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FORM AND FABRIC
FORM AND FABRIC
Studies in Rome’s materialpast
in honour o f B. R. Hartley

Edited by Joanna Bird

Oxbow Monograph 80
1998
First published in the United Kingdom in 1998. Reprinted in 2017 by
OXBOW BOOKS
The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE
and in the United States by
OXBOW BOOKS
1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083

© Oxbow Books and the individual contributors 1998

Paperback Edition: ISBN 978-1-78570-871-8

Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78570-872-5 (epub)

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission from the publisher in writing.

For a complete list of Oxbow titles, please contact:

UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Oxbow Books Oxbow Books
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Oxbow Books is part of the Casemate Group

Cover Image: Ceramics from a Samian workshop, found in Roman Aquincum (Hungary), 1st-3rd Century.
Budapest Historical Museum. Photo: Erlend Bjortvedt (CC-BY-SA). Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike
4.0 International license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Frontispiece, photo Arthur MacGregor

 Editor’s Foreword

The range o f papers presented in this volume demonstrates the wide scope o f Brian Hartley’s interests
and the fields o f archaeological scholarship with which he has been involved. The number o f them shows,
too, the affection and esteem in which he is held. I have attempted to group the papers in a logical order,
though several o f them have inevitably escaped too strict an ordering. After appreciations by his friends
and a bibliography o f Brian’s own publications, the book begins with studies on Roman Britain, particu­
larly the military history which has been the subject o f much o f Brian’s own fieldwork; this is followed
by the largest category, papers on samian ware, the specialist study for which Brian is best known, es­
pecially abroad. Papers on other types o f Roman pottery, also one o f Brian’s key interests, follow, arranged
chronologically where possible; and the book ends with a group o f papers on various classes o f other
finds, all o f them relevant to the history and life o f Roman Britain.
I am grateful to Geoffrey Dannell, Brenda Dickinson and Kay Hardey for inviting me to edit this col­
lection; it has been an honour to prepare such a book for one who is both a friend and a mentor. I would
also like to thank David Bird, Thomas Bird and Michelle Willoughby for their assistance.

J oanna B ird
 Contents

E ditor’s fo rew o rd.............................................................................................................................................................................................. v

L ist o f co n trib u to rs.........................................................................................................................................................................................ix

B rian R odgerson H artley; an appreciation, w ith contributions by his friends and relations Geoffrey DannelL... xi

B. R. H. S.S. F rere .................................................................................................................................................................................... xvii

A bibliography o f the works o f B. R. H artley Josephine D ool andJohn Pentney .................................................................xix

1 Inde opes et rerum secundarum luxus, Stanwick and M elsonby Feon F itts...................................................................... 1

2 Tacitus on A gricola: truth and stereotype R. H. M artin .......................................................................................................9

3 A gricola and Rom an Scotland: some structural evidence Gordon M axwell.......................................................... 13

4 Cam elon and Flavian troop-m ovem ents in southern Britain: some ceram ic evidence
Vivien G. Swan and Paul T. B idw ell .............................................................................................................................................. 21

5 Units doubled and divided and the planning o f forts and fortresses Mark H assall....................... 31

6 T he dating o f town walls in Rom an Britain John Wacher.................................................................................................... 41

7 W illiam Stukeley’s Caesaromagus, its basis in fiction and fact Raphael M. f Isserlin ..................................................51

8 Rom ano-British art and G allo-Rom an sam ian Martin H enig ...........................................................................................59

9 Ovolos on D ragendorff form 30 from the collections o f Frédéric H erm et and D ieudonné Rey
Geoffrey Dannell, Brenda Dickinson andÆ ain Vernhet........................................................................................................... 69

10 T hree stam ped decorated bowls from G loucester Felicity W ild ....................................................................... I ll

11 O ld w ine in new botdes. Reflections on the organization o f the production o f terra sigillata at
L a G raufesenque Marinus Polak ...........................................................................................................................................115
viii C ontents

12 U n vase m oulé de M ontans au décor volontairem ent effacé Jean-Louis Tilhard.................................................. 123

13 L ezoux —L a G raufesenque et la Rom anisation Hugues Vertet.. .................................. 127

14 A collection o f sam ian from the legionary w orks-depot at H olt Margaret Ward................................................133

15 A n unusual decorated jar from N ortham ptonshire Graham Webster....................................................................... 145

16 Z ur V erw ertbarkeit von R eliefsigillaten des 2. und 3. Jahrhunderts Ingeborg Huld-Zetsche............................. 147

17 A decorated sam ian dish from the London w aterfront Joanna B ird ................. 151

18 D ie D atierung der R heinzaberner Relie fsigillata Klaus Kortüm und Allard M ees ............... .... 157

19 Sam ian from the C ity o f Lincoln: a question o f status? MargaretJ. D arling ............................ 169

20 E xpert system s in sigillata and num ism atic studies George Rogers ......................................... 179

21 U n dépôt pré-flavien à Tongeren (Belgique) M. Vanderhoeven................................................................ 183

22 W here did Cen, Reditas and Sace produce pots? A sum m ary o f the range and distribution o f
Rom ano-British stam ped w ares Val R igby .................................................................................................................... 191

23 T he incidence o f stam ped m ortaria in the Roman Em pire, w ith special reference to im ports
to B ritain Kay Hartley, with illustrations by Malcolm Stroud ...........................................................................................199

24 E arly R om an am phorae from Le M ans Patrick Galliou ..................................................................................................219

25 Pottery production at Corbridge in the late 1 st century J. N. D ore ......................................................................... 227

26 U ne enfance de D ionysos: m oule d’applique de la collection Constancias Colette Bêmont .............................235

27 From K atendrecht back to N ijm egen: a group o f pottery m oulds and relief-tablets from
U lpia N oviom agus J. K Haalebos andL. Swinkels ...................................................................................................... 241

28 Second-century p ottery from C aerleon derived from m etal and sam ian prototypes
Janet and Peter Webster................................................................ .................................................................................................. 249

29 Hoards o f Rom an coins found in Britain: the search and the byways Anne S. Robertson ...............................263

30 D o brooches have ritual associations? Grace Simpson and Beatrice Blance ................................................................. 267

31 A hoard o f late Rom an ironw ork from Sibson, H untingdonshire W. H. M anning ...........................................281

32 A sling from M elandra? John Peter Wild....... ........ 297

33 E arly occupation at St. M ary’s Abbey, York: the evidence o f the glass H.E.M. C ool .............. ....................... 301

34 A glass drinking cup w ith incised decoration from N ew ton Kyme, N orth Y orkshire JenniJer P rice ............. 307
 List of contributors

C olette B emont P rofessor L eon F itts, ph.d , fsa

21 Rue Henri Miirger Dickinson College
F-75019 Carlisle,
Paris Pennsylvania 17013-2896
USA
P aul T. B idwell, ll .b, ma , fsa
28 Kingsley Place E meritus P rof. S. S. F rere, cbe, ma , litt.]
Heaton Netherfield House
Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 SAN Abingdon
Oxfordshire 0X 13 6NP
J oanna B ird , ba , fsa
14 Kings Road P atrick G alliou, dr .phil, fsa
Guildford Université de Bretagne Occidentale
Surrey GUI 4JW Brest
France
B eatrice B lance (C layre), ma , ph.d
Green College P rofessor J. K. H aalebos, dr .phil
Woodstock Road Etudestraat 62
Oxford 0X 2 6HG NL-6544 RT Nijmegen
Netherlands
H. E. M. C ool, fsa , mifa
16 Lady Bay Road K ay H artley, ba , fsa
West Bridgford Flat A
Nottingham NG2 5BJ 22 Shire Oak Road
Leeds LS6 2DE
G. B. D annell, fsa
28—30 Main Street M ark H assall , ma , fsa
Wood Newton Institute of Archaeology
Peterborough PE8 5EB University College London
M argaret J. D arling , m .phil, fsa , mifa
31—34 Gordon Square
London WC1H OPY
3 Club Yard
Blacksmiths Lane
M artin H enig , ma , d .phil, d .litt, fsa
Harms ton
Lincoln LN5 9SW Institute of Archaeology
36 Beaumont Street
B renda D ickinson , ba , fsa Oxford 0X1 2PG
6 Parkland Terrace
Leeds LS6 4PW I ngeborg H uld-Z etsche, dr .phil
Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte
J osephine D ool, ba , ama Karmelitergasse 1
18 Tristram Drive D-60311 Frankfurt am Main
Creech St. Michael Germany
Taunton
Somerset TA3 5QU R aphael M. J. I sserlin
School of Classics
J. N. D ore, ba , fsa University of Leeds
27 Malcolm Street Leeds LS2 9JT
Newcasde upon Tyne NE6 5PL
X L ist of contributors

K laus K ortüm, dr .phil V ivien G. Swan , ba, fsa

Landesdenkmalamt in Stuttgart Research Centre for Roman Provincial Archaeology
Silberburgstrasse 193 Department of Archaeology
D—70178 Stuttgart University of Durham
Germany South Road
Durham DH1 3LE
P rofessor W H. M anning, ph.d ., fsa
School of History and Archaeology L. SW IN KELS, DR.PHIL
University of Wales Cardiff Museum G. M. Kam
P O Box 909 NL-6522 GB Nijmegen
Cardiff CFI 3XU Netherlands

E meritus P rofessor R. H. M artin J ean -Louis T ilhard

School of Classics Chercheur associé, UMR 126.3 du C.N.R.S.
University of Leeds 1 Rue Froide
Leeds LS2 9JT F—16000 Angloulême
France
G ordon M axwell, ma , fsa , fsa scot
Micklegarth M. V anderhoeven
72a High Street Repenstraat 8
Aberdour B-3700 Tongeren
Fife KY3 OSW Belgium

A llard M ees, dr .phil A lain V ernhet

Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Centre Archéologique de la Graufesenque
Ernst-Ludwig-Platz 2 F-12100 Millau
D—55116 Mainz France
Germany
H ughes V ertet
J ohn P entney, ma 66 Boulevard Saint Exupéry
18 Tris tarn Drive F-03400 Yzeure
Creech St. Michael France
Taunton
P rofessor J ohn W acher, bsc, fsa , mifa
Somerset TA3 5QU Rosewin
Gwinear Road
M arinus P olak , dr .phil
Hayle
Aldenhof 38-14
Cornwall TR27 5JQ
NL-6537 BD Nijmegen
Netherlands M argaret W ard , ma , mifa
2 Woodfîelds
J ennifer P rice, ba , ph.d , fsa Chrisdeton
Department of Archaeology Chester CH3 7AU
University of Durham
South Road G raham W ebster, obe, ma , ph.d ., d .litt, fsa , hon . mifa
Durham DH1 3LE The Old Post Office
Sevenhampton, nr. Highworth
V al R igby Swindon
Department of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities Wiltshire SN6 7QA
The British Museum
London WC1B 3DG J anet W ebster, ba
8 Cefn Coed Avenue
P rofessor A nne S. R obertson, ma , d .litt., fma , fsa , fsa scot Cyncoed
31 Upper Glenburn Road Cardiff CF2 6HE
Bearsden
Glasgow G61 4BN P eter W ebster, ba , m .phil, d .litt, fsa
Department for Continuing Education
G eorge R ogers, fsa University of Wales Cardiff
243 Avénue Général Leclerc 38 Park Place
06700 St. Laurent-du-Var Cardiff CFI 3BB
France
F elicity W ild , ma , fsa
G race S impson, d .phil., fsa 30 Prince’s Road
73 Buder Close Heaton Moor
Oxford OX2 6JQ Stockport SK4 3NQ

