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.

The Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully. In Apertorio suo.

TAke of the best Juice of Lunaria, that you can find, one Pound or two, and put it into a Vessel with an Alembick, the seams being well joynted and luted, set it in a little Furnace, and underneath make a Fire of one wiek, and with such a gentle heat let the aforesaid Spirits be distilled, and so long, till it be∣gins to make Veins: When therefore the Phlegm begins to shew Veins, then is it a sign, that the Spirit is distilled, which contains in it all the perfection of Life, and then take that distilled Spirit, and keep it very choicely in a Glass well stopt with white Wax, then put another Receiver under the Alembick, and receive the second Water, because it retains yet something of the aforesaid Spirit, though not so strong as the first: distil from that second Water so long, till nothing else comes but Phlegm, which is no otherwise then as common Water, tasting a little, if it has yet any Virtue, than may you distil yet more, but if it be as the other Water pure in taste, then lay aside the Receiver with that second Water, and put another Glass to receive all the Phlegm, distil∣ling so long, till nothing more distils, and then let all the Phlegm be poured away, because it is that, which brings Death to our

Precious Stone, and this the vulgar knows not, but we know. Now have you the Earth, which remained in the bottom of the Vessel black, like melted Pitch: For that calcination of the Earth cannot be done with a strong Fire, as Sophisters believe, but it is done by its own Spirit, which keeps it from burning, be∣cause its Spirit draws the Soul from its Body, and repels its su∣perfluous Phlegm, and mortifies the Earth, and then vivisies it: Now therefore calcine the aforesaid Earth in this manner; Take the second distilled Water (Aqua ardens mix'd with Phlegm) and pour it upon the black Earth (Pitch) in its Vessel, and mix well, till it be dissolved, because the Earth is presently dissolved. Then put on an Alembick, and lute well, and distil the Spirit with one wick, as I told you before, till you see Veins, then again separate the Receiver of the Alembick with the Spirits, and set it apart, and put another Receiver to, and distil on, looking if there be yet any Spirits there, if not, then the Water which is distill'd, hath a taste like hot common Spring Water, which put away again, because such Water is Phlegmatick, which causeth Death to our Stone: And after the whole distillation take the Vessel with all the Matter, which you will then find more hard than before, and this is the reason, because that Spirit hath attract∣ed the Aereral Soul to it from its Body, it being the place in which the Soul is contained: that Operation repeat so oft, till you see your Matter calcined in the bottom in the Form of a black Powder, or even so long, till you see no more Phlegm arise, so as the last Water to be of as great virtue, strength, smell and taste, as the first: And you must not be ignorant, that in the third distillation those two Spirits (ill and well rectify'd) are to be mixed together upon their Earth, so long, till the Earth and Spirits have those signs aforesaid, namely, the Earth be calcined, and the Spirits yield no Phlegm. Then take the Earth, and with it a fourth part of its weight of the Spirit, and put the Mat∣ter into your Vessel, which we call Retentorium, and place it in a Furnace, continuing an easie heat so long, till the Spirit be alto∣gether coagulated in the Earth. Know Son! that the Body, which was Dead, puts on white Garments, as, if God please, you shall see, when you try the things aforesaid. Son! this must you repeat with new Spirit so long, till you see the Earth altoge∣ther white as Snow: and then is the Earth big and impregna∣ted

with Eternal clarity, which will bring forth an Infant, ac∣cording to this way: When the Earth is very white, then Son! take it out of its Vessel, and grind it into a most fine powder, and this do upon a Glass Plate, then again put it into a Vessel, luting the Joynts of it well, and set it on a little Furnace, and kindle a Fire, continuing it for thirty Hours, and in the corners and sides of the Vessel you will find our Infant, born and resusci∣tated in the likeness of a powder, most white, most fair, and in such clearness, as the Body of Silver: Keep it therefore in high esteem, because it is your Terra foliata, and it is called the Spirit of sublimed Bodies, converted into Terra foliata; so winto the same the Soul, &c.

Sometimes they impregnated this Earth without observing any weight, as thus: