THEFOURTH PARTOF THEProsperity ofGERMANY.
In which are revealed many excellent, usefull Secrets, and such as are serviceable to the Country: and withall, several Preparations of efficacious Cates extracted out of the Metals, and appointed to Physical uses; as also various Confections of Golden Potions. To which is also adjoyned a small Treatise, which maketh mention of my Laboratory; in the which there shall be taught and demonstrated (for the publick good and benefit of Mankind) wonderfull Secrets, and unto every body most profitable, but hitherto unknown.
ThePREFACEto the FriendlyREADER.
Although I promised, above a year ago, in the Preface to that Book which I published of theNature of Salts, that (besides Salt) I would likewise adjoyn some Broth and sugared Sawces and Seasonings to the other Meats disht out upon the Table: yet notwithstanding such as are searchers after good Arts, would not in any case allow me so much time as to prepare those Sawces; and being prepared, to dish them forth upon the Table: but earnestly requested this boon onely,viz.that I would not forget to furnish the said Table with Cheese and Butter. The satisfying of whose request, I confess my self very ready to yield unto, nor doe I find any other obstacle, save onely the scantness of time, which I am constrained to imploy about other affairs more necessary.
But however, seeing it is esteemed a very praise-worthy action in a Man, by diffusing his kindnesses in many places to benefit many, I have deemed it a thing well worth while, to adjoyn (setting aside other things) unto the afore-disht-out Meats those promised Sawces, with Butter and Cheese, in to boot; but yet, with as much brevity as conveniently may be.
Had a longer space of time been permitted me, I would have clarified the Sugar better, and made the Sawces more savory, which the hasty posting away of time hath hindered the performance of.
Besides, forasmuch as I have promised a Fourth Part ofthe Prosperity of Germany, together with a disclosing of excellent metallick Medicines, it hath seemed good unto me (for the fulfilling of my promise) to publish these my most efficacious Sawces under the Title of the Fourth Part ofthe Prosperity of Germany; and the rather, because I have not time sufficient for the description and detection of other Secrets.
Now by how much the viler and more contemptible cloathing these present Arcana’s do come abroad in, so much the greater and more noble virtues do they hide under their sordid or despicable rayment. I was of the mind, I confess, to have kept yet longer by me this Fourth Part, that so (being sent abroad to publick view in a more convenient season, it mought have been more adorned with Secrets of greater moment afore its being exhibited to every ones view. And amongst those Secrets,one eminent one, is the Concentration of Gold and Silver, and their reduction into such a form and figure, as that it cannot at all be known by our Enemies (who sometimes rush in upon us unlookt for), (which [sore affliction] God (of his mercy) keep us from.) And so by this means may it come to pass, that such kind of Bodies being thus hidden under an unknown Garment, will not be robb’d and taken away.
And whereas I have demonstrated in the foregoing Third Part, by what means great Treasures of Gold and Silver may easily be gotten in all places throughout allGermany, by the help of my Inventions; I made no question, (nor indeed can it otherwise be) but that such as are diligent House-holders will listen unto my sayings, and put in practise many of those things, especially seeing I will both counsel and assist them, as much as in me lyes.
If now the searching after so great Treasures be [not] too securely and negligently handled, it will undoubtedly come to pass, that our Country will (by such a notable Medium, and such great Treasure) be rendred even wholly invincible. History maketh mention, that theÆgyptians(by their skill in the Meliorating of Metals) enjoyed such vast riches, and so great a power, as that they cast from off their necks the Yoak of theRomanMonarchy, even untill that time in which their Books comprising the Art were burnt by the EmperourDioclesian, whereby they were enforced to be subject to the Empire ofRome. For the most noble Art of Printing Books was in those days unknown, and their Sciences were wont to be written in Parchment with great labour and much cost; and undoubtedly they were not throughly stored with such kind of Books, whereby theRomansdid the easilier get them into their hands and burn them.
Now when once a Writing is committed to the Press, it may be printed off in an almost-infinite Number, for a Printer will doe more in one day, than a vast multitude of Scribes would be able to write. And being it is so, who could possibly be able to scrape together out of all the places of a whole Country such a multitude of Books, thereby to root them out in these our times, and by burning annihilate them, as theRomansdid.
This one thing I here say,viz.Did I but know and find that those things which I have hitherto published, would not onely be acceptable, but be also put in use and practise, it would be as a spur unto me to stir me up to adjoyn to what is already done, more and greater Secrets. Meanwhile let what is at present offered be well accepted, and what is promised, be patiently expected.
I have obliged my self by promise, to adjoyn unto those my Meats which I have hitherto disht out upon the Table, some good Sawce and Pickle; which Meats, seeing they appertain not unto the plain common ways, but belong to a very excellent Skill or Science; it is altogether needfull, that the Sawces be correspondent thereunto, and that even they as well as the meats themselves, be by reason of their savouriness, gratefull unto the Palate. Now therefore as in the Feasts of great men, the Pickles are not set on the Table afore the Guests have fill’d themselves with Flesh and Fish, and so allayed their hunger, but are set afore them (afterwards) as so many Vehicles to drill down the Wine with the greater delectation, for such Pickles do for the most part communicate a sweeter (or toothsomer) tast to all kind of Fruits, Seeds, and Spices, and Sugar: So likewise must I, in the making and dishing out such Sawces for this Feast of mine, mind onely this business,viz.to take care of providing my self of the best Sugar, and choice Spices; and these are extractable onely out of the Metals;Saturnaffording Sugar, andSolandLuneyielding most sweet Spiceiness.
But afore I dish out my Pickles, I have thought good to set afore them a sweet Broth or Seasoning, [together] with Butter and Cheese, that haply one or other of my Guests are minded to dip a piece of Roast-meat therein, or else to tast of my Butter and Cheese, whereby they may with the greater delight tast the sweetness of the following Sawces.
And although I was minded to exhibit in this place some excellent and efficacious Metallick Sawces: yet notwithstanding I could not chuse but first present you with a fore runner as ’twere, signifying unto you, how that by the help of Salt good Broths and Sawces may be made out of the Vegetables, and Sawces, serving for the bettering of Cheese and Butter made out of Animals: that so my Treatise of the Nature of Salts may not be at all defective, and that every one may see what a most noble and most excellent Creature Salt is, which is capable of exalting the Animals, Vegetables and Minerals to a far more worthy degree by so excellent a Melioration of them.
Salt and Vinegar are commonly reputed to be the best Sawce, and ’tis most truly spoken: For amongst all the Sawces and Seasonings put unto Meats, Salt and Vinegar bear the bell; now the Vinegar is for the most part made of Wine, Fruits, Ale, Honey: But as for Salt, if it be turned by distillation and rectification into a sweet and acid Spirit, it becomes a sweet and strong Vinegar, and to be preferred before all others: so that there’s no need at all of the Vinegar of Wine, Ale, Honey, and Fruits. We will therefore shew unto such as are desirous of sweet or savoury Sawces and Picklings needfull for Flesh and Fish, and of well tasted Cheese and Butter, the way of preparing the same by the help of Salt; whereby a Man may make himself for his own Kitchin use or Cookery, various Sawces as him listeth. And having shewn this, we will proceed on to the description of metallick Sawces.
He that is desirous of a good Sawce or Pickle fit for Flesh and Fish, will not find any thing that is more fit or proper than a well-prepared and rectifiedSpirit of Salt, the which he may prepare with whatsoever Herbs and Spices he pleaseth, according as is agreeable to his Palate.