M alcolm S troud J ohn P eter W ild , ma , ph.d , fsa

63 Park Street 30 Prince’s Road
Armley Heaton Moor
Leeds LS12 3NW Stockport SK4 3NQ
 Brian Rodgerson Hardey

An appreciation, with contributions by hisfriends and relations

Brian Rodgerson Hardey was born in Chester on the 31st of exploits, his sister notes that on one occasion while working
December, 1929, the youngest of the four surviving children at the Post Office, he was party to stuffing the Headmaster’s
of Henry and Gertrude Hardey, and the only boy. Both of his son in a mail-sack, and delivering him down the mail-chute.
parents had connections with South Africa, and the pioneer­ His education was wide; by nature a classicist and linguist
ing spirit of that colony seems to have rubbed off on their (teaching even extended to a little Hebrew), he was also
son. He was brought up within a strongly Methodist tradition, persuaded to embrace the sciences, which was to lead to a
among a close and happy family, where the importance of small impasse later. Indeed in the report of the Prefectorial
personal relationships was highly valued. Society meeting in 1948 he was referred to, tongue-in-cheek,
His early interests included 'train-spotting5on Crewe Sta­ as 'that eminent Scientist and Archaeologist’. Among other
tion, and philately —both hobbies requiring the use of cata­ records of the time are his six years of voluntary work on the
logues and the compilation of lists, a trait which has remained 'drains’ of the River Dee Catchment Board, an essentially
part of his character ever since. Brian appears to have first physical activity, and particularly, his report in 1946 of the
taken to archaeology at the age of seven, when, after a school excavations at Heronbridge, directed by W. J. ('W alrus’)
lesson about Roman Britain, he took a bucket and spade and Williams, in which he assisted. Brian wrote in the King’s School
went to work on the garden, producing a piece of crenellated magazine: 'The finds in pottery have been excellent, both in
white pottery which he was sure was part of a Roman’s upper rough-ware and in fine red-glazed ware (misnamed 'Samian5).
set. The first samian ware of which he was cognisant (aged In rough-ware, cooking pots, storage-jars, wine-jars, bottles
five) were two Drag. 32s in the foyer of the Regal Cinema, and mortaria (heavy bowls studded inside with grit) were plen­
Chester (it is typical that even now he can remember that only tiful. The red-glazed ware has included decorated bowls and
one was stamped). plain bowls, cups and platters (examples of this ware are to
His education started modestly at the local primary school be seen in the Grosvenor Museum). About fifteen potter’s
in Victoria Road, Chester, from which he won a scholarship stamps have been recovered on this type of pottery. Although
to the King’s School Chester, which then, as now, maintained the work has certainly been hard at times, it has also been well
an extremely high academic standard. He was apparently more worth the energy expended’. Heronbridge was reported else­
willing to lead from the front in those days: appointed cap­ where (J. Roman Stud., 37,170 and 38,85ff., where for the 1946
tain of Shepherd’s House in 1946 and then school captain in excavations he contributed a plan, and for 1947 he is acknowl­
1947/8. His House note for 1946 laments an unsuccessful edged as co-director). The 1947—48 season was reported in
sporting year, 'House cricket was of poor standard...Much full in his own name (Hartley 1952a), complete with his draw­
practice will be needed to improve on this result...’ (one can ings of the samian and the coarse pottery. It is noteworthy that
hear him now). Brian remains, if not devoted, certainly inter­ all of the pottery was published there in its own archaeologi­
ested in the game, whereas, although he played soccer, he was cal groups —making the dating evidence far easier to assimi­
more keen on participating than in following. Walking was late. Brian obtained comments from Eric Birley about some
another passion; Alistair Jenkins tells how expeditions to the of the samian. Family history recalls that at that time Brian
Lake District were led by a teacher, 'Johnny’ Walsh, who fre­ slept with a sack of Roman pottery under his bed.
quented the Kardomah café in Chester and there plied his Chester was of course a prime site for any young person
charges with cups of tea, while discussing current matters of interested in Roman Britain. The richness of its 'red-glazed
interest, and splitting matches (an old wartime economy). wares’ provided the basis for two papers which recorded and
Extra-curricular activity included his interest in railways, as a analysed samian stamps. These cannot have escaped Brian’s
member of the King’s School Railway Club, and of course attention, nor indeed the possibilities of the use of samian in
archaeology. He was clearly an active teenager; among other archaeological research generally (Williams 1902; Hayter
xii B rian H artley - an appreciation

1926). In 1948 he was involved in excavations directed by coarse pottery, which became the "Bible” for future local
Graham Webster and the late Sir Ian Richmond (Webster & archaeology’, a demonstration of his emerging mastery of
Richmond 1951): 'Lastly, very special thanks to Messrs. D. matters relating to Romano-British coarse pottery and samian
Barker, B. Hartley and S. Kay, all of whom rendered valuable ware. Excavations were undertaken at High Wycombe
assistance in the trenches themselves particularly in the deli­ (Hartley 1955f and 1959a), and notes of excavations appeared
cate work of cleaning up details.5The friendship and associa­ under his name at Barley and Pampisford (J. Roman Stud., 46);
tion with Graham Webster has been long-lasting, while Ian travel was effected by Vespa.
Richmond was to be a decisive influence for the future in In 1951 Graham Webster had encouraged him to join in
forming Brian’s practical and academic approach to archae­ the activities of the summer school excavations organised by
ology, and in the development of not a few imitative manner­ the extra-mural department of Nottingham University (Cor-
isms. der (ed.) 1951; 1954; 1961), and he met an influential teach­
In 1948 he also gained admission to Trinity Hall, Cam­ ing staff, which included the late Philip Corder, John Gillam
bridge, to read Natural Sciences. National Service intervened and Maurice Barley. 'Uncle’ Philip (Corder 1928 and Antiq.
(RAF, AC1 (2410323); unfortunately regulations still require J , 21, 271—98), and John Gillam (Gillam 1957) were already
that, 'Service details can only be given on receipt of the air­ deeply involved in systematic appraisals of Romano-British
man’s written consent’, so this history records only that Brian coarse pottery, to which Brian’s increasing specialist knowl­
was in a stores unit, and perhaps reinforced his cricketing edge of samian added a neat counter-point, and he joined the
interests while serving for a time with J.B. Statham), and he teaching staff of the school in 1958. It was also at Great
actually went up in 1950. He found the course somewhat Caster ton that he had met Katharine Kaine ('K’). They were
trying, particularly the physics, and on gaining his first degree, married in 1955.
took the Diploma in Prehistoric Archaeology, for which he A photograph taken at Heronbridge in 1953 shows a long-
was awarded a distinction. His academic career had com­ jawed, aquiline Hartley, fiercely gripping his beloved pipe, a
menced, and when Sheppard Frere took a lectureship at rival for the late Basil Rathbone in the part of Sherlock
Manchester, instead of a Research Assistantship under Holmes. This allusion is not casual. Like many archaeologists
Grahame Clark, Brian was given that post. He lectured and Brian found the logical deductive process of the classical
supervised in Romano-British Archaeology, in the course of English detective story basic to the interpretation of evidence,
which he developed both a style and technique which has and is an aficionado of the genre (Hartley 1989f).
proved invaluable to his later students. Joyce Reynolds recalls In 1956 Brian succeeded William V Wade in the lecture­
'...his admiration for Ian Richmond —on whose lecturing style ship in Romano-British Archaeology within the Department
he based his own at that stage (and what better model could of Latin Language and Literature in the University of Leeds
one have!)’. A photograph of Richmond ('Dad’) remains in and moved to Headingley. Ronald Martin writes: 'The title of
a prominent place on Brian’s desk. It is true that his deliber­ the Department reflected the strong literary and linguistic bias
ate delivery in the lecture-hall still recalls that of Richmond; it had always had hitherto. Brian’s main task was to offer, as
it is also unaffected by whichever language he is speaking, a two-year Special Subject within the Department, an option
much to the endearment of his closest friends. which (it was expected) might appeal primarily to students
The Cambridge years were clearly formative and extremely whose abilities were not markedly linguistic. In the upshot
active. Prehistory was not Brian’s primary love (lanLongworth "Roman Britain” quickly established itself within the Depart­
observes: 'Grahame had little time for Roman archaeology ment as the most popular option and it attracted a good
and Brian was not entirely convinced about prehistory!’), number of students (Brenda Dickinson was one) who were
although he wrote the report of the excavation at Wandlebury equally at home in the linguistic and non-linguistic aspects of
(Hartley 1956b) with an easy competence. He also returned our courses’.
to Heronbridge in 1953 and 1954 for two seasons, the latter His arrival in Yorkshire is marked by information about
being aborted due to bad weather (Hartley 1954c, written with excavations at Ferry Fryston, Castleford (J. Roman Stud., 47,
K.F. Kaine ('K’), and Hartley 1955e). He became acquainted 210). This was also the period during which Sheppard Frere
with an increasingly wide group of teachers, colleagues and started his excavations at Verulamium, and Brian would go
students which included the late Glyn Daniel, WH.C. (Bill) to the Institute of Archaeology in London each autumn to
Frend, Roy Hodson, Ian Longworth and Ian Stead, and he look over the season’s samian and provide a preliminary dating.
quickly expanded his field activities and ceramic sudies. Roy The operation was a veritable 'production line’ with paper bags
Hodson, who studied for the diploma at the same time as being unpacked at one end of a long table, Brian comment­
Brian, says: 'he was already an experienced archaeologist, and ing, while his amanuensis tried to keep up with the flow, the
the rest of us real amateurs, and not on his wave-length!’, while bags being repackaged after each batch was recorded. The
Ian Stead records that: 'Brian taught me a lot about writing room would grow fuggier by the hour under the combined
an excavation report for publication’. outputs of the Frere and Hartley pipes; the sessions ended in
Brian provided reports for the Arbury Road excavations total exhaustion only to be relieved by Brian’s legendary ca­
(Hartley 1954f and 1955d, where he very competently drew pacity at that time for black coffee. He also took over the
a signed Drag. 37 by Mercator i). Bill Frend observes: '...our University Training Excavation at the Roman fort of Brough
short description was dwarfed by his scholarly account of the by Bainbridge, a programme of work which went on for a
 B rian H artley - an appreciation xiii

