Apprehensions The latter of which might as well say Jacobs practising to make his Lambs of a Py'd Colour was performed by the assistance or ministry of the Devill and as well condemne the use of Phisick because the Devill has taught Witches divers harmfull and uncharitable uses of Herbs Mineralls Excrements c. And as in some dull ages and among some Grosse Spirits it has proved dangerous to be Learned Witnesse our Renowned Roger Bachon whom Together with Artepheus Arnold de villa nova who were Philosophers of known reputation credit Wierus reckons among the Deplorati ingenii homines all whose Workes fairely written and well bound were by Religious pretending Sciolists dam'd as Devilish with long Nailes through them fastned to desks in the Franciscan Library at Oxford and there with Dust and Moths consumed Even so our other famous Country-man Profound Ripley was also abused who after his death is said to have been branded with the name of a Necromancer Pope Silvester the second pas'd for a Magician in the worst sence because he understood Geometry and about 150. yeares agoe so blind an age was it that to know Greeke and Necromancy were one and the same thing in opinion of the Illiterate However let the Ignorant scoffe and attribute that to Deceipt and Illusion which is the proper worke of Nature produced by exquisite knowledge I am confident the ingenously learned will approve and admire it But to teare off that ugly vizard which Envy has placed before the Face of so Divine a Beauty and to make way for the meaning of our Author I thinke it necessary in the first place that I touch upon the Word that gives a name to the Prosessors And that is Magus primitively a Persian word which onely signifies or imports a Contemplator of Heavenly and Divine Sciences a studious Observer an expounder of Divine things a name saith Marcellus Ficinus gratious in the Gospell not signifying a Witch or a Conjurer but a wise man and a Priest And in truth a true Magician acknowledges God to be the true Cause and Giver of life and vertue to Nature and all Naturall things of the Causes of which things as also of Divine is the whole scope and effect of all their Writings and Discourses In the Next place that I give the Definition of Magick because as Myrandula sayes it is an Art which few understand and many reprehend and therefore of necessity to be clearly evinced Receive it from a learned hand you le finde it worth your observance Magick is the Connexion of naturall Agents and Patients answerable each to other wrought by a wise Man to the bringing forth of such effects as are wonderfull to those that know not their causes Thus Hee Paracelsus called it a most secret and hidden Scyence of supernaturall things in the Earth that whatsoever is impossible to be found out by mans Reason may by this Art And shortly after to cleere it from imputations adds that t is in it selfe most pure and not defiled with Cerimonies nor Conjurations as Necromancy is Agreeable to both but more copiously delivered is that of Corn Agrippa who affirmes Magick to containe the profoundest Contemplation of most secret things together with the nature power quality substance and vertues thereof as also the knowledge of whole nature That instructs us concerning the difference and agreement of things amongst themselves whence it produceth its wonderfull effects by uniting the vertues of things through the application of them one to the other and to their inferiour sutable Subjects joyning and knitting them together throughly by the powers and vertues of superiour Bodies This briefly is an account of that Learning whose Operations and Effects being full of Misteries was by the Ancients esteemed as the highest and sacred Phylosophie the fountaine of all good doctrine Animadverto saith Pliny summum Literarum claritatem gloriaâ—que ex hac scientiâ antiquitus penes semper petitam What hath been hitherto said will not I presume offend the Eares of the most Pious for here is no Incantations no Words no Circles no Charmes no other fragments of invented Fopperies nor needs there any Nature with whom true Magicians only deale can worke without them she findes Matter and they Art to helpe and assist Her and here 's All. To instance the Generation of Froggs Lyce Wormes Insects c. The worke of a Philosopher is therein onely to strengthen the Seeds of Nature for she alone Workes and so to quicken them that they hasten the worke of Generation and by such meanes Tho. Aquinas supposes Pharo's Magitians produced Froggs insomuch as it seems to the Ignorant not to be the Worke of Nature that usually operates more leasurely rather the Power of the Devill But they who are learned in those Arts marvell not at such working but Glorifie the Creator To whose Honour alone these Operations must chiefly tend for he is best praised in his workes and we knowing him in and by these visible things may through such knowledge understand his more Secret and Invisible things and thereby be better inabled to Glorifie him then men otherwise can Now I deny that any measure of understanding in naturall Magick how large soever or the utmost and â—arthest search we can possibly make into that pure and primitive knowledge of Nature to be a prying inâ—o those Hidden Secrets which God would have concealed and ranked among the number and nature of those things he has prohibited us to search into as I know there are that will tell you it is and they such as weare the Coatâ— and would be loath to want the reputation of Schollars And this is fully manifested from Adam who before his Fall was so absolute a Philosopher that he fully understood the true and pure knowledge of Nature which is no other then what we call Naturall Magick in the highest degree of Perfection insomuch that by the light thereof upon the present view of the Creatures he perfectly knew their Naures and was