DIALOGUE
OF MARY AND AROS,
On the magisterium of Hermes.
INTERVIEW
WITH KING CALID,
AND
THE PHILOSOPHER MORIEN
On the magisterium of Hermes
Reported by Galip, Slave of this King.
DIALOGUE OF MARY AND AROS,
On the magisterium of Hermes
The philosopher Aros went to find Mary the Prophetess, Sister of Moses, and having greeted her civilly, he said to her: Madam, I have heard very often that you are turning white the Stone in a day.
Yes, replied Marie, and even in less than a day.
I do not understand, replied Aros, how what you say can be done, nor by what means can be cleared so quickly by the Magisterium.
Mary replied. And don't you know that water or something turns white in a month?
It is true, said Aros, but it takes a long time to do the thing you speak of.
Hermes, reproached Mary, says in all the Books, that the Philosophers whiten the Stone in one hour.
O Madam, said Aros, what a beautiful thing you are telling me!
Very beautiful, replied Marie, for those who did not know it.
But, Madam, replied Aros, if it is true that all the Bodies of Metals as well as the human Body, are composed of the four Elements, it must be admitted that they can be fixed & moderated, & their fumes coagulated & retained in one day, until what needs to be done is completed.
I assure you, Aros, said Mary, and I call God to witness, that if you were not as you are, I would not tell you what I am going to tell you, and that I would wait to reveal it to you until God inspired me to do it. So take Alum, white gum & red gum, which is the Kibrich of the Philosophers, their Gold, & their greatest Dye, & join by a true marriage the white gum with the red. I don't know if you can hear me?
Yes Madam, said Aros, I hear & I understand what you are saying.
Reduce all this to flowing Water, continued Mary, & purify on the fixed Body this truly divine Water, drawn from the two Sulphurs; & make this Composition become liquid, by the secret of Natures, in the Vessel of Philosophy.
Yes, Madam, replied Aros, I can hear you very well.
Keep the smoke, replied Marie, and don't let any escape, and build your fire in proportion to the heat of the Sun in the months of June and July; stand near your vessel, and you will see things there that will surprise you. Because in less than three hours your Matter will become black, white & orange; & the smoke will penetrate the Body, & the Spirit will be fixed. Everything will then be like milk, which will become incerating, melting, and penetrating. And that is the hidden Secret.
Aros speaking, said. I can't believe it's always done like this.
Here is a much more admirable thing, says Mary, which was not known by the Ancients, and which never entered their minds. Take white, clear, honored Grass, which grows on small mountains. Grind it fresh, as it is at its appointed time.
For in it is the true Body, which neither evaporates nor flees from the fire.
Is this not the Stone of Truth you speak of? Aros said.
Yes, Aros, it is, replied Marie. But men do not know the plan, because they are too hasty, and they want to do the work too soon.
What is there to do after that? Aros said.
It is necessary, Marie told him, to rectify on this Body Kibrich, & Subeth, that is to say the two smokes, which comprise and which embrace the two Luminaries, and to put on top what softens them, & which is the accomplishment of the Tinctures & Spirits, & the true weights of Science. Then having crushed everything, we must put it in the fire, and we will see admirable things. Besides, the whole regime consists of knowing how to make a moderate fire. After which it will be a surprising thing to see how in less than an hour, this Composition will pass from one color to another, until it comes to perfect redness and whiteness. We must then undo the fire and open the vessel, when it has cooled, and we will find the body clear and shiny, like a pearl, the color of field poppy, interspersed with white.
Here Aros having prostrated himself with his face to the ground, Mary said to him.
Get up Aros. I will further shorten the work for you. Take the clear Body, taken from the small Mountains, which is not made by putrefaction, but by movement alone. Grind this Body with the Elzaron Gum, & the two smokes. For the Eraser Elzaron is the Body that seizes; & who takes the Spirit. Grind everything, bring it close to the fire, everything will melt, and if you project it on the woman, everything will come like water that is distilled, and it will freeze in the air, and it will not will be more than a Body. That if you project it onto imperfect Bodies, you will see wonders. Because this is the hidden Secret of Science. Know that the two smokes, of which I have just spoken, are the roots of this Art; & these are the white Kibric, & Wet Lime, to which Philosophers have given all sorts of names. But the fixed Body comes from the heart of Saturn, which understands the Tincture, & which perfects the work of Wisdom. The Body that we take on the small mountains is clear & white, and these are the medicines, or the two Materials of this Art, one of which is bought, and the other is taken on the small mountains.
And I warn you, Aros, that the Sages have only called them the work of Philosophy, because Science cannot be perfect without these things, and that it is in it that all these wonders are made. art. Because there are four Pierres and his regime is true, as I said. And Hermes made several allegories on this in his Books. And the Philosophers have always prolonged their regime, saying that it takes a lot of time to do it, than it actually does. And they even said that it was necessary to carry out Operations, which were not necessary, and they always said that it took a year to complete their Magisterium. What they did only to hide it from the ignorant People, by making them believe that their Work can only be perfected in one year. Also it is a great Secret, and only God can reveal it. Those who hear about it cannot experience it because they know nothing about it. Did you hear me, Aros? by making them believe that their Work can only be perfected in one year.
Also it is a great Secret, and only God can reveal it. Those who hear about it cannot experience it because they know nothing about it. Did you hear me, Aros? by making them believe that their Work can only be perfected in one year. Also it is a great Secret, and only God can reveal it. Those who hear about it cannot experience it because they know nothing about it. Did you hear me, Aros?
Yes, Madam, he told her. But please tell me what the Vessel is, without which the work cannot be done.
This Vessel, says Marie, is the Vessel of Hermes, which the Philosophers have hidden, & which the Ignorant cannot understand, because it is the measure of the Philosophical fire.
Aros then said. O Prophetesses! tell me, I pray you, if you have found in the Books of Philosophers, that the work of a single Body could be done?
Yes ; she said, and yet Hermes did not speak of it, because the root of Science is... and a Venom which mortifies all Bodies; which reduces them to powder & which coagulates Mercury by its smell. And I protest to you, by the living God, that when this Venom dissolves into a subtle Water, whatever way this dissolution takes place, it coagulates Mercury into a true, foolproof Moon. And if we project it onto Jupiter, it changes it to the Moon. I tell you moreover that Science is found in all Bodies. But the Philosophers did not want to say anything about it, because of the brevity of the life, & the length of the Work. And they found it more easily in Matter, which most obviously contains the four Elements, and they multiplied and obscured this Matter, by the various names they gave it. It is not that all the Philosophers have spoken enough of everything that must be done for the work, apart from the Ship of Hermes; because it is a divine thing, and which God wills to be unknown to the Gentiles and Idolaters; this Vessel being of such great necessity for the Magisterium, that those who do not know it will never know its true regime.
OF KING CALIDE,
AND
OF THE PHILOSOPHER MORIEN
On the magisterium of Hermes
Reported by Galip, Slave of this King.