For example, Like as otherwise most acceptable Broaths or Sawces are wont to be made with Wine, Vinegar, Pepper, and other Spices, and are put unto the Boiled or Baked Flesh or Fish in the same Dish, or set by the same in little Sawcers, that so all those Meats may leave the more gratefull tast upon the Palate: Even so may the same be effected with Spirit of Salt, and that far more commodiously, and to better profit than if Wine or Vinegar were made use of to the confection of those well tasted Sawces. But it is my Spirit of Salt I here speak of, (which being prepared according to my prescription, is of a most delicate pleasantness,) and not of that which is most an end sold in the Apothecaries Shops, and in other such like places, and is for the most part ill prepared, and not at all rectified, and consequently by its ungratefull sharp and harsh tast, it provokes to Vomit, if it be taken into the Stomach; ’Tis likewise of a yellowish colour, and with its sharp constriction draws up the Tongue, whereas it should be more clear and transparent than Fountain Water, and by the pleasantness of its acidity excell the juices of Apples, Grapes, or Limons. And being furnished with such a sweet or pleasant Juice of Salt, I need not any Wine, Vinegar, or other sharp Juices of Grapes, Limons, Rasp Berries, Sorrel, and the like, to give a pleasant and savoury tast unto my Flesh or Fish: for it may be done far better with this good Spirit of Salt, than with Wine or Vinegar: For, that Spirit of Salt serves instead of them all, nor is it at all subject to corrupt as other Juices are, but conserves its sweet and pleasant essence without any decay. But if you would make use thereof singly or alone, then must a little Water or Sugar be mixed therewith, that the acidity or sharpness thereof may be a little allayed, and thus may it serve instead of a Sawce to be added to either baked or boiled Flesh or Fish. But now if a man be minded to add green Herbs for alterations sake of the tast, such as are Parsly, Garden Cresses, Spanish Pepper, and the like; he may beat or shred them small and moisten them with Spirit of Salt allayed with Water, and so put them instead of a cold Sawce to Flesh and Fish. But if now the Sawce is to be poured warm to the Fish and Flesh, then must a little Butter be thereto used, and that on this wise following. Take some pure and clean Water, and make it somewhat sharper (with good Spirit of Salt) then strong Wine, Vinegar, put thereunto some good Salt Butter or Fresh, at your pleasure; and likewise such Spice as (besides Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, and such like) you list to add, as also Salt if need be; put it in a little Earthen Glazed Pot, and not in a Copper or Iron Vessel, for they are altogether unfit for this Operation; set the Pot over a few Coals and heat it gently to melt the Butter, then stir it throughly about without ceasing, with a Wooden Spoon, and then being molten it assumes to it self the saline Vinegar, and the Sawce becomes thickish, the which must be then poured out to the boild and seasoned Flesh or Fish. But if green Herbs, as Chervil, Parsly, Cresses,Piperitisor Spanish Pepper, and such like are to be adjoyned thereunto, you may bruise or chop them small, and then put them into the Pot unto your hot Broath or Sawce, and mix them well together, and then presently pour out your Sawce to the Flesh or Fish, for by this means the Herbs retain their tast and greenness, and so delight the Eyes with their lovely aspect, and please the Palate with their pleasant tast, which would not be if they boiled much with the Liquour, for then they would lose both their subtile tast and green colour. Moreover, you are warily to observe in this thing, that this Broath or Sawce be not let lie upon the Coals too long, and so theAcetumseparate it self again from the Butter; which to prevent, there may be mixt with the Sawce one, two, or three yelks of Eggs, which being well stirred with the same makes it the thicker, and better to stick on to the sopping when you take it out of the Dish where the Flesh or Fish is.
Such Sawces do give the Fish either boiled or fried, a most acceptable tast, and probably if some Sugar be thereto added it would do very well for Flesh too. But yet, sharp Juices or Broaths are better and more agreeable for Fish. Now after this manner may every one make his own Sawce as he listeth, and render the same with some Herbs and Spices, the more savoury unto his Palate; and consequently needs not either Wine or Vinegar, nor any other acid things.
If any one has but any pure and clean Spirit of Salt at hand, he may (by the addition of certain Herbs and Spices) prepare his Sawce as best likes him, and make it far more pleasant and delightsome than if it were made with Wine, Vinegar, or Ale-Vinegar, nor can you get these every where neither. But the Spirit of Salt may be prepared and so had every where, and therefore on that account too is it deservedly to be preferred before all other seasonings.
Now in the Winter Season, when green Herbs are not to be gotten, the pounded Roots of Spanish Pepper may serve, or Mustard Powder reduced with Sugar and Spirit of Salt into hot and cold Sawces. Nor would I have any one to be so bold [and foolish] as to contemn these my Sawces afore he hath tasted of the same; for I doubt not but that if he once comes to tast the delightsome pleasantness of the same, he will prefer them afore all other, and will give the Vinegar of Salt its due honour.
And now to give an experiment, taken out of the Treasury of Salt, unto those that are delighted with the tast of good Butter and Cheese; let them listen unto those things which here follow. If thou art desirous to prepare a durable Cheese of Cows Milk, and such Cheese as hath all the tokens of a good Cheese,viz.such as is weighty, compact, close without Eyes, and putrifying Holes, void of sliminess and bad smell, thou may’st be a Master of thy desire by observing the following Operation.
Take of Cows Milk, Sheeps or Goats Milk, or of either of these which thou hast at hand, as much as thou pleasest, or as much as is sufficient, (but amongst these Milks, Goats Milk is the best, Sheeps next, and Cow Milk inferiour to the other two both in goodness and excellency:) Heat it at the Fire, and pour it out into a wooden Vessel (N. B.Iron and Copper Vessels are not to be used in this way) and reduce the Milk into a Curd by the pouring on of Spirit of Salt. Now one Spoonfull of this Spirit is enough to curdle ten measures of Milk. This done, and the Milk and Spirit of Salt having been well stirred about with a wooden Ladle and curdled, put the same into Hair Strainers or in very clean Linnen ones, that so the Whey may drain out and be separated, then gather up the ends of your Strainer,and lay thereon heavy weights and squeeze out all the wheyish moisture. Then take your Cheese out of these Strainers, and put it into wooden Vessels, and there break it into small bits or pieces; which being thus broken, sprinkle some Salt, and some of your pure Spirit of Salt too thereupon, and mix all well together with a wooden Ladle or with your hands well cleansed: Being thus mixed, fill your Vessels or Cheese Fats [which let be] greater and lesser [as need is,] and squeeze and compress the matter well in, as they are wont to do in making of Cheeses. Then expose them to the warm Air, and dry them, and it will give you compact and durable Cheeses, not unlike to those they call Parmesant, and such as will be void of Eyes, and of fœtid and putrid Holes, Slimyness, and such like defects usually incident to the common Cheeses, nay they never are obnoxious to those faults.
The reason is, because the first Coagulation or Congelation of the Milk is made by the help of pure Spirit of Salt, which defends from all putrefaction, and not by the help of the fœtid putrid Rennet, from which nothing can proceed but Rottenness and Worms.
Then farther, the Spirit of Salt being together with [Crude] Salt sprinkled thereupon (after the squeezing out of the Whey) doth in an especial manner resist all that putrefaction that is wont to be in Cheeses, and condenseth the Cheeses, and impedes any fermentation, which dilateth the said Cheeses and makes them spongious and porous; and by thus condensing them, it makes them remain safe and free from all putrefaction.
Such Cheese therefore as is brought to this perfection, doth well deserve the preheminence above the rest, and is extolled by the praise of those Ancient Verses,viz.
Good Cheese must neitherArgusbe,LargusnorMagdalen,Methuselah, norHabbacuck, norLazarus, [Amen.]
Good Cheese must neitherArgusbe,LargusnorMagdalen,Methuselah, norHabbacuck, norLazarus, [Amen.]
Good Cheese must neitherArgusbe,LargusnorMagdalen,Methuselah, norHabbacuck, norLazarus, [Amen.]
Good Cheese must neitherArgusbe,LargusnorMagdalen,
Methuselah, norHabbacuck, norLazarus, [Amen.]
That is, it must not be eyed likeArgus, nor tough likeLargus, nor hairy and crying likeMagdalen, nor hoary likeMethusalem, nor light likeHabbacuck, nor full of stinking holes and rotten sores likeLazarus: which defects if Cheese wanteth, it well merits the title of goodness: and such are those Cheeses which are made by the help of the Spirit of Salt; do but make such a Cheese and try whether or no it will not be of a more pleasing relish than all others are.
Such Cheeses are never corrupted, they never become tenacious, limber, full of holes, and worms. The Spirit of Salt being poured into the holes of Sheep Milk Cheese, or Cow Milk Cheese, doth either kill all the Worms or cause them to get packing, it contracteth the holes, and turns the bad Cheeses into good ones, and this my self have tried.
Thus friendly Reader, hast thou learned how to make a fit Sawce for Fish and Flesh, and likewise good and durable Cheese; it now remains that we teach thee how also to make good Butter.
If you are desirous of making good Butter by the help of Spirit of Salt, and such as is dainty, pure and yellow, and of a most delicate tast, and such as will not easily contract a ranck tast, you may obtain your desire by proceeding on this wise. Take off the Cream from good Cow Milk, and make it into Butter, afore it be any thing mouldy, or of an unpleasant tast, and separate the Butter-milk according to the usual custom, then put the Butter in a wooden Vessel, and wash it so long in pure cold Salt Water, untill there be no more Wheyishness left, and that the Salt Water do come off thencefrom, as clear as it was at first putting on, and that the Butter appears sufficiently clean, which wash it once agen, on this wise following. Dissolve in pure and rectified Spirit of Salt, as much Salt as it will dissolve in the cold: And herewithall wash your Butter anew, yet several times, and work it well with that Spirit, and by thus proceeding will it absume the residue of the Wheyishness which is the cause and rise of rankness, and which common Salt Water could not remove. This done, the Butter is to be seasoned with common Salt according to the usual manner, and thus will it abide perfectly good for a long time. But now the big Sea Salt is accounted the fittest for this purpose, which being a little heated red hot in the Fire, comes to be of a very delicate whiteness, and doth the easier admit of reduction into fine Powder, and is better than that which is boiled up in Iron, or Leaden Pans or Cauldrons.
N. B.But he that can get such a pure sort of salt of a sexangular shape like a Dye, as is prepared in my Laboratory, he may use that, as being by far the purer. As for the Vessel it self whereinto the Butter, prepared and cleaned after the aforementioned manner, is to be put, it must be ordered on this wise following. You must get you a new Oaken Barrel, and so steep it in strong Salt Water, not the common [Sea Water,] as that it may well imbibe the Salt into this Vessel must the Butter, washt as aforesaid, be prest and thrust in so tight and close, that there may not be any hole or gaping place left therein; but you must leave two Fingers breadth in the Barrel at top of the Butter, which is to be filled up with Spirit of Salt, glutted with good and pure Salt dissolved therein, that so the Butter may be well covered over, and all Air being excluded, it may keep fine and savoury a long time. Now when you would Dish out some of this Butter on the Table, you must take it out of your Tub with a clean Wooden Spoon, and not an Iron one, and wash the same in pure and clear Water afore you eat it, if you would not have it retain the sharpness of the Spirit of Salt.
Well, here is yet a better way still,viz.Take new Butter and let it melt very gently over the Coals, and it will be covered over with much frothy Cheesyness, let that froth be neatly scummed off; which being so done, it will look in the Pot like to a pure and clear Oil, pour it out very clearly into another Vessel, that the sediment at the bottom may abide behind. This Butter when ’tis cold looks just like yellow Wax, but yet is it a little softer than it ought to be, and therefore it must be well wrought its due time with Spirit of Salt impregnated with new Salt, that it may obtain the hardness of common Butter, and then be salted, and barrel’d up, and kept for use, which will be far better than the common Butter. For although this purging it by the Fire takes from it all its Cheesyness, from which it had its hardness; yet notwithstanding the Spirit of Salt gives unto it a far different and much better hardness, and causeth it to excell all other sorts in goodness and long keeping.
These things was I willing to take out of my Kitchin and set afore you, namely Sawce, Cheese, and Butter of good and exquisite tast, which if they please not the Palate of some or other, I would have himeven forbear to use them. It is not without some weighty cause that I have done these things, which I well know will undoubtedly undergo the perverse Censures of Spies and Mockers, who probably will say, what Womanish Toys, and Childrens Baubles dothGlauberhere Tattle about, making himself a Laughing Stock to the Women, and Female Sex, who will say of him, that by his teaching to make Butter and Cheese, he hath thrust his Sickle into the Womens Harvest. Well, let them prate as pleaseth them, Geese are not wont to utter ought else but a Goose-like Gagling. For my part I minded nothing else but to have this Treatise be a meer Woman’s Work, and Boys Play, [but yet] it will reveal to the Ignorant more good, than [is attainable] by the perverse instructions of all such Authours whose Writings are Spinn’d out to that height of subtility as to exceed every ones Capacity.
’Tis not every one that will easily apprehend those [Knacks] which I teach and reveal under this Cheese-making Trade, and these Kitchin Operations; nor indeed doth it much matter that they should understand. God will open the Eyes of such as he shall judge worthy of such great gifts, and will conceal and hide the same from the Proud and Wicked Crew.
Having thus finished this Cheese and Butter-making: Let us in Gods Name enter upon another Work of Women, and Boys Play, which Kitchin-like Labour, and Cheese and Butter-making, is meerly metallick and doth far excell in excellency and nobility the hitherto described Operations, although it be performed by the help of the self same Salt. For without Salt no imperfect Metal can be really bettered, the very title of the Art it self witnessing as much, which being stiled Alchymy, signifies no other thing than a melting of Salt: but yet I do not tell what kind of Salt is here to be understood, [or, that any kind of Salt is here meant] but thus much onely do I averr, that the transmutations of the Inferiour Metals must be effected by Salt.
Now then, forasmuch as this Treatise of mine depends on a former, intituled of the nature of Salts, as being an overplus; so it is likewise altogether necessary, that instead of Fruit and Sugar, I use Salts and Metals about the preparation of these my Sawces.
And whereas the making of the Sawces [or Sweet-meats] with Sugar, doth not onely belong to the meaner Sex, but also to the more noble, and yet nevertheless the Operation it self is nothing else but a meer washing and boiling, and a true Womens Work, we will therefore in our description bring the same upon the Stage under the Title of the Work of Women, and Play of Children.
If we rightly look upon the Work of Women, and compare our metallick labour therewithall, there presents it self unto us, a very notable agreeableness betwixt them. The Womens Work is to boil and wash, and when they are about to boil, they set their Pots over the Fire, and having washt their Flesh, they strow thereon some Salt and Spices, and boil the same in the said Pots with Water, Wine, or Vinegar, till it be tender, and become fit to be eaten. They likewise feed the Fire they boil withall by putting Wood thereon, whereby the heat may be kept up, and no impediment may betide their Work: And this is the way and method observed by the Female Sex in their boiling.
