Alchemy Index
David BEUTHER
The Transmutation of Base Metals
Into Gold and Silver
David Beuther
Guardian of the Mint at Dresden and Expert in the Practice of Alchemy
for the Elector of Saxony
Universal and Detailed Account, in which: The transmutation of base metals into gold and silver will be explained clearly and precisely, along with an Appendix containing unique alchemical copper-plate prints which reveal the Art from beginning to end and a Preface which documents Beuther’s training and publications, along with those of Dr Johannes Christopher Spregels of the Academy of Hygienic Treatment and Medicine of Hamberg
Printed by Samuel Heyl of St Johns Church, Hamburg, 1718
Produced by RAMS (Restoration of Alchemical Manuscripts Society, 1987.
Preface
by Dr Sprogel
Highly Esteemed Reader:
Doubtless, it has been a cause of wonderment in many places why persons expert in chemistry allow these highly regarded writings to have been permitted to be printed freely and openly, since the same ideas are found to be highly regarded by the possessors of a few manuscripts and here and there have been sold for 1000 thalers or more, although copies of the same are frequently available for sale.
However, this is precisely the reason why a candid patriot has given the same to be printed. Moreover, since it is seen that such a shameful practice has been involved in the case of such manuscripts, whereby many of them had no understanding at all of the writing but nevertheless supposed that they must have purchased something really valuable for such a small amount of money, jeopardized all their earthly possessions therefore and chased after pipe dreams, so that, through love of the second best, in the open publication of such manuscripts, they thought to eliminate a small part of that which they could not understand, by which means at least an attempt was made to save as much of the cost of such manuscripts, of which they understood how to be able to obtain, from the wide sea of the earth, graciously at every opportunity.
You might then see how to recognize our good intentions and admonitions, which will not be omitted where knowledge is found therein to return the same to God and our neighbors, not forgetting ourselves in the process.
What, accordingly, the author himself arrived at (since he was born a German and had lived in the 16th century up to the year 1580 at the Court of the Elector and Guardian of the Mint) indeed in the chemical laboratory of Lowenstein, wherein he found a complete history, which he considered to be noteworthy and which he subsequently expanded considerably.
I will point out that it is noted on page 565 in the Records of the Court of the Elector of Saxony (under the guidance of the Holy Church through Prince August and Prince John Christian I, reported from the year 1580 to the year 1591). Prince Augustus authorized David Beuther as one adept in experimental skill to subsequently act as an assayer at the Mint of St Anneberg. In the Cloister, attached t the same at present, where he intended to have his quarters and laboratory, he roped off an area near the wall, from which a little plaster had fallen, and depended therein. Afterward he occupied the place, although the plaster continued to fall off, so that rectangular patches had to be removed. All this has been described subsequently in Dec. 3, the particulars of which are termed Pyrotechnics. The first of these explains how two firings of types of ‘black sulfur’ gave from a pound of iron in ordinary water, finely pulverized copper after 28 hours of firing. Such copper was subsequently dissolved in distilled water and in 4 weeks the result was a precipitate of fine gold. Another particular involved the transmutation of tin and mercury into silver by using the same precipitation process. The third particular comes by the Rule of Martial Antimony, which he made by means of a Crocus of Mars and Venus, prepared by casting gold and silver in the molten state. What he might have obtained by this process, nobody has ever been able to get out of him.
However, as he had prescribed in his work, he considered everything in order and set out in unhurried endeavor, limiting himself to a few (12) projects in one place or another, so familiar to him that he could oversee all of them. Accordingly, under the circumstance, all of these were added together in the end and he had completed many of them, and indeed with so little fanfare that the Elector himself had heard nothing about them. However, Beuther no longer deemed his services to include the tests and counter tests, so long as his work in the case of the metals was completely unhurried, making use of the Elector’s instruments, laboratory, and materials, at will. This was quite a heavy investment, particularly since nothing could be made subsequently of all that he showed them and, for this reason, his work was almost totally worthless, but nevertheless, when finally completed, the work was presented as such to the Elector. Beuther was asked, when he appeared to answer the apparent complaints against him as a result of his 12 failures, about them; Beuther could no longer lie about such and had to admit plainly that the Elector had laid before him the stipulation and decision that Beuther should, in conformity with the contracts made with him, be held at fault, in accordance with his promise to disclose such information to him completely, so long as they should remain in Dresden and agree to give the Elector 10% of the gold and silver, as well as also to hand over the above for a certain amount of the metal, while the Elector would require half of the entire amount as a reward for his part. In the meantime, Beuther was held as a virtual hostage. This vexed Beuther so sorely that he decided to practice his profession no longer. When he revealed this decision to the others, things began to get much better, although he could conclude nothing. Because of this, the Elector was very displeased, although he had formerly been very kind to him; he was, however, allowed to leave prison and return to England.
However, a decision was reached to send him to Leipzig and he was taken to Gravamina. The decision was reached to first question him in detail about the process, threatening him with flogging for his misinformation and with cutting of 2 fingers for making false claims, and detaining him indefinitely so that he could not give this information to another monarch. This was read to him on a Saturday, the Elector having written these words to him by his own hand. Beuther had again given to me what came to me by God and Justice, even though I must undertake something with you on Monday which I would willingly reconsider. In the margin may be found these words: I beg you to prevent it from coming to this, and furthermore it be written I know very well that I can do it if you are present and I will also be able to do it even though you are not present.
All this information about Beuther, which this publication includes briefly, was supplied by the person who was at that time the private secretary to the Elector of Saxony and approximates what was the content of his report: My approach simply might be for the Elector of Saxony not to allow Beuther to vex himself, since he, as a headstrong man, might --- out of desperation --- cause a lot of trouble and considerable bother. In addition, Beuther might be persuaded to write a letter to the Elector of Saxony, in which he might bring his complaint and request the Elector to accept a solution in which he would no longer henceforth be required to remain silent. He would accept such a solution and again return to the House of Gold, as the Laboratory of the Elector of Saxony was sometimes called, based on its earlier reputation, although by then a protective cover, the Library, which was still in use at the time of Kunkel (the Year 1677) --- was associated with it. Since Kunkel sought to practice this art extensively, Beuther published the process in its entirety, even though it was quite different and affirmed the same conclusion.
Based on this process, Kunkel wrote a 4 page summary which Beuther had suggested in The Arsenic in place of a highly dubious work which the esteemed Elector had penned with his own hand. I must explain that I had no part in this nonsense.
Thereupon Kunkel continued the narration in the following manner:
Afterwards Beuther was reinstated in his former post and had been given the above mentioned guarantee of protection, and he wrote a letter containing particular data to the Elector, begging him to help him by sending him 100 guilders and pay within 8 weeks in fine silver or gold all of his past due wages. Such gold as he had obtained from the Elector had been repaid. In this way Beuther had also been seen largely as the protector of the Art, even though he was not completely responsible for instructing the Elector until Beuther had finally obtained a reasonable sum of several marks, which are as good as gold, although he said (so the word goes) that they were no better than horse manure. "Now, I could help you with 9 pennies, which are perfectly good", he said. Consequently, Beuther sent away to his protector in order to get something more, since afterwards he had to start a fire using the bellows. His protection was perceived as having come to an end, that Beuther had terminated his employment and had, so to speak, jumped into the fire. As he now returned according to his orders, then Beuther lay on his back without understanding. And whether, indeed, in all deliberate speed, medical practitioners and priests were called in, nevertheless nothing would have had any beneficial effect on him and he would have died before their very eyes. The arrangement had been concluded hitherto and he had come to believe that he had made a bad bargain. How Beuther had afterwards disposed of his substance or how he concealed it, Herr Kunkel could in no manner learn. Then the highly esteemed Elector, Johann George, had said to him, and to the others, that he had this tormenting matter, in which the actions of a worthless fellow had also been shown, which according to the Elector Augustus had caused him to be burned in the venture. He had also given orders to his secretary --- at that time, one Lincker --- and after that to Kunkel. To burn in the same way wheat was still left of Beuther’s work, so that his successors might not try to make use of what they might find within. Which command, however, had not been carried out, since from the counsel of the principal director a part of the remembrances would be hidden and, hopefully, the original could again be found.
Herr Kunkel would have reported in detail, certain reasons, namely, to protect the highmindedness of the august Elector of Saxony who, in ordinary language, would have done him an injustice and caused Beuther to face an extended imprisonment, and moreover, would have made no contributions to the truth. The Elector of Saxony had shown Beuther so much kindness and, even more, might be so indebted to him (as noted in the above-mentioned arrangement that he had made with him and 12 other persons to observe those gentlemen who should not be blamed). In the first place, Beuther was a subject; on the other hand, the Elector had brought him up; in the third place, Beuther had begun the practice of this Art in the service of the Elector and had shown his loyalty to the Elector and had given that most esteemed gentleman his loyalty, above all others and had done so openly.
This far had Herr Kunkel gone in his description of Beuther’s life and accomplishments. He prepared at this time certain extracts which he had drawn up from the work in his laboratory, recorded by the private secretary at that time, which can be found on display in the Laboratory Records on page 579 and following. And, finally, the account of Beuther’s work is given on page 585, where he prepared the gold, and from all these accounts it is to be seen as also true that he has accomplished all these things. Whether, however, from the so-called black sulfur, as he termed it, he obtained a special tincture, cannot be ascertained with certainty. It must be considered how favorably inclined was the Elector toward Beuther, and how inconsiderate Beuther had been in return, and how he had placed himself in considerable mortal danger, although he was evidently right in this matter.
Herr Tuschky, the former grounds overseer for the Elector of Saxony, has also written in his outline of Gebaldis’ Black Magic, printed in manuscript form, on page 89, about this Beuther: "He, David Beuther is actually a professor and has published a work called Particulars and another work called Lapidis (Precious Stones) and is a learned man, who has also produced for the Elector of Saxony much gold and silver, an Art, however, which obviously has not been completely revealed until recently, despite the fact that he knew very well that the Elector already had access to such a great artificer as he was. Moreover, the Elector himself has always offered him all kinds of good things, even specie (currency of the realm) since David Beuther was already pregnant with the idea, so that the Elector begged to sponsor him and after that, as was usual at that time, although only the sponsor should name the terms, although, however, the good words did not help at all, since Beuther excused his actions in the conviction, that, the same had been given credence much less employed, since many cabalistically questionable things had been allowed to creep in because of this. In the Year 1580 he was thereupon cast into prison because of practicing such Art, as already mentioned, where he had written in his own hand: "Imprisoned cats do not catch mice", by which it was meant to be understood that he, since he had to remain in prison, could accomplish no useful work for the House of Saxony. Since he was now finally offered the opportunity to transmute so much gold and silver as requested of him from material available to him, he was also allowed, without further restraint, to be able not to take notice therewith that he had finally resolved t take the desperate measure of drinking a beaker full of wine containing strong poison, against which no physician would advise, thereby also terminating his life, so that the House of Saxony would a the same time be deprived of both his person and of his knowledge of an important Art".
Moreover, one finds in the refining fire of the chemist a categorical judgment of him, which reads as follows: Beuther is known as an adept of this Art and is unable to lie to anyone. He has been to Dresden and is the author of very much original work, even though the Elector of Saxony frequently threatens him with the hangman’s noose, since he intended to retain him as an examiner, while directing him. He then took a large amount of the tincture and gave it to him as a poison. Even in his daily journal, which nobody referred to at all, but the conclusion of which we hold valid, although the author, as well as his Art (as explained from all his judgments) fared well and prospered.
From all of these curious investigations, differing to some extent on the circumstances of the author, and on certain minerals, animals, and vegetables, especially those which the sophists made use of in preparing precious stones, which the author also cited in the Foreword of Beuther’s Testing and Art, which he had also described on page 9 of the same: "David Beuther, whose tincture was dyed a strikingly bright cardinal color, even if revealing a considerable knowledge of this Art, would drive him straight to the hangman, though he might have given himself poison, which might have been more sensible".
His written reports, which might even now be allowed to be published, as noted in Particulars, might well then be the true natural philosophy and form of the Art and know how to maintain at a reasonable fair price. Then, so that the author might thereby prove himself to b a genuine authority and likewise show by introduction of the same how the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Saturn are extracted not by methods from the metals, but from their inactive state; and just as these materials are from the tree and the root, from which ordinary gold is obtained, many thousand times better than the gold and silver in nature and substances.
To be sure, he teaches almost the entire Art, since these excellent materials are also prepared by calcinations, solution, sublimation, purification, and coagulation,, so that the Art acquires a special; degree of perfection and gives color to the impure unrefined metals, so that they will all again be in a basic solid form. Moreover, it is stated on page 13 even more clearly, that thought shows that the entire Art depends on the availability of the proper material (not just one, nor even two, but all from a single root) and their solutions, so that nothing more will be necessary, except a fire and nitrogen, and that the same (even the materials) will be the gold of the philosophers, for which he states the truth from all the philosophers of the entire world.
In what is to follow in this report, as indeed in all reports on natural philosophy, it is the lack of knowledge about this process, which in fact does not pertain to a universal idea, but in particular might find a major use in the knowledge of the universal nature of this material, despite some abuse and misleading statements. When, however, attention is paid only where the philosophers’ gold the philosophers’ mercury, mercuric ores, the electro-minerals of Paracelsus, red cinnabar ore, and white arsenic (which of all of them alone, only the true material, and sulfur and mercury is that material, is separable as a salt) are concerned, it is implied from what was said that he indicated what he ascribed to the Art and to method of operation and how he showed the preparation and testing of the same, so that he would be able, when finally chosen for that purpose by God, to know immediately the proper and most practical material to use and to readily show that all of his processes were different, even though quite similar to one another.
However, if one desired to demonstrate certain of his processes and also to include questionable and misleading historical processes, he should not then be considered an adept but should be considered even more of an imposter, since, in particular, the energetic Kunkel in his chemical laboratory had not even reported praiseworthy work of his own and the well-known Dr Petraeus had not desired to report innovation in his newly published Preface to the Works of Basil Valentine, or that he had sold for gold some questionable processes now and then or that he himself had seen some of the same works in manuscript form, the author who had communicated them to him having originated them. For the two processes involving Mercury and Jupiter, I have given this David Beuther 800 German dollars of pure gold, so that I can now demonstrate, using his hand-written notes, that he assured me are faithfully transcribed, that I have found it as he also said and not otherwise, in the year 1605. Thus, it is primarily from the questionable and misleading historical processes tat particular processes are not to be considered the same, although he, too, like that great King of the Arabs, Geber, in his report recorded before the forming of the Art, although nothing, however, before the others. Moreover, the principal preparation of one or another of the ingredients from the universal material had already been carried out, as had become clearly evident from the above-mentioned work of Kunkel, page 580, which reads: "The white arsenic powder is no longer prepared for the Elector of Saxony and unfortunately, the whole Art rests upon it", as noted by Beuther himself on page 7.
Where will particulars be found, when the universal is questionable? Thereupon he said that without the knowledge of the true universal material (I don’t say the properties of lapidis, for I am of the opinion that somebody will still be able to learn to recognize the universal material and from it produce the particulars and still, nevertheless, not be able to make the largest gems in this manner) no effective particular type of gem can be made. He who knows how to make this same white material can make his process successful, while others cannot. For that reason, therefore, his process made him no imposter, since he indeed allowed no one to copy it or print it who did not verbally disclose the Key and who entrusted no one to elaborate on it, even those who understood the spirit of the idea, as conceived above. Furthermore, the report of the energetic Kunkel can be shown to be correct in all its parts, since it clarified, from many passages found therein, that probably do not adequately reflect properly on various aspects, or even on enemies which he would perhaps have liked to have discussed --- men such as Oerthlin, Schirmen, Jacob Beuther, Hans Weinhold, and Heidler, to whom Kunkel referred on pages 654, 572, and 585, and might well have proven, or perhaps only suggested, that patently false material provided no strong evidence at all. Besides, Kunkel’s report clearly states in many places that he was guilty of no deceptions, but had been a true adept, who had made much gold and silver, although the method if such Art would not be disclosed at this time, even though unreliable processes continued to be reported. Finally, the report of Dr Perraeri had been obtained and found to disclose the time, whether he had not verbally given at the same time both the Key to his process and the purchaser and whether he had not found all this information to be correct, or whether this in itself had been capable, even when he, too, had the Key, of disclosing the process according to the proper state of the Art.
As, however, the various circumstances became known, and a few would become known, that he had found in a well in Dresden of this Art, he came forward with the Tincture --- though others had described it. He had obtained the tincture as a strikingly bright cardinal color and found it to be a poison. On account of defects in the otherwise satisfactory report, it is difficult to separate. However, I do not believe that a philosopher is particularly likely to think this discussion appropriate.
Also it would not be necessary for us to judge his performance and why he kept his Art so secret and risked death himself rather than clarify the matter or disclose it intelligently. For who has seen inside God’s judgments --- or who has ever been His advisor.
As a postscript, this written report is offered as proof of the strange alchemical behavior of copper, which was discovered by the same Beuther and also warrants authorization of his manuscripts, although in his writings he does not refer to it directly.
These are the same, I say out of singular curiosity, which demonstrate completely and in great detail the entire philosophical work and actual material, which can only be understood and depicted clearly and taught as an entire process. I should also offer at this time a clear explanation of the same, but I am afraid that the whole matter has become more muddled than clarified. And I cannot in any way understand how, even only briefly, an even greater man has done it, by being able to work with incomparable chemical copper and such sophisticated additions, sublimations, and imbibitions, which are actually blamed on a natural philosophy that has never been considered. While it must be a general rule in this work, as stated by Arnold de Villa Nova, and again on page 66, that only a few minerals, a few medicines, an arrangement, a work, and some equipment, along with white arsenic and burning sulfur, which were to be made at the same time, as Geber had said: "There is only one mineral, one medicine, one digestion; and in this our entire work consists, to which we add nothing unfamiliar, or take nothing away, without removing excess impurities therefrom in the process".
Furthermore, nothing remains for us to do but to mention once more, to the reader to do his best to follow the processes of the author so that they may be coordinated with true philosophical matters. So long as, and until the same are confirmed for the first time, and afterwards at all times, to be correct, from which Dr Helvetius, in his Vitulo Arco, in Mutatis Mutandis, says: "I beg you, my friends, that you recognize the actual real materials, and do not forget them and their rule in the investigation of this Art, and give attention to their irreversible change while in contact with fire, for you will never find them without this information, live well". Reported from my study room this St John’s Day in these old lands, as Steiner has written, thus the true solution will be found. The Year is 1718.
Dr. Sprogel.
Special Arrangement Pertaining to Alchemical Copper
Plate No. 1, has no special relevance.
Plate No. 2, (a) Here is the final word on white minerals and the initial word on red minerals. The earth remains. The water washes. The fire purifies. The spirits go in;
(b) Be on guard against the mouth of the hot-tempered. Avoid the presence of rascals and hot-heads;
(c) From the sun and the light, and the red gum, which is so brilliant; also in like manner from the moon, with white gum added to it, and the manner of natural brimstone, and I mention all of this sincerely, and I also name Scybric [Kybric] and Ryben and many others, and it is from these that I prepare my tincture;
(d) At the bottom is a heated place, as well as a snake in a fountain. Its tail is long and it has broad wings. It is ready to fly in all directions. Beware of such a fountain all the way round it. For your snake might get out of there. In case it does get out you will have lost the art of working with minerals, which is your motive. You must know that. Also what is in your furnace is so perfectly clear. And what is your serpent, with such a long tail? Although such work is of little use, your fountain must be able to burn in clear water. See well to this costly Fire, for your fire shall be able to burn in water. And the Water shall be washed with fire. Your soil shall be poured over the fire and water shall be accompanied by air;
(e) Now all this shall end in decay and bring a snake for deliverance. In the first place, black as a crow, he shall lie down in the bottom pit of Hell. I swell up like a toad, which lied in the mud and bursts open when blown up too much, which dies as though bitten by a snake and passes through many shades of color changes and finally becomes white as a bone. From the water contained therein, make him pure and free from his sins, and let him drink less and less, for that makes him beautiful and white, a whiteness that is a consuming fire. For here one sees the whole sequence from start to finish, from white gems to red gems, for here I have established for you the proper basis for this.
Plate No. 3, (a) Take your Father Pheobus, so shining and bright, who sits so high in Majesty, with his rays shining down on you so brightly, in all places where he is able to reach, for he is in truth the father of all things, the preserver of all life --- of plants and roots --- and makes all nature flourish with activity, and he is also the balm for all wounds. To obtain this precious gift, one has to be very careful, for I say to the learned and the wise, that a genuine soul is his nature, which God Himself has shaped by His own Hand, and Magnesia is his Bride, this you will come to know for certain. Now I will here begin to teach you a way which will not long remain, the which you will seldom desire to take, yet mark it well, all this I am saying to you;
(b) Tender Phoebus, in many places with his rays, so clear and bright, uniting all this by his very nature, which is the source and mirror of all kinds of light. This Phoebus has many attributes of his nature which are very difficult to understand and where you cannot receive any understanding of what is right, do not attempt to find the Philosophers’ Stone because you formerly craved it so much, I advise you. So mark well all that I might say to you and make thin that which is thick, and then it will be very well with you. You must understand what I mean and have very good self-esteem in this matter, for if you let your work count for very little, this will make you very sad. As I have said in this manual, he has very many natures of which I am aware, some recently discovered, others long since known. Heed his advice, as the philosophers do.
(c) In the sea, in all seriousness, dwells a little bird called Hermetis (Hermes Trismegistus), which can spread its wings in 4 colors, and can be found there, steadfast and durable, even though all its feathers are gone, for its stays as still as a stone;
(d) Here there is nothing but white and red, and the stone becomes alive which was dead, all of them and every one, in truth, bending only with difficulty, yet soft and malleable, and is now well understood, and his countenance is reflected upon.
Plate No. 4, has no special significance.
Plate No. 5: I will tell you, without telling you anything that is not true, about my behavior, since genuineness is my father and magnesia is my mother, nitrogen is actually my sister and copper, in truth, is my brother. The serpent of Arabia is my example, which is indeed the leader of all this, which I formerly held to be stubborn and wild, but now know to be tame and mild; the Sun and the Moon with all their might chastise me, who though myself so brilliant. Flights of fancy so led me hither and yon, until I thought that, with all their mightiness, they brought me down to the place where they wanted me to be. The blood on my hands is white, causing now both pleasure and happiness, and loosening me from the weight of stone which held me down, even before I was ready to begin. Now make hard that which had been made soft, for fire had surrounded it. From my blood and water, as I well know, comes all the fullness (abundance) of the entire world, which then flows to all sorts of places where it finds it has the greatest favor. It flows everywhere in the entire world and spins around like a ball; but you must understand this most of all, so that you will be aware that your efforts will not fail. Because of that you must learn before you begin, what it is --- and for all of your generation it has a great many interpretations, but is, however, of a single nature, which you must regard as three separate entities combined in a Trinity and bring them all into one single entity by the use of the Philosophers’ Stone, which you see here and now.
