Mirror Al Chi My

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The Mirror of Alchimy

"The mirror of alchimy, composed by the thrice-famous and learned

fryer, Roger Bachon, sometimes fellow of Martin Colledge: andafterwards of Brasen-nose Colledge in O enforde! lso a moste cellent and learned discourse of the admirable force andefficacie of art and nature, written by the same author! #ithcertaine other treatises of the li$e argument!"

%O&'O&! (rinted by Thomas Creede for Richard Oli)e!

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.&ote: Roger Bacon //*0*1 to *0*+23-*0 43 was an 5nglish lchemistand (hilosopher during the Middle ges who insisted on conductinghis own e periments and obser)ing the results, as opposed todepending upon the writings of others!6

R.A.M.S.

The (reface!

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7n times past the (hilosophers spa$e afters di)ers and sundrie

manners throughout their writings, sith that as it were in a

riddle and cloudie )oice, they ha)e left )nto )s acertaine most

e cellent and noble science, but altogether obscure, and without

all hope utterly denied, and that not without good cause!#herefore 7 would ad)ise thee, that aboue all other boo$es, thou

shouldest firmly fi e thy mind upon these seuen Chapters,

conteining in them the transmutation of mettalls, and often call

to mind the beginning, middle, and end of the same, wherein thou

shalt find such subtilitie, that thy mind shall be fully contented

therewith!

The Mirrour of lchimy,

composed by the famous 8ryer,

Roger Bachon,

sometime fellow of Martin Colledge,

and Brasennose Colledge in O enforde!

C9 (! 7! Of the 'efinitions of lchimy!

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7n many ancient Boo$es there are found many definitions of this

rt, the intentions wherof we must consider in this Chapter! 8or

9ermes saith of this cience: lchimy is a Corporal cience simply

composed of one and by one, naturally conioyning things more

precious, by $nowledge and effect, and conuerting them by anaturall commi tion into a better $ind! certain other saith:

lchimy is a cience, teaching how to transforme any $ind of

mettall into another: and that by a propermedicine, as it

appeareth by many (hilosophers Boo$es! lchimy therefore is a

science teaching how to ma$e and compound a certaine medicine,

which is called 5li ir, the which when it is cast upon metals or

imperfect bodies, doth fully perfect them in the )erie pro;ection!

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C9 (! 77!

Of the naturall principles, and procreation of Minerals!

econdly, 7 will perfectly declare the naturall principles =

procreations of Minerals: where first it is to be noted, that thenaturall principles in the mines, are rgent-)i)e, and ulphur!

ll metals and minerals, whereof there be sundrie and di)ers

$inds, are begotten of these two: but 7 must tel you, that nature

alwaies intendeth and striueth to the perfection of >old: but many

accidents comming between, change the mettalls, as it is euidently

to be seene in di)ers of the (hilosophers boo$es! 8or according to

the puritie and impuritie of the two aforesaide principles,

rgent-)i)e, and ulphur, pure, and impure metals are ingendred:

to wit, >old, il)er, teele, %eade, Copper, and 7ron: of whose

nature, that is to say, puritie, and impuritie, or

uncleansuperfluitie and defect, giue eare to that which followeth!

Of the nature of >old!

>old is a perfect body, engendred of rgentuiue pure, fi ed,

cleare, red, and of ulphur cleane, fi ed, red, not burning, and

it wanteth nothing!

Of the nature of il)er!

il)er is a body, cleane, pure, and almost perfect, begotten of

rgent-)i)e, pure, almost fi ed, cleare, and white, = of such ali$e Sulphur: 7t wanteth nothing, sa)e a little fi ation, colour,

and weight!

Of the nature of teele!

teele is a body cleane, imperfect, engendred of rgent-)i)e pure,

fi ed = not fi ed cleare, white outwardly, but red inwardly, and

of the li$e ulphur! 7t wanteth onely decoction or digestion!

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Of the nature of %eade!

%eade is an uncleanand imperfect bodie, engendred of rgent-)i)e

impure, not fi ed, earthy, drossie, somewhat white outwardly, and

red inwardly, and of such a ulphur in part burning! 7t wantethpuritie, fi ation, colour, and fiering!

Of the nature of Copper!

Copper is an uncleanand imperfect bodie, engendred of rgent-)i)e,

impure, not fi ed, earthy, burning, red not cleare, and of the

li$e ulphur! 7t wanteth purity, fi ation, and weight: and hath

too much of an impure colour, and earthinesse not burning!

Of the nature of 7ron!

7ron is an unclean and imperfect body, engendred of rgent-)i)e

impure, too much fi ed, earthy, burning, white and red not cleare,

and of the li$e ulphur: 7t wanteth fusion, puritie, and weight:

7t hath too much fi ed unclean ulphur, and burning earthinesse!

That which hath been spo$en, e)ery lchimist must diligently

obser)e!

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C9 (! 777! Out of what things the matter of 5li ir must be more

nearly e tracted!

The generation of metals, as well perfect, as imperfect, is

sufficiently declared by that which hath been already spo$en! &owlet )s returne to the imperfect matter that must be chosen and

made perfect! eeing that by the former Chapters we ha)e been

taught, that all mettalls are engendred of rgent-)i)e and

ulphur, and how that their impuritie and )ncleannesse doth

corrupt, and that nothing may be mingled with mettalls which hath

not beene made or sprung from them, it remaineth cleane inough,

that no strange thing which hath not his originall from these two,

is able to perfect them, or to ma$e a chaunge and new

transmutation of them: so that it is to be wondred at, that any

wise man should set his mind upon liuing creatures, or )egetables

which are far off, when there be minerals to bee found nigh

enough: neither may we in any wise thin$e, that any of the

(hilosophers placed the rt in the said remote things, e cept it

were by way of comparison: but of the asoresaid two, all metals

are made, neither doth any thing cleaue )nto them, or is ;oined

with them, nor yet chaungeth them, but that which is of them, and

so of right we must ta$e rgent-)i)e and ulphur for the matter of

our stone: &either doth rgent-)i)e by it selfe alone, nor ulphur

by it selfe alone, beget any mettall, but of the commi tion of

them both, di)ers metals and minerals are di)ersly brought foorth!

Our matter therefore must bee chosen of the commi tion of them

both: but our finall secrete is most e cellent, and most hidden,to wit, of what minerall thing that is more neere then others, it

shuld be made: and in ma$ing choise hereof, we must be )ery warie!

7 put the case then, yet our matter were first of all drawne out

of )egetables, /of which sort are hearbs, trees, and whatsoeuer

springeth out of the earth3 here we must first ma$e rgent-)i)e =

ulphur, by a long decoction, from which things, and their

operation we are e cused: for nature herselfe offereth )nto )s

rgent-)i)e and ulphur! nd if we should draw it from liuing

creatures /of which sort is mans bloud, haire, )rine, e crements,

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they by art be put in the stone, for serment to shorten the wor$e,

and so brought to their former state, because the most )olatile

doth ouercome the most fi t! nd for that gold is a perfect body,

consisting of rgent-)i)e, red and cleare, = of such a ulphur,

therfore we choose it not for the matter of our stone to the red5li ir, because it is so simply perfect, without artificiall

mundification, = so strongly digested and sod with a natural

heate, that with our artificiall fire, we are scarcely able to

wor$e on gold or il)er! nd though nature dooth perfect any

thing, yet she cannot throughly mundifie, or perfect and purifie

it, because she simply wor$eth on that which shee hath! 7f

therfore we should choose gold or il)er for the matter of the

stone, we should hard and scantly find fire wor$ing in them! nd

although we are not ignoranr of the fire, yet could we not come to

the through mundification = perfection of it, by reason of his

most firme $nitting together, and naturall composition: we are

therefore e cused for ta$ing the first too red, or the second too

white, seeing we may find out a thing or som body of as cleane, or

rather more cleane ulphur = rgent-)i)e, on which nature hath

wrought little or nothing at all, which with our artificiall fire,

= e perience of our art, we are able to bring )nto his due

concoction, mundification, colour and fi ation, continuing our

ingenious labour upon it! There must therefore bee such a matter

chosen, wherein there is rgent-)i)e, cleane, pure, cleare, white

= red, not fully compleat, but e@ually and proportionably commi t

after a due maner with ye li$e ulphur, = congeled into a solide

masse, that by our wisdome and discretion, and by our artificiallfire, we may attain )nto the )ttermost cleannesse of it, and the

puritie of the same, and bring it to that passe, that after the

wor$e ended, it might bee a thousand thousand times more strong

and perfect, then the simple bodies themselues, decoct by their

naturall heate! Be therefore wise: for it thou shalt be subtile

and wittie in my Chapters /wherin by manifest prose 7 ha)e laid

open the matter of the stone easie to be $nowne3 thou shalt taste

of that delightfull thing, wherin the whole intention of the

(hilosophers is placed!



