full glade With more Tresour then hath the Kyng of Inde Of pretyous Stoonys wrought in their kynde The Cetryn Colour for the Sonne bryght Whyte for the Morne that shyneth all the nyght This Philosophre brought forth in Paris Which of this Stoonys wroot fully the nature All the Dyvysion set by grett advys And thereuppon did his besy cure That the perfeccion long should endure Lyke the entent of Aristotles sonde Which none but he cowd well bryng on honde For though the mateer opynly nat toold Of this Stoonys what Phylosophres mente Aristotiles that was experte and Oold And he of Paris that forth this present sent And in all hys beheste feythfull true of Entent With Circumstances of Araby Inde Perce Towching the Stoonys that Clerkys can reherse Hermogenes hadde hymselfe alloone With the seyd Phelip that with him was secre Knewh the vertue of every prevy Stone As they were dispoosyd of Degree From him was hyd noon uncouth prevyte This Hermogenes and he knewh every thing Of alle suych vertues as long to a Kyng THE FIRST CHAPTER IN the name of the holy Trinitie I will write of this Worke breiflie Leaving matters of circumstance And promise the truth to advance I will not write Figuratively But declare the Matter plainely And how things must be made to accord By Natures true worke and the helpe of our Lord The World is but one inclosed with heavens round Though divers matters and formes be therein found The Earth this worlds Center borne up by the Aire In kinde hath noe more but being baire And neerest to not being Philosophers have told In kinde of Complexion is full dry and cold And now for my Figure of rotundity I will shew how Elements accord and disagree And though the Elements be so contrary Yett by heavens Influence they are brought to unite And when once togeather a body they binde Nought may them loosen without wrecke to the kinde First Fire in Nature is hott and dry Aire differs from Fire in moisture only Earth only for coldnesse from Fire disagrees This Concord and discord every man sees Aire hot and moist of complexion and kinde Water differs from Aire but in heate we finde Soe that in moysture we finde them both one Naturall heate in Water we finde none Water cold and moiste of Complexion is Earth differs from Water in drynes I wis Earth agrees with Fire in drynes noe doubte Thus one in another the Wheele turnes about From this round Circle proceeds a quadrant Each line unto another an equall distant And as the round Figure concludes all in One Soe the Quadrant of foure things makes distinction From this Quadrant a Fire must proceed Which is Animall Vegitable and Minerall we reede And with the Fire I will begin Pray God I be not too bold therein The whole Composition of this world is fram'd Of the Three things which before I have nam'd Now to make things of Excellencie We must take things neerest Nobilitie And as this greate Masse conteines things Three Soe Blood Flesh and Bone in the least World we see Yett lesse World and greate World is all but One Thus still we keepe an Unyon Whatsoever itt is that is alive Without Blood they may not thrive Sperme is Generacion of each thing Of what kinde soever itt bene Blood is Sperme be itt White or Redd For without Blood each thing is dead Blood conteineth the three things I have told And in his Tincture hath Nature of Gold Without Gold noe Mettle may shine bright Without Blood noe Body hath bene fitt of light Thus doth the greate and lesse World still Hold the Union according to Gods will Now of all things Blood Noblest is For nothing in the World may itt misse Blood hath true proporcion of the Elements foure And of the three species I spoke of before The Blood must be the principall matter of each thing Which hath any manner of increasing Mercury in Mettalls is the Blood certeine Sperme in Animalls getts the like againe Vegetable moysture from heaven so good Yett all these three are but Blood Then Blood in procreation is neerest of kinde This Secrett good Brother keepe close in thy mynde And uppon that Condition Which Blood thou shalt take I will make repeticion The true Blood of Mettalls is hard to have And long tyme of getting itt doth crave Blood of Vegetables hath moysture greate store And therefore to have itt requireth much labour The true Blood to finde without labour and cost Thou knowst where to have it ere thy witts be lost Seeke out the noblest as I said before For now of the Matter I dare say noe more This Secrett was never reveal'd till this tyme By any Mans writings that ere I could finde But I which by practice have found itt true Knew how things caused things to renew God grant noe Alchymists meete with my Booke For they would have Elixir by hooke or by crooke And he would spend what his Freinds wan And be as neere at the last as when he began And would promise to give men Gold greate store But beware thou of Expence as I said before CHAP. II. Of the manner of the Worke. NOW after the Matter the Manner compute How to bring this our Worke aboute First take the Matter crude as itt is Which will cost you little or nought I wis Searce it soe cleane as it may be Untill from filth itt is all free Which wil bee done in houres three or foure Then will it be cleare from his ill humour Then take the Faces which you shall finde In the same which the Matter left behind Purge him also with the noblest Element Untill that he to Earth be brent Then have you a Stone of wonderfull might With small Cost a secret right Take ye this Stone and use Millers Craft Till it be fine powder and made very soft Then give him the moisture which from him ye tooke Then use him as ye shall finde in this booke But give him noe other Drinke but of his owne kinde For elce you doe not after my mynde Let him drinke noe more then will suffice Beware of Floods I you advise Then search him twice againe as you did before And still put uppon his owne liquor Thus their first Order to passe is brought And your foulest Worke fully wrought CHAP. III. Of the second Order NOW the second Manner I will shew plaine How you shall worke it with little paine When your three searsings be done after my lore Then breake the Stone as you did before Then must you have one Veschell Which must be made like an Eggshell Into the which Vessell the Matter you must putt Then see that itt be well closed upp The Vessells divided in parts three Whereof two still voyde must bee This Vessell must be set in a kinde heate That the Matter may kindly sweate The Spiritts must not be opprest with Fire For then thou shalt never have thy desire Neither must thy
fruitefull Land Cockle is not meete Gall is ever bitter Honey is ever sweete Of all things contrary is fals Conneccions Let Male and Female together ever meete But both be clensed of their Complexions A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man And every Beast ingendereth his semblable And as Philosophers rehearse well can Diana and Venus in marriage be notable A Horse with a Swine joyneth not in a stable For where is made unkindly geniture What followeth but things abominable Which is to say Monstrum in Nature All this I finde in the said Boke Brought to me when I lay a sleepe And of one thing good heede I toke The Wolf in kinde is Enemy to the Sheepe The Rose full divers to the wild Neepe For things joyned that be contrary Dame Nature complayning doth sit and weepe For falce receipts found in her Library And there it was so pitiously complained That men so err by false Opinions That be so farr from truth away restrained Like as they had lost wholly their Reasons Not considering in their discretions What mischeife followeth as is oft seene By these false froward Conneccions As doth leapers with folkes that byne cleane Notwithstanding he that is sate so high in heaven Crown'd with a Crowne of bright stones cleere Borne there to raine as cheife chosen of seaven Equall with Phoebus shone in the same sphere Without difference as Clerkes to us leare Sate there most royallin his diadem Very Celestiall and Angelike of cheare And in all vertue like as he did seeme And in that Boke I found well by writing Like as the processe made mention How that there was once a mighty rich King Cleane of nature and of Complexion Voyde of deformity from head soe forthe downe Which for his beauty as it is specified And for his cleanes most soverayne of renowne Was among Planets in heaven stellefyed Certaine Brethren I found he had in Number And of one Mother they were borne every each one But a Sicknes did them sore cumber That none was whole on his feete to gone Hoarse of language cleere voice had they none For with a scabb that was contagious They were infected hole was their none For ever exiled because they were Leaprous The said King rose up in his Royall see Seeing this mischeife cast his Eye downe And of his mercy and fraternall pittye Surprized in heart full of Compassion And began to complaine of their Infeccion Alas quoth he how came this adventure Under what froward or false Constelacion Or in what howre had yee your ingendure But sithence this mischeife ys to you befall There is nothing which were more expedient Then to chuse one out amongst us all Without spott all cleere of his intent For you to dye by his owne assent To save the people from their Damnation And with his blood ere yo be fully shent To make of his mercy your remission The which Liquor most wholesome is and good Against leprous humors and false infeccions When from a veyne taken is the blood Cleansing each parte from all corrupcions The Originall taken from generacions Which is descended downe from stock royall Nourished with Milke of pure complexion With menstrous which are not superficiall But when the Brethren of this worthy King Heard the Language they fell in full great dread Full sore weeping and said in Complayning That none of them was able to bleede Because their blood was infeccious indeede And of corrupt blood made is noe Sacrifice Wherefore alas there is noe way to speede That we can finde to helpe us in any wise Of our Birth and of our Originall Cleerely and truly to make mencion Excuse is there none in parte nor in all In sin was first our concepcion Our bringing forth and generation Fulfilled was in sorrowe and wickednesse And our Mother in a short conclusion With Corrupt milke us fostred in distresse For who may make that seede to be cleane That first was conceived in uncleanes For cancred rust may never I meane By noe crafte shew forth parfect brightnes Now let us all at once our Course addres And goe unto our Mother to aske by and by The finall cause of our Corrupt sicknes That she declare unto us the Cause and why The said Children uprose in a fury Of wofull rage and went by one assent Unto their Mother that called was Mercury Requiring her by greate advisement Before her Goddesses being every one present To tell them truly and in noe parte to faine Why their nature was corrupt and shent That caused them evermore to weepe and complaine To whome the Mother full bright of face and hew Gave this answer remembred in Scripture First when I was wedded a new I conceived by prosses of true Nature A Child of seede that was most cleane and pure Undefiled most orient faire and bright Of all the PLANETS cheife of ingendure Which now in Heaven giveth so clcere a light Whose Complexion is most temperate In heate and cold and in humidity In Erth also that there is noe debate Nor noe repugnaunce by noe quallity Nor none occasion of none infirmity That among them there may be none discord So well proportioned every-each in his degree Each hower and space they be of so true accord Whose Nature is so imperiall That fire so burning doth him noe distresse His royall kinde is so celestiall Of Corrupcion he taketh no sicknesse Fire Water Air nor Erth with his drines Neither of them may alter his Complexion He fixeth Spirits through his high noblenes Saveth infected bodyes from their Corrupcion His Heavenly helth death may not assayle He dreadeth noe venome nor needeth no treacle Winde Tempest ne Wether against him may prevaile Soe high in Heaven is his Tabernacle In Erth he worketh many a miracle He cureth Lepers and fetcheth home Fugitive And to gouty Eyne giveth a cleere Spectacle Them to goe that lame were all their lief He is my Son and I his Mother deare By me conceived truly in Marriage As touching your Birth the sicknes doth appeare Of Menstruous blood brought forth in tender age Your Leprie is shewed in Body and in Visage To make your hole Medicine is no other Drinke nor potion to your advantage But the pure blood of him that is your deare Brother A good Shephard must dye for his Sheepe Without grudging to speake in words plaine And semblable take hereof good keepe Your Brother must dye and newe be borne againe Though he be old be hereof well certaine To youth againe he must be renewd And suffer passion or else all were vaine Then rising againe right fresh and well hewd Old Aeson was made young by Medea With her drinks and with her potions Soe must your Brother of pure Volunta Dyeand be young through his operation And that through subtile natures Confections By whose death plainely to expresse Yee shal be purged from all infeccions And your foule leaprie changed to cleanes With the said words the King began to abrayd The tale
