Certain Chemical Works

🝊 Legere Et Non Intelligere Est Negliere 🝊

When novelties or strange events ensue,

When we beholding greatly do admire

But being stake, or common to our view

Farther to gaze thereon have no desire

Thus I affirm, for that I know in man

Such secret wonders in ye world are none.

 

Having a body the World representing

In which God's Image is so lively set

I mean ye Soul, which is our understanding

Within our Bodies pure and delicate

Wherein such wonders are more secretly knit

As more to seek will more delight thy wit.

 

Then what thou art, having care thyself to know

Thy Substance, state, condition and degree

The rarest wonder that ye world can show

Is represented in thine own Body.

Elements vegetable and Mineral

Are all contained in thy Animal.

 

God by his power the world of nothing made

Which nothing is immortal seed most sure

Of which ye world took root that cannot fade

But firm and stable to ye and endure.

After which Image man was framed I say,

In ye same Seed, joined to a Fattie Clay.

 

First know, no tongue is able to express,

Nor pen can write the wondrous works of God.

His hidden Secrets will he not confess

Nor make them common flying all abroad

His Divine Wisdom clearly doth foresee

To place his gifts to each in their Degree.

 

To some he doth his knowledge more impart

Than unto some, whose natures divers fall.

Others again more skillfull in this Art,

And such wise men Philosophers we call,

Among the which many delight to see

How Nature each thing frames in their degree.

 

First they divide what she united had

By which they find three Principles as ground,

In everything that Nature forth had led.

Mercury, Salt and Sulphur pure are found,

Which Elements of Earth, Water and Air,

Do make their Quintessence, which they call Fire.

 

Of this again a Medicine pure they frame

Which sees sick bodies from Infirmities.

This pure Elixir is the very same

That cures the Metals of foul Leprosie

This is the Jewel which so few can find

Though sought of some till smoke ye eyes do blind.

 

Whose lucks with skill compared, may fitly be

They want ye vessels Hermes used to bear,

Which if they had smoakes they should not see

Nor half such tolling, out their cloakes to wear

Neither whole years, nor charge, they should not spend

But in short time attain the happy end.

 

Wherefore be well advised ere thou begin

What is ye substance whereof Gold is made,

Then boldly mayst thou surely enter in

And take upon you this most worthy trade

For many thousand herewith be deceived

And of their error will not be bereaved.

 

And thus in hope thou wilt observe this rule

And with attention, understand it well

Remembering Virgil since thou wast at school

And Ovid who of famed heavens tell,

And know their Gods who was to each their Sire

So mayst thou come to attain thy desire.

 

Likewise do learn our mineral spirits three

From whence they rise, Arsenick of which being one,

The other Sulphur, ye last Mercury.

The Fuming Spirits chiefest of our Stone

One of those poisonous with his piercing breath

Congeals Quicksilver to a solid Earth.

 

But if thou think this strange and far untrue

Then make a trial hereof if thou wilt

Taking my former Counsel given you

If otherwise, your work is surely spilt

But I assure ye if thou have our Stone

Thou shalt attain thine own desire anon.

 

 

AUTHOR TO READER

 

Now gentle reader on ye I bestow

A Secret which as yet thou dost not know.

If this my book thou read with good advice,

Shall find ye same ye sayings of ye wise

How sundry works compiled are in brief

Light charge, short time, which two I hold as chief.

All is not writ, some doth behind remain

Which is a whetstone for to sharp thy brain,

That it may cut as keen with wisdoms edge

Thou mayst attain to make ye golden wedge.

Let Nature therefore grave within thy heart

That which by writing no man will impart.

Which is a thing so easy for to gain

That understand well will requite thy pain.

Then praise the Author where thou comest in place

As higher powers above shall give ye grace.

 

 

THE AUTHOR'S WILL AND TESTAMENT

 

If from this life of breath I be bereaved

Then as a Log, a Cold, a breathless Stone

Compare my carcass which I have bequeathed

To sleep in rest till resurrection

Where flesh and bone to dust shall there decay

Until they join again at latter day

Until which time Reliques lay as Rags,

Of n esteem but yet my Soul Divine.

Let it ascend out from the Earthly Dregs,

Among the Angels up in Heaven to shine.

 

Whereof no tongue be able to express

The glorious love and joyfull blessedness.

And he who shall this Book and Verses read

If by the same he profit chance to find

First in my Love I wish him to dread

And let my Chaos be within thy mind

That thou may'st shew thyself a grateful man

To think on him which is dead and gone.

 

 

THE AUTHOR TO ALL THE FAITHFUL SONS OF PHILOSOPHY

 

I write to such as have desire to see

Into the grounds of true Philosophy.

But unto such as choke themselves with smells

Of Earthy fumes, come from mean minerals

Or else from stinking odours against kind

Such of my verse but little good shall find

Until they first these rules do listen well

To which most briefly I mean here to tell

Then know that the Philosophers first ground

Is everywhere, yet hard for to be found.

Yet England hath it always in store

For twenty thousand Philosophers and more

This matter next unto the Soul of man

More precious thing God ne'er created none

And 'tis offence unto his Godhead still

With violent hands this Stone to wrong and kill

Yet Natures first invention must be let

Before the first material you can get

Else Earth with will quake and groan and sadly grieve

If you will touch ere Nature will off leave.

For when as Nature she has done and wrought

There we begin, or else our work is naught.

One Chaos rude as God this World did make,

To man his little World from Chaos take.

Proportion several is therein I ween

Of Gold and Silver five nto fifteen

Not common Gold and Silver which is dead

For that is living which is in our Lead.

If thou canst free him from their Prison Dark,

I will account of thee a Learned Clarke.

