The practise of chymicall, and hermeticall physicke, for the preseruation of health. Written in Latin by Iosephus Quersitanus, Doctor of Phisicke. And translated into English, by Thomas Timme, minister

CHAP. II. The three principles of all things are contained in Salt, extracted out of the earth.

BVt to shewe now more particularly those things whereof we haue spoken generally, namely, that Salt doe participate with the animal, vegetal, and mineral nature, wée wil vse a common example, the which not∣withstanding, being exactly and diligently waighed and considered by a true Phyloso∣pher, is a notable mistery. The which, albe∣it it bee taken from out of the earth, yet it may lift vp our eyes to heauen.

I meane to speake of Niter, which men commonly cal Salt-Peeter. I let passe the detestable and pernicious vse thereof, inuented for the destruction of men: And yet I must confesse that it deserueth great admiration, in that it sheweth forth so great, and incredible effects, when as we being in these lower parts, it representeth thundrings and lightenings, as if they were in the aire aloft. But it we should consider what it is, and of what quality, in his owne nature and composition, what di∣uers faculties, and qualities, and effects there are in a thing so vile and so common, it would no doubt make vs to wonder out of measure.

Niter is made and compounded of earth his mother, which bringeth forth the same: or it is taken out of old rubbish gr••unds, or out of places where stables for beasts haue bene, or out of such

kind of groundes which haue bene replenished with salt liquor, or with the vrine of beastes, rather then out of a leane hungry land, washed with raine, or by some such like occasion, depriued of that radical humour. It is most plentifully extracted from the ground where doue-houses are seated, and out of Pigeons dung: and this is the best Niter of all others: the which is worthy the noting. Whereby it appeareth, that Niter doth participate with the excrements and vrines of liuing creatures.

For vrines are nothing else, but a superfluous seperation of the Salt of vegetables, by which, liuing creatures are nou∣rished and doe liue. Whereby it euidently appeare, how the foresaid Salt doth in kind participate with the nature animal, and vegetable. For as touching that which pertaineth to the mineral, it is not much pertinent to our purpose to speake there∣of, sauing that wée thinke good to adde thus much, that it is ex∣tracted out of the earth, which is the reason why it is called Salt-Péeter, when as more properly it should be called the salt of the earth. But let vs goe forward.

Nature ministereth matter to Art, whereof Salt-Péeter is compounded: Art cannot make by it selfe, no more then nature can make Salt-Péeter-pure, and seperated from all ter∣restrilie and heterogeneal or vnkindly substance. For that it may produce the same effects which the other produceth, it must be prepared by the industry of workemen. For these make choyse of conuenient earth, and out of fit places, to them well knowne, and being filtered, or strained with hote common water, againe and againe, through the same earth, as lyes are vsually made with ashes, it commeth to passe that a salt∣nesse or brinish taste is mingled therewith, which is proper to all salts.

Of the which like, or water so distreined, if two thirds or ther∣aboutes be vapored away by séething at the fire, and then let coole, the salt will be thickened into an Ice, whereof the maker of Salt-Péeter finisheth his worke, purifying the same by sundry dissolutions, and coagulations, that it may loose his fatnesse quite and cleane.

This common worke, being triuial, and no better then me∣chanical, if it be rightly considered and weighed, is (as I haue said already) full of admiration. For by the very same prepara∣tion, the thrée beginnings are extracted out of earth, which may be seperated one from the other, and yet neuerthelesse the whole thrée, doe consist in one and the same essence, and are onely dis∣tinguished in properties and vertues.* 1.1 And herein we may plainly see as in a glasse (after a certaine manner) that in com∣prehensible misery of the thrée persons in one and the same Hy∣postasis or substance, which make the diuine Trinitie. For thus it hath pleased the omnipotent Creator, to manifest and shewe himselfe a v••••trine, or Trinne, not onely herein, that he is found so to be in the nature of earth, but vniuersally in all the workes of the creation. For this our comparison of the Salt of the earth is general, and is euery where found, and in all things.

Also in this comparison of Salt,* 1.2 wée may beholde thrée dis∣tinct natures, which neuerthelesse are and doe subsist in one and the same essence. For the first nature is Salt com∣mon, fixed, and constant: and the other nature is Volatil, Salt, the which alone, the Sal-péeter-man seeketh af∣ter.

This volatil or flying Salt, containeth in it two kindes of Volatil Salt: the other full of Sulphur, easily catching flame, which men call Niter: the other Mercurial, watery, sower, par∣taking of the nature of Salt Armoniac.

Wherefore in that most common essence of earth, these thrée seueral Salts are found, vnder one and the same nature of the which thrée, all vegetables and animalls whatsoeuer doe par∣ticipate. And we determine to place our thrée hypostatical and substantial beginnings, vpon these thrée Salts, as vpon the fun∣damental grounds, in that our worke, concerning the hidden nature of things, and the misteries of Art, the which we had thought to haue published before this time: whereof we thought it conuenient to say some thing by the way, because the ground∣worke and beginnings of Medicines depend vpon them.

Wherefore to the end so large & immensurable doctrine, may the better and more diligently be considered of all men, especial∣ly of the wiser sort, then heretofore it hath bene, I wil set plainly before their eyes, those three distinct natures of Salt, compre∣hended (as already is sayd) in one Hupostasis, or substance.

