BOOK V,

CHAP. I.

Of Vrojeffion and preparing Rojic Cru~
cian Mtdicines.

s i.Of the Original of Gold 2. Of Sperm?.
1 .Of the firfl matter of Met alls. ^Of the dif-
ference of Gold. 5 .Of the difference of Cliwes.

6. What Salty Sulphur, and Mercury > are

7. Of the vertue of Sulphur of details S.Of
the Nature of Mercury. 9. Of Salt. 10. Of
Gold, ir. Of Silver. 12. Of the Prepara-
tion of Gold.. 13. Of Aurv.m potabile, and
Oyle of Gold. 14. How to make them. 1 «; . Ike
fecond procefs. 1 6. & 1 7. 1 he third procefs.
if.The true oyle of Gold. i9, Jhe\Child cf
Gold 70.7heSunefGo!d. ix IheMoonof
Gold. 22. The Star of Geld. 72. Jhe Rain-
bow. 2^.Howto mafy Aurumpluminans.

1. 1"* Shall now endeavour to fhew
I whenceGold had its original, and
J. what: the matter thereof is. As Na-
ture ( faith Sandivogius ) is in the will of
Oo 4 God.

R

0 TAe H0/7 Gw/de. L i B. 5 ;

God, and God created her : fo nature

made for her felf a feed, ( i. ) her will iii

the elements Now (he indeed is one, \et

(he brings forth divers things : but fhe

operates nothing without a Sperme :

whatfoever the Sperme will, nature o-

perates; for fhe is as it were the inftru-

ment of any artificers. The Sperme there

fore of every thing is better, and more

profitable then nature her felf : for thou

fbalt from nature without a Sperme, doe

as much as a goldfmith without fire, or a

husbandman without grain or feed Now

the Sperme of any thing is the Elixir.

the balfameof fiilphur, and the fame a

Humidum Radka/e is in metalls : but tc

proceed towhat concernes our purpofe

Four elements generate a Sperme, by th<

will of God, and imagination of nature

For as thegpermcof a man hath its cen

ter, or the veflell of its feed in the kid

neys : fo the four elements by their inde

Scient motion ( every one according u

its quality ) caft forth a Sperme into tht

center of the earth, where it is digefted

and by motion is fent abroad. Now th

center of the earth is a certain empr

place, where nothing can reft : and ih

four elements fend forth their qualitie

into the circumference of the cente

I ;•„; A:

hi B. 5 . T he Hoi) Guide.

As a male fends forth his feed into the
womb of the female, which after it hath
received a due portion caftsout the reft *,
fo it happens in the center of the earth,
thac the magnetick powder of a parr of
any place attracts fomething convenient
toitfelffor the bringing forth of fome-
thing , and the reft is caft forth into
{tones and other excrements. For every
thing hath its original from this fountain,
and there is nothing in the world produ-
ced but by this fountain ; as for example,
Tec upon an even table a veifd of water ,
which may be placed in the middle there-
of, and roundabout it fet divers things,
and divers colours, alfo fait, &c. every
thing by it felf : then poure the water in-
to the middle, and you (hall fee the wa-
ter to run every way, and when any
ftreame toucheth the red colour, it will
be made red by itjifthe fait, it will con-
tract the taft of fait from it, and fo of the
reft : Now the water dcth not change
the places, but the diveriity of places
changeth the water. In like manner the
feed or Sperme being caft forth by the
foure elements from the center of the
earth unto the fuperficies thereof, pafleth
through various places, and according to
the nature of the place is any thing pro-
duced;

