THE Mirror of Alchimy, Composed by the thrice-famous and learned Fryer, Roger Bachon, sometimes fellow of Martin Colledge: and afterwards of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxenforde.

Also a most excellent and learned discourse of the admirable force and efficacie of [...] written by the same Author.

With certaine other worthie [...] the like Argument.

Vino [...].

LONDON. Printed for Richard [...] 1597.

The Preface.

IN times past the Philosophers spake afters diuers and sundrie manners throughout their writings, sith that as it were in a riddle and cloudie voyce, they haue left vnto vs acer­taine most excellent and noble sci­ence, but altogither obscure, and without all hope vtterly denied, and that not without good cause. VVherefore I would aduise thee, that aboue all other bookes, thou shouldest firmly fixe thy mind vp­on these seuen Chapters, conteining in them the trans­mutation of mettalls, and often call to minde the begin­ning, middle, and end of the same, wherein thou shalt finde such subtilitie, that thy minde shalbe fully con­tented therewith.

The Mirrour of Alchi­my, composed by the famous Fryer, Roger Bachon, sometime fellow of Martin Colledge, and Brasen­nose Colledge in Ox­enforde.

CHAP. I. Of the Definitions of Alchimy.

IN many ancient Bookes there are found many definitions of this Art, the intentions wherof we must consider in this Chap­ter. For Hermes saith of this Sci­ence: Alchimy is a Corporal Sci­ence simply composed of one and by one, naturally conioyning things more precious, by knowledge and effect, and conuer­ting them by a naturall commixtion into a better kind. A certain other saith: Alchimy is a Science, teaching how to transforme any kind of mettall into another: and that by a propermedicine, as it appeareth by many Philosophers Bookes. Al­chimy therefore is a science teaching how to make and compound a certaine medicine, which is cal­led Elixir, the which when it is cast vpon mettals or imperfect bodies, doth fully perfect them in the verie proiection.

CHAP. II.

Of the naturall principles, and procreation of Minerals.

SEcondly, I will perfectly declare the naturall principles & procreations of Minerals: where first it is to be noted, that the naturall principles in the mynes, are Argent-uiue, and Sulphur. All mettals and minerals, whereof there be sundrie and diuers kinds, are begotten of these two: but I must tel you, that nature alwaies intendeth and striueth to the perfection of Gold: but many ac­cidents comming between, change the mettalls, as it is euidently to be seene in diuers of the Phi­losophers bookes. For according to the puri­tie and impuritie of the two aforesaide princi­ples, Argent-uiue, and Sulphur, pure, and impure mettals are ingēdred: to wit, Gold, Siluer, Steele, Leade, Copper, and Iron: of whose nature, that is to say, puritie, and impuritie, or vncleane su­perfluitie and defect, giue eare to that which followeth.

Of the nature of Golde.

GOld is a perfect body, engendred of Argent­uiue pure, fixed, cleare, red, and of Sulphur cleane, fixed, red, not burning, and it wanteth nothing.

Of the nature of Siluer.

SIluer is a body, cleane, pure, and almost per­fect, begotten of Argent-uiue, pure, almost [Page 3] fixed, cleare, and white, & of such a like Sulphur: It wanteth nothing, saue a little fixation, colour, and weight.

Of the nature of Steele.

STeele is a body cleane, imperfect, engendred of Argent-uiue pure, fixed & not fixed cleare, white outwardly, but red inwardly, and of the like Sulphur. It wanteth onely decoction or di­gestion.

Of the nature of Leade.

LEade is an vncleane and imperfect bodie, en­gendred of Argent-uiue impure, not fixed, earthy, drossie, somewhat white outwardly, and red inwardly, and of such a Sulphur in part bur­ning. It wanteth puritie, fixation, colour, and fie­ring.

Of the nature of Copper.

COpper is an vncleane and imperfect bodie, engendred of Argent-uiue, impure, not fix­ed, earthy, burning, red not cleare, and of the like Sulphur. It wanteth purity, fixation, and weight: and hath too much of an impure colour, and ear­thinesse not burning.

Of the nature of Iron.

IRon is an vnclean and imperfect body, engen­dred of Argent-uiue impure, too much fixed, earthy, burning, white and red not cleare, and of the like Sulphur: It wanteth fusion, puritie, and [Page 4] weight: It hath too much fixed vncleane Sul­phur, and burning earthinesse. That which hath bene spoken, euerie Alchimist must diligently obserue.

CHAP. III. Out of what things the matter of Elixir must be more nearly extracted.

THe generation of mettals, as well perfect, as imperfect, is sufficiently declared by that which hath bene already spoken. Now let vs re­turne to the imperfect matter that must be cho­sen and made perfect. Seeing that by the former Chapters we haue bene taught, that all mettalls are engendred of Argent-uiue and Sulphur, and how that their impuritie and vncleannesse doth corrupt, and that nothing may be mingled with mettalls which hath not beene made or sprung from them, it remaineth cleane inough, that no strange thing which hath not his originall from these two, is able to perfect them, or to make a chaunge and new transmutation of them: so that it is to be wondred at, that any wise man should set his mind vpon liuing creatures, or vegetables which are far off, when there be minerals to bee found nigh enough: neither may we in any wise thinke, that any of the Philosophers placed the Art in the said remote things, except it were by way of comparison: but of the asoresaid two, all mettals are made, neither doth any thing cleaue vnto them, or is ioyned with them, nor yet chaungeth them, but that which is of them, and so of right wee must take Argent-uiue [Page 5] and Sulphur for the matter of our stone: Nei­ther doth Argent-uiue by it selfe alone, nor Sul­phur by it selfe alone, beget any mettall, but of the commixtion of them both, diuers mettals and minerals are diuersly brought foorth. Our matter therefore must bee chosen of the com­mixtion of them both: but our finall secrete is most excellent, and most hidden, to wit, of what minerall thing that is more neere then others, it shuld be made: and in making choise hereof, we must be very warie. I put the case then, yt our mat­ter were first of all drawne out of vegetables, (of which sort are hearbs, trees, and whatsoeuer springeth out of the earth) here wee must first make Argent-uiue & Sulphur, by a long decoc­tion, from which things, and their operation we are excused: for nature herselfe offereth vnto vs Argent-uiue and Sulphur. And if wee should draw it from liuing creatures (of which sort is mans bloud, haire, vrine, excrements, hens egs, and what else proceede from liuing creatures) wee must likewise out of them extract Argent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction, frō which we are freed, as we were before. Or if we should choose it out of middle minerals (of which sort are all kindes of Magnesia, Marchasites, of Tutia, Coppres, Allums, Baurach, Salts, and mary o­ther) we should likewise, as asore, extract Ar­gent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction, frō which as from the former, wee are also excused. And if we should take one of the seuen spirits by it selfe, as Argent-uiue, or Sulphur alone, or Argent uiue and one of the two Sulphurs, or Sulphur-uiue, [Page 6] or Auripigment, or Citrine Arsenicum, or red alone, or the like: we should neuer effect it, be­cause sith nature doth neuer perfect anything without equall commixtion of both, neither can wee: from these therefore, as from the fore­saide Argent-uiue and Sulphur in their nature we are excused. Finally, if wee should choose them, wee should mixe eueriething as it is, ac­cording to a due proportion, which no man knoweth, and afterward decoct it to coagulatiō, into a solide lumpe: and therefore we are excu­sed from receiuing both of them in their proper nature: to wit, Argent-uiue and Sulphur, seeing wee know not their proportion, and that wee may meete with bodies, wherein we shall find the saide things proportioned, coagulated & ga­thered together, after a due manner. Keepe this secret more secretly. Golde is a perfect masculine bodie, without any superfluitie or diminution: and if it should perfect imper­fect bodyes mingled with it by melting one­ly, it should be Elixir to red. Siluer is also a body almost perfect, and feminine, which if it should almost perfect imperfect bodyes by his common melting onely, it should be Elixir to white, which it is not, nor cannot be, because they onely are perfect. And if this perfection might be mixed with the imperfect, the imper­fect shuld not be perfected with the perfect, but rather their perfections shuld be diminished by the imperfect, & become imperfect. But if they were more then perfect, either in a two-fold, foure-fold, hundred-fold, or larger proportion, [Page 7] they might then wel perfect the imperfect. And forasmuch as nature doth alwaies work simply, the perfection which is in them is simple, inse­parable, & incommiscible, neither may they by art be put in the stone, for serment to shorten the worke, and so brought to their former state, be­cause the most volatile doth ouercome the most fixt. And for that gold is a perfect body, consi­sting of Argent-uiue, red and cleare, & of such a Sulphur, therfore we choose it not for the matter of our stone to the red Elixir, because it is so simply perfect, without artificiall mundificati­on, & so strongly digested and sod with a natural heate, that with our artificiall fire, we are scarce­ly able to worke on gold or siluer. And though nature dooth perfect any thing, yet she cannot throughly mundifie, or perfect and purifie it, because she simply worketh on that which shee hath. If therfore we should choose gold or siluer for the matter of the stone, we should hard and scantly find fire working in them. And although we are not ignoranr of the fire, yet could we not come to the through mundification & perfecti­on of it, by reasō of his most firme knitting toge­ther, and naturall composition: we are therefore excused for taking the first too red, or the second too white, seeing we may find out a thing or som body of as cleane, or rather more cleane Sulphur & Argent-uiue, on which nature hath wrought little or nothing at all, which with our artificiall fire, & experience of our art, we are able to bring vnto his due concoction, mundification, co­lour and fixation, continuing our ingenious [Page 8] labour vpon it. There must therefore bee such a matter chosen, wherein there is Argent-uiue, cleane, pure, cleare, white & red, not fully com­pleat, but equally and proportionably commixt after a due maner with ye like Sulphur, & conge­led into a solide masse, that by our wisdome and discretion, and by our artificiall fire, we may attain vnto the vttermost cleannesse of it, and the puritie of the same, and bring it to that passe, that after the worke ended, it might bee a thousand thousand times more strong and perfect, then the simple bodies themselues, decoct by their na­turall heate. Be therefore wise: for it thou shalt be subtile and wittie in my Chapters (wherin by manifest prose I haue laid open the matter of the stone easie to be knowne) thou shalt taste of that delightfull thing, wherin the whole intention of the Philosophers is placed.

CHAP. IIII. of the maner of working, and of moderating, and continuing the fire.

I Hope ere this time thou hast already found out by the words alreadie spoken (if thou beest not most dull, ignorant, and foolish) the certaine matter of the learned Philosophers blessed stone, whereon Alchimy worketh, whilest we in­deuour to perfect the imperfect, and that with things more then perfect. And for that nature hash deliuered vs the imperfect onely with the perfect it is our part to make the matter (in the [Page 9] former Chapters declared vnto vs) more then perfect by our artificiall labour. And if we know not the maner of working, what is the cause that we do not see howe nature (which of long time hath perfected mettals) doth continually work? Doo wee not see, that in the Mynes through the continuall heate that is in the mountaines there of, the grosnesse of water is so decocted & thickned, that in continuance of time it becommeth Argent-uiue? And that of the fatnesse of the earth through the same heate and decoction, Sulphur is engendred? And that through the same heate without intermission continued in thē, all mettals are ingendred of them according to their puritie and impuritie? and that nature doth by decoction alone perfect or make al met­tals, as well perfect as imperfect? O extreame madnesse! what, I pray you, constraines you to seeke to perfect the foresaide things by straunge melancholicall and fantasticall regiments? as one sayth: Wo to you that will ouercome nature, and make mettals more then perfect by a new e regi­ment, or worke sprung from your owne sense­lesse braines. God hath ginen to nature a straite way, to wit, continuall concoction, and you like fooles despise it, or else know it not. Againe, fire and Azot, are sufficient for thee. And in an other place, Heat perfecteth althings. And elsewhere, seeth, seeth, seeth, and be not wearie. And in an other place, let thy fire be gentle, & easie, which being alwayes equall, may continue burning: and let it not encrease, for if it do, thou shalt suf­fer great losse. And in an other place, Know thou [Page 10] that in one thing, to wit, the stone, byone way, to wit, decoctiō, and in one vessel the whole maste­ry is performed. And in an other place, patiently, and continually, and in another place, grinde it seuen times. And in an other place, It is ground with fire. And in an other place, this worke is verie like to the creation of man: for as the In­fant in the beginning is nourished with light meates, but the bones beeing strengthened with stronger: so this masterie also, first it must haue an easie fire, whereby wee must al­waies worke in euery essence of decoction. And though we alwayes speake of a gentle fire, yet in truth, we think that in gouerning the worke, the fire must alwayes by little and little bee in­creased and augmented vnto the end.

CHAP. V. Of the qualitie of the Vessell and Furnace.

THe meanes and manner of working, wee haue alreadie determined: nowewee are to speake of the Vessell and Furnace, in what sort, and of what things they must be made. Where­as nature by a naturall fire decocteth the met­tals in the Mynes, shee denieth the like decoc­tion to be made without a vessell fitte for it. And if we purpose to immitate nature in concocting, wherefore do we reiect her vessell? Let vs first of all therefore, see in what place the generation of mettals is made. It doth euidently appeare in the places of Minerals, that in the bottom of the [Page 11] mountaine there is heate continually alike, the nature whereof is alwaies to ascend, and in the ascention it alwayes drieth vp, and coagulateth the thicker or grosser water hidden in the belly, or veines of the earth, or mountaine, into Ar­gent-uiue. And if the minerall fatnes of the same place arising out of the earth, be gathered warme togither in the veines of the earth, it runneth through the mountain, & becommeth Sulphur. And as a man may see in the foresaide veines of that place, that Sulphur engendred of the fat­nesse of the earth (as is before touched) meeteth with the Argent-uiue (as it is also written) in the veines of the earth, and begetteth the thick­nesse of the minerall water. There, through the continual equall heate in the mountaine, in long processe of time diuerse mettals are engendred, according to the diuersitie of the place. And in these Minerall places, you shall finde a con­tinuall heate. For this cause wee are of right to note, that the externall minerall mountaine is euerie where shut vp within it selfe, and stonie: for if the heate might issue out, there should ne­uer be engendred any mettall. If therefore wee intend to immitate nature, we must needes haue such a furnace like vnto the Mountaines, not in greatnesse, but in continual heate, so that the fire put in, when it ascendeth, may finde no vent: but that the heat may beat vpon the vessell being close shutte, containing in it the matter of the stone: which vessell must be round, with a small necke, made of glasse or some earth, representing the nature or close knitting togither of glasse: the [Page 12] mouth whereof must be signed or sealed with a couering of the same matter, or with lute. And as in the mynes, yt heat doth not immediatly touch the matter of Sulphur and Argent-uiue, be­cause the earth of the mountain cōmenth euery where between: So this fire must not immediatly touch the vessell, containing the matter of the foresaide things in it, but it must be put into ano­ther vessell, shut close in the like manner, that so the temperate heate may touch the matter aboue and beneath, and where ere it be, more aptly and fitly: wherevpon Aristotle sayth, in the light of lights, that Mercurie is to be cōcocted in a three­fold vessell, and that the vessell must bee of most hard Glasse, or (which is better) of earth pos­sessing the nature of Glasse.

CHAP. VI. Of the accident all and essentiall colours appearing in the worke.

THe matter of the stone thus ended, thou shalt knowe the certaine maner of working, by what maner and regiment, the stone is often chaunged in dccoction into diuerse colours. Wherupon one saith, So many colours, so many names. According to the diuerse colours appea­ring in the worke, the names likewise were va­ried by the Philosophers: whereon, in the first operation of our stone, it is called putrifaction, and our stone is made blacke: whereof one saith, When thou findest it blacke, know that in that [Page 13] blacknesse whitenesse is hidden, and thou must extract the same from his most subtile blacknes. But after putrefaction it waxeth red, not with a true rednesse, of which one saith: It is often red, and often of a citrine colour, it often melteth, and is often coagulated, before true whitenesse. And it dissolueth it selfe, it coagulateth it selfe, it putrifieth it selfe, it coloureth it self, it mortifieth it selfe, it quickneth it selfe, it maketh it selfe blacke, it maketh it selfe white, it maketh it selfe red. It is also greene: whereon another sayth, Concoct it, till it appeare greene vnto thee, and that is the soule. And another, Know, that in that greene his soule beareth dominion. There ap­peares also before whitenesse the peacocks co­lour, whereon one saith thus. Know thou that al the colours in the world, or yt may be imagined, appeare before whitenesse, and afterward true whitenesse followeth. Whereof one sayth: When it hath bin decocted pure and clean, that it shineth like the eyes of fishes, then are wee to expect his vtilitie, and by that time the stone is congealed rounde. And another sayth: When thou shalt finde whitenesse a top in the glasse, be assured that in that whitenesse, rednesse is hidden: and this thou must extract: but con­coct it while it become all red: for betweene true whitenesse and true rednesse, there is a cer­taine ash-colour: of which it is sayde. After whitenesse, thou canst not erre, for encreasing the fire, thou shalt come to an ash-colour: of which another saith: Doo not set light by the ashes, for God shal giue it thee molten: and then [Page 14] at the last the King is inuested with a red crowne by the will of God.

CHAP. VII. How to make proiection af the medicine vpon any imperfect booke.

I Haue largely accomplisht my promise of that great masterie, for making the most excellent Elixir, red and white. For conclusion, we are to treate of the manner of proiection, which is the accomplishment of the work, the desired & ex­pected ioy. The red Elixir doth turne into a ci­trine colour infinitely, and changeth all mettals into pure gold. And the white Elixir doth insi­nitely whiten, and bringeth euerie mettal to per­fect whitenesse. But we know that one mettall is farther off from perfection then another, & one more neere then another. And although euerie mettall may by Elixir be reduced to perfection, neuerthelesse the neerest are more easily, speedi­ly, and perfectly reduced, then those which are far distant. And when we meete with a mettall that is neere to perfection, we are there by excu­sed from many that are farre off. And as for the mettals which of them be neere, and which farre off, which of them I say be neerest to perfecti­on, if thou be wise and discreete, thou shalt find to be plainely and truely set out in my Chapters. And without doubt, hee that is so quick sighted in this my Mirrour, that by his own industry hee can finde out the true matter, hee doth full well knowe vppon what body the medicine is to bee proiected to bring it to perfection. For the fore­runners [Page 15] of this Art, who haue founde it out by their philosophie, do point out with their finger the direct & plain way, when they say: Nature, containeth nature: Nature ouercommeth na­ture: & Nature meeting with her nature, excee­dingly reioyceth, and is changed into other na­tures. And in another place, Euery like reioiceth in his like: for likenesse is saide to be the cause of friendship, wherof many Philosophers haue left a notable secret, Know thou that the soule doth quickly enter into his body, which may by no meanes be ioyned to another body. And in ano­ther place. The soule doth quickly enter into his own body, which if thou goest about to ioyne with another body, thou shalt loose thy labour: for the neerenesse it selfe is more cleare. And be­cause corporeall things in this regimēt are made incorporeall, & contrariwise things incorporeal corporeall, and in the shutting vp of the worke, the whole body is made a spirituall fixt thing: and because also that spirituall Elixir euidently, whether white or red, is so greatly prepared and decocted beyonde his nature, it is no marnaile that it cannot bee mixed with a body, on which it is proiected, beeing onely melted. It is also a hard matter to proiect it on a thousand thou­sand and more, and incontinently to penetrate and transmute them. I will therefore nowe de­liuer vnto you a great and hidden secret. One part is to bee mixed with a thousand of the next body, & let all this be surely put into a fit vessell, and sette it in a surnace of fixation, first with a lent fire, and afterwardes encreasing the fire [Page 16] for three dayes, till they be inseperably ioyned together, and this is a worke of three dayes: then againe and finally, euery part heereof by it selfe, must be proiected vpon another thousand parts of any neere body: and this is a worke of one day, or one houre, or a moment, for which our wonderfull God is eternally to be praised.

Here endeth the Mirror of Alchimy, composed by the most learned Philosopher, Roger Bacon.

The Smaragdine Table of Hermes, Tris­megistus of Alchimy.

THe wordes of the secrets of Hermes, which were written in a Smaragdine Table, and found betweene his hands in an obscure vaute, wherin his body lay buried. It is true without leasing, certain and most true. That which is be­neath is like that which is aboue: & that which is aboue, is like that which is beneath, to worke the miracles of one thing. And as all things haue proceeded from one, by the meditatiō of one, so all things haue sprung from this onething by a­daptation. His father is the sun, his mother is the moone, the wind bore it in hir belly. The earth is his nurse. The father ofallthe telesme of this world is here. His force and power is perfect, if it be turned into earth. Thou shalt seperate the earth from the fire, the thinne from the thicke, and that gently with great discretion. It as­cendeth from the Earth into Heauen: and [Page 17] and againe it descendeth into the earth, and re­ceiueth the power of the superiours and inferi­ours: so shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde. All obscuritie therefore shall flie away from thee. This is the mightie power of all power, for it shal ouercome euery subtile thing, and pearce through euery solide thing. So was the worlde created. Here shall be maruailous ad­atpations, whereof this is the meane. Therefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus, or the thrice great Interpreter: hauing three parts of the Phi­losophy of the whole world. That which I haue spoken of the operation of the Sunne, is finished.

Here endeth the Table of Hermes.

A briefe Commentarie of Hortulanus the Philosopher, vpon the Smaragdine Table of Hermes of Alchimy.

The praier of Hortulanus.

LAude, honour, power and glorie, be giuen to thee, O Almightie Lorde God, with thy beloued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, and the holy Ghost, the comforter. O holy Trinitie, that art the onely one God, perfect man, I giue thee thankes that hauing the knowledge of the tran­sitorie things of this worlde (least I should bee prouoked with the pleasures thereof) of thy [Page 18] abundant mercie thou hast taken mee from it. But for somuch as I haue knowne manie decei­ued in this art, that haue not gone the right way, let it please thee, O Lord my God, that by the knowledge which thou hast giuen mee, I may bring my deare friends frō error, that when they shal perceiue the truth, they may praise thy holy and glorious name, which is blessed for euer.

Amen.

The Preface.

I Hortulanus, so called for the Gardens borde­ring vpon the sea coast, wrapped in a Iacobin skinne, vnworthy to be called a Disciple of Phi­losophie, moued with the loue of my welbelo­ued, doo intend to make a true declaration of the words of Hermes, the Father of Philosophers, whose words, though that they be dark and ob­scure, yet haue I truely expounded the whole operation and practise of the worke: for the ob­scuritie of the Philosophers in their speeches, dooth nothing preuaile, where the doctrine of the holy spirit worketh.

CHAP. I. That the Art of Alchimy is true and certaine.

THe Philosopher saith. It is true, to wit, that the Arte of Alchimie is giuen vnto vs. VVithout leasing. This hee saith in detestation of them that affirme this Art to bee lying, that is, false. It is certaine, that is prooued. For what­soeuer [Page 19] is prooued, is most certaine, And most true. For most true golde is ingendred by Art: and he saith most true, in the superlatiue degree, because the golde ingendred by this Art, excel­leth all naturall gold in all proprieties, both me­dicinall and others.

CHAP. II. That the Stone must be diuided into two parts.

COnsequentlie, he toucheth the operation of the stone, saying: That which is beneath, is as that which is aboue. And this he sayth, because the stone is diuided into two principall parts by Art: Into the superiour part, that ascendeth vp, and into the inferiour part, which remaineth beneath fixe and cleare: and yet these two parts agree in vertue: and therefore hee sayeth, That which is aboue, is like that which is beneath. And this diuision is necessarie, To perpetrate the myracles of one thing, to wit, of the Stone: because the inferiour part is the Earth, which is called the Nurse, and Ferment: and the superiour part is the Soule, which quickeneth the whole Stone, and raiseth it vp. Wherefore separation made, and coniunction celebrated, manie myracles are effected in the secret worke of nature.

CHAP. III. That the Stone hath in it the foure Elements.

ANd as all things haue proceeded from one, by the meditation of one. Heere giueth hee an example, saying: as all things came from one, to wit, a confused Globe, or masse, by medita­tion, that is the cogitation and creation of one, that is the omnipotent God: So all things haue sprung, that is, come out from this one thing that is, one confused lumpe, by A daptation, that is by the sole commaūdement of God, and miracle. So our Stone is borne, and come out of one confused masse, containing in it the foure Elements, which is created of God, and by his sole miracle our stone is borne.

CHAP. IIII. That the Stone hath Father and Mother, to wit, the Sunue and Moone.

ANd as wee see, that one liuing creature be­getteth more liuing creatures like vnto it selfe: so artificially golde engendereth golde, by vertue of multiplication of the foresaid stone. It followeth therefore, the Sunne is his father, that is, Philosophers Gold. And as in euerie na­turall generation, there must be a fit and conue­nient receptacle, with a certaine consonancie of similitude to the father: so likewise in this artifi­ciall generation, it is requisite that the Sunne [Page 21] haue a fitte and consonaunt receptacle for his seede and tincture: and this is Philosophers siluer. And therefore it followes, the Moone is his mother.

CHAP. V. That the coniunction of the parts of the stone is called Conception.

THe which two, when they haue mutuallic entertained each other in the coniunction of the Stone, the Stone conceiueth in the bellie of the winde: and this is it which afterwarde he sayeth: The winde carried it in his bellie. It is plaine, that the winde is the ayre, and the ayre is the life, and the life is the Soule. And I haue al­ready spoken of the soule, that it quickneth the whole stone. And so it behoueth, that the wind should carry and recarry the whole stone, and bring forth the masterie: and then it followeth, that it must receiue nourishment of his nurce, that is the earth: and therefore the Philosopher saith, The earth is his Nurse: beeause that as the in­fant without receiuing food frō his nurse, shuld neuer come to yeres: so likewise our stone with­out the firmentation of his earth, should neuer be brought to effect: which said firmament, is called nourishment. For so it is begotten of one Father, with the coniunction of the Mother. Things, that is, sonnes like to the Father, if they want long decoction, shalbe like to the Mother in whitenesse, and retaine the Fathers weight.

CHAP. VI. That the Stone is perfect, if the Soule be sixt in the bodie.

IT followeth afterward: The father of all the Te­lesme of the whole worlde is here: that is, in the worke of the stone is a finall way. And note, that the Philosopher calleth the worke, the Father of all the Telesme: that is, of all secret, or of all treasure Of the whole worlde: that is, of euery stone found in the world, is here. As if he should say, Behold I shew it thee. Afterward the Philo­sopher saith, VVilt thou that I teach thee to knowe when the vertue of the Stone is perfect and com­pleate? to wit, when it is conuerted into his earth: and therefore he saith, His power is entire, that is, compleate and perfect, if it be turned into earth: that is, if the Soule of the stone (whereof wee haue made mention before: which Soule may be called the winde or ayre, wherein con­sisteth the whole life and vertue of the stone) be conuerted into the earth, to wit of the stone, and fixed: so that the whole substance of the Stone be so with his nurse, to wit earth, that the whole Stone be turned into ferment. As in making of bread a little leauen nourisheth and sermenteth a great deale of Paste: so will the Philosopher that our stone bee so fermented, that it may bee ferment to the multiplication of the stone.

CHAP. VII. Of the mundification and cleansing of the stone.

