{"collection":"ritual-magic","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_58393/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_58393","id":"gutenberg_58393","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58393","summary":null,"tags":["Alchemy -- Early works to 1800","Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry","Occultism -- Early works to 1900"],"text":"E-text prepared by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team\n(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by\nInternet Archive (https://archive.org)\n\n\n\nNote: Images of the original pages are available through\n Internet Archive. See\n https://archive.org/details/mirrorofalchimy00baco\n\n\nTranscriber\u2019s note:\n\n Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).\n\n A caret character is used to denote superscription. A\n single character following the caret is superscripted\n (example: y^t).\n\n\n\n\n\n THE\n Mirror of Alchimy,\n\n Composed by the thrice-famous and learned\n Fryer, _Roger Bachon_, sometimes fellow of\n _Martin_ Colledge: and afterwards of\n _Brasen-nose_ Colledge in\n _Oxenforde_.\n\n Also a most excellent and learned discourse of\n _the admirable force and efficacie of_ Art _and_ Nature,\n _written by the same Author_.\n\n With certaine other worthie Treatises of\n the like Argument.\n\n _Vino vendibili non opus est hedera._\n\n [Illustration: Publisher\u2019s device ]\n\n LONDON\n Printed for Richard Oliue.\n 1597.\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration: Decoration]\n\n\n The Preface.\n\n\n_In times past the Philosophers spake afters diuers and sundrie manners\nthroughout their writings, sith that as it were in a riddle and cloudie\nvoyce, they haue left vnto vs a certaine most excellent and noble\nscience, but altogither obscure, and without all hope vtterly denied,\nand that not without good cause. Wherefore I would aduise thee, that\naboue all other bookes, thou shouldest firmly fixe thy mind vpon these\nseuen Chapters, conteining in them the transmutation of mettalls, and\noften call to minde the beginning, middle, and end of the same, wherein\nthou shalt finde such subtilitie, that thy minde shalbe fully contented\ntherewith._\n\n\n\n\n The Mirrour of Alchimy,\n composed by the famous Fryer,\n _Roger Bachon_, sometime fellow of\n _Martin_ Colledge, and _Brasen-nose\n Colledge in\n Oxenforde_.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. I.\n\n _Of the Definitions of Alchimy._\n\n\nIn many ancient Bookes there are found many definitions of this Art,\nthe intentions wherof we must consider in this Chapter. For _Hermes_\nsaith of this Science: _Alchimy_ is a Corporal Science simply composed\nof one and by one, naturally conioyning things more precious, knowledge\nand effect, and conuerting them by a naturall commixtion into a better\nkind. A certain other saith: _Alchimy_ is a Science, teaching how to\ntransforme any kind of mettall into another: and that by a proper\nmedicine, as it appeareth by many Philosophers Bookes. _Alchimy_\ntherfore is a science teaching how to make and compound a certaine\nmedicine, which is called _Elixir_, the which when it is cast vpon\nmettals or imperfect bodies, doth fully perfect them in the verie\nproiection.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. II.\n\n _Of the naturall principles, and procreation of Minerals._\n\n\nSecondly, I will perfectly declare the naturall principles &\nprocreations of Minerals: where first it is to be noted, that the\nnaturall principles in the mynes, are _Argent-uiue_, and _Sulphur_.\nAll mettals and minerals, whereof there be sundrie and diuers kinds,\nare begotten of these two: but I must tel you, that nature alwaies\nintendeth and striueth to the perfection of Gold: but many accidents\ncomming between, change the mettalls, as it is euidently to be seene\nin diuers of the Philosophers bookes. For according to the puritie\nand impuritie of the two aforesaide principles, _Argent-uiue_, and\n_Sulphur_, pure, and impure mettals are ing\u1ebddred: to wit, Gold, Siluer,\nSteele, Leade, Copper, and Iron: of whose nature, that is to say,\npuritie, and impuritie, or vncleane superfluitie and defect, giue eare\nto that which followeth.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Golde._\n\nGold is a perfect body, engendred of _Argent-uiue_ pure, fixed, cleare,\nred, and of _Sulphur_ cleane, fixed, red, not burning, and it wanteth\nnothing.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Siluer._\n\nSiluer is a body, cleane, pure, and almost perfect, begotten of\n_Argent-uiue_, pure, almost fixed, cleare, and white, & of such a like\n_Sulphur_: It wanteth nothing, saue a little fixation, colour, and\nweight.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Steele._\n\nSteele is a body cleane, imperfect, engendred of Argent-uine pure,\nfixed & not fixed cleare, white outwardly, but red inwardly, and of the\nlike Sulphur. It wanteth onely decoction or digestion.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Leade._\n\nLeade is an vncleane and imperfect bodie, engendred of Argent-uiue\nimpure, not fixed, earthy, drossie, somewhat white outwardly, and red\ninwardly, and of such a Sulphur in part burning. It wanteth puritie,\nfixation, colour, and fiering.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Copper._\n\nCopper is an vncleane and imperfect bodie, engendred of Argent-uiue,\nimpure, not fixed, earthy, burning, red not cleare, and of the like\nSulphur. It wanteth purity, fixation, and weight: and hath too much of\nan impure colour, and earthinesse not burning.\n\n\n_Of the nature of Iron._\n\nIron is an vnclean and imperfect body, engendred of Argent-uiue impure,\ntoo much fixed, earthy, burning, white and red not cleare, and of the\nlike Sulphur: It wanteth fusion, puritie, and weight: It hath too much\nfixed vncleane Sulphur, and burning earthinesse. That which hath bene\nspoken, euerie Alchimist must diligently obserue.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. III.\n\n _Out of what things the matter of_ Elixir _must be more nearly\n extracted_.\n\n\nThe generation of mettals, as well perfect, as imperfect, is\nsufficiently declared by that which hath bene already spoken. Now\nlet vs returne to the imperfect matter that must be chosen and made\nperfect. Seeing that by the former Chapters we haue bene taught, that\nall mettalls are engendred of Argent-uiue and Sulphur, and how that\ntheir impuritie and vncleannesse doth corrupt, and that nothing may be\nmingled with mettalls which hath not beene made or sprung from them,\nit remaineth cleane inough, that no strange thing which hath not his\noriginall from these two, is able to perfect them, or to make a chaunge\nand new transmutation of them: so that it is to be wondred at, that\nany wise man should set his mind vpon liuing creatures, or vegetables\nwhich are far off, when there be minerals to bee found nigh enough:\nneither may we in any wise thinke, that any of the Philosophers placed\nthe Art in the said remote things, except it were by way of comparison:\nbut of the aforesaid two, all mettals are made, neither doth any thing\ncleaue vnto them, or is ioyned with them, nor yet chaungeth them, but\nthat which is of them, and so of right wee must take Argent-uiue\nand Sulphur for the matter of our stone: Neither doth Argent-uiue by\nit selfe alone, nor Sulphur by it selfe alone, beget any mettall,\nbut of the commixtion of them both, diuers mettals and minerals are\ndiuersly brought foorth. Our matter therefore must bee chosen of the\ncommixtion of them both: but our finall secrete is most excellent, and\nmost hidden, to wit, of what minerall thing that is more neere then\nothers, it shuld be made: and in making choise hereof, we must be very\nwarie. I put the case then, y^t our matter were first of all drawne\nout of vegetables, (of which sort are hearbs, trees, and whatsoeuer\nspringeth out of the earth) here wee must first make Argent-uiue &\nSulphur, by a long decoction, from which things, and their operation\nwe are excused: for nature herselfe offereth vnto vs Argent-uiue and\nSulphur. And if wee should draw it from liuing creatures (of which\nsort is mans bloud, haire, vrine, excrements, hens egs, and what else\nproceede from liuing creatures) wee must likewise out of them extract\nArgent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction, fr\u00f5 which we are freed, as we\nwere before. Or if we should choose it out of middle minerals (of which\nsort are all kindes of _Magnesia_, _Marchasites_, of _Tutia_, Coppres,\nAllums, Baurach, Salts, and many other) we should likewise, as afore,\nextract Argent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction: fr\u00f5 which as from the\nformer, wee are also excused. And if we should take one of the seuen\nspirits by it selfe, as Argent-uiue, or Sulphur alone, or Argent-uiue\nand one of the two Sulphurs, or Sulphur-uiue, or Auripigment, or\nCitrine Arsenicum, or red alone, or the like: we should neuer effect\nit, because sith nature doth neuer perfect anything without equall\ncommixtion of both, neither can wee: from these therefore, as from\nthe foresaide Argent-uiue and Sulphur in their nature we are excused.\nFinally, if wee should choose them, wee should mixe euerie thing as it\nis, according to a due proportion, which no man knoweth, and afterward\ndecoct it to coagulati\u00f5, into a solide lumpe: and therefore we are\nexcused from receiuing both of them in their proper nature: to wit,\nArgent-uiue and Sulphur, seeing wee know not their proportion, and\nthat wee may meete with bodies, wherein we shall find the saide things\nproportioned, coagulated & gathered together, after a due manner.\nKeepe this secret more secretly. Golde is a perfect masculine bodie,\nwithout any superfluitie or diminution: and if it should perfect\nimperfect bodyes mingled with it by melting onely, it should be Elixir\nto red. Siluer is also a body almost perfect, and feminine, which if\nit should almost perfect imperfect bodyes by his common melting onely,\nit should be Elixir to white, which it is not, nor cannot be, because\nthey onely are perfect. And if this perfection might be mixed with\nthe imperfect, the imperfect shuld not be perfected with the perfect,\nbut rather their perfections shuld be diminished by the imperfect,\n& become imperfect. But if they were more then perfect, either in a\ntwo-fold, foure-fold, hundred-fold, or larger proportion, they might\nthen wel perfect the imperfect. And forasmuch as nature doth alwaies\nwork simply, the perfection which is in them is simple, inseparable, &\nincommiscible, neither may they by art be put in the stone, for ferment\nto shorten the worke, and so brought to their former state, because\nthe most volatile doth ouercome the most fixt. And for that gold is\na perfect body, consisting of Argent-uiue, red and cleare, & of such\na Sulphur, therfore we choose it not for the matter of our stone to\nthe red Elixir, because it is so simply perfect, without artificiall\nmundification, & so strongly digested and sod with a natural heate,\nthat with our artificiall fire, we are scarcely able to worke on gold\nor siluer. And though nature dooth perfect any thing, yet she cannot\nthroughly mundifie, or perfect and purifie it, because she simply\nworketh on that which shee hath. If therfore we should choose gold or\nsiluer for the matter of the stone, we should hard and scantly find\nfire working in them. And although we are not ignorant of the fire, yet\ncould we not come to the through mundification & perfection of it, by\nreas\u00f5 of his most firme knitting together, and naturall composition:\nwe are therefore excused for taking the first too red, or the second\ntoo white, seeing we may find out a thing or som body of as cleane,\nor rather more cleane Sulphur & Argent-uiue, on which nature hath\nwrought little or nothing at all, which with our artificiall fire, &\nexperience of our art, we are able to bring vnto his due concoction,\nmundification, colour and fixation, continuing our ingenious labour\nvpon it. There must therefore bee such a matter chosen, wherein\nthere is Argent-uiue, cleane, pure, cleare, white & red, not fully\ncompleat, but equally and proportionably commixt after a due maner\nwith y^e like Sulphur, & congeled into a solide masse, that by our\nwisdome and discretion, and by our artificiall fire, we may attain\nvnto the vttermost cleannesse of it, and the puritie of the same, and\nbring it to that passe, that after the worke ended, it might bee a\nthousand thousand times more strong and perfect, then the simple bodies\nthemselues, decoct by their naturall heate. Be therefore wise: for if\nthou shalt be subtile and wittie in my Chapters (wherin by manifest\nprofe I haue laid open the matter of the stone easie to be knowne) thou\nshalt taste of that delightfull thing, wherin the whole intention of\nthe Philosophers is placed.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. IIII.\n\n_Of the maner of working, and of moderating, and continuing the fire._\n\n\nI hope ere this time thou hast already found out by the words alreadie\nspoken (if thou beest not most dull, ignorant, and foolish) the\ncertaine matter of the learned Philosophers blessed stone, whereon\n_Alchimy_ worketh, whilest we indeuour to perfect the imperfect, and\nthat with things more then perfect. And for that nature hath deliuered\nvs the imperfect onely with the perfect, it is our part to make the\nmatter (in the former Chapters declared vnto vs) more then perfect by\nour artificiall labour. And if we know not the maner of working, what\nis the cause that we do not see howe nature (which of long time hath\nperfected mettals) doth continually work? Doo wee not see, that in the\nMynes through the continuall heate that is in the mountaines thereof,\nthe grosnesse of water is so decocted & thickned, that in continuance\nof time it becommeth Argent-uiue? And that of the fatnesse of the\nearth through the same heate and decoction, Sulphur is engendred? And\nthat through the same heate without intermission continued in th\u1ebd, all\nmettals are ingendred of them according to their puritie and impuritie?\nand that nature doth by decoction alone perfect or make al mettals,\nas well perfect as imperfect? O extreame madnesse! what, I pray you,\nconstraines you to seeke to perfect the foresaide things by straunge\nmelancholicall and fantasticall regiments? as one sayth: Wo to you that\nwill ouercome nature, and make mettals more then perfect by a newe\nregiment, or worke sprung from your owne senselesse braines. God hath\ngiuen to nature a straite way, to wit, continuall concoction, and you\nlike fooles despise it, or else know it not. Againe, fire and Azot,\nare sufficient for thee. And in an other place, Heat perfecteth al\nthings. And elsewhere, seeth, seeth, seeth, and be not wearie. And in\nan other place, let thy fire be gentle, & easie, which being alwayes\nequall, may continue burning: and let it not encrease, for if it do,\nthou shalt suffer great losse. And in an other place, Know thou that\nin one thing, to wit, the stone, by one way, to wit, decocti\u00f5, and\nin one vessel the whole mastery is performed. And in an other place,\npatiently, and continually, and in another place, grinde it seuen\ntimes. And in an other place, It is ground with fire. And in an other\nplace, this worke is verie like to the creation of man: for as the\nInfant in the beginning is nourished with light meates, but the bones\nbeeing strengthened with stronger: so this masterie also, first it must\nhaue an easie fire, whereby wee must alwaies worke in euery essence of\ndecoction. And though we alwayes speake of a gentle fire, yet in truth,\nwe think that in gouerning the worke, the fire must alwayes by little\nand little bee increased and augmented vnto the end.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. V.