Secrets Revealed, or An Open Entrance to the Shut Palace of the King

SECRETS Reveal'd: OR, An OPEN ENTRANCE TO THE Shut-Palace of the KING: Containing, The greateſt TREASURE in CHYMISTRY, Never yet ſo plainly Diſcovered.

Compoſed By a moſt famous ENGLISH-MAN, Styling himſelf ANONYMƲS, or EYRAENEUS PHILALETHA COSMOPOLITA: Who, by Inſpiration and Reading, attained to the PHILOSOPHERS STONE at his Age of Twenty three Years, Anno Domini, 1645.

Publiſhed for the Benefit of all Engliſh-men, by W. C. Eſq a true Lover of Art and Nature.

London, Printed by W. Godbid for William Cooper in Little St. Bartholomews, near Little-Britain, 1669.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord Lucas, BARON of Shenfield in ESSEX.

My Honoured Lord,

IT is not my Acquaintance with your Lordſhips Perſon, that makes me preſume to invoke your Lordſhips Patronage of this ſmall, but worthy Treatiſe of great Learning; for I never had the honour of ten words, with or from your Lordſhip, though living formerly where your Lordſhip did frequent, and being a Neighbour in our Youthful Years; but your Lordſhips own Worth and Learning, Sobriety and Prudence, with other Accompliſhments taken notice of in Publick in your tender Years, and ſome Eminent Diſcourſes of deep Myſteries, your Lordſhip had with a moſt Learned Frenchman (my worthy Friend) at your return from Oxford, in the late Rebellious Times, related or intimated unto me to illuſtrate your Lordſhips Perfections (being about the ſame time this Author attained to the ſaid Arts) makes me not doubt but by a ſympathetick virtue, this Engliſh rare Phoenix of Learning in his Youth, will rather draw your Affections, than need any Intermediations for your Lordſhips Countenance; he being probably yet living, though perchance unknown to your Lordſhip to be the ſame, by reaſon of his abſence and Travels, which he Writes of, and his deſired obſcurity. I confeſs my Lord, I was perſwaded to Dedicate it to ſome worthy Perſon of Honour; but having had ſufficient experience of my few Friends in my long Troubles, I rather preſumed herein upon the glory of your Honour and Virtues, than any of my own Acquaintance. Now, my Lord, I muſt crave your pardon that ſo obſcure a perſon as my ſelf, ſhould offer ſo worthy a Preſent to your Honour, but therefore I have uſed the beſt lawful Policy, though a little unmannerly, to conceal my ſelf, but only to remain,

My Lord,

Your Lordſhips moſt Devoted, and Humble Servant, W.C.

THE PUBLISHERS EPISTLE TO THE ENGLISH READER.

Reader,

HAving injoyed the benefit of this moſt excellent and rarely Learned Anonymon in an Engliſh Manuſcript, many years before the Publication in Latin by the worthy and learned John Langius, probably written from the Authors Copy, or very little corrupted, wherein this Author was pleaſed to reveal himſelf to be born an Engliſhman, naming himſelf Eyreneus Philaletha Coſmopolita, and to have accompliſhed this miraculous Treaſure at his Age of Twenty three Years, 1645. And conſidering alſo, with worthy Langius, the Authors good intention to promote the welfare of all men, I could not neglect my duty longer to make his own Countrymen happy thereby, many of whoſe Capacities reach not unto the Latin Tongue, whoſe neceſſities and good intentions nevertheleſs may be fitted to receive the ſaid good things, and the miſery of the Times requiring the ſame, if it ſhall pleaſe God to give his Bleſſing in this our Engliſh ſhell of Learning: I muſt teſtifie with Langius, that I have hardly ever read any Author more full and clear in all Operations of this Art: And (which is more to be admired and honoured) in regard he appears to be ſo candid and free from Envy at thoſe Years, being (as I may ſay) but a Child, but a true Child of Art as well as of Nature; nay, I may be conſident a true Child of God, who alſo after Chriſts Example (our great Maſter and Doctor) may be placed amongſt the graveſt Learned Doctors: Artefius thought it a great Argument of his extreme old Age, after a thouſand years to become free from envy; but this Author hath accompliſhed the ſame, by Grace, in a few years; which demonſtrates him to have his grey hairs in his wiſdom. I ſhall ſay little more of him, and indeed little needs be ſaid, but what you may find in effect by reading this Divine Author, or is taken up and ſaid already by that worthy Langius, whoſe Learned Epiſtle and Dedication I have Tranſlated, and her unto adjoyned, that this Work might be the more complete, wherein thou mayeſt, with more eaſe than Jaſon, purchaſe the Golden Fleece, and find An Open Entrance to the Shut-Palace of the King, with an Alchaheſtical Salt or Key, uſeful in Chymiſtry: But let me adviſe thee of one thing; when thou comeſt to the poſſeſſion of the ſame, that thou glut not thy ſelf with the pleaſures of this World, and forget God or thy Neighbour, leſt with Midas thou turn thy covetous Eyes into longer or larger Ears, and ſo by enjoying, or rather miſemploying, the preſent things, loſe thy future happineſs of and in the Kingdom of Heaven: Which advice as it is the very Command of God, ſo it comes from

Thy Well-wiſhing FRIEND, and true Lover of Art and Nature, and of the whole Creation of God, W. C.

The Epiſtle Dedicatory of John Langius, Publiſher of this Author in Latin.

To the moſt Prudent and moſt Excellent Man, the Lord GABRIEL VOGTIUS, Heir of Elberſdorfe, &c. Privy Counſellor of the moſt Serene and Powerful Elector of Saxony, and Warden of his Coin and Metallick Affairs; as alſo Secretary of his Exchequer: John Langius wiſhes much Happineſs.

My Lord and ſingular Patron,

FOraſmuch as your Honour hath been pleaſed to ſuffer the Candidats of Nature to have ſome place with you, and lately have embraced me (though unworthy) with ſingular humanity; I come to Offer this exact little Work of the true Art of Chymiſtry to your Honour: I confeſs truly it is another Mans, but give me leave herein to help my own weakneſs, being guilty to my ſelf, that I could not be able to afford any worthy matter, from my own ſtore, fit for your accompliſh'd Mind; and they have need to borrow goods that are ſhort at home; yet I hope you will not deſpiſe it, ſeeing that many have offered to the gods thoſe things which are not their own, but are taken from the Sabean Harveſt; eſpecially whilſt this Excellent Book ſeems to be brought forth out of the favourable Boſom of Nature, from a cleer and good into [••]n; and therefore it could not be, nor indeed ought to be, but moſt acceptable to you, whom Nature long ſince entitled amongſt her intimate Friends. Your Houſe hath hitherto been (like Pernaſſus and Helicon) open to all the Lovers and Friends of the Muſes and of the Graces, and therefore let it be open to this of ours, which is not at all ragged, as if it crept out of the Trophonian Den to beg an Alms, but truly hath a decent Habit, an open and clear Face and tranſplendent Gown, coming towards you from the retired'ſt Cloſet of Chymiſtry to call upon your Honour, wherefore admit it benignly; for if you entertain it rightly, I doubt not but (like a grateful Gueſt) it will return you rare Gifts. I pray God you may live many many years to your own comfort and yours, Natures and our publick hopes.

THE Preface of JOHN LANGIUS TO THE READER.

Benevolent Reader,

HAving not long ſince obtained this little Book, which I here Publiſh, from a moſt excellent knowing Man of theſe Matters, it pleaſed me ſo much, that I preſently conſulted to impart it for thy profit; and this drove me to it, that this genuine Author ſeemed almoſt to be the only Poſſeſſor and Worker, in our Age, of the Phyſical Tincture, and to have Compoſed his Work to that very end, that he might be known to be an Adeptiſt when it ſhould come forth, and that the Wanderers in this Art might be reduced to the right path; and then withal the candour and perſpicuity of the Writing, as it were a continued Style of Sendivogius, whoſe footſteps this Author doth every where cloſely follow, yea ſometimes excel, but alwaies indeed doth excellently explain without making it his aim at all: Wherefore I was confident that if I ſhould divulge it, both the aforeſaid worthy intention of the Author would be ſatisfied, and a clear light kindled in the dark night of Errours to very many, who until this very day either by dolorous Labour, or preſumptuous Learning, or continual inceſſant Sighs (although alas! now and then their hopes do fail them) do hunt after the great Elixir of the Philoſophers. For although within theſe few years ſome numbers have ambitiouſly endevoured to obtain the Title of True Philoſophy, and preſumed under the vizard of a falſe name to inſtruct, or rather to diſtract and make mad all the World with phantaſtick Books; nay have drawn ſome ignorant Men, and thoſe not obſcure ones, upon the ſtage, not without the laughter of the more diſcrect and learned; yet nevertheleſs the ſharper witted, and ſuch as have converſed (as the Proverb goes) more familiarly with dead Philoſophers, preſently found out their hooks and baits; ſo that ſhortly after thoſe fruitful promiſers, who ſwel'd with ſuch great words, became forſaken of their Admirers (like the Aſs who was ſtript of the Lions skin) and being left to themſelves, have alwaies born their ſhot amongſt falſe Coiners, and paid the utmoſt farthing. But this Author, which we now dedicate to the common good, as he hath the ſtyle and thrid of the ingenious Philoſophers, and obſerves it every where, yea as he every way breaths the primordial and ancient Chymiſtry, and ſhowes himſelf abundantly by his own ſigns; ſo I hope it will come to paſs, this Sun being riſen, that the falſe Stampers will at length quite be diſpelled and vaniſh like the fog and ſmoke. Truly who, or what kind of Perſon, was Author of this ſweet Muſt-like Work, I know no more than he who is moſt ignorant; nor (ſince he himſelf would conceal his name) do I think fit to enquire ſo far to get his diſpleaſure; nevertheleſs it is clear enough he is beloved of God like another Daniel, and is a Man of moſt hearty true deſires, if he ſtill be living; and one who at that Age attained to the Medicinal, Chymical and Phyſical Arcana's of the Philoſophers, in which many others hardly attain the leaſt tittle, and that but very ſuperficially: Certainly it will be a very hard matter to find any one who like to him hath gathered this Art out of Books at ſo tender an Age; Thomas Norton profeſſeth he had the knowledge of the White Tincture at Twenty eight years of Age; and Helmontius relates how Theophraſtus Paracelſus, at the ſame Age received the Gold-making Medicine; ſo Dionyſius, Zakarias, and perchance ſome few other Young-men, are reported to have attained it: But theſe had it from other mens help and tutoring, which is not ſo much to be wondred at, when as therein their capable wit is only to be commended: But to pick out the Roſes from the moſt thorny Buſhes of Writings, and to make the true Elixir of Philoſophers by his own Induſtry, without any Tutor, and at Twenty three years of Age; this perchance hath been granted to none, or (as is ſaid) to moſt few hitherto. Who will gainſay but that in a perticular manner God hath poured down this occult Science into ſuch a wit through the open windows of Heaven; when as I believe millions that have followed the ſame ſtudy, and run that ſtage to their old Age, have ſweat at the ſame for fifty, fixty years, more or leſs, with all the toiling labours could be thought upon. Therefore let us the more reſpect this highly enlightened Author, in regard that he being (as 'twere) ſo largely overwhelmed by Almighty God with ſuch great and unuſual Bleſſings, hath not done like the Cithariſt Aſpendius, who uſed to ſing and play privately to himſelf; But what he had learned without envy, he would as benignly communicate without envy. How envy hath prevailed with many others in their ſetting forth theſe ſecret Arcana's, and how therewith they have hedged their Writings (as with a Partition-Wall) round about, needs not here to be remembred, every Chymical Searcher can teſtifie the ſame. The Offſpring of former Philoſophers held it rather to be for their commendation thus to delude their Poſterity, and they triumphed under envy with Chymerical Juglings, juſt as we read in the Euſebean Greek Writings of Scaliger, That Democrates Abderites had obſcurely written of Gold, Silver, Stones and Porphyr; the like did alſo Mary an Haebrean wiſe woman; who were taught by Oſtanes how they ſhould cover the Art with many witty Riddles, but withal not to write without envy. But our Author, being taught in a better School, hath ſequeſtred the Chymical Art from all vulgar errours; and the Sophiſms being thrown out, and the curious dreams of the Conceited hiſſed away, hath ſo candidly, clearly and perſpicuouſly deſcribed his own Matters, that you ſhall not find ſo many things more clearly ſet forth by any one, as Alethea (or the truth her ſelf) will juſtifie: Yea, if thoſe things which Mary Rant (an Engliſh woman) by inward Revelation promiſed concerning the making of Gold (that it would become vulgar or common in the year 1661.) come to paſs within an hundred years after, then I doubt not at all but it hath taken ſome beginning from this. He chuſeth to follow Sendivogius his footſteps, yet both with a better order and far more exact diſtinctions; be it ſo though, that he taught more obſcurely concerning the true ſubject of Philoſophers than Sendivogius (I ſay more obſcure to the ſight of young Beginners, who may perchance draw it more eaſily from Sendivogius) yet nevertheleſs he that ſearches more curiouſly and without preconception of his opinion, ſhall aſſuredly find a greater light from him than from Sendivogius; but in the reſt Sendivogius dares not place himſelf before him, nor any other, either of the old or of the following Ages: Oh! how far are the Rivers Merrha and Siloam from one another? How much diſparity is between theſe and other Writings, which hitherto endevoured to hinder the blindfolded World from her precipice and ruine? Yet I would it had pleaſed this moſt worth Author, to have committed to the publique Preſs his noble and poliſht writings himſelf (for I hear he hath alſo written a Dialogue concerning the watry Fire, or Liquor Alkaheſt) then I could not doubt but we ſhould have all more correct and perfect. Now, although I have been moſt diligent and careful, yet (as it often falls out in ſuch matters or caſes) becauſe I was to uſe a Manuſcript, not ſo very exact, I dare not affirm that all things ſtrictly agree with the words of the Author; for oftentimes, where the ſenſe was manifeſtly difficult, it was made plain by the alteration or change of a ſmall letter; nevertheleſs we have been ſtudiouſly wary, that whereſoever any firm ſenſe might be gathered, there we would not raſhly alter it. We hartily wiſh, and humbly pray (if the Divine Author be yet living) That either he himſelf would commit his Writings corrected and prepared according to his mind to be printed: Or if he deſign to make uſe of our ſervice, That he will pleaſe to convey to our hands the true Manuſcript (after any manner he think fit) and we ſhall eſteem, or repute it for a great Honour to have our things well corrected for our love to the Publick Good, having no other aim at all.

Kind Reader, do thou interpret all this to the beſt conſtruction, conſidering that if theſe (like ſome Patrimonial Treaſures, had travailed longer under the communication of private Copies, perhaps in a little time either many more Faults and Enormities (by blanks, or blind Letters, or wearing) had ſlipt in, or elſe the true ſenſe it ſelf had by little and little been utterly ſpoyled; which to how many Treatiſes of ſingular Note it hath hapned unto, is not needful here to enlarge. I will ſay no more, for I do not here attempt to write a Commentary: Theſe things I have touched for my own ſake only, leaſt either the Author himſelf might ſuſpect I would alſo undertake the ſame againſt his Book, which of old, the true Sun (ſo called) preſumed againſt Sendivogius: or elſe any others perchance might cenſure me (as the whole World is now full of Buſie-bodies.) However it be, in this I would do a kindneſs to the Lovers of Chymistry, and ſatisfie the deſires of many. If I ſhall ſee this hath been acceptable, perhaps more may follow: But if otherwiſe (yet I avoid to preſage) God bleſs the Benevolent Reader, and farewell.

The Authors Preface.

