Of the Ancient Count of Trevirensis

Carefully translated from Latin to English by Mitko Janeski

Contents:
Preface
First part of the book
Second part of the book
Third part of the book
Practice follows
Fourth part of the book
Explanation of Certain Philosophical Sayings
Physician response

The most skilled philosopher

A historical and dogmatic work on chemistry

In Strasbourg, by Samuel

Printed by Samuel Emmel.

1567.


Gulielmus Gratarolus, an excellent physician and philosopher.

To Doctor Gallus Etschenreuter, a medical physicist of Sélestat.

Preface.

Since I have already for a long time, both at other times while you were working in Strasbourg, and more recently here, come to know you well (even though I omit the exchange of written letters between us), I have recognized how skillfully and diligently you practice medicine.

You separate its purer part—with your remarkable talent and tireless effort—and devote it to the benefit of many by your own endeavor, not without the investigation and understanding of the practice of more abstruse natural philosophy, and how willingly you engage with books on chemistry.

May you examine it, without deceit or vain boasting, present the matters themselves, compare them with other friends of the art, and share them.

It seemed fitting to me to publish here this rare and excellent little book of that most exceptional art and knowledge—one more genuine than many others (whose author, by his example and risk, will make others more cautious), dedicated and addressed by me to your name, in order to serve as a perpetual token "a memorial" or "a token of remembrance." of my affection for you.

I had read this, written in French, a few years ago, and I translated it not to make it more elegant, but to make it clearer and simpler as best I could.

I understood very few words that were not clear to me in that language as they were, so that they might be better understood by those more skilled in the language.

When I was in Germany, it was not convenient for me to have a companion as an interpreter.

However, there will be hardly more than ten words that might hinder the reading or understanding of the material.

The little book, otherwise complete, with marginal notes, is sufficiently accessible, and it could serve as a history, teaching, and a source of many admonitions.

Therefore, for the common good, as I am accustomed to doing in other works, by the grace of God, I have published it, without any envy or the insertion or perversion of obscure or fictitious words of the devil or new Theophrastic ones.

Let this be enjoyed by the disciples and followers of doctrine, until a larger work, once published by me, is again properly corrected, compiled, and expanded, at some point, and published by the same or another printer.

Farewell, and continue to love me mutually.

Basel, on the 5th of April, 1567.

To the noble doctor Thomas of Bologna, Governor of Gaul, the most learned philosopher, Bernard, by the grace of God Count of Tresne in Germany, greeting in Christ.

My friend, if I had a nobler thing, think with what heart I would dedicate it to you.

For, having seen and considered the virtuous height of this science, which you do not ignore, I wanted to dedicate this work of mine to you, asking that you receive it with a good heart, as I give it to you as a gift.

And think that while I give you this work of mine, I have given you a greater treasure than has ever been arranged by the good will of the Almighty God according to the course of nature.

For indeed, it is the way to reach all the sciences, which we commonly call the Philosopher's Stone.

And you will find in this small book of mine (I say small in words, but great and sublime in substance) how it contains entirely all science, that is, the beginning and the end.

You will find my book divided into four parts, and you will be able to judge of it after you have understood it well.

Farewell from Tresne, 12th of March, 1453.

The noble and learned Bernard, Count of Tresne, most subtle in philosophy, who by the grace of God, having gained expertise both in theory and practice, after he had absorbed the highest knowledge called the Philosopher's Stone, did not wish to abandon it as the most desired treasure, namely, the true joy of this most excellent science.

He left behind this written work, showing how one can avoid the dangers and losses to which diligent and true followers are commonly subject or exposed, as contained in his book titled Veridicus Taruisinus, which follows below.

Bernard, Count of Taruisinus, in his life, by the grace of God, sends greetings in Christ to all lovers of true science.

After I experienced the errors and deceptions of the alchemists and false accusers, who by their deceptions do nothing other than make our desired science hateful and contemptible, I wanted to warn all truthful and magnanimous people to this end, that they might be able to safely pursue their own work, both in avoiding the traps and deceptions of such abusers and deceivers, and in following the sole path of the wise and experienced practitioners of our said science.

It is said in a common proverb that one can listen to anyone speaking, but to believe lightly, without proper proof, is not possible without harm.

The Apostle Paul teaches us to test all things, and to hold fast to what is good.

Saint John warns that the spirits must be tested to see whether they are from God.

I wanted to bring forward these sayings in order to provide a remedy for the aforementioned harms and dangers found in such false alchemists, who deviate entirely from true and perfect nature.

So that they may truly understand things, as I have experienced, and to show in my Veraci Taruisino writing, where I will speak nothing but pure truth.

Therefore, such fantastic alchemists must be avoided, like poisoned drink and contagious plague.

For they bring nothing but despair to noble and reputable men who wish to reach our worthy science, for they are robbed of their goods by such foolish and fantastic alchemists.

For many times I have encountered sharp-witted chemists, seeking the said science, but I have never found two witnesses of the same opinion.

For one told of one thing, another of another; and they sought nothing but to draw me and my money to themselves.

One made me work or labor on dead bodies, another on herbs, another on strong waters, in many sophistical ways, as will be seen in my book.

Therefore, whoever wishes to work safely in the said science should carefully note how I have conducted myself by the grace of God.

After I left these wretchedly stricken alchemists, detestable to God and the world, they may thus be able to reach the said science and the true perfection of the most virtuous Philosopher's Stone.

Since the way to reach it is hostile, and there is nothing more.

A book composed by the magnificent Lord Bernard, Count of Treuen, residing in Germany, on the transmutation of metals.

Invoking the name of God, without whom nothing is done or promoted, for every good both in the mind and in the body comes from Him, in people of good will, for wisdom will never enter a person of evil will, nor will help from God be granted to them.

Therefore, let all those inquisitors of this most truthful, most noble, most worthy, most excellent, and most precious science and venerable art be brought from darkness into light, so that they may leave behind so many crooked paths, in which there is no progress, no matter which way it may be, whether because of the labor they exert or from all the experiments they may attempt.

Never will any utility or result come from them, nor will any appearance of truth emerge.

Therefore, so that this noble art may not be discredited by sophistical deceivers, and so that its true seekers may taste the genuine fruit that this noble science brings to those who will be its children by following the true path and way which nature holds in all its creation, operation, and composition, and so that they may be well-informed, both in speculative theory and in practice, through the necessary, proven, and true reasons, and through the true experiments that I have carried out with my own hands and seen with my own eyes.

For I have composed the blessed Philosopher’s Stone four times, which, by the ignorant who neither know it nor understand its virtue, is sold cheaply and neglected, but by the wise is alone praised and honored.

For among the ignorant, there are some who think the matter to be impossible; others deem it so difficult to accomplish that they believe no one can ever achieve its composition and perfection.

Rather, they stray from the right path instead of wishing to follow the correct way, consuming their own and others' resources with so-called ‘recipes’ or deceptive particulars, and sophistical books such as those of Geber, Archelaus, Rasis, Semita Recta of Albertus Magnus, Tramita of Aristotle, Canon Pandora, Lumen Rasis, the letters of Democritus, the Magna Summa Textualis, and countless other volumes, errant and irrational, which lead people astray, waste time, vast amounts of money, and other resources.

Yet in the end, nothing useful is ever found.

Similarly, in all these sophistical recipes, tiresome processes, and enormous expenditures, which the deceivers promote, the perfect and venerable science is everywhere brought into ridicule and regarded as deception.

Ignorant people commonly say that, just as the wise were deceived, they likewise wish to deceive others.

But this is indeed a foolish and senseless notion, for a wise man desires to create a work for which he will have eternal praise after his death.

Why, then, would they wish to write nonsense that could not be proven by any natural reasoning?

But the ignorant, unless they understand the book on the first reading, speak ill of it and do not wish to look at it again or reread it, saying that it is nothing but fables and nonsense.

Therefore, many are unable to attain the most noble science.

For a single thought of good natural understanding, which has even slightly known the principles of metallic nature, would be more effective and would reach the proper end more quickly than by reading books, if one wishes to read and understand them without diligence.

And therefore, so that I may compose a good and concise treatise, following the assembly of wise men who have spoken so well and notably about this perfect science, and so that students may be well instructed from my book, both in speculative theory and in practical operation.

I will divide my book into four parts: in the first part, I will speak of the inventors of this noble science, and of the wise men who possessed it, and how I, by God's grace, came to it, and of the one from whom I knew and learned it.

In the second part, I will speak of myself and my time, and how from the beginning to the end I came to know it, and how I accomplished it entirely and throughout without any envy, and of the labors and unbearable pains I endured in pursuing it.

In the third part, I will speak of the principles and root of metals, and I will set forth probable, evident, and well-established reasons.

In the fourth part of my book, I will speak of the practice, which I will briefly present in a parabolic manner, yet not so much that if anyone applies diligence and study to its understanding and to the other parts, they will not be wonderfully instructed in it, even if the work is not fully understood.

But if you do not understand the work through my book, I truly believe you will never attain this worthy science.

Nonetheless, if you cannot understand it in the first, second, third, or even the tenth reading, believe that the more you reread and repeat it, the better you will understand.

But do not think you will understand it in the second, third, or fourth reading, nor even in the tenth.

Rather, by reading daily and repeating often, you will understand better.

Nor will I say anything in my book that I do not prove by natural reasoning, and evident experience, as well as by the authorities of the masters speaking rationally about this art and science.

Therefore, for a great reason, a person should with great zeal, care, and utmost diligence apply study, labor, and exercise in order to have and know, because from this science one can be helped in all miserable beggary and unfortunate poverty.

For poverty not only kills the body, but also the spirit, the soul, and life; it destroys strength, senses, and understanding.

Thus, this most worthy and noble science and divine stone, through the virtue that our Lord could place in it, frees man from all miseries, illnesses, and poverty, and heals all physical and spiritual infirmities.

It immediately heals people wherever nature or strength is in decline, as I have often experienced in cases of dropsy, fever, arthritis, tuberculosis, colic, liver diseases, melancholy, dysentery, asthma, epilepsy, insanity, kidney stones, strangury, quartan fevers, spleen disorders, stupidity, mania, and every fever, paralysis, apoplexy, ileus, demonic possession, sacred fire, and every disease.

For I have cured so many in such numbers that it would be long to list them.

It also brings good courage, a sharp memory, good sense, and understanding.

And I never knew before that this medicine possessed so many and such great virtues, except that I have seen, done, and tested it.

Therefore, this noble science should be loved, sought after, and honored above all others, and should be striven for: for through this art, a person can have all the arts and sciences.

Moreover, this art and the method of preparing the true stone adorn the soul with every kind of virtue, for from it you will be able to give alms, and perform other works of mercy, such as redeeming captives, offering help to widows and orphans, and healing the sick and suffering.

Indeed, you should place your effort in acquiring this knowledge, rather than in logic, or decrees, or scholastic theology, or medicine, or any other unworthy art, in which one can rarely spend six or seven years learning; whereas this science, so excellent, is often dismissed after only five or six months of study.

Yet all other sciences are of no value compared to this one, which is so easy that, if I were to show you its practice, you would scarcely believe it.

However, reading our books, in order to draw out their true meaning and confirm it through your own experience, will require some effort.

First part of the book: On the First Inventors of this glorious science.

The first inventor of this science (as is read in the Book of the Works of Memory and in the Book of Ancient Deeds, chapter 6, and in Clement's commentary on the Bible, as well as in other books) was Hermes Trismegistus.

He was so named on account of his knowledge of the threefold natural philosophy: mineral, vegetable, and animal.

For this reason, he is called 'father' by us, as can be seen in all the books of the Turba Philosophorum.

