deeper O the height of the wisdome of God because what all bodies haue thou hast enclosed in the power of one Spirit O ineffable glory O inestimable ioy shewne vnto mortall men because the corruptible things of nature by vertue of the Spirit are made better O secret of all Secrets health and remedy of all the last search of nature vnder the Heauen and the wonderfull conclusion of the ancient fathers and of the latter wise men and of all Philosophers the which the world and all the earth desireth O most wonderfull and much praise-worthy Spirit It is the purity in which all delights and riches are contained and also the fruitfulnesse of life Science the strength of Sciences giuing temporall ioy to those that know it O knowledge worthy to be desired and beloued aboue all things vnder the Moone by which nature is strengthened the hearts with the members reioyced flourishing youth preserued age remoued infirmitie destroyed and most pleasant health kept abundance of goods had and all that delighteth man plentifully purchased O spirituall substance commendable aboue all things O wonderfull power comfortable vnto all O superiour vertue in things inuincible Which albeit it hath appeared contemptible vnto the vnwise yet to those that know it it is to be beloued for praise glory and honour because it expelleth naturally all manner of death caused by humors O Treasure of Treasures O Secret of Secrets This is the infallible substance called and named of Auicen the soule of the world most pure most perfect and most powerfull Nothing vnder the Heauens so precious of hid nature and of wonderfull vertue operation and 〈◊〉 power Vnto which nothing is like amongst creatures which hath all the vertues of the bodies vnder the Heauen for out of it floweth waters of life hony and oile of euerlasting health and so with the rocke and hony hee hath filled them Therefore saith Morien who hath it possesseth all things and needeth no waies the helpe of others Blessed art thou O Lord God our father who gaue this knowledge and vnderstanding to the Prophets and Philosophers that so they haue hid it that the blind filled with worldly lust might not finde it and the well disposed by this haue praised thee Grant that it may bee discouered to none but to the louer of thee and to the desirer to doe good things by it Because who vnworthily discouereth or reuealeth the secret of this thing hee is the breaker of the heauenly seale and the hid reuelation so farre as in him lieth hee diminisheth the Maiesty of God and hee is neere vnto many mischiefes to follow him And therefore with a godly heart I â—â—seech all you faithfull in Christ hauing this knowledge that you would not speak therof nor communicate to any but to the godly liuers and disposers of themselues vertuously long knowne and proued and that you praise God who hath giuen such a treasure vnto men This many doe seeke but few doe finde it for the defiled with vices or polluted are vnworthy to know such things Therefore it is not shewne but to the deuout because it is incomparable to all prices God being my witnesse I doe not lie in any thing albeit it appeare vnpossible vnto the foolish For none is was nor shall bee who hath so much searched the depth of nature Blessed bee the most high and Almighty God who hath created this Science and hath beene pleased to shew vnto the faithfull the knowledge thereof Amen So endeth this most worthy and most excellent worke the worke called the Reuelation of the secret Spirit in which all the secrets and mysteries of this world are hid c. But the Spirit a power is one maruellous and holy hauing for a gift the whole world for it containeth it in it selfe is shall be and was also a fift substance An Abridgement of the Preamble to the Exposition The parts of this Exposition teach First the matter whereof the Spirit of the Philosophers stone is extracted where is teached First the vnity of that thing in which this Spirit is found Chap. 1. Secondly the discerning of this one thing Cha. 2.4.8 Thirdly the preparation of the matter for the separation of the Elements Chap. 3. Secondly the foure apparitions of the formes or the manner of the separation of the foure Elements Chap. 7 Thirdly the coniunction and vnion of the Elements for to obtaine the fifth apparition Chap. 6. The Preamble to the Exposition of the secret SPIRIT IN the name of God then to beginne this busines I say that this Philosopher would haue shewed declared the wonderfull vertues and properties of that secret Spirit saying that it is such a thing that remoueth all corruption in these words But that there was one thing that could remoue all corruptions And after he saith that the said Philosophers painfully seeking that one thing amongst all things c. the which a little after he saith to be a glorious Spirit called Quintessence But hee telleth not out of what thing it may be taken vnlesse that he saith It is a substance most pure most precious and most subtill from an incorruptible body artificially extracted that no waies can be destroyed nor in any thing defiled with the Elements Agreeing with Iohn de Rupescissa who speaketh thus And I said that the most High created the quintessence which is extracted out of the body of nature created by God with humane Artifice c. Much lesse doth he shew the manner nor the mastry of being able to haue it except that in some place he toucheth a little and that vnder Metaphores and Figures therefore to declare this Text I will ground my selfe vpon three principall parts to the end that this most noble Spirit may bee found The first part shall bee vpon that body whereout of the said Spirit may be taken The second shall be where he saith How that Spirit corporally appeareth that it may bee the sooner found and knowne c. And because the Author followeth fiue apparitions continuing without making other distinction yet because the matter doth require it I will diuide it into two parts and for the second part shall bee taken the foure apparitions And for the third part that fifth apparition where he saith in the fifth and last Essence it appeareth in a glorified body c. In the first part shall be shewed that so as the Text saith this Spirit is one thing amongst all things that as yet the said Spirit or Quintessence is not found but in one only thing created by God according to the authority of all the Philosophers who haue written of this diuine Science who all doe affirme that there is nothing but one onely thing of the which and by the which and with the which the desired end is obtained And in the second shall be seene that the apparition of the said Spirit in foure corporall formes is no other thing but the separation of the foure Elements And in the third and
