THE FIRST AND THE SECOND TREATISE OF THE SULPHUR, VITRIOL AND MAGNET

By Basil Valentine

The first Treatise of the Sulphur, Vitriol, and Magnet of the Philosophers.

Section 1.

Of the Sulphur and Ferment of the Philosophers.

I have written for thee Seeker of that most noble and blessed Art of Chemistry, a small Treatise of the Philosophers Stone, divided into 12 Keys, and have expressely nominated the Matter of the Philosophers Sulphur in the first Key, and taught you in the second Key how you ought to distill our water of the Eagle and old Dragon, who had his dwelling a long time in Rocky Clifts, and crept in and out in Subteranean Concaves and Hallow places; pour this Spirit upon purged and fined Gold, let it dissolve and putrifie fourteen days in Balneo Mariae distill it, and pour the Water again on the Gold Calx, and cohobate this until the Gold pass over with the Water, set this again to distill, Water gently, leave a third part of it in the bottom, then let it into a Cellar, let it Coagulate and Crystallize, wash these Crystals with distilled water, amalgam them with Mercury vive, evaporate the Mercury gently, then you have subtile powder, put it in a glass, lute it, reverberate it for three days and nights, do it gently, this is the Philosophers Sulphur well prepared for your work, and this is the Purple Mantle, or Philosophic Gold, keep it safely in a glass for your conjunction.

Section 2.

Of the Philosophers Vitriol.

I have told you plainly how Philosophers Sulphur is made, which "in the place of a man" or "in the role of a male.", is to make the King, or Man, now you must have the female, or wife, which is the Mercury of Philosophers, or the materia prima lapidis, which must be made artificially. For our Azoth is not common Vinegar, but is extracted with the common Azoth, and there is a Salt made of materia prima, or Mercury of the Philosophers, which is coagulated in the belly of the earth.

When this matter is brought to light, it is not dear, and is found every where, Children play with it: it is ponderous, and hath a scent of a dead body, for two Gilders you may buy this matter for the work: Therefore take this matter, distill, calcine, sublime, reduce it to ashes; for if an Artist wants ashes, how can he make a Salt, and he that hath not a Metalline Salt, how can he make the Philosophers Mercury?

Therefore, if you have calcined the matter, then extract its Salt, rectifie it well, let it shoot into the Vitriol, which must be sweet, without any corrosiveness, or sharpness of Salt.

Thus you get the Philosophers Vitriol, or Philosophic Oyl, make further of it a Mercurial water, thus you have performed an artificial work: this is called the Philosophers Azoth, which purgeth Laton, but is not yet washed.

For Azoth washes Laton, as the Ancient Philosophers have told two or three thousand years ago.

For the Philosophic Salt, or Laton must with its own humidity, or its own Mercurial water be purged, dissolved, distilled, attract its Magnet, and stay with it.

And this is the Philosophers Mercury, or Mercurius duplicatus, and are two spirits, or a spirit and water of the Salt of Metals.

Then this water beareth the name of Succus Lunariae, aqua caelestis, acetum Philosophorum, aqua Sulphuris, aqua permanens, aqua benedicta.

Take eight, or ten parts of this water, and one part of your Ferment, or Sulphur of Sol, set it into the Philosophers Egg, luti it well, put it in the Athanor, into that vaporous, and yet dry fire, govern it, to the appearance of a black, white, and red color, then you get the Philosophers stone, and you enjoy this noble, dear, and blessed Medicine and Tincture, and you may work miracles with it.

Section 3.

Of the Philosophers Magnet.

Hermes the father of Philosophers had this Art, and was the first that wrote of it, and prepared the stone out of Mercury, Sol, and Luna of the Philosophers: whom many thousand laborers have imitated, my self also, I speak really, that the Philosphers composed of two bodies, the begining and end of it must be with Philosophic Mercury.

And this is now prima materia, materia prima belongs only to God, and coagulated in the entrals of teh Earth, first into Mercury, then into Lead, then into Tin and Copper, then into Iron etc.

Thus the coagulated Mercury must by Art be turned into its prima materia, or water, that is Mercurial water.

This is a stone and no stone, of which is made a volatile fire, in a form of a water, which drowneth and dissolveth its fixed father, and its volatile mother.

Metalline Salt is an imperfect body, which turneth to Philosophic Mercy, that is, into a permanent, or blessed water: and is the Philosophers Magnet, which loveth its Philosophic Mars, sucketh unto him, and abideth with him.

Thus our Sol hath a Magnet also, which Magnet is the first root and matter of our stone: If you conceive of and understand my sayings, then you are the richest man in the world.

Hermes saith, three things are required for the work, first a volatile, or Mercurial water, aqua caelestis, then Leo viridis, which is the Philosophic Luna, thirdly aes Hermetis, Sol, or Ferment.

Lastly note, Philosophers had two ways, a wet one, which I made use of, and a dry one: herein you must processed Philosophically, you must purge well the Philosophers Mercury, and make Mercury with Mercury, adding the Philosophic Sut, ferment, or Sulphur of Philosophers, and proceed therein, as you heard formerly, then you have the Philosophers Magnet, that is, the Philosophers Mercury.

Secondly, the Metalline Salt, or Philosophic Salt.

Thirdly, aes Hermetis, or Philosophic Sulphur.

Thus I have delineated the whole Art, if you do not understand it, then you will get nothing, nor art thou predestinated thereunto.

Allegorical expressions betwixt the Holy Trinity and the Philosophers Stone.

Dear Christian Lover, and well wisher to the blessed Art: how graciously and miraculously hath the Holy Trinity created the Philosophers Stone. For Got the Father is a spirit, and yet maketh himself known under the notion of a man, as he speaketh, Genesis 1 Chapter, let us make man, an image like unto us.

Item, this expression in his work speaks of his mouth, eyes, hands, and feet: so Philosophers Mercury is held a spiritual body, as Philosophers call him. God the Father begetteth his only Son Jesus Christ, which is God and Man, and is without sin, neither needed he to die: but he laid down his life freely, and rose again, for his brethren and sisters sake, that they might live with him eternally without sin. So is Sol, or Gold without defect, and is fixd holds out gloriously all fiery examens, but by reason of its imperfect and sick brethren and sisters, it dieth, and riseth gloriously, redeemeth and tingeth them unto eternal life, making them perfect unto good Gold.

The third person in the Trinity is God the Holy Ghost, a comforter sent by our Lord Christ Jesus unto his believing Christians, who strengthneth and comforteth them in Faith, unto eternal life; even so is the spirit of material Sol, or of the body of Mercury, when they come together, then is he called the double Mercury, these are two spirits, God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost: but God the Son, a glorified Man, is even as our glorified and fixed Sol, or Philosophers stone: since is called Trinus, namely out of two waters, or spirits of Mineral, and of Vegetable, and of the Animal of Sulphur of Sol: These are Two and Three, and yet but one: if you understand it not, then you are not like to hit any. Thus by way of a similitude I delineated unto thee sufficiently the Universal. Pray to God for a blessing, for without him you are not like to prosper at all.

The Second Treatise of Vulgar Sulphur, Vitriol, and Magnet.

Section 1.

Of Sulphurs.

Chapter 1.

Sulphur of Saturn.

There is extracted from calcined Saturn with distill'd Vinegar a Crystalline Salt, which is distill'd with spirit of wine unto a red Oyl. This Oyl cureth Melancholy, fiery Pox, old Ulcers, and many other infirmities besides.

2. This Oyl coagulateth and fixeth Mercury, being first precipitated with Oyl of Vitriol, for all powders and Medicaments, which are to make Sol and Lune, must be made fix, holding in all fiery tryals.

3. Out of this Oyl is made a glorious Tincture, if you take three parts of Mercury of Mars, and one part of this red Oyl of Saturn, joyning, coagulating, and fixing them: this work may be accomplished in a moneths time, or somewhat longer.

This Tincture may be augmented with Mercury of Mars, forever without end; projecting one part of it upon three parts of Sol, to make thereby an ingresse for the Tincture: one part of this Tincture transmuteth thirty parts (if so be it be well prepared) of Mercury and of Luna into good Sol. Remember thy Creator, and be mindfull of the poor, then the Lord will be mindful of thee also.

Chapter 2.

Of Sulphur of Jupiter.

There is made of Jupiter a Salt, the like is made of Saturn, from thence is extracted and distill'd a red sweet Oyl: this Oyl tingeth Saturn, being first calcined with Sal armoniack into Sol.

The Limature of Jupiter being calcined with Calx vive for a day, and the Calx being wash'd from it, then you have a fix'd powder, if you can reduce it again into a fluidnesse, and drive it wihh Saturn, then you may get a reasonable part of good Lune and Sol, whereby a needy Laborator may get sufficient livelyhood.