They assert that he existed before Pythagoras, and anyone who partakes in this art is called his son.

And this is that Hermes of whom mention is made in the Bible, who, after the Flood, journeyed to the Valley of Hebron and there discovered seven marble tablets.

On each of these tablets were inscribed the beginnings of the liberal arts, which had been written before the Flood by the wise men of that age.

These writings contained knowledge about the coming Flood that would destroy all things of this world.

So that these arts would not perish entirely, they inscribed them on these marble tablets.

That Hermes alone discovered the tablets which contain the foundation of all knowledge.

He lived before the stone tablets were given by God to Moses, on which the Decalogue was written.

However, many others also possessed this knowledge.

For, as Aros testifies in the book he dedicated to the king of Masiria, during the time of the Old Testament in the desert near Mount Sinai, this knowledge was given and revealed by the Creator to certain sons of Israel for the purpose of adorning and constructing the Temple of Jerusalem and the Ark of the Old Covenant, as it is written in the Prophets Ezekiel and Daniel, and in the book of Josephus.

And so this work, or knowledge, was given by God to certain individuals, as I have told you.

Others discovered it from nature, without divine revelation, without any books or writings, or even experiments.

Such as Plato, Nissa, Rebecha, Sytonia, Solomon, Hecuba, Gadassar, Phylomacedon, and Thessarinus.

However, as can be determined, Hermes, after the Flood, was the first discoverer and practitioner of this metallic science.

He discovered the said tablets in the Valley of Hebron, where Adam and Eve were placed after being expelled from the earthly Paradise.

After Hermes mentioned this, the science was known and practiced by many nations and countless individuals, through the teachings of Hermes.

After he created the stone, he wrote a book, in which these particular words are found: 'The thing is true, most certain, and without deception; what is sublime is from nature’s lowest part; and what ascends is from that which descends.

Join them together in one way and one arrangement.

The red Sun is the father, the white Moon is the mother, and fire is the ruler.

Make the thick subtle, and the subtle thick, and in this way you will have the glory of the world and all that you desire.

Do you see what Hermes has said in summary?

For in that book, there is nothing else said regarding this noble science.

For the book is brief in reading, but all its works are precious, and the words are to be noted, in which the whole work and science are contained.

King Calid, Hena, Sapiens, Morienus the third, and his son, Aristotle, Plato, and Pythagoras, who was the first to be called a witness by the philosophers, and who was a disciple of Hermes, and formed a congregation of philosophers, in which there are many.

This book is called Turba, the right book, and the codex of all truth, because the truth is contained in it without any excess or diminution, although it may be obscure to the readers.

Alexander had this knowledge, he who was the King of Macedonia and a disciple of Aristotle; Avicenna likewise, who speaks excellently about it. Similarly, Galen and Hippocrates.

In Arabia, indeed, this worthy science was known by many, such as the great King Haly, who was the supreme philosopher and astrologer, who taught it to Morienus, who was the aforementioned King Calid of Arabia.

Aros also had it, and taught it to his brother Nephandion.

Saturnus likewise knew it, and the ancient philosophers knew and practiced this science, especially in Arabia, and composed many books under metaphorical words, figures, and silent words, in such a way that their books cannot be understood except by the sons of the science.

So much so, that I tell you, that sooner will disciples be deceived and led astray by these books than be directed to the true path of the science, and they rather conceal knowledge through their books than reveal it.

And so in Gaul, many had this art, and in the northern regions, such as Master John Scotus, the subtle doctor, who composed a book titled Limes, which speaks excellently to the disciples, and likewise Master William of Paris, Raymond Lullius, Arnold of Villanova, Master John of Monsu, Ortulanus, Vendicus, and many others, who possessed it in its entirety.

And seeing through these books the many deviations and the great despair that comes to poor students in this, I wished, out of love for charity, to give a remedy and work for them with my little understanding, so that they may pray to God for me, and rejoice in this most worthy science and the stone.

The books of the philosophers written on this art lead readers more to deviation than to truth, because they are parabolic, except for the one that clearly teaches the true way.

The second part of the book follows,

in which the author describes the work from the time it began up to the end, according to the truth, and all of its operations, progressions, and labors.

The first book I had was the book of Rasis, in the study of which I spent four years of my time, and it was well established with eight hundred crowns in the process of testing or experimenting.

Afterwards, I studied the works of (summa) Geber, in which I spent two years of my time, and it was well established with two thousand crowns and more.

And I was always surrounded by people who inflamed me, urging me to destroy myself.

I also saw the books of the philosopher Archelaus, and after three years, I found a monk, and together we labored or worked for five years with the books of John of Rupescissa, and with the books of John of Sacrobosco, with water of life aqua vitae rectified thirty times (elsewhere three times) over the feces (on the lie), and we made it so strong that we could not find anyone who could hold it or carry it, so that we could use it in our works.

And there we both spent three hundred scuratos (scutato was a type of coin used in medieval Europe, refers to a monetary unit).

And after I had thus passed twelve or fifteen years, and had spent so much, and found nothing, and had already experienced countless infinite and obscure books, dissolving, freezing, and calcining more than a hundred times common salt, ammoniacal salt, bread salt, salt of antimony, salt of glass (which is also called salt of glass and alkali), salt of stone, Saracen salt, metallic salt: dissolving, freezing, calcining, more than a hundred times over two years in alum rock, ice, bread dough, Indian feathers, and all types of marcasite, in blood, in hair, in urine, in excrement, in semen, in animals, in vegetables, herbs, trees, in copper, ink, in the separation of elements in the Athanor, through the alembic, through the pelican, through circulations, through distillations, through calcinations, reverberations, descensions, ascensions, infusions, tinctures, elementations, rectifications, evaporations, triturations, conjunctions, elevations, sublimations, and through infinite other sophistical and confusing methods: And in all these tasks, I spent well twelve years, so that I was already 38 years old, and still I was stuck in the freezing of mercury with herbs and animals, so much so that I had spent all of it in the art, both due to deceptions and the costly experiments, amounting to about six thousand crowns.

So much so that I finally began to lose hope, and my spirit was despondent.

Nevertheless, I always prayed to God, that He might grant me this grace, that I might reach this noble science.

Then came a layman from our region, who wanted to make the philosopher’s stone from common salt, and he dissolved it in the air and froze it in the sun, doing many other things, which would be too long to recount.

And thus we persevered for a year and a half, and in the end, we saw nothing in this, because we were not working with the proper material.

For as the venerable congregation of the Codex of Truth says, 'Nothing can be found in a thing that is not in that thing.'

And it is very clear that in common salt, the thing we seek is not present, and we clearly saw over the course of fifteen days, during which we repeated the experiment, that we saw no alteration in its nature.

And so, we abandoned that work.

We saw others who made three strong waters to dissolve gold and silver, copper, and other metals; and in one vessel, they placed fine silver in strong water, and in another vessel, they placed mercury with strong and violent water, and they let it remain for three (or elsewhere thirteen) months.

Then they took both vials and combined both substances together, saying that this was the marriage of the body and soul.

Afterward, they placed everything on hot ashes, making one-third of the strong water evaporate, and what remained, they placed in a well-sealed triangular flask, and then placed it in the sun and air, making sure that neither rain nor wind touched it.

They said that small fusible crystalline stones, like frozen wax, should form at the bottom of the vessel, and they claimed this was the stone of whiteness; and that when it was exposed to the sun, it turned red like gold.

We did the same, filling up to 22 vials, all half full, and they gave us three from theirs, and we gave them three from ours.

We waited five years for these crystalline stones to form at the bottom of the vials, and in the end, we found nothing according to our intention, nor will we ever make it.

For as the venerable Turba says, 'We want nothing foreign in our stone, for it is perfect in itself, and completes its unique nature or metallic material.'

And so, we were in great despair, so much so that I was already 45 years old and more.

Afterward, we began with a certain doctor, a monk from Cistraux, named Master Gufredo de Leurier, and at his urging or intention, we wanted to make the stone.

For we well knew that all other things, except the stone and the perfect stone, were mere nonsense and deceptions.

And so, we sought nothing else but the stone itself, because we knew the truth.

And see what we did: We had about two hundred (or elsewhere two thousand) chicken eggs, and we placed them so that they would boil in water until they became hard.

Afterward, we separated the yolks from the whites, then we calcined the yolks until they turned into white chalk like snow, and we ground the whites and yolks of the eggs, and made them rot in manure.

Afterward, we distilled them thirty times, that is, thirty times, and we separated the white water and the red oil separately.

Finally, we did many more things, which would be too long to recount, and in the end, we found nothing of what we sought, and we persevered for two and a half years, and in such a way that out of desperation, we abandoned everything.

The cause of our errors was that we did not work with the proper material.

Afterward, my companion and I began to sublimate spirits with others, and to make strong waters, dissolve, distill, separate the elements, and make furnaces, and perform various tasks.

In this, we were insane for eight (or elsewhere, four) years.

After this, a theologian and great cleric, who was the protonotary of Bruges, came, and with him, we wanted to make the stone from copper sol.

And first, we distilled vinegar nine times, and then we placed the copper inside, first calcined, for three months.

Afterward, we extracted the vinegar, and the copper remained at the bottom of the vessel.

We then placed the vinegar again, extracted it again, and placed the vinegar once more as before.

We did this also fifteen times, so that from it, I had a fever for fourteen months, to the point that I thought I would die.

We abandoned everything for a year.

In the end, we found nothing of what we sought, because we worked with a foreign substance.

Afterward, a well-regarded wise man and good companion came to us, and he told us that the confessor of the emperor, who was called Master Henry, was believed to certainly know how to make the stone.

And then we assisted him, and we spent well over two hundred crowns before we had his knowledge, and briefly, I had a great partnership with him.

He [Master Henry] would place refined silver with quicksilver (mercury), then take sulfur and olive oil and mix everything together on the fire.

Afterward, he would cook it over a slow fire in a strong pelican vessel coated to the thickness of two fingers with strong clay.

We stirred and vigorously combined everything with a stick, incorporating it all together, but our matter never wanted to mix or combine.

After mixing thoroughly for two months, we placed it in a glass vial sealed with strong clay.

Then, we dried it and placed it in hot ashes for a long time, maintaining a slow fire around the vial near its neck.

We said that within fifteen days or three weeks, mercury, through the power of the body and sulfur, should have been transformed into pure refined silver.

After the time needed for natural digestion, he would add lead to the vial as he deemed fit and melt everything by the power of fire.

Afterward, we extracted and refined it, and at that point, we were supposed to find our silver multiplied by one-third.

In this operation, ten marks of fine silver were placed on my part, while my associate put in thirty-two marks or more.

From this sum, we thought we would produce 130 marks or more.

However, after refining everything, from the thirty-two marks, others found only twelve, and from my ten marks, I obtained only four.

And because of this, we despaired greatly, feeling very sorrowful, and abandoned everything.

As for myself, who thought I had the entire secret, I lost so much that I realized, through both the silver spent and other ways, I had lost four hundred crowns.

Because of this, I abandoned the art for two months, unwilling to hear anyone speak about it again.

For all my relatives reproached me and tormented me so much that, out of sheer disgust, I could neither eat nor drink.

I became so emaciated and deformed that the whole world thought I was either consumptive or poisoned.

But eventually, I regained strength and heart, and I was inspired to once again pursue the art, a thousand times more fervently than before.

For I lamented the time that had passed in vain, though I was already beyond my fifty-eighth year, yet I had not worked with the proper or suitable material.

For as Geber, the King of the artisans and of the art, says:
If an imperfect metal such as Saturn (lead), Jupiter (tin), or Mars (iron) is mixed with a perfect body that has been simply made so by nature, it does not quickly render it perfect.

