Sometimes there is found a certain earth, or bole, which hath no affinity with tartar, which being mixed with salt of tartar yields a spirit, but very little. But in this furnace may all fixed things be elevated, because the species not being included in it, but dispersed, being cast upon the fire, are from the fire elevated through the aire, and are being refrigerated in the recipients again condensed, which cannot be so well done by a close retort.
He therefore that will make the spirit of the salt of tartar, need do nothing else than to call the calcined tartar into the fire, and it will wholly come over in a spirit: but then there are required glass recipients, because those that are earthen cannot retain it.
And this is the way whereby most fixed salts are distilled into a spirit by the first furnace. In the second furnace (viz.in the furnace of the second Part) it may be done better, and easier, where together with the preparation shall be taught the use thereof.
By this way spirits may be raised from any mineral or stone, and that without the addition of any other thing: yet so as that the minerals, and stones, as flints, Crystal, talk,lapis calaminaris, Marcasite, Antimony, being ground be with an Iron ladle cast upon the coals, and there will arise together with a certain acid spirit, some salt and flowers, which are to be washed off from the recipients, and filtred, and the flowers will remain inCharta bibula, or filter for the water together with the spirit, and the salt passeth through the filter, all which may be separated, rectified and be kept by themselves for their proper uses. Now this you must know, that you must choose such minerals which have not been touched by the fire, if you desire to have their spirit.
Hitherto the flowers of metals, and minerals have not been in use, excepting the flowers of Antimony, and sulphur, which are easily sublimed: for Chymists have not dared to attempt the sublimation of other metals, and fixed minerals, being content with the solution of them with Aqua fortis, and corrosive waters, precipitating them with the liquor of salt of tartar, and afterward edulcorating, and drying them; and being so prepared they have called them their Flowers: but by Flowers I understand the same matter which is by the help of fire without the addition of any other thing sublimed, and turned into a most subtile pouder, not to be perceived by the teeth or eyes, which indeed is (in my judgment) to be accounted for the true flowers; when as the flowers which others make are more corporeal, and cannot be so well edulcorated, but retain some saltness in them, as may be perceived by the increase of their weight, and therefore hurtful to the eyes, and other parts.
But our flowers being by the force of the fire sublimed by themselves, are not only without saltness, but are also so subtile that being taken inwardly presently operate, and put forth their powers,viz.according to the pleasure of the Physitian. Neither is their preparation so costly as the others.
Metals also, and minerals are maturated, and amended in their sublimation, that they may be the more safely taken; but in other preparations they are rather destroyed, and corrupted, as experience witnesseth: Now how these kind of flowers are to be made I shall now teach, and indeed of each metal by it self, whereby the artist in the preparation cannot erre, and first thus.
Gold and silver can hardly be brought into flowers, because many are of opinion, that nothing comes from them in the fire, especially from Gold, although it should be left there for ever: which although it be true,viz.that nothing comes from gold in the fire, although it should remain there a long time, and from silver but a little except it have copper or any other metal mixed, which yet vapours away but by little and little.
Which I say although it be so, yet they being broken and subtilized and scattered upon coals, and so dispersed, may by the force of the fire and help of the air be sublimed, and reduced into flowers.
Now seeing the aforesaid metals are dear, and of a great price, and the furnace with its recipients large, I would not that any one should cast them in, especially gold, because he cannot recover them all; but I shall to those that desire to make these flowers shew another way in the second part, whereby they may make them without the loss of the metal; to which I refer the reader. For this furnace serves for the subliming of metals, and minerals, which are not so pretious, the loosing of part whereof is not so much regarded. And thus much is said to shew that gold, and silver, although fixed, may be sublimed. Now other metals may more easily be sublimed, yet one more easily than another, neither need they any other preparation but beating small, before they be cast into the fire.