For I assure thee in a shower of Rain

Cold heat moist dry hear soft therein remain,

Both thick and thin, a body spirit and soul,

Which Mercury Salt and Sulphur we do call

The four elements thou therein shalt find

Fire Water Air and Earth by kind

Clear then the Prison and thence set him free

And place them richly in a fair City,

Walled strongly about to keep them from their foe

Then hast thou rid them from their greatest woe

When in this City that a while they dwell

The heat therein will make them look like hell

For that there bodie never did abide;

So hot a climate as they felt that tide.

But use will make them well for to endure

A stronger heat when season will procure

Then will they strip them to shirts I fear

Till white as Snow to sight they do appear

Under which white is flesh red as blood

Which will not show till they have passed Noah's flood,

Then pearl and Ruby will they give thee store

Silver and Gold what wilt thou wish for more.

 

 

PRIMA MATERIA

 

1. Prima material which many can of clatter

Is not found in ought which Earth Imbowells

Nor on Earth growing comes our first Matter

As Vegetables Herbs Fruits or Flowers

Nor Animal nor excrements thence flowing

Or anything that on earth is growing.

 

2. Yet in each one of these thou mayest find

Three sorts of humours therein do conjoin,

As Water nourishing the Earth by kind.

When Sun it burns refreshed by rain

So is the first; next, oilie Radical

Which is the Substance of heat natural.

 

3. Last, humour watery as cement knitting

Bodys of Stones, metal living as dead

For Mercury, Salt and Sulphur being

United together and equally spread

As taste smell and colour the Quintessence call

Of Vegetable, Mineral or Animal.

 

4. Our Salt, a dry water and lively is he

Which many for Quicksilver did it take

But the three Spirits our Mercury must be

And the three Spirits our Mercury of which we must make,

Our noble Elixir both white and red

Our Adrop so precious and our red Lead.

 

5. First Matter of Metals is clammy like glue,

Quicksilver a nearer made of the same thing,,

Then Liquable Sulphur joined with them two

Whence vapour doth rise and to the earth cling.

Continual heat making decoction

And thereby made a metalline fusion.

 

6. Our Stone one thing of Elements four, being

The Earth and body wherein Earth dissolving

Air and Fire the Soul our Compound ripeneth.

All those well from one thing thou mayest divide

Which one thing known doth all things else exceed.

 

7. To give the Light what this one thing may b

When of the first this hour had of birth

And bearing life which vegetable growing

Till ripe as grass his state quite overthroweth

It is our Chaos as I erst did tell

If what I said thou do remember well.

 

8. Then not accepted but as base cast by

Yet of the wise is held in great esteem

To bring them health, wealth and free liberty

And from all thralldom will he them redeem

If by true Art they have the means to use him

For worldly wealth they never will refuse him.

 

9. If that thou wonder where thou shalt it find

I answer thee that thou in every in every place

Art sure to see if it thou be not blind

Through natures mantle covered hath his face

But if thou can'st it not yet understand

Look that wit speed thou do withdraw thy hand.

 

 

THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURE AND OF ART

 

The grave Philosophers in time o yore

Divinely wrote that Gold within the ore

As other Metals first engendered be

Of Sulphur and Argent Vive called Mercurie

And Gold say they, springs from another Mine

Where Argent Vive and Sulphur red do shine

Which by our artificial fire not great

The purity thereof we may compleat

That is more Perfect by a 1000 fold

Than either Indian or Arabian Gold

Which is concocted by heat natural

Within the bowels of the Mineral

For heat perfecteth all things in his kind

This must the Artist know if he will find

This must the Artist know if he will find

The narrow way that God to Nature gave

Is boil, boil, boil if fruit thou seek to have

And this by seething doth dissolve congeal.

Learn well this lesson if thou wilt prevail

And Patience have with thy continuance

Lest too sharp fire cause much grievance

Yet as the Infant food first is weak

But stronger as he grows and learns to speak.

So at the first our work has easy fire,

And is increased as ripeness doth require.

So at the first our work has easy fire,

And is increased as ripeness doth require.

And in a Vessel that is made threefold

Sure sealed up therein concoct thy Gold.

For our one thing that is to wit our Stone

And by one way which is decoction

And in one Vessel do we putrify,

Dissolve, Congeal, and Seeth continually.

First grows he Black in dissolution

Until the end of Putrifaction.

That as the moisture doth congeal and dry

Gay Orient Colours therein thou shalt espye

And afterwards true Whiteness shall appear

Like Fishes Eyes or Diamonds shining clear

Thus White at last when water yields to air

Which yields to fire then red it doth appear.

And often yellow red changing hue

And oft it melt, congeals before Whiteness true

It doth dissolve, colour and putrify

Killing itself reviving joyfully

After his Whiteness do increase the fire

Keep safe the Ashes which thou dost desire

Which God shall give thee molten crowned to red

Which King, Philosophers have honoured.

 

 

AN EXCELLENT WORK

 

From Natures four united into one,

Draw forth the menstrue of our Precious Stone,

Bodies calcined therewith dissolve to water

Which them is brought into his own first Matter

His parts divide the subtile from the gross

So shalt thou gain when others live by loss.

The unfixt light spirit superior part of stone,

Which is made pure by distillation

Then joined with the inferior part purged clean]

From parts superfluous 'tis the earth we mean

By Calcination and Solution

Is brought at length to quick Ceration.

Then both are purged by Putrifaction

And wisely handling Sublimation

This Oil of Sulphur made of Trinity

Doth Geber call his Oleagivity,

Or Aqua Secunda for the second place

Tis our Tincture ferment and our Gold

And form of Metal secret doth unfold

Our Sulphur Tincture and our gory blood

Which must pass waters of Noah's flood

His qualities are to consolidate

Into a Medicine he will penetrate

As meat or nutriment of Sulphur true

And doth convert and multiply thereto

Doth purge and cleanse and also giveth life

To Sun and Moon to Husband and to Wife.

