# The Art of Distillation/Book 3

The Contents of the third Book.
Of Mineralls.
Of Mineralls.
BOOK. 3.
TAke of the best Bay-salt as much as you please, let it be dissolved in Spring water, and filtred, mix with this Brine in a Copper vessell, of the powder of Bricks or Tiles twice or thrice as much as the Salt before its dissolution was in weight; let the water vapour away over the fire (continually stirring of it) untill it be dry; Then put this powder into a Glass Retort well luted, or an earthen Retort, and put it into a Furnace (a large receiver joyned to it according to art) then give fire to it by degrees untill it will bear an open fire, for the space of 12. houres. Thou shalt have a very acid Oil or Spirit in the receiver. That Liquor being put into a little Retort in sand may be rectified by the vapouring away of the flegme; then keep it for use in a glasse very well stopt that no aire goe in.
Spirit of Salt is very good in Feavers putrid, also in hydropicall diseases.
Take one part of Salt, and three parts of powder of Bricks or Tiles, and mix them together, and put them into a Retort either of glasse or earth to which put fire as before.
After this manner you may make Oyle or Spirit of
    Nitre
    Salt Gem
    Alum.
Note that these Salts must first be calcined, which is done by exhaling their flegme.
Take of Salt-peter powdered very small, with it sill the fourth part of a Bolt-head, close it well, and let it stand in the heat of ashes or sand the space of 6. weeks, and you shall see good part of it turned into Water continue it in the said heat till it be all dissolved.
This is of incomparable use in Feavers and against Worms or any putresaction in the body, aud indeed a most rare secret.
Dissolve Salt-Armoniack in distilled spirit of Urine over a moderate heat, in this Spirit. let Bricks beaten into small pieces and made red hot be quenched, till they have imbibed all the water, then make distillation in a Retort in sand or in a naked fire.
This Spirit nof greater strength then that of other Salts.
Take of Hungarian, or the best English Vitriall, as much as you please, let it be melted in an earthen vessell glazed, with a sost fire, that all the moisture may exhale, continually stirring of it, untill it be brought into a yellow powder, which must be put into a glasse Retort well luted, or an earthen Retort that will endure the fire: Fit a large receiver to the Retort and close the joints well together, then give it fire by degrees, til the second day, then make the strongest heat you can til the receiver which before was dark with fumes be clear again; let the Liquor that is distilled off be put into a little Retort, and the flegme be drawne off in sand, so wil the Oil be rectified, which is most strong, and ponderous, and must be kept by it selfe.
Many call that flegme which is drawn off in rectifying the Spirit of Vitriall.
This Oil or Spirit is very excellent in putrid Feavers, resisting ​putrefaction, also it opens all obstructions, and is very diureticall.
Take of calcined Vitriall 1. part, flints grossely powdered 2. parts, of these with Spirit of Wine make a Paste, distill it in a Retort, and there will come forth a red heavy Oil.
This is to be used rather about metalls then in the body, onely if the scurfe on the head be anointed therewith 2. or 3. times in a week it will fall off, and the head be cured.
Take the Spirit of Vitriall, or of Salt, the best Spirit of Wine, of each half a pound, distill them in a Retort together 3. or 4. times, and they will be united inseparably, and become sweet.
Some put 8. ounces of the best Sugar-candie to these Spirits before they be thus distilled.
Ten or twenty drops of this compound Spirit being taken in any appropriated Liquor is very good in any putrid or Epidemicall disease.
Take of Crystals made out of Copper, or Iron, dissolve them in the acid flegme that first comes forth in the distilling of common Vitriall; circulate them 8. dayes.
This Liquor must be taken in Wine, and it causes vomiting instantly, and is most excellent to cleanse and strengthen the stomack and to cure all such distempers that arise from thence, as salt defluxions, feavers, wormes, head-ach, and vertigoes, the Hystericall passion and such like.
The Dose is from a scruple to two scruples.
Take a large iron vessell like a platter, over it hang a Glasse-bell that hath a nose like the head of a cold Still, fill the lower vessell being narrower then the compasse of the Bell, or Head, with Brimstone, or Sulphur, inflame it, so will the fume which ariseth from thence be condensed in the Bell into a liquor which will drop down through the nose into the receiver.