David Beuther’s Philosophical and Chemical Writings
To God Alone the Glory. In the first place, from the start I will bear down on each of you so that you will consider that all wisdom comes from God and this prize towers above all earthly endeavors. Moreover, from God will be available such things, and nothing will be too great and nothing will be charged against him as error, so that then from the first it lies within God’s Omnipotence, for it is stated, as in the case of a farmer, who plants the seeds and knows the Tincture Process, for sure, so that the Lord is not lacking in power to prevent bad weather on render floods ineffective, especially by such high favor, which the greatest treasure of the world will also have, in particular, loyal people, earnest prayer and perception of Nature. I will now herewith write in this work about my attempt to bring the fundamentals to you, and also thereby to teach you how true are the presumed particulars of the processes of the alchemists, which are the same that one sees daily in keeping his promises. It is the knowledge of their power and the fabricated falseness which I will first of all attack --- that most sacred Fundamental of the Sophists will I attack by resorting to the true basis of nature and prove through the evidence of God’s Holy Word as found in the Holy Scriptures themselves, from which a righteous person can form a very good conclusion that other lesser, though not completely useless, persons must, nevertheless, not know the material on which alone stands this Art, without which no true knowledge can be found and, much less, shall have the knowledge of the actual preparations. And finally, these fundamentals constitute the highest tests of Mercury, the Sun, the Moon, and Saturn, through which the tincture may be perfected, which are referred in the Philosophers’ Book, which, however, are not correctly portrayed therein by those who do not entirely understand the philosophers, but only the vulgar manners of the literalist and consequently their pretended understanding might not be factual, so that what they suppose to be true Art would appear to be the exact opposite. To refute this, I have now given the following comparison to their great folly and ignorance: Human being were initially created by God without sin, but subsequently were introduced to sin by the Devil, so that not only did human beings, who were made in God’s image, lose their glory, but also both natures --- the godly and the earthly (human) --- were in this way corrupted, obscured, and shattered. Similarly, all metals are hostile to the nature of the Sun and the Moon in the first 3 states of both bodies because of their impure sulfurous, salty, and mercurial spirit, which I attribute here to the Devil, who entered into the human heart and stained its spotless nature, which was the copper, and mercury, losing thereby the luster and brilliance of gold. And now mention be lost not only by the filthiness of sin, but also their own natural medicine, that is, through their own flesh and blood, but they can be redeemed to become as the first man, even Adam, initially without sin. This medicine man was unto the entire human race, since all were sinners according to Adam’s Fall, and for this reason there must be a new Adam to be the Great Physician, who must be much greater in virtue and power in life and soul, and His power must be greater in all endeavors than that of all men, so that His Word must be ordained by God, first by the indwellings of men by the Holy Spirit, entering into human nature, so that the Redeemer of Mankind deemed it necessary to be at one and the same time both a man and God himself, in order that through such a tincture the godlike image, that had been so lost through sin, would again be restored completely, as pointed out by John in his first Chapter: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was co-equal with God, and the Word was God. Christ was also the true material of the complete medicine and tincture, which through His Life, His Death, His Resurrection, and His Ascension into Heaven prepared the Way that He obtained the pace second only to God the Father and has become the tincture of all men, It is the same with metals, which through their own medical practitioners are cured of their leopard spots and become very pure and noble, and of better habits, and so most simple metals and their impure materials be then also subjected to refining by calcinations, solution, sublimation, putrefaction, and coagulation, so that they attain a higher state of perfection, while tinctures of the impure and diseased Humorem Metallorum again reach the Glory of the Sun, just as did the man Jesus Christ. The question now really becomes, even when I then take gold or silver, since there are not no better metals than these two, according to the sayings of the philosophers: That which in the Sun and Moon rests upon the total Arts makes of them one thing, of salt, sulfur, and mercury, which indeed are the correct materials, knowledge and art of which can thereby be made complete, as there is at present no other way, according to the philosopher Bucher, that it can be found, and this is the most fundamental principle of all chemists, so that their greatest miracles must have a common underlying idea.
To this I made answer that the philosophers had written the truth, but such words were, however, not correctly understood according to their intentions, since they still prescribe and say: Our Sun, Moon, and Mercury are not ordinary, but are philosophical I might add: Even when I add them to salt, sulfur, and mercury, I find that they are not ordinary, but in my opinion they are philosophical. Therefore, I say that it is possible that one can give the other without itself undergoing damage, that it may or may not have requirements when this phenomenon takes place, so that you do understand the philosopher Bucher correctly, so that all of the particular ideas are then found to be true. Where, however, this may not be the case, then your entire hypothesis is also worthless, which I will now demonstrate by showing the truth that such of your presumed understanding amounts to nothing, and your Sun, Moon, and Mercury are worth nothing here.
We know that as long as men live, and body, mind, and spirit are in harmony with one another, then that man is a fully complete man. However, as soon as he dies his body becomes nothing more than a foul-smelling cadaver, which is no longer useful for anything, for his spirit and is soul (mind) have departed from him, in which all of the vital powers of this body reside, which keep him alive and maintain him through them. Now, however, life in him is no longer present, so that he also putrefies from his own very nature, and returns to the earth from which he came in the first place. Now shall he again live and be resurrected, and then his spirit and should must return to him as in the days of his youth, so that he might be a redeemed man and so remain forever.
We also on this point note that so long as the gold in his complete nature is not destroyed --- even as gold should be indestructible --- then it is firmly established, and unchanging when subjected to fire and freed from all contaminating elements, and we also see that gold will be melted away by fire, that is a mercury, runs and rolls out as another mercury alive, as soon as lower temperature causes solidification to set in, whereupon it cools rapidly and hardens. From the above it becomes at once apparent that the nature of gold is that a mercury and the ordinary mercury is entirely like the body. Now, however, the mercury is fixed in the fire, which although common, is, however, volatile and unpredictable, and does not produce mercury, but rather the spirit and tincture locked up in it, which, since it is sulfur and sal salis, from the ordinary mercury we are able to make through sublimation with sulfur, and stratifying with sol or luna this self-same sublimate and thus the mercurial extracts, through the help of the sulfur, the spirit or tincture solis by itself, and becomes Sol or Luna, after which it will become stratified with one of them; on the other hand, however, the Sol or Luna will become Mercury, which is volatile and unstable in the fire, so it can be smelted, like all those others, and thus the sublimate is prepared by my methods that are known to allow a profit for the work. From this it now is kept constantly that the body of the solis, that is the Mercury, the ordinary mercury, is entirely like the body, and of such shape, that it is worth nothing to the Art, even though a few tinctures may be made therefrom, but since sulfur and Sal Solis are used, this give to the Mercury the understanding of the meaning of purification by fire.
As soon as we now make the Sol into Mercury alive, then we have the best quality and tincture that we could desire, there in the twinkling of an eye, and the Mercury alive becomes unstable ad volatile, and extracted from its tincture and divested of the same; moreover, from a good thing, a bad one will come --- to draw a comparison, dead men are without vigor and might and have nothing to be able to give to another. Or the case of one having one of his own arms detached and is given one from another person. He can still not use it to help that other person. One might, however, also speak of the time when I take afterwards another Sol and restore his spirit to him and, by means of this Mercurium Solis extract it and coagulate it together, and as the philosopher speaks about it: Sulfur coagulates Mercury. Even according to your presumed understanding, you must nevertheless again take a Sol and then insert his spirit into the Mercury. Regardless of which use you desire to work, however, he would then bury the last, will not direct one blind man to another, and my words, which have nothing to add and which can give nothing to anyone else, will become true. Therefore, your fundamental concept is repudiated and you make a Mercury from the Sol and extract your tincture from it, although you will be considered cheap, as you would add the Sol to your tincture.
Examine now your work to see whether you can make something noble from something that is vulgar, or an angel from a devil, or from the first Adam, Our Lord and Redeemer, who is also invariable and steady like the Sol, redeeming the fallen Adam. As then your fundamental concept consists of the Mercurium Solis, even as a pelt from your ermine. Where will your particular concepts remain, when the universal idea proves to be false? What farmer is such a fool as to dry his seeds in the fire before planting them or then soaking them again in water and then planting them and then expecting them to bear fruit? Or let his overseer dry them and then plant them, or graft them onto dry stems, so that the sap dries up? Moreover, who is now such a fool as to make a living tincture from a dead metal? Has a dead person at any time ever raised up a living man or can one sinful man redeem another? For Jesus Christ alone, who was without sin, was born of a virgin without the assistance of a man, and there in a lower form of man was hidden the supreme power of God, which however might not be displayed to help men to become holy before his suffering, death, and resurrection took place, became through the other degree of perfection for the everlasting tincture, through which we all could obtain the blessing of eternal life after partaking of this tincture.
Moreover, we must from the philosopher Bucher understand this and so must search for another Sol, from the first all-powerful tincture, without fault or defect, born without sin, its metallic character indestructible, which had known no sin, nor still shown any lack of perfection, but is still in its initial disclosure, and in itself contains the Heavenly Balsam, the same as that expressed in the principal asters. Such material must be recognized from the very first, for without such knowledge it is not possible for anyone to come to everlasting life by means of this Art or to establish that which is true and everlasting.
Now the material must be covered over by a fluid (which philosophers choose to call Acetum, Aquafort, Quintam Essential Vini, and a thousand other names, although it is really only a single substance) and be prepared according to philosophers’ directions by suffering, crucifying, and resurrection, without putrefying with a fixed body in his Art, just as the dead body of Christ underwent no putrefaction, although it was dead, and came into existence as our tincture.
Moreover, in this matter, not according to the absurd understanding of the ignorant, who desired to extract the spirit from the Sol, and from it prepare Mercury, which is corruptible, and no longer capable of resuscitation, to say nothing of what their particular concepts should being out, as long as they were working in invalid things, and also in Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, alumina, saltpeter, antimony, salt, cinnabar, sal ammoniac, sulfur, plants, minerals, animals, and numerous other things of the same type, which, however, are all completely invalid and objectionable, and in which no truth of the Art can ever be found, the same in aceto, aqua fort, or spiritus vini, or as it may be called, according to the terminology of Arnold de Villanova: When however, we take Sol or Luna, at the beginning of our work, but we will never find a water which of itself alone will work, but we must take a material, which of itself alone will work, but we must take a material, which is much better than Sol or Luna in nature and properties, like the person of Christ, to reckon for us, for at all times that person shall make whole a number of others, who must be nobler and better, and then all will be made whole. As long, then, as gold itself is; for the most part, deprived of its tincture, and the first Adam must still be the same as anyone else, as we also know our own Adam, although in a thousand parts not so powerful as his first material of tincture, as we are or become men not unlike the first Adam prior to his fall, since likewise on account of sin the ordinary Sol cannot be a tincture. It was then, before forming a tincture, itself tinctured by its first tincture, the nature of which lies in this thousand virtues and is to be counted against the ordinary Sol.
The same material or Sol is needed in order to begin our work. We must search for it and take it from trees and roots, from which Sol is obtained, to which all philosophers direct us, above all others, Paracelsus, who is referred to in the Book of Minerals. When alchemists wish to find mercury, sulfur, and sal salis, as they then wanted to find the tree of gold and its roots, where they might be obtained chiefly, they should know that it is the proper Mercury, sulfur, and sal solis which generates the Sol at that point. In short I presume herewith, through sufficient fundamentals and preservation of the Word of God, and through additional understandings of false alchemists, together with their unreliable processes and anticipated results from their entirely inaccurate fundamental concepts, to be sufficiently answered. From this it then follows that their other numerous assumptions are not valid, since their presuppositions are not warranted. And, whether or not, from time to time something of value was found in their processes, it is nevertheless then according to the writings of Paracelsus that these interpretations and opinions constitute more of a hindrance than a fathering and even when they are able to further advance such a cause, then they can never arrive at the origin of it. They have no correct information and are able to say nothing about from whence it comes, for when they are asked how such a thing could come about, or even how they know that it has, or that such is indeed their process, then they are at once taken aback and can no longer guess if it is true or not, I can not say with certainty how their answer comes about, for indeed I do not know. I have also found it described and indeed have labored over the problem of being able further to indicate approval, or even their rationale, according to nature, since it might be regarded as cheap, for often they were the objects most labored over in the cinnabar mountain (vitriol, antimony, sulfur, and similar metallic objects) which contain within themselves many times solar spirits, which are formed during the birth of such mineral in the veins of the earth, in which also the Primum Ens Solis (initial appearance of the Sun) is not wholly completed and continuous, but often completes the same operations, although they no longer are of the same species. Thus, also, is their Art brought to an end, for then they are able to transmute nothing, and so they are entrapped again, and no longer are they able to transmute nothing, and no longer are they are able to arrive at a conclusion. As a result of such erroneous ideas, they can even lead themselves astray thereby, and seem always to be getting into trouble, until they are entirely ruined and die as a result thereof, for which the beautiful Art must take the responsibility unjustly, since it is unreasonable to expect them to bray about their own folly.