cast myne Eye aside and there I did behold A Lady most excellent sitting in an Arbour Which clothed was in a Robe of fine Gold Set about with Pearles and Stones manifold Then ask't I Father Tyme what she should be Lady Philosophy quoth hemost excellent of beauty Then was I stricken with an ardent Audacity The place to approach to where I saw this sight I rose up to walke and the other went before me Against the Arbour till I came forth right There we all three humbly as we might Bowed downe our selves to her with humility With greate admiration extolling her felicity She shewed her selfe both gentle and benigne Her gesture and Countenance gladded our comming From her seate imperiall she did her selfe decline As a Lady loving perfect wisdome and Cunning Her goodly Poems her Beauty was surmounting Her speech was decorate with such aureat sentence Far excelling famous Tullies Eloquence Then Father Tyme unto that Lady said Pleaseth it your highnes this poore Man to heare And him to assist with your most gratious aide Then she commanded him with me to draw neere Son said the Lady be thou of good Cheere Admitted thou shalt be among greate and small To be one of my Schollers principall Then she committed me to Raymund Lullie Commanding him my simplenes to instruct And into her Secrets to induce me fully Into her privy Garden to be my conduct First into a Towre most beautifull construct Father Raymund me brought and thence immediately He led me into her Garden planted deliciously Among the faire Trees one Tree in speciall Most vernant and pleasant appeared to my sight A name inscribed The Tree Philosophicall Which to behold I had greate delight Then to Philosophy my troth I did plight Her Majesty to serve and to take greate paine The fruits of that Tree with Raymund to attaine Then Raymund shewed me Budds fifteene Springing of that Tree and fruites fifteene moe Of the which said Tree proceedes that we doe meane That all Philosophers covet to attaine unto The blessed Stone one in Number and no moe Our greate Elixer most high of price Our Azot our Basaliske our Adrop and our Cocatrice This is our Antimony and our Red Lead Gloriously shining as Phoebus at midday This is our Crowne of Glory and Diadem of our head Whose beames resplendant shall never fade away Who attaines this Treasure never can decay It is a Jewell so abundant and excellent That one graine will endure ever to be permanent I leave thee heere now our seacrets to attaine Looke that thou earnestly my Councell do ensue There needes no blowing at the Cole buisines nor paine But at thyne owne ease here maist thou continue Old Antient writers beleive which are true And they shall thee learne to passe it to bring Beware therefore of too many and hold thee to one thing This one thing is nothing else but the Lyon greene Which some Fooles imagine to be Vitrioll Romaine It is not of that thing which Philosophers meane For nothing to us any Corosive doth pertaine Understand therefore or else thy hand refraine From this hard Scyence least thou doe worke amisse For I will tell thee truly now marke what it is Greene of Collor our Lyon is not truly But vernant and greene evermore enduring In most bitternes of death he is lively In the fire burning he is evermore springing Therefore the Salamander by the fire living Some men doe him call and some na other name The Mettasline Menstruall it is ever the same Some call it also a Substance exuberate Some call it Mercury of Mettaline essence Some Limus deserti from his body evacuate Some the Eagle flying from the North with violence Some call it a Toade for his greate vehemence But few or none at all doe name it in his kinde It is a privy Quintessence keepe it well in minde This is not in sight but restest invisible Till it be forced out of Chaos darke Where he remaineth ever indivisible And yet in him is the foundacion of our warke In our Lead it is so that thou it marke Drive it out of him so out of all other I can tell thee no better if thou wert my Brother This Chaos darke the Mettalls I do call Because as in a Prison it resteth them within The seacret of Nature they keepe in thrall Which by a meane we do warily out-twyne The working whereof the easier to begin Lift up thy head and looke upon the heaven And I will learne thee truly to know the Planets seaven The second parte of the BOOKE SAturne in all to this Arte hath most respect Of whom we draw a Quintessence most excellent Unto our Magistery himselfe he doth connect United in quallitie and also made equipolent In strength and in vertue who lists to be diligent Shall finde that we seeke an heavenly tresure And a precious Jewell that ever shall endure Jupiter the gentle endewed with Azure blew Examiner by Justice declareth true Judgement Altering his Colours ever fresh and new In his occult Nature to this Arte is convenient To Philosophie is serviceable and also obedient Joyned with Lunary after his owne kinde Conteyneth this Arte and leaveth nothing behinde Mars that is Martiall in Citty and Towne Fierce in Battaile full of debate and strife A noble Warriour and famous of renowne With fire and sword defendeth his owne lyfe He staineth with blood and slaieth with a knife All spirits and bodyes his Arts be so bold The harts of all others he wyns to him with Gold The Sun most glorious shining with power potent Above all other faire Planets seaven Shedding his light to them all indifferent With his glorious Beames and glistering shine He lightneth the Earth and the Firmament of Heaven Who can him dissolve and draw out his Quintessence Unto all other Planets he shall give influence Lady Venus of love the faire Goddesse With her Son Cupid apperteyneth to this Arte To the love of the Sun when she doth her addresse With her Darts of love striketh him to the hearte Joyned to his seede of his substance she taketh parte Her selfe she endueth with excellent Tissue Her corrupt nature when she doth renew Mercury this seeing begineth to be fugitive With his rodd of Inchantment litle doth he prevaile Taken often Prisoner himselfe doth revive Till he be snared with the Dragons Tayle Then doth he on a hard Coate of Male Soudred together with the Sunn and Moone Then is he Mastered and his Inchantment done The Moone that is called the lesser Lunary Wife unto Phoebus shining by Night To others gives her Garments through her hearb Lunary And from the North to the South shineth full bright If you do for her looke she hydeth from your sight But by faire intreaty she is won at the last With Azot and Fire the whole Mastery thou hast The Maistery thou gettest not yet of these Planets seaven But by a misty meaning knowne only unto us Bring them first to Hell and afterwards
