things were strange so most strange was it that the Tomb and the intombed Carcass were one and that inseparably Also upon the Tomb I found written a Prophecy viz. That they if the Fire were kept equal and continual should rise again and be more glorious and powerful than ever they were before Then said I to the voice which is in the Glass I must be directed both what and how and when to do The voice answered me Take no care only do as I shall direct and all shall be well in the mean time you may view the places that are about only be sure that you neglect not your time of attending here And for to take away the tediousness which the length of time would otherwise work ask of me and I shall inform you in whatever you desire nor shall I think my discourse to me a burden so you will not think your labour a trouble Then said I Not so though I should be bound to serve you during my whole Life yet should I count it a priviledge not a burden Then she gave unto me as it were a Ball of fine Silk wound up as on a bottom and said Make this fast to a Pin of this Tower and then go round and behold the place it may shorten the time to you Carry this bottom with you and unwind it as you go and by it you may return till you know the place But do not after the common guise THen I passed along and was no sooner out of that place but a very thick misty darkness apprehended me so thick that I might fell it and though my head were as it were transparent and very light and I took also a Candle with me which was burning there continually at the entrance of the Tower yet the darkness was such that it would not receive the light for they were not homogenial but were a little dis-joyned by the Rays of the Light and as it were here and there condensed into strange figures as of Birds Beasts and creeping things of monstrous shapes And by reason of this opposition the Rays of the Light extended but a little way and the Light most clear did shoot as it were in Beams and the darkness stood as it were in clusters by it self There were as it were a multitude of men who seeing my Light in my hand which they could not discern well they being in that dark which would not be inlightned but as through a thick cloud they beheld my Candle and judged it ominous and left their stations for their eyes with dark and smoak were so tender that my Candle over-poured them and they could not bear its lustre therefore they crying out ran away I mused much at this how they could be in such Cimmerian Darkness and as I wondered I espied that they had with them Light as it were of Fox-fire or rotten Wood and Glow-worms Tails and with this they sat in consultation reading Geber Rhasis and such whom I heard them name and commenting on them not without much pleasantness Then I considered that the Light which I had brought with me did not enlighten the place but stood separated as it were from the darkness and withal I remembred that once there was Light in the World and the darkness comprehended it not and that darkness had a false fire Light of its own with which it seemed to its inhabitants wonderous well inlightned I set down my Candle and went with my Thread in my hand by which I intended to return When I was gone out of sight of my Candle my head began to seem as it were opacous and a wind had almost blown me down Then I took my bottom of Thread and made it fast to my Girdle lest it might drop out of my hand and well it was that I did so for soon a Vertigo came upon me and I fell and slumbered and when I awaked methoughts it was no more darkness but day-light about me I wondered at the very strange change and still felt for my Thread which by that Light I could not see but only feel it I began to look about me to see where I was and behold I was in a ruinous place of many millions of turnings each leading several ways and every room was so inlightned with Fox-fire and Glowworm-Tails that for want of a better Light it seemed as if it were day I took out of my Pocket a small Book to see if I could read in it it was called Enchiridion Physicae Restitutae with an Arcanum at the end of it and I could not read one word in it There met me a man aged and decrepit his Face rugged his Eyes bleared his Hands and Fingers corraded and saluted me and said merrily What Book have you there It is said I Arcanum Hermeticum It is a good Book saith he He and Sendivow are the two best that ever wrote I but said I I went to peruse my Book and I can read not one word in it That 's strange quoth he let me see it Then I shewed it him and he read out of it such strange things that I never had heard of before and Sandivogius saith he is of the same mind Then he begun to read in him and read such Processes that I had never heard of I do remember well the Authors and what they wrote but never to my remembrance did I find what you read in them said I. Look on them your self said he and you shall find it plain I went to look on the Book but could not distinguish any word in it which made me wonder Then I thought with my self that as that Light had a peculiar difference from that Light which I saw about the Tower where I was before so it might have its peculiar Objects This Opinion I had confirmed by this for that having Geber and Rhasis with me I tried how I could read there and all the Processes I could read very well only some places seemed as it were left out and a distance of white left I knew that my Books were perfect and some of the places which were as they seemed to me left out I remembred very well to be those places in which the Truth was couched in few words Then I returned by my Thread to my Candle and straight my head returned to its former diaphanity I took my Candle in my way and of a sudden all my places that seemed light before returned to be Cimmerian darkness only with the time that I had been there I found my Eyes were beginning to grow tender and smarted and itched at the first glimpse of this true Light which then in comparison of the Light I had before seen did not seem barely Light but the Super-Coelestial Light of Paradise Then I demanded of her with whom in the Glass I had former converse concerning what I had seen She told me That they were such who wrot in Alchymy according to the Light of Fancy and not of Nature
