The Ripley Scrolld

7/29/2019 The Ripley Scrolld

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The Ripley Scroll

The Ripley Scroll is an important 15th century work of emblematic symbolism. Twentyone copies are known, dating from the early 16th century to the mid-17th. There are twodifferent forms of the symbolism, with 17 manuscripts of the main version, and 4manuscripts of the variant form. There are very wide variations in the English text on the

different manuscripts, and for the text here I have modernized and unified a number ofversions. This is not a properly researched edition, but a reworking of the text into amodern readable form. I add the engravings of the Scroll printed in David Beuther,Universal und Particularia...Hamburg, 1718.


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You must make Water of the Earth, and Earth of the Air, and Air of the Fire, andFire of the Earth.The Black Sea. The Black Luna. The Black Sol.

Here is the last of the White Stone and the begining of the Red.


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Of the son take the lightThe Red gum that is so brightAnd of the Moon do alsoThe which gum they both troweThe philosophers Sulphur vive

This I call it without strifeKybright and Kebright it is called alsoAnd other names many moreOf them drawe out a tinctureAnd make of them a marriage pureBetween the husband and the wifeEspowsed with the water of lifeBut of this water thou must bewareOr else thy work will be full bareHe must be made of his own kindMark thou now in thy mind

Acetome of philosophers men call thisA water abiding so it isThe maidens milk of the dewThat all the work doth renewThe Serpent of life it is called alsoAnd other names many moreThe which causeth generationBetwixt the man and the womanBut looke thou no divisionBe there in the conjunctionOf the moon and of sunAfter the marriage be begunAnd all the while they be a weddingGive to them their drinkingAcetome that is good and fineBetter to them then any wineNow when this marriage is donePhilosophers call it a stoneThe which hath a great natureTo bring a stone that is so pureSo he have kindly nourishmentPerfect heat and decoctionBut in the matrix when they be putLet never the glasse be unshutTill they have ingendred a stoneIn the world there not such a one


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The Red Lune. The Spirit of Water. Red Sol. The Red Sea.


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On the ground there is a hillAlso a serpent within a wellHis tail is long with wings wideAll ready to flee by every sideRepair the well fast about

That thy serpent pass not outFor if that he be there a goneThou lose the virtue of the stoneWhere is the ground you must know hereAnd the well that is so clearAnd what is the dragon with the tailOr else the work shall little availThe well must run in water clearTake good heed for this your fireThe fire with water bright shall be burntAnd water with fire washed shall be

The earth on fire shall be putAnd water with air shall be knitThus ye shall go to purificationAnd bring the serpent to redemptionFirst he shall be black as a crowAnd down in his den shall lie full lowSwelling as a toad that lieth on the groundBurst with bladders sitting so roundThey shall to burst and lie full plainAnd this with craft the serpent is slainHe shall shine colors here many a oneAnd turn as white as whale's boneWith the water that he was inWash him clear from his sinAnd let him drink a little and a lightAnd that shall make him fair and whiteThe which whiteness be abidingLo here is a very full finishingOf the white stone and the redLo here is the very true deed.


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The Red Lion. The Green Lion. The Mouth of Choleric beware.

Here is the last of the Red, and the beginning to put away the dead. The Elixir Vitae.


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Take the father that Phoebus so highThat sit so high in majestyWith his beams that shines so brightIn all places wherever that he beFor he is father to all things

Maintainer of life to crop and rootAnd causeth nature for to springWith the wife beginneth sootheFor he is salve to every soreTo bring about this prosperous workTake good heed unto this loreI say unto learned and unto clerkAnd Homogenie is my nameWhich God made with his own handAnd Magnesia is my dameYou shall verily understand.

Now I shall here beginFor to teach thee a ready wayOr else little shall thou winTake good heed what I do sayDivide thou Phoebus in many partsWith his beams that be so brightAnd this with nature him convertThe which is mirror of all lightThis Phoebus hath full many a nameWhich that is full hard to knowAnd but thou take the very sameThe philosophers stone ye shall not knowTherefore I counsel ere ye beginKnow it well what it should beAnd that is thick make it thinFor then it shall full well like theeNow understand what I meanAnd take good heed theretoOur work else shall little be seenAnd turn thee to much woeAs I have said this our loreMany a name I wish he hathSome behind and some beforeAs philosophers doth him give

In the sea without leesStandeth the bird of HermesEating his wings variableAnd maketh himself yet full stableWhen all his feathers be from him gone


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He standeth still here as a stoneHere is now both white and redAnd all so the stone to quicken the deadAll and some without fableBoth hard and soft and malleable

Understand now well and rightAnd thank you God of this sight


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The bird of Hermes is my nameEating my wings to make me tame.

The Red Sea. The Red Sol. The Red Elixir Vitae.Red Stone. White Stone. Elixir Vitae. Luna in Crescent.


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I shall you tell with plain declarationWhere, how, and what is my generationOmogeni is my FatherAnd Magnesia is my MotherAnd Azot truly is my Sister

And Kibrick forsooth is my BrotherThe Serpent of Arabia is my nameThe which is leader of all this gameThat sometime was both wood and wildAnd now I am both meek and mildThe Sun and the Moon with their mightHave chastised me that was so lightMy wings that me broughtHither and thither where I thoughtNow with their might they down me pull,And bring me where they will

The Blood of mine heart I wishNow causeth both joy and blisseAnd dissolveth the very StoneAnd knitteth him ere he have doneNow maketh hard that was lixAnd causeth him to be fixOf my blood and water I wishPlenty in all the World there isIt runneth in every placeWho it findeth he hath graceIn the World it runneth over allAnd goeth round as a ballBut thou understand well thisOf the worke thou shalt missTherefore know ere thou beginWhat he is and all his kinMany a name he hath full sureAnd all is but one NatureThou must part him in threeAnd then knit him as the TrinityAnd make them all but oneLo here is the Philosophers Stone


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The Ripley Scrolld