the Science is not deliuered without interruption because the wicked as well as the good would vsurpe it vnworthily The other cause is for the difficulty of the matter or subiect but considering that this secret is the gift of the most high God as all the Philosophers say and chiefly Morien with these words And know you that this Mastrie is no other thing but the mysterie and secret of secrets of the most high and great God Therefore I hope that our Lord Iesus will put such forme to my speech that without offending his most high Maiestie I may helpe the children of the truth And if about the difficulty and depth of the matter my forces be not sufficient the minde neuerthelesse is most ready and most desirous to make the vertuous spirits professours of this noble Science participant of a part of my long trouble and study made therein not yet as one that would perswade my selfe to be such that I vnderstood the secret hereof but as a louing professor of the search of it wherein I haue wearied my selfe for the time of twenty fiue yeeres Now to returne to our first purpose I say then for to beginne this second part that in the beginning of the booke called the blast of the trumpet it is written thus Of the first essence the first Philosopher Thales the Milesian saith God is the most ancient of things vnbegotten eternall and therefore Pythagoras saith I say that God was before all things nothing was with him when hee was and vnderstand that God when hee was alone in the beginning created one substance which he called the first matter and of that substance he created other foure fire aire water and earth of which now being created hee created all things as well high as low and so before all other things except the first matter hee created the foure elements out of which he created afterward what he would to wit diuers natures c. And Raymund Lully in the third chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith God created that nature of nothing into one pure substance which wee call quintessence in which whole nature is comprehended c. And in many other places hee saith the like because hee considereth that this Science proceedeth from God as all the Philosophers doe affirme therefore Mireris saith that this stone proceedeth from the most glorious high place and of the greatest Creator which hath put to death many wise men which is like vnto euery thing whose name cannot be spoken Where I considering the height and difficulty of this matter as I haue aboue said seeing that out of the Philosophers the construction concerning this thing cannot be had I purpose to see if out of the holy new or old Testament some iuyce may bee extracted studying the which in my iudgement many most excellent sentences may be taken to the purpose of this matter and of the whole science the which shall bee left out and onely I will serue my selfe with that which seemeth vnto me most to the purpose of this passage I finde the first thing that our Lord God created was the light as it appeareth in the first of Genesis there after hee made that wonderfull separation of the elements whereby there commeth in my minde some sentences of Vincentius in his Naturall mirrour in the second booke the three and thirtieth chapter where he saith Therefore his Spheres which is true light are begun from light and in light all things are accomplished c. And furthermore from the light he begun that he might shew his workes to be the workes of light not of darknesse c. And after he saith So also by his example hee hath taught man to worke in the light And in the thirty fifth he saith Therefore the first substance is light c. and after following he saith Euery thing therefore how much it hath of light so much it holdeth of diuinity because God is light and every thing hauing more of light than another is called more noble than it for in all things nobility is remarked according to the greater neerenesse and partaking of diuine essence And this also is manifest by induction in the first bodies when they are compared together the water is nobler than the earth because it hath more light than the earth Likewise the aire than the water and the fire than the aire and the fifth body than all other therefore it is called amongst them the first and most noble therefore the perfection of all these things which are in euery order of the world is light And in the thirtie eight chapter he saith Therfore worthily amongst all bodies the light holdeth the first place For as S. Augustine saith Euery substance common to two substances according to nature is before them both but light is a substance common to fire and starres which precede all other bodies Wherefore the first of all bodies is light After in the thirty nine chapter he saith But light is caused in the aire not from the aire it selfe or the forme of the aire but from the Sunne c. And he speaketh many other notable sentences which shall be left to be studied by studious