Such particulars, however, admonish me, just as do the grim Reaper and the deceased Bucher, for they were carried out by Sinners who are now dead, and through the same intercession will the State of Blissfullness be attained. To err is also of the head, just as the correctly prepared tincture, which is Jesus Christ. They bind themselves to the foul body of sins, but even as their faith is, so also will it be with the tincture, even though now and then, though such superstitions as theirs no doubt something advantageous will take place, or be helped, and even miracles can occur and one can learn, in truth, that the Devil can also sometimes perform miracles, so that it, nevertheless, comes to pass to the same men that they are deluded and are therewith in such an ungodly state that they are only able to wade into sinfulness that is even deeper and in the end they are completely undone and, to a certain extent, filled by the Devil.
Likewise, it also happens with such persons, who dare to attempt such important things that neither God nor Nature, nor even they themselves, are able to comprehend either the beginning or the end, about which they are also no longer able to obtain anything truthful and will also, along with the Art that they practice, come to no good end.
Summarizing, such things will have the effect of giving notice of the proper nature, that is, the actual character of a Sophist who, indeed, in reality, seeks nothing and finds nothing. To conclude further, however, as one reads of those who have acquired a rather true knowledge of the Art, who diligently studies the First Chapter of Genesis, where God spoke: Let the earth bring forth grass and plants, which will reproduce themselves, and bear fruit, and each bear fruit after its own kind, and have its own seed after its own kind of earth. God also spoke to all creatures, as the entire chapter shows, and the context enumerates.
Who is now in such things a fool --- he who resists the ordinances of God and masters Nature on he who makes a great effort to do God’s Will? He who would like to witness lynching and restore vileness and ugliness? He who would sow lead, tin, iron and copper as seed crops? And plants gold and silver in the ground. Paracelsus says: "That which a man sows, that shall he also reap". If you pant gold, then you will reap gold, but living seeds of gold are those that must be sown just as God and Nature created them and has given them to you before your very eyes. We cannot create the seeds, but Nature has already created them. We only plant the seeds, like the farmer does, and thus from a single ear of corn many hundreds or even a thousand ears can grow, and we see the same phenomena in all of God’s creatures, that is, each brings forth its own kind and increases in its own manner.
In conclusion, I wish to say to you that the entire Art stands as a recognition of current materials and their solution. He who knows both of these ideas knows the secret of the entire Art. But for greater facility, less trouble, and lower costs, seldom can be found or understood, for the Art will then be absolutely so easy, as philosophers say, that it is a woman’s work and children’s play, and also we need nothing more than fire and nitrogen, and this is the material which is the same as the gold of the philosophers, as I have already previously described in sufficient detail, through natural preservation; what is, will be. The operations of this Art, however, involve calcinations, putrefaction, solution, distillation, coagulation, and preparation of the tincture, with the operations of coagulation and putrefaction covering a period of 40-42 days, before the blackness appears, and then solution in 70 days, whereupon it appears white. Coagulation and Fixation occur in 120 days, and thereupon the product becomes completely white, i.e., it is the finished tincture which after 40 days becomes quite stable to fire. At that point a redness appears, so that approximately 3 months and a few days are required for this work, which is then augmentation initially of 10 parts, the second of 100 parts, and the third of 1000 parts, and gradually by another 10 times greater through solution and coagulation with acrid water, according to the writing s of Aristotle: "Through solution and coagulation we increase its virtue. Solution is that which necessitates, the true power is not of concern here, while solution is at the center of the operation of our thesaurus". Moreover, one sees that the entire work involves nothing more than solution and coagulation with acrid water, while working in water containing Aqua Mercurii communis, Aceto, Quinta Essentia Vini, or the like, which are not at all suitable for other work. Then we are able to see and know that, since the metals increase, the nature of these things shows that they need nothing at all. Still there will be found those whose nature we must reasonably follow, as they will have it and make it necessary. Also dissolution, according to the writings of the philosophers: "Bring salt and metal together without corrosive materials, and without danger, and red and white fumes will then result". You should also say, "Nature of natures, take your course; nature of natures, undergo change; nature of natures, follow to a conclusion; nature of natures, adjust to the result".
We understand that the farmer requires nothing other than seeds and soil, and there must be adequate rain and fertilizer, like that which is equivalent to nature’s supply. Consequently, he ploughs the field and sowed it and then allowed the sum and nature to take its course, which causes it to sprout without any further additions.
Also, moreover, when we have such Seminal Metals and their Seeds, then we seed them in it and allow the sun to mature them. And during that time we have intense heat, then the sun can give by spending itself for a year what the sun might not be able to do in many hundreds of years. It is also true that it follows that the farmer who sows no seeds will have no crops; therefore, if we sow no salt, alum, cinnabar, sulfur, lead, tin, iron, copper, gold, or silver, but the philosophic, living natural gold, with creates the same nature and presents before your very eyes, after going immediately to work and then following all the needs of nature, requires such instrumentalities as nature has in the soil, and as a result we do not need as many instruments as the fool might presume, but with an oven and a few instruments we can bring along the entire process from beginning to end. And no special work is required, as Count Bernard has reported that we heat the bath for the King, who rules over all evil men on earth, indeed even as a child of 6 years might be able to do, even though it occurs only once, but how and when no man is to be found sinful, then the philosophers have sufficiently described all the absolute necessities of Art of this type up to the power of the fire, which becomes evident from the color of the material in the fire, and must be recognized. And how much of the Art, which is the easiest thing on earth, even for children, so that they may laugh on account of it and that old folks seek it so foolishly, so that it is, nevertheless, the most difficult thing on earth to be found and also it is with such small costs to be achieved, that the entire work, when we have understood that for which we have sought, would not cost more than three thalers.
David Beuther’s Appendix to the Exalted Art of Alchemy ~
First of all, while we know that under all the planets and stars, the Sun is the hottest and most radiant in degree, and also that all the planets receive their light from the Sun, which planets are also able to, by their brightness, illuminate the entire firmament in the upper and lower spheres, warming all things that formerly were cold, and then, through the influence of the mighty Sun, whose force and effect led to the birth of gold which we refer to as Our Sun. Then, just as the Sun operates in its realm, it also becomes our Sun here below in earth. Then God placed Fire on the Sun in the sky, by which the excellence and the power began to have their effect; moreover, God has given alchemists and men of power and might, which kindle the earthy Sun, which give the inferior planets and the metals their luster and brightness and which assert the mightiness of the spirit of man through the Word, as God Himself said: "Let us make man in a form which will be like us, and he shall have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over all the beasts of the field, and over the whole earth, and over all the reptiles, which crawl upon the earth". So men had now received the commandment from the Lord to rule, as well, over the metals, according to the Word, since God had said: "Have dominion ove the whole earth and everything which is above it and below it". Also, men will, from the time thenceforth, have dominion over the Sun and its erring path, which can sustain the gold and bend others to its will and pleasure, as did Joshua by his commanding, since he had routed his enemy, that the Sun stands still, signifying that it is possible for men to accomplish all things, when they obtain from God the wisdom and understanding to do it, so he also received the same with assurance in everything which he wanted to do, just as happened to King Solomon, insofar as he believed it only necessary for the glory of God and for his next task. And that is also to be considered for the might of alchemists and to cut off the presumed argument of ignorant fools who say that metals will be propagated to men from God by transplantation, so that it is considered to be a patently false art, which none can practice or have knowledge on how to carry on. For the metals do not grow like other things, for God has created just so much of the same in the mountains as there should be, and no more; for this reason must it also be brought forth with great toil and difficulty. Oh, you stupid fool, to whom apply God’s ordinances and omnipotent words, which in the beginning He spoke to all creatures, in which He said: "Be fruitful and multiply". These words God spoke not only to living animals and to crops, but to slimy creatures and beasts of prey, which you see very day in the coarse dust, which increase by self-propagation, and for this reason you believe it to be true. However, there are others, that you are able to come to know only by alchemy; then in this, put your hand to the flail, thresh out the grain, which you sow from year to year, and so you will remain an unskilled toiler with a crude flail, all the while having faith in nothing, holding only for certain your clenched fist and will have learned nothing more than what the flail tells you, being able to handle it only, or to grasp it with your coarse mind of a beast of burden, since you do not know anything else than hands to be put to work to clean out stables, or to put manure on the field, and you yourself don’t even know the place on purpose why you should do that, or that the manure gives quality to the field, so that the seed sown in the earth can propagate and you are unable to understand that both the seed and the manure must undergo putrefaction and in this way enter into the composition of earthly bodies and remain these only as the Quinta Essentia, vel Virtus regenerative (the quintessential regenerative principle), the same principle which considers the earth to be its mother, in the same way that the straw eaten by animals becomes manure, while the seeds, which are sown also become food for animals, and the horses and the oxen eat it and, after digesting it in their stomachs, eliminate the waste material, and in this way the straw, sooner or later, is converted into manure. And during the time everything in the stomach of animals is undergoing digestion in the stomach of Mother Earth, so that all earthly nature is, and so remains, the Quinta Essentia, and the force behind all these changes and from all these many processes coming together in the earth, where every one of them takes pace, much goodness results and other things are invigorated and improved and as a result the earth becomes fruitful and productive, and the good seed can bring forth a good harvest, just as a wife when she becomes pregnant beings a new child into the world. When it then receives a new personality. Such cases, however, will be to you a matter of instinct. Thus you go about seeding the field, but even as a blind donkey can find the manger and knows very well who has produced the fodder for him, nevertheless, you want things which are much too high for you and which will destroy you, and leave you full of doubt, so that you will know neither the beginning nor the end, and it might not even be possible for the experienced alchemist to transmute metals, even though God has given you the blessing of children to bear witness to this fact which, due to your inability to appreciate this, remain completely hidden from you, so that you yourself do not understand what a great accomplishment it is, nevertheless (even though man is the greatest of all God’s creatures) to be able to transmute metals. Now, no children ever came into the world, when you did not need an alchemist, but you attached great importance to the wife (as the receptacle of the sol in which the seed was implanted by you and nourished to perfection for you). Should you then not have the power to rule, as God has decreed, that you should then not have the power to rule, as God has decreed, that you should, by ruling over a great many lesser things, to keep all such things under your feet. But you blind ox, you don’t see very well, and you are going to be an uncouth fool and back yourself into a hard place. It is also in your stupid head to find so little understanding that you cannot perceive the wonderful works of God and for this reason there must also be in your brain something that is impossible to do. There are then metals upon which a growing nature cannot act, although the Word of God is spoken as well for them as for all creatures: "Be fruitful and multiply", each of you, and it will remain proper and well with you, as long as the world remains, as also is the case with the Word of God, Have dominion over everything that is on earth and remain unbroken in spirit, for this is sufficient to undertake the alchemist’s Art and the possibility of also transmuting metals through the use of God’s Word, which confirms it, and no one can be able to refute this statement.
