CHEIRAGOGIA HELIANA. A MANUDUCTION To the Philosopher's MAGICAL GOLD: Out of which Profound, and Subtle Discourse; Two of the particular Tinctures, That of Saturn and Jupiter Conflate; and of Jupiter Single, are recommended as short and profitable Works, by the Restorer of It to the Light. To which is added; ΑΝΤΡΟΝ ΜΙΤΡΑΣ; ZOROASTER'S CAVE: Or, an Intellectual Echo, etc. Together with The Famous Catholic Epistle of JOHN PONTANUS upon the Mineral Fire.  
By Geo. Thor. Astromagus.  
London, Printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince's Arms in Saint Paul's Churchyard. 1659.   

To the Students in Magic, for astral Secrets:  
FOr to those who look upon this Sacred Science, (so the wise Democritus calls it) as on the Poet's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉- Aristophan's Cuccow-Town in the Clouds, and name it our Sparta; I have nothing to say but only this: That they are such as are shut up, by a wonderful, and necessary providence of God, under the vast, heavy cloud of the vulgar, from which they are never like to escape: And to the Giant of Conceit, him that comes up boldly to lay his hands on this Vestal, without the Ordinary Dignifications, competent Learning, Wit, & Manners, only, two words— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; utrum homo, an Priapus? And so, I bid them both Farewell.  
It is to you that I send this Golden Manual; a precious discourse on the Magical Gold: Aurum enim nostrum non est aurum vulgi; and I shall give you an account of my Election of This out of some hundreds that I have readd, after a short Introit.  
It is not unknown to you, that there is a certain Tongue, that is the Tongue of Mysteries, called by Ficinus, Lingua Magica, and sometimes Lingua Angelorum; and indeed, it is Lingua Ipsius Ternarii Sancti; for almost all the Hagiography is in it; all the Cabalism of the Hebrews; and without the ambit of that, nothing that's Admirable. This Tongue is not only absolutely necessary, and wisely fitted to veil her Secrets from the unworthy and profane: but is also bravely proportioned to the Olympus, or the Intellectual Imaginations of Man (to speak the language while I praise it; and withal interpret the sublime Demonstrations) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉—. That Man, who is descended from God; has in himself a sense of him; and turns his mind towards him; might, like a generous Scholar be taught by Mystic words.— And yet it is not every Artist who has offered at this Tongue, that has the right felicity to it; nay indeed, not very many out of the whole Sacra Corona, can be shown, who have offered so much as a Rose to the true Venus of the Language, the sweet and secret Cytherea! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cytherea! Their words are often barbarous, their clauses and periods rude and harsh, their whole composure so careless and lose; that the common Dignity of a man, who comes to read, is utterly forgot and lost with the dignity of the Argument itself. Then again, their most industrious Involutions; their Inversions of Method; their confusions of the Works; their perversions of the sense of one place by another, makes all so dark and intricate, that Lycophron's Cassandra, where she begins, and holds on, her heavy I ambics over Troy  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. From the top of Ate, whither the Cow wandered; to theirs is mere transient, & pervious Reading. But this Anonymus, whosoever he was, is so far from such unskilfulness, & needless envy, that in an endeavour to give us more frequent, and brighter strictures of the Light, he has run himself almost out of the Magic Tongue. And is not that somewhat raru? Besides the Discourse, a Charta Lacera of his says it, Scripta est igitur horis subcisivis Aperta haec Tractatio à nobis, de Auro Philosophico, nec dum cognito, non Chymicorum Stylo (ut solent) allegorico, sed plano, ut Intelligatur Tinctura Solis, hactenus occultata, additis alijs, etc. And yet, you need not fear but that he had a spark in him of that Custodia Theomaga which comes from God, and holds to him; of which the learned Friar Bachon, Ubi Deus magnam posuit virtutem, ibi etiam magnam posuit Custodiam; uti patet in Viperis, & Magorum Lapide: for he has writ to the only fixed law of the Tongue — Nil apertè, nil operté; of which more in his Programma to the Book.— And This I name the first, though not the greatest of many Incitements, that made me choose it for you, and bring it forth out of that Lethe where it has lain un-observed.  
The second is, That in an extraordinary manner, and to some peculiarity too, it treats de Ente primo Universalissimi Mineralis; Or, of the Universal most universal. Atque haec est anceps Sententia!  
The Third; That under the Most Universal, it represents and asserts to us, several Tinctures particular; A thing somewhat doubted by an able Philosopher of my acquaintance, who is now at the Greater Pyrotechny; and I was desirous to give him my Authorities, from These Great Names, as well as my reasons, from our electrical Compositions.  
The Fourth; That there are in it so many and such open glances at the Keys of Art and Nature, as are not to be spied, and catcht, in any other that I know.  
The Fifth, That two of the particular Tinctures, that of Saturn and Jupiter Conflate; and of Jupiter Single; are apparently short, and profitable works: And those I would recommend to such as know the Initial mother to all Tinctures, and are not yet able to bear the charge (though not much) or wait the time of the great Work.  
The sixth, That it is a little golden Tripos, ready to move itself, and give answers to Inquiries concerning the Mineral & Metallic Tinctures of Isaac Flander, Basil Valentine, and Theophrastus Paracelsus; and so may serve as a brief Complex of all, or most of their Astral Learning.  
The Seventh; That by Citations, it touches upon certain Curious Manuscripts, no where else to be seen in their Sparks, and such Semantics to what they are. Cum enim (says his Charta to This) perlongo Tempore hanc Artem sectatus fuerim, nec tantum perpetuis Cogitationibus, & Study Theoretico, multorumque Manuscriptorum Inspectione, quorum mentio passim à nobis fit; sed manuali insuper labour, & experientia propriâ, & attentaverim & compererim plurima; licebit mihi hujus Rei conditionem, etc.  
And these are the Reasons why you should highly Accept of it, as well as they were to me to make the Choice.  
The Second Tractate (collected from various reading, and not without some experience of my own) is an Echo to this, and within itself; as on the other hand, to old Pontan's Mineral Fire. I call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Cave of Mitra, and render it Zoroaster's Cave; because in the Solitary horror of a huge Cave, the ceremonies of Mitra, that is, of the Sun, were anciently erected by that great Chaldean, and those no doubt of Magical Institute: such as were the Sacra Eleusinia, the Holyes of Ceres Eleusina; concerning which, Eschylus was thought to have spoken too much, and Sophocles has his Scintillations.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The Golden Key that locks the the Tongues of the Eumolpidae, the Priests of Ceres.  
ANd now upon the view of this little Astromagic Trias, & it's in auguration to the public light, I cannot let it pass without its own Aucile, That Scutcheon that it wears from Heaven, that by its Stature it may not be taken for a Parvus Daemon Minorum Gentium. For a Genius of a lower order, or of the lesser Nations. I say therefore, It has in it, the Green Selina; The viridity of Nature to Mineral Stars in Our Mercury, the spinging Emerald, analogous to the Universal Spirit. And whosoever reads this book, though indeed but a small volume to that Idea that it is ready to make, shall have no reason to, lament the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉- the loss of those books- The Sacred Commentaries of the Egyptians, named to us by the Greeks: For by this, in a short time, he may not only become a learned Initiant; but, by the favour of heaven upon his practice, a perfect Hierophant to the best of Secrets.  
Other curious Pieces I have in my eye, for those who are carious, and of a various reading; those I resolve to draw out as I fit at my Athanar this winter, and send them abroad with the same subscription to your service.  
GEO. THOR: Astromagus.   

PROGRAMMA AUTHORIS.  
Sunt qui Saepè legant Chymicos Multúmque libellos,  
Nec dena atting ant post quoque Lustra scopum:  
Nunc huc, nunc illuc incertis passibus acti,  
Quos Labyrinthaeis flexibus ire patet.  
Sunt alij invidiâ tacti, qui cuncta recondunt  
Offusis Tenebris, impediuntque bonos.  
Scilicet ut Solisapiant, Solique ptentur  
Esse Sophi, queis nil quam sua sponsa placet.  
Aequoris hanc inter Scyllam, vastamque Charybdin  
Alchymicam, in medio nostra Carina natat.  
Cholcidos Auriferam ut si quando ad littora Lanam,  
Technophilus per me forte referre queat,  
Inscribat Spoliis Anagrammate nominis apto,  
Mi Nicolaus erat dux Niger Hapelius.   

