after that wee have explained (as hitherto wee have done) the separation of metalls from their earth, and matter, as also of one metall from another, and how it is done having passed through it with as much brevity as might be: it will in the next place bee necessary that wee treat also of those things out of which metalls grow, and are generated, as are the three principles. mercury, sulphur, and salt, as also all mineralls, in which the first being of metalls, i.e. the spirit of metalls is found, as is manifest in marcasites, granats, cachymies, red talke, the azure stone, and the like, in which the first being of gold is found by the degree of sublimation. so in white marcasite, white talke, auripigmentum, arsenick, litharge, &c. the first being of silver is found: in cobaltus, zinetus, &c. the first being of iron: in zinetus, vitriall, verdegrease, &c. the first being of copper: in zinetus, bisemutus, &c. the first being of tin: in antimony, minium, &c. the first being of lead: in cinnabar, the first being of quicksilver is found.

concerning this first beginning you must know, that it is a volatile spirit, as yet consisting in volatility, as an infant lies in the wombe of its mother, which[pg 91] sometimes is made like to liquor, sometimes to alcool.

whosoever therefore desires to busie himselfe about the getting of the first being of any such body, or to separate it, must of necessity have much experience, and knowledge in the art of alchymie.

for if hee shall not diligently and skilfully work in alchymie, hee shal attempt many things in vain, and accomplish nothing.

but after what manner the first being is to be separated out of any minerall, is sufficiently explained in the booke called archidoxis, and need not here tediously bee repeated.

but as concerning the separation of mineralls, you must note, that many of them are to bee separated by the degree of sublimation as fixed from those which are not fixed, spirituall and volatile bodies from fixt bodies, and so accordingly of all the members, as is declared concerning metalls. for of all mineralls there is one, and the like processe through all degrees, as the art of alchymie teacheth, &c.