A NEW LIGHT OF ALCHYMIE.

THE FIRST TREATISE.

Of Nature, what she is, and what her searchers ought to be.

any wise, and very learned men many ages since, yea (Hermes testifying the same) before the floud wrote many things concerning the making the Philosophers stone; and have bequeathed so many writings unto us, that unlesse Nature should daily worke things credible to us, scarce any one would beleeve it as a truth that there were any nature at all: because in former ages there were not so many devisers of things, neither did our Ancestors regard any thing besides nature it selfe, and the possibility of nature. And although they were contented with the plaine way alone of nature, yet they found out those things, which we now imployed about divers things could not with all our wits conceive. This is because nature, and the generation of things in the world is esteemed of us meane, and plaine. And therefore we bend our wits not to things knowne, and familiar, but to such things, which not at all, or very hardly can be done. Wherefore it happens that we are more dexterous in devising curious subtilties, and such which the Philosophers themselves did never thinke of, then to attain to the true processe of nature, & the right meaning of Philosophers. And such is the disposition of mens natures, as to neglect those things they know, and to be alwaies seeking after other things; such also and much more is that of mens wits, and fancies, to which their nature is subjected. As for example; You see any Artificer, when he hath attained to the highest perfection of his Art, either searcheth into other Arts, or abuseth the same, which he already hath, or else leaves it off quite. So also is generous nature alwaies active and doing to its very Iliad (i) utmost period, and afterward ceaseth. For there is given to nature from the beginning a certaine kinde of grant, or permission still to attaine to things better, and better through her whole progresse, and to come to her full rest, towards which she tends with all her might, and rejoyceth in her end, as a Pismire doth in her old age, at which time nature makes her wings. Even so our wits have proceeded so farre, especially in the Phylosophicall Art, or praxis of the stone, that now we are almost come to the Iliad it selfe. For the Art of Chymistry hath now found out such subtilties, that scarce greater can be invented, and differ as much from the Art of the Ancient Philosophers as a Clock-smith doth from a plaine Black-smith: And although both worke upon Iron, yet neither understands the others labours, although both are masters of their Art. If Hermes himselfe, the father of Philosophers, should now be alive, and subtil-witted Geber, together with most profound Raimundus Lullius, they would not be accounted by our Chymists for Philosophers, but rather for Scholars: They would be ignorant of those so many distillations, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and so many other innumerable operations of Artists now adayes used, which men of this age devised, and found out of their writings. There is one only thing wanting to us, that is, to know that which they effected, viz. the Philosophers stone, or Physicall Tincture, we, whilest we seeke that, finde out other things: and unlesse the procreation of man were so usuall as it is, and nature did in that thing still observe her owne law, and rules, we should scarce not but erre. But to returne to what I intended; I promised in this first treatise to explaine Nature, lest every idle fancy should turne us aside from the true and plaine way. Therefore I say Nature is but one, true, plaine, perfect, and entire in its owne being, which God made from the beginning, placing his spirit in it: but know that the bounds of nature is God himselfe, who also is the originall of nature. For it is certaine, that every thing that is begun, ends no where but in that, in which it begins. I say it is that only alone, by which God workes all things: not that God cannot worke without it (for truly he himselfe made nature, and is omnipotent) but so it pleaseth him to doe. All thing proceed from this very nature alone; neither is there any thing in the world without nature. And although it happens sometimes that there be abortives; this is not natures fault, but of the Artist, or place. This nature is divided into foure places, in which she works all these things, which appeare to us under shadowes; for truely things may be said rather to be shadowed out to us, then really to appeare. She is changed in male, and female, and is likened to Mercury, because she joynes her selfe to various places; and according to the goodnesse, or the badnesse of the place she brings forth things; although to us there seeme no bad places at all in the earth. Now for qualities there be only foure, and these are in all things, but agree not, for one alwaies exceeds another. Moreover, nature is not visible, although she acts visibly; for it is a volatile spirit, which executes its office in bodies, and is placed, and seated in the will, and minde of God. Nature in this place serves us for no other purpose, but to understand her places, which are more sutable, and of nearer affinity to her; that is, to understand how to joyne one thing to another, according to nature, that we mixe not wood and man together, or an oxe or any other living creature, and metals together: but let every thing act upon its owne like: and then for certaine nature shall performe her office. The place of nature is no other then, as I said before, what is in the will of God.

The searchers of nature ought to be such as nature her selfe is, true, plaine, patient, constant, &c. and that which is chiefest of all, religious, fearing God, not injurious to their neighbour. Then let them diligently consider, whether their purpose be agreeable to nature; whether it be possible, let them learne by cleare examples, viz. Out of what things any thing may be made, how, and in what vessell nature workes. For if thou wilt doe any thing plainly, as nature her selfe doth doe it, follow nature; but if thou wilt attempt to doe a thing better then nature hath done it, consider well in what, and by what it is bettered, and let it alwaies be done in its owne like. As for example, if thou desirest to exalt a metall in vertue (which is our intention) further then nature hath done; thou must take a metalline nature both in male and female, or else thou shalt effect nothing. For if thou dost purpose to make a metall out of hearbs, thou shalt labour in paine, as also thou shalt not bring forth wood out of a dog, or any other beast.

THE SECOND TREATISE.

Of the operation of Nature in our intention, and in Sperme.

said even now that nature was true, but one, every where seene, constant, and is knowne by the things which are brought forth, as woods, hearbs, and the like. I said also that the searcher of nature must be true, simple hearted, patient, constant, giving his minde but to one thing alone, &c. Now we must begin to treat of the acting of Nature. As nature is in the will of God, and God created her, or put her upon every imagination; so nature made her selfe a seed, (i) her will, and pleasure in the Elements. She indeed is but one, and yet brings forth divers things; but workes nothing without a sperme: Nature workes whatsoever the sperme pleaseth, for it is as it were an instrument of some Artificer. The sperme therefore of every thing is better, and more advantagious to the Artificer, then nature her selfe. For by nature without seed, you shall doe as much as a Goldsmith shall without fire, gold, or silver, or a husbandman without corne, or seed. If thou hast the sperme, nature is presently at hand, whether it be to bad, or good. She workes in sperme, as God doth in the free will of man: and that is a great mysterie, because nature obeyes the sperme, not by compulsion, but voluntarily; even as God suffers all things, which man wills, not by constraint, but out of his owne free pleasure: Therefore he gave man free will whether to bad, or to good. The sperme therefore is the Elixir of every thing, or Quintessence, or the most perfect decoction, or digestion of a thing, or the Balsome of Sulphur, which is the same as the Radicall moisture in metalls. There might truely be made a large discourse of this sperme; but we shall onely keep to that which makes for our purpose in the Chymicall Art. Foure Elements beget a sperme through the will, and pleasure of God, and imagination of nature: for as the sperme of man hath its center, or vessell of its seede in the kidnies; so the foure Elements by their never ceasing motion (every one according to its quality) cast forth a sperme into the Center of the earth, where it is digested, and by motion sent abroad. Now the Center of the earth is a certaine empty place, where nothing can rest. The foure Elements send forth their qualities into excentrall parts of the earth, or into the circumference of the Center. As a man sends forth his seed into the entrance of the wombe of the woman; in which place nothing of the seed remaines, but after the wombe hath received a due proportion, casts out the rest: so also it comes to passe in the Center of the earth, that the magnetick vertue of the part of any place drawes to it selfe any thing that is convenient for its selfe, for the bringing forth of any thing; the residue is cast forth into stones, and other excrements. For all things have their originall from this fountaine, neither hath any thing in the world any beginning but by this fountaine. As for example; let there be set a vessell of water upon a smooth even table, and be placed in the middle thereof, and round about let there be laid divers things, and divers colours, also salt, and every one apart: then let the water be powred forth into the middle; and you shall see that water to runne abroad here and there, and when one streame is come to the red colour, it is made red by it, if to the salt, it takes from it the taste of the salt, and so of the rest. For the water doth not change the place, but the diversity of the place changeth the water. In like manner the seed, or sperme being by the foure Elements cast forth from the center into the circumference, passeth through divers places; and according to the nature of the place, it makes things: If it comes to a pure place of earth, and water, a pure thing is made. The seed, and sperme of all things is but one, and yet it produceth divers things, as is evident by the following example. The seed of a man is a noble seed, and was created, and ordained for the generation of man onely; yet nevertheless if a man doe abuse it, as is in his free will to doe, there is borne an abortive. For if a man contrary to Gods most expresse command should couple with a cow, or any other beast, the beast would presently conceive the seed of the man, because nature is but one; and then there would not be borne a man, but a beast, and an Abortive; because the seed did not find a place sutable to it self. By such an inhumane, & detestable copulation of men with beasts there would be brought forth divers beasts, like unto men. For so it is, if the sperme goes into the center, there is made that which should be made there; but when it is come into any other place, and hath conceived, it changeth its forme no more. Now whilest the sperme is yet in the center, there may as easily be brought forth a tree, as a metall from the sperme, and as soone an hearbe, as a stone, and one more pretious then another, according to the purity of the place: But how the Elements beget a sperme is in the next place to be treated of, and it is done thus: The Elements are foure: two are heavy and two are light, two dry, and two moist, but one which is most dry, and another which is most moist, are males, and females &c. Every one of these of it selfe is most apt to produce things like unto it selfe in its owne sphere, and so it pleased God it should be: These foure never are at rest, but are alwaies acting one upon another; and every one by it selfe sendeth forth his owns thinness, and subtlety, and they all meet in the center: now in the center is the Archeus, the servant of nature, which mixeth those spermes, and sends them forth. And how that is done is to be seene more fully in the Epilogue of the 12 treatises.

THE THIRD TREATISE.

Of the true first matter of Metalls.

he first matter of Metalls is twofold, but the one cannot make a metall without the other. The first and principall is the humidity of the aire mixed with heat; and this the Philosophers called Mercury, which is governed by the beams of the Sunne, and Moon in the Philosophicall sea: the second is the dry heat of the earth, which they called Sulphur. But because all true Philosophers chiefly concealed this, wee will a little more cleerly explain it; especially the weight or poise, which being unknown, all things are spoiled. Thence it is, that many bring forth an abortive out of that which is good; for there bee some that take the whole body for the matter, or seed, or sperme; and some that take a piece, and all these go beside the right way. As for example, if any one should take the foot of a man, and the hand of a woman, and would by mixing these two together make a man, it were not possible to be done. For there is in every body a Center, and a place or the point of the seed or sperme, and is alwaies the 8200^th. part, yea even in every wheat corne; and this cannot bee otherwise. For not the whole corne, or body is turned into seed, but only a spark, or some certain small necessary part in the body, which is preserved by its body from all excessive heat and cold. If thou hast eares, or any sense, mark well what is here said, and thou shalt be safe, and out of the number not only of those who are ignorant of the place of the sperm, and endeavour to convert the whole corn into seed; but also of them all, who are employed in the fruitlesse dissolution of metalls, and are desirous to dissolve the whole of metalls, that afterwards by their mutuall commixtion they may make a new metall. But these men, if they considered the processe of Nature, should see that the case is far otherwise; for there is no metall so pure, which hath not its impurities, yet one more, or fewer then another. But thou, friendly Reader, shalt observe the first point of nature, as is abovesaid, and thou hast enough: but take this caution along with thee; that thou dost not seek for this point in the metalls of the vulgar, in which it is not. For these metalls, especially the gold of the vulgar, are dead, but ours are living, full of spirit, and these wholly must be taken: for know, that the life of metalls is fire whilst they are yet in their mines; and their death is the fire, viz. of melting. Now the first matter of metals is a certaine humidity mixed with warm aire, and it resembles fat water, sticking to every thing pure, or impure, but in one place more abundantly then in another, by reason the earth is more open, and porous in one place then in another, having also an attractive power. It comes forth into the light somtimes by it self, with some kind of covering, especially in such places where there was nothing that it could well stick to; it is known thus, because every thing is compounded of 3 principles: but in reference to the matter of metalls is but one, without any conjunction to any thing, excepting to its covering or shadow, viz. sulphur, &c.

