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. LVII. Of the Quality of the Vessels and Fornaces.

I. THE limits, method, way and manner of working, we have even now determined; it follows, that we treat next of the Vessel and Fornace; after what manner, and with what matter, it ought to be made.

II. When Nature, with a natural heat in the metal∣lick Mines does decoct; it is true, it performs this de∣coction without any Vessel: Now though we propound to follow Nature in decoct∣ing; yet we cannot do it without a fit Vessel for that purpose.

III. Therefore let us see first, what kind of place that is, where Metals are generated. It is evidently manifest, that they are produced in Mineral pla∣ces, and that the generat∣ing heat is in the bottoms of the Mountains, where

it is perdurable, and always equal, and whose nature is always to ascend; which in ascending continually de∣siccates every where where it passes, and coagulates the spissed or gross water hid∣den in the Bowels or Veins of the Earth or Mountains, into Argent Vive.

IV. And if a mineral fat in the same place, from such a like Earth, shall be warm∣ed, and gathered together in the Veins of the Earth, and it run through the Mountains, it becomes Sul∣phur.

V. And as you may see in the said veins of the said place, that Sulphur genera∣ted (as is said) of the fat of the Earth, doth meet also with the Argent Vive (as a∣foresaid) in the said veins of the Earth, so also it produ∣ces a thickning, or inspissa∣ting of that Mineral Wa∣ter.

VI. Also, there, by the said heat in the bottoms, or bowels of the Mountains, equal, and perdurable, through a very long space of time, there is generated divers and several Metals, according to the nature, or diversity of the place.

VII. This also you must know, that in the places where Minerals are found, there is always found a du∣rable heat.

VIII. From these things, then, we ought always to note, that a Mineral Moun∣tain is every where close to its self, externally; and al∣so stoney: because if the heat should possibly get out, no Metals would be gene∣rated.

IX. So also, if we intend to imitate Nature, we must necessarily have such a For∣nace, as may have some likeness or resemblance of a Mountain, not as to its magnitude, but as to its continued heat; so that the imposed fire, when it as∣cends, may not find a way forth; but that the heat may reverberate back upon the vessel, containing in it

self (firmly closed up) the matter of the Stone.

X. Which vessel ought to be round, with a little neck, made of Glass, or some certain Earth, like in na∣ture or closeness of body to Glass: Whose Mouth ought to be so stopped or closed up with Bitumen, or other like Emplastick substance, or otherwise Hermetically sealed up, so as the least Vapour may not come forth.

XI. And like as in the Mines, the heat does not immediately touch the mat∣ter of the Sulphur and Ar∣gent Vive, because the Earth of the Mountain is every where between:

XII. So in like manner, the fire ought not immedi∣ately to touch the Vessel containing in it self, the matters aforesaid of our Stone: But in another clo∣sed Vessel in like manner, that is to be put; that so the temperate heat may better, and more conveniently touch both above and be∣low, and every where, the matter of our Stone.

XIII. Upon which ac∣count Aristotle saith, That Mercury, in the Light of Lights is to be decocted in a threefold Vessel: and that the Vessel be made of the most firm and pure Glass, or, which is better, of Earth, having in it self the nature of Glass. [Of which kind is our late China and Porce∣lane Ware, brought to us out of Persia, China, and other places of the East-Indies.]