I Being an Adept Anonymon, and Lover of Learning, and a Philoſopher, I decreed to write this little Treatiſe of Medicinal, Chymical and Phyſical Arcana's, in the year of the Redemption of the World, 1645. but in the three and twentieth year of my Age, that I might pay my duty to the Sons of Art, and might lend my hand to bring them out of the labyrinth of Errours, wherein they are intangled, and that it might appear to the Adeptiſts that I am a brother and equal to them; and that thoſe ſeduced by the deceits of Sophiſters, might ſafely return, ſee and embrace the true Light: I do alſo further preſage, That not a few will be enlightened by theſe my Labours; they are no Fables but real Experiments, which I have ſeen, made, and do know, which an Adeptiſt will eaſily gather by theſe Lines. Wherefore as I write theſe things for the good of my neighbour, let it be enough, that I profeſs there is none that ever writ in this Art ſo clearly; and that many a time in writing I [•]aid aſide my pen, becauſe I was rather willing to have concealed the Truth under the Mask of Envy, [•]ut God compelled me to write, whom I could not reſiſt, who alone knows the heart, to whom only be Glory for ever. Hence I undoubtedly gather, many will become Bleſſed in this laſt Age of the World with this Arcanum, by reaſon I have written faithfully; nor have I willingly left any thing doubtful for a young Beginner, which is not perfectly ſatisfied. Alſo I know many who, with me, do enjoy this Arcanum, and am perſwaded there are many more whoſe new familiarity ſhortly (as I may ſay) I ſhall be daily acquainted with. Let the holy Will of God do what it pleaſeth; I confeſs my ſelf unworthy by whom ſuch things ſhould be effected; yet in theſe matters I adore the holy Will of God, to whom all created things are bound to be ſubjected; for which cauſe only he did create them, and being created, preſerves them.

READER,

THe true Manuſcript Copy, which John Langius in his Preface doth ſo much thirſt after, is here Publiſhed for thy benefit; in which thou wilt find conſiderable enlargements and explanations, wherein the Latin Tranſlation is deficient, as witneſſeth Chap. 15. &c.

SECRETS Reveal'd: OR, An OPEN ENTRANCE TO THE SHUTT PALACE of the KING.

CHAP. 1. Of the neceſſity of the Sophick ☿ for the Work of the Elixir.

WHoſoever deſires to enjoy the ſecret Golden-Fleece, let him know, That our Gold-making POWDER (which we call our Stone) is only Gold digeſted unto the higheſt degree of purity and ſubtile fixity, whereto it may be brought, by Nature and a diſcreet Artiſt; which Gold thus eſſenſificated, is called Our Gold (and no more vulgar) and is the period of the perfection of Nature and Art. I could cite all the Philoſophers that write of this Thing, but I need no witneſſes; becauſe my ſelf being an Adeptiſt, do write more clearly than any heretofore. Let any one believe me that will, and diſprove it that can, carp he that will; this is the reward it ſhall certainly receive, to be an high Ignorance. I confeſs the ſubtile Wits do fancy many whimſies, but he that is diligent ſhall find the truth in the ſimple way of Nature. Let Gold therefore be the One True ſole Principle of Gold-making; but our Gold is twofold which we require to our work, viz. Mature and Fix, the yellow Latten, whoſe Heart or Centre is a pure Fire, and therefore it defends the body in the Fire, in which it receives depuration; but nothing of it gives way to its tyranny, or ſuffers by it. This doth in our Work ſupply the place of the Male, therefore it is joyned to our white and more crude Gold as Feminine Sperme; into which it ſends forth its Sperme, and at length both do couple with an inſoluble band; ſo it becomes our Hermaphrodite, being mighty in both Sexes. Therefore corporal Gold is dead before it be conjoined with his Bride, with whom the coagulating 🜍, which in ☉ is outwards, is turned inwards; ſo the altitude is hid, and the profundity is manifeſted; ſo the Fix is, in time, made volatile, that it may afterwards poſſeſs (by way of Inheritance) a moſt noble State, in which it may obtain an excellent powerful fixity. It is evident therefore that the whole Secret conſiſts in ☿, of which, a Philoſopher ſaith, There is in ☿ whatever the Wiſeman ſeeks; concerning which Geber ſaith, Praiſed be the Moſt High, who hath created our ☿ and hath given it a nature overcoming all things. For verily if that were not, the Alchymiſt's might boaſt as they will, but their Work of Alchymy would be vain. 'Tis likewiſe evident it is not the vulgar ☿ but the Sophick; becauſe every vulgar ☿ is a Male that is corporeal, ſpecificate and dead: but ours is ſpiritual, feminine, living and vivifying. Attend therefore to thoſe things that I ſhall ſpeak of ☿, for as the Philoſopher ſaith, Our ☿ is the Salt of the Wiſemen, without which, whoſoever operates, is like an Archer that ſhoots without a Bow-ſtring, and yet it is no where to be found upon the Earth; but our ☉ is formed by us, not by creation, but by extracting him out of thoſe things in which he is; Nature co-operating in a wonderful manner, by a witty Art.

CHAP. 2. Of the Principles compoſing the ☿ Sophical.

THe Intention of ſome Operators in this Art, is this, They purge ☿ diverſly; for by the adjoyning of Salts they ſublime it, ſome do vivifie it from various Faeces, others only per ſe: and ſo by theſe repeated Operations they think to make the ☿ of the Philoſophers. They erre becauſe they do not operate in Nature, for ſhe amends things only in their own nature. Let them therefore know that our Water is compounded of many things, but yet they are but one thing, made of divers created ſubſtances of one eſſence, that is to ſay, There is requiſite in our Water; firſt of all Fire; ſecondly, the Liquor of the Vegetable Saturnia; thirdly, the bond of ☿: The Fire is of a Mineral Sulphur, and yet is not properly Mineral nor Metalline, but a middle betwixt a Mineral and a Metal, and neither of them partaking of both, a Chaos or Spirit; becauſe our Fiery Dragon (who overcomes all things) is notwithſtanding penetrated by the odour of the Vegetable Saturnia; whoſe blood concretes or grows together with the juyce of Saturnia, into one wonderful body; yet it is not a body, becauſe it is all Volatile; nor a Spirit, becauſe in the Fire it reſembles a Molten Metal. It is therefore in very deed a Chaos, which is related to all Metals as a Mother; for out of it I know how to extract all things, even ☉ and ☽ without the tranſmuting Elixir: the which thing whoſoever doth alſo ſee, may be able to teſtifie it. This Chaos is called, our Arſenick, our Air, our ☽, our Magnet, our Chalybs or Steel; but yet in divers reſpects, becauſe our Matter undergoes various ſtates before that the Kingly Diadem be brought or caſt forth out of the Menſtruum of our Harlot. Therefore learn to know, who the Companions of Cadmus are, and what that Serpent is which devoured them, what the hollow Oak is which Cadmus faſtened the Serpent through and through unto; Learn what Diana's Doves are, which do vanquiſh the Lion by aſſwaging him: I ſay the Green Lion, which is in very deed the Babylonian Dragon, killing all things with his Poyſon: Then at length learn to know the Caducean Rod of Mercury, with which he worketh Wonders, and what the Nymphs are, which he infects by Incantation, if thou deſireſt to enjoy thy wiſh.

CHAP. 3. Of the Chalybs of the Sophiſts.

THe Wife Magi have delivered many things of their Chalybs to Poſterity, nor is it a ſlight thing they have attributed thereto; and therefore the contention amongſt vulgar Alchymiſts is great, as touching what is to be underſtood by the name of Chalybs. Several men have given ſeveral interpretations of this thing. The Author of the New Light hath writ thereof candidly, but obſcurely. For my part, that I may not (out of envy) conceal any thing from the Inquirers of this Art, I will ſincerely deſcribe it. Our Chalybs is the true Key of our Work, without which the Fire of the Lamp could not be, by any Art, kindled; it is the Minera of Gold, a Spirit, very pure beyond others; it is an infernal Fire, ſecret in its kind, moſt highly volatile; the Miracle of the World, a Syſteme of the ſuperior virtues in the inferiors; and therefore the Omnipotent hath marked it with that notable Sign, whoſe Nativity is declared in the Eaſt. The Wiſemen ſaw it in the Eaſt and were amazed, preſently knew that a moſt Serene King was born into the World. Thou when thou beholdeſt his Star, follow him even to his Cradle, there ſhalt thou ſee a fair Infant by removing the defilements, honour the Kingly Child, open the Treaſury, offer the gift of Gold, ſo at length (after death) he will give thee his Fleſh and Blood, the higheſt Medicine in the three Monarchies of the Earth.

CHAP. 4. Of the Magnet of the Sophiſts.

EVen as Steel is drawn to the Loadſtone, and the Magnet doth of its own accord convert it ſelf to the Chalybs, even ſo the Magnet of the Sophi draweth their Chalybs; therefore I have taught that the Chalybs is the Minera of Gold: In like manner our Magnet is the true Minera of our Chalybs. Furthermore, I declare that our Magnet hath an occult Centre abounding with Salt, which Salt, is the Menſtruum in the Sphere of the Moon, which knows how to calcine Sol, this Centre doth convert it ſelf to the Pole with an Archetick Appetite, in which the virtue of the Chalybs is exalted into Degrees. In the Pole is the Heart of ☿, which is a true Fire (in which is the reſt and quiet of his Lord) ſailing through this great Sea, that it may arrive to both the Indies, and direct its courſe by the aſpect of the North-Sar, which our Magnet will cauſe to appear to thee. The Wiſeman will rejoyce, but the Fool will diſeſteem theſe things, nor will he learn Wiſdom, even though he behold the Central Pole turned outwards, marked with the notable Sign of the Omnipotent. They are ſo ſtiffnecked that though they ſee even Signs and Miracles, yet will they not lay aſide their Sophiſtications, nor enter into the right Path.

CHAP. 5. The Chaos of the Sophi.

LEt the Son of the Philoſophers hearken to the Sophi unanimouſly concluding, that this Work is to be likened to the Creation of the Univerſe. Therefore, In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth, and the Earth was void and empty, and Darkneſs were upon the face of the Deep; and the Spirit of the Lord was carried upon the face of the Waters, and God ſaid, Let there be Light, and there was Light. Theſe words are ſufficient for a Son of Art, for the Heaven ought to be conjoyned with the Earth upon the bed of Friendſhip and Love: ſo ſhall he honourably Reign all his Life. The Earth is an heavy body, the Matrix of Minerals, becauſe it keeps them occultly in it ſelf, although it brings to light Trees and Animals. It is the Heaven wherein the great Lights together with the Stars are rowled about, and it ſendeth down its virtues through the Air, unto inferior things; but in the Beginning all being confounded together, made a Chaos. Behold, I have holily opened to them the truth; for our Chaos is as 'twere a Mineral Earth in reſpect of its own coagulation; and yet notwithſtanding it is indeed volatile Air, whithin which the Heaven of the Philoſophers is, in its Centre; which Centre is truly Aſtral, ſhining upon the Earth with its Beams, even to the very ſuperficies. And what great one is this that is ſo wiſe, as to gather from theſe things, that a new King is born more powerful than all the reſt, a Redeemer of his Brethren from original Defilements? for 'twas expedient that he died to be exalted aloft, that he might give his Fleſh and Blood for the Life of the World. Good God! How wonderful are theſe thy Works? 'Tis thy doing and it ſeems miraculous in our eyes. Father I thank thee, that thou haſt hidden theſe things from the Wiſe, and revealed them to Babes.

CHAP. 6. The Air of the Sophiſts.

THe wide Circuit or Firmament, called, in the Holy Writ, Air, is likewiſe called our Chaos, and yet not without a great Secret; becauſe as the Firmamental Air, is the ſeparator of the Waters, even ſo is our Air. Our Work is therefore verily a Syſtem of the greater World; becauſe as the Waters under the Firmament are to be ſeen and do appear to us, who live upon the Earth, but the ſuperior Waters do flie our ſight, becauſe they are ſo far diſtant from us: even ſo is it in our Microcoſm, the Waters are the Minerals, without the Centre theſe appear; but thoſe that are incloſed within, do ſhun our ſight, and yet really and truly are. Theſe are thoſe Waters, that the Author of the New Light ſpeaks of, viz. Which are, and do not appear, untill the Artiſt pleaſeth. Therefore even as the Air diſtinguiſheth between the Waters, ſo doth our Air prohibit all manner of ingreſs of the extracentrical waters unto the waters that are in the Centre; for ſhould they but enter in and be mixed, then would they preſently cloſe together with an indiſſoluble union; therefore I ſay, that the external vapours and burning 🜍 doth ſtiffly adhere to our Chaos, whoſe tyranny it being not able to reſiſt, the pure flies away from the Fire in the form of a dry powder. If thou kneweſt how to water this dry earth with a water of its own kind, thou wilt looſen the pores of the earth, and this outward Thief with the workers of Malice will be caſt out of doors, and the water will be purged (by the addition of a true Sulphur) from Leprous Defilements, and from ſuperfluous Hydropical Moiſture, and thou ſhalt have in thy power the Fountain of Count Treviſan, whoſe waters are properly dedicated to Diana the Virgin. This Thief is evil, armed with arſenical Malignitie, whom the winged Youngſter doth abhor and flie from; and although the central water be his Bride, yet the Youngſter dares not utter his moſt ardent Love towards her, becauſe of the ſnares of the Thief, whoſe tricks are almoſt inavoidable. In this, let Diana be propitious unto thee, who knows how to tame the wild Beaſts, whoſe two Doves ſhall temperate the malignity of the Air with their feathers, then the Youth enters eaſily in, through the pores, preſently ſhaking the waters above, and ſtirrs up a rude and rubiſh Cloud; do thou bring in the water over him even to the brightneſs of the Moon, and ſo the darkneſs which was upon the face of the Abyſs, will be diſcuſſed by the Spirit which moves it ſelf in the waters: thus by the Command of God Light ſhall appear, ſeparate the Light from the Darkneſs the ſeventh time, and then this Sophick Creating of thy ☿ ſhall be complete, and the ſeventh day ſhall be to thee a Sabbath of Reſt; from which time, even to a Years Revolution, muſt you expect the Generation of the Son of the ſupernatural Sun; who will come into the World at the end of the Ages, that he may free his Brethren from al Defilements,

CHAP. 7. Of the firſt Operation of the Preparation of the Sophick Mercury, by the Flying Eagles.

BRother, You are to know, that our exact knowledge of the Eagles of the Philoſophers, is conceived and judged to be the firſt degree of perfection; for to know it, there is required a quick ingenuity. For do not believe that this Science comes to any of us by chance or a caſual imagination, as the common ignorant people do ſtupidly believe; but we have ſweated much and a long time, we have paſſed many nights without ſleep, we have undergone much labour and ſweat, that we might obtain the truth; and therefore, O ſtudious Beginner! Know of certainty, without labour and ſweat thou wilt accompliſh nothing (viz.) in the firſt Work, although in the ſecond, Nature alone performs the Work without any impoſition of hands, only uſing a moderate external Fire. Underſtand therefore (Brother) the ſayings of the Sophi, when they write, That their Eagles are to be brought to devour the Lion; the which Eagles, how much the ſparinger the number is, ſo much the greater wreſtling and a ſlow victory, but the work is moſt excellently perfected in the ſeventh or ninth number. The ☿ Sophical, namely, is the Bird of Hermes, which is ſometimes called a Gooſe, ſometimes a Pheaſant; one while this thing, another while that; but wherever the Magi ſpeak of their Eagles, they ſpeak in the plural number, and they aſſign their number from three to ten: yet they are not to be underſtood thus as if they would have ſo many weights or parts of the water to one of the earth, but you muſt interpret their ſayings to be meant of the intrinſecal weight, that is to ſay, you muſt take the water ſo oftentimes acuated or ſharpened, as they number Eagles; which acuation is made by ſublimation, and therefore every ſublimation of the ☿ of Philoſophers let be one Eagle, and the ſeventh will ſo exalt the ☿, that it will become a moſt convenient Bath for thy King. Therefore that thou mayeſt have this knot well unfolded, attend diligently. Let there be taken of our Fiery Dragon, which hides the Magical Chalybs in his own belly, four parts, of our Magnet nine parts, mix them together with a torrid Vulcan or great Fire, in the form of a Mineral water, upon which there will ſwim a ſcum, which is to be caſt away, remove the ſhell and take the kernel, purge it the third time with Fire and Salt, which will eaſily be done if Saturn ſhall have beheld himſelf in the Looking-glaſs of Mars, thence is made the Chamaeleon or our Chaos in which all Arcana's lies hid virtually, but not actually. This is the Hermaphroditical Infant, which even from his very firſt Infancy hath been infected by the biting of the Coraſcene Mad Dog, whereby he is beſotted and diſtracted by a perpetual Hydrophoby or fear of the water; yea, though the water be nearer him than any natural thing, yet he abhors it and flies it. O Fates! But yet there are in the Wood of Diana two Doves which can aſſwage his frantick Madneſs, if applyed by the Art of the Nymph ♀; then leaſt he ſhould again relapſe into a Hydrophoby, drown him in the waters, and let him periſh therein; which waters the blackiſh Mad Dog being impatient of, will aſcend (ſuffocated) to almoſt the ſuperficies of the waters, then do thou baniſh him with a ſhower and ſtripes, and drive him far away, ſo the darkneſs will diſappear. The Moon ſhining in her Full, ſupply the Feathers, and the Eagle will flie away, and leave the dead Doves of Diana; which except they ſhall be dead at the firſt receiving, they cannot be profitable. Repeat this ſeven times, then, at length, haſt thou obtained Reſt; unleſs that thou muſt make a bare Decoction, which is a moſt pleaſing Reſt: A Boys Play, and a Womans Work.