THE FOURTH TREATISE.

How Metals are generated in the bowells of the earth.

etalls are brought forth in this manner. After the foure Elements have sent forth their vertues into the center of the earth, the Archeus by way of distillation sends them up unto the superficies of the earth, by vertue of the heat of its perpetuall motion: for the earth is porous, and this wind by distilling through the pores of the earth, is resolved into water, out of which all things are made. Therefore let the sons of wisdome know, that the sperm of metalls doth not differ from the sperm of all things, viz. the moist vapour: therefore in vain do Artists look after the reducing of metalls into their first matter, which is only a vapour. The Philosophers meant not such a first matter, but only the second matter, as Bernardus Trevisanus learnedly discusseth it, though not so cleerly, because hee speaks of the foure Elements, but yet hee did say as much, but he spake only to the sons of Art. But I, that I might the more cleerly open the Theorie, would have all be admonished here to take heed how they give way to so many solutions, so many circulations, so many calcinations, and reiterations of the same; for in vain is that sought for in a hard thing, when as the thing is soft of it self, and every where to be had. Let not the first, but the second matter only be sought after, viz. that, which as soon as it is conceived, cannot be changed into another form. But if thou inquirest how a metall may bee reduced into such a matter, in that I keep close to the intention of the Philosophers: This thing only above all the rest I desire, that the sons of Art would understand the sense, and not the letter of writings, and where nature doth end, viz. in metallick bodies, which in our eyes seem to be perfect, there must Art begin. But to return to my purpose, (for my intention is not here to speak of the stone only) let us now treate of the matter of metalls. A little before I said, that all things were made of the liquid aire, or the vapour, which the Elements by a perpetuall motion distill into the bowells of the earth; and then the Archeus of Nature takes and sublimes it through the pores, and according to its discretion distributes it to every place (as we have declared in the foregoing treatises) so from the variety of places proceeds the variety of things. There be some that suppose Saturne to have one kind of seed, and Gold another, and so all the rest of the metalls. But these are foolish fancies; there is but one only seed, the same is found in Saturne which is in Gold, the same in Silver which is in Iron; but the place of the earth is divers, if thou understandest me aright, although in Silver nature sooner hath done its work, then in Gold, and so of the rest. For when that vapour is sublimed from the center of the earth, it passeth through places either cold, or hot: If therefore it passeth through places that are hot, and pure, where the fatnesse of Sulphur sticks to the walls; I say that vapour which the Philosophers have called the Mercury of Philosophers applyes it self to, and is joined to that fatnesse, which then it sublimes with it self; and then becomes an unctuosity, and leaving the name of a Vapour, is called by the name of Fatnesse; which afterward coming by sublimation unto other places, which the foregoing vapour hath cleansed, where the earth is subtill, pure, and moist, fills the pores thereof, and is joined to it, and so it is made Gold; but if that fatnesse come to impure, and cold places, it is made Lead; but if the earth bee cold and pure, and mixed with sulphur, it is made Copper, &c. For by how much more a place is depurated, or clensed, by so much the more excellent it makes the metalls: for wee must know, that that vapour goes out continually from the center to the superficies, and cleanseth those places through which it passeth. Thence it comes to passe, that now there may bee found Mines in those places where a thousand yeers agoe were none; for in its passage it alwaies subtilizeth that which is crude and impure, carrying it by degrees with it: And this is the reiteration, and circution of nature; it is so long sublimed in producing new things, untill the place be very well purified; and by how much the more it is purified, by so much the nobler things it brings forth. Now in the winter when the air is cold, binding fast the earth, that unctuous vapour is congealed, which afterward when the spring returns, is mixed together with earth, and water, and so becomes a Magnesia, drawing to it self the Mercury of air, like unto it selfe, and gives life to all things through the concurrence of the beams of the Sun, Moon and Stars, and so it brings forth grass, flowers, and such like things. For Nature is not one moment of time idle. Now Metalls are thus made, the earth by long distillation is purified, then they are generated by the accesse, or coming thither of the fatnesse: they are brought forth no other way, as is the foolish opinion of some that mis-interpret the writings of Philosophers.

THE FIFTH TREATISE.

Of the generation of all kinds of Stones.

he matter of Stones is the same as of other things; and according to the purity of places they are made in this manner. When the four Elements distill their vapour into the center of the earth; and the Archeus of nature sends forth the same, and sublimes it; this whilst it passeth through places, and the pores of the earth, takes along with it self all the impurity of the earth unto the very superficies, which afterward the air congeals (for what the pure air makes, the crude aire congeals, because aire hath ingresse into aire, and they join themselves together, for nature is delighted in nature:) and so are made rocks, and stony mountains, according to great and little pores. And by how much the greater are the pores of the earth, by so much the better is the place purified. Since therefore by such a breathing place or vent, a greater heat, and a greater quantity of water passeth, therefore the sooner is the earth depurated: and so afterward in those places metalls are more easily brought forth. Even so very experience testifies, that gold cannot be got, or found any where but in mountains, and seldome or never in plain, and levell ground: for most commonly such places are moist, not with the vapour, but with Elementary water, which drawes to it self that vapour, and so they embrace one another, as that they can hardly be separated; afterwards the sun of the heavens digesting them, makes that fat clay which the Potters use. But in places where there is grosse sand, and whither the vapour doth not bring with it that fatnesse, or sulphur, it brings forth herbs and grasse in Meadows. There be other kind of stones, which are called precious stones, as the Diamond, Rubies, Emerald, and such like gems as these, all which are generated after this manner. When the vapour of Nature is sublimed by it selfe, without being joined to the fatnesse of sulphur, and comes to a place of pure salt water, there are made Diamonds; and this is in cold places, whither that fatnesse cannot come, because that fatness would hinder the making of these stones. For wee must know, that the spirit of water is sublimed easily, and that with a small heat; but oil, and fatnesse cannot be carryed up but with a great heat, and that also into hot places; for when it is come from the center, if it meet with any little cold, it is congealed, and is at a stand, but the vapour ascends to its due places, and in pure water is congealed into stones by grains. But how colours are made in gems; wee must know that they are made by reason of the sulphur in this manner: if the fatnesse of the sulphur be congealed, then by that perpetuall motion, the spirit of the water passing through, it digests and purifies it by virtue of the salt, untill it bee coloured with a digested heate, red or white, which colour tending toward a further perfection, is carryed up by that spirit, because it is subtilized and made thin by so many reiterated distillations; the spirit afterward hath a power to enter into imperfect things, and so brings in a colour to them, which afterward is joined to that water, being then in part congealed, and so fills up the pores thereof, and is fixed with it, with an inseparable fixation. For all water is congealed with heat, if it be without spirit, & congeled with cold, if it hath a spirit; but he that knows how to congeal water with heat, & to join a spirit with it, shall certainly find out a thing more pretious then gold, and every thing else. Let him therefore cause that the spirit be separated from the water, that it may putrifie, and bee like a graine. Afterwards the feces being cast away, let him reduce and bring back the spirit again from the deep into water, and make them be joined together again: for that conjunction will generate a branch of an unlike shape to its parents.

THE SIXTH TREATISE.

Of the second matter, and putrefaction of things.

ee have spoken of the first matter of things, and how things are produced by Nature without seed, that is, how Nature receives matter from the Elements, out of which she makes seed: But now we intend to treat of the seed it selfe, and things generated of seed. For every thing that hath seed is multiplyed in it, but without the help of Nature it is not done: for the seed is nothing else but the air congealed in some body: or it is a moist vapour; and unlesse this be resolved by a warm vapour, it is of no use. Let therefore the searchers of the Art understand what Seed is, lest they seek after a thing that is not: and let them know that that is threefold, which is brought forth by the foure Elements. The first is Minerall, and is that which we now speak of; the second is Vegetable; the third Animall. The Minerall seed is known by Philosophers alone: the Vegetable is common, and vulgar, as we may see in fruits: the Animall is known by imagination. The Vegetable doth shew to us, how Nature made it of the four Elements. For wee must know that the winter is the cause of putrefaction, seeing it congeals the Vitall spirits in trees; and when those by the heat of the Sun (in which there is a magnetick vertue, attractive of al manner of moisture) are resolved; then the heat of nature, stirred up by motion drives, or forceth the subtill Vapour of the water to the circumference, and this vapour openeth the pores of the tree, and makes drops distill, alwaies separating the pure from the impure. Yet the pure sometimes goeth before the impure; the pure stayes, and is congealed into flowers, the impure goes into leaves, the grosse, and thick into the bark: the bark of the tree remains fast, and firm, the leaves fall with cold, or heat, when the pores thereof are stopt: the flowers in congealing receive their colour according to the heat whereby the colour is made, and bring with them fruit, and seed (as an Apple, in which there is sperm out of which a tree is not brought forth; but in the inside of that sperme is a seed or kernell, out of which even without the sperm is brought forth a tree, for multiplication is not in the sperm, but in the seed.) So wee see with our eyes, that Nature creates a seed out of the four Elements, lest wee should labour in vain about it; for what is created already need not a Creator. Let this by way of example bee sufficient for the advertisement of the Reader; but now I return to my purpose concerning the Mineralls. Nature creates the Mineral seed, or the seed of Metalls in the bowels of the earth: wherefore it is not beleeved that there is any such seed in rerum naturâ, because it is invisible. But it is no wonder if ignorant men doubt of it, seeing they cannot perceive that which is before their eys, much less that which is hid from their eyes: but it is most true that that which is superiour, is but as that which is inferior, and so on the contrary. Also that which is brought forth above is brought forth of the same fountaine, as that beneath in the bowells of the earth. And what prerogative should Vegetables have before Metalls, that God should put a seed into them, and without cause withhold it from these? Are not Metalls of as much esteem with God as Trees? Let this be granted for a truth, that nothing grows without seed: for where there is no seed, the thing is dead. It is necessary therefore that four Elements should make the seed of Metalls, or bring them forth without a seed: if they are produced without seed, then they cannot be perfect; seeing every thing without seed is imperfect, by the rule of composition: hee which gives no credit to this undoubted truth, is not worthy to search into the secrets of nature; for there is nothing made in the world, that is destitute of seed. The seed of Metalls is truely, and really put into them: and the generation of it is thus. The foure Elements in the first operation of Nature doe by the help of the Archeus of Nature distill into the center of the earth a ponderous, or heavy Vapour of water, which is the seed of Metalls, and is called Mercury by reason of its fluxibility, and its conjunction with every thing, not for its essence; and for its internall heat it is likened to Sulphur, and after congealation becomes to be the radicall moisture. And although the body of Metalls be procreated of Mercury (which is to bee understood of the Mercury of Philosophers) yet they are not bee hearkned to, that think the vulgar Mercury is the seed of Metalls, and so take the body in stead of the seed, not considering that the vulgar Mercury spoken of hath its own seed in it self. The errors, and mistakes of all these men will be made apparent by the following example. It is manifest that men have seed, in which they are multiplyed: the body of man is Mercury; but the seed is hid in the body, and in comparison to the body is but little, and light: he therefore that will beget a man, let him not take Mercury, which is the body, but the seed, which is the congealed Vapour of water. So in the regeneration of Metalls, the vulgar Chymists goe preposterously to work: They dissolve Metallick bodies, whether it be Mercury, or Gold, or Lead, or Silver, and corrode them with sharp waters, and other Heterogeneous things not requisite to the true Art, and afterward joine them together again, not knowing that a man is not generated of a mans body cut to pieces, because by this means the body is marred, and the seed before-hand is destroyed. Every thing is multiplyed in Male and Female, as I have already mentioned in the Treatise of the twofold Matter: The division of the sexes causeth, or produceth nothing, but a due joining of them together, brings forth a new forme: the seeds therefore, or spermes, not bodies are to bee taken. Take therefore a living Male, and a living Female; joine these together, that betwixt them there may be conceived a sperm for the bringing forth of fruit after its kind: There is no man living can beleeve that he can make the first matter: The first matter of Man is earth, and no man can of that make a man; only God knows how to doe this; but of the second matter, which is already made, if it be put into its due place, may easily by the operation of Nature be generated a thing of that species, or kind, which the seed was of. The Artist here need doe nothing, onely to separate the thin from the thick, and to put it into its due vessell. For this is to be considered, that as a thing is begun, so it ends: Of one are made two, of two one, and then you have done. There is one God; of this one God the Son is begotten: One produceth two, two have produced one holy Spirit proceeding from both: so the world is made, and so shall be the end thereof. Consider the four former points most exactly: thou hast in them the Father, the Father and the Son, and lastly the holy Spirit: thou hast the four Elements: thou hast four great Lights, two Celestiall, and two Centrall: This is all that is, hath been, or shall be, that is made plain by this forenamed similitude. If I might lay down all the mysteries that might be raised from hence, they would amount to a great volume. I return to my purpose, and I tell thee true, my son! one is not made of one naturally, for thus to doe is proper to God alone: let it suffice thee that thou art able out of two to make one, which wil be profitable to thee. Know therefore that the sperm doth multiply the second matter, and not the first: for the first matter of all things is not seen, but is hid either in nature, or in the Elements; but the second matter sometimes appeares to the sons of wisdome.

