they delighted more in theory than practick they disdained to bee gold-makers to those that were greedy or to those that were through idlenesse needy and were afraid to be made a prey and captivate slaves to avaricious and cruell tyrants these things and such like made them obscure and hide from the world what they knew or could doe intending rather to have by the Philosophers Stone a balsamick universall medecine than the feminary of gold Many have written divers treatises of this subject some one way some another way some more mystically some more plainely and what is darke in one is found againe more cleare in another specially to such as are diligent Readers of the Hermeticall Philosophy I will therefore set downe here what by most approved consent of all is the most easie and compendious way to perfite the Philosophers Stone without prejudice to others that thinke they knew a better way In this my discourse there shall be nothing obscure but that which a â—â—lius artis may easily understand SECT 5. A generall relation of the matters and materials requisite to this worke and in what time it may bee perfected ANd first these principles and grounds for this worke are to bee understood to wit 1. Every mettall consists of Mercury as a common versatill and flexible matter of the which all mettalls are and unto the which all may bee by Art redâ—ced 2. The species of mettals and their specifick and essentiall formes are not subject to transmutations but onely the individuals of the species 3. All mettals differ not in their common nature and matter but in their degree of perfection and purity 4. Art surmounteth and over-reacheth Nature for Art assisted by Nature in a short space may perfect that which Nature otherwise by it selfe was a thousand yeares in perfiting and accomplishing 5. God hath created every mettall in its owne kinde and hath implanted in them specially in the perfect mettall a seed whereby they may be by Art multiplied The chiefe matter of this Worke is most purified gold and silver joyned together in the progresse of the Worke and as some hold Gold alone in operation ad rubeam tincturam and silver alone ad albam and Mercury according to Art well prepared is the principall perfiter of the Worke. The onely and chiefe key in this Worke is that black brat that ariseth and is emergent out of the solution of Sol and Luna with Mercury called Caput 〈…〉 c. The chiefest workes are Solutio and Coagulatio by solution caput corvi is obtained as a seminary arising from the dissolved Sol Luna and Mercurius and must be chiefly regarded By coagulation caput corvi is fixed and fitted for impregnation and fermentation Solution whereby caput corvi is obtained is more facile but coagulation is more difficile The time to finish the whole Worke is not yeares but some moneths the expense are not many but tollerable and the paines are easie with some diligent attendance on the Worke One Fornace Philosophically made for distinction of the degrees of the fire will suffice And one or two Glasses will be needfull the Glasse must be a Viall in forme and with a long small cragge or neck the body of it must be round and so devised that consisting of two parts the inferior part may receive the superiour part that it may be closed skilfully and opened againe at the Artificers pleasure SECT 6. Of the 5 degrees whereby the Worke is perfectioned and first how to bring it to Solution THe whole artifice in composing the Philosophers Stone consists in five distinct operations each following other in order to wit Solution Coagulation Fermentation fixation and Multiplication Solution Take of Mercury made menstruall by calcination so subtily prepared by sublimation that it may become sharpe and piercing twelve ounces of Solis the best sort refined by frequent fulmination and drawne forth in most thinne plates or pieces one ounce upon the which in a Glasse powre some of the Mercury about the fourth or fifth part Set the Glasse in a luke warme heate in the first degree on ashes and so stopped and closed that nothing fall in nor out of it when it is stirred and inclined and let all stand for the space of 15 or 20 dayes during the which time a part of the Sol will be dissolved into the Mercury by reason of the internall fire and corroding acrimome thereof powre off that menstruall and keepe it and powre on another part of the same doing as is said before and let all stand eight or ten dayes and so forth doe till the Sol be all dissolved into the mercuriall watter which after the commixtion and resolution of Sol into it Mercury which before was menstruall now is of another temper and is called lac virgineum aqua vitae wherein Sol is fully dissolved Put all this lac virgineum in the Glasse with the foresaid degree of heate every eight or ten dayes then will appeare a black brat and mater partly emerging and swimming above and partly subsident which the watter or lac being first powred off must be collected so oft as it appeareth and is to be kept for coagulation It is called caput corvi sulphur auri crudum nondum fixum SECT 7. How from Solution to make Coagulation COagulation put the sulphur Solis into the viol-glasse closse stopped and set it in the foresaid first degree of heat for eight dayes till it bee almost exsiccat with the humidity of lac virginis that was left inherent in it and then open the glasse and poure thereon asmuch of the lac as is the weight of the caput corui and mixing it well let it stand one or two dayes till they both be coagulat in one and become almost dry and so forth doe thus till all the lac bee drunke up which will be about the space of 90. dayes more or lesse according as the matter is of quicknesse and activity and if this lac or aqua vitae bee suspected to have contracted any dulnesse and superfluous humidity while it was in the former worke of solution in that case it is to bee prepared againe quickned sharpned and made fitter for this present worke of Coagulation Both these to wit the Lac virg and Sol. being Coagulat as is said the Coagulation must yet goe on and with the second degree of heat for the space of a month the matter Coagulat must stand in that heat till there appeare cauda pavonis that is a variety and multitude of colours and at length it will turne to a white colour called corpus album sulphur album coagulatum album terra philosophorum c. SECT 8. How from Coagulation to produce Fermentation FErmentation take as much of purified and laminated Sol. as answereth to the third part of the foresaid
discovery of these Mysteries and secrets of Nature I answer not the vast expectation of the overcurious the more modest and discreet Reader will rest satisfied that I inferre the most approved Reasons of the more Ancient and Moderne Philosophers and such men as have most Copiously treated of them thereby to ease thee and all men of the like paines and turmoile that I have had in the search of these secrets which if they bring thee that content satisfaction that I desire and intended for thee I am assured of a favourable applause and have the reward I expected Section 1. Of the matter whereof the Heavens are composed with the confutation of various opinions of Philosophers concerning it ALthough the world and all comprehended within its imbraces is the proper subject of Physicke and that Physiologie is nothing else but a Discourse of Nature as the Greek Etymologie sheweth and so were a fitting discourse for this place yet because the questions which concern a Christian to know against the Philosophicall conceits Of the Worlds eternity his pre-existent matter that it had a beginning but shall never have an end if there be more worlds than one If the world be a living Creature in respect of the Heavens perennall and incessant rotation and the Ayres continuall revolution the Seas perpetuall ebbing and flowing the Earths bringing forth oâ— conceiving fruit alternatively c. Because I say these questions of the World together with these if there was a World before this which is now or if there shall be one after this is consummated if there bee any apart by this are handled in the Chapter of the World in this same Booke I passe them for the present and betake me to the more particular questions more necessary to be knowne and lesse irreligious to be propounded And because the Heavens of all the parts of the World are most conspicuous as that wheretoever we bend our eyes being the most glorious Creature of all the Creators workes at it I will begin but as I said I would alwayes have the Reader to understand that I propound these questions not so absolutely of mine owne braine to solve them as to give him a view of the variety of opinions yea of the most learned in these high and sublime questions whereat we may all conjecturally give our opinions but not definitively while it please the great Maker to bring us thither where we may see Him and them more cleerely Quest. First then I aske of what matter are the heavens composed Answ. Diverse have beene the opinions of Philosophers upon this subject For Averroes in his first booke of the heavens and there in Text 7. and tenth holds it to bee so simple a body that it is free from all materiall substance which opinion of his by this may be refelled that with Aristotle in the eight booke of his Metaph. chap. 2. and in his first booke De coelo and Text 92. What ever things falles under the compasse of our senses these same must bee materially substantiall But the heavens are such and therefore they must be materiall Besides that all movable Essences consist of matter and forme as Aristotle in his second booke of Physicke chap. 1. holdeth But so it is that the heavens are movable therfore they cannot be free of matter Quest. Seeing then it is evinced by argument and concluding reasons that the heavens doe consist of matter I aske now what kinde of matter are they compounded of Answ. The Philosophick Schooles in this point are different Some of them maintaining a like matter to be common with them and the sublunarie bodies that is that they were composed of the foure elements of which all things here below doe exist Neither lacked there some Sects that gave forth for truth that the heavens were of a fierie and burning nature which opinion Aristotle confuteth by many reasons in his first Book De coelo chap. 3. establishing his owne which have beene held for truth not only by his Sectaries the Peripateticks then but ever since have beene approved which is that the matter of the heavens being distinct in nature from that of the foure elements of which all other sublunarie things are framed must bee composed of a quintessence which opinion of his he thus maintaineth against the Platonists and all