Magistery is performed Scala pa. 125. We calcine perfect Bodies with Ripleus the first Fire naturally but no unclean Body doth ingredience our work except one which of the Philosophers is called the Green Lion which is the medium of uniting and joining Tinctures Ripl pa. 26. There is a certain Soul existing between Heaven and Earth arising from the Earth as Aire with pure Water the cause of the life of all living things continually running down upon our fourfold Nature producing her with all its power to a better condition which airy Soul is the secret Fire of our Philosophy otherwise called our Oil and mystically our Water Idem pa. eadem Our Mercury is made of perfect Albert. Bodies not imperfect that is with the second Water after the Bodies have been duly Calcined by the first Albert. pa. 19. This Fire is called Humour because Vogel in it as hath been said heat or the fire of Nature is hidden even as the heat of Animals in the Primogenian moisture Water since it is Heterogeneall to its Earth if sensible of the least heat will evaporate it being left and forsaken The Soul is no other then Oil Oil then Water Vogel p. 134. If any know to make choice of Flamelius such Matter as Nature delights and to inclose it rightly prepared in his Vessel and Furnace He and I saith Nature will forthwith doe the Work so he provide the requisite Fire Naturall against Nature not Naturall and without ardour Flamel pa. 123. We therefore call it Innaturall Lullius or not Naturall because it is not naturated of it self nor takes away any thing from naturated Nature nay it rather helps her by the Mediation of a moderate Exercise according to what Nature requires in her Reformations Lullius Codic pa. 24. Our Fire is Minerall is equall is Artepheus continuall it vapours not unlesse it be too much stirred up it participates of Sulphur it is taken elsewhere then of Matter it destroys dissolves congeals and calcines all things and it is Artificiall to finde out a compendium and without cost or at least very little it is also moist vaporous digesting altering penetrating subtill airy not violent not fuming encompassing containing onely one and it is the fountain of Life or which incircles the Water of Life and it contains the King and Queens bathing place in the whole Work that humid Fire shall suffice thee both in the beginning middle and end because in it the whole Art consists and it is a Fire Naturall against Nature and Unnaturall and without Adustion And to conclude it is a Fire hot dry moist cold think on these things and doe rightly without any thing of a strange nature The third is that Naturall Fire of our Water which is also called against Nature because it is Water and neverthelesse of Gold it makes meer Spirit which thing common Fire cannot doe this is Minerall Equall participates of Sulphur it destroys congeals dissolves and calcines all things this is penetrating subtile not burning and it is the fountain of living Water in which the King and Queen wash themselves which we stand in need of in the whole Work in the beginning middle and end but not of the other two except sometimes onely Join therefore in reading the Philosophers Books these three Fires and without doubt thou wilt not be ignorant of their sense and meaning concerning Fires Artephius pa. 31. Weigh the Fire measure the Dastin Air mortifie the Water raise up the heavy Earth Dastin spec pa. 202. By earnest consideration of Lullius things Naturall Innaturall and against Nature it behoveth thee to attain the Materiall and Essentiall knowledge of the temper through all his parts Essentiall and also Accidentall that thou maist know how to behave thy self in our said Magistery having so comprehended the said principles Lull Theor. fo 16. There are four principall Fires to be observed in respect of the Substance and Propriety of the four Elements Idem pa. 174. Although in our Books we have Lullius handled a threefold Fire Naturall Innaturall and against Nature and other different Manners of our Fire neverthelesse we would signifie one Fire from more compound things and it is the greatest secret to come to the knowledge of this Since it is no Humane but Angelick and heavenly gift to reveal Lull Testament pa. 78. Son our Argent vive or part of Lullius it is Water distilled from its Earth and the Earth in like manner is our Argent vive animated and the Soul is Naturall heat which stands bound together in the first Essence of the Elements of Argent vive Idem In the Structure of the Fire Trevisane some differd from others although they all aimed at the same scope namely that it should be made after this manner lest the fugient should first fly away before the Fire could any way bring forth the persequent thing Bernard Comes pa. 40. The Fire which we shew to thee is Scala Water and our Fire is Fire and not Fire Scala pa. 148. Raimond speaking of Fires in his Scala Compendium of the Soul saith It is to be noted that here lie contrary operations because as contranaturall Fire dissolves the Spirit of a fixt Body into the Water of a Cloud and constringeth the Body of a volatile Spirit into congealed Earth So contrariwise the Fire of Nature congeals the dissolved Spirit of a fixt Body into glorious Earth and resolves the Body of a Volatile Spirit fixt by Fire against Nature not into the Water of a Cloud but the Water of the Philosophers Scala pa. 126. The Water of which the Bath Basil Valent. of the Bridegroom ought to be made is of two Champions that is to be understood confected of two contrary Matters wisely and with great care lest that one adversary may vanquish the other Basil Valent. pa. 32. What ever actions they nominate Rosin know that these things are always done by the action of the heat of certain Fire which causes not Sublimation because it is so gentle nor may it elevate any smoke naturally by reason of its debility whence if it be such as may in a manner elevate and not elevate it is good Rosin ad Sarratant pa. 286. THE COROLLARY If any would rightly weigh the ayings of Philosophers in this Chapter the manner of their Equivocations would appear clearer then the Sun for as they have deciphered the second Work somewhere in the name of the first Work so in this Chapter they nominate the second Water the first Water and the third Water the second as it appears in Scala pa. 123. where it is said that the first Water the Sun calcines that the second might the better enter And again the second Water is Fire against Nature And Ripley utters like things also in his Preface But let every Artist know that the first Water is Phlegm only or unnaturall Fire because it
are the Arnold Sun and Moon in virtue and neer power because if they were not in the Compound neither the Sun nor Moon could thence be made Arnold Epist pag. 491. Mercury is in all Elemented Lullius Substances one and the same which Mercury is indeed the naturall heat which produces as well Minerals as Vegetables although diversly according to the precept of Nature and so our Mercury is not visible but intelligible and it is manifest that it is in every thing and place and common to all Lullii Codic fol. 134. Repelat 6. THE COROLLARY Vogelius Trevesanus with divers other Philosophers advise first seriously to consider in what point Authors most agree for in it they affirm the onely and single truth is involved To me therefore meditating this from the most select Authors recited with their Harmony both in the Substance Form and Colour and in all necessary Circumstances and Accidents was discovered by Divine assistance the Subject of all wonder as Cornelius Agrippa rightly cals it in open and naked words It is therefore generally agreed and of all confessed That there is one vive or volatile Argent retaining a certain Vegetability while it is yet in motion not brought to maturity or the determinate term of naturall digestion in the Mines And the same is immaturate Argent vive not that Mature of the vulgar which is next to Metall in possibility and therefore of some is called Immature Metall According to Arnold Riplie Dunstan Morien and Clangor Buccinae it is cloathed with a Red colour offered or brought to us by Nature but if it be not by the Artist taken from its Radix in a due time viz. before it come to such maturity as to contain one grain of Malleable Metall it will be unfit for our purpose Seek therefore the Philosophick Embryon in its due place and mature immaturity and you shall know as Rosarius saith our Stone is found created of Nature which truly is to be understood of the matter of the Stone compounded by Nature and formed into a Metallick form but given to Art imperfect that by degrees it might be brought beyond the degree of perfection CHAP. II. The Preparation or the first work or work of the Winter THis is the Preparation because Senior there are blinde men and they have erred a long time while they were ignorant that this Stone was prepared with this preparation Senior p. 31. If the first work proceed not Dastin how is the second attained to Because if no division be made there is no conjunction Dastini Speculum pag. 56. We must begin with the separation Arnold of the Elements from the Red earth as of the pure from the impure Arnoldus in Hortulanum pag. 9. Thou must diligently consider Pandolph how this dissolution may be made and certainly know that it is not done but by the water of Mercury and know that every body is dissolved with the spirit with which it is mixt and without doubt is made spirituall Pandolphus in Turba pag. 16. Son of Truth understand that Lullius we in the first operation of our work doe purge and prepare matter for the creation of its Sulphur which being prepared by and by in the second preparation wee compound and create medicine which how great virtue it hath will be manifest Therefore first thou must create its Sulphur because without that thou canst not make the compleat Elixir And when thou hast created Sulphur then begin the Philosophick work but ever consider that the nature and propriety which is in the very spirit may not be combust in its preparation by the power of the fire Because then the spirit cannot whiten nor joyn it self with the Earth Therefore it often happens that they who think to make water of life make water of death by reason of combustion Lullii Apertorium p. 2. The Vessels so disposed a most Aâ—noldus subtill smoke will arise in the Alembick and the same will be turned into a clear water having the nature of these species whereof the Stone is generated which Water descends by the Nose of the Alembick Arnoldus in Comment Hortulani p. 16. The Phlegm wherein our Sulphur Lullius which is called Gold is decocted is that in which Air is included for our Phlegm is a middle substance and the first water of Mercury wherein the principle of the Stone is viz. its dissolution nor doth it enter with it but as it were wetting the parts of things not generating or increasing Lullii Testam pag. 1. It is meet thou prepare the Matter Lullius till it be fit to receive our Mercury which we call glorious Mercury and the manner is That thou take a proportion of the said Earth and put upon it the fourth part of the said imperfect Menstruum wherein is such a Mercury and set it in a Balneo for the space of six days and distill it and so continue untill the Earth be disposed to imbrace a Soul which will not be done at the first or second time therefore put it again and again in the Balneo for the space of six days in a Glasse very well sealed after that open the vessell and setting the Alembick on again with a most gentle fire distill the humidity and again pour on more of its Menstruum which hath its seed in it and digest it as aforesaid and so continue untill the Earth be disposed to entertain its soul Son it is to be observed when it shall drink up and retain four parts more of its weight that if thou put a little upon a heated plate of Gold or Silver it will all flie up into smoke then is the Earth pregnant and prepared which ought to be sublimed Lul Test pag. 15. First all the superfluous and corrupt humidity in the essence of Rosar Philosoph those things and also the subtill and burning superfluity must be elevated with a proportionable Fire and that by Calcining Then the totall substance remaining corrupt in the Calx of these Bodies of the burning superfluous humidity and blacknesse is to be corroded with the aforesaid Corrosives acute or acerb untill the Calx bee made white or red Rosar Philos pag. 345. Our Mercury is made of perfect Scala bodies and not imperfect that is with the second Water after they have been duly calcin'd by the first Scala pag. 128. It behoveth thee to extract one Artepheus living or vive incombustible Water and then congeal it with the perfect body of the Sun which even there is dissolved into nature and a white congealed substance as if it were Cream and would come all white Neverthelesse first this Sun in his putrefaction and resolution in this Water in the beginning loses his light is obscured and waxeth black at length he will elevate himself above the Water by little and little a white colour will swim above him and so the perfect body of the Sun receives life
