but yet they are but one thing made of divers created Substances of one Essence that is to say 1. There is requisite in our Water first of all Fire Requisits 2. Secondly the Liquor of the Vegetable Saturnia 3. The bond of Mercury And 4. Therefore fourthly by consequence the Liquor of Mercury and that which is common so it be not Adulterated The first for my intent is the Element of Metaline Fire the second of Air the third of Earth the fourth of Water This will better appear in the 11th Chap. pag. 18. De Inventione perfecti Magisterij where he tells you That the first Inquirers into this Magistery sought only how they might exalt imperfect Metals to the nature of Gold and perceiving that all Metallick Bodies were of a Mercurial Original and that Mercury was both as to its Weight and Homogeneity most like unto Gold which is the perfectest of Metals They therefore endeavoured to digest it to the maturity of Gold that in order to this and to purify Mercury they sought for 1. and found an active Metalline Sulphur 2. in the House Aries which they gave to the Off-spring or Child of Saturn which 3. Child abounded with the most Purged Salt of Nature but had before no Metalline Sulphur in it that then they endeavoured to purge Mercury with this prepared Matter or Air but could not effect it because they would not mix therefore they contemperated this Air by the Doves of Diana and then the event was answerable to their desires 4. and that this Mercury in its Coagulation yeilded them pure Sol and Luna c. Now to make the Planets Retrograde here is Mercury the last Element united by the Doves of Diana to the Off-spring of Saturn who was purified by a Metalline Sulphur or Fire all which amounts to no more than a Composition of the four Metalline Elements Water Earth Air and Fire With this agrees the works of Prince Geber in his Medicines of the first second and third Orders Also the Intention of Basil Valentine and Sandivogius of the Arcanum or Grand Secret of Hermetical Philosophy of Norton Ripley and many others not to mention the more Ancient is the same Vera confectio Lap. Philo. pag. 121. Scopus istius Medicinae primi ordinis est manifestare occultum occultare manifestum quod fit omnia intus extra mundando The Fire saith my Master for so I Of the Fire Introit apert pag. 5. will make bold to call that most Learned and Ingenuous Author Aeyrenaeus Philalethes is of a Mineral Sulphur and yet is not properly Mineral nor Metalline but a middle betwixt a Mineral and a Metal and neither of them partaking of both a Chaos or Spirit because Chaos our Fiery Dragon who overcomes all things is notwithstanding penetrated by the Odour of the Vegitable Saturnia whose Blood concretes or grows together with the juyce of Saturnia Saturnia into one wonderful Body yet it is not a Body because it is all Volatile nor a Spirit because in the Fire it resembles a molten Metal it is therefore in very deed a Chaos which is related to all Metals as a Mother c. Here with the Fire he takes occasion ☜ to joyn the Air which two makes his Chaos viz. The Fiery Dragon and the Liquor of the Vegetable Saturnia nevertheless I know that the Fire is sometime called Earth and sometimes Water so also is that of the Air and Earth but it is not properly our Air till the two first are Conjoyn'd and Purged This Chaos is called our Arsenick our Air our Luna our Magnett our Calybs or Steel but yet in divers respects Pag. 5. because our matter undergoes various States before that the Kingly Diadem be brought or cast forth out of the Menstruum of our Harlot Note The first is called Fire because it is hot and dry it is a flying Sol and the Fire of Nature and hath the Operation of Fire which digesteth the crude Air and divideth the Mine from the Metal This is that Fire says one which the wise men have taken unspeakable pains to find out It is Donum Dei and they have called this mistery the Philosophers Stone the Blessed Holy Stone for this cause that God hath placed it in an Earthly Stony and contemptable matter it devideth the good from the bad and what is not mature it matureth and in this mistery according to the Similitude it is called Sol or the Sun and the other Principle is also called the Moon because of her Crudeness and watry Humidity but both being joyn'd together is called our Chaos or Air. The Fire by Basil is called Gold also by Sandivog it is called the same and sometimes Chalybs by Ripley it is called Sol by Norton it is called Lytharge Chalybs so Aeyrenaeus calls it in his Treatise De vera confectione Lapidis Philosophici pag. 21. And of the two first Principles calls it the Body Quod ad corpus attinet sufficiat hoc tempore solo Lithargyrij vel corporis nomine vocare Corpus autem hoc ad omnes perferendas miserias est ordinatum oportet enim transire per ignem aquam renasci aliter in requiem aeternam ingredi non poterit cujus color Pags 22. est brunus subrubeus non fulgidus Item opus ejus est dissolvi exaltari mori ad altum ascendere It is also called Leo and Servus Rubeus Corpus Rubeus c. The second Principle he also calls Water Aqua prima ignis corrodens ignis Of the Second principle contra naturam Luna magnes mater materia c. Sperma Mercurij dissolventis Mercurins Mercurius crudus Quinta essentia Stomachus Struthionis vas Philosophorum argentum vivum crudum à miner a Simpliciter extractum c. Norton calls it Titanos Magnesia Ripley calls it Venus and the Green Lyon We will consider these two the first under the name of the Fiery Dragon or Introit apert peg 6. 7. Chalybs which he says is the Minera of Gold The second he says is Saturnia or Magnet and is the true Miner a of the Chalybs Sumantur Draconis nostri ignei c. Let there be taken of our Fiery Dragon Praxis page 12. which hides the magical Chalybs in his own Belly four parts of our Magnet nine parts mix them together with a strong Fire in the form of a Mineral Water upon which there will swim a Scum which is to be cast away remove the Shell and take the Kernel Purge it the third time with Fire and Salt which will easily be done if Saturn shall behold himself in the Looking-Glass of Mars Thence is made the Chamaeleon or our Chaos in which all Arcanas lies hid virtually but not actually This Chaos is the Hermaphroditical Infant c. Hermaphrodite Introit apert pag. 6. 7. de Chalybe Magnete Our Chalybs is
the true Key of our Work without which the Fire of the Lamp could not be by any art Kindled It is the Minera of Gold a Spirit very pure beyond others It is an Infernal Fire Secret in its kind very Volatile the wonder of the World a System of the Superior Vertues in the Page 6. Inferiors and therefore the Omnipotent hath mark'd it with that notable Sign whose Nativity is declared in the East Cujus Nativitas per Orientem in Horizonte Hemisphiaerij sui Philosophicum annuntiatur pag. 7. Cursum dirigat per aspectum Astri Septentrionalis quod Aspect Astri faciet tibi apparere magnes noster pag. 21. Quare activum Sulphur ulterius quaerentes c. Wherefore seeking further for an active Sulphur the Magi sought most throughly and at length found it hidden in the House of Aries This Sulphur Aries is most greedily received by the Of-spring of Saturn which Metallick matter is most pure most tender and most near to the first Metallick ens void of all actual Sulphur but yet in a power to receive a Sulphur wherefore it doth draw this to it self like a Magnet and swallows it up and hides it in its own Belly and the Omnipotent that he might highly adorn this Work hath Imprinted his Royal Seal thereon Sendivog pag. 36. Recipe ergo marum vivum c. Take therefore a Living Male and a Living Female joyn these together that betwixt them there may be Conceived a Sperm for the bringing forth of Fruit after its kind Pag. 44. Propterea unum datur Metallum c. Moreover there is granted to us one Metal which hath a Power to consume the rest for it is almost as their Water and Mother yet there is one thing and that alone the radical Moisture viz. Of the Sun and Moon that withstands it and is bettered by it but that I may discover it to you it is called Chalybs Pag. 45. Est alius Chalybs c. There is also another Chalybs which is like to this created by it self of Nature Qui scit ex radiis solis c. Which knows how by a wonderful Power and Vertue to draw forth from the Beams of the Sun that which so many Men have sought after and is the beginning of our Work Here he singly names them The begining of our Work both Chalybs yet sometimes both joyned together are called Calybs as before Pag. 47. Naturalis ejusmodi est c. The natural Dissolution is this That the Pores of the body be open'd in our Water whereby the Seed that is digested may be sent sorth and put into it's Matrix but our