CULPEPER REVIVED FROM THE GRAVE, To discover the Cheats of that grand Impostor, CALLED AURUM POTABILE. Wherein is declared the grand Falsities thereof, and abuses thereby.  
Published to undeceive the people, and to stop the violent current of such a mischievous Design.  
Printed in the month of August 1655.   

Culpepper Revived.  
TAntara rara, Tantara rara, Pray Gentlemenwalk in and sen the beginning, A very fine show upon my credit. Here is a woman that cures all Diseases with a strange miraculous thing called Aurum Potabile; and truly she is not much unlike the— of Babylon who with her curious golden Potion, hath endeavoured the delusion of many people. But in the mean time Gentlemen, what will become of them that call Hypocrites Golden Outsides, for it may be now their fortune to have golden insides also. Troth 'twas a rare project to enrich the Nation, to make every man a walking West Indies; or else because every man is said to be a Microcosm, to take care that they should not want golden Mines in their bellies. But, can a poor silly woman do all this? No, she hath two Apple-squires, both fellowworkes, sharers with her: the one, a Gentleman Physician, who hath no more wit, but to defile his name with such a Quacking Bill as he hath fixed them to; and to venture all his credit to get a belief in others of such a Legendary story as this woman tells. The other calls himself by the name of F. of whom it is reported, that he was grown such a Chemical Mercurialis, that he began a practice of extracting out of people's houses by force, but being discovered is fled from the punishment of his crime, which makes me of opinion that when the stock of Gold which he pilfered is spent then the Trade will fail. But as for you Dr. Aurum Potabile, or whatever other name you are or shall be known by, and laughed at, pray take heed, for though the woman be not so strong as Samson, yet she will certainly pull down your credit if you let her lean any longer upon your shoulders. But hark what a noise it makes; sure 'tis boiling: The virtues, use, and variety of operations of the true and Philosophical AURUM POTABILE pray stir 'em a little, lest these virtues seethe over. But what a coil is here about nothing; as much as to say the virtues and of a true and Philosophical thing that never was in being. I thought where we should find Aurum Potabile among the Metaphysics. They begin Courteous and Friendly Reader, and truly he must be much their courteous friend that credits them. And are not they in a pitiful case, that he that believes them must do them a courtesy.  
For how can that be Philosophical which being known by the effect hath need of Testimonies to prove it. A Philosopher ought to inquire out the fit causes, constitute his axioms, adjoin the properties and run over all the first parts of invention before he come to the effects, much less ought he to make use of Testimony which is without the limits of his Art. So that this Aurum Potabile can be no means be said to be Philosophical whose chiefest argument not way depends upon Philosophy. Besides there is no impartial man for us who hath viewed your volumes both of Philosophical and Phisical Authors, both ancient and modern but he will so far give his verdict as to bear witness how many of these famous and learned men have never dreamt of any such matter, how many of them have exploded and condemned it as a thing wholly destructive and pernicious, who certainly had they found it convenient would not have concealed so great a benefit to mankind. And Crollius a famous Author doth report that of that he made trial of many of those Aurum Potabiles but still after the expense both of time and money always found his labour lost. These that have brought up this rare invention, what are they? in a word Chemists, of whom a man may say as St. Paul spoke of the Cretians, that they are evil beasts, always liars, regarding nothing but their bellies; they are great boasters, but small performers, and like Tailor's eminent for nothing but their long bills, who if they come once to be known, vanish into air like the smoke of their own furnaces. There is now a kind of conspiracy in Spittle-Fields, being a small Congregation of three, for the third of these rare Phoenixes though he have left his nest holds correspondence, who have entered into a combination, like Fate, Subtle, and Dol Common in Ben. Jonson's Alchemist to cheat those fools that they think will be catched with a golden bait. To this end they bring you a long list of many diseases which it hath cured. But so absurdly set together that any man not blind may easily discern the impostures. For what is this but the common custom of all Mountebanks; to delude and amuse, the vulgar sort of people are their patients; a very rare project against Bartholomew Fair.  
They go on this precious jewel Aurum Potabile, as they have confessed their Aurum Potabile to be nothing but a stone; Now Gentlemen you know stones are very apt to be potabiles. But I have found the trick on't, they take their Gold and by an art which they have they turn this Gold into Pearl than they dissolves this Pearl in Vinegar and so make Aurum Potabile.  
But they tell you it cures all Diseases in general, and thus they furnish it with contrary and contradictory qualities making one and the same thing to have a power both to heat and to cool, to bind and loosen, to cause a man to sleep and to wake; a folly which must of necessity be laughed at by every porter.  
If strengthens women in childbed, A thing very likely, being composed of Wine and Vinegar, both which torment and inflame those parts. It cures the Paralytic. And thus that which was counted a miracle to perform in Christ himself, These Audacious Quacks dare ascribe as familiar to their Aurum Potabile. If they should say that the vehicles of their Aurum Potabile are various, thence follows this absurdity, that there must of necessity be a greater force in the vehicle then in the Gold itself. They bring an example of a great cure; and we can bring an example of one more strangely cured of a consumption by Galens method who was before almost destroyed by the use of this Aurum Potabile. Having showed you the folly of this Counterfeit bill we now shall bring you some arguments against the use of Gold.  