others who maintained that it was framed of the most pure and mundified part of the foure elements for saith hee All simple motion which we finde in nature must belong unto some simple body But so it is that we finde a circular motion in nature which no wayes appertaineth unto any of the elements in regard that in direct line they either fall downeward as the waters and earth or else they ascend upward as the ayre and fire And it is certaine that one simple body cannot have more proper and naturall motions than one Wherefore it followeth of necessitie that seeing none of the elements have this circular motion as is before verified therefore there must be a distinct simple body from them to which this motion must appertaine and that must be the heaven As for those who enforce identitie of matter in kind betwixt the heavens and these elementarie things below and consequently would involve them under corruption which is peculiar to all other things their warrant is of no validitie for although they take upon them to demonstrate by their late Astronomicall observations in the Aetherian region new prodigies not observed nor remarkable heretofore which both Ruvius and the Conimbricenses give forth to proceed from a corruption and defect of the first cause from whence they flow They mistake in so farre as they are rather extraordinary workes of the great maker threatning mortalls by their frownings then other wayes Symptomes of the Celestiall Pâ—râ—xysmes and corruption Neither must you understand that I doe so adhere unto the heavens incorruptibility that I thinke it free from all change but contrarily rest assured that at the last conflagration it shall suffer a change and novation but no dissolution as the low elementarie world Quest. You conclude then that the heavens are of a fift substance not alembecked out of the foure elements but an element by it selfe having it 's owne motion severall from the others which is a circular one Answ. Yea truly I doe Quest. But now seeing all circular motion is such that it hath some immoveable thing in the middle of it whereabout it whirleth ever as we see in a Coach Wheele and the axeltree What is this immovable thing whereabout the heavens circular rotation and perpetuall motion is Answ. The Globe of the earth which whatsoever fond conceit Copernicus had concerning the motion of it yet remaineth firme and immovable And the heaven doth rolle still about this earth and hath still as much below it as we see round about and above it Sect. 2. Of the Starres their substance and splendor where also of the
Elements mixt together is the purenesse subtilenesse and simplicity if I may say so of that Element Which reason may serve too against them when they say that if it were there it should burne all about And which likewise may serve for answer to the objection of the Comets which are seene seeing they are of a terrestriall maligne exhalation and so having in them that earthly mixture and being inflamed by the neighbour-heate of that fiery Element no wonder though they bee seene and not it her subtile purenesse being free of all combustible matter and so the lesse conspicuous to our eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive perspicuum nisi condensetur est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia visum non terminat Iul. Scal. Exer. 9. There is no such question about the second Element which is the Aire for of it all agree that it hath three regions wherein all these you call Meteors are fashioned as clouds haile snow thunder wind and dew yea and higher than all these in the first and supreme Region these blazing Comets although other men place them above the Moone which are so formidable to ignorants who know not the causes of their matter Quest. Is this so as you give it forth Answ. It is of verity that the first Element which we call the Element of fire is disputable and hath beene denied by many but as for the Ayre none to my knowledge ever called it in question neither is there in all our Philosophy a subject more fitting a man of spirit to know than the discourse of the Meteors therein framed of all which although you have a tractate hereafter by it selfe yet one word here more to make you understand their nature and matter the better Section 5. A briefe Discourse of Meteors of their causes matter and differences THE great Creator hath so disposed the frame of this Vniverse in a constant harmony and sympathy amongst the parts of it that these Heavenly Lights which wee see above our heads have their owne force power and influence upon this Earth and Waters whereon and wherein we live marying as it were these two so farre distant Creatures both in place and nature by the mediation of this Ayre above spoken of which participateth of both their qualities warmenesse from the Heavens and moistnesse from the Earth and Waters Nature then but Melior naturâ Deus or GOD better than Nature hath ordained the Sunne Fountaine of light and warmth to be the physicall or naturall cause yea and the remotest cause as wee say in the Schooles of these Meteors as Aristotle himselfe in his first Book of his Meteors cap. 2. observeth When I speak of the Sun as most principall I seclude not the Stars and these celestiall bodies which rolling about in a per-ennall whirling and rotation doe lance forth their power upon the Earth also