Book I.] THE a"**, 3"*, AND 4'^ WAYS OP MAKING QUINTE ESSENCE. 5

And anobe?' maner worchinfye of oure qmnta essencia is The second

J)is / Take ))e noblest and ]>e streugest bre?inyDge watir \>at 36 Quinte

^ ^ Setter*

may haue distillid out of pure my3ty wiyn. and putte it into p^j^

a glas clepid ampho?-a, wit/t a long necke / and close )>e mou]> ^fJJ.'^f^g*

strongly wi)) wex ; And loke )>at half or ye jjridde pa?-t be fulle. ^n'J.^^p,"*™;-

and birie it al in hors dou?ige, prepcM-ate as it is seid hereafter / ^til-'y it"neci<

so )jat ))e necke of Jje glas be turned dou?iward, and ]>e botuwi horle-Xng,'"

be turned vpward. jjat by vertu of Jje hors douwge )>e qmnta ^{^1,^^ es-

essencia ascende vp to ]>e botum. And J)e groste of Jje mater iX^hegiobe

of \>e watir descende dou?iward to jse necke / And aftir manye purifies settle

daies, whanne 36 take it out, softly lift vp Ipe glas as it stondith, Take'theguiss

and 36 schal se in ]>ickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene dung'"'*

\>e qtiinta7?i essencia7?i sublymed, and ]>e grose mater ]>at is in ))e

necke / ]>e wondirful maistry of departynge of ])cit oon fro ]>at

o]>er is ]>is / Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, and mii'^e a hole

peei-se into \>e wex Jjat hongij) in |je mou)) of ]>e glas a3ens Jje seal,

erjje / and whawne 3e haue peersid al fully to Jje watir. take out

J)e poyntel or Jje pricke / And Jjat erjjcly watir wole first come p,'°g"g*j^,y™'

out Jjat is in Jje necke / and so til it be come out vnto ]>e wter,

departimge bitwixe it / and jie qwinte essence, ]>at is, mannys

heuene sublymed. and whaue 3e se hat bis qmnt essence wole and when the

. . ' . . Quinte Es-

rewne and melte aftir bat bis erbely watir be voydid. putte banne sence would

' > ' J 1 r begin to run,

swiftly 30ure fyngir to be hoole, and tui-ne vp be glas, and banne turn the glass

up, and keep

36 haue Jjeriwne oure qm'nte essence, *and ]je erjjely watir wijjoute ['Foi. 13.]

aside. And ))is is a passywg souereyn priuytee. Essence.

The jjridde maner is ]>at 3e take a greet glas clepid amphora, ™'

and seele it weel. and birie it weel in jje wombe of an hors al Put vour am-

togidere. and \>e purete of )>e qm'nte essencie schal be sublymed hors'e's'beiiy

aboue, and ]>e groste schal abide bynejje in ]>e botme / take out duns, and

■ ■ proceed us

softii j)«t \>at fletijj a-boue. and Jjat ]>at leeuej> bihynde, putte it above.

to J)e fier.

The .iiij. maner is ))is. take what vessel of glas jjat 30 wole, way.""'

or of erbe strongly glasid, and ber vpon a round foot of elas substitute for

' a 1 , , I o ti,g iiniphoia

wib a leg. and seele be vessel wit/i his couertoztr, bat be rod a vessel of

' ' ' I r glass or earth,

of |>e foot of Jje gla.s wijjiune jje vessel honge in ))e eyr. j)at \at r*iJ',',",g"froni

)nng ]>at asce'/ulith to J)e couertour in \>e maner of a pott boilyngc "i^';,^",',^')"'},,^

air.intn which

6 THE 5"' WAY TO .MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE, &C. [Book I.

tiie vapour tlesccude douu a?en by bfi foot of be elaa. and this iBstrument

nmy fall niicl j .1 i 10

comiense. may 36 do make wijjoute greet cost / The fift)e maner is ))at )>e

Tio-n/th^way. breimynge water be .10 tymes distillid in hors dou?ige cou-

Distil vour . it .

iiii.ninK tyiiuely digest.

times. The science of makynge of fier wijjoute fier / wherby 30

Jrithnu'iire Hiuke oure qmntc essence wi})oute cost or traucile. and

'f'slcMcl'with. wit/toute occupacioun and lesynge of tyme / Take J)e beste horse

"r'ouhie. doimge jjat may be had jjrtt is weel digest, and putte it wi))ine

Put horse- & uessel, or ellis a pitt maad wij) ))e erjje anoywtid )joru30ut wi't/t

ve«ei'o'r pit past maad of aischin. And in ))is vessel or pitt bete weel togidere

lined witli i i • i ti r> • i

ashes, and pc aou7ige. And 1??. )>e mj'ddil 01 ))is douwg sette be vessel of

place vour ... , „ . . ,

vessel ill it up distiliaciouji v«to be myddis or more / ror it is nede bat al be

to the middle. , , „ , , • , i • / • , •

The cold top heed 01 ))e vessel be in jje coold eir / jjat. j)at ])mg )j(it bi vertu

dense the va- of be fier of be dou?ig bat ascendith berby be turned into watir

p>.urciui9od .