This is because perfect bodies, made by nature alone, possess a simple and perfect form suitable for their own well-being, perhaps only to the first degree of perfection.

Therefore, they are like dead entities and cannot give or communicate their perfection to imperfect bodies, for two reasons:

The first reason is that if they were to give even the slightest bit of their perfection, they themselves would remain imperfect, as they do not possess a greater perfection than what befits them.

The second reason is that their principles cannot be thoroughly mixed, as is written in Trismegistus regarding the Panther, and in the book of Salomon Calid, in the Summa of Geber, in the Natural Work, and in the teachings of Master John of Astin and Arnold of Villanova. These reasons are clearly and explicitly stated.

However, as it is written in the Mirror of Alchemy and similarly in the Direction of the Erring, which Plato composed, and in the great Desired Rosary, and by Euclid in his short treatise, and in all truthful books that assert this: Common metallic bodies, which nature has completed only in the mine, are dead and cannot perfect the imperfect.

But if we, through art, take them and perfect them ten or twelve times, they will ascend infinitely.

For then they become penetrating, entering, coloring, and more than perfect.

They are alive compared to the common metals.

And for this reason, Rasis and Aristotle in his Luminary and Daniel in the sixth chapter of his treatise say: 'Our completed gold is more than living, and our gold is not common gold.'

Similarly, our argentum album, or white gold—which is the same—is not common silver, for ours is alive, while others are dead and have no inherent permanent power.

And so, we have known many who worked with countless recipes and on amalgamations to produce white and red (philosophical silver and gold), using all the materials you could imagine and performing all possible labors.

Yet we never found our gold nor our silver multiplied—not by a third, not by half, nor in double, nor in any measure.

And I have seen wise men and conversed with them; they were most experienced, yet we never found anything good from it, only complete loss.

Likewise, I have seen and experienced so many whitenings and reddenings or sophistical rubifications in every region where we have been: in Rome, Navarre, Scotland, Turkey, Alexandria, Barbary, Persia, Isnia, Rhodes, in France, Spain, the Holy Land, and surrounding places; throughout all of Italy, Germany, England, and almost the entire world.

And never did we find men working on the correct path and with the proper material, but only in sophistries, using herbal, animal, vegetable, plant-based, stone, mineral substances, salts, alums, strong waters, distillations, separations of elements, sublimations, calcinations, congelations of mercury with herbs, in stones, oils, perfect waters, in fire, and in the most foreign vessels.

And we never found anyone laboring with the proper materials.

However, we did find in these regions some who knew the matter, but we were never able to gain access or familiarity with them, nor did they ever wish to disclose it to me.

And thus I spent on these matters—both in seeking, traveling, experimenting, and otherwise—no less than one hundred and thirty thousand scudi, that is, 130,000.

I sold an estate or property (une plassa) that provided me with an annual income of eight thousand florins of gold or Rhenish currency.

To such an extent did all my relatives blame me for my great poverty (me debentoient), as I no longer had any money, and by now I was advanced in age, namely 62 years old and more, enduring such a burden that I could scarcely bear it.

And so, wishing to leave my homeland and friends, still trusting in God's help and His divine grace—which never fails those of good will who place their perfect hope in Him and work willingly (for God helps those who act)—and seeking something good, I went to Rhodes, fearing I might be recognized.

There, I daily searched for someone who could support me.

And in that place, I found a man who was highly learned and religious, who was said to know how to make the stone.

I approached him and, at great expense, gained his acquaintance. When I finally obtained his knowledge, I borrowed eight thousand florins from someone who knew my relatives so that I could work with him.

And behold how he worked: he took pure and refined gold, finely ground, and fine silver, also finely ground, and placed them together with four parts of sublimated mercury.

He put everything into horse dung and left it for eleven months.

Afterward, he distilled the water with a very strong fire, and what remained at the bottom of the vessel was earth, which we calcined with great heat.

We then cooked it separately—namely, the ash in its vessel and the distilled water, which we distilled again six times.

We collected all the dregs or earth left at the bottom of the vessels along with the first.

And so we distilled it so many times that it no longer yielded any dregs.

When we had gathered all the earth into one vessel and all the waters into another, we gradually poured the waters over the earth.

But despite all our efforts, the earth would never absorb the water; the water always floated on the earth.

We left it like this for seven months and observed no union or alteration.

Afterward, we increased the fire, but no union occurred.

Thus, everything was lost, and we spent three years on this experiment, during which I spent 500 crowns.

The monk possessed excellent books, such as the Magnum Rogerium and many others.

And then, having come to such a state and spent so much, I, in despair, turned to reading, studying, and rereading Arnoldus de Villa Nova, the great book of Two Words written by Achinus, and the Book of Nine Words composed by Mary the Prophetess, the sister of the great prophet Moses, as well as many other books.

By reading and rereading, I saw clearly that all I had done up to that point was worthless.

I studied these books continuously for eight years, for they were good and beautiful, filled with evident philosophical reasoning and wisdom of the highest quality.

I came to recognize clearly that all my past experiments were of no value.

I reflected on the Book of All Truth, which speaks so well: Nature is to be nourished in its own nature.

Nature delights in its nature.

Nature surpasses nature.

Nature contains nature.

This book instructed and greatly encouraged me, liberating me from sophistical and erroneous practices.

Thus, I studied before experimenting further and debated within myself, spending many sleepless nights.

I thought to myself that I could never achieve the work through another person; for if someone knew it, they would never want to reveal it to me.

And if they did not know it, how could they possibly assist me?

For after having associated with others and consumed so much time and wealth, I had almost entirely despaired—what more could I pursue?

And so, while studying, I carefully observed where the books were most in agreement; for I well knew then that the truth and the secret were contained in the books.

For where many agree, there we must adhere most firmly.

I thought, therefore, that this was the truth, because they cannot all speak the truth except on one matter.

Thus, I came to know the truth, because (as I have said) where many agree, one ought to take note that the truth lies there: even if one names it one way, and another names it differently, nonetheless, there is one substance contained within their diverse words.

However, I recognized that the caution lies in the diversity, not in the concord.

And the fact that this is true is shown by the fact that they all proposed only one method, even if they conveyed it through various words and figures.

Wherefore, my son, you ought to be grateful to me, for I wished to undertake the labor of writing this book for your sake, which I have composed for this purpose: that you may not despair and that you may be fully instructed in our science, nor be deceived as I was.

For, as the common saying goes, "He who corrects himself by another's example gains good teaching," or, "Fortunate is he whom the dangers of others make cautious."

And by my faith, I believe that those who wrote these texts wrote in such a parabolic and figurative manner, speaking in their books of hair, urine, blood, seed, excrement, herbs, vegetables, eggs, animals, plants, stones, minerals—such as salt, alum, copperas, vitriol, borax, magnet, and any stones or waters.

I believe that their knowledge did not cost them much effort, as they did not spend much labor in seeking it; rather, they obtained it from someone who showed it to them, and their only effort was to open their mouths (to swallow it) and take it in.

And it can be noted that they made and composed their false, erratic books out of empty glory and from the most false and damnable envy, or as if they had recently descended from the heavens and were still partaking in glory, or rather (as I said) out of envy, they composed them from foreign matters, to mislead and deceitfully divert the poor scholars and investigators of this art from the path; or because they are excessively cruel.

For I, who have endured so much labor and expense, am greatly affected with pity and compassion for future generations, despite the loss I suffered and had due to the false books and erring works they composed.

And I dare say that I did not acquire knowledge more quickly, solely because of these false books.

Therefore, out of fraternal love and a desire to assist the poor investigators of this true art, I wrote this book of penance.

And whoever wishes to believe me, let them believe, for it is to their benefit and only my punishment.

And whoever does not wish to believe me, they will come to know and feel many operations, and they will be chastised if they do not heed the caution of others' examples.

Do not concern yourselves with the false and deceptive alchemists, nor with those who follow them, for if you follow them, you will gain nothing but loss.

After they have drained the good from your hands, they will enjoy your misfortune.

For they will not cease dreaming up false and cunning inventions to deceive you.

This I say from experience.

Therefore, do not listen to them, for whatever you might find that is good in your books, they will take it from you and corrupt it with their false assertions and great oaths, saying (when they don't know what else to say), "I did it, it is so."

And I tell you, unless you avoid them, you will never know or learn anything about the art.

For whatever the books teach you on one side, they will destroy from the other with their own oaths.

Because by God, when I knew this knowledge that I knew through good books, and before I explained it and put it into practice, I knew through the books two years before I ever did anything.

As I told you before, when I wanted to begin working on certain occasions, these deceivers, thieves, cursed ones, wicked, detestable, and forgers of their own faith, speech, and oaths, would come to me.

They spoke lies and diverted me from the good opinion and work that the good books had set before me.

They once swore on certain matters, claiming them to be true, even though I knew the opposite was true from my own work.

For in my own foolishness and false operations, I was well acquainted with the consequences.

And so I could never reach the confirmation of my opinion and intention until I completely dismissed them and gave myself entirely to studying this matter more and more.

For when a person wishes to learn, they must often visit the wise, not deceivers.

For with the wise, one can learn.

And the wise, with whom one can learn, are the books.

Despite the fact that they present the truth in foreign names, words, and obscure parables.

For know this: no book ever declares knowledge in clear and explicit words, but rather through silent parables and under the shadow of figures and parabolic statements.

But a prudent person must always carefully consider the possibilities of meaning and reflect upon the operations by which nature works in its actions.

(In sum, all the books of philosophers speak in parables; thus, their words must be understood according to what is possible for nature, not to the literal sense of the words as they are spoken).

Therefore, I conclude, and believe me if you will, that you should reject all Sophistications, and all those who believe in them, and avoid their company.

Let their sublimations, conjunctions, separations, congelations, distillations, preparations, bruisings, and other deceptions be left aside.

Let them be silent who say that there is another tincture than ours, neither true nor apparent, nor one that brings any benefit.

Let them be silent who claim and speak of another sulfur than ours, which is hidden in the womb of the magnesia.

Let them be silent who wish to draw and who wish to create another living silver from the ferment or the red servant (i.e., from gold), and another water than ours, permanent, which in no way can be united except with its own metallic nature and does not soften or dissolve any substance except for its own unity of metallic nature.

For there is no other vinegar than ours, nor any other regimen than ours, nor any other colors than ours, nor any other sublimation than ours, nor any other dissolution than ours, nor any other putrefaction than ours, nor any other material than ours: And let alum, salt, vitriol, and all other inks, borax, strong waters, herbs of any kind, animals, beasts, and whatever may come from them, and hair, blood, urine, sperm, flesh, eggs, and all mineral stones, be left aside.

Leave all metals of Sculletz,
[Sculletz - seems to be a name or term used in the alchemical or medieval context. However, it doesn't appear to have a well-established meaning in modern language or alchemical references.
It could be a specific reference to a set of metals, substances, or perhaps a symbolic name for certain materials or processes within the alchemical tradition - probably means base metals],

although two of them are the beginning or entrance of science, or the stone.

For our matter, according to the teachings of all the philosophers, must be composed of living silver.

And living silver is nothing other than metal, or living silver is not in anything else but metals, as is apparent from Geber, from the great treasure, from Aristotle in the book of Meteors, from the book of all truth, from Plato, Morieno, Haly, Calid, Maria, Avicenna, Constantine, Alexander, Eboal, Bendegit, Gessit, Serapion, Master Arnold of Villanova, through the book of the Lilium, through the Greek Daniel, through Thomas Aquinas in his brevilocution, through Albertus Magnus in his tract, through the abbreviation of Scotus, through the Epistle of Seneca to King Aros of Arabia and Tunisia, through Euclid in the sixth chapter of the retraction, and through all philosophy in the fourth book of Meteors, where they openly say without any parable that metals are nothing other than living silver congealed by the natural method of boiling in the veins of the earth for a long time.