men Now seeing the light is the first thing which God created I may say vnto you that the selfe nature is deriued from that light as all Philosophers doe affirme saying vse venerable nature And for confirmation hereof I will see if wee can agree many pretty sentences of diuers Philosophers who speake of this Science in fauor of this opinion But before that wee come thus farre I would know by what occasion many and diuers wise Philosophers haue entitled many of their bookes belonging to this Science vnder the name of Light As Aristotle called one the light of light Rasis fiue to wit the light of lights the booke of the Sunne the booke of the Moone the booke of cleerenesse and the booke of Light Iohn of Damascus the Rosary of the Sunne Iohn of Vien the mirrour of the elements Arnold de Villa noua the new light Roger Bacon the mirror of Alchymy Iohn de Rupescissa the booke of light and many and diuers others the like which truly I cannot thinke that they would doe it but because this diuine Science is the worke of light But perhaps some may say the Philosophers vse to say when they will declare any thing obscure that they giue light or illuminate But I my selfe doe not finde that they haue entitled their bookes of other Sciences vnder the title of Light as they haue done this Let euery one beleeue as most pleaseth him Now let vs come to the foresaid sentence and first Aristotle in his first booke of the Secret of Secrets saith For with thee is the Light of Lights and for this all darknesse shall flie from thee And Mireris in his booke of documents speaking of that secret spirit vnder the name of water he saith And know that the Philosophers declare that the
Villa noua in the first Chapter of his Rosary saith It is therefore manifest that the operation of the Medicine is the operation of nature and that the Medicine it selfe is the same nature for the Medicine it selfe only is composed of nature c. And Raymund Lully in the 72. chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith Our Mastry is by nature and with nature and of nature and is made by the meanes of nature And in the 76. Chapter Wherefore who will make any thing let him make it by nature and let him know the concordance of nature because without that neuer any thing can bee done Seeing that nothing of the world which is facible is beyond the limited bounds or waies of nature because by it and with it it is made and is to be made And in the 14. Chapter of the Practicke he saith Sonne if thou vnderstand this thou shalt vnderstand know how all things of the world are made by nature and how thou may make them to the respect of nature if thou can haue the aire which is caused by nature c. And in many other places hee maketh mention and the Rosary of the Philosophers saith Wherby first we make knowne that all workers beyond nature are deceiuers and that they worke in a thing vnfit And thereafter he saith In the Art of our mastry nothing is hid by the Philosophers except the secret of the Art which is not lawfull for any man to reueale which if it were done he should be cursed and should incurre the indignation of the Lord and should die of an Apoplexie Wherefore all errour in the Art ariseth of that that they take not the due matter therefore vse venerable nature because of it by it and in it our Art is engendred and in no other And therefore our mastry is a worke of nature and not of the workeman and so who knoweth not the beginning doth not obtaine the end and who knoweth not what hee seeketh shall not know what he shall find But because vpon this authority some may say that this Philosopher intendeth and speaketh of the true matter on which wee must lay the foundation I say that it is true but out of what matter it behoueth vs to take the same nature as yet hee maketh no mention which is inclosed in the centre of the same matter witnessing Raymund in his 7. Chap. of the Theoricke of the Testament Where he saith And wee haue said aboue that in the centre of the earth is the virgin earth and the true Element and that it is created by nature therefore nature is in the centre of euery thing c. As yet also more manifestly shall be shewed when it shall bee declared which followeth what thing is this nature Now hauing aboue shewed the necessity to reduce the body vnto the first matter and in this chapter proued that it behoueth to worke with nature so that it appeareth almost that this first matter is the selfe same nature by the meanes of the authorities aboue alledged of the Philosophers therefore for better declaration it is good to proceed from degree to degree First it is said the matter to bee one sole thing there after wee haue spoken of the reduction vnto the first matter and now it appeareth that this first matter is as said is the same nature It remaineth then to be seene what thing is this nature and it shal be the last conclusion about this passage I say that of diuers Philosophers it hath beene named with