Book 1 — BOOK I.
Reading edition
[Fol. 10.] With þe myȝt, wisdom, & grace of þe holy trynite, I write to ȝou a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis essencijs in latyn, þat hermys þe prophete and kyng of Egipt, after the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris, hadde by reuelacioun of an aungil of god to him sende, þat þe wijsdom and þe science of þis book schulde not perische, but be kept and preserued vnto þe eende of þe world, of alle holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis, for greet perilis þat myȝte falle þerof. For wiþinne þis breue tretis, wiþ þe grace of god, I wole more determine of practif1 þan of theorik. ȝitt ben boþe nedeful / By the grace of God I translate you this Treatise revealed to Hermes by an angel after Noah’s flood, that the knowledge of this book may be preserved to the end of the world.
The firste and souereyneste priuyte þat god, maker of kynde, ordeyned for mannys nede, how þat olde euangelik men, and feble in kynde, myȝte be restorid, and haue aȝen her firste strenkþis of ȝongþe in þe same degree þat is in al kynde, & be mad hool parfiȝtly, God’s greatest secret for man’s need is how to restore old feeble men to the strength of their youth,
except þe strok of þe þundir blast, & violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche betynge / Also perilous fallyngis of hiȝ placis, to myche abstynence, & oþere yuel gouernaunce aȝens kynde, And also þe teerme þat is sett of god, þat noman may a-schape, as Iob seiþ in latyn / except in case of thunder-blast, and too much fasting, and the term set for all men.
“Breues dies hominis sunt &c.” ‘Nota.’
THE NAMES AND QUALITIES OF QUINTE ESSENCE. Forsoþe philosophoris clepen þe purest substaunce of manye corruptible þingis elementid, ‘quinta essencia,’ þat is to seie, ‘mannys heuene,’ drawe out by craft of mani;2 for whi, as quinta essencia superior, þat is, heuene of oure lord god, in reward of þe .iiij elementis, is yncorruptible & vnchaungeable / The purest substance of corruptible things is Quinte Essence or man’s heaven.
[* Fol. 10b.] riȝt so *quinta essencia superior inferior, þat is to seie, mannys heuene, is incorruptible, in reward of þe .4. qualitees of mannys body; and so it is preued naturaly þat oure quinta essencia, þat is, mannes heuene, in it-silf3 is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wiþ fier / ne coold and moist wiþ watir / ne hoot & moist with eyr, ne coold and drie wiþ erþe; but oure quinta essencia avayliþ to þe contrarie, as heuene incorruptible / Quinte Essence is incorruptible as to the four qualities of man’s body,
But vndirstonde þat oure qui[n]ta essencia is nouȝt so incorruptible as is heuene of oure lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composicioun maad of þe .4. elementis; but not as the heaven of God.
& it hath .iij. names by the philosophoris, þat is to seie / brennynge watir / þe soule in þe spirit of wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne ȝe wole concelle it, þanne schal ȝe clepe it ‘oure quinta essencia’; for þis name, & þe nature þerof, riȝt fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly þei biriede þe truþe with hem. and witiþ weel that it is clepid brennynge watir; and it is no brennyng watir: It is called, 1. Burning Water; 2. the Soul in the spirit of Wine; 3. Water of Life; and if you wish to conceal it, Quinte Essence.
forwhi, it is not moist ne coold as comoun watir; for it brenneþ, & so doiþ not comyn watir; It is neither moist and cold like water,
ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir, for eir corrumpiþ a þing a-noon, as it schewiþ weel by generacioun of flies, & areins, and siche oþere; but sikirly þis is alwey incorruptible, if it be kept cloos fro fliȝt / nor hot and moist like air,
Also it is not coold and drie as erþe. for souereynly it worchiþ & chaungiþ. And it is not hoot and drie as fier, as it schewiþ by experience; for hoot þingis it keliþ, & hoot sijknessis it doiþ awey / nor cold and dry like earth, nor hot and dry like fire.
[* Fol. 11.] Also þat it ȝeueþ incorruptibilite, and kepiþ a þing fro corruptibilite *and rotynge, it is preued þus / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt þerinne, it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is þerinne / It gives incorruptibility, for it prevents dead flesh from rotting,
miche more þanne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body from al manere corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure quinta essencia, þat is to seie, mannys heuene, þat god made to þe conseruacioun of þe .4. qualitees of mannys body, riȝt as he made his heuene to þe conseruacioun of al þe world / and much more the living flesh of man. It is Man’s Heaven, preserving his body as Heaven does the world.
And wite ȝe for certeyn þat manye philosophoris and lechis þat ben now, knowe nouȝt þis quinta essencia, ne þe truþe þerof / Forwhi; god wole not þat þei knowe it; for her greet brennynge coueitise & vicious lyuynge / Many know it not now for their covetousness and vice.