A REVELATION OF THE SECRET SPIRIT Declaring the most concealed secret of ALCHYMIE Written first in Latine by an vnknowne Author but explained in Italian by IOHN BAPTISTA LAMBYE Venetian Lately translated into English by R. N. E. Gentleman Vnto so high a secret who shall approach MERCVRIUS Saturn Iupiter Mars Sol Luna Venus Hee brought water out of the rocke Psal 77. v. 13. And oyle out of the hardest stone Deut. chap. 32. v. 19. LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Henrie Skelton and are to be sold at his shop a little within All-gate 1623. TO THE RIGHT Reuerend Father in God my honourable Lord Iohn Thornburgh Lord Bishop of Worcester health and happinesse THe Fowlers of the Hermeticall Bird Right reuerend Prelate being of so different quality that some liue in extreme pouerty to the very last point of their age others in plenty as I haue obserued these eight yeeres in my trauels through France Italy and Germany maketh me to thinke that the Poets haue described Atalanta for a type of Alchymie She being a maid of most admirable swiftnes in which gift she ouerpassed all mankind did couenant with her suters to runne for life and death vnder condition of marriage that whosoeuer of them were ouerrunne should be put to death but who did ouerrunne her should liue and marry her Many did runne many were ouerrunne many killed Vntill that Hippomanes running with her and almost ouercome threw downe three golden Apples one after another the gifts of Venus Which Atalanta stooping to take vp hindred her course was wonne and obtained in marriage Whereby the dangerous course of Alchymie in many is manifestly seene that who doth not ouercome it perisheth and whosoeuer is to ouercome it must first receiue three golden Apples from Venus The Philosophicall Mythologie thereof none that I haue knowne or heard of can better explaine than your Lordship whose singular learning not in shadow or superficiall but solid and in substance from time to time vnder two glorious Princes Queen Elizabeth and King Iames hath exalted you to higher and higher degrees of Ecclesiasticall dignity and whose courteous generous graue and comely hauiour in speech and actions doth declare your Lordship to beare so noble a mind that it dwelleth rather in an heauenly Palace than an earthly body Your diuine studies requiring healthfull intermission hath admitted no other relaxation of Spirit than the most worthy sight of philosophicall trialls Wherein God hath so blessed your Lordship that albeit you haue largely bestowed charges therein yet without decay of any part of your estate or losse of time or failing in expectation you haue found out most rare secrets as well for profit as for the health of man approued with great admiration of many both the noblest Patients and best Physitians of the Kingdome neither is that all but imitating the bounty of GOD whose glory is most eminent in the communication of goodnesse vnto others your Lordship to benefit the whole world and to saue the painfull searchers of nature from dangerous and chargeable courses hath most learnedly most perfectly and most curiously penned and published your late Treatise LITHOTHEORICOS of nihil aliquid omnia These considerations haue moued me to esteeme none worthier than your Lordship vnto whose honour should be consecrated this Philosophicall Apocalypsis with the exposition thereof much esteemed amongst the learned in Italy but in England regrated to bee heretofore so put in print that it seemed to be a Leopard spotted with diuers colours so that one part thereof was Italian and another Latine Whereby they who vnderstood the one part could not vnderstand the other vnlesse they were skilfull in both the Languages I haue now reduced it all to one language so neere as could bee done word by word without addition or diminishing in any thing that your Lordship may the better iudge thereof Which I doe heartily offer vnto your Lordship as a testimony not onely of that respect which generally all men of learning doe owe vnto your Lordship your house being vnto them for an Apollinian retreat as a liuing Library a flourishing Academy or a religious Abbey but specially for the whole Scottish Nations sake which hath alwaies found your Lordship a constant and effectuall friend a louing Father a royall Maecaenas and a vertuous patterne of all goodnesse In this Dedication may bee found my intention honest the gift small your honour great the euent happy if your Lordship accepting thereof doe according to your accustomed prouidence carefully proceed in the practical search of that Chrystalline central Salt whereof this Treatise wittily handleth which all that know your Lordships most worthy disposition doe earnestly wish vnto your Lordship with all felicity both corporall and spirituall temporall and perpetuall and in that wish I rest Your Lordships most dutifull Seruitour R. N. E. To the discreet and true searchers of the secrets of Nature leading a solitary life Iohn Baptista Lambye Venetian wisheth health HAuing spent many yeeres and inestimable labours about that Science which by all the wisest Philosophers is called diuine and secret