C9 (! 7777! of the manner of wor$ing, and of moderating, and

continuing the fire!

7 hope ere this time thou hast already found out by the words

alreadie spo$en /if thou beest not most dull, ignorant, andfoolish3 the certaine matter of the learned (hilosophers blessed

stone, whereon lchimy wor$eth, whilest we inde)our to perfect the

imperfect, and that with things more then perfect! nd for that

nature hash deliuered )s the imperfect onely with the perfect it

is our part to ma$e the matter /in the former Chapters declared

)nto )s3 more then perfect by our artificiall labour! nd if we

$now not the maner of wor$ing, what is the cause that we do not

see howe nature /which of long time hath perfected metals3 doth

continually wor$2 'o we not see, that in the Mines through the

continuall heate that is in the mountaines there of, the grosnesse

of water is so decocted = thic$ned, that in continuance of time it

becommeth rgent-)i)e2 nd that of the fatnesse of the earth

through the same heate and decoction, ulphur is engendred2 nd

that through the same heate without intermission continued in

them, all metals are ingendred of them according to their puritie

and impuritie2 and that nature doth by decoction alone perfect or

ma$e al metals, as well perfect as imperfect2 O e treame madnesse

what, 7 pray you, constraines you to see$e to perfect the

foresaide things by straunge melancholicall and fantasticall

regiments2 as one sayth: #o to you that will ouercome nature, and

ma$e metals more then perfect by a new e regiment, or wor$e sprung

from your owne senselesse braines! >od hath ginen to nature astraite way, to wit, continuall concoction, and you li$e fooles

despise it, or else $now it not! gaine, fire and Dot, are

sufficient for thee! nd in an other place, 9eat perfecteth

althings! nd elsewhere, seeth, seeth, seeth, and be not wearie!

nd in an other place, let thy fire be gentle, = easie, which

being alwayes e@uall, may continue burning: and let it not

encrease, for if it do, thou shalt suffer great losse! nd in an

other place, Anow thou that in one thing, to wit, the stone, byone

way, to wit, decoction, and in one )essel the whole mastery is



performed! nd in another place, patiently, and continually, and

in another place, grinde it seuen times! nd in an other place, 7t

is ground with fire! nd in an other place, this wor$e is )erie

li$e to the creation of man: for as the 7nfant in the beginning is

nourished with light meates, but the bones beeing strengthenedwith stronger: so this masterie also, first it must ha)e an easie

fire, whereby we must alwaies wor$e in euery essence of decoction!

nd though we alwayes spea$e of a gentle fire, yet in truth, we

thin$ that in gouerning the wor$e, the fire must alwayes by little

and little bee increased and augmented )nto the end!

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C9 (! E! Of the @ualitie of the Eessell and 8urnace!

The meanes and manner of wor$ing, we ha)e alreadie determined:

nowewee are to spea$e of the Eessell and 8urnace, in what sort,

and of what things they must be made! #hereas nature by a naturallfire decocteth the metals in the Mines, shee denieth the li$e

decoction to be made without a )essell fitte for it! nd if we

purpose to immitate nature in concocting, wherefore do we reiect

her )essell2 %et )s first of all therefore, see in what place the

generation of metals is made! 7t doth euidently appeare in the

places of Minerals, that in the bottom of the mountaine there is

heate continually ali$e, the nature whereof is alwaies to ascend,

and in the ascention it alwayes drieth )p, and coagulateth the

thic$er or grosser water hidden in the belly, or )eines of the

earth, or mountaine, into rgent-)i)e! nd if the minerall fatnes

of the same place arising out of the earth, be gathered warme

togither in the )eines of the earth, it runneth through the

mountain, = becommeth ulphur! nd as a man may see in the

foresaide )eines of that place, that ulphur engendred of the

fatnesse of the earth /as is before touched3 meeteth with the

rgent-)i)e /as it is also written3 in the )eines of the earth,

and begetteth the thic$nesse of the minerall water! There, through

the continual e@uall heate in the mountaine, in long processe of

time diuerse metals are engendred, according to the diuersitie of

the place! nd in these Minerall places, you shall find a

continuall heate! 8or this cause we are of right to note, that the

e ternall minerall mountaine is e)ery where shut up within itselfe, and stonie: for if the heate might issue out, there should

neuer be engendred any mettall! 7f therefore we intend to immitate

nature, we must needes ha)e such a furnace li$e )nto the

Mountaines, not in greatnesse, but in continual heate, so that the

fire put in, when it ascendeth, may find no )ent: but that the

heat may beat upon the )essell being close shutte, containing in

it the matter of the stone: which )essell must be round, with a

small nec$e, made of glasse or some earth, representing the nature

or close $nitting togither of glasse: the mouth whereof must be

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signed or sealed with a couering of the same matter, or with lute!

nd as in the mines, yt heat doth not immediatly touch the matter

of ulphur and rgent-)i)e, because the earth of the mountain

commeth euery where between: o this fire must not immediatly

touch the )essell, containing the matter of the foresaide thingsin it, but it must be put into another )essell, shut close in the

li$e manner, that so the temperate heate may touch the matter

aboue and beneath, and where ere it be, more aptly and fitly:

where)pon ristotle sayth, in the light of lights, that Mercurie

is to be concocted in a threefold )essell, and that the )essell

must bee of most hard >lasse, or /which is better3 of earth

possessing the nature of >lasse!

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C9 (! E7! Of the accidental and essential colours appearing in the

wor$!

The matter of the stone thus ended, thou shalt $now the certaine

maner of wor$ing, by what maner and regiment, the stone is oftenchaunged in dccoction into diuerse colours! #herupon one saith, o

many colours, so many names! ccording to the diuerse colours

appearing in the wor$e, the names li$ewise were )aried by the

(hilosophers: whereon, in the first operation of our stone, it is

called putrifaction, and our stone is made blac$e: whereof one

saith, #hen thou findest it blac$e, $now that in that blac$nesse

whitenesse is hidden, and thou must e tract the same from his most

subtile blac$nes! But after putrefaction it wa eth red, not with a

true rednesse, of which one saith: 7t is often red, and often of a

citrine colour, it often melteth, and is often coagulated, before

true whitenesse! nd it dissolueth it selfe, it coagulateth it

selfe, it putrifieth it selfe, it coloureth it self, it mortifieth

it selfe, it @uic$neth it selfe, it ma$eth it selfe blac$e, it

ma$eth it selfe white, it ma$eth it selfe red! 7t is also greene:

whereon another sayth, Concoct it, till it appeare greene )nto

thee, and that is the soule! nd another, Anow, that in that

greene his soule beareth dominion! There appeares also before

whitenesse the peacoc$s colour, whereon one saith thus! Anow thou

that al the colours in the world, or yt may be imagined, appeare

before whitenesse, and afterward true whitenesse followeth!

#hereof one sayth: #hen it hath bin decocted pure and clean, that

it shineth li$e the eyes of fishes, then are we to e pect his)tilitie, and by that time the stone is congealed rounde! nd

another sayth: #hen thou shalt find whitenesse a top in the

glasse, be assured that in that whitenesse, rednesse is hidden:

and this thou must e tract: but concoct it while it become all

red: for betweene true whitenesse and true rednesse, there is a

certaine ash-colour: of which it is sayde! fter whitenesse, thou

canst not erre, for encreasing the fire, thou shalt come to an

ash-colour: of which another saith: 'o not set light by the ashes,

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for >od shal giue it thee molten: and then at the last the Aing is

inuested with a red crowne by the will of >od!

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C9 (! E77! 9ow to ma$e pro;ection af the medicine upon any

imperfect body!

7 ha)e largely accomplisht my promise of that great masterie, for

ma$ing the most e cellent 5li ir, red and white! 8or conclusion,we are to treate of the manner of pro;ection, which is the

accomplishment of the wor$, the desired = e pected ioy! The red

5li ir doth turne into a citrine colour infinitely, and changeth

all metals into pure gold! nd the white 5li ir doth instantly

whiten, and bringeth e)ery mettal to perfect whitenesse! But we

$now that one mettall is farther off from perfection then another,

= one more neere then another! nd although e)ery mettall may by

5li ir be reduced to perfection, neuerthelesse the neerest are

more easily, speedily, and perfectly reduced, then those which are

far distant! nd when we meete with a mettall that is neere to

perfection, we are there by e cused from many that are farre off!

nd as for the metals which of them be neere, and which farre off,

which of them 7 say be neerest to perfection, if thou be wise and

discreete, thou shalt find to be plainely and truely set out in my

Chapters! nd without doubt, hee that is so @uic$ sighted in this

my Mirrour, that by his own industry hee can find out the true

matter, hee doth full well $now upon what body the medicine is to

bee pro;ected to bring it to perfection! 8or the forerunners of

this rt, who ha)e founde it out by their philosophie, do point

out with their finger the direct = plain way, when they say:

&ature, containeth nature: &ature ouercommeth nature: = &ature

meeting with her nature, e ceedingly reioyceth, and is changedinto other natures! nd in another place, 5uery li$e reioiceth in

his li$e: for li$enesse is saide to be the cause of friendship,

wherof many (hilosophers ha)e left a notable secret, Anow thou

that the soule doth @uic$ly enter into his body, which may by no

meanes be ;oined to another body! nd in another place! The soule

doth @uic$ly enter into his own body, which if thou goest about to

ioyne with another body, thou shalt loose thy labour: for the

neerenesse it selfe is more cleare! nd because corporeal things

in this regiment are made incorporeal, = contrariwise things

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The Smaragdine Table of Hermes, Trismegistus of Alchimy.

The wordes of the secrets of 9ermes, which were written in a

maragdine Table, and found betweene his hands in an obscure

)aute, wherin his body lay buried! 7t is true without leasing,certain and most true! That which is beneath is li$e that which is

aboue: = that which is aboue, is li$e that which is beneath, to

wor$e the miracles of one thing! nd as all things ha)e proceeded

from one, by the meditation of one, so all things ha)e sprung from

this onething by adaptation! 9is father is the sun, his mother is

the moon, the wind bore it in hir belly! The earth is his nurse!

The father ofallthe telesme of this world is here! 9is force and

power is perfect, if it be turned into earth! Thou shalt seperate

the earth from the fire, the thinne from the thic$e, and that

gently with great discretion! 7t ascendeth from the 5arth into

9eauen: and againe it descendeth into the earth, and receiueth the

power of the superiours and inferiours: so shalt thou ha)e the

glorie of the whole worlde! ll obscuritie therefore shall flie

away from thee! This is the mightie power of all power, for it

shal ouercome euery subtile thing, and pearce through euery solide

thing! o was the worlde created! 9ere shall be maruailous

adatpations, whereof this is the meane! Therefore am 7 called

9ermes Trismegistus, or the thrice great 7nterpreter: hauing three

parts of the (hilosophy of the whole world! That which 7 ha)e

spo$en of the operation of the unne, is finished!

9ere endeth the Table of 9ermes!

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A briefe Commentarie of Hortulanus the Philosopher, upon the

Smaragdine Table of Hermes of Alchimy.

The prayer of 9ortulanus!%aude, honour, power and glorie, be giuen to thee, O lmightie

%orde >od, with thy beloued sonne, our %ord 7esus Christ, and the

holy >host, the comforter! O holy Trinitie, that art the onely one

>od, perfect man, 7 giue thee than$es that hauing the $nowledge of

the transitorie things of this worlde /least 7 should bee prouo$ed

with the pleasures thereof3 of thy abundant mercie thou hast ta$en

mee from it! But for somuch as 7 ha)e $nowne manie deceiued in

this art, that ha)e not gone the right way, let it please thee, O

%ord my >od, that by the $nowledge which thou hast giuen mee, 7

may bring my deare friends from error, that when they shal

perceiue the truth, they may praise thy holy and glorious name,

which is blessed for euer!

men!

The (reface!

7 9ortulanus, so called for the >ardens bordering upon the sea

coast, wrapped in a 7acobin s$inne, )nworthy to be called a

'isciple of (hilosophie, moued with the loue of my welbeloued, do

intend to ma$e a true declaration of the words of 9ermes, the8ather of (hilosophers, whose words, though that they be dar$ and

obscure, yet ha)e 7 truely e pounded the whole operation and

practise of the wor$e: for the obscuritie of the (hilosophers in

their speeches, dooth nothing preuaile, where the doctrine of the

holy spirit wor$eth!

C9 (! 7! That the rt of lchimy is true and certaine!

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The (hilosopher saith! 7t is true, to wit, that the rte of

lchimie is giuen )nto )s! #ithout leasing! This hee saith in

detestation of them that affirme this rt to bee lying, that is,

false! 7t is certaine, that is prooued! 8or whatsoeuer is prooued,

is most certaine, nd most true! 8or most true >old is ingendredby rt: and he saith most true, in the superlatiue degree, because

the >old ingendred by this rt, e celleth all naturall gold in all

proprieties, both medicinall and others!

C9 (! 77! That the tone must be diuided into two parts!

Conse@uentlie, he toucheth the operation of the stone, saying:

That which is beneath, is as that which is aboue! nd this he

sayth, because the stone is diuided into two principall parts by

rt: 7nto the superiour part, that ascendeth )p, and into the

inferiour part, which remaineth beneath fi e and cleare: and yet

these two parts agree in )ertue: and therefore hee sayeth, That

which is aboue, is li$e that which is beneath! nd this diuision

is necessarie, To perpetrate the myracles of one thing, to wit, of

the tone: because the inferiour part is the 5arth, which is

called the &urse, and 8erment: and the superiour part is the

oule, which @uic$eneth the whole tone, and raiseth it )p!

#herefore separation made, and coniunction celebrated, manie

myracles are effected in the secret wor$e of nature!

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C9 (! 777! That the tone hath in it the foure 5lements!

nd as all things ha)e proceeded from one, by the meditation of

one! 9eere giueth hee an e ample, saying: as all things came from

one, to wit, a confused >lobe, or masse, by meditation, that isthe cogitation and creation of one, that is the omnipotent >od: o

all things ha)e sprung, that is, come out from this one thing that

is, one confused lumpe, by daptation, that is by the sole

commandment of >od, and miracle! o our tone is borne, and come

out of one confused masse, containing in it the foure 5lements,

which is created of >od, and by his sole miracle our stone is

borne!

C9 (! 7777! That the tone hath 8ather and Mother, to wit, the un

and Moon!

nd as we see, that one liuing creature begetteth more liuing

creatures li$e )nto it selfe: so artificially >old engendereth

>old, by )ertue of multiplication of the foresaid stone! 7t

followeth therefore, the unne is his father, that is,

(hilosophers >old! nd as in e)ery naturall generation, there must

be a fit and conuenient receptacle, with a certaine consonancie of

similitude to the father: so li$ewise in this artificiall

generation, it is re@uisite that the unne ha)e a fitte and

consonant receptacle for his seede and tincture: and this is

(hilosophers il)er! nd therefore it followes, the Moon is his

mother!

C9 (! E! That the coniunction of the parts of the stone is called

Conception!

01



The which two, when they ha)e mutuallic entertained each other in

the coniunction of the tone, the tone conceiueth in the bellie

of the winde: and this is it which afterwarde he sayeth: The winde

carried it in his bellie! 7t is plaine, that the winde is the

ayre, and the ayre is the life, and the life is the oule! nd 7ha)e already spo$en of the soule, that it @uic$neth the whole

stone! nd so it behoueth, that the wind should carry and recarry

the whole stone, and bring forth the masterie: and then it

followeth, that it must receiue nourishment of his nurce, that is

the earth: and therefore the (hilosopher saith, The earth is his

&urse: beeause that as the infant without receiuing food from his

nurse, shuld neuer come to yeres: so li$ewise our stone without

the firmentation of his earth, should neuer be brought to effect:

which said firmament, is called nourishment! 8or so it is begotten

of one 8ather, with the coniunction of the Mother! Things, that

is, sonnes li$e to the 8ather, if they want long decoction, shalbe

li$e to the Mother in whitenesse, and retaine the 8athers weight!

