A choice collection of rare secrets and experiments in philosophy as also rare and unheard-of medicines, menstruums and alkahests : with the true secret of volatilizing the fixt salt of tartar / collected and experimented by the honourable and truly learned Sir Kenelm Digby, Kt., Chancellour to Her Majesty the Queen-Mother ; hitherto kept secret since his decease, but now published for the good and benefit of the publick by George Hartman.

CHYMICAL SECRETS. (Book 2)

The Second Part. (Book 2)

A Real and True way to Volatilize the Salt of Tartar, and Corporifie Spirit of Wine, as it was wrought by a Noble Per∣son beyond Sea, and by him Communicated unto me.

HE took but lbj. of Tartar well Calci∣ned, and dissolved it in the Air, free from the Sun, then filtred, and congealed in a Glass Vessel, then he Calcined it as the Dutch-man doth (in the next Process) to keep it glowing hot for six or eight hours, then dissolved it again in the Air, and filtred,

congealed, and calcined as before. He re∣peated this ten times, then dissolved it in di∣stilled Vinegar (he used Spanish and French Vinegar;) the whole Secret (as he saith) consisteth in well distilling of the Vinegar, which must be done in B. M. but it must be so gentle, that you may receive the flegm by it self; and as soon as you perceive that the drops come Acid, change the Recipient, putting on another, and then distill the Spi∣rit with a stronger fire, so that you may tell eight or nine between every drop: Conti∣nue distilling until it become like a Syrup, then change the Recipient again, and distill with a stronger fire until it begin to smell of the fire, and that it be almost dry. Recti∣fie this last and strongest part by it self, and put it to the weaker part, (keeping the flegm by it self for another use) and recti∣fie it together so often until there remain not the least spot at the bottom of the Glass after the distillations, which must be to dry∣ness every time, and every time in a clean Retort: This is not a strong Spirit of Vine∣gar, nor needs it be, but this will do the Work. Then take ℥vij. or viij. of your Salt of Tar∣tar, and dissolve it in as much of the said Spirit, or more, as will dissolve it; let it stand, and it will settle some black feces; then filter it, and congeal, and calcine it as

before, but not with so strong a fire; it must be scarce red-hot, and one hour will suffice; grind it while it is hot, and dissolve it again in new distilled Vinegar as before, let the feces settle, then filter it, congeal and cal∣cine again as before. Repeat this, till it leave no feces behind, which will be in Seven or Eight times, if you have wrought well; then when it is very dry, take ℥j. of it to make a tryal, put it into a clean Glass body, and pour upon it so much high rectified Spirit of Wine, as will not only moisten it, but that it be very thin; let it stand thus twenty four hours close stopped in a very gentle heat, that it may be but Blood-warm; then distill with a gentle fire. If the Spirit stays, and the flegm come away, then proceed with the whole parcel; but if not, you must con∣tinue the dissolution in distilled Vinegar, Filtration, Coagulation, and Calcination, as before, until you find (by trying) that the Spirit stayeth with the Salt, which it will do in a few times: Then proceed with the rest of the parcel in the same manner as you did with the Ounce; continue the imbibition and distillation with Spirit of Wine so often, till the Spirit of Wine come away as strong as it was put on. Then here lyeth the Se∣cret, to Sublime it: Dissolve the said Salt of Tartar impregnated in the flegm of your

distilled Vinegar, or in a very weak Spirit of Wine, using no more of the dissolvent than will dissolve it; shake them well toge∣ther, and it will instantly dissolve all the best and finest part of the Salt of Tartar, and leave the course part of it, for that will not so easily dissolve, Pour off the dissolution, and filter it, then put it into a Cucurbite, and distill off the flegm off the Vinegar, or the weak Spirit of Wine, and then will the dry Spirit, or Aqua Sicca ascend like the purest Isickles dry that ever you saw; and this is the true Volatile Salt of Tartar, and Spirit of Wine, in forma Salis, and is the Vegetable Menstruum, which will dissolve leaf ☉ into an Oylish Substance in a very gentle heat.

The Tartar which remaineth in the bot∣tom of this Sublimation you must put to that which was left undissolved by the flegm of Vinegar, or weak Spirit of Wine, and Proceed to fix more Spirit of Wine upon that, being first Calcined, but not so long, nor with so strong a fir•• as formerly; and then dissolve it once in the Ai•••• and it will leave more feces at this time than at any time before; then filter and congeal, and dissolve it in distilled Vinegar•• as before. And now you shall do more in three times than you did all the times before, for the Tartar is

altered in its Nature; then proceed with it as before, imbibing with S. V. And thus you may fix as much S. V. as you please, and Sublime as many pure and clear Crystals as you please.

Note, That when your Spirit of Wine is fixed on the Tartar, it will be as sweet as Sugar; but when it is separated, as above-said, the Tartar will be of its old Nature, but fit to be impregnated again with much less trouble.

The Dutch-mans Process of Volatilizing Salt of Tartar, and Corporifying Spirit of Wine, is thus:

HE dissolveth his Tartar Calcined in di∣stilled Rain {water}, and being settled, fil∣ters and congealeth, then Calcineth it for six or eight hours, so that it be only glowing hot, and no more: Then Powder it, and dissolve it, filter, congeal, and reverberate, as before; and this he doth sixteen or eighteen times, until the Tartar settle little or no feces. Then take four or eight Ounces of it (or what you please) and put it into a Cucurbite, and pour upon it the best recti∣fied Spirit of Wine, so much, that it may be well moistened, but not to swim over it. Then he digesteth it in B. M. for a day, and

then gently distills it off, but the Spirit of Wine ••scendeth, and will not stay; when it is dry, he puts the Spirit of Wine back again upon it, and distilleth as before; and this he doth so often (twelve or fourteen times) and then it will hold the Spirit of Wine, and the flegm will come away: This he doth with new Spirit of Wine; and when he findeth that a pretty quantity is congealed with the Tartar, he grinds it (being very dry) and mixeth it with three parts of good Bole-Armony, and puts it into a Retort, and distilleth a Spirit from it by degrees of fire, forcing it strongly at last, and it will be a yellow Spirit, which he deflegmeth once, and then dissolveth his Calx of ☉ in this Monstruum, which by digestion extracts all the Tincture of ☉, and leaveth the Body which, tinging it self of a pure red. Of this he giveth two or three drops in a little Sack, which doth Miracles (as he saith.)

He maketh his red Calx of ☉ thus:

DIssolve fine ☉ past through Antimony in A. ••. then put water into it, and then cast in ☿, and all will become like a H••par; then wash the aaa, and grind it with three times as much prepared Salt, and di∣still it in a Retort; then edulcorate the Calx,

and grind ℥j. of it with three of Cinaber, and then reverberate it by degrees gently: This he doth twice a day, and repeateth it eleven or twelve times, and it will be a most subtil red Calx, like Scarlet in colour.

Elixir ex vino & Sole.

TAke the best Odoriferous Rhenish-wine five Gallons, separate its Spirit and Salt, rectifie the one, and purifie the other; then acuate the Spirit with another prepared ••alt, and at last joyn it to its own pure Cry∣stalline Salt; then is it a true Aqua vitae Philosophorum. This must dissolve a well prepared Calx of ☉, and by a continued circulation unite with it; then by Sublima∣tion be fixt together, and lastly, by Solution and Coagulation become incombustible Oyl, which is a great Medicine.

Monsieur Toysonnier wrought thus:

TAke fresh Urine of young Boys, fill one Pot with it, and evaporate it away, next Morning put on fresh, and evaporate; do thus three or four days, then evaporate to a Honey, and that you feel a Ponticifie smoak from it, then cease, and put your Honey into an earthen Vessel, and expose it

to Celifie in the Air. As soon as it is cold, it will be hard, but the Air will resolve it: Make thus what quantity of Honey you please: Celifie them four days, then have another earthen Pot, covered with a rever∣sed one that hath a hole in the bottom, fasten thereon a neck of a Cucurbite of Glass, ten or twelve inches long, upon which a Retort, with the bottom out for a head, to which fasten a great ballon. He did put fifteen pound of Honey into his Pot, and with a gentle fire first distilled off the Spirit and Vo∣latile Salt; these be put upon new Honey, and in Balneo distilled a purer Spirit and Vo∣latile Salt; (the flegm that followed, if put upon new Honey, will become pure Spirit and Salt) draw the fixed Salt out of all the Caput Mortuums; put ℥xij. of the Spirit up∣on as much pure Spirit of Wine, and it will coagulate it all into a perfect dry Salt: Min∣gle these ℥xxiv. of Volatile Salt with ℥vj. of Salt of Wine, ℥iij. of Volatile Salt of Urine, and ℥iv. of ☿ Precipitate, and put them in∣to a Body with Head, Limbeck, and Re∣ceiver, and Sublime with gentle heat: Part cometh over in Spirit, and part riseth in Salt. Take ℥xiv. of Salt, and vi••. of Spirit, and ℥ss. of Calx of ☽, and distill with exceed∣ing gentle heat in a Body and Head with a Receiver, a liquid Spirit will come over,

and a white Salt Sublime into the head: Put all back upon the Cake of ☽, and distill as before. He hath now ••••eated this Worst eleven times; at the first, the Spirit and Salt were ten days rising from the ☽, but after∣wards seven or eight: The junctures were all perfectly shut, yet above half of the Vo∣latile Matter was vanished. The Salt of Wine was made thus: (Spanish Wine gave none, but French did pretty store.) After you have drawn off the Spirit and the flegm, evaporate the residue (very gently) usque ad pelliculam, then set in a cold place, and in fifteen days there were many Crystals in it; wash these with the flegm of the Wine, from the blackness and foulness that is upon them. The ☿ Precipitate was made thus: Dissolve ℥iv. of ☿ in ℥x. of A. F. made of two parts of Vitriol, and one of Nitre. Ex∣tend the solution, by pouring a great quan∣tity (eight or ten Pints) of fair {water} upon it; then pour upon it a Lixivium made of the fixed Salt of Wine and fair {water}. He made his Lixivium of ℥iv. of fixed Salt, and but one of the ☿•• Precipitate; wherefore he poured upon the Liquor that he poured off from the Precipitate about half a pint of the Spirit of Wine, and then the ☿ Precipitated all down. Take both the Precipitates, and wash them a little from the Spirits of the A. F.

Hartman.) This Relation is of Sir K. It was done by his Operator Monsieur Toy∣sonnier, in his Operatory in the Piazza in Cove••t-Garden.

The Menstruum Coelicum Exuberatum, to dissolve ☉, and all Metals, and carry them over the Helm. Wrought by Dr. Clodius, and by him Communicated unto me.

PUT lbj. of perfectly rectified Spirit of Urine to lbiij. of a perfectly rectified Spirit of Wine, and it will coagulate it all to a drop into a firm Salt; Sublime and di∣still this, and about lbss. will Sublime up in a most pure active dry Salt, and about two spoonfuls will come over in a fiery Liquor, and the rest will be a stinking ••lat flegm re∣maining in the Cucurbite. Add Spirit of Wine to your two spoonfuls of Liquor, so much as to make it up lbiij. put this to your lbss. of dry Sublimed Salt, and all will be a Coagulum, which distill and Sublime as before, and you shall have about two spoon∣fulls and a half of fiery Liquor, and about ••ij. more than before of Sublimed Salt, and in the bottom will remain a stinking flegm as before. He repeated this twelve times, still with fresh Spirit of Wine, and every time the quantity of the fiery Spirit in∣creaseth

(drawing still some little addition of dry Salt from the Spirit of Wine) till at length all the dry Salt come over in liquid fiery Spirit, which he calleth Menstruum Coelicum; then it will dissolve ☉, and all Me∣tals, and carry them over the Helm with it. This poured upon Salt of Tartar, will pre∣sently dissolve it, and carry it over the helm with it: You may also multiply it as much as you will with pure Salt or Spirit of Urine.

To add ☿ to it, do thus. Take ☿ well purified (if Spanish) shaking and washing well with Spirit of Wine or distilled Vine∣gar, till it yield no more blackness, will serve; but if other, Sublime it sometimes to per∣fect purity. Then he put lb••. of it into a Retort, joyning a large stone Receiver, and gave strong sudden {fire}. Repeat this till you have Mercurial {water} enough, which will be quite insipid: Put this {water} upon purified run∣ning ☿, and digest them together thirty days, & all will be a viscous Mucilaginous Matter: Distill off the flegm, and you shall have an Oyl remaining; put upon this Oyl your fiery Spirit of Urine, and Spirit of Wine (twelve times repeated, as is mentioned) and the Spi∣rit will resolve the Oyl; then distill them over together, and you have the Menstruum Coelicum ••xu••eratum. To aate Regulus

of {antimony} with ☿, you must pulverize the Regu∣lus grosly, as Bay-Salt; then strew it gently upon the ☿ in a Matrass, and digest three or four days; then grind together, and it will aaate. Thus you may do with ☽ and Reg. He found difficulty in doing it with ♀ and Reg. but after digestion, he let it stand a little while with {water} and Salt upon it, and it aaated of it self with the ☿. If you digest eight days, the blackness you wash away is a Combustible Sulpher, like Powder of Coal. He maketh Mercurial {water} thus: Put store of quick dry Sand upon ☿ in a Cucurbite, and distill it in very gentle fire, and most will come over in {water}: Put this {water} upon new ☿, and digest, and it will bring it into an Oily substance; mingle this with your Coagulum of Spirit of Wine, and Spirit of Urine (See ••ullies eight Experiments) and make an Al∣kahest of these, which will be perfect when it is aaated with ☉. Then proceed as Lully teacheth.

The said Dr. Clodius told me also, that the great Secret of Purifying all Salts and Vi∣triol, &c. consisteth in the purifying the Menstruum (i. e. {water}) for if the {water} have feces, in which you ••dissolve them, it rather in∣creaseth their foulness. He doth thus.

Set Equinox Rain {water} (pure Dew were better) to putrifie in Glass Vessels, slightly

covered (only to keep things from falling in) in a Cellar; in six weeks the putrefaction will be finished, and all the feces fallen to the bottom; filter it, set the clear to putrifie again, which will require longer time than before: If you put some quick dry Sand in i••, it will help the putrefaction much the sooner, drawing down the foulness to it. In this purified {water} dissolve your Salt, Vitriol, Salt of Urine, &c. And you must have a Gallon of this water to ℥j. of Salt; for such dilating of the Salt maketh the Menstruum lighter than the feces, and therefore they fall down. Mark the end of Isaac Hollands Pro∣cess upon Vitriol, where he directeth dissolv∣ing it in fair {water} distilled off; then filter and congeal, and this you may repeat two or three times: Then take nine parts of this pure Salt, and put to them one part of pure Spirit of Wine, digest them together for seven or eight days, then distill off the Li∣quor very gently, and about fourteen or fif∣teen parts will come off in insipid flegm, and only one part, or a little more will remain with the Salt in a dry substance. Repeat this nine times with fresh Spirit of Wine, till you have employed as much Spirit of Wine as you wrought upon Salt, which will be increased scarce one part: Put it then to Sub∣lime, and every whit of it will rise in a pure

Sublimate, excepting a small parcel of feces that will remain in the bottom: You may multiply this Sublimate as much as you wil•• by addition of Spirit of Wine to it; then distilling away the Liquor, for the {sal armoniac} of the Spirit of Wine will adhere to the pure Salt in a pure Saline form, and the rest will come away in an insipid flegm. But in the end, this Salt will be apt to come over in an Oily Liquor, and sometimes after that, in form of Salt again: But he cannot yet penetrate into the Causes of these Bodies coming over sometimes liquid, sometimes dry. Incorpo∣rate some of this Salt with pure Spirit of Wine, and it will dissolve ☉, and all Me∣tals.

To prepare a most Excellent Medicine with this Mercurial Water, proceed thus:

TAke of the afore-said Mercurial {water}, and of Spirit of Wine distilled three times upon Honey, and then rectified upon Salt of Tartar, of each equal parts; distil them together, until they be well united: Then to six parts of this Menstruum put one part of a Spungy Calx of ☉, digest them toge∣ther, until the ☉ is totally dissolved, except a little white Earth, which will remain in the bottom. Then distill in a Retort in

Sand, and cohobate so often, until the ☉ come over into the Receiver. Then sepa∣rate it, by distilling in a Cucurbite, and there will remain a red Oyl like a Ruby in the bottom; whereof one drop in some fit Vehicle, is admirable for Health. This dis∣solution of ☉ hath a most Odoriferous scent, better than Amber and Musk.

The Lunary {water} of Paradise, or the Coelestial Eagle of the Lunar Sphere, which is Lul∣lys true Spiritual Lunary.