benefit of Mankind and most like to God himself to be universally kind to all nay the very Heathen not only accounted those men as Gods who communicated their Inventions for the benefit of their Generation and the good of Mankind in general but were worshipped as such by the succeeding Generations until Shilo came Of this Spirit was our Author who wrote many Books of this Subject that by the variety of expressions and insinuating hints the diligent Searchers might find out this Art as well as himself And of this Spirit I hope thou art Gentle Reader that if Providence have cast into thy hands the Exposition upon the last Six Gates which our Author wrote as himself confesseth or any other of his Writings I hope thou wilt not degenerate so far from a Good man and from the mind of the Author himself as to conceal those Treasures in private which he so freely wrote and by Transcripts dispersed with leave to communicate them for the good of all Which if you shall please to perform you will thereby very much oblige this Generation of Philosophers who esteem this Author's Pieces for the learnedst freest and smoothest style without affectation and the plainest that was ever yet wrote who thirsted as it were for a larger manifestation of this Secret yet durst not give a plain Receipt for fear of doing more evil than good thereby and not only this Generation but Posterity will be infinitely beholden to you that by your means these worthy Writings may be handed down to them And if you shall likewise be pleased to send any of this Author's Pieces either mentioned or not mentioned in the Catalogue to the Pelican in Little-Britain London you shall receive the grateful acknowledgment of Your humble Servant W. C. B. EXPERIMENTS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE Sophick Mercury By Luna and the Antimonial-Stellate-Regulus of Mars FOR THE Philosophers Stone Written by Eirenaeus Philalethes an Englishman and a Cosmopolite EXPERIMENTS for the Preparation of the Sophick Mercury by Luna and the Antimonial-Stellate-Regulus of Mars for the Philosophers Stone 1. The secret of the Philosophick Arsnick I Took one part of the Fiery Dragon and of the Magnetical Body two parts I prepared them together by a strong Fire and in the first fusion there was made about eight ounces of the true Arsnick 2. The secret of preparing the Mercury with his Arsnick for the separating its Faeces I Did take one part of the best Arsnick and I made a Marriage with two parts of the Virgin Diana into one Body I ground it very fine and with this I have prepared my Mercury working them all together in heat until that they were most exquifitely incorporated then I purged it with the Salt of Urine that the Faeces did separate which I put away 3. The Purification of the Sophick Mercury THe Mercury thus prepared is yet infected with an external uncleanness wherefore distill it three or four times in its proper Alembick with its Steel Cucurbit then wash it with the Salt of Urine until that it be clear and bright and in its motion leaves no tayl behind it 4. Another most excellent Purgation TAke of decrepit Salt and of the Scoria of Mars of each ten ounces of prepared Mercury one ounce and an half grind the Salt and the Scorias very fine together in a Marble Mortar then put in the Mercury and grind it with Vinegar so long until no more of the Mercury appears put it into a Glass Body and distill it by Sand in a Glass Alembick until all the Mercury be ascended pure clear and splendidly bright reiterate this three times and you will have the Mercury excellently well prepared for the Magistery 5. The secret of the just Preparation of the Sophick Mercury EVery single preparation of the Mercury with its Arsnick is one Eagle the Feathers of the Eagle being purged from their Crow-like blackness make it to fly the seventh flight and it is prepared even until the tenth flight 6. The secret of the Sophick Mercury I Have taken the proper quantity of the Mercury and I mixed it with its true Arsnick to wit about four ounces of Mercury and I made a thin commixed consistence I purged it after a due manner and I distilled it and I had a pure Body of Lune whence I knew that I had rightly prepared it afterwards I added to its weight of Arsnick and I increased its former weight of Mercury in so much that the Mercury might prevail to a thin flux and so I purged it to the wasting of the blackness almost to a Lunary whiteness then I took half an ounce of the Arsnick of which I made a due Marriage I added it to this betrothed Mercury and there was made a temperature like Potters Loam but a little thinner I purged it again after a due manner the Purgation was laborious and a long time I made it with the Salt of Urine which I have found to be the best in this Work 7. Another Purgation but yet better I Have found out a better way of purging it with Vinegar and pure Sea-Salt so that in the space of half a day I can prepare one Eagle I made the first Eagle to fly and Diana is left with a little Tincture of Brass I began the second Eagle by removing the superfluities and then I made it fly and again the Doves of Diana are left with the Tincture of Brass I conjoyned the third Eagle and I purged the superfluities by removing them even to a whiteness then I made it fly and there was left a great part of Brass with the Doves of Diana then I made it fly twice by it self to the whole extraction of all the Body then I joyned the fourth Eagle by adding more and more of its own humour by degrees and there was made a very temperate consistence in which there was no Hydrops or superfluous moisture as there was in the three former Eagles 8. I have found the best way of preparing the Sophick Mercury viz. such as follows THe Amalgamated Mass espoused or joyned very intimately by a due Marriage I put into a Crucible and into a Furnace of Sand for half an hour but so that it might not sublime then I take it out and strongly grind it then I put it again in a Crucible and in the Furnace and after a quarter of an hour or thereabouts I grind it again and I make the Mortar hot by this means the Amalgama begins to be clean and to cast forth a great deal of Powder then I put it in the Crucible again and to the Fire as before for a convenient time so that it be not sublimed otherwise the greater the Fire is the better it is so continually putting it in the Fire and continually grinding it till almost all the Powder doth wholly disappear then I wash it and the Faeces are easily cast out and the Amalgama becomes intire without any Heterogeneity then I
DOMVS NATVRAE Ripley Reviud Nil decit nisi Clavis Printed for William Cooper at the Pellican in little Britain 1678 THE Author's Preface TO HIS EXPOSITIONS UPON Sir GEORGE RIPLEY's Compound of Alchymy c. THis Canon of Bridlington flourished in the days of Edward the Fourth King of England to whom he wrote an Epistle as in the beginning of this Book appeareth a true Artist he was as every one who hath attained the knowledge in this Mastery can testifie He wrote among other Writings these Twelve Gates of Alchymy which with the Preface Recapitulation Erroneous Experiments by him warned of his Epistle to the King Vision and Wheel I shall unfold For his Experience herein he was eminent yea his Writings indeed are in my opinion for the fulness of them and eminent descriptions of things to be preferred before any that I have read or seen yet I have seen many I would detract from no candid well-deserving Author but would ingenuously give them their due yet Ripley to me seems to carry the Garland For mine own part I have cause to honour Bernard Trevisan who is very ingenious as in all his Writings so especially in that Epistle of his to Thomas of Bononia in which let me seriously profess I receiv'd the main Light in this hidden Secret I shall not name the place but read the Epistle and read it again and again for in it is most excellent truth and Naked truth Next to him or rather before him in some respects is an Author whom I will not name yet truly all Chymical Writers are therein to be preferred by any man by how far he gets good by them one commends Raymond Lully before all yet I remember not that ever I got good by reading of him some in good sooth who are not Professors of this Secret write more edifyingly to the informing of a Tyro then those whom skill hath made crafty especially in such places where they intend nothing less then to discover such Secrets I learned the Secret of the Philosophers Magnes from one of their Magical Chalybs from another the use of Diana's Doves from a third the Air or rather the Camelion of the Philosophers from another the gross Preparation of their Menstruum in another the number of Eagles in another but for operation on the true Matter and signs of the true Mercury I know none like Ripley though Flammel be eminent I know what I say as knowing experimentally the truth and what is errour For mine own part I have had experience of misleading Sophistical Writers and have made many toylsom laborious Experiments though but young and therefore having at length through the undeserved mercy of God arrived at my Haven of Rest I shall stretch out my hand to such as are behind I have wrote several Treatises some in English but especially in Latine one English Treatise touching the Stone very plainly written but not perfected unfortunately slipt out of my hand and perhaps may come abroad into the World if it do I should be sorry Two Latine Tractates one intituled Brevis manuductio ad Rubinum Coelestem another Fons Chymicae Philosophiae I wrote which for especial Reasons to me known I resolve to suppress Two other Latine Treatises the one intituled Ars Metallorum Metamorphoseâ—s the other Introitus apertus ad occlusum Regis Palatium I lately wrote which perhaps thou mayst enjoy Two English Poems I wrote declaring the whole Secret which are lost Also an Enchiridion of Experiments together with a Diurnal of Meditations in which were many Philosophical Receipts declaring the whole Secret with an Aenigma annexed which also fell into such hands who I conceive will never restore it This last was written in English with many other which I wrote for mine own recreation and afterwards burned But now at length studying how to profit the Sons of Art to my utmost I have rather resolved to unfold Ripley's Knots and so thou mayst have two Witnesses in one for by the unfolding of him thou shalt both see the depth of the Man and discern that both he and I were truly and not Sophistically intrusted with this Divine Science and Art in which it is not notional as many men conceive the Art to be but real Experiments of Nature taught me by the only God and Master of Nature that was my Guide having seen and made the Secret Water of the Philosophers and known the use of it by ocular experience to the effecting of the admirable Elixir These Writings peruse for they are not Fancies and so with the help of the most High thou shalt attain thy wish AN Advertisement THe Compound of Alchymy which seems to be most made use of in this Book for Quotations agrees for the most part with the Edition published by Ralph Rabbards and Printed at London 1591. in 4o. in which Edition the English is not so old as is that Copy which was published by Elias Ashmole Esq Yet I humbly conceive that this Expositor hath thought fit to clear the sence of the old English Verse by the change of some few words more significant to the present speech and yet doubtless not differing from the mind of the Author which change of words I durst not presume to alter but that I ought rather in justice to the Author to let them pass and for this reason likewise that whomsoever shall desire to see the difference may easily compare all three together because they are all published in Print and in performing this service I hope I have done my duty faithfully and wronged no body I likewise make bold to acquaint the Reader that in the Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's Preface in the Learned Sophies Feast pag. 52. line 5. I find this word greatest which from what follows line 11. I humbly conceive with submission should be meanest as may more manifestly appear from the same Author in his Secrets Reveal'd pag. 62 63. and in Sir G. Ripley's 5th Gate Stave 40. line 6. But because I found it greatest price in two Copies I therefore left it so and by this Advertisement submit it to the Readers Judgment I have likewise found that in the Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's Epistle to King Edward the 4th pag. 9. line 2. for Mercury some Copies read Antimony which is likewise left to the Readers scrutiny by W. C. B. The Contents Directions for the Book-binder 1. The Author's Preface 1 sheet Signat 2. An Exposition upon the Epistle to K. Edw. 3 sheets and a half Signat A. B. D. E 3. upon the Preface 6 sheets 4. upon the 6 Gates 5. and the Experiments of the Sophick Mercury 19 sheets a half from F. to C c. 6. Breviary of Alchymy 2 sheets A. B. 7. An Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's Vision 2 sheets A. B. AN EXPOSITION Upon Sir George Ripley's EPISTLE To King Edward IV. Written by Eirenaeus Philalethes Anglus COSMOPOLITA LONDON Printed for William Cooper at the Pellican in Little Britain 1677.
Sir GEORGE RIPLEY'S EPISTLE TO King Edward the Fourth UNFOLDED THis Epistle as it was immediately written to a King who was in his Generation both wise and valiant so it doth comprize the whole secret both learnedly described and yet artificially vailed Yet as the Author testifieth that in this Epistle he doth plainly untie the main knot So I can and do testifie with him that there is nothing desirable for the true attaining of this Mystery both in the Theory and Practick of it which is not in this short Epistle fully taught This then I intend as a Key to all my former writings and assure you on my faithful word that I shall not speak one word doubtfully or Mystically as I have in all my other writings seeming to aver some things which taken without a Figure are utterly false which we did only to conceal this Art This Key therefore we intend not to make common and shall intreat you to keep it secret to your self and not to communicate it except it be to a sure friend who you are confident will not make it publick And this request we make upon very good grounds knowing that all our writings together are nothing to this by reason of the contradictions which we have woven into them which here is not done in the least measure I shall therefore in this Epistle take up a new Method and that different from the former and shall first draw up the substance of the Philosophy couched in this Epistle into several conclusions and after elucidate the same The first Conclusion is drawn from the Ninth Stave of this Epistle the eight first Staves being only complementall and that is That as all things are multiplied in their kind so may be Metalls which have in themselves a capacity of being transmuted the imperfect into perfect The second Conclusion in the Tenth Stave is That the main ground for the possibility of transmutation is the possibility of reduction of all Metalls and such Minerals as are of metallick principles into their first Mercurial matter The third Conclusion is in the Eleventh Stave that among so many Metaline and Mineral Sulphurs and so many Mercuries there are but two Sulphurs that are related to our work which Sulphurs have their Mercuries essentially united to them The fourth Conclusion from the same Stave is That he who understands these two Sulphurs Mercuries aright shal find that the one is the most pure red Sulphur of Gold which is Sulphur in manifesto and Mercurius in occulto and that other is most pure white