CHEIRAGOGIA HELIANA.  
A MANUDUCTION to the Philosopher's Magical GOLD.  
BASILIUS VALENTIN a Benedictin monk, and, by his country, of the higher Alsatia, who, in the memory of our nearer ancestors, excelled in Magic and Chemistry, in his Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, pag. 242. where he treats of the Stone of Fire made of the Mercury of Antimony, writes directly to this Sense: But the Stone of Fire (says he) does not Tinge Universally, as the Philosopher's Stone does, which is prepared out of the Essence of Gold: No assuredly. For it has not alloited to It such an Efficacy by Its Virtue: but It Tinges particularly, to wit, Luna into Sol besides Saturn and Jupiter, omitting Mars and Venus, save only, that a little Gold, after projection upon Them, may be had from them too by way of Separation: Item; This Tincture (says he) by one part of it, cannot Transmute above five, that remain fixed in Saturn, Antimony, quartation, and Adurents: when on the other side, The True, ancient, and Great Stone of the Philosophers, transmutes to a kind of Immensity. In like manner, The Stone of Fire in Augmentation of Itself, cannot further be Exalted: But the Gold is pure and fixed. So a little after, pag. 244, The reader (he adds) is to be advertised, That there are Stones to be found of more than One kind, that Tinge particularly. For All the fixed powders That Tinge, I call Stones; but One gives Tincture more Efficaciously and deeply than Another: as the Philosopher's Stone first, That has its right of precedence to All. This, The Tincture of Sol & Luna, to Red and White, follows in Order: next to That, the Tincture of the Vitriol of Venus and Mars, both of which have in their own depth, the Tincture of Sol, if they be brought to a permanent fixity. The Elixir of Jupiter and Saturn, for the Coagulation of Common Mercury to Gold, follows That Tincture next. Last, comes the Tincture of Mercury Itself. And This is the Difference (says he) and Multiplicity of Stones, and Tinctures. All these Tinctures, (he further adds) proceed from One and The same Seed, from One and The same Initial mother, from whence the True Universal springs. Out of the Compass of These (he adds) there is no other Metallic Tincture to be found in any Thing, whatsoever name it's called by. The other Nobler and Ignobler Stones, I mind not now; and will have nothing to do with them here, because they are of no force but only to Medicine. In like manaer of Animal, Vegetal, and Min 〈…〉 one, I make no mention, as they stand and are ordained only to medicinal Use, and have not the least ability to the least Metallic work; the power of All which, is to be found in an Excess under One Complex of the Philosophers Great Stone. None of the Salts have any Tingent power: They are only keys to the preparation of Stones, otherwise of themselves they can do nothing; but as for the Salts of metals and minerals (now I say something to thee, if thou canst perceive aright what Difference of mineral Salts I think upon) They are not to be omitted or rejected from thy works as to Astral Tincture and this because we cannot want Them in our Compositions. For in These is to be found that excellent Treasure, whence all sixation with perseverance, takes its original, and has its True and Genuine Base. Thus far Basilius Valentin.  
This Sublime and Incomparable Philosopher before the Time of Paracelsus, lays here the Foundation of the whole Universal Most Universal, and of all the Stones and Tinctures in the mineral Kingdom; out of which, metallic Tinctures (in other Things, by Themselves) ought not to be sought, as he attests in many places. But in This, he most evidently shows, besides the Original, Great Universal of the Seed and Initial mother, out of which the other Tinctures proceed (although he names Them not expressly), that there are Six distinct differing Stones and Tinctures, of which one Tinges still more powerfully than Another can. And in the beginning of his Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, he describes fairly to us The Stone of Fire, or Tincture of Antimony, whose Mercury he teaches to precipitate with Oil of Vitriol out of Mars, and in his own proper Sweet, red Oil, that is extracted from the Sulphur and Salt of Antimony by the mean of the Spirit of Wine, and driven by the Retort, to dissolve and afterwards to fix it into a Tingent, fluent Stone. This indeed is a particular Tincture of Antimony, and yet it is certain Paracelsus did so Exalt it, and by subtle preparations, then by reverberations, afterwards by Sublimations, Digestions, Separations and Distillations; at last, by various reductions and resolutions, (as himself affirms in the fourth of his Archidoxes) brought it to such a point of high Temper, that all the admirable virtue of it was not to be found by the Wit of man; That by which it passed through even all metals without diminution of its force, and made them perfect, and yet to itself was still sufficient to Tinge more and more yet; nor That, by which it was apparently able to propagate humane bodies Sound and Strong to the Tenth Generation.  
To Antimony, Sulphur is not unlike. The mineral (for both of Them are to be referred to the vitriolates) of which, Theo hrastus says thus: That, That is not In It, we may attain by the help of the Other; by, It, meaning the magnetic Spirit of the World, which is the Philosophers True Magnesia. And That (says he) will follow the Captain of Art (that is, Helias the Artist) close. But after what manner the Stone of Fire out of the Three Intrinsics of Antimony, by intervention of Oil of the vitriol of Mars and Venus, aught to be prepared, Basilius teaches, not only in his Triumphal Chariot here and there, but more collectedly, and in an open method, he seems to have treated of it in the manuscript of his Manual practice.  
After the Stone of Fire, next he mentions the Philosopher's Stone, and gives it the highest place, to wit, in respect of the other Tinctures Universal, but not of the Universal Most Universal, as I shall show and prove anon. But he affirms the Stone is made out of the Essence of Gold, and Truly indeed; but not as we shall hear, without the Addition of the Salt of Nature both Simple and Compound: whence Alchymia, the name of the Art, is pointed out; Halchymia, that is, a fusion of Salt, by the Ingenious Chrysippus' Fannian.  
The third is the Tincture of the Sun, or of Gold The most Philosophical, and follows immediately The Philosopher's Stone. This consists of Gold Alone or chief, and That Philosophical described by me, for which Cause it differs from the Stone Itself, although there are various preparations of it. For indeed, the Great Stone is made out of the Essence, and the very astral Tincture of Gold: But this Tincture of the Sun, instead of the fusile Salt of Nature, is content with his own Salt, and comes out of the three principles of Gold Philosophical resolved, depurated, and conjoined, as we shall tell you towards the End.  
The fourth Tincture according to the Sentence of our Basil, is the Tincture of Mars and Venus Conflate, that is, of the white, and red Spirit of their vitriol, which is the Mercury and Sulphur of both, together with their fixed Salt, out of which this Tincture is had: although without the vulgar Sol, wherewith it is to be Incorporated, it cannot be perfected; because with It, it is first to be fixed, as Basil witnesses, in his book of Naturals, and Supernaturals, Ch. 2. pag. 28. in these very words, Because (says he) he Tincture of the Sun is no where more abundantly found, then in Mars and Venus, as in male and female, Their bodies are destroyed, and their Tingent Spirit is driven forth, to Satiate opened prepared Gold with Its own blood, and by its proper meat and drink to make it fugitive and volatile. Then anon, This volatile Gold thus Satiate with Its own meat and its own drink, resumes its own blood, and Dries it up by Its own Internal Heat, by the help of a vaporous fire, whence ensues another victory, which makes it fully fixed, and highly perseverant, so that now the Gold is medicine more than fixed. To the same Sense, the same Author, some pages after adds; Although the Mars and Venus (of this Art) do not stand in need of any vesture, but are able to give it to the other five; yet I dare constantly affirm and assert it, that without Our Lion, (that is, without Gold reserate and prepared as aforesaid) they can do just nothing at all, because we do not see, and provide against the peremptory fixity of their Mercury, and the malleability of their Salt, to have gain from them: unless the Lion conquer them again in a great Scuffle, and both be brought not only to perfect Solution, but final fixation, as he taught afore.  
But here we meet with a Great and notable Objection, that bids us stand to answer it. For Basil, in the twenty ninth page of this Chapter, does not only say plainly, That the Tincture of Venus and Mars without Gold resolved (as was said a little before) can do nothing: but he also affirms of the vulgar Gold, whose Tincture is to be joined with the Tincture of Mars and Venus; That the Lord of all the planets (namely Gold) is not able to impart to his Subjects any thing of his own vesture: because nature has given to it but only One rich Suit; unless the Servant first do further enrich his Lord. And a little after, he adds: The King cannot communicate with his Servants any of his hereditary honour, nor give them a lasting Court-gallantry of habit, unless that first he do receive, pensions and Tributes from his Subjects. And now, since This is so, It may be asked, and that indeed not without an eminent cause, How it should be, That the Tincture of Sol, according to its Essential Difference can stand off from the Tincture of Venus and Mars, or any other of the Tinctures; namely if the vulgar Gold be not able to Tinge, unless Itself be first Tinged by the Spirit of Its Subjects? Some to untie this knot have betaken Themselves to the minera of Gold as yet Green, as also to the Marcasits; and I deny not but They may do very much, because they are not destitute of Spirits. And thence, as they contend, the Tincture of Sol, and not from fused Gold, is to be prepared and had. Others look for the Tincture of Sol, not out of Gold simply resolved, but such as is first brought into his principles distinct, and after certain Depurations, made up again, by a handsome natural coalition. For the Artists (such as they are) that do not add to the Mercury of Gold, the Sulphur of Sol, but Sol itself, do not properly belong to us here, and therefore without contemning them, we answer thus; That the Silver and Gold that Nature has put into our hands upon her own Simple provision, is not so much required to the ting of Sol, as is Another more Sublime, and much better, Our Gold, the Philosopher's Gold, in which there is the Tingent Spirit; of which I shall presently discourse, when first I have run over all the Tinctures of Basil.  
The fifth Tincture Basil proposes in Jupiter and Saturn, and that as extending to the Coagulation only of Common mercury to Silver namely, and to Gold, to wit, by their red and sweet Oil by Art prolected from their Centres, as he, in more than one place intimates to those that can read. And to this place also belongs the Doctrine that Paracelsus delivers in his book of Vexations, concerning the composition of Saturn, Luna, and Mercury. But here, I cannot hold from telling you plainly, that Basil speaks of the vulgar Saturn, and vulgar Jupiter; both of which, while they still remain in their own minera, are of a higher consideration, virtue, and force: and to That purpose, in his Triumphal Chariot of Antimony, where he speaks of the fixation of vulgar mercury, he has these words, page. 87. Mercury can be brought to no Coagulation, unless there be an addition to it of the other metallic Spirits, and that Coagulation is most efficaciously, and most powerfully of all effused in the mother of Saturn, without which it cannot be done, unless thou hast the Philosopher's Stone itself. And so again of Saturn, in his book of Natural, and Supernatural Things, cap. 9 pag. 121. Every man is to know, and think upon it, That no Transmutation of metal can be had out of Saturn, because of his most excessive Cold, except only the Coagulation of the common mercury: because the Cold Sulphur of Lead, can stop and tame the current, vagrant, hot spirit of Mercury, and take it away, if the process be rightly instituted. And to these a little after he subjoins: Wherefore see thou do not reject Saturn, or look scornfully upon it to fling it behind thee: for indeed his nature and virtue is yet known but to a few; and it is from this Saturn that the True and great Stone takes the Initials of its Celestial, flagrant colour; it is from this metal, and this alone; and by the Influence of this Planet is given to It a key of perseverance through putrefaction: because of Citrine no red can be made, unless, from the beginning, out of Black, a White be raised. These Things he—. Which as they are of a higher search and consideration, so they seem to belong to a Secreter Saturn, namely, the Philosophical, which does arise out of the putrefaction of Sol, and the Salt of nature, although a certain excellent Doctor of Law labours to evince in his Ruricola, That in the very minera of Lead of a certain sort, whose flowers are double, there is a very great force: the same also appears to be proved by the Tincture called the Aromatic of the Philosophers out of the mercury of Lead; to say no more of particular Tinctures. Hence Paracelsus, in his book of Vexations, are rather of fixations, cannot sufficiently extol that Interior Spirit of Saturn, which is able to kill and slay the other Spirits, or mercuries of the metals: as I myself have sometimes seen bars of perfect proved Gold out of the mercury of common Lead, as they were shown to me five years ago by a very learned, wise man.  
In the sixth and last place, Basil makes mention of the Tincture of mercury Itself. But That Tincture is prepared either by the mediation of the Calx of Eggeshels, as Paracelsus has it in the fifth book of Ulcers patent; or is elevated by the vitriol of Mars and Venus, resolved, distilled, and coagulated, as you may see in the same Author, concerning the Death and Metamorphosis of Things and more to That in Rupecissa, to whom I restore that little book of the Tincture of mercury in the Second part of Gratarolus: or else Its Sublimate, by help of the malagma of Jupiter, is resolved and distilled, in which the mercury is calcined, and coagulated with metals, the very way that Basil himself seems to have taken, in his book of the Twofold Mercury of Sol, pag. 108. in that part of the Repetition of the Great Stone. For, the way of proceeding with mercury is very various and multiform: and yet it is easily reduced into a liquor by fire with the help of the powder of beaten coal; which liquor afterwards by a certain Artifice, is able to Extract the Soul of Sol. It is also precipitated by itself, and fixed with the Tinctures of Venus, Mars, and Sol: but chief it is nourished with its own milk, to which perchance thou mayst Interpret that of Sibylla Enimeria, when She says: Sitting upon a plain and well-disposed Seat, thou givest It of its own broth, that is, milk sent down from heaven; which yet again may be applied to the Universal, great stone, etc. in the Sybillin fragments of Philip de Lignamine the Sicilian Knight. Of This too, take that speech of Geber the Arab. when he says: If of mercury alone, (mineral he means, though taken from another place) thou canst tell how to make the Stone, thou hast looked for and found a most excellent nature, and precious skill. Hence Basil, in his Triumphal Chariot, pag. 88 For mercury (says he) is a pure mere fire and nothing else. And thence it is that It is burnt by no fire, and that no kind of fire can captivate it to its final Destruction. It either flies away suddenly, resolving itself spiritually into an Oil Incombustible; or remains after its fixation so constant, that it is not possible for any man to take any thing from it: insomuch that whatsoever can be made out of Gold, the same may be made out of It by Art. For after the right Coagulation of It, it is in all things like to Gold: because it comes from the same root, the same Stock, and that same Unity that Gold does. With these agree those other precious Say of his that he has scattered up and down when he speaks of the Star of Sol, and the star of Mercury, which Two being joined together in their radious power, opens to us at a certain time the Closets of the most secret Wisdom. See his Triumphal Chariot, pag. 71, and 72. 91, and 92. I should not need to take much pains in explaining the words of Basil, if That Tractate which he writ upon the Astrum of Sol and Mercury, were not so enviously suppressed by some. Nor are we ignorant that those by some are applied to the minera of Sol, the process whereof by the wet way and the mediation of Nitre and Sal-gemme is instituted so, that first Three Principles are sequestered, and then depurated by Spirit of Wine: and first of all ascends the Astrum of Mercury White, his Sulphur and Salt remaining downwards, whereof the Salt is extracted from the Sulphur by distilled rain-water, and when it is purged of all its Terrestrial faeculence, it congeals into a vitriol under a triangular and quadrangular form. Out of these Three Depurates, is again extracted a new entire minera of Sol, and the Extract for some Times cohobated by affusion of a New Aqua Regis, until the mouth of the Lion (as it is called) be well opened, which in Digestion is circulated; and afterwards, the water being drawn away, ascends the bright Mercurial Spirit. In This the Vitriol prepared afore is first Dissolved, and Digested, till it deposes all its feculence. And this oleaginous, clear water, dissolves the Sulphur above named and in a double proportion of it. To these Three parts are added four of the Mercurial Astrum, and so Digested into a Balny for forty days, till all pass into a Green, viscous Liquor, and afterwards in a Physic furnace be coagulate to a fixed medicine. Others following the dry way separate a minera from Gold, and this Gold Impregnant by its own Spirit they distil gently by Retort, and so, that of a pound they have scant a dram of its sweet Spirit. An ounce of this for the purpose prepared, they shut up in a small Glass, decocting it carefully six months by degrees of fire, till it turn to a fixed redness, which passes through the Argent vive mineral collected without fire, and makes it fit and able to turn the body of Gold into Tincture. Now whether These, or the other look better for the Astrum of Basil's Sol and Mercury, I leave for others to Judge, because I have not yet seen That Tractate of Basil de Astro Solis.  
But that I may speak yet more clearly of that Mercury that is known among the vulgar, we must compare those things that Theophrastus gives us about Congealing the Spirit of mercury into a Saphir Stone by the Oil of Vitriol, in his book of minerals, with Those that his Scholar Phaedro the Great, relates of the Soul of the Hermaphrodite, and thence it will easily appear to them of the Chemical monarchy, from whence exists, and how is had, That Sapphiric Flower of the Hermaphrodite, which is the admirable mystery of the Greater world; Of which (says he) even one dram after its projection upon three thousand drams of melted Gold and those cast upon a thousand of Brass, turns all into most perfect pure Gold. Thus says Phaedro Rodochaeus: whose process in this Secret is not yet known to all of Us.  
To These deservedly we may add, what the most experienced man, and the profoundest searcher of Nature, John Isaac the Flandrian (for from him all others after him, learned as from another Hermes) has in his Tractate of the Oil of vitriol; And also of the Oils of Mercury, and of Antimony brought to Tincture perfectly fixed. Nor can I involve This in silence, That of many metals and minerals put together, the same Author Teaches a Tincture does arise; and such a Tincture as is able to fall upon a Thousand parts of Silver, to transmute and Tinge it to Gold. And not Inferior to This, is that Mercurial and Solar Tincture of the most Illustrious Duke of Bavaria, Lord George The Rich, to whom, as our Ancestors have left to us, immense riches did accrue from this Art. But besides, That old saying; Make mercury by mercury, by water mercurial (to wit, out of Gold) presents to us in Truth The same Things. And does not Palingenius in his Capricorn-book, the tenth, allude near to the same sense? when he says,  
Hunc Juvenem Arcadium Infidum, nimiumque fugacem  
Prendite, & immersum stygiis occidite lymphis: etc.  
This young Arcadian faithless, vagrant knave  
Snap up, and drown him in the stygian wave. and That that follows.  
But of This enough already. For I do not certainly know, whether that of the Helvetian Doctor, in his book of the Treasure of Treasures, writing of minerals, may be referred hither, or not: Nature (says he) begets a mineral in the bowels of the Earth, of which there are Two kinds, which are found in many places and Lands of Europe. But the best, in the figure of the Greater world, is in the rising of the Astrum of the Sphere of the Sun. The Other, in a meridional Astrum, which is in its first flower, produced by the Astre of the Viscus terrae, the Glue of the Earth; and in its first Coagulation is found red, in which all the mineral flowers and colours lie concluded. Which words literally understood seem to be spoken of the minera of Mercury and Gold, because Theophrastus (as also his Scholar Phaedro Magnus) attributes all the Colours of minerals, in his book of the Generation and Metamorphosis of Things, to Argent vive as the mother of metals. Although there are some, that pertinaciously fit This to the Red Translucid minera of Silver, called Rotguldigertz by the Germans. But I, instead of Gold, should think it rather to agree to Another certain minera, which is feracious of Gold, and fertile to It, and yet not Gold Itself. To this is not unlike, what Basil in his books of Supernatural and Natural Things, Chap. 3. pag. 45. says of the Spirit of mercury in these words: Here the question might very well be put to me, How this Spirit of Mercury, is to be got, and had by Us? Upon This Great question (he adds) One might very well with a strong desire expect the Answer; which yet I will not conceal from any one, but lay it open faithfully, so far as by the will of God, it is lawful to do it, in manner following: Take (says he) In the name of God, The Red minera of Mercury, that looks like Cinnabar (factitious.) Take, besides, The best Minera of Gold that thou canst get: bruise and powder Them both together in an Equal pondus, before They have come at any fire, &c—. in the same place.  
It is very well known, That of a certain minera fertile to Sol, and the liquor of Mercury, by a monthly Apposition of It, there grew up to a Germane Lady, a perpetual harvest, or Crop of Gold. The Gold rising first in its Colour Green as Grass: afterwards by little and little the Spires passing into Gold, ready to be reaped by Scissors. There is, besides, Another particular Tincture that terminates in the Deep-red Crystals of Sol; when it is sublimed, and has before grown out into sprays, and is almost consentaneous to the Other.  
But we are to take notice, That Basil does not speak of the Spirit of Mercury and Sulphur after One way, but diversely; sometimes of the Stone, sometimes of the Tincture of Venus and Mars; sometimes again of the most Universal: whence not much after, Chap. 4th of the Spirit of vitriol out of Venus and Mars: The Genuine and True Sulphur (says he) is Incombustible. For It is a True and a mere Spirit, out of which Incombustible Oil is prepared and had: and It is That very Sulphur, out of which the Sulphur of Gold from the same root proceeds and is made. By which words it is not hard to be conjectured, what he would have us secretly to Understand by his best Minera of Gold, as he speaks of It in other and other places, according to the variety of the Subject, of which he treats: Therefore he adds; For this Sulphur is rightly to be called and baptised, The Sulphur of All the Philosophers (as Paracelsus points It out too in his book of minerals, Chap. 8th. of vitriol; and Basil likewise in the Chapter of vitriol, pag. 133.) because in It is all wisdom found even to the Spirit of mercury, which antecedes it—. But what That Spirit of Mercury is, of which he writes there, whether That expressed in the Tincture in the Manuscript, to wit, the white Spirit of the vitriol of Venus from Mars, or of the Universal Most Universal, I leave it to the judgement of the learned. For he says, That the Astrum both of Sol and Mercury, and the Mercury and Sulphur of the Philosophers, proceed from One root, at first indeed a white Spirit, and That he plainly calls the Philosophers Mercury: for afterwards there follows (says he) a red Spirit, that is, the Sulphur of the Philosophers and their oil Incombustible, from both the Tinctures of Venus and Mars meeting together in one womb. To this purpose in his Chapter of Vitriol see more pag. 132. and how profoundly he plays the Philosopher the Analogically de Spiritu Albo ad Album, & ad Rubeum de Rubeo— Of the white Spirit to the white, and to the Red of the Red.  
It appears therefore, That the red minera of Paracelsus his Cinnabar, and the red minera of Basilius his Mercury, agree very near; and that the best minera of Gold, with both, may be understood not only of the common Mines which nature gives us, but of others, to wit of Antimony, the minera of Mars, and chief of the vitriol of Venus out of Mars. But of these, as the Greeks speak, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the way, to help us to understand Basilius speaking so variously of the Spirit of Mercury; which is the manner of those Chemists that have tried many Things, and draw on one  upon many. For there are Many ways that aim particularly at One End, not only by One, but by many, and indeed divers, Things: Against which Doctrine many have their Opinations.  
Therefore since our Basil reckons up to Us distinctly these Six Explicit Tinctures, which we have discoursed so freely afore: and yet in the 244 page of his Triumphal Chariot, professes also openly, That All the Six Stones of metallic Tinctures arise from One Seed, and are All by One Initial mother in their first Generation; So proseminated and bred, that from The same mother the True Universal has its lineal profluence; it is clear as noonday, that besides and above the Solific Essence both of the vulgar, and Our Philosophical Gold, there is yet Another sort of Gold, and That more Secret and hid, from which the Universal Most Universal issues forth, as the Seaventh and most perfect of All, rising from its own proper root, that is, it's own Earth and Water, and in That much exceeds the very Philosopher's stone Itself; because out of It alone, both That Stone, and the Other particular Tingents, are formed and flow primordially: and more than that, because from It all the other Things of all the world, not only in the Mineral, but also in the Vegetal, and Animal Kingdom derive their life, hold it still, and by the Crearor are so ordained to their Increment and multiplication. But now what manner of thing this is, and in what thing placed, although it may in some sort be conjectured by what was said afore, (The Green Line casting itself every where, and encompassing all); yet we shall speak more of it below in its place.  
All the question now, after we have reckoned up all the Tinctures, with their Multiplicity and diversity in the Mineral Kingdom, is to be transferred by us, Ad Aurum Philosophorum Nostrum, to Our Philosophers Gold. What it should be, viz. out of which, the Tincture of Sol is chief to be prepared, besides the Universal Most Universal, and the other Tinctures named above. We say therefore; That this Gold of the Philosophers, (for of the others, as of the Universal Most Universal, we speak not now), is Gold, that is produced by the Philosophers out of the Metals Inferior, and of lesser value; and not by separation alone, but by the benefit of nature working by Art in an Actual transmutation. Therefore it is not vulgar Gold, which by nature in her degree is only simply perfect, and therefore now lies under rather an Expiration, or declination of its Seed; than that it should be vegetous and fruitful to a progeneration of other Gold. Concerning this thing the most Expecienced Minerallist and Metall-man Andrea's Solea, published by the famous Montanus, is to be heard, who in his Book of Minerals Metallic, Chap. the 9th. Of expiring Metal, Septurie the second, writes thus: When Nature with the body of Metal is come as high as Gold, than it descends again, or moves down ward for want of Aliment by its hunger. Again, in the end of the Seventh Chapter, Septurie the first, Of the Ascent and Descent of Metals; after he has recounted, how finely nature ascending Calcines the whole body of Luna, which Calx is nothing else but the body of Sol, he adds thus: As for Descension, thou mayst easily perceive and understand it by Ascension. For this is the difference, that in the Ascent it first acquires Tincture, before a body: but in the Descent, sooner loses that Tincture. And therefore Metals that are Descendent are much more imperfect than those that are Ascendent. Thus he. Therefore showing where the Seed and Tincture is fruitful or not fruitful in the Metals, The Ascension (says he) and Descension of Metals, could not be made, but that they all agree in their seed and are of a Consanguinity. Item; In their Ascent Silver and Gold have the same seed, which in the Ascent transmutes Silver to Gold: but in the Descent, transfers it into Copper. Then concluding, he says most openly: The Seed must pass out of its own body into another, or else it cannot be fruitful, or fertile. Thus fare Solea. And whosoever will not give Credit to his various experience, will believe no body at all. The cause therefore appears, why Tinctures are not made out of Common Gold, unless that (as Basil says) be first exalted by the Spirit of Its Subjects. For we must look for a more noble, and more perfect Gold, that is in its Ascent, in which the Tingent, Green, Vegetant spirit and fruitful Seed is; which by Solea's intimation and pointing out, is Gold produced from Inferior Metals. Why else (says Count Trevisan) should we take nine months' time to serve our turn (to spend it, he means, upon the Exaltation of Common Gold by the Tincture of Venus, as Basil teaches)? For we might take that body, as nature has made it, and laid it ready for our use. Here you see that Gold simply given us by nature, cannot of itself produce Tinctures: but another sort of Gold. Therefore he adds: Our Gold is not the Gold of the Vulgar, as all Philosophers say, because the common Gold is dead: but ours is impregnate with Spirit and is a hueing Gold. Hence John Clopinel de Mehun in his answer to the Lamentation of Nature; Gold (says he) is known to be the Treasure of all the Mines: and yet it has neither matter, nor form of so great power, as to exceed its own perfection. For it has no greater power then to perfect itself, let the Artist strive, and do what he can. To destroy it, and to reduce It, would be a foolish work, since out of it no more virtue, nor power can be had, than what it has from its proper nature to complete itself.  
No Reduction can be made of those things, that Nature perfects into a species or Individual, unless first they be corrupted. And after Corruption no Generation is made like to the species, unless perchance there be a Regress to the Genus. Wherefore the Destruction of Gold makes nothing to the Construction, or making of it, because by its destruction nothing can be made. For it being once dead, its Substance dies too, and So that out of It no other Argent vive, or Metal, can be had any more, etc.  
That therefore we may expressly and solidly confirm our Sentence and Conclusion concerning the Philosopher's Gold from the lower Metals, we will give you evident Testimonies from many eminent Philosophers. And first, Basilius in his manuscript, Declaration of his manual practice, writing thus of the Tincture of Sol: Thou oughtest to know (says he) that Our Stone is made of Its own proper Essence, and that it transmutes Other metals into Gold. Which Gold (he adds) must again be Destroyed, and Turned into a better Stone. Here very evidently (as I think) he shows, That This Gold is first to be made, before it can again be destroyed, or Turned into a better Stone: whence likewise in his Germane poetry, near the beginning, he delivers the same Sense:  
O Sol, Regis in hoc qui munere fungeris Orb:  
Luna Genus servat multiplicatque tuum.  
O Sol, Thou dost the Office of a King in this World:  
And, It is Luna that preserves and multiplies thy Kind.  
In which he shows that Luna is required to the propagation of Sol, as in the following lines, when expressly he adds;  
Summè, Luna, precor, ne deseruisse velis me,  
Quum Venus in bivio jam sit, ut illa decus.  
Induviasque tuas ipsa induat: ut libet Ambo  
Ex illa compti, divitiisque Simul  
Ditati simus! quod Te meminisse subinde  
Addecet. Hoc etenim nunc Tibi linquo. Vale.  
I earnestly pray Thee, Good Luna, forsake me  
not, when Venus now stands doubting between  
Two-wayes; that She may put upon herself  
Thy Clothes and beauty: and that Both of Us,  
being so made Fine, may also be made Rich  
By her! This thou shouldest Think upon;  
This I leave to Thee! And farewell.  