and in such a Water is inlivened inspired increased and multiplied in his specie as other things Therefore our Water is a Fountain fair pleasant and clear prepared onely for the King and Queen whom it very well knows and they it for it attracts them to it self and they remain two or three days to wash themselves in that Fountain viz. some moneths and these it makes to grow young and renders them very beautifull These three things mutually follow viz. Humidity Putridity and Blacknesse from whence the glassie house may be posited and subtilly sited untill the moist Matter included by little and little became putrid and black for the putrefaction begins together with the solution but the putrefaction is not yet compleat untill the whole Matter be dissolved into water Artephus pag. 9. One of the contraries exceeding Dastin destroies the rest whence the Earth is made Water when the watry qualities overcome it and on the contrary this Water must draw forth three things viz. a Spirit a Body and a Soule whence this Water is threefold in Nature which hath in it self Water Fire and Earth We divide the dissolved Stone in the Elements and wash it particularly that it it might be more subtilized and the better purified and that at pleasure the Complexion might be more firmly composed but we distill it very often as the Water and Air are clean without dregs and light without filth pure without contraries for then they wash more easily touch more plentifully and work more nobly For Art as Aristotle saith in like manner throws off all superfluities from its work as Nature doth For Fire extracts that which exists in the interiours of things and feeds on the sulphurity of them subtilizing and rarifying at pleasure And therefore we distill them that we might sweetly draw out their filth But we doe it sweetly and with inhumation lest the excessive Fire consume the sought for subtilties Whence in every distillation observe this sign that universally there be candour and purity in it and whatsoever drops forth unmixt put apart because the work is corrupt if thou doe otherwise Therefore we so much distill it untill it send forth no dregges unlesse happily white ones and this we iterate seven times that in their simple purity they might transcend the orders of the seven Planets For it is meet they be most pure and clean which by their purity should cleanse and perfect other things And according to the quantity of distillation they will be clear and according to the plurality of clearness they will cleanse and touch other things Whence it ought to be distilled seven times what is more is evil because as diminution hinders so augmentation corrupts In the fourth distillation follows the Lavement that its every Element might be rectified severally whence we distill the Water and Aire seven times by themselves But thou shalt distill all things with moisture because drinesse corrupts the work with combustion And the Philosophers advise that every distillation be always made seven days with inhumation meaning that inhumation be made seven days between every distillation Dastini spec pag. 96. It behoveth thee to exercise the Rosar Arnold separation of the Elements as much as thou art able to wash off the Water and Air by distillations and to burn up the Earth by Calcination untill there remain not any thing of the Soul in the Body unlesse what may not be perceived in the operation the sign of which will be when nothing shall be evaporated from the Body if a little of it be put upon a heated plate Rosar Arnold pag. 423. As an Infant exhausts all airy Massa Solis Lunae vapours in nine moneths and the menstruum turned into a milky form so in nine moneths the first work is performed viz. the second whitenesse because the whole is coagulated Neverthelesse the work is finished about six moneths according to the Experience of the Author but according to Balgus * Pag. 1â—9 in Turba in an hundred and ninety days Massa Solis Lunae pag. 275. Let not the water be suffered to stand when it is fit for operation because it receives its Curd into the bottome crudled or coagulated by the cold of the Aire and congealing drieth which hapned to one of my Companions who for the space of a year found it so but it was not distilled Massa Solis Lunae pag. 274. No solution ought to be made Rosar Philosoph without Blood proper or appropriate viz. the Water of Mercury which is called the Water of the Dragon and that Water ought to be made by an Alembick without the addition of any other thing Rosar Philos p. 223. The whole course of the work Roymundus Lullius endures for the space of two years whence the Stone is of one year and the Elixir of another to every new Artist who never made it but to every good and expert Artist who is subtile one year and three moneths are accounted sufficient For by what it is corrupted in like manner it is generated Lul Theo. p. 76. Accommodate well the Fire in Ventura the furnace and see that the whole Matter be dissolved into Water then rule it with a gentle Fire untill the greater part be turned into black dust Because when our Stone is in our vessell and our Matter feels our Sun it will presently be resolved into Water Ventura p. 129. Putrefaction is made with a Rosarius Philos most gentle Fire so that nothing may ascend because if any thing should ascend there would be made a separation of parts which ought not to be untill the Masculine and Feminine are perfectly joyned Rosar Philos pag. 261. The encompassing frigidity of Dastin the Aire the binding solidity of the Earth the dissolving heat of the Fire the impetuosity and restlesse motion of the Water and exceeding quantity of Multitude doe hinder Putrefaction as Aristotle saith But the calidity of the Air the subtility of Matter the gentlenesse of the Fire the stability of Rest the equality of Compounds the gravity of Patience the maturity of Time do necessarily induce and hasten Putrefaction yet so that the Air be tempered what is thick subtilized the Fire moderated Rest preserved Proportion adequated Patience strengthened and the time expected until Nature proceeding naturally shall have compleated her owne worke Dastin spec pag. 184. Our Water must be divided into Scala two parts whereof in one part the Body is congealed viz. with seven Imbibitions and Congelations but in the other part it putrefies and melts that the fiery Water abovesaid might be cast forth Scala Philos pa. 151. If the work in its managing be deduced to the finall red state by corruption before the due term of whitenesse which it may not be thou hast erred then for a remedy take away the rednesse with fresh white Water by imbibition and inhumation Idem There are three Humidities the Lullius first is
Water the second is Aire the mean between Water and Oil the third is Oil it self The Water is distilled to the likenesse or sign of perfect whitenesse which is transparent splendour and the shining clearnesse of crystall and he that attains to this Token hath the Philosophers Mercury dissolving all Bodies chiefly of the Sun and Moon because of the vicinity or nearnesse of Nature Lul Codic p. 119. In our whole Magisteriall there Lullius are three principall Spirits necessary which without the consummation of their resolution cannot be manifested and they are otherwise called three Argent vives and for Argent vive understand the Water in which the Tincture is carried Raymund Theor. p. 122. 24. If you will hear me I will truly Ripleus shew what is that Mercury chiefly profitable know therefore that there are three Mercuries which are the Keys of Science whom Raymund cals his Menstrua without which nothing is done rightly but two of those Mercuries are superficiall the third Essentiall of the Sun and Moon perfect Bodies when we first Calcine them naturally but no unclean Body is ingredienced except one which is commonly called of the Philosophers The green Lion which is the mean of joyning Tinctures With the second Mercury which is vegetable Humidity both the Principall Materiall and Formall bodies ought to be resolved otherwise they are of little moment And with the third which is Humidity very permanent and incombustible the unctuous Tree of Hermes is burnt into Ashes Ripley pa. 25. Sons of Wisdome there are Incertus three solutions the first is of a crude Body the second is of a Philosophicall Earth the third we put in Augmentation The Virgin is Mercury because it never propagated a body in the Womb of the Earth and yet it generates the Stone for us by resolving the Heaven that is it opens the Gold and bringeth forth a Soul Incertus de Chemia pa. 6. Metals are reduced to the first Ventura Matter when they are driven back to that first simplicity which their Elements had in their first Composition in which there were Spirits and Vapours by nature perfectible to the form of the Compound Vent pa. 12. By Argent vive is understood Ludus Puerorum the humidity of that unction which is the radicall humidity of our Stone Ludus Puerorum pag. 174. The Preparation of this Spirit is its subtilation which is performed Vogel by many distillations untill it hath gotten crystalline splendour and clearnesse Vogel p. 148. Keep the rectified Water apart Aristotle because that is the Mercury of the Philosophers the water of Life washing the Leton Aristotle pag. 366. The whole labour and tediousnesse Lull compendium is in this viz. the separation of the Elements and Sulphur Air cannot be divided from Metals unlesse by the twentieth twenty second or thirtieth distillation And the Fire may be divided from the Earth at the eleventh distillation and as many distillations as there are so many putrefactions and reiterations of Water and Air together to wit of our Menstruall water and every putrefaction requireth eight days or six continued so that the division of the Elements dures the space of an year but we have compleated it in seven moneths Lull compend pa. 281. The Alchymists have said that the Stone is compounded of two Waters viz. of one which makes the volatile Stone and the other which fixes and hardens it Idem Between every Calcination of Avicenna the Earth pour on water moderately to wit not much nor little because if much there 's made a sea of perturbation if little it will be burnt up into ashes But sweetly not hastily from eight days to eight days by watering decocting and calcining the Earth till it hath imbibed its Water therefore when the Earth shall not be white bray it together with its Water iterate and calcine it because Aroc and Fire doe wash the Earth and take away its obscurity from it for its preparation is always with Water and as the fitnesse of the Water shall be so also shall be the clearnesse of the Earth and by how much the more the Earth shall be white c. Avicenna pag. 420 421. He which knows not to extract Scala more things out of one is ignorant also to compound one thing of more Our separation is a separation of a watry or moist vapour or phlegme in Balneis a levigation of rarity a production of principles Scala p. 134. Imbibe Calx or Body oftentimes Geber that thence it may be sublimed and yet more purified then before because the Calx ascends upwards very difficultly or not at all unlesse holpen by the Spirit Geber lib. summae perfectionis pag. 573. The Vessell being fitly placed in Ventura the Furnace the Fire underneath must be continued then the Vapour of the Matter will ascend upwards into the Alembick most subtilly and the same will be turned into serene bright and cleare Water having the form of a water drop and the Nature of all the species of which it is generated and it descends again by the Crows beak that is the Neck of the vessell of the Alembick and this Water because it is subtile doth enter the Body and extract first the Soule afterwards it dissolves all that is left and turns it into Water Moreover know that all things which are sublimed are sublimed two ways some by themselves and some with others but our Mercury since it is a Spirit is sublimed by it self but our Earth since it is the Calx of the Body is not sublimed unlesse very well incorporated with Mercury Therefore beat or pound them together and imbibe till they become one Body because the Body ascends not unlesse incorporated with Mercury Ventura p. 141. Dissolve the Gold and Silver in Vogel Water of their kinde if thou know it Vogelius p 78. And this is the last Preparation Massa Solis Lunae viz. of Spirits often reiterated by Contrition and Assation with their Body untill thou see these things which thou desirest in it Massa Solis Lunae pag. 240. Sons of Learning know ye that Afflictes the whole Work and the Government thereof is not done but by Water with which mingle ye the body of the Magnesia and put it in its Vessel and close the mouth carefully and boil it with a gentle fire till it be made liquid for by the heat of the Water the whole will easily be made Water Afflictes in Turba p. 32. THE COROLLARY From a certain Minerall Masse coagulated lucid red ponderous being perfect Metall in the nearest power containing in it selfe vive spermatick Sulphur and vive immature Mercury multiplicable in it self with the most gentle fire of a Balneum or Bath is drawn forth a certain insipid phlegmatick Water which if it be again repoured on with its due proportion of Earth and in due season digested and abstracted by dissolving daily by little and little