And yet our stones are not those, as long as they are in metallic form, because it is impossible for one matter to have two forms.

How then do we want them to be the stone, which is the worthy form in between metals and mercury, if this metallic matter is not first taken away and corrupted?

And therefore, Aristotle and Democritus say in the books of Philosophy, and in the third book of the Meteora.

Let the alchemists rejoice as they wish, for they will never change the form of metals, or the metals themselves, unless they first reduce them to their prime matter.

And so say all the books that speak of metallic matter.

But in order to understand this matter and to know what it means to transmute and reduce metals to their prime matter, you must know that the prime matter of anything is that from which some form or thing originates.

Just as the prime matter of a man or woman is the seed of a man and a woman.

But the ignorant, foolishly, think they understand this saying—that reducing something to its prime matter or nature means separating it into the four elements, that is, reducing a thing or metals into the four elements. For the four elements are the prime matter of created things.

And know that they speak the truth, namely, that the four elements are the prime matter of prime matter.

For the four elements are the substances from which sulfur and quicksilver are formed, and these two are the prime matter of all metals.

However, this does not mean that the four elements are properly the prime matter of metals.

The reason is this: the four elements are just as suitable for producing a human or a donkey as they are for producing metals.

Thus, it would be necessary—or it is necessary—first for the four elements to be transformed into our quicksilver and sulfur before these elements could be called the prime matter of metals.

For example, when a human is generated, they are not composed directly from the four elements as they still exist in their elemental state; rather, nature has already transmuted them to produce seed, and it has indeed produced seed.

In the same way, the four elements cannot be called the prime matter of metals any more than they can be called the prime matter of other things.

Therefore, in summary, it cannot be said that the four elements are the prime matter of metals rather than of something else—unless they are first transmuted from their elemental forms and become mercury and sulfur, or unless they are transmuted into the prime matter of metals and become quicksilver and sulfur.

For only then are they properly and truly the prime matter of metals.

At that point, nature can take this matter and, from mercury and sulfur, produce whatever it intends—this will then be the metallic form.

But before this transformation—while they are still the four elements and have not yet become mercury and sulfur—nature could just as well have made from them an ox, a plant, a human, or anything else according to its will.

Thus, it clearly appears that the four elements, as the ignorant claim, are not the prime matter of metals. Rather, sulfur and mercury are properly, truly, and immediately the prime matter of metals and belong to their very essence.

I still wish to prove, with even more compelling and necessary arguments, that the four elements are not the prime matter of metals.

For if this were true, it would follow that humans and metals, herbs and plants, and brute animals would be one and the same, with no distinguishing differences.

Indeed, if metals were nothing other than the four elements, then everything would be identical, which would be a great absurdity.

Therefore, it is clearly evident that, as long as the four elements remain in their original state, they are not the prime matter of metals.

I wish to further confirm my argument as follows:

If it were true that the four elements were the prime matter of metals, it would follow that humans could be made from metals, since humans are also made from the same four elements.

Likewise, it would follow that anything could be made from anything else, and thus, similar beings would not generate their own kind—no more than metals do.

For in such a case, everything would be nothing more than the four elements.

And, as you know, all things are made and continue to be made from the four elements.

Thus, there would be no need for generation or for proper seeds, since nothing would retain its own distinct nature.

Everything would be made from the four elements, and all things would be one and the same substance.

Example: The sperm of a man, taken separately, and that of a woman, taken separately, are not the prime matter of a child, because while they remain separate, nature could make something else from them—such as if they were transformed into putrid matter.

But when they are joined and united in power, so that each contains the potential of the other, and each retains its own virtue, then nature can produce nothing else but the form of a child.

This is because the child is the final purpose of that matter, and no other form can result.

Thus, just as united sperm is the prime matter of the fetus, whereas separate sperm is not, so too in our art, the prime matter of the Philosopher’s Stone consists of spermata that are united and joined together.

Therefore, this union is called the prime matter of the child.

Once this prime matter has been formed, and nature works upon it with precision, it cannot produce anything other than the form of a child.

Nature cannot give a different form to the matter in which it is working, except for that which the matter is inclined and disposed to receive.

In the same way, when this seminal union has been formed and nature begins to act, it cannot impart any form other than the human form—because this matter is disposed to no other form but the human one.

To illustrate this with a crude example for the ignorant:

When someone wishes to embark on a journey, and they stand at the doorway of their house, they may have three different paths before them.

If they do not choose the correct path but take another, they will go astray.

But once they have set foot on the correct path leading to their intended destination, no matter what they do along the way, as long as they continue on that path, they will inevitably arrive at the place they intended to reach.

Therefore, it is most clearly evident that each thing has its own proper path and its own proper matter from which it is made—not that each thing is made from any matter, but rather it is made from a determined matter, which is fixed and specific.

Furthermore, if this were not the case, there would be no need for the heavens or the planets, for the four elements would never have changed their nature.

In fact, it would be erroneous to claim that a single matter is formed every day, which is plainly false.

It is also clearly and evidently confirmed by experience that anything that is made has a similar thing from which it naturally comes, and it cannot be made from anything else or in any other way.

For example, to create a horse, nature must transform the horse's nature into united sperm from two opposing natures, but still with a horse-like essence.

Similarly, to create a human, nature does not take the nature or seed of a horse or a plant, because each thing has its own proper and primary seed from which its root is formed and multiplied from the same source, and not otherwise.

This again becomes evident in the creation of the world, when God made the male and from him later created the female, and He said to them, 'Create from your substance beings like yourselves.'

Likewise, God said this about other things that He had created.

Each thing must bear its own fruit, multiply from it, and produce something similar to itself.

For if everything could be made from a single thing, our Creator God would not have made so many different things as He did. But He created various and diverse things for this purpose: that each might bring forth offspring like itself.

Likewise, did not God in the Scriptures tell Noah before the Flood: Make an ark long, wide, and deep; then place inside it one pair of every kind of creature—that is, male and female—for this purpose: that when My judgment has passed, each thing may multiply according to its kind, and not otherwise?

Thus, you clearly see that each thing requires something similar to itself in order to be created or generated.

For God created the roots of various creatures for this purpose—that each might multiply according to its own substance.

I will also prove this by the authority of the philosophers.

John Scotus explicitly says that quicksilver (volatile Mercury, which you know to be capable of solidifying or coagulating) and sulfuric quicksilver (the body which you recognize) are the prime matter of metals.

Furthermore, it is stated in the Turba by a certain philosopher named Noscius, who was King of Albania and Atria, who said: Know that from a human nothing comes except a human; from volatile things comes only something volatile; and from brute beasts comes only a brute.

And know that nature increases within its own species and nature, and not in another.

Master John of Mon, in his Testament, also said: Each tree bears its own fruit—for the pear tree produces pears, and so it is with others.

Likewise, metal begets or multiplies metal and not something else.

Similarly, Geber, in his Summa (although he speaks correctly in some places, his entire book is largely sophistical and erroneous), states:

We have experimented with everything and speculated with reason, yet we do not know of anything that can endure fire or stand in the battle of fire, except for the viscous moisture, which is the root of all metals.

For all other moist substances quickly vanish and evaporate in fire, and one element separates from another, as water does from fire: one part rises as vapor and becomes water, while the other remains as earth at the bottom of the vessel.

Thus, the four elements are separated from all things because they are not well united in homogeneity; with the slightest fire, and upon the application of anything, they are consumed and separated from their natural composition.

But the viscous moisture, that is, Mercury, is never consumed or separated from its earth or from its other element. Instead, it either remains entirely in the fire or flees completely. There is nothing else like it that does not diminish in weight.

For this reason, Geber concludes that in order to create the precious stone (the Philosopher’s Stone), no other substance is needed except the purified and well-prepared substance of Mercury—one that penetrates, tinges, and endures the test of fire, neither being separated into diverse parts nor losing its essence.

Instead, it remains purely and tenaciously mercurial in its essence.

Then, he says, this substance unites itself in the profound roots of metals, destroying their imperfect form and introducing in them another form according to the power of the Elixir or the tinging medicine, in accordance with its color.

Likewise, the great King Aros, who was most learned and a philosopher, said:
Our medicine is made from two things of one essence—that is, from the union of fixed and non-fixed Mercury, both spiritual and corporeal, cold and dry, hot and moist.

It cannot be made from anything else.

For the ingenuity of art does not introduce anything new into the natural root; rather, nature, with the proper aid of art, and art, assisted by nature, together fulfill their purpose in every intention of a good work.

Likewise, Morienus says: Take the Roman Sage, mix it, and cast the medicine upon bodies diminished from perfection.

And he likewise says that this is nothing other than Mercury exalted by art over imperfect Mercury.

And thus, he clearly demonstrates that it is nothing other than Mercury, united and fixed, coming from a fixed mineral body.

Similarly, Arnoldus said: Let your entire focus be on digesting and cooking the mercurial substance, for according to its dignity, it will likewise dignify bodies, which are nothing other than the mercurial substance decocted by nature.

It could be proven by infinite arguments that only Mercury, durable and permanent, is the sole proximate and primary matter of metals—and not that the four elements are the primary matter.

I wished to prove this, however, in order to silence the multitude of those who err, who, to confirm their own mistakes, insist that the four elements are the primary matter of metals—albeit extracted from metals themselves.

Thus it could be argued and opposed against us and all my responses, saying that they reduce the four elements into Mercury and Sulphur, which are the primary matter of metals; and it would be better for them to be reduced to that subtlety and simplicity of the four elements, than to be reduced only to their primary and nearest matter, that is, to the sole mercurial substance.

And I wish to prove this, if it were an error and false, for many necessary reasons, so that I may put an end to their evil intention.

And so that it may not be said that I am correcting others out of my own will, but through evident reasons.

Therefore, I tell you that if this were true, there would be no need for any nature, for our art would make the seed of all things and would make men from the four elements alone, without nature, and without alteration, art would make compositions, which is against all right sense and understanding.

Because nature produces and has produced matter, which later art assists.

It would follow, therefore, that a doctor by his art and herbs could make the dead come back to life, or that he could heal someone who is dying, which contradicts the writings of the good authors, where they say, 'Medicine is only an assistant to nature.'

For if nature were not present, medicine would not be able to have its effect; for a laxative placed in a dead human body does not cause a laxation, because it is not directed by nature. As Hippocrates says in his aphorisms, 'Art presupposes something created by nature alone, and then it assists it, and art helps nature, and nature assists art.'

Thus, Hippocrates clearly demonstrates, who was in his natural principles more divine than human, and like a spiritual angel without a body.

It is therefore apparent that art in its operation has one matter that was previously made by nature, and not by art.

For if it had been made by art, nature would not be required, because it would already be its own work, and thus it would add nothing new to its own work.

Thus it clearly appears that nature, from itself, creates materials and spermatical natures, and creates them; and afterwards, art, working or operating from above, joins them together, following the end and intention of the natural spermatical virtue, upon which art operates, and not otherwise.

I also wish to prove this by another reason: because when the said mercury and sulphur are reduced (if it were possible) to the four elements, would it not be necessary for these four elements to be again reduced to mercury and sulphur, which are the primary matter of metals, as I have said and proven?

And thus, you would first need to reduce perfect metallic bodies to living silver and sulphur; the same living silver and sulphur would then need to be reduced to the four elements; and afterwards, it would be necessary to reduce the four elements back to living silver and sulphur, with the aim of making a metallic nature.

