一般來說我會把結社的巫術屬性定義成Witchcraft(詞源自 wiccecræft，“wicce”（“女巫”）和“cræft”（“手藝”）的混合)，當然我會更偏好用Witchart這樣的名詞。基本上Wit(智慧之)字根的系統都屬於巫術，有別於Magi/Mage(賢者之)字根的魔法系統。大致上歸類到magi都是猶太人系統的，如聖經中的大能者西門、以呂馬，但其實也並沒有分類的這麼強烈，許多行魔法者(MAGICIAN、SORCERER)都認為自己是較為正統，而巫術(WIZARD、WITCH、NECROMANCER)較為邪術外道，其實不然。比較來說，魔法系統大多是信耶和華的，屬於猶太教以及其子宗教的”異端”，而巫術就是這系統外面的”異教”，如此而已。
在施做上面，巫術是很好理解的：巫師必須要具備某一種程度的通靈能力，最好是被選定的(神、祖靈)，經過某種認證後取得行使力量的資格，通過一定的一是或者祭祀就能成就巫術。理論上雖然如此，但是通常一個時代之中能從特定神祇獲得資格的巫師數量不多，如果沒有取得資格就只能跟較低等的靈體(荒神、妖靈或者惡魔)簽約，那待遇就相對較差。除了近代的威卡教的子系列巫術、新紀元運動後產生的諸般教派外，大致原理不離這個範疇。
魔法相對就比較複雜。如之前所講的，魔法的作用原則在於理型世界的操作。然而因為教派的不同，理型世界有十數個之多，加上操作的手法分類就相當繁瑣。而很多時候，理型世界又非真的哲學定義的理型世界，較為接近巫術中的靈界領域的概念，這樣整體就變得很不好講明。大致上而言，魔法是一種仿製”神蹟”的目標，而這過程參雜了許多晦澀難解的內涵，反倒神蹟的實現是末節，而個人的提升、精煉是主體。
當然我個人是認為各個理型世界的差異，是人類對深淵觀測上的差異所造成，深淵之巨觀宏大，造成觀測上的誤差是難免的事情。但即便是同一視角的觀測也會千差萬別，例如，現代新紀元運動下對於星界(Astral)的敘述大約有百來種，皆有微妙差異。那如果我們暫時擱置這個差異，大致的共則是所有的理型世界都具有高等的智慧、真理、良善以及道德是我們物質與慾望的物質世界的尊貴版本。以這個為基本，魔法利用這概念，在物質世界構築理，也就是真理，將人類與理冥合。在人類以真理昇華到理型世界的層次。魔法理論認為人類飛升到這個層次之後，人類將可以知曉並且更動理型世界，宇宙也必給予回應。在更動尊世界(理型世界)後，卑世界(現實)必將跟隨，如同剪影跟隨真體一般。最具體的是黃金黎明的三個層次五芒星法陣(小五芒星、大五芒星、瞭望台五芒星)，正是利用三種不同層次的真理，將人類昇華到上界，進而施行魔法。
因此這也是魔法裡面講究的虛實操作。學魔法第一先知道虛實，何為虛(形式的動作)，何為實(精神面的動作)。魔法儀式中的所有，包含魔法陣、道具、咒語等都為虛的操作，目的是將人類昇華。不能把這虛的操作認為是真實，若光是認知這些外部操作為真實，即便燒香畫陣，擺弄龍血銀杯這些外部應用道具，背誦長而艱澀的咒語，是不可能接近真理分毫的。
但同時，虛的操作與實的操作一樣重要，必不能認為是虛的(虛假的、不重要的)，所有的儀式它的設計有因，它是有助於魔法的實行，從外部行為推進到內部心理而到精神昇華，經過連串的行為制約達成，如果不藉由外部實行，那儀式是鬆散的，不成規矩。反過來說，人的昇華是實的操作，但它是虛的(不可被見、驗證的)，因此不能把實的操作實做(去驗證、檢驗、練習或者是模式化)，必須把握這實的虛，虛的實，才能夠在魔法儀式上獲得助益。這方面很多導師都講得太玄而玄之，反而引起誤導誤讀。
外在的儀式有虛實之分，內在的身體也有虛實之分。承上所述，魔法把理型世界當作是現實世界的完美型，或者說是真實型，因此我們的物質肉身就被認作是虛假體，而如果要與理型世界互動，必須要使用真實體(這邊注意到在魔法的陳述上，這兩者的真偽虛實是會互換的，在某些流派、狀況下理型世界是虛形，而真實世界會是實形)
而這個真實體是表示我們內在的真實，但同時也會是外在的真實，魔法師統稱作為妙體(Subtle body)的形式，妙體種類多元，而且界定廣泛：如光身、法身、虹體，金剛以及西方較為常見的乙太體、星體等說法。有的妙體界定會包含靈魂，或者是因果命運的成分，就廣泛而言妙體是一種將”個人”的存在與理型世界互動的載體，具備人類肉身以外的諸多構成要素。儘管很多世俗的魔法庸俗組織對於靈魂投射或投射上有很多著墨，但在魔法領域中在理型世界的互動上大多是以妙體的形式，而非靈魂。
妙體與靈魂的概念最大的不同是，妙體是完美的，也就是說它不是如靈魂天生可得，他需要經過操作者對於自身的精進與修持，才能將自身昇華到某種層次，來與對應的理型世界互動。也因此，承上所述，魔法是人類與理型世界的互動，通過更動理型而干涉而變動現實。因此，在魔法的儀式上，沒有進入妙體層次的人即無法掌握魔法，乃是因為從基礎上無法與理型互動。新紀元後妙體的重視程度不如以往，這也是現代魔法學習者的一個障礙與難關。
關於妙體的論述各家各派差異很大，因為個人所精進的超升體驗不同所產生的感官差異，但本質上是一樣的，即便將這個原則拿來與巫術互為關照，也相當的重要。較為不同的是，對於巫術來說，所謂的妙體是本來就存在的，而非精修產生。以結社的觀點來看，會以”梵我一如”來形容，我的存在即為世界之照影，而世界也為我之照影，我們所需要的一切都在我們自身裡面，所需要的就只是探索，探索外世界的大我，以及裏世界的小我，當我們有所發現時，我們本體即可以是妙體。因此精修對結社來說與其是追求的手段，不如說是探索的手段。
這分差異也是為何我們會聽到有的巫師會有狼的靈魂、樹的靈魂或者是鳥的靈魂，這些都是比喻他們的妙體是自然生物的形象，因為巫師在於自然的探索後，會產生與自然統一，而有自然形態的妙體。相較於巫師，魔法師的妙體比較偏人形，也是自我的形狀(但更多時候是不定形)，然而即便如此，各方面而言妙體對巫師而言並非必要。
言及至此大概能對妙體有個初步了解，暫且省下數萬字的進一步論述，把焦點拉回魔法。所以我們現在知道理型世界，也知道了妙體，我們回來看翠玉錄。
Verum, sine mendacio, certum et verissimum:
此為非真中之真理，確然無疑的真理
Quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius, et quod est superius est sicut quod est inferius, ad perpetranda miracula rei unius.
其諸於下的，是為上的，而為上的，是為其下的。依此，神蹟為一。
Et sicut res omnes fuerunt ab uno, meditatione unius, sic omnes res natae ab hac una re, adaptatione.
萬物起源為一，藉由此編寫，獨特萬物依此而生。
Pater eius est Sol. Mater eius est Luna, portavit illud Ventus in ventre suo, nutrix eius terra est.
太陽是其父，月亮是其母，風用胃袋帶著祂，而大地看護滋養祂。
Pater omnis telesmi totius mundi est hic.
萬物之父，世界的先知在此。
Virtus eius integra est si versa fuerit in terram.
若其降世，其力、其能即完善殘遺而復整。
Separabis terram ab igne, subtile ab spisso, suaviter, magno cum ingenio.
從火中提純大地，從粗鄙中分離微妙，輕柔並偉大的工序。
Ascendit a terra in coelum, iterumque descendit in terram, et recipit vim superiorum et inferiorum.
從大地飛升而上，並從天空降落，接受卓越也接受凡庸
Sic habebis Gloriam totius mundi.
你終由此道得到世界之榮耀
Ideo fugiet a te omnis obscuritas.
朦朧迷霧也隨即散去
Haec est totius fortitudinis fortitudo fortis, quia vincet omnem rem subtilem, omnemque solidam penetrabit.
此力為眾力之力，此力擊敗所有微妙，並穿透所有堅壁
Sic mundus creatus est.
世界以此力而創造
Hinc erunt adaptationes mirabiles, quarum modus est hic. Itaque vocatus sum Hermes Trismegistus, habens tres partes philosophiae totius mundi.
依此，世界被完美(改)編寫。因此我被稱作三倍的赫密斯，有三份的宇宙智慧。
Completum est quod dixi de operatione Solis.
我說，太陽性的工作已然完成
我嘗試將翠玉錄翻譯成比較準確的意義，因此捨棄了較為文學性的用法，雖然是十四行詩的詩體，但畢竟不是上韻學。
我們從前面的說明知道，在魔法中的世界觀是理型世界對比現實世界，妙體對比肉體的，但是要形成魔法(神蹟)，必須要從物世界進入到理型世界，再由理型回到現實世界。如上面翠玉錄所說的：「從大地飛升而上，並從天空降落，接受卓越也接受凡庸。你終由此道得到世界之榮耀」
因此在魔法的操作之中，並非僅止於妙體的操作，進入妙體後更動理型的同時，再度回現實，帶動整體世界的更動。魔法的世界觀是完整的，雖然理型世界是高等的世界，但是附庸於理型世界之下的現實世界並非毫無價值，而是現實與理型兩者為一體的概念。我們現在所使用的肉體以及靈魂並非一種過渡或者可捨棄的物質，而是精煉到更高等存在的原料。在這大前提之下，不管如何飛升到高等理型世界，最後都必須帶著力量回歸到現實，這也是為何翠玉錄說：「若其降世，其力、其能即完善殘遺而復整。」
承上述。「若其降世，其力、其能即完善殘遺而復整。」這句看似平順無奇的敘述並不是結語。這裡其實指出魔法的幾個核心。
其一，魔法的真正工作不是”魔法本身”，也就是說，魔法的真正目的不在於干涉現實或者創造奇蹟這種層級。他的目的是完善殘遺而復整，也就是修復、完善、補全。所有的魔法工作都向著一個目標，催化萬物到達神性美地，也就是世界的完美化。用另外一個譬喻，就是用萬物為素材，將其精煉成哲人石(完全物質)的目標。
因此魔法的操作不但上升到理型，還把理型降下來到現世，兩者產生新的催化，最後形成現實的理型、理型的現實。因此，所有魔法是作用在現實的，它們是被設計作為干涉現實的。因此魔法內的所有分支內，都是在現實面操作的，也就是說物質面的形式(儀式)必備，這點也是與巫術最大的不同，巫術的施行很多時候建立在溝通上，也就是萬物、乃至神靈的溝通，只要能取得溝通，不一定要外在的輔助。作用於現實的另一角度來說，魔法最後的目的都是變動現實，沒有魔法是設計來變動靈界的，因此魔法對靈體的認知相當盲目，換句話說，最好不要期待任何古典魔法系統內的驅魔術式。魔法師稱魔法工作被稱作偉大工作，即是所言魔法並不是處理這方面的目的。
另外，魔法也認為現實物質具備某程度的力量，或稱之”德行”、”美德”。所謂”完善殘遺而復整”，這句話承認現實是殘次的，是理型之劣版。但反過來說，現實只是”缺乏”而不致完善的程度，並非”不具備”成為完美的要件，而僅僅只是缺乏。這也是古典煉金術的最基本理念，如果能發現這些物質殘缺的力量，設法精煉後即能成為完美物質。只要了解這點，就會發現魔法的另外一個表徵，魔法是針對物質設計的術式，所以比起直接使用，魔法更需要藉由物質來展現，譬如說魔藥、璽印(seal)。而這個魔法的媒介看似巫術的咒術賦予，但卻有微妙的不同。一般來說，魔法的物質媒介都會經過比例煉製，譬如說行星璽印護符，其金屬就有多種的成分設計，這部分公式上幾乎沒有變動餘地。然而對巫術來說，媒介並不重要。舉例而言，女巫之瓶是巫術道具的指標，一個女巫嫻熟是否就看女巫之瓶的製作。然而如此高級的巫術道具，製作只要幾樣日常素材即可，而材料的組合、成分、比例方法跟製作完全是看女巫自己衡量取材，如烹調料理一般可以自出心裁。甚至女巫薩珊娜，海嘉曾經對製作女巫之瓶評價：「善煮的廚婦單用洋蔥烹飪出美餐，外行賣弄香辛料，但一無所獲。」這說明了對高等女巫來說，素材的選用上簡勝繁的道理。除此之外巫術的媒介幾乎不需要經過任何精煉、提純的步驟，甚至加工也不太需要。在施行淨化時候用的鹽，或者祝聖的水，這些都是簡單加工的物質。但反過來說，物質的操作對魔法如此之重要，甚至可謂魔法的一切。對於物質的加工必須要有對應的月齡、星辰，日期以及時刻，以及對應神靈或天使的加護。許多中世紀的魔法公式藥光成分就達到64種之多，而且大部分的素材都需要二次到三次加工，尤其對水銀的精煉甚至可能到達七次之多。至些對素材加工的狂熱直接影響到現代的精油魔藥，酊劑型的魔藥其精煉純度之高可能會引發皮膚的發炎或過敏反應。即便如此，也不能忘掉最終魔法是要取得物質與理型的協同，如果不能取得兩者的協調與統一，物質上的操縱終歸是沒有意義的。