THE SEVENTH TREATISE.

Of the vertue of the second matter.

ut that thou maist the more easily conceive what this second matter is, I will describe the vertues of it, by which thou maist know it. And first of all know, that Nature is divided into three Kingdoms; two of them are such that either of them can subsist of it self, if the other two were not; there is the Minerall, Vegetable, and Animall Kingdom. The Minerall can subsist of it self, although there were no man in the world, nor tree, or herb. The Vegetable likewise, although there were no Metall, nor Animall, can stand by it self: these two are of one made by one: But the third hath life from the other two which wee have mentioned, without which it could not subsist, and is more noble and excellent then those two, as also it is the last of the three, and rules over the other: because alwaies vertue, or excellency ends in a third thing, and is multiplyed in the second. Dost thou see in the Vegetable Kingdom? The first matter is an herb, or a tree, which thou knowest not how to make, Nature alone makes it: In this Kingdom the second matter is Seed, which thou seest, in this the hearb, or the tree is multiplyed. In the Animall Kingdome the first matter is a beast, or a man, which thou knowest not how to make; but the second matter or the sperm, in which they are multiplyed, thou knowest. In the Minerall thou knowest not how to make a Metall, and if thou braggest that thou canst, thou art a foole, and a lyar, Nature makes that, and although thou shouldst have the first matter, according to the Philosophers, yet it would bee impossible for thee to multiply that Centrall salt without Gold: Now the seed of Metalls is known only to the sons of Art. In Vegetables the seed appears outwardly; the reins of its digestion is warm aire. In Animalls the seed appears inwardly, and outwardly; the reins of its digestion are the reins of a Male. Water in Mineralls is the seed in the Center of their heart, and is their life: the reins of its digestion is fire. The receptacle of the Vegetable seed is the earth: the receptacle of the seed Animal is the womb of the female: the receptacle of water, which is the Minerall seed, is aire. And those are the receptacles of seeds, which are the congealations of their bodies: that is their digestion, which is their solution: that is their putrefaction which is their destruction. The vertue of every seed is to join it self to every thing in its own Kingdome, because it is subtill, and is nothing else but aire, which by fatnesse is congealed in water: It is known thus, because it doth not mixe it self naturally to any thing out of its own Kingdome: it is not dissolved, but congealed, because it doth not need dissolution, but congealation. It is necessary therefore that the pores of the body be opened, that the sperme may be sent forth, in whose Center the seed lyes, which is aire: that when it comes into its due matrix, is congealed, and congeals what it finds pure, or impure mixed with what is pure. As long as the seed is in the body, the body lives, when it is all consumed the body dies; also all bodies after the emission of seed are weakned: experience likewise testifies that men which give themselves over too much to venery become feeble, as trees, that bear too much fruit, become afterwards barren. The seed therefore, as oftentimes hath been repeated, is a thing invisible; but the sperme is visible, and is almost a living soule; it is not found in things that are dead: It is drawn forth two wayes, pleasantly, and by force: But because wee are in this place to treat of the vertue of it onely, I say that nothing is made without seed: all things are made by vertue of seed: and let the sons of Art know, that seed is in vain sought for in trees that are cut off, or cut down, because it is found in them only that are green.

THE EIGHTH TREATISE.

How by Art Nature works in Seed.

ll seed is nothing worth of it self, if it be not either by Art, or Nature put into its proper matrix. And although seed be of it self more noble then every creature, yet the matrix is the life of it, & makes the sperm, or corn to putrefie, and causeth a congealation of the pure point, and also by the heat of its body nourisheth it, and makes it grow: and this is done in all the foresaid Kingdomes of Nature; and is done naturally by months, years, and ages. But that is a witty Art, that can shorten any thing in the Minerall, and Vegetable Kingdome, but not in the Animall: in the Minerall Kingdome it perfects that, which Nature could not, by reason of the crude air, which with its vehemency filled the pores of every body; not onely in the bowells, but also in the superficies of the earth. As I have already said in the foregoing Chapters. But that this may bee the more easily understood, I will adde hereunto, that the Elements striving amongst themselves send forth their seed into the Center of the earth, as into their reins; but the Center by help of motion sends it into its Matrix. Now the Matrixes are innumerable, as many Matrixes, as places, one purer then other, and so almost in infinitum. Know therefore, that a pure Matrix will afford a pure conception in its own likenesse: As for example, in Animalls there are Matrixes of Women, Cowes, Mares, Bitches, and the like. So in the Minerall, and Vegetable Kingdomes, there are Metalls, Stones, Salts; for the Salts in these two Kingdomes are to bee considered of, as also their places, according to more or lesse.

THE NINTH TREATISE.

Of the Commixtion of Metalls, or the drawing forth their seed.

e have spoken of Nature, of Art, of the Body, of Sperm, and of Seed, now let us descend to Praxis, viz. how Metalls ought to be mixed together, and what their correspondency, or agreement is one with another. Know therefore that a Woman doth not vary from a Man; both are bred of the same Seed, and in one Matrix, there was nothing besides digestion, and that the Matrix had in it purer bloud, and salt: so Silver is made of the same Seed as Gold is, and in the same Matrix; but the Matrix had more water in it then digested blood, according to the season of the Moon in the heavens. But that thou maist the more easily imagine with thy self how Metalls couple together, that their Seed may be sent forth, and received; behold and see the heavens, and the spheres of the Planets: thou seest that Saturne is placed the uppermost, or highest, next to that Iupiter, then Mars, then Sol, or the Sun, then Venus, then Mercury, and last of all Luna, or the Moon. Consider also that the vertues of the Planets doe not ascend, but descend: Experience teacheth as much, viz. that of Venus, or Copper is not made Mars, or Iron, but of Mars is made Venus, as being an inferiour sphere: So also Iupiter, or Tin is easily changed into Mercury or Quicksilver, because Iupiter is the second from the firmament, and Mercury the second from the earth: Saturne is the first from the heavens, and Luna the first from the earth: Sol mixeth it self with all, but is never bettered by its inferiors. Now know that there is a great agreement betwixt Saturne, or Lead, and Luna, or Silver, in midst of which the Sun is placed: as also betwixt Iupiter and Mercury, in midst of which Sol is also placed: and in the same manner betwixt Mars and Venus, which also have Sol placed in the midst of them. Chymists know how to change Iron into Copper without Gold: they know also to make Quicksilver out of Tin: and there are some that make Silver out of Lead: But if they knew by these mutations to give or minister to them the nature of Gold, they would certainly find out a thing more pretious then any treasure. Wherefore I say we must not bee ignorant what Metalls are to be joined to each other, whose nature is agreable one to the others. Moreover there is granted to us one Metall, which hath a power to consume the rest, for it is almost as their water, & mother: yet there is one thing, and that alone, the radicall moisture, viz. of the Sunne, and Moon that withstands it, and is bettered by it; but that I may disclose it to you, it is called Chalybs, or Steel. If Gold couples eleven times with it, it sends forth its seed, and is debilitated almost unto death; the Chalybs conceives, and bears a son, more excellent then his father: then when the Seed of that which is now brought forth is put into its own Matrix, it purifies it, and makes it a thousand times more fit, and apt to bring forth the best, and most excellent fruits. There is another Chalybs, which is like to this, created by it selfe of Nature, which knows how to draw forth by vertue of the sun beams (through a wonderfull power, and vertue) that which so many men have sought after, and is the beginning of our work.

THE TENTH TREATISE.

Of the Supernaturall Generation of the Son of the Sun.

ee have treated of things, which Nature makes, and which God hath made; that the Searchers of Art might the more easily understand the possibility of Nature. But to delay no longer, I will now enter upon the Manner, and Art how to make the Philosophers stone. The Philosophers stone, or tincture is nothing else, but Gold digested to the highest degree: For vulgar Gold is like an herb without seed, when it is ripe it brings forth seed; so Gold when it is ripe yeelds seed, or tincture. But, will some ask, Why doth not Gold, or any other Metall bring forth seed? the reason given is this, because it cannot bee ripe, by reason of the crudity of the air, it hath not sufficient heat, and it happens, that in some places there is found pure Gold, which nature would have perfected, but was hindred by the crude aire. As for example, wee see that Orenge trees in Polonia doe indeed flourish as other trees; in Italie, and elsewhere, where their naturall soil is, they yeeld, and bring forth fruit, because they have sufficient heat; but in these cold places they doe otherwise, for when they begin to ripen, they are at a stand, because they are oppressed with cold; and so in these places we never have their fruit naturally: but if at any time Nature be sweetly, and wittily helped, then Art may perfect that, which Nature could not. The same happens in Metalls: Gold may yeeld fruit, and seed, in which it multiplyes it self by the industry of the skilfull Artificer, who knows how to exalt Nature, but if he will attempt to do it without Nature, he will be mistaken. For not only in this art, but also in every thing else, we can doe nothing but help Nature; and this by no other medium then fire, or heat. But seeing this cannot be done, since in a congealed Metallick body there appear no spirits; it is necessary that the body be loosed, or dissolved, and the pores thereof opened, whereby Nature may work. But what that dissolution ought to be, here I would have the Reader take notice, that there is a twofold dissolution, although there be many other dissolutions, but to little purpose; there is onely one that is truely naturall, the other is violent, under which all the rest are comprehended. The naturall is this, that the pores of the body bee opened in our water, whereby the seed, that is digested, may bee sent forth, and put into its proper Matrix: Now our water is heavenly, not wetting the hands, not vulgar, but almost rain water: The body is gold, which yeelds seed; our Lune or Silver, (not common Silver) is that which receives the seed of the gold: afterwards it is governed by our continual fire, for seven months, and sometimes ten, untill our water consume three, and leave one; and that in duplo, or a double. Then it is nourished with the milk of the earth, or the fatnesse thereof, which is bred in the bowells of the earth, and is governed, or preserved from putrefaction by the salt of Nature. And thus the infant of the second generation is generated. Now let us passe from the Theorie to the Praxis.

THE ELEVENTH TREATISE.

Of the Praxis, and making of the Stone, or Tincture by Art.

hrough all these foregoing Chapters, our discourse of things hath been scattered by way of examples, that the Praxis might be the more easily understood, which must be done by imitating Nature after this manner——

Take of our earth, through eleven degrees, eleven graines, of our Gold, and not of the vulgar one grain, of our Lune, not the vulgar, two grains: but be thou well advised, that thou takest not common Gold, and Silver, for these are dead, take ours which are living: then put them into our fire, and let there be made of them a dry liquor; first of all the earth wil be resolved into water, which is called the Mercury of Philosophers; and that water shall resolve those bodies of Gold, and Silver, and shal consume them so, that there shall remain but the tenth part with one part; and this shall be the radicall moisture of Metalls. Then take water of salt-nitre, which comes from our earth, in which there is a river of living water, if thou diggest the pit knee deep, therefore take water out of that, but take that, which is cleer; upon this, put that radicall moisture; and set it over the fire of putrefaction, and generation, not on such a one as thou didst in the first operation: govern all things with a great deale of discretion, untill colours appear like a Peacocks tail; govern it by digesting it, and be not weary, untill these colours be ended, and there appear throughout the whole one green colour, and so of the rest; and when thou shalt see in the bottome ashes of a fiery colour, and the water almost red, open the vessel, dip in a pen, and smeare some Iron with it, if it tinge, have in readinesse that water, which afterwards I shall speak of, and put in so much of that water as the cold aire was, which went in, boil it again with the former fire, untill it tinge again. So far reached my experience, I can doe no more, I found out no more. Now that water must be the menstruum of the world, out of the sphere of the Moon, so often rectified, untill it can calcine Gold: I have been willing here to discover to thee all things; and if thou shalt understand my meaning sometimes, and not the letter, I have revealed all things; especially in the first, and second work. Now it remains that we speak next of the fire. The first fire, or of the first operation is a fire of one degree, continuall, which goes round the matter; the second is a naturall fire, which digests, and fixeth the matter: I tell thee truely that I have opened to thee the governance, or rules of the fire, if thou understandest Nature: The vessell remains yet to be spoken of. It must be the vessel of Nature, and two are sufficient; the vessell of the first work must be round; but in the second a glasse, a little lesse like unto a viall, or an egge. But in all these know, that the fire of Nature is but one, and if it works variously, it is by reason of the difference of places. The vessell therefore of Nature is but one; but wee for brevities sake use a couple: the matter is one, but out of two substances. If therefore thou wilt give thy mind to make things, consider first things that are already made; if thou canst not reach, or understand things presented to thy eyes, much lesse things that are to be made, and which thou desirest to make. For know that thou canst create nothing, for that is proper to God alone, but to make things, that are not perceived, but lye hid in the shadow, to appear, and to take from them their vaile, is granted to an intelligent Philosopher by God through Nature. Consider, I beseech thee, the simple water of a cloud: who would ever beleeve that that contains in it selfe all things in the world, hard Stones, Salts, Aire, Earth, Fire, when as yet of it selfe it seems to be simple? What shall I say of the Earth, which contains in it Water, Fire, Salts, Aire, and of it self seems to be but meer earth? O wonderfull Nature, which knows how to produce wonderfull fruits out of Water in the earth, and from the Aire to give them life. All these are done, and the eyes of the vulgar doe not see them; but the eyes of the understanding, and imagination perceive them, and that with a true sight. The eyes of the wise look upon Nature otherwise, then the eyes of common men. As for example, the eyes of the vulgar see that the sun is hot; but the eyes of Philosophers on the contrary see it rather to bee cold, but its motion to be hot. The acts and effects of it are understood through the distance of places. The fire of Nature is one and the same with it: for as, the Sun is the Center amongst the spheres of the Planets; and out of this Center of the heaven it scatters its heat downward by its motion; so in the Center of the earth is the sun of the earth, which by its perpetuall motion sends its heat, or beams upward to the superficies of the earth. That intrinsecall heat is far more efficacious then this Elementary fire; but it is allayed with an Earthy water, which from day to day doth penetrate the pores of the earth, and cooles it: So the Aire doth temper, and mitigate the heavenly Sun, and its heat, for this aire doth day after day fly round the world: and unlesse this were so, all things would be consumed by so great a heat, neither would any thing be brought forth. For as that invisible fire, or Centrall heat would consume all things, if the water coming betwixt did not prevent it; so the heat of the Sun would destroy all things; if the Aire did not come betwixt. But how these Elements work one with another, I will briefly declare. In the Center of the earth is the Centrall Sun, which by its own motion, or of its firmament doth give a great heat, which extends it self even to the superficies of the earth. That heate causeth aire after this manner. The Matrix of aire is water, which bringeth forth sons of its own nature, but unlike, and far more subtill then it selfe; for where the water is denyed entrance, the aire enters: when therefore that Centrall heat, which is perpetuall, doth act, it makes water distill, and be heated, and so that water by reason of the heat is turned into aire, upon this account it breaks forth to the superficies of the earth, because it will not suffer it self to be shut in: then when it is cold, it is resolved into water. In the mean time it happens also that in opposite places not only air but water goes out; so you see it is, when black clouds are by violence carried up into the aire: for which thing take this as a familiar example. Make water hot in a pot, and thou shalt see that a soft fire causeth gentle vapours, and winds; but a strong fire maketh thick clouds appear. Just in the same manner doth the Centrall heat worke; it lifts up the subtill water into aire, that which is thick by reason of its salt or fatnesse, it distributes to the earth, by meanes of which divers things are generated, that which remaines becomes stones, and rocks. But some may object, if it were so, it would be done constantly, but oftentimes there is no wind at all perceived. I answer, if water be not poured violently into a distillatory vessell, there is made no wind, for little water stirs up but little wind: you see that thunders are not alwaies made, although there be rain, and wind; but only when by force of the aire the swelling water is carried to the sphere of the fire; for fire will not indure water. Thou hast before thine eyes an example, when thou pourest cold water into a hot furnace, from whence a thundering noise is raised. But why the water doth not enter uniformly into those places, and cavities, the reason is, because these sorts of vessells, and places are many; and sometimes one cavity by blasts, or winds drives away from it self water for some dayes, and months, untill there be a repercussion of the water again: As wee see in the sea, whose waves are moved and carryed a thousand miles, before they find, or meet with a repercussion to make them return back; but to return to our purpose. I say that Fire, or Heat is the cause of the motion of the Aire, and the life of all things; and the Earth is the Nurse of all these things, or their receptacle. But if there were not Water to coole our Earth, and Aire, then the Earth would be dryed, for these two reasons, viz. by reason of the Motion of the Centrall Sun, and heat of the Celestiall: Neverthelesse it happens sometimes in some places, when the pores of the earth are obstructed, that the humidity, or water cannot penetrate, that then by reason of the correspondency of the Celestiall, and Centrall Sun (for they have a magnetick vertue betwixt themselves) the earth is inflamed by the Sun: so that even sometimes there are made great chops, or furrows in the earth. Cause therefore that there be such an operation in our earth, that the Centrall heat may change the Water into Aire, that it may goe forth into the plaines of the world, and scatter the residue, as I said, through the pores of the earth; and then contrariwise the Aire will be turned into Water, far more subtill then the first Water was: and this is done thus, if thou givest our old man Gold, or Silver to swallow, that he may consume them, and then hee also dying may be burnt, and his ashes scattered into water, and thou boil that water untill it be enough, and thou shalt have a medicine to cure the leprosie. Mark, and be sure that thou takest not cold for hot, or hot for cold, but mixe natures with natures, and if there be any thing that is contrary to nature (for Nature alone is necessary for thee) separate it, that Nature may be like Nature. Doe this by fire, and not with thy hand: and know that if thou dost not follow Nature, all is in vain: and here I have spoken to thee through the help of God, what a father should speak to his son; Hee which hath ears let him heare, and he which hath his senses, let him set his mind upon what I say.

THE TWELFTH TREATISE.

Of the Stone, and its vertue.

n the foregoing Treatises it hath been sufficiently spoken concerning the production of Naturall things, concerning the Elements, the First matter, and Second matter, Bodies, Seeds, and concerning the Use and Vertue of them: I wrote also the Praxis of making the Philosophers Stone. Now I will discover so much of the vertue of it, as Nature hath granted to me, and experience taught me. But to comprehend the argument of all these Treatises briefly, and in few words, that the Reader which fears God may understand my mind and meaning, the thing is this. If any man doubt of the truth of the Art, let him read the voluminous writings of ancient Philosophers, verified by reason, and experience; whom wee may deservedly give credit to in their own Art: but if any will not give credit to them, then we know not how to dispute with them, as denying principles: for deaf, and dumbe men cannot speak. What prerogative should all things in this world have before Metalls? Why should these alone by having seed without cause denyed to them, be excluded from Gods universall blessing of multiplication, which holy writ affirms was put in, and bestowed on all created things presently after the world was made? Now if they have Seed, who is so sottish to think that they cannot bee multiplyed in their Seed? The Art of Alchymie in its kind is true, Nature also is true, but the Artificer is seldome true: there is one Nature, one Art, but many Artificers. Now what things Nature makes out of the Elements, she generates them by the will of God out of the first matter, which God onely knowes: Nature makes and multiplies those things of the second matter, which the Philosophers know. Nothing is done in the world without the pleasure of God, and Nature. Every Element is in its own sphere; but one cannot be without the other; one lives by vertue of the other, and yet being joined together they doe not agree; but Water is of more worth then all the Elements, because it is the mother of all things: upon this swims the spirit of Fire. By reason of Fire Water is the first matter, viz. by the striving together of Fire, and Water, and so are generated Winds, and Vapours apt, and easy to bee congealed with the earth, by the help of the crude aire, which from the beginning was separated from it. And this is done without cessation, by a perpetuall motion; because fire, or heat is stirred up no otherwise then by motion, which thing you may easily conceive by a Smith filing Iron, which through vehement motion waxeth hot in that manner, as if it were heated in the Fire. Motion therefore causeth heat, heat moves the water, the motion of the water causeth aire, the life of all living things. Things therefore grow after this manner (as I said before) viz. out of water; for out of the subtill Vapour of it, subtil and light things proceed; out of the oylinesse of it, things that are heavy, and of greater price; but of the salt things far more excellent then the former. Now because Nature is sometimes hindred, that it cannot produce pure things; seeing the Vapour, Fatnesse, and Salt are fouled or stained, and mixe themselves with the places of the earth: Moreover, experience teacheth us to separate the pure from the impure. Therefore if thou wilt have Nature be bettered, or mended in her actings, dissolve what body you please, and that which was added or joined to Nature, as heterogeneous, separate, cleanse, joine pure things with pure, ripe to ripe, crude to crude, according to the poise of Nature, and not of Matter. And know that the Centrall salt Nitre doth not receive more of the Earth then it hath need of, whether it be pure or impure: but the fatnesse of the water is otherwise, for it is never to be had pure; art purifies it by a twofold heat, and then conjoins it.

THE EPILOGUE, or CONCLUSION OF THESE TWELVE TREATISES.

Friendly Reader,

wrote the Twelve foregoing Treatises in love to the sonnes of Art, that before they set their hand to the worke they may know the operation of Nature, viz. how she produceth things by her working; lest they should attempt to enter in at the gate without keyes, or to draw water in a sieve: for he laboureth in vain, that putteth forth his hands to labour without the knowledge of Nature, in this sacred and most true Art, he lies in nocturnal darknesse to whom the sun doth not shine, and he is in thick darknesse, to whom after it is night the Moon doth not appeare. Nature hath her proper light, which is not obvious to our eyes; the shadow of Nature is a body before our eyes: but if the light of Nature doth enlighten any one, presently the cloud is taken away from before his eyes, and without any let he can behold the point of our loadstone, answering to each Center of the beams, viz. of the Sun and Earth: for so farre doth the light of Nature penetrate, and discovers inward things; of which thing take this for an example. Let a boy that is twelve yeares old, and a girle of the same age, be cloathed with garments of the same fashion, and be set one by the other, no body can know which is the male, or which is the female; our eyes cannot penetrate so far, therefore our sight deceiveth us, and takes false things for true: But when their garments are taken off, and they are naked, that so it may appear what Nature made them, they are easily distinguished by their sexes. Just after the same manner doth our intellect make a shadow of the shadow of Nature; for the naked body of Man is the shadow of the seed of Nature: As therefore mans body is covered with a garment, so also mans nature is covered with the body, which God reserves to himself to cover, or uncover. I could here discourse largely, and Philosophically of the dignity of Man, his Creation and Generation: but seeing they are impertinent to this place, I will passe them over in silence; only I will treat a little concerning the Life of Man. Man was created of the Earth, and lives by vertue of the Aire; for there is in the Aire a secret food of life, which in the night wee call dew; and in the day rarified water, whose invisible, congealed spirit is better then the whole Earth. O holy, and wonderfull Nature, who dost not suffer the sons of Wisdome to erre, as thou dost manifest in the life of man daily! Moreover in these twelve Treatises I have produced so many naturall reasons, that he which is desirous of the art, and feares God, may the more easily understand all things, which through Gods blessing, with my eyes I have seen, with mine own hands have made without any deceit of sophistication: for without the light, and knowledge of Nature, it is impossible to attain to this Art, unlesse it come to any by Gods speciall revelation, or some speciall friend doth privately shew it. It is a thing of little account, yet most pretious, which being divers times described, I doe now again repeat. Take 10 parts of aire, 1 part of living gold, or living silver; put all these into thy vessel; boyle this aire first untill it be water, and then no water. If thou art ignorant of this, and knowst not how to boyl aire, without all doubt thou shalt erre; seeing this is the matter of the ancient Philosophers. For thou must take that, which is, and is not seen, untill it be the Artificers pleasure; it is the water of our dew, out of which is extracted the Salt Petre of Philosophers, by which all things grow, and are nourished: the matrix of it is the Center of the Sun, and Moon, both celestiall, and terrestiall: and to speak more plainly, it is our Loadstone, which in the foregoing Treatises I called Chalybs, or Steel: The Aire generates this Loadstone, and the Loadstone generates, or makes our Air to appear, and come forth. I have here entirely shewed thee the truth; Begge of God that hee would prosper thine undertakings: And so in this place thou shalt have the true, and right explication of Hermes, when he saith, that the father of it is the Sun, and its mother the Moon, and that which the wind carryed in its belly, viz. Sal Alkali, which the Philosophers have called Sal Armoniacum, and vegetable, hid in the belly of the Magnesia. The operation of it is this, to dissolve the congealed aire, in which thou shall dissolve the tenth part of Gold; seale this up, and work with our fire, untill the air be turned into powders; and there appear (the salt of the world being first had) divers colours. I would have set down the whole processe in these Treatises; but because that, together with the multiplication, is sufficiently set down in the books of Lullius, and other old Philosophers; it therefore sufficed me to treat only of the first, and second matter; which is done faithfully, neither do thou ever think that any man living hath done it more cleerly, then I have done it; since I have done it not out of many books but by the labour of my hands, and mine own experience. If therefore thou dost not understand, or beleeve the truth, doe not blame me, but thy self; and perswade thy selfe that God was unwilling to reveal this secret to thee: Be therefore earnest with him by prayer, and with serious meditation read over this book oftentimes, especially the Epilogue of these twelve Treatises: alwaies considering the possibility of Nature, and the actions of the Elements, and which of them is the chiefest in those actions, and especially in the rarefaction of water, or aire, for so the heavens are created, as also the whole world. This I was willing to signifie to thee, as a father to his son. Doe not wonder that I have wrote so many Treatises, for I did not make them for my own sake, seeing I lack not books, but that I might advertise many, that work in fruitlesse things, that they should not spend their costs in vain. All things indeed might have been comprehended in few lines, yea in few words: but I was willing to guide thee to the knowledge of Nature by Reasons, and Examples; that thou mightest in the first place know, what the thing is thou seekest after, whether the first, or second matter, also that thou mightest have Nature, her light, & shadow discovered to thee. Be not displeased if thou meetest sometimes with contradictions in my Treatises, it being the custome of Philosophers to use them; thou hast need of them, if thou understandest them, thou shall not find a rose without prickles. Weigh diligently what I have said before, viz. how four Elements distill into the Center of the earth a radicall moisture, and how the Centrall Sun of the earth, by its motion bringeth it forth, and sublimeth it to the superficies of the earth. I have said also that the Celestiall Sun hath a correspondency with the Centrall Sun: for the Celestiall Sun, and the Moon have a peculiar power, and vertue of distilling into the earth by vertue of their beams: for heat is easily joined to heat, and salt to salt. And as the Centrall Sun hath its sea, and crude water, that is perceptible; so the Celestiall Sun hath its sea, and subtill water that is not perceptible. In the superficies the beams of the one, are joined to the beams of the other, and produce flowers, and all things. Therefore when there is raine made, it receives from the aire that power of life, and joins it with the salt-nitre of the earth (because the salt-nitre of the earth is like calcined Tartar, drawing to it self by reason of its drynesse the aire, which in it is resolved into water: such attractive power hath the salt-nitre of the earth, which also was aire, and is joined to the fatnesse of the earth) and by how much the more abundantly the beams of the Sun beat upon it, the greater quantity of salt-nitre is made, and by consequence the greater plenty of Corn grows, and is increased, and this is done daily. Thus much I thought good to signifie to the ignorant of the correspondency, or agreement of things amongst themselves, and the efficacy of the Sun, and Moon, and Stars; for the wise need not this instruction. Our subject is presented to the eyes of the whole world, and it is not known. O our Heaven! O our Water! O our Mercury! O our Salt-nitre abiding in the sea of the world! O our Vegetable! O our Sulphur fixed, and volatill! O our Caput Mortuum, or dead head, or feces of our Sea! Our Water that wets not our hands, without which no mortall can live, and without which nothing grows, or is generated in the whole world! And these are the Epithites of Hermes his bird, which never is at rest. It is of very small account, yet no body can bee without it: and so thou hast a thing discovered to thee more pretious then the whole world, which I plainly tell thee is nothing else but our Sea water, which is congealed in Silver, and Gold, and extracted out of Gold, and Silver by the help of our Chalybs, by the Art of Philosophers in a wonderfull manner, by a prudent son of Art. It was not my purpose for some reasons before mentioned in the Preface, to publish this book, but a desire to deserve well of those that are studiously given to liberall, and Philosophical Arts, prevailed with me, that I might hold forth to them, that I bear an honest mind; also that I might declare my self to them, that understand the Art, to be their equal and fellow, and to have attained their knowledge. I doubt not but many men of good consciences, and affections do enjoy this gift of God secretly; these being warned by my example, and dangers are made more cautious, and wise, having that commendable silence of Harpocrates. For as often as I would discover my selfe to great men, it alwaies turned to my losse and danger. By this my writing I make my self known to the adopted sons of Hermes, I instruct the ignorant, and them that are misled, and bring them back into the right way. And let the heirs of wisdome know, that they shall never have a better way, then that, which is here demonstrated to them; for I have spoken all things cleerly: Only I have not so cleerly shewed the extraction of our Salt Armoniacke, or the Mercury of Philosophers, out of our Sea water, and the use thereof, because I had from the Master of Nature no leave to speake any further, and this only God must reveale, who knows the hearts, and minds of men. He will haply upon thy constant, and earnest prayers, and the frequent reading over of this booke, open the eyes of thy understanding. The vessell, as I said before, is but one from the beginning to the end, or at most two are sufficient: the fire is continuall in both operations; for the sake of which let the ignorant read the tenth, and eleventh Treatise. If thou shalt operate in a third matter, thou shalt effect nothing: they medle with this, whoever work not in our Salt, which is Mercury, but in Herbs, Animals, Stones, and all Minerals, excepting our Gold, and Silver covered over with the sphere of Saturne. And whosoever desires to attaine to his desired end, let him understand the conversion of the Elements to make light things heavy, and to make spirits no spirits; then hee shall not worke in a strange thing. The Fire is the Rule, whatsoever is done, is done by Fire; as sufficiently before, so here we have spoken enough by way of Conclusion. Farewell friendly Reader! and long maist thou enjoy these labours of mine, (made good, or verified by mine owne experience,) to the glory of God, the welfare of thine owne soule, and good of thy neighbour.

TO THE SONS of TRVTH: A Preface To the Philosophicall ÆNIGMA, Or RIDLE.

Sons of Wisdome,

have now opened to you all things from the very first rising of the universall fountaine, that there is no more left to be discovered. For in the foregoing Treatises I have sufficiently explained Nature by way of example: I have shewed the Theorie and Praxis, as plainely as it was lawfull. But lest any should complain of my briefnesse, that by reason of it I have omitted something, I will yet further describe to thee the whole Art by way of Ridle, or Ænigmaticall speech; that thou maist see how farre through Gods guidance I am come. The bookes that treat of this Art are infinite; yet thou shalt not find in any of them the truth so much, as it is in this of mine, made known, or discovered unto thee. The reason that encouraged mee to make it so plain, was this, viz. Because, when I had discoursed with many men, that thought they understood the writings of Philosophers very well; I perceived that they did explaine those writings far more subtilly then Nature, which is simple and plain, did require: yea all my true sayings did seem to them being profoundly wise, or savouring of high things, to bee of no value and incredible. It hapned sometimes that I would intimate the Art to some from word to word, but they could by no meanes understand mee, not beleeving there was any water in our Sea, and yet they would be accounted Philosophers. Since therefore they could not understand my words, which I delivered by word of mouth, I doe not fear (as other Philosophers were afraid) that any one can so easily understand what I have wrote; It is the gift, I say, of God. It is true indeed, if in the study of Alchymie there were required subtilnesse, and quicknesse of wit, and things were of that Nature as to be perceived by the eyes of the vulgar, I saw that their fancies, or wits were apt enough to find out such things: but I say to you, bee simple, or plaine, and not too wise untill you have found out the secret, which when you have, it will of necessity require wisdome enough to use, and keep it; then it will be easy for you to write many books; because it is easier for him, that is in the Center, and sees the thing, then for him that walks in the Circumference, and only heares of it. You have the second matter of all things most cleerly described unto you: but let mee give you this Caution, that if you would attaine to this secret, know that first of all God is to bee prayed to, then your neighbour is to bee loved: and lastly, doe not fancy to your selves things that are subtill, which Nature knew nothing of; but abide, I say, abide in the plain way of Nature; because you may sooner feel the thing in plainnesse, or simplicity, then see it in subtilty. In reading therefore my writings doe not stick in the letter of them, but in reading of them consider Nature, and the possibility thereof. Now before you set your selves to work, consider diligently what it is you seek, and what the scope, and end of your intention is: for it is much better to learn by the brain, and imagination, then with labour, and charges. And this I say to you, that you must seek for some hidden thing, out of which is made (after a wonderfull manner) such a moisture, or humidity, which doth dissolve Gold without violence, or noise, yea so sweetly, and naturally, as ice doth melt in warme water: if you find out this, you have that thing, out of which Gold is produced by Nature: and although all Metalls, and all things have their originall from hence, yet nothing is so friendly to it as Gold; for to other things there sticks fast some impurity, but to Gold none, besides it is like a Mother unto it. And so finally I conclude; if you will not be wise, and wary by these my writings, and admonitions, yet excuse mee who desire to deserve well of you: I have dealt as faithfully as it was lawfull for mee, and as becomes a man of a good conscience to doe. If you ask who I am, I am one that can live any where: if you know mee, and desire to shew your selves good and honest men, you shall hold your tongue: if you know mee not, doe not enquire after mee, for I will reveale to no mortall man, whilest I live, more then I have done in this publick writing. Beleeve mee, if I were not a man of that ranke and condition as I am, nothing would be more pleasant to mee then a solitary life, or with Diogenes to lie hid under a tub: for I see all things that are to be but vanity, and that deceit, and covetousnesse are altogether in use, where all things are to be sold, and that vice doth excell vertue. I see the better things of the life to come before mine eys. I rejoice in these. Now I doe not wonder, as before I did, why Philosophers, when they have attained to this Medicine, have not cared to have their dayes shortned; because every Philosopher hath the life to come set so cleerly before his eyes, as thy face is seen in a glasse. And if God shall graunt thee thy desired end, then thou shalt beleeve mee, and not reveal thy self to the world.

THE PARABLE, OR PHILOSOPHICALL RIDLE.

Added by way of Conclusion, and Superaddition.

t fell out upon a time, when I had sailed almost all my life from the Artick pole, to the Antarticke, that by the singular providence of God I was cast upon the shore of a certain great sea, and although I well knew and understood the passages, and properties of the sea of that Coast, yet I knew not whether in those Coasts was bred that little fish, which was called Remora, which so many men of great and small fortunes have hitherto so studiously sought after. But whilst I was beholding the sweet singing Mermaides swimming up and down with the Nymphs, and being weary with my foregoing labors, and oppressed with divers thoughts, I was with the noise of waters overtaken with sleep; and whilest I was in a sweet sleep, there appear’d to me in my sleep a wonderfull vision, which is this. I saw Neptune a man of an honorable old age, going forth out of our sea with his three toothed instrument, called Tridens, who after a friendly salute led mee into a most pleasant Iland. This goodly Iland was situated towards the South, being replenished with all things respecting the necessity, and delight of man: Virgils Elisian field might scarce compare with it. All the banks were round about beset with green Mirtles, Cypresse trees, and Rosemary. The green meadowes were covered all over with flowers of all sorts, both fair, and sweet. The hills were set forth with Vines, Olive trees, and Cedar-trees in a most wonderfull manner. The woods were filled with Orenge, and Lemon-trees. The high wayes were planted on both sides with Bay-trees, and Pomegranate-trees, woven most artificially one within the other, and affording a most pleasant shadow to Travellers. And to bee short, whatsoever is in the whole world was seen there. As I was walking, there was shewed to me by the foresaid Neptune two Mines of that Iland lying under a certain rock, the one was of Gold, the other of Chalybs, or Steel. Not far from thence I was brought to a Meadow in which was a peculiar Orchard with divers sorts of trees most goodly to behold, and amongst the rest, being very many hee shewed to mee seven Trees marked out by speciall names; and amongst these I observed two as chiefest, more eminent then the rest, one of which did beare fruit like the Sun most bright, and shining, and the leaves thereof were like Gold. The other brought forth fruit that was most white, yea, whiter then the Lillies, and the leaves therof were as fine Silver: Now these trees were called by Neptune, the one the tree of the Sun, the other the tree of the Moon. And although in this Iland all things were at ones pleasure, and command, yet there was one thing, and but one wanting: there was no water to be had, but with great difficulty. There were indeed many that partly endeavoured to bring it thither by pipes, and partly drew it out of divers things: but their endeavours were in vain, because in those places it could not bee had by any means or medium; and if it were at any time had, yet it was unprofitable, and poisonous, unlesse they fetched it (as few could doe) from the beams of the Sun, and Moone; and he which was fortunate in so doing could never get above ten parts; and that water was most wonderfull: and beleeve mee, for I saw it with mine eyes, and felt it, that that water was as white as the snow; and whilest I was contemplating upon the water, I was in a great wonder. Wherefore Neptune being in the mean while wearied vanished away from before mine eyes, and there appeared to me a great man, upon whose forehead was written the name of Saturne. This man taking the vessell drew ten parts of water; and tooke presently of the tree of the Sun, and put it in; and I saw the fruit of the tree consumed, and resolved like ice in warm water. I demanded of him; Sir, I see a wonderfull thing, water to bee as it were of nothing; I see the fruit of the tree consumed in it with a most sweet, and kindly heat, and wherefore is all this? But he answered mee most lovingly. My Son, it is true this is a thing to be wondered at; but doe not thou wonder at it, for so it must be. For this water is the Water of life, having power to better the fruit of this tree so, that afterward neither by planting, or graffing, but only by its own odour it may convert the other six trees into its own likenesse. Moreover this water is to this fruit as it were a woman, the fruit of this tree can be putrefied in nothing but in this water, and although the fruit of it be of it self most wonderful, & a thing of great price; yet if it be putrefied in this water, it begets by this putrefaction a Salamander, abiding in the fire, whose blood is more pretious then any kind of treasure or riches in the world, being able to make those six trees, which here thou seest, fruitfull, and to bring forth their fruit sweeter then the honey. But I asked, Sir, How is that done? I told thee (saith hee) that the fruit of that tree is living, and sweet; but whereas one is now sufficed with it, when it is boyled in this water, a thousand may then bee satisfied with it. I demanded moreover, Sir, is it boiled with a strong fire, and how long is it in boyling? But said he, that water hath an intrinsecall fire, and if it be helped with a continuall heat, it burns three parts of its body with this body of the fruit, and there wil remain but a very smal part, which is scarce imaginable, but of wonderful vertue; it is boiled by the skilfull wit of the Artificer, first 7 months, then 10, but in the mean time there appeared divers things, and alwaies in the fiftieth day, or thereabouts. I demanded again, Sir, cannot this fruit be boiled in other waters, or something be put to it? Hee answered, there is but this one water that is usefull in this Country, or Island; and there is no other water can penetrate the pores of this apple, but this: and know also that the Tree of the Sun hath its originall from this water, which is extracted out of the beams of the Sun, and Moone by a magnetick vertue: Besides they have a great correspondency betwixt themselves, but if any strange thing be added to it, it cannot performe that which it can do of it self. It must therefore be left by it self, and nothing added to it but this apple: This fruit after boiling becomes to bee immortall, having life, and blood, which blood makes all the trees bring forth fruit of the same nature with the Apple. I asked him further, Sir, is this Water drawn any other way, or to be had every where? And he said, it is in every place, and no man can live without it; it is drawn divers ways, but that is the best, which is extracted by vertue of our Chalybs, which is found in the belly of Aries. I said, to what use is it? He answered, before its due boiling it is the greatest poison, but after a convenient boiling it is the greatest medicine, and yeelds nine and twenty graines of blood; and every grain will yeeld to thee the fruit of the Tree of the Sun in 864 fold. I asked, Can it not be made yet better? The Philosophicall Scripture being witnesse (saith hee) it may bee exalted first to ten, then to a hundred, then to a thousand, and ten thousand. I required again of him, Sir, Doe many know that Water, and hath it any proper name? He cryed out saying, Few know it, but all have seen it, and doe see it, and love it: it hath many and various names, but its proper name is the Water of our Sea, the Water of life not wetting the hands. I asked yet further, Doe any use it to any other things? Every creature (saith he) doth use it, but invisibly. Then I asked, Doth any thing grow in it? but he said, Of it are made all things in the world, and in it they live: but in it nothing properly is, but it is that thing which mixeth it self to every thing. I asked againe, Is it usefull for any thing without the fruit of this tree? To this he said, Not in this work; because it is not bettered, but in the fruit of the Tree of the Sun alone. I began to intreat him, Sir I pray, name it to mee by such a manifest name, that I may have no further doubt about it. But he cryed with a loud voice, so as that he awakened me from sleep; Therefore I could ask him no further, neither would hee tell mee any more, neither can I tell any more. Be satisfied with these, and beleeve mee, that it is not possible to speak more cleerly. For if thou dost not understand these things, thou wilt never be able to comprehend the books of other Philosophers. After Saturn’s unexpected and sudden departure a new sleep came upon mee, and then appeared to mee Neptune in a visible shape: He congratulated my present happinesse in the gardens of the Hesperides, shewing to me a Looking-glasse, in which I saw all Nature discovered. After the changing of divers words betwixt us, I gave him thanks for his courtesies shewed to me; because I not only entred into this garden, but also came into Saturn’s most desired discourse. But because by reason of Saturn’s unexpected departure some difficulties did yet remain to be inquired after, and searched into, I earnestly besought him, that by means of this happy opportunity hee would resolve mee my doubts. Now I importuned him with these words, Sir I have read the books of Philosophers, and they say, that all generation is done by Male, and Female, yet I saw in my dream Saturne put the fruit alone of the Tree of the Sun into our Mercury; I beleeve also thee as the Master of this Sea, that thou knowest these things; answer my Question I pray thee. But he said, It is true, my son, all generation is done in Male, and Female, but by reason of the distinguishing of the three Kingdomes of Nature, a foure footed Animall is brought forth one way, and a worme another: Although wormes have eyes, sight, hearing, and other senses, yet they are brought forth by putrefaction, and their place, or earth, in which they are putrefied, is the Female. So in this Philosophicall work the mother of this thing is that Water of thine so often repeated, & whatsoever is produced of that, is produced as worms by putrefaction. Therfore the Philosophers have created a Phenix, & Salamander. For if it were done by the conception of two bodies, it would be a thing subject to death; but because it revives it self alone, the former body being destroyed, it riseth up another body incorruptible. Seeing the death of things is nothing else but the separation of the one from the other. And so it is in this Phenix, because the life separates it self by its self from a corruptible body. Moreover, I asked him, Sir, are there divers things, or is there a composition of things in this work? But he said, there is only one thing, with which there is mixed nothing else but the Philosophicall Water shewed to thee oftentimes in thy sleep, of which there must be ten parts to one of the body. And strongly, and undoubtedly beleeve, My son, that those things which are by me and Saturn shewed thee by way of dreams, according to the custom, in this Iland, are not dreams, but the very truth, which Experience the only Mistris of things will by the assistance of God discover to thee. I yet further demanded some things of him, but hee without any answer, after he had took his leave of mee, departing set me, being raised from sleep, into my desired region of Europe. And so friendly Reader, let this suffice thee, which hath by mee thus farre been fully declared.

To God alone be praise and glory.

A DIALOGVE BETWEEN MERCURY, the ALCHYMIST and NATURE.

pon a time there were assembled divers Alchymists together, and held a counsel how they should make, & prepare the Philosophers stone, and they concluded that every one should declare his opinion with a vow. And that meeting was in the open aire, in a certaine meadow, on a faire cleer day. And many agreed that Mercury was the first matter thereof, others that Sulphur was, and others other things. But the chiefest opinion was of Mercury, and that especially because of the sayings of Philosophers, because they hold, that Mercury is the first true matter of the Stone, also of Metalls: For Philosophers cry out, and say, OUR MERCURY, &c. And so whilest they did contend amongst themselves for divers operations (every one gladly expecting a conclusion) there arose in the mean time a very great tempest, with stormes, showers of rain, and an unheard of wind, which dispersed that assembly into divers Provinces, every one apart without a conclusion. Yet every one of them fancied to himselfe what the conclusion of that dispute should have been. Every one therefore set upon his work as before, one in this thing, another in that thing seeking the Philosophers Stone, and this is done till this day without any giving over. Now one of them remembring the disputation, that the Philosophers Stone is necessarily to be sought after in Mercury, said to himself: Although there was no conclusion made, yet I wil work in Mercury, and will make a conclusion my self in making the blessed Stone; for he was a man that was alwaies wont to talk to himselfe, as indeed all Alchymists usually doe. Hee therefore began to read the books of Philosophers, and fell upon a booke of Alanus, which treats of Mercury; and so that Alchymist is made a Philosopher, but without any conclusion: And taking Mercury he began to work; hee put it into a glass, and put fire to it, the Mercury as it is wont to do, vapoured away, the poor silly Alchymist not knowing the nature of it, beat his wife, saying: No body could come hither besides thee, thou tookest the Mercury out of the glass. His wife crying excuseth her self, and speaks softly to her husband: Thou wilt make a sir-reverence of these. The Alchymist tooke Mercury again, and put it again into his vessell, and lest his wife should take it away, watched it. But the Mercury, as its manner is, vapoured away again. The Alchymist remembring that the first matter of the Philosophers Stone must be volatile, rejoiced exceedingly, altogether perswading himselfe that he could not now be deceived, having the first matter: Hee began now to work upon Mercury boldly, he learned afterwards to sublime it, and to calcine it divers ways, as with Salt, Sulphur, and Metalls, Mineralls, Bloud, Haire, Corrosive waters, Herbs, Urine, Vineger, but could find nothing for his purpose; hee left nothing unassayed in the whole world, with which hee did not work upon good Mercury withall. But when he could doe no good at all with this, hee fell upon this saying——that it is found in the dung-hill. He began to worke upon Mercury with divers sorts of dung, together, and asunder: And when hee was weary, and full of thoughts he fell into a sleep. And in his sleep there appeared to him a vision: there came to him an old man, who saluted him, and said; Friend, Why art thou sad? Hee answered, I would willingly make the Philosophers Stone. Then said he, Friend, Of what wilt thou make the Philosophers Stone? Alchymista. Of Mercury, Sir. Senex. Of what Mercury? Alch. There is but one Mercury. Sen. It is true, there is but one Mercury, but altered variously, according to the variety of places; one is purer then another. Alch. O Sir, I know how to purifie it very well with vineger and salt, with nitre and vitriall. Sen. I tell thee this is not the true purifying of it, neither is this, thus purifyed, the true Mercury: Wise men have another Mercury, and another manner of purifying of it, and so he vanished away. The Alchymist being raised from sleep thought with himselfe what vision this should be, as also what this Mercury of Philosophers should be: hee could bethinke himselfe of no other but the vulgar Mercury. But yet hee desired much that hee might have had a longer discourse with the old man: but yet hee worked continually, sometimes in the dung of living creatures, as boyes dung, and sometimes in his own. And every day hee went to the place, where hee saw the vision, that he might speak with the old man again: sometimes hee counterfeited a sleep, and lay with his eyes shut expecting the old man. But when he would not come he thought he was afraid of him, and would not beleeve that he was asleep, he swore therefore saying, My good old Master be not afraid, for truly I am asleep; look upon my eyes, see if I be not: And the poor Alchymist after so many labours, and the spending of all his goods, now at last fel mad, by alwaies thinking of the old man. And when hee was in that strong imagination, there appeared to him in his sleep a false vision, in the likenesse of the old man, and said to him, Doe not despaire, my friend, thy Mercury is good, and thy matter, but if it will not obey thee, conjure it, that it bee not volatile; Serpents are used to be conjured, and then why not Mercury? and so the old man would leave him. But the Alchymist asked of him, saying, Sir, expect, &c. And by reason of a noise this poore Alchymist was raised from sleep, yet not without great comfort. He took then a vessell full of Mercury, and began to conjure it divers wayes, as his dream taught him. And hee remembred the words of the old man, in that hee said, Serpents are conjured, and Mercury is painted with Serpents, hee thought, so it must bee conjured as the Serpents. And taking a vessell with Mercury hee began to say, Ux, Vx, Ostas, &c. And where the name of the Serpent should be put, he put the name of Mercury, saying: And thou wicked beast Mercury, &c. At which words Mercury began to laugh, and to speak unto him saying, What wilt thou have, that thou thus troublest mee my Master Alchymist? Alch. O ho, now thou callest me Master, when I touch thee to the quick, now I have found where thy bridle is, wait a little, and by and by thou shalt sing my song, and he began to speak to him, as it were angerly, Art thou that Mercury of Philosophers? Merc. (as if he were afraid answered) I am Mercury, my Master. Alch. Why therefore wilt not thou obey mee? and why could not I fix thee? Merc. O my noble Master, I beseech thee pardon mee, wretch that I am, I did not know that thou wast so great a Philosopher. Alch. Didst not thou perceive this by my operations, seeing I proceeded so Philosophically with thee? Merc. So it is, my noble Master, although I would hide my selfe, yet I see I cannot from so honourable a Master as thou art. Alch. Now therefore dost thou know a Philosopher? Merc. Yea, my Master, I see that your worship is a most excellent Philosopher. Alch. (being glad at his heart saith) truly now I have found what I sought for. (Again he spake to Mercury with a most terrible voice:) Now go to, be now therefore obedient, or else it shall be the worse for thee. Merc. Willingly, my Master, if I am able, for now I am very weake. Alch. Why dost thou now excuse thy selfe? Merc. I doe not, my Master, but I am faint and feeble. Alch. What hurts thee? Merc. The Alchymist hurts mee. Alch. What, dost thou still deride mee? Merc. O Master, no, I speak of the Alchymist, but thou art a Philosopher. Alch. O wel, well, that is true, but what hath the Alchymist done? Merc. O my Master, hee hath done many evill things to mee, for hee hath mixed mee, poor wretch as I am, with things contrary to mee: from whence I shall never bee able to recover my strength, and I am almost dead, for I am tormented almost unto death. Alch. O thou deservest those things, for thou art disobedient. Merc. I was never disobedient to any Philosopher, but it is naturall to mee to deride fools. Alch. And what dost thou think of mee? Merc. O Sir, you are a great man, a very great Philosopher, yea greater then Hermes himselfe. Alch. Truly so it is, I am a learned man, but I will not commend my selfe, but my Wife also said to mee, that I am a very learned Philosopher, she knew so much by me. Merc. I am apt to beleeve thee, for Philosophers must be so, who by reason of too much wisdome, and pains fall mad. Alch. Goe to then, tell me therefore what I shall doe with thee; how I shall make the Philosophers Stone of thee. Merc. O my Master Philosopher, I know not, Thou art a Philosopher, I am a servant of the Philosophers, they make of me what they please, I obey them as much as I am able. Alch. Thou must tell mee how I must proceed with thee, and how I may make of thee the Philosophers Stone. Merc. If thou knowest, thou shall make it, but if thou knowest not, thou shalt doe nothing, thou shalt know nothing by mee, if thou knowest not already my Master Philosopher. Alch. Thou speakest to mee as to some simple man, perhaps thou dost not know that I have worked with Princes, and was accounted a Philosopher with them. Merc. I am apt to beleeve thee my Master, for I know all this very wel, I am yet foul, and unclean by reason of those mixtures that thou hast used. Alch. Therefore tell mee, art thou the Mercury of Philosophers? Merc. I am Mercury, but whether or no the Philosophers, that belongs to thee to know. Alch. Do but tell me if thou art the true Mercury, or if there be another. Merc. I am Mercury, but there is another, and so he vanished away. The Alchymist cries out and speaks, but no body answers him. And bethinking himselfe saith: Surely I am an excellent man, Mercury hath been pleased to talke with mee, surely hee loves mee: and then he began to sublime Mercury, distil, calcine, make Turbith of him, precipitate, and dissolve him divers wayes, and with divers waters, but as hee laboured in vain before, so now also he hath spent his time, and costs to no purpose. Wherefore at last hee begins to curse Mercury, and revile Nature because shee made him. Now Nature when she heard these things called Mercury to her, and said to him: What hast thou done to this man? Why doth he curse and revile me for thy sake? Why dost not thou doe what thou oughtest to doe? But Mercury modestly excuseth himself. Yet Nature commands him to be obedient to the sons of Wisdome, that seek after him. Mercury promiseth that he will, and saith: Mother Nature, but who can satisfie fools? Nature went away smiling: but Mercury being angry with the Alchymist goes also unto his own place. After a few days it came into the Alchymists mind, that he omitted something in his operations, and again hee hath recourse to Mercury, and now resolves to mix him with hogs dung; but Mercury being angry that he had falsly accused him before his mother Nature, saith to the Alchymist, What wilt thou have of me thou foole? Why hast thou thus accused mee? Alch. Art thou he that I have longed to see? Merc. I am, but no man that is blind can see mee. Alch. I am not blind. Merc. Thou art very blind, for thou canst not see thy selfe, how then canst thou see mee? Alch. O now thou art proud, I speak civilly to thee, and thou contemnest mee: thou dost not know perhaps that I have worked with many Princes, and was esteemed as a Philosopher amongst them. Merc. Fools flock to Princes Courts, for there they are honoured, and fare better then others. Wast thou also at the Court? Alch. O thou art a devill, and not a good Mercury, if thou wilt speak thus to Philosophers: for before thou didst also seduce me thus. Mer. Dost thou know Philosophers? Alch. I my self am a Philosopher. Merc. Behold our Philosopher (smiling said: and began to talke further with him saying) My Philosopher, tell mee therefore what thou seekest after, and what thou wilt have, what dost thou desire to make? Alch. The Philosophers stone. Merc. Out of what matter therefore wilt thou make it? Alch. Of our Mercury. Merc. O my Philosopher, now I wil leave you, for I am not yours. Alch. O thou art but a devill, and wilt seduce mee. Merc. Truly my Philosopher thou art a devill to mee, not I to thee: for thou dost deale most sordidly with mee, after a devillish manner. Alch. O what doe I hear? this certainly is a devill indeed, for I do all things according to the writings of Philosophers, and know very well how to work. Merc. Thou