as able to bestow names sutable to their Qualities and Properties For This was a larger and cleerer Ray of the Light of Nature then all the industry of man since the Fall was able to hope for or attaine unto and to attest the allowance bestowed upon him by God himselfe Nor was it this Naturall knowledg that introduced his Fall or can be any Offence or Sin in us were it possible to arrive at his Perfection No certainly Adams transgression for which he fell was of a higher Nature even that proud inquiry into the knowledge of good and evill with no lesse intent then to make a totall defection from God and depend wholly upon himselfe and his free will Besides t is worthy Observation that God in constituting Moses to be a Governor over his owne people seemed as willing to make choyce of such a one for that high Office as was learned in all the Sciences then in request with the Egyptians among whom Magick was the
never had sight to peinte How shoulde a borne blinde Man be sure To write or make good Portrature To build Poules steeple might be greate doubt For such proude Clerks to bring aboute Such might well happ to breake their crowne Ere they coude wisely take it downe Wherefore all such are full farr behinde To fetch out the secreatest pointe of kinde Therefore all Men take theire fortune and chaunce Remit such Clerks to their Ignorance NOw ye that will this Science pursue Learne ye to know fals Men from trew All trew searchers of this Science of Alkimy Mustbe full learned in their first Philosophie Else all their laboure shall them let and greive As he that fetcheth Water in a Sive The trew men search and seeke all alone In hope to finde our delectable stone And for that thei would that no Man shulde have losse They prove and seeke all at their owne Coste Soe their owne Purses they will not spare They make their Coffers thereby full bare With greate Patience thei doe proceede Trusting only in God to be their speede THe fals man walketh from Towne to Towne For the most parte in a threed-bare-Gowne Ever searching with diligent awaite To winn his praye with some fals deceit Of swearing and leasing such will not cease To say how they can Silver plate increase And ever they rayle with perjury Saying how they can Multiplie Gold and Silver and in such wise With promise thei please the Covetise And Causeth his minde to be on him sett Then Falsehood and Covetise be well mett But afterwards within a little while The Multiplier doth him beguile With his faire promise and with his fals othes The Covetise is brought to threed-bare clothes But if he can hastily be well aware Of the Multiplier and of his Chaffare Of whose deceipts much I can reporte But I dare not least I give comforte To such as be disposed to Treachery For so much hurte mought come thereby Wherefore advise you and be wise Of them which proffer such servise If they had Cunning have ye no doubt They woll be loath to shew it out When such men promise to Multiplie They compasse to doe some Villony Some trew mans goods to beare awaye Of such fellowes what shulde I saye All such false men where ever thei goe They shulde be punished thei be not so Upon Nature thei falsely lye For Mettalls doe not Multiplie Of this Sentence all men be sure Evermore Arte must serve Nature Nothing multiplieth as Auctors sayes But by one of theis two wayes One by rotting called Putrefaction That other as Beasts by Propagation Propagation in Mettalls maie not be But in our Stone much like thing ye may see Putrefaction must destroy and deface But it be don in its proper place Mettalls of kinde grow lowe under ground For above erth rust in them is found Soe above erth appeareth corruption Of mettalls and in long tyme destruction Whereof noe Cause is found in this Case But that above Erth thei be not in their place Contrarie places to nature causeth strife As Fishes out of water losen their Lyfe And Man with Beasts and Birds live in ayer But Stone and Mineralls under Erth repaier Physicians and Appoticaries faut appetite and will To seech water flowers on a dry hill For God hath ordeyned of his wisdome and grace All things to grow in their naturall place Against this doctrine some Men replie And say that Mettalls doe Multiplie For of Silver Lead Tinn and al so Brasse Some veyne is more and some is lasse Or which diversitie Nature shulde cease If Mettalls did not multiplie and increase Wherefore they say that reason sheweth nowe How that under Erth they multiplie and growe Why not then above Erth in vessells close and faire Such as shulde preserve them from Fire Water and Aier Hereto we say this reason is but rude For this is noe perfect similitude For cause efficient of Mettalls finde ye shall Only to be the vertue Minerall Which in everie Erth is not found But in certaine places of eligible ground Into which places the Heavenly Spheare Sendeth his beames directly everie yeare And as the matters there disposed be Such Mettalls thereof formed shall you see Few grownds be apt to such generation How shoulde then above ground be Multiplication Also all men perceyven that be wise How Water conjealed with Cold is yse And before tyme it harded was Some lay in more places and some in lasse As water in fosses of the Carte-wheele Were veynes smale whan they began to keele But water in ditches made veynes more For plenty of water that was therein froare Hereupon to say it were noe good advice That therefore of yse should multiply more yse Soe though there be of Mettalls veynes more and lasse It proveth not that they increase more then it was Alsoe ye may trust without any doubt If Multiplying should be brought about All th'engredience must draw to simplcity And breake Composition as yearly ye may see For Multiplying of Hearbes how Nature hath provided That all things joyned in the seede be divided Else stalke and leaves which vertually therein be May not come