以這角度來說，可以很清楚的認知，魔法的目的是理型與現實的協同，進而達到完美世界，但也同時也彰顯魔法對靈魂的盲點。魔法的理型觀念建立在概念的以及哲思的角度上，以神學與哲學建構起世界觀，因此理型世界是被構思而建立的，並非客觀地觀察而來。雖然經由卡巴拉、赫爾墨斯主義以及諾斯替的補充建構，但總歸而言靈界的概念還是受到基督教派系的影響，而對徘徊於間界的死靈視而不見，也並去解釋人的靈魂的來去，它們著重於物質與理型，善與邪惡、昇華與墮落的精煉道路，在此之前，其餘萬象的觀察不具備意義。除了對靈界有盲點外、大部分關於靈體有關的事項也都用神學勉強解釋，因此雖然魔法內有召喚操使術、通靈術這類的技術，但是是利用耶和華的權柄驅使惡魔、惡靈或天使的的原理，以至於絕大部分的魔法師並不能夠應用這部分的法術。
以此而言，許多人說所羅門王的大小鑰內所記載72柱魔神圖形是召喚魔法陣，那是錯誤的。《所羅門王的大鑰》開宗明義有講：所羅門是以耶和華之聖名役使魔神，這點常被人自動忽略，但在古典魔法召喚術內來說，這就是一切。72柱魔神之圖樣被稱作seals，即是說其對照了一枚seal ring(璽戒)，璽戒即權力與身分之表徵物。這代表這是一個權力與隸屬的階級關係，換句話說古典魔法召喚術是利用上下階級服從關係，借用高位靈體的絕對權力，來命令其從屬。魔法世界中唯一神耶和華是所有萬物的最高階級，即便是惡魔也必須服從。在這前提之下，我們後新時代神祕學的常見觀念：「束縛惡魔的是契約」是不適用於古典魔法召喚術的，這個常識觀念較近似於巫術的手段。
另外《雷蒙蓋頓》也提到，72柱魔神都有一個對應的剋星天使，這剋星天使能夠比其他天使更能夠馴服魔神，言及至此，某些一再重複的概念又出現了。昇華的理型(天使)，墮落的物質慾望(魔神)。在所羅門王系統內每一位魔神都有它的神奇魔力，而其剋星天使有著與之相對應的美德，在神之大名下，魔神被所羅門王(凡人)所役使。我們更不妨大膽假設，72柱魔神並非一定是實體或實在的靈體，而更有可能是一個魔法的象徵，藉由魔法的程序引發出的奇蹟。然而這些奇蹟本身過於悖離魔法的目的(魔法終極目的在於人的昇華與理型融合，並非滿足個人私慾)，因此給予魔神的名字做為代號。
當然目前並沒有任何佐證來證明我的假設，如果依照《雷蒙蓋頓》原本的說法，那古典魔法的召喚術就完全從屬於權力與支配的規則了，那要滿足召喚的條件除了耶和華的聖名、剋星天使的授權外，還必須要《所羅門王的指環》的存在，而這個存在必須要能夠與72柱的璽印對應，它可以是個法術，可以是真的魔法的指環，或是用以比喻一位魔法師，更可以是一道解鎖祕密的關鍵真理，但無論如何這一個奧秘在此不需要太多的著墨，只需要知道《雷蒙蓋頓》並非表面所顯示的文獻就可以了。
走筆至此，多少對魔法有一定的概念了。但想必還是對魔法的操作上有著困惑：該如何行使魔法？
有這樣的疑惑是因為以我們現在的角度，即時代角度：後新時代(Post-New Age)以及地緣角度：極東文化圈的影響下，我們把”修練”這件事情看得太理所當然了。我們常用的修練手段如打坐冥想、呼吸法並不存在於以往的歐洲文化圈內，而是直至十九世紀狂人克勞利(亞歷山大‧克勞利Aleister Crowley )將印度教的知識混合魔法創立泰勒瑪(Thelema)，冥想與瑜珈修練才廣為歐洲所知。在那之前，古典魔法的操作有著獨立的一套操作。在之前講解魔法史的時候有提到過「大獵巫」時代，大獵巫造成巫術傳承不可回復的斷滅，也造成了古典魔法橫空出世，取代上古巫術成為歐洲神秘主義的主流。古典魔法的中心是”真理即是力量”的概念，因此柏拉圖理型說，亞里斯多德四元素說，畢達哥拉斯完美數及和諧波，這類上古哲人的哲理，加上大阿爾伯特、聖奧古斯丁的神學論，以及殘存的巫術概念重構了整個魔法學邏輯，導致巫術與魔法的斷裂分歧數百年，直到十九世紀才藉由泰勒馬教以及威卡教等新興宗教被彌合，並導致後來的新時代運動的興起。
在這份斷裂以及重構之下，魔法的修練以及提升靠的是實踐，以及(或者)煉金藥劑。實踐的部分是儀式的舉行、以及知識的學習。由大導師領導學徒儀式操作，重複舉行儀式來達到更高位階。知識的部分是經文的研習、天文的觀測，以及秘數計算或煉金的操作等。但主要位階的提升還是以儀式的參與度為準。
在重複儀式的操作時，魔法師們認為自己的靈性/妙體會隨之提升到高等理型。而基於權力與隸屬，低等現實要服從高等原質理型，只要藉由儀式提升到夠高的層次，低等世界就隨著操作者的意志而被移動干涉。
祕密結社黎明騎士團的領唱凱文萊恩爵士給不具名的「兄弟」中闡述在儀式中的感受：「…我大汗淋漓，縱然那是嚴寒的一月裡，生命的火焰從我體內深處的光質(Sephira)中噴湧，我感覺到奇蹟似地不可視光環繞著我，我正處於宇宙的中心，而萬物皆環繞我而移動，如萬星環繞太陽一般…」
這萬物的環繞，也是萬物的屈從。因此魔法認為在這狀態下萬物必服從理型的儀式者自己(或其妙體)，因此萬物會聽從儀式者的指示，進而真實地干涉了現實。凱文萊恩爵士在死前達到了Fourth Sphere階級，被該結社認為是人類能達到的最高階層，然而這只是九天的第四級而已。對於第五天以上的階級，他們認為人類必須進化為光身體，一種超體，是物質體與妙體的平衡超越體，最終達到最高Empyrean階級，達到宇宙最高境界。
對於魔法師們到底走到了那一個層次呢？我在此不多做無謂的評論。但最終而言作用的原理還是不脫離基本巫術的理論範疇。為了能夠讓精神脫離肉體/物質的束縛，集中心智從事特定儀式行為，從此進入集體性的恍惚，所帶來的超越體驗，在古代戴奧尼修斯教派中不乏記載，並在當時蔚為風潮，後來魔法師的作為，也就是向先賢致敬的意思。
2018年4月7日 星期六
觀測深淵
大致上而言目前所著述的東西繁雜，但基本可視為個人筆記一類的，並不是很嚴謹的論述結構。但若要論神祕學/密契主義內是否有足夠的嚴謹論述，那答案是否定的。雖然研究神祕學的群眾怪力亂神者固所在多有，但也不乏邏輯完整的學者，例如牛頓爵士(Sir Isaac Newton)等盛名一時的學者，皆為重要的神祕學專家。然而在治學神祕學時，會因為神祕學的特殊性而欠缺足夠好的切入點，雖然主因是神祕學驗證手段的稀缺，但另一部分也在於神祕學觀測手段的缺乏。但無論以哪一種形式存在的神祕主義的基礎都在於驗證另一個世界/神的存在，並以極其有限的手段來記述那個存在。而那個另一個世界的存在是能影響現實，雖然這影響相當迂迴而且隱晦，但卻構成人類能夠撼動、干涉現實的方向，進而實現願望。以這角度來說，所有神祕學者的行動，可以很簡單的歸納成兩部份：驗證高等，以及干涉現實。
如前所述，神祕學是缺乏驗證手段的，但干涉現實的這部分的實例卻不欠缺，因此大部分神祕學的理論都建立在用”被干涉的現實”的存在，依此反推作為驗證的證據，進而進行假設，然而這是不可靠的。就好比要以基督教的見證活動來理解耶和華，這種想法光是存在都是極其侮慢。又好比見證中是否會參雜狂熱者的偽證，又是否參雜移花接木的錯誤認知，這些都是很可以被假設的狀況。
然而在沒有其他的驗證手段下，收集夠多的經驗談還是能夠摸索到神祕學中，關於另一個世界干涉現實的規律。如果按照經驗共則，另一個世界干涉現實的部分，是很可以被複製以及再現。關於這個神祕學的最大公約數規則，只要稍微有點入門經驗的學生，都可以嫻熟地列舉數十或數百項細則，大至「因果律」這種耳熟能詳的規律，到「三倍報應」這種僅限於少數教派的規矩，洋灑羅列，皆非難事。即便如此，也無從以這些經驗法則讓神祕學形成一個足夠完整度的顯學，這乃是肇因另外一個複雜的要素：神祕學有著個體的差異。
人類的感官本來就因為個體的差異有著強弱不等的分別，即便拿視覺來說，有人眼瞎，有人色盲，但也不是沒有人能以眼視日，目力極好，以這為基礎來說，人類對於另外一個世界的感知，以假定感官”靈感應”(其他篇幅簡稱”靈感”)稱之，大部分人類是偏弱的，以各種文獻做粗估，約只有半數人類能夠有感覺(12-18世紀)，其中有足夠能力干涉的更是少數，能夠交流者又更麟毛鳳角。足夠代表性的個體，又因為各種因素而無法對理論做出貢獻，導致最後的經驗談良莠混雜，難以分辨。近代新紀元運動之後，個人經驗這一區塊日趨重要，但各種怪力亂神的神棍也同樣孳生，因此面對更複雜的資訊爆炸中，處理有用訊息的工作變得更加困難。
雖然結社內以《奉獻書》(sacrificium，全名亞穆瑞家族的奉獻書)以及《阿利亞斯》( Aliyah,עלייה)作為基準來建構觀測，但畢竟也僅藉由《奉獻書》內知道《阿利亞斯》的小部分罷了。雖說內部所記載的觀測基礎對於一般通則是驗證無誤，但是對於更深層的另一個世界毫無幫助。
深層，或稱深淵(Vathiá；βαθύς，深)，，《奉獻書》內指比χθονιος(地中)更深的地方。這邊也是《奉獻書》有趣的地方，其高等世界的觀念與《卡巴拉》的構成極其類似，也就是溢流說。秘術《卡巴拉》的生命之樹圖上還有三個說明起源的界域，即Ain(無)、Ain Soph(無限)、Ain Soph Aur(無限光)。無限光以降的生命樹乃至所有萬象，都是無限光的溢流之末端所形成。而《奉獻書上》的世界構造是相反的，βαθύς是萬象之根基，是無限但混沌的構造，是深不可知的海洋，而我們的現實就是漂浮在βαθύς上的陸地。我們自以為居住陸地不會受到海洋的影響，事實上受到海洋的的支配，然而這支配是隱晦的，用此來比喻深層與現實的互動。
我認為《卡巴拉》與《奉獻書》的差異是由文化史觀的差異造成的認知不同。內涵是一脈相承的。卡巴拉是大陸史觀，其文化活動受到太陽左右，所以卡巴拉有濃厚地太陽崇拜的影子，所以光的影響深厚，而《奉獻書》是大洋史觀，文明與海洋緊密依存，因此會以海洋比喻靈界。但無論是哪一部，都在書寫超越現實的高等世界，這高等(理型)的世界是現實的對照，無論是以哪種名字出現，都對現實有著息息相關的影響。基本傳統的魔法(赫爾密斯系統)概念都是嘗試更動理型世界，來影響現實。
然而要更動理型世界，了解理型世界是必要的。古典神祕學三支柱：煉金術、靈數學、占星術。這三大支派後來發展成科學、數學、天文學，都是當初魔法師用來解析理型世界的手段，但這三支後來並沒有發展出具體的結果，很多的部分是柏拉圖主義的理型世界說太過理想化的關係，不如卡巴拉系統對於高等世界的客觀。《卡巴拉》的建立在於先知群的觀測，相對於赫爾密斯系統的哲學推理，有著較多的可讀性。
然而即便如此，對於觀測，先賢如何建立《卡巴拉》並沒有可供參考的部分，乃因為卡巴拉是猶太貴族的密傳，並非流通的書籍。再者猶太族經過多次流散，許多典籍已佚失不可考，即便連現存的《卡巴拉》是否是完整或正確都無法擔保。因此對於深淵的觀測部分，結社是倚賴《奉獻書》中關於密典《阿利亞斯》的作法。
《阿利亞斯》( Aliyah,希伯來文עלייה)，עלייה這單字在希伯來文中意思是”上升”、”昇華”，本質是一本占夢書，據《奉獻書》內說明是該時代以前的占夢之集大成，但應該是厄琉息斯(Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια)系統與猶太教系統的集合著述，《阿利亞斯》的著述重點為夢、黑夜以及女性，並沒有猶太教中以父性耶和華為主體的觀念。然而作為一本未確認的魔典，《阿利亞斯》無疑是侵略性的，《奉獻書》的作者尚德羅評述是：「未曾見有如此行竊占先知。」比起單純等候預知夢的產生，《阿利亞斯》認為有一個精神平面，讓所有萬物皆結合在一起，小至螞蟻，大至神祇，皆在”阿利亞斯層”中共享思緒。萬物皆非獨立，萬象皆非單一，都是世界的一部分。因此我們喚起內醒看照我們的根源，就能見到自己也是深淵的部分。
若做到如此清楚的看照，那就能過經過這份看照知道高等存在的思緒，因此高等的智慧、高等的意志都能夠被讀取。甚至由高等主動賜予先知的神諭，也能夠經由阿利亞斯層被讀取，這種讀夢者自稱「僭位先知」，即是說不被神欽點，也能行使先知權能。從中也可見猶太支族中，對於獨攬先知權力的宗主貴族之不滿。