DIssolve ☽ in A. F. and precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, dry the Calx, and mix it with equal parts of Calx of ♃, and thence distil the volatil Crystals or butter s. a. Ex∣pose this butter to the Air to resolve into li∣quor, that by that means it may make a Den∣tifique attraction of the Spirit of the World, which specifieth it self by this Magnet. Put the clean liquor into a Cucurbite, and di∣gest with a Lamp {fire} for 15 days, at the end of which time there will distil over an Aethe∣rial liquor, which is the Lunary; with which you may work Miracles in Physick, especially in all diseases of the head and brain; the dose is the same with the former, mixing it with a fit Vehicle; Note, that it turneth all liquors into milk, and is sometimes Emetick. For trans∣mutation,

deflegm this {water} as before and you shall have the Metalline Gluten; which be∣ing digested per se, will become a white Pow∣der of projection; and afterwards a red one: But it will be better to add a tenth part of leaf ☉ or of the Sulphur of ☉ made by the Sal Enix: It is multiplyed by new addition of the Lunary or Gluten. Note, that this liquor is the Sommet of the Lunary: For the Volatil Crystals of ☽ are the simple Lunary; but this Coelestial {water} is the Spiritual Lunary, or the highest point of the Metalline Salts: Note, that you may draw the red and white Oyl of what remaineth, and proceed as before.

Water of Paradise of Saturn, or Iupiters Coelestial Eagle.

DIssolve ♄ in common A. F. and it will precipitate into a Potential ☿; dry it, and mix it in great quantity with equal parts of Calx of ♃ or with {antimony}: Draw the Volatil Cry∣stals or butter from this, which resolve in the Air: Put the liquor into a Glass Cucurbite, with its head and recipient, digest with a gentle lamp {fire} the space of 15 days; no∣thing will come over by distillation, but on∣ly the liquor will Maturate, and become red, and afterwards within twenty, thirty, or fourty days the Idea of ♄ will rise invisibly,

and distil into the Recipient, which is the {water} of Paradise.

This {water} cureth all Saturnian Maladies, and Melancholy, being mixt with S. V. You may give it in all Inflammations both inward and outward: The Dose is equal with the former.

To use it for Metals, put this {water} of Para∣dise into a small Cucurbite and deflegm it with a Lamp {fire} and there will remain the Saturnean Gluten, the Philosophers Gum, or ☿ of the wise, A Lot, &c. Digest per se, or add a tenth part of ☉. This Gum is the true Metalline radical Moisture.

About Vitrum Antimonii, and the Tincture of it.

MOnsieur Borel told me, that he had observed this in making the Tincture of {antimony} (by distilled Vinegar upon the Glass of {antimony}) that when he went to dulcifie the Salt that remaineth in the Tincture after the distilled Vinegar is evaporated away (as Bas. Val. teacheth) he could never perceive that the {water} evaporating carried away the remaining Salt of the Vinegar, but still when the {water} was gone, and left the Powder dry, it was as salt as ever before, and was of a brown gray colour. But this he observed, that af∣ter four or five times dissolving in {water} and evaporating, the Tincture Precipitated down very red, and the Salt of the distilled Vinegar remained dissolved in the {water}, so that he then poured off the {water}, and dryed the Powder, which then was exceeding red, and perfectly dulcified: But after thus severing of the Salt from it, S. V. would not touch upon it, and extract it any further: Perad∣venture a Tartarized S. V. will do it.

He also told me, that in making the Vi∣trum Antimonii for this Work, the Mystery to have it certain and constant, consisteth in this; That after you have Calcined your {antimony}

by long and gentle evaporation and stirring, so that it smoak no more; and when you have put it in the Crucible to melt into Glass, you must put to it a little piece of a Coal to burn with the {antimony}, and set the Sul∣phur of it on fire, which will make a little Regulus fall down to the bottom, and the Glass will be pure clear and red, whereas if no Coal fall or be put in, it will be black and muddy: And that which maketh this Work of Vitrifying the {antimony} prove uncertain, is, that sometimes some Coals fall into the Crucible (as one gives great heat) without the Artists taking notice, and then the Work proveth well, but if no wooden Coals fall in, the Glass proveth not as it should.

Monsieur le Fevre told me, that when he makes the Tincture of Vitrum Antimoniii, be observes, as Monsieur Borel saith, that if the extract of it made by distilled Vine∣gar be perfectly dulcified from all saltness, the S. V. will not touch upon it; and if it be put upon it in dry Powder, containing the Salt of the distilled Vinegar with the Tincture of the {antimony}, it will draw with the Tincture some nocuous Spirits from the Salt; therefore the doth thus: Evaporate fair {water} from it two or three times, the last time leave it very moist; then put S. V. upon it, and it will presently impregnate it self with the Tincture.

A white Spirit of Sulphur to dissolve ☽ and ☿; given me by Monsieur Bugneau.

TAke the black Spirit of Sulphur, made per Campanam, put it into a Glass Re∣tort well luted (for fear of breaking) all but a patch at the top as big as a Crown-piece, that you may thereby see (holding a Candle near it) in what state the Liquor, therein con∣tained, is•• Distill in Sand, till all the flegm is come over, and that it begin to drop very sharp, which happens to him after ℥vj or vij. are come over, of lbj. of Spirit put at first into the Retort. By this time you shall see a lit∣tle {sal armoniac} Sublime up to the discovered place of the Retort, and a brown Circle of earthy substance swimming upon the Liquor about the sides of it joyning to the Glass: You must now give the {fire} so quick, that the Liquor boyl a little, and presently you shall see it turn all white, and the brown Corona of Earth become white: Then let the fire die, and when the Retort is cold, pour out the Spirit, which will look like Rock {water}, and will leave some dregs behind; you will have about ℥ix. of this Spirit, put it upon ℥iv. of ☽ in leaf, and distill it gently off, and after a while you shall see your ☽ quite dissolved

into clear Liquor; let it cool, and the ☽ will become a Cake of Crystal, and some Liquor will swim over it; pour off this Li∣quor, and put ℥ij. of fresh ☽ to it (which now may be in small grenailles) and it will dissolve this as the former, and become a Crystal by cold: The Liquor that you then pour off will dissolve ℥ij. more of fresh ☽, doing as before. Now the Liquor that re∣maineth after this third solution of ☽, will dissolve ℥ij. of running ☿ into a Crystalline substance as the former.

This Spirit of Sulphur thus rectified, be∣ing used inwardly (before it is used with ☽) is much stronger than when it is black, at the first drawing, and is much gratefuller to the taste, being mingled with {water} or other Ve∣hicle.

An Universal Medicine, from ☉ and {antimony}, &c.

TAke of the ☿ prepared, as shall be taught hereafter, ℥j. of the Tincture of ☉, afterwards set down, ʒj. mix them well to∣gether in a Glass Mortar, then put them in∣to a small Matrass, and digest them with a Lamp {fire} with one wick only for ten days; then digest for ten days more with two wicks, then with three, and lastly, with four wicks,

which makes fourty days digestion in all, at the end of which you shall have a red Pow∣der as red as a Ruby.

This Powder is an Universal Medicine for the greatest and Chronick Diseases: It Cures the Gout, Dropsie, Palsie, French-Pox, Plague, Leprosie, the Evil, Small-pox, and Measles. Its visible Operation is by Stools, by Urine, and by Sweat: The Dose is from gr. iij. to iv. or v. in Conserve of Borrage or Vio∣lets.

To prepare the ☿ for this Work.

TAke gravelled Ashes, (or instead there∣of you may take the Ashes of dryed and burnt Lees of Wine) and of Quick∣lime, of each equal parts, boyl them toge∣gether in {water}, and make a Lixivium, which filter. Take ℥iij. or iv. of ☿ vitae, put it into a Matrass, and pour upon it of the aforesaid Lixivium, so much as may cover it the breadth of four fingers; digest with the second degree of heat, for three or four days, the Lixivium will extract the Tincture of the ☿ vitae; then decant, and put on fresh Lixivium, and digest. Repeat this, till you have extracted all the Tincture of your ☿ vitae, and the Powder be well at∣tenuated: Then mix this Powder with equal

weight of Sublimed {sal armoniac}, incorporate them well together with double as much of Oyl of Tartar, then set it to putrifie in fimo for thirty days, changing the Dung every sixth or seventh day. Then put your Matter in a Marble Mortar, and grind it well, adding a little warm {water} to it; then add a little more water, but a little hotter than the first, and grind it well; then let it settle, and decant the {water}, and put on fresh warm {water}, and grind as before, then let it settle, and decant the water; and put Vinegar upon it instead of {water}, and grind it, and you will see in a short time the Powder converted into running ☿. Note, that if you Sublime Regulus of {antimony} with four times as much {sal armoniac}, it will Sublime with it in very red flowers; out of which in the same manner you may extract ☿.

To prepare the Tincture of ☉ for this Work.

TAke fine ☉ in thin Plates, dissolve it in A. R. then pour into the dissolution some ☿, and a fourth part of A. F. keep it in digestion untill the ☿ is all dissolved; the dissolution of ☉, which was of an Orange-colour before, will now be white and clear, and the ☉ will Precipitate to the bottom in a very subtil and spungy Calx; decant the

clear, and edulcorate the Powder of ☉, till it be freed from all Acrimony, then dry it.

Then take fine Pumice-stone, and make it red-hot in a Crucible, then extinguish it in Vinegar; reiterate the ignitions and ex∣tinctions five or six times, then reduce it into subtil Powder, which ignifie again for half a quarter of an hour, then make it as subtil as you can. Then put a bed of this Pow∣der into a Crucible, about a singers breadth, upon that put a Bed of your Powder of ☉: Continue thus stratifying until all the Pow∣der of ☉ be in, then cover the Crucible with another, and lute them well together, and put it into a Glass Oven where they pre∣pare their Matter, so that the Crucible may be always red during twenty four hours, and that the Matter in the Crucible may not melt, Then take out the Matter out of the Cruci∣ble, and pulverize it; then put this Powder in a Matrass, and pour upon it of the fol∣lowing dissolvent, so much as may cover it three fingers breadth, digest it in Ashes for 34 days, within a few hours you will see the dissolution Tincted of an Orange colour; after four days digestion decant the Tincture, and pour on more of the dissolvent, digest as before. Repeat this till you have extracted all the Tincture of your Powder; then filter all your Extracts, and evaporate with a gen∣tle

{fire} to dryness, and you will have a yel∣low Powder of an Orange-colour; put this Powder into a Matrass, and pour upon it a S. V. prepared as shall be taught hereafter; digest it, and in two days the S. V. will be Tincted as red as Blood, which decant, and put on fresh S. V. digest and decant. Re∣peat this so often till you have extracted all the Tincture out of the Powder: Then di∣still off the Tincted S. V. in B. with a gen∣tle heat to dryness; and thus is the Tincture of ☉ prepared for this Work, to be used with the said ☿ of {antimony}, as is said above.

Note, That if you digest and circulate this Tincture in fimo before you distill the S. V. from it, and then distill and cohobate two or three times, and abstracting half the S. V. from it, you will have a kind of an Aurum potabile, which is a very great Cor∣••oborant in the greatest weakness: The Dose is five or six drops in any convenient Vehicle.

The Dissolvent.

MElt Salt in a Crucible, then take lbj. thereof and pulverize it; mix this Powder with lbiij. of Honey, boyl them to∣gether in an Iron Kettle to the consistence of a Suppository; then cast this Matter upon a

smooth stone, and being cold, pulverize it, and put it into a Retort; pour upon it distilled Vinegar rectified, lbiij. Digest for twenty four hours, then distill in Sand by graduated {fire}, giving strong {fire} at last for six hours, that the Retort may be red; then let it stand to cool the space of twelve hours: Then di∣still this Vinegar in a Cucurbite in Ashes, separating the flegm, rectifie in three or four times more, and it will be white and clear; before it was yellow.

To prepare the Spirit of Wine, fit for this Tincture of ☉.

TAke Salt of Tartar well purified by se∣veral Dissolutions, Filtrations, and Co∣agulations, and then reduced to Powder, ℥iv. which put into a Retort, and pour up∣on it lbij, of rectified Spirit of Wine, let it stand so twenty four hours, then distill only lbj. of it in Ashes, and you shall have an ex∣cellent Spirit of Wine, ••it to draw Tinctures. In the same manner you may extract the Tincture of Coral, putting the Corals whole with the Pumice-stone, which by its dry∣ness will extract the Tincture of the Corals, leaving them as white as Starch.

In the same manner you may also extract the Tincture of ☽, which will be blew.

Sir Kenelm D.) This Process was given to Monsieur Vrto, Physician of Burges, by Monsieur Mayo, Sieur de Vancours. This Monsieur Mayo was a great Friend and Con∣fident of Monsieur de la Violette, who gave him this Operation, and they made it toge∣ther. He said, that this was the solidest and best thing that Monsieur de la Violette had. He gave this to Monsieur Vrto in acknow∣ledgment of a very great good turn he had done him, and after Monsieur Vrto had re∣fused to receive of him a Present of great Va∣lue.

A great Corroborant and Sudorifick, wrought by Monsieur Du Closs, Physician at Paris; given me by him the 16th. of August, 1660.

DIssolve ☉ by means of Salt, Nitre, and Allom, &c. after Zwelfer's manner; then evaporate away the {water}, and put S. V. upon the remaining Powder, and it will go all into a Tincture, or rather all the ☉ will dis∣solve in the S. V. leaving the Salts, most of which will Precipitate in the S. V. Then he Precipitateth the ☉ with Oyl of Tartar, and washeth and dryeth it, then reverberateth it, and it is in a deep red Powder; and this he called Cro••us Solis: (But it is not so, al∣most all the ☉ remaineth still in the solution

(which is yellow) and Oyl of Tartar will not Precipitate it, so that it is rather the Salts that remained in the S. V. and a little mingled with them:) But take Spirit of Honey (the Vinegry Spirit) two parts, and one part of S. V. and pour this upon the solution, and all the ☉ will Precipitate like a green Mud; pour off the Liquor, and put fair {water} to the Precipitation, and some ☿, and so you may have all your ☉, which when it is dry, will be a deep-red Powder, but if you reverbe∣rate it, and aaate it with ☿, and grind it with Sulphur, and then burn and reverbe∣rate it, it will all fly away: And this is his best way of Calcining and opening ☉.

Upon this Calx of ☉ he putteth his Men∣struum, and in twenty four hours it will Tinct it self as red as blood, which if you digest long, an Oyl will swim upon it; he evaporateth the Menstruum till it be thick, and digests that with a Lamp Furnace.

His Menstruum is thus made:

TAke pure S. V. and pure Spirit of Urine, ana, put them together, and distill off the S. V. with very gentle heat, there will remain a flegmatick Liquor in the bottom: Cohobate the S. V. upon it till there remain only perfect flegm in the bottom, and that

all the Spirits and Volatile Salt of the Urine be in the S. V. This is a great dissolvent and Alkahest; but it will be stronger if you work it again with new Spirit of Urine, and so you may make it as strong as you will•• But this hath not the Properties of Helmont's pretended Alkahest, to come off from the Body it hath dissolved, as strong as you put it on, for it leaveth much of the Saline Spi∣rits with the opened Body, if you distill it off: He found some running ☿ in the filters after he had dissolved the ☉ only as far as Zwelfer teacheth; which solution openeth it exceedingly, and rendereth it apt to Mer∣curialization; but he useth most the follow∣ing Calx of ☉: Make an aaa of ☉ and ☿ in due manner, which grind well with Flow∣ers of Sulphur, and set it upon Coals, and so make a Calx of ☉ (ut artis est:) Re∣peat this Calcination two or three times, then take the Calx of ☉, and grind it exceeding well with twice as much pure decrepitated Salt; put these into a Crucible, which cover well, and set it to Cement or Reverberate during six hours (or more) in a Furnace where the heat may be increased by degrees, so that in due time the Crucible become red. Continue so a pretty time, but have a care the Salt melt not: When it is cold, take out the Matter, and grind it well, and pour hot

{water} upon it, to dissolve all the Salt, and filter it off, and pour on more {water}, doing so till you have severed all the Salt from the ☉ (as also a white Earthy substance, that will swim up∣on the {water}) then dry the ☉, which grind again with double its quantity of prepared Salt, (the same Salt will serve again when the {water} is distilled from it) and Cement it, and work all as before, taking care always, that the ☉ settle well to the bottom after you have stirred it in the {water}. Repeat this six, seven, or eight times (the more the better) till the ☉ come to be all a gray or white Powder: Then Cement it with double its quantity of pure Salt of Tartar, in the same manner as you did with Salt, and do always all as before. Repeat this two, three, or four times, dulcifying it every time very well from the Salt: Then put upon it (being very dry) the Menstruum of S. V. and Spi∣rit of Urine, mentioned before, and it will be Tincted Blood-red in twenty four hours: Pour off that, and put on more, till you have drawn out all the Tincture, which di∣still in a Cucurbite with very gentle {fire}, till it become a Gum, of which he putteth ℥j. into a Pint of Sack, and giveth a spoon∣ful for a Dose. It is a mighty Corroborant, as also a Sudorifick, where Nature requireth it. It will make one sweat twenty four hours.