So in his following Verses upon Venus, he witnesss further, saying thus: Ejus filium (nempe Antimonium,) &c—. That her Son (to wit, Antimony) does warm and heat the body of Luna, that she may be made pregnant, and leave behind her a progeny of mighty virtue and vast Increase: meaning our Gold Philosophical. But from Basilius more below: Now let us come to that most Excellent Author of Twelve Tractates upon the Stone, whose Anagram is, Qui Divi Lesch Genus Amo, that is, Michael Sendivogius, That Polander, whom Oswald Crollius in the preface of his Basilica, calls Heliocantharus Borealis, The Northern Beetle, in whose hands he saw with great admiration and amazement, the wonderful Virtue and Operation of that Tincture commonly called the Philosopher's Stone. Thus therefore Sendivow in the proaem to his Tractates. Although there are to be found some Idle fellows which either out of Envy or malice, or fear of the detection of their Impostures, cry it abroad, That the Soul of Gold may be extracted from Gold, and so returned to Another body with vain and pompous Ostentation, not without the loss of Time, Labour, and Cost: Let the Sons of Hermes for certain know, that their Extraction of Souls (as they call it) whether from Gold or Silver, by any vulgar Alchymistical way, is nothing but a mere persuasion: which yet is not believed by many, till at length by Experience, the only Sole mistress of Truth, it's verified to Them to their Loss. On the otherside, (he goes on) he that in the Philosopher's way can Tinge the least piece of metal, with gain, or without gain, really to the Colour of Sol, or Luna, permanent in all the probates requisite: he, I dare very well affirm, has Nature's Doors set open to him, to search out further and higher Secrets, and by the blessing of God, to be an Adeptus, and attain them. These words do not so much refer to the artifice of Extracting a Tingent Anima, by which a way should be laid open to higher Secrets: as to the very, right Philosophical Gold produced out of the Inferior metals; by the Use of which Gold (as I shall show out of the Author) a way is made to us of higher Things. But what he discourses of the Anima of Gold vulgarly Extracted, we must know that Anima cannot transmute, although It may induce Colour, as Paracelsus does witness abundantly to us in his book of Minerals, Chap. the seventh, to these words; This is altogether True, If the Sulphur of Gold be projected upon Silver, it colours it indeed, but does not fix it. And Basil glances at the same in his Repetition of the Great Stone, pag. 113. Rightly therefore Sendivogius in his ninth Tractate of the Commixture of Metals. The Chemists (says he) know very well how to transmute Iron to Copper, or Venus, without Sol: But if they could tell (he further adds) how to administer the Nature of Sol to these mutations, they should find the most precious Treasure of all, a Thing more precious than any is. And what Other Thing I beseech you is This, than, not the Common Gold, but Our Gold Philosophical; of which the Tincture of Sol, the most precious Treasure may afterwards be prepared? wherefore (says he) we are not to be Ignorant, what metals are to be put together and conjoined, and what nature corresponds to what. Then concluding; There is (says he) One metal (metal he says) that has the power of Consuming others (videlicer, by Corroding): And why? For it is almost (says he) as Their water, and almost Their mother. Only One Thing, videlicet the Radical humidity of Sol and Luna, holds out and resists, and is meliorated by It. Here he might seem by the letter to speak altogether of the vulgar Saturn. But Gold and Silver are not properly made Intrinsically better by vulgar Saturn, although they be forinsically purged. Therefore thou must take it of another Saturn, with which if Gold close eleven times, it is brought down to Death, and afterwards put into its own matrix (namely Mercury) it conceives and generates the most excellent fruits. But since no other Saturn but the vulgar, or That which is made by Transmutation out of the Regulus of Antimony per Coementum, as also out of the vulgar Mercury resolved in an Aqua fort, is actually metal; the words before, may not unfitly be referred, to the Tincture of the Vitriol of Venus and Mars (for this is almost as their water, and almost their mother, by which the Radical moisture of Sol is indeed meliorated:) for our reserate prepared Gold, is saturated by It, and promoted to fixed Tincture, as Basil himself witnesss: because Gold cannot Tinge of Itself, unless Itself be first Tinged. Therefore Sendivogius adds: Sed ut detegam, etc. But that I may discover it (says he) It is called Chalybs, or our Steel; And Truly Chalybs, yet not vulgar, but Such as is Transmuted into Venus, to which the Nature of Sol is to be intimately mingled, videlicet by the Vitriol of Both, not common Vitriol. And to This sense That rwordr Apotelesma belongs: Visitans In eriora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam; By its Initials making the word VITRIOLUM. But That Send vogius adds: Si undecies coit Auram cum eo, If Gold close eleven times with It (for it does not come over the helm unless it be often joined with Gold) The Gold emits its Seed and is debilitated almost to death, as we may see in the manuscript practice of Basil's Tincture; it is to be thus taken, that by putrefaction after the distillation of Both, it is at length mortified, that thence it may be raised again into a New Life: Then (says he) The Chalybs conceives and breeds a Son more noble than the father (vulgar Gold), that is, It generates for us a Sol, or magical Gold, from whence afterwards the Tincture of Sol, from Sol Philosophical exists. Hence he adds: postea cum Semen jam Nati: Afterwards when the Seed of that which is now born (that is, the Sulphur of Gold Philosophical) is put into its own matrix (that is, it be admixed to his own Salt and Mercury) it purges the matrix, and makes it a thousand times fit to bring forth the most excellent fruit, that is, it brings forth for us a Tincture from Gold Philosophical, which after Its fermentation tinges thousands, as Basil affirms. But Sendivogius tells us more, and that we ought intensely to mind; There is besides Another Chalybs, which is like to this, made ready to our hand by Nature, such as is able by its admirable virtue, out of the rays of Sol to Elicite that, that somany men have sought, and is the Beginning of our Work: understanding not so much the minera of Mars, or Chalybs native, as a certain kind of mineral Opposed to Mars, of which in his last Tractate he says: Our Salt is mercury: and then adds Our Solemnising and Luna (whence this Stone of the Philosophers exists) is Obducted, or covered over with the Sphere of Saturn: which mineral indeed receives into Itself the beams of Sol (that is, its quintessence), and by a very wonderful power promotes it to a tingent Stone. Nihil nis magis Opertum, nihil magis etiam Apertum: si modó habeamas apertos oculos ad ixtelligendum rad ces minerarum & Simplices & Compositas.  
Nothing more hid, nothing more open than these things; If we but have our Eyes open to see and understand the roots of mines both Simple and Compound. To this sense the same Author, tract, the 10th. Gold (says he) can give its fruit and Seed; in which It multiplies itself by the Care and Wit of an Artist, that knows how to promote Nature. But, both in the practice of the eleventh Tractare, and in the Theory of the third, he strictly caution's that we take not vulgar Gold by Itself simply to make the tincture of the Sun: And in his practice thus he does it. But be thou admonished by me in this, that thou take not Gold and Silver vulgar: for those are dead. Take ours (says he) for those are living. Then in his Theory: But take along this Caution with thee, that thou seek not that point of nature, in vulgar metals, in which It is not: for those metals, and especially vulgar Gold, are Dead; but Ours are Living, and have Spirit, and they by all means are to be taken. Thus Senaivogius: In which (I confess) he does not only discourse of this our Philosophical Gold, but also of the Great Universal. However it is, he does altogether Exclude the vulgar Gold Simple, unless it be first driven from the mineras, and Exalted by Art.  
But let us consult Theophrastus Paracelsus, and see what he says, or rather demonstrates in his Praxis, of this our Gold Philosophical. He teaches in his book of minerals, Chapter the seventh, to make the Epatica of mineral Sulphur, from whence afterwards the red Oil is distilled, where to these words. Here we must observe (says he) that any Silver that is put into this Oil, and there remains its due time, remains black, and casts its Solar Calx to the bottom. But before its due time, it leaves a Calx not fixed, but somewhat Volatile and Immature, (note the word Immature for that that follows) but if it attain its term (he adds) and come to its just petiod, than It Fffects All Things that are to be done: It is not good to say more of this thing. Out of this one place alone, it more than evidently appears, what this Gold springing from Silver can do, of which (he says) it would not conduce to speak more: and yet he confesses it does do all things that are to be done, videlicet, whatever the Artist desires, or wants. This is a most Conspicuous place, and by no means to be infirmed, or eluded, that it may not be the palmary of Confirmation to our Sentence, concerning the living magical Gold, and so much (I say) the more certain One, by how much Paracelsus is Greater then All. But this Oil of Sulphur is nothing else, but the first Ens of Vitriol, which by its Acidity is sufficiently argued; as also from this, that if you put to This oil, of the common Sulphur, and twice as much of fountainwater, and afterwards boil in it Lamels of Steel till a Third remain, presently as soon as it is cold, a most Green Vitriol is generated there. And This a certain late Writer, taking it from a Disquisition of mine, and mistaking me, inserted to his Tyrociny, and bragged, It was the Sal of Mars. But let us return to Paracelsus. He writes in his Manual, where he treats of the preparation of the Tincture of Sol, as appears by the End of that discourse (for there he speaks in plain Terms of Potable Gold, and the liquor of Sol) in these words to our purpose, Sum Electri Mineralis Immaturi, etc. Take of the Mineral Elect 'em Immature (that is, such as is between mature and immature). And what is this Electrum I pray you? Electrum, with Paracelsus, is no other Thing but a metal which is made by Art out of another metal; So that the white Venus out the Red, is called an Electrum by him, although to Colour only, and not to Things, they stand Distant from one Another. Hence in the book of Minerals thus defining; Electrum (says he) is a metal from another metal (namely by the benefit of Nature, & help of Art). Whence also, in another place, The Crama of all the metals joined together in Mercury, as a certain thing elicit from Seven, he calls Electrum. It is therefore consequent that he here, by the name Electrum, does not speak of vulgar metals by nature's hand simply given, or as they are constituted in their mines, or fused above; but of those that out of other metals are produced by Art, as when Venus is made of Mars, which indeed is much better, and of greater power (as Experience teaches) than Common Venus. And so likewise, the Gold produced out of Luna by the oil of the Epatica of Sulphur (as he taught above) is much better than the vulgar, because it effects even All things (as Paracelsus says) that are to be Effected: and may indeed be so Exalted that it would drive any man to admiration. But why does he call it Mineral, and Immature? Because it is from the Mineral, and That Immature. For it is made by minerals, as by the Oil of Sulphur from Luna which is imperfect, but yet in a very near way to be brought up to maturity. Therefore before it completes its term, it is immature, having still Extraneous Superfluities: wherefore he teaches us to wash and purge the Electrum from all Superfluity the Chemical way by Stybium, till it attain the Exquisite Degrees of Gold. And what do you say, that Gold Itself (although produced from Luna) in comparison of the Stone and Solar Tincture, is a thing yet Imperfect, and so in a manner Immature? as Paracelsus himself in the same place a little after declares: Nature (says he) has left it imperfect in its place, because she did not intent to make the Stone, but the Matter of It, which indeed without preparation is but a dimidiate, lame Thing. This place is accurately to be prepended, that we may understand, what he here calls the work of nature respectively (as is the natural Transmutation of Our Argent into Gold by the Oil of the Epatica of Sulphur) and what the work of Art, videlicet, in preparing the Tincture Philosophical, because where Nature Ends in making our Gold, there Art gins in the preparation of the Tincture of magical Gold: although on both hands the Artist comes as minister of Nature, bestowing indeed more labour in the work of Art, less in the work of ready Nature. To Theophrastus in astipulation Bartholomeus Korndorferus is succenturiat, by whom the Gross, and not yet Clarified Gold, is commonly called Corpus, and Corpus Iners, a Body, and an Inert Body. And now to produce him here as a fit witness in so great a cause, in his Tractate of Luna and its Defects, not unlike to that of Truh●●ius, thus he writes: There is a short way by which Silver may be brought to Such a point, that it may be made the best Gold, and best of all to be esteemed, because to Our Tinctures no better can be used. What more express than these words, what I pray you more evident, and with Theophrastus more consentient? But he adds somewhat more, by which he wonderfully illustrates Theophrastus about the Solution of the Immature Electrum. Whosoever (says he) can maturate Immature Gold (so he calls Our Argent) and turn It into a right liquor, so that it is separate from its Earth, has got the fountain of Sanity. Hence he extols that Saying of Paracelsus when in his book of Vexations he affirms: That true Alchemy only by one Art teaches us to make Silver and Gold of the five Imperfect metals: And to use no other Receipts but only these, Tantum de metallis, ex metallis, per metalla, & cum metallis, fieri perfecta metalla. And then explicating that Oracle, and showing how it is to be understood: Magna Arcana in metallis abscondita, etc. Many Arcana's are hid (says he) in metals, and are to be drawn out by an easier way than any one would believe, or think to do any good by it. I now say nothing (he further adds) how wonders above wonders, are Effected by it, if, in the Philosophical way, they be awakened and raised up into their Primitive mercury, not into the Current, that which vagrant Impostors talk so loud about, serd in Sementem viscidam, but into a viscid, limous Cement, or Seedplot, out of which a living German, Leo Suavissimus the mercury of the Magicians, shows itself. Hence it appears what manner of Mercury it is, and into what principles the metals are to be resolved, unless we would have Tinctures to pass into a useless dust, or powder, that has no Ingression into metals fused, but swims upon them to no purpose. From metals, indeed are made Tinctures, when out of their Substance primordials are drawn, which move themselves on (if They be right handled) into a viscous Cement. But Out of metals, when perfect metals are compounded with their primordials in a form or appearance oleaginous materiallies: By metals again Tincture are made, in the projection of Tinctures upon perfect metals namely, that by Them as the mean, They may acquire their due Consistence. And then lastly with metals fused, are perfect metals made, namely by Transmutation of Those that are Imperfect to perfect by help of med'cins already perfect. In These we see Parace sus haste most Signally and briefly comprehended the Sum of the whole Art. See those Things which not only Guido de monte delivers to us concerning this kind of preparation (for he is somewhat tedious in his prolix Circulations) but also what the most Experienced Isaac Hollandus proposes in a Tractate peculiar de Salibus & Oleis metallorum, of the Salts and Oils of metals (although they require That furnus clausus Reverberii, with its little mount within, known but to few, and used by Paracelsus otherwise they cannot so well be prepared) the other Things are of themselves open enough, especially if they be joined, and compared with what he says in his Tractate of the Oil of Vitriol, and in That of Antimony, and That of Mercury.  
Yet in this place I cannot forbear, but I must add to Those Two Testimonies of Bartholomeus Korndorferus, and the most Excellent Paracelsus, Another too of that most monstrous Franciscan monk, who in the year 1419. writ a book in the Germane Tongue in Open words, to Burgrave Frederic Marquis of Brandeburg: but the book for many causes was never brought abroad by the Press. In It, many Tinctures of metals, gems, & pearls, are contained; with many other choice Arcana's. He therefore in that place, where he comes to the Tincture of Venus and Sol, by the help of which he teaches how to convert Luna into Sol, This Sol (says he in open words) does more than another Solemnising: and shows the way that we must proceed. Leonhardus Turniserus complains very much that he lost a Compendium of It in the Tower of Kussenberg some years ago: but there is yet extant in Schobinger's Library an older Copy. To these there is a near correspondence of those five particular Tinctures that go about inscribed in little books of bark, rising almost from the same foundation with the former, only in them the pure is not Separate from the Impure Terrestrial Sulphur: otherwise then with the Monk, who shows how to cast away the leprous Earth: by which it comes about that his particular Tinctures are so much the better, and tinge deeper, by how much they exceed the other in Subtlety and Penetration.  
But let us now return to Count Bernhard Trevisan, who in the second part of his book writes expressly in these words: Cur, damno tan tem expertus sum, quòd in metallis, etc. To my loss, I found at length by Experience; That it must needs be hid in metals, etc. Where he alleadges that saying of Geber, No thing that is Extraneous, and that is not compounded of metals, or born of them, is able to perfect them, or cause their regeneration, or Transmutation. But the same Bernhard again says: Corpora perfecta, etc. Perfect Bodies, which by nature are simply perfect are only perfect in their Simple degree, and unless by Art they can be made (plusquam perfecta) more than perfect, they cannot contribute to Imperfect bodies: but if (says he) they be handled by Art, and according to Art be perfected in the Philosopher's manner (mark the words) than the way lies open, and it is easily deprehended what they are able to effect. For Our Gold is not vulgar Gold, nor our Silver the Silver of the vulgar: because they, so long as they remain in their own Substance, are no better then dead; nor have they any Efficient power, as we may see in the Codex of truth, that is, the Turba Philosophorum. Hence alleging that Golden Saying from Geber the Arab: Quicunque ignorat Radices Minerarum, &. Simplices & Compositas, etc. Whosoever knows not the Roots of Mines both Simple and Compound, he knows not the principles of Nature, and therefore not of Art: and by Consequence is a Sophister, not a Chemist. By Simple roots, understand, those that are in the Universal most Universal: by compounded, those that are made up out of Mercury resolved together with a certain mineral homogeneous Earth, into a Viscous Liquor; in all which the germinant and Tingent force of the Universal most Universal abides spiritually, and flows in the fire like to wax without noise after a due Rectification; by which also (namely such compound roots) Gold attenuated melts like butter, and grows into the Philosopher's stone. therefore Bernhard having intensely searched into Nature affirms, that he had always before him that Saying of old Osthanes, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.) Natura naturam continet: Natura naturam separate: natura obvians naturae suae laetatur, & in alienas transmutatur naturas, Nature contains nature, nature separates nature, nature meeting with its own nature rejoices in it, and is transmuted into other Natures. Whereof the two first, teach that the metals as they are in themselves are not to be taken, but that those things are to be Extracted from them that are Contained in them (for he confesses that he learned by his loss, that the thing he sought for should be hid in metals). And the two last show the friendly, Conjunction of Gold with the roots of the Mines, and comprehend the Tincture consequent from thence: which things it is sufficient to have pointed at, and shown distinctly so far. And now, since I have proved as much as can be desired, that our Philosophical Gold, produced out of the Inferior metals by Nature & Art, does yield us a Tincture of Gold Philosophical Distinct from the Stone; I shall conclude the whole matter out of Basil. Valentin therefore in his Occult Philosophy towards the End, writes of a Stag, whose horns were of pure Gold, and had got many thousands of antlets, or branches budding from them, which Stag ran into a Green wood, and many huntsmen to this day range for him, and pursue him. The meaning of this riddle is not hard to be conjectured from what is said above: besides that of Basil himself in the end of his Triumphal Chariot it is sufficiently declared, namely how this Stagg so much sought for, may be taken by lively and Industrious hunting. For he teaches to pursue him by the multiplied Stone of Fire, of which one part falls upon five of Luna, and the other things that follow in the same place. By which it more then abundantly appears what sort of metal our Philosophical Gold is, and whence it is produced, of Luna namely Tinged into Sol, whence the Golden Stag exists: which Gold indeed (as Basil is witness) must again be bruised, opened, and further subtiliated, before it pass into a better Stone, that is, the Tincture of the Sun: Paracelsus likewise glancing at the same Thing in his book of minerals writes thus: If the Alchemists could find that Sulphur of Gold, as very well it may be found (says he) In Arbore Auri & Ejus Radice, in the Tree of Gold and the Root of It, (for this is their great Scruple: Non alterum illud, not That other Gold) they might indeed rejoice at it, etc. Thus far then of our Magical Gold unknown to most men, and hitherto unobserved, & undistinguished. Now towards the end of our Manuduction for a Close and a Crown, we shall, out of Basil, annex a short way of the preparation of the Tincture of Sol, and of the chief stone of the Philosophers, when in a few words I have premised This, That even in common Salt, and in a certain Other almost Congenerous to it, there are very hidden powers and secret forces, which are able to do many wondrous things for us compounded with Gold, and with the Oils of Vitriol and Antimony rightly prepared. Most sure it is, that common Salt gives us an excellent Potable Gold by the Spirit of wine, if after its due Calcination it be Crystallized, and distilled by itself into a sweet Oil. Which process, plainly conform to that of Basil, we own to a Noble person, and a dear companion of mine, who had it from him; to say nothing of other Arcana's out of Salt, For indeed it is Paracelsus his circulatum minus, his lesser Circulat, which he calls by its peculiar right, the Matrix of all Metals, especially the Sea-salt, with which the Majus Circulatum, his great Circulat from Mercury Sublimate agrees: What should I say of the sweet Oil of Antimony, so industriously sought by Crollius, and mist, not so faithfully communicated to me by the same friend as other things?  
Now as for the Tincture of Sol Philosophical; if it be truly prepared, it must be a done by a just and cue Anatomy of Gold: so that first his purest Sulphur, and most highly graduate must be extracted without any Corrosive, and Separate from all its extremities and dregs. Afterwards, the Salt of our Philosophical Gold, which will appear white as milk, must not only be extracted, but must also be brought to a Transparent Serenity, by which afterwards, it may more easily melt like butter in the extract of the sulphur of Gold, and together with it come over the helm. And when these two are thus exalted, then superfused to the residue of their mercury, presently after the Solution made, they will precipitate it to the bottom of the vessel. Hence all the Three viscous principles must be putrified in the philosopher's glass, and going on, from thence be raised again to a new life by their own proper body and Salt, till they pass into a Regenerate astral fixed and perseverant Essence, which by the Initial Crasis of its three principles may be multiplied and augmented in the space of a month, both in its virtue and quantity. Thus much briefly, of the Tincture of Sol.  
But as for the Philosopher's Stone, another way is to be taken, for it admits (against the common opinion) of a duplicity of prepreparation, namely, either by Composition of its mineral root Simple with Gold Resolved, the way of Basil in his Twelve keys, or by Conjunction of Gold with the Compounded roots of the mines, from which line the Stone of fire prepared out of the Mercury of Antimony, and the vitriol of Venus and Mars by their own Sulphur reced es little, or nothing at all. But of the nature of this, I have said enough before, from which likewise differs not that parabolical Description de nobili Solis flore, not long ago brought out of the Archivis of some eminent City of the Empire, which delivers the whole process very freely, although it dazzle the Eyes of many pretending Sophisters. But out of this compound, various particular Tinctures may be had, of which I forbear to speak more now. But following the mineral root Simple of the Universal Most Universal, we say with Basil in the end of his Memorial Table, that here there is no need, as we taught in the tincture of Sol, that Gold should be somuch destroyed that it may be Justified in its Elements, and so the first essence of its root be sought and brought forth to the light. Nor is it a necessity, that That in the compounds should be done: for there are some who by an Essence Mercurial, extract the soul of Gold, the Gold Itself remaining almost entire, by which they exalt their work to such an excellence, that a knife being perpendicularly let down into that Tincture of their Stone, and taken up so again, then only wiped with a little papyr, and that papyr cast upon molten Gold although nothing at all seemed to adhere to the knife yet only by the odor of the Tincture, they have converted a whole ounce of Lead into perfect Gold in all probates, as those have told me that saw it done, whose minds when as before they were much averse from this study, became afterwards eager pursuers of the Art.— But (says Basil), It is every man's part that adheres to this Science, and will be in love with so precious a thing, to search diligently after the Golden Magnet, (viz. of the Universal most Universal) to know it very well, which he shall find in unicâ re unicè, in one thing alone and none but that; and its root in one only matter, (wherewith Subtiliated Gold by help of a kindly liquor is to be resolved and with continual fire, and in a furnace Philosophical, to be excited, cherished, & so long decocted, till it pass into a transparent Stone like a Ruby) of which, says Basil, our potable Gold is made more perfect, than it can of Gold Itself, which ought first to be made Spiritual, before potable Gold can be prepared out of it, as he has it Chap. the sixth of things Supernatural, & Chap. the seventh pag 93. For this Caerule, or Azurine Spirit, which is both in the Saphir and in Luna, is the Sulphur and the soul (says he) from whence both Gold and Silver enjoy and excercise their vegetal life. Hence Basilius in the Repetition of the Great stone pag. 114 Lunae spiritum spiritui Solis perinde appropriari ait, atque viro faeminam &c, says, The spirit of Luna is appropriated to the spirit of Sol, as a woman to a man, both in the Earth (where metals are first generated) and then upon it where the metals are made by Art. Then again, the white Tincture (says he) is placed in the Magnetic Form of that one only thing, in which likewise is found the first ens of Gold. And with words to the same sense, after the rectification of the Lunar Tincture described, together with the preparation of it, he shuts up that Chapter: But if thou dost know (says he) the primum Mobile of the mall (there needs not somuch of the circulations of compositions) quandoquidem opus ex uno perficere potes, because thou mayst do thy work by one. But what this one is, we must seek in the nature of the Mineral kingdom. But yet, that he might not leave it altogether untouched upon, and so desert his reader in the midst of his course, he everywhere intimates that it is not far from every one of us. For so, in his book of Naturals chap. the 4th, pag. the 56, he complains that the sons of men do not observe, but rather contemn that which God has laid before us in nature, in which there is a great secret. To the same sentence, in the end of his Memorial Table: The true root (says he) is vile, and even visibly exposed to the eyes of the vulgar, and yet unknown; and, if not by a various proof premonstrated, it still lies hid to a man in the Dark. For all the world (as Bernhard likewise bears witness) looks upon it, sees it, and does not know it. So of the great mystery of the lesser world, towards the endpag. 220. The Materia prima, The first matter (says he) is manifest before the eyes of the whole world, and yet known to very few, and in all places to be found, to wit, Mercurius, Sulphur, & Sal, and Mineral water, or Metallic liquor, tanquam-centrum as a centre, â Formâ suâ separata, separated from its from (the prima materia or mineral water understand separated) and made up of these three Incipients. But chief, in the end of his last chapter de rebus naturalibus, Omnia (inquit) quae post Antimonium, Vitriolum, Sulphur, Magnetem, praecipuè dotata sunt praealiis, et affinia its, ex quibus Aurum et Argentum principium, medium, et finem suum sortiuntar etc. All those things (says he) which after Antimony, Vitriol, Sulphur, and the Magnet, are in an eminent manner above others endowed with, and nearer a kin to those principles, from which Gold and Silver derive their beginning, middle, and end, together with true transmutation and alteration particularly; received their virtue, force, and power ex unare, from one thing, in which all these are Secretly and Invisibly laid up-till their birth, together with all the metals: To which he adds: Quae materia manifesta est coram oculis omnium: Which matter is manifest before the eyes of all men. But because the virtue, force, and power of It, is buried very deep, and so unknown to most, it comes about that this Materia is accounted as nothing, and by Ignorance thought and reputed utterly insignificant and unfit, to the purpose of Art.  
The name of it (says he) is Hermes, who carries for his ensign a Serpent volant, and has to his wife, her who is called Aphrodita; that knows the hearts of all mortals: and yet all these are but one thing, Unica Res Unicè et Essentia, One single only Thing or Essence, which (says he) is common in all coasts, known in all places, every one takes it in his hand, and uses it to vile things; the vile he accounts precious, and rejects the precious. In sum, says he. It is nothing else but Water & Fire, whence Earth with the additament of Air is born, and still preserved. In these he fully sets before the eyes of all men the matter of the Interior Root.  
Therefore here, as at the Goal of the Universal most Universal, we too must stop and make our stand in the mineral kingdom, after the Recount of Universals, and almost all particular Tinctures, of which we have hitherto had any notice. Only one thing I thought good to add for their sakes, who think, There it nothing at all true, or profitable, extra Universale Universalissimum, without, or besides the Universal most Universal; and therefore deny that particular Tinctures are to be sought and had, without the compass of That. To Those indeed I can easily grant, that, the Universal matter had, and rightly known, posse ex ea certiffima parari particularia, most certain particulars may be made out of it. But it is not therefore consequent, that in this and the other bough and branch, growing out of the universal Materia, although in the species differing from it, there should be no power of transmutation, which both experience bears witness to, and the learned acknowledge, as Chrysippus Fannian in his Metamorphosis, & Aqinas himself de Corporibus Supercelastibus et Inferioribus cap. 4 et deinceps. Nor does it follow, Count Trevisan in all his life found no particular of any moment, therefore nobody else can find one, or, that it is falsely affirmed by others. For to say nothing how Count Bernhard sought for the Universal (which certainly is to be found in no Particular extra Universal) both what not only Basilius had said of the Stone of fire, and of the distinct Tinctures of metals, and what Others, sufficiently refutes him: but also what Paracelsus of the Epatica of Sulphur, and Luna converted into Sol by the oil of it; and That which Korndorferus relates de Lapide Schisto, of the Stone Schistus, for an ability to the fixing of Luna, although both in the vulgar Sulphur, and in Korndorfer's Schistus, which is a certain very eager sharp salt, even Basil himself by a mistake denies any power of transmutation. So on the other side there are some, who, having got some either universal, or particular Tincture, forthwith insolently cry it out, That there is no other Universal, but that of theirs; Adeò plaerique nobis Suffaeni sumus omnes, So apt are we all to hug ourselves in our own conceits, and ours. But to have pointed at this by the way, is enough for us. May the great and good God grant by his eternal Spirit, in his only begotten Son, consubstantial to him, our Emanuel, that we fix not our hearts on these Terrestrial goods the Mammon of this world, neglecting the celestial, but that we may seriously look after a better treasure laid up in heaven, and, apprehending it by Faith, expecting it in certain hope, in a course of unwearied piety joined with love, we may aspire to it, and attain it, through and for Jesus Christ: who with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, is the One only Jehovah, blessed for ever. To whom be the Praise and Glory to all eternity, Amen.  
Finis Cherragogiae Helianiae,  per Adeptum Anonymum.  

