CHAP. IIII.
Of the maner of working, and of moderating, and continuing the fire.
I Hope ere this time thou hast already found out by the words alreadie spoken (if thou beest not most dull, ignorant, and foolish) the certaine matter of the learned Philosophers blessed stone, whereon Alchimy worketh, whilest we indeuour to perfect the imperfect, and that with things more then perfect. And for that nature hath deliuered vs the imperfect onely with the perfect, it is our part to make the matter (in the former Chapters declared vnto vs) more then perfect by our artificiall labour. And if we know not the maner of working, what is the cause that we do not see howe nature (which of long time hath perfected mettals) doth continually work? Doo wee not see, that in the Mynes through the continuall heate that is in the mountaines thereof, the grosnesse of water is so decocted & thickned, that in continuance of time it becommeth Argent-uiue? And that of the fatnesse of the earth through the same heate and decoction, Sulphur is engendred? And that through the same heate without intermission continued in thẽ, all mettals are ingendred of them according to their puritie and impuritie? and that nature doth by decoction alone perfect or make al mettals, as well perfect as imperfect? O extreame madnesse! what, I pray you, constraines you to seeke to perfect the foresaide things by straunge melancholicall and fantasticall regiments? as one sayth: Wo to you that will ouercome nature, and make mettals more then perfect by a newe regiment, or worke sprung from your owne senselesse braines. God hath giuen to nature a straite way, to wit, continuall concoction, and you like fooles despise it, or else know it not. Againe, fire and Azot, are sufficient for thee. And in an other place, Heat perfecteth al things. And elsewhere, seeth, seeth, seeth, and be not wearie. And in an other place, let thy fire be gentle, & easie, which being alwayes equall, may continue burning: and let it not encrease, for if it do, thou shalt suffer great losse. And in an other place, Know thou that in one thing, to wit, the stone, by one way, to wit, decoctiõ, and in one vessel the whole mastery is performed. And in an other place, patiently, and continually, and in another place, grinde it seuen times. And in an other place, It is ground with fire. And in an other place, this worke is verie like to the creation of man: for as the Infant in the beginning is nourished with light meates, but the bones beeing strengthened with stronger: so this masterie also, first it must haue an easie fire, whereby wee must alwaies worke in euery essence of decoction. And though we alwayes speake of a gentle fire, yet in truth, we think that in gouerning the worke, the fire must alwayes by little and little bee increased and augmented vnto the end.
CHAP. V.
Of the qualitie of the Vessell and Furnace.
THe meanes and manner of working, wee haue alreadie determined: nowe wee are to speake of the Vessell and Furnace, in what sort, and of what things they must be made. Whereas nature by a naturall fire decocteth the mettals in the Mynes, shee denieth the like decoction to be made without a vessel fitte for it. And if we purpose to immitate nature in concocting, wherefore do we reiect her vessell? Let vs first of all therefore, see in what place the generation of mettals is made. It doth euidently appeare in the places of Minerals, that in the bottom of the mountaine there is heate continually alike, the nature whereof is alwaies to ascend, and in the ascention it alwayes drieth vp, and coagulateth the thicker or grosser water hidden in the belly, or veines of the earth, or mountaine, into Argent-uiue. And if the minerall fatnes of the same place arising out of the earth, be gathered warme togither in the veines of the earth, it runneth through the mountain, & becommeth Sulphur. And as a man may see in the foresaide veines of that place, that Sulphur engendred of the fatnesse of the earth (as is before touched) meeteth with the Argent-uiue (as it is also written) in the veines of the earth, and begetteth the thicknesse of the minerall water. There, through the continual equall heate in the mountaine, in long processe of time diuerse mettals are engendred, according to the diuersitie of the place. And in these Minerall places, you shall finde a continuall heate. For this cause wee are of right to note, that the externall minerall mountaine is euerie where shut vp within it selfe, and stonie: for if the heate might issue out, there should neuer be engendred any mettall. If therefore wee intend to immitate nature, we must needes haue such a furnace like vnto the Mountaines, not in greatnesse, but in continual heate, so that the fire put in, when it ascendeth, may finde no vent: but that the heat may beat vpon the vessell being close shutte, containing in it the matter of the stone: which vessell must be round, with a small necke, made of glasse or some earth, representing the nature or close knitting togither of glasse: the mouth whereof must be signed or sealed with a couering of the same matter, or with lute. And as in the mynes, ye heat doth not immediatly touch the matter of Sulphur and Argent-uiue, because the earth of the mountain cõmenth euery where between: So this fire must not immediatly touch the vessell, containing the matter of the foresaide things in it, but it must be put into another vessell, shut close in the like manner, that so the temperate heate may touch the matter aboue and beneath, and where ere it be, more aptly and fitly: wherevpon Aristotle sayth, in the light of lights, that Mercurie is to be cõcocted in a threefold vessell, and that the vessell must bee of most hard Glasse, or (which is better) of earth possessing the nature of Glasse.
CHAP. VI.
Of the accidentall and essentiall colours appearing in the worke.
THe matter of the stone thus ended, thou shalt knowe the certaine maner of working, by what maner and regiment, the stone is often chaunged in decoction into diuerse colours. Wherupon one saith, So many colours, so many names. According to the diuerse colours appearing in the worke, the names likewise were varied by the Philosophers: whereon, in the first operation of our stone, it is called putrifaction, and our stone is made blacke: whereof one saith, When thou findest it blacke, know that in that blacknesse whitenesse is hidden, and thou must extract the same from his most subtile blacknes. But after putrefaction it waxeth red, not with a true rednesse, of which one saith: It is often red, and often of a citrine colour, it often melteth, and is often coagulated, before true whitenesse. And it dissolueth it selfe, it coagulateth it selfe, it putrifieth it selfe, it coloureth it self, it mortifieth it selfe, it quickneth it selfe, it maketh it selfe blacke, it maketh it selfe white, it maketh it selfe red. It is also greene; whereon another sayth, Concoct, it till it appeare greene vnto thee, and that is the soule. And another, Know, that in that greene his soule beareth dominion. There appeares also before whitenesse the peacocks colour, whereon one saith thus. Know thou that al the colours in the world, or yt may be imagined, appeare before whitenesse, and afterward true whitenesse followeth. Whereof one sayth: When it hath bin decocted pure and clean, that it shineth like the eyes of fishes, then are wee to expect his vtilitie, and by that time the stone is congealed rounde. And another sayth: When thou shalt finde whitenesse a top in the glasse, be assured that in that whitenesse, rednesse is hidden: and this thou must extract: 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. After whitenesse, thou canst not erre, for encreasing the fire, thou shalt come to an ash-colour: of which another saith: Doo not set light by the ashes, for God shal giue it thee molten: and then at the last the King is inuested with a red crowne by the will of God.