King Calid having recognized and brought near the man of God, whom we had brought to him from the Deserts of Judea, where by his order we were going to look for him, he made him sit near him, and he spoke to him thus.
Venerable Old Man, please tell me what your name is, and what your profession is, because I did not ask you the first time you came here, because I was suspicious of you, not believing you to be such. that you are.
To which Morien replied: My name is Morien; I profess Christianity, and my habit and my way of life clearly show that I am a Hermit.
How many, said the King, are you a Hermit?
I have been, replied Morien, for four years after the death of King Hercules.
The King was very satisfied with the prudence, humility, gentleness and modesty of this man. For he was not a great talker, nor a sufficient one; but a humble, wise & affable person, as a Man of his profession should be.
So the King said to him. O Morien, would you not be better off being in some Monastery with the Religious who live there in Community, praising & praying, God with them in the Church, than living all alone in the Deserts & in Solitude ?
O King, replied Morien, all the good that I have comes to me from God, and I expect from him alone that which I hope for in the future; let him do with me what he pleases. I have no doubt that I would have been much more at rest in a Monastery than in Solitude and among the Rocks, where I only have pain; but no one reaps unless he sows, and we can only reap what we have sown. This is why I hope that God, through his infinite goodness, will not abandon me in this worldly life.
For the door to true rest is very narrow, and no one can enter except through affliction and mortification.
Everything you say is certainly very true, then said the King; but because it is a Christian who says it, it seems false to us.
Now what obliged the King to speak thus was that at that time he was a Payen, and that he still adored Idols.
Morien answered him. If what I say is true, as you admit, you must remain in agreement that my words can only come from a true Spirit. For true Things come from what is true; as falsehoods only come from what is false; the eternals of what is eternal; the passengers, of what is passenger; the good of what is good; & the bad, of what is bad.
The King then speaking said. O Morien, I had already been told many things, beneficial about your person, your firmness, and your faith. I now see that everything that has been said to me is true, and I confess to you that I am delighted, and that I look at you with admiration. Also this is what made me wish so much to see you again, and to confer with you. Because in addition to the subject we have to discuss, I want you to instruct me and teach me other things.
Morien replied. O King, I pray to God, who is almighty, to remove you from the error in which you are, and to make known to you the truth. As for me, I have nothing that should give you admiration. I am one of the Children of Adam, as are all other Men. We all came from the same origin, and we will all have only the same term; although we must arrive by different routes. The length of years changes Man, because he is subject to time, and it confuses him. As for me, I am not so changed that many who came after me will be more so when they are at my age. After the last change comes death, which spares no one, which is believed to be the greatest of all punishments. Because, and before the Soul joins itself to the Body, & after their dissolution or separation, she has to suffer a more cruel punishment than any death whatsoever. But I pray to the Almighty Creator that he will always be at our aid.
It seems from the things you have just said, said the King, that you imagine that I want to make fun of you. And if you had this opinion of me, old and wise as you are, you would rather deserve to be laughed at than to be praised.
After that the King called me and said to me: Gali, my faithful Servant is going to look for a house for this Man, which is very beautiful inside and out, which is well furnished and close to my palace. Also find him someone of his religion who is learned, old and an honest man, so that he can console himself in his conversation, and so that he has no reason to be bored. Because he seems frightened to me, and it seems that he doesn't completely trust me. I did what the King ordered me. The King visited Morien every day, and stayed for a few hours talking with him, in order to reassure him; & for this purpose, he did not speak to him at all about his Magisterium. But having finally become very familiar with each other, and having formed a great friendship together, Morien discovered himself to the King, and confided in him. The King asked him questions about the Laws of the Romans, and whether they had been changed according to the diversity of times. He asked him how the first Kings and consuls had behaved in their Governments; & he also questioned him about the history of the Greeks. Morien responded very civilly to all his requests. Which made the King take Morien in such great affection, that he had never considered or loved anyone as much as him.
One day, as they were talking, according to their custom, the King began to speak to him in this way. Morien responded very civilly to all his requests. Which made the King take Morien in such great affection, that he had never considered or loved anyone as much as him. One day, as they were talking, according to their custom, the King began to speak to him in this way. Morien responded very civilly to all his requests. Which made the King take Morien in such great affection, that he had never considered or loved anyone as much as him. One day, as they were talking, according to their custom, the King began to speak to him in this way.
Very wise old man, I have been looking for the Magisterium of Hermes for a long time. I have asked many people, but I have yet to find anyone who has been able to tell me the truth. This is what made it so that after you had left this Country without my knowledge, and I had read these words, which you had written around the Vessel where the Magisterium was, which you had made, Those who have in themselves everything they need, have no need of anyone's help. And after knowing what these words meant, I put to death all those whom I had kept with me for several years, to work on this Work, because they had falsely boasted of knowing how to do it.
Tell me then, I pray you, what this Magisterium truly is, and what its Substance and Composition is, so that I receive from you the satisfaction that I have been seeking for so long. And if you do so, I declare to you that I will be entirely yours with all that I possess; even then, that I promise to go with you to your Country, if you wish. So please no longer have bad suspicions of me, as it seems you once had, and do not fear that I will cause you any violence or displeasure.
O good and wise King, said Morien, I pray to God that he will grant you the grace to recognize yourself. I see clearly now that what forced you to send for me was because you had a great need of me. For my part, I was very happy to come to you, both to teach you the Magisterium, and to show you clearly how admirable the power of God is. Besides, I have no fears and I have no suspicion of you; because as soon as someone fears, it is a sign that he is not well assured of the truth.
Besides, a wise man must not fear anything, because if he feared, he could soon despair of succeeding, and thus he would be in doubt and uncertainty; & therefore he would never do anything. And as you show me a lot of affection, & that I see that you are firm in your resolutions, & severe, but yet good & patient, I do not want to hide the knowledge of the Magisterium from you any longer. You have therefore arrived without difficulty, and more easily than anyone, at what you had so desired; blessed be the name of God forever.
I see now, said the King, that he to whom God does not give patience, easily goes astray by wanting to hasten too much; that he falls into horrible confusion, and that the precipitation only comes from the Devil. And although I am the grandson of Machoya, and the son of Gésid, who were Kings, I see clearly that all the greatness of the Earth is of no use to this Work, and that there is no strength or power to achieve this, only that which comes from God very high and very powerful.