COnsequently, hee teacheth how the Stone ought to bee multiplied: but first ne setteth downe the mundification of the stone, and the separation of the parts: saying, Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire, the thinne from the thicke, and that gently with great discretion. Gently, that is by little, and little, not violently, but wisely, to witte, in Philosophicall doung. Thou shalt separate, that is, dissolue: for dissolution is the separation of partes. The earth from the fire, the thinne from the thicke: that is, the lees and dregges, from the fire, the ayre, the water, and the whole substaunce of the Stone, so that the Stone may remaine most pure without all filth.

CHAP. VIII. That the vnfixed part of the Stone should exceed the fixed, and list it up.

THe Stone thus prepared, is made fit for mul­tiplication. And now hee setteth downe his multiplication ct easie liquefaction, with a ver­tue to pierce as well into hard bodies, as soft, say­ing: It ascendeth from the earth into heauen, and again it descendeth into the earth. Here we must diligētly [Page 24] note, that although our stone bee diuided in the first operation into foure partes, which are the foure Elements: notwithstanding, as wee haue alreadie saide, there are two principall parts of it. One which ascendeth vpward, and is called vnfixed, and an other which remaineth below fixed, which is called earth, or firmamēt, which nourisheth and firmenteth the whole stone, as we haue already said. But of the vnfixed part we must haue a great quantity, and giue it to the stone (which is made most clean without all filth) so often by masterie that the whole stone be caried vpward, sublimating & subtiliating. And this is it which the Philosopher saith: It ascen­deth from the earth into the beauen.

CHAP. IX. How the volatile Stone may againe be fixed.

AFter all these things, this stone thus exalted, must be incerated with the Oyle that was extracted from it in the first operation, being cal­led the water of the stone: and so often boyle it by sublimation, till by vertue of the firmentation of the earth exalted with it, the whole stone doo againe descende from heauen into the earth, and remaine fixed and flowing. And this is it which the Philosopher sayth: It descendeth agayne into the earth, and so receyueth the ver­tue of the superiours by sublimation, and of the inferiours, by descention: that is, that which is [Page 25] corporall, is made spirituall by sublimation, and that which is spirituall, is made corporall by descension.

CHAP X. Of the fruit of the Art, and efficacie of the Stone.

SO shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde. That is, this stone thus compounded, thou shalt possesse the glorie of this world. Therefore all obscuritie shall flie from thee: that is, all want and sicknesse, because the stone thus made, cureth euerie disease. Here is the mightie po­wer of all power. For there is no comparison of o­ther powers of this world, to the power of the stone. For it shall ouercome euery subtil thing, and shall pearce through euery solide thing. It shall ouercome, that is, by ouercomming, it shall conuert quicke Mercury, that is subtile, congealing it: and it shall pearce through other hard, solide, and compact bodies.

CHAP. XI. That this worke imitateth the Creation of the worlde.

HE giueth vs also an example of the compo­sition of his Stone, saying, So was the world created. That is, like as the world was created, so is our stone composed. For in the beginning, the whole world and all that is therein, was a confu­sed Masse or Chaos (as is aboue saide) but after­ward by the workemanship of the soueraigne [Page 26] Creator, this masse was diuided into the soure elements, wonderfully separated and rectified, through which separation, diuers things were created: so likewise may diuers things bee made by ordering our worke, through the separation of the diuers elemēts frō diuers bodies. Here shal be wonderfull adaptations that is, Is thou shalt sepa­rate the elements, there shall be admirable com­positions, fitte for our worke in the composition of our Stone, by the elements rectified: V Vherof, to wit, of which wonderfull things fit for this: the meanes, to wir, to proceede by, ishere.

CHAP. XII. An enigmaticall insinuation what the matter of the Stone shoulde be.

THerefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus. Now that he hath declared the composition of the Stone, he teacheth vs after a secret maner, wher­of the Stone is made: first naming himselfe, to the ende that his schollers (who should hereaf­ter attaine to this science) might haue his name in continuall remembrance: and then hee ton­cheth the matter saying: Hauing three parts of the Philosophie of the whole world: because that what­soeuer is in the worlde, hauing matter & forme, is compounded of the foure Elements: hence is it, that there are so infinite parts of the world, all which he diuideth into three principall partes, Minerall, Vegetable, & Animall: of which ioint­ly, or seuerally, hee had the true knowledge in [Page 27] the worke of the Sunne: for which cause hee faith, Hauing three parts of the Philosophic of the whole world, which parts are contained in one Stone, to wit, Philosophers Mercurie.

CHAP. XIII. VVhy the Stone is said to be perfect.

FOr this cause is the Stone saide to be perfect, because it hath in it the nature of Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals: for the stone is three, and one hauing foure nátures, to wit, the soure elements, & three colours, black, white, and red. It is also called a graine of corne, which if it die not, remaineth without fruit: but if it doo die (as is aboue said) when it is ioyned in coniunction, it bringeth forth much fruite, the afore named operations being accomplished. Thus curteous reader, if thou know the operation of the Stone, I haue told thee the truth: but if thou art ignorāt thereof, I haue said nothing. That which I haue spo­ken of the operation of the Sunne is finished: that is, that which hath beene spoken of the operation of the stone, of the three colours, and foure na­tures, existing and beeing in one onely thing, namely in the Philosophers Mercurie, is fulfil­led.

Thus endeth the Commentarie of Hortulanus, vppon the Smaragdine table of Hermes, the father of Phi­losophers.

The Booke of the Se­crets of Alchimie, composed by Galid the sonne of Iazich, translated out of Hebrew into Arabick, and out of Arabick into Latine, and out of Latin into English.

The Preface of the difficultie of the Art.

THankes be giuen to God the Creator of all things, who hath conducted vs, beautified vs, instructed vs, and giuen vs knowledge and vnderstanding: Except the Lorde should keepe and guide vs, wee should bee like vagabonds, without guide or teacher: yea, we shuld know nothing in the world, vnlesse he taught vs: that is, the beginning, and knowledge it selfe of all things, by his power and goodnes ouer his peo­ple. He directeth and instructeth whom he wil, and with mercie reduceth into the way of iu­stice: for hee hath sent his messengers into the darke places, and made plaine the wayes, and with his mercy replenished such as loue him. Know brother, that this our mastery and honou­rable office of the secret Stone, is a secret of the secrets of God, which hee hath concealed from his people, neither would he reueale it to any, saue to those, who like sonnes haue faythfully deserued it, knowing both his goodnesse and greatnesse: for to him that desireth a secret of God, this secret masterie is more necessary then any other. And those wise men who haue at­tained [Page 29] to the knowledge herof, haue concealed part therof, and part therof they haue reuealed: for so haue I found my wise predecessors agree­ing in this point in their worthie bookes, wher­by thou shalt knowe that my disciple Musa, (more honorable in my eies then all other) hath diligently studied their bookes, & labored much in the worke of the mastery, wherin he hath bin greatly troubled, & much perplexed, not know­ing the natures of things belonging to this work: the explanation whereof, and direction where­in, he hath humbly begged at my handes: yet I would afford him no answere therin, nor deter­mine it, but commaunded him to reade ouer the Philosophers bookes, & therin to seeke yt which he craued of me, & he going his way, read aboue a hundreth bookes, as hee found them euen the true and secret bookes of noble Philosophers: but in thē he could not find that which he defi­red: so he remained astonished, & almost distrac­ted, though by the space of a yeare he continual­ly sought it. If therfore my scholler Musa (that hath deserued to be accoūted among ye Philoso­phers) haue beene so doubtfull in the compositi­on hereof, and that this hath hapned vnto him: what shall the ignorant and vnlearned doo, that vnderstandeth not the nature of things, nor is ac­quainted with their complections? But when I behelde this in my choysest and dearest disciple, moued with pitty and compassion toward him, or rather by the will and appointment of God, I made this book at the houre of my death, wher­in I haue pretermitted many things, that my pre­decessors [Page 30] haue made mention of in their bookes: and againe, I haue touched some things which they concealed, & would by no meanes open & discouer: yea, I haue expounded and laide open certain things, that they haue hidden vnder dark & figuratiue speeches. And this my book I haue called the Secrets of Alchimy: in which I haue spo­ken of whatsoeuer is necessarie, to him that is studious of this Art or masterie, in a language befitting his sence & vnderstanding. And I haue named foure masteries far greater and better, thē other Philosophers haue done: of which num­ber is Elixir, one Mineral, the other Animall: but the other two are minerals, and not the one Elix­ir: whose office is to washe that, which they call the bodies: and another is to make gold of Azot­viue, whose composition or generatiō, is accor­ding to the generationor order of generation in the mynes, being in the heart and bowels of the earth. And these foure masteries or works, the Philosophers haue declared in their bookes of the composition of this mastery: but they want much: neyther would they shew the operation of it in their bookes: and though by chaunce he found it out, yet could hee not vnderstand it: so that hee found out nothing that was more trou­blesome to him. I wil therefore in this my booke declare it, together with the maner how to make it: but let him that will reade it, first learne Geo­metry, and her measures, that so he may rightly frame his furnaces, not passing a meane, either by excesse or defect: and withall, he must know the quantitie of his fire, and the forme of the vessell fit for his worke. Moreouer, lette him consider [Page] what is the ground-worke and beginning of the mastery, beeing to it, as the matrice is to liuing creatures, which are fashioned in the wombe, and therin receiue their creatiō & nourishment: for if the thing of this mastery finde not that which is conuenient for it, the worke is marred, and the workmen shall not find that which they looke for, neither shal the thing it self be brought to the effect of generation: for where one cannot meete with the cause of generation, or the roote, and heate it selfe, it will fall out, that the labour shall be lost, and the worke nought worth. The like mischiefe will happen in respect of weight, which if it be not aright in the compound, the partes of the same nature, passing their boundes by augmentation, or diminution, the propertie of the compound is destroyed, & the effect ther­of voyd and without fruit, whereof I will giue you an example. Doo not you see that in Sope (with which cloathes are washed cleane and made white) there is this property if it be rightly made, by reason of equalitie, & one proportion, which participate in length and breadth? wher­upon through this participation they agree, and then it appeareth, because it was truely made, and so the vertue which before lay hid, is nowe made known, which they cal a property, being the vertue of washing engendred in the com­pound: but when the grauity of the compound passeth his bounds, either by addition or diminu­tion, ye vertue it self breaketh the limits of equali­ty, & becōmeth contrary, according to ye distēpe­rāce of the cōpound. And this thou must vnder­stād to happen in the cōposition of our mastery.

CHAP I. Of the foure Masteries, or principall works of the Art, to wit, solution, congelation, albification, and rubification.

NOw begin I to speake of the great worke which they call Alchimy, wherein I will confirme my woordes, without concealing ought, or keeping backe any thing, saue that which is not conuenient to bee vttered or named. We say then that the great work con­taineth in it foure masteries (as the Philosophers before vs haue affirmed) that is to say, to dissolue, to congeale, to make white and red. And these foure quantities are partakers, whereof two of them are partakers betweene themselues, and so likewise are the other two. And either of these double quātities hath another quantity partaker, which is a greater quantity partaker after these two. I vnderstand by these quantities, the quanti­tie of the natures, and weight of the medicines which are orderly dissolued and congealed, wherin neither addition nor diminution haue a­ny place. But these two, to wit, solution and con­gelation, shalbe in one operation, and shall make but one worke, and that before composition: but after composition, their works shall bee diuers. And this solution and congelation which wee haue spoken of, are the solution of the bodie, and the congelation of the Spirite, and they are two, yet haue but one operation. For the Spirites are not congealed, except the bo­dies [Page 33] beedissolued, is likewise the bodies is not dissolued, vnlesse the spirit be cōgealed: & when the soule & the body are ioyned togither, either of them worketh in his companion made like vnto him: as for example, when water is put to earth, it striueth to dissolue the earth by the moi­sture, vertue and propertie which it hath, ma­king it more subtile then it was before, and brin­ging it to be like it selfe: for the water was more subtile then the earth: and thus doth the soule worke in the bodie, and after the same manner is the water thickened with the earth, and becom­meth like vnto the earth in thicknesse, for the earth is more thicke then the water. And thou must knowe that betweene the solution of the bodie, and congelation of the spirit, there is no distance of time or diuerse work, as though one should be without the other, as there is no diffe­rence of time in the coniunction of the earth, and water, that one might be knowne & discer­ned from the other in their operations: but they haue both one instant, and one fact, and one and the same worke conteineth them both at once before composition: I say before composition, least he that shall read this booke, and heare the names of resolution and congelation, shoulde suppose it to be the composition which the Phi­losophers entreat of, for so he should fowly erre in his worke and iudgement: because composi­tion in this worke or masterie, is a coniunction or marriage of the congealed spirit, with the dis­solued bodie, and this coniunction or passion is vpon the fire. For heate is his nourishment, and [Page 34] the soule forsaketh not the bodie, neither is it otherwise knit vnto it, then by the alteration of both from their owne vertue and properties, and after the conuersion of their natures: and this is the solution and congelation, which the Philosophers first spake of: which neuerthelesse they haue hidden in their subtile discourses with darke & obscure words, that so they might alie­nate and estrange the mind of the reader frō the true vnderstanding thereof: where of thou maist take this for an example. Annoynt the leafe with poyson, and ye shall approue there by the begin­ning of the worke and mastery of the same. And againe, labour the strong bodies with one solu­tion, til either of them be turned to his subtilitie. So likewise in these folowing, except ye conuert the bodies into such subtilitie that they may bee impalbable, yee shall not find that ye looke for: and if you haue not ground them, returne backe to worke till they bee ground, and made subtill: which if you do, you shall haue your wish. And many other such sayings haue they of the same matter. The which none that euer proued this Art could vnderstand, til he hath had a plaine de­monstration thereof, the former doubt being re­moued. And in like maner haue they spoken of that cōposition, which is after solution & conge­lation. And afterward they haue said, that Cōpo­sition is not perfect without marriage, and pu­trifaction: yet againe they teach solution, conge­lation, diuision, mariage, putrifaction, and com­position, because composition is the beginning, and verie life of the thing. For vnlesse there were [Page 35] composition, the thing should neuer be brought to passe. Diuision is a separatiō of the parts of the cōpound, & so separation hath bin his coniunc­tion. I tell you againe, that the spirit wil not dwel with the body, nor be in it, nor by any meanes a­bide with it vntill the body be made subtil & thin as the spirit is. But when it is attenuate and sub­till, and hath cast off his thicknes, & put on thin­nes, hath forsaken his grosnesse & corpority, & is become spirituall, then shall he be mingled with the subtill spirits, & imbibed in them, so that both shall become one and the same, & they shall not be seuered, like as water put to water cannot be diuided. Suppose that of two like quantities, that are in solution and congelation, the larger is the soule, the lesser is the body: adde afterward to the quantitie which is the soule, that quātity which is in the body, & it shall participate with the first quantity in vertue only: then worke them as we haue wrought them, and so thou shalt obtaine thy desire, and Euclide his line shall bee verified vnto thee. Afterwarde take his quantity, and know his waight, and giue him as much moy­sture as he will drink, the weight of which moy­sture we haue not here determined. Then againe worke them with an operation vnlike the for­mer, first imbibing and subliming it, and this operation is that which they call Albification, and they name it Yarit, that is, Siluer, and and white Leade. And when thou hast made this compounde white, adde to him so much of the Spirit, as maketh halfe of the whole, and set it to working, till it waxe redde, and then [Page 36] it shall be of the colour Alsulfir, which is verie red, and the Philosophers haue likened it to golde, the effect hereof, leadeth thee to that which Aristotle saide to his Disciple Arda: wee call the claye when it is white, Yarit, that is Sil­uer: and when it is red, wee name it Temeynch, that is Golde. Whitenesse is that which tincteth Copper, and maketh it Yarit, and that is red­nesse, which tincteth Yarit, that is siluer, & ma­keth it Temeynch, that is Gold. He therefore that is able to dissolue these bodies, to subtiliate thē, to make them white and red, and (as I haue said) to compound them by imbibing, and conuert them to the same, shall without all doubt attaine the masterie, and performe the worke whereof I haue spoken vnto thee.