Water is Heavenly Water not wetting the Hands not vulgar but almost Rain Water 48. The Body is Gold which yeilds Seed It is our Luna not common Silver which receives the Seed of the Gold c. This also alludes to the Great Work Pag. 55. Faâ—â—igitur c. Cause therefore that there be such an operation in our Earth that the central heat may change the Water into Air that it may go forth into the Plains of the World and may scatter the residue as I said thro' the pores of the Earth and then on the contrary the Air will be turn'd into Water far more subtil than the Water was and this is done thus If thou wil'st give our old Man Gold and Silver to swallow that he may consume pag 56. them and that he at length dying may be Burnt Let his Ashes be scattered into Water Boyl it until it be enough and thou shalt have a Medicine to cure the Leprosy Pa. 63. Res est vilis pretiosissima c. It is a thing of little account yet most pretious which being divers times described I do now again repeat Take X. parts of Air of Living Gold or Living Air. Silver I. part put all these into thy Vessel boyl this Air first until it be Water and then no Water If thou art Ignorant of this and know'st not how to Boyl Air without all doubt thou shalt Err seeing this is the matter of the ancient Philosophers for thou must take that The Water of our dew which is and is not seen until it be the Artificers pleasure It is the Water of our Due out of which is Extracted the Salt-peter of the Philosophers by which Sal petrae Philoso all things Grow and are Nourished Matrix ejus est centrum solis vel Lunae The Matrix of it is the center of the Sun or Moon as well Celestial as Terestial and that I may tell more plainly it is our Magnet which before I Our Magnet or Chalybs said was Chalybs The Air generates the Magnet and the Magnet generates or causes our Air to appear Sanctè tibi veritatem hic manifestavi c. This is the Sal Akali which the Philosophers have Sal Akali named Salt Armoniack and Vegetable hid in the Belly of Magnesia Operatio ejus Magnesia talis est The operation of it is this That thou Dissolve the Congealed Air in which thou shalt Dissolve the tenth part of Gold Seale this up and work with our Fire until the Air be turn'd into Powders and there appear the Salt of the World being had divers colours c. And a little after pag. 64. Propterea satis mihi fuit c. It therefore sufficed me to treat only of the first and second matter which is done clearly c. In his Eleventh Chapter concerning the Practice pag. 48. he say Take of our Earth through xi degrees xi grains of our Gold and not of the vulgar i. grain of our Luna and not of the vulgar ii grains but be thou well advised that thou take not common Gold and Silver for these are dead take ours which are Living then put them into our Fire and let there be made of them a dry Liquor first the Earth will be resolved into Water which is called the Mercury of Philosophers and that Water shall resolve those Bodies of Gold and Silver and shall consume them so that there shall remain but Radical moisture the tenth part with one part and this shall be the Metallick radical moisture c. And pag. 65. Perpende diligenter weigh diligently what I have said before viz. How the four Elements distil into into the center of the Earth a radical Moisture and how the central Sun of the Earth by its motion bringeth it forth and Sublimes it to the Superficies of the Earth c. The same Author in his Philosophical Riddle tells you That Neptune shew'd him two Mines the one of Gold the other of Chalybs Page 77. That Saturn drew the Water and put into it of the Tree of the Sun wherein it resolved like Ice in warm Water and this Water is Aqua Vitae That that Water is the best which is drawn by vertue of our Chalybs which is found in the Belly of Aries c. In the
English Book of Hermetick Secrets called Arcanum Or The Grand Secret Numb 11. you have these words As for that clear Water saught for by many found out by few yet obvious and profitable unto all which is the Base of the Philosophers Work A Noble Polonian not more Famous for his Learning than Subtilty of Wit not named whose name notwithstanding a double Anagram hath betrayed In his Novum lumen Chymicum parabola Aenigma as also in his tract of Sulphur hath spoken freely and largely enough Yea he hath exprest all things of it so plainly that nothing can be satisfactory to him that desireth more Numb 19. He says that most Philophers have affirm'd that their Kingly work is wholly composed of the Sun and Moon Others have thought good to add Mercury to the Sun Some have Divers sayings of the Philosophers chosen Sulphur and Mercury others have attributed no small part in so great a work to Salt mingled with the other two The very same Men have professed That this clear Stone is made of one thing only sometimes of two other whiles of three at othertimes of four and of five and thus tho' Writing so variously upon the same Subject doe nevertheless aḡree in sense and meaning c. He also adds Numb 20. That he holds that this intire work is perfected by two Bodies only to witt the Sun and the Moon rightly prepared Numb 46. The Philosophers Mercury hath divers names sometimes it is called Earth sometimes Water in a divers respect because it naturally ariseth from them both the Earth is subtle white Sulphureous in which the Elements are fix'd and the Philosophical Gold is sown the Water is water of Life Burning Permanent most clear called the Water of Gold and Silver c. Last of all the most precious substance is Venus the Ancients Hermaphrodite glorious in Venus Hermaphradite each Sex Numb 47. Seperate therefore the clean from the unclean the Substance from the Accidents and make that which is hid Manifest by the course of Nature otherwise make no further progress for this is the Foundation of the whole Work and Nature Numb 48. That dry and most precious Radical moisture Liquor doth constitute the Radical Moisture of Metalls wherefore of some of the Ancients it is called Glasse for Glasse is extracted out of the Radical Moisture closely lurken in Ashes which In Ashes will not give place unless it be to the Hottest Flame notwithstanding our inmost or central Mercury discovers it self by the most gentle and kindly though a little more tedious Fire of Nature But to come to our own English Authors Ripley in the Preface to his Medulla tells the Arch-Bishop of York that if he would Of Phoebus vertue have knowledging Then Saturns Child must Issue bring Theat Chem. Brit. Pag. 391. Numb 14. Bloomfeild in his Blossoms Numb 32. adviseth thus Old Ancient Writers believe which are ture Theat Chem. Britt pag. 312. And they shall thee learn to pass it to bring Beware therefore of too many and hold thee to one thing This one thing is nothing else but the Numb 33. Lyon Greene Which some Fools imagine to be Vitriol Romane It is not of that thing which Philosophers meane For nothing to us any corrosive doth pertaine Understand therefore or else thy hand refraine From this hard Scyence least thou do worke amiss For I will tell thee truly now marke what it is Green of colour our Lyon is not truly But Vernant and Green ever-more enduring 34. In most bitterness of Death he is Lively In the Fire burning he is evermore Springing Therefore the Salamander by the Fire living Some men do him call and some na other name The Mettaline Menstrual it is ever the same Some call it also a Substance Exuberate Some call it Mercury of Metalline Essence 35. Some Limus deserti from his Body Evacuate Some the Eagle flying from the North with Violence Some call it a Toad for his great Vehemence But few or none at all do name it in its kind It is a privy Quintesscence keep it well in mind This is not in sight but resteth invisible 36. Till it be forced out of Chaos darke Where he remaineth ever Indivisible And yet in him is the foundation of our warke In our Lead it is so that thou it mark Drive it out of him so out of all other I can tell the no better if thou we'rt my Brother Then Imediately after in his second Book he begins Saturne in all to this Art hath most respect pag. 313. Numb 1 Of whom we draw a Quintessence most Excellent c. Mars that is Martial in City and Towne 3 Feirce in Battail full of debate and strife A Noble Warriour and famous of Renowne With Fire and Sword defendeth his own Life He staineth with Blood and slayeth with a Knife All Spirits and Bodies his Arts be so bold The hearts of all others he wyns to him with Gold In the Hermet's Tale. The Cyclops having offended Mars are represented to say Let 's find the Angry God and pardon crave Lett 's give him Venus our poor selves to save Theat Chem. Brit. pag. 415. They sought in Heaven Mars knew his Fact