Morien replied. O good King, I pray to God that he converts you, and makes you better. Apply now to consider and examine this Magisterium, and be sure that you will know it and understand it easily. But above all remember to study the beginning and the end carefully. For by this means, with God's help, you will more easily discover all that is necessary to do it. Now I warn you that this Magisterium, for which you have sought so much, cannot be discovered either by violence or by threats; that it is not by getting angry that we overcome it; & that only those who are patient & humble, & who love God sincerely & perfectly, can claim to acquire it. For God only reveals this divine & pure Science to his faithful Servants, & that to those to whom from all eternity he has resolved, by his divine providence, to discover such a great Mystery. Thus those, to whom he gives such a singular grace, must carefully consider to whom they can entrust such a great secret, before telling it, and discovering themselves; because we must only consider it as a Gift from God, which he does as he pleases, and to whom he pleases among those he chooses from among his faithful Servants. And they must continually humble themselves and humble themselves before God; recognize with complete submission that they only have such great good from him, and only use it according to the orders of his holy will. must carefully consider to whom they can confide such a great secret, before telling it and revealing themselves; because we must only consider it as a Gift from God, which he does as he pleases, and to whom he pleases among those he chooses from among his faithful Servants. And they must continually humble themselves and humble themselves before God; recognize with complete submission that they only have such great good from him, and only use it according to the orders of his holy will. must carefully consider to whom they can confide such a great secret, before telling it and revealing themselves; because we must only consider it as a Gift from God, which he does as he pleases, and to whom he pleases among those he chooses from among his faithful Servants.
And they must continually humble themselves and humble themselves before God; recognize with complete submission that they only have such great good from him, and only use it according to the orders of his holy will. And they must continually humble themselves and humble themselves before God; recognize with complete submission that they only have such great good from him, and only use it according to the orders of his holy will. And they must continually humble themselves and humble themselves before God; recognize with complete submission that they only have such great good from him, and only use it according to the orders of his holy will.
I know, said Calid, and I know well that nothing excellent and perfect can be done without the help and revelation of God; for he is infinitely elevated above all Creatures, and the Decrees of his holy will are immutable.
The KING then turned to me and said. Galip, my faithful Servant, sit down, and write faithfully everything you hear us say. And Morien speaking, said.
The Almighty Lord & Creator of all things created Kings with absolute power over their Subjects; but it is not in their power to change the order he has established in the World. I mean, that they cannot cause the things he put first to become the last; nor what he put last is first; and it is completely impossible for them to know anything, if he does not reveal it to them, and to discover nothing, if he does not allow them to do so, and unless he has previously resolved it. As they cannot keep or conserve what he has given them, except through the extraordinary strength and virtue that he sends them from above. And what makes God seem even more admirable, they could not, with all their power, retain their soul, nor preserve their life, only up to the term that God has limited to them.
And it is God alone who chooses, among his Servants, those whom he pleases, and whom he destines to seek this divine Science, which is unknown and hidden to Men, and to guard it and keep it secret in their hearts, when they have once discovered it. Also it is an admirable Science, which detaches and removes the one who possesses it from the misery of this World, and which leads and elevates him to the knowledge of the Goods of eternal life. This is why the ancient Philosophers were so jealous of it, that when they died, they left this Philosophy to each other, by tradition, as an inheritance which belonged only to them alone. Then there was a time when this Science was almost destroyed, being despised by everyone. And although among all this contempt that was made of it, there were several Books of the ancient Philosophers, which had been concerned, in which this Science was found entirely, and without any lie. And although there were several who applied themselves to studying it, no one could nevertheless succeed in making the Magisterium, because of the plurality of names, all different, that the ancient Sages have always given to the things which belong to this Magisterium, and which must necessarily be known in order to be able to do so. For my part, I knew the truth perfectly; as you have seen in experience. But although the Philosophers, our Predecessors, have given several and different names to their Magisterium, and although they have intermixed Sophistications with it, in order to make the thing more obscure, and its knowledge is more difficult, it is nevertheless certain that everything they have said about it is also very true; as many who have completed the Magisterium have seen through their own experience.
And it has always been believed that they only affected this obscurity and this disguise, to take away the knowledge of their Science from the Fools, and the Insane, who would abuse it, and so that there would be only those who will be judged worthy of possessing such a rich treasure; who can hear their words. Let him therefore who finds the Books of the true Philosophers, study them carefully, until he understands them in the true manner, in which they should be understood.
Because all these difficulties should not deter anyone from the search for this Magisterium; & a Man should not therefore despair of achieving it, provided that he has firm hope and complete trust in God. May he continually pray to him to give him the understanding of this Secret, and to give him the grace to do and accomplish such a divine and admirable Work. Let him urgently ask for his light to know this admirable perfection, and to enlighten him and lead him on the right and true path, without him ever deviating from it, until he has fortunately arrived at the end of the work.
O Morien, then said the King, enough, please, regarding the conduct that must be followed before beginning this Work. I understand very well what you have just said, and I promise you that I will observe it very exactly, if you are willing to teach me the Magisterium. Explain it to me then, I beg you, very clearly, and make me understand what I have been wanting to know for so long, so that I am not obliged to carry out a long search, nor a painful study, which could discourage me & divert me from the right path. So let us, I beg you, enter into the matter at the beginning of the thing, and continue immediately, without confusing anything and without reversing the order that must be observed.
To this Morien replied. I will declare the matter to you straight away; start asking me whatever you like.
SECOND AND MAIN
Part of the Interview between King Calid and the Philosopher Morien,
on the Magisterium of Hermes.
CALID. Before all things, I ask you to tell me what the main Substance & Matter of the Magisterium is, & what it is, & if it is composed of Several Substances, or if it is only made of a single Matter.
MORIEN. When we cannot make known by its effect something of which we doubt, to prove it, we use the testimony of several people, who certify that it is true.
However, I will not allege to you here the authority of the Ancients on what you are asking me, unless I have previously declared to you what I have known several times through my experience concerning the main Substance & Matter of the Magisterium. And if you consider carefully what I will tell you about myself, and the authorities of the ancient Philosophers that I will report, you will obviously know that we are all speaking unanimously about the same thing; & that everything we say is true.
To therefore satisfy your request, know that there is only one first & principal Substance, which is the Matter of the Magisterium; that from this Matter becomes One; that it is a fact with it and that nothing is added to it or taken away from it. Here is the answer to what you asked me. I will now give you the testimony of the ancient Philosophers, to show you that we are all in agreement. Hercules who was King, Sage & Philosopher, being questioned by some of his Disciples, he said to them: Our Magisterium comes first from a Root, which then extends & is divided into several things, & then it returns again into one only thing. And I warn you that it will be necessary for it to receive air. The Philosopher Arsicanus says:
The four Elements, that is to say, Heat, Cold, Humidity & Dryness come from a single source, & some of them are made of others, which are the same. For of these four, some are like the Roots of the others, and the others are as if composed of these Roots. Those who are the Roots are Water & Fire; and those which are composed of it are Earth & Air. The same Arsicanus said to Mary: Our Water has dominion over our Earth, and it is great, luminous, and pure; because the Earth is created from the coarsest and thickest parts of Water. Hermes similarly says: The Earth is the Mother of the other Elements; they all come from Earth & they return there. He further says: As all things come from one, so my Magisterium is made of one Substance & one Matter. And just as the four Elements are contained in the body of Man, God also created them different and separate; & he created them, united & gathered into one, being spread throughout the Body; because the same Body contains them all, as if they were submerged in it; & he holds them all in one thing. And yet each of them carries out a particular operation, quite different from those of each of the others. And although they are all in the same Body, this does not prevent each of them from having its particular color, and each from its separate domination. It is therefore all the same with our Magisterium, because the Colors, which each depend on an Element, appear successively, and one after the other.
