Chymical secrets and rare experiments in physick & philosophy with figures collected and experimented / by the Honourable and learned Sir Kenelm Digby ...

A Process from Monsieur Vignault, with ☉ and ☿, &c.

TAke ℥j. of ☉, aaate it with ℥iv. of ☿; grind this aaa, and wash it well: Then put it into an earthen Pot with its cover to shut it very close, which cover must be like a Funnel at the top: Put it to a gentle {fire} in Sand for twenty four hours, then give it a strong {fire} for twenty four hours more, that the Matter may ascend and descend; then take out your Matter (loosning it from the bottom where it sticketh fast) and grind it, and aaate it again with the same ☿, and proceed all as before. Repeat this Work six times, always with the same ☿, which by degrees will become Earth, and will stick no more to the bottom; you must leave it in Sand every time twenty four hours before you grind it again; after the sixth time give it strong {fire}, so that it may be red-hot in the Sand for fourty eight hours, and it will be a red Powder, which multiply by mixing with it its weight of ☿, grinding and di∣gesting it as before; and in three times twenty four hours it will be in Powder; and if you will multiply it again, proceed as before, with equal weight of ☿. And to make it into a Tree, do thus: When you have made

the aaa, and ground and washed it, then put it into a Matrass, which stop only with Paper; then digest it continually, and the said ☿ will ascend and descend: And when you see that at last it becomes hard and heavy, sticking to the neck of the Matrass, put it down with a Quill, and it will become a Tree, which will be red. Note, That your ☿ must be well purified first, and then sub∣limed with ☉ and ☽, taking ℥ij. of ☉ to one pound of ☿, for it will be much the better, and will be sooner done. If you mix ℥ss. of ☉ with ℥ss. of the said Powder, and grind it well with ℥ij. of ☿ revived from Cinaber, and animated with ☉, as is said, and digest it fourty eight hours, you will do more in fifteen days, than otherwise in two Months, and the ☉ will not stick to the bottom of the Pot: You must continue the digestion as is said above, and at the end strong {fire}. The ☉ will serve for to animate the ☿, and to melt it, and reduce it into a Calx, for to aaate it with animated ☿, ta∣king ℥j. of ☉ to four of ☿.