elixiris proprietatis) very fragrant, and which I am confident comes no way short of, if it exceed not, the way of the Alchanestical preparation: Wonder not at it, Courteous Reader, God hath given to each man his Talon: Although Helmont knew the Samech, etc. excellently well, yet this way of applying it to Vegetals, I am almost confident he never knew, he had his convenienty for other operations, but being through the good hand of God deprived of conveniency for some other operations, which I rather intended, and desired, could I have gotten convenient opportunity, that is in plain terms, wanting conveniency to distil the volatile Spirit of Salt of Tartar for mineral operations (of which in the second Chapter of this last part I gave a full satisfactory account) which I had tried in small quantities, so as to know them, but wanted convenient furnaces, and room to distil that Spirit in great quantity, I hating Idleness, endeavoured Exornare Spartam meam, to my utmost, and so tried the utmost of Alcalies; and essential Oils, and burning Spirits, which being Balsamic, and Vegetal, and so Fermental would be brought to their highest pitch of excellency, with a far inferior degree of heat than would be required for the other, this therefore I did prosecute diligently and studiously, and (blessed be God) found my studies, watch, and labours crowned with success, as I have given you a can did description largely, and sufficiently plain, in the foregoing discourse.  
But to return to this Elixir proprietatis, it is made of helmont's ingredients, dissolved with a convenient mean, and so prepared, elixirated, and brought to a tincture, and then inseparably married with the Arcanum Samech, which is of itself a thrice noble medicament.  
Now whereas Helmont speaking of his media Via to make the Elixir proprietatis, which is, to be performed by bare digestion, of the three Species, an Ounce precisely of each, well beaten and mingled together, in a large Glass, with a convenient heat, adds, That if the Species be united with a Medium, the product will be of no worth; He speaketh that, in reference to Crollius, and others, description of the Elixir proprietatis, according to their Fantasy, one using the Medium of Spirit of Sulphur, another, another thing, or two. But my way is by a mean not Corrosive, but familiar to the Vegetal Nature, the noblest of all fixed Salts dulcified, and made Balsamical, and of a seminal Virtue, by its own Volatile Spirit, which is so noble, that Paracelsus calls it his Circulatum minus, by which the three Species are opened, volatized, and made Spiritual, so that beside the fragrant spirit, there is also the substantial tincture which is not of a contemptible virtue, and all joined with such a Salt, which is friendly to Nature, and (by reason of its Volatile Nature) penetrative even to the very entrance of the fourth digestion, and by reason of its Alcalizate Nature, it is marvellously abstersive, resolving all muccous foulness, and cutting and attenuating all tough phlegmatic coagulations, which it finds in its passage, bringing them forth by Urine partly, and partly by siege, and sweat.  
For the oil of Thereb: is of a laxative quality, not on the score of a venomous resolution of the parts, but as it makes the expulsive faculties mindful of their duties.  
And here note that the extreme bitterness of the Aloes, is changed into a pleasant inoffensive bitterness, which by a more thorough preparation, and high advancement of the medicine, would be in a manner wholly extinct.  
To proceed then to the highest pitch of this preparation, take of this Elixerated Samech, and by a secret Philosophical process, bring it first to a spontaneous Granulation, and so by degrees to a total Exsiccation, and feed it with Aromatical Spirits, six, seven, or eight times, each time drieing it by the Air, and moistening it by the Fire, and Ferment of Nature, then by a modest fire of Sand, sublime it, and thou shalt have both the Samech and the elixirated Oils and the glorified Tinctures, together sublimed, without the least Empyrrheume which will retain the pleasant fragrancy, and the specific excellencies of the Concretes, and in its operation (in the dose of some ten, fifteen, or twenty grains) will show its true, and highest Crasis.  
But the elixerated Samech is a noble medicine, as I said, and fragrant, and admirable in its effects against very many diseases, and so needs not (unless for extraordinary occasions) be brought to that pass as actually to be sublimed, it is sufficient, that it is sublimable, and volatile, to produce stupendious effects, the other highest preparation being exceeding tedious, this other being not the work of a few days, nor of very few Weeks, so that to do it as it ought to be, will require a Patient, and discreet Artist.  
