# The Art of Distillation/Book 5

The Contents of the fift Book.
A Miscellany of Spagyricall experiments and curiosities.
A Miscellany of Spagyricall Experiments, and Curiosities.
BOOK the Fift.
WAter seemes to be a body so very Homogeneall, as if neither Nature or Art could discover any Heterogeneity in the parts thereof: Thus indeed it seemes to the eye of the vulgar, but to that of a Philosopher farre otherwise, as I shall endeavour to make credible by prefenting to your consideration a twofold processe of the discovering the dissimilary parts thereof; whereof the one is naturall only, and the other artificiall; But before I speake of either, it must be premised, that in the element of Water there is great plenty of the Spirit of the world, which is more predominant in it, then in any other element, for the use, and benefit of universall nature; and that this Spirit hath three distinct substances, viz. Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. Now by Salt ​we must understand a substance very dry, vitall, and radicall, having in it the beginning of corporification, as I may so call it by Sulphur, a substance, full of light, and vitall heat, or vivifying fire, containing in it selfe the beginning of motion: by Mercury, a substance abounding with radicall moisture, with which the Sulphur of life, or vitall fire is cherished, and preserved. Now these substances which are in the Spirit of the world make all fountaines, and waters, but with some difference, according to the prodominancy of either. This severall predominancy therefore is the ground of the variety of productions; I fay, of productions because all things are produced out of water: for water is both the Sperme, and the Menstruum of the world; the former, because it includes the seed of every thing; the latter, because the Sperme of nature is putrefied in it, that the seed included in it should be actuated, and take upon it the divers formes of things; and because by it the seed it self, and all things produced of seed grow, and are increased : Now this being premised, I shall shew you what the naturall processe is, which I shall make plain by instancing in three severall productions, viz. of the spawn of frogs, of stones, and of vegetables.
The Spawne of Frogs is produced after this manner, viz. The Sulphur, which is in the Water being by the heat of the fun resolved, and dissolved, is greedily, and with delight conceived by the element of water, even as the sperme of a Male is by the matrix of the Female, and that upon this account. The water wants siccity, which the sulphur hath, and, therefore exceedingly desiring it, doth greedily attract it to it selfe: Sulphur also wants humidity, and therefore attracts the humidity of the water: Morcover the humidity of the water hath the humidity of the salt laid up occultly in it: also the Sulphur cherisheth the humidity of the fire, and desires nothing more then the humidity of the salt, that is in the water. Sulphur also containes the siccity of the Salt, whence it is that Salt requires a siccity from the Sulphur. And thus do these attractive vertues mu​tually act upon each others subject. Now by this meanes there is a conception made in the water, which now begins to be turgid, puffed up, and troubled, as also to be grosser, and more slimie, untill cut of the spermatick vessels the spermes be cast upward, in which spermes after a while appear black speckes, which are the seed of the Frogs, and by the heat of the sun, are in a short time turned into the fame; by which it appears there are dissimilary parts in water.
2. Stones are produced out of water that hath a mucilaginous Mercury, which the Salt, with which it also abounds, fixeth into stones. This you may see cleared by putting stones into water, for they will after a time contract a mucilaginous slimie matter, which being taken out of the water and set in the fun becomes to be of a stony nature. And whence come those stones, gravell and fand which we sce in springs? they are not washed down out of the mountains and hils (as some think) from whence the waters spring, neither were they in the earth before the springs brake forth, (as some imagine) and now appear by washing away of the earth from them; for if you dig round about the springs, even beyond the heads of them, you shall find no stones at all in the earth, only in the veins thereof through which the water runs ; Now the reason of the smallnesse of these stones is the continuall motion of the Water, which hinders them from being united into a continued bignesse. I shall make a further confirmation of this in the artificiall processe of manisesting the heterogeneity of water. I shall here only adde the assertion of Helmont, saying that with his Altahest all stones, and indeed all things may be turned into water: If so then you know what the Maxime is, viz. All things may be resolved a into that from whence they had their beginning.
3. Vegetables are produced out of water, as you may clearly see by the waters sending forth plants that have no roots fixed in the bottome; of which sort is the hearb called Duck-weed, which putteth forth a little string into the water, which is as it were the root thereof. For the confirmation of this, that this hearb may be produced out of meere ​water, there is a gentleman at this time in the City, of no small worth that saith he had fair water standing in a glasse divers years, and at last a plant sprang out of it. Also if you put some plants, as water-mint, &c. into a glasse of fair water, it will germinate, and shoot out into a great length, and also take root in the water, which root will in a short time be so increased, and extended, as to fill up the glasse: but you must remember that you put fresh water into the glasse once in two or three dayes. Hereunto also, may be added the experiment of Helment concerning the growth of a a tree; For (saith he) I took 2 hundred pound weight of earth dryed in an oven, and put it into a vessell, in which I set a willow-tree which weighed five pound, which by the addition of water to the earth did in five years time grow to such a bignesse, as that it weighed 169 pound, at which time I also dryed and weighed the earth, and within two ounces it retained its former weight. Besides, the ancients have observed that some hearbs have grown out of snow being putrefied: and doe not we see that all vegetables are nourished, and increased with an insipid water, for what else is their juice? If you cut a vine in the month of March, it will drop diverse gallons of insipid water, which water if it had remained in the trunk of the vine would in a little time have been digested into leaves, stalkes and grapes, which grapes also by a further maturation would have yeelded a Wine, out of which you might have extracted a burning Spirit: Now I say although this insipid water be by the specificall sulphur and salt of the vine fixed into the stalks, leaves, and grapes of the vine, yet these give it not a corporificative matter, for that it had before, and an aptitude and potentiality to become what afterwards it proves to be: for indeed stalks, leaves, and grapes were potentially in it before, all which now it becomes to be actually, by vertue of the fun, and of the aforesaid sulphur and salt, whereof the two latter were originally in the small seed, and therefore as I said could not adde any bulk to them.
Moreover doe not we see that when things are burnt and ​putrefied, they ascend up into the aire by way of vapour, and fume, and then descend by way of insipid dew, or rain? Now what do all these signifie but that from water, are all things produced, and in it are dissimilary parts?
2. The artificiall processe is this: Take of what water you please, whether well-water, fountain, river, or rain-water, as much as you please, let it fettle three or four houres, untill the slime thereof separates it selfe: then digest it the space of a moneth; after which time evaporate the fourth part, by a very gentle heat, and cast it away being but the flegme, then distill off the remainder of the water till the feces onely be left, which feces will be a slimie saltish substance: This middle substance distill againe as before, casting away every time the fourth part, as flegme, and keeping the feces by themselves for a further use; and this doe seven times. Note that after the fourth or fifth distillation the water will distill over like milke, colouring the head of your Still so that it can hardly be washed or scoured off. This pure water after the seventh distillation will leave no feces behind and if you digest it three moneths it will be coagulated into stones and Crystalls, which some magnifie very much for the cure of inward, and outward putrefactions, out of which also may be made a dissolving Spirit. Note that as this water stands in digestion you may fee divers curious colours. Now as for the feces which I spake of (which indeed all waters even the sweetest leave at the bottome) being as I said a saltish slime, and in tast as is were a Medium betwixt salt, and Nitre, take them and distill them in a Retort in fand, and there will first come forth a white fume, which being condensed descendeth in a straight. line to the bottome, next will come over a red Oil of great efficacy, exceeding the vertues of the Spirit of Salt or Nitre. For confirmation of part of this processe, take May dew gathered in a morning (when it hath not rained the night before) and put it into a glasse vessell, covered with a parchment pricked full of holes, and set it, in the heat of the sun for the space of foure moneths, and there will store of ​green feces fall to the bottom, the residue of the water being white and cleare. Now by all this you may conclude what manner of dissimilarity there is in the parts of water. I shall adde but one observation more, and so conclude this subject.
Take a flint one of river water, and put it into a gourd glasse, poure upon it as much river water as will fill the glasse, evaporate this water till the flint be dry, then poure on more fresh water, doe this so long till the flint will fill up the glasse, (for in a little time it will fill it up, and becon e to be of the forme or figure of the glasse) for it attracts to it selfe the mucilaginousnesse of the water, which indeed is a slimie saltish matter, and the true matter of stones. And thus thou shalt have that done by art in few dayes, which nature would have been perfecting many yeares, and indeed just such a flint as is produced in the rivers. Any one that should see this flint in the glasse would wonder how it should come in there. You may break your glasse, and take out your flint.
There are divers such processes which may be used, but in effect they demonstrate but little more concerning the potentiall heterogeneity of water, and therefore to avoid tediousnesse, I shall here end with the Anatomy of water, concerning which if any one can make a further illustration, let him be candid and impart it, and I shall be glad to learn of him, and in the mean time let him accept of these my endeavours.
I Shall not speak here of the juice of grapes as being naturally divided into Wine, Tartar and Lees, but of Wine as artificially divided into pure Spirit, flegme, and feces.
1. The Spirit is that hot, subtle, pure, clear, cordiall, and balsamicall substance which ariseth with a small heat after four ​or five distillations, being indeed but the twentieth part of the Wine. This Spirit is not that inebriating substance of the Wine as most think, for a man may drink the Spirit that is extracted out of ten pints of Wine without distempering of his braine at all, when as perhaps he would be distempered with drinking a pint or two of the Wine.
Now this Spirit contains in it a subtle Armoniack, and essentiall Sulphur inseparably conjoyned, which indeed are the life of the Spirit, and may be separated from the Mercuriall or watery part thereof, which after separation of them remaines insipid, but yet of wonderfull subtility. They may be separated thus: First, rectifie the Spirit as high as you can the ordinary way: then rectifie it once or twice in these following vessels.
