Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	air_n	fire_n	moist_a	3,419	5	10.6773	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01683	The mirror of alchimy, composed by the thrice-famous and learned fryer, Roger Bachon, sometimes fellow of Martin Colledge: and afterwards of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxenforde. Also a most excellent and learned discourse of the admirable force and efficacie of art and nature, written by the same author. With certaine other treatises of the like argument; Speculum alchemiae. English	Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294.; Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294. De secretis operibus artis et naturae. English. aut; Khālid ibn Yazīd al-Umawī, 7th cent.; Simon, of Cologne, d. 1442?.	1597 (1597)	STC 1182; ESTC S100517	44,892	89

fit and conuenient receptacle with a certaine consonancie of similitude to the father so likewise in this artificiall generation it is requisite that the Sunne haue a fitte and consonaunt receptacle for his seede and tincture and this is Philosophers siluer And therefore it followes the Moone is his mother CHAP. V. That the coniunction of the parts of the stone is called Conception THe which two when they haue mutuallic entertained each other in the coniunction of the Stone the Stone conceiueth in the bellie of the winde and this is it which afterwarde he sayeth The winde carried it in his bellie It is plaine that the winde is the ayre and the ayre is the life and the life is the Soule And I haue already spoken of the soule that it quickneth the whole stone And so it behoueth that the wind should carry and recarry the whole stone and bring forth the masterie and then it followeth that it must receiue nourishment of his nurce that is the earth and therefore the Philosopher saith The earth is his Nurse beeause that as the infant without receiuing food frō his nurse shuld neuer come to yeres so likewise our stone without the firmentation of his earth should neuer be brought to effect which said firmament is called nourishment For so it is begotten of one Father with the coniunction of the Mother Things that is sonnes like to the Father if they want long decoction shal be like to the Mother in whitenesse and retaine the Fathers weight CHAP. VI. That the Stone is perfect if the Soule be sixt in the bodie IT followeth afterward The father of all the Telesme of the whole worlde is here that is in the worke of the stone is a finall way And note that the Philosopher calleth the worke the Father of all the Telesme that is of all secret or of all treasure Of the whole worlde that is of euery stone found in the world is here As if he should say Behold I shew it thee Afterward the Philosopher saith VVilt thou that I teach thee to knowe when the vertue of the Stone is perfect and compleate to wit when it is conuerted into his earth and therefore he saith His power is entire that is compleate and perfect if it be turned into earth that is if the Soule of the stone whereof wee haue made mention before which Soule may be called the winde or ayre wherein consisteth the whole life and vertue of the stone be conuerted into the earth to wit of the stone and fixed so that the whole substance of the Stone be so with his nurse to wit earth that the whole Stone be turned into ferment As in making of bread a little leauen nourisheth and sermenteth a great deale of Paste so will the Philosopher that our stone bee so fermented that it may bee ferment to the multiplication of the stone CHAP. VII Of the mundification and cleansing of the stone COnsequently hee teacheth how the Stone ought to bee multiplied but first ne setteth downe the mundification of the stone and the separation of the parts saying Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire the thinne from the thicke and that gently with great discretion Gently that is by little and little not violently but wisely to witte in Philosophicall doung Thou shalt separate that is dissolue for dissolution is the separation of partes The earth from the fire the thinne from the thicke that is the lees and dregges from the fire the ayre the water and the whole substaunce of the Stone so that the Stone may remaine most pure without all filth CHAP. VIII That the vnfixed part of the Stone should exceed the fixed and list it up THe Stone thus prepared is made fit for multiplication And now hee setteth downe his multiplication ct easie liquefaction with a vertue to pierce as well into hard bodies as soft saying It ascendeth from the earth into heauen and again it descendeth into the earth Here we must diligētly note that although our stone bee diuided in the first operation into foure partes which are the foure Elements notwithstanding as wee haue alreadie saide there are two principall parts of it One which ascendeth vpward and is called vnfixed and an other which remaineth below fixed which is called earth or firmamēt which nourisheth and firmenteth the whole stone as we haue already said But of the vnfixed part we must haue a great quantity and giue it to the stone which is made most clean without all filth so often by masterie that the whole stone be caried vpward sublimating subtiliating And this is it which the Philosopher