further ten years. Reports appeared regularly in the "Roman those excavations will forget the evening meals at the Hotel
Britain5 section of the Journal o f Roman Studies from 1958 des Voyageurs, where Sheppard and Brian held court at a
onwards (and see below for the excavations of 1957—59). baronial table, while the preparation of rubbings went on late
In 1957 recognition of his academic advancement came into the night, with Brian strictly invigilating their quality. Nor
in his election as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of indeed M. Martignat the chef, who cooked on a coal range,
London (his "Blue paper5was signed from personal knowl­ and who was known to run through the streets of Lezoux with
edge by, among others, Sheppard Frere, Graham Webster, a platter of croquettes de volatile, which arrived at the site in the
M.VTaylor, Ian Richmond, Jocelyn Toynbee, John Gillam, and same superb condition as those served in his restaurant; or
WF. Grimes, and from general knowledge by Eric Birley). He Malcolm Todd’s avowed intention to sample the contents of
directed the excavation of a pottery kiln at Stibbington (Hart­ every bottle on the shelves of the Voyageurs’ saloon.
ley 1958i), and the ensuing close friendship with Eric Standen, There was further work in the Nene Valley at both Castor
the then Secretary of the Peterborough Museum Society Field and Stanground Park Farm (Hartley 1966k). In 1966, Ilkley
Club, and his wife Aileen, has happily continued. Eric Standen was published (Hartley 1966d) as well as a paper in Northern
tells of Stibbington: "at the end of the first day, Brian finished History (Hartley 1966c). Work with Sheppard Frere com­
off with a cross section of the kiln stoke-hole, in the face of menced at Bowes in 1967 (J. Roman Stud, 58,179; Britannia,
which a complete folded beaker came to light which Brian 2, 251); and from 1968 Brian investigated Kirk Sink
(observing strict etiquette), left there for the next day. Unfor­ (Gargrave) (Hartley 1969j; Hartley 1970i; Hartley 1974n;
tunately a well known local solicitor and antiquary went down Hartley 1975f; Hartley 1976i). Work also took place at Slack
to the site, and removed it for his private collection!5. Eric and (Hartley 1969k). 1969 saw the initial publication of "Roman
Aileen Standen’s hospitality encouraged Brian to give a num­ samian ware’ (Hartley 1969a).
ber of free lectures to the Museum Society. Eric recalls one: Throughout this period it is clear that his interest in coarse
"... before the lecture commenced Brian went out with one of pottery was also being deepened: cf. Hartley 1959h in which
his colleagues for light refreshments. He commenced the he quotes: "As Dr Philip Corder has recently observed, one
lecture looking very pleased and happy with life, and it was of the most urgent needs in Romano-British studies is the
not long before we all realised that he was ""whisded”. In spite publication of kiln-groups from local potteries’. It was an
of this he gave an excellent talk and it will never be forgotten opinion with which Brian has always kept faith. His studies
in the Nene Valley.5Eric Standen subsequendy undertook the into Romano-British coarse pottery had the objectives of
logistical organisation for the much larger Water Newton adding a parallel dating tool to that of samian ware, to pro­
excavations of 1958, directed with John Gillam and Graham viding information about local and long-distance trade, and
Webster, and gready assisted by the magnetometer of Martin not least to investigating ceramic technology (Hartley 1961a).
Aitken (J. Roman Stud., 50, 117—18). He was therefore an enthusiastic supporter of "The Study
The 1960 season atBainbridge proved a triumph for Brian’s Group for Romano-British Coarse Pottery’, which Graham
thorough methods. In excavating the east gateway, he came Webster sponsored and nurtured so effectively. The format
across a large stone (Hartley 1961h), which had been photo­ was essentially that of the seminar at which information was
graphed previously in situ by R.G. Collingwood; it was turned freely exchanged between participants, in which Brian was
over, and revealed a dedicatory inscription to C. Valerius totally at ease, talking to, rather than at, people, and leading
Pudens, a hitherto unknown Governor (in getting it into the to practical results.1 He even drafted a paper to propose an
site hut, it fell and cracked Brian’s toe. He claims that his hand "Institute of Roman Pottery Studies’. The kite alas, never flew;
slipped, others blame sheer excitement. His reward was the if it had, many of the current problems associated with the
heaviest plaster application ever devised for such an insignifi­ costs of post-excavation, and the standard of reports about
cant injury, a far greater incapacity than the toe itself and Roman pottery, might have been averted.
according to "K5a lasting source of merriment). He also pub­ In 1967 Brian had been promoted to a Readership, still
lished a type series of Nene Valley wares (Hartley 1960a) fol­ within the Department of Latin,2 and combined with "The
lowing his field-work in the area. The 1961 season at Bain- Index’ (as the new corpus of samian stamps became known),
bridge added another inscription, this time of the Cohors VI the work-load slowly began to reduce his field activity. He
Nerviorum (Hartley 1962j), and he returned to excavate in enjoyed a sabbatical year in 1972, which saw the seminal
the Nene Valley (Hartley 1962k). In 1963 work began seriously publication of "The Roman occupations of Scotland: the
on collecting the material for a revision of Felix Oswald’s evidence of samian ware’ (Hartley 1972a) in which he was able
corpus of potter’s stamps on samian ware (Oswald 1937). to demonstrate how far the advance in the study of samian
The next few years were very busy in the field; attention ware could be used to draw much wider inferences than the
in Yorkshire turned to the Roman fort at Ilkley (Hartley 1963g) mere individual dating of sites, and how it could contribute
and a series of four excavations at the samian production site evidence to the historical record of the province as a whole.
of Lezoux was commenced (Frere 1966). Memories of Lezoux In 1973 Brian married Elizabeth Blank, and moved to
are recalled by Sheppard Frere with relish: "...the horse-meat York, where they began an extensive renovation of an 18th-
sandwiches andgaperon\ and that "on one of the progressions century house in Bootham. Work started with Leon Fitts in
through France in the Rolls, Brian overdosed on oysters and 1976, on what was to be the last excavations to date, at the
missed visiting Chartres Cathedral5. None who worked on fort of Lease Rigg (Hartley 1977n; Hartley 1979i; Hartley
XIV B rian H artley - an appreciation

1980e; Hartley 1981 d). The demands of teaching, ‘The Index’, 30,000 entries on their own) would have vitiated much of the
and the blessing of a son in 1977, put a stop to fieldwork. interpretative analysis, particularly for those South Gaulish
However, two major publications were completed: first, ‘The potters for whom external evidence was scarce. This delay was
enclosure of Romano-British towns in the second century fortunate, because it allowed the whole project to be trans­
AD’ (Hartley 1983b), and a book, ‘The Brigantes’ (Hartley ferred from manuscript to computer using an image-scanner,
1988a), written with Leon Fitts. thus making it possible to extract statistical information, to
All of Brian’s academic work draws on three strengths: compose special fonts for individual characters, and to make
first, the width of his reading (his personal library would be the whole work capable of revision as future evidence should
the envy of many university departments);3 secondly, the accumulate. While many have fretted at the mine of informa­
happy endowment of a retentive memory (if not quite in the tion which they have seen as being stuck firmly in the Leeds
class of Ian Richmond, who could do party tricks, Brian could files, it should be remembered that it has often been their own
frequently quote page references from memory), and finally, material which has been the cause of lengthy digressions in
a scientific methodology. Their combination in the study of writing up samian reports to their excavations (in reply to a
samian potters’ stamps (and signatures) has been particularly carping letter at the slowness of the project in the early 1970s,
successful. Brian also has remarkable eyesight, although it is Brian pointed out that he was already working 75 hours a week,
almost certainly the link to his retentive memory which ena­ 50 related to his teaching commitments, and 25 on ‘The
bles him to make sense of the most fragmentary letters. Brenda Index’). That work-load probably increased thereafter. Ad­
Dickinson remarks how often with the offending sherd held ditionally there has been the huge correspondence respond­
close to his face, Brian utters the measured words ‘But... Can’t ing to enquiries, and the numerous visitors who have come
you see? It’s perfectly clear!’ He is rarely wrong. to have their queries resolved. Few have been turned away
Oswald’s pioneering volume (1931) was based on much empty-handed.
secondary evidence and in some cases important kiln sites However, scrupulous recording of the stamps was but one
themselves were unknown, unrecognised or unpublished at small facet of the task, and then only a means to an end; samian
the time (as Les Martres-de-Veyre: cf. the introduction to stamps offer an important source of evidence for differen­
Stanfield & Simpson 1958, and Terrisse 1968). By the 1960s tiation both in time and space, and often point to patterns of
it was clear that a reassessment of Oswald’s work was indis­ historical behaviour which cannot be detected by other means.
pensable to the history of the development of the western For Brian, mastery of this evidence in its historical context is
Roman Empire, over its first two and a half centuries at least. the real attraction.6At the same time, the stamps offer a means
It would offer the possiblity of a currency of far greater of working out the socio-economic fabric of the industry in
precision than coins themselves, if only the minor nuances in which the potters worked (cf. Hartley 1977a).
the development of the potter’s workshops could be properly Away from his professional life Brian’s interests are truly
recorded and interpreted.4Brian had long realised that many catholic. He delights in music of the baroque period. Once,
of Oswald’s recorded readings and attributions were doubt­ at a concert in the Leeds Town Hall in the 1960s, Brian was
ful, undermining the validity of their dating, and the tremen­ faced with a piece by Martinu. He retreated under the cur­
dous growth of archaeological activity in post-war Europe, rent ubiquitous duffel-coat until he considered that it was safe
as its cities were rebuilt and redeveloped, offered fresh exam­ to emerge at the interval. His sympathies are with that other
ples of historically attested strata, vital to making sense of the Methodist, Organ Morgan in Dylan Thomas’ UnderMilkivood,
potters’ working lives. He also sought to pay close attention who replied to his wife’s enquiry of ‘Who do you like best,
to the epigraphy, lettering, design and condition of the stamps, Organ?’, with ‘Oh, Bach without any doubt. Bach every time
realising that each stamp was the product of an individual die, for me’. He has also explored personal interests in art and
which degraded over its life, offering possibilities of exacti­ architecture (Hardey 1994b; forthcoming b); criminology
tude hitherto ignored.5 (Hardey 1989f), and more latterly both his own, and his wife’s
The decision to embark on re-examining as much evidence ancestry. The Hardey family seem to have originated in the
as possible de novo was carefully calculated to eliminate the north-west, and were active in shipping out of Whitehaven in
inevitable confusions of site attribution and terminology the 18th century, where some were involved in the slave trade
which plagued Oswald’s reliance on his disparate sources. The (Richardson & Schofield 1992), while the Blanks appear to
project was designed to last for twelve years. Field collection have had an interesting and convoluted history in continen­
started in 1963, principally by Felicity Wild and Brenda tal Europe. As with his professional work, each of these re­
Dickinson, while ‘K’ recorded much material in combination laxations is not just to be enjoyed, but forms the basis of
with her own parallel work on the stamps on mortaria. The intellectual challenge. It is interesting that many are involved
sheer volume o f data explains why the twelve-year project is with, or are made to involve, the manipulation o f data and the
only now reaching its conclusion (much to the disappointment formation of lists (one little project was to see how many
of some, who see in this a certain lack of self-discipline). The Italian composers could be found (without reference books),
truth is that a manuscript, some lm in height, was ready in the surnames of whom did not end in ci\ another, those Scot­
1975, but was subject to certain vital lacunae, such as the tish surnames which do end in ‘o’).
collection of stamps from La Graufesenque, which had been He has never been content merely to assemble facts for
unavailable for study up to then; to publish without them (over their own sake. His dictum to his students that ‘It’s not the
Other documents randomly have
different content
this is not without virtue, for it carries over with it self a very subtle
Martial Spirit, of which a little put into ones Mouth, penetrates the
Tongue, so that the taste thereof remains long after. And this
penetrating taste and smell, is nothing else but the most subtle
Narcotick Sulphur of Mars, which is set at liberty in the Solution, and
carried over with the sweet Water, in the deflegming. It doth
wonders in Internal Obstructions; and Externally it easeth all Pains,
because it is Narcotick and Stupefactive; It serveth for Physicians
and Chyrurgeons in many cases, but because I have already written
of this, I need not here repeat it. And this you ought to note, that
you draw not off the Phlegm to dryness, but the Solution of ♂ must
remain in form of an Oyl. This sweet Oyl of ♂ is the Opake Tree of
Virgil, from which he hath taught us to pluck its Golden Branches,
and how this is to be done, he hath also obscurely hinted, but I here
publish it plainly. Virgil saith, that those Golden Branches are the gift
of Proserpina, but what was to be understood by this Proserpina,
which the Heathens have said to be the Wife of Pluto, is not here
expressed, but only this, that this Golden Branch was Consecrated to
the Goddess Juno. He that will have the foundation of those
Heathenish Gods, cannot better accomplish his Desire, than by
Reading the last Edition of the Dictionary of Eight Languages,
written by Ambrosius Callepine, for there he will find many curious
secrets of the Ancient Poets illustrated. Now concerning Proserpina,
many Philosophers and Chymists understand the Corrosive Oyl or
Butter of Antimony, of which I have already made mention, although
obscurely, in my Treatise De Sale Philosophorum, but shall here give
it you more plainly. Now, it according to a due weight, you put some
of this Proserpina to the Solution of Mars, and unite them well
together, and then distil this mixture by a Glass Retort well Coated,
there first comes over a certain unprofitable Humidity, then a white
Oyl of Antimony, which is to be kept by it self, and when you see
yellow drops begin to fall, you must then change your Receiver, then
give a stronger Fire, and the Proserpina brings over with it self the
Tincture of Mars, as red as Blood. This Blood-red Oyl of Mars and
Antimony is the Golden Branch, plucked from the obscure Tree,
which may easily be fixed into a particular Tincture, as we shall hear
anon. Now when you have pulled one Golden Branch, you may also
pluck a second and third, for they will easily follow. As for the
manner of plucking more such Golden Branches, it is thus: You must
dissolve the remaining ♂ with Spirit of Salt, and there will remain
many Feces, but the Solution will be clearer and better than the first,
although less in quantity: Now, after (as I told you before) you have
put to it the due quantity of Butter of Antimony, for which purpose
that which came over in the first Distillation will well serve, and
when you have driven this over by a Retort as before, the Proserpina
again brings over more of the Tincture in a Blood-red Oyl, which
may as the first, be fixed into a Tincture. After this manner you may
pluck many Branches, one after another, but it is not convenient,
because the Solution of Mars is diminished by every Distillation, and
at length your Branches would be very small, therefore it is better
when you have plucked the first Branch, so go to another Tree, and
thereto pluck a Golden Branch, for the Tree is not so precious, and
you may collect the Trees from which you have pulled the Branches,
and dissolve them in Spirit of Salt, and then pluck from them more
Branches. Proserpina hath learned this spoiling and bearing away, of
her Husband Pluto, for he stole Proserpina from her Parents, and
carried her with him into Hell, and made her his Wife. N. B. Pluto
carried Proserpina into Hell, but Proserpina doth the contrary,
carrying the dead Bodies and Souls out of Hell. For she hath her
Original only from the Spirit and Salt of the World, which Spirit and
Salt of the World have power to carry the Souls of the dead Bodies
out of Hell, as you may see in the Books of Philosophers which say.

