tr,Mffiw,

Se cre ts i li lm m ss

PR O D U C E D B Y :

& &M A 19 82

LIBER SEGRETISSIMU
GEORGE RIPTEY
l l l l i c r r l r !slt ! m.

If D o r Ifl r r n r D o r il.

T he whor e w o rk o f th e c o mp o s rto n
of thc ph lf os ophlc al St one and Gran d E f lx lr , and of t he Flret Soluilon of t he Gro s s e Bodles :
Take our Artificial Antirnony, but not the Natural Antimony as it comes out of the Earth, for that is too d.ry for our work, and h a t h l ittl e o r n o h u n i d i ty, or fatness in it, but take I saf, our Artificial Antimonial compound, whieh is abund.antly replinished with the Dew of Heaven and the fatness and unctuosity of the earth, .wherein precious 0i1s and rich Mercuries are by Nature closely sealed up, and hidden from the eyes of all inorant deriders of the great and wonderful mysteries of Almighty God, to the end t h a t s ee i n g th e y sh o u l d not see, nor under stand, what he hath i n_ closed in the most obviousr coDmoh, and contemptible beginnings of all Things in the whole World. This our Antimonial Compoundls only to be revealed to the Children of Art, who firmJ.y believe the constant truth thereof , and whom in all fraternal love and charity we sayr that it is made of one Sulphur, srrd of two Mercurj.es, which otherwise by the wise Philosophers are ealled, the Sun, Moon, and Mercury, or as some of them will more plainly have lt, Sa1t, Sulphur, and MercurV, w h i e h are th e th re e se ve r al and distinct substances and bodies ,
I.

a l t h o u g h fo r th e mo st par t we ter m them but one Thing, beeaus e i n t h e co n e l u si o n o f o ur wor k they m ake but one Thing, that i s o u r a d mi ra b l e E l i xi r, and t end and they have all one or iginal, a l t o g eth e r b u t to o n e end. For if we had not in our W or k a tr i une a1l a s p e ct o f th e se P l -a n e ts , and did not begin it with a Tr inity , w o u l d b e l o st l a b o u r a nd inutilous pr ofile. W h ere fo re i f th o u w i l t thr ive in our Ar t, w wish thee to begi n w i t h ou r Mi n e ra l T ri n i ty, Antim oni al wher eof this our Ar tificial compound is made. Take then first in the prime beginning of thy W o r k , th e se th re e n o b l e Kinsm en, who ar e im m ediately indued w i th a l L t h e stro n g a n d su b tile qualities of the four Elements, and i n t h e i r d u e a n d mo st n a tu r al pr opor ti- ons, ( in which pr opor tions s e e t h o u d o n o t e rre , for if thou do, thou shalt never r edu c e thc s e b o d i e s i n to o u r tru e C haos, and so thou wilt be constr ained to b e g i n a g a i n , w h i ch w i l l be a m ost ted.ious discour agement un to thee) . P u t t he m i n to a g o o d a nd str ong cucur bit, or glass body' an d c l os e i t w e l l o n th e T o p , th a t none of the spir its exhale, for if they f i n d a V e n t to e va p o ra te, thou ar t undone, because ther eby thou l o o s e s t a n d w a ste th th e flower s of our Gold. W hen thy Vess el i s w e l l - cl o se d , p u t i t i n to the Phil- osopher s Oven, and set it i n A s h e s o r sa n d , w i th a temper ate fir e under it, for the spac e of a P h i l o so p h e rs Mo n th , w h ich is six whole weeks, and in that t i m e o u r g ro sse b o d i e s w i l l be dissolved and mor tified and made fi t to b e g i n a mo re ro ya l g e n er ation. I n th i s ti me o f d i sso lution and putr efaction our thr ee no bl e K i n s me n , mo st u n n a tu ra l l y becom e the imm ane hom icides of ea c h o t h e r , fo r th e y sp a re n ot with all cr uelty to extr act each other s v i t a l b l o o d , a n d a re stewed in their own pr oper gor es, and bec om e s o f t a n d te n d e r, l i ke unto butter , and ar e m ade all one thin g w i t h o ut a n y d i ffe re n ce , or distinction. W hen thou hast br ought thy work to this pass, thank God, and be glad that through his G r a c e a n d me rcy th o u h a st obtained our Chaos dar k and mistie, w h i c h i s th e tru e o n e Thing wr itten of by all the Philosoph er s ,
2..