There is a calcination made of Tin and Lead with common Salt, but better is it, if made with Salt of the caput mort of Vitriol and Peter, the Oyl of Vitriol being added unto Calx of Jupiter and Saturn, and made one mass of it, lute it well, let it stand for eight dayes and nights in warm Sand, and then to drive it: one Centner of Lead affords in this manner six Mark and a half of fine Luna: one Mark of such Lune yields one Ounce of Sol.

This hath been my first piece to make Lune and Sol withall. Note, these six Mark and a half of Lune, afford six Ounces and a half of Sol, this Sol and Lune amounts to 208. Gildors, or 20. pound and 16. shillings.

Chapter 3.

Of Sulphurs of Mars and Venus.

Take some pounds of Verdigreece, extract its Tincture with distill'd Vinegar, let it shoot, then you have a glorious Vitriol, out of which you may distil per retort a red Oyl. This Oyl dissolveth Mars turning into a Vitriol, which is reduced in a long time in a great fire unto a red Oyl, then you have together Sulphur of Mars and Venus, add somewhat of Sulphur of Sol, coagulate and fix it, then you have a Medicine, which meliorateth Men and Metals.

Luna is graduated with the Oyl, and a good part of the Kings Crown is gotten.

Two equal parts of laminated Sol, and Luna melted together, putrified in this Oyl for a day and a night, turneth them into good Gold. In this Oyl you will finde many strange affects and vertues. Praise be to God.

Chapter 4.

Of Sulphur of Sol.

I have formerly told how Gold is made spiritual unto the Purple Mantle. Now if you are about to make aurum potabile, then you may dissolve with the Oyl of Vitriol that spiritual Gold, extract, and draw it over with spirit of wine: this is a Medicine, which cureth many difficult diseases, and is wonderfull in its efficacie.

This Solar Sulphur tingeth prepared Calx of Lune into good Gold, but you heard in my former expressions, that the King hath onely an honourable Garment, and must raise his Rents and subsidies from his subjects, must be bathed in his flourishing blood and sweat, must be destroyed and gloriously renew'd; then is he able to make his poor brethren and sisters to be Kings also, and legitimate their bastards.

Antimony is a bastard of Saturn, how much of Mercury and of Regulus it hath, so much is it turned into Sol; its due Dose of Tincture being first added thereunto.

Wismuth, or Marcasite is a bastard of Jupiter, is turn'd to Sol also, by means of a Tincture. Oyl of Vitriol is a bastard of Venus, it hath a Metalline Mercury, as much it hath of it, so much is it ting'd into Sol.

If you add the Solar Sulphur unto Sulphur of Vitriol, Venus and Mars, and you have fixed artificially, then you have a Tincture for Men and Metals, expelling all manner of diseases: and this fix'd powder tingeth Particulariter Lune into Sol. Praise be to God.

Chapter 5.

Of Sulphur of Mercury.

Mercury is a Mother of all Metals, and is a spiritual body, and a fugitive servant, when he cometh into the fire, then he flyeth into his Chaos. But he that can catch him, he gets then the Sulphur of Mercury, or water of Sulphur, or aqua benedicta, the Key of the Art, which openeth Metals Philosophically. The Philosophers Mercury and not the vulgar, being reduced unto water, dissolveth the Philosophick Salt together with the purple Mantle, by putrefaction and distillation, for it is Mercurius Duplicatus.

Chapter 6.

Of Sulphur of Luna.

This Luna is made spiritual by means of a water, expressed in our second Key, and may easily be made into potable silver, where by many diseases are cured.

If you take one part of this spiritual Luna, and you feed it with three parts of Virgins Milk, and bring it unto fixation, then you have an augment of Lune, which breedeth monethly young ones, these are taken forth, and their places are supplied with Mercury vive, &c. This powder is reduced with Borax, then you have an augmentum perpetuum.

Chapter 7.

Of Sulphur of Antimony.

There is made out of Vitriol of Antimony with distill'd Vinegar a sweet extraction, its acetum is separated from it: on the remainder is poured spirit of wine, must be extracted, and the pure from impure separated. This sweet extraction is drawn over, the spirit of wine by cohobation is often drawn from it, and that powder is reduced to a glorious Oyl of Antimony.

This Oyl cureth all manner of diseases, being ministred in a convenient Vehicle; This Medicinal Oyl is a great arcanum.

