The Third Appendix to the Seventh Part of the Spagyrical Pharmacopœa

Wherein is Treated of the Further Use of our Wonder-working Alcahest or most secret Sal-Armoniack. And more particularly, of the way to Extract the Tinctures of Gold, Iron and Copper; as well as of all precious and common Stones; and to introduce the said Tinctures again into other white Metals and Stones, so as permanently to colour and meliorate the same.

Faithfully Translated out of the High-Dutch Original.

Courteous READER,

In the fore-going Second Appendix to my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, I promis’d the publishing of a Third Appendix, wherein I intended to communicate to the Lovers of Art, the remaining Vertues of our Secret Sal-Armoniack; but finding that my Candid publication of so many great and useful Secrets are so coldly and carelesly received by an ungratefull World, I have thought good to cover the same in silence. However that I may not be wanting to contribute what I can in this my Third Appendix, for the satisfaction of the ingenious Seekers and Lovers of Art, I design to conclude my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa with the Discovery of a Wonder-working new-found-Alcahest, which by its surpassing Virtues does far excell all those before-mentioned. Which new Discovery will without doubt be more acceptable to the Lovers of these Secrets, than to Treat further concerning the already Communicated Sal-Armoniack; which whosoever shall take the pains to prepare, will find much more than I have set down concerning it; and therefore think it not needfull to enlarge any further on that Subject, in the mean time neglecting things of greater and better concern. I say better things, because the discovering of this New-found Alcahest will afford more light by far to Seekers, than the former could: For which reason I have thought good to set all other things aside, for to Treat of the Alcahest which has not its like in the Universe, as I hope by God’s assistance in this Discourse to make out and demonstrate.

Now because I here write of an Alcahest or Wonder-working Sal-Armoniack, I think it not improper to explain the word Alcahest, and to make known the meaning and importance thereof, which may help us to discover the true Use and Vertues of the same. Some tell us that the word Alcahest, is a Corruption of the German word Algeist, that is to say, All-Spirit, from its very spiritual nature, and because it reduces gross Bodies to Spirit. Others by transposing of its Letters, make a Dutch word of it, importing hasty or swift running, flying, &c.

Now we know that among all Salts that are in the World, there is none to be found, which in Distillation or Sublimation doth sooner volatilize the most subtil part of Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals, and carry them over the helm, than a good Sal-Armoniack: Wherefore the said Name may well be given to it, by reason of its volatilizing all things, and carrying them swiftly over the helm.

And forasmuch as I have already spoken concerning several of these volatilizing Salts, calling the first Common Sal-Armoniack, the second secret Sal-Armoniack, and the third most secret Sal-Armoniack, I find my self destitute of a Name by which I might call this my New found Sal-Armoniack, except I should give it the name of Eagles Wings, which I am the rather inclined to do, because in some of my former Writings, I have by way of Allusion expressed the said Volatilizing Salts by the Name of Wings, comparing the first and weakest of them to the wings of a Dove, the second to those of a Raven, and the strongest of all to Eagles wings. And seeing the Sal-Armoniack of which I am now to Treat, is far more powerful than any of them all, I may well give it that name, and the rather, because Antient as well as Modern Philosophers have given the name of Eagles wings to common Sal-Armoniack; some of them, ’tis like, not knowing of any better. Thus Paracelsus sets down the way of volatilizing his unripe Mineral Electrum by means of the Spread Eagles wings; and in many other places of his Writings, he calls Sal-Armoniack an Eagle, because this Salt, of all Salts, as the Eagle of all Birds, takes the highest flight, and therefore also is called the King of Salts.