The manner of making his Menstruum, is, to put the two Spirits into a long Cu∣curbite with a narrow mouth, on which he put a Head, ••itting it in the Orifice, but very large in the Body of it, and so distil∣leth off his S. V. and Cohobateth it upon the same Spirit of Urine, till the Volatile Salt be drawn out of it, or upon new, as you see occasion.

Quaere, Of putting this Menstruum upon a Spungy gray Calx of ☉, made after Van∣dykes way.

The Metalline Aureal {water}, or the Aethereal Aurum potabile, which is a very great Medicine for the Gout: It is the true Her∣maphroditick Bath.

DIssolve ☽ in A. F. then Precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, then edulcorate the Powder and dry it, then mix it with its weight of {antimony} (or Calx of ♃) distill a trans∣parent Butter thereof: Take of this Butter one part, mix it with as much of Calx of ☉ (made by dissolving ☉ in Spirit of Salt) digest them together, until they be reduced into a Liquor: Distill this Liquor in a Re∣tort, the Spirit of Salt will come over first, and then will follow a red Butter, which is the great Chalybs, which resolves into a

Liquor in the Air; put this Liquor into a Cucurbite, joyn a Head and Receiver to it, and then digest with a Lamp {fire} for fifteen days, then an Aethereal Liquor will begin to come over in an invisible form, which will distill into the Recipient: Deflegm this Liquor until you come to the Eagles Metal∣line Gluten; which is digested (either per se or with ☉) into a true Physical stone: When it is in an Aethereal Liquor you may take two drops of it in some Cordial Spi∣rit.

The Eagles Gluten, or ☿ of the Wise, or Me∣talline Menstruum; with which and Lions Blood is made the Metalline Stone.

THE Gluten is of divers sorts: The first is altogether Mineral, and is drawn from ☿ and {antimony}: If you joyn Sulphur of {antimony} with this Gluten, you may make a Medici∣nal Stone of it. The Second is Metallick, viz. Saturneal, Lunary, and Aureal. The third is partly Mineral, and partly Metal∣line; as for Example, when one draws •• Liquor (which doth not wet) from ☿ of •• (that is to say, from its repercuted Calx) and {antimony}, which is the Magnet of the Spirit o•• the World; then draw the Gluten as you know. The Gluten is Mineral and Metal∣line,

and is sufficient to make the Physical Stone of it, both Mineral and Metalline.

Note, that if you digest per se, what sort of Gluten soever, you may make the Phy∣sical Stone of it. But for to shorten the Work, you may add ☉; for all Metalline or Mineral Gluten contains in it self its in∣ternal Sulphur, which may be coagulated and fixed into a true Aetherial Panacaea. But it is better to add this Solary Ferment, as shall be said hereafter. Wonderful things may be performed (both in Physick, and in Transmutation of Metals) with any sort of Gluten, either Mineral or Metalline. The {water} of Paradise differs not from the Gluten, except that it containeth some parts more li∣quid, and is yet full of flegm, as shall be shewed.

Water of Paradise, or of the Hermetick Eagle, whereof are made unheard-of Medicines, and Powders of Projection.

THE {water} of Paradise is a ce••tain fiery or Aethereal {water} drawn from Coelestial Bo∣dies, chiefly from ☉ and ☽, without the mix∣ture of any waterish flegm; so that, what is attracted is the Universal Spirit, the In∣forming form of the Elements, that of the World, Influence of the Stars, Soul of the

World, the vital Nutriment, latent in the Air. This {water} is most potent to drive out all Diseases, it being altogether Astral, and needeth not be taken by Drams, Scruples, or Grains, but the twentieth part of a Grain is sufficient for a Dose; yea, almost the Va∣pour only of this Gluten sufficeth, as you shall see: It is attracted by several things, or (to speak plain) there are several things which attract it from the Stars; first, by S••n∣divogi••s his Magnet, or Chalybs; but it requires a longer time to have this Gluten, or this Philosophical {water}, which is all, to all universal; for it requireth seven Months to prepare this Universal Menstruum, after you have the Salt of Nature; which is a thing indeterminate, and requireth a Metallick Ferment, specifick, for to specifie and de∣terminate it. This most Noble way is clearly and neatly shewn by the Author: But there are other ways, which are shorter, by which this Spirit of the World is attracted by several Magnets, whereof shall be spoken hereafter. Note, that the Physical Stone may be made of all sorts of waters of Pa∣radise; for it is the Philosophical ☿ which is sufficient for himself and for thee; for it contains in it self a pure Sulphur, which may be congealed into a Panacea: But for to shorten the Work, the Solar or Lunar Fer∣ment

is added, to the end that this Gluten, or fiery {water} may be sooner congealed and fix∣ed: So that, besides this Generalissima way, or this Universal Stone of the Philosophers, there are five other Stones; to wit, first, the simple Mineral, made of ☿ per se, or with ☿ and {antimony}, with the Sulphur of {antimony}. The Se∣cond is the simple Metalline stone, made with ☽ only, with ♃, or with ☉ and Solar Fer∣ment. Thirdly, there is a Stone which is Partly Metallick, and partly Mineral, made of {antimony}, ☿, and ☉, whereof Artesius, Flamel, Pontanus, Zaichair, and others have writ∣ten. Fourthly, There is a Vegetable Stone. Fifthly, The Animal Stone. We shall treat of all these Stones, under the name of the {water} of Paradise, or the Hermetick Eagle, or Vir∣gins Milk.

Water of Paradise of Common ☿, or Hermes his Eagle, of the Terrestrial and Coele∣stial ☿.

SUblime ☿ three or four times with Salt, Nitre, and Vitriol; then dissolve it in A. F. and digest, then by distillations and cohobations, unite the Salts Armoniac of the A. F. to which (to have it more Pow∣erful) you may put an eighth part of {sal armoniac}: Distill and cohobate so often, till the ☿ comes

to be like Wax, and that it dissolveth easily in humido. Then dissolve this matter per deliquium, that it may attract the {water} which is contained in the Air: Put this Liquor in∣to a small Cucurbite, joyn its Head and Re∣cipient, and digest with very gentle {fire} with a Lamp. Nothing will come over during fifteen days, but afterwards, there will come over an Aethereal Liquor, which is the {water} of Paradise: Two drops of this {water} put into ℥iv. of S. V. is an excellent Medicine against the Pox, for it is the Planet ☿. The Dose is one spoonful. The Physical Stone is made of this Virginal, or Astral Milk, to wit, distill its flegm, in a small Cucurbite, with the same Lamp {fire}, and the Gluten or Mineral Gum will remain in the bottom; of which by digestion is made the Physical or Medicinal Stone. But note, that if you add ☉, the Operation is sooner accomplished. Note also, that if you cast one drop of this {water} of Paradise upon a thin Plate of ♀, or of ♂, it will penetrate and whiten it through and through, before it is fermented with ☉. Note also, that that which remaineth after the distillation, will serve also. If you would then make a Stone, different from that which is made with the Virginal Milk only, pro∣ceed thus: After you have distilled the {water} of Paradise, distill over with a gentle {fire} in

Ashes what remaineth, and you shall have a white Oyl; then force over the remaining part in a Retort, and you shall have a red Oyl; cast away the remaining feces. Take one part of the red Oyl, and four parts of the white Oyl, and eight parts of the {water} of Paradise, put them into a Matrass, and di∣gest them in an Athanor until all the colours appear one after another, and that the Glu∣ten be fixed into white. If then you aug∣ment the {fire}, it will become a red Medicine, of which you may make Projection thus: Take an hundred parts of ☿, heat it in a Crucible, and cast upon it one part of this fixt Medicine, and all will be a Medicine; whereof cast one part upon another hundred parts of ☿, stirring it with a stick; then melt them together. Cast one part of this Medicine upon an hundred parts of ☿, and all will be converted into ☽ or ☉, ac∣cording to the Tincture. In this manner, all Metals and Minerals may be reduced in∣to Tinctures by their {water} of Paradise, &c. Note, That this Work may be done also with ☿ dissolved in A. F. and Precipitated with Spirit of Salt; the Calx dryed and united with Calx of ♃ and {antimony}, and thence the Volatile Crystals, or•• Butter extracted, wherewith you may proceed as was said••

Or, you may make also a {water} of Paradise, made with ♃ per deliquium.

The Antimonial {water} of Paradise, or the Her∣metick Coelestial Eagle with two Heads.

EXtract a Butter from equal parts of {antimony} and ☿ Sublimate: Dissolve this Butter in the Air in ♈, ♉, and ♊; put the Liquor into a Glass Cucurbite with its Head and Re∣cipient, lute well all the junctures; excite the Archaeus which is in him, by a very gen∣tle heat in Ashes, by a Lamp {fire}, which will maturate the Matter in the space of fifteen or twenty days: Then drive up its Rays in∣to the Head, which will be seen corporal in the Recipient in the form of a clear {water}. This {water} is all fiery, and is the Coelestial Ea∣gle with two Heads. Put it into a Cucur∣bite, and deflegm it with the same Lamp {fire}, and there will remain in the bottom of the Cucurbite the Mineral Gluten, or the viscous {water}, which doth not wet ones hands. You may prepare Medicines of this Coelestial Aethereal {water} thus: Put two drops of it into ℥iv. of S. V. it will turn as white as Milk. This Medicine Cureth the Dropsie, the Epi∣lepsie, Madness, &c. The Dose is from ʒij. to ℥ss. Now, if you would have the Pow∣der of Projection, you must digest the Glu∣ten

per se, as was said; or (which is better) add a tenth part of ☉ in leaf, and digest, or draw the red and white Oyl, and proceed as in the former Process, and you shall have a Medicine both for Man, and for Metals.

Water of Paradise of Venus and Mars, or ♀. and ♂ Captivated, whence cometh Cupid, or the Solar Panacea.

ALthough these Metals cannot take the Mercurial {water}, nor give Volatile Cry∣stals, as ☽, ♃, and ♄ do, because they are very Mercurial, and the former almost all Sulphurous, nevertheless you may do it thus: Dissolve ♀ and ♂ (each by it self) in the Salt Androgine, which hath but little Sulphur, to the end, that it may dissolve more easily: Then make a Lixivium, which Precipitate with your Liquor of ♄; dry the Precipitated Calx, and sprinkle it with a good deal of Spirit of Salt; then mix it with {antimony}, and distill Volatile Crystals thereof; with which proceed as before. The {water} of Para∣dise is made of ♀ only, and is called {water}, or ♀ his astrum.

It Cures the Pox, Gout, &c. The Gluten of these Metals is digested either per se, or with a Solar Ferment, as before, into a Pa∣nacea, which is a wonderful Medicine, and

will Cure Maladies in Men and Me∣tals.

The thrice Noble Water of Paradise, or Apol∣lo Medens.

DIstill the fiery and Volatile Crystals from ☿ of ☽, with Calx of Iupiter, which keep. Dissolve ☉ in Spirit of Salt, which joyn with equal parts of your Crystals; di∣gest, and then distill, the Spirit of Salt will come over immediately first, then will fol∣low the red Crystals: Expose this Terrestrial ☉ to the Coelestial, that it may satisfie it self with its Solary Rays, and then dissolve it self into a Liquor, which will be a Mag∣net and an Amaranth Aethereal and immor∣tal. Put this Solary and Lunary Liquor into a Glass Cucurbite, and distill with a Lamp, {fire} this Noble, Metalline, Radical moisture, those invisible Rays of the ☉, or this {water} of Paradise, during fourty or fifty days. This {water} is {water} of Nature, an Excel∣lent Attractive, and its Power is ineffable. This {water} drives out all Maladies, and com∣forts Nature, and is a Royal Medicine; for 'tis the astrum of the ☉, or a ☉ between the Terrestrial and coelestial ☉. Of this is Apollo furens; for its Rays, or its {water} killeth ☿, which they convert into true ☉, as also all

other Metals. In this Liquor you may dis∣solve ☉ if you will, but it will not be ne∣cessary; for when it is freed of its flegm, the Solary Gluten remains, which you may di∣gest per se, until it acquire a purple colour. Thus ☉ is exalted to make a Tincture. The {water} of Paradise is the Aethereal Aurum pota∣bile; dissolve two drops thereof in ℥iv. of S. V. the Dose is ʒij. This is the {water} of Na∣ture, which is multiplyed ad infinitum by new addition of the Gluten, &c. Note, That when this Panacea is fixed, it is the Panacea of Panacea's, which Cureth Mala∣dies, both in Men and Metals.

Note, That this {water} of Paradise converts all Metals into ☉, if you digest their Plates in the same; yea, one drop thereof pene∣trates a Plate of ☽, and transmuteth it into most fine ☉. There is also made another A∣pollo Medens, which is joyned with Spirituous Regulus of {antimony}, to wit, the Flowers reduced, or fiery Regulus, and conjoyned in the Sul∣phurous Sal Enixe, and both Precipitated into an Aureal Antimonial Panacea. But this Panacea is not comparable to the other. Apollo furens is the same {water} of Paradise, the which are the invisible Solary Rays, by which the Volatility of ☿ is killed, and is converted into ☉; and the same it is with the Solary {water}. Apollo Moriens is the Eclipse of the ☉

in the above-mentioned fiery and Aethereal Menstruums: For in all sorts of Menstruums it putrifies, groweth black, and maturates in the space of fifteen days: But after that, it resuscitates before the Judge Apollo resusci∣tans.

An unheard-of Arcanum, or new and unheard of Lunary, wherewith is made the Elixir, or Metalline Stone.

DIssolve what quantity of ☽ you please in the Sal Androgine; in four hours time half your ☽ will be dissolved into a very red Salt, pour it into a vessel of Copper, then make a Lixivium, which filter, reduce into a body what remaineth with ♄, and re-dissolve it in new Sal Androgine as be∣fore. Reiterate this, till all your ☽ go through the filter with the Lixivium, and you will be sure to have a ☽ altogether Spi∣rituous and Volatile, which you will find to be true to your loss, if you Precipitate it with an Acid Liquor, and reduce it with ♄; for it will all fly away at the Coppel; the same will happen if it be attracted by Plates of ♀. These two effects have happened to me by inadvertence.

Note, That this Spirituous ☽ is a Poten∣tial and Spirituous ☉, as you will find, if

you rejoyn it with its body at the Coppel: There is nothing to say to that. Note, That the corporal ☽ which is added, retains all what is of the Nature of ☉, which ren∣ders it afterward in the separating {water}. There∣fore, take all these filtred Solutions (which are yellow if the Lavers be made with Odor of Metals) and Precipitate them totally in∣to a Lunary Sulphur of a Golden colour, adding a sufficient quantity of that which Precipitates it: That which Precipitates it is of our invention, and is of the Saturnian Juice, which swims upon the ☿ of ♄, when its Solution is repercuted by the Salt {water}. Dry this Lunary Golden Precipitate gently, and mix it with ana of Calx of ♃, made per se in the {water}; or if you will, you may draw the Butter or fiery Crystals with ana of {antimony}; the Crystals are resolved per se in the Air. And with this unheard-of Magnet are Mira∣culously attracted the Influences of the Stars, or the {water} of Nature. This is chiefly done in the belly of ♈ that is to say, in the Month of April and May. Note here a very great Secret, which is, that there is no flegm attracted by this Magnet, but onely the pure Nutriment of Life, or the fiery vi∣••al Viand which is hidden in the centre of the Air; which you will find true, if you put some waterish part into this Liquor; for

you shall see that it will not mix with it in any wise, but will swim upon it in an hete∣rogene form, as Milk: You must further sepa∣rate this Liquor, which is the simple Lunary, in which ☉ is easily dissolved: For from this corporal Lunary you must have a Spiritual and unheard-of Lunary. Put then this Liquor in a Glass Cucurbite with its Head and Reci∣pient, and digest in Ashes with a very gentle heat by a Lamp the space of one Philoso∣phical Month. Nothing will distill over during the first fifteen days, or more; but it will become a red Sea, and the Matter will maturate, and after that, you shall see that by this gentle heat the Metalline Soul will mount invisibly upon the wings of the Wind, or the Spirit of the World, and will fall into the Recipient in the form of Tears, which are the Tears of Diana. This Li∣quor is much more precious than pure ☉, and of very great vertue. Continue the dissolution, whilst the Archaeus of Nature chaseth it, which is done in fifteen days a•• the farthest. In this Operation is done, wha•• Hermes saith, thou shalt separate, the sub•••••• from the Spirit gently, and with great dex∣terity. This distillation is altogether Na∣tural, and is perfected by the only Archaeus of Nature. This Liquor is the Spiritual Lu∣nary, which contains in it self Body, Spirit

and Soul; 'tis the {water} of Paradise, the Lunar Sphere, the Metalline Fountain, and the Universal Metalline Menstruum. It is a most certain anti-epileptick and Cephalick: If one or two drops of it are mixt with ℥iv. of S. V. all will become like Milk. For it is all {fire}; which changes the moist Element of the S. V. as being contrary to it, or at least not connatural.

