Of the Powers and Virtues of my Green-Lyon, Vitriol of Sol, or Wonderful Golden Salt

This green golden Liquor may be safely and pleasantly used by all, whether young or old, sick or in health, without any difference of Persons, because it containeth nothing which is evil or prejudicial: For a cleansed Salt and Gold, never inferr any ill, but are alwaies profitable, exercising their wholesom Operations, as well in Vegetables, as Animals and Minerals, as in the following Treatise shall be clearly demonstrated.

First, This green liquor, only by its external aspect, cheereth the Heart, Brain, and all the vital Spirits, seeing that of all colours there is none superiour to the Green in pleasantness, of which all men are witness, who have overcome the intense cold of a sharp Winter, behold the renewing greenness of the Trees half dead, and Herbs extinct, in the Spring time, with great delight and pleasure, and feel all the Blood in their Body to be renewed and revived.

Secondly, This Golden Liquor being drank, strengtheneth and confirmeth the whole humidum radicale, Stomach, Brain, and all the inward parts of the body, beyond all other Medicines which I have hitherto known. Also it expelleth Melancholly, and all anxieties of Mind, taketh away Palpitations of the Heart, openeth Obstructions of the internal Vessels; it healeth the hurts of the inward parts, as Liver, Lungs, &c. and cureth all inward Exulcerations; it cureth Gravel and Stone, whether in the Reins or Bladder; it keepeth the Body soluble; expelleth Wind, with the pains of the Cholick; preserveth the Blood from Corruption; cureth the Leprosie, Scabs, and Fevers of all sorts; in process of time it taketh away the Gout; to the insulting Apoplexy and Epilepsie it affordeth present Cure; it cleanseth the Blood infected by the Scurvy, Plague, and other contagious Diseases; it preserveth and freeth from all internal Ulcers; defendeth the Lungs, Liver, and other parts, and removeth Exulcerations already arisen, and takes them away radically. It so tingeth all the inward parts of a Man with its Balsamick Virtue, that not being easily obnoxious to Diseases, they enjoy a sound and long Life. Outwardly used, it healeth all fresh wounds, no less than old and open Ulcers, without any Ointments or Plasters; for in curing Ulcers of this sort, there is nothing in Animals, Vegetables, or Minerals, which answereth to this in Virtue; as also inwardly it cureth Ruptures.

This is the nature and property of Gold, that it most potently taketh away all filths, and also astringeth; which two things are necessarily required in the Cure of all Ulcers. This Salt, by its own help, commodiously doth the same, and also wonderfully promotes the Virtues of the Gold: The said Liquor very quickly taketh away the Ulcers of the Mouth and Throat, with all their scorbutick Infection, which are wont to give way but very slowly to other Medicines: And this it doth, although the Tongue, Uvula, and all the Palate should be full of Pustules. In short, for the taking away all internal and external Ulcers, I think no Medicine preferrable to this Liquor; but all other defects of the Body which it cureth, for brevity’s sake, I will pass over.

Moreover, this green and golden Liquor hath this nature and property, that beyond all other Medicaments, it conciliateth a wonderful fertility to all things, as its signature, the wit, the green colour, and my diverse infallible Experiments, do truly testifie. Hence the seeds of all Vegetables being macerated in the same Liquor, and set in meer naked Sand, they put forth golden Sprouts and Plants, having a smell much stronger and pleasanter, a fairer colour, and greater length than those which grow out of a fat Earth. Therefore this green Liquor holdeth the chief place in rendering Vegetables green and fruitful, and augmenting their growing faculty; so also among all the Medicines, I know it hath no equal in conciliating and preserving fertility in the humane body: For in all the Diseases of Mankind it bringeth great help and comfort, and effecteth more in assisting the fruitfulness both of Male and Female, than can be believed, and is so great an exciter of Venus, that it bringeth great solace not only to Old men, who being baulked by their younger Wives, are forced to lie still, but also to such Women who are barren in their flourishing age, and therefore destitute of Heirs.