The Heathens attributed a Flying Eagle to their cheifest God Jupiter; and the Holy Apostle and Evengelist St. John, because in his Gospel he takes a higher flight than any of the other Evangelists, is represented with an Eagle standing by him, as being his proper Embleme. We also find in the Writings of Philosophers, the word Eagle is made use of by them to signifie any thing which by Art is exalted to the highest degree it is capable of; and therefore this Sal-Armoniack which in its flight excells all those before spoke of, exalting things to the highest top of Perfection, may well be styled the Eagles Wing. Pliny makes mention of a great and monstrous Bird called a Griffon, found in the Eastern parts of the World, and of that strength, as to be able to carry away an Armed Man on Horseback, Horse and all, to his Nest: which strong Bird is a good Embleme of the surpassing force of this our Eagles wing, which like the Griffon is also provided with strong Talons, with which it lays hold on heavy things, and carries them away with it, as we shall hear by and by. For every good Sal-Armoniack hath these two Vertues, of being sharp and piercing as well as volatile: the sharpness are its Talons, whereby it seizeth and lays hold of things; and its volatility, are the Wings with which it carries them away. Now the stronger these talons, and the larger these wings of Sal-Armoniack are, the more will thereby be effected: The Common Sal-Armoniack is the weakest of all, our Secret Sal-Armoniack is as strong again, and our most Secret Sal-Armoniack far excells them both; but this we treat of here, is by much the strongest and most active of them all, and therefore may well be compared to the King of Birds.

This same Sal-Armoniack may also with great reason be called Lucifer, as afording a bright-shining Light to Chymists, whereby they may discover great Secrets: For as the bright Morning Star in the Firmament, does go before the Sun, and gives notice of his rising, and therefore is called Lucifer, that is the Harbinger or Bringer of Light. And as the said Star doth not only Usher in the Day, but also shut the same, and bring on the Night, being therefore also called Vesperus; we shall find a fit resemblance of all this in our Philosophick Lucifer, forasmuch as the same makes known and discovers to us, the rising as well as setting of our Spiritual Sun, and is a double Key which shuts as well as opens.

But to shew more particularly that my New found Alcahest or Spiritual Sal-Armoniack, hath this resemblance with the Morning-Star, Lucifer; I say, that, as the said Star ushers in the Suns rising; so likewise our Sophick Lucifer goes before our Spiritual Sun, and ushers the same over the Helm. And as the Firmamental Sun, when it riseth above the Horizon, doth by its Light, and Vital heat quicken, vigorate and refresh every thing; in like manner our Philosophical Sun, or Spiritual Gold, when by means of our Lucifer, it is brought from under its earth or dark Chaos, quickens and rejoices whatsoever is contain’d within the compass of our Sophick Heaven.

And as in the Heavens the Sun’s rising follows soon after the appearing of the Morning-Star, following the same, as it were, at the heels; so likewise our Lucifer, when by the Artists, She is joyned with the dark Chaos, in which the Sophick Gold lies hid, and begins to feel the Fire, swiftly comes over (for such is the nature of an Alcahest) and brings tidings of the Philosophick Suns rising, which indeed follows it at the heels. Again, As the Sun of the Firmament, leisurely follows the Morning Star, not leaping forth all at once; so our Sophick Lucifer brings over Gold, not all at once, but gently and by degrees, at first appearing very little, and afterwards discovering it self more and more, till at last it shine forth in its full Meridian Glory.

Neither ought it to be thought strange, that I compare our Alcahest to Lucifer, our Gold to the Sun, and our Alembeck or Vessel to Heaven; seeing that others have done the same before me, and particularly Hermes Trismegistus the Father of all Philosophers, has made use of this Allegorical way of expressing himself in the description of his Universal Tincture, as may be seen in his Smaragdine Table at the latter end of Mirac. Mundi.

Thus the Reader may see how the Philosophers of old took pleasure to represent their high Secrets in Parabolical expressions; which may further be traced in Morienus his Description of the Universal Tincture, in Paracelsus his Book entitled Cœlum Philosophorum, which contains great Secrets concerning the Transmutation of Metals, but much in Symbolical, and Allegorical expressions.