CHAP. II. Of the things and instruments necessarie and fit for this worke.

IT behoueth thee to knowe the vessels in this masterie, to wit Aludela, which the Philoso­phers haue called Church-yards, or Cribbles: because in them the parts are diuided, and clean­sed, and in them is the matter of the masterie made compleat, perfect, and depured. And euery one of these must haue a Furnace fit for it, and let either of them haue a similitude and fi­gure agreeable to the worke. Mezleme, and ma­ny other Philosophers, haue named all these things in their bookes, teaching the maner and [Page 37] forme there of. And thou must know, that herein the Philosophers agree togither in their wry­tings, concealing it by signes, and making many books thereof, & instruments which are necessa­rie in these foure foresaid things. As for the in­struments, they are two in number. One is a Cu­curbit, with his Alembick: the other is Aludel, that is well made. There are also foure things ne­cessarie to these: that is to say, Bodies, Soules, Spirites, and VVaters: of these foure dooth the masterie, and minerall worke consist. These are made plaine in the Philosophers Bookes, I haue therefore omitted them in mine, and onely touched those things, which they passed ouer with silence: which he shall easily discerne, that is but of indifferent iudgement. And this booke I haue not made for the ignorant and vn­learned, but for the wise and prudent.

CHAP. III. Of the nature of things appertaining to this worke.

KNow thou, that the Philosophers haue gi­uen them diuerse names: for some haue cal­led them Mynes, some Animal, some Herball, and some by the name of Natures, that is Na­turall: some other haue called them by certaine other names at their pleasures, as seemed good vnto them. Thou must also know, that their Medicines are neere to Natures, according as [Page 38] the Philosophers haue said in their bookes, that Nature commeth nigh to nature, and Nature is like to nature, and Nature is ioyned to nature, and Nature is drowned in nature, and Nature maketh nature white, & Nature doth make nature red, and generation is retained with generation, & generation conquereth with generation.

CHAP. IIII. Of Decoction, and the effect thereof.

KNow thou that the Philosophers haue na­med Decoction in their Bookes, saying, that they make Decoction in thinges: and that is it that engendreth them, and changeth them from their substances and colours, into other substāces and colours. If thou transgresse not, I tell thee in this booke, thou shalt proceed rightly. Consider brother, the seed of the earth, wheron men liue, how the heate of the Sunne worketh in it, till it be ripe, when men and other creatures seede vpon it, and that afterwarde Nature worketh on it by her heate within man, conuerting it into his flesh and blood. For like hereto is our ope­ration of the masterie: the seed whereof (as the learned haue sayde) is such, that his perfection and proceeding consisteth in the fire, which is the cause of his life and death, without somwhat comming betweene, and his spiritualtie, which are not mingled but with the fire. Thus haue I tolde thee the truth, as I haue seene and done it.

CHAP. V. Of Subtiliation, Solution, Coagulation, and commistion of the Stone, and of their cause and end.

KNow, that except thou subtiliate the bodie till all become water, it will not rust and pu­trifie, and then it cannot congeale the fitting soules, when the fire toucheth them: for the fire is that which congealeth them by the ayd therof vnto them. And in like maner haue the Philosophers commanded to dissolue the bodies, to the end ye heat might enter into their bowels. Again we returne to dissolue those bodies, & congeale them after their solution, with that thing which cōmeth nigh to it, vntil we ioyne all those things which haue beene mingled togither, by an apt and fit commixtion, which is a temperate quan­titie. Whereupon we ioyne fire and water, earth and ayre togither: when the thick hath bin mingled with the thin, & the thinner with the thick, the one abydeth with the other, and their na­tures are changed and made like, wheras before they were simple, because that part which is ge­neratiue, bestoweth his vertue vpon the subtill, and that is the ayre: for it cleaueth vnto his like, and is a part of the generation from whence it receyueth power to moue and ascend vpward. Cold hath power ouer the thick, because it hath lost his heate, and the water is gone out of it, and the thing appeared vpō it. And the moisture departed by ascending, & the subtil part of ye aire, and mingled it selse with it for it is like vnto it, [Page 40] and of the same nature. And when the thicke bo­die hath lost his heat and moysture, and that cold and drinesse hath power ouer him, and that their parts haue mingled themselues, and be diuided, and that there is no moysture to ioyne the partes diuided, the parts withdraw themselues. And af­terwards the part which is contrary to colde, by reason that it hath continued, & sent his heat and decoction, to the parts of ye earth, hauing power ouerthem, and exercising such dominion ouer the cold, that where before it was in the thicke body, it now lurketh and lieth hid, his part of ge­neration is changed, becomming subtil and hot, and striuing to dry vp by his heat. But afterward the subtill part (that causeth natures to ascende) when it hath lost his accidentall heat, & waxeth cold, then the natures are changed, and become thicke, and descend to the center, where ye earth­ly natures are ioyned togither, which were sub­tiliate and conuerted in their generation, and im­bibed in them: and so the moysture coupleth to­gither the parts diuided: but the earth endeuou­reth to drie vp that moysture, cōpassing it about, and hindring it from going out: by means wher­of, that which before lay hid, doth now appear: neither can the moysture be separated, but is re­tained by the drinesse. And in like maner we see, that whosoeuer is in the worlde, is retained by or with his contrarie, as heate with colde, and drinesse with moysture. Thus when each of them hath besieged his Companion, the thin is mingled with the thicke, and those things are made one substance: to wit, their soule hote [Page 41] and moyst, and their body colde and drie: then it laboureth to dissolue and subtiliate by his heate and moysture, which is his soule, and striueth to enclose and retaine with his body that is colde and drie. And in this maner, is his office changed and altered from one thing to another. Thus haue I tolde thee the truth, which I haue both seene & done, giuing thee in charge to conuert natures from their subtilitie and substances, with heate and moysture, into their substances and colours. Now if thou wouldst proceed aright in this mastery, to obtaine thy desire, passe not the boundes that I haue set thee in this booke.

CHAP. VI. The manner how to fixe the Spirit.

KNowe also, that when the bodie is mingled with moysture, and that the heate of the fire meeteth therewith, the moysture is conuerted on the body, and dissolueth it, and then the spirite cannot issue forth, because it is imbibed with the fire. The Spirits are fugitiue, so long as the bo­dies are mingled with them, and striue to resist the fire & his flame: and yet these parts can hard­ly agree without a good operation and continu­all labour: for the nature of the soule is to as­cend vpward, whereas the center of the soule is. And who is hee that is able to ioyne two or di­uers things togither, where their centers are di­uers: vnlesse it be after the conuersion of theyr natures, and change of the substance and thing, [Page 43] from his nature, which is difficult to finde out? Whosoeuer therefore can conuert the soule in­to the bodie, the bodie into the soule, and there­with mingle the subtile spirites, shall be able to tinct any body.

CHAP. VII. Of the Decoction, Contrition, and washing of the stone.

THou art moreouer to vnderstand, that De­coction, contrition, cribatiō, mundification, and ablution, with sweet waters is very necessa­ry to this secret and mastery: so that he who will bestow any paines herein, must cleanse it very well, and wash the blacknesse from it, and dark­nes that appeareth in his operation, and subtiliate the bodie as much as hee can, and afterwarde mingletherwith the soules dissolued, and spirits cleansed, so long as he thinke good.

CHAP. VIII. Of the quantitie of the Fire, and of the commo­ditie and discommoditie of it.

FVrthermore, thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire, for the benefit and losse of this thing, proceedeth from the benefit of the fire. Wherupon Plato said in his booke: The fire yeeldeth profit to that which is perfect, but domoge and corruption to that which is corrupt: so that when [Page 41] his quantitie shall be meete & conuenient, it shal prosper, but if it shall exceed measure in things, it shal without measure corrupt both: to wit, the perfect and corrupt: and for this cause it was re­quisite that the learned should poure their me­dicines vpon Elixir, to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire, & his heate. Hermes also said to his father. I am afraide Father of the enemie in my house: to whom he made answer, Son take the dog Corascene, & the bitch of Arme­nia, put them together, and they shal bring a dog of the colour of heauen, and dip him once in the sea water: for he shall keepe thy friend, and de­fend thee from thy enemie, and shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become, alwaies abiding with thee, both in this world, and in the world to come. Now Hermes meant by the dog & bitch, such things as preserue bodies from the scor­ching he ate of the fire. And these things are wa­ters of Calces and Salts, the composition where­of, is to be found in the Philosophers books, that haue written of this mastery, among whome, some haue named them Sea-waters, and Birdes milke, and such like.

CHAP IX. Of the Separation of the Elements of the Stone.

THou must afterward bother, take this preci­ous Stone, which the Philosophers haue na­med, magnified, hiddē & concealed, & put it in a Cucurbit with his Alembick, & diuide his natures: [Page 44] that is, the foure elemēts, the Earth, the Water, the Aire, and the Fire. These are the body and soule, the spirit and tincture. When thou hast di­uided the water from the earth, and the aire from the fire, keepe both of them by themselues, and take that which descendeth to the bottom of the glasse, beeing the lees, and wash it with a warme fire, til his blacknesse be gone, and his thicknesse departed: then make him very white, causing the superfluous moysture to flie away, for then hee shall bee changed and become a white calx, wherein there is no cloudie darkenesse, nor vn­cleannesse, and contrarietie. Afterward returne back to the first natures, which ascended from it, and purifie thē likewise from vncleannes, black­nesse, and contrarietie: and reiterate these works vpon thē so often, vntil they be subtiliate, purifi­ed, and made thin: which when thou hast done, thou shalt acknowledge that God hath bin gra­cious vnto thee. Know brother, that this work is one stone, into which Gatib may not enter, that is to say, any strange thing. The learned work with this, and from hence proceedeth a medicine that giueth perfection. There must nothing be min­gled herewith, either in part or whole. This Stone is to be found at all times, in euerie place, and about euery man, the search whereof is not troublesome to him that seeketh it, wheresoeuer he be. This Stone is vile, blacke, and stinking: It costeth nothing: it must bee taken alone: it is somewhat heauie, and it is called the Originall of the world, because it riseth vp like things that bud sorth. This is his reuelation and apparance [Page 45] to him thut maketh inquirie after it.

CHAP. X. Of the nature of the Stone, and his birth.

TAke it therefore and worke it as the Philoso­pher hath told you in his booke, when he na­med it after this maner. Take the Stone, no Stone, or that is not a Stone, neither is of the nature of a Stone. It is a Stone whose myne is in the top of the mountaines: and here by mountaines, the Philoso­pher vnderstandeth liuing creatures, wherupon he saide. Sonne, go to the mountaines of India, and to his caues, & pull out thence precious stones which will melt in the water when they are putte into it. And this water is that which is taken from other mountaines and hollow places. They are stones Sonne, and they are not stones, but we call them so for a Similitude which they haue to stones. And thou must know, that the rootes of their mynes are in the ayre, and their tops in the earth, and it wil ea­sily be heard when they are pluckt out of their pla­ces, for there will be a great noyse. Goe with them my sonne, for they will quickly vanish away.

CHAP. XI. Of the commistion of the Elements that were seperated.