Note that if there be any flegme remaining in the Spirit, it will goe no further then the middle receiver, especially the second time. By this means thou shalt have so subtle a Spirit, that unlesse it be kept in a vessell close stopt it will flie away in the aire. Then take of this Spirit two ounces, and poure it upon fix ounces of calcined Tartar before the salt be extracted, and mingle them well together, Then distill it in Balneo, and there will come over an insipid water, which as I said before is ​very subtle, then put on a like quantity of the said Spirit as before, and distillit oss, and thus do so long till the water that comes over, is not insipid, but the Spirit comes over again hot as it was poured on: for by this time the sixed matter is glutted with the salt Armoniack, and sulphur of the Spirit. Then put this dryed matter into a glasse sublimatorie, and put fire to it, and there will sublime a salt from thence, even as Camphire is sublimed. This salt is the true essence of Wine indeed, and its vertues are wondersull, for there is no disease whether inward or outward that can withstand it. This is that essence of Wine of the philosophers, which is so penetrating, o wondersull cordiall, and balsamicall, which if thou dost once obtaine thou shalt need but few other medicines.
Now this Spirit or Aqua vitæ is in all vegetables as you may see in malt, and vegetables that are putrefied before they be distilled, which then yeeld a burning Spirit; yet it is in Wine more then in any other Liquors; I say Liquors, for if you take eight gallons of Sack, and as much Wheat, which is a solid body, the Wheat being malted will yeeld more Aquavitæ then the Sack.
2. The flegme is that which remaines after the Spirit is distilled off, and is a putrid insipid, cold, narcotick, and inebriating Liquor, debilitating the stomack, and offending the head. A sew spoonsulls of this will presently make a man drunk, nay the flegme of halsa pint of Wine will make a man drunk, when as two pints of Wine it self would hardly doe it: whence you may collect what a great correcter of Malignant Spirits, and vapours the Spirit of Wine is, which, whilest it is mixed with the flegme before distillation doth temper and correct this inebriating quality thereof, and as it doth thus, so also being given (I mean the pure dephlegmated Spirit) to them that are already inebriated, doth much allay their distemper. This flegme therefore being of so narcotick a quality is the cause of pallies, and such like distempers.
Moreover it is to be observed that when this flegme is distilled off, there remains at the bottome a viscous corrosive matter which by reason of its viscosity is the cause of obstructions, and ​by reason of its corrosivenesse the cause of the gout, colick, stone, &c.
3. This feces being distilled yeelds a sharp Spirit, and fetid Oil, which leave behind them a saltish substance, out of which when the salt is extracted, there remaines an insipid earth.
Now if any shall object against what I have asserted, and say that Aquavitæ, or Spirit of Wine are inebriating, the causes of palsie, gout, stone, colick, weak stomacks, and such like as wee fee by daily experience in those that are given to the drinking of these Liquors to which I answer it is true: but then I must distingush of Aqua vitæ, and Spirit of Wine, for there is. a common Aqua vitæ, and Spirit of Wine, of which also they make Annis-seed-water by putting a few Annis-seeds thereunto, and other such like Waters, as Clove, Angelica, Lemmon, &c. With which this Nation is most abominably cheated, and their health impaired. But these are not rectified throughly, but three parts of four of them are an insipid Narcotick flegme, containing in it the feces I spake of, all which I can in a day separate from the true pure Spirit, which spirit rather prevents, then, causes such distempers: And the truth is, all the goodnesse of the Wine is from this pure Spirit.
FIrst we must understand that there are three acceptions of the word Homunculus in Paracelsus, which are these.
* Homunculus is a superstitious image made in the place, or name of any one, that it may contain an astrall and invisible man; wherefore it was made for a superstitious use.
* Homunculus is taken for an artificiall man, made of Sperma humanum Masculinum digested into the shape of a man, and then nourished and increased with the essence of mans blond; and this is not repugnant to the possibility of nature, and art. But ​is one of the greatest wonders of God which he ever did suffer mortall man to know. I shall not here set down the full processe because I think it unfit to be done, at leaft to be divulged: besides neither this, nor the former is for my present purpose.
* Homunculus is taken for a most excellent Arcanum or Medicament extracted by the spagyricall Art from the chiefest staffe of the naturall life in man, and according to this acception I shall here speak of it: But before I shew you the processe, I shall give you an account why this Medicament is called Homanculus; and it is this.
No wise man will deny that the slaffe of life is the nutriment thereof, and that the chiefest nutriment is Bread and Wine, being ordained by God, and nature above all other things for the sustentation thereof. Besides Paracelsus preferred this nutriment for the generation of the bloud and spirits, and the forming thence the Sperme of his Homunculus. Now by a sutable allusion the nutriment is taken for the life of man, and especially because it is transmuted into life: and again the life is taken for the man, for unlesse a man be alive, he is not a man, but the carkasse only of a man, and the basest part thereof, which cannot perfectly be taken for the whole man, as the noblest part may. In as much therefore as the nutriment, or aliment of life may be called the life of man, and the life of man be called man; this nutriment extracted cut of Bread, and Wine, and being by digestion exalted into the highest purity of a nutritive substance, and consequently becoming the life of man, being so potentially, may Metaphorically be called Homunculus.
The processe, which in part shall be set down allegorically is thus: Take the best Wheat, and the best Wine of each a like quantity, put them into a glasse, which you must Hermetically close: then let them putrefie in horse-dung three dayes, or untill the Wheat begin to germinate, or to sprout forth, which then must be taken forth and bruised in a mortar, and be pressed through a linnen cloth, & there will come forth a white juice like Milk; you must cast away the feces: Let this juice be ​put into a glasse, which must not be above halfe full; stop it close and set it in horse-dung as before for the space of fifty dayes. If the heat be temperate, and not exceeding the naturall heat of a man, the matter will be turned into a spagyricall bloud, and flesh, like an Embryo. This is the principall, and next matter, out of which is generated a two fold sperme, viz. of the father and mother, generating the Homunculus, without which there can be made no generation, whether humane, or animall.
From the bloud, and flesh of this Embryo let the water bee separated in Balneo, and the aire in ashes, and both be kept by themselves. Then to the feces of the latter distillation let the water of the former distillation be added; both which must (the glasse being close stopt) putrefie in Balneo, the space of ten dayes, after this distill the water the second time, (which is then the vehiculum of the fire) together with the fire, in ashes, then distill off this water in a gentle Balneo, and in the bottome remains the fire which must be distilled in ashes. Keep both these apart. And thus you have the four elements separated from the Chaos of the Embryo.
The feculent earth is to be reverberated in a close vessell for the space of four dayes: In the interim distill off the fourth part of the first distillation in Balneo, and cast it away; the other three parts distill in ashes, and pour it upon the reverberated earth, and distill it in a strong fire; cohobate it four times, and so you shall have a very clear water, which you must keep by it selfe: Then pour the aire on the fame earth, and distill it in a strong fire, and there wil come over a clear, splendid, odoriferous water, which must be kept a part: After this pour the fire upon the first water, and putrefie them together in Balneo the space of three dayes, then put then into a Retort and distill them in fand, and there will come over a water tafting of the fire: let this water be distilled in Balneo, and what distills off, keep by it selfe, as also what remains in the bottome, which is the fire, keep by it selfe. This last distilled water pour againe upon its earth, and let them be macerated together in Balneo for the space of three dayes, and then let all the water be distilled in fand, and let what will arife be separated in Balneo, and the re​sidence remaining in the bottome be reserved with the former residence. Let the water be again poured upon the earth, bee abstracted, and separated as before, untill nothing remain in the bottome, which is not separated in Balneo. This being done lee the water which was last separated be mixed with the residue of its fire, and be macerated in Balneo three or four dayes, and all be distilled in Balneo, that can ascend with that heat, and let what remains be destilled in ashes from the fire, and what shall be elevated is aeriall; and what remaines in the bottome is fiery. These two last Liquors are ascribed to the two first principles, the former to Mercury, and the latter to Sulphur, and are accounted by Paracelsus, not as elements, but their vitall parts, being as it were the naturall Spirits and soule, which are in them by nature. Now both are to be rectified, and reflected into their center with a circular motion, that this Mercury may be prepared with its water being kept cleare, and odoriferous in the upper place, but the Sulphur by it selfe. Now it remaines that we look into the third principle: let the reverberated earth being ground upon a marble imbibe its owne water, which did above remain after the last separation of the Liquors made in Balneo, so that this be the fourth part of the weight of its earth, and be congealed by the heat of ashes into its earth, and let this be done so oft, the proportion being observed, untill the earth hath drunk up all its water. And lastly let this earth be sublimed into a white powder, as white as snow, the feces being cast away. This earth being sublimed, and freed from its obscurity is the true Chaos of the elements, for it contains thofe things occult, seeing it is the salt of nature, in which they lye hid, being as it were reflexed in their center. This is the third principle of Paracelsus, and the salt, which is the matrix, in which the two former spermes, viz. Of the man, and woman, the parents of the Homunculus, viz. of Mercury, Sulphur are to be put, and to be closed up together in a glazen womb sealed with Hermes seales for the tree generation of the Homunculus produced from the spagyricall Embryo: and this is the Homunculus or great Arcanum, otherwise called the nutritive Medicament of Paracelsus.
​This Homunculus or nutritive Medicament is of such vertue that presently after it is taken into the body it is turned into bloud, and spirits. If then diseases prove mortall because they destroy the Spirits, what mortall disease can withstand such a medicine, that doth so soon repaire, and so strongly fortifie the spirits, as this Homunculus being as the Oil to the flame, into which it is immediately turned, thereby renewing the fame. By this Medicament therefore, as diseases are overcome, and expelled, so also youth is renewed, and gray hairs prevented.
TAke of the Crummes of the best Wheaten-bread assoone as it comes forth out of the oven being very hot, as much as you please, put it into a glasse vessell, which you must presently Hermetically close. Then set it in digestion in a temperate Balneo the space of two moneths, and it will be turned into a fibrous flesh.
If any Artist please to exalt it to a higher perfection according to the rules of Art, he may finde out, how great a nourisher, and restorative Wheat is, and what an excellent medicine it may make.
Note that there must be no other moisture put into the glasse besides what is in the bread it selfe.