forth actually that eye mought them see But Mettall holdeth his holle Composicion When corrasive waters have made dissolucion Therefore syth yse is nerrer to simplicity Then is Mettall and maie not increased be Trewly ye maie trust as I said before How of one ounce of Silver maie Silver be noe more Also nothing multiplyed shall ye finde But it be of Vegetative or of Sensitive kinde Where Mettalls be only Elamentative Having noe seede nether feeling of life Wherefore concluding all Multipliers must cease For Mettalls once Mettalls shall noe more increase Nathlesse one Mettall transmuted we finde Unto a Mettall of another kinde For propinquity of matter that in them was As it is knowne betwixt Iron and Brasse But to make trew Silver or Gold is noe ingin Except only the Philosophers medicine Wherefore such leasings as Multipliers use Clerks reprove and utterly refuse Such art of Multiplying is to be reproved But holy Alkimy of right is to beloved Which treateth of a precious Medicine Such as trewly maketh Gold and Silver fine Whereof example for Testimonie Is in a Citty of Catilony Which Raymond Lully Knight men suppose Made in seaven Images the trewth to disclose Three were good Silver in shape like Ladies bright Everie each of Foure were Gold and did a Knight In borders of their Clothing Letters like appeare Signifying in Sentence as it sheweth here 1. Of old Horshoes said one I was yre Now I am good Silver as good as ye desire 2. I was said another Iron fet from the Mine But now I am Gould pure perfect and fine 3. Whilome was I Copper of an old red pann Now am I good Silver said the third woman 4. The fourth saide I was Copper growne in the filthy place Now am I perfect Gould made by Gods grace 5. The fift said I was
smellinge Be knowne of you this is the cause whie For Nostrills be open as the fishes Eye Therefore meane Odors be not in certaine Smelled by the Nose as meane Colours be seene Heavie Smell is not as Clerks thinke The midle Odor but only the lesse Stinke Old Fathers wrote by their Doctrine Of their Experience which is maturine That if ye medle sweete Savour and redolente Equally with stinking to prove your intent The soote shall be smelled the stinking not soe The cause ye may lerne now ere ye goe All sweete smelling things have more puritie And are more spirituall than stinking maie be Wherefore it is in Aier more penetrative And is more extendible and is alsoe to life More acceptable as friend to Nature And therefore rather received be ye sure ODor is a smokish vapour resolved with heate Out of substance by an invisible sweate Which in the Aier hath free entringe And chaungeth the Aier and your Smellinge As Sapor of Meates chaungeth your Tastinge And as Sounds chaungeth your Hearinge And as Colour chaungeth your Sight Soe Odor chaungeth Smelling by might The cause of Odours to know if you delight Foure things thereto be requisite First that suttill matter be Obedient To the working of Heate for to present By a fume the liknes of the same thinge From whome that fume had his beginninge Also to beare forth that pure fume and faire There is required a cleere thinn Aier For thick Aier woll not beare it farr But it woll reteyne it much faster And soe thick matter Obedience hath none To the working of Heate as it sheweth in Stone Heate maketh Odours Cold shrinketh by reason Dunghills in Summer stink more than in Winter season Pleasant Odours ingendered be shall Of cleane and Pure substance and fumigale As it appeareth in Amber Narde and Mirrhe Good for a Woman such things pleaseth her But of Pure substance with a Meane heate Be temperate Odours as in the Violet Of a Meane heate with substance Impure Is Odours misliking as Aloes and Sulphure But when Naturall heate beginneth to spill Then thereof ariseth heavie smell As Fish smelleth that is kept too longe Naturall heate rotteth soe the smell is stronge STinch is a Vapour a resolved fumositie Of things which of Evill Complexions be And when Humor onlie is in Corruption Soe that the Substance be not in Destruction Thereof shall onlie heavie smell arise But not verie Stinch come in that wise Of everie Stinch the cause of that Chaunce Is only corruption of the selfe substance And when Evill substance shall putrifie Horrible Odour is gendred thereby As of Dragons and Men that long dead be Their stench maie cause greate Mortalitie It is not wholsome to smell to some Cole For quenching of some Snuffe a Mare woll cast her Foale When the Qualities of a thing according is To your Nature good Odour will not misse But when the substance is contrary to your kinde The Odours thereof odious you shall finde Fishes love Soote smell also it is trewe Thei love not old Kydles as thei doe the new All things that are of good Odour Have naturall Heate for their succour Though Camphire Roses and things colde Have soote Odours yet Auctors tould How Heate virtually inclosed is the skell With Purenes of substance whie they so smell This olde opinion you maie teach your Brother How noe good Odour is contrary to another But it is not soe of stinking smells For stinch of Garlick voydeth stinch of Dunghills Of Odours this Doctrine is sufficiente As in Alkimy to serve your intente Your Warks to understonde thereby When things begin to purrifie Alsoe by Odours this you maie lerne Suttilnes and grosnes of Matters to discerne Alsoe of Meane substance knowledge ye may get With knowledge of Corruption of Naturall heate And knowledge of Diversitie by good attendance When Humour corrupteth and when the Substance But our Substance was made so pure and cleane And is conserved by vertue of the meane That ye no stinke thereof shall finde Albeit that it putrifie fro his owne kinde THe third signe and the third Testimony To understand your principall Agent by Is Sapor called of Mouth the Taste Which evermore is cause of waste Of the substance of the same