Of Distillation. zji

rate over * fire; and in the bottom of the Glass, you will finde a moll odoriferousOylj excellent to be used in sweet Oyncracnts.

The Magijlery os Wme^ commonly called the Spirit os Wine,

I will first set down the Paracelsian way of extracting it, and afterwards my own;because we cannot use that in our Countries. Pour some strong generous goodWine into a Glass-Botcle : so that it may fill two parts of it ; stop the mouth of itvery exactly , either with HermitU Sigillum, or a strong Glue, which 1 shall here-after describe unto yon ; and so set it in Fimo three or four months, with an uo-intermitted fire. In the Winter set it out in the Frost for a month, and let it fre- re rthe Spirit or Magistery will retire into the Centre, because its fiery Essence makethit uncapable of conglaciation. Break the Vessel, cast away the congealed part, andreserve the liquid ; which being circulated in a Pelican for a month, will yield youwhat you seek for. My way is, to put the aforesaid Wine into a round Glats-Veffel:let it ferment in Fimo, conglaciate it, as I shall shew you ; and then breaking theVessel to reserve the unfrozen liquor, in which you will finde a great deal of venue sbut if you desire to have it better, you may perfect it by Circulation.

Chap. XV.

How to exttatt Tinfturts,

A Tincture is the purest and most active part os a coloured body extracted j thenoblest Essence in a Compound. It is extracted out of Gems, Flowers, 1Roots, Seeds, and such-like. It differeth from a Quintessence in this, that it espe-cially draweth the colour of the Body from whence it is extracted ; and requirethArc, and Cunning, and diligent Attendance , more then labour. It is separated byDistillation, dear from any oyliness or matter ; free from the commistion ofother Elements , or any impure substance ; it imitateth the clearness and perspi-cuity of the Air; and in i hat brightness represents the colour of the Gem or Flower,from whence it was drawn ; of lo pure a iubstance, that in many yeets it will nothave any dregs in it, bur will continue in a perpetual cleerness, fubtilty, andstrength. After the extraction, the matter remaineth discoloured, and useless forany thing. I will present seine examples to you how to extract the Tincture out ofMetals and Flowers, &c.

How to draw out the TtrMure of Gold,

If the Venues of this never* sufficiently-praifed Metal, were known, as well for thehealth of the Body, as the conveniency of mem living, it would be adored with agreater devotion then it is already. The Apes of wife Nature, cunning Inquirersin Experiments, perceiving a certain Glory and Brightness in Gold, and an at-tractive or magnetick Venue , (if I may so fay) which at first sight draws every manseye to look upon its Majesty and Beauty, and tempts our hands to touch and handleit, and even our mindes to desire it, so that even Infants do rejoycc, and laugh atthe sight of it, and reach their arms out after it, and catch it, and will by no meanspart from it; presently conjectured, that there was some extraordinary Venue in itfor the health of man. Astrologers, seeing it contend with the Sun in Beams,Brightness and Glory, and to have a Prerogative of Majesty among Metals, likethe Sun among the Stars, do therefore set it down for a Cordial, and a Destroyerof Melancholy,and all the ill Companions of it. Refiners fay, That the Elementsare so proportionably mixr in the Composition of it, so pure and compacted, thatthey account it a most exactly tempered body, and free from corruption: in whichthere is nothing deficiem nor silperfluous ; lo compact and close, that it will notoneiy endure the fire without consumption , but will become more bright and re-fined by it. It will also lie under Ground thousands of y cers without contractingany rest: neither will it foul the bands like other Metals,or hath any ill sent of tastein it. Wherefore, fay they, being taken into our Bodies, it must needs reduce the