Note that the Bell must hang at such a distance from the other vessell that the flame of the Sulphur touch it not, according to this following example.
If in stead of this broad vessell you take a large Crucible and melt in it Salt-Peter, and cast Sulphur upon it thus melted you shall make a great deal quicker dispatch.
This Spirit is of the same nature, and hath the same operations as Oil of Vitriall.
Take of crude Sulphur as much as you please, put it into a melting vessell, to be dissolved over the fire: being dissolved, pour it forth into seething hot water (this doe ten or more times, remembring that the water must be alwayes seething hot) and thou shalt see that the Sulphur will be like butter, then put it into a Retort, pouring on it the best Spirit of Wine, then distilling it with a soft fire, and there will come forth an Oil of a golden colour, of a good tast and smell, which is the true Balsome of Sulphur. The Oil that swims on the Spirit must be separated.
This Oil for the cure of all distempers of the Lungs, for all Feavers whether putrid or pestilentiall, and the cure of Wounds and Ulcers, is scarse to be equalled.
Take of Sulphur vivum as much as you please, dissolve it as well as you can in Aqua fortis (made of Vitriall, and Salt-peter;) then evaporate the Aqua fortis, and then reverberate the matter till it become very red; Extract the Tincture with Spirit of Wine, then digest them till the essence be separated from the Spirit like an Oil, and sink to the bottome.
This essence also is of wonderfull vertue against all putrefaction both inward, aud outward, a great preservative against the plague, and is wonderfull balsamicall, and cureth all fores both old and new, even to admiration.
Take of Crystalline Arsenick (being first sublimed with Colcothar alone) as much as you please, mix it with an equall weight of the Salt of Tartar, & Salt-peter; and let them be betwixt two little pots or crucibles (whereof the upper hath a hole) calci​ned, untill no fume ascend. The matter being thus calcined dissolve in warme water that you may draw a Salt from thence; the powder which fals to the bottome imbibe with the liquor of Tartar, and dry it by the fire, and this thou must doe three times, then dissolve the matter in warme water that thou maist draw out the Salt thereof, and there will remain a most white powder, and fixed, which in a moist place will be dissolved into a liquid matter like Oil or Butter.
Take of Vitriall calcined 2. parts, of Nitre one part, grinde and mix them well together, and put them into a glasse Retort coated, or earthen Retort that will endure the fire, and set them into the Furnace in an open fire, and then having fitted a large receiver distill it by degrees the space of 24. houres, then rectifie the Water or Spirit in sand.
Take of Nitre 2. parts, Salt Armoniack one part, the powder of flints 3. parts, put them into a glasse Retort coated, or earthen Retort that will endure the fire, distill them by degrees over a naked fire for the space of 12. houres, take it out and rectifie it.
This Water will dissolve Gold.
Take of Spirit of Nitre, as much as you please, put a dram of crude Nitre to every ounce of it, and it will be as strong, as any Aqua regia.
This water will dissolve Gold.
Take of the strongest Aqua fortis that you can get and well rectified, a pound, of Mercuey sublimed four ounces, salt Armoniack two ounces, mix all these together.
Take of crude Antimony as much as you please, of sublimed Mercury a like quality, make them both into a very fine powder and mix them, and put them into a Glass Retort, the necke whereof must be large. Give fire by degrees in a close reverberatory, or let the Distillation be made in Sand. There will distill into the receiver a fatness; part whereof slicking to the neck of the Retort will melt by a light fire being put to it. That fatness may be rectified in a retort: and either be kept by it self as it is, or set in a Cellar or moist place and be resolved into a Liquor.
This Oil must be washed in good store of water, and then there will settle to the bottom a white powder, which being oft washed in fair water til all the sharpness is gone, is then called Mercurius vitæ, six or seven grains whereof is an excellent vomitting medicine.
* Shewes the Furnace.
* The Retort.
* The Receiver.
* The Vessell filled with cold water.
Take flowers of Antimony, sublime them with salt Armoniack six or seven times, then wash away the Salt with warm water, and dry the powder, which then lay thin on a Marble in a Cellar till it be dissolved (which wil be in six weeks time). This water if it be taken to the quantity of twenty drops will purge, if in a lesser quantity it will sweat.