To make the Metalline Stone per se of this Spiritual Lunary.

TAke this Liquor, and put it into a small Glass Cucurbite; leave it uncovered, evaporate it in Ashes with a gentle Lamp {fire}, to the end, that if there be any moisture from the Air, it may exhale, and there will remain in the bottom of the Cucurbite the Metalline Gum, the Lunary Gluten, the Azot, &c. which will liquifie at the least heat, as Butter, and will congeal by cold. Put this Gum into a Matrass, which Seal Hermetically, and digest per se, it will be∣come black, and after white, and then it is the white Stone; then by increasing the {fire}, it will become of a Citrine colour, and red, without a Solary Ferment: And the King is made of the Queen, or the immersion of ☽ into a Solary Tincture. But for to shorten the Work, add unto this Gluten a tenth part

of ☉ in leaf, or Sulphur of ☉ made Spiri∣tual by the Sulphurous Sal Enixe, and di∣gest as was said: The augmentation of this Stone is by addition of new Metalline Gluten. Note, That this Spiritual Lunary tingeth ☿ into true ☽, if you digest it therein; also a Plate of ♀ is perforated by putting one drop of this {water} upon it. Note also, That when you have distilled the Lunary, that which remaineth is an eternal Magnet. To that effect, resolve it again in the Air, and man∣age it by a Lamp as before. Then distill an Aethereal Liquor, which is yet impreg∣nated with a Lunary Soul, and distilleth in∣to the Recipient, and then goeth anew into a Gluten: And this is done ad infinitum. Note also, That that which remains, may be distilled, and you shall have first, a white Lunary Oyl (which is the Philosophers Oyl of Talc; for the true Oyl of Talc is the Lunary coagulated per se, and fixed in∣to a white Stone, which is fixt and soft.) Secondly, you shall have the red Oyl by augmenting the {fire}. If you will make the Stone of these Matters, take of the red Oyl one part, and of the white Oyl four parts, and eight parts of the Lunary reduced into Gluten: Put this into a Matrass, and digest until all be fixed into white, and after by continuing become red. This Medicine

ought not to be Fermented; for it is the true Metalline Soul, reduced into a Tincture. This last digestion must be in an Athanor with a Charcoal {fire}.

Hartman.) These Waters of Paradise and Glutens, &c. were given to Sir K. (about eight or nine Months before he died) by a French Gentleman, a great Scholar.

Monsieur Barkly's fixation of Common Sul∣phur, and the Tincture thereof, which is an Excellent Medicine in all affects of the Breast and Lungs.

TAke Flowers of Sulphur, or Sulphur pulverized very subtil; put it into a Matrass, and pour upon it so much Spirit of Sulphur per Campanam, as may cover it the breadth of three fingers. Lute the Ma∣trass well, and put it in digestion for fifteen days, or three weeks, or so long until the Flowers of Sulphur come to be very black: Then distill off all the Spirit of Sulphur to dryness; break the Matrass, and take out the Sulphur, which pulverize again, and put it into another Matrass, and pour upon it the Spirit of Sulphur you distilled off, and distill as before to dryness. Repeat this twice more, which maketh three cohobations in

all without the first distillation. Then take your black and fixt Sulphur, and reduce it to a very subtil Powder, and put it to re∣verberate in a Glass Oven the space of a fortnight or three weeks, it will change its blackness into white, and after yellow, and at last come to be of a reddish brown colour. The Tincture of this red fixt Sulphur, is extracted with Spirit of Salt well rectified.

He made thus his Spirit of Salt for this: Take Salt lbj. dissolve it in five quarts of fair {water}, and filter it; put it into a Cucurbite, and pour upon it by little and little lbj. of good Oyl of Vitriol, and joyn the Head and Recipient; when it is all in, it will begin presently to distill over cold: Set it in Sand, and with moderate heat drive over as much as will rise, which rectifie from the flegm: There will remain in the bottom of the Cu∣curbite a wonderful Salt, that is exceeding fusible.

After he had extracted the Tincture, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 distilled away all the Spirit of Salt, till the Tincture was dry: Of this he gave, three grains for a Dose, and found it a great Dis∣phoretick, but it was somewhat rough and sharp in the Stomach: Whereupon he dul∣cified it by several ablutions in fair {water}; then gave the same Dose, and it wrought excel∣lently well in all Colds of the Breast and Lungs.

Hartman.) This Relation is of Sir K. Digby.

The Countess of Kents Powder, as it was pre∣pared by Sir Kenelm Digby's Order in his Operatory.

TAke ℥iv. of the black ends of the shares of Crabs, the Sun being in the Sign of Can∣cer, Crabs-eyes, fine Pearls and Corals pre∣pared, of each ℥j. yellow Amber ℥ss. Roots of Contrayerva, Virginian Snake-root, an•• ʒvj. Oriental Bezoar ʒiij. of the Bones that are found in the hearts of Stags ℈iv. Re∣duce all into a subtil Powder; moisten the Crabs Claws and Crabs-eyes, and the Pow∣ders of Pearls and Corals with a little juice of Lemons, to make them ferment a little: Then the next day mix all well together, adding ʒj. of Tincture of Saffron, and pour upon the Mass (when you incorporate it) three or four spoonfuls of Spirit of Honey, or instead thereof you may take Jelly of Harts∣horn, and Jelly of the Skins of Vipers dryed in the shadow. Then add to this Composi∣tion ℥j. of Trochisque of Vipers; grind it all well together to make it well incorporate: Then make it up into Balls, and let them dry, and keep them for Use.

This Powder is a most Excellent Remedy in all Epidemical Distempers, all Malignant, Spotted, and Purple Fevers; to drive out the Small-pox and Measles. It is Sudorifick, and resists all Corruption, and is admirable in a Surfeit. It drives the Venom from the heart, and hinders the Vapours to fly up into the Head and Brain. It drives out by transpi∣ration all bad Humours, corroborates and strengthens Nature. The Dose is from six to twenty, or twenty five grains. In an ex∣tremity of the Plague, one may take from thirty to fourty grains.

Hartman.) Sir K. D. had this Powder always ready by him in his Closet; and I re∣member that many Persons of Quality sent to him for some of it when any of their Chil∣dren had the Small-pox or Measles; and ne∣ver any did miscarry of all those that took it. It is also Excellent against the biting of Mad Dogs, stinging of Vipers, and other Venemosis Beasts.

A very Efficacious Remedy against the Epi∣lepsie, or Falling-Sickness, wherewith Sir Kenelm Digby Cured a Ministers Son, named Mr. Lichtenstein, at Francfort in Germany, in the Year 1659. to which I was an Eye-Witness.

TAke of the Skull of a Man that died of a violent Death, of the parings of nails of Man, ana ʒij. Reduce this to a subtil Powder, and grind it upon a Marble stone; then take Polypody of the Oak very dry, ʒij. Misletoe of the Oak, gathered in the Wain of the Moon, ℥ss. Misletoe of the Hasle-tree, Misltoe of the Tile-tree, of each ʒij. Piony-root ℥ss. Reduce all into a sub∣til Powder: Then take ℥vj. of Sugar, boyl it to the consistence of Rose-Sugar; then mix all the Powders with it, and stir them well together over the fire that they may well incorporate together: Then take it from the fire, and make it up into little Tablets of about a Dram apiece; whereof give one in the Morning fasting, and two or three hours after Dinner, and another two hours after Supper: Continue this whilst the Tablets ••ast.

Another for the same.

SIR Kenelm Digby Relates, that in the Year 1663. the Lady Warwick told him, that a Daughter of her Husbands elder Brother had the Falling-Sickness in the greatest Extremity, so that she fell like a log seven or eight times a day without any motion. They had put her into the hands of the ablest Physitians in England, who in effect could do her no good. A Gentleman, one of their Neighbours, undertook to Cure her, and performed the Cure thus: Take true Misletoe of the Oak, the Leaves, the Berries, and all the tender Branches; dry it gently in an Oven after the Bread is drawn; then reduce it to a fine Powder, of which give as much as will lye upon a shilling for one of ripe years; for middle aged, a six-pence, for a Child, a groat: Give it Morn∣ings and Evenings in Cowslip-water three days before, and three days after the Full of the Moon. Repeat this Remedy for some Months together. This Cured also my Lord Herberts Son, and many other Persons of Quality. The best time to gather the Misle∣toe of the Oak, is in the Month of Septem∣ber, when it bears Berries, and in the Waning of the Moon.

The Preparation of the Silver Pills against the Dropsie, as they were prepared by Sir Kenelm Digby's Order in his Opera∣tory.

TAke refined ☽ ℥j. dissolve it in ℥iij. of the best Spirit of Nitre in a Matrass, then evaporate away all the Spirit of Nitre to dryness in a low Cucurbite, or in some other fit Vessel; then dissolve the matter in a sufficient quantity of Rose-water, filter the dissolution through gray Paper, and evapo∣rate it again to the consistence of a dry Salt as before. Then take ℥ij. of fine Salt-petre, dissolve it in Rose-water, filter the dissolu∣tion, and evaporate it in a large wide Vessel of Glass, to the consistence of a Salt. Then mix the ☽ and this Salt together, and put them in a large Glass, pouring upon them so much Rose-water as will dissolve them in∣to a greenish Liquor: Then evaporate it in Sand to the consistence of a white Salt; then take it out of the Sand, and being quite cold, put it into a Glass or Marble Mortar, and put to it ℥ij. of fine Wheat-flower; grind them well together, then add so much Rose-water as will make it a Mass fit for Pills: Then make it up into Pills of the bigness of Pease, put them between two Papers, and

let them dry in the shadow, and they will be of a Purple colour; keep them in a wooden Box.

Directions for the Use of these Silver Pills.

THey are a Specifick against the Dropsie, the Patient is to take one of them at six or seven of the Clock in the Morning, ta∣king some Broath about two hours after it with eight or ten drops of Spirit of Salt in it. Their Operation is by Stools, and by Urine; you must continue it until the Cure be perfected. Note, That if the Patient be weak, he must take the Pill but once in two days, and in all Broaths and Drink, he ought to take some Dose of Spirit of Salt, as is said above. If there be need of Sweat∣ing, you must use some dry Stoves, and give him always of the following Salts: Take Salt of Urine, Salt of Worm-wood, ana ʒij. add half a Scruple of Oyl of Amber, and as much of Spirit of Urine, with ʒij. of fine Sugar; mix all well together in a Glass of Stone Mortar, whereof give ℈iv. for a Dose in half a Glass of White-wine when the Pa∣tient is Sweating in the dry Stove, and not in a Bath of Water: And every third day you must repeat this Remedy, and he will be

Cured within three days. The evacuation is by abundance of Sweat and Urine.

Hartman.) I cannot omit to relate here a Story, which I have often heard Sir Ke∣nelm Digby tell concerning a Famous Cure of a desperate Dropsie, done by Dr. Farrar up∣on an eminent Lord, who was over-grown with the Dropsie, his Belly and Stomach swel∣led to a Prodigious bigness, and was given over by the ablest Physicians as incurable. Sir K. D. made the bargain between the Lord and the Doctor, who was to have five hundred pounds for the Cure: But when the Lord was Cured, he would give the Doctor no more than three hundred pounds, saying, that five hundred pounds was too much money, and that all the Ingredients be used could not stand him in twenty shillings. The Remedies were thus: Having first well purged the Patien•• with some fit Purge (as of Iallap, Manna, Sena) to carry away watry humours, he gave him the following Broth. A moderate Broth was made of Mutton, Chickens, and Capon, or Hen, but not Veal; the Broth was not strong of the Meat, nor too weak, but such as the Patient might drink all the day, for he was to drink no other Liquor; they made but about a pottle of Broth at a time, for it would not keep: And for this quantity they took a Gallon of Water, into

which the Doctor put above a handful of Garlick, and Rosemary, Penyroyal, Thyme, Sweet-marjoram, Fennel-roots, Parsley-roots, as also Currans, and a sufficient quantity of Salt. And after some days taking the Broth, they put into every draught of the Broth (the Patient took) above a spoonful of the crude juice of Garlick, stamped and pressed out. But if you cannot bear always to drink this Broth, then use the following De∣coction: Take Sarsaparilla ℥xij. China-roots ℥v. Sassafras ℥iij. Cut all these very small, and pour upon them Spring-water, to three fingers breadth above the Ingredients, and let them infuse over a soft fire the space of four hours; then throw away this Water, and stamp the Ingredients in a Stone Mortar with a wooden Pestle: Then pour upon them ten quarts of Fountain-water, and boyl it in a Vessel close stopped, till four quarts of it be consumed: Of this Decoction let the Pa∣tient drink, without any other drink but the Garlick Broth.

Another Drink.

TAke all the aforesaid Ingredients, in the same manner prepared and stamped: Then take a clean Vessel, and fill it with Beer, then put the Ingredients in a bag, and

hang it in the Beer; ℥j. of the Ingredients is sufficient for a quart of Beer. Either of these Drinks is only in case the Patient can∣not bear the use of the Garlick Broth, which alone will dispatch the Cure much the soon∣er; and this course of the Garlick Broth is for all Obstructions, and superfluity of Cold, raw Humours, clogging the Brain, or any other part, as well as for the Dropsie. To strengthen and secure the Liver, use the fol∣lowing Electuary. Take of Powder of Turmerick a sufficient quantity, make an Electuary of it with Sugar, and to every Ounce of it add three drops of Oyl of An∣niseed, made by distillation; and if you put a little Amber-grease to it, it will be the more strengthening. Take of this Electuary two or three times a day the quantity of a Hasle-nut; take not above ℥j. in a day.

Besides this, to strengthen the Stomach, use the following Stomacher: Take Worm-wood, Marjoram, Rosemary, Rue, ana one handful; Cloves, Cinamon, Mace, ana ℥j. bruise these Spices, and mix them with the Herbs; of these make a Stomacher, and ap∣ply it: And you may likewise anomt your Stomach, and region of the Liver with Oyl of Nutmegs and Oyl of Roses.

I heard Sir K. D. say, that after twelve or thirteen days, the Patient begun to Piss in

great abundance, and so stinking, noisom, roping matter, that the Nurse which emptied the Pots, was hardly able to endure the stink and noisomness of it. And he con∣tinued the diet till he was perfectly Cured.

Another Experimented Remedy for the Drop∣sie, whereby several Persons have been Cured, as I have been assured.

TAke the Root of Heath, scrape off the first Bark, which throw away, then peel off the next rind, and fill a Glass or a Bot∣tle with it loosely, then fill it up with White∣wine, and let it stand to infuse over Night, and the next Morning drink half a pint of Wine; and so continue until you are Cured.

Another Excellent Remedy against the Dropsie.

TAke Spiritual Oyl of Salt, mix with it so much flowers of Sulphur, that it be∣come like Pap, which distill in a Retort in Sand, and you shall have a Liquor as white as Milk, which is Excellent against the Dropsie.

The Copy of a Letter from Abbot Boucaud from Paris to Sir K. D. wherein he relates in what manner he Cured himself of the Stone, and of a Quartan Ague.

SIR,

I Do not tell you that I have been Sick, (and that I am so still) to Excuse my self for having so long de••erred an Answer unto your last two Letters, &c. It is true nevertheless, for I have laboured under di∣vers Distempers; but among the rest, I have been ill of the Stone, and have had a Quar∣tan Ague: I believe you will not be sorry to hear how I Cured my self of both with∣out the help of any Physician. For the Stone I took twelve grains of the Salt made of the Stones which were taken out of Men; I dissolved the said Salt in a little water, and then I put all into a Glass of Whitewine, and drank it off, and walked about my Chamber near two hours, at the end where∣of I had a great need to make water, and I voided (with violence) a large Glass full of Gravel, which was so gross, and so rug∣ged, that it caused me to void near a Pint of Blood; the same thing happened to me three times, and every time I voided Blood, which made me judge that I should have taken less

of the said Salt; yet I took it but once, but I felt a great pain and heaviness in my Reins and Kidneys. The said Stones were Calci∣ned in a Potters Oven, and after they were Calcined, I extracted the Salt out of them with distilled Rain-water: The feces I Cal∣cined again, and extracted the Salt as before, which I repeated so often, till the said Stones yielded no more Salt. Note, That to make this Salt for a M••n, you must take the stones taken out of Men, and for a Woman, those that are taken out of Women. And thus was the first Cure performed.

As for the Quartan Ague, without having been Purged, or let Blood, at the fourth fit I took a Glass-full of the water of green Wall-nuts, which I had distilled in their last Season: I took it as soon as I perceived the least symptom of the Fits approaching; I went to Bed, and caused my self to be well covered, and slept, and had no Fit at all that time, nor ever after.

