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. XLIV. Of the Alchemy of Mars.

I. TO prepare Mars or Iron. Calcine it as Venus with common Salt cleansed, and let it he washed with pure Vinegar: Being washed, dry it in the Sun, and when dried, grind and imbibe it with new Salt and Vinegar, and put it into the same For∣nace (as we shall direct in Venus) for 3 days. Esteem and value this Solution, viz. The water of fixed Sulphur, wonderfully augmenting the color of the Elixir.

II. The whole Secret of Mars is from the Work of Nature, because it is a Me∣talick body, very livid, a little Red, partaking of Whiteness, not pure, su∣staining Ignition, fusible with violent fire, extensive under the Hammer, and sounding much.

III. It is hard to be ma∣naged by reason of its im∣potency of fusion; which if it be made to flow by a Medicine changing its na∣ture, is so conjoyned to Sol and Luna, that it cannot be separated by examen with∣out great Industry; but if prepared, it is conjoyned, and cannot be separated by

any Artisice, if the nature of that fixation be not chan∣ged by it, the defilement of the Mars being only re∣moved. Therefore it is ea∣sily a Tincture of Redness; but difficultly of Whiteness. And when it is conjoyned, it is not altred, nor does it change the colour of the commixtion, but augments it in quantity.

IV. Among all Bodies Jupiter is more splendidly, more clearly, more bright∣ly, and more perfectly trans∣muted into a Solar or Lunar Body, than other Bodies, but the Work is of long la∣bour, though easie to be handled: Next to Jupiter is Venus chosen, of more difficult handling, but of shorter labour than Jupiter. Next after Venus comes Sa∣turn, which has a diminish∣ed perfection in Transmuta∣tion, and is easie to be hand led, but of most tedious labour. Lastly, Mars among all the Bodies of least per∣fection, is in transmutation, most difficult to be hand∣led, and of exceeding long labour.

V. And the more diffi∣cult any Bodies are of fusion, the more difficult they are in handling in the Work of Transmutation: the easier to be fused, the easier to be handled: and what di∣versity of perfections are found in any particular, in the lesser, or middle Works; yet in the Great Work all Bodies are of one perfecti∣on, but not all of a like easie handling or labour.

VI. Hence it appears, that Mars or Iron, is a com∣mixture of fixed Earthy Sulphur, with fixed earthy Argent Vive of a livid white∣ness, the highly fixed Sul∣phur predominating, which prohibits fusion: Whence it is evident, that fixed Sul∣phur hinders fusion more than fixed Argent Vive: But Sulphur not fixed, ha∣stens fusion more than un∣fixed Argent Vive: By which the cause of speedy or slow fusion in every body is seen.

VII. What has more of a fixed Sulphur is harder to

fuse, than what partakes of a burning fugitive Sulphur; which appears because Sul∣phur cannot be fixed with∣out Calcination, and no Calx gives fusion, therefore in all things it, viz. fixt Sulphur, must impede the same.

VIII. The causes of the corruption of the Metals by fire, are, 1. The inclusion of a burning Sulphur in the profundity of their sub∣stance, diminishing them by Inflammation, and ex∣terminating into Fume, whatever fixed Argent Vive was in them. 2. A Vehe∣mency of the Exterior flame, penetrating, and re∣solving them, with it self into Fume, and the most fixed matter in them. 3. The rarefaction of them by calcination, the flame or fire, penetrating into, and exterminating them. Where all these causes of Corrupti∣on concur, those Bodies must be exceedingly cor∣rupted. Where they all concur not, they are by so much the less corrupted.

IX. The causes of the goodness of Bodies, is their abounding with Argent Vive. For seeing Argent Vive, for no cause of Extermination, will be divided into parts in its composition (because it either with its whole sub∣stance flies from the fire, or with its whole substance re∣mains permanent in it;) it is necessarily concluded to be a cause of Perfection.

X. Therefore Praised and Blessed be the most Glorious and High God, who created it, and gave it a Substance and Properties, which nothing else in the World does possess besides; that this perfection might be found in it, (by the help of Art) as we have found therein with great power. For it is that which over∣comes Fire, and by Fire cannot be overcome, but in it amicably rests, and rejoyces therein.

XI. Mars is prepared ei∣ther with sublimation, or without sublimation, with sublimation we endeavour

to unite it with Arsenick not fixed, as profoundly as we can, that in fusion it may melt with the same; but afterwards it is sublimed in a proper Vessel of sublima∣tion, the which is the best and most perfect of all o∣ther Preparations. Mars is also prepared, by Arsenick oftentimes sublimed from it, until some quantity of the Arsenick it self remain: For if this be reduced, it will flow out white, clean, fusible, and well prepared: Mars is also prepared by fu∣sion of it with Lead and Tutia, for from these it flows clean and white.

