Of Natural and Supernatural Things by Basilius Valentinus (snow like ashes txt) 📕

Then augment your fire from one degree to another, till the Matter become yellower and yellower, to a perfect yellow; then increase it yet stronger, from one degree to another, till it be redder and redder, to a perfect redness; then poure your water upon the red powder with the red Oil, or with the water of Paradise, or with the clear sharp Vinegar, or call it how you will, doing in all points as hath been taught, till the red powder flux like Wax upon a Silver Plate, without fuming, penetrating it as Oil doth dry Leather, that it become good Gold within and without; then render thanks unto God, be obedient to him for his Gifts and Graces.

You may again take one half out of the Glass, and make projection, setting the other half in again, as hath been taught, so may you work all your Life-time, for the poor, and perform other duties to Gods Glory, and Salvation of your Soul, as I have said before; enough to the wise.

Know, my Child, how and in what manner you must use this Stone, which makes projection upon Mercury, and all imperfect Metals and Bodies of Mars, Jupiter and Venus, whereof make Plates glowing hot, whereon straw the Stone, and lay Coals on for a season, that the Stone may penetrate, but the Stones must be made quick with Gold, and Jupiter also, which is very laborious, as is taught in the projection. But you must project upon Saturn or Luna, which need not be made quick, only flux them, and cast one part upon a thousand parts, it will be a Medicine, cast one part of these thousand parts upon ten parts, it will be the best Gold that ever was seen on earth.

This Stone cures all Leprous people, Plague, and all Diseases which may reign upon Earth, or befal Mankind; this is the true Aurum potabile, and the true Quintessence which the Ancients sought; this is what thing whereof the whole Troop of Philosophers speak so wondrously, using all possible skill to conceal its Name and Operation, as aforesaid.

Take of this Stone the quantity of a Wheat-corn, lay it in a little good Wine in a small Glass, half full, or a quarter full, make the Wine warm, the Stone will melt like Butter, and the Wine will be red as Bloud, and very sweet in your mouth, as ever you tasted; for to speak comparatively, it is so sweet in taste that Honey and Sugar may be compared as Gall to it; give this unto the Patient to drink, lay him in Bed, but lay not too many cloaths upon him, the Stone hastens forthwith to the heart, expelling thence all ill humors, thence dilating it self through all the Arteries and Veins of the whole Body, rousing up all humours, the party will sweat, for the Stone opens all the pores of the Body, and drives forth all humours thereby, so that the Patient will seem to have been in the Water, yet will this sweating not make him sicker, for the Stone expels only what is adverse to Nature, preserving what is consonant unto it in its being, therefore the Patient is not sicker or weaker; but the more he sweats the stronger and lustier will he be, the Veins will be lighter, and the Sweat continues till all evil Humours be driven out of the Body, and then it ceases.

The next day you shall take of it the quantity of a Wheat-corn, in warm Wine again, you will go to stool immediately, and that will not cease so long as you have any thing in your Body which is contrary to Nature, and the more Stools the Patient hath, the stronger and lighter at heart will he be; for the Stone drives nothing forth but what is adverse and prejudicial to Nature.

The third day give the like quantity in warm Wine, as aforesaid; it will so fortifie the Veins and Heart, that the party will not think himself to be a Man, but rather a Spirit, all his Members will be so light and lively, & if the party will take the like quantity of a Wheat-Corn every day for the space of nine days, I tell you, his Body will be as spiritual as if he had been nine days in the terrestrial Paradise, eating every day of the Fruit, making him fair, lusty, and young; therefore use this Stone weekly, the quantity of a Wheat-Corn with warm Wine, so shall you live in health unto the last hour of the time appointed for you by God.

What say you, my Child, is not this the true Aurum potabile, and the true Quintessence, and the thing which we seek? It is a spiritual thing, a Gift which God bestows upon his Friends, therefore, my Child, do not undertake this Divine Work, if you find your self in deadly Sins, or that your intent be otherwise than to Gods Glory, and to perform those things which I taught you before.

I tell you truly, you may see the Work, or begin it, but I am certain you shall never accomplish it, nor see the Stone, God will order it so, it will break, fall, or some one Disaster or other will happen, that you shall never see the Stone, or accomplish it. Therefore if you find yourself otherwise, do not begin the work, for I know assuredly, you will lose your Labour; wherefore deceive not yourself. Enough to the wise.

My Child, there are some people who have external Distempers on their Bodies, as Fistulaes, Cancers, Wolf, or evil Biles, or Holes, be they what or how they will, &c. give him the weight of one Wheat-Corn to drink in warm Wine two days, as is taught before, the whole body within and without shall be freed from all which is adverse to Nature, and you shall deal with the open Sores thus;

Take a Drachm of the Stone, seeth it in a pottle of Wine in a Glass, the space of two or three Pater-nosters, that the Stone may melt, the Wine will be as red as Bloud, therewith wash the Sores morning and evening, laying a thin Plate of Lead over, in a short time, as in ten or twelve days the Sores will be whole; and give him every day the quantity of a Wheat-Corn, in warm wine till he be well. If they be Fistulaes or other concave Holes, that you cannot come at them, to wash them, then take a Silver Syringe, and inject of that wine into them, it will heal home, as aforesaid.

And if one had a pound of the rankest Poison in the world in his Body, and immediately drink a Drachme thereof in warm Wine, the poison shall forthwith evacuate by siege, together with all the evil Humors in his Body.

My Child, here ends the most noble and precious Work which is in the Vegetable Book; on whomsoever God bestows this Stone, needs no other thing, in this World, therefore keep it as close and well as you can, to Gods Glory, who grant that we may walk in his obedience, Amen.