Section 14

Fowlys, and Byrds wyth other namys many one, Bccaufe that folys fhold never know our Stone*
For
OfTutrefa&ion. !«
20. For of thys World our Stone ys callyd the fcment, Whych mevyd by craft as Nature doth rcquyre^ In hys encrefe fliall be full opulent, And multeply hys kynd of thyne owne defyrc: Thcrfore yf God vouchfafc thee to enfpyre To know the trewth,and fancies to efchew, Lykc unto the flialbe in ryches but few.
2i, But many be mevyd to worke after therfantafy In many fubje&s in whych be Tyn&ors gay, Both Whytc and Red, devydyd manually To fyght,but in the Fyre they fle away, Such brckyth Potts and Glalfys Enpoyfonyng themfelfs, and lofyng of theyr fyghts Wyth Odors and fmoks and wakeyng up by nyghts.
I** Their Clothes be bawdy and woryn threde-bare, Men may them fmell for Multyplyers where they go % To fyle theyr fyngers wy thCorrofy ves they do not fparc Theyr Eyes be bleryd,& theyr Chekys both lenc & bloc: And thus for (had I wytt) they fuffer loffean d wo 5 Such when they have loft that was in theyr purfe, Then do they chyd and Pbylofophers fore accurfe.
23. For all the whyle that they have Phylofophers ben, Yet cowde they never know out Stone. Som fought in Soote, Dung, Uryne, fominWync: Som in Sterr fly me, for thyng yt ys but one 5 In Blood, Eggs-, Som tyll theyr thryftwas gone: Devydyng Elements, and brckyng many a pott, Multyplying the iherds,but yet they hyt yt not.
Y To
if a Of TiitrefaBion.
24. ^° & t^eyr Howfys it ys a noble fporr,
* What Fornaces^what Glauys there be of divers fhape- What Salts, what Powders,what Oyles3and waters fort, How eloquently, de materia prima they clape. And yet to fynde the trewth they have no hap:
Of our Mercury they medleand of our Sulphur vyve,.
Wherein they dote, and more and more unthryve.
25. They take of the Red Man and hys whyte Wyfe> That ys a fpeciall thyng and of Elixers two,
Of the Suinteffenct and of the Elixers of lyfc, Of Hony, Celydony, and of Secundyns alfo, Thefc they devyde into Elements wyth other mo 5 No Multeplyers but Pbylofophers callyd wyll they be, Whych naturall Phylolophye dyd never rede nor fee,
%6. f hys My %P knowyth our Stone ryght wele3, They thynke them rycher then ys the Kyng\ They wyll hym helpe, he fhall not fayle Frounce for to wyn* a wonders thyng: 5 The b&lf Grfifip. home wyll they bryng : And yf the King were pryfoner I take, Anoa hys Raunfome would they make*
27, A mervell yt ys that Wefiminjkr Ghurch^ To whych thcife Pbylofophers do hauatoy Syth they fo much ryches can woorchc^ As they make bofteof andavaunte, Drynkyng dayly the wyne a due taunte, Ys not made up perfytly at ens, for truly hyt bckyckyet many Stonys*
Folys
Of TtitrefaBiotk f£i
i%, Tolys doc folow them at the tayle, Promotyd to ryehes wenyng to be ; But wyll yc here what worfhyp and avayle, They wyn in London that nobyll cytc, Wyth Sylver Macys as ye may fe :
Sarjaunts awayting on them every owre,
So be they men of great honour.
ip. Sarjaunts fekyth them fro Strete to Strctc,
Marchaunts and Goldfmyths leyeth after them watch $ That wellys he that wyth them do mete, For the great advantage that they doe cache, They hunt about as doth a Rache *v Wenyng to wy n fo gretc trefure, That ever in ryehes they fhall endure.
30. Som wold cache theyr goods agayne, And fome more good would aventurc 5 Som for to have wold be full fayne, Of Ten pound one I you enfuer; Som whych hath lent wythout mefure
Theyr goods* and be with powerte beftad ,
To cache a Nobyll wold be full glad.
31* But when the Sarjaunts do them areft, Ther Paukcners be fluffed wyth Parry s balls ; Or wyth Sygnctts of Seym Marty nes at the left, But as for Mony yt ys pyffyd on the walls: Then be they led as well for them befalls To Newgate or Lndgatt as I you telly Becaufe they ftiall in fefegard dwell.
Y z Where
H6 OfVmrefMm.
32- Where ys my Mony faccom feyth one, And where ys myne feyth he and he? But wyil.yc here how fuctell they be anon, In anfeeryng, that they excufed may be : Saying, Of our Etjxers robbyd we be: \
Ell* myght we have payd you all your Gold, Yf yt had been more by ten folde.