Take of the filings of Iron or Copper, as much as you please, cast them with an Iron laddle upon burning coals,viz.scatteringly, and there will arise from Iron a red vapour, but from Copper a green, and will be sublimed into the sublimatory vessels. As the fire abates it must be renewed with fresh coales, and the casting in of these filings be continued, until you have got a sufficient quantity of flowers, and then you may let all cool. This being done take off the sublimatory vessels, take out the flowers, and keep them, for they are very good if they be mixed with unguents, and emplasters: and being used inwardly cause vomiting; therefore they are better in Chirurgery, where scarce any thing is to be compared to them. Copper being dissolved in spirit of salt, and precipitated with oyl of vitriol, edulcorated, dryed, and sublimed, yields flowers, which being in the air resolved into a green balsom, is most useful in wounds and old putrid ulcers, and is a most pretious treasure.
You need not reduce these metals into small crums, it is sufficient if they be cast in piece by piece, but then you must under the grate put an earthen platter glazed, and filled with water, to gather that which flows down melted, which is to be taken out, and cast again into the fire, and this so often until all the metal be turned into flowers, which afterwards are again, the vessels being cold, to be taken out, as hath been said of the flowers ofMarsandVenus. And these flowers are most excellent being mixed with plaisters and oyntments in old and green wounds, for they have a greater power to dry, than metals calcined, as experience can testifie.
This is easily reduced into flowers, because it is very volatile, but not for the aforesaid reason, because it leapes in the fire, and seeks to descend.And if you desire to have the flowers thereof, mix in first with sulphur that you may pulverize it, and cast it in mortified. And if you cast into a red hot crucible set in the furnace, a little quick Mercury,viz.by times with a ladle, presently it will fly out, and some part thereof will be resolved into an acid water, which is to be preferred before the flowers in my judgment; but the rest of the Mercury drops into the receiver. But here are required glass vessels, because the aforesaid water is lost in earthen. And this water without doubt doth something in Alchymy: It is also good being applyed outwardly, in the scab, and venereal ulcers.
It is a wonderful metal, and is found in the spagyrical anatomy to be meer sulphur, golden, and immature. Being put upon burning coals doth suddenly fly away wholly; it is inflamed also, and partly burns like common sulphur, with a flame of another colour,viz.golden purple: and yields most gallant white, and light flowers.
Being given from 4, 5, 6, grains to 12, they provoke sweat wonderfully, and sometimes vomit, and stools, according to the offending matter. The vertues thereof being externally used are also wonderful, for there are not found better flowers, for they do not only speedily consolidate fresh wounds, but also old, such as always drop water, in which cases they excell all other medicaments. For they are of such dryness, which hath joyned with it a consolidating vertue, as that they do even things incredible. They may be used divers ways, as to be strewed by themselves, putting over them a stiptick plaister, or being brought into an unguent with honey to be put into wounds; which unguents in deep wounds may be boyled to a hardness for the making of small suppositories, which are to be put into the wounds, which must afterwards be covered with some plaister, and preserved from the air. Being applyed after this manner they cure fundamentally, being mixed with plaisters also they do wonderful things.
If they be mixed with rose, or rain water, so as to be united together, and afterwards some of this mixture be sometimes every day dropt into red eyes that water, yielding not to other ophthalmicks, do restore, and heal them.
These flowers being taken up in lint and strewed upon those places of Children that are galled with their urin (those places being first washed with water) heal them quickly. They heal also quickly any excoriation which is contracted by lying long in any sickness, and is very painful, if they be strewed thereon.
These flowers also are more easily dissolved in corrosive waters, than other metals, and minerals, neither doth the spirit leave them in the fire, but an insipid phlegm only distills off, leaving a fat and thick oyl, as is above said concerning thelapis calaminaris, being ordained for the same uses, but more efficacious then that. Which spirit if it be by the violence of fire driven forth, is of so great strength, that it can scarce be kept. And not only spirit of salt, but also Aqua fortis, and Regia may after this manner be exalted, so as to be able to do wonderful things in the separation of metals; but here is not place for these things, they shall be spoken of in the fourth part.
But you need not make flowers for this work, because crude Zinck doth the same, although the flowers do it something better: whence it appears that a metal contracts a higher degree of dryness in sublimation.
There is no difficulty to make the flowers of Antimony, for Chymists have a long time made use of them, and because their preparation was tedious, they were not sold at a low rate.