This would be foolish and, in my opinion, impossible.

For once everything is nothing but the same thing and the same substance, and acquires nothing new or new substance or material through these reductions, but is always only what it has always been, what purpose would these reductions serve?

Since the only substance that the said mercury and sulphur had, while in the form of sperm or in the form of Mercury and Sulphur, was the same after being reduced to the four elements, and it acquires nothing in virtue, weight, quality, or quantity, because no new matter is joined that could either exalt or change it.

Rather, this is always the same matter, taken from here and there without any addition.

And so, it has as much power in one form as in another.

And if anyone were to oppose us regarding our stone, saying that it acquires nothing, I answer that yes, it does acquire, because we reduce the metallic body into sperm with the goal that through this reduction a union of new material of the same root is formed, and without this reduction, the stone cannot be made, but rather, it is the addition of matter.

And so, these two materials help each other, and each gives its virtue to the other in turn, so that the matter becomes more worthy than it was before, when both were separate and spontaneous.

Thus, it is clear that our reduction is required, because through it, the materials acquire a new form and virtue, and new matter is established.

But in such reductions as they speak of, no new matter is introduced, no matter what they do.

For what they do is nothing other than circulating one material without any renewal, nor any exaltation through the acquisition of new matter or form.

And thus, it is clearly evident that their reductions are nothing but foolish imaginations, erroneous expenses, and wasted time.

And so (to summarize), you have the reason why the reduction of bodies into the primary matter, that is, mercury, must be made, so that an addition and union of new material of one essence can occur; without which reduction, such a union cannot happen, etc.

I will also prove this through Master William of Paris, who was very learned and wise in this art and science, and addresses the matter well.

He says: In the creation of a child or man, first, there is a mixture of two sperms differing in quality: because one is cold and moist (respectively), and the other is hot and dry.

In the maternal vessel or womb, there is the heat of the mother, which digests and mixes the virtues of the two sperms, augmenting their virtue from their common moisture, which is from the substance from which the first female sperm is made, increasing, thickening, and activating the active virtue of the male sperm, and nourishing until the moderate substance is perfectly formed, retaining the nature of both without diminution or excess.

As he explicitly says, nature creates the sperms, not art, because nature would not know how, nor could it.

But after they are created, art mixes them in the maternal womb.

For, as he himself says, art is an assistant to nature in mixing and digesting, to keep it warm, not moving much, producing good things, and easy digestion.

But art does nothing other than assist nature in its tasks or works already done by it.

Then he continues: Similarly, our art would not know how to create sperms from itself alone; but when nature has created them, then art, with the natural virtue that is within the materials of the already created sperms, joins them as the servant of nature.

For it is clear and true that art does not add form, matter, or virtue; it only assists so that what is present may become and be completed, what is not yet perfect.

Yet nature is present, and art assists it.

From this, it is clearly evident through this notable and wise author, Master William of Paris, who was the head of the students in Paris, that nature creates materials and sperms, and not art. But once they are created, art does its work and joins them with the natural virtue, which is the principal cause, while art is the secondary cause of those things.

And so it is well noted that art does nothing without nature.

For a person may know how to sow a seed and cultivate the earth, but unless he first has a material that nature has created, namely, a wheat grain, the farmer will accomplish nothing.

Thus, art takes help from nature, and nature from art.

From these things, it is clearly apparent that art does not know how to create sperms or the materials of metals.

But nature creates them, and afterwards, art administers them.

In this, you can see that man, nor his art, knows how to reduce the four elements into the form of a reducing or altering sperm, aiming at such a goal, or arranging them for such a receptive or altering action, passion, or form.

And if you argue that the philosophers say that in our work the four elements are necessary, I reply that they mean that in the two sperms there are the four qualities of the four elements, namely heat and dryness in mature living silver, which also is the male sperm, and cold and moisture in crude and imperfect living silver, in regard to its end, which is earth and water in the female sperm.

However, they do not mean that the four elemental things are actually separate, as are the four visible elements, because they would no longer be the primary matter of metals, just as they are the primary matter of humans.

Nor could human art alter them in such a way that it would make two metallic sperms, which are the primary matter of metals, as Calisalon (or Calid), the King of Arabia, expressly and clearly says in this way: 'Know that at the beginning of our work we are concerned only with two materials, and no more than two are required, nor are more touched, nor do more enter, neither at the beginning, nor in the middle, nor at the end.'

But in these two, there are four qualities in virtue.

For in the mature sperm, as in the worthier one, two worthier elements are present in quality, which are fire and air, and in the other, crude and imperfect sperm, in its nature, there are two other qualities, and two other imperfect and less worthy elements, namely water and earth.

And thus, through Calid, you can clearly see and understand that in this art, there is nothing other than two spermatical natures of the same root, substance, and essence, that is, the sole mercurial substance, viscous and dry, which is not joined to any other thing of this world except its own body.

The same is clearly said by Morienes in his book, where he says, 'Make hard water, so that water may be joined to it, and place fire in cold water, that is, join the male sperm, which is nothing other than cooked and matured Mercury, which in itself holds the element of fire in its digestion, and mixes with the female sperm, that is, with living water.'

And in this regard, Ysindrius says in the Turba, 'Mix water with water, because then there is a single spermatical union, and it is in the potential most capable of receiving and reaching the perfection of the noblest stone.'

The same is said in the book of all truth in these sallacies, 'Place the red man with the white woman in a round room surrounded by a small continuous fire, and leave them there until the union (or transformation) of the red man into philosophical water, not common water, is achieved, that is, into water that has all that is required for its perfection, which then is the primary matter of the stone, and not otherwise.

For it has in itself the nature of the fixed, which fixes it, and the spiritual nature that exalts it, making it spiritual and a worthy substance for the noblest stone.'

And briefly speaking, all philosophers, if anyone understands them well, agree together.

But those who are ignorant and not sons of knowledge find them differing.

Now I have spoken and proven the first substance and matter of metals, and I have said that this matter is Mercury and Sulfur.

But in order to progress in our book and to benefit readers and listeners, and so that they do not pass over this section without understanding Mercury and Sulfur—what they are, and how metals are created in the earth, along with their differences—I will explain through the reasoning and authorities of my philosophical masters, from whom I have fully learned this most noble and most worthy science, by the divine will of God the Father and Creator.

With His aid, I shall begin the third part of my book.

Third Part of the Book.

In order to attain an understanding of this matter, it is first necessary to know that, in the beginning, God created a confused and disordered matter, which was called chaos.

This chaos was filled (by the will of the Creator God) with numerous forms and substances, from which He brought forth the four elements.

From these, He later created various beasts, birds, and diverse creatures by mixing them together.

Among these creatures, some were made intellectual or capable of intellect, others were sensitive, others vegetative, and others mineral.

Intellectual creatures, as far as their bodies are concerned, were made from the four elements, but fire dominates more in these composite beings than the other three elements.
Sensitive creatures were likewise created from the four elements, but fire and air have more dominion over them than the other two elements.

However, fire is less intense because air is present in a formative manner in such beings as brute beasts—horses, donkeys, dogs, birds, and all creatures classified as sensitive.

Other beings were also created from the four elements, which are called vegetative creatures.

These grow and increase in size and have life, but they lack sensation.

They are composed of air and water, which dominate in them, but fire is diminished or weakened in its dignity due to the presence of water, and water is restrained by the subtle, vaporous earthly substance.

Lastly, minerals were created from earth and water, but the quality of the water in minerals is more terrestrial than aquatic.

Within minerals, different forms exist, and they can never be multiplied unless they are reduced to their first matter.

Other previously mentioned creatures have their seeds, in which lies their entire generative power and the final perfection of the composed thing.

But metallic matter consists solely of mercury, which is cold, moist, and raw.

However, as I have said, all things contain the four elements, and so does mercury, which is extracted from the veins of the earth.

It contains the four elements—namely, heat and moisture, cold and dryness—but two of them dominate: cold and moisture, while heat and dryness are subdued.

Thus, through the heat of the celestial motion, warmth may be present around the earth, within the veins or mines, due to the continuous heat of the celestial movement, which is so subtle that it is almost imperceptible, yet constant.

For even during the night, natural heat does not cease to exist.

This heat does not come from the sun, as some foolishly believe, but rather from the reflection and reverberation of the sphere of fire that surrounds the air. In this way, the continuous motion of celestial bodies produces a heat so gradual that it is scarcely perceptible—indeed, it can hardly be imagined.

Finally, if the sun were the cause of the heat and mineral potency, as Master Raymond Lull and Aristotle claim, then such heat would be present continuously, since the earth is surrounded by the sun both day and night.

However, this opinion—whatever Lully or Aristotle may say—is false and erroneous.

The sun is neither hot nor cold, but through its motion, it naturally generates heat, just as the other stars do, along with the sphere of fire, which is naturally hot.

Therefore, such heat, derived from the movement of celestial bodies, continuously flows into the veins of the earth—not to heat them, as some ignorant people claim when they speak of "hot mines."

For if the mines were indeed hot due to some small active or actual heat, nature would not take ten years to cook mercury into the perfection of gold, for which it actually requires more than a thousand years (or even 6000 years, according to other sources).

This is evident because the earth is cold and dry, and the mines are located deep within its center.

Thus, before the heat could reach the mines, making them feel and truly possess even the slightest warmth, there would have to be an excessive heat in the air above, so great that it would fatally harm us.

In other words, for that heat to genuinely reach the mineral deposits, it would first have to pass through the air and water—and if that were the case, we would all perish from the overwhelming heat long before it could reach the mines.

But let us examine how metals naturally come into being.

They are composed of the four elements, just like mercury.

When the elements are set in motion, they heat the mercury, and mercury undergoes this motion through natural heat.

Thus, the fire within mercury, along with air, gradually moves and becomes excited, as these are the more noble elements compared to the water and earth within mercury.

However, cold and moisture still dominate mercury.

Yet, because heat and dryness are the more noble elements, they seek to overcome the others—namely, the cold and moisture that dominate mercury.

They absorb the motion of fire and the heat from the celestial spheres’ movement.

In this way, the four elements of mercury—its qualities—are also set in motion and continue to be stirred over a long period.

First, the dryness of mercury attempts to overcome one degree of its moisture, resulting in lead.

Later, it overcomes another degree, forming tin.

Then, as the heat of mercury further consumes its moisture and coldness, it becomes silver.

As the heat continues to dominate, it turns into copper, and eventually, it becomes iron.

And afterward, heat dominates even more than before, and thus perfect gold is formed.

In this way, the two qualities of mercury are overcome before it becomes perfect gold.

Therefore, those two qualities that previously succumbed to cold and moisture now consume the others, and heat and dryness take control.

These two qualities—heat and dryness—which initially had been suppressed, are what we call sulfur.

Meanwhile, the cold and moisture of the same mercury constitute mercury itself.

Thus, it must be understood that sulfur is not something separate or distant from quicksilver, but rather, it is simply the heat and dryness that initially do not dominate due to mercury’s cold and moisture.

However, as they eventually take over, they digest the other two qualities—namely, cold and moisture—and imprint their own powers.

Through these various degrees of digestion, the different metals are formed.

From experience, you will see that lead, through a prolonged exposure to fire, becomes volatile.

This is because the two qualities of mercury—cold and moisture—have not yet been altered by their opposing qualities, which have not yet dominated.

If they had dominated, they would not escape by any fire, as they currently do.

For mercury would be pure fire, as pure as fire itself, and thus would not flee.

It would rejoice in fire, as it would be with its own kind, since all other metals flee fire except gold, because they are still cold and moist, some more, some less.