Dissolve what metall, or Minerall you please, in a strong Spirit of Salt (except silver which must be dissolved in Aqua fortis) draw off the flegm in Balneo, pour on rectified Spirit of Wine, digest them so long till a red oil swim above, which is the quintessence of metals, and minerals, and is a very great secret.
Take of the subtile powder of the Regulus of Antimony as much as you please, sublime it of it self til it wil sublime no more (still Putting what is sublimed to that which remains at the bottom) or with salt armoniack six or seven times (remenbring that then you must dulcifie it with warm water by dissolving therewith the Salt, & dry the Precipitate afterwards.) Set this fixed powder in a cellar, laying it very thin upon a marble stone and in about six weeks or two months it will all be dissolved into water, which must be filtred. Then evaporate part of this water, and let it stand two or three dayes in the cellar to crystallize. These Crystals purifie, and dry. Mix them with three times the quantity of the gross powder of tiles, and distil them in a Retort, and there will come forth first a white Spirit, and then a red, which you may rectifie in Balneo.
Take of the foresaid Crystals; dissolve them in good rectified Spirit of Wine, digest them two months in Balneo, or horse dung: then evaporate the Spirit of Wine, and there will remain in the bottom the true Oil or Essence of Antimony.
Then take new Crystals of Antimony, and let them imbibe either this Oil, or the foresaid Spirit till they will imbibe no more, then digest them two months in sand, and they will become a slowing sixt Salt, and of excellent vertue.
The aforesaid Spirit, this Oil, and Essence of Ansimony may be equallized to Aurum potabile to all intents and purposes, according to a Medicinall use, especially the sixt Essence. The dose is five or six grains.
Take the Calx of Saturn, or else Minium, poure upon it for much Spirit of Vinegar that may cover it four fingers breadth, ​digest them in a warm place the space of twenty four houres, often stirring them that the matter settle not too thick in the bottom: then decant the Menstruum, and pour on more, digest it as before, and this doe so osten untill all the saltness be extracted. Filter and clarifie all the Menstruum being put together, then evaporate it half away, and set the other part in a cold place till it crystallize. These Crystals dissolve again in fresh Spirit of Vineger, filter and coagulate the Liquor again into Crystals, and this doe so often untill they be sufficiently impregnated with the salt Armoniack of the Vinegar as with their proper ferment. Digest them in a temperate Balneo, that they may be resolved into a Liquor like Oil. Then distill this Liquor in Sand in a Retort, with a large receiverannexed to it, and well closed that no Spirits evaporate, together with the Observation of the degrees of the fire: then there will distill forth a Spirit of such a fragrant smell that the fragrancy of all flowers, and compounded perfumes are not to be compared to it. After Distillation when all things are cold take out, and cast away the black feces which is of no use. Then separate the yellow Oil, which swims on the top of the Spirit, and the bloud red Oil which sinks to the bottome of it: Separate the flegm from the Spirit in Balneo. Thou shalt by this means have a most fragrant Spirit that even ravisheth the senses, and so Balsamicall, that it cures all old and new fores inward and outward, and so cordiall that the dying are with admiration revived with it.
They that have this medicine need scarce use any other either for inward, or outward griefs.
Take an ounce of Quick-silver not purified, put it into a bolt head of glass, which you must nip up, set it over a Strong fire in sand for the space of two months, and the Quick-silver will be turned into a red sparkling Precipitate. Take this powder, and lay it thin on a Marble in a Cellar for the ​space of two months, and it will be turned into a water, which may be safely taken inwardly, it will work a little upward and downward, but chiefly by sweat.
Note that you may set divers Glasses with the same matter in the same Furnace, that so you may make the greater quantity at a time.
I suppose it is the Sulphur which is in the Quick-silver, and makes it so black, that being stirred up by the heat of the fire fixeth the Mercury.
