Laude, honour, power and glorie, be giuen to thee, O Almightie Lorde God, with thy beloued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, and the holy Ghost, the comforter. O holy Trinitie, that art the onely one God, perfect man, I giue thee thankes that hauing the knowledge of the transitorie things of this worlde (least I should bee prouoked with the pleasures thereof) of thy abundant mercie thou hast taken mee from it. But forsomuch as I haue knowne manie deceiued in this art, that haue not gone the right way, let it please thee, O Lord my God, that by the knowledge which thou hast giuen mee, I may bring my deare friends frõ error, that when they shal perceiue the truth, they may praise thy holy and glorious name, which is blessed for euer.
Amen.
The Preface.
I Hortulanus, so called for the Gardens bordering vpon the sea coast, wrapped in a Iacobin skinne, vnworthy to be called a Disciple of Philosophie, moued with the loue of my welbeloued, doo intend to make a true declaration of the words of Hermes, the Father of Philosophers, whose words, though that they be dark and obscure, yet haue I truely expounded the whole operation and practise of the worke: for the obscuritie of the Philosophers in their speeches, dooth nothing preuaile, where the doctrine of the holy spirit worketh.
CHAP. I.
That the Art of Alchimy is true and certaine.
THe Philosopher saith. It is true, to wit, that the Arte of Alchimie is giuen vnto vs. Without leasing. This hee saith in detestation of them that affirme this Art to bee lying, that is, false. It is certaine, that is prooued. For whatsoeuer is prooued, is most certaine, And most true. For most true golde is ingendred by Art: and he saith most true, in the superlatiue degree, because the golde ingendred by this Art, excelleth all naturall gold in all proprieties, both medicinall and others.
CHAP. II.
That the Stone must be diuided into two parts.
COnsequentlie, he toucheth the operation of the stone, saying: That which is beneath, is as that which is aboue. And this he sayth, because the stone is diuided into two principall parts by Art: Into the superiour part, that ascendeth vp, and into the inferiour part, which remaineth beneath fixe and cleare: and yet these two parts agree in vertue: and therefore hee sayeth, That which is aboue, is like that which is beneath. And this diuision is necessarie, To perpetrate the myracles of one thing, to wit, of the Stone: because the inferiour part is the Earth, which is called the Nurse, and Ferment: and the superiour part is the Soule, which quickeneth the whole Stone, and raiseth it vp. Wherefore separation made, and coniunction celebrated, manie myracles are effected in the secret worke of nature.