saith It ascendeth from the earth into the beauen CHAP. IX How the volatile Stone may againe be fixed AFter all these things this stone thus exalted must be incerated with the Oyle that was extracted from it in the first operation being called the water of the stone and so often boyle it by sublimation till by vertue of the firmentation of the earth exalted with it the whole stone doo againe descende from heauen into the earth and remaine fixed and flowing And this is it which the Philosopher sayth It descendeth agayne into the earth and so receyueth the vertue of the superiours by sublimation and of the inferiours by descention that is that which is corporall is made spirituall by sublimation and that which is spirituall is made corporall by descension CHAP X. Of the fruit of the Art and efficacie of the Stone SO shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde That is this stone thus compounded thou shalt possesse the glorie of this world Therefore all obscuritie shall flie from thee that is all want and sicknesse because the stone thus made cureth euerie disease Here is the mightie power of all power For there is no comparison of other powers of this world to the power of the stone For it shall ouercome euery subtil thing and shall pearce through euery solide thing It shall ouercome that is by ouercomming it shall conuert quicke Mercury that is subtile congealing it and it shall pearce through other hard solide and compact bodies CHAP. XI That this worke imitateth the Creation of the worlde HE giueth vs also an example of the composition of his Stone saying So was the world created That is like as the world was created so is our stone composed For in the beginning the whole world and all that is therein was a confused Masse or Chaos as is aboue saide but afterward by the workemanship of the soueraigne Creator this masse was diuided into the soure elements wonderfully separated and rectified through which separation diuers things were created so likewise may diuers things bee made by ordering our worke through the separation of the diuers elemēts frō diuers bodies Here shal be wonderfull adaptations that is Is thou shalt separate the elements there shall be admirable compositions fitte for our worke in the composition of our Stone by the elements rectified V Vherof

means wherof that which before lay hid doth now appear neither can the moysture be separated but is retained by the drinesse And in like maner we see that whosoeuer is in the worlde is retained by or with his contrarie as heate with colde and drinesse with moysture Thus when each of them hath besieged his Companion the thin is mingled with the thicke and those things are made one substance to wit their soule hote and moyst and their body colde and drie then it laboureth to dissolue and subtiliate by his heate and moysture which is his soule and striueth to enclose and retaine with his body that is colde and drie And in this maner is his office changed and altered from one thing to another Thus haue I tolde thee the truth which I haue both seene done giuing thee in charge to conuert natures from their subtilitie and substances with heate and moysture into their substances and colours Now if thou wouldst proceed aright in this mastery to obtaine thy desire passe not the boundes that I haue set thee in this booke CHAP. VI. The manner how to fixe the Spirit KNowe also that when the bodie is mingled with moysture and that the heate of the fire meeteth therewith the moysture is conuerted on the body and dissolueth it and then the spirite cannot issue forth because it is imbibed with the fire The Spirits are fugitiue so long as the bodies are mingled with them and striue to resist the fire his flame and yet these parts can hardly agree without a good operation and continuall labour for the nature of the soule is to ascend vpward whereas the center of the soule is And who is hee that is able to ioyne two or diuers things togither where their centers are diuers vnlesse it be after the conuersion of theyr natures and change of the substance and thing from his nature which is difficult to finde out Whosoeuer therefore can conuert the soule into the bodie the bodie into the soule and therewith mingle the subtile spirites shall be able to tinct any body CHAP. VII Of the Decoction Contrition and washing of the stone THou art moreouer to vnderstand that Decoction contrition cribatiō mundification and ablution with sweet waters is very necessary to this secret and mastery so that he who will bestow any paines herein must cleanse it very well and wash the blacknesse from it and darknes that appeareth in his operation and subtiliate the bodie as much as hee can and afterwarde mingletherwith the soules dissolued and spirits cleansed so long as he thinke good CHAP. VIII Of the quantitie of the Fire and of the commoditie and discommoditie of it FVrthermore thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire for the benefit and losse of this thing proceedeth from the benefit of the fire Wherupon Plato said in his booke The fire yeeldeth profit to that which is perfect but domoge and corruption to that which is corrupt so that when his quantitie shall be meete conuenient it shal prosper but if it shall exceed measure in