But to return to our Alcahest, whose name imports a strong Spirit which lays hold of Heavy and fix things carrying them upwards with it self, that is Volatilizing them. The Eagle, as a King of Birds, seizeth Hens, Gees, Hares, &c. with his Talons, and carries them up to his Nest; but as for what Pliny writes of the Griffon, seems rather an Allegory than a true History, because Pliny among other things relates of this Bird, that with her strong Talons she digs up Gold from out of the high Mountains and Rocks, and makes her Nest with it: Now how improper this is for a Bird to make her Nest with Gold, and not rather with Feathers and other soft materials, is apparent enough at first sight. Wherefore we may safely conclude, that the Ancients by this great and strong Bird, have denoted to us a violent and high volatil Alcahest, such as ours is, which lays hold not only of the Spiritual, but also of the Corporal Gold which is in Metals, Stones and Rocks, and plucks up the same with its sharp Talons, and with its strong Wings carries up the same to the tops of Mountains, there to make her Nest. Thus we see how this Story may be verified: For indeed the Talons of our Alcahest are much sharper, and her Wings much stronger, than those of the Eagle or Griffon; for when we pour the same upon any colour’d Metals or Stones in a Glass placed in a heat of Sand, it presently lays hold of them, and digs up not only the fix Gold that is in them, but also all their fix and volatile Tincture, and carries it to the top of an high Mountain, that is the head of the Alembeck. Nor doth it only exert its power upon imperfect Metals, or upon Sand and Flints, which are of a Dissimilar and Heterogeneous nature, and therefore more easily separable, but shews forth also its surpassing strength, upon six Gold and hard precious Stones, which are Homogeneous and of very difficult Separation, penetrating their compact and shut-up Bodies, drawing from them their fixed Tinctures or Souls, and carrying them up to the tops of Olympus. Neither doth it only extract Tinctures from dissolved Metals and powdred Stones, but also from those that are whole and entire, robbing them of their Tinctures without destroying the frame and figure of their Bodies, which indeed is wonderful. And as it thus extracts these Tinctures, so it can wonderfully introduce the same again into other hard and compact Bodies: All which it performs by reason of its surpassing subtile and piercing nature; as being neither Earth, Water, nor Air, but a meer Fire, penetrating all things, and which nothing can withstand or resist.

Take this instance of it; Fill a Glass-body with Earth, Water, or Air, and you’ll find that none of them will be able to penetrate the Glass, but put Fire into it, and it will pierce the same without the least resistance. Wherefore the Philosophers speaking of our Secret Fire, say: Our Fire is stronger than the Common, because it turns Gold that is most fix into a meer Spirit, which common Fire can no way perform. All men know that Gold cannot be destroyed by any common Fire, whereas our secret Fire carries over Gold in form of a Spirit, as if it were a volatile Mercury: Judge then whether this be not a wonderful Fire, which as it were in a moment, makes fix Gold spiritual and potable.

We read in the Scriptures, that the Israelites forced Aaron, in Moses’s absence, to make them a Golden Calf for to Worship; and that when Moses was come down from the Mount, and saw the Children of Israel dancing about the Golden Calf, his anger was kindled against them, and burning the Calf with fire, he ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water, and made the Children of Israel to drink of it, Exod. 32. 19, 20. Now whether it was by Art, or by the immediate power of God that Moses so burnt the Golden Calf, that the Israelites could drink it down, we will not now dispute; thus much we know, that it could never be done with common wood or Coal fire. Besides, we know that Moses was not defective in any thing of Art or Knowledge, as having been educated and instructed in the Royal School of Pharaoh, in which true Philosophy, Astronomy, Magick, Alchimy, and Physick at that time greatly flourished. We read of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist St. John, a thing no less surprizng and wonderful, viz. that he turn’d Rods to Gold, and common Stones into Gems, which he distributed to the Poor; as is exprest in the Latin Hymn the Roman Church sings in honour of that Evangelist, on the Festival-day appropriate to him, I am not ignorant that some are of opinion that St. John could never do this by art, because he did not make use of the proper matter for Transmutation, but by the immediate power of God, which I will not now determine; only this I can say, and if need were, make an Ocular demonstration of it, that out of Wood, and other Vegetable and Animal subjects, none excepted, good Gold, abiding all proofs may be made, though with more ease out of one Subject than another. For indeed the Principles of Metals are as well to be found in Vegetables and Animals as in Minerals, though somewhat more remote and invisible, than in these. That Wood contains a Sulphur like to that which is found in Metals, none can deny, and I have demonstrated in many places of my Books; neither is it destitute of Mercury and Salt. Wherefore I here openly profess, by an impulse from God and Truth, that it is no hard thing for me, out of all Vegetable and Mineral Subjects to make good Gold, by means of our fiery maturating Spirit, to which in this Treatise I have given the names of Alcahest, Eagles wings, Griffons talons, and Lucifer.