But as to their washing off the filth from their Cloaths, they are wont in the first place to pour hot Water thereupon thereby to wash off the more gross part of the Dirt: and then they use a sharp Lee, or some Sope, or even both together to take away the remainder of the filth, and to wash out all the Spots and Dirt, then do they agen wash off the Sope and Lee with fair and hot Water: But as for the odour that the Sope leaves, and which by no washing how much or how oft soever it be done can be carried off, to get that off I say they are wont to lay their Linnen out in the open Field, and sprinkle and moisten it with pure Water, which being dried by the Sun, Air, and Wind, they do agen repeat the same labour, untill all the stinking smell of the Sope be drawn forth by the Sun and the Air, and a better and more wholsome Odour come in its room. Then at last they dry them at the Air and Sun, and being dry, they fold them up and put them in their Chests and Trunks, and keep them for their use.
Just so do we deal with Metals, when we wash off their defilements, and do by boiling turn them into wholsome Food or Medicaments; but yet we do not use common Vinegar, common Salt, and common Spices, but mineral or metallick subjects, as also a duplicate Fire,viz.one of them is a secret, philosophical, moist, cold, and vaporous Fire; and the other is the elementary and common Fire, by which we stir up the former Philosophical Fire to display its virtues, and render it powerfull and efficacious.
The elementary Fire we make with Wood, Coles, or Oil: The universal Agent, or Philosophical, Cold, Moist, Digesting, Penetrating, Mundifying, Bettering, and not Burning, but Conserving, and vaporous Fire, we seek for in Salt, and leave the Operation to the vivifying Sun and Air; which being well done, we obtain wonderfull Plants, and most efficacious Food, or Sawce for our Life.
And forasmuch as my purpose here is, to treat of such metallick and medicinal Sawces, I will here in God’s name adjoyn some of them, which being as so many samplers or patterns, every one may at his pleasure imitate in composing and making of the like. And he will here find a way of confecting some good Medicament, as clearly and evidently demonstrated by me as was lawfull for me to do, nor was it in my power to discover the same more perspicuously: And therefore I beseech every one to take in good part what is here presented, and to forbear to trouble me for the time to come with needless questions.
So then, seeing I am about to treat in this place of metallick Sawces, it is also behovefull to have a metallick Sugar and Spice, and this,Saturnwill afford us in the steed of the common [Sugar] by whose help we reduceSolandLuneas being most excellent Spices, into most effectual Medicines.
Nor would I have it seem strange to any one that I use Lead here instead of Sugar, for the inmost juice of Lead, doth exceedingly out-go the sweetness of any Sugar, which thingIsaac Hollanddoth very evidently testifie in his Treatise ofSaturn. The Chymists do frequently extract a sweet Salt out of Lead, with distilled Vinegar, and call it the Sugar of Lead, and do very well know and find that there is such a sweetness in Lead as is not in any other Metal beside. From it therefore will we prepare our Sugar to make our metallick Sawces withall, as follows.
Take of Lead-ashes one, two, three, or more pounds, which put in a strong well glazed Earthen Pot, then pour thereupon some Wine or Ale, Vinegar, or Vinegar of Honey, as much as may over top it an hands breadth. Set your Pot upon the Coals and make the Vinegar boil.
N. B.The Ashes are to be uncessantly stirred, in the boiling with a woodenSpatula, lest they gather into one entire solid Mass: After that the Vinegar has boiled for about half an hour, and is become yellow, and as sweet as Sugar, you must decant it from the Ashes, and pour on more, and agen boil it, and extract more sweetness, and this labour must you repeat so often untill the Vinegar can extract no more sweetness; then having put all these Vinegars together, pour them gently off from the Fæces that settle in the bottom of the Vessel, and being thus Separated, filter the same through Cap Paper or by a filter, that so the Liquors may be very clear, and may give you by separation, that sweetness of the Lead which they hold up in them.
Into these clear Vinegars, therefore being put in a Glass Vessel, pour thereinto (by little and little) as much rectified Spirit of Salt, that so the yellow Vinegar may be turned into a white Milk, and may by little and little settle to the bottom like curdled Cheese, from which the Vinegar being now become agen clear is to be removed by decanting; then put the Saturnine Cheese in some strong Linnen Cloath and tie it hard up, and squeeze out the residue of the moisture, and so dry it and lay it by for use. It is a most tender Powder, of a bright snowy colour, and void of all tast; for in the precipitation, all the sweetness being introverted by the Spirit of Salt, hath hidden it self within, which doth again afterwards (when that mass shall be reduced into a Sawce) shew it self, and discovers its former tast, as we shall hear anon.
I would have the friendly Reader know, that I am not minded to produce here many and divers Operations, for I am straitned in my time, which stops me from giving you a more prolix and circumstantial description: I do onely propose some few, and leave every one to his fancy to make the rest of the Sawces or Medicaments, according to the ways here prescribed, according to his likeing, and that as many as he will, and out of such subjects as best pleaseth him.
But that I may contract these things concerning my Sawces into a narrow room, I suppose it is well enough known, that Sawces and Junkets are disht out in the second course for this end, either to close up and Strengthen the Stomach, or that if a fudling storm be at hand it may drill the readilier down into the Stomack by these kinds of Vehicles.
But yet my purpose is not directed to this end as to teach the making of such banqueting Dishes in this place, as may allure Wine into the Stomach by such an unprofitable Prodigality, and so detriment the Body it self too. No, but the main drift of my Sawces should rather be this,viz.to remove that evil which is stirred up in the Body of Man, by the common Junkets and the overmuch guzling in of Wine, and to Strengthen the Stomach, Heart, Brain, and other Members of the Body, to heal the parts that are hurt, and in particular, to restore them to their former health: And finally, to be as a kind of guide and manuduction to lead on the Ingeny of Men in such wise, as that they may by an easier way arrive unto the Knowledge of the universal Medicine.
To begin therefore, I confess that of [all] fruits preserved with Sugar, none have a more gratefull tast on my Palate than Bar-berries, and Ribes, or St.John’s Grapes as they call them; which fruits, preserved up with Sugar, do not onely get the Stomach an Appetite, but do withall allay Thirst, and do extinguish all the internal heat stirred up and kindled by overmuch drinking: The like metallick Sawce or Junket shalt thou prepare on this wise.
Buy some Steel filings of the Needle-makers, and take thereof as much as you please, dissolve them in rectified Spirit of Salt, which Solution will be green, and be of a sweetish tast; abstract the insipid Phlegm, insipid I say, for although it be a very strong Spirit of Salt that is poured upon the Iron, yet nevertheless no Spirit comes off, but onely an insipid Phlegm in the abstraction and distillation, and the Irons retains all the acidity of the Salt, and remains a red, sweetish, astringent Juice.
Take of this, and of the Saturnine Powder which we taught you the making of but now, of each alike weight, and put them into a well coated Retort, and theSaccharum Saturniwill presently drink up the Juice of the Steel. Put the Retort in a Vessel fill’d with Sand, and augment the Fire by little and little that all the insipid Phlegm may be wholly drawn off. When ’tis all come off, and that acid drops begin to come, then must you apply thereunto a Glass Receiver, and the Fire is to be encreased by degrees untill the Retort be throughly red hot, which must continue so about an hour, or half an hour a least. By this means, the Spirits of the Salt which were in the Steel, do almost wholly come over into the Receiver, and do carry over with them [the Spirits] of theSaccharum Saturni, and oil ofMars, in the form of a red sublimate, which settles it self in the neck of the Retort, which sublimate when the Retort is cold and broken you must take out of its Neck, and keep it from the Air, for in the Air it will dissolve into a red, sweet, and Astringent Oil, of no small virtues in Medicine and Alchymy. In the bottom of the Retort you will find a molten Mass, resemblingLapis Hæmatitis, which being separated from all defilements, will give you a red, brittle, fusile Stone, and in some sort astringent, of great virtues in Medicine, and without doubt in Alchymy too, if it were but first made constantly to abide in the Fire. And even this too, must you keep from the Air, for it is still impregnated with the Salts, and therefore is easily resolved.
Now when you would make use of this Stone in Medicine, break a little bit thereof into small Powder (for it is no harder than other Salt, and therefore doth easily admit of grinding to Powder.) This Powder heals both internal and external Wounds and Ulcers, being administred in the quantity of two, three, four, five, six, or more Grains, according to the age and condition of the Sick, and being taken in a convenient and proper Vehicle, it is highly Sanative and a stopper of Bloud. Being applied externally to Wounds, it wonderfully forwards healing; hinders all Symptoms, and fundamentally dries, and cures all Ulcers and Fistulaes, if used outwardly and inwardly too.
It doth most safely and most certainly help all the overflowing of the Menses in Women, and is so excellent a Medicament in theDysentery,Lientery, and otherFluxesof the Belly, that its like is not to be found.
Thus have we that true and genuineHæmatitisof the Ancient Physicians, of which they have written so many things, but what through the carelesness of the Physicians that succeded them, and what through the length of time it became wholly lost instead of which there hath been hitherto used the insoluble and hard Stone of Iron.
The Ancients imposed upon their more noble Medicaments, Names deduced from similitudes or resemblances, as may be seen in this our livingHæmatitis, and in the deadHæmatatisof the common Physicians, which is call’d for at the Apothecaries, and administred to stop Bloud withall; But yet it is nothing else save the Stone of Iron, and such Oar as is very rich and abounding with this Metal, the fragments of which appears [either] in the form of spear-like Stria’s or Streeks, or like a cleft stone. This our liveHæmatitisis of the same form, but soluble, and is of a very pleasant and astringent sweetness, and containeth most efficacious virtues for the allaying of all bloody Fluxes both outward and inward. Now that common and well-knownHæmatitisdoth not possess any more virtues than that Iron Scinder-dust which the Smiths smite off at the Anvil, doth. And as for that red Sublimate which ascended up in the neck of the Retort, it is twice stronger in subduing the afore-mentioned diseases, but it is not of so sweet a Tast as is the Stone it self, which resided in the bottom of the Retort. And being externally applied in cleansing and mundifying old Fistulous Ulcers, it works much stronger than this ourHæmatitis(which is more pleasantly administrable in internal defects) doth. But whoever he be that knows how (by many Solutions and Coagulations) to make this Stone constant in the fire, will obtain a far more excellent Medicament: concerning which, we will speak more in the end of this Treatise.
This now is such a Sawce or Junket, as every good Physician and Chyrurgeon hath just cause most highly to esteem in all Fluxes and Sores, both old and new, if he would obtain that repute which he thirsteth after; for it is endued with great Virtues, whereas on the contrary, the Juyce of Sloes, the commonHæmatitis, andCrocus martis, are, in comparison of this, to be accounted of as meer dead Medicaments. I could tell you of more virtues that are in the red Sublimate, and this in an especial manner,viz.that without being either bound on, or inwardly taken, but sympathetically and at a distance, it is able to cure any issues of Blood whatever. But I shall doe better to pass these things over in silence, because to the greatest part of unskilfull Men, they will not onely seem wonderfull, but impossible likewise. However, I commend to every ones acceptation this so excellent a Medicament, for all internal and external Issues of Blood, in all wounds and hurts, as also in all the obstructions of the Spleen, Liver, and other members of the body.
After such a manner as this, may any one easily turn all the Metals into Sugars, and into most excellent Medicaments. But forasmuch as the Metals are not all of them indifferently fit to be administred inwardly to the sick, I will make mention of Gold and Silver onely as being the best of all, and pass by the others, and will teach the preparation of yet more Sawces and Junkets; Copper, Tin, and Argent-[vive] are somewhat cruder bodies, and require greater care and diligence, to have the Title of good Medicaments. We will therefore let them pass, as having Gold and Silver at hand, which are more ripe.
The skilfull Chymical Physicians have assigned Silver for a Medicament for the Brain, which Assignment of theirs I acquiesce in, and doe here present you with such a Sawce or Junket as is of most especial use for the succouring of the Brain.
Take of commonAqua Fortis(such as is commonly used about the dissolution of Silver) one pound: In two ounces of which you must dissolve one ounce of pure Silver; Dissolve likewise one ounce of Lead by it self: Put both Solutions together in a glass with a wide mouth; and being thus mixt, pour thereupon as much rectified Spirit of Salt as is sufficient for the precipitation of both the Metals. Pour off the clear water from the precipitated Metals, and pour upon them some fresh water, and stir them well about; which done, and the precipitated Calx settled to the bottom, the water is to be again decanted off, and more fresh water poured thereon: and this Labour is to be so often repeated, untill that precipitated Powder be void of all Acrimony: then put it in a pure linnen Cloth placed in a Funnel, that so the remaining moisture may drain from it. Then tie the cloth very firm, and squeese out, in two balls (or squeesings) all the residue of the moisture out of that silvery Cheese, and lay the same upon Cap-paper, and that will drink up all the rest of the moisture, and will soon dry your Cheese. This Cheese (or precipitated Powder) is to be put into a well coated Glass-retort, and to be forced with a gentle fire of Sand, that so all the superfluous moisture may be separated. Then, at last, the Fire being augmented, will force out part of the Silver and Lead in the form of white Flores, ascending up in the neck of the Retort. Now when the Retort hath been thus kept red-hot for one hour, let the fire go out of its own accord, and take out the cold Retort, and break it, and you will find in the bottom of the same a white and sweet Stone, which will melt (upon a red-hot Plate of Metal) like Wax, and penetrate the same, and is volatile likeArgent-vive. Two, three, four, five Grains, even to eight or ten, of this Stone ground into a Powder, being administred (respect being had to the Patient’s age and sickness) yield a most present comfort in the diseases of the Head and Brain, and so are those white Flores wont to doe likewise: but in Chymical operations they are of eminent use. Now although this Stone be it self of a fugacious nature, yet notwithstanding in progress of time it makesMercury, together with it self, constant in the fire; of which thing I have elsewhere already mentioned in my Writings, so that I need not say any more thereof in this place.
However, I cannot omit to tell you, that, although, otherwise, there is no familiarity at all betwixt Silver, and Lead, and Salt, yet nevertheless these three may be so prepared as (by a certain mixtion) not to refuse each others society. Hence it comes to pass, that if the Salt be rightly fitted for this operation, it puts forth more powerfull virtues, and for that reason doth the Silver suffer the more, and doth by so much the sooner attain to a constancy in the fire: and so ’tis evident, that the name of Alchymy or fusing of Salt, was not imposed on this Art for nothing.For by the help of Salt, are the Metals to be molten and meliorated, which thing you may take notice of.
Take some pure Silver, and dissolve it inAqua Fortis, and precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, and free it from its Acrimony with common water, and squeese out the water, and lay your matter upon cap-paper to dry, and deal with it in all respects as we spake afore in the Process ofSaturn. Of this Calx take three parts, and one part of Gold dissolved in the Oil of Salt; and first put your Silver Calx into a strong Glass-retort, which must be well coated, then pour thereto your yellow Solution of Gold. Place the Retort in Sand, and, first, force out your Spirit of Salt, in which forcing out, the Calx of the Silver will retain with it self the Gold; and of them both will be made a purple Stone, inclining somewhat to redness, fusile, and volatile. But the Oil of the Salt will carry up with it something of the Gold and Silver into the neck of the Retort; which, together with the aforesaid Stone, you shall take out of the broken Retort; but yet you must keep each apart, for a medicament of great moment: [both] which (if they were turned (by Solution and Coagulation) into a fix Ruby,) would doubtlesly perform their work, in the metallick Operations, with greater benefit and profit.