CHAP. 8. Of the labour and tediouſneſs of the firſt Preparation.

SOme ignorant Chymiſts do Dream, That the whole Work from the beginning to the end, is a meer Recreation, full of pleaſantneſs; but the Labour they ſet aſide, without the bounds of this Art. But let them ſafely enjoy their own Opinion, in a Work which they have imagined to be ſo eaſie; certainly they will reap but an empty Harveſt, from their idle Operation. For we know, that next the Divine Benediction, and a good Root or Foundation to work on, Labour, Induſtry and Diligence obtains the chiefeſt place; nor verily is it a Labour ſo eaſie, that it may be called a Play or Refreſhment of the Mind, that will give us the thing we ſo earneſtly deſire: but rather as Hermes ſaith, Neither the Life nor Labour is to be ſpared; elſe that which the Wiſeman fortold in his Parables, will not be verified, viz, That the deſire of the ſlothful will deſtroy him. Nor is it any wonder, that ſo many men, dealing with Alchymy, are reduced to poverty; for they ſhun Labour, and ſpare Coſt: But we, who have known theſe things, and wrought them, have certainly found, that no Labour is more tedious than our firſt Preparation. Therefore Morienus doth ſeriouſly exhort the King concerning this thing, ſaying, Moſt of the Wiſemen complained of the tediouſneſs of this Work; nor would I that you ſhould underſtand theſe things figuratively, for as much as I do not now conſider of the things as they appear in the beginning of the ſupernatural Work: but as we at firſt find them, to render the matter fit for Work, as ſaith the Poet, This is the Labour, and this is the Work; and again, One Labour concerns the Golden Fleece, &c. Another is the great burden to be ſuſtained about the rude weight or matter, &c. Therefore that noble Author of the Hermetick Secrets, names this firſt Labour Herculean. Firſt, there are in our Principles or firſt beginning, heterogeneous Superfluities, which can never be reduced unto purity (for our Work) and therefore it is expedient to purge them out throughly, which will be impoſſible to be done without the Theory of our Secrets, in which we teach the true manner with which the Kingly Diadem is to be ſeparated, or thruſt out of the Menſtruum of the Harlot — Which manner being known, there is as yet required the greater Labour; yea ſo great, that, as ſaith the Philoſopher, many have left the Art lame as it were, becauſe of the terrible Evils or Labour: yet I deny not but a Woman may undergo the Labour of the Art, yet ſo, as that ſhe propoſes not Playes amongſt her Labours. [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] But the Mercury once prepared, then is the reſt obtained, which is far more deſirable than any Labour, as ſaith the Philoſopher.

CHAP. 9. Of the Vertue of our Mercury upon all the Metals.

OUr Mercury is that Serpent which devoured the Companions of Cadmus; nor is it a wonder, becauſe it had firſt devoured Cadmus himſelf, who was ſtronger than all the reſt: yet at length Cadmus ſhall pierce this Serpent through, after he hath coagulated him with the vertue of his own Sulphur. Therefore know, that this our ☿ doth bear rule over all Metalline Bodies, and diſſolves them into their neareſt matter Mercurial, by ſeparating their Sulphurs; and know, that the Mercury of one, two, or three Eagles, commandeth ♄, ♃ and ♀: and it rules over the ☽ from three Eagles to ſeven, then it rules over the ☉ even to ten Eagles. Furthermore I make known unto you, that our Mercury is nearer to the firſt Ens of Metals than any other Mercury. Therefore it radically enters the Metalline Bodies, and manifeſteth their hidden profundities.

CHAP. 10. Of the Sulphur which is in the Sophical Mercury.

THis above all things is a wonder that in our Mercury, there is not only an actual, but alſo an active 🜍, and yet notwithſtanding it retaineth all the proportions and the form of Mercury; therefore 'tis neceſſary, that a form be introduced therein, by our preparation, which form, is a Metalline Sulphur: which Sulphur, is Fire that putrifies the Compoſitum, or diſpoſed ☉. This ſulphureous Fire, is the ſpiritual Seed which our Virgin (but yet nevertheleſs ſhe remains undefiled) hath contracted; becauſe an incorrupted Virginity can admit a ſpiritual Love, according to the Author of the Hermetick Secrets, and according to Experience it ſelf. By reaſon of this Sulphur it is an Hermaphrodite, becauſe the ſame ☿ doth apparently include at the ſame time, and by the ſame degree of Digeſtion, as well an active as paſſive Principle; for if it be joyned with ☉, it ſoftens, melts, and diſſolves him by a temperate heat, ſutable to the neceſſity of the Compoſition, and doth (by the ſame fire) coagulate himſelf, and gives in his coagulation ☉, according to the pleaſure of the Operator. Hapily this will ſeem incredible unto thee, but 'tis true (viz.) That ☿ being homogeneal, pure and clean, being by our Artifice impregnated, doth (by the application of a convenient heat only) coaguhimſelf (after the manner) of Cream of Milk, there being (as it were) a ſubtile earth ſwimming upon the waters: but being joyned with ☉, it is not only not coagulated, but the compound ſhall daily be ſeen to be ſofter and ſofter, even till the Bodies being almoſt diſſolved, the Spirits ſhall begin to be coagulated in a moſt black colour, and a moſt ſtinking odour. 'Tis therefore manifeſt, That this ſpiritual Metalline Sulphur, is the firſt that turns the wheel, and rolls the Axis into a compaſs or circuit. This 🜍 is in truth a volatile ☉, not as yet ſufficiently digeſted, but pure enough; therefore it paſſeth into ☉ by a bare digeſtion: but if it be joyned to ☉ already perfect, it is not then coagulated, but it diſſolves the corporal Gold, and remains with it (being diſſolved) under one form, although before the perfect union, death muſt neceſſarily precede, that ſo they may be united after their death, not ſimply in a perfect unity, but in a Millenary more than perfect perfection.

CHAP. 11. Of the Invention of the perfect Magiſtery.

THe Wiſe Men heretofore (as many of them as obtained this Art without the help of Books) were led to the attainment thereof on this wiſe (by the permiſſion of God) For I cannot perſwade my ſelf it came to any of them by immediate Revelation, unleſs Solomon had it ſo; which I am rather willing to leave to the Judge, than determine thereof. And yet though he ſhould have had it, what hindreth but he might have got it by ſearch, whereas he requeſted only wiſdom, which God did beſtow upon him in ſuch manner that he therwith poſſeſs'd all, both Wealth and Peace? And therefore he unript, as it were, and ſearcht out the nature of the Plants and Herbs, from the Cedar of Lebanon even to the Hyſſop on the Wall; and what man that is well in his wits, will deny but that he likewiſe knew the nature of the Minerals, the knowledge of which being altogether as pleaſant or proſitable? But to the purpoſe, We ſay that it may very likely be believed, That the firſt Adeptiſt that injoyed this Magiſtery (amongſt whom was Hermes) who had no plenty of Books in thoſe days) did not at firſt ſeek after a more than perfect perfection; but only a ſimple exaltation of the imperfect Metals to a regal condition: and when they perceived that all Metallick Bodies, were of a Mercurial Original, and that ☿ was both as to its weight and homogeneity moſt like unto Gold, which is the perfecteſt of Metals, they therefore endevoured to digeſt it to the maturity of Gold, but they could not effect it by any fire. Therefore they conſidered with themſelves, that there was requiſite, beſides the external heat, an internal one, if they will accompliſh their intentions. This heat therefore they ſought after in moſt things. Firſt of all, they diſtilled out of the leſſer Minerals moſt exceeding hot waters, and with them they corroded the ☿; but they could not by any Art accompliſh it this way, ſo as to cauſe the ☿ to change or alter his intrinſecal proportions: for becauſe all the corroſive waters were only external Agents, after the manner of fire, though ſomewhat different. But theſe Menſtruums (as they call'd them) did not abide with the diſſolved body, being by that ſame reaſon confirmed, they rejected all Salts, one Salt only excepted which is the firſt Ens of Salts, the which diſſolves all Metals, and by the ſame work coagulates ☿: but this is not done but by a violent way, and therefore that kind of Agent is again ſeparated entire, both in weight and vertue, from the things it is put to. Wherefore the Wiſemen did at length know and conſider that in ☿ the watery crudities, and the earthly faeces, did hinder it from being digeſted; which being fixed in the roots thereof, cannot be rooted out, but by turning the whole compound in and out. They knew, I ſay, that ☿ if it could but put off theſe things, it would preſently become Fix; for it hath in it ſelf a fermental Sulphur, of which, even the ſmalleſt grain would be ſufficient to coagulate the whole Mercurial Body, if only the Faeces and Crudities could be removed. This thing therefore they attempted to bring to paſs by various purging it, but in vain; foraſmuch as the foreſaid Work requires both mortification and regeneration, for which there is need of an Agent. Then at length they knew that ☿ was deſtinated (in the bowels of the earth) to have been a Metal, to which intent it retained a daily motion, as long as the fitneſs of the place, and other externality well diſpoſed, did remain; but theſe being by accident corrupted, this immature Child or Offspring died of its own accord: ſo that it is beheld as a certain thing deprived of motion and life. But now an immediate regreſs from privation to habit or form is impoſſible, that is to ſay, there is a paſſive 🜍 in ☿ which ought to be active; ſo that it is needful to introduce into it another life of the ſame nature in the introducing of which it ſtirs up the hidden life of ☿, ſo life receives life; then at length it is fundamentally transformed or changed, and the defilements are voluntarily caſt away from the Centre, as we have abundantly enough written in the preceding Chapters. This Life is in the Metallick Sulphur alone, which the Wiſemen ſought for in ♀, and in ſuch like ſubſtances, but in vain. Then they took the offspring of Saturn in hand, and they found he was the Stylanx or tyer of Gold; and whereas therefore it hath the power of ſeparating the Faeces from ripe Gold, they thence became confident (by an argument drawn from the lower to the leſs) that it would do ſo in ☿: but they proved that this alſo had its own defilements, and they remembred the old Proverb, Be thou clean that deſireſt to cleanſe another; therefore they endevouring to purge it, found it altogether impoſſible, becauſe it had no Metalline Sulphur in it, though it abounded with the moſt purged Salt of Nature. When therefore they obſerved a little Sulphur in ☿, and that only paſſive, they found now in this Child of ♄ no actual 🜍, but only potential; and therefore it entred in friendſhip with a burning Arſenical Sulphur, and fooliſh as it is, it cannot ſubſiſt in a coagulated form without this Sulphur; and yet notwithſtanding it is ſo ſtupid, that it had rather dwell with the Enemy, by whom it is ſo exceeding ſtreightly impriſoned, and commit Fornication, than renounce him and appear under a Mercurial form. Therefore they ſought further for an active 🜍, and that moſt throughly, and at length the ſaid Magi ſought it, and found it hidden in the houſe of Aries. This 🜍 is moſt greedily received by the ſon of ♄; which Metallick matter is moſt pure, moſt tender, and moſt near to the firſt Metallick Ens, void of all actual Sulphur, but yet in power or capacity to receive a 🜍. It doth therefore draw this to it ſelf like a Magnet, and ſwallows it up in its own belly, and hides it; and the Omnipotent, that he might moſt highly adorn this Work, hath imprinted his Royal Seal thereon. Then forthwith theſe Magi rejoyced when they beheld the 🜍, not only found, but alſo prepared: Then they endevoured to purge ☿ therewith, but the ſucceſs was not anſwerable; becauſe there was as yet an Arſenical Malignity commixt with this 🜍 thus ſwallowed up in the Child of ♄: the which evil though now it was but little, in reſpect of the abundance which it had in its own Mineral nature, yet it withſtood and hindred all entrance. Therefore they aſſaied to contemperate this malignity of the Air by the Doves of Diana, and then the event was anſwerable to their deſires; then commixed they Life with Life, and moiſtened the dry by the moiſt, and acuated the paſſive by the active, and vivified the Dead by the Living: ſo the heaven became clouded over for a time, which after large ſhowers became clear again. Thus came out an Hermaphroditical ☿, him therefore they put in the fire, and they coagulated him in time, yet not very long time; and in his coagulation they found moſt pure ☉ and ☽: Then returning to themſelves they conſidered that this depurated ☿, not as yet coagulated, was not as yet a Metal, but volatile enough; and they ſaw that in its diſtillation it left nothing remaining in the bottom, therefore they termed it, their unripe ☉, and their living ☽, they alſo conſidered that, being that out of which the true firſt Ens of Gold was (and being as yet volatil) what ſhould it be but the ground wherein ☉ being ſown, would be encreaſed in his virtue; therefore they put ☉ in the ſame, and (to their admiration) the fire became therein volatile, the hard ſoft, the coagulated diſſolved, Nature her ſelf being amazed thereat. Therefore they Married theſe two together, and ſhut them in a glaſs, and placed them at the fire, and governed the Work a long time as Nature required; ſo the vivified became dead, and the dead living, the body putrified, and roſe a glorious Spirit: and the ſoul is at laſt reſolved into a Quinteſſence, the higheſt Medicine for Animals, Metals, and Vegetals.

CHAP. 12. Of the manner of making the perfect Magiſtery in general.

VVE ought to give immortal thanks to God, becauſe he hath ſhewed theſe Secrets of Nature to us, which he hath hidden from the eyes of moſt men. Thoſe things therefore which are freely given to us by that great Giver, we will lay open freely and faithfully to other ſtudious men. Know therefore, That the greateſt ſecret of our Operation, is no other thing than a cohobation of the Natures of one thing above the other, until the moſt digeſted virtue be extracted out of the digeſted (body) by the Crude one. But there is hereto requiſite, firſt, an exact preparation and fitneſs of the things that enter into the Work; ſecondly, a good diſpoſing of external things; thirdly, things being thus prepared, there is required a good Regimen; fourthly, a fore-knowledge of the appearances in the Work is required, that your procedure therein be not blindfold; fifthly, Patience, that the Work be not haſtened, or head-longly governed. Of all which we will ſpeak in order, as much as one Brother to another.

CHAP. 13. Of the Ʋſe of a ripe 🜍, in the Work of the Elixir.