It will conjoin natures that disagree

To wit I say the spirit and body

Between which two is the pure Oil the mean

And natures of them both it doth contain

Without the which they never joined will be

But as a dust on metal it would flee

The reason is that Humour radical

That is chief cause that metals melt at all

Is here defeat for imbibitions lack

Which to be fluent often see thou make.

This fixed earth the Humour will embrace

And earth in humour rejoyceth in like case,

Fixing the same against all fires trial

Against the Humour Earth makes volatile.

Hereof it comes that both being truly mixed

Is fixed volatile and volatile made fixed.

The Elixir fusible dissolve in simo [dung]

Fixed parts calcined often see this thou do

Then fix them till the Elixir that they tinn

Which must melt quickly Mercury to stain

And after into perfect Sun and Moon

Which else from fire will flee before they join

This Elixir is Medicine which doth cure

Imperfect metals of extreame Sulphur

Corrupt that form and bring another pure

With Golden Tincture ever to endure

To try Elixir of it be perfect.

On Copper plate melt some with gentle heat

If without smoke it spread and tin throughout

Is incombustible and perfect then no doubt

If that our Medicine thus purified

With Splendour of our Moon be garnished.

 

 

A SHORT WORK

 

By long concoction of our Watery Stone

Is Sulphur made of Air and Fire alone

With middle Air make the Red earth to flow

Of this Quick-silver Philosophers allow

Which will not moisten but congeal a maine

Such flying spirits as it doth retain

And Mercury called the first Essence

Must drink two parts of this for his defense

To join our Sulphur and our Mercury

Mix and fix them to our Lunary

Congealing both in our mercury Water

Which of all Metals is the first Matter

Our Earth of Crude Silver our Gold alone

For in all Tinctures is an inward Stone

Our Quick-silver is a Spirit quick of life

Ferment to bodies being Man and Wife.

It is Our Air and Our Fire fugitive

Penetrating bodies and giving life

Mercury Salt and Sulphur lovingly

Join as Sperms of Creatures certainly

Our agent body we do call our Lune

The patient Mercury which to him must join

The Menstrue nourishing them in the pot

Is made of the Salt of Alembrott.

Three days in milk at first our Stone is sure

Then add we salt to blood like flesh impure

Which in the water will coagulate

Then are his members framed to good estate

And then his Soul God on it doth bestow

That is to say a Power wherewith to grow

Then springs our ferment which we call our King

Which drops of water from dead earth did bring

Our Stone made quick and born as here you see

With milk at first do nurse him carefully

To three part Elixir being grown strong

Give but two parts of food for doing wrong

One par of elixir more than food

The better to digest and conclude.

 

 

ANOTHER WORK OF THE WHOLE MAGISTERY

 

1. Whoso intendeth our rich Stone to make

Natures true grounds at first must not forsake

Two Sulphurs which two Mercuries contain

One Red and moist, one White and pure and clean

Which Spirits and bodys first Calcine with fire

And then again turn earth to perfect Air.

 

2. Dissolve to Gum which Hyle we call

The which to Air distill again you shall

Earth so to Water that to Air you turn

Which Air to earth again congeal and burn.

Wash not the Womb with too much Water clear

For so you may extinguish quite the fire.

 

3. Moderately feed it at each time you may

Digest then distill the phlegm away

For fixed shall the volatile remain,

Which then sublimes to Air or volatile earth

Ferment his Soul and then you have our birth.

 

4. For body Spirit and Soul sure knit on one

Is our Elixir and our Precious Stone,

Which oft dissolve, congeal with Water clear

Till fixed oil no fires force shall fear

Which oil calcine into a Powder Pure

To White or Red Elixir have you sure.

 

 

ANOTHER (1.)

 

First putrify thine Elements together

Then separate them first with easy heat

By distillation purify with Water

But Air and Fire by Sand with great fire

The fiery Soul out drawn with spirit of water

Which bring on his White foliate soon after

The Spirit retains the Soul without annoy

And Soul the body willing doth embrace

By means of Spirit each one in other joy

The fire or Soul distill dark clouds deface

Then will he make of Silver, Gold in view

And eke the White of Copper, Silver true.

So bring this work into a perfect White

Put feces of this fire, distilled with Earth

Being deprived of all moisture quite

Then shalt thou have a new conceived birth

When this dry Earth hath drunk of moisture

Full fifty part that it can drink no ore

Which feed at first by drops and light calcine,

But first digest in sime [dung] for a day

Encrease the fire wisely at every time

If too much water be then it's a troubled sea

But if too little then burnt to cinders it been

Therefore in feeding always use a mean

The Earth having drunk of Quicksilver his fill

And is most White with fire it then sublimes

For foliate Earth like ashes up shall still

Which separate from the inferior dust shall be

And further profit shall thou never see

This Sulphur White dissolve in Water red

And oft Congeal Dissolve sublime the whole

And the white Sulphur like to dust shall spread

The White will Copper turn to Silver pure

The Red turns silver to Gold most sure.

 

 

ANOTHER (2.)

 

This fountain red of life original

Whose subtile Spirit is fire natural

Attending on moisture radical

A Quintessence fully spiritual

An Aqua Vitae most etherical

Whose nature is well near incorruptible.

 

2. This Spirit wit a gentle fire up rose

Heating the pipes of water when it did press

His Liquor Mercury, flame Sulphur shows

The last from Sal Armoniack tells no less

This Spirit rectify well, lute well the glass

Lest the exceeding subtile Spirit out pass.