The Water I distilled thus: I took green Wall-nuts and beat them in a stone Mortar, then in a Cucurbite in B. M. I distilled the water from them, which I cohobated twice upon fresh Wall-nuts. Then having Cal∣cined the three Marcs or Caput Mortuums, I extracted the Salt out of the Ashes; this Salt I put into the distilled water. I thus,

Sir, I have given you Account how I went to work.

A Process, how to make a most Excellent Oyl of Sulphur in abundance; sent also by the said Abbot Boucaud to Sir K.

TAke an Earthen Pan of Stone-ware, in the midst thereof lay a piece of Brick, upon which set an Earth•••• Poringer full of Sulphur grosly beaten; then put fair water into your Pan, but not so much as to touch the said Poringer: Then kindle the Sulphur, and cover it with a Bell, so that the Bell touch the water, and that the fumes may not come out, but may condense and run down into the water, which afterwards must be separa∣ted in B. with a moderate heat. To set the Sulphur on fire, you may put into it a square or round piece of Iron made red-hot in the fire.

Hartman.) In my Opinion, if the Bell touch the Water, and that it hath no hole at the top, so that the Sulphur have no Air, it will not burn; I judge the best way to be thus: Let the Poringer stand in the Water, but not so deep, as that the Water bear it up, and make it float; if it stands half, way in the Water, it will do, for the weight of the Sul∣phur will keep it down, and the heat of the

Poringer will heat the Water, and the Va∣pours and steams thereof will mix with the fumes of the Sulphur, and make them con∣dense the better, and so distill down together into the Water. The Bell should be such a one as is now in use, with a long neck, and a hole at the top, which should not touch the Water nor the Pan, but it should be suspended in such manner, that there be some distance between the bri•• of the Bell and the sides of the Pan.

A subtil Volatil Water from Sulphur, which will Dissolve ☉.

I AM told by one who hath done it, that when you go to Sublime Flowers of Sulphur, if you give very gentle and mo∣derate fire, and be very attentive, there will come over first, before any Flowers Sublime, a little very Volatile, but altogether insipid Water, which he saith, will dissolve ☉: It is much more Volatile than any S. V. A Glass full of it will presently vanish away, if you hold the Glass unstopped upon your hand, by the warmth of it.

Hartman.) This Relation is of Sir K.

If you would save this Water, you must have a Glass head upon your last Subliming-pot, or a Ludel, wherein you Sublime your

Flowers of Sulphur, and instead of a Vessel without a bottom, as that for the Flowers of Antimony, you must have one with a bottom, and without a hole on the side to put in your Sulphur, and then two Alu∣dels besides the said Vessel, and the Glass-head will be sufficient for subliming the Flowers of Sulphur.

By means of the Glass-head you save also the Vinegar of {antimony} in subliming the Flowers, which I have done several times; but I used not above three Aludels one upon another, besides the Glass-head.

An Excellent Essence of Sulphur for the Breast, and for the Lungs.

TAke Sulphur one part, brown Sugar-candy two parts; pulverize them, and mix them well together, then put it into a Retort of such a bigness, that two third parts thereof may remain empty. Then distill in sand, giving very gentle fire at first; you will have a whitish Liquor, which keep for use.

Hartman.) This was given me by a Phy∣s••cian at Paris, who told me, that a Catarrh ••alling upon his Lungs, which obstructed his Lungs, causing in him a great Fever, he Cured himself with this Essence, taking this, thirty

or fourty drops of it in some Broth. He told me also, that it was of great effect in Asthma, Phthisick, old and inveterated Coughs, &c.

An Excellent Elixir of Sulphur.

TAke Juice of Licorise, Confection of Alkermes, Roots of Elecampane, ana ʒvj. Alipta moscata ʒiv. Myrrh, Saffron, ana ℥jss. Mastick, Benjamin, Cardamoms the less, Cinnamon, ana ℥j. Sugar-candy ℥ij. Powder what is to be Powdered, then mix them together, and add rectified S. V. so much as to make it into a Paste; then put it into a Circulatory Vessel, and pour upon it so much Spirit of Sulphur, as may cover it the breadth of four fingers: Digest it fourty days, then decant the Tincture, and pour upon the remaining Matter fresh S. V. to ex∣tract another Tincture. Then mix these two Tinctures together, and keep them for Use.

This Tincture is a very great Pectoral, and a Precious Remedy in all affects of the Breast and Lungs. It is Excellent against Catarrhs, old and inveterate Coughs, the Phthisick, Asthma's; it cherishes and comforts the Heart, and is good against fainting and swooning Fits, preserves from Putrefaction; it is Anodyne, Cephalick, Analeptick, Alexi∣pharmack;

and, as the Author saith, preserves Health, prolongs Life, and keeps back gray Hairs, by strengthening Natural heat. It is to be taken in some Pectoral water or Sy∣rup; the Dose is so much as renders the Ve∣hicle of a grateful acidity.

Lac Sulphuris.

TAke of Sulphur in Powder on part, and of Quick-lime two parts, mix them, and put them into an Iron Pot, and pour thereon a good quantity of fair water, let it boyl until three parts of the water be con∣sumed, and that the Liquor be as red as Blood by the dissolution of the Sulphur; then strain it whilst it is hot, and let the strained Liquor stand to cool: Then Preci∣pitate with Vinegar, then let it settle, and having poured off the clear, edulcorate the residue ten or twelve times with warm wa∣ter, the last time with Rose-water; then dry it gently, and keep it for Use.

It is a true Remedy in all affects of the Breast and Lungs; it is given with great suc∣cess to those that are troubled with Catarrhs, Rheum in the Head, Asthma, Phthisick, Coughs, &c. It promotes expectoration; it hinders the defluxion to the Joynts, it pre∣vents and disperses the windiness of the Sto∣mach

and Bowels, and Cureth the Cholick. The Dose is so much as may change the Ve∣hicle white; the best and fittest Vehicle is the Spirit of Lignum Cassiae, or Cinnamon; taking it twice a day, in the Morning fast∣ing, and at Night.

You may make a very good Spirit of Lig∣num Cassiae thus, which is a much finer Spi∣rit than that of Cinnamon, and much bet∣ter for this use. Take Lignum Cassiae ℥iv. bruise it well, then pour upon it three quarts of Malaga Sack, stop the Vessel close, and let it stand to digest for three or four days, then distill it in a Limbeck, or in a Glass Cucurbite, distilling it off all together, as long as it cometh with vigour, and you shall have about three pints and a half of very good Spirit: Thus I make it. But if you will have it richer of the Wood, put this Liquor upon fresh Cassia, and digest and distill as before. Repeat this till it be as strong as you desire. You may if you please separate the runnings so as to have some of such strength as you wish.

A great Diaphoretick of Antimony.

TAke good Antimony Mineral in subtil Powder lbj. mix it with lbss. of ☿ Sub∣limate; put this mixture presently into a Retort, leave the Retort for some time un∣stopped before you distill it, for then you shall have more Butter than if you distill it presently. Then distill a Butter from it ac∣cording to Art, giving strong fire at last, so that the bottom of the Retort may be red-hot; part of it will come over in Butter, and part will Sublime in Cinaber, very hard; if you leave this Butter for some time expo∣sed to the Air before you rectifie it, you shall have more Liquor than if you distill it pre∣sently; rectifie this Butter, then melt it a∣gain, and pour it into a clean Retort, and pour upon it by little and little good Spirit of Nitre, continue pouring on the Spirit of Nitre until the Ebullition ceaseth: Then di∣still it with a gentle fire in Sand, giving strong fire at last, so that the bottom of the Retort may be red-hot; then let it cool, break the Retort, and take out your Matter, which will be very spungy, and of a yellowish co∣lour; pulverize and edulcorate it several times with warm water, then dry it gently; reverberate it for an hour between two Cru∣bles

well luted together: Then grind it a∣gain to a subtil Powder, which put into an Earthen Poringer, and pour upon it recti∣fied S. V. that will burn all away; fire it, and whilst it burneth, stir it continually with a silver spoon; the S. V. being burned away, the Powder will remain dry; grind this Powder again, and mix it with ʒvij. of An∣timony Diaphoretick that hath been Calcined three times with Nitre, grind them well to∣gether, and put them into a Retort, and pour upon them ℥iijss. of good Spirit of Nitre; put the Retort in Sand, and let it stand thus four and twenty hours; then distill with a gentle fire to dryness: Break the Retort, and take out the Matter, which grind and edul∣corate with Carduus-water warmed, then spread it upon gray Paper, and let it dry of it self: Then grind it to an impalpable Pow∣der, which put into a Poringer, and pour upon it S. V. so much as may cover it a fingers breadth; let it stand thus for five or six hours, then fire the S. V. upon it, and stir it continually with a silver spoon whilst it burneth, then grind it again, and put it in∣to a Viol, stop it close, and keep it for Use.

The manner of using this Medicine is thus: Take fifteen grains of it for three Mornings together, mixing with it some

Conserves or Sweatmeats, and take it upon the point of a Knife, then drink a Glass∣full of the Sudorifick Decoction after it warm. Then take twenty grains for three Mornings more; then fifteen grains again for three Mornings more. It is an Excellent Remedy to Cure the Gout, Dropsie, Palsie, the Ve∣nereal Disease, the Evil, Leprosie; it puri∣fieth the whole Mass of Blood, and is good in all Scorbutick Distempers. Note, That before you use this Medicine, you must pre∣pare the Body before with some fit Purge, according to the Constitution of the Pa∣tient.

Those that are careful to preserve their Health, and to keep it in good state, may take this Powder in the Spring, at the fal∣ling of the Leaf, having first Purged once or twice; then take the Powder with the Su∣dorifick Decoction for Nine days together, as was said, mixing the Powder with a dram of Confection of Alkermes. It powerfully resisteth all Corruption, dryeth up all super∣fluous moisture in the Body, and is a true concretive of Blood.

The Sudorifick Decoction.

TAke Lignum Guaiacum ℥iv. Salsaparilla, Sassafras, ana ℥j. infuse them in three quarts of Fountain-water for twenty four hours; then let it boyl gently for three hours.

A most Excellent Medicine against all sorts of Agues and Fevers, &c.

TAke of the Starr'd Martial Regulus of Antimony lbj. Mercury Precipitate lbjss. pulverize and mix them well together, then put them in a Retort, and distill in Sand as you do Butter of {antimony}; then rectifie this Oyl or Butter once or twice, casting away the Feces: Then put it into a new Retort, and pour upon it Spirit of Metheglin; distill and cohobate four or five times to make the Oyl sweet, then pour S. V. upon it, and abstract it to the consistence of an Oyl. This is a Precious Remedy for the Cure of many Dis∣eases: It is of great Power and Efficacy to Cure all sorts of Agues, Quotidians, Tertians, and chiefly Quartans. It Operates by a gen∣tle Vomit in some Persons, and in others it gently Purges without Vomiting, and in some it gently Operates both ways: It hath vertue

to eradicate totally both Root and Seed of the Distemper. The Dose is from six to twelve drops, in some fit Vehicle.

Note, That having separated the Spirit of Metheglin, if you acuate it with Spirit of Vitriol, it is a great Diaphoretick, far be∣yond all others. Dose is from half to one whole spoonful in some fit Vehicle.

A Precious Oyl of Antimony.

TAke Antimony Calcined, as for making the Glass of {antimony}, lbij. ℥xij. Sugar lbj. Mix them well together, and put them in a Retort: Distill in sand, first, will come a flegm, and afterwards a pure dark-red Oyl, which keep for Use.

This is an admirable Remedy against the Stone and Gravel, the Dropsie, Epilepsie, Asthma, Quartan Agues, and all sorts of Fevers, the Plague, and all Malignant Fe∣vers, and Epidemical Distempers, and Le∣prosie; and being outwardly applyed, it cureth, healeth, and dryeth up all inveterate Wounds and Ulcers. The Dose is four drops in Wine twice a day.

A most Excellent Panacea of the true Sulphur of Antimony.

TAke Lees of Wine, which you may have of the Wine-Coopers when they have pressed them out, break them into small pieces, let them dry, then burn them to Ashes: Take of these Ashes, of Quick-lime, and Nitre, ana; make a Lixivium thereof with warm water, then filter it: Then take Cinaber of Antimony, which is found in the neck of the Retort when one maketh the Butter of Antimony; pulverize it, and boyl it in the afore-said Lixivium for the space of four hours; pour off the Lixivium from the Quick-silver into another Vessel, which lean on the side, that the red-Sulphur may settle; then edulcorate it with hot water, and dry it gently; so have you the true Sulphur of Antimony. Take of this Sulphur, and of Regulus of Antimony, ana ℥j. Oyl of Sulphur per Campanam, or rectified Oyl of Vitriol ℥iij. Mix all well together, and put it into a small Retort, di∣gest it in Horse-dung, or if you will, in some other gentle heat for eight or ten days. Then distill it, and cohobate the distilled Liquor upon the mark three or four times; then increase the fire to the highest degree,

which continue for twelve hours, to force all over, and the Matter will be fixt; then break the Retort, and take out the Matter, which pulverize, and edulcorate it with Rose-water; then dry it gently upon a gray Paper, then reverberate it for four or five hours. Then take ℥j. of this Powder, and of Salt of red Coral ℥ij. grind them well together to a very subtil Powder.

This is an Universal Medicine to Purifie the whole Mass of Blood, and to root out such Distempers as proceed from the cor∣ruption thereof, and are Curable by sweat. It Cureth all stubborn, Malign, and Chro∣nick Diseases: It Cureth the Venereal Dis∣ease, the most inveterate; the Leprosie, the Evil, the Scurvy, the Plague, and all Epi∣demical Diseases. The Dose is from ten to thirty grains.

The Order of using this Medicine is thus: First, Purge the Patient once or twice with fit Purges, then rest three days, then Purge again; then begin with ten grains of the Powder, which continue for three times, mix the Powder with some fit Conserve, and give it upon the point of a Knife, in the Morning in his Bed, drinking a Glass-full of a Sudorifick decoction after it, made hot; let him keep his Bed for an hour or two, then let him be rubbed with warm Clothes, and

the sweat being quite over, let him rise, and eat of good wholesom Food, forbearing to eat of Salt Meats, Salt-fish, Sallet, Milk, Butter, or Cheese, or raw Fruit. Then for three Mornings more give him twenty grains, and then thirty grains for three Mornings more; then come again to twenty grains for three Mornings more.

A great Febrifuge.

TAke Mineral Antimony very clean, that hath never been melted, ℥vj. and as much Salt-petre, pulverize them finely, and mix them well together; then put them into a strong Crucible, which cover with another Crucible that hath a little hole in the bottom as big as a Pea: Then put this Crucible into your Furnace, and let the fire kindle of it self, which increase by degrees, the Matter will fulminate; when you see that no more smoak cometh out of the little hole of the Crucible, take it out of the fire, and take out the Matter that remained in the Crucible, which pulverize very finely. Then take three Ducats of Gold, and six times as much in weight of the afore-said Powder; melt the Powder first in a Crucible, then put into it one of the Ducats, stirring it until it be melted, then put in another Ducat; and so

continue until you have put in all your Du∣cats one after another: When all is melted and well incorporated, let it stand in good fusion for half an hour, then take it out, and let it cool: Then break the Crucible, and take out the Matter, which pulverize subtily, and mix it with equal weight of ☿ Sublimate, also in fine Powder; put them into a Retort well luted, put it into a Furnace, and fit a Recipient to it full of Water, so that the nose of the Retort may enter into the water; leave the junctures unluted: Give a gentle fire at first, which augment by degrees; part of the Matter will distill into the Water, but the greatest part thereof will stick to the neck of the Retort, which you may draw out with an Iron hook into a bason full of Water: When you see that nothing more cometh over by the last degree of fire, let it cool; then break the Retort, and take out all the Matter that is Sublimed about the neck of the Retort, and put it into the Wa∣ter in the Recipient, as also that in the Ba∣son; let the Water stand to settle, then de∣cant it, and keep it. It is Excellent to Cure all sorts of old and inveterate Ulcers, &c. Pour fresh hot water upon the residue, and having shaken it well together, let it settle; then decant, and put on more Water. Re∣peat these solutions seven or eight times;

then separate the ☿ from it with a Quill, and put the Powder into fresh hot-water; let it stand thus until the next day, then repeat the Edulcorations as before, which continue for six days, then edulcorate the last time with cold Water; then dry the said Powder, and keep it for use. The Dose is one or two grains for Children; and for Persons of riper Years, from four to six or seven, ac∣cording to their strength and Constitution, putting the Powder over-night to infuse in two or three Ounces of White-wine; the next Morning strain the Wine, and let the Patient drink it, and half an hour after he may drink some warm Broth or Posset: It may also be given in substance. It Operates by a gentle Vomit, and by Stools. It hath been Experimented, and found very suc∣cessful and effectual in the Cure of all Inter∣mittent Fevers, and in the Gout, as also in the Venereal Disease. Out of the Caput Mortuum you may reduce the greatest part of the Gold.