Thus, as they retain more or less of their coldness and moisture, they flee from their opposite, as each thing flees its opposite and rejoices in its similar counterpart.

Therefore, it follows that the Sun is pure fire in mercury, since no fire can cause it to flee, while other metals cannot bear fire, though some endure more than others, according to how closely they resemble the complexion of fire.

In this way, you can understand the complexion of metals and their ores.

For sulfur is nothing but pure fire, that is, hot and dry, hidden within mercury.

Over time, through the natural motion of celestial bodies, it changes the other qualities of mercury—namely, cold and moisture—and digests them according to the stages and respect for the alteration in various metallic forms.

And the first form, as has already been said above, is lead, which is black and less hot.

The second is tin, the third is silver, the fourth form is copper or Venus, the fifth is iron, and the sixth is gold, which is the perfection of all metallic matter, and is pure fire digested from the internal sulfur present in mercury.

Thus, you can clearly see that sulfur is not a substance separate from mercury’s essence, nor is it common sulfur.

For if you were to claim that common sulfur is the material of metals, it would not be of a homogeneous nature, which contradicts all the statements of the philosophers.

However, the philosophers called it sulfur because this dominant quality is a combustible substance, like common sulfur, which is hot and dry, just like the sulfur of mercury.

By this similarity, it is called sulfur, not because it is common sulfur, as the ignorant believe, for common sulfur does not enter into the composition of metals, as has been stated.

Thus, you clearly see that metallic form is naturally derived solely from the pure substance of mercury and not from anything extraneous.

This is explicitly stated by Geber in his Summa, where he says: "In the depths of mercury’s nature, there is sulfur, which cooks and perfects it over a long period in the veins of the earth’s mines."

Morienus and Aros state this very clearly in the following way: "Our sulfur is not the common sulfur, but a fixed sulfur that does not volatilize, is of a mercurial nature, is incombustible, and comes from no other substance."

And thus, they say: "We act as nature does, for nature has no other material in its mines with which to operate than the pure substance and form of mercury.

Where there is mercury, there is also sulfur.

Likewise, in our mercury, there is a fixed and incombustible sulfur, which completes our work without any other substance or thing."

Similarly, Khalid, Morienus, Bendegit, and certain others state: "Nature forms metals by means of pure heat and dryness overcoming the cold and moisture of mercury, altering it—not by perfecting it with any other essence."

Thus, it is clearly evident from all the philosophers—too numerous to list—that in the creation of metals, a single sulfurous substance is involved.

It is also evident that, when nature operates within mercury, it encloses sulfur, which does not initially dominate.

However, through the action of heat, this sulfur alters the two other elements of mercury, and nature, by means of this sulfur in the veins of the earth, generates different metallic forms according to the degrees of alteration.

Likewise, by following nature, we introduce nothing extraneous into our material.

Rather, our philosophical mercury contains within its depths its own fixed and incombustible mercurial sulfur.

However, at first, this sulfur does not yet dominate, because the cold and moisture of the volatile mercury prevail.

Yet, through the continuous action of heat applied persistently to this mercury, that fixed sulfur—permeating the entire volatile mercury—eventually gains dominance, overcoming the cold and moisture of mercury.

At this stage, the heat and dryness of the fixed sulfur, which are its essential qualities, begin to assert control.

And according to the degrees of this alteration of mercury by its own sulfur, different metallic colors are produced—no more and no less than what nature accomplishes in the mines.

For the first color is black, that of Saturn; the second is white, belonging to Jupiter; the third is Lunar; the fourth is Venusian; the fifth is Martial; the sixth is Solar.

The seventh we elevate by one degree beyond what nature accomplishes in the mines through our art.

Indeed, we create a metal that is even more perfect by one additional degree—more perfect, I say, in a deep, blood-red hue and highly transformative.

For since it is beyond mere perfection, it also perfects other substances.

If its color were only perfected to the same degree as what nature achieves, then of what use would our labor be over such an extended period—namely, seven or nine and a half months, during which it remains in the process of decoction? Otherwise, we would simply take the metallic body as nature created it.

But as I tell you, and as I have previously demonstrated, the masculine body must be more than perfect through an art that follows nature.

Thus, from this more-than-perfect nature, which it has acquired through art, it is capable of perfecting imperfect metals due to its abundant, deeply rooted, and radiant transformation in weight, color, substance, essence, origin, and power.

And therefore, whoever considers themselves so wise and capable as to believe they can achieve such perfection as we seek—through other substances and foreign elements that have no mixture within their roots—will indeed be highly skilled and learned.

For, as the Turba states, where truth is elevated above all falsehood—and as Arislaus, who governed the entire world for sixteen years through his great knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, being a Greek and the gatherer of Pythagoras' disciples, as recorded in the chronicles of Solomon—this same Pythagoras was the wisest after Hermes, surpassing all who had ever lived.

It is written that he never spoke falsely, and for this reason, in some astronomical books, he is called Veridicus (the Truthful).

And in his book, it is said: Nature corrects itself only within its own nature.

How then do you wish to correct or amend our material or nature in any way other than within its own nature?

Consider carefully what Armenides says about this matter, for I tell you in truth that he was the one who first led me onto the wrong path.

Thus, it becomes clear that metallic nature can only be perfected within its own metallic nature and not through any other substance, whatever that may be.

And through our art, we accomplish in nine and a half months what nature would take thousands of years to achieve.

For at first, the heat is weak and almost nonexistent; for if greater heat were present, nature’s work would be completed in a short time, and immediately.

But in our work, we have a double heat: namely, the internal heat of sulfur and the external heat of fire—one heat assisting the other.

However, not in the way that Constantius and Empedocles, the philosophers, claim, saying that fire is made from the substance and matter that increase the work; for if this were so, it would follow that the work would increase in weight day by day, which is entirely erroneous.

Rather, fire alone is the whole work, the entire art, by which and for nature, it takes assistance; for we would not know how to do anything else.

And therefore, know that cold fire does not alter or mix things together, just as excessive fire prevents their mutual motion. But make the fire vaporous, digesting or concocting, continuous (yet neither volatile nor bubbling), subtle, enclosed, clear, surrounding, airy, non-burning, altering, penetrating, and unique (or uniform).

And by the true God, here I have spoken the entire method of fire.

And summarize by following my teachings individually: for fire is everything, as you can see from all the statements in the Book of All Truth.

This relates to what the great Roger says: "See that you do not make your dissolution before the due time, for such haste is the cause of the deprivation of conjunction."

And therefore, he says, "Make your fire persevering and appropriate to the degree of nature, friendly to bodies, concocting, and expelling cold."

This aligns with what Maria the Prophetess says: "A great fire prevents conjunction from occurring; but after conjunction, a strong fire dyes the white into red, the color of the field poppy and saffron of Artois."

And so, you can imagine this within yourself, as I did: for I placed my matter in the fire of dung, and it had no effect.

Then I placed it in the fire of coals without any intermediary, and my matter sublimated but did not dissolve.

Therefore, as I have told you, place it in a vaporous fire—digesting, continuous (but not violent), subtle, enclosed, aerial, clear, non-burning, altering, circulating, penetrating, and singular.

If you are the kind of person you should be—truly and sincerely devoted to learning—you will understand, through these words, the nature of fire and how it should be.

This is also in alignment with what the Turba says: "Without envy, experience will show what is to be."

Look at what the Light of Aristotle says: "Mercury must be cooked in a threefold vessel, and this is for evaporating and converting the activity of the dryness of fire into the humid vapor of the surrounding air."

This agrees with what Geber and Seneca say: "By making a great fire, you will not digest our matter; but its heat must be altering and good, like a dry furnace through air that has been humidified or mitigated and digested."

Here, I want to speak carefully, for it is the fire that either creates or impedes and destroys.

This passage reinforces the idea that the entire process of transmutation or the perfection of metals depends on the proper understanding and use of Mercury and fire.

As Aros and Calid state, Mercury and fire are sufficient in the middle and at the end of the work, but not at the beginning—because the Mercury at the start is not yet the true Mercury, which must be properly understood.

Morienus emphasizes: "Know that laton is red, but we will gain nothing until it becomes red."

This suggests that although the material has the potential for transformation, it must go through a process before reaching its perfected state.

He also highlights that "warm water penetrates and whitens it as it is, and the humid vaporous fire accomplishes all things."

Bendegit, Master John of Mum, and Haly further stress the importance of simplicity over excessive intellectualization.

They address those who spend their money, waste their wealth, lose their time, and strain their intellects by overcomplicating the study of alchemical texts.

They declare:

"I inform you and make you aware, out of piety, mercy, and charity, as a father towards his only son, that you must whiten the red laton often, and continue whitening, heating, and warming it until the white turns red.

Or rather, whiten the red laton through warm and tepid white waters.

And break all the books you have, abandon so many procedures and subtleties, and believe me—for otherwise, this will be nothing more than breaking your head against a wall.

For everything is contained in what I have said.

Clearly, you can see and understand that these words are among the best ever spoken."

Thus, consider what the Codex of All Truth states, saying: "Whiten the red, then redden the white, for in this lies the whole art, the beginning and the end."

And I tell you that unless you make black, you cannot make white, for blackness is the beginning of whiteness, the true sign of putrefaction and alteration.

It is the indication that the body has been penetrated and mortified.

In my judgment, the wise philosopher Morienus, a Roman, states: "Unless it putrefies and is nourished, it will never dissolve.

And unless it dissolves, its water will never be able to penetrate entirely nor whiten."

For the work requires mixture—or immersion—before it can achieve union.

It requires alteration before mixture.

It requires composition before alteration.

Thus, through gradual stages, our material is brought forth in accordance with nature in all things and in every way, whether more or less, as you can see from my words.

But because someone might speak about the weight of our material, and thus how nature takes on that weight, I say and respond that in the places where minerals form, there is no weight, as I have said.

For weight exists when there are two or more things, but when there is only one thing or one substance, weight is not considered.

Rather, weight exists in relation to the sulfur that is within Mercury.

For, as I have said, the element of fire that does not dominate raw Mercury is that which digests the material.

And therefore, whoever is a good philosopher knows well how the element of fire is subtler than the others and how it can overcome the other three elements in any composition.

Thus, weight exists only in the primary elemental composition of Mercury and nothing more.

And so, whoever wishes to imitate nature in all things and in every action must proportion their weight to that elemental balance of nature, and in no other way.

Regarding this, consider what The Turba Philosophorum states: "When there is a preparation or composition without weight, delay will come, on account of which you will become angry—unless you are wise.

Likewise, on this matter, Abugasar, who was Plato’s master in this science, says:
"Power, when limited by its own resistance, causes the action of the agent upon this material to be delayed in accordance with that resistance."

These are golden words because they establish the foundation of weight.

Elsewhere, I have summarized this. And whoever is not clear-minded will not understand so quickly.

But if you are not clear, have it explained or clarified to you by a wise and discerning person.

I myself could explain it well, but I have promised and vowed—to God, to reason, and to the philosophers—that I will never set down weight, material, or color in plain and common words, but only in parabolic terms, which you will soon have.

And I tell you, by my God, that the parable which will follow after this third part of my book is entirely true, without any omission or excess, following the manner of the wise.

Thus, I have already spoken in the first part of my book about the inventors of this science, about those who possessed it, and about my own journey—from the beginning to the end—through deception, expenses, and labors, and how I came to acquire it.

And I tell you in truth that I was 74 years old before I knew it, even though I had begun to work in this science in the 17th year of my life.

But if I had possessed the books that I later acquired, I would not have delayed so long in obtaining this science.