THE NATURE AND WORKING OF QUINTE ESSENCE. Forsoþe quinta essencia superior, þat is to seie, heuene of oure lord god bi him silf / Aloone / ȝeueþ not conseruacioun in þe world, and wondirful influence, but by þe vertue of þe sunne, planetis, and oþere sterris; riȝt so oure quinta essencia, þat is, mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wiþ þe sunne mineralle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite þat fier may not appeire, corrumpe, ne distroie. and þis is verry gold of þe myn, of þe erþe, or of þe floodis gaderid / But as God’s Heaven is aided by sun and stars, so our Heaven, or Quinte Essence, is made fair by the sun mineral, or pure gold of the mine, not of alchemy.
for gold of alkamy maad with corosyues distroieþ kynde, as aristotle and manye oþere philosophoris prouen / ‘Nota.’
and þerfore good gold naturel, & of þe myn of þe erbe, is clepid of philosophoris ‘sol’ in latyn; for he is þe sonne of oure heuene, lich as sol þe planet is in þe heuene aboue; for þis planete ȝeueþ to gold his influence, nature, colour, & a substaunce incorruptible. Good natural gold is called Sol, because Sol the planet gives gold its power, colour, &c.
[* Fol. 11b.] And oure quinta essencia, mannys heuene, is of þe nature *& þe colour of heuene / And oure sol, þat is, fyn gold of þe myne, schal make it fair, riȝt as sol þe planete makiþ heuene fair / and so þese two togidere ioyned schal ȝeue influence in us, and þe condiciouns of heuene and of heuenly sonne / in as miche as it is possible in deedly nature, conseruacioun and restorynge of nature lost, & renewynge of ȝongþe / Our Quinte Essence is the colour of heaven; gold makes it fair; and the two work in us (so far as is possible) renewal of youth, and give health plenteously.
And it schal ȝeue plenteuously heelþe: and so it is preued by astronomy aboue, þat sterris þat haþ influence vpon þe heed and þe necke of man / as ben þe sterris of aries, taurus, and gemini, ȝeuen influence syngulerly vpon̅ Gerapigra galieni / As Aries, Taurus, and Gemini draw humours from the head and breast, and not the limbs beneath, ‘Nota.’
And þerfore it haþ a synguler strenkþe, by þe ordynaunce of god, to drawe awey þe superflue humouris fro þe heed, þe necke, and þe brest, and not fro þe membris byneþe / And so I seie of spicis þat drawiþ humouris fro þe knees, þe leggis, and þe feet, þat resseyuen a synguler influence of þe sterris of Capricorn, Aquarie and pisces, & riȝt so of oþere, et cetera / so those spices that do draw from these limbs get their power from Capricorn, &c.
Comounne ȝe not þis book of deuyne secretes to wickid men and auerous; but kepe ȝe it in priuytee / Tell not these Divine secrets to wicked men.
THE 1ST WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE. Take þe beste wiyn þat ȝe may fynde, if ȝe be of power; & if ȝe be riȝt pore, þanne take corrupt wiyn, þat is, rotyn, of a watery humour, but not egre, þat is, sour, for þe quint essencia þerof is naturaly incorruptible þe which ȝe schal drawe out by sublymacioun / And þanne schal þer leue in þe ground of þe vessel þe .4. elementis, as it were, rotun fecis of wiyn / ‘aqua vite’ To make Quinte Essence. Take the best wine, or any not sour; distil it, and the 4 Elements shall be left like dregs.
[* Fol. 12.] But firste ȝe muste distille þis wiyn .7. tymes; & þanne haue ȝe good brennynge watir / Forsoþe, þis is þe watri mater *fro which is drawe oure quinta essencia / Distil 7 times to get Burning Water;
Thanne muste ȝe do make in þe furneis of aischin, a distillatorie of glas al hool of oo. pece, wiþ an hoole a-boue in þe heed, where þe watir schal be putt yn, and be take out / And þis is a wondirful instrument þat þat þing þat by vertues of fier ascendith and distillith wiþinne þe vessel, per canales brachiales, þat is, by pipis lich to armys, be bore aȝen, and eftsoones ascendith, & eft descendiþ contynuely day and nyȝt, til þe brennynge water heuenly be turned into quintam essenciam / And so bi continuelle ascenciouns & discenciouns, þe quinta essencia is departid fro þe corruptible composicioun of þe .4. elementis. ‘vas’ put this in a Distiller in a furnace, and let the vapour rise, condense, and be distilled till it is turned into Quinte Essence, and parted from the 4 elements.
For bifore þat þing þat is twies sublymed is more glorified, and is more sotil, and fer from þe corrumpcioun of þe .4. elementis more separat þan whanne it ascendith but oonys; ‘Nota.’
and so vnto a þousand tymes, so þat by coutynuel ascendynge and descendynge, by the which it is sublymed to so myche hiȝnes of glorificacioun, it schal come þat it schal be a medicyn incorruptible almoost as heuene aboue, and of þe nature of heuene / And þerfore oure quinta essencia worþily is clepid ‘mannys heuene’ / Distil it 1000 times, and it shall be glorified and become a medicine incorruptible as heaven.