our confused mass , and the prime ground of al-l- our Secrets, for t h e r e i n l i e th i n vi si b l e couched, our Gold and Silver , our Sul phur a n d M e rcu ri e s, o u r C h ri stalline W ater , our 0i1s and Tinctur es , and our four Elements which thou must make visible and apparant to a l - l s e e i n g e ye s, e l se can nothing be effeeted, neither shalt thou e v e r o b ta i n th y w i sh e d for silver y and golden desir e. T h e se Me rcu ri -e s, Wa ter s, 0i1s, Tinctur es, and El- ements, m ak e v i s i b l - e th e n a n d co n sp i c uous thus. After the afor esaid mon ths e n d , th y ve sse l b e i n g c old, open the m outh ther eof, and set on the t o p t h e re o f a h e a d o f g lass well fastened ther eunto, and plac e i t i n o u r B a th , a n d cl -ose well a r eeeiver to the mouth of the hel m e n t , a n d d ra w o u t a l l the insipid and faint water , which tak e a w a y a n d re se rve i t cl o s e by itself, then fix your r eceiver on a g a i n , a n d w i th a stro n ger fir e in ashes, and dr aw out al1 the Tinctur e and Vi r gi ns W h i t e fu me , w h i -ch i s called our Air , silver ie M i l k , w h i ch a l so re mo ve and keep it l- ikewise m ost close stopped b y i t s e l f. T h e n l a st of all put to another r eceiver , and in s and, w i t h th e stro n g e st fi re thou eanst m ake, separ ate the r ed fum e, our golden Ti- nctur e, and r adi c al w h i c h i s ca l -l e d o u r n a tur al fir e, . h u m i d i ty o f o u r E l e me n tal bodies, and continue thy fir e so l ong u n t i l i t l e a ve b l e e d i n g , then asswage the fir e by degr ees, and vanish no t aw ay ' s u d d e n l y cl o se i t w e l l with wax' that the spir its f o r t hi s i s ca Il e d o u r blessed liquor , and tr ust me ther e is not a s t r o n g e r p o i so n i n a l - l the W or ld than it, ther efor e keep i t c l os e her eafter . a n d me d d l e n o t w i th i t tilt T h u s n o w th e w o rk o f A rt, for Division and Separ ation, is the s ol e and not of Natur e; for her e N atur e w o r k of A rt a n d o f th e Ar tist, i s f o rce d b y th e S ki l l of the W or kman, to for go and par t wi th her kept chained and i nc l os ed b e l o v ed E l e me n ts, w h i ch she so str aightly ar e ev en i n h e r b o so me , a n d w h i ch by violence by exter nal fir e' re nt and tor n fr om her . a s i t w e re fo rci b l y is the Wo r k of Solution and Mor tification I n d e e d , th e fi rst So l e op e ra ti o n o f N a tu r e, for the M ater ials being inclosed i n thei r

3.