Mercury which is indeed true Quicksilver in manifesto and Sulphur in occulto these are our two Principles The fifth Conclusion from the Twelfth Stave is That if a mans Principles be true and his Operations regular his Event will be certain which Event is no other then the true Mystery These Conclusions are but few in number but of great weight or concernment the Amplification Illustration and Elucidation therefore of them will make a son of Art truly glad STAVE IX In the Edition 1591 but in Esq Ashmole's Theatrum it is Stave 8. But notwithstanding for peril that may befall If I dare not here plainly the knot unbind Yet in my writing I will not be so mysticall But that by study the true Knowledge you may find How that each thing is multiplyed in its kind And how the likeness of Bodies Metalline be tranâ—mutable I will declare that if you feel me in your mind My writing you shall find true and no fained Fable FOr the First Forasmuch as it is not for our purpose here to invite any to the Art only intending to lead and guide the sons of Art We shall not prove the possibility of Alchymy by many Arguments having done it abundantly in another Treatise He then that will be incredulous let him be incredulous he that will cavil let him cavil But he whose mind is perswaded of the truth of this Art and of its Dignity let him attend to what is in the Illustration of these Five Conclusions discovered and his heart shall certainly rejoyce We shall therefore briefly Illustrate this 1st Conclusion and insist there more largely where the secrets of the Art are most couched For this first which concludes in effect the truth of the Art and its validity he that would therein be more satisfied in it let him read the Testimony of the Philosophers And he that will not believe the Testimony of so many men being most of them men of renown in their own times he will cavil also against all other Arguments We shall only hold to Ripley's Testimony in this our Key who in the Fourth Stave assures the King that at Lovain he first saw the greatest and most perfect secrets namely the two Elixirs and in his following Verses craved his confident credit that he himself hath truly found the way of secret Alchymy and promiseth the discovery of it to the King only upon condition of secrecy And in the Eighth Stave though he protests never to write it by Pen yet proffers the King at his pleasure to shew him occularly the Red and White Elixir and the working of them which he promiseth will be done for easie costs in time So then he that will doubt the truth of this Art must account this Famous Author for a most simple mad Sophister to write and offer such things to his Prince unless he were able in effect to do what he promised from which imputation his Writings and also the History of him of his Fame Gravity and Worth will sufficiently clear him STAVE X. As the Philosopher in the Book of Meteors doth write The likeness of Bodies Metalline be not transmutable But after he added these words of more delight Without they be reduced to their beginning materiable Wherefore such Bodies which in Nature be liquiable Mineral Metalline may be Mercurizate Conceive you may this Science is not opinionable But very true by Raymond and others determinate WE come to the second Conclusion the substance of which is that all Metalls and Bodies of Metalline Principles may be reduced to their first Mercurial Matter And this is the main and chief ground for the possibility of Transmutation On this we must insist largly and fully for trust me this is the very hinge on which our secrets hang. First Then know that all Metalls and several Minerals have Mercury for their next matter to which for the most part nay indeed always there adheres and is Con-coagulated an external Sulphur which is not Metalline but distinguishable from the internal Kernel of the Mercury This Sulphur is not wanting even in common Argent Vive by the Mediation of which it may be precipitated into the form of a drie Powder Yea and by a Liquor well known to us though nothing helping the Art of Transmutation it may be so fixed that it may endure all Fires the Test and Coppel and this without the addition of any thing to it but
in the first degree of liquifying â—eat which is found in the Metalline â—ingdom in which the Internal Vapours â—â—all go round about thy matter in â—hich fume it shall both die and be reâ—â—ived Rule XVIII Know that when the White appears which will be about the end of Five Months that then the accomplishment of the White Stone approacheth Rejoyce then for now the King hath overcome Death and is rising in the East with great Glory Rule XIX Then continue your Fire until the Colours appear again then at last you shall see the fair Vermillion the Red Poppyâ— Glorifie God then and be thankful Rule XX. Lastly you must boyl this Stone in the same water in the same proportion with the same Regimen only your Fire shalâ— then be a little slacker and so you shalâ— increase Quantity and Goodness at your pleasure Now the only God the Father of light bring you to see this Regeneration of the light and make 〈◊〉 to rejoyce with him for ever hereafter in lightâ— Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT THis Author having wrote many Excellent Pieces on this Subject not so much to manifest himself an Adept aâ— many have done as to benefit the Worldâ— by his Writings himself professing that â—â—though the rest of his Adept Brethren â—ad as we may say enviously sworn seâ—â—ecie contrary to their received Maxim â—f doing all the good they may with this â—rge Talent so long as they live and â—â—nger if it might be yet had not he so â—worn though they supposed it for he â—ad as himself confesseth an extraorâ—inary impulse of mind to be helpful to all â—â—ncere searchers of this secret Art to use â—is own words and to stretch out his hand 〈◊〉 such as are behind Seeing therefore â—hat it was the Authors own desire to â—enefit the World by his Labours and â—hat he gave his consent to Mr. Starkey for Printing his Pieces as appears in his Preface to the Marrow of Alchimy I know no reason wherefore his Writings should lie conceal'd any longer And great pity it was that Mr. Starkey did separate this Author's Commentarie upon Sir George Ripley's 12 Gates which he did as I was informed by one unto whom he gave the very Book from which he confessed he had cut the last Six Gates the Person demanding the reason wherefore he cut them in sunder he answered that the World was unworthy of them which nevertheless he promis'd to give that Person a Transcript of but did not which is the reason that they cannot yet be found the loss of which is very much lamented Wherefore if any Gentleman hath them by him or any other piece of this Author It is humbly desired that they will send them to the Pellican in Little Britain London that they may be Printed with the first Six Gates which are now in the Press And that I may not be wanting to contribute what I can for the discovery of this Author's Works I here make bold to present the Reader with a Catalogue of such Pieces as are noted to be writ by this Author under the disguised name of Aeyraeneus Philalethes part whereof are set down by Mr. Starkey in his Preface aforenamed and part are mentioned by the Author himself with several others which he wrote as he saith for his own recreation and afterwards burn'd which Author is acknowledged by all hands to be an English-man and an Adept supposed to be yet living and travelling and about the age of 55 years but his Name is not certainly known These Books in this Catalogue were written by Eirenaeus Philalethes whereof these 15. following are Printed 〈◊〉 INtroitus apertus ad ocâ—lusum Regis Palatium Amst 1667. This is Re. printed in Germany with the Collection of Books called Musaeum Hermeticum of the Edition 1677. in 4 o 〈◊〉 Idem in English called Secrets Reveal'd Printed at London 1669. in 8o. being much more perfect than the Latine Editions 〈◊〉 The Marrow of Alchymy in two Poems or Parts in English Verse Lond. 1654. 