thinge Whereof ye make proofe by Tastinge Sapor shulde be much better Judge Then Colour or Odour and more refuge Were not Taste a perillous thinge While our Stone is in workinge For it is hurting to health and life It is so greatly penetrative Above all subtill things it hath Victory And peirceth solid things hastily Wherefore it is perill and not good Much or oft to Tast of that foode It Comforteth Mettalls as we well finde But it is Perillous for all Mankinde Till perfect Red thereof be made Such as in Fier woll never fade A lewde Man late that served this Arte Tasted of our white Stone a parte Trusting thereby to find releefe Of all sicknes and of all greefe Whereby the Wretch was sodenly Smitt with a strong Paralisie Whom my Master with great Engine Cured with Bezoars of the Mine Therefore though Tast by Common reason Shulde be best judge at every season Yet for that Tast is abominable Sapor is heere not profitable Yet of some parts seperable A Tast maie well be Convenable Before Conjunctions to make assay Whether they be well wrought or nay Howbeit a Wiseman hath helpe sufficient By Colour and Odour to have his intent For manie Men can chuse good Wine By Colour and Odour when it is fine But for new Wine not fined in generall The trew Tast is most suertie of all For Smelling hath Organalls but one Nothing discerning but fumous things alone But Tast hath six Organalls without doubt To feele qualitie of things within and without Which Nature ordain'd against perill and strife For more suertie of things haveing life An Ape chuseth her Meate by Smelling Men and Popinjayes trusten to Tasting For manie things be of good Smell Which to Tast be found full ill For they maie be abhominable sower Over-sharpe too bitter or of greate horrour Or Venamous stinking or over-stronge The Tast is judge and voideth such wronge Old men wrote in antient time How that of Sapors there be fully Nyne Which ye maie lerne in halfe an hower As Sharpe tast Unctuous and Sower Which three doe suttill matter signifie And other three doe meane matter testifie As Bitinge tast Saltish and Weerish also Other three come thicke substances fro As Bitter tast under Sower and Douce Thes Nyne be found in manie a Noble House Five of these Nyne be ingendred by Heat Unctuons Sharpe Salt Bitter and Doulcet But of the Nyne the remnant all fower Be made with cold as is the Sapor Sower And so is Sowerish tast called Sapor Pontick And lesse Sower allso called Sapor Stiptick Also is Weerish tast called Unsavoury With Cold ingendered effectually Sapor of two things hath his Conception Of divers Substance and of divers Complection OF
fruitefull Land Cockle is not meete Gall is ever bitter Honey is ever sweete Of all things contrary is fals Conneccions Let Male and Female together ever meete But both be clensed of their Complexions A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man And every Beast ingendereth his semblable And as Philosophers rehearse well can Diana and Venus in marriage be notable A Horse with a Swine joyneth not in a stable For where is made unkindly geniture What followeth but things abominable Which is to say Monstrum in Nature All this I finde in the said Boke Brought to me when I lay a sleepe And of one thing good heede I toke The Wolf in kinde is Enemy to the Sheepe The Rose full divers to the wild Neepe For things joyned that be contrary Dame Nature complayning doth sit and weepe For falce receipts found in her Library And there it was so pitiously complained That men so err by false Opinions That be so farr from truth away restrained Like as they had lost wholly their Reasons Not considering in their discretions What mischeife followeth as is oft seene By these false froward Conneccions As doth leapers with folkes that byne cleane Notwithstanding he that is sate so high in heaven Crown'd with a Crowne of bright stones cleere Borne there to raine as cheife chosen of seaven Equall with Phoebus shone in the same sphere Without difference as Clerkes to us leare Sate there most royallin his diadem Very Celestiall and Angelike of cheare And in all vertue like as he did seeme And in that Boke I found well by writing Like as the processe made mention How that there was once a mighty rich King Cleane of nature and of Complexion Voyde of deformity from head soe forthe downe Which for his beauty as it is specified And for his cleanes most soverayne of renowne Was among Planets in heaven stellefyed Certaine Brethren I found he had in Number And of one Mother they were borne every each one But a Sicknes did them sore cumber That none was whole on his feete to gone Hoarse of language cleere voice had they none For with a scabb that was contagious They were infected hole was their none For ever exiled because they were Leaprous The said King rose up in his Royall see Seeing this mischeife cast his Eye downe And of his mercy and fraternall pittye Surprized in heart full of Compassion And began to complaine of their Infeccion Alas quoth he how came this adventure Under what froward or false Constelacion Or in what howre had yee your ingendure But sithence this mischeife ys to you befall There is nothing which were more expedient Then to chuse one out amongst us all Without spott all cleere of his intent For you to dye by his owne assent To save the people from their Damnation And with his blood ere yo be fully shent To make of his mercy your remission The which Liquor most wholesome is and good Against leprous humors and false infeccions When from a veyne taken is the blood Cleansing each parte from all corrupcions The Originall taken from generacions Which is descended downe from stock royall Nourished with Milke of pure complexion With menstrous which are not superficiall But when the Brethren of this worthy King Heard the Language they fell in full great dread Full sore weeping and said in Complayning