by Grace from Heaven I give you the same here in Chapters seaven As largely as by my fealty I may By licence of the dreadfull Judge at domes daye The first Chapter shall all Men teache What manner People may this Science reache And whie the trew Science of Alkimy Is of old Fathers called Blessed and Holy In the second Chapter maie be sayne The nice Joyes thereof with the greate paine The third Chapter for the love of One Shall trewly disclose the Matters of our Stone Which the Arabies doon Elixir call Whereof it is there understonde you shall The fowerth Chapter teacheth the grosse Werke A foule laboure not kindly for a Clerke In which is found full greate travaile With many perills and many a faile The fift Chapter is of the subtill Werk Which God ordeyned only for a Clerke Full few Clerks can it comprehend Therefore to few Men is the Science send The sixt Chapter is of Concord and love Between low natures and heavenly spheares above Whereof trew knowledge advanceth greatly Clerks And causeth furtherance in our wonderfull werks The seaventh Chapter trewly teach you shall The doubtfull Regiments of your Fires all NOw Soveraigne Lord God me guide and speede For to my Matters as now I will proceede Praying all men which this Boke shall finde With devoute Prayers to have my soule in minde And that noe Man for better ne for worse Chaunge my writing for drede of Gods curse For where quick sentence shall seame not to be Ther may wise men finde selcouthe previtye And chaunging of some one sillable May make this Boke unprofitable Therefore trust not to one Reading or twaine But twenty tymes it would be over sayne For it conteyneth full ponderous sentence Albeit that it faute forme of Eloquence But the best thing that ye doe shall Is to reade many Bokes and than this withall Ro Vaughan sculp Nortons Ordinall CHAP. I. MAIS tryefull merveylous and Archimastrye Is the tincture of holi Alkimy A wonderfull Science secrete Philosophie A singular grace gifte of th' almightie Which never was founde by labour of Mann But it by Teaching or Revelacion begann It was never for Mony sold ne bought By any Man which for it hath sought But given to an able Man by grace Wrought with greate Cost with long layfir and space It helpeth a Man when he hath neede It voydeth vaine Glory Hope and also dreade It voydeth Ambitiousnesse Extorcion and Excesse It fenceth Adversity that shee doe not oppresse He that thereof hath his full intent Forsaketh Extremities with Measure is content Some people would not have it cauled Holy And in this wise thei doe replye Thei say how Painims maie this Arte have Such as our Lord God woll never save For their wilfull fals infidelitie The cause of goodnes possessours cannot be Alsoe it maketh none other thing But Gold or Silver for Mony Cupp or Ring Whiche of wise men is proved and well founde Least verteous thing that is upon the Ground Wherefore concluding all men of that sect Say how this Science n'is holy in effect To this we say and wittnes as we cann How that this Science was never tought to Man But he were proved perfectly with space Whether he were able to receyve this Grace For his Trewth Vertue and for his stable Witt Which if he faulte he shall never have it Also no man coulde yet this Science reach But if God send a Master him to teach For it is soe wonderfull and soe selcouth That it must needes be tought from mouth to mouth Also he must be he never soe loath Receive it with a most sacred dreadfull Oath That as we refuse greate dignitie and fame Soe he must needly refuse the same And also that he shall not be so wilde To teach this seacret to his owne childe For nighnes of Blood ne Consanguinity May not accepted be to this dignity Soe blood as blood may have hereof noe part But only vertue winneth this holy Arte Therefore straightly you shall search and see All manners and vertues with th'abilitie Of the person which shall this Scyence leere And in likewise make him straightlie swere Soe that noe man shall leave this Arte behinde But he an able and approved Man can finde When Age shall greeve him to ride or goe One he may teach but then never no moe For this Science must ever secret be The Cause whereof is this as ye may see If one evill man had hereof all his will All Christian Pease he might hastilie spill And with his Pride he might pull downe Rightfull Kings and Princes of renowne Wherefore the sentence of perill and jeopardy Upon the Teacher resteth dreadfully So than for doubt of such pride and wreach He must be ware that will this Science teach No Man therefore maie reach this greate present But he that hath vertues excellent Soe though Men weene Possessours not to aide To hallow this Science as before is said Neither seeme not blessed effectually Yet in her Order this Science is holy And forasmuch as noe Man maie her finde But only by grace she is holy of her kinde Also it is a worke and Cure divine Foule Copper to make Gold or Silver fine No man maie finde such chaunge by his thought Of divers kinds which Gods hands have wrought For Gods Conjunctions Man maie not undoe But if his Grace fully consent thereto By helpe of this Science which our Lord above Hath given to such Men as he doth love Wherefore old Fathers conveniently Called this Science Holy Alkimy Therefore noe Man shulde be too swifte To cast away our Lords blessed guift Consideringe how that Almighty God From great Doctours hath this Science forbod And graunted it to few Men of his mercy Such as be faithfull trew and lowly And as there be but Planets seaven Amonge the multitude of starrs in Heaven Soe among millions of millions of Mankinde Scarslie seaven men maie this Science finde Wherefore Lay-men ye may lere and see How many Doctors of great authoritie With many searchers hath this Science sought Yet all their labours havâ— turned into nought If thei did cost yet found thei none availe For of their purpose every tyme thei faile And in despaire thei reason and departe And then thei said how there is noe such arte But fained Fables thei name it where thei goe A fals fond thing thei say it is alsoe Such Men presume too much upon their minde They weene their witts sufficient this Arte to finde But of their slaunder and words of outrage We take thereof trewlie little Charge For such be not invited to our feast Which weeneth themselves wise and can doe leaste Albeit such Men list not lenger to persue Yet is this Science of Alkimy full trew And albeit some proude Clerks say nay Yet every wise Clerke well consider may How he whiche hereof might no trewth see Maie not hereof lawfull wittnes be For it were a wonderous thing and queinte A man that