The neerest Physicall or naturall cause againe must be understood to be cold and heate heate from these heavenly bodies to rarifie or attenuate the vapors of the Earth whereby they may bee the easier evaporated by the Sunne or heate to draw fumes and vapours from the Earth upward cold againe to condensate and thicken those elevated vapours in the Ayre to thicken them I say either in clouds raine or snow or the rest Thus as the Meteors have a twofold cause as you have heard so have they a two fold matter The first and remotest are the two Elements but of them chiefly Earth and Water the neerer cause or matter are exhalations extracted from these former two Which exhalations I divide in fumes and vapours fumes being a thin exhalation hot and dry elevated from the Earth and that of their most dried parts by the vertue of the heavenly Starres and the Sunnes warmenesse elevated I say by the vertue and warmnesse of the Sunne and Stars from the driest parts of the Earth even the Element of fire from whence and of which our Comets fiery-Darts Dragons and other ignean Meteors doe proceed although later Astronomers have found and give forth some of the Comets formation to be above the Moone Whereas vapours are exhalations thicker and hotter swifter drawne up from the Seas and Waters by the power of the Sun and Stars of which vapors thither elevated are framed our raines snow haile dewe wherewith they falling back againe the Earth is bedewed and watered When I say that these vapours are hot and moist thinke it not impossible although the waters their mother be cold and moist for that their warmnesse is not of their owne innate nature but rather accidentall to them by vertue of the Sunne and Starres warmnesse by whose attractive power as the efficient cause they were elevated Now then as of fumes elevated to the highest Region of the Ayre the fiery Meteors are composed so of their watery vapours which are drawne no higher than the middle Region proceeds raine clouds snow haile and the rest or if they passe not beyond this low Region wherein we breath they fall downe into dew or in thick mysts Thus you see that these vapours are of a middle or meane nature betwixt the Ayre and the Waters because they resolve in some one of the two easily even as fumes are medians betwixt fire and earth in respect that they are easily transmuted or changed in the one or the other And thus as you have heard the efficient and materiall causes of Meteors So now understand that their forme dependeth upon the disposition of their matter for the materiall dissimilitude either in quantity or quality in thicknesse thinnesse hotnesse drinesse aboundance or scarcity and so forth begetteth the Meteor it selfe different in species and forme as if you would say by the aboundance of hot and dry exhaled fumes from the Earth and the most burnt parts thereof are begot the greater quantity of Comets winds thunders and contrary-wayes by the aboundance of moist vapours elevated by the force of the Sunne from the Seas and waters we judge of aboundance of raine haile or snow or dew to ensue according to the diverse degrees of light in the Ayrie Region whither they are mounted Now when I said before that hot exhaled fumes are ever carried aloft to the highest Region of the Ayre take it not to be so universally true but that at times they may be inflamed even in this low Region of ours here and that through the Sunnes deficiency of heate for the time for as the uppermost Region is alwayes hot the middle alwayes cold so is the lower now hot now cold now dry and againe moist according to the Sunnes accesse or recesse from it as Aristotle lib. 1. Meteo cap. 3. noteth And of this sort are these even visible inflamations which in the Seas are seene before any storme flaming and glancing now and then as I my selfe have seene yea and sometimes upon the tops of Ships masts Sterne and Poope or such as in darke nights now
as they ranne that the Roman army which lay in the valley being astonied at such a sight it being in the night when all things are most dreadfull did betake it selfe unto the opposite Mountaine and made way to the Carthaginian armie which then marched to escape neither think I but for all the fame of these ancient illustrious deeds registrated in their records but if either they had chanced to have adoe with the people of these ages where the acts of warre are better refined and purified then in those times Or yet if our commanders had served in that age but they had come shorter of victories here then ours had done in their atchievements there But as Alexander reputed Achilles happy who had a Homer to sound his praises even so these brave Heroes were a like happy whose Histories have not beene sparing to set them out in their fullest dimensions Sect. 7. The difference betwixt the ancient manner of warrefare and the moderne how farre the moderne engines of Warre exceed those of the ancient Greekes and Romans IN marshalling of our armies and Battels our moderne plans jump almost with those of the Ancient yet our Sieges beleaguring of townes and instruments of war doe far exceede theirs whether by Sea or by land And first that the forme of drawing up of our armies is not far different from theirs appeareth in this Our armies consist of so many regiments the regiment of so many companies and our companies of so many