C9 (! E7! That the tone is perfect, if the oule be fi t in the

bodie!

7t followeth afterward: The father of all the Telesme of the whole

worlde is here: that is, in the wor$e of the stone is a finall

way! nd note, that the (hilosopher calleth the wor$e, the 8ather

of all the Telesme: that is, of all secret, or of all treasure Of

the whole worlde: that is, of euery stone found in the world, is

here! s if he should say, Behold 7 shew it thee! fterward the(hilosopher saith, #ilt thou that 7 teach thee to $now when the

)ertue of the tone is perfect and compleate2 to wit, when it is

conuerted into his earth: and therefore he saith, 9is power is

entire, that is, compleate and perfect, if it be turned into

earth: that is, if the oule of the stone /whereof we ha)e made

mention before: which oule may be called the winde or ayre,

wherein consisteth the whole life and )ertue of the stone3 be

conuerted into the earth, to wit of the stone, and fi ed: so that

the whole substance of the tone be so with his nurse, to wit

0*



earth, that the whole tone be turned into ferment! s in ma$ing

of bread a little leauen nourisheth and sermenteth a great deale

of (aste: so will the (hilosopher that our stone bee so fermented,

that it may bee ferment to the multiplication of the stone!

C9 (! E77! Of the mundification and cleansing of the stone!

Conse@uently, hee teacheth how the tone ought to bee multiplied:

but first ne setteth downe the mundification of the stone, and the

separation of the parts: saying, Thou shalt separate the earth

from the fire, the thinne from the thic$e, and that gently with

great discretion! >ently, that is by little, and little, not

)iolently, but wisely, to witte, in (hilosophicall doung! Thou

shalt separate, that is, dissolue: for dissolution is the

separation of partes! The earth from the fire, the thinne from the

thic$e: that is, the lees and dregges, from the fire, the ayre,

the water, and the whole substaunce of the tone, so that the

tone may remaine most pure without all filth!

C9 (! E777! That the unfi ed part of the tone should e ceed the

fi ed, and list it up!

The tone thus prepared, is made fit for multiplication! nd now

hee setteth downe his multiplication ct easie li@uefaction, with a

)ertue to pierce as well into hard bodies, as soft, saying: 7t

ascendeth from the earth into heauen, and again it descendeth into

the earth! 9ere we must diligently note, that although our stone

bee diuided in the first operation into foure partes, which arethe foure 5lements: notwithstanding, as we ha)e alreadie saide,

there are two principall parts of it! One which ascendeth upward,

and is called unfi ed, and an other which remaineth below fi ed,

which is called earth, or firmament, which nourisheth and

firmenteth the whole stone, as we ha)e already said! But of the

unfi ed part we must ha)e a great @uantity, and giue it to the

stone /which is made most clean without all filth3 so often by

masterie that the whole stone be caried upward, sublimating =

00



subtiliating! nd this is it which the (hilosopher saith: 7t

ascendeth from the earth into the beauen!

C9 (! 7F! 9ow the )olatile tone may againe be fi ed!

fter all these things, this stone thus e alted, must be incerated

with the Oyle that was e tracted from it in the first operation,

being called the water of the stone: and so often boyle it by

sublimation, till by )ertue of the firmentation of the earth

e alted with it, the whole stone do againe descende from heauen

into the earth, and remaine fi ed and flowing! nd this is it

which the (hilosopher sayth: 7t descendeth agayne into the earth,

and so receyueth the )ertue of the superiours by sublimation, and

of the inferiours, by descention: that is, that which is

corporall, is made spirituall by sublimation, and that which is

spirituall, is made corporall by descension!

C9 ( F! Of the fruit of the rt, and efficacie of the tone!

o shalt thou ha)e the glorie of the whole worlde! That is, this

stone thus compounded, thou shalt possesse the glorie of this

world! Therefore all obscuritie shall flie from thee: that is, all

want and sic$nesse, because the stone thus made, cureth e)ery

disease! 9ere is the mightie power of all power! 8or there is no

comparison of other powers of this world, to the power of the

stone! 8or it shall ouercome euery subtil thing, and shall pearce

through euery solide thing! 7t shall ouercome, that is, byouercomming, it shall conuert @uic$e Mercury, that is subtile,

congealing it: and it shall pearce through other hard, solide, and

compact bodies!

C9 (! F7! That this wor$e imitateth the Creation of the worlde!

9e giueth )s also an e ample of the composition of his tone,

saying, o was the world created! That is, li$e as the world was

created, so is our stone composed! 8or in the beginning, the whole

0<



world and all that is therein, was a confused Masse or Chaos /as

is aboue saide3 but afterward by the wor$emanship of the

soueraigne Creator, this masse was diuided into the soure

elements, wonderfully separated and rectified, through which

separation, di)ers things were created: so li$ewise may di)ersthings bee made by ordering our wor$e, through the separation of

the di)ers elements from di)ers bodies! 9ere shal be wonderfull

adaptations that is, 7s thou shalt separate the elements, there

shall be admirable compositions, fitte for our wor$e in the

composition of our tone, by the elements rectified: E Eherof, to

wit, of which wonderfull things fit for this: the meanes, to wir,

to proceede by, is here!

C9 (! F77! n enigmaticall insinuation what the matter of the

tone shoulde be!

Therefore am 7 called 9ermes Trismegistus! &ow that he hath

declared the composition of the tone, he teacheth )s after a

secret maner, wherof the tone is made: first naming himselfe, to

the ende that his schollers /who should hereafter attaine to this

science3 might ha)e his name in continuall remembrance: and then

hee toncheth the matter saying: 9auing three parts of the

(hilosophie of the whole world: because that whatsoeuer is in the

worlde, hauing matter = forme, is compounded of the foure

5lements: hence is it, that there are so infinite parts of the

world, all which he diuideth into three principall partes,

Minerall, Eegetable, = nimall: of which iointly, or seuerally,hee had the true $nowledge in the wor$e of the unne: for which

cause hee faith, 9auing three parts of the (hilosophic of the

whole world, which parts are contained in one tone, to wit,

(hilosophers Mercurie!

C9 (! F777! #hy the tone is said to be perfect!

8or this cause is the tone saide to be perfect, because it hath

in it the nature of Minerals, Eegetables, and nimals: for the

04



stone is three, and one hauing foure nGtures, to wit, the soure

elements, = three colours, blac$, white, and red! 7t is also

called a graine of corne, which if it die not, remaineth without

fruit: but if it do die /as is aboue said3 when it is ;oined in

coniunction, it bringeth forth much fruite, the afore namedoperations being accomplished! Thus curteous reader, if thou $now

the operation of the tone, 7 ha)e told thee the truth: but if

thou art ignorant thereof, 7 ha)e said nothing! That which 7 ha)e

spo$en of the operation of the unne is finished: that is, that

which hath beene spo$en of the operation of the stone, of the

three colours, and foure natures, e isting and beeing in one onely

thing, namely in the (hilosophers Mercurie, is fulfilled!

Thus endeth the Commentarie of 9ortulanus, upon the maragdine

table of 9ermes, the father of (hilosophers!

0+



The Booke of the Secrets of Alchimie, composed by >alid the sonne

of 7aDich, translated out of 9ebrew into rabic$, and out of

rabic$ into %atine, and out of %atin into 5nglish!

The (reface of the difficultie of the rt!