things it shal without measure corrupt both to wit the perfect and corrupt and for this cause it was requisite that the learned should poure their medicines vpon Elixir to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire his heate Hermes also said to his father I am afraide Father of the enemie in my house to whom he made answer Son take the dog Corascene the bitch of Armenia put them together and they shal bring a dog of the colour of heauen and dip him once in the sea water for he shall keepe thy friend and defend thee from thy enemie and shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become alwaies abiding with thee both in this world and in the world to come Now Hermes meant by the dog bitch such things as preserue bodies from the scorching he ate of the fire And these things are waters of Calces and Salts the composition whereof is to be found in the Philosophers books that haue written of this mastery among whome some haue named them Sea-waters and Birdes milke and such like CHAP IX Of the Separation of the Elements of the Stone THou must afterward bother take this precious Stone which the Philosophers haue named magnified hiddē concealed put it in a Cucurbit with his Alembick diuide his natures that is the foure elemēts the Earth the Water the Aire and the Fire These are the body and soule the spirit and tincture When thou hast diuided the water from the earth and the aire from the fire keepe both of them by themselues and take that which descendeth to the bottom of the glasse beeing the lees and wash it with a warme fire til his blacknesse be gone and his thicknesse departed then make him very white causing the superfluous moysture to flie away for then hee shall bee changed and become a white calx wherein there is no cloudie darkenesse nor vncleannesse and contrarietie Afterward returne back to the first natures which ascended from it and purifie thē likewise from vncleannes blacknesse and contrarietie and reiterate these works vpon thē so often vntil they be subtiliate purified and made thin which when thou hast done thou shalt acknowledge that God hath bin gracious vnto thee Know brother that this work is one stone into which Gatib may not enter that is to say any strange thing The learned work with this and from hence proceedeth a medicine that giueth perfection There must nothing be mingled herewith either in part or whole This Stone is to be found at all times in euerie place and about euery man the search whereof is not troublesome to him that seeketh it wheresoeuer he be This Stone is vile blacke and stinking It costeth nothing it must bee taken alone it is somewhat heauie and it is called the Originall of the world because it riseth vp like things that bud sorth This is his reuelation and apparance to him thut maketh inquirie after it CHAP. X. Of the nature of the Stone and his birth TAke it therefore and worke it as the Philosopher hath told you in his booke when he named it after this maner Take the Stone no Stone or that is not a Stone neither is of the nature of a Stone It is a Stone whose myne is in the top of the mountaines and here by mountaines the Philosopher vnderstandeth liuing creatures wherupon he saide Sonne go to the mountaines of India and to his caues pull out thence precious stones which will melt in the water when they are putte into it And this water is that which is taken from other mountaines and hollow places They are stones Sonne and they are not stones but we call them so for a Similitude which they haue to stones And thou must know that the rootes of their mynes are in the ayre and their tops in the earth and it wil easily be heard when they are pluckt out of

Oyles as commeth to our hands bee reckoned among Seeny seede which must bee separated from the water or Oyle wherein it is purged Moreouer the oyle is putrified as thou knowest by braying it with drying things as with salt and vitriall and by burning it though passion arise from the contrarie and afterward it must bee sublimed vntill his oylinesse be quite taken away and that the water bee like Sulphur or Arsenicke in the minerals for it may be prepared in the same maner that they are Neuerthelesse it were better to decoct it in waters of a temperate sharpenesse vntill it bee purged or made white And yet there is another profitable concoction in a dry or moyst fire where distillation must bee renued if you would haue your worke come wel to passe and the matter rectified of which rectification the last signes are to bee white and cleare as Christall And where 's other things grow black in the fire this waxeth white is purified and euen shineth againe through the notable clearnes brightnes that is in it Of this water and earth is Argent-uiue engendred being not vnlike the Argent-uiue that is in the Mynes Now when the matter is waxed hot after this maner it is cōgealed but the ayrie stone which is no stone must be put into a Pyramis in a warme place or if you think good into the belly of a horse or oxe and so be changed into a sharpe feuer And when it hath passed frō this itno 10. and from that into 21. so that the lees of the oiles are dissolued in their water before it be separated they do so often reiterate dissolution distillation til at length it be rectified And