Wherefore there was no body willing to attempt any thing else in them, because they were used only for vomiting; the dose whereof was from 1. 2. 3. 4. grains to 8. and 10. in affects of the stomack and of the head, as also in feavers, plague, morbus gallicus,&c.Neither is it a wonder if Chymists tryed no farther in them, for we see that there are found men in these days who perswade themselves that there is nothing which was not found out by the learned ancients, can be found out in these days, and if there were any thing to be yet found out it was found out already by them. But this opinion truly is very foolish, as if God gave all things to the ancients, and reserved nothing for them that should come after. Neither indeed do they understand nature in their operations, which works incessantly, and is not wearied in her labours,&c.But however it is manifest that God hath revealed things in these times which were hid from them of old, and he will not cease to do the same even to the end of the world.
But to return to our purpose again, which is to shew an easier way of making the flowers of Antimony, whereby a greater quantity may be had, as also that they may serve for other uses.
Take of crude Antimony poudered as much as you please, and first make your furnace red hot, then cast in at once a pound of Antimony, or thereabouts,viz.scatteringly upon the coals; and presently it will flow, & being mixed with the coals by the force of the fire will be sublimed through the air into the receivers like a cloud, which will there be coagulated into white flowers. Note, that when the first coals are burnt up, more must be put in to continue the sublimation, and those must be first kindled before they are put in, lest the flowers be by the dust of the coals arising together with them discoloured, and contract thence a gray colour: but it matters not if you will not use them by themselves to provoke vomiting, because there is no danger thereby, for that colour comes only from the smoake of the coals, wherefore you need not be afraid of them. But let him that dislikes this colour, first kindle the coals before he put them into the furnace, and then he shall have white flowers. Also you must not shut the middle hole through which the coals, and Antimony are cast in, that thereby the fire may burn the more freely: for else the flowers of the superior pots will be yellow and red, by reason of the sulphur of the Antimony, which is sublimed higher than the regulus. Now you may by this way make a pound of the flowers with 3. 4. or 5. pound of coals. It is a little that goes away from the Antimony,viz.the combustible sulphur, which is burnt, all the rest going into flowers. You must have a care to provide a sufficient quantity of subliming pots by reason that a large space is required for the sublimation of the flowers.
The flowers that are prepared after this way, are sold at a lower rate, so that one pound thereof is cheaper, than half an ounce of those that are made after the other manner. Also they are safer, as being made with an open free flame of the fire, for they do not provoke vomit so vehemently; moreover the flowers of the lower pots are not vomiting, but diaphoretical, as if they had been prepared with nitre, for thus they are corrected by the fire: And by this way at one and the same operation divers flowers of divers operations may be made, for the flowers of the lower pots are diaphoretical, of the middle a little vomitive, but of the uppermost vehemently vomitive. For by how much the more they have endured the fire, by so much the better are they corrected; from whence the diversity of their power proceeds. Wherefore each of them are to be kept by themselves, and the uppermost for plaisters or butter, or oyl, and those to be made sweet or corrosive thereby; The middle for purging, and vomiting, but the lowermost for sweat, being more excellent thanBezoardicum Minerale, orAntimonium Diaphoreticummade with nitre. Truly I do not believe that there is an easier way of making vomiting, and diaphoretical flowers, than ours. Now for the use of them, you must know that those that are vomitive are to be administred to those that are strong, and accustomed to vomit: but to Children, and old Men with discretion, as hath been said above of the butter of Antimony: but those that are diaphoretical may be given without danger to Old and Young, to those that are in health, and to the sick; in any affliction that requires sweat; as in the Plague, Morbus Gallicus, Scorbute, Leprosy, Feavers,&c.The Dose of them is from 3, 6, 9, 12, grains to 24. with proper vehicles to sweat in the bed; for they do expel as well by sweat, as by urine, all evil humours. And because they that are vomitive are in a greater quantity than those that are diaphoretical, and not so necessary as these, and there may be many more doses out of them; it is necessary to shew you how those that are vomitive may be turned into diaphoretical; and that may be done three wayes; the two former whereof I have before shewed concerning the butter of Antimony made of flowers with spirit of salt, the third is this,viz.put the flowers in a crucible covered, (without luting) lest any thing fall into it, so set them by themselves in a gentle fire, that they melt not, but be made only darkly glow for the space of some hours; then let them cool, for they are become fixed and diaphoretical. Although they had before contracted some yellowness or ash-colour, yet by this means they are made white, fixed, and diaphoretical. Also these flowers are used in stiptick plaisters by reason of their dry nature, with which they are endued.
