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.

IX. That Menstruums are not satiated with dissolving, but become rather more avidous, and so are by Dissolutions augmented as well in quantity as quality.

THough the Spirit of our Wine is the Basis, Root, and Cen∣ter of all Menstruums, Medicines, Alchymical Tinctures, and Pretious Stones, yet nevertheless doth it dissolve slowly, yea only such Bodies as are homogeneous to it, that is, purely Oyley, as it self is a pure Oleosum, and associate the same to it, transmuting

into its own Nature, and so multiplies its self by this means. Now so soon as this Spirit is transmuted into an Arido-Oleosum, it does under the name of a Simple Vegetable Menstruum, dissolve Ari∣do-Oleosums, that is, the Sulphurs or Tinctures of the Mineral Kingdom, the pure Aridum being untouch'd, and left in the form of a white Powder, with which Essences the said Menstruums or Essences may indeed melt together, but not in the least be satiated, because there is an Addition and Multiplication of like Parts: But the same Vegetable Menstruums being now compounded of the Simple, do no more extract the Tinctures and Essences of Minerals, but dissolve and transmute the whole Mass or Substance of these Bo∣dies into an Oyl swimming above, which is called a Magistery: Now this being digested together with its Menstruum, at length falls in, is united, and so multiplies the Compounded Vegetable Menstruum. For an Example to young Beginners; The Spirit of Philosophical Wine being a Menstruum of the first Kind, and acuated with the Oyl of Nutmegs, is hereby made a Menstruum of the second Kind; or acuated with Honey, if you would have a Menstruum of the third Kind: distil either of those Menstruums with Common Sal Harmoniack, and you will have a Menstruum of the fourth; but if you desire one of the fifth Kind, cohobate either of them with the Salt of Tartar, and you will have the Ace∣tum acerrimum of Ripley; or with common Salt, and you will make the Sal circulatum of Paracelsus; Cohobate Mercury, or any other Mercury, or any other Metal through an Alembick with this Vinegar or Salt, and you will transmute the Simple Vegetable Menstruums into the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums of the eighth Kind; from which you will further prepare Menstru∣ums of the tenth Kind, by dissolving and volatilizing any other Metal in them. The same Rule you have as to our Mineral Men∣struums: But the Common Menstruums cannot receive beyond their Capacity.