drink the weight of which moysture we haue not here determined Then againe worke them with an operation vnlike the former first imbibing and subliming it and this operation is that which they call Albification and they name it Yarit that is Siluer and and white Leade And when thou hast made this compounde white adde to him so much of the Spirit as maketh halfe of the whole and set it to working till it waxe redde and then it shall be of the colour Alsulfir which is verie red and the Philosophers haue likened it to golde the effect hereof leadeth thee to that which Aristotle saide to his Disciple Arda wee call the claye when it is white Yarit that is Siluer and when it is red wee name it Temeynch that is Golde Whitenesse is that which tincteth Copper and maketh it Yarit and that is rednesse which tincteth Yarit that is siluer maketh it Temeynch that is Gold He therefore that is able to dissolue these bodies to subtiliate thē to make them white and red and as I haue said to compound them by imbibing and conuert them to the same shall without all doubt attaine the masterie and performe the worke whereof I haue spoken vnto thee CHAP. II. Of the things and instruments necessarie and fit for this worke IT behoueth thee to knowe the vessels in this masterie to wit Aludela which the Philosophers haue called Church-yards or Cribbles because in them the parts are diuided and cleansed and in them is the matter of the masterie made compleat perfect and depured And euery one of these must haue a Furnace fit for it and let either of them haue a similitude and figure agreeable to the worke Mezleme and many other Philosophers haue named all these things in their bookes teaching the maner and forme there of And thou must know that herein the Philosophers agree togither in their wrytings concealing it by signes and making many books thereof instruments which are necessarie in these foure foresaid things As for the instruments they are two in number One is a Cucurbit with his Alembick the other is Aludel that is well made There are also foure things necessarie to these that is to say Bodies Soules Spirites and VVaters of these foure dooth the masterie and minerall worke consist These are made plaine in the Philosophers Bookes I haue therefore omitted them in mine and onely touched those things which they passed ouer with silence which he shall easily discerne that is but of indifferent iudgement And this booke I haue not made for the ignorant and vnlearned but for the wise and prudent CHAP. III. Of the nature of things appertaining to this worke KNow thou that the Philosophers haue giuen them diuerse names for some haue called them Mynes some Animal some Herball and some by the name of Natures that is Naturall some other haue called them by certaine other names at their pleasures as seemed good vnto them Thou must also know that their Medicines are neere to Natures according as the Philosophers haue said in their bookes that Nature commeth nigh to nature and Nature is like to nature and Nature is ioyned to nature and Nature is drowned in nature and Nature maketh nature white Nature doth make nature red and generation is retained with generation generation conquereth with generation CHAP. IIII. Of Decoction and the effect thereof KNow thou that the Philosophers haue named Decoction in their Bookes saying that they make Decoction in thinges and that is it that engendreth them and changeth them from their substances and colours into other substāces and colours If thou transgresse not I tell thee in this booke thou shalt proceed rightly Consider brother the seed of the earth wheron men liue how the heate of the Sunne worketh in it till it be ripe when men and other creatures seede vpon it and that afterwarde Nature worketh on it by her heate within man conuerting it into his flesh and blood For like hereto is our operation of the masterie the seed whereof as the learned haue sayde is such that his perfection and proceeding consisteth in the fire which is the cause of his life and death without somwhat comming betweene and his spiritualtie which are not mingled but with the fire Thus haue I tolde thee the truth as I haue seene and done it CHAP. V. Of Subtiliation Solution Coagulation and commistion of the Stone and of their cause and end KNow that except thou subtiliate the bodie till all become water it will not rust and putrifie and then it cannot congeale the fitting soules when the fire toucheth them for the fire is that which congealeth them by the ayd therof vnto them And in like maner haue the Philosophers commanded to dissolue the bodies to the end y e heat might enter into their bowels Again we returne to dissolue those bodies congeale them after their solution with that thing which cōmeth nigh to it vntil we ioyne all those things which haue beene mingled togither by an apt and fit commixtion which is a temperate quantitie Whereupon we ioyne fire and water earth and ayre togither when the thick hath bin mingled with the thin the thinner with the thick the one abydeth with the other and their natures are changed and made like wheras before they were simple because that part which is generatiue bestoweth his vertue vpon the subtill and that is the ayre for it cleaueth vnto his like and is a part of the generation from whence it receyueth power to moue and ascend vpward Cold hath power ouer the thick because it hath lost his heate and the water is gone out of it and the thing appeared vpō it And the moisture departed by ascending the subtil part of y e aire and mingled it selse with it for it is like vnto it and of the same nature And when the thicke bodie hath lost his heat and moysture and that cold and drinesse hath power ouer him and that their parts haue mingled themselues and be diuided and that there is no moysture to ioyne the partes diuided the parts withdraw themselues And afterwards the part which is contrary to colde by reason that it hath continued sent his heat and decoction to the parts of y e earth hauing power ouerthem and exercising such dominion ouer the cold that where before it was in the thicke body it now lurketh and lieth hid his part of generation is changed becomming subtil and hot and striuing to dry vp by his heat But afterward the subtill part that causeth natures to ascende when it hath lost his accidentall heat waxeth cold then the natures are changed and become thicke and descend to the center where y e earthly natures are ioyned togither which were subtiliate and conuerted in their generation and imbibed in them and so the moysture coupleth togither the parts diuided but the earth endeuoureth to drie vp that moysture cōpassing it about and hindring it from going out by