If, however, you wish t end this discussion and think that such is not the case, then you will seldom reach a proper conclusion or will find that the deceivers will be so may who go around with false and illogical arts and count all alchemists as one to the benefit of the Devil, so do not expect to judge as a teacher, but rather as a fool, for it will be seen that not all cooks which carry the measuring vessels are also not alchemists, which spend all their energies in such endeavors, but the understanding of God and Nature, and they know what lies hidden in Limbo Terrae (for which see Paracelsus in Aurora, Chapter 16, of the Universal Materials of Philosophy), which can also come to the aid of Nature, and can also make good the defects of the same through the art about which others only dream, while they let themselves seem to be those, who carry mountains of gold in their heads and have each one of them found an old catatonic state where a slovenly person, known as a student in a laboratory, has made up and set in motion a process which proceeds initially as follows: Recipe, originally in code but now deciphered, following a pattern of usage, according to which children of the streets follow a fool, who goes ahead of them with a pipe and will suppose that it is a certain that by leaping up and down he has attained a good conception of the true art, and still it was held to be so well hidden that no one must see it and when they finally take it in hand then they will find themselves deceived, even by one another, and, yes, it is true, they are even able to dare to undertake for themselves Strohschneiger and Hudelmann’s versions of the glorious work of alchemy, which is neither contrary to God or to Nature, nor to one’s own knowledge; not to mention the fact that they should have knowledge of the production of metals, from where they originate, and how they came into being initially, holding such friends of alchemists as rascals and knaves, although an honest and candid alchemist, who is also a true philosopher, and knows how to test his fundamental knowledge of his art, first, by knowing heavenly things, thereafter, through the course of Nature, and, finally, by the thing in itself, as such a famous philosopher as St Paul was known to be has written in the 15th Chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, who you must surely not consider to be among the deceivers,
If you will, however, believe a true alchemist to be a deceiver, then see whether his art which he practices compares with the Word of God, fruitful by its very nature, and, in the third place, the thing that he practices, in which he labors hard and long, then as long as the mouth is the informer of the heart, so long will your own words make the truth known, whether, he is a liar or not. He now says that he will make it from lead, tin, or a baser metal, or even from verdigris, vitriol, salt or other material of this sort, from which the supposed alchemist gives himself the most credit and even thinks only too freely that he is a liar who will deceive himself about his own accomplishments. For then the Word of God stands there before his very eyes, since God has spoken: "Each one produces his own kind". In this arrangement, all things and all advances in nature must remain within this framework, since what lies outside such a framework is the work of deception and lies. If now a Sol or Luna wants to grow or undergo transmutation, then it must not be sown in filth or vitriol or lead, or other base metal, since God has spoken further: "Everything has seeds of its own kind, by which it can be propagated; It is very good that everything has its own peculiar seed". Thus, each thing in its own nature shall multiply and bear its own sort of fruit. Thus, in vitriol, lead, etc., so the art of gold is not in gold or nature, no seeds of gold or silver are to be found. Just as also an owl can never hatch a falcon, although they both are birds and, consequently, have some characteristics that they share in common, so, too, neither can a man be descended from a horse, although it often happens that unnatural births do take place by the interbreeding of two very different kinds of things, although God has, nonetheless, forbidden such in his Commandments, as set down in the 19th Chapter of Leviticus, that such things born in this manner should be burned up by fire, since they surely are more Sodomitic and diabolical than they are human on God-like. Therefore, they also bear the mark of the Devil, they are misshapen and deformed, and are unlike other animals. While ordinary men bear God’s own image, these misshapen beings are not like that at all. Therefore, I say that you can recognize liars by the mixing of strange things. Then also the old ways say: Like rejoices with like, Nature delights in Nature. Nature embraces Nature, joining together things that are alike. And adding further:
Others, not feminine, for they shall give you nonsense,
Woman melts man, for woman and man are tinctured.
It is the rule of fire, the fire of Mercury himself,
By the tribe, twice as much, the Philosophers Stone is esteemed,
In the tribe it is he whom they ask thousands of thousands,
These three protected, then all volatile material caught
Others dissolve, add together, and subdue.
Spirits and all fermented materials of the world,
And this destroyed the coagulated body itself,
One, if to exist together, with only the body placed.
Sun and Moon arise from the colors themselves,
Male by no means generates women, if not maintained,
Nor woman prepare men without them.
If the Sun does not make it ready, if the Moon does not join in,
If only put down, but arising thereupon because it chooses,
Sun and Moon, seed of Mercury, and whether
Seed with feminine aspects is joined together with mercury
For they prepare pleasingly these two bodies born,
Because origin and prayer will conquer the summit of everything
If fetters if women with the Moon is the goal of realization.
Now then, that will be enough said about the office of Chemist and of Nature, and to confirm the possibility of transmutation of metals and how the metals each one, according to the Word of God, has its own seed in and of itself, by which it can propagate itself and bring forth its own kind, according to its own fruit, and in this way you can recognize a true alchemists and philosopher, who differentiates himself from an imposter and prevaricator by showing that according to God’s Holy Word and Divine Plan and the course of the path He chose when in his material body, if you are unable to believe the evidence in a personal way, then let the Word of God be sufficient fundamental truth for you, and your presumed argument to the contrary, Similarly, might it not also just be possible to make metals likewise propagate? Moreover, when you become worthy of such, the evidence will demonstrate it. Since one should not cast pearls before swine, as Christ has said, then believe also that, without previous trouble, your unbelief and foolish opinions will put no roasted pear into your mouth or have no roasted dove fly into your mouth.
So I will now permit myself to digress a bit and proceed further with my previous argument, in which I told you that God spoke, as follows: "One of every living thing shall reproduce its own kind, according to its own nature, and be fruitful, and retain its own seed in itself and bring forth according to its own kind". So we write of the power of God’s Word to apply as well this power also to metals, especially to the highest and best from among all of the same, which indeed is our Sun. Shall it, however, not also provide brightness and light to the least of the planets and must it then be set on fire by the alchemist’s reagents on the Earth, even as they are in heaven above by God Himself, who is indeed Lord of the Heavens, but has given the earth to men, His Children, who have made it over to please God, the Father. Now, such an ignition cannot happen by any such thing of itself alone, but through its own nature, and the essential inflammation, no fire could be found at that time, which could be the power, the excellence, and the result of pure activity alone, for it will help you to understand the effects of the other planets, whether they also are fiery, with their heat giving off nothing and taking on nothing, or like the Sun, or fire from God, so that the fire and the spirit are the same. For this reason also, as long as they are taken by one better than it itself is, then they can impart also to others their excellence and this will then be a light, which can then provide light to everything which is dark and obscure, because if their cleanness and ability to light up and make warm, and the other planets, which of themselves are the same as dead, can be kindled and brought to life and, therefore, on account of their supreme majesty, can be compared to God and Christ, which also would have given rise to the planets around the Sun, including the Planet Jupiter, and the Sign of Leo the Lion, and since, moreover, the Sun illuminates everything in the sky above with its brightness, and indeed produces the same result in the inner spheres, such as gold, minerals, rubies, plants, animals, lions, birds, and even men, and also Christ had the proper Sun in all its clarity, because of its brilliance and never-failing light which it brought and explained it and defined it, and was destroyed by inhalations of the Spirit of the Devil, but how Christ, both God and man, who was complete, so that we all can also be more complete, so that men and creatures have now the power, although the power of the Spirit, the Godhead far surpasses any power we have of our own. Moreover, the heavenly Sun, because of its great cleansing power, can being about more than all the stars put together, as also our earthly sun here below with us does to metals, and as Christ is the foremost among all men, and next to Him we are the noblest of all creatures, even better than the angels, for were are created in the likeness of Christ, who died to redeem the whole human race and has not suffered to let the will of that angel who was cast out, and also in earth and heaven, the Moon, and the Sun. To rank among the lesser plans, as with respect to Christ, and as (Luna Conjunx Solis) the wife towards the man, and by nature so completely united, and how very much more is the man than the woman, since it was the man who was created first and is thus Lord of the woman. In the same way the Sun is Lord of the Moon. (Woman was created from the man, so mercury is masculine, while sulfur is feminine). From this, then, we conclude that to complete our work, as to begin the same, of improving and shortening it, no other material should be taken than cinnabar, since the metals in vitreous earth are unsatisfactory and thus they must be treated with a better, higher, and nobler medicine, and the greater the infirmity, the greater the medicine must be, so that the healing process and recovery can also be more rapid and more complete. The entire operation may be briefly described in the following verse, first set down in the handwriting of Paracelsus:
There is a stone and still no stone,
In which stands the whole art alone,
It can be found in the ground and mountain
In which dwell ogres and dwarfs.
I tell you this of a truth and as a favor,
He who has this same thing has only a vapor.
And the splendor of the red lion,
Extracted mercury, completely pure and clean,
The same sulfur, I saw of a truth,
Had the rudiments of the art so completely.
Raymond Lully in His Vademecum (Guidebook):
The tincture was extracted along with out Sol, which you can easily understand, so that you can read our book without annoyance, and can go and do your work more safely. Consequently, the following things are required for higher study; a better understanding, reliable information, hands ready to work, avoiding sophists, free and unhindered employment, sufficient ability, and means and a good philosophy. Bucher had them all.
Johannes Daustenius Anglic:
Cook the little man and woman together, until both become hard and dry. When they are not dry, different colors will not appear. Cause: the color will always be black as long as moisture is present.
Item Daustenius:
It is very fortunate that Nature will react according to well-established patterns, in which most substances are not completely destroyed by too much heat or lack of heat. Thus, when Nature reacts too vigorously or too little, but otherwise as I ought, then it destroys directly and that is not the same, consequently, as that which one would have wished.
In honor of the King and Queen, however, and indeed not burning them, for they did not flee therefrom on account of the intense heat. So, then, it is for you to be patient and long-suffering, which improves the Kind and his Queen in the government. Cook them until they become black, and afterwards white, and then red, and then this will become an actual medicine, which gives its tincture to gold.
Whereas our ore originally became dissolved the more it was heated and became a volatile liquid, after that the more it was heated, the thicker it became, turning into a very white powder. In the third place, the more it was heated the more colored it became, until it become a tincture with a deep red color and the entire operation was reduced to a process as simple as the extraction of water from an ore and then decanting the resulting liquid from the ore. There must, however, be a diligent watching, a continuous confidence. Thereupon, the whole thing will become self-explanatory and will also finally turn out to be to your liking.
David Beuther’s Philosophical and Chemical Writings ~
To God Alone the Glory.
Question: By what means should one dissolve the body of the Sun and the body of the Moon?
Answer: Through your own water or key.
Question: What is your key?
Answer: It is your own mercury.
Question: What is your mercury?
Answer: It is a metallic liquid which is an inner vapor of minerals, which is completely volatile so that it can also disappear into the air and diffuse into the air and after sublimation it is referred to as the Water of the Discerning, you spring and fountain, as well as your fire, for then your Philosophers’ Water is actually a fire.
Question: Where must one seek to find this Water?
Answer: In the mountains and in the ground and in a large of minerals.
Question: In which minerals?
Answer: In those minerals in which the spirits of metals reside.
Question: Are all of them good?
Answer: Yes, but all of them are different.
Question: Why is that?
Answer: Because? If they will al arise from a single root, then, however, nothing can be extracted without gold and silver; no tincture can be produced from itself alone. They can all be converted into a tincture of a medicine, but one of them, however, is very much nobler and better then the others.
Question: Why is that?
Answer: The reason is that one of them is not equal in quality to the others in the stars above and in the celestial world in the embodiment of their influence.
Question: Which of them, however, has the greatest ability from God to act as a tincture?
Answer: There are indeed many spirits which under such circumstances do have the power to give metals a special color. These are the spirits of metals residing in a great many mineral ores.
Question: What are such minerals good for?
Answer: Indeed there are many uses. For one such metal has the spirit of the other six in it. But the most important spirits, however, are those of silver and gold, which live in base metals, such as cobalt, zinc, bismuth, antimony, and the various forms of garnet. The highest of all of them, then, are gold and silver ores and from them the noble water might come when they are found in an entirely natural and pure state.
Question: Which are the best and most serviceable?
Answer: The most dilute and volatile ores and minerals, since they lead to the spirits of the Sun and Moon.
Question: Do these spirits have more ability as a tincture than others do?
Answer: Yes, indeed. Certainly far more. Since they actually surpass the others in their ability to become fixed, and in their stability, and also they surpass them in volatility.
Question: In which minerals are ordinarily found the spirits of gold and silver in the greatest quantity?
Answer: As you have desired to know the origin and the source, then you will see that the spirit of gold and silver is pure, unmixed with other living spirits, and you will also see that silver is the most serviceable for it is (even when unrefined) pure, ductile, bright, volatile, and the lower the silver content the better, since the red-gold ores used are broken into gold and cobalt. Among others, cobalt is often found, which leads to a little silver, if indeed any whatsoever. Then after digging in a mine, a white, soothing coagulated liquid or liquor of the moon is found, which is formed partially from actual cobalt and tends to increase in amount and is inclined to be oily, like melted fat, or even a little pasty, or is like a soft, delicate, white painter’s color. In this liquid, however, lies our liquor, hidden, from the moon, for us to labor over. When, however, such liquor appears to give a mineral a red color, then this leads to the Spirit of mars, even if, however, it becomes green, like the Spirit of Venus. This spirit becomes separated from its ore by spagyric methods, so that it has within it the life of the earth, although this spirit has also separated the pure from the impure by the process of sublimation, or, in another way, by the process of extraction, carried out with rather vigorous extraction and the addition of silver, leading to artificial flowers of lapidi and tinctures resulting from their solution.
