Section 26

O'uftly,
And that you fhall finde trpewhen you underftandme
(truly 5 Whxh before that day never thinke to fpeede, For a plainer Beke then this never defire to rcade.- And true it is alfoyf you can pick it out, But it is not for every Cart flavc or Loute$
This
ofThilofophy. ^
This to underftand, no though his wittswere fync, Forit Aialbeharde enough for a very good Divine To Confter our meaning of this worthy Scyencey But in theftudy of it he hath taken greate diligence: Now for my good Mafter and Me I defireyou to pray, And if God fpare me lyfc I will mend this another day,
Finiftied the 20th of Jul y, 1 5 57. By the unktterd Scbollar Thomas Charnock? Student inthe mojl worthy Scyence ^Astronomy and Phylosophy.
JEnivrna adAlcbimiam.
Whenvii.tymes xxvi. had run their rafe, ThenNature difcovered his blacke face; But when an C. and L. had overcome him in figtit, He made him wa(h his face white and bright : Then came xxxvi. wythe greate rialltie. And made Blacke and White away to fle : Me thought he was a Prince offhonoure3 For he was all in Golden armoure ; And one his head a Crowne off Golde That for no riches it might be folde: "Which tyll I faw my hartte was colde To thinke at length who fhould wyne the filde Tyll Blacke and White to Red dyd yelde 5 Then hartely to God did I pray That ever I faw that joyfull day.
157Z. T.Charnocke.
when
304. Qbarnoc^s Mnigma.
jEnigma de dlchimU.
WHen vii tymcs xxvi had runne their rafc, Then Nature difcoved his blackc face. But whith an C. and L. came in with great bloft And made Blacke nye to flye the Coffe : Yet one came after and brought 30. offgreatc might, Which made Blacke and White to flee quite $ Me thought he was a Prince offhonor,* For he was all in Golden Armoure, And one his hed a CrowneoffGolde : That for no riches it myght be folde, And trewly with no Philofofher I do mockc . For I did it my fellffe Thomas Charnockc : Therefore God coomforte the in thy warke For all our wrettinges are veryc darke, Defpyfe all Bookes and them defye Wherein is nothing but Recipe & Acetic ; Fewe learned men with in this Realme Can tell the aright what I do meane- I could finde never man but one, Which cowlde teaehe me the fecrcts offour Stone- And that was a Prjfte in the Glofe off Salcfburie] God reft his Soil in heven full myrie.
1572.
T. Charnocke,
Bloomfield:
goi
BLOOMEPIELDS
£ L 0 S S 0 M S: The Campe ^Philosophy.."
Hen Phoebus was entred the figne of the Ramme, In theMoneth of March when all things do fpring; Lying in my bed an old Man to me came , Laying his hand on my buily head Numbering; I am, (aid he, Tjme, The Producer of all thing t Awake and rife, prepaire thy felfe quickly, My intent is to bring thee to the C^mpe ofPhilofophj.
2. Bloomes and Bloflbmes plentifully in that field, Bene plefantly flourifhing dickt with.Collour gay, Lively water fountaines eke Beads both tame and wild ; OverOiaddowed with Trees fruitefull on every fpraye, Meilodioufly finging the Birds do fittandfay:
Father Son and holy Ghoft one God in perfons three,
Impery and honor be to thee O holy Trinity,
3. Lo thus when he had faid I arofe quickly, Doing on my Clothes in haft with agility, Towards the Campe (we went) ofPhilofofhy : The wonderfull fights ther for to fee; To a large greate Gite father Tjme brought me.
Which clofed was then he to me faid, I Each thing hath his Tyme, be thou then nothing difmaid.
Ss
4lflte
!>q6 'BloomfieUs TSlofloms.
4. Then greate admiration I tooke unto my felfe, With fore and huge perturbacion of minde, Beholding the Gate faftned with locks twelve: I fantifed 6ut fmaily that Tyme fhould be my frend : Why ftudieft thou man, quoth hee, art thou blinde ? With a rodd he touched me, whereat I did downe fall Into a ftrong fleepe, & in a Drearae he (hewed me all.*
I . Jgitur audits [omnium mtum quodvidi. (feaven
In the thoufand yeare of Chrift five hundred fifty and
IntheMoneth of March a fleepeas I did lye,
Late in the night, of the clock about Eleven,
In fpirit wrapt I was fuddainely into Heaven - Where I faw fitting in moft glorious Ma jeftie Three I beholding : adored but oneDeitie.
2. A Spirit incircumfcript, with burning heate incofnbuftible3 Shining with brightnes, permanent as fountaine of all light. Three knit in one with Glory incomprehenfible;
Which to behold I had a greate delight: This truly to attaine to, furmounteth my might s But a voyce from that Glorious brightnes to me /aid, I am one God of immenfurable Majeftie ; be not affraidt
3. In this Villon cleere, that did it fcife foe extend With a voyce moft pleafant being three in one; Peirced my Minde , and tought me to Comprehend The darke fayings of Phliofiphers each one $
The Altitude, Latitude, and Profundity of the Stone, j
To be three in Subftance, and one in Efience ; A molt Heavenly Treafure procreate by Quinteflence,
4.Then ftudied I what this Quintcffence (hould be,
Of vifible things apparant to the Eye ;
The fife being even a Grange privetie,
In every fubftance refting invifibly 5
The invifible Godhead is the fame thought I • Primer caufe of being, and the Primer Effence : And of the Macpcofmj the moft foveraignc Quinteflencea
cBloomfields Hlojjbms. 307
$. This is that heavenly feacret potentiall 3
That divided is, and refteth invifible In all things Animall, Vigetall and Mineral! ; Whofevertue and ftrength in them is indivisible: From God it cometh, and God maketh it fcnfible,
To fome Elect, to others he doth it denay,
As I fat thus mufing a voyce to me did fay.
6. Study thou no more of myBeing,but ftedfaftly Beleive this Trinity equally knit in One ;
Further of my Secrets to mufe it is but folly, Paflingthe Capacity of all humane reafon ; The Heavens clofed up againeat that feafon:
Then Father Tyme fee me at the Gate,
And delivered me a Key to enter in thereat.
7. The Key of knowledge and of Excellent Science • Whereby all fecrets of Philofophy are referace 5
The feacrets of Nature fought out by diligence %
Avoyding fables of envious fooles inