Book 3 . The Rofie Crucian Cr%vpn^ 3 3

for by how much Gold is more noble then Silvei> fo much this EleBrnm is more noble then Gold,
Lai^ly, ic Q\ct\s Rones in fhining ) afid vercue^ In (hiamg i becaufc they (hifle by reafon of |heir hardneffe ^ fo this E/eStrnm {heweth many jSjpfarkesjnoc by reafon of its hardnefs^ but by rea- fon of his compleatneffe,' And as the heaven is a- dorned with Stars y fa this EleUrnm with fpark- lingjbecaufe it hath the clearnefs aod brightncfle of all metals. And as theyeiven corttaiheth aU the Stars and Planets^^^Stbis EUB^nm 9 which i$ the Heaven of jgrtfafs^ Moon» afldHTtTe rgft of the Plane^n it felf-, GolT and Silver as it were the greaterLuminaries > the othccbodies or metals a^ the reft of the Planets, njiean minerals as Scars in vertue. For ailthoijgh many ltohes4iave fingular properties and vertue^> fothxt foane help the fight , others the Spleen* fome the Heart ; fortie (top blood j ' fome hinder aborciveneffe* fome haften childbirth) fome tefift poyfon: yet there is no one foand which takes away all infirmities* as EleUrtim dochj more then all mean minerals) metds or ftoneS) according to bis- threefold c'onjtrni^ionj that is to fay> Mineral, Miecaliick, aftd Lapidiifick. :- "Therefore wbatfoeyer others pleafe 10 'think of this Natural £/tfl?rifW)this feemech moft probable to me ) that it is not fimply a metal ) but of a ha^ cure exceeding metal : for whereas (tones, mean minerals and metalsareg'6rterated of Saltj Sul- phur and Mercury, this EleBrum takes his origi- nal from Scoite^ i Minerals and Metals : from Stones ic c^kes -S^r > from Minerals yierenry^, i^oral/ltUihSftlfhHr, Thefe three being brought
34 ^ hf Ropf^ CruciAH C town. Book 3 ;
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^to one oy the Archeas of natute , are ics Ele-
Hiemsjfrom a greater vertue and power of nature; which Elements have formed a higher degree of p9rfe(Stion then in any other (tone,mincral or me* \2\^ as it were by the Gommandmenc of God Nature ftiould afcribe a Crowi) of vertue and dignity above all minerals.
But however it be , it \% taken two manner of ways amoagU the later Magitians andAlchymifiSj fbat is to fay> that which is made naturally^ and artificially J naturally is that which groweth in the natural Archeas of the Earth'j the Artificial \& jhat which is made ()y Art above the Earth in imitation of Nature.
Whence ^arAcelitts a worthy Mafier in Mt- gick feeing fully the nature of it* and the utility of Alcbymy y commanding to make the "Elixir thereof when as its natural body cannot be ha m his.booke of the Vexations of ^hllofophrsi and fhe fixth of his Magical Archldoxest teacheth to fomponnd an Artificial Elethum 9 that the £•» (Ixlr muftbe made thereof, as appears moreac jarge in the faid Bookes ; which I like not at all. fit teacheth how to make theE//Vr out of E- JeEirum ; I contrarily j the Electrum out of the t-llxtr: be would mak^ the Elixir of the vertue of the Ele^rMWy^nd I the ElegrHm of the vertue Oftli^e l^ijxlr, I leave his way rohifiownfol- Jowers, 6ut I defire mine not to weary and vex themfelves in fuch a weak > but 4 more ftrong principle.
. I make two kindes of EteBrum one way ; the filft wijereof is Spiritual y the other Corporeal. firft of tbq forgaer 5 after ypi^ have maJeypufred.
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