ΑΝΤΡΟΝ ΜΙΤΡΑΣ. ZOROASTER'S CAVE. OR, The Philosopher's Intellectual Echo to One another from their CELLS.  

Of Mercury and Sulphur.  
ECHO Prima.  
DRy water from the Philosopher's Clouds! Look for it, and be sure to have it, for it is the key to inaccessibles, and those locks that otherwise would keep thee out. Chorus omnium.  
It is a middle nature between fixed, and not fixed, and partakes of a Sulphur Azurine. Isaacus Flander, & Gymnosophistae apud Philostratum.  
It is a Raw, Cooling, Feminine fire, and expects its Impregnation from a Masculine, Solar Sulphur. Aristot. Arabs. It is the only complete Angel to the Infern, or Bottom of the earth, where all the Treasures are hid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Apollo apud Homerum in Hymno ad Mercurium.  
All that are conversant in this Art, learn from Experience, and all good Authors, That the true matter and subject of this stone, has Gold and Silver in potentiality, and Argent vive naturally, or actually: Which Gold and Silver are much better than those men commonly see and handle, because these are alive and can increase; the other dead: And if this could not be effected, the matter would never be brought to its perfection, which this art promises; which is indeed so efficacious as to perfect Imperfect metals. But this same invisible Gold or Silver, which by this Magistery is exalted to so sublime a degree, cannot communicate its perfection to imperfect metals, without the help and service of vulgar Gold and Silver. Adeptus Anonymus apnd Combachium.  
The Sun and the Moon must be in Conjunction that they may absolve perfect generation. Arnoldus Villanovan in flore florum. No corruption, that is, no mutation or passage of one form into another can be made, without the mediation of Putrefaction, (which is the sole mean and way to Generation) nor any putrefaction be had, without some Mercury, or Argent vive, which is the special delator, or conductor of the vegetant faculty, called by Philosophers, The viridity of Nature.  
Anonymi Adepti-Sal, Lunien, et Spiritus Universi. Minerals have their Roots in the Air, their Heads & Tops in the earth. Our Mercury is Aereal; look for it therefore in the Air, and in the Earth. Calid Aegyptius. It is the potential vapour of metals. Aegidius de Vadis.  
Our Stone is the conjunction of Sol and Luna, till Sol has drawn the substance of Luna to his Nature and colour. Lullii Codicillus. And this is done by the inward fire, or sulphur of the stone Idem ibidem.  
Minerals made of living Mercury, and living Sulphur, are to be chosen: work with them sweerly, not swiftly with precipitance. Dastinus-pag 55.  
The thing that works perfection in metals is the substance of Argent vive and Sulphur proportionally mixed, by long and temperate Decoction inspissate and fixed in a Womb of clean earth; with conservation of his radical not corrumpent humidity, wrought up to a solid substance, with due ignition fusible, and under the hammer Extensible. Geber, de Investig: cap. 2. Those that know the Mercury and Sulphur of the Philosophers: know that they are made of pure Gold and the finest Luna, and Argent vive, which are daily seen, and looked upon, from which our Argent vive is elicited. Bernardus de Granpag. 1. Manuser. vetustiss:  
Our Stone is the potential vapour of Metal; and how to get this, thou must be very careful and wary.  
Aegidius de Vadis  
Our Water is a lustral, or expiaring essence, and the cause efficient of the clarity of the whole body, and med cine. Two things it works in the earth: It washes it, It tinges it: As it washes, it is Water; as it tinges, it is Air Ludus puerorum. The ancients called our Argentvive Aqua Sicca, Dry water,  
Tauladan.  
It is apparent, what that Argent vive is that Geber points at, in his Summa to be taken, namely, the Clean substance of fixed Mercury, shut up in Sol and Luna.  
Idem, pag, 193.  
Argent vive in its first root is compounded of white earth, subtle, and sulphureous strongly mingled with a bright and clear water, united with such an union, per minima, till the moist be tempered with the dry, and the dry with the moist equally into one Intimate substance, that will not rest on a plain Surface, nor adhere to the Tangent because of its Siccity, which has altered and cohibited the Aqueity in it. But it is homogeneous in its nature: for it either remains all in the fire, and fixed; or else, all flies away in fume; because it is Incombustible, and Aereal. And this is a sign of perfection. Richardus Anglicus Philosoph.  
Vetustus.  
Mercurius crudus, Mercury crude, dissolves bodies, and reduces them to their Materia prima: but the Mercurius corporum the Mercury of Bodies cannot do it. Holcot Anglus. The Mercury of the Philosophers is compounded of Mercury Crude and the Mercury of Bodies, by an Union Intimate and Inseparable, as there is in Simple water mixed with Simple water. Libanius Gallus, apud Trithemium  
By a Lucid Key he opened secret places, otherwise inaccessible, and within was great store of Siver and Gold. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Mercurius Antiquoruum apud Homerum.   