The white colour succeedeth the black wherein is given the perfection of the first degree and of white Sulphur This is called the blessed stone this Earth is white and foliated whererein Philosophers doe sow their gold The third is Orange colour which is produced in the passage of the white to the red as the middle and mixt of both and is as the morning with her safron-haire a fore-runner of the Sun The fourth colour is ruddy and sanguine which is extracted from the white fire onely Now because whitenesse is easily altered by any other colour before day it quickly faileth of its candor But the dark rednesse of the Sun perfecteth the worke of Sulphur which is called the Sperme of the male the fire of the Stone the Kings Crown and the son of Sol wherein the first labour of the workman resteth 65. Besides these decretory signes which firmely inhere in the matter and shew its essentiall mutations almost infinite colours appear and shew themselves in vapours as the Rain-bow in the clouds which quickly passe away and are expelled by those that succeed more affecting the aire then the earth the operatour must have a gentle care of them because they are not permanent and proceed not from the intrinsecall disposition of the matter but from the fire painting and fashioning every thing after its pleasure or casually by heat in small moisture 66. Of the strange colours some called out of time give an ill omen to the work as the Blacknesse renewed for the Crowes young ones having once left their nest are never to be suffered to returne Too hasty Rednesse for this once and in the end onely gives a certaine hope of the harvest if before it make the matter red it is an argument of the greatest aridity not without great danger which can onely be averted by Heaven alone forthwith bestowing a shower upon it 67. The Stone is exalted by Foure Digestions of the Stone successive digestions as by degrees and at length attaineth to perfection Now foure Digestions agreeable to the foure abovesaid Operations or Governments do compleat the whole worke the author whereof is the fire which makes their difference 68. The first digestion operateth First the solution of the Body whereby comes the first conjunction of male and female the commixtion of both seeds putrefaction the resolution of the elements into homogeneall water the eclipse of the Sun and Moon in the head of the Dragon and lastly it bringeth back the whole World into its ancient Chaos and dark abysse This first digestion is made as in the stomack of a melon colour and weak more fit for corruption then generation 69. In the second digestion the Second spirit of the Lord walketh upon the waters the light begins to appear and a separation of waters from the waters the Sun and Moon are renewed the elements are extracted out of the chaos that being perfectly mixt in Spirit they may constitute a new world a new Heaven and new Earth are made and lastly all bodies are become spirituall The Crowes young ones changing their fethers begin to passe into Doves the Eagle and Lion embrace one another with an eternall League And this generation of the World is made by the fiery Spirit descending in the forme of Water and wiping away Originall sin for the Philosophers Water is Fire which is moved by the exciting heat of a Bath But see that the separation of Waters be done in Weight and Measure lest those things that remaine under Heaven be drowned under the Earth or those things that are snatched up above Heaven be too much destitute of aridity Hic sterilem exiguus ne deserat humor Georg. 1. arenam Here lest small moisture leave a barren Soyle 70. The third digestion of the Third newly generated Earth drinketh up the dewy Milk and all the spirituall virtues of the quintessence and fasteneth the quickning Soul to the Body by the Spirits mediation Then the Earth layeth up a great Treasure in it selfe and is made like the coruscant Moon afterwards to ruddy Sun the former is called the Earth of the Moon the latter the Earth of the Sun for both of them is begot of the copulation of them both neither of them any longer feareth the pains of the Fire because both want all spots for they have been often clensed from sin by fire and have suffered great Martyrdome untill all the Elements are turned downwards 71. The Fourth digestion consummateth Fourth all the Mysteries of the World and the Earth being turned into most excellent leaven it leaveneth all imperfect bodies because it hath before passed into the heavenly nature of quintessence The vertue thereof flowing from the Spirit of the Universe is a present Panacea and universall medicine for all the diseases of all creatures the digestions of the first worke being repeated will open to thee the Philosophers secret Furnace Be right in thy works that thou mayest finde God fovourable otherwise the plowing of the Earth will be in vaine Nor Illa seges demum votis respondet avari Georg. a-vari Agricolae Will the expected Harvest e're requite The greedy High-shoot 72. The whole Progresse of the Philosophers work is nothing but Solution and Congelation the Solution of the body and Congelation of the Spirit neverthelesse there is but one operation of both the fixed and volatile are perfectly mixed and united in the Spirit which cannot be done unlesse the fixed body be first made soluble and volatile By reduction is the volatile body fixed into a permanent body and volatile nature doth at last change into a fixed one as the fixed Nature had before passed into volatile Now so long as the Natures were confused in the Spirit that mixed Spirit keeps a middle Nature between Body and Spirit Fixed and Volatile 73. The generation of the Stone is made after the patterne of the Creation of the World for it is necessary that it have its Chaos and First matter wherein the confused Elements do fluctuate untill they be separated by the fiery Spirit they being separated the light Elements are carried upwards and the heavie ones downwards the light arising darknesse retraits the waters are gathered into one and the dry land appeares At length the two great Luminaries arise and minerall virtues vegetable and animal are produced in the Philosophers Earth 74. God created Adam of the mud of the Earth wherein were inherent the virtues of all the Elements of the Earth Water especially which doe more constitute the sensible and corporeall heap Into this Masse God inspired the breath of Life and enlivened it with the Sunne of the Holy Spirit He gave Eve for a Wife to Adam and blessing them he gave unto them a Precept and Faculty of multiplying The Generation of the Philosophers Stone is not unlike the Creation of Adam for the Mud was made of a terrestriall and ponderous Body dissolved by Water which deserved the excellent name
found in the whole practice of the Worke then the firme and justly weighed Motion of this Circle for it informeth the Philosophers Infant and inspireth Soul and Life into him 89. The Lawes of this Circles Motions are that it run about gently and by little and little and sparingly let forth it selfe lest that by making hast it fall from its measure and the Fire inherent overwhelmed with the Waters the Architect of the Work grow dull or also be extinguished that meat and drink be administred by turnes to the end there may be a better Digestion made and the best temperament of Humidum and Siccum for the indissoluble colligation of them both is the End and Scope of the Worke. Furthermore see that you add so much by Watering as shall be wanting in assation that Restauration may restore so much of the lost strength by corroborating as Evacuation hath taken away by debilitating 90. Digestion the last Circle Third Circle acteth with silent and insensible motion and therefore it is said by Philosophers that it is made in a secret furnace it decocteth the Nutriment received and converteth it into the Homogeneal parts of the body Moreover it is called Putrefaction because as meat is corrupted in the Stomack before it passe into Bloud and Similar parts so this operation breaketh the Aliment with a concocting and Stomack heat and in a manner makes it to putrefie that it may be the better Fixed and changed from a Mercuriall into a Sulphurous Nature Again it is called Inhumation because by it the Spirit is inhumated and as a dead man buried in the ground But because it goes most slowly it therefore needeth a longer time The two former Circles do labour especially in dissolving this in congealing although all of them work both 91. The Lawes of this Circle are that it be moved by the Feaverish and most gentle heat of Dung lest that the things volatile fly out and the Spirit be troubled at the time of its strictest Conjunction with the Body for then the businesse is perfected in the greatest tranquillity and ease therefore we must especially beware lest the Earth be moved by any Winds or Shewers Lastly as this third Circle may alwayes succeed the second straight-wayes and in its order as the second the first so by interrupted works by course those three erratick Circles id oe compleat one intire circulaton which often reiterated at length turnes all things into Earth and makes peace between enemies 92. Nature useth Fire so also The Fire of Nature and Art doth Art after its example as an Instrument and Mallet in cutting out its works In both operations therefore Fire is Master and Perfect Wherefore the knowledge of Fires is most necessary for a Philosopher without which as another Ixion condemn'd to labour in vaine he shall turne about Wheel of Nature to no purpose 93. The name Fire is Equivocall amongst Philosophers for sometimes it is used Metonymically for heat and so as many fires as heats In the Generation of Metals and Vegetables Nature acknowledgeth a three-fold Fire to wit Celestiall Terrestriall and Innate The First flowes from Sol as its Fountaine into the Bosome of the Earth it stirreth up Fumes or Mercuriall and Sulphurous vapours of which Metals are created and mixeth it selfe amongst them it stirreth up fire placed and snorting in the seeds of the Vegetables and addeth sparkles unto it as Spurres for vegetation The Second lurketh in the bowels of the Earth by the Impulse and action whereof the Subterraneous vapours are driven upwards through Pores and Pipes and thrust outwards from the Centre towards the Superficies of the Earth both for the composition of Metals where the Earth swelleth up as also for the production of Vegetables by putrefying their seeds by softning and preparing them for generation The third of the former viz. Solar is generated of a vappid smoak of Metals and also infused with the monthly provision grows together with the humid matter is retained as in a Prison within the strength of it or more truely as forme is conjoyned with the mixt body It firmely inhereth in the seeds of Vegetables untill being solicited by the point of its Fathers rayes it be called out then Motion intrinsecally moveth and informeth the matter and becomes the Plastes and Dispensator of the whole Mixture In the generation of Animals Celestiall Fire doth insensibly cooperate with the Animall for it is the first Agent in Nature but the heat of the Femella answereth Terrestriall heat untill it putrefie the Seed and prepare it The Fire implanted in the Seed Sol's son disposeth the matter and being disposed in formeth it 94. Philosophers have observed Threefold Fire of the Stone a three-fold Fire in the matter of their work Naturall not Naturall against Nature The Naturall they call the Fiery Celestiall Spirit Innate kept in the profundity of matter and most strictly bound unto it which by the sluggish strength of metall growes dull untill being stirred up and freed by the Philosophers discretion and externall heat it shall have obtained a faculty of moving its body dissolved and so it informeth its humid matter by explication Penetration Dilatation and congelation In every mixt body Naturall Fire is the Naturall Principle of Heat and Motion Unnaturall Fire they name that Vnnaturall which being called and coming extrinsecally is introduced into the matter wonderfull artificially that it may increase and multiply the strength of naturall heat The Fire contrary to Nature they call Against Nature that which putrefies the Compositum corrupteth the temperament of Nature It is imperfect because being too weak for generation it is not carried beyond the bounds of corruption such is the Fire or heat of the menstruum yet it hath the name improperly of Fire against Nature because in a manner it is according to Nature for salving the specifical form it so corrupteth the matter that it disposeth it for generation 95. It is more credible neverthelesse that the corrupting Fire called Fire against Nature is not different from the Innate but the first degree of it for the order of nature requireth that corruption precede generation the fire therefore that is innate agreeable to the Law of Nature performeth both by exciting both successively in the matter the first of corruption more gentle stirred up by feeble heat for to mollifie and prepare the body the other of generation more forcible moved by a more vehement heat for to animate and fully informe the Elementary body disposed by the former A double Motion doth therefore proceed from a double degree of heat of the same fire neither is it to be accounted a double Fire But far better may the Name of Fire contrary to Nature be given to violent and destructive Fire 96. Unnaturall fire is converted into Naturall or Innate Fire by successive degrees of Digestion and increaseth and multiplyeth it Now the whole secret consisteth in the multiplication