CALID. How and what means can it be that there is only one Root, one Substance, and one Matter of this Magisterium, since in the Writings of Philosophers we find several names of this Root, and which are even all different.
MORIEN. It is true that there are several names for this Root; but if you consider carefully what I have just said, and in the order that I said it, you will find that there is actually only one Root, one Substance and one Matter of the Magisterium . And in order to make you understand it better, I will still relate and explain to you some other authorities of the ancient Philosophers on this subject.
CALID. Finish explaining to me the Magisterium of this Work.
MORIEN. Hercules said to some of his Disciples: The kernel of the Date is produced & nourished by the Palm, & the Palm of its kernel. And from the Root of the Palm, come several small Surgeons, which multiply & produce several other Palm Trees around it. And Hermes said: Look at the completed red, and the red reduced by its redness, and all the redness; also consider perfect orange, and all orange reduced by its orange color, and all orange color. And look again at the completed black, & the black diminished by its blackness, & all the blackness. All the same, the Ear comes from a grain, and several branches come out of a Tree, although the Tree only comes from its germ. Another Sage, who had renounced the world for the love of God, relates to us a similar example. Because he says: The Seed is the first formation of Man; and from one grain of wheat comes a hundred, and from a small sprout a great Tree is made, and from one man is taken a Woman, who is similar to him; & from this Man & this Woman, several Sons & Daughters are often born, who have completely different complexions, features & faces. The same Sage says again: See a Tailor; from the same sheet he makes a shirt, and any other kind of clothing, each part of which has a particular name and different from that of the others. And nevertheless to consider these parts naturally, that is to say according to their material, we will find that they are all made of the same fabric, and that it is the same cloth, which is the main material, of which all the The suit is done. Because even though the body, the sleeves, & the basques have different names, as parts of the coat, the cloth is however their main material. Because we can undo the garment, and separate the parts by removing the thread with which they are designed and attached together, without the sheet ceasing to be the same, and without needing another different sheet to that. Thus our Magisterium is something which subsists on its own, without needing anything else. Now this Magisterium is hidden in the books of philosophers, and all those who have spoken about it have given it a thousand different names. It is even sealed, and it is only open to the Sages. For the Wise seek Him eagerly; they find him after having looked for him well, and as soon as they have once found him, they love him and honor him: but the Fools do not care,
Here are some of these names, which in their Writings the Sages gave to their Magisterium. They called it Seed, which, when it changes, becomes blood in the Matrix, and finally it curdles and becomes like a piece of compound flesh. And it is done in this way until the Creature receives another Form, namely that of Man, which succeeds this first Form of Flesh, and then it must necessarily follow. make a Man. Another of these names is that it resembles the Palm by the color of its fruits, and by that of its seeds, having to reach their perfection. The Philosophers also compare their Magisterium to a Pomegranate, to Corn, to Milk & they give it several other names, of all of which there is only one Root or foundation; but according to the different effect, the various colors, & the different natures of this Magisterium, we give it several different names; as the Philosopher Hérisartes says. And I can assure you with truth that nothing has so deceived or caused those who wanted to make the Magisterium to fail as the difference and plurality of names given to it. But when we have once recognized that all these names, which we imposed on it, are only taken from the diversity of colors, which appear in the conjunction of the two Matters which come from the same Root, we will not be surprised. will not easily stray from the path that must be taken to do the Magisterium. nor did those who wanted to make the Magisterium fail, except the difference and the plurality of the names given to it. But when we have once recognized that all these names, which we imposed on it, are only taken from the diversity of colors, which appear in the conjunction of the two Matters which come from the same Root, we will not be surprised. will not easily stray from the path that must be taken to do the Magisterium. nor did those who wanted to make the Magisterium fail, except the difference and the plurality of the names given to it. But when we have once recognized that all these names, which we imposed on it, are only taken from the diversity of colors, which appear in the conjunction of the two Matters which come from the same Root, we will not be surprised. will not easily stray from the path that must be taken to do the Magisterium.
CALID. Regarding Colors, you remind me that you said earlier that they changed into each other. I would like to know if this is done by a single Operation, or Disposition; or if it is by two or by several Operations, that they are changed like this?
MORIEN. It is by a single Operation that Matter is thus changed; but the more this Matter receives new colors, by the heat of the fire, & the more different names we give it. Hence it is that the Philosopher Datin said to Entichez: I will show you that the Philosophers had no other design, in multiplying the Dispositions or Operations of our Magisterium, than to instruct and further enlighten the Sages; & by this very fact to completely blind the Fools. For as the Magisterium has a name, which is specific to it, it also has a Disposition, or Operation which is very particular to it; & to do it, there is still only one and only way, which is straight. This is also why the Sages have given various names to the Magisterium, and have spoken of it differently, as if they were several different things, they nevertheless only heard or wanted to talk about one thing, and one Disposition or Operation. So let this be enough for you, O good King, and please do not question me any further on this subject. Because the Sages, our predecessors, spoke of several Operations, of several weights, and of several colors: which means that they filled their Writings with Allegories, with regard to the Vulgar only: and if, however, they did not never lied; but they spoke as they saw fit and as they actually understood it among themselves; in order to hide their Secret, & to make it unintelligible to others. So let this be enough for you, O good King, and please do not question me any further on this subject. Because the Sages, our predecessors, spoke of several Operations, of several weights, and of several colors: which means that they filled their Writings with Allegories, with regard to the Vulgar only: and if, however, they did not never lied; but they spoke as they saw fit and as they actually understood it among themselves; in order to hide their Secret, & to make it unintelligible to others. So let this be enough for you, O good King, and please do not question me any further on this subject.
Because the Sages, our predecessors, spoke of several Operations, of several weights, and of several colors: which means that they filled their Writings with Allegories, with regard to the Vulgar only: and if, however, they did not never lied; but they spoke as they saw fit and as they actually understood it among themselves; in order to hide their Secret, & to make it unintelligible to others.
with regard to the Vulgar only: and if they have never lied; but they spoke as they saw fit and as they actually understood it among themselves; in order to hide their Secret, & to make it unintelligible to others. with regard to the Vulgar only: and if they have never lied; but they spoke as they saw fit and as they actually understood it among themselves; in order to hide their Secret, & to make it unintelligible to others.
CALID. This is enough touching on the Nature & Substance of the Magisterium. I ask you to now explain its color to me, and to speak to me clearly about it, without embarrassing your speech with allegories or similes.
MORIEN. The Sages had always been accustomed to making their Azoth or Alun, from him and with him; but they did it before dyeing any thing by its means. Good King, that tells you enough in a few words. If you wish us to take up the authorities of the Ancients, to give you an example, listen to what the Philosopher Datin says:
Our Brass, although it is first red, is nevertheless useless, if it remains in this state; but if it is changed from red to white, it will be worth a lot. This is why the same Datin said to Eutichez. O Euticez, take this for granted, and add to it a firm belief. For the Sages spoke of it thus: We have already removed the blackness & made the whiteness appear with Nitre Salt (or Salt of Nature) & Amizadir, that is to say the Ammonia Salt which is cold & dry, & we have fixed the whiteness. This is why we give it the name Boreza, which in Arabic means Tincar.