means wherof that which before lay hid doth now appear neither can the moysture be separated but is retained by the drinesse And in like maner we see that whosoeuer is in the worlde is retained by or with his contrarie as heate with colde and drinesse with moysture Thus when each of them hath besieged his Companion the thin is mingled with the thicke and those things are made one substance to wit their soule hote and moyst and their body colde and drie then it laboureth to dissolue and subtiliate by his heate and moysture which is his soule and striueth to enclose and retaine with his body that is colde and drie And in this maner is his office changed and altered from one thing to another Thus haue I tolde thee the truth which I haue both seene done giuing thee in charge to conuert natures from their subtilitie and substances with heate and moysture into their substances and colours Now if thou wouldst proceed aright in this mastery to obtaine thy desire passe not the boundes that I haue set thee in this booke CHAP. VI. The manner how to fixe the Spirit KNowe also that when the bodie is mingled with moysture and that the heate of the fire meeteth therewith the moysture is conuerted on the body and dissolueth it and then the spirite cannot issue forth because it is imbibed with the fire The Spirits are fugitiue so long as the bodies are mingled with them and striue to resist the fire his flame and yet these parts can hardly agree without a good operation and continuall labour for the nature of the soule is to ascend vpward whereas the center of the soule is And who is hee that is able to ioyne two or diuers things togither where their centers are diuers vnlesse it be after the conuersion of theyr natures and change of the substance and thing from his nature which is difficult to finde out Whosoeuer therefore can conuert the soule into the bodie the bodie into the soule and therewith mingle the subtile spirites shall be able to tinct any body CHAP. VII Of the Decoction Contrition and washing of the stone THou art moreouer to vnderstand that Decoction contrition cribatiō mundification and ablution with sweet waters is very necessary to this secret and mastery so that he who will bestow any paines herein must cleanse it very well and wash the blacknesse from it and darknes that appeareth in his operation and subtiliate the bodie as much as hee can and afterwarde mingletherwith the soules dissolued and spirits cleansed so long as he thinke good CHAP. VIII Of the quantitie of the Fire and of the commoditie and discommoditie of it FVrthermore thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire for the benefit and losse of this thing proceedeth from the benefit of the fire Wherupon Plato said in his booke The fire yeeldeth profit to that which is perfect but domoge and corruption to that which is corrupt so that when his quantitie shall be meete conuenient it shal prosper but if it shall exceed measure in things it shal without measure corrupt both to wit the perfect and corrupt and for this cause it was requisite that the learned should poure their medicines vpon Elixir to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire his heate Hermes also said to his father I am afraide Father of the enemie in my house to whom he made answer Son take the dog Corascene the bitch of Armenia put them together and they shal bring a dog of the colour of heauen and dip him once in the sea water for he shall keepe thy friend and defend thee from thy enemie and shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become alwaies abiding with thee both in this world and in the world to come Now Hermes meant by the dog bitch such things as preserue bodies from the scorching he ate of the fire And these things are waters of Calces and Salts the composition whereof is to be found in the Philosophers books that haue written of this mastery among whome some haue named them Sea-waters and Birdes milke and such like CHAP IX Of the Separation of the Elements of the Stone THou must afterward bother take this precious Stone which the Philosophers haue named magnified hiddē concealed put it in a Cucurbit with his Alembick diuide his natures that is the foure elemēts the Earth the Water the Aire and the Fire These are the body and soule the spirit and tincture When thou hast diuided the water from the earth and the aire from the fire keepe both of them by themselues and take that which descendeth to the bottom of the glasse beeing the lees and wash it with a warme fire til his blacknesse be gone and his thicknesse departed then make him very white causing the superfluous moysture to flie away for then hee shall bee changed and become a white calx wherein there is no cloudie darkenesse nor vncleannesse and contrarietie Afterward returne back to the first natures which ascended from it and purifie thē likewise from vncleannes blacknesse and contrarietie and reiterate these works vpon thē so often vntil they be subtiliate purified and made thin which when thou hast done thou shalt acknowledge that God hath