Sal & Spiritus Mundi, ducunt Anima Mortuorum ex Orco.

The Salt and Spirit of the World, bring the Souls of the Dead
out of Hell.

Let this suffice concerning the bringing over the Metallick Souls or
Tinctures, which is done by Proserpina. But there is yet other ways
to draw out the Tinctures of Metals out of Red Bodies, and they are
chiefly to be had by means of our secret Sal Armoniack in a far
greater quantity, than by the help of Proserpina, which is somewhat
troublesome, but yet these are more easily and perfectly acquired by
our Alcahest. Now, after we have heard how to draw Tinctures out
of Metals and Minerals by the help of Proserpina, it is further
necessary to know how to fix those Volatile Tinctures, so that they
may not only endure the strongest Fire, to which they may easily be
brought, but that is not enough, they must be made so fixed, that
the Corroding Saturn may not have power to injure them upon the
Cupel; if that be not done, these Tinctures can profit nothing to
Metals. I have seen very many who very well know, how to Extract
Tinctures out of Mars, Venus, Vitriol and Antimony, but they wanted
the Fixation, the perpetuation upon the Cupel, and also Ingress, and
therefore they could do nothing with them. These following ancient
Verses are read by many, but understood by few, viz.

Fixum si solves, faciesque volare solutum

& volucrem figes, faciet te vivere tutum.

If thou dissolve that which is fixed, and render it Volatile,

And again fix the Volatile, thou shalt not want.
We have proceeded according to this Verse, in making the fixed
Iron Volatile, although we have not yet again rendered the Volatile
fixed and constant upon the Cupel. The Fixation requires but little
Art, so that it may abide the Fire, but to make it abide the Cupel is a
great Art, and cannot be done by idle talking, but by a fundamental
knowledge, without which all is in vain.
Now concerning the Fixation of those Volatile Tinctures, so as to
abide the Cupel, I have (thanks to God) often experimented, and
have already communicated to some who are Curious, out of
kindness, whose success I do not yet know. This Fixation cannot be
effected without Common Gold, for when Gold in a liquid form
according to a due proportion, is mixed and radically conjoyned with
the Tincture, and cast into Hell to Pluto, and Pluto finds his dear
Consort deeply in love with the Anima of Mars, or this Beautiful
Hermaphroditical Youth, he burns with Jealousie, so that he bends
them so close together, as they can never afterwards be parted by
Saturn. But wheresoever one of these three goeth, draweth the
other two with it. And because they are also constantly together, as
if it were one Spirit and Tincture united to the fixed Body of Gold,
therefore they have an easie admittance into the Chamber of the
Queen Diana; for Diana doth by no means shut out her dearest King
Apollo, but willingly admits him, and therefore she is recompensed
with all the Treasures which he hath received from his true and
Warlike Servant, Mars: And of this, by Neptunes help, she hath made
her self a glorious and constant Red Garment, which neither Water
nor Fire, nor the old and envious Saturn can spoil her of. Here I have
Fundamentally described the Fixation of the Martial and Antimonial
Tincture, clearly without any reservation, yet somewhat
enigmatically, according to the manner of the Poets. He that doth
but a little consider, cannot fail, but must comprehend it, if he hath
but a moderate Capacity, except God shall prohibite him.
Now let us further see, what may be further done with our Red
Oyl of ♂, and ♁, in Physick and Alchymy. When we powr upon this
Oyl our Alcahest, and again draw off the Liquor by a Retort with a
gentle heat, and at length give a stronger Fire, the most subtle and
cleanest part of the Tincture will come over, and the grossest part
will remain behind, which is an Universal Purge. The subtle part,
may yet be made purer and nobler by Rectification, and this you
may afterwards dulcify from its Salt, and dry the Anima Martis and
Antimonij, then put it into a Glass, and with an easie Sand-Fire melt
it into a Red Stone, for this Stone melts as easily as Wax, and hath
as easie Ingress into all Metals, as Oyl hath into dry Leather. This
Stone hath not its equal, for it is better than the Fire-Stone of
Basilius, it is better than Butlers Stone, to which Helmont hath
ascribed such Wonders. Of this Stone and its incredible Virtues,
which it shews in Physick, I shall treat at large in the following
Treatise. This Treatise shall Discourse of three unknown Fires, and
Stones: First of the secret Fire of the ancient Philosophers, which is
called the Fire of Artephius, by Virtue of which secret fire, is
generated the vegetable, Animal and Mineral stone of Philosophers,
and also particularly out of all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals,
their Quintessence, or highest Power, without the help of any
common Fire, without Furnace, Glasses, or any other known
Chymical Instruments, is to be obtained in a few hours, without any
Labour or Cost: And also things incredible and unheard of are by it
brought to pass; of which great Secret, no Philosopher hath hitherto
made the least mention; as the before cited Treatise will sufficiently
testifie. The second Fire is like to it, viz. the same with which the
Israelites in old time did set fire to their Sacrifices, which their
Priests, when they were to go into the Babylonish Captivity, did hide
in a dry hole in the Earth; and many years after, when they were
released from their Captivity, and returned, they found not a Fire,
but instead of it a Viscous water, which they poured upon their
Sacrifice, and it kindled it, as well as if it had been done by the
secret heavenly fire, of which you may read more in the Maccabeus.
This secret fire of the Ancient Caldeans is also comparable to the
Æthereal fire, of which Meteors, Thunder and Lightning are
generated, and also the Thunderbolts themselves, which are cast
down upon the Earth, to the great astonishment of Mankind. Hermes
hath very well said, that what is above is also below, which is proved
by the secret Fire of the Caldeans. For by a light, plain and cheap
Art, one may easily produce the same Lightning fire, together with
the Thunder, here upon Earth; of which the following Book shall
treat more fully. And therefore to that I refer the Reader. I could not
but here touch a little at these three Principal Fires, by which are
generated the three chief Jewels of the World, that the Enquirer
after the Wisdom of God may know, what great Mysteries of God are
to be imparted hereafter to the ungrateful World, before I publish
this Book of Fires and Stones. Now to return to our particular, and
see by what means our Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony may be
Coagulated, after a nearer way, into a tinging Stone, with which
Silver particularly, with all other inferiour Metals, may be Meliorated,
that out of them may be had good Gold and Silver with profit. And
also, how by it the Tinctures of Stones, both noble and ignoble, may
be drawn out of them, and after the Tincture is drawn out, to
incorporate it with Silver, and Colour it. And also, all precious Stones
exalted in their natural Colour, and if their Colour be too high, it may
be diminished, and the Stone rendred more precious, and how this is
to be done, the following Practice will reveal. The second and easier
way, how to bring our tinging Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony into an
hard, sweet, and not Corrosive Stone, is this.
In the foregoing Appendix, I have said somewhat of the
Coagulation of the sharp Spirits, of Metals and Minerals, and have
proved, that such Coagulation is to be made by the help of Old, cold
and dry Saturn, but because I did not there declare, how it is to be
effected, I think fit to do it here, and it is thus. All Liquors or moist
things, if they are to be dryed, then the moisture must be drawn off
from the thicker part by an easie heat, and then the thicker part
remains by it self, and is used according to its Appropriation, as we
know, that Aloes, Myrrh, Opium, and all other Gums and Juices were
thin at the first, and were inspissated into concrete Juices, by the
Sun or Fire. It is true, such an Inspissation of vegetable Juices is
easily done in this manner; but Mineral distilled Spirits, and Corrosive
Oyls, cannot be thus dryed, for they will endure heat, but if you give
too great a heat, they will fly away and not be thickned, as you may
see in Oyl of Vitriol, which by it self can never be dryed, although it
be never so long kept in heat. But if you will have it dry, you must
add something to it which is more than dry, and hath also power to
exsiccate moisture. We see in the baking of Bread, when we put
water to the Flour, and mix them together to make Dough, and of
that bake Bread, that the Flour, although it be dry, yet it cannot
retain with it self the Water, in a hot Oven, for that perfectly flies
away from the Meal by the heat, and if the Fire be encreased, all the
moisture would be gone, and only the Meal remain in form of a dry
Earth, having quite lost the form of Bread, because the Meal was not
radically united with the water, and therefore they could not endure
the heat together. If one take a dry Earth, Sand or Powder of a
Stone, and put water to it, the dry Earth will imbibe the water, and
to the Eye reduce it into Earth, but this is not constant. For if you
distil this Earth by a Retort, all the added water will again come over,
and leave the Earth alone, but this is to be understood of common
water. But suppose, one should add a heavy Mineral water as ol.
Vitrioli to a dry Earth, and should commit this mixture to the Fire, in
hopes, that the dry Earth should retain with it self the Corrosive Oyl
of Vitriol, and also reduce it into a dry Earth, it would prove a
mistake, for the Oyl of Vitriol, in a sufficient heat, would wholly
forsake the Earth, because the Earth is dead, and hath no
Sympathetick, or Magnetick power, to conjoyn it self radically with
the Oyl of Vitriol, so as to remain together constant in the Fire; but
such an Earth, which by an innate Love draws the Oyl of Vitriol to it
self, and endures with it in heat, or cold without Separation, must
proceed from the same Original with it, for every thing loves its like,
and hateth what is unlike to it. Now, because the Oyl of Vitriol
proceeds from a Mineral kind, therefore it loves the Metals, but no
common Earth or Stones, for it hath no affinity with them. Now if
the Oyl of Vitriol be to be converted into an hard Mineral stone, it
must be done by its like, to wit, by Metals, and by such Metals as
are most nearly related to it, viz. the Metals that are yet imperfect,
for all Metals and Minerals proceed from the same Root, and
therefore they all love one another, yet one Metal loves Oyl of Vitriol
more than another, and the immature Metals, better than the ripe
ones. For although Gold and Silver also love Oyl of Vitriol, yet they
do it by Compulsion, and not out of true Love, for they are very
difficultly dissolv’d by it, because they have put off their vitriolick
Nature in their Fixation: On the contrary, Mars and Venus have not
yet so done, and therefore they easily assume the Oyl of Vitriol, and
are dissolved by it, because it was driven out of their Body by the
force of Fire, therefore one might say, that Mars and Venus were the
true Metals, and easiest to Coagulate the Oyl of Vitriol and
Antimony, and to fix them into a Stone, yet this is not so, for Mars
and Venus are of a gross Nature, and have too much unprofitable
Earth, which may easily be seen by their difficult melting in the Fire.
Then what is to be done? Shall Saturn or Jupiter do it, both which
are of an easie Fusion? Or shall Mercury do it, which is always
Liquid? I answer, that Mercury cannot Coagulate, nor make fixed,
because he himself is not fixed, nor Coagulated. Neither can Jupiter
do it, for although he is fluxible and dry, yet he is easily
transmutable by a small Fire, into an influxible Earth, which cannot
again be reduced into a fluxible Metallick Body: What then, shall
despised Saturn do it, (may one ask) who is unfixed himself? and
which way is it then possible for him to fix a Body, which is more
fluid than himself? To this I answer, that the Fixity is not the only
cause of the Coagulation of the Oyl of Vitriol, for then this
Coagulation might be easiest performed, by Gold and Silver, which,
yet is not done, and therefore this Coagulation of Corrosive Spirits
must be done by dry Metallick Subjects. Now we know very well,
that among all the Metals Saturn is the driest, of which Paracelsus
writes very well in his Book of Vexations, which I have already
alledged, and confirmed in the foregoing Appendix, [viz.
Pharmacopœa Spagyr. Pars 7.] It is also true, that a better
Coagulator, of all Corrosive Mineral Spirits cannot be found, than old,
cold, and dry Saturn; for by his great dryness he Coagulateth the
moist Mineral Spirits; by his great innate sweetness, he dulcifies all
Corrosives; and by his fluxible Sulphur, he renders all influxible
Metallick Subjects, fluxible. Now we need nothing more to our Red
Oyl of Vitriol, Mars and Antimony, but that it be Coagulated into a
hard, sweet and fusile Stone, which Coagulation can only be done by
Saturn, and by no other Metal or Mineral, which I have sufficiently
proved in the before mention’d Appendix, and also in my Book of the
Three Principles of Metals. Now we have sufficiently understood,
that the Coagulation and Dulcification of our Red Corrosive Oyl of ♂]
and ♁ into a fusile Red Stone, can only be done by the help of the
Old, Cold, and, of all Fools, despised Saturn. Concerning the Nature
and Property of Saturn, it would not be here amiss, to say somewhat
of it: But because Paracelsus hath already sufficiently done it, in his
Cœlum Philosophorum, and I have already confirmed it in the
forementioned Appendix, I think it here unnecessary to add any
more. Yet I cannot forbear to say this, that Saturn naturally contains
yet a good quantity of the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, which doth not
vanish in melting, nor cannot be easier perceived, than when other
Metals are added to him upon the Cupel, how soon he swallows
them, and draws them with himself into the Cupel, except Gold and
Silver, which he cannot touch, because they have no radical
Communion with him, but are cleansed by Nature from their
superfluous Sulphur, for this devouring Wolf Saturn, can consume
nothing, but the combustible Sulphur of Metals, but the
incombustible fixed Sulphur and Mercury, he cannot touch, as
appears in Gold and Silver. The ancient Philosophers painted Saturn,
as an Old Man, with one foot on a Wooden stilt, having in one hand
a Sythe or Sickle, and in his other hand a Child, which he puts to his
mouth to devour it. By this they would intimate the devouring
Nature of Saturn, which they have also expressed in these Words,
Falx ejus Mordax est, he hath a sharp Sickle, beware of him, for he
hath no mercy, which I have found to be true, not only by the Cupel,
that he Corrodes and eats through them, for he Corrodes Sand and
Stones, and reduceth them into a transparent Glass; if he doth this
by his own Nature, what will he not do, when his Sythe is whetted
by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol? Certainly he can do ten times more: I
have experimented it, he that will know it, may also do the same: By
him we wash and cleanse common Gold and Silver on the Cupel, but
that Gold and Silver, which is still hid in the imperfect Metals, as
Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, as also in the vile Minerals and Stones,
which is still closely tyed to the combustible Sulphur, here the
common Saturn is too weak and can make no Separation. On the
contrary, ours can effect it very well, and therefore I commend him,
for after his Sythe is whetted by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, if then
one handle any Metal, or Mineral with him in a Crucible, he will in a
moment eat a hole through it, and run out; Nay, if one should put
two or three Crucibles one into another, he would do the same, but
if one cast somewhat before him, to satiate his Wolf-like Appetite,
then he leaves the Crucibles whole, but doth what the Artist would
have him, and is used as a tame Wolf, devours the Sheep no more,
but keeps them from other devouring Wolves.
Before I could bring him to that pass, to prevent his biting, I tryed
many sorts of Vessels to hold him, nay I have put him upon a Test
made of bone Ashes. ’Tis true, he did not eat in, but remained fixt
upon the Cupel like Silver, and would not Coppel, by which I
perceived, that any common Lead, by help of the Red Oyl of Mars
and Antimony, may in a very short time, not only be reduced into
Gold and Silver, but also be fixed into a true Tincture, which I have
sufficiently shewn in the foregoing Appendix, that some of the
ancient Philosophers have made their tinging Stone out of Saturn.
But setting this aside, because I yet never went so far, but I should
not think it at all difficult, to make an universal Tincture, to
transmute all the Metals into perfect Gold and Silver out of Saturn,
with the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, if my weakness of Body would permit.
But I concern not my self about that, but leave it to those that are
younger, for I can easier come to an universal Tincture, by the help
of the secret Fire of Philosophers, than by Saturn; but in the
particular Transmutation of Metals, I have performed many things
with the Stone of ♄, as the following Practice sheweth.