according to the experience which I haue had in my selfe I cannot choose but haue compassion of those noble Spirits who are turmoiled in the difficulty thereof and therefore as it hath beene a great comfort vnto me to finde him who in any thing could haue helped my study euen so will I freely so farre as I can helpe others insomuch as by long trauell and experience I could attaine Neuerthelesse without departing any waies from the custome of our wisest Masters who in writing neuer addressed themselues to the vulgar but to the onely children of truth Wherefore hauing in my hands a little Treatise of an vncertaine Author intituled A Reuelation of the secret Spirit short in number of leaues but according to my iudgement in sentences and learning most graue and to my knowledge no more Copies seene in light I thought good to set it forth vnto the benefit of you all who are inamoured of this diuine Science And that it might become so much the more profitable and acceptable I haue purposed yet to adorne the same with a short Exposition and allegation of sentences of the best Philosophers Not perhaps in such manner as you could haue wished or the matter hath required but at least as my weaknesse could and the custome of our Masters doth permit to doe Therefore I pray you accept cheerefully this so much as a courteous minde desirous to helpe and to further could for the present giue praying our Lord God without whose fauour so excellent a science cannot be obtained that he would both giue vnto me the grace to be able to shew some thing profitable and vnto you to vnderstand and to preuaile no otherwise than to the honour and glory of his glorious and blessed name THE REVELAtion of the secret SPIRIT HErmes Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers in former times flourishing the originall Springs of Sciences and the
inuentors of liberall Arts earnestly approuing the vertues of things vnder the Heauens did inquire with great desire if any thing was amongst the creatures that might saue mans body from all corruption and preserue it aliue for euer Vnto whom it was answered that there was nothing that could deliuer our corruptible body from death but that there was one thing that could remoue all corruptions renue youth and prolong short life as in the first Patriarches because vnto the first Parents Adam and Eue for penance of sinne death was giuen which will neuer be separated from the whole posterity Wherefore the said Philosophers and many others most painfully seeking that one thing amongst all things haue found that it which should preserue mans body from corruption and prolong life is such amongst qualities as the Heauen amongst Elements They vnderstood the Heauen to bee aboue the Essence of the foure Elements and so that to bee aboue the Essence of the foure qualities The Heauen in comparison of Elements is called Quintessence because it is incorruptible vnchangeable not receiuing strange impressions so also that thing in respect of the qualities of our body is in corruptible expelling al superfluities from the body It is called of the Philosophers by the foresaid name neither hot and dry with the fire nor cold and moist with the water nor hot and moist with the aire nor cold and dry with the earth but of all the elementary qualities a perfect proportion a true coniunction of naturall power a speciall addition of spirituall vertue and an inseparable vnion of body and soule a substance most pure most pretious artificially extracted from an incorruptible body which no waies can be destroyed nor in any thing be defiled with the Elements Whereof Aristotle did make an Apple with whose smell hee did prolong his life when through length of age he could not eat nor drink fifteene daies before his death This spirituall substance is that onely thing which from aboue was shewed vnto Adam and most desired by the holy fathers which Hermes and Aristotle doe call the truth without lye the certaine most certaine and the secret of all secrets hid 〈◊〉 in nature and the maruellous finall conclusion of all philosophicall workes In the which is found the dew of the Heauen the fat of the earth and what the power of man cannot expresse in this spirit is found because as Morien saith who hath it possesseth all things and shall need the helpe of no body in any thing because in it is all temporall felicity corporall health and earthly prosperity This is the Spirit of the Quintessence the Spring of sublunary health vpholder of Heauen retainer of Earth mouer of Sea stirrer of winde sender of Raine container of all things and vertues and spirituall and chosen aboue all subcelestiall Spirits giuing health and prosperity ioy and peace it yeeldeth loue dissolueth hatred chaseth away sadnesse bringeth in mirth and generally remoueth all euils most speedily cureth all diseases finally destroyeth misery and pouerty maketh and bringeth all good cannot speake or thinke euill giueth vnto man what his heart desireth vnto the good temporall glory and long life but perpetuall paine vnto the euill that vse it This is the spirit of truth which the world cannot apprehend but by the grace of inspiration or the teaching of them that know it it is of an vnknowne nature wonderfull vertue and infinite power this the Saints from the beginning of the world haue wished to see This Spirit by Auicen is called the soule of the world because as the soule moueth the members so this Spirit moueth all bodies and as the soule is in euery part of the body so in euery elementary thing this Spirit is found which is sought by many but found by few it is thought to be farre of and found neere at hand because in euery thing place and time it is found hauing the vertues and effects of all things and being equall in all the Elements and whatsoeuer is proper to euery thing in this onely thing is found most effectually By whose vertues Adam and the Patriarches had health of body and length of life and