A breefe aunswere of Iosephus Quercetanus Armeniacus, Doctor of Phisick, to the exposition of Iacobus Aubertus Vindonis, concerning the original, and causes of mettalles Set foorth against chimists. Another exquisite and plaine treatise of the same Iosephus, concerning the spagericall preparations, and vse of minerall, animall, and vegitable medicines. Whereunto is added diuers rare secretes, not heeretofore knowne of many. By Iohn Hester, practicioner in the spagericall arte.

Of artificiall saltes, and their properties. Chap. 1.

THe vse and profit of saltes that are drawen out of sim∣ples by calcination are in maner as great in phisicke as the rocke or common salt is, which daily and in general ser∣ueth to mans releefe: for when from simples a grosse fleme is taken awaye, which in troth hindereth their operation, how much more woulde they performe their operation if they were conuerted into a spirituall matter, which by long distillations and filtrings is caused that they may change by a certaine manner into a firye matter: therefore it is not to be doubted that when the simples be conuerted into a salte, and the element of fire hath in no such wise dominion in them, but that they pierce sooner, and may performe their proper action: that such a heape or companie of diuers sim∣ples,

shall not neede besides in the composition of remedies: for such salts haue certaine properties the which other pur∣gers being distilled want: for euerie salt saith Theophrastus Paracelsus purgeth, but the distilled waters of the purgers lacke or haue not the same propertie, because his salt is not ioyned in the same, so that I suppose a great tartnes or sharpnes consifteth in them all.

The manner and fashion to prepare these saltes are di∣uers according to the opinion of the Authors. Some will the hearbes to be gathered in their due time, and distill a∣way the water in Balneo, then calcine the feces, and with their proper water draw forth the salt, the which yee shall calcine in a fornace of calcination, and dissolue it againe and congeale it: and this ye shall do vntill it be white as snowe: the which afterward by a workeman may be brought chri∣stalline. These saltes called alkalye, must be kept in a glasse close stopped, because the aire will soon resolue them, which happeneth (especially to those that are made of hearbes, & those substances) which possesse and haue more quantity of eile, and the subtiller.

Some calcine them slightly, some more, some lesse, some make their salte with their owne water distilled from the hearbes: some with raine water distilled from those kind of hearbes being drie or greene, some put on the water colde, some hot, and so let it stand certaine daies stirring it often, the which is not amisse, then distill it by a filter vntill it bee cleere, and vapor it away in Balneo, vntill it bee drie, then calcine it againe, and dissolue it in some conuenient liquor, and then congeale it againe, and this yee shall doe vntill it be white as snow, the which by often calcining and dissol∣uing may be brought christalline, whereof one graine is of more force then fixe of the first.

De salibus purgantibus per tussim.

THe salt of Hipericone or saint Iohns wort, certaine af∣firme to bee highly commended, and approued in the pluresie, giuing the patient in warme wine so much as will

goe into halfe a hasell nutshell. A certaine singular phisi∣tion in the pluresie gaue as much of this salt as he cold hold betweene the ende of his fingers in malmsie, and God is the witnes that the patient was cured by it: the like vertue hath the salt of Polipodij.

De salibus purgantibus per vrinam.

AS much as a man may hold betweene the end of his fin∣gers, of this salt was giuen with warme wine vnto one that could not make water, and he was presently deliuered, as Leo Suauius writeth.

Salt of Woormewood.

THis salt is geuen in maner in all diseases or sicknesses, with profit: but especiallie in the pestilence, it is profi∣table against all obstructions of the ••iuer and kidneis, it pro∣uoketh vrine, it helpeth the dropsie and water betweene the skinne and the flesh proceeding of a salt cholericke humor, and is profitable against the yellow iaundies, it prouoketh sweat, it helpeth and driueth forth from the inward partes the poxe (Feiguarzen, and such like diseases.) It comforteth the stomacke, purgeth waterish bloud gathered together in the vaines and liuer, causeth good digestion, and slaketh the griping paines and blastinges in the bellie, being vsed with conuenient liquors or medicines, it mundifieth all foule sores, if it bee strowed thereon, or mixed with conuenient li∣quors or vnguents.

Sal Gentiane.

This salt is profitable against all feuers, it openeth and purgeth all obstructions of the bowelles, it prouoketh men∣strua and vrine being dronke with conuenient liquors.

Sal Gratiolae.

This salt is effectuall against the dropsie.

Sal Anonidis.

This salt diminisheth the stone, and prouoketh vrine, & is profitable against the strangury.

Sal Raphani.

This salt hath the aforesaid vertues.

Sal Genistae.

This salt breaketh the stone and prouoketh vrine.

Sal Stipitum Fabarum.

This salt helpeth the difficultie of vrine, and breaketh the stone.

Sal Iuniperi.

