Three exact pieces of Leonard Phioravant Knight, and Doctor in Physick, viz. his Rationall secrets, and Chirurgery, reviewed and revived. Together with a book of excellent Experiments and secrets, collected out of the practises of severall expert men in both faculties.: Whereunto is annexed Paracelsus his One hundred and fourteen experiments : with certain excellent works of B.G. à Portu Aquitano. Also Isaac Hollandus his Secrets concerning his vegetall and animall work. With Quercetanus his Spagyrick antidotary for gun-shot.

CHAP. CXVI. Of the Secrets of Mercurie.

QUicksilver is a liquid Minerall and Volatile, the which the Alchymists call Sulphur volatilis, and will accompa∣nie with all other Mettals, but with small fire they may bee separated again, and will flie away in Fume, and for that cause the Philosophers call it Servus fugitivus, as a man would say, it can hold friendship with none, but so soon as he hath done his service he flyeth away, as it is seen by Goldsmiths that gild Plate. For when they have laid him on with the Gold, they put it to the fire, and he flyes a∣way, and the like it should doe when any man doth occu∣pie him in any sort of infirmitie, and the order to calcine it is thus.

Take a long pot of stone that is very well glazed, and that hath a neck of a foot and a half long, and that hath a very narrow mouth as is possible, and put therein two or three pound of Quick-silver, then set the same pot in a Sallet of Iron, and lute them close together, and set it upon a Furnace, and

give them fire according to Art, until the Quick-silver remain calcined; giving you charge, that your head and receiver be very well luted, least you loose some part of the Quick-silver; and thus in eight dayes it shall be finished, the which shall be apt unto solution: Also this calcination serveth to divers and sundry Medicines: It mortifieth corrosive Ulcers without any pain; the solution is made in this order.

Take the said Calx, and put it into a glasse with a long neck, and put thereon distilled Vinegar, and set it in warm sand four and twenty houres, and then give it one walm, and when it hath boiled, pour out the Vinegar, and then if there remain any Feces in the bottome, put thereon fresh Vinegar, and doe as thou diddest before; and this thou shalt doe so often, till it be dissolved into water, and when all is dissolved, evaporate away the Vinegar, that there remain but little in the bottome; then put thereto water of Honey made by distillation accor∣ding to our order; and so the solution of Mercury shall be finished, the which is miraculous in many infirmities: It serveth against the Cough, Catarhe, and for those that have their sto∣macks putrified with the Pox, causing them to use it with other Sirrups or Potions: It helpeth those whose Milt is indurated; and also for those, that have any sort of Fistula in any part of the body: It is also good for divers other things, the which I will not write in this place, because I would have other men to exercise themselves in the practise thereof, whereby they may find out divers other secrets as I have done.