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.

61. A Menstruum made of the red Lead of Ripley. In pupilla Alchym. pag. 303.

TAke of Lead calcined or rubifyed, or the best Minium, that is, Mineral Antimony, prepared, what quantity you please, yet with this consideration, that you must have so many quarts of distill'd Vinegar, as you have pounds of the aforesaid calcined Lead: To this Vinegar pour the aforesaid Lead in a large Earth∣en Vessel well glazed, then for the space of three Days stir the Matter strongly with a Wooden Spatula six or seven times a Day, cover it well from Dust, and let it not be put to the Fire by any means during all this time, after which separate all that is clear and cristalline by a Filtre into another Vessel, then put it into a Brass Skillet to a gentle Fire, that all the Phlegmatick

Water may evaporate, till a very thick Oyl is left in the bottom of the Vessel, which suffer to cool; which being done, the Matter will become like Gum, so as to be cut with a Knife, hereof put four Pounds into a Glass Cucurbit with an Alembick, the Joynt being well luted with a Paste made of the Scales of Iron, Flower, and the whites of Eggs well beaten together: put the Vessel in a Furnace of Sand, and not in Ashes, and let the Vessel be buried in the Sand even to the middle of it, and let the Sand be two Fingers thick under the bottom of the Vessel; then put a Receiver to it, but not luted, till you have drawn out all the Phlegmatick Water with a most gentle Fire, which Wa∣ter throw away: When you see a white fume appear, then lute the Receiver, which must be two foot long; which being drawn out, strengthen the Fire as much as you can, and continue it till you have distilled all that can be extracted in twelve Hours, and so will you have the Blood of the Red Lyon, most red as Blood, which is our Mercury, and our Tincture now prepared, to be poured upon its ferment, that is, upon the Calxes of most pure Gold, &c. But if you would use it for the white Work, you must distil your Mercury three times with a slow Fire, always reserving the Faeces apart in every distillation, and then will you have your Mercury most white as Milk: And this is our Vir∣gins Milk, whitened Menstruum, and our Argent vive Philosophi∣cally exuberated; with which by Circulation make an Oyl out of the Calxes of Luna, and proceed in all things, as you did with the red Mercury upon the Calxes of Gold, and you will have a white Elixir, which will convert any Metal into perfect Luna: But the Golden Oyl ought to be perfected and tempered, and well united with artifical Balsom, by the way of Circulation, till out of them is made a most clear and resplendent Golden Liquor, which is the true Aurum potabile, and Elixir of Life more pretious for Mens Bodies, then any other Medicine of the World.

The like Menstruum Ripley hath in his Medulla Philosophiae Chymicae.