Question: How is this spirit driven away and separated from its crude earthiness or terrestrial nature?
Answer: In order that you can accurately separate the pure from the impure and obtain each of them separately, you must now take the liquorish water containing the gold and silver and place it in an efficient sublimation apparatus or an earthen vessel where it is then sublimed in a sand bath, using a vessel made of iron and tin, and allowed to react slowly for several hours and then, according to the opportunity, the longer, the stronger, the spirit rises very gently through the neck of the still head or retort into the other globe glass and is even allowed to remain there, the metals being identified by their colors.
Then, take an ore and bring the spirit therefrom. You must tap it gently, so that the spirit can rise easily and go out of it. Or, take the mineral ores of gold and silver, crude or pure, in pieces or entire, carefully pulverized by rubbing on a stone, then hermetically sealed in a vial, melted, and then allowed to sit in a sand bath and made completely soft, compact and fixed, so that the gold becomes heavy and is covered over with a green skin, which looks like the leaf of a nut tree and is spoken of, as is the custom, as the Green Dragon of Hermes, or as the Green Corrosive (Omnivorous) Snake, or as the Green Lion, although Theophrastus called it the Tree Frog, imbibing an air of wisdom and coating his back with wax; but in reality, it is the White Lily, the water of the Wise, for from it comes the Elixir of Life, and the Fountain of Youth. When now this Liquor of the Sun is drawn out from the resin colored blood and the green tree frog is covered over with, making him so hot that his skin will burst, and from him, after he does indeed burst, comes our Lily, which grows even snow-white, like wool. Let it grow as long as it can. Take this with an instrument of gold, finely constructed, and when you have enough of the same, then continue the experiment in a spherical vessel which is formed like a round-bottomed flask and sealed, and its contents allowed to putrefy in our Athanor oven, made of brass, so that one can carry the experiment out in a dish or whatever he chooses. It is approximately one span and a half wide, well made of good iron or copper, like figures with two cupels, in which putrefaction takes place in a very mild heat, with very mild sweating, with low heat over a period of a month, resulting in a black color, then a white one. This is our Fountain and our Soil, in which is found that which you will harvest --- the Corpus Solis et Lunae (Body of the Sun and Moon), which can be further purified. After this stage of purification, more gold was added and the mixture was allowed to putrefy further. This is done as often and as extensively as desired. There is, consequently, a certain considerable amount of increasing the amount of ore. So milling takes place nine times, putrefaction occurring at each step. You must see the blackness, reminding you that you have to correctly solve the problem and must make certain that, when necessary, the gold must be added to the mercury. When all of this is now in solution, and then added to its own ferment, and heated for a long period of time with one another, until it is unchanging (that is to say, the gold or its ferment --- the gold or silver added as a leaven, so that its ferment is volatile and the volatile part, the mercury, is unchanging) and it was formerly considered a tincture, although not now.
The following involves three kinds of solar liquors which are very serviceable to the Philosophers’ Fountain:
The first is called gold pyrites, which is entirely pure by itself and leads to no other foreign metallic spirit or any highly corrosive substance. The other is the crude and scaly form of hematite, which, however, must be pure. This is the most stable and durable Mineral of the Sun, whose greatest value is seen in a noble medicine comparable to the noble mineral, antimony, in which the Spirit of the Sun and moon may be readily dissolved to form a medicine.
In the third place, there is still the Mineral of the Sun, which is a liquor or water in very solid gold-cobalt, gold pyrites, or gold quartz, which is very mild and delicate in its first composition. It is found to have a red color and appears to be like a cinnabar ore. This is the Sugar of Theophrastus, which he mentions in his Thesaurus to act like gold, and with this mineral, the Sap of Gold is brought to the fountain and allowed to undergo change (as formerly pointed out with the Mineral of the Moon). This is now the threefold Mercury of the Philosophers, which is, however, its ferment, actually a very beautiful pure gold oxide, to which when a gold liquor was added and allowed to putrefy, a black material was obtained, so that the Green Dragon (which is simply mercury) which has been extracted from the mineral and blended with the Anatron Sol, which is actually the Lion of Gold, or gold oxide, which immediately turns it into the mercury and then into a double mercury. This is now the true mercury of the philosophers, which dissolves all substances if enough is added. When all this is finished, as all of the Philosophers have noted, the two waters unite to form one. In this white water, the substance dissolves to form the perfect solution, which becomes coagulated when acted upon by its first ferment until it, in its turn, becomes white, as well as non-flammable and indestructible, and even though it is actually fixed and stable as a White Tincture, it must, nevertheless, be further treated until it gives a red tint, at which point it is even better fixed and is then able to dye everything from white and can be looked upon further until finally, the deepest shades of red appear. Continuing this process and others, such as steadily heating over an open flame, produces no change, although a brightness is imparted to the flame, which first turns gold, then red, and finally a deeper red, but the substance itself is non-combustible, which is its most notable characteristic, since fire only serves to make it more stable.
Question: How many changes, then, can this Stone bring about?
Answer: Two. The first is putrefaction; the second is fermentation.
Question: Then how does fire cause it to increase?
Answer: The increase occurs in the metal.
Question: How can the gold cause it to become tinctured and make it better, since it was previously pure enough?
Answer: It makes it like a tincture and a lapidi, which thereafter is much more penetrating and its activity is increased so that 1 part per 100 parts of material can bring about the same amount of uniform coloring and can turn out more gold.
Question: Is there then no mineral on earth that this material cannot cause to be tinctured?
Answer: None. Of that which you have seen as the proper basis and, as I have previously suggested, all metals have originated from a single root stock and thus all can be brought to a single tincture of white and red (although the assistance of gold and silver are required). So you now know, and can imagine even, what kinds of metals are best suited, the most powerful and the mightiest, and you will soon discover the gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin, and lead all have a single root or Mercurium. When occurring alone in a metal or mineral this ore is purer in mercury and is easier to bring out of its ore and also easier to purify than are the others. In this way, you will know, however, that mercury, while still in its ore, is also a very beautiful red color, resembling that of a ruby. Indeed, this mineral is also finely powdered and comes from its ore very readily, as mercury also comes from its gold ore, even more rapidly than other forms of mercury. The gold and silver in their original state can bring it out and make it similar to mercury. This is the only difference in the form of the minerals reported, that is, whether they all will have one kind of mercury and stem from a single root or a mercury before them will be sufficiently shaped solely by other characteristics. However, through the poisonous vapors in the pockets interspersed in the earth so that mercury from a mineral having another spirit might lead to a mercury of such a nature that it can be purified easier than the others and thus one sees in such a one this fact in the sublimation process, since the mercury is often in four different colors, all of which are spirits driven thereinto. On account of this, no mercury dissolves the metal. Then it will be that false colors and impure spirits will be separated and removed. The mercury, however, from the living mercury ore is volatile and is even the most volatile of all minerals and, also, without a single thing, except a very gentle heat, not alone for the purpose of driving it from its ore, but also (by such a gentle heat) to readily purify and refine it and, moreover, that it might equally have such strength and other good qualities as the preceding do not have. And when it now has also been made as completely pure as a crystal as a result of sublimation, then it dissolves much more readily than other minerals, such as mercury, gold, and silver, and combines with them, so that this is a true saying, "Prepare mercury from mercury solution, without ordinary mercury ores". But Philosophers say, "Thus you see that mercury ore attacks the metallic nature of all kinds of metals and fuses them together and, for this reason, you can also believe that it can do that to its mercury even more readily". When the spirit of the pure gold is added to such a rapidly heated mercury, then it makes the gold like the mercury, too, and so one can proceed with the other ores, as previously taught, to prepare tinctures from other metallic ores, thereby leading to mercury or the spirit of the gold. For this reason, nothing is bound to any one certain mineral, since from one such, as from the other, a mercury is obtained. Then a convenient process will result, which can then be utilized. It is also to be noted that whether indeed a mineral containing mercury taken from Nature or from another source that can be repurified like the other, then we must now take such a mineral, as Theophrastus taught, namely the Electrum Minerale Immaturatum (which is such a noble metal) which by itself has no other foreign nature, then as long as the spirit of the metal will be of many kinds, many kinds of processes must also be required to refine the same. In pursuance of this, I will now consider the philosophical work to follow hereafter. In the Name of the Holy Trinity and to the Glory thereto be given. Amen.
Philosophical Work ~
Since the metals in the veins of the earth will be very impure, they must be treated by a very high and noble course of medicine, and then will be cured. The more persistent the illness, the more vigorous the medicine that will be required. Thus, for our Work, there is nothing better than can be taken than the labeled material and for that we must go to the Tree of Gold, as Theophrastus has shown us and has also stated in his book on the Minerals.
The old alchemists knew how to find sulfur and mercury from the Sun and how in the Tree of Gold and its roots he could indeed find it, and might even be able to obtain it cheaply, for the same, namely, salt, sulfur, and mercury, which is mercury, produce gold there. They also talked about a Tinctura Physicorum, in which the old Spagyrists before them had withheld controversial and tedious work, since they had obtained a much easier and better route where they had learned about the Astronomiae Concordance on unanimous opinion of the alchemists, in which Theophrastus speaks about the Lion: "Take now his ruby-colored blood and from the Eagle the whiten gluten, and after you have coagulated the two together, in this way you have obtained the Tincturea Physicorum". What the Red Lion was, however, he said --- at that time and in that same place --- only with obscure words, and there he described the Subjectum Materiae, saying in these words: "The material of the Tincture is a thing which you understand correctly from the Spagyrists, which come from one of two Arts taken from the Vulcani (the Shining One)", and might so still remain as I told you about in his correct terms, according to the old customs, and even that it is the Red Lion, named by many but known by few. Now, the same may be transmuted through the help of Nature and the skill of the artisan in works of the White Eagle, and also, that from a single one, two will result, over which the golden brilliance does not subsequently lighten the Spagyric over the two, viewed as one. If you do not know what the requirements of the ancient astronomers and the customs of the old cabalists (i.e., mystics) are, then you either report for further enlightenment through oral communication or else elect to look into the Arts of Vulcan through God’s help or that of Nature. So much has been said about this, as Paracelsus would say that he used the short way of preparing the tincture from the materials from which all this should be made. It is so clearly described that those who do not understand it will not even be able to guess anything further and are unable to declare it clearly with their mouths. And although it is true that it is given to understand sufficiently the as wisdom, so it will nevertheless be imprudent, and even more foolish, to never learn from this during one’s own lifetime. Thus, from the start, it was indicated clearly enough what the material is from which the tincture should be made and is stated in this way on the basis of one thing alone, and that is, that one needs nothing more than this (just as also the entire soul stands alone in Christ) and should say: "It is and is called the Red Lion". Where, indeed, we seek the same and shall find it, he says, in the Tree of Gold and its roots, since he leads us actually to the one mountain, which is nothing other than the actual Red Lion, and then to that which is no other metal or metallic spirit by itself than the cherished Spirit of Gold. And he, indeed, clearly and properly talks about the fact that in order to demonstrate these words, he said the following: "The Red Lion can be transmuted into the White Eagle, so that the one can become two, and moreover that gold with all its brilliance cannot lighten up the spagyric".