d u n g e o n th e re N a tu re a ttenuates them, ther e she dissolves a nd p u t r e f i e s th e m, a n d ca useth them to r un a r etr ogr ade cour se i nto ma tte r again, that is, into a sl- im ie and vis c ous m a s s a n d su b sta n ce , w h er eof at fir st out of the four Elemen ts t h e y w e re fo rme d a n d b e gotten. And in that fir st wor k, the Ar ti s t is but only a fire maker, which only giveth Nature strength and p o w e r to w o rk i n a n d u pon the m ater ials, for without an exc i ti ng f i r e Na tu re w e re n o t a b le to effect anything, but she would w ho11y r e m a i n i d l e a n d vo i d o f cour se, and that in r egar d of the e x tr em e c o l d n e ss o f th e Me rcu ry , for wher e cold pr edom inates, heat m us t n e e d s l i e fe tte re d a n d imm oveabLe, but when the exter nal fire s ti r r e t h up a n d p ro vo ke th the fier ce indignation of the Salt Mens tr ue, s h e p r e se n tl y se i ze th u pon the fat unctuous body of the Sulphur , a n d e xtra cts h i s n a tu ra l heat and fier y element, and then both o f t h em to g e th e r d o so ar dently incir cle and wor k upon the c ol d M e r c u ry, th a t th e y d i ssever and scatter all his m ember s into s m al l er atomes than f1y in the beams of the Sun, and then heat beginneth t o g e t th e su p e re mi n e n c e. T h e re fo re i n th i s F IR ST W ORK the Oper ator is but the Tr us ti e a d m i n i stra to r o f N a tu re , which in this case, the m ost illeterate . a n d s imp l e ma n i n th e Wor ld m ay be. Bu t i n th e S e cre t Wo rk of the conjunction of our Elements , both N a t u r e a n d A rt, h a n d i n hand accompaning each other , for ther e t h e A rti st fi n d e th a n d im bibeth, and Natur e fixeth and cong eal eth, w h i c h w e w i l l sh o w h e re after , when we handle that wor k. fhe FIRST WORK0F SOLUTION reduceth our Tri-nity and Antimonial Compoundinto a green Errn, called the Green Lyon, which gum dry m o d e r ate l y w e 1 l , b u t b e war e thou bur n not his flower s, nor des tr oy g r e e n n e ss, fo r th e re i n lieth his Soul, which is our mai- n Sec r et. A n d o u r S E C ON D WOR K m anifests those things which wer e befor e h i d f r om si g h t, n a me l y, it makes our four Elem ents to appear v i s i b 1 y , a n d to b e h a d g e ner ally and distinctly. But in this Sec ond W o r k i f th o u e xtra ct o u r Air and our Fir e with the phlegm water , their o w n fi rst

4.

t h e y w i l l th e mo re n a tu r alLy and easily. be dr awn out of thei r i n f e r n al p ri so n , a n d w i th less losse of their Spir its, than by the f o r m e r w a y b e fo re d e scribed. A f t e r d i vi si o n i s p e rfectly celebr ated, thou shalt find in the s i d e s o f th e C u cu rb i t, &r r d aLso in the head of the Alembick a w h i t e h a rd R yme mu e h l i ke the Congelation of a fr osty vapour , or l - i k e u n to Me rcu ry su b l i mate, which keep char ily by itself in a c l - e a n g l a ss w e l l cl -o se d, for ther ein lieth hid a gr eat secr et, for t h e r e wi th th o u ma ye st a bbr eviate the wor k, in half the tine, and w i t h ha l f th e l a b o u r th at else it would be done in, which wi l l p r o v e a g re a te r e a se a n d benefit, and shor ten expenses. T h e C le a n si n g o f o u r B ase. I t i s mo st ce rta i n , that the exter nal fir e is a gr eat fr iend t o u s , a n d h i s n a tu re i s such, that he can indur e no im pur it y i n a n y t h i n g , th e re fo re a t the day of Judgement, the Elem ental fi r e s h a 1 l p u ri fi e , cl e a n se , and bur n up all the im pur e ear th tha t w e t r e a d o rl , a n d p u rg e i t fr om all dr oss and fi1th. S o l i ke w i se mu st i t d o in our wor k. W her efor e after the s epar a t i o n o f o u r Wa te r, A i r and Fir e out of our Ear th; Take out the b l a c k fe ce s w h i ch re ma i n in the bottom of our Vessel- , call- ed our D r a g o n , a n d g ri n d i t i n to small powder , and calcine it in tw o c r u c i b l e s l u te d to g e th e r, in a potter s fur nace, or in a g1as s , or w i n d f u rn a ce , u n ti l i t look whitish or som ething gr ey, which C al x k e e p by i tse l f, fo r i t is called the Base and Foundation of our W o r k , a n d i t i s n o w ca l l ed M ARS, and our W hite Fixed Ear th. T h e Pu ri fi ca ti o n B u t th a t o f o u r Faint W ater s.

