Of The Spirit Of Saturn Or Tincture Of Lead
Saturn to generate his Metal Lead, is placed in the upper Heaven above
all Stars, but he possesses the lowest and vilest degree in the
under-parts of the Earth, even as the supreme Light of Saturn is
mounted aloft in the highest supremacy of all the Celestial planets, so
hath its Children of the lower Region succeeded it in Kind; and Nature
hath permitted that Vulcan should conduct them to their like, if
Saturn be cont
nt; for the upper light gives occasion thereunto,
having generated an unfixt Body of Saturn, penetrated with open pores,
that the Air can pass through this Saturnine Body, that the Air can
keep it aloft, but the fire can quickly assault it, because the body is
not compact by reason of its unfixedness, so that it must decay, which
must be in all points observed by him that will attain to the search of
it; for there is a great difference between the fix'd and unfix'd
bodies, and of the causes of their Constancy and Inconstancy. And though
Saturn hath an especial ponderosity above other Metals, yet observe,
when they are poured forth together, after their union in the Flux, the
other Metals alwaies settle at the bottom, even as it likewise comes to
pass in the pouring of Antimony through with other Metals, whereby it
is evident, that the other Metals fall through equally, and are more
compact than Saturn, for it must give place and preheminence to the
other Metals, leaving the victory with them; for it must vanish and be
quite consumed with the unfixt inconstant Metals; in it all the three
properties of the three principles are most course; and because its Salt
is very fluxible above that of other Metals and Planets, so is its Body
more fluxible, inconstant, unfixt, and volatile, than any other
Metallick Body. As Saturn steps to its regeneration, so know that in
like manner, as common Water is forced by the natural coldness, by the
change of the Heavens, whereby it becomes a coagulated Ice, in like
manner is it to be made evident, that by reason of the great coldness
which is found to be in the Salt of Saturn above other Salts; Saturn
is also coagulated and made corporal; Ice dissolves into water by heat;
so likewise the coagulated Saturn is made fluxible by Fire, it hath
most of Mercury in it, but it is inconstant and volatile; it hath
least of Sulphur, and therefore according to its small quantity its cold
body cannot be made warm; it hath little Salt, but fluxible, otherwise
Iron would be more fluxible and malleable than Lead, if the Salt alone
could cause a malleableness and fluxibleness, because Iron contains more
Salt than any other Metal: Seeing then there is a difference to be found
in this point, you must therefore observe and remember the difference,
and how to distinguish between Metals.
All Philosophers have wrote as well as I, that the Salt gives the
Coagulation and Body to every Metal; and it is true; but to prove it by
an example, how and after what manner this Relation is to be understood:
Plume Allom is esteemed to be only a meer Salt, and is approved to be
such, which in this particular may be compared to Iron, that the Salt of
the Plume Allom is found to be a thing unfluxible as Iron is. On the
other side, Vitriol likewise is a Salt, manifesting it self in a small
quantity, but fluxible and open, therefore its Salt cannot yield such a
hard congelation unto its appropriated Metal, as the other can; although
all the Salts of Metals grew out of one certain Root, and out of one
Seed, yet nevertheless you must observe a difference in their three
Principles, as also you must observe & remember, that a difference is
found in one Herb from the other, and likewise how man differs from
other Creatures and Animals in Qualities, Original, and the three
Principles; for one Herb is indued with more of this, another with more
of that kind, which in like manner is to be understood concerning Man
and other Animals. The Soul of Lead consists in a sweet quality, as also
doth the Soul of Tin, and sweeter yet, that nothing almost may be
compared to it, being first of all purified to the highest by
separation, that the pure be well separated from the impure, that a
perfect accomplishment may succeed in the Operation: Otherwise the
Spirit of Lead is by nature cold and dry, wherefore I advise, that it
be not much used by Men and Women, because it over cools Nature, so that
the Seed of both cannot perform their Natural Function; nor doth it much
good to the Spleen and Bladder, but in other cases it attracts
flegmatick Humours unto it, which raise up much Melancholy in Men; for
Saturn is a Ruler, and such a Melancholicus, whereby a Man is
confirm'd in his Melancholy, wherefore its Spirit is used, for one
Melancholy Spirit attracts another unto it, whereby Mans Body is freed
and delivered from its infused Melancholy. Externally the Soul of
Saturn is so healing, in all Sores old or new, Cuts, Thrusts, or
Accidents by Means or Nature, so that no Metal can do the like; it is
cooling in all hot, tumified Members; but Noble Venus hath the
pre-eminence to mundifie and cauterize all putrid Sores, and to lay a
ground for their Cure, which have their access from within; for in her
essence she is hot to dry up, but Saturn on the contrary is found to
be cold in his Essence.