T9an$es be giuen to >od the Creator of all things, who hath

conducted )s, beautified )s, instructed )s, and giuen )s $nowledge

and )nderstanding: 5 cept the %orde should $eep and guide )s, we

should bee li$e )agabonds, without guide or teacher: yea, we shuld

$now nothing in the world, )nlesse he taught )s: that is, the

beginning, and $nowledge it selfe of all things, by his power and

goodnes ouer his people! 9e directeth and instructeth whom he wil,

and with mercie reduceth into the way of iustice: for hee hath

sent his messengers into the dar$e places, and made plaine the

wayes, and with his mercy replenished such as loue him! Anow

brother, that this our mastery and honourable office of the secret

tone, is a secret of the secrets of >od, which hee hath concealed

from his people, neither would he reueale it to any, sa)e to

those, who li$e sonnes ha)e faythfully deserued it, $nowing both

his goodnesse and greatnesse: for to him that desireth a secret of

>od, this secret masterie is more necessary then any other! nd

those wise men who ha)e attained to the $nowledge herof, ha)e

concealed part therof, and part therof they ha)e reuealed: for so

ha)e 7 found my wise predecessors agreeing in this point in their

worthie boo$es, wherby thou shalt $now that my disciple Musa,/more honorable in my eies then all other3 hath diligently studied

their boo$es, = labored much in the wor$e of the mastery, wherin

he hath bin greatly troubled, = much perple ed, not $nowing the

natures of things belonging to this wor$: the e planation whereof,

and direction wherein, he hath humbly begged at my handes: yet 7

would afford him no answere therin, nor determine it, but

commaunded him to reade ouer the (hilosophers boo$es, = therin to

see$e yt which he craued of me, = he going his way, read aboue a

hundreth boo$es, as hee found them euen the true and secret boo$es

0?



of noble (hilosophers: but in them he could not find that which he

defired: so he remained astonished, = almost distracted, though by

the space of a yeare he continually sought it! 7f therfore my

scholler Musa /that hath deserued to be accounted among ye

(hilosophers3 ha)e beene so doubtfull in the composition hereof,and that this hath hapned )nto him: what shall the ignorant and

)nlearned do, that )nderstandeth not the nature of things, nor is

ac@uainted with their complections2 But when 7 behelde this in my

choysest and dearest disciple, moued with pitty and compassion

toward him, or rather by the will and appointment of >od, 7 made

this boo$ at the houre of my death, wherin 7 ha)e pretermitted

many things, that my predecessors ha)e made mention of in their

boo$es: and againe, 7 ha)e touched some things which they

concealed, = would by no meanes open = discouer: yea, 7 ha)e

e pounded and laide open certain things, that they ha)e hidden

)nder dar$ = figuratiue speeches! nd this my boo$ 7 ha)e called

the ecrets of lchimy: in which 7 ha)e spo$en of whatsoeuer is

necessarie, to him that is studious of this rt or masterie, in a

language befitting his sence = )nderstanding! nd 7 ha)e named

foure masteries far greater and better, then other (hilosophers

ha)e done: of which number is 5li ir, one Mineral, the other

nimall: but the other two are minerals, and not the one 5li ir:

whose office is to washe that, which they call the bodies: and

another is to ma$e gold of Dot)iue, whose composition or

generation, is according to the generationor order of generation

in the mines, being in the heart and bowels of the earth! nd

these foure masteries or wor$s, the (hilosophers ha)e declared intheir boo$es of the composition of this mastery: but they want

much: neyther would they shew the operation of it in their boo$es:

and though by chaunce he found it out, yet could hee not

understand it: so that hee found out nothing that was more

troublesome to him! 7 wil therefore in this my boo$e declare it,

together with the maner how to ma$e it: but let him that will

reade it, first learne >eometry, and her measures, that so he may

rightly frame his furnaces, not passing a meane, either by e cesse

or defect: and withall, he must $now the @uantitie of his fire,

0



and the forme of the )essell fit for his wor$e! Moreo)er, lette

him consider what is the ground-wor$e and beginning of the

mastery, beeing to it, as the matrice is to liuing creatures,

which are fashioned in the wombe, and therin receiue their

creation = nourishment: for if the thing of this mastery find notthat which is conuenient for it, the wor$e is marred, and the

wor$men shall not find that which they loo$e for, neither shal the

thing it self be brought to the effect of generation: for where

one cannot meete with the cause of generation, or the roote, and

heate it selfe, it will fall out, that the labour shall be lost,

and the wor$e nought worth! The li$e mischiefe will happen in

respect of weight, which if it be not aright in the compound, the

partes of the same nature, passing their boundes by augmentation,

or diminution, the propertie of the compound is destroyed, = the

effect therof )oyd and without fruit, whereof 7 will giue you an

e ample! 'o not you see that in ope /with which cloathes are

washed cleane and made white3 there is this property if it be

rightly made, by reason of e@ualitie, = one proportion, which

participate in length and breadth2 wherupon through this

participation they agree, and then it appeareth, because it was

truely made, and so the )ertue which before lay hid, is nowe made

$nown, which they cal a property, being the )ertue of washing

engendred in the compound: but when the grauity of the compound

passeth his bounds, either by addition or diminution, ye )ertue it

self brea$eth the limits of e@uality, = becometh contrary,

according to ye distemperance of the compound! nd this thou must

understand to happen in the composition of our mastery!

C9 ( 7! Of the foure Masteries, or principall wor$s of the rt, to

wit, solution, congelation, albification, and rubification!

&Ow begin 7 to spea$e of the great wor$e which they call lchimy,

wherein 7 will confirme my woordes, without concealing ought, or

$eeping bac$e any thing, sa)e that which is not conuenient to bee

)ttered or named! #e say then that the great wor$ containeth in it

foure masteries /as the (hilosophers before )s ha)e affirmed3 that

0



is to say, to dissolue, to congeale, to ma$e white and red! nd

these foure @uantities are parta$ers, whereof two of them are

parta$ers betweene themselues, and so li$ewise are the other two!

nd either of these double @uantities hath another @uantity

parta$er, which is a greater @uantity parta$er after these two! 7understand by these @uantities, the @uantitie of the natures, and

weight of the medicines which are orderly dissolued and congealed,

wherin neither addition nor diminution ha)e any place! But these

two, to wit, solution and congelation, shalbe in one operation,

and shall ma$e but one wor$e, and that before composition: but

after composition, their wor$s shall bee di)ers! nd this solution

and congelation which we ha)e spo$en of, are the solution of the

bodie, and the congelation of the pirite, and they are two, yet

ha)e but one operation! 8or the pirites are not congealed, e cept

the bodies be edissolued, is li$ewise the bodies is not dissolued,

)nlesse the spirit be congealed: = when the soule = the body are

;oined togither, either of them wor$eth in his companion made li$e

)nto him: as for e ample, when water is put to earth, it striueth

to dissolue the earth by the moisture, )ertue and propertie which

it hath, ma$ing it more subtile then it was before, and bringing

it to be li$e it selfe: for the water was more subtile then the

earth: and thus doth the soule wor$e in the bodie, and after the

same manner is the water thic$ened with the earth, and becommeth

li$e )nto the earth in thic$nesse, for the earth is more thic$e

then the water! nd thou must $now that betweene the solution of

the bodie, and congelation of the spirit, there is no distance of

time or diuerse wor$, as though one should be without the other,as there is no difference of time in the coniunction of the earth,

and water, that one might be $nowne = discerned from the other in

their operations: but they ha)e both one instant, and one fact,

and one and the same wor$e conteineth them both at once before

composition: 7 say before composition, least he that shall read

this boo$e, and heare the names of resolution and congelation,

shoulde suppose it to be the composition which the (hilosophers

entreat of, for so he should fowly erre in his wor$e and

iudgement: because composition in this wor$e or masterie, is a

0



coniunction or marriage of the congealed spirit, with the

dissolued bodie, and this coniunction or passion is upon the fire!