so bad Pag. 416. He came out there then one began to tell Saturne turn'd from his Throne a place had Not far from thence hard by this Chrystall Well Thither they wen and found two Gods alone Sitting within a darke but glittering Throne Downe fell Old Vulcan on his crooked knee And said forgive O mighty God of Warr. My servants and my self once God as ye Then use thy will with Venus my fair Starr Saturne quoth Mars and I must not yet part Though Shee for whom tha' rt pard'ned hath my Heart In the Hunting of the Green Lyon Theat Chem. Britt Pag. 279. But our Lyon wanting Maturity Is called green for unripeness trust me And yet full quickly can he run And soon can overtake the Sun And suddain'ly can him devoure If they be both shutt in one Towre And him Eclipse that was so Bright And make this redde to turne to whyte By vertue of hys crudytie And unripe humors whych in hym be And yet within he hath such heate That whan he hath the Sun upeate He bringeth him to more perfection Than ever he had by Natures direction c. In the Verses belonging to Sir George Ripleys Scrowl Theat Chem. Britt Pag. 377. Take thou Phaebus that is so Bright That sitteth so high in Majesty c. Maynteyner of Life to Crop and roote And causeth Nature for to spring With his wife being soote And Omogeny is my Name And Magnesia is my Dame c. Devide thou Phaebus in many a part c. This Phaebus hath full many a Name Which that it is full hard for to know And but that thou take the very same The Philosophers Stone thou shalt not know c. Pearce the Black Monke upon the
and their fond followers no otherwise than meer Foolosophers catch'd in a Mouse-trap This by way of removing the Rubbish next we proceed to lay a sure Foundation for the Ingenious to Build on This Art I say and doubt not to The Foundation of this Art make clearly appear consists in the true knowledge of a Metalline Sulphur and Mercury which are to be Compounded of four Metalline Principles or Elements viz. Metalline Fire Air Earth and Water all to be reduced into a quick running clear and splendid Mercury In which Mercury is contain'd the Grand Secret of the Philosophers viz. their Sol and Luna for then they say Est in Mercurio quicquid quaerunt Sapientes All is in Mercury that the Wise men seek Because this prepared Mercury may easily be digested into Silver and Gold and then also and not till then is this saying verified Esttamen unum c. That there is in the Metalick Kingdom one thing of a miraculous Original in which our Sol is nearer than in Common Sol and Luna if you seek it in the hour of its Nativity c. Introit apert pag. 51. Which will melt in our Mercury as will Ice in warm Water and yet it hath resemblance with Gold The same thing may be found by digestion in our Mercury for the spaee of an hundred and fifty days c. See Secrets Reveal'd pag. 75. For this Mercury so digested into Sol and Luna will again easily be dissolved in that Mercury from whence it was form'd Whereas to dissolve Common Gold by prepared Mercury is a Work of great difficulty and ought not to be attempted by any unless he be an experienced Master in this Art and yet he that so operates shall labour for the worst and not the better unless he knows how to carry on both works a part and afterwards in a due measure to Reconjoyn them This I say is the Scope and Intention of all the Philosophers and now it remains that I clear my Position The Composition of these four Principles or Elements is perfected by three Three Works Works or Operations 1. The first is the joyning of the Fire and Air. 2. The second by adding the Earth to the other two 3. The third by joyning thereto the Liquor or Element of Water Which are also by Prince Geber Called Medicines of the first second and third Order These three Conjunctions are also called 1. Conjunction Diptative 2. Conjunction Triptative 3. Conjunction Tetraptive Of which more hereafter The Philosophical Maxims are Man from Man Beast from Beast and Metal from Metal c. Dastin's Dream Theat Chem. Britt pag. 259. A Man of Nature Ingendreth but a Man And every Beast Ingendreth his Semblable And as Philosophers rehearse well can Diana and Venus in Marriage be not able A Horse with a Swine joyns not in a Stable For where is made unlikely Geniture What followeth but things Abominable Which is to say Monstrum in Nature Pearce the Black Monk upon the Elixir Theat Chem. Britt pag. 271. All Salts and Sulphers far and nere I. interdite hem alle in Fere Alle corosive Waters Blood and Hayre Pyss Hornes Wormes and Saudiver Alume Atriment also I suspende Rasalger and Arsnick I defende Calx Vive and Calx Mort hys Brother I suspend them both one and other For of all things I will no moe But Foure Elements in general I say so Sun and Moon Earth and Water Four Elements And here y's all that Men of clatter Nothing is oftener said by the Philosophers than that their Stone is made of the four Elements And Ripley in his Epistle to King Edward the IV. Theat Chem. Britt pag. 111. saith thus viz. In the said Boke the Philosopher speaketh also Therein if it Please your Highnes for to Reade Of divers Sulphurs but especially of two And of two Mercuryes joyned to them indeed Whereby he doth true understanders leade To the knowledge of the Principles which be true Both Red most pure and White as I have spede Which be nevertheless founden but of right few c. This I know also hath another Exposition of which hereafter Theat Chem. Britt 152. Numb 19 Ripleys Compound Speaks thus And be thou wise in chesing of thy Water Medyll with no Salt Sulphure nor mene Minerall For whatsoever any water to thee do clatter Our Sulphure and Mercury be only in Mettal Which Oylys and Waters som men call Fowlys and Byrds with other names many one Because that Folys should never know our Stone Sandivog pag. 5. If thou dost purpose to make a Metall out of Herbs thou shalt labour in pain as also thou shalt not bring forth wood out of a Dog or any other Beast Aeyr Phil. de Metall Metamor pag. 46. Qui vero ex Herbis istjusmodi rebus Mercurium educere tentant sunt Minervae crassissimae atque ingenij nequissimi Aeyr Phil. in his Ripley revived pag. 160. 161. c. Some will say of my Book that I have writ very Enviously and Misteriously he calls the matter Gold and Mercury but that is but Allusively but he meant Egg-shells calcined or Vitriol or Mans Blood or Dew or Rain Water or Salt Peter or Nitre or Tartar or this or that thing c. Gross Sotts thus to think that what I without any Equivocation call Gold and Mercury they should make to allude to such trifles O Fools and Blind think you to gather Grapes of Thorns or Figgs of Thisles Page 162. If Gold and Silver be your intention to produce in what would you find them in Eggs or Blood in Salts or such things what a madness is this c. But enough of these Cautions tho' much more may be said from many other Authors And if any raise an Objection or put the Question why this great Universal Medicine is only to be prepared from Metalls they shall find it answered in another place Sandivog pag. 79. If thou wilt imitate Nature let me perswade thee to abide in the Simple way of nature and thou shalt sind all good things Simplicitas veritatis sigillum The Composition of the four Elements How the Elements are Compounded or Principles Now to our purpose Aeyrenaeus Philalethes natu Anglus Cosmopolita A true Adeptist and the last and best Interpreter of all the Ancient Philosophers in his little Book called Introitus Apertus c. Shewing that this Work tends Chap. 1. pag. 2. 3. to digest Gold to the highest Purity and subtle Fixity to which by Nature and Art it may be brought says their Gold is twofold viz. Ripe Gold and Crude Gold Male and Female Sulphur and Mercury That the whole Secret consists in the Mercury without which the work of Alchimy would be in vain And in Chap. 2. Concerning the Principles of which this Mercury is Compounded he saith Sciant itaque aquam Pag. 4. nostram componi ex multis c. Let the Operators therefore know that our Water is Compounded of many things