Now followeth the easie Coagulation of our Red Oyl of Mars and
Antimony, into a Red, Sweet, and fluxible Stone.

℞. Some Pounds of common Lead, melt it, and pour it out into a
long Ingot, and rasp as much thereof as need shall require;
take of this a Pound of more, and put it into a Glass Retort well
coated, pour to it half the quantity of the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, set it
in a Sand Cupel, and give Fire gently by degrees, and there will
come over no Red Oyl, but only a clear and insipid Water, and all the
sharpness, with the Red Tincture, will remain with the ♄. If you
break the Retort, you will find no Saturn, but this Red, Tinging, and
easie melting Stone, of such Virtues as I have told you before. Now
if you will make use of this Stone for the particular Meliorating of the
inferiour Metals, as also for noble and ignoble Stones, you must
powder it, and mix it with the Metallick Ashes, and melt them, and
you will find the good Metal to be separated from the rest, the
unprofitable part, and superfluous Sulphur, will turn into dross, and
the purer part will settle into a Regulus, which you must blow off
upon a Cupple, and you will find the Silver and Gold, which our
Stone hath separated out of that Metal; for our Stone hath this
Nature, to separate in the Fire the good from the bad, to turn the
Good into a Metalline Regulus, and the inferiour into Dross. For
Example, I have a mixture of Metals containing Gold, Silver, Venus,
Mars and Jupiter together, I granulate this mixture, and mix them
with our Stone, melt them together in a Crucible, our Stone only
spoils the inferiour Metals, as ♂, ♀ and ♃, which it consumes into a
Dross, but the purer as ☉ and ☽ it separates from this Dross, and
precipitates them into a Regulus. But if this Regulus should not be
fine enough at the first melting, you must Cupel it with Lead, neither
doth all the ☉ and ☽ come out of this mixture at one melting, but
some remains with the Dross, therefore you must again put this into
a Crucible, and put to it some filings of Iron, and so melt them
together, then the wild Sulphur will be destroy’d by the ♂, and so let
the Gold and Silver fall by Cupellation. The Dross you must reserve,
till you have enough to melt in a small Wind Furnace, and it will be
again reduced into Lead, which you may again use for the same
Labour; for the Reduction of this, I have invented a peculiar small
Furnace, which may be carried from place to place, and also you
may pour out the Dross after it is melted, without breaking any thing
of the Furnace, so that you may use it very often, before the Hearth
will need mending. What is here said of the Separating of Metallick
mixtures, the same may also be understood of those Mixtures, which
are yet in the Oar, for the Oars are as easily separated by our Stone,
as the Metals. This is the use of our Stone, before its Tincture is yet
fixed, and therefore not able to transmute ☽ into ☉. Presently you
shall also hear, how it may be rendred capable to transmute any
Silver, by Degrees, into good Gold. I think it fit, first to say
somewhat, how by the help of our Stone one may attain great Profit
from Gems. For the Gems have in them fixed Tinctures, which our
Neptune can spoil them off and so incorporate them with the naked
Diana, to make her a Golden Vest, which is done thus: ℞ The
fragments of coloured Gems, viz. of Granates, Rubies, Saphirs,
Hyacinths, Jaspis, &c. put a little of these into a good Crucible, and
put to it three times as much of our Stone, cover it well, and melt it
upon those Stones, and our Stone draws out the Colour of the
Gems, and Colours it self yet deeper. With this Red Stone, if any filed
☽ be mixed with it, and melted, it draws the fixed Tincture to it and
becomes Golden, so that in the Separation it yeilds much Gold, N. B.
The fittest Silver for this work is, that which is precipitated by ♀ out
of Aqua Fortis, yet you may also use that, which is precipitated by
Salt water. If the work be well done, the Gems will be white, which
you may use instead of small Diamonds, for the Fire doth not take
away their hardness, N. B. If a Man hath Skill enough to take away
the Colour from the great Gems, as Granates, and Hyacinths, he
may acquire Riches in a short time; for afterwards you may tinge
other white Stones into Rubies, by the help of this Colour, but this
Labour requires an experienced Artist, but no Pratler: And this is
sufficient for this time, he that delighteth in these Arts may Practise
them, and try how God will prosper him in it. If he can but obtain
the Extracting of the Gems, he needs no more, for one Gem, of a
Drain, is worth more than several Ounces of Gold. After we have
briefly understood, how to make good Profit with our Red
coagulated Oyl of Antimony and Mars, before it is yet fixed, with the
imperfect Metals and Gems: You shall also hear what it will do, when
fixed. And this you must know, that if a Tincture very well prepared,
can endure melting in the Fire, yet for all that, it may not be
accounted fixed; for inasmuch as they are made out of unfixed
Metals, they cannot themselves be fixed; if one should object, and
say, that the Tincture was drawn out of fixed Iron, and therefore it
must also be fixed, although the Antimony was not fixed: I answer,
that Iron cannot be called fixed, although it doth not fly in the fire,
for Saturn can still devour it, but this only is to be reputed fixed,
which endures the Cupel, which neither ♂ nor ♁ doth. Therefore the
Tinctures which are extracted out of them, cannot endure the Cupel
before they are made fixed. For which reason the highly experienced
Philosopher Paracelsus tells us, that we must not take common Iron
to draw our Tincture, but such as cannot be again reduced into Iron,
which we must seek in the green and blue Scoriæ, out of which Iron
hath been melted by the strength of Fire, and are cast away.
Because the Iron, and also every imperfect Metal, containeth two
sorts of Sulphur, viz. a combustible, and incombustible; the
combustible is melted by a strong Fire, into a dead Glass, but the
incombustible remains unhurt, hidden in the said Glass, and may be
drawn out of it by Art, and brought into a Tincture, that will endure
the Cupel. I could cite Paracelsus for several other things, because
he writes very honestly, but it is not here convenient. It would be
very well, if some one would reprint this Treatise, for it is out of
Print, that the way to the Truth might be shewn to them that err.
And if none will do it, I shall do it my self, for it is commendable to
preserve a lighted Candle, and not suffer it to go out. This is enough
of the Fixation of Paracelsus, which is done by the great strength of
common fire. Now we will also hear, how this Fixation may be
effected by an artificial moist fire, much easier than by the former. In
my Treatise lately published of the Three Principles of Metals, I have
taught how any combustible Sulphur may be fixed in a very few
hours, so that no Fire can any more hurt it. Now if such a quick
Fixation of combustible Sulphur, can be done with a moist Fire, as I
have shewn it may in the said Treatise, what may not be done, by
the same Fire in the more fixed Metals, such as Iron? I have also
shewn in the same place, that ♁, as well as common 🜍, may be
made fixed in few hours, I have also said that ♁ and common 🜍, so
fixed have no ingress into Metals. After that, I have also taught, how
to procure this ingress by common Gold, if the Gold and the Sulphur
be united, and then a fixing Aqua Fortis drawn from them, that then
it can never be separated from the Gold, but that the Gold so
preserves it upon the Cupel, that Saturn cannot enter it: Now if this
may be done with common Sulphur and Antimony, why not also with
Mars, which in its Nature approacheth Fixity? Therefore it behoveth,
that we should fix our Tincture of ♂ and ♁, after the same manner
being united with ☉, by the Humid fire, that both may be permanent
upon the Cupel. For without this Fixation nothing of moment can be
done. For if these Tinctures be added to Silver, and are not constant
in the Fire, they with the Silver, become Metals again, vanish upon
the Cupel with ♄, and leave the ☽ nothing bettered. Therefore
nothing else is to be observed, but to bring into Perpetuation the
prepared Tinctures of ♂ and ♁, by the addition of Gold, and the due
Abstraction of the fixing Waters; and then the Tinctures remain with
the Silver unseparable, and the devouring Saturn cannot hurt them
upon the Cupel. Let this suffice concerning the particular Fixation of
our Red Oyl of ♂ and Antimony. Now followeth, how to make an
universal Coagulation and Fixation of this Oyl.