Hermes confirms this authority of the Philosopher Datin, saying: Blackness is what first appears; then with Nitre Salt follows whiteness; at the beginning it was red, then at the end it was white. Thus his darkness is entirely taken away from him; & finally it is changed to a brilliant red. And Mary said: When Brass is burned with Sulphur, and a softness is spread upon it, being dissolved, so that its ardor is taken away, then all its obscurity and blackness is driven from it; & thus it is changed into very pure Gold. The same Philosopher Datin also says: If Brass is burned with Sulphur, and that a softness often spreads over it; then, with the help of God, his nature will take better shape and become more perfect than it was. Another Philosopher says: When pure Brass is cooked for such a long time that it becomes shiny like the eyes of a fish, it is to be hoped that in this state it will be useful; & know that then he will return to his first nature.
Another says similarly: The more a thing is washed, the clearer it will appear, that is to say, better. And if brass is not washed, it will not appear clear or transparent, and it will not regain its color. Mary also says: Nothing can take away from Brass its darkness or its color: but Azoth is like its first covering.
This can be heard when it is cooked; because then the Azoth colors the Brass and makes it white. But Brass resumes its domination over Azoth by changing it into wine, that is to say by making it red like wine. Another Philosopher says all the same that Azoth cannot substantially remove the color from Brass, nor change it, except only in appearance; but that Brass takes away from Azoth its substantial whiteness, because it has a marvelous force, which appears above all colors. For when the colors are washed, and the blackness and filth are removed, so that the white appears, after that the Brass has dominion over the Azoth and it makes the Azoth red. The Philosopher Datin also says: Let all things proceed only from him; that everything is with him, and that all Tincture comes from his fellow. The philosopher Adarmath says all the same: The ancient Sages gave so many different names to these things, and used so many Similarities to explain them, only to let you know that the end of this thing bears witness to its beginning, and its beginning of its end, thus making themselves mutually known to each other; and so that you know, also that all this has only one thing, which nevertheless has a Father and a Mother, and its Father and its Mother nourish it, and give it food.
And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? & have only used so many Similarities, to explain them, to make you know that the end of this thing bears witness to its beginning, and its beginning to its end, thus making each other known; and so that you know, also that all this has only one thing, which nevertheless has a Father and a Mother, and its Father and its Mother nourish it, and give it food. And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? & have only used so many Similarities, to explain them, to make you know that the end of this thing bears witness to its beginning, and its beginning to its end, thus making each other known; and so that you know, also that all this has only one thing, which nevertheless has a Father and a Mother, and its Father and its Mother nourish it, and give it food. And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? & its beginning and its end, thus making each other mutually known; and so that you know, also that all this has only one thing, which nevertheless has a Father and a Mother, and its Father and its Mother nourish it, and give it food. And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? & its beginning and its end, thus making each other mutually known; and so that you know, also that all this has only one thing, which nevertheless has a Father and a Mother, and its Father and its Mother nourish it, and give it food. And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him? And yet it is not something that can be in any way different from its Father and its Mother. Eutichez also says: How can it be that the species is colored by its genus? The Philosopher Datin says all the same: From where is what came out of him, & what will return into him?
CALID. This is quite touching on the nature of the Stone and its color. Let us now say something about its natural composition; from what it appears to the touch; of its weight, & its taste.
MORIEN. This Stone is soft to the touch; & she is softer than her Body. But it is very heavy, & it is very sweet to the taste, & its nature is airy.
CALID. What is its smell before it is made, & after it is made?
MORIEN. Before it is made, it has a strong odor, and it smells bad; but after it is made, it smells good. Which made the Sage say: This Water removes the odor of the dead Body, and which is already deprived of its Soul; for the body in this state smells very bad, having an odor such as that of tombs. This is why the Sage says: He who will have whitened the Soul, who will have made it rise a second time, who will have well preserved the Body, and will have removed all the darkness from it, and who will have stripped it of its bad smell, he will be able to bring this Soul into the Body; & when these two parts come to unite together, many wonders will appear. Therefore when the Philosophers assembled before Mary, some of them said to her: Blessed are you, Mary,
CALID. Please explain to me how the change of Natures takes place; I mean how what is below rises above, and how what is above descends below; in what way one unites so much with the other that they mingle together and become one and the same thing. Tell me also who is the cause of this mixture; how this blessed Water comes to wash, water, & cleanse the Body of its bad odor. Because this is the smell that is said to resemble that of the tombs, where the Dead are buried?
MORIEN. This is the very thing that the Philosopher Azimaben was right to say, when Oziambe asked him how this thing could be naturally called: That its natural name was Animal; & that when she had this name, she smelled good,
CALID. Enough has been said about what generally concerns the search for the Magisterium; Now I ask you if it is a cheap thing or if it is expensive, and I beg you to tell me the truth.
MORIEN. Consider what the Sage said: That the Magisterium is accustomed to being made of one thing only. So put this strongly in your mind & think about it, & examine it so well, that you no longer suffer any contradiction on it. Know then that the Sulfur Zarnet, that is to say, the orpiment, is soon burned; and that when burning it is soon consumed; but that Azoth resists combustion longer; for all other Species or Matters being put into the fire; are soon consumed. How then can you expect anything good from a thing which is immediately consumed by the heat of the fire, and which it burns and reduces to coal? I warn you again that no other Stone, nor any other Germ, is suitable for this Magisterium. But consider whether you can give a good diet to a pure and very clean thing: because without that your operation would produce nothing. Now the Sages have ordered and it is said, that if you find in the dunghill what you are looking for, you must take it there; and that if you don't find it there, you don't have to put your hand in the purse, because everything that costs a lot is deceptive, and useless for this work. But be careful not to spend any money on this Magisterium, because when it is completed, you will no longer have to spend anything. This is why the Philosopher Datin says: I recommend that you do not spend any money on the weight of Species, or Materials, and mainly on the Magisterium of Gold. The same Philosopher says: he who, to do the Magisterium, will seek something other than this Stone,
CALID. What you are saying there, is this a rare thing, or are there a lot of them?
MORIEN. This is what the Sage says; that is to say, for the Rich & for the Poor, for the Prodigal & for the Miser, for him who walks & for him who sits. Because it is something that we throw into the streets, and we walk on it in the dunghills where it is. This caused many to search in the dunghills believing they would find it there, and they were deceived. But the Sages knew what it was, and they often experienced and recommended this unique thing, which contains in itself the four Elements, and which has dominion over them.
CALID. In what place & in what mine should we look for this thing to find it?