but yet more and more the Body it dissolves likewise the other Elements and by including Aire in it self carries it up by distilling through an Alembick the Water and Aire ought again to be so often poured on digested and abstracted till the Body be altogether resolved by repeated distillations and inhumations Then after the fourth distillation the Aire is to be separated from the Water and to be rectified by it self seven times with which afterwards abstract the Fire from the black Earth Lastly separate the Fire from the Aire And at length impregnate the dry Earth deprived of its humidity by imbibing so often with Aire untill light arise from darknesse and our Infant appear before our eies expected by more then many lucubrations which at length is crowned with a Diadem King of Kings whose rise the Philosophers adore under the Aenigma of the rising Sun in the encreasing Moon But in the very point of Coagulation which is performed by Infrigidation all Philosophers with one consent affirm that the work of the Winter and of hidden Preparation is finisht then begins the second work truly Philosophicall as in these words our Countreyman Norton the excellent Philosopher hath exprest Our Philosophicall work saith he takes not its beginning before all be clean within and without And according to Attaman The second work is not made but from a clean and purified body And this Preparation or first work he calleth a Sordid labour and adjudges it not worthy a learned man therefore not unfitly said to be the work of Women But he deserves not Sweets that will not tast of Bitters And they who either know not or neglect this hidden laborious Preparation will neither attain the benefit nor desired end of this Art But he that doth not clearly understand from these the manner of Practise let him seek further assistance from Raymund Lullie Ripley Rosary whence it plentifully may be fetched especially whilst out of their Writings in this little Chapter where here and there they have obscurely delivered themselves the Path it self is evidently cleared CHAP. III. The Weight in Preparation IF thou knowest not the quantity Dastin of the very Weight thou wilt altogether want the doctrine of this Science Forget not therefore that whatsoever ought to dissolve ought to exceed in the quantity the thing to be dissolved But the first part of the Water according to Philosophers ought to dissolve the Earth and turn it to its self Whence they say the Water is to be divided that with the first part in forty days it ought to be dissolved putrefied and coagulated till it be turned into a Stone therefore it is meet that Water should exceed the Earth Dast spec p. 208. When thou dissolvest it shall be fit the Spirit exceed the Body and when thou fixest the Body ought to exceed the Spirit for therefore is the Spirit that it might dissolve the Body and therefore is the Body that it might fix the Spirit Therefore thou must impose three thirds of Moist and one of Dry for in the beginning of thy operation help the work in Dissolution by the Moon and in Coagulation by the Sun Idem pag. 96 98. There is another Weight singular Massa Sol. Lunae or plurall and it is twofold the first is of the first operation and that is in the Composition of the Air and it is divers according to divers men Now there is anothe Weight Spirituall of the second work and that is also divers according to divers men Massa Solis Lunae p. 177. I say that the first Water is to be Dastin divided into three thirds whereof the first is to impregnate terminate and whiten the Earth but the two other thirds are reserved to rubifie the white Earth that is to be incerated and lastly to be whitened But yet no third as Democritus upon the Magnesia saith is ingredienced all at once but every of the thirds is divided into another third that so the Nine thirds returning to one Earth might compleat a perfect Decinary But the three first thirds are the three first Salsatures to perform the first Dealbation but the six other remaining thirds are six parts of Divine Water to consume the second Dealbation But none of those thirds doth altogether ingredience the whole and at once but every part of them one after another is severally imposed in their own season work and order Dastin spec pa. 177. A small Error in the principles doth cause great Error in things principiated therefore that thou maist not erre in the first and second work we have taught always to impose Equals for so equality shall flourish in both that the Earth might cease as the Water moistens as the Earth ceases Idem p. 222. It is fit to attend what belongs Ripley to Proportion for in this many are deceived therefore that thou maist not spoil the work let thy Bodies be both subtilly limated with Mercury and subtilized with equall proportion one of the Sun another of the Moon till all these things be reduced into Dust then make thy Mercury of which join four parts to the Sun two to the Moon as it is meet and in this manner it behoveth thee thou begin thy work in the figure of the Trinity Three parts of the Body and as many of the Spirit and for the Unity of the Spirit one part more of Spirit then of corporeall Substance According to Raymunds Repertory this is the true proportion This very thing my Doctor shewed me but R. Bachon took three parts of the Spirit for one of the Body for which I have watcht many nights before I perceived it both is the right take which thou wilt If also thy Water be equall in proportion with the Earth and measured Heat there will at once come forth a new Budde both White and Red. Ripley pa. 30. Take of the whitest Gumme Mundus one part and of the Urine of a white Calf another part and part of a Fishes Gall and of the Body of Gumme one part without which it cannot be corrected and decoct it forty days afterwards dry it in the warm Sun till it be congealed Mundus pa. 88. Take thy dearest Son and joyn Aristotle him equally to his white Sister drink to them a Love-cup because the consent of good will joins one thing to another Pour on them sweet Wine till they be inebriated and divided into smallest parts But remember that all clean things agree most aptly with clean things otherwise they will generate Sons unlike themselves Arist in Tractatulo pag. 362. Observe the first preparation Massa Solis Lunae and cogitate this which is the extraction of all Spirits from the Body and the cleansing of them into their Water Massa Solis Lunae pa. 240. Thou must impose three thirds Dastin of moisture and one of dry for in the beginning of thy operation help the work in the Solution by the Moon and the Congelation by
the Sun Dastin spec pa. 98. THE COROLLARY Count Bernard Trevisane vowed to God that he would never in naked words or vulgar speech disclose the Weight Matter or Fires but onely in true Parables without either diminution or superfluity in imitation of the Wise men as in this Chapter Amongst others our English Ripley hath delivered things sufficiently obscured But the youngling Artist ought to ruminate and consider that what ever are nominated in the composition of the Weight must always be understood of two things only viz. of Water and Earth which are sometimes under Spirit and Body sometime under Mercury the Sun and Moon sometimes under Air and Poison nay under as many infinite other names concealed as the very first Matter But that those that seek might be directed into the right Path and Ripleys cloud disperst with the beams of the Sun let us attend the proportions which he hath disposed in these his own words Let the Bodies saith he be corrected or limated with an equall proportion of Mercury whence understand that the proportion of Earth and Water must be equall then he proceeds further and teaches that one Body of the Sun be joyned with two of the Moon in which words are understood two parts of Water to one of Earth He proceeds also farther and joyns four parts of Mercury to the Sun and two to the Moon whence observe that four and two make six parts of Mercury Water or Fire which parts are to be mixt with one part of the Sun and another of the Moon which since they constitute two parts of Earth there shall be a like proportion to the aforesaid six parts viz. of Water as one part of Earth to three parts of Water As appears from his following words viz. after this manner begin thy worke in figure of a Trinity and with this Key his other Aenigmaes of the weight in this chapter are unlockt Whence also the Parables of other Philosophers are disclosed while Book opens Book and the truth is from them scarce disciphered without a Vail For they always deliver things that be like and conceal the truth that they might deserve both to be said and be Philosophers But since in Number Weight and Measure all elementated Bodies of Animals Vegetables and Minerals are naturally united bound concatenated and compounded and by the Harmony of these all principiated Principles attain the perfection ordained by God and compleated by his handmaid Nature Not unfitly may this Trinity viz. of Number Weight and Measure be called the Golden chain by which as in all Animals to every Member is granted their speciall Form so by this Chain every Member is joined united and performs his Office Likewise also in Vegetables since Nature operates after one and the same manner we may presume in every Vegetable it s own proper weight may be particularly observed also the prefixt number of Flowers Leaves and also a due measure of Longitude Latitude and Profunditude Even as Minerals and Metals are also perfected in a fit proportion of the Weight of Elements pure or impure in a due measure of Time and certain Numbers By which bounds rightly disposed all things flourish but being inordinate and confused there is made a Chaos Imperfection and a Dissolution of the Compound For in their Concatenation and Connexion is rebuilt an admirable power of Art and Nature neither can Nature her self consist without these nor Art perform any thing Not enviously therefore did the Philosophers wonderfully conceale the Proportion of the Elements and the mixture of them in their operation as if this being known they had unvailed all things But as much as belongs to our purpose viz. the weight of the Philosophick Work these things onely are principally observed to wit Equals two to one three to one nine to one which when and how they are to be distinguisht our Dastin a famous Philosopher hath in these words clearly opened When thou dissolvest the Spirit ought to exceed the Body and when thou dost fix the Body to exceed the Spirit Who therefore knows the due time of Putrefaction to solution the time of Imbibition Desiccation Fermentation and Inceration shall with easie pains and small endevour from the forenumbred Proportions make choice of what is convenient for every time or season of the Work And he that hath known the Weight as Petrus Bonus saith hath known the whole Mystery and he that is ignorant of it let him leave digging in our Books CHAP. IV. The Philosophers Fire what TAke Water Proportionated Lullius in quality according to the Body which thou wouldst dissolve in such a manner as the unnaturall may not exceed the naturall heat for every complexionated thing is destroyed unlesse the Fire of Nature govern it There are three Humidities the first is Water the chief of resolvable things the second is Air and it is the mean between Water and Oil the third is Oil it self the cerative of all Elements and our finall Secret Lull practica fol. 175. Our Fire is Minerall and vapours Ponâ—anus not unlesse it be too much stirred up whose proportion must be known that-it may only stir up the Matter and in a short time that Fire without the Imposition of hands will compleat the whole work Ponta pa. 40. The Fire which we shew thee is Senior Water and our Fire is Fire and not Fire Senior pag. 29. Argent vive is a Fire burning Dardarius mortifying and breaking Bodies more then Fire Dardarius in Turba 113. I say with Lullius that this Water Vogel or Vive Argent is called Fire of the Philosophers not because inwardly it is of its own Nature hotter then Oil or the forementioned radicall moisture but because in its actions it is more powerfull then Elementary Fire dissolving Gold without violence which Fire cannot doe Vogel pa. 145. Let the Artist well consider what Lullius are the powers of Fire naturall unnaturall and against nature and what may be the friend or enemy of each Lull Codic p. 37. It is fit the heat be so much as Ventura that thou maist by sweating send forth the Water and let it be no way hardened or congealed because Gumme contrary to the Nature of other things sweats and is coagulated with gentle decoction Ventura pa. 113. Philosophers have four different Ripley Fires viz. Naturall Unnaturall against Nature and Artificiall whose divers operations the Artists ought to consider Ripleus pa. 38. The Fires meeting themselves Rosin devour one another Rosin pa. 265. The Spirit is a second Water of Scala which all the things forementioned are nourished every plant refresht and quickned every light kindled and it makes and causes all Fruit. The first Water being the Sun is Philosophically calcined that the Body might be opened and made spongious that the second Water might the better enter to operate its work which second Water is the fire against Nature by whose power the complement of this