That none of them was able to bleede Because their blood was infeccious indeede And of corrupt blood made is noe Sacrifice Wherefore alas there is noe way to speede That we can finde to helpe us in any wise Of our Birth and of our Originall Cleerely and truly to make mencion Excuse is there none in parte nor in all In sin was first our concepcion Our bringing forth and generation Fulfilled was in sorrowe and wickednesse And our Mother in a short conclusion With Corrupt milke us fostred in distresse For who may make that seede to be cleane That first was conceived in uncleanes For cancred rust may never I meane By noe crafte shew forth parfect brightnes Now let us all at once our Course addres And goe unto our Mother to aske by and by The finall cause of our Corrupt sicknes That she declare unto us the Cause and why The said Children uprose in a fury Of wofull rage and went by one assent Unto their Mother that called was Mercury Requiring her by greate advisement Before her Goddesses being every one present To tell them truly and in noe parte to faine Why their nature was corrupt and shent That caused them evermore to weepe and complaine To whome the Mother full bright of face and hew Gave this answer remembred in Scripture First when I was wedded a new I conceived by prosses of true Nature A Child of seede that was most cleane and pure Undefiled most orient faire and bright Of all the PLANETS cheife of ingendure Which now in Heaven giveth so clcere a light Whose Complexion is most temperate In heate and cold and in humidity In Erth also that there is noe debate Nor noe repugnaunce by noe quallity Nor none occasion of none infirmity That among them there may be none discord So well proportioned every-each in his degree Each hower and space they be of so true accord Whose Nature is so imperiall That fire so burning doth him noe distresse His royall kinde is so celestiall Of Corrupcion he taketh no sicknesse Fire Water Air nor Erth with his drines Neither of them may alter his Complexion He fixeth Spirits through his high noblenes Saveth infected bodyes from their Corrupcion His Heavenly helth death may not assayle He dreadeth noe venome nor needeth no treacle Winde Tempest ne Wether against him may prevaile Soe high in Heaven is his Tabernacle In Erth he worketh many a miracle He cureth Lepers and fetcheth home Fugitive And to gouty Eyne giveth a cleere Spectacle Them to goe that lame were all their lief He is my Son and I his Mother deare By me conceived truly in Marriage As touching your Birth the sicknes doth appeare Of Menstruous blood brought forth in tender age Your Leprie is shewed in Body and in Visage To make your hole Medicine is no other Drinke nor potion to your advantage But the pure blood of him that is your deare Brother A good Shephard must dye for his Sheepe Without grudging to speake in words plaine And semblable take hereof good keepe Your Brother must dye and newe be borne againe Though he be old be hereof well certaine To youth againe he must be renewd And suffer passion or else all were vaine Then rising againe right fresh and well hewd Old Aeson was made young by Medea With her drinks and with her potions Soe must your Brother of pure Volunta Dyeand be young through his operation And that through subtile natures Confections By whose death plainely to expresse Yee shal be purged from all infeccions And your foule leaprie changed to cleanes With the said words the King began to abrayd The tale
the keepe hit secretlye And serve thy God both nyght and day The better thou shalt speede thys ys no nay Now I have taught the how thow schalt do The blys of hevyn God bryng hus to HER ys an Erbe men calls Lunayrie I blesset mowte hys maker bee Asterion he ys I callet alle so And other namys many and mo He ys an Erbe of grete myght Of Sol the Sunn he taketh hys lyght He ys the Fader to Croppe and Rote Wyth fragrant Flowris that ben sote Flowrys to bere in that stede Swm ben Whyte and swm ben Red Hys Lewys grwyth both day and nyght Lyke to the Ferment that ys so bright I shall declare thys Erbe so lyght To many a man hyt ys a fayre seyght Frist at the Rote I wolle be gynne That cawsyth alle thing for to sprynge A growyth a pon a Mowntayne brym Where Febis hath grete dominacion The Sune by day the Mone by nyghâ— That maketh hym both fayre and bryght The Rote growyth on stonns clere Whyte and Rede that ys so peyre The Rote ys blacke the Stalke ys red The wyche schall ther never be dede The Lewis ben rownd as a Nowbel son And wexsyth and wanyth as the Mon In the meddes a marke the brede of a peni Lo thys is lyke to owre sweght Lunayre Hys Flowrys schynith fayre and cler In alle the Worlde thaye have non pere He ys not fownde in no maner wyse But of a Schepeherd in Godis servyse The good Schepeherd that I her mene Ys he that keepeth hys Sowle clene Hys Flowrys ben gret and sum ben small Lyke to hem that growyth in Dale With many a vertu both fayre and cler As ther ben dayes in alle the yere Fro fallyng Ewel and alle Sekeneys From Sorowe he brengyth man to Bles Unto that blese that wee maye come by th the help of Marys Sonne And of hys Moder that ys so fre Amen good Lord for cherite Spiritus Anima Corpus I Schal yow tel wyth hert mode Of thre Kynggys that ben so goude And how thaye cam to God almyght The wich was ther a sweet syght I figure now howr besset Stone Fro Heven wase sende downe to Solomon By an Angele bothe goude and stylle The wych wase than Christis wylle The present of hem in Bedlem than To Cryst brwght Aurum Tus Myrham Owre Sol and Sulphir wyth his Mercuri Both Bodi and Soule wyth oure Luneyre Aurum betokeneth heer owre Bodi than The wych was brwght to God and Man And Tus alleso owre Soule of lyfe Wyth Myrham owre Mercurye that ys hys Wyfe Here be the thre namys fayre and good And alle thaye ben but one in mode Lyke as the Trenite ys but on Ryght so conclude