Which surely well done, is a work not wanting gain. For I freely confess, that I would sometime incorporate silver with iron, when as gold from iron gave me a good increase of pure gold, instead of fixt silver sought after. And by this means often some not thought on thing happens to Artists, as to my self with fixt silver, not rightly considering the business. Therefore medling with metals, be sure when you find some encrease, to weigh well what it was at first. For many think long trying silver with iron, by the Blood-stone, Load-stone, Emraud, _lapis calaminaris_, Red-talck, Granats, Antimony, Arsenick, Sulphur, Flints, _&c._ having mature and immature, volatil and fixt gold in them, finding in the trying good gold; that this gold is made of the silver by the help and use of the foresaid minerals, which is false, For the silver drew that gold out of those minerals, in which before it lurked volatile. Yet I deny not the possibility of changing silver, as being inwardly very like gold, but not by help of cementation with the said minerals, because that gold proceeds not from the silver, but those minerals, attracted by the silver. This labour is compared to seed cast into good ground, where dying, by its own power it draws its like to it self, whence it is multiplyed an hundred fold. And it behoveth in this work now and then to wet the metallick earth, with proper metallick waters, being dryed up with heat (which operation is called of the Philosophers inceration) else the earth will be barren, and it behoveth that this water be neer in kind to the earth, so that when they are united they yield a certain fatness. For as it appears from sandy dry earth, moistened with rain water, not bringing forth fruit agreeable to its seed, for the small heat also of the Sun consuming the moisture, and burning the seed in the earth, which mixt with cows dung or other, keeps the water so as that it cannot be so soon consumed. By the same reason it is necessary that thy earth and water be mixt, lest thy seed be burnt up. Which work if well handled, it will not be in vain, requiring the exceeding diligence of nourishing the earth with warmth and moisture, when the earth is drown’d with too much moisture, or hath too little, it cannot increase, and this is one of the best labours, with which I draw forth good gold and silver of baser metals, requiring the best vessels, retaining the seed together with its earth, and water in its proper heat. I doubt not but this work also in a greater quantity, may be performed, firmly beleiving that the courser metals, especially lead, the fittest of all not only to be perfected into gold and silver, but also into good medicine: which without question is a Philosophick labour granted from God, as a great comfort to the Chymist, but warily to be used. For that all and singular Gods gifts he will not have common: as indeed I have found, when I had invented a very excellent work, that I shewing it to a