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. LVIII. Of the Colours, Accidental and Essential, appearing in the Work.

I. WE have now taught you what the ex∣quisite matter of the Stone is, and also the true man∣ner of working; by what method, and with what or∣der the decoction of the Stone is to be performed, whence oftentimes arises di∣vers and various colours in the Philosophick matter.

II. Concerning which Colours, a certain Wise Man saith: Quot colores, tot nomina; so many Colours as it has, so many Names: Ac∣cording to the diversity of Colours appearing in the operation, the Philosophers have given it several Names.

III. For which Reason, in the first operation of this our Stone, it is called Pu∣trefaction; and our Stone is made black: For which reason saith a Philosopher, When thou findest that black; know that in that blackness, whiteness is hidden; and now it behoves us to extract that whiteness from its most sub∣til blackness.

IV. Now after the Pu∣trefaction [or blackness] it grows red, but not with the true redness: of which one of the Philosophers saith, It often grows red, and it often grows Citrine or Yel∣low; and it oftentimes melts, or grows liquid, and it is of∣tentimes coagulated, before the true whiteness appears to per∣fection.

V. Also it dissolves its self, coagulates it self, putrefies its self, tinges or colours its

self, mortifies it self, vivifies its self, denigrates, or black∣ens it self, dealbates or whitens it self, and adorns it self in the red with the white.

VI. It is also made green: for which reason another saith: Decoct it till you see the birth of the Greenness, or till the greenness is brought forth, which is the Soul there∣of. And another: Know that the Soul doth rule in the Greenness.

VII. Also, the colour of the Peacock appears before the Whiteness; for which cause, saith one: Know that all the Colours which are in the World, or are possible so be thought of, appear before the Whiteness; and then the true Whiteness follows.

VIII. Of which, a cer∣tain Philosopher saith: But when the pure Stone is decocted, so long till the Eye of the Fish (as it were)grows very bright; a profit, or good may be ex∣pected from it; and then our Stone will be congealed into its roundness.

IX. Another also saith, When you shall find the White∣ness, supereminent in the Ves∣sel; be certain, that in that Whiteness the Redness is hid∣den; and then it behoves thee to extract it.

X. Notwithstanding, de∣coct till the whole Redness be brought forth and per∣fected.

XI. For it is between the true Whiteness and the true Redness, that a certain Ash∣colour appears, of which we have spoken: after the Whiteness appears you can∣not err, for by augmenting the fire you come to the Ash-colour.

XII. Of which another saith: Slight or undervalue not the Ashes; for God will return them to thee liquid: and then at last the King shall be crowned with his red Diadem, Nutu Dei, by the good plea∣sure of God.