TRANSMUTATION.PDF

The Transmutation of

Into Gold and Silver

David Beuther

Guardian of the Mint at Dresden and Expert in the Practice of Alchemy for the Elector of Saxony

Universal and Detailed Account, in which: The transmutation of base metals

into gold and silver will be explained clearly and precisely, along with an

Appendix containing unique alchemical copper-plate prints which reveal the

Art from beginning to end and a Preface which documents Beuther’s

training and publications, along with those of Dr Johannes Christopher

Spregels of the Academy of Hygienic Treatment and Medicine of Hamberg

Printed by Samuel Heyl of St Johns Church, Hamburg, 1718

Produced by RAMS

(Restoration of Alchemical Manuscripts Society)

1987

Base Metals

Preface

by Dr Sprogel

Highly Esteemed Reader:

Doubtless, it has been a cause of wonderment in many places why persons

expert in chemistry allow these highly regarded writings to have been

permitted to be printed freely and openly, since the same ideas are found to

be highly regarded by the possessors of a few manuscripts and here and

there have been sold for 1000 thalers or more, although copies of the same

are frequently available for sale.

However, this is precisely the reason why a candid patriot has given the

same to be printed. Moreover, since it is seen that such a shameful practice

has been involved in the case of such manuscripts, whereby many of them

had no understanding at all of the writing but nevertheless supposed that

they must have purchased something really valuable for such a small amount

of money, jeopardized all their earthly possessions therefore and chased after

pipe dreams, so that, through love of the second best, in the open publication

of such manuscripts, they thought to eliminate a small part of that which they

could not understand, by which means at least an attempt was made to save

as much of the cost of such manuscripts, of which they understood how to be

able to obtain, from the wide sea of the earth, graciously at every opportunity.

You might then see how to recognize our good intentions and admonitions,

which will not be omitted where knowledge is found therein to return the

same to God and our neighbors, not forgetting ourselves in the process.

What, accordingly, the author himself arrived at (since he was born a

German and had lived in the 16th century up to the year 1580 at the Court of

the Elector and Guardian of the Mint) indeed in the chemical laboratory of

Lowenstein, wherein he found a complete history, which he considered to be

noteworthy and which he subsequently expanded considerably.

I will point out that it is noted on page 565 in the Records of the Court of the

Elector of Saxony (under the guidance of the Holy Church through Prince

August and Prince John Christian I, reported from the year 1580 to the year

1591). Prince Augustus authorized David Beuther as one adept in

experimental skill to subsequently act as an assayer at the Mint of St

Anneberg. In the Cloister, attached t the same at present, where he intended

to have his quarters and laboratory, he roped off an area near the wall, from

which a little plaster had fallen, and depended therein. Afterward he

occupied the place, although the plaster continued to fall off, so that

rectangular patches had to be removed. All this has been described

subsequently in Dec. 3, the particulars of which are termed Pyrotechnics.

The first of these explains how two firings of types of ‘black sulfur’ gave

from a pound of iron in ordinary water, finely pulverized copper after 28

hours of firing. Such copper was subsequently dissolved in distilled water

and in 4 weeks the result was a precipitate of fine gold. Another particular

involved the transmutation of tin and mercury into silver by using the same

precipitation process. The third particular comes by the Rule of Martial

Antimony, which he made by means of a Crocus of Mars and Venus,

prepared by casting gold and silver in the molten state. What he might have

obtained by this process, nobody has ever been able to get out of him.

However, as he had prescribed in his work, he considered everything in

order and set out in unhurried endeavor, limiting himself to a few (12)

projects in one place or another, so familiar to him that he could oversee all

of them. Accordingly, under the circumstance, all of these were added

together in the end and he had completed many of them, and indeed with so

little fanfare that the Elector himself had heard nothing about them. However,

Beuther no longer deemed his services to include the tests and counter tests,

so long as his work in the case of the metals was completely unhurried,

making use of the Elector’s instruments, laboratory, and materials, at will.

This was quite a heavy investment, particularly since nothing could be made

subsequently of all that he showed them and, for this reason, his work was

almost totally worthless, but nevertheless, when finally completed, the work

was presented as such to the Elector. Beuther was asked, when he appeared

to answer the apparent complaints against him as a result of his 12 failures,

about them; Beuther could no longer lie about such and had to admit plainly

that the Elector had laid before him the stipulation and decision that Beuther

should, in conformity with the contracts made with him, be held at fault, in

accordance with his promise to disclose such information to him completely,

so long as they should remain in Dresden and agree to give the Elector 10%

of the gold and silver, as well as also to hand over the above for a certain

amount of the metal, while the Elector would require half of the entire

amount as a reward for his part. In the meantime, Beuther was held as a

virtual hostage. This vexed Beuther so sorely that he decided to practice his

profession no longer. When he revealed this decision to the others, things

began to get much better, although he could conclude nothing. Because of

this, the Elector was very displeased, although he had formerly been very

kind to him; he was, however, allowed to leave prison and return to England.

