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
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
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
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
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