bin gracious vnto thee Know brother that this work is one stone into which Gatib may not enter that is to say any strange thing The learned work with this and from hence proceedeth a medicine that giueth perfection There must nothing be mingled herewith either in part or whole This Stone is to be found at all times in euerie place and about euery man the search whereof is not troublesome to him that seeketh it wheresoeuer he be This Stone is vile blacke and stinking It costeth nothing it must bee taken alone it is somewhat heauie and it is called the Originall of the world because it riseth vp like things that bud sorth This is his reuelation and apparance to him thut maketh inquirie after it CHAP. X. Of the nature of the Stone and his birth TAke it therefore and worke it as the Philosopher hath told you in his booke when he named it after this maner Take the Stone no Stone or that is not a Stone neither is of the nature of a Stone It is a Stone whose myne is in the top of the mountaines and here by mountaines the Philosopher vnderstandeth liuing creatures wherupon he saide Sonne go to the mountaines of India and to his caues pull out thence precious stones which will melt in the water when they are putte into it And this water is that which is taken from other mountaines and hollow places They are stones Sonne and they are not stones but we call them so for a Similitude which they haue to stones And thou must know that the rootes of their mynes are in the ayre and their tops in the earth and it wil easily be heard when they are pluckt out of
fit and conuenient receptacle with a certaine consonancie of similitude to the father so likewise in this artificiall generation it is requisite that the Sunne haue a fitte and consonaunt receptacle for his seede and tincture and this is Philosophers siluer And therefore it followes the Moone is his mother CHAP. V. That the coniunction of the parts of the stone is called Conception THe which two when they haue mutuallic entertained each other in the coniunction of the Stone the Stone conceiueth in the bellie of the winde and this is it which afterwarde he sayeth The winde carried it in his bellie It is plaine that the winde is the ayre and the ayre is the life and the life is the Soule And I haue already spoken of the soule that it quickneth the whole stone And so it behoueth that the wind should carry and recarry the whole stone and bring forth the masterie and then it followeth that it must receiue nourishment of his nurce that is the earth and therefore the Philosopher saith The earth is his Nurse beeause that as the infant without receiuing food frō his nurse shuld neuer come to yeres so likewise our stone without the firmentation of his earth should neuer be brought to effect which said firmament is called nourishment For so it is begotten of one Father with the coniunction of the Mother Things that is sonnes like to the Father if they want long decoction shal be like to the Mother in whitenesse and retaine the Fathers weight CHAP. VI. That the Stone is perfect if the Soule be sixt in the bodie IT followeth afterward The father of all the Telesme of the whole worlde is here that is in the worke of the stone is a finall way And note that the Philosopher calleth the worke the Father of all the Telesme that is of all secret or of all treasure Of the whole worlde that is of euery stone found in the world is here As if he should say Behold I shew it thee Afterward the Philosopher saith VVilt thou that I teach thee to knowe when the vertue of the Stone is perfect and compleate to wit when it is conuerted into his earth and therefore he saith His power is entire that is compleate and perfect if it be turned into earth that is if the Soule of the stone whereof wee haue made mention before which Soule may be called the winde or ayre wherein consisteth the whole life and vertue of the stone be conuerted into the earth to wit of the stone and fixed so that the whole substance of the Stone be so with his nurse to wit earth that the whole Stone be turned into ferment As in making of bread a little leauen nourisheth and sermenteth a great deale of Paste so will the Philosopher that our stone bee so fermented that it may bee ferment to the multiplication of the stone CHAP. VII Of the mundification and cleansing of the stone COnsequently hee teacheth how the Stone ought to bee multiplied but first ne setteth downe the mundification of the stone and the separation of the parts saying Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire the thinne from the thicke and that gently with great discretion Gently that is by little and little not violently but wisely to witte in Philosophicall doung Thou shalt separate that is dissolue for dissolution is the separation of partes The earth from the fire the thinne from the thicke that is the lees and dregges from the fire the ayre the water and the whole substaunce of the Stone so that the Stone may remaine most pure without all filth CHAP. VIII That the vnfixed part of the Stone should exceed the fixed and list it up THe Stone thus prepared is made fit for multiplication And now hee setteth downe his multiplication ct easie liquefaction with a vertue to pierce as well into hard bodies as soft saying It ascendeth from the earth into heauen and again it descendeth into the earth Here we must diligētly note that although our stone bee diuided in the first operation into foure partes which are the foure Elements notwithstanding as wee haue alreadie saide there are two principall parts of it One which ascendeth vpward and is called vnfixed and an other which remaineth below fixed which is called earth or firmamēt which nourisheth and firmenteth the whole stone as we haue already said But of the vnfixed part we must haue a great quantity and giue it to the stone which is made most clean without all filth so often