Note well, the word "Gold" and all its brilliance, of which he speaks and by which he means nothing else than the above-mentioned material, and not the ordinary melted gold, proving from this that, since he has directed us to go to the Tree of Gold and its roots, the metals increased, and also in his Archidoxa, as well as his little book on Renovation and Restoration, he said that the gold, indicated in the thousandth part, is not so powerful when melted by the furnace as in its ore, for as soon as this is done, the salt, sulfur and mercury are gone away. He also pointed this out in his manual. For this, we should take Erlectrum minerale immaturatum, that is, the most noble of metals. An item in the little book Electro-Minerals says that from the purer metals, nothing is retained of the art of alchemy. And in his Metamorphoses he also says the same thing about active gold and silver. Rodangionus, in his little book on Signs of the Zodiac, writes that the art of Alchemy is not to be sought or found in metals which are of poor quality and inferior and, so also, will nothing be found in small minerals. Arnold of Villanova in his Alchemical Speculations points out that in no minerals of inferior quality and not even in ordinary gold and silver, and not even in other lesser things, can alchemical arts be found, excepting those in which the gold is the best possibility and satisfies the symbols of cinnabar, that is, it is in the Red Lion. Theophrastus also wrote about such materials in his Alchemists’ Thesaurus, as follows: "We find in the veins of the earth a mineral which, in its first coagulation, appears to be red in color and in it lies sealed all the flowers and colors of the minerals, as well as the good qualities of all metals, and what might be the same in all of them, that is, in this single thing", and noted as such in the same sort of cinnabar ore, for the appearance and color are almost entirely the same. With this, it is shown not only in the daylight what the material is like, but also it indicates what kind of stock we should search for and what kind of metallic seeds we should find. Note well, the gold and silver produce such seeds, which subsequently tend to grow and to increase. In Arrige Aures Pamphile all these words are noted and confirmed by Berhardus, Geber, Alani, Raymond Lully, and many others. Now, this is enough of the review of those works, the material from which we shall take.
If we now wish to proceed further, we must now go on to Paracelsus’ School of Work and to the brief passages which follow, as are readily to be noted and learned from his Scriptis. Then we desired to learn from the Subjectum Materiae vel Tincturae, which is reported clearly enough and shown with the fingers, so he also set up thereby the welcome preparations and said that from one (of the materials noted) two would result, namely, sulfur and mercury, since one of them (mercury) gives the body, on earth, wherein we plant the seeds, i.e., the Sulfur of the Sun, which sulfur is called the Blood of the Red Lion, while the mercury is called the Gluten of the White Eagle. He further stated that when the two coagulated together, then the tincture thus prepared was ready to be used. This is, indeed, a shorter way of preparation, though it gives poorer and inferior results. In addition, he said that, however, this required the services of a well-experienced artisan to serve as Fire master. What a figment of the imagination!
Now, however, everyone might like to know how to make from one (of the materials noted) two different materials and bring seed from the earth and afterwards sow the seeds now and again, so that there would be an increase in the fruit brought forth. Indeed, he did not set forth any separate process of operation therefore, but nevertheless said that those who could not understand from his description would be allowed no further conjecture and, moreover, that nothing more would be added to the Art by God Himself. Thus, it is, however, true that without any further instructions, such words would be of such a limited understanding that they would be almost too difficult, if not impossible, to comprehend and would show further how one should proceed with the material. Then, alone would he be able to say that the material or the tincture should lead to an understanding of the Red Lion, that is, that it is cinnabar, and that it is a thing which involves "one in two through the art of Vulcan", an understanding of the use of fire and heat and how generated and how released from these materials, and how sublimation may be brought about, and that I pass it on to you with its correct nature and the uses of old, so that it is the Red Lion of which much is spoken and little is known. Now, the same may, through the help of Nature and the skill of the artisan, bring about a transmutation in the White Eagle and then, too, may from one (understanding the nature of the material) there come two, that is, sulfur and mercury. More than that, the brilliant reflection from the gold should not illuminate the spagyro. As he would say no more than that, as the two principles, sulfur and mercury, are not used to conduct the work, but are to be kept in reserve, as in the case of the material, which must be only one, and yet, at the same time, may be two. In this brief work is explained not only completely the material, but also the entire work, beginning, middle, and end; and the whole process of preparing the tincture and also the complete work, in which the three things are pointed out, first, the volcanic action, which was treated by the poets in the case of fire, by others as the help of Nature, and by a third group, as the skill of the artisan, and through these three means were the above-mentioned two things, the sulfur and the mercury, in the light made by the Red Lion, caused to happen and terminated therewith, saying that beyond the brightness of the gold, the artisan was not illuminated. As he was wont to say, not to brig the work past that point, either through the help of fire or through the skill of the artisan. Then, when the artisan brings it so far that he has made sulfur and mercury from the material, then he cannot go any further, so he must let God and Nature work it out and then await the fruit. Even as the farmer, who plants seeds in God’s Name and in God’s Seal and proceeds thereupon and God and Nature set about accomplishing the results. The artisan must also do his part if he hopes to make the two from one. What now, however, the three works and what each official or minister of Vulcan or Fire of nature does, using the skill of the artisan, I will now explain briefly here and clear it all up and further point out what is understood by these words, before, however, reporting that us as the Sun in its course through the sky, no one else than through his reagents, which are actually from God Himself, is lit up (enlightened). Men can also see that there is a reagent in this case here which ignites our Sun the same as any fire on earth, since God and Nature have provided him to enable him to work and keep himself alive. So it is true that the heavenly fire from the Sun so influences metals that it is up to us a common earthly event and involves a solidifying and congealing fire. In Heaven, however, this is resolved. If it should come to life, however, it must be through its resembling in appearance that external fire and such a uniform fire was assumed that it burned with a bright flame, which was the spirit of the Fire, and it caught fire and had its effect. Since, however, we are not able to have the Power of heaven or even bring it down to us, then we so needed the Materialistic Fire, which was originally ignited by sparks, so that it burns continuously without ever ceasing and, as long as it has this same material making it up, and can continue to work and by means of the same also acts in metals, due to the igniting of an earthly sun, just as also like can be brought to life by like. Thus, even if wood contains the Fire Principle and is of a combustible nature, still it does not catch fire unless ignited, as by sparks. Moreover, since this fire is not that of the shining Sun, nor is it that of shining gold, it must then be the result of the earthly fire, which is ignited by its sparks, so that it also burns and continues to burn so long as the same combustible material is added to it, so that the one Sun and Light ignites the other, just as the Sun in the Firmament of heaven ignites all the other Stars. This declares to us, as Theophrastus first noted, by way of volcanoes or fire, which the poets have termed the God of Fire or the Smithy of God, through which is understood the materialistic fire in our oven. However, natural Fire, and Nature herself, has in part been suitable to this work, that is, the seeding of fire, which so influences the metals, through the heavenly impressions and markings that were brought about through our fire. And since we here in the world have doubled the heat in our work, so we also are able to complete our work in shorter time, so that in many years Nature is not able to do it at all. The work of artisans is not otherwise than tending fires and managing the same, so that the fire will not be too large or too small, and this is the Key to the whole work effort. Moreover, the sayings of philosophers are filled with this sort of thing in which the whole of the Art consists. Fire and Azoth are sufficient in themselves, and this is enough to say to you and, as various sayings evening the works of the philosopher Bucher have noted, putrefaction, rectification, calcining, distillation, coagulation, sublimation, incineration, etc., lead thereby the foolhardy to conceive that it is everything under the heading of the above-mentioned work, which, nevertheless, since it is our own, should be considered, in our own words, as dictum: "Solvate, coagulate, and pour through a filter bed of rocks, which results in the conferring of considerable success". And, by this work, you will completely fulfill the sayings of the sages, which runs: "Bring Salt to Metal without Corrosive Action and Danger, Thus will You have White and Red".
And now, as Paracelsus has set forth, the entire operation of the separation of materials, and as you are about to make two from one, by adding only fire, so teach again the same two components and say that one should coagulate the blood of the Red Lion with the Gluten from the White Eagle, whereupon the entire tincture will be ready, thereby showing that the entire Art must lie in a single work which will be initiated and completed by a single thing, from which it also has the designation, "By Universal rules, correct and strict". And as the work must be completed in an oven and a vat, and with instruments, nevertheless with the changes in the fire counteracting the secondary effects. And also, the materials, once they are included subsequently in the convenient instrument appropriate thereto, the name of which is not given, until the tincture is ready, therewith once again if is full of the language of philosophers, as follows: "In a vat containing the instrument, you can carry it out from beginning to end". Whoever has diligently studied Bernhard’s Parable, which states that as the King goes alone into his bath and takes none unfamiliar with him, and as long as he remains therein, until he comes out a blood-red color, and also like all the others, the meanest man on earth may be his protector, while no other trouble demands further attention than to heat up the King’s bath, he who looks after all this diligently, will understand my meaning very well and also understand how my words are in agreement with those of philosophers.
Here I call to your attention that you bear in mind what I have made known to you in my previous universal work and how everything in itself has its own seeds, therewith to propagate itself and reproduce its own kind, and how the Red Lion, which is cinnabar transmutes itself, according to the words of Paracelsus, into the White Eagle, "only by adding fire to putrefaction and sublimation into wholesome life", and how, at first, the black color appears, and thereafter the white, which is indeed the proper White Eagle, actually mercury, and at the bottom of the glass vessel remains the blood of the Red Lion and it is the "Sulfur of the Sea", which will be extracted through its own mercury, although in the same place distinct additional mercury will be realized, to work with, to solvate, and to coagulate, which involves the older and longer process, so that he does not know thereby the proper directions, can overload the seed, flood it, and suffocate to death, so that it can bring forth no fruit and is no longer, therefore, able to carry out its function. Accordingly, so must the work be begun with wisdom that the red tincture will be obtained, then the white material must be divided into two parts, one to augment and the other to reduce, the red. In the short method of production, however, the work goes faster and more safely, since all the material involved is kept together and treated at the same time, and nothing therefrom is obtained thereby unless God and Nature have ordained it. Also, it takes mercury, the matter in metals, which is mineral, the semen of man, which is sulfur, themselves added together, with nothing more, that is all that is necessary, so let the powerless alone, for in this way the worker in the field cannot easily be deceived, since he has only to look after the fire. We have here a good example of the evolution of man quite gradually, as the man and the woman often attempt to have a child without success, but only at a time when in the first conception the man’s seed is productive, while at other times all of the other seed is lost. Success occurs only through the natural heat of the woman’s body, which matures the seed of the man and finally, through the interaction of Nature a fully developed living child is obtained. The warmer the child and the better the mother of the child provides nourishment for the child and carries out her other daily chores, the more perfect, the stronger, and the healthier the child will be and the mother will remain.
Here I also have, from the natural understanding of God’s Holy Word, and from the evidence gathered by ancient philosophers and written about the actual process, so that it can be quite clearly recognized, noted that it can be quite clearly recognized, noted that it is not otherwise than that the proper subject, actually cinnabar, be taken, which is beautifully cut like a ruby, as well as in Lecture vz. 8 c., which is found in the mines of the Hungarian mountains, in which place Paracelsus has also shown us, saying that for our king of work no better material can be found than that from Hungary and from Istria. Moreover, on Spruce Mountain, near Gold-Granach, where no other ore was taken if it did indeed yield up gold, then it would be adulterated and impure and not suitable for this kind of endeavor, insomuch as the same generally represented two metals in one or is, on the other hand, contaminated with other metallic "ghosts", so that when this work is completed, a part of this well-prepared Tincture of Natural Philosophy is taken, along with many hundred parts of each of the imperfect metals, which gave the same a more pronounced tincture of real gold in an instant than did the natural and so eliminated the entire examination, the report, and even all other illnesses that medical doctors were unable to cure. However, they were restored and then introduced by a new youthfulness which a 60 or 70 year old man will also see, which will make him feel like a 20 year old youth and many more wonderful blessings than this, which have the ability to act as a strength-giving medicine. And how such a tincture is to be produced in greater amounts and how it is to be administered, and how projections and proposals can be brought forth have been reported by me earlier.
One also sees how the work is brought to completion from a material in an oven, glass container, or other type of receptacle, in one experiment after another, by using increased amounts to heat. And, even though the work and the art by you yourself is completely inferior in quality, the philosophers have also pointed out "It is wife’s work and children’s play". Even so, it still requires a well-qualified artisan to be the fire-master. Moreover, the work may be completed easily enough without danger in 16 weeks. The entire operation can be described briefly in the following verses, which were initially penned in Paracelsus’ own handwriting:
There is a stone, and yet no stone
In which the entire Art stands alone.