For no other reason did I take so long than the lack of good books, which I did not yet have.

Instead, I only had false recipes and false books, and I communicated solely with the ignorant, deceivers, and cursed thieves—damned by God and by all philosophers.

But after I had gained this science, I came to know fifteen men who truly understood it.

Among them was one Barbarinus, who, as we discussed and spoke together—though I had already mastered the art two years before—I had not yet conducted the work myself.

By chance, while discussing the science, I mentioned that I had not yet tested or performed it.

Then this Barbarinus, from that moment on, sought daily to mislead and deceive me away from the true path and knowledge.

For this reason, I left him, for I knew the art just as well as he did, and we had debated as brothers.

The greatest matter we discussed was how best to conceal this science.

And as I have told you, after I came to understand it, I entered into fellowship and acquaintance with many who knew it before I had practiced it myself.

We spoke openly together, yet regarding the fire, each had different views—though in the end, it was the same.

Exactly as the Turba says: Make sure that the pheasant does not fly before its pursuer.

And it says this because fire is made in many ways, according to the will of the practitioner.

Therefore, I now conclude, and let this be understood:

Our work is accomplished from a single root and two mercurial substances, taken in their crude extractions and from pure and clean minerals.

These are joined together through the fire of the administrators, as the matter requires, and continuously cooked until the two become one.

And in this one, when they are mixed, the body becomes spirit, and the spirit becomes body.

Then, sustain your fire until the fixed holds the unfixed body in its color and nature.

Know this: when it is well mixed, it surpasses all things and converts all things into itself and its own virtue.

And note that afterward, it holds, tints, and triumphs over a thousand thousand and two hundred thousand more.

Whoever has seen it should believe well, for it multiplies in power and quantity, as the most truthful Pythagoras and Ysmidrius in the Turba most openly and expertly declare.

But know that I have never found the method of multiplication in any books except in seven: namely, in the Great Rosary, in the Great Pandects of Mary, in the Truthful Testament of Pythagoras, in the Turba, in Morienus, in Avicenna, and in the book of Abagozal, who was the brother of Bendegit.

Additionally, in the book composed by Gessit the Constantinopolitan, in Salon, and if it exists in other books, I was never able to know.

I once met a man from Ancona who knew the Stone well, but he did not know multiplication.

And in order to learn it, he followed me for six years, but he never learned it from me—because he already had books that could have taught him as well as I could.

PRACTICE follows.

I have now spoken about the whole speculative science, and I have taught you about the principal minerals, and I have informed you of the necessary reasons by which you can elevate your intellect, recognize falsehoods within the truth, and be informed and secure in this work.

Now, I want to teach you specifically the practice in obscure words and parables, just as I have made and composed the stone four times.

And I certainly tell you that whoever possesses this book will be free from all difficulties and miseries and will know the complete truth without any diminution.

For by God, I could not speak more clearly than I will now, unless I show it to you in effect with my fingers; but reason does not wish it, because it fears.

When you know (I tell you the truth), you will hide more than I do; and you will be amazed and terrified by what I have spoken so commonly, clearly, and openly, for it is the will of God that this art be well concealed, as Turba says, in all and through all.

the Fourth Part of my Book, in which the Practice is contained.

Now you must know that after much study, and feeling myself enlightened, I began to seek people truly certain of this science, and not erring ones: for a wise man seeks another wise man, and not an ignorant one, because like seeks its like.

And as I traveled through various regions, I passed through the city of Apulia, which is in India, and I heard there was a great learned man in all sciences, who had expended a gem for discussion.

And there was a small book present, the leaves of which were made of fine gold, and its cover as well, and it was placed there for disputation against all who came, who knew and wanted to argue about the science.

Then I went through the city daily, desiring to reach the end of honor and knowledge, though without pursuing it, and without boldness, I would never have come to honor, although I possessed the knowledge.

And so, as a resolute and diligent man should be, I set myself on the path, and I went to the disputation.

I acquired this book before the whole world, for I disputed well, and it was presented to me through philosophical ability; from this, the whole world began to look at me intently.

Then I walked through the middle of the field, and because I saw that I was weary from studying, it happened one day that I needed to study in order to dispute the next morning

Then I found a small, beautiful, and clear spring, surrounded by a small round stone, and that stone was in an ancient vessel of chain, and around it was surrounded by a wall to prevent cattle or other beasts or flying creatures from drinking or wetting themselves.

Then such a great desire to sleep overcame me that I sat by the fountain.

And when I had sat down, I saw the fountain above open, and it was well-secured or closed and guarded.

An old priest passed by, from whom I asked why this fountain was so closed above, beneath, and from every side.

He was gracious and kind to me, and began to speak to me thus:

"Master, it is true that this fountain is of a marvelous virtue beyond any other fountain in the whole world, and it is only for the king of the region, whom it knows well, and by whom it is known in turn.

For the king never passes by this fountain without it drawing him to itself.

And when the king enters the fountain, to bathe, he remains within for 282 days.

And the fountain makes the king so joyous that in such great virtue, it grows to the point where no one can defeat him.

When the king has thus passed through, he makes the fountain so clear and firm, first from a single white and round stone, as you can see, and the fountain is as clear as fine silver and of a heavenly color.

And so that horses or other beasts cannot approach it, he has the old vessel, a chain-cracked basin, closed and split down the middle, facing the sun and its shadow.

Afterward, as you see, it is surrounded by thick walls: For first, it is enclosed in a very clear beautiful stone, and then it is placed in a basin made of chain-cracked material split down the middle.

And after that, surrounding it, there is a wall, above and below, and it opens in the middle.

And this must be so.

For this fountain has such a terrible virtue and nature that if it were not so, it would penetrate everything if it were inflamed and angry, and if it were to escape, we would all be lost."

Afterward, I asked him, 'Did you see that King?'

He replied, 'Yes, I saw him entering, but after he entered and his custody was secured, no one saw him until 130 days had passed.

Then, he began to appear and shine, and the guardian of the gate heated his bath continuously to maintain the natural warmth hidden in this clear water.

He heated it day and night without ceasing.

Then I asked him again what color the King was clothed in, and he replied that at first, he was dressed in a golden robe.

Later, he wore a thick black silk garment (a kind of velvet) and had a white undergarment as white as snow.

His flesh was of a blood-red color, like blood.


And thus I asked him daily about the King.

Later, I said to him, 'When the King comes to the fountain to bathe, does he not bring with him a great crowd of strangers and common folk?'

He kindly smiled and replied, 'Certainly, when this King decides to come, he leaves behind all his foreign people, and no one approaches the fountain except for him.

No one dares to approach unless under his guard or care, who is the simplest man in the whole world, for he reserves nothing else except to heat the bath for him, but no one is allowed to come near the fountain.'

Then I asked him, 'Is the King a friend of the fountain, and the fountain in turn his friend?' And he answered, 'They love each other wonderfully, but the fountain draws the King, not the King the fountain.

The fountain is like a mother to the King.' And I asked him, 'Of what generation and nation is the King?'

He replied, 'It is well known that this King is made from that fountain, and the fountain made him as he is, without any other reason.'

From this I asked if the King held many people under him, to which he responded that he held only six persons, who observe him closely, for he alone could die at any time, and they would have the kingdom just as he did.

Therefore, they observe and serve him, for they strive to possess all his goods.

Then I asked him, 'Is he old?'

He replied, 'He is older than the fountain and more mature than a thousand of his people who are under him.'

I then said, 'Why do his six servants not kill him after they observe and long for all his goods after his death?'

And I asked, 'Is he really that old?'

He replied, 'It is true that he is old, but none of his servants or subjects could bear the cold, the heat, the rain, and the wind, nor any other burden as he does.'

"To which I said, 'Why do they not kill him?'

He replied, 'These six, neither their power nor their strength together, nor individually, know how to kill.'

'And how then,' I said to him, 'will they have his kingdom, which he possesses, after they cannot have it until after his death, if they cannot kill him?'"

He answered me, 'Those six are from the fountain, and they possess their goods just as the King does from the fountain.

And because he is more worthy than the others, the fountain receives him and draws him to itself, and in between, after he is revived by the fountain itself, from his own substance and his kingdom, which is in the smallest particles, each of them takes a fragment.

And from the smallest part that any of them possesses, they become as rich as the King, and one is as much as the other.

I asked him, 'How long must they wait?' And he, smiling, replied, 'Know that the King enters the fountain alone, and no outsider, no one from his people, enters the fountain except him, although he loves them, they do not enter because they have not yet served.

But when the King enters, first he removes his golden garment made of gold and leaves it in sheets, and he gives it to his first servant, called Saturn.

Saturn takes it and keeps it for 40 days, or 42, or more when he has it once.

Afterward, the King removes his pre-determined garment made from fine black fabric (or velvet) and gives it to his second servant, named Jupiter, who keeps it for 20 days or 22 (elsewhere it is said to be 30).

Afterward, Jupiter, by the King's command, gives it to the Moon, his third servant, who is beautiful and radiant, and she keeps it for 20 days (elsewhere 30).

And thus the King is in his pure white garment, as white as snow, or as a white flower, or even more.

Then he removes his white garment and fabric, and gives it to his fourth servant, named Venus, who keeps it for 40 or 42 days.

Afterward, Venus gives it to Mars, his fifth servant, who keeps the garment for 40 or 42 days.

After that, Mars, by divine will, gives it to the Sun, which is not yet bright, and it keeps it for 40 days.

Then the Sun comes, beautiful and red, and quickly takes the garment, keeping it until it takes on the color of a poppy flower or the saffron of the Atrebates.

Then I said to him, 'What becomes of all this?'

He replied, 'Then the fountain opens, and after that, as he gave them the first garment, and it was purified, and the King’s purest white garment, he gives them three times and at once his flesh, blood of vermilion, and a sublime quality in both virtue and color to eat, and then they have what they desire.'

And I said to him, 'Do they wait until this time, and cannot they have any of the King's goods until the end?'

He replied, 'When they have the whitest garment, if they wish, four of them can indulge their nature, but they would not have more than half of the King's kingdom, and so after a little more time, they prefer to wait for the end so they can be crowned with the crown of their King.'

(Gloss: In 180 days or more, in 7 months, the elixir becomes complete and turns white, so it can be projected onto the four imperfect bodies, as mentioned in Book 3.)

Then I said to him, 'When the King is in the fountain, does any doctor or other person or thing come?'

'No,' he said, 'no other person or thing is present except one guardian who, under the bath, creates a continuous heat surrounding it, an airy and vaporous atmosphere, without anything else.'

And I said to him, 'Does not this guardian (or custody, for it is the same) work or exert himself?' He replied, 'He works more at the end than at the beginning, for the fire at the end is greater, notably in its apparent whiteness, for at the end the fountain is inflamed.'

"And I said to him, 'Are there many who have seen that fountain?' He replied, 'The whole world has it before their eyes, and they recognize something.'

And I said to him, 'What do they do afterward?'

He answered, 'If those six Kings wish, they will purify the King in the fountain for three days, circulating and continuing the place or the fire, and placing it into the content of the contained satisfaction as before.'

(Or read thus: circulating the fountain and continuing the place or the content of the contained satisfaction within it, giving him on the first day his garment of black velvet, on the second day they give him his whitest garment, and on the third day they give him his flesh, blood-red.'"

I asked him, “In what way did he reveal this?”

He replied, “God made one, then ten, then a hundred, then a thousand, then ten thousand, then a hundred thousand, then two hundred thousand, and then multiplied everything tenfold.”

I said to him, “I do not understand this saying.”

He replied, “I will say nothing more about this, for I am very tired.”

