Section 6

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PERFECTION OF THE WHOLE MASTERY Stone, or Mercury, but its forces axe named Spirit, when affecting things of a Sulphurous nature ; while the solid Earth is the Body, the quintessence is the ultimate TINCTURE. All these three are a united thiag of one sole root, but having manifold effects and innumerable names, which, though having all the same meaning are yet like a chain linked into one another, so that where one end? the other begins.
In the last part is to be noticed the virtues and powers of the noble Tincture, which is to its opponents like a strong tower, and of which the old Sages discovered four principal virtues. Firstly, it gives health and cures man of various diseases ; Secondly, it makes perfect the metallic bodies ; Thirdly, it changes all base stones into precious ones ; and Fourthly, it softens every kind of glass.
Of the first the Philosophers say that if taken in a warm draught of wine or water, it will immediately cure paralysis, dropsy, leprosy, jaundice, palpitation, colic, fever, palsy, and many other internal diseases, as well as external ones, when used as a salve. It strengthens an unhealthy stomach, takes away rheumatism and cures all mental diseases ; it relieves catarrh and bad eyes, and it invigorate'^ the heart ; it brings back the faculty of hearing, and renews the teeth, restores the lame limbs, it heals bums and gangrene, as well
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PERFECTION OF THE WHOLE MASTERY as impostunies ; it can be taken or used as salve or powder, for all external injuries, fistulas, cancers, swellings.
Senior says that it makes the man joyous, fresh, healthy, rejuvenates inside and outside, for it is a medicine above all other medicines of Hippocrates, galen, constantine, ALEXANDER, AvicENNA, and Surpasses all the learned Physicians. This medicine should as well be mixed with other ones meeting the particular disease, or with water About the second virtue it is written that it changes all im- perfect metals into Gold, and this is evident ; for eyer5rthing of silver becomes Gold in colour, substance, weight and consistency, as well as in kind, fusion, softness and hardness.
Thirdly, according to what is written (!) this medicine changes all stones into precious ones, as in Jasper, White and Red Coral, Emerald, ChrysoUte, Sapphires, further CrjTstals into Garnets, Rubies and Topazes, which are much more powerful than the natural ones. It softens and fuses all base and precious stones.
And FOURTHLY, in mixing this medicine with molten glass, the latter may be cut and changed into all colours.
The rest may be learnt by experience by any skilful artist.
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CONCLUSION
The most noble Art and comforter of the poor, above all natural arts, which man may ever have on earth, the noble Alchemy, is to be esteemed as the gift of God ; for it is hidden mostly in manifold proverbs, figurative sayings and parables of the old Sages.
So says the Philosopher senior : "A sensible man, if he but tries this art, will soon perceive it from the books, £ind get a knowledge of this art, if his mind and intellect are illuminated."
Whosoever therefore will act wisely should search for the Wisdom of the old Philosophers, which is shown in the wit and Artfulness of the manifold parables and roundabout sa5dngs, thus hiding the proper operations and thus rendering their unriddling difiicult.
To think over these things requires a very subtle mind, and only those with suitable faculties and knowledge will find it easy and natural. But as senior says : " For those who have no natural understanding of these things, there is nothing so precious in Nature as he who possesses this Art ; he is like one " who had a flint from which he strikes fire and gives to whosoever he likes, without the stone getting any smaller through it. It is as good as giving superfluous fine Gold. This Art is also better than all commerce, Gold and Silver, and her fruits are better than the wealth of all the world. For by means of this Art, is obtained that which furthers long life, health, her youngest fruit being the true AURUM, the most powerful balm and most precious gift of God, which the old Philosophers could find in Nature with their Art.
End of Splendor Solis 81
TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS
AND ADVENTURES IN SEARCH OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
Translated from the AURUM VELLUS. ROHRSCHACH.
1498
WHEN I was a young fellow, I came to a Miner named Flocker, who was also an Alchemist, but he kept his knowledge secret, and I could get nothing out of him. He used a Process with commom Lead, adding to it a peculiar Sulphur, or Brimstome, he fixed the Lead until it became hard, then fluid, and later on soft like Wax.
Of this prepared Lead, he took 20 Loth (10 ounces), and 1 mark pure unalloyed Silver, put both materials in flux and kept the composition in fusion for half an hour. There- upon he parted the Silver, cast it in an ingot, when half of it was Gold.
I was grieved at heart that I could not have this art, but he refused to tell his secret process.
Shortly thereafter he tumbled down a mine and no one could tell what was the artifice he had used.
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS
As I had seen it really done by this miner, I started in the year 1473 on my travels to search out an artist in Alchemy, and where I heard of one I went to him, and in these wan- derings I passed 18 months, learning all kinds of Alchemical Operations, of no great importance, but I saw the reality of some of the particular processes, and I spent 200 Florins of my own money, nevertheless I would not give up the search. I thought of boarding with some of my friends, and took a journey to Laibach, thence to Milan, and came to a monastery. There I heard some excellent lectures and served as an assis- tant, for about a year.
