l6 & Natural Magigk, ‘ Bool ^ io .

them, then they could while they were clogged with the Elements. They are smallin bulk, but great in operation, she strength of Quintessences, is not to be judgedby the degrees of their qualities, but of their operation : for thole which soonest andclearliest root out a disease, are reckoned in the first degree. So the eslence of J*,uiper, is reckoned the first degree os operation , because it cure th theLeprosicbypurging the Blood oncly. The essence of Ambar in the second , because it expel-leth poyson, by purging the Heart,Lungs and Members. Antimony in the third, be-cause ( beside the former vcrtues ) it also purgeth the Body. But Gold of it selfalone, hath all those vcrtues, and reneweth the Body. Wherefore the fourth de-gree and greatest power, is attributed to it. Bet how to extract these Essences ifa very difficult work ; for they may be either Oyl, or Salt, or Water, or of Extracti-on : some, by Sublimation. others, by Calcination; others , by Vinegar, Wine,Corrosive Waters, and fuchdike. So that several kinde of menstruum, are to beprovided according to the nature aad temper of things. I will set down someRules forthe chusing of proper meostruums. Let the menstrum be made of thosethings which are most agreeable to the things to be extracted, and as simple as maybut: for Essences ought not to be compounded, mixed, or polluted with any thing;be pure, simple and immaculate. But if there be a necessity of adding some thinglet them be separated after extraction. If the Essence of any Metal be to be extra-cted by Corrosivcs/cparate the Salt from the Waters, after the work is done, and usethose Salts only,which will easily be taken out again: Vitriol and Allow are very diffi-cult to be separated, by reason of their earthy substance. Moreover, use not a watrymenstruum,for a watry Essence; nor an oyly menstruum,for an eyly Essence; becausebeing of like natures, they are not easily separated : but watry Menstruums foroyly Essences: and so on the contrary. I will set before you some examples inHerbs,fat of Flesh,and other things • by which you may learn of yourself howtoperform it in the rest. There are an infinite number of Essences, and almost ma-ny ways of Extraction : of them , some I shall shew unto you, whereof the firstshall be

How to extract the Eslence out of Civets Ambtr^And ether Spices,

Take Oyl of Ben, or of Almonds,mix Musk, Ambar,Cinnamon,and Zedoary, Wellbeaten in it: put it in a Glass-bottle, and set it in the Sun, or in Balaeo, ten daves:then strain from it the Dregs, and the Essence will be imbibed into the Oyl; fromwhich you may separate it in this manner: Take Aqu* Fit a , and if it be an odori-ferous Body, Fountain-water, three or four times distilled, mix with the aforesaidOyl, and stir it about, and so let it digest for six da yes: then distil it over Cinders Jthe hot Water and the Essence will ascend, and the Oyl remain in the bottom with-out any lent. Afterwards,distil the Aqua Fit a, and the Essence in Baloeo, until theWater be evaporated, and the Essence settle to tfie bottom in the foimof an Oyl*If you will do it with AquaFita alone , slice the Roots of Zedoary, beat them andinfuse them in so much *Aqua Fita as will cover them three fingers over in a GlassBottle: let them ferment for ten dayes according to Art; then distil them overCinders, or in Sand, until nothing but VVater run out; yet have a care of burningit. Take’the distilled Liquor, set it in Balneo ; and with a gentle fire, let the AquaF,u evaporate, and the Quintessence of Zadoaay will fettle ia the bottom, Iq a li-quid form. Next

7s extfAtt Essence out of Flesh.

Out of three Capons, I have oftentimes extracted an Essence in a small quantity, bttof great strength and nutriment, wherewith I have recovered life and strength tosick persons, whose Stomacks were quite decayed, and they almost dead for want ofnourishment, having not been able to cat any things in three dayes. Take Chickens,or Hens, or Capons; pluck them, and draw their Gucs oat ; beat them very well,and let them boyl a whole day in a Glass-Vessel, close st opt, over warm Embers,until the bones, and flesh, and all the substance be dissolved into Liquor: then strain«into another Vessel , through a Linen-cloth, aud Sing away the Dregs s forthe

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