[•foi.i36.] 'vej-tu of cooldnes of ])e eir and falle dou?i ajen and ascende

the'dui'ig"' °^ vp a3en. and ]>us 36 haue fier wijjoute fier, and but wij) litil
traueile.

vMS€i1n*tiie^ Also aao]>er maner of fier, sette 30ure vessel forseid to \>e

sun's rays. gtrong reuerberaciouw of J)e suwne in somer tyme, and lete it

stonde \>ere ny^t and day.

cmmidu^iiien Here I wole teche 30U how pore euaregelik mcTi may haue

^oraciomin- wi))oute cost, and almoost for nou3t, \& gracious influence of

''goidT'^ gold) and ])e maner of ))e fixynge of it in oure heuene, ))at is.

Borrow a Flo- oure qitiuta essencia. if 3e be pore. 3e schal preie a riche man

a rich friend, bat IS 30M7'e frecwi to Iccnc 3011 a good floreyn of florence / and

anneal [?lieat] . . i- i i i i • • i

it on a plate auclc it vpon a plate oi yrcn as yrcu is anelid. and uaue bisule

of iron, and , , i p i p i i i

throw it into 30U a ucsscl of crbc glasid, nllid lul ot the beste brennynge watir

some Burning . • « 1 • i i

Water, taking bat 36 may fyiulc. and caste into ))e watir jje noreyn anehd. and

care to quench ' ■' ., 1 1 • 1 i 1

the fire quick- loke bat 36 hauc a sotilte and a slei3]je to quenche sodeynly ))e

ly to prevent '

the Water fier, bat be watir waaste not. and be weel war ))at won }Ten touche

wa.stiiig. ' r r • n

Repeat this ))e watir. but af[t]er caste into )je watir j)e floreyn, and do so .1.

.•io times tymes or more, for J)e oftere ])e bettere it is / And if 3e se \at Jie

ill fresh watir wjwiste to myche, chaunge it ))aune, and take newe, and do

theifmix all SO oftc tymes. aud whanne 36 haue do 30ure quenchour, putte

tngcthen" alle ))e wat?-is togidere / An,d 3e schulen vndirstonde jjat ))e

drawTo"!* all vei-tu of breJinyugc watir is sich ])at naturely it drawi)) out of

KOOK 1.]

HOW TO GILD BUIININQ WATEll Oil WINE.

7

gold nWe J)e vertues and pv-opirtees of it, and it holdi]; incor- the p^ropertie*

nimptibiletee and an eueue beete. *baniie meynge bis brennynge [*Fo1. 14.]

watir bus sriltid wib cure qttinte essence, and vse it. but be war Burning

I ° f >■ _ Water mth

))ot 56 quenclie not ))e floreyn in oure qiiinte essence, tor Jjanne Quiute Es-

it were lost / And if it so be jjat liaue not J>is brennynge watir You mav sub-

• 1 1 • • 1. J. stitute for

redv. banue que/iche 30ure floreyn m be beste wliijt wiyn bat Burning

■ ^ , , • -1 \i Water best

may be bad / For sikirly be pbilosopbore seib. bat wiyn bath white wine,

. which also re-

also be propirtee to restreyne in it be influence and vflrtiies oi tains tiie

. powers of

gold / And wLanne haue do 30^7-6 werk. scbal wite ]>a,t ]>e gold.

floreyn is als good, and almoost of same weijte, as it was

afore / Jjeifore vse wiyn or breiinynge watir giltid, so ]>at 36 may Thisgiit

1 Water will

be hool, and wexe glad, and be 3ong. And ]>m bane oure make you well

. .J, f'"'! young

heuene, and be su?ine in bim nxid, to be conseruaczoun 01 mannys again, in it

you have the

nature and fixaciouw of oitre beuene. bat is, oure qmnte Suu fixed in

our Heaven.

es.s-ence.