And this process of the Elixir proprietatis take as a rule for preparing any tincture, whether of Hellebore black or white, with which use spirit aromatized with Cardamom, and Coriander Seeds; or Colocynthida, with which use what Aromatic Spirit best pleaseth you, but for the commixture of Species, take my Composition; Hellebore is eminently splenetical, and Cephalical, with it prepare Asarum roots, and Zalap, sometimes it and Opium, which I call Elixir. Ladani Cephalicum & Spleneticum: For an Hepatick, Enula Campane roots, with Rhabarb and Horse-Rhadish: For a Stomachick, Saffron, Rosemary flowers, and Snake Root: For an eminent Diaphoretic, Snake root, Saffron, and Opium: For an eminent Diuretic, Satyrion, (out of which is Paracelsus and helmont's Aroph, which take in a Parenthesis) Rhabarb, and Saffron: Against a Costive temper, Colocynthis, Aloe, and Balsam of Peru: Against a Cough and Flux, Opium, Caranna, and Gummi Gutta: and so you may vary, according as Reason shall direct you; preparing all after the manner of the foretaught Elixir proprietatis.  
As for the Alcoolization of Alcalies with Spirit of Urine, purely rectified, and its mixture or combination with a Vinous Spirit, in this operation, I might soon run out into a large discourse, but I shall reserve that, to that part of my Pyrotechny triumphing, which treats of the mysteries of the Microcosm.  
Only in the next, and last Chapter, I shall touch a little of the Spirit of Urine reduced to a volatile Salt, and sweet, by which helmont's Ens Veneris is made, that thou (Ingenious Reader) mayst not want so noble a Remedy, as that is, of so great and excellent use, concerning which thou mayst read satisfactorily in helmont's Tractate entitled Futler, and in my next concluding Chapter, I shall speak of its use and virtue so much as is necessary, for the information and instruction of a studious, and diligent, young Artist or Tyro.  
I had determined to have concluded this treatise in this Chapter, and so to have added a little, for a close, of the manner of using and applying those remedies, whose ground and manner of making, I have before sufficiently discovered, but a Cordial and Intimate Friend, who had read and perused what I had written, while it was yet in my hands (having lent it to him for that end) he was pleased (upon the perusal, to send me an ingenious and friendly letter, with several important Queries, to which he requested me (on the score of our mutual friendship) to give him satisfactory and public answer, which I (judging it an equal request, and so indeed in effect a command) thought I could not handsomely deny or refuse, and therefore what I intended to have added to this, more briefly, because it must there fall in more largely and fully, I thought good rather to omit it here, and to send the Reader thither for his further satisfaction.    

THE CONCLUSION Of this TREATISE.  
Being an Answer to a Friends Letter, containing some important Queries, etc.  
SIR,  
YOur kind and very learned Letter, I received; perused, and in it am sensible of the obligation that lies upon me toward you, for your Cordial love in it expressed to me. How I have, or could deserve it, I sea not, and how to be able to requite it I am out of hopes: Yet gratefulness compels me to acknowledge, what inability denies me to recompense, and waving Ceremony in acknowledging, I come, and that most willingly to answer those Queries contained in your Letter. And pardon me, Sir, if I do not answer them in the same order as you sent them me, but in such Order as best befits the method of my discourse, which must be a summary explication of the whole Art of Pyrotechny.  
Your Questions then, Sir, (as I understand them) are some of them, such in which you desire to be informed, and some in which under the disguise of a Question, you insinuate to me partly what you judge to be for my good, and partly what you conceive either really doth, or probably may be prejudicial or inconvenient to me, that I may do the one, and avoid the other; in the latter you show yourself to me a Cordial friend, in the other an ingenious and discreet Zetetick.  
The first thing you seem desirous to be informed in, is whether I have of all those preparations by me, of which I write, or have had of them, or (if otherwise) whether I writ of them, only upon Theorical conjecture.  