diuers and infinite names some doe call it Chaos some Hyle others the first Matter others a confused Masse Matter without Forme Confused Clodde others Mercurie alledging that speech of Hermes who saith In Mercurie is all which the Philosophers seeke c. and with many other infinite names as I haue aboue said the which would bee too much to desire to remember all But I my selfe am disposed leauing all other names to name it vnder the name of Salt in this my little treatise alledging for confirmation of my opinion a number of sentences of diuers Philosophers And first we shall begin with Geber who in his Testament speaketh of no other but of the salt of metals and sheweth that therewith is made the Elixir as he may see who would study it And the Rosary of the Philosophers saith The salt of metals is the Philosophers stone And a little further The ancient wise men because they spoke many things did conclude vpon salt which they call the sope of the wise and the little key which closeth and openeth and againe shutteth and no man openeth without which little key they say none in this age can attaine to the perfection of this science that is vnlesse he know to calcine salt after his preparation c. And after he saith Who hath not tasted the taste of salts shall neuer obtaine his wish And Gratianus saith Of euery thing may be made ashes and of that ashes may be made salt and of that salt is made water and of that is made Mercurie and of that Mercury through diuers operations is made Sol. And Auicen saith Sonne if thou wilt bee rich prepare salts vntill they be a pure water because salts are converted into a spirit by fire And Raymund in the seuenty two chapter of the practicke of his Testament saith And we say vnto thee that the said natures are nothing but sharp salts c. And there after But sonne we speake to thee with reuelation that thou remember of the salt which we haue told thee aboue with one part of his propertie because at no time must you vnderstand here of other salt vnlesse it be of metals which are resolued vnto it as by artifice you may see to the eie If therefore thou know how to sweeten this salt it will enter in the bodies as the true nature which will stand inwardlie and can transforme them from one kinde to another because seeing salts are the first nature of metals of a metallicke propertie by the friendship of that thing they are conioyned together Seeing salt is nothing but fire nor fire is but sulphure nor sulphure is but quicksiluer reduced into a stone after that it is the matter of a nature altered and changed from basenesse to nobility Heere clearely is verified and confirmed that passage aboue said That in the centre of the earth is the virgin earth c. and that nature is in the centre of euery thing c. And in many other places mention is made which for shortnesse sake shall be left out O what labours what sweats what troubles must be done What most thicke and most hard walls must be broken and passed and what ports and locks must bee opened before it can bee penetrated and entred into that centre where that blessed virgin earth is found otherwaies by the said Raymund called the earth of labour And truly the earth of labour it may be called because it is
Alchymy is raised a substance like vnto a stone And he calleth it blessed because beyond the foure Elements there resteth a fifth Essence called the Spirit because the Spirit cannot bee seene by vs nor felt without a body assumed in some Element c. This Spirit for the noblenesse of his nature taketh a body in a nobler and superiour Sphere to wit of the Elements namely of the fiery Sphere of the noble fire but yet his spirituall nature remaining therefore neither is it fire nor hath it the nature of fire so much as is of it selfe And againe Because that body of the Spirit is fiery for his subtilty and purity and this cannot be seene by vs therefore with fit instruments by meanes of the workemans industry thickning its subtill substance it is conuerted in the forme of water and floweth Therefore separate the said Spirit and conioyne it with the Elements But the operation in the coniunction is twofold to wit one that the Elixir may be made to congeale Quickesiluer another that the Elixir may bee made for to preserue the life of man and to throw away all superfluity of bad humors and to eschew all corruption of the body Therefore if thou wilt make the Philosophers Stone to congeale Quickesiluer do in this manner Separate first the Spirit and the soonest that thou canst because thou shalt neuer separate him so warily but that hee will retaine some part of the former substance of Phlegme This Spirit once separated is called the burning water whose signe is that if thou dip a linnen cloth in it the cloth will be inflamed and not burne But if you separate oftner it is called the burning water rectified whose Signe is because a cloth dipt is altogether burned So haue you one Element made spirituall with the Spirit