First, we find in the books of Ancient Physicians many other things set down much more agreeable to the temper of man then Gold.  
Secondly, we fired in Pliny a great Philosopher and searcher of nature, little said in the praise of Gold, but much spoken concerning the hurt and inconveniences that attend it.  
Thirdly we find that Gold doth defile the hands of those that ouch it by reason of the sulphur which is mixed with it.  
Fourthly, All metals are of an ill taste and sulphurous smell, which an be no way agreeable to the body's of sick persons.  
Fifthly, No metals can nourish because they cannot be concocted and turned into blood, and therefore unapt for Physical uses. It is also the opinion of Borasavolus, Erastus, Fallopius, and others, that which is said of Potable Gold is altogether fabulous, and the use of it dangerous, for which they bring this reason, for if these waters which are dissolved out of Brazen and Leaden stills do contract the venom of these metals, how much more will Gold which being made Potable, sucks the venom with a greater force of heat, Besides it is to be feared that the gluttonous matter of this Potable Gold may all at length oppilate or stop up the mouth of the stomach and so destroy the appetite. If they say it is hermetically prepared, we must affirm that the preparation of Gold by fire doth rather augment than diminish, noxious humour causing it to retain and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inflaming quality; neither can they so prepared by fire also be void of hurt; for by the Confession of Paracelsus himself, fire sends forth more subtle poisons than minerals do; therefore saith Crollius, it is better to eat the eyes of a Bsiliske mixed with burning fire then to take the venom of Potable Gold. It is the opinions also of other learned Physicians that there is no disease which is not fed by a salt and vitrioled spirit, which is rather increased and form then taken away by that spirit of salt by which Potable Gold is made. Now suppose that Gold in itself were harmless: Yet let us consider what becomes of it after their Chemical preparation, First it is calcinated, to Purify that which they say is the Purest of all metals and without any ill quality already. But Calcinated it is, that is, reduced to ashes.  
Then what becomes of the Gold, or at least of the virtue of the Gold? It is by Precipitation, or cementing brought back again, both which are performed by corrofives or by Amalguma which is done with Mercury, and with what danger ask the Gold smith's? If they say it may be dissolved; perhaps it may; but by no other way then by corrosive waters as Aqua Regis etc. which are compounded of Aqua fortis and Sal Amoniack, and other such like ingredients, which being thus incorporated into the Gold without any possibility of separation doubtless do make their Potable Gold not so useful as they imagine to the body's of weak and sick persons. Neither is this all which is done by their Chemistry, for they impurely separate that which was so purely composed before, and by so doing they do not only soften the hard mass or boil out the matter which is the force and quality, but they destroy the Metallic form itself, so that the Gold ceaseth to be that which it was, for the form of the Gold being destroyed the Gold must of necessity be destroyed. Where is then this Potable Gold so much talked of? Thus have we discovered to you the abominable fraud of these impostors, who instead of their useful tincture sell you nothing but mere colours and painting stuff, and instead of Potable Gold a mixture of Mercury, Vinegar, Shall ammoniack, and Tartar, things that of all others as they prepare them are the most destructive to humane bodies.  
But they say that they will refer to a Treatise which being now coming forth from a silly and confident woman & others, the Reader may be assured to be no other than the borrowed and translated Libels of these bragging Mountebanks who have been so often confuted by the most learned Authors. How many hundred persons the thing itself hath destroyed their be enough to witness. And therefore we cannot choose but testify to the world the unspeakable Damage of such a book as would entice men under such Golden pretences into their utter ruin. How much the thing and book itself is a grand abuse may appear by the persons that carry it on; such whom partly despare of livelihood, and partly a continual habit of Deluding hath hardened to an Impudence so destructive to the Nation, neither will they stick to defile the fame of the dead so they may gain their ends. Thus are they now obtruding upon Culpepers name their pernicious libel to gain credit upon the people, whereas there is nothing more false than that he made it, as is manifest by the copy, which was never writ by his hand, though it were the custom of that laborious Author always so to do. Since then the book is so notorious a fraud, what may we then think of that Aurum Potabile which it treats of. These are therefore to give notice to the people how they buy their own destruction from the hands of any Mountebank, whether in Spittle-Fields or else where, Hoping they will be as little deluded by any specious pretences, which the Stationer not fare from Leaden-Hall shall cast over this Illegitimate Libel to the injury of the dead; not suffering him to rest quiet in his grave, though by his oppressive practices and hard imprisonment he had so soon brought him hither; after he had got the most part of his estate by his Label, yet still intends to obtrude printed papers into the world which he never writ. If this suffice not we shall give a further account of him and the rest of them hereafter. Thus we have given a faithful account of this imposture of Aurum Potabile which we desire the people to believe for no other reason but for their own good.  
Philaretes, Tantarara, Tantarara, Spittlefield.  
FINIS.