is not natured of it self nor takes any thing from natured Nature and that it is unfit to calcine or prepare any perfect Body but this Work belongs to Naturall Fire to wit that the perfect Body be calcined and prepared in that second Water or Naturall Fire that after it might be dissolved in the third Water or Fire against Nature But as they call their second Work the first because nothing enters into that Work which hath not been purified cleansed and purged in the first Work So also they will not here recite the first Water for their Water since it is onely Phlegme not entring the Philosophick Work But call the second the first and the third the second which industriously they doe that they might deceive and seduce the Ignorant Of the same sort was Artepheus also while he endevoured promiscuously to confound the name of Naturall Fire with the name of Fire against Nature in these words The third saith he is that Naturall Fire of our Water which is also called against Nature because it is Water neverthelesse of Gold it makes meer Spirit which common Fire cannot doe But with these Equivocations whoso is unexpert is easily induced into the greater Error But as the whole Theorick of Physick is comprehended in the Explanation of three things viz. Naturall Non-naturall and Contranaturall So that whole Hermetick and Divine Work is performed with Fire Natural not Natural and against Nature which Fires are of the Philosophers vailed in the name of Fire although to us they appear in form of Water clear pure crystalline which tortures calcines exanimates and inanimates the Physicall Body and at length renders it more then perfect which neither by the violence of common Fire nor virulence of corrosive Waters nor by the Spirits of any Animall Vegetable or Minerall can perform And he that knows not from our onely Subject to draw out separate rectifie and compound these menstruous Matters these Fires these Waters these Mercuries is ignorant of the Key of the whole Work Therefore in these must be the toil CHAP. V. The Rise or Birth of the Stone THE birth of the Earth is made Lullius by the way of invented Sublimation That the Earth hath conceived and drunk of the Water of Mercury as much as suffices you may discern and know it by its volatility privation of feces and dregges from the most pure Substance while it ascends after the manner of most pure and most white dust or of the leaves of the Moon or of splendid Talk But when thou seest the Nature of the most pure Earth elevated upwards and as a dead thing even adhere to the sides of the subliming Vessell then reiterate the sublimation upon her without the dregs remaining below because that part fixt with the dregs adheres and then no man by any mean or industry can separate it from them Lull Codic pa. 193. Son you may know that this Lullius is the generall head to all Sublimation of Mercuries Then take the pregnant Earth and put it into a Sublimatory vessell luted and well shut up place it in Fire of the third degree for the space of twenty four hours and sublime the pure from the impure and so shalt thou have the Vegetable Mercury sublimated clear resplendent in admirable Salt which we properly call Vegetable Sulphur Sal almoniack our Sulphur the Sulphur of Nature and many other names we impose on it Lull Test p. 4. The Water approaching that Semita Semitae is Argent vive in the Earth encreaseth and is augmented because the Earth is whitened and then it is called impregnation then the Ferment is coagulated viz. is joined with the imperfect Body Prepare it as hath been said till it become one in colour and aspect and then it is called the Birth because then is born our Stone which of the Philosophers is called a King Semita Semitae p. 441. Son it is a sign when it hath imbibed Lullius and retained four parts more of its Weight that if thou put a little on a heated plate of Gold or Silver it will all as it were fly away into smoke which if it doe not so reiterate it untill such a Sign appear Lull Test pa. 16. But to know this day of the Petrus Bonus Crisis and the Birth or Rise of the Stone which is the term of the whole consummation of the Work it is meet to foreknow the Indicating day since it is the very sign it self and things indicated are as it were things signified for there is the perfection or annihilation of the Work because in that very day nay hour the simple Elements arise purified from all filths which presently stand in need of Composition before they fly from the Fire and are turned into Earth that is in their fixation and not sooner nor later Petrus Bonus pa. 127. And when thou shalt see that Geber thing excelling in its whitenesse the whitest snow and as it were dead adhere to the sides of the subliming vessell then reiterate its Sublimation without dregs Geb in lib. Summae perfectionis pa. 169. When this Mercury arises the Ventura Sun and Moon ariseth together with it in its Belly Vent pa. 170. The Heaven is to be reiterated Scala so often upon the Earth till the Earth become Heavenly and Spirituall and the Heaven be made earthly and be joined with the Earth Scala pa. 121. Restore the vive Argent to the Vogel Earth and decoct it and as before sublime and that reiterate nine or twelve times always augmenting the Fire in the end untill the Earth with often sublimation and force of the Calcining Fire become White and more Spirituall part of it being made more subtill begin something to ascend from the bottome of the Vessell and to adhere to its sides But this purging of the Earth which is performed by Sublimation is altogether necessary before the Physicall Work begin Vogel pa. 228. The Argent vive exuberated Clangor Bucc that is the Body of the Earth passing together with the menstruous Matter through the Alembick and the Sulphur of Nature is the Spirit of Metals sublimated and turned into foliated Earth which is the first and neerest matter of Metals Clang Bucc p. 480. Therefore burn it with dry Fire Aristotle that it may bring forth a Son and keep him warily lest he fly away into smoke and this is that which the Philosopher saith in his Turba Whiten the Earth and Sublime it quickly with Fire untill the Spirit which thou shalt finde in it goe forth of it and it is called Hermes Bird for that which ascends higher is efficacious purity but that which fals to the bottome is drosse and corruption This therefore is Dust drawn from Dust and the begotten of the Philosophers the white foliated Earth in which Gold is to be sown Arist pa. 371. Gather carefully what thou findest Lullius in the middle sublimated lest
it fly away into Smoke because that is the approved sought for Good the better Best the white foliated Earth coagulating as the Rennet of a Lamb the Ashes of Ashes the Salt of Nature the begotten Infant the first and nearest Matter of Metals the first Subject in which are its proper Elements to wit of Natur'd Nature the moist and temperate Matter ought to be reduced and fixt till it flow with its Ferment like Wax without Smoke and endure all Fire Therefore labour with it to Silver and thou maist quickly begin the Magistery nor let it wax old without commixtion because thou maist not take it unlesse new made after the Birth with its Blood Lul Codic p. 117. If from Subliming little shall Dastin come forth and clean the Fire will yet be little Therefore let it bee encreast But if much and unclean the Fire is superfluous therefore let it be withdrawn But if much and clean then the proportion is found Dast spec p. 48. The Dust ascending higher from Rosar the Dregs is Ashes Honoured Sublimed Extracted from the Ashes but that which remains below is Ashes of Ashes inferiour vilified condemned Ashes a dreg and like drosse Therefore make a difference between its clear and limpid because when it shall ascend most white as Snow it will be compleat therefore gather it carefully lest it fly away into Smoke because that is the very sought for good the white foliated Earth congealing what is to be congealed Rosarius Arnoldi pa. 427. The Calx or Body must be often Geber imbibed that thence it might be sublimed and more yet purged then before because the Calx doth not at all or very difficultly climb upward assisted by the Spirit Geber lib. summae perfectionis p. 172. O Nature how dost thou burn Artepheus Bodies into Spirit which could not be done if the Spirit were not first incorporated with the Bodies and the Bodies with the Spirit made volatile and afterwards permanent Therefore the compound receives its cleansing by our Fire viz. by dissolving the humid and by subliming what is pure and white the dregs being cast forth as a naturall Vomit For in such a Dissolution and naturall Sublimation there is made a deligation of the Elements a cleansing and separation of the pure from impure so that the pure and white ascends upwards and the impure and earthy remains fixt in the bottome of the Vessel which is to be cast forth and removed because it is of no value by receiving onely a a middle white substance And in this is accomplisht our Philosophicall and Naturall Sublimation not in the Vulgar unfit Mercury which hath no qualities like these with which our Mercury drawn from the red servant is adorned Arteph fo 21. The first part abides not unlesse it be bound to the second in the same hour Idem It is fit that the end be restored upon its beginning and the beginning upon the end Idem When the Artist sees the white Soul risen let him join her immediately to her Body When the clean and candid Water shall be generated it is meet we join the Earth to it in the same Hour And according to Plato the Fierinesse Plato is contraried in the hour of coagulation And according to Dastin by the accesse of Cold the Water may well be turned into dry Earth Idem There is one and the same thing Margarita pretiosa in the Subject having all these properties and operations for while it remains in liquefaction by reason of Subtilty it is called Spirit without which Spirit there can neither be made Generation nor Conjunction of the Soul and Body Whence in the whole Magistery the Spirit actually rules untill the Soul and Body be generated but while it can fly from the Fire it is called a Soul but while it remains in the Fire and can persevere it is called a Body If therefore in the time of Generation the Soul shall stand in the Fire and his strength prevail through the force of the Spirit then she flies from the Fire and draws with her the Body to flight and the Workman remains frustrate of his purpose and expects that which hath been already come and gone and will never come hereafter and it seems wonderfull to him But if the strength of the Body prevail above the strength of the Soul then by equality of Spirit it is turned from Act into Habit then the Body retains the Soul altogether nor ever hath the power to fly from the Fire and the Workman hath his purpose which the Auncients had and then the Spirit remains always with them sometimes in Act and sometimes in Habit. But a quick and double insight is altogether necessary specially