THE GOLDEN AGE: Or, the REIGN of SATURN REVIEW'D.

Tending to set forth a True and Natural Way, to prepare and fix common Mercury into Silver and Gold.

Intermix'd With a Discourse Vindicating and Ex∣plaining, that famous Universal Medicine of the Ancients, vulgarly called, the PHILOSOPHERS STONE, Built upon four Natural Principles.

An Essay.

Written by HORTOLANUS Junr.

Preserved and Published by R. G.

M. Sendivog. de Sulph. pag. 195.—Cùm satis soripsisse putemus, donec aliquis alius veniat, qui totam Receptam, sicut ex lacte conficere caseum, conscribat.

London, Printed by J. Mayos, for Rich. Har∣rison, at New-Inn, without Temple-Bar, 1698.

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

THIS following Treatise, a Grand-Child of Her∣mes (the Off-spring and Or∣phan of a near and dear Rela∣tion) coming to my Hands as his next of Kin, might well (as it did) claim from me a Guar∣dianship




and Preservation; which once (consulting withal my own Interest) I was wholly re∣solved on with an Intention to have kept it Curiously, Private∣ly and Tenderly, as the sole Heir to some goodly Inheri∣tance: But, at length, consi∣dering that so to do would be to contradict the publick Spi∣rit, and well Meaning of its Parent (who intended nothing less (as appears by his Dedica∣tion, Epistle, and indeed by both beginning, middle and ending of the Book) than that his Son should be thus private∣ly and nicely Cloistered up at Home; but rather that he Tra∣vel, be enur'd to Labour and Hardship, and pass through Fire and Water, that thereby, in time, he may be Qualified to do his Countrey Service). I




have therefore, abandoning (as Reason should) such tender Indulgence, and self-conceited Interest, exposed him to the capricious Humours of this in∣constant World to take his Fortune; supposing that here∣after his Clothes will sit ne'er the worse on his Back. But I have, I must confess, commit∣ted a Fault in not sending him first (as was intended) for his Credentials, and am affraid it will fare the worse with him on that account; I beg therefore Pardon, and heartily desire he may not be too hardly Censu∣red for my Neglect. As for his own Faults I need not, I presume, be so importunate; for he is a prity toward Lad, will prattle to you of Gold and Silver, and the Philosophers Stone, he will tell you the Iron




Age is passing off the Stage of the World, and that a Golden one succeeds in Order; and (as I am told) can talk Natural Philosophy, surpassing many of his tender Years. It may be, some Men, besides the Publi∣sher, will not be able to through∣ly to understand him; yet he speaks plain English, as well as ordinary Latin; and can call the Planets by their Names; for all his Ancestors (except∣ing my self) were learned Men; therefore I entertain a good Hope of my Kinsman, for he has told me he will make it his Business to find out those Honourable Persons, to whose Service his Father had devoted him; (and beg their Pardon in my stead) as also his learned Relations of the Ancient Fami∣ly




of famed Trismigistus,—Studiers of Hermetical Secrets: These (he says) though un∣known to me, will easily read in his Face his Descent and Pedi∣gree, and therefore allow him a noble Reception.

I wish it prove true; and hope, Courterous Reader, you may be one of that Profession; but whether you are or no, I desire you will Encourage the Youth a little, in his Pilgri∣mage, and give him a good Heartning: Yet if he pretend to tell you Lies in Matter of Fact, pray correct him; but have a Care, for his Name is Mercury, and he will be apt to give you the slip; if you do him any good Office, he may, perhaps, live to requite you Tenfold:




However, in the mean time, you may be assured of the hear∣ty Thanks and Service of him, who presumes to subcribe him∣self,

June the 8th. 1698.

Yours, &c. R. G.


THE AUTHOR'S INTENDED DEDICATION.
To the Right Honour∣able the President, and Fellows of The Honourable ROYAL SOCIETY.
Right Honourable,

IT is the Saying of a professed Adeptist, That he who Ope∣rates for the Philosophers Stone, attempts the highest




Piece of Philosophy that is in Nature *: This Essay tending to that purpose, so as to vindicate the Art of it, and to make thē whole more Conspicuous; it is therefore necessary that things, which are said to stand so high in NATVRE, should be sub∣mitted to the Censure of your most Learned Society, best able to judge whether or no they are Built on a good and sure Foun∣dation. Such part of it there∣fore as is orderly gathered from the Sayings of Grave and Sober Philosophers, I humbly Dedi∣cate to your Honours; but that which is Frivolous, and of less Account, I preserve to my Self, as being my own proper Talent. Neither shall I presume to beg your Honours Protection for any part thereof, further than the same may appear to be groun∣ded

on Nature and Philosophy, and tending to the Benefit of all ingenuous Men; for I have per∣swaded my self, that it will prove one of the plainest of Treatises, (especially for Discription and Order of Principles) that have hitherto (on this Subject) ap∣peared to open View; and that, indeed, is the chiefest Reason why it is intended to be made Pub∣lick; an Inducement quite con∣trary to what hath been formerly practised on this Account: And I must, seriously confess, I see not any great Reason for that profound Silence Authors have heretofore imposed upon their Readers, when, at the same time, they exposed their Books to the sight (if not for the use) of all Men: Yet I acknowledge a Moderation may be good in this Matter. Neither do I go about to prostitute the Se∣crets



of this Kind, but so Plainly and Orderly (as I may) to re∣present them in a Philosophical Glass and Habit; that thereby they may be distinguished from the vul∣gar Crowd, and not hereafter be Misrepresented by any Subtil Im∣postours: Besides, I have conside∣red that proper Saying of Sendi∣vogius, in the Conclusion of his Book; viz. That this Art is al∣ways Acquired by the same kind of Wits and Dispositions, So that if each Principle were openly named, yet none but they who are of the same Inclinations: with the Adepti, will be able to prepare, much less to perfect so Great a Work; which Thing also is well known unto to your Honours.


I could not (Right Honoura∣ble) at first Writing, presume so high a Dedication; and there∣fore observed not that Gravity and Decorum, in the Composition, which your Honours may justly expect; but Writ it with a Natu∣ral and Careless Freedom; by which, I hope, the Truth will not be less Edifying to the Searchers, or Con∣victive to the Gainsayers; thô, I must grant, it is somewhat Un∣mannerly thus to approach your Royal Society: For this there∣fore I beg your Pardon, as also for that I have (from the Authors) mentioned the Names of some Heathens, as Gods (by wich ne∣vertheless is only meant, some one Principle or other) and which I could not altogether avoid. There may also be several other Mi∣stakes, and particularly in not di∣rectly Spelling according to the

English Hermetick Poetry; which Failures and Mistakes, if they shall be Excused by your Honours, will be taken as a high Favour to him, whose utmost Ambition is to subscribe himself,

Your Honours very humble, and ready Servant,
Hortolanus Junr.


THE AUTHOR'S EPISLE TO THE READER.
Judicious Reader,

THERE being many Volumes Extant, which Treat of this Noble Art; there must also, doubt∣less, be many Men who apply themselves to the Study and Prastice there∣of: Wherefore it is no




small Happiness to be directed by such Rules, as have their Foundation in Nature; many Books (if strictly Examined) endeavouring to Over∣shadow and cast a Veil upon the Truth; others being Diametrically op∣posite to it; and the ge∣nerality of them tend∣ing to Confusion and Perplexity; for which Cause there goes an ill Report of the most pre∣cious Things in Art and Nature: Honest minded Men are generally delu∣ded, who following Se∣ducers,




lose both their Labour and Estate. But forasmuch as this Science, from the Writings of se∣veral free and generous Authors, does (to me) clearly appear to be founded in Nature, and that on Principles not dif∣ficult to be obtained; I have for the sake of all ingenuous and well-di∣sposed Persons, adven∣tured to put them down (according to my Ap∣prehension) in a plain and orderly Method; and also (out of Zeal) for the Honour of this




most Noble Art, and its Professors (who are by ma∣ny, but too ungratefully Censur'd) to make Pub∣lick what I had from them, with no small pains Collected, and set a-part for my own pri∣vate Use, seeing no other Hand doth at this time undertake the same; also hoping that many hereby may reap such Advantage, as may, perhaps, (for several Impediments) never fall to my Lot: And there∣fore I have Studied to overcome that Envy,




which sometimes hath attended those, who rea∣sonably knew them∣selves to have attained any true Knowledge in this Art. And though I have not contrived to present you with a spa∣cious Composure of meer Words and Flou∣rish, that so, at length, I might skulk away un∣der their Coverture; yet, Reader, the Matter requires a serious Con∣sideration: And if my plain Dealing please not they overcurious, or of∣fended Pallet, be pleas'd




to consider, Quòd non omnibus scribo, huic scribo & non tibi: Or otherwise give me leave to con∣clude,

Si quid novisti rectius istis candide imperti, si non his utere mecum.
Yours, &c.
Hortolanus Junr.


RIch is the Man, that may attain this Art,
Hard is the way that leadeth unto Fame:
Guard well your Minds, and this Book will impart,
The Inner Conducts leading to the same,
And shew you Light, out Of old Sayings dark,
Which I have here preserv'd in my New-Ark.
R. G.

Great need he hath to be a Clerke,*
That would perceive this subtle Werke;
He must know his first Philosophie,
If he trust to come by Alkimye:
And first Ye shall well understonde,
All that take this Werke in honde
When your Materials by Preparation
Be made well apt for Generation,
Then thei must be departed a Twinn,
Into four Elements if ye would winn:
Which thing to doe, if ye ne can,
Goe and lerne it of Hortolan.

And truly wythowten any nay, *
If you will listen to my lay:
Some thing thereby you may finde,
That well may content your Minde,
I will not sweare to make yow give Cre∣dence
For a Philosopher will finde here in Evi∣dence,
Of the Truth, and to Men that be Lay,
I skill not greatly what they say.
SATURNE in all, to this Arte hath*most respect,
Of whom we draw a Quintessence most Excellent,
Unto our Magistery himselfe he doth con∣nect,
United in Quallitie, and also made equi∣polent
In Strength and Vertue, who lists to be diligent,
Shall finde that we seeke an heavenly Tresure,
And a precious Jewell that ever shall endure.
Hort. Junr.

Page 1
THE GOLDEN AGE: OR, The Reign of Saturn REVIEW'D.
NOT to trouble our Rea∣der with the Names or Writings of those many Ancient and Excellent Philosophers, who first Treated of this most Noble Art (seeing they writ very obscurely; and those Obscurities, by Collection, are swell'd into very large Volumes.) I will descend to such of them as are accounted Mo∣dern, and particularly to those, who have made Explication, for the sake and instruction of the Ingenious: And of


Page 2

those, none I presume more Learned, e∣specially more Generous, than they of the English Nation, how carelesly soever, their Works are look'd upon in this our Iron age: If any Man will contend for it, he has the liberty to produce his Proofs; but before I bring you to plain matter of Sense, give me leave to touch a little upon the accidents of Chance∣medley, and the down right Nonsense of conceited Ignorance; I mean such Authors as either by chance have pick'd up some Sentences proper enough in themselves, but yet disorderly applyed, and therefore lead to confusion, or else such as are not only Improper, but also Unnatural, and therefore are grosly Ri∣diculous.

Of the first sort are many of the Col∣lections in the six Volumes of Theatrum Chemicum, by Lazarus Zetznerus, Fas∣ciculus Chemicus, Cheiragogia Heliana, Zeroasters Cave, or an Intellectual E∣cho, and the like.

The second sort are they, who only gather up the glimmering Recipes and Decipes, which are here and there Scattered on purpose, by the Jocose, to catch the unwary in their own Imagi∣nations, throwing to them the Shells, but reserving the Kernels for their


Page 3

Friends, the cautious and diligent In∣quirers. Andyet these mistaken ones, fondly supposing themselves true Adep∣tists, immediatly thereupon cry out, Sirs, Wee will shew you Diana Naked, for we have caught her in our Volumes; When alas! She is slipt from their fin∣gers, having first Metamorphosed such daring Sophisters, not as she did Act∣eon into a swift sooted Beast with large Horn's, but into another sort as oppo∣sitly dull and slow with long Ears: and yet forsooth they cease not to cry out, Here are the Menstruums of Diana, here is Circulatum Majus & Minus, here are the Secrets of the more Secret Chemy. A Catologue of Menstruums, in four Books, under four and twenty Heads, and of four and twenty Kinds, all collected form the Writings of the Adepts; These my Friends (say they) are the Menstruums of Diana, for Diana has superfluity of Menstruums, she hath Simple, Vegetable Menstru∣ums, made of Philosophical Wine on∣ly, others of the Spirit of Philoso∣phical Wine, and the hottest Vege∣tables, Herbs, Flowers, Roots, &c. being Oyly.

Also, Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the matter of Philosophical Wine


Page 4

only, others of that and acid Spirits, as Aqua Fortis, Spirit of Nitre &c.

Also, Mineral Menstruums Compoun∣ded of Vegetable, and Mineral Menstru∣ums mixed together; Cum multis aliis quae nunc perscribere longum est.

If Men will be seduced by such Slipp∣slop-Sawse-makers, no wonder if at last they say, All is Vanity and Vexation of Chymists: But let us look upon them, and their fond followers no otherwise than meer Foolosophers, catch'd in a Mouse-trap.

This by way of removing the Rub∣bish, next we proceed to lay a sure Foundation for the Ingenious to Build on.

This Art, I say, and doubt not to * make clearly appear, consists in the true knowledge of a Metalline Sulphur and Mercury, which are to be Compoun∣ded of four Metalline Principles or Ele∣ments, viz. Metalline Fire, Air, Earth and Water; all to be reduced into a quick, running, clear, and splendid Mercury; In which Mercury is contain'd the Grand Secret of the Philosophers, viz. their Sol and Luna, for then they say, Est in Mercurio quicquid quaerunt Sapientes; All is in Mercury that the


Page 5

Wise men seek: Because this prepared Mercury may easily be digested into Silver and Gold; and then also, and not till then, is this saying verified, Est¦tamen unum, &c. That there is in the Metalick Kingdom one thing of a mira∣culous Original, in which our Sol is nearer, than in Common Sol and Luna, if you seek it in the hour of its Nativi∣ty, &c. Introit apert. pag. 51. Which will melt in our Mercury, as will Ice in warm Water; and yet it hath resem∣blance with Gold. The same thing may be found by digestion in our Mercury for the spaee of an hundred and fifty days, &c. See Secrets Reveal'd, pag. 75. For this Mercury so digested into Sol and Lu∣na, will again easily be dissolved in that Mercury from whence it was form'd: Whereas to dissolve Common Gold by prepared Mercury, is a Work of great difficulty, and ought not to be attemp∣ted by any, unless he be an experienced Master in this Art, and yet he that so operates, shall labour for the worst and not the better, unless he knows how to car∣ry on both works a part, and afterwards in a due measure to Reconjoyn them.

This I say, is the Scope and Intention of all the Philosophers, and now it re∣mains, that I clear my Position.

Page 6

The Composition of these four Prin∣ciples or Elements is perfected by three * Works or Operations.

1. The first is the joyning of the Fire and Air.
2. The second by adding the Earth to the other two.
3. The third by joyning thereto the Liquor, or Element of Water.
Which are also by Prince Geber Cal∣led Medicines of the first, second, and third Order

These three Conjunctions are also called,

1. Conjunction Diptative.
2. Conjunction Triptative.
3. Conjunction Tetraptive.
Of which more hereafter.
The Philosophical Maxims are,

Man from Man, Beast from Beast, and Metal from Metal, &c.

Dastin's Dream, Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 259.

A Man of Nature Ingendreth but a Man,
And every Beast Ingendreth his Semblable;
And as Philosophers rehearse well can,
Diana and Venus in Marriage be not able,
Page 7
A Horse with a Swine joyns not in a Stable,
For where is made unlikely Geniture,
What followeth but things Abominable?
Which is to say Monstrum in Nature.
Pearce the Black Monk upon the Elixir. Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 271.

All Salts and Sulphers far and nere,
I. interdite hem alle in Fere,
Alle corosive Waters, Blood and Hayre,
Pyss, Hornes, Wormes and Saudiver,
Alume, Atriment, also I suspende,
Rasalger and Arsnick I defende,
Calx Vive, and Calx Mort hys Brother,
I suspend them both, one and other,
For of all things I will no moe,
But Foure Elements in general I say so,
Sun and Moon Earth and Water;*
And here y's all that Men of clatter.
Nothing is oftener said by the Philo∣sophers than that their Stone is made of the four Elements. And Ripley in his Epistle to King Edward the IV. Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 111. saith thus, viz.

In the said Boke the Philosopher speak∣eth also,
Therein if it Please your Highnes for to Reade,
Page 8
Of divers Sulphurs, but especially of two;
And of two Mercuryes joyned to them indeed.
Whereby he doth true understanders leade,
To the knowledge of the Principles which be true;
Both Red most pure, and White, as I have spede,
Which be nevertheless founden but of right few. &c.
This I know also hath another Expo∣sition, of which hereafter.

Theat. Chem. Britt. 152. Numb. 19, Ripleys Compound, Speaks thus,

And be thou wise in chesing of thy Water,
Medyll with no Salt Sulphure nor mene Minerall,
For whatsoever any water to thee do clatter;
Our Sulphure and Mercury be only in Mettal,
Which Oylys and Waters som men call.
Fowlys, and Byrds, with other names many one,
Because that Folys should never know our Stone.
Sandivog. pag. 5. If thou dost purpose to make a Metall out of Herbs, thou shalt labour in pain, as also thou shalt not bring
Page 9
forth wood out of a Dog, or any other Beast.

Aeyr. Phil. de Metall. Metamor. pag. 46. Qui vero ex Herbis & istjusmodi rebus Mercurium educere tentant sunt Minervae crassissimae at{que} ingenij nequissimi.

Aeyr. Phil. in his Ripley revived pag. 160. 161. &c. Some will say of my Book that I have writ very Enviously and Mis∣teriously: he calls the matter Gold and Mercury, but that is but Allusively; but he meant Egg-shells calcined, or Vitriol, or Mans Blood, or Dew, or Rain Water, or Salt Peter, or Nitre, or Tartar, or this or that thing (&c.) Gross Sotts, thus to think, that what I without any Equivocation call Gold and Mercury, they should make to allude to such trifles.

O Fools and Blind! think you to ga∣ther Grapes of Thorns, or Figgs of Thisles.*If Gold and Silver be your intention to produce, in what would you find them? in Eggs, or Blood, in Salts or such things, what a madness is this? (&c.)

But enough of these Cautions, tho' much more may be said from many o∣ther Authors. And if any raise an Ob∣jection, or put the Question, why this


Page 10

great Universal Medicine, is only to be prepared from Metalls, they shall find it answered in another place.

Sandivog. pag. 79. If thou wilt imi∣tate Nature, let me perswade thee, to abide in the Simple way of nature, and thou shalt sind all good things.

Simplicitas veritatis sigillum.

The Composition of the four Ele∣ments * or Principles.

Now to our purpose. Aeyrenaeus Phi∣lalethes natu Anglus, Cosmopolita, A true Adeptist, and the last and best Interpre∣ter of all the Ancient Philosophers, in his little Book called, Introitus Aper∣tus, &c. Shewing that this Work tends * to digest Gold to the highest Purity and subtle Fixity, to which by Nature and Art it may be brought, says, their Gold is twofold, viz. Ripe Gold and Crude Gold, Male and Female (Sulphur and Mercury) That the whole Secret con∣sists in the Mercury, without which the work of Alchimy would be in vain.

And in Chap. 2. Concerning the Prin∣ciples of which this Mercury is Com∣pounded, he saith, Sciant itaque, aquam*nostram componi ex multis, &c. Let the Operators therefore know that our Water


Page 11

is Compounded of many things, but yet they are but one thing made of divers created Substances of one Essence, that is to say,

1. There is requisite in our Water, first of all, Fire. *

2. Secondly the Liquor of the Vege∣table Saturnia.

3. The bond of Mercury. And

4. (Therefore fourthly, by conse∣quence the Liquor of Mercury, and that which is common, so it be not Adulte∣rated.)

The first (for my intent) is the Ele∣ment of Metaline Fire, the second of Air, the third of Earth, the fourth of Water.

This will better appear in the 11th. Chap. pag. 18. De Inventione perfecti Magisterij, where he tells you, That the first Inquirers into this Magistery, sought only how they might exalt im∣perfect Metals to the nature of Gold, and perceiving, that all Metallick Bodies were of a Mercurial Original, and that Mercury was both as to its Weight and Homogeneity most like unto Gold, which is the perfectest of Metals; They therefore endeavoured to digest it to the maturity of Gold, that in order to this and to purify Mercury, they sought for *
Page 12

and found an active Metalline Sulphur * in the House Aries, which they gave to the Off-spring or Child of Saturn (which * Child abounded with the most Purged Salt of Nature, but had before no Me∣talline Sulphur in it) that then they en∣deavoured to purge Mercury with this prepared Matter or Air, but could not effect it, because they would not mix, therefore they contemperated this Air by the Doves of Diana, and then the e∣vent was answerable to their desires; * and that this Mercury in its Coagulation yeilded them pure Sol and Luna, &c.

Now to make the Planets Retro∣grade, here is Mercury the last Element, united by the Doves of Diana, to the Off-spring of Saturn, who was purified by a Metalline Sulphur or Fire; all which amounts to no more than a Com∣position of the four Metalline Elements, Water, Earth, Air and Fire. With this agrees the works of Prince Geber in his Medicines of the first, second, and third Orders.

Also the Intention of Basil Valentine, and Sandivogius, of the Arcanum, or Grand Secret of Hermetical Philo∣sophy, of Norton, Ripley and many o∣thers, (not to mention the more Anci∣ent) is the same

Page 13
Vera confectio Lap. Philo. pag. 121. Scopus istius Medicinae primi ordinis, est manifestare occultum, & occultare mani∣festum, quod fit omnia intus & extra mun∣dando.

The Fire, saith my Master (for so I * will make bold to call that most Lear∣ned and Ingenuous Author Aeyrenaeus Philalethes) is of a Mineral Sulphur, and yet is not properly Mineral nor Metalline, but a middle betwixt a Mi∣neral and a Metal, and neither of them, partaking of both, a Chaos or Spirit, be∣cause * our Fiery Dragon (who over∣comes all things) is notwithstanding penetrated by the Odour of the Vegita∣ble Saturnia; whose Blood concretes or grows together with the juyce of Satur∣nia,* into one wonderful Body, yet it is not a Body, because it is all Volatile; nor a Spirit, because in the Fire it re∣sembles a molten Metal; it is therefore in very deed a Chaos which is related to all Metals as a Mother, &c.

Here with the Fire, he takes occasion * to joyn the Air, which two makes his Chaos, viz. The Fiery Dragon, and the Liquor of the Vegetable Saturnia; never∣theless I know that the Fire is sometime called Earth, and sometimes Water; so also is that of the Air and Earth; but it


Page 14

is not properly our Air till the two first are Conjoyn'd and Purged.

This Chaos is called, our Arsenick, our Air, our Luna, our Magnett, our Calybs or Steel, but yet in divers re∣spects, * because our matter undergoes various States before that the Kingly Diadem be brought, or cast forth out of the Menstruum of our Harlot.

Note, The first is called Fire because it is, hot and dry, it is a flying Sol, and the Fire of Nature, and hath the Ope∣ration of Fire, which digesteth the crude Air and divideth the Mine from the Metal.

This is that Fire (says one) which the wise men have taken unspeakable pains to find out, It is Donum Dei, and they have called this mistery the Philosophers Stone, the Blessed Holy Stone, for this cause that God hath placed it in an Earthly Stony and contemptable matter, it de∣videth the good from the bad, and what is not mature it matureth, and in this mistery, according to the Similitude, it is called Sol or the Sun; and the other Principle is also called the Moon, because of her Crudeness and watry Humidity, but both being joyn'd together, is called our Chaos or Air.

The Fire by Basil is called Gold, also


Page 15

by Sandivog, it is called the same, and sometimes Chalybs, by Ripley it is cal∣led Sol, by Norton it is called Lytharge,* so Aeyrenaeus calls it, in his Treatise De vera confectione Lapidis Philosophici, pag. 21. And of the two first Principles calls it the Body. Quod ad corpus attinet sufficiat hoc tempore solo Lithargyrij vel corporis nomine vocare, Corpus autem hoc, ad omnes perferendas miserias est ordi∣natum, oportet enim transire per ignem & aquam, & renasci, aliter in requiem aeternam ingredi non poterit, cujus color*est brunus subrubeus, & non fulgidus, Item opus ejus est dissolvi, exaltari mori & ad altum ascendere. It is also called Leo, and Servus Rubeus, Corpus Rubeus, &c.

The second Principle he also calls Wa∣ter, Aqua, prima, ignis corrodens, ignis*contra naturam, Luna, magnes, mater, ma∣teria, &c. Sperma Mercurij dissolventis, Mercurins, Mercurius crudus, Quinta essen∣tia, Stomachus Struthionis, vas Philoso∣phorum, & argentum vivum crudum à mi∣ner a Simpliciter extractum, (&c.) Norton calls it, Titanos & Magnesia. Ripley calls it Venus, and the Green Lyon.

We will consider these two, the first, under the name of the Fiery Dragon, or *Chalybs, which he says is the Minera of Gold: The second, he says is Satur∣nia,
Page 16

or Magnet, and is the true Miner a of the Chalybs.

Sumantur Draconis nostri ignei, &c. Let there be taken of our Fiery Dragon,* which hides the magical Chalybs in his own Belly four parts, of our Magnet nine parts, mix them together with a strong Fire, in the form of a Mineral Water, upon which there will swim a Scum, which is to be cast away, re∣move the Shell and take the Kernel, Purge it the third time with Fire and Salt, which will easily be done if Saturn shall behold himself in the Looking-Glass of Mars: Thence is made the Chamae∣leon or our Chaos, in which all Arcanas lies hid virtually but not actually. This * is the Hermaphroditical Infant, (&c.)*

Introit. apert. pag. 6. & 7. de Chalybe & Magnete, Our Chalybs is the true Key of our Work, without which the Fire of the Lamp could not be by any art Kindled: It is the Minera of Gold, a Spirit, very pure beyond others; It is an Infernal Fire, Secret, in its kind very Volatile, the wonder of the World, a System of the Superior Vertues in the * Inferiors, and therefore the Omnipo∣tent hath mark'd it with that notable Sign, whose Nativity is declared in the East: Cujus Nativitas per Orientem in
Page 17
Horizonte Hemisphiaerij sui Philosophi∣cum annuntiatur. pag. 7. Cursum dirigat per aspectum Astri Septentrionalis, quod*faciet tibi apparere magnes noster, pag. 21. Quare activum Sulphur ulterius quae∣rentes, &c.

Wherefore seeking further for an ac∣tive Sulphur, the Magi sought most throughly, and at length found it hid∣den in the House of Aries. This Sul∣phur * is most greedily received by the Of-spring of Saturn, which Metallick matter is most pure, most tender, and most near to the first Metallick ens, void of all actual Sulphur, but yet in a power to receive a Sulphur, wherefore it doth draw this to it self like a Magnet and swallows it up, and hides it in its own Belly, and the Omnipotent, that he might highly adorn this Work, hath Imprinted his Royal Seal thereon.

Sendivog. pag. 36. Recipe ergo ma∣rum vivum, &c. Take therefore a Li∣ving Male and a Living Female, joyn these together, that betwixt them there may be Conceived a Sperm, for the bringing forth of Fruit after its kind.

Pag. 44. Propterea unum datur Me∣tallum, &c. Moreover there is granted


Page 18

to us one Metal, which hath a Power to consume the rest, for it is almost as their Water and Mother; yet there is one thing, and that alone, the radical Moisture, viz. Of the Sun and Moon that withstands it and is bettered by it, but that I may discover it to you, it is called Chalybs.

Pag. 45. Est & alius Chalybs, &c. There is also another Chalybs, which is like to this, created by it self of Nature, Qui scit ex radiis solis, &c. Which knows how by a wonderful Power and Vertue, to draw forth from the Beams of the Sun, that, which so many Men have sought after, and is the beginning of our Work. Here he singly names them * both Chalybs, yet sometimes both joy∣ned together are called Calybs, as before.

Pag. 47. Naturalis ejusmodi est, &c. The natural Dissolution is this, That the Pores of the body be open'd in our Water, whereby the Seed that is digested may be sent sorth and put into it's Matrix; but our Water is Heavenly Water, not wetting the Hands, not vulgar, but almost Rain Water. 48. The Body is Gold which yeilds Seed. It is our Luna (not common Silver)


Page 19

which receives the Seed of the Gold, &c. (This also alludes to the Great Work.)

Pag. 55. Fa••igitur, &c. Cause therefore that there be such an operati∣on in our Earth, that the central heat may change the Water into Air, that it may go forth into the Plains of the World, and may scatter the residue as I said thro' the pores of the Earth, and then on the contrary the Air will be turn'd into Water, far more subtil than the Water was, and this is done thus; If thou wil'st give our old Man Gold and Silver to swallow, that he may consume*them, and that he at length dying may be Burnt. [Let his Ashes be scattered in∣to Water, Boyl it until it be enough and thou shalt have a Medicine to cure the Leprosy.]

Pa. 63. Res est vilis & pretiosissima, &c. It is a thing of little account, yet most pretious, which being divers times de∣scribed, I do now again repeat: Take X. parts of Air, of Living Gold or Living*Silver I. part, put all these into thy Ves∣sel, boyl this Air first until it be Water, and then no Water. If thou art Ignorant of this, and know'st not how to Boyl Air, without all doubt thou shalt Err,


Page 20

seeing this is the matter of the ancient Philosophers; for thou must take that * which is, and is not seen, until it be the Artificers pleasure. It is the Water of our Due, out of which is Extracted the Salt-peter of the Philosophers, by which * all things Grow and are Nourished, Ma∣trix ejus est centrum solis vel Lunae, The Matrix of it, is the center of the Sun or Moon, as well Celestial as Te∣restial, and that I may tell more plain∣ly, it is our Magnet, which before I * said was Chalybs: The Air generates the Magnet, and the Magnet generates or causes our Air to appear; Sanctè tibi veritatem hic manifestavi, &c. This is the Sal Akali, which the Philosophers have * named, Salt Armoniack and Vegetable, hid in the Belly of Magnesia. Operatio ejus*talis est; The operation of it is this, That thou Dissolve the Congealed Air, in which thou shalt Dissolve the tenth part of Gold, Seale this up and work with our Fire, until the Air be turn'd into Powders and there appear, the Salt of the World being had divers colours, &c. And a little after, pag. 64. Propte∣rea satis mihi fuit, &c. It therefore suf∣ficed me to treat only of the first and second matter, which is done clearly, &c.

Page 21

In his Eleventh Chapter, concerning the Practice, pag. 48. he say, Take of our Earth through xi. degrees xi. grains. of our Gold and not of the vulgar i. grain, of our Luna and not of the vulgar ii. grains, but be thou well advised that thou take not common Gold and Silver for these are dead; take ours which are Living, then put them into our Fire, and let there be made of them a dry Liquor, first the Earth will be resolved into Water, which is called the Mercury of Philoso∣phers, and that Water shall resolve those Bodies of Gold and Silver, and shall con∣sume them, so that there shall remain but*the tenth part with one part, and this shall be the Metallick radical moisture, &c. And pag. 65. Perpende diligenter, weigh diligently what I have said before, viz. How the four Elements distil into into the center of the Earth a radical Moisture, and how the central Sun of the Earth by its motion, bringeth it forth, and Sublimes it to the Superficies of the Earth, &c. The same Author in his Philosophical Riddle, tells you, That Neptune shew'd him two Mines, the one of Gold the other of Chalybs.

Page 77. That Saturn drew the Wa∣ter, and put into it of the Tree of the Sun, wherein it resolved like Ice in


Page 22

warm Water, and this Water is Aqua Vitae. That, that Water is the best which is drawn by vertue of our Cha∣lybs, which is found in the Belly of Aries, &c.

In the English Book of Hermetick Secrets, called Arcanum: Or, The Grand Secret, Numb. 11. you have these words, As for that clear Water, saught for by many, found out by few, yet obvious and profitable unto all, which is the Base of the Philosophers Work. A Noble Polonian, not more Famous for his Learning than Subtilty of Wit (not named) whose name not∣withstanding a double Anagram hath betrayed; In his Novum lumen Chymi∣cum, parabola, & Aenigma; as also in his tract of Sulphur, hath spoken free∣ly and largely enough: Yea he hath exprest all things of it so plainly, that nothing can be satisfactory to him that desireth more.

Numb. 19. He says that most Philo∣phers have affirm'd that their Kingly work is wholly composed of the Sun and Moon. Others have thought good to add Mercury to the Sun: Some have * chosen Sulphur and Mercury, others have attributed no small part in so great a work to Salt mingled with the other


Page 23

two. The very same Men have professed, That this clear Stone is made of one thing only, sometimes of two, other whiles of three, at othertimes of four and of five; and thus, tho' Writing so variously upon the same Subject, doe nevertheless aḡree in sense and meaning, &c. He also adds,

Numb. 20. That he holds that this intire work is perfected by two Bodies only; to witt, the Sun and the Moon rightly prepared.

Numb. 46. The Philosophers Mercury, hath divers names, sometimes it is cal∣led Earth, sometimes Water in a divers respect, because it naturally ariseth from them both, the Earth is subtle white Sulphureous, in which the Elements are fix'd and the Philosophical Gold is sown, the Water is water of Life Burning Per∣manent, most clear, called the Water of Gold and Silver, &c. Last of all, the most precious substance is Venus, the Ancients Hermaphrodite, glorious in * each Sex.

Numb. 47. Seperate therefore the clean from the unclean, the Substance from the Accidents, and make that which is hid Manifest, by the course of Nature, otherwise make no further progress, for this is the Foundation of the whole Work, and Nature.

Page 24
Numb. 48. That dry and most pre∣cious * Liquor, doth constitute the Radi∣cal Moisture of Metalls, wherefore of some of the Ancients it is called Glasse, for Glasse is extracted out of the Radical Moisture, closely lurken in Ashes which * will not give place, unless it be to the Hottest Flame, notwithstanding our in∣most or central Mercury, discovers it self by the most gentle and kindly (though a little more tedious) Fire of Nature.

But to come to our own English Authors.

Ripley in the Preface to his Medulla, tells the Arch-Bishop of York that if he would

Of Phoebus vertue have knowledging,
Then Saturns Child must Issue bring.
Theat. Chem. Brit. Pag. 391. Numb. 14.

Bloomfeild in his Blossoms. Numb. 32. adviseth thus,

Old Ancient Writers believe which are ture.*
And they shall thee learn to pass it to bring,
Beware therefore of too many, and hold thee to one thing.
Page 25
This one thing is nothing else but the* Lyon Greene,
Which some Fools imagine to be Vitriol Romane.
It is not of that thing which Philoso∣phers meane,
For nothing to us any corrosive doth per∣taine,
Understand therefore or else thy hand refraine.
From this hard Scyence, least thou do worke amiss,
For I will tell thee truly, now marke what it is.
Green of colour our Lyon is not truly,
But Vernant and Green ever-more en∣during,*
In most bitterness of Death he is Lively:
In the Fire burning he is evermore Springing,
Therefore the Salamander by the Fire living,
Some men do him call, and some na o∣ther name,
The Mettaline Menstrual, it is ever the same.
Some call it also a Substance Exuberate,
Some call it Mercury of Metalline Es∣sence,*
Page 26
Some Limus deserti, from his Body Eva∣cuate,
Some the Eagle flying from the North with Violence:
Some call it a Toad for his great Vehe∣mence.
But few or none at all do name it in its kind,
It is a privy Quintesscence, keep it well in mind.
This is not in sight, but resteth invisible,*
Till it be forced out of Chaos darke,
Where he remaineth ever Indivisible,
And yet in him is the foundation of our warke,
In our Lead it is, so that thou it mark.
Drive it out of him, so out of all o∣ther,
I can tell the no better if thou we'rt my Brother.
Then Imediately after in his second Book, he begins,

Saturne in all, to this Art hath most re∣spect*
Of whom we draw a Quintessence most Excellent, (&c.)
Mars that is Martial in City and Towne,*
Feirce in Battail full of debate and strife,
Page 27
A Noble Warriour and famous of Renowne,
With Fire and Sword defendeth his own Life,
He staineth with Blood and slayeth with a Knife.
All Spirits and Bodies, his Arts be so bold,
The hearts of all others he wyns to him with Gold.
In the Hermet's Tale. The Cyclops having offended Mars, are represented to say,

Let's find the Angry God and pardon crave,
Lett's give him Venus, our poor selves to save.*
They sought in Heaven, Mars knew his Fact so bad,*
He came out there, then one began to tell,
Saturne turn'd from his Throne, a place had
Not far from thence, hard by this Chry∣stall Well.
Thither they wen, and found two Gods alone,
Sitting within a darke, but glittering Throne.
Downe fell Old Vulcan on his crooked knee
And said forgive O mighty God of Warr.
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My servants and my self (once God as ye)
Then use thy will with Venus my fair Starr,
Saturne (quoth Mars) and I must not yet part,
Though Shee for whom tha'rt pard'ned hath my Heart.
In the Hunting of the Green Lyon, Theat. Chem. Britt. Pag. 279.

But our Lyon wanting Maturity,
Is called green for unripeness trust me,
And yet full quickly can he run,
And soon can overtake the Sun:
And suddain'ly can him devoure,
If they be both shutt in one Towre.
And him Eclipse that was so Bright,
And make this redde to turne to whyte,
By vertue of hys crudytie,
And unripe humors whych in hym be;
And yet within he hath such heate,
That whan he hath the Sun upeate.
He bringeth him to more perfection,
Than ever he had by Natures directi∣on, (&c.)
In the Verses belonging to Sir George Ripleys Scrowl Theat. Chem. Britt. Pag. 377.

Take thou Phaebus that is so Bright,
That sitteth so high in Majesty (&c.)
Page 29
Maynteyner of Life to Crop and roote,
And causeth Nature for to spring;
With his wife being soote.
And Omogeny is my Name,
And Magnesia is my Dame, (&c.)
Devide thou Phaebus in many a part, (&c.)
This Phaebus hath full many a Name,
Which that it is full hard for to know,
And but that thou take the very same.
The Philosophers Stone thou shalt not know, (&c.)
Pearce the Black Monke upon the E∣lixir, Theat. Chem, Britt. Bringing in Mercury extolling her self, Pag. 272, 273. hath these words, viz.

I am Mercury the Mighty Flower,
I am most worthy of Honour, (&c.)
I am both Sun and Moone,
I am sche that alle thynges must done.
I have a Daughter hight Saturne that ys my Darlyng,
The wych ys Mother of all werkyng.
For in my Daughter there byne hydd,
Four thyngs commonly I kydd:
A Golden Seede, and a Spearme rych,
And a Silver Seede now hym lych;
And a Mercury Seede full bryght,
Page 30
And a Sulphur Seede that ys right.
Of my Daughter wythowten dred,
Byn made Flyxirs white and redd.
Therefor of her draw a Water cler,
The scyence yf thow lyst to leare,
Thys Water reduceth every thynge,
To tendernes and to fyxing.
It burgeneth growyth and gyveth fryght and lyght,
Ingression lyfe and lastyng in syght:
Alle ryghteous werkes sooth to say,
It helpeth and bryngeth in a good way:
Thys ys the Water that ys most worthy,
Aqua perfectissima & flos mundi:
For alle werkes thys Water makyth whyte
Reducyng and Schyning as Sylver bryght.
And of the Oyle greate marvell there ys,
For all thyngs yt bryngeth to rednes.
As Cytrine Gold he ys full High,
None ys so Redd nor none ys so worthy.
Ripley in his Works, in Theat. Chym. and particularly in his Preface speaking of their three Mercurys, Pag. 125. says thus,

Bodies with the first we calime Naturally,
Perfyt, but none which be unclene.
Exept one whych usually,
Namyd by Phylosophers the Lyon Greene,
He ys the mean the Soon and Moone Betwene,
Page 31
Of joyning Tinctures with perfytness,
As Geber thereto beryth Wytness. (&c.)
Now we are return'd back again to the Works of Geber, of whose writings, I say my Master Aeyrenaeus is the best Interpreter, and doth give the best ac∣count of all the Names which to each of these two first Principles may properly in any manner be applyed, and which are many, as witnesseth his Enarratio Methodica Trium Gebri Medicinarum, Yet because in his Book called Ripley Revi∣ved, (which he says he intends as a key to all his formmer writings) he hath ex∣plained these two Principles, without * any room for Doubt or Exception, we will examine them, to try if they be plain and easy, and answering or rather confirming what is before recited.

In his Exposition upon Sir George Ripleys Epistle, in pag. 20. of this Book, he writes thus,

Take then the most beloved Daugh∣ter of Saturne, whose Arms are a Circle Argent, on it a Sable Cross on a Black Feild, which is the Signal note of the Great World, Espouse her to the most Warlike God, who dwells in the House of Aries, and thou shalt find the Salt


Page 32

of Nature, with this Salt Acuate thy Water, as thou best knowest, and thou shalt have the Lunary Bath, in which the Sun will be amended.

And in the same Book in his Exposi∣tion upon the Praeface of Sir George Riply, pag. 7. He saith of the Fire,

That it inhabits, the Fiery Dragon, and it yeilds its Soul to the true Saturnia, and is Embraced by it, and both be∣come one together, bearing the Stamp of the Most High, even the Oriental Lucifer, the Son of the Morning: This Soul is Chalybs Magical Volatile, and * very tender, the true Minera of Sol, out of which Sol Naturally proceeds, which I my self know to be true, and have spoken of it in my little Latin Treatise called, Introitus apertus ad oc∣clusum Regis palatium.

This is true Sulphur, which is imbil∣ed * by the Mercuriallity of Saturnia, and notes it with the Royal Signet, &c.

But to put the matter clear out of doubt, and beyond any cause of Ob∣jection, let us view some of his Philoso∣phical Verses, which he calls, The Lear∣ned Sophies Feast.

Page 33
Vide. His Exposition upon the Pre∣face of Sir George Ripley, pag. 49.

Whoso would lasting and Eternal Fame,
Deserve, learn thou the Lyon Green to tame. (&c.) *
This Horrid Beast, which we our Lyon call,
Hath many other Names, that noman shall,
The truth perceive, unless that God direct,
And on his darkened mind a Light re∣flect, (&c.)
But its because of the transcendent force.
It hath, and for the rawness of its source,*
Of which the like is no where to be seen,
That it of them is named the Lyon Green, (&c.)
There is a Substance of a Metallin' Race*
If you the matter view, whoselowring Face
A Sophister would at first sight so scare, (&c.)
And yet O strange! a wonder to relate,*
At this same Spring naked Diana sate, (&c.)
Yet further for to answer your desire,*
I say this Subject never felt the Fire,
Of Sulphur Metalline, but is more crude*
Than any Mineral, (&c.)
Page 34
And its Components are, a Mercury, *
Most pure, though tender with a Sulphur dry,
Incarcerate, which doth the Flux re∣strain, (&c.)
And hinders the sweet Communion of*
This Virgin Lead, and her dear Sis∣ter, &c.
Which would otherwise warm a Bath for Sol, (&c.)
Know then the Subject, which the sure base*
Of all our secrets is, and it un case, (&c,)
Tis, our Stone, it is Saturn's Child, Its Constitution is Cold, it must there∣fore*be mixed with another Sulphur, found in the House of Aries, (&c)

Our Subject it is no ways Malleable
It is Metalline, and its Colour Sable,*
With intermixed Argent, which in Veins
The Sable Feild with glittering Branch∣es stains. (&c.)
This is sufficient to shew the nature of the two first Principles, and the ne∣cessity of their Conjunction.

And this differs not from what Basil Valentine Writes, who teaches to Dis∣solve Gold by a deep glittering Mineral,
Page 35

grown in the Mine of Saturne, and is of the first matter of Metals.

Also in his Treatise of Natural and Supernatural things, he says, Mars and Venus can perform nothing to attain * any thing with wealth without the Lyon. And says, their Melioration lies conceal'd in their Signet Star or Magnet, out of which all Metals have themselves recei∣ved their Gifts.

Then Speaking of the first matter * from the Center, he says tis compared to the middle World, he further says, 'tis a true water, a Soulish water, the * Mother of all Metals; is heated by the Spirits of Sulphur, which by its digesti∣on makes the Earthly Body Lively, wherein the Salt is evidently found, which preserves from Putrefaction, &c.

And in the third Chapter of the Spi∣rit of Mercury, pag. 43. he says, All visible Tangible things are made of this Spirit: That it is a meer Air flying, a * moving wind, but if it can be caught and made Carporal, it resolves into a Body, and becomes a pure clear Tran∣sparent Water, and the first Mercurial Root of the Minerals and Metals. That it is that Celestial water whereof very * much hath been written, for by this Spirit of Mercury all Metals may if need


Page 36

require, be broken, opened and resolved into their first matter without Corro∣sive: That this is the Master Key of his second Key, (&c.)

And pag. 59. That this Spirit of Mer∣cury is the only true Key, and that without it, you can never make Cor∣poral Gold potable, nor the Philosophers Stone.

This also may suffice, to shew that all the Philosophers are upon one and the same Foundation, and do mean one and the same thing, and process.

The Purifying and Joyning of these two first Principles is contain'd in the gross or foul work, as appears by Norton in his Ordinal. Chap. 4. Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 45. Where he tells us of two kinds in the grounded Matter: Their Names he says are before, viz. Magnetia & Litharge.*

These two Principles he also calls two Stones.

In Chap. 3. Pag. 41. Speaking to Tonsile, he saith,

Many things helpeth to apt our Stone,
But two be materials, yet our Stone is one.
Page 37

Then he says they are as Mother and Child, as Male and Femal, Sister and Brother, as in Pag. 43. And afterwards thus in Pag 41.

One of thes kindes a Stone ye shall finde,
For it abideth Fire as Stones doe by kinde:
But it is no Stone in touching ne in sight,
But a subtill Earth, Brown, roddy, and not Bright;
And when it is seperate and brought to his appearage,
Then we name it our grounde Litharge.
First it is Browne, Roddy, and after some deale White,
And then it is called our chosen Markasite:
One ounce thereof is better then fifty pounde;
It is not to be Sould in all Christian Grounde;
But he that would have it he shall be faine
To doe it make, or take himselfe the paine:
But one great grace in that labour is saine,
Make it once well and never more againe,
Old Fathers call'd it thing of Vile price,
For it is nought worth by way of Mar∣chandise:
No Man that findeth it woll beare it a∣waie,
No more then thei would an ounce of Claye;
Page 38
Men will not beleive that it is of High Price,
No Man knoweth it therefore but he be wise.
Here I have disclosed a greate Secret Wonder,
Which never was Writ by them which been Earth under.
Another Stone Tonsile you must have withall,*
Or else you fawte your cheefe Material;
Which is a Stone Gloriouse Faier and Bright,
In bandling a Stone, and a Stone in sight;
Being of Wonderfull Diaphanitie,
The price of an ounce conveniently,
Is Twenty Shillings or well neere thereby;
Her name is Magnetia, few people her knowe,
She is fownde in high places as well as in lowe;
Plato knew her Property and called her by her name,
And Chaucer rehearseth how Titanos is the same,
In the Channons Yeomans Taile, say∣ing what is thus,
But Quid ignotum per Magis ignoti∣us, (&c.)
Page 39
Now here you may know what is Magnetia,
Res aeris inqua latet scientia divinaque mira.
These two Stones, Tonsile, ye must take
For your Materials, Elixir if you make.
Albeit the first tyme Materials be no more,*
Yet many things helpeth as I said before.
This Secrete was never before this daye
So trewly discovered, take it for your praye;
I pray God that this turne not me to Charge,
For I dread sore my Penn goeth too large, (&c.)
Here you see how cautious he is of discovering too much, and yet he must be well read in this Art, that can by his Words know these two Principles; but he tells us he was taught by a Master, and I sup∣pose received his Secret under an Oath; for in pag. 11. he hints as much in these Words, and the Figure there representing the same.

Secreta Sctoe Alkymiae secrete servabo.*
Accipe donum Dei sub sigillo secreto.*
Page 40

In Pag. 47. He speaks to this effect, That the foulest Work is to clarifie our means Mineral; that Extremities may not well be wrought without many means wisely sought, and that every * mean must be made Pure; that the gross Work is soul and full of Perils, and that the Clerk as well as Lay-man may fail in it. And as for Magnetia he says thus, (viz.)

Nemo primo fronte reperitur discretus.
And once I heard a wise Man say,
How in Catilonia at this day,
Magnetia with Mineral means all,
Be made to sale if ye for them call,
Whereby the hands of a cleanly Clerke,
Shall not be filed about so foule a Werke.
And here you may observe, that as the first is purified by the second, he calls it Litharge; and as the se∣cond is purified by the first he calls it Magnesia.

The Conjunction of both is called, Rebis & resuna, Aes Philosophorum, Arsenicum, Air, Chaos, Herma∣phrodite, with many other Names, of which hereafter.

Page 41

This Magnetia, it seems, was to be had ready prepared in Catalonia; and truly it may be now had ready prepared in England, though the Preparors make it not for this purpose, and not always after the true Metalline way; 'tis best the Artist prepare it himself. Again, the preparing of it is something dange∣rous to the Work-man. Norton speak∣ing of the Fires to be used in this Work, pag. 104. says,

For Magnetia is Fier of Effusion,
Full of Perills and full of Illusion;
Not onely perill which to the Warke maie fall,
But such alsoe which the Master hurte shall,
Against which once received is no boote,
Ordaine therefore to fetch breath from your Foote.
'Tis true, the Scent in preparing it is not Pleasing, Smelling Sulphureous, and like late-made Graves newly open'd, like dead Mens Bones, as saith Basil Va∣lentine; yet not so dangerous as repre∣sented.

But to return to Chaucer, who calls it Titanos, in his Tale of the Chanons Teoman, Theat. Chim. Britt. page 254. he writes thus.

Page 42
Lo thus saith Arnolde of the new Toune,
As his Rosayre maketh mencioune:
He sayth right thus withouten any lye,
There may no Man Mercury mortifie;
But if it be with his Brothers knowledg∣ing;
Lo how that he which firste sayd this thyng
Of Phylosophers Father was, Hermes.
He sayth how that the Dragon doutlesse
Ne dyeth not, but if he be stayne
With his Brother: And this is for to sayne,
By the Dragon Mercurye and none other,
He understood that Brimstone was his Brother.
That out of Sol and Luna were ydrawe,
And therefore say'd he, take heed to my Sawe.
Let no Man besye him this Arte for to Seche,
But he that the entention and Speche
Of Phylosophers understonde can,
And if he do he is a leud Man:
For this Science, and this Connyng (quod he)*
Is of the Secre of the Secres Parde.
Also there was a Disciple of Plato,
That on a tyme sayd his Master to:
Page 43
As his Book Senior wool bere Wytnesse,
And this was his demaunde in Sothfast∣nesse
Tellme the name of the privy Stone?
And Plato answered unto him anone,
Take the Stone that Tytanos Men name,*
Which is that (quod he?) Magnatia is the same,
Said Plato; ye Sir, and is it thus?
This is ignotum per ignotius:
What is Magnatia good, Sir I you pray?
It is a Water that is made, I say
Of Elements four (quod Plato)
Tell me the Rock good Sir (quod he tho)
Of that Water, if it be your will.
Nay, nay (quod Plato) certayne that I nyll.
The Philosophers were y Sworne e•hone,
That they shulde discover it unto none,
Ne in no Boke it write in no mane•e,
For unto Christ it is so lefe and dere,
That he wol not that it discovered be,
But where it liketh to his Deite;
Man to enspyre and eke for to desende,
Whan that him lyketh, to this is his ende.
Thus you see how the ancient Philo∣phers were Sworn not to discover their Rock of clear Water, and that this Work is the highest piece of Philoso∣phy


Page 44

in Nature. This Water is made of the four Elements said Plato; so is the joyning of the two first Principles said to be the mixing of the four Elements; the one being Hot and Dry, the other Cold and Moist. This Water is also called Aqua Divina, Aqua Benedicta, Aqua Coelestis, (&c.) with many other Names.

One Author (that shall be nameless) speaking of the Conjunction of these two Principles, saith it is a Magistery, and calleth the first the Divine Instru∣ment, and the second he calls Mercury, and saith that the Addition of the In∣strument, that is Quintessence, goeth through the Mercury, and remaineth with it; and seeing that Quintessence belongeth to Life, it changeth the Mer∣cury, so that now Mercury is nothing else but Life also; and this Operation is done very quickly, without any ele∣mental Working, for as every Work∣man adorneth his Work, and giveth it his Mark, by the which the Master∣piece is known, so also God Marketh this his Creation, and giveth it the no∣blest Sign that is in Heaven. (&c.)

So, now you have his Words, you may easily find out the Man. He also calls this Matter (being purged) Lu∣na;
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so soon (saith he) as Mercury perceiveth the power of God Sol, it is no longer Mercury but Luna, that this Mercury is wholly changed and turn'd about; so that was inward is drawn out∣ward, but no part separated from ano∣ther, &c.

But what needeth many Words, you have the thing before so sufficiently described, that I may say, he that can∣not thereby easily name it, savoureth nothing at all of Ingenuity.

This Soul (saith my Master) as it is drawn from the Saturnia sollid and dry, is called our Air, or rather the Chamelion, which is an Airy Body (but indeed it hath a hundred other Names.)

This, says he, is true Sulphur which is imbibed by the Mercuriality of Satur∣nia, and Notes it with the Regal Sig∣net; and being united and revived into a Mineral Water, by the mediation of Dianas Doves, it is the sharp Spirit, which in the Water, moves the Body to putrefie, &c [Thus is made a Medi∣cine of the first Order by Calcina∣tion.]

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Next we will proceed to the third Principle of Earth, after we have observed a few of the Names of these two Principles: First as they are apart, and afterwards as they are joyned; besides such as you have heard before.

First of the Air, Female, or Water of dissolving Mercury.
Aeyrenaes in his Opus Tripartitum, or Vera Confectio Lapidis Philosophici, in the Division, De principali proprietate Mercurii dissolventis, pag. 21. amongst others, sets down these; Acetum, Aqua, aqua prima, aqua artis, aqua simplex, balneum, Coelum, humiditas, Ignis humi∣dus, ignis contra naturam, liquor vege∣tabilis Crudus, Luna, Mater, Materia Lunaria, mercurius crudus, mercurius dissolvens, Ministerium primum, Quinta Essentia, Spiritus crudus, Spiritus cocti Sepulchurum, Sperma Mercurii, Stoma∣chus Struthionis, vas Philosophorum, Vi∣sitatio occultorum, & argentum vivum crudum à minera simpliciter extractum.