I write not dreaming, but am taught by Experience, having seen some men so strengthened by this Medicine, that they have seemed to themselves never to have been weak, the which also some Women have experienced. Nevertheless such Medicaments are not to be administred too frequently to this Sex, seeing that without this sort of help they are wont to be sometimes exagitated by a more salacious Itch than is convenient: Its use is more safe to Old men, inasmuch as it cannot do them the least damage. Nor ought those things which I here deliver, to seem a wonder to any, for they have their certain and undoubted causes of Operation.

Let those two Subjects, of which the Green-Lyon is composed, to wit, salt & gold be inspected; they are the best of things, & necessarily required to the generation of all things; for, what herb can be brought forth without seed and salt? not indeed the least: for if the earth or sand wanteth salt, the seed of the Herb can neither have nutriment nor production: Yea, if the seed it self be also sowed in a fat Earth, and yet be destitute of the Rays of the Sun, it can in no wise grow out of the Earth, but will be suffocated and perish; the which thing is not hid to Rusticks, who after they have sowed their seed, do ardently expect the warm Sunshine. Therefore, for a desirable coming up of Vegetables out of the Earth, and their encrease, there is required a fat and salt Earth, as also the warm and fruitful heat of the Sun, with necessary Rain; which also is to be understood of the generation and multiplication of Animals.

NB. In Aurum Potabile salt supplies the room of fatness, Gold is the Sun, and the Spirit of Wine performeth the Office of the warm and fruitful Rain; so also no Minerals are procreated, but by the help of the sun, and labour of salt. They exercising their operations upon the Water, generate Minerals, as the Writings of the ancient Philosophers teach.

Some ignorant man may here object and ask, How it can be, that the Sun, by operating in the depth of the Earth, should generate Minerals and Metals of salt? Let him know, that the Sun, by his hot Rays, doth excite the central fire in the profundity of the Earth; which central fire is not unknown to those who are occupied in digging Metals out of the Earth, who sometimes feel so strong a heat, that laying aside their Clothes, they are constrained to labour very leisurely, yea, sometimes wholly to intermit it; as I have taught in The First Part of my Mineral Work. Therefore no man of a sound mind will dare to oppose these things, seeing that it is wholly agreeable to Truth, that generation and encrease in all Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, do arise from the sun and salt, to which water is wont to be an help.

Seeing therefore that my golden Liquor is prepared of such subjects, it can operate no other thing than fertility, and thereby signed by Nature with that beautiful greenness, by which it signifieth its endowment to render all things fruitful: God adorneth nothing with His marks and signs in vain; from which, as from His signatures, the powers and virtues may be more clearly known, than from Books. For the signature with which things are signed by GOD and Nature never erreth; but the Books and Writings compiled by Men very often erre. Wherefore did the ancient Philosophers and Poets worship Venus, the Goddess of Love and of Generation, and attribute to her a beautiful green, generated of the spume or foam of the sea? What is the foam or froth which the sea calleth out upon the shore, but salt, which being dried up by the heat of the sun, is reduced to salt? And the Poets, especially Virgil and Ovid, who were men of great literature, would not have handled such things with so prolix an ambage of words, but that they were willing by their Fabulous writings to reveal that great Philosophick Mystery to the world: Therefore I constantly assert, That this green Liquor is the chief Medicine of all things to grow or be encreased, as its pleasant Viridity and infallible Experience do testifie. The Ocean, the Mother of all fertility, sheweth also its greenness, especially in those places where it is rich in salt, and strongly irradiated by the Beams of the Sun. This is well known among Seamen, who from the change of the water into a greener colour, presently collect, that they are near to hotter Regions, in which the Sun-beams are more strongly projected; for in such places the Sea is so salt, that it shineth like fire: The Urine of those pissing out of a ship, falling into the Sea, sheweth like sparks of fire; there four parts of water are found to contain one part of salt. The Mediterranean Sea is not so full of Salt, as that which is between Spain and France; and again, in this it self is found not a little difference, seeing that the Spanish side exceedeth the French in saltness; and the Ocean it self, by how much the nearer it is to the North, by so much it is less salt; for which reason also the salt is weaker, and of less Virtue, being more remote from the beams of the Sun. Therefore the Danes, Sweeds, and other Nations, inhabiting the Northern parts, although they have plenty of Sea-water, nevertheless they do not make salt of it, but fetch it from France or Spain; which is a Testimony evident enough, that salt is elaborated in the water by the most ardent Beams of the Sun, and produced for the sake of an universal fertility.