here endeth this intention But thou must remēber that whē thou hast made an end thou art then to begin a new againe Now will I hide an other secret from thee Prepare Argent-uiue by mortifying it with the vapour of Steele for Margarites and with the vapour of Lead for the stone Iber and rubbe it with drying things and atraments and such like as before and boyle it this done let it be sublymed is for vnion 10. if for rednesse 21. vntill the moysture bee consumed in it Neither is it possible that the humiditie shoulde bee separated for the vapour as the foresayde oyle because it is very strongly commixt with his drie partes neither doth it set any bound as we haue already taught in the foresaid mettals In this chapter thou maist easily bee deceiued except thou perfectly vnderstand the signification of the words Now it is high time obscurely to intreat of the third chapter to the end thou maist behold the very key of the worke thou lookest for The calcined bodie is sometime put to which is done to this end that the moysture in it might be consumed by salt and Sal Armeniack and Vineger and againe sometime it is nourished with Argent-uiue and sublimed by them till it remaine as pouder These then are the keyes of the Art Congelation Resolution Induration Proiection and this is both the end and the beginning but as for purification distillation separation sublimation calcination and inquisition they are fellow-workers with the former and now thou maist sit downe and take thine ease Sixe hundred and two yeares of the Arabians being accomplished thou didst aske me of certaine secrets Take therfore the stone and congeale it with a gentle boyling and strong contrition but without sharpe things And in y e end mixe it a little with sweete water and make a laxatiue medicine of seuen things if thou think good or of sixe or of fiue or of as many as thou wilt but my mind is content with two whereof the better shall be in sixe rather then any other proportion or there abouts as experience may teach you Neuerth elesse resolue the gold by the fire restraine it better But if you wil beleeue me you ought to take but one thing This is a secret of Natures secrets able to worke wonders It being therfore mixed with two things or more in number or with the Phoenix which is a worthie creature at the fire incorporated by a strong motion and that hereunto you putte warme liquor foure or fiue times you shall be maister of your hearts desire But afterward the celestiall nature is weakened and waxeth feeble if thou poure warme water into it three or fouretimes Thou must therefore diuide the weake from the strong in diuers vesselles if thou dare credite mee and draw out that which is good Besides thou shalt take the powder and throughly presse out the water that remained for certainely it will make the partes of the powder spirituall for which cause thou shalt saue this water by it selfe because the powder dryed vppe herewith hath the force of a medicine in a laxatiue body Worke therefore as thou didst before vntill thou hast remooued the weake from the strong and put the powder thereto three foure or fiue times or oftner alwayes working after one and the selfe same manner And if thou canst not worke with warme water thou shalt offer violence But if it bee broken by reason of the tartnesse and tendernesse of the medicine together with powder thou must verie warily put more Gold to and mollifie it but if the plentie of the powder cause it to breake thou shalt giue it more of the medicine and if it bee long of the strength of the water water it with a Pestill and gather together the matter so well as thou canst and separate the water by little and little and it will returne to his former state This water thou shalt drie vp for it hath both the powder and water of the medicine which are to be incorporate as dust Be not asleepe nowe for I haue tolde thee a great and profitable secret And if thou couldest tell how to place and sette in order the partes of a burnt shrub or of a willow and many such like things they would naturally keepe an vnion Beware at any hand that thou forgettest not this because it is very profitable for many things Thou shalt mingle the Trinity with the vnion beeing first molted and they will rise vp as I suppose like vnto the stone Iberus doubtlesse it is mortified by the vapour of the lead which lead thou shalt finde if thou presse it out of the dead body and this dead body thou shalt burie in a stillitory Hold fast this secret for it is nought worth And in like manner shalt thou deale with the vapour of a Margarite or the stone Tagus burying the dead as before thou art commanded And now forsooth the yeares of the Arabians being accomplished I make answere to your demaund after this maner You must haue a medicine y t wil dissolue in a thing that is melted and be annointed in it and enter into his second degree and be incorporate with it not proouing a fugitiue seruant and change it and be mixt with the roote of the Spirit and bee fixed by the calx of the mettall Now it is thought that fixation prepareth when the body spirit are layd in their place and sublimed which must be so often reiterated til the body be made a spirit and the spirit become a body Take therefore of the bones of Adam and