Further, take one part of this Oyl, and two parts of the Mercurial water, in which is dissolved a fourth part of Sol (purple Mantle) then joyn them, lute Hermetically, coagulate, and fix. This Tincture tingeth Lune and Mercurie into Sol. This is that pure Sulphur of Antimony, which is made of the Vitriol of Antimony must be made per se, without any addition of Salpeter, Salt, and Borax.

Chapter 8.

Of Sulphur of Vitriol.

There is made of Vitriol a lixivium with ashes of Beech-wood, and a Sulphur is drawn from this Vitriol, and is precipitated with Salt of Tartar; Further, the Oyl of Sulphur is extracted with Jupiter Oyl, thus you have a red Oyl, putrifie the same with spirit of wine, abstract the spirit of wine from it. This glorious Oyl of Sulphur is good against many diseases, it is to be used against Consumption, Dropsie, Plague, Gravel, and Scabbinesse.

Vitriol is sublimed with Sal armoniac also, but better is it, if done with a lixivium, whereby the body of Vitriol is better opened and dissolved. This sublimate is dissolved into an Oyl, whereby crude Mercury can be coagulated and fix'd, of the which I shall write more anon, when I treat of Vitriol.

Chapter 9.

Of common Sulphur.

There is a Liver made of yellow Sulphur with Linseed Oyl, boyled in Lye, with Sal Alcaly, and then putrified, and then distill'd: pour this water on Tyles, which newly came out of the Oven, imbibe them therewith, distil it per retortam, you have a yellow water of it like an aquafort, which tingeth Luna.

Take one part of this water, and one part of Lunar calx, let it stand three days and nights in warm Sand, the fourth part of it turneth unto Gold, being reduced, separated, purged, with Saturn and driven.

Further, Sulphur with the anima of Saturn, being often driven over and fixed, may then safely be used inwardly for a Medicine: but projected on Lune, in the flux it afford good Gold a fourth part.

Of the Gray powder, and Calx vive, equal parts, one pound, a fourth part of Salmiac grinded among, and driven over per retortam, affords a glorious red Oyl, which is of a fixing and graduating quality.

Lastly, I tell you, take of this Oyl of Sulphur, of Venus, and of Mars, add thereunto the Oyl of Antimonie's Sulphur, binde these together with the Oyl, or Mercurial water, fix it, then you have a Medicine for men and Metals, viz. to tinge Mercury and Lune into Sol.

Section 2.

Of Vitriols.

Chapter 1.

Of Vitriol of Sol, and of Luna.

In the first place you must have our water of the cold Earth salt, and of the Eagle, whereby Gold and Silver is made spiritual, let it shoot into Crystals: this is that Metalline Vitriol, out of which is distilled together with spirit of wine, and Oyl of Sulphur, to be used after the manner of Metals.

Chapter 2.

Of Vitriol of Saturn, and of Jupiter.

Calcine Saturn, or Jupiter, extract its animae with distilled Vinegar, let it pu•rifie 14 days and nights, let the Vitriol shoot. This must be driven over with Spirit of Wine, it affords a sweet Oyl, and it is the Sulphur of Saturn and Jupiter. This Oyl coagulateth Mercury, and being first precipitated with Oyl of Vitriol, it fixeth him.

Chapter 3.

Of Vitriol of Mars.

Take the filings of Mars and of Sulphur equal parts, calcine them in a Brick-kill to a purple colour, pour on it distill'd water, or Vinegar, it extracteth a green colour, abstract the third part of that water, let it shoot: thus you have an artifiical Vitriol, distil from it a red spirit, or Oyl. Take half an Ounce of it, add to it Mercurial water, in which is dissolv'd Sol (take of this Oyl but a fourth part of an Ounce) fix this Tincture, then you have an excellent Medicine to project upon Lead, Silver, and Tin, which are transmuted thereby into pure Gold.

O! thou Christian heart, return thanks to the Creator of Minerals, Metals, and other Creatures!

Chapter 4.

Of Vitriol of Venus.

I Have told you already of the transparent Vitriol to be extracted out of Venus, and to distil of it a red Oyl.

This Oyl dissolveth Mars, turneth him into a Vitriol, being once more distill'd per retortam forcibly, then you have an excellent Tinging-oyl, called Salt of Mars. This is the Kings excise man, which bringeth in his Rents, and enricheth the King. This Oyl dissolveth the spiritual Purple Mantle, and draweth it over the Helmet. Now you have fermented the Solar Sulphur with its own Sulphur, which Philosophers before me have not done, they took onely calcined Sol, or Solar Calx, set the same to the duplicated Mercury (instead of the ferment) and attained unto the end they wish'd for, as well as I. But according as men do work, so is the operation of their Tincture, transmuting more, or lesse, according to the efficacie of the Tincture.

