BOOK I.

Uith \>e myjt, wisdom, and grace of ]>e holy trynite, I write to [PoI. lo.]

30U a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of ]>e book of of God^r"^^

quintis e5.?encijs in latyn, jjctt hermys J^e prophete and kyng this Treatise

of Egipt, after ))e flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris, liadde Herraes by

by reuelaciouM of an aungil of god to him sende. ]>at \>e Noah's flood,

wijsdom and \>e science of pis book schulde not perische. knowledge of

but be kept and presemed, vnto \>e eende of \>e world, of alle may be pre-

holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis for gi'eet perilis end of the

• . world.

]>&t my3te falle J)erof. For wifjinne ))is breue tretis, vrip jje

grace of god. I wole more determine of practif * ban of theorik. [* practise,

. ° . MS. Harl.]

3itt ben bojje nedeful / The firste and souereyneste priuyte \>a,t God's greatest

god, maker of kynde, ordeyned for mannys nede, how )>at olde m.'in's need is

euangelik men, and feble in kynde, my3te be restorid, and haue store'oid^ee-

a3eu her firste strenkjjis of 30iig}je in ))e same degree ]>at is in tiie strength
al kynde. and be mad hool pa?-fi3tly, except \>e strok of ])e

jjundir blast, amd violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche except in case

; , , ., - , , . of tliunder-

betynge / Also perilous fallyngis of hn placis, to myche absty- blast, and

too unicli

nence, atid o\>ere yuel gouemaunce a3ens kynde. And also J)e f»«^''j'j-'> ^

teerme J>at is sett of god, ]>at noman may a-schape. as lob sci\> in sot for nil

latyn / " Brcues dies homtwis mnt <kc." Forsojjc jjliilosophoris [Nom.]

1

2

THE NAMES AND qUALITIES OF QUINTE ESSENCE.

[BouK I.

The^imrest^ clepeu ))e purest substaujice of manye corruptible ))iwgis elemen-

comiptibie tid. qui?ita essencia. ))at is to seie, ma^inys heuene, drawe out

QuinteKs- by Craft of mani. for whi. as quinta essencia superior, bat is,

seiice or iiinn s ' ' ' '

heaven. lieucne of oure lord god, in reward of ]>e .iiij elementis, is

[• Foi. 106.] yncoiTuptible and vnchau^igeable / rijt so * qwinta essencia su-

Quinte Ks- perior inferior. \>&t is to seie, ma?inys heuene, is incorruptible.

seiice KS m-

comii)tibie as in reward of ))e . 4 . qitrelitees of mannys body, and so it is
qualities of preucd naturaly bat oure quinta essencia, bat is, niannes lieueue,

man's bcdy, ....

in it-silf^ is incorruptible, and so it is not hoot and drie wi{)
fier / ne coold and moist m]> watir / ne hoot and moist wit/t eyr.
ne coold and drie -w\]> er]>e. but oure qwinta essencia, avayli|' to
but not as be contraric as heuene incorruptible / But vndirstonde brtt oure

the heaven

of God. qMi[n]ta essencia is noujt so incorruptible as is heuene of oure
lord god. but it is incorruptible in reward of composicioun.
It is called, maad of be .4. elementis. and it hath .iii. names by the philoso-

1. Burning ... ...

Water; 2^.^ the phoris. ])at is to scic / brcjiiiynge watir / jje soule in ]>e spirit of
spiritofwine; wyn, and watir of liif / But whanne se wole concelle it. ba7me

3. \Vater of . . .

Life; and if schal 26 clcne it ourc qwuta essencia. for bis name, and be

you wish to ^ ' . ^ . , .

conceal ^, nature ]>ero{, ri'^t fewe philosophoris wolde scliewe / but sikurly
sence. jjei biriede \>e truj)e with hem. and witijj weel ]>&t it is clepid

It is neither breunyuge watir. and it is no hrennyng watir. forwhi. it is not
like water, moist ue coold as comouTC watir. for it bre?iuej), and so doij) not
nor hot and comyn watir. ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir. for eir cor-
rumpij) a ]>\ng a-noon, as it schewij) Aveel by gener&cioun of flies,
and areins, and siche o^ere. but sikirly j)is is alwey incorruptible,
nor cold and if it be kept cloos fro flijt / Also it is not coold and drie as erbe.

drj- like earth, ^ ,. 7i . a ^ • • i

nor hot and for souerevnlv it worchib a7id chaungib. And it is not hoot and

dry like fire. . . pi •••iv

drie as fier, as it schewij> by experience, for hoot jjingis it ken)).
It gives in- and hoot siiknessis it doib awey / Also b«t it seueb incorruptibi-

corruptibUity, „

[• Foi. 11.] lite, and kepi)) a ])ing fro coriniptibilite * and rotynge, it is preued

d^dCf"** ))MS / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt

from rotting, ^gnnne. it schal not coiTu[m]pe ne rote whilis it is }perinne /

and much miche more banne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body

more the liv- ... / m, • • .

ing fiesh of from al manej'e corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure numta.

man. It is . / , , i

Man's Hea- esscncia. bat is to seie, mannys heuene, hat god made to he cou-

von,

» [MS. siff.]