For the maker of Salt-peter, or Niter, to make his salt the more effectual, volatile, and more apt to take fire, taketh away the fatnesse (as they terme it) from the same, and seperateth the Salt thereof, which is al one with the sea salt▪ or common salt, which is dissolued into common water: Contrariwise, Salt-pe∣ted (as men cal it) is congealed into such péeces, as we sée it to be: and so there is made a visible seperation of both the Salts. For the water (wherein the common Salt being defused and dissol∣ued as we said) being euaporated or boyled away, there remay∣neth a portion of Salt in the bottome, which is somewhat like to our common marine Salt, and of the nature thereof, for it hath the same brynish qualities,* 1.3 it is fixed, it melteth not in the fire, neither is it set on fire, and therefore is wholy different from that which is congealed in the same water, which is called Salt-pe∣ter. The which thing truly deserueth to bée diligently conside∣red, not of ordinary Salt-peter-men, which are ignorant of the nature of things, but of Phylosophers, if they desire to be repu∣ted, and to be such. To whom it shal manifestly appeare, that Salt which by nature and qualitie (according to the common opi∣nion of Phylosophers) is hote and dry, a sulphurus Salt, fierie, and apt to be set on fire, such as is Salt peter, wil be coagula∣ted or congealed in water, wherein al other saltes are dissolued, no lesse than that salt which procéeded from the very same essence of Salt-peter, may be dissolued in water, as we haue said.

Therefore not without great cause, the admirable nature of Salt-peter deserueth to be considered, which comprehendeth in it two volatile partes: the one of Sulphur, the other of Mercurie. The Sulphurus part is the soule thereof,* 1.4 the Mercurial is his spirit.

The Sulphurus part commeth to that first moouing of na∣ture, which is nothing else, but an ethereal fire, which is neither

hote nor drie, not consuming like the Elementarie fyre, but is a certaine Celestial fyre, and Ayerie humour, hote and moyste,* 1.5 and such as wée may almost beholde in Aqua Vi∣tae; a fyre, I say, contempered, ful of life, which in Vegeta∣bles, wée cal the vegetating soule: in Animals, the hote and moyst radical: the natural and vnnatural heate, the true Nectar of life, which falling into any subiect, whether it bée Animal or Vegetable, death by and by ensueth. The which commeth so to passe vppon no other cause, but vp∣pon the defect of this vital heate, which is the repayrer and con∣seruer of life.

The same vital heate, is also to bée found, albeit more ob∣scurely in Minerals:* 1.6 which may more easily bée comprehended by the sympathy and concordance, which the sayd salt-peter hath with Mettals: as is to be séene in the dissolutions, whereof wée haue spoken somewhat before.

Beside that sulphurus part, there is also found in salt-peter, a certaine Mercurial of ayerie nature, and which not∣withstanding cannot take fyre, but is rather contrary there∣vnto. This spirit is not hote in qualitie, but rather colde, as appeareth by the tart and sharpe taste thereof: the which sharpnesse and coldnesse is wonderful, and is farre different from the Elementary coldnesse: for that it can dissolue bo∣dies, and coagulate spirites, no lesse then it doth con∣geale salt-peter:* 1.7 the which sowernesse is the generall cause of Fermentation, and coagulation of al natural things.

This same sower and tart spirit, is also found in sul∣phurs, of the same qualitie, not burning, nor setting on fire, and which congealeth sulpur, and maketh it firme, which other∣wise would bée running like Oyle. Vitriol, among al the kindes of salt,* 1.8 doth most of al abound with this spirit, because it is of the nature of Ʋenus, or Copper: which sower spirit in∣constant Mercurie (which notwithstanding alwayes tendeth to his perfection, that is to say, to his coagulation and fixation) ful wel can make choyse of, and attract it to him, that hée may bée

fixed and coagulated,* 1.9 when it is mixed and sublimed with the same vitriol. Euen as Bées suck hony from flowers, as Ripley saith.

Furthermore, this sharpe, sower, and cold spirit, is the cause why Salt-Péeter hauing his sulphur set on fire, giueth a cracke: that so salt-péeter may be of the number of them, whereof Ari∣stotle writeth, as that they are moued with a contrary motion: Which words of his are diligently to be considered. But what doe I meane to open the gate of passage into the orchard of the Hesperides, in speaking so plainly of salt-péeter, giuing thereby a free accesse vnto the doltish and ignorant? Be not therefore de∣ceiued, in taking my words according to the letter. Salt-Péeter of the Phylosophers or fusile salt (whereof at the first came the name of Halchymie) is not Salt-Péeter, or that common Niter: yet neuerthelesse, the composition and wonderful nature thereof, is as it were a certaine example, and Lesbian rule our worke. Howbeit I haue spoken more plainly & manifestly vnto you of this matter, then any other which hath gone before me hath done.

Let therefore Momus from henceforth hold his peace, and let slaunderous tongues bée hereafter silenced. Also let the ig∣norant open their eares and eyes, and giue good héede to that which followeth, wherein shal bée plainly shewed many ad∣mirable things, and secrets of excéeding great profite. Where∣with bée you wel satisfied, and take my good will in good part, till hereafter I shal deliuer that which shal better content you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Figure of the Tri∣nitie.
• * 1.2

  Phree di∣stinct natures in Salt.
• * 1.3

  Two salts appeare in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of salt-peter.
• * 1.4

  Two flying parts of salt-peter.
• * 1.5

  Sulphur of Nature.
• * 1.6

  The Mer∣curial part of salt-peter.
• * 1.7

  The cause of ferment, is sowernesse.
• * 1.8

  Vitriolis of the nature of Copper.
• * 1.9

  The spirit of Vitriol fix∣eth Mercu∣rie.