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.

125. A Menstruum of Vitriol of Isaacus Hollandus. Cap. 62. 2. Oper. Min.

TAke a great quantity of Roman Vitriol, 10 or 12 Pounds, rather more than less, as much as you will, and dis∣solve the Vitriol in common Water; let the Feces set∣tle, put the clear Dissolution in a Stone Vessel to be congealed, till a thin skin comes over it, then let it cool and stand three days a, nd you will have notable Stones of a green colour clear

as Cristal; take out those Stones, and put them in small Glass Vessels in a clean Balneo to dry, the Balneo must have such a heat as is of the Sun in the middle of Sum∣mer, and your Stones will be turned into a white Pow∣der, which Powder dissolve in common Distill'd Water, and let the Feces settle, decant the clear into a clean Vessel, as before, and let it be congealed, as before; this repeat, till you can see no Feces left; when you have thus washed and made your Powder white, you may be assur'd your Vitriol is rightly prepared. Now take the white powder of Vitriol, put it in a Glass Vessel with a Neck pretty long, and seal the Neck with the Seal of Hermes so, that no Air can either pass out or in; and then put it in a Plate with sifted Ashes upon a Fornace, put fire under, and put a Burning Lamp under the Fornace, adding such a heat as the Sun yields in the mid∣dle of March, and thus keep it, till you see your Matter grow yellow, and continue it in the same heat, till it be per∣fectly ruddy, then increase the Fire a little, that is, put un∣der one Lamp more, and thus continue it eight or ten days, and then see whether your Matter begins not to be red, if it begins to be red, increase your Fire, and so continue it eight or ten days: But if you gain nothing in redness, increase your Fire with yet one Lamp, and so proceed gradually al∣ways one Lamp being kindled, till your Matter be as deep a red, as a Rose or Ruby; it being now so deeply red, suffer it even thus the space of eight or ten days in the same heat; when you see your Matter remains in the same state, take it out of the Plate with Ashes, and empty it into another strong Glass, pour a good quantity of (Philosophical) distill'd Vi∣negar upon it, and put it in Balneo, let it boil, and stir it with a Woodden Spatula three or four times every day, and thus continue it four days and nights, then let it cool, and pour off the clear; and again pour on Distill'd Vinegar, and that repeat three times; then throw away the Feces, and draw off the Vinegar through an Alembick in Balneo, till your Matter become altogether dry; pour on new Vinegar, and do as before, and that so long, till no more Feces remain in the Dissolution: Then congeal it into a dry Powder, which put into a good thick Glass, and putting on an Alem∣bick

with a large Head, distil in order to obtain first Saffron Colour'd Spirits, then a Red Oyl, lastly, white Spirits, then let it cool, take away the Receiver, and keep that truly bles∣sed Oyl which is in it. Take away the Alembick, and in the Pot you will find a Matter white as Snow, and clear as Cri∣stal, &c.

The way of making of this Menstruum, we will consider in its several Branches.

The first is concerning the choice of Vitriol, which Reason requires as well as the antecedent Receipt to be graduated, that is, dissolved either in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or Phi∣losophical Vinegar, and Cristallized, for the Calcination of common Vitriol, dissolved in common Water, and purified, in a close Vessel to a most red colour, is altogether Impossible, and of no Efficacy neither; for nothing but the common Acid or com∣mon Spirit of Vitriol is extracted out of common Vitriol, be it never so well purified and calcined: Vitriol therefore well Purged in common Water, is to be chosen according to the pre∣sent Receipt, but after that, according to the antecedent well dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar, that it may be thereby made graduated Vitriol, and the fit Matter of this Menstruum.

The second Branch treats of the calcination or fixation of this graduated Vitriol into redness: Corncerning which, the former process was too obscure, but the present or later clear enough: This Calcination is the true and Philosophical way of fixing this Vitriol, and that chiefly, because citrinity and redness follow blackness and whiteness, the true signs of volatilization as well as fixation, of which Tho. Isaacus said nothing in both the Receipts, yet other Adepts have mentioned these Colours in the fixing of Vitriol. Take that Stone, saith Ripley, Cap. 7. Phil. Cupri Stillicidium (the Green Lyon of Fools, or common Vitriol graduated) and put it, being ground into a Philoso∣phers Egg, and proceed upon it by the way of Putrefaction, as was declared in the Process of Rebis, and continue the Stone upon the Fire, till after blackness and whiteness, it is turned into a red Powder, which many call Vitriol Rubifi∣cated.