\n\n _Of the qualitie of the Vessell and Furnace._\n\n\nThe meanes and manner of working, wee haue alreadie determined: nowe\nwee are to speake of the Vessell and Furnace, in what sort, and of what\nthings they must be made. Whereas nature by a naturall fire decocteth\nthe mettals in the Mynes, shee denieth the like decoction to be made\nwithout a vessel fitte for it. And if we purpose to immitate nature in\nconcocting, wherefore do we reiect her vessell? Let vs first of all\ntherefore, see in what place the generation of mettals is made. It\ndoth euidently appeare in the places of Minerals, that in the bottom\nof the mountaine there is heate continually alike, the nature whereof\nis alwaies to ascend, and in the ascention it alwayes drieth vp, and\ncoagulateth the thicker or grosser water hidden in the belly, or veines\nof the earth, or mountaine, into Argent-uiue. And if the minerall\nfatnes of the same place arising out of the earth, be gathered warme\ntogither in the veines of the earth, it runneth through the mountain,\n& becommeth Sulphur. And as a man may see in the foresaide veines of\nthat place, that Sulphur engendred of the fatnesse of the earth (as is\nbefore touched) meeteth with the Argent-uiue (as it is also written) in\nthe veines of the earth, and begetteth the thicknesse of the minerall\nwater. There, through the continual equall heate in the mountaine, in\nlong processe of time diuerse mettals are engendred, according to the\ndiuersitie of the place. And in these Minerall places, you shall finde\na continuall heate. For this cause wee are of right to note, that the\nexternall minerall mountaine is euerie where shut vp within it selfe,\nand stonie: for if the heate might issue out, there should neuer be\nengendred any mettall. If therefore wee intend to immitate nature,\nwe must needes haue such a furnace like vnto the Mountaines, not in\ngreatnesse, but in continual heate, so that the fire put in, when it\nascendeth, may finde no vent: but that the heat may beat vpon the\nvessell being close shutte, containing in it the matter of the stone:\nwhich vessell must be round, with a small necke, made of glasse or some\nearth, representing the nature or close knitting togither of glasse:\nthe mouth whereof must be signed or sealed with a couering of the same\nmatter, or with lute. And as in the mynes, y^e heat doth not immediatly\ntouch the matter of Sulphur and Argent-uiue, because the earth of the\nmountain c\u00f5menth euery where between: So this fire must not immediatly\ntouch the vessell, containing the matter of the foresaide things in it,\nbut it must be put into another vessell, shut close in the like manner,\nthat so the temperate heate may touch the matter aboue and beneath, and\nwhere ere it be, more aptly and fitly: wherevpon _Aristotle_ sayth, in\nthe light of lights, that _Mercurie_ is to be c\u00f5cocted in a threefold\nvessell, and that the vessell must bee of most hard Glasse, or (which\nis better) of earth possessing the nature of Glasse.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VI.\n\n _Of the accidentall and essentiall colours appearing in the worke._\n\n\nThe matter of the stone thus ended, thou shalt knowe the certaine maner\nof working, by what maner and regiment, the stone is often chaunged in\ndecoction into diuerse colours. Wherupon one saith, So many colours, so\nmany names. According to the diuerse colours appearing in the worke,\nthe names likewise were varied by the Philosophers: whereon, in the\nfirst operation of our stone, it is called putrifaction, and our stone\nis made blacke: whereof one saith, When thou findest it blacke, know\nthat in that blacknesse whitenesse is hidden, and thou must extract\nthe same from his most subtile blacknes. But after putrefaction it\nwaxeth red, not with a true rednesse, of which one saith: It is often\nred, and often of a citrine colour, it often melteth, and is often\ncoagulated, before true whitenesse. And it dissolueth it selfe, it\ncoagulateth it selfe, it putrifieth it selfe, it coloureth it self,\nit mortifieth it selfe, it quickneth it selfe, it maketh it selfe\nblacke, it maketh it selfe white, it maketh it selfe red. It is also\ngreene; whereon another sayth, Concoct, it till it appeare greene vnto\nthee, and that is the soule. And another, Know, that in that greene\nhis soule beareth dominion. There appeares also before whitenesse the\npeacocks colour, whereon one saith thus. Know thou that al the colours\nin the world, or y^t may be imagined, appeare before whitenesse, and\nafterward true whitenesse followeth. Whereof one sayth: When it hath\nbin decocted pure and clean, that it shineth like the eyes of fishes,\nthen are wee to expect his vtilitie, and by that time the stone is\ncongealed rounde. And another sayth: When thou shalt finde whitenesse\na top in the glasse, be assured that in that whitenesse, rednesse is\nhidden: and this thou must extract: but concoct it while it become\nall red: for betweene true whitenesse and true rednesse, there is a\ncertaine ash-colour: of which it is sayde. After whitenesse, thou canst\nnot erre, for encreasing the fire, thou shalt come to an ash-colour: of\nwhich another saith: Doo not set light by the ashes, for God shal giue\nit thee molten: and then at the last the King is inuested with a red\ncrowne by the will of God.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VII.\n\n _How to make proiection of the medicine vpon any imperfect bodie._\n\n\nI haue largely accomplisht my promise of that great masterie, for\nmaking the most excellent Elixir, red and white. For conclusion, we\nare to treate of the manner of proiection, which is the accomplishment\nof the work, the desired & expected ioy. The red Elixir doth turne\ninto a citrine colour infinitely, and changeth all mettals into pure\ngold. And the white Elixir doth infinitely whiten, and bringeth euerie\nmettal to perfect whitenesse. But we know that one mettall is farther\noff from perfection then another, & one more neere then another.\nAnd although euerie mettall may by Elixir be reduced to perfection,\nneuerthelesse the neerest are more easily, speedily, and perfectly\nreduced, then those which are far distant. And when we meete with a\nmettall that is neere to perfection, we are thereby excused from many\nthat are farre off. And as for the mettals which of them be neere, and\nwhich farre off, which of them I say be neerest to perfection, if thou\nbe wise and discreete, thou shalt find to be plainely and truely set\nout in my Chapters. And without doubt, hee that is so quick sighted in\nthis my Mirrour, that by his own industry hee can finde out the true\nmatter, hee doth full well knowe vppon what body the medicine is to\nbee proiected to bring it to perfection. For the forerunners of this\nArt, who haue founde it out by their philosophie, do point out with\ntheir finger the direct & plain way, when they say: Nature, containeth\nnature: Nature ouercommeth nature: & Nature meeting with her nature,\nexceedingly reioyceth, and is changed into other natures. And in\nanother place, Euery like reioiceth in his like: for likenesse is saide\nto be the cause of friendship, wherof many Philosophers haue left a\nnotable secret, Know thou that the soule doth quickly enter into his\nbody, which may by no meanes be ioyned to another body. And in another\nplace, The soule doth quickly enter into his own body, which if thou\ngoest about to ioyne with another body, thou shalt loose thy labour:\nfor the neerenesse it selfe is more cleare. And because corporeall\nthings in this regim\u1ebdt are made incorporeall, & contrariwise things\nincorporeal corporeall, and in the shutting vp of the worke, the whole\nbody is made a spirituall fixt thing: and because also that spirituall\nElixir euidently, whether white or red, is so greatly prepared and\ndecocted beyonde his nature, it is no maruaile that it cannot bee\nmixed with a body, on which it is proiected, beeing onely melted. It\nis also a hard matter to proiect it on a thousand thousand and more,\nand incontinently to penetrate and transmute them. I will therefore\nnowe deliuer vnto you a great and hidden secret. One part is to bee\nmixed with a thousand of the next body, & let all this be surely put\ninto a fit vessell, and sette it in a furnace of fixation, first with\na lent fire, and afterwardes encreasing the fire for three dayes,\ntill they be inseperably ioyned together, and this is a worke of three\ndayes: then againe and finally, euery part heereof by it selfe, must be\nproiected vpon another thousand parts of any neere body: and this is a\nworke of one day, or one houre, or a moment, for which our wonderfull\nGod is eternally to be praised.\n\n _Here endeth the Mirror of Alchimy, composed by the most learned\n Philosopher_, Roger Bacon.\n\n\n\n\n The Smaragdine Table of Hermes,\n Trismegistus of Alchimy.\n\n\nThe wordes of the secrets of _Hermes_, which were written in a\nSmaragdine Table, and found betweene his hands in an obscure vaute,\nwherin his body lay buried. It is true without leasing, certain and\nmost true. That which is beneath is like that which is aboue: & that\nwhich is aboue, is like that which is beneath, to worke the miracles of\none thing. And as all things haue proceeded from one, by the meditati\u00f5\nof one, so all things haue sprung from this one thing by adaptation.\nHis father is the sun, his mother is the moone, the wind bore it in hir\nbelly. The earth is his nurse. The father of all the telesme of this\nworld is here. His force and power is perfect, if it be turned into\nearth. Thou shalt seperate the earth from the fire, the thinne from\nthe thicke, and that gently with great discretion. It ascendeth from\nthe Earth into Heauen: and and againe it discendeth into the earth,\nand receiueth the power of the superiours and inferiours: so shalt\nthou haue the glorie of the whole worlde. All obscuritie therefore\nshall flie away from thee. This is the mightie power of all power, for\nit shal ouercome euery subtile thing, and pearce through euery solide\nthing. So was the worlde created. Here shall be maruailous adabtations,\nwhereof this is the meane. Therefore am I called _Hermes Trismegistus_,\nor the thrice great Interpreter: hauing three parts of the Philosophy\nof the whole world. That which I haue spoken of the operation of the\nSunne, is finished.\n\n _Here endeth the Table of Hermes._\n\n\n\n\n A briefe Commentarie of Hortulanus the Philosopher,\n vpon the Smaragdine Table of _Hermes_ of _Alchimy_.\n\n\n _The praier of Hortulanus._\n\nLaude, honour, power and glorie, be giuen to thee, O Almightie Lorde\nGod, with thy beloued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, and the holy Ghost,\nthe comforter. O holy Trinitie, that art the onely one God, perfect\nman, I giue thee thankes that hauing the knowledge of the transitorie\nthings of this worlde (least I should bee prouoked with the pleasures\nthereof) of thy abundant mercie thou hast taken mee from it. But\nforsomuch as I haue knowne manie deceiued in this art, that haue not\ngone the right way, let it please thee, O Lord my God, that by the\nknowledge which thou hast giuen mee, I may bring my deare friends fr\u00f5\nerror, that when they shal perceiue the truth, they may praise thy holy\nand glorious name, which is blessed for euer.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n _The Preface._\n\nI _Hortulanus_, so called for the Gardens bordering vpon the sea\ncoast, wrapped in a Iacobin skinne, vnworthy to be called a Disciple\nof Philosophie, moued with the loue of my welbeloued, doo intend\nto make a true declaration of the words of _Hermes_, the Father of\nPhilosophers, whose words, though that they be dark and obscure, yet\nhaue I truely expounded the whole operation and practise of the worke:\nfor the obscuritie of the Philosophers in their speeches, dooth nothing\npreuaile, where the doctrine of the holy spirit worketh.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. I.\n\n _That the Art of Alchimy is true and certaine._\n\n\nTHe Philosopher saith. _It is true_, to wit, that the Arte of\n_Alchimie_ is giuen vnto vs. _Without leasing_. This hee saith in\ndetestation of them that affirme this Art to bee lying, that is, false.\n_It is certaine_, that is prooued. For whatsoeuer is prooued, is most\ncertaine, _And most true_. For most true golde is ingendred by Art:\nand he saith most true, in the superlatiue degree, because the golde\ningendred by this Art, excelleth all naturall gold in all proprieties,\nboth medicinall and others.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. II.\n\n _That the Stone must be diuided into two parts._\n\n\nConsequentlie, he toucheth the operation of the stone, saying: _That\nwhich is beneath, is as that which is aboue_. And this he sayth,\nbecause the stone is diuided into two principall parts by Art: Into the\nsuperiour part, that ascendeth vp, and into the inferiour part, which\nremaineth beneath fixe and cleare: and yet these two parts agree in\nvertue: and therefore hee sayeth, _That which is aboue, is like that\nwhich is beneath_. And this diuision is necessarie, _To perpetrate the\nmyracles of one thing_, to wit, of the Stone: because the inferiour\npart is the Earth, which is called the Nurse, and Ferment: and the\nsuperiour part is the _Soule_, which quickeneth the whole Stone, and\nraiseth it vp. Wherefore separation made, and coniunction celebrated,\nmanie myracles are effected in the secret worke of nature.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. III.\n\n _That the Stone hath in it the foure Elements._\n\n\n_And as all things haue proceeded from one, by the meditation of one._\nHeere giueth hee an example, saying: as all things came from one, to\nwit, a confused Globe, or masse, by meditation, that is the cogitation\nand creation of one, that is the omnipotent God: _So all things haue\nsprung_, that is, come out _from this one thing_ that is, one confused\nlumpe, _by Adaptation_, that is by the sole comma\u0169dement of God, and\nmiracle. So our Stone is borne, and come out of one confused masse,\ncontaining in it the foure Elements, which is created of God, and by\nhis sole miracle our stone is borne.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. IIII.\n\n _That the Stone hath Father and Mother, to wit, the Sunne and Moone._\n\n\nAnd as wee see, that one liuing creature begetteth more liuing\ncreatures like vnto it selfe: so artificially golde engendereth golde,\nby vertue of multiplication of the foresaid stone. It followeth\ntherefore, the Sunne is his father, that is, Philosophers Gold. And\nas in euerie naturall generation, there must be a fit and conuenient\nreceptacle, with a certaine consonancie of similitude to the father:\nso likewise in this artificiall generation, it is requisite that\nthe Sunne haue a fitte and consonaunt receptacle for his seede and\ntincture: and this is Philosophers siluer. And therefore it followes,\nthe Moone is his mother.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. V.\n\n_That the coniunction of the parts of the stone is called Conception._\n\n\nTHe which two, when they haue mutuallie entertained each other in the\nconiunction of the Stone, the Stone conceiueth in the bellie of the\nwinde: and this is it which afterwarde he sayeth: _The winde carried it\nin his bellie_. It is plaine, that the winde is the ayre, and the ayre\nis the life, and the life is the Soule. And I haue already spoken of\nthe soule, that it quickneth the whole stone. And so it behoueth, that\nthe wind should carry and recarry the whole stone, and bring forth the\nmasterie: and then it followeth, that it must receiue nourishment of\nhis nurse, that is the earth: and therefore the Philosopher saith, _The\nearth is his Nurse_: because that as the infant without receiuing food\nfr\u00f5 his nurse, shuld neuer come to yeres: so likewise our stone without\nthe firmentation of his earth, should neuer be brought to effect: which\nsaid firmament, is called nourishment. For so it is begotten of one\nFather, with the coniunction of the Mother. _Things_, that is, sonnes\nlike to the Father, if they want long decoction, shalbe like to the\nMother in whitenesse, and retaine the Fathers weight.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VI.\n\n _That the Stone is perfect, if the Soule be fixt in the bodie._\n\n\nIt followeth afterward: _The father of all the Telesme of the whole\nworlde is here_: that is in the worke of the stone is a finall way.\nAnd note, that the Philosopher calleth the worke, the Father of all\nthe Telesme: that is, of all secret, or of all treasure _of the whole\nworlde_: that is, of euery stone found in the world, _is here_. As if\nhe should say, Behold I shew it thee. Afterward the Philosopher saith,\n_Wilt thou that I teach thee to knowe when the vertue of the Stone is\nperfect and compleate_? to wit, when it is conuerted into his earth:\nand therefore he saith, _His power is entire_, that is, compleate and\nperfect, _if it be turned into earth_: that is, if the Soule of the\nstone (whereof wee haue made mention before: which Soule may be called\nthe winde or ayre, wherein consisteth the whole life and vertue of the\nstone) be conuerted into the earth, to wit of the stone, and fixed:\nso that the whole substance of the Stone be so with his nurse, to\nwit earth, that the whole Stone be turned into ferment. As in making\nof bread, a little leauen nourisheth and fermenteth a great deale of\nPaste: so will the Philosopher that our stone bee so fermented, that it\nmay bee ferment to the multiplication of the stone.