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 THESAURUS,
Sive
Me d ic in a A u re a .

Many and great are the Secrets of Nature, and concerning them and
the way to attain them, the wise Philosophers have writ much, but in a very
dark and Aenigmatical stile, so that very few are those that attain to any thing
of their desires by them; but on the contrary, after much time, labour, and
cost in vain expended in the search of them, are forced to give over at last,
and surcease their further inquiry, and instead of the desired satisfaction,
conclude frpm their lost labours, that the Books of the Philosophers are only
fabulous, and writ to deceive the unwary, and those that thirst after so great
a Treasure. But I vow unto thee by Almighty God, that what they have wrote
is a real Truth, though delivered in so dark and dubious a way, that few are
able to understand and receive benefit from them. I do therefore attest the
truth of their Medicines, as well for the transmutation of the baser and
imperfect Metals into Gold and Silver, as for the benefit of Humane Bodies, and
healing all Bodily Diseases, till God calls the Soul; and this above all the
Medicines of Galen and Hrppocrates. But because many great lovers of Knowledge,
and this Science, have so often failed of obtaining the end of their desires in
these Mysteries of Nature, and not only failed as to the Accomplishment of their
desires in fuil, but a-lso come short of knowing the principal subject, and
ground of Philosophical Secrets: I have therefore thought fit to help them by
this small Script, as mueh as I may, and save them the troubles of that search;
and by telling them in plain terms and words the true Matter, enlighten and
encourage their dubious minds to the farther search after what they desire:
for let them assure themselves, it is no small advantage to be assured of the
true Matter and ground-work, or Basis of so great Arcanats and hereon great
and innumerable blessings do depend. I do therefore most faithfutiy assure
thee, that the true Subject of this Art is Quick-silver, in a double manner, vtz.
either Quick-silver Natural, or Quick-silver of Bodies, viz. the Bodies, of Sol
or Lune, reduced to Mercury vtve; for many and strange things may be performed
by either, singly of themselves, or else eonjoyned. The conjunction of the
Mercury of Gold or Silver, with the commonMercuU; or the Bodies, or the
Oyl of Gold and Silver, dissolved in the Aqua lvlercurii, doth much hasten the
operation of Medicines for Metals: But we need not (as absolutely necessary)
any more than the comrnonMercury or Quick-silver, dissolved lightly, either
for Elixirs or precious Stones; only small Natural Stones must be dissolved in
the Mercurial Water, so shall you have sueh Stones again as you dissolve, and

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those of what bigness you please, f&r exceeding Natural ones.

The next great Secret of Philosophers, is the preparation of common

Quick-silver or Mercury; for common Mercury, as Nature produceth it, is not
fit for such operations, nor can they any way be performed by it: for our
Mercury is not the common Mercury or Quick-sflver, but is made of it, by a
true Philosophieal skill; it is not the white Mercury or Quick-silver, but its
subtle, spiritual, airie and fiery parts, the earthy and watery being prudently
separated. For the manifestation of our lvtercury, the true Mercury of. Philoso-
phers, first prepare the common Mercury by a due Philosophical preparation,
until thou hast separated and purged him from his two extremes or excrements,
Earth and Water: dissolve it then, after its purification, into a Milkie, Crystal-
line, and Silver Liquor or Water, which in three or four months is to be done:
being once dissolved, thou mayst ever after dissolve more and more Mercury
in fully fourty days, for Mercury once dissolved, dissolveth it self ever after
infiniteiy. And having dissolved it, distill it perfectly, until it have no Faeces
in the Cornuae; after Distillation, bring it again to Putrefaction, and when it
is blackish, distill it again: so shalt thou have two Oyls, a white Silver Oyl,
and thickish, and at last a very red or Bloud-tike Oyl, which is the Element
of Fire. The white Oyl serveth for Multiplication, or multiplyrng the white
Eli.xir, and for the making of all precious Stones, by dissolving of small
precious Stones in it, for it will presently dissolve them: then in a gentle
heat of Ashes congeal them again, and they far exceed any Natural ones, both
in lustre, and virtue, and hardness. The red Oyl is for the multiplying the
red Eltrir, even to an infinite height in projection; which when it is by often
multiplying or multiplication, brought to a fixed Oyl, then thou mayst do
several Magical , let Natural and strange Operations by it.

To make the Eltrirs thou must proceed thus: When thou hast dissolved
rightly the common Mercury, which cannot be done before it be duly prepared
for such a Philosophical dissolution, when it is dissolved into a Milkie, Silver,
Crystalline Liquor, it wili in the distillation leave some Faeces, in which remains
its more fixt part or Salt, which thou must warily and wisely, after a gentle
and Philosophical Calcination, extract and purifie to the highest Purification,
by which means it will be very white and clean: then take seven ounces of the
white Mercurial Oyl, and dissolve in it as much of this Salt as it will dissolve,
until it will dissolve no more: having so done, put thy Liquor into a Philosophical
Egg, sealing it Hermetically, and by due degrees of Fire congeal and fix it:
being fixed, it is the white Medicine, which fermented with Silver, may be
cast upon purged Venus, which it will transmute into most fine Silver: multiply

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it with the white Oyl, &c. If thou wouldst have it be a red Elixir, put to it
some of the red Oyl, and by requisite degrees of heat congeal and fix it as
before: ferment it with Gold; multiply it by the red OyI, and the aforesaid
white Salt dissolve in it: dissolve it, congeal and fix it often, until it will
congeal no more, so will it remain an oyl, which in its projection is almost
infinite, Endeavour not to multiply it any farther, for fear thou losest it; it
is then so fiery, that it will vanish out through the Glass reddish, or Rubie-
like. Make projection with it on what Metal thou wilt and thou shalt have
most fine Gold, better than the Natural Gold. Lous Deo, &c,

Mercurius clbus & rubeus ex Mercuruo vulgr (per Se) Soluto fieri
potest tanquam ex Mercurio Universali: Age Deo & mihi gratios.
E.B. & c.

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