Upon him that rightly understands this ancient Fable of the Griffon, Lion, and Eagle, doth the Sun shine, for he will get no small profit to himself thencefrom. Whatsoever the Corrosive Eagle dissolves and tears a-pieces, that the fix and fiery Lion precipitates. And whatsoever the Lion devours, that the Eagle doth agen snatch from him: but they kill each the other, of whole dead bodies the Griffon exists, which hath the body of the Eagle and Lion. By how much the oftner this labour is repeated, so much the more potent and stronger doth the Griffon come to be, [especially] if both the Eagle and the Lion have filled themselves with food and are grown fat; or by how much the bigger the Eagle and the Lion are grown, by such Subjects as are agreeable unto them, afore their mutual fighting; the Griffon doth also become of magnitude proportionable.
Once every day therefore may such a conflict, slaughter, revivification, and transmutation of these two fighting and capital Enemies, viz. the Eagle and Lion into the Griffon be made. But if you would have it profitable, then must Vulcan sharpen Saturn’s Sythe, by which he may divide the Griffon [in twain,] and may turn whatever proceeded from the Eagle, into the Eagle again; and may transmute that which arose from the Lion into the Lion agen. When the dominion of the Griffon is divided, and that the Eagle bears sway onely over his birds, and the Lion onely over his beasts, like two Kings, then all is well, and there’s no war. But if once the Eagle endeavours to snatch away from the Lion his prey, then ariseth a great war, and of so long a continuance, till they have slain each the other, of whose bodies the Gods doe make the Griffon. But when the Griffon becomes too disdainfull, and affecteth Tyranny, and designs to bear rule over birds and beasts together, he is agen divided by Vulcan, by the perswasion of old Saturn, that so he may return by a reiterated transmutation into the Eagle and Lion: which wheel [or rotation] of reciprocal transmutation doth never rest, but converts it self [or turns it self round] in a perpetual course for Man’s punishment, as long as it shall please the most high God, who, at last, will put an end to all fightings, slaughter, and contention, that afflict this world: at which time all the Eagles and Lions which ever were in the world, shall be turned into the Great Griffon, which will rend and overthrow the whole Earth.
This time all pious Souls doe expect and wait for with ardent desire, and many sighs, that they may be at last freed from the talons of the Eagles, which rend all things a-pieces, and from the claws of the roaring Lions, and enjoy everlasting peace and quietude.
Thus much may suffice to have been spoken of Salt-peter at this time, which, how it may be prepared very plentifully, and with great profit, out of the Salts of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, I have already declared in the foregoing [third Part of the Prosperity of Germany]. He now that dreams of so managing his affairs as to reap benefit and profit to himself thencefrom, may inquire into the business by a more accurate meditation and search. Yet let him know, That Salt-peter may be very easily made of many vile Subjects, which may be every where had: of which Salt, if you have plenty, you cannot want other things. For not onely most excellent Medicaments against all kinds of Diseases may be made with Salt-peter, as likewise the growing faculty of Fruits springing out of the Earth, be promoted, as of Corn, Wine, and such-like things necessary for the sustaining of the life of Man; but also pure good Gold may very easily, but with great profit, be gotten out of the imperfect Metals.
Seeing then, that by means thereof, a man may be supplied with firm health, food, and rayment, and with Gold and Silver, what other thing is there, I pray, that he can want? That which I have so often said, I doe here repeat and affirm, That there is not in the whole World any subject that can compare with Salt-peter, much less be preferred before it.
Such a noble, yea so kingly a Subject therefore as this is, well deserves to be most highly honoured by us, and to be searcht into by the utmost of our endeavours, because of the so great benefits it bestows upon Mankind. We will therefore proclaim and pronounce Salt-peter to be the Monarch of the whole World, though all its and my enemies, who endeavour to bespatter our honour and repute with the brands of infamy, doe even burst for malice.
O most foolish men, with how vain a hope doe ye expect the Lion and Monarch from the North, as the Jews doe their Messiah, who came above 1600 years ago. The Lion of the North, and the Monarch of the World is even at this time present, and hath always been, but yet hath been known but by a few; the full and perfect revelation of which, God alone knows. I doe verily think the time is now at hand; These things which are known unto us concerning him, are all of them but particulars, and very few too. But if the said Northern Lion shall find out and dig forth the treasures which lye hidden in the Mountains, then will he at last exhibit his power to be seen, and shew himself to be the Monarch of the whole World.
Salt-peter is that great and fire-spitting Dragon, the keeper of the Golden Apples, and that venomous Basilisk which kills all things with his looks. If he be but fixt and made constant in the fire, then is he that Salamander living in the fire, and that Phœnix the bird of the Sun, which having gathered pure Gold out of the Sand, useth it to the making of her nest, and arriving to its utmost old age, burns her self; out of whose Ashes other Phœnix’s are produced.
He that desires to know more of the Griffon, Phœnix, Dragon, Basilisk, and Salamander, all which doe exceedingly thirst after Gold, and dig it out of the Earth and keep it, may read Pliny, and other the ancient Writers of natural things; as also Ambrosius Calepine’s Dictionary of eight Languages, and of the last Edition.