Mirror of Lights.

From calamine stone original: "lapis calaminari"; a zinc ore used in making brass with mll? possibly "mel" (honey) or "materia" (matter) it is perfected; namely copper, for it is like calamine stone because fire acts upon both. ¶ Likewise, we see that from tin, litharge original: "litargirum"; usually a lead oxide, here suggesting a byproduct of refining is made, and from tin through excessive burning adustio a chemical "scorching" or oxidation it takes on the color of gold; for this reason, a change into sulfur or with sulfur in tin and elsewhere is possible. ¶ Likewise, we see that from lead, ceruse original: "cerusa"; white lead used as a pigment is made, and from ceruse, minium original: "minium"; red lead is made, and from minium, lead is made. This is either because metals can be transmuted from color to color, or because of this whiteness albedo, just as [one moves] from gold by a defect of substance, though the substance itself is not defective. ¶ Otherwise, the alteration from white to red is gold, if it is proven by the aforesaid philosophers original: "physicis"; referring to natural philosophers or alchemists. ¶ Every red metal that is clean and not corrupted is gold, just as an alteration from white to red is metal proven clean and not corrupted, because it was never corrupted. If the alteration from white to red is gold, it can be made gold through the arts in another way if not by itself; for however it is changed from white to red, gold can be made. If it happens by itself, then it is through the arts; or if it is changed from white to red by these means, then by the skill of the art gold can be made. ¶ Every corrupted metal can be prepared through the arts to be free from its corruption, because according to all natural philosophers and physicians, medicine can be made for all infirmities; therefore every corruption of metals is an infirmity. Whence the philosophers call corrupted metals "sick" and "fallen" original: "infirma et lapsa", as are all corruptions of metals.

Mirror of Lights.

Through the arts, a purgative medicine can be made, and through this every corrupted metal can be purged by the arts from its corruption. ¶ Therefore, metals are not corrupted naturally, but by accident, such as through the corruption of Sulfur and foul or unclean earth. Corruption is not inherent in the metals by a current defect—not a defect of the metal itself—but every corruption of metals can be purged through the arts. Whence Albert Albertus Magnus, a 13th-century scholar and patron saint of scientists, widely cited in alchemical texts says that as far as the metallic body is concerned, corruption is calcination calcinatio the process of heating a substance to high temperatures to drive off volatile impurities, and from this are made ash and lime calx. This is ground and washed with sharp water original: "aqua acuta"; usually a strong acid or vinegar until it is white and clean. Then, through the lime and various medicines, it loses this corruption and burning, and receives a foreign rectification a process of purification or "straightening" into its body. When it is restored in the lime, it is reduced into a metallic mass, and once melted it receives further the healing medicine—that is, the white and red tincture tinctura. Then it is among the perfected metals, and the cleansing is joined, removing every corruption it had from sulfur and from the earth. ¶ Every perfected metal, purged of all sulfurous and earthly corruption, can through the arts become white or red as it pleases the craftsman, because every metal can be transmuted from color to color according to the will of the craftsman in this way. ¶ Every perfected metal, purged of all sulfurous and earthly corruption, can be transmuted from color to color according to the will of the craftsman, just as every perfected metal is purged.