the Holy Guide, L l B« 5

ducediifit come to a pure place of earth
and water, a pure thing is made

2. The Seed and Sperme of all things;
is but one, and yet it generates diver?&
things, as it appears by the former ex-ffl
ample. The ^perme whileft it is inl
the center, is indifferent to all forms;!
but when it is come into any deter-Il
minace place, it changeth no more its!
forme. The Sperme whileil it is in the!
Ncenter,can as eafily produce a tree, as alt
metal, and an hearb as a ftone, and one
more precious then another according to
the purity of the place. Now this Sperme
is produced of elements thus. Thefe
foure elements are never quiet, but by
jeafon of their contrariety mutually a&
one upon another, and e\ery one of its
felfe fends forth its own fubtilty, and
they agree in the center Now in this cen-
ter is the Arch&us, the fervant of nature,
which mixing thofe Spermes together
fends chem abroad , and by diftillation
fublimes them by the heat of a continual
motion unto the fuperficies of the earth :
For the earth is porous, and this vaponr
for wind, as the Philofophen call it)is by
diiYilling through the pores of the earth
refolved into water, of which all things
are produced. Let therefore as I faid be-
fore,

Lib. 5. the'Holy Guide.

foresail Tons of Art know that theSpcrme
of metals is not different from the fperme
of all things being, viz. a humid vapour.
Therefore in vain do Artifts endeavour
the reduction of metals into their firft
matter, which is, only a vapour. Now
faith Bernard Trevi fan, when Philofophers
fpeakofa firft matter, they did not mean
this vapour, butthefecond matter which
is an un&uous water, which to us is the
firft, becaufe we never find the former.
Now the fpecification of this vapour in-
to diftinft metals is thus. This vapour
pafTeth in its diftillation through the
earth, through places either cold, or hot;
if through hot, and pure, where the fat-
nefs of fulphur flicks to the fides thereof,
then that vapour ( which Philofophers
call theMercury of Philofophers ) mix-
eth and joyneth it felf unto that fatnefs,
which afterward it fublimes with it felf,
and then it becomes, leaving the name of
a vapour, un&uofity, which afterwards
coming by fublimation into other places,
which the antecedent vapour did purge,
where the earth is fubtle, pure, and hu-
mid, ills the pores thereof, and is joyned
to it, and fo it becomes gold : and where
it is hot, and fomething impure, filvcr.
But if that fatnefs come to impure places,
which are cold, it is made lead : and if

that

The Holy Guide. L1B.5.

I

that place be pure and mixed with ful-
phur, it becomes copper : for by hew
much the more pure and warm the place
is, fo much the more excellent doth it
make the metalls.

3. Now this matter of metalls is a hu-
mid, vifcous, incombuftible, fubtle fub-
ftance, incorporated with an earthly fub-
tilty, being equally and ftrongly mixed
fer minima in the caverns of the earth But
as in many things there is a twofold
un&uofity C whereof one is as it were in-
ternal, retained in the center of the
thing, left it fhould bedeilroyed by ike,
which cannot be without the deftru&ion
of the fubftance it felf wherein it is : the
other as it were external, feculent and
combuftible ) fo in all metalls except
golda there is a twofold un&uoiity: the
one which is external, fulphurous, and
inflammable, which is joyned to it by ac-
cident, and doth not belong to the totall
union with the tcaeftial parts of the
thing : the other is internal, and very
fubtle, incombuftible , becaufe it is of
the fubftantial composition of Argent vive^
and therefore cannot be deftroyed by
fire, unlefs with the deftruction of the
whole fubftance, whence it appeares what
thecaufe is that metalls are more or lefs
durable in the fire : For thofe which a-

bound

LiB.S. The Holy Guide. 7

bound with that internal unctuofky, are
lefsconfumed, as it appears in filver, and!
efpecially in gold. Hence Rofarius faith,
the Philofophers could never by any
rneanes find out any thing that could en-
dure the fire, but thatunctuous humidi-
ty only which is perfect, and incombufti-
ble. Geler alfonflerts the fame, when he
faith that imperfect bodies have fuperflu-
ous humidities, and fulphureity genera-
ting a combufhble blacknefs in them2and
"corrupting them 5 they have alfo an im-
pure, teculent & combuftible terreftriety,
fo grofs as that it hinders ingreffion, and
fufion : but a perfect metall , as gold,
hath neither this fulphurous or terreftrial
impurity;. I mean when it is fully matu-
rated and meltedj for whileft it is in con-
coction, it hath both joyned to it, as you
rcny fee in the golden Ore; but when they
doe not adhere to it fo, but that it may
be purified from them, which other met-
talls cannot, but are both deftroyed to-
gether if you attempt to feparate the one
from another : Befides gold hath fo little
of thefe corruptible principles mixed with
it, that the inward fulphur or metalline
fpiritdothfometimesandin fome places
overcome them of it felf,as we may fee in
the goldtwhichis found very pure fome-
times inthefuperficiesof the earth, and

in

The Holy Guide. Lib. 5.

in the fea fands5andismany times aspure
as any refined gold.

Now this gold which is found in fands,
snd river?, is not generated there> as
idith Gregorius Agricola in his third book
dc Re Metallic a, but is wafted down from
the mountains with fountains that run
from thence. There is alfo a flaming gold
found ( as Paracelfus faith ) in the tops of
mountaines, which is indeed feparated of
itfelffrom all impurities and is as pure as
any refined gold whatfoever. So that you
fee, that gold although it had an extrin-
fecallfulprurr and earth mixed with it,
yet it is (bmerimes feparated from it of it-
i'elfyViz, by that fiery fpirit that is in it.
Now this pure gold ( as faith Sandivogi-
iw) nature would have perfected into an
elixir*, but was hindredby the crude air,
which crudeair is indeed nothing elfe but
that extViniick luiphur which it meets
with and is joy ned to in the earth, and
which fills with its violence the pores
thereof, and hinders the activity of the
Spirit thereof } and this is that prifon
which the Sulphur ( as faith the aforefaid
author ) is locked up in, fo that it cannot
aft upon its body, viz. Mercury, and con-
coct it into the feed of gold, as otherwife
it would doe: and this is that da^ke body
fas i'Aid\Pc?iQtui) that is interpofed be-
twixt

Lib. 5. The Boly Guide. 9

twixt the philosophical Sunneahd Moone,
and keeps off the influences of the one
from the other. Now if any skilful Philo-
fopher could wittily feparate this adven-
titious impurity from gold whileft it is
yet living, he would fetfulphur at liber-
ty, and for this his fervice he would be
gratified with three kingdomes, viz. Ve-
getable, Animal , and Mineral ; I mean
he could remove that great obftru&ion
■which hinders gold from being digefted
\ nto the Elixir. For, as faith Sandivogim,
he Elixir or Tin&ure of Philofcphcr?,
s nothing elfe but gold digefted into the
ligheft degree : for the gold of the vulgar
s as an hearb without feed; but when
;old Q i. ) living gold ( for common gold
lever can by reafon that the Spirits are
>ound up , and indeed as good as dead
nd not poUibly to be reduced to that
ftivity which is required for the produ-
ing of the fperme of gold ) is ripened, it
ives a f&cd^ which multiplies even ad
rifinitum, Now the reafon of this bar*
ennefs of gold that it produceth not a
eed, is the afoiefaid crude aire., fviz. im-
*urities : You may fee this illuftrated by
his example.

5. We fee that Orenge-trees in TolonU
loe grow like other trees^ alfo m Italy +

and

IO T&e Holy Cmae* LiB»v

and elfevv here, where their native to) ie
is, and yeeld fruit* becaufe they have
ftifficient heat; but in thefe colder court*
treys they are barren and never yeeld any
fruit, becaufe they are opprefied with
cold ; but if at any time nature be wittily
and fweetly helped, then Art can perfect
what nature could not* After the famei
manner it is inmetalls h for gold would
yeeld fruit, and feed in which it might
multiply it felf, if it were helped by the
induftry ofthe skilfull artift, who knew
how to promote nature, ( i. ) to feparat
thefe fulphurous and earthly impurities
from gold. For there is a furicient hea
in living gold , if it were rrirred u
by extrinfecall heat, to divert it into
feed* By extfinfecal heat 1 doe not mea
the heat of the celeftial Sun, but tha
heat which is in the earth and ftirres u
feed, (i, ) the living fpirit that is in al
fubterraneal fperms to multiply, and in-
deed makes gold become gold. Now thi
is a heat ofputrefa&iori occasioned byaci
fpirits fermenting in the earth, as yo
may fee by this example related by Alber>
tut Magnus ) but to which the reafon wa
given by Sandivogius. There was fait
the former author, certain graines of gol
found betwixt the teeth of a dead man i
the grave ; wherefore he conceived the

wa

, —

Ll B. 5 . The Holy Guide. 1 1

was a power in the body of man to make
and fix gold : but the reafon is far other-
wife , as faith the latter author : for
faith he, Argent vive was by fome phyfiti-
an conveyed into the body of this man
when he was alive,either by un&ion or by
turbith, or fome fuch way, as thecuftom
was; and it is the nature of Mercury to
afcendtothe mouth of the patient, and
through the excoriation of the mouth to
be avoided with theflegme. Now then if
in fuch a cure the iick man dyed, that
Mercury not having pafTage our,remain;d
betwixt the teethjin the mouth, and that
carcafie became the natural veflel of Mer-
cury, and fo for a long time being (hut
\ up was congealed by its proper fulphur
1 into gold by the natural heat of putre-
faction, being purified by the corrofive
flegme of thecarkafle; but if the mineral
Mercury had not been brought in thither,
gold had never been produced there: And
this is a moft true example that as Mercu-
ry is by the proper fulphur that is in it
felf, being ftirred up atad helped by an
cxtrinfecall heat, coagulated into gold,
unlefs it be hindred by any accident, or
have not a requifiteextrmfecall heat , or
a convenient place, fo aifo that nature
doth in the bowels of the earth produce
of Mercury only gold and diver, anio-
P p ther

12 I he Holy Guide. LiB.S -

other metcalls according to the difpofi-
tion of the place, and matrix \ which
afiertion is further cleared by the rule of
redudion; for if it be true that all things
confiitof that which they may be redu-
ced into, then gold coniifts of Mercury,
becaufe (asmoft grant, &: ^w^affirms.
and many at this day profefs they can
doe)and may be reduced into it. There id
a way by which the tincture of gold which
is the foule thereof, and fixing it, may be
To fully ex traded that the remaining lub-
ilance will befublimed like Arfenick, anq
may be as eafily reduced into Mercury
Sublimate. Iffo, and if all Mercury ma)
be reduced into a tranfparent water, a
it may ( according to the procefle fe
down before , and 1 know another bet
ter and eafier way to turn a pound o
Mercury of it felf into a clear water if
halfe an fcoure, which is one of the grea
teft fecrets \ know, or care to know, to-
gether with what may be produced thena
and mall crave leave to be fllent in ) wh)
may not that water in fome fenfe, if it b
well rectified, be called a kind of livinj
gold out of which you may perhaps mak
a medicine*, and a menftrum unfit for ch<
vulgar to know > It appears now fron
what is pi emifed,that the immediate mat
lerofgoldis probably Mercury, and no

certai

L I B . 5 . The Hot) Guide. 1 3

certain fairs, and I know not what as
mari/ dream of, and that the extrinfecal
heat is from within the earth, and not
the heat of the fun, as fojne imagine ( be-
caufe in the hotteft countryes there is all,
oralmoftall gold generated ) who if they
considered that in cold countreys alfo
are,and as in Scotland were, gold mines in
King James his time,wouldbeof another
rriind then to think that the celeftial fun
could penetrate fo as to heat the earth
fo deep as moft gold lies,

6. Now having in fome meafure difcb-
veied what theintrinfecal , and extrinfe-
cal heat, and the matter of gold is, I (hall
next endeavour to explain what thofe
three principles are, z>/£.Salt,Sulphur,and
Mercury, of which Argent vive> and Gold
confift ; Know therefore that after Nature
had received from the moft High God the
priviledge of all things upon the Monar-
chy of this world , (he began to diftribute
places and provinces to every thing , ac-
cording to its dignity ; and in the firft
place did conftitute the four Elements to
be the Princes of the World, and that the
will of the moft High finwhofe will Na-
ture is placedj might be fulfilred,ordain-
ed that they mould aft upon one another
inceffantly. The fire therefore began to
aft upon the Airland produced Sulphur I
Pp 2 The

14 1 he Holy Gride. Lib. 5

The Air alfo began to ad upon the Water,
end produced Mercury : The Water alfo
began to aft upon the Earth , and produ-
ced Salt. Now the Earth not having
whereon to ac\produceclnothing,but be-
came the lubjeft of what was produced.
Fo then there were produced threeprin-
ciples > but our ancient Philofophers not
foftri&ly confidering the matter, defcri-
bed only two acts of the Elements, and fo
named but two Principles , viz. Sulphur
and Mercury ; or elfe they were willing to
be iilent in the other, fpeaking only to the
fonsof Art.

7. The Sulphur therefore of Philofo-
phers ( which indeed is the Sulphur of
Meta-ls, and of all things) is not, as many
think, that common combuftible Sulphur
which is fold in (hops,but is another thing
far differing from that,and is incombufti-
ble, not burning, nor heating, but prefer-
ving , and reftoring all things which it
is in, and it is the Calidum Innatum of
every thing, the fire of Nature, the
created Light , and of the nature of the
Sun, and is called the Sun 5 fo that what-,
foever in any thing is fiery and airy, is
Sulphury not that anything is wholly ful-
phureeus, but what in it is mcrtt thin and
fubtle, having theeffence of the natural
Fire, arid the nature of the created Light,

which

Lib. 5. + The Holy Guide. IS

which indeed is that Sulphur which wife
Philofophers have in all ages with great
diligence endeavoured to extract, and
with its proper Mercury to fix , and fo to
perfect the great Magiftery of Nature.
Now of all things in the world there is
nothing hath more of this Sulphur in it
then Gold and Silver,but efpecially Gold,
infomuch that oftentimes it is called ill-
phur, (i. e.) becaufe Sulphur is the mo ft
predominant and excellent principle in
it, and being in it more then in all things
befides.

8. Mercury is not here taken for com-
mon Argent vive\ but it is the Humidum
Jiadicaleot everything, that pureaque-
ous,unctuous, and vifcous humidity of the
matter , and it is of the nature of the
Moon, and it is called the Moon, and that
for this reafon,i>i2S becaufe it is humid, as
alfo becaufe it is capable of receiving
the influence and light of the Sun, viz.
Sulphur.

9. Salt is that fixt permanent Earth
which is in the center of every thing, that
i's incorruptible, and inalterable, and it is
thefuppcrcer and nurfe of the Humidum
Hadkale , with which it isftrongly mixt,
Now this Salt hath in it a feed, viz. its Ca-
lldum Innatum , which is Sulphur, audits
Humidum Radio ale ,which is Mercury 5 and

P P 3 yet

1 6 The Holy Guide. L \ B . 5'.

vet thefe three are not diftinft, or to be le-
parated , but are one homogeneal thing,
having upon a different account divers
names ; for in refpefr of its heat and fiery*
fubftance it is called Sulphur, in refpett of
its humidity, it is called Mercury, and in
refpectof ils terreftrial ficcityit is called
Salt , all which are in Gold perfectly uni-
ted, depurated and fixed. ,

10. Gold therefore is mofl noble and
folid of all Metals, of a yellow colour5
compared of principles digefted to th
titmoft height,and therefore fixed.

1 1. Silver is in the next place of dig-
nity to Gold, and differs from it in dige-
ftion chiefly; I faid chiefly, becaufe there
is fome fmall impurity befides adhering
to Silver.

12. Now having given fome fmall ac-
count of the original matter, firit, anc
fecond, and manner of the growth oil
gold, I (hall in the next place fet dowAe
fome curiofities therein , and preparatiotlfcii
thereof. The preparations are chieflfc
three, viz. Aurum potabile , which is tbfliry
mixtion thereof with other Liquors ; Oililj
of gold, which is gold liquid by it felM
without the mixture of any other Liquoila ]
and the tintture , which is the extra&iojjl ;
of the colour thereof.

L i B • 5* The Holy Guide 1 7

Dr. Culpepers famous Aurum potabile,
and 0) I of Gold,

1 3. Diflblve pure fine gold in Aqua regis
according to Arc (the Aqua regis being
made of a pound of Aqua, fortis^ and four
ounces of Sale Armnniack difhlled toge-
ther by Retort in fand ) which clear folu-
tionput into a large glafTe of a wide neck,
and upon it pour drop by drop Oyl of
Tartar made per deliquiutn, until the Aqua
regis , which before was yellow , become
clear and white ■-, for that is a fign that all
calx of gold is fettled to the bottome*
then let it ftand all night , and in the
morning pour off the clear Liquor, and

(wafh the calx four or five times with com-
mon fpring water,being warmed, and dry
11 : it with a mod gentle heat.
( 14. Note, and that well, that if the
heat be too great , the calx takes fire pre-
sently like Gun-powder and flies away to
f chy danger and loffe ; therefore it isbeftto
- dry it in the fun, or on a ftone , ftirring it
i diligently with a wooden fpattle. To this
l! calx add half a part of the powder of
ju fulphur 5 mix them together, and in an
open crucible let the fulphurburn away
in the fire,putting a gentle fire to it at the
firft, and in the end a moft ftrong fire for
P p 4 the

*8 The Holy Guide. LiB*5.

the fpae'e of an hour, that the calx may in
fome manner be reverberated, and be- 1
come nioftfubtle, which keep in a violll
clofe ftopt for your ufe.

15. Then make a Spirit of Urine after
this manner , viz Take the Urine of a
healthy man drinking Wine moderately,
put it into a gourd , which you mud flop
clofe , and fet in horfe-dung for the fpace
of forty dayes,then diftill it by a Limbeck
in fand into a large Receiver, until all the
humidity be diftilled off. Re&ifie this
Spirit by cohabitation three times, that
the Spirit only may rife. Then diftiil it in
fand by a glaffe with a long neck,having a
large Receiver annexed, and clofed very
well to it , and the Spirit wi\l be elevated
into the top of the veflel like chriftal
without any aqueous humidity accompa-
nying of it. Let this diftillation becon-
tinued,unril all the Spirits be rifeii.Thefe
chriftals muft te diflblved in diftilled
rain-water, and be diftilled as before 5 this
muft be done fix times , and every time
you muft take frefh rain-water diftilled.
Then put thefe chriftals into a glafsbolt-
head,whichciofe Hermetically, and fet in
the moderate heat of a Balneum for the
fpace cf fifteen dayes, that they maybe
1 educed into a molt clear Liquor. To this
JLiciuor add an equal weight of Spirit of

Wme,

Lib. 5- The Holy Guide. 1 9

Wine, very well rectified, and let them be
digefted in Balneo the fpace of twelve
dayes, in which time they will be uni-
ted.

16. Then take the calx of gold above-
fa id , and pour upon it of the (e united
Spirits as much as will cover them three
fingers breadth, and digeft them in a gen-
tle heat, until the Liquor be tinged as red
as blood ; decant off the tin&ure, and
put on more of the aforefaid Spirits, and
do as before till all the tincture be extract-
ed j then put'all the tin&ed Spirits toge-
ther, and digeft them ten or twelve dayes,
after which time abftract the Spirit with a
gentle heat, and cohobate it once; and
then the calx will remain in the bottome
like an Oyl as red as blood,and of a plea-
fant odour,and which will be diflblved in
any Liquor. Whereof this Oyl may be
the Succedanenmoi true Gold. If you di-
ftil the fame folution by Retort in fand,
there will come ever, after the firft part of
the menftruum , the tintture with the
other part thereof , as red as blood, the
earth which is left in the bottom of the
veffel being black, dry, fpongious and
light. Themenftiuwm muft be vapoured
away, and the Oyl of Gold will remain
by it felf, which muft be kept as a great
treafure : and this is Dr. Anthonys durum
fotabUt, four

ao The Holy Guide. Li B.5.