BEgin composition, which is the circuite of the whole worke, for there shall be no compositi­on [Page 46] without marriage and putrefaction. The Marri­age is to mingle the thinne with the thicke, and Pu­trefaction, is to rost, grinde, and water, so long till all be mingled together and become one, so that there should bee no diuersitie in them, nor separa­tion from water mingled with water. Then shall the thicke labour to retaine the thinne: then shall the soule striue with the fire, and endeuour to beare it: then shall the Spirite labour to be drow­ned in the bodyes, and poured foorth into them. And this must needes bee, because the bodye dis­solued, when it is commixt with the Soule, it is likewise commixt with euerie part therof: & other things enter into other things, according to theyr similitude and likenesse, and are changed into one and the same thing. And for this cause the soule must partake with the commoditie, durablenesse, and permanencie, which the body receiued in his commixtion. The like also must befall the Spi­rite in this state or permanencie os the soule and bo­by: sor when the Spirit shall bee commixt with the soule by laborious operation, and all his partes with all the partes of the other two, to wit, the soule and bodie, then shall the Spirite and the o­ther two, bee conuerted into one indiuisible thing, according to their entire substance, whose natures haue beene preserued, and their partes haue agreed and come together: whereby it hath come to passe, that when this compounde hath met with a body dissolued, and that heate hath got hold of it, and that the moysture which was in it appea­reth, and is molten in the dissolued body, and hath passed into it, and mixt it selfe with that which was [Page 47] of the nature of moysture, it is inflamed, and the fire defendeth it self with it. Then when the fire would been flamed with it, it will not suffer the fire to take holde of it, that is to say: to cleaue vnto it with the Spirit mingled with his water. The fire will not a­bide by it vntill it be pure. And in like manner doth the water naturally flie from the fire, wherof when the fire hath taken hold, it doth forth with by little and little euaporate. And thus hath the body beene the meanes to retaine the water, and the water to retaine the oyle, that it should not burne nor con­sume away, and the oyle to retaine tincture, and tincture the precise cause to make the colour ap­peare and shew forth the tincture, wherein there is neither light nor life. This then is the true life and perfection of the worke and masterie which thou soughtest for. Be wise therefore and vnderstande, and thou shalt find what thou lookest for, if it please God.

CHAP. XII. Of the solution of the Stone compounded.

THe Philosophers moreouer haue taken great paines in dissoluing, that the body and soule might the better be incorporate, for all those things that are together in contrition, assation, and rig ati­on, haue a certaine affinitie and alliance betweene themselues, so that the fire may spoyle the weaker of nature, till it vtterly fade and vanish away, as also it again returneth vpon the stronger parts, vntil the bodie remaine without the Soule. But when [Page 48] they are thus dissolued and congealed, they take the parts one with another, as well great as small, and incorporate them well together, till they be conuer­ted and changed into one and the same thing. And when this is done, the fire taketh from the Soule as much as from the body, neither more nor lesse, and this is the ceuse of perfection. For this cause it is necessary (teaching the composition of Elixir) to afford one chapter for expounding the solution of simple bodyes and soules, because bodyes doo not enter into soules, but do rather withhold and hin­der them from sublimatiō, fixation, retention, com­mistion, and the like operations, except mundifica­tion go before. And thou shalt know, that solution is after one of these two wayes: for either it extrac­teth the inward parts of things vnto their Superfi­cies, and this is solution (an example whereof thou hast in Siluer that seemeth cold and drie, but being dissolued, and that his inwards appeare, it is found hot and moyst) or else it is to purchase to a body an accidentall moysture, which it had not before, and to adde hereunto his owne humiditie, whereby his parts may be dissolued, and this likewise is called so­lution.

CHAP. XIII, Of the coagulation of the Stone dissolued.

SOme among the learned haue said, Congeale in a bath with a good congelation as I haue tolde thee, and this is Sulphur shining in darknesse, a red Hiasinth, a firy & deadly poyson, the Elixir that abi­deth vppon none, a victorious Lion, a malefactor, [Page 49] a sharpe sworde, a precious Triacle, healing euery infirmitie. And Geber the sonne of Hayen sayd, that all the operations of this masterie are contained vnder fixe things: to put to flight, to melt, to incerate, to make as white as Marble, to dissolue and congeale. That putting to flight, is to driue away and remoue blacknesse, from the spirit and soule: the melting is the liquefaction of the body: to incerate belongeth properly to the body, and is the subtiliation thereof: to whiten, is properly to melt speedily: to congeale, is to congeale the body with the soule alreadie pre­pared. Againe, flight appertaineth to the body and soule: to melt, whiten, incerate, and dissolue, belong vnto the body, and congelation to the soule. Bee wise and vnderstand.

CHAP XIIII. That there is but one Stone, and of his nature.

BAuzan a Greeke Philosopher, when it was de­maunded of him, whether a stone may be made of a thing that buddeth, made answere, yea, to wit, the two first stones, the stone Alkali, and our stone, which is the life and workmanship of him that knoweth it: but he that is ignorant of it, and hath not made it, and knoweth not how it is engendred, supposing it to be no stone, or that conceiueth not with himselfe whatsoeuer I haue spoken of it, and yet will make a tryall of it, prepareth himselfe for death, and casteth away his money: for if he cannot finde out this precious stone, another shall not arise in his place, neither shall natures triumph ouer him. His nature is great heate with moderation. He that [Page 50] now knoweth it, hath profited by reading this booke, but he that remaineth ignorant, hath lost his labour. It hath many properties and vertues, for it cureth bodies of their accidentall diseases, and pre­serueth sound substances, in such sort, that their ap­peareth in them no perturbations of contraries, nor breach of their bond and vnion. For this is the sope of bodies, yea their spirit and soule, which when it is incorporate with them, dissolueth them without any losse. This is the life of the dead, and their resur­rection, a medicine preseruing bodies, and purging superfluities. He that vnderstandeth, let him vnder­stand, and he that is ignorant, let him bee ignorant stil: for it is not to be bought with mony, it is neither to be bought nor sold. Conceiue his vertue, value, and worth, and then begin to worke: wherof a lear­ned man hath said: God giueth thee not this maste­rie for thy sole audacity, fortitude & subtilitie, with­out all labour, but men labor, and God giueth them good successe. Adore thē God the creator, that hath vouchsafed thee so great fauor in his blessed works.

CHAP. XV. The maner how to make the Stone white.

NOwe therefore when thou wilt enterpise this worthy worke, thou shalt take the precious stone, and put it in a Cucurbite, couering it with an Alembicke, being well closed with the lute of wis­dome, and set it in vorie hote dung, then shalt thou distill it, putting a receiuer vnder it, whereinto the water may distill, and thus thou shalt leaue it, till [Page 51] all the water be distilled, and moysture dryed vp, and that drynesse preuaile ouer it: then shalt thou take it out drie, reseruing the water that is distilled, vntill thou hast neede of it: thou shalt take (I say) the drie bodie that remayned in the bottome of the Cucurbite, and grinde it, and put it in a ves­sell, in greatnesse answerable to the quantitie of the medicine, and burie it in verie hote horse-dung as thou canst get, the Vessell beeing well shut with the lute of Wisedome, and so let it rest. But when thou perceyuest the dung to waxe colde, thou shalt get thee other that is fresh, and very hot, and therein put thy Vessell. Thus shalt thou do by the space of fortie dayes, renuing thy dung so of­tenas occasion shall serue, and the Medicine shall dissolue of it selfe, and become a thicke white wa­ter: which when thou beholdest to be so, thou shalt weight it, & put there to so much of the water which thou hast kept, as will make the halfe of his weight, closing thy Vessell with the lute of VVisedome, and put it againe in hote horse-dung, for that is hote and moyst, and thou shalt not omit (as I haue sayde) to renue the dung, when it beginneth to coole, till the tearme of fortie dayes be expired: for the Medicine shall be congealed in the like number of dayes, as before it was dissolued in. Again, take it, and note the iust weight of it, and according to his quantitie, take of the water which thou madest be­fore, grind the body, and subtiliate it, and poure the water vpon it, and set it againe in hot hors-dung, for a weeke and a halfe, that is to say, ten daies, then take it out, and thou shalt see that the bodie hath already drunk vp the water. Afterward grinde it againe, and [Page 52] put thereto the like quantitie of that water, as thou didst before: bury it in dung, and leaue it there for ten dayes more: take it out againe, and thou shalt find that the body hath already drunke vp the wa­ter. Then (as before) grinde it, putting thereto of the foresayd water, the foresayd quantitie, and bury it in the foresayd dung, and let it rest there ten dayes longer, and afterward draw it out, so shalt thou do the fourth time also: which being done, thou shalt drawe it forth, and grinde it, and burie it in dung till it bee dissolued. Afterward, take it out, and rei­terate it yet once more, for then the birth is perfect, and his worke ended. Now when this is done, and that thou hast brought this thing to this honourable estate, thou shalt take two hundred and fiftie drams of Lead, or Steele, and melt it: which beeing mol­ten, thou shalt cast thereon one dramme of Cinna. barus: that is, of this Medicine, which thou hast brought to this honourable estate, and high de­gree, and it shall retaine the Steele or Leade, that it fly not from the fire: it shall make it white, and purge it from his drosse and blacknesse, and conuert it into a tincture perpetually abiding. Then take a dramme of these two hundred and fiftie, and proiect it vpon two hundred and fiftie drammes of Steele or Copper, and it shall conuert it into Siluer, better then that of the Myne. This is the greatest and last worke that it can effect, if God will.

CHAP. XVI. The conuersion of the foresaid Stone into red.

ANd if thou desirest to conuert this masterie into Golde, take of this medicine (which as I saide, thou hast brought to this honourable estate and ex­cellencie) the waight of one dramme (and this after the manner of thy former example) and put it in a vessell, and bury it in hors-dung for fortie dayes, and it shall be dissolued: then thou shalt giue it water of the dissolued body to drink, first as much as amoun­teth to halfe his waight, afterward vntill it bee con­gealed, thou shalt bury it in most hot dung, as is a­boue sayd. Then thou shalt orderly proceed in this Chapter of Gold, as thou hast done in the former Chapter of Siluer: and it shall be Golde, and make Golde God willing. My Sonnekeepe this most se­cret Booke, and commit it not vnto the handes of ignorant men, beeing a secret of the secretes of God: For by this meanes thou shalt attaine thy desire. Amen.

Here endeth the secrets Alchimy, written in Hebrew by Calid, the sonne of Iarich.

An excellent discourse of the admirable force and efficacie of Art and Nature, written by the famous Frier Roger Bacon, Sometime fellow of Merton Colledge, and afterward of Brasen-nose in Oxford.

SOme there are that aske whether of these twaine bee of greatest force, and efficacie, Nature, or Art, whereto I make aunswere, and say, that although Nature be mightie and maruailous, yet Art vsing Nature for an instrument, is more powerfull then naturall vertue, as it is to bee seene in many thinges. But whatsoeuer is done without the operation of Nature or Art, is ei­ther no humane worke, or if it bee, it is fraudu­lently and colourablie performed: for there are some, that by a nimble motion and shewe of mem­bers, or through the diuerfitie of voyces, and sub­tillitie of instruments, or in the darke, and by con­sent doo propose vnto men diuerse things, to bee wondred at, that haue indeede no truth at all. The worlde is euerie where full of such fellowes. For Iuglers cogge many things through the swift­nesse of their hands: and others with varietie of voy­ces, by certaine deuices that they haue in their bel­lies, throats or mouthes, will frame mens voyces, farre of, or neare, as it pleaseth thē, as if a man spake at the same instant: yea they will counterfeite the soundes of bruit beasts. But the causes hidden in the grasse, or buried in the sides of the earth, proue [Page 55] it to bee done by a humane force, and not by a spi­rit, as they would make men beleeue. In like ma­ner, wheras they affirm things without life to moue verie swiftly in the twilight of the euening or mor­ning, it is altogither salse, and vntrue. As for con­cent, it can faigne any thing that men desire, accor­ding as they are disposed togither. In all these neither Physicall reason, nor Art, nor naturall power hath anye place: and for this cause it is more abhominable, sith it contemneth the lawes of Phylosophie, and contrarie to all reason, in­uocateth wicked Spirites, that by theyr helpe they may haue their desire. And herein are they de­ceyued, that they thinke the Spirits to bee subiect vnto them, and that they are compelled at mens pleasures, which is impossible: for humane force is farre inferiour to that of the Spirites. And a­gaine, they fowly erre, to dreame that the cursed spirits are called vppe, and figured, by vertue of those naturall meanes which they vse. Moreouer, they notoriously offende when they goe about by inuocations, deprecations, and sacrifices to ap­pease them, and vse them for the benefite and com­moditie of man. For this were without all com­parison more easie to bee attayned at the handes of God, or of good spirites. But vet the malignaunt spirits will not yeeld vnto vs in those things which are very hurtfull and daungerous, saue so farre forth as it pleaseth God (who ruleth and gouerneth man­kinde, for the sinnes of men to permit and suffer them. These wayes and meanes therefore are be­sides the rules and precepts of Wisedome (nay ra­ther they are contrarie vnto them) and the Phylo­sophers did neuer make account of them.