The Names of the Materia to the Magical practice. Echo II.  
WHen our materials are Amalgamated, that Amalgam, to conceal it from the unworthy, is called by Philosophers our Venus, our Gold, The earth of Magnesia, the whole Compound. Jodocus Greverius pag. 21. I tell thee that our Semen is the true Salamander, conceived by fire, nursed by fire, and perfected by fire.  
Idem pag. 36.  
The matter which we need to our work, is not the Hyle, or the Chaos, but the Materia prima propinqua, The first matter in a propinquity, that is, the second; which in Animals is Sperm, in vegetals Seed, in minerals Sulphur, and Argent vive. Ripleus Anglus. Sendivogius Polonus.  
Sulphur perfectly clarified and dealbate, Philosophers call Their foliated Earth. Vogelius manuscriptus. The work yet Crude is called our Argent vive, water permanent, Our Lead, Our Saturn, the spittle of Luna, our Jupiter. When better decocted, than it is Argent, than Magnesia, and white Sulphur. When it is Red, it's called Auripigment, Coral, Gold, Ferment, a Stone, a Lucid Water of celestial colour. Adeptus Anonymus, Desiderabile etc.  
Magnesia is That whole mixture from whence is drawn our humidity called Argent vive. Ludus puerorum. p: 136. The Dragon is the Sulphur that is Extracted from the Bodies by the Magistery, Nich: Flamellus Annot. in Democritum.  
The liquor of Lunary, the vegetable Mercury, the quintessence, and water Ardent, are all one thing. With our liquor of Lunary, known but to few, is our Solution made, and our potable Gold; but without it, not at all. Rosarium Philosoph: p: 173.  
Trouble not yourselves about the diversity of names, and the regiment of the work; for if we would make Sol, we must take Sol, if Luna, Luna for our Ferment.  
Dastinus pag: 30.  
Our Black Materia dealbated is called the Terra Foliata, Ashes of Ashes, ferment of ferment, and white Sulphur enduring the fire: and yet without Ferment neither Solemnising nor Luna will come forth, but somewhat that's as good as nothing.  
Lib: duorum verborum: p. 47.  
Our Stone in the beginning is called water; when the body is dissolved, Air, or Wind; when it tends to consolidation, than it is named Earth, and when it is perfect and fixed, it is called Fire. Dominus Vobiscum. p. 54.  
Argent Vive is called Wind, that is, Aereal Argent Vive, the strongest vinegar, poison Tingent, Virgin's Milk, Burning fire, burning worse than the fire of Hell.  
Incertus Author.  
The Sun is called Adrop, that is Saturnus; because, as Saturn is the chiefest of the Planets; So our mercurial Saturnine Stone, is the highest and most precious of Stones.  
Saturninus.  
Our compound is called by Philosophers White Earth when it is white; and Red when it is Red. Scotus de Bufone:  
When our limous earth is whitened, we call it yharit, that is, Silver; and when it is made red we call it Temeinchum, that is, Gold: And it is whiteness that tinges Venus and makes it Yharit, and that redness that tinges Yharit, and makes it Temeinchum, that is, Gold.  
Calid Egyptius, Philosophus nobilis  
Our matter is called the elemental Stone, because the four elements are extracted from it: The mineral Stone, because it is made only of minerals: The vegetable Stone, because it is nourished and augmented, which are the properties of the vegetative Soul: The Animal Stone, because it is refreshed with sweet odours, and corrupted with stinking.  
Scotus de Bufone.  
Our Stone is called Adrop, that is, Saturn.  
Speculum Arnaldi.  
Our Stone after its putrefaction is called Magnesia, and in the putrefaction it is called Saturnus, Idem ibidem. All the metals when they are prepared by Art, than they are called Sol, Luna, Mercurius etc. For before they were only Gold, Silver, and Quicksilver. Marcilius Ficinus. The Incombustible Grain of metals, is their radical humidity; and is as a certain Seed of Sol, and Luna, which nature has inserted to them, that upon opportunity they may be Excocted to Sol and Luna by Nature in a long, by Art in a very short, Time. Vogelius.  
Azot is a fift Essence, a body of itself Subsistent, differing from all the Elements, and all the Elementals both in Matter and Form, Nature and Virtue, having nothing of the Corruptible: and it is called a fift Essence because it is Extracted from four, and has in it no Elemental motion, as other Elemental bodies, ting and purisying metallic bodies by its Colour, and Keeping from Corruption all other Bodies that are joined with it.  
Incertus Author.  
Terra Alba, White Earth, White Sulphur, White Fume, Auripigment, Magnesia, and Ethel, signify the same, in this Art. Tertia Synodus Pythagorica Manuscripta.   