of the Quintessence And so the first apparition of that secret Spirit becommeth manifest in forme of water The which is that water whereof the Philosophers say The secret of the Art is to know the celestiall water diuine and glorious c. It followeth And so it behoueth the other three Elements to be made spirituall with the said Spirit retaining the corporall vertue in this manner Separate the whole superfluous Phlegme from the said stone vntill the oyle come to fume out and nothing at all remaine of the Phlegme and it shall be turned like vnto pitch And then mixe the first burning water rectified with this substance made like pitch well stirring till it be incorporated And then againe distill twice or thrice and then it is called mans bloud rectified and of this saith the Philosopher the winde hath carried him in his belly And so haue you two Elements exalted in the vertue of the fifth Essence to wit water and aire And this is the second apparition of that secret Spirit in the forme of aire of which another Philosopher saith This is truly humane bloud the true Celandine in which the secrets of nature are hid c. It followeth Thereafter take the foresaid substance which remaineth like pitch and separate all the superfluous oyle by a glasse Alembicke vntill that no oyle remaine And then it will be a blacke dry substance which powder well and grinde well with humane bloud rectified and let it so stand for the space of three houres Thereafter distill and then it is called the fiery water and doe in the same manner the second time and then it is called the fiery water rectified And so haue you three Elements in the vertue of the Quintessence to wit aire fire and water And so appeareth the third apparition of that secret Spirit in forme of fire But because this Philosopher maketh no mention of the separation of one Element from another and this I thinke is because the separation of the airy Element is not necessary to desire to follow the whole worke But who wil separate it to vse it for the vertue described by the Author of the secret Spirit many Philosophers haue told the manner But if you read the manner of the separation of the foure Elements of Celandine described by many Authors chiefly by Philip Vlstadius in his Heauen of Philosophers there you shall finde the manner of the said separation therefore I will not enlarge my selfe otherwise to write it And more I will say that the Philosopher who hath written the separation of the Elements of Celandine is that same of the secret Spirit who would serue himselfe vnder the name of Celandine that is the gift of the Heauen and that this is true you shall find described the vertues of these Elements word by word as those of the secret Spirit in the fifth apparition outward And the like did another vnder the name of humane bloud And as it is aboue spoken at full it is no matter of the names otherwise because all doe vnderstand one onely thing Now followeth here a most pretty glosse worthy to be noted vpon this passage of 3. houres the which will giue great light to the children of the truth and it saith thus And in that space is melted all the white volatill Salt which is in the blacke earth with the foresaid water and the water becommeth more sharpe and burning which whiles it is distilled it carrieth with it all this Salt volatill and spirituall and flieth out in the stilling The which Salt is called fire and therefore this water is called fiery of the which Salt the names are these the Salt of the yolkes of eggs the Starre Diana the morning Starre the flying Eagle the Secret of Nature and infinite other names Therefore Mercury is sublimed and made Salt and so when you heare in the bookes of Philosophers any thing of these names know that it is no other thing but the honored Salt and in it there are more than fifty names And so oft rectifie vntill that it destroy all things by burning Followeth After take the said blacke substance and calcine it in a furnace of reuerberation vntill it become like lime and with this lime mixe the fiery water rectified and distill it and then it will be a water of life rectified And so haue you the foure Elements rectified and purified with the fifth Essence and with the Spirit of the fifth Essence and this is the water of life which is sought in the worke And here endeth the separation of the foure Elements with the fourth apparition of the secret Spirit in an earthly forme as more cleerely appeareth in this glosse which followeth vpon that place vntill it become like lime which saith And this shall be when all superfluities and foule humidities shall flye out and be separated by the flame of fire and no otherwise and the lime shall not be white but blacke rusty And this is the true earth of the Philosophers which is called the secret of the Stone in this lurketh the hid gold and this hid gold cleansed from his earthlinesse and filth I haue touched with mine owne fingers