A Bird is restored to life thus, viz. Take a Bird, put it alive into a gourd glasse, and seal it up Hermetically, burne it to ashes in the third degree of fire, then putrefie it in horse-dung into a mucilaginous flegme, and so by a continued digestion ​that flegme must be brought to a further maturity (being taken out, and put into an ovall vessell of a just bignesse to hold it) by an exact digestion, and will so become a renewed bird: which saith Paracelsus is one of the greatest wonders in nature, and shewes the great vertue of putrefaction,
2. Cut a Serpent into smal pieces, which put into a gourd glasse which you must Hermetically seale up, then putrefie them in horse-dung, and the whole serpent will become living again in the glasse, in the forme either of wormes, or Spawne of fishes; Now if these wormes be in a fitting manner brought out of putrefaction, and nourished; many hundred serpents will be bred out of one serpent, whereof every one will be as big as the first. And as it is said of the serpent, so also many other living creatures may be raised, and restored again.
First take a wine barrell well hooped, and dressed, with one end being open, to which a close cover must be well fitted, which must be to take off and put on at pleasure. Set it in a warme place winter or summer, and fill it full with cleare and pure water, to each three gallons, put fix pound of the best Mallago Raisins, which you must bruise in a stone mortar, and then strow upon the water, upon each twenty gallons of which, you must cast a handful of Calx vive, then cover the vessel close with the cover, and cast clothes upon it to keep it warm, & let it stand four or five dayes to worke as Wine or Beer do when they be new: then fee if the Raisins be risen up to the top of the water, if so then put them downe againe, and cover it againe as before, let them thus stand three weeks or a moneth together, the Raisins being every fourth or fifth day put down in cafe they rife up. Then put a tap into the vessell three or four fingers above the bottome, and try if it be good, and tast like Wine; if not, let it stand a while longer; but if so, draw it off into another Wine vessell, and to every twenty gallons that you have drawn off, put a pint of the best Aqua vitæ, two new laid Hens-egges, and a quart of Alligant beaten well to​gether, and let it stand in a cellar as other wine doth, till it be clear and fit to be drunk.
Take fix gallons of water, two gallons of the best Cidar, put thereunto eight pound of the best Mallago Raisins bruised. in a mortar, let them stand close covered in a warme place the space of a fortnight, every two dayes stirring them well together, then presse out the raisins and put the Liquor into the said vessell again, to which adde a quart of the juice of Raspberries, and a pint of the juice of Black-cherries, cover this Liquor with Bread spread thick with strong Mustard, the Mustard fide being downward, and so let it work by the fire fide three or four dayes, then tun it up, and let it stand a week, and then bottle it up. And it will tast as quick as bottle beer, and indeed become a very pleasant drink, and indeed farre better, and wholesomer then our common Claret.
Take two gallons of English Honey, put it into eight gallons of the best spring water, set these in a vessell over a gentle fire, when they have boy led gently an houre take them off, and when they be cold put them into a small barrell or runlet, hanging in the vessell a bag of spices and set it in the cellar, and in halfe a year you may drinke thereof.
Take of Cinnamon two ounces, Ginger an ounce, Cloves and Nutmegs of each two drams, of white Pepper half a dram, of Cardamums two drams, of Musk Mallowseed, three ounces. Let all these be bruised, and put into a bag and hanged in fix gallons of Wine. Note that you must put a weight in the bag to make it sink.
​Some boyle these spices in Wine, which they then sweeten with Sugar, and then let run through a Hyppocras bag, and afterwards bottle it up, and use when they please.
When you would have this or any other Liquor to be very clear, you may use the triple Hypocras bag, for what feces passeth the first will stay in the second, and what in the second will stay in the last.
Note that these bags must be made of white Cotton.
Take of Cinnamon two ounces, Nutmegs, Ginger, of each half an ounce, Cloves two drams, bruise these small, then mix them with as much Spirit of Wine as will make them into a paste, let them stand close covered in a glasse the space of six dayes in a cold place, then presse out the Liquor, and keep it in a glasse.
A few drops of this Liquor put into any Wine giveth it a gallant relish, and odour, and maketh it as good as any Hypocras whatsoever, and that in an instant.
Note that if the Wine be of it selfe harsh, it will not be amisse to sweeten it with Sugar, for thereby it is made farre more gratefull.
This also being put into Beer will make it very pleasant, and aromaticall.
Take what Wine you please, and according as you would have it tast of this or that spice, or any other vegetable, of one or more together, you may drop a few drops of the distilled Oil of the said spices, or vegetables into the Wine, and brew them well together, and you may make in an instant all forts of Hypocras or other Wines: as for example, if you would have Wormwood Wine, two or three drops of Oil of Wormwood put into good Rhenish-wine, being well brewed together, will make a Wormwood Wine exceeding any that you shall meet withall in the Rhenish-wine houses.
Take a gallon of Sack, in which let two gallons of Raspberries stand steeping the space of twenty four houres, then strain them, and put to the Liquor three pound of Raisins of the sun stoned; let them stand together four or five dayes, being sometimes stirred together: Then pour off the clearest, and put it up in bottles, and set it in a cold place. If it be not sweet enough you may adde some Sugar to it.
Take of the juice of Raspberries, put it into a bottle, which you must stop close, and set in a cellar, and it will become clear, and keep all the year, and become very fragrant.
A few spoonfulls of this put into a pint of Wine sweetned well with Sugar gives it an excellent and full tast of the Raspes.
If you put two or three ounces of the Syrup of Raspes to a pint of Wine it will doe as well, but then you need use no other Sugar, for that will sweeten it sufficiently.
To every three gallons of water, put one gallon of the purest Honey, put what hearbs and spices you please, boyle it, and skim it well, now and then putting in some water. When it is sufficiently boyled take it off, and when it is almost cold, put it into a wooden vessell, and set it by the fire side, cover it over with Bread spread thick with the strongest Mustard, the Mustard side being downwards, and so let it stand three dayes, and it will worke, only put a cloth over it: Then tunne it up, and after a week draw it forth into bottles, and set it into a cellar, and after a week more you may drink of it, for it will tast as quick as bottle beer that is a fortnight old, and indeed as stale as other Mead will in halfe a year.
Take of Amber-gryfe 2. drams, of Muske a dram, cut them small, and put them into a pint of the best rectified Spirit of Wine, close up the glasse Hermetically, and digest them in a very gentle heat till you perceive they are dissolved. Then you may make use of it.
Two or three drops or more if you please of this Spirit, put into a pint of Wine, gives it a rich odour.
Or if you put 2. or 3. drops round the brimmes of the glasse it will doe as well.
Halfe a spoonfull of it taken either of it selfe, or mixed with some specificall Liquor, is a most rich Cordiall.
Take a quart of Orenge-flower Water, as much Rose-water, adde thereto of Musk-mallow seeds grossely bruised four ounces, ​of Benjamin two ounces, of Storax an ounce, of labdanum fix drams, of Lavender flowers two pugills, of sweet Majoram as much, of Calemus Aromaticus a dram, distill all these in a Glasse Still in Balneo, the vessels being very well closed that no vapour breath forth.
Note that you may make a sweet, Water in an instant by putting a few drops of some distilled Oils together into some Rose-water, and brewing them well together.
Take of a good fort of Oil Olive though not of the best, put the fame into a vessell of earth or copper, that hath a little hole in the bottome thereof, which you may stop with waxe or a cork to open at your pleasure. In this vessell for every quart of Oil adde four quarts of fair water, and with a wooden spatle, or spoon, beat them well together for a quarter of an houres space, and when you have so done, open the hole in the bottome, and let out the water, for the Oil doth naturally fleet above, as being the lighter body: and assoone as the water is passed away, stop the hole, and put in other cold water, and begin a new agitation as before, and worke in the like manner divers times as you did at the first, till in the end the Oil be well cleansed, and clarified. If the last time you worke it with Rose-water it will be so much the better, then hang in the midst of the Oil a course bag full of Nutmegs sliced, and Cloves bruised, and the rinds of Orenges and Lemons cut small, and set the vessell in Balneo for two or three houres, and I suppose he that loaths Oil will be easily by this meanes drawn to a liking of it.
Set Oil Olive in the sunne in summer-time untill there settle ​good store of soule, and grosse Lees, from the which by declination poure out the clear Oil, and keep it till the next winter, and after the same hath been congealed with some frosty weather, the Oil will be most sweet, and delectable to the tast.
After this manner you may clarifie all thick Oils, and all kindes of grease, but then you must use warme water in stead of cold.
Dissolve butter in a clean glazed or silver vessell and in a pan or kettle of water with a flow, and gentle fire, then pour the same so dissolved into a bason that hath some faire water therein, and when it is cold, take away the curds, and the whay that remain in the bottome. And if you will be at the charge thereof, you may the second time (for it must be twice dissolved) dissolve the Butter in Rose-water, working them well together: the Butter thus clarified will be as sweet in tast as the marrow of any beast, by reason of the great impurity that is removed by this manner of handling, the fist part thereof being drosse, which makes the Butter many times offensive to the stomack.
When the Butter is taken out of the cherne and well worked from the serous part thereof, mix with the said Butter as much of the Oil of that vegetable which you like best, till the same be strong enough in tast to your liking, then temper them well together.
If you doe in the moneth of May mixe some Oil of Sage with your Butter it may excuse you from eating Sage with your butter.
If you mixe the Oil with the aforesaid clarified Butter, it ​will be farre better, and serve for a most dainty dish, and indeed a great rarity.
You may mix the distilled Oil of what vegetable you would have the Cheese taste of, with the curd, before the whay be pressed out; but be sure you mix them very well that all places may taste alike of it; you may make it tast stronger, or weaker of it as you please by putting in more or lesse of the Oil.
Make a strong Lixivium of Calx vive, wherein dissolve as much course Sugar as the Lixivium will beare, then put in the White of Egges (of 2, to every quart of the Liquor) being beaten into an Oil, Stirre them well together, and let them boyl a little, and there will arise a scumme which must bee taken off as long as any will arise, then poure all the Liquor through a great Wollen cloth bag, and so the feces will remain behinde in the bag, then boyle the Liquor again so long till some drops of it being put upon a cold plate will, when they be cold, be congealed as hard as salt. Then pour out the Liquor into pots, or moulds made for that purpose, having a hole in the narrower end thereof, which must be stopped for one night after, and after that night be opened, and there will a moist substance drop forth which is called Molosses, or Treakle, then with potters clay cover the ends of the pot, and as that clay sinketh down by reason of the finking of the Sugar, fill them up with more clay, repeating the doing thereof till the Sugar sarink no more. Then take it out till it be hard, and dryed, then bind it up in papers.