the Phylosofeers Stone Thow mayst a se her now in syght Off owre Stone figuriet a right How sende he wase out of Heven By an Angele wyth mylde Stefyn And by hys fygure thow mayst se That hyt ys lyke to personis Thre To Fader and Sonne and holi Gost The wych was and ys of mytis most Into hys blyse now come wee Amen goud Lord for cheyte Ishew you here a short Conclusion To understand it if ye have grace Wrighten without any delusion Comprehended in a litle space All that in this Booke wrighten is In this place comprehended is How Nature worketh in her kinde Keepe well this Lesson in your minde I have declared micle thing If you have grace to keepe in minde How that our Principle is One thing More in Number and One in kinde For there ben things Seven That in a Principle doe dwell Most precious under Heven I have so sworne I may not tell In this Booke I shew to you in wrighting As my Bretheren doe each one A similitude of every like thing Of the which we make our Stone Our Stone is made of one simple thing That in him hath both Soule and Lyfe He is Two and One in kinde Married together as Man and Wife Our Sulphur is our Masculine Our Mercury is our Femenine Our Earth is our Water cleere Our Sulphur also is our Fier And as Earth is in our Water cleare Soe is Aer in our Fier Now have yee Elements foure of might And yet there appereth but two in sight Water and Earth ye may well see Fier and Aer be in them as quality Thys Scyence maie not be taught to every one He were acurst that so schould done How schould ye have Servants than Than non for other would ought done To tyl the Lande or drive the Plough For ever ech man would be proud enough Lerned and leude would put them in Presse And in their workes be full busie But yet they have but little increse The writings to them is so misty It is full hard this Scyence to finde For Fooles which labour against kinde This Science I pray you to conceale Or else with it do not you meale For and ye canot in it prevaile Of much sorrow rhen may you tell By suddain mooving of Elements Nature may be letted And wher lacks Decoction no perfection may be For some Body with leprosy is infected Raw watery humors cause superfluity Therefore the Philosopher in his reason hath contrived A perfect Medicine for bodyes that be sick Of all infirmetyes to be releeved This heleth Nature and prolongeth lyfe eak This Medicine of Elements being perfectly wrought Receypts of the Potecary we neede not to buy Their Druggs and Dragms we set at nought With quid pro quo they make many a ly Our Aurum potabile Nature will increase Of Philosophers Gold if it be perfectly wrought The Phisitians with Minerall puteth him in prese Litle it availeth or else right nought This Scyence shall ye finde in the old boke of Turb How perfectly thisMedicine Philosophers have wrought Rosary with him also doth record More then four Flements we occupie nought Comune Mercury and Gold we none occupie Till we perfectly have made our Stone Then with them two our Medicine we Multiply Other recepts of the Potecary truly we have none A hundred Ounces of Saturne ye may well take Seeth them on the fire and melt him in a mould A Projection with your Medicin upon hem make And anon yee shall alter him into fine Gold One Ounce upon a hundred Ounces is sufficient And so it is on a thousand Ounces perfectly wrought Without dissolucion and Subtillant Encreasing of our Medicine els have we nought Ioy eternall and everlasting blisse Be to Almyghty God that never schal miss In some Copies I found these following Verses set before this Worke. EArth out of Earth clensed pure By Earth of himselfe through his nature Rectified by his Milke who can it tye And afterward united with Water of lyfe truly A Dragon lying in his deepe denne Rotting in Water to Putrefie then Leprouse huge and terrible in sight By bathing and balning the Dragon cometh to light Evermor drowned in the bottome of his
Man if they would but observe the Beginnings Change declination and death of all things in and upon this inferiour Globe and compare their vertues with our owne internall Natures for they are certainly united by a Noble excellent and secret Harmony and Relation And having found the true Originall and Cause of Diseases then further to search after a proper remedy for all Diseases are not cured by one sort of Physick save that which is Aetheriall and Incorporeall And therefore according to the Doctrine of Paracelsus such as are bred from so light a cause â—s the impure Seeds of Vegitables viz. Meate Drinke Fruits Herbes and the like Elementary things may be very easily cured with the Secrets of Hearbes Roots and such like mild and tender Medicines of which sort Galenicall Physick is more plentifully furnished then any of the â—est Those that are produced from the more rude and knotteer Qualities of Mineralls and what is cast within the Compasse of that Tribe the Chemicall Phisitian must expell by the power and force of his Metalline Sulphurs c. Vegitables being in this Case too weake to Master and Dissolve their tenacious and coagulated Spirits Those which are derived from the Influences of Heaven must be removed by Plants c. Magically gathered and prepared or by Sigills c. framed or made under sutable Positions and Aspects of the Planets and impregnated with the rayes of Celestiall Vertues for without opening the Bodyes Infusing superiour Influences and by an additionall Artifice fixing them to the said Bodies their own ordinary vertue be Elections never so propitious hath not strength enough to conquer Diseases of that Nature and severall of these choice Secrets of Nature and Art united I my selfe have prepared made and Experimentally verified Finally where Diseases happen by Supernaturall meanes as by Inchantments c. none of the other three are able to remedy the same save onely Magicall and Supercelestiall meanes by and