8or heate is his nourishment, and the soule forsa$eth not the

bodie, neither is it otherwise $nit )nto it, then by the

alteration of both from their owne )ertue and properties, andafter the conuersion of their natures: and this is the solution

and congelation, which the (hilosophers first spa$e of: which

neuerthelesse they ha)e hidden in their subtile discourses with

dar$e = obscure words, that so they might alienate and estrange

the mind of the reader from the true )nderstanding thereof: where

of thou maist ta$e this for an e ample! nnoynt the leafe with

poyson, and ye shall approue there by the beginning of the wor$e

and mastery of the same! nd againe, labour the strong bodies with

one solution, til either of them be turned to his subtilitie! o

li$ewise in these folowing, e cept ye conuert the bodies into such

subtilitie that they may bee impalbable, yee shall not find that

ye loo$e for: and if you ha)e not ground them, returne bac$e to

wor$e till they bee ground, and made subtill: which if you do, you

shall ha)e your wish! nd many other such sayings ha)e they of the

same matter! The which none that euer proued this rt could

understand, til he hath had a plaine demonstration thereof, the

former doubt being remoued! nd in li$e maner ha)e they spo$en of

that composition, which is after solution = congelation! nd

afterward they ha)e said, that Composition is not perfect without

marriage, and putrifaction: yet againe they teach solution,

congelation, diuision, mariage, putrifaction, and composition,

because composition is the beginning, and )erie life of the thing!8or )nlesse there were composition, the thing should neuer be

brought to passe! 'iuision is a separation of the parts of the

compound, = so separation hath bin his coniunction! 7 tell you

againe, that the spirit wil not dwel with the body, nor be in it,

nor by any meanes abide with it until the body be made subtil =

thin as the spirit is! But when it is attenuate and subtill, and

hath cast off his thic$nes, = put on thinnes, hath forsa$en his

grosnesse = corpority, = is become spirituall, then shall he be

mingled with the subtill spirits, = imbibed in them, so that both

<1



shall become one and the same, = they shall not be seuered, li$e

as water put to water cannot be diuided! uppose that of two li$e

@uantities, that are in solution and congelation, the larger is

the soule, the lesser is the body: adde afterward to the @uantitie

which is the soule, that @uantity which is in the body, = it shallparticipate with the first @uantity in )ertue only: then wor$e

them as we ha)e wrought them, and so thou shalt obtaine thy

desire, and 5uclide his line shall bee )erified )nto thee!

fterwarde ta$e his @uantity, and $now his waight, and giue him as

much moysture as he will drin$, the weight of which moysture we

ha)e not here determined! Then againe wor$e them with an operation

)nli$e the former, first imbibing and subliming it, and this

operation is that which they call lbification, and they name it

Harit, that is, il)er, and and white %eade! nd when thou hast

made this compounde white, adde to him so much of the pirit, as

ma$eth halfe of the whole, and set it to wor$ing, till it wa e

redde, and then it shall be of the colour lsulfir, which is )erie

red, and the (hilosophers ha)e li$ened it to >old, the effect

hereof, leadeth thee to that which ristotle saide to his 'isciple

rda: we call the claye when it is white, Harit, that is il)er:

and when it is red, we name it Temeynch, that is >old! #hitenesse

is that which tincteth Copper, and ma$eth it Harit, and that is

rednesse, which tincteth Harit, that is il)er, = ma$eth it

Temeynch, that is >old! 9e therefore that is able to dissolue

these bodies, to subtiliate them, to ma$e them white and red, and

/as 7 ha)e said3 to compound them by imbibing, and conuert them to

the same, shall without all doubt attaine the masterie, andperforme the wor$e whereof 7 ha)e spo$en )nto thee!

C9 (! 77! Of the things and instruments necessarie and fit for

this wor$e!

7t behoueth thee to $now the )essels in this masterie, to wit

ludela, which the (hilosophers ha)e called Church-yards, or

Cribbles: because in them the parts are diuided, and cleansed, and

in them is the matter of the masterie made compleat, perfect, and

depured! nd euery one of these must ha)e a 8urnace fit for it,

<*





and colours, into other substances and colours! 7f thou

transgresse not, 7 tell thee in this boo$e, thou shalt proceed

rightly! Consider brother, the seed of the earth, wheron men liue,

how the heate of the unne wor$eth in it, till it be ripe, when

men and other creatures seede upon it, and that afterwarde &aturewor$eth on it by her heate within man, conuerting it into his

flesh and blood! 8or li$e hereto is our operation of the masterie:

the seed whereof /as the learned ha)e sayde3 is such, that his

perfection and proceeding consisteth in the fire, which is the

cause of his life and death, without somwhat comming betweene, and

his spiritualtie, which are not mingled but with the fire! Thus

ha)e 7 tolde thee the truth, as 7 ha)e seene and done it!

C9 (! E! Of ubtiliation, olution, Coagulation, and commistion of

the tone, and of their cause and end!

Anow, that e cept thou subtiliate the bodie till all become water,

it will not rust and putrifie, and then it cannot congeale the

fitting soules, when the fire toucheth them: for the fire is that

which congealeth them by the ayd therof )nto them! nd in li$e

maner ha)e the (hilosophers commanded to dissolue the bodies, to

the end ye heat might enter into their bowels! gain we returne to

dissolue those bodies, = congeale them after their solution, with

that thing which commeth nigh to it, )ntil we ioyne all those

things which ha)e beene mingled togither, by an apt and fit

commi tion, which is a temperate @uantitie! #hereupon we ioyne

fire and water, earth and ayre togither: when the thic$ hath binmingled with the thin, = the thinner with the thic$, the one

abydeth with the other, and their natures are changed and made

li$e, wheras before they were simple, because that part which is

generatiue, bestoweth his )ertue upon the subtill, and that is the

ayre: for it cleaueth )nto his li$e, and is a part of the

generation from whence it receyueth power to moue and ascend

upward! Cold hath power ouer the thic$, because it hath lost his

heate, and the water is gone out of it, and the thing appeared

upon it! nd the moisture departed by ascending, = the subtil part

<<



of ye aire, and mingled it selse with it for it is li$e )nto it,

and of the same nature! nd when the thic$e bodie hath lost his

heat and moysture, and that cold and drinesse hath power ouer him,

and that their parts ha)e mingled themselues, and be diuided, and

that there is no moysture to ioyne the partes diuided, the partswithdraw themselues! nd afterwards the part which is contrary to

colde, by reason that it hath continued, = sent his heat and

decoction, to the parts of ye earth, hauing power ouerthem, and

e ercising such dominion ouer the cold, that where before it was

in the thic$e body, it now lur$eth and lieth hid, his part of

generation is changed, becomming subtil and hot, and striuing to

dry )p by his heat! But afterward the subtill part /that causeth

natures to ascende3 when it hath lost his accidentall heat, =

wa eth cold, then the natures are changed, and become thic$e, and

descend to the center, where ye earthly natures are ;oined

togither, which were subtiliate and conuerted in their generation,

and imbibed in them: and so the moysture coupleth togither the

parts diuided: but the earth endeuoureth to drie )p that moysture,

compassing it about, and hindring it from going out: by means

wherof, that which before lay hid, doth now appear: neither can

the moysture be separated, but is retained by the drinesse! nd in

li$e maner we see, that whosoeuer is in the worlde, is retained by

or with his contrarie, as heate with colde, and drinesse with

moysture! Thus when each of them hath besieged his Companion, the

thin is mingled with the thic$e, and those things are made one

substance: to wit, their soule hote

and moyst, and their body colde and drie: then it laboureth todissolue and subtiliate by his heate and moysture, which is his

soule, and striueth to enclose and retaine with his body that is

colde and drie! nd in this maner, is his office changed and

altered from one thing to another! Thus ha)e 7 tolde thee the

truth, which 7 ha)e both seene = done, giuing thee in charge to

conuert natures from their subtilitie and substances, with heate

and moysture, into their substances and colours! &ow if thou

wouldst proceed aright in this mastery, to obtaine thy desire,

passe not the boundes that 7 ha)e set thee in this boo$e!

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corruption to that which is corrupt: so that when his @uantitie

shall be meete = conuenient, it shal prosper, but if it shall

e ceed measure in things, it shal without measure corrupt both: to

wit, the perfect and corrupt: and for this cause it was re@uisite

that the learned should poure their medicines upon 5li ir, tohinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire, = his heate!

9ermes also said to his father! 7 am afraide 8ather of the enemie

in my house: to whom he made answer, on ta$e the dog Corascene, =

the bitch of rmenia, put them together, and they shal bring a dog

of the colour of heauen, and dip him once in the sea water: for he

shall $eep thy friend, and defend thee from thy enemie, and shall

helpe thee whersoeuer thou become, alwaies abiding with thee, both

in this world, and in the world to come! &ow 9ermes meant by the

dog = bitch, such things as preserue bodies from the scorching he

ate of the fire! nd these things are waters of Calces and alts,

the composition whereof, is to be found in the (hilosophers boo$s,

that ha)e written of this mastery, among whome, some ha)e named

them ea-waters, and Birdes mil$e, and such li$e!

C9 ( 7F! Of the eparation of the 5lements of the tone!

Thou must afterward bother, ta$e this precious tone, which the

(hilosophers ha)e named, magnified, hidden = concealed, = put it

in a Cucurbit with his lembic$, = diuide his natures: that is,

the foure elements, the 5arth, the #ater, the ire, and the 8ire!