Reduce any vegetable into its three first principles, and then joyne them together again being well purified, and put the same into a rich earth, and you shall have it produce a vegetable far more glorious then any of its spccies.
Now how to make such an essence, look into the first Book, and there you shall fee the processe thereof.
Take the ashes of Mosse, moisten them with the juice of an old dunghill being first pressed forth, and streined, then dry them a little, and moisten them as before, do this four or five times, put this mixture being neither very dry, nor very moist, into some earthen, or metalline vessell; and in it set the seeds of Lettice, Purslain or Parsly (because they will grow sooner then other plants) being first impregnated with the essence of a vegetable of its own species, (the processe whereof you shall find Book 1. page 32, 33) till they begin to sprout forth, then, I say, put them in the said earth with that end upwards which sprouts forth: Then put the vessell into a gentle heat, and when it begins to dry, moisten it with some of the said juice of dung.
Thou maiest by this meanes have a Sallet grow whilst supper is making ready.
The processe of this thou maist see, page 32. and therefore I need not here again repeat it, onely remember that if you put the flame of a candle to the bottome of the glasse where the essence is, by which it may be made hot, you will fee that thin substance which is like impalpable ashes or salt ​send forth from the bottome of the glasse the manifest forme of a vegetable, vegetating and growing by little, and little, and putting on so fully the forme of stalkes, leaves, and flowers in such perfect, and naturall wise in apparent shew, that any one would beleeve verily the fame to be naturally corporall, when as in truth it is the spirituall Idea, endued with a spirituall essence; which serveth for no other purpose, but to be matched with its fitting earth, that so it may take unto it selfe a more solid body. This shadowed figure, assoon as the vessell is taken from the fire, returnes to its ashes againe and vanisheth away, becoming a Chaos, and confused matter.
Take as much Turpentine as you please, put it into a Retort, distill it by degrees, when all is distilled off, keep the Retort still in a reasonable heat, that what humidity is fill remaining may be evaporated, and it become dry: Then take this off from the fire and hold your hand to the bottome of the Retort, and the Turpentine that is dryed (which is called Colophonia) will crack asunder in severall places, and in those crackes or chaps you shall see the perfect effigies of Firre-trees which will there continue many moneths.
Take Harts-horn broken into small pieces, and put them into a glasse Retort to be distilled, and you shall fee the glasse to be seemingly full of horns, which will continue there so long till the volatile salt come over.
Take of Adders egges halfe a pound, put them into a glasse Retort, distill them by degrees, when all is dry, you shall see the feces at the bottome turgid, and puffed up, and seeme to be as it were golden mountains, being very glorious to behold.
Take of the purest salt Nitre as much as you please, of Tin halfe so much, mix them together, and calcine them Hermetically, then put them into a Retort, to which annex a glasse receiver, and lute them well together, let there be leaves of gold put into the bottome thereof, then put fire to the Retort, untill vapours arise that will cleave to the gold: augment the fire till no more fumes ascend, then take away the receiver, and close it Hermetically, and make a lamp fire under it, and you will fee represented in it the Sun, Moone Starres, Fountains, Flowers, Trees, fruits, and indeed even all things, which is a glorious fight to behold.
Take of the subtle powder of Jeat an ounce and halfe, of the Oil of Tartar made Per Deliquium (in which there is not one drop of water besides what the Tartar it selfe contracted) two ounces, which you must colour with a light green with Vardegrease, of the purest Spirit of Wine tinged with a light blew with Indico, 2. ounces of the best rectified Spirit of Turpentine coloured with a light red with Madder 2. ounces. Put all these into a glasse, and shake them together, and you shall fee the Jeat which is heavy and black fall to the bottome and represent the earth; next, the Oil of Tartar made green representing the element of water, falls: upon that swims the blew Spirit of Wine which will not mix with the Oil of Tartar, and represents the element of aire: uppermost will swim the subtle red Oil of Turpentine which represents the element of fire.
It is strange to see how after shaking all these together they will be distinctly separated the one from the other. If it be well done, as it is easie enough to doe, it is a most glorious fight.
Take seven ounces of Quicksilver, as much Tin, grinde them well together with fourteen ounces of Sublimate dissolved in a cellar upon a Marble the space of foure dayes, and it will become like Oil Olive, which distill in sand, and there will sublime a dry substance, then put the water which disills off back upon the earth in the bottome of the Still and dissolve what you can, filter it, and distill it againe, and this doe foure or five times, and then that earth will be so subtle, that being put into a viall the subtle atomes thereof will move up and down forever.
Note that the viall or glasse must be close stopt, and kept in a dry place.
Take the tailes of Glo-wormes, put them into a glasse Still, and distill them in Balneo, pour the said water upon more fresh tailes of Glo-wormes, do this foure or five times, and thou shalt have a most Luminous Water, by which thou maist see to read in the darkest night.
Some say this Water may be made of the Skins of Herring; and for ought I know it may be probable enough: for I have heard that a shole of Herrings comming by a ship in the night have given a great light to all the ship.
It were worth the while to know the true reason why Glo-wormes, and Herring and some other such like things should be luminous in the night.
Dissolve Camphire in rectified Aqua vitæ, and evaporate them in a very close chamber where no air can get in, and he ​that first enters the chamber with a lighted candle will be much astonished, for the chamber will seem to be full of fire, very subtle, but it will be of little continuance.
You must note that it is the combustible vapour, with which the chamber is filled, that takes flame from the candle.
Divers such like experiments as this may be done, by putting such a combustible vapour into a box, or cubboard or such like, which will assoon as any one shall open them having a candle in his hand, take fire, and burne.
Take a Load-stone, powder it, and put it into a strong calcining pot, cover it all over with a powder made of Calx vive, and Colophonia, of each a like quantity, put also some of this powder under it: when the pot is full cover it, and lute the closures with potters earth, put them into a furnace, and there let them boyle, then take them out and put them into another pot, and set them in the furnace againe, and this doe till they become a very white and dry Calx. Take of this Calx one part, of salt Nitre being very well purified foure parts, and as much Camphire, Sulphur vivum, the Oil of Turpentine, and Tartar, grind all these to a subtle powder and fearle them, and put them into a glasse vessell, then put as much Spirit of Wine well rectified, as will cover then two fingers breadth, then close them up and set the vessell in horsedung three moneths, and in that time they will all become a uniforme paste: evaporate all the humidity, untill the whole masse become a very dry stone: then take it out and powder it, and keep it very dry.
If you take a little of this powder and spit upon it, or poure some water upon it, it will take fire presently, so that thou maist light a match, or any such thing by it.
Take a Load-stone, and heat it very hot in coales, but so that it be not fired, then presently quench it in the Oil of Crocus Matis made of the best steele, that it may imbibe as much as it can.
Thou shalt by this means make the Load-stone so very strong and powerfull, that thou maist pull out nails out of a piece of wood with it, and doe such wonderfull things with it that the common Load-stone can never doe.
Now the reason of this (as Paracelsus saith) is because the Spirit of Iron is the life of the Load-stone, and this may be extracted from, or increased in the Load stone.
Take of the best lead, and melt it, and poure it into a hole, and when it is almost congealed make a hole in it, and presently fill up the hole with quick-silver, and it will presently be congelated into a friable substance, then beat it into a powder and put it again into a hole of fresh melted lead as before, doe this three or four times, then boyle it being all in a piece in Linseed-oil the space of six houres; then take it out and it will become malleable.
Note that after this, it may by being melted over the fire be reduced into quick-silver again.
A thin plate of the said Mercury laid upon an inveterate Ulcer takes away the malignity of it in a great measure and renders it more curable then before.
A plate of the said Mercury laid upon tumours would be a great deale better repercussive then plates of lead, which Chirurgions use in such cases.
The powder of the friable substance of Mercury before it be boyled in the Oil is very good to be stewed upon old ulcers, for it doth much correct the virulency of them.
Take bits or powder of Glasse as much as you please, as much of the Salt which Glassemen use in the making of Glasses: melt these together in a strong fire: Then dissolve all the melted masse in warme water, then pour off the water, and you shall fee no Glasse, but onely sand in the bottome, which sand is that which was in the glasse before.
This confutes the vulgar opinion, viz. that the fusion of Glasse is the last fusion, and beyond all reduction.
Make what letters or figures you please with wax, or grease, upon an egge or pibble, put them into the strongest Spirit of Vinegar, and there let them lye 2. or 3. dayes, and you shall fee every place about the letters or figures eaten or consumed away with the said Spirit, but the place where the waxe or grease was, not at all touched: the reason whereof is because that the Spirit would not operate upon the said oleaginous matter.
Dissolve mother of Pearle in Spirit of vinegar, then precipitate it with Oil of Sulphur Per Campanam, (and not with Oil of Tartar, for that takes away the splendour of it) which addes a lustre to it: when it is thus precipitated, dry it, and mixe it with Whites of egges, and of this masse you may make Pearles of what bignesse or fashion you please: before they be dryed you may make holes through them, and when they be dryed they will not at all, or very hardly be discerned from true, and naturall Pearles.
Dissolve Antimony, or Sulphur in the Liquor or Oil of flints or pebles, or Crystalls, or sand, coagulate the solution into a red masse, pour thereon the Spirit of urine, and digest them till the Spirit be tinged, then poure it off, and pour more on, till all the tincture be extracted, put all the tinctures together, and evaporate the Spirit of urine in Balneo, and there will remain a bloud-red Liquor at the bottome, upon which poure Spirit of Wine, and you shall extract a purer tincture, which smelleth like garlick, digest it three or four weeks, and it will smell like balme, digest it longer, and it will smell like Muske or Amber-gryse.
Besides the smell that it hath, it is an excellent Sudorifick, and cures all diseases that require sweat, as the plague, putrid feavers, lues venerea, and such like as these.
