Archidoxis, Book X: the Key, part 2 of 2

The Preparation of the Sal circulatum, OR, Circulated Salt.

WE have sufficiently shewed and declared in our other Books, That the Water or Sea, is the true Element, as being the true Mother of all the Metals, and hath received out of its own first Ens the Sperm of the Three Principles, of which no body hath made any mention afore me, but built their principles from Sulphur and Mercury only, they neglected the mentioning of the Third Principle, viz. Of Salt which lies in the Sea: But Experience being my Tutor, I have also in my other Books briefly hinted, That the first Ens or the Quintessence of the Element of Water, is the Centre of Metals and Minerals; and I have elsewhere added, That every Fruit must die in that in which its life is, that so it may receive a new better life afterwards, and so (by the deposition or laying off the old body) may be reduced into the first Ens, We will therefore here adde the. Extraction of the Centre of the Water, in which the Metals ought to lose their body.

Take, in the first place, the true Element of Water, or instead thereof another Salt as is not yet wholly boyled to a drynesse; Or, even Sal Gem depurated; pour there to two parts of Water mixt with a little Juyce of Radish, putrefie it in an accorate Digestion, by how much the longer, so much the better; then afterwards let it congeal, and putrefie it again for a month, then distil it by a Retort; Urge the Residue by a strong fire, that so it may flow or melt, Reverberate it in the Retort with a continued fire, Dissolve it on a Marble, then take that water that flows from hence and pour it on again, and putrefie it; distil it again even to an Oylinesse, Conjoyn it with Spirit of Wine, and the Impure will fall to the bottom, the which Separate, but the Pure will be Cristallized in the Cold; pour on again that which is distilled, and Cohobate it so often till a fix Oyl remain in the bottom, and that nothing comes over sweet afterwards. Then farther, digest it for a month, and then distil it so long until the Arcanum of the Salt passeth over by an Alembick: Let not the length of labouring here-abouts grieve thee, for this is the Third part of all the Arcanaes that are hid in Metals and Minerals, and without it, can nothing fruitful, and nothing perfect be accomplishr.

But although there are more wayes for Extracting the first Ens of Salts, yet this is the most profitable, and the most ready way; and next to this is that other way which we have mentioned under the Title of the Elixir of Salt, viz. That new Salt being permixt with the dissolving Water, (which Water is the Distilled Spirit of Salt) be putrefied and distilled so long, until the whole substance of the Salt be dissolved and reduced into a perpetual and during Oylinesse, the body being removed there-from in the likenesse of Phlegm. After this manner likewise is Taught the making of the Arcanum, or Magistery of Vitriol and Tartar, and out of all other Salts.

CHAP. IV. Of the First Entities: And first of the Extraction of the Quintessence, or first Ens, of the Common Mercury.

IF you would Reduce the Mercury of the Vulgar into its first liquid Ens, then is it to be first Morrified and brought out of its own form; and that is done by various Sublimations with Vitriol and Common Salt, that so it may at last be like six Crystal; Then dissolve it in its own Matrix, viz. in the first Ens of Salt, putrefie it for a month, corrupt it with new Arcanum of Salt that the Impure thereof may be precipitated to the bottom, and that the Pure may be turned into Crystals; Sublime the Stones or Crystals in a close Reverberatory when tis Sublimed, alwayes turn it up side down, until it comes to a redness. Extract this Sublimate with Spirit of Wine rectified even to the height; Separate the Spirit of Wine, dissolve the rest upon a Marble and digest it for a month; pour on new Spirit of Wine, digest it for a time, and distil it. Then the Arcanum of the first Ens of Mercury will come over in a liquid substance, the which is called by the Philosophers, A most sharp Metalline Acetum; and in our Archidexis, Circulatum Majus. The same is to be understood of Antimony, Gems, and Herbs.

CHAP. V. Of Arcanums.