Pag. 48. (after some alteration of it) Aqua divina, aqua mundi, aqua ve∣nenosa, aqua auri, aquila, Caput Corvi, fimus equinus, flos aeris, fumus igneus,
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humidum igneum, igneum venenum, ig∣nis innaturalis, Leo viridis, Lutum Ma∣gisterii, Magnesia nigra, Nigrum nigrius nigro, nummus, Oleum Saturni, Plumbum nigrum, pulvis niger, putrefactio, res vilis, Ros coelestis, sigillum hermetis, Spi∣ritus foetens, sputum Lunae, terr a nigra, Vapor. &c.

In the Book called Palladium Spagyri∣cum, are hundreds of Names, yet I ap∣prove not his Cunning.

Secondly, As to the Male or Fire.
Pag. 57. Adam, Anima, Aries, an∣rum vivum, Corpus rubeum, ferrum, for∣ma, frater, gumma rubea, Ignis Natu∣rae, Lapis rubeus, Lytargyrium rubeum, Lux, Mane, Mars, Magnesia rubea, O∣leum Martis, oleum incombustibile, pater, pars una, Rex, Rubedo, Sal rubeum, Se∣ricon, Sol, sulphur rubeum, sulphur vi∣vum, terra rubea, vitriolum rubeum.

De predictorum duorum conjunctione, pag. 22. Aqua secunda, arcanum, argen∣tum*vivum, Chaos, corpus confusum, Cu∣prum, Aes nostrum, Aes philosophorum, fumus aquosus, ignis alienus, Lapis mi∣neralis, Lapis unus, Lapis in Capitulis notus, Laton, Materia una, massa consu∣sa, minera nostra, Menstruum secundam, Ovum philosophorum, Radix una, Res una & res vilis, &c.

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Pag. 38. Aes album, argentum vi∣vum animatum, Arsenicum, Aurum, au∣rum album, corpus album, Eva, Funda∣mentum Artis, Gumma alba, Hermophro∣ditus, Lac virginis, Lapis unus, Luna plena, Magnesia, Materia una metallo∣rum, Mercurius occidens, Plumbum al∣bum, Radix artis, Sal Alchali, sapo sapientum, soror, sperma metallorum, stannum, sulphur album, Terra fructuosa, Vitrum, Urina puerorum, Vultur, with many others, and which are sometimes indifferently applied to either.

Of the Addition of the third Principle, or Earth.
You observed before, that it is said, the former Matter being united and re∣vived * into a Mineral Water, by the medi∣ation of Dianas Doves, is the sharp Spi∣rit, that in the Water moves the Body to putrefie.

This is the same with what Aeyrenae∣us writes in his Introitus Apertus, in several parts thereof.

Pag. 5. Disce igitur, &c. Learn therefore who are the Companions of Cadmus, and what is that Serpent who devoured them, what is that hollow Oak to which Cadmus fastned the Ser∣pent:


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Learn what the Doves of Diana* are, which overcome the Lion by as∣swaging him, I say the Green Lion, which indeed is the Babylonian Dragon, killing all things with his Poyson. At length learn to know the Caducean Rod of Mercury with which he worketh Wonders, and what the Nymphs are which he infects by Incantation, if thou desirest to enjoy thy Wish.

In Chap. 6. Concerning their Air, and why so called, and that it has still an arsenical Malignity, which hinders all manner of Ingress of the extracentrical Waters, unto the Waters that are in the Center.

Hic Fur, &c. This Thief is Evil, * armed with arsenical Malignity, whom the winged Youngster doth abhor and fly from; and although the central Wa∣ter be his Bride, yet the youngster dares not utter his most ardent Love to∣wards her, because of the Snares of the Thief, whose Snares are almost inavoid∣able: In this let Diana be propitious to thee, who knows how to tame the wild Beasts, whose two Doves shall tem∣perate the Malignity of the Air with their Feathers, then the Youth enters easily in, &c.

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And pag. 12. After he hath shew'd how to joyn and purify the two first Principles; he says of them, Hic est Infans Hermaphroditus, &c. This is the Hermaphroditical Infant, which even from his Cradle hath been infected by the biting of the Corascene Mad Dog, whereby he is besotted and distracted with a perpetual *Hydrophoby. Yea though the Water be nearer him than any natural Thing, yet he abhors it and flies it. O Fates! But yet there are in the Wood of Diana two Doves which can asswage his Madness, (&c.) The English Book (or Secrets Reveal∣ed) adds pag. 16. [if applied by the Art of the Nymph Venus, then least he should again relapse, &c.] And pag. 17. it runs thus (speaking of these Doves) supply the Feathers, and the Eagle will fly away, and leave the dead Doves of Diana; which except they shall be dead at the first receiving, they cannot be profitable, &c. The Latin Book, or Introitus Apertus, says thus, pag. 13. Fulgente Luna in suo plenilunio pennas suppedita, & avolabit Aquila re∣lictis pone se mortuis Dianoe calumbis, quoe si primâ acceptione fuerint mortuae, pro∣desse nequeunt: There is a great diffe∣rence


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betwixt being dead and being alive.

And Sendivogius, pag. 110 Lat. 76 Engl. saith, If in any Science or Art it doth much help or hurt to have one word lacking, or added, than much more in this. As for Example, it is written in one place, Then mix these Waters together; another adds Not: He indeed added but a little, and not∣withstanding he made the whole Chap∣ter quite contrary, (&c.) But to re∣turn to our purpose.

Introit. Apert. pag. 21. Shewing that the Off-spring of Saturn hath no actual Sulphur in it, says, It hath en∣tred into League with a burning arseni∣cal Sulphur, and therefore appears not under a mercurial Form, (&c.) But af∣ter it hath swallowed the Sulphur of Aries, he says, the Magi tried to purge Mercury therewith, but the Event did not Answer, because there was yet mix∣ed an arsenical Malignity in the Sul∣phur so swallowed; which though now it was but little, in respect of that abun∣dance which it had in its mineral Na∣ture; yet it hindred all Ingress. Where∣fore they tried to contemperate this malignity of the Air by the Doves of


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Diana, and the Event answered their Desires, Tum vitam vitae commiscue∣runt, (&c.)

Introitus Aper. Chap. 14. pag. 37 says, to this purpose, We have more∣over shewn that the preparation of the true philosophical Mercury is difficult: Tamque difficilis ut opus sit peculiari Dei gratia, si quis ad exactam ejus notitiam prevenire cupierit. The English Book af∣ter the word difficult adds these words, pag. 52. [The main knot lying in finding out Dianas Doves which are folded in the everlasting Arms of Ve∣nus, which no Eyes but a true Philo∣sopher ever saw. This one Skill per∣forms the Mastery of Theory, enables a Philosopher, and unfolds to the know∣er of it all our Secrets. This is the Guordian Knot which will be a Knot for ever to a Tyro in this Art, except the Finger of God direct.] Yea so dif∣ficult, &c.

I know not what to say of this, and several other passages in the English Book, which was publi∣shed by W. C. directed to the Honourable the Lord Lucas, Ba∣ron of Shenfeild in Essex, Anno 1669.

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After the Author's Preface, there is this Admonition.

READER,

THE true Manuscript Copy, which John Langius, in his Preface, doth so much thirst after, is here publi∣shed for thy Benefit, in which thou wilt find considerable Enlargements and Ex∣planations, wherein the Latin Transla∣tion is deficient, as Witnesseth Chap. 15. &c.

But this is plain that Aeyrenaeus re∣fers to the Latin Introitus Apertus, as appears in his Preface to Ripley Revi∣ved, Printed 1678. and there he says, that he had lately wrote the Introitus, &c. yet that by John Langius (which I have) was Printed Amsterdam 1667.

I suppose this W. C. is the same that publish'd The Philosophical Epitaph of W. C. Esq 1673. Dedicated to the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq for there in his Preface, before that part, called, A Brief of the Golden Calf, he menti∣ons the open Entrance to the shut Pa∣lace of the King.

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Now let us see what he hath learned from it; in his Epitaph, pag. 15. he de∣clares the preparation of Mercury in these words; viz.

For Mercuries preparation is thus: viz. By a Mineral with Sable Silver∣veins, which is the Dragon born in Sa∣turns Den, devouring Cadmus with his earthly Men.

First then this Dragon double strength to Mars, *
Must be yet pierc't by him being God of Wars;
Then both will perish and become a Star,
Where the young King is born who is So∣lar.
Then wash equal Venus in's Blood, and let
Them joyn till Vulcan take them in a Net;
Which Mercury gently on his Wings must bear,
Till he steals their Wealth, and Sols Body tare;
Wherein then Sol will freely shed his Seed,
And this is all whereof we stand in need,
Which ordered right you cannot choose but speed, (&c.)
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This is very plain (if true) first a Dragon pierc't by Mars, then wash e∣qual Venus in's Blood, which Mercury must gently bear on his Wings, where∣in then Sol, &c.

Here we find his third Principle in the Mercury is Venus, which, I suppose, he gathered from these words, in the open Entrance; viz. But yet there are in the Woods of Diana two Doves which can asswage his frantick Mad∣ness, if applied by the Art of the Nymph Venus, (&c.) and from these words. [The main Knot lying in finding Dianas Doves, which are folded in the everlasting Arms of Venus, (&c.)] and from these words p. 77.

If then thou work in Sol Vulgar be sure to procure the Marriage of Diana Venus in the beginning of the Espou∣sals of thy Mercury, then put them into the Nest, (&c.) The Latin thus, p. 52: Quare si cum Sole vulgi fueris operatus, cave ut Veneris connubia sollicitè compa∣res, deinde thoro suo impone, (&c.) I doubt me whether W. C. Esq knew the Philosophical Venus and Diana; for they are both one, as is plain by what follows.

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And yet, O strange! a Wonder to re∣late,*
At this same Spring naked Diana sat, (&c.)
Aeyrenaeus in his Treatise, called Vade Mecum Philosophicum, annext to his Opus Tripartitum, pag. 218. says, That sig∣num*Corporis imperfecti praeparati est Candor egregius instar argenti purissi∣mi, &c.

Pag. 219. Qua propter opus hoc re∣gium Rex summus signavit, vilis tamen res est, etiam & pretiosissima, &c.

Mille ei nomina ab Antiquis pariter ac
Modernis Sophis imposita leguntur, &c.
Leo. viridis, medium, aqua maris, ace∣tum acerrimum, ignis secretus,
Saturnia, herba in monte, Luna, solis nxor, femina.*
Beyaque appellatur, Saturni Deastro∣rum Senioris proles est, unde Venus à*quibusdam nominatur, &c. Nemus porro sibi dicatum habet ideoque venatricis Di∣anae*nomen accipit, &c.

Pag. 213. Dico tibi bona fide quod so∣la nostra Luna, (quae solis uxor est in opere) nomine mutato nos deludat, &c.

Pag. 215. Luna nostra quae faemellae vices habet proles est Saturnia, quae cum
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bellicoso Deo, affinitatem conjugii con∣traxit, ideoque Veneris nomine ab invi∣dis*vocatur; Arsenicum vero dicitur partim quia uti cuprum ab Arsenico deal∣batur,*ita, &c.

Pag. 221. Corpus tamen revera Her∣maphroditicum, auri respectu argentive mercurins vivus est, & aqua fugitiva, Mercurii vero mineralis collatione terra vera apparet, terra tamen Adamica b. e. Chaos sive limbus nominari meretur, &c.*

Well then, W.C. knew not the Doves of Diana, nor why so called. Herme∣tick Secrets in English, p. 172. And though their Writings abound with am∣biguous and equivocal Words; yet a∣bout none do they more contend, than in hiding their golden Branch.

—Quem teget omnis*
Lucus; & obscuris claudunt convalli∣bus umbrae.
Which all the Groves with Shadows overcast, and gloomy Vallies hide.

Nor yieldeth it to any Force, but rea∣dily and willingly will follow him, who

Maternas agnoscit aves
—Et geminae cui forte columbae
Ipsa sub ora viri coelo venere volantes,
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Knows Dame Venus Birds—
And him to whom of Doves a lucky paire,
Sent from above shall hover 'bout his Eare, &c.
The knowledge of Dianas Doves (otherwise Dame Venus Birds) is the main Knot then, How shall we do to find them?

There is an ingenious Book, Entitled Disceptatio de Lapide Physico, that in pag. 88. endeavouring to expound Aey∣renaeus, has these words. Juvenis ala∣tus est Mercurius, Chaos seu Infans Her∣mophroditus est Regulus Stellatus. Canis Corascenus rabidus, est sulfur Arsenicale, Columbae Dianae sunt salia, Aquila evo∣lans est Mercurius purissimus, homogeni∣tate unus, substanttâ Essentiali duplica∣tus, propter sulphur secum ascendens ani∣matus, cum quo, &c.

Columbae Dianae sunt salia, &c. Well then the Doves of Diana are Salts it seems. Salts, says he, What Salts? Nay, who can tell? He might as well have said nothing of them. What shall we do now then? Why, e'en go to Aeyrenaeus himself, and hear what he says of them.

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Ripley Revived, pag. 24. In this our Work our Diana is our Body, when it is mixed with the Water, for then all is called the Moon; for Laton is whiten∣ed, and the Woman bears Rule: Our Diana hath a Wood; for in the first days of the Stone, our Body, after it is whitened, grows vegetably. In this Wood are at the last found two Doves; for about the end of three weeks the Soul of the Mercury ascends with the Soul of the dissolved Gold: These are infolded in the everlasting Arms of Ve∣nus; for in this Season the Confections are all tincted with a pure green Colour: These Doves are circulated seven times, for in seven is Perfection, and they are left dead, for they then rise and move no more; our Body is then Black like to a Crows Bill, for in this Operation all is turned to Powder, blacker than the blackest. (Such passages as these, &c.)

Gentlemen, How do you like this, is it not very plain? I hope you are now throughly Satisfied: but stay, methinks you look soomewhat angerier than be∣fore, all is not well I doubt, let us read on then; pag. 25. Such passages as these we do oftentimes use when we speak of the preparation of our Mercury; and


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this we do to deceive the Simple; and and it is also for no other end that we confound our Operations, speaking of one, when we ought to speak of another, for if this Art were but plainly set down, our Operations would be Contempt∣able even to the Foolish, &c.

Ho, ho, my Master, you intend then to deceive us simple ones, do you? But hold we will not let you go so, because your Work is truly Natural. You therefore take the Liberty to * confound the Philosophers Work, with that which is purely Natures Work, that so ye might keep the simple in Igno∣rance concerning your true Vinegar, which being unknown, our labour is wholly lost, &c. This is very fine in∣deed: To what purpose have I (and many more) taken so much pains, and laid out so much Money to buy your Books, and spent so much time in Reading them, nay moreover run the hazard of cracking my Brain with thinking upon it, and some say I have done it already; and if it be so, l'le lay the whole blame upon you, and Master Sendivogius, &c. Nay I will not excuse Prince Geber himself, that is so subtile in his Sum of Perfection.

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Aeyren.
Be not so Angry young Man, nor yet so hasty—Have you con∣sidered well what the Philosophers write.; are you so fitly qualified as Sendivogius, and the others direct, and have you duely observed their Directi∣ons?

Hort.
Sir, I Humbly beg your Par∣don, I did not perceive you was so nigh at hand, I readily acknowledge, that this Art cannot be Fathom'd, much less, enjoy'd by all men: I confess my self not to be so Prepared and Qualified, as the matter requires, and am altoge∣ther unworthy of so great a Gift, and therefore I fear must now bid both it and you, a long farewel, (Good Sir) Farewel.

Aeyren.
But hold, stay a little, Did not you say e'en now, that I should be unto you as a Master? Are you not advised to abide in the simple way of Nature, to persist in the Text, and to wait with patience, &c? I am not willing you should thus loose your labour, as you call it, tho' what you have taken there∣in amounts not to the tenth part, which some others far more deserving than your self have done, and yet never made such large Exclamations; If J. be your


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Master, Let me hear you now repeat the Principles and Foundation of this Art.

Hert.
Sir, I shall do it readily, since you are pleased to require it. This Art con∣sists in the Metalline Kingdom only, in Metals from Metals, and by Metals; It is built upon four Metalline Princi∣ples or Elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water, That the two first joynd are Radix Artis and the true Key: That enough of them hath been said already, that we are now seeking out the third Principle of Earth, the Doves of Diana, which reconciles the two first to the last; that therefore they must be of a Metalline Nature, and make the second Work, which may be called Conjun∣ction Triptative, &c.

Aeyren.
Now see if in my Writings, I have not sufficiently touched this Principle of Earth, or the Doves of Diana.

Hert.
Sir, I thank you for your seasonable Advice; and, with your Favour, I will make a further search. Let me see—

Vera confectio Lapidis Philoso. p. 133. Nunc ad medicianam secundi ordinis tran∣seamus,*quae habet inspirare, tingere et fermentare primam compositionem, Unde Calidius Philosophus, nemo potest vel po∣stea
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poterit tingere terram albam folia∣tam nisi cum Auro. Seminate aurum ve∣strum in terra alba foliata, seminate hoc est conjungite vel fermentate, aurum id est animam vel virtutem tingentem, in terra alba foliata, hoc est in terra pre∣paratione debita facta, alba et munda in qua non sint sordes, nam si it a preparata non sit, non sit idonea ut possit suam for∣mam vel animam recipere, ut conjunctae fiant immortales, &c.

Pag. 155. Atque finalis scopus istius medicinae secundi Ordinis est: Reducere lapidem in terram fixam, spiritualem et tingentem.

Pag. 142. Accipe sulphur album et ipsum fige Luper corpus suum album fixum et mundatum, id est supra argentum: Et sulphur rubeum supra corpus suum rubeum scil. supra aurum, &c.

Pag. 150. Praeterea ad hanc medi∣cinam secundi Ordinis spectat illud Her∣metis. Scitote (inquit) rumorum in∣quisitores et sapientiae filii, quod Vultur supra montem existens in Cacumine voce magna clamat, inquiens, protige me et ego protegam te; largire mihi jus meum ut te adjuvem. Sol enim meus et radii mei sunt in me: Luna vero mihi propria est ac lumen meum omne lumen superat
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et mea bona omnibus bonis sunt sublimiora. Me igitur, &c.

Fons Chemicae Philosophiae, pag. 93. Sed ut ad aquam revertamur, in qua cre∣de mihi totum secretum consistit, quae a∣qua licet sit una, non tamen est simplex sed composita, nempe ex Vase et igne Phi∣losophorum,*quibus tertium additur, nempe vinculum. Quum igitur, &c.

Introit. Apert. p. 4. Est nempe in aqua no∣stra requisitus primò ignis, secundo liquor Saturniae vegetabilis tertiò Mercurii vin∣culum, &c.

I am not to learn, that sometimes and in some respects the first Principle of Fire is called Vinculum Mercurii, be∣cause it tends to the fixing of it; but the Water is tied to the Fire, only by the third Principle.

Ripley Revived, pag. 290.

The second manner is called Triptative,
Which is Conjunction of things Three,
Of Body, Soul and Spirit, that they not strive,
Which Trinity thou must bring to Unity;
For as the Soul to the Spirit the Bond must be;
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Right so the Body the Soul to him must knit,
Out of thy Mind let not this Lesson flit.
Pag. 292. Know that the Soul doth not ascend, but it carries with it a fer∣mental Odour of the Body, by which it doth so effectually affect the Spirit, that it begins to think of taking a new Impression, and becomes daily by little and little more and more able to suffer Fire, and by consequence draws to the nature of a Body; observe this, &c.

Pag. 307. The next is to know our Mercury, which is not Common but Artificial, drawn from three Heads by the mediation of one thing, which makes the two which are dry and sul∣phureous, to unite with one which is moist and mercurial.

Brevis Manuductio ad Rubin: Coele∣stem, pag. 69. Causa secunda finalis haec est, ut contrarias qualitates concilia•emus. Non autem conciliantur qualitates contra∣riae nisi per medium. (Pag. 70.) Me∣dium*ergo erit utrius{que} Partïceps utrique accommodatum. Vertendo itaque compo∣situm in terram jam concordant in hoc ter∣tio
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frigus & calor ut cohabitare possint, &c. Postea vero in aquam dissolvendo conciliantur, &c.

Also in Rip. Rev you speak to this purpose, viz. For certainly the ferment * which cometh between the compound Body and the Water, causeth a Death and a Regeneration, &c.

Also in another part of it, thus: Now in the Composition of these three; first our common Mercury, and the two * Principles of our Compound there in∣terceeds the Ferment, &c. Out of which, though it be a Body, proceeds yet a specificated Odour, &c.

Now, Sir, I thank you for your En∣couragement, since I have cause to re∣joyce.

Aeyren.
How come you to lay any stress up∣on these Words?

Hort.
Because, Sir, you have expresly said it more than once or twice, and a cer∣tain honest Author speaks to this pur∣pose, That after the joyning of the two first Principles, the Mercury of the se∣cond may then be said to be dead, and never more to be made living but by Argent vive, which cannot be done without mixture; but that it will not mingle it self with the common Argent
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vive, because of the Sulphur, &c. there∣fore there must be a medium; that in * the medium must be a Specifick sepera∣tive Power to coagulate, &c. for com∣mon Mercury has no Specifick; there∣fore take, &c.

This, Sir, I think, agrees exactly with your own words formerly ci∣ted.

Aeyr.
It does so. Name your Author therefore, for certainly he is one of the plainest that ever writ concerning this Principle.

Hor.
He is no plainer, Sir, in this than in the rest, but his Book is of small Account; and I must beg your Pardon, Sir, because in your Preface to Ripley Revived, after you have told us what light you received from Bernard Tre∣visan; you say next to him, or ra∣ther before him, in some respects, is an Author whom you will not name, &c. So, Sir, I follow your Example, and I know you can easily perceive the words are not of my own invention.

Aeyr.
But how then has this your Earth a relation to the Doves of Diana, which are spoke in the Plural?

Hor.
Because of the Quantity, Sir; which is two to one.

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Aeyren.
Have you seen any Receipt for it?

Hort.
Yes, Sir, one of your own; it is as follows.

Arcanum Arsenici Philosophici.
1. Accepi Draconis ignei partem unam et

2. Corporis Magnetici partes duas praeparavi simul per ignem torridum et quinta prae∣paratione factae sunt Arsenici veri circi∣ter unc. viii.

Arcanum praeparandi Mercurium cum suo arsenico ad faeces amittendas.
3. Recipiebam Arsenici optimi partem unam, feci cum Dianae Virginis partibus duabus connubium incorpore uno, minutim trivi et cum hoc praeparavi Mercurium meum elaborando simul omnia in calido usque dum optime incorporarentur, &c.

Aeyren.
Now I find you take Receipts accord∣ing to the Letter, not considering you said before, that the Fire and Air joyned, is called Diana or Arsnick, &c. and yet you make your third Principle two parts of the Virgin Diana to one of Arsnick.

This is idem per idem; besides, How do you know this is my Receipt?

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Hort.
O, Sir, Expede Herculem, and if you are pleased to word it so, I cannot help it; I am sure the meaning is otherwise; and I can easily perceive you have more Sols, more Lunas, more Dianas, and more Mercuries than one.

Aeyren.
Have you any other Au∣thorities?

Hort.
Yes, Sir, that one that's Nameless; he also directs me to take more of the Earth than of the Fire and Air, and more of Water than of the o∣ther three.

Aeyren.
And hath he told you how this second Work appears, and the Temperature of it?

Hort:
Yes, Sir, he saith it appears a Mass Metalline, of the Colour of Lead; and that it is easily beat to Pow∣der (which I have also experimentally found to be true).

Aeyren.
Have you observed any such words from me?

Hort.
Yes, Sir, in the Breviary of Alchymy, Rip. Rev. Pag. 10. Position the third, you say,

Three Substances make only two Na∣tures, Earth and Water.

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Earth and Water equally proportion∣ed that is best. Here it is Evident (say you) That three Substances make up but two Natures of Earth and Water: The Man and Wife are both Bodies, or Earths; the one Fixed and Ripe, the other Volatile and Unripe, and by mixture make a brittle Black Herma∣phroditical Body or Earth, called the Philosophers Lead, &c. So, Sir, I ob∣served you have more Leads than one; for you call the Green Lion your Lead; and in its Preparation you speak of two Substances, and here you speak of three; also you have your Read-Lead else∣where named.

Aeyren.
Well, this looks something like it indeed, but you know it is spoken as to another purpose. Now proceed to your Element of Water, and lets hear what you will make of them at the last.

The joyning of the fourth Element.
Hors.
I shall, Sir, and first from your Vera confectio Lapidis Philosophici, pag. 155. Medicina tertii Ordinis est illa praepa∣•atio*Lapidis, quae a Philosophis Maxi∣mo in pretio habetur, et vocatur Iteratio
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sive Multiplicatio, Unde Philosophus: Totius operis summum arcanum est disso∣lutio physica in Mercurium, et in primam materiam reductio.

156. Deinde in aceto nostro coelestino solve, et certe solvetur in aquam clarissi∣mam et quasi fontanam.

Pag. 157. Item notabis quod in omni dissolutione physica debes mittere tres res: Rem quae humectat, quae dividit et quae lavet, &c.

160. Tamen soluta non bene operatur nisi prius figatur in suo fermento.

161. Ut hanc Tertii Ordinis Medi∣cinam tibi clariùs explicem, sic accipe. Oportet omnino quòd de corpore fiat Mer∣curius, hoc est, quòd fixum fiat volatile cum volatili, hoc est, cum Mercurio Mundo, &c.

Brevis Manuduc. Pag. 69. Postea vera in aquam dissolvendo conciliau∣tur, &c.

Next I will shew you what Mr. Nor∣ton says of the Water or Liquor; and therein he doth clearly hint the third Principle also: In Theat. Chem. Britt.

Consider also the nature of the meane,*
When it is in the third Degree made cleane;
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The purer that your meanes be,
The more Perfection thereof ye shall see.
The meanes reteyne a great part
Of the Vertues of this Art:
For the Principle may not give influence
To the final End, neither the refluence
Unto his principal, without Succour and Aid
Of meanes conteyning the extremities aforesaid, &c.
Liquor is a thing moveable,*
Of fleeting Substance and Unstable.
All such things follow the Moon,
More then standing kindes doone;
And that appeareth to a Clerke,
In working of the white Werke:
Liquors washen and maken cleane,
Both Extremities and the Meane, &c.
And pag. 76, 77, 78. Speaking of their several sorts of Liquors or Waters; as Aquam ab Aere, Stilla roris madidi, Water of Litharge, and Water of Azot to make Lac Virginis, Aqua vitae, Quin∣tessence, Aqua Vivificans, &c.

Of another Liquor wise Men tell,
Which is fresher than Water of the Well;*
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Fresher Liquor there is none in taste,
Yet it will never consume ne waste;
Though it be occupied ever more,
It will never be less in Store;
Which Democrit named for his intent,
Lux umbra carens, Water most Orient:
Hermes said no Liquor so necessarye,
As was Water of Crude Mercury:*
For he shall stand, said that noble Clerke,
For the Water within our Werke.
Now lerne ye which for this Science have sought,
By all these Liquors our Stone must be wrought.
Hermetick Secrets, saith, That Mer∣curies Leprosie infesting the Body, is not of its Root and Substance, but Ac∣cidental, and therefore seperable from it.

Fons Chemicae Philoso. pag. 104. Mer∣curius enim Vulgi est Aqua, sed deest ei Spiritus et vis ignea ad urendum: Supple si potes quod deest summo cum Artisicio, tum non amplius erit Mercurius Vulgi, sed similis nostro, sed si hoc facere non pos∣sis, dimitte istum Mercurium, quia nihil ab ipso praeter damnum expectare possis. Ecce jam deus est testis, rem totam nar∣ravi, quam si prudens fueris ignorare non possis, &c.

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Introit. Apert. pag. 19: Quare agno∣verunt tandem, &c. Wherefore the wise Men did at length know that the wa∣tery Crudities, and the earthly Faeces did hinder it from being digested, which being fixed in the Roots thereof, cannot otherwise than by Inversion of the whole Compound be rooted out; they knew, I say, that Mercury, if it could but put off those things, it would pre∣sently become fixed, &c.

In our Conjunction four Elements be ag∣gregat,*
In dew proportion fyrst whych asonder were separat.
Ripley Rev. draws a Conclusion in these words; Our Art therefore is to compound two Principles (one in which the Salt, and another in which the Sulphur of Nature doth abound) which are not yet perfect, nor to∣tally imperfect; and by consequence may therefore, by our Art, be exchan∣ged, or exalted; which that which is totally perfect cannot be; and then by * common Mercury to extract not the Pondus, but the Coelestial Vertue out of the Compound; which Vertue being


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Fermental, begets in the common Mer∣cury an Off-spring more Noble than it self, which is our true Hermaphrodite, which will congeal it self, and dissolve the Bodies, &c.

Of this Coelestial Vertue he also speaks thus.

But beyond the Example or Simili∣tude given of a Grain of Corn, it may be observed that the hidden and spiri∣tual Vertue of this our Body, doth purge and putrefie its Matrix of Water, * in which it is sown; that is, it makes it cast forth a great quantity of filthy Earth, and a great deal of hydropical saline Moisture, &c.

For (says he) this Operation of ours, is made between Male and Female, with∣in * their own kind; between which there is a Ferment, which affecteth that which no other thing in the World could do.

For fermental Vertue is the wonder of the World; and it is by it that Water becomes Herbs, &c.

Then, Sir, you close all in these words; viz.

We conclude then, That all Opera∣tions for our Mercury and our Body, according to our Art, are erroneous,

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and will never produce our Mystery, although they be otherwise Mercuries never so wonderfully made, &c.

Aeyren.
What Conjunction do you call this?

Hort.
I call this Conjunction Te∣traptive; yet I perceive that at the first Addition it rather goes under the De∣nomination of Triptative, or Conjun∣ction of three Substances, by virtue of a Medium, because the Medium re∣mains not intirely with the other, and that the Terrap•ive Conjunction is not properly consummate till perfect Dige∣stion: This therefore may be properly called the making of a Quadrangle; and that of perfect Digestion, a redu∣cing the Quadrangle to a Circle; as you have it in the Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's fourth Gate, pag: 292. (tho') I also perceive you allude to the same Conjunctions, and other Operations in the great Work.

You also, Sir, further teach that by virtue of the Medium or Doves of Di∣ana, all these four Principles, or Ele∣ments will joyn and purge together, which then must be purified into a bright, clear Water, by several Subli∣mations or Eagles, which may be done


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several ways, as your Writings suffici∣ently direct: Also that these several Sublimations are but so many Cohoba∣tions of the subliming Mercury upon the Body of the Composition; yet that there requires a due knowledge of the true Number which may also be clear∣ly learnt from your Directions; and therefore, for brevities sake, I shall not hear repeat them.

This is that hidden Moisture or Hu∣midity, wherein Gold will dissolve as Ice doth melt in warm Water, and is a Mother unto Gold, as saith Sendivog. Eng. pag. 49.

I am also, in the next place, further to shew that this purified Mercury or Water, is not unlike to common * Mercury; yet more splendid and clear, but not diaphanous or limped, as many have supposed: And that upon this pre∣pared Mercury alone is founded the grand Secret of the Philosophers Stone; alias Gold-making Powder; alias trans∣muting Elixir; which with your leave I will prove, as follows.

First that it is not diaphanous or lim∣pid. Tract de Metal. Metamor. pag. 46. Quidam Diaphanum hoc n•enstruum volunt limpidumque, &c. et frustra.

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Ripley Revived, pag. 238. The main matter is our Water; which Wa¦ter, as saith Artephius, is the Vinegar of the Mountains, and it is the only Instrument for our Work.

This, I say, that it must first be Co∣hobated in a very wonderful way (for * it is such a Cohobation, that hath not its like in the World) and for several times, to a determinate Number; and after it may and ought to be Distilled *per se, with out addition again and again, that thou mayst have the Water clear from any exotical Mixture.

Pag. 34. Because some Atoms of the Body may be in it, which were insensibly left in the Preparation.

Pag. 241. For this, saith the Philo∣sopher, is thy first Work, to make clean thy Mercury, and then into clean Mer∣cury to put clean Bodies; for who can expect a pure Generation from that which is uncle an.

The next Property of thy VVater, is that it must be thin, even as thin as * any other Mercury; for if the external Proportion be Corrupted, it is an evi∣dent Sign that the inward Nature is Confused.

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It must also be of a very bright Co¦lour, * even like to fine burnished Silver, as saith Artephius. Hence, saith a cer∣tain Philosopher, To sight it is like to a Coelestial Body.

Our VVater must not be reduced into * any limpid diaphanous Liquor, as some fondly imagine, and as I my self in my time of Errors did conceit; but it must keep its Mercurial from pure and incor∣rupted. It is also very ponderous; so ponderous that it is somewhat more weighty than any other Mercury in the VVorld.

By way of Digression, give me leave * to tell you, It is no small matter to be firmly grounded in your Principles. I have met with a Book published by Dr. Bolnest, 1665. who contends much for this common Mercury prepared, pag. 104, 105, &c. and thinks himself no small Master therein. But pag. 104. he thinks that mentioned by Count Trevi∣san was only a particular, and that the said Doctor drives at another Method, though to the same purpose. I have (says he) already declared (my Thoughts) that the common Mercu∣ry prepared, and afterwards dissolved into a clear, milky, crystalline, and


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silvery Liquor, or VVater, is the true Menstrual, or Metalline dissolving Mer∣cury of Philosophers. And pag. 116. he adds, that we may undoubtedly con∣clude, that that most famous and ne∣cessary Menstrual, or Metalline dissol∣ving Mercury of Philosophers (for, says he, I mean not their congealing Mer∣cury) is to be prepared out of the com∣mon Mercury or Quicksilver. And in pag. 122. he says, R. Lully directs to another more excellent and philosophi∣cal Menstruum, &c. without which the common or vulgar is not easily to be prepared, and made philosophick. But soon afterwards he runs into the old Error, that there are several Mercuries, (besides the universal) as Mineral Ve∣getable and Animal Mercury, sometimes both joyned in one; I mean (says he) the Mineral and Vegetable which pro∣duced that potent Dissolvent, or G. Ve∣getable of Raymund Lully, which few yet have well understood or percei∣ved, &c. But of these last Mercuries (says he) or Menstruums, I intend not at present to inlarge, they being the Gate into the greatest of Chymical Se∣crets: And at this Fountain he leaves the ingenous to draw, and refresh him∣self


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with the healing and physical Wa∣ters, &c. Now I should think this Doctor an envious Adeptist, but that he afterwards requests us not to interpret him to speak of the Great Elixir. And pag. 126. he would not have any to imagine him to know more than he hath delivered; and so attempt in vain (by subtilty of Discourse) a farther dis∣covery from him: And concludes thus, Let none therefore expect that from me, that I own not my self Master of; he that doth, and fails of his Expectati∣ons, let him not hereafter blame me, but himself, &c. Thus our Expectation ends in a hush, and comes to nothing; and thus we see how a Building may soon fall for want of a true Foundati∣on, and how greatly many have been deluded by that Subject of common Mercury; sometimes wholly appro∣ving, other times altogether rejecting the same, and sometimes allowing it only in part.

I have seen a little Book, called Chy∣mical, Medecinal and Chyrurgical Ad∣dresses made to Samuel Hartlib, Esq 1655. And in it a Treatise, named. A Caveat for Alchymists, the Table of the Book says, it is Gabriel Platt's Caveat.
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This Man sets out some of the Cheats of sophistical Multipliers and Impo∣sters. And in his first Chap. tells us, that he was shortly to demonstrate be∣fore the High and Honourable Court of Parliament in England, that there is such a thing seasible as the Philosophers Stone; or to speak more properly, an Art in the Transmutation of Metals, &c. But in the Discovery of the fourth Cheat, he makes a Condition; if (says he) I may have a Laboratory, like to that in the City of Venice, where they are sure of Secrecy, and to be pro∣vided for, &c. And towards the Con∣clusion he cries out, What should I say more? Oh, if any Man either in Eng∣land, or beyond the Seas, shall trouble himself to write to me, he shall be sure to have an Answer; if he come to me, he shall be sure to lose his Labour; if he think to win me by Rewards, tho never so Great, he shall be sure to get nothing but a Jeer, &c. And professes that he had not only found out the Phi∣losophers Stone, but also a true and in∣fallible way to make England Happy by it. This Man, I say, for all his great Boasting, and some true philosophical Caveats, is mistaken in common Mer∣cury;
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for although he allows, that without it, this Art could never have been found: He notwithstanding adds, Not that it can be made the philoso∣phical Dissolvent by any preparation whatsoever, but without it the first Dissolvent; (for there are three) can∣not be gotten; for it only hath the Power to separate this mineral Spirit from a crude Mineral, taken from the Mine, which the Fire hath not touched; and no other thing under Heaven can do it else, no more than any Creature besides a Bee can extract Hony out of a Flower.—By this, I easily perceive, he spoke only by ghuess; and I am affraid England is not one bit the Happier for all his great Cunning.

But to return to Aeyrenaeus his Mer∣cury, of which he further tells us, that this is the only Mercury; and there is none in the whole World besides it which can do our Work: With this (says he) Hermes did moisten his Bo∣dy, and made it to rot and putrefie.

By means of this Water the Body shall be brought to have a vegetative Soul; for it will shoot forth as with Sprigs, and Leaves, and Branches, and after it will resolve into Powder like Atoms, &c.

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And pag. 240. That it is the Mother of Metals, and therefore hath Power to reduce them, by dividing their Princi∣ples of Sulphur and Mercury, he further adds; but we count it a loss to imploy our Mercury to such sordid Uses, for we spoil the goodness of it thereby; Gold only is drown'd in it, &c.

242. This Water is by the Philoso∣phers * called their Venom, and indeed it is a very strong Poyson; to wit, to the Body of Sol, to which it is mixed: But what it is to the Body of Man, I never * tried my self, nor gave it to any other, nor do I believe did any of they. But as concerning the Medicine that is made by it, and out of it, it is certain that of all Medicines in the World, it is the highest; for it is the true Arbor Vitae, which doth Answer the universal De∣sires of them who have it in this kind; for besides it's Vertue Curative, which it hath in a wonderful miraculous way, it can penetrate even to our constitutive Principles, which no other mineral Me∣dicine can do, &c. [Of which more hereafter.]

I observed before, That this Water is the only Base of the Grand Arcanum of


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the Philosophers, because out of it, by digestion, they obtain a Sulphur or Gold, far more Excellent than any common Gold for their great Work.

In Sendivog. Engl: pag. 144. Con∣cerning Sulphur, I find these Words; viz. For the House of Gold is Mercury, and the House of Mercury is Water; but Sulphur is that which coagulates Mercury, which Sulphur indeed is most difficultly prepared, but more difficult∣ly found out: For in the Sulphur of the Philosophers this Secret consists, which also is contained in the inward Rooms of Mercury; of whose Preparation, with∣out which it is improfitable, we shall Discourse hereafter in the third Princi∣ple of Salt; seeing here we treat of the Vertue and Original, not Praxis of Sulphur, &c.

☞ I know not what to Answer for this Passage; the Translator says he hath done it faithfully from the Latin into the English-Tongue; but I find nothing to this purpose in the Latin, Printed Genevae. MDC XXXVIII.

However, in pag. 161. I find these words, Considerando quod, &c. By con∣sidering that the Mercury of the Philo∣sophers


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hath in it self its own good Sulphur more or less depurated, and de∣cocted by Nature, thou mayst perfect all things out of Mercury; but if thou * shalt know to add thy Weights to the Weights of Nature, to double Mercury and triple Sulphur, it will quickly be terminated in good, than in better, un∣til into best of all, &c.

163. Common Mercury by how much the more it is decocted, the more fluxible it is; Our Argent Vive by how much more it is decocted, the more it is thickned; by these Circumstances therefore thou maist consider how the common Mercury differs from the Mercury of the Philosophers. If thou dost not yet understand, do not ex∣pect it; no mortal Man will give you clearer things than we have here spo∣ken of. But now of the Vertues of it: Our Argent Vive is of such Ver∣tue, * that it is of its self sufficient for thee, and for it self, without any addi∣tion of any extraneous thing; it is dis∣solved and congealed by a natural De∣coction only; but Philosophers, for * brevities sake, add to it its own Sulphur well digested and ripened, and so they work, &c.

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☞ But not to build upon the Au∣thority of one Philosopher. In Theat. Chem. Britt. 380. I read thus:

In four Elements is comprehended things three,
Animalls, Vegetabills, Mineralls must be,
Of this our Principle that we make our Stone;
Quality and quantity is unknown to many one, &c.
Out of one Principle four Elements thou shalt draw,*
Thou shalt need nothing else that need∣ful is;
Our Principle in quality is so perfectly mixed,
By Vertue of the Son and his quality,
So equally joyned, so throughly fixed,
As nothing so well mixed may be.
Son. Father, I pray you for Charity,*Where shall I this Sulphur finde, &c.

Father. In our own Water Son; keep this in minde, &c.

But to come nearer home to Aeyre∣naeus; in his Introitus, in the Chapter of the Invention of the perfect Magi∣stery,


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he tells us after the joyning of the Elements; That thus came out an * Hermaphroditical Mercury; him there∣fore they put in the Fire, and they coa∣gulated him for no long time; and in his Coagulation they found Sol and Luna, &c.

Chap. 10. Pag. 16. Prae cunclis, &c. This above all things is a Wonder, that in our Mercury there is not only an actual, but also an active Sulphur; and yet notwithstanding it retains all the Proportions and Form of Mercury, &c. By reason of this Sulphur it is an Her∣maphrodite, * because it doth apparently include at the same time, and by the same degree of Digestion, as well an active as a passive Principle; for if it be joyn'd with Sol, it softens, melts and dissolves him by a temperate heat, suit∣able to the necessity of the Compositi∣on; and doth by the same Fire coagu∣late himself, and gives in his Coagulati∣on Sol, and that according to the plea∣sure of the Operator.

This, perhaps, will seem incredible * unto thee, but its true; to wit, That homogeneal Mercury., pure and clean, being by our artifice Impregnated with an internal Sulphur, doth by the appli∣cation


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of a convenient heat only coa∣gulate himself, &c. but if it be joyn'd to Sol already perfect, it is not so coagu∣lated, but it dissolves the corporal Gold, &c.

Pag. 45. Scias, &c. Thou shalt know that our Mercury does of it self yield Gold, &c.

Rip. Rev. Exposit. upon Sir G. R. Pre∣face, pag. 37. And as the Artist may govern this Mercury, it will digest the passive Principles either into Sol or Lu∣na, at the Philosopher's Pleasure.

This is the Stone of which we meane,*
Whoso our Writings conceiveth aright,
It is a Soul and Substance bright, &c.
And verily he that hath well studied our Books, shall understand that this general one, Mercury, which we call Azoth, is indeed our Stone which wan∣teth only digestion, &c. [but this I know is also otherwise Expounded].

Pag. 41. Our one Image out of which springs White and Red, not bare Sol and Luna, as will spring out of our Mercury, which we prepare with our Hands; but, & c,

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41, 42. For who could belive that Sol, in which the Vertue is but Unary, I mean only sufficient for it self, should by the addition of our Mercury (which in reference to its material Parts) is be∣low the Degree of Sol, and needs Di∣gestion, and that only to mature it to the height of Sol, &c.

Introit. Apert. Cap. 19. Pag. 54. Sul∣phur nostrum, &c. Seek then our Sul∣phur withal thy might; which, believe me, thou mayst find in our Mercury, if Fates the call, otherwise thou shalt prepare it out of Sol Vulgar, &c.

This is sufficient for our Point.

☞ Next we will proceed to the Great Work of the Philosophers, which also hath its Foundation upon Sulphur and Mercury, and alludes to all the Conjun∣ctions, as afore-mentioned; wherein it will plainly appear that the whole Art is far more excellent, and easier to be obtained from this prepared Mercury and the Sulphur, or Gold proceeding from it, than from such Mercury and common Gold. And that herein lies the Grand Secret of the Philosophers.

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Of the Great Work.
Sendivog. Lat. pag. 161. Engl. 117. Now we say that this Art is nothing else but the Virtues of the Elements equally mix'd, it is a natural Equality of Hot, Dry, Cold, Moist; a joyning together of Male and Female, which the same Fe∣male begot, i. e. a Conjunction of Fire and the Radical moisttue of Metals, &c.

119. But Philosophers for brevities sake add to it its own Sulphur, and so they work.

122. We say that Argent vive is the first matter of that Work, and truly nothing else; whatsoever is added to it ariseth from it, &c.

Pag. 136. Speaking of Sulphur: But do not thou despair in finding of him * out, I tell the of a truth that he is in Gold and Silver most perfect, but in Argent vive most easy.

And in pag. 140. Now we grant that unto the unworthy this Art is nothing, but to the lovers of Vertue, and the true Searchers and Sons of Wisdom, we do most highly commend it, and do affirm it not only to be true, but


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altogether the truest; which some∣times we have really made good before men worthy of such sight, I say before Men of high and low Condition: Yet this Medicine was not made by us, but received from a Freind and yet most true, for the finding out of which we have sufficiently instructed the Sear∣chers thereof, &c.

But to return to Aeyrenaeus, (second to none in explaining this Art) Introit. Chap. 18. pag. 45. Sol proinde noster, &c. Our Gold therefore is commonly vend∣able, but not commonly to be bought, because that it may become ours, there is need of our Art.

Pag. 46. Thou maist find our Gold; in Gold or Silver vulgar, I my self have sought it in these, and have found it, but it is no easie Labour. The Stone it¦self * may be Easier made, than than that thou mayst find the next matter in Gold commonly bought.

Wherefore our Gold is the next mat∣ter of our Stone, the common Gold is a near matter, the rest of the Metlas are remote, and those things which are not Metallick are most remote, or ra∣ther estrang'd to it.

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But if thou seek our Gold in a mid∣dle matter between the perfect and im∣perfect, seek it, and thou maist find it; but otherwise loose the Body of com∣mon Gold, which is called the first pre∣paration, by which the Inchantment off the body is loosed, without which the work of the Male cannot be perform'd: If thou goest in the former way, thou * art bound to proceed with a most benign Fire; but if in the latter, then thou must implore the help of a torrid Vulcan; such a Fire ought to be Ad∣ministred as we use in Multiplicati∣on, when to perfect our Elixir, we Ferment with common Gold or Silver.

This indeed will be a Labyrinth, unless thou knowest how to get thy self out, yet in either progress, thou art in need of an equal and continu∣al Heat, whether thou workest in Common Sol or in ours. And thou * shalt know, that our Sol will perfect the Work two or three Months soo∣ner than Common Gold, and it will be an Elixir in its first perfection, of a Thousand Fold, which in the o∣ther will scarce be of a Hundred Fold Vertue, &c.

Page 94
Chap. 19. pag. 51. Est tamen unum,* &c. Yet there is in the Metallick Kingdom one thing, of a Wonderful Original, in which our Sol is nearer than in Common Sol and Luna if thou seek it in the hour of its Nativity, which melts in our Mercury as Ice in warm Water, and yet, after a sort, it is like Gold: Thou shalt not find this im∣mediately in common Sol, but from it with our Mercury in governing it, by 150. days thou mayst find this true, and the same matter, which is our Gold sought the furthest way about, nor yet of such vertue, as that which Nature have left to our hands, &c.

Note, The ingenious Author former∣ly mentioned, however he came short of the Doves of Diana, is notwithstand∣ing most Excellent in his Exposition upon this Sentence, Est tamen unum, &c. which is well worth to be here inserted. Disceptatio de Lapide Physico. Cap. 1. pag. 9. Est tamen unum in reguo Metallico originis mirae.

Id est Nucleus Mercurij Metallicus albissimus & purissimus, qui propter ra∣ritatem artis, tam eum specuativè in∣veniendi,
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quam practice educendi mira∣bilem methodum, à Philaletha Originis mirae appellatur.

In quo Sol noster propinquius est, quam in sole & Luna Vulgi.

In quo scilicet Nucleo, ut non plus ultra defaecatissimo, Sol noster, id est aurum vium Philosophorum, seu Sulfur artis, propinquius est, quam in sole & Luna Vulgi: Id est facilius per decoctionem ex illo extrahitur, quam ex auro Vulgi, tam propter puritatem, quia auro & ar∣gento purior hic nucleus, illud homogenei∣tate antecellit: Nam licet aurum quoad*perfectionem Metallicum sit sat purum, & perfectè homogeneum, tamen quoad perfectionem Medicinalem non ita est; Secundum omnium sophorum authoritates, quas hic annectare supersedeo propter bre∣vitatem, citius enim per se, quam auro ad∣huc clauso junctum, in solem nostrum, id¦est Philosophorum decoquitur.

Sieum in hora Suae Nativitatis quaeras.

Si eum, id est antedictum solem no∣strum, in hora suae Nativitatis: quando scilicet ex illo uno in regno Metallico originis mirae, id est Mercurio homogeneo,
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per competentem ignis decoctionem natus, educitur: quaeras, id est accipies,

Qui in Mercurio nostro liquescit.

Qui, scilicet Sol noster ex Mercurio natus, in Mercurio nostro nempè unde na∣tus, iterum impositus, liquescit, id est resolvitur.

Sicut glacies in aqua tepida.

Quem admodum glacies nil nisi mera aqua concreta est, ideò etiam in pura aqua tepida, absque rejectione ullius superflui∣tatis inseperabiliter resolvitur: pari modo & ille Sol, sicut glacies, ex Mer∣curio sophico tanquam aqua sui generis, solo igne concretus, & in hora suae Na∣tivitatis, id est coagulationis, acceptus, eodem Mercurio reimpositus, suaviter resolvitur, tanquam in aqua tepida, id¦est, leni calore ad hibito.


Pag. 11. Ergo illud unum, &c.
So far this Ingenious Gentleman: Now to return again to our Country∣man and Master Aeyrenaeus, concerning the several ways of Working, in Chap. 19. pag. 48. of his Introitus.

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Parato Mercurio nostro, &c. Having * prepared our Mercury and Sol, shut them in our Vessel, and govern them with our Fire, and within Forty days, thou shalt see the whole matter turn'd into a Shadow or Atomes, without any visible mover or motion, or without any heat perceptable to the touch, save only that it is hot.

But if ye be yet ignorant both of our Sun and Mercury, meddle not in this work, for Expence only will be thy Lot.

But if thou does not yet fully know the Mystery of our Sun, having attain'd the knowledge of our Mercury; then take of common Sol, well purged, one part, and of our Mercury, very clear, three parts, joyn them as is said before, and set them to the Fire, giving a heat in which it may boil and sweat, and his sweat may be circulated, and this Day and Night for ninety Days and Nights, and thou shalt see this Mercu∣ry to have separated and again con∣joyn'd all the Elements of the common Sol; boil it afterwards for other fifty Days, and thou shalt see the common Sol to be converted by our Mercury in∣to our Sol, which is a Medicine of the


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first Order. This therefore is now our * Sulphur, but doth not yet teign; and, believe me, many Philosophers have wrought this way, and attained the Truth; and yet it is a most tedious way, and it is for the Grandees of the Earth. When thou hast got this Sul∣phur, don't think that thou hast the Stone, but its true matter, which in an imperfect thing thou maist seek and find it in a Week. This is our rare and easie way, and this hath God reserved for his poor contemned and abject Saints, &c.

Pag, 50. Dico ergo, &c. I say then that each way is true; for it is but one way in the end, but not in the begin∣ning, &c.

Much more from him out of that little Book may be gathered, whereby the Heart of an honest and ingenous Man would be apt to rejoyce; but we must consider he has told us before that such plain Passages as these the Philosophers do many times use to deceive the sim∣ple; and this he has said in his last * Book, which he declares he intends as a Key to his former Writings; and fur∣ther says all his other Books together are nothing to this, by reason of the


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Contradictions which he hath woven in them, which in this he hath not done in the least Measure. Let us there∣fore resort to them, and see if this our fuddain Rejoycing is built upon a good Foundation, lest we have cause to be sad too late.

In Rep. Rev. pag. 23. He hath these words; viz. I know many pitiful Sophi∣sters do dote on many Stones vegetable, animal and mineral; and some to those add the fiery Angelical Paradaical Stone, which they call a wonder working Es∣sence; and because the mark they aim at is so great, the ways also by which they would attain their Scope, they make also agreeable, that is, a double way: One way they call Via humida, the other they call Via sicca, (to use their Languages) the latter way is the Labyrinthian Path, which is fit only for the great ones in the Earth to tread in; the other the Daedalean Path, an easie way of small cost for the poor of the World to enterprize.

But this I know, and can testifie, that there is but one way, and but only one Regimen, no more Colours than ours; and what we say or write other∣wise, is but to deceive the unwary; for


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if every thing in the World ought to have its proper Causes, there cannot be any one end, which is produced from two ways of working on distinct Prin∣ciples.—Therefore we protest, and must again admonish the Reader, that (in our former Writings) we have con∣cealed much, by reason of the two ways we have Insinuated, &c.

Pag. 31. Let none deceive you with telling you, that our Gold is not com∣mon, but Philosophical; for common Gold is dead, which is true; but as we order it, there is made a quickning of it, as a Grain of Corn in the Earth is quickned.

34. Chuse your Gold for this work pure and clean from any mixture, &c. if it be not so when you buy it, make it so by Purgation, &c.

35. Know now that whatever we say out of Envy, our way is none o∣ther, and we protest, and will protest that neither we, nor any of the Anci∣ents knew any other way; for it is impossible that our Secret can be wrought by any other Principles, or any other disposition than this, &c.

☞ Proh dolor! How inconstant are the Philosophers in many of their Say∣ings?