33* And. then tfeeyer Creditors they begyn to flatter Proaiyfyng to workc for them agayne5 Tile Eljxers two in fhort fpace after, ' Dotyng the Merchaunts that they be fayne To let them go, but ever in vayne:
They worke fo long, tyli at the laft
They he agayne in Pryfon caft.
24° ^fy then aske them why they be notryche, fncy fey they make fyne Gold of Tynn. ft But he they fey may furely fwym in dyche Whych ys upholdcn by the chyn We have no ftpek, therefore may we nought wym Whych yf we had we wold fome worche I now- to fynyfbup Wtfimjnftet Churches
55 . And fome of them be fo J)evowte, They wyll not dwell out of tfcit place- For there they may wythowtcn dome: i Do what them iyftito their Solace, The Archedtacm ys fo full of grace:
Yf that they ple^fe hym wyth the Crofle Hcforfyxh lyttyll of other menys loffc
Anil
OfTtttrefaBion. 157
36. And when they there fy t at the wyne, Thefe Monkys they fey have many a pound, Woldc God f feytn one) that fom were mync 5 Hay hoe, careaway, lat the cup go rounds : Drynk on, feyth another, the mene ys founder
I am a Matter of that Arte,
I warrant us we ftiall have parte.
J7- Such caufyth the Monkys then evyll to don, To waft thcr Wagys thorow theyr dotage 3 Som bryngeth a Mazer and fom a Spone* There Pbyhjophers gcvyth them fuch corage, Behotyng them wynnyng wythout damage: A pound for a peny atr the left agaync, And fo fayre promys makyth folys fayne.
38* A ryall Medycyne one upon twelve They promys them thereof to have, Whych they could never for themfclfe Yet bryrig abowte, fo God me fave: Beware fuch Bhylofephtrs, no man depraves Whych helpyth thefe Monkys to ryches for Wyth threadbare Cowlys that they do go*
2P* The Abb$t well ought to cheryfh tfiys Company, For they can tech hys Monkys to leve inpovcrte, And to go clothyd and monyed relygyoufly, As dyd Seynt Benet, efchuyng fuperfluyte, Efyng them alfo of the ponderofyte
Of theyr pur fys, wyth pounds fo aggravater.
Whych by Phyhfophybt now allcvyat*
y s> m
ijS- Of TutrefiMon.
40 Lo who fo mcdlyth wyth thys rych Company, Grcc boft of thcr wynnyng may they make, For they ihall have as much by thcr Phylefofhy, As they of th£ tayle of an Ape can take* Beware therfore for Jefus fake :
And mcdyll wyth nothyng of grct coft,
For and thou do, yt ys but loft.
41. Thcfe Phylofophers (of whych I fpake afore/ Mcdlyth and blondry th wyth many a thyng5 Rcnuyng in errors more and more>
For lac of trew undcrftandyng, But lyke rouft fyke al way forth ,bryng: So God hath ardeyncd in every kynde, Wold Jefus they wold thys bere in mynde.
42. Wene they of a Nettyll to have a Rofc Or of an Elder an Apple fwete,
Alas that wyfe men ther goods fhold lofe : Truftyng fuchLofclls when they them mete, Whych fey th our Stene ys trodyn under fete :
And makyth them therfore vyle thyngs for to ftyll Tyli at theyr howfys wyth ftench they fyll.
43. Som of them never lernyd a word in Scolys, Such thynk by reafon to underftond Phylofofby : Be they Pfylvfop hers Therfore ther Waikes provyth unwytty$ Medyll not wyth them yf thou be happy:
Left wyth theyr flatteryng they fo the tyli That thou agre unto thcr wyll.
Spend
Of'pMfefa&On. iyp
44 Spend not thy Mony away in wafte, t ' Gcvc not ta every fpeche credence 5 But fyrft examyn, grope and tafte ; And as thou provyft, fo pot thy confidence* And ever beware of grete cxpencc :
But yf thy Phjlofofber ly ve vertuofcly, Truft the better to hys Fhjhfofhj.:
54* Prove hym fyrft and hyrtt oppofc Gf all the Secrects of our Stm9 Whych yf he know not thou hedyth not to'lofc-; Medyll thou not ferthcr, but let hym gone, Make he never fo py tyofe a raone :
For than the Fox can fagg and fayne When he wold faynyft hys prey attayne.
#. Yf he can anfwer as Ought a Clarke, How be hyt he hath not protyd indede • And yf thou wylt hclpe hym to hys Warke, Yf he be vertuofc I hold hyt mede, For he wyll the quyte yf ever he fpede :
And thou fhalt weete by Pi lytyll anon
Yf he have knowledge of WpffiM?