Tiie sciewce how se scbule gilde more my3tily by brennynge How to gild

Burning

watir or wi}Ti J)an I tau3te 30U tofore, wberby ])e water or miu-ror

))e wiyn scbal take to it my3tily J^e influence and ])e vertues thoroughly.
of fyne gold.

Take be calx of i\n gold as it is declarid bere-aftir in bis Heat calcined

> •! o I gold in a silver

book, and putte it in a siluer spone, and anele it at be fier. spoon and put

^ ^ it in Burning

and banne caste be cals of tbe gold in be brennynge watir. water or

' > o r •< o wuie 50 times,

or in wiyn .1. tymes, as I tau3te 3011 tofore wi]? \e floreyn. and

36 scbule haue joure licowr by an bu;idrid part bettir gilt ban 36 X™?' "i""''

' ■> •> 6 J 3 will be better

had tofore -m^ jje floreyn / Forwbi. fier worcbij) more strongly fjJ^'"y^tg/o^

and bettere *in sotil parties ban it doib in an bool plate / And [*foi. i46.]

> I I / wine work

also brewnynge watir or wiyn draw]? out more my3tily bi a ^ny^on" t™g"

Jjousand part Jje propirtees of gold fro smale parties anelid }jan on a^"'''

it doij) fro a |)icke plate / And 36 scbal vndirstonde Jsat wiyn ^yj),^g

not aloonly lioldib in it be propirtees of gold, but myche more the properties

I y I I r> J of all liquililes

]>e propirtees of alle liquibles if jjei be quencbid jjeriraie. and ])at .n"enched in

is a souereyn priuite. Forwbi, if 36 quenclie saturne liquified if satum dead)

. liquefied be

in wiyn or in comouw watir .7. tymes. and aftirward in bat wiyn qiienciied in

, J J wine, and

or watir 36 quenche mars nianye tymes. bawne mars scbal take thcnMarsiiron)

. •' I be quenched

algate be neiscbede and be softnes of saturne/ And be same i" », Mars uc-

' ' ' quires the

sclial venus do, and alle obere liquibles / or ellis. And 3e «>ft"e'« "f

1^1 J Saturn.

8

TO MAKE KIIMC WITH XO I'llfK. TO f'ATA.INK (.'Of, I).

[ItOOK I.

Asain, qucnclie niai-s in whiit wiyn or in comouw watir nianye tynies.

if yoii qiieiK'li 1 f • 1 • J J

Mars in wine and aftirward in be same wiyn or watir ae caste saturne linwified

nnd put in it . '

Saturn liquo- oftc tymcs. banne wiboute doute ae sclial fynde bat be saturne
fied, tliis will . . ' ' J r r

beinadeiiard. is nutfld rijt hard / Therfore j)e propirtees of alle liquibles may

be brou3t into wiyn or watir. l)ut myche more niyjtily into

brenuynge watir good and i)recious.

To make fire The scie»ice to make a tier, bat is wiboute cole. witAoute

tvilhout coals, ' '

limejjpMAc. lyme. wipoute li3t. worchinge ajens al maner scbarpnes or
accioura of visible fier. ri3t as worchij) ))e fier of helle / And
Jjis priuytee is so vertuous pat ]>& vertn peroi may not al be

Mix equal declarid. And bus it is maad. Take Mercuric bat is sublymed

parte I if sub- ' r

wi'tA vitriol, *and comen salt, and sal armoniac .7. or .lo. tymes

Imiated Mer- ' •'

SarAmmo"'' ^ublymed / and meynge hem togidere by euene porcioun. and

grlmi thera ^O''^'^^ smal. and leye it abrood vpon a marbil stoon. and by

ti"era'to\b'e* iiyB^e sette it in a soft cleer eir, or ellis in a coold seler. and ]>ere

ti'ie/'"i''turn "woh turnc into watir / And jjanne gadere it togidere m to

into water, f^ strong vcsscl of glas, and kepe it / This wate?* forso)>e is so

a drop of stronff. bat if a litil drope b^-of falle A'pon loure bond, anoon it

whicli will eat . .

thro'.vour wole perce it borua out. and \n be same maner it wole do if it

hand, and i i j i

make Venus falle vpon a plate of venus or lubiter into bis watir, it tm-neb

(copper) or ' ' ^ ' '

ii"e peari'"'^ hem into lijknes of peerl. who so coude reparale and preparate
If it could be kyudcly bis fier, wiboute doute it wolde quenche anoon a bren-

nioderated it ' ^

would cure nynffc siiknes clepid be fier of helle. And also it wolde heele

the disease J o j i r

ever ■'corro"^ cuery cor[os]if sijknesse. And manye philosophoris clepi)) ])\a

sive sickness, iji^or [y^ ijer bookis Sal amarus. al bona bei teche not be maistrie

It is also ' ° r 7 r r

called 'Sal perof / If it be so ]>at j)is firy watir breke J)e glas and rejme out

into ))e aischen. panne gadere alle togidere \)at fynde pastid in

\>e aischen / and leye it vpon a marbil stoon as afore, and it wole

— t?«-ne into watir. And bis is a gi-eet prmytee.

