Collection of Alchemical Treatises (Unknown) - Page 14

And to proceed to the first degree of calcination, I shall set down the calcination of all metals, both as the philosophers have said and as I myself have done.

The calcination of Sol is performed in this manner.

One must take an ounce of fine gold that has passed through the Royal cement, and put it into filings, then afterward into a crucible and make it red-hot in the fire, and immediately put into the said crucible seven ounces of quicksilver with the said ounce of gold, and mix everything together with a small wooden stick, and take it out of the fire, and you shall leave it in the said crucible for as long as one might say a Miserere twice, then throw it all together into a bowl of fresh water, and then wash it very well with vinegar and salt, and then with common water, and dry it very well, and then you shall put the amalgam

or put [it] into a pound of common aqua fortis, such as is used to separate gold and silver, in an earthen matrass, and boil it over the fire until the water has consumed the mercury, and your gold will remain for you impalpable and calcined.

The calcination of Luna

The calcination of Luna is performed in this manner: take an ounce of Luna, and put it into small, thin plates, then put the said Luna into common aqua fortis, where goldsmiths separate gold and silver, and put them over the fire in an earthen vessel, and make it boil, and when you see that the said Luna is entirely reduced into water, take your vessel from the fire, and throw your aqua fortis and Luna into a very clean copper cauldron, with twelve parts more common water than aqua fortis, and put into the said cauldron plates of copper of the...