Paracelsus, his Archidoxis comprised in ten books : disclosing the genuine way of making quintessences, arcanums, magisteries, elixirs, &c : together with his books of renovation & restauration, of the tincture of the philsophers, of the manual of the philosophical medicinal stone, of the virtues of the members, of the three principles, and finally his seven books of the degrees and compositions, of receipts and natural things / faithfully and plainly Englished, and published by J.H., Oxon.

Of Mercurius Vitae.

NOw wee'l write of Mercurius Vitae, the virtue of which doth far excel the virtues of the two prece∣dents Arcanaes; for its virtue Consists not in the Art, nor in the Operation, but in the Mercurius Vitae it self; nor have we ever known any Simple thing that's like unto it; for as much as that Nature and property is as it were innate therein; nor is it from the virtues of the Quintessence, nor of the Elements, but from the Spe∣cifick Quality of its Predestination; Neither hath it only the virtues of Transmuting persons, and other Es∣sentials, but also of renewing every Growing Thing, and such like, out of the old Quality into a new, viz. on this wise; The Mercurius Vitae reduceth Mars into its First Matter, and doth again so Transmute it into its perfect Matter, that Iron is again made thereof; After the same manner it reneweth Gold likewise, the which it reduceth into its proper Mercury and Tincture, and again digesteth it into Gold, so as to become a Metal like the former.

Nor doth it Operate thus in Metals only, but also in other things, as Herbs, &c. When their Roots are

perfused or moistened therewithal, they will bring forth Flowers and Fruits a second time; If when the first seed shall fall off, they be at that time moistened with the same as above, they will produce second Flow∣ers and Fruits without any respect of Time.

The same is to be understood of Men, and Beasts, &c. to whom if this Mercury be Applyed or administred, it Renovates all their Old and Consumed Members, and restoreth the deficient and lost Virtues, into the Youth∣ful-like Body or Habitation; insomuch, that the Months and Blood do as Naturally slow in old Women, as in the Younger. It doth likewise reduce the Aged Wise into the like perfection of Nature, as the Younger sort are in.

Furthermore this also is to be observed concerning the Arcanum vitae, or this secret of life, that its so po∣tent Virtues exist in its Specifick Form, by which it Separates the Old from the New, or Age from Youth, the Latter of which two, viz. youth is encreased thereby, and so the Age renewed. From hence it may be gathered, that that Youthfulness and the Vi∣gour thereof, is not at all defective and lacking to Old Age, but is as well and equally in the Old as in the Young; But the Corruption that grows up with, and encreaseth in youth, becomes so fortified and strong, that it takes away the Vigour therefrom, from whence Antientnesse is known.

And therefore when that same Corruption is Separated from the Youthfulness, this Juvenility doth again ma∣nifest it self, without Controversy and Impediment. The which is to be thus understood, viz. When any Body (or Carcase) putrefies, the Quintessence there∣fore doth not become Rotten, but is alwayes fresh and unconsumed, and is Separated from the Carcase into the Air, or sometimes is scattered and dispersed into the Earth, or into the Water, and goes unto its place.

For there can be no destruction made of the Quintes∣sence, the which is most worthy noting, and highly to be admired, as we teach concerning Corruption and Generation; So also a Rose putrefied in Dung, retains its Quintessence in it self, yea even in the Dung. And although all of it stink and are putrid, yet nevertheless in the Separation of the Pure from the Impure, the Quintessence lives without defect or blemish, and the Bodies are stinking Carcases. Thus therefore say we of Mercurius vitae that it Separates Corruption, even as Rotten Wood is Separated from the Sound Timber. Tis also so powerful in man, that after the corruption shall be Separated from him, the Quintessence is again stirred and liveth, as in its Youth. But you are to understand me thus; not that the Mercurius vitae, excites a New Essence, as some may maliciously inter∣pret our meaning and experience, but that the Essence, and youthful Spirit, which the juvenile Virtues proceed and go forth, do remain unconsumed although by being oppressed it may be accounted for dead; therefore M. V. Separates the Impuritie, whereby it comes to pass, that the Old Life doth most efficaciously recover its virtues, as afore; even as in our formentioned Example of the King-Fisher, we have declared, that that Bird is renewed after death; the Reason is this, because its Quintessence doth not withdraw from its house and a∣biding place; but if that lodging be dissolved by Pu∣trefaction, then is the Quintessence received into that thing which it lies or is cast upon; Therefore there are oft-times found wonderful Conditions of Nature in growing Things, the which are not of their Nature, but of a like Accident, as we set down in our Book of Generations.

This therefore is to be this way understood. In Dung there is a Concurrency and an Accumulation of Various Corruptions, viz. of Hearbs, Roots, Fruits, Waters,

and other such like Things; from whence it so comes to pass, that the Ground is not made Fat and Fertile because of the Corruption; but because of the Quin∣tessence that is in the said Dung, the which be taking it Self into the Roots, Exhibits Virtues to Growing Things, but the Body it self vanisheth, viz. the Dung, and is reduced into nothing, and is consumed in its sub∣stance. And therefore Mans-dung or Excrements hath very great Virtues, because it contains in it the Noble Essences, viz. of the Food and Drink, concerning which Wonderful Things might be Written; for the Body receives not any thing there-from, save nourish∣ment, but it receives not the Essence, even as we write of Nourishments.

But to come nearer to the Praxis of Mercurius vitae, which doth (as we said afore) perfect its Operations af∣ter a wonderful manner, viz. in casting off the Nailes of the Hands and Feet, and by Rooting out gray Hairs, it strengthens Youth, in so much that Corruption cannot come to that height as to discover old-age, by those signes attending it, except a following or second Age be again arived unto, or setting about the Practise; there∣fore we will tell it the Alchymists in a very few words, for tis needless to write much, and to Preach Prolixly of these things; but as for such as are Foolish preten∣ders, we will Exclude them wholly. This then is the way of its Practick,

Take Mercurie Essentificated, the which Separate from all its Supersluities, as the Pure from the Impure; after∣wards Sublime it with Antimony, so that they may both of them ascend and be made one; then let them be re∣solved upon a Marble and be Coagulated, and do thus even four times. Which being finished, thou shalt have the Mercurius vitae which we have so much men∣tioned afore, and with which we shall comfort and re∣fresh our old Age, as with an Arcanum.