of calx the same weight there must be sixe for the rocky stone fiue for the stone of vnions these you must worke togither with Aqua vitae whose property is to dissolue all other things that it may bee dissolued and boyled in it And this a signe of Inceration if the medicine will melt when it is poured on an Iron redde hot This done poure water into it in a moyst place or else hang it in the vapour of very hote and liquid Waters and congeale it in the Sunne 〈◊〉 thou shalt take Salt-peter conuert Argent-uiue 〈◊〉 lead and againe thou shalt wash and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therewith that it may come nigh to Siluer and afterward worke as thou didst before Moreouer thou shalt drinke vppe all after this sort Notwithstanding thou shalt take of Salt-peter Luru 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Sulphur and by this meanes make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thunder and lighten Thus shalt thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worke Nowe consider with thy selfe 〈◊〉 speake in a riddle or tell thee the plaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be some that haue bin of another mind for it was said vnto me that al things must be resolued to the matter wherof you may find Aristotle his iudgement 〈◊〉 vulgar vnknowne places and therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my peace Now when thou hast them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue many simples and equals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt effect by contrary things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which before I tearmed the keyes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle saith that the equalitie of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containe in it the action and passion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this likewise is the opinion of Auerroes reprouing 〈◊〉 It is thought that this is the most simple and 〈◊〉 medicine that may be found It is good 〈◊〉 the feauers and passions both of minde and bodyes more cheape then any medicine whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 these things shall haue the key that openeth and no man shutteth and when hee hath shut no man is able to open it againe FINIS The quan●●●●● is called by Logitians ●●●sion or passible qualitie An example of a passible qualitie is sweetnesse in hony or coldnesse in yce of passion when we bl●●● for shame or waxe pale through fear Printed at London by Thomas Creede for Richard Oliue 1597.

drink the weight of which moysture we haue not here determined Then againe worke them with an operation vnlike the former first imbibing and subliming it and this operation is that which they call Albification and they name it Yarit that is Siluer and and white Leade And when thou hast made this compounde white adde to him so much of the Spirit as maketh halfe of the whole and set it to working till it waxe redde and then it shall be of the colour Alsulfir which is verie red and the Philosophers haue likened it to golde the effect hereof leadeth thee to that which Aristotle saide to his Disciple Arda wee call the claye when it is white Yarit that is Siluer and when it is red wee name it Temeynch that is Golde Whitenesse is that which tincteth Copper and maketh it Yarit and that is rednesse which tincteth Yarit that is siluer maketh it Temeynch that is Gold He therefore that is able to dissolue these bodies to subtiliate thē to make them white and red and as I haue said to compound them by imbibing and conuert them to the same shall without all doubt attaine the masterie and performe the worke whereof I haue spoken vnto thee CHAP. II. Of the things and instruments necessarie and fit for this worke IT behoueth thee to knowe the vessels in this masterie to wit Aludela which the Philosophers haue called Church-yards or Cribbles because in them the parts are diuided and cleansed and in them is the matter of the masterie made compleat perfect and depured And euery one of these must haue a Furnace fit for it and let either of them haue a similitude and figure agreeable to the worke Mezleme and many other Philosophers haue named all these things in their bookes teaching the maner and forme there of And thou must know that herein the Philosophers agree togither in their wrytings concealing it by signes and making many books thereof instruments which are necessarie in these foure foresaid things As for the instruments they are two in number One is a Cucurbit with his Alembick the other is Aludel that is well made There are also foure things necessarie to these that is to say Bodies Soules Spirites and VVaters of these foure dooth the masterie and minerall worke consist These are made plaine in the Philosophers Bookes I haue therefore omitted them in mine and onely touched those things which they passed ouer with silence which he shall easily discerne that is but of indifferent iudgement And this booke I haue not made for the ignorant and vnlearned but for the wise and prudent CHAP. III. Of the nature of things appertaining to this worke KNow thou that the Philosophers haue giuen them diuerse names for some haue called them Mynes some Animal some Herball and some by the name of