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VII.\n\n _Of the mundification and cleansing of the stone._\n\n\nConsequently, hee teacheth how the Stone ought to bee multiplied:\nbut first he setteth downe the mundification of the stone, and the\nseparation of the parts: saying, _Thou shalt separate the earth from\nthe fire, the thinne from the thicke, and that gently with great\ndiscretion_. Gently, that is by little, and little, not violently,\nbut wisely, to witte, in Philosophicall doung. _Thou shalt separate_,\nthat is, dissolue: for dissolution is the separation of partes. _The\nearth from the fire, the thinne from the thicke_: that is, the lees and\ndregges, from the fire, the ayre, the water, and the whole substaunce\nof the Stone, so that the Stone may remaine most pure without all filth.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VIII.\n\n _That the vnfixed part of the Stone should exceed the fixed, and lift\n it vp._\n\n\nThe Stone thus prepared, is made fit for multiplication. And now hee\nsetteth downe his multiplication ct easie liquefaction, with a vertue\nto pierce as well into hard bodies, as soft, saying: _It ascendeth\nfrom the earth into heauen, and again it descendeth into the earth_.\nHere we must dilig\u1ebdtly note, that although our stone bee diuided in\nthe first operation into foure partes, which are the foure Elements:\nnotwithstanding, as wee haue alreadie saide, there are two principall\nparts of it. One which ascendeth vpward, and is called vnfixed, and an\nother which remaineth below fixed, which is called earth, or firmam\u1ebdt,\nwhich nourisheth and firmenteth the whole stone, as we haue already\nsaid. But of the vnfixed part we must haue a great quantity, and giue\nit to the stone (which is made most clean without all filth) so often\nby masterie that the whole stone be caried vpward, sublimating &\nsubtiliating. And this is it which the Philosopher saith: _It ascendeth\nfrom the earth into the heauen_.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. IX.\n\n _How the volatile Stone may againe be fixed._\n\n\nAfter all these things, this stone thus exalted, must be incerated\nwith the Oyle that was extracted from it in the first operation, being\ncalled the water of the stone: and so often boyle it by sublimation,\ntill by vertue of the firmentation of the earth exalted with it, the\nwhole stone doo againe descende from heauen into the earth, and remaine\nfixed and flowing. And this is it which the Philosopher sayth: _It\ndescendeth agayne into the earth, and so receyueth the vertue of the\nsuperiours by sublimation, and of the inferiours, by descension_: that\nis, that which is corporall, is made spirituall by sublimation, and\nthat which is spirituall, is made corporall by descension.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. X.\n\n _Of the fruit of the Art, and efficacie of the Stone._\n\n\n_So shalt thou haue the glorie of the whole worlde._ That is, this\nstone thus compounded, thou shalt possesse the glorie of this world.\n_Therefore all obscuritie shall flie from thee_: that is, all want and\nsicknesse, because the stone thus made, cureth euerie disease. _Here is\nthe mightie power of all power._ For there is no comparison of other\npowers of this world, to the power of the stone. _For it shall ouercome\neuery subtil thing, and shall pearce through euery solide thing._\nIt shall ouercome, that is, by ouercomming, it shall conuert quicke\n_Mercury_, that is subtile, congealing it: and it shall pearce through\nother hard, solide, and compact bodies.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XI.\n\n _That this worke imitateth the Creation of the worlde._\n\n\nHe giueth vs also an example of the composition of his Stone, saying,\n_So was the world created_. That is, like as the world was created,\nso is our stone composed. For in the beginning, the whole world and\nall that is therein, was a confused Masse or Chaos (as is aboue saide)\nbut afterward by the workemanship of the soueraigne Creator, this\nmasse was diuided into the foure elements, wonderfully separated and\nrectified, through which separation, diuers things were created: so\nlikewise may diuers things bee made by ordering our worke, through\nthe separation of the diuers elem\u1ebdts fr\u00f5 diuers bodies. _Here shal be\nwonderfull adaptations_: that is, If thou shalt separate the elements,\nthere shall be admirable compositions, fitte for our worke in the\ncomposition of our Stone, by the elements rectified: _Wherof_, to wit,\nof which wonderfull things fit for this: _the meanes_, to wit, to\nproceede by, _is here_.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XII.\n\n_An enigmaticall insinuation what the matter of the Stone shoulde be._\n\n\n_Therefore am I called Hermes Trismegistus._ Now that he hath declared\nthe composition of the Stone, he teacheth vs after a secret maner,\nwherof the Stone is made: first naming himselfe, to the ende that\nhis schollers (who should hereafter attaine to this science) might\nhaue his name in continuall remembrance: and then hee toucheth the\nmatter saying: _Hauing three parts of the Philosophie of the whole\nworld_: because that whatsoeuer is in the worlde, hauing matter &\nforme, is compounded of the foure Elements: hence is it, that there\nare so infinite parts of the world, all which he diuideth into three\nprincipall partes, Minerall, Vegetable, & Animall: of which iointly,\nor seuerally, hee had the true knowledge in the worke of the Sunne:\nfor which cause hee saith, _Hauing three parts of the Philosophie of\nthe whole world_, which parts are contained in one Stone, to wit,\nPhilosophers Mercurie.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XIII.\n\n _Why the Stone is said to be perfect._\n\n\nFor this cause is the Stone saide to be perfect, because it hath in\nit the nature of Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals: for the stone is\nthree, and one hauing foure natures, to wit, the foure elements, &\nthree colours, black, white, and red. It is also called a graine of\ncorne, which if it die not, remaineth without fruit: but if it doo\ndie (as is aboue said) when it is ioyned in coniunction, it bringeth\nforth much fruite, the afore named operations being accomplished. Thus\ncurteous reader, if thou know the operation of the Stone, I haue told\nthee the truth: but if thou art ignor\u00e3t thereof, I haue said nothing.\n_That which I haue spoken of the operation of the Sunne is finished_:\nthat is, that which hath beene spoken of the operation of the stone, of\nthe three colours, and foure natures existing and beeing in one onely\nthing, namely in the Philosophers Mercurie, is fulfilled.\n\n\n _Thus endeth the Commentarie of_ Hortulanus, _vppon the Smaragdine\n table of_ Hermes, _the father of Philosophers_.\n\n\n\n\n The Booke of the Secrets of Alchimie,\n composed by Galid the sonne of _Iazich_,\n translated out of Hebrew into Arabick,\n and out of _Arabick into Latine,\n and out of Latin into English_.\n\n _The Preface of the difficultie of the Art._\n\n\nThankes be giuen to God the Creator of all things, who hath conducted\nvs, beautified vs, instructed vs, and giuen vs knowledge and\nvnderstanding: Except the Lorde should keepe and guide vs, wee should\nbee like vagabonds, without guide or teacher: yea, we shuld know\nnothing in the world, vnlesse he taught vs: that is, the beginning,\nand knowledge it selfe of all things, by his power and goodnes ouer\nhis people. He directeth and instructeth whom he wil, and with mercie\nreduceth into the way of iustice: for hee hath sent his messengers\ninto the darke places, and made plaine the wayes, and with his mercy\nreplenished such as loue him. Know brother, that this our mastery and\nhonourable office of the secret Stone, is a secret of the secrets of\nGod, which hee hath concealed from his people, neither would he reueale\nit to any, saue to those, who like sonnes haue faythfully deserued it,\nknowing both his goodnesse and greatnesse: for to him that desireth\na secret of God, this secret masterie is more necessary then any\nother. And those wise men who haue attained to the knowledge herof,\nhaue concealed part therof, and part therof they haue reuealed: for\nso haue I found my wise predecessors agreeing in this point in their\nworthie bookes: wherby thou shalt knowe that my disciple _Musa_, (more\nhonorable in my eies then all other) hath diligently studied their\nbookes, & labored much in the worke of the mastery, wherin he hath\nbin greatly troubled, & much perplexed, not knowing the natures of\nthings belonging to this work: the explanation whereof, and direction\nwherein, he hath humbly begged at my handes: yet I would afford him\nno answere therin, nor determine it, but commaunded him to reade ouer\nthe Philosophers bookes, & therin to seke y^t which he craued of me,\n& he going his way, read aboue a hundreth bookes, as hee found them\neuen the true and secret bookes of noble Philosophers: but in th\u1ebd he\ncould not find that which he desired: so he remained astonished, &\nalmost distracted, though by the space of a yeare he continually sought\nit. If therfore my scholler _Musa_ (that hath deserued to be acco\u0169ted\namong y^e Philosophers) haue beene so doubtfull in the composition\nhereof, and that this hath hapned vnto him: what shall the ignorant\nand vnlearned doo, that vnderstandeth not the nature of things, nor\nis acquainted with their complections? But when I behelde this in my\nchoysest and dearest disciple, moued with pitty and compassion toward\nhim, or rather by the will and appointment of God, I made this book at\nthe houre of my death, wherin I haue pretermitted many things, that\nmy predecessors haue made mention of in their bookes: and againe, I\nhaue touched some things which they concealed, & would by no meanes\nopen & discouer: yea, I haue expounded and laide open certain things,\nthat they haue hidden vnder dark & figuratiue speeches. And this my\nbook I haue called the _Secrets of Alchimy_: in which I haue spoken\nof whatsoeuer is necessarie, to him that is studious of this Art or\nmasterie, in a language befitting his sence & vnderstanding. And I haue\nnamed foure masteries far greater and better, th\u1ebd other Philosophers\nhaue done: of which number is Elixir, one Mineral, the other Animall:\nbut the other two are minerals, and not the one Elixir: whose office\nis to washe that, which they call the bodies: and another is to make\ngold of Azot-viue, whose composition or generati\u00f5, is according to the\ngeneration or order of generation in the mynes, being in the heart\nand bowels of the earth. And these foure masteries or works, the\nPhilosophers haue declared in their bookes of the composition of this\nmastery: but they want much: neyther would they shew the operation\nof it in their bookes: and though by chaunce he found it out, yet\ncould hee not vnderstand it: so that hee found out nothing that was\nmore troublesome to him. I wil therefore in this my booke declare it,\ntogether with the maner how to make it: but let him that will reade\nit, first learne Geometry, and her measures, that so he may rightly\nframe his furnaces, not passing a meane, either by excesse or defect:\nand withall, he must know the quantitie of his fire, and the forme of\nthe vessell fit for his worke. Moreouer, lette him consider what is\nthe ground-worke and beginning of the mastery, beeing to it, as the\nmatrice is to liuing creatures, which are fashioned in the wombe, and\ntherin receiue their create\u00f5 & nourishment: for if the thing of this\nmastery finde not that which is conuenient for it, the worke is marred,\nand the workmen shall not find that which they looke for, neither\nshal the thing it self be brought to the effect of generation: for\nwhere one cannot meete with the cause of generation, or the roote, and\nheate it selfe, it will fall out, that the labour shall be lost, and\nthe worke nought worth. The like mischiefe will happen in respect of\nweight, which if it be not aright in the compound, the partes of the\nsame nature, passing their boundes by augmentation, or diminution, the\npropertie of the compound is destroyed, & the effect therof voyd and\nwithout fruit, whereof I will giue you an example. Doo not you see\nthat in Sope (with which cloathes are washed cleane and made white)\nthere is this property if it be rightly made, by reason of equalitie,\n& one proportion, which participate in length and breadth? wherupon\nthrough this participation they agree, and then it appeareth, because\nit was truely made, and so the vertue which before lay hid, is nowe\nmade known, which they cal a property, being the vertue of washing\nengendred in the compound: but when the grauity of the compound passeth\nhis bounds, either by addition or diminution, y^e vertue itself\nbreaketh the limits of equality, & bec\u00f5meth contrary, according to y^e\ndist\u1ebdper\u00e3ce of the c\u00f5pound. And this thou must vnderst\u00e3d to happen in\nthe c\u00f5position of our mastery.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. I.\n\n Of the foure Masteries, or principall works of the Art, to wit,\n solution, congelation, _albification, and rubification_.\n\n\nNow begin I to speake of the great worke which they call Alchimy,\nwherein I will confirme my woordes, without concealing ought, or\nkeeping backe any thing, saue that which is not conuenient to bee\nvttered or named. We say then that the great work contained in it\nfoure masteries (as the Philosophers before vs haue affirmed) that is\nto say, to dissolue, to congeale, to make white and red. And these\nfoure quantities are partakers, whereof two of them are partakers\nbetweene themselues, and so likewise are the other two. And either\nof these double qu\u00e3tities hath another quantity partaker, which is\na greater quantity partaker after these two. I vnderstand by these\nquantities, the quantitie of the natures, and weight of the medicines\nwhich are orderly dissolued and congealed, wherin neither addition\nnor diminution haue any place. But these two, to wit, solution and\ncongelation, shal be in one operation, and shall make but one worke,\nand that before composition: but after composition, their works shall\nbee diuers. And this solution and congelation which wee haue spoken\nof, are the solution of the bodie, and the congelation of the Spirite,\nand they are two, yet haue but one operation. For the Spirites are\nnot congealed, except the bodies bee dissolued, as likewise the\nbodies is not dissolued, vnlesse the spirit be c\u00f5gealed: & when the\nsoule & the body are ioyned togither, either of them worketh in his\ncompanion made like vnto him: as for example, when water is put to\nearth, it striueth to dissolue the earth by the moisture, vertue and\npropertie which it hath, making it more subtile then it was before,\nand bringing it to be like it selfe: for the water was more subtile\nthen the earth: and thus doth the soule worke in the bodie, and after\nthe same manner is the water thickened with the earth, and becommeth\nlike vnto the earth in thicknesse, for the earth is more thicke then\nthe water. And thou must knowe that betweene the solution of the\nbodie, and congelation of the spirit, there is no distance of time or\ndiuerse work, as though one should be without the other, as there is\nno difference of time in the coniunction of the earth, and water, that\none might be knowne & discerned from the other in their operations:\nbut they haue both one instant, and one fact, and one and the same\nworke conteineth them both at once before composition: I say before\ncomposition, least he that shall read this booke, and heare the names\nof resolution and congelation, shoulde suppose it to be the composition\nwhich the Philosophers entreat of, for so he should sowly erre in his\nworke and iudgement: because composition in this worke or masterie, is\na coniunction or marriage of the congealed spirit, with the dissolued\nbodie, and this conjunction or passion is vpon the fire. For heate is\nhis nourishment, and the soule forsaketh not the bodie, neither is\nit otherwise knit vnto it, then by the alteration of both from their\nowne vertue and properties, and after the conuersion of their natures:\nand this is the solution and congelation, which the Philosophers\nfirst spake of; which neuerthelesse they haue hidden in their subtile\ndiscourses with darke & obscure words, that so they might alienate and\nestrange the mind of the reader fr\u00f5 the true vnderstanding thereof:\nwhereof thou maist take this for an example. Annoynt the leafe with\npoyson, and ye shall approue thereby the beginning of the worke and\nmastery of the same. And againe, labour the strong bodies with one\nsolution, til either of them be turned to his subtilitie. So likewise\nin these folowing, except ye conuert the bodies into such subtilitie\nthat they may bee impalbable, yee shall not find that ye looke for:\nand if you haue not ground them, returne backe to worke till they\nbee ground, and made subtill: which if you do, you shall haue your\nwish. And many other such sayings haue they of the same matter. The\nwhich none that euer proued this Art could vnderstand, til he hath\nhad a plaine demonstration thereof, the former doubt being remoued.