However, a decision was reached to send him to Leipzig and he was taken to

Gravamina. The decision was reached to first question him in detail about the

process, threatening him with flogging for his misinformation and with

cutting of 2 fingers for making false claims, and detaining him indefinitely so

that he could not give this information to another monarch. This was read to

him on a Saturday, the Elector having written these words to him by his own

hand. Beuther had again given to me what came to me by God and Justice,

even though I must undertake something with you on Monday which I

would willingly reconsider. In the margin may be found these words: I beg

you to prevent it from coming to this, and furthermore it be written I know

very well that I can do it if you are present and I will also be able to do it

even though you are not present.

All this information about Beuther, which this publication includes briefly,

was supplied by the person who was at that time the private secretary to the

Elector of Saxony and approximates what was the content of his report: My

approach simply might be for the Elector of Saxony not to allow Beuther to

vex himself, since he, as a headstrong man, might --- out of desperation ---

cause a lot of trouble and considerable bother. In addition, Beuther might be

persuaded to write a letter to the Elector of Saxony, in which he might bring

his complaint and request the Elector to accept a solution in which he would

no longer henceforth be required to remain silent. He would accept such a

solution and again return to the House of Gold, as the Laboratory of the

Elector of Saxony was sometimes called, based on its earlier reputation,

although by then a protective cover, the Library, which was still in use at the

time of Kunkel (the Year 1677) --- was associated with it. Since Kunkel

sought to practice this art extensively, Beuther published the process in its

entirety, even though it was quite different and affirmed the same conclusion.

Based on this process, Kunkel wrote a 4 page summary which Beuther had

suggested in The Arsenic in place of a highly dubious work which the

esteemed Elector had penned with his own hand. I must explain that I had

no part in this nonsense.

Thereupon Kunkel continued the narration in the following manner:

Afterwards Beuther was reinstated in his former post and had been given the

above mentioned guarantee of protection, and he wrote a letter containing

particular data to the Elector, begging him to help him by sending him 100

guilders and pay within 8 weeks in fine silver or gold all of his past due

wages. Such gold as he had obtained from the Elector had been repaid. In

this way Beuther had also been seen largely as the protector of the Art, even

though he was not completely responsible for instructing the Elector until

Beuther had finally obtained a reasonable sum of several marks, which are as

good as gold, although he said (so the word goes) that they were no better

than horse manure. "Now, I could help you with 9 pennies, which are

perfectly good", he said. Consequently, Beuther sent away to his protector in

order to get something more, since afterwards he had to start a fire using the

bellows. His protection was perceived as having come to an end, that

Beuther had terminated his employment and had, so to speak, jumped into

the fire. As he now returned according to his orders, then Beuther lay on his

back without understanding. And whether, indeed, in all deliberate speed,

medical practitioners and priests were called in, nevertheless nothing would

have had any beneficial effect on him and he would have died before their

very eyes. The arrangement had been concluded hitherto and he had come to

believe that he had made a bad bargain. How Beuther had afterwards

disposed of his substance or how he concealed it, Herr Kunkel could in no

manner learn. Then the highly esteemed Elector, Johann George, had said to

him, and to the others, that he had this tormenting matter, in which the

actions of a worthless fellow had also been shown, which according to the

Elector Augustus had caused him to be burned in the venture. He had also

given orders to his secretary --- at that time, one Lincker --- and after that to

Kunkel. To burn in the same way wheat was still left of Beuther’s work, so

that his successors might not try to make use of what they might find within.

Which command, however, had not been carried out, since from the counsel

of the principal director a part of the remembrances would be hidden and,

hopefully, the original could again be found.

Herr Kunkel would have reported in detail, certain reasons, namely, to

protect the highmindedness of the august Elector of Saxony who, in ordinary

language, would have done him an injustice and caused Beuther to face an

extended imprisonment, and moreover, would have made no contributions to

the truth. The Elector of Saxony had shown Beuther so much kindness and,

even more, might be so indebted to him (as noted in the above-mentioned

arrangement that he had made with him and 12 other persons to observe

those gentlemen who should not be blamed). In the first place, Beuther was a

subject; on the other hand, the Elector had brought him up; in the third place,

Beuther had begun the practice of this Art in the service of the Elector and

had shown his loyalty to the Elector and had given that most esteemed

gentleman his loyalty, above all others and had done so openly.

This far had Herr Kunkel gone in his description of Beuther’s life and

accomplishments. He prepared at this time certain extracts which he had

drawn up from the work in his laboratory, recorded by the private secretary

at that time, which can be found on display in the Laboratory Records on

page 579 and following. And, finally, the account of Beuther’s work is given

on page 585, where he prepared the gold, and from all these accounts it is to

be seen as also true that he has accomplished all these things. Whether,

however, from the so-called black sulfur, as he termed it, he obtained a

special tincture, cannot be ascertained with certainty. It must be considered

how favorably inclined was the Elector toward Beuther, and how

inconsiderate Beuther had been in return, and how he had placed himself in

considerable mortal danger, although he was evidently right in this matter.

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