These are the body and soule, the spirit and tincture! #hen thou

hast diuided the water from the earth, and the aire from the fire,$eep both of them by themselues, and ta$e that which descendeth to

the bottom of the glasse, beeing the lees, and wash it with a

warme fire, til his blac$nesse be gone, and his thic$nesse

departed: then ma$e him )ery white, causing the superfluous

moysture to flie away, for then hee shall bee changed and become a

white cal , wherein there is no cloudie dar$enesse, nor

)ncleannesse, and contrarietie! fterward returne bac$ to the

first natures, which ascended from it, and purifie them li$ewise

from )ncleannes, blac$nesse, and contrarietie: and reiterate these

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wor$s upon them so often, )ntil they be subtiliate, purified, and

made thin: which when thou hast done, thou shalt ac$nowledge that

>od hath bin gracious )nto thee! Anow brother, that this wor$ is

one stone, into which >atib may not enter, that is to say, any

strange thing! The learned wor$ with this, and from henceproceedeth a medicine that giueth perfection! There must nothing

be mingled herewith, either in part or whole! This tone is to be

found at all times, in e)ery place, and about euery man, the

search whereof is not troublesome to him that see$eth it,

wheresoeuer he be! This tone is )ile, blac$e, and stin$ing: 7t

costeth nothing: it must bee ta$en alone: it is somewhat heauie,

and it is called the Originall of the world, because it riseth )p

li$e things that bud sorth! This is his reuelation and apparance

to him thut ma$eth in@uirie after it!

C9 (! F! Of the nature of the tone, and his birth!

Ta$e it therefore and wor$e it as the (hilosopher hath told you in

his boo$e, when he named it after this maner! Ta$e the tone, no

tone, or that is not a tone, neither is of the nature of a

tone! 7t is a tone whose myne is in the top of the mountaines:

and here by mountaines, the (hilosopher )nderstandeth liuing

creatures, wherupon he saide! onne, go to the mountaines of

7ndia, and to his caues, = pull out thence precious stones which

will melt in the water when they are putte into it! nd this water

is that which is ta$en from other mountaines and hollow places!

They are stones onne, and they are not stones, but we call themso for a imilitude which they ha)e to stones! nd thou must $now,

that the rootes of their mines are in the ayre, and their tops in

the earth, and it wil easily be heard when they are pluc$t out of

their places, for there will be a great noyse! >o with them my

sonne, for they will @uic$ly )anish away!

C9 (! F7! Of the commistion of the 5lements that were seperated!

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Begin composition, which is the circuite of the whole wor$e, for

there shall be no composition without marriage and putrefaction!

The Marriage is to mingle the thinne with the thic$e, and

(utrefaction, is to rost, grinde, and water, so long till all be

mingled together and become one, so that there should bee nodiuersitie in them, nor separation from water mingled with water!

Then shall the thic$e labour to retaine the thinne: then shall the

soule striue with the fire, and endeuour to beare it: then shall

the pirite labour to be drowned in the bodyes, and poured foorth

into them! nd this must needes bee, because the bodye dissolued,

when it is commi t with the oule, it is li$ewise commi t with

e)ery part therof: = other things enter into other things,

according to theyr similitude and li$enesse, and are changed into

one and the same thing! nd for this cause the soule must parta$e

with the commoditie, durablenesse, and permanencie, which the body

receiued in his commi tion! The li$e also must befall the pirite

in this state or permanencie os the soule and boby: sor when the

pirit shall bee commi t with the soule by laborious operation,

and all his partes with all the partes of the other two, to wit,

the soule and bodie, then shall the pirite and the other two, bee

conuerted into one indiuisible thing, according to their entire

substance, whose natures ha)e beene preserued, and their partes

ha)e agreed and come together: whereby it hath come to passe, that

when this compounde hath met with a body dissolued, and that heate

hath got hold of it, and that the moysture which was in it

appeareth, and is molten in the dissolued body, and hath passed

into it, and mi t it selfe with that which was of the nature ofmoysture, it is inflamed, and the fire defendeth it self with it!

Then when the fire would been flamed with it, it will not suffer

the fire to ta$e holde of it, that is to say: to cleaue )nto it

with the pirit mingled with his water! The fire will not abide by

it until it be pure! nd in li$e manner doth the water naturally

flie from the fire, wherof when the fire hath ta$en hold, it doth

forth with by little and little euaporate! nd thus hath the body

beene the meanes to retaine the water, and the water to retaine

the oyle, that it should not burne nor consume away, and the oyle

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to retaine tincture, and tincture the precise cause to ma$e the

colour appeare and shew forth the tincture, wherein there is

neither light nor life! This then is the true life and perfection

of the wor$e and masterie which thou soughtest for! Be wise

therefore and )nderstande, and thou shalt find what thou loo$estfor, if it please >od!

C9 (! F77! Of the solution of the tone compounded!

The (hilosophers moreo)er ha)e ta$en great paines in dissoluing,

that the body and soule might the better be incorporate, for all

those things that are together in contrition, assation, and rig

ation, ha)e a certaine affinitie and alliance betweene themselues,

so that the fire may spoyle the wea$er of nature, till it utterly

fade and )anish away, as also it again returneth upon the stronger

parts, )ntil the bodie remaine without the oule! But when they

are thus dissolued and congealed, they ta$e the parts one with

another, as well great as small, and incorporate them well

together, till they be conuerted and changed into one and the same

thing! nd when this is done, the fire ta$eth from the oule as

much as from the body, neither more nor lesse, and this is the

ceuse of perfection! 8or this cause it is necessary /teaching the

composition of 5li ir3 to afford one chapter for e pounding the

solution of simple bodyes and soules, because bodyes do not enter

into soules, but do rather withhold and hinder them from

sublimation, fi ation, retention, commistion, and the li$e

operations, e cept mundification go before! nd thou shalt $now,that solution is after one of these two wayes: for either it

e tracteth the inward parts of things )nto their uperficies, and

this is solution /an e ample whereof thou hast in il)er that

seemeth cold and drie, but being dissolued, and that his inwards

appeare, it is found hot and moyst3 or else it is to purchase to a

body an accidentall moysture, which it had not before, and to adde

hereunto his owne humiditie, whereby his parts may be dissolued,

and this li$ewise is called solution!

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C9 (! F777, Of the coagulation of the tone dissolued!

ome among the learned ha)e said, Congeale in a bath with a good

congelation as 7 ha)e tolde thee, and this is ulphur shining in

dar$nesse, a red 9iasinth, a firy = deadly poyson, the 5li ir thatabideth upon none, a )ictorious %ion, a malefactor, a sharpe

sworde, a precious Triacle, healing euery infirmitie! nd >eber

the sonne of 9ayen sayd, that all the operations of this masterie

are contained )nder fi e things: to put to flight, to melt, to

incerate, to ma$e as white as Marble, to dissolue and congeale!

That putting to flight, is to driue away and remoue blac$nesse,

from the spirit and soule: the melting is the li@uefaction of the

body: to incerate belongeth properly to the body, and is the

subtiliation thereof: to whiten, is properly to melt speedily: to

congeale, is to congeale the body with the soule alreadie

prepared! gaine, flight appertaineth to the body and soule: to

melt, whiten, incerate, and dissolue, belong )nto the body, and

congelation to the soule! Bee wise and understand!

C9 ( F7777! That there is but one tone, and of his nature!

BauDan a >ree$e (hilosopher, when it was demaunded of him, whether

a stone may be made of a thing that buddeth, made answere, yea, to

wit, the two first stones, the stone l$ali, and our stone, which

is the life and wor$manship of him that $noweth it: but he that is

ignorant of it, and hath not made it, and $noweth not how it is

engendred, supposing it to be no stone, or that conceiueth notwith himselfe whatsoeuer 7 ha)e spo$en of it, and yet will ma$e a

tryall of it, prepareth himselfe for death, and casteth away his

money: for if he cannot find out this precious stone, another

shall not arise in his place, neither shall natures triumph ouer

him! 9is nature is great heate with moderation! 9e that now

$noweth it, hath profited by reading this boo$e, but he that

remaineth ignorant, hath lost his labour! 7t hath many properties

and )ertues, for it cureth bodies of their accidentall diseases,

and preserueth sound substances, in such sort, that their

4*



appeareth in them no perturbations of contraries, nor breach of

their bond and )nion! 8or this is the sope of bodies, yea their

spirit and soule, which when it is incorporate with them,

dissolueth them without any losse! This is the life of the dead,

and their resurrection, a medicine preseruing bodies, and purgingsuperfluities! 9e that )nderstandeth, let him understand, and he

that is ignorant, let him bee ignorant stil: for it is not to be

bought with mony, it is neither to be bought nor sold! Conceiue

his )ertue, )alue, and worth, and then begin to wor$e: wherof a

learned man hath said: >od giueth thee not this masterie for thy

sole audacity, fortitude = subtilitie, without all labour, but men

labor, and >od giueth them good successe! dore then >od the

creator, that hath )ouchsafed thee so great fauor in his blessed

wor$s!