the Secre of the Secres Parde Also there was a Disciple of Plato That on a tyme sayd his Master to As his Book Senior wool bere Wytnesse And this was his demaunde in Sothfastnesse Tellme the name of the privy Stone And Plato answered unto him anone Take the Stone that Tytanos Men name Of Titan Magnafia take the cler light The red Gumme that ys so bright c. Theat Chem. Britt pag. 275. Which is that quod he Magnatia is the same Said Plato ye Sir and is it thus This is ignotum per ignotius What is Magnatia good Sir I you pray It is a Water that is made I say Of Elements four quod Plato Tell me the Rock good Sir quod he tho Of that Water if it be your will Nay nay quod Plato certayne that I nyll The Philosophers were y Sworne eâ—hone That they shulde discover it unto none Ne in no Boke it write in no maneâ—e For unto Christ it is so lefe and dere That he wol not that it discovered be But where it liketh to his Deite Man to enspyre and eke for to desende Whan that him lyketh to this is his ende Thus you see how the ancient Philophers were Sworn not to discover their Rock of clear Water and that this Work is the highest piece of Philosophy in Nature This Water is made of the four Elements said Plato so is the joyning of the two first Principles said to be the mixing of the four Elements the one being Hot and Dry the other Cold and Moist This Water is also called Aqua Divina Aqua Benedicta Aqua Coelestis c. with many other Names One Author that shall be nameless speaking of the Conjunction of these two Principles saith it is a Magistery and calleth the first the Divine Instrument and the second he calls Mercury and saith that the Addition of the Instrument that is Quintessence goeth through the Mercury and remaineth with it and seeing that Quintessence belongeth to Life it changeth the Mercury so that now Mercury is nothing else but Life also and this Operation is done very quickly without any elemental Working for as every Workman adorneth his Work and giveth it his Mark by the which the Master-piece is known so also God Marketh this his Creation and giveth it the noblest Sign that is in Heaven c. So now you have his Words you may easily find out the Man He also calls this Matter being purged Luna so soon saith he as Mercury perceiveth the power of God Sol it is no longer Mercury but Luna that this Mercury is wholly changed and turn'd about so that was inward is drawn outward but no part separated from another c. But what needeth many Words you have the thing before so sufficiently described that I may say he that cannot thereby easily name it savoureth nothing at all of Ingenuity This Soul saith my Master as it is drawn from the Saturnia sollid and dry is called our Air or rather the Chamelion which is an Airy Body but indeed it hath a hundred other Names This says he is true Sulphur which is imbibed by the Mercuriality of Saturnia and Notes it with the Regal Signet and being united and revived into a Mineral Water by the mediation of Dianas Doves it is the sharp Spirit which in the Water moves the Body to putrefie c Thus is made a Medicine of the first Order by Calcination Next we will proceed to the third Principle of Earth after we have observed a few of the Names of these two Principles First as they are apart and afterwards as they are joyned besides such as you have heard before First of the Air Female or Water of dissolving Mercury Aeyrenaes in his Opus Tripartitum or Vera Confectio Lapidis Philosophici in the Division De principali proprietate Mercurii dissolventis pag. 21. amongst others sets down these Acetum Aqua aqua prima aqua artis aqua simplex balneum Coelum humiditas Ignis humidus ignis contra naturam liquor vegetabilis Crudus Luna Mater Materia Lunaria mercurius crudus mercurius dissolvens Ministerium primum Quinta Essentia Spiritus crudus Spiritus cocti Sepulchurum Sperma Mercurii Stomachus Struthionis vas Philosophorum Visitatio occultorum argentum vivum crudum à minera simpliciter extractum Pag. 48. after some alteration of it Aqua divina aqua mundi aqua venenosa aqua auri aquila Caput Corvi fimus equinus flos aeris fumus igneus humidum igneum igneum venenum ignis innaturalis Leo viridis Lutum Magisterii Magnesia nigra Nigrum nigrius nigro nummus Oleum Saturni Plumbum nigrum pulvis niger putrefactio res vilis Ros coelestis sigillum hermetis Spiritus foetens sputum Lunae terr a nigra Vapor c. In the Book called Palladium Spagyricum are hundreds of Names yet I approve not his Cunning. Secondly As to the Male or Fire Pag. 57. Adam Anima Aries anrum vivum Corpus rubeum ferrum forma frater gumma rubea Ignis Naturae Lapis rubeus Lytargyrium rubeum Lux Mane Mars Magnesia rubea Oleum Martis oleum incombustibile pater pars una Rex Rubedo Sal rubeum Sericon Sol sulphur rubeum sulphur vivum terra rubea vitriolum rubeum De predictorum duorum conjunctione pag. 22. Aqua secunda arcanum argentum Aqua nostra vivum Chaos corpus confusum Cuprum Aes nostrum Aes philosophorum fumus aquosus ignis alienus Lapis mineralis Lapis unus Lapis in Capitulis notus Laton Materia una massa consusa minera nostra Menstruum secundam Ovum philosophorum Radix una Res una res vilis c. Pag. 38. Aes album argentum vivum animatum Arsenicum Aurum aurum album corpus album Eva Fundamentum Artis Gumma alba Hermophroditus Lac virginis Lapis unus Luna plena Magnesia Materia una metallorum Mercurius occidens Plumbum album Radix artis Sal Alchali sapo sapientum soror sperma metallorum stannum sulphur album Terra fructuosa Vitrum Urina puerorum Vultur with many others and which are sometimes indifferently applied to either Of the Addition of the third Principle or Earth You observed before that it is said the former Matter being united and revived Dianas Doves into a Mineral Water by the mediation of Dianas Doves is the sharp Spirit that in the Water moves the Body to putrefie This is the same with what Aeyrenaeus writes in his Introitus Apertus in several parts thereof Pag. 5. Disce igitur c. Learn therefore who are the Companions of Cadmus and what is that Serpent who devoured them what is that hollow Oak to which Cadmus fastned the Serpent Learn what the Doves of Diana Pag. 9. are which overcome the Lion by asswaging him I say the Green Lion which indeed is the Babylonian Dragon killing all things with his Poyson At length learn to know the Caducean Rod of Mercury with which he worketh
Wonders and what the Nymphs are which he infects by Incantation if thou desirest to enjoy thy Wish In Chap. 6. Concerning their Air and why so called and that it has still an arsenical Malignity which hinders all manner of Ingress of the extracentrical Waters unto the Waters that are in the Center Hic Fur c. This Thief is Evil Pag. 10. armed with arsenical Malignity whom the winged Youngster doth abhor and fly from and although the central Water be his Bride yet the youngster dares not utter his most ardent Love towards her because of the Snares of the Thief whose Snares are almost inavoidable In this let Diana be propitious to thee who knows how to tame the wild Beasts whose two Doves shall temperate the Malignity of the Air with their Feathers then the Youth enters easily in c. And pag. 12. After he hath shew'd how to joyn and purify the two first Principles he says of them Hic est Infans Hermaphroditus c. This is the Hermaphroditical Infant which even from his Cradle hath been infected by the biting of the Corascene Mad Dog whereby he is besotted and distracted with a perpetual * Hydrophobia a disease which exceedingly fears the Water caused by the biting of a Mad Dog Hydrophoby Yea though the Water be nearer him than any natural Thing yet he abhors it and flies it O Fates But yet there are in the Wood of Diana two Doves which can asswage his Madness c. The English Book or Secrets Revealed adds pag. 16. if applied by the Art of the Nymph Venus then least he should again relapse c. And pag. 17. it runs thus speaking of these Doves supply the Feathers and the Eagle will fly away and leave the dead Doves of Diana which except they shall be dead at the first receiving they cannot be profitable c. The Latin Book or Introitus Apertus says thus pag. 13. Fulgente Luna in suo plenilunio pennas suppedita avolabit Aquila relictis pone se mortuis Dianoe calumbis quoe si primâ acceptione fuerint mortuae prodesse nequeunt There is a great difference betwixt being dead and being alive And Sendivogius pag. 110 Lat. 76 Engl. saith If in any Science or Art it doth much help or hurt to have one word lacking or added than much more in this As for Example it is written in one place Then mix these Waters together another adds Not He indeed added but a little and notwithstanding he made the whole Chapter quite contrary c. But to return to our purpose Introit Apert pag. 21. Shewing that the Off-spring of Saturn hath no actual Sulphur in it says It hath entred into League with a burning arsenical Sulphur and therefore appears not under a mercurial Form c. But after it hath swallowed the Sulphur of Aries he says the Magi tried to purge Mercury therewith but the Event did not Answer because there was yet mixed an arsenical Malignity in the Sulphur so swallowed which though now it was but little in respect of that abundance which it had in its mineral Nature yet it hindred all Ingress Wherefore they tried to contemperate this malignity of the Air by the Doves of Diana and the Event answered