through the Vertues of particular Intelligences Or the Red Medicine wrought up to the highest degree of Perfection And in such cases the Hermetique Philosopher must appeare who In his Reason hath contrived A Perfeit Medicine for Bodiâ—s that be sick Of all infirmities to be releived This heleth Nature and proâ—ongeâ—h lyfe eke Therefore leâ— all men cease to wonder why so many Diseases seeme incurable when many times being Supernaturall we judge them Naturall and the true Causes unknowne no sutable Medicamen is administred And whereas I have toucht upon Sigills I thinke it will not be remote from this discourse if I give a little satisfaction to my Reader therein Though pâ—rhâ—ps it may be esteemed as a thing of too daring a Nature for my Pen Nor am I ignorant how some most learned Men have extremly suffered under the heavy and sharp Load of unworthy and rash Calumny for manifesting or desending this Doctrine but it hath only beene such is their Glory by those that could never sufficiently Answer their Arguments The framing of Sigills Lamâ—ls Talesmes for all depend upon one Radix is a piece of Learning as Ancient as the Babilonianâ— and Caldean Magi who first found out the Secret power of Figures a chiefe part of their Magick And practised by the greatest Philosophers in the Easterne World Where remaine to this day as evident Testimonies of their first Invention very many and ancient Talesmes the miraculous effects whereof were admired and approved throughout all Aegipt and Persia although I confesse their Name and Use be yet scarce knowne in these parts of the World Or if onely to such whose Wisdome thinkes fit to conceale and preserve the knowledg thereof from the hands of the senslesse and profane Among all other Philosophers famous for this kinde of knowledg Apoloneus Tyaneus was the mightiest and his Workes in my Opinion most Stupendious Who though the Envious and Ungratefull World has throwne some dirt upon him to blemish the Innocency of his Operations yet he never deserved other then well all He did being for the good thereof and not for hurt He was no lesse a Pious then Illustrious Philosophâ—r Hiâ— whole Life being strict and vertuous and his Death not blasted with any scandalous Exit And for a justification of his Praxis take this Testimony of Justinus who saith that he was a Man skillfull in the Dissent and Consent of all naturall Powers and who wrought wonderfull things by the meanes of this Science which were only Naturall and not Miraculous For which purpose he made choyce of such fit Subjects as might conduce to the perfection of what he intended to Effect And indeed God did not withstand those Workes of his in regard they were done by the knowledg of Naturall things for the use and benefit of Man What I have further to say shall onely be to shew what Naturall powers Sigills c. Graved or Imprest with proper Characters and Figures and made under certaine peculiar Constellations may have Albumazar Zabel Haly Albaâ—egnus and divers other Arabians give us severall examples of such as have been cured of the biting of Scrpents Scorpions Mad dogs c. by Talismaticall Figures And in other Authors we meete with a world of Stories which tell what Admirable effects they have wrought being rightly prepared which should I here mention would swell beyond the limits of my Discourse But this peece of Art is of extreme difficulty and not to be performed by every one that takes it in hand As for the use of such Characters Letters Words Figures c. Formed or Insculped upon any Matter we make use of we are led to it by the president of Nature who Stampes most notable and marvelous Figures upon Plants Rootes Seeds Fruits nay even upon rude Stones Flints and other inferiour Bodies Nor are these remarkable Signatures made and described by Chaunce for there is a certaine Providence which leades on all things to their end and which makes nothing but to some purpose but are the Characters and Figures of those Starrs by whom they are principally governed and with these particular Stamps have also peculiar and disterent vertues bestowed upon them What Artists therefore doe in point of Character is onely to pursue the Track that is beaten out by Nature And by how much the more the Matter whereupon such Impressions are made is sutable to the Qualities of those Staâ—rs whose Characters it is signed with By so much more apt and inclineable it will be to receive those vertues that shall impower it to produce an Effect in things whereunto it 's applyed Neverthelesse this is not all for this Body must have as it were a Soule insused and be Impregnated with a Celestiall vitality or else it remaines Ineffectuall and Dead In which respect other meanes must be found out before we can obtaine that Effect And therefore we are to Consider that the Soule of the World is not confined nor the Celestiall Influences limited but doe indifferently emit and communicate their
but was oftentimes disquieted and vexed with the sower dispositions of such as most Injuriously Scandalized both him and them Insomuch that the â—eare he went beyond Sea his Library was seized on wherein was 4000. Books and 700. of them Manuscripts aCaveat for all Ingenious and eminent Philosophers to be more wise then to keep any dear or Excellent Books in their own Houses And t is most probable that at this time his before mentioned SpeculuÌ„ unitaris might fall into those hands that would never since suffer it to see the Light which might occasion the Learned Selden to say this Apologie was long since promised by him but intimating it was never VVrit An. 1592. Master Secretary VValsingham and Sir Tho George were sent to his then dwelling house at Mortclack by vertue of a Commission to understand the Matter and Causes for which his Studies were Scandalized And for some other thing in the like Nature was he necessitated to send his