many others haue flourished in riches Which being laboriously sought and carefully found the Philosophers haue hid in aenigmaticke termes that they should not shew so worthy a thing to the vnworthy nor throw so pretious a pearle amongst Hogs which if it were knowne to all the study and labour of all men would cease and man would desire no other thing but only it and so men would liue vnworthily and it would bee the cause of the ruine of the whole world as well through health as through abundance men would much more offend God Because the eye hath not seene nor the eare hath not heard nor it hath not hitherto entered into the heart of man what the Heauen hath naturally placed into this Spirit Therefore I haue briefly compiled certaine properties of the said Spirit approued by Philosophers vnto the praise of God and the profit of good men that they might most deuoutly magnifie God in his gifts at least they who hereafter shall receiue such a gift because these gifts are not belonging to euery one but to them whose minds shall bee good Now what properties and vertues that Spirit hath in euery essence and how it appeareth corporally that it may the sooner be found and knowne hearken with the vnderstanding of the heart In its first essence it appeareth in an earthly body foule and full of infirmities in which it hath a property and vertue of curing wounds and corruptions in the entrails of men it purgeth putrifaction and stinke abiding in any place whatsoeuer it cureth all things inwardly and outwardly In the second Essence it appeareth vnto the sight in a watry body somewhat fairer than the first containing corruptions but more plentifully working his vertue neerer vnto the truth and in euery worke more powerfull in which generally it giueth aid to all sicknesses both hot and cold because it is of an hid nature chiefly it helpeth them that suffer venome in the breathing parts for it chaseth venome from the heart dissolueth without violence things contained in the lungs and notwithstanding the commotion it doth consolid the same vlcerated it cleanseth bloud it purifieth corruption contained in the breathing parts and it preserueth them cleansed from corruption being thrice a day drunke by any that languisheth it maketh good hope c. But in the third Essence it appeareth in an airy body oyly almost freed from all diseases in which it sheweth wonderfull workes for it helpeth young men to last in body state strength and beauty if they vse it by little and little and in a small quantity in their meat because it suffereth no waies melancholy to exceed nor choller to burne Moreouer aboue measure it encreaseth bloud and feed and therefore it behoueth them who vse it often to bee let bloud Also this oyle doth open the Nerues
and Veines and if any member bee fading it reduceth it to his due measure and if a young man before the state of age hath an eye burst if one drop bee put therein euery day and that he be quiet for a month without doubt his sight shall bee restored And if any thing be putrified in any member or superfluous it dissolueth it speedily and separateth it And if it find it diminished it restoreth it c. But in the fourth Essence it appeareth in a fiery body not fully cured from all diseases containing water and not fully dried in the which it produceth many vertues The old it maketh young and if in the houre of the hickocke of death there be giuen of this fire so much as the weight of one graine of wheat tempered with Wine so that it goe downe the throat it reuiueth and entreth and warmeth and pierceth euen to the heart and suddenly annihilateth all superfluous humours and expelleth poison and viuifieth the nature of heat vnto the Liuer And if old folke vse this fire in a moderate quantity and ioyne thereto the water of gold it remoueth the infirmity of age So that they may enioy young hearts and bodies and for this it is called the Elixir of life In the fifth and last Essence it appeareth in a body equally glorified wanting all faults shining like the Sunne and Moone In which it hath all the foresaid vertues and properties which it possesseth in other essences both fairer and more wonderfull For his natural workes are esteemed the miracles of GOD because if it bee put to the roots the bodies of trees long dead and dried are made liuing flourishing and fruitfull and if the lights of a Lampe bee mixt with the selfe Spirit they are not extinguished but are burning eternally without diminishing And it maketh the pretious stones of Crystall most costly with diuers colours they that are of the Mine shall neuer bee better and it doth many other things which are not lawfull to bee reuealed vnto the vniust which are esteemed vnpossible vnto man because it cureth all bodies both dead and quicke without any other medicine By Christ Iesus witnesse I doe not lie in any thing because the influences of all heauenly bodies which in all and euery thing are infused are found in it In this Essence it sheweth the treasures drowned in the Sea and hid in the earth and it maketh all the bodies of metals most pure gold and siluer and nothing like to it is contained vnder the Heauen This Spirit is the mystery which was hid from ages reuealed to some Saints to whom it pleased God to make knowne the riches of glory which remaineth fiery in water and carrieth with it earth in the aire and out of his belly floweth flouds of liuing water and life This Spirit flies through the midst of the Heauen as a morning cloud containing burning fire in water and earth clarified in aire It expelleth the malice of Saturne and Mars ioyning Iupiter with the Moone and Mercury and in the light of the Sunne giuing vnto his sister Venus hony of the rock and liueth with her for euer And albeit these works appeare erronious and false vnto the Readers yet to the skilfull and those that proue them actually they are true and possible if the figuratiue speech be faithfully vnderstood and