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.

TO THE STUDENTS OF THE MORE Secret Chymy.

UNder Heaven is not such an Art, more promoting the honour of God, more con∣ducing to Mankind, and more narrowly searching into the most profound Secrets of Na∣ture, than is our true and more than laudable Chymy. This is it which shews the Clemency, Wisdom, and Omnipotence of the Creator in the Creatures; which teacheth not only Speculation, but also Practice and Demonstration, the Beginning, Pro∣gress, and end of things; which restoreth our Bo∣dies from infinite Diseases, as by common means intolerable to pristine health, and diverts our Minds from the Cares and Anxieties of the World (the Thorns and Bryars of our Souls) to Tranquility of Life, from Pride to Humility, from the Love and Desire of worldly Wealth to the Contempt thereof: And in a word, which raiseth us from earth to heaven; Yet for all that may we say of it

with the same truth, that amongst all the Arts, which have yielded any benefit or profit to the World, there is none, by which less honour has hitherto accrued to God Almighty, and less utility to mankind; for lest a Science of so great dignity and utility should be too common, or ill managed by the ignorant and impious, the prudent Possessors of the same made it their business so to describe it, as to make it known to their Disciples only, but exclude unworthy altogether from it: But in pro∣cess of time, the Adepts arriving to a greater per∣fection of Knowledge and Experience, invented sometimes one, some••imes another shorter Me∣thod in their Work, altering Fornaces, Fires, Ves∣sels, Weights, yea, and the Matter it self; who being thereby also constrain'd to make new Theo∣ries and Terms of Art, according to the new in∣vented Practice, it happened, that the Scholar of one Adept understood not the new Theory, much less the practice of another; which also sometimes happened to the Adepts themselves, those especially, which were under the document of some certain Patron in some particular Method and Process; for they had not the power of discerning further than they had learnt; whereupon they commonly suspected all the Notions of other men, especially those that differed from theirs, though in them∣selves good and right, as fallacious and contrary to Nature, or applied other mens Theories, Sen∣tences, and Terms of Art unknown to themselves, to their own private Process, with which they were

acquainted, as I shall by many Examples elsewhere declare; by which very thing they involved this Art in such a Chaos of obscurity, that hitherto neither Masters nor Scholars have scarce had the power of communicating any benefit to the learn∣ed World.

It is to be wondred at, but rather lamented, to see such imperfect Philosophical Systems, as have been hitherto bequeathed to us by the Masters of this Art, not seldom contradicting both Nature and themselves, whereas the Miracles of Nature might by virtue of this Art have been truly and plainly without any convulsion or contraction of words expressed; in which respect I dare, with Philosophical Licence here affirm, that most of the Adepts have by their Writings declared them∣selves to the World better Chymists than Philoso∣phers.

For what I pray could they have better done in Medicine, than to have applied themselves to this Subject, imitating the diligence and industry of Paracelsus? But alas! amongst all, I find perhaps three or four, who have been careful and cordial herein; and therefore the less to be admired, that this noble and necessary Art, has made no greater progress, witness Common Chymistry, where the names of famous Medicines are noised about, them∣selves being unknown, and Shells given for Ker∣nels.

Lately indeed we had not only hope, but pro∣mises also from the Rosy-Crucian Fraternity, as if

they had a mind to make this our Age more happy by their Studies; but no effect being hitherto heard of, we cannot but fear, their fair promises will never be performed.

On the contrary, Experience teacheth, that in∣stead of an universal good derived from the Foun∣tain of this Art, the World hath rather been in∣volved by it in great and many Miseries: for the Adepts affirming, yea more than often with oaths confirming, that they in their Writings treated more clearly and truly of the Art, than any other Philosophers, have thereby instigated many young Novices of all Degrees and Faculties, to begin their Chymical Labours according to the Method of their Prescriptions, exposing themselves not only to intolerable Expences, but also being as it were obstinate in a certain confidence of their under∣standing the Authors genuine meaning, do rather die amongst the Coals and Fornaces, than recede from their Imaginations, once imprinted in them for true: Whereupon some of the more Learned Inquirers ruminating with themselves, how rarely, and with what great difficulty some of the Adepts attained to the Art by the reading of Books only, thought it a point of Prudence to desert the Au∣thors, together with their Books, perswading them∣selves to be able to find out a nearer and easier way by virtue of their own Genius and Reason, trying, repeating, altering, &c. Experiments and Conclusions; but herein were they disappointed of their desired success, no less than as a Mariner