XII. To Indurate or har∣den soft Bodies. Argent Vive precipitated must be dissol∣ved, and the calcin'd Body (which you have a design to harden) dissolved like∣wise: mix both these solu∣tions together, and the cal∣cin'd body mixed with them by frequent imbibiti∣ons, &c. continually grind∣ing, imbibing, calcining and reducing, until it be made hard and fusible with Igni∣tion. The very same may also be compleatly effected, with the Calx of Bodies, and Tutia, and Marchasite, cal∣cined, dissolved, and im∣bibed. The more clean these are, the more perfe∣ctly do they change.

XIII. To soften hard Bo∣dies, as Mars, &c. They must be conjoyned and sub∣limed often with Arsenick, and after sublimation of the Arsenick, assated, or calcined with their due pro∣portion of fire, the measure of which we shall declare in our Discourse of Forna∣ces. Lastly, They must be reduced with the force of their proper fire, until in fusion they grow soft, ac∣cording to the degree of the hardness of their Bo∣dies. All these alterations are of the first Order, with∣out which our Magistery is not perfected.

XIV. Medicines dealbat∣ing Mars, of the first Order. That which dealbates it, of the first Order, is that which makes it to flow: The special fusive of it is Arsenick of every kind: But

with whatsoever it is deal bated and fused, it is neces∣sary it be conjoyned and washed with Argent Vive, until all its impurity be re∣moved, and it be white and fusible. Or else let it be red hot with vehement ig∣nition, and upon it Arse∣nick projected; and when it shall be in flux, cast a quantity of Luna thereon; for when that is united with it, it is not separated there∣from, by any easie Arti∣fice.

XV. Or thus: Calcine Mars, and wash away from it all its soluble Aluminosity (inferring corruption) by the way of solution, but now mentioned [with Ar∣gent Vive] then let cleansed Arsenick be sublimed from it, and reiterate that subli∣mation many times, until some part of the Arsenick be fixed therewith. Then with a solution of Litharge mix, imbibe, grind, and moderately calcine, several times: And lastly, reduce it with the Fire we mentio∣ned in the Reduction of Jupiter from its Calx; so will it come forth white, clean, and fusible.

XVI. Or, Only with sublimed Arsenick, in its Calx, let it be reduced, and it will flow out white, clean, and fusible: But here ob∣serve the Caution we shall give in the Chapter of Ve∣nus, concerning the reite∣ration of the sublimation of Arsenick, (fixing it self in its profundity) from it. Mars is likewise whitened after the same manner with Marchasite and Tutia.

XVII. To prepare Mars. Grind one pound of the filings thereof, with half a pound of Arsenick sublimed; imbibe the mixture with the water of Salt Peter and Sal Alcali, reiterating this Imbibition thrice, then make it flow with a violent fire, so will it be white: Repeat this so long till it flow sufficiently, with a good whiteness.

XVIII. The first White Medicine for Mars and Ve∣nus. Take Silver calcined 1 pound, Arsenick prepared 2 pound, Mercury precipitate

1 pound, grind them together, and imbibe the whole with water of Salt Nitre, Litharge, and Sal Armoniack, in e∣qual parts, [I suppose there is meant Aqua Regis] till it has drunk in its own weight of that water: Then dry, and ince∣rate with white Oyl (as in others) until it flow, and one part full upon 4 parts of Mars or Venus prepared.

XIX. The second White Medicine for Mars and Ve∣nus. Take Luna calcined, Jupiter calcined and dissolved, ana: mix, dry, and increase with double their quantity of Arsenick sublimed, until the Medicine flows well.

XX. The third White Medicine for Mars and Ve∣nus. Take Luna calcined, Arsenick and Sulphur subli∣med, and ground with it, and then sublimed with a like quantity of Sal Armoniack. This sublimation repeat thrice, and then project 1 pound upon 4 pound of Mars or Venus prepared.

XXI. A Red, or Solar Medicine for Mars and Ve∣nus. Take Tutia 1 pound, Calcine or dissolve it in AF, then with that water imbibe the Calx of Sol, that it may drink in double its own weight of the same water: After∣wards by distillation draw off the same water from it, coho∣bating four times. Lastly, in∣cerate with Oyl of Hair, or Bulls Gall, and Verdigrise prepared, and it will be excel∣lent. But be sure to pursue the Operation according to our Directions, otherwise you will labour in vain, and in your heart understand our Intentions (expressed in our Volumes) so will you know truth from false∣hood.

XXII. To Calcine Mars. Mars being filed, is calcined in our Calcinatory Fornace, until it is very well rubified, and becomes a pouder im∣palpable without grinding. And this is called, Crocus Martis.

XXIII. The Regimen of Mars. Take of the Paste of Mars 2 pound, of the Pastes of Venus and of Saturn, ana 3 pound, mix these without

Ferment, and decoct the mix∣ture for seven days, and you will find the whole dry. Fix it, and add to it half its weight of Litharge in powder, which put into a Reductory Fornace, so will you have a Mineral substance very profitable if you be wise.