1655. 〈◊〉 Ars Metallorum Metamorphosews Amst 1668. in 8o. These are likewise in the aforesaid Edition of the Musaeum Hermeticum Brevis manuductio ad Rubinum Coelestem Amst 1668. in 8o. These are likewise in the aforesaid Edition of the Musaeum Hermeticum Fons Chymicae Philosophiae Amst 1668. in 8o. These are likewise in the aforesaid Edition of the Musaeum Hermeticum 〈◊〉 Methodica Enarratio trium Gebri Medicinarum Lond. 1678. in 8o. 〈◊〉 Vade-Mecum Philosophicum sive breve manuductorium ad Campum Sophiae Lond. 1678. in 8o. 〈◊〉 Experimenta de praeparatione Mercurii Sophici Lond. 1678. in 8o. 〈◊〉 A Commentary or Exposition upon Sir G. Ripley's Epistle to Edw. IV. King of England Lond. 1678. in 8o. 〈◊〉 Idem upon Sir G. Ripley's Preface to his Compound of Alchymy Lond. 1678. in 8o. 12. Idem upon the first six Gates of his Compound of Alchymy London 1678. in 8o. 13. Idem upon the Recapitulation of his Compound of Alchymy London 1678. in 8o. 14. Idem upon his Vision London 1678. in 8o. 15. Experiments for the Preparation of the Sophick Mercury London 1678. in 8o. These 13. following he wrote but we cannot as yet find where the Copies are 1. A Comment or Exposition upon the last six Gates of Sir G. Ripley's Compound of Alchymy 2. Idem upon Sir G. Ripley's Erroneous Experiments 3. Idem upon Sir G. Ripley's Wheel 4. Idem upon Arnold's Vltimum Testamentuâ— 5. Opus Elixeris Aurifici Argentifici 6. Brevis via ad vitam longam or Alchymy Trâ—umphing 7. Cabala Sapientum or an Exposition upon the Hieroglyphicks of the Magi. 8. Elenchus Errorum in Arte Chymica deviantiumâ— 9. Elenchus Authorum potissimorum in Arte Chymicâ—â— 10. An Enâ—hiridion of Experiments togetheâ— with a Diurnal of Meditations in which weâ—â— many Philosophical Receipts declaring thâ—â— whole Secret with an Aenigma at the end 11. Analysis Operis 12. A Clavis to his Works 13. Comments or Expositions upon Flammâ—â— Artephius and Sendivogius But these threâ— are rather Quaeried then affirmed to be wrotâ—â— by this Author AN EXPOSITION UPON Sir GEORGE RIPLEY's PREFACE Written by Aeyrenaeus Philalethes ANGLUS COSMOPOLITA LONDON Printed for William Cooper at the Pellican in Little Britain MDCLXXVII An Exposition UPON THE PREFACE OF S r GEORGE RIPLEY Canon of Bridlington TO pass over his Prologue which is Adhortatory to the desirously studious of this Art and the beginning of the Preface which is his Address to God who is the only Giver of Wisdom to bestow upon him true Understanding that he might lead his sinful Life to the glory of him being over-swayed from what he was naturally by him who is the Fountain of all Goodness I shall take up his Pattern for a Precedent rather of Imitation than a Subject of Exposition And first as touching those who shall bend themselves to this Science Let them resolve that they undertake a most admirable piece of Work in which though far be it that I should
likeness one to another But Mercury without which nothing being is FOr our Mercury is Essential and Radical to our Body and partakes of the nature of it intirely and therefore it is said to be that Mercury without which nothing is for all things are distinguished by Philosophers by three Principles although some Simples have not three but only by Analogy among which the most essential is Mercury for the humidity of all things concrete is called their Mercury which is most intire to all things forasmuch as all things owe their beginning unto Water So then as the proper specifick Mercury of all things is so Essential unto them that nothing is without it so our Mercury is so consubstantial with our Body that it is one in kind with that Mercury of which it was by coagulation concrete which vulgar Mercury is not and therefore the Body is incrudate by this Mercury and sends forth its Seed by mixture with it through the co-operation of requisite temperate external heat All Philosophers record and truly sain the same TRuly this I could confirm by infinite Testimonies of Philosophers since there never wrote any who was indeed a true Artist but he hath affirmed the same Geber Artephius Haly Roâ—â—nus Flammel Sendivogius the Author of the Rosary Trevisan with many others which would be very tedious to name So that indeed this Work of mine I wrote not because enough hath not been written before for I do but eccho to the Voice of all Philosophers who have left upon record such clear Testimonies of the co-operation of Art and Nature herein that if Wit were capable of this attainment the Art would have been common ere now and I do verily admiringly adore the Wisdom of God herein that an Art so true so natural so easie so much desired and sought after should yet â—e 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 according to his good pleasure But simple Searchers putteth them in blame saying they hid it MOst injurious are they therefore to the well-deserving Philosophers who because they cannot understand their Writings and through the mis-understanding of the possibility of Nature do commit foul mistakes in their operations and therefore reap a ridiculous Harvest they then blame the falsity of Authors or at least accuse their difficult writing not considering that Philosophers owe them nothing and whatever they write for the information of the studious it is not of debt nor yet of Covetousness for they possess the greatest Treasure in the World nor lastly of Ambition for many suppress their names it is of Love therefore and of desire to be helpful to the Studious which Love to requite with reproaches is a â—â—ken of great ingratitude Moreover it is to be understood that the most wise GOD hath a ruling hand herein and all Sons of Art have their Commission as it were given them they write and teach according to that permission which the Creator of all things hath given them I may speak it experimentally that when my self have had one intent I have been so over-swayed with unpremeditated thoughts in the very writing that I have taken notice of the immediate hand of God therein by which I have been carried beyond what I intended And truly it is not our intent to make the Art common to all kind of men we write to the deserving only intending our Books to be but as Way-marks to such as shall travel in these paths of Nature and we do what we may to shut out the unworthy Yet so plainly we write that as many as God hath appointed to this Mastery shall certainly understand us and have cause to be thankful unto us for our faithfulness herein This we shall receive from the Sons of this Science whatever we have from others therefore our Books are intended for the former we do not write a word to