This is indicated by the German name of the Sea, Meer, which is all one as if we should say Vermeer, that is, Encrease, Enlarge. An Appellation very well agreeing with the thing, because without the Sea nothing would encrease in the Earth, but on the contrary, all things live, and are encreased by it.

Hence the green colour is a manifest Index and Signature of Fruitfulness, which might be demonstrated by infinite examples, which, for the avoiding of prolixity, is not here necessary, seeing that the thing it self is so manifest.

Some profligate Deriders, who love to oppose the Truth, may say, That this green colour doth not proceed from Gold, but from Copper, that so they may draw honest men away from the Truth, because no Gold seemeth to them to be of use in Medicine; with which Cavil they have before now accosted my Aurum Potabile. That I may stop their impure mouths and obviate the frivolous Objections of this sort, I say, that I indeed confess, Copper among the Metals doth obtain a green colour, if it be dissolved in Aqua fortis, and other corrosive Liquors of that kind: But Gold being dissolved in the same, appeared in a yellow colour, and not a green, which is known to every body. But who would think me to be so stupid and rude, to impose upon any so open a Cheat? Who also in any wise could hide such a Cheat? For Copper being dissolved in salt waters, would presently discover the Fraud, by its evil nauseating and Vitriolick taste, of which but one drop being swallowed down, would excite violent Vomitings, and would not be a Medicine, but rather a Poison. Moreover, if you put a Knife into such a solution, it will be presently covered over with the Copper, and appear to be Coppery. The contrary plainly happeneth, if any pure Iron be dipped in my Green-Lyon; for it will presently appear to be gilt with the colour of Gold, and that more fair and eminent than any Ducat, or other piece of golden Mony exhibiteth. If any Iron-Wire be put into it, and there left for a certain time, it will at length be changed into a pure Gold, which is an infallible testimony, that that Liquor doth not draw its original from Copper, but from Gold. Again, it may be objected, that a vulgar solution of Gold by Aqua Regia, also tingeth Iron with a golden colour, and adhereth to the same; therefore this is no strange thing, forasmuch as it is common and known to every man. I answer, That such a Solution, not green, but yellow, doth indeed by precipitation adhere to the Iron, and dissolved the Iron it self, and reduced it into a Mud, but doth not penetrate it, and preserve it in its form, as my green Liquor doth, which therefore is not to be numbred among those corrosive solutions; but that which is done by the Sal Enixum, is rather to be called an Extraction than a Solution: For my Sal Mirabile is of that nature, that it doth not throughly dissolve any fine Powder, or Calx of Gold, but only extracted from it whatsoever is most pure, and leaveth the rest like a black Powder. Moreover, that Solution is not corrosive; for if it were, it would corrode and dissolve the Iron, and not tinge it with the colour, and advance it to the degree of Gold, the Iron remaining whole. By a like reason the green Solution of Copper, made with the vulgar corrosive waters, associateth it self with the Iron, in a green colour, corrodeth it, and forsaketh the Copper. But if Copper be dissolved with my Sal Mirabile, that solution doth not penetrate Iron, but transmuteth the whole in its own form into Copper, yet not presently, but in a long progress of time.