To which I answer, that every particular preparation I have not actually made, but the making a Collateral experiment of the same extent and Reason, is so absolute a Confirmation of the other, that no demonstration (unless actual proof) can be plainer. As for instance, in the second Chapter I speak of the preparation of Zink, by mean of a volatile alcalizate salt, so that the Sulphur of it may come over tincted, & dwell in the spirit, under one form or colour, if I have, (as I have) actually tried this in ♁, and the stellate Regulus of Antimony, I may conclude the other undeniably, the Zink yielding its Sulphur almost as easily as the ♁; fare more easily than the stellate Regulus. But then, where you reply, you should not have adventured to describe the colour of the oil to be of an high tincture; I answer, that I tried so much of it, as to find in what colour its Sulphur would come over, but I rather prosecuted my Experiment (to the End) on the Sulphur of ♁, that being by nature vomitive, in which the total extinction of that Emetic quality was an Experiment, I was equally desirous of, with the knowledge of any other Circumstance, nor had I such quantity of the spirit, nor such variety of furnaces, or accomdation of Room, as would permit me to prosecute my experiments so far as I would, in any mineral, nor so far in all as on ♄, (and one or two more) therefore I wrote of that subject more concisely, reserving a larger complete discourse thereon (and upon the mysteries of the Microcosm) till a more convenient season, intending those noble mettalline preparations for my next search, when God shall be pleased to afford me a convenient settlement.  
As for my present being, of which you advise me to give a public account, because you say, That persons of considerate judgements, who have read my Nature's Explication, do censure that piece as too Satyrical and invective, and guessing it to be the Cause of my being maligned, and a little for a time oppressed, from the supposed effect, they censure the Imaginary cause, as being too tart and bitter.  
First I must crave leave to tell you in the words of noble Helmont, That I am not the first, nor shall I be the last, that shall sharply inveigh against them, and I appeal to the world, if or not what I taxed, did not deserve a severe and sharp animadversion, but besides that, I may say, jacta nunc est Alea, the Rubicon is cast, and it is not now a thing which will admit of advice (whether I should have been so tart or no) though since (to deal ingenuously) Cynthius Aurem vedit, Apollo hath plucked me by the Ear, and whispered this counsel, Non exasperandes crabones, they are a company of Wasps and Hornets, which will not suffer a provocation, but they will buzz about and sting, and yet they are but Wasps and Horners, and if I can be but so fortunate as to fire their nest (which I hope I shall) it will not trouble me to be a little stung, since I shall do the Commonwealth of learning a remarkable piece of service, although myself happen to smart a little.  
But, Sir, you are sufficiently convinced, that my present restraint is not upon that score, for I am a Physician, graduated as well as any that practise in Town, and have as much Authority on my side for my Practice, and as much Reason, and much more Truth and Experience on my side, for what I plead, against the common Galenical method.  
But my confinement for a time happens through the malice of a remarkable adversary, considering whose crooked disposition, suited to the like frame of Body, that which once was said of Galba in a like case, Ingenium Calbae malè habitat (having an upright noble mind in an unlike body) may here be inverted, for if ever there were man whose mind and body did most exactly agree, he certainly is one, of whom I might have been ware, had I remembered the Adagy, Hos caveas semper, tu quos Natura notavit. But quondam familiarity with him gave opportunity to his future vexation of me, which he prosecuted with such earnestness, as if he had accounted it sufficient gain to be prejudicial to my quiet: What moved him to it (save his own perverse disposition) a day's racking would scarce enforce me to guests, perhaps it might be desire of a future name, which if it were, I hearty wish that he may have his desire, and if my writings be worth future esteem, I am content that he live in them, and I doubt not but such a name as Oporinus got by his maligning and persecuting Paracelsus, such he may get by his causeless vexation of me, which I shall contribute as much as I can, and I do not doubt but this shall be as lasting a Monument ●or him, as the burning of Diana's Temple was to that conceited fool, who could think of no other way to immortalize his remembrance to posterity: long then let thy name live, my troublesome piece of a man: and let as many as shall read my writings with profit or satisfactson, remember thee as my dark shadow, my knotty whetstone to sharpen my ingeny, my pevish adversary, the crooked Apostle, and remarkable Saint.  