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What is become now of that rare and easie way reserved for the Saints? Is there then no other way, but this with common Gold? What then is the meaning of all those solemn Sayings in Introitus Apertus, and particularly this? [Pag. 54. Sin. minus, &c. but other∣wise in Sol vulgar with a due heat and in due time thou shalt prepare it; but it is a way hedged with a thousand Briars, and we have made a Vow to God and Equity, that we will never in naked Words declare each Regimen distinctly.] Well, there must be some∣thing more in it, Sense, Reason and Nature, confirming the same; for if our Mercury is crude Gold, and will (if sufficiently accuated) congeal it¦self, which is no where denied, What then must it be? Surely nothing else but our Gold, which is nearer related to our Water than any common Gold:—But let me see, what more says my Master in his 19th Chap. of Introit. [Pag. 53. Ea propter si artem noris, &c. Therefore if thou knowest the Art, extract our Sol out of our Mer∣cury, then thou maist perfect the Work from one thing; which, believe me, is more perfect than all worldly Perfecti∣on,


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according to the Philosopher; if, says he, thou knowest how to make the Work out of Mercury alone, thou shalt verily be the finder out of a most pretious Work. In this Work there are no superfluities; but the whole, by the living God, is turned into Purity, be∣cause the Action is made only in one thing].

So this indeed is a very good Reason; and now, my Friends, I begin to be a little comforted again, and should con∣tinue so, were it not for this last Book of Ripley Revived; I shall therefore ne∣ver be at rest, till I have turned it all o∣ver.—Let us see further, perhaps we may find something to fix the mat∣ter.

But first of thine Elements make thou rotation, *
And into Water thine Earth turn first of all;
Then of thy Water make Air by levi∣gation,
And Air make Fire; then Master I will thee call
Of all our Secrets great and small:
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The wheel of Elements then hast thou turn'd about,
Truly conceiving our Writings without doubt.
Take of thy clean Mercury, which is animated according to what I have faithfully taught in my little Latin * Treatise, and mix it with thy Body as there I told you, without ambiguity; put it into a Glass, &c.

This now turns me back again to Introitus Apertus. pag. 53. Atsi, &c. But if thou shalt proceed in the Work of Sol vulgar, then both the Action and Passion is in a twofold matter, and only the middle Substance of both is taken, the Faeces being rejected. If thou dost but well consider these things which I have absolved in few words, you have a Key to open all the appearing Contra∣dictions amongst the Philosophers. Wherefore Ripley in his Chapter of Cal∣cination teacheth to turn the Wheel round thrice, where he expresly speaks of the Sol vulgar, and is so to be under∣stood. In his Doctrine of Proportions


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he is very obscure, because those three Proportions do serve to three Works. One Work is most Secret, and purely Natural, and is made in our Mercury with our Sol; to which Work belong all the signs described by the Philoso∣phers, *&c.

Pag. 54. The other Work is in Sol, purged with our Mercury, &c. (in which the true juice of Lunaria is to be taken, and the Faeces to be re∣jected,

Thirdly, and Lastly, There is a mixt Work when Gold vulgar is mixt with our Mercury, &c.

☞ Well, now we find there are three ways or works; but I am altogether for the way purely Natural. Let us there∣fore go on.

Rip. Rev. Pag. 366. Our Principal know that it is but one, and that is in Metals, even in those Metals which you may buy commonly, to wit, the perfectest of them; but before you can command it out of them, you must be a Master, and not a Scholar; namely as it is wisely said in Norton.

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To know to destroy their whole Composi∣tion,
That some of their Components may help in Conclusion.
But trust me this is not for a Tyro, nor for every one of us, unless he have the Secret from his own Studies, and not by Tradition from a Master or Guide. Know then that this fore reci∣ted way is true, but involved in a thou∣sand Broileries.

But our way which is an easie way, and in which no Man may err, our broad way, our linear way, we have Vowed never to reveal it, but in Meta∣phors: I being moved with Pity, will hint it to you. *

Take that which is not yet perfect, nor yet wholly imperfect, but in a way to Perfection, and out of it make what is most Noble and most Perfect: This you may conceive to be an easier Re∣ceipt, than to take that which is alrea∣dy perfect, and extract out of it what is imperfect, and then make it perfect, and after out of that Perfection to draw a plusquam Perfection; and yet this is true, and we have wrought it. And


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because it is an immense Labour for any to undertake, we describe that way; but this last Discovery which I hinted in few words, is it which no Man ever did so plainly lay open, &c.

Pag. 369: The reward which this Mastery will bring to the Artist, is in∣deed inestimable; for having it, he needs want no worldly Blessing; for Wealth he need take no care, and from all Frailties of Body he hath a most sure Antidote.

Pray then to God that he would be propitious unto your Studies and Labours, in giving thee the true Knowledge of this Secret Myste∣ry; it is the Gift of GOD, I have * holpen thee what I can; but ven∣ture not to practice barely upon my Words; for know that what I have only hinted is far more than what I have discovered.

And what I have declared to thy first apprehension most openly, hath yet its lurking Serpent under the Green Grass; I mean some hidden thing which thou oughtest to understand, which thou be∣ing Cock-sure at first blush will neglect;


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but yet it will bite thee by the Heel when thou approachest to practice, and make thee begin again, and, it may be, at last throw away all as a Man despe∣rate: For know that this is an Art very * Cabalistical, and we do study Expressi∣ons, such as we know will almost suit with every Man's Fancy, in one place or other: But be sure to take this Max∣im from one who knows best the Sence of what he has written: Where we speak most plainly, there be most cir∣cumspect; for we do not go about to betray the Secrets of Nature, especially then in those places which seem to give Receipts so plain as you would desire, suspect either a Metaphor, or else be sure that something or other is supprest, which thou wilt hardly, without Inspi∣ration, ever find of thy self, which in tryal will make all thy confident Know∣ledge vanish; yet to a Son of Art we have Written that which never hereto∣fore was by any revealed.

☞ And to conclude all, take these further Words of my Master Aeyrenaeus.

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Now for a close of this most Secret Gate,*
Whereat few enter, none but they who are
By God's Grace favour'd; its not luck ne fate
That in disclosing this can claim a share:
It is a Portion which is very rare,
Bestow'd on those whom the most High shall chuse,
To such the Truth I freely shall declare,
Nor ought through Envy to them shall refuse,
Nor with unwonted Riddles shall their hopes abuse.
Of uncouth Subjects now shall be my Song,
My mind intends high wonders to reveal,
Which have lain hidden heretofore full long,
Each Artist striving them how to con∣ceal,
Lest wretched Caitiffs should their Trea∣sures steal:
Nor Villains should their Villanies main∣tain
By this rare Art; which danger they to heal,
In horrid Metaphors veild an Art most plain,
Lest each Fool knowing it, should it when known disdain.
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Remember Man how he produced was,*
How formed from a lump of abject Clay,
From whence created; he each thing doth pass,
Which next to Angels ever saw the day:
For God infus'd in him so bright a Ray
Of his own Image, which the Body joyn, d
To it, ennobled so that both pourtray
Their Maker, as though Heaven with Earth combin'd
A little System of the Universe to find.
But yet though he of Soul and Body both
Was made, and of the two the nobler part
The Soul by far, which for the most part doth
The Subject nominate; yet that same Art
That made so rare a piece, doth from the part
Less noble name the whole, Adam, or Dust,
Wherein a Mystery was couch'd, whose Heart
Of life the Centre, to Earth's bowels must
Return, the Earth it self for Man's sake being curst.
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Right so our Stone containeth Natures two, *
One hidden, subtle Soul, Heavens pro∣geny,
The other gross, compact, terrene also,
Earth's product must to Earth by destiny;
Which when resolv'd is made a feculency
To sight, but the Coelestial part is still (Though over-clouded) most pure in∣wardly,
And shall at last most Pearly drops distill,
Which shall the barren Earth with Fruit in plenty fill.
Thus all our Secrets from the Earth do flow, *
'Tis Earth which for our Base at first we take,
Our Water also unto Earth must go,
And both together must a Limus make,
Which we with respite by our Art must bake,
Till all become a Spirit glorify'd
Whose firmness wasting time shall never shake;
By perfect union th'are so surely ty'd,
Each Element the other three within it self doth hide.
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Take then that thing which Gold we please to call, *
But 'tis not Gold, yet Gold it is in truth;
Metalline 'tis, yet from a Mineral
It flows, which Art by Natures help re∣new'th,
And to a Fool an uggly Face it sheweth;
Yet to a Son of Art it lovely seems,
Tis stellar White, and tender in his Youth,
And vile appears in many Mens esteems,
Yea the most part of Men it for a trifle deems.
From it is made a Subject of great price,
Shew it the Goldsmith and he'l swear 'tis Gold;
But look you sell it not, if you be wise,
The Basis 'tis of Secrets manifold, *
This for their Secret main the Sages hold:
The like is in Gold digged from the Mine,
But to procure it is scarce to be told,
That you may understand, tho' every line
Were plainly wrote, yet might your pra∣ctice oft decline.
For 'tis a Labour hardly to be borne,
So many tricks and turnings in it be, *
And he that tryeth it is surely for lorne,
Unless a crafty Master credit me;
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For I have tryed both, yet could not see
How any in this way can be secure:
I therefore who have vowed Secrecy
Have writ this way, which we can scarce endure *
For knowledge sake to try, its ease will none allure.
Our kingly Road I also hinted have, *
Our way in which a Fool can hardly err,
Our secret way, which much sad toyl will save,
Which is so easie, that I may aver,
If thou shouldst see it, thou would'st it prefer
To any earthly Pleasure; yet beware
That you mistake not, for I do aver,
A mingled Doctrine these lines do de∣clare,
For both ways in this Book of mine do∣claim a share.
Learn to distinguish every Sentence well,
And know to what Work it doth apper∣tain;*
This is great Skill, which few as I can tell
By all their reading yet could ere at∣tain,
And yet of Theory this is the main:
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Also to know accordingly to give
Due Heat, which in one way thou must be fain
T' increase tenfold, thou may'st me well believe,
For what doth one decoct, t'other away will drive.
Also their Operations different
Appear, the one thou must sublime and boyl,
O tedious way! in which much time is spent,
And many errours, which the Work will spoyl:
The other silently doth make no toyl,
Like the still voice which to Eliah came,
About which work thou needest not broyl,
Nor want'st thou fiery Vulcans parching flame;
A far more gentle heat begins and ends this Game.
But if thou canst each work perform a part,*
And knowst them afterward to reconcile,
Then art thou Master of a princely Art,
The very Success will thy hopes beguile;
Thou hast all Natures Works rankt on a File,
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And all her Treasures at command dost keep,
On thee the Fates shall never dare but smile,
No Mystery is now for thee too deep,
Th'art Natures Darling, whether thou dost wake or sleep.
Pardon my plainness, if the Art thou knowst,
'Twas the fruit of my untame desire
To profit many; and without a boast,
No Man above my Candour shall aspire:
My Zeal was kindled with Minerva's Fire,
And thou who to this Art wilt now apply,
My Book in Natures way shall lead thee higher,
Than ever thou, alone mayst hope to fly,
If only thou shalt favour'd be by destiny.
Peruse these lines, and being read, re∣view *
And read again, and on them meditate,
Each reading shall fresh Mysteries and new
Discover, which are scattered in each Gate;
For they so linked are, that all relate
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To each, and we our Words have woven so,
That thou mayst soon err by misleading Fate,
Unless for to distinguish thou dost know;
Remember that' mongst Briars thick, sweet Roses grow.
The Author to the Reader.
☞ And now, Reader, (I hope) I have made good my Position, and de∣scribed every particular Principle, or Element, in order even to the Great Work, and that so plainly, that none need hereafter be to seek in any of them. I confess all might have been said in few words, but I have (for a reason parti∣cular) chosen to make the Philoso∣phers themselves discover the true Prin∣ciples in their own Language, which also may give great Satisfaction to the diligent Inquirer; and yet I have not dwelt longer upon them than I thought was convenient.

Next we will view some short Phi∣losopical Tracts relating to the Art; which if it will not further confirm you


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in what is gon before, may notwith∣standing serve you for Diversion.

In the third Volume of Theatrum Che∣micum, the Author de Magni Lapidis compositione, tells us that the principle Matter of all Metals in their Mines, is a dry Water, which they call Aqua viva, or Argentum vivum, and Spiritus faetens, otherwise called Sulphur, &c. Agens & patiens, pater & mater, from whence is generated a certain smoaky Substance, and that the Mineral Vertue coming upon that Matter, congeals and unites it, &c. And from hence it appears that in Metals there are four Elements natu∣rally, and that they are homogeneal. In pag. 5. he says, That in the Operation of this Science, we stand in need of more things than Nature doth, and that in those we want, are also four Ele∣ments, and so our Principles are alike to those of Nature.

Pag. 8. That there are four Kinds or Species, and not more or less, requi∣red to compound the White Elixir; viz. Argentum vivum, Sulphur citrinum fu∣giens, Sulphur viride fixum habens ven∣trem nigrum intellectu quamvis clarum in visu videatur, & Sulphur album fixum, &c. and that they are not of great price.

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Pag, 9. That the Argentum vivum being compounded cum sulphuro vivo ci∣trino, become one Mass, which they call Terra rubea; and in this respect there needs not any more than three Species or Kinds in the Art: That be∣cause this Terra rubea is found to be sold ready compounded; therefore he cares not to labour about its Composition, &c. That the other two Kinds are not com∣pounded, until they are put into the Work of this Art, &c. Then he pro∣ceeds to practice, but very subtlely and hard to be understood.


Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 436.
Let the old Man drink Wine till he pisse
The meanes to the blest Stone is:
And in that menstrous Water drowne,
The radiant brightnesse of the Moone;
Then cast the Sun into her lapp,
That both may perish at a clapp.
So shall you have your full desire,
When you revive them both by Fire.
I ask'd Philosophy how I should *
Have of her the thing I would;
She answered me when I was able
To make the Water malliable;
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Or else the way if I could finde
To measure out a yard of Winde:
Then shalt thou have thyne owne desire,
When thou canst weigh an Ounce of Fire.
Unlesse that thou canst do these three,
Content thy self thou get'st not me.
I am she which wise Men seek,*
Mercury which i•〈◊〉 of might;
Hot and moist, light and weake
Of the Elements I am full right,
Water, Earth, Aire, and Fire
Quality, and quantity, you can never have your desire
Without concoction perfectly.
Great Riches in us be,
Who hath Grace for us to know,
By vertue of her humidity,
In the Fire our Stone doth grow, &c.
Of Titan Magnesia take the cler light,*
The rede Gumme that ys so bryght,
Of Philosofris the Sulfer vife,
I called Gold wythouten stryfe;
Of hem drawe out a Tincture,
And make a Matrymony pure:
Betweene the Husband and the Wyfe
Espoused wyth the Water of lyfe:
And so that none dyvysion
Be there, in the conjunction
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Of the Moone and of the Sonne
After the Marriage is begonne.
And that Mercury the Planete,
In loef make hem so to mete,
That eyder wyth oder be joyned even,
As a Stone engendered sent down fro Heven
Of hem make Water clere rennynge,
As any Chrystall bryght Schynynge, &c.
In Arsenick sublymed there ys a way streight*
Wyth Mercury calcyned nyne tymes hys weight,
And grownde together with the Water of myght
That bereth ingression, lyfe and lyght,
And anon as they togyther byne,
Alle runnyth to Water bryght and shene,
Upon this Fyre they grow togethyer,
Tyll they be fast and flee no whyther, &c.
A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man,*
And every Beast ingendereth his sem∣blable,
And as Philosophers rehearse well can
Diana and Venus in Marriage be nota∣ble, &c.
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And to comfort hys Brethren that were full dull,*
The Sun hath chosen without Warr or strife
The bright Moone when she was at the full,
To be his Mother first, and after hys wedded Wife;
In tyme of Ver the Season vegetative,
In Aries when Titan doth appeare,
Inspired by Grace with the Spirit of lyfe,
This Marriage hallowed at midday Spheare, &c.
I shall add but one or two more, which are most to the purpose, because from a true Adeptist. Aeyrenaeus in his Vade Mecum Philo. pag. 208. says, Tres tantum modo Species, &c. In his Book De vera Confectione lapidis Philo∣sophici, pag. 25. he says to this purpose, that the Elixir ought to be made from one thing, Hoc tamen unum quod Argen∣tum vivum dicitur, non est unum in nu∣mero sed in genere; That if any err from this one in the beginning, he la∣bours in vain.

Pag. 34. He begins with Materia una, from which the superfluities are to be removed. 36. That after they are


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removed, he says, it is of a White Co∣lour, called, by Hermes, Album nigri, Citrinum albi, & rubeum Citrini: by Alphidius, Radix artis, Argentum vi∣vum albi coloris, Mercurius ille tingens, &c. Rosarius says, Hic est Mercurius noster noblissimus, Deus enim nunquam creavit rem meliorem sub Coelo, praeter animam rationalem; Plato calls it, Se∣cretum nostrum; by Maria, it is called, *Aqua albificans Indicum La•••em; by Hermes, Argentum vivum de Corde Sa∣turni; by Solomon, Unica filia sapien∣tum, Stultis penitus ignota; by Hortu∣lanus, Mercurius noster verus extractus ex metallis et est bene lotus et Digestus: Et juro per Deum quòd nullus alius Mer∣curius est in via universali nisi jam decla∣ratus, in quo dependet tota Philosophia nostra, &c.

Pag. 56. That the greatest part of * wise Men begin their Discourse, De cor∣pore rubeo, or Sulphure rubeo, which hath many Names, as Adam, Aries, Mars [with many other which I have spoken of before].

Pag. 60. Corpora imperfecta dicun∣tur*media, quae terminum suae perfectio∣nis non habent, &c.

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63. Corpora imperfecta medio loco se habent ad Mercurium praeparatum, & Mercurium corporum perfectorum, sed praeparandi Ars difficillima est, &c.

Corpora imperfecta una cum Luna sunt immatura, et ideo ipsis immaturis Succur∣rendum est cum maturo, ut maturen∣tur.

Omne corpus imperfectum ad perfectio∣nem deducitur reductione in Mercurium, postea decoquendo cum sulphuribus in igne appropriato, &c.

64. Imperfecta reddere perfecta et fixa, absque perfectorum corporum Spiritu et Sulphure omnino est impossibile, unde Arsicamus, Tinctura tribuens imperfectis perfectionem ex Solis et Lunae fonte ema∣nat.

Tinge ergo cum corporibus perfectis scilicet cum Auro et Argento, &c.

65. Unde Arnoldus: qui Mercurium cum Sole et Luna tingere novit, ad Ar∣canum venit, quod dicitur Elixir comple∣tum. Haec prima (Medicinae primi Or∣dinis) descriptio, licet brevis sit, mul∣tas tamen Philosophorum Sententias, mul∣taque alia (intellectu difficilia) aperit, et etiam ostendit quid ipsa medicina sit, à quibus incipit; et ad quem finem tendit, &c. Scias hoc quia est magnum secretum.

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84. Pars Inferior est Terra quae ••∣citur nutrix vel fermentum, qu••〈◊〉 lapidem nutrit et ferment••, Et 〈◊〉•∣perior est aqua, quae dicitur oleum, un∣gentum, vel anima quia totum lapidem vivificat et reviviscere facit.

85. Quae fermentatio est ipius Lapi∣dis animatio.

Notetis quod Inhumatio in fimo inter∣posita inter imbibitiones tollit cumbustio∣nem et perditam restaurat humiditatem, juvat etiam ut ad perfectae ablutionis signum melius perveniatur: quod quidem signum est splendor et cristallina Serenitas, absque faecibus nisi fortè albis, &c.

Lastly, Vade mecum Philosophicum; Philalethus says to Rhomaeus, pag. 217. as follows.

Phil. Rogo saltem ut me breviter ex∣ponentem, quomodo, sensum tuum intel∣lexerim, audire digneris.

Rho. Bene mones, perge, paratus tibi adsum.

Phil. Sensum eorum quae dixisti hunc esse concipio, nempe pro operis radice, corpus perfectum album rubeumve capias, hoc cum corpore imperfecto, (pure ta∣men a terrenis superfluitatibus purgato) pondere justo misceatur, cui tum Aquae
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purae mineralis (a solis lunaeve monti∣bus defluae) sagax proportio addatur (arrige aures Lector, nam Sermo hic per difficilis est) calcinetur in operis pri∣mo limine corpus perfectum per imperfecti connubium, sic in Ovum physicum exqui∣sitissime subministrato ad perfectum usque complementum die nocteque jugiter deco∣quantur.

Rho. Exacte tenes Rem, &c. Vide ib. pag. 214, 215.

☞ See Sendivog. his Doctrine of the four Elements, in his Novum Lu∣men Chemicum.

One word or two concerning the two great Luminaries, or chief Metals; viz. Sol and Luna, Sun and Moon, Gold and Silver.

Hermetick Secrets tells us, Luna or Silver is a Male as well as Sol or Gold.

Also in the Breviary of Alchimy, Ae∣yrenaeus teaches, That Luna, the Body, which is one of the Seven, is a Male and a perfect Body, and fixed, only wants a little Digestion; and therefore * the Red is hid under the visible White, as White is hid under the visible Red of of Sol. That Artefius in all his Books


Page 125

joyns the Sun and Moon, the perfect Bo∣dies Gold and Silver, for the Work; so doth Ripley, and so all Philosophers; by which, says he, it's evident that ei∣ther of the perfect Metals, or Lumina∣ries with our Aqua vitae, will compleat the Wotk, as Arnold expresly saith in his Questions and Answers to Boniface; and Jodocus Greverus, in his Treatise, confirms the same in these words:

☞ If so be (saith he) thou be so poor that thou canst not take Gold, than take so much Silver; yet Gold is the better, as being nearer of Kin to our Water and Mercury, &c. He tea∣ches the same thing in his Introitus A∣pertus in several places.

This is chiefly meant by common Luna; that he who can prepare the Mercury aright, tho' he know not how to digest it into Silver and Gold, may notwithstanding with common Silver or Gold, seperately, or with a composi∣tion made of both, perfect the Great Work. But yet it belongs to the diffi∣cult and tedious way, for which there is little Encouragement; therefore 'tis not Wisdom to depart from our rare and easie Way.

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Aeyrenaeus in his Vade mecum Philo. puts this Question concerning common Luna, and the Luna of the Philosophers.

Phil. Annon igitur Luna Vulgo not a (quod Lunae nomen apud Philosophos obtui∣nit) faemina est, et pro solis uxorehabenda?

Pag. 216. Rho. Nihil minis, Argen∣tum Vulgi, masculinum est et ut Mas agit, quare in opere Lapidis solis defectu adhibe∣ri possit opus{que} perficiet. Illa vero Luna quae faemina est et pro solis Uxore (in Magisterii productione) adhibetur non est corpus at Chaos merum speritusque mira∣bilis, quanquam pro corpore etiam possit haberi est tamen vivum et vivificans. Qua propter apud Philosophos media substantia appellatur, aquae quippe respectu corpus dici potest: Terrae fixae intuitu Spiritus est, &c. Corporum perfectorum destructor est, Saturni proles, unicum et maximum in arte tota secretum, &c.

Pag. 213. Corpus et duo alia principia fugitiva, &c. 212. Sine mercurio nil fit in opere, aqua minerablis dicitur, &c.

In the Brev. of Alchimy, 'tis said Cor∣pus, Anima & Spiritus, the red Man, his white Wife, and the Spirit of Life.

The red Man is the perfect Body, the white Wife is Chaos, or Saturni proles, the Spirit of Life is Mercury.

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A further Account of the Great Work.
It plainly appears that this Great Work is grounded upon the Mercury and Sulphur, or Gold of the Philoso∣phers: (and not common Gold, or Sul∣phur from it, unless we go far about, or can perfect each Work apart, and know afterwards how to reconjoyn them in a due Proportion:) The Weight or Measure, Regimen and Colours are suf∣ficiently described by Aeyrenaeus in his Introitus, and Ripley Revived: None * have done the like before him, and pro∣bably none will do so after him. Let it be said then, in honourable Remem∣brance of him, that the World is more obliged to him for Instruction in this Art, than to all his Predecessors.

The Conjunction of these two Prin∣ciples, in the Glass or Egg, the Philo∣sophers also call Rebis; and Conjun∣ction Diptative, that is two things (to wit) in Number; for you may yet se∣parate each from other in its intire Na∣ture. See Rip. Rev. in the Exposition on the Preface, pag. 32.

These two being joyn'd, do operate so within the Vessel, till the Compound


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become a black Powder, which is then called the Ashes of the Platter.

This Powder relenteth into a black Broth, which is called Elixir, or Water extracted by elixation, which is reite∣rate liquefaction.

This Elixir is divided into a more subtle part, which is called Azoth, and * the grosser part is called Leton, which is by Azoth washed and whitened.

In Rebis the Matters are confused,*
In Elixir they are divided, and*
In Azoth they are conjoyn'd with an inseperable Union.*
These are by Ripley called his three Mercuries.

For I will truly now thee excite
To understand well Mercuries three,
The Keys which of this Science be.
Raymund his Menstrues doth them call, &c.
The first is to be prepared and joyn'd, as aforesaid, and is the Philosophers Key; the other two are Natures Keys.

And pag. 41. This Azoth, he says, is our Stone; for it is inseparately uni∣ted


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not in a Diptative Conjunction, which is barely a mixture of the Sun with our Mercury, or Triptative, which is a mixture and union of the Body, Soul and Spirit, which is before Putre∣faction; but Tetraptive, which is the Anatization of Qualities, which is the first degree of the white Stone, which will then grow higher and higher, till the Moon come up to the full, &c.

☞ So we see the same Conjunctions and Operations are mentioned by the Philosophers, as well in the Great Work as the Less, and oftentimes confounded one with the other.

The joyning of the two first are also said to be the two Sulphurs, with two Mercuries joyn'd to them indeed.

Whereby he doth true Understanders leade
To the Knowledge of the Principles which be only true,
Both Red most pure, and White, as I have spede,
Which be neverthelesse founden but of right few.
See Theat. Chem. Britt. pag. 111.

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Rip. Revived, pag. 22. says, The fourth Conclusion makes all perfectly plain, which hath been said before; namely that these two Sulphurs are, the one most pure Red Sulphur of Gold, and the other of most pure clean White Mercury.

These (says he) are our two Sul∣phurs; the one appears a coagulated Body, and yet carries its Mercury in its Belly: The other is in all its Proporti∣ons true Mercury, yet very clean, and carries its Sulphur within it self, tho' hidden under the form and fluxibility of Mercury.

So Sendivog. tells us Saturn, to make the Philosophers Stone took two Mer∣curies of differing Substance, but of one Original, and called them Sulphurs of Sulphurs; and mixed the fixed with the volatile, &c. Then they made the Phi∣losophers Stone; because of a true mat∣ter a true thing must needs be made; and this is that Art which he commends so highly.

You may understand that the Philo∣sophers, in their Great VVork, observe only three principle Colours, as Black, * VVhite and Red; though there be se∣veral mean or middle Colours. The


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Black they say, with their Sol and Mer∣cury, will happen about the end of forty days, as, appears in Introit. Chap. 19. The Moon in its full or the white Stone* in five months, and the Red in seven, or nine or ten at the most.

The other way with common Sol you may be a year and a half or two years to the perfection of Red, which way is also very difficult.

Mr. Norton in his Ordinal pag. 88. In∣forms us that his Master told him how that many by teaching and patience at∣tained the White Stone, but scarce one in fifteen the Red, which words made Norton sad, his whole desire being for the Red Medicine; but his Master told him he was too Young to know it: that at last he obtain'd his Masters Love and the Doctrine of the Red Stone, which is not to be sought, till the White is per∣fected, and he is much affraid to disclose this Secret,

But my herte quaketh, my hand is trem∣bling,*
When I write of this most Selcouth thing.
Hermes brought forth a true Sentence and blounte,
When he said, Ignis & Azot tibi suffici∣unt, &c.
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Then he tells us, That neither Alber∣tus Magnus the Black Freer, neither Fre∣er Bacon his Compeer, knew the Multi∣plication of the Red Stone: Nor had he himself assay'd it, till the time he writ his Book; at last it comes out, That the Red is hid within the Center of the White (as is also affirmed by Aey∣renaeus and others.)