permanent water is taken out of Light but the light maketh fire and the light shining and transparent becommeth like one straying seeking lodging but when light is conioyned vnto light it reioyceth because it came out of it and is conuerted vnto it c. And Albertus Magnus in the preface of his right path inuocating the Lord God praieth and beseecheth him in this manner Thence in the beginning of my speech I call for his helpe who is the fountaine aad spring of all good that hee through his pitty and bounty would vouchsafe to supply the smalnesse of my Science that by the grace of the Holy Spirit I may make manifest in my doctrine the light which shineth in darknesse And Raymund Lully in the seuenth chapter in the Theoricke of his Testament saith Therefore sonne I say vnto thee Take a Myne of the kinde spoken of in which are the two starred lights which cease not to shine vpon the earth and they are the Sunne and Moone who by their beames darken the fire And in the 20. Chapter We choose therefore two bodies the lights which doe fixe all that is not fixt And in the 48. Chapter Sonne when thou wilt worke and beginne our Mastry beware that thou worke not but vpon natures or matters lightsome and not vpon others whereof the lesser world is created And in the tenth Chapter of the Practise he saith Son it behoueth thee now to dissolue the light of the world or a part of it by the first regiment c. And in many other places hee speaketh which shall be omitted that I bee not too long And George Ripply in the Chapter of the sixt degree of his Gates saith Therefore our stone is that starred Sunne budding like the flowers of the Spring from whom proceedeth by alteration euery colour c. And for shortnesse sake I will put an end to this second Chapter with a conclusion of an vncertaine English Author saying For indeed to speake without fiction there is no other to be sought but a body of the body and a light of the light Which is as much worth as it were to say Separate the shadow from the beame that is from the Sunne his earthlinesse The third Chapter Wherin is proued that of necessity it behoueth to reduce the body to the first matter that it may be disposed for the separation of the Elements HItherto it is seene with the confirmation of all the Philosophers that it is one thing only out of the which is taken the secret Spirit and with the which is made the Philosophers stone and furthermore are shewed many pretty sentences of diuers Authors by the meanes whereof it shal be left to be iudged by the children of the truth what thing can be this sole thing or one thing Now in this Chapter shall be shewed by authority of many authors that it is necessary to dispose this thing or body that it may bee fit for the separation of the Elements which could not be done if first it were not reduced to the first matter for any body standing in his being hard solid and compact is not fit for the separation of the Elements much lesse for the metallicke transmutation Therefore it is need as is aboue said to reduce it to the first matter according to the speech of Aristotle in the fourth of the Meteors who saith Let the Artificers of Alchymy know that the kinds of metals cannot bee transmuted vnlesse they be reduced to the first matter but the reduction to the first matter is easie as Arnoldus de villa noua saith and Iohn of Vien in his mirrour of the Elements and so affirme all the other Philosophers And in the practise of Philosophers it is written In the name of God Amen and with his helpe let vs reduce first the bodies into no bodies vntill the natures be made thin because in the beginning the body is made a thin water that is Mercury c. And in the Rosary of the Sunne it is written Therefore euery body is an Element or composed of Elements but the generation of any compound of the foure Elements consisteth of simples Wherefore necessarily it behoueth that our stone be reduced to the first matter or spring of his sulphure Mercury that it might be diuided in the Elements otherwise it cannot be purified nor conioyned c. And Villa noua so saith For the first worke of the Philosophers is to dissolue the stone into his Mercury that it may bee reduced to his first matter And Raymund Lully in the seuenty fiue Chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith But this diuision cannot be made by the change of nature without losse of the property and the losse of the property cannot bee made except that nature which is in an hard masse and dry with all her parts bee turned in the likenesse of that first nature in which the age was first ordered by diuine power like vnto a confused forme in which all middle things were confused without the which nature could not accomplish her actions c. Agreeing with Hermes who saith All things were from one confused clod or masse confused by the meditation of one that is the creation of one omnipotent God and so all things were sprung frō this thing that is al metals are engendred of our