 

3. The middle Liquor likewise keep aside

Reserve the phlegm with which his foeces laver

Let them digest till they have water dyed

Then put on fresh reserving still the former

Continue this till water be dyed no more

Which keep aside as erst you did before.

 

4. The foeces will like Crystal clearly shine

Which do provoke both seed and urine store

To cleanse the stomach liver and the spleen

And other virtues it hath many more

In his curcubit close the head on cover

Put on his spirit two inches floating over.

 

5. Set this on ashes to digest a space

The Spirit separate cleanly from the grounds

Then pour on fresh continuing the like case

Till black faeces be Quick smoaking found

Then hath the Crystal animated the spirit

With a tart Balsam ferment doth inherit.

 

6. Then in a glass these spirits firmly close

Cover in Sand where flame goes round about

Which in six days is White as any Rose

Calcine and fixed is the earth no doubt

With a fourth part then of Spirit animate

Let both a day by Balneo incorporate.

 

7. In Ashes out a water weak distill

Pour on more spirit doing as before

Until the fixed Salt retain his fill

And that the water loose his force no more

Which weighing is increased full three fold

And fixed then make volatile be bold.

 

8. This Matter then within his Limbeck close

Receives his Sulphureous humidity

Then for a day his Ashes repose

After increase the fire warily

For twenty hours that no fume appear

But Crystal Pearl stick on the Glass most clear.

 

9. In Porphyry Mortar beat this matter small

Powder on that Sulphur which was last distilled

Moderately feeding till imbibed it be all

Which for four days in strong Athanor being boiled

Is our great Lunary and Balsam radical

Sulphur of nature and true mercurial.

 

10. Dissolve this Sulphur philosophical

In rectified Spirit taught before

Close them in Pelican Hermetical

To circulate that two they seem no more

This our Azure water Celestial

Dissolve Gold to last perpetual.

 

11. From Marian and Salt Nitre may distill

By easy heat a Spirit Mercurial

A Sulphureous Oil by stronger fire come will

And fixed Salt of Salt Original

By force of fire yet will beneath remain

And thus three Salts extracted are from twain.

 

12. Which fixed Salt within his Limbeck lies

Yield until him Mercury again

Two days digest extract the phlegm aside

And volatile with fixed that will remain

Treble the fixed that it flight may take

Sublime thy Sal Armoniack them to make.

 

13. Within this Limbeck close the cover sure

Increase the heat after 3 hours space

In highest degree let it stand 6 hours more

Receive the flower of Salt come through the glass

Whose orient colours no man well can know

The fixed foeces Whiter lie than Snow.

 

14. Powder these Pearls and put on Sulphur Oil

Which Liquor first let putrified be

Then for a space together let them boil

Till fixed melting like to wax you see

This is the Soul or man the Spirit to join

That from his body never more will twine.

 

15. Behold the earth with fatness doth abound

By virtue of Nitres two flying Spirits

By sublimation falling on the ground

The growing substance Quickening life inherits

This is our Balsam and Fire Natural

Nitre from Sulphur Armoniack mercurial.

 

16. From Pitch lees sharp oil strong fire extract

Let foeces dry with phlegm 3 fingers cover

Six days in bath digest in water red, in act

Have drawn the Tincture; put fresh, then cover,

Digest, extract in all points as before

Until the waters be coloured no more.

 

17. Calcine the Sulphur, fixed Salt to gain

Which oft dissolve congeal with his own phlegm

When Crystalline in snow it doth remain

Imbibe him with his Airy Spirit of phlegm

The Watery substance then distil away

The Volatile with fixed Salt may stay.

 

18. And when you shall exceed the same threefold

By Fire sublime the foliate Earth to gain

Clearer than Pearl and richer than fine Gold

And yield to him his Sulphureous oil again

Join 3 in one which is our Leaven Tree

First branch whereof we call Antimony.

 

19. The balm of Gold his mercury is such

It purgeth men, the Sulphur of the same

Will Silver Gold till trial of the touch

Which put in fire yet it will take no flame

Within the flowers doth the Salt abide

Purging by vomit when it shall be tried.

 

20. The Mercury of this Antimony

Devouring Luna may well be called

Swallowing up Gold in his custody

Killing the Quick, again of Life installed

And this our Quicksilver is original

Of crude Quicksilver and all Mineral.

 

21. The Radical moisture fountain clear

Where Vulcan washed Venus at the sea

So clear that no impure spot appear

But shine as brightly by night as Sun by day

This precious Liquor is so rare a thing

Which health and wealth into our state will bring.

 

 

ANOTHER (3.)

 

1. Of White and Red first was I bred, and Menstrue did me feed

Now am but much like a Stone, but am no Stone indeed.

I lay like Slime shut for a time, heat changed my former shape.

I was a fine as any twine when first in womb I laye.

In darkness prest, I long did rest before I came to light.

Then grew I big, as does the twig, with puissant strength and might.

 

2. Then mark we well, for down I fell, as each thing has his time.

Now cast away, as filthy clay, which was at first but slime.

So loathsome sure, few will endure me in their hands to hold,

But yet the wise, me not despise, they think me rich as Gold.

Can you not tell then? Mark now well from whence I first was sought.

 

3. From Paradise so say the Wise, that Adam first me brought.

Now where I dwell I shall you tell, and where you may me find,

I am in thee that readest me, this note bear well in mind.

With letters three you may name me, and in three me divide

By fires might, which in your sight, these three are Quickly spied.

 

4. An oil first mark, or Water dark, will seem as red as blood,

A Salt will fly, and soar on high Quite separate from the flood

These 3 in One, we call our Stone, our Chaos which doth hold

As we do read, the perfect Seed of Silver and of Gold.