To calcine , , . i / m i p 11 1

gold. The science to brynge gold into calx / Take tyn gold and

Cut gold into niake it into smal Ivmayl. take a crusible wib a good qiian-

shavnigs ; put . j > o ^

ciiiie with"'" t^*^® MercuHe, and sette it to a litil fier so ]>at it vapoure

i^nrand it not, and putte \>er'mne ))i lymail of gold, and stire it weel togi-

t'Foi'Tsfto 'lere / and aftirward wi});?ine a litil tyme je sclial se al \>e gold

flour'''""""' wij)iwne ]>e Uercmie turned into er))e as sotil as Hour. Jja/tiie

Ji^rthe'mer? 5e"e it a good fier |)at J^e Memine ai-ise and go his wey, or ellis

cury goes his
way ;

KnoK I.]

TO GET THK QUIXTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD.

9

and 36 wole 30 may clistille aiul gadere it, puttynge jjer-vpon a ordistnu,^^
lembike / and in ))e corusible 36 sclial fyude ]>e gold calcyned and P^^^^^er wui
reducid into erbe / And if 36 wole not make lymayl of gold, ""f^e

' / ■' . . A thin plate

jjanne make jjerof a sotil jjiwne plate, as 36 kan, and putte wijjmne of goWwiiido
be Mevcuri'e al warm, and 30 schal baue 30ure desier / And shavings, and

' J ' Sliver may be

in ))is same maner 36 may worche wij) siluii- / Thanne take ]>e treated like
calx of bese two bodies, and bere bem openly wib 30U. and ])er To carry

' •■ •' ' ^ these powders

scbal nomau knowe wbat ]>ei ben / And if 30 wole bere bem about,

moi-e pn'uyly wij)0ute ony knowynge, ))anne meynge bem wij) "'^^'j^*^'.^™^

pich melt, or wex, or ellis gumme. for Jeanne noman schal knowe wax, or gum,

it wbat it is. And wbanne 2e wole dissolue ony of bese calces melting the

-' ' mass when

by hem silf. putte ei))ir by him silf in a test, or ellis ])e pich or ^^^^^'^"^
j)e wex in wliicli J)ei bere ywue. and anoon schal come out verry
gold and siluer as pe'i were tofore.

Xow I wole teche 20U be maistrie of departynge of gold Howioscim.

^ > 1 ./ <j ^ rate riold from

fi-0 siluir whawne bei be meyngid togidere / Forsobe 30 woot silver when

> ■' ^ ° _ _ mixed with it.

weel ])at jjer be mauye werkis in J)e wliicbe gold and siluir
be meyngid, as in giltynge of vessel and lewellis / Jjerfore

. . Put the mix-

whanne le wole drawe be toon fro bat obir. putte al bat mixture ture into a

. . . , J. , solution of

into a strong watir maad of vitriol and of sat petre. and be vitriol and

saltpetre, and

*siluyr wole be dissolued, and not be gold, barane 36 haue bat [*Fo1.16.]

^ ' , n . , n S''^ er will

oon departid fro ]>e tojjir / And if 36 wole dissolue Jje gold to be dissolved,
watir. putte banne yn be watir corosyue. Sal arwomac. and bat ™ter and sai

^ > •' > •> ^ ^ ammoniacwill

watir wibonte doute wole dissolue gold into watir. dissolve the

Tlie science to drawe out of fyn gold essencia is J)is / [Note.]