And then I saw that philosopher so weary, and I myself as well, that I desired to rest, for on the previous day I had not rested because I had been studying.

And I accompanied him to his lodging.

That old man was so wise that everyone in that region obeyed him and trembled before him.

So I secretly returned to the fountain, and when I arrived there, I began to open all the doors, which had been well secured.

Then I started to look at monioyan (the book), which I had victoriously won through debate.

The splendor of my book, which was of the finest gold, was so beautiful that, as I fell asleep, it slipped from my hands and fell into the aforementioned fountain.

I was so angry that it was astonishing, for I had wanted to preserve it as a mark of honor and a trophy of my achievement.

Then I kept looking at it inside the water until I completely lost sight of it.

Then I began drawing water from the fountain and did so so well and so secretly that only a tenth part of it remained, along with ten parts of the fountain.

But when I thought I had extracted everything, I could not, because it held together too tightly.

While I was working on this, people arrived, and I could no longer draw any more water.

But before I left, I carefully sealed the fountain and closed all the doors and openings so that no one could draw from it, and also to ensure that no one would know I had seen it or steal my small book, which was so dear to me.

Then the heat of the bath, which was around the fountain in order to bathe the king, grew hot and bright.

And I was imprisoned for forty days for my wrongdoing.

At the end of forty days, I emerged from prison.

Afterward, I wanted to see the fountain again and saw black and dark mists, which lasted for a long time.

But at last, I saw everything I had wished for with all my heart.

And if I did not have much difficulty, neither will you, unless you stray from the right path by going astray through wicked and twisted ways.

Instead, follow the work that nature requires (for in the philosophical work, nature must be followed).

And now I tell you, by my God, that whoever possesses my book, unless he understands it by himself, will never understand it through another, no matter what he does.

For in my parable, the entire truth and the true practice of the work are present—the days, the colors, the fire, the matter or materials, the regimen, the weight, the path, the arrangement, and the continuation—all in the best way I could set forth, for your due reverence and dignity, in piety, charity, and mercy toward the poor who work, practice, and study in this most precious science.

Thus, my book is completed by the grace of God, my Creator, who grants all the ability to understand well.

For indeed, there is not much difficulty in understanding it.

However, it is only for people of good sense, without too many fantasies, imaginations, difficulties, or excessive subtleties.

For I say to all that too many subtleties are neither good nor useful, nor are they my intention or that of the wise philosophers.

Rather, the path should be good and straightforward—natural, as I have already stated and explained in my reflections or theoretical considerations of this noble science.

Therefore, my children, to whom this book will come after the one to whom I have directed it, I ask you (if it pleases you) to pray to God for me.

For my book sincerely prays for you all, for your well-being and your bodies—provided that you believe in it without error and flee from those who go astray, along with their opinions and their company.

For you cannot imagine the great harm that may come to you from them due to the complete deviation they cause—those wanderers who lead others astray, in opposition to those who follow the right path of this true science.

THE END.

Here ends the book and treatise sent to the noble doctor, Master Thomas of Bologna, governor of France, the most wise philosopher and Count Palatine.

It was composed by Master Bernard, the most wise philosopher and Count of Treviso or Trier, who acquired and subdued the County of Neuss in Germany through this precious and noble art.

Explanation of Certain Philosophical Sayings.

Nature exults in or within its own nature, that is, the body rejoices in its own body.
Nature constrains nature, that is, the fixed constrains the volatile.

Nature overcomes nature, that is, the fixed—meaning the masculine seed, cooked through continuous heat—overcomes the raw, volatile feminine seed.

Let us follow the right path, that is, the true way and the correct course that nature follows in all creations, meaning in things created by nature—namely, in mercury, which must not be absent.

Operations, that is, what nature works daily within that mercury.

And likewise, the composition of the thing that nature has composed and not man.

For there is no need to add or remove anything.

The thing must be left as nature created and composed it, and nature works on it daily.

Our medicine is made from two seeds, that is, from cooked mercury, which is the masculine seed containing two elements—heat and dryness—and from raw, imperfect mercury or quicksilver, which is the feminine seed containing the other two elements—cold and moisture, or water and earth.

Join them, that is, place them in a vessel as nature created them (provided they are purified), apply the appropriate heat, and you will see wonders in the name of God.

Amen.

THE END.

1567.

Gallus Etschen Reuterus, Physician, to the Most Illustrious Man Guglielmo Gratarolo, Eminent Doctor of Medicine and Philosophy.

Greetings and Best Wishes.

Your singular kindness toward me, most illustrious doctor, has so captivated my mind, as if by some enchantment, that I cannot help but regard you with the utmost favor, as a vigorous promoter of our art.

Your dedication, your efforts, and finally all your endeavors are directed and aimed so that future generations may know that you have lived—or rather, that they may perceive you as not having died—for you contribute many things to the common benefit of medicine.

...that little work on alchemy that was translated from French and dedicated to the recipient as a keepsake, translated by you from French and dedicated to me as a memento, you who are faithful, benevolent, sincere,...
...and will make known for all time the most vigorous advocate of medicine."

"Who, I ask, could possibly repay such a treasure of medicine, by which the most cruel and more-than-tyrannical diseases (the list of which you have on folio 8 of this book) are truly cured? Who would not be greatly desirous of it, if it could banish the 'leprosy' of metals (I mean imperfection), and introduce the form of gold—whether in cement, antimony, or powerful waters—through the most exact trials, whether by deception, false gilding, or enduring electrum?"

"This book serves as an introduction to all these things.

I wrote to you at the end of July through my brother, a student of medicine in Basel, expressing my desire to read that little work of the Ancient Count and to share its use with you.

I have indeed read a clear and evident writing, the subject of which is that the material of the stone is Mercury, and that it is genuine, common, and abundant (for I call it the manufactured metal).

Through the combination and proper cooking of these two, the multiplication of perfected metals is achieved.

See what is missing from this process, namely, how Mercury is to be drawn out from the metal, then what dose and analogy each should be taken in.

Finally, whether something third is required for the coagulation of these two Mercuries.

I, indeed, a lover of truth, have called upon not a few remedies from fire for medicine, oils, juices, and crude essences, and I have seen marvelous things and the great works of God.

And I testify to God that these things were not previously seen by me, or at least were incredible to many.

I, having been moved by the pleasure of the art, prepared the above-mentioned, and leaped beyond the boundaries of medical science, and this year, I attempted the dissolution of lead and silver into their primary substance, and alone, thanks be to God, with no one to teach me, I found the Mercury of Saturn and the Mercury of the Moon, and of their discovery, I am as certain as anyone could be.

Some learned philosophers know the use that these things provide for medicine, and God knows that I have sought these primarily for medicine, and I would not have believed anyone’s words that silver could be made to live, or that Mercury could be formed from a hard metallic body into a versatile form, unless I had seen these things with my own eyes.

If you wish to see this metempsychosis with all the necessary preparations made, within three hours, I will bring to life Saturn or the Moon while Mercury runs in your sight.

And this is concerning the first [part].

As for the proportion between the two Mercurys, I would not easily say, as the present author has vowed to God not to disclose it.

Fernelius [2nd book, chapter 18], the learned physician, affirms that the stone or the Elixir consists of two things, just as bread is made from flour and water.

Just as water relates to flour, so does common Mercury relate to manufactured Mercury.

It seems to me a more fitting analogy: just as yeast relates to the whole dough of bread, so does the overflowing Mercury correspond in weight to common Mercury. Now, I come to the third point.

It seems to me that these two are not sufficient, hence I am moved by the most holy union of the Trinity: One Triune God, one Triune Tree, one Triune Metal.

Aristotle placed three principles of things, Theophrastus Germanus demonstrated them visually, and I myself have seen this in some matters.

And what moves me the most are the conversations held with skilled Chemists, who say that if Mercury is coagulated, it is no longer fusible, but I do not know whether they meant common Mercury or manufactured Mercury.

I have spoken with you directly, and through letters, about the coagulation of Mercury, as you know, and I will speak when it is convenient for both of us.

I have seen, with the ashes of the Sun and Moon, a portion of Saturnine Mercury coagulated and melted.

At this time, I have not experienced more, nor have I been able to gather any definite information on the third point from the present author.

If you were not exacerbated by the glory of our Germany, I would resolve you and clearly show, from the same author, how metals are composed from various matters.

I do not know why you are not more captivated by the pseudo-Theophrastists or the book hoarders of his clearly written works.

Do you not know how "notably" or "explicitly" and formally they differ in the whole genre according to Aristotle?

This golden, excellent book, published until now, presents the use of medicines, that is, notable remedies, whether you like it or not, remedies previously unknown to you, for epilepsy, gout, dropsy, and leprosy.

You should rather kiss (reverently accept) such great gifts of God and love the man for his most ingenious art rather than hate him for his manners and words, which are not clear to everyone.

Descend into yourself.

If you possessed the knowledge that Theophrastus had, would you wish to reveal this to everyone? You would be acting against the oath of Hippocrates, who did not want medicine to be taught to all.

In a lesser matter, you know of the decree passed in Bologna, where a man was declared a traitor to his country and proclaimed worthy of the gallows for having first introduced the spinning machine (a device by which silk is drawn into threads using artificial spindles and a water current) in Germany, specifically in Trento.

The Bolognese themselves, as their public records testify, desired nothing more fervently than his beheading.

Furthermore, if you knew of the Philosopher’s Stone (for, after God, you have no other medicine, as the Elder [Senior] says in the counsel of the union of the Sun and Moon) and wished to reveal it to everyone, you would not be a son of Hermes.

For Hermes wishes that this knowledge be concealed from all fools as a gift of God.

Is it not true that knowledge of great things should be revealed under a pious veil of allegories, cloaked in honorable things and adorned with proper names, as Macrobius desires?
And so, he inserted names unknown to you or me into his writings—not false ones, except that you do not understand them, as the Count reports, lest he be accused of speaking nonsense or fables.

But so that I do not keep you in suspense any longer about the principle that constitutes metals, Theophrastus affirms in Paragranum—more clearly than daylight—that metals are not formed from sulfur and mercury alone, as two principles, but from three, with a third element binding these two together.

Thus, he says that those philosophers who speak only of mercury and sulfur are deceived, false, and, so to speak, without substance.

Consider whether this caution has not misled many until now, and whether, due to such frequent errors, true alchemy has become detested, as if it were nothing more than deception.

Perhaps here, not inappropriately, satirical wit is sprinkled concerning the true meaning of the name, as alchemists—frustrated in their goal—become sorrowful and dejected, along with their alkaline salt.

I certainly conjecture, based on the published writings of Theophrastus, that he knew of and made use of the Philosopher’s Stone in medicine—not as an empty fabrication or an invented fable, as the common people wrongly judge.

This is the reason why I wish to make this letter public: so that the imprudent and unskilled do not recklessly and without discernment seek the Golden Fleece—the secret of all secrets—and thus experience a waste of time, money, gold, and silver.

Instead, they should be carefully warned to consider what they are undertaking.

Indeed, I have observed in the resolution (dissolution) of lead its oil, its mercury, and something earthy from it.

Whether this was salt or the spirit of salt, I would not dare to affirm with certainty.

With such reflections and considerations, I wished to adorn the present book given to me.

I fully submit myself to your judgment—if I have stated anything too harshly, may you kindly and philosophically correct it.

I do not reject correction.

However, if my opinion pleases you, then it will also be approved by those who read this little book of the Count.

And then, at last, they will understand the golden caution when they have set their hands to the plow.

Live philosophically, and continue to regard me with affection.

Given from my study, on the 16th of August, on which day, two years ago, I departed for Sélestat, in the year 1567.

The End.