You must divide and set aside the Earth from Water and Air,

To dry the mud by heat is good till then to touch forbear.

The outward heat hath wrought this heat by help of inward fire,

The which did fry to powder dry this muddy Earth our Mire

On which you shall let Water fall and dry the same again,

This as I say, is called our Clay and Water of the Mine,

This is our Toad which here is showed, that drinks the grapes so fast.

 

5. Until he swells, as Ripley tells, till all his bowels brast.

Being of such might, he devouring as is said;

For Waters all drink up he shall, which then is called our Lead

Here naught I fain, but teacheth you plain the first work of the 3.

I show our Stone, to every one that will advised be.

At the next birth, our foliate earth, I purpose to declare,

Until which time, I cease to Rhyme, and wish you to forbear.

 

 

OF TRUE PRINCIPLES

 

1. Wise Geber, Hermes, Raymond and the rest

Of grave Philosophers so darkly wrote

To none but Sons, this Secret they exprest

For Ignorants they understood it not.

They want the Principles of Natures ground,

For by expense this Art is never found.

 

2. In Vegetables and Animals of kind

Which stranger be from Nature of Metal

True Principles of this Art is hard to find

Common Vitriol we do expel

Sulphur nor Common Quicksilver we use

For we from Metals do our subjects choose.

 

3. But he which hath a wit most natural

A searching spirit into natures ground

And follows Nature in her actions all

Not reading much which will the sense confound

By his own reason he may well confine

How Nature frames the Metal in the Mine.

 

4. Metal threefold within their roots we find

Far off a mine and some more nearer be

If thou canst wash the Sulphur and calcine

With Salt and Vinegar orderly

Knowing in Metal our Matter is contained

Sulphur and Mercury is all Wise men meaned.

 

5. Sulphur alone can never Metals make

But if he joined be with his Argent-vive

Congealation and Fixation will they take

Preparing Sulphur thou shalt see believe

That many skins above there shall appear

Which in short time will grow dry, white and clear.

 

6. For engendering metal and Elixir eke,

The Sulphur as the father it is

The Mercury the Woman Menstrue like

Art imitating Nature oft in this

And in the Work doth Nature overcome

There are out Principles both all and some.

 

7. A double fume doth penetrate our Stone

Wherein the Sulphur privily doth lurk

And mix itself with Mercury alone

And are decocted there by Natures Work

Where she converts them to a Metal pure

Learn nature's Secret and then keep it pure.

 

8. When first the vapours shall be lifted high

And descend into an Earth Rose Red

To common Quicksilver they turned shall be

From imperfect Metals Vitriols are bred.

The Sulpureous species prepared right

Are turned to Mercury, Sol and Luna bright.

 

9. This is the Seed whence Metals do begin

And of diversity of mine or place

And of the Sulphur pure or not washt clean

Are Metals altered, some fine some base,

These accidents from radical Seed take

And then thou mayst the true Elixir make.

 

10. In Metalline bodys are Sulphurs twain

And their Mercury by calcinations

Which was a Salt and to Salt is turned again

Of a true Calx the kind and fashion

Sulphur and mercury give fixation

Within the Earth by long Conversion.

 

11. Our Arsenick doth of these participate

Wherefore Hermaphrodite we do it call

But of itself no Metal may beget

Our Tin and Lead are Salts ethereal

Mars and Venus two fumes from Sulphur rise

The which from Vitriol dissolved comes.

 

13. White fume a red within his belly bearing

Hath no actual Nature of Element

Called a Boar a Lion fierce and tearing

Being indeed our true Quintessence

The Copper Mine is Salt which Saturn call

But Saturn is our Chaos holding all.

 

14. Perfect bodys dissolve into Water

Are Sulphureous species clean prepared

For fixed bodys are hard Salts in Nature

Which we make flying and the flying fixed

Again the manifest we hide from sight

And which lay hid we bring again to Light.

 

15. From Foeces burnt our mercury we draw

Multiplication with which must be

Mark well this Secret following Natures Law

And many Wonders art thou like to see

But first prepare then fix, last multiply,

And these three orders follow warily.

 

16. Our Stone as King which in himself is rich

Wants nothing which to it doth appertain

Geber talks much of marchasites by which

Our Stone of Philosophers he doth mea

Which Elixir we call, being Mineral

And also Vegetable and Animal.

 

17. In this our Stone consisteth all our skill

Using a natural preparation

In it is Gold and Silver to his fill

Not common but spiritual in action

This Gold is Potable and Radical

Humidity of Sulphur called the Soul.

 

18. Our Aqua Vitae from our Stone descends

And many Liquor we extract from thence,

Among the which some wash and some do cleanse

Some do congeal and some are a defence

That fire do not vitrify our Stone

And thus we make use of every one.

 

19. Black, blacker than black we do our Sulphur call

When he grows black in calcinations.

But divers colours before White do fall

And when Citrine and lastly a Carnation

It is Blackness doth endure 40 days

Forty in Whiteness and 40 the Ted wise.

 

20. Elixir doth itself coagulate

Formed like an Egg but that his shell is tender

From it take nought nor add to his estate

Break not the shell for loss of spirits tender

But nourish it with heat till at the last

Extracted Colours all be gone and past.

 

21. The Poets hid this Art in fables dark

Under Hercules and Anthces Power

Preparation of Sulphur how to work

By Jupiter turned to a Golden Shower

They teach the distillation of our Gold

Which Wise Men for a Secret great did hold.

 

22. By Minerva armed we do understand

that Water distilled, which Water of Sulphur is

By Vulcan flowing Minerva armed

Is Sulphur following the water of his

And in his Salt in putrifaction

Which congeals all by fires action.