Four or eight grains of this Oyl taken
in what manner focver, wonderfully re-
frefheth the Spirits, and works feveral
wayes, efpecrally by fweat, and cures all
Diieafes in young or old.

The true Ojlof Gold.

18. Take an ounce of Leaf-gold, dif-
folve it in four ounces of the rectified wa-
ter of Mercury , exprefledpage75. digeft
them in horfe-dung the fpace of two
moneths , then evaporate the Mercurial
water, and at the bottome you (hall have
the true Oyl of Gold , which is radically
diilblved.

Another procefs hereof you may fee
page 71.

?he Child of Gold.

19. Diffolve pure Gold in Aqua regia,
precipitate it with the oyl of fand into a
yellow powder, which you muft dulcifie
with warm tvater, and then dry it; (this
will not be tired as Aurum fulminam ) this
powder is twice as heavy as the Gold that
wasputin, thecaufe of which is thefalt
of the flints precipitating it felf with the
gold. Putthis yellow powder into a cru-
cible, and make it glow a little^and it will

be

L» B. 5. The Holy Guide. 2 f

be turned into the higheft and faireft pur-
ple that ever you fa w, but if it Hand lon-
ger;, it will be brown. Then pour upon ic
the ftron^eftfpiritof fait (Tor it will dif-
i'olve it better then any Aqua, regis) on
which diflTc/lurion pour on the bell rectifi-
ed Spirit of Wine 3 and digeft them toge-
ther 3 and by alougdigeition, fome part of
the Gold will fall to the bottome like a
white fuow, and may with Borax, Tartar
and (alt Nitie be melted into a white me-
tal as heavy as gold, and afterwards with
Antimony may recover its yellow colour
agam. ; then evaporate the fpirit of Salt,
and of Wine, andthegold Tincture re-
finainethat thebottome, and is of great
vertue.

The Sun of Gold,

20. Take of the aforefaid yellow Calx
or Gold, precipitated with Oylof fand,
one part, and three or four parts of the
Liquor of fand, or of cryftal j mix them
well together, and put them into a cruci-
ble in a gentle heat at firft , that the moi-
fture of the Oil may vapour away ( which
it will not do eafily, becaufe the drinefs of
the fand retains the moifture thereof, fo
that it flyeth away like molten Allum , or
Borax) when no more will vapour away,

encreafe

2 j The Holy Gmde. L ! B • 5

encreafe your fire , till the crucible be rec
hot, and the mixture ceafebubling; ther
put it into a wind furnace , and cover i»
that no a(hes fall into it,and make a ftrom
fire about it for the fpace of an hour,anc
the mixture will be turned into a tranfpa^
rent Rubie. Then take it out , and beai
it, andextraft the tintture with fpirito
Wine, which will become like thin blood
and that which remains undiilblved, maj
be melted into a white metal as the for
mer.

7he Moon of Gold.

21. Hang plates of Gold over the fume
of Argent vive, and they will become
white,inable, and fluxil as Wax. This is
called the Magneiia of Gold, as faith ?a-
racelfuS)\n finding out of which (faith he)
Philo top hers, as Ik onus Aquinas, and Ru*
pefcijfa, with their followers, took a great
deal of pains, but in vain ; and it is a me-
morable fecret, and indeed very fingular
for the melting of metals, that are not ea-
sily fluxil. Now then Gold being thus
prepared, and melted together with the
Mercury, is become a brittle fubftance,
which mult be powdered , and -out of it a
tin&ure may be drawn for the tranfmu-
cimiof metals.

Lib. 5- "ibe tioly Guide. a$

Ihe Star of Gold.