From all these things may be seen the great difference between the vulgar corrosive solutions of Gold, Copper, and other Metals, and mine, void of all corrosion, which is performed by my Sal Mirabile, dissolving the Bodies of the Metals, after a far other manner than those corrosive solutions are made. Therefore it is not to be reckoned among vulgar solutions, seeing that it possessed far other Virtues. The vulgar solution of Gold, made by Aqua Regia, hurteth all things, as a corrosive Poison; a little of it being put to any Vegetable seed, deprived it of all its growing faculty, and throughly killed it. Some drops of it being drank by a Man, would corrode his throat and stomach, like Poison. A Liquor of this sort, by its corrosive and gnawing faculty, converteth the Metal put into it into slime or mudd. That solution which is made by the rectified Spirit of Salt, may safely be taken by any, when a sufficient quantity of Water is mixed with it; but it is not sweet, it constringeth the Tongue, and staineth the Hands; this doth not my green Liquor, for it neither coloureth the Hands, nor astringeth the Tongue, nor yet corrodeth the seeds of Vegetables, but rather exciteth them to fertility.

Whence it appears, that my said Sal Mirabile is not corrosive, but by it self is a good Medicine for all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, which Experience it self most evidently argueth: Therefore it can work nothing but good, because prepared without any Corrosive, and represented to the eye by a wonderful signature, to wit, the fair Green colour.

This signature is an undoubted token of its extraordinary Virtues, in rendering all living things vegete and fruitful, which lie absconded in its inward Penetrals. And this I think sufficient to be said to those foolish and idle Cavils of ignorant Scoffers, with which they may insult over me.

Whatsoever I have here ascribed to my Green Lyon, my red Aurum Potabile, extracted with Spirit of Wine, also performeth the same, and that as well in Vegetables and Animals, as in Minerals; for the Spirit of Wine can hurt none of them, but rather insinuateth the virtues of Gold into Vegetables and Animals, and rendereth them more efficacious. But concerning the solution of Gold by my Sal Mirabile, and its efficacy and operation, this may suffice for the present.

As for the solution of the other Metals, there is no need to make many words, or to write a large Volume about it, seeing that from what hath been already said, any man may easily conjecture, that solutions of this sort, made by the help of Sal Mirabile, are far better than those made by Corrosives. The Vitriol of Venus made by its help, doth not hurt Vegetables, as common Vitriol, which killeth the same by its corrosion; but the Vitriol made by Sal Mirabile wonderfully promoteth the growing faculty in Vegetables, so that Lunar, Venereal, Martial, Jovial, and Mercurial Herbs may be produced, which will have wonderful effects, especially if the Vegetative faculties of Lunar Herbs be encreased and promoted by the Salt of Luna; of Venereal, by the Salt of Venus, and so of the rest.

Enough hath been spoken to the Wise, but he that hitherto cannot apprehend what I have said, is an Ass, and unworthy of such Arcanums. From this Foundation a diligent Physician may erect a far other method of Curing, and may prepare for himself such Medicines, by which he may obtain Honour and Wealth. I have for many years observed, that Herbs are wont to acquire Martial faculties and properties, if they grow out of a reddish Martial Earth, although they were not before of a Martial nature, but of a Solar, Lunar, Venereal, Jovial, Saturnine, or Mercurial Property.

But how much more would the innate properties and virtues of Herbs be strengthened and encreased, if they were not nourished by the Dung of Animals, but set in pure sand and watered with Sal Mirabile impregnated with the virtues of Metals, and thence acquire the promotion of their growing faculty. Truly other Herbs of far greater Virtues, and other odours and tasts, would be brought forth, than the common, which are wont to be produced by the Dung of Animals, and the simple Salt of the Earth. By this means so strong an attractive Power may be conciliated to the Seeds of all Herbs, that by a Magnetick power they may attract to themselves the Astral powers and influences, and so encrease their Virtues, that without any Preparation they might be able to cure all Diseases to admiration. NB. That it is necessary, that he that would exactly understand the nature of Herbs, should know how to promote the vegetative faculties of Solar Herbs, with Solar Salt; of Lunar with Lunar, and so of the rest, and not that he should intermix the one with the other, without any consideration; which without doubt would be a hindrance to the desired success.