Take of the best salt of Tartar being very well, by two or three dissolutions, and coagulations, purified, and powdered in a hot mortar, one part, of flints, pebles, or crystals being powdered, or small; sand well washed, the fourth part, mingle them well together, put as much of this composition as will fill an egge-shell into a Crucible set, in the earthen Furnace, (expressed page 84,) and made red hot, and presently there will come over a thick, and white spirit, this doe till you have enough, then take out of the Crucible whilest it is glowing hot, & that which is in it is like transparent glasse, which keep from the aire.
The Spirit may be rectified by sand in a glasse Retort.
This Spirit is of excellent use in the gout, stone, ptifick, and indeed in all obstructions, provoketh sweat, and urine, and cleanseth the stomack, and by consequence effectuall in most diseases.
​It being applyed externally cleareth the skin, and makes it look very faire.
Take that which remaines at the bottome in the crucible, and beat it to powder, and lay it in a moist place, and so it dissolveth into a thick fat Oil: And this is that which is called the Oil of sand, of flints, pebles, or crystalls,
This Oil is of wonderfull use in medicine, as also in the preparation of all sorts of Mineralls.
This Oil being taken inwardly in some appropriated Liquor dissolves tartarous coagulations in the body, and so opens all obstructions.
It precipitates metals, and makes the calx thereof more weighty, then Oil of Tartar doth.
It is of a golden nature; it extracts colours from all metals, is fixed in all fires, maketh fine Crystals, and Borax, and maturifieth imperfect metals into gold.
If you put it into water there will precipitate a most fine white earth, of which you may make as clear vessels as are China-dishes.
Note that all sand, flints, and pebles, even the whitest have in them a golden sulphur, or tincture, and if a prepared lead be for a time digested in this Oil it will seem as it were gilded, because of the gold that will hang upon it, which may be washed away in water. Gold also is found in sand and flints, &c. and if you put Gold into this Oil it will become more ponderous thereby.
Dissolve Steele in a rectified Spirit of salt, so shall you have a green and sweet solution, which smels like brimstone, filter it, and abstract all the moisture in sand with a gentle heat, and there will distill over a Liquor as sweet as rain-water(for Steele by reason of its drynesse detaines the corosivenesse of the Spirit of salt, which remaineth in the bottome like a bloud red masse, which is as bot on the tongue as fire, dissolve this red masse in Oil of flints, or of sand, and you shall see it grow up in two or three houres, like a tree with a stemm, and branches; prove this tree at the test, and it yeeldeth good gold, which ​this tree hath drawne from the aforesaid Oil of fand, or flints, which hath a golden sulphur in it.
Take a little calcining pot in your hand, make in it a lane or course of the powder of any metal, then upon it lay a lane of Sulphur, Salt-peter and Saw-dust, of each a like quantity, mixed together, put a coal of fire to it, and forthwith the metall will be melted into a masse.
* Take any Minerall Liquor and set it in an open vessell in the sun for a good space, and it will be augmented in quantity, and weight. But some will say that this proceedeth from the aire, to the which I answer and demand, whether the aire had not this impregnation from the sun, and what the aire hath in it selfe that proceedeth not from the sun and starres.
* Put this liquor in a cold cellar, or in a moist aire, and you shall finde that it increaseth not in weight, as it doth in the sun, or in the fire (which hath in this respect some analogie with the fun) I doe not say but haply it might attract some litle moissure which is soone exhaled by any small heat.
* Dissolve any sulphurous, and imperfect metall, as Iron, Copper, or Zinke, in Aqua fortis, or any other acid Spirit, then abstract the Spirit from it, make it glowing hot, yet not too hot, that the Spirit may only vapour away, then weigh this metalline Calx, and set it in a crucible over the fire, but melt it not, onely let it darkly glow, let it stand so three or four weeks, then take it off and weigh it again, and you shall finde it heavier then before.
* Set any sulphurous metall, as Iron, or Copper, with six​teen or eighteen parts of Lead on a test made with ashes of wood, or bones in a probatory furnace: First weigh the test, copper and lead before you put them into the furnace, let the iron or copper fly away with the lead, yet not with too strong a heat, then take the test out, and weigh it, and you shall finde it (though the metals be gone) when it is cold to be heavier then it was when it was put into the furnace with the metals. The question is now whence this heavinesse of all the aforesaid Minerals and metals proceeded, if that the heat of the sun, and fire through the help of the Mineralls and metals be not fixed into a palpable Minerall, and Metalline body?
* Set a test with lead, or copper in the sun, and with a concave glasse unite the beames of the sun, and let them fall on the center of the metall. hold the concave glasse in your hand, and let your test never be cold, and this will be as well done in the fun, as in the fire. But this concave must be two foot in Diameter, and not too hollow or deep, but about the eighteenth or twentieth part of the circle, that it may the better cast its beames forth, and it must be very well polished.
* Calcine Antimony with a burning glasse, and you shall see it smoak, and fume, and be made dryer then before, yet weigh it and it will be heavier then before.
I shall take in, for the confirmation of all this, a relation of Sir Kenelme Digby concerning the precipitating of the sun beames. I remember (saith he) a rare experiment that a noble man of much sincerity, and a singular friend of mine told me he had seen, which was, that by means of glasses made in a very particular manner, and artificially placed one by another, he had seen the sun beames gathered together, and precipitated down into a brownisht, or purplish red powder. There (saith he) could be no fallacy in this operation. For nothing whatsoever, was in the glasse, when they were placed, and disposed for this intent; and it must be in the hot time of the yeare, else the effect would not follow. And of this magistery he could gather some dayes neer 2. ounces in a day, and ​it was of a strong volatile vertue, and would impresse it spirituall quality into gold it selfe (the heaviest and most fixed body we converse withall) in a very short time.
I leave it now to the reader to judge whether the beames of the sun, and heat of the fire adde weight to Minerals, and Metals.
Take a concave glasse and hold it against the Moone when she is at the full in a cleare evening, and let the raies thereof being united fall upon a sponge, and the sponge will be full of a cold Milkie substance, which you may presse out with hand, and gather more. De-La-Brosse is of opinion that this substance is of the substance of the Moone: but I cannot assent to him in that, only this I say, if this experiment were well prosecuted, it might produce for ought I know such a discovery which might bee the key to no small secrets.
Fill an earthen vessell unglazed, made pointed downward, and fill it with snow-water (which must be kept all the year) in which is dissolved as much Nitre as the water would dissolve: Let the vessell be close stopt. Hold this vessell against the sun and the aire will be so condensed by the coldnesse of the vessell that it wil drop down by the sides thereof.
Take a strong Lixivium made of unflaked lime, and evaporate it, and whereas you would expect to finde a salt at the ​bottome there is none, for all the salt in the Lixivium is vapoured away, and the more the Liquor is evaporated the weaker the Lixivium becomes, which is contrary to other Lixiviums: Also if you take Spirit of vinegar, and evaporate it you shall finde no salt at the bottome. Now if you take the cleare Lixivium of Lime, and Spirit of Vinegar, of each a like quantity, and mixe them together, and evaporate the humidity thereof, you shall finde a good quantity of salt at the bottome, which tasts partly hot, and partly acid.
This salt being set in a cold cellar on a marble stone, and dissolved into an Oil, is as good as any Lac virginis to clear, and smooth the face, and dry up any hot pustles in the skin, as also against the itch, and old ulcers to dry them up.
Take Lapis insernalis, mixe therewith of distilled Oil of Tobacco as much as will make an ointment: Keep it in a dry place.
If you would provoke vomiting, anoint the pit of the stomacke with five or sixe graines thereof, and the party will presently vomit, and as much as with taking of a vomit.
If you would provoke to loosnesse anoint about the navell therewith, and the patient will presently fall into a loosnesse.
Note that you must give the patient some warme suppings all the time this medicine is working.
Note also, and that especially, that you let not the ointment lye so long as to cauterize the part to which it is applyed.
Take of the distilled Oil of Tobacco, of which let the essentiall salt of Tobacco imbibe as much as it can. Then with this composition make some Lozenges by adding such things as are fitting for such a forme of medicine; Note that you put but such a quantity of this Oily salt as half a grain only may be in one Lozenge.
One of these Lozenges being taken every morning or every other morning keepeth the body soluble, and is good for them as are apt to be very costive in their bodies.
Note that you may put some aromaticall ingredient into the Lozenges that may qualifie the offensive odour of the Oil, if there shall be any.
Make a tincture of Hiera pera with Spirit of Wine well rectified, and aromatized with Cinamon or Cloves.
Two or three spoonfulls of this tincture being taken in a morning twice in a week wonderfully helps those that have weak and foul stomacks, it openeth obstructions, and purgeth viscosities of the stomack and bowells, cureth all inveterate head-ach, killeth wormes, and indeed leaveth no impurities in the body, and is very Condiall: for it exceedingly helps them that are troubled with faintings. There is nothing offensive in this medicine but the bitternesse thereof, which the other extraordinary vertues will more then ballance.
Dissolve Scammony in Spirit of Wine, evaporate the one moity, then precipitate it by putting Rose-water to it: and it will become most white, for the black and fetid matter will lye ​on the top of the precipitated matter which you must wash away with Rose-water. Then take that white gum being very well washed, and dry it (if you please you may powder it and so use it, for indeed it hath neither smell nor taste, and purgeth without any offence, and may be given to children or to any that distast physick, in their milke or broth without any discerning of it, and indeed it doth purge without any manner of gripings. I was wont to make it up into pills with Oil of Cinamon or Cloves which gave it a gallant smell, and of which I gave a scruple which wrought moderately and without any manner of gripings) then dissolve it again in Spirit of Wine being aromatized with what spices you please, and this keep.
This tincture is so pleasant, so gentle, so noble a purgative that there is scarce the like in the world, for it purgeth without any offence, is taken without any nauseating, and purgeth all manner of humours especially choler, and melancholy, and is very Cordiall.
It may be given to those that abhor any medicine, as to children or those that are of a nauseous stomack.
The dose is from halfe a spoonfull to two or three.
Note it must be taken of it self, for if it be put into any other Liquor the Scammony will precipitate and fall to the bottome.
After this manner you may prepare Jollap by extracting the gumme therefore, and then dissolving it in Spirit of Wine.
By this meanes Jollap would not be so offensive to the stomack, as usually it is, for it is the gumme that is purgative, and the earthlinesse that is so nauseous.
