The Fifth Book: Of the Death, or ruine of all things.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Sedziwój, Michal, Paracelsus, and French, John
The Mortification of flints and stones.
The mortification of Flints, and Stones, is to calcine them.
The Mortification of Marcasites.
The mortification of Marcasites, Cachyma’s, Talke, Cobaltus, Zinri, Granuti, Zunitter, Unismut, and of Antimony is their Sublimation, i.e. that they bee sublimed with Salt, and Vitriall, then their life which is a Metallick spirit, together with the spirit of Salt, ascends. And let whatsoever remains in the bottome of the Sublimatory, bee washed, that the Salt may bee dissolved from it, and then thou hast a dead Earth, in which there is no vertue.
The Mortification of Realgar.
The mortification of Arsenickes, Auripigment, Operment, Realgar, &c. is, that they flow with Salt Nitre, and bee turned into an Oyl, or Liquor upon a Marble, and be fixed.
The Mortification of excrements.
The mortification of Excrements, is the coagulation of Aire.
The Mortification of Aromatical things.
The mortification of Aromaticall things is the taking away of their good smell.
Of Sweet things.
The mortification of sweet things, is to sublime and distill them with corrosive things.
Of Resines.
The mortification of Ambers, Resines, Turpentine, Gumme, and such like, is to turn them into Oyle, and Vernish.
Of Hearbs and Roots.
The mortification of Hearbs, Roots, and such like, is to distil off from them their oyle, and water, and presse out their liquor with a presse, and also to make their Alcali.
Of Wood.
The mortification of Wood, is to turne it into Coales, and Ashes.
Of Bones.
The mortification of Bones, is their Calcination.
Of Flesh.
The mortification of Flesh, and Blood, is the taking away of the spirit of Salt.
Of Water.
The mortification of Water is by Fire, for all heat dries up, and consumes water.
Of Fire.
The mortification of Fire is by Water, for all Water, quencheth Fire, and takes from it its power, and force.
So now you are sufficiently instructed in few words how death lyes hid in all naturall things, and how they may be mortified, and bee brought into another form, and nature, and what vertues flow from them. Whatsoever should have been said further, we put in the following book, of the Resurrection of Naturall things.