by masterie that the whole stone be caried vpward sublimating subtiliating And this is it which the Philosopher saith It ascendeth from the earth into the beauen CHAP. IX How the volatile Stone may againe be fixed AFter all these things this stone thus exalted must be incerated with the Oyle that was extracted from it in the first operation being called the water of the stone and so often boyle it by sublimation till by vertue of the firmentation of the earth exalted with it the whole stone doo againe descende from heauen into the earth and remaine fixed and flowing And this is it which the Philosopher sayth It descendeth agayne into the earth and so receyueth the vertue of the superiours by sublimation and of the inferiours by descention that is that which is corporall is made spirituall by sublimation and that which is spirituall is made corporall by descension CHAP X. Of the fruit of the Art and efficacie of the Stone SO shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde That is this stone thus compounded thou shalt possesse the glorie of this world Therefore all obscuritie shall flie from thee that is all want and sicknesse because the stone thus made cureth euerie disease Here is the mightie power of all power For there is no comparison of other powers of this world to the power of the stone For it shall ouercome euery subtil thing and shall pearce through euery solide thing It shall ouercome that is by ouercomming it shall conuert quicke Mercury that is subtile congealing it and it shall pearce through other hard solide and compact bodies CHAP. XI That this worke imitateth the Creation of the worlde HE giueth vs also an example of the composition of his Stone saying So was the world created That is like as the world was created so is our stone composed For in the beginning the whole world and all that is therein was a confused Masse or Chaos as is aboue saide but afterward by the workemanship of the soueraigne Creator this masse was diuided into the soure elements wonderfully separated and rectified through which separation diuers things were created so likewise may diuers things bee made by ordering our worke through the separation of the diuers elemēts frō diuers bodies Here shal be wonderfull adaptations that is Is thou shalt separate the elements there shall be admirable compositions fitte for our worke in the composition of our Stone by the elements rectified V Vherof
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.
nowewee are to speake of the Vessell and Furnace in what sort and of what things they must be made Whereas nature by a naturall fire decocteth the mettals in the Mynes shee denieth the like decoction to be made without a vessell fitte for it And if we purpose to immitate nature in concocting wherefore do we reiect her vessell Let vs first of all therefore see in what place the generation of mettals is made It doth euidently appeare in the places of Minerals that in the bottom of the mountaine there is heate continually alike the nature whereof is alwaies to ascend and in the ascention it alwayes drieth vp and coagulateth the thicker or grosser water hidden in the belly or veines of the earth or mountaine into Argent-uiue And if the minerall fatnes of the same place arising out of the earth be gathered warme togither in the veines of the earth it runneth through the mountain becommeth Sulphur And as a man may see in the foresaide veines of that place that Sulphur engendred of the fatnesse of the earth as is before touched meeteth with the Argent-uiue as it is also written in the veines of the earth and begetteth the thicknesse of the minerall water There through the continual equall heate in the mountaine in long processe of time diuerse mettals are engendred according to the diuersitie of the place And in these Minerall places you shall finde a continuall heate For this cause wee are of right to note that the externall minerall mountaine is euerie where shut vp within it selfe and stonie for if the heate might issue out there should neuer be engendred any mettall If therefore wee intend to immitate nature we must needes haue such a furnace like vnto the Mountaines not in greatnesse but in continual heate so that the fire put in when it ascendeth may finde no vent but that the heat may beat vpon the vessell being close shutte containing in it the matter of the stone which vessell must be round with a small necke made of glasse or some earth representing the nature or close knitting togither of glasse the mouth whereof must be signed or sealed with a couering of the same matter or with lute And as in the mynes y t heat doth not immediatly touch the matter of Sulphur and Argent-uiue because the earth of the mountain cōmenth euery where between So this fire must not immediatly touch the vessell containing the matter of the foresaide things in it but it must be put into another vessell shut close in the like manner that so the temperate heate may touch the matter aboue and beneath and where ere it be more aptly and fitly wherevpon Aristotle sayth in the light of lights that Mercurie is to be cōcocted in a threefold vessell and that the vessell must bee of most hard Glasse or which is better of earth possessing the nature of Glasse CHAP. VI. Of the accident all and essentiall colours appearing in the worke THe matter of the stone thus ended thou shalt knowe the certaine maner of working by what maner and regiment the stone is often chaunged in dccoction into diuerse colours Wherupon one saith So many colours so many names According to the diuerse colours appearing in the worke the names likewise were varied by the Philosophers whereon in the first operation of our stone it is called putrifaction and our stone is made blacke whereof one saith When thou findest it blacke know that in that blacknesse whitenesse is hidden and thou must extract the same from