Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	ancient_a	time_n	write_v	1,996	5	5.4420	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75271	Five treatises of the philosophers stone. Two of Alphonso King of Portugall, as it was written with his own hand, and taken out of his closset: translated out of the Portugez into English. One of John Sawtre a Monke, translated into English. Another written by Florianus Raudorff, a German philosopher, and translated out of the same language, into English. Also a treatise of the names of the philosophers stone, by William Gratacolle, translated into English. To which is added the Smaragdine Table. / By the paines and care of H.P.	Afonso V, King of Portugal, 1432-1481.; H. P.	1651 (1651)	Wing A2900; Thomason E654_5; ESTC R205924	41,579	80

FIVE TREATISES OF THE Philosophers Stone Two of Alphonso King of Portugall as it was written with his own hand and taken out of his Closset Translated out of the Portuguez into English One of John Sawtre a Monke translated into English Another written by Florianus Raudorff a German Philosopher and translated out of the same Language into English Also a Treatise of the names of the Philosophers Stone by William Gratacolle translated into English To which is added the Smaragdine Table By the Paines and Care of H. P. LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper and are to be sold by John Collins in Little Brittain near the Church door 1652. To the Right Honourable the Earle of Pembroke and Montgomery c. Right Honourable THough in these last ages Vice hath beene esteemed above Vertue and men have made it their businesse to advance their fortunes by wicked means yet if we looke backe to former ages and the time of Hermes Trismegistus who is said to be Moses and so called from his being hid amongst the Reeds in the waters and as he was called Hermes Trismegistus he stiles himselfe the thrice great Interpreter as having three parts of the Philosophy of the whole world as may appeare in his Smaragdine Table following out of which all moderne Philosophers grounded their discourses and bookes thus hee might stile himselfe being allowed familiarity with his Creator From him likewise we had our first Record for the Creation of the world and all things therein we shall finde and be satisfied in judgement that true honour proceeded and was at first derived from Vertue and what man yet ever lived who was accounted or esteemed so Virtuous Wise Good and Rich as those who had the true knowledge of Naturall Philosophy and her secret operations which from age to age for many ages was by word of mouth delivered by one to another wherby many Shepheards Heardsmen Husbandmen and others of like quality by Gods especiall favour became great Princes Governours and Rulers over the people upon Earth being thereby enabled to advance themselves to what Riches and treasure they pleased as will appeare by the ensuing Treatises without robbing or taxing the people of their Countries under their Government in any sort who also by their Physicall Medicine continued length of dayes youth and strength by which means those old men mentioned in the Old Testament with many other Philosophers were not only so long preserved from the Grave but also thereby wrought many miracles to the wonder of the world as well they might having the power and dispose of the greatest Treasure and highest Secret that ever Almighty God revealed to mortall man And being fully satisfied of your Honours most Noble and Ingenious inclination and love to the study of this most Divine and Mysterious Art which can proceed from no other then a right Noble and Vertuous disposition and by a Divine instinct Nor is a man of any other temper fit for the study or knowledge thereof And considering of a person of Honour fit for the presentation of these Treatises well weighing your Honours inclination vertuous Disposition and mature Judgement holding my selfe obliged to be serviceable to my power to all faithfull students in this most sacred Art have fixed upon your Honour as most worthy of the presentation not only of these my present endeavours but also of such others as I shall ere long produce concerning either this or any other subject not desiring Patronage as is usuall considering the Persons by whom these Treatises were first written but only Your Honours Noble acceptance of so meane a present from the hand of him that heartily wisheth Your Honour all felicity both corporall and spirituall temporall and perpetuall and in that wish I rest My Lord Your Honours most faithfull servant H. P. To the Reader HErmes the Father of Philosophers most plainly of any that ever writ discovered the matter of the Philosophers Stone but not the manner of compleatment thereof and as he saith he came to the knowledge thereof by the mercy and favour of the great Creator of Heaven and Earth without the direction instruction or information of any mortall man and writ thereof to posterity fearing damnation if he should not have done the same since which time many hundred Philosophers have written of the same Science which is the highest and greatest secret that ever Almighty God revealed to mortall man but so obscurely that it is impossible for any man to attain to this high and mysterious Art except he be Piously and Religiously inclined and resolved to live a serious and private life free from all other employment or businesse in the world and such a man without doubt by the mercy and favour of Almighty God and with the help of these following Authours with some others of the best of these latter times and the Hieroglyphicks now cutting and comming forth in Print by the Printer hereof living in Little-Brittaine London never heretofore published which make a full and clear demonstration to the sons of wisedome of the whole worke of the Philosophers Stone from the beginning to the ending and giveth a clearer light to the understanding of the Reader than all the books in the world so that by the help of these and such like Books with the Hieroglyphicks this Art doubtlesse may be attained unto with ten times more ease and lesse difficulty than otherwise These only I have given thee a taste of untill the others come forth which will speedily be effected And note this that scarce one of the ancient Philosophers ever writ fully of this noble Science but whatsoever one leaves out may be found in another if you read many of the best Authours I have been a Student in this Art many years and being satisfied of the truth thereof having studied many of the best Authours thought fit for the good and benefit of the faithfull Students of this Art to cause these to be published being by some of my best friends thereunto very much urged and because the Students of this Art should not be deceived by false Philosophers and worke as they do upon false matters as Salts Alomes Vitriols Mettals Minerals and the like let them consider the words of Geo Ripley an English Monke who saith yet the matter of this worke according to all the ancient Philosophers is one only thing containing in it selfe all necessaries to the accomplishing of its own perfection And Henricus Cornelius Agrippa in the second Book of his Occult Philosophy in the 4. Chap. saith there is one thing by God created the subject of all wonderfulnesse which is in earth and in heaven it is actually animall vegetable and minerall found every where known by few by none expressed in his proper name but covered in numbers figures and riddles without which neither Alchymy nor naturall Magick can attaine their perfect end And in the Rosary of the Philosophers it is written but I advise that no man intrude himself into