And aftir manye daies þat it hath be in þis sotil vessel of glas distillid / ȝe schulen opene þe hoole of þe vessel in þe heed þat was selid with þe seel of lute of wijsdom, maad of þe sotillest flour, and of white of eyren, and of moist papere, ymeyngid so þat no þing respire out / After many days unstop your distiller, ‘lute’
[* Fol. 12b.] And whane ȝe opene þe hoole. if þer come out a passynge heuenly swete flauour þat alle men þat come yn naturely *drawe þerto. þanne ȝe haue oure quinta essencia / and if there issues out a heaven-sweet savour, you have our Quinte Essence.
and ellis sele þe vessel, and putte it to þe fier aȝen til ȝe haue it. If not, distil again till you have.
THE 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH WAYS OF MAKING QUINTE ESSENCE. And anoþer maner worchinge of oure quinta essencia is þis / Take þe noblest and þe strengest brennynge watir þat ȝe may haue distillid out of pure myȝty wiyn, and putte it into a glas clepid ‘amphora, with a long necke / and close þe mouþ strongly wiþ wex; And loke þat half or þe þridde part be fulle; and birie it al in hors dounge, preparate as it is seid hereafter / so þat þe necke of þe glas be turned dounward, & þe botum be turned vpward, þat by vertu of þe hors dounge þe quinta essencia ascende vp to þe botum. And þe grosté of þe mater of þe watir descende dounward to þe necke / The second way to make Quinte Essence. Put the strongest Burning Water into an ‘amphora;’ seal it up; bury it neck downwards in horse-dung, and the Quinte Essence will rise into the globe and the impurities settle in the neck.
And aftir manye daies, whanne ȝe take it out, softly lift vp þe glas as it stondith, and ȝe schal se in þickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene þe quintam essenciam sublymed, and þe grose mater þat is in þe necke / þe wondirful maistry of departynge of þat oon fro þat oþer is þis / Take the glass out of the dung;
Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, & peerse into þe wex þat hongiþ in þe mouþ of þe glas aȝens þe erþe / and whanne ȝe haue peersid al fully to þe watir, take out þe poyntel or þe pricke / make a hole in the wax seal,
And þat erþely watir wole first come out þat is in þe necke / and so til it be come out vnto þe departinge bitwixe it / and þe quinte essence, þat is, mannys heuene sublymed. let out the impure earthy water,
[* Fol. 13.] and whane ȝe se þat þis quint essence wole renne & melte aftir þat þis erþely watir be voydid, putte þanne swiftly ȝoure fyngir to þe hoole, & turne vp þe glas, and þanne ȝe haue þerinne oure quinte essence, *and þe erþely watir wiþoute aside. And þis is a passyng souereyn priuytee. and when the Quinte Essence would begin to run, turn the glass up, and keep your Quinte Essence.
The þridde maner is, þat ȝe take a greet glas clepid amphora, and seele it weel, and birie it weel in þe wombe of an hors al togidere. and þe pureté of þe quinte essencie schal be sublymed aboue, & þe grosté schal abide byneþe in þe botme / take out softli þat þat fletiþ a-boue; and þat þat leeueþ bihynde, putte it to þe fier. The third way. Put your amphora into a horse’s belly instead of the dung, and proceed as above.
The .iiij. maner is þis. take what vessel of glas þat ȝe wole, or of erþe strongly glasid, and þer-vpon a round foot of glas wiþ a leg. and seele þe vessel with his couertour, þat þe rod of þe foot of þe glas wiþinne þe vessel honge in þe eyr, þat þat þing þat ascendith to þe couertour in þe maner of a pott boilynge descende doun aȝen by þe foot of þe glas. and this instrument may ȝe do make wiþoute greet cost / The fourth way. Substitute for the amphora a vessel of glass or earth, with a tube running from the top and hanging in the air, into which the vapour may fall and condense.
THE 5TH WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE, &C. The fifþe maner is, þat þe brennynge water be .10 tymes distillid in hors dounge contynuely digest. The fifth way. Distil your Burning Water ten times.
The science of makynge of fier wiþoute fier / wherby ȝe may make oure quinte essence wiþoute cost or traueile, and withoute occupacioun and lesynge of tyme / To make fire without fire, and Quinte Essence without cost or trouble.
Take þe beste horse dounge þat may be had þat is weel digest, and putte it wiþine a uessel, or ellis a pitt maad wiþ þe erþe anoyntid þoruȝout with past maad of aischin. And in þis vessel or pitt, bete weel togidere þe dounge; And in þe myddil of þis doung, sette þe vessel of distillacioun vnto þe myddis or more / For it is nede þat al þe heed of þe vessel be in þe coold eir / Put horse-dung into a vessel or pit lined with ashes, and place your vessel in it up to the middle.
[* Fol. 13b.] þat, þat þing þat bi vertu of þe fier of þe doung þat ascendith þerby be turned into watir *by vertu of cooldnes of þe eir and falle doun aȝen and ascende vp aȝen. and þus ȝe haue fier wiþoute fier, and but wiþ litil traueile. The cold top part will condense the vapour caused by the heat of the dung.
Also anoþer maner of fier. sette ȝoure vessel forseid to þe strong reuerberacioun of þe sunne in somer tyme, and lete it stonde þere nyȝt and day. Or, place your vessel in the sun’s rays.
Here I wole teche ȝou how pore euangelik men may haue wiþoute cost, and almoost for nouȝt, þe gracious influence of gold, and þe maner of þe fixynge of it in oure heuene, þat is, oure quinta essencia. How poor evangelic men may get the gracious influence of gold.
if ȝe be pore, ȝe schal preie a riche man þat is ȝoure freend to leene ȝou a good floreyn of florence / and anele it vpon a plate of yren as yren is anelid. and haue biside ȝou a uessel of erþe glasid, fillid ful of the beste brennynge watir þat ȝe may fynde. & caste into þe watir þe floreyn anelid. and loke þat ȝe haue a sotilte and a sleiȝþe to quenche sodeynly þe fier, þat þe watir waaste not; and be weel war þat non yren touche þe watir. but af[t]er caste into þe watir þe floreyn, Borrow a Florence florin of a rich friend, anneal [?heat] it on a plate of iron, and throw it into some Burning Water, taking care to quench the fire quickly to prevent the Water wasting.
and do so .l. tymes or more, for þe oftere þe bettere it is / And if ȝe se þat þe watir waaste to myche, chaunge it þanne, and take newe, & do so ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue do ȝoure quenchour, putte all þe watris togidere / Repeat this 50 times in fresh Water, and then mix all the Waters together.
HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE. [* Fol. 14.] And ȝe schulen vndirstonde þat þe vertu of brennynge watir is sich þat naturely it drawiþ out of gold alle þe vertues & propirtees of it, & it holdiþ incorrumptibilitee & an euene heete. The Water draws out all the properties of the gold.
*þanne meynge þis brennynge watir þus giltid wiþ oure quinte essence, and vse it. but be war þat ȝe quenche not þe floreyn in oure quinte essence; for þanne it were lost / Mix the gilt Burning Water with Quinte Essence.
And if it so be þat ȝe haue not þis brennynge watir redy, þanne quenche ȝoure floreyn in þe beste whiȝt wiyn þat may be had / For sikirly þe philosophore seiþ, þat wiyn hath also þe propirtee to restreyne in it þe influence and vertues of gold / And whanne ȝe haue do ȝoure werk, ȝe schal wite þat þe floreyn is als good, & almoost of þe same weiȝte, as it was afore / You may substitute for Burning Water best white wine, which also retains the powers of gold.
þerfore vse wiyn or brennynge watir giltid, so þat ȝe may be hool, and wexe glad, and be ȝong. And þus ȝe haue oure heuene, and þe sunne in him fixid, to þe conseruacioun of mannys nature and fixacioun of oure heuene, þat is, oure quinte essence. This gilt Water will make you well and young again. In it you have the Sun fixed in our Heaven.
The science how ȝe schule gilde more myȝtily by brennynge watir or wiyn þan I tauȝte you tofore, wherby þe water or þe wiyn schal take to it myȝtily þe influence & þe vertues of fyne gold. ‘science.’ How to gild Burning Water or Wine more thoroughly.
Take þe calx of fyn gold as it is declarid here-aftir in þis book, and putte it in a siluer spone, and anele it at þe fier. & þanne caste þe cals of the gold in þe brennynge watir or in wiyn .l. times, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore wiþ þe floreyn. Heat calcined gold in a silver spoon and put it in Burning Water or wine 50 times, as with the florin before.
[* Fol. 14b.] and ȝe schule haue ȝoure licour by an hundrid part bettir gilt þan ȝe had tofore wiþ þe floreyn / Forwhi. fier worchiþ more strongly and bettere *in sotil parties þan it doiþ in an hool plate / And also brennynge watir or wiyn drawiþ out more myȝtily bi a þousand part þe propirtees of gold fro smale parties anelid, þan it doiþ fro a þicke plate / And ȝe schal vndirstonde þat wiyn not aloonly holdiþ in it þe propirtees of gold, but myche more þe propirtees of alle liquibles if þei be quenchid þerinne. Your liquor will be better gilt, as the fire and Water or wine work more powerfully on the grains of gold than on a plate. Wine retains the properties of all liquibles quenched in it.
and þat is a souereyn priuite: Forwhi, if ȝe quenche saturne liquified in wiyn or in comoun watir .7. tymes, and aftirward in þat wiyn or watir ȝe quenche mars manye tymes, þanne mars schal take algate þe neischede and þe softnes of saturne / If Saturn (lead) liquefied be quenched in wine, and then Mars (iron) be quenched in it, Mars acquires the softness of Saturn.
And þe same schal venus do, & alle oþere liquibles / or ellis, And ȝe quenche mars in whiȝt wiyn or in comoun watir manye tymes, and aftirward in þe same wiyn or watir ȝe caste saturne liquified ofte tymes, þanne wiþoute doute ȝe schal fynde þat þe saturne is maad riȝt hard / Therfore þe propirtees of alle liquibles may be brouȝt into wiyn or watir; but myche more myȝtily into brennynge watir good and precious. Again, if you quench Mars in wine and put in it Saturn liquefied, this will be made hard.
TO MAKE FIRE WITH NO FIRE. The science to make a fier, þat is, wiþoute cole, withoute lyme, wiþoute liȝt, worchinge aȝens al maner scharpnes or accioun of visible fier, riȝt as worchiþ þe fier of helle / To make fire without coals, lime, light, &c.
[* Fol. 15] And þis priuytee is so vertuous, þat þe vertu þerof may not al be declarid. And þus it is maad. Take Mercurie þat is sublymed with vitriol, *& comen salt, & sał armoniac .7. or .10. tymes sublymed / and meynge hem togidere by euene porcioun. and grynde it smal, and leye it abrood vpon a marbil stoon; and by nyȝte sette it in a soft cleer eir, or ellis in a coold seler; and þere it wole turne into watir / And þanne gadere it togidere in to a strong vessel of glas, and kepe it / Mix equal parts of sublimated Mercury, Salt, and Sal Ammoniac, grind them small, expose them to the air, and they’ll turn into water,
This water forsoþe is so strong, þat if a litil drope þerof falle vpon ȝoure hond, anoon it wole perce it þoruȝ-out; and in þe same maner it wole do, if it falle vpon a plate of venus or Iubiter, into þis watir, it turneþ hem into lijknes of peerl. a drop of which will eat thro’ your hand, and make Venus (copper) or Jupiter (tin) like pearl.
who so coude reparale & preparate kyndely þis fier, wiþoute doute it wolde quenche anoon a brennynge sijknes clepid þe fier of helle. And also it wolde heele euery cor[os]if sijknesse. If it could be moderated it would cure the disease Hell fire, and every corrosive sickness.
And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis þing in her bookis ‘sal amarus,’ al þouȝ þei teche not þe maistrie þerof / If it be so þat þis firy watir breke þe glas, and renne out into þe aischen, þanne gadere alle togidere þat ȝe fynde pastid in þe aischen / and leye it vpon a marbil stoon as afore, and it wole turne into watir. And þis is a greet priuytee. ‘sal amarus.’ It is also called ‘Sal Amarus.’
TO CALCINE GOLD. [* Fol. 15b.] The science to brynge gold into calx / Take fyn gold, and make it into smal lymayl: take a crusible wiþ a good quantitee of Mercurie, and sette it to a litil fier so þat it vapoure not, and putte þerinne þi lymail of gold, and stire it weel togidere / & aftirward *wiþinne a litil tyme ȝe schal se al þe gold wiþinne þe Mercurie turned into erþe as sotil as flour. þanne ȝeue it a good fier, þat þe Mercurie arise and go his wey; ‘Science.’ To calcine gold. Cut gold into shavings; put it into a crucible with Mercury; heat it, and it will crumble into dust like flour. Heat it more till the mercury goes his way;
or ellis, and ȝe wole, ȝe may distille and gadere it, puttynge þer-vpon a lembike / and in þe corusible ȝe schal fynde þe gold calcyned and reducid into erþe / or distil it, and the gold powder will be in the crucible.
And if ȝe wole not make lymayl of gold, þanne make þerof a sotil þinne plate, as ȝe kan, and putte wiþinne þe Mercurie al warm; and ȝe schal haue ȝoure desier / And in þis same maner ȝe may worche wiþ siluir / A thin plate of gold will do instead of shavings, and Silver may be treated like gold.
Thanne take þe calx of þese two bodies, and bere hem openly wiþ ȝou; and þer schal noman knowe what þei ben / And if ȝe wole bere hem more priuyly wiþoute ony knowynge, þanne meynge hem wiþ pich melt, or wex, or ellis gumme, for þanne noman schal knowe it what it is. To carry these powders about, mix them with pitch, wax, or gum,
And whanne ȝe wole dissolue ony of þese calces by hem silf, putte eiþir by him silf in a test, or ellis þe pich or þe wex in which þei ben ynne; and anoon schal come out verry gold & siluer as þei were tofore. melting the mass when you want the metal.
Now I wole teche ȝou þe maistrie of departynge of gold fro siluir whanne þei be meyngid togidere / Forsoþe ȝe woot weel þat þer be manye werkis in þe whiche gold and siluir be meyngid, as in giltynge of vessel & Iewellis / How to separate gold from silver when mixed with it.
[* Fol. 16.] þerfore whanne ȝe wole drawe þe toon fro þat oþir, putte al þat mixture into a strong watir maad of vitriol and of sał petre. and þe *siluyr wole be dissolued, and not þe gold: þanne ȝe haue þat oon departid fro þe toþir / Put the mixture into a solution of vitriol and saltpetre, and the silver will be dissolved.
And if ȝe wole dissolue þe gold to watir, putte þanne yn þe watir corosyue, Sał armoniac; and þat watir wiþoute doute wole dissolue gold into watir. Corrosive water and sal ammoniac will dissolve the gold.
TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD. The science to drawe out of fyn gold vta essencia is þis / First ȝe schal reduce gold into calx, as I tolde ȝou tofore / þanne take vynegre distillid, or ellis oold vryne depurid fro þe fecis, and putte it in a uessel glasid; and þe liquor schal be in þe heiȝþe of 4. ynchis; and þerinne caste þe calx of gold, & sette it to the strong sunne in somer tyme, þere to abide / and soone aftir ȝe schal se as it were a liquor of oyle ascende vp, fletynge aboue in maner of a skyn or of a reme. gadere þat awey wiþ a sotil spone or ellis a feþere, and putte it into a uessel of glas in þe which be putt watir tofore. and þus gadere it manye tymes in þe day, into þe tyme þat þer ascende nomore / ‘science.’ ‘Nota.’ How to get out of gold its Quinte Essence. Put calcined gold into distilled vinegar or purified urine; set it in a hot sun; a film will soon rise; skim it off, collect all such in a glass vessel till no more rise.
and aftir do vapoure awey þe watir at þe fier. And þe vta essencia of þe gold wole abyde byneþe. And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis quinta essencia an oile incombustible, þat is a greet priuytee / Evaporate the water left; the residuum is the Quinte Essence of Gold.
And if ȝe wole fixe þis quinta essencia in oure heuene, þat4 it may wiþoute doute restore aȝen to man þat nature þat is lost, and reduce him aȝen into þe vertu of þe strenkþe of ȝongþe, and also lenkþiþ his lijf into þe laste terme of lijf set of god // And if you fix this Quinte Essence in our heaven, it will restore man to the strength of his youth.
[* Fol. 16b.] Now forsoþe I haue toold ȝou þe souereynest *priuytee and restorynge of mannys kynde, and in part greet þing þat schulde not be schewid / Forwhi. þis oyle, þat is to seie, quinta essencia of gold, hath þe mooste swetnes and vertu to a-swage and putte awei þe ache of woundis, and for to heele woundis, oolde sooris, and manye wondirful yuelis / Also in þe same maner ȝe may drawe out of siluir, quinte essencie // Now I have told this most sovereign secret, which should not be shewed. [Nota.] The Quinte Essence of gold is best to heal wounds.
TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF ANTIMONY, &C. The science to drawe out of antymony, þat is, mercasite of leed, þe vte essencie, is a souereyn maistrie, and a priuytee of alle priuytees / Take þe myn of antymony aforeseid, and make þerof al so sotil a poudre as ȝe kan / þanne take þe beste vynegre distillid, and putte þerinne þe poudre of antymonye, and lete it stonde in a glas vpon a litil fier into þe tyme þat þe vynegre be colourid reed. þanne take þat vynegre awey, and kepe it clene, and putte aȝen þer-to of oþere vynegre distillid, and lete it stonde vpon a soft fier til it be colourid reed. & so do ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue gaderid al ȝoure vynegre colourid, putte it þanne in a distillatorie. and first þe vynegre wole ascende; þanne after ȝe schal se merueilis: for ȝe schal se as it were a þousand dropis of blessid wiyn discende doun in maner of reed dropis, as it were blood, by þe pipe of þe lymbike / þe which licour, gadere togidere in a rotumbe / and þanne ȝe haue a þing þat al þe tresour of þe world may not be in comparisoun of worþines þerto / How to get its Quinte Essence out of Antimony. Put powdered antimony into distilled vinegar; heat it till the vinegar is red; take away the red vinegar, and put fresh; take that away when red. Put the red vinegar into a distiller, and 1000 drops of blessed wine shall come down the pipe; collect this; it is an incomparable treasure.
[* Fol. 17.] aristotle seiþ þat it is his lede in þe book of secretis, al þouȝ he *telle not þe name of þe antymonye aforeseid / [Nota.]
Forsoþe þis doiþ awey ache of alle woundis, and wondirfully heeliþ. þe vertu þerof is incorruptible & merueilous profitable / It cures the pain of all wounds,
it nedit to be putrified in a rotombe and seelid in fyme, and þanne it worchiþ greet priuytees / Forsoþe þe vta essencia of þis antymony þat is reed, in þe which is þe secreet of alle secretis, is swettere þan ony hony, or sugre, or ony oþir þing. and when fermented it works great secrets.
TO EXTRACT THE QUINTE ESSENCE FROM MAN’S BLOOD. The science in the extraccioun of þe .55 essencie from blood, and fleisch, & eggis / To ȝou I seie, þat in euery elementid þing, þe .5. essencie remayneþ incorrupte: it schal be þanne þe moost þing of merueyle if I teche ȝou to drawe out þat fro mannys blood reserued of Barbouris whanne þei lete blood; also fro fleisch of alle brute beestis, and fro alle eggis, and oþere suche þingis. ‘Science.’ How to get its Quinte Essence from Man’s Blood.
for als myche as mannes blood is þe perfitist werk of kynde in us, as to þe encrees of þat þat is lost, it is certeyn þat nature þat .5. essence maad so perfiȝt þat, wiþoute ony oþir greet preparacioun wiþoute þe veynes, it beriþ forþ þat blood anoon aftir into fleisch. and þis 5 essence is so nyȝ kynde þat [it] is moost to haue6 / Man’s blood is the perfectest work of nature in us, and its Quinte Essence converts blood into flesh,
Forwhy. in it is merueylous vertu of oure heuene sterrid, and to þe cure of nature of man worchiþ moost deuyn myraclis, as wiþinne I schal teche ȝou / and works divine miracles of healing.
þerfore resceyue of Barbouris, of ȝong sangueyn men, or colerik men, whanne þei be late blood, þe which vse good wynes. take þat blood aftir þat it haþ reste, and cast awey þe watir fro it, and braie it wiþ þe .10. part of comen salt preparate to medicyns of men; and putte it into a uessel of glas clepid amphora, Get from Barbers the blood of young sanguine men; let it stand; pour off the serum; mix the blood with a tenth of prepared salt; put it in an amphora;
[* Fol. 17b.] þe which, sotely seele, and putte it wiþinne þe *wombe of an hors, preparate as tofore, and renewe þe fyme oonys in þe wike, or more, and lete it putrifie til al þe blood be turned into watir / and it schal be doon at þe mooste in xxx. or xl dayes, or aftir, more or lasse / þanne putte it in a lembike, and distille it at a good fier / what so euere may ascende, putte þat watir vpon þe fecis brayed, meyngynge vpon a marbil stoon; putte it aȝen, and aftir distille it aȝen manye tymes rehersynge / seal that up; put it in a horse’s belly, renewing the dung weekly till all the blood turns into water; distil that; put the outcome on the pounded fæces, and distil over again.
And whanne ȝe haue þis noble þing of blood, þerof þe .5. beynge drawe out / putte aȝen þe watir in þe stillatorie of circulacioun til ȝe brynge it to so myche swetnes & an heuenly sauour, as ȝe dide þe brennynge watir. and þis is þe 5 beynge of blood deuyn, and miraclis more þan man mai bileue but if he se it. Heat the water in the distiller till it comes to a heavenly savour. This Fifth Being works miracles hardly credible unless seen.
TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF BEASTS AND THE 4 ELEMENTS. Now wole I teche ȝou to drawe out þe .5 beynge from capouns, hennes, and al maner fleisch of Brut beestis, and from al maner eggis of foulis þat ben holsum and medicynable to ete for mān kynde / Grynde summe of þese þingis forseid, which þat ȝe wil, as strongly as ȝe can in a morter, wiþ þe 10 part of him of sal comen preparate to þe medicyne of men, as I seide tofore. putte it in þe wombe of an hors til it be turned into water. distille as it is aforeseid, and in þe stillatorie of circulacioun þe watir þat is distillid, putte it in aȝen til it be brouȝt to þe swete heuenly sauour and smel aforeseid / To get the Quinte Essence out of capons, beasts, eggs, &c. Grind some of them with a tenth part of prepared salt; put ’em into a horse’s belly till they become water, and distil that till it’s heaven-sweet.
The science to drawe out þe 5 beynge of euerych of þe .4 elementis, and to schewe euerych of þe forseid þing bi hem silf; & þat is riȝt merueylous / I wole not leue for a litil to schewe a greet secreet, how ȝe may drawe out þe 5 beynge of ech of þe 4 elementis of al þe þing rehersid afore, and profitably schewe hem / ‘science.’ To draw the Fifth Being out of each of the Four Elements, and to separate them.
[* Fol. 18.] And þe maner ys *þis / take þat þing putrified and brouȝt into watir, what so euere ȝe wole, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore; and þat þing be mannes blood brouȝt into watir, of þe which ȝe wole drawe out þe 4 elementis / putte þerfore þat water, or þat blood putrified, in a stillatorie of glas, and sette it wiþinne a pott of watir, and ȝeue vndirneþe a fier til þe watir of blood be distillid by þe pipe of þe lembike into a glas clepid amphora, riȝt clene / Take any thing rotted and turned into water, as man’s blood; put it in a glass distiller, and distil it over into an amphora.