the latter But they be blame-worthy which be no Clerks and meddle with Philosophy MOreover we write not our Books for the information of the illiterate as though any vulgar mechanick Distiller Alchymist or Sophister should readily carry away the Golden Fleece or as though any covetous man who makes Gain his utmost end should readily gather the Apples of the Hesperides nor yet that any though Learned should by once or twice overly and slight reading as the Dogs lap the Water of Nilus straight-way be made a Philosopher Nay verily the majesty of this Science forbids so great impiety it is the gift of God and not of Men Our Books are for those who have been or intend to be conversant about the search of Nature we hint the way prayer to God and patient 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 Writings So I did so I advise thee and the Blessing of God attend all studious vertuous Searchers in this way But though it Mercury be YEt is not the knot untied nor difficulties overcome when once a man hath learned to sing this thredbare Song in Philosophy Est in Mercurio quicquid quaerunt sapientes for what Sophister who cannot make so great a clatter in these general terms as a son of Art the greatest difficulty is to know what this Mercury is that is so desirable and effectual Yet wisely understand wherein it is and where thou shalt it seek THerefore let me advise every studious Searcher of this hid Science to consider warily with himself what he seeks and would find nor that only but in what he would find it for trust me it is not in this Science as some do imagine that our Arcanum may be made out of any thing nor yet out of any base thing But in the knowing of the true Principle consists the first true step to Perfection according to the Poet Dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet Else I counsel thee take not this work in hand BUt he who knows not this our Ocean in which our Water hath its flux and reflux and our Fountain out of which he may draw this Water for his use let him forbear this as a most dangerous Science for he may only expect loss in it but no profit For Philosophers flatter Fools with fair speech NOr let any expect comfortable Direction in our Books who know not the true Matter nor the true Keys by which our Matter is brought forth from darkness into the light for verily though we write for the inlightning of a son of Art yet also for the fatal blinding of all such Owls and Bats who cannot behold the light of the Sun nor can indure the splendor of our Moon To such we propound rare tricks suiting to their sordid fancy to the covetous an easie
caused to run these Springs make but one Well whose Waters appear dry the humidity being sealed the Well it self is surrounded with an Arsenical Wall the slimy bottom abounds with the First Ens of Mineral Salt and Sulphur which acuate the Water of the first Well whose primary quality is Coldness being thus acuated it becomes so powerful a Menstruum and so pleasant to the Metals that for its peculiar Vertue it is chosen for to be the Bath of the Sun and Moon For I will truely now thee excite to understand well Mercuries three BUt because one Book never is sufficient in this Mastery to discover all that is to be known and other Authors write variously of Mercury Attend further what I have to say to thee concerning this point We have in our work properly three Mercuries of which one is to be by the Philosopher prepared of which I have spoken and this being joynd with the perfect Body and set to digest the Glass is shut and then in this first Composition is the Matter called Rebis that is two things to wit in Number for you may yet separate each from other in its intire nature These two being joyned do operate so within the Vessel till the Compound 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 reiterate Liquefaction This Elixir is divided into a more subtile 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 conjoyned with an inseparable union The Keys which of this Science be THese Menstruums or Mercuries are the very Keys of this Science The first is the Philosophers Key the other two are Natures Keys Reymund his Menstrues doth them call THey are called by the wise men Menstrues in three respects first for the secresie of them as those Lunary Tributes of Women are hid from common view so these Mercuries from vulgar Searchers Secondly for the Prognosticks of them as those in Women betoken maturity to conceive so these are called Menstrues because they are fit for procreation Thirdly in regard of the office of them as those in Women are accounted nutritive for the Embrion so our Child is nourished by these to perfect age and strength Let me add a fourth reason and that is in respect of the time the Philosophical Preparation will hardly give thee thy first Menstruum fit for thy use in less than a month And after conjunction thy first Menstruum will begin to hold of the nature of the Body in another month and then thou shalt see a show of the second Menstruum but wait till another month and thou shalt see thy second Menstruum compleat then yet wait a third month and thou shalt see a show of the third Menstruum which in the fourth month will perfectly exuberate and then with it thou shalt soon see perfected Sulphur of Nature for it is Fire of Nature and in this first Exaltation is the white Stone perfected Without them truly no Truth is done HE then that knoweth not the Secret of our Menstruals let him forbear the practice of the Work for verily he may expect nothing but a sophistical Delusion instead of the true Work of Nature He is like a man that would enter an inaccessable Castle without a Key or shoot in a Bow without a string But two of them be superficial NOw that you may know our Secrets exactly we shall faithfully discover unto you our Experience as cordially as a Brother may declare to a Brother and shall reveal what I never found yet revealed in any Author There are in our Mercury three Mercurial Substances which may well be called Menstrues the one the more gross part which though it be a Water yet it being the most palpable part and visible may be termed the Body of the Water the last is a Fiery Form which is the Blood of Cadmus this is a real invisible form which is essentially and formally Sol Volatile the second is the mean Soul which Philosophers without Equivocation call Saturn's Child the middle substance of these three are made into one wonderful Mercury which hath not its like in the world Now for the superficiality of the two first Menstrues or Mercuries and the essentiality of the third know and understand for our speech will be very mysterious Know I say what it is to be superficial and what essential Essence you know is invisible and more formal then material which doth actuate the matter and ripens it but that which is superficial is visible and may be seen and is more material and passive Now those two first which are superficial are the Water and the Blood the essential Menstrue is the Spirit which all are in one yet distinguished in number though not in kind The third Essential to Sun and Moon SO then two are material passive substances which are united in our sophical Mercury the third is an active essence which is hid in our Mercury which is essential to Sun and Moon because it is a Fire which is