First 36 scbal reduce gold into calx as I tolde 30U tofore / oI^o/aom itt

))anne take vynegre distillid, or ellis oold viyne depurid fro ])e ^",^"1"^^'

fecis. and putte it in a uessel glasid. and ))e liquor schal be in Put calcined

,1. f, , . , . irii 7 sold into dis-

pe hei3jje of 4. yncbis, and hennne caste ]>e calx 01 gold, and tilled vinegar

or purified

sette it to the strong sunne in somer tyme, )>ere to abide / and urine; set it

in a hot sun ;

soone aftir 36 .scbal se as it were a liquor of oyle. ascende vp a film win
iietynge aboue in maner of a skyn or of a reme. gadere bat awey sitimitofr,

collect all

wib a sotil spone or ellis a febere. and putte it into a uessel of such in n

, . , gln-'o vessel

gla.s m J>e which be putt watir tofore. and ]>ub gadere it manye tj" "o more
tymcs in be day into be tyme hat her ascende nomore / and aftir Uvapnnite

_ tlie water

do vapoure awey jjc watir at J>c ficr. And j)c vta essencia af |)e left; there-

10

TO OCT THE QUINTE ESSKNCK OUT OF AXTIMOXY, &c. [Hook r.

19 the Quintc
Kmence of
Uold.

[> then, MS.
llarl.]

And if you fix
tliis Qninte
Bdsenve in
onr heaven,
it will restore
man to the
[•Fol. 166.]
ptrengthofhis
youth.
Now 1 have

ISola.]
told this most
sovereign se-
erct, which
should not be
shewed.
The (iuinte
Essence of
gold is best to
heal wounds.

J/oir to pet
its Quinte
JSxxence out of
Antimony,

Put powdered
antimony into
distilled vine-
gar; heat it
till the vine-
giir is red ;
ta' e away the
red viiiefiar,
and put fresh;
take that
away when
red . Put the
red vinegar
hito a dis-
tiller, and
1000 drops of
ble.ssed wine
shall come
down the
pipe ; collect
this ; it is an
incomparable
treasure.

[Nota.]

[• Fol. 17.]

It cures the
pain of all
wounds,

and when fer-
mented it
works great
secrets.

gold wole abyde bynejje. And nianye pliilosoplioiis cle])i)) )>is
qjtmta esseucia an oile incombustible, Jjat is a greet priuytee /
And if 3e wole fixe ))is qwinta easencia m owe heuene, ))at' it
may wijjoute doute restore a3e?i to man nature )jat is lost,
and reduce him &-^Qn into j)e vertu of j>e strenkjje of 30ug)>e. and
also lenk))i)) his lijf into ))e lastc terme of lijf set of god // Now
forsojje I liaue toold 30U ))e souereynest * priuytee and restorynge
of inannys kynde. and \n part greet J)ing )jat sclmlde not be
schewid / Forwhi. jjis oyle. Jjat is to seie qztinta essencia of gold
hath ))e raooste swetnes and vertu to a-swage and putte awei ])e
ache of Avoundis. and for to heele woundis, oolde sooris, and
manj e wondirful yuelis / Also in ))e same mauer 3e may drawe
out of siluir qmnte essencie //

The science to drawe out of antyiuony, |)at is, mercasite
of leed, ))e v** essencie, is a souereyn maistrie and a priuytee
of alle priuytees / Take ))e myii of antymony aforeseid,
and make ))e?'of al so sotil a poudre as 3e kau / jjanne
take )>e beste vynegre distillid, and putte ^er'mne \e poudre
of antymonye, and lete it stonde in a glas vpon a litil fier
into ])e tyme jsat Jie vynegre be colourid reed, jjanne take ))at
vynegi'e awey, and kejDe it clene, and putte a3en jjer-to of o^ere
vynegre distillid, and lete it stonde vpon a soft fier til it be
colourid reed, and so. do ofte tymes. and whanne 30 haue gaderid
al -SfOure vynegre colourid. putte it jjanne in a distillatorie. and
first ))e vynegre wole ascende. jjanne after 3e schal se merueilis.
for 36 schal se as it wore a J)0usand drojjis of blessid wiyn
discende doun in maner of reed dropis, as it were blood, by
J)e pipe of ])e lymbike / \e which licowr gadere togidere in a
rotuwibe / and J)anne 3e haue a jjing fat al jje tresour of jie world
may not be in comparisoun of worj)ines jjerto / aristode scij) J)at
it is his lede in J)e book of secretis. al ))oU3 he * telle not ])e name
of ))e antymonye aforseid / Forsojje jjis doij> awey ache of alle
woundis, and wondirfully heeli)>. ))e vertu Jjerof is incorruptible
and merueiloiis pj-ofitable / it nedit to be putrified in a rotombe
and seelid \n fyme. and J)anne it worchi)) greet prmytees / For-
so|)c J)e yt" essencia of |)is antymony jjut is reed, \n ))e which is