sayling without a Compass, and so such Inquirers would have acted more advisedly, if they had in∣quired in themselves, whether they had overcome all the Difficulties obvious to them, before they applied themselves to this more secret Art, and doubtless many of them would have hearkned to the Counsel of Theobald of Hohenland (who co∣piously described the Difficulties of this Art collect∣ed out of Philosophers Books) and avoided it, as worse than the Plague, or a Serpent: For who of you (saith our Saviour) intending to build a Tower, will not first sit down, and compute the Charge, whe∣ther he has wherewith to finish it, lest having laid the Foundation, and not being able to perfect it, all that beheld it, should begin to deride him, saying, That man began to build, and could not finish the Build∣ing, Luke 14.38.

But I am sensible that these Admonitions will rather be slighted than accepted, especially by those who are loath to have the magnificent Towers built by themselves in the Air, demolished: For notwithstanding the impossibility of removing the aforesaid difficulties by some men, they endeavour to perswade others, that they can teach them, what as yet they know not themselves, and so will rather persist in deceiving, than desist from that which they know to be Weakness and Error: O∣thers think themselves very able to overcome all manner of difficulties, and therefore it is in vain to disswade them from this Art: Others indeed perceiving all the difficulties, and an undoubted

incapacity in themselves of facilitating them, are, though free from all fraud and arrogance, yet by some natural or secret impulse so incited to this Art, as not to be driven from it by any Argu∣ment.

Wherefore having a sense of the frailty which mankind is afflicted with, to them will I dedicate my Studies relating to Medicine. Deceivers I will restrain, shame those that ascribe more to them∣selves than due; but the true Disciples of this Art, I will lead by the hand, that they may not for the future be subject to the derision, reproaches and scoffs of Satyrs, together with the loss of health, as well of Mind as Body, and at length verifie in themselves the lamentable Prediction of Geber, saying, Most miserable and unhappy is he, whom, af∣ter the end of his work, God denies to see the Truth, for he ends his Life in Error; who being constituted in perpetual labour, and surrounded with all manner of Misfortune and Infelicity, loseth all the Comfort and Joy of this World, and spends his Life in Sorrow, without any benefit or reward, Lib. 2. Invest. cap. 38. So with the same Argument will I vindicate this the best of Arts from the Injuries of Defamers, who being deceived, by not knowing the Princi∣ples, accuse it as fraudulent, impossible, and so ridiculous, as that they deter the Lovers of it, and incite them to vilifie all the demonstrations and fa∣mous Testimonies of the same; and lastly, That the Honour and Glory of God hitherto buried in the Ashes of it, may from thence rise again, as a

Phoenix, I will set before your eyes, that which you have not been hitherto able to find in so many Vo∣lumes of this Art, namely, Diana naked, or with∣out Cloaths; that is, I will take from her Face and Body, the Vizards of Tropes, Figures, Parables, barbarous Names, &c. by which she hath been hi∣therto disguised, lest she should be obvious to the knowledge of wicked men. I will expose Diana to you, namely, the very Truth of our Art (with so much study and labour sought in vain) not co∣vered indeed so much as with the Veyl of necessary expression, but her most secret parts shall be expo∣sed to your view, concerning which the Adepts gave exceeding caution to their Disciples, adding a Curse withal, not to divulge them to the unwor∣thy Rabble. Wherefore if you desire to know the Menstruums of Diana, wherewith the Adepts pre∣pared their Philters, the Liquors of Life and Death, if you would know the way how they prepared their Tinctures, either universal or particular for Metals; if lastly, you covet to know how they made pretious Stones, Pearls, perpetual Lights, together with other Secrets of the Art, read the Receipts of the four Books following; Receipts I say, which were either not understood, or altoge∣ther slighted by almost all of you, because of the ruggedness of their Style, which sometimes also you esteemed vain, false, and impossible, compi∣led in a manner meerly to deceive you; yet most true, collected not out of trivial vulgar Chymistry, but out of the best Books of the best Adepts, the