然而這宏大的願景傳承到我手上時卻發覺其中困難之處。對於夢境的閱讀以及阿利亞斯層的操作，《奉獻書》尚德羅並沒有精熟，因為他本身是一位天生邪眼，不需要經過夢境閱讀就能夠產生對現實夠強的干涉力，因此雖然他在書中歌頌阿利亞斯的精神，但也僅止於反抗貴族、當權者的理念層面，對於阿利亞斯的理論以及操作恐怕未曾親身驗證。當我個人在處理阿利亞斯層時，格位的差距成為最大的阻攔。也就是，即便我讀取到高位存在的思緒時，我無法理解、無法表述其概念。高位的概念非文字、非語言、非邏輯也並不是人類常識或者間界任何規則可以套用的。因為缺乏對照，因此概念就僅止於一個孤懸的概念被擱置在該處。就好比史前的人類把玩智慧型手機一般不明所以。雖然我們神祕學者素知神祕學都是超驗而非先驗的，但在間界層次仍是相當先驗，大致上觀測間界上都會有一些通則，幾乎所有的神祕學者、巫師、魔法師或者靈媒的觀測幾乎相類，類似於死者靈魂的樣貌(曖昧不明的人型)、能量或氣息的流動(墳墓沼澤地方有凶氣)等，幾乎都能夠產生一定的共識默契。這經驗法則在觀測深淵就會面目全非，對於高等靈體的觀測無前例可循，甚至在觀測同一神祇都會有巨大的誤差(如聖經所載之耶和華的顯現盡皆不同)，這乃是因為深淵是初始之渾沌，萬象的萬象，大象之萬象，以及無象之萬象。人類並不能夠理解也不可能接受也不能形容，我們只能用人類的格位去勉強接受，那反映出來的只有人類貧乏的接受力外沒有其他。因此我的結論是，既然是這種模式的超驗，那對於深淵的觀測紀錄就會因為觀測者的個體會有相當程度的不同，甚至不同時間點的觀測也會不同。
即便如此，通過阿利亞斯層的觀測還是相較於其他方法明晰。阿利亞斯層的境界就是夢境，通過夢境的緩衝能夠很好地處理精神受到深淵衝擊時產生的混亂，也不需要藉由藥物解除精神的桎梏(我們內在的精神會在受到衝擊時建立保護自身的機制，會阻止我們觀測有害的深淵，因此某些派別會用致幻藥劑解放精神)，但關於觀測後解讀資訊的問題，可能要靠更多的觀測來找到答案了吧。
如前所述，神祕學是缺乏驗證手段的，但干涉現實的這部分的實例卻不欠缺，因此大部分神祕學的理論都建立在用”被干涉的現實”的存在，依此反推作為驗證的證據，進而進行假設，然而這是不可靠的。就好比要以基督教的見證活動來理解耶和華，這種想法光是存在都是極其侮慢。又好比見證中是否會參雜狂熱者的偽證，又是否參雜移花接木的錯誤認知，這些都是很可以被假設的狀況。
然而在沒有其他的驗證手段下，收集夠多的經驗談還是能夠摸索到神祕學中，關於另一個世界干涉現實的規律。如果按照經驗共則，另一個世界干涉現實的部分，是很可以被複製以及再現。關於這個神祕學的最大公約數規則，只要稍微有點入門經驗的學生，都可以嫻熟地列舉數十或數百項細則，大至「因果律」這種耳熟能詳的規律，到「三倍報應」這種僅限於少數教派的規矩，洋灑羅列，皆非難事。即便如此，也無從以這些經驗法則讓神祕學形成一個足夠完整度的顯學，這乃是肇因另外一個複雜的要素：神祕學有著個體的差異。
人類的感官本來就因為個體的差異有著強弱不等的分別，即便拿視覺來說，有人眼瞎，有人色盲，但也不是沒有人能以眼視日，目力極好，以這為基礎來說，人類對於另外一個世界的感知，以假定感官”靈感應”(其他篇幅簡稱”靈感”)稱之，大部分人類是偏弱的，以各種文獻做粗估，約只有半數人類能夠有感覺(12-18世紀)，其中有足夠能力干涉的更是少數，能夠交流者又更麟毛鳳角。足夠代表性的個體，又因為各種因素而無法對理論做出貢獻，導致最後的經驗談良莠混雜，難以分辨。近代新紀元運動之後，個人經驗這一區塊日趨重要，但各種怪力亂神的神棍也同樣孳生，因此面對更複雜的資訊爆炸中，處理有用訊息的工作變得更加困難。
雖然結社內以《奉獻書》(sacrificium，全名亞穆瑞家族的奉獻書)以及《阿利亞斯》( Aliyah,עלייה)作為基準來建構觀測，但畢竟也僅藉由《奉獻書》內知道《阿利亞斯》的小部分罷了。雖說內部所記載的觀測基礎對於一般通則是驗證無誤，但是對於更深層的另一個世界毫無幫助。
深層，或稱深淵(Vathiá；βαθύς，深)，，《奉獻書》內指比χθονιος(地中)更深的地方。這邊也是《奉獻書》有趣的地方，其高等世界的觀念與《卡巴拉》的構成極其類似，也就是溢流說。秘術《卡巴拉》的生命之樹圖上還有三個說明起源的界域，即Ain(無)、Ain Soph(無限)、Ain Soph Aur(無限光)。無限光以降的生命樹乃至所有萬象，都是無限光的溢流之末端所形成。而《奉獻書上》的世界構造是相反的，βαθύς是萬象之根基，是無限但混沌的構造，是深不可知的海洋，而我們的現實就是漂浮在βαθύς上的陸地。我們自以為居住陸地不會受到海洋的影響，事實上受到海洋的的支配，然而這支配是隱晦的，用此來比喻深層與現實的互動。
我認為《卡巴拉》與《奉獻書》的差異是由文化史觀的差異造成的認知不同。內涵是一脈相承的。卡巴拉是大陸史觀，其文化活動受到太陽左右，所以卡巴拉有濃厚地太陽崇拜的影子，所以光的影響深厚，而《奉獻書》是大洋史觀，文明與海洋緊密依存，因此會以海洋比喻靈界。但無論是哪一部，都在書寫超越現實的高等世界，這高等(理型)的世界是現實的對照，無論是以哪種名字出現，都對現實有著息息相關的影響。基本傳統的魔法(赫爾密斯系統)概念都是嘗試更動理型世界，來影響現實。
然而要更動理型世界，了解理型世界是必要的。古典神祕學三支柱：煉金術、靈數學、占星術。這三大支派後來發展成科學、數學、天文學，都是當初魔法師用來解析理型世界的手段，但這三支後來並沒有發展出具體的結果，很多的部分是柏拉圖主義的理型世界說太過理想化的關係，不如卡巴拉系統對於高等世界的客觀。《卡巴拉》的建立在於先知群的觀測，相對於赫爾密斯系統的哲學推理，有著較多的可讀性。
然而即便如此，對於觀測，先賢如何建立《卡巴拉》並沒有可供參考的部分，乃因為卡巴拉是猶太貴族的密傳，並非流通的書籍。再者猶太族經過多次流散，許多典籍已佚失不可考，即便連現存的《卡巴拉》是否是完整或正確都無法擔保。因此對於深淵的觀測部分，結社是倚賴《奉獻書》中關於密典《阿利亞斯》的作法。
《阿利亞斯》( Aliyah,希伯來文עלייה)，עלייה這單字在希伯來文中意思是”上升”、”昇華”，本質是一本占夢書，據《奉獻書》內說明是該時代以前的占夢之集大成，但應該是厄琉息斯(Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια)系統與猶太教系統的集合著述，《阿利亞斯》的著述重點為夢、黑夜以及女性，並沒有猶太教中以父性耶和華為主體的觀念。然而作為一本未確認的魔典，《阿利亞斯》無疑是侵略性的，《奉獻書》的作者尚德羅評述是：「未曾見有如此行竊占先知。」比起單純等候預知夢的產生，《阿利亞斯》認為有一個精神平面，讓所有萬物皆結合在一起，小至螞蟻，大至神祇，皆在”阿利亞斯層”中共享思緒。萬物皆非獨立，萬象皆非單一，都是世界的一部分。因此我們喚起內醒看照我們的根源，就能見到自己也是深淵的部分。
若做到如此清楚的看照，那就能過經過這份看照知道高等存在的思緒，因此高等的智慧、高等的意志都能夠被讀取。甚至由高等主動賜予先知的神諭，也能夠經由阿利亞斯層被讀取，這種讀夢者自稱「僭位先知」，即是說不被神欽點，也能行使先知權能。從中也可見猶太支族中，對於獨攬先知權力的宗主貴族之不滿。
然而這宏大的願景傳承到我手上時卻發覺其中困難之處。對於夢境的閱讀以及阿利亞斯層的操作，《奉獻書》尚德羅並沒有精熟，因為他本身是一位天生邪眼，不需要經過夢境閱讀就能夠產生對現實夠強的干涉力，因此雖然他在書中歌頌阿利亞斯的精神，但也僅止於反抗貴族、當權者的理念層面，對於阿利亞斯的理論以及操作恐怕未曾親身驗證。當我個人在處理阿利亞斯層時，格位的差距成為最大的阻攔。也就是，即便我讀取到高位存在的思緒時，我無法理解、無法表述其概念。高位的概念非文字、非語言、非邏輯也並不是人類常識或者間界任何規則可以套用的。因為缺乏對照，因此概念就僅止於一個孤懸的概念被擱置在該處。就好比史前的人類把玩智慧型手機一般不明所以。雖然我們神祕學者素知神祕學都是超驗而非先驗的，但在間界層次仍是相當先驗，大致上觀測間界上都會有一些通則，幾乎所有的神祕學者、巫師、魔法師或者靈媒的觀測幾乎相類，類似於死者靈魂的樣貌(曖昧不明的人型)、能量或氣息的流動(墳墓沼澤地方有凶氣)等，幾乎都能夠產生一定的共識默契。這經驗法則在觀測深淵就會面目全非，對於高等靈體的觀測無前例可循，甚至在觀測同一神祇都會有巨大的誤差(如聖經所載之耶和華的顯現盡皆不同)，這乃是因為深淵是初始之渾沌，萬象的萬象，大象之萬象，以及無象之萬象。人類並不能夠理解也不可能接受也不能形容，我們只能用人類的格位去勉強接受，那反映出來的只有人類貧乏的接受力外沒有其他。因此我的結論是，既然是這種模式的超驗，那對於深淵的觀測紀錄就會因為觀測者的個體會有相當程度的不同，甚至不同時間點的觀測也會不同。
即便如此，通過阿利亞斯層的觀測還是相較於其他方法明晰。阿利亞斯層的境界就是夢境，通過夢境的緩衝能夠很好地處理精神受到深淵衝擊時產生的混亂，也不需要藉由藥物解除精神的桎梏(我們內在的精神會在受到衝擊時建立保護自身的機制，會阻止我們觀測有害的深淵，因此某些派別會用致幻藥劑解放精神)，但關於觀測後解讀資訊的問題，可能要靠更多的觀測來找到答案了吧。
2017年4月28日 星期五
The Hand of the Philosophers
Produced by Restorers of Alchemical Manuscripts Society (RAMS), 1986.
In this Hand is locked the secret of the philosophers, that is, of the seed and the earth, as will be told later.
Now then, I will teach my child and describe the secret, hidden matter of the wise philosophers and masters of the true Art Alchemia. Nobody can use it unless he take the oath and swear not to divulge the Art and secrets and hidden signs of the sages, except he finds that it would be a good placement. In that case, he should also request the oath that that man should not use the Art except for the salvation of his soul. Only then can he be given the secret signs of the philosophers or sages, with their hidden signs and meanings.
1. The Thumb
2. Index
3. The Middle Finger
4. The Ring Finger
5. The Little Finger
6. The Middle of the Hand
7. The Palm
The seventh sign of the philosophers is Fire. By this Sulphur is indicated. It is the earth and beginning of all metals. It is the female who brings forth the fruit. For no seed can grow unless it be first thrown into fertile soil. Then beautiful fruit will come from it. Thus it also happens tat when a pure Mercury is joined to a pure Sulphur, it brings forth pure fruit. Thus, they are man and woman, father and mother, fire and water, seed and earth. This is sufficient about the seven secret signs of the philosophers. He who understands well this Hand and its sign, and can work with it, will derive joy from it. Now follows the Preparation.