his most subtile blacknes But after putrefaction it waxeth red not with a true rednesse of which one saith It is often red and often of a citrine colour it often melteth and is often coagulated before true whitenesse And it dissolueth it selfe it coagulateth it selfe it putrifieth it selfe it coloureth it self it mortifieth it selfe it quickneth it selfe it maketh it selfe blacke it maketh it selfe white it maketh it selfe red It is also greene whereon another sayth Concoct it till it appeare greene vnto thee and that is the soule And another Know that in that greene his soule beareth dominion There appeares also before whitenesse the peacocks colour whereon one saith thus Know thou that al the colours in the world or y t may be imagined appeare before whitenesse and afterward true whitenesse followeth Whereof one sayth When it hath bin decocted pure and clean that it shineth like the eyes of fishes then are wee to expect his vtilitie and by that time the stone is congealed rounde And another sayth When thou shalt finde whitenesse a top in the glasse be assured that in that whitenesse rednesse is hidden and this thou must extract but concoct it while it become all red for betweene true whitenesse and true rednesse there is a certaine ash-colour of which it is sayde After whitenesse thou canst not erre for encreasing the fire thou shalt come to an ash-colour of which another saith Doo not set light by the ashes for God shal giue it thee molten and then at the last the King is inuested with a red crowne by the will of God CHAP. VII How to make proiection af the medicine vpon any imperfect booke I Haue largely accomplisht my promise of that great masterie for making the most excellent Elixir red and white For conclusion we are to treate of the manner of proiection which is the accomplishment of the work the desired expected ioy The red Elixir doth turne into a citrine colour infinitely and changeth all mettals into pure gold And the white Elixir doth insinitely whiten and bringeth euerie mettal to perfect whitenesse But we know that one mettall is farther off from perfection then another one more neere then another And although euerie mettall may by Elixir be reduced to perfection neuerthelesse the neerest are more easily speedily and perfectly reduced then those which are far distant And when we meete with a mettall that is neere to perfection we are there by excused from many that are farre off And as for the mettals which of them be neere and which farre off which of them I say be neerest to perfection if thou be wise and discreete thou shalt find to be plainely and truely set out in my Chapters And without doubt hee that is so quick sighted in this my Mirrour that by his own industry hee can finde out the true matter hee doth full well knowe vppon what body the medicine is to bee proiected to bring it to perfection For the forerunners of this Art who haue founde it out by their philosophie do point out with their finger the direct plain way when they say Nature containeth nature Nature ouercommeth nature Nature meeting with her nature exceedingly reioyceth and is changed into other natures And in another place Euery like reioiceth in his like for likenesse is saide to be the cause of friendship wherof many Philosophers haue left a notable secret Know thou that the soule doth quickly enter into his body which
may by no meanes be ioyned to another body And in another place The soule doth quickly enter into his own body which if thou goest about to ioyne with another body thou shalt loose thy labour for the neerenesse it selfe is more cleare And because corporeall things in this regimēt are made incorporeall contrariwise things incorporeal corporeall and in the shutting vp of the worke the whole body is made a spirituall fixt thing and because also that spirituall Elixir euidently whether white or red is so greatly prepared and decocted beyonde his nature it is no marnaile that it cannot bee mixed with a body on which it is proiected beeing onely melted It is also a hard matter to proiect it on a thousand thousand and more and incontinently to penetrate and transmute them I will therefore nowe deliuer vnto you a great and hidden secret One part is to bee mixed with a thousand of the next body let all this be surely put into a fit vessell and sette it in a surnace of fixation first with a lent fire and afterwardes encreasing the fire for three dayes till they be inseperably ioyned together and this is a worke of three dayes then againe and finally euery part heereof by it selfe must be proiected vpon another thousand parts of any neere body and this is a worke of one day or one houre or a moment for which our wonderfull God is eternally to be praised Here endeth the Mirror of Alchimy composed by the most learned Philosopher Roger Bacon The Smaragdine Table of Hermes Trismegistus of Alchimy THe wordes of the secrets of Hermes which were written in a Smaragdine Table and found betweene his hands in an obscure vaute wherin his body lay buried It is true without leasing certain and most true That which is beneath is like that which is aboue that which is aboue is like that which is beneath to worke the miracles of one thing And as all things haue proceeded from one by the meditatiō of one so all things haue sprung from this onething by adaptation His father is the sun his mother is the moone the wind bore it in hir belly The earth is his nurse The father ofallthe telesme of this world is here His force and power is perfect if it be turned into earth Thou shalt seperate the earth from the fire the thinne from the thicke and that gently with great discretion It ascendeth from the Earth into Heauen and and againe it descendeth into the earth and receiueth the power of the superiours and inferiours so shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde All obscuritie therefore shall flie