VVE have ſpoken of the neceſſity of the ☿, and have delivered many ſecrets of ☿, which (before me) were barren enough to the World; becauſe almoſt all Chymical Books do abound either with obſcure Aenigmas, or ſophiſtical Operations, or with a heap of rough and uncouth words. I have not done ſo, reſigning my will in this thing to the Divine Pleaſure, who (in this laſt period of the World) ſeems to me to be about the opening of theſe Treaſures: Therefore I do no more fear that the Art will be diſeſteemed, far be it from me, this cannot be; for true Wiſdom will defend it ſelf in external Honour. I could wiſh, That Gold and Silver would at laſt be of as mean in eſteem as Dirt, which hath been hitherto the great Idol adored by the whole World; then we who know theſe things ſhould not need ſo ſtudiouſly to hide our ſelves: For we judge our ſelves to have received (as it were) the Curſe it ſelf of Cain, for which we weep and ſigh, that is to ſay, We are driven, as 'twere, from the Face of the Lord, and from the pleaſant Society which we heretofore had with our Friends, without fear. But now we are toſſed up and down, and as it were beſet with Furies; nor can we ſuppoſe our ſelves ſafe, in any one place long. We oftentimes take up Complaints and the Lamentations of Cain unto the Lord, Behold whoſoever ſhall find me, ſhall kill me. We Travel through many Nations, juſt like Vagabonds, and dare not take upon us the Care of a Family, neither do we poſſeſs any certain Habitation. And although we poſſeſs all things, yet can we uſe but a few. What therefore are we happy in, excepting ſpeculation only, wherein we meet with great ſatisfaction of the Mind? Many do believe (that are ſtrangers to the Art) that if they ſhould enjoy it, they would do ſuch and ſuch things; ſo alſo even we did formerly believe, but being grown more wary, by the hazard we have run, we have choſen a more ſecret Method. For whoſoever hath once eſcaped the eminent perils of his Life, he will (believe me) become more wiſe for the time to come. 'Tis a Proverb, Batchelors Wives and Maids Children are well cloathed or nouriſhed. I have found the World placed in a moſt wicked poſture, ſo that there is ſcarce a Man found, whatſoever Face he bears of Honeſty, and howſoever he ſeems to heed publick things, That doth not propound unto himſelf, ſome private, baſe, and unworthy end. Nor is any mortal Man able to effect any thing alone, no not in the works of Mercy, except he would run the hazard of his Head; which my ſelf have of late experienced, in ſome ſtrange or forreign places, where I have adminiſtred the Medicine to ſome ready to dye, diſtreſſed and afflicted with the miſeries of the Body: and they having recovered miraculouſly, there hath preſently been a rumour ſpread of the Elixir of the Wiſemen, inſomuch that once I have been forced to flie by night, with exceeding great troubles, having changed my garments, ſhaved my head, put on other hair, and altered my name; elſe I had fallen into the hands of wicked Men, that lay in wait for me (meerly for ſuſpition only accompanied with the moſt greedy thirſt after Gold.) I could reckon up many ſuch like things, which will ſeem ridiculous to ſome; for they'll ſay, Did I but know theſe and theſe things, I would do otherwiſe than ſo: But yet let them know, that it is a tedious thing for ingenious Men to have converſe with blockiſh Men. And as for thoſe that are ingenious, they are ſubtile, crafty, quick-ſighted; and ſome of them have as many eyes as Argus; ſome are curious, ſome are Machiavilians, that ſearch into the life, manners, and actions of Men, moſt throughly, from whom to hide our ſelf is very difficult, eſpecially if there is any familiar knowledge (or converſe.) If any one doth think thus of himſelf, viz. That he would do ſo and ſo (were he a Poſſeſſor of the Stone) I would willingly ſay unto him thus (viz.) Thou art perchance a familiar acquaintance of an Adeptiſt, he would preſently conſider with himſelf; and ſay, This is impoſſible, for 'tis great chance but I ſhould once ſee it; and by my familiar converſe with him, it could not be but that I ſhould ſmell it out. Thou that imagineſt theſe things of thy ſelf, Thinkeſt thou that others do not abound with as much quick-ſightedneſs as thy ſelf, who would be able to diſcern thee? For 'tis expedient to have converſe with ſome, elſe thou ſhalt ſeem to be another quick Diogenes. But if thou aſſociate thy ſelf with the Vulgar, this is unworthy; but if thou ſhalt contract familiarity with Wiſemen, it behoves thee to be moſt highly wary, leaſt ſome of them diſcern thee, with the ſame facility as thou believeſt thy ſelf capable of finding out, as 'twere, another Adeptiſt (thou being ignorant of the known Secret) If only thou wert able to have a familiar conſortſhip with him, thou wilt not ſo readily diſcern That an opinion, being but a conceited one, is without great inconvenience, even a ſlight conjecture ſhall be ſufficient to procure a lying in wait for thee; for the Iniquity of Men is ſo great, that we have often known ſome Men to have been ſtrangled with a Halter, yet notwithſtanding were ſtrangers to the Art. 'Twas ſufficient that ſome deſperate Men had heard a report of ſuch an Art, the knowledge of which ſuch once bore the name to have. It would be too tedious to reckon up all things, which we our ſelves have made tryal of, we have ſeen and heard concerning this thing. Moreover as concerning this preſent Age of the World, rather more than in any former one, Who is it that pretends not to Alchymy? Inſomuch, that thou ſhalt hardly dare to ſtir thy foot, except thou deſireſt to be betraid. If thou doſt but do any thing ſecretly, this warineſs of thine, will ſtir in ſome a zeal of throughly ſearching thee out, even to the bottom. They'l tattle of counterfeiting Money, and what not? But then if thou art a little open, and ſome unwonted things done by thee, whether in Medicine or Alchymy, If thou ſhouldſt have a great weight of Gold or Silver, and wouldſt ſell it, any one would admire readily, from whence ſo great a quantity of the fineſt Gold and pureſt Silver ſhould be brought; whereas ſuch Gold is ſcarcely brought from any place, ſave only Guiny or Barbary, and that in the faſhion of moſt ſmall ſand: but now thine being more noble than that, and in a maſſie form, will not want a moſt notable rumour. For Buyers are not ſo ſtupid, although they ſhould (like Children) play with thee, and ſay, Our eyes are ſhut, come we will not ſee; but if thou doſt come, they will even ſee, even but out of one corner of thy eye, ſo much as is ſufficient to bring upon thee the greateſt Miſery. For Silver is by our Art produced ſo fine, that no ſuch is brought from any place, That which is brought out of Spain is the beſt, it doth ſomewhat excel in goodneſs even Engliſh ſterling, and that in form of plain Money, which is tranſported by Theft, the Lawes of the Nations prohibiting it. If therefore thou ſhalt ſell a quantity of pure Silver, thou haſt even already betrayed thy ſelf: But if thou adulterateſt it (being not a Goldſmith) thou runneſt the hazard of thy Head, according to the Laws of England, Holland, and almoſt of all Nations, by which 'tis provided, That every Deterioration or allaying of Gold and Silver (though according to the Goldſmiths Balance) yet if it be not done by a profeſſed and licenced Metallourgist, it will be accounted a Capital Crime. We have known the time that when we would have ſold ſo much pure Silver, as was of ſix hundred Pound value (in a forreign Country) being cloathed like Merchants (for we durſt not adulterate it, becauſe almoſt all Countries hath its ſtanding Balance of the goodneſs of Silver and Gold, which the Goldſmiths do eaſily know in the Maſs; that ſhould we pretend it was brought from hence or thence, they would preſently diſtinguiſh by their Probe or Tryal, and apprehend the ſeller) they preſently ſaid unto us that brought it, This Silver is made by Art. We demanded the reaſon of their ſaying ſo, They replied only thus, The Silver that comes out of England, Spain, &c. we are not now to learn how to know it, but this is not any of theſe kinds: which when we heard, we privily withdrew, and loft both the Silver and the price of it, never more demandable. Moreover if thou ſhouldſt fain a great quantity of Gold brought from elſewhere, but eſpecially of Silver, this thing cannot be ſo private, but a rumour will be ſpread thereof, the Ship-Maſter will ſay, Such a quantity of Silver was never brought by me, nor can it come into the Ship, and every body be thereof ignorant; and when others ſhall hear thereof, that were wont to buy it, they'l laugh and ſay, What? Is it a likely thing, that this Man can get ſuch a Maſs of Gold and Silver, and put it into his Ship, there being ſuch ſtrickt Lawes that forbid it, and ſo ſtrickt a charge to prevent it? Thus preſently 'twill be blazed abroad, not in one Region only, but in the bordering Countries. We being taught by theſe dangers, have determined to lye hid, and will communicate the Art to thee who dreameſt of ſuch things, that ſo we may ſee what publick good thou wilt enterpriſe, when thou ſhalt have obtained it. We therefore ſay, as heretofore I taught that ☿ was neceſſary in the Work, and have delivered ſuch things concerning ☿, which no former Age ever delivered; ſo alſo I now on the other hand lay open the Sulphur, which will be deſired, without which ☿ will never receive a profitable congelation for the ſupernatural Work. Sulphur doth (in this Work) ſupply the place of the Male, and whoſoever undertakes the Tranſmutation Art without it, all his attempts will be in vain; for all the Wiſemen affirm, That there can be no Tincture made without its Latten, which Latten is Gold, without any double ſpeaking. Hence the noble Sendiuogius ſaith, The Fool (believe me) will not find our Stone, no not in Gold; but the Wiſeman will find it in the Dung, That is to ſay, In Gold (which is the ☉ of the Sophi) the tincture of Goldneſs lies hid. This though it be a moſt digeſted body, yet is it incrudated and made raw, in one only thing, viz. Our Mercury, and receiveth from ☿ the multiplication of its own Seed, not ſo much in weight as in vertue. And although very many of the Sophiſts do ſeem ſophiſtically to deny this thing, yet verily ſo it is as I have ſaid, that is to ſay, They tell us that common Gold is dead, but that theirs is alive; ſo in like manner a grain of Wheat is dead, that is, the germinating activity therein lies ſuppreſt, and would eternally remain ſo, ſhould it be kept in a dry ambient Air: but let it be but caſt into earth, and it preſently receives a fermental life, it ſwells up, is mollified and buddeth. Even ſo is the caſe with our Gold, it is dead, that is, its vivifying vertue is ſealed under abodily ſhell, as 'tis with the Grain, although differently, according to the great difference betwixt a Vegetable Grain and Metallick Gold. But even as a Grain remains perpetually unchanged in a dry Air, is deſtroyed in the fire, and vivified in the water only, even ſo Gold, that is uncorruptible in every Element, durable even through every Age, is reducible in our water only, and is then living and ours. Even as Wheat ſown in the ground doth change its name, and is called the Husbandman's Seed-corn, either for Bread or other uſes, as well as for Seed: even ſo it is with Gold, as long as it is in the form of a Ring, a Veſſel or Mony, 'tis the vulgar Gold, but as concerning its being caſt into our water, 'tis Philoſophical; In the former reſpect it is called Dead, becauſe it would remain unchanged even to the Worlds end; in the latter reſpect it is ſaid to be living, becauſe it is ſo potentially; which power is capable of being brought into Art in a few daies, but then Gold will be no longer Gold, but the Chaos of the Sophi; therefore well may Philoſophers ſay, That their philoſophical Gold differeth from the vulgar Gold, Which difference conſiſteth in the Compoſition. For even as that Man is ſaid to be dead, which hath already received the ſentence of Death; ſo is Gold ſaid to be alive when it is mixed in ſuch a Compoſition, and put upon ſuch a fire in which it will neceſſarily receive a germinative life, in a ſhort time: yea, 'twill demonſtrate the actions of a life beginning, and that within a few daies. Therefore the ſame Sophi that ſay their Gold is living, do bid thee (the Searcher of Art) to revive the dead, the which if thou knoweſt to do, and to prepare the Agent, and rightly to mix the Gold, it will ſoon become living; in which vivification thy living Menſtruum will dye. Therefore the Magi command thee to revive the dead, and to kill the living; They do (at the firſt entrance call their water living, and ſay that the death of one principle, with the death of another, hath one and the ſame period. Thence 'tis evident, That their Gold is to be taken dead and their water living; and by compounding theſe together, the ſeed-Gold, will (by a ſhort decoction) vivifie or quicken, and the live ☿ will be killed, that is, the ſpirit will be coagulated with the diſſolved bodie, and both of them putrifie together, in the form of dirt or mud, until all the members of the Compoſition are rent or diſperſed into Atoms; Here therefore is the naturality of our Magiſtery. The Miſtery which we ſo much hide, is to prepare the ☿, truly ſo called, the which cannot be found upon the earth ready prepared to our hands; and that for ſingular reaſons known to the Adeptiſts. In the ☿ we neatly amalgamate pure Gold, purged to the higheſt degree of purity, and filed or beaten, and being ſhut in the glaſs we daily boyl it; the Gold is diſſolved by the vertue of our Water, and returneth to its neareſt matter, in which the included life of the Gold becomes free, and takes the life of the diſſolving ☿, which (in reſpect of the Gold) is the ſame as good earth in reſpect of the Grain of Wheat. In this ☿ therefore, the Gold being diſſolved, doth putrifie, and muſt be neceſſarily ſo by the neceſſity of Nature; therefore after the putrefaction of death, there riſeth the new Body, of the ſame Eſſence with the former Body, and of a more noble ſubſtance, [〈◊〉] takes on it the degrees of virtuality, proportionable to the difference between the four qualities of the Elements. This is the reaſon of our Work, this is our whole Philoſophy. We have ſaid therefore, That there is nothing in our Work ſecret but ☿ only, the Magiſtery of which, is rightly to prepare it, and extract the hidden ☉ it contains, and to Marry it in a juſt proportion with Gold, and to govern it with the fire, as the ☿ requireth, becauſe Gold doth not of it ſelf fear the fire; and as far forth as 'tis united with the ☿, ſo far doth it render it able to abide the fire. Therefore this is the Labour and Work, to accommodate the regiment of the heat, to the capacity of ☿ his abiding it; but he that hath not rightly prepared his ☿, and ſhould joyn Gold therewith, his Gold is yet the Gold of the Vulgar, becauſe 'tis joyned with ſuch a fooliſh Agent, in which it remaineth as much unchanged, as if it had been kept in the Cheſt: nor will it lay off its own bodily nature by any Regiment of the Fire whatſoever, where an Agent is not alive within. Our is then a living and quickning ſoul, and therefore our Gold is Spermatical; as Wheat ſown is Seed-corn, when as the ſame Wheat would (in the Barn) remain Bread-corn only, and dead; and though it were buried in a pot under the earth (as the Weſt-Indians are wont to hide their Fruit or Corn in pits in the earth, fenced againſt the acceſs of water) yet, unleſs it be met withal by the moiſt vapour of the earth, 'tis dead, and abides without fruit, and is plainly remote from Vegetation. I know there are many which will carp at this Doctrine, and ſay, That he affirms it Gold of the Vulgar; and running ☿ is the material Subject of the Stone: But we know the contrary. Go to therefore ye Philoſophers, examine your Purſes, although you know ſuch things, have ye the Stone? Verily, as for my ſelf, I do not poſſeſs it by theft, but by the gift of my God. I have it, I have made it, and daily have it in my power, have often form'd it with my own hands, and I write the things I know: But I write not to you. Therefore deal with your Rain-waters, May-waters, your Salts; tattle of your Sperme, that it is more potent than the Devil himſelf, ſlander and revile me. Believe ye that this your evil ſpeaking will ſadden me? I ſay that Gold only and ☿ are our Materials, and I know what I write, and the ſearcher of all hearts knoweth that I write the truth; nor is there any cauſe to accuſe me of envy, becauſe I write with an unterrified Quill, in an unheard-of ſtyle, to the honour of God, to the profitable uſe of my Neighbours, and contempt of the World and its Riches; becauſe Helias the Artiſt is already born, and now glorious things are declared of the City of God. I dare affirm that I do poſſeſs more Riches than the whole known World is worth; but cannot make uſe thereof, becauſe of ſnares of Knaves. I diſdain, I loath, and deſervedly deteſt this Idolizing of Gold and Silver, by the price whereof the pomp and vanities of the World are celebrated. Ah filthy Evil! Ah vain Nothingneſs! Believe ye that I conceal theſe things out of envy? No verily, for I proteſt to thee I grieve from the very bottom of my Soul, that we are driven as it were like Vagabonds from the Face of the Lord throughout the earth. But what need many words, That thing that we have ſeen, taught and wrought, which we have, which we poſſeſs and know, theſe do we declare, being moved with meer compaſſion toward the ſtudious, and with Indignation of Gold and Silver, and of pretious Stones; not as they are Creatures of God, far be it from us, for in that reſpect we honour them, and think them worthy eſteem: But the people of Iſrael adores them as well as the World; therefore let it be ground to powder, like the Brazen Serpent. I do hope and expect, that within a few years, Money will be like droſs; and that prop of the Antichriſtian Beast will be daſht in pieces. The People are mad, the Nations rave, an unprofitable Wight is ſet in the place of God. Theſe things will accompany our ſo long expected and ſo ſuddenly approching Redemption, when the New-Jeruſalem ſhall abound with Gold in the ſtreets, and the Gate thereof ſhall be made of entire Stones, and moſt pretious ones; and the Tree of Life, in the midſt of Paradiſe, ſhall give Leaves for the healing of the Nations. I know, I know theſe my Writings will be to moſt Men like the pureſt Gold, and Gold and Silver will (through theſe my writings) become as vile as dirt. Believe me ye Youngmen, believe me ye Fathers, becauſe the time is at the dore; I do not write theſe things out of a vain Conception, but I ſee them in the Spirit. When we Adeptiſts ſhall return from the four Corners of the Earth, nor ſhall we fear any Snares that are laid againſt our Lives, but we ſhall give thanks unto the Lord our God. My heart murmureth things unheard-of; my Spirit beats in my breaſt for the good of all Iſrael. Theſe things I ſend before into the world, like a Preacher, that I may not be buried unprofitably in the World: Let my Book therefore be the fore-runner of Elias, which may prepare the Kingly way of the Lord. I would to God that every ingenious Man, in the whole earth, underſtood this Science; then no body would eſteem hereof (Gold, Silver, and Gems being ſo exceedent abundant) but ſo far forth only as it conteined knowledge: Then at length Vertue, naked as it is, would be had in great honour, meerly for its own amiable nature. I know many that poſſeſs the true knowledge thereof, all of whom have vowed a moſt ſecret ſilence; but as for my ſelf I am of another judgement, becauſe of the hope I have in my God; therefore I wrote this Book, which none of my Adept Brethren (with whom I daily converſe) knew of. For God gave reſt unto my ſoul, by a moſt firm faith; and I do undoubtedly believe, that I ſhall (by this way) ſerve the Lord my Creditor, and the World my Neighbour, and chiefly Iſrael, by this uſing I ſay of my Talent. And I know that none can improve his Talent to ſo great Uſury, for I foreſee that (haply) ſome hundreds will be illuminated by theſe my Writings; therefore I conſulted not with fleſh and blood, I ſought not after the conſent of my Brethren in writing hereof. God grant that it be to the glory of his Name, that I may attain the end I expect; Then as many Adeptiſts that knew me, will rejoyce that I have publiſhed theſe things.