Conclusion To leade an imparfect Body to hys greate parfectnesse In joyning that like to hys like thow standest in no distres For when thow hast joyned the milke to the Bodyes dry Than hast thow the White and Red Elixer truly The which ys a Marvilous and very precious Stone For therein lieth in thys Science all the worke upon In thys Science these Stones be in themselves so precious That in their working and nature they be marvelous To schew thee the greate vertue furthermore I will declare That if thow canst with thys manner of working well fare First thow must take of that Body which ys next Sol in perfection And of his colour toward in ponderosity proportion Being soluble as it were cleere blood running In the hot Element yt ys alwayes lightest and fleeting Then take parte of the Red Elixer that ys the precious Stone And cast him upon that body that ys blood running anon And whan thow hast thus parfectly thys warke wrought It schalbe turned into parfect Sol with litle labour or nought On the same wise do for Luna that is in the Colour so white In joyning with that body that is schining and somewhat light In the same proportion cast him the very white Stone And then ys all thy greatest warke both made and done Than hast thow both the Red warke and the White Therefor blessed be that tyme both day and night For thys warke that standeth by greate vertue and love Thow must thanke Almighty God in heaven above Sonn in the 21. Chapter there write I a full true Rime That ys to say unto thys warke thow have no greate disdaine Till thow have proved my words in deede and thought I know it well thys Science schalbe set at nought My Son to these last precepts looke thow take good hede For better ' t ys to have then to wish for in time of neede For who so ys bold in time to a Freind to breake He that ys thy Freind may be thy Fo and hys emnity wreake And therefor my Son I schall give thee a greate charge In uttering of speech be thow not to large To tell every man what thow hast in Silver or Gold For to have it from thee many men wil be right bold Also use not to revill or ryott that schould exceede To thy bodily health the better schalt thow speede Use temperate dyet and temperate travell For when Physitian thee fayleth thys schall thee availe And leave all blind warkes that thow hast seene or heard of Conclusions Or proved by Sublimations Preperations Distillations or Dissolutions Of such manner of things greate Bokes do greatly specifie And all those contrary sayings in this Craft I do plainly deny Also my Son remember how thow art mortall Abiding but a while in thys World which ys terrestriall Thow wottest not how long nor hence how soone That death schall thee visitt and unto thee Come And remember thee well at thy departing Whome thow lovedst and trustedst best old and young Make him thine Heire and most of thy Councell And give him thy Cunning or thy Boke every deale But beware of flattering and glosing People Of Boasters and Crackers for they will thee beguâ—le Of thy precious Cunning behinde or beforne And when they have their intent they will give thee a scorne Therefor make no Man of thy Councell rude nor rustie But him that thow knowest both true and trustie In ryding and going sleeping and waking Both in word and deede and in hys disposing Also in thy owne Chamber looke thow be secret That thy dores and windowes be close shet For some wyll come and looke in every Corner And anon they will aske what thow makest there And therefore a good excuse must soone be had Or else thow schalt verily wine for to run madd Say thow labourest sore both sleeping and waking To the perfect way of strange Colours making As yt be sure Bice Vermillion Aurum Musicum others moe Or else with some people thow schalt never have a doe Also thereof thow must have many samples to schew Or else they that harmes thinke will say so Also furthermore I give thee right good warning Beware of thy warking and also of thy uttering For the examination of the People better or worse Ere thow have for thy warke thy mony in thy purse Therefor take heede my Son unto these Chapters sixscore And all manner of things said what schould be don before For in Astronomy thow must have right good feeling Or else in thys Boke thow schalt have simple believing For thow must know well of seaven principle Characters To what Bodyes in heaven moving that they be likned in those figures And to understand their properties and their Conditions In Colours qualities softnes hardnes in their proper fashions Now Son to thee that understandest parfection Sciences Whether it be Speculative or Pracktick to my sentences In thys Science and labour I thinke it greate ruthe Therefore I write to thee very truth And to thee that understandest no parfection nor practike In no conclusion proved that schould be to hys warke like By Almighty God that all thys world hath wrought I have said and performed to thee right nought Therefore my Son before that thow thys Boke begin Understand wisely in thys what ys written therein For if thow canst not finde by thys Boke neither Sol nor Moynâ— Then go forth and seeke thow further as other fooles have done Explicit Liber dictus Pater Sapientiae Vaughan sculp IN the name of the holy Triniti Now send us grase so hit be Fyrst God made both Angel and Heaven Na alleso the World wyth Planets seaven Man and Woman wyth gret sensewalite Sum of estate and other in hyr degree Both Best and Worme for in the grown crepe Everyech in hys kynd to receve hys mete Egles and Fowles in the Eyre donfle And swemynge of Fycheys also in the See Wyth vygital moystter and of the red Grap And alleso of the whyâ—e hos can hym take Alle meneral thyng that growyth in grownd Sum to encrese and sum to make an end Alle thes bryngeth now to owre howse The mightti Ston that ys so precius Thys ryche 〈◊〉 that stoâ—n of pryce The whych 〈◊〉 send owt of Paradyce Thus made the gret God of heven Whych alle ben rewled under Planets seaven God send us parte of thys secrete And of that heven that ys sweet AMEN IYfe thow wilt thys warke begyn Than schrevy the clene of alle thy Seyne Contryte in hert wyth alle thy thowght And ever thenke on hym that the der bowght Satisfaction thow make wyth alle thy myght Than thre fayre flowers thow hast in syght Yet nedeth the mor to thy conclesyon Take thow good hede nowe to thys lessen Thow must have Grase Nature and Resen Spekelatif and Coning wyth good Condition Yet thow must have more now herto Experience wyth Pracktik Prudent also Patient that thow be and