This is a Mercurius Vitae of a singular pre∣paration; it is not white like the common, but of a brownish gray colour. It appears by this to have some of the ☿ in it, that when you rub Gold or Copper with the Powder, it will make it white, which common Mercu∣rius vitae will not do.

Another great Febrifuge, which is said to be Riverius his Febrifuge.

TAke ☉, dissolve it in A. R. and Glass of Antimony, dissolved in A. F. ana ℥ss. ☿ washed and purified ℥iij. dissolve it in A. F. Then mix the three dissolutions together, and put them into a Cucurbite, and distill in Sand, and cohobate the distilled Liquor eleven times upon the remaining Matter, which are twelve distillations; then pour upon the remaining Matter rectified S. V. Cohobate and abstract it six times from the Matter; then take it out and grind it, and that it may be the better ••ixed, Calcine it in a Crucible in a Circulary fire, until it be al∣most glowing-hot. The Dose of this Pow∣der is gr. vj. with gr. xij. of Scammony: Let the Patient take it in the Morning, the day before the Fit.

Another Febrifuge.

TAke Cinaber of Antimony ℥j. common Salt decrepitated ʒij. pulverize them, and mix them together; put them into a Glass Cucurbite, and pour upon them Oyl of Sulphur ℥iij. digest it for two days in a moderate heat in Ashes; then augment the

fire to evaporate away the humidity, then having edulcorated the remaining Mass, re∣duce it into Powder, which mix with ℥iij. of Flowers of Sulphur; put this into an earthen Poringer, which put upon burning coals; let it kindle, and stir it continually with an Iron Spatula, until all the Flowers of Sul∣phur be burned away: Then pour upon the remaining Matter so much S. V. as may co∣ver it the breadth of two fingers, then burn away the S. V. then reduce it to Powder, and keep it for Use.

This Powder is much recommended to Cure all sorts of Agues and Intermitting Fe∣vers, giving it half an hour before the Fit, from ten to fifteen or twenty grains, in some Syrup or Cordial-water, taking some Broth two hours after it; but the Patient should be Purged first, and let Blood before the use of this Powder; and if the first and second dose do not carry away the Fit, it must be repeated a third time.

Another Febrifuge, which is thought to be Riverius his true Febrifuge.

TAke of Mercury dulcis twelve times Sublimed ℥jss. Mercurius vitae cor∣rected as followeth, ℥ss. mix them together. The correction of Mercurius vitae is thus:

Take of ☿ vitae, put it into a small Cucur∣bite, set it in Sand in a moderate heat, let it stand until it begin to grow red; then pour upon it rectified Spirit of Wine, which ab∣stract, and pour on fresh S. V. Repeat this three times, and you shall have a ☿ vitae which will not Operate upwards, but only downwards. This ☿ vitae is to be used for delicate Persons, but for strong and robust Persons you may use the Common ☿ vitae.

This Powder finding the Humours dis∣posed, will Operate both upwards and down∣wards if you employ the Common ☿ vitae; but if you employ the Corrected, as was said, it will Operate only downwards. And as this Febrifuge contains in it a reasonable Dose of ☿ vitae, the ☿ dulcis thus prepared, working for his part upon the bad Humours, and serving also for a Corrective to the ☿ vitae, one ought to expect good effects of it.

Riverius gave this Febrifuge to Persons of all Ages and Sexes, in the Morning the day before the Fit. One may give six grains of it to little Children in the pap of a roasted Apple, or in some Sweat-meats, and so in∣crease the Dose proportionably, according to the Age and strength of the Patient, to twenty grains to Adults, and even to twenty

four to those that are of a strong Constitu∣tion.

Hartman.) These Febrifuges were given me by a Friend, a German; and I thought it fit to insert them here: But whilst they were Printing, I found them in Mr. Charras his French Dispensatory, which just at that time came to my hand.

A Certain and Experimented Remedy to Cure the Convulsion Fits in little Children; as also for the Epilepsie, the Cholick, and for the Spleen, &c.

TAke Verdigrease, and distill a Spirit thereof, which rectifie once by it self, and it will leave some feces and Metalline terrestreity behind: Then take one part of this Spirit, and three parts of fair water, put it upon Lithargy finely fearsed, as much as it will dissolve: Deflegm it in Balneo, and then distill it in Sand, and there will come over a pure and powerful Spirit without Acri∣mony; it will taste a little sweetish, as in the making of Sacharum Saturni.

It is Excellent for the Convulsion of little Children, being given in some fit Vehicle, a drop or two for Sucking Infants; but to Men you may give ten or twenty drops.

Sigillum Hermetis, Or, a great and Experi∣mented Medicine, which hath done great Effects in the Cure of all sorts of Agues and Fevers. It was given to Sir Kenelm Digby by an able Physician, who had done Wonderful Cures with it.

TAke ☽ ℥vj. dissolve it in the best A. F. you can get, using no more A. F. than is necessary for the Solution (which will be about ℥jss. i. e. two parts to one) when you see that it is all perfectly dissolved (without fire) cast into the Matrass an aaa, made (after the ordinary manner of Goldsmiths) of ʒj. of pure ☉, and ℥ij. of ☿; you will presently see a pelagus conturbationis made. Let the Matrass stand still upon a Table, or in some corner, till you find the Matter at that pass as you desire: you will see many beautiful colours appear. After fourty days standing, you will see a kind of roughness appear upon the superficies of the ☿, which will daily grow and sprout out more. In twenty days more (sixty in all) it will be shot out into little spears or needles and twigs. When you see that it groweth or shooteth out no more, pour off all the Liquor, and the Mercurial Matter will soon dry of it self. Then with some little pieces of Glass break

off these Excrescencies or Needles from the Mass, (whereof you may have about ʒj. or more) and grind them to Powder, which will be very white.

Of this Powder give twenty four grains, or more (according to the Complexion) in a Cherry, or yolk of an Egg, in the Morn∣ing very early, or at Night going to Bed, or rather after the first sleep at three or four in the Morning, and in this last case sleep after it. It is seven or eight hours before it useth to work.

Sometimes the first Dose will not work at all, otherwise than by strengthening, and then the Author giveth a second Dose two or three days after, which will work either by Stool or Vomit, or Sweat, as Nature shall require, and in due proportion.

It Cureth Quartans and other Agues, and worketh admirably in all desperate Diseases. He useth to take it once a Month himself. When there is no peccant Humour in the Body, it worketh not by evacuation, but strengtheneth. The ☿ incloseth and shut∣teth up the Metals, like a Rose of Iericho, from whence he calleth it Sigillum Hermetis. The part of the Needles next the Mass worketh rougher than the ends. Out of the Mass you may draw most of the Gold and Silver, with loss of about an eighth part of

the first, and less proportion of the last. He thinks this to be a Philosophical ☿, and to be useful in the great Work.

A Mercurial Liquor with Jupiter.

TAke lbj. of Iupiter, melt it in a Cru∣cible, then pour into it lbj. of ☿ re∣vived from Cinaber, and made hot, make an aaa of it, which wash with warm water, wherein you have dissolved a little Salt; wash it so often, till you have washed away all the blackness of it, and the aaa will be as white as snow: Then dry it, and grind it in a Marble or Stone Mortar with lbij. of Cor∣rosive Sublimate; then spread it upon a large dish of Glass, which set shelving in a Cel∣lar, putting something under it to receive the Liquor that will run from it, you will find at last the Salts resolved into a Liquor, in which will be also the ☿, which will be re∣vived; separate the Liquor from the ☿, and keep the ☿ for another use: Put the Liquor into a Cucurbite, and evaporate the super∣fluous moisture of it in B. M. with a gentle heat: Then digest it for fifteen days more in the same B. with a very gentle heat; then pour this Liquor into a Retort, which put in Sand, and fit a Recipient to it; then distill by graduated fire, giving strong fire at last

of the fourth degree; you shall have a Li∣quor like an Oyl.

This Liquor is much esteemed to Cure the Cancer, Wolf, Fistulaes, and all sorts of old, inveterate, Malign, and gnawing Ulcers, being applyed outwardly.

Monsieur C. his Lunary Emetick and Fe∣brifuge, &c.

DIssolve ☽ in A. F. then Precipitate it with Spirit of Salt, then dry the Calx.

Take of this Calx, and of {antimony}, ana, distill it as a Butter of {antimony}, you shall have a Butter white and transparent, which will dissolve ☉. If you will make an Emetick of this Butter, Precipitate one part of it with fair water, then edulcorate with Blood-warm water, and you will have an Emetick Re∣medy, which will Purge.

It Cures all sorts of Agues and Fevers, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Catholicum for ill Humours. The Dose is from one grain to three, in some fit thing in the Morning fasting. It must be given with great Caution.

To make a most Excellent Sudorifick of the aforesaid Butter, that will Cure the Leprosie, and the Venereal Disease, proceed thus:

TAke the other part of this Butter, and put it into a Retort, and pour upon it Spirit of Nitre; distill and cohobate three or four times; then edulcorate it with fair water, and dry it; then burn Spirit of Wine upon it, and you shall have a Sudorifick, which will do admirable effects, taking from eight grains to sixteen, in the Morning in Bed; drink some fit decoction after it: And after the Sweating, the Patient must be rub∣bed with warm Clothes all over his whole Body, observing a reasonable Diet, and using some fit Purge before.

An Oyl of ☉, wherewith Monsieur Belieur, a Famous Chirurgeon at Paris, Cured Can∣cers, all old Ulcers, Cankers, and Venereal Sores, &c.

TAke Spirit of Salt two parts, Spirit of Nitre one part; in this dissolve as much ☉ as it will dissolve: Distill off very gently the Liquor in B. M. until the ☉ remain in a Crystalline Gum or Salt; then let it re∣solve to Liquor in the Air by it self: Then

distill again, and resolve. Repeat this till it congeal no more in the Cucurbite, but re∣main a deep-red Liquor, like an Oyl. The manner of using this Oyl is thus: Dip a Straw or a Feather in it, and touch all round about the borders of the Sore with it.

With this he Cured a very Malignant Ulcer in a Leg (that had been there above three Years) in the space of ten days; and also a Cancer in a Womans Cheek in fifteen days space, that other Chirurgeons (with∣out hope of Cure) had given over. With this he also Cured a Woman (that had seven∣teen Cankers in her private parts, that had been so some Years, and without hope of Cure) in fifteen days.

Doctor Havervelt his Remedy, wherewith he Cured the Evil or Scrofulaes, Cancers, and Old Ulcers.

TAke Dantzick Vitriol, Calcine it till it be yellow, then grind it with Salt or Salt-petre, the ordinary proportion: With this Sublime ☿, which Sublime once again by it self; then take only the Crystalline part of it, whereof take ℥j. grind it to a subtil Powder in a Glass Mortar, with a Glass Pestle; put this Powder into a large Glass-bottle, and pour upon it a quart of

Fountain-water, stop the Bottle close, and let it stand thus for some days, shaking it often: Then being well settled and stood without shaking at least twenty four hours, pour off the clear, and filter it. Then take one spoonful of this Liquor, which put into a Vial, and pour into it two spoonfuls of fair Fountain-water: Shake the Vial well, then pour it out into a Glass, and let the Patient drink it in the Morning fasting; let him keep himself very warm, and stir and walk as much as he can; but let him neither eat nor drink till two hours after the Medi∣cine hath Operated. It will Operate by Stools, and by a gentle Vomit. The next Morning, if the Patient find himself strong enough, let him take the said Medicine again, if not, he may rest a day or two be∣tween.

With this Remedy the Author above-mentioned Cured all sorts of Scrofula's, whe∣ther open or shut; the Cancer or Wolf, whe∣ther in the Breast, or any other part of the Body; as also all sorts of Pustula's and Old Ulcers and Wounds.

The said Doctor Communicated this Re∣medy to Sir K. D.

Another for the same.

SIR Kenelm relates, that Dr. Farrar as∣sured him, he had perfectly Cured a most contumacious, foul, inveterate Evil (several times touched by the King, and wrought upon by the best Chirurgeons, and given over as desperate) by the following means:

Take Garden-Snails, that have white or gray Houses upon them, beat them in a Mortar with a little Parsley, into the con∣sistence of a Plaister, which apply to the Sore or Sores, and change it every twenty four hours.

This is also good to take away the raging pain of the Gout.

A most Excellent Physical Salt, as it was prepared in Sir Kenelm's Laboratory.

TAke Nitre, Sulphur, ana lbj. Camphire ℥ij. mingle them well together, and cast them by little and little into an earthen Cu∣curbite rod-hote, which shut close imme∣diately with a just stopper of Brick that closeth it firmly; the Cucurbite must have two arms, unto which are fastened two Bal∣lons of Glass (as you see by the Figure in

[illustration]

[illustration]

the next page) each Ballon containing a∣bout two quarts of Spirit of Urine (to the quantity of Ingredients here named) which attracts unto it the Spirits, which will ascend and pass by the two Arms on each side: When all is cold, take out the fixt Matter that remaineth in the Cucurbite, and grind it small, and dissolve it in simple Spirit of Urine, and being filtred and congealed, dis∣solve it in the Acid Spirit of Urine that was in the Ballons, and hath the Spirit of Sul∣phur, Nitre, and Camphire in it: Distill and cohobate this (in a Glass Cucurbite) till the Salt have retained in it all the Spirits that were in the Urine. This Salt will be very grateful, and not taste or smell at all of the Camphire, nor is Saturnine, or Anti-vene∣real in its effect. It is very efficacious in all Fevers, either simple or Malignant any ways, or Spotted: In the Small-Pox or Measles, in all the Progress of them, from before their coming out, till the end; and preserveth the Heart from hot and putrid Vapours and Fumes, and purifieth the Blood.

The best way to make the Spirit of Urine is thus:

LET the Urine stand eight or ten days, in which time it will putrifie and fer∣ment; then distill very gently, and that which cometh first is the Spirit. When it beginneth to come weak and insipid (which you will know by tasting a drop) then cease, for all that is good is come over. Thus you shall have near half your quantity of Urine in good Spirit.

Sir Kenelm Digby's Excellent Remedy for Tetters, Herps, and Ring-worms, Scabby Itches, &c. as it was prepared by his Di∣rections for his own use for a Tetter.

DIssolve ℥ij. of running ☿ in ℥iv. of the best A. F. pour upon the Solution a quart of fair water, in which is dissolved two handfuls of Salt, and then filtred; this will Precipitate the ☿ to the bottom in a white Calx. When it is well settled, pour off the clear water, which keep for Use. Pour the remaining milky thick substance upon lbj. of Hogs-grease melted in an earthen Pot; the grease must be very hot when you pour in the dissolved ☿; but take the Pot from

the fire when you pour the ☿ to it, and stir it well all the while you are pouring it in; and when it is all in, set the Pot upon the fire again to boil the grease, till all the moi∣sture of the Mercurial Substance and Solu∣tion is evaporated away, but be sure you stir it all the while, as also after you take it from the fire (which you must do as soon as the moisture is gone) till the grease is cold and hardened.

The way of using this Oyntment and Wa∣ter, to Cure all sorts of Tetters, Herps, or any Scabby Itches, or Inflamed red Faces or Noses, is thus:

First, if the Evil be very great, Purge and let Blood strongly; then begin with the Wa∣ter, rub the Tetters, and all about it with Linnen dipped in the Water made as hot as you can endure it; and when you have rub∣bed and bathed it well, lay upon it Com∣presses wetted in the water. Do thus twice a day for two or three days, or more, till you see it hath drawn out the Salt Humour abun∣dantly, and that the part is much inflamed, and very sore, and hath little holes or Ulcers eaten in it. Presently after the first wash∣ing it will grow very sore and Inflamed; therefore you must not afterwards rub it so hard as at first, but very gently. Some Sores will require that you use the Water five

or six days, others more, tender ones two or three days. When you judge that the Water hath drawn out sufficiently the vio∣lent Matter, then anoint with the grease as hot as you can endure it, and lay on it a Plaister of the same Oyntment, binding it on. This Oyntment will presently asswage the pain, and take away the Inflammation. Dress it with it twice or thrice a day. Much Matter will run from the Sore, as from an Ulcer; and by little and little it will heal up. And that which is wonderful is, that whereas one would think that such deep holes as the Water will have eaten, should have scars, there will not appear the least mark of them, but a fine new tender Natural skin will come over it all.

A great Medicine, wherewith Wonderful Cures have been performed to my know∣ledge.