No way but one to the Sulphur of Nature. Echo III.  
NEmo habet in Sulphur nisi Unum Iter. No road but one to find the quick Sulphur. David Arabs.  
Thou needest but one thing, namely Water, and one operation, to wit Decoction, to White and Red, in one vessel, understand of one kind.  
Alphid Arabs.  
Although the wise men have varied names, and perplexed their say, yet they always would have us think but of One Thing, one Disposition, one Way. The wisemen know this one thing; and, that it is one, they have often proved,  
Morienus Eremita Hrerosolymitanus.  
In a multiplicity of things our art is not perfected. For it is one stone, one medicine, in which consists the whole magistery: to which we add nothing extraneous, nor take away any thing, but only, in our preparation, that that is superfluous  
Idem Eremita.  
White and Red proceed from The same Root without any other Kind intervenient. For it dissolves, and conjoins Itself, makes itself Black and Citrine, white and red, espouses Itself, conceives, brings forth, and does all to the perfect end▪  
Rhasis Arabs. Et Idem Haly.  
If you Govern Our Brass, Our Venus, with Our Water, than you shall find all that is said; otherwise, you do nothing,  
Turba Philosoph.  
There is noway for the Rectifying of Bodies entirely and completely without our Tincture, which is a Clean Seed, and has upon it the blessing of multiplication from Heaven,  
Aurora.  
Our water Gilded with Solar Sulphur is the Secret of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Arabians, Persians, and Greeks, Hallelujah per Anonymum.   

The Number of the Components of the Magical Stone. ECHO. iv  
OF Sol and Luna thou mayst make the perfect medicine without Separation of the Elements, without labour, without fear without danger; they need a long time, but they are safe. Isaacus Flander. lib. 2. mineral.  
The Ancients laboured in the Almagamation of Sol & Luna, which is indeed the most perfect work, and the Care little. Idem ibidem.  
Mercury alone perfects the works, in it we find all that we need, to it we add nothing extraneous. Sol and Luna are not Extraneous to one another, because they in the beginning of the work are reduced into their first Nature (that is, Mercury), therefore from It they took their beginning.  
Divus Thom: Aquinas cap 3.  
Wherefore I counsel you my friends, that you work not on any thing but Sol and Luna, reducing them into their first matter, that is, Our Sulphur and Argent vive. Lullii Codicillus.  
Of Sol vulgar, & Luna vulgar, both Solute there is a preparation of Mercury vulgar. Of those Three without any other Species, the Physic-Stone is generated, and of no other can it be made by the Wit of Nature. Incertus. Incipiens. Desidrrabile.  
The difference betwixt the Solar and the Lunar Tincture is This: The Solar contains Solar Sulphur; The Lunar, Lunar Sulphur, Albertus Magnus.  
The Stone is one: Yet This one, is not one in Number, but in kind.  
Scala Philosoph.  
Rebis is the first part of the work; Elixir the Second; Tincture the Third; and Medicine the fourth. Therefore it appears, That to Azoth Elixir is required, because Elixir in this work precedes Azoth; For from Elixir, Azoth is extracted. But Azoth is that which is extracted by our Mercury from the bodies dissolved; and That is counted the Maturer, Desiderabile. 169.  
Elixir is no other than the body resolved into Mercurial Water, after which resolution Azoth is extracted out of it, that is, a Spirituous Animated Essence. Idem.  
In one Thing for speices, and Two Individuals It consists and is perfected, first to White, then to Red, finally by increasing the the fire.  
Petrus Valentiae.  
In the first Regimen, set the Crude and pure Elements upon an Easy fire, that they may be mingled and joined together; govern them so that they may be desiccate, or dried, and all be black; from which blackness an Occult Whiteness is drawn, & afterwards a Redness by decoction. And when it is in the perfect White, it is in Dust Impalpable.  
Zininus. p. 68  
The Generation of Metals and the Philosopher's stone is to conjoin proper principles: videlicet, Man with Woman, Active with a Pssive, Sulphur with Mercury, that so Generation may ensue Corruption. Argent Vive is the Recipient of the Form, and Gold the very Philosopher's Stone,  
Saturninus. pag 71.  
The whole work consists in Sol, Luna, and Mercury. Tersim. pagin: 103. Gold and Silver are Metals, out of which the Golden and Silver Elixirs are made.  
Tauladan Pag. 184.  
Tinge with Gold, and Silver: because Gold gives the Golden; and Silver, the Silver Nature and Colour.  
Richardus Anglicus.  
It is necessary that the Stone before it be made Elixir, be extracted from the Nature of Two bodies. Monachus. The fire ought to be very soft, till the Spirit be separated from the Body, ascending into black clouds above the body: By a Spirit Crude, a spirit Digested is Extracted from the body dissolved.  
Idem pag. 167.  
Take the Stone Suspended upon the Sea, his name is Victor; with him slay the living, and enliven the slain; for in his power are Death, and Life.  
Incognitus qui incipit Exemplum Scientiae.  
Our Mercury is drawn from the Calx of Metals by putrefaction, till the Compound put off one nature, and put on another. And so by such Operations, is made the Mercury of the Philosophers.  
Jacobus de Sancto Saturnino.   