W- One thyng, one Glaffe, one Furnace arid no mo, Behold thys pryncypyll yf he take, And yf he do not, then fat hym go 5 For he (hall rfever thee fydi man make: Trcwly yt ys bctt€t rhou hym forfake, Then after wyth loflfe and varyaunce* And other manner of dyfplcfaunce,
But
i*> Of 9utrefaBim.
48. But and God fortune the for to have Thys Scjenee'by do&rine whych I have told^ Dyfcovcr yt not whoever thee crave,
For Favor, Fere, Sylver, nor Gold : Be none Qppreflbr/ Lecher, nor bofter bold 5 Serve thy God, and helpe thepowre among, Yf thou thys lyfe lyft to continew long.
49. Unto thy felfe thy fecretts kepe
From fynners whych hath not God in dred-, But wyll the caft in Pryfon depe, Tyll thou them tech to do hyt in dede. Then (lander- on the fholde fpryng and fprede, That thou dyd coyne then wold they fcy, And fo undo the for ever and aye.
50. And yf thou tcche them thys conyng, Their fynfull levyng for to tnayntaynej In Hell thcrfore myght be thy wonnyng, For God of the then would difdayne,
As thow nought cowd for thy felfe fayne: That Body and Soule you may bothe favc, And here in pece thy levyng have,
51. Now in thys Chapter I have the tought, How thou the bodys mud Putrefy :
And fo to guide the thou be not cawght,
And put in durauncc, lofle, and vylanyei My do&ryne therefore remember wyttyly, And paflc forth toward the -Sixth Gate, For thys the Fjfthe ys tryumphate.
of
i6i
OfCongelation, The fixt (fate.
i* f\V Congelacyon I nede not much towryte, ^-^ But what yc ys now I wyll fyrft declare : Ic ys of'fofc thyngs Induracyon of Colour Whyte, And confyxacyon of Spyrits whych fleyng are: How to congele thee nedyth not much to care 5 For Elements wyll knyt together fone, So that Futrefaccyon be kyndly done.
2. But Congelacyons be made in dy vers wyfe, And Spyryts and Bodys dyffblvyd to water clcre, Of Salts alfo dyffblvyd ons or twyfe, And then to congele in afluxyble Mater 5 Of fuch Congelyng folys do clatter :
And fome dyfsolvyth devydyng manually Elements, them after congelyng to powder dry.
3* But fuch Congelyng ys not to our defyre : For unto owers yt ys contraryofe. Our Congelation drcdyth not the fire : For yt muft ever ftond in yt un&uos,1 And alfo in hys Tin&ure be full bounteous,
Whych in the Ayrc congelyd wyll not relent -.' To Water, for then our Worke were flient.
Z Moreover
l6i Of (Congelation*
4* Moreover Congelc not into, Jo hard a Stone As GlaflTc or Cryftall whych meltyth by fufyon $ But fo that hyt Tyke wax wyll mek anon Wythouten falaft : and beware of Belufyon 5 For fuch Congelyng longyth not to our Conclufyon As wyll not flow and ren to water agen, Lyke Salts congelyd, then laboryftthou in vayne."
5« Whych CongeUcyon avaylyth us never a dell, Hyt longyth to Multy plyers whych Congele vulgarly $ Yr thow therefore ly ft to do well, (Syth thy Medcyne fhall never flow kyndiy, Nether Congele, wythout thow fyrft yt Putrefye) Fyrft Purge, and Fyx the Elements of our 'Stone, Tyll they together Congele and flow anone.
6. For when the Matter; ys made parfyt Whyte, Then wyll thy Spryte wyth the Body Congelyd bcf But of that tyme thou muft have long refpyce,
Yer yt appere Congelyd lyke Pearles unto the, Such CongeUcy on be glad for to fee$
And after lyke graynys red as blod?
Rychyr then any worldly good.
7. The erthly Grofiies therefore fyrft mortyfyed In MoyftneSj Blacknes ingendiyd ys ;
Thys pryncypeli may not be denyed, For natural! Phylofopbers fo feyth I ivys> Whych had, of Whytenes thou may not mys: And into Whytenes yf thou Congelc hyt ons, thou haft a Stone raoft prefyofc of all Stonys.
And
Of Congelation. iK
8. And by the Dry lyke as theMoyft dyd putrefy, Whych caufyd in colors Blacknes to appere 5 Rygnt fo the Moyft Congclyd by the Dry, Ingendryth Whytenes fhyneyng withmyght fullclcrc. . And Drynes proccdy th as Whytyth the matter; Lyke as in Blackyng Moyfturc dothhytn fhow. By colors varyante aye new and new.