Jollap being thus prepared is a most excellent medicine against all hydropick diseases, for it purgeth water away without any nauseousnesse or griping at all.
Take the Oil of Turpentine, and the Colophonia thereof (which is that substance which remaines in the bottome after distillation) which you must beat to powder. Mix these together and digest them, and you shall have a Turpentine of the fame consistency as before, but of a fiery subtle nature.
Pills made of this Turpentine, are of excellent use in obstructions of the breast, kidneyes and the like.
You must have a long pipe made of tin, which must have a bowle in the middle with a hole in it as big as you can put your finger into it: by which you must put your matter that you would have the Oil of. Set this matter on fire with a candle or coal of fire, then put one end of the pipe into a bason of fair water, and blow at the other end, and the smoak will come into the water, and there will an Oil swim upon the water: which you may separate with a tunnell.
This must be performed by these following vessels.
* Signifies the Furnace it selfe.
* The Retort which stands in water or sand, wherein the mater to be distilled is put, instead whereof, if you please you may put a gourd glasse with a head to it.
* The pipe.
* Another vessell where is more fresh matter, out of which the tincture is to be drawne, and which stands upon ashes with a fire under it.
* The furnace with a pan of ashes.
* The receiver.
* The bole of the furnace to put in coals, to heat the second matter.
Take a Caldron with a great and high cover having a beake or nose, set it upon a trefoot, and under it put fire: let this be filled with salt water, and there will presently di​still off a good quantity of fresh water into a receiver, which must be joined to the nose of the aforesaid cover.
This is of good use for Sea-men that want fresh water, for by this meanes they may distill a good quantity in 24. houres, especially if they have any considerable number of the aforesaid vessels, a figure whereof is this which followes.
Fill a great pot with pudled water, put a soft and gentle fire under it, lay some sticks acrosse on the pot brims, and upon the sticks lay clean wooll or a spunge well washed; Now the wooll drinkes up the vapours that ascend, which then you must wring out, and lay on the wooll again, and this you may doe till you have as much clean water as you desire. The manner of this distillation is described thus.
* Signifies the pot.
* The fire.
* The srickes.
* The wooll
This is of use for them that can come at no other waters but what are troubled, as it falls out many times in some places.
This is performed by shreds of any white woollen cloth in vessells as you fee hereafter expressed.
* Signifies the vessels.
* The shreds.
Note that the shreds must be first wet in fair water, and the feculent matter be put into the uppermost vessell.
Note also whereas here be two receivers, that in many cases one may be sufficient.
This way serves for the purifying of decoctions, juices, or dissolutions of salts from their feculency, for that which is distilled by the shreds is as clear as Crystall, when what remains is very feculent.
First extract the burning spirit of the salt of tin in a glasse Retort well coated; when the Retort is cold, take it out and break it, and assoone as the matter in it, which remains in the bottome thereof after distillation, comes into the aire, it will presently be inflamed. Put this matter into a glasse viall, and keep it close stopt.
​This fire will keep many thousand yeares and not burne unlesse the glasse be opened: but at what time soever that is opened it will burne.
It is conceived that such a kind of fire as this was found in vaults when they were opened, which many conceived to be a perpetuall burning Lamp, when as indeed it was inflamed at the opening the vault, and the letting in aire thereby which before it lacked, and therefore could not burne. For it is to be conceived that there is no fire burnes longer then its matter endures, and there is no combustible matter can endure for ever.
There may be many uses of such a fire as this, for any man may carry it about with him and let it burne on a suddain when he hath any occasion for fire.
* Signifies the Candlestick, which must be hollow, and full of water.
* The top of the candlesticke which must be wide to containe good store of water for to fill up the Candlestick as the candle riseth up.
* The candle, which must be as long as the Candlestick.
* the vessell that contains either water, sand, or ashes for any vessell to ​be set into; also to containe any matter it selfe that is to be distilled, or digested.
* A glasse vessell standing in digestion.
* A narrow mouthed stopple to be put into the candlestick to keep the candle upright, and that must be made of tin, with boles in it.
* The Cover for the vessell D, which is to be put upon it when any thing is decocted, or kept warme in it.
* A Still head to put upon the vessell D, when you would distill any thing in it.
Note that if you make all these vessells large you may doe many considerable things without much labour, or trouble.
In the vessell D, if it be large, you may stew meat, which if you put in at night and cover it close, you may have it ready for your breakfast in the morning, and so according to the time you put it in you may have it for dinner or supper. Also you may keep any thing warme in the night, and at all times, and divers such uses as these it may be used for.
Note that the candle will still rise up till it be quite burned out, and an ordinary candle will last twice as long this way as it will out of the water.
If you would have one candle last a long time as twelve or twenty hours, you must either make your candlestick very long that it may containe a long candle, or make your candle big and the wick small, or make your candle of such matter as will not presently be consumed.
Note also that if you would have a great heat, your candle must be great, and also the wick thereof great; but if gentle, let your candle be small.
There is another sort of Lamp furnaces with three candles after this manner.
The use of this is when you would have a constant fire that should give a stronger heat then one candle in the former furnace. And the truth is that if your candles be big (as you may make them as big as you will) you may have as strong a heat this way as by ashes in an ordinary furnace.
Take unflaked lime, powder it and mixe it with your tallow, and so make your candle of that, or elfe you may make candles of Castle-sope which will serve for such uses as these, viz. to burne in such a Lampe furnace.
Note that it is the salt that is in the lime, and sope that preserves the tallow from burning out so fast as otherwise it would.
Take unflaked lime, Bay-salt, Oil Olive of each a quantity, mix them well together, and distill them in sand, cohobate the Oil upon the same quantity of fresh lime, and salt: and this doe four or five times. By this means will the Oil be clear, and impregnated with what salt was volatile in the lime, and salt.
Now that saline impregnation is that which gives a durablenesse to the Oil.
Note that this Oil whilest it is distilling is of a most fragrant smell: I have some of it which I distilled seven times and it is as pure, subtle and odoriferous as many common distilled Oiles of vegetables.
This Oil besides the durablenes of it is also good against any inveterate ach in the limbes.
A Lampe made with this Oil will continue burning sixe times as long as a Lamp made of other Oil, as also it burnes very sweet.
There must be a great deal of care used in making of it or else you will quickly break your glasses: also you must take ery strong lime, such as the dyers use, and call cauke.
There be here set downe three figures of these kindes of instruments, which belong to severall uses.
* Signifies that which blowes a fire for the melting of any metall or such like operation, and it blowes msft forcibly with a terrible noise.
* That which blowes a Candle to make the flame thereof very strong for the melting of glasses, and nipping them up.
* That which any one may hold in their hand to blow the fire strongly upon any occasion.
Now the manner of the using them is this: you must first heat them very hot, then put the noses thereof (which must have a very small hole in them, no bigger then that a pins head may goe in) into a vessell of cold water, and they will presently suck in the water, of which then being full turne the noses thereof towards the candle or fire which you would have blown. ​As for the figure C, it must have a mouth drawne up round and hanging out an inch from the face, which mouth (the whole compasse of the face being heated first) you must dip in cold water, and it will suck in water as the noses of the former did. This then you must hold close to the fire that it may be heated, and it will blow exceedingly, as otherwise it will not, viz. if it be cold.
If you put sweet water into such a vessell you may perfume a chamber exceedingly, for a little quantity thereof will be a long time breathing forth.
Note that these kindes of vessels must be made of copper and be exceeding well clofsd, that they may have no vent but by their noses.
Take three parts of the best New-castle coals beaten small, one part of loame, mix these well together into a masse with water, make thereof balls, which you must dry very well.
This fire is durable, sweet, not offensive by reason of the smoake or cinder as other coale fires are, beautifull in shape, and is not so costly as other fire, burnes as well in a chamber even as Char-coal.
​This fire may either serve for such distillations as require a strong, and lasting heat, or for ordinary uses either in the Kitchen, or chambers.
Seeing by bathing and sweating most diseases are cured, especially such as proceed from wind, hot and distempered humours or cold and congealed humours, because all these are rarified, and evaporated by transpiration in sweating, or bathing, I thought it a thing much conducing to mans health to set downe such a way of bathing and sweating that might be very effectuall, and appropriated to any particular disease or distemper.
I shall therefore here commend to you a way of bathing by distillation, the manner of which you may fee by these ensuing vessels.
* Signifies a hot Still with two pipes going into two wooden vessels; In this Still you may put either hearbs, spices, with water, or with Spirits, and distill them, by which meanes they that are in the vessels will presently be forced into a sweat by vertue of the subtlety of the vapours. And this indeed is as good and effectuall a way for sweating as any can be invented: You may by this meanes appropriate your ingredients to the nature of the diseases.
* A vessell wherein a man sits in the bath. Now this vessell hath in it door for the easier going into it, which fashion is farre better, and more convenient, then to be open only at the top.
* A long vessell where a man that is weak, and not able to sit up, lies and is bathed.
Now you must note that these vapours must not be hotter then the patient can bear: also if the vapour come forth too hot upon the body of the patient, he may by putting a pipe upon the end of the pipe that comes into the vessell, divert the hot vapour from his body, and so it will not offend him that way.
Note that the patient, assoon as he begins to be faint, must come forth or else he will suffer more prejudice, then good by his bathing; and also to prevent him from fainting let him take some Cordiall, or cold Beer, which will much revive him, and make him endure his bathing longer, as also make him sweat the more.
Assoon as the patient comes forth, let him goe into a warm bed, and sweat as he is able to beare it, and take some posset drink, or broth or such like warme suppings, as also some good Cordiall it he be very faint.
The patient may according as his strength will bear, and his disease require, bath, more seldome or oftner.