CHAP. 14. Of the requiſite Circumſtances in general, belonging to this Work.

VVE have ſequeſtred the Chymical Art from all the vulgar errours, and of the vanquiſhed Sophiſms, and the curious Dreams of the Imaginariſts; and have taught, That the Art is to be made of ☉ and ☿. We have ſhewed that ☉ is Gold (without all uncertainty and doubtfulneſs) not Metaphorically, but in a true Philoſophical ſenſe to be underſtood; alſo our ☿ we have declared to be true Argent Vive or Quick-ſilver, without any ambiguity of acceptation; The latter we have told you muſt be made by Art, and be a key to the former. We have added ſuch clear and apparent reaſons, that except you be blind at the Sun, you cannot but perceive. We have proteſted, and do again profeſs, That we do not declare theſe things from the faith we give to the Writings of other Men; the things we faithfully declare, are what we have both ſeen and known. We have made, and do poſſeſs the Stone, the great Elixir; nor verily will we envy thee the knowledge thereof, but we wiſh that thou mayeſt learn them from theſe Writings. We have likewiſe declared, That the Preparation of the true Philoſophical ☿ is difficult, the main knot lying in finding Diana's Doves, which are folded in the everlaſting Arms of ♀, which no Eyes but a true Philoſopher ever ſaw. This one skill performs the Maſtery of Theory, enobles a Philoſopher, and unfolds to the knower of it, all our Secrets. This is the Gourdian Knot, which will be a knot for ever, to a [•]yro in this Art, except the Finger of God direct, yea ſo difficult, that there needs the peculiar grace of God, if any one would attain the exact knowledge thereof. For my part, I have delivered ſuch things concerning the making thereof, as none before me ever did; more I cannot do, unleſs I ſhould give the (very) Receipt, which I have alſo done, only I have not thoſe things called by their proper names. It now remains that we deſcribe the uſe and practice, by which thou mayeſt eaſily diſcern the goodneſs or defect of thy ☿; that being known, thou mayeſt alter and mend it as thou wilt. Having therefore animated ☿ and Gold, there remains an accidental Purgation as well of the ☿ as the Gold, ſecondly Diſpenſation or Marriage, thirdly Rection or Governance.

CHAP. 15. Of the accidental Purgation of Gold and Mercury.

PErfect Gold is found in the bowels of the earth, whereupon 'tis ſometimes found in little pieces, or in ſands; if thou canſt have this ſincere, it is pure enough, but if not, then purge it with Antimony, or by the Cineritium or Royal Cement, or by boyling with Aqua fortis, the Gold being firſt granulated. Our Gold is made by Nature perfect to our hands, which I have found and uſed, but hardly the Hundred thouſandth Artiſt knows it, except he hath exquiſite ſkill in the the Mineral Kingdom; but beſides this it is in a ſubſtance obvious to all Men, but then it is mixt with many ſuperfluities; we do therefore make it paſs through many Tryals and Mixtures till all the feculency be removed, and the pure remain, which is then not without all Heterogeneitie; yet we melt it not, for ſo the tender ſoul is loſt, and becomes as dead as Gold vulgar, but waſh it in the water, in which all but our matter is conſumed, then is our body like a Crows bill; afterward melt it with a fire of fuſing, and file it, then 'tis Prepared: But ☿ needs an internal and an eſſential Purgation, which is an addition of a true 🜍, orderly and by degrees, according to the number of the Eagles, then is it radically purged. This 🜍 is no other than our Gold, which if you know to ſeparate without violence, and then to exalt each a part, and after to reconſume them, thou ſhalt betwixt them have a conception, which will give thee an Infant more noble than any ſublunary thing whatſoever. This Work Diana know to perform, if ſhe be firſt infolded in the inviolable arms of Venus. Pray the high God to reveal this Myſtery to thee, which my former Chapters have diſcloſed to a word; and where that Secret is couched, there is not a word or ſtop ſuperſtuous or deſectuous. But farther, It alſo requires an accidental Purgation or Mundification to waſh off the external defilements that are caſt out of the Centre; but this is not ſo abſolutely neceſſary, but yet this Labour haſtens the Work, and therefore is convenient. Take therefore thy ☿, which thou haſt prepared by a convenient number of Eagles, and ſublime it thrice from common Salt and the Scoria of Mars, grinding them together with Vinegar and a little Sal Armoniac until the ☿ diſappear; then dry it and diſtill it by a glaſs-Retort, by a fire gradually encreaſed, even until the whole ☿ aſcend. Repeat this three times (or oftner) afterwards boyl the ☿ in the Spirit of Vinegar an hour long, in a Cucurbit, or a glaſs with a broad bottom and a narrow neck, ſometimes ſtrongly ſhaking it; then decant or pour off the Vinegar, and waſh off the ſowriſhneſs with Fountain-water, poured on again and again; then dry up the ☿, and thou wilt wonder at its brightneſs. Thou mayeſt waſh it with Urine, or Vinegar and Salt, and ſo ſpare the ſublimation, but then diſtill it at leaſt four times without addition, after thou haſt perfected all the Eagles or waſhings, waſhing the Chalybeate or Steel, Retort every time with aſhes and water, then boyl it in diſtilled Vineagar for half a day, ſtirring it ſtrongly ſometimes, and pour off the blackiſh Vineagar, and pour on new; then waſh it with warm water (thou mayeſt free the Spirit of the Vineagar from blackneſs, by rediſtilling it, and 'twill be as vertuous as before:) all this is for the removing the external uncleanneſs, which doth not adhere to the Centre, and yet 'tis little more obſtinate in the ſuperficies than you are aware of; which you ſhall thus perceive: Take this ☿ prepared with his Eagles, viz. ſeven or nine, and amalgamate it with moſt purified Gold, let the Amalgama be made in a moſt clear paper, and thou ſhalt ſee that the Amalgama will defile the paper with a duſkiſh blackneſs, but yet this Faeces or defilement thou mayeſt prevent by the foreſaid diſtillation, boyling and agitation, or ſtirring it; which Preparation doth very much promote or haſten the Work.

CHAP. 16. Of the Amalgamation of the ☿ and Gold, and of the due weight of both.

THeſe being rightly prepared, Take of purged and luminated Gold, or Gold ſubtily filed, one part, of ☿ two parts, put it in an heated Marble Mortar; that is to ſay, heated with boyling water (out of which being taken it dryes preſently, and holds the heat a long time) grind it with an Ivory Peſtle, or Glaſs, Stone or Iron (but this laſt is not ſo good) or Box; but the Stone or Glaſs peſtle is beſt (I am wont to uſe a white Coralline peſtle) grind it I ſay ſtrongly, until it be made impalpable; grind it with as much diligence as Painters are wont to grind their Colours, then ſee the conſiſtence or temperature of it; if it be plyable like butter, then it is not too hot nor yet cold; but yet ſo that the Amalgama being declined (or bowed of one ſide) doth not permit the ☿ to run, like an hydropical intercutal water; the conſiſtence thereof is good, but if not, add as much of the water as is ſufficient to make it of this conſiſtency. This is the Rule for Mixture, that it be moſt readily plyable and moſt ſoft; and yet can be made up like round pellots, like as Butter may (which though it yields to the eaſieſt touch of the finger, yet may be made up into balls by a Waſhing-woman.) Obſerve the alledged Example, as being the moſt exact Example; becauſe, as Butter, though it be turned of one ſide, yet it doth not pour out, or let go any thing from it ſelf that is more liquid than the whole Maſs is. In like manner is our mixture, becauſe of the intrinſical nature of ☿, Will this ſign be given either in a double or in a treble proportion of the ☿ to the Body, or alſo in the threefold of the Body to to the fourfold of the Spirit, or in a double to treble: and according to the nature of the ☿, or difference, the Amalgama will be ſofter or harder; yet be alwaies mindful that it come together inpellots, and thoſe pellots too being laid by, do ſo concreate or hold together, that the ☿ doth not appear more lively in the bottom than in the top. For Note that if it be permitted to reſt quiet, the Amalgama hardens of its own accord. The conſiſtency thereof, is to be judged in the agitation or ſtirring it; and if then it be plyable like Butter, and ſuffereth it ſelf to be made up into balls, and theſe pellots being put in clean paper are of an equal liquidity, the proportion is good. This being done, Take the Spirit of Vinegar and diſſolve in it a third part of its own weight of Sal Armoniac, and put thereon ☉ and ☿, formerly amalgamated, put it in a glaſs with a long neck, and let it boyl for a quarter of an hour, with a ſtrong Ebullition; then take the mixture out of the glaſs, ſeparate the liquor, heat the Mortar, and grind it ſtrongly as above, and very diligently; then waſh off all the blackneſs with warm water, put it in again in the former liquor, and boyl it again in the ſame glaſs; then again grind it ſtrongly, and waſh it. Repeat this Labour until thou canſt not get off any more colour of blackneſs from the Amalgama, by any Labour; then the Amalgama will be white, like the pureſt Silver, and moſt polite, garniſh'd with a wonderful brightneſs. Obſerve even yet the teperature of it, and beware it be exquiſitely right, according to the Rules above-given; if it be not, make it ſo, and proceed as above. This is a tedious Labour, yet ſhalt thou ſee (by the ſigns appearing in the Work) thy Labour recompenſed; then boyl it in a pure water, pouring it off and repeating it, until all the ſaltneſs and Acrimony be vaniſhed; then pour out the water and dry the Amalgama, which will ſoon be done: But that thou mayeſt be more ſecure (becauſe too much water will deſtroy the Work, and break the veſſel how big ſoever it be) ſtir it or work it upon a clean paper, with the top of a knife, from place to place, untill it be dryed exceeding well, then proceed as I ſhall teach thee.

CHAP. 17. Of the Preparation, Form, Matter, and Cloſing the Veſſel.

THou ſhalt have an oval or round glaſs, ſo big as to hold at the moſt (in its ſphere or belly) an Ounce of diſtilled water, and not leſs than this if poſſibly thou canſt, but get it as near the meaſure as poſſibly thou canſt; let the glaſs have a neck of the height of one palm, or hand-breadth, or ſpan; let it be clear and thick, the thicker the better, ſo it be clear and clean, to diſcover the actions which are within it; let it not at all be thicker in one place than in another: The proportion of matter to this glaſs, let it be half an Ounce of Gold, with an Ounce of ☿, which is two to one, and if thou add three to one of the ☿, yet the whole Compound will be leſs than two Ounces, and this proportion is exquiſite: Moreover, unleſs the glaſs be ſtrong it will not hold in the fire; the winds which are in the veſſel in the forming of our Embryo, which will eaſily break a ſlight veſſel. Let the glaſs be ſealed at the top, with ſo great caution, that there be not the leaſt hole or chinck, elſe the work would be deſtroyed. So you ſee that our Work as to our Principles, is coſtlier than the price of three Florens, yea in the making of the water, the price of what enters into a pound will hardly exceed a brace of Crowns. There wants I confeſs ſome Inſtruments, but they are not deer; and if you had my diſtilling Inſtrument, you may eaſily excuſe the uſe of brittle glaſſes: yet there are ſome Doctors who dreams, That the price of one Imperial or Crown will ſuffice for the whole Work, to whom I have a ready anſwer to return, that is, That I by that perceive, that they ſpeak without any Eaſis of Experiment. For there are in the Work other things that are pretious and require charge. But they will urge out of the Philoſophers, That all which may be bought for a great price, will be found a falſe Principle in our Work. To whom I may anſwer, And what is our Work? Namely, to make the Stone. That indeed is our finall work, but our main Maſter-piece is, To find a moiſture or humidity, in which the ☉ will melt, as Ice in warm water. This is our Work to find, for this many ſeek, even to wearineſs; to attain this ☿ of ☉, others for the ☿ of the ☽: but all in vain. For in this our Work, whatſoever is ſold deer will prove deceitful. Verily I ſay, That of the material Principle of our Water, as much may be bought for the price of one Floren, as will prepare or vivifie two whole pounds of our ☿, it may become true Philoſophical ☿ ſo much ſought. Out of this we make a Sol, which by that time it is perfect, is hardly ſo little chargeable to the Artiſt, as if he had bought it at the price of the moſt fine ☉; for it is indeed as good in all other eſſayes, and far more excellent in our Work. Moreover, we need Glaſſes, Coals, Earthen-veſſels, a Furnace, Ironveſſels and Inſtruments, which are not to be provided for nothing; away then with theſe Sophiſters, their vile pratling, impudent lyes, by which they ſeduce many. Without our perfect body, our offſpring of Venus and Diana (which is pure Gold) there can never be any tincture permanent. So then, it is, in reſpect of its nativity, very vile on one hand, immature and volatile; on the other hand, perfect, pretious and fixt; which ſpecies of the Body and the Spirit is ☉ and ☽, Gold and Argent Vive.

CHAP. 18. Of the Philoſophical Furnace or Athanor.

OF ☿ we have ſpoken, its Preparation, Proportion and Vertue; of 🜍 alſo, its neceſſity and uſe in our Work; which how they are to be Prepared, I have ſhewed; how to be mixed, I have taught: of the veſſel alſo, in which they are to be ſealed, I have diſcovered much: which are all to be underſtood with a grain of ſalt, elſe if you proceed too literally, you may happen to erre oftentimes; the which the unuſual can doe: For we have ſo mingled our Philoſophical ſubtleties with unuſual candor, that unleſs you ſmell out many Metaphors in our foregoing Chapters, your Harveſt will hardly prove better than loſs of Time, Coſts and Pains; as for Example: Where we, without any ambiguity, told you that one of our Principles was ☿, the other ☉; one commonly vendible, the other to be made by our Art: If you know not the latter, you know not the ſubject of our Secrets, and may inſtead of it, work in Sol vulgar; yet miſtake me not, for our ☉ is in all examens good Gold, and therefore it's vendible, that is, it may be (if reduced to a Metal) ſold without any ſcruple: But our Gold is not to be bought for money, though you would give a Crown or Kingdom for it, for it is the gift of God, for our Gold is not to be had made to our hand (at leaſt not commonly.) But before it comes to be our ☉, it ſtands in need of our Art, yet thou mayeſt in ☉ and ☽ vulgar alſo ſeek our Sol and find it, if thou ſeek aright. So then our Gold is the next matter to our Stone, and ☉ and ☽ vulgar are near matters, but other Metals are the remote matter, and thoſe things which are not Metalline are moſt remote, that is alien from it. I my ſelf have ſought it in ☉ and ☽ vulgar and found it, yet it is a far eaſier work out of our Matter to make the Stone, than to abſtract our true Matter out of any vulgar Metal; for our Gold is a Chaos, whoſe ſoul is not put to flight by the fire; but Gold vulgar is a body, whoſe ſoul is retired into a ſtrong hold, that it may there be defended from the violence of the fire; therefore ſaith the Philoſophers, That the Fire of Vulcan is the artificial death of the Metals, and as many as have ſuffered fuſion have in it loſt their Life. If thou canſt apply it wittily, both to thy imperfect body, and to thy Fiery Dragon, thou needeſt no other Key to all our Secrets; for if thou wilt ſeek our ☉ in a middle ſubſtance, between perfection and imperfection, thou mayeſt find it: Alſo looſe the body of common Sol, which is an Herculean Work, and it's called the firſt Preparation, by which the Incantation is looſed, by which its body was bound from performing the part of a Male. If thou goeſt in our former way, thou needeſt a moſt benign fire from the beginning to the end; but if thou entreſt the latter way, thou muſt imploy the help of Fiery Vulcan, ſuch as we uſe in multiplication, when corporal ☉ or vulgar ☽ is added to our Elixir for a Ferment. This I fear will prove a Labyrinth to thee, except diſcretion help thee out of it.