The Ancient Philosopher Artephius, has not specified the time, in which his Secret fire can maturate the true subject of the Stone, and bring it to perfection. Pontanus saith it may be done in a short time, and with small charges. ’Tis probable that Moses scarce spent one day in burning the Golden Calf with the Sophick fire; neither is it likely that St. John made any long work, of changing Wood into Gold, and common into precious Stones. If Miriam, Aaron’s Sister, could in three days time compleat the Philosophers Stone from beginning to end, (according to the Testimony of Philosophers) why may not there such enlightned Persons be found at this day among good Christians that can do the same? The same God who gave this knowledge to Moses and Miriam, as also to the Evangelist St. John, he lives still, and ceaseth not by his Holy Spirit, to enlighten his Elect, without any Verbal Disputes, reading of Books, Labour, Weariness, or Charges, in all Divine and Eternal, as well as Temporal and Natural things, and to lead and conduct them to their desired end. Wherefore all ought in the first place to beg of God his Light, Understanding, and Wisdom, as Salomon did, and not to seek after vain and perishable Riches, by which means they would obtain much more than they ever can by their own willing and running. I John Glauber affirm it boldly, that with our secret fire, I can in the space of three hours, make pure natural fix Gold to be as volatile as any Spirit of Wine can be; and again in twenty four hours-time, turn the said spiritualized and exalted Gold, into a fix transparent, spiritual, sweet, tinging Carbuncle: and this in the way of Nature, to the wonder and astonishment of the ignorant Covetous Children of this world, that walk in darkness; and yet (as Christ saith) are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light.

Let this suffice what we have here spoken concerning the power and great vertue of our Alcahest, in preparing of Medicines and Universal Tinctures, viz. that whatever Metals, common or precious Stones, are put into it, it immediately does volatilize the same, and brings them over the helm, carrying them upwards, to what height we please; for sure it is that the higher Metals mount in distillation or sublimation the purer they are. When now such pure and ætherial Spirits, are again fixed, then they are no more gross Metallick Bodies as before, but Spiritual Bodies, and Bodily Spirits; to the Eye Clarified Bodies, but indeed and in truth Concentred Spirits, which penetrate all hard things whatsoever, pass through lock’d Gates, and take away what pleaseth them; and as they can without opening the door take out any thing, so can they in like manner bring in the same again. As for instance, I draw the Colour from Gold, and introduce the said Tincture into Silver, being a fix pure and white Body, in which this Metalline Spirit takes up its abode; and the pure body of Silver greedily attracts the Tincture, because she stands in need of it; neither indeed can the porous body of Silver, resist or keep out this piercing Spirit, but passeth through warming and tincturing her throughout, and filling her pores with Solar Tincture, communicates to her not only the colour and weight, but also the nature and property of Gold.