Before I set down the processe of making an artificiall hot Bath, I shall promise somethings concerning the true nature, ​and originall of a hot Bath, now the clearest and best account that I ever heard or read, of the cause of the heat in Bathes is that which is given by Mounsieur de Rochas, & that in a demonstrative way; His words are these. As I was (saith he) with some of my companions wandring in Savoy, I sound in the valley of Luzerne betwixt the Alps a hot spring; I began to consider the cause of this heat, and whereas the vulgar opinion is that the heat of fountains is from mountains fired within, I saw reason to think the contrary, because I saw snow upon a mountaine from whence this hot spring came, unmelted, which could not have possibly but have been dissolved by the hot fumes of the mountains, had they been fired. Whereupon being unsatisfied I with my companions and other labourers (whom I could very hardly perswade to undertake such a businesse by reason they were afraid that fire would thereupon break forth out of the ground and consume us) got tools and set upon digging to sind out the true cause of the heat of this fountain. After we had digged 15. dayes (having before perceived the water to be hotter and hotter by degrees as we came neerer to the source) we came to the originall of the heat, where was a great ebullition: In three houres more we digged beyond this place of ebullition and perceived the water to be cold, yet in the same continued stream with the other that was hot: upon this I began to wonder much at the reason of these things. Then I carryed to my lodging some of this hot water (which was both saltisa, and acid) and evaporated it, and of forty ounces I had in the bottome five drans of saltish matter, which I then yet sarther purified, and extracted thence three drams of pure nitrous Hermetick salt, the other two ounces being a slimie sulphurous substance. Yet with this I was not satisfied, but with my labourers went again to the place, and digged twelve daies more, and then we came to a water which was insipid as ordinary fountain Water, yet still in a continued stream with the saltish and hot water. At this I wondred much, whereupon I digged up some of the earth where the cold, and saltish streame runned, & carried it home with me, and out of a hundred weight thereof, I extracted a good quantity of nitrous salt, which was ​almost fluxile. When I extracted as much as I could, I laid the earth aside, and in 24. houres it was all covered over with salt, which I extracted, and out of a hundred weight of this earth which I call virgin earth, I had four pound of this kind of salt which it contracted in the aforesaid 24. houres: and so it would doe constantly Now this satisfied me concerning one doubt: For before I was unsatisfied how there could be a constant supply of that salt which made the water saltish, seeing there was but a little distance betwixt the insipid water and the hot water, and the constant stream of water washed away the salt which was in that little space: for I perceived that this kind of earth attracts this universall salt of the world partly from the aire in the cavities of the earth, and partly from the vapours that constantly passe through the earth. After this I tooke some of that earth where the ebullition was, and carried it home, and proved it, and I perceived it to be a sulphur mine, into which the former acid saltish water penetrating caused an ebullition, as doe salt of Tartar, and Spirit of Vitriall being mixed together, and also water poured on unflaked lime. After this I began to question how it was that this sulphur mine was not consumed, seeing so much matter passeth from it daily: but when I began to understand how all things in the earth did assimilate to themselves whatsoever was of any kind of affinity to them, as Mines convert the tooles of miners into their owne substance in a little time, and such like experiments of that nature, I was satisfied. And after all this I understood how this universall salt of the world was to be had, and I could at any time mix it with water, and pour that water upon sulphur, and so make an artificiall hot bath as good as any naturall bath whatsoever. Note that no salt in the world but this nitrous salt will doe it as I often tryed: And this salt is to be found in all hot bathes, and to be prepared artificially. Thus sarre Mounseur de Rochas. Something like unto this Helmont seems to hold forth, saying that there is a Primum ens salium, or semina salium, which are all seated in waters and vapours and give them an acidity, but as yet have no saline tast, untill they meet with such principles, and be received into certain matrixes in the earth which ​may make them put forth this potentiall saltnesse into act: and according to this diversity of places that this water or vapours, being impregnated with those seeds of salt, goe through, ariseth the diversity of salts, as Alum, sea-salt, Nitre, &c. Then upon this account the earth through which the cold, acid, saltish water abovesaid run through did specisicate that potentionall salt which was both in the water, and vapours, into a nitrous salt, (by which means was that kind of salt in that place) but whether this primum ens salium be so unspecisicated, or quid Hermaphroditicum as he asserts, or no, it matters not much to my purpose; it sufficeth if that carth through which that acid nitrous water runs, attracts and multiplies an acid nitrous salt, with which the water being impregnated, and running through a sulphurous mine causeth an ebullition. All this being premised, I shall now endeavour to illustrate how nature may in this be imitated, as that an artificiall hot bath may be made by such like principles, as the naturall hot bath consists os, being artificially prepared.
Now these principles are the sulphur mine, and the acid nitrous salt; the former requires no surther preparation (as saith Mounseur de Kochas,) if it be pure: the latter is to be prepared two manner of wayes: for either it is to be extracted, as saith the foresaid author out of the waters of the bath by evapoporating them away, or by condensing the nitrous aire (for indeed as many judicious philosophers are of opinion, the aire is wholly nitrous as it appears by the condensation of it in cold places into Nitre) which his virgins earth did doe, into a salt, which was acid, and almost fluxil. Now when I say that the nitrous salt is to be thus prepared, I doe not say that this is the full preparation thereof, for indeed it is yet further to be prepared, and that is by giving it a greater acidity. I question much whether or no the salt being prepared after the aforesaid wayes doe retain that acidity which is required for that ebullition I spake of, and which the nitrous acid water had before it came to the Mine of Sulphur. For indeed the aforesaid author when he affirmed that he could at any time make an artificiall hot bath, did not say he used the salt prepared onely after ​the 2. former wayes, viz. by extracting it out of the waters of the bath, and making it with his virgin earth which did attract, and condense the nitrousnesse of the aire, but withall by making it so acid that it might cause an ebullition when it came to be joyned with a sulphur Mine. Now then how to give this Nitre a sufficient acidity is the great question. For the better effecting of this we must consider whence that nitrous water (above mentioned) in the earth had the greatest part of its acidity. As to that, it must be remembred that the virgin earth through which the acid nitrous water did run, did condense the nitrous aire or vapours into a nitrous salt, and withall it is to be considered that before this nitrous aire or vapour, before it be condensed, even when it is neer unto condensation is acid, and part of it before condensation is mixed with the water, and so renders it acid. Now that waters have great part of their acidity from the acid vapours of acid Mineralls both Henricus ab Heers, and Jordan upon Minerall waters affirme: and that salts unbodied, are sarre more acid then when they have assumed a body, is clearly manifest in this, viz. that spirits of salts, which I call salts unbodied because they have lost their body, are become very acid because unbodied; if so in Spirits that have lost their bodies, why not after some proportion in those that have not yet assumed a body, as vapours of Nitre, or nitrous aire being neer to congelation, and bodying, and impregnant with Spirits of Nitre.
Now I say that nitrous vapours, or nitrous air being a salt unbodied are not so acid as Spirits of Nitre, because they are more phlegmatick and crude, which flegme they lese by being congealed into a salt: yet for all this, they are sarre more acid then the body of salt: and this is that which Helmont understands, when he saith that the esurine salt being incorporificated is sarre more active, in giving tast and odour then when it hath received its body by becoming a specificated salt. Furthermore how Nitre shall become sufficiently acid for the aforesaid operation is the great matter to be enquired into. We must therefore consider which way we may unbody Nitre (seeing it is scarse possible to get it before ​it hath received its body) and that is done two wayes either by forcing of it into a most sharp Spirit, which is too acid for our intension, or by digesting the whole substance of Nitre into a Liquor moderately acid, which indeed serves for our purpose, and the processe is this.
Take the purest Nitre you can get, dissolve it in rain-water, so as that the water imbibe as much of it as it can. Then put this nitrous water into a common earthen vessell unglazed, which you must set in a cellar. You shall see this vessell in a short time to be white all over on the outside as with a hoare frost, which whitenesse is partly the floures of the Nitre being the purest part thereof penetrating the vessell, and partly the nitrous aire condensed into Nitre by the coldnesse of the vessell, as also assimilated to the Nitre that penetrated the vessell. I said by the coldnesse of the vessell because such is the coldnesse of an earthen vessell wherein is Nitre, dissolved in water, that it will being set in snow by the fire side forthwith be freezed. This Nitre you must strike off with a feather, and when you sufficient quantity thereos, as three or four pound, put this, or the nitrous salt extracted from bath-waters into a bolt head of glasse (a pound in each bolt head) that two parts of three be empty, nip it up, and let it in ashes, and give it a reasonable strong fire, viz. that the upper part of the boul of the bolt head be as hot as that you can but well suffer your hand upon it, and you shall see that the Nitre will be dissolved every day a little, and in two or three moneths time be wholly dissolved, and become acid, but not so acid as the Spirit thereof; then put it into a glasse gourd with a head, and distill it off, and in the bottome you shal find an acid nitrous salt almost fluxil not unlike the salt which Mounseur de Rochas sound in the evaporating of his water. Then pour the distilled Nitre water upon the said salt, & then it is for your use.
The use of these principles or ingredients is this, viz. make fountaine water sufficiently acid with this nitrous Liquor, then pour it upon a sufficient quantity of the best Sulphur Mine, or Sulphur vivum in a large wooden vessell where the patient is to be bathed, and you will see the water presently heated so ​hot as the patient is able to beare.
The inward use of these bath-waters is by reason of the Nitre in them, to dissolve grosse humours, open obstructions, cleanse the kidneys and bladder, and by reason of the sulphur to dry, mollifie, discusse, and glutinate, and to help all uterine essects proceeding from cold and windy humours.
Note that they must be drunk warme, and in a good quantity, or else they will do more hurt then good.
The outward use of this is for such ill effects as are in the habit of the body, and out of the veines, as of palsies, contractions, rheumes, cold humors, affects of the skin and aches, for they resolve, discusse, cleanse, mollifie, &c.
Now for the manner of bathing I shall not prescribe any thing, but leave this to the discretion of the physitian, who is to give order and directions for all the circumstances about it: for indeed every one is not to bath when, and how he pleaseth, but must apply himselse to an able physitian, and submit himself to his judgement and experience, or else may receive either prejudice, or no benefit thereby.