\nAnd in like maner haue they spoken of that c\u00f5position, which is after\nsolution & congelation. And afterward they haue said, that C\u00f5position\nis not perfect without marriage, and putrifaction: yet againe they\nteach solution, congelation, diuision, mariage, putrifaction, and\ncomposition, because composition is the beginning, and verie life\nof the thing. For vnlesse there were composition, the thing should\nneuer be brought to passe. Diuision is a separati\u00f5 of the parts of\nthe c\u00f5pound, & so separation hath bin his coniunction. I tell you\nagaine, that the spirit wil not dwel with the body, nor be in it, nor\nby any meanes abide with it vntill the body be made subtil & thin as\nthe spirit is. But when it is attenuate and subtill, and hath cast\noff his thicknes, & put on thinnes, hath forsaken his grosnesse &\ncorpority, & is become spirituall, then shall he be mingled with the\nsubtill spirits, & imbibed in them, so that both shall become one and\nthe same, & they shall not be seuered, like as water put to water\ncannot be diuided. Suppose that of two like quantities, that are in\nsolution and congelation, the larger is the soule, the lesser is the\nbody: adde afterward to the quantitie which is the soule, that qu\u00e3tity\nwhich is in the body, & it shall participate with the first quantity\nin vertue only: then worke them as we haue wrought them, and so thou\nshalt obtaine thy desire, and _Euclide_ his line shall bee verified\nvnto thee. Afterwarde take his quantity, and know his waight, and giue\nhim as much moysture as he will drink, the weight of which moysture\nwe haue not here determined. Then againe worke them with an operation\nvnlike the former, first imbibing and subliming it, and this operation\nis that which they call Albification, and they name it _Yarit_, that\nis, Siluer, and and white Leade. And when thou hast made this compounde\nwhite, adde to him so much of the Spirit, as maketh halfe of the whole,\nand set it to working, till it waxe redde, and then it shall be of the\ncolour Alsulfir, which is verie red, and the Philosophers haue likened\nit to golde, the effect hereof, leadeth thee to that which _Aristotle_\nsaide to his Disciple _Arda_: wee call the claye when it is white,\n_Yarit_, that is Siluer: and when it is red, wee name it _Temeynch_,\nthat is Golde. Whitenesse is that which tincteth Copper, and maketh it\n_Yarit_, and that is rednesse, which tincteth _Yarit_, that is siluer,\n& maketh it _Temeynch_, that is Gold. He therefore that is able to\ndissolue these bodies, to subtiliate th\u1ebd, to make them white and red,\nand (as I haue said) to compound them by imbibing, and conuert them to\nthe same, shall without all doubt attaine the masterie, and performe\nthe worke whereof I haue spoken vnto thee.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. II.\n\n _Of the things and instruments necessarie and fit for this worke._\n\n\nIt behoueth thee to knowe the vessels in this masterie, to wit\n_Aludela_, which the Philosophers haue called Church-yards, or\nCribbles: because in them the parts are diuided, and cleansed, and in\nthem is the matter of the masterie made compleat, perfect, and depured.\nAnd euery one of these must haue a Furnace fit for it, and let either\nof them haue a similitude and figure agreeable to the worke. _Mezleme_,\nand many other Philosophers, haue named all these things in their\nbookes, teaching the maner and forme thereof. And thou must know, that\nherein the Philosophers agree togither in their wrytings, concealing\nit by signes, and making many books thereof, & instruments which are\nnecessarie in these foure foresaid things. As for the instruments, they\nare two in number. One is a _Cucurbit_, with his _Alembick_: the other\nis _Aludel_, that is well made. There are also foure things necessarie\nto these: that is to say, _Bodies_, _Soules_, _Spirites_, and _Waters_:\nof these foure dooth the masterie, and minerall worke consist. These\nare made plaine in the Philosophers Bookes, I haue therefore omitted\nthem in mine, and onely touched those things, which they passed\nouer with silence: which he shall easily discerne, that is but of\nindifferent iudgement. And this booke I haue not made for the ignorant\nand vnlearned, but for the wise and prudent.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. III.\n\n _Of the nature of things appertaining to this worke._\n\n\nKnow thou that the Philosophers haue giuen them diuerse names: for\nsome haue called them Mynes, some Animal, some Herball, and some by\nthe name of Natures, that is Natural: some other haue called them by\ncertaine other names at their pleasures, as seemed good vnto them. Thou\nmust also know, that their Medicines are neere to Natures, according\nas the Philosophers haue said in their bookes, that Nature commeth\nnigh to nature, and Nature is like to nature, and Nature is ioyned\nto nature, and Nature is drowned in nature, and Nature maketh nature\nwhite, & Nature doth make nature red, and generation is retained with\ngeneration, & generation conquereth with generation.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. IIII.\n\n _Of Decoction, and the effect thereof._\n\n\nKnow thou that the Philosophers haue named Decoction in their Bookes,\nsaying, that they make Decoction in thinges: and that is it that\nengendreth them, and changeth them from their substances and colours,\ninto other subst\u00e3ces and colours. If thou transgresse not, I tell\nthee in this booke, thou shalt proceed rightly. Consider brother,\nthe seed of the earth, wheron men liue, how the heate of the Sunne\nworketh in it, till it be ripe, when men and other creatures feede\nvpon it, and that afterwarde Nature worketh on it by her heate within\nman, conuerting it into his flesh and blood. For like hereto is our\noperation of the masterie: the seed whereof (as the learned haue sayde)\nis such, that his perfection and proceeding consisteth in the fire,\nwhich is the cause of his life and death, without somwhat comming\nbetweene, and his spiritualtie, which are not mingled but with the\nfire. Thus haue I tolde thee the truth, as I haue seene and done it.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. V.\n\n _Of Subtiliation, Solution, Coagulation, and commistion of the Stone,\n and of their cause and end._\n\n\nKnow, that except thou subtiliate the bodie till all become water, it\nwill not rust and putrifie, and then it cannot congeale the flitting\nsoules, when the fire toucheth them: for the fire is that which\ncongealeth them by the ayd therof vnto them. And in like maner haue\nthe Philosophers commanded to dissolue the bodies, to the end y^t heat\nmight enter into their bowels. Again we returne to dissolue those\nbodies, & congeale them after their solution, with that thing which\nc\u00f5meth nigh to it, vntil we ioyne all those things which haue beene\nmingled togither, by an apt and fit commixtion, which is a temperate\nquantitie. Whereupon we ioyne fire and water, earth and ayre togither:\nwhen the thick hath bin mingled with the thin, & the thinner with the\nthick, the one abydeth with the other, and their natures are changed\nand made like, wheras before they were simple, because that part which\nis generatiue, bestoweth his vertue vpon the subtill, and that is the\nayre: for it cleaueth vnto his like, and is a part of the generation\nfrom whence it receyueth power to moue and ascend vpward. Cold hath\npower ouer the thick, because it hath lost his heate, and the water\nis gone out of it, and the thing appeared vp\u00f5 it. And the moisture\ndeparted by ascending, & the subtil part of y^e aire, and mingled it\nselfe with it, for it is like vnto it, and of the same nature. And\nwhen the thicke bodie hath lost his heat and moysture, and that cold\nand drinesse hath power ouer him, and that their parts haue mingled\nthemselues, and be diuided, and that there is no moysture to ioyne the\npartes diuided, the parts withdraw themselues. And afterwards the part\nwhich is contrary to colde, by reason that it hath continued, & sent\nhis heat and decoction, to the parts of y^e earth, hauing power ouer\nthem, and exercising such dominion ouer the cold, that where before\nit was in the thicke body, it now lurketh and lieth hid, his part of\ngeneration is changed, becomming subtil and hot; and striuing to dry vp\nby his heat. But afterward the subtill part (that causeth natures to\nascende) when it hath lost his accidentall heat, & waxeth cold, then\nthe natures are changed, and become thicke, and descend to the center,\nwhere y^e earthly natures are ioyned togither, which were subtiliate\nand conuerted in their generation, and imbibed in them: and so the\nmoysture coupleth togither the parts diuided: but the earth endeuoureth\nto drie vp that moysture, c\u00f5passing it about, and hindring it from\ngoing out: by means wherof, that which before lay hid, doth now appear:\nneither can the moysture be separated, but is retained by the drinesse.\nAnd in like maner we see, that whosoeuer is in the worlde, is retained\nby or with his contrarie, as heate with colde, and drinesse with\nmoysture. Thus when each of them hath besieged his Companion, the thin\nis mingled with the thicke, and those things are made one substance:\nto wit, their soule hote and moyst, and their body colde and drie:\nthen it laboureth to dissolue and subtiliate by his heate and moysture,\nwhich is his soule, and striueth to enclose and retaine with his body\nthat is colde and drie. And in this maner, is his office changed and\naltered from one thing to another. Thus haue I tolde thee the truth,\nwhich I haue both seene & done, giuing thee in charge to conuert\nnatures from their subtilitie and substances, with heate and moysture,\ninto their substances and colours. Now if thou wouldst proceed aright\nin this mastery, to obtaine thy desire, passe not the boundes that I\nhaue set thee in this booke.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VI.\n\n _The manner how to fixe the Spirit._\n\n\nKnowe also, that when the bodie is mingled with moysture, and that\nthe heate of the fire meeteth therewith, the moysture is conuerted on\nthe body, and dissolueth it, and then the spirite cannot issue forth,\nbecause it is imbibed with the fire. The Spirits are fugitiue, so\nlong as the bodies are mingled with them, and striue to resist the\nfire & his flame: and yet these parts can hardly agree without a good\noperation and continuall labour: for the nature of the soule is to\nascend vpward, whereas the center of the soule is. And who is hee that\nis able to ioyne two or diuers things togither, where their centers are\ndiuers: vnlesse it be after the conuersion of theyr natures, and change\nof the substance and thing, from his nature, which is difficult to\nfinde out? Whosoeuer therefore can conuert the soule into the bodie,\nthe bodie into the soule, and therewith mingle the subtile spirites,\nshall be able to tinct any body.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VII.\n\n _Of the Decoction, Contrition, and washing of the stone._\n\n\nThou art moreouer to vnderstand, that Decoction, contrition, cribati\u00f5,\nmundification, and ablution, with sweet waters is very necessary to\nthis secret and mastery: so that he who will bestow any paines herein,\nmust cleanse it very well, and wash the blacknesse from it, and darknes\nthat appeareth in his operation, and subtiliate the bodie as much as\nhee can, and afterwarde mingle therwith the soules dissolued, and\nspirits cleansed, so long as he thinke good.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. VIII.\n\n_Of the quantitie of the Fire, and of the commoditie and discommoditie\n of it._\n\n\nFvrthermore, thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire,\nfor the benefit and losse of this thing, proceedeth from the benefit of\nthe fire. Wherupon _Plato_ said in his booke: _The fire yeeldeth profit\nto that which is perfect, but domage and corruption to that which is\ncorrupt_: so that when his quantitie shal be meete & conuenient, it\nshal prosper, but if it shall exceed measure in things, it shal without\nmeasure corrupt both: to wit, the perfect and corrupt: and for this\ncause it was requisite that the learned should poure their medicines\nvpon Elixir, to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire,\n& his heate. _Hermes_ also said to his father. I am afraide Father\nof the enemie in my house: to whom he made answer, Son take the dog\n_Corascene_, & the bitch of _Armenia_, put them together, and they\nshal bring a dog of the colour of heauen, and dip him once in the sea\nwater: for he shall keepe thy friend, and defend thee from thy enemie,\nand shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become, alwaies abiding with thee,\nboth in this world, and in the world to come. Now _Hermes_ meant by\nthe dog & bitch, such things as preserue bodies from the scorching\nheate of the fire. And these things are waters of Calces and Salts,\nthe composition whereof, is to be found in the Philosophers books,\nthat haue written of this mastery, among whome, some haue named them\nSea-waters, and Birdes milke, and such like.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. IX.\n\n _Of the Separation of the Elements of the Stone._\n\n\nThou must afterward bother, take this precious Stone, which the\nPhilosophers haue named, magnified, hidd\u1ebd & concealed, & put it in a\n_Cucurbit_ with his _Alembick_, & diuide his natures: that is, the\nfoure elem\u1ebdts, the Earth, the Water, the Aire, and the Fire. These are\nthe body and soule, the spirit and tincture. When thou hast diuided\nthe water from the earth, and the aire from the fire, keepe both of\nthem by themselues, and take that which descendeth to the bottom of\nthe glasse, beeing the lees, and wash it with a warme fire, til his\nblacknesse be gone, and his thicknesse departed: then make him very\nwhite, causing the superfluous moysture to flie away, for then hee\nshall bee changed and become a white calx, wherein there is no cloudie\ndarkenesse, nor vncleannesse, and contrarietie. Afterward returne back\nto the first natures, which ascended from it, and purifie th\u1ebd likewise\nfrom vncleannes, blacknesse, and contrarietie: and reiterate these\nworks vpon th\u1ebd so often, vntil they be subtiliate, purified, and made\nthin: which when thou hast done, thou shalt acknowledge that God hath\nbin gracious vnto thee. Know brother, that this work is one stone,\ninto which _Gatib_ may not enter, that is to say, any strange thing.\nThe learned work with this, and from hence proceedeth a medicine that\ngiueth perfection. There must nothing be mingled herewith, either in\npart or whole. This Stone is to be found at all times, in euerie place,\nand about euery man, the search whereof is not troublesome to him\nthat seeketh it, wheresoeuer he be. This Stone is vile, blacke, and\nstinking: It costeth nothing: it must bee taken alone: it is somewhat\nheauie, and it is called the Originall of the world, because it riseth\nvp like things that bud forth. This is his reuelation and apparence to\nhim that maketh inquirie after it.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. X.\n\n _Of the nature of the Stone, and his birth._\n\n\nTake it therefore and worke it as the Philosopher hath told you in his\nbooke, when he named it after this maner. Take the Stone, no Stone, or\nthat is not a Stone, neither is of the nature of a Stone. It is a Stone\nwhose myne is in the top of the mountaines: and here by mountaines, the\nPhilosopher vnderstandeth liuing creatures, wherupon he saide. Sonne,\ngo to the mountaines of _India_, and to his caues, & pull out thence\nprecious stones which will melt in the water when they are putte into\nit. And this water is that which is taken from other mountaines and\nhollow places. They are stones Sonne, and they are not stones, but we\ncall them so for a Similitude which they haue to stones. And thou must\nknow, that the rootes of their mynes are in the ayre, and their tops in\nthe earth, and it wil easily be heard when they are pluckt out of their\nplaces, for there will be a great noyse. Goe with them my sonne, for\nthey will quickly vanish away.