YOu are thus to understand our speaking of Arcanums, That they are nothing else but a graduated Quintessence, a Magistery, or first Ens. And first, by the Arcanum of the first Matter, we mean the first Matter, or first Ens of the Limbus of man; likewise the first Matter of the Mercury of Salt, for that is neerest conformable. Therefore thou must (according to the process of the first Ens) reduce all things into a liquid substance, and then again Conjoyn it with a Monarchy, as 'twere with the living unreduced body of that thing, and promote or set it to distillation.

As for our Opinion concerning the Arcanum of the Stone, it shall be declared in the following Practick: But by the Arcanum of Mercurius Vitae we mean a Living Fire, so that the Mercury of the Vulgar be Essentificated with the Quintessence of Salt, and be vivified with the first Ens of Antimony, as 'twere with a Coelestial Life; but the Arcanum of the Tincture displayes and unfolds it self, and therefore we here omit it.

CHAP. VI. Of the Arcanum of the Stone, or of the Heaven of the Metals.

THat which we have here and there set down Theorically, concerning the Arcanum of the Stone, we omit in this place, and I only say, That this Arcanum is not to be sought for in the Rust, which many have falsly termed Flores but in the Mercury of Antimony; And that Mercury of Antimony when tis brought to its perfection, is no other thing but the Heaven of the Metals, because its Virtue is alwayes Vital or lively, and is no other thing then a perfect pure Quintessence; and therefore even in the deludge, nothing of its Virtue or Efficacy was taken from it; for the Heaven being as 'twere Life it self, cannot be destroyed by any lesser or inferiour thing; The preparation thereof I do here briefly describe.

Take Antimony, purge it from its Scoria or drosse, and Realgar in an Iron Vessel, until the Coagulated Mercury of the Antimony appear white and fair; and although it be the Element of Mercury, and hath in it self a true hidden life, yet notwithstanding all these things are in power, and not in act. But if you would bring it unto act, then tis expedient that you stir up that life with it own like living Fire, or with a Metaline Acetum, in or with which fire many Philosophers have proceeded many wayes. But because they have all agreed in the Foundation or Root, they all arrived to the appointed end: For, one of them hath extracted a Quintessence out of the Coagulated Mercury, by much labour, and hath therewith brought the Mercury of the Antimony into act; but, others of them have beheld a Uniform Essence to be in other Mineral things: As for Example, in the six Sulphur of Vitriol, in the Magnetick stone, and have thence extracted a like Quintessence, and have therewith ripened its Mercury or Heaven, or brought it into act. And because they extracted their Quintessence out of a stony matter, they therefore called that Magistery a Stone; and indeed their Opinion is right: Yet notwithstanding, that Fire or Corporal Life is found much more perfectly and sublimely in the Mercury of the Vulgar; and this is evidently witnessed by its Flux and Running, viz. That there is hidden in it a most chief Fire, and a Coelestial Life. And therefore whosoever desires to Graduate his metalline Heaven even to the height, and to reduce it into act, he must first of all extract out of the Corporal Life, (viz. The Mercury of the Vulgar) the first liquid Ens, (as being a Coelestial fire) the Quintessence of Sol, and a most sharp metalline Acetum by a Solution with its own Mother, that is, he must permix it with the Arcanum of Salt, and with the stomach of Anthion, that is, with the Spirit of Vitriol, and must therein dissolve the Coagulated Mercury of Antimony, digest it, and afterwards reduce it into Crystals, that it may be like to a yellowish Crystal; of the which we have made mention in our Manual.

CHAP. VII. Of the Arcanum of Mercurius Vitae.

EVen as a Temperate Essence is educed or drawn out of Hearbs, as for example out of a Vine, by the which Essence may be Attracted the Essence of Hearbs and Roots of every kind; insomuch that the Mercury of the Wine doth not shew its own proper Nature, but the Nature of that which it is Essentificated with; even so in like manner is it with Metals and Minerals, for such a like Mercury or spirit is extracted out of the open and middle Metal (Mercury) if an Essence be extracted out of the perfect Metals with that same spirit; then that Essentificated Mercury, is afterwards conjoyned with the Celestial Balsam of the Quintessence, in a close Reverberatory, by which it obtains a life, and is therefore called Mercurius Vitae. The Virtues of which seem to us very admirable, and therefore must be concealed and hidden by us, that so they may not be contemned.

