Four books of Johannes Segerus Weidenfeld concerning the secrets of the adepts, or, of the use of Lully's spirit of wine : a practical work, with very great study collected out of the ancient as well as modern fathers of adept philosophy : reconciled together by comparing them one with another, otherwise disagreeing, and in the newest method so aptly digested, that even young practitioners may be able to discern the counterfeit or sophistical preparations of animals, vegetables and minerals, whether for medicines or metals, from true, and so avoid vagabound imposters, and imaginary processes, together with the ruine of estates.

22. The Tartarised Spirit of Wine of Basilius. In manal. Operation.

THe first thing to be known is that the Philosophers Tar∣tar, wherewith the Lock is opened, is not like common Tartar, as most Men imagine, but is another Salt, though spring∣ing from the same Fountain: This Salt is the only Key to open, and dissolve Metals, if prepared as followeth. Take the Ashes of a fruitful Wine, and draw a Lee or Lixivium as strong as may be out of them with hot Water, which evaporate by boyling it to a driness, that the matter may remain reddish, which rever∣berate in a reverberating Furnace three days, or thereabouts, with an open Fire, till it become white: then dissolve it in Spring-Water, suffer it to settle, decant the clear, filter to sepa∣rate the Faeces, being filtred, coagulate, and you will have the white Salt of Tartar, from which the true Spirit is distilled after this manner: Take Spirit of Wine rectifi'd to the highest de∣gree, and altogether void of Phlegm, (described in Numb. 19.) and pour it to the Salt of Tartar in a Phial with a long Neck, so as to be three Fingers above it, lute an Alembick to the Phial, fit

a Receiver to it, and digest with a gentle heat, then draw off the Phlegm most softly, and the Spirit of Tartar is opened by Vir∣tue of the Spirit of Wine, and by reason of reciprocal and admi∣rable love they both ascend together; the Faeces remaining, if any be, as also the Phlegm must be cast away; thus will you have the true Spirit of Wine, wherewith Aurum potabile is made.

This truly is a most Noble Menstruum, so as for its excellency to deserve a higher Place than this among the Simple Vegetable Men∣struums; whereas it ought to have been more rightly transferred to the seventh Kind of Menstruums; but it very much at present Illust∣rating the Menstruums of Basilius, and so of greater utility here than there, we will not remove it from hence, yet will we add some examples more clear of such sort of Menstuums. Thus it is done,