stone that is quick-siluer as all things were sprung from this confused masse and purged with one fitting that is only by the command of God and his miracle So our stone is sprung and commeth out of a clayish masse that is Quick-siluer changed containing in it selfe the foure Elements which are Fire Aire Water and Earth that is heat moisture coldnesse and drinesse c. And in the Rosary of the Philosophers The reduction of the bodies to the first matter Quick-siluer is no other than the resolution of the congealed matter by which the locke is opened by the entring of one nature into another Whereupon the Philosophers said that the Sun is no other thing but ripe Quick-siluer And this proposition or sentence of Aristotle of the necessity of the reduction to the first matter being so famous I will not enlarge my selfe otherwise in alledging other Authors but only I will labour in the next Chapter to see if it be possible to know by the meanes of many authorities of diuers Philosophers what thing is this first matter The fourth Chapter Where it shall bee seene if it bee possible to know what thing is this first matter HAuing seene that the reduction to the first matter is necessary that the matter may bee fit for the separation of the Elements now it is to bee seene what thing is this first matter And it is aboue said that all Philosophers agreeing do affirme this sentence vse venerable nature Therefore in confirmation of this passage I will serue my selfe only with some of their sentences which shall seeme vnto me most to the purpose for the declaration of this matter Arnold de
purchased with great trouble and watching The which was well vnderstood by Chrysogonus Polydorus in his preface of Geber when he said The golden fleece is not giuen vnto Iason vnlesse first he vndergoe the sure and dangerous labours And so much the more because it is to bee knowne that where the glorious God hath put great vertue there yet hath he left greatest difficulty for custody but let vs leaue this and returne to our first discourse I say then that I haue gathered together many sentences of diuers Philosophers all which haue treated of salt whose names to bee shorter I will conceale as also because some of these sentences are taken out of bookes of vncertaine Authors and I will repeat only their sayings with a continuall order one after another And first the first saith Our stone is no other thing but salt who worketh in this Art without salt is like vnto him who will shoot not hauing a string If the omnipotent God had created no salt the Art of Alchymie had not beene Salt is Coprose and Coprose is salt all lesser and greater minerals truly are nothing else but salt nothing is more fluxible than salt nothing more piercing than salt and his nature nothing cleaner purer more spirituall and more subtill than salt and his nature Nothing stronger than salt and his nature nothing more incombustible than salt and his nature nothing more volatile than salt and his nature nothing sweeter than salt and his nature nothing sowrer than salt and his nature These two passages doe seeme to bee repugnant saying sweet and sowre which is vnderstood sowre before the preparation and sweet after And following they say nothing is neerer to the fire than salt and his nature nothing more lastying and fit to preserue things from putrifaction than salt and his nature Then seeing the salt euen so as he is without other preparations is of such vertue that it preserueth things from putrifaction as is seene by experience what will it doe when from it the elements shall bee separated and reduced into a fifth Essence I thinke with my selfe that it shall be that which our Philosopher vnderstandeth of the secret Spirit Now let vs follow The salt is the life of all things I cannot faile when any braue place of importance commeth to my hand but I must speake my opinion agreeing the Philosophers together This Philosopher saith Salt is the life of all things And Morienus saith But this stone is not a vulgar stone because it is more precious without which nature worketh nothing at any time whose name is one By the which I say that seeing salt is the life of all things it is necessary to say and affirme with Morien that without it nature worketh nothing at any time And Raymund in the Chapter before alledged speaking of Salt vnder the name of nature saith Seeing this is because nothing can be engendred without it c and I may bring hither many other Philosophers for confirmation of this wonderfull sentence the which I will omit for to follow the rest Salt is nothing else but a pure dry water nothing more transparent nothing more shining nothing more lightsome than salt and his nature If I would tell my opinion vpon all these sentences worthy to be written in letters of gold I should enlarge my selfe too much But this I cannot let passe with silence for confirmation of so many excellent sentences aboue spoken in the 2. Chapter concerning the