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XI.\n\n _Of the commistion of the Elements that were seperated._\n\n\nBegin composition, which is the circuite of the whole worke, for there\nshall be no composition without marriage and putrefaction. _The\nMarriage_ is to mingle the thinne with the thicke, and _Putrefaction_,\nis to rost, grinde, and water, so long till all be mingled together\nand become one, so that there should bee no diuersitie in them, nor\nseparation from water mingled with water. Then shall the thicke labour\nto retaine the thinne: then shall the soule striue with the fire, and\nendeuour to beare it: then shall the Spirite labour to be drowned in\nthe bodyes, and poured foorth into them. And this must needes bee,\nbecause the bodye dissolued, when it is commixt with the Soule, it is\nlikewise commixt with euerie part therof: & other things enter into\nother things, according to theyr similitude and likenesse, and are\nchanged into one and the same thing. And for this cause the soule must\npartake with the commoditie, durablenesse, and permanencie, which the\nbody receiued in his commixtion. The like also must befall the Spirite\nin this state or permanencie of the soule and body: for when the Spirit\nshall bee commixt with the soule by laborious operation, and all his\npartes with all the partes of the other two, to wit, the soule and\nbodie, then shall the Spirite and the other two, bee conuerted into one\nindiuisible thing, according to their entire substance, whose natures\nhaue beene preserued, and their partes haue agreed and come together:\nwhereby it hath come to passe, that when this compounde hath met with\na body dissolued, and that heate hath got hold of it, and that the\nmoysture which was in it appeareth, and is molten in the dissolued\nbody, and hath passed into it, and mixt it selfe with that which was\nof the nature of moysture, it is inflamed, and the fire defendeth it\nself with it. Then when the fire would be enflamed with it, it will not\nsuffer the fire to take holde of it, that is to say: to cleaue vnto it\nwith the Spirit mingled with his water. The fire will not abide by it\nvntill it be pure. And in like manner doth the water naturally flie\nfrom the fire, wherof when the fire hath taken hold, it doth forth\nwith by little and little euaporate. And thus hath the body beene the\nmeanes to retaine the water, and the water to retaine the oyle, that it\nshould not burne nor consume away, and the oyle to retaine tincture,\nand tincture the precise cause to make the colour appear and shew forth\nthe tincture, wherein there is neither light nor life. This then is the\ntrue life and perfection of the worke and masterie which thou soughtest\nfor. Be wise therefore and vnderstande, and thou shalt find what thou\nlookest for, if it please God.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XII.\n\n _Of the solution of the Stone compounded._\n\n\nThe Philosophers moreouer haue taken great paines in dissoluing, that\nthe body and soule might the better be incorporate, for all those\nthings that are together in contrition, assation, and rigation, haue\na certaine affinitie and alliance betweene themselues, so that the\nfire may spoyle the weaker of nature, till it vtterly fade and vanish\naway, as also it again returneth vpon the stronger parts, vntil the\nbodie remaine without the Soule. But when they are thus dissolued\nand congealed, they take the parts one with another, as well great\nas small, and incorporate them well together, till they be conuerted\nand changed into one and the same thing. And when this is done, the\nfire taketh from the Soule as much as from the body, neither more\nnor lesse, and this is the cause of perfection. For this cause it is\nnecessary (teaching the composition of Elixir) to afford one chapter\nfor expounding the solution of simple bodyes and soules, because bodyes\ndoo not enter into soules, but do rather withhold and hinder them from\nsublimati\u00f5, fixation, retention, commistion, and the like operations,\nexcept mundification go before. And thou shalt know, that solution is\nafter one of these two wayes: for either it extracteth the inward parts\nof things vnto their Superficies, and this is solution (an example\nwhereof thou hast in Siluer that seemeth cold and drie, but being\ndissolued, and that his inwards appeare, it is found hot and moyst) or\nelse it is to purchase to a body an accidentall moysture, which it had\nnot before, and to adde hereunto his owne humiditie, whereby his parts\nmay be dissolued, and this likewise is called solution.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XIII.\n\n _Of the coagulation of the Stone dissolued._\n\n\nSome among the learned haue said, Congeale in a bath with a good\ncongelation as I haue tolde thee, and this is Sulphur shining in\ndarknesse, a red Hiasinth, a firy & deadly poyson, the Elixir that\nabideth vppon none, a victorious Lion, a malefactor, a sharpe sworde,\na precious Triacle, healing euery infirmitie. And _Geber_ the sonne of\n_Hayen_ sayd, that all the operations of this masterie are contained\nvnder sixe things: to put to flight, to melt, to incerate, to make as\nwhite as Marble, to dissolue and congeale. That putting to flight, is\nto driue away and remoue blacknesse, from the spirit and soule: the\nmelting is the liquefaction of the body: to incerate belongeth properly\nto the body, and is the subtiliation thereof: to whiten, is properly\nto melt speedily: to congeale, is to congeale the body with the soule\nalreadie prepared. Againe, flight appertaineth to the body and soule:\nto melt, whiten, incerate, and dissolue, belong vnto the body, and\ncongelation to the soule. Bee wise and vnderstand.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XIIII.\n\n _That there is but one Stone, and of his nature._\n\n\n_Bauzan_ a Greeke Philosopher, when it was demaunded of him, whether\na stone may be made of a thing that buddeth, made answere, yea, to\nwit, the two first stones, the stone _Alkali_, and our stone, which\nis the life and workmanship of him that knoweth it: but he that is\nignorant of it, and hath not made it, and knoweth not how it is\nengendred, supposing it to be no stone, or that conceiueth not with\nhimselfe whatsoeuer I haue spoken of it, and yet will make a tryall\nof it, prepareth himselfe for death, and casteth away his money: for\nif he cannot finde out this precious stone, another shall not arise\nin his place, neither shall natures triumph ouer him. His nature is\ngreat heate with moderation. He that now knoweth it, hath profited\nby reading this booke, but he that remaineth ignorant, hath lost his\nlabour. It hath many properties and vertues, for it cureth bodies of\ntheir accidentall diseases, and preserueth sound substances, in such\nsort, that their appeareth in them no perturbations of contraries,\nnor breach of their bond and vnion. For this is the sope of bodies,\nyea their spirit and soule, which when it is incorporate with them,\ndissolueth them without any losse. This is the life of the dead,\nand their resurrection, a medicine preseruing bodies, and purging\nsuperfluities. He that vnderstandeth, let him vnderstand, and he that\nis ignorant, let him bee ignorant stil: for it is not to be bought with\nmony, it is neither to be bought nor sold. Conceiue his vertue, value,\nand worth, and then begin to worke: wherof a learned man hath said:\nGod giueth thee not this masterie for thy sole audacity, fortitude &\nsubtilitie, without all labour, but men labor, and God giueth them good\nsuccesse. Adore th\u1ebd God the creator, that hath vouchsafed thee so great\nfauor in his blessed works.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XV.\n\n _The maner how to make the Stone white._\n\n\nNowe therefore when thou wilt enterprise this worthy worke, thou shalt\ntake the precious stone, and put it in a Cucurbite, couering it with\nan Alembicke, being well closed with the lute of wisdome, and set it\nin verie hote dung, then shalt thou distill it, putting a receiuer\nvnder it, whereinto the water may distill, and thus thou shalt leaue\nit, till all the water be distilled, and moysture dryed vp, and\nthat drynesse preuaile ouer it: then shalt thou take it out drie,\nreseruing the water that is distilled, vntill thou hast neede of it:\nthou shalt take (I say) the drie bodie that remayned in the bottome of\nthe Cucurbite, and grinde it, and put it in a vessel, in greatnesse\nanswerable to the quantitie of the medicine, and burie it in verie\nhote horse-dung as thou canst get, the Vessell beeing well shut with\nthe lute of Wisedome, and so let it rest. But when thou perceyuest the\ndung to waxe colde, thou shalt get thee other that is fresh, and very\nhot, and therein put thy Vessell. Thus shalt thou do by the space of\nfortie dayes, renuing thy dung so often as occasion shall serue, and\nthe Medicine shall dissolue of it selfe, and become a thicke white\nwater: which when thou beholdest to be so, thou shalt weigh it, & put\nthereto so much of the water which thou hast kept, as will make the\nhalfe of his weight, closing thy Vessell with the lute of Wisedome,\nand put it againe in hote horse-dung, for that is hote and moyst,\nand thou shalt not omit (as I haue sayde) to renue the dung, when it\nbeginneth to coole, till the tearme of fortie dayes be expired: for\nthe Medicine shall be congealed in the like number of dayes, as before\nit was dissolued in. Again, take it, and note the iust weight of it,\nand according to his quantitie, take of the water which thou madest\nbefore, grind the body, and subtiliate it, and poure the water vpon it,\nand set it againe in hot hors-dung, for a weeke and a halfe, that is\nto say, ten daies, then take it out, and thou shalt see that the bodie\nhath already drunk vp the water. Afterward grinde it againe, and put\nthereto the like quantitie of that water, as thou didst before: bury\nit in dung, and leaue it there for ten dayes more: take it out againe,\nand thou shalt find that the body hath already drunke vp the water.\nThen (as before) grinde it, putting thereto of the foresayd water, the\nforesayd quantitie, and bury it in the foresayd dung, and let it rest\nthere ten dayes longer, and afterward draw it out, so shalt thou do\nthe fourth time also: which being done, thou shalt drawe it forth, and\ngrinde it, and burie it in dung till it bee dissolued. Afterward, take\nit out, and reiterate it yet once more, for then the birth is perfect,\nand his worke ended. Now when this is done, and that thou hast brought\nthis thing to this honourable estate, thou shalt take two hundred and\nfiftie drams of Lead, or Steele, and melt it: which beeing molten,\nthou shalt cast thereon one dramme of _Cinnabarus_: that is, of this\nMedicine, which thou hast brought to this honourable estate, and high\ndegree, and it shall retaine the Steele or Leade, that it fly not from\nthe fire: it shall make it white, and purge it from his drosse and\nblacknesse, and conuert it into a tincture perpetually abiding. Then\ntake a dramme of these two hundred and fiftie, and proiect it vpon two\nhundred and fiftie drammes of Steele or Copper, and it shall conuert\nit into Siluer, better then that of the Myne. This is the greatest and\nlast worke that it can effect, if God will.\n\n\n\n\n CHAP. XVI.\n\n _The conuersion of the foresaid stone into red._\n\n\nAnd if thou desirest to conuert this masterie into Golde, take of this\nmedicine (which as I saide, thou hast brought to this honourable estate\nand excellencie) the waight of one dramme (and this after the manner of\nthy former example) and put it in a vessell, and bury it in hors-dung\nfor fortie dayes, and it shall be dissolued: then thou shalt giue it\nwater of the dissolued body to drink, first as much as amounteth to\nhalfe his waight, afterward vntill it bee congealed, thou shalt bury it\nin moyst hot dung, as is aboue sayd. Then thou shalt orderly proceed\nin this Chapter of Gold, as thou hast done in the former Chapter of\nSiluer: and it shall be Golde, and make Golde God willing. My Sonne\nkeepe this most secret Booke, and commit it not vnto the handes of\nignorant men, being a secret of the secretes of God: For by this meanes\nthou shalt attaine thy desire. Amen.\n\n\n _Here endeth the secrets Alchimy, written in Hebrew by_ Calid, _the\n sonne of_ Iarich.\n\n\n\n\n An excellent discourse of\n the admirable force and efficacie of Art and\n Nature, written by the famous Frier _Roger Bacon,\n Sometime fellow of Merton Colledge, and\n afterward of Brasen-nose in\n Oxford_.\n\n\nSome there are that aske whether of these twaine bee of greatest\nforce, and efficacie, Nature, or Art, whereto I make aunswere, and\nsay, that although Nature be mightie and maruailous, yet Art vsing\nNature for an instrument, is more powerfull then naturall vertue, as\nit is to bee seene in many thinges. But whatsoeuer is done without the\noperation of Nature or Art, is either no humane worke, or if it bee,\nit is fraudulently and colourablie performed: for there are some, that\nby a nimble motion and shewe of members, or through the diuersitie\nof voyces, and subtillitie of instruments, or in the darke, and by\nconsent doo propose vnto men diuerse things, to bee wondred at, that\nhaue indeede no truth at all. The worlde is euerie where full of such\nfellowes. For Iuglers cogge many things through the swiftnesse of their\nhands: and others with varietie of voyces, by certaine deuices that\nthey haue in their bellies, throats or mouthes, will frame mens voyces,\nfarre of, or neare, as it pleaseth th\u1ebd, as if a man spake at the same\ninstant: yea they will counterfeite the soundes of bruit beasts. But\nthe causes hidden in the grasse, or buried in the sides of the earth,\nproue it to bee done by a humane force, and not by a spirit, as they\nwould make men beleeue. In like maner, wheras they affirm things\nwithout life to moue verie swiftly in the twilight of the euening\nor morning, it is altogither false, and vntrue. As for concent, it\ncan faigne any thing that men desire, according as they are disposed\ntogither. In all these neither Physicall reason, nor Art, nor naturall\npower hath anye place: and for this cause it is more abhominable, sith\nit contemneth the lawes of Phylosophie, and contrarie to all reason,\ninuocateth wicked Spirites, that by theyr helpe they may haue their\ndesire. And herein are they deceyued, that they thinke the Spirits to\nbee subiect vnto them, and that they are compelled at mens pleasures,\nwhich is impossible: for humane force is farre inferiour to that of\nthe Spirites. And againe, they fowly erre, to dreame that the cursed\nspirits are called vppe, and figured, by vertue of those naturall\nmeanes which they vse. Moreouer, they notoriously offende when they goe\nabout by inuocations, deprecations, and sacrifices to appease them, and\nvse them for the benefite and commoditie of man. For this were without\nall comparison more easie to bee attayned at the handes of God, or of\ngood spirites. But yet the malignaunt spirits will not yeeld vnto vs\nin those things which are very hurtfull and daungerous, saue so farre\nforth as it pleaseth God (who ruleth and gouerneth mankinde), for\nthe sinnes of men to permit and suffer them. These wayes and meanes\ntherefore are besides the rules and precepts of Wisedome (nay rather\nthey are contrarie vnto them) and the Phylosophers did neuer make\naccount of them.\n\nNow concerning Charmes, Characters, and such like trumperies that are\nvsed in these dayes, I adiudge them to bee all false and doubtfull.