away from thee This is the mightie power of all power for it shal ouercome euery subtile thing and pearce through euery solide thing So was the worlde created Here shall be maruailous adatpations whereof this is the meane Therefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus or the thrice great Interpreter hauing three parts of the Philosophy of the whole world That which I haue spoken of the operation of the Sunne is finished Here endeth the Table of Hermes A briefe Commentarie of Hortulanus the Philosopher vpon the Smaragdine Table of Hermes of Alchimy The praier of Hortulanus LAude honour power and glorie be giuen to thee O Almightie Lorde God with thy beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost the comforter O holy Trinitie that art the onely one God perfect man I giue thee thankes that hauing the knowledge of the transitorie things of this worlde least I should bee prouoked with the pleasures thereof of thy abundant mercie thou hast taken mee from it But for somuch as I haue knowne manie deceiued in this art that haue not gone the right way let it please thee O Lord my God that by the knowledge which thou hast giuen mee I may bring my deare friends frō error that when they shal perceiue the truth they may praise thy holy and glorious name which is blessed for euer Amen The Preface I Hortulanus so called for the Gardens bordering vpon the sea coast wrapped in a Iacobin skinne vnworthy to be called a Disciple of Philosophie moued with the loue of my welbeloued doo intend to make a true declaration of the words of Hermes the Father of Philosophers whose words though that they be dark and obscure yet haue I truely expounded the whole operation and practise of the worke for the obscuritie of the Philosophers in their speeches dooth nothing preuaile where the doctrine of the holy spirit worketh CHAP. I. That the Art of Alchimy is true and certaine THe Philosopher saith It is true to wit that the Arte of Alchimie is giuen vnto vs. VVithout leasing This hee saith in detestation of them that affirme this Art to bee lying that is false It is certaine that is prooued For whatsoeuer is prooued is most certaine And most true For most true golde is ingendred by Art and he saith most true in the superlatiue degree because the golde ingendred by this Art excelleth all naturall gold in all proprieties both medicinall and others CHAP. II. That the Stone must be diuided into two parts COnsequentlie he toucheth the operation of the stone saying That which is beneath is as that which is aboue And this he sayth because the stone is diuided into two principall parts by Art Into the superiour part that ascendeth vp and into the inferiour part which remaineth beneath fixe and cleare and yet these two parts agree in vertue and therefore hee sayeth That which is aboue is like that which is beneath And this diuision is necessarie To perpetrate the myracles of one thing to wit of the Stone because the inferiour part is the Earth which is called the Nurse and Ferment and the superiour part is the Soule which quickeneth the whole Stone and raiseth it vp Wherefore separation made and coniunction celebrated manie myracles are effected in the secret worke of nature CHAP. III. That the Stone hath in it the foure Elements ANd as all things haue proceeded from one by the meditation of one Heere giueth hee an example saying as all things came from one to wit a confused Globe or masse by meditation that is the cogitation and creation of one that is the omnipotent God So all things haue sprung that is come out from this one thing that is one confused lumpe by A daptation that is by the sole commaūdement of God and miracle So our Stone is borne and come out of one confused masse containing in it the foure Elements which is created of God and by his sole miracle our stone is borne CHAP. IIII. That the Stone hath Father and Mother to wit the Sunue and Moone ANd as wee see that one liuing creature begetteth more liuing creatures like vnto it selfe so artificially golde engendereth golde by vertue of multiplication of the foresaid stone It followeth therefore the Sunne is his father that is Philosophers Gold And as in euerie naturall generation there must be a
their places for there will be a great noyse Goe with them my sonne for they will quickly vanish away CHAP. XI Of the commistion of the Elements that were seperated BEgin composition which is the circuite of the whole worke for there shall be no composition without marriage and putrefaction The Marriage is to mingle the thinne with the thicke and Putrefaction is to rost grinde and water so long till all be mingled together and become one so that there should bee no diuersitie in them nor separation from water mingled with water Then shall the thicke labour to retaine the thinne then shall the soule striue with the fire and endeuour to beare it then shall the Spirite labour to be drowned in the bodyes and poured foorth into them And this must needes bee because the bodye dissolued when it is commixt with the Soule it is likewise commixt with euerie part therof other things enter into other things according to theyr similitude and likenesse and are changed into one and the same thing And for this cause the soule must partake with the commoditie durablenesse and permanencie which the body receiued in his commixtion The like also must befall the Spirite in this state or permanencie os the soule and boby sor when the Spirit shall bee commixt with the soule by laborious operation and all his partes with all the partes of the other two to wit the soule and bodie then shall the Spirite and the other two bee conuerted into one indiuisible thing according to their entire substance whose natures haue beene preserued and their partes haue agreed and come together whereby it hath come to passe that when this compounde hath met with a body dissolued and