th o u ma ye st loose no tim e nor be idle, while the Ear th i s c a l ci n i n g , dr awn out of the d i sti l th e W ater that was fir st C o m p o u n d ,se ve n ti me s, until it be clear as Cr ystal, but do i t

a l -o n e , n o t i n ter m ixing any other thing ther ewith, and t h e n h a st th o u o u r p u re r i- ver of water of Life, which hath pow er a n d v i rtu e to re vi ve th e dead body fr om whence it spr ung, a nd to m a k e i t w h i te a n d S h i n i ng like a pur e Alabaster . As for our other A r i e a n d fi e ry w a te rs, they ar e so fixed and per manent, tha t no f i r e wi l l a g a i n e l e va te their substances, but they wouLd st and i n t h e fi re , u n ti l - D o o m sdaywithout any wasting or exhaLation. A11 things being now purified without and within, now beginneth t h e Wo rk o f A rt a n d N a tur e, wher ein, the one m ust insepar abl y ai d t h e o th e r, fo r i f e i th e r r efuses to help each other , all th e for m er s w e a ts a n d T o i l e s a re to no pur pose, for Natur e can not br in g o u r d i sse rve d e l e me n ts together without the assistance of t he e x p e r t A rti st; n e i th e r can the Ar tist coagulate the eLemen ts put t o g e t he r w i th o u t N a tu re, wher efor e Natur e implor es the aid of the A r t i s t w i th a n A d j u n a me, & ego adjunabose. And the Ar tist fi ndi ng b e f o r e, w h a t g o o d N a tu re had done him, in dissolving and pu tr efy i n g t he b o d i -e s, i s a s ready to help her , thus. T h e W o rk o f C o n j u n e ti o n of our Elem ents. T a ke th e a b o ve sa i -d calcined faeces called MARS, or Our Dragon w h i c h d e vo u re th h i s o w n Tai1, and put ther eof so much into a gl as s b o d y , a s sca rce l y fi l l - half of it, and pour ther eon so m uch of o u r r e cti fi e d w a te r o f Life, as well may but cover the Calx m ade i n t o po w d e r, w h i ch d o n e, incontinently stop the glass with a bLi nd h e a d we l l l u te d to th e bodyr and set it in hot ashes, until the Calx have drunk up and congealed all the Liquor, which it will d o i n e i g h t d a ys, a n d so fr om eight days to eight days im bibe the s a i d C a l x w i th h i s o w n water , and that he will dr ink no mor e, but i s v e r y w h i te a n d sh i n e th as the Eyes of Fishes, and be full of C h r y sta l l i n e P l -a te s, th en, the said Calx being ver y d"y' ta k e i t o u t o f th e g Ia ss, a n d separ ate fr om it, all the Chr ystalline Pl ates , a n d m a ke th e m o n l y i n to Powder , put that powder , which we c al l