two dayes Journey homeward To aske him a question to him againe I fared Which I had forgotten and would not for my Land But that doubt truly I might understand I thought it not much to goe backe with all speede To seeke him out to the house where I left him I yed And there in a Chamber anone I founde him out Praying upon his Beades very devout Father quoth I a word with you I doe beseech Who is that quoth he my Son Charnock by his speech Yea forsooth quoth I I am come back to you Desiring you heartily to tell me one thing true Which is this Who was in Philosophy your Tutor And of that Seacret to you the Revealer Marry quoth he and speake it with harty Joy Forsooth it was Ripley the Canon his Boy Then I remembred my good Master againe Which tould he did it never attaine Of no manner of Man but of God he put it in his head As he for it was thinking lying in his Bead And thus I tarried with him all that night And made him as good Cheere as I might In the morning I tooke my leave of him to depart And in the processe of tyme came home with a merry heart But that mirth was shortly turn'd to care For as I have tould you so my Worke did fare Once I set it on fyre which did me much woe And after my Man hindred me a Moneth or two Yet the Gentleman did me more spight then the rest As when he made me from worke to be prest Then Bedlam could not hold me I was so frett But sowst at my worke with a greate Hatchett Rathing my Potts and my Glasses altogether I wisse they cost me more or I gott them thither The ashes with my stur flew all about One Fire I spilt and the other I put out All the Rubish to the dunghill I carried in a Sack And the next day I tooke my Coates with the Crosse at the back And forth I went to serve a Soldiers rome And surely quoth I there shall come the day of Dome Before I practise againe to be a Philosopher Wherefore have me Commended to my good Master And now my students in this Art my promise I have kept justly And that you shall finde true when you understand me truly Which before that day never thinke to speede For a plainer Boke then this never desire to reade And true it is also yf you can pick it out But it is not for every Cart slave or Loute This to understand no though his witts were fyne For it shal be harde enough for a very good Divine To Conster our meaning of this worthy Scyence But in the study of it he hath taken greate diligence Now for my good Master and Me I desire you to pray And if God spare me lyfe I will mend this another day Finished the 20th of JULY 1557. By the unlettered Schollar THOMAS CHARNOCK Student in the most worthy Scyence of ASTRONOMY and PHYLOSOPHY Aenigma ad Alchimiam When vii tymes xxvi had run their rase Then Nature discovered his blacke face But when an C. and L. had overcome him in fight He made him wash his face white and bright Then came xxxvi wythe greate rialltie And made Blacke and White away to fle Me thought he was a Prince off honoure For he was all in Golden armoure And one his head a Crowne off Golde That for no riches it might be solde Which tyll I saw my hartte was colde To thinke at length who should wyne the filde Tyll Blacke and White to Red dyd yelde Then hartely to God did I pray That ever I saw that joyfull day 1572. T. Charnocke Aenigma de Alchimiae WHen vii tymes xxvi had runne their rase Then Nature discoved his blacke face But whith an C. and L. came in with great blost And made Blacke nye to flye the Coste Yet one came after and brought 30. off greate might Which made Blacke and White to flee quite Me thought he was a Prince off honor For he was all in Golden Armoure And one his hed a Crowne off Golde That for no riches it myght be solde And trewly with no Philosopher I do mocke For I did it my sellffe Thomas Charnocke Therefore God coomforte the in thy warke For all our wrettinges are verye darke Despyse all Bookes and them defye Wherein is nothing but Recipe Accipe Fewe learned men with in this Realme Can tell the aright what I do meane I could finde never man but one Which cowlde teache me the secrets off our Stone And that was a Pryste in the Close off Salesburie God rest his Soll in heven full myrie 1572. T. CHARNOCKE BLOOMEFIELDS BLOSSOMS OR The Campe of PHILOSOPHY WHen Phoebus was entred the signe of the Ramme In the Moneth of March when all things do spring Lying in my bed an old Man to me came Laying his hand on my buisy head flumbering I am said he Tyme The Producer of all thing Awake and rise prepaire thy selfe quickly My intent is to bring thee to the Campe of Philosophy Bloomes and Blossomes plentifully in that field Bene plesantly flourishing dickt with Collour gay Lively water fountaines eke Beasts both tame and wild Over shaddowed with Trees fruitefull on every spraye Mellodiously singing the Birds do sitt and say Father Son and holy Ghost one God in persons three Impery and honor be to thee O holy Trinity Lo thus when he had said I arose quickly Doing on my Clothes in hast with agility Towards the Campe we went of Philosophy The wonderfull sights ther for to see To a large greate Gate father Tyme brought me Which closed was then he to me said Each thing hath his Tyme be thou then nothing dismaid Then greate admiration I tooke unto my selfe With sore and huge perturbacion of minde Beholding the Gate fastned with locks twelve I fantised but smally that Tyme should be my frend Why studiest thou man quoth hee art thou blinde With a rodd he touched me whereat I did downe fall Into a strong sleepe in a Dreame he shewed me all Igitur audite somnium meum quod vidi In the thousand yeare of Christ five hundred fifty and seaven In the Moneth of March a sleepe as I did lye Late in the night of the clock about Eleven In spirit wrapt I was suddainely into Heaven Where I saw sitting in most glorious Majestie Three I beholding adored but one Deitie A Spirit incircumscript with burning heate incombustible Shining with brightnes permanent as fountaine of all light Three knit in one with Glory incomprehensible Which to behold I had a greate delight This truly to attaine to surmounteth my might But a voyce from that Glorious brightnes to me said I am one God of immensurable Majestie be not affraid In this Vision cleere that did it selfe soe extend With a voyce most pleasant being three in one Peirced my Minde and tought me to Comprehend The darke sayings of Philosophers each one The