When it has been standing in Tripode for 14 days, take it out. Take 2 lb of the Long Finger, which must have been sublimated 3 times through salt. Pulverize it with the powder you took out of the Tripode, and sublimate them together till the Long Finger becomes fixed.
Now dissolve this fixed powder 7 times in good, distilled vinegar. Let it settle each time, and each time separate the Faeces, and congeal it again in the Alembic. Then glow the King in the fire, but take care that he does not melt. Do this 7 times, by dissolving, congealing, and glowing as before. Then the saltpeter is well prepared for the work. Keep it in a closed box of Cyprian earth, glazed with glass, and you will have an infinite treasure, greater than you might believe, with which you can accomplish wonderful things. I will describe to you only one part of its effect, should you need the Art: By it you can turn all seven metals into their first nature, that is, into Mercury.
To this end you must take a good amount of distilled vinegar and
, and 
8 of raw *; add to it whatever metal you wish, provided it is calcined, then quickly seal the jar and put it in Balneum or in horse manure for 21 days. After that, put it on fire with the Alembic, and distill. First there will be vinegar and *, afterwards the essence of the metal, that is, Mercury. With that you can do astonishing things. But there is a great deal of cheating in this; that is why we do not wish to describe it. When you have used the King and he has done his work, let the faeces drop, pour off the pure, and coagulate as before. Then he will be better than before, because his power has grown tenfold by having been dissolved and purified with Acetum and [??], as also next to the *, and by having been water and then congealed. One performs miracles with this King; that is why he carries the crown.Also, he makes all red metals white, and all soft metals hard, and all hard metals soft, and I write more than have been commanded to.
Also, make an Aqua Fort of nitre, O, vitriol and * ; and to a quarter lb of this AF, add
ij *; dissolve in it ij lb mercury; draw off the AF per Balneum, and you will thus kill mercury. Then take 4 lb of common salt to every 2 lb of this Mercury. Mix and pound it well together in a mortar; then sublimate it; then take it out and pound it again with salt as before, and sublimate it. Repeat this 7 times.After this, take 1 lb salt, 1/2 lb *, mix them well with the sublimated mercury, and sublimate again. When it is sublimated, take it out, and mix it again with fresh salt alone; sublimate again, and do this 3 or 4 times. Now pound it fine and put it into a glass vessel and set it to calcinate in the philosophers’ stove for 30 days and nights.
Then remove it, and dissolve it in balneo or on a stone in the cellar. When everything has been dissolved, put it to distill 7 times in Balneo, till everything has become hard. Then take it out, pulverize it small, and imbibe it with water of silver made thus:
Take fine cupel silver; cement it till it comes out white from the salt; dissolve it in AF; then draw it off per Balneum; take it out, add to it as much * as there is silver, pulverize them together, and dry it. Then calcinate it for 30 days in the philosophers’ furnace. After this, dissolve it in Balneo or on a stone. Imbibe this water into your powder, and put it into a glass to distill per Alembicum, so as to draw off the humidity. When it is dry, take it out and imbibe it again with silver water. Do this till all the water of silver has been imbibed into it. Finally, let it stand on the fire till all your matter is fixed. Then make your matter fusible till it melts like butter.
Also, when you have drawn out the Red from the foremost finger, or from the fire, or from several other things, take 1 lb of the dry powder and 1 lb of the sun. But the sun must first have been 3 times sublimated through the key till it is transparent. Then take 1 part of the Red, 1/2 part of the sun, powder them together and sublimate them. Then the sun will sublimate up, and the Red will stay at the bottom of the vessel. Take the sun out above and mix it again with the Red that stayed at the bottom of the vessel. Sublimate it again as before, at least 10 or 12 times. Now take the same sun and the same Red, powder them impalpably, and put them into the philosophers’ furnace to quickly calcine for 30 days. Then take it out and dissolve it in Balneo. When everything is dissolved, you have a brilliant water with which gold would not want to be compared. Imbibe your elixir with this red water as you know.
How to Extract Quintam Essentiam from Vitriol or the Philosophers’ Stone from the Hand.
Now take 6, 8, or 10 lb of the key, which has been prepared to sublimate through it. Put the Key into a Syburg jar and pour into it, upon the Key, what has been dissolved, so that it turns into a dry Materia. Otherwise the water would not putrify or go up in smoke. Put the jar in Balneum, add a helm, and distill the AF over in a boiling Balneum, till nothing comes over. Following this, set the jar into sand, and more spirits of the AF will go over which did not rise out of the balneum.
When all the Spiritus have gone over, increase your fire and you will see the Quinta Essentia, or Tincture of the Fish and the said Star, sublimate as if it were a crystal stone. Remove it carefully from the Alembic and dissolve it again in fresh AF. Repeat this 4 times, and the tinctures of QE of the Fish will become so subtle that it is unbelievable to write about it. The reason for it is that it was first dissolved and afterwards sublimated, and that it is killed and rises into a spiritual Corpus. In my estimation, it should be distilled and afterwards sublimated so often that it will obtain such great power that it would be worth a kingdom. Now you have the QE Vitrioli and Mercurii together.
If you wish to make an Elixir of it, you must calcine it in Tripode; then dissolve it in Balneo with the water of the Hand; distill and sublimate it, and add the soul to it, and congeal it, as I have taught of other stones. But if you wish to separate the tincture of the Star from the Fish, take good * and distilled vinegar. Pulverize the QE and put it into the vinegar. Set it into the Balneum. The Mercury will sink to the bottom, and the QE of the vitriol will go into the vinegar. Pour off the tinged vinegar, and pour fresh upon it. Put it back into the Balneum, and repeat this till the vinegar no longer tinges. Now put all the tinged vinegar together and take other vinegar. In it, slake iron or steel 10 or 12 times. Now pour that to the tinged acetum, put it into a large glass and distill all the vinegar per Alembicum and in the Balneum. What remains, will be the most beautiful redness of the world, because the tincture of the Fish stayed with the tincture of the Star. That is why the Fish is no longer of any use when the tincture of the Star is drawn off, because they both have the same nature.
With this tincture, you can work miracles, because it is indestructible just as heaven is incombustible; it changes everything into its nature and color, and thus it does to all stones and pearls.
First I will teach you how to extract the tincture from gold, and how to make spirit and oil. Change the gold to a subtle calx through calcinations. Then take a broad glass slab or a glass vessel. Put the calx into it and pour on it good distilled wine vinegar. Into a Nossel, put 3j of the middle finger’s Sun, and pour it on the gold calx in the vessel, reaching two fingers’ breadth above it. Set it into the Balneum or in a hot reflection of the sun. Then there will arise a small yellow skin on top, as if it were oil. Remove this with a silver gilt spoon, or with a feather. Do this several times a day, till nothing else arises to the top. Put what you have skimmed off into the Balneum and let the humidity evaporate. Then an oil will remain, or the QE, which is so wonderful, it is beyond your belief.
One can do just as well with pure, old urine, as with vinegar. Then there still remains earth in that which stays in the vessel and out of which you have drawn the QE. Put that also into the Balneum. Let the vinegar, or old urine, evaporate, and the earth of the Sun will stay behind. And when the earth has been prepared, bring it back to its QE as it should be. Now you have an elixir and a glorified Corpus and an earthly treasure far greater than can be believed. For that, thank God Almighty.
Now take the white of 100 hardboiled and pulverized eggs, put into distilled vinegar in addition to 1 lb of *, also tartar, Alcali, of each 1 lb; common salt, 4 lb. Put everything into a jar, luted, and set into the Balneum, or in horse manure, for 6 weeks. Let it dissolve into water; then remove it and distill. First, the * will come, then the acetum; and the blessed white water that stays in the retort, preserve it till you need more of it, because it is also good for other works.
Now take the vinegar, the *, and the egg water, and imbibe with that your powder. Dry it in Alembicum, so that it may stay pure. Do this till all the water has been imbibed into the powder. Set the water to calcine in Tripode for 14 days or longer, and regulate your fire in such a way that you can just keep your hand in it through the hole.
After this, take it out. Take 2 lb of *, and sublimate it through this powder till it is fixed. Then dissolve the powder 7 times in distilled vinegar, and again congeal it in the Alembic, so that it may stay pure. After it has been dissolved as often and has finally been congealed, put it in the Balneum to dissolve, or in a cellar, or in horse manure. Then the Lantern is prepared, and you have an earthly treasure, the whitest water one can see with one’s eyes, and it transforms all things into the White, no matter what one cooks in it, be it metal or rock. With it one can make mercury fixed in many different ways, and you, nevertheless, keep almost all of your lantern, and almost your previous weight. Anything you wish to get pure and white, such as pearls, put them into this water and you will see wonders. It transforms all metals into mercury, if they are cooked in it in Balneo. I must not write more.
Now take the water of the hand and 1 lb of the impalpable powder of the Key. Sublimate them, well mixed together beforehand, 7, 8, or 10 times, each time with fresh key. After this, pulverize it impalpably on a glass slab with 1 lb of the middle Finger, 2 lb of the Fire, 2 lb of salt. Sublimate 7 times, each time with fresh salt; finally pound it and set it in Tripode to calcine for 30 days, heating gently the first 8 days, then gradually stronger. The last 8 days, let it become so hot that you would hardly hold your hand in Tripode for one Ave Maria. Then take it out, powder it on a stone, then dissolve it into water in Balneo. Occasionally, it does not easily dissolve. That is due to the fact that it has not been sufficiently cooked during calcinations, since one has to stir it once every day, what is at the bottom has to be turned uppermost; and if something has been sublimated up, put it down again and continue calcining. When it is dissolved, preserve it at once in a glass, well stoppered with something.
Now take gold. Purify it by dissolving and cementing, as you know how to do. Then dissolve the water of the hand and keep it well stoppered in a glass. When you have all three of these waters, you have an earthly treasure. If you wish to conjoin them, take a glass Recipient, big according to the quantity of your waters, narrow above and wide below. Into this, put your three waters, seal as you know how to do; set it in Balneo, and let it rise and descend till you see no more spirits rise except a watery dew. Now take it out, powder it impalpably, put it into a round glass with a long neck, put it sideways on ashes, in a stove. Then you will see an evident miracle, that is, all the colors God has created in the world, before the perfect White comes; and then the redness from an increase in the fire. At first, one has to heat mildly, and gradually stronger. But when the white color appears, you must increase your fire somewhat till the glass becomes glowing. Should something rise, turn the glass over, and continue with the fire till you see the perfect redness which surpasses all the redness in the world. Thank God!
I have done it, but I never reached the end of the Perfection. But with it, you can well make Projection into all metals, because you have the QE of the Sulfur of the philosophers, and you have subtilized, dissolved, and spiritualized the Gold. Then its color is increased a thousand times. Also, Mercury has in himself the red color or Tincture in such an abundance, that it cannot be described. Therefore you must yourself experiment as to what wonderful Projection it makes. I am telling you in true charity that I and my journeymen never reached the goal of projection. That is why you must throw it on tin and no other metal. You may also dissolve your Medicine into a Massa, and carry it about with you, so that you can take the powder out of the glass, stir it into wax; and you can throw it upon whatever you wish, and close your mouth, by the damnation of your soul. Amen.
To 10 lb of this Spiritus add 1 lb of * ; dissolve in distilled rain water, and coagulate it again, per Alembicum, with a recipient, until it is coagulated. Then take it out and pound it on a stone. Put your powder into a glass; dissolve and coagulate it again till it is fixed and no longer rises. With this Spiritus one does wonders and miraculous things in metals, especially with Mercury, tin and lead. But this Spiritus must first be prepared, as I will yet teach.
There do not exist so many kinds of salt that there should not be as many kinds of Sulphurs and their preparation. The Sulphur must be made artificially, just as * is made artificially. Now we will again return to our matter. First I taught you how to separate the Spiritus from the Corpus. Now I shall instruct you how to prepare the Spiritus, and to make it fixed, and also what you should do with it.
After you have removed the little skin, which is the Spiritus of the salt, and you have gathered as many of them as possible, dissolve them again in distilled rain water, the same in which you had dissolved your salt, Then congeal it again in a glass, or a glass vessel, over a gentle fire. Pulverize it in a stone mortar; add powdered *, mix them well. Put it into a glass with a long neck, lute well, put it to dissolve in horse manure or in the balneum. The glass must be well closed above, or put a helm on with a recipient, everything well luted. Should any moisture come over, it will coagulate more easily if there is also an Alembicum attached to it than if it were only badly stoppered. This solution and coagulation in Balneo must be repeated 10 or 12 times, or more, till it is fixed. Each time it has to be coagulated over gentle heat. When it is fixed, the salt is clear and transparent, like crystal and hard. If it is put on fire or on a glowing Lamel, it does not smoke or melt away, and penetrate like lard through leather; and that is its proof that it is fixed. Now the Spiritus Salis is prepared, and it has also made the * fixed together with itself; and they married and will never again be separated, but stay together and effect wonderful things together.
Put 1 lb of this salt into a Crucible and 4 lb of mercury purified with vinegar. Add also the salt below, but most of it above; set for 6 hours in the fire, and it will coagulate into true silver; your salt will neither be decreased nor worsened. It does not burn, neither does it fly away. Now put your silver upon the Cupel, as above.
