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.

98. Oyl of Vitriol of Basilius. Cap. 6. Sect. 2. Libri de Conclusionibus.

TAke Hungarian Vitriol, dissolve it in distilled Water, coagulate, cristallize, repeat five times, and so purge it from the Salts, Alume, and Niter: This Vitriol thus purged, distil with the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine to a red Oyl, which ferment with Spiritual Gold; add to it, its part of the Mercury of Stibium, and you have a Tin∣cture for Man, and reducing Luna into Sol. Visitando Inferi∣ora Terroe, Rectificando{que} Invenies Occultum Lapidem, Veram Medicinam.

Annotations

THE Antecedent Kind contained Mineral Menstruums, compounded of Acid Spirits containing a Metalick Tincture in them; in thus present we use the Bodies of these Spirits, to make the Menstruums a degree better. For a Tincture, for Example

extracted out of the dry part or body of Vitriol distilled, with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is an Essence, which being in the same distillation dissolved in its own Acid Part, produced a Menstru∣um of this Kind; whereas in the Precedent Kind, that small quan∣tity of Copper, dissolved or contained in common Spirit of Vitriol, and elevated with a violent Fire, is by the Spirit of Philosophi∣cal Wine reduced not into the Essence, but Magistery, little effectu∣al as well through the smalness of its quantity as Tincture: This present Oyl of Vitriol is not the least esteemed among the Secrets of Basilius, and therefore we will a little more exactly consider his most clear description, that by his more abundant Light, we may Illu∣strate darker places. First, Basilius bids us purifie Roman Vitriol by divers solutions, and coagulations; which purification is necessary to separate the Vitriol from strange Dust, Dross, and other imper∣tinent Offals; yet this we think Superfluous, when the Vitriol is pure∣ly cristallized, for the Terestreity setling in the dissolution of Vi∣triol, is not Foeces, but Copper, less dissolved than the rest, and left by the Acid, being too much diluted with common Water: The Vi∣triol being purified, he enjoyns to be distilled with the Spirit of Wine into a red Oyl.

He reduced not only Natural Vitriol, but also Artificial Vitriols made of Metals into such Oyls. The Sugar or Vitriol of Saturn he distills together with the Spirit of Wine into a red Oyl, curing Me∣lancholy, the French Disease, &c. Coagulating and fixing Mercu∣ry, but, if fixed with the Mercury of Mars, tinging thirty parts of Mercury into Gold. Libro de Conclu. Tract. 2. Sect. 1, Cap. 1, de Sul∣phure Saturni. The same way, saith he, is a red sweet Oyl tin∣ging Saturn into Gold, to be distilled out of Sugar or Vitriol of Jupiter, in the following Chapter, which he repeats in Sect. 2. Cap. 2. de Vitriolis Saturni & Jovis. Argent vive he dissolves in Aqua fortis, and being reduced into Cristal or Vitriol, distils with the Spirit of Wine rectify'd before with the Salt of Tartar (the Men∣struum described in Numb. 18.) into a sweet Oyl, curing the French Pox, Old Ʋlcers, Palsie, &c. to be joyned to Martial Tin∣ctures in the Transmutation of Metals. Sect. 2. Cap. 5. de Vitriolo Mercurii: The more fixed Metals, Gold and Silver he distills in Bal∣neo Regis (in Numb. 89.) through an Alembick, which, the Men∣struum being drawn off, he reduceth into Volatile Vitriols, to be