by itseLf

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SULPHUR 0F NATURE,or FOLIATEDEARTHinto another glass, and pour t h e r e o n so me o f o u r w h i te Ar ie fume called vir gins M ir k, upon a l e n t f i re co n g e a l th e m together , and continue this W or k until i t h a ve d ru n k a l mo st a l l his Air , and is becom e fixt and per m anent. T h e n ta ke i t o u t, make it into powder and incer ate it w i th p a r t of h i s re se rve d A i r by dr ops, untiL it become like liqu i d h o n e y , a n d th a t i t w i l l melt and flow like W a:<, on a coal- fi - r e, a n d n o t e va p o ra te , th u s hast thou the per feet W hite Stone, a nd S i l v e r i e Me d i ci n e , w h i ch tr ansmuteth all imper fect metalLine bodi es i n t o t ru e , so l i d a n d p e r fect luna. T h e R e d Wo rk. When thou hast once obtained our White Stone in manner and form a f o r e s aj -d , d i vi d e i t i n to two equal par ts, and to the one of them p u t t h e 4 th . p a rt o f Me rcur y sublim ate both of them pulver ized, m i x t h em w e l l to g e th e r, and put them into a glass which stop c l os e, a n d s et i t i n to yo u r fu rnace, and ther e let it stand for the s pac e o f a mo n th , i n a te mp e rate fir e, unti- l it be one body, then tak e p a r t o f i t to p ro j e ct for your necessitie, and the other part y ou mu l ti p l y w i th sublim ate, or Quicksilver pur ified w i th . m a y s t il l Sa l t an d V i n e g a r, u n to y our lifes end, and so substr act and m ul t i p l y a t yo u r p l e a su re . B u t fo r th e R e d , ta ke the other half of your r eser ved W hi te St o n e , a n d p u l ve ri -ze i t, and put it into a glass , dr r d pour t her eon o f o u r fi e ry w ater , or Golden Tinctur e, and congea l them a little t o g e t h er u p o n a sl e n d e r fir e lest your glass br eak, bV for ce of the venome and insuperable power of our Red and fiery Mercury, d o s o o n ce o r tw i ce , u n til it be per fectly fixed, then take i t out m a k e i t i n to re d p o w d e r, and incer ate it in a cr ucible with hi s s a i d r ed 0 i 1 , o r fi e ry Water , untiL it flow like W ax, as you di d the White Medicine, then have you OURDARKRED STONEsomewhat like t h e p ow d e r o f a n H o e ma tite, which is able to do m ir acles upon

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b u t w e i n te n d n ot to r eveal them at this tim e, leaving i t t o b e e xp e ri e n ce d b y th ose, whom Alm ighty God sha1l think wor thy t o t e a ch , b y th i s o u r l i tt1e and br ief, but pithie and tr ue book , u n t o wh o m w e p e rp e tu a l l y owe all thinks and pr aise, for end ow i ng us with th e K n o w l e d g e ther eof. o f th e Gr eat wor k, which saveth half the Time

earth,

T h e A e cu rta ti o n and labour.

T h e Wh i te R o g u e , o r p owder , wher eof we spake befor e, and w i IIed t h e e ca re fu l -l y to re se rve it, which is per fect Sulphur of Natur e, a n d f ol i a te d E a rth , w h i ch needs neither im bibing, nor digest i ng u n t o t h e w h i te . Take it therefore, and being ground fine and smal-l-, imbibe it with a fourth part of our before said. Air, or virgins Mi1k. B u t o b se rve b y th e W" y, that thou must have gr eat stor e of our W a t e r , A i r a n d F i re , a n d those extr aeted out of five or six s ev e r a l Co mp o u n d s, o r C h a os, so that after you have dr iven one C haos o u t o f th e Ove n r $ o u must pr esently set in a new one, and so s uc c . e s s i - v e l y o n e a fte r a n o ther , and then separ ate their elements , for e l s e y o u w i l l w a n t w a te rs and oils for im bibition, incer ation , and m u l t i p l i ca ti o n , a n d i f thy wor k be discontinued for want of s uc h m a t e r i al s, a l l i s sp o i l e d and will com e to noth5- ng, for if thou o n c e b e g i n , th cu mu st p roceed without stay or inter r uption u nto the ful1 end. B u t to th e ma tte r, h a ving im bibed the said Rym e, congeal t he w h o l - e o n a so ft fi re , u ntil it be dr unk up, then imbibe and c ong e a l i t tw i ce mo re u n ti l - it be fixed, after that powder it, and i n c e r a te i t, w i th so me of our Air by dr ops, as thou didst th y w h i t e me d i ci n e b e fo re , until it flow like war cupon a r ed hot i r on, and fly not away, thus shalt thou have the White Stone perfectly m a d e i n h a l f th e ti me , and with half the labour which is a p r ec i o u s J e w e l r ? rrd a g re a t Secr et.

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T h e Accu rta ti o n

o f th e Red W or k.