therefore vnlesse thou vnderstand sufficiently do not intrude thy selfe any waies into this Spirit because God is maruellous in his works and there is no number of his wisdome This Spirit in a fiery nature is called Sandaracha in airy Alkebrit in watry Azoch in earthly Aliochaph by which meanes they who seeke him are deceiued thinking the Spirit of life to bee in such things which to our knowledge bee of no value And albeit this Spirit whom wee seeke by reason of his property is called by these names yet in these bodies hee is not nor cannot be for the glorified Spirit cannot appeare but in a bodie agreeing to his kinde albeit he is named by these and many other names Neither should any man thinke that there be diuers spirits but howsoeuer it is called it is one and the selfe same spirit that worketh all in all things This is the spirit whom in ascending the cleernesse of the Heauen hath ouershined and in descending the puritie of the earth hath incorporated and flying about the widenesse of the Sea hath receiued It is not of the lower Hierarchie where is Raphael called the Angell of God most subtill most precious and most pure vnto whom as vnto a King all the rest obey This spirituall substance is not celestiall nor infernall but a certaine airy body gloriously purified betwixt the highest and lowest placed in the midst spiritually animated wanting reason but fruitfully profiting aboue all things vnder the Heauens choised and adorned This diuine worke is made too profound that the foole may not vnderstand it because it is the last of the secrets of nature This is the Spirit of the truth of the Lord who hath replenished the Globe of the earth and in the beginning was carried vpon the waters whom the world cannot conceiue but by the grace of inspiration or the teaching by those that know it and whom the whole world hath desired for his vertues that appeare inestimable For it entreth the Planets chaseth away the Clouds giueth cleernesse to euery one and conuerteth all vnto Sunne and Moone it giueth all health and abundance of treasure it cleanseth the leprosie cleareth the sight comforteth the sad healeth the sicke rendreth hid treasures and generally cureth all diseased By this Spirit the Philosophers haue found out the seuen Sciences and had abundance of riches By this Moses made the Vessels of pure gold in the temple and King Solomon many and pretious ornaments to the worshipping of God And many others haue made wonderfull and great workes Noe built the Arke Moses the Tabernacle Solomon the Temple Esdras recouered the Law Mary the sister of Moses kept hospitality Abraham Isaac Iacob and other godly personages obtained length of daies with abundance of riches flourished the godly knowing it glorified God Therefore the obtaining thereof is better than the trafficke of gold or siluer because it is more pretious than any workes and all things that are desired in this age cannot be compared vnto it because it is proued and found perfect and infallible For in it only consisteth the truth wherefore it is called the stone or spirit of truth in his workes there is no vanity whose praises I cannot expresse because I am not sufficient to tell his vertues For his goodnesse property and vertue is greater than the minde of man can conceiue or the tongue expresse by words because the properties of all things are hid in it and all that nature hath giuen to other things in it being true is truly found What shall I say more there is not was or euer shall be any who shall search nature
last part shall bee shewed what is to bee vnderstood by the coniunction and vnion of the said elements after their perfect rectification reducing theÌ„ in a glorious fifth being called Quintessence or Elixir and in many other diuers names nominated by diuers Philosophers it shal be that which this Philosopher vnderstandeth when he saith but there is one thing c. Where to follow this order for the better declaration of the Text before alledged the first part shall be diuided into three parts In the first shall bee shewed as is aboue said that there is one only thing in which the said Spirit is found In the second shall bee seene by the meanes of many authorities and sentences of diuers Philosophers if it may bee iudged what thing is this onely thing And because there is no comming to the separation of the Elements if first that body or truly one thing as they say bee not disposed that it bee fit for the said separation which is nothing else but the reducing it to his first matter and this shall bee taken for the third part in which shall bee seene the necessity of the said separation Thereafter in the second part of the Text shall be shewed the manner of the separation of the Elements described by an vncertaine Author inserting therein some faire glosses of other Philosophers for the more declaration of the mystery And in the third and last part shall bee seene the coniunction of the said Elements of which shall grow a Crystalline and glorious stone called Elixir or Quintessence as some would haue it and it shall be as is said before the secret Spirit of our Philosopher c. The first Chapter Wherein it is proued that there is only one thing out of the which the secret Spirit or the Philosophers Stone may be taken HErmes Father of all the Philosophers saith that our stone is made of one thing because all our Science and mystery is made of our water that is copper And Aristotle In one thing onely consisteth truth and in multitude vanity And Pythagoras in the booke of his documents speaketh And I say vnto you that the foundation of this Art for which many haue perished is one thing that to the Philosophers is stronger and higher then the natures and to the foolish is baser then any thing we esteeme And Geber It is one thing one medicine to which we adde nothing we diminish nothing except that in separation wee remoue the superfluous And Rasis Know my sonne that it is one