Then I travelled about, up and down in Italy, and came to an Italian tradesman, and a Jew, who understood German. These two made English Tin look like the best fine Silver, and sold it largely. I offered to serve them. The Jew persuaded the Trader to take me as a Servant, and I had to attend the fire, when they operated with their art I was diligent, and they kept nothing from me, as I pleased them well. In this way I learnt their art, which worked with corrosive and poisonous materials, and I stopped with them fourteen weeks.
Then I journeyed with the Jew to Venice. There he sold to a Turkish merchant forty pounds of this Silver. While he was haggling with the merchant I took six Loth of the
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS
Silver, and brought it to a Goldsmith, who spoke Latin, and kept two Joume5mien, and I asked him to test the Silver. He directed me to an Agsayer on Saint Marks' Place, who was portly and Wealthy. He had three German Assay- assistants. They soon brought the Silver to the test with strong acids, and refined it on the Cupel ; but it did not stand the test, and all flew away in the fire. And they spoke harshly to me asking where I got the Silver. I told them I had come on purpose to have it tested, that I might know if it was real silver.
When I saw the fraud, I returned not to the Jew, and paid no more attention to their art, for I feared to get into trouble together with the Jew, through the false silver.
I then went to a College in Venice, and asked there if they could give me two meals daily while I looked for employ- ment. The Rector told me of a Hospital where there were other Germans, and there we got sumptuous food. It was an Institution for destitute strangers, and people of all nations came there.
The next day I went to Saint Marks' Place, and one of the Assay assistants came up, and asked me where I got that Silver ? Why I had it tested, and if I had any more of it ? I said I had no more of that silver, and that I was glad to have got rid of it, but I had the art and I should not mind
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TRISOMSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS telling it to him. That pleased the Assayer, and he asked me if I could work in a Laboraotry ? I told him I was a Laborant travelling on purpose to work in alchemical Laboratories. That pleased him vastly, and he told me of a nobleman who kept a laboratory, and who wanted a German Assistant. I readily accepted, and he took me straight to the Chief Chemist, named Tauler, a German, and he was glad to get me. So he engaged me on the spot at a weekly wage of two crowns and board as well. He took me about six Italian miles out of Venice to a fine large mansion called Ponteleone. I never saw such Laboratory work, in all kinds of Particular Processes, and medicines, as in that place. There everything one could think of was provided and ready for use. Each workman had his own private room, and there was a special cook for the whole staff of Laboratory assistants.
The Chief Chemist gave me at once an Ore to work on, which had been sent to the nobleman, four days previously. It was a Cinnabar the Chief had covered with all kinds of dirt, just to try my knowledge, and he told me to get it done with in two days. I was kept busy, but Succeeded with the Particular Process, arid on testing the ingot of the fixed Mercury, the whole weighed nine Loth, the test gave three Loth fine Gold.
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS That was my first work and stroke of luck. The Chief Chemist reported it to the nobleman, who came out un- expectedly, spoke to me in Latin, called me his Fortunatum, tapped me on the shoulder and gave me twenty-nine crowns. He spoke a funny kind of Latin I could hardly understand, but I was pleased with the money.
I was then put on oath not to reveal my Art to anyone (*). To make a long story short, everything had to be kept secret, as it should be. If someone boasts of his art, even if he has got the Truth, God's Justice will not let such a one go on. Therefore be silent, even if you have the highest Tincture, but give charity.
I saw all kinds of operations at this Nobleman's Labora- tory, and as the Chief Chemist favoured me, he gave me all kinds of operations to do, and also mentioned, that our employer spent about 30,000 Crowns on these arts, paying cash for all manner of books in various languages, to which he gave great attention. I myself witnessed that he paid 6,000 Crowns for the Manuscript sarlamethon. A process for a Tincture in the Greek Language. This the nobleman had soon translated and gave me to work. I brought that process to a finish in fifteen weeks. Therewith I tinged three metals into fine Gold ; and this was kept most secret.
* Mere Metallurgy. — J.K. 86
TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS This nobleman was gorgeous and powerful, and when once a year the Signoria went out to sea, to witness the throwing of a Gem Ring into the water at the ceremony of wedding the Adriatic, our gentleman with many others of the Venetian nobility went out in his grand pleasure ship, when suddenly a hurrican arose and he with many others of the Venetian Lords and Rulers, was drowned.
The Laboratory was then shut up by the family, the men paid off, but they kept the Chief Chemist.
Then I went away from Venice, to a still better place for my purpose, where Cabalistic and Magical books in Egyptian language were entrusted to my care, these I had carefully translated into Greek, and then again retranslated into Latin. There I found and captured the Treasure of the Egyptians . I also saw what was the great Subj ect they worked with, and the ancient Heathen Kings used such Tinctures and have themselves operated with them, namely. Kings
XOFAR, SUNSFOR, XOGAR, XOPHALAT, JULATON, XOMAN and
others. All these had the great treasures of the tincture and it is surprising that god should have revealed such Secrets to the Heathen, but they kept it very secret.