Pandulphus in Turba said, Mente secura,*
Et ejus umbra in vera tinctura.
Maria confirm'd it, in fide oculata,
Quod in ipsa albedine est Rubedo occul∣tata.
The Book Laudible Sanctum made by Hermes,
Of the Red Worke speaketh of this wise:
Candida tune Rubeo jacet Uxor nupta marito,
That is to say, If ye take heed thereto,
Then is the fair white Woman
Married to the ruddy Man.
This Stone he says will be as Red as * Blood, and that then the Masculine Seed has wone the Victory, and the Stone compleate.

Whom wise Men said that ye should feed
With his own Venome when it is need.
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Then ride or goe where ye delight,
For all your Costs he woll you quite.
Thus endeth the Subtil warke, with all her store,
I need not, I maie not, I wool shew no more.
He also tells us, pag. 72. That it is Dangerous to taste of the Stone, till it be perfect Red, nor much or oft of that.

Wherefore it is perill and not good,
Much or oft to tast of that Foode:
It comforteth Metals as we well finde,
But it is Perillous for all Mankind,
Till perfect Red thereof be made,
Such as in Fier woll never fade.
A lewde Man that served this Arte,
Tasted of our White Stone a parte,
Trusting thereby to find releefe
Of all Sicknes and of all Greefe,
Whereby the Wretch was sodenly,
Smitt with a strong Paralisie;
Whom my Master with great Engine,
Cured with Bezoars of the Mine, &c.
And Sir George Ripley in his Preface to the Arch Bishop of York avers the same. Theat. Chem. Brit. 389. And *Sendivogus pag. 183. Lat. 133 Eng.
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Causeth the Vox to answer the Alchy∣mist to the same purpose (Alch.) Sir, the Universal Medicine being had, how long may a Man preserve himself from Death? (Vox) Even to the term of Death: but this Medicine must be taken cautiously, for many wise Men, have been destroyed by it before their time. (Alch) And what say you Sir, is it Poyson? (Vox) Hast thou not heard that a great Flame of Fire destroys a little one? There were many Philoso∣phers which received the Art from o∣ther mens Experience, who did not so throughly search into the Vertue of the Medicine. Yea, by how much the more powerful, and subtiler the Medicine was, it seemed to them to be the more whol∣some, and if one grain of it can pass through many thousands of Metals, much more mans Body. (Alch) Sir, how then must it be used? (Vox) It must be so used, that it may strengthen the Natural heat, but not overcome it.

But the Maxim is, Ex summo veneno, summa Medicina. And Aeyrenaeus says that in its perfection, it is a So•ereign Medicine, which hath not its like in the whole Universe.

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Rip. Rev. pag. 245. It is not the Triacle of Galen, nor yet of Hippocra∣tes (which yet if right made are of great efficacy) that can compare to it: For first, it kills all the Venom of any Disease or Malady; so that those Di∣seases which do astonish the beholders are by this overcome, even ad miracu∣lum: For suppose a Man dying with the Tokens of the Plague, so that he is upon the very point of departure (and the Decree be not past, for then there is no Recovery) if he have but a drop of this Elixir, so that he swallow it, he shall immediately recover, and in short time he will be restored to his former Health.

Pag. 246. Now that it doth imme∣diately reach the Root of Life, I shall demonstrate. Suppose one with a very languishing Disease be consumed to no∣thing, in comparison, and for want of Spirits be just going out of the World; so the Decree be not past, if he have but strength, even in the agony of death, but to take a drop of this Elixir, he will recover and revive, and in a few Days, in comparison, will be doubly stronger than ever he was before. Sup∣pose one of a very weak Constitution,


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and sickly, and every Day ill, feeble all over; if he take of this Elixir, it will in a short time alter his Constitution fun∣damentally, so that he shall be far stron∣ger than any other Man ordinari∣ly is.

Pag. 247. A Man or Woman, who is born to hereditary Weakness, may be changed into a more than ordinary Strength, by the use of our Medicine; or a Man who by Labour, Sickness and Years, is come to the Grave's Mouth, even to drop into it, may by use hereof be re∣stored, his Hair, his Teeth, his Strength, so that he shall be of greater Agility than in his Youth, and of greater Strength, and may live many Years, provided the Period of the Almighty's Decree be not come.

248. For Minerals are, of all subli∣mary * Bodies, the most perfect, and the best part of them are Metals, which when they are perfect defend themselves from all fear of Corruption perpetually. Now the Spirit of the Metal, when it is exalted to a millena∣ry Perfection, it tingeth all Metals im∣perfect to an incorruptible Purity; but then this Spirit must be made a Body, according to the saying of Hermes, Vis
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ejus est integra, si versa fue• it in terram.—But this transcendent Tincture may be dissolved into an Oyl, or rather a pure Liquor, which then is not pro∣per for Metals, but is only Medecinal; for it is of the nature of Light, and * therefore it doth as readily concur with our formal vital Principle, as one flame will enter another.

Thus much, and more, saith that learned Adeprist, concerning the Ver∣tue of this great Medicine; also you may read many things concerning its Vertue in his Vera Confectio, pag. 175, 176, &c.

Sendivogius seems to give a good Rea∣son why this Medicine is rather to be found in Metals, than in any other Subject in the three Kingdoms of Na∣ture. About pag. 106. Engl. he speaks of Man's being immortal in Paradise;* for that Paradise was created of true Elements, not elementated, but most, pure, temperate, equally proportioned in the highest Perfection; that Man was there created of the same incorrup∣ted Elements; that afterwards for the sin of Disobedience, he was driven out of Paradise into corruptible Elements, and was forced to receive Nutriment


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from such corrupt elementated Ele∣ments; and thereby declined by little and little into Corruption, until separa∣tion and death of the whole Compound followed.—That the Philosophers knowing that Man was created of such Elements as were sound and pure, and that this was a natural Creation, they began to search further into it, whether such uncorrupted Elements could be had, or if they could be joyn'd toge∣ther, and infused into any Subject. Now * to these the most high God and maker of all Things, revealed that a Compo∣sition of such Elements was in Gold; for in Animals it could not be had, see∣ing they must preserve their lives by corrupt Elements; in Vegetables also it is not, because in them is found an in∣equality of the Elements. And seeing all created things are inclined to Multi∣plication, they made tryal of the possi∣bility of Nature in this mineral King∣dom; which being discovered, they saw that there was innumerable other Secrets in Nature, of which, as of Di∣vine Secrets, they have wrote sparing∣ly, &c.

For the Philosophers Gold or Tin∣cture, is nothing else but Gold digested


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to the highest Degree; for vulgar Gold is like an Herb without seed, when it is ripe it brings forth Seed; so Gold when it is ripe yields Seed or Tincture. Sendivog. Engl. pag. 28, 29.

Pag. 37. What Prerogative should all things in this World have before Me∣tals? Why should we undeservedly ex∣clude these alone, from the universal Be∣nediction of the Great Creator for Mul∣tiplication, by denying them Seed, which holy Writ affirms was put in and bestowed on all created Things pre∣sently after the World was made? Now if they have Seed, Who is so sot∣tish to think they cannot be multiplied in their Seed, &c. And pag. 19. Let this be granted, for a truth, that no∣thing grows without Seed; for where there is no Seed, the thing is dead, &c. He further teacheth, that the Genera∣tion of the Seed in Metals, is caused by a ponderous Vapour of Water, called Mercury for its fluxibility, and likened to Sulphur because of its heat, and by Congelation becomes to be the radical Moisture. That the Seed is contain'd in the Sperm; that by the Sperm the Philosophers mean the second Matter; that the second Matter is such, which,


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as soon as 'tis conceived, cannot be chan∣ged into another Form; that the second Matter is to be taken by the Artist, in which the Seed invisibly lies hid; but that multiplication is not in the Sperm, but in the Seed.

That from the variety of Places pro∣ceeds the variety of Things; and that there is the same Seed in Saturn as in Gold, the same in Silver as in Iron; the difference is from the purity of the Place, &c. as you may read in Treatise the 1st. 2d. 3d. 4th. 5th. and 6th. &c.

Aeyrenaeus sufficiently confirms the same, in his Treatise, De metallorum Transmutatione, pag. 12, &c. Inter quae non levis momenti hoc est, quod semen sit cujusque rei semen habentis perfectio, et quod semen non habet, est de toto im∣perfectum.

Pag. 27. Materia proinde unum est omnium metallorum; nempe Mercurius qui proprie tend it ad Solem lunamve procrean∣dum, &c. quòd superfluitates non sunt me∣tallicae, quòd faeces sunt per accidens, pag. 28, 29: quod faeces sunt seperabiles, suarum seperatio ante coagulationem est metalli perfectio. Verum si non, tamen adhuc sunt seperabiles, quamvis non per naturam absque alterius adminiculo, &c.
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Hinc Alchemiae fundamentum, nempe*quod impurius metallum in se possideat idem purum, ex quo aurum, &c. quod impuram seperari valet per agens triumphans, id es agens digirens. Tale agens est arcanum nostrum divinum, id est aurum in supre∣mum digestum et fixum.

Pag. 31. Arcanum nostrum per mini∣ma*intrat, &c. Quare non (quod indigni quidam obtractatores objiciunt) aurum Argentumve creare profitemur, at agens reperire at{que} efficere, quod supra imper∣fecta metalla projectum per minima possit intrare propter suam homogeneitatem ac spiritualitatem, &c.

Pag. 54. Nos enim non (quod fals• non nulli criminatores objiciunt) aurum sive Argentum creare profitemur, veru• ex iis solummodo, in quibus haec insunt a Naturâ arte nostrâ ducimus, ex metallis minirum, quae sunt ejusdem cum Auro et Argento materiae, inaequalis vero dige∣stionis, et propter hoc imperfecta manent, quae projectione Arcani nostri super illa*digerimus et hoc modo perficimus, cum ad ea perficienda nihil aliud praeter simplicem hanc cruditatis eorum decoctionem requi∣ratur, quod abunde praestare potest Medi∣cina nostra.

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In his fourth Chapter he tells us (to this effect) That Seed is the Perfection of every thing, and that it is not to be doubted but there is a metalline Seed; that all things were either created in the first six Days, or otherwise daily increa∣sing grew together.

That Reason and Experience denies the first; that if the latter be granted, then there is a metalline Seed, which the Metal doth not lose in the Coagulation, but the Seed is thereby rather enobled.

That all Metals have one and the same Seed with Gold, which in some is nearer, in others more remote, and tending to Perfection: By the Seed he does not mean the Mercury that is in Metals, but that Vertue in which, and by which they are multiplied, &c.

That as the least part of Gold is Gold; therefore its Seed lies in every Par∣ticle, and cannot be discerned from its Body, the Body remaining whole, &c.

That all the Gold, in respect of the * Stone, is matter, when the profundity is manifested, it is all Sperm, and by Circulation, it becomes all form or a Heavenly Vertue, &c.

That the place in which the Seed next resides is Water, for properly and


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exactly speaking the least part of the Metal is Seed, and that Invisible, and because this invisible is Universally dis∣fused thro' all the Water of its own kind, and inhabits it, and exerts its vertue, in it, nor any thing else appears to sight than water, in so much that it cannot be separated from it, except by reason only, altho' reason perswades that there is in it an internal Agent (which pro∣perly * is Seed) therefore they call the whole water promiscuously Seed, like as the whole Grain is called Seed, when as the Germinating Life, is only a little part thereof; tho' in metals it is inseparably commixt, per minimum cor∣poris continentis. That this Golden water, or the Seed by the Ancient Philosophers is called their occultum fermentum, vene∣num,*ignis item invisibilis, secretò agens.

That common Mercury is the true matter; but the form or the fiery Ver∣tue of the Philosophical Mercury is wanting, and must therefore be supplied, that it receives its Vertues from the form and not the matter.

That the form is a certain unspeak∣able particle of ligiht, a Heavenly Ver∣tue which is presently at hand, illumi∣nating the whole dwelling, if so all


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things are rightly disposed from with∣out. Vid. ib. pag. 25. and 48. and is the true Author of all Transmutation.

This form is that which the Book * called, Sal lumen & Spiritus mundi → Philosophici, or the first and Universal Spirit of the World, also aims at writ∣ten originaly in French and now in En∣glish, to which I refer you, only I shall set down one passage he cites out of Doctor Bacon, pag. 184. Wise men be∣gin their works from the root, and not from the branches; chusing, as Doctor Bacon saith, to congeal the thing, that Nature begun her first operation about, by proportionate mixion, and union of a pure living Mercury, with a like quantity of Sulphur into one Mass: Oh Holy words! Wherein this good Angli∣can, or rather Angel clearly depinged that one and true matter, whereof all Philosophers have writ Volumes under divers Figures and Enigmaical Fables; not because they would Maliciously hide it, but keep the Priviledge of this Kingdom for Learned and Pious men, who by continual Study and Laborious Experience find and adorn it.

Eugenius Philalethes in his Anima*magica abscondita (Writing also against


Page 145

the Peripateticks, whose Philosophy he does not like, because he says it is built on general empty Maxims, that may be applied to any thing, but conduce to nothing; for that Aristotle tells him, Nature est Forma, and by Consequence Forma est Natura, which is idem per idem; but he allows they call it Vis for∣matrix, which he says is only an Ex∣press of the Office and effect of Forms, but nothing at all to their Substance or Essence. The same he saith of their description of the Soul, shewing the Operations and Faculties which the Soul exerciseth in the Body; but discover not her Nature or Original at all. In pag. 8. he says, That there is in Na∣ture a certain Spirit which applies him∣self to the Matter, and actuates in eve∣ry Generation: That there is also a pas∣sive Intrinsecal, where he is more im∣mediately resident than in the rest; and by mediation of which he communi∣cates with the more gross material Parts; for there is, he says, in Nature a certain Chain or subordinate propin∣quity of Complexions between Visibles and Invisibles, &c.

Pag. 9. That every Body in the World is subject to a certain species of


Page 146
Motion, as Animals, the Heavens, the Air, the Sea, and finally the Earth with her Minerals; and all other Creatures are subject to alteration, that is to Ge∣neration and Corruption. Now the Matter of it self being meerly passive, * and furnished with no motive Faculty at all, we must (says he) of necessity * conclude, that there is some other in∣ward Principle which acts, and regulates it in every several species of motion.

This Principle (or Form) he says is Anima Mundi, or the univeral Spirit of Nature, which is retained in the Matter by certain other proportionate Natures; and missing a vent doth Organizare mo∣lem, and put her Prison into some good Order.

That in every Frame there are three leading Principles.

1. The First, Is Anima Mundi.

2. The Second, ← Spiritus Mundi; and that this Spirit is a Medium per quod ani∣ma infunditur et movet suum corpus.

3. That the Third is a certain Oleous aetherial Water; that is, Menstruum et Matrix Mundi, for in it all things are Framed and Preserved.

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1. Pag. 11. The Anima, he says, is a Compound ex aura tenuissima et luce simplici.

2. The passive Spirit is a thin real Substance, the only immediate Vest∣ment wherein the Anima wraps her self when she descends and applies to Ge∣neration.

3. The Radical vital Liquor, is a pure Coelestial Nature, answering in Proportion and Complexion to the su∣periour interstaller Waters.

Then he shews you how they attract one another. And pag. 12. Here, he says, lies the Magicians Denarius, his most Secret and Miraculous Pyramid, whose first Unity or Cone is always in Horizonte Eternitatis; but his Basis or Quadrate is here below in Horizonte Temporis.—Then he proceeds to shew you the Chain of Descent and Ascent, with the means and secrets of Nature (as he understands them).

Pag. 13. The Anima (he says) is an instrumental Agent, a seed or glance of Light, simple and without any mix∣ture, descending from the first Father of Lights.

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Pag. 14. Says, Natures Game here below is such, she cannot play it with∣out this Tutor; instances the Spiders Mathematical Weaving her Webb, and forcasting to catch the Flies; and says if she did not know there were Flies for her Sustenance, she would not watch for them. Also instances the Counter-march of the Hare, when she doubles her Trace to confound the Scent, &c.

Pag. 15. Says, the Agent which de∣terminates and figures the Matter, is a discerning Spirit, and hath the Matter before him, as Potters hath the Clay, or the Limner his Colours, &c.

Pag. 21. He tells us of another Tri∣plicity of Principles, which are the Keys of all Magick.

1. The First, he says, Is a pure White Virgin, and next to that which is most pure and simple, and is one in one, &c.

2. The Second was the First; but by ad haesion to the Matter it con∣tracted an Impurity, &c. and is called Binarius.

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3. The Third, by separation from the Second, called Trenarius, a pro∣duct of Art, &c. a Compound consisting of inferior and superior Powers.

Pag. 22. This (says he) is the Magicians Fire, this is Mercurius Philo∣sophorum, celeberrimus ille Microcosmus & Adam, this is the Labyrinth and wild of Magick, where a World of Students have lost themselves, &c.

4. That this Ternarius being redu∣ced per quarternarium ascends to the Magical Decad, which is Monas Unitis∣sima, in which state quicun{que} vult potest; for it is united then per aspectum to the first eternal spiritual Unity. But of these three (says he) hear the Oracle of Magick, the great and solemn Agrip∣pa, Quatuor itaque quae diximus sunt Elementa, sine quorum notitia perfecta, nullum in Magia producere possumus ef∣fectum, &c.

Then he tells us, pag. 27. That there is a twofold Binarius Lucis et Confusio∣nis.

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In pag. 28. He alludes to Moses con∣cerning the Creation of the Heaven and Earth; that is (says he) Virgin Mer∣cury, and Virgin Sulphur: And then shews that the feminine Principle is the Wife of the Sun, &c. (To this Chap∣ter of Moses also alludes the Author of Hermetical Secrets, and Aeyrenaeus in his Introitus).

Pag. 30. Trust not (says he) those Impostures then that tell you of a Sul∣phur tingens, and I know not what Fa∣bles, who pin also that new and narrow Name of Chemia, on a Science both an∣cient and infinite. It is the Light only * that can be truly multiplied; for this ascends to, and descends from the first Fountain of Multiplication and Gene∣ration; and that this Light applied to any Body whatsoever, exalts and per∣fects it in suo genere.

In pag. 44. he says, Some Philoso∣phers, who by the special Mercy of God, attained to the Ternarius, could never notwithstanding obtain the perfect Me∣dicine, neither did they understand it.—And much more he says very my∣stically (in his way) relating to the Philosophers Stone, which I was willing to insist upon, that so you may under∣stand


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that the true Elements or Princi∣ples being known and relied on, no Book is so mystical concerning it which you may not, in a tollerable measure, be able to explain.

The same Author in his Lumen de Lumine, or a New Magical Light, speaks much of the Principles, though ob∣scurely. In pag. 95. he says, The Phi∣losophers did not use common Gold to make their Stone, as some Scriblers have written; they used it only to qua∣lifie the intensive Power of it when it is made, that they might more easily find what quantity of base Metal they should Project upon. And pag. 97. he con∣cludes, Amen in Mercurio, qui pedibus licet carens decurrit, Aqua, et metallice universaliter operatur.

But to return to Aeyrenaeus Philale∣thes, pag. 42. in his Exposition on Sir G. Rip. Preface, he says, Were it not that this Tincture which in the Mer∣cury is Sol and Luna, were as a Soul,* that is a spiritual Thing, it were impos∣sible that the Tinctures should be multi∣plied in a manner infinitely: It is there∣fore the very Dos saecunditatis which is in Minerals (which doth appear in their


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solar and lunary Tinctures) which was put and planted on, and in them in the first Benediction of (Crescite et Multi∣plicamini) which increasing, is, in some things, juxta quantitatem; but this is in quality.

Pag. 43. So then the Matter of Mi∣nerals is a dead passive thing, in which there is included a Light which is cloath∣ed (vitali aeura aetheria) as I may speak. This Form of Light is it which doth actuate and specificate, or deter∣mine the matter; and this Splendor or * Light is in all Metals, Sol or Luna, which are conspicious more eminently in those two perfect Bodies Gold or Sil∣ver, but are in other mineral Bodies more Clouded, and Eclipsed with an earthly faeculent In erposition between the Fulgor and the Superfliuties, which is the Imperfection of such Bodies, and is accompanied with a rawness and in∣constancy in the Fire, the Impure car∣rying away the Pure.

Pag. 44. That the matter of Sol and *Luna is Earthly; but our Work is to advance the Light in the matter to a millenary Vertue, that it may seem to be swallowed up of the Form.

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And pag. 164. I grant and know that all things Originally owe all their principle Material unto Water, and all their formal unto Light, &c. So then the matter resides in Water, the infor∣ming in Light, and the determination of the Form, which is, as I may say, the forms Formality, is in the Will of the Creator; first impressed or sealed in the word (fiat) and ratified in his Command (producat unumquodque jux∣ta speciem suam, &c.) That mixture cannot be made but in the same Genus or Species, and sometime disproportion hinders mixture.

Pag. 260. The most noble Fire is * Natural, which is that which we seek to have multiplied; and that is the Sul∣phur of Gold, or rather its very Tin∣cture: It is that which we seek for; and we use Mercury for Sol his sake, &c.

Pag. 264. The Seed of Gold, is a fiery Form of Light, which nothing in the World wanteth, and therefore it would be a great Anomalum, if it should be only definite in Metals, the choice of all sublimary Bodies.

Pag. 26, 27. Upon the Exposition of Sir G. R. Epistle, speaking of the inter∣nal Fire, he tells us, all our Work then


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is only to multiply this Fire, so long until the Vertue of the Sulphur be aug∣mented. Again this Fire is an invisible Spirit, and that God only governs this way of internal Fire, Man being igno∣rant of the Progress thereof, only by Reason beholding its Operations, &c.

From all which it plainly appears, that this Art tends to the multiplication of the Fire of Nature, which is a fiery Form of Light, an invisible Spirit, &c. Now it is granted, on all hands, that this multiplication is made by reitera∣tion of the Work, whereby both quali∣ty and quantity may be greatly aug∣mented; for the Vertue of it, at the first, is nothing in respect to what it may be advanced to.

This Art of multiplication, &c. is now taught by many Books, tho' the ancient Philosophers would scarcely discover it to a Brother, as it is some∣where said of Count Trevisan (as I remember) that one who knew both the matter and working of the Stone, followed him about ten Years to re∣quest him to teach him the manner of multiplying, which he would not grant, because the other had the same Book as himself had: Yet there are diffe∣rent


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ways of it, both by Cibation, Fermentation and Projection, of which Sir George Ripley has treated in his last six Gates, which the famous Aeyrenaeus also Expounded; and doubtless there was a great Love and good Will mani∣fested by him, for the sake of the in∣genious; but we are not like to be any better for his good Intent, Malice or Self-conceitedness having deprived us of them; for there is an Advertisement in the Book of Ripley Revived, after pag: 44. which tells us, that it was Aeyre∣naeus his own Desire to benefit the World by his Labours; and that he gave his Consent to Mr. Starkey for the * Printing his Pieces, as appears in his Preface to the Marrow of Alchymy. And that great pity it was that Mr. Starkey did separate this Author's Commentary upon Sir George Ripley's Twelve Gates, which he did (says the Book) as I was informed by one unto whm he gave the very Book; from which he confes∣sed he had cut the least Six Gates. The Person demanding the Reason whereof he cut them asunder. He An∣swered that the World was unworthy of them; which nevertheless he pro∣mised to give that Person a Transcript


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of, but did not, which is the Reason that they cannot yet be found; the Loss of which is very much lamen∣ted, &c.

Well, since it can no better be, let us see what Mr. Starkey has left the World, to requite us for this great Loss.

I find George Starkey's Natures Ex∣plication, and Helmont's Vindication, &c. 8. Lond. 1658.

—His Marrow of Chymical Phy∣sick,*or making Chymical Medicines, 12. Lond: 1661.

—His Pyrotechny Asserted and Illustrated, lately Reprinted, 1696. It was Dedicated to Robert Boyle, Esquire.

The two first I have not read; the latter I have by me, wherein he would have us understand he knew the Na∣ture of the Liquor Alchahest, which can divide the Principles of all things.

In pa. 18. He promises (amongst other) to discover its matter and manner of making; which (says he) I presume to a Son of Art, will be accounted a rich Legacy. In Chap. XIII. Pag. 35. he comes to the matter and manner, (but I think very few will understand either of them from his words). He


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tells us that it takes its Original from a loathsome Subject, from a matter in all the World most Corruptible, Impure and Mutual; that it is from a Body of two distinct Natures, and that the means of its Production is by reiterated Solution, and an intervening Coagula∣tion; and thus is the Subject brought to the most subtle Atoms, of which in Nature it is capable. This is the sum of his Discovery.

But we have another Book of the Liquor Alchahest, by J. A. Pyrophilus. 1675. Dedicated to R. Boyle, Esq which, he says, he partly Published in justness to the Dead, who (he says) was abold Cham∣pion of Pyrotechny, but died in 1666. and that this Tract was Posthume: It thereby also appears to be Mr. Starkey's Tract; wherein, he says, the matter is vile and costs nothing, every man hath it, the Poor as well as the Rich; that Adam carried it with him out of Paradise; and about pag. 20. gives some Receipt of it, and that 'tis the product of man's Urine.

This indeed is ingenuous and profita∣ble to the World; for this Liquor Al∣chahest (as is said) can reduce all things to its first Principles, and separate the good from the bad, yet mixing intirely


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with none, always to be intirely sepa∣rated from them in Vertue and Quanti∣ty, whereby excellent Medicines may be prepared. The Knowledge of this Liquor, he saith, he gathered from Hel∣mont and Paracelsus.

Pag. 2 and 3. The Knowledge and Preparation of it, he says, is the work of most abstruse Philosophy, the Hope and Crown of the Adepti. And in his Pyrotechny Asserted, pag. 26, 27. he says, it is the noblest and most eminent of all Keys, more universal (in its O∣peration) than the particular Mercury of the Philosophers, which is but a par∣ticular thing, applicable to its own kind; and that in reference to a gene∣rative multiplication of Species, where∣as this Liquor acts universally, and without limitation on all Subjects in the whole World, which it destroys as to their Vita ultima, and perfectly redu∣ceth their first Matter, in which their eminent Vertue is found; by which means those noble Medicines may be prepared, of which both Helmont and Paracelsus Glory, not without Cause, sithence by them may be cured all the Infirmities incident to the Body of Man; and so the Life vindicated from


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the danger of Diseases, which by any one of those great Arcanas are conquer∣ed and cut down, as Hay or Grass with a Scythe. Thus far he.

Now let us hear what Aeyrenaeus* says to this Liquor Alchahest, and the Medicines prepared by means thereof, and that of the Philosophers Stone by their Mercury:

In his Exposion upon Sir G. R. Pre∣face, pag. 78. he says, There is but one Menstruum that hath the Power to re∣solve both Gold, and all other Bodies to their first matter; which Paracelsus names his Alkahest, Ignis Gehemiae, &c. The Medicines hereby made he allows to be Excellent, but not so as our great Medicine, nor can it touch or reach long Life; but the Philosophers Oyl, so * called, is the very. Tree of Life, not a * Tincture extracted by Alchahest, but by an universal changing of the sickness of the metalline Off-spring into a true po∣sture of Health, and is the most incom∣parable Treasure of the whole World.