If now you wish to bring tin to perfection, purify it first of its blackness. Use Amalgamation or calcination, and purify each time with vinegar and salt, till there is no more blackness in it. After that, drive the mercury from it, per Descendum, into another vessel. Now take the powder Jovis and Sal Fixum, put them into a crucible, as before, and let them drive for 6 hours; or pour the salt into it beforehand and let it drive. Afterwards add the powder Jovis, or both together. It is the same; I tried both. When it cools down, you find Jovem amid the salt. He is noble and a King. Sweeten the salt thereof and preserve it, because it is just as good.
Now finish your tin on the test furnace or cupel with lead and drive it off, and you will find good silver in all tests. Aside from this, know that the Corpus of the common slat of which the Spiritus has been separated, is fixed in itself. It is prepared in the following way with Sal Alcali, Oleo Tartari, Alumen de Roche and Marcasita, that is:
Of this salt, take 4 lb; of Sal Alcali, Alum de Roche ana, 1 lb; Marcasita, 1 lb. Pulverize them fine, then pound them together on a stone with Oleum Tartari, and make of them a thick paste. Put it into a glass vessel or a Syburg jar; lute it tightly and put it under the cookstove, where you keep a fire going every day. Let it dry; when it is dry, remove it and pound it once more on a stone with Oleum Tartari. Put it back into the jar, close it tightly, and put it again in the fireplace to dry, as before. Repeat this till the powder has imbibed the Oleum Tartari and you have a dry Massa. Powder this massa to a fine dust in a mortar, put it into a Syburg jar, lute it tightly all around, 3 or 4 thumbs breadth. Put it 3 or 4 times into a potter’s stove; break the jar open, and you will find it white.
Take it out and turn it into a fine powder in a mortar; let it dissolve in the cellar on a marble slate with a glass beneath it into which it can drip. Wit this water, one can do many wonderful things in the Art. Wit it one can dissolve mercury into a beautiful transparent water; when mercury is dissolved with it or in it, one can dissolve all 7 metals
Into pure water with it or in it. And this is the right preparation of the common slat, and it is the Key on the little finger, because the little finger is the Key to the Hand.
Now I will teach you how to add the Spiritus to the Corpus that you have prepared, that is, in what way you must Conjoin them. When now the Spiritus and the Corpus come together and are united after their preparation, one can do wonderful things with them, since they have then a hundred times more power than they had previously; for after the Conjunctio of the soul and the body there exists a Glorified Corpus and a great Elixir. With it one performs great miracles.
First one cleanse Mercury of its blackness. After this, one must also dissolve in this water, Luna, which comes dry from the test furnace. Now take Marcasita Lunae; turn it into an impalpable powder and pound it well with salt and vinegar, washing it till no more blackness comes off. Now dry the powder at the sun, and afterwards grind it with good Aqua Vitae. Take * water. Then draw the water off per Alembicum, and immediately dissolve the powder again in the same water. Now take the water in which these three dissolved, and as much fixed Spiritus as the weight of the water in which the metals have been dissolved. Imbibe these spirits into this water, pound them, dry them, and imbibe them again; coagulate them again in the air, for it is the cold air that must coagulate them and the hot air must dissolve them.
Listen well to these discourses, how they are meant; it would take too long to elaborate further. Neither is it necessary for this work. When all this water has been imbibed, you have a precious Stone with great power to act upon Mercury and Mars. It can also be prepared for the Red, but that is not necessary; for when they prepare the aforementioned finger, they are making a great elixir. Should one work it to the Red, it would increase in power a thousandfold through the preparation. And this is one of the secret signs, and it is the little finger of the hand, which is the key of the Hand.
The Nature and Power of Mercury, the Fish of the Hand, and Sulfur the Fire
Now I will further instruct my child and describe the nature of Mercury and his infirmities, and in what way he is to be made healthy. Therefore, understand well what I say, for by means of this work I will teach you all other Opera, for all metals.
Mercury is a spirit and also a Corpus, but the spirit is evident and the Corpus hidden and intangible. This is due to the Spiritus with which the body is covered, for the spirit is more powerful than the body. That is why the Spiritus takes the Corpus along when it gets into the fire. Mercury is cold and humid, cold in the manifested and cold in his humidity; but in his innermost and in his hidden nature he is red, which is hot and dry. That is why the old masters called him an egg, because an egg is white, cold and humid outside, and within it is hot and dry; and when an egg is put in the fire, it will evaporate and burst. That is due to its humidity and cold. This is the reason why they call him the philosophers’ egg, which people do not understand. Because of the coldness that he has in himself, he avoids fire; for two unlike things of a contrary nature cannot stand each other; one or the other must go. Because his Spiritus is stronger than his Corpus, the Spiritus leads the Corpus away from the fire. Now I immediately also show the virtues of Mercury.
Mercury is a slimy water in the earth, a subtle substance, an earth spirit. He is the same subtlety which the earth has in itself. That is why it is called Arsenicum of the earth. Therefore it has the power to produce fruit without the help of the earth; that is, he can perform works without any other thing, because the spirit of the earth and the spirit of a thing have the power to do a great deal without the help of the Corpus. But the Corpus has no power to do anything without the help of the spirit. By this understand well what I have in mind concerning mercury, though Mercury may well be changed into gold or silver without the help of the metals. That is why the old folks called him the Serpent that begets itself and gives birth without the help of some metals. Yet people do not understand this saying about the snake, because they do not know Mercury.
I have said that Mercury is a slimy water, of a white color, soft, natural, joined from within hot dryness and from without with cold humidity, more than with inner hot dryness; that is why he does not like the fire!
Mercury is the Ferment, the yeast, or the sourdough, for yeast causes the bread or beverage to rise and to go over, and it gives them their taste. Therefore mercury must be in all works like yeast, for without Mercury no work can be accomplished. Mercury is the beginning, the middle, and the end. He is the Copulator, the priest who brings all things together and marries them; because no fruit can come from like things; but unlike things, of two unlike natures, must be united. It is, however, not easy to unite unlike things. Thus, Mercury must gather all unlike things and marry them, if they are to bring forth fruit; for Mercury is in them as the universal Spirit, for he is the humidity of all things, also of the earth; just as blood is the Spiritus, humidity and life of men, Mercury is the life of the earth.
Therefore, all things that have got their nature from the earth are subject to him; also all that which the earth brings forth or has brought forth. That is why it is said that mercury is the Spiritus of all things. Because of this the old philosophers say that in Mercury there are four kinds of saline juices, for all salts are made of four things, each contrary to the other. That is why all salts are poisonous, but one more so than another.
The old masters called Mercury ‘Virgin’s Milk’, because Mercury is nourishment, food, and the dwelling place of all metals, since he enters and passes through all metals, just as mother’s milk passes through all members of the child and nourishes them. Mercury is the Nutriment and mother of all metals; Mercury makes all hot Corpora cold, and all dry bodies moist; he also makes all hot Corpora cold, and all dry bodies moist; he also makes all cold bodies hot, and all humid Corpora dry. However, Mercury has to be transmuted into another degree, according to what the work is, that one wishes to accomplish with him. For Mercury has a wonderful nature. Wherever he is added or used, he is the best or the worst, depending on how the company is.
Thus one may use Mercury for whatever work one wishes to perform. If he is congealed, he continues to congeal; if he is dissolved, he dissolves further; if he is fixed, he fixes further; if he is multiplied, he likewise continues to multiply; if he is made poisonous, he poisons everything.
Thus have I taught and shown you what derives from mercury and what he is. I have informed you of part of his infirmities as well as of part of his wonderful nature. Now I will teach you part of his virtue and power and of the works he can do, from degree to degree, to his utmost, according to the understanding which Almighty God has granted to me through his bottomless charity. Although one could not write all his degrees and powers in a book as big as the Bible, I will now here teach my knowledge obtained through the charity of Gold Almighty, and what I know, have learned and experienced in this matter.
First, what he can do when he comes raw from the mines. Subsequently, what he can accomplish when he is a great Sublimate; and then, what his capability is when he is congealed and dissolved, and, in addition, how to understand this. Finally, I shall make you acquainted with his sister and brother; and also how to make the Sulfur, by which Mercury must be brought into a state of health.
First I will say what mercury can do inside and outside the earth, when he is still raw. I said that Mercury is the Spiritus of the earth; likewise he is the Sperma of the earth, and the seed of all metals. Of this seed, when planted in the earth, that is the Sulfur --- be it pure or impure, red or white --- one of the seven metals is generated.
Consequently, Mercury is the beginning and the foundation of all seven metals. His intention is always to generate gold or silver, but he is impeded by the lazy and impure earth or Sulfur, so that he cannot achieve his purpose, while it is also true that the stench of the earth hinders him often to do so. For as a child in the womb is made impure by the Materi which it attracts --- as the child may get a disease on account of the uncleanliness and Corruption of the place where it lies, which causes it to get such a disease; irrespective of the fact that the Sperma and seed were pure and clean, the child is nevertheless afflicted with an uncleanliness; it is due to the lazy mother and the Corruption befalling it --- so it is with the metals which are likewise corrupted by the impure Sulphur.
After this, I will say and teach whether God has created all things of one or of two natures, and how, and what. God has put together and united all things of four contrary elements. He has put them together with their opposites; but these natures are perfectly united in all things, regardless if they are perfect or imperfect. Thus we find that either the manifest part in a thing is perfect, or the concealed part. But while they are cold it is the contrary. That is why it is easy to change the Corpora into their prime root in a short time, so that the concealed part can be made manifest, and the manifest pert in nature can be hidden in the metals. For what iron lacks in its manifest form, is replaced by something in its hidden form during its transformation into gold or silver. Its hidden part is mercury, which replaces iron during its transformation.
If, therefore, iron is changed into Mercury, its hidden part will become hot and dry, and its visible part, cold and moist. Bring its hidden part into manifestation, therefore, and make its visible part hidden. Then its hidden part will be cold and dry, and its manifest part, hot and moist; now it is perfect and will last in all eternity.
There were some who said that it was the hidden Saturn and Jupiter; others said Luna; and in this they spoke the truth. I am saying all this to show how all Corpora must be transformed; for in all bodies two manifest natures must be hidden, and two hidden natures must be made manifest. What is manifest, is imperfect and full of sickness; and what is hidden in the metals is fixed, good, and perfect by nature. That is why you must make its hidden part manifest, and its manifest hidden. Then you have a pure, perfect, and fixed Corpus, lasting in all eternity. It is a great secret to have the understanding of this, and to know the Secreta as also the infirmities of the metals, and in what way the metals came by them; apart from this, (it is also a great secret) to well know their natures, within and without, hot and dry, cold and humid, over and again back. It is the fire that I have in mind.
You can make them healthy again with natural medicine and with Sulfur, which I will teach you later how to make from green herbs, oils, gums, and water. Concerning this, you must well understand my view, since in this chapter you are being acquainted with all the infirmities of the metals, and you will be taught to recognize all herbs, to prepare all Sulphura, and to know all medicines. You will learn what they require in their bodies, so that you will learn how to make manifest one of the hidden elements, and how to make its contrary hidden. Understand well that I indicate all this, so that you should know nature. For lead is cold and dry, its manifest nature is quite soft, and its hidden part is hot and humid.
In all things that God the Lord has created, the hidden part is always contrary to the manifest part, in softness as well as in hardness; for the soft is the Contrarium of the hard, that is, when its nature is reversed, its hidden part becomes manifest, and its manifest becomes concealed; that is, the soft has to become hard, and the hard, soft. This is meant for the Corpora lead, tin and iron. They are also composed of four natures, since the manifest of lead is cold, humid, and soft, while its hidden part is hot, dry, and hard. Likewise with iron. When they made him like lead, they called him lead; but its hidden part is iron, and the former is manifest. And when you reverse the hidden Saturn and make it manifest, it is Mars. Such is easy to do with Sulfur, and then it is Luna, lasting in all eternity.
The body of iron is composed of four natures whose exterior is hot, dry and hard, while the hidden part in its nature is cold, humid, and soft, like lead in its root. In no Corpus is there as great a hardness as in the manifest Mars, and in its hidden part there is an equally great softness. One becomes easily aware of its softness when it is prepared and reversed. After this operation it is Mercury.
The hidden part of Mercury is Mars; its manifest part is a cold dry water called Mercury. That is why his manifest part must be hidden and his hidden part made manifest. Thus he can be converted into fine gold; or, if you wish, increase his color, and his coldness will appear and become silver; or increase his heat and humidity, and it will become gold. Understand well what I say, what I intend to convey. Reflect on what I have taught you and how I have compared Mercury to an egg, which is white outside and red inside. Thus is Mercury in the center of his nature. Therefore, understand these teachings well. Enough of this.
Sol is hot and humid in its manifest part; dry, melancholy and like lead in its hidden part. Therefore, reverse all Corpora into this nature, for this nature is temperate. If you wish to cook Mercury till he becomes silver, and till he becomes gold, prepare your yellow-colored Sulphura that can tinct, and decrease his humidity till he becomes hot and dry. Then his humidity will be saturated and decreased, which means, to reverse his hidden part and root, which is gold, and his color, which is solar, into Sol. Take my discourses to heart, listen and pay careful attention to them.