distilled with the Spirit of Wine into Oyls. Sect. 2. Cap. 1. De Vi∣triolo Solis et Luna. The more dry Metals, Iron and Copper, he prescribes to be distilled into the same Oyls, but omits the way of di∣stilling. Sect. 1. Cap. 3. De Sulphuribus Martis & Veneris, Sect. 2. Cap. 3. De Vitriolo Martis. Cap. 4. De Vitriolo Veneris; but the following Kind of Menstruum will prove that they are to be distilled with Philosophical Vinegar: By these places compared together, we are better assured of divers things: First that the Oyl of Vitriol is not any common Acid of Vitriol, though drawn out of Vitriol most exquisitely purify'd, for the same Oyls may be made with the Vitri∣ols of all Metals by the same Spirit of Wine. Secondly, that common Spirit of Wine is altogether useless to this Work; but that the Phi∣losophical, or Menstruum rather described in Numb. 18. is meant by Basilius by the Spirit of Wine. Moreover, that the Vitriols of Saturn and Jupiter do yield sweet Oyls, because made of some weak Acid, namely, common Vinegar, which is easily altered or transmu∣ted by this Philosophical Menstruum. But that the Oyls of the o∣ther Metals, being made with stronger Acids, either Philosophical Vinegar, or Mineral Menstruums do remain Acid, especiaily the present Oyl of Vitriol, in the distillation of which, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or Vegetable Menstruum is dissolved by the Natural Acid, or common Oyl of Vitriol, and with such a prevalent Acidity, ascends in the form of a red Oyl. Lastly, that this Oyl of Vitriol is commended to us by Basilius as a Menstruum to be fer∣mented with Gold; which we would have you take special notice of; for Basilius hath here and there in his Books discovered many nota∣ble things concerning the Menstruum of Vitriol, but most rarely ad∣vised the distillation of it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; yet without which all Processes and Labours, all Endeavours and ex∣periments are vain, and of no importance in the more Secret Chy∣my.

For the making this Oyl of Vitriol the Adepts sometimes dissolved it in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine; which afterwards being cri∣stallized, they called Vitriol corrected or graduated. Of this cor∣rection or graduation of Vitriol Paracelsus, thus: The Description of Vitriol, saith he, is to be directed to Medicine and Alchymy: In Medicine it is an excellent Remedy: In Alchymy it is good for many other things; but the Art of Medicine and Alchymy, con∣sists

in the preparation of Vitriol: For the Crude is not such, but like Wood, out of which any thing may be carved. Lib. de Vi∣triolo, pag. 200. At first, he proceeds, the Spirit of Vitriol being obtained, the custom was to graduate it to the highest, where∣with being exalted, they cured the Epilepsie, whether new or old, in Men and Women, of what condition soever, &c. But let us return to the beginning, how the Spirit of Vitriol was found; First they distilled the moist Spirit of Vitriol by it self from the Colcothar, then they extended its degree by distilling and cir∣culating it alone to the highest, as the process teacheth: Thus the Water began to be used for several Diseases, as well Inter∣nal as External, as also for the Falling Sickness; so a wonder∣ful Cure was performed: But those that came after were much more diligent in the extraction; for they took the Spirit of Vi∣triol, corrected as before, and distill'd it with the Colcothar eight or ten times with a most strong Fire; so the dry Spirits were mixed with the moist: They urged the work so long, con∣tinually and without intermission extracting, till the dry Spirits were over; then they graduated both Spirits, the moist as well as the dry, in a Phial together their own time: This Medicine they found to be of much greater operation against Diseases, that they confounded all the Humorists in general: Yet is there some correction by Artists added by Spirit of Wine, for better penetration sake, but of no higher degree: But I will commu∣nicate to you my process, which I commend to all Physitians, especially for the Epilepsie, which hath the only cure in Vitri∣ol; wherefore even the Charity of our Neighbour, requires us to appoint the more diligent care in that Disease: Now my Process is for the Spirit of (Philosophical) Wine to be imbibed by the Vitriol, and then distilled, as I said, from the dry and moist Spirits, &c. But you must further know, that the aforesaid Re∣ceipts of making the moist Spirit of Vitriol cannot be more clear∣ly described; for an Artist is required to understand it; those sordid Boylers do not in the least understand a thing of so great moment. You must expect sufficient information of all things, from Artists (of the more secret Chymy) Alchymists and Operators, so also to be more instructed by the same in the way of correcting the Spirit of Wine.

Basilius in his Elucidat. 12. Clavium. Where he made the following Menstruum spoke of such a graduated Vitriol, not common.