This salt of Iuniper is of a piercing nature and hath the aforesaid vertues.

De salibus purgantibus per vterum.

THis salt doth prouoke womens termes.

This salt also prouoketh menstrua, purgeth the womb and helpeth the suffocation of the matrix.

Sal Chelidoniae.

Take the rootes of celandine cleane scraped and not washed q. v. stampe them well in a stone morter, then digest them 24 howres with the spirit of wine in Balneo, thē powre it out without pressing, and vapour away the said spirit in Balneo, and in the bottom will remaine a yellow tincture or powder, the which profiteth much in prouoking of womens termes, the dose is about ℈ i. in white wine or other conue∣nient liquor.

De salibus purgantibus per sudorem.

THis salt is verie profitable against the pox or such like diseases, either to be vsed inward or outward: it prouo∣keth sweate mightily if it be mixed with diaphoreticall me∣dicines.

The salt of Scabious hath the like vertue in prouoking sweat.

De salibus dolorem sedantibus.

TAke the bloud of an old Hart or Stagge being yet warm, and distill it in Balneo with a gentle fire vntill all the fleme be come away, then change the Receauer, and set thy vessell in sand, and augment the fire, and there will com••

forth both oile and salt, the which will hange round about the glasse, the which must be mixed with the oile. Yee shall note that the stinking smell of the oilemay be taken away by often washinges in warme water afore yee mixe it with his salt. This oile swageth all paines of the gout if ye annoint the partes therewith.

Sal sanguinis humani.

THe salt of the bloud of a man and a goate is made in the same order, the which haue great vertue to helpe the raines, bladder, and all diseases of the articular partes, as Chiragra, Gonagra, and Podagra.

A composition of saltes that seperateth fleme.

TAke hisop, penirial, ana. ℥ ss. Origanū ʒ ij. fenel seed ℥ ss. Caraway seed ʒ ij. licorice ℥ i. Salis vsti ℥ vj. Salis absinthij ʒ ij. salis Iumperi totidē, cinamomi. oū. i. ss. piperis longi ʒ vj. carda momum, granorum paradisi, cariophilorum ana. ℥ ss. Gingiberis ℥. i. misco, fiat puluis.

Sal perigrinorum.

TAke sails nitri fusi, salis gemmae ana. ℥ i. galangae, macis, cu∣bebarū ana. ℈ i. fiat puluis. The dose is foure or sixe grains in the morning fasting vpon a peece of bread: this comfor∣teth the stomake, maketh good digestion, and preserueth the bodie from putrifaction: the vse of this salt being at the sea will preserue from vomitting.

An addition to that salt to preserue the bodi•• in health.

TAke of the aforesaid salt so prepared ℥ iij. Alcoolis vini exiccati lb. ss. extrahatur alcali, of the which take ʒ ij. & put thereunto kist vnum liquor is granorum Iuniperi, mixe them, (the dose is 1. or 2. gr.) in wine: ye shall not adde any other

thing vnto this, lest the vertue of the salt be spoiled: this salt was of great estimation with Hermes trimigistes to preserue the bodie in health.

Balsamum vrinae, the which through the great vertues it hath, deserueth to be called Catholicum, and is made thus.

TAke the vrine of yong Children aboute the age of 12. yeares, that hath dronke wine for certaine moneths if it be possible, the same putrify in Balneo, or dung, a philo∣sophers yeare, then distill it with a gentle fire in sand being also luted, the which ye shall note diligently: the fleme ye shall put vpon the feces 4. times, then the last water keepe close shut, the which is white and stinking, and therfore ye may giue it both tast and smell with sinamom and sugar, the feces that remained in the bottom being blacke yee shall sublime by degrees of fire, and you shall haue a most pre∣cious salt, the which some affirme will dissolue gold, siluer & other mettalles: some philosophers call it their menstrua. The vertues of this Balsamum vrinae are infinite, and may rightly be called Catholicum remedium, because it hath mar∣uellous vertues in all maner of diseases, and doth nourish nature wonderfullie by his similitude and not by contrarie∣tie. It cureth the dropsie, prouoketh vrine and menstrua that are suppressed, it resisteth corruption, it cureth the plague, and sundrie feuers, as pestilential, tercians, quartanes, and quotidianes, it withstandeth vomitting.

There is no doubt but that al these vertues are contained in this blessed Mumia: for that we see the effect in crude v∣rine, for it moueth vrine and menstrua, it cureth tumors & the dropsie, it helpeth the paines and wind in the gut••es, & collicke, it is profitable against the feuer tercian, quartan, & quotidian, and against the plage and pestilent feuer it is a re∣medy, if it be dronke 15. daies together with safron: or cer∣taine graines of this powder following, whose wonderfull vertues daily experience doth shew as well in curing as pre∣uenting, as hath bin proued in the time of the pestilence.