T a k e th e w h o l e , o r th e half, of this our W hite Stone, mad e of t h e s a i d R yme , a n d b e i n g pulver ized, put it into a str ong egg g l a s s , a n d i mb i b e i t w i th a little of our Red fier y M er cur y, and s e t i t o n a w e a k fi re for fear of br eaking the glass, congeal i t i n t o a d ry p o w d e r, th e n imbibe it and congeal it so twice m or e u n t i l it b e stro n g l y fi xed, then take it out, pulver ize it, and i - n c e r ate i t w i th o u r sa i d fier y 0i1 by dr ops in a str ong cr uc i bl e, o n a g e n tl e fi re u n ti l i t flow like wa;< as is befor e said. T tr en h a s t t h o u th e R e d S to n e per fect with less labour , expence of ti m e a n d c osts, fo r th e w h i e h ever thank God. T h i s S e cre t w a s n e ve r befor e discover ed by any of the Anc i ent Ph i l o s op h e rs, fo r th e y wer e ever envious of their r ar e Myste r i es , w h i c h w e h a ve n o w fu l -l -y disclosed, for the honour of God, and for t h y g o o d , th a t th e re b y thou m ayst per for m holy W or ks of Char i ty a n d M e rcy, p l e n ti fu l l y the father less and s upplying and r elieving w i d d o we rs, re d e e mi n g p ri s oner s and captives, especially such as s u f f e r fo r o u r B l -e sse d Lor d and Saviour , Chr ist Jesus sake. O r W h i te S to n e i s Mu ltiplied by r eiter ate im bibition, congeal ati o n , a n d i n ce ra ti -o n , w i th our Air ie Vir gins M ilk, for the m or e and o f t n e r yo u p u t th a t to i t, the mor e it incr easeth in quantity , a n d i t i s th e re b y ma d e the m or e subtile and penetr ating, and c onv e r t e t h th e mo re me ta 1 , with the lesser of its quantity. I n l i ke ma n n e r o u r R e d Stone is also m ultiplied by r eiter ate i m b i b i ti o n , co n g e a l a ti o n , and Incer ation with our fier y 0i1, or R e d M e rcu rf, a n d th e re w i th thou m ayst so acuate it, that it s hal l b e a b l e , n o t o n l y to p e netr ate m etals, but also the har dest Stones , a n d w ha tso e ve r o th e r sa i d Things in the W hole W or 1d. W h o so e ve r th e n sh a 1 l obtain these Medicines, he shal- l have i nc o m p a r a b l e T re a su re s, a bove all the Tr easur es of this W or ld.
F I NI S .

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Of this Salt, HelbigiusSaith:

Brltish tuseu m t SS. Sloane #630 The above ls the only ilile grven this small tract
The Philosophers speak of IVIERCURY, and SALT, this third SU],PHUR p r i n c i p le vi z. th e S a l t while I br eathe I will extoll with m os t ample prayers as most true principle. In this is whatever the W i s e M e n se e k. Its a l l in all. It opens and shuts. Ttr is r ei gns in the Air. It rules both earth and water, which equal Sulphur and utmost force. Its the third and last of most natural things in Nature. Water is the Mother of itl Ttris is the MERCURY sought a f t e r by C h e mi sts, a n d their Sulphur ; its neither Kitchen Sal t, n o r S e a S a l t n o r ca l e i n e d Sa1t, nor volatilized Sa1t. Nor any other thing produced by the help of fire. But the nost noble grain of the maturity and excelleney of everything. Added out of the subtility o f th e su p e ri o r Water s, to the Infer iour , for a soul and for the beginning added to them. We name it in emminent manner t h e S a l t o f N a tu re . . T h i s p rl mo g e n i u s S a l t is not cor r osive; not acr id, scar ce s ensibly astringent, most penetrative and opening, Dissolving and w h e n y ou fo l l o w th e N a tur al Pr ocess or motion, it is Coagulati ng and Maturating. Its part of the certain body obtained out of the f i r e , an d th ro u g h co n ti n ued m otionr so nobilitated, and matur ated t h a t i t d e se rve d l y me ri ts the TitLe of the Soul Essence and Sal t o f N a t u re . I t r ests u p o n th e w h o l e Univer se, but in one plaee in gr eater quantity than another, one part whereof is easier to obtain than another. Salt Whether is the MERCURIAIViscous liquor or the SULPHUREOUS e a s i e r o b ta i n e d ? There are three Kingdomesr The Inferiour that lies under mens