Take of Mercury seven times sublimed, and as often revived with unslaked Lime, as much as you please, dissolve it in spirit of Nitre in a moderate heat, then abstract the spirit of Salt, and edulcorate it very well by boiling it in spirit of Vineger: then abstract the spirit of Vinegar, and wash it again with distilled rain-water: then dry it, and digest it two months in a like quantity of the best rectified spirit of Wine you can get. Distil them by retort, making your fire moderate at the begining, afterwards increasing it; then evaporate the spirit of Wine in Balneo, and there will remain in the bottome a most fragrant Oil of Mercury.
This Oil so purifies the bloud by sweat, and urine, that it cures all distempers that arise from the impurity thereof, as the venerall disease. &c.
The truth is, they that have this medicine well made need but few other medicines: the dose is four or five drops.
Set this following vessell being made of Iron into a Furnace, so that the three bowles thereof be within the Furnace, and the Pipe and receiver be without. Make your Furnace so as that there be a great hole left open at the top: where you must put in your coals, shutting it afterward with a cover of stone made sit thereunto; on the top also must be holes to let in air.
First make your Iron vessel as red hot as possibly it can be made (or else you doe nothing) having first annexed an earthen well glazed receiver to the bottom of it. Then put half an ounce of Quick-silver at a time in at the top (which presently stop with clay) and presently the Mercury will come over, part in a sharp Liquor, and part as crude a Mercury as it was before, which you may put in again till it be all turned to water.
Note that unless the Quick-filver give a great crack prefently after it is put in, it is a fign that the veffell was not hot enough.
This operation being well profecuted may produce a medicine with which none under the Philofophers Elixir may compare.
* Signifies the Furnace with its iron, or earthen distilling vessell walled in, to which a very large recipient is joined.
* the Distiller, who with his left hand taketh off the cover, and with his right cafteth in his prepared matter with an iron ladle.
* the forms of the distilling vessell.
* the same, as it appeareth inward.
* the form of the vessell not walled in but standing on the coals for other uses.
The Vessell walled in must be of earth for the distilling of Antimony, Sulphur, and such things as will corrode Iron: but for other things Iron, is most convenient.
Before you make any distillation, let the vessell which is walled in be red hot, then by little and little cast in your matter, which must be cut or powdered small, and clap downe the cover into the false bottome above, which is full of molten lead, and therefore suffereth no fume to goe forth.
When you see the fumes in the receiver (which must be of glass) to cease; and condensed into a Liquor, then put in more matter.
By this way you may make a far greater dispatth and distill a greater quantity out of the same proportion of matter, then by the common way.
By this way there is no danger of breaking your Receiver, and you may end and begin when you please, and try divers experments in one hour, and can not make the fire too strong, and may make the spirits of such things as can hardly or not so well be made by a Retort, as the Spirits of Salt, of Tartar, Harts-horn, Antimony, &c. &c.
Salt and such things as will slow must have bole, or powder of brick mixed with them before they be cast into the vessell, or if you please you may first dissolve what Salt you please, and with red hot gross powder of Brick, imbibe the water, then cast in this powder by little and little into the distilling vessell, and the Salt by this meanes will yeeld its Spirit quickly and in aboundance. By either of these two wayes you may make a pound of the Spirit of Nitre in an houre, and of Salt in two houres.
Now whereas some things yeeld a Spirit, and a thick and heavy Oil, they may be rectified thus: viz. by putting then into a Retort, and distilling them in sand or ashes with a graduall heat: there wil come forth the flegm of some Liquors first and then the Spirit, and of other some the Spirit, and then the flegme but of all these the heavy thick Oil at last; which by distilling ​off becomes farre clearer then before, which may again be rectified by spirit of Salt as I have shewed before, and therefore need not here repeat it.
Take of Lapis Calaminaris powdered as much as you please, poure on it five or six times as much of rectified spirit of Salt, shake them together continually or else it will be congealed into a hard mass, which can hardly be mollified again: when no more will dissolve in frigido, put it in warm sand so long till the spirit of Salt be of a high yellow colour, then pour it off, and put on more til all be dissolved that will, cast away the feces, put the solution into a glass body, and distill it in Sand: about the third part of the spirit of Salt cometh over as insipid as common water, though the spirit were well rectified before, for the dryness of the Lapis Calaminaris (which is the dryest of all Minerals and Metals except zink) retaineth the Spirit: after the flegm is come over, let the glass cool and thou shalt find at the bottom a thick red Oil very fat, even as Olive olive, and not very corrosive; keep it from the air, or else it turneth into water.