12. Take half an ounce of pure Gold,
diflol ve it in Aqua regit, precipitate it witli
Oyl of flints, dulcifie the Calx with warm
water,and dry it, and fo it is prepared for
your work. Then take Kegulus M&rtis
jtpowdered, and mix it with three parts of
3 fait Nitre , both which put into a Cruci-
J ble 3 and make them glow gently atfirft,
:hen give a ftrong melting fire ., and then
:his mixture will become to be of a pur-
ple colour, which then take out, and beat
:o powder, and add to three parts of this
Dne part of the calx of Gold prepared as
before; put them into a wine furnace in a
[trong crucible , and make them melt as a
netai , fo will the Nitrum antimoniatumm
he melting take the calx of gold to it fclf,
ind dhTolve it , and the mixture will be-
ome to^be of an Amethyft colour. Let
his ftand flowing in the fire till the whole
naflebeas tranfparentasaKubine.which
foil may try by taking a little out and
ooling of it. If the mixture do not
[low well, caft in fome more fait Nitre.
,:When it is compleatly done, caft it forth,
'being flowing, in:o a brazen (VIorter, and
it will be like to an oriental Rubine; then

I powder it before it be cold, then put it in-
9

24 the Holy Guide. LiB.5.

to a Viol, and with the fpirit of Wine ex.
ti aft the tincture.

This is one of thebeft preparations ol
Geld, and of moft excellent ufe in Medi«:
cine,

Ihe Rainbow.

23. Firftmake a furnace fit for the pur-
pofe, which muft be clofe at the top, and
have a pipe, to which a recipient with a
flat bottome muft be fitted : When thi
furnace is thus* fitted, put in three or foui
grams* not above at owzt^oiAurum fulmi-
nant , which as Toon as the furnace is ho
flyeth away into the recipient througl
the pipe like a purple coloured fume, and
is turned into a purple coloured powder
then put in three or four grains more,and
do as before, till you have enough fioweri
of Gold ("that which flyeth not away,bui
remaineth at the bottome , may with Bo-
rax be melted into good Gold ) then take
them out, and pour upon them re&ifie(
fpirit of Wine tartarizated , and digel
them in afhes till the fpirit be coloured
blood-red, which you muft then evapo-i
rate , and at the bottome will be a blood-
red tincture of no fmall vertue.

Auruni

;i

1,!B.$. The Holy Guide. 75

Aiirv.m fulminans.

Take the pureft gold you can get , pour
on it four times as much Aquaregia , flop
your glafle with a paper, and fet it ill
wamiafhes, fo will the Aqua regiam an
hour or two take up the gold,and become
a yellow water, it" it be ftrong enough :
(be Cure that your Gold hath no Copper
El it,for then your labour will be loft) be-
caufe the Copper will be precipitated with
the gold, and hinder the firing thereof )
then pour on this yellow water drop by
drop , pure Oyl of Tartar made^r deti-
quiunty fo will the Gold be precipitated in-
to a dark yellow powder,and the water be
clear. Note that you pour not on more
Oyl of Tartar then is fufficient for the
precipitation j otherwife it will diflolve
part of the precipitated Gold to thy pre-
judice. Pour off the clear Liquorby in-
clination, and dulcifie che calx with diftil-
k4 rain-water warmed Then fet this
calx in the Sun, or fome warm place, to
dry,but take great heed,and efpecial care,
that you fet it not in a place too hot^for it
will prefently take fire and fly away like
thunder, not without great danger to the
ftanders by,if the quantity be great. This
is the common way to make Auxum fulmi-

turns-

2 6 The Holy Guide. Lib. 5.

nam 9 and it hath confiderable difficulties
in the preparation. But the bell way is
to precipitate Gold diffblved in Aqua re~
gis by the fpiricof Salt Armoniack or of j
Urine ; for by this [way the Gold is madc|
purer then by the other , and giveth a fai;
greater crack and found. Note that thefc
fait of the fpirits which is precipitated!
with the Gold, muftbe warned a way 9 and!
the Gold dulcified as before.

A few grains of this being fired give a
crack and found as great as a Musket when
it is difcharged, and will blow up any
thing more forcibly far then Gunpowder3
and it is a powder that will quickly and
eafily be fired.

This is of ufe for Phyfick as it is in
powder, but efpecially it is ufed in ma
king the foregoing tin&ure.

CHAP,

LIB. 5. The Holy Guide. 27 ^

CHAP. II.