Treasury of Diana; Receipts, I say, so concatena∣ted and elaborated by as well the congruity, as wonderful dexterity of the Masters, that where you take away or deny one of them, you cannot but reject all the rest as false: on the contrary, he that owns one amongst all to be true, must re∣pute all the rest true; and consequently vindicate the Authors of them, our most venerable Masters from all the Infamy of Lying and Scurrility. Va∣riety springing out of Unity, the Fountain of Truth, and returning into it, as into its Ocean, il∣lustrates the excellency of those Receipts: I could never yet satisfie my self, whether there be infinite, or only one Receipt in our Chymy, divided into divers parts, and designed for several Uses: Variety I observe in the various and distinct parts of these four Treatises, but Unity in every part, yea in the Individual of every Part, you will al∣ways find three confirming one Treatise: In the the First Book of Menstruums, you will find also the Medicines of the Second, and Alchymical Tinctures of the Third, and Secrets of the Fourth Book; which very thing is also to be understood of the Second, Third and Fourth Books. Lastly, These Receipts are not only true, but also clear, described by plain and common Words, to be un∣derstood not only according to the Letter, but al∣so by their clearness, illustrating and explaining Places more obscure otherwise not intelligible, so that by one only Process you will sometimes ex∣plain more than ten Theoretical Books, never ex∣plicable but by this Light.

Now these Receipts I was willing to com∣municate to you, ye indefatigable Students of this Art, for the Reasons already given, as also that you may throughly apprehend the absolute necessity of Lully's Spirit of Wine in our Chymy, before I treat with you concerning the Matter and Prepara∣tion of it. No man desires that which is unknown to him, or pursues that which he knows not the benefit of: Wherefore I was desirous first to de∣monstrate the several Ʋses of this Spirit by the Ex∣periments of the Adepts, which if you find true, they will be of such service to you hereafter, as to be much to your detriment to be without them; but if false, slight and give no credit to them, but accuse the Masters, the Authors of them, of Ly∣ing, Deceit and Villany; but such wickedness I never expect from you, whatsoever Adversaries, the blind and ignorant of this Art, will do, we little regard, and if a Zoilus or Momus appear ac∣cording to his Custom, let him chaw the Shell, that is, the homely Style, the slender and slight Observations and Conclusions given upon the Receipts, all which we give him freely; but touch the Kernel he cannot.

But if either now or hereafter you reap any joy or benefit by the sight of Diana, attribute it not to Diana, though of Ephesus, nor to me, but to God Almighty, who hath by his Light brought us out of this Cimmerian Darkness: The time per∣haps will come, wherein I may be further useful and assistant, in procuring liberty for you to em∣brace

Diana in your Arms, as also discourse fami∣liarly with her concerning her Doves, Forest, Foun∣tain, Milk, Aqua vitoe, &c. for at present you read the Inscription upon her Forehead, Touch me not. Wherefore I advise you, not to touch the Secrets of Diana unless you have to try the Fate and Fortune of Acteon.

Inscius Actaeon vidit sine veste Dianam, Praeda suis canibus non minus ille fuit.

Actaeon, hunting in the Woods alone, When he the naked Goddess saw unknown, He (for who could her Fury stay?) Was to her Fury and his Dogs a Prey.

We may indeed behold her, but not embrace her yet a while; for this is permitted to none but A∣depts, and such as are Masters of the Philosophical Wine; but if you object with the Poet,

Quid juvat Aspectus, si non conceditur Ʋsus? 'Tis not the Sight, but Use that gives Delight.

To these Things I answer you, That by viewing Diana naked,

1. You will find, that all the Secrets of Chymy depend upon one only Center of the Art. namely, the Spirit of Philosophical Wine.

2. You will understand, that all the Preparati∣ons of all the Secrets are done according to the signification of the Words.

3. You will perceive, that all Processes of what Method and Matter soever, if not without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, are true, and will ne∣ver be false.

4. Whatsoever is rare or select, dispersed here and there by the best of the Adepts, you will have here pick'd and digested into order, so, as that there will be nothing wanting, but the enjoyment of them

5. You will moreover have the convenience of chusing the best and shortest out of all the Pro∣cesses.

6. Or you will be enabled to find out also more of your selves, if these please you not.

7. You will see that he who hath performed even the least thing in this Art, may consequently also perform the greatest.

8. One only clear Process will open the under∣standing of more, otherwise most obscure.

9. You may know also, that the Adepts them∣selves have been sometimes in the dark, and often∣times understood not the style of anothers Wri∣ting: That some have corrected others, and so made the Art more perfect.

10. And to say all at once; No man, though never so Learned, though never so Eloquent, though never so subtil an Impostor, will be able for the future, either by his Authority, Perswasion, or subtilty, to deceive any man, and drive him out of our common Road into an untrodden Path, ex∣cept he be willing himself.

Nor will you alone be free from the Deceipts of other men, but your own Mistakes also; by which you have hitherto most miserably lost all, Time, Pains, Money, Health, and what not? You have

made your very Life it self vain, unprofitable, and offensive to your selves as well as others.