Sol volatile and as the Artist may govern this Mercury it will digest the passive Principles either into Sol or Luna at the Philosophers pleasure Their Properties I will declare right soon I Shall by and by in its place describe to you all the Properties of these three Menstrues when I come to it in the mean time take notice that by this Mercury in which are three Mercuries or Menstrues the perfect Bodies will be calcined and then dissolved into Mercury which is not then so properly called a Menstrue for it is the Fruit it self called Azoth or Virgins Milk which is a digestion beyond the Menstrues And Mercury of Metals essential Is the Principle of our Stone material THe Bodies when they are dissolved do transmute the foresaid Mercuries by their own ferment into their own nature for the Fire of Nature assimilates all that nourisheth it to its own likeness and then our Mercury or Menstrue vanisheth that is it is swallowed up in the Solary Nature and all together make but one universal Mercury by intimate union and this Mercury is the material Principle of the Stone for before our Mercury as it was compounded of three Mercuries had in it two which were superficial and the third essential to Sol and Luna only not to the Stone for Nature would produce these two out of it by artificial decoction but when the perfect Bodies are dissolved they transmute the Mercury that dissolved it and then there is no more repugnancy in it then is there no longer a distinction between superficial and essential but all is become essential And this is that one matter of the Stone â—hat one thing which is the subject of all Wonders In Sol and Luna our Menstrues are not seen WHen
inclination BUt all this is not enough to declare our Calcination for Operation follows Preparation and he that doth not before he begin to work prepare his Matters and set true Agent and Patient together it is not his Regimen that can or will produce any thing Therefore first you must know that we joyn kind with kind in our work for Nature is mended and retained with its own Nature for this cause is our King wedded to the Water-bearers Daughter of which Water-bearer I told you that his Body his Pitcher and the Water in it are all one and his Daughter was the Queen which arose out of the water in which was seen a Lamp burning Wonder not at it that a Queen should spring out of a Wâ—â—ter-bearers loins for the King is the 〈◊〉 Son and he is greater then both For know that in this place there is nothing so hard to get as Water which cannot be brought but by him that hath the Keys of the whole Kingdom Take this then for a great secret our Water-bearer is Father to the King and Queen the King being at perfect years is at his own dispose and enjoys more Riches then his Father but his Father hath the Key of a Closet in which is Riches enough for all in the Kingdom to make every Subject as rich as the King but the dispose of this wealth the King only is to have yet can he not have it in his possession till he marry his Sister which is in the water of the Pitcher invisible This his Sister is also his Mother and his Father for it is one with the Water-bearer the Water and the Pitcher as is said By reason of his Consanguinity the King embraceth his Sister very desirously and she by his embraces appears as a Queen and then the Water-bearer and his Water and Pitcher vanish and the King and 〈◊〉 remain alone at length both King 〈◊〉 Queen are drowned after the immoderate use of Venery and violent sweating weeping and pissing which sweat tears and urine do make one Sea in which swim two Fishes without flesh and bones which after resolve and make one Broth which is called Water permanent Who knoweth not this in knowledge is blind He may forth wander as mist in the wind Wotting never with profit where to light Because he understands not our words aright THus though I have somewhat Metaphorically deciphered our true principles yet so plainly as that you may with diligence understand the meaning and unless you know this you will proceed blind-fold in your work not knowing the causes of things so that every puff of Sophisters will toss you like as a Feather is tossed in the Air with a blast of wind for our Books are full of obscurity and Philosophers write horrid Metaphors and Riddles to them who are not upon a sure bottom which like to a running Stream will carry them down head-long into despair and errors which they can never escape till they so far understand our writings as to discern the subject Matter of our secrets which being known the rest is not so hard Joyn kind therefore with kind as good reason is For every Burgeon answers his own seed Man getteth Man a Beast a Beast I wis Further to treat of this it is no need But understand this point if you will speed Each thing is first Calcin'd in his own kind This well conceiv'd fruit therein shalt thou find STep therefore not one step further till you have learned this Lesson namely to wed Consanguinity with Consanguinity and consider well what it is you desire to produce and according to that let be your intention Take the last thing in your Intention for the first thing in your Principles this is according to Nature and it is the true ground of all Generation for out of kind nothing doth engender a Man begetteth a Man and not a Lion nor doth a Lion beget a Sheep a Rose doth not produce a Thorn nor a Nettle a Gilliflower and so if need were I could particularly demonstrate it throughout all Vegetable Animal and Mineral Bodies but it is so plain a thing that I need say no more but leave it with you as the Foundation-stone on which you shall build whatever you intend Attempt nothing out of its own nature and kind lest you reap a fancy instead of truth Whatever you intend to increase by way of Multiplication attempt it only in its own kind and so in this work especially in which Calcination is the mingling of Seminal influence which must be done in the same way of homogeneity If you apprehend this in its cause aright and know how to apply this doctrine in your operation as you ought in this you will find great benefit and a door hereby opened to the discovery of greater Mysteries And we make Calx unctuous black white and red ANd now the opportunity of this discourse leads me to handle our Magical Calxes know that we do Calcine three times in our work of which the general principle is that our Calxes are not combust powders but unctuous for in them we innoble the Sulphurs which are the Basis of Radical Humidity which Raymund calls Oyls and Unguents So then our Calxes are one in kind and do only differ in colour and maturity Our first is black of the blackest and is called Saturn our second white of the whitest and is called Luna our third is red of the reddest and is called Sol. Of three degrees or our Base be perfite THese Calxes are the periods of so many Circulations and have so many degrees allowed to each of them our first Circulation confounds the Elements our second renews the Air and the third exalts the Fire and then is our Stone perfect Flexible as Wax else stand they in no stead OUr Calxes thus graduated are distinguishable from all the Calxes in the world first in that they are done without any laying on of hands secondly from their exquisite subtilty of parts for they are finer then Atoms of the Sun joyned with an eminent Humidity by reason of which to the astonishment of the beholders they flow like unto melted Wax the first in the Glass by continuance of heat and so the second as not being come to their period of perfection and the second and third upon a plate of hot Metal or on a melted Metal or on Mercury heated so long till it is ready to fly By right long process as Philosophers do write A year we take or more for our respite For in less space our Calxes will not be made Able to tyne with Tincture that will not fade WHich last Calxes as they are the period of Arts skill and Natures power in this thing so they are a considerable time in perfecting the former in five months viz. the white and the red in nine months and a half which is the true time and a month we allow for the preparing of our Materials and three months for Fermentations and Imbibitions