both in the end of Decoction and Sublimation that all the superfluities being whitened the Artist may see the wonderfull and terrible Candor and may presently obtain his joyfull and quiet rest after this Consummation of Labour for then by infrigidating the Moon the Sun is hidden in her Bowels and the East is joined to the West Heaven to Earth and Spirituall to Corporall whence is said in Turba Know ye that ye shall not Die the purple Colour but in Cold. And Hermes Whose Nature hath been hot if Cold find him it shal not hurt him And Avicen Know that he which hath evaporated all hath wrought well therefore make it Cold for then is manifest the hidden and the Manifest by infrigidating is hid And this Infrigidation or cooling is done with rest in which there is no operation of the hands since it is the end of operation Margarita pretiosa pa. 204. That Earth so mingled with Lullius Menstruous Matter is called Argent vive Exuberated which gather speedily and while it is new after its Birth put it in Water of Metals in digestion in a tripode of the Athanor Lull Test p. 21. This is our Mercury sublimed Dunstâ—â— and made fixt from the white altered Earth of Bodies arising first wonderfully by the power and help of the Water This is that Mercury in stead of which the Fools and Idiots assume that compounded of common Vitrioll and Sublimated with Salt in which they are grosly deceived Dunstan p. 18. Sublime the Body as much as Clangor Buccinae thou canst and boil it with clean Mercury and when the Body hath drunken some part of the Mercury subtilize it with a Fire quick and stronger as thou art able until it ascend in likenesse of most white Dust adhering to the sides of the Vessell in manner of Snow But the Ashes remaining in the bottome are dregs and the vilified drosse of Bodies and to be cast away in which there is no life because it is most light Dust which with a little blast vanisheth because it is nothing but bad Sulphur excluded by Nature Then the dregs being cast away iterate the Sublimation of the most white Dust by it self without its dregs till it be fixt and till it send out
no dregs but ascend most purely like Snow the which is our pure Quintessence And then thou shalt have the Soul Tincting Coagulating and Cleansing both the Sulphur and the not burning Arsnick which the Alchimists may use that with it they might make Silver Clangor Bucc pa. 519. When the Water shall necessarily Petrâ—â— Bonus be generated clean and white it is meet we join the Earth to it even in the same hour and those being joined in their season all four will be joined and then the Work is perfect and if they are not joined then the Water is resolved into Smoke with the Earth and by consequence the other Elements by the force and perseverance of the Fire and so the Work is annihilated wherefore it is fit an Artist know the simple Elements throughly before he begin their Composition that he may know rightly how to compound them to the constitution of the Compound Pet. Bonus pa. 221. If any of the purer parts remain Vogel in the Earth which thou maist observe from a certain whitenesse promiscuously shining think not much to mingle it again with the same Mercury then Decoct and at length as hath been said Sublime till nothing of the purer essence be left in it Vogelius p. 209. In the last day the World shall Basil Valent. be judged by Fire that what before was by its Master made of nothing might again by Fire be reduced into Ashes from which Ashes the Phoenix might at length produce her young ones for in such Ashes lies hid the true and genuine Tartar which ought to be dissolved and after his dissolution the strongest Lock of the Kings Closet may be opened Basil Valent. pa. 23. We have shewn thee our Water Lullius after its congelation with its Ferment which is then indeed called our Magnesia and if thou understand our Waters thou wilt also understand Argent vive Lull Test fo 108. THE COROLLARY In this Chapter is openly explained the Fable of Phaeton in Ovids Metamorphosis As also of Dedalus with his Son Icarus who when they had made themselves wings of Feathers and had fastned them with Wax and when with these they had flown through the Aire beyond the Labyrinth it is reported Icarus flying too high fell into the Sea in which he was drowned because the Sun melted the Wax By his Father Dedalus is understood the Sulphur of Nature sublimated and Philosophically coagulated By Icarus the same Sulphur sublimated but with undue governance of the Artist and continued violence of the Fire melted into Water and buried in the dead Sea In these also is explained the Fable of our English Roger Bacon the Monk of whom it is related That he composed a Brazen Head whose custody after many lucubrations he committed to his servant that while he refresht his tired spirit with sleep he would carefully observe the time that as soon as ever it spake in the very moment he should wake him but the servant being asleep the Brazen Head uttered these words Time is and again an hour after Time is past when by their negligence the Work was deprived of life and annihilated which also appears in the assertion of that excellent Philosopher Petrus Bonus in these words If in the time of Generation the Soul shall stand in the Fire and her strength prevail by the force of Spirit then she flies away and draws with her the Body to flight and the Workman remains frustrate of his purpose and expects that which hath been already come and gone and shall never come again hereafter because it is mingled with that condemned Earth whence it is impossible it should again be separated But as the Condemned or rejected Earth is not found out unlesse the pure be separated from the impure nor is that said to be pure which in it self contains feculency of consequence it must be prepared with the greatest Industry nor with lesse vigilancy is our Physicall subject compounded first by Nature for us and formed into a Metallick Form so that it may be reduced into the first Matter and by our skill viz. by the Separation Putrefaction Imbibition Sublimation Conjunction of the Elements there might arise at length a new Form which is the Basis of the Philosophick Work as is manifest in the Chapter Whence the saying of Artepheus is apparent viz. That the first part remains not except it be bound to the second even in the same Hour But that Allegation is done by Coagulation the Coagulation by Infrigidation even in that Hour in which the Artist shall see and in his Judgement perceive the whole most pure substance sublimated from its rejected Earth Which secret of secrets obscured of all Philosophers in their sundry Aenigmaes concealed and diversly disperst in their Books I have in brief so clearly opened as of none the like hitherto And this is the Preparation in which as Senior saith men are blinded since they know not that the Stone is prepared with this Preparation CHAP. VI. The Weights of the second Work IN the operation of our Magistery Rosar we shall need one onely Vessell or Furnace one Disposition which is meant after the Preparation of the Stone Rosar Philosoph pa. 240. The second Work is to turn Dastin Water and Fire into Earth and Aire into one simple Substance compounded of Simples Dastin specul pa. 106. If thou impose the Medicines Dastin equally thou wilt perceive no Error but if thou adde or diminish make haste to correct it whence if a Deluge proceed it drowns the Region but if too much Siccity should be it burns up the Roots of Hearbs Who therefore putrifies the Body in the equall part till it be exsiccated makes the whole one white Body for they are at once Inspissated Incinerated and Exsiccated and this is the Head of the World Of the Work therefore as Democritus saith let part answer part equally Idem pag. 122. In the beginning take our Stones Ripleus and bury them every one in the Sepulchre of another and join them together in equall Mariage that they may lie together then let them cherish their seed sixe weeks nourish their naturall Conception and preserve it not arising all the while from the bottome of their Sepulchre Which secret deceives many Rip pa. 44. Also thus understand that in Ripleus our Conjunction the Male our Sun ought to have three parts of his Water and his Wife nine which ought to be three to him Rip pa. 39. We cannot with our own proper Massa Solis Lunae hands work on Mercury but with ten species which we call our hands in this Work that is nine parts of Water and the tenth of Earth Massa Solis Lunae pag. 257. But since there are three parts Rosar Arnold of his red Water with him let it be sublimed on this manner time after time till it be fixt downward Rosar Arnold pa. 449. Put clean Bodies in this clean Mercury
and aspect The like this uncertaine Elixir worketh for that being tyed to no proper quality it imbraceth the quality and disposition of the thing wherewith it is mixed and wonderfully multiplyeth the virtues and qualities hereof 42. In the Philosophicall sublimation The Philosophical sublimation of Mercury or first preparation of Mercury Herculean labour must be undergone by the work-man for Jason had in vaine attempted his expedition to Colchos without Alcides Alter inauratam nota de vertice pellem Principium velut ostendit quod Aug. Cry sop 2. sumere possis Alter onus quantum subeas One from an high a Golden Fleece displayes Which shewes the Entrance another sayes How hard a taske you 'l find For the entrance is warded by horne-pushing beasts which drive away those that approach rashly thereunto to their great hurt onely the ensignes of Diana and the doves of Venus are able to asswage their fiercenesse if the fates favour 43. The naturall quality of Philosophicall Earth and the tillage thereof seems to be touched by the Poet in this Verse Pingue solum primis extemplo à Geo 1. mensibus anni Fortes invertant Tauri Tunc Zephyro putris se gleba resolvit Let sturdy Oxen when the yeare begins Plough up the fertile soyle For Zeph'rus then dissolves the rotten clods 44. He that calleth the Philosophers Luna or their Mercury the common Mercury doth wittingly deceive or is deceived so the writings of * Chap. 4. pari lib. 1 perfecti Magisterii Geber teach us that the Philosophers Mercury is Argent vive yet not of the common sort but extracted out of it by the Philosophers skill 45. That the Philosophers Mercury is not Argent vive in its proper nature nor in its whole substance but the midle and pure substance thereof which thence hath taken its originall and made by it the grand Philosophers opinions being founded in experience 46. The Philosophers Mercury hath divers names sometimes it is call'd Earth sometimes Water in a divers respect because it naturally ariseth from them both The earth is subtle white sulphurous in which the elements are fixed the philosophicall gold is sowne the water is water of life burning permanent most clear call'd the water of gold and silver but this Mercury because it hath in it Sulphur of its own which is multiplyed by art it deserves to be cald the Sulphur of Argent vive Last of all the most precious substance is Venus the ancients Hermaphrodite glorious in each sex 47. This Argent vive is partly naturall partly unnaturall it being intrinsecall and occult hath its root in nature which cannot be drawne forth unlesse it be by some precedent clensing industrious sublimation it being extrinsecall is praeternaturall and accidentall separate 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 progresse for this is the foundation of the whole worke and nature 48. That dry and most precious liquor doth constitute the radicall moisture of metals wherefore of some of the ancients it is called Glasse for glasse is extracted out of the radicall moisture closely lurking in ashes which will not give place unlesse it be to the hottest flame notwithstanding our inmost or centrall Mercury discovers it selfe by the most gentle and kindly though a little more tedious fire of nature 49. Some have sought for the latent Philosophicall earth by Calcination others by sublimation many among the glasing vessels and some few between vitrial and salt even as among their naturall vessels others enjoyne to sublime it out of lime and glasse But we have learned of the Prophet that in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and darknesse was upon the face of the Deep and the spirit of God moved upon the Waters and God said Let there be Light and there was Light and God saw the Light that it was good and he divided the light from the darknes c. Josephs blessing spoken of by the same Prophet will be sufficient to a wise man Deut 33. Blessed of the Lord be his Land for the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In re quapiam eximium praestans Sweetness old transla Precious things new tran Apples of Heaven for the dew and for the Deep that lyeth beneath for the Apples of fruit both of sun and moon for the top of the