Natures that is Naturall some other haue called them by certaine other names at their pleasures as seemed good vnto them Thou must also know that their Medicines are neere to Natures according as the Philosophers haue said in their bookes that Nature commeth nigh to nature and Nature is like to nature and Nature is ioyned to nature and Nature is drowned in nature and Nature maketh nature white Nature doth make nature red and generation is retained with generation generation conquereth with generation CHAP. IIII. Of Decoction and the effect thereof KNow thou that the Philosophers haue named Decoction in their Bookes saying that they make Decoction in thinges and that is it that engendreth them and changeth them from their substances and colours into other substāces and colours If thou transgresse not I tell thee in this booke thou shalt proceed rightly Consider brother the seed of the earth wheron men liue how the heate of the Sunne worketh in it till it be ripe when men and other creatures seede vpon it and that afterwarde Nature worketh on it by her heate within man conuerting it into his flesh and blood For like hereto is our operation of the masterie the seed whereof as the learned haue sayde is such that his perfection and proceeding consisteth in the fire which is the cause of his life and death without somwhat comming betweene and his spiritualtie which are not mingled but with the fire Thus haue I tolde thee the truth as I haue seene and done it CHAP. V. Of Subtiliation Solution Coagulation and commistion of the Stone and of their cause and end KNow that except thou subtiliate the bodie till all become water it will not rust and putrifie and then it cannot congeale the fitting soules when the fire toucheth them for the fire is that which congealeth them by the ayd therof vnto them And in like maner haue the Philosophers commanded to dissolue the bodies to the end y e heat might enter into their bowels Again we returne to dissolue those bodies congeale them after their solution with that thing which cōmeth nigh to it vntil we ioyne all those things which haue beene mingled togither by an apt and fit commixtion which is a temperate quantitie Whereupon we ioyne fire and water earth and ayre togither when the thick hath bin mingled with the thin the thinner with the thick the one abydeth with the other and their natures are changed and made like wheras before they were simple because that part which is generatiue bestoweth his vertue vpon the subtill and that is the ayre for it cleaueth vnto his like and is a part of the generation from whence it receyueth power to moue and ascend vpward Cold hath power ouer the thick because it hath lost his heate and the water is gone out of it and the thing appeared vpō it And the moisture departed by ascending the subtil part of y e aire and mingled it selse with it for it is like vnto it and of the same nature And when the thicke bodie hath lost his heat and moysture and that cold and drinesse hath power ouer him and that their parts haue mingled themselues and be diuided and that there is no moysture to ioyne the partes diuided the parts withdraw themselues And afterwards the part which is contrary to colde by reason that it hath continued sent his heat and decoction to the parts of y e earth hauing power ouerthem and exercising such dominion ouer the cold that where before it was in the thicke body it now lurketh and lieth hid his part of generation is changed becomming subtil and hot and striuing to dry vp by his heat But afterward the subtill part that causeth natures to ascende when it hath lost his accidentall heat waxeth cold then the natures are changed and become thicke and descend to the center where y e earthly natures are ioyned togither which were subtiliate and conuerted in their generation and imbibed in them and so the moysture coupleth togither the parts diuided but the earth endeuoureth to drie vp that moysture cōpassing it about and hindring it from going out by

purging superfluities He that vnderstandeth let him vnderstand and he that is ignorant let him bee ignorant stil for it is not to be bought with mony it is neither to be bought nor sold. Conceiue his vertue value and worth and then begin to worke wherof a learned man hath said God giueth thee not this masterie for thy sole audacity fortitude subtilitie without all labour but men labor and God giueth them good successe Adore thē God the creator that hath vouchsafed thee so great fauor in his blessed works CHAP. XV. The maner how to make the Stone white NOwe therefore when thou wilt enterpise this worthy worke thou shalt take the precious stone and put it in a Cucurbite couering it with an Alembicke being well closed with the lute of wisdome and set it in vorie hote dung then shalt thou distill it putting a receiuer vnder it whereinto the water may distill and thus thou shalt leaue it till all the water be distilled and moysture dryed vp and that drynesse preuaile ouer it then shalt thou take it out drie reseruing the water that is distilled vntill thou hast neede of it thou shalt take I say the drie bodie that remayned in the bottome of the Cucurbite and grinde it and put it in a vessell in greatnesse answerable to the quantitie of the medicine and burie it in