\nFor some are without all shewe of reason, whereof the Philosophers\nhaue made mention in the woorkes of Nature and Art, to the ende they\nmight conceale secrets from the vnworthie, as if it were altogither\nvnknowne, that the Load-stone could attract Iron: and one desirous\nto woorke this feate before the people, shoulde make Characters, and\npronounce Charmes, that by this meanes he might bring it to passe,\nthis worke of his should be erroneous and deceitfull. After this maner\nthere are many thinges hidden in the Philosophers bookes, wherein a\nwise man must beware, that neglecting the Charmes and Characters, he\nonely attend and make tryall of the worke of Nature and Art. And then\nhe shall perceyue things liuing, and without life, to concurre and\nagree in Nature, for the conformitie and likenesse of their Natures,\nand not by vertue of the Charme or Character: whereas the simple people\nsuppose manie things to bee wrought by Magicke, which are nothing else\nbut the secretes of Art and Nature. Yea, the Magitians themselues doo\nvainelie repose such confidence, in theyr Charmes and Characters, as\nthough they should receyue power from them, that in the meane time\nthey forsake the woorke of Arte and Nature. And by this meanes both\nthese kinde of men are depryued of the benefite of Wisedome, theyr owne\nfollye so constrayning. Neuerthelesse, there are certaine deprecations\nlong since, framed and instituted by faithfull men, or rather ordained\nby God himselfe, and his Angels, that may retaine their pristine and\nancient vertue, as it is yet to bee seene in many Countreyes, where\nthey make certain prayers ouer Iron red hot, & ouer the water of y^e\nriuer, & suchlike, thereby to approue the innocent, and c\u00f5demne the\nguilty: and these things are thought to be brought to passe by the\nauthority of the prelates. For eu\u1ebd the priests themselues do vse\nExorcismes, as we may reade in the consecration of blessed water, and\nthe old law of the water of purification, wherby adultery & breach\nof wedlock was sifted out. And ther are many other such like things.\nBut as for those things that are contained in the Magicians books, we\nmust vtterly reiect them, though they bee not altogether deuoyde of\ntruth, because they be so stuffed with fables, that the truth cannot\nbe discerned from falshoold. So that we must giue no credit to such as\nsay, that _Solomon_ and other learned men made them: for these bookes\nare not receiued by the authoritie of the Church nor of wise men, but\nby Seducers, that take the bare letter and make newe books themselues,\nand fill the world with their new inuentions, as daily experience\nteacheth vs. And to the ende men might be the more throughly allured,\nthey giue glorious titles to their workes, and foolishly ascribe them\nto such and such Authors, as though they spake nothing of themselues:\nand write base matters in a loftie stile, and with y^e cloke of a text\ndo hide their own forgeries. But as for Characters, they are either\nwords vnder the forme of some letters, containing in them the matter of\na prayer, or else they are made for the seruice and worship of certaine\nStars at speciall times. Of Characters, in the first sence, we are to\niudge in the same sort, as we did of prayers: but as for these latter\nfigures and Characters, it is well knowne that they haue no vertue\nnor efficacie at all, vnlesse they be framed in their proper seas\u00f5s.\nFor which cause he that maketh them as he findeth them, in the books,\nobseruing only the figure wherein he followeth his sampler, is judged\nby al wise men to do iust nothing. But contrariwise, he that worketh\naccording to the aspect of the heauens, in due constellations is able\nnot onely to dispose of his Characters, but euen of all his works, as\nwell artificiall as natural, agreeable to the influence of the heauen.\nNeuerthelesse, for so much as it is very difficult to perceiue the\ncertainty of heauenly bodies, many are ouertaken with grosse errors,\n& few there are that can truly & profitably order any thing. And\nhence it is that the common Mathematicians iudging and working by\nMagick Starres, and by workes, as it were iudgements at choyse times,\nbecome nothing famous, although they bee right cunning, and throughly\nacquainted with the Arte, and are able to bring many things to passe.\nBut it must not bee forgotten that the skilfull Phisition and any\nother, of what profession soeuer may to good purpose vse Charmes and\nCharacters, though they bee fained after the opinion of _Constantinus_\nthe Phisition: not as though Charmes and Characters coulde worke any\nthing, but that the Medicine might bee the more willingly and readily\nreceyued, and that the minde of the patient might bee excited to\nbecome more confident, and bee filled with ioye: for the Soule thus\naffected, is able to renue many things in his owne bodie, insomuch\nthat it may recouer his former health, through the ioy and hope it\nhath conceiued. If therefore the Physition for the magnifying of his\nworke, doo administer any such thing, that his patient may not dispayre\nof his health, it is not to bee abhorred if wee will credite the sayde\n_Constantinus_. For hee in his Epistle of those things which may be\nhanged about the necke, graunteth that Charmes and Characters may thus\nbee vsed, and in this cause defendeth them: for the soule hath great\npower ouer the body through his strong and forcible operations, as\n_Auicenna_ sayth in his Bookes of the Soule, and in his eight booke of\nliuing Creatures, and in this poynt all wise men agree: and for this\ncause sicke folkes are suffered to see playes, and pleasaunt thinges\nare brought vnto them: yea, oftentimes following theyr humour, wee\ngiue them many contrary thinges, because the affection and appetite of\nthe soule ouercommeth sicknesse. [Sidenote: The quantitie is called by\nthe Logitians Passion, or passible qualitie, An example of a passible\nqualitie, is sweetnesse in hony, or coldnesse in yce: of passion when\nwe blush for shame, and waxe pale through feare.] Nowe forsomuch as the\ntruth must in no wise bee empayred, wee are diligently to consider that\neuery Agent (not onely substances, but likewise Accidens of the third\nkinde of Qualities) worketh a vertue, and maketh an apparance in the\noutward nature, and that there are certain sensible vertues in things.\nThis therefore may worke a vertue and kinde out of it selfe, and the\nrather because it is more excellent then other corporall things, but\ncheefely for the worthinesse of the soule. And men do not exercise only\nthrough heat, but their spirits are stirred vppe within them, as they\nlikewise are in other liuing creatures. And we see that some creatures\nare changed, and do change such things as are obedient vnto them: as\nfor example: The Basiliske slaieth a man if it doo but beholde him, the\nwolfe maketh a man hoarse, if it spie him first: and the _Hyena_ (as\n_Solinus_ reporteth in his wonders of the worlde and other Authors)\nwill not suffer a dog to barke within his shadow. Yea, _Aristotle_\nsayth in his booke of Vegetables, that the frutes of the female Palme\ntrees wax ripe by the smell of the male Palmes: and in some regions,\nMares conceiue with yong through the very sent of the horses, as\n_Solinus_ recordeth: and many such things happen through the kinds and\nvertues of creatures and plants, euen many strange & wonderfull things,\nas _Aristotle_ affirmeth in his booke of Secrets. Now if plants and\nliuing creatures cannot attaine vnto the excellencie of mans nature,\nthey shall much lesse be able to worke vertues & kinds, and sende\nfoorth colours for the alterations of bodies without them: whereupon\n_Aristotle_ saith in his booke of Sleep & Watching, that if a menstrous\nWoman beholde her selfe in a looking glasse, shee will infect it, so\nthat there will appeare a cloude of bloud. And _Solinus_ reporteth,\nthat in _Sythia_ there are women which haue a double Ball or Apple in\none eye (which caused Ouid to say, _Nos quoque pupilla duplex_) who\nwhen they are angry, slay men with the very looking on them. And we\nknow that a man of an ill complexion, hauing some contagious disease,\nas the leprosie or falling-sicknesse, or a sharpe ague, or very bad\neyes, and the like, poysoneth and infecteth others that are in his\ncompany: but contrariwise, men of a good and healthie complexion,\nespecially yong men, do comfort others, and make men ioyfull with their\npresence, which commeth to passe by reason of their delicate Spirits:\ntheyr holsom and pleasant vapours: their kindly & natural heate: I say\nit is by meanes of the spirits and vertues which proceede from them,\nas _Galen_ teacheth vs in _Techin_. And these things become hurtful,\nif the soule be corrupted with many grosse sins, beeing coupled with\na diseased body of an euill complexion: and in like case is it, if\nthere be a feruent appetite, and vehement desire to hurt and mischiefe.\nFor then the nature of the complexion and soundnesse woorketh more\nforcibly by the cogitations of the soule, and longing desires that\nit hath. For which cause the Leper that earnestly wisheth, and with\nexceeding carefulnesse intendeth to infect some body that standeth\nbefore him, doth both more speedily and dangerously infect him, then\nhe could haue done if he had not before hand thought hereof, desired\nand purposed in. For Nature (as _Auicen_ teacheth, in the foresayde\nplaces) obeyeth the thoughts, and vehement desires of the Soule: yea,\nthere should bee no operation at all in men, if the natural vertue in\nthe members did not subiect it selfe to the thoughts and desires of the\nsoule. For (as _Auicen_ teacheth in the thirde of the _Metaphysickes_)\nthe first moouer is a thought, and the next a desire conformable to\nthe thought: And last of all, the vertue of the Soule in the members,\nwhich yeeldeth obedience to the desire and thought, and that both in\neuill and good. Whereupon when these thinges are to bee seene in a man,\na good complexion, health of bodie, youth, beautie, comly proportion\nof the members, and a Soule free from sinne, an earnest thought and\nvehement desire to some worke, then whatsoeuer may be effected by the\nkinde and vertue of man, by the spirits and naturall heate, it must of\nnecessitie be more forcibly and throughly wrought by these & such like\nSpirites, Vapours, and influences, then if anie of these were wanting,\nespecially if there bee an earnest desire and forcible intention. So\nthen many straunge matters may bee brought to passe by the woordes and\nworkes of man, when all the fore-named causes doo concurre and meete\ntogether: for wordes proceede from within by the thoughts of the Soule,\nand desire, commeth by the motion of the Spirites, heate and vocall\narterie-And the generation of these thinges hath open wayes, through\nwhich is a great passage of Spirits, heate, euaporation, vertue and\nkindes, which may bee made by the Soule and heart. By reason whereof,\nthere are alterations and chaunges made in thinges spirituall (other\nthings being answerable) by words according to that naturall power\nwhich is due vnto them. For wee see that by reason of these and such\nlike arteries, gaspings and yawnings, and many resolutions of the\nSpirites, and of heate arise from the heart in the inwarde partes:\nwhich sometimes hurt vs, when they proceede from a crazie body: that\nis, of an euill complexion: and againe they greatly profite and comfort\nvs, when they come from a pure and sound bodie of a good complexion.\nIn like sort therefore, there may be some naturall operations in the\ngeneration and pronunciation of woordes, with an intent and desire of\nworking: so that not without good cause we vse to say, that a liuely\nvoice is of great efficacie, not because it hath that vertue, which the\nMagitians dreame of: or that it is able to make and alter as others\nthinke, but because it is as nature hath ordained. We must therefore\nbe verie circumspect in these things: for a man may easily tread awry,\nand many erre in both partes. Some denie that there is any operation:\nbut others exceede and flie vnto Magicke. And hence it is, that there\nare so many bookes in the worlde of charmes, and characters, praiers,\nconiurations, sacrifices, and such like, that are meere Magicke: as the\nbooke of the offices of Spirits, the book of the death of the Soule,\nthe booke of Art notorie, and infinite more of the same kinde, that\ncontaine not in them the power of Art or Nature, but are wholy stuffed\nwith the idle deuises of vaine magitians. Yet it must be remembred,\nthat many bookes are ascribed to Magitians, which in truth are not\nsuch, but containe in them the excellencie of wisdome. Now amongst\nthese, which are suspected, and which not, euerye mans particular\nexperience shall instruct him. For if in any of them wee can meete\nwith a worke of Nature or Art, let vs make choyse of that: if not, let\nvs leaue it as suspicious, and ill beseeming a wise man. It is the\npart of a Magitian so to handle thinges needlesse and superfluous: for\n(as _Isaak_ iudgeth in his booke of Feuers) the reasonable Soule is\nnot hindered in her operations, vnlesse it be detayned by ignoraunce.\nAnd _Aristotle_ sayeth in his booke of Secretes, that in such matter\na sounde and healthy person may doo any thing that is expedient for\nmen, though not without the influence of diuine vertue: & in the third\nof the Meteors, he saith, that there is no vertue, but it c\u00f5meth\nfrom God: and about the latter end of his _Ethicks_, he affirmeth,\nthat there is no vertue, neither Moral, nor Naturall, endued with a\ncelestiall vertue, without a diuine and celestiall influence. So that\nwhen we speake of the power of particular agents, we do not exclude\nthe regiment of the vniuersal agent, and first cause. For euery first\ncause hath a greater influence in the thing caused, then the second\ncause, as it appeareth by the first proposition of causes.\n\nNow will I begin to recount vnto you strange things, performed by Arte\nand Nature, and afterwards I will shew you the causes and manners of\nthings, wherein shall bee nothing Magicall, so that you shall confesse\nall Magicke power to be inferior to these, and vnworthie to be compared\nwith them. And first of all by the figuration of Art it selfe: There\nmay bee made instruments of Nauigation without men to rowe in them:\nas huge Shippes to brooke the Sea, onely with one man to steere them,\nwhich shal saile farre more swiftly then if they were full of men.\nAnd Chariots that shall mooue with an vnspeakeable force, without\nany liuing creature to stirre them: such as the crooked Chariots are\nsupposed to haue beene, wherein in olde time they vsed to fight, yea\ninstruments to flie withall, so that one sitting in the middle of the\nInstrument, and turning about an Engine, by which the winges being\nartificially composed may beate the ayre after the maner of a flying\nbird. Besides, there may bee made a small Instrument in quantitie, to\nlift vppe, and let downe things of great waight, then which there is\nnothing more commodious to weigh with. For by an Instrument of three\nfingers high, and three fingers broad and lesse quantitie, may a man\nridde himselfe, and his companions from all daunger of imprisonment,\nand lift them vp, and let them downe. Yea such an Instrument may easily\nbe made, whereby a man may violently draw vnto him a thousand men, will\nthey, nill they, and any other thing.\n\nMoreouer instruments may be made wherewith men may walke in the bottome\nof the Sea or Riuers without bodily danger, which _Alexander_ the\ngreat vsed, to the ende he might beholde the secrets of the seas, as\nthe Ethick Philosopher reporteth: and these haue bin made not onely in\ntimes past, but euen in our dayes. And it is certaine that there is an\ninstrument to flie with, which I neuer sawe, nor know any m\u00e3 that hath\nseene it, but I full wel know by name the learned man that inuented\nthe same. In a worde, a man may make an infinite sort of such things:\nas bridges ouer Riuers without postes or pillers, and instruments and\nengins neuer heard of before.