that heate hath got hold of it and that the moysture which was in it appeareth and is molten in the dissolued body and hath passed into it and mixt it selfe with that which was of the nature of moysture it is inflamed and the fire defendeth it self with it Then when the fire would been flamed with it it will not suffer the fire to take holde of it that is to say to cleaue vnto it with the Spirit mingled with his water The fire will not abide by it vntill it be pure And in like manner doth the water naturally flie from the fire wherof when the fire hath taken hold it doth forth with by little and little euaporate And thus hath the body beene the meanes to retaine the water and the water to retaine the oyle that it should not burne nor consume away and the oyle to retaine tincture and tincture the precise cause to make the colour appeare and shew forth the tincture wherein there is neither light nor life This then is the true life and perfection of the worke and masterie which thou soughtest for Be wise therefore and vnderstande and thou shalt find what thou lookest for if it please God CHAP. XII Of the solution of the Stone compounded THe Philosophers moreouer haue taken great paines in dissoluing that the body and soule might the better be incorporate for all those things that are together in contrition assation and rig ation haue a certaine affinitie and alliance betweene themselues so that the fire may spoyle the weaker of nature till it vtterly fade and vanish away as also it again returneth vpon the stronger parts vntil the bodie remaine without the Soule But when they are thus dissolued and congealed they take the parts one with another as well great as small and incorporate them well together till they be conuerted and changed into one and the same thing And when this is done the fire taketh from the Soule as much as from the body neither more nor lesse and this is the ceuse of perfection For this cause it is necessary teaching the composition of Elixir to afford one chapter for expounding the solution of simple bodyes and soules because bodyes doo not enter into soules but do rather withhold and hinder them from sublimatiō fixation retention commistion and the like operations except mundification go before And thou shalt know that solution is after one of these two wayes for either it extracteth the inward parts of things vnto their Superficies and this is solution an example whereof thou hast in Siluer that seemeth cold and drie but being dissolued and that his inwards appeare it is found hot and moyst or else it is to purchase to a body an accidentall moysture which it had not before and to adde hereunto his owne humiditie whereby his parts may be dissolued and this likewise is called solution CHAP. XIII Of the coagulation of the Stone dissolued SOme among the learned haue said Congeale in a bath with a good congelation as I haue tolde thee and this is Sulphur shining in darknesse a red Hiasinth a firy deadly poyson the Elixir that abideth vppon none a victorious Lion a malefactor a sharpe sworde a precious Triacle healing euery infirmitie And Geber the sonne of Hayen sayd that all the operations of this masterie are contained vnder fixe things to put to flight to melt to incerate to make as white as Marble to dissolue and congeale That putting to flight is to driue away and remoue blacknesse from the spirit and soule the melting is the liquefaction of the body to incerate belongeth properly to the body and is the subtiliation thereof to whiten is properly to melt speedily to congeale is to congeale the body with the soule alreadie prepared Againe flight appertaineth to the body and soule to melt whiten incerate and dissolue belong vnto the body and congelation to the soule Bee wise and vnderstand CHAP XIIII That there is but one Stone and of his nature BAuzan a Greeke Philosopher when it was demaunded of him whether a stone may be made of a thing that buddeth made answere yea to wit the two first stones the stone Alkali and our stone which is the life and workmanship of him that knoweth it but he that is ignorant of it and hath not made it and knoweth not how it is engendred supposing it to be no stone or that conceiueth not with himselfe whatsoeuer I haue spoken of it and yet will make a tryall of it prepareth himselfe for death and casteth away his money for if he cannot finde out this precious stone another shall not arise in his place neither shall natures triumph ouer him His nature is great heate with moderation He that now knoweth it hath profited by reading this booke but he that remaineth ignorant hath lost his labour It hath many properties and vertues for it cureth bodies of their accidentall diseases and preserueth sound substances in such sort that their appeareth in them no perturbations of contraries nor breach of their bond and vnion For this is the sope of bodies yea their spirit and soule which when it is incorporate with them dissolueth them without any losse This is the life of the dead and their resurrection a medicine preseruing bodies and