Take Maces laied to steepe in vineger 24▪ houres oū. ij. cāphir oū. ss. Manus Christi made with dissolued perle & oile of cinamom oū. iiij. beat them in fine powder, and keepe it to thy vse.

Vrine also breaketh the stone in the raines and bladder, it dissolueth the obstructions of the liuer, it cureth the ian∣dies, it purgeth the lunges, and killeth wormes, with diuers other vertues, which ye shall find written in a booke called Vrinarum probationes, Iodoci Wilichij: the dose of the es∣sence is from oū. i. to oū. ij. with sugar & cinamom: of the crude vrine yee may drinke greater quantitie.

Paracelsus writeth a great arcaū of vrine, and calleth it Rebisola, and sal cristalline the which cureth the iandies: take the vrine of a yong child as a fore, and boile it in a glasse or stone vessell, and skum it cleane, then put it in a glasse, and set it in a moist place certaine daies, and in the bottom ye shall finde certaine stones ••f salt congealed, the which are called Rebisola, and are of a wonderfull vertue against all obstructions of the body.

The feces remaining in the bottom after the vrine is quite boiled away, being calcined white, and dissolued in a conue∣nient distilled water, and congealed againe into a most white powder, is a most approued experiment against all outward greefes of the eies, if it bee put therin twice a day▪

Rec. Euphrasiae, faeniculi, rutae, chelidoniae, ve••benae, be∣tonicae ana. m. i▪ Rosmarini. m. ss. semen feniculi, anisi. car∣ui, sileris montani ana. oū. ss. Calami aromatici ʒ vi. thuris∣mirrhae, aloes, ana ʒ ij. aque rosarū lb ij. aque rutae. vini odora∣ti ana lb i. vrinae pueri lb ss. let them stande together foure daies, and then distill them in a glasse, and therewith wash your eies. Also yee shall hange in this water a fine linnen cloth, wherein is the powder of white amber or succinum, or else put in the powder it selfe. Also it would bee good to wash their feet in the morning with the decoctiō of betonye and sometime to take the fume of Xyloaloes in the eies, the which is a present remedy against Opthalmia.

Of common salt.

THere are founde three sortes of saltes, the one naturall▪

which is a meane mineral called sal gemmae, or stone salt, the which is found in mountaines in the prouince of Calabria, and in Spaine in the Ile of Iuiza, whereof there are diuers medicines prepared, the second is artificiall, as is made in Cheshire, and diuers other places by boiling it. The third kinde is made in the sand by extreame heate of the sunne: but the most pleasantest and well relished salt is that which is boiled on the fire, for it is pure and white, neuerthelesse the salt of the mountaine is of more vertue in phisicall cau∣ses: for if it be calcined 40. dayes and then dissolued in the quintessence of honie, it is of such vertue that it will in maner reuiue a man that lies speechlesse if yee giue him a spoonefull thereof to drinke: also this salt being made in a pultus with branne and oile, and applied warme, helpeth many griefes. Also a decoction of sal gēmae with wine and oile being giuen in a clister is most profitable against pains of the head, the sciatica, and paines of the raines, and like∣wise is profitable for those that are troubled with a carnosi∣tie in the yard: for by nature it preserueth all thinges from putrefaction: also this salt being often calcined, dissolued & congealed, may be vsed in meates in stead of common salt, for it procureth an appetite, causeth digestion, killeth wormes with diuers other vertues. Also it may be made fu∣sible in this order.

Rec. lb. i. of sal gēmae and 2. ounces of tartar calcined, one ounce of sal nitri, and boile them in distilled vineger vntil it be drye, then grind it to powder, and boile it with as much faire water vntill it be drie: and this ye shall doo so often vn∣till it remaine like an oile in the bottome, for as soone as it feeleth the aire it will turne to water. This oile doth retaine all volatill spirits, & is called of the Alchemistes their susi∣ble salt. It helpeth in manner all kind of vlcers if ye touch them therewith in short time. L. F.

Oleum salis.

Rec. cōmon salt lb. 3. terrae luteae lb. 6. salis nitri purgati oū. i. ss. mixe them well together, & distil thē in a retort of earth, as ye would do aqua fortis, vntil all the spirits be come forth, the which ye shall rectify in sand vntill all the fleme be separa∣ted

from the spirites. This oile being mixed with oile of verbascum, and annointed taketh away the paines of the gout, and dissolueth hard swellinges, It quickneth a man, it consumeth water betweene the flesh and the skinne, it dri∣ueth away the falling sicknesse, it profiteth against the drop∣sie and feuers, if three or foure droppes be dronke with aqua vitae.

Sal nitri.