\n\nBut physicall figurations are far more strange: for in such maner may\nwe frame perspects and looking-glasses, y^t one thing shall appeare to\nbe many, as one man shall seeme a whole armie, and diuers Sunnes and\nMoones, yea, as many as wee please, shall appeare at one time: for in\nsuch wise sometimes are the vapours figured, that two or three Sunnes,\nand two Moones appeare together in the ayre, as _Plynie_ witnesseth\nin the second booke of his naturall History. For by the same reason\nthat one thing may seeme to be many things, it may likewise seeme to\nbe infinite things because that when once it hath exceeded his vertue,\nthere is no sette number to be assigned: for thus _Aristotle_ reasoneth\nin the Chapter _De vacuo_. So that by this meanes a man may strike\ninfinite terrors into any citie or army, insomuch that either through\nthe manifolde apparitions of stars, or of men gathered together against\nthem, they should vtterly perish, but in especiall, if there follow\nsuch an instrument wherwith at the first they may be had. For so may\nthe perspects be framed, that things most farre off may seeme most\nnigh vnto vs, and cleane contrarie. So that we may reade verie small\nletters, an incredible distance from vs, and beholde things how little\nsoeuer they bee, and make starres to appeare wheresoeuer wee will. And\nit is thought that _Iulius C\u00e6sar_ did from the Sea coastes in _Fraunce_\nmarke and obserue the disposition and situation of the Castles and\nCitties of the lesser Brytannie by the helpe of great glasses. Bodyes\nalso may so bee framed, that the greatest things shall appeare to be\nthe least, the highest to bee the lowest, the most secret to bee the\nmost manifest, and in like sort the contrarie. Thus did _Socrates_\nperceiue that the Dragon (which destroied the Citie and countrey\nadioyning with his noysome breath, and contagious influence) did lurke\nin the dens betweene the mountains. And thus may all things that are\ndone in cities or armies be discouered by y^e enemies. Again, in such\nwise may bodies be framed, that venimous and infectious influences\nmay be brought whither a man will. And thus it is reported, that\n_Aristotle_ instructed _Alexander_: through which instruction, the\npoyson of a Basiliske beeing lift vp vpon the wall of a citie against\nan armie, brought it into the Citie. And besides all these, we may so\nframe perspects, that any man entring into a house, hee shoulde indeede\nsee golde, and siluer, and precious stones, and what else he will, but\nwhen he maketh haste to the place, hee shall finde iust nothing. But it\nappertaineth to higher powers of figurations, that beames should bee\nbrought and assembled by diuers flexions and reflexions in any distance\nthat wee will, to burne whatsoeuer is opposite vnto it, as it is\nwitnessed by those perspects that burne before and behinde, according\nas certaine authours teach in their bookes treating of these matters.\nBut the greatest and cheefest of all figurations and things figured, is\nto describe the heauenly bodies according to their length and breadth\nin a corporall figure, wherin they may corporally moue with a daily\nmotion. These things are worth a kingdome to a wise and discreet man.\nLet these things suffice for examples of figurations, though many other\nwonderfull things might be produced. Now hereunto there are certaine\nother, to be annexed without figurations. In any distance that wee\nwill, wee may artificially make a burning fire of Salt Peeter and other\nthings, as also of oyle, red Petrolium, and such like: and moreouer\nof Amber, of Naptha, white Petrolium, and the like: according to that\nwhich _Pliny_ reporteth in his second booke, namely that in a certaine\nCitie hee defended himselfe against the Romane armie: for hee burnt an\narmed souldior with diuers things which he cast at him. The Greeke fire\nis not much vnlike these, and many other burning things.\n\nBesides, there may be made perpetuall lights, and bathes burning\nwithout end, for we haue knowne many that are not burned, but purified.\nBut ouer and besides these, there are other things of Nature that will\namaze and astonish vs to heare of them: for noyses may bee made in the\naire like thunders, yea with greater horror then those that come by\nNature: for a little matter fitted to the quantitie of a thumbe, maketh\na horrible noyse, and wonderfull lightning. And this is done after\nsundry fashions, whereby any citie and armie may be destroyed, after\nthe manner of skilfull _Gedeon_, who hauing onely three hundredth\nmen, discomfited the hosts of the Madianites, with broken pitchers,\nand lamps, & fire issuing out with an vnspeakeable noyse. These are\nmaruailous things, if men knewe how to vse them effctually in a due\nquantitie and matter.\n\nBut nowe I will propose many strange things of another kind, which\nalthough they haue no great profite, yet are they a most apparent\ndemonstration of wisedome, and may be vsed for the prouing of any\nsecret things, which the rude multitude gainsay, being like to the\nattraction of Iron by the Adamant. For who would beleeue such an\nattraction, vnlesse he behelde it? and there be many wonders of nature\nin this drawing of the Iron, that are vnknowne to the common people,\nas experience teacheth the studious. But these things are greater and\nmore in number: for there is the like attraction of all mettals by\nthe Stone of golde and siluer: and the Stone runneth to Vineger. Yea\nplants, and the parts of liuing creaturs beeing locally diuided the one\nfrom the other, will notwithstanding by a naturall motion concurre and\ncome together again. Now when I had beheld these and such like things,\nand considered them well, I thought nothing incredible, neyther in\ndiuine nor humane things. Yet there are greater behinde then these.\nFor the whole power of the Mathematickes (according to the practise of\n_Ptolemy_, in the .8. _de Almagesto_) setteth but an instrument vppon\nthe superficies, wherein all things that are in the heauen shall be\ntruely described with theyr lengths and breadths: but that they should\nnaturally mooue with a daily motion, is not in the Mathematicians\npower. Yet doth the faithfull and industrious practisioner, earnestly\ndesire to make it of such a matter and after such a manner. That\nthe heauens should be naturally moued with a daily motion, seemeth\nimpossible vnto him, because many things are carryed with the motion\nof the heauenly bodyes, as Comets, and the sea when it floweth, and\nother things: eyther wholy or in parte: for then should all instruments\nof Astrology be in vaine, as well those which haue beene inuented by\nthe learned, as those that haue beene deuised by the common sort,\nneyther shoulde a Kings treasure bee skant comparable. Moreouer, there\nmay yet greater things bee performed, though not in respect of their\nstraungenesse, yet if wee regarde a publike or priuate commoditie,\nnamely, to gette as great plenty of golde and siluer as we list, not\nby a possibilitie of Nature, but by the perfection of Art, forasmuch\nas there are seuenteene manners of golde, whereof eight in number haue\na commixtion of Argent-uiue with gold. Now the first kinde of golde is\nmade of certaine parts of golde, and some partes of siluer, vntill wee\nreach vnto the two and twentieth degree of Gold, alwayes augmenting one\ndegree of gold with one of siluer: and there are as many more of the\nadmixtion of Brasse with Golde. So that the last manner consisteth of\nfoure and twentie degrees of pure golde, without the admixtion of any\nother mettall: and nature cannot proceede any further, as experience\nteacheth. But Art may augment gold very much in the parts of purity,\nand likewise accomplish it without fraude or couine. But this is a\ngreater matter then the former, that although the reasonable soule\ncannot bee constrained, yet may she be effectually disposed, indued,\nand prouoked, freely to change her maners, affections and desires,\naccording to another mans pleasures: and this may be effected, not\nin one particular person alone, but in the whole body of a Citie, or\npeople of a Kingdome. And such a matter _Aristotle_ teacheth in his\nbooke of Secrets, as well of a nation, as of an army or priuate person.\nThese things are almost as much as nature or Art are able to performe.\nBut yet the last decree, wherein the perfection of Art can doo oughts\nwith all the power of nature, is the prolonging of life for a great\nspace, and the possibilitie hereof is approued by many experim\u1ebdts.\nFor _Plynie_ reporteth, that there was a Souldiour lustie and strong\nboth in body & mind, that continued healthy beyond the accustomed age\nof man, who when _Octauianus Augustus_ asked him what he did that\nmade him liue so long, made aunswere in a riddle, that he vsed oyle\noutwardly, and sweet wine inwardly. But afterwards there fell out many\nsuch things: for on a time, as a husband man was plowing, he chanced\nto finde a golden vessell with a precious licour, which he surmising\nto be the dew of heauen, washt his face with it, and dranke thereof,\nand was incontinently renewed in Spirite, in body, and in quicknesse of\nwitte: for which cause, of a plow-man hee was made porter to the King\nof _Sicily_: & this hapned in the time of king _Ostus_. Besides, it\nis confirmed by the testimony of the Popes letters, that _Almanichus_\nbeeing Captaine among the Saracens took a medicine, by the benifit\nwherof, he prolonged his life fiue hundred yeares. For the king to whom\nhee was prisoner, receiued Ambassadors from king _Magus_ with this\nmedicine, but forasmuch as he suspected it to be poyson, he would\nneedes make a tryall of it in this Captiue. In like manner, the Queene\nof _Tormery_ in great Britany, seeking after a white Hart, lighted\nvppon an Oyntment, wherewith the Keeper of the forrest had noynted his\nwhole bodie, the soles of his feete onely excepted: he liued three\nhundreth yeares without corruption, saue that hee was troubled with\nthe goute in his feete. And wee haue obserued many Countrey-men in our\ndayes, who, without the counsell and aduise of Phisitions, haue liued\na hundred and threescore yeares, or there abouts. And these things are\napprooued by the works of bruit beasts, as namely in the Hart, the\nEgle, the Serpent, and many other, that by the vertue of hearbes and\nstones renewe theyr youth. For which cause wise men haue addiected\nthemselues to search out such a secret, prouoked thereunto by the\nexample of brute Beastes, deeming it to bee possible for man to obtaine\nthat which is not denied to vnreasonable creatures. And hence is it,\nthat _Artephius_ in his Booke, intituled the Wisedome of _Secretes_,\ndiligently obseruing the force and power of liuing creatures and\nstones, and such like things, to the end that he might be acquainted\nwith Natures Secrets, but especially to attaine the knowledge howe to\nlengthen the life, boasteth of himselfe that he liued a thousande and\nfiue and twentie yeares.\n\nAnd the possibilitie of the prolongation of life, is hereby confirmed,\nbecause the soule is naturally immortall, and able not to die: for\neuen after it had bin polluted with sinne, it was able to liue about\na thousande yeares, and afterwardes by little and little the length\nof life was abbreuiated and waxed shorter. Now this abbreueation must\nneedes bee accidentall, & therefore it may either in the whole or in\nparte bee prolonged. And if we will seeke out the accidentall cause\nof this corruption, we shall finde that it proceedeth not from the\nheauen, nor anie thing else, but for lacke of a due regiment of health.\nFor in this age of ours, the fathers are corrupted, and therefore\nbegette Sonnes of a corrupt complexion and composition, and theyr\nSonnes for the same cause doo corrupt themselues, and this corruption\ndescendeth from the fathers into the Sons, so long, till at the last,\nthe shortnes of life doth continually preuaile, as it appeareth this\nday. Neuerthelesse, it cannot hence be necessarily inferred, that life\nshall alwayes bee shortned, because there is a time appoynted for\nhumane things, and for the most, what men liue seuentie yeares, and the\nrest of theyr dayes are altogether labour and sorrow. But there may\na remedie bee founde out for the particular corruption of euery man,\nthat is to say, if euerie one for his parte from his youth vpwarde,\nwill exercise a perfect gouernment of health, which consisteth in\nmeate and drinke, in sleepe and watchfulnesse, in motion and rest, in\neuacuation and constriction, in the ayre and in the disposition of the\nminde: for if anie man would obserue this manner of gouernment from\nhis natiuitie, he should liue as long as his nature (which he receiued\nof his parents) would permit him, and be brought to the farthest end\nof that nature falne from originall iustice: but this he can no way\npasse: for this regiment affoordeth no remedie against the auncient\ncorruption of parents. Yet it is impossible that a man should with\nsuch moderation carrie himselfe in all these thinges, as the rule\nof health requireth: and therefore it is of necessitie that the\nabbreuiation and shortning of our dayes should spring from this head\nalso, and not onely from the corruption of our parents. But the science\nof Physicke doth sufficiently prescribe and determine this maner of\nregiment: though neither rich nor poore, learned nor vnlearned, no not\neuen the Physitions themselues (howe absolute so euer they bee) are\nable indifferently to obserue these things in themselues, nor in other\nmen. Notwithstanding, Nature fayleth not in things necessarie, nor\nArt beeing perfect and compact, yea rather it is able to breake out\nagainst accidentall passions, and either wholy or in part to abolish\nthem. And in the beginning when the age of men first began to decline,\na remedie might easily haue beene found out: but after sixe thousand\nyeeres and more, it is a difficult matter to prescribe a remedie.\nNeuerthelesse, wise men mooued with the foresaid considerations, haue\nendeuoured to finde out wayes, not onelye agaynst the defect of euery\nparticular mans regiment, but also agaynst the corruption of Parents:\nnot that men should be able to reach vnto the life of _Adam_, or\n_Artephius_, by reason of the corruption which daily encreaseth, but\nthat they might prolong their liues for a hundred yeares or somewhat\nmore, beyonde the common age of men now liuing, so that the diseases\nvsually accompanying olde age, might bee kept backe for a time, and\nthough not vtterly prohibited and taken quite away, yet they might be\nmittigated and diminished, that the life might be profitably prolonged\nbeyonde the expectation of men, but alwayes within the vtmost bounds\nand limits. For there is one tearme of Nature appoynted to the first\nmen after sinne entered into the worlde, and another alotted to euerye\nman by the proper corruption of his parents. These two wee cannot\npasse: for though wee may passe the latter, yet are wee not able to\narriue vnto the former: I am of opinion that a wise man may in this\nage attaine thereto, the possibilitie and aptnesse of humane nature,\nbeeing the same nowe that it was in the first men: and no maruaile,\nseeing that this aptnesse extendeth it selfe to immortalitie, as it\nwas before sinne, and shall bee after the resurrection. But if you\nsay, that neither _Aristotle_, _Plato_, _Hippocrates_, nor _Galen_,\nattained hereto. I aunswere, that they were ignoraunt euen of manye\nmeane vertues, which afterwarde were familiar to those that were\nstudious. These therefore might easily bee hidden from them, though\nthey laboured to finde them out: but they busied themselues too much\nin other matters, and waxed olde in a trice, spending their life in\nbase and vulgar things, and yet they were acquainted with many secrets.\nFor we knowe that _Aristotle_ sayth in the _Predicaments_, that the\nquadrature of a Circle may bee knowne, although it bee not yet knowne.\nWhereby hee confesseth, that both himselfe, and all men till his time\nwere ignorant of it. But now a dayes wee see that the truth is knowne,\nso that _Aristotle_ might well be ignoraunt of the greatest of Natures\nSecrets. And againe, wise men are at this present ignorant of many\nthings, which the common sort of Students shall knowe hereafter. So\nthen this obiection is altogether vaine and foolish.\n\nThus hauing produced certaine examples declaring the power of Art and\nNature, to the end that out of those few we might collect many, out of\nthe parts gather the whole, out of particulars, inferre vniuersals,\nwee see howe farre forth it is altogether needlesse for vs to gape\nafter Magicke, when as Nature and Art are sufficient. Nowe I minde\nto prosecute euery one of the foresayd things in order, and deliuer\ntheir causes, and the wayes howe to worke them particularly. And\nfirst of all, I consider that the secrets of Nature contayned in\nthe skins of Goates and sheep, are not spoken of, least euery man\nshould vnderstand them. As _Socrates_ and _Aristotle_ willeth: for\nhe affirmeth in his booke of Secrets, that he is a breaker of the\ncelestiall seale that maketh the secrets of Art and Nature common:\nadding moreouer that many euils betide him that reuealeth secretes.