disposition and one nature and one worke and one vessell to make the white and red And Morienus This mystery is wont to be made of one only thing therefore put this in thy mind for thou needest not many things but one onely thing And Lucas in turba For our verity is one in which is the Spirit that we search And another vncertaine Philosopher saith For our matter is one containing in it selfe the essence of all the seuen metals and in that substance is the deiâ—g Spirit which we seeke And in the booke intituled The secret of Auicen it is written thus And know for certaine that the Philosophers cared not for the names but one name and one action to wit to seeth the stone and bring forth his soule because their stone is alwaies one And Iohn of Damascus in his Rosary of Phoebus saith Therefore it is doubted of the stone which is called the Philosophers which is it and what Seeing it was neuer named openly by any Philosopher Therefore in this many iudged diuers things when in one onely consisteth truth We do hold him dearely teaching to auoid all others and surely it is manifest by the Philosophers Writs that it is one thing and that no strange thing should be ioyned thereto because nothing agreeth to a thing but what is neerer to his owne nature And Arnoldus de villa noua in his Rosary saith Therfore it behoueth the searcher of this Science to be of a constant will in worke that he presume not to try sometime this sometime that because our Art is not perfected in the multitude of things for it is one And Raymund Lullius in the 49. Chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith Thou must no waies be ignorant hereof seeing it is necessary that our Medicine of one onely kind and one sole nature be made And in the seuenty fiue Chapter Moreouer wee say recapitulating that seeing this thing is of one sole nature and of that onely this is made which mighty men desire to haue and search and in many other places he mentioneth which for shortnesse sake shall bee left out And George Ripply the English in his Ladder of twelue degrees saith yet the matter of this worke according to all the authenticall Philosophers is one onely thing containing in it selfe all necessaries to the accomplishing of its owne perfection And Henricus Cornelius Agrippa in the second Booke of hid Philosophy in the fourth Chapter saith There is one thing by God created the subiect of all wonderfulnesse which is in earth and in heauen it is actually animall vegetable and minerall found euery where knowne by few by none expressed in his proper name but couered in numbers figures and riddles without which neither Alchymy nor naturall magicke can attaine their perfect end And in the Rosary of the Philosophers it is written But I aduise that no man intrude himselfe into this Science to search except hee know the beginning of true nature and her gouernement which being knowne he needeth not many things but one thing nor requireth great charges because the stone is one the medicine one the vesselbone the gouernement one and the disposition one c. Many other authorities and sentences of diuers Philosophers for the confirmation of this passage I could produce but for shortnesse sake as also because I thinke that the foresaid sentences of so many worthy Authors are sufficient enough for confirmation of this matter we let them alone The second Chapter In which shall bee seene by meanes of many sentences of diuers Philosophers if it can bee iudged what thing is this onely thing THis is the passage which abaseth the wings of the ignorant searchers of this glorious and diuine Science Ignorant call I all those to wit of this Science who are ignorant of the true matter of which the Philosophers stone is made albeit that in other Sciences they were most excellent and most learned But before I proceed further two causes doe make me stand somewhat doubtfull of the manner which I should hold in my writing the one is two sentences one of Aristotle and another of Geber The first of Aristotle in his light of light saith that the ancient Philosophers haue therefore so carefully hid this mystery that few might vnderstand it because if it were vulgarly knowne there were no further place for prudence seeing the foolish would be equall to the wise And the other of Geber Wherefore
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
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
and seene with mine owne eyes For this earth excelleth all other earths of Alchymists neither any doth hold in it selfe naturally the hid gold but this alone And therefore the medicine which is made by this is called one and sole c. And so an end is giuen vnto the second part of the apparition of the secret Spirit in foure corporall formes The sixt Chapter In which shall be declared the fifth apparition of the secret Spirit in a glorified body FOlloweth yet in the same Author and he saith And this water fixeth all spirits and maketh them enter for this water hath her superiour and spirituall strength that is not fixed and hath her inferiour and corporall fixed and yet is not fixed but hath power to fix And this is it that the Philosopher saith That which is aboue is like to that which is beneath for the working of the miracles of one thing that is it behooueth that this fifth essence that is the spirit haue or retaine her spirituall power and haue all the corporall power of the foure elements if miracles should be done thereby because if it haue such power many miracles are done vpon the worke of Alchymie Also the Philosopher saith it ascendeth from the earth vnto heauen that is these foure elements haue ascended from the earth vnto heauen that is to say in the spirit of the stone There after saith the Philosopher And againe it hath descended into earth that is to say these foure elements haue ascended into heauen and againe descended into earth So that they be fixed in vertue of the spirit of the fift essence and