So have you here, briefly described, the third Junket, which, should it be described with all its Circumstances, the Process it self would in good sooth be more prolix and tedious than is fitting. And forasmuch as my Writings may seem unto many sufficiently tedious, ’tis but fit that I aim at brevity here in this place; though (on the other hand) they will seem (I well know) too short and brief unto others. ButJupiterhimself pleaseth not all alike. And the birth-day of him who can satisfie all, is yet to come; for he is not as yet born. For behave thy self as thou wilt in thy actions, either in briefly delivering thy self, or in uttering thy mind in a longer discourse, thou shalt not at any rate fulfill the expectation and desire of all men. I doe therefore here dish out this Junket, and commit the care of eating the same to the Guests. Every one that will, may more accurately weigh and consider of the same, that so he may come to find, how great the Efficacy and Utility of this Process is, though delivered so very briefly.
There is in the Apothecaries shops a Confection made of the Berry or Grains ofKermes, known by the name ofConfectio Alkermes; in which composition, there are added to the said Berries some Pearls done into Powder, and Leaf-Gold, and Amber-grease, and other such-like corroborating Simples. This medicament being confected with Sugar, is lookt on as the chiefest amongst all those Medicines which are wont to be administred for strengthening the Heart, and it merits the praise ascribed to it. But now instead of the Leaves of Gold, (which cannot be digested or concocted by the stomach, and are therefore carried forth with the Excrements without any operation,) I will substitute another Gold, which being made suitable, and accommodated unto nature, shall be able to put forth its virtues, and supply the place of foliated Gold, in the Confection of Alkermes.
And if any one be so minded, he may omit even the grains or the berry it self (for they are not to be had every-where) and make use of this Juyce of Gold, which I am about to teach in this place, and mix it with Sugar and other Powders that are strengtheners of the Heart. For this Golden Confection of a purple Colour, doth most notably strengthen the Heart by its corroborative virtue, and the Gold it self gives a far more excellent purple or scarlet Colour than the Grains of that berry doe, which are brought us fromMompelier. The way of preparing the said Gold, is as follows.
Dissolve the Calx ofSol, or of Gold, in strong Spirit of Salt, and pour upon the Solution some three or four parts of water more than the Solution is, that so the Acrimony of the Spirit of Salt may be somewhat allayed. Being thus prepared, put thereinto a bit of Tin, and such as hath no Lead commixt therewith, which said Tin, the allayed Spirit of Salt will seize upon, and dissolve part thereof. And being also debilitated thereby, it will let fall all the Gold that it contained, in the form of a purple Powder, adhering partly on to the Tin, and part will be of its own natural colour, and settle to the bottom, but as subtile as the Atoms that fly about in the Sun-beams, and resembling little stars. When therefore the whole body of the Gold is precipitated into a most delicate and fine Powder, out of the Spirit of Salt, which will now be clear and bright: Pour off the Spirit, and take the Tin out from the Golden Powder, and wash the Powder with clean and pure water, that so none of the Spirit of Salt may be therein discerned; and being now thus prepared, it may be used instead of Gold about the Confection of Alkermes.
Moreover, if you are so minded, you may take some pure Sugar-candy, and make it up into a syrup with weak Spirit of Salt, and then put thereunto this Golden Powder with a little Amber grease and some Powder of Pearls, and so make full as good, nay a better Confection than that commonConfectio Alkermesis; because a greater corroborating of the powers of the Heart, and a delicater purple Colour cannot be found in any other thing than in Gold. If now you operate aright, it cannot otherwise be but you must needs attain to this purple and golden Confection.
N. B.The Tin must be very pure and clean, for by how much the whiter it is, and the acuter sound it has, so much the fitter is it for this work. And in the Composition it self you may use this following weight or measure.
Take of the Calx of Gold one Lot [or half ounce] and dissolve it in three or four Lots of strong rectified Spirit of Salt: Pour unto the Solution twelve or fifteen Lots of pure water; then to all this, put two Lots of Tin, and set the Glass that the Solution is in, upon hot Sand, and heat it scalding-hot, but let it not boil. When it hath thus stood for one or two hours, all the Gold will be turned into Powder, of a Purple and Gold-like hue, and settle to the bottom. Then having poured out the Water, and separated the Tin, separate all the Acrimony from the Powder by several washings, and so will you have it fitted for the Confection. This done, take twelve Lots of Sugar-candy, and one Lot of rectified Spirit of Salt, and as much pure fair water as is sufficient to reduce the Sugar into a thick Syrup; Heretoadd one Lot of that purple and tender golden Powder, and it will tinge all the Sugar with a Purple or Scarlet-colour. Then add likewise thereunto, two Lots of Pearls made into fine Powder, and one Quintula (about two drams and an half) of Amber-grease, mix them well together and set it by for use, as being a most efficacious Confection. And if you please, you may add to the former ingredients other strengthning and refreshing Powders. The Dose of this Confection is from 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, to 20 Grains, according as the persons are. It corroborates the Heart, Brain, and the whole Body, and doth likewise (by reason of the Spirit of Salt) allay thirst, and stirs up the appetite to food.
And thus much may suffice this time about Sawces or Junkets. It now remains that we likewise search after some select and harmless Purges out of the Metals too, and adjoyn them to the former. When in feastings (or merry-meetings) the Guests are wont to drink Healths to their Lords, and tope off many Cups, and store of Glasses full of strong Wine, it cannot possibly be, but that their Stomachs must be stufft with tenacious and clammy humours, and the Head much oppressed with Catthars, and the Bowels fill’d with store of wind. Now here cannot be a better and more profitable way of succouring these Stomachs and Heads, thus beset with so many tenacious humours, and of helping the whole body thus corrupted by so often repeated draughts, than by a purgative Medicine, which by expelling all the evil and offensive humours opens all the passages of the Body, and again brings the so necessary respiration. We will therefore present you here with three such purging Medicaments, and those very good ones. One is of Antimony; The second of Silver and Antimony; And the third of Gold and Antimony: Each of which, by it self, doth far exceed the other purging Medicaments made of the Vegetables.
For Metals do penetrate the Body far better, and do perform their Operations with less hazard than the Vegetables do, most of which abound with a resinous clamminess, which doth often stick to the Bowels, and cause great gripings, which is not to be feared at all from metallick purgative Medicines: which (upon this account) are to be preferred before those that are prepared of the Vegetables; nor do I contemn these Vegetable Purges, for they are good, and may be made use of, where better are not at hand.
Therefore, forasmuch as I have in my time, made trial of many such Medicaments, and have in very deed found, that metallick Purges do excel the Vegetable ones both in pleasantness and efficacy, and are far safer; I could not but commend the same above all other Purges to such as come after me, but yet leaving every one at his pleasure to make use of either these or them.
Dissolve two ounces of Lead in pureAqua Fortis, and pour upon the Solution one ounce of Butter of Antimony, that so they may be precipitated together into a whiteCoagulumor Curd, whereto you must put a good quantity of fair water, and stir it very well about, that it may imbibe the Spirit of Salt which was in the Butter.