 

23. By Mars our Sulphur they do plainly show

By Tin our Air, and oft our earth they mean

By the Phoenix which always doth receive we know

Our Elixir how to multiply certain

By Demergogous Tale we bring to life

Which is the Secret that s not so rife.

 

24. Thus Poets all their works in fables fained

Because the Art should never be attained.

 

A Brief Parabolical Description of the Stone.

 

Though Daphne fly from Phoebus bright, yet shall they both be one,

And is you understand this right you have our hidden Stone.

For Daphne she is fair and white but volatile is she.

Phoebus a fixed God of might and Red as blood is he.

Daphne is a Water Nymph and hath of moisture store,

Which Phoebus doth consume with heat and drys her very sore.

They being dryed into one, of Crystal flood must drink

Till they be brought to a White Stone which wash with Virgins milk.

So long until they flow as wax and no fume you can see,

Then you have all you need to ask -- praise God and thankful be.

 

 

VERUM VERISSIMUM

THE TRUE WORK

 

Wise men will read seek and seek in this latter age

But miss to find for which too sore they sought.

Time, Goods, lost spent have put some in a rage

To seek the Thing which will cost right nought

A piece of Earth congealed by Natures might

Much like a Stone, but is no stone in sight.

 

Prepare this substance to dissolve with fire

From whence three things at once by heat will rise

Of which three pints the Wise men did desire

To which they put a Salt congealed like ice

And then these four things did distill again

Whence Salt with Oil dissolved did rise with rain.

 

Fire natural with Seed of Gold in Oil

Remains below which we dry up to dust

In out Athanor we continually boil

Which dry Clay moisten often times we must

For oft we grind, imbibe, bury and dry

In which the Stone doth kindly putrify.

 

This Lead dissolve like butter somewhat soft,

Dissolve in Balneo what will thence arise.

When fire of Sand will rise two fumes aloft

A White, and Red, called Arsenick of the Wise.

The Faeces black, calcine in fire you may

Till they be White or else look somewhat Grey.

 

In thirteen weeks this Earth thou White shall see

Wherein three parts of water knit shall be

These fixed Bodies volatile shall be

If this first Water on again you put

To cover it in a small quantity

Digest in sand on night the head on shut.

 

In Balneo distil the water weak away

But volatile with fixed Salt will stay

Continue this till Water loose his might

And that the Earth increased be threefold,

By heat sublime, comes Sal Armoniack bright

More richer far than any Indian Gold.

 

This White leaved Earth, divide it into two

And in one part the Soul again must grow

This Soul is Arsenic which likewise divide

From greatest part sever, the white from Red

Into fixed Oils with fire let them be fried

Which are the Lights, true Leavens for our Bread.

 

For when the Soul and Body be made on

These are the Lights which must ferment our Stone

The foliate earth which did behind remain

Dissolve in bath and make our Virgin Milk

The which must feed our Infant born again

Till be he strong to wear a suit of silk.

 

Then with our Gold and Silver set in order

Let him be guarded with an Orient border.

 

 

CARMINA LAPIDIS

OUT OF AN OLD WRITTEN BOOK

 

This World is in a Maze and what you why

Forsooth of late a great rich man did die

And as he lay dying on his bed

These words in secret to his son he said

My Son, Quoth he, 'tis good for thee I die

For thou shall much the better be thereby

And when thou seest life hath me bereft

Take thou what thou findest and where I have it left

Thou dost not know, nor what my riches be

All which I will declare, give ear to me

An Earth I had all venome to expel

And that I cast into a mighty well

A Water eke to cleanse what was amiss

I threw into the Earth and there it is

My Silver all into the Sea I cast

My Gold into Air and then at last

Into the fire for fear it should be found

I threw a Stone, worth forty thousand pound

Which Stone was given me by a mighty King

Who bade me wear it in a fair gold ring

Quoth he, this Stone is by that Ring found out

If wisely thou canst turn the ring about

For every hoop contrary is to other

Yet well agree and of the Stone is Mother

And now my Son I will declare a Wonder

That when I die this ring will break asunder

The King said so but yet he said withal

Although the Ring be broken in pieces small

An easy fire shall soon it close again

Who this can do he needs not work in vain.

Till this my hidden treasure be found out

When I am dead my Spirit shall walk about

And stay with him till you may riches have.

Make him to bring you fire from the Grave.

These words a worldly man did chance to hear

Who daily watched the Spirit, but neer the neere

And yet it met him and every one

Yet tells him not where is this hidden Stone.

 

 

MICROCOSMUS

 

The adamical matter we may understand to be

The pains of this most little World wherein we plainly see

All things that needful are and nothing overplus

Our fiery Mercury it is by Art prepared thus

The true Hermaphrodite Adam and the true little World

The which among the Wisest men so highly is extold

When Corporal Salt with Waters Quick our Spiritual Mercury

And Sulphur animate be mixt and joined naturally.

Then Nature doth begin to work by her separating fire

By which impure Sulphur is divided from the pure

And earth from Salt is separated likewise and Mercury

From the faintest Water of the Clouds as Nature can devise

Again decoct these pure parts into a body pure

In the which Soul and Spirit both are fixed firm and sure.

This is the only milk and Stone which nourisheth our King

Fro the which union again our Mercury doth spring

Mercury Philosophical, not common of the mine

But our accidental is, which will with bodys join

For being fixed it father is of wonders great and small

It is both body and spirit which we Magnesia call

But our first composition of earth parts and dry

The body of Magnesia we call it certainly.

But when Quicksilver we do join in bodys to congeal

Magnesia we do call it, this rule may never fail.

Our Stone being raw we water call wherein contained is

Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus our filth of Silver cleaned

Which being in Quicksilver, Magnesia I do mean

White Sulphur we do call it but being boiled red

Is Gold, Coral, and Orpiment and Leaven for our bread.