Venus is hot and dry, and is a brother of Mars, for his root is hot and humid like gold, and he is different from him in dryness of his Minera, which has become impure. Take of him his dryness, and prepare it with contrary Sulphura that are good and healthy for him. Then he will again get back into his nature and will turn into gold. Understand my discourses well, and pay careful attention to what I intend to teach you. It is of great importance and secrecy what I am telling you; it is also a great secret and deep wisdom. Therefore do take my discourses carefully to heart.
Mercury is cold and humid in his manifest part, driving and soft as water; and in his hidden part he is he hot, dry, and hard without any doubt; for his manifest part is Mercury, and his hidden part Mars and the contrary. Now then, if we wish to reverse mercury into his first water, the way to do it is first to turn him into silver through Sulphur which helps him, that is, his brother and is sister. Understand my discourses: You must hide his humidity and reveal his dryness through Sulphur. Then it will become good silver. Such is the first way.
Understand my teachings well, and if you wish to perfect the work, reverse silver so slowly till its manifest part becomes hidden and its hidden part, on the contrary, manifest. Understand well, these are two ways, active and passive. Then its hidden part will be hot and humid, that is gold; and its manifest part, cold and dry, that is Saturnus. Do take care to understand my teachings well. I am addressing you in bad German, without veiled word. Know that silver is the root of gold. Therefore, if you wish to change it into gold, conceal its coldness. Then its heat will manifest. After this, cover up the dryness, and its humidity will manifest; and it will be good gold, everlasting.
Thus I have informed you of and made known to you the nature of metals and their infirmities; and how one is to reverse those and prepare them with each metal’s Sulphur; that is, according to what is the infirmity of a metal, prepare your Sulphur, as I will teach you.
Item, when Mercury comes out of the mines, it is living water, with which we must wash all our Sulphura, metals, and Corpora; and make all our Corpora humid. This means that all their Corpora must be amalgamated and dissolved with mercury, and Mercury must turn all hard Corpora into water or softness. Then one can pound and wash all metals with sea salt or distilled vinegar. This is to be done in a marble or stone mortar, and it has to be made so clean that no muddiness is left. When the Corpora are quite clean, drive the Mercury off per Distillationem. Now you can prepare the powder with the Sulphur, which I will hereafter teach you how to prepare.
Now I will further teach you how it is that Mercury becomes so poisonous during sublimation. The reason is that it is his nature to attract to himself all the poison he can get at. If he meets good metals, he wants to be the best; if he meets bad metals, the worst, etc. This is the reason why Mercury attracts to himself all poison when he is sublimated through hot natures; for all hot herbs, salts, and all other things created by God that are hot to the 4th degree, are poisonous. I would like to inform you of the reasons, but this work does not require my doing so. Therefore, if he were to be sublimated through hot salts and hot Species, he would become poisonous; for all salts are poisonous, one more than another; therefore, the more he is sublimated through them, the more poisonous he becomes. One could sublimate so often through Vitriolum Romanum, or Vitriolum Album, or alum, Sal Gemmae, Saltpetre, etc. that he would become so poisonous that, should he be put on a saddle upon which a man were riding, that man would immediately die as soon as his bottom got warm on it. But the salts must previously be dissolved 9 times in distilled wine vinegar, and again congealed. And if Mercury were then sublimated 30 times through it, he has the power to accomplish such feats, and he would stand the test.
It is not necessary, however, to bring Mercury thus to Perfection, since it is dangerous to do it on account of the poison, for if the pot got cracked, it would be dangerous for those who do not know him; since one must heat so strongly that the salts come in flux before Mercury will evaporate from them. Afterwards he does not completely rise but stays below in the vessel to cook with the salts. Yet to do this one has to sublimate him 40 times. I have done it myself with my own hands, and afterwards drove off 20 lb in a test, and I did not lose one pound of it.
I do not, however, advise you to do this because of the worries one has with it, since the last times one has to give such strong heat as I indicated. Also, there are many ways that are easier to bring Mercury to Perfection with Sulphur; I only wish to show you his powers, for when he is thus sublimated, one can perform miraculous things with him. It would be a pity if some people knew about it and understood it, as they would then perform miracles with him. That is why I cannot write to you about all his powers which I know and which I have tried, but I will relate part of what he can do when he is sublimated.
It is known that in the Art of Alchymia there is much fraud, and many imitations of gold and silver are made which are supposed to stand three or four tests; and yet they are finally false. If you should have any doubts concerning this, take some powder of the sublimated Mercury; put some of the gold or silver about which you have your doubts into a crucible, and melt it; throw your powder on it, and it will immediately reveal its nature; if it is false, it will get back to its first nature as soon as it melts. But if it is good, it will stay good. Throw the same powder on a stone; if it is false, it will immediately break into a hundred pieces, like salt.
Dissolve tin and silver together ana; put it in a test with Saturnus and throw this powder on it. It will drive as if there were no tin in it, and it will be of great benefit, as I have tested myself. If you have silver that is not malleable, throw this powder on it, and it will become malleable like fine silver; throw it on iron or steel, and it will become malleable and soft like lead; and one can test all things with it.
Now then, all Sublimationes Mercurii are beneficial to his recovering his health, provided he is sublimated through hot, dry things. Likewise, all Congelationes are good for him, because all things that congeal mercury, be it green herbs or salts, or tin, or lead, or gums, or smoke, or sulphur, etc., are absolutely curative or healthy for him, and one should congeal him so long that he can stand in the fire.
There may well be more direct ways with sulphur; but when Mercury is congealed, he has powers and effects which he does not have when he is sublimated. It is not necessary, however, to relate them in connection with this work. When Mercury is dissolved, he does other wonderful works, and one does with him what one wishes; for when he is dissolved, he dissolves the seven metals. And, what is more, he dissolves all things grown out of the earth and everything the earth has given birth to, not everything in the same period of time but one in more time than another. Yet in time mercury dissolves all things, also with the help of other Species that are added to him.
Thus Mercury is the Lord and Spiritus of all things, for he shuns nobody and nothing in the world created by God Almighty, except fire. But with the help of the precious Sulphura, which the sages have invented and made by the Grace of God, and after they have well considered all powers and degrees of Mercury, as well as his infirmities and the causes thereof, and what he is, the masters have prepared a medicine for him; that is, a precious Sulphur made of many hot herbs and other Species which they used for it; and they have cooked and fried him so long that he could get into the fire and stand it. I will teach you yet how to make it.
Take small pearls, dissolve them with mercury --- all of them have to turn into water. Now pour on them fresh cheese curds, as I have taught you in the Key. The Materi of the pearls will precipitate to the bottom. Wash it clean till all the Aqua Fort is off, and you have a viscous oil. Of that you can make pearls as big or small as you wish.
Have the form made of silver, gilt inside. Put it into the blood of a buck, mixed with nightshade water, in which they will become as hard as they were before; and they will get such a pure luster that is more marvelous than that of all other pearls; for during the solution they become so clean of all spots, so purely oriental, that no uncleanliness whatsoever stays in them. The same happens to all other precious stones dissolved in this oil.
Item, in the second instance you may take crystal and dissolve it. Then take the tincture which I have taught you to prepare from Vitriol Romanum, in the foremost finger of the hand, upon which stands the star. Dissolve it in water together with the crystal, and conjoin them in the same way as you did with the pearls. Form them big or small according to your wishes, make them hard like pearls, polish them with Oil of Birchwood made per Descensum. With that oil all man-made stones have to be polished, and whenever they are polished, the oil has to be spread on lead. After being polished, the stone is like a beautiful, precious ruby, looking as if it were worth 100 crowns. Nobody can distinguish it from a ruby, unless it were subjected to the highest test; but there are not many people who know how to do that, yes, hardly one in a region.
Thus you can counterfeit all kinds of stones from crystal and give them the coloring you wish the stone to have, but the tinctures and colors must be dissolved with the crystal in the manner I have taught you concerning the ruby. All kinds of glass can be dissolved in this way, like crystal, red, blue, yellow, green; glass of all sorts. I have seen wonders made of it, wonderful things made of glass and crystal, which great Lords possessed and considered more highly than fine gold. They were formed with foreign animals and wonderful. They were considered precious stones and were set on feet; also on exquisite bowls, on treasure chests; and nobody knew what they were, except those who know how to make the supreme test of everything.
One can also take little pieces of rubies, or sand, or other stones, (no matter which), dissolve them in the aforementioned manner, form and harden them as said above. They will become as hard as before, but much purer and more beautiful. for nothing impure remains in them. And in this there is no fraud, because they can stand the highest test; and one does indeed find enough little pieces of precious stone, and therefore it is not necessary to accept or make imperfect tones.
But this is enough now of rocks. One does indeed make many wonderful things from Mercury after it is dissolved, so that it would be a pity if many a man knew about it.
Item, all metals that one wishes to bring to Perfection must be dissolved in Mercury, otherwise it is sheer fraud. Then they must be cooked with Sulphur; but you have to prepare the Sulphur according to whether the metals are healthy. Understand me well! I will teach you the Sulphur with which you must make Mercury healthy, and in connection with this Sulphur I will teach you how to prepare all other Sulphura.
Mercury is cold and humid in his outward nature, and in his innermost he is hot and dry. Reverse him, therefore, and he will become healthy. Consequently, one should remove from him his cold humidity. This must be done with hot herbs or oils of which you must make the Sulphur.
Take Alum de Roche, calcine it as is customary. Now take the peels of bitter oranges. Put them into a glass vessel, pour good distilled wine vinegar upon them, boil them till all the vinegar is boiled away and the powder is quite dry. Add this powder to the said powder of alum, together with three oak apples that are pointed; pulverize them. Then take sloe herb, pound it quite fine, and force it through a cloth with good distilled vinegar; pound it again till all of it all of it has gone through the cloth together with the vinegar. Now dry it in a bowl and let it dry in the sun. You will now have a fine powder which you should add to the other.
Now take cinquefoil and treat it like you did the celidonia. Add it to the other powder, and the more hot herbs you gather, the better you can get Mercury to die. Now take all these powders pounded finely together; put them on a grinding stone, imbibe them with pig’s gall --- that’s the best --- let it dry till you can pulverize it again.
Add to this dried human blood, the blood of roosters or hens; imbibe them together with animal gall as before, and let them dry together on a glass slab. Do this 8 or 9 times, the more the better; and finally let it become quite hard and dry, so that it can be turned into a fine powder.
Add to this dried human blood, the blood of roosters or hens; imbibe them together with animal gall as before, and let them dry together on a glass slab. Do this 8 or 9 times, the more the better; and finally let it become quite hard and dry, so that it can be turned into a fine powder.
Now take Roman, red-calcined vitriol, and as much cinnabar as the vitriol weighs. Pulverize them quite finely together, put them into a glass, pour good Aqua Vitae thereon; then distill the Aqua Vitae off per Alembicum. Repeat the drawing off and pouring 3 or 4 times.
After this, take the poured off Aqua Vitae of these two matters. Imbibe the powder therein on a grinding stone to the consistency of a pulp. Let it dry again on the glass as above. Do this 12 or 16 times, the more the better. The last time, let it dry hard, so that you can powder it in a mortar and pound it on a stone.
Now take Mercurius Sublimatus, or calcinated Mercury, 1 lb; of the prepared, pulverized Sulphur, 1/2 lb. Mix them together and put them into a Syburg jar, well stoppered. Put them where you heat every day, and let them get heated as much as you can, because Mercury will not fly away while he is lying with his brother and sister, arm in arm, mouth to mouth; and they will surely keep him there, so that he can stand the fire; for his brother is hot and his sister is dry. And they are the hot, dry Species of which the Sulphur is made. This is the Sulphur of the philosophers. This is the same of which the philosophers write, but the ignorant imagine that they mean Sulphur. This Sulphur I have often made.
Item, one can also make Sulphur of hot, dry oils; or hot, dry gums, or hot, dry seeds of herbs, but you must always add calcined alum. Sometimes you must add hot and humid, sometimes cold and dry; occasionally cold and humid; at times dry; sometimes hot, sometimes cold, sometimes humid, according to the infirmities of the metals that you wish to reverse outside, inside. Sometimes only one nature must be reversed in a metal; in another instance, two. That is why the Sulphur must often be made in different ways, because there are many kinds of infirmities in the metals. You can also transmute the metals into another nature and you can do this with Sulphur.
One can also change gold into silver with Sulphur made for that purpose. Nevertheless, that is contrary to nature, since nature is always aiming at the best. Nevertheless, it is possible to do it, that is, to transfer one thing into another nature by means of the Sulphur made through the Art. Therefore, whoever can transmute gold into the nature of silver, can also translate Luna and all other metals into Sol; for it is much better to do that than to change gold into silver, because nature always desires what is better. This is also the reason why one must prepare the Sulphur according to the works which one wishes to do with the metals or to Effect upon them. But whatever Sulphur you wish to make, be it hot or cold, dry or moist, you must always have calcined alum. It must be in the heat, coldness, dryness, and humidity of the Sulphura, for alum is the Lantern in the seven metals.
Let us now deal further with Mercury, who lies shut in the stove with the Sulphura. You must give fire day and night, that is to say, on the jar; and keep it always hot. Every 14 days you must go over to it, take out two or four ounces, put it with lead on the cupel and let it drive. And lo! If it drives on the test, you can take it out, pour clean water into a bowl, and pour Mercury with the Sulphur into it and stir well. Now mercury will settle down at the bottom, then you must pour off the water with the Sulphur above, into another bowl, 5 or 6 times, till the water runs off pure and becomes sweet. When all the Sulphur has been washed off it, dry Mercury over the fire, and drive it off on the test, as on silver, and you will find fine silver in all trials. Let the water containing your Sulphur evaporate on fire, and you have your Sulphur back; but it has been somewhat decreased because of the washing.