Souldiers then subdivided amongst themselves Our armies in whole having their Generalls commanding them our Regiments their Colonells our Companies their Captaines and every one of these their Lievtenants and under-officers conformable unto the stations of their charge such as Sergeant Majors Quarter-masters Ancient Corporalls Serjeants of companies c. Even so the Roman armies were composed of so many legions the legion made up of 6000. souldiers over which a Tribune had command these againe were subdivided into so many Cohorts the Cohorts into so many Manipuli which being redivided in Centuries were againe subdivided in Contuberneys which were the meanest company in a legion These had a Captaine a Lievtenant and Ensigne bearer wherefore they were called Subsignarii Milites Thus two centuries made up a Manipulus 3. Manipuli a Cohort 10. Cohorts a legion and so many Legions an armie lesse or more according to the exigencie of their affaires When a Legion stood in battell array the least squadron of it was a Manipulus wherein was two Ordaines conjoyned together making 10. in front and their Lievtenant in the reire this excellent order of the old Roman warre-fare is well nigh imitated by our moderne warriours as I was saying in the fields when both then and elsewhere their armies were like well governed Citties Yet on the other side the Roman sieges and all their engines of warre come short in comparison of our manner of beleaguring now adayes notwithstanding their testudines vineae aggeres and Turres which were hurdells and plankes of Timber built in such sort that Souldiers might securely fight under them or like Mounts of earth rolled before them under which they might make approach unto Walles either for scaling or undermining these and all others of this sort when they come in comparison with our fire workes but chiefly our thundring Cannons they are found to be but of little availe But what shall we say Truly we may conclude that in these dayes true valour and strength had their just assayes cum latus lateri dextra dextrae pes pedi as Plautus saith were opposed to one another Whereas now the bravest and most venturous fellows without much proofe of their undoubted courages are prostrate on the ground So that for any thing I either heare or can reade in the French Histories where manifest fights have beene in these latter ages and since these Vulcanian Thunderers have beene in request I understand I say yea even by those who were present and had borne a part of the play themselves that so soone as the fire and showers of shot were spent the victory almost beganne to incline unto one side or other before the push of Pikes wherein commonly the strength of battels coâ—sist the Romans indeed had their fundi and hurling Darts but what were all these unto the former Sect. 8. That the Ancients in their warres had greater opportunities to try their prowesse in battell then the modernes have AND as in their field battells and seiges of Cities their people had occasion afforded by the lacke of these shot to prove themselves and show sufficiently unto their commanders testimonyes of their valour strength and dexterity Soin their Sea-fights though they had no Ships of any bignesse but Galleys which then as now were of a low tyre yet whensoever they encountred they had occasion to exhange blowes enow Whereas our Sea-fights as they say now adayes are able to astonish Nepture himselfe no mercie being to be found nor almost place secure within our Ships exposed as butts unto the fury of the roaring Cannon That their numbers in these kind of fights exceeded ours beyond compare there is no question their Histories doe verifie it but if ever in their time there was such a Naumachie or sea-fight in their seas as the battell of Lepanto betwixt us and the Turkes I doubt of it Where the favour of the Lord of Hoasts secoâ—ding the Christians order valour Commanders and Souldiers willingnesse and affections to that fight purchased that victory worthy to be sung by a King yea the best since Salomon of one that bore Crowne KING Iames of blessed memorie which at length is to beseene in the Turkish Historie and in Du Bartas small workes Sect. 9. The manner how the Greekes and Romans ordered their battells both by Sea and by land the battells of Cannas and Trasimenes described AS for the disposition of the Roman or Greeke Sea-fights and battells I find little other order then that they were drawne up in a cressant and so was the battell of Lepanto But for their land battels I read of foure kinds of pitching of them For they were either into a straight front by them called recta acies very usuall amongst them Or else the manner of imbattelling observed by Caesar against Ariovistus was in request which was when one corner of the army was advanced neerer the neerest point of the enemies army then the other was to the effect the one being wearied the other might advance to renew the charge a fresh which by him in his Commentaries was called acies obliqua The third I understand to bee that observed by Scipio in Spaine called acies sinuata in manner of halfe Moone whose points were advanced as the Sea-battells spoken of before And his reason of marshalling of them thus was because he understood his enemies best men to be placed in the middle of their army and so by advancing his cornets he discomfited