[Page 56] Now concerning Charmes, Characters, and such like trumperies that are vsed in these dayes, I ad­indge them to bee all false and doubtfull. For some are without all shewe of reason, whereof the Phi­losophers haue made mention in the woorkes of Nature and Art, to the ende they might conceale secrets from the vnworthie, as if it were altogither vnknowne, that the Load-stone could attract Iron: and one desirous to woorke this feate before the people, shoulde make Characters, and pronounce Charmes, that by this meanes he might bring it to passe, this worke of his should be erroneous and de­ceitfull. After this maner there are many thinges hidden in the Philosophers bookes, wherein a wise man must beware, that neglecting the Charmes and Characters, he onely attend and make tryall of the worke of Nature and Art. And then he shall per­ceyue things liuing, and without life, to concurre and agree in Nature, for the conformitie and likenesse of their Natures, and not by vertue of the Charme or Character: whereas the simple people suppose manie things to bee wrought by Magicke, which are nothing else but the secretes of Art and Nature. Yea, the Magitians themselues doo vainelie repose such confidence, in theyr Charmes and Characters, as though they should receyne power from them, that in the meane time they sorsake the woorke of Arte and Na­ture. And by this meanes both these kinde of men are depryued of the benefite of VVisedome, theyr owne follye so constrayning. Neuer­thelesse, there are certaine deprecations long since, sramed and instituted by faithfull men, or ra­ther ordained by God himselfe, and his Angels, that [Page 57] may retaine their pristine and ancient vertue, as it is yet to bee seene in many Countreyes, where they make certain prayers ouer Iron red hot, & ouer the water of ye riuer, & such like, there by to approue the innocent, and cōdemne the guilty: and these things are thought to be brought to passe by the authority of the prelates. For euē the priests them selues do vse Exorcismes, as we may reade in the consecration of blessed water, and the old law of the water of purification, whereby adultery & breach of wedlock was fifted out. And ther are many other such like things. But as for those things that are contained in the Ma­gicians books, we must vtterly reiect them, though they bee not altogether deuoyde of truth, because they be so stuffed with fables, that the truth cannot be discerned from fal shoold. So that we must giue no credit to such as say, that Solomon and other lear­ned men made them: for these bookes are not re­ceiued by the authoritie of the Church nor of wise men, but by Seducers, that take the bare ietter and make newe bookes themselues, and fill the world with their new inuentions, as daily experience tea­eheth vs. And to the ende men might be the more throughly allured, they giue glorious titles to their workes, and foolishly ascribe them to such and such Authors, as though they spake nothing of them­selues: and write base matters in a lostie stile, and with ye cloke of a text do hide their own forgeries. But as for Characters, they are either words vnder the sorme of some letters, containing in them the matter of a praver, or else they are made sor the ser­uice and worship of certaine Stars at speciall times. Of Characters, in the first sence, we are to iudge in the same sort, as we did of prayers: but as for these [Page 58] latter figures and Characters, it is well knowne that they haue no vertue nor efficacie at all, vnlesse they be sramed in their proper seasōs. For which cause he that maketh them as he findeth them, in the books, obseruing only the figure wherein he solloweth his sampler, is iudged by al wise men to do iust nothing. But contrariwise, he that worketh according to the aspect of the heauens, in due constellations is a­ble not onely to dispose of his Characters, but e­uen of all his works, as well artificiall as naturall, a­greeable to the influence of the heauen. Neuerthe­lesse, for so much as it is very difficult to perceiue the certainty of heauenly bodies, many are ouertaken with grosse errors, & few there are that can truly & profitably order any thing. And hence it is that the common Mathematicians iudging and working by Magick Starres, and by workes, as it were iudge­ments at choyse times, become nothing famous, although they bee right cunning, and throughly acquainted with the Arte, and are able to bring many things to passe. But it must not bee for­gotten that the skilfull Phisition and any other, of what profession soeuer may to good purpose vse Charmes and Characters, though they bee fained after the opinion of Constantinus the Phi­sition: not as though Charmes and Characters coulde worke any thing, but that the Medicine might bee the more willingly and readily recey­ued, and that the minde of the patient might bee excited, become more confident, and bee fil­led with ioye: for the Soule thus affected, is a­ble to renue many things in his owne bodie, in­somuch that it may recouer his former health, through the ioy and hope it hath conceiued. If [Page 59] therefore the Physition for the magnifying of his worke, doo administer any such thing, that his patient may not dispayre of his health, it is not to bee abhorred if wee will credite the sayde Con­stantinus. For hee in his Epistle of those things which may be hanged about the necke, graunteth that Charmes and Characters may thus bee vsed, and in this cause defendeth them: for the soule hath great power ouer the body through his strong and forcible operations, as Auicennae sayth in his Bookes of the Soule, and in his eight booke of liuing Creatures, and in this poynt all wise men agree: and for this cause sicke folkes are suffered to see playes, and pleasaunt thinges are brought vnto them: yea, oftentimes follow­ing theyr humour, wee giue them many contra­ry thinges, because the affection and appetite of the soule ouercommeth sicknesse. Nowe for­somuch as the truth must in no wise bee empay­red, The quan [...] is called by Logitians [...]sion, or passi­ble qualitie, An example of a passible qualitie, is sweetnesse in hony, or coldnesse in yce: of passion when we bl [...] for shame, or waxe pale through fear wee are diligently to consider that euery A­gent (not onely substances, but likewise Accidens of the third kinde of Qualities worketh a vertue, and maketh an apparance in the outward nature, and that there are certain sensible vertues in things. This therefore may worke a vertue and kinde out of it selfe, and the rather because it is more excellent then other corporall things, but cheesely for the worthinesse of the soule. And men do not exercise only through heat, but their spirits are stirred vppe within them, as they likewise are in other liuing creatures. And we see that some creatures are chan­ged, and do change such things as are obedient vnto them: as for example: The Basiliske slaieth a man if it doo but beholde him, the wolfe maketh a man [Page 60] hoarse, if it spie him first: and the Hyena (as Solinus reporteth in his wonders of the worlde and other Authors) will not suffer a dog to barke within his shadow. Yea, Aristotle sayth in his booke of Vege­tables, that the frutes of the female Palme trees wax ripe by the smell of the male Palmes: and in some re­gions, Mares conceiue with yong through the very sent of the horses, as Solinus recordeth: and many such things happen through the kinds and vertues of creatures and plants, euen many strange & won­derfull things, as Aristotle affirmeth in his booke of Secrets. Now if plants and liuing creatures cannot attaine vnto the excellencie of mans nature, they shall much lesse be able to worke vertues & kinds, and sende foorth colours for the alterations of bo­dies without them: whereupon Aristotle saith in his booke of Sleep & Watching, that if a menstrous woman beholde her selfe in a looking glasse, shee will infect it, so that there will appeare a cloude of bloud. And Solinus reporteth, that in Sythia there are women which haue a double Ball or Apple in one eye (which caused Ouid to say, Nos quoque pupil­la duplex) who when they are angry, slay men with the very looking on them. And we know that a man of an ill complexion, hauing some contagious dis­ease, as the leprosie or falling-sicknesse, or a sharpe ague, or very bad eyes, and the like, poysoneth and infecteth others that are in his company: but con­trariwise, men of a good and healthie complexion, especially yong men, do comfort others, and make men ioyfull with their presence, which commeth to passe by reason of their delicate Spirits: theyr holsom and pleasant vapours: their kindly & natural heate: I say it is by meanes of the spirits and vertues [Page 61] which proceede from them, as Galen teacheth vs in Techin. And these things become hurtful, if the soule be corrupted with many grosse sins, beeing coupled with a diseased body of an euill complexion: and in like case is it, if there be a feruent appetite, and vehe­ment desire to hurt and mischiefe. For then the na­ture of the complexion and soundnesse woorketh more forcibly by the cogitations of the soule, and longing desires that it hath. For which cause the Leper that earnestly wisheth, and with exceeding carefulnesse intendeth to infect some body that stan­deth before him, doth both more speedily and dan­gerously infect him, then he could haue done if he had not before hand thought hereof, desired and purposed it. For Nature (as Auicen teacheth, in the foresayde places) obeyeth the thoughts, and vehement desires of the Soule: yea, there should bee no operation at all in men, if the naturall ver­tue in the members did not subiect it selfe to the thoughts and desires of the soule. For (as Auicen teacheth in the thirde of the Metaphysickes) the first moouer is a thought, and the next a desire conformable to the thought: And last of all, the vertue of the Soule in the members, which yeel­deth obedience to the desire and thought, and that both in euill and good. VVhereupon when these thinges are to bee seene in a man, a good complexion, health of bodie, youth, beautie, comly proportion of the members, and a Soule free from sinne, an earnest thought and vehement desire to someworke, then whatsoeuer may be ef­fected by the kinde and vertue of man, by the spirits and naturall heate, it must of necessitie be more for­cibly and throughly wrought by these & such like [Page 62] Spirites, Vapours, and influences, then if anie of these were wanting, especially if there bee an earnest desire and forcible intention. So then many straunge matters may bee brought to passe by the woordes and workes of man, when all the fore­named caules doo concurre and meete together: for wordes proceede from within by the thoughts of the Soule, and desire, commeth by the motion of the Spirites, heate and vocall arterie- And the generation of these thinges hath open wayes, through which is a great passage of Spirits, heate, euaporation, vertue and kindes, which may bee made by the Soule and heart. By reason where­of, there are alterations and chaunges made in thinges spirituall (other things beeing answerable) by words according to that naturall power which is due vnto them. For wee see that by reason of these and such like arteries, gaspings and yawnings, and many resolutions of the Spirites, and of heate arise from the heart in the inwarde partes: which sometimes hurt vs, when they proceede from a cra­zie body, that is, of an euill complexion: and againe they greatly profite and comfort vs, when they come from a pure and sound bodie of a good com­plexion. In like sort therefore, there may be some na­turall operations in the generation and pronuncia­tion of woordes, with an intent and desire of wor­king: so that not without good cause we vse to say, that a linely voyce is of great efficacie, not because it hath that vertue, which the Magitians dreame of: or that it is able to make and alter as others thinke, but because it is as nature hath ordained. We must therefore be verie circumspect in these things: for a man may easily tread awry, and many erre in both [Page 63] partes. Some denie that there is any operation: but others exceede and flie vnto Magicke. And hence it is, that there are so many bookes in the worlde of charmes, and characters, praiers, coniurations, sacri­fices, and such like, that are meere Magicke: as the booke of the offices of Spirits, the book of the death of the Soule, the booke of Art notorie, and infinite more of the same kinde, that containe not in them the power of Art or Nature, but are wholy stuffed with the idle denises of vaine magitians. Yet it must be remembred, that many bookes are ascribed to Magitians, which in truth are not such, but con­taine in them the excellencie of wisdome. Now a­mongst these, which are suspected, and which not, euerye mans particular experience shall instruct him. For if in any of them wee can meete with a worke of Nature or Art, let vs make choyse of that: if not, let vs leaue it as suspicious, and ill besee­ming a wise man. It is the part of a Magitian so to handle thinges needlesse and superfluous: for (as Isaak iudgeth in his booke of Feuers) the reasonabie Soule is not hindered in her operations, vn­lesse it be detayned by ignoraunce. And Aristotle sayeth in his booke of Secretes, that in such mat­ter a sounde and healthy person may doo any thing that is expedient for men, though not without the influence of diuine vertue: & in the third of the Me­teors, he saith, that there is no vertue, but it cōmeth from God: and about the latter end of his Ethicks, he affirmeth, that there is no vertue, neither Moral, nor Naturall, endued with acelestiall vertue, with­out a diuine and celestiall influence. So that when we speake of the power of particular agents, we do not exclude the regiment of the vniuerial agent, and [Page 64] first cause. For euery first cause hath a greater influ­ence in the thing caused, then the second cause, as it appeareth by the first proposition of causes.

Now will I begin to recount vnto you strange things, performed by Arte and Nature, and after­wards I will shew you the causes and manners of things, wherein shall bee nothing Magicall: so that you shall confesse all Magicke power to be inferior to these, and vnworthie to be compared with them. And first of all by the figuration of Art it selfe: There may bee made instruments of Nauigation with­out men to rowe in them: as huge Shippes to brooke the Sea, onely with one man to steere them, which shal saile farre more swistly then if they were full of men. And Chariots that shall mooue with an vnspeakeable force, without any liuing crea­ture to stirre them: such as the crooked Chari­ots are supposed to haue beene, wherein in olde time they vsed to fight, yea instruments to flie with­all, so that one sitting in the middle of the Instru­ment, and turning about an Engine, by which the winges being artificially composed may beate the ayre after the maner of a flying bird. Besides, there may bee made a small Instrument in quantitie, to lift vppe, and let downe things of great' waight, then which there is nothing more commodious to weigh with. For by an Instrument of three fin­gers high, and three fingers broad and lesse quan­titie, may a man ridde himselfe, and his compani­ons from all daunger of imprisonment, and lift them vp, and let them downe. Yea such an Instru­ment may easily be made, where by a man may vio­lently draw vnto him a thousand men, will they, nill they, and any other thing.

[Page 65] Moreouer instruments may be made where with men may walke in the bottome of the Sea or Ri­uers without bodily danger, which Alexander the great vsed, to the ende he might beholde the secrets of the seas, as the Ethick Philosopher reporteth: and these haue bin made not onely in times past, but euen in our dayes. And it is certaine that there is an instrument to flie with, which I neuer sawe, nor know any mā that hath seene it, but I full wel know by name the learned man that inuented the same. In a worde, a man may make an infinite sort of such things: as bridges ouer Riuers without postes or pillers, and instruments and engins neuer heard of before.