But here riseth some doubt, in that the Red Colour of this Calcined Vitriol, seems to be by Isaacus himself called Volatile, not in the least fixed. This Matter, saith he, will remain red for ever, and not fixed, for if it should be fixed, it would be altogether corrupted, for it must be Dissolved into Water, and distilled through an Alembick, Cap. 65. To disperse this Cloud, you must know, the meaning of Isaacus is, that Vitriol calcined, or by what way soever reduced into redness, remains red, but not also fixed ••••ause it must be dissolved in Philosophi∣cal Vinegar, and Distilled through an Alembick. For we find the like, if not the same Phrase, concerning the redness and fixity of the Philosophers Stone, which will easily remove the aforesaid doubt: When the Stone is perfect, saith he, it ought to remain in that State now and for evermore. After Perfection, it cannot be changed for better nor for worse, but will remain a King for ever. Wherefore, if any Man has prepared the true Philosophers Stone, no Multiplication fol∣lows after; wheresoever Multiplication follows after Perfe∣ction, there is not the Philosophers Stone, nor is there a true Stone. It may be a Medicine, or other Stone, of which sort are many wherewith Projection is made, but it is not the Phi∣losophers Stone, which we here Discourse of. When the aforesaid Stone is perfect and prepared, it ought to remain in that State for ever, Cap. 127. 1. Oper. Miner. Pag. 407. Vol. 3. Th. Chym.

As to the Permanence of the red colour in the Philosophers Stone, he declares the following Notions: In Multiplication, saith he, no blackness intervenes, nor do any Colours of the World shew themselves, nor any Whiteness, nor in Subli∣mation does any thing shew it self besides redness, nor in fix∣ation does any Colour shew its self except its own, that is, an egregious redness: For the Stone hath no other Colour but redness, for it is one only substance, one single matter, and as the Heaven invincible: You must also know, tho it were sublimed, it would not be deprived of all its fixity, for when the Stone is made and prepared in the utmost vertue of it, then can it not be changed out of its own Essence into another, for if the Stone could be changed or drawn out of its own Essence into another Essence or Nature, it would not

be the Philosophers Stone, nor one single Matter, nor a glo∣rified Body; no, no, understand my Discourse rightly, &c. Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 355. of the same Volume.

Isaacus being perhaps perswaded of an unalterable constancy of redness observed in the Multiplication of the Stone of higher Degree or Kind, concludes the Philosophers Stone to be alto∣gether and absolutely immutable: which Opinion to defend in every part, he has sooner ventured to deny the volatilization it self of the Stone, than give way to the a……ing of fixity in Mul∣tiplication: You must know, saith he, if the Stone were sub∣limed, yet would it not be deprived of its fixity. Yea, he has chosen rather to prevert his own Senses (for he himself hath in the same place taught how to volatilize the Philoso∣phers Stone, with some shining Menstruum) and the Sense of the Word Fix (tho upon this Term depends one half of all the Operations in the more secret Chymy) than relinquish this fallacy derived from a Paralogism. The Stone, saith he, may be so often opened as aforesaid, and after that sublimed, and again condensed so as to unite its parts, which we call Fixation; we term it indeed Fixation, but it is not Fixation, but only Condensation, so, as that all the subtil parts of it are again forced into an Union joyntly together, as they were at first, and the Stone will again expect Fire, and we may a∣gain make Projection with it, as we did before. Cap. 76. read 73, 74, 75. Chapters of the same Book.

What we have against this Opinion, we will reserve for the Third Book; in the mean time it will be requisite for you to ob∣serve this one thing: That the Matter of Calcined Vitriol, as also of the Philosophers Stone, multiplied, remains for everred, but not fixed, because either of them may be volatilized with Philosophical Menstruums. But let them be how they will, the Vitriol of Saturn fixed the same way by the same Author, will prove that the graduated Vitriol of Venus, calcined to redness in a close Vessel is fixed. Take, saith he, a Glass Viol, put in it one half of Purged Saturn (Sugar of Saturn made not with common Distilled Vinegar, but Philosophical) reserve the other part by it self till you have occasion, put a fit Glass to the mouth of the Viol, and put the Glass in sifted Ashes in a Fornace, of Tripos Arcanorum, or on a Fornace wherein

you calcine Spirits; give it a Fire as hot as the Sun is at Mid-summer, no more, except by chance a little hotter or colder, provided it be not so great as to melt the Lead, for so your Matter would be liquid as Oyl, and should it stand so the space of 12 days, all the Sulphur would fly away, and the Matter be corrupted, for the Sulphur of it is not yet fixed, and on the outside only, and therefore the Matter is most ea∣sily melted, and though it be pure, yet is it not fixed; where∣fore the Fire must be so gentle as not to melt the Matter; let it stand so the space of Six Weeks, after which take a little, project it upon a hot Iron, if it presently melts and fumes, it is not yet fixed, but if it remains, the Sulphur of it is fixed: Then increase the Fire notably, till your Matter becomes citrine, and so continually till it grows red, still increasing the Fire till it attains to the colour of Rubies; increase till it is red hot, and then is it fixed, and prepared for Infusion, with the Noble Water of Paradise (the Menstruum described in Numb. 114.)