It is of wonderful vertue for inward, and outward griefs, for it hath in it a pure golden Sulphur.
Common Sulphur with this Oil, and melted in a strong fire swimmerd like water above, and is transparent.
This Oil distilled in a Retort with pure Sand in a strong fire, yeeldeth a spirit like fire scarce to be contained in any vessel, and dissolveth all metals except Silver, and reduceth pure Spirit of Wine into an Oil within a few dayes.
Take of the best Talke reduced into very thin flakes, make them red hot, and then quench them in the strongest ​Lixivium that Sope-boylers use; doe this fifteen times and it will become as white as snow: then powder it very small and Calcine it by sumigation (i.) by the sume of some very sharp Spirit as of Aqua fortis or the like: when it hath beene thus calcined for the space of a Fortnight, it will become somewhat mucilaginous, then set it in any heat of putrefaction as it is (for it hath imbibed enough of the sharp Spirit to moisten and ferment it) for the space of two months in a bolt head nipt up: then evaporate the acid Spirit and dulcifie it with distilled rain water. After this extract what thou canst out of it with the best rectified Spirit of Wine, poure off the solution and evaporate the Spirit of Wine, and at the bottome will be a most beautifull Oil.
The Oile is the most glorious sucus or paint in the World.
Take of the foresaid powder of Talke after it hath beene putrified, and again dulcified as much as you please, put four times as much of the best circulated Oil of Camphire to it, digest them in Horse dung till all the powder be dissolved, & the Oil become mucilaginous, which will be within two months.
This is for the same use as the former.
There is required a great deal of pains, and care and no small cost in the preparation of these Oils.
Take of either of those Earths as much as you please, break it into small peices, and put it into a retort over a naked fire for the space of twelve houres, and there will distil into the receiver (which must be large) the flegm, then white Spirits in a little quantity, yet of a gratefull tast and smell.
Take of either of these earths which you please, as much as you will; poure upon it distiled rain-water, set it in some warme place for a moneth or more, and the oilinesse will separate from its body, of its own accord, and swim upon the water. Separate the water by a tunnell, and distill the Oil with 5. parts of the Spirit of Wine well rectified, and there will come forth an Oil of a golden colour, swimming on the Spirit, which is a most excellent Balsam.
Take of unslaked Lime as much as thou pleasest; reduce it into a subtle powder, imbibe it with Spirit of Wine most highly rectified (which must be pure from all its flegme, or else you labour in vain) as much as it can imbibe; draw off the Spirit of Wine with a gentle heat, cohobate it 8. or 10. times, so will the fiery vertue of the Lime be fortified.———Take of this levigated Lime 10. ounces, pure salt of Tartar one ounce, the feces of Tartar after the Salt is extracted 11. ounces; mix these well together, put them into a glasse Retort coated, see that 2 parts of 3. be empty, distill them into two receivers, the flegme into one, the Spirit into the other, which must have a little of rectified Spirit of Wine in it to receive the Spirit.
If thou wilt separate the Spirit of Wine, then put fire to it, and the Spirit of Wine will burne away, and the Spirit of the Lime stay behinde, which is a kind of a fixed Spirit.
This is a very secret for the consuming the Stone in the bladder, and the curing of the Gout.
Take of Bricks or Tiles as many as you please, break them into small pieces, make them red fire hot, then quench them in pure old Oil Olive (in which let them lye till they be cold) ​then take them out and grind them very small, let the powder be put into a glasse Retort, coated, a fit receiver being put thereto and distill off the Oil in a naked fire by degrees, which being distilled off keep in a viall close stopt.
This Oil is wonderfull penetrating, and is good against all cold distempers whatsoever.
Take Salt-Armoniack well purified by sublimation, of red Corall finely powdered, of each a like quantity; sublime them so often till the Corall will no more rise up, then take the Calx of Corall that remaines in the bottome of the sublimatory and put it on a marble or glasse in the cellar to be dissolved; that which will not be dissolved sublime again, and do as before till all be dissolved: and so thou hast the Liquor of Corall.