The P R O C E S S.

℞. Three or four Ounces of our Coagulated Oyl of Mars and

Antimony, into a Red Stone by the help of ♄, grinde it into an
impalpable Powder, and draw from it ten or twelve Ounces of strong
Aqua Fortis, which hath been first abstracted from decrepitated Salt,
and in which is dissolved half an Ounce of Gold: Secondly, and
Thirdly, abstract from it again fresh Aqua Regia, but without Gold;
then the Gold will radically unite it self with the Tincture of Mars and
Antimony, and they will be constantly fixed together, by means of
Aqua Regia. When this is done, pour upon it a good quantity of
common Water, let it boyl for some hours, and it will draw out the
sharp Spirits, which remained with the Tincture, this may be once or
twice repeated, then dry it, and it is fit to tinge Silver into Gold. This
Tincture melts as easily as Wax; the Saturn which is mixed with it,
doth not hinder it, it is true, he goes into the Silver with the
Tincture, but is easily separated by the Cupel. I could set down
many more Dexterities, in the Preparation of this Tincture, but it
would swell too much, it being already greater than I expected, for I
only thought to have annexed this to the Appendix, as a Corollary,
but it is grown bigger than the Appendix it self. Here should have
been added, how this Tincture of Antimony and Mars, by the help of
our Alcahest, might be made into a constant Tincture, easily and in
great quantity, without Cost; so compendiously, that in three or four
days time, a good quantity of Tincture may be made fit to graduate
a great part of Silver into Gold: But the time will not allow me here
to insist any farther on it, but must defer it the second Appendix,
where the Reader will find greater Contentment. For this work is so
easily done with the Alcahest without great Cost, that the most
ordinary Mechanick may imitate it, and profit by it. There will come
another World, when Art will flourish, and Pratlers perish. Take
notice of this, for the time is at hand, Elias the Artist will soon
appear, of this Read Paracelsus in his Book of Vitriol. At such a time
there will be great changes in Europe, and chiefly in the German
Empire, France and Swedland. For Elias the Artist, it may be, when
he comes, will bring with him some Military inventions, and by his
great Power establish the Fifth Monarchy. That in these times great
Changes will be in Europe, is not to be doubted, for the Heavens do
foretel it. God send us what is good, there being now nothing of
good left, how then is it possible, it should remain longer in Peace?
 OF
E L I A S the A R T I S T:
OR ,
What we are to understand by Elias the Artist,
and what he is to reform in the World at his
coming.

V I Z.
The true Spagyrical Medicin of the Ancient Egyptian
Philosophers, which has been lost for above 1000
Years, and will be restored by him, and illustrated
with many new Inventions, by rejecting much
unprofitable Smut-work, and pointing out a nearer
and better way to obtain good Medicines, with
little Trouble or Charges; which true Medicine he
will bring along with him, and declare the same to
the present deceived World. Translated out of the
High-Dutch.
Courteous Reader,