And whanne no þing may more by þat fier ascende, for certeyn ȝe haue of blood drawen out al oonly þe element of watir / Forwhi. fier of þat bath hath no strenkþe to sublyme eyr, or fier, or erþe. When no more vapour rises, you have drawn out the water.
and so [take] þo þre elementis, and sette in þe same bath by .vij. dayes þat þei be weel meyngid, & so cloos þat no þing be distillid / Put the other 3 elements for 7 days into the same bath,
aftir þe .vij. dayes take þe stillatorie, and putte it to þe fier of aischen, þat is strongere þan fier of bath clepid marien; and þe watir schal ascende in foorme of oyle schynynge as gold / then into a coal fire, and the water shall rise as oil shining like gold,
and aftirward þat no þing more schal ascende, ȝe haue þanne in þe ampulle .ij. elementis, þat is to seie, watir and eyr. & oon from anoþir ȝe schal departe in þe bath, puttynge yn aȝen wher al-oonly þe cleer watir schal ascende / and þe eyr schal al-oonly remayne in̅ þe botum of þe vessel in lijknesse of oyle of gold. þe which oyle þat is gold, þe which oyle þat is ayr / putte it aside. the air remaining at the bottom like oil of gold. Put these aside.
þanne þer leeueþ ȝitt fier wiþ erþe. to departe fier from erþe, putte þe element of watir, þat is to seye .iiij ℔ of watir, vpon j ℔ of mater / and putte by .vij. daies to encorpere wel as tofore in þe bath of marien̅ / To separate fire from the earth, put 4 lbs. of water on 1 lb. of earth; place it in the Marian bath for 7 days;
[* Fol. 18b.] Aftirward putte it to þe fier of flawme riȝt strong, and þe reed water schal ascende. þe which gadere togidere as longe as ony *þing ascendiþ. and to ȝou schal remayne an erþe riȝt blak in þe botum. þe which gadere togidere aside / then in hot flames; red water shall ascend and black earth fall.
þanne þe redeste watir ȝe schal take. forwhy. þer be .ij. elementis, þat is to seie, þe element of watir and fier. þanne yn þe stillatorie, to þe fier of baþ, cleer watir schal asende. and in þe botum schal remayne þe reed watir, þat is, þe element of fier. Put the red water into the distiller; pure water shall rise; red water, or fire, shall remain;
and so ȝe haue now first oon oyle, þat is, ayer o side, and watir, and fier, and erþe. and note ȝe weel þat þerfore þe element of watir is putt aȝen to drawe out from erþe fier and eyr, for þei wole not ascende, but þoruȝ þe help of element of watir. so you have the 4 Elements separate.
brynge aȝen euerych into 5 beynge wiþ þe vessel of circulacioun as tofore / or ellis rectifie, makynge oon ascende .7 tymes bi an oþir / but first ȝe moste þe riȝt blak erþe of oon hide7 nature, in þe furneys of glas mon8, or ellis reuerberacioun, xxj. dayes calcyne / Distil each into its Quinte Essence, or rectify it, and
And for a cause I speke to ȝou nomore of this science. but ioie ȝe, and thanke oure glorious lord god of þese þingis þat ȝe haue had. thank our glorious God for this bit of knowledge.
HOW TO FIX OTHER THINGS IN OUR QUINTE ESSENCE. The science to fixe alle erþely þingis in nostra 5ta essencia, þat is to seie, oure heuene, þat by her influence þei may ȝeue þerto þer propertees and her hid vertues / oure glorious god haþ ȝeue sich a uertu to oure quinta essence, þat it may drawe out of euery matier of fruyȝt / tree / rote / flour, herbe / fleisch, seed & spice / And euery medicynable þing, alle þe vertues, propirtees, and naturis, þe whiche god made in hem; and þat wiþinne .iij. houris. To fix all earthly things in our Quinte Essence. God has given it the power of drawing all the virtues out of every thing in 3 hours.
OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IMPROVES EVERYTHING 100 FOLD. [* Fol. 19.] Now I haue schewid ȝou a souereyn priuytee, how þat ȝe may wiþ oure heuene drawe out euery 5 essencia from alle þingis aforeseid / þerfore alle necessarie þingis to euery syrup putte yn oure 5 essencie, & wiþinne .iij. houris þat watir schal be sich a sirup, vndirstonde wel, bettir by an hundrid part, by cause of oure 5 essencie, þan it *schulde be wiþoute it / Put therefore every thing necessary for any syrup into our Quinte Essence, and in 3 hours it shall be 100 times better than before.
And so I seie of medicyns comfortatyues, digestyues, laxatyues, restriktyues, and alle oþere; forwhy. if ȝe putte seedis or flouris, fruyȝtis, leeues, spicis, coold, hoot, sweet, sour, moist, do þei good or yuel, into oure 5 essencie, forsoþe sich 5 essence ȝe schulen haue þerfore. Whatever medicines are put into our Quinte Essence,
oure 5 essencie is þe instrument of alle vertues of þing transmutable if þei be putt in it, encreessynge an hundrid foold her worchingis // it increases their power a hundred fold.
Explicit pars prima tractatus quinte essencie: End of Part I.