Consider these things with an accurate Meditation, as great Secrets and Arcanums, which will not be revealed to the perverse World. A word to the Wise is enough; therefore I will add no more; but I make no doubt, but that this Revelation of my Sal Mirabile, in process of time, will be accepted by diligent Physicians, and bring so much benefit, that they will by the same effect much good in comforting and curing the Sick. All things have their time, so also this Arcanum, which in its time will be in vigour; but I would not have any man perswade himself, that he may fish out of me the Preparation of my Sal Mirabile, I will not cast Pearls before ingrateful Swine, but will reserve them for Friends. But lest an occasion should be given to ignorant Deriders, and those that hate me, of calumniating and slandering me, as if I my self were ignorant of preparing of a Salt of this sort, I have determined to deliver some small portions to divers prudent men, not of this Salt only, but also of those Salts which are endued with the Virtues of Gold, Silver, and other Metals, that at any time they may be able to exhibit a clear Testimony of the Truth: And I will produce those Herbs themselves, that I may have them in readiness to shew to others.

Therefore let no man trouble me with his Letters, to ask of me this salt, or other Medicines, for I will communicate them to none, but such as I know, and with whom I am familiar.

Great Thanks are to be given to Almighty GOD, who hath made this present unworthy World partaker of such Magnalia. I have sought, and have opened the way to others; let another also seek, and enter by the way I have shewed, that insisting in my footsteps, he may by the easier labour, obtain a greater light of Nature.

But that I may omit nothing which pertaineth to the good Institution and Doctrine, and concerneth the glory and honour of Salt, I will yet over and above add one infallible Testimony, by which any rude and ignorant man may evidently see, that all fertility consisteth in Salt only, and that it is the most precious Treasure of the whole World, for the health of the Body, and that in it lie hid most ample Riches.

Fertility is indeed already demonstrated in many foregoing Testimonies; but because the History of the Prophet Elisha agreeth more than a little with these my sayings, and may be a clear Testimony to them, I have thought fit here to adjoin it. We read in 2 Kings, 2. 19. that the men of the City said to Elisha, Behold, it is good to dwell in this City, as my Lord seeth; but the water is naught, and the ground about it is barren: Bring hither to me (saith he) a new Vessel full of Salt. Which being brought, he went to the Spring into which he cast the Salt, saying, Thus saith the Lord I have healed this Water, from henceforth there shall no dearth and barrenness arise thence. So the Water was healed even to this day, according to the word of Elisha which was spoken.

That this great Mystery may the better be understood, it will be necessary first a little to consider the History it self, from which it may be known by what means the Salt of Elisha became so strong, that it expelled Death, and rendered the Water good, and the barren Earth fruitful.

When Elias was to be carried up into Heaven, he said to Elisha, Ask of me what I shall do for thee, before I am taken from thee. Elisha asked of Elias, that he would grant to him a double portion of his Spirit: Elias answered, It is a hard thing which thou hast asked; if thou shalt see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be as thou desirest, but if not, thou shalt obtain nothing. And when they went on together talking, behold, there cometh a fiery Chariot with Horses of Fire, and parted them asunder; so Elias was carried to Heaven in a fiery Chariot; and Elisha seeing this, cried out, My Father, my Father, &c. Listen therefore, Wherefore did Elias say to Elisha, If thou shalt see me when I shall be taken from thee, thou shalt have thy desire, otherwise not? And why with this condition? Could not Elias at his own will have rendered Elisha the possessor of his wish? Perhaps very easily, but Elias would not without some medium, because Elisha was to be doubly seasoned with the Celestial Fire, by which he was separated from Elias, for Fire bringeth forth Salt; the Celestial Fire bringeth forth a Celestial Salt, and the Elementary Fire an Elementary.