C9 (! FE! The manner how to ma$e the tone white!

&owe therefore when thou wilt enterpise this worthy wor$e, thou

shalt ta$e the precious stone, and put it in a Cucurbite, couering

it with an lembic$e, being well closed with the lute of wisdome,

and set it in )orie hote dung, then shalt thou distill it, putting

a receiuer )nder it, whereinto the water may distill, and thus

thou shalt leaue it, till all the water be distilled, and moysture

dryed )p, and that drynesse preuaile ouer it: then shalt thou ta$e

it out drie, reseruing the water that is distilled, until thou

hast neede of it: thou shalt ta$e /7 say3 the drie bodie that

remayned in the bottome of the Cucurbite, and grinde it, and putit in a )essell, in greatnesse answerable to the @uantitie of the

medicine, and burie it in )erie hote horse-dung as thou canst get,

the Eessell beeing well shut with the lute of #isedome, and so let

it rest! But when thou perceyuest the dung to wa e colde, thou

shalt get thee other that is fresh, and )ery hot, and therein put

thy Eessell! Thus shalt thou do by the space of fortie dayes,

renuing thy dung so oftenas occasion shall serue, and the Medicine

shall dissolue of it selfe, and become a thic$e white water: which

when thou beholdest to be so, thou shalt weight it, = put there to

40







n e cellent discourse of the admirable force and efficacie of rt

and &ature, written by the famous 8rier Roger Bacon, ometime

fellow of Merton Colledge, and afterward of Brasen-nose in O ford!

ome there are that as$e whether of these twaine bee of greatestforce, and efficacie, &ature, or rt, whereto 7 ma$e aunswere, and

say, that although &ature be mightie and maruailous, yet rt using

&ature for an instrument, is more powerfull then naturall )ertue,

as it is to bee seene in many thinges! But whatsoeuer is done

without the operation of &ature or rt, is either no humane wor$e,

or if it bee, it is fraudulently and colourablie performed: for

there are some, that by a nimble motion and shewe of members, or

through the diuerfitie of )oyces, and subtillitie of instruments,

or in the dar$e, and by consent do propose )nto men diuerse

things, to bee wondred at, that ha)e indeede no truth at all! The

worlde is e)ery where full of such fellowes! 8or 7uglers cogge

many things through the swiftnesse of their hands: and others with

)arietie of )oyces, by certaine deuices that they ha)e in their

bellies, throats or mouthes, will frame mens )oyces, farre of, or

neare, as it pleaseth them, as if a man spa$e at the same instant:

yea they will counterfeite the soundes of bruit beasts! But the

causes hidden in the grasse, or buried in the sides of the earth,

proue it to bee done by a humane force, and not by a spirit, as

they would ma$e men beleeue! 7n li$e maner, wheras they affirm

things without life to moue )erie swiftly in the twilight of the

euening or morning, it is altogether false, and untrue! s for

concent, it can faigne any thing that men desire, according asthey are disposed togither! 7n all these neither (hysicall reason,

nor rt, nor naturall power hath anye place: and for this cause it

is more abhominable, sith it contemneth the lawes of (hylosophie,

and contrarie to all reason, inuocateth wic$ed pirites, that by

theyr helpe they may ha)e their desire! nd herein are they

deceyued, that they thin$e the pirits to bee subiect )nto them,

and that they are compelled at mens pleasures, which is

impossible: for humane force is farre inferiour to that of the

pirites! nd againe, they fowly erre, to dreame that the cursed

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spirits are called )ppe, and figured, by )ertue of those naturall

meanes which the thou hast remooued the wea$e from the strong, and

put the powder thereto three, foure, or fiue times, or oftner,

alwayes wor$ing after one and the selfe same manner! nd if thou

canst not wor$e with warme water, thou shalt offer )iolence! Butif it bee bro$en by reason of the tartnesse and tendernesse of the

medicine, together with powder thou must )erie warily put more

>old to, and mollifie it: but if the plentie of the powder cause

it to brea$e, thou shalt giue it more of the medicine, and if it

bee long of the strength of the water: water it with a (estill,

and gather together the matter so well as thou canst, and separate

the water by little and little, and it will returne to his former

state! This water thou shalt drie )p, for it hath both the powder

and water of the medicine, which are to be incorporate as dust! Be

not asleepe nowe, for 7 ha)e tolde thee a great and profitable

secret! nd if thou couldest tell how to place and sette in order

the partes of a burnt shrub, or of a willow, and many such li$e

things, they would naturally $eep an )nion! Beware at any hand

that thou forgettest not this, because it is )ery profitable for

many things! Thou shalt mingle the Trinity with the )nion beeing

first molted, and they will rise )p as 7 suppose li$e )nto the

stone 7berus: doubtlesse it is mortified by the )apour of the

lead, which lead thou shalt find if thou presse it out of the dead

body, and this dead body thou shalt burie in a stillitory! 9old

fast this secret, for it is nought worth! nd in li$e manner shalt

thou deale with the )apour of a Margarite or the stone Tagus,

burying the dead as before thou art commanded!

nd now forsooth the yeares of the rabians being accomplished, 7

ma$e answere to your demaund after this maner! Hou must ha)e a

medicine that will dissol)e in a thing that is melted, and be

annointed in it, and enter into his second degree, and be

incorporate with it, not proouing a fugitiue seruant, and change

it, and be mi t with the roote of the pirit, and bee fi ed by the

cal of the mettall! &ow it is thought that fi ation prepareth,

when the body = spirit are layd in their place, and sublimed,

4?



which must be so often reiterated, til the body be made a spirit,

and the spirit become a body! Ta$e therefore of the bones of dam,

and of cal the same weight, there must be si e for the roc$y

stone, = fiue for the stone of )nions, = these you must wor$e

togither with @ua )itae /whose property is to dissolue all otherthings3 that it may bee dissolued and boiled in it! nd this is a

sign of 7nceration, if the medicine will melt, when it is poured

on an 7ron redde hot! This done, poure water into it in a moyst

place, or else hang it in the )apour of )ery hote and li@uid

#aters, and congeale it in the

unne then thou shalt ta$e alt-peter, = conuert rgent-)i)e into

lead: and againe, thou shalt wash and grind that therewith, that

it may come nigh to il)er, and afterward wor$e as thou didst

before! Moreo)er, thou shalt drin$e )ppe all after this sort!

&otwithstanding, thou shalt ta$e of alt-peter, %uru /23 otri,

and of ulphur, and by this meanes ma$e both to thunder and

lighten! Thus shalt thou person do the wor$e! &owe consider with

thy selfe whether spea$e in a riddle, or tell thee the plaine

truth! There be some that ha)e bin of another mind: for it was

said )nto me, that al things must be resolued to the matter,

wherof you may find ristotle his iudgement in )ulgar = )n$nowne

places, and therfore 7 shall hold my peace! &ow when thou hast

them, thou /23 shall ha)e many simples and e@uals, and thou shalt

effect by contrary things and di)ers /23, which before 7 tearmed

the $eyes of the /23! nd ristotle saith that the e@ualitie of

the powers doth containe in it the action and passion of bodies

and this li$ewise is the opinion of uerroes reprouing >alen! 7tis thought that this is the most simple and pure medicine that may

be found: 7t is good against the fe)ers and passions both of mind

and bodyes, more cheape then any medicine whatsoeuer! 9e that writ

these things shall ha)e the $ey that openeth and no man shutteth,

and when he hath shut, no man is able to open it again!

87&7 !

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