light And here is seene this Author to confirme the same saying Nothing more transparent c. Now let vs follow Nothing is neerer vnto mett all than salt and his nature How is it possible to be silent with this sentence worthy to be grauen in plate of Gold and not written in Paper O how open a field is here to discourse but let vs follow Nothing more excellent created by nature than Salt and his nature Nothing more simple than Salt and his nature Nothing more stinketh than Salt and his nature Nothing more odoriferous than salt and his nature Seeing these two passages do appeare to be disagreeing it behoueth to vnderstand them as these others aboue of sweet and sowre to wit before and after the preparation Nothing better in nature created by God than Salt and his nature Nothing is in the world that containeth so diuers colours in it as Salt and his nature Nothing heauier and weightier than Salt and his nature Salt is of a nature animall vegetable and minerall and hath in his nature the actiues and passiues And here is verified the speech of Aristotle saying It is a Stone and no Stone and it is minerall animall and vegetable which is found in euery place in euery time and beside euery man c. Our oile our water our sulphur our Mercury is no other thing in his vertue than Salt There are three stones of white things which three are found in Salt Salt is a vertue mixt with all the Elements There is nothing that so strongly containeth in it the foure Elements as Salt I will say nothing vpon this place because who will study well all this which is aboue said shall find to bee here the last conclusion and Key of all Therefore let the mockers of Alchymy hold their peace seeing without true dissolution they can doe nothing and true dissolution can they not haue without they reduce the things dissoluable into the nature of Salt and make them resolued that they may the sooner be resolued And to put an end to this Chapter I will with the helpe of all the Philosophers conclude who say Therfore who knoweth Salt his dissolution he knoweth the secret of the ancient wise men Therefore set thy mind vpon Salt Thinke not vpon other things For in it onely is hid the science the chiefe mystery and the greatest secret of all the ancient Philosophers The fifth Chapter In which is handled the separation of the foure Elements which the apparitions of that secret Spirit doe signifie THe body now being reduced into the first matter and made fit and disposed for the separation of the Elements the rest is now to shew the manner of the said separation Albeit many and diuers Philosophers haue at large handled it neuerthelesse I will shew one way cleere enough written by an vncertaine author and ancient very pretty for the purpose of that secret Spirit with some addition or glosse of other Philosophers for better declaration of the mastry Now let vs returne to the Text which telleth how that Spirit corporally appeareth that it may be found the sooner knowne c. For declaration then of this second part we will speake with the aboue named Author in this manner that followeth Take the blessed stone which is no stone nor hath the nature of stone and separate the Elements And note that the Philosopher calleth stone all that from which the Elements may be separated by Art For by coniunction of them in the worke of
stone containeth sufficeth to fulfill the nourishment of the whole stone Therefore seeke not a strange earth as some doe who take the tartar of wine and say that it is the earth of the stone some the dreggs of wine calcined others the ashes of the vine and these doe erre so the blinde leadeth the blinde and both fall in the pit beleeuing to make the water of life and make the water of death Because the earth must not be strange witnessing the Philosopher Geber saying one stone and one medicine to which no strange thing is added but all superfluities remoued So it is in this water of life No strange thing is added but all superfluous things are remoued Therefore this is the blessed stone rectified Or the foresaid water if it bee thrise sublimed through his dreggs that when a drop thereof is put into a spoone and kindled with a candle it is all burned so that nothing remaine in the spoone and then it is rightly rectified and this may be perceiued in the preperation thereof for this end that it may bee profitable to cure diseases and to conserue the life of man And because the earth is necessary before that the rectified water should be distilled from it then it is necessary that the oile be drawne out and separated from the earth Know that the foresaid earth is all burned and stinketh as burnt things And vnlesse the foresaid earth be washed with the water of the Phlegme so that it lose altogether his stinke the rectified water would retaine something of the stinke which must passe through the earth and be distilled from it And therefore before you make the water of life now rectified passe through the earth