In this History is set before our Eyes the eternal Divine Light, and also the natural, although few discern either of them, inasmuch as their hearts are hardened and obscured by a horrid blindness. And both the Old and New Testament are full of such Mysteries; so that I dare boldly affirm, That all the Treasures both of Soul and Body may be found in the Holy Scriptures, if we will; and that we have no need to read the Writings of the Heathen Philosophers. I add this one thing, That it is of God alone to open the Eyes of those who desire to understand Divine and Natural Mysteries; for without divine illumination, all things are dead and buried in darkness. This Truth putteth to flight the diabolical Cavils and Slanders of all scoffing Mountebanks and Jack-puddings. But which of them will oppose this, and seek fertility from any other thing than Salt? Truly, I believe no man, except that most profligate Farnner, with his wretched Followers, who determine, That Salt doth not fatten, but Dung; when nevertheless this is to be ascribed to the former, and not to the later. But those Ass-like Brethren of Ignorance, being convinced of their filthy Lyes by the most evident Truth, will I hope have their impure and shameless mouths more than sufficiently stopped. I therefore acquiesce in this demonstration, in which I think I have evidently proved, That the Sun and Salt are the most noble Creatures of God, and that Salt is by me rightly and deservedly called the greatest Treasure, and the greatest Riches of the World; because after an earthly manner of speaking, nothing can be more desirable for fruitfulness. Salt is the Original of all fertility, the Sun is the original of Salt, and God the Creator of all things, of the Sun, to whose Name be Honour and Glory for ever, Amen.

But although this demonstration, which doth evidently shew, that salt is the greatest Treasure in the world, be most clear, and beyond all doubt; nevertheless, I doubt not, but it will not satisfie the Covetous, who will say, Where is the Stone of Philosophers which we expected from thee, as the greatest Treasure of the whole world, that it being known and acquired, we might lead a brave life? But stay, my friend, until some man shall come and render sordid men partakers of so great a Gift: For thinkest thou that if I its possessor, that I would describe so great a Mystery, in such clear words as I have described the fertility of the Earth: Not at all; nor have I the power of doing that, seeing that a man cannot give to any those things which are not his own, but God’s. Nevertheless, that the pious searcher after Truth may have some manuduction to a Work of so great moment, I cannot but hold forth to him that small Light granted me by Divine Grace, provided he hath not Owls eyes, shunning the light of Nature, because they cannot bear its splendour; which if he hath not, it cannot be, but he will give credit to a manifest Truth. And concerning so great a work, this is my opinion, That it is altogether possible, that the most noble universal Pearl, to wit, the Medicine and Stone of Philosophers, restoring the diseasie Bodies of Men and Metals to their pristine health and state, may be prepared of common salt: But of the Preparation, which is unknown to me, I can affirm nothing certain; but that it may be done, manifold and infallible Experience hath caused me to believe; which Experience I keep to my self, and will not part with it to any, although I could very freely, if I might or durst make pious men partakers of it: But because Faith is effected in us by God alone, it is to be sought from Him by Prayer, and not to be expected from Men.

Therefore that (according to my promise) I may demonstrate, That the Stone of Philosophers, lying hid in salt, may be got out of it by the benefit of Art, I desire only this thing of the studious of divine Mysteries, that he would search after those things, in my Writings lately printed, which I have spoken concerning the little Fish Echineis, viz. by what means he may be taken with a Net out of the salt Sea, for there he will find a sufficient manuduction, of which it is not necessary that I should here say any more. Those are the things which I was willing to add in honour of that noble creature salt: He that will not believe the most noble Pearl, of a universal and particular Medicine, to be included in the inward Penetrals of Salt, I cannot help him; it is free for every man to seek and walk in another way.

Would it not be too tedious, I could also plainly prove, that from marine Bodies, (as Coral, Mother of Pearl, Oyster-shells, and the like things, being dissolved into water, and precipitated) may be extracted corporal Gold, which I have done with my own hands, and therefore can boldly witness it.

But I will shut up the Tables, what I have hitherto spoken being sufficient for this time; from which I hope and believe that others will receive benefit: Which I heartily wish, together with the divine benediction to all pious men. Amen.