The Operations of Art in her Ministry and Attendance to Nature. ECHO. V  
NAture gins all her Actions from Separation. Mortification is the first step to Separation, and the only way to that End: for, as long as Bodies remain in their old Origin, Separation without putrefaction, or mortification, cannot reach them, Anonymus Adeptus.  
Amalgama, which is the first Work, is made with one of Sol, and four of Mercury. And this beginning of the Work the Philosophers have called by many names, Our Venus, Our Gold, The Earth of Magnesia, The whole Compound. Jodocus Greverius.  
In the first Decoction, when thou art blacking, there will rise from the Earth a certain humidity of Argent vive like a Cloud, and will stick to the upper part of thy vacant Oval by its sides, which thou must let alone untouched. Idem.  
Blackness like that of the blackest Coal, is the Secret of True Dissolution, Raym. Lullius in Claviculâ.  
Turn thy clouds into rain to water thy Earth, and make it fruitful. This Reduction of clouds into rain, is called by some Cauda Draconis, The Dragon's Tail: and others say, that new Mercury is to be added. Idem Greverius. pag. 22.  
The bodies are first to be Subtiliated by Dissolution, which is the first Degree of the Work. And this Dissolution is nothing else, but that bodies be returned into Mercury and Sulphur from whence they took their Original. But no other body can be resolved into Mercury, but a Metallic, consisting of Mercury and Sulphur.  
The Spirit of Metals is part of Our Stone; and That we must evacuate from the bodies of metals: namely from the two perfect by putrefaction, division of Elements, and their fixation, Raym. Lullius.  
When the matter Ascends by Wind, that is, by fume, the Philosophers call it Sublimation: when it is cast into the bottom of the vessel, and Converted into Water, they call it Solution, or Distillation: When the Earth is Inspissate, they say it is Corruption: and when it gins to change from black, they call it Ablution. Extraction of Water from the Earth, and turning it on the Earth again, till the Earth putrefy, and be clear again, is the Sum of our magistery. And when the Philosophers saw their Water diminished, and their Earth increased, they called it Ceration; Then, when all became Earth, they called their Work Congelation; and when White, Calcination. Monachus. ex manuscripto vetustiss. Dissolution begets blackness, Reduction Whiteness, Fixion Citrinity, Inceration Redness. Blackness is the Earth, Whiteness the Water, Citrinity the Air, Redness the fire, Anonymus.  
Solution turns the Stone into its Materia prima, that is, into Water: Ablution into Air: Conjunction into fire: Fixion into Earth Spiritual and Tingent. Scala Philosoph.  
Putrefaction is made by a most Gentle fire hot and moist, and no other, so that nothing Ascend. Desponsation and Conception is made by a kind putridness in the Bottom of the vessel. Rosarium pag. 198. Burn with Water, wash with Fire,  
Idem ibidem.  
Labour not to make thy Mercury Diaphan that is, into a clear, Transparent Water; for so it is too highly Inflamed, and Irrestrinctible, and will never be fixed, never congealed. Aureola.  
When we Dissolve, without any Interval, we Calcine, Sublime, Separate, & Compound and between Solution, and Composition of the body and Spirit, there intervenes no space of Time.  
Alphid Arabs.   

The Watering of Pegasus at his own Fountain; and of his Other food out of the Air and Earth. ECHO. VI  
WIth the Water of Paradise bedew the Earth now clarified, and that Water will again Ascend to heaven, and Descend again to the Earth to make it fertile, and bring forth White, Citrine, and Flamye Red flowers. Isaac Flander.  
Cibation is the Nutrition of our Materia Sicca with milk and meat, both moderately given, till it be brought to the third order. Ripleus Aglus.  
Our Great business is to make the Body a spirit, and the Spirit a body. But it is True, That if the Sum of the volatile exceed and Subdue the Sum of the fixed, it will finally be turned into a Spiritual body White or Red,  
Rosarius Minor.  
The Earth does not Germinate without frequent Irrigation, nor receive Irrigation without Desiccation. Therefore at every Turn after desiccation power Water on it temperately, neither too much, nor too little. If too much, it will be a Sea of Conturbation. If too little, all is burnt to a light Cindar. Daustricus, pag. 25.  
Our divine Water, the Spume of Silver mingled with Magnesia, rids away the Dark Umbra of the body. Democritus Apud Flamellum. The Dragon born in Darkness, is fed with his own Mercury, submerged in it, and then a little dealbated by it.  
Keep a soft fire, till there be patience between Water and Fire, and till the Spirit and Body become one.  
Monachus, pag. 14.  
See that thou water it temperately: for if it abound, it will be a Sea; and if there want, a Combustion will be made.  
Desiderabile.  
As in this work in its first Composition, nothing that is extraneous to its Nature enters: So neither does any thing Multiply it, that is not of its first Disposition.  
Trevisanus.  
The Magistery of the Philosophers does not need a Commistion of any extraneous thing; but out of the proper seed metallic cast into Philosophical earth prepared, it produces a Stone infinitely multiplicable, if it be nourished with its own menstrnum, or humour Connatural, and be excited by the heat of the Philosopher's Sun from its Potentia into Act.  
Theobaldus Hoghelandus.  
Take the quantity, know the weight of it, and add to it as much of the humidity as it can drink; of which humidity, we have not the pondus determinate. Calrd Aegyptius. The Time of every Imbibition to its Exsiccation is Twenty or Thirty Natural days.  
Clangor Buccinae.   

IGNIS MAGORUM. The Philosopher's Fire. ECHO VII.  
OUr fire is Mineral, Equal, Continual▪ it vapours not unless excited too much, it partakes of Sulphur, it is taken from some other Thing than the Materia, it breaks down all before it, Dissolves, Congeals, and Calcines: That Fire, with a Fire Remiss, perfects the whole work, and makes all the right Sublimations.  
Pontanus pag. 75. uti et in Epistola.  
The Fire against Nature must torment the bodies, That is the Dragon burning violently, like fire of hell, Ripleus. All along, the fire must be gentle till the Water be congealed in Whiteness. A stronger heat given, the Mercury flies the fire by reason of its Frigidity. Therefore keep thy fire soft, till thou hast a white Congelation. Benedictus.  
By a Temperate fire a little quantity of the Dry Desiccates ethe moist, and this by little and little, and not suddenly. And by how much the Stone has more of the Ablution, so much the more Intense is the whiteness.  
Scotus de Bufone.  
The fire of the first Degree, that is of Solution, and Putrefaction, aught to be so weak, that Nothing Ascend of the Nature to be Sublimed, and so a gentle fire gives Mercury Ingress into the body, when with a strong one all is destroyed.  
Saturninus pag. 71.  
The heat Dealbant must not be too much, else all is gone. But understand this of the first White after Nutrition, Anonym. Make thy Contritions with fire, not with thy hands. Argent vive is fiery, and burns the bodies more than fire; whatever Metallic body is joined to it, it slays it and brings it down to dust.  
Synodus Pythagorica.  
Although we always speak of Slow-fire, yet in earnest we think, that in the Government of the work, by little and little, and at Turns, the fire to the End, is to be Augmented. Bacho. Spec. Alchym. cap. 4.  
There are only Two fires found in the books of the Philosophers: The one dry, the other moist: The Dry is the Elemental, The moist is Mercury. Alanus Niger.  
As oft as occasion shall require, heat and cool, moisten and desiccate thy Earth, and there is no Error. So oft as thy vessels are broke, thy matter must cool, to be reposed in a like vessel, and put again to the fire. Greverius Sacerdos.   

The Philosopher's vessel; The Cone, or Oval; The Colours of the Chaos; Transienr, and Critical. ECHO. VIII.  

THE vessel must be Glass, and Round, with a long Neck, firmly Sealed on the Top, and is to be Enclosed with another Vessel, that the heat enter not the matter immediately, and so the Digestion is in a Triple vessel. Liber Trium Verborum, pag. 49.  
Put thy Amalgam carefully into a Glasse-vessel of such a capacity, that thy Earth that is sown and harrowed, may take up only the Third part of it, the other two left vacant. Close up the orifice with the wisest Lute. Jodoc. Grever.  
Set one half of the round of the Vessel into Ashes, the other bear above, that thou mayst look at pleasure upon the work.  
Alanus.  
The vessels are Glass, wide below, terminating in an Acute, like the figure called a Cone. Vogelius.  
Think not That the Philosophers lie when they say, The whole Magistery is perfected, in one only vessel: when thou hearest them say so, think presently of the Species of the vessel, not of the Individual, and thou hast found the Truth. Greverius.  
We need but one Vessel, one Furnace, one Disposition; which is to be understood, After the preparation of the first Stone.  
Flamellus in Democritum.  
Our vessel is a Glass, firmly shut, round bellied, of a neck strict and long, half a foot, or thereabout. This vessel is called an Egg, a Sublimatory, a Sphere, a Sepulchre, a Cucurbit, etc.  
Laurentius ventura Italus.  
Put thy matter into a Glasse-vessel Round and strong, the Orifice straight, and sealed that it cannot expire the least fume.  
Scotus de Bufone.   

The Colours.  
When the matter has stood for the space of forty days in a moderate heat, there will begin to appear above, a blackness like to pitch, which is the Caput Corvi of the Philosophers, and the wise men's Mercury.  
Alanus.  
Blackness once seen, thou mayst be sure a True Conjunction of the principles is made.  
Before the clear Splendent colour comes, all the Colours in the world will appear and disappear: then thou shalt see an admirable whiteness, that it will seem to thee the True whiteness, and yet it is not so. Before the True whiteness comes, thou shalt see all about in the margin of the Glass as it were Oriental pearls, in the matter of the Stone, glittering like the Eyes of fishes, and when thou seest the Matter white as Snow, and shining like oriental gems, The white stone is then perfect. Let it cool of Itself. Isaacus Flander.  
The Colours are only Three, the others that come are called the middle Colours, that vanish away: But the Black, White, and Red, are Eminent and lasting Scenes.  
Trithemius.  
When in the work blackness appears, know that thou hast found the right way of working. Then rejoice, for God has given thee a very Great and precious Gift.  
Phoenix. pag. 71.  
In horâ Conjunctionis mirabilia maxima apparent. Nam omnes Colores quotquot Excogrtari possunt, etc. In the hour of Conjunction wonderful things present themselves apparent to us. For all the Colours that can be Imagined, appear in the work; and the Imperfect body is coloured with a firm Coloration, by mediation of the Ferment.  
Arnaldus in Flore Florum.    

The Time to perfect the physick-work. ECHO. IX.  
This work cannot be perfected in a little space of Time; therefore the Artist must be patiented. Greverius.  
The shortest Time of the preparation is the Circuit and Revolution of the Greater luminary. For the Stone must be kept in the fire, till it cannot any more be changed from one nature to another, from one Colour to another, but become like the Reddest blood running like wax in the fire, and yet diminishing nothing at all. Laurentius Ventura, Italus.  
We take a year for our Expectation; for our Calx, in less Time, cannot be made. Ripleus.  
The Philosophers seeing a sort of whiteness come, after a long Time, of the Colour of Ashes, called it Incineration, or Dealbation.  
Idem cap 112.  
In purification there cannot be a determinated Time, but in ninety days the Red work is completed.  
Variation of Times happens from the quantity of the medicine, and according to the Industry of the Artist.  
Monach. pag. 17.  
After the first fifty days, the Caput Corvi shows itself; from thence in an hundred and fifty the Dove is made; and in another hundred and fifty, the Red is wrought. Till you come up to whiteness, use a Gentle fire.  
Saturninus.  
When it has stood under an Eclipse for five months, and the Darkness recedes, the light supervening, Increase your fire.  
Scala philos. Ripleus etiam.  
The Time for perfection of Elixir is at least one year.  
Rosarius. pag. 179.  
Be patiented in extracting thy Tincture; for haste is the first Error of Art, and burns all.  
Anonymus.  
In forty days and nights, after the True purification of the Stone, the work to White is complete: because in the purification there cannot be a Set time; but in ninety days and nights, the work to the Red is perfected.  
Rosarium Vetustum.  
The first Decoction has no certain Time and indeed is somewhat Tedious: yet wait upon it, and Expect it with joy. Many have perished with haste and affected with Tediousness given over all. Phoenix. Liber pretiosissimus.   