knowest very well, for thou dost more then thou knowest, or readst of: for the Philosophers said, that Nature is to be mixed with Natures; and they command nothing to bee done without Nature; but thou dost mix mee with almost all the sordidst things that bee, as dung. Alch. I doe nothing besides Nature; but I sow seed into its own earth, as the Philosophers have said. Merc. Thou sowest mee in dung, and in time of harvest I do vanish away, and thou art wont to reap dung. Alc. Yet so the Philosophers have wrote, that in the dunghill their matter is to be sought for. Merc. It is true what they have written; but thou understandest their letter, and not their sense, and meaning. Alch. Now happily I see that thou art Mercury; but thou wilt not obey mee. And he began to conjure him again, saying, Vx Vx. But Mercury laughing answered, Thou shalt doe no good, my friend. Alch. They do not speak without ground, when they say thou art of a strange nature, inconstant, and volatile. Merc. Dost thou say, that I am inconstant, I resolve thee thus, I am constant unto a constant Artificer; fixed to him, that is of a fixed mind, but thou, and such as thou art, are inconstant, running from one thing unto another, from one matter unto another. Alch. Tell me therefore if thou art that Mercury, which the Philosophers wrote of, which they said was, together with sulphur, and salt the principall of all things, or must I seek after another? Mer. Truly the fruit doth not fal far from the tree, but I seek not mine own praise, I am the same as I was, but my years are differing. From the beginning I was young, so long as I was alone, but now I am older, yet the same as I was before. Alch. Now thou pleasest me, because now thou art older: for I alwaies sought after such a one, that was more ripe, and fixed, that I might so much the more easily accord with him. Merc. Thou dost in vain look after mee in my old age, who didst not know mee in my youth. Alch. Did not I know thee, who have worked with thee divers wayes, as thou thy selfe hast said? and yet I will not leave off till I have made the Philosophers Stone. Merc. O what a miserable case am I in? What shall I do? I must now be mixed again with dung, and be tormented. O wretch that I am! I beseech thee good Master Philosopher, doe not mix me so much with hogs dung; for otherwise I shall be undone, for by reason of this stink I am constrained to change my shape. And what wilt thou have mee doe more? Am not I tormented sufficiently by thee? Doe not I obey thee? Doe not I mixe my self with those things thou wilt have me? Am I not sublimed? Am I not precipitated? Am I not made turbith? An Amalgama? A Past? Now what canst thou desire more of me? My body is so scourged, so spit upon, that the very stone would pity me: By vertue of me thou hast milk, flesh, bloud, butter, oyl, water, and which of all the metalls, or mineral can do that which I do alone? and is there no mercy to be had towards me? O what a wretch am I! Alc. O ho, it doth not hurt thee, thou art wicked, although thou turnest thy self inside out, yet thou dost not change thy selfe, thou dost but frame to thy selfe a new shape, thou dost alwaies return into thy first forme again. Merc. I doe as thou wilt have me, if thou wilt have me be a body, I am a body: if thou will have me be dust, I am dust, I know not how I should abase my self more, then when I am dust, and a shadow. Alch. Tell mee therefore what thou art in thy Center, and I will torment thee no more. Merc. Now I am constrained to tell from the very foundation. If thou wilt thou maist understand mee: thou seest my shape, and of this thou needest not know further. But because thou askest mee of the Center, my Center is the most fixed heart of all things, immortall, and penetrating: in that my Master rests, but I my selfe am the way, and the passenger, I am a stranger, and yet live at home, I am most faithfull to all my companions, I leave not those that doe accompany mee; I abide with them, I perish with them. I am an immortall body: I die indeed when I am slaine, but I rise againe to judgement before a wise Judge. Alch. Art thou therefore the Philosophers Stone? Merc. My mother is such a one, of her is born artificially one certain thing, but my brother who dwells in the fort, hath in his will what the Philosophers desire. Alch. Art thou old? Merc. My mother begat mee, but I am older then my mother. Alch. What devill can understand thee, when thou dost not answer to the purpose? thou alwaies speakest Riddles. Tell mee if thou art that fountain of which Bernard Lord Trevisan writ? Merc. I am not the fountaine, but I am the water, the fountaine compasseth mee about. Alch. Is gold dissolved in thee, when thou art water? Merc. Whatsoever is with mee I love as a friend; and whatsoever is brought forth with mee, to that I give nourishment, and whatsoever is naked, I cover with my wings. Alch. I see it is to no purpose to speak to thee, I ask one thing, and thou answerest another thing: if thou wilt not answer to my question, truly I will goe to work with thee again. Merc. O master, I beseech thee be good to me, now I will willingly doe what I know. Alch. Tell mee therefore if thou art afraid of the fire. Merc. I am fire my selfe. Alch. And why then dost thou fly from the fire? Merc. My spirit, and the spirit of the fire love one another, and whither one goes, the other goes if it can. Alch. And whither dost thou goe, when thou ascendest with the fire? Merc. Know that every stranger bends towards his own countrey, and when he is returned from whence he came, hee is at rest, and alwaies returnes wiser, then he was when he came forth. Alch. Dost thou come back again sometimes? Merc. I doe, but in another forme. Alch. I do not understand what this is, nor any thing of the fire. Merc. If any one knew the fire of my heart, hee hath seen that fire (a due heat) is my meat: and by how much the longer the spirit of my heart feeds upon fire, it will be so much the fatter, whose death is afterward the life of all things, whatsoever they bee in this Kingdome where I am. Alch. Art thou great? Merc. I am thus for example, of a thousand drops I shall be one, out of one I give many thousand drops: and as my body is in thy sight, if thou knowest how to sport with mee, thou maist divide me into as much as thou wilt, and I shall be one again: What then is my spirit (my heart) intrinsecally, which alwaies can bring forth many thousands out of the least part? Alch. And how therefore must one deale with thee that thou maist be so? Merc. I am fire within, fire is my meat, but the life of the fire is aire, without aire the fire is extinguished; the fire prevails over the aire, wherefore I am not at rest, neither can the crude aire constringe, or bind mee: adde aire to aire, that both may be one, and hold weight, join it to warme fire, and give it time. Alch. What shall bee after that? Merc. The superfluous shall be taken away, the residue thou shalt burn with fire, put it into water, boyl it, after it is boyled thou shalt give it to the sick by way of physick. Alch. Thou saist nothing to my questions. I see that thou wilt only delude mee with Riddles. Wife, bring hither the hogs dung, I will handle that Mercury some new wayes, untill hee tell mee how the Philosophers Stone is to bee made of him. Mercury hearing this begins to lament over the Alchymist, and goes unto his mother Nature: accuseth the ungratefull operator. Nature beleeves her son Mercury, who tells true, and being moved with anger comes to the Alchymist, and calls him; Ho thou, Where art thou? Alchym. Who is that, thus calls mee? Natura. What dost thou with my son, thou fool thou? Why dost thou thus injure him? Why dost thou torment him? who is willing to doe thee any good, if thou couldst understand so much. Alch. What devill reprehends me, so great a man, and Philosopher? Nat. O fool ful of pride, the dung of Philosophers, I know all Philosophers, and wise men, and I love them, for they love me, and doe all things for me at my pleasure, and whither I cannot goe they help me. But you Alchymists, of whose order thou also art one, without my knowledg, and consent, doe all things contrary unto me; wherefore it falls out contrary to your expectation. You think that you deal with my sons rationally, but you perfect nothing; and if you will consider rightly, you do not handle them, but they handle you: for you can make nothing of them, neither know you how to do it, but they of you when they please, make fooles. Alch. It is not true: I also am a Philosopher, and know well how to worke, I have been with more then one Prince, and was esteemed a Philosopher amongst them, my wife also knows the same, and now also I have a manuscript, which was hid some hundreds of years in an old wall, now I certainly know I shall make the Philosophers Stone, as also within these few dayes it was revealed to mee in a dreame. O I am wont to have true dreams; Wife thou knowest it! Natur. Thou shalt doe as the rest of thy fellowes have done, who in the beginning know all things, and thinke they are very knowing, but in conclusion know nothing. Alch. Yet others have made it of thee (if thou art the true Nature.) Nat. It is true, but only they that knew me, and they are very few. But hee which knowes mee doth not torment my Sons; nor disturbe mee, but doth to mee what hee pleaseth, and increaseth my goods, and heals the bodies of my sons. Alch. Even so do I. Natur. Thou dost all things contrary to mee, and dost proceed with my Sonnes contrary to my will: when thou shouldst revive, thou killest; when fix, thou sublimest; when calcine, thou distillest; especially my most observant Sonne Mercury, whom thou tormentest with so many corrosive waters, and so many poisonous things. Alch. Then I will proceed with him sweetly by digestion only. Natur. It is well if thou knowest how to doe it, but if not, thou shalt not hurt him, but thy selfe, and expose thy selfe to charges, for it is all one with him, as with a gem, which is mixed with dung, that is alwaies good, and the dung doth not diminish it, although it be cast upon it, for when it is washed, it is the same gemme as it was before. Alch. But I would willingly know how to make the Philosophers Stone. Natur. Therefore doe not handle my Son in that fashion: for know, that I have many Sonnes, and many Daughters, and I am ready at hand to them that seek mee, if they bee worthy of mee. Alch. Tell me therefore who that Mercury is? Nat. Know that I have but one such Sonne, and hee is one of seven, and hee is the first; and hee is all things, who was but one; hee is nothing, and his number is entire; in him are the foure Elements, and yet himselfe is no Element; he is a spirit, and yet hath a body; he is a man, and yet acts the part of a woman; hee is a child, and yet bears the armes of a man; hee is a beast, and yet hath the wings of a bird; hee is poison, yet cureth the leprosie; he is life, yet kills all things; hee is a King, yet another possesseth his Kingdome; hee flyeth from the fire, yet fire is made of him; hee is water, yet wets not; hee is earth, yet hee is sowed; hee is aire, yet lives in water. Alch. Now I see that I know nothing, but I dare not say so, for then I should lose my reputation, and my neighbors will lay out no more money upon mee, if they should know that I know nothing: yet I will say that I doe certainly know, or else no body will give mee so much as bread: for many of them hope for much good from mee. Natur. Although thou shouldst put them off a great while, yet what will become of thee at last? and especially if thy neighbours should demand their charges of thee again? Alch. I will feed all of them with hope, as much as possibly I can. Natur. And then what wilt thou doe at last? Alch. I will try many ways privately: if either of them succeed, I will pay them; if not, I will goe into some other far Country, and doe the like there. Natur. And what will become of thee afterward? Alch. Ha, ha, ha, there bee many countryes, also many covetous men, to whom I will promise great store of Gold, and that in a short time, and so the time shall passe away, till at last either I, or they must die Kings, or Asses. Natur. Such Philosophers deserve the halter: fie upon thee, make hast and be hanged, and put an end to thy self, and thy Philosophy; for by this meanes thou shalt neither deceive mee, thy neighbour, or thy self.