Here Morien was silent, and lowering his head, he thought for a long time what he should answer to the King; Finally standing up, he said: O King, I confess to you the truth, that God, by his good pleasure, has created this most remarkable thing in you, and that wherever you are, it is in you, and n cannot be separated from them, and that everything that God has created cannot subsist without them, so that if we separate it from some Creature, it dies immediately.
CALID. I don't understand what you just told me unless you explain it to me.
MORIEN replied. The Disciples of Hercules said to him: Our good Master, the Sages, our predecessors, composed Books on this Magisterium, which they left to their Children, and to their Disciples; We therefore ask you not to withhold the explanation from us, but to please, without delaying any longer, declare to us what the Ancients left somewhat obscure in their Writings. And he said to them: O Children of Wisdom! know that God, the most high and blessed Creator, created the World of the four Elements, which are all dissimilar to each other, and that he placed Man between these Elements, as being its greatest ornament.
CALID. Please explain to me again what you are saying there.
MORIEN. What is the need for so much speech, O King, it is from you that this thing comes from; it is you who are the Mine; because it is with you, and to sincerely confess the truth to you, we take it and receive it from you. And when you have experienced it, the love you have for her will increase within you. Be sure that what I am telling you here is true and indubitable.
CALID. Have you never known any other Peter, who is similar to the one we are talking about, and who has the virtue & the power to do like her the thing in question, that is to say, the Magisterium & the transmutation of the Imperfect metals, in Silver & Gold?
MORIEN. No, I don't know of any similar to this one, nor one that has the same effect as it. For it contains in itself the four Elements, and it resembles the World, and the composition of the World, and in the World there is no other Stone which is similar to this one; I mean which has the same composition & the same Nature as it. Whoever therefore seeks another Stone, in this Magisterium, will be deceived in his Operation. There is still something you need to know: This is the beginning of this Magisterium; for I will save you from every error. So take care not to leave this Root, and that you do not seek these changes some day, because you could not find the good nor the fruit that you would seek. I again warn you to fully observe everything that has been said above.
CALID. O Morien, tell me now the quality of this Operation or Disposition, because after what you have just taught me, I hope that God will help us.
MORIEN. I will tell you as the Ancients and I received it; because you are right to make this request of me. So to fully understand this Operation & do it well, it is necessary that in its Regime, you regularly observe all the parts, which are the Dispositions or Operations to accomplish it, according to the order in which they are arranged, & as they follow each other naturally, without omitting any.
The first of these parts is Mating. The second the Conception. The third is Pregnancy. The fourth Childbirth, or Childbirth. The fifth, Food. If there is therefore no Coupling, there will be no Conception; & there being no Conception, there will be no Pregnancy; & there being no Pregnancy, there will be no Childbirth. Especially since the order of this operation resembles the production of Man. For the Almighty Creator, very high and very great, whose Name be blessed eternally, created Man, not from parts or attached pieces, like a house, which is made of assembled pieces, because the Man is not made of artificial parts, nor those which have existed on their own before; whereas a house is built of these kinds of parts, the foundations, my walls, and the roof, which are the parts being things assembled by artifice. But Man is not composed in this way, because he is a Creature; that is to say, he has in him a Soul, which is created immediately from God. And when its Essence changes into its first conformation, it always passes in this change to a more perfect Being. So that Man always perfects himself in his production. How it is very different from artificial things; because when it is formed, it grows & increases from day to day, & from month to month, until the Most High Creator completes perfecting his Creature in a prefixed time, & in determined days. And although the four Elements were as much in the Seminal Matter, of which Man is formed, as they are in Man himself; nevertheless God the Creator has prescribed a term, & he has limited a time, in which it must be perfect. And this time being over, Man is fully formed. For such is the Strength & Wisdom of the Most High. But you must know of all things, O good King, that this Magisterium is the Secret of the Secrets of the Greatest God, & that it is he who entrusted & recommended the Secret to these Prophets, whose souls he placed in his Paradise. That if the Sages, who came after them, had not understood what they had said about the quality of the Vessel in which the Magisterium is done, they would never have been able to do the work. So don't forget anything I just told you. I showed you above that there is not much difference between the way of making this Magisterium, and the way in which Man is produced. And I now say that in this Magisterium nothing is animated, nothing is born, and nothing grows, except after putrefaction, and after having suffered from alteration and change. And this is what makes a Sage say: That all the force of the Magisterium is only after rottenness. If it is not rotten,
CALID. What will happen to this after putrefaction?
MORIEN. After putrefaction, the thing will become in such a state that God Almighty, & the Most High Creator, will make of it the Composition we seek. Know therefore that this Magisterium needs to be created & done twice. And that these are two Actions & two Operations so linked with each other that when one of them is completed, the other begins; & that when the latter is done, the entire Magisterium is done & accomplished.
CALID. How can it be that this Magisterium must be done & created twice; since you said before that there is only one Matter to do it, and only one straight path?
MORIEN. What I said is true. Because the entire Magisterium is made of one thing, and there is only one way and one way of doing it: because one of these Operations is completely similar to the other.
CALID. What then is this Operation, by which you said above, that the whole Magisterium can be perfect?
MORIEN. O King, I pray to God that he may enlighten you. What you are asking me is an Operation that is not done with the hands. And several Sages complained that it was very difficult, and they assured that if someone, through his knowledge and through his work, can discover the means of doing it, he will know everything that is necessary for it. accomplishment of the work, and that it will be easy for him to complete it. And on the contrary, that he who cannot find it, neither through his knowledge nor through his work, will be entirely ignorant of the entire Magisterium.
CALID. So what is this admirable operation?
MORIE N. If you seriously consider and examine what the Sages have said about it, you will easily be able to know it. Because this is how they talked about it. This operation is a change of Natures & a mixture, or admirable mixture of these same Natures; that is to say, Hot & Humid, with Cold & Dry, which is done by a very subtle Arrangement or Operation.
CALID. Since this Operation is not done by the hands of Men, tell me with what it can be done?
MORIEN. This Operation or Disposition is done in the manner that the Sage has said. That is to say, That Azoth & Fire wash & purify Brass, & completely remove its darkness. Because the Sage speaks of it thus: If you know how to regulate and proportion the Fire well, with the help of God, the Azoth & the Fire will be sufficient for you in this Operation. And hence Elbo, nicknamed the Murderer, said: Whiten the Brass, and break your Books, lest your hearts be torn.
CALID. Is this Operation, or Disposition, before or after putrefaction?
MORIEN. It precedes Putrefaction; but there is no other Operation before it.
CALID. What is it ?
MORIEN. Our entire Operation is nothing else, and consists only of drawing Water from the Earth, and then putting this Water back on the Earth, until this Earth rots. Because this Earth rots with Water and is cleansed by it. And after it is cleansed, the Diet of the entire Magisterium will be completely completed, with the help of God. For this is the Operation of the Sages, which is the third part of the entire Magisterium. I also warn you that if you do not clean the impure Body perfectly well; if you do not dry it out; if you don't make it very white; if you do not animate it, by bringing the Soul into it; & if you do not remove all its bad smell from it, so that after having been cleaned, the Tincture does not fall on it, and does not penetrate it, you have done nothing at all in the Magisterium, not having a good knowledge of it. observed the Diet.