Note that if thou will have the true tincture of Corall, evaporate the humidity of the foresaid Liquor, then extract the tincture out of the powder with Spirit of Wine, which Spirit evaporate to the consistency of Honey: And thou hast a most rare medicine.
This Medicine strengtheneth all the parts in the body, and cures all distempers that arise from the weaknesse thereof.
Take of Lapis Armenus powdered small, and calcined, as much as you please, sublime it with Salt Armoniack untill it will sublime no more but remain in the bottome of the sublimatory, then take it out, and lay it very thin upon a marble in a cellar and there let it lye 2. moneths, and it will be almost all dissolved into a Liquor.
Or thus,
Take of Lapis Armenus powdered small and calcined, as much as you please, pour upon it of distilled Vinegar, as much as will cover it four fingers breadth, then set it over a gentle heat stir​ring of it 2. or 3.times in an houre, for the space of 6. houres or thereabouts; then the Spirit being tinged very blew with the powder filter off from the feces, then pour more Spirit of vinegar on the feces and doe as before, till the Spirit betinged no more, then take all the blew Spirit, and vapour it away, and at the bottome you shall have a salt, which you must put into a calcining pot, and calcine so long in the fire till no more vapour will arise, and it become a dark red powder, then put it upon a marble in the cellar for the space of two moneths, and it will be dissolved into a Liquor, a few drops whereof put into a glasse of beer will purge delicately.
THe Furnace is made as solloweth: It may be made of one piece by a Potter, or of brick, round, or foure-square, greater or lesser as you please: if the inside be one span broad in the middle, it must be foure high; one for the Ash-hole, another above the grate to the middle Coal-hole, and two above the Pipe; this pipe being made of earth or iron must be a span long betwixt the Furnace and the Receiver, and a third part as wide as the Furnace within.
The Recipients must be made of glasse, or very good earth well luted together; the greater the better.
* Signifies the Ash-hole, which must be as wide as the Furnace, and ​alwaies open that the fire may burne the stronger.
* The middle hole of the Furnace for the putting in of coals.
* The Stopple made of stone.
* The upper hole of the Furnace with a false bottome wherein sand lyeth, which is there laid that the cover may lye the closer and keep in the fumes the better.
* The Cover, which must presently be clapt on assoon as the matter to be distilled is put in.
* the Pipe, which goeth out of the Furnace, and to which the Receiver is fitted.
* The first Recipient for flowers.
* The second.
* The third.
* A Stoole whereon the first Recipient resteth, in the midst whereof is a hole, through which goeth the neck of the Recipient to which another glasse is fitted.
* The Glasse fitted to the Recipient for the uniting the Spirits that drop down.
* Another Recipient united to the former Glasse, and into which the united Spirits do run.
* A stoole through the middle whereof goeth a screw for the raising of that glasse, which is set under the first Recipient, higher or lower.
* The Grate with two thick Iron barres, which lye fast, upon which four or five thinner are laid, which may be stirred when the Furnace is made clean.
Thus far the first of the figures is explained, by which you may fee how sublimation and distillation is made at one time, viz. of those things which will yeeld both flowers, and Spirits, (the flowers sticking in the three upper Recipients, aud the Spirits dropping down into the lower.)
Now followes the explanation of the second figure, which is the same with the former in respect of the Furnace it self, but differing in respect of the Recipients, which serve for the recciving of the Spirits and Oiles of such things as yeeld no flowers, Therefore I shall begin with the explanation of the Receivers.
* The first crocked-pipe as it is fitted to the pipe that comes out of the Furnace.
* The Recipient with its cover, in which is one hole for one crooked-pipe to gee through, as you may see in the first H, and two holes for two pipes to goe through, as you may see in the second H, and in H H.
Note that these pipes may either be fastened to the cover being all of one piece, or they must be well luted, that no vapours may passe through. Now you must conceive that in the lower receivers the vapour that goeth out of the first pipe goeth first into the receiver, then out of that into the next pipe, and so forward till it cometh into the last receiver, by which means it is much cooled (for indeed such vapours that come out of the Furnace, especially when some materialls are distilled, if there were not some such art to coole them, would break all Recipients.)
* A tub of water, wherein the Recipient stands, to coole the vapours and condense them.