Yea and such are the glittering Rays of our Dia∣na, that I fear they will dazzle your eyes, like as the Israelites were at the sight of Moses de∣scending from the Mountain.

You will scarce believe me, should I affirm, that the Secrets of the Adepts are to be understood and prepared according to the Letter; if you argue it to be improbable that the Adepts should have ex∣posed their Mysteries to the view of all men, they themselves having advertised you of the contrary. What then?

Is not this our Art, saith Artesius, cabalistical, and full of Mysteries? And you Fool believe we teach the Secrets of Secrets openly, and understand our Words according to the Letter; be assured (I am not envious as others) he that takes the Philosophers Sayings ac∣cording to the common sence and signification, has al∣ready lost the Clew of Ariadnes, and wanders up and down the Labyrinth, and it would be of the same be∣nefit to him, as if he had thrown his Money into the Sea. The same thing adviseth Sendivogius in the Preface of the twelve Treatises: I would, saith he, have the candid Reader know, that my Writings ad∣mit not so much a verbal construction, but such rather as Nature requireth, lest afterwards he should have Cause to bewail the expence of time, pains and cost in vain, &c. Because, as Arnold saith in his Speculum, An intention according to the Letter nothing avails, and to operate according to the intention of the Let∣ters,

is the dissipation of Riches. For, saith Geber, Where we spoke most openly we conceal'd the Art, speaking to an Artist not Aenigmatically, but in a plain series of Discourse. Yea Roger Bacon proceeds further, saying, When I swear I say true, believe it a lie, that is, as to the Letter, and therefore when I tell you of Stalks, understand Lead, &c. lib de Arte Chymica, pag. 56. All that I say is false, therefore nothing I say is true; wherefore I pray, believe me not; but when I say true, take it to be false; and if this, the contrary: So that which is false will be tur∣ned into true, and that which is true, into false: I tell you these things, that you may beware of things that are to be avoided, and believe things credible, in writing properly, I write not, &c. p. 301. And though I say, Take this and this, believe me not, operate ac∣cording to the Blood, that is, the Ʋnderstanding, and so of all; leave off Experiments; apprehend my meaning, and you will find, believe me being already a lighted Candle, pag. 345.

These and the like may you alleadge to confirm your Opinion; but give me leave to suggest to you the distinction that is to be made between the Theoretical and Practical Books of the Adepts: In the Theoretical Books there is scarce any thing to be understood literally, all things being paraboli∣cal, aenigmatical, &c. But in the Practical Books all things are clear and intelligible, according to the Letter: Philosophical Wine alone excepted, the foundation and beginning of all Secrets: For ex∣ample, Take the magnum Testamentum of Lully, in

the Theoretical part of which, is Philosophically, that is, by various Sophisms, described the Nature, Matter, and Preparation of Lully's Wine; but in the Practical part of this Testamentum, the Ʋse of this Wine is declared according to the Letter: From hence will you also easily observe, That those A∣depts which reject the Literal Sense are rather Theoretical than Practical: We treating at pre∣sent of the practice of the Adepts, or the Ʋse of Philosophical Wine, will prove that most of the Se∣crets delivered to us by them, are according to the Letter.

But some of you will urge, that the Adepts themselves have even more than often declamed against the Literal Sence of Practice, against the very Descriptions (commonly called Receipts) of Experiments; but let these our Companions know, the Adepts wrote against two sorts of Re∣ceipts.

The first comprehends the Receipts of Smoak∣sellers, Deceivers, wicked men, who pretend they either had them from the Disciple of some Adept, or found them in the Walls of some old Cloister or Sepulcher; against whom hear Dionysius Za∣charias, Pag. 781. Vol. 1. Th. Chym. saying, Before I left the Colledge of Arts, I entred into familiarity and friendship with many other Scholars; they had divers Books of Chymical Receipts, which being lent me, I transcribed with very great diligence, my pri∣vate Master, who had also a long time before began to labour in this Art, consenting; so that before I went

away, I had gathered a very large Book of such Re∣ceipts, I went presently with my Master to the Place where I was to study Law, began to turn over my Wri∣tings; whereof some contained Projections of One up∣on Ten, others upon Twenty, Thirty; a Third, a half part; for the Red of eighteen Carrachs, twenty, &c. into Gold of Crowns, Ducats, and of the highest co∣lour that could be; One was to endure Melting, ano∣ther the Touch-stone, another all Tryals: Of the White likewise, one was to be of Ten penny, another of Eleven, another Sterling Silver, coming white out of the Fire, another white from the Touch: In short, I thought if I were able to perform the least of those things greater felicity could not happen to me in this world.