CHAP. VIII. Of the great Composition, being the greatest (in Medicine) of our Secrets.

IN our Paramirical Writings it is clearly enough declared, viz to a Philosopher, or a Physitian, as much as is needful for the preservation of the whole humane Body, not onely in his Corporal and Earthly Mass, but even in the Celestial Balsamick Part, and for the curing it of all Celestial and Terrestrial Diseases. For it is expedient that such a composition be in that Medicament, as doth not consist in the number of Ingredients. For example sake, should any one think that by the mixing of Water and Wine together, were made a true mixion, it would be a false conception; for one part may be Separated from the other without the hurting of either, which is far otherwise in our great Composition; for here is made a uniform, and an Harmonius mixture, insomuch that two things different or distinct in Nature and properties are united, and neither of them can be Separated from the other without hurt, because of their notable Concordance; as it also comes to pass in the Masculine and Feminine Seed; if therefore such a composition be to be prepared as is in its state and form sutable and agreeable to man, in the proportion of Celestial and Terrestial Things, it is convenient to consider of the Name of the Microcosm, and that man is a little World; And consequently if you would cure him Universally of all his diseases, it is necessary that it be done by his like. Concerning which Hermes Trismegistus saith, tis expedient that he who intends to make this composition, do Create a new World; And even as God created the Heaven and the Earth, […] likewise must the Physitian frame a Medicinal World Separate and prepare it. And that he (the said Hermes) may faithfully shew unto his Disciples, what thing o[…] matter this composition must be made out of, and how also a Concordancy of Celestial Virtues may be found with us in the vally of darknesse, he doth very wisely and truly add a little after, viz. That which is beneath is like that which is above, and the things beneath are so related to the things above as Man and wife, and for the better understanding thereof, he teacheth that the Heaven (doth of it self) agree with the Element of Water; for it had its First Spermatick matter in the Water, and that the Element of the Earth thereof, being coagulated or changed out of a Spirituality, into a Corporality and Earthlinesse, is like to the Plannets and the other Stars; for they also did at the begining obtain their Spermatick Matter in the Heavens, and did from thence pass, or were changed (by a Separation) out of the Celestial transparent Nature, into a thick Coagulated Body.