CALID. God the Creator always be to our aid; but you, O Philosopher, teach me, I pray you, the second Operation, & tell me if it begins or ends the first?
MORIEN. Yes, it is done as you said. For when you have cleansed the impure Body, as has already been said, then put with it the fourth part of Ferment, in proportion to what it is. Now the Ferment of Gold is Gold, as Bread is the Ferment of Bread. After which put it to bake in the Sun, until these two things are so well united that they are no longer one single Body. Then, with God's blessing, you will begin to wash it. To whiten it, you will take part of the thing that causes death, which you will cook for three days, and take care not to forget or remove anything from these days. And the fire must burn and heat continually and equally, so that it neither increases nor diminishes; but let him be gentle & always even, throughout his time: otherwise there would be great damage. After seventeen nights, visit the Vessel, in which you cook this Composition. Take away the Water that you find within; put others in it, and do the same thing three times. But the Vessel must always be in the Furnace, without moving, until the time of fermentation of the Gold is completed, & until it is pushed to the eighth part of the Tincture . And after twenty nights, when it has been drawn and dried well, in Arabic it is called Vexir. Then take your Body, which you have washed & prepared, and place it skillfully on a Furnace, so that there it is watered every day in its Vessel, with the fourth part of the mortifying thing, or which kills, which you will have when all ready, taking care that the flame of the fire does not touch your Vessel; because all would be lost. All this being done, skillfully place your Vessel in a large Furnace, & make a fire on the opening, which burns continuously & equally for two days, without increasing or decreasing it: after which, it will be necessary to remove it from the Stove with everything in it; because with the help of God, the Operation is carried out for the second time.
CALID. We will do everything as you say, blessed be the Name of the Lord.
MORIEN. O good King, you must also know that all the perfection of this Magisterium consists in taking the Bodies, which are conjoined and which are similar. For these Bodies, by a natural artifice, are joined & united substantially with each other, and they agree, dissolve, & receive one another, by amending & perfecting each other; so that all the violence of the fire only serves to make them more beautiful and more perfect. So after that the one who applies himself to seek Wisdom, will know perfectly how to take these Bodies, dissolve them, prepare them well, mix them & cook them, & the degrees of heat that must be given to them; how his stove should be made; how he should light his fire; that's to say, in what place in the Furnace he must do it; how many days this fire must last, & the dose or weight of these Bodies (that is to say, how many should be put in each) because if he proceeds with prudence & reason, he will end his purpose, with the assistance of God. But let him be careful to hasten, and act with foresight and reason, and above all let him have firm hope. Now it is the Blood which mainly and strongly unites the Bodies, because it vivifies them, it joins them, and it reduces them into one and the same Body. This is why, for a very long time, we must build and maintain a very gentle fire, which is always equal throughout its duration: because the fire, which by its heat first penetrates the Body, soon consumes it. But if we add glass feces, they will prevent the Bodies, which will be changed into Earth, from being burned. For when bodies are no longer united with their Souls, the fire soon burns them. But glass faeces are very suitable for all Bodies; because they vivify them, accommodate them; and by passing something from some of these bodies into others, they prevent them from being burned, and from feeling too much the effect of the heat. Now when you want to have these feces, you must look for them in the glass vessels. And when you have found them, squeeze them, and do not use them until they become sour without being firm; because you could not do anything as you claim. The fetid Earth also receives the white sparks very quickly and it prevents the Blood from being changed and reduced to damned Earth during cooking, that is to say, from being burned. What we must be careful of; because the virtue and strength of the Blood is very great. This is why we must break, that is, share the Blood, so that it does not hinder or harm. But it must only be broken after the Body has been whitened. The darkness takes hold of what remained of the colors, I mean the colors of the veins which were previously exhausted by a new Being, which belongs to this Magisterium. Anything, at the beginning of which you will not have seen the truth, is completely misleading and useless. This is another Secret of the Magisterium, which I have abridged here, & that I explained to you; that is to say that one part of this thing changes a thousand parts of Silver into very pure Gold.
What I have told you so far must therefore be sufficient for you for the Magisterium. However, there is still something still to be explained to you, otherwise it cannot be completed. You must know above all, that he who seeks this divine & pure Science, must only propose it as being a Gift from God who gives it & who entrusts it to those he loves. His holy name be blessed forever. Now, oh good King, give me your full attention, and apply yourself seriously to listening and understanding what I am going to say.
CALID. Speak when you please; I am very willing to hear from you.
PART THREE
of the Interview of King Calid,
& the Philosopher Morien.
MORIEN. O good King, you must know perfectly before all things, that the red smoke, & the orange smoke, & the white smoke, & the green Lion, & Almagra, & the filth of death, & the Clear (It is to say clear & transparent) & the Blood, & the Eudica, & the fetid Earth, are things in which the entire Magisterium consists, & without which we would not be able to speak well of it.
CALID. Explain these names to me.
MORIEN. I will explain them to you then. But first I want to do in your presence the Magisterium with the things that I have just named to you, by all these names that I have said, in order to make you see by effect and by experience, the truth of what I have just told you. say. Because the foundation of this Science is, that whoever wants to learn it, first learns the Theory of a Master, and then that the Master often shows the Practice to his Disciple. Now there are some who search for this knowledge for a long time in various things without being able to find it.
But only use, to do the work, the things on which you will see me working, and only use that to do the Magisterium, because otherwise you will certainly be deceived. Now there are several things that prevent those, who apply to this Science, to be able to succeed in it. Because, as the Philosopher says, there is a lot of difference between a Wise Man and an Ignorant Man; between a Blind Man and One who sees clearly, and between one who has perfect knowledge of how to do the Magisterium, and who knows it by experience, and one who is still learning it, and studying it in the Books ; because most of the Books of this Science are all full of Figures & Allegories, and they appear so obscure & so confused, that only those who composed them can decipher them & understand them. . But however difficult this Science may be, it is well worth researching and applying ourselves to it more than to any other Science whatsoever; because by its means we can acquire another,
CALID. Everything you say is true, and the truth appears and is visibly seen in the explanation you make of it.