THis salt is a kind of salt of vrine the which is taken forth of the earth by art, and is verie profitable against many infirmities, and worketh two contrarie effectes, the first is, that it cooleth greatly, as yee may see in sommer when the weather is most hot, how that for to coole their wine pre∣sently they take sal nitri, and mixe it with water, and therin shake or moue their bottelles of tinne or glasse being full of wine, presently it waxeth as cold as Ise: also laid vppon the tong, it cooleth maruellouslie. To the cōtrary, if ye drink the waight of ʒ i. it will heate the bodie maruellouslie. Also a wa∣ter made of sal nitri and roch allome according to art is of such an extreme heat that it wil dissolue siluer, copper, Iron, steele, and all other sortes of mettalles presently into wa∣ter. Moreouer being mixed with cole and sulfur, it maketh gunpowder. Also sal nitri being calcined 30. daies with as much tartar, and circulated with the spirites of wine mixed with the spirites of cinamom, ginger, and cloues, it will bee a most rare medicine to cure the Etisie, and dropsie, & such like diseases.

Oleum salis nitri.

There is also an oile made of sal nitri▪ the which doth cui and disperse humors in the bellie, it dischargeth the blad∣der of superfluous humours, it preserueth health, linguae ni∣grae calidaeque medetur, it helpeth vlcers in the mouth, vlcer•••• bus canis conuenit, &c.

Sal petrae fusibills.

Salt peter is a certaine matter made of stones and is thus prepared.

Rec. Calcis viui q. v. and couer it two fingers high with water; and stirre it well, then let it stand 24. howres, & you

shall finde vppon it a certaine skumme or skin the which is the salt, which gather diligently with a scummer: take of that salt, and put thereunto a third part of pure oile of tar∣tar, and it will be fusible, for this is the true salt peter: this serueth also to the making of glasse and smaltes, and is apt to cause all mettalles to melt, and mixe with any alchimi∣call medicine, and is of great vertue.

Colirium contra pustulas, maculas▪ pannas, cataractas, & similes affectus oculorum quod visum acuit, & mirè conseruat.

REcip. Limature auri purissimi ʒ ss. Balsami, Croci, ambrae, ana. scru. 2. Musci, opij anae scru. 1. tutiae extinctae nouies in v∣rina pueri, ʒ 1. tragaganthi, sagapeni, galbani, stercoris lacertae ana. ʒ ss. lapidis calaminaris, vitrioli albi, saccari candi, aloes hepati∣ca ana. 1. scru Cortic myrobalan, citrinarū & indarū ana ʒ i. Ca∣storei, Ossis sepiae ana. ℈ ss. fellis vulturis, humani, vrsini, aquilae an•• ʒ ij. make of all these a coliri, with sufficient quantitie of the iuice of fennell, rue and celandine, of the which yee shall put two or three droppes in the corner of the eie.

In steed of that yee may vse many times this medicin, the which hath a great vertue in all liuing creatures.

Rec. A glasse and fill it halfe ful of wine, and set it in an Ant hill, that they may creepe into the wine, then distill them altogether, or else let the antes stande in putrifaction 5. or 6. daies in the wine and straine them forth, then distill it: of the which essence yee shall put 2. or 3. drops into the eies: It is most chiefly against cataractes, redde and painful eies, if the disease haue longe continued, and hath fattie ••arnositie in the eie, first yee shall put into the eie a litle burnt allome, vntill the flesh be eaten away, and then leaue,

A most excellent clister dispereing wind, dryuing forth water against Hidropem asciten, adiuncta timpanit••, ascirrho i••cinor••▪

REcip. the vrine of a sucking child ℥ 10. and boile therein wheat the feede of fenel, aniseed, dyll ana. ℥ i. ss. purify∣ed hony ℥ i. fiat Clister.

Notes

• Of artifici∣all saltes.
• Obseruati∣ons.
• Sal Hiperi∣conis.
• sal polipodij
• sal chamo∣••hillae.
• sal ab••inihij
• sal gētiane.
• sal gratiolae
• sal anonidi••
• sal raphani
• sal geniste.
• sal stipitum fabarum.
• sal Iuniperi
• sal arthe∣misiae. sal melissae.
• sal chelido∣••i••.
• sal ligni guaici.
• sal scabiosae.
• Olei macro∣bij, sal e∣iusdem.
• sal sangui∣nu humane.
• puluis ex s••∣libus.
• sal peregri∣norum.
• Additi••▪
• Balsamum vrinae.
• Rebisola.
• Puluis con∣ducens op∣thalmis, suffusioni∣bus alijsqu•• ••gritudini∣bus oculori•• externis. Aqua ad suffusionē.
• Common sals.
• Sal gēmae.
• Oleum salis
• Sal nitri.
• Oleum sali•• nitri.
• Sal petre fusibili••▪
• Colirium contra ma∣culas.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 discutiens.