T
owards the end of my last published Treatise concerning the
Infernal Goddess Proserpina, I took occasion to mention, that
probably soon after my Death, the long-since fore-told Elias
Artista would appear, and bring along with him a great Light, to
enlighten the dark World, enabling them to reject the Evil, and
embrace that which is good: As likewise, that many great changes
will happen in divers Kingdoms, and especially in the Roman Empire,
where one Potentate will overcome the other, and make himself
Master of his Dominions. I there also shewed what, Paracelsus hath
declared concerning Elias Artista, and fundamentally confuted the
groundless Opinion of some Persons concerning the same in my
Fourth Part of the Prosperity of Germany, shewing that that
Prophecy is not to be understood according to the Letter, and to be
meant of some great Man in the World, but Magically; for the word
Elias by transposition of Letters, makes out Salia, and so likewise
doth the word Elisha, as I have formerly explained these words in
my Treatise of the Nature of Salts. Elias Artista therefore according
to the style of Philosophers, signifies extraordinary and unknown
Salts, by which great and incredible things may be performed, and
accordingly when manifested, will be the cause of great changes in
the World.
These Salts were known to the Philosophers of old, who yet did
not think fit any further to open themselves concerning them, than
in declaring, that the Philosophers Stone must be prepared by them.
Turba Philosophorum speaking concerning this matter, saith, This our
Salt encreases the Redness in ☉, and whiteness in ☽, and further, if
God had not created this Salt it were impossible to make the Elixir. It
is probable, that the Philosophers who wrote concerning this
wonderful Salt, had no knowledge of any other, supposing that this
Salt only was proper to extract and prepare Tinctures. I must
acknowledge there is no Salt in the World, that hath such virtue to
encrease and exalt the Tincture in common as well as Philosophical
☉ and ☽, and that as it were in a moment, as soon as the Monarch
of Salts is added to them. Neither doth our Salt only exalt, but it also
joyns the King of Metals so indissolubly with his Queen, that no Art
can separate them. A thing worth our wonder, that a Volatile white
Salt should have the power to meliorate ☉ and ☽, and to exalt the
same permanently. For to give some further light to the matter, I
declare, that this Salt of which the Turba speaks, doth sublime
white, and being dissolved in Water, gives a white Solution: It is
white, and continues white both in and out of the Fire, and is
altogether Volatile, for which reason I have called it my Secret Salt
Armoniack; but as soon as it is join’d with ☉ or ☽ it becomes fix, and
makes the ☉ and ☽ fixer than they were before, affording them a
kind of plusquam perfection, and inseparable Conjunction. Let none
think that this Salt of which I here speak, is like, or the same with
that, which is made of Oyl of Vitriol and Spirit of Urine, of which I
have treated in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopæa Spagyrica; for
this our Sovereign Salt has no affinity with that, for as much as that
Salt makes all things Volatile, and separates their purer part by
Sublimation from the gross fæces, but this our white Salt, though it
be unfixt it self, yet has the power to fix unfixt Metals, so as to
endure the Test, provided always that the virtue of this unfixt Salt,
be first fixed by its conjunction with ☉ and ☽. For the whole
substance of this Salt (which the Philosophers have called a Bishop
or High Priest) when ☉ and ☽ as King and Queen are inseparably
join’d by it, doth not abide with the ☉ and ☽, but only by its hidden
Tincture and Virtue, whereby it exalts all colours, the unprofitable
body of the Salt separating from them, as soon as the Conjunction is
made, even as a Priest, when he has join’d two Persons in Wedlock
goes his way, having performed his Office. And indeed this
inseparable Conjunction of ☉ and ☽, may well be compared with the
Conjunction in Marriage performed by a Priest; for as when the
Priest has join’d two Parties together in Wedlock, they must
inseparably continue so till death; so likewise when the Metallic
Copulation of ☉ and ☽ is performed by means of our Metallick High
Priest, consecrated by Jupiter, then are their Bodies thence forward
inseperable; the Water finds no ingress into them, the Air cannot
pierce them, and Earth much less, yea, the strongest of all Elements,
the Fire hath no power over them, but, like a Married Couple, abide
together in all contrariety and adversity, and according to their Kind
do multiply in infinitum, being supported with due Food and
Nourishment; for we know, that except we be refreshed and
strengthened with Meat and Drink, we can neither live nor multiply;
the multiplying virtue in many and all Creatures proceeding from the
Nourishment they take in. And the same we are to understand also
concerning the Metallick Multiplication, for when ☉ and ☽ are
permanently conjoined, by means of the Metallick High Priest, this
alone is not sufficient in order to their multiplication, but they
moreover must be supported with convenient Meat and Drink. And
as Man at his first coming into the World is nourish’d with his
Mothers Milk, in like manner the Philosophers do feed their ☉ and ☽
with their Mothers Milk, that is, with their first Essence, from whence
they deriv’d their Original. Now we know that in contemptible
Antimony, the first Ens of ☉, is copiously to be found, and may with
ease be drawn thence, in the appearance of Milk, with which ☉ and
☽ are to be nourished in order to their Multiplication and Increase.
The Nourishment then wherewith our conjoined ☉ and ☽ are to be
refreshed, and disposed to a Multiplication in infinitum, is our Lac
Virginis, Virgin Milk and Mercurial Water, which strengthens and
increaseth the Procreative Seed in ☉ and ☽ both in quantity and
quality. Wherefore also this feeding or inceration has always been
recommended by the Philosophers, as a most necessary thing,
whereby, as it were, a new life, and multiplying virtue is
communicated to the inseparably united ☉ and ☽.
Furthermore we are to know, that after common ☉ and ☽ by
means of the Salt of Art, are inseparably conjoined and exalted in
their colours; yet nothing can be performed with them, because they
want an ingress into other Metals, which they have lost by their
Conjunction, which therefore must be restored to them by means of
our mercurial Water, which not only communicates Ingress, but also
easie Fluxibility and Multiplication to the destroyed Bodies of ☉ and
☽. For when our ☿ Water is fixed in Conjunction with the fixt ☉ and
☽, then it is no longer a Volatile ☿, but is changed by the exalted ☉
and ☽ to a fixt Tincture. This done, if we would multiply this
Tincture, we must add to it some of our Mercurial Water, and fix
them together as before, which Multiplication we may repeat as oft
as we please. For when once ☉ and ☽ are made irreducible and
more than perfect, by means of our Salt of Art, we need never after
to begin our Work a-new, but only mingle the fixt with the volatile in
order to their Fixation; seeing that our Mercurial Water is in its inside
better than ☉, for which reason also it turns the ☉ and ☽ when fixed
with them into mere Tincture. Let no Man wonder why in this
Operation we join ☉ and ☽ together, and not rather make use of ☉
alone, forasmuch as this ☽ hath no colour at all outwardly, though in
its inside it be higher of colour than ☉ it self, both which Metals
nevertheless, except their colours be exalted by the Salt of Art, and
Inceration, without our Mercurial Water can never be changed into a
true Tincture, because ☉ and ☽ have no mere Tinctures than is
sufficient for themselves, but being exalted by the tinging Salt of Art,
they are capable of colouring white Metals, but not before. Indeed ☉
alone without the addition of ☽ may be exalted by our Salt of Art,
and Mercurial Water into a Red Tincture. In like manner also may ☽
alone be exalted in its whiteness by our Salt of Art, and ☿, one part
of which exalted ☽ tingeth many parts of ♀ into good and fixt ☽♀,
for our ☿ wherewith we incerate and multiply, may be fixed into a
Red or White Tincture, according to the ferment we join with it, with
☉ it makes a red, and with ☽ a white Tincture. However the best
way is to put ☉ and ☽ ♀ together in due weight and proportion,
exalting them with the Salt of Art, by which means the whiteness in
☽ ♀ when join’d with ☉, becomes changed into Redness, of which
mine Eyes are Witness. Of this Exaltation of ☉ into a high purple
colour, and of ☽ ♀ into the highest whiteness, I gave an Ocular
Demonstration to some of my Friends, before my Sickness, but none
of them have since undertaken the Work, and my self by Sickness
have been hindered hitherto.
Ovid excellently describes the preparation of this Tincture, where
he tells us, that Jupiter, having chang’d himself into a Golden Rain,
fell through the Tiles into the Lap of Danaë, (shut up by her Father
Acrisius King of the Argives in a strong Tower) and got her with
Child, of whom afterwards Perseus was born, who in process of time
being mounted on the Winged Horse Pegasus, killed the Sea-
Monster, delivering the fair Andromeda, whom he took to Wife; and
afterwards vanquished the Gorgons, and made himself Master of the
Golden-fruit-bearing-Orchard. In which Fable the whole Work is
clearly and punctually described, but the reason why it is so little
understood, is, because so few makes it their business to consider
thereof, or put their hands to the Work. For attentively considering
the matter, we find that the King of the Argives, in the sense of the
Philosophers, is our Black Lead, whence we prepare our Snow-white
Virgin Milk or Mercurial Water, which is the Beautiful Danaë, that
becomes inpregnate by Jupiter’s Golden Rain. Archivum signifies a
Treasury of secret and important Records, and no Subjects contains
more secrets, than doth our Black Magnesia. What is more lovely to
behold than Jupiter’s Golden Rain, whereby the fair Danaë becomes
impregnate? And from whence does this Rain proceed, but from our
Salt of Art, without which it were impossible for ♃ to change the ☉
into such a desirable Rain? What is the Beautiful Andromeda else,
but Diana the Consort of Apollo, who is exposed to the Sea-Monster
to be devoured, and is delivered by Perseus. And, in a word, the
whole Work of preparing a Tincture from the foresaid Subjects is so
clearly set down by Ovid, as it could not well be set down more
clearly; and yet how little is it understood, by reason of the general
Stupidity and inadvertency of the Readers. I have here discovered all
the ingredients belonging to this Tincture, so as nothing remains,
except putting hand to the Work, and begging God’s Blessing upon
it: For no good thing was ever the effect of idleness: But Praying,
Seeking, and unwearied Labour, are the Well-Springs of all useful
Arts.
And herewith I shall conclude the use of the Salt of Art, in
preparing the universal Tincture upon all Metals, transmuting the
same into ☉ and ☽♀. I suppose it hath been sufficiently made out,
that the foretold Elias Artista is nothing else, but this our Salt of Art,
whereby the Redness in ☉, and Whiteness in ☽ ♀ are exalted into
Tincture. Wherefore also this Salt, by those who know its use, has
been called the Monarch of Salts: For every Species of things hath
its Monarch, excelling all the rest of the same kind; upon which
account, Paracelsus, who in his Life-time had not his Peer, obtain’d
the Title of Philosophers, Physicians and Monarch of Chymists.
Forasmuch therefore, as our Salt of Art hath not its like in the World,
for working Wonders in Alchimy, it may well be call’d the King of
Salts: Tho’ indeed there be one only Salt which excels him, as far as
Elias excell’d his Servant Elisha: For as Elias went up to Heaven in a
fiery Chariot, leaving his Mantle to Elisha, so this Salt may more
properly be compared to Elisha than Elias, because Elisha staid here
beneath, and did not ascend to Heaven, as Elias did. Now the
Chymists generally prefer that, which ascends by the force of the
Fire, before that which stays behind, tho’ this Rule be not without
Exceptions; for that which remains is not always to be rejected,
because sometimes much good lies hid in it: As we may perceive in
Elias his Ascension to Heaven, who left his Mantle behind, which was
not without Virtue, as appeared when Elisha with it divided the River
Jordan, going over dry-shod. The Chymists commonly call that which
remains after Distillation, or Sublimation, Caput Mortuum, but
without good ground, because in that which stays behind, often a
great vivifying Virtue lies hid. This we may gather from the Virtue
(as has been said) remaining in the Mantle of Elias, and in the dead
bones of Elisha, which as soon as it touch’d the dead Body, raised it
again to Life: If Elias his Mantle had been a dead thing, Elisha could
never have divided Jordan therewith, nor could Elisha’s bones have
raised the dead to Life, if they had been dead and without Power.
Consider well what I have said, and you will find more in it, than I
dare more plainly declare; remembring always, that Jordan is
nothing else, but our ☿ Water.

Concerning the Salt of Art.