But Sir, although I formerly have been acquainted with him, yet at present, I am so much a stranger to him, that your news is to me news, which I hear with pity, (namely,) that it is observed, that since he hath given up himself to vex and disturb me, he is Eclipsed in his reputation, (both as to his skill, as also to his morals) being accounted a better Gamester, than a Physician; a better Carouser, than a Christian: for which relation, I own you both a sigh, and a tear; For really, (though he hath been to me a most perverse, wretched adversary, and that most causelessely,) yet I so much honour him, for the sake of the Art he pretends to, (Viz,) Chemistry, that I could wish him, not only a pattern of Ingeny, but also of Piety; For really Sir, I must give a true testimony of him; that he is a man of no contemptible parts, (and for his hatred to me, let the world esteem what they please;) however, I shall do him that right, that he wants neither wit, as a man, nor learning as a Scholar, nor discretion as a Theorical dissenter from the Galenical way: nor acuteness, as a chemical pretender, but if he want something in nature to make him a complete upright man, much more in grace to make him a true Christian; (being of all the professed Christians that ever I knew, the most Exemplarily swearing, and blasphemous) and cannot be excused in Pyrotechny, for his defects therein, (on which score only I presume he hates and maligns me;) pardon me Sir, if I endeavour to Conceal what I can, of his imperfections, and (as much as in me is,) make common and public his abilities.  
Therefore Sir, give me leave to advise you cordially, and indifferently; If any man have counselled you to him, as to an able Chemist and Physician; let me not be thought (on the score of his unworthy dealing with me) to be dissuasive to you from him.  
For what concerns his Scholarship, you need not question, and if you should, I who know him very well, dare on my knowledge assure you, that he is (that way) most able; His actual skill in chemical things, I will not, I cannot extol; but what concerns his good will toward them, I am not altogether unacquainted therewith, and although concerning some things I am informed that he pretends excellent skill; yet I must inform the ingenious Reader, that he is not, what he desires to appear, the most acute of our English Philosophers, but hath his dark intervals, as well as the most illuminate Artists have had theirs sometimes, which is the worst that I shall say of him, and will be hearty glad to hear, that William Currer is once at length Adopted, among the experimental Philosophers, and to find him among the true Adept Pyrotechnists, who are regenetated by the Fire, and so wishing him to repent his unworthy malicious tricks, whereby he disturbed my quies causelessly, perverted my Attorney, produced an unconscionable Hellfaced fellow (with a bushel wide Conscience) to swear against me, and prevaricate against the truth, by which Oath I was considerably and unrighteously damnified, wishing him (I say) cordial and true repentance, for all these tricks and praying hearty that God would forgive him (as I from my heart have done and do) I come to answer the residue of your questions.  
You desire a brief account of what I have performed as to medicinal Chemistry, which is a Natural Quere, following the former, and will satisfy the intelligent Reader on what ground, and for what Reasons I have (on so unworthy a score) embraced a confinement for almost this twelvemonth's time, being in my power to have broken this Woodcocks yokes and bonds at my pleasure.  
For a thorough information of you herein, be pleased to understand (which I know you are not ignorant of) the Art of Chemistrie, doth by secret (and some tedious Operations, bring to light, the obscure and hidden virtues which Nature hath put in many Simples, by which many diseases (in themselves very difficult and impossible to be cured by the Galenical art) are by God's blessing very safely, easily, and certainly remedied.  
You see, Sir, that my search and disquisition is not (as some were pleased falsely and foolishly to insinuate to you) employed about vain and trivial inquiries, but what may concern the benefit of mankind (as to the Cure of those diseases, which most dangerously and specedily threaten man's life, or pervert his health) hath been, is, and shall be the principal object of my Study, and the main subject of my most serious Enquitie.  
Now Sir, as I at large showed in my foregoing Treatise, the diseases to which man is subject, are various, and are by various medicaments to be remedied.  
The cure which is performed by means of Simples, appropriated and specificated to each disease, we affirmed possible, not distrusting that the divine bounty hath provided a Remedy for all diseases in the vast Catalogue of Simples that he hath made, but why a Son of Art is encouraged to search more secret ways for the finding out adequate remedies for diseases, you may see the reason at large in the former book of Pyrotechny, my Peroration to wit to those who are studiously addicted to the search of Nature, as also in my Character of a sober and discreet searcher after nature's mysteries, who to wit, so seeks by the fire, as to attein what he seeks, etc.  