ancient mountains for the Apples of the everlasting hills c. pray the Lord from the ground of thy heart my son that he would bestow upon thee a portion of this blessed land 50. Argent vive is so defiled by originall sin that it floweth with a double infection the first it hath contracted from the polluted Earth which hath mixed it selfe therewith in its generation and by congelation hath cleaved thereunto the second borders upon the dropsie and is the corruption of intercutal Water proceeding from thick and impure water mixed with the clear which nature is not able to squeeze out and separate by constriction and because it is extrinsecall it goes away with a gentle heat The Mercuries leprosie infesting the body is not of its root and substance but accidentall and therfore separable from it the earthy part is wiped off by a moist Bath and the laver of nature the watery part is taken away by a dry bath with the pleasant fire of generation And thus by a threefold washing and clensing the Dragon putting off his old scales ugly skin is renewed 51. The Philosophicall sublimation of Mercury is compleated in two things namely by removing things superfluous from it and by introducing things wanting the superfluities are the externall accidents which in the dark spheare of Saturne doe make cloudy ruddy Jupiter Separate therefore the blewnesse of Saturn coming up untill Iupiters purple star smile upon thee Add hereunto the sulphur of nature whose grain and leaven it hath in it selfe so much as sufficeth it but see that it be sufficient for other things also Multiply therefore that invisible Sulphur of the philosophers until the Virgins milk come forth and so the first gate is opened unto thee 52. The entrance of the Philosophers garden is kept by the Hesperian Dragon which being laid open a fountaine of the clearest water proceeding from a seaven fold spring floweth forth on every side the threshold wherein make the Dragon drink thrice the magicall number of Seven untill being drunk he put off his hideous garment may the divine powers of light-bringing Venus and horned Diana be propitious unto thee 53. Three kinds of most beautifull flowers are to be sought and may be found in the garden of the wise Damask-coloured Violets the milk-white Lilly and the purple and immortall flower of love Amaranthus Not far from that fountaine at the entrance fresh Violets do first salute thee which being
of Terra Adamica wherein all the virtues and qualities of the Elements are placed At length the heavenly Soule is infused thereinto by the Spirit of the quintesse and Solar influx and by the Benediction and Dew of Heaven the virtue of multiplying in infinitum by the intervening copulation of both sexes is given it 75. The chief secret of this worke consisteth in the manner of working which is wholly imployed about the Elements for the matter of the Stone passeth from one Nature into another the Elements are successively extracted and by turnes obtaine dominion every thing is agitated by the circles of humidum and siccum untill all things be turned downwards and there rest 76. In the work of the Stone the other Elements are circulated in the figure of Water for the Earth is resolved into Water wherein are the rest of the Elements the Water is Sublimated into Vapour Vapour retreats into Water and so by an unwearied circle is the Water moved untill it abide fixed downwards now that being fixed all the Elements are fixed Thus into it they are resolved by it they are extracted with it they live and dye the Earth is the Tombe and last end of them all 77. The order of Nature requireth that every generation begin from humidum and in humidum In the Philosophers work Nature is to be reduced into order that so the matter of the Stone which is terrestriall compact and dry in the first place may be dissolved and flow into the Element of Water next unto it and then Saturne will be generated of Sol. 78. The Aire succeeds the Water drawne about by seven circles or revolutions which is wheel'd about with so many circles and reductions untill it be fixed downwards and Saturne being expell'd Jupiter may receive the Scepter and Government of the Kingdome by whose coming the Philosophers Infant is formed nourished in the wombe and at length is borne resembling the splendor of Luna in its beautifull serene countenance 79. The Fire executing the courses of the Nature of the Elements extream Fire promoving it of hidden is made manifest the Saffron dyeth the Lilly rednesse possesseth the cheeks of the whitening Child now made stronger A Crowne is prepared for him against the time of his Reigne This is the consummation of the first work and the perfect rotation of the Elements the signe whereof is when they are all terminated in Siccum and the body void of Spirit lyeth downe wanting pulse and motion And thus all the Elements do finally acquiesce in Terra 80. Fire placed in the Stone is Natures Prince Sol's Son and Vicar moving and digesting matter and perfecting all things therein if it shall attain its liberty for it lieth weak under an hard bark procure therefore its freedome that it may secure thee freely but beware that thou urge it not above measure for it being impatient of Tyranny it becomes a fugitive no hope of returne being left unto thee call it back therefore by courteous flattery and keep it prudently 81. The first mover of Nature is Externall Fire the Moderator of Internall Fire and of the whole work Let the Philosopher therefore very well understand the government thereof and observe its degrees and points for from thence the welfare or ruine of the worke dependeth Thus Art helpeth Nature and the Philosopher is the Minister of both 82. By these two Instruments of Art and Nature the Stone lifteth it selfe up from Earth to Heaven with great ingenuity and slideth from Heaven to Earth because the Earth is its Nurse and being carried in the wombe of the wind it receiveth the force of the Superiours and Inferiours 83. The Circulation of the Elements is exercised with a double The twofold Wheel the great and the less Wheel by the greater or extended and the lesse or contracted The Wheel extended fixeth all the Elements of the Earth and its circle is not finished unlesse the work of Sulphur be perfected The revolution of the minor Wheel is terminated by the extraction and preparation of every Element Now in this Wheel there are three 3 Circles Circles placed which alwayes and variously move the Matter by an Erratick and Intricate Motion and do often seven times at least drive about every Element in order succeeding one another and so agreeable that if one shall be wanting the labour of the rest is made void These are Natures Instruments wherby the Elements are prepared Let the Philosopher therfore consider the progresse of Nature in the Physicall Tract more fully described for this very end 84. Every Circle hath its proper Motion for all the motions of the Circles are conversant about the Subject of Humidum and Siccum and are so concatenated that they produce the onely operation and one only concent of Nature two of them are opposite both in respect of the causes the effects for one moveth upwards drying by heat another downwards moistning by cold a third carrying the form of rest and sleep by digesting induceth the cessation of both in greatest moderation 85. Of the three Circles the First Circle First is Evacuation the labour of which is in substracting the superfluous Humidum and also in separating the pure cleane and subtile from the grosse and terrestriall dreggs Now the greatest danger is found in the motion of this Circle because it hath to doe with things Spirituall and makes Nature plentifull 86. Two things are chiefly to be taken heed of in moving this Circle First that it be not moved too intensly the other that it be not moved longer then is meet Motion accelerated raiseth confusion in the matter so that the grosse impure and indigested part may fly out together with the pure and subtile and the Body undissolved mixed with the Spirit together with that which is dissolved with this precipitated motion the Heavenly and Terrestriall Nature are confounded and the Spirit of the Quintessence corrupted by the admixtion of the Earth is made dull and invalid By too long a motion the Earth is too much evacuated of its Spirit is made so languishing dry and destitute of Spirit that it cannot easily be restored and recalled to its Temperament Either errour burneth up the Tinctures or turns it into flight 87. The Second Circle is Restauration Second Circle whose office is to restore strength to the gasping and debilitated body by Potion The former Circle was the Organ of Sweat and labour but this of Refreshment and Consolation The action of this is imployed in the grinding mollifying the Earth Potter like that it may be the better mixed 88. The motion of this Circle must be lighter then that of the former especially in the beginning of its Revolution lest the Crow's young ones be drowned in their nest by a large floud and the growing world be overflowne by a deluge This is the Weigher and Assayer of Measures for it distributeth Water by Geometricall Precepts There is usually no greater Secret
of Naturall Fire which of it selfe is not able to Work above its proper strength nor communicate a perfect Tincture to imperfect Bodies for it is sufficient to it selfe nor hath it any further power but being multiplyed by the unnaturall which most aboundeth with the virtue of multiplying doth act far more powerfully and reacheth it selfe beyond the bounds of Nature colouring strange and imperfect bodies and perfecting them because of its plentifull Tincture and the abstruse Treasure of multiplyed Fire 97. Philosophers call their The Water of the Stone is Fire Water Fire because it is most hot and indued with a Fiery Spirit againe Water is called Fire by them because it burneth the bodies of perfect Metals more than common fire doth for it perfectly dissolveth them whereas they resist our Fire and will not suffer themselves to be dissolved by it for this cause it is also called Burning Water Now that Fire of Tincture is hid in the belly of the Water and manifests it selfe by a double effect viz. of the bodies Solution and Multiplication 98. Nature useth a double Fire in Fire is twofold intrinsicall and extrinsicall the Work of generation Intrinsecall extrinsecall the former being placed in the seeds mixtures of things is hid in their Centre as a principle of Motion and Life doth move and quicken the body But the latter Extrinsecall whether it be poured down from Heaven or Earth raiseth the former as drowned with sleep and compels it to action for the vitall sparks implanted in the seeds stand in need of an externall mover that they may be moved and actuate 99. It is even so in the Philosophers worke for the matter of the Stone possesseth his Interiour Fire which partly Innate partly also is added by the Philosophers Art for those two are united and come inward together because they are homogeneous the internall standeth in need of the externall which the Philosopher administreth according to the Precepts of Art and Nature this compelleth the former to move These Fires are as two Wheels whereof the hidden one being smitten of the sensible one it is moved sooner or later And thus Art helpeth Nature 100. The Internall Fire is the middle between the mover and the matter whence it is that as it is moved by that it moveth thus if so be it shall be driven intensly or remisly it will work after the same manner in the matter The Information of the whole worke dependeth of the measure of externall Fire 101. He that is ignorant of the degrees and points of externall Fire let him not set upon the Philosophicall Worke for he will never pull light out of darknesse unlesse the heats passe through their mediums like the Elements whose extreams are not converted but onely by mediums 102. Because the whole work Foure degrees of Fire consisteth in Separation and perfect Preparation of the foure Elements therefore so many degrees of Fire are necessary thereunto for every Element is extracted by the degree of Fire proper to it 103. The foure degrees of Fire are called the Fire of the Bath of Ashes of Coales and of Flame which is also called Optetick every degree hath its points two at least sometimes three for the Fire is to be moved slowly and by points whether it be increased or decreased that Matter after Natures example may goe on by degrees and willingly unto Information and completion for nothing is so strange to Nature as that which is violent Let the Philosopher propound to his consideration the gentle accesse recesse of the Sun whose Light Lamp indulgeth its heat to the things of the world according to the times and Lawes of the Universe and so bestoweth a temperament upon them 104. The first point of the The point of Fire Bath of heat is called the heat of a