Pag. 208. He says the Liquor Alcha∣hest is an unprofitable way for our work.

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Pag. 243. He doth again mention * this Arbor vitae, and its Vertue of pe∣netrating even to our constitute Prin∣ciples, which no other mineral Medi∣cine can do. He further adds,—Though Paracelsus Glory much of his Renovantia & Restaurantia (which we have known, as being Master of his Secret Alchahest, of which, if I live, I will write a particular Treatise); yet it is not his Haematina, nor yet his Arca∣na,* nor his Elixiria, nor his Essentiae, nor any of his Secrets (which are sure∣ly noble Medicines) that can reach the Root of Life, which this can and will: For it performs all, only it cannot pre∣vail against the appointment of God; otherwise, were it not for that Decree, it could really keep a man immortal; for it renews Youth, retards Age, and restores to most exquisite and compleat Health, encreaseth Strength wonder∣fully.

Pag. 244. Yea it will not only re∣new Hair, to those whom it is fallen, but it will change the hoary Head into a youthful Colour, which will not grow hoary again for many Years, nor ever, if the use of it were fully known, and it were used as it ought to be.

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Pag. 279. He mentions the noble Bruxilian, whose promised Treatise when the World shall enjoy, I suppose (says he) the profoundest piece of Philosophy that ever was revealed to the World; which I admire not (con∣tinues he) so much for his Experi∣ments, of none of which I am ignorant, nor Paracelsus to boot, many; yea most of which are far harder (though sooner wrought) than the Elixir, and the Alchahest is a hundred times more difficult, &c. Yet he thinks (for ma∣ny Reasons and Expressions *) that this grand Arcanum was not known to ei∣ther of them, otherwise that one of them was, without flattery, Natures Privy-Councillor, &c. and says that he could as heartily desire his Acquaintance as any Man's in the World, and would endeavour familiarity with him if Fates prevented not, &c.

You may read much more of this Liquor Alchahest in Glauber's Book of Furnaces, but more effectually in Aey∣renaeus his Dialogue of this Liquor, printed in the Book called Collectanea Chymica. In pag. 262, 263. Glauber says, though he durst never try the Work of the Philosophers Stone, being


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scared by other Mens Loss therein, and wanting Time and Place, he was suffi∣ciently convinced of the Truth of such a Medicine.

But to return to Rip. Revived, pag. 86. besides what he said of himself be∣fore, he tells us, That by Virtue of this Quintessence, Artephius testifieth that he lived above a thousand Years. Flam∣mell also recordeth of it, that it trium∣pheth over all the Miseries of the World. Johannes de Laznioro is more bold, and saith that if in the Agony of Death a Man should taste but a Grain of it, all the mortal Pestilence would depart from him.

In Pag. 72. He hath these words; And in this Mercury thus circulated, is doubtless the Mystery of the never fa∣ding Light, which I have actually seen, but yet never made.

And pag. 248. Speaking of the Tin∣cture to be dissolved into an Oyl, adds, yea and beyond this, it may be exalted beyond the Nature of Man, yea and of a tangible Body, to become a most ra∣diant perpetual Light, which I have seen, though not my self actually made: All this is done by the Divine Vertue of our Water, &c.

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Also Mr. Ashmole, in his Prolegomena, before Theat. Chem. Britt. tells us, That he who shall have the Happiness to meet with S. Dunstan's Work, De Occulta Philosophia, may therein read such Sto∣ries, as will make him amazed to think what stupendious and immense Things, are to be performed by Virtue of the Philosophers Mercury (of which he there mentions some part).

This shall suffice for the Quality and Vertue of the Philosophers Stone: Next, we will see something con∣cerning the Truth and Plainness of the Art, also some of the Philoso∣phers Directions to such as intend to set themselves about this Great Work.

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First concerning the Truth and Nature of this Art.
IN the First Volume of Theat. Chemi∣cum, and in the First Treatise writ∣ten by Robertus Vallensis, pag. 1. He takes notice of some Words or Senten∣ces, from Esdras, Salomon and David, &c. Pag. 2. He produces the Testi∣monies of Hermes, B. Tho. Aquinas. 3. Gulielus Parisiensis. Jo. Duns Scotus Doctor Subtilis, Vincentius Monachus, Raymundus Lullius, Chrysogonus Polydo∣rus vel Osiander. 4. Joann. Andreas ju∣risperitus, Oldradus jurisperitus. 5. A∣vicenna, Jo. Dastimus Theophrastus, Al∣bertus. 6. Aristot. Titelmannus. 8. Pa∣normitanus jurisperitus. Hippocrates. Abuhali. 10. Rhazes. Haly. Dioscori∣des, Arnaldus. 11. Bernardus Comes Treverus, Marsilius. 12. Alexander Imperator. Geber. 13. Virgilius lib. 6. Aeneidos, Suidas, &c.

Pag. 14. He shews you many that writ of this Art in Arabick, many in Greek, many in Latin, many in French, &c.

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And pag. 15. He tells us Veteres con∣sueverunt res divinas, altas et sublimes, sub velo multorum aenigmatum et fabula∣rum poeticarum scribere, which certain∣ly is very true; for till of late Years little Light therein hath been held forth to the World.

In pag. 44. of this Volume, De jure Artis Alchemiae; the Lawfulness of the Art is proved ex Sybilla. 45. From Car∣danus. 46. From Thomas Aquinas, from Snidas. 47. From Pliny.

Pag. 48. Next he proves it from the Answers of several learned Lawyers or Counsellors; viz. Ex Oldrado Consil. Ex Panormit: Ex Joan. Andr. Ex Andr. Iserninc. Ex Baldo Perusino. Ex D. Fa∣biano de Monte. Ex Alberico. Ex Al∣berto Bruno. Ex Guidone Papa. Ex Jo∣an. de Platea. Ex Hieronymo de Zane∣tinis. Ex Thom. Arfoncini, &c.

Next follows a Dialogue, De Jure et Praestantia Chemicorum Medicamentorum.

Next of the Difficulty of the Art, pag. 129. All which, and much more may be read in the Six Latin Volumes of Theatrum Cheimcum. There are o∣ther Witnesses; viz. Daniel Sennertus, Cornelius Martinus A•tuerpianus, Conra∣dus, Horneius, Marcellus Palingenius, &c.

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Sendivogius tells us in many places of his Book, That the Art is true, but that the Workman seldom is true; that the Art of Chymistry hath found out such Subtilties, that scarce greater can be invented, and differ as much from the Art of the ancient Philosophers, as a Clock-smith doth from a Black-smith; and that if Hermes, Geber and Lully were alive, they would be accounted by our Chymists for Scholars rather than Phi∣losophers. He adviseth often to abide in the simple way of Nature; and saith that simplicity, or plainness is the Seal of Truth.

In his Preface to the Treatise of Sul∣phur, he says Nature is most plain and simple, and delights in nothing so much as Plainness: That whatsoever in Na∣ture is more Noble, by so much also the more Easie and Plain it is, because all Truth is Plain and Simple.

Mr. Norton, in his Ordinal, calls this Art the subtil Science of holy Al∣chimy.

Aeyrenaeus, in his Book De Metallo∣rum Metamophosi, affirms that the Art is true, &c.

In his Exposition upon Sir G. R's. Preface, pag. 86. he affirms that the Art


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is so plain, that if it were nakedly de∣scribed it would be contemptible.

Pag. 87. That he speaks knowing∣ly that the Art is both true and easie; and that in less than two Years and a half, of a vulgar Ignoramus he became a true Adept; that in some particular Turnings he erred oft; yet so, as in his Errors, he knew himself a Master, &c.

And in his Metamorphosis, pag. 8. He affirms himself Fidus Naturae Testis.

In his Brevis Manuductio ad Rubin. Coelestem, pag. 58. he says, Dicit enim Philosophus quod sit Lapis et non Lapis: quod perperami intelligunt non nulli, id{que}*semper vulgus, interpretatur enim ad li∣teram esse aliquid, quod autem ignorat, Lapidis formam referens, quodlibet eti∣am vel ipso tactu in aurum probatum tin∣gens, sive ligneum suerit, sive lapideum, quod pro falsissimo (idque merito) repu∣tat: omni ita{que} arti (excepta Diaboli∣ca) impossibile judicat, quare audito vel Chemistae nomine, abhorrescit statim, et abominatur, nec aliter eum, quam impi∣um, stolidum{que} suorum bonorum profuso∣rem existimat, falsâ hac et confusa lapi∣dis nostri secretissimi acceptione ad hoc nicitatus: Ideo Rudiores homines jure*Civili puniendos esse tales homines super∣stitiosè
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credunt: Sub nomine 〈…〉 num rudiorum non illos tantum 〈…〉, qui plebii seu illiterati sunt et indocti, verum etiam nonnullos imò plurimos viros aliter doctissimos, forsan etiam et pios, in∣telligo; quos rudes ideo nomino, tum quia hujus Artis rudes sunt & ignari, necnon etiam, quòd rudibus adeo sunt moribus praediti, ut canino more quidquid igno∣tum sit, oblatrent, et de iis maledicant, quae nunquam mente suâ aut conceperunt, aut concipere poterant. Hos pessimè ha∣bet haec mea reprehensio, quia quod tàm pietati, quàm Doctrinae contrarium est, illi et docti et pii faciunt, talia nimirum judicant, quae nec discernunt; nec discer∣nere valent: cum enim moneat Doctrina, suadeat pietas, ut ea quae quis judicat perpendat, et examinet, hi contrà illud indubitanter condemnant; quod tamen postquam damnarunt, adhuc quid sit nes∣ciunt, et ignorant, quod omni Philosopho est indignissimum.

In his Introitus, pag. 2: he speaks to this purpose, I could cite all the Philo∣sophers concerning this matter; but I want not Witnesses, because I my self am an Adeptist, and write more clear∣ly than any hath hitherto done: Let him believe me that will, disprove me


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that can; and let him carp who list, he shall certainly, for his reward, gain a high Ignorance. I confess the subtil Wits dream of many Chimaeras; but he that is diligent shall find the Truth in the simple way of Nature.

And Sendivogius in his Twelfth Trea∣tise, saith to this effect; If any Man doubt of the Truth of the Art, let him read the Voluminous Writings of the Philosophers, verified by Reason and Experience, whom we may deservedly give Credit to in their own Art: But if any will not give Credit to them, then we know not how to dispute with 'em, as denying Principles; for deaf and dumb Men cannot speak, &c. (and it may be added) neither can blind Men judge of Colours.

And in his Epilogue or Conclusion, he cries out, O holy and wonderful Na∣ture, who doest not suffer the Sons of Wisdom to err! &c. Moreover in these Twelve Treatises I have produced so many natural Reasons, that he which is desirous of the Art, and fears God, may the more easily understand all things, which through God's Blessing, with my Eyes I have seen, with my own Hands have made without any Deceipt of So∣phistication.

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And elsewhere, he says, we could cite the Writings of Philosophers to con∣firm what we have said; but because we have wrote clearer things than are in their Writings, they need not any Confirmation; he shall understand who looks into other Mens Writings, &c. Know also for certain, that this Art is not placed in Fortune, or casual Inven∣tion, but in real Science; and that there is but this one matter in the World, by which, and of which the Philosophers Stone is made, &c:

Elsewhere, he says, It was not my purpose; for some Reasons before men∣tioned in the Preface to publish this Book, but a desire to deserve well of those who are Studiously given to libe∣ral and philosophical Arts, prevailed with me that I might hold forth to them, that I bear an honest Mind; al∣so that I might declare my self to them that understand the Art, to be their equal Fellow, and to have attain'd their Knowledge, &c.

So Aeyrenaeus avers, that at the time of his writing, he had that great and wonderful Medicine in his Possession, and before his Eyes. And in his Expo∣sition of Sir George Ripley's Vision, p. 24.


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he says, I have been a true Witness of Nature unto thee, and I know that I write true; and all Sons of Art shall by my Writings know that I am a Fellow-Heir with them of this Divine Skill. To the Ignorant, says he, I have written so plain as may be; and more I had written, if the Creator of all Things had given me larger Commission, &c.

Also in his Introitus, page 33. Ego Sanè non exdono, (Nisi Dei mei) non furto illum possideo, habeo, feci, et quoti∣die meâ sub ditione servo, &c. Page 34. Et scio quae scribo et novit cordium Scru∣tator Deus, quod Scribam vera, nec est quod invidiae me accuses, quoniam inter∣rito Calamo, inaudito Stylo, in honorem Dei, usum, fructum proximi, mundique et divitiarum contemptum scribo.

He that would be further convinced of the Truth and Reason of this won∣derful working Powder, let him read the Treatise, called, The Way to Bliss; published by Elias Ashmole, Esq pro∣ving by Philosophy and Reason, the possibility of this universal Medicine; and that there are many things in Na∣ture far more strange than this natural Work: Indeed that Book shews but little of the matter or manner of work∣ing


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it; he says in brief, Dissolve Gold in a Water of its own kind, I care not how, but best with his beloved for ease in in working.

It also appears, That in late times there have been many Adeptists, who knew, and practised this Art, though formerly it was very rare to hear of one.

Norton, in his Ordinal, page 52. tells us, That once three Masters of this Sci∣ence lay in one Bed near to Leaden-hall (which he says was a wonderful Thing, whilst it is hard to find one in millions of Men). One of them, he says, was of the Dukedom of Lorain; the other two, it seems, were English.

Sendivog. in his Epilogue, hath these words; I doubt not but many Men of good Consciences and Affections, do enjoy this Gift of God secretly.

And Aeyrenaeus, in his Preface to his Introitus, says that he knew many, who together with himself, enjoyed this Se∣cret, and was perswaded that there would be many more, with whom he should, in a short time, have daily fa∣miliarity.

And towards the end of this thir∣teenth Chapter, he says, he knew very


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many who possessed the Art, and the true knowledge of it, who (as it were) had Vowed a most secret Silence, and that he writ his Book without the knowledge of any one of those he dai∣ly conversed with: And in so doing he hoped he had improved his Talent well. He further adds, That he foresaw some Hundreds would happily be enlightned by his Writing; therefore he consulted not with Flesh and Blood, &c.

Also in the same Chapter he breaks out in these words; Novi, novi, quod haec mea scripta erunt plurimis instar au∣ri obryzi et aurum Argentumque per haec mea scripta vilescent instar fimi, credite Juvenes Tyrones, credite Patres, quia tempus adest ad fores, non ex vano con∣ceptu haec scribo, at in spiritu video, &c.

And Joannes Langius, in his Preface before this Book, says to this pur∣pose; viz.

Yea, if those things which Mary Rant (an English Woman) by inward Revelation promised con∣cerning the making of Gold, (that it would become Vulgar or Com∣mon in the Year 1661) come to pass and hundred Years after;


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then I doubt not at all but it hath taken some beginning from this.

Neither did these famous and honest minded Philosophers conceal themselves, or the Art out of Envy or Pride; but for fear of evil disposed Persons, who continually sought to do them Mis∣chief.

Aeyrenaeus, in his fourteenth Chap∣ter, says we have professed, and do a∣gain profess, that it is not for the Cre∣dit we give to other mens Writings that we have published this; we have seen and known (adds he) those things which we faithfully declare; we have made do, see, and possess the Stone, the great Elixir; nor truly do we envy thee the knowledge of it, but wish thou maist learn it from our Wri∣tings, &c.

And, in his thirteenth Chapter, he says, I dare affirm that I do possess more Riches, than the whole known World is worth; but cannot make use there∣of, because of the Snares of Knaves: Also, in his last Chapter, he says, An Adeptist may so increase the Stone at his Pleasure, both in Weight and Ver∣tue; so that if a Man would, one Man


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that is an Adeptist, might transmute into perfect Gold and Silver all the im∣perfect Metals that are in the whole World.

But for a further warning of these Dangers and Snares he speaks of, let us examine his thirteenth Chapter a little closer.

In the beginning of it he tells us, he hath delivered many Secrets, which be∣fore were barren enough to the World; because almost all Chymical Books do abound either with obscure Aenigmas, or sophistical Operations, or with a heap of pitiful contagious Words; but that he hath not so done, resiḡning his Will in this thing to the Divine Pleasure, who (says he) in this last period of the World seems to me to be about the opening of these Treasures: Therefore I do not fear that the Art will be dis∣esteemed; far be it from me, this can∣not be; for true Wisdom will defend it self in eternal Honour. I could wish, says he, that Gold and Silver, would at length be of as mean in esteem as Dirt; that great Idol, hitherto adored by the whole World: Then we who know these things, should not so much con∣trive to hide our selves, &c.

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From this he goes on to make a piteous Complaint, because of the Dangers and Perils that attend these Artists, through the Wickedness of evil Men, and that there is scarce an honest Man to be found; that himself was forced to fly by Night, to shave his Head, and alter his Name; and all this because he (ha∣ving done some wonderful Cures by means of the grand Elixir) was laid in wait for by wicked Men, meerly for suspicion only, accompanied with a most greedy thirst after Gold.

Then he proceeds further to shew the Difficulties that Adeptists meet with, and says, He hath known some to have been strangled, through the Suspicion only of Desperate Men, that these o∣ther knew the Art, tho' they were meer strangers to it: That some will Tattle of their Counterfeiting Money, others can easily know this Gold and Silver from common, because 'tis Finer than any other, and that a Man runs the hazard of his Head by Allaying or A∣dulterating it, because of the strict Laws of all Nations, who have provided, That every Deterioration of Gold and Silver (altho' according to Standard) yet if it be not done by a Professed and


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Licensed Metalourgist, shall be account∣ed a Capital Crime. Then he shews how he and others were forced to leave and lose 600 l. value of Silver, &c. and concludes in these words, We being taught by these Dangers, have determi∣ned to lye hid, and will communicate the Art to thee, who dreamest of such things [that is who think'st these sorts of fears and dangers ridiculous, and that if thou knew'st these things thou wouldst do otherwise] that so we may see what Publick Good thou wilt do when adepted, &c. Then he proceeds to shew and explain the Mysteries of the Art, and adds; Versly, as for my self, I do not possess the Stone by Theft, but by the Gift of my God, &c.

Afterwards, he tells us, That Elias the Artist is already born, and now glorious Things are declared of the City of God; from which he again falls into his Complaints against evil minded Men, and professes his aversion to Avarice, in these words.—I dis∣dain, I loath, and deservedly detest this idolizing of Gold and Silver, by which the World celebrates her Price, Pomp and Vanities: Ah, filthy Evil! Ah, vain Nothingness! Believe ye that I conceal


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these things out of Envy? No, verily; for I profess I grieve from my Heart, that we are driven, as it were, like Va∣gabonds from the Face of the Lord throughout the whole Earth. But what needs many words, that thing that we have seen, taught and handled, which we have, possess and know, these we do declare, being moved with meer Compassion towards the Studious, and with indignation of Gold and Silver, and of precious Stones, not as they are Creatures of God, far be it from us; for in that respect we Honour them, and think them worthy Esteem: But the People of Israel adores them, as well as the World; therefore let it be ground to Powder like the Brazen Ser∣pent, &c.

Afterwards he shews his Hopes and Expectations of this Art, and why; al∣so the value of his Writings; then he seems to prophesie concerning the fu∣ture State of the Adepts, and shews his Zeal for the good of Israel. These things, says he, I send before in the World, like a Preacher, that I may not be buried unprofitably in the World; and draws to a conclusion, in these words, pag. 35. Esto Liber meus prae∣cursor
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Eliae qui paret viam Domini re∣giam, et utinam quilibet in toto terrarum orbe ingeniosus artem hanc calleret, tum copiosissimè abundante auro, argento, gem∣mis{que} nullus haec magnifaceret nisi quate∣nus scientiam continerent: Tunc tandem virtus nuda ob sui ipsius naturam amabi∣lem in honore haberetur.

Thus we have heard some of those great Troubles, with which this honest Hearted Adeptist was surrounded; and which (believe me) are sufficient to deter any serious Man from appearing publick in this Matter, did things re∣main now in the same posture in which he left them; but to our great Satisfa∣ction the Scene is alter'd, the Palace Gates are laid open, and those that were heretofore shut out, are once a∣gain admitted to kiss the Royal Hand of their Prince.

But if any one should suppose that this hard usage only happened to the Adepts, in this our Masters time, (tho' it's probable he is still living) let him hear what the Noble Sendivogius has to say on this Subject: In the Epilogue of his Twelve Treatises, he hath words, to this purpose; I doubt not (says he) but many Men of good Con∣sciences


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and Affections do enjoy this Gift of God secretly. These being warn'd by my Example, and Dangers are made more Cautious and Wise, ha∣ving that commendable Silence of Har∣pocrates: For as often as I would disco∣ver my self to great Men, it always turned to my Loss and Danger.

Also, after he has for the sake of the Ingenuous largely described the nature of the four Elements, and their Act∣ings, he descends unto the three Prin∣ciples of Things; in which Treatise Lat. pag. 166. Engl. 120. he says, Conclu∣sivè dicimus, &c. To conclude there∣fore, we say, That this Art is the Gift of God alone; which being known he must also be pray'd to, that he would give his Blessing to the Art; for without this Divine Blessing it would be of no use, and unprofitable, which we our selves have had Experience of, seeing we have, by reason of this Art, under∣gone great Danger; yea we have had more Mischief and Misfortune by it, than Advantage; but there is a time when Men are wise too late.

Then he proceeds to shew how he was protected by Divine Providence in his Misfortunes, and how shamefully


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his Enemies perished: For I have heard (says he) that my Enemies have fallen into that Snare which they laid for me, they who would have taken away my Life, have lost their own; and some of them which would have taken away my Goods, have lost Kingdoms. More∣over, I know many that would have detracted from my good Name, have perished with Disgrace; so great Pre∣servation have I always had from the great Creator of all things, &c.

And in the end of his Philosophical Riddle; Believe me (says he) if I were not a Man of that Rank and Con∣dition as I am, nothing would be more pleasant to me than a solitary Life, or with Diogenes to lye hid under a Tub; for I see all things that are, to be but Vanity, and that Deceit and Covetous∣ness are altogether in use, where all things are to be sold, and that Vice doth excel Vertue, &c.

And in the Preface to his Treatise of Sulphur, he also seems to foretel that the dawning of the happy Day of the Adepts was at hand. Pag. 112. Lat. 78. Engl. He tells us those times are now past, when Fidelity amongst Friends flourished, and this Art was communi∣cated


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by word of Mouth; but now it is not (says he) obtained, but by the In∣spiration of the most high God a∣lone, &c.

Pag. 79. Now those times are co∣ming in which many Secrets of Nature shall be revealed; now that fourth Mo∣narchy of the North is about to be∣gin; now the Times are at hand, the Mother of Sciences will come; greater things shall be discovered than hath been done in these three last past Mo∣narchies, &c.

And in the very Preface to his Book begins to this effect; viz.

To all Searchers of the Art of Chy∣mistry; namely the true Sons of Hermes, the Author wisheth all Health, and prays to God for a Blessing.

Thus from him it also appears, that the Adepts have been evilly intreated by the ingrateful World; nevertheless for the sake of the ingenuous, they have not ceased to leave sufficient Te∣stimony of the Truth of this Art: What here I write (says he) by way of Testimony to that undoubted philo∣phical Truth, comprehended in few


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Lines, have been taken out of that ma∣nual Experience, which the most High hath vouchsafed to me, that they which have laid the principal and real Founda∣tions in this commendable Art, may by this Encouragement not forsake the pra∣ctice of the best Things, and so be se∣cured from that wicked Swarm of Smoke-sellers, whose delight is to cheat. They are not Dreams, &c. it is the phi∣losophical Truth it self, &c. And a little afterwards adds, Many Men both of high and low Condition, in these last Years past, have to my knowledge seen Diana unveil'd, &c.

There is yet one sad and lamentable Story behind, and that Acted by our own Countrey-men; yet therein also is a great Providence set forth; it is in Mr. Norton's Ordinal, page 35. concer∣ning the Misfortune and ill Usage of one Thomas Daulton (formerly a Clerk to one Deluis, Esquire and Confident to King Edward) caused by the said Deluis and one Thomas Herbert also Esquire to the Body of the said King: The Sub∣stance of it is this; That Daulton (a true Adeptist) had by him great store of the Red Medicine; that Herbert forced him out of an Abby in Gloucester∣shire,
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and brought him before King Ed∣ward; hereupon Deluis swore that Daulton, in a little space, had made him a thousand Pound of as good Gold as the Royal was. Daulton told Deluis he was Forsworn. Deluis Answered, not in what he had then said, tho' he had for∣merly taken an Oath to Daulton not to discover him, which Oath he might break for the Weal of the King and his Land. Daulton Reply'd, that avoided not his Perjury: However he soberly told the King, that by reason of having the Medicine, he often had been brought into great Troubles; and to avoid it for the future, he cast it into a foul and common Lake in the Abby where he was taken, &c. The King would have him to make it again. Daulton said it could not be; for it was given him by a Canon of Lichfield, whose Work he had attended many Years. The King being sorry for the Loss, gives Daulton four Marks, and his Liberty; but Her∣bert deceitfully lay in wait for him, and brought him to Stepney, and his Ser∣vants took away the Money. After∣wards Herbert conveys Daulton to Glou∣cester-Castle, where he kept him long; from thence he had him to Troy, and


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kept him in Prison about four Years, and afterwards brought him out for Execution. Then Daulton Addresses himself to the Lord in Prayer.

And after he brought him out to dye;*
Daulton to death obeyed lowly,
And said, Lord Iesue, blessed thou be,
Methinks I have byne too longe from thee.
A Science thou gavest me with full great charge,
Which I have kept without outrage.
I founde no Man yet apt thereto,
To be myne Heyer when I am goe:
Wherefore (sweete Lord) now I am faine
To resigne this thy Guift to thee againe.
Then he submitted to dye, and bids Herbert do his Will. Herbert here∣upon repents, weeps, and dimisses Daulton; but Daulton departed with heavy Heart; for he had no great mind to live longer.

Herbert (it seems) dyed soon after in his Bed,
And Deluis at Teuxbury lost his Head;
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This wise great Pain, as you may see,
Followeth this Art in every degree, &c.
Then he concludes that vicious Men may not learn this Art, because of the Ambition and Violence they would attempt by means of it.

There is some other Pains which Mr. Norton says may happen to them who follow this Art: As first, To con∣sider how many seek, and how few * find, &c. To be learned in the Secrets of Nature, and that a man though he be taught it may fail, that hast faileth; therefore he recommends Providence and Dread.

For of all Pains the most grievious Paine,*
Is for one faile to begin all againe, &c.
It is great Pain, he says, to be some∣times of one Mind or Opinion, and some∣times of another [which certainly is very true].

That it will be a Pain to find out a true Master and get his Love, &c. This * indeed is like to prove a very difficult matter; Where shall we seek for such a Master? For my part I know of none:


Page 187

I had not the Happiness of, or Acquain∣tance with any Master, other than my Books; neither dare, or will I pretend to be an Adeptist; my Business lies not in the least towards Chymistry, nor have I as yet seen the Thing called a Laboratory. It was my Zeal to revive the Worthy Memory of this most noble Art, and of its true Professors, which caused me to make this Essay. There may be others far more able, though not so willing to lay open this Mystery; for in this I am free, having not pre∣engaged either my Hand or Heart to Secrecy; yet all things must be taken with a Grain of Salt. Had not then Mr. Norton (think you) a good fore∣sight to send you to Hortolan to learn how to prepare, and part the Elements? Ay, but he did not mean Hortolanus Junr. Did he not, say you? No mat∣ter; he is however now most likely to fulfil his Words.