\nAnd in the booke intituled _Noctes Attic\u00e6_, in the comparing of wise\nmen togither, it is reputed a great folly to giue an Asse Lettice,\nwhen Thistles will serue his turne: and it is written in the booke of\n_Stones_, that hee impayreth the Maiestie of things, that diuulgeth\nmysteries. And they are no longer to bee tearmed Secrets, when the\nwhole multitude is acquainted with them, if wee regard the probable\ndiuision of multitude, which euermore gainsay the learned. For that\nwhich seemeth vnto all, is true, as also that which is so iudged of\nby the wise, and men of best account. Wherefore that which seemeth to\nmany, that is to the common people, so farre forth as it seemeth such,\nmust of necessitie bee false. I speake of the Common sort, in that\nSence, as it is heere distinguished agaynst the learned. For in the\ncommon conceytes of the minde, they agree with the learned, but in the\nproper principles and conditions of Arts and Sciences they disagree,\ntoyling themselues about meere appearances, and sophistications,\nand quirks, and quiddities, and such like trash, whereof wise men\nmake no account. In things proper therefore, and in secretes, the\ncommon people do erre, and in this respect they are opposite to the\nlearned, but in common matters they are comprehended vnder the lawe\nof all, and therein consent with the learned. And as for these commyn\nthings, they are of small value, not worthy to bee sought after for\nthemselues, but in regarde of things particular and proper. Now the\ncause of this concealement among all wise men, is, the contempt and\nneglect of the secretes of wisedome by the vulgar sort, that knoweth\nnot how to vse those things which are most excellent. And if they do\nconceiue any worthy thing, it is altogither by chance and fortune, &\nthey do exceedingly abuse that their knowledge, to the great damage and\nhurt of many men, yea, euen of whole societies: so that he is worse\nthen mad that publisheth any secret, vnlesse he conceale it from the\nmultitude, and in such wise deliuer it, that euen the studious and\nlearned shall hardly vnderstand it. This hath beene the course which\nwise men haue obserued from the beginning, who by many meanes haue\nhidden the secrets of wisedome from the common people. For some haue\nvsed Characters and verses, and diuerse others riddles and figuratiue\nspeeches, as _Aristotle_ witnesseth in his book of Secrets, where hee\nthus speaketh. O _Alexander_, I will shew thee the greatest secret in\nthe world, God grant thou maiest keepe it close, and bring to passe the\nintention of the Art of that stone which is no stone, and is in euery\nman, & in euery place, and at all seasons, and is called the end of\nall Philosophers. And an infinite number of thinges are founde in many\nbookes and sciences obscured with such darke speeches, so that no man\ncan vnderstand them without a teacher. Thirdly, some haue hidden their\nsecretes by their maners of writing, as namely by consonants only:\nso that no man can reade them, without he knowe the signification of\nthe words: and this is vsual among the Iewes, Chaldeans, Syrians, and\nArabians, yea, and the Grecians too: and therefore there is a great\nconcealing with them, but especially with the Iewes: for _Aristotle_\nsayth in the aboue named booke, that God gaue them all maner of\nwisedome, before there were any Philosophers, and all nations borrowed\nthe principles of Philosophy of them. And thus much we are plainly\ntaught by _Albumasar_ in his booke named the larger Introductory,\nand other Philosophers, and by _Iosephus_ in his eight booke of\nAntiquities. Fourthly, things are obscured by the admixtion of letters\nof diuerse kinds, & thus hath _Ethicus_ the Astronomer c\u00f5cealed his\nwisdome, writing the same with Hebrew, Greeke & Latin letters, all in\na row. Fiftly, they hide their secrets, writing them in other letters\nthen are vsed in their owne country, to wit, when they take letters\nthat are in vse in forreine nations, and feigne them according to their\nown pleasures. This is a very great impediment, vsed by _Artephius_ in\nhis booke of the Secrets of Nature. Sixtly, they make certain formes,\nnot of letters, but such as are vsed by diuiners and enchanters, which\naccording to the diuersitie of pricke and notes, haue the power of\nletters: and these likewise hath _Artephius_ vsed in his science.\n\nSeuenthly, there is yet a more cunning sleight of occultation behind\nby the helpe of Art notory: an art wherby a man may write or note any\nthing, as briefly as he will, & as swiftly as he can desire. And in\nthis sort haue the Latine authours hidden many secretes. I deemed it\nnecessary to touch these tricks of obscurity, because happily my self\nmay be constrained through the greatnesse of the secrets, which I shal\nhandle, to vse some of them, that so at the least I might helpe thee\nto my power. I giue thee therefore to vnderstand, that my purpose\nis orderly to proceed in the exposition of those things, whereof I\nmade mention before: as to dissolue the Philosophers egge, and search\nout the partes of a philosophicall man. And this shall serue for a\nbeginning to the rest. Take salt, and rub it diligently in water, and\npurifie it in other waters, after by diuerse contritions, rub it with\nSalts, and burne it with sundry assations, that it may bee made a pure\nearth, separated from the other Elements, which I esteeme worthy of\nthee for the stature of my length. Vnderstand me if thou art able: for\nit shall vndoubtedly bee composed of the Elements, and therefore it\nshall be a part of the stone, which is no stone, and is in euery man,\nwhich thou shalt finde at all tymes of the yeare in his owne place.\nThis done thou shalt take oyle after the maner of a searecloath, and\nof viscous cheese, not able to be cut at the first, wherevnto all the\nfierie vertue must bee diuided, and separated by dissolution (now it\nmust bee dissolued in a sharpe water of an indifferent sharpenesse,\nwith a light fire) and decocted vntill his fatnesse be seuered, as\nthe fat in flesh, by distillation, that no part of the oylinesse and\nblacke virtue, wherein the vrine is distilled, may get out. Afterward\nlet it bee decocted in Vineger, till it be dryed into a coale (which\nis the cause of addustion) and that his blacke vertue do appeare. But\nif it be not cured therof, let it be done againe: be watchfull and\nattentiue, for my speech is difficult. The oyle will dissolue, both\nin sharpe waters, and in common oyle, that worketh more apparauntly,\nor in a tart oyle of Almondes ouer the fire, so that the oyle may bee\nsundred, and the hidden spirite remaine, both in the partes of liuing\ncreatures, and in Sulphur, and Arsenicke. For the Stones (wherein there\nis an Oyle of a superfluous humiditie) haue certaine boundes of their\nhumours: partly because there is no strong vnion, sithens one may be\ndissolued from the other, by reason of the nature of the water, which\nis put to liquefaction in the Spirite, which is the meane betweene his\nparts and the oyle. Dissolution therefore being finished, there will\nremaine a certaine pure humiditie in the spirit, which though it bee\nthroughly mixt with the dry parts, which are mooued to and fro in it,\nyet is the fire able to resolue it, beeing called by the Philosopher a\nmelting Sulphur, and sometime Oyle, sometime an ayrie humour, sometime\na coniunctiue substaunce, which the fire dooth not separate, sometime\nCamphora, and wash it. This is the Philosophers Egge, or rather the\nende and accomplishment of the Egge. And let so much of the Oyles as\ncommeth to our hands bee reckoned among Seeny seede, which must bee\nseparated from the water, or Oyle wherein it is purged.\n\nMoreouer, the oyle is putrified as thou knowest, by braying it with\ndrying things, as with salt and vitriall, and by burning it, (though\npassion arise from the contrarie) and afterward it must bee sublimed,\nvntill his oylinesse be quite taken away, and that the water bee like\nSulphur or Arsenicke in the minerals: for it may be prepared in the\nsame maner that they are. Neuerthelesse, it were better to decoct it\nin waters of a temperate sharpenesse, vntill it bee purged or made\nwhite. And yet there is another profitable concoction in a dry or moyst\nfire, where distillation must bee renued (if you would haue your worke\ncome wel to passe) and the matter rectified: of which rectification\nthe last signes are to bee white, and cleare as Christall. And whereas\nother things grow black in the fire, this waxeth white, is purified,\nand euen shineth againe through the notable clearness & brightnes that\nis in it. Of this water and earth is Argent-uiue engendred, being not\nvnlike the Argent-uiue that is in the Mynes. Now when the matter is\nwaxed hot after this maner, it is c\u00f5gealed: but the ayrie stone (which\nis no stone) must be put into a Pyramis in a warme place, or (if you\nthink good) into the belly of a horse, or oxe, and so be changed into\na sharpe feuer. And when it hath passed fr\u00f5 this into 10. and from\nthat into 21. so that the lees of the oiles are dissolued in their\nwater, before it be separated, they do so often reiterate dissolution\n& distillation, til at length it be rectified. And here endeth this\nintention. But thou must rem\u1ebdber that wh\u1ebd thou hast made an end, thou\nart then to begin anew againe.\n\nNow will I hide another secret from thee. Prepare Argent-uiue by\nmortifying it, with the vapour of Steele for Margarites, and with the\nvapour of Lead for the stone Iber: and rubbe it with drying things,\nand atraments, and such like (as before) and boyle it: this done, let\nit be sublymed: if for vnion, 10. if for rednesse, 21. vntill the\nmoysture bee consumed in it. Neither is it possible that the humiditie\nshoulde bee separated for the vapour (as the foresayde oyle) because\nit is very strongly commixt with his drie partes, neither doth it\nset any bound, as we haue already taught in the foresaid mettals. In\nthis chapter thou maist easily bee deceiued, except thou perfectly\nvnderstand the signification of the words.\n\nNow it is high time obscurely to intreat of the third chapter, to the\nend thou maist behold the very key of the worke thou lookest for.\nThe calcined bodie is sometime put to (which is done to this end,\nthat the moysture in it might be consumed by salt, and Sal Armeniack\nand Vineger) and againe, sometime it is nourished with Argent-uiue,\nand sublimed by them, till it remaine as pouder. These then are the\nkeyes of the Art, Congelation, Resolution, Induration, Proiection,\nand this is both the end and the beginning: but as for purification,\ndistillation, separation, sublimation, calcination, and inquisition,\nthey are fellow-workers with the former, and now thou maist sit downe\nand take thine ease.\n\nSixe hundred and two yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, thou\ndidst aske me of certaine secrets. Take therfore the stone and congeale\nit with a gentle boyling, and strong contrition, but without sharpe\nthings. And in y^e end mixe it a little with sweete water: and make a\nlaxatiue medicine of seuen things, if thou think good, or of sixe, or\nof fiue: or of as many as thou wilt, but my mind is content with two:\nwhereof the better shall be in sixe, rather then any other proportion,\nor there abouts, as experience may teach you. Neuerthelesse, resolue\nthe gold by the fire, & restraine it better. But if you wil beleeue\nme, you ought to take but one thing. This is a secret of Natures\nsecrets, able to worke wonders. It being therfore mixed with two things\nor more in number, or with the Ph\u0153nix (which is a worthie creature)\nat the fire, & incorporated by a strong motion, and that hereunto\nyou putte warme liquor, foure or fiue times you shall be maister of\nyour hearts desire. But afterward the celestiall nature is weakened,\nand waxeth feeble, if thou poure warme water into it three or foure\ntimes. Thou must therefore diuide the weake from the strong in diuers\nvesselles if thou dare credite mee, and draw out that which is good.\nBesides thou shalt take the powder, and throughly presse out the water\nthat remained: for certainely it will make the partes of the powder\nspirituall: for which cause thou shalt saue this water by it selfe,\nbecause the powder dryed vppe herewith, hath the force of a medicine in\na laxatiue body. Worke therefore as thou didst before, vntill thou hast\nremooued the weake from the strong, and put the powder thereto three,\nfoure, or fiue times, or oftner, alwayes working after one and the\nselfe same manner. And if thou canst not worke with warme water, thou\nshalt offer violence. But if it bee broken by reason of the tartnesse\nand tendernesse of the medicine, together with powder thou must verie\nwarily put more Gold to, and mollifie it: but if the plentie of the\npowder cause it to breake, thou shalt giue it more of the medicine, and\nif it bee long of the strength of the water: water it with a Pestill,\nand gather together the matter so well as thou canst, and separate the\nwater by little and little, and it will returne to his former state.\nThis water thou shalt drie vp, for it hath both the powder and water\nof the medicine, which are to be incorporate as dust. Be not asleepe\nnowe, for I haue tolde thee a great and profitable secret. And if thou\ncouldest tell how to place and sette in order the partes of a burnt\nshrub, or of a willow, and many such like things, they would naturally\nkeepe an vnion. Beware at any hand that thou forgettest not this,\nbecause it is very profitable for many things. Thou shalt mingle the\nTrinity with the vnion beeing first molted, and they will rise vp as I\nsuppose like vnto the stone Iberus: doubtlesse it is mortified by the\nvapour of the lead, which lead thou shalt finde if thou presse it out\nof the dead body, and this dead body thou shalt burie in a stillitory.\nHold fast this secret, for it is nought worth. And in like manner shalt\nthou deale with the vapour of a Margarite or the stone Tagus, burying\nthe dead as before thou art commanded.\n\nAnd now forsooth the yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, I make\nanswere to your demaund after this maner. You must haue a medicine\ny^e wil dissolue in a thing that is melted, and be annointed in it,\nand enter into his second degree, and be incorporate with it, not\nproouing a fugitiue seruant, and change it, and be mixt with the roote\nof the Spirit, and bee fixed by the calx of the mettall. Now it is\nthought that fixation prepareth, when the body & spirit are layd in\ntheir place, and sublimed, which must be so often reiterated, til the\nbody be made a spirit, and the spirit become a body. Take therefore\nof the bones of _Adam_, and of calx the same weight, there must be\nsixe for the rocky stone, & fiue for the stone of vnions, & these you\nmust worke togither with Aqua vit\u00e6 (whose property is to dissolue all\nother things) that it may bee dissolued and boyled in it. And this a\nsigne of Inceration, if the medicine will melt, when it is poured on\nan Iron redde hot. This done, poure water into it in a moyst place,\nor else hang it in the vapour of very hote and liquid Waters, and\ncongeale it in the Sunne: then thou shalt take Salt-peter, & conuert\nArgent-uiue into lead: and againe, thou shalt wash and mundifie the\nlead therewith, that it may come nigh to Siluer, and afterward worke\nas thou didst before. Moreouer, thou shalt drinke vppe all after this\nsort. Notwithstanding, thou shalt take of Salt-peter, _Luru vo po vir\ncan vtri_, and of Sulphur, and by this meanes make it both to thunder\nand lighten. Thus shalt thou performe the worke. Nowe confider with\nthy selfe whether I speake in a riddle, or tell thee the plaine truth.\nThere be some that haue bin of another mind: for it was said vnto me,\nthat al things must be resolued to the matter, wherof you may find\n_Aristotle_, his iudgement in sundry vulgar & vnknowne places, and\ntherfore I wil hold my peace. Now when thou hast them, thou shalt\nwithall haue many simples and equals, and this thou shalt effect by\ncontrary things and diuers operations, which before I tearmed the keyes\nof the Art. And _Aristotle_ saith, that the equalitie of the powers\ndoth containe in it the action and passion of bodies. And this likewise\nis the opinion of _Auerroes_ reprouing _Galen_. It is thought that this\nis the most simple and pure medicine that may be found: It is good\nagainst the feauers and passions both of minde and bodyes, more cheape\nthen any medicine whatsoeuer.\n\n He that writ these things shall haue the key that openeth, and no man\n shutteth, and when hee hath shut, no man is able to open it againe.\n\n\n FINIS.\n\n\n _Printed at London by Thomas Creede,\n for Richard Oliue._ 1597.\n\n\n\n\n * * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber\u2019s note:\n\nObvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. All other\nspelling and punctuation remains unchanged.\n\nThe typesetting has used VV for W, with variable spacing. This has been\nreplaced with W throughout.\n\nThe sidenote in Chapter XVI of The Booke of the Secrets of Alchimie\nbegins \u201cThe quantitie is called by the Logitians Passion,\u201d it seems\nlikely from the context that this should read The quality etc.","title":"The Mirror of Alchimy","tradition":"ritual-magic","translated_text":null,"word_count":22563}