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th e Mi d d l e K i n g d o m, the Animal, and the super iour Kingdom , t h a t ' w h i ch i s a b o ve u s and in whieh we l- ive; r t is in alL thr ee a s v i d e th e A u th o r. B u t th e mi d d l e K i n g d o m possesseth the m ost excellent SALT of N a t u r e a n d th e g re a te st par t ther eof & etc., which is as wel l dr aw n t h e r e o u t a s o u t o f th e super iour and r nfer iour Kingd.om s. T h e S e a t h e re o f th e re for e is the M iddle Kindom , whose seat I c aLl S P E I U N C A 'a ca ve a n d D e n, the house and habitation of sadne s s and g l a d n e ss. T tIe fn h a b i ta n t wher eof or Indweller is calIed the M agnet, Chaos. I m p r o p e rl y S e n d i vo g i u s stiles, the Hy1e, the fir st matter . And i t e n j oys so g re a t (a n ) abundance of the sar t of Natur e, as no b o d y i n th e w o rl d h a th so much. r t is beheld by m any, but by r eas o n o f i ts vi sci d sl i my cloathing, and the dar kness of its l eaden c o L o u r, i t se e ms vi l e , and being dug up is sometimes cast bac k a g a i n (re j e cte d ) w i th n ausia and loathing. It is pur chased w i th l a b o u r b u t n e ve r w i th money. And being once obtained it is al w ay s (tfre re a so n ther eof is that it is so easily augm ented) . sufficient T h e fi rst b e g o tte n S a lt of Natur e being dr awn down to the c us tody o f t h e Ma g n e t, a n d b e i n g pur ified and applied. to another subj ec t, ' b y t h e h e a t o f mo ti o n i s stir r ed up and is m ade as it wer e a n Ag e n t , w h i ch d i sso l ve s the M etals and M iner als which ar e tr ans f o r m e d b y th e mo ti o n o f the water , and it opens, enter s, the m or e i g n o b l e , cru d e , g ro ss p ar t of the tr ansm uted water ; and it d oth o p e n t h a t w h i ch i n cl o se s the Salt which is like itself and d oth e n t e r in to i t, a n d h e l p s it then that per fect gr ave of essen c e m a y h a ve g re a te r p o r4 re rover the r est. E. a. Gold. G o l d b e i n g d i sso l ve d radically ( thr ough the oper ation of t hi s s a l t a s a Me n stru u m) b y the vi- r tue of which, and ar so of his ow n e s s e n ce (w h i ch i s th e sam e salt) which vir tue is stir r ed up by t h e m oti o n o f e xte rn a l heat, thus the Gold is en- nobled, and i s e x a l t e d to su ch a d e g re e far exceeding the com m onand cr ude m atur a t i o n i t re ce i ve s i n th e ear thr so that it yields seed which i ns er ted