their Desires Tum vitam vitae commiscuerunt c. Introitus Aper Chap. 14. pag. 37 says to this purpose We have moreover shewn that the preparation of the true philosophical Mercury is difficult Tamque difficilis ut opus sit peculiari Dei gratia si quis ad exactam ejus notitiam prevenire cupierit The English Book after the word difficult adds these words pag. 52. The main knot lying in finding out Dianas Doves which are folded in the everlasting Arms of Venus which no Eyes but a true Philosopher ever saw This one Skill performs the Mastery of Theory enables a Philosopher and unfolds to the knower of it all our Secrets This is the Guordian Knot which will be a Knot for ever to a Tyro in this Art except the Finger of God direct Yea so difficult c. I know not what to say of this and several other passages in the English Book which was published by W. C. directed to the Honourable the Lord Lucas Baron of Shenfeild in Essex Anno 1669. After the Author's Preface there is this Admonition READER THE true Manuscript Copy which John Langius in his Preface doth so much thirst after is here published for thy Benefit in which thou wilt find considerable Enlargements and Explanations wherein the Latin Translation is deficient as Witnesseth Chap. 15. c. But this is plain that Aeyrenaeus refers to the Latin Introitus Apertus as appears in his Preface to Ripley Revived Printed 1678. and there he says that he had lately wrote the Introitus c. yet that by John Langius which I have was Printed Amsterdam 1667. I suppose this W. C. is the same that publish'd The Philosophical Epitaph of W. C. Esq 1673. Dedicated to the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq for there in his Preface before that part called A Brief of the Golden Calf he mentions the open Entrance to the shut Palace of the King Now let us see what he hath learned from it in his Epitaph pag. 15. he declares the preparation of Mercury in these words viz. For Mercuries preparation is thus viz. By a Mineral with Sable Silverveins which is the Dragon born in Saturns Den devouring Cadmus with his earthly Men. First then this Dragon double strength to Mars Praxis Must be yet pierc't by him being God of Wars Then both will perish and become a Star Where the young King is born who is Solar Then wash equal Venus in 's Blood and let Them joyn till Vulcan take them in a Net Which Mercury gently on his Wings must bear Till he steals their Wealth and Sols Body tare Wherein then Sol will freely shed his Seed And this is all whereof we stand in need Which ordered right you cannot choose but speed c. This is very plain if true first a Dragon pierc't by Mars then wash equal Venus in 's Blood which Mercury must gently bear on his Wings wherein then Sol c. Here we find his third Principle in the Mercury is Venus which I suppose he gathered from these words in the open Entrance viz. But yet there are in the Woods of Diana two Doves which can asswage his frantick Madness if applied by the Art of the Nymph Venus c. and from these words The main Knot lying in finding Dianas Doves which are folded in the everlasting Arms of Venus c. and from these words p. 77. If then thou work in Sol Vulgar be sure to procure the Marriage of Diana Venus in the beginning of the Espousals of thy Mercury then put them into the Nest c. The Latin thus p. 52 Quare si cum Sole vulgi fueris operatus cave ut Veneris connubia sollicitè compares deinde thoro suo impone
and Foundation of this Art Hert. Sir I shall do it readily since you are pleased to require it This Art consists in the Metalline Kingdom only in Metals from Metals and by Metals It is built upon four Metalline Principles or Elements Fire Air Earth and Water That the two first joynd are Radix Artis and the true Key That enough of them hath been said already that we are now seeking out the third Principle of Earth the Doves of Diana which reconciles the two first to the last that therefore they must be of a Metalline Nature and make the second Work which may be called Conjunction Triptative c. Aeyren. Now see if in my Writings I have not sufficiently touched this Principle of Earth or the Doves of Diana Hert. Sir I thank you for your seasonable Advice and with your Favour I will make a further search Let me see Vera confectio Lapidis Philoso p. 133. Nunc ad medicianam secundi ordinis transeamus Medecina secundi ordinis quae habet inspirare tingere et fermentare primam compositionem Unde Calidius Philosophus nemo potest vel postea poterit tingere terram albam foliatam nisi cum Auro Seminate aurum vestrum in terra alba foliata seminate hoc est conjungite vel fermentate aurum id est animam vel virtutem tingentem in terra alba foliata hoc est in terra preparatione debita facta alba et munda in qua non sint sordes nam si it a preparata non sit non sit idonea ut possit suam formam vel animam recipere ut conjunctae fiant immortales c. Pag. 155. Atque finalis scopus istius medicinae secundi Ordinis est Reducere lapidem in terram fixam spiritualem et tingentem Pag. 142. Accipe sulphur album et ipsum fige Luper corpus suum album fixum et mundatum id est supra argentum Et sulphur rubeum supra corpus suum rubeum scil supra aurum c. Pag. 150. Praeterea ad hanc medicinam secundi Ordinis spectat illud Hermetis Scitote inquit rumorum inquisitores et sapientiae filii quod Vultur supra montem existens in Cacumine voce magna clamat inquiens protige me et ego protegam te largire mihi jus meum ut te adjuvem Sol enim meus et radii mei sunt in me Luna vero mihi propria est ac lumen meum omne lumen superat et mea bona omnibus bonis sunt sublimiora Me igitur c. Fons Chemicae Philosophiae pag. 93. Sed ut ad aquam revertamur in qua crede mihi totum secretum consistit quae aqua licet sit una non tamen est simplex sed composita nempe ex Vase et igne Philosophorum Vinculum quibus tertium additur nempe vinculum Quum igitur c. Introit Apert p. 4. Est nempe in aqua nostra requisitus primò ignis secundo liquor Saturniae vegetabilis tertiò Mercurii vinculum c. I am not to learn that sometimes and in some respects the first Principle of Fire is called Vinculum Mercurii because it tends to the fixing of it but the Water is tied to the Fire only by the third Principle Ripley Revived pag. 290. The second manner is called Triptative Which is Conjunction of things Three Of Body Soul and Spirit that they not strive Which Trinity thou must bring to Unity For as the Soul to the Spirit the Bond must be Right so the Body the Soul to him must knit Out of thy Mind let not this Lesson flit Pag. 292. Know that the Soul doth not ascend but it carries with it a fermental Odour of the Body by which it doth so effectually affect the Spirit that it begins to think of taking a new Impression and becomes daily by little and little more and more able to suffer Fire and by consequence draws to the nature of a Body observe this c. Pag. 307. The next is to know our Mercury which is not Common but Artificial drawn from three Heads by the mediation of one thing which makes the two which are dry and sulphureous to unite with one which is moist and mercurial Brevis Manuductio ad Rubin Coelestem pag. 69. Causa secunda finalis haec est ut contrarias qualitates conciliaâ—emus Non autem conciliantur qualitates contrariae nisi per medium Pag. 70. Medium Medium ergo erit utriusque Partïceps utrique accommodatum Vertendo itaque compositum in terram jam concordant in hoc tertio frigus calor ut cohabitare possint c. Postea vero in aquam dissolvendo conciliantur c. Also in Rip Rev you speak to this purpose viz. For certainly the ferment Ferment which cometh between the compound Body and the Water causeth a Death and a Regeneration c. Also in another part of it thus Now in the Composition of these three first our common Mercury and the two Common Mercury Principles of our Compound there interceeds the Ferment c. Out of which though it be a Body proceeds yet a specificated Odour c. Now Sir I thank you for your Encouragement since I have cause to rejoyce Aeyren. How come you to lay any stress upon these Words Hort. Because Sir you have expresly said it more than once or twice and a certain honest Author speaks to this purpose That after the joyning of the two first Principles the Mercury of the second may then be said to be dead and never more to be made living but by Argent vive which cannot be done without mixture but that it will not mingle it self with the common Argent vive because of the Sulphur c. therefore there must be a medium that in Medium the medium must be a Specifick seperative Power to coagulate c. for common Mercury has no Specifick therefore take c. This Sir I think agrees exactly with your own words formerly cited Aeyr It does so Name your Author therefore for certainly he is one of the plainest that ever writ concerning this Principle Hor. He is no plainer Sir in this than in the rest but his Book is of small Account and I must beg your Pardon Sir because in your Preface to Ripley Revived after you have told us what light you received from Bernard Trevisan you say next to him or rather before him in some respects is an Author whom you will not name c. So Sir I follow your Example and I know you can easily perceive the words are not of my own invention Aeyr But how then has this your Earth a relation to the Doves of Diana which are spoke in the Plural Hor. Because of the Quantity Sir which is two to one Aeyren. Have you seen any Receipt for it Hort. Yes Sir one of your own it is as follows Arcanum Arsenici Philosophici 1. Accepi Draconis ignei partem unam