remaine one Crystalline stone and it shall be Elixir retaining perfectly Mercury or the fugitiue slaue And so is manifest the fift apparition of the secret Spirit vnder the forme of a Crystalline and glorious body But here is to be noted that this Philosopher sheweth not the manner particularly how this coniunction of the spirit with the body ought to be done but onely metaphorically saith they haue ascended into heauen and againe descended into earth so that they be fixed c. Wherefore if I would produce the manner written by diuers Philosophers I should be too tedious It sufficeth vnto me onely to say that Raymund in the threescore and second chapter of his Codicill doth declare at large and endeth in the threescore and fourth chapter of the said place And in his repertory sheweth very well and cleerely And here is verified the speech of Hermes who saith The earth is the mother of all the elements and out of the earth they proceed and to the earth they are reduced And Raymund in the third chapter of the theoricke of his Testament saith And by this thy consideration may be cleared that in the end euery thing shall goe to his owne proper place from whence it first came c. And here endeth the third and last part of the secret Spirit where he saith In the fifth and last essence it appeareth in a glorified body And it is the desired end and true intention of the Philosopher when he saith But there is one thing which remoueth all corruptions Now this authour as I haue aboue said sheweth not the manner of the coniunction of the elements but vnder figures and the like doth the Author of the secret spirit but vnder other figures and another manner of speech according to the letter but as for the sense it is the same And therefore to giue matter to the diligent to study and to accord one Philosopher with another I thinke good to set downe here the metaphors of the said secret Spirit the which are these following Which remaineth firie in the water and carrieth with it the earth in the aire c. There after he saith containing fire burning in water and earth clarified in aire c. After The glorified spirit cannot appeare but in a body agreeing to his kinde c. Furthermore Let not any man thinke that the spirits are diuers but howsoeuer it is called it is one and the selfe same spirit who worketh all in all This is the spirit which in ascending the cleerenesse of the heauen hath ouershined and in descending the purity of the earth hath incorporated c. Albeit there be some others yet they are not for this purpose therefore they shall not be set downe otherwise I say then if you interpret well these sentences with the others aboue alledged in the mastrie of the separation and coniunction of the elements you shall finde them meet together and agree very well Moreouer it is to be noted that the foresaid author of the separation of the elements maketh distinction of the aforesaid Elixir for to congeale Mercury from the other for medicine to mans body which the Author of the secret spirit doth not Also he saith that it is a medicine fitted not onely for both but also hath many other vertues as in him you may see and the like many other Philosophers doe affirme Neuerthelesse for to satisfie euery man as also because there are many very fine sentences very necessary appertaining to the foresaid Elixir to congeale Mercury yet another manner shall be shewed for the health of man as this Philosopher would the which is this that followeth The seuenth Chapter Wherein is shewed the manner to make the Elixir or medicine to conserue the life of man BVt if thou wilt make the water of life to conserue the life of man and to cure all diseases proceed thus Make a burning water very well rectified But make not of it mans bloud for if it were humane bloud it would lose his force attractiue of the vertues of herbes by reason of his too much vnctuousnesse and would defile all the taste and so would bee vnfit to be receiued by mans nature Also make not of it the firie water because then it would be of so great force and sharpnesse that it would destroy all by burning and so it should bee dangerous to be taken and receiued But because the perfection of euery stone consisteth in the vertue of his earth because it is called the nurse or leauen vnto it witnessing the Philosopher and consenting who saith The nurse of it is the earth without the which leauen the spirit of the stone can no waies be retained or detained perfectly or possesse the accomplishment of his vertue Therefore giue vnto this water the vertue of her earth and then it shall obtaine compleatly and intirely its owne vertue And this is it which the Philosopher saith His vertue is whole if it be turned into earth and then it is called the water of life but if you distill it from that earth it shall be the water of life rectified and perfited Know therefore that in this stone the earth is small and of great vertue And care you not if there be little of the earth because as a little leauen leaueneth the greatest quantity of the paste so this little of earth which this
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