feet,

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t h e l -e sse r a n d mo re unr ipe m etals, bV that Illum ination doth a d v a n ce th e m fa r a b o ve the excel- Iency of com m onGold. T h i s S a l t i s th a t U n i - ver sal Menstr uum , the Ccagulated W at er of Nature. o f the Little T h e V i tri o l W or ld ( that is the Philos ophi c al ES S ) . T h e P h i l o so p h i ca l - sublimate Mer cur y & etc. This is t he f i e l d to w h i ch Go l d se rves for seed. F o r th e se p a ra ti o n o f this Tr easur e, Fir st the unpr ofitable par t m u s t be ca st a w a y fro m the useful par t, the useful par t must be purified, a n d se p a ra te d into two par ts ( vi- 2. into Mer cur ial W ater a n d Su l p h u ri ca l E a rth ). The gr eater par t flys away and asce nds , t h e l e sse r p a rt re ma i n s below as dead, until the r est of the fi l th b e i n g a b stra cte d , th e u pper par t doth exalt the l- ower ; both w hi c h b e i n g u n i te d th e y ri p e n the Gold that is added to them, and effec t it w i t h i n fi n i te fe rti l i ty. pr ocess which appoints T h i s a g re e s w i th th e other par ticular t o t a ke cru d e S o l a r a n d lunar or M er cur ial M iner als, wher ein M er heat hath cury is as yet crude and unri-pe, wherein the sulphurial n o t y et so fa r co a g u l a ted the M er cur ial W ater ; as to br ing it to t h e b o d .y o f Me rcu ry, mu ch less to the dr lm ess of Antimony; ( s o t h a t ce rta i n l y i ts i n n either of these, they ar e past it) pu r i fi e t h e m a tte r b y w a sh i n g a nd r em oving the stony or too gr oss pa r t' it in Balneo gently . i t 9 0 d a ys, and then distil t h e n pu tri fy T h e w h i ch a l l i s ri si n g with the heat, then you m ay see what m or e o f t h e Me rcu ri a l L i q u o r r ose, $ou may by gr eater heat of Sa nd c om e t h e Su l p h u re o u s E a rth to ar ise in flower s.* * N ote . T h e F l o w e rs that lie in the middle in the sublim ati on t h a t are th e re d d e st a n d shini- ng ar e the best, not the lighte s t t h e y are n o t fi xe d e n o u gh, and the lowest ar e too dr opsycal' but e x p e r i e n ce w i l l sh o w th i s. 0 r t h e F l o w e rsx ma y b e got of another Solar Root. n N o te . (o r S U L P H U R) som e say by digestion of them togeth er a d u e ti me . T h e n b y o fte n C o h o b a tion of this M er cur ial W ater upon this

into

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e a rth , vi z. the flower s; the liquor is so im pr egnated S U L P H U R th , a t it is the tr ue M enstr uum for pur e SoI w h i c h w i l l d i sso l ve i t and r ipen it as above said, viz. Two par ts of this Mercurial SULPHUMTED liquor, and one part of purified S o 1 , or S o l u ti o n o f S o 1 , put into a Philosophical Egg, not a thi r d f u l - I , h e rme ti ca l l y se a l ed; placed in a nest in an Athanor in s ueh a gentle heat as only keeps a continual vapour and moisture in the g l a s s w i th a co n sta n t ki nd of motion, ther ein also; thr ough al l t h e c o l o u rs, ti l -1 i t co me to white and r ed & etc. Too m uch heat w i l l t o o so o n d ry u p th e vapour and m oistur e, and fix the m oti on ( a n d b u rn fca ru s h i s w i ngs) too little heat will not r aise s uc h natural Dewy Vapours, nor cause such Vegetable and Animal motions, and as of the outward, the like may be said of the Inward heat a n d m oi stu re ; th e P h i L o sophical Sulphur and the tr ue M er cury of t h e Ph i l o so p h e rs a re th e fnwar d fir e and W ater of the Philos opher s , w h i c h fo r th e sa me re a sons must be exactly or der ed in the du e q u a n t i ty a fo re sa i d ; A n d then the Red and W hite, one or bothr 2s y o u p l e a se , ma y b e a g a i n dissolved in the afor esaid Menstr uum , a n d c o a g u l a te d ti 1 l th e y attain the desir ed str ength.

s u l p h uri a l w i t h so l a r

F I NI S .

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A Short Process Followhg Thls TreaUse

The way to change MERCURY as red as blood which being converted into powder transmuteth LUNAinto S0ll first make an AQUA-FORTIS of vrTRrOL and NrTRE and distitl it 3 times from its own cApur MORTUUM. hr. of this AQUA-FORTTS iij g MERCURy V iij in a retort, 3 let them distill then & cohobate so often until the MERCURy bears red as bLood, which will be in 5 or 5 times, then bring it to a red powder by imbibing it with the red oir of vrrRrOt 3 times, then dry it and bring it lnto a red powder and divide it into 8 parts. Ilren take I I g SATURN upon a test, when it drivetn put J i e L UN A& +3 ofS OI,& i gthe 8 parts of powder, and there will remain f .f of SOL.

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