Then pour off this water, and put on more, and repeat this labour so long, untill all the sharpness be washt out of the precipitated Powder. This white Powder being dried is a most excellent Purge, educing all evil and hurtfull humours out of the Body without danger, and being administred from one Grain to ten, according as the Patient is, doth work downwards, especially when it is given in a lesser Dose. But if there be need of vomiting too, then the Dose may be encreased, especially unto those that can brook vomiting, and cast with ease. It may be used without danger as a good and safe Purge, in all such Diseases as purgative Medicaments are, and may be administred.
Dissolve two ounces of pure Silver in four ounces ofAqua Fortis, and pour upon this Solution one ounce of the Butter of Antimony, which together with the Silver will go into a white Curd, as we said but now of the Lead in the preceeding Process. Wash this Powder with common water, and dry it and administer it in the same Dose as the Saturnine Powder is to be given; and it will perform its part in all Diseases, but especially in those of the Head.
N. B.The Butter of Antimony must be made of theRegulusof Antimony, with rectified Spirit of Salt, and not withMercurysublimate, as the common custom is.
In the first place, you must make a most strong Spirit of Niter thus,viz.put equal parts of calcined Allum and good Salt-peter into a well coated Retort, out of which is to be drawn (leisurely and by degrees into a very large Receiver luted on to the neck of the Retort) a Spirit, which will make the Receiver look red. All the Spirit being distilled, let the Fire go out of its own accord, and leave on the Receiver so long till all the Spirits are setled, and that the Receiver be become clear agen: Macerate the Lute, which joyned the Receiver on to the Retort, with water, and have an especial care when you take off the Receiver, that none of the Lute fall into the Spirit. Put the Spirit in a strong Glass, and shut it up well with Wax, that it may not exhale, for it is very strong, and is red as Bloud, because it had no water put unto it in the Receiver.
Pour two ounces of this strong Spirit upon one ounce of the Butter of Antimony, and it will presently pass into a red Solution, whereto put one ounce of pure Gold that it may be dissolved, which Solution will be redder than Bloud. Then pour in thereupon some common fair water, and the Antimony and the Gold will precipitate into a Purple Powder, which is to be washt well with water, and so dried.
Its Dose is from one, two Grains to six, (according as the Age and Party is,) it may be given in Wine, Ale, Water, or any other Liquor, which may be as a Vehicle unto it. It works without any danger, and doth safely and pleasantly (beyond all other Purges) drive out all offending Humours out of the Body of Man.
If no water be poured upon the just-now-spoken of red Solution, thereby to precipitate the same, butthat that strong Spirit of Niter be drawn off by a Retort, it then takes from the Antimony its purging and vomiting power and makes it Diaphorical. Nor needs the Purple Powder, when it’s taken out of the Glass, any washing at all, because being administred in two, three, four, five, six, or ten Grains Dose it may be safely taken, and it provokes Sweat. It is therefore very profitable in all the Diseases that are to be expelled by Sweat; yea in the Leaprosie, Gout, Dropsie, French-pox, Plague, Scurvey, and in all Feavers doth it play its part even to admiration, for (by reason of the Gold which it contains in it) it doth both provoke Sweat, and strengthen the powers of the Body.
The former Powder or purging Gold, being mixt with an equal weight of purgingLune, or purgingSaturn, and molten in a Crucible, turns into a red Stone or Glass, of which, little Tablets or Pellets somewhat bigger than a Pea may be again cast or molten, and kept for use. And now when there’s need of purging, let one of those Tablets be put in to some spoonfulls of Wine and lie therein all night, and let the Wine be drunk off in the morning following, just after the self same manner as other purges are wont to be administred. For there is so much virtue extracted by the Wine out of the glazen Tablet as to give several Stools. If one Tablet or Pellet be not sufficient, then may a second, or a third, or more be adjoyned thereunto, and so left all night in the Wine, that so the Wine may work more effectually if need requires. The Tablets or Pellets remain good a long time, and may be many times applied to the self same use.
But if any one should be desirous of performing this labour even yet better, he may get a little Pot or Cup to be made for him of white Earth, and may have it glazed both inside and outside with this same Glass; for two or three Spoonfulls of Wine infused for a night in such a Cup, and drunk off next morning, are capable of purging you even as doth the other.
These are the effects of these purges in Medicine. They likewise do some good in Alchymy, if all three of them,viz.the Saturnine, the Lunar, and the Solar are reduced by melting into a Glass: this Glass being Philosophically cemented somewhat of the Silver, Lead, and Antimony will be meliorated, and turned into Gold by the Gold.
Now for a Farewell, take this which follows. If the GodAppollothe Inventer of Medicine, would bestow his light upon any one, and by his hot Beams melt the waxen Wings of the untamed, flying, and (to his FatherDedalus) disobedient SonIcarus, (and flying out of the Isle ofCreet, over theIcarianSea,) that so he might fall down into the sweet and sulphureous Sea of the Sun, and may remain drowned therein: Then from this dead Body (which is not wont to be subdued by any other means) may a most excellent Medicine be prepared. For what way soever he is handled by otherwise, whether he be turned into a white sublimate, or be reduced into a yellow or red precipitate, he is notwithstanding always corrosive; and brings more hurt than good, and therefore may very deservedly be eschewed.
Or if we did but know the way of fixing it without any corrosivity, by those three principal Columes of all Medicine, namely Vitriol, Sulphur, and Antimony, he would undoubtedly be administrable without any fear, and be withall capable of performing great matters. For then he would not stir up and cause so many purgations, and such vehement Salivations, and other hurtfull symptoms as usually comes to pass, but would bring a most speedy help to the Sick by his gentle operation by Sweat and Urine, and get the Physician a most eminent praise.
This I would have every one know, that Sulphur has a power of killing all Corrosives, and reducing them to a sweetness, whether it be done by the dry way or by the moist. And of all Sulphurs, a Vegetable Sulphur is the fittest, which being freed from its inflamable nature, is capable of reducing [any] Corrosives, though never so great, unto a sweetness in one hours space. Nay more, any Metal being first dissolved in such like Corrosives, doth together with the same become a sweet Medicament: And so when Gold is dissolved in Spirit of Salt, and Silver, Tin, Copper, Iron, and Lead are dissolved inAqua Fortis, and that that Corrosive Dissolvent is transmuted by a sweet Sulphur, it so comes to pass that the Metal together with the Corrosive is made a Medicament, and becomes potable. Such potable liquor of the Metals, (but especially of Gold and Silver,) and void of all Corrosivity, will you meet withall in my Medical-shop; which liquor, as well those of Silver, and Copper, as that of Gold, are red. The Liquor of Gold may be used instead ofAurum Potabile, and it guilds Quicksilver and the other Metals with a golden Colour, like as the Silver-liquor guildsMercury, and Silver [or Copper, probably] with a Silver Hue; and the Coppery-liquor guildsMercuryand Iron with a Coppery Colour.
N. B.Aurorabeing inflamed with the love ofJupiter, and withdrawing him together with her self into Heaven, if both of them be again thrust down headlong by the other Gods into the Salt-Sea, they come forth out of this Bath, so delicate and so white, that she resembles the fairness ofDiana; and he, the comliness ofApollo: but not as yet constant in the Fire. But when the time of bathing is over,Marscoming to the Sea Shore, draws both of them out upon a dry Island calledIrony, from Iron; where they are yet once more washt byVulcan, (who makes use ofSaturnshelp) in a dry Bath, who washeth off the Defilements far more accurately than the Salt Sea could, for he leaves not off washing and purging them, untill all the Defilements are separated from both their Bodies, and that they be made like untoDianaandApollo, in Constancy and comeliness.