Out of the Oyl of this Martial Salt, is Mercury of Antimony precipitated, is added to the sweet Oyl of Vitriol, & fix'd; this Medicine next unto the Philosophers stone is the best, and highest Universal upon mans body, and tingeth Lune, Saturn, and Jupiter into good Sol, holding in the examen very well.

There is made also a masse out of Honey, Salt, and Vinegar, and lamins of Venus, which are stratified and calcined. This calcinate of its own accord, turns to a Verdigreece, which must be extracted, crystallized, and distilled to a red Oyl; which is used as you heard above.

Chapter 5.

Of Vitriol of Mercury.

Vitriol of Mercury is easily made, distill'd in aquafort made of Salpeter and Allome being dissolved therein: Crystals do shoot, which are very like unto a Vitriol: these being wash'd with rectified spirit of Wine, with Salt of Tartar, then putrified and reduced into a sweet Oyl; this is an excellent Medicine against the French disease, old Ulcers, Chollick, windy ruptures, Gouts, expelling many other diseases out of mans body.

This Oyl is joyned also with Martial Tinctures. For Mercury is the bond of other Metals, and may be well used Particulariter. The chiefest colour of Mercury is red, that is after it is precipitated as you finde in my other writings.

Chapter 6.

Of Common Vitriol.

Take good Hungarian Vitriol, dissolve it in distilled water, coagulate it again, let it shoot into Crystals: iterate it five times, then is it well purged, and the Salts, Allums, and Niter are separated from it. Distil this purged Vitriol with Spirit of Wine unto a red Oyl, ferment it with Spiritual Sol, add to it a due Dose of quick Mercury of Antimony, coagulate, and fix, then you have a Tincture for men, and it tingeth Luna also into Sol.

V.I.T.R.I.O.L.U.M. Axiom.
Visit the interior of the earth, and by rectifying, you will find the hidden stone, the true medicine.

Vitriol is calcined also to a red colour in a close Vessel, on which is poured distilled Vinegar, and is set in putrefaction for three moneths, there is sound in a strong distillation, a quick Mercury, which you are to keep safe. Wonders may be effected therewith, upon Particulars and Universals.

Take three parts of this Mercury, and one part of Sol, joyn these, being fixed, it affords a Solar augmentum. Make your supplies with its Mercury. Praise be to God.

This calcined red Vitriol is sublimed also with Sal armoniac, this sublimate is dissolved into an Oyl. This Oyl fixeth Cinebar, whereof may be had Lune and Sol.

There is made a fix't water also, Sal armoniac and Allom being added thereunto. This water being poured upon Sulphur of Jupiter, which before was precipitated into a red powder, imbibed, and coagulated, and an ingresse be made with Sol, then you have a Tincture, whereby crude Antimony is transmuted into good Luna, which may be transmuted into Sol.

Lastly, I tell thee, if you extract the Salt out of Vitriol, and rectifie it well, then you have a work which is short, and tingeth Luna into Sol, this metalline Salt coagulateth vulgar Mercurie, and being transmuted into Luna, it may be graduated higher through, and with Antimony.

Thus you have my operations and experiments, which may he very profitable unto you. Make a good Christian use of it, help the poor, cure the diseased, then God will blesse you. Amen.

Sulphur is Vitriol.

Antimony is Mercury.

Section 3.

Of vulgar Magnet.

Magnet contains that, which common Mars hath. Common Iron may easily be wrought, needs not to make many words of it. Magnet hath an attractive quality to draw Iron.

There is made an Oyl of Magnet and Mars, which is very effectual in deep wounds.

With Magnet and Antimony is made Luna fix, which with the Oyl of Mars and Venus is graduated, and made to Gold: it may be performed also with Antimony and Mars.

Thus I finish'd my course, and found many things in my working. My fellow brethren turn'd Alchymists, all had the Philosophers stone.

I was the beginner, took great pains, before I attained to any thing, if you read my writings diligently, you will finde the 12. Keys the prima materia, or Philosophers Mercury, together with the Philosphic Salt: the Philosophick Sulphur I delineated expresly.

Now I close, commit you to God, and desire you to remember me.

The happy (or fortunate) have kept to the middle path.

Finish.