first wash the earth well with the water of the Phlegme so that it lose well the stinke of his burning Which done from the said earth that is to say through the said earth make the water of life rectified passe And this you shall doe at least seuen times and then shall you haue the water of life medicinal as I haue abouesaid And note that scarse can you haue a pint of the foresaid water of life well rectified out of thirty pints of wine Let it passe through his earth many times and it will be more effectuall and his vertue will be multiplied and increased because the oftner it is distilled through his earth so much the more effectuall and powerfull shall bee the said water Item Note that in the said water are dissolued the leaues of most thin gold and so of gold is made aqua potabilis and it is wonderfull to conserue the life of man and to take away all diseases And which is more it maketh old men yong againe Therefore regard warily the foresaid water The water of life aboue written is sometime made to bee Elixir or Medicine to congeale Mercury Sometime a part to be medicine for to conserue mans life the vertues which are communicated to euery one we will briefly set downe in this Chapter Know therefore that the water of life which is made to be Elixir to congeale Mercury not only congealeth Mercury but also blancheth Venus and dissolueth Spirits and calcineth bodies c. But where it is made to be medicine for the conseruing the life of man you haue his vertues and praises in other bookes For it breaketh the impostumes and cureth wounds from rottennesse c. The simple water of life is drawne out of wine and is called the soule of wine whose glory inestimable is the Mother and Lady of all simple Medicines and Compound whose effects are wonderfull and especially against all causes and passions of mans body There are many waies to rectifie it but in the aboue written Chapter I haue put the best inuentions When the foresaid water of life is distilled at least foure times there is no meanes to distill it from its earth as I haue set downe in the chapter aboue written But it sufficeth that it be distilled as commonly it vseth to be distilled that the health of mans body may be conserued and lost health restored This water is so strong and of so great vertue and of the greatest naturall heat that by it selfe and without commixion it cannot bee drunken without hurt Item If the eyes be weakned through a web or for want of spirit let there be put in wine the leaues of eye-bright Rue and Veruene of each one handfull of Celandine a little and all being bruised amongst the hands let them be put in wine and stand there ouer night and thereafter the forefaid water of life be distilled Item If the herbe Baulme-mint be put in wine and afterward the water be distilled then one spoonful be taken with a fasting stomacke it maketh a man well remembring things passed and retaining things heard Item If Sage and Mint be put in wine and thereafter the water of life bee distilled the water drunke killeth wonderfully all kind of wormes Item The water of life made with Terpentine careth the quartane Ague if it be taken before the sit and muske water also with it Item Note that whatsoeuer odoriferous Powders or whatsoeuer greene or dry herbes shall be distilled in the foresaid water it shall retaine the smell and shall bee powerfull and smelling according to their qualitie And the vser of such water shall feele the power and vertue of these spices and if guests chance to come wine being mixed with the foresaid water incontinent shall retaine the taste and smel of the Spices and herbs put into it and so it shall appeare to be Cloue wine or Sage wine c. And so euery discreet wise and vnderstanding man may seeke out the vertues of the water And note that al which are written to wit medicines you vnderstand of the water of life which is called the burning water is the greatest subtilty of wine or spirit to the soule And the second water which is extracted or sublimed from wine by the same manner is the Element of aire and burneth not but some call it the water of Phlegme because it is of a cold nature wherefore I will describe some things after this sort If you will make haires yellow make ashes of Iuy wood and make a Lee of the foresaid second water Thereafter often wash thy head with the foresaid Lee and know that in two moneths the effect followeth and it will kill all kind of wormes that is in the haires Item The washing cleanseth the face for if the face be washt therewith the rose gut or sauce Phlegme is taken away And if oile be made of the inward kernels of pine Apples mixed with the foresaid water it shall heale and cure it quickly chiefly if the said oile be applied in hot milke and that this be done with the fat swimming aboue The eight Chapter Where are handled the diuers workers in this Science SEeing that hitherto by the grace of the Lord God an end is put vnto the Exposition of the secret