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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 cōcealed 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 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 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
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 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 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 y t 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 y e 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 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 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
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 shal be fully contented therewith The Mirrour of Alchimy composed by the famous Fryer Roger Bachon sometime fellow of Martin Colledge and Brasen-nose 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 Argent-uiue 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 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 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 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 y t 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
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 y e 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 y e 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 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 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