It is found under the ground and mountain,
Wherein dwell giants and dwarfs.
I tell you this out of kindness,
Whoever has the same thing, the mist,
And the Red Lion shines clearly,
Drawing out Mercury, completely, pure and clean,
Likewise, in the same manner sulfur, and I tell you truly,
Which serves as the basis of the Art so completely.
I must report still a further word to you, for above it is said that no other one should be taken than this one, which one wishes to attempt to transmute into gold. So know also that all metals arise from a common root source, as pointed out sufficiently, but still one metal or ore may be found purer in Nature than are the others, and on account of this, since one of the materials mentioned could not contain cinnabar. It might even be a copper itself, extracted from a pure ore which comes the closest to transmuting the gold, as earlier pointed out. That such ores were themselves alone mentioned, which were worked and then combined, must be added subsequently as a pure seed either to gold or silver, for by itself alone, however, can the mercury, as the philosophical soil, produce no seed nor sustain any growth. Then the philosophers say: "Our stone does not tincture anything and must then have been previously tinctured itself, only poorly completed, clear, snow-white, as in an ore tap, like a wax on a soil, which when well fertilized and pressed against, goes forward. Then, when you come to think that all metals come from a common root, you will soon be able to exhaust the subject of the origin of minerals".
Nevertheless, I shall not conceal from you the fact that the mercury cannot be extracted from one mineral ore as well as from another. It is very easy from the cinnabar. Moreover, if sulfur is burned, from the silver it can also be readily extracted, and also by gentle digestion using moderate heating and from other ores copper, antimony, iron with stronger heat, though still very impure, iron alone extracts lead, tin, gold bearing pyrites, gold-quartz, all these with stronger heat, and solely from mercury ores or minerals, but most slowly of all, then minerals containing the noble metals, sulfur, resembling a ruby, apparently bearing it itself.
Now, will we, in the name of the Holy Trinity, with this passage, and sufficient philosophical advice, end this and write the actual laboratory report.
Resume of the Theory and Practice of the Whole Tincturing Process ~
Take the raw material, which you readily recognize as entirely pure and, as such, has become most beautiful, since it is not contaminated by any other metallic, dark-making "ghosts". Then, when dark and not pure, so that as earlier pointed out, it might not be safe, so that such purifying must be carried out in order that the work will not be ruined. In case, however, a question arises, although no particular test gives positive results, which could be identified as such, still it is much safer to work in Corpore Lunae (the Body of the Moon), that is, in finely powdered silver, since after purification and fine powdering, it is distilled "by Saturn", so that no strange spirits will be in want of anything, and in its original manner, as mercury, which is in the first material reduced by mercury of the philosophers, which is purified through one of the mercuries, as pointed out earlier, and from a beautiful, clear, transparent ore, extracted and made pure, and also of a crystalline nature, which is a special secret of all secrets, with which one could work more safely and not be mistaken, the grasp of which they know very little, but Paracelsus had discovered such and he then wrote with clarity: "He knows the destruction of the metals as well as their reproduction". To bring this about, then, the older philosophers had many kinds of ways of grasping it. They also had many kinds of materials, one of which is even suitable in ordinary water and is the slowest of processes. Then there is the process of Basil Valentine in copper, of Bernard in gold ore, of Roger Bacon in antimony, and those of many other philosophers working with other minerals, although they all have an effect on one another for a purpose (although they all react differently), they are in exact agreement, since you know now how to treat it. I have discovered here a remarkable secret (in other manuscripts where the mercury extracted from the mineral shall give to it --- the extracted material --- its form and shape through its own characteristic properties, which I will never disclose. Moreover also, since I have your attention, I will say that the extraction from the mineral cinnabar reveals (and I have also delayed in telling you this) that the red material or carbuncle should be dashed to pieces and then finely pulverized, like its own Corpus Mercurii. Then when that does not occur, the mercury cannot afterwards dissolve its own corpus (substance) and this is likewise the greatest secret of anyone in the entire alchemical art and when that does not happen and the mercury is barely extracted by itself alone in a colorless form, it will nevertheless go into solution. For that reason I have disclosed to you such information in the strictest confidence, because the sorrow of Christ ordains it, for it is the greatest secret of the entire art of the alchemist, so one must have the acrid water which is able to dissolve metals, whose characteristics you now know intimately and are here distinguishable on the basis of the administration of fire and leaves its mark on all fleeces, with which indeed no mistake could possibly be made, the certain way to bring about transmutation. Nevertheless, both methods should be known, the old slow way and the new fast way, but the latter is the better way.
For this reason, consideration should be given to material cinnabar which is absolutely pure. It should be pulverized as finely as possible, until it is as fine as meal, using a marble mortar and pestle. Take 12 parts of this same powder and mix it thoroughly with one part of slightly colored Mountain Luna, which is increased silver by nature, which is dissolved by the aquafortis, then precipitated, and then is completely sweetened by rain water, which scours the crude red material very well all though one another, so that one or the other might not be recognized very easily, and then they were placed together might not be recognized very easily, and then they were placed together in a vial and luted until completely stable with Luto Sapientiae and allowed to stand in a sand bath for one month, so that only the mouth of the flask extends above it. After 8 days over a gentle fire, so gentle that one can endure quite easily the putting of his hand in the sand without being burned and then for an additional 8 days and nights over a stronger fire, with the temperature rising only about one degree, and then finally during the last 8 days with the sand so hot that a drop of water evaporates immediately therefrom, while the product is making a hissing sound. It must not be allowed to become red hot, however, for when this first starts to happen, quickly take it out, and you will then find a white material at the top of the container, which in reality is the prime material, or the mercury, which is the living soul of the metal, through which hereafter all corpora of the metal can be reduced to the prime material or Humidum Radicale (i.e., radical containing moisture), which is the "living mercury" of the philosophers. This is the Secret Water, which has indeed given so countless many names, since all of the philosophers have written so much about it, yet it is still so obscure that one must admit that it does indeed, hold in very great secrecy that which God wills.
Also to the Glory of God the Almighty, you have now the preparation of the clear, strong "vivifying water", which is indeed the "Acetum of the Philosophers", in which all metals are converted into their prime material, the Humidum Radical or the living mercury, the starting point for alchemical art and work, the masterly essence of living matter, I will now explain to you how you should purge the mercury, or separate the pure from the impure, so that no filthiness will be present that might bring shame to you, whereby our mercury, so sensitive and pure, might be added to its body of matter, and the bridegroom lie with his bride on their wedding night and make her pregnant, so that their family might increase and children be born without number, but, then, when this purification of the mercury does not take place, it might be impossible to finish this work. How this is accomplished, I will subsequently explain to you in complete honesty.
When now you have also extracted the mercury and it occurs by sublimation as a beautiful white product, beautiful bright, and shining like a crystal, then take the same, completely purified, from the vat and be careful with it so that no impurities are added. Then take the mercury and pulverize it in a clean mortar and pestle made of marble, causing the mercury to move gently. Note well: Repeat the process in a hermetically sealed vial, then again set it in a sand bath and allow it to stand over an appropriate fire for 2 hours, where one could be able to allow to remain for the entire 2 hours, and therefore heat for an additional 2 hours in a more drastic environment, and still further for a third 2 hour interval at even higher temperatures over so strong a fire that the sand bath makes hissing sounds when water is sprayed over it. In this way, the mercury was prepared from the silver and its excess in the silver overlapping and remained as such, whereby it is appropriate to extract the soul from the body, for this mercury is the spirit which is so fiery and draws t itself the soul from the body. For it is indeed the spirit which is the vehicle of life. Now you must see how the elements were separated. First, the Spirit on the mercury of the philosophers was drawn out from the body in the first preparation of the silver, after which followed the soul, and lastly, remained the dead body, which became ashes. Also you will need to see how the Spirit was united with the Soul and you will certainly see a great wonder in the above separation. For rays will shoot now and then into the glass vessel, and the peaks of the rays are swept together like long spears, and above each of the spears, is a natural star, which the hands of man do not have the power to make, and this is the new creation of the new world, or, as the philosophers would say, is like the birth of a new world, with stars like the colors of the rainbow. This secret belongs more to God than to man, as Paracelsus said. Then we see the Purified Soul, which will also illuminate our own soul on the Say of Judgment, so that it will be purified from sin and be perfected, and then you will see a completely beautiful thing, the wonder of which may be like nothing ever before known.
At this point we will write further and look about to see how the body will be dissolved and the Spirit of Life drawn to itself and received with joy. But, nevertheless, I will here and now explain how this mercury shall be enlarged and then will be able to permit many of them to the washing of the black earth, as follows: Note well, that here we think how this mercury was made, so that at this point only one example of leaven, as it is added to the flour, so will leaven be added to that which we use in our alchemical art.
Increase in Mercury ~
Take 12 parts of this purified mercury and 1 part of finely filed silver and from them make an amalgam, which will also be finely pulverized and put it into a vial and hermetically seal and then allow it to stand for a prolonged period of time in warm water until is noticed that the entire body is converted into mercury, which becomes corroded away, like aquafort does to the silver, and also as it does to all of the mercury, and in this way you can increase it forever and even ad infinitum. This is spoken of as the "whitening of the black earth".
Solution, Putrefaction, and Mortification ~
In the Name of God, grasp and retain our digested preparation of mercury and take one part of it in a flask or vial and mix it well, then set the container in warm ashes for 6 weeks, whereupon you will observe precipitation taking place at such heat, until finally there is an ending of the intimate contact, and at the bottom of the flask a black substance will remain. It will not be black as coal, but will be dark as ashes. Then you will know that the first phase of the work, the solution and putrefaction, is complete and that the mortification, is complete and that the mortification of the body is actually taking place.
How the Black Earth is Made White and the Dead Body is Raised Up From the Dead ~
Treat the black earth with a half part of mercury, prepared as above, then pulverize the two materials together in an appropriate glass vessel, making certain that the two materials are thoroughly mixed until they are subsequently in intimate contact, which process requires approximately 8 days. Thereupon, you should observe the Soil, whether it shall be transformed from the black color to the white or remain blended together. Then take it out and treat it with mercury or the silver water (nitric acid). Seal hermetically after pulverizing and mixing thoroughly and again allow it to stand for an additional 8 days. Then take it out for a third time and allow it to stand again with 100 grams of nitric acid with diligent stirring to achieve thorough mixing to allow it to dissolve by intimate contact for 8 days and night, and then coagulate as before and treated with 140 grams of "silver water" (nitric acid) well triturated together and mixed and then allowed to stand for 8 days and nights and then allowing to coagulate, At this time the other work is also complete.
The Partitioning of the Stones as the Third Phase of the Work ~
According to the phase of the work you will be partitioning the gem stones and this involves the use of a white and red tinctures and shows you at that time the earth, which before was black, has now been whitened through the action of nitric acid, so that it is prepared to receive the entire ferment or Soul, which is white or red, and everything comes to pass according to the rule that what one sows, one also reaps, if one sows gold, then one reaps gold; if one sows silver, then one reaps silver, and so, when one sows gold or silver in the freshly plowed earth, then he will bring forth in a hundredfold yield.
What the Ferment Should Be ~
The ferment or seed, which is allowed to lie in the soil should be a very beautiful, carefully prepared silver-lime for whitening, which should be porous and white, as I will speak more about later on, and for coloring red it should be a very beautiful, carefully prepared gold-lime and should also be added, together with the previously mentioned amount of material, checked subsequently, so that it consists of 21 drams of white earth, 14 drams of moon water, and 10 drams of lime or ferment. It is also to be understood that for 3 parts of white earth there needs to be 2 parts of nitric acid and one and one-half parts of Ferments. These three items shall be finely pulverized together with special diligence in a marble mortar and pestle, along with good mixing taking place at the same time. The process is carried out in a glass vessel, well-covered when the material is added hot. The material thereupon coagulates into a hard white material, which is removed and pulverized finely and then added to the third part of its water and subjected further to moderate heat, whereupon it begins to sweat until this liquor is evaporated and the product becomes a stone. This evaporation, and the diligent effort it requires, should cause no annoyance, since our stone is enlarged as a result an