the keepe hit secretlye And serve thy God both nyght and day The better thou shalt speede thys ys no nay Now I have taught the how thow schalt do The blys of hevyn God bryng hus to HER ys an Erbe men calls Lunayrie I blesset mowte hys maker bee Asterion he ys I callet alle so And other namys many and mo He ys an Erbe of grete myght Of Sol the Sunn he taketh hys lyght He ys the Fader to Croppe and Rote Wyth fragrant Flowris that ben sote Flowrys to bere in that stede Swm ben Whyte and swm ben Red Hys Lewys grwyth both day and nyght Lyke to the Ferment that ys so bright I shall declare thys Erbe so lyght To many a man hyt ys a fayre seyght Frist at the Rote I wolle be gynne That cawsyth alle thing for to sprynge A growyth a pon a Mowntayne brym Where Febis hath grete dominacion The Sune by day the Mone by nyghâ— That maketh hym both fayre and bryght The Rote growyth on stonns clere Whyte and Rede that ys so peyre The Rote ys blacke the Stalke ys red The wyche schall ther never be dede The Lewis ben rownd as a Nowbel son And wexsyth and wanyth as the Mon In the meddes a marke the brede of a peni Lo thys is lyke to owre sweght Lunayre Hys Flowrys schynith fayre and cler In alle the Worlde thaye have non pere He ys not fownde in no maner wyse But of a Schepeherd in Godis servyse The good Schepeherd that I her mene Ys he that keepeth hys Sowle clene Hys Flowrys ben gret and sum ben small Lyke to hem that growyth in Dale With many a vertu both fayre and cler As ther ben dayes in alle the yere Fro fallyng Ewel and alle Sekeneys From Sorowe he brengyth man to Bles Unto that blese that wee maye come by th the help of Marys Sonne And of hys Moder that ys so fre Amen good Lord for cherite Spiritus Anima Corpus I Schal yow tel wyth hert mode Of thre Kynggys that ben so goude And how thaye cam to God almyght The wich was ther a sweet syght I figure now howr besset Stone Fro Heven wase sende downe to Solomon By an Angele bothe goude and stylle The wych wase than Christis wylle The present of hem in Bedlem than To Cryst brwght Aurum Tus Myrham Owre Sol and Sulphir wyth his Mercuri Both Bodi and Soule wyth oure Luneyre Aurum betokeneth heer owre Bodi than The wych was brwght to God and Man And Tus alleso owre Soule of lyfe Wyth Myrham owre Mercurye that ys hys Wyfe Here be the thre namys fayre and good And alle thaye ben but one in mode Lyke as the Trenite ys but on Ryght so conclude the Phylosofeers Stone Thow mayst a se her now in syght Off owre Stone figuriet a right How sende he wase out of Heven By an Angele wyth mylde Stefyn And by hys fygure thow mayst se That hyt ys lyke to personis Thre To Fader and Sonne and holi Gost The wych was and ys of mytis most Into hys blyse now come wee Amen goud Lord for cheyte Ishew you here a short Conclusion To understand it if ye have grace Wrighten without any delusion Comprehended in a litle space All that in this Booke wrighten is In this place comprehended is How Nature worketh in her kinde Keepe well this Lesson in your minde I have declared micle thing If you have grace to keepe in minde How that our Principle is One thing More in Number and One in kinde For there ben things Seven That in a Principle doe dwell Most precious under Heven I have so sworne I may not tell In this Booke I shew to you in wrighting As my Bretheren doe each one A similitude of every like thing Of the which we make our Stone Our Stone is made of one simple thing That in him hath both Soule and Lyfe He is Two and One in kinde Married together as Man and Wife Our Sulphur is our Masculine Our Mercury is our Femenine Our Earth is our Water cleere Our Sulphur also is our Fier And as Earth is in our Water cleare Soe is Aer in our Fier Now have yee Elements foure of might And yet there appereth but two in sight Water and Earth ye may well see Fier and Aer be in them as quality Thys Scyence maie not be taught to every one He were acurst that so schould done How schould ye have Servants than Than non for other would ought done To tyl the Lande or drive the Plough For ever ech man would be proud enough Lerned and leude would put them in Presse And in their workes be full busie But yet they have but little increse The writings to them is so misty It is full hard this Scyence to finde For Fooles which labour against kinde This Science I pray you to conceale Or else with it do not you meale For and ye canot in it prevaile Of much sorrow rhen may you tell By suddain mooving of Elements Nature may be letted And wher lacks Decoction no perfection may be For some Body with leprosy is infected Raw watery humors cause superfluity Therefore the Philosopher in his reason hath contrived A perfect Medicine for bodyes that be sick Of all infirmetyes to be releeved This heleth Nature and prolongeth lyfe eak This Medicine of Elements being perfectly wrought Receypts of the Potecary we neede not to buy Their Druggs and Dragms we set at nought With quid pro quo they make many a ly Our Aurum potabile Nature will increase Of Philosophers Gold if it be perfectly wrought The Phisitians with Minerall puteth him in prese Litle it availeth or else right nought This Scyence shall ye finde in the old boke of Turb How perfectly thisMedicine Philosophers have wrought Rosary with him also doth record More then four Flements we occupie nought Comune Mercury and Gold we none occupie Till we perfectly have made our Stone Then with them two our Medicine we Multiply Other recepts of the Potecary truly we have none A hundred Ounces of Saturne ye may well take Seeth them on the fire and melt him in a mould A Projection with your Medicin upon hem make And anon yee shall alter him into fine Gold One Ounce upon a hundred Ounces is sufficient And so it is on a thousand Ounces perfectly wrought Without dissolucion and Subtillant Encreasing of our Medicine els have we nought Ioy eternall and everlasting blisse Be to Almyghty God that never schal miss In some Copies I found these following Verses set before this Worke. EArth out of Earth clensed pure By Earth of himselfe through his nature Rectified by his Milke who can it tye And afterward united with Water of lyfe truly A Dragon lying in his deepe denne Rotting in Water to Putrefie then Leprouse huge and terrible in sight By bathing and balning the Dragon cometh to light Evermor drowned in the bottome of his