The Celestial Light of the Sun is much hotter than the Light of the
Moon; for the Moon is much lesser than the Sun, and according to its
dimension and division it contains an eighth part of the greatness in
its Circle; if then the Moon in this her Magnitude of the eighth part
could excel the Sun, as the Sun excels the Moon, all Fruits and
Productions of the Earth must perish, and there would be a perpetual
Winter, no Summer to be found at any time: But the Eternal Creator hath
in this case well ordained a certain Order and Law for his Creatures,
that the Sun should give light by day, and the Moon by night, and so all
Creatures should be served. Those Children which are subject to the
influence of Saturn, are melancholy, churlish, continually murmuring,
as old covetous people, who do no good to their own Bodies, and yet
never have enough; they put their Bodies to much labour, torment
themselves with thoughts and whimsies, seldom recreate themselves, or
are merry with other people, nor do they greatly regard the natural love
of fair Women.
In brief, I tell thee that Saturn is generated of little Sulphur,
little Salt, and much unripe gross Mercury, which Mercury is to be
esteemed as a Froth that floates upon the Water, in comparison of that
Mercury which is found in Sol; and is much more hot in its degree,
and therefore the Mercury of Saturn by reason of its great coldness,
hath not so quick a running Life as that which is made of Gold, wherein
more heat is to be found, whence that running Life hath its original:
Therefore in the inferiour world we must take notice of little Vulcan
in the augmentation and transmutation of Metals, as I have described
those three Principles of Saturn, as concerning their descent, nature,
and complection. And every one must know, that no transmutation of any
Metal can follow out of Saturn, by reason of its great coldness, only
and except to coagulate common Mercury; for the cold Sulphur of Lead
can qualifie and take away the hot running Spirit of the Quicksilver,
if the process be rightly ordered, wherefore it is not amiss to observe,
that Mercury is so detained, that the Theory should agree with the
Practick, and meet together in a certain measure and concordance. You
must not therefore quite reject Saturn, nor in all points scornfully
neglect him, because its Natures and Virtues are known yet but unto few;
for the Stone of the wise hath the first beginning of its Celestial,
high-shining Colour only out of this Metal, and from the influence of
this Planet, the Key of Constancy is delivered unto him by putrefaction,
because the red cannot be made out of the yellow, except before-hand a
white be made out of the beginning of the black.
I could yet treat variously, and at large of many wonderful works of
Natural and Supernatural things. But because other Labours prevent me
therein, of making a longer Narration, I therefore put a Conclusion to
this Treatise at present, referring the other concerning the concealed
Secrets of Minerals until I have a purpose to write further, in a
particular Treatise of Antimony, Vitriol, Brimstone, Magnet, and
which in especial are endowed before others, and depend upon those, out
of which Gold and Silver have their beginning, middle and end, together
with the true transmutation particularly; which virtues and power they
have received out of one thing, wherein all these lie to be generated
invisibly concealed, together with all Metals; which matter is publick
before the eyes of all men, but because the vertues and powers are very
deeply buried and unknown to the most part, therefore this matter is
likewise esteemed as nothing, or of no value, and unprofitable, out of
ignorance; even as the Disciples of the Lord going to Emaus, their
eyes were opened at the breaking of Bread, that they knew wonder above
wonder, what the rich Creator hath placed in the vile creature, the name
is Hermes, who carries a flying Serpent in his Shield, having a Wife
whose Name is Aphrodita, who can know the Hearts of all men, and yet
all is one, and one only thing, one only Essence, which is common in all
Places, and known every where, every one grasps it with his hands, and
uses it in vile matters, and of small value; he values the vile at a
high rate, and that which is high he casts away; it is nothing else but
Water and Fire, out of which the Earth is generated by the help of the
Air, and is yet preserved. Praise be to the most High for his Gifts: At
present enough is revealed what my intent was to shew in this Treatise,
and so I depart hence; for in separation all is to be found.