* The first crooked pipe as it goeth into the Recipient.
* The second crooked pipe, whereof one end goeth into one receiver, and another end into another.
* The last crooked pipe, to which you must annex a receiver.
Now the manner of distilling is thus; Let the Furnace be full of coals well kindled, then cast on your matter, and stop your Furnace close: This Furnace needs no Retort, or other vessels to be set into it, neither can you doe any hurt by too much or too little fire, and you may sinish your operation when you please, and in one houre try diverse experiments. It saveth very much time, and cost, and in one houre will doe as much as can be done in another Furnace in 24. In one hour you may make a pound of Spirit of Salt with foure or five pound of coales, and as much flowers of Antimony in a like space of time, and with as few coals.
If your materialls be vegetables, or horne, or bones, cut them small; if hard Mineralls, let them be powdered very small, if salts let them first be dissolved in water, which water must be ​imbibed with red hot coales untill all the liquor be imbibed: then cast in those coales into the Furnace.
If you would by this meanes procure the Spirit of hard Mineralls as of Antimony, & you must take them as they come from the mine, before they have passed the fire.
By this Furnace you may make the Spirits of such things which will not yeeld them in any other way.
Note that such Oils and Spirits as are drawne by this Furnace must be rectified in Spirit of Salt, as I have above shewed.
Take of the best Dansick vitriall, as much as you please, uncalcined put it into a glasse gourd and distill it in the sand, and there will come over a water somewhat sharpish.
This Water or Ros is of greater use then the Spirit or Oil thereof.
It helpeth all inward inflammations, as of the Liver, Kidneys, Stomack, helps the ebullition of bloud, and all distempers that come from thence.
This is that phlegme, which most vapour away, but it is because they know not the vertues thereof.
Take as many Copporas stones as you please, beat them small, and lay them in a coole cellar, and in twenty or thirty dayes they will attract the aire, and look black, and after fourteen dayes become whitish, and sweetish, then dissolve them in distilled rain-water, then filter and evaporate the water, and they will shoot into green Crystalls, which you may dissolve in a cellar per deliquium, being first beaten small, and laid on a marble stone.
This liquor is that famous medicine of Paracelsus for the falling sicknesse, a few drops thereof being taken in any appropriated liquor.
​Take heed that it come at no strong fire, for then saith Paracelsus it loseth its greennesse, and as much as it loseth of that, so much also of its vertue.
A Spirit may be drawn from hence by an ingenuous Artist, that will smell like musk, or Amber.
Take of the best Dansick Vitriall halse a pound, dry it by a gentle fire till it be whitish, then pour on it of the best rectified, Spirit of Wine thirty ounces (Note that there must come to it no other moisture then the Spirit of Wine, the glasse also must be very dry, else you labour in vain then digest it in horse-dung the space of a moneth, then decant from the feces the Spirit of Wine without any troubling of it, then in Balneo evaporate the spirit, and at the bottome you will have a yellow liquor of a most wonderfull slipticity.
This liquor is a famous Anodynum, suppressing all noxious vapours whatsoever and cansing rest.
A sew drops there may be taken in any specificall liquor.
Take of sublimed Mercury very finely powdered an ounce and halfe, of Euphorbium powdered a scruple, Spirit of Wine well rectified, and Rose-Water, of each a pound, digest them two or three houres in a gentle Balneo, the neck of the vessell which must be very long being well stopt, then let them boile a quarter of an houre: when the liquor is cold poure it from the feces, and keep it in a glasse.
If the back-bone be bathed with this Water, or the wrest ​of those that be weake, it causeth sweat presently, if it be done in the bed. By which meanes diseases that require sweat may bee cured. Also any pained place by being bathed with this Water is in a little time eased.
Note that you must not bath any place above three or foure times with it, for by being too often used it contracts the skin.
Put the Liquor that is distilled from Mineralls into the Retort, to which give fire by degrees, and the Spirit will rise up into the upper receiver, and the heavy Oil will go into the middle receiver which is the biggest of all; and into the little receiver annexed to the end of the middle, will passe some of the Spirit, which though it passeth into the middle receiver, will not stay there, but goeth beyond it because it findes vent.
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