But physicall figurations are far more strange: for in such maner may we frame perspects and looking-glasses, yt one thing shall appeare to be many, as one man shall seeme a whole armie, and diuers Sunnes and Moones, yea, as many as weeplease, shall ap­peare at one time: for in such wise sometimes are the vapours figured, that two or three Sunnes, and two Moones appeare together in the ayre, as Plynie wit­nesseth in the second booke of his naturall History. For by the same reason that one thing may seeme to be many things, it may likewise seeme to be infinite things because that when once it hath exceeded his vertue, there is no sette number to be assigned: for thus Aristotle reasoneth in the Chapter Devacuo. So that by this meanes a man may strike infinite terrors into any citie or army, insomuch that either through the manifolde apparitions of stars, or of men gathe­red together against them, they should vtterly pe­rish, but in especiall, if there follow such an instru­ment whervvith at the first they may be had. For so [Page 66] may the perspects be framed, that things most farre ost may seeme most nigh vnto vs, and cleane contrarie. So that we may reade verie small letters, an incredible distance from vs, and beholde things how little soeuer they bee, and make starres to ap­seare wheresoeuer wee will. And it is thought that Iulius Caesar did from the Sea coastes in Fraunce marke and obserue the disposition and situation of the Castles and Citties of the lesser Brytannie by the helpe of great glasses. Bodyes also may so bee framed, that the greatest things shall appeare to be the least, the highest to bee the lowest, the most secret to bee the most manifest, and in like sort the contrarie. Thus did Socrates perceiue that the Dra­gon (which dest oied the Citie and countrey adioy­ning with his noysome breath, and contagious in­fluence) did lurke in the dens betweene the moun­tains. And thus may all things that are done in cities or armies be discouered by ye enemies. Again, in such wise may bodies be framed, that venimous and in­fectious influences may be brought whither a man will. And thus it is reported, that Aristotle instruc­ted Alexander: through which instruction, the poy­son of a Basiliske beeing list vp vpon the wall of a ci­tie against an armie, brought it into the Citie. And besides all these, we may so frame perspects, that a­ny man entring into a house, hee shoulde indeede see golde, and siluer, and precious stones, and what else he will, but when he maketh haste to the place, hee shall finde just nothing. But it appertai­neth to higher powers of figurations, that beames should bee brought and assembled by diuers flexi­ons and reflexions in any distance that wee will, to burne whatsoeuer is opposite vnto it, as it is [Page 67] witnessed by those perspects that burne before and behinde, according as certaine authours teach in their bookes treating of these matters. But the greatest and cheefest of all figurations and things fi­gured, is to describe the heauenly bodies according to their length and breadth in a corporall figure, wherein they may corporally moue with a daily mo­tion. These things are worth a kingdome to a wise and discreet man. Let these things suffice for exam­ples of figurations, though many other wonderfull things might be produced. Now hereunto there are certaine other, to be annexed without figurations. In any distance that wee will, wee may artificially make a burning fire of Salt Peeter and other things, as also of oyle, red Petrolium, and such like: and moreouer of Amber, of Naptha, white Petroli­um, and the like: according to that which Pliny reporteth in his second booke, namely that in a cer­taine Citie hee defended himselfe against the Ro­mane armie: for hee burnt an armed souldior with diuers things which he cast at him. The Greeke fire is not much vnlike these, and many other burning things.

Besides, there may be made perpetuall lights, and bathes burning without end, for we haue knowne many that are not burned, but purified. But ouer and besides these, there are other things of Nature that will amaze and astonish vs to heare of them: for noyses may bee made in the aire like thunders, yea with greater horror then those that come by Nature: for a little matter fitted to the quantitie of a thumbe, maketh a horrible noyse, and wonderfull lightning. And this is done after sundry fashions, whereby any citie and armie may be destroyed, after [Page 68] the manner of skilfull Gedeon, who hauing onely three hundreth men, discomfited the hosts of the Madianites, with broken pitchers, and lamps, & fire issuing out with an vnspeakeable noyse. These are maruailous things, if men knewe how to vse them effectually in due quantitie and matter.

But nowe I will propose many strange things of another kind, which although they haue no great profite, yet are they a most apparant demonstration of wisedome, and may be vsed for the prouing of a­ny secet things, which the rude multitude gainsay, being like to the attraction of Iron by the Adamant. For who would beleeue such an attraction, vnlesse he behelde it? and there be many wonders of nature in this drawing of the Iron, that are vnknowne to the common people, as experience teacheth the studious. But these things are greater and more in number: for there is the like attraction of all met­tals by the Stone of golde and siluer: and the Stone runneth to Vineger. Yea plants, and the parts of li­uing creaturs beeing locally diuided the one from the other, will not withstanding by a naturall moti­on concurre and come together again. Now when I had beheld these and such like things, and consi­dered them well, I thought nothing incredible, neyther in diuine nor humane things. Yet there are greater behinde then these. For the whole power of the Mathematickes (according to the practise of Ptolomy, in the. 8. de Almagesto) setteth but an instrument vppon the superficies, wherein all things that are in the heauen shall be truely descri­bed with theyr lengths and breadths: but that they should naturally mooue with a daily motion, is not in the Mathematicians power. Yet doth the [Page 69] faithfull and industrious practisioner, earnestly de­sire to make it of such a matter and after such a man­ner. That the heauens should be naturally moued with a daily motion, seemeth impossible vnto him, because many things are carryed with the motion of the heauenly bodyes, as Comets, and the sea when it floweth, and other things: eyther wholy or in parte: for then should all instruments of Astrology be in vaine, as well those which haue beene inuented by the learned, as those that haue beene deuised by the common sort, neyther shoulde a Kings treasure bee skant comparable. Moreouer, there may yet greater things bee per­formed, though not in respect of their straunge­nesse, yet if wee regarde a publike or priuate com­moditie, namely, to gette as great plentie of golde and siluer as we list, not by a possibilitie of Nature, but by the perfection of Art, for asmuch as there are seuenteene manners of golde, whereof eight in number haue a commixtion of Argent-uiue with gold. Now the first kinde of golde is made of cer­taine parts of golde, and some partes of siluer, vn­till wee reach vnto the two and twentieth degree of Gold, alwayes augmenting one degree of gold with one of siluer: and there are as many more of the admixtion of Brasse with Golde. So that the last manner consisteth of foure and twentie de­grees of pure golde, without the admixtion of a­ny other mettall: and nature cannot proceede a­ny further, as experience teacheth. But Art may augment gold very much in the parts of purity, and likewise accomplish it without fraude or couine. But this is a greater matter then the former, that although the reasonable soule cannot bee constrai­ned, [Page 70] yet may she be effectually disposed, indued, and prouoked, freely to change her maners, affections and desires, according to another mans pleasures: and this may be effected, not in one particular per­son alone, but in the whole body of a Citie, or peo­ple of a Kingdome. And such a matter Aristotle tea­cheth in his booke of Secrets, as well of a nation, as of an army or priuate person. These things are al­most as much as nature or Art are able to performe. But yet the last decree, wherein the perfection of Art can doo oughts with all the power of nature, is the prolonging of life for a great space, and the possibilitie hereof is approued by many experimēts. For Plynie reporteth, that there was a Souldiour lu­stie and strong both in body & mind, that continued healthy beyond the accustomed age of man, who when Octauianus Augustus asked him what he did that made him liue so long, made aunswere in a riddle, that he vsed oyle outwardly, and sweet wine inwardly. But afterwards there sell out many such things: for on a time, as a husband man was plow­ing, he chanced to finde a golden vessell with a pre­cious licour, which he surmising to be the dew of heauen, washt his face with it, and dranke thereof, and was incontinently renewed in Spirite, in body, and in quicknesse of witte: for which cause, of a plow-man hee was made porter to the King of Sici­ly: & this hapned in the time of king Ostus. Besides, it is confirmed by the testimony of the Popes letters, that Almanichus beeing Captaine among the Sara­cens took a medicine, by the benifit wherof, he pro­longed his life fiue hundred yeares. For the king to whom hee was prisoner, receiued Ambassadors from king Magus with this medicine, but forasmuch [Page 71] as he suspected it to be poyson, he would needes make a tryall of it in this Captiue. In like man­ner, the Queene of Tormery in great Britany, see­king after a white Hart, lighted vppon an Oynt­ment, wherewith the Keeper of the forrest had noynted his whole bodie, the soles of his feete onely excepted: he liued three hundreth yeares without corruption, saue that hee was troubled with the goute in his feete. And wee haue obser­ued many Countrey-men in our dayes, who, without the counsell and adulse of Phisitions, haue liued a hundred and three score yeares, or there abouts. And these things are approoued by the works of bruit beasts, as namely in the Hart, the Egle, the Serpent, and many other, that by the vertue of hearbes and stones renewe theyr youth. For which cause wise men haue addiected them­selues to search out such a secret, prouoked there­unto by the example of brute Beastes, deeming it to bee possible for man to obtaine that which is not denied to vnreasonable creatures. And hence is it, that Artephius in his Booke, intituled the Wisedome of Secretes, diligently obseruing the force and power of liuing creatures and stones, and such like things, to the end that he might be ac­quainted with Natures Secrets, but especially to attaine the knowledge howe to lengthen the life, boasteth of himselfe that he liued a thousande and fiue and twentie yeares.

And the possibilitie of the prolongation of life, is hereby confirmed, because the soule is naturally im­mortall, and able not to die: for euen after it had bin polluted with sinne, it was able to liue about a thou­sande yeares, and afterwardes by little and little [Page 72] the length of life was abbreuiated and waxed shor­ter. Now this abbreueation must needes bee acci­dentall, & therefore it may either in the whole or in parte bee prolonged. And if we will seeke out the accidentall cause of this corruption, we shall finde that it proceedeth not from the heauen, nor anie thing else, but for lacke of a due regiment of health. For in this age of ours, the fathers are corrupted, and therefore begette Sonnes of a corrupt com­plexion and composition, and theyr Sonnes for the same cause doo corrupt themselues, and this corruption descendeth from the fathers into the Sons, so long, till at the last, the shortnes of life doth continually preuaile, as it appeareth this day. Ne­uerthelesse, it cannot hence be necessarily inferred, that life shall alwayes bee shortned, because there is a time appoynted for humane things, and for the most, what men liue seuentie yeares, and the rest of theyr dayes are altogether labour and sorrow. But there may a remedie bee founde out for the particular corruption of euery man, that is to say, if euerie one for his parte from his youth vpwarde, will exercise a perfect gouern­ment of health, which consisteth in meate and drinke, in sleepe and watchfulnesse, in motion and rest, in euacuation and constriction, in the ayre and in the disposition of the minde: for if anie man would obserue this manner of gouernment from his natiuitie, he should liue as long as his na­ture (which he receiued of his parents) would per­mit him, and be brought to the farthest end of that nature falne from originall iustice: but this he can no way passe: for this regiment affordeth no re­medie against the auncient corruption of parents. [Page 73] Yet it is impossible that a man should with such mo­deration carrie himselfe in all these thinges, as the rule of health requireth: and therefore it is of ne­cessitie that the abbreuiation and shortning of our dayes should spring from this head also, and not onely from the corruption of our parents. But the science of Physicke doth sufficiently prescribe and determine this maner of regiment: though nei­ther rich nor poore, learned nor vnlearned, no not euen the Physitions themselues (howe absolute so euer they bee) are able indifferently to obserue these things in themselues, nor in other men. Not­withstanding, Nature fayleth not in things neces­sarie, nor Art beeing perfect and compact, yea ra­ther it is able to breake out against accidentall passi­ons, and either wholy or in part to abolish them. And in the beginning when the age of men first be­gan to decline, a remedie might easily haue beene found out: but after sixe thousand yeeres and more, it is a difficult matter to prescribe a remedie. Neuer­thelesse, wise men mooued with the foresaid con­siderations, haue endeuoured to finde out wayes, not onelye agaynst the defect of euery particular mans regiment, but also agaynst the corruption of Parents: not that men should be able to reach vnto the life of Adam, or Artephius, by reason of the cor­ruption which daily encreaseth, but that they might prolong their liues for a hundred yeares or some­what more, beyonde the common age of men now liuing, so that the diseases vsually accompanying olde age, might bee kept backe for a time, and though not vtterly prohibited and taken quite a­way, yet they might be mittigated and diminished, that the life might be profitably prolonged beyonde [Page 38] the expectation of men, but alwayes within the vt­most bounds and limits. For there is one tearme of Nature appoynted to the first men after sinne en­tered into the worlde, and another alotted to eue­rye man by the proper corruption of his parents. These two wee cannot passe: for though wee may passe the latter, yet are wee not able to arriue vnto the former: I am of opinion that a wise man may in this age attaine thereto, the possibilitie and apt­nesse of humane nature, beeing the same nowe that it was in the first men: and no maruaile, seeing that this aptnesse extendeth it selfe to immorta­litie, as it was before sinne, and shall bee after the resurrection. But if you say, that neither Aristotle, Plato, Hippocrates, nor Galen, attained hereto. I aun­swere, that they were ignoraunt euen of manye meane vertues, which afterwarde were familiar to those that were studious. These therefore might ea­sily bee hidden from them, though they laboured to finde them out: but they busied themselues too much in other matters, and waxed olde in a trice, spending their life in base and vulgar things, and yet they were acquainted with many secrets. For we knowe that Aristotle sayth in the Predicaments, that the quadrature of a Circle may bee knowne, al­though it bee not yet knowne. Whereby hee con­fesseth, that both himselfe, and all men till his time were ignorant of it. But now a dayes wee see that the truth is knowne, so that Aristotle might well be ignoraunt of the greatest of Natures Secrets. And againe, wise men are at this present ignorant of ma­ny things, which the common sort of Students shall knowe hereafter. So then this obiection is altoge­ther vaine and foolish.