Having already heard, how by means of the fixative Salt of Art,
common ☉ and ☽♀ may be prepared into a Tincture, for the cure of
Men and Metals; it now remains to be declared, how, by means of
the Volatilizing Salt of Art, most excellent Medicines may with ease,
and small Charges, in a very short time be prepared, out of all
Vegetables, Animals and Minerals. We are here to take Notice, as
has been already hinted, that the Property of our Salt of Art, is, to
make the volatile Metallick Subjects fixt; of which fixative Property,
notwithstanding it may in a few hours, easily and without Charges
be devested, and a Power of Volatilizing all things introduced into it,
instead thereof, by which, incredible things may then be performed,
both in Physick and Alchimy. Of which Wonder-working Salt, the
present World knows nothing at all, and probably nothing will be
known of it, till God shall permit it to be revealed by Elias the Artist.
What I know of it, I am willing to communicate for common Good,
not doubting, but that God in his due time by means of Good men
will reveal the rest. To volatize this fixative Salt of Art, is an easie
thing to the Wise, but to the Ignorant altogether incredible; though
it be no difficult thing to me, to make it credible and apparent, which
if thou wouldest do likewise, proceed thus: Pour upon our Salt of
Art, in due proportion good Spirit of Wine, which draw off by
Distillation, and you will have a wonderful Spirit, of great Virtue; but
you will find your Salt of Art so weakened, as it cannot be used
again: But the Spirit of Wine, impregnated with the Virtue of the
Salt, performs Wonders, that were never yet made known to the
World, of which we shall hear more hereafter. For the Spirit of Wine
in this abstraction hath its Virtue multiplied ten fold, so as it not only
extracts the Essence of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, both
easily and suddenly, carrying them over the Helm; but also extracts
the Tinctures from ☉ and ☽, and all precious and common Stones,
and brings them over. Of which Extraction and Separation of the
tinging Soul from fixt and unfixt Bodies, no Philosopher hitherto hath
divulged any thing. Let us now take a view of the great Secrets,
which may be obtained by means of our Alcolized Spirit of Wine.
Paracelsus had an Alcolized Spirit of Wine, which he called Alcohol
vini, with which he did great things; but it is not likely, that his
Alcohol vini was of the same Virtue, as mine here described; for if
so, it could not have been so long concealed. However it be, we
cannot deny Paracelsus the Title of Monarch of Physicians and
Alchymists, though he may have been ignorant of our Salt of Art,
with which our Alcohol vini is prepared; for no Body knows all
things; and God bestows his Gifts, as best pleaseth him.
But to our return to our Alcohol vini, and the manner of using it.
First we are to take Notice, that as for Vegetables and Animals, they
are to be reduced to Powder, if they be dry, but if fresh, they need
only to be a little bruised or chopt, and then pour upon them our
Alcohol vini; if the Subjects be dry, we may digest a while before
abstraction, but in Case they be moist, we may distil the Spirit
immediately, which carries over with it all the Virtue of the said
Vegetables and Animals, together with the Taste and Smell, and
poured upon Flowers, and distill’d, sometimes brings over their
Colours also, which hitherto hath been looked upon as very difficult,
if not impossible. But before we make use of it upon Minerals, we
must prepare them, for our Alcohol vini is not strong enough to lay
hold on hard Minerals, and compact Metals, so as to extract their
Essences, and therefore they must be first opened with Waters, that
are not Corrosive, and afterwards be digested with our Alcohol vini
and then distilled; which being performed in this Order, the Alcohol
will carry their Essences with it over the Helm. This is the true
Preparation of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, in order to the
extracting of your Essences, by means of our Alcohol vini. But here
we must observe, that this Preparation of fixt Metals, by opening of
their Bodies, must be done with fixt Liquors, and not Volatile; for if
the dissolvent were Volatile, it would come over in Distillation with
the Spirit of Wine, and spoil all; because after Distillation, the Spirit
of Wine must be separated from the Essence it hath brought over
with it; now if the dissolvent, by being Volatile, should come over the
Helm, it would remain with the Medicine, and consequently spoil it.
We are therefore to remember, that this dissolvent must be Firey,
not Corrosive, without any Smell or bad Taste: The dissolvent being
as necessary to our Work, as is the Spirit of Wine it self: Wherefore
he who intends to plant good Fruit, in this Gold-bearing Orchard,
must be provided with both these Keys, viz. with a Menstruum, not
Corrosive, to dissolve Metals and Minerals, and with a well prepared
Alcolized Spirit of Wine, without which, he cannot obtain the
Tincture of Metals.
Having thus spoken of the foregoing Preparation of Vegetable,
Animals and Minerals, in general: I shall now proceed to shew in
particular, how out of them most surpassing, and excellent Medicines
may be prepared.
And first to begin with Vegetables; their Essences are to be
distilled in Balneo, with a moderate heat, changing the Recipient
when it is needful: For that which comes over, first is of another
Nature, than that which distils next, and that again differs from that
which comes last. There are some Vegetables, that first give their
best part, and the worst last, whereas in others, the worst comes
first, and the best stays till the last. For the rest, it is easily
apprehended, that the Virtue of Flowers and Herbs; especially when
green and tender, doth more easily yield to Distillation, and come
over sooner than the Essence of hard Wood, which is more closely
shut up in its Body. He that proceeds aright in this Work, will meet
with great delight and Satisfaction, and bless God for the
Communication of this Light. For our Alcolized Spirit of Wine brings
over Vegetable Essences, of a most fragrant Odour, which common
Spirit of Wine can never do: We may indeed extract Vegetables, and
Minerals with common Spirit of Wine, but cannot carry the said
extracted Essences over the Helm: Which extracts made with
common Spirit of Wine, are not to be compared with those, which
our Alcohol vini brings over with it, differing as much as the shell
from the kernel. For our Essences, as soon as they are taken into the
Body, penetrate it throughout, passing every where to find out their
Enemies, and when found Attack, and put them to flight, which
gross Medicines cannot perform. The like Virtue is also in those ☿
Salts, Tinctures or Souls of Metals, that come over in the flame of
the distilled Spirit of Wine, which also penetrate the Body
throughout, chasing their Enemies before them; and the Tinctures of
Stones in the same manner prepared do the like. Which we must not
so understand, as if the Alcolized Spirit of Wine were to be taken
into the Body, together with the Tincture, for indeed it must be
separated from it. As for instance, when I have brought over the
Quintessence of Flints or Crystals, with our Alcohol vini, and have a
mind to make use of it against the Stone in the Bladder or Kidneys,
or Stones that are grown in the joynts, I must not exhibit this
Essence, as it is mixed with the Spirit of Wine, for if so, the good
effect, that might be looked for from the Essence, would be spoiled
by the great heat of the Spirit of Wine, which is the reason the same
must be separated from the Essence, before it can be given
inwardly. Now this Separation cannot be done by Distillation,
because both would come over together. Neither can the Tincture, or
Essence of the Stone, be separated from the Spirit of Wine, by
Precipitation. What is to be done therefore in this Case? The only
way to attain our desire is, to kindle the burning Spirit, and let it
flame away under a large and capacious Helm or Head, made for
that purpose; by which means the Spirit of Wine is consumed in the
flame, and the incombustible Essence of Crystal remains in form of a
sweet and pleasant Oyl. We are also to note, that in this burning
away of the Spirit of Wine, the Sulphur of Wine only is consumed,
and the incombustible ☿ of Wine, being condensed in the Head, falls
into the Receiver, in the appearance of a sweet Water. [see more of
this instrument in the Sixth Part of Phar. Spagyr.]
N. B. We are to observe, that the most highly rectified Spirit of
Wine, is much about half water, which water ascends with the flame,
and is caught in the Recipient. Yet is not this ⛛ any common ⛛, but
indeed a powerful ⛛ of Life, especially when the Spirit of Wine hath
been rectified from Aromatical, or Medicinal Subjects, but even
without this, it is of very good use, because the incombustible ☿ of
Wine lies hid in it, and may be separated from it, by abstracting the
said ⛛ in a very gentle vaporous Bath, which done, the ☿ of Wine
stays behind, in the form of a white lovely Salt, full of heavenly
Powers and Virtues: For which cause this Salt or ☿ of Wine, hath
been always termed by the Philosophers, Heavenly Salt.
It is likewise to be noted, that after the ⛛ is abstracted from the
Spirit of Wine, the said ⛛ is not devoid of all Virtue, as invisibly
containing some part of the foresaid Heavenly Salt, especially if the
Spirit of Wine in its Rectification, hath been impregnated with
Spices, or other good Subjects: For according to the different
impregnation of the Spirit of Wine, the Heavenly Salt, or ☿ of Wine,
will be more or less powerful. Thus we have seen in what manner
the Essences of Flints and Chrystals are to be prepared, with the
help of our Alcohol vini.
When this Spirit of Wine Crystallized is kindled and burnt away
under a large Head, the greatest part of the Essence of Crystals
remains behind, in the form of a pleasant clear Liquor, which is the
most Sovereign Medicine against all Diseases proceeding from
Tartar, viz. Stone in the Bladder, Kidneys and other parts of the
Body, which it dissolves, and carries off. But the most pure part of
the Crystals mounts with the flame into the Helm, in form of a clear
Water, which when abstracted in a vaporous Bath the ☿ of Crystals
stays behind, in form of a lovely white Salt, which is of far greater
power in the Stone, Gout, and like Diseases, than the fixt Oyl or
Liquor, which remains in the Vessel after the Spirit of Wine is burnt
away. In like manner, we may proceed with other Stones. Yet we are
to understand, that all Stones have not the same Nature or Property:
Thus we find Several sorts of Crystal, viz. some White, Transparent
and clear, others White, but Opake and dark, also Green, Blew,
Yellow, Red, and Black Crystals, all which by the help of Salts, are
melted into Glass of several Colours. Amongst these Crystals are also
reckoned. Flints, Pebbles, Gravel and Sand, which likewise suffer
themselves with Salts to be melted into Glass. All these
forementioned Stones, may with Alkalick Salts be melted, and
afterwards by Deliquium be resolved into a Liquor, concerning which
Liquors, I have treated at large in the Second Part of my Furnaces.
These Stones that suffer themselves to be melted, with the
Addition of Alkalies, may also, with Lead-ashes, be reduced to
transparent Glass. Whereas precious Stones, viz. Diamonds, Rubies,
Saphirs, Jacinths, Granates, &c. are of a quite different Nature,
which neither by Alkalies, nor Lead, can be run down into Glass:
Wherefore also none have been found hitherto, that have been able
from them to prepare any good Medicine, as not yielding to the most
Corrosive Waters whatsoever.
N. B. And though indeed, I know a way to dissolve them without
any Corrosive, yet do not I think it proper, to Communicate the same
in this publick manner.
There is another sort of Stones, which are commonly found in Rich
and fat Earth, and sometimes also in Rivers or Brooks, such as Lapis
Judaicus, Lyncis and others, which being not very hard, may be
dissolved in good Spirit of Salt, which Solutions are by some of our
common Chymists used against the Stone, but without any good
Success, forasmuch as the Body of the Stone is not at all meliorated
by being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, but rather made worse; because
by this means, there is no Separation of the pure from the impure.
But if any Man will take the pains to reduce these Stones into
Essences, in the way before specified, he will find them much more
available in all sorts of Tartarous Distempers.
There are also several kinds of Lime-stone, which cannot be
melted with Addition of Alkalies, or the Ashes of Lead, but by a
strong Fire are burnt into Lime. Amongst which Lime-Stones, we
may reckon the Ludus of Van Helmont, which like other Limestones,
may be sublimed with our strong ♓ , and afterwards reduced into a
Liquor, of which I have treated elsewhere, and particularly in the
Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica. Out of these Stones,
after they have been first burnt into Lime, a most excellent Medicine
may be prepared against all kinds of the Gout: Basil Valentine
assuring us, that he with Essence of quick Lime, cured the
Chancellor of the Emperour of Germany of the Gout: Which we may
the rather believe, because Basil Valentine knew the way of
separating the ☿ from the Spirit of Wine, by enkindling it; and hath
also described an instrument of Copper, for performing that
Operation: And knowing all this, he could not be unacquainted, that
the Essence of Quick-lime, being united with Spirit of Wine, and
afterwards meliorated, and putrified by burning it away, was
separable from it, which he having reduced to Practice, obtained this
excellent Medicine for curing of the Gout.
We are further to know, that there be other, and better Stones, to
prepare an universal Medicine against the Gout and Stone, by means
of our Alcohol vini, after they have been first burnt into Lime, viz.
Oyster shells, which, being burnt afford a Lime that is very Caustick;
and of a like Nature are all Sea-productions, viz. the Stones that are
found in Spunges, all sorts of Coral, Pearl, and Mother of Pearl, all
which may be reduced by Fire, into a Lime of great and excellent
use.
But above all other Stones, I esteem those that are found in
Beasts, Birds, Fishes or Man, which being reduced into a Calx, and
their Essences extracted with our Alcohol Vini, may then be brought
into a pleasant Liquor of great Use.
Amongst Fishes, the best Stones are found in Haddocks and
Whitings, Crabs Eyes also are very good, but must be calcined
before they can be of any good use in Physick; for without that, they
are more proper to generate the Stone, than to expel it.
Having thus declared, how, from some Stones, good Medicaments
may be prepared against the Gout and Stone both of the Bladder
and Kidney; we will next shew, what kind of Stones are proper to be
extracted with our Alcohol Vini, in order to the obtaining of true
Tinctures for Men and Metals. For all Stones that have good fixt
colours, are not therefore fit to have their Tinctures extracted;
because some of the Precious Stones are too costly, though we
should only make use of their Fragments. Some will not submit to
any Operation, viz. Granates, Saphires, Rubies, Jacinths, Emralds,
Turkoises, &c. though they abound with much fixt Tincture; whereas
all those Stones which are high of colour, and suffer themselves to
be dissolved, are proper for this work, because without preceding
Solution, it is impossible to extract the Tincture from hard and
compact Bodies: Wherefore we must make choice of Stones that are
soluble, and abound with fixt Tincture, viz. Green and Red Jasper
Stones, Lapis Lazuli, and the Black Magnesia which contain
abundance of Solar Tincture. All Stones likewise that are high
coloured, and break smooth like Glass, whether found on Mountains
or in Brooks, are good for this purpose.
It was because of this Solar Tincture abounding in the Jasper
Stone, that the Ancients preferr’d it before ☉, as containing a most
high and excellent Tincture. A very rich Tincture may also be
extracted from the Lapis Lazuli; and from the Black Magnesia,
(which is not costly) a richer. Let us therefore take this despised
Stone in hand, and see how easily its Tincture, by means of our
Alcohol Vini may be extracted, and what uses it serves for, as well in
Physick as Alchimy.

The P R O C E S S.

℞. One pound or two of black and ponderous Magnesia, pulverize

the same, and dissolve it in our Universal Stone-Water,
wherewith all hard Stones may be dissolved, and thou wilt have a
Solution of a Grass-green-colour, filter it, and in case thou hast
proceeded aright, the undissolved fæces will be of small quantity.
Now is thy Solution ready to have our Alcohol Vini pour’d upon it,
in order to the extracting of its Tincture, and carrying it over the
Helm.
N. B. That notwithstanding the Solution be at first of a green
colour, yet the Spirit of Wine in Distillation comes over yellow as Sol.
And when the Spirit of Wine is kindled under a large head, the pure
Mercury of the Magnesia ascends with the flame, which is of great
use in Physick; and a Blood-red Liquor stays behind, being not only
a Tincture for the Bodies of Men and Metals, but also by means of
the same may Crystals be tinged with several fair colours, so as to
resemble Precious Stones in all things, except hardness. I dare not
set down here the manner of applying this Tincture to white Metals,
he to whom God vouchsafes this Tincture, will easily find out the use
of it.