verie hote horse-dung as thou canst get the Vessell beeing well shut with the lute of Wisedome and so let it rest But when thou perceyuest the dung to waxe colde thou shalt get thee other that is fresh and very hot and therein put thy Vessell Thus shalt thou do by the space of fortie dayes renuing thy dung so oftenas occasion shall serue and the Medicine shall dissolue of it selfe and become a thicke white water which when thou beholdest to be so thou shalt weight it put there to so much of the water which thou hast kept as will make the halfe of his weight closing thy Vessell with the lute of VVisedome and put it againe in hote horse-dung for that is hote and moyst and thou shalt not omit as I haue sayde to renue the dung when it beginneth to coole till the tearme of fortie dayes be expired for the Medicine shall be congealed in the like number of dayes as before it was dissolued in Again take it and note the iust weight of it and according to his quantitie take of the water which thou madest before grind the body and subtiliate it and poure the water vpon it and set it againe in hot hors-dung for a weeke and a halfe that is to say ten daies then take it out and thou shalt see that the bodie hath already drunk vp the water Afterward grinde it againe and put thereto the like quantitie of that water as thou didst before bury it in dung and leaue it there for ten dayes more take it out againe and thou shalt find that the body hath already drunke vp the water Then as before grinde it putting thereto of the foresayd water the foresayd quantitie and bury it in the foresayd dung and let it rest there ten dayes longer and afterward draw it out so shalt thou do the fourth time also which being done thou shalt drawe it forth and grinde it and burie it in dung till it bee dissolued Afterward take it out and reiterate it yet once more for then the birth is perfect and his worke ended Now when this is done and that thou hast brought this thing to this honourable estate thou shalt take two hundred and fiftie drams of Lead or Steele and melt it which beeing molten thou shalt cast thereon one dramme of Cinna barus that is of this Medicine which thou hast brought to this honourable estate and high degree and it shall retaine the Steele or Leade that it fly not from the fire it shall make it white and purge it from his drosse and blacknesse and conuert it into a tincture perpetually abiding Then take a dramme of these two hundred and fiftie and proiect it vpon two hundred and fiftie drammes of Steele or Copper and it shall conuert it into Siluer better then that of the Myne This is the greatest and last worke that it can effect if God will CHAP. XVI The conuersion of the foresaid Stone into red ANd if thou desirest to conuert this masterie into Golde take of this medicine which as I saide thou hast brought to this honourable estate and excellencie the waight of one dramme and this after the manner of thy former example and put it in a vessell and bury it in hors-dung for fortie dayes and it shall be dissolued then thou shalt giue it water of the dissolued body to drink first as much as amounteth to halfe his waight afterward vntill it bee congealed thou shalt bury it in most hot dung as is aboue sayd Then thou shalt orderly proceed in this Chapter of Gold as thou hast done in the former Chapter of Siluer and it shall be Golde and make Golde God willing My Sonnekeepe this most secret Booke and commit it not vnto the handes of ignorant men beeing a secret of the secretes of God For by this meanes thou shalt attaine thy desire Amen Here endeth the secrets Alchimy written in Hebrew by Calid the sonne of Iarich An excellent discourse of the admirable force and efficacie of Art and Nature written by the famous Frier Roger Bacon Sometime fellow of Merton Colledge and afterward of Brasen-nose in Oxford SOme there are that aske whether of these twaine bee of greatest force and efficacie Nature or Art whereto I make aunswere and say that although Nature be mightie and maruailous yet Art vsing Nature for an instrument is more powerfull then naturall vertue as it is to bee seene in many thinges But whatsoeuer is done without the operation of Nature or Art is either no humane worke or if it bee it is fraudulently and colourablie performed for there are some that by a nimble motion and shewe of members or through the diuerfitie of voyces and subtillitie of instruments or in the darke and by consent doo propose vnto men diuerse things to bee wondred at that haue indeede no truth at all The worlde is euerie where full of such fellowes For Iuglers cogge many things through the swiftnesse of their hands and others with varietie of voyces by certaine deuices that they haue in their bellies throats or mouthes will frame mens voyces farre of or neare as it pleaseth thē as if a man spake at the same instant yea they will counterfeite the soundes of bruit beasts But the causes hidden in the grasse or buried in the sides of the earth proue it to bee done by a humane force and not by a spirit as they would make men beleeue In like maner wheras they affirm things without life to moue verie swiftly in the twilight of the euening or morning it is altogither salse and vntrue As for concent it can faigne any thing that men