Also they are melted into a yellow transparent glass, neither is there taught an easier way of reducing Antimony by it self into a yellow transparent glass, where crude Antimony is first sublimed, and being sublimed is melted into glass.
This sublimation serves instead of calcination, by the help whereof 20 pound are more easily sublimed, than by the help of the other one pound is brought into calx.
Neither is there here any danger of the ascending fumes, because when the Antimony is cast into the fire you may be gone, which is a safe, and easy calcination, whereas the common way requires the continual presence of the artist stirring the matter, who also takes out the matter when it is once grown together, and grinds it again; by which means he hath much to do, before the matter come to a whiteness; but by our way, the matter is at the first time made sufficiently white, and more than by that common way of calcination and agitation. I suppose therefore that I have shewed to him that will make glass of Antimony, the best, and hitherto unknown way; which being taught, I hope there is no man will hereafter like a fool go that tedious way of the Antients, but rather follow my steps. For by this way may any Physitian, most easily be able to prepare for himself vomitive and diaphoretical flowers, and also glass of Antimonyper se.
Of those Flowers may be made oyls both sweet and corrosive, and other medicaments, as hath been above said of the spirit of salt, and shall afterwards be spoken in the Second Part.
Let him that will make Flowers of the Regulus, fairer than those which are made of crude Antimony, cast it being poudered into the fire, and in all things proceed as hath been said, and he shall have them,&c.for they are easily sublimed. Now, how the regulus is to be made after a compendious manner, you shall find in the Fourth Part. The scoriæ also are sublimed, so as nothing is lost. But he that will make Flowers that shall be dissolved in the aire into a liquor must add some calcined tartar, or some other fixt vegetable salt, and he shall have Flowers that will be dissolved in any liquor: but he that will make red Flowers as well those that are diaphoretical, as those that are purging, must mix iron, and he shall have Flowers like to Cinnabar: Let him that desires green, mix copper, if purple,lapis calaminaris.
And thus out of any mineral may be made Flowers whether it be fixed, or volatile; for it is forced to fly on high being cast into the fire. And these may be used diversly in Chyrurgery, in plaisters and unguents; for they dry, and astring potently, especially those that are made oflapis calaminaris. Neither are they to be slighted that are made of the golden, and silver marcasite. Those that are made of arsenic & auripigmentum, are poysonous, but are useful for Painters. Arsenic & auripigmentum being calcined with nitre, and then sublimed, yield Flowers that are safely to be taken inwardly, expelling all poysons by sweat and stool: For they are corrected two wayes,viz.first by the nitre, secondly by the fire in the subliming: they are not therefore to be feared, because that Arsnick was poysonous before the preparation thereof. For by how much the greater poyson it was before preparation, so much the greater medicine afterwards.
The Flowers of sulphur are taught in the Second Part, although they may also be made by this furnace,viz.the natures and properties thereof being known by an expert Artist, or otherwise it is burnt.
So also stones being prepared are brought into Flowers, and many other things, of which we need not say any thing, only let him that pleaseth make tryal thereof.
And now I suppose I have made plain, and shewed you clearly how distillation is to be made in this our first furnace; wherefore I will now end.He therefore that understands and knows the fabrick of the furnace (which he may understand by the delineation thereof) and the use thereof, will not deny but that I have done a good work, and will not disapprove of my labour.
And this is the best way of distilling, and subliming incombustible things. In the Second Part you shall find another furnace in which are distilled combustible things, as also most subtil spirits,&c.The first furnace serves also for other uses, as the separation of metals; of the pure from the impure; for the making of the central salt, and of thehumidum radicaleof them all. But because it cannot be done after the aforesaid way, by which things are cast into the fire to get their flowers, and spirits, but after a certain secret Philosophical manner, by the power of a certain secret fire, hitherto concealed by the Philosophers (neither shall I prostrate that secret before all); It is sufficient that I have given a hint of it for further enquiry, and have shewed the way to other things.
FINIS.