For is it imaginable that they who are fools in Nature should be wise in our Books which are testimonies unto Nature In Eggs in Vitriol or in Blood What Riches ween they there to find If they Philosophy understood They would not be in working so blind Gold and Silver to seek out of its kind For like as Fire of burning principle is So the principle of gilding is Gold I wis If thou therefore intend for to make Gold or Silver by craft of our Philosophy Thereto neither Eggs nor Blood thou take But Gold aud Silver which naturally Calcined wisely and not manually A new Generation will forth bring Increasing its kind as doth every other thing SOme I know will serve my Book as they have served others out of it they will read their own fantastick processes which I never dreamt of nor yet are they in Nature and whatever I write most plainly they will Allegorize and say it is true for matter of Operation he wrought well but withall very enviously and mysteriously he calls the matter Gold and Mercury but that is but allusively but he meant Egg-shels calcined or Vitriol or Mans Blood or Dew or Rain-water or Salt-peter or Nitre or Tartar or this or that thing according to their sordid fancy and so they will proceed nothing unsettled in their fancies by what I have candidly written Gross Sots thus to think that I in what I without any equivocation call Gold and Mercury they should make to allude to such trifles it is the sign of an Owl to be blinder by how much the Sun shines clearer let me therefore to satisfie the Ingenious profess and protest that without any Allusion or Figure in speaking our Matter is Gold even the purest that is sold or can be bought this is our Masculine Sperm And our other principle is Mercury like to that which is commonly sold in form in flux and colour only it is brighter and some what more ponderous and without any Metaphor we call it Argent vive In the making of this Mercury is all our secret and in the Regimen of the Fire according to its capacity consists the whole Mastery O fools and blind think you to gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles wherefore do you thus waste your Goods proceeding in your Work as an Ass to his Crib never considering the nature of the thing you go about 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 to what end think you these operations will tend what conformity is there between what you seek and that which you take in hand do you not consider the difference of imposition between those Subjects and Metals how do you think that they should give weight to imperfect Bodies when as they themselves are far more light themselves how can you expect from them a specifick perfect Metalline Tincture which have not any thing Metalline in them You see not your own madness It is no light matter to cause a Body which perhaps is 10 or 12 parts at the least in 16 defective of the dimensions of Gold to penetrate its own dimensions so many times to answer your fond desires This which you attempt is to force Nature and to create Sperms both which are vain to undertake and truly impossible Leave then this Sophistry and imbrace true Light To create Sperms is Gods alone property and every thing hath its own Sperm as it hath its own Form there is nothing that hath a seminal virtue applicable to two things every thing hath its own Seed and according to its own Form Gold therefore and Silver being thine intention let the same be thy subject to work upon Gold is thy first Basis for thy white must first come out of thy red and when thy white Stone is perfect then mayst thou use Luna vulgar Now Gold must have its hidden Seed extracted and that is done by Mercury in Calcination for that operation is the Mineral Copulation in which the Seeds are sent forth and mingled together then shall the old Body die and a new Body shall rise again endowed with a multiplicative virtue according to the nature of all things for it savours rankly of absurdity and ignorance to allow all things almost a multiplicative power and to deny it to Gold the most perfect of all sublunary things And if it true were that profit might be In things which are not Metalline I But some will say How will you answer the Philosophers who affirm that their Stone is in all things though in some things nearer and in some things at greater distance yet in all things according to the rule of propinquius remotius To such I answer I grant and know that all things originally owe all their principle material unto Water and their formal unto Light and according to the congress of these two principles through the command of the Architect this Light doth illuminate the material Water in a singular way according to the Ideal species which were before in the Archetype So then the Matter resides in Water the Informing in Light and the determination of the Form which is as I may say the Form's formality is in the will of the Creator first impressed or sealed in the word fiat and ratified in his command producat unumquodque juxta speciem suam Now to apply this to our present purpose in Water and Light all things agree in the determination of Illumination they differ This determinative sentence of the Almighty sealed a great variety in the products of the Matter and Form which are in themselves general and being thus sealed not any thing can pass from its kind to mix with another kind but it will cause a product partaking of either Parent nor can mixture be made but in the same genus or species as an Apple may be graffed on a Crab-tree a Man may though abominably mix with a Beast licentia naturali but out of genus or species nothing can mix There are also many particular exceptions of things in one genus for many Trees I know which the Art of man cannot ingraff one in another so as to grow will yet grow well ingraffed elsewhere so a Dog and a Mouse cannot mix being one so disproportionable to another But this by the by To return to our intention we say that as all things are by the will and power of God specificated so with the destruction of that species the Form as to that individual perishing for no intire species can perish things may both by Nature and Art return to their first stable principle material which is Water of which Nature if it found it in a convenient place might impregnating it with a Metalline Seed produce a Metalline Sperm or viscosity which then might be a Metal by decoction and yield unto our work a profitable subject As in Blood Eggs Hair Vrine or Wine Or