Take another Example: Extract with our Alcahest by Distillation the fix Tincture out of Granates (not pulverized, but whole as they come to hand, and that for reasons hereafter mentioned) which extraction may be performed in half an hours-time, because our Lucifer can pass through shut gates. When now thou hast caught this Tincture in our Hellish Spirit, then thou hast it at command, and it must obey thee. If then our fiery Magnet be able to extract the Tincture from hard Stones, without breaking, or destroying their bodies, it can as easily introduce the same again into any hard, white stony body, and colour the same, light or deep, as pleaseth thee best. For instance thou drawest the colour from Granates, which indeed do superabound with tincture, which renders them opacous, and therefore less esteemed; for we find that a Ruby being of a lighter colour, that is less abounding with Tincture than a Granate, is much more valued, whose Bodies nevertheless do in all things exactly resemble one another, differing only by reason of more or less Tincture. Indeed where the bodies differ in hardness and clearness, there the case is alter’d; but when the body is fixe, and can endure the fire, onely ’tis darkened by too much Tincture, this may easily be mended by art, onely by extracting or taking away some part of its Tincture, which will render it of a brighter colour. Which extraction of Tinctures, and the introducing of them again into pale or white bodies, may be practis’d upon all precious Stones, and to very great profit. For example, I draw, by means of our secret fire, the Tincture out of Gold or Granates, and Introduce the same into another white Stone, which must be fix, that is, such an one, which when made red hot, doth not become soft or fall to shivers, but retains its former hardness, as all those do which are called precious, because the fire can neither consume nor separate their parts, such as Diamonds, Rubies, Granates, Saphires, Hyacinths, Emralds, Topases, Chrysolites, Amethists, &c. All which are coagulated of one and the same water, and tinctured with the same colour; for though their colours differ, that proceeds only from the greater or lesser quantity or purity of their Tinctures, their colours, as well as their bodies proceeding from one principle. And the same must be understood of all Metals; for Gold has no better original than Iron or Copper, save only that by long distillation in the Earth, it is better purified and ripened. Observe only that in this operation you do not take Cristals, Beryls, or any other Stones which grow soft and crumble to pieces when they are made red hot.

Some Jewellers know with the help of Fire, to mend some precious Stones whose colours are not bright and clear enough: thus they burn away the colour that is in Saphires and Amethists, making them white like Diamonds, their colours being volatile, and therefore may be taken away by Fire, but they can not introduce other colours instead of those they have rob’d them of. Neither are they able to burn yellow Diamonds to a whiteness, notwithstanding that Art has been much sought after: But our Alcahest can easily perform this Master-piece, for as much as it, like a subtil piercing fire, can pass and repass through shut doors without impediment, whereas all gross, corporal things are fain to stand without. For which reason I have given our secret Fiery Spirit, the name of Lucifer, of which Artephius speaks thus: Our Fire is moist and dry, it pierces all things, dissolves, volatiliseth, and also fixeth them; it is natural, unnatural, and supernatural: For though Nature make Gold and Precious Stones in the Earth, yet doth it not afford us such a supernatural Fiery Spirit or Stone with which we at our pleasure can make Gold and Precious stones of Earth. Therefore it is Art that brings things higher and further than Nature can, and yet the Artist cannot go beyond Nature, except he have first learnt to know Nature and taken his Principles from her. Now we know that Spirits, whether they be hot or cold, light or dark, good or evil, are of more power and efficacy than gross Bodies, for which reason God, who is Light and Life, and his Adversary Satan, who is Death and Darkness, have so great power: Though indeed the Darkness hath no more power than the Light allows or permits it to have: For the Light rules over the Darkness, so as the Darkness can do nothing against the Light, of which matter I intend, God willing, to Treat further in my second and third Purgatory.

In the mean time we have here shewed, how by Art such powerful Spirits may be prepared, as can effect things supernatural; for which reason, amongst others, I have given our Alcahest the name of Lucifer: for Lucifer was in the beginning with God, an Angel of Light, whereas now he is cast into utter Darkness; so likewise our Incomparable Wonder-working Alcahest in its first preparation, is a bright Fiery Spirit of Light, but after its coagulation, it becomes a spirit of Cold and Darkness, binding all volatile Spirits, whereas before it made all fix things volatile and spiritual. Which that I may more fully evidence to the Ignorant and Incredulous, I shall give an Instance thereof first in Gold, and then in Precious Stones.