Yet in either, one progreſs or other, thou art in need of an equal and continual heat, whether thou workeſt in ☉ vulgar, or in our ☉ only. Know alſo, That thy ☿ in both Works, although it be one radically, yet it's far different in its Preparation. Alſo thy Stone with our Gold ſhall be ſooner perfected, by two or three Moneths, than our firſt Matter ſhall be made to appear out of either ☉ or ☿ vulgar; and the Elixir of the one will be at the firſt degree of perfection, of a greater vertue by far than in the other at the third Rotation of the wheel.

Moreover, if thou work with our Sol, thou muſt make Cibation, Imbibition and Fermentation, by which its force will be made in a manner infinite; but in the other Work thou muſt firſt illuminate it, and nicerate it, as the great Roſary teacheth abundantly: Laſtly, If thou work in our Gold, thou mayeſt calcine, putrefie and purifie, with a moſt benign fire of Nature within, helped from without with a Bath, as if it were of Dung or Dew; but if thou work in ☉ vulgar, thou muſt firſt ſublime and boyl this Compound till fit to be united with Virgins Milk.

Yet be it as it will, thou canſt never do any thing without fire: It was not then in vain, that the Truth-telling Hermes, next to the Father ☉, and Mother ☽, reckons the fire as the third or governour of the whole. But this is to be underſtood of the truly ſecret Furnace, which a vulgar eye never ſaw.

There is alſo another Furnace, which is called Our common Furnace, which is either of Brick or Potters Loam, or of Iron or Copper plates well luted within; this Furnace we call an Athanor, whoſe form, that beſt pleaſeth me, is a Tower with a Neſt. Let the Tower be about two Foot high or more, and nine Inches broad within the plates, or a common ſpan; about two Inches broad below of each ſide, and ſo about ſeven Inches high, or eight at the moſt; that where the fire is, may be thicker of Clay than at top, but of a ſmooth aſcent, ſomewhat tapering; next to the bottom or foundation, let there be an aſh-hole three or four fingers high, or a little more, and a grate and ſtone fitted to it; a little above the grate about an Inch high, let there be two holes which may give vent into a Neſt, which muſt be cloſe joyned at the ſide, the holes let them be about an Inch diameter, and the Neſt capable to receive three or four Egg-glaſſes, and not too large; let the Neſt and the Tower be very free from cracks, and let the Neſt have no ſcope downwards below the diſh, but that the fire may come immediately under the platter, and ſo forth at two, three, or four holes, and let the Neſt have a cover with a window in it, where a glaſs about a Foot high may ſtand, or elſe the top of it let out at a hole above; and being thus ordered, ſet your Furnace in a lightſome place, and the Coals are to be put in at the top, firſt live ones and then others, and the top to be ſhut from all Air with a cover, and ſifted aſhes in the joynts of it. In ſuch a Furnace you may do the Work, from the beginning to the end.

But if you be curious, you may find other, and other waies of adminiſtring a due Regimen of Fire. Let then, for a general Rule, ſuch an Athanor be made, in which, without motion of the glaſs, you may give what degree of heat you will, from a feveriſh heat to a ſoft reverbering or dark red, and in its higheſt degree, let it laſt at leaſt ten hours or eight, without recruiting with Coals, for leſs time is toylſom to the Workman; then haſt thou the firſt gate open.

Thou mayeſt, when thou haſt the Stone, make the fore-mentioned Furnace portable (as I my ſelf have) for it is eaſily portable, and the Operations are not ſo tedious, but very ſhort, and ſo need no great Furnace; which would be worſe to carry about, and more trouble than the riſing a little ſooner than ordinary, to recruit a ſmall Furnace with Coals for about a Weekes time, or two or three at the moſt, in the time of Multiplication.

CHAP. 19. Of the Progreſs of the Work in the firſt Forty Dayes.

HAving prepared our Sol and our ☿, ſhut them in our Veſſels and govern them with our Fire, and within Forty Dayes thou ſhalt ſee thy whole matter turned into a ſhadow or Atomes, without any viſible mover or motion, or without any heat perceptible to the touch, ſave only that it is hot.

But if you be yet ignorant both of our Sun and of our ☿, meddle not in this our Work, for expence only will be thy lot, and no gain nor profit.

But if only thou want the full diſcovery of our Sun, having throughly attained the skill of our ☿, and knoweſt how to fit it to the perfect body, which is a great Myſterie.

Then take of ☉ vulgar well purified one part, and of our ☿ firſt illuminated three parts, joyn them as was before taught, and ſet them to the Fire, giving a heat in which it may boyl and ſweat; let it be circulated day and night without ceaſing, for the ſpace of ninety dayes and nights, and thou ſhalt ſee in that ſpace, that thy ☿ will have divided and reconjoyned all the elements of thy Gold; boyl it then other fifty dayes, and thou ſhalt ſee in this Operation thy ☉ vulgar turned into our ☉, which is a Medicine of the firſt order: Thus doth it become our true 🜍, but it is not yet a teyning Tincture. Truſt me, many Philoſophers have wrought this way, and attained the Truth, yet it is a moſt tedious way, and it's for the Grandees of the Earth. Moreover when thou haſt got this 🜍, do not think that thou haſt the Stone, but only its true Matter; which in an imperfect thing thou mayeſt ſeek, and find it in a week, with our eaſie, but rare way, which God hath reſerved for his poor contemned and abject Saints: Of this thing I have now determined to write much, although in the beginning of this Book, I decreed to bury this in ſilence; for here lies the knot on which the grand Sophiſm of all the Adepti is built: Some write concerning ☉ and ☽ vulgar, and they write true; and again others deny ☉ and ☽ vulgar, and they alſo ſay true. I being now moved with Charity, will now reach forth my hand, and therein I dare appeal to all the Adepti that ever wrote, and tax them all with Envy, yea, and I my ſelf that had reſolved to tread in that ſame path of Envy, but that God did inforce me beyond what I intended, to whom be everlaſting Praiſe. I ſay then that each way is true, for it is but one way in the end, but not in the beginning; for our whole Secret is in our ☿, and in our ☉; our ☿ is our way, and without it nothing is done; our ☉ alſo is not ☉ vulgar, yet in ☉ vulgar is our ☉, elſe how could Metals be homogeneal? If then thou know how to illuminate our ☿ as it ought to be, thou mayeſt for want of our ☉ joyn with Gold vulgar, but yet know that the acuation of the ☿ ought to be different for the one, and for the other, and in a true Regimen of them, in an hundred and fifty dayes, thou ſhalt have our ☉, for our ☉ naturally comes out of our ☿: If then ☉ vulgar be by our ☿ divided into its Elements, and afterwards joyned, all the mixture, by the help of the fire, will become our ☉, which then being joyned with that ☿, which we prepared, and call our Virgins Milk, by reiterate decoction it will give all the ſigns which the Philoſophers have deſcribed, in ſuch a fire as they have written of in their Books.

But now if you ſhall in your Decoction of ☉ vulgar (though it be moſt pure) uſe that ſame ☿ which is uſed in our ☉ (though both flow from one root in general) and apply that Regimen of heat, which the Wiſemen in their Books have applyed to our Stone, thou art without all doubt in an erroneous way, and that is the great Labyrinth in which almoſt all young Practitioners are entangled, for there is ſcarce one Philoſopher who in his Writings doth not touch both wayes; which is indeed but one way fundamentally, only one is more direct to the Mark than the other: They then that do write of ☉ vulgar, as we ſometimes in this Treatiſe, ſo alſo Artephius, Flammel and Ripley, with many, others; We are not otherwiſe to be underſtood, but that our Philoſophical ☉ is to be made out of ☉ vulgar and our ☿, which then by reiterate Liquefaction, will give a 🜍 and Argent Vive, fixt and incombuſtible, and whoſe Tincture will abide all Tryals; alſo in this ſenſe, our Stone is in every Metal or Mineral, foraſmuch as ☉ vulgar may be extracted out of them, and out of that ☉ our ☉ may be made, as being nearer in it than any Metal. So then our Stone is in all Metals, but in our ☉ and ☽ nearer than in any other; Therefore, ſaith Flammel, ſome wrought it in ♃, ſome in ♄; but I wrought it in Sol, and there I found it. Yet there is in the Metallick Kingdom one thing of a miraculous Original, in which our Sol is nearer to be ſought than in Sol and ☽ vulgar, if it be ſought in the hour of its Nativity; which melts in our ☿ like Ice in warm water, and yet it hath a reſemblance with Gold: This is not to be found in the manifeſtation of Sol vulgar, but by revealing that which is hidden in our ☿, the ſame thing may be found by Digeſtion in our ☿ for the ſpace of an hundred and fifty dayes. This is our Gold, ſought the fartheſt way about, which is not yet of ſo great a vertue as that which Nature hath made and left to our hands; yet turning the wheel thrice, each comes to one end, yet with this difference, what thou findeſt in the one in ſeven months, thou muſt wait for in the latter the ſpace of a year and a half, or it may be two years. I am acquainted with both wayes, and commend the firſt to all ingenious men, but in my Deſcriptions I have moſt touched the hardeſt way, leſt I ſhould draw on my head the Anathema of all Philoſophers; know then, that this is the only difficulty, in reading the books of thoſe that are moſt candid, that all, one as well as the other, do vary the Regimen, and when they write of one Work they ſet down the Regimen of another, in which ſnare I was entangled my ſelf at firſt, and it was long before I could get free out of this Net.

Know then that the Fire in our Work is moſt agreeable to Nature, if thou underſtand our Work aright; but if thou work in Sol vulgar, that properly is not our Work, and yet it leads directly into our Work in its determined time; but in it thou needeſt a ſtrong and long decoction, and a proportionable time; then mayeſt thou go on the ſecond Operation with our moſt benign Fire, with our Tower and Athanor, which I chiefly commend.

If then the Work in Sol vulgar be ſure to procure the Marriage of Diana, Venus in the beginning of the Eſpouſals of thy ☿, then put them into the Neſt, and in a due heat of Fire thou ſhalt ſee an emblem of the great Work, to wit, Black, White, Citrine and Red; then reiterate this Work with ☿, which we call our Virgins Milk, and ſet it in a heat of Balneum Roris at the higheſt; let it be a heat of aſhes mixed with ſand; then thou ſhalt ſee not only the black but the blackeſt black, and all blackneſs; ſo alſo both the white and the red complete, and this with a gentle proceſs; for in the fire and the wind God was not, but in the ſtill Voice he ſpoke unto Elias.

Therefore if thou knoweſt the art of it, extract our Sol out of our ☿, then ſhall thy Secrets ſpring all out of one Image, which, truſt me, is more perfect than any worldly perfection, according to the Philoſopher; If, ſaith he, thou know how to make the Work out of ☿ alone, thou ſhalt be Maſter of a moſt pretious Work. In this Work are no ſuperfluities, but the whole (by the Living God) will be turned into purity, becauſe the action is only in one thing.

But if thou ſhalt proceed in our Work with Sol vulgar, then the action and paſſion is a twofold ſubſtance, and only the middle ſubſtance of both is taken, and the Faeces rejected; if you do but meditate well on what I have told, in few words, you have a key to open all the appearing Contradictions which are amongſt the Philoſophers; therefore Ripley teacheth to turn the wheel round thrice, in his Chapter of Calcination, to which Relations his threefold Doctrine of Proportions agreeth, wherein he is very myſtical, and thoſe three different proportions agree to three ſeveral Works; one Work is moſt ſecret and purely natural, which is with our ☿ and our Sol, to which Work belong all the ſigns deſcribed by the Philoſophers. This Work is done neither by fire nor by hands, but only by internal heat, and the external is only expelling cold and overcoming its Symptomes.

The other Work is in Sol vulgar, purged with our ☿; this operation is done with a ſtrong fire, and in a long time, in which both are decocted by the mediation of Venus, ſo long until the pure ſubſtance of each be ſublimed, which is the true juyce of Lunaria, this is to be taken, and the faeces are to be rejected; this is not yet our Stone, but our true 🜍; which then is to be decocted again with our ☿, which is its own blood, by which decoction it becomes a Stone, penetrative and teigning.

Thirdly and Laſtly, There is a mixt Work, where ☉ vulgar is mixt with our ☿ in a due proportion, and a Ferment of our 🜍 is added as much as is ſufficient; then are fulfilled all the Miracles of the World, and the Elixir becomes able to furniſh the Poſſeſſor both with Riches and Health: Seek then our 🜍 with all thy might, which, believe me, thou ſhalt find in our ☿,

If Fates thee call.

Otherwiſe chuſe Sol vulgar, and work on it with a due proportion of heat, and out of it (in time) thou ſhalt prepare our Sol and Luna; but it's a way hedged with infinite briars, and we have made a Vow unto God and Equity, that we would never, in naked words, declare each Regimen; for I can aſſure you, upon my credit; that I have in other things diſcovered the truth plainly. Take then that ☿ which I have deſcribed, and unite with Sol to which 'tis moſt friendly, and in ſeven moneths, in our true Regimen of heat, thou ſhalt for certain ſee all which thou deſireſt, or in nine moneths, or ten at the moſt; but our ☽ in its full thou ſhalt ſee in five moneths: And theſe are the true periods of this 🜍, out of which, by reiterate decoction, thou ſhalt have our Stone and permanent Tinctures, through the grace of God, to whom be all glory and honour for ever.

CHAP. 20. Of the appearing of Blackneſs in the Work of Sol and Luna.

IF thou ſhalt work in Sol or ☽ to our 🜍, in them conſider if you ſee this matter like to paſte, and to boyl like unto water, or rather like to melted pitch; for our Sol and ☿ have an emblematical Type in Sol vulgar, joyned with, and decocted in our ☿: When thou haſt kindled thy Furnace, wait for the ſpace of 20 dayes and nights, in which time thou ſhalt obſerve divers colours, and about the end of the fourth week, if the fire be continual, thou ſhalt ſee a moſt amiable greenneſs, which will be ſeen for about ten dayes, leſs or more, then rejoyce, for without doubt in a ſhort time thou ſhalt ſee it like unto a coal in blackneſs, and all the members of thy Compound ſhall be turned into Atomes, for the Operation is no other than a Reſolution of the fixt in that which is not fixt, that afterwards both being joyned together, may make one matter, partly ſpiritual, and partly corporal: Therefore ſaith the Philoſopher, Take Coraſcene Dog and Bitch of Armenia, joyn them together, and they ſhall beget thee a Son of the colour of the heaven; for theſe Natures, in a ſhort decoction, ſhall be turned into a broth, like unto the foam of the Sea, or like a thick cloud, which ſhall be tinctured with a livid colour; and once more I may aſſure thee, that I have not hidden any thing ſave only the Regimen, and this, if thou art wiſe, thou ſhalt eaſily collect from my Lines: Suppoſing then that thou wilt learn the Regimen.

