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
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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
or Sulphur alone or Argent uiue and one of the two Sulphurs or Sulphur-uiue 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 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 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 y e 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 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 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
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
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 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 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 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 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
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 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 where 's 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 coÌ„gealed 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 froÌ„ 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 remeÌ„ber that wheÌ„ 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 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 y e 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 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 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 y t 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 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 The quanâ—â—â—â—â— is called by Logitians â—â—â—sion or passible qualitie An example of a passible qualitie is sweetnesse in hony or coldnesse in yce of passion when we blâ—â—â— for shame or waxe pale through fear Printed at London by Thomas Creede for Richard Oliue 1597.