MORIEN. The Elixir can only be received by a Body, which has been well cleansed beforehand, and which has no bad odor, so that the Tincture appears more beautiful, when it has penetrated it, the preparation of the Body is by therefore the first Operation. Begin then with the help of God, and first make the red smoke take the white smoke, and spread both downwards, and join them, so that in their mixture you put equal weight of each. Being mixed, put about the weight of a pound in a vessel, which is thick, which you will seal exactly with Bitumen. Because in these fumes, there are winds contained, which, if they are not retained in the Vessel, will escape and render all the Magisterium useless. But the Bitumen which you must use, this is what we call in the Books of Philosophers, Lut, in which, before using it, you will put a little Salt, so that it is stronger, and that it resists fire longer . After that, heat your Furnace, then put your Vessel in it, to sublimate the Matter that is inside. Now this Sublimation must be done after the Sun sets, and it must be left in the Vessel until the day cools down. Then draw your Vessel, & break it, & if you find what you had put in it, mixed & hardened into a Body, like stone, take it & grind it very subtly & make it. After which take another vessel, the bottom of which is round, and put in it your well crushed and fluffed matter, & seal this Vessel well with the Bitumen of the Philosophers; then make a Philosophical Furnace, in which you will make a fire also Philosophical, that is to say, as the Philosophers are wont to do, which also lasts and heats the space of twenty-one days. Now there are two kinds of materials for creating and maintaining the philosophical fire. For either it is sheep droppings or olive leaves, there being nothing that maintains the fire more evenly than these two materials. So after the days that we have said have passed, take your Vessel from the Furnace, and dry up what you find in it. Then take a part of this Matter, and mix it with ten parts of the cleansed Body, and take another part of the cleansed Body, and mix it all the same with a tenth part of the clean Body, & continue to do so according to this order, & mix them one with the other, always observing this same number, so that they mingle in such a way, that they become nothing more than the same Substance, of which you will make the Elixir. That is to say, it must be divided into several parts, and if it becomes white, and it perseveres in this whiteness, without it happening, and nothing is dissipated by the violence of the fire, you will then have completed two parts of this Magisterium. And this is the way in which the white is perfectly united with the impure, and we cannot find any other way of doing it than this alone. For the Soul enters easily and soon into its own Body: And yet if you want to unite it with some foreign Body, you would never get the better of it; & this truth is quite clear in itself.
CALID. Everything you say is true, as we have already seen, and God receives the Souls of his Prophets into his hands.
MORIEN. Take the white smoke, & the green Lion & the red Almagra, & the filth.
Dissolve all these things, & sublimate them, & then unite them together, in such a way that in each part of the Green Lion, there are three parts of the filth of the Dead. You will likewise make a part of the white smoke, and two of the Almagra, which you will put in the green Vessel, & cook them there, & close the opening of the Vessel well, as was said above. Then put it all in the Sun, so that it dries up, and when it is dry, add some Elixir to it. And finally pour the Blood Water on one, while it floats. And after three days and three nights, it will have to be watered with fetid (or bad-smelling) water, taking care not to cut off one of these days, & that the fire does not go out; Let it not increase when it catches fire, and let it not also decrease, lest it cook well. After seventeen nights open your Vessel, & remove the Water that you find inside, & put in a second time more foul Water, which must be done for three nights, without removing the Vessel from the Furnace; & it will be necessary to put fetid water once per each of the three nights; and twenty-one nights from there, you will pull the Vessel from the Furnace, and you will dry up the Elixir, which will be inside. After which you will take the White Body, in which you have already fixed the white, & put it in a very small Vessel, according to the size of the Philosophical Furnace, after you have built it. Then apply the Vessel to the Furnace, lest the flame burn him or touch him. You must also put the Elixir there, which we spoke about above, in such a proportion that if you put one part of the White Body on it, you would put eleven parts of the Elixir there. And after you have mixed them, you will add to each ounce of this mixed Body, only the fourth part of a dragma of Eudica, then you will put this Vessel in a large Furnace, and you will leave it there for two days and two nights, with a fire burning incessantly above; which being done, you will draw what you find in the Vessel. And do not forget to praise the Creator very high for the Gifts he has given you. O good King, here is now the explanation of the Species, which enter into this Magisterium, to which our Predecessors the Philosophers have given several and different names,
Know therefore that the impure Body is Lead, which is otherwise called Affrop. And the pure Body is Tin, otherwise called Arena or Sand. The Green Lion is the Almagra glass, it is the Brass, which I named above the Red Earth. Blood is Orpiment. And the Sulfur, which has a bad smell, is what I called the fetid Earth.
But the secret of all this consists of Eudica, otherwise Moszhacumia, that is to say, the feces or the filth of the glass. Red Smoke is Red Orpiment. White Smoke is Quicksilver. And by Orange Smoke we mean Orange Sulfur. This is the explanation of all the names of the Species or Materials necessary for the Magisterium, of which three are sufficient to do it entirely, which are the White Smoke, the Green Lion, and the Foul Water. These are the three species, of which you must not say anything, nor reveal the Composition to anyone. So let the Ignorant seek anything else to do the Magisterium & leave them in their error. For they never will be until the Sun & Moon are reduced into one body, which can only happen by the inspiration of God.
There are many who believe that the secret Matter of the Magisterium is Earth, or a Stone, or Wine, or Blood, or Vinegar. They grind all these things each separately, and cook them; & after having cooked them, they make the Extracts, which they bury; because they believe that this is the way to do it, flattering themselves in this way in their error, so as not to despair of being able to find what they are looking for. But you must know that neither Earth, nor Peter, nor all the other things on which they work, are of no use to the Magisterium, and that nothing worthwhile can be done with them.
I warn you again, that the greater part of the work depends on the Fire, because the Mines are arranged by its means; & bad Souls are retained in their Bodies, & its fire & all its nature; & which makes him known perfectly. And whatever you have done for the Magisterium, if in its beginning you do not find that it is a single thing, it is useless to you. For what good can we hope for, if the thing, that is to say the Mercurial Water, which is the principal thing, and the only Agent of the Magisterium, does not act itself, and if it does not unite so much with she the pure or perfect Body, that they are no longer one and the same Body?
But if you work in the way that I have told you, and if you observe the Diet, which I have prescribed to you, with the help of God, you will achieve your goal.
So understand my words well, and strongly imprint in your memory the Diet that I taught you, and study it according to the order that I said. For through this study you will discover that it is the right path of work.
Know again that the entire foundation of this Work consists of the search for the Species & Materials, which are the best for doing the Magisterium. Because each Mining contains several different things. Moreover, with regard to what you asked me about white smoke, know that white smoke is the Tincture and the very Soul of Bodies, when they are dissolved, and even when they are dead; because we have already taken the Souls from them, and we have put them back into their Bodies.
For every Body, when it is without Soul, will become black and obscure; & White Smoke is what enters the Body, as the Soul does, to completely remove its blackness & impurity, & reduce the Bodies into one, & to multiply their Water. The impure is black and very light, and yet, by removing its blackness, its whiteness strengthens, its Water multiplies, and they appear much more beautiful, and the Tincture will then have a greater effect on it. What more? if all these things are done well, his Tincture will do a good job in him. And the gold it will make will be very pure and red, and the best and purest that we can find. This is why some have called this Gold, Roman Gold or Aetheia.
Finally, I only have this word to say to you, which is that if there were no white smoke, we would in no way be able to make the Gold Aethees of Alchemy, which would be pure and useful. This is the entire Summary of the Magisterium & its entire Regime. That if we do Alchemy once, by putting one of its parts, on nine parts of Silver, everything will be changed into very pure Gold. Blessed be God throughout all the Ages, So be it.
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