Besides this, there is indeed another way also of calcining Philosophical Vitriol, which is done in an open Vessel; thus graduated Verdigrese is calcined to redness before the Distil∣lation of it, in the preparation of the Spirit of Venus of Basilius, as we have observed in the precedent Kind, but this belongs not to this place, for the Calx remains volatile, not fixed, which way of Calcining was invented meerly for the seperation of the Phlegme.

The third Branch consists in a new dissolution of this fixed Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar, for which Reason this Vi∣triol is volatilized again, and made fit for Distillation, in the former Receipt, this Solution is wholly omitted, but more ex∣actly described in the latter Process.

The fourth Branch is the single, and frequent Distillation in the several ways of making all these Stinking Menstruums, yet this excepted, that out of this graduated, fixed, and again volatilized Vitriol, the Spirit ascends not White, but of a Saffron Colour (because more Mature) before the Red Oyl; and lastly, the White Spirit appears also, being extracted out of the Salt or White Body.

Lastly, These words following do prove, that the same Men∣struums may be also made of any other Metals. But if you would extract an Oyl out of Metals, as has been taught of Vitriol; you must dissolve your Metal in Aqua fortis, and make it precipitate, and wash away the Saltness of it with common Water, and being dryed, put into a Glass with a long Neck, and congealed, and put upon a Fornace with Sifted Ashes, make a Fire under it as for Vitriol, till the Metal be alogether red, and till the inside of it is turn'd out∣ward: Then dissolve it in Distil'd Vinegar, as the Vitriol, and Congeal, till no more Feces remain: Then distil, and the Metal will wholly distil into a Red Oyl, and it is the perfect Oyl of the Philosophers, but the Projection of it is not so high, as of the Oyl which was first Salt: And the Oyl of every Metal you must Multiply with the Oyl of Vitriol, as aforesaid: And the Oyl is very easily made after the same manner out of Saturn, and the Projection of it is very high: Give thanks to God, Work, and remember the Poor, dis∣pense the gifts of God to your own Salvation, Cap. 80. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 478. of the same Volume.

All Metals, saith he, Cap. 67. of the same Work, even Jupiter and Luna, will become red as blood, for the inside of all Metals is red, one more red than another: When therefore they are brought to redness, they must then be dissolved (in Philosophical Vinegar) and again congealed, till they be free from any Feces, and yet contain their Elements to∣gether perfectly; for when they are brought to that pitch, nothing remains, save only Feces; for the Earth (the Caput Mortuum) being made subtil and liquid, is likewise dissol∣ved, when you have made it subtil by Dissolving and Coa∣gulating so, as that no more Feces remain. Thus you may Distil it through an Alembick into a Red Oyl. As you was here taught concerning Vitriol, so must you also do with all Metals, as also Mercury, when it is dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and precipitated, the Saltness wash'd away and dried, put it in a Glass, as was said of Vitriol, and done moreover so, as was taught before concerning Vitriol. And that which is here declar'd of Metal, you may also do with Antimony (and all other Minerals.) Open your Ears, and hearken, and open

your Mind, it was never heard that such a Work should be done with so little Pains.

Here I would advise you to take Notice of the difference be∣tween the Oyls of Vitriol and other bodies; the like Oyl is pro∣duced from all Metals as from Vitriol, yet with this difference, that Vitriol in the Distillation of its Oyl, leaves an Earth or Salt behind it, wherewith the Spirit and Oyl of it are fixed into the Philosophers Stone; but Metals and the rest of the Minerals not so, they totally ascending into Spirit and Oyl, no Earth, Salt or Caput mortuum remaining, whereby to be fixed into the Stone: Vitriol therefore is that alone, which hath all things in it, relating to the Perfection of it self, whereas the Oyls and Spirits of the rest are forced to borrow fixed bodies else∣where for their fixations. You must know, saith he, when you would reduce the Salt of Metals to an Oyl, the same as hath been said of Vitriol, the Elementary Earth of Metals will distil together, with the Oyl red as blood, but that the Earth of Vitriol does not, the Oyl seperates it self from the Earth: God hath vouchsafed such a blessing, that the Phi∣losophers Stone may be made of it alone without Addition, translating all Metals into true Sol, but the Oyl of it must be fixed with the Earth (its own Earth or Salt) but that is not so with Metals, the Earth distils together through the Alem∣bick, and the whole Body is converted into Oyl, translating all Metals into true Sol: Herein do all the Philosophers agree. An Oyl, he goes on, is also made of Mercury, and of Anti∣mony, but their Earth goes over together, and their whole Body turns into Oyl, and remains an Oyl for ever, and with this Oyl you may do wonderful things, which here to recite would be too long. You know also what is written of Anti∣mony and the Oyl of it. Yet must my Son know, That the Oyl of Mercury is much better in all works, wherein the Oyl of Antimony is used. This is a Secret. Cap. 69. and 70. of the same Work.

An Example, That Metals wholly ascend into Oyl, he brings in the following Chapter, namely the 70th, which we will name.