Apologeticall letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury These kind of Persecutions were stil Multiplyed upon him and he sometimes Personally agreeved by them for about the yeare 1594. he was under a kinde of Restraint which occasioned him to write to the Lady Scydmore to move the Queene that either he might declare his Case to the Body of the Councell or else under the Broade-seale have liberty to goe freely where he pleased And thus much concerning these two famous men in severall now shall I give the Reader an Account of their joynt Actions abroad as also what relates to Doctor d ee after his returne into England which I shall doe from an unquestionable Authority even Doctor Dee's Diary all written with his owne hand where I shall take the larger Field to walke in because I move upon so certaine ground some of which passages may please if not concerne the Reader For I think it not fit to suffer such Eminent lights longer to lie in Obscurity without bringing them forth to the view of the VVorld 'T is generally reported that Doctor Dee and Sir Edward Kelly were so stangely fortunate as to finde a very large quantity of the Elixir in some part of the Ruines of Glastenbury-Abbey which was so incredibly Rich in vertue being one upon 272330. that they lost much in making Projection by way of Triall before they found out the true height of the Medicine And no sooner were they Masters of this Treasure then they resolved to Travell into Forraigne Parts where falling into acquaintance with one Albertue Laskey a Polonian Prince which came into England the beginning of May An. 1583. on the 21. of Sept. following They their VVives Children and Families went beyond Sea with the said Prince And whether they found it at Glastenbury as is aforesaid or howsoever else they came by it 't is certain they had it for at Trebona in Bohemia whither they were come to dwell Sir Edward Kelley made Projection with one small Graine thereof in proportion no bigger then the least graine of Sand upon one Ounce and a Quatter of Common Mercury and it produced almost an Ounce of most pure Gold This was done to gratifie Master Edward Garland and his Brother Francâ—s and in their presence which Edward was lately come to Trebona being sent thither to Doctor Dee from the Emperour of Muscovia according to some Articles before brought by one Thomas Symkinson I also finde this Note of Doctor Dee's Jan. 5. 1586. Donum Dei 2. ounces E. K Moreover for neerer and later Testimony I have received it from a credible Person that one Broomfield and Alexander Roberts told him they had often seen Sir Ed Kelly make Projection and in particular upon a piece of Metall cut out of a Warming-pan and without Sir Edwards touching or handling it or melting the Metall onely warming it in the Fire the Elixir being put thereon it was Transmuted into pure Silver The Warming-pan and this piece of it was sent to Queen Elizabeth by her Embassador who then lay at Prague that by fitting the Piece into the place whence it was cut out it might exactly appeare to be once part of that VVarming-pan The aforesaid Person hath likewise seen in the hands of one Master Frye and Scroope Rings of Sir Edward Kellyes Gold the fashion of which was onely Gold wyre twisted thrice about the Finger and of these fashioned Rings he gave away to the value of 4000l at the Marriage of one of his Servant Maides This was highly Generous but to say truth he was openly Profuse beyond the modest Limitts of a Sober Philosopher During their abode at Trebona they tried many Chemicall Experiments to see whether they could make that Iewell they possest the particular account of their operations I neede not here relate yet I cannot heare that ever they accomplished any thing onely I finde the 27. of Aprill noted by Doctor Dee with severall expressions of Ioy and Gladnesse as Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus Againe Miserecordia Dei magna and lastly Omne quod vivit laudet Dominum And to testifie what they meant he writes upon the 30. day following Master Edward Kelley did open the Great secret to me God be sharked Whiles they lived at Trebona Sir Edward Kelley went dives times to Prague and the 15. of Ian. 1587. he went into Poland but returned the 9 of Febr. after And 't is probable these Iourncys were made in quest after some famous Chemists Things were not carried here so privately but Qeene Elizabeth had notice given her of their Actions whereupon she used severall meanes by Letters and Mâ—ssages to invite them back into England where it was believed she had so far prevailed that Master Simkinson and Garland's Brother Robert coming from England to Trebona supposed they had beene ready to come over to England upon the Queenes Letters formerly sent them And though Sir Edward Kelley staid behinde yet Doctor d ee left Trebona and and came for England But whether occasioned by some unkindnesse received from Sir Edward Kelley or falling out of their Wives or the Solicitation of Queene Elizabeth or all these concurring I am not yet certaine not unlike but each of them might contribute to their Seperation For that there was some Greate and Wonderfull unkindnesse past from Sir Edward Kelley appeares by his sending for Doctor Dee the beginning of Ian. 1588. under shew of Reconciliation and discovering more then an Ordinary Intimacy and Compliancy about that time which faire shewes the good Doctor notes with this prayer God leade his heart to all Charity and Brotherly love As also by Letters sent from Doctor d ee to Sir Edward Kelley and his Wife the end of March following requiring at their hands Mutuall Charity which after upon Mistris Kelleys receiving the Sacrament she gave her hand to Doctor Dee and his VVife in Token of Charity But it seemes these things were not cordiall but onely outward for 9. Sept. following the Lord Chancellor coming