In the first Creation, the things above, and the things below, the upper and lower Heaven or Water, the Superiour Coagulated Nature or Stars, and the inferiour Terrestrial Nature were all commixt in one, and were but one thing. But God Separated the Subtile from the gross, that so of one Water might be made two, the Superiour Water was Subtile, and to be accounted of as a Masculine Sex to the inferiour, more gross, Feminine Water. But even as God did farther devide and Separate the superiour Water, that the subtile Aerial part might be ordained for Stars, so that the Celestial Bodies or Stars are so related to the Heaven, as Sons are to a Father; even so likewise by the same way, hath God appointed (in the more gross Feminine Bodies, viz. the Waters in the Vally of darkness) a Separation agreeing with the Superiour Separation, and hath also divided it into two Parts. The seventh more clear part, he called Water, the other six dryed parts, or Coagulum, he called Earth, the which comprehends in it self all the Specificated or particular Fruits and Planets, that had their first Original in the Water, as in their Heaven. Even as Metals, Minerals and Gems, which are to be accounted of in respect of the Water, as Daughters in respect of their Mother. So the Superiour. Heaven hath a Nature and properties like it self in its Feminine Nature, viz. in the Inferiour Heaven or Water; and the Superior Terrestrial Bodies or Stars, as being the Sons of a Father (that is of the Heaven) have a like concordancy and affinity with their Sisters, the Terrestrial Bodies. And by how much the Superiour Celestial Bodies or Stars are conjoyned with their Father the Heaven; Even so by an equal kin or affinity, the Inferiour Terrestrial Minerals and Metals are allyed to the Water (their Heaven) as being their Mother, from thence therefore is the truth of the saying of Hermes evidenced, the which we do even commend to our Sons of learning, in these expressions, viz. that the whole Microcosm (as far forth as appertaines to the comprehensible Mass, and to the living, Moving, Corporeal, Generating Spirit) ought to be gathered as it were and composed of those Inferiour Elements, dark Waters, their most Noble Essences; But as to the Mental Arcanaes (by which a sound mind consisteth in a sound Body) they are to be Attracted from the superiour Celestial Waters, and their Astral Influences (spiritually) in a Mental manner, through the mind of the Image and its Gamahea or (if they are not so pleasing to us) may be eschewed; even as we have largely and cleerly enough demonstrated these things in our books of long life. And because we have comprised the Theory of this great Composition in other places, but especially in th[…] Books of Paramirum; therefore we shall content o[…] selves with them, and rather adjoyn the Practick […] self, viz. how the Inferiour World or Heaven ought […] be united and compounded with its Earth, or the […] with its Heaven. But because we have afore premis[…] the preparation of the Heaven, and have taught it under the Arcanum of the Stone, we omit it in this place But now whereas of it self alone, tis like the male se[…] and can bring no benefit in the Body of man, but one[…] restore the Celestial Parts, viz. the Radical Moisture […] Balsam of Life, therefore it is expedient that it be co[…] joyned with its Terrestrial Corporal Mass, and b[…] brought into a Concord and Harmony, that so even th[…] Fleshy Masse in man, may be also refreshed and restored, and not onely one Member be restored to health but the whole Body Therefore such a Corporal Ma[…] must be taken as is equal in its Nature to the Superio[…] Sun, and comprehends in it self the proprieties of a[…] the Stars; for as much as it is impossible for all the Subterrane Stars, and Coagulated Bodies to be comprehended together in the number of Ingredients. This Coagulated Essence of the Heaven, that is the Sun in its own Essence and Temperate Element, is so elevated and graduated, that it doth also even six its own habitation (that is the superfluous Elements) with it self, so that it cannot be destroyed by any Element, and the Inhabitant or Corporal Balsam therein hidden, is able to continue eternal. If therefore (as is aforesaid) the whole Microcosm is to be truly cured, then the Corporal Coagulated Balsam is to be Co-united with the Celestial Spiritual Balsam, and the discord betwixt the Elements of the Sun, to be reconciled, so that the superfluous Elements, may be Separated from the fix Predestinated Element, and may plainly die, and may leave the Eternal fix Element (as being their Inhabitant) alone. If this dead Body of the Sun, be afterwards cleaned from superfluities, and be brought into […]otatile Spiritual Nature, then is perfected the true […]limed and resolved Mercury of Sol (not that Hore[…]ntal, which many endeavour to prepare with the […]ercury of the Vulgar, and Sal Armoniack.

CHAP. IX. Of the Corporal Balsam or Mercury of Sol.

THat you may stir up a discord between the Elements of the Sun, or of the habitation of Gold, it expedient that you draw out or bring Sol in a strong […]olution by a Phlegmatick Fire or Quintessence of Tar[…] into its proper heat and fervency; By which the […]lement of the Air is most greatly augmented in the Sol, and (by the assailing or accompanying Air) the fix Element of the Sun (as being its proper Fire) is so much […]raduated, that it is able to overcome and destroy the dwelling of the other three. Putresie this destruction […]ith the Quintessence of Tartar, and with the Ostrich, […]onvert it by a proper Sublimation, into the Matter of […]ercury, and then the fix Mercurial Element of Sol, will remain alone without a habitation; but because that it (as yet) permixt with its superfluous Tartar, therefore this is to be removed therefrom; dissolve it therefore in the Circulated Water of Salt, corrupt or break […], and the Tartar will be precipitated. Sublime the […]ure in a close reverberation of an Athanor; dissolve […] upon a Marble and putrefie it, so is the Mercury sublim[…]d, Graduated and resolved into the First Matter of Sol, […]nd is prepared in the highest degree.

CHAP. X. Of the Composition of the Spiritual Balsam, and the Balsam of the Coagulated Body.

THis composition as is rehearsed in the Manual, made in the Philosophick Egg. And so we put a end to this Great Work, in the Name of God, to b[…] Praise and Glory.