account Wherefore that which seemeth to many that is to the common people so farre forth as it seemeth such must of necessitie bee false I speake of the Common sort in that Sence as it is heere distinguished agaynst the learned For in the common conceytes of the minde they agree with the learned but in the proper principles and conclusions of Arts and Sciences they disagree toyling themselues about meere appearances and sophistications and quirks and quiddities and such like trash whereof wise men make no account In things proper therefore and in secretes the common people do erre and in this respect they are opposite to the learned but in common matters they are comprehended vnder the lawe of all and therein consent with the learned And as for these commyn things they are of small value not worthy to bee sought after for themselues but in regarde of things particular and proper Now the cause of this concealement among all wise men is the contempt and neglect of the secretes of wisedome by the vulgar sort that knoweth not how to vse those things which are most excellent And if they do conceiue any worthy thing it is altogither by chance and fortune they do exceedingly abuse that their knowledge to the great damage and hurt of many men yea euen of whole societies so that he is worse then mad that publisheth any secret vnlesse he conceale it from the multitude and in such wise deliuer it that euen the studious and learned shall hardly vnderstand it This hath beene the course which wise men haue obserued from the beginning who by many meanes haue hidden the secrets of wisedome from the common people For some haue vsed Characters and verses and diuerse others riddles and figuratiue speeches as Aristotle witnesseth in his book of Secrets where hee thus speaketh O Alexander I will shew thee the greatest secret in the world God grant thou maiest keepe it close and bring to passe the intention of the Art of that stone which is no stone and is in euery man in euery place and at all seasons and is called the end of all Philosophers And an infinite number of thinges are founde in many bookes and sciences obscured with such darke speeches so that no man can vnderstand them without a teacher Thirdly some haue hidden their secretes by their maners of writing as namely by consonants only so that no man can reade them without he knowe the signification of the words and this is vsual among the Iewes Chaldeans Syrians and Arabians yea and the Grecians too and therefore there is a great concealing with them but especially with the Iewes for Aristotle sayth in the aboue named booke that God gaue them all maner of wisedome before there were any Philosophers and all nations borrowed the principles of Philosophy of them And thus much we are plainly taught by Albumasar in his booke named the larger Introductory and other Philosophers and by Iosephus in his eight booke of Antiquities Fourthly things are obscured by the admixtion of letters of diuerse kinds thus hath Ethicus the Astronomer cōcealed his wisdome writing the same with Hebrew Greeke Latin letters all in a row Fiftly they hide their secrets writing them in other letters then are vsed in their owne counrty to wit when they take letters that are in vse in forreine nations and feigne them according to their own pleasures This is a very great impediment vsed by Artephius in his booke of the Secrets of Nature Sixtly they make certain formes not of letters but such as are vsed by diuiners and enchanters which according to the diuersitie of pricke and notes haue the power of letters and these likewise hath Artephius vsed in his science Seuenthly there is yet a more cunning sleight of occultation behind by the helpe of Art notory an art wherby a man may write or note any thing as briefly as he will as swiftly as he can desire And in this sort haue the Latine authours hidden many secretes I deemed it necessary to touch these tricks of obscurity because happily my self may be constrained through the greatnesse of the secrets which I shal handle to vse some of them that so at the least I might helpe thee to my power I giue thee therefore to vnderstand that my purpose is orderly to proceed in the exposition of those things whereof I made mention before as to dissolue the Philosophers egge and search out the partes of a philosophicall man And this shall serue for a beginning to the rest Take salt and rub it diligently in water and purifie it in other waters after by diuerse contritions rub it with Salts and burne it with sundry assations that it may bee made a pure earth separated from the other Elements which I esteeme worthy of thee for thestature of my length Vnderstand me if thou art able for it shall vndoubtedly bee composed of the Elements and therefore it shall be a part of the stone which is no stone and is in euery man which thou shalt finde at all tymes of the yeare in his owne place This done thou shalt take oyle after the maner of a searecloath and of viscous cheese not able to be cut at the first wherevnto all the fierie vertue must bee diuided and separated by dissolution now it must bee dissolued in a sharpe water of an indifferent sharpenesse with a light fire and decocted vntill his fatnesse be seuered as the fat in flesh by distillation that no part of the oylinesse and blacke vertue wherein the vrine is distilled may get out Afterward let it bee decocted in Vineger till it be dryed into a coale which is the cause of addustion and that his blacke vertue do appeare But if it be not cured therof let it be done againe be watchfull and attentiue for my speech is difficult The oyle will dissolue both in sharpe waters and in common oyle that worketh more apparauntly or in a tart oyle of Almondes ouer the fire so that the oyle may bee sundred and the hidden spirite remaine both in the partes ofliuing creatures and in Sulphur and Arsenicke For the Stones wherein there is an Oyle of a superfluous humiditie haue certaine boundes of their humours partly because there is no strong vnion sithens one may be dissolued from the other by reason of the nature of the water which is put to liquefaction in the Spirite which is the meane betweene his parts and the oyle Dissolution therefore beeing finished there will remaine a certaine pure humiditie in the spirit which though it bee throughly mixt with the dry parts which are mooued to and fro in it yet is the fire able to resolue it beeing called by the Philosopher a melting Sulpur and sometime Oyle sometime an ayrie humour sometime a comunctiue substaunce which the fire dooth not separate sometime Camphora and wash it This is the Philosophers Egge or rather the ende and accomplishment of the Egge And let so much of the