Of medicaments (that deserve to be so called and reputed, I shown you that there were two sorts, such which cure (in Tono unisono) and specificks, of the latter sort, some are so truly and nearly succedaneous to the grand Arcana that they do in a manner aspire unto their universal amplitude and efficacy, others are more precisely singular, yet nobly excellent and efficacious beyond all the Galenists drugs. Many (and those very truculent) discases, I shown, do not for their cure require the grand Arcana, nor yet the highest succedaneas to them, but are curable by specific remedies of an inferior rank as fevers, fluxes, coughs, &c  
Now Sir, of these specific remedies, Nature seems bountiful, even unto prodigality, (so merciful is the God of nature to unworthy mankind,) which specificks are usually the first Crown and reward of a studious and diligent Artists search.  
And among specificks, it is to be noted attentively, that those which are of most excellent virtue (when made) are the most tedious, and and most secret in their preparation, yet so that one is as it were a guide, and a step to the finding out of others.  
This premised, for the full satisfaction of your Query, give me leave to tell you, that there is nothing of which I have written, but I have through the help and assistance of God prepared and made, yet am not always furnished with all sorts of these medicaments, nor with the most noble sorts, for which I shall give you (ere I leave this subject) satisfactory reasons. For as I told you before, in this search; first less noble, & after that more commanding medicaments do open themselves to a studious searcher, yet the less noble are sufficiently commanding as to acute diseases, viz. fevers, fluxes, pleurisies, &c. the occasional matter of which lying, or adhering to the first vessels, it is by abstersive and resolutive remedies dissolved and removed; these sorts of medicaments than are of largest use, although not of largest extent; for how many thousands yearly are afflicted with acute truculent diseases, which hazard life, and actually destroy many both in City and country.  
For which diseases although many remedies may be, and are made, yet those are most desirable, which may be made in largest quantities, and which being made, may be applicacable to most griefs.  
Hence it is that although I know many specifiek remedies for fevers, which I have oft made, and used, yet when I find a medicine of no more difficulty of preparation; and far larger extent in virtue when prepared, I wave the making of others, and content myself with that one as far forth as that one will perform, remembering the Adagy, frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora.  
And having once known the preparation of a noble medicine, my chief study is by daily reiterated experiments, what I can to mend the preparation, by which it may be made either with less tediousness, & difficulty; or, when made, may be more grateful to take, or more efficacious in in its operation.  
True, I make daily many experiments of the exaltation of medicaments to a higher & nobler virtue; but I chief practise such which I can most conveniently make in largest quantities. For I account it more honourable in a Physician to be able to cure thousands of acute diseases yearly, then to intent wholly the preparation of the more noble medicaments, which although they will cure inferior diseases, yet they need not be there used, where a more easy preparation will perform the Cure, nor can a man be sufficiently stored with them for all the objects of pity and charity which annually present themselves.  
I grant that if a man were fitted with conveniency, to follow both sort of preparations, it were not amiss for a man to store himself with medicaments of all degrees, but my misfortune hath been that I have still wanted Convenient opportunity, being still so straightened for conveniency, that I could only attend few experiments at a time, and those have usually been intended for the preparing such remedies which were of most general, though not of most excellent use, and ever by the by, I have still been prosecuting farther and higher discoveries, of which I have in my foregoing Treatises touched on several; which usually I do but in small quantities, because tedious operations are ever accompanied with hazard, nor is it easy for one who hath done a thing in small quantities, strait way to make it in larger proportions, for as much as the fire is an heteroclit agent, nor is it tied to geometrical rules of proportion.  
And Sir this hath been the true ground of my patiented acceptance of ten months' confinement, that I might (vacare experimentis) which was scarce permitted to me while at liberty, for he that attends a medicinal practice, will find his time taken up with multiplicity of active and passive visits, that it is not possible for him to attend serious and tedious searches, and to commit the management of such things to a Careless servant, is so uncertain a Course to prove successful, that it will soon make an Artist weary who shall take that way. In this time than I have had opportunity of trying very many things, and have made it my business to reduce those Theorical Contemplations, and Conclusions, (which reading and collateral Experiments had suggested unto me) unto practice, but to prepare any quantities of the more difficultly preparable medicines, is a work which I adjourn to a fit Conveniency, which I hope God will shortly give me, or else I shall retire into some other place, to find that opportunity which is here denied me.  
