Moreouer, the oyle is putrified as thou knowest, by braying it with drying things, as with salt and vitriall, and by burning it, (though passion arise from the contrarie) and afterward it must bee sublimed, vntill his oylinesse be quite taken away, and that the water bee like Sulphur or Arsenicke in the minerals: for it may be prepared in the same maner that they are. Neuerthelesse, it were better to decoct it in waters of a temperate sharpenesse, vntill it bee purged or made white. And yet there is another profitable concoction in a dry or moyst fire, where distillation must bee renued (if you would haue your worke come wel to passe) and the matter rectified: of which rectification the last signes are to bee white, and cleare as Christall. And whereas other things grow black in the fire, this waxeth white, is purified, and euen shineth againe through the notable clearness & brightnes that is in it. Of this water and earth is Argent-uiue engendred, being not vnlike the Argent-uiue that is in the Mynes. Now when the matter is waxed hot after this maner, it is cõgealed: but the ayrie stone (which is no stone) must be put into a Pyramis in a warme place, or (if you think good) into the belly of a horse, or oxe, and so be changed into a sharpe feuer. And when it hath passed frõ this into 10. and from that into 21. so that the lees of the oiles are dissolued in their water, before it be separated, they do so often reiterate dissolution & distillation, til at length it be rectified. And here endeth this intention. But thou must remẽber that whẽ thou hast made an end, thou art then to begin anew againe.
Now will I hide another secret from thee. Prepare Argent-uiue by mortifying it, with the vapour of Steele for Margarites, and with the vapour of Lead for the stone Iber: and rubbe it with drying things, and atraments, and such like (as before) and boyle it: this done, let it be sublymed: if for vnion, 10. if for rednesse, 21. vntill the moysture bee consumed in it. Neither is it possible that the humiditie shoulde bee separated for the vapour (as the foresayde oyle) because it is very strongly commixt with his drie partes, neither doth it set any bound, as we haue already taught in the foresaid mettals. In this chapter thou maist easily bee deceiued, except thou perfectly vnderstand the signification of the words.
Now it is high time obscurely to intreat of the third chapter, to the end thou maist behold the very key of the worke thou lookest for. The calcined bodie is sometime put to (which is done to this end, that the moysture in it might be consumed by salt, and Sal Armeniack and Vineger) and againe, sometime it is nourished with Argent-uiue, and sublimed by them, till it remaine as pouder. These then are the keyes of the Art, Congelation, Resolution, Induration, Proiection, and this is both the end and the beginning: but as for purification, distillation, separation, sublimation, calcination, and inquisition, they are fellow-workers with the former, and now thou maist sit downe and take thine ease.
Sixe hundred and two yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, thou didst aske me of certaine secrets. Take therfore the stone and congeale it with a gentle boyling, and strong contrition, but without sharpe things. And in ye end mixe it a little with sweete water: and make a laxatiue medicine of seuen things, if thou think good, or of sixe, or of fiue: or of as many as thou wilt, but my mind is content with two: whereof the better shall be in sixe, rather then any other proportion, or there abouts, as experience may teach you. Neuerthelesse, resolue the gold by the fire, & restraine it better. But if you wil beleeue me, you ought to take but one thing. This is a secret of Natures secrets, able to worke wonders. It being therfore mixed with two things or more in number, or with the Phœnix (which is a worthie creature) at the fire, & incorporated by a strong motion, and that hereunto you putte warme liquor, foure or fiue times you shall be maister of your hearts desire. But afterward the celestiall nature is weakened, and waxeth feeble, if thou poure warme water into it three or foure times. Thou must therefore diuide the weake from the strong in diuers vesselles if thou dare credite mee, and draw out that which is good. Besides thou shalt take the powder, and throughly presse out the water that remained: for certainely it will make the partes of the powder spirituall: for which cause thou shalt saue this water by it selfe, because the powder dryed vppe herewith, hath the force of a medicine in a laxatiue body. Worke therefore as thou didst before, vntill thou hast remooued the weake from the strong, and put the powder thereto three, foure, or fiue times, or oftner, alwayes working after one and the selfe same manner. And if thou canst not worke with warme water, thou shalt offer violence. But if it bee broken by reason of the tartnesse and tendernesse of the medicine, together with powder thou must verie warily put more Gold to, and mollifie it: but if the plentie of the powder cause it to breake, thou shalt giue it more of the medicine, and if it bee long of the strength of the water: water it with a Pestill, 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 vp, for it hath both the powder and water of the medicine, which are to be incorporate as dust. Be not asleepe nowe, for I haue tolde thee a great and profitable secret. And if thou couldest tell how to place and sette in order the partes of a burnt shrub, or of a willow, and many such like things, they would naturally keepe an vnion. Beware at any hand that thou forgettest not this, because it is very profitable for many things. Thou shalt mingle the Trinity with the vnion beeing first molted, and they will rise vp as I suppose like vnto the stone Iberus: doubtlesse it is mortified by the vapour of the lead, which lead thou shalt finde if thou presse it out of the dead body, and this dead body thou shalt burie in a stillitory. Hold fast this secret, for it is nought worth. And in like manner shalt thou deale with the vapour of a Margarite or the stone Tagus, burying the dead as before thou art commanded.
And now forsooth the yeares of the Arabians being accomplished, I make answere to your demaund after this maner. You must haue a medicine ye wil dissolue 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 mixt with the roote of the Spirit, and bee fixed by the calx of the mettall. Now it is thought that fixation prepareth, when the body & spirit are layd in their place, and sublimed, which must be so often reiterated, til the body be made a spirit, and the spirit become a body. Take therefore of the bones of Adam, and of calx the same weight, there must be sixe for the rocky stone, & fiue for the stone of vnions, & these you must worke togither with Aqua vitæ (whose property is to dissolue all other things) that it may bee dissolued and boyled in it. And this a signe of Inceration, if the medicine will melt, when it is poured on an Iron redde hot. This done, poure water into it in a moyst place, or else hang it in the vapour of very hote and liquid Waters, and congeale it in the Sunne: then thou shalt take Salt-peter, & conuert Argent-uiue into lead: and againe, thou shalt wash and mundifie the lead therewith, that it may come nigh to Siluer, and afterward worke as thou didst before. Moreouer, thou shalt drinke vppe all after this sort. Notwithstanding, thou shalt take of Salt-peter, Luru vo po vir can vtri, and of Sulphur, and by this meanes make it both to thunder and lighten. Thus shalt thou performe the worke. Nowe confider with thy selfe whether I speake in a riddle, or tell thee the plaine truth. There be some that haue bin of another mind: for it was said vnto me, that al things must be resolued to the matter, wherof you may find Aristotle, his iudgement in sundry vulgar & vnknowne places, and therfore I wil hold my peace. Now when thou hast them, thou shalt withall haue many simples and equals, and this thou shalt effect by contrary things and diuers operations, which before I tearmed the keyes of the Art. And Aristotle saith, that the equalitie of the powers doth containe in it the action and passion of bodies. And this likewise is the opinion of Auerroes reprouing Galen. It is thought that this is the most simple and pure medicine that may be found: It is good against the feauers and passions both of minde and bodyes, more cheape then any medicine whatsoeuer.
He that writ these things shall haue the key that
openeth, and no man shutteth, and when
hee hath shut, no man is able to
open it againe.
FINIS.
Printed at London by Thomas Creede,
for Richard Oliue. 1597.