And will it any longer (think you) be accounted a Mystery to hear of pre∣paring a Medicine from plain, easie and natural Principles, but four in Number openly described in order, commonly known, and almost every where to be had, and the whole Work not a thou∣sand


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part so Tedious as it is Excel∣lent?

Ay, but you'll say 'tis a difficult Work, * and requires a man's whole Atten∣dance, &c. Not so neither; but if it were, I cannot help it. There are ma∣ny men in England, and elsewhere that know how to keep a Fire in an equal and continual Heat for twelve Hours together; and if so, I see no Reason they have to be always peeping in their Glasses. Hear then, I pray you, what Art and Honesty saith of this matter.

Aeyrenaeus, in his Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's Preface, pag. 86. Since then this Knowledge is so wonderful being the very Looking-glass of Na∣ture, the Antidote against Poverty and Sickness, and consequently the Cut∣throat of Covetousness, Pride, Ambi∣tion, and such like sordid Affections; Who would not bestow a little time in the Inquiry of it? In which let me as∣sure thee, in the very Words of Trevi∣san, the Art is so plain, that if it were nakedly described it would be contemp∣tible; and yet in vulgar Mechanicks, How frequent is it for men to serve seven, eight, yea ten Years Apprenti∣ship
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to attain them? And in some that are a little more ingenuous, How fre∣quently are considerable Sums of Money bestowed to boot; yet in this noble Art, so far excelling all humane Scien∣ces, as the Sun doth a Candle, who will imploy himself with Diligence? Unless it be some Money minded Sots, who seek only for Riches, And yet how soon are even they weary? So that few or none persist in their Inquiry, save a few Ro∣guish Sophisters who live by Cozening; by reason of such the Art is scandali∣zed, and ill spoken of. Yet trust me, for I speak knowingly, the Art is both true and easie; yea so easie, that if you did see the Experiment, you would not believe it, &c.

If this Art be so easie (say you) * why then little Mr. Hortolan are not you an Adeptist? Surely your mouth was set a watering; and if so, Why would you not then have a taste?

Hort. Truly Sir, were I an Adeptist, It is very probable, you had not heard from me in this open manner; yet, if you will take my honest word for it, I will assure you, for satisfaction sake, I did endeavour the Joyning and Purging of the four Elements, according to the


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Books and Rules before mentioned, and tho' I did it by ghuess only, and not by weight or measure, yet in a weeks time I both Joyn'd them, and Purg'd, Distill'd and Sublimed my Mercury, so that it answer'd as much as I could rea∣sonably expect: But I digested it not, for I had no Athanor or true digest∣ing Furnace: Besides I am allotted to serve others, and in Publishing this, I hope I shall serve and satisfy all Ingenu∣ous Men, after which I may endeavour to serve my self; yet remembring that tho' many are called, a few only may be chosen: He that shall attain this gift, will take care enough to keep it Se∣cret. Furthermore you may take Notice that this is only an Essay, I have told you before, I will not swear to make you give Credence, neither will I further perswade any man about the Work; Let every man use his own di∣scretion, Capiat qui capere vult et po∣test; but to return again to the pains attending this Art.

But if your mind be verteously sett,*
Then the Devil will labour you to lett;
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And that in three manners, viz. with Haste, Despair and Deceipt, against which he sets down some Remedies.

Afterwards he adviseth to consider the Vertues of the Teacher, and for what Reasons he Pretends to teach you, &c. I presume he means such who vo∣luntarily (for reward sake) offer their service to instruct others; and by the way he shews the Deceits of some of these pretenders, as that of the Deceit∣ful Monk of Normandy, who proposed to build fifteen Abbies on Salisbury Plain, and thereupon applies himself to Nor∣ton; Norton examines his Cunning, and rejects his Proposals; soon after the Monk's Craft was clean overcast, after which having cheated many, he goes in∣to France, &c.

Another Story he tells of Saunce Pe∣ere the Parson, who had a conceit by means of this Art, to make a Bridge over the Thames, and to deck it with Carbuncles to shine by Night, but that his Work also came nothing.

Ripley also cautions you against De∣luders, and Cheating Multipliers, pre∣tending to this Art, Pag. 154. Theat. Chym.

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To se theyr howsys it ys a noble sport,
What Fornaces, what Glassys there be of divers shape;
What Salts, what Powders, what Oyles and Waters fort,
How Eloquently, de Materia prima they—clape.
And yet to fynde the trewth they have no hap;
Of our Mercury they meddle and our Sulphur Vive,
Wherein they dote, and more and more Unthryve.
Then he shews their great boastings, and how they (in those days) haun∣ted about Westminster-Abby, borrowed Money almost of every one, and for a Peny promised to pay them a Pound; but Shame and the Prison was their last Portion.

Pag. 158. He adviseth to meddle with nothing of great Cost; and lays it down for a Rule, that like must bring forth like, &c.

And concludes thus, pag. 159.

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Spend not thy Mony away in waste,
Geve not to every Speche credence;
But first examyn, grope and taste;
And as thou provyst, so put thy confi∣dence,
And ever beware of great expence:
But yf thy Phylosopher lyve vertuosely
Trust the better to his Phylosophy.
Prove hym fyrst and hym oppose
Of all the Secretts of our Stone,
Whych yf he know not thou nedyth not to lose;
Medyll thou not ferther, but let hym gone,
Make he never so pytyose a mone.
For then the Fox can fagg and fayne
When he wold faynest hys Prey attayne
If he can answer as ought a Clarke,
How behyt he hath not provyd indede;
And yf thou wylt helpe hym to hys Warke,
If he be Vertuose I hold hyt mede,
For he wyll the quyte yf ever he Spede:
And thou shalt weete by a lytyll anon
If he have knowledge of our Stone.
One thyng, One Glasse, One Furnace and no mo,
Behold thys pryncypyll yf he take,
And yf he do not, then lat hym go;
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For he shall never thee rych man make,
Trewly yt ys better thou hym forsake,
Then after wyth losse and varyaunce,
And other manner of Dysplesounce, (&c.)
We will next consider some of the chief qualifications, which are altogether convenient for a Studient and Work∣man, in this Art, (as they are recom∣mended to us by the Adepts) and so conclude.

Mr. Norton in the Preface to his Or∣dinal, tells us, That upon Inquiry, many People were found to Address themselves to Alchimy only for Lucre sake, and for Covetousness of Riches, as Popes, Cardinals, Archbishops, Ab∣bots, Priors, with Fryars, Hermets,*Priests, &c.

And Merchants also, with com∣mon Workmen, Goldsmiths, Weavers,*Free Masons, Tanners, Parish Clerks, Taylers, Glasiers and Tinkers (he says) have desired and endeavoured, for this Noble Craft, and that with great Presumption; (though he allows that some colour there was, for all such Men as give Tincture to Glass:) but he says it had been better for many


Page 195
Artificers, to have left oft in time, before they wasted their Estates.

It had byne good for them to have left off
In season, for nought they founde but a Scoff,
For trewly he that is not a great Clerke
Is nice and lewde to medle with this warke; (&c.)
For it is most profound Philosophie,
The subtill Science of Holy Alkimy. (&c.)
Then he shews how all Masters of * this solemn Work writ very darkly, &c. as Hermes, Rasis, Geler, Avicen, Merlin, Hortolan, Democrit, Morien, Bacon, Rai∣mond and Aristotle.

Anaxagoras, he says, wrote the plainest, and was therefore rebuked by Aristo∣tle thro' Envy.

He proceeds to shew the Malice of a Monk, who writ a Thousand false Re∣ceipts for despight.

He cautions to avoid Receipts and De∣ceipts,* and not to attempt to Work any thing unless you know how and where∣fore, for nothing is wrought but by its proper Cause.—That truth is to be followed, Falshood and Counterfeits


Page 196

to be eschew'd; That Grace is necessa∣ry, also Riches sufficient; and says he had this Art by Grace from Heaven (yet he was taught it by a Master). Pag. 11. Adviseth to read his Book of∣ten, and also other Books.

Pag. 13. He tells us Holy Alchimy is not found out by Labour, nor sold for Money, but given by Grace; and An∣swers some Mens Allegations, that this Art is not Holy.

14. That it was taught only to the Vertuous, &c. by a Master, with an Oath of Secrecy to teach it to one man that is Vertuous, without any regard to Blood or Kindred.

For this Science must ever Secret be,
The Cause whereof is this as ye may see;
If one evil Man had hereof all his Will,
All Christian Pease he might hastilie spill,
And with his Pride he might pull downe,
Rightful Kings and Princes of renowne:
Wherefore the Sentence of Perill and Jeopardy
Upon the Teacher resteth dreadfully.
Pag. 15. He again tells us that 'tis found only by Grace, and is Donum Dei,
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not to be unadvisedly cast away; that it is granted only to few; for great Do∣ctors have not been able to find it, p. 16. who through despair have denied the Art; but the Wise know it to be true, tho' it is not for blind Men to paint, or to pretend to take down St. Paul's Steeple, lest it might hap to break their Crown, &c.

And pag. 17. concludes, That true Searchers must know the Principles of Philosophy, and patiently trust in God.

Pag. 33. He says the Adepti are next to the Saints.

For it is better then to were a Crowne:
Next after his Saints, our Lord doth him call;
Which hath this Arte to honour him with∣all, &c.
Pag. 28. He says the true Children make this Confession.

Confiteor, Altissime, nullus ista rapit, Li∣cet et prius didicit, absque te nil sapit:

Nam tanta stat gratia te Deum semper∣apud: Perficere sicut capere, nam Fi∣nis es, et Caput.

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This Advice is no other than what all the Ancients have formerly taught; but because it will swell our Treatise be∣yond its intended Limits, we will satis∣fie our selves, at present, with the Do∣ctrine of some few modern Adepts.

Mr. Norton also tells us pag. 92. That the mind of the Workman ought to agree with the Work; that he ought to have Servants that be Sober, Wise and Dili∣gent, True and Watchful, &c. also fit∣ting Instruments and Furnaces, with convenient Time and Place: And then a little to colour the matter, he draws a Scheme, and says you ought to ob∣serve the Signs and Planets, &c. and to fortune your Work, &c. [which last thing some men have taken literatim, and so become superstitious].

Sir George Ripley, unto King Edward the Fourth, writes thus in his Epistle:

For like it you to trust that trewlie I*have founde
The perfect waye of most sacret Alchimy,
Which I wyll never trewly for merke ne pounde
Make common but to you, and that condi∣tionally,
Page 199
That to your self ye shall keep it full se∣cretly,
And only it use as may be to God's plea∣sure,
Els in tyme comming, of God I should abye
For my discovering of his Secrete Trea∣sure.
Then he desires the King will agree to him by an Oath, and to pardon him for not writing openly; for that he would plainly declare it unto him by Mouth, and shew him the Practice; yet he says in his Writing he will not be so Mystical, but that the King might by study find the Knowledge of it, &c. [But it appears he had writ to the King secretly of it before].

He further adds,

And if God graunt you by me to wynne*this Treasure, serve him devout∣ly with more laud and thank∣ing, &c.
And in his Prologue to this Work, he adviseth to good Living and Humi∣lity, to fear God, to seek Wisdom and Prudence; and shews the Punishment of Sin and Reward of good Living, &c.

Page 200

Then concludes with a further admo∣nition, to follow Vertue and eschew * Vice, enjoyns Secrecy, and a good Use.

That after thy ending thou may be sure
In hevyn for to rewardyd be,
Whych God graunt both to thee and me, &c.
Mr. Chaucer, in his Channons Yeoman, after he hath shewn the Deceipts of false pretending Multipliers and Impostors, which he saith he writ.

To the intent that Men maie be ware thereby,
And for no other Cause truly.*
Concludes the Philosophers were sworn not to discover it, and that it is Donum Christi; and where he only li∣keth and adviseth, that no Man pre∣tend to work it contrary to his Will; for if he do he shall not thrive, though that he multiply term of his life, &c.

Thomas Charnock, in his Breviary of Philosophy (out of which, though little or nothing of either matter or manner is to be learnt; for all his large Promi∣ses in his Preface) informs us he was


Page 201

told this Secret, under an Oath, by a Monk of Bath, who took a liking to him, and who had lost his Medicine at the dissolution of Monasteries; and for Grief, &c. afterwards growing Blind was lead about by a Boy.

Will you with me to morrow be content,*
Faithfully to receive the blessed Sacra∣ment,
Upon this Oath that I shall heere you give,
For ne Gold ne Silver as long as you live,
Neither for love you beare towards your Kinne,
Nor yet to no great Man preferment to wynne:
That you disclose the seacret that I shall you teach
Neither by Writing, nor by no swift Speech;
But only to him which ye be sure
Hath ever searched after the Secrets of Nature?
To him you may reveale the Seacrets of this Art,
Under the Covering of Philosophie, be∣fore this World yee depart, &c.
Page 202

Then he having consented, within three or four Words the Monk (he says) revealed to him the great Miste∣ry of Minerals Prudence; and says, if it had not been for his Oath, he would have told us more, &c.

Bloomfield, in his Blossoms, first tells us that Time lead him into the Camp * of Philosophy, bid him have Faith, and gave him a Key of Knowledge to open the Secrets of this Art; and told him the first Lock being opened, all are opened: That the first Lock is called Chaos, the Secrets of all Wise Men, &c.

Then going on (he says) Time be∣ing his Guide, he met a parcel of lean Philosophers, as Brooke the Priest, and Yorke, Martin Perien, Major and Thomas De lay Hay, the Vicar of Malden, Ri∣chard Record, and little Master Eden, Hugh Oldcastle, and Sir Robert Green.

Roasting and boyling all things out of kinde,
And like Foolosophers left off with losse in the end.
These (he says) had deceived King Henry with their Whites and Reds, &c. Then Time advises him to Labour and


Page 203

Patience, and leads him to Lady Phi∣losophy, before whom he humbles him∣self, and plights his Troth to serve her.

In his Practice, pag. 319. He makes his last Will and Testament; adviseth his Son to be Holy, Sober, Honest, Meek, &c.

Be you Holy therefore, Sober, Honest and Meek,
Love God and your Neighbour, to the Poor be not unkind;
Overcome Sathan, God's Glory see you seeke,
My Son be gentle to all Men as a Frend;
Fatherles and Widow have alway in thy Minde,
Innocente Love as Brothers, the Wicked do eschew,
Let falsehood and flattery goe, least thou it rue.
Devoutely serve God, call daily for his Grace,
Worship him in Spirit with Heart con∣trite and pure,
In no wise let Sathan thy Prayers deface:
Look thou be stedfast in Faith, and trust most sure,
Lay up Treasure in Heaven which ever shall endure.
Page 204
In all Adversity be gentle in thy Heart,
Against thy Foe, so shalt thou him con∣vert, &c.
Eugenius Philalethes, in his Anima Magica abscondita, pag. 51. Now be∣cause the Law of Nature is Infallible, and confirm'd to the Creature by God's Royal Assent, think not therefore there is any necessity upon God; but what he hath enacted in general, he can repeal in any particular, &c. He cursed the Earth once for Adam's sake; take heed he doth not curse it again in thy Work for thy sake. And again, he says, he must be a good Steward, that shall over-look the Trea∣sures of God; have therefore a Chari∣table Seraphick Soul, Charitable at home, in being not destructive to thy self, as most Men are; Charitable a∣broad, in a diffusive Goodness to the Poor, as many are not, &c.

Sendivogius, in his First Treatise Engl. pag. 3. tells us God is the Original and Bounds of Nature, and worketh all things by it, and without Nature is nothing.

Pag. 4. That the Searchers of Na∣ture ought to be as Nature her self is,


Page 205

True, Plain, Patient, Constant, &c. and that which is chiefest of all, Reli∣gious, fearing God, not injurious to their Neighbour; and then shews that every thing must be exalted in its own kind, &c.

37. That the Art of Alchimy, in its kind, is true; Nature also is true; but the Artificer is seldom true.

39. He laboureth in vain, that put∣teth forth his Hands to labour, without the knowledge of Nature in this Sacred and most True Art, &c.

41. For without the light and know∣ledge of Nature, it is impossible to at∣tain to this Art, unless it come to any by God's special Revelation, or some special Friend doth privately shew it.

42. If therefore thou dost not un∣derstand, or believe the Truth, do not blame me but thy self, and perswade thy self that God was unwilling to re∣veal this Secret to thee; be therefore earnest with him by Prayer, &c. Do not wonder that I have wrote so many Treatises; for I did not make them for my own sake, seeing I lack not Books, but that I might advertise many that work in fruitless Things, that they should not spend their Costs in vain.

Page 296

44. He shews us plainly the whole Art is only an Extraction of our Sea-Water, or Metallick radical Moisture, &c.

47. He says many Men, conceited of their Understanding and Wisdom, could not savour his meaning, tho' he intimated the Art to them from word to word; but they could by no means understand him, not believing there was any Water in our Sea, and yet they would be accounted Philosophers. Since therefore (says he) they could not un∣derstand my Words, which I delivered by word of Mouth, I do not fear (as other Philosophers were affraid) that any one can easily understand what I have wrote: It is the Gift I say of God, &c.

But let me give you this Caution, That if you would attain to this Secret, know that first of all God is to be pray∣ed to, then your Neighbour is to be lo∣ved; 49. and lastly, do not fancy things that are subtil, which Nature knew no∣thing of; but abide, I say, abide in the plain way of Nature, &c. I will (says he) reveal to no mortal Man whilst I live more than I have done in this pub∣lick Writing.

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76. That the Art did daily decline into obscurity, and as he believed thro' the Writings of envious Philosophers; that one Book explains another; that Geber had need to be read a thou∣sand times over; that were these hard Writers ignorant of, and to learn the Art out of such hard Books, they would find it out with greater difficulty than Men in these days who search into the Art.

Pag. 78. That now the Art is not obtained, but by the Inspiration of the most high God alone; therefore let not him that searcheth diligently, and fears God, despair; if he seeks after it he shall find it, because it is more easily obtain'd from God than from Man, &c. Be of good Courage therefore, and he will also not deny this Favour unto thee; if thou puttest thy whole Trust in him, Wor∣ship him and call upon him, he will open to thee the Gate of Nature, &c.

79. Cease not to seek, for to him that knocks it shall be opened.

102. That the Philosophers esteem'd highly of this Art, not so much out of Covetousness for Gold and Silver, but for Knowledge sake.

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119. He adviseth to taciturnity, saith that tho' some casually fall upon the matter of our Argent vive, yet he ends the Work when he should begin, &c. Saith that this Art is the Gift of the most High God; and unless God reveals it by means of a good Wit, or Friend, it is hardly known. That Lully learnt it of Arnold, and Arnold received it from a Friend, &c. but saith, God scarce ever conferred upon any mortal Man, so great things as upon himself; and ac∣knowledges he deserved them not, yet that he always trusted in God.

122. Adviseth again to trust in God, and to pray to him; for if thou be sin∣cere he will by one means or other shew thee a way, and assist the in it, that thou shalt obtain thy desire; pray, but yet work, saith he; and concludes that a good Understanding and Opportunity are the Gifts of God.

123. That there is but one true Ope∣ration, and that it is easier to make the Elixir than any particular, to abide a natural Examination and Tryal, not∣withstanding some Mens Boasting; but the Broth will have its Taste from the diversity of the Flesh boyl'd in it. Advi∣seth against Receipts of Mountebanks and all false Sophistications, &c.

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141. He adviseth to essay nothing contrary to Nature, &c.

143. That every searcher ought to know the four Elements and their Ori∣ginal, [in which indeed he is very Na∣tural and Ingenuous] and to apply all things to the possibility of Nature, if they do not agree with Nature, they must be let alone and waved.

147. Then he ends his Book with this conclusion, viz. That this Art is always acquired by the same kind of Wits and Dispositions; Which Art (says he) we after this kind of clear Manifestation of it, lay up in the Bosom of God the most high Creator and our Lord, and com∣mend our selves together with all ho∣nest hearted Readers to his Grace, and Infinite Mercy: To whom be Praise and Glory for ever and ever.

The Conclusion.
AeYrenaeus in his Preface to the Au∣thor in Ripley Revived, hath these words: For my own part I have had experience of misleading Sophistical Writers, and have made many toilsome laborious Experiments tho' but young, and therefore having at length, through


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the undeserved Mercy of God, arriv'd at my Haven of Rest, I shall stretch out my hand to such as are behind, &c. That at length studying to profit the Sòns of Art, he resolved to unfold Rip∣ley, so that the Tyro might have two Witnesses in one, &c. And concludes thus, These writings peruse for they are not Fancies, and so with the help of the most High, thou shalt attain thy wish.

Pag. 19. In his Exposition of Sir G. Rip. Preface, he says, That those who mistake in their Operations, and blame the Philosophers are most injurious.

Pag. 18. That if Wit were capable of the attainment of this Art, it would have been common e'er now, and that he does very admiringly adore the Wis∣dom of God herein, that an Art so True, so Natural, so Easie, so much desired and sought after, should yet be so rarely found, that the generality of Men Learned and Unlearned, do laugh at it as a Fable; It is therefore most certainly the gift of God, who is and ever will be the Dispenser of it, accord∣ing to his good pleasure.

20. That God hath a Ruling hand herein, and the Sons of Art have their Commission given them as to Writing


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and Teaching, &c. That he Writes only to the deserving: That his Books are but as Way-marks, and he does what he may to shut out the unworthy: Yet so plainly (he saith) has he Written, that as many as God hath appointed to this Mastery, shall certainly understand, and have cause to thank him for his Faithfulness, &c.

21. Our Books (saith he) are for those who have been or intend to be conversant about the search of Nature; we hint the way, Prayer to God and Patience persisting in the use of means, must open these Doors; Let therefore profound Meditation, accompanied with the Blessing of God, Furnaces, Coals, Glasses, and Indefatigable Pains, be thy Interpreters, and let them serve for Commentaries upon our Wri∣tings; so I did, so I advise thee, and the Blessiing of God attend all Studious, Vertuous searchers in this way.

In his Tract. of the Transmutation of Metals, Pag. 14. He tells us, That e∣ven the most expert in this Art were very Obscure, if not Envious, as Geber, Arnold and Lully, &c. from hence is the Labyrinth, from hence also that o∣dious


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name of the Art, &c. but he advi∣seth to a firm resolution, &c.

In Pag. 15. He saith, Iter secretum esse oportet, ut nulli suus labor inotes∣cat, &c. and gives several good Rea∣sons.

16. He adviseth the searcher of this Art to be Diligent, Private and Retired (unless he can have a faithful Compani∣on, one and no more). That he be not Necessitated or Needy, Licet enim par∣va quantitas sufficiat, &c. but especially that he be Honestus, Deum timens, &c. quod legat relegat et perlegat hominum Doctorum et non Sophistarum libros, &c. Et implorato Numinis auxilio ne despon∣deat, licet pluries erret et tamen a Sump∣tibus magnis caveat, sic benedicente Deo, voto tandem potietur, &c.

Rip. Rev. pag 266. Take then my Counsel, be not so careful of the Fire of the Athanor as of our Internal Fire; seek it in the House of Aries, and draw it from the Depths of Saturn; Let Mer∣cury be the Internuncio, and your Signal the Doves of Drana, &c. with these you may overcome the Lyon.

The heat of their Stomachs, says he, is far more Powerful than any Fire in the World, for in it Gold will be De∣stroyed,


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that thou shalt not know what is become of it, which yet loseth no∣thing from it self, tho' exposed to the greatest Violence of any Flame.

In his Exposition upon Sr. G. R. Visi∣on, pag. 24. Now God only is the dis∣penser of these Glorious Mysteries: I have been a true Witness of Natue unto thee, and I know that I write true, and all Sons of Art shall by my Writings know that I am a Fellow-heir with them of this Divine Skill. To the Ignorant I have wrote so plain as may be, and more I had written if the Creator of all things had given me larger Commission. Now to him alone, as is due, be all Honor, and Power, and Glory, who made all things, and giveth Knowledge to whom he listeth of his Servants, and conceals where he pleaseth: To him be ascribed, as due is, all Service and Honour. And now Brother, whoever enjoyeth this rare Blessing of God, improve all thy strength to do him service with it, who hath Created all things, and for whose sake they were and are Created.

And in the last Chapter of his Introit. Apert. with which the Book called, Secrets Revealed, or an open Entrance
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to the Shut Palace of the King, doth a∣gree, (except in some few Sentences) we read thus, viz. He who hath once by the Blessing of God, perfectly attain∣ed this Art, I know not what in the world he can wish, but that he may be free from all snares of wicked men, so as to serve God without Distraction; but it would be a vain thing, by out∣ward Pomp, to seek for vulgar applause, such trifles are not esteemed by those who have this Art, nay rather they de∣spise them; He therefore whom God hath blessed with this Talent, hath this Field of content (which far exceeds po∣pular admiration).

First, If he should live a thousand years, and every day provide for a thou∣sand men, he could not want, for he may increase his Stone at his pleasure, both in Weight and Vertue, so that if a man would, one man that is an Adep∣tist, might Transmute into perfect Gold and Silver all the imperfect Metals that are in the whole World.

Secondly, He may by this Art make Precious Stones and Gems, such as can∣not be paralelld in Nature for Goodness and Greatness.

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Thirdly, and Lastly, He hath a Medi∣cine Universal, both for prolonging Life, and curing all Diseases; so that one true Adeptist can easily cure all the Sick Peo∣ple in the World (I mean this Medi∣cine is sufficient.)

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

Whosoever (saith he) enjoyeth this Talent, Let him be sure to employ it to the Glory of God, and the good of his Neighbours, least he be found ungrate∣ful to God his Creator, who hath blessed him with so great a Talent, and to be in the last Day found Guilty (of mispro∣ving of it) and so be Condemned.

Soli Deo Gloria.
FINIS.

ERRATAS.
THE chief mistakes in Printing, which the Reader is desired to correct, are as follow; viz. Pag. 3. l. 20. for form r. from p. 19. l. 12. r. the first Water. p. 35. l. 25. r. corporeat. p. 47. l. 13, 14. 1. Aurum vivum. p. 56. last l. r. proles est Saturni. p. 75. last Parag. r. we conclude then, That all Operations for our Mercury, but by common Mercury and our Bo•• according to our Art, are erroneous, &c. p. 87. l. 1. for ne r. our. p. 90. l. 13. for the r. thee. p. 144. l. 26. for Kingdom r. Knowledge. p. 153. l. 26. for definite r. defective. l. 27. for sublimary •▪ subluniary. p. 167. l 15. dele i: p. 173. l. 5. r. of those Adepts. l. 9. for happily r. haply.

Courteous Reader,
YOu may have of me the chief Books herein cited for Authorities; viz. Theatrum Chem. Britt. Opus Tripartium vera consectio Lapidis Philoso∣phici, Vade Mecum Philosophicum, Experimenta de praeparatione Mercurii Sophici, Sendivogius, Secrets Revealed, Ripley Revived, Valentines last Will and Testament, &c.

R. H.