boast No Man above my Candour shall aspire My Zeal was kindled with Minerva 's Fire And thou who to this Art wilt now apply My Book in Natures way shall lead thee higher Than ever thou alone mayst hope to fly If only thou shalt favour'd be by destiny Peruse these lines and being read review 378. And read again and on them meditate Each reading shall fresh Mysteries and new Discover which are scattered in each Gate For they so linked are that all relate To each and we our Words have woven so That thou mayst soon err by misleading Fate Unless for to distinguish thou dost know Remember that ' mongst Briars thick sweet Roses grow The Author to the Reader ☞ And now Reader I hope I have made good my Position and described every particular Principle or Element in order even to the Great Work and that so plainly that none need hereafter be to seek in any of them I confess all might have been said in few words but I have for a reason particular chosen to make the Philosophers themselves discover the true Principles in their own Language which also may give great Satisfaction to the diligent Inquirer and yet I have not dwelt longer upon them than I thought was convenient Next we will view some short Philosopical Tracts relating to the Art which if it will not further confirm you in what is gon before may notwithstanding serve you for Diversion In the third Volume of Theatrum Chemicum the Author de Magni Lapidis compositione tells us that the principle Matter of all Metals in their Mines is a dry Water which they call Aqua viva or Argentum vivum and Spiritus faetens otherwise called Sulphur c. Agens patiens pater mater from whence is generated a certain smoaky Substance and that the Mineral Vertue coming upon that Matter congeals and unites it c. And from hence it appears that in Metals there are four Elements naturally and that they are homogeneal In pag. 5. he says That in the Operation of this Science we stand in need of more things than Nature doth and that in those we want are also four Elements and so our Principles are alike to those of Nature Pag. 8. That there are four Kinds or Species and not more or less required to compound the White Elixir viz. Argentum vivum Sulphur citrinum fugiens Sulphur viride fixum habens ventrem nigrum intellectu quamvis clarum in visu videatur Sulphur album fixum c. and that they are not of great price Pag 9. That the Argentum vivum being compounded cum sulphuro vivo citrino become one Mass which they call Terra rubea and in this respect there needs not any more than three Species or Kinds in the Art That because this Terra rubea is found to be sold ready compounded therefore he cares not to labour about its Composition c. That the other two Kinds are not compounded until they are put into the Work of this Art c. Then he proceeds to practice but very subtlely and hard to be understood Theat Chem. Britt pag. 436. Let the old Man drink Wine till he pisse The meanes to the blest Stone is And in that menstrous Water drowne The radiant brightnesse of the Moone Then cast the Sun into her lapp That both may perish at a clapp So shall you have your full desire When you revive them both by Fire I ask'd Philosophy how I should Pag. 435. Have of her the thing I would She answered me when I was able To make the Water malliable Or else the way if I could finde To measure out a yard of Winde Then shalt thou have thyne owne desire When thou canst weigh an Ounce of Fire Unlesse that thou canst do these three Content thy self thou get'st not me I am she which wise Men seek Pag. 356. Mercury which i◠〈◊〉 of might Hot and moist light and weake Of the Elements I am full right Water Earth Aire and Fire Quality and quantity you can never have your desire Without concoction perfectly Great Riches in us be Who hath Grace for us to know By vertue of her humidity In the Fire our Stone doth grow c. Of Titan Magnesia take the cler light Pag. 275. The rede Gumme that ys so bryght Of Philosofris the Sulfer vife I called Gold wythouten stryfe Of hem drawe out a Tincture And make a Matrymony pure Betweene the Husband and the Wyfe Espoused wyth the Water of lyfe And so that none dyvysion Be there in the conjunction Of the Moone and of the Sonne After the Marriage is begonne And that Mercury the Planete In loef make hem so to mete That eyder wyth oder be joyned even As a Stone engendered sent down fro Heven Of hem make Water clere rennynge As any Chrystall bryght Schynynge c. In Arsenick sublymed there ys a way streight Pag. 272. Wyth Mercury calcyned nyne tymes hys weight And grownde together with the Water of myght That bereth ingression lyfe and lyght And anon as they togyther byne Alle runnyth to Water bryght and shene Upon this Fyre they grow togethyer Tyll they be fast and flee no whyther c. A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man Pag. 259. And every Beast ingendereth his semblable And as Philosophers rehearse well can Diana and Venus in Marriage be notable c. And to comfort hys Brethren that were full dull Pag. 265. The Sun hath chosen without Warr or strife The bright Moone when she was at the full To be his Mother first and after hys wedded Wife In tyme of Ver the Season vegetative In Aries when Titan doth appeare Inspired by Grace with the Spirit of lyfe This Marriage hallowed at midday Spheare c. I shall add but one or two more which are most to the purpose because from a true Adeptist Aeyrenaeus in his Vade Mecum Philo. pag. 208. says Tres tantum modo Species c. In his Book De vera Confectione lapidis Philosophici pag. 25. he says to this purpose that the Elixir ought to be made from one thing Hoc tamen unum quod Argentum vivum dicitur non est unum in numero sed in genere That if any err from this one in the beginning he labours in vain Pag. 34. He begins with Materia una from which the superfluities are to be removed 36. That after they are removed he says it is of a White Colour called by Hermes Album nigri Citrinum albi rubeum Citrini by Alphidius Radix artis Argentum vivum albi coloris Mercurius ille tingens c. Rosarius says Hic est Mercurius noster noblissimus Deus enim nunquam creavit rem meliorem sub Coelo praeter animam rationalem Plato calls it Secretum nostrum by Maria it is called Pag. 73. Aqua albificans Indicum Laâ—â—â—em by Hermes Argentum vivum de Corde Saturni by Solomon Unica filia
will do so after him Let it be said then in honourable Remembrance of him that the World is more obliged to him for Instruction in this Art than to all his Predecessors The Conjunction of these two Principles in the Glass or Egg the Philosophers also call Rebis and Conjunction Diptative that is two things to wit in Number for you may yet separate each from other in its intire Nature See Rip Rev. in the Exposition on the Preface pag. 32. These two being joyn'd do operate so within the Vessel till the Compound 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 subtle part which is called Azoth and Pag. 33. the grosser part is called Leton which is by Azoth washed and whitened In Rebis the Matters are confused Rebis In Elixir they are divided and Elixir In Azoth they are conjoyn'd with an inseperable Union Azoth These are by Ripley called his three Mercuries For I will truly now thee excite To understand well Mercuries three The Keys which of this Science be Raymund his Menstrues doth them call c. The first is to be prepared and joyn'd as aforesaid and is the Philosophers Key the other two are Natures Keys And pag. 41. This Azoth he says is our Stone for it is inseparately united not in a Diptative Conjunction which is barely a mixture of the Sun with our Mercury or Triptative which is a mixture and union of the Body Soul and Spirit which is before Putrefaction but Tetraptive which is the Anatization of Qualities which is the first degree of the white Stone which will then grow higher and higher till the Moon come up to