Vertues alike as well to things Artificially made as to those that are Naturally generated though sometimes they are more at othertimes lesse vigorous and powerfull according to the disserent Aspects under which they are wrought In which regard a fit Election must be built up from the foundation of Astrologie sutable to the Nature of the Operation proposed which being effected and the Stars finding a figure aptly disposed for receiving them they forthwith Impresse their vertue which they retaining doe afterwards operate in that they finde to be semblable And this is not strange if we reflect upon the Vulgar experiments of the Loadestone who communicating its vertue to a peece of Iron a thing made fit by Nature to attract and reteine that Piece thereby becomes of strength to communicate this vertue to a third But if we should consider the Operations of this Magnet throughly which proceeds onely from a Naturall Principle there is no other Mystery Celestiall Elementall or Earthly which can be too hard for our Beliefe Moreover these Celestiall vertues and peculiar Gifts are not infused into Individuall and particular things by the Idea and by meanes of the Soule of the World alone But also are invited thither through the Obedientiality of their Matter and a certaine aptitude and likenesse that these Inferiours beare to their Superiours which being once taken in they thereupon contract and reteine besides such as they receive from their owne Specieo those naturall Vertues and Roots of the Starrs wherewith they suscitate and stir up the Influences of the Celestiall Bodies who are as it were by compact when United Obliged to Operate in and for that purpose which the Artist appoints them And more especially if the Minde of the Operator be vehemently inclined towards the same For that through the strength and Efficacy of the Imagination and Passion being seriously intent upon any Operation is joyned with the Minde of the Starrs and Intelligences and as sodainly fitted with Vertues as if it were the proper Receptacle of their Influences and consequently helpes more effectually to infuse their Vertues into our Workes And the reason is because there is an appreheusion and power of all things in the Minde Whereupon all things having a naturall Obedieuce to it have also of necessity an Efficacy and more to that which desires them with a strong and intent Desire Notwithstanding all these Wonders are not wrought but by the Cooperation of second Causes dispositing of the Corporall Matter God the first cause of all things having variously distributed these vertues to every one as he pleaseth who by his Command and appointment are necessitated to produce their Effects which Matter by reason of its Purity or Inequality may cause the Celestiall vertues to erre in their Actings for certainly Influences may be hindred and prove ineffectuall through the indisposition or insufficiency of the Matter And therefore it is no ordinary Speculation to awaken the sleeping Spirit which lyes bound up in the straight Prison of the Body to invite and allure that propitious Spirit to descend from Heaven and unite it selfe with that which is Internall and there withall to convey a Vniculum thereinto that is of power to hold fast and fix the Celestiall Influencs from recoyling back into their united Centers This is the Series and Order of Nature conjoyn'd with Art and this and all this must be effected before one true Magicall Operation can be performed Pag. 194. Liber patris Sapientie THough I cannot yet satisfie the Reader who was the Authour hereof and therefore must Register it together with Experience and Philosophy the hermets Cale amongst the Anonymi yet I can assure him He gives exceeding good advice to the Student in this Science where he bids him be Secret in the Carriage on of his Studies and Operations and not to let any one know of his Undertakings but his good Angel and Himselfe and such a close and retyred Brest had Norton's Master who When Men disputed of Colours of the Rose He would not speake but keepe himselfe full close Privacy will questionlesse prove an unimaginable benefit to him whereas on the contrary Apertnesse exposeth a true Philosopher to a multitude of Misfortunes Witnesse Sir Ed. Kelley whose immoderate Ambition of spreading his Name lifted him up even to a Madnesse of publique Carriage which not correcting in Time he most miserably fell through the fatall Virtego of imprudent Glory To such therefore I shall only adde Chaucers Councell which may prove of no litle advantage if they remember it Make â—privy to your dealing as few as you maie For three may keepe Councell if twaine be awaie THe Figure cut in Brasse and placed in Page 210. is an Hierogliphicall device of Cremer somtime Abbot of Westminster and Scholler in this Science to Raymond Lully which he caused to be painted upon an Arched Wall in Westminster Abbey where now the Statues of our Kings and Queenes are set in their respective Habits I met with it Limned in a very Ancient Manuscript before the old Verses that follow which there seemed to serve as a Preface to that Worke which beares the Tytle of Hermes Bird. In it is conteyn'd the Grand Misteries of the Philosophers Stone and not more Popish or Superstitious then Flamell's Hierogliphicks portraid upon an Arch in St. Innocents Church-yard in Paris Notwithstanding it has pleased some to wash the Originall over with a Plasterer's whited Brush As also of late to breake in Pieces the Glasse Window behinde the Pulpit in St. Margarets Church at Westminster wherein was fairely Painted but unhappily mistaken for a Popish Story the whole Processe of the Worke in this manner The Window is divided into three Parts In the Outermost whereof upon the right hand was drawne a Man holding a Boy in his hand and a Woman with a Girle in hers all standing in upright naked postures upon a greene foliate earth The Man and Woman had Fetters wherewith their Feet seemed to be chained to the ground which Fetters were presented as falling from off their Legs Over the heads of these persons were the Sun and Moone placed and painted of a sad darke red Colour Within the Left side of the Window was a Beautifull Young man clad in a Garment of various Colours bearing a Yellow Crosse upon his Shoulders his Body Encircled with a Bright Glory which sent forth Beames of divers Colours He stood upon an Earth intimating Oculus Piscium At the Foote of the Midle Part of the Window was a faire large Red Rose full spread which issued Rayes upward and in the Middle an exeeding bright Yellow Glory Above the Rose was the Figure of a Man rising with Beames of Light spread about his Head somwhat like the Posture used to expresse Christ's rising from his Sepâ—lâ—hre He had a Garment of a Reddish Colour deepned with Red and heightned with Yellow In his left Hand a White Stone which he held towards the Persons arising in that paâ—t of the