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. LVI. Of the manner of Working, and of the mode∣rating, and continuing of the Fire.

I. NOW it is possible, that you may find out this Mystery (if you will bend your self to study and labour) and wholly casting off your Folly and Igno∣rance, become wise through the words which I speak; to the attainment of that true matter of the Philoso∣phers, the Blessed Stone of the Wise, upon which the Operations of Alchymia are exercised; by which we endeavour to perfect the imperfect Bodies; and thereby to make them bet∣ter than the perfect.

II. And forasmuch as Nature has handed down to us Imperfect Bodies only with the perfect, it is our business to take the known matter, which we have de∣clared in these Chapters) and by much Pains and In∣dustry, through the help of our art, to make it even more than perfect.

III. If you be ignorant of the manner of doing or working, What is the Cause? Truly because that you see not after what man∣ner Nature (which some∣times perfects the Metals) frequently, or commonly operates.

IV. See you not, that in the Mines, by the continual heat which is in those Mi∣neral Mountains, the gross waters, are decocted, and so much inspissated, as there∣by (through length of time) to be made Argent Vive?

V. And from the fat of the Earth, by the same de∣coction

and heat, is gene∣rated, Sulphur: and that by the same heat preserved and continued upon the same, from the aforesaid things, [viz. Argent Vive, and Sul∣phur] according to their Purities and Impurities, all the Metals are generated?

VI. And that Nature, by a sole or only decoction, does make or bring to per∣fection the perfect Bodies, as well as all the Imperfect Bodies or Metals?

VII. O great madness! These things which I thus quaery about, would you bring to pass and perfect, by fantastick, strange, and im∣perfect methods?

VIII. Now a certain Wise man saith: You must necessa∣rily err, who endeavour to out∣do Nature; and to perfect the Metals, yea, more than per∣fect them; by new and for∣reign methods of Operation, invented in your dull and in∣sensible Noddles.

IX. And that God has be∣stowed upon Nature a right method, a direct way, which is by a continual decoction, which the Insipid and Fools, through their ignorance, despise, and scorn to imi∣tate.

X. Also, Fire and Azoth are sufficient for thee. Again, Heat perfects all things, or all the Metals. Moreover, de∣coct, decoct, decoct, and be not weary. Make your fire gentle and soft, which may always burn and endure for many days with a constant equal heat; but let it not go out or decay, for then you will suffer the loss of all.

XI. In another place; continue thy work with pati∣ence. And again, Beat, or grind the matter seven times. Then again, You must know, that with one matter, to wit, the Stone; by one way, to wit, by decocting; and in one Ves∣sel the whole Magistery is per∣formed and perfected.

XII. And in another place, The matter is ground, with fire. Also, This work is much like, or may be com∣pared to the Creation of Man∣kind.

XIII. For, like as an In∣fant at first is nourished with food easily digested, or Milk: But for the streng∣thening of the Bones with stronger Food, or Meat: So also this Magistery. At first you must feed it with a gentle Fire, by the force of which Decoction, whatsoe∣ver you desire is to be done.

XIV. And although we always speak of a gentle fire; yet notwithstanding you are always to under∣stand it in this sense, that according to the Regi∣men, or mehod of the ope∣ration, it is by degrees, or by little and little to be aug∣mented and increased, even to the highest degree.