Feaver or of Dung the second of both simply The first point of the second degree is the simple heat of Ashes the second is the heat of Sand Now the points of Fire of Coales and Flame want a proper Name but they are distinguished by the operation of the Intellect according to intention and remission 105. Three degrees onely of Fire are sometimes found amongst Philosophers viz. of the Bath of Ashes and the hot Bath which comprehendeth the Fire of Coals and Flame the Fire of Dung is sometimes distinguished from the Fire of the Bath in degree Thus for the most part Authors doe involve the light in darknesse by the various expressions of the Philosophers Fire for the knowledge therof is accounted amongst their chief secrets 106. In the White Work because Four Elements of the Stone three Elements onely are extracted three degrees of Fire also do suffice the last to wit the Optetick is reserved for the fourth Element which finisheth the Red Work By the first degree the eclipse of Sol and Luna is made by the second the light of Luna begins to be restored by the third Luna attaineth unto the fulnesse of her splendour and by the fourth Sol is exalted into the highest apex of his glory Now in every part the Fire is administred acccording to the rules of Geometry so as the Agent may answer to the disposition of the Patient and their strength be equally poised betwixt themselves 107. Philosophers have very much set upon their Fire with a desire of Secrecy so as they scarce have been bold to touch it but shew it rather by a description of its qualities and proprieties then by its name as that it is airie Fire vaporous humid and dry clear star-like because it may easily by degrees be intended or remitted as the Artificer pleaseth Hee that desireth more of the knowledge of Fire may be satisfied by the Works of Lullius who hath opened the Secrets of Practice to candid minds candidly 108. Of the conflict of the Eagle Proportion and the Lion they write diversly because the Lion is the strongest animall of all others and therefore it is necessary that more Eagles concur three at least or else more even to ten to conquer him the fewer they are the greater the contention and the slower the Victory but the more Eagles the shorter the Battaile and the direption of the Lyon will more readily follow The happyer number of seven Eagles may be taken out of Lullius or of nine out of Senior 109. The Vessell wherein Philosophers The Vessels of Nature and Art decoct their worke is twofold the one of Nature the other of Art the Vessell of Nature which is also called the Vessel of Philosophy is the Earth of the Stone or the Femella or Matrix whereinto the Seed of the Male is received it putrefies and is prepared for generation the Vessell of Nature is of three sorts for the secret is decocted in a threefold Vessell 110. The First Vessell is made of a transparent Stone or of stony Glasse the forme thereof some Philosophers have hid by a certain Enigmaticall
take one Ounce of the said Elixir multiplyed in virtue and project it upon an hundred of purifyed Mercury and in a little time Mercury made hot amongst burning Coals will be converted into pure Elixir whereof if thou castest every ounce upon an other hundred of the like Mercury Sol will shine most purely to thine eyes The multiplication of White Elixir may be made the same way Take the virtues of this Medicine to cure all kinds of diseases and to preserve good health as also the use thereof out of the Writings of Arnoldus de villa nova Lullius and of other Philosophers may be fetched 137. The Philosophers Signifer will instruct him that seeketh The Times of the Stone the times of the Stone for the first Work ad AlbuÌ„ must be terminated in the House of Luna the Second in the second House of Mercury The first Work ad Rubeum will end in the Second House of Venus and the last in the other Regall Throne of Jove from whence our most Potent King shall receive a Crowne decked with most Precious Rubies Sic in se sua per vestigia volvitur Annus Thus does the winding of the circling Yeare Trace its owne Foot-steps and the same appeare 138. A three-headed Dragon keeps this Golden Fleece the first head proceedeth from the Waters the second from the Earth the third from the Aire it is necessary that these three heads do end in one most Potent which will devour all the other Dragons then a way is laid open for thee to the golden Fleece Farewell diligent Reader in Reading these things invocate the Spirit of Eternal Light Speak little Meditate much and Judge aright To the Lovers of Hermetick Philosophy I. C. Chymierastes wisheth prosperity SUch is the difference between the Hermeticks living Philosophy and the dead Philosophy of the Ethnicks that the former hath been Divinely inspired into the first Masters of Chymistry the Queen of all Sciences and therefore may challenge the Holy Spirit of Truth for its onely Author who by breathing where he listeth doth infuse the true Light of Nature into their minds by virtue whereof all the darknesse of errours is straight-wayes chased away from thence and utterly expelled but the latter may ascribe its Invention unto Pagans who having left or rather neglected the pure Fountains of Learning have introduced false Principles and causes proceeding from their own brain for true ones to the great dammage of the Reipublique of Learning And indeed what good were they able to do upon whom the Day-Star of Truth the Eternall Wisedome of God the Fountaine of all Knowledge and Understanding Christ Iesus hath never risen We cannot wonder therefore that they have onely proposed old wives Fables and foolish toyes that they have introduced pure dotages and innumerable inventions of lyes whereby they have so bedawbed holy Philosophy that we can find nothing of Native beauty in it But you will object that Hermes himself the Prince of Vitall Philosophy was an Heathen also yea and lived before other Authors many ages by whose decrees Philosophy in every place entertained with greatest applause of almost all men now flourisheth But granting that what followeth This Hermes Trismegistus indeed was borne in an Heathen Country yet by a peculiar priviledge from God he was one who worshipped the true God in his life manners and Religion especially who freely confessed God the Father and that he was the Creator of Man and made no other partaker of Divinity with him He acknowledged the Son of God the Father by whom all things which are existent were made whose name because it was wonderfull and ineffable was unknowne to Men and even to Angels themselves who admire with astonishment his generation What more He was our Hermes who by the singular indulgence and revelation of the most great and gracious God foreknew that the same Son should câ—me in the Flesh and that in the last ages to the end he might blesse the Godly for ever He it was who so clearely taught that the mystery of the most Holy Trinity ought to be adored as well in the Plurality of Persons as in the Unity of Divine Essence in three Hypostases as any quick-sighted and intelligent man may gather from that which followes as that it can scarcely be found any where more clearly and plainly for thus he There was an Intelligent Light before the Intelligent Light and there was alwayes a cleare Mind of the Mind and the Truth hereof and the Spirit containing all things was no other thing Besides this God is not nor Angell nor any other Essence for he is Lord of all both Father and God all things are under him and in him I beseech thee O Heaven and the wise worke of the great God I beseech thee thou voice of the Father which he first spake when he formed the whole world I beseech thee by the onely begotten Word and Father containing all things be propitious unto me Now yee sons of Hermes turne over and over againe both night and day the Volumes of Heathen Philosophers and inquire with what diligence you possibly can whether you are able to find such Holy such Godly and Catholick things in them Our Hermes was an Heathen I confesse yet such an Heathen as knew the power and greatnesse of God by other creatures and also by himselfe and glorified God as God I shal not spare to ad that he far excelled in godlinesse most Christians now a dayes in name onely and gave immortall thanks unto him as the Fountaine of all good things with a deep submission of mind for his benefits received Hear I pray yee sonnes of Learning whether God was as much conversant and wrought as equally in the Heathen Nation as amongst his own people when he saith From the rising of the Sun unto the going downe thereof his name is great amongst the Gentiles and in every place a pure oblation is sacrificed and offered unto my name because my name is great amongst the Nations saith the Lord of Hosts by his Prophet Rub up your memory I intreat you and speake plainly were not the Magi Heathens which came from the East by the guidance of a Star that they might worshhip Christ whom neverthelesse the unbeleeving people hanged upon a Tree Lastly consider well I beseech you yee faithfull favourers of true Wisedome onely from what Fountaine other Heathens besides Hermes have taken the Principles of their Learning Weare and better weare out their Volumes with diligence that yee may discerne them to refer their wisdome not unto God but to attribute it as gotten by their owne Industry On the contrary cast your eyes upon the beginning of the admirable Tractate having seven Chapters of your Father Hermes concerning the Secret of the Physical Stone and observe how holily he thinketh of God the bestower of this Secret Science for Hermes saith In so great an Age I have not ceased to try experiments nor have I spared my Soul from labour I had this Art and Science by the Inspiration of the Living God only who hath vouchsafed to open it to me his servant T is true he hath given power of judging to rational creatures but hath not left unto any an occasion of sinning But I unlesse I feared the day of Doom or the souls damnation for the concealing of this Science I would make known nothing of this Science nor prophetize to any But I have been willing to render to the Faithfull their due as the Author of Faith hath been pleased to bestow upon me Thus Hermes then which nothing could have ever bin said more wise or more agreable to Christian Religion And hence it is that so many as are or have been of a more sublime wit and manly judgement have imbraced the Living Holy and Divine Philosophy of Hermes with all their Soul and Strength rejecting that dead prophane and humane Philosophie of the Ethnicks and have commended and illustrated it in divers of their Writings and Watchings Of all which that I may confesse ingenuously seeing that I could never read unto this day any Writer more true neat and clear then the Author of this Tractate Anonymus indeed yet one that truly deserves the name of an Adepted Philosopher I have thought it worth my pains and have deemed hereby to confer not the least favour upon the sons of Hermes if I shall againe publish the hidden Work of Hermetick Philosophy with the Philosophers Signifer according to the intention of this most wise Author Farewell The Signifer of Philosophers with the Houses of the Planets NORTHERNE SIGNES Sumer ☿ ♠☼ ♌ ☽ ♋ EASTERNE SIGNES Springe ☿ ♊ ♀ ♉ ♂ ♈ SOUTHERNE SIGNES Winter ♄ ♑ ♄ â™’ ♃ ♓ WESTERNE SIGNES Autumne ♀ ♎ ♂ ♠♃ â™ THE TIMES OF THE STONE The Figure described is the The Interpretation of the Philosophers Scheme Philosophers Signifer To every Planet a double House is assigned by the Ancients Sol and Luna excepted whereof every one borroweth one House onely both of them adjoyning In the said Figure every Planet possesseth its proper Houses Philosophers in handling their Philosophical work begin their yeare in Winter to wit the Sun being in Capricorne which is the former House of Saturne and so come towards the right hand In the Second place the other House of Saturn is found in Aquarius at which time Saturne i. e. the Blacknesse of the Dominary work begins after the 45 or 50. day Sol coming into Pisces the worke is black blacker then black Lullius cap. 49. Merc. and the head of the Crow begins to appear The third month being ended and Sol entring into Aries the sublimation or separation of the Elements begins Those which follow unto Cancer make the Worke White Cancer addeth the greatest whitenesse and splendour and doth perfectly fill up all the dayes of the Stone 〈◊〉 white Sulphur or the Lunar 〈…〉 rke of Sulphur Luna sitting and reigning gloriously in her House In Leo the Regal Mansion of the Sun the Solar work begins which in Libra is terminated into a Rubie-Stone or perfect Sulphur The two Signes Scorpius and Sagitarius which remaine are indebted to the compleating of the Elixir And thus the Philosophers admirable young taketh its beginning in the Reigne of Saturne and its end and perfection in the Dominion of Jupiter FINIS