2. The caufc of all thys ys Hett moft temperate, Workyng and mcvyng the Mater contynually $ And thereby alfo the Mater ys alterate, Both inward and outward fubftancyally, And not to as doth folys to fyght fophyftycally : But every parte all Fyrc for to endure, Fluxybly fyxe and ftabull in tyn&ure.
I0# And Phjfycie determyneth of cche Dygeftyon, Fyrft don in the Sromack in whych ys Drynes, Caufyng Whytnes wythout queftyon, Lyke as the fecond Dygcftyon caufyth Rednes, Complet in the Lyver byHete andtemperatnes; And fo our Stone by Drynes and by Hete, Dygeftyd ys to Why te and Red complete.
1I# But here thou muft another fecret knowe,
How the Phylofopbers Chyld in the Ay re ys borne : Befy thee not to faft at the Cole to blowc, And take that nether for mock nor skorne, But truft me truly elfe thy work ys all forlorne: Wythout thyne Erth wyth Water revyvyd be, Our trew Congelyng flialt thou never fee*
Z 2 A
1 6^ Of Qongelation.
12 A fowle.betwyxt Hevyti and Erth beyng, Aryfyng fro the Erth as Ay re wyth Water pure. And caufyng lyfe in every ly vely thyng, Inceffably runny ng uppon our forefayd Nature, Enforfyng to better them wyth all hys cure; Whych Ayre ys the Fyre of our Phylofbpby, Namyd now Oyle, now Water myftyly.
13. And thus mene Ayre, whych Oyle, or Water we call, Our Fyre, our Oyntmcnt, our Spryte3 and our Stone , In whych one thyng we grownd our wyfdomes all, Goyth nether out nor yn alone,
Nether the Fyer but the Water anone$
Fyrft yt outeledyth , and after bryngyth yt yn, As Water with Water whych wyll not lyghtly twyn.
14. And fo may Water only our Water meve, Whych mevyng caufyth both Deth and Lyfe, And Water doth kyndly to Water cleve Wythout repugnance , or any ftryfe, Whych Water to Folys ys nothyng ryfcj
Beyng of the kynd wythowten dowte
Of the Spryte, callyd Water and Ieder owte.
15^ And Water ys the fecret and lyfe of every thyng That ys of fubftancc in thys world y found ; For of the Water eche thyng hath begynnyng. As fliowyth in Woman when ftie fhallbe unbound By water whych paflfyth afore, if all be found, Callyd Albjen^ fyrft from them rennyng, Wyth grevofe throwys afore ther chyldyng.
And
Of Congelation. 165
!^« And truly that ys the caufe pryncypall, Why Phylofopbers chargyd us to bepacyent Tyll tyme the| Water were dryed to powder all, Wyth nurryfhyng hetc contynuall but not vyolent, For qualytes be contrarious of every element , Tyll after Black in Whyte be made a unyon, And then forever congelyd wythout dyvyfyon.
ljt And furthermore the preparacion of thys converfyon Fro thyng to thyng, fro one ftatc to another, Ys done only by kyndly and defcrete operacion Of Nature, as ys of Spcrmc wythin the Mother: For Spcrme and Hete as Syfter be and Brother, - Whych be converted wythin themfelf as Nature can By accion,and pa(Tyon,and at the laft to parfy t Man.
1 & For as the bodely part byNaturc whych y s confumate Into Man, ys fuch as the begynner was, Whych though yt thus fro thyng to thyng was alterat, Not owt of kynd to menge with other kynds dyd y t pas$ And fo our Mater fpermatycall wythin one Glas, Wythin hyt felfe muft turne fro thyng to thyng, By fKtejrnoft : temperate only hyt noryfhyng.
M>. Another example naturall I may thee tell,
How the fubftance of an Egg by nature ys wrought Into a Chyk, not pafyng out of the fhell, A playner example cowd I not have thought, And there conversions be made tyll forth be brought Fro ftate to ftate the lyke by lyke yn kynd, Wyth nurryfhyng hete : only bere thys yn mynd.
Z 3 Another
\66 Of Congelation.
20. Another example here may you alfo rede, Of Vegetable thyngs takyng confyderacyon 5 How every Plant growyih of hys owne fede, Thorow Hetc and Moyfture by naturall operacyon, And therefore Mineralls be nurryfhyd by mynyftracyon;
Of Moyfture radycall, whych theyr begynnyng was. Not paffiyng thcyer kynd wythin one Glas.
21. There we them turnc fro thyng to] thyng agaync, Into ther Modcr the Water whea they go 5 . Whych pryncyple unknowen thou laboured: in vaync: Then ys all Sperme, and thyngs ther be no mo, But kynd wyth kynd in number two 5
Male and Female, Agent and Pacyent, Wythin the matryce of the Erth moft oryent.