the full c. ☞ So we see the same Conjunctions and Operations are mentioned by the Philosophers as well in the Great Work as the Less and oftentimes confounded one with the other The joyning of the two first are also said to be the two Sulphurs with two Mercuries joyn'd to them indeed Whereby he doth true Understanders leade To the Knowledge of the Principles which be only true Both Red most pure and White as I have spede Which be neverthelesse founden but of right few See Theat Chem. Britt pag. 111. Rip Revived pag. 22. says The fourth Conclusion makes all perfectly plain which hath been said before namely that these two Sulphurs are the one most pure Red Sulphur of Gold and the other of most pure clean White Mercury These says he are our two Sulphurs the one appears a coagulated Body and yet carries its Mercury in its Belly The other is in all its Proportions true Mercury yet very clean and carries its Sulphur within it self tho' hidden under the form and fluxibility of Mercury So Sendivog tells us Saturn to make the Philosophers Stone took two Mercuries of differing Substance but of one Original and called them Sulphurs of Sulphurs and mixed the fixed with the volatile c. Then they made the Philosophers Stone because of a true matter a true thing must needs be made and this is that Art which he commends so highly You may understand that the Philosophers in their Great VVork observe only three principle Colours as Black Colours VVhite and Red though there be several mean or middle Colours The Black they say with their Sol and Mercury will happen about the end of forty days as appears in Introit Chap. 19. The Moon in its full or the white Stone See Secrets Reveal'd Chap. 19. in five months and the Red in seven or nine or ten at the most The other way with common Sol you may be a year and a half or two years to the perfection of Red which way is also very difficult Mr. Norton in his Ordinal pag. 88. Informs us that his Master told him how that many by teaching and patience attained the White Stone but scarce one in fifteen the Red which words made Norton sad his whole desire being for the Red Medicine but his Master told him he was too Young to know it that at last he obtain'd his Masters Love and the Doctrine of the Red Stone which is not to be sought till the White is perfected and he is much affraid to disclose this Secret But my herte quaketh my hand is trembling Page 89. When I write of this most Selcouth thing Hermes brought forth a true Sentence and blounte When he said Ignis Azot tibi sufficiunt c. Then he tells us That neither Albertus Magnus the Black Freer neither Freer Bacon his Compeer knew the Multiplication of the Red Stone Nor had he himself assay'd it till the time he writ his Book at last it comes out That the Red is hid within the Center of the White as is also affirmed by Aeyrenaeus and others Pandulphus in Turba said Mente secura Page 90. Et ejus umbra in vera tinctura Maria confirm'd it in fide oculata Quod in ipsa albedine est Rubedo occultata The Book Laudible Sanctum made by Hermes Of the Red Worke speaketh of this wise Candida tune Rubeo jacet Uxor nupta marito That is to say If ye take heed thereto Then is the fair white Woman Married to the ruddy Man This Stone he says will be as Red as Perfect Red. Blood and that then the Masculine Seed has wone the Victory and the Stone compleate Whom wise Men said that ye should feed With his own Venome when it is need Then ride or goe where ye delight For all your Costs he woll you quite Thus endeth the Subtil warke with all her store I need not I maie not I wool shew no more He also tells us pag. 72. That it is Dangerous to taste of the Stone till it be perfect Red nor much or oft of that Wherefore it is perill and not good Much or oft to tast of that Foode It comforteth Metals as we well finde But it is Perillous for all Mankind Till perfect Red thereof be made Such as in Fier woll never fade A lewde Man that served this Arte Tasted of our White Stone a parte Trusting thereby to find releefe Of all Sicknes and of all Greefe Whereby the Wretch was sodenly Smitt with a strong Paralisie Whom my Master with great Engine Cured with Bezoars of the Mine c. And Sir George Ripley in his Preface to the Arch Bishop of York avers the same Theat Chem. Brit. 389. And It s Vertue Sendivogus pag. 183. Lat. 133 Eng. Causeth the Vox to answer the Alchymist to the same purpose Alch. Sir the Universal Medicine being had how long may a Man preserve himself from Death Vox Even to the term of Death but this Medicine must be taken cautiously for many wise Men have been destroyed by it before their time Alch And what say you Sir is it Poyson Vox Hast thou
the 1st 2d 3d. 4th 5th and 6th c. Aeyrenaeus sufficiently confirms the same in his Treatise De metallorum Transmutatione pag. 12 c. Inter quae non levis momenti hoc est quod semen sit cujusque rei semen habentis perfectio et quod semen non habet est de toto imperfectum Pag. 27. Materia proinde unum est omnium metallorum nempe Mercurius qui proprie tend it ad Solem lunamve procreandum c. quòd superfluitates non sunt metallicae quòd faeces sunt per accidens pag. 28 29 quod faeces sunt seperabiles suarum seperatio ante coagulationem est metalli perfectio Verum si non tamen adhuc sunt seperabiles quamvis non per naturam absque alterius adminiculo c. Hinc Alchemiae fundamentum nempe Agens triumphans quod impurius metallum in se possideat idem purum ex quo aurum c. quod impuram seperari valet per agens triumphans id es agens digirens Tale agens est arcanum nostrum divinum id est aurum in supremum digestum et fixum Pag. 31. Arcanum nostrum per minima The Adeptists pretend not to create Gold or Silver intrat c. Quare non quod indigni quidam obtractatores objiciunt aurum Argentumve creare profitemur at agens reperire atque efficere quod supra imperfecta metalla projectum per minima possit intrare propter suam homogeneitatem ac spiritualitatem c. Pag. 54. Nos enim non quod fals◠non nulli criminatores objiciunt aurum sive Argentum creare profitemur veru◠ex iis solummodo in quibus haec insunt a Naturâ arte nostrâ ducimus ex metallis minirum quae sunt ejusdem cum Auro et Argento materiae inaequalis vero digestionis et propter hoc imperfecta manent quae projectione Arcani nostri super illa But to digest the crudity of imperfect Metals by their Medicine digerimus et hoc modo perficimus cum ad ea perficienda nihil aliud praeter simplicem hanc cruditatis eorum decoctionem requiratur quod abunde praestare potest Medicina nostra In his fourth Chapter he tells us to this effect That Seed is the Perfection of every thing and that it is not to be doubted but there is a metalline Seed that all things were either created in the first six Days or otherwise daily increasing grew together That Reason and Experience denies the first that if the latter be granted then there is a metalline Seed which the Metal doth not lose in the Coagulation but the Seed is thereby rather enobled That all Metals have one and the same Seed with Gold which in some is nearer in others more remote and tending to Perfection By the Seed he does not mean the Mercury that is in Metals but that Vertue in which and by which they are multiplied c. That as the least part of Gold is Gold therefore its Seed lies in every Particle and cannot be discerned from its Body the Body remaining whole c. That all the Gold in respect of the The heavenly form or Vertue Stone is matter when the profundity is manifested it is all Sperm and by Circulation it becomes all form or a Heavenly Vertue c. That the place in which the Seed next resides is Water for properly and exactly speaking the least part of the Metal is Seed and that Invisible and because this invisible is Universally disfused thro' all the Water of its own kind and inhabits it and exerts its vertue in it nor any thing else appears to sight than water in so much that it cannot be separated from it except by reason only altho' reason perswades that there is in it an internal Agent which properly Internal Agent is Seed therefore they call the whole water promiscuously Seed like as the whole Grain is called Seed when as the Germinating Life is only a little part thereof tho' in metals it is inseparably commixt per minimum corporis continentis That this Golden water or the Seed by the Ancient Philosophers is called their occultum fermentum venenum Occultum Fermentum ignis item invisibilis secretò agens That common Mercury is the true matter but the form or the fiery Vertue of the Philosophical Mercury is wanting and must therefore be supplied that it receives its Vertues from the form and not the matter That the form is a certain unspeakable particle of ligiht a Heavenly