Boil, grind, and wash the body cleanse and make his hardness mesh

His fiery Tincture hide which is his Soul and flesh

Must in another spirit rest for it is life not dying

Which to another body join and they will both be flying

That is our Mercury sublimed of Air and fire Light

United both in wedlocke band and made our Sulphur bright,

Mercury, Salt, Sulphur spring all from one rock and mine

Fix Salt and Sulphur to congeal Mercury not to twine

In them is such affinity in spermating aright

The Agent body Lune I mean and Mercury his Light

Which patient is the nutriment which Menstrus we do call

It is the Salt of Almebrot the which congealeth all

And doth revive the dead from death into a lively Stone

By means of Water 'tis born nurst by decoction

The Spirits they will ne'er dwell in bodys foul and hard

Till they calcined to dust be with simple spirits prepared.

 

 

A PROBLEM

 

Behold the thing which Quiets every mind

Which many seek but very few can find

Here view the dead where Nature can no more

Work on her Corps as she hath done before

The Last of birth is first of Joys: the Cause

And first of Joys is last of Natures Laws

When first and last by Art is wisely framed

Then shalt thou see the Bear and Lyon tamed

The flying Dragon and the Serpent lurking,

In Waters wild shall close be set to working

If this my verse be dark unto thy sight

And then in scenes it nothing the delight

Then in good truth set all thy works apart

And trouble not thyself with this our Art

For if thou be bit of a pregnant wit

Thy humour right for that they plainly show

The Mine where Gold and Silver both do grow

And eke the way to work and bring to pass

As Nature in the mine, so in the Glass;

With Equal heat continuing to the end

Thy Precious Stone with little charge to spend

Much may be said but briefly to conclude

They have much writ but only to delude.

 

 

THE PHILOSOPHERS BRASS

 

Our Golden Tincture springs from bodys four

Where Souls called Sulphurs lie hid with their Power

First earthy bodies joined to our bras do call

Our body of Magnesia name you shall

But when the spirits be congealed with Clay

And putrified Magnesia call you may

But in the time of Putrifaction

Call it you may the Philosophers Saturn

When Quicksilver is in the body congealed

By grinding washing and boiling is prevailed

Then bodys soft pure and subtil are found

Quicksilver burning bodys in one bound

The Soul our Tincture is in other spirit hid

And spirit to another body is wed

Our fiery poison bringing this to pass

Being decocted long within our glass

Till bodys be like butter or like brain

Or that the spirit will ascend again

With gentle fire then sublime the Soul

Which will ascend fro the dregs corporeal

By Art make part of this Quicksilver red,

Divide in two parts to stand thee in stead,

Mix one part with those things due of our brass

Dissolve congeal them all within the glass

The second part is food to feed this youth

At 7 times we give it meat for truth

Two parts of brass in tables beaten small

Full seven parts of venom add you shall

This Sea Water with very gentle fire

Dissolve the bodys to our own desire.

But when you see that blackness shall appear

The bodys then be molten without fear

In which Sea Water boiling fort days

A Flower of White Salt to the top will rise

Most shining white to sight it will appear

Congealed by heat our white Stone called Air.

If one of three parts Water you congeal

And keep two parts of Water you do well

This foresaid Compound being white and dry

By strong fire it into ashes fry

Which then will shine like ashes somewhat green

Seven times dissolve it and congeal again

With Mercury reserved before

And to this I need not to write more.

 

 

HEAVEN OF THE PHILOSOPHERS

 

Our Heaven yieldeth to each growing thing

Both moisture, dryness, heat and chilling cold

For that our Stars such influence Forth do bring

Saturn and Luna, cold and moist spirits hold.

But Sol and Mars have spirits hot and dry

Jovalls hot and moist these bear rule on high.

 

Our fixed Salt which is our heavens ground

Whose Diamond circles glistening from the sky

Are shining fires and burning Comets round

From Sulpureous Substance which flame and dry

Which in mercurial Spirits shine so clear

Proceeding from the Substance of the Air.

 

Sulphur in flame, and mercury in wind

Earth volatile gives Air taste sharp and sour

Which Sulphur Salt and Mercury we find

From whence the Air her influence doth pour

Within the thunderbolt is Salt full fixed

Thus, in the Air all three be duly mixed.

 

From crystal clouds of Heaven doth descend

A water weak, from water doth distill

A subtil Air, mercurial Liquors send

The Waters gross which Sulphureous parts did fill

Our penetrating Air more gross of spirit

Then do our Earthly Mercuries inherit.

 

The Elemental bodies visible

Appear in two, one moist the other dry

A Sandy Earth, deprived of taste or smell

Unsavory phlegm from whence Quick spirits fly

There two, the passive having lost the strength

And so is Air deprived of force at length.

 

The Elements their active Qualities

To Mercury Salt and Sulphur do pertain

The passive to their bodies in like wise

And so Salt Sulphur and Mercury do remain

Which by an Oil are joined all in one

And Water, Air and Earth by Water alone

 

Thus by a mean we see a Conjunction made

As Sand and Water by a fatty Lime

Thus makes the Dauber Mortar by his trade

So Air and Earth by Water well do join

And fire extracted as from other three

Quickening the Principals when one there be.

 

A fourth Essence this Air, fire we call

From form and Matter of ye Elements three

Which is the Soul that animated all

The bodies of our Principles that be

Colours to forms belong this Spirit and Soul

And Elements clean unto Matter corporal.

 

 

THE PROPORTIONS

 

On fixed bodies fix our Sulphurs twain

But first prepare our ferments pure and thin

To nourish youth by Quick corrosion

And to his Nature bring the Sulphur in.

