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
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