Mars seeing that his SisterVenus, and BrotherJupiterdid come forth out of the Salt Sea with so lovely a fairness, leapt thereinto himself, that so by spending some time in washing, he might rinse off those black Defilements from his black Body. But there was such store of filth washt off, as made all the Sea green and sweet, and it hid [or swallowed up]Marshimself, being now much diminished, insomuch that he could never have escaped out of that Sea, had notSol, out of meer pity on him, dried up the water of the Sea, for old limpingSaturnto come unto him, and to take poor wretched him out of the Dirt and Mire, which he also did.
But because there was such a deal of Mire and Filth as that this (slim) lame, (hopping Fellow) could not get out agen, he even there stuck fast withMars, and so lost his Life. Of the dead Bodies of these two,viz.ofMarsandSaturn,Vulcandid atlength make one Head having two Faces, or a double Countenance, one resemblingApolo, the otherDiana; and upon this account was the name of double-visagedJanusbestowed upon it byVulcan.
By these few and short Operations and Processes, may any one make and devise many more such like. I am not at this time, for my part, minded to busie and trouble my self about any more tedious a description of such matters, for I guess that in what I have already said and disclosed to the unthankfull, I have too much exceeded my bounds. Every one may choose to himself those things which he shall deem most profitable, and forbear to despise that which he shall not be capable of apprehending the meaning of.
’Tis a usual Proverb,That a Cup of generous Wine must accompany Dainty Delicates.
Because therefore we have in the three precedent Sawces or Junkets, presented you with fine savoury Cates, it is but fitting that we accompany the same with three dainty draughts, and those drawn out of the best of Metals too, namely out of Gold and Silver, because the Cates or Sawces themselves were composed of the same. Our Ancient Predecessors called those Drinks of old timeNectar, or the drink of the Gods, which in our days are known by the names of potable Gold, and potable Silver.
Concerning these two, do many ofIgnoramushis Fraternity babble many Stories, and falsly boast that no true potable Gold can be prepared, or be in Being without the Philosophers Stone. This conclusion of theirs is clearly untrue, for a Man may easily make Gold and Silver potable, though he hath not any knowledge at all of the universal Medicine, which is to be thus understood,viz.when the Gold and Silver either alone or conjoyned, are dissolved in a sweet and not CorrosiveMenstruum, and rendred fit to be administred to the Sick in Water, Ale, Wine, or any other Liquor. For those kind of Solutions may be taken for a simple potable Gold and Silver.
But now for any one to dissolve Gold in that corrodingAqua Regis, or Silver inAqua Fortis, and then to imagine that he hath potable Gold and Silver, he is altogether in an Errour. Potable indeed they are, because they may be drunk like other Liquors: But forasmuch as those kind of Solutions do corrode all things, and bring extream Detriment, they are justly rejected, and the rather because being poured into Wine or Ale, they defile and thicken the same; which, no true potable Gold dissolved in a Not-corrosiveMenstruum, will do, but when ’tis mixt with Wine, Ale, or Water, it remains bright and clear. Besides too, true potable Gold must be of such a property, as to have no visible corporal Gold producible thereout of, and yet notwithstanding, be able to indue the meaner Metals, yea andMercuryit self with a golden nature, if they be therein boiled, or to coagulate and transmute them into Gold by the dry way in a Crucible, whether it be done with profit or without profit [it matters not.] Now this tinging virtue comes not from corporeal and dead Gold, but from a spiritual living and ringing Gold.
If therefore the common and corroding solution of Gold, cannot be accounted for a trueAurum Potabile, and that the spiritual and tinging Gold, which is dissolved without any corrosiveness should not come under this Title neither, whence I pray should it be sought for, and where should it be inquired after. I confess, I do easily perswade my self, that as for the first Ens of Gold if we did but know how to wash and purge it in such wise, as that being turned into a bloud red liquor, it would admit of Distillation by an Alembick or a Retort, we should have a better potable Gold. But where shall we find such an Artificer, as can teach us the way of preparing such a potable Gold? ’Tis therefore our best way to content our selves with such Medicaments as we have at hand, so long untill God bestoweth better upon us. This likewise I believe, that if we did but know such an Artifice as to wash and purge Mercury, in such sort as that it might pass into a ponderous and sweet Water, and if we could so adjoyn some pure Gold thereunto instead of a ferment that they might lift up [or sublime] themselves together, and again become constant and fix: that then, from them would arise a red and soluble Carbuncle, or true potable Gold. But these are onely my simple thoughts and conceptions, no dispraise to those suppositions which other men have entertained concerning this matter. So likewise if spiritual Gold, and the spiritual Sulphur of the Vine be conjoyned by the help of Salt, they give a good potable Gold, which contains in it Gold potentially, but not actually or palpably, as may be seen in my Treatise of the trueAurum Potabile, which being clear like Water, and a bright or fair potable Gold, I do adjoyn to my Cates or Sawces instead of White-wine.
But even as White-wine the longer it is kept, the yellower it grows, so likewise whiteAurum Potabiledoth not retain its whiteness above two or three months, but becomes more and more yellow, and is at length turned into a redness, but still retains its tinging faculty. He therefore that shall not be well pleased with the tast of [my] Wine or potable Gold, let him tarry till being more old they become yellow or red, for then they are of a pleasanter tast, as having (through long Process of time) lost their Sulphureous Tast.
But as touching the manner of making that potable Gold, as also all other unpleasant, sugacious, and unripe metallick Potions, pleasant, ripe, fix, and sweet Liquors, that shall be revealed afterwards.
Furthermore, I do here serve out instead of a good drink, the golden-coloured Soul, or my Tincture made of Niter, of which I have spoken in the second part of my Spagyrical Dispensatory. It is of as much virtue in Medicine as that potable Gold is, which I made mention of but now, but performs nothing in Alchymy or in the Transmutation of Metals; but what it would do if it were made fix and constant in the Fire, I do not as yet know, for I have not as yet brought it to that pass. But how it may be made fix shall be presently shown. This very Tincture in the degree it is at present in, produceth great effects in Medicine, yea and greater too than those which I published about it, in the second part of my Spagyrical Dispensatory. It is of a delightfull Tast to the Palate, it removes the obstructions of the Liver, Lungs, and Spleen, it provokes Urine, expels the Stone, prohibits Obstructions with the Excrements, it may be most safely used by old and young, yea even by those whose strength is much debilitated, and it is wont to afford them present help; it wonderfully Corroborates, and makes all Animals, Minerals, and Vegetables fruitfull, and this will easily appear so to be, if you do but take some Vegetable Seed and macerate in the same, and then put in the Earth, it grows far speedierand ripens much sooner than other Seeds are wont to do.
I have sometimes macerated Wheat, Barly, Pease, and the Seeds of such like Corn in this Liquor for a night, and being thus steeped, have sown it in pure Sand, and they have grown ripe far sooner than those which have been planted in good and fat Earth: which is such a thing, as hath made many Men extreamly to wonder, when they saw Corn grow in bare Sand without any other Earth or Dung, and be able to arrive to such perfect maturity.
Many other Salts there are of no great cost, and such as are to be had in vast quantity, with which, Corn being macerated and sown in barren Lands, and in such as are not dunged doth come to perfect maturity; and this I have tried not onely once, but oftentimes; and have also purposed (if God please) to bring it into publick use, in these United Provinces: to which end, the most Supreme Orders, General and Provincial, have granted me a Priviledge (or Patent) for many years; whereby it is forbidden to sow or plant barren, sandy Grounds and undunged, after this kind of way, without my consent. The main Basis of the knack lies in Sea-salt, which may be plentifully had in these places, and be easily prepared and made use of (to fatten lean and dry Grounds with) instead of Dung.