This Sulphur enters Nature by a mean

Of his own Water which it doth retain.

 

So in Waters dissolve our Sulphur first

That into bodies it may better mix

Then into ferment thrice dissolve to dust

And by often iteration will our Sulphur fix

Boil Air and Mercury not fixed thereon

That both may take a fit impression.

 

Let ferment white three times his Sulphur bear

And earth must equal Air and Water or more

As two of Water one and half of Air

And three and half of earth or less than four.

Fix Water on earth and Air on Water

Then shalt thou have a perfect Matter

 

But to thy Gold let Earth two parts suffice

Of Water three as much of Air do take

One part and half of fire if thou be wise

Let weight of Fire half the Water make

If Colour want add Medicine as before

If too much Color then put Matter more.

 

Grind three parts Silver with Mercury six

One part white Sulphur with his Water

With one part more water likewise let him mix

Then with strong fire sublime both anon

And that which on the Vessel clear shall shine

With his own Water pour on dregs of Wine.

 

Grind seeth and roast till pap it be mixed

Again sublime it doing as before

Reiterate this work till earth be fixed

With twice his weight of Water and no more,

Then in like sort by drops with Air it fed

With gentle fire when it shall need.

 

And in this sort fix all this Air you may

Both day and night with fire then strong it bake

Let fire increase the second night and day

But in the third the stronger fire make

This substance feed upon a vehement fire

Till like to wax it melt to your desire.

 

 

A DECLARATION OF THE FIRST MATTER WITH THE ORDER OF THE WORK,

THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS PROFESSION

 

Even as the rocks which bind thy solid Earth,

Doth Microcosme in itself contain

Worlds coin the lees which bringeth forth a birth,

Adamical Matter foul and unclean

Rectify this as nature doth us guide

Distil, Calcine, and Earth from Air divide.

 

Mesh oft thy womb with oil, water and air,

Oft dry and grind till earth have drunk up all,

Which done dissolve again this earth to clear

Even as before distil that which will fall,

Let faeces black calcined be by fire,

Like to burnt Salt but in colour somewhat higher.

 

Or cover this with his first water bright

Four fingers over place it then in sand

Distil again till water loose his might

And be as faint as water of the Land

And this continue till increase you again

Fourfold at least and then sublime again.

 

The foliate earth which is our fire will rise

Over the head and hang as white as snow

Receive this flower that's honoured of the Wise

Dissolve with milk and let the Infant grow

Except one part of this be made a Child

Your labours lost and you yourself beguiled.

 

Return the Soul and Spirit to body dead

Earth or Ashes which we had did rest

Nurse well this Infant being newly bred

Milk let him have from his own Mothers breast

Until such time he strongly may endure

New food to eat his courage to procure.

 

Good gentle reader understand my Trade

Iron indeed the basest Metal is

Rest thee content through Gold I never made

By gains of Metal all my Living is

And credit me if that thou be of skill

Thou wilt in love requite my great good will.

 

 

TO THE DERIDERS OF ALCHEMY

 

What follows oft consist in Learned Men,

Whose Quick invention shewed by their pen

Can write a tragic story or devise

Some comic toy to please the viewers eyes,

But missed to see how blinded some be still

To write against Arts wherein they have no skill

And often times to please both fools and sage,

Will cause their work to be acted on a stage

This bringeth gain into the poets purse

The fox fares best when most men do him curse

And when he can not well obtain his prey

He discommends the thing as many say

To such as write against this Art Divine

Not knowing ought thereof do grudge and pine

But if such Quick conceits should change their stile

And know wherein the Wise did them beguile

Where in their books their writing they obscure

With offers great the simple to allure

For that such readers wanting Art or skill

Break pot and glass, use bellows Coal and Still

Sow Gold and Silver multiply with brass

And in the End can nothing bring to pass,

Threadbare their cloaths their Members out of frame

Abuse the Art, not knowing ought the same

Such workmen Chaucer in his tale doth flout

But the true Art commendeth without doubt,

And so would all our poets if they knew

The mine wherein our Seed of Gold doth grow

What do they think themselves to be more wise

Than Hermes, Arnold, bacon and the rest

Who by their writing had this Art exprest,

But yet so darkly writ that few or none

Can know or find the meaning of our Stone

Such as know naught and nothing seek to find

Their writings vain and they themselves as blind

Blind in this Art, I say, though Eye sight clear

And Quick their wits as by their works appear

Yet let them write naught against but what they know

And for the same can a good reason show.

True Alchemist though few such sure there be

Do know full well with what Art doth agree

They seek the thing Nature did work an frame

And having ended she did cast away the same

It had a time, the which time did expire

And his new birth began by force of fire

And every one who doth not know his price

Esteem it not but yet the Learned wise

Account thereof as the only thing on earth

That living dies and hath a second birth.

Hard as a Stone but once was soft and tender

Small as a hair white pure and as tender.

Now like an Egg in Nature not in show

By fire from thence will divers Liquors flow.

Earth White and Red our Chaos doth infold

Which we concoct and bring to seed of Gold,

Which seed we Mercury and Sulphur call

From whence all metals spring both great and small.

Not common brimstone or Quicksilver crude

But foliate Earth and Arsenick to conclude,

Of which by long concoction we do frame

A Powder Red which Elixir name.

Aurum Potabile we do it call

When into oil it is dissolved all

But to divide our Chaos in his kind

In Genesis or Esdras you shall find

Water and Air from Earth God first did take

Then muddy earth with fire did dry and bake

Within which Earth all treasures hid do lie

But Air as Wind about the Earth did fly

Unto the which I fitly may compare

The scoffs of such as here mentioned are.

 

 

FINIS.

 

Philosophical Quotes

Alchemical Images