Medicina practica, or, Practical physick shewing the method of curing the most usual diseases happening to humane bodies ... : to which is added, the philosophick works of Hermes Trismegistus, Kalid Persicus, Geber Arabs, Artesius Longævus, Nicholas Flammel, Roger Bachon and George Ripley : all translated out of the best Latin editions into English ... : together with a singular comment upon the first book of Hermes, the most ancient of philosophers : the whole compleated in three books / by William Salmon ...

CHAP. XL. Of the Alchymie of the Marchasite.

I. THE Marchasite is sublimed two ways, 1. Without Ignition. 2. With Ignition, because it has a two-fold substance, viz. One pure Sulphur, and Argent Vive mortified. The first is profitable as Sulphur; the second as Argent Vive mor∣tified, and moderately pre∣pared. Therefore we take in this last, because by it we are excused from the former Argent Vive, and the labour of mortifying it.

II. The intire way of the sublimation of this Mineral is, by grinding it to pouder, and putting it into an Aludel, subliming its Sulphur with∣out Ignition; always and very often removing what is sublimed. Then aug∣ment the force of the fire into Ignition of the Aludel. The first sublimation must be made in a Vessel of Sub∣limation, and so long conti∣nued, till the Sulphur is se∣parated; the process being successively and orderly continued, until it is mani∣fest that it has lost all its Sulphur.

III. Which may be known thus: When its whole Sul∣phur shall be sublimed, you will see the colour thereof changed into a most pure White, mixt with a very clear, pleasant, and coele∣stine colour: Also you may know it thus: Because if it has any Sulphur in it, it will burn and flame like Sul∣phur; but what shall be se∣condly sublimed after that sublimate, will neither be inflamed, nor shew any properties of Sulphur, but

of Argent Vive mortified, in the reiteration of sublima∣tion.

IV. You must get a so∣lid, strong, well baked Earthen Vessel, about three foot high, but in breadth Diametrically no more than that a hand may commodi∣ously enter: The bottom of this Vessel, (which must be made so that it may be separated and conjoyned, must be made after the form of a plain wooden Dish, but very deep, viz. from its brim to the bottom about seven or eight Inches; from that place, or moveable bot tom to the head, the Vessel must be very thickly and accurately glazed within: Upon the head of the Ves∣sel must be fitted an Alem∣bick, with a wide Beak or Nose: Joyn the bottom to the middle, with good te∣nacious lute (the Marcha∣site being within that bot∣tom) then set on the Alem∣bick, and place it in a For∣nace, where you may give as strong fire, as for the fu∣sion of Silver or Copper.

V. The top of the For∣nace must be fixed with a flat Hoop, or Ring of Iron, having a hole in its middle, fitted to the greatness of the Vessel, that the Vessel may stand fast within it: Then lute the junctures in the cir∣cuit of the Vessel and the Fornace, lest the fire pas∣sing out there, should hin∣der the adherency of the subliming flowers, leaving only four small holes, which may be opened or shut in the flat Ring or Hoop afore∣said, through which Coals may be put in round about the sides of the Fornace: Likewise four other holes must be left under them, and between their spaces for the putting in of Coals, and six or eight lesser holes, proportionate to the mag∣nitude of ones little finger, which must never be shut, that thereby the fire may burn clear: Let these holes be just below the juncture of the Fornace, with the said Iron Hoop.

VI. That Fornace is of great heat, the sides of

which are to the height of two Cubits, and in the midst whereof is a Round, Grate, or Wheel filled full of very many small holes close to∣gether, (wide below or un∣derneath, but small above, or in the superior part,) and strongly annexed to the Fornace by luting, that the Ashes or Coals may the more freely fall away from them, and the said Grate be continually open for the more free reception of the air, which mightily aug∣ments the heat of the fire.

VII. The Vessel is of the asoresaid length, that the Fumes ascending may find a cool place and adhere to the sides, otherwise was it short, the whole Vessels would be almost of an equal heat, whereby the subli∣mate would fly away, and be lost. It is also Glased well within, that the Fumes may not peirce its Pores and so be lost; but the Bottom which stands in the Fire is not to be Glazed, for that the Fire would melt it; nor unglazed would the matter go through it, for that the Fire makes it rather to as∣cend.

VIII. Now let your Fire be continued under your Vessel, till you know that the whole matter is ascend∣ed into flowers, which you may prove by putting in a Rod of Earth well burned with a Hole in its end, through a Hole in the Head, about the bigness of ones little Finger, putting it down almost to the middle there, or nigh the matter from whence the sublimate is rais∣ed; and if any thing as∣cends and adheres to the Hole in the Rod, the whole matter is not sublimed, but if not, the sublimation is ended.

IX. That the Marchasite consists of Sulphur and Ar∣gent Vive, it is sufficiently evident; for if it be put into the fire, it is no sooner Red Hot, but it is Inflam∣ed and burns: also if mix∣ed with Venus, it gives it the Whiteness of pure Sil∣ver; so also if mixed with Argent Vive, and in its sub∣limation it yields a Coelesti∣al

Colour, with a Metalick Lucidity.

X. To prepare the Mar∣chasite. Take the fine Pouder of the Mineral, spread it an Inch thick over the Bottom of a large Aludel, and gather the Sulphur with a gentle fire. When that is ascended; take off the Head or Alembick, and having applied another, augment the Fire, then that which has the place of Argent Vive Ascends, as we have be∣fore declared.