[Page 75] Thus hauing produced certaine examples decla­ring the power of Art and Nature, to the end that out of those few we might collect many, out of the parts gather the whole, out of particulars, inferre vniuersals, wee see howe farre forth it is altogether needlesse for vs to gape after Magicke, when as Na­ture and Art are sufficient. Nowe I minde to prose­cute euery one of the foresayd things in order, and deliuer their causes, and the wayes howe to worke them particularly. And first of all, I consider that the secrets of Nature contayned in the skins of Goates and sheep, are not spoken of, least euery man should vnderstand them. As Socrates and Aristotle willeth: for he affirmeth in his booke of Secrets, that hee is a breaker of the celestiall seale that maketh the se­crets of Art and Nature common: adding moreouer that many euils beride him that reuealeth secretes. And in the booke intituled Noctes Atticae, in the comparing of wise men togither, it is reputed a great folly to giue an Asse Lettice, when Thistles will serue his turne: and it is written in the booke of Stones, that hee impayreth the Maiestie of things, that diuulgeth mysteries. And they are no longer to bee tearmed Secrets, when the whole multitude is acquainted with them, if wee regard the probable diuision of multitude, which euermore gainsay the learned. For that which seemeth vnto all, is true, as also that which is so iudged of by the wise, and men ofbest account. Wherefore that which seemeth to many, that is to the common people, so farre forth as it seemeth such, must of necessitie bee false. I speake of the Common sort, in that Sence, as it is heere distinguished agaynst the learned. For in the common conceytes of the minde, they [Page 40] agree with the learned, but in the proper principles and conclusions of Arts and Sciences they disagree, toyling themselues about meere appearances, and sophistications, and quirks, and quiddities, and such like trash, whereof wise men make no account. In things proper therefore, and in secretes, the com­mon people do erre, and in this respect they are op­posite to the learned, but in common matters they are comprehended vnder the lawe of all, and there­in consent with the learned. And as for these com­myn things, they are of small value, not worthy to bee sought after for themselues, but in regarde of things particular and proper. Now the cause of this concealement among all wise men, is, the contempt and neglect of the secretes of wisedome by the vul­gar sort, that knoweth not how to vse those things which are most excellent. And if they do conceiue any worthy thing, it is altogither by chance and for­tune, & they do exceedingly abuse that their know­ledge, to the great damage and hurt of many men, yea, euen of whole societies: so that he is worse then mad that publisheth any secret, vnlesse he conceale it from the multitude, and in such wise deliuer it, that euen the studious and learned shall hardly vn­derstand it. This hath beene the course which wise men haue obserued from the beginning, who by many meanes haue hidden the secrets of wisedome from the common people. For some haue vsed Cha­racters and verses, and diuerse others riddles and fi­guratiue speeches, as Aristotle witnesseth in his book of Secrets, where hee thus speaketh. O Alexander, I will shew thee the greatest secret in the world, God grant thou maiest keepe it close, and bring to passe the intention of the Art of that stone which is no [Page 77] stone, and is in euery man, & in euery place, and at all seasons, and is called the end of all Philosophers. And an infinite number of thinges are founde in many bookes and sciences obscured with such darke spee­ches, so that no man can vnderstand them without a teacher. Thirdly, some haue hidden their secretes by their maners of writing, as namely by consonants on­ly: so that no man can reade them, without he knowe the signification of the words: and this is vsual among the Iewes, Chaldeans, Syrians, and Arabians, yea, and the Grecians too: and therefore there is a great con­cealing with them, but especially with the Iewes: for Aristotle sayth in the aboue named booke, that God gaue them all maner of wisedome, before there were any Philosophers, and all nations borrowed the prin­ciples of Philosophy of them. And thus much we are plainly taught by Albumasar in his booke named the larger Introductory, and other Philosophers, and by Iosephus in his eight booke of Antiquities. Fourthly, things are obscured by the admixtion of letters of di­uerse kinds, & thus hath Ethicus the Astronomer cō ­cealed his wisdome, writing the same with Hebrew, Greeke & Latin letters, all in a row. Fiftly, they hide their secrets, writing them in other letters then are v­sed in their owne counrty, to wit, when they take let­ters that are in vse in forreine nations, and feigne them according to their own pleasures. This is a very great impediment, vsed by Artephius in his booke of the Se­crets of Nature. Sixtly, they make certain formes, not of letters, but such as are vsed by diuiners and enchan­ters, which according to the diuersitie of pricke and notes, haue the power of letters: and these likewise hath Artephius vsed in his science.

Seuenthly, there is yet a more cunning sleight of [Page 78] occultation behind by the helpe of Art notory: an art wherby a man may write or note any thing, as briefly as he will, & as swiftly as he can desire. And in this sort haue the Latine authours hidden many secretes. I deemed it necessary to touch these tricks of obscurity, because happily my self may be constrained through the greatnesse of the secrets, which I shal handle, to vse some of them, that so at the least I might helpe thee to my power. I giue thee therefore to vnderstand, that my purpose is orderly to proceed in the exposition of those things, whereof I made mention before: as to dissolue the Philosophers egge, and search out the partes of a philosophicall man. And this shall serue for a beginning to the rest. Take salt, and rub it dili­gently in water, and purifie it in other waters, after by diuerse contritions, rub it with Salts, and burne it with sundry assations, that it may bee made a pure earth, separated from the other Elements, which I esteeme worthy of thee for thestature of my length. Vnderstand me if thou art able: for it shall vndoub­tedly bee composed of the Elements, and therefore it shall be a part of the stone, which is no stone, and is in euery man, which thou shalt finde at all tymes of the yeare in his owne place. This done thou shalt take oyle after the maner of a searecloath, and of vis­cous cheese, not able to be cut at the first, wherevnto all the fierie vertue must bee diuided, and separated by dissolution (now it must bee dissolued in a sharpe water of an indifferent sharpenesse, with a light fire) and decocted vntill his fatnesse be seuered, as the fat in flesh, by distillation, that no part of the oylinesse and blacke vertue, wherein the vrine is distilled, may get out. Afterward let it bee decocted in Vineger, till it be dryed into a coale (which is the cause of ad­dustion) [Page 79] and that his blacke vertue do appeare. But if it be not cured therof, let it be done againe: be watch­full and attentiue, for my speech is difficult. The oyle will dissolue, both in sharpe waters, and in common oyle, that worketh more apparauntly, or in a tart oyle of Almondes ouer the fire, so that the oyle may bee sundred, and the hidden spirite remaine, both in the partes ofliuing creatures, and in Sulphur, and Arsenicke. For the Stones (wherein there is an Oyle of a superfluous humiditie) haue certaine boundes of their humours: partly because there is no strong vnion, sithens one may be dissolued from the other, by reason of the nature of the water, which is put to liquefaction in the Spirite, which is the meane betweene his parts and the oyle. Disso­lution therefore beeing finished, there will remaine a certaine pure humiditie in the spirit, which though it bee throughly mixt with the dry parts, which are mooued to and fro in it, yet is the fire able to re­solue it, beeing called by the Philosopher a mel­ting Sulpur, and sometime Oyle, sometime an ayrie humour, sometime a comunctiue substaunce, which the fire dooth not separate, sometime Camphora, and wash it. This is the Philosophers Egge, or rather the ende and accomplishment of the Egge. And let so much of the Oyles as commeth to our hands bee reckoned among Seeny seede, which must bee separated from the water, or Oyle wherein it is purged.

Moreouer, the oyle is putrified as thou knowest, by braying it with drying things, as with salt and vitriall, and by burning it, (though passion arise from the con­trarie) and afterward it must bee sublimed, vntill his oylinesse be quite taken away, and that the water bee [Page 80] like Sulphur or Arsenicke in the minerals: for it may be prepared in the same maner that they are. Neuer­thelesse, it were better to decoct it in waters of a tem­perate sharpenesse, vntill it bee purged or made white. And yet there is another profitable concoc­tion in a dry or moyst fire, where distillation must bee renued (if you would haue your worke come wel to passe) and the matter rectified: of which rectification the last signes are to bee white, and cleare as Christall. And wheres. other things grow black in the fire, this waxeth white, is purified, and euen shineth againe through the notable clearnes & brightnes that is in it. Of this water and earth is Argent-uiue engendred, be­ing not vnlike the Argent-uiue that is in the Mynes. Now when the matter is waxed hot after this maner, it is cōgealed: but the ayrie stone (which is no stone) must be put into a Pyramis in a warme place, or (if you think good) into the belly of a horse, or oxe, and so be changed into a sharpe feuer. And when it hath passed frō this itno 10. and from that into 21. so that the lees of the oiles are dissolued in their water, before it be se­parated, they do so often reiterate dissolution & distil­lation, til at length it be rectified. And here endeth this intention. But thou must remēber that whē thou hast made an end, thou art then to begin a new againe.

Now will I hide an other secret from thee. Prepare Argent-uiue by mortifying it, with the vapour of Steele for Margarites, and with the vapour of Lead for the stone Iber: and rubbe it with drying things, and atraments, and such like (as before) and boyle it: this done, let it be sublymed: is for vnion, 10. if for rednesse, 21. vntill the moysture bee consu­med in it. Neither is it possible that the humi­ditie shoulde bee separated for the vapour (as the [Page 81] foresayde oyle) because it is very strongly commixt with his drie partes, neither doth it set any bound, as we haue already taught in the foresaid mettals. In this chapter thou maist easily bee deceiued, except thou perfectly vnderstand the signification of the words.

Now it is high time obscurely to intreat of the third chapter, to the end thou maist behold the very key of the worke thou lookest for. The calcined bodie is sometime put to (which is done to this end, that the moysture in it might be consumed by salt, and Sal Ar­meniack and Vineger) and againe, sometime it is nou­rished with Argent-uiue, and sublimed by them, till it remaine as pouder. These then are the keyes of the Art, Congelation, Resolution, Induration, Proiecti­on, and this is both the end and the beginning: but as for purification, distillation, separation, sublimation, calcination, and inquisition, they are fellow-workers with the former, and now thou maist sit downe and take thine ease.

Sixe hundred and two yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, thou didst aske me of certaine secrets. Take therfore the stone and congeale it with a gentle boyling, and strong contrition, but without sharpe things. And in ye end mixe it a little with sweete water: and make a laxatiue medicine of seuen things, if thou think good, or of sixe, or of fiue: or of as many as thou wilt, but my mind is content with two: whereof the better shall be in sixe, rather then any other proporti­on, or there abouts, as experience may teach you. Ne­uerth elesse, resolue the gold by the fire, & restraine it better. But if you wil beleeue me, you ought to take but one thing. This is a secret of Natures secrets, able to worke wonders. It being therfore mixed with two things or more in number, or with the Phoenix [Page 82] (which is a worthie creature) at the fire, & incorpora­ted by a strong motion, and that hereunto you putte warme liquor, foure or fiue times you shall be maister of your hearts desire. But afterward the celestiall na­ture is weakened, and waxeth feeble, if thou poure warme water into it three or fouretimes. Thou must therefore diuide the weake from the strong in diuers vesselles if thou dare credite mee, and draw out that which is good. Besides thou shalt take the powder, and throughly presse out the water that remained: for certainely it will make the partes of the powder spirituall: for which cause thou shalt saue this wa­ter by it selfe, because the powder dryed vppe here­with, hath the force of a medicine in a laxatiue body, Worke therefore as thou didst before, vntill thou hast remooued the weake from the strong, and put the powder thereto three, foure, or fiue times, or oftner, alwayes working after one and the selfe same manner. And if thou canst not worke with warme water, thou shalt offer violence. But if it bee broken by reason of the tartnesse and tendernesse of the medi­cine, together with powder thou must verie wari­ly put more Gold to, and mollifie it: but if the plen­tie of the powder cause it to breake, thou shalt giue it more of the medicine, and if it bee long of the strength of the water: water it with a Pestill, and gather together the matter so well as thou canst, and separate the water by little and little, and it will returne to his former state. This water thou shalt drie vp, for it hath both the powder and water of the medicine, which are to be incorporate as dust. Be not asleepe nowe, for I haue tolde thee a great and profitable secret. And if thou couldest tell how to place and sette in order the partes of a burnt shrub, [Page 83] or of a willow, and many such like things, they would naturally keepe an vnion. Beware at any hand that thou forgettest not this, because it is very pro­fitable for many things. Thou shalt mingle the Trinity with the vnion beeing first molted, and they will rise vp as I suppose like vnto the stone Iberus: doubtlesse it is mortified by the vapour of the lead, which lead thou shalt finde if thou presse it out of the dead body, and this dead body thou shalt burie in a stillitory. Hold fast this secret, for it is nought worth. And in like manner shalt thou deale with the vapour of a Margarite or the stone Tagus, burying the dead as before thou art commanded.

And now forsooth the yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, I make answere to your demaund after this maner. You must haue a medicine yt wil dissolue in a thing that is melted, and be annointed in it, and en­ter into his second degree, and be incorporate with it, not proouing a fugitiue seruant, and change it, and be mixt with the roote of the Spirit, and bee fixed by the calx of the mettall. Now it is thought that fixati­on prepareth, when the body & spirit are layd in their place, and sublimed, which must be so often reitera­ted, til the body be made a spirit, and the spirit become a body. Take therefore of the bones of Adam, and of calx the same weight, there must be sixe for the rocky stone, & fiue for the stone of vnions, & these you must worke togither with Aqua vitae (whose property is to dissolue all other things) that it may bee dissol­ued and boyled in it. And this a signe of Incera­tion, if the medicine will melt, when it is poured on an Iron redde hot. This done, poure water into it in a moyst place, or else hang it in the vapour of ve­ry hote and liquid Waters, and congeale it in the [Page 84] Sunne [...] thou shalt take Salt-peter, & conuert Ar­gent-uiue [...] lead: and againe, thou shalt wash and [...] therewith, that it may come nigh to Siluer, and afterward worke as thou didst before. Moreouer, thou shalt drinke vppe all after this sort. Notwithstanding, thou shalt take of Salt-peter, Luru [...], and of Sulphur, and by this meanes make [...] thunder and lighten. Thus shalt thou [...] worke. Nowe consider with thy selfe [...] speake in a riddle, or tell thee the plaine [...] be some that haue bin of another mind: for it was said vnto me, that al things must be resolued to the matter, wherof you may find Aristotle his iudge­ment [...] vulgar & vnknowne places, and ther­fore [...] my peace. Now when thou hast them, [...] haue many simples and equals, [...] shalt effect by contrary things and [...] which before I tearmed the keyes of [...] Aristotle saith that the equalitie of the [...] containe in it the action and passion of [...] this likewise is the opinion of Auerroes re­prouing [...]. It is thought that this is the most simple and [...] medicine that may be found: It is good [...] the feauers and passions both of minde and bo­dyes, more cheape then any medicine whatsoeuer. [...] these things shall haue the key that o­peneth and no man shutteth, and when hee hath shut, no man is able to open it againe.

FINIS.

Printed at London by Thomas Creede. for Richard Oliue. 1597.

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