It is granted by all that Tunbridge Water proceeds from an iron mine, but how it contracts that acidity and that ironish and vitriolated tast and odour, seeing upon evaporation there of, there remains little or no vitriall or salt of iron at the bottome, is the great qucstion: Now for the solution of this, we must consider how many wayes a subterraneall minerall, or metall may communicate its acidity to waters, and that saith Henricus ab Heers, upon Spaw-waters, it doth three wayes; one, when the water passing through the mines, carryeth along with it some of the dissoluble parts of the mine, to which is consonant the saying of Aristotle: Such are waters, as is the nature of those Mines through which they passe, as also of Galen when he saith, that pure water passing through Minerall Mines carry with them some of the substance of the Mines. The second way is when the vapours arising from fermented Mineralls and Metalls, are mixed with waters. Now that vapours retain the odour, and tast of those ​things, from whence they are raised, Aristotle in his sourth Book Sublimium affirms, and also Helmont when he saith that some parts of the iron Mines being by fermentation turned into a vapour retain the odour and tast of the Mine by vertue of the acid esurine salt, and are not presently reduced into a body, and also artificiall vapours of the iron Mines have more vertue, and activity, (I mean those parts that are raised by a strong fire in a furnace from the Mine of iron) then iron it selfe when it is melted. The third is, when a great quantity of vapours arising from the aforesaid sermented Mines is elevated, and by the coldnesse of the ambient earth is turned into an acid water, which as it passeth through the earth mecteth with some springs of water, and mixing with them gives them a pleasant acidity. And this is the best of all acid waters being clear and very pure.
This being premised I shall now proceed to the processe of making artificiall waters like to those of Tunbridge and Epsome: of the former viz. Tunbridge thus.
Take of the Mine, or Ore of iron, beat it very smal, and put it into the furnace expressed page 84. and there will come forth an acid Spirit, and floures, which you must mixe together till the acid spirit extract the salt out of the floures, then decant off the clear Liquor which will have a strong taste and smell of iron.
A sew drops of this Liquor put into a glasse full of fountaine water give it the odour and tast of Tunbridge water, and communicates the same operations to it.
It openeth all obstructions, purgeth by urine, clean seth the kidneys, and bladder, helpeth the pissing of bloud, the stopping of the urine, and dissiculty of making water, it allayeth all sharp humors, cureth inward ulcers, and impostumes, cleanseth and strengtheneth the stomack, and liver, &c.
Note that fountain water being made moderately acid with this acid ironish Liquor may be taken from a pint to six pints, but by degrees, and after the taking of it, moderate exercise is to be used, and fasting to be observed till all the water be gone out of the body, which will be in seven or eight houres.
Epsome water is made artificially thus. Take of the Mine of al​lum, or allum stones powder it very small, & distill it in the furnace expressed page 84. and there will distill over a certain acid alluminish water, which must be mixed with a double quantity of Nitre water (the preparation whereof is set downe in the processe of making the artisiciall hot bath). Now you must know that Epsome water hath a certain kinde of acid taste which is partly alluminous and partly nitrous; which proceedeth from nitrous aire, and vapours arising from the fermentation of alluminous Mines, being sirst mixed together, and then mixed with the fountaines passing through the earth.
If you put a sew drops of this Liquor into a glasse full of fountaine water it will give it the odour, and tast of Epsome water, that you shall scarce discerne them asunder either by that odour, or operation.
This water is purgative, and indeed purgeth especially all sharp burning humours, cools an inflamed, and opens an obstructed body; cleanseth the kidneys and bladder, cureth inward ulcers, and impostumes, is a very good preservative against the consumption, &c.
Fountaine water made acid with this Liquor may be taken from a pint to six or eight, but by degrees, and after it moderate exercise must be used, and fasting till the water be out of the body, only some thin warme suppings may be taken to helpe the working thereof. Some take this water warme.
Take Crystalline white pibble-stones that are very white throughout and have no mixture of other colour, which you shall find in fountaines and on the sands of the sea. Put them into a crucible, make them glowing hot (covering the crucible) then cast them into cold water, by which means they will crack, and be easily reduced into a powder; Take the powder thereof, and put the like quantity of pure salt of Tartar thereto, which salt must not be made in any metalline but ​glasse vessells, that it may have no mixture of any other colour. To this mixture you may adde what colour you please, which must be of a minerall or a metalline nature, then put them into a very strong crucible which must be but halse full, and then covered, and there melt them in a strong fire till they become like glasse. Note that when this mixture is in melting you must put an iron rod into it and take up some of it, and is there appear no cornes of gravell in it, it is enough; If otherwise; you must melt it longer. The especiall mineralls and metalls that give, colours are these, viz. Copper, iron, silver, gold, Wismut, Magnesia, and granats.
Common copper makes a sea-green; copper made out of iron a grasse-green; granats, a smaragdine-grcene; iron yellow, or a Hyacinth colour; silver, white, yellow, green, and granat colour; gold a fine skie colour; Wismut common blew; magnesia, an amethyst colour: And is you will mix two or three of these together they will give other colours. For copper and silver mixed together give an amethyst colour: copper, and iron a pale green; Wismut, and magnesia, a purple colour; silver, and magnesia divers colours like as an Opall. Is you would have this masse not to be transparent but opac, you may adde the calx of tin to it when it is in melting: as is you would make Lapis lazuli, then to your mixture coloured with Wismut adde the calx of tin, and this mixture when it is almost ready to congeal cast into a mould where some powder of gold hath been scattered, and by this means it will become full of golden veins very like true lapis lazuli, which is very pleasant to behold. You may by these foresaid preparations cast what formes or sigures you please, of what colour you please.
The Metals, and Minerals for the making of colours ought to be thus prepared, viz.
Plates of copper must be made red hot,and then quenched in cold water, of which then take five or six graines, and mix them with an ounce of the aforesaid mixture, and melt them all together, and they will colour it sea-green.
Iron must be made into a Crocus in a reverberatory fire, and then eight or ten grains thereof will tinge the mixture in​to a yellow, or hyacinth colour.
Silver is to be dissolved in Aqua fortis and precipitated with Oil of flints, then dulcified with water, and afterward dryed, of this five or six graines give a mingled colour.
Gold must be dissolved in Aqua regis, and precipitated with the Liquor of flints, then sweetened, and dryed, and five or six grains thereof giveth the finest saphir colour to an ounce of the mixture.
If gold be melted with regulus martis nitrosus, five or six graines thereof give to an ounce of the masse a most incomparable rubine colour.
Magnesia may be powdred only, and then ten or twelve grains thereof make an amethyst colour.
Wismut must be dissolved in Aqua regis, and precipitated with Liquor of flints, then sweetened, and dryed; and then of this four or five graines turne an ounce of the masse into a saphir colour, but not so naturall as gold doth.
Granata may be powder only, and then ten or fifteen grains thereof tinge an ounce of the masse into a fine green colour not unlike to the naturall Smaragdine.
Take two or foure graines (if you have no greater quantity) of any Ore that you have, put it to halfe an ounce of Venice-glasse, and melt them together in a crucible, (the crucible being covered) and according to the tincture that the glasse receiveth from the Ore, so may you judge what kind of metall there is in the Ore; for if it be a copper Ore, then the glasse will be tinged with a sea-green colour.
If copper and iron, a grasse-green.
If iron, a darke yellow.
​If tin, a pale yellow.
If silver, a whitish yellow.
If gold, a fine skie colour.
If gold and silver together, a Smaragdine colour.
If gold, silver, copper, and iron together, an amethyst colour.
First make two bullets of red copper of the same magnitude, make also two bullets of the purest tin in the same mould, as the others were made: weigh all four bullets, and observe the weight well: then melt the copper bullets sirst, upon them being melted put the two tin bullets, and melt them together, but have a care that the tin fume not away. Then cast this molten mixture in the same moulds as before, and it will scarce make three bullets, but yet they weigh as heavy as the foure did before they were melted together.
I suppose the copper condenseth the body of the tin, which before was very porous, which condensation rather addes then diminisheth the weight thereof.
Take Salt armoniack, and Calx vive, of each a like quantity, mixe, and melt them together. Note that Calx of it selfe will not melt in lesse then eight houres with the strongest fire that can be made, but being mixed with this salt melts in halfe an houre, and lesse, like a metall, with an indifferent fire.
This mixture being thus melted becomes a hard stone, out of which you may strike fire as out of a slint, which if you dissolve againe in water, you shall have the Salt armoniack ​in the same quantity as before, but fixed.
Note that hard things have their congelation from Salt armoniack, as hornes, bones, and suck like; for little fixed salt can be extracted from them, onely volatile and armoniack.
An ounce of any of these volatile salts, (as of hornes, bones, amber, and such like) reduced into an acid Liquor by distillation, condenseth, and indurateth a pound of Oily matter.
Take of salt of Tartar one part, Salt-peter three parts, Sulphur a third part, grind these well together, and dry them. A few graines of this powder being fired will give as great a clap as a musket when it is charged.
Take the best crude antimony very well powdered, Nitre, of each a pound, of crude Tartar finely powdered two pound, mix them well together, and put them into a crucible, cover the crucible, and melt them, and the regulus will fall to the bottone, and be like a melted metall, then pour it forth into a brasse mortar, being first smeered over with Oil.
Or,
Take two parts of powdered Antimony, and four parts of powder of crude Tartar, melt these as aforesaid.
This regulus you may (when you have made enough of it) melt again and cast it into what moulds you please, you may either make cups, or what pictures you please, and of what figures you please. You may cast it into formes of shillings or halfe-crowns, either of which if you put it into two or three ounces of wine in an earthen glazed vessell, or glasse, ​and insuse in a moderate heat all night, you may have a Liquor in the morning which will vomit: of which the dose is from two drams to two ounces and halfe.
Note that in the Wine you may put a little Cinamon to correct and give a more gratefull relish to it.
It is the custome to fill the Antimoniall cup with Wine, and to put as much Wine round about betwixt that and the little earthen cup where it stands, and so infuse it all night, and then drink up all that Wine: but I fear, that so much Wine will be too much as being three or four ounces, when as we seldome exceed the quantity of two ounces of the infusion of Antimony.
These cups, or pictures will last for ever, and be as effectuall after a thousand times infusion as at first: and isthey be broken at any time, (as easily they may being as brittle as glasse) they may be cast again into what formes you please.
Note that he that casts them must be skilfull in making his spawde, as also in scouring of them, and making them bright afterwards: for if they be carefully handled they will look even as bright as silver.
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