And thus I come in order to that query of yours, namely what I would advise one that is intended to give up himself to a search of Nature's mysteries, and is not master of the more noble preparations.  
My advice and Counsel to such a one is that which I take myself, not having conveniency to prepare such medicaments, which I rather desire, for I account it one and the same thing (as to effect) to want the nobler remedies, either for lack of knowledge of preparing them, or for want of conveniency to prepare them in Competent quantities.  
My Counsel I say in such a case is the same with the noble helmont's, Si sordes primis haeserint latebris, ●●endum abstersivis, & resolutivis, natura tuto satagente reliquum. There are many of these abstersive remedies, which will not fail a Conscionable Physician. Of this sort are alcalyes alcoodited, as with spirit of Nitre, or of vitriol, etc. or Elixerated with oils, or a vinous spirit, which may be specificated with any vegetable, as the Artist shall please; and these operations are not so tedious, nor so difficult, but that quantity may be made of remedies, for the cure of many thousands, and that yearly.  
But then he adds, si penitiori recessu haeserius, assumenda sunt alcalia volatilia, quae instar saponis cuncta abstergunt, etc. then in such cases volatize your alcalyes, and specificate them with mineral Sulphurs, and you shall attain your desire.  
But in a man's practice scarce the fortieth disease will absolutely require those highly graduated remedies, and therefore powerful and effectual abstersives may fulfil a studious and Careful Physicians desires.  
Now besides the abstersive quality of some remedies, there are they, which have a parative disposition, and as it were by a Charm allay the fury of the enraged Archaeus, bringing it to rest and quiet, and so blotting out the angry Idea impressed on it: of which sort in the mineral family I admire the Ens of ♀ prepared according to helmont's direction, in his Tractate entitled Butler, which is made by the volatile salt of urine vindicated from it 's foetor, with which the dulcified Colcothar of vitriol of Venus is sublimed twice or thrice, and both become a glorious tincted Body, or rather Spirit, in the dose of 5. or 6. gr. curing Fevers, Agues, Plurisyes, &c: and giving ease in all exorbitancyes of the enraged Archaeus, nor is the operation of it so tedious, but that it may be made in quantity, and in no long time.  
In the vegetable family the true preparation of Opium is an excellent remedy, which if prepared with the volatile Elixerated alcali of Tartar (especially by its Samech) is eminently diuretic and Diaphoretic, and assuages all pain in the Body, and is an approved remedy for more than forty several diseases, and by addition of other simples, it is made more and more noble, in its operation, especially by addition of Myrrh, aloes, and saffron, the basis of the Elixir proprietatis.  
And thus Sir I am come to your last Query, why I do not as Helmous did, venalia remedia exponere, as he saith of himself, which you conceive to be a more convincing argument, then writing of large Volumes, I grant you Sir, this to be a very effectual way of Convincing the world of the reality of what I contend for in writing, when a man according to his counsel, who advised (Loquere ut te videam) shall produce experimental proofs of what he writes: and it is a thing which I have a long time been contriving, and Sir the more generally useful medicaments, I shall make in quantities, as Ens Veneris, Samech nepenthes, Sal nepenthes, Samech Elixeris proprietatis, with all sorts of alcoolited Alcalyes, with acid, and vinous, and urinous spirits, concerning the use of which I shall give in writing brief and full directions, Epitomizing as it were my next tractate of Pyrotechny triumphing, and sending it forth in single sheets; and as nobler medicaments may be made in quantities, I shall do the like by them, which you may confidently expect God willing this summer, and thus Sir, I have, I hope, satisfactorily replied to your kind and learned letter, and shall now take my leave of you, committing you to his protection, who only is able to keep both you and me: to whom my prayers are, and shall be, that he would more and more make truth glorious, and cause light to appear daily, to the discovering those dark and rotten foundations, on which a pompous but crazy building hath been raised for many Ages, to the ruin of many families and lives, through the passive deception of the deluded Shools, whom 〈◊〉 beseech God in his time to convince, that they may love and embrace the truth, which hitherto they have hated and persecuted.  
Sir, I am Your real servant and friend to my utmost power. George Starkey.  
From my Chamber at the White Swan in Foster lane.  
FINIS.