Vertue which is presently at hand illuminating the whole dwelling if so all things are rightly disposed from without Vid. ib. pag. 25. and 48. and is the true Author of all Transmutation This form is that which the Book The form a Heavenly Vertue called Sal lumen Spiritus mundi Philosophici or the first and Universal Spirit of the World also aims at written originaly in French and now in English to which I refer you only I shall set down one passage he cites out of Doctor Bacon pag. 184. Wise men begin their works from the root and not from the branches chusing as Doctor Bacon saith to congeal the thing that Nature begun her first operation about by proportionate mixion and union of a pure living Mercury with a like quantity of Sulphur into one Mass Oh Holy words Wherein this good Anglican or rather Angel clearly depinged that one and true matter whereof all Philosophers have writ Volumes under divers Figures and Enigmaical Fables not because they would Maliciously hide it but keep the Priviledge of this Kingdom for Learned and Pious men who by continual Study and Laborious Experience find and adorn it Eugenius Philalethes in his Anima Further difinition of the form magica abscondita Writing also against the Peripateticks whose Philosophy he does not like because he says it is built on general empty Maxims that may be applied to any thing but conduce to nothing for that Aristotle tells him Nature est Forma and by Consequence Forma est Natura which is idem per idem but he allows they call it Vis formatrix which he says is only an Express of the Office and effect of Forms but nothing at all to their Substance or Essence The same he saith of their description of the Soul shewing the Operations and Faculties which the Soul exerciseth in the Body but discover not her Nature or Original at all In pag. 8. he says That there is in Nature a certain Spirit which applies himself to the Matter and actuates in every Generation That there is also a passive Intrinsecal where he is more immediately resident than in the rest and by mediation of which he communicates with the more gross material Parts for there is he says in Nature a certain Chain or subordinate propinquity of Complexions between Visibles and Invisibles c. Pag. 9. That every Body in the World is subject to a certain species of Motion
diffusive Goodness to the Poor as many are not c. Sendivogius in his First Treatise Engl. pag. 3. tells us God is the Original and Bounds of Nature and worketh all things by it and without Nature is nothing Pag. 4. That the Searchers of Nature ought to be as Nature her self is True Plain Patient Constant c. and that which is chiefest of all Religious fearing God not injurious to their Neighbour and then shews that every thing must be exalted in its own kind c. 37. That the Art of Alchimy in its kind is true Nature also is true but the Artificer is seldom true 39. He laboureth in vain that putteth forth his Hands to labour without the knowledge of Nature in this Sacred and most True Art c. 41. For without the light and knowledge of Nature it is impossible to attain to this Art unless it come to any by God's special Revelation or some special Friend doth privately shew it 42. If therefore thou dost not understand or believe the Truth do not blame me but thy self and perswade thy self that God was unwilling to reveal this Secret to thee be therefore earnest with him by Prayer c. Do not wonder that I have wrote so many Treatises for I did not make them for my own sake seeing I lack not Books but that I might advertise many that work in fruitless Things that they should not spend their Costs in vain 44. He shews us plainly the whole Art is only an Extraction of our Sea-Water or Metallick radical Moisture c. 47. He says many Men conceited of their Understanding and Wisdom could not savour his meaning tho' he intimated the Art to them from word to word but they could by no means understand him not believing there was any Water in our Sea and yet they would be accounted Philosophers Since therefore says he they could not understand my Words which I delivered by word of Mouth I do not fear as other Philosophers were affraid that any one can easily understand what I have wrote It is the Gift I say of God c. But let me give you this Caution That if you would attain to this Secret know that first of all God is to be prayed to then your Neighbour is to be loved 49. and lastly do not fancy things that are subtil which Nature knew nothing of but abide I say abide in the plain way of Nature c. I will says he reveal to no mortal Man whilst I live more than I have done in this publick Writing 76. That the Art did daily decline into obscurity and as he believed thro' the Writings of envious Philosophers that one Book explains another that Geber had need to be read a thousand times over that were these hard Writers ignorant of and to learn the Art out of such hard Books they would find it out with greater difficulty than Men in these days who search into the Art Pag. 78. That now the Art is not obtained but by the Inspiration of the most high God alone therefore let not him that searcheth diligently and fears God despair if he seeks after it he shall find it because it is more easily obtain'd from God than from Man c. Be of good Courage therefore and he will also not deny this Favour unto thee if thou puttest thy whole Trust in him Worship him and call upon him he will open to thee the Gate of Nature c. 79. Cease not to seek for to him that knocks it shall be opened 102. That the Philosophers esteem'd highly of this Art not so much out of Covetousness for Gold and Silver but for Knowledge sake 119. He adviseth to taciturnity saith that tho' some casually fall upon the matter of our Argent vive yet he ends the Work when he should begin c. Saith that this Art is the Gift of the most High God and unless God reveals it by means of a good Wit or Friend it is hardly known That Lully learnt it of Arnold and Arnold received it from a Friend c. but saith God scarce ever conferred upon any mortal Man so great things as upon himself and acknowledges he deserved them not yet that he always trusted in God 122. Adviseth again to trust in God and to pray to him for if thou be sincere he will by one means or other shew thee a way and assist the in it that thou shalt obtain thy desire pray but yet work saith he and concludes that a good Understanding and Opportunity are the Gifts of God 123. That there is but one true Operation and that it is easier to make the Elixir than any particular to abide a natural Examination and Tryal notwithstanding some Mens Boasting but the Broth will have its Taste from the diversity of the Flesh boyl'd in it Adviseth against Receipts of Mountebanks and all false Sophistications c. 141. He adviseth to essay nothing contrary to Nature c. 143. That every searcher ought to know the four Elements and their Original in which indeed he is very Natural and Ingenuous and to apply all things to the possibility of Nature if they do not agree with Nature they must be let alone and waved 147. Then he ends his Book with this conclusion viz. That this Art is always acquired by the same kind of Wits and Dispositions Which Art says he we after this kind of clear Manifestation of it lay up in the Bosom of God the most high Creator and our Lord and commend our selves together with all honest hearted Readers to his Grace and Infinite Mercy To whom be Praise and Glory for ever and ever The Conclusion AeYrenaeus in his Preface to the Author in Ripley Revived hath these words For my own part I have had experience of misleading Sophistical Writers and have made many toilsome laborious Experiments tho' but young and therefore having at length through the undeserved Mercy of God arriv'd at my Haven of Rest I shall stretch out my hand to such as are behind c. That at length studying to profit the Sòns of Art he resolved to unfold Ripley so that the Tyro might have two Witnesses in one c. And concludes thus These writings peruse for they are not Fancies and so with the help of the most High thou shalt attain thy wish Pag. 19. In his Exposition of Sir G. Rip Preface he says That those who mistake in their Operations and blame the Philosophers are most injurious Pag. 18. That if Wit were capable of the attainment of this Art it would have been common e'er now and that he does very admiringly adore the Wisdom of God herein that an Art so True so Natural so Easie so much desired and sought after should yet be so rarely found that the generality of Men Learned and Unlearned do laugh at it as a Fable It is therefore most certainly the gift of God who is and ever will be the Dispenser of it according to his good