TAke Bezoar Mineral well prepared, and Antimony Diaphoretick also well pre∣pared, ana ℥j. grind them together to a sub∣til Powder, and put them into a small Re∣tort, and pour upon them ℥iv. of good Spi∣rit of Nitre; distill in Sand with a moderate fire to dryness, then cohobate and distill twice, which are three distillations in all with

the Spirit of Nitre upon the Matter. Then pour fresh Spirit of Nitre upon it, and di∣still and cohobate as before. Repeat this a third time with fresh Spirit of Nitre, the same quantity as before, which are nine di∣stillations (in all) with ℥xij. of Spirit of Nitre: Then break the Retort, and take out the Matter, which grind to Powder, and edulcorate it well with warm Carduus-water; then dry it gently, and put it into a Poringer, and burn rectified S. V. upon it, stirring it all the while the S. V. burn∣eth, with a Silver spoon, untill the S. V. be burned all away, and the Powder remain dry. Then pour fresh S. V. upon it, and fire it as before: Repeat this a third time, then grind the Powder, and keep it in a Vial close stopped.

This Powder Cureth the Venereal Disease the most inveterate, with all its Symptoms and attendencies without exception, and re∣storeth lost strength and vigour, as Experi∣ence testifieth. It Cureth all Rheumatisms, the Leprosie, all interior and exterior Ulcers; it purifieth the whole Mass of Blood, and wonderfully fortifieth Nature, &c.

The way of using this Powder to Cure the above-mentioned Diseases is thus:

First, Purge with some fit gentle Purga∣tive Potion; then, if the Disease requireth,

you may let Blood the next day, then two days after that repeat the Purge, and two days after you may begin with the Powder; taking gr. viij. of it for five Mornings to∣gether, the Powder being mixt with a little Conserve of Roses, let the Patient take it upon the point of a Knife in the Morning in his Bed, and drink after it immediately a Glass-full of the following Decoction as hot as he can drink it; let him keep his Bed, and he will be in a gentle breathing Sweat for an hour; which being past, let him be rubbed with warm Clothes, his Legs, Thighs, Arms, Shoulders, and the Back; then let him keep his Bed for an hour longer, to see if he will sweat any more: The sweat being quite over, he may rise, and go about his business, as at other times. After those five days the Dose of the Powder must be increased, ta∣king twelve grains of it for other five Morn∣ings; and then you must come again to eight grains for five Mornings more. When you begin with the twelve grains after the first five Doses, you must drink a little more of the Sudorisick Decoction than before, and taking the Powder then in a little Con∣fection of Alkermes. You may also increase the Dose of the Powder by degrees (as Sir K. D. observes) taking (for example) gr. x. the sixth day, and gr. xij. the other three

days following; then gr. x. the tenth day, and so come again to gr. viij. the eleventh day. One may take gr. xx. of it at one time without inconveniency. The first Purge the Author giveth, is a Decoction of Succory and Tamarinds, with infusion of two Drams of Sena, and being strained, dissolveth in it ℥j. of Syrup of Peach-flowers. The Second is the same, adding only of Confection of Hamech, or of Confection of Citron; or you may increase a little the Dose of Sena, and of the Syrup, if one is not willing to take any thing where there is Scammony in. The Sudorifick Decoction the Author maketh use of with this Powder, is thus:

Take Sarsaparilla ℥ij. China-root ℥j. Sas∣safras ℥ss. Santal Citrine ʒij. and a little Licorise if you will, and a little Cinnamon for to aromatise it; let all be infused with three quarts of water for twelve hours in warm Sand; then let it boyl gently until a third part is consumed, then strain it.

Note, That if you put a little Salt of Tartar into the water when you put the In∣gredients in, it will extract the Vertue and Tincture out of them much the better; as also in making any Purgative Decoction, if you infuse them over-night with a little Salt of Tartar put in the water, and then boyling

it only two or three walms the next Morn∣ing, it will be much more effectual.

Lapis ignis, for the renovation of Mankind, by the three Principles of Nature, Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury.

TAke {antimony} Mineral, pulverize it, and Cal∣cine it in a close Reverberatory, with sufficient, but moderate heat, so that it melt not, in twenty four hours it will be Calcined, and will be a gray Powder. Take of this {antimony} Calcined, and of raw {antimony} Mineral, ana lbj. melt them together in a Crucible; when they are well melted and incorporated, pour it out into a Copper or Brass Kettle, and it will be Glass of {antimony}, which needeth not to be clear. If you did not add the {antimony} Mineral, the Calcined {antimony} would not melt. Pulverize this Glass, and grind it upon a Marble stone till it be an impalpable Powder, which put into a Vial, and pour upon it distilled Vine∣gar alcalised with its fixt Salt, digest in Sand; when you see the distilled Vinegar coloured of a Golden colour, decant the clear, and put fresh distilled Vinegar upon the Glass, and digest as before. Repeat this till you have extracted all the Tincture out of the Glass: Then filter the Tincted distilled Vi∣negar, and put it into a Recort; distill with

a gentle fire in Sand until you see there re∣main a Liquor like a deep-red Oyl in the bottom of the Retort, and that you see some drops appear in the neck of the Retort, which is a sign that all the distilled Vinegar is come over. Pour upon this Oyl Tartarised S. V. digest and circulate for three or four days, or more: Then draw off the S. V. gently in B. and as soon as you see any red drops appear, change the Recipient, putting on another; then distill over all the remaining red Oyl to dryness. This Oyl will be very red, and very precious, and is the true Oyl and Sulphur of Antimony, which is a wonderful Medi∣cine against the Plague, and all Diseases.

To make the Salt of Antimony.

CAlcine {antimony} in a Glass Oven, or in a Re∣verberatory, until it be perfectly white, without any addition; then sprinkle it with Dew, and dry it in the Sun; sprinkle and dry it seven or eight times, then grind it to Powder: Take of this Powder three parts, and one of Powder of Charcoal; mix them together, and put them into a Crucible, which set in a Wind-furnace, and give fire by degrees, at last strong sire to make all melt well; then take out the Crucible, and knock it against the ground to make the Regulus

fall to the bottom; break the Crucible being cold, and separate the Salt, which you will find between the Regulus and the Scories. So soon as you perceive that the Matter is melted, you must be quick in making the Regulus, and take the Crucible out as soon as you can, for fear the Salt should evapo∣rate in the fire.

To make the ☿ of {antimony} for this Work.

CAlcine {antimony} in a close Reverberatory until it be gray, then Sublime it in an Earthen Vessel; grind again what is Sub∣limed, and Sublime it as before. Repeat this Operation three times, or until you see the {antimony} Sublimed hard and ponderous, where∣in is inclosed all the ☿ of {antimony}.

Composition of the said Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury.

TAke of the said Salt ℥j. dissolve it in as much of the Oyl as will dissolve it, and as much as the said Salt will imbibe, so that it be like an Oyntment or Paste; digest in fimo equino for ten days: Then take it out, and add ℥jss. of the said ☿ of {antimony}; and being well mixt and incorporated together, put it to digest as before, until it be converted into

a red Powder. The way of taking this red Powder is thus:

Take gr. iv. of this Powder in a little Ca∣nary Sack in the Morning fasting in your Bed, it will cause a gentle breathing sweat for three days together, during which time you must keep your Bed; your Chamber must be very warm and close, you may eat and drink moderately of good wholsome Food. The three days being past, you may rise, and walk about your Chamber, taking good nourishing Food, abstaining from all Labours in Body and Mind; and thus you will renew Hair and Skin, and will be strong and vigorous.

It will not be needful to use this Remedy but once in fourty Years; but you may use of the said Oyl, taking three drops of it in a little Sack in the Morning fasting, for the Preservation of your Health. This Oyl may be given in all Distempers with great success.

This is from Abbot Boucaud.

The Marchioness de Beck, her Aurum po∣tabile, which she much esteemeth.

TAke Calx of ☉, and Regulus of {antimony}, ana ℥j. Iupiter ʒij. melt them together, then grind them to a subtil Powder with ℥iv. of Sugar-candy, Oriental Bezoar, and Sal

armoniack, ana ʒj. Mix all well together, and put them into a large Retort, and distill in Sand with a graduate fire for six hours; let the bottom of the Retort be red-hot at last for half an hour. You shall have an Aureal Liquor, whereof two or three drops taken in a little Canary, or other conve∣nient Liquor, is a great Cordial and Resto∣rative.

Hartman.) The said Marchioness told me at Paris (where she shewed me this Aurum potabile, and gave me the Receipt of it) that when at any time she found her self in∣disposed, she presently took two or three drops of it, and immediately she felt her self streng∣thened and chearful, &c.

The Baron de Roche shewed me also the Receipt of it at Paris, who also made great esteem of it, telling me, that he esteemed it to be one of the best Aurum potabile's that could be made, and that it was a Sovereign Cordial and Restorative.

You may reduce two third parts of the ☉ out of the Caput Mortuum, its Tincture only, and the subtilest part of it cometh over by the distillation.

Cornachinus his Medicinal Powder, as it was Prepared by Sir K. Digby's Order in his Laboratory.

TAke Regulus of {antimony}, and of pure Salt-petre, ana ℥iv. mingle them well toge∣ther in subtil Powder, and cast them into a red-hot Crucible, and make them burn by casting in a fiery Coal, which repeat as often as it consumeth; for without that the Salt-petre will not burn, there being no more Sulphur in the {antimony} to set it on fire. Keep it thus in fusion in a reverberating heat for at least an hour, stirring the Matter often with an Iron Rod; then let it cool. This must not be edulcorated as common {antimony} Dia∣phoretick, but the fixed Salt of Salt-petre must remain with it, and must by no means be separated from the {antimony}, for in that Sir K. says, consisteth the Vertue against Fevers. Of this we gave with the Scammony and Cream of Tartar, ana gr. x. diminishing and increasing the Dose according to Age and strength.

Hartman.) Sir K. recommended this to me as a very good Purge, telling me, that I might make use of it whensoever I had oc∣casion.

The best way to make the Regulus of {antimony}, is, to put first into the Crucible the Salt-petre and Tartar, and when they are well melted, put in the {antimony}, and proceed in the rest in the usual manner: Thus you shall shall have six or seven pound, or more, of every pound of Antimony. Likewise to make a Martial Regulus, put the {antimony} first in∣to the Crucible; and when it is in perfect fusion, then put in the Mars.

A Laxative and Emetick Cream of Tartar.

TAke Glass of {antimony}, and Cream of Tartar, ana ℥jss. grind them to a subtil Pow∣der, then mix them together; put this into a Matrass, and pour upon it ℥ij. of Rose∣mary-water; digest it for some days, sha∣king it sometimes; then filter it, and evapo∣rate to dryness, and you shall have a Salt, which grind to Powder, and keep it in a Glass close stopped. It is a safe and gentle Vomit, and Operates also by Stools. The Dose is from gr. j. to v. or vj. in a little Sack.

Another most Excellent Laxative and Eme∣tick Cream of Tartar.

TAke ℥iv. of Cream of Tartar, grind it to a subtil Powder, which put into a Matrass, and pour upon it so much Spirit of Sal armoniac as may cover it the breadth of two fingers; stop it close, and set it in a Cellar for twenty four hours, then pour it into an Earthen Pot glazed, and put into it ℥j. of Glass of {antimony} in subtil Powder; set this Pot in a Furnace in Sand (or upon a gentle Coal-fire) and pour into it a sufficient quan∣tity of fair water; let it cool six or eight hours, still pouring in more water as it con∣sumeth: At last, evaporate until it come to have a thin light skin on the top; then set it in a Cellar, and it will shoot into Crystals, which take out, and keep them for Use.

This is a most Excellent Medicine, and one of the best Emeticks that can be pre∣pared. The Dose is from gr. j. to vj. for Children; and for Aged Persons, from gr. x. to xv. in a little Sack.

The best and easiest way to make a most subtil and penetrant Spirit of Sal armoniac, (as it was made in Sir Kenelm's Laboratory, and as I make it now) is thus:

Take Quick-lime grosly beaten, put a bed of it about two fingers thick into the bottom of a Cucurbite; then dissolve lbj. of Sal armoniac in as much water as will dissolve it: Pour of this dissolution upon the Quick-lime (having first placed the Cu∣curbite in the Furnace in Sand) so much as may dissolve it well, and swim half a fin∣gers breadth over it. Then be as quick as you can in fitting on the Head and Reci∣pient (for it will immediately begin to di∣still without fire) lute all the junctures well, and distill with a gentle fire, keeping the subtil Spirit by it self, which cometh first. If any flegm should come over with the se∣cond Spirit, rectifie it in Balneo.

This Spirit is not only good for benumbed heads to smell to, but also to take inwardly, for it is a most Excellent Remedy: It opens all Ob∣structions, it is Sudorifick and Diuretick. 'Tis very good in Fevers, especially the Pu∣trid, in Palsies, Epilepsies, Hysterical Fits, and the Plague, resisting all Corruption, in Lethargy, and stupification of the Spirits. The Dose is from eight to thirty drops. It also asswages the pain of the Gout, being mixt with S. V. or Brandy, and Linnen Clothes dipt in it, and laid upon the parts afflicted.

Hartman.) In distilling of this Spirit this way, I have observed several inconveniences;

the first is, that if you use a Glass Cucurbite, it will be apt to crack by the sudden heat of the Quick-lime, caused by pouring on the dis∣solution of the {sal armoniac} (and an earthen Cucurbite will imbibe it.) Secondly, by the same Rea∣son you lose a great part of the subtilest Spi∣rit, which will ascend before you have poured in the quantity of the dissolution above-men∣tioned, and before you can fit on the Head and Recipient. To prevent all these incon∣veniences, I make use of a Tin Cucurbite, with a Spout in the upper part (See it in the third Figure) and having placed it in the Fur∣nace in Sand, I put in the Quick-lime, and then I fit a Glass Head and Recipient, and having well luted all the junctures with wet Bladders, or Paste and Paper, I pour in the dissolution of {sal armoniac} by a funnel through the Spout; then I close the Spout, and distill; with a gen∣tle fire. When the distillation is over, take out the Caput Mortuum, and make the Cu∣curbite clean, and wipe it dry, that it may not rust or canker, and it will serve for many other Operations, and will save you the buying of many Glass Cucurbites, which by reason of their thick and knobbed bottoms are so apt to break.

The Volatile Salt of Tartar, as I have often made it, which is an Excellent Re∣medy.

TAke Lees of Wine, (which you may have from the Wine-Coopers when they have pressed them out for making of Vine∣gar) break them in small pieces, and let them dry; then being very hard and dry, bruise them grosly, and fill an Earthen Re∣tort with it, or a Glass one coated; distill in naked fire, fitting any Recipient to it to receive only a sour flegm, which will come over first; as soon as you see any white fumes come over, (among which cometh the Vo∣latile Salt) change the Recipient, putting on another pretty large; lute the junctures well with Paste and Paper, then increase the fire by degrees, until you see the Recipient filled with white fumes; continue the fire in that degree, untill those white Vapours diminish, and that the Recipient beginneth to grow cold: Then augment the fire to the highest degree, to force all over at last; when nothing more cometh over, cease. The distillation will be performed in three or four hours; you will have a whitish Liquor, which contained in it the Volatile Salt, and part thereof will stick to the sides of the Recipient,

and a reddish foetide Oyl will swim upon the Liquor. Pour out all the Liquor that is in the Recipient, then pour a little warm water in the Recipient, and shake it to get out all the Volatile Salt: Separate the Oyl from the Liquor by a Glass funnel; then filter the Li∣quor, to free it from all Oyliness: Put this Liquor into a Matrass with a long Neck, to which fit a Head and a small Recipient; di∣still in Sand with a very gentle heat, and the Volatil Salt will ascend into the Head as white as snow; when you see that a pretty quantity is Sublimed, take off the Head, and stop the mouth of the Matrass, if you have not ano∣ther Head to put on; be as quick as you can to gather the Volatile Salt that is in the head, and put it into a Vial, which stop very close with a Glass stopper, for it is very apt to re∣solve into Liquor when it taketh Air: Then put the Head on again, and continue the Sub∣limation until there Sublime no more Salt; gather this last Salt, and put it to the rest: Then put on the Head again, and augment the fire a little, and you shall have a fiery Liquor, which is the Volatile Spirit of Tar∣tar, and is also the Volatile Salt, mixt with some flegm, which makes it come over in a liquid form.

This Salt is much esteemed and recom∣mended to purifie the Blood by Sweat and

by Urine. It is the best of all common Re∣medies against Hysterical Fits and Vapours, smelling to it, and taking it inwardly. It is Excellent against the Palsie, Apoplexy, Epilepsie, &c. against Quartan and Tertian Agues. It opens all Obstructions, and pro∣vokes the Terms. The Volatile Spirit hath the same Vertue as the Salt; it is good for all Obstructions, particularly of the Spleen, and keeps the Body open; it is far beyond the common Spirit of Tartar in Vertue. The Dose is from eight to twenty or thirty drops in some fit Vehicle.