spirit and it is shewed by many sentences of diuers wise Philosophers the great difficulty and deepest depth of so high a secret not onely in knowledge of the matter but also in preparation thereof wherefore the Philosophers say that it is very difficult and they doe speake in this manner The Philosophers haue hid the preparation of the stone because it is the Key of the Art and difficultest of things Some others say The working and gouernment thereof cannot be knowne but by the gift of God or instruction of a master who should teach it The same saith our Philosopher of the secret Spirit Therefore that would I know what wee should thinke and say of so great a multitude of men which otherwise I know not how to name that when they haue seene a simple and sophisticate receit say and affirme with an oath that they can make the precious and most beloued stone of the Philosophers the which they haue purchased with so long studies troubles teares and sweats Which is altogether against the vse and order of all the Philosophers as Villa Noua saith The Alchymists of latter time are for the most part mockers and whiles by sophistications they seeke rather to seeme wise then to be they deceiue the yeelders to them but the ancients not profiting according to their owne couetousnesse haue wrapped vp this Art in riddles shewing rather their owne ignorance then science c. I say then what should we say of these truly it cannot be otherwise answered but with the conference of Ianus Lacinius and Petrus bonus ferrariensis in his precious new pearle to exclaime say And no wonder because it falleth out in this desperate age that men of euery sort and some the most ignorant dare search the hid causes of the Art and Science of this most happy and most high Philosophy thinking to wrest and steale that blessed stone out of paper tricks and deceits of some Idiots For they are Smithes and Weauers Carpenters and such kind of men desiring to bee inriched without labour An answer certainly to the purpose worthy of such kind of people But moreouer what shall we say of an infinite number of lettered and learned men of whom I know enow who are searchers of this Science and neuerthelesse vnderstand not the most obscure bookes of the Philosophers to be written vnder Metaphors but as the letter soundeth and consider not or else will not consider what the Philosophers say We haue not written our Bookes but vnto our children and our children are they who vnderstand our sayings And Plato saith Who knoweth our purpose and our intention is now a Philosopher and is inriched and who knoweth not our sayings he is in the snares of nature c. And Geber For wheresoeuer we haue spoken plainly there we haue said nothing but where vnder riddles and figures wee haue put something there haue we hid the truth And Arnoldus But the foolish vnderstanding the sayings of the Philosophers according to the letter are become blind and haue found nought but a lie and then they say the Science is false because we haue tried and find nothing and then they are like desperate men and doe despise the bookes and the Science and therefore the Science despiseth them for our Science of the hid things of nature hath no enemy but the ignorant Therefore this diuine Science is not purchased by being lettered and learned only seeing it is the secret of God as all men do affirme for the which it is written Because all wisdome is from the Lord God and therefore sometimes these things are giuen to the simple which the most studious cannot know Now let vs leaue this I could in particular tell some manners of working of many which I haue seene in my iournies of diuers workers which I will leaue that I bee not too long and tedious But I wil tell two ridiculous which I haue seene in this noble City of London where I was present my selfe of two of my best friends searchers of this Science The one of which hauing diuers waies tryed fortune and being one day by chance in a very ancient Palace where hee saw a glasse window in the which was painted the history or fable of Iason when he went to Colchos to purchase the golden fleece Where reading somthing written a fantasie entred his head so that he would not vnderstand that the Philosophers stone was made of other then of glasse alledging a sentence of a Philosopher saying in salt and glasse is all the secret And againe hee said that Alsidius speaketh breake the glasse and extract the stone and put it in a glasse vessell or bolts head and extract the oyle from it and you shall finde this which the Philosophers deliuered vnto vs in this glasse is the quicke siluer which ouercommeth the fire and is not ouercome by it And Raymund confirmeth the like in the eighty six chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament where he saith draw the quick-siluer out of the caues of glasse c. but what more He alledgeth two passages of the Reuelation of S. Iohn the Euangelist chapter 21. where he saith And the building of the wall thereof was of Iasper stone but the city it selfe pure gold like to pure glasse And furthermore after And the street of the city pure gold like transparent glasse Where I remaining a little wondering at this his fantasticke fantasie asked him what affinitie and friendship and what to doe had glasse with metall He answered me that I vnderstood not and that it was vnderstood the glasse made of metals alledging the speech of the Philosophers saying That the glasse of metall changeth euery metall to better c. And Iohn Bracescus vnderstood the same in his dialogue of demogorgon and Geber when it is said that glasse made of iron is the Philosophers stone And so likewise may be made glasse of gold and siluer and of all other mettals Wherefore leauing him with this his Chimera I will speake of the opinion of the other no lesse fabulous than this I say that this my other friend said and affirmed that he had the knowledge of the true Lunaria so much mentioned by the Philosophers and that in it did consist all the secret of this Art Out of the which as he said by a Philosophicall way he did take the iuyce and of which hee made a salt which was greene saying that this was the true salt which the Philosophers vnderstood alledging a sentence of Hermes that saith All salts of what kinde soeuer are contrarie to our Art except the salt of our Lunaria Of which salt he said by diuers operations he tooke the Mercury the which was the Mercury vegetable of which afterward he separated not onely the foure elements but also he tooke a water which hee called the spirit of the stone or fifth essence alledging an infinite number of sentences of diuers Philosophers for his purpose And chiefly Raymund Lully and principally
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