After a while I saw the fundamental principles of this art, then I began working out the Best Tincture (but they all proceed, in a most indescribable manner from the same
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL WANDERINGS
root), when I came to the end of the Work I found such a beautiful red coloiu: as no scarlet can compare with, and such a treasure as words cannot tell, and which can be infinitely augmented. One part tinged 1,500 parts Silver into Gold. I will not tell how after manifold augmentation what quanti- ties of Silver and other metal I tinged after the multiplica- tion. I was amazed.
STUDY WHAT THOU ART, WHEREOF THOU ART A PART, WHAT THOU KNOWEST OF THIS ART, THIS IS REALLY WHAT THOU ART. ALL THAT IS WITHOUT THEE ALSO IS WITHIN, THUS WROTE TRISMOSIN.
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AVINCENA'S SEVEN RULES
FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
1. The FIRST Operation is the extraction of the most noble and pure substance from Matter.
2. The Matter or Subject to be dissolved in Water.
3. The GENERATION has to be preceded by the putre- faction, for the Philosophers say that the destruction of one thing is the Generation of another.
4. Dealbation is necessary that the putrefied Matter may be washed and purified from all corruption and im- purity. But the Philosophers say that the longer the Water remains on the surface of the Earth, the more thoroughly will the latter be washed.
5 Now follows the coagulation, for through the moderate warmth and boiling of our Sun, our Water has to be dried into Earth, and has thus to become a powder.
6. After this it must be calcinated, as the calcined materials are of more use in our work, than the raw ones ; some Philosophers say that the calcination is the same as the fixation, which is not badly told, because both have to go through Sublimation..
7. Besides all that you must know that the whole of our work is being perfected in one way or manner, in one vessel, and that all goes into one, and upon one, and from one.
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL PROCESS
CALLED THE RED LION,
AND GIVEN at length in the aureum vellus, pubhshed Rohrschach, 1598, also in the toison d'or, 1602 and 1622, as summarized by Professor Schmieder in his History of Alchemy, 1832, and veiled in the Pictures and Treatises of SPLENDOR soLis is given with aU reservation and without assuming any responsibility for its correctness or efficacy, as comprising the gist of treatises in the aureum vellus under the headings : " copulatur," " liber suforeton,"
" CANGENIUERON," " RED EAGLE," " ELECTRUM SORONEL- LA," " MORATOSAN," " NEFOLON," GEROTON," SARONA DOAP
AURi," " viATOLON," " USEFUR," &c., which 3X6 to be found in the printed books, but not in the original Manuscript of SPLENDOR SOLIS, is as follows :
1. Take 8 Loth (4ozs.) calcined Alum, 8 Loth calcined Salpetre, and 4 Loth calcined Table Salt, and triturate with 20 Loth Corrosive Sublimate, and sublimate in a proper Sublimimg Vessel.
2. Carefully take out the Sublimate and resublimate it with 20 Loth fresh Salts, During this Operation it will
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL PROCESS
be wholesome, on account of the poisonous fumes, to eat bread thickly spread with butter.
3. Put the Sublimate in a Glass Retort, and cover it with Alcohol, and distil over in water bath until half the fluid remains as an oil behind.
4. The Alcohol distilled over is poured back (cohobated) on the residue in the retort, until it is covered about a finger's breadth.
5. This Distillation repeat three times, and the whole of the Sublimate will pass over into the Recipient. This is the MERCURY of the Philosophers, the Mercurial Water, as it were the " Hellish Fire in Water." This Mercurial Water fumes always, and must be kept in a closed 'Phial, or Glass stoppered bottle.
6. Take fine Gold, in leaf or thin beaten, put it in a glass retort, just cover it with the Mercurial Water, and put the retort on gentle heat, when the Water will begin to act upon the Gold, and dissolve it, but it will not be reduced to a liquid entirely, and only remain at the bottom like a greasy substance, then pour oft the Mercurial Water, which can be used again.
7. The Gold sediment divide into two parts. Take one
half and pour thereon Alcohol, and let the mixture putrefy
on gentle heat 15 days, and it will become blood red ; this
is the " Lion's Blood."
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TRISMOSIN'S ALCHEMICAL PROCESS
8. This Lion's Blood pour into another glass retort, or Phial, which seal hermetically, and give it the heat of the Dog Days, and it will at firist turn black, then variegated, then light grey when heat is increased it will turn yellow and at last deep red. This is the first Tincture. (A) Provided it does not explode !
9. The Red Tincture triturate (How will a fulminate triturate ?) in a glass Mortar. Take one grain (or part) thereof, wrap it in paper and project it on 1000 (?) Grains (or parts) of Gold in fusion. When it has remained in fusion for f of an hour, the gold will turn to Tincture. (B.) (?)