A Physical Salt.

TAke Nitre and Oyl of Sulphur, ana lbj. flegm of Vitriol lbss. pulverize the Nitre and put it into a Retort, and pour upon it the Oyl of Sulphur and flegm of Vitriol; distill in Sand, and you shall have a very good Spirit of Nitre, and a pure white Salt will remain in the bottom of the Retort. This Salt is much esteemed in Fevers, and to quench thirst, being taken in Juleps, Ptrisans, or Possets. The Dose is thirty or fourty grains.

A Precious Tincture of the Flowers of Antimony.

TAke the dark-red Flowers of {antimony}, digest and circulate them with rectified Spi∣rit of Vitriol; when they are sufficiently united, abstract the Spirit of Vitriol toan Oyl, upon which pour S. V. digest and extract a Tincture s. a. which abstract again to the con∣sistence of an Oyl. This Tincture fortifieth and cherisheth the Heart & Vital Spirits, strength∣eneth the Stomach, is good against Agues and Fevers, Hysterical Fits, Hypochondriac Me∣lancholy: It Cures the Iaundies, opens Ob∣structions, provokes the Terms. It is good against the Gout, Scurvy, and Dropsie, Itch and Scabs: It purifieth the Blood, and strengthens Nature. Dose from gr. j. to iij. or iv. given in a fit Vehicle.

An Excellent and true Tincture of Coral.

TAke good red Coral ℥iv. grind it to subtil Powder, which mingle with ℥iv. of Sal armoniac that hath been three times Sublimed from decrepitated Salt. Put this mixture into a small Cucurbite, which set in a Sand Furnace; fit a Head and Reci∣pient to it, and having well luted the junctures,

give a gentle fire at first, which augment by degrees. There will come over first, a small quantity of a Urinous Volatile Spirit; after that, you shall see the Flowers ascend and stick to the Head, and upper part of the Cucurbite. These Flowers will be tinged with divers colours, as red, green, blew, very pleasant to behold, they contain in them the true Tincture of Coral; for the body of the Coral which remaineth in the bottom, will be as white as snow; continue a mode∣rate fire until no more Flowers ascend: The Operation will be performed in a few hours. Then gather diligently all these Flowers, and put them in a Matrass, and pour upon them rectified S. V. to the heighth of four fin∣gers; digest some days in B. the S. V. will extract a pure red Tincture out of the Flow∣ers, which will remain white in the bottom; filter this Tincture, and abstract from it three fourth parts of the S. V. and a deep∣red Tincture will remain in the bottom, which is the true Tincture of Coral.

This Tincture is a Sovereign Remedy to strengthen the Stomach and Bowels. It pu∣rifieth the Blood by Sweat and Urine. It opens Obstructions, is Excellent in all sorts of Fluxes, &c. Dose from six to twenty four drops, in some convenient Vehicle.

The way to Sublime the Flowers of Sal armoniac for this work, is thus:

Take common Salt decrepitated and Sal armoniac, ana lbj. pulverize and min∣gle them together, and put them in a Cu∣curbite, and Sublime in Sand with a gentle fire at first, which augment by degrees; the Flowers will ascend into the Head like Meal: Continue the fire for five or six hours; then let all cool, and gather the Flowers, which mix with new Salt, and Sublime as before: Repeat this three times.

An Excellent Extract of Mars, for Diarrhaea's and Fluxes.

TAke filings of Steel (which you may buy at the Needle-makers) ℥iv. put them in well-glazed Pipkin, and pour thereon a quart of good deep-red Wine, (that which is used to colour White-wine) let it boyl until about three parts of the Wine be consumed, stir∣ring often with an Iron Spatula. Then strain it whilst it is hot.

It is a great and certain Remedy for Dy∣senteries, Diarrhae'as, old Hepatical Fluxes, and such like Diseases; you may give an Ounce of it in Broth fasting, for some Mornings together. This I have sufficiently experienced with happy success.

Sir Kenelm Digby's Remedy for the same, as it was prepared by his Order, and much used.

TAke Rye-flower, and make a Paste there∣of with Juice of Elder-berries; then bake hard Biskets thereof, which pulverize, and make a Paste again with the Juice of Elder-berries as before: Repeat this three times. Then reduce it to Powder. The Dose is one Dram.

Sir Kenelm Digby, his Excellent Plaister of Lead.

TAke of the best Oyl Olive lbij. ℥iv. white-lead, red Minium, ana lbj. grind them to Powder, and put them with the Oyl into a large glazed Pot or Pipkin, with ℥xij. of Venice Soap shred small, which put upon a gentle Coal-fire, and stir it well with an Iron Spatula for an hour; then increase the fire a little, which continue until the Liquor be of the colour of an Oyl: Then drop some of it upon a board, and if it sticks, or that it cleave to your fingers, 'tis a sign that it is boyled enough; then roll it up, and keep it for Use.

This Plaister being applyed to the Sto∣mach, is good for the weakness and indige∣stion thereof, and causeth a good Appetite.

Being applyed to the Belly, it Cureth the Colick; and being applyed to the Back, it strengthens the Reins, Cureth the Bloody-flux, the Gonorrhaea, and tempers the ex∣cessive heat of the Liver.

It Cureth all Contusions and Bruises, Swel∣lings and Inflammations. It maturates and draws all sorts of Apostumes, Wolfs, and Pustles, and Cures them, without Lancing or Incision. Being applyed to the Head, it strengthens the Eye-sight: To the Funda∣ment, it Cureth all accidents that may hap∣pen there, as Piles, &c. And being applyed to the Belly of a Woman, it provokes the Terms, and disposeth her for Conception.

Dr. Stephen's Plaister for the Gout.

TAke Virgins-wax lbij. Hogs-grease ℥ss. Mutton-Suet ℥ij. Oyl of Colts-foot, Plantain and Rose-water, ana ʒij. Lavender-water ʒij. Dragon-water, and Water of Bor∣age, ana ℥ss. two Nutmegs, two Cloves, and a little Mace, beat into Powder; mix them all well together, and let it boyl with a mo∣derate fire unto the consistence of an Oynt∣ment; wherewith anoint the part grieved as

hot as you can endure it, and dip Linnen Clothes in it, and apply them.

A very good Oyntment for the Gout; and the running Gout, Aches, Numbness, and pain in the Ioynts, &c.

TAke the tender Branches of Dwarf-Elder, in the Month of March, when they sprout out of the ground from the root, and are not above a finger long, three hand∣fuls; stamp them in a stone Mortar, then mix them with lbj. of Hogs-grease; put this into a Pipkin, and let it stew upon a gentle fire for two or three hours.

This was Communicated unto me by a worthy Gentleman, whom uch esteemed it, because he found great benefit by it in the Gout: It taketh away the raging pain there∣of, giveth ease, and strengthens the parts afflicted.

In the running Gout, Numbness, and raging pain in the Joynts, I have had much Experience of the Vertue of this Oyntment, after many Remedies used in vain; the parts grieved must be anointed with it as hot as can be endured, and chafed in before a fire.

A Certain and Infallible Remedy to prevent and Cure the Fits of the Gout.

I Knew a Gentleman in Germany, who al∣ways Cured and prevented his Fits of the Gout (whensoever he perceived the least symptom of its approaching) by the fol∣lowing Remedy:

He caused a good quantity of the Herb Mullein (Verbascum in Latin) to be gathered every Summer when it was in its Flower, which is in Iune, it beareth many yellow Flowers upon a long straight stalk with large leaves at the bottom, which are hoary. Then he took a good quantity of this Herb, and cut it small, the Stalk, Flowers, and Leaves, and caused it to be boyled in a pail-full of Forge-water out of a Smith's trough, where∣in he quenches and cooleth his Irons; when this was boyled sufficiently, then there was put into it a large piece of Chalk in Powder. In this Water he bathed his Feet, Leggs, and Knees, as hot as he could endure it, in a Tub, continuing until the Water grew cold. Then a hole was digged in the ground in his Garden, wherein this Water was put with the Ingredients, and then covered with Earth.

This always prevented his Fit, so that he

never had any pain, lameness, or swelling at all, to which I was an Eye-witness. And I heard him say, that if he did not use this Re∣medy, he would have very shrewd and rack∣ing Fits, and keep his Bed by it for a Month or six weeks, and that twice a Year, chiefly in the Spring, and at the Falling of the Leaf.

Mr. Locher, an Apothecary of London, his Excellent Oyl for Deafness, which he gave to Sir K. D.

TAke Oyl of bitter Almonds, Oyl of Spikenard, ana ʒvj. Juice of Onions, Juice of Rue, ana ʒij. black Hellebore ℈ss. Colloquintida ʒss. Oyl of Exetor ʒij. Boyl this till the Juice be consumed; then strain it, and add two drops of Oyl of Anni••••••d, Oyl of Origanum one drop. Pour a drop or two of this Oyl into the Ear, and lye upon your Bed with that Ear upwards that you intend to drop into, lye still for a quarter of an hour after; then drop into the other, if it require. It is to be continued a Month, or two or three, as you find benefit. When you have dropt into the Ear, you must stop it with a little black-wool, dipped in the Oyl. Many Persons have found much benefit by the use of this Oyl, to my knowledge.

Another Experimented Remedy for the same.

TAke a good large Eel, flea it, and cut it into round pieces of the length of a finger, stick them full with Rosemary and Sage; then take an Earthen Pan, put two or three sticks of Wood in Cross-wise, lay your pieces of Eel upon them, so that they may not touch the bottom of the Pan; bake it in an Oven as you do Meat: Then take the Fat of the Eel that is in the Pan, and strain it through a fine Linnen Cloth, mea∣sure how much there is of it, and put to it as much S. V. Then take Juice of Onions, and Juice of the white ends of Leeks, ana ℥j. of your first mixture ℥ij. put them together into a Vial, stop it close, and shake it well for an hour. It is in all things to be used as the former, except that instead of one or two drops, you must drop in three or four.

Hartman.) This was Communicated to me by a Gentleman at Paris, who had done Wonderful Cures with it, and among the rest, he had Cured the Governour of Calais his Secretary with it, who had been deaf twenty Years•• his deafness being caused by a Sick∣ness.

A most Precious Balsam of great Vertue.

TAke Turpentine lbij. Lignum Aloes ℥ss. Mastick, Cloves, Galingal, Cinnamon, Zedoar, Nutmegs, Cubebs, Olibanum, ana ℥j. Roots of Master-wort, of Angelica, ana ℥ss. Figs cut small six in number, Gum Tra∣gacanth ℥ij. Bruise all the Ingredients, and mix them well together, then put them into a Glass Retort, and having warmed the Tur∣pentine to make it run, pour it upon the In∣gredients, and distill in Sand: Separate the Balsam from a little flegm that will come over with it.

1. This Balsam is a very great preserver of the Health of Mankind, taking every Morn∣ing three or four drops of it in a little Beer or Wine; it strengthens the Stomach, and causeth a good Digestion, and a good Ap∣petite.

2. It strengthens the Brain and Memory.

3. It is good against Deafness, pouring two or three drops every day into the Ear, and stopping the Ear with a little black-wool, moistened with a little of this Balsam.

4. It helpeth Rheumatick Eyes, takes a∣way the heat and pain thereof, and strengthens the Sight, anointing the Eye-lids there∣with.

5. It Cureth all sorts of Scabs, Itches, and Scall'd Heads, be they never so bad.

6. It Cures Fistulaes, the Cancer, Wolf, and all other gnawing Diseases; and Cures all sorts of Wounds, whether old or new.

7. It Cures the Gonorrhaea, the Whites in Women, and strengthens the Reins.

8. It is good against the Biting of a Mad Dog, Vipers, and other Venemous Beasts, being both inwardly and outwardly applyed; and is a great Preservative against the Plague.

9. It is very good against the Cramp, Numbness, aking, and pain in the Joynts, contraction and weakness of the Nerves com∣ing from a cold Cause, as Experience testi∣fieth.

10. It sweetens an unsavoury or stinking Breath, and suffers no Worms to breed in the Stomach and Bowels.

11. It is said, that if a dead Corps be Embalmed with it, it will never rot nor consume, nor any Linnen about it that is imbibed with this Balsam: And that for a tryal, one should take a piece of Flesh, and warm it well against the fire, then rub it over with this Balsam, and let it be well imbibed with it, rubbing it with it three or four times. Then lay it away, and it will remain sound and fresh, so that it may be eaten a twelve Month after.

Laudanum Germanicum: Being a singular Preparation of Matthew's, or Dr. Starky's Pills:

I Thought I could not better finish this Book, than with the Receipt of these most Excellent Pills, with the true way of Preparing them, which far exceeds the com∣mon: The Receipt is thus:

Take Opium lbj. dissolve it in distilled Vinegar, then filter and evaporate to the consistence of a Mass for Pills: Then take black Hellebore lbj. reduce it to a subtil Powder, which put into a Matrass, and pour upon it so much distilled Vinegar as will co∣ver it the breadth of four fingers; digest for two days, then evaporate with a gentle heat to the consistence of Pills. Then take of the Corrector lbj. Oyl of Amber that hath been rectified with fair water, ℥ij. Licorise dryed and reduced to subtil Powder, lbj. Saffron dryed and pulverized, lbss. Put all into a large Mortar (well warmed by put∣ting Coals kindled into it) incorporate them well together by strongly beating and mix∣ing them, adding by little and little (as you incorporate them) of the Oyl of Tur∣pentine that hath stood upon the Corrector, and is of a red colour, ℥iij. Tincture of An∣timony

℥iv. Oyl of Anniseed, of Juniper-berries, of Sassafras, Oyl of Vitriol, Spirit of Harts-horn, ana ℥ij. Gum Arabick dis∣solved in distilled Vinegar, ℥ss. and if you see that the Composition is too stiff, add a little more of the said Oyl of Turpentine, and of the Tincture of Antimony: Then put it up in a Gally-pot, and tye it up close with a Bladder and Leather.

The Composition of these Pills is of a very sine consistence, and not so crumbly as the common, but commodious to handle, and make up in Pills like unto warm Wax. The Dose is two small Pills about the bigness of an ordinary Pease, or one Pill about the big∣ness of a gray Pease swelled, taking them at Night.

These Pills are approved of, and are pre∣scribed, and used by the best Physicians, in Consumptions, and in other Cases.

I thought to have reserved the Prepara∣tion of them to my self, and not to have Published it; but thinking that it is unchri∣stian to keep any thing from the Publick good, my Conscience would not permit me.

The Preparation of the Corrector differs not from that of Starky's; but because this Book may come to the Hands of some Per∣sons which do not know it, I thought good to insert it here.

Take pure Salt-petre, and White-wine, or Rhenish-wine Tartar, ana equal parts, pulverize them, and searse them, and mix them well together: Then take a large Cru∣cible, and set it in your Furnace, and being red-hot, cast in some of your mixture by little and little with an Iron Ladle, and when the fulmination is over, cast in more, which continue till you have put in all your mix∣ture; then let it flow in the Crucible, giving strong heat.

Then pour it out, and when the Crucible is cold, scrape off all the Salt that sticketh to the sides of it. Dissolve this Salt in boyling-water. Make likewise a Lixivium of Quick-lime and Water, which being settled, pour it off: Take of this Lixivium the same quan∣tity with that of the Salt of Tartar; mix and filter them, then evaporate to a Salt, which will be pure, clear and white like Crystal; grind it to Powder, and put it into a strong large Vessel, and pour upon it immediately so much Oyl of Turpentine as may cover it the breadth of four or five fingers; stir it well together, then cover it loosely, only to keep things from falling in, and that the Air may come to it; let it stand thus, stirring it three or four times a day with a wooden Spa∣tula, and as you see the Salt imbibeth the Oyl, add still more Oyl, until the Salt hath

taken in and absorbed three times its weight of Oyl, or that it will take in no more, and is like a Soap, and the Oyl that swimmeth upon it is of a red Colour.

The Tincture of Antimony is made thus, ac∣cording to Basil Valentine.

TAke equal parts of Salt of Tartar and {antimony}, melt them together in a Crucible, keep them in fusion for half an hour, then pour it out, and whilst it is hot reduce it to Powder, which put into a Matrass, and pour upon it of the best rectified Spirit of Wine so much as may cover it the breadth of three fingers, set the Matrass in warm Sand, that the S. V. may boyl a little, and you shall have a very red Tincture, which decant, and keep for Use.

This Tincture is recommended to open all Obstructions, of all the Principal parts, as Liver, Spleen, Lungs, Womb, Reins, and Bladder; it provokes the Terms, Cureth the Yellow Jaundise, Green-Sickness, Scurvy, Dropsie, Asthma, Pleuri••ie, Melancholy, Ulcers inward and outward, Scabs, Itch, Pox, Small-Pox and Measles. Dose gr. iv. to xij.