Take the Stone which I have told you of before, and govern it as you know how, and there ſhall follow theſe notable things; firſt, as ſoon as our Stone ſhall feel the fire, it ſhall flow (its 🜍 and its ☿ together) upon the fire like to wax, and the 🜍 ſhall be burned, and the colour ſhall change day by day; but the ☿ is incombuſtible, only it ſhall be affected with the colours of the 🜍 for a time, but it cannot be radically affected, therefore it will waſh Letton clean from all its filth; reiterate the heaven upon the earth, ſo long and ſo often, until the earth receive a ſpiritual and heavenly nature: O bleſſed Nature, which doth that which is impoſſible for Man to do! Therefore when in thy glaſs thou ſhalt ſee thy Natures to be mingled like unto a coagulated and burnt blood, know that then the Female is embraced by the Male: Therefore after the firſt ſtirring up of the Matter, expect that in 17 dayes thy two Natures ſhall be turned into a bloody or fatted Broth, which ſhall be turned round together, like unto a thick Cloud, or the ſcum of the Sea, as is before ſaid; and the colour of it will be exceeding obſcure; then be ſure that the Kingly Child is Conceived, and from that time thou ſhalt ſee vapours, green, blew, black and yellow, in the Air or Fire, and at the ſides of the Veſſel. Theſe are thoſe Winds, which in the forming of our Embryon are very frequent, which are to be kept warily, leſt they fly out, and the Work be deſtroyed; beware alſo of the Odour, leſt it happen to exhale at any chink; for the vertue of the Stone would thereby get a moſt notable detriment; therefore the Philoſopher commands to keep the Veſſel cloſe ſealed, and beware that you do not break off abruptly from the Work; neither open nor move the Veſſel, nor yet intermit the Operation not an hour, but continue the Decoction till you ſee the moiſture begin to fail, which will be in about thirty dayes; then rejoice, and reſt aſſured that thou art in the right way. Attend the Work vigilantly, for in about two weeks from the time, thou ſhalt ſee the whole earth dry and notably black, then is the death of thy Compound at hand, the Winds are ceaſed, and all are reſt and quietneſs. This is the fatal Ecclipſe of the Sun and of the Moon, when no light ſhall ſhine upon the Earth, and the Sea ſhall vaniſh, then is made our Chaos, out of which, at the command of God, ſhall proceed all the Miracles of the World in their orders.

CHAP. 21. Of the Burning of the Flowers, and how to prevent it.

THe burning of the Flowers is an errour of fatal conſequence, yet ſoon committed before the Natures which are tender and extracted from their profundity, they are oftentimes burnt; this errour is chiefly to be heeded after the three weeks; for in the beginning there is ſo much moiſture, that if the Work be governed by a ſtronger fire than is convenient, it being brittle will not bear the abundance of winds, but will ſuddenly fly in pieces, unleſs the glaſs be too large, and then ſure the vapours will be ſo out of meaſure diſperſed, that they will hardly return again to their body, at leaſt not ſo much as is neceſſary for the refreſhment of the Stone. But ſo ſoon as the earth ſhall begin to retain part of its water, then the vapours decreaſing, the fire may be ſtrengthened without danger of the Veſſel; but the Work will nevertheleſs be deſtroyed, and will have a colour of a wild Poppie, and the whole Compound will at length become a dry and unprofitable powder, of a half red colour: Thou ſhalt conclude from this ſign, that thy fire hath been too ſtrong, ſo ſtrong, to wit, as to hinder true conjunction; for know, that our Work doth require a true change of Natures, which cannot be until an entire union of both Principles be made; but they cannot be united but in the form of water, for bodies may be confounded or blended together, but cannot be united, nor yet can any body with a ſpirit be united per minima; but ſpirits with ſpirits may well be united, therefore our Operations muſt become Homogeneal Metallick Water; the way to which Solution is our foregoing true Calcination, which therefore is not an exſiccation properly, but a kind grind of water, as earth in Atomes; which when they become more ſubtle than the exigencies of the earth requires, earth is then actually tranſmuted into, and doth receive the form of Ferment of water; but if the fire be too vehement, this ſpiritual Nature being ſtruck as with a fatal ſtroke, our active will become paſſive, of ſpiritual corporal, even a red unprofitable precipitate, for in a due heat the colour will be as black as that of the Crow, which though it be dark yet it's moſt deſirable; yet there is alſo a blackneſs which will appear in the beginning of the true Work, and that very remarkable, but this is ever accompanyed with a due proportion of moiſture, and ſheweth that heaven and earth have been in conjunction, between which the fire of Nature is conceived; by which redneſs all the concave of the glaſs will ſeem as it were gilt over with Gold, but this colour is not durable long, but in a ſhort ſpace will be changed into a greenneſs, then in a very ſhort time expect blackneſs; and if thou wilt be patient, thou for certain ſhalt ſee thy deſire accompliſhed, at leaſt make ſlow, but ſure progreſs. Let not thy heat be over ſtrong, and yet ſtrong enough, and between Scilla and Charibdis ſail like unto a skilful Pilot, ſo ſhalt thou attain the wealth of either India; ſometimes thou ſhalt ſee as it were little Iſlands ſloating, and ſhooting out as it were little ſprigs and buds, which will be changeable in colours, which ſoon will be melted and others will ariſe in the ſtead of them; for the earth as it were inclining to a Vegetation, is alwaies ſending forth ſome new thing or other; ſometimes thy fancy will be that thou ſeeſt in thy glaſs Birds or Beaſts, or creeping things, and thou ſhalt each day behold colours moſt beautiful to ſight, which though they are pleaſant to the eye, are not of a long continuance; all is in the keeping of a due heat without any intermiſſion: So ſhall all theſe pleaſant colours in the ſpace of fifty dayes end in a colour moſt black, and a powder diſcontinuous, which if thou ſeeſt not, blame either thy ☿ or thy Regimen, or the diſpoſition of the Matter, unleſs thou either haſt moved or medled with the glaſs, which may either protract or finally deſtroy the Work.

CHAP. 22. The Regimen of Saturn, what it is, and whence it is denominated.

AS many of the Wiſe men as have wrote of this Maſter-piece of Philoſophy, have all ſpoken of the Regimen of ♄, which many (underſtanding wrong) have turned aſide unto divers errors, and deceived themſelves with their own opinion; ſome being thus led with a great deal of confidence, although with very little advantage: But know that our ♄ is more noble than any Gold, it's the Limus in which the ſoul of our Gold is joyned with its ☿, that after they may produce Adam and Eve his wife; therefore that which is the higheſt ſhall ſo humble it ſelf as to become the loweſt, then expect that he will redeem all his Brethren by his blood. The ſepulchre in which our King is buried is named ♄ in our Work, and its the Key of the Work of Tranſmutation; O happy is he that may behold this ſlow Planet! Pray to God, my Brother, that he would vouchſafe to you his bleſſing; for its not of him that willeth, nor of him runneth, but on the Father of Lights alone, this Bleſſing dependeth.

CHAP. 23. Of the various Regimens of this Work.

BE certainly confident ſtudious Son of Art, whoever thou art, that nothing is hidden in this Work, ſave only the Regimen, of which, that of the Philoſopher may be verified, Whoever is Maſter of that Science, Princes and Grandees of the Earth ſhall honour him. I aſſure you, upon the word of an honeſt Man, that if this one Secret were but openly diſcovered, Fools themſelves would deride the Art; for that being known, nothing remains, but the Work of Women and the play of Children, and that is Decoction: So that not without cauſe did the Wiſe men hide this Secret with all their might. And reſt aſſured that we have done the ſame, whatever we have ſeemed to ſpeak concerning the degree of heat; yet becauſe I did promiſe candor in this Treatiſe, ſomething at the leaſt is to be done, that I may not deceive the ingenious of their hope and pains: Know then, that our Regimen, from the beginning to the end, is only lineal, and that is to decoct and to digeſt, and yet this one Regimen in it ſelf comprehends many others, which the envious have concealed, by giving them divers names, and deſcribing as ſo many ſeveral Operations: We, to perform the candor we promiſed, will make a far more perſpicuous manifeſtation. So that, Reader, whoever thou art (if ingenious) thou ſhalt find cauſe to acknowledge our candidneſs in this to be more than ordinary.

CHAP. 24. Of the firſt Regimen of the Work, which is of Mercury.

ANd in the firſt place we ſhall treat of the Regimen of ☿, which is a ſecret hitherto not diſcovered by any Philoſophers; for they verily do begin their Work at the ſecond Regimen, and do give a young Practitioner no light in the maſtery of the capital ſigns of blackneſs; in this point, that good Marquiſs of Treveſo was ſilent, noble Bernard, who in his Parables ſaith, That the King, when he came to the Fountain, leaving all ſtrangers behind him, enters the Bath alone, clothed in golden Robes, which he puts off and gives to ♄ his firſt Chamberlain, from whom he receiveth a black Velvet Suit. But he ſheweth not how long the intervail of time is, before he plucks of his golden Garment, and therefore he paſſeth over in ſilence the firſt and moſt intricate Regimen, which is perhaps forty or fifty dayes ere it be fully complete; in which time the poor Practitioner is left to uncertain Experiments; from the appearing of blackneſs until the very end of the Work, the ſights that do appear are ſufficient to refreſh the Artiſt, but in this ſpace to wander without a guide or direction, for the ſpace of fifty dayes, I confeſs is tedious: I ſay then, That from the ſecond kindling of the fire, even until blackneſs, all the interval of time is the Regimen of our ☿, even of our Sophical ☿, which all that time doth work alone, his Companion being dead at firſt, and ſo remains a great ſpace; and this Secret before me no man ever yet diſcovered: Therefore when thy Matters are joyned, which are our ☉ and our ☿, do not think, as ſome Alchymiſts vainly imagine, that the r[••]ing of the Sun will follow ſuddenly, no verily, we waited a long and tedious while before a reconciliation was made betwixt the water and the fire; and this the envious have in a ſhort ſpeech myſtically comprehended, when they in the firſt beginning of their Work, called their Matter Rebis, that is, made of two ſubſtances, according to the Poet,

Res Rebis eſt bina conjuncta, ſed eſt tamen una

Solvitur, ut prima ſint aut Sol aut Spermata Luna.

Rebis are two things joyn'd, yet is but one

Diſſolv'd, that Sol or Lune be Sperm alone.

For know of an undoubted truth, that though our ☿ devour the ☉, yet it doth not ſo as Chymical Phantaſticks dream, for although the ☉ joyn with our ☿, yet a year after you ſhall ſeparate each from the other in its own nature, unleſs you decoct them together in a convenient degree of fire, otherwiſe they will not be altered; he who will affirm the contrary, is no Philoſopher: They who wander in Errours Path, do dream that it is a matter of very light concernment to diſſolve the perfect bodies in our ☿, in ſo much, that according to their imaginations, Gold in this will be devoured in the twinkling of an eye; not well underſtanding the place of Bernard Treviſan, in his Parable concerning his Golden Book irrecoverably drowned in his Fountain. But how hard a Work it is to diſſolve Bodies, they can witneſs who have taken pains in this diſſolution; I my ſelf, who have been oft taught this Leſſon by ocular teſtimony, can be a witneſs, that it is a moſt ingenious thing to govern the fire, even after the matter is prepared, ſuch a fire as may diſſolve the Bodies as they ought to be diſſolved, without burning their tinctures. Attend then to my Doctrin: Take the Body which I have ſhewed you, and put it into the water of our Sea, and decoct it continually with a due heat of fire, that both Dews and Clouds may aſcend, and drops may deſcend, both night and day, without intermiſſion; and know, that in this Circulation the ☿ doth ariſe in its former nature, and leaves the body beneath its former nature, ſo long until after a long time the body begin to retain part of its ſoul, ſo by degrees both begin to partake each of other, but becauſe the whole water doth not aſcend by ſublimation, part of it remains below in the bottom of the veſſel, therefore is the body boyled in the water that remains beneath, and by its means it is ſifted, and the drops which are continually running down do perforate the maſſe marvelouſly, and by continual Circulation the water is made more ſubtle, and doth ſweetly extract the ſoul of the Sun; ſo by the mediation of the ſoul the ſpirit is reconciled with the body, and an union of both is made at the utmoſt within fifty dayes; and this Operation is called the Regimen of ☿, becauſe the ☿ is circulated above, and in it the body of the Sun is boyled beneath, and the body is in his work paſſive, until the colours ſhall appear, which will be a little about the twentieth day in a good and continual ebullition; which colours are afterwards increaſed, multiplyed and varied, until all be at laſt completed in black of the blackeſt moſt black, which the fiftieth day will give thee,

(If Fates thee call.)

CHAP. 25. Of the ſecond Regimen of the Work, which is of Saturn.

HAving run through the Regimen of ☿, which is to ſtrip the King of his golden Robes, to aſſault the Lion with divers conflicts, to weary him, and at length to kill him; the next Regimen that apears is that of ♄, for it is the will of God that the Work, when once it's begun, ſhould be carried on even unto the end, and the law of thoſe Operations is, that the ending of one, is the entrance of another; the period of one, the beginning of another: Nor doth the Regimen of ☿ ſooner paſs away, but his ſucceſor ♄ comes in, who is the next higher in ſucceſſion; the Lion dying, the Crow is ingendred: This Regimen lineal in reſpect of the colour, for there is but one only colour, and that is the blackeſt black, but neither fumes, nor winds, nor any ſymbole of Life, only the Compound, will at ſome ſeaſons appear dry, otherwhiles boyling like to melted Pitch: O ſad ſight, the Image of eternal Death! But withal a moſt pleaſant Meſſenger to the Artiſt, for the blackneſs is not ordinary intenſe, ſo that it ſhines again for blackneſs; and when thou ſeeſt thy Matter ſwelling beneath, like unto a Paſte, rejoyce, for know, that within this there is ſhut a quickening ſpirit, which in its appointed time, will reſtore Life from the Almighty and theſe Carkaſes. Be thou only careful of the fire, which thou muſt be ſure to govern with a ſound judgement, and I ſwear unto thee upon the Faith of an honeſt Man, that if thou urge thy Fire, ſo as to make ought to ſublime, in the dayes of this Regimen, thou wilt deſtroy the Work irrecoverably; be content then, with good Treviſan, to be detained in priſon forty dayes and nights, and ſuffer the tender Nature to remain below in the bottom, which is the Neſt of their Conception; knowing for certain then, that when the period of time is expired, which the Almighty hath appointed, the ſpirit will ariſe glorious, and glorifie its body; it will aſcend, I ſay, and be circulated ſweetly, and without violence, and from the Centre it ſhall aſcend unto the Heavens, and again from the Heavens it ſhall deſcend to the Centre, and it ſhall receive the vertue of that which is above, and that which is beneath.

CHAP. 26. Of the Regimen of Jupiter.

AFter black ♄, ♃ ſucceeds, who is of divers colours; for after the putrefaction and corruption which is made in the bottom of the veſſel, through the command of God thou ſhalt again ſee change the colours, and a circulating ſublimation. This Regimen is not durable, for it continues not more than three weeks ſpace; in which time, all colours imaginable in the World will be to be ſeen, of which, no certain account can poſſibly be rendred. In theſe dayes the ſhowres ſhall be multiplyed continually, and at the laſt, after all theſe things moſt beautiful to behold, there ſhall ſhew it ſelf a whiteneſs at the ſides of the veſſel, like unto rays or hairs, then rejoyce, for now thou art hapily run through the Regimen of ♃. The greateſt caution in this Regimen is, leſt when the Chickens of the Crow have left their Neſt, they return to it again; alſo, leſt you draw out the water too immoderately, ſo the earth beneath want it, and be left dry and unprofitable in the bottom; laſtly, leſt thou watereſt thy earth ſo intemperately as to ſuffocate it, which errour thou ſhalt help by the good Regimen of external Fire.

CHAP. 27. Of the Regimen of Luna.

AFter the finiſhing of Jupiter's Regimen, about the cloſing of the fourth moneth, the ſign of the Moon Creſcent ſhall appear unto thee; and know, that the whole Regimen of ♃ is imployed about the waſhing of Letton, the waſhing Spirit is very white in its nature, but the body which is to be waſhed is very black, in the paſſage whereof to white, all the middle colours ſhall be ſeen; after which, all will become white, not in a day, but gradually it ſhall ariſe from white to the whiteſt of all; and know, that in this Operation, there ſhall be a ſeaſon in which all ſhall appear like to liquid Argent Vive, and this is called, The ſealing of the Mother in the belly of her own Infant which ſhe brought forth; and in this Regimen there ſhall alſo appear ſome beautiful colours, but momentary and ſoon vaniſhing, and more of kin to white than unto black, as the colours in the Regimen of ♃ contrariwiſe participated more of blackneſs than whiteneſs; alſo know, that in three weeks the Regimen of ☽ will be complete, but before its perfection the Compound ſhall change in a thouſand formes; for when the fumes begin to ceaſe, before it be wholly congealed, it will melt and grow hard again an hundred times in a day; ſometimes it will appear like to the eyes of a Fiſh, ſometimes like to a pure ſilver Tree ſhining with branches and leaves: In a word, about this ſeaſon the hourly marvels that ſhall appear, ſhall overwhelm the ſight, and at the laſt thou ſhalt have moſt pure ſparkling grains like unto Atomes of the Sun, more glorious than which humane eyes never ſaw. Let us give immortal thanks to our God, who hath brought the Work to this perfection, for it's the true perfect Tincture to the White, yet only of the firſt order, and therefore but of ſmall virtue, in compariſon of that admirable force which it will attain by reiterate Preparation.

CHAP. 28. Of the Regimen of Venus.

ABove all things this is moſt wonderful, that our Stone being now wholly perfect, and able to give a perfect Tincture, ſhould of his own accord again abaſe himſelf, and become again volatile without any laying on of hands: But if you take the white ſtone out of the veſſel, the ſame being put again into a new veſſel, after it is once cold, can never be brought into a new Operation; a demonſtrative reaſon of which, neither we nor any of the ancient Philoſophers are able to render, only it's done by the will of God; at leaſt here be very wary of your fire, for this is the Law of the Stone when it is perfect, that it muſt be fuſible: Therefore if you give too great a heat, the Matter will be vitrified, and melting will adhere to the ſides of the veſſel; nor canſt thou then go on any farther with the Work. And this is the vitrifying of the Matter ſo often warned of by the Philoſophers, which oft happens to them which are unwary both before and after the White Work is, even ended, to wit, after the middle of the Regimen of ☽, until the ſeventh or tenth day of the Rule of ♀: Therefore let thy fire be increaſed but a very little, ſo that the Compound may not vitrifie, that is, to be melted paſſively like to glaſs; but with a bounteous fire, it may of its own accord melt, and ſwell, and by the command of God it ſhall be endued with a ſpirit, that ſhall flie aloft, and the ſtone to flie with it: It ſhall thus give thee new colours, the green at firſt, which is of ♀, which ſhall laſt a long time leſs or more for the ſpace of twenty dayes; expect after this Cerule and Livid, and about the end of the Rule of ♀ pale and obſcure purple, be heedful in this Work that thou do not provoke the ſpirit too urgently, for being now more corporal than formerly, if it do flie to the top of the veſſel, it will hardly return of its own accord; which caution is alſo to be obſerved in the Rule of ☽. When once thou ſeeſt the ſpirits to thicken, then handle them ſweetly and without violence, leſt if thou makeſt them to aſcend to the top, that which is in the bottom be either burnt or vitrified, to the deſtruction of the Work; when then thou ſeeſt greenneſs, know that in it is the virtue Germinative contained. Beware then that this greenneſs turn not into a filthy blackneſs with immoderate heat, but govern thy fire prudently; ſo after forty dayes thou ſhalt ſee this Regimen at an end.

CHAP. 29. Of the Regimen of Mars.

AFter the Rule of ♀ is ended, whoſe colour was chiefly Vert or Green, and a little Red of an obſcure Purple, and ſometimes Livid; in which time the Philoſophical Tree did flouriſh with Boughs and with diſcoloured Leaves and Branches, next ſucceeds the Reign of ♂, which ſhews a little Yellow, mixed with Luteous Brownneſs; theſe are the chief colours, but tranſitory ones of the Rain-Bow and Peacocks-tail, it ſhews moſt gloriouſly, this is a dry ſtate of the Compound, in which the Compound will appear at times in ſtrange Figures; the Hyacinth and high Orange colour in theſe dayes will be ſeen frequently. Now the Mother being ſealed in her Infants Belly ſwells and is purified, but becauſe of the preſent great purity of the Compound, no putridneſs can have place in this Regimen, but ſome obſcure colours play their part as the chief Actors in this Stone, and ſome middle colours do paſs & come, pleaſant to be hold: Now know, that this is the laſt Tillage of our Virgin Earth, that in it the Fruit of the Sun might be ſet and maturated; therefore continue a good heat, and thou ſhalt ſee for certain about thirty dayes off this Regimen a Citrine colour ſhall appear, which ſhall in two weeks offer its firſt appearing Tincture, all with a true Citrine colour.

CHAP. 30. Of the Regimen of Sol.

NOw art thou drawing near to the end of thy Work, and haſt almoſt made an end of this buſineſs; now all appears like unto pure Gold and the Virgins Milk, with which thou imbibeſt this Matter, is now very Citrine: Now to God, the Giver of all Good, you muſt render immortal Thanks, who hath brought this Work on ſo far; and beg earneſtly of him, that thy Counſel may hereafter be ſo governed, that thou mayeſt not endevour to haſten thy Work now it is ſo near perfection, ſo as to loſe all; Conſider that thou haſt waited now about ſeven moneths, and it would be a mad thing to annihilate all in one hour; therefore be thou very wary, yea, ſo much the more by how much thou art nearer to perfection. But if you do proceed warily in this Regimen, thou ſhalt meet with theſe notable things, firſt, thou ſhalt obſerve a certain Citrine ſweat to ſtand upon the Body, and after that Citrine vapours, then ſhall thy Body below be tinctured of a Violet colour, with an obſcure Purple intermixt; after the fourteen or fifteen dayes expectation in this Regimen of the ☉, thou ſhalt ſee the greateſt part of thy Matter humid, and although it be very ponderous, yet it will aſcend in the Belly of the Wind; at length, about the twenty ſixth day of this Regimen, it will begin to dry, and then it will liquefie and recongeal, and will grow liquid again an hundred times in a day, until at the laſt it begin to turn into grains, and ſometimes it will will ſeem as if it were all diſcontinuous in grain, and then again it will grow into one Maſs again, and thus will it put on innumerable forms in one day; and this will continue for the ſpace of about two weeks; at the laſt, by the will of God, a light ſhall be ſent upon thy Matter, which thou canſt not imagine; then expect a ſudden end, within three dayes thou ſhalt ſee, for thy Matter ſhall convert it ſelf into grains, and as fine as the Atomes of the ☉, and the colour will be the higheſt Red imaginable, which for its tranſcendent redneſs will ſhew blackiſh, like unto the ſoundeſt blood when it is congealed, although thou mayeſt not believe that any ſuch thing can be an exact parallel of our Elixir, for it is a marvellous Creature, not having its compare in the whole Univerſe, nor any thing exactly like it.

CHAP. 31. The Fermentation of the Stone.

REmember now that thou haſt got our 🜍 red and incombuſtible, which can by no fire be promoted further of it ſelf, and be very wary, which I ſhould have told you in the former Chapter had I not forgot it, that in the Regimen of the Citrine Sun, before this ſupernatural ☉ be born, which is adorned with a true Tirian colour; leſt, I ſay, thou then vitrifie thy Matter with too great fire, for ſo it would be after inſoluble, and by conſequence cannot be coagulated into theſe glorious Atomes, Red of the Reddeſt. Be wary then that thou deſtroy not ſo great a Treaſure, and yet do not think that thy Labour here hath an end, but proceed further, that out of this 🜍, by reiterate ſolution and coagulation, thou mayeſt have our Elixir: Take then of moſt fine Gold three parts, and of this 🜍 one part, thou mayeſt take four parts of ☉ and a fifth part of our 🜍, but the aforeſaid proportion is better; melt the ☉ in a clean Crucible, and when 'tis melted put thy 🜍 into it, but very warily, leſt you loſe it by the ſmoke of the coals, let them flow together, then put them forth into an Ingot, and thou ſhalt have a Maſs, which may be pulveriſed, of a moſt glorious Red colour, but hardly tranſparent; then take of this Maſs exactly pulveriſed one part, of thy Sophical ☿ two parts, mix them well, put them in a glaſs, which ſeal, and govern it as before two moneths, in which time thou ſhalt ſee all the foreſaid Regimens paſs in their order. This is true Fermentation, which thou mayeſt, if thou wilt, reiterate.

CHAP. 32. The Imbibition of the Stone.

I Know that many Authors do take Fermentation in this Work for the internal inviſible Agent, which they call Ferment, by whoſe virtue the fugitive and ſubtile Spirit, without laying on of hands, are of their own accord thickened; and our forementioned way of Fermentation they call Cibation with Bread and Milk, ſo Ripley; but I (not uſing to cite other Authors, nor yet to ſwear to their words in a thing which I my ſelf know as well as they) have followed my own judgement in my Writings. There is then another Operation, by which our Stone is increaſed in weight more than virtue: Take of thy 🜍, white or red, and to three parts of the 🜍 add a fourth part of the water, and after a little blackneſs, in ſix or ſeven dayes decoction, thy water newly added ſhall be increaſed or thickened, like unto thy 🜍; then add another fourth part, not in reſpect of the whole Compound, which is now increaſed a fourth part by the firſt Imbibition; but in reference to thy firſt 🜍 as thou tookeſt it at firſt, which being dryed add another fourth part, and let it be congealed with a convenient fire, then put to it two parts of the water in reference to the three parts of the 🜍 which thou tookeſt at firſt, before the firſt Imbibition, and in this proportion, imbibe and congeal three other times, at laſt add five parts of water in the ſeventh Imbibition, ſtill remembering to reckon the water in reference to the 🜍 as it was taken at firſt; ſeal thy Veſſel, and in a fire like to the former make thy Compound paſs through all the foreſaid Regimens, which will be done in one moneth, and then thou haſt the true Stone of the third order; of which one part will fall on a thouſand, and teyn perfectly. [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉]

CHAP. 33. The Multiplication of the Stone.

TO this is required no labour, ſave only that thou take the Stone, being perfect, and joyn it with three parts, or at the moſt with four parts of ☿ of our firſt Work, and govern it with a due fire, in a Veſſel well cloſed, ſo ſhall all the Regimens paſs with infinite pleaſure, and thou ſhalt have the whole increaſed a thouſand fold beyond what it was before the Multiplication of it; and if thou ſhalt reiterate this Work again, in three dayes thou ſhalt run through all the Regimens, and thy Medicine ſhall be exalted to another millinary virtue of Tincture; and if thou yet ſhalt reiterate the Work, it will be perfected in a natural day, and all the Regimens and Colours ſhall paſs, which will be done afterwards with another reiteration in one hour, nor ſhalt thou at laſt be able to find the extent of the virtue of thy Stone, it ſhall be ſo great that it ſhall paſs thy Ingenuity to reckon it, if that thou proceed in the Work of reiterate Multiplication: Now remember to render immortal Thanks to God, for thou now haſt the whole Treaſure of Nature in thy poſſeſſion.

CHAP. 34. Of the manner of Projection.

TAke of thy Stone perfected as is ſaid, white or red, according to the equality of the Medicine, take of either ☉ or ☽ four parts, melt them in a clean Crucible, then put in of thy Stone, white or red, as the Metal that is melted is in quality, and being well mixed together in fuſion, pour them into an Ingot, and thou ſhalt have a Maſs which is brittle; take of this Maſs one part, and ☿ well waſhed ten parts, heat the ☿ till it begin to crack, then throw upon it this Mixture, which in the twinckling of an eye will pierce it; increaſe thy fire till it be melted, and all will be a Medicine of inferior virtue; take then of this, and caſt one part upon any Metal, purged and melted, to wit, as much as it can teyn, and thou ſhalt have moſt pure ☉ or ☽, purer than which Nature cannot give. But it is better to make Projection gradually, until Projection ceaſe; for ſo it will extend farther; for when ſo little is proiected on ſo much, unleſs Projection be made on ☿, there is a notable loſs of the Medicine, by reaſon of the Scorias which do adhere to impure Metals; by how much then the Metals are better purged before Projection, by ſo much more will the Matter ſucceed.

CHAP. 35. Of the many Ʋſes of this Medicine.

HE who hath once, by the Bleſſing of God, perfectly attained this Art, I know not what in the World he can wiſh, but that he may be free from all ſnares of wicked men, ſo as to ſerve God without diſtraction. But it would be a vain thing, by outward pomp to ſeek for vulgar applauſe, ſuch trifles are not eſteemed by thoſe who have this Art, nay rather they deſpiſe them: He therefore whom God hath bleſſed with this Talent, hath this field of Content, which far exceeds popular admiration; firſt, if he ſhould live a thouſand Years, and every day provide for a thouſand men, he could not want, for he may increaſe his Stone at his pleaſure, both in weight and virtue, ſo that, if a man would, one man that is an Adeptiſt, might tranſmute into perfect Gold and Silver all the imperfect Metals that are in the whole World; ſecondly, he may by this Art make precious Stones and Gems, ſuch as cannot be paralelled in Nature, for goodneſs and greatneſs.

Thirdly and Laſtly, he hath a Medicine Univerſal, both for prolonging Life, and Curing of all Diſeaſes, ſo that one true Adeptiſt can eaſily Cure all the ſick People in the World, I mean his Medicine is ſufficient.

Now to the King Eternal, Immortal and ſole Almighty, be everlaſting Praiſe, for theſe his unſpeakable Gifts, and unvaluable Treaſures.

Whoſoever enjoyeth this Talent, let him be ſure to employ it to the glory of God, and the good of his Neighbours, leſt he be found ungrateful to God his Creditor, who hath bleſſed him with ſo great a Talent, and ſo be in the laſt day found guilty of miſproving of it, and ſo condemned.

This Work was begun in the Year, 1645. and ended by me, who have made and do profeſs theſe Secrets, yet deſire not applauſe, but to be helpful to a ſincere Searcher of this Secret Art; to whom I ſubſcribe my ſelf a Friend and Brother,

Aeyrenaeus Philaletha, Natu Auglus, Habitatione Coſmopolita.

The Contents.

CHAP. 1.
• OF the neceſſity of the Sophick Mercury for the Work of the Elixir. page 1.
CHAP. 2.
• Of the Principles Compoſing the Mercury Sophical. pag. 4.
CHAP. 3.
• Of the Chalybs of the Sophiſts. p. 6.
CHAP. 4.
• Of the Magnet of the Sophiſts. pa. 8.
CHAP. 5.
• The Chaos of the Sophi. pag. 9.
CHAP. 6.
• The Air of the Sophi. pag. 11.
CHAP. 7.
• Of the firſt Operation, of the Preparation of the Sophical ☿ by the Flying Eagles. pag. 14.
CHAP. 8.
• Of the labour and tediouſneſs of the firſt Preparation. pag. 17.
CHAP. 9.
• Of the virtue of our Mercury upon all the Metals. pag. 20.
CHAP. 10.
• Of the Sulphur which is in the Sophical Mercury. pag. 21.
CHAP. 11.
• Of the Invention of the perfect Magiſtery. pag. 23.
CHAP. 12.
• Of the manner of the perfect Magiſtery in general. pag. 36.
CHAP. 13.
• Of the Ʋſe of the ripe 🜍 in the Work of the Elixir. pag. 32.
CHAP. 14.
• Of the requiſite Circumſtances in general belonging to this Work. p. 51.
CHAP. 15
• Of the accidental Purgation of Gold. pag. 53.
CHAP. 16.
• Of the Amalgamation of the Mercury and Gold, and of the due weight of both. pag. 57.
CHAP. 17.
• Of the Preparation, Form, Matter and Cloſing of the Veſſel. pag. 61.
CHAP. 18.
• Of the Philoſophical Furnace or Athanor. pag. 64.
CHAP. 19.
• Of the Progreſs of the Work in the firſt Forty Dayes. pag. 71.
CHAP. 20.
• Of the appearing of Blackneſs in the Work of ☉ and ☽ pag. 80.
CHAP. 21.
• Of the burning of the Flowers and how to prevent it. pag. 84.
CHAP. 22.
• The Regimen of Saturn, what it is, and whence it is denominated. pag. 88.
CHAP. 23.
• Of the various Regimens of this Work. pag. 89.
CHAP. 24.
• Of the firſt Regimen of the Work, which is of Mercury. pag. 90.
CHAP. 25.
• Of the ſecond Regimen of the Work which is of Saturn. pag. 95.
CHAP. 26.
• Of the Regimen of Jupiter. pag. 98.
CHAP. 27
• Of the Regimen of Luna. pag. 100.
CHAP. 28.
• Of the Regimen of Venus. pag. 102.
CHAP. 29.
• Of the Regimen of Mars. pag. 105.
CHAP. 30.
• Of the Regimen of Sol. pag. 107.
CHAP. 31.
• The Fermentation of the Stone. pag. 110.
CHAP. 32.
• The Imbibition of the Stone. pag. 112.
CHAP. 33.
• The Multiplication of the Stone. pag. 114.
CHAP. 34.
• Of the manner of Projection. p. 116.
CHAP. 35.
• Of the many Ʋſes of this Medicine. pag. 118.

The Characters Explained.

• ☉ Sol.
• ☿ Mercury.
• 🜍 Sulphur.
• ♀ Venus.
• ♄ Saturn.
• ♃ Jupiter.
• ♂ Mars.
• ☽ Luna.

FINIS.