This is the first secret sign of the seven secrets. It is called the Fish, which is compared to mercury, and it is the most secret sign among all seven secrets, and it is the beginning, middle, and all perfect works, as I taught you before. I am therefore asking you not to let this get into the hands of the ignorant and sinners.
Sublimatio Mercurii, When One Wants to Dissolve It
Item this test: Put gold on a glass slab, and if everything together dissolves so that no Faeces remain, it may well be putrefied; but it must first be congealed before it is put on the slab and putrefied. If any Faeces remain, put it back into Putrefaction and feed it, and see if it does not require more; and you will feel that when the little pieces stay inside whole and no longer dissolve. Then congeal your Materi, which is now good and ready to work with.
Now take Sal Commune and Vitriol Ana, powdered and well dried over a fire. Make an AF of them. Pour this AF, on Mercury in a glass; put it in warm sand till Mercury congeals; after this, Abstract the AF per Alembicum, and you will get you AF back and better for the same type of work. Further, take Mercury coagulatum and melt them together; pour about 2 lb other dissolved lead, and let them stand for one hour together over fire in order to dissolve.
Afterwards, have at hand a pot with a long neck and a fitting lid. Into it pour pitch, resin and Sulphur Ana, 1 lb. Let them melt together; then pour the mercury and the lead together into the pot, close it well with the lid so that it does not burn toward the outside; afterwards let it cool down; then drive the Materi off on a test, as one Refines. You will find good silver in all assays, and you will lose little of the weight of mercury, except that which is impure, as I myself have done more than a hundred times.
This AF, is to be put on mercury, in a glazed pot, on warm sand or ashes, till Mercury is congealed. Put this congealed Mercury in a glass; put it on half a pound of lead, melt them together; then have at hand 2 lb molten Saturnus in another crucible. Pour that to the lead and mercury, and let them stand molten in the fire. Now take a pot with a long neck, or a Syburg jar, well luted, and a cork that closes its mouth tightly. Put in it pitch, resin and Sulphur, human hair, horn, cow’s claws cut up, pig’s muck ana 1 lb, spikenard oil and linseed oil ana iiij. Melt everything together in that jar, and when it is melted, put it into a crucible. Then pour the molten Saturnus and Mercury in it, and stopper it immediately so that the flame should not come out. Let it stand in the heat for 24 hours. When it is cold, take it out, drive it off on the test, and you will have fine gold in all assays.
The Philosophers’ Pot
This is the fruit brought forth by the seed thrown into the earth; this is the fruit of the philosophers; this is the faithful Stone of Alchemia; this is the earthly treasure and earthly God, in whose hands lies the spiritual and temporal laws. He holds the whole world in his hand and gives people to understand that they are likewise to possess all things in this world. Whoever wishes to cook, boil, or fry this egg, let him most diligently examine the Hand of the Philosophers, so as to probe it with his intelligence; thereafter he may cook it.
Two Jars
Now put your gold and silver into a Cement, purify it and Amalgamate it with Mercury. Put this into a glass, set it on a furnace; give fire for 6 more weeks, somewhat hotter than before. After this, take it out and purify it as before till no ore blackness comes off. Then press it through a chamois-leather, as strongly as you can, because the spirit would be too strong for the body, so that it would never get fixed.
Now put the amalgamate into another glass, seal it, set it in ashes, and give it a gentle fire for 8 days, and more every 8 days, till the glass stands in a glow. Then you will see all colors of the world. Afterwards, a black color will come; now increase your fire a little, and it will turn into a white color; if it is silver, it will stay white; but if it is gold, leave it in the heat till you see a yellow, red, brilliant color. Now break the glass open, make the powder subtle, and make Projection with it.
Take 1 or 2 lbs of tartar, and pure transparent Alcali, ana; then take for each 4 lbs of this matter 2 lbs of the lantern; dissolve them, put them together, and boil them together. Now pour the pure off above; you will thus draw off its phlegma. Then congeal the pure till it gets hard. Now take salt 2 lbs, dissolve it in pure warm water, filter and congeal it again. In addition, take of the long finger 1 lb. It must also have been sublimated through salt. Mix it with the aforesaid Species, put them together to sublimate. You must sublimate * with them till it is fixed. After this, set it to calcine for 21 days, as you know; when it is dissolved, clean it of its Faeces. Then coagulate it and make it fusible. Then work with it.
Take pure urine of men, or good distilled vinegar, or old, pure, sour beer; put the powder on it and boil it till the Liquor is colored. Then pour it off and add other Liquor. Proceed as before till no more Tincture is extracted. Now put all the tincture together into a retort with an alembic, and distill the humidity off it per Balneum. Then the most beautiful redness will remain, which is better than gold. Sublimate the long Finger 4 or 5 times through it, and dissolve it in the cellar on a marble slab. After this, coagulate it again in Balneo per Alembico. With this you can now coagulate the soul of mercury to the most beautiful redness of gold, and it can also easily be fixed I this way.
The other way is the following: Take 1 lb of the powder, 1 lb of the Key, mix and sublimate them. Proceed with this as has been taught concerning Saturnus, and you will have the QE Veneris better than gold.
Pour the colored vinegar off, add other vinegar, and proceed as before till your vinegar is no longer tinged. Now Abstract all the tinged vinegar per Alembicum, and the most beautiful redness will remain, with which no gold can be compared. You can dissolve this tincture in water of the Hand; that is better to the Red. Congeal it again. You may do this so often, till you have achieved such great subtleness that it would well be worth a kingdom. Then you have the QE Veneris, of the Star, of the Fire --- which is Sulphur --- and of the Fish, all together.
*. * will sublimate with the copper; a grit will stay at the bottom like a salt. Calcine it without any addition till the matter turns red. Now take it out and pour distilled vinegar over it. Extract the tincture as before, and you have the QE Veneris by itself. With it you can Cement whatever you wish. In addition, it is good to Rubify in other works, etc. *. Set it for six weeks in the Balneum or in horse dung. Then take it out, pour the vinegar off, and add other vinegar together with the addition of *, as before. Put it in the Balneum for 6 weeks, and pour all your tinged vinegar together. Distill it all together in all together in the Balneum per Alembicum. A red tincture will stay at the bottom, like blood. Take that out, sublimate it 10 or 12 times with *; then dissolve it in the cellar on a stone; coagulate it again per Alembicum in Balneo; or you may previously dissolve it in water of the Hand, and extract the Aqua Fort in Balneo and from the sand, but then you must not sublimate. You will be left with a redness more beautiful than gold. This is called Crocus Martis. With it you can do wonderful things, so that it is much better than a landscape; since by dissolving it in AF, and again congealing it, you can make it so subtle that it reaches very great power; for with that one can congeal mercury to a beautiful redness; in addition, one can Rubify with it everything that is white.If you happen to have some stuff and wish to extract the tincture from it, powder it impalpably; pour on it old pure urine; let it boil till the urine is colored. Then pour it off, and again pour fresh urine on it till all tincture is out. After this, evaporate all the tinged urine. Pour vinegar on that which stays at the bottom. Extract again all the tincture. What then stays at the bottom is of no use, because it is the saltiness of the urine.
Draw the colored vinegar off per Balneum, and the most beautiful redness will stay at the bottom. It shines more than gold, and it seems to be a heavenly color. Dissolve this tincture in the water of the Hand; distill same, like the previous tincture, by dissolving, distilling, congealing, and preparing it to its highest degree and power. Or you may sublimate through * as often as you wish, dissolve in the cellar on a marble slab, and bring to its greatest power. This was the first manner of the philosophers, and it was a long way. With these tinctures you can Rubify all things, yes, all metals, also all stones, crystals, glass, and other things, which I do not reveal for certain reasons.
Now distill per Balneum over a gentle fire, so that you can easily suffer your hand to be in it. Let it stand thus, distilling for 21 days, or till there is no more moistness. Congeal the QE Venerii and, in addition, all moist spirits, so that you can sublimate them. After this, take it out of the Balneum and set it in sand, in order to sublimate the red QE Venerii. When there comes a heavenly, incombustible redness, though not fixed, that is how it should be.
Now take it out carefully, put it in the Balneum to putrefy for 18 days, after which mix it with the dry key, dry like dust, as you have been taught before. Thus you can dissolve and congeal to reach such great virtues and powers as are worth a kingdom. When you have done it, add a great deal of gold, as I taught you to make before; dissolve them together in water of the Hand, distill them in the Balneum and afterwards in ashes, as I have instructed you before. Then the QE Venerii is conjoined to the gold and can never again be separated, either now or in eternity. Deo Gratias.
j, dissolve it in common AF. Then take Mercury Sublimatus iiij; put him in a glass pot, set it on warm sand and let him get warm. Now imbibe him with the AF in which silver is dissolved, till he has imbibed all the AF. Then let it cool down. Pound this Mercury quite fine on a hard stone; let him dissolve on it of his own. After this, coagulate him again on a small fire in a glass; and pound him again as before; and dissolve him as before, seven times. Of this Elixir pour j on xxxj prepared, well flowing copper, and you will get fine silver in all alloys.With Saturn Mercury is congealed in white works. He has to be closed in a tube or another vessel, luted with Lutum Sapientiae. This has to be thrown on melted Saturnus and also kept in the fire; thus Saturnus will be congealed by the smoke.
The Philosophic Furnace, Called Athanor, or the Warm Stupha of the Philosophers
If then one wishes to dissolve the Spiritus or other things, water has to be put into the lower and upper vessels. The glass has to be left open, to allow the humid, subtle air to get inside. Now put a gentle little fire under the furnace, because it must not be warmer than it is usually in a warm room. Thus the matter will be dissolved by the steam of the water.
But if you wish to congeal, calcine or fix, you must put no water into the vessels but keep your work quite dry with the aforementioned heat. That is why the furnace must have a lid or cover above, which must be so wide that you can take it off if necessary. In addition, there should be a little door in the cover, so that you can put your hand inside and test the warmth, just as with the same heat all humid spirits are fixed. Will you please have a good look at the illustration.
Aside from this, there is still another furnace in which many kinds of things can simultaneously be cooked or done, as in ashes or in sand, in Balneo, or in Ventre Equino. This means, that if someone would like to putrefy something which would otherwise have to be put in horse’s dung, one would put hay or dung into the cupel and water it somewhat. Then it is just as good as if it were standing in horse’s dung.
It Now Follows How One is to Make or Use the Furnace
After this, the furnace must be made higher on the sides; it must have four doors on the four sides that close tightly so that, of one wishes to remove the lid from a hole, one can put one’s hand through it. When all this has been done, take four copper kettles, or other vessels burnt of clay, or something else. They must be walled in on the four parts of the furnace, one on each side. Next to each cupel, there must be an airhole with a well-fitting stopper in order to regulate the heat. In the first cupel or kettle there must be sand to make fixation in it. In the second there must be dung or moist hay, to putrefy in it. In the third, one can keep ashes, to distill on them. In the fourth, should be the water bath Balneum Mariae, also to distill and putrefy.
When all this is ready, one can put coal on the grill, or a hanging lamp. The four lids have to all be taken off; or, if one wishes one to be hotter than the other, one should remove that one lid and shut the little door tightly. One must also have pointed and high lids, burnt of clay, on the glasses in which one wishes to putrefy and fix. They must cover the glasses all around and close them tightly, and one must be able to take them off, as may be seen by the illustration.
In all the things that God Almighty has created out of the four elements, the elements are befouled and impure, and they cannot be purified otherwise than by distilling, sublimating, calcining, cementing, etc. In that way the elements can be cleansed wit hard work. One cannot find anything in the world that is like tartar, because God has not left any impurity in it, since it separates from wine of its own, like water from fire; and tartar does not take on any impurity from wine, just as water does not from fire; but if there is any impurity in the water, it will leave it in the fire, so that the fire may burn and destroy it. For fire consumes every impurity, and all impurities of the elements must be purified b fire. Nevertheless, fire is in itself frail in that it is not fixed; for when God corrupted the four elements, it also corrupted the fire. That is why the fire is not fixed.
Tartarum, however, is a fire without air and without a flame, fixed and pure. That is why no one can separate the element from Tartarum, since it is a glorified Corpus. Nothing can destroy Tartarum, nor can fire burn it. Tartar is the fixed fire of which we often write in our books. Fire has the power to purify all corrupted elements and to burn and consume all impurities, also to make all other elements fixed. What will this one not do when it gets into the impure elements, since it is more than superior to fire? Verily, I am telling you that Tartarum, when it is prepared, has the power to make all unfixed things fixed, and in it are hidden all things which it would take too long to describe. Yet one cannot accomplish any perfect work in the Art without Tartarum; thus the hand cannot be prepared without Tartarum; for if there were no Tartarum, the Art would be false. Consequently, Tartarum is the master of Alchymia. That is why the masters consider it their fixed fire which burns everything that is not fixed.