Especially when I read the Inscriptions of great Persons before such Receipts; one of the Queen of Navarr, another of the Cardinal of Lorain, Tu∣rine, and infinite others, that by such Disguises and Titles, Credit might be given by unwary men.

Bernhard also complains of the same Receipts, pag. 771. ejusd. Vol. If I had had, saith he, at first, all the Books, which I afterwards procured, doubtless I should have sooner attained to the Art, but I read no∣thing but false Receipts, and erroneous Books; be∣sides I happened to confer with none but the most per∣verse Thieves, wicked Men, and Impostors.

The other sort contains Receipts of Adepts themselves, against whom some other Adepts have also sometimes written: As for example, the same Bernhard, Pag. 748. Vol. Theat. Chym. saying,

To withdraw the true Speculators of this Art from com∣mon Errors into the right Way, that they may not waste their Wealth, and lose their Labours, Name and Re∣putation, insisting upon the false Receipts of Books, as those of Geber, Rasis, Albertus magnus, Trames, Lumen, Canonis pandectarum, Demophon, Sum∣ma, and other Seducers, I will first declare my own Errors, &c. And in pag. 750. goes on, Infinite is the number of them, whom to write is needless; and there is great plenty of Books written upon this Subject under Metaphorical Words and Figures, so as not to be easily understood by any but the Sons of Art; the reading of which, leads men out of the right way, ra∣ther than directs to the Work; in the number of which, are Scotus, Arnold, Raymund, Johannes Mehung, Hortulanus Veridicus, &c.

My Business therefore is to satisfie you, and say, That the Authors of the first sort of Receipts de∣ceive actively, wittingly, and willingly: But the Receipts of the later sort, written by Adepts them∣selves, seduce only passively: And this for two Reasons; either in respect of the Adept being less experienced in the Art, and unacquainted with the Practice of his more Learned Consort; for it is impossible for one Adept, though never so expert in his Method, to know the various Experiments of all the other, much less the peculiar Theorems, private Meditations, different Denominations of things, &c. formed or derived from the same: Or in respect of your selves, who extort from those Receipts, as to the Literal Sound, more, than

the Adepts themselves allow, not at all observing that the Spirit of Wine being once and always un∣derstood, the rest you will easily understand. For knowing this, saith Flammel, in his Hieroglyphicks, pag. 28. I perfected the Magistery easily; for having learnt the Preparation of the first Agent, I following my Book according to the Letter, could not err if I would. And a little after; Then following my Book from word to word, I made Projection. But why these? Plenty enough of Examples in this Treatise will instruct you in all these things that are to be understood according to the Letter, except Wine, Lunary, Vegetable Mercury, and other things synony∣mous to the Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine, or things prepared by the same Spirit, Vege∣table Sal Harmoniack, Philosophical Vinegar, &c.

For this Spirit of Wine being prevaricated, the Adepts knew, that all the rest, though never so plain∣ly discovered to the Sons of Art, could not con∣tribute the least benefit to the Reader: Wherefore I fear not the indignation of the Adepts, nor the A∣nathema's which they thundred out against the Be∣trayers of their Secrets, having herein done nothing more, but (to speak ingenuously) less, than they themselves. I have according to my capacity, me∣thodically digested those things which were here and there confusedly dispersed, but added nothing of my own, and so expect neither Honour nor Thanks from you; but this only, that I may know, if our Studies please; and I shall supply those things that are here wanting and desired, somewhat more

largely; for I will not refuse to assist you yet fur∣ther by the industry of my Studies: So that no∣thing remains, but upon our bended Knees to re∣turn most humble Thanks to the Father of Lights, in vouchsafing us this Art by the Writings of his Servants, and the High Priests of Nature, without which it would be beyond the power of man to ar∣rive to so great a degree of Knowledge.

Now celebrate with me the Urns of our pious Masters, who have for the Welfare of Mankind, rather dispersed, than buried their Talents; and may you oblige your selves to the same good Of∣fice, if you have any of their Writings not yet published.

Finally, It is my earnest Suit to the Adepts now living, that they would please to employ themselves freely in expounding Nature, correcting Philoso∣phy and Medicine; And lastly, refuting all the de∣ceitful Sects of Philosophers, as well in the Acade∣mies, as private Schools, for the advancement of the Glory of God, being singularly eminent in this Art. So be it.