The Fermentation of The Stone. ECHO. X.  
FErment is made after the Ortus, or Birth of the Infant. And Ferment is nothing but meat Disposed to a Convertibility into the Essence of the Infant, that all may be made of one nature. This fermentation Cibal, aught to be de suâ propriâ naturâ of the Infant's own nature, and assimilated to it; else there will be no Incorporation, no conversion into Sulphur.  
Lullius in Codrcrl.  
Ferment must not be of this or that, but of Sol or Luna only: For we look for nothing but that the Stone be turned into his like and from them is the whole Temperament: nor is it Ferment before the Bodies be turned into their first matter.  
Vogelius pag. 10.  
Infermentation see that the Sum of the volatile do not exceed the Sum of the fixed: otherwise the Sponsal Ligament of the body would be put to flight. But if a little of the Sulphur be cast upon much of the body, so that it has the dominion over it, it soon converts it into Dust; the Colour whereof is as the Colour of the body, one ounce of the Dust four of the Body.  
Anonymus Incipiens Desiderabile.  
Know that there is no Ferment, but Sol & Luna.  
Arnaldus in Flore Florum.  
Fermentation is the Animation of the Stone.  
Clauger. pag. 46.   

Of the nature of both, and the mutation of their substance.  
He that is able to turn the Soul to a Body, and the Body to a Soul, and mingle with it Subtle Spirits, is able to Tinge every Body.  
Calid Egyptius.    

The Multiplication, and Projection of the Tincture. ECHO. XI.  

IT is impossible to multiply the central salt without Gold, But the Sons of Art only know the True seed of Metals.  
Novum lumen Chymicum.  
Multiplication is either Virtual; Such as is made by Alteration, by Dissolving and Congealing; or Quantitative, by Apposition of new Matter.  
Scotus de Bufone.  
The Quantitative is Nothing else but the Augmentation of the Tincture from one pondus ad infinitum: So that the Work is never again to be begun, and this Without the Diminution of its force. Incertus.   

Projection upon Metals,  
No Projection of the Red stone but upon Luna,  
Isaac Flander.  
If thou wouldst make Projection upon Jupiter, melt it in a Crucibrrr rrd put to one pound of Jupiter one orrce of pure Luna, and melt them together; then cast on it thy White Tincture, and the Jupiter animation of the Stone. Clang:  
If Thou put to It but Little of Ferment thou shalt have but little Tincture. Dastinus pag. 30.  
When the stone is liquefied by Decoction, it must then be Coagulated, But this Coagulation is made with Ferment, or with its own body, which is the same thing.  
When the Anima Candida is perfectly risen, the Artist must join it, the same moment, with its body: For the Anima without its body cannot be held. But such an Union must be made by mediation of the Spirit: because the Anima cannot have life in the body nor perseverance in it, but by the Spirit: And such an Union and Conjunction is the end of the Work. The Soul must be joined with the First body whence it was, and with no other; which if thou dost not, thou shalt fail of thy purpose, as many Ignorants have done who knew not this Secret  
Margarita Novella.  
Spirits are fugitive, until such Time as bodies are joined with them, and help them to fight against the fire: and yet those parts agree but little, unless with good Operation, and Continued labour: because the nature of the rwordr Tendent Upwards, where the Centre rr the Anima is. And who is he of those that have tried, that was able to Conjoin Two Things that are Divers, whose Centres too are Divers? unless after the Conversion shall be transmuted into True Luna, less or more, according to the Spirituality of the stone? And if thou wouldst Work with thy Red Stone, project it upon Luna Molten, and thou shalt find the purest Sol.  
Cast thy medicine upon thy Ferment, than it is frangible as Glass. Take that frangible mass, and cast it upon metals first cleared, and thou shalt have metal of proof.  
Ripleus Anglus,  
This Secret thou must not be Ignorant of, That our Red man, and his wife do not Tinge till they are Tinged.  
Evoaldus.  
Would any man by the Physic Stone turn lead into Gold or Silver? Then he must first mingle with it the Substance of Lead, that both may become one Thing; In the same way he must proceed with Tin, and Copper.  
Idem. pagin. 123.    

The Virtues of the Great Elixir, or Astral medicine. ECHO XII.  
THIS Chymic-powder, whether you call it the Philosopher's stone or fulsile Salt; Sulphur, Elixit, or potable Gold, has in it a wonderful power over the Three Divisions of nature, the Animal, Vegetal, and Mineral Kind's. Thus first on the Animal: Every Animal, brute, or man, it brings to Sanity from every disease within, or without. All defections from natural Symmetry are reduced by it to Temperament, because there is in it a perfect Aequation of Elements separate from their dregs, and all Sulphureous Adustions. On the Vegetal; It acts wonderfully by Exciting their Genital power in their seasons, or out of them, to a most florid vegetation. In the mineral; Every Imperfect metallic body, Led, Tin, Copper, common Argent vive, it transforms to Silver, or Gold better than the natural in every probat. Precious Stones too.; the Emerald, the Carbuncle, the Anthrax, or Ruby, Chrysoprase, Adamant, Chrysolite, and many others, are made by it, Rob. Vallensis.  
By long Inquisition, Labour, and certain Experience, we have found one medicine; by which, that which is hard may be made soft, and that which is soft may be made hard, that which is fugitive be fixed, that which is foul and dark, be Illustrated with a wonderful splendour. Geber Arabs.  
Wrinkles of the face, every litura or spot, grey hairs, it takes away, and keeps us in perpetual youth, and cheerfulness. Clangor.  
The Crystallin Lamen cures the most Diseases; the Red Elixir all; makes a man grow young like the Eagle, and has produced the lives of some to above five hundred years.  
Geber.  
Arteph the Jew when he wrote his book, affirms he had lived a thousand and five and twenty years.  
Rogerius Bacho, de Artis mirabili potestate.  
By its Ethereal, humid, oleous fire, it gives us youth; by its Tincture, it transforms the Imperfect, to the perfect Mines; makes various sorts of precious stones, with the most precious malleable Glass.  
Charta Sacer dorum. Et Chorus Omnium.   

The way to attain to this Sacred Science. ECHO. XIII.  
FEar God, you that look after this Sacred Skill: For that which you seek is not a small Thing, but the Treasure of Treasures, the Gift of God, most Excellent, and Admirable. Bacaser in Synod. Pythag.  
He that is Idle and Negligent in the Reading of books, shall never be prompt in the preparation of Things: for one book opens another, one speech explicates another; and that which in one is Incomplete, in another is completed. And how can he that refuses the Theory, apply himself to the regular practice? Arnaldus in Rosario.  
Fellow it with the Instance of labour, but first exercise thyself in a diuturnity of Intense Imagination: for so thou mayst find the complete Elixit; but without that, never at all.  
Idem lib. 2 Rosar.  
Serious Study (our Doctors say) removes Ignorance, and brings the human Intellect up to the knowledge of Every Thing.  
Richardus Anglicus.  
Think not to find out our profound sense by the sound of the letter: for he that takes the sound of the words, and has not the hidden sense too, shall lose his Labour, and his Cost. Aurora.  
If thou canst Resolve even the least of our Say, the Greatest cannot be hid from thee. Aurora Consurgens prolog.  
All wisdom is from God, and was always with him from eternity. Whosoever therefore loves wisdom, let him seek it, and beg it from him: for he is the Altitude and profundity of all Science, the Treasure of all wisdom; because from him, in him, and by him all things are, and without his will nothing can be: To whom be glory for evermore.  
Albertus' magnus de Alchymia.  
It is impossible that This should beknown unless it be known from God, or from a master. Rosarium Philosoph: pag: 230  
The Artist must be prudent, and of a wit naturally subtle, & profound, and excellent in the Ability to Judge. He must be learned likewise; that what his wit reaches not to, that may be supplied by his learning: For whosoever aspires to this Science, and is not a philosopher, is a fool. He must be Industrious, Laborious, and of a Constant mind; not precipitant; but very patiented: For all hastiness (says our Geber) is from the Devil. He must be at his own election, and free; not held by other businesses and cares.  
He must have money enough for his practice, and books enough for his study. Theobald Hogheland.  
And above all he must be jealous over the Secret, and keep it severely to himself. Idem Hogheland,  
I adjure thee by the living God, whosoever thou art that hast this book in thy hands, that thou offer it not to any of the Unworthy; such as are Fools, Tyrants, Opressors, Covetous, Proud persons, Adulterers, soft Amorato's, or such whose belly is their God. Place thy hope in the Lord God, work in his fear to the good of man, expecting the blessing from above. Jodoc: Grever. initio Lib.  
Thou who hast this book, hid it in thy bosom, discover it to none, offer it not to Impious hands: for it fully contains in it, the very Secretum Secretorum of the Philosophers. Such a precious Jewel as This, is not to be cast before Swine. Therefore thou that hast the book, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, that deservedly thou mayst be said to be, and be, of the Number of the Ancient Magi.  
Arnaldus in Rosario. lib 2. cap. 32.   
FINIS Antri.   

JOHN PONTANUS UPON The mineral Fire; and the Great Elixir, commonly called The Philosopher's STONE.  
I John Pontan have travelled over many Regions, That I might learn something that was certain concerning the Philosopher's stone; and, compassing almost the whole World, met with none but Impostors, false Deceivers, and no Philosophers: But studying always, doubting much, and casting every way, at length I found the Truth: But when I knew the matter, I erred two hundred Times before I found the True Matter, which the operation, and practice upon it. First, I fell to putrefy the matter nine months together, and found nothing: I put it in St. Mary's Bath for a certain Time, and erred in That, as before. Then for Three months I put it to a fire of Calcination, and wrought amiss: all manner of Distillations, and Sublimations, such as the Philosophers, as Geber, Archelaus, and almost all the rest, say, or seem to say, should be used, I practised; and found nothing still. Then again I tried to perfect the subject of the whole Alchymical Art, all the ways that can be imagined; by baths, by dungs, by Ashes, and a multiplicity of other fires, which yet are found in the Philosopher's books; and yet for all that I found no good. Wherefore, for Three years continued, I studied in the Philosopher's books, but chief the books of Hermes alone, whose shorter words comprehend the whole Stone; although he speaks obscurely of the Superior, and Inferior, of the Heaven, and of the Earth. The first Instrument therefore that brings the matter to its Esse in the First, Second, and Third work, is not the Fire of the Bath, nor of Dung, nor Ashes, nor of the other heats which the Philosophers have in their books. What therefore is That Fire that perfects the whole work from the Beginning to the End? Certainly the Philosophers have always concealed it; but I being moved with piety, and kindness to men, will declare it to you, together with the compliment of the whole work. It is then the Philosopher's Stone, but is called by various names, and thou shalt find it hard to know: For it is Watery, Airy, Fiery and Earthy; Phegmatic Choleric, and Melancholic; it is Sulphureous, and is likewise Argent vive: and has many superfluities in it: all which, by the Living God, are turned into a True Essence, Our Fire mediating: And he that separates any thing from the Subject thinking that necessary, knows, nothing in Philosophy; because what ever is superfluous, unclean, foul or feculent, finally the whole Substance of the Subject; is perfected to a Spiritual body fixed, by mediation of Our fire. And this the Philosophers never revealed, and therefore few come at the Art, thinking there is, Some such superfluous Nature to be removed. And now we are to draw out the properties of Our Fire, and try, whether according to the manner that I have said, It be so fitted to our matter, that it may be Transmuted by it, since That Fire burns not the matter, separates nothing from it, parts not the pure from the Impure (as all philosophers say) but turns the whole subject to purity: It does not sublime as Geber make his Sublimations & as Arnaldus, and other speaking of Subblimation and and Distillations, Such as are perfected in a short time.  
It is Mineral, it is Equal, It is Continual, it vapours not away unless it be stirred up too much; it also partakes of Sulphur, and is taken from some where else than from the matter; it pulls down all, dissolves and congeals, congeals and Calcines: the Invention of It is Artifical: it is a Compendium without Cost, or with very little; and That Fire is of a moderate Ignition, because with a remiss Fire the whole work is perfected, and all the right sublimations made. Whosoever should read Geber, and all the rest, if they should live an hundred thousand years, would not be able to comprehend it, because that Fire is found only by profound Imagination; and than it may be comprehended in the books, and not before. The Error therefore of this Art, is, not to find the Fire, which turns the whole matter into the true Stone of the Philosophers. Take it then for thy study; for if I had found this Fire at first, I had not erred two hundred Times in my practice upon the matter: wherefore I wonder not, that so many, and great Wits, have not come at the work. They err, have erred, and will err still, because the Philosophers have not set down the proper Agent; one only excepted, Artephius by name, but he speaks for himself; and if I had not read Artephius and heard him what he said, I had never attained the perfect work. But this is the practice. Take it, bruise it, and bring it down diligently by Natural Contrition, and put it to the Fire, and know the proportion of your Fire, namely that it is to be no stronger than only to Excite the matter, and in a short time even that Fire without any apposition of hands, will certainly complete the whole work; for it will putrefy, Corrupt, Generate, and perfect, and make to appear in their times the three Principal Colours, Black, White, and Red. And by mediation of our Fire, the medicine will be multiplied if it be joined with Crude matter, not only in quantity, but also in virtue. Therefore with all thy power look after thy Fire, and thou mayst prosper in thy Work, because it does the whole Work, and is the key of the Philosophers which they never discovered. But thou shalt come to know it by a right, profound thinking upon the properties of the Fire set down before, and no otherways. This I writ out of piety, and that I may satisfy thee finally; The Fire is not Transmuted with the matter, because It is not of the Matter, as I told you before. Thus much I had a mind to say, and admonish the prudent, that they spend not their money to no purpose, but that they should know what they are to look for, and so they may attain to the Truth and no Other way.  
FINIS.