Take good white tartar of good Rhine wine. Wash the powder clean till the water runs off it. This has to be done with pure spring water. Then dry it in the sun, pound it small on a stone with good distilled wine vinegar, and dry it in the sun. Then moisten it on a stone with fresh vinegar to a thick pap. Now dry it again. Repeat this at least 10 times or more. Put this Tartarum thus imbibed into a strong suitable vessel and close it firmly, a good hand’s breadth.
Now take another, still larger vessel, fill it with living chalk. Into it put the vessel with the tartar; after this, fill the large vessel completely with living chalk; also around the tartar, so that it lies in the center like an egg yolk in an egg. Lute tightly as much as you can, a large hand’s breadth’s, and let everything gently dry of itself.
Make a big hole in your hearth in which you have a fire everyday; fill it with living chalk, put the vessel in it, and fill it all around with living chalk; but leave the bilge of the vessel free. On this your fire must burn for 8 weeks; keep it hot day and night, afterwards in a glow. The more it is calcined, the better. After this, remove the small vessel from the chalk, break it open, and pour the Tartarum into a large quantity of distilled vinegar, let it drop or become pure during three days. Pour the pure off from above and into another vessel. Pour other vinegar on the faeces, boil it and let it become clear as before; pour it to the other vinegar. Repeat this till nothing comes off any more. Throw the faeces away and Evaporate your vinegar; congeal all the salt till dry; again dissolve it in a large quantity of vinegar, as before. Let it boil once more; let it settle again, and pour the pure off above the fecibus; add other vinegar, and repeat this till no more faeces remain.
Now put it into an open crucible, let it glow for 24 hours in a furnace; then dissolve it again, and let it stand thus dissolved for 3 hours in order to see if there are any more faeces. Should it have faeces, they must again be clarified off, till no more faeces occur; then congeal it till it is dry. After this, imbibe Tartarum on a glass with Aqua Vitae, to a thin pap. Dry it in the sun or on hot ashes in a glass; imbibe and dry it again. Do this 100 times or more; the more the better, and the more it gets purged. Thereafter dry it in a glass which can stand the fire; lute it tightly below, put it uncovered on a furnace and let it melt. When it is molten, break the glass open. It will congeal in the air as clear as glass, and melt near the fire like butter. This is the fire of the wise philosophers. It is their fixed fire, of which they write in a veiled way which the simpletons do not understand.
When it is now thus prepared, it is a precious treasure, for with it all volatile matters can be fixed. Yes, put Mercury into a crucible with a little of this Tartarum upon it, put it in the fire and let it go, and it will turn into fixed Mercury. In various small works one has to prepare it in this way; because whoever works with it when it is not prepared, will not reach any Perfection, although he may accomplish a semblance of silver and gold. Also, those who thus work in unprepared Sales cheat themselves and all those who believe them.
First you must make an Aquan Mercurialem. I will, however, advise all people against this Art, if they do not know how to deal with mercury, nor can prepare the water described hereafter.
Let them keep their hands off Mercury, for they would fare badly. This water is of two kinds, one to the Red and the other to the White. Take 4 Cologne quarts of good wine vinegar; potash, 1 lb, quicklime, weed ashes, tartar well calcined in a potter’s furnace and afterwards pulverized, each 2 lbs. First pour the wine vinegar on the lime, let it stand on it, and stir it with a stick 7 or 8 times a day. After this, filter the vinegar and pour it on the weed-ashes in a glazed pot. Let it boil for a quarter of an hour, then cool down. Filter it again and pour it on the Tartarum; boil and filter as before.
Now take 6 lbs of green, common celandine; chop it finely, put it into 2 quarts of sharp wine vinegar, boil it down to half, then filter it and mix it with the other aforementioned water. Then take 1 lb Aqua Vitae; coarse salt that has not boiled away, 1 lb. Let them boil up together, but be careful not to put your matter in vessels coated with lead. Into this water thus boiled, put 8 or 10 ox galls, or galls of other animals. Mix them, and put this matter into a glass pot; put it for 6 weeks in horse dung, and it is ready. The older it becomes, the better it is. With this water one accomplishes wonders. It is called Sucus Mercurii, and it is a very good piece in this Art.
Take, therefore, good Mercury from the mines, not made from lead, tin or other metals. Take as much as you wish, grind it well with salt and vinegar in a stone mortar. Do it 12 times, till no more impurity comes off it; make a Corpus of it, put it into a phial and add as much beautiful, white salt. Mix well, put it on the furnace in sand for 3 weeks with a gentle fire; then put it into a stone mortar, pour the aforementioned water on it, grind it with it till no more impurity comes off it; put it back again into ashes or sand, pour your prepared water 3 fingers’ breadth above it, stopper the phial, and give it a good fire for 6 days and nights. Then put it back into the mortar and grind it again with the same water, as before; put it again into a phial, and again pour water on it, and give fire for 6 days and nights, somewhat stronger than before. Repeat this 6 times, and you must increase your fire each time every 6 days.
After this, calcine 4 or 5 lbs of Vitriol; also calcine an equal amount of ochre to each pound add
x bloodstone haematite to calcine with the other. Through this sublimate mercury 5 times; then he is prepared. Now take Sol which has been cast through Venus j; prepared Mercury viii, amalgamate it, put it into a well luted phial, put it on its side in sand, and at first give a gentle fire. Increase your fire daily, till Mercury no longer rises; and turn the phial over every day 4 or 5 times, the more the better. At the end, when Mercury is quite dead, you will find a brown powder. Now your work is accomplished. Now remove this powder from the phial for the praise and thanks to God Almighty. Put 1 part on 4 of fine silver, let them well incorporate together. This work is certain and without troubles. That is why you must use it in the name of god.Now take all the crystallized salt and dry it in an earthenware pan till it powders. Now heat it moderately without melting it in a low vessel, and dissolve it again in common distilled water. Let it boil for a quarter of an hour, remove it from the fire, let the faeces settle down, pour the pure off above when it is still warm. Then dry all the crystallized matter in an earthenware pan as before, till it dusts. Keep this till I teach you how to use it.
Now take all the distilled urine and, if there is still some impurity in it of oil or yellow greasiness, skim it off above with a spoon and afterwards with a feather. Make it pure and clean in this way; then put it into the stone jar with a helm on it; set it in sand or ashes, and distill all that can be distilled. Let it nicely glow for a while and afterwards cool down. Remove the faeces and throw them away, for they are good for nothing. Repeat this distillation till everything goes over pure, without leaving any faeces at the bottom of the jar or retort.
Take that which you have thus distilled out of the fire, put it in the Balneum to distill. Some impurity will stay at the bottom; throw it away. Grind this Distillation in the Balneum till no more faeces stay at the bottom of the jar. When everything has cleanly gone over, it is done.
Now take the salt which I told you to keep above. Put it into a large Recipient, and pour on it the pure liquor which you have distilled in the Balneum. When you have poured the water on it, stopper the Recipient with a cork, and put it on the furnace in a vessel with ashes. Now light a fire in the furnace, so that the ashes will become hot. Keep the Recipient standing there for 4 or 5 days, or till all the salt has been dissolved into pure water without Faeces at the bottom. Then it is ready and done. Then it is urine as it was before, but now it is deprived of its coarseness and has become subtle, yes, much subtler than one could believe. I am telling you in unadulterated Charity of god that one can accomplish wonders in our Art with this urine this prepared, yes, more than one might believe.
Add to it 6 quarts of sharp, distilled vinegar, and 6 Mass of Aqua Vitae, and 1 lb of prepared common salt; also, 1 lb of calcined white tartar, and 1-1/2 lb of *. Mix all these things together, and dissolve the matter into a pure, clear water, without any faeces at the bottom. I swear to you by God who has created and made me, that no greater secret has ever come into the world. For this water thus prepared, turns all Calxes and Corpora into their first nature, that is, into Mercury. With this water one can draw the QE from calcined Antimony, which is much better than all the treasures of the earth. In addition, you can extract with it the QE Solis and Lunae, and, furthermore, of all mineral things, and of everything there is in the world. One does so many wonderful things with this water that it is unbelievable; nor is it permissible to disclose it on account of the evil which might ensue.
Understand, however, this booklet well at bottom, and you will know what wonderful things one can perform with this water. And even if I did my very best, I could not express one thousandth of its secret. Know also that one can use the water like earth, for it does not diminish although it were used 10 or 12 times. For you may purify and rectify it again, and it will be just as good.
Now I will teach you how to extract the tinctures required for this work, Red as well as White; for the extraction of White and red is all one and is due to one mastery. Take, therefore, Sulphur, Auripigment, Atrament, Ochre, Cerussa, Minum, or the like, out of which you wish to extract the tincture. Powder it impalpably, and grind it like soap on a stonewith good, distilled vinegar, each time adding
j of rectified salt. Put it into a big Recipient, set it into ashes or sand, pour on it some of the clarified urine which you have prepared, 1 part, and 1 part of wine vinegar, so that the Recipient becomes half full. Stopper it above with a cork, and shake itwell, so that the moisture gets well mixed with the powder. Put the glass back into the furnace, and when it is warm, remove the cork or stopper and give it some air; otherwise the glass would burst. Toss the Receptacle between your hands 10 or 12 times a day, and let it stand in the warmth till the Liquor is nicely colored. Then let the glass cool down and the Faeces drop; take another large Recipient that is clean. In it pour the colored Liquor off from the Faecibus, and take good care not to take any Faeces over. Stopper the Recipient and put it aside. Then take again fresh urine with Ana distilled vinegar, pour it upon the Faeces in the receiver, as before, half full. Shake it with your hands as you did then; and when the Liquor is well mixed with the sediment, put the glass again on the furnace in ashes or sand. Heat as before, and when the Liquor has again been colored, let the glass again cool down, pouring off and proceeding as before. Repeat this till the Liquor is no longer colored by the Faeces, and then you have got all the Tincture or QE. The Faeces can be thrown away, but they still contain the element of earth. You may extract and use that as you wish.Now take the glass containing the colored moisture, set it in ashes or sand, and distill the moisture off till a skin appears on top. Now remove the helm, pour it into a large glass pot which must be wide above. Lute a helm on top of it, put this pot on the same furnace, and draw all humidity over. Thus the QE or Tincture of the thing you took to make it will stay in Fundo, be it Red or White. If it is a white Subjectum, you will find a white tincture, whiter than snow; but if it is red, it will shine like gold, just as the sun shines above Venus. And in this way you can extract, sublimate, the tincture of Mercury Sublimatus to the Red or White. In the same manner you can extract the tincture of QE from iron or copper filings, verdigris or burnt copper, cinnabar, Cerussa or Minium, or from calcined tin, also from Calx Solis or Lunae, item from Antimony. In addition, you can add the tincture, which you have thus extracted from sublimation to the Red or the White, to gold or silver, when they are dissolved, and put them in Putrefactionem. Thus they can be joined to the said Medicine, and the color will become all the more beautiful during Projection.
Know, however, that whenever you wish to extract something you must each time add
j to the urine and distilled vinegar, which must be rectified of its Terrestriality by dissolving and again congealing before you pour it on the ground Materia in the Recipients. Know, in addition, that there is a great deal of secrecy in the extraction of this tincture, more than one could believe. For with these tinctures you can make Cements, in whatever Cement you with to Cement, or accomplish other wonderful things by Cementing. Item, you can make Aquas Fortes with these tinctures, which are red as blood and shine like a ruby. With these AFs you can do wonderful things during Solution, to disclose which I have not got permission.Exaltio of the spirit is Liquefactio of the bodies.
The Salts of the bodies are made in many different ways.
Solutio means melting, or also stamping.
Calcinatio means making chalk or calx. It is done in sand, with strong fire, so as to draw the foul Sulphur from a thing; then, when such is consumed, the Corpus remains pure in the calx. Therupon comes Inceratio.
Inceratio means making the chalks subtle or fine, so that the humidity may pass all the better through the Corpora. Inceratio is nothing but grinding and imbibing till the material turns into wax, and such may easily be dissolved or melted with a small or gentle fire.
Dissolutio means delivery, release. It is done in the bodies that are calcined, and in the following manner: Put the matter that you wish to dissolve into a glass, and stopper it well. Cover it with moist earth, and put on it horse dung well sprinkled with water. Let it stand thus for 7 days. On the 8th day it will be dissolved, and this is Dissolutio by heat. But Dissolutio of cold humidity consists in making an edge and standing a glazed vessel on it. Complete this with a little water on the bottom. Let the glass hang above the water, but in such a way that it does not touch the water. Cover the glass vessel with a lid, but put wax on the glass, and sand on the wax. Let it stand thus for one day and one night, and it will dissolve.
Coagulatio means making hard, and it is done in this way: Take the aforementioned glass with the matter that is dissolved, and put it into a test with strained ashes, and light a fire under the test for 10 hours, or till the humidity has gone out. Then it will look like minium; but it is white, like a very white camphor.
Rubifactio Salts Ammonici: Take *, Crocus Mars Ana, well pulverized together. Put this into a glass and pour on it good distilled wine vinegar, three fingers breadth above it. Let it stand thus one day and one night, always stirring well. Then alow it to dry gently over a mild fire. After this, put the Crocus Mars and the * into a Sublimatorium, and sublimate them. It will descend, red like blood, even if the vinegar is not distilled. This actually is of no consequence, it is just as good.
Rubifactio Vitrioli Romani: Graduate it, and calcine it in a strong fire; it will become red like blood.
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