Literary Notices on the History of So-called Gold-making

This increases the public wealth. original: "hoc auget rem publicam." A standard legal justification for state-supported industries. Code [of Justinian], regarding miners, Law 1, Book 11. And these miners original: "metallarii," referring to those who work in mines or with metals are privileged against the aforementioned single law regarding treasure original: "thesaurus." In Roman law, "treasure" referred to hidden property whose owner was unknown. and the Digest, on acquiring ownership, Law 3, such that they may enter another’s land even against the owner's will, as seen in the Code, regarding miners, Law 3.

Nor do they change one species into another different one, but they make one species of metal better, such as silver or gold from tin or copper. Nor is it a wonder, since we see silk produced from worms and glass from plants original: "ex herba vitrum." This refers to the use of plant ashes, such as from glasswort or seaweed, in the glassmaking process., as the Book on the Properties of Things original: "liber de proprietatibus rerum," the famous 13th-century encyclopedia by Bartholomaeus Anglicus (Bartholomew the Englishman). states in the section on the alchemist, where it says that all metals proceed from sulfur and quicksilver original: "sulphure et argento viuo." In medieval alchemy, the "Sulfur-Mercury theory" held that these two principles combined in the earth to form all metals..

But by the power of the elements, there is a greater influence in one place than in another, from which it happens that in one place the ore is tin, in another silver, and in another gold. Since, therefore, art imitates nature (Digest, on adoption), alchemists do not seem to sin if, through the power of herbs, stones, or other elements, they improve a metal into a more precious metal, since both were of the same species and origin. This is supported by the Institutes, [section on] how obligations are dissolved, at the beginning: it is fitting that what was brought in by words be dissolved by words. A legal maxim suggesting that processes should be undone or transformed using the same principles by which they were created.

And Augustine says in his book The City of God, that within corporeal things, through all the elements, there are certain hidden seed-like principles original: "seminariae rationes." An Augustinian concept suggesting that God placed the potential for all future forms within the initial creation, which then "unfold" over time. which, when given a temporal or causal opportunity, burst forth into species according to their own modes and limits. This is found literally in [the Decretum], Question 26, canon 5, "nor a wonder."

Likewise, we see that the penalty is not great for one who even knowingly gives copper for gold. For he is held for the crime of swindling original: "stellionatus." In Roman law, a catch-all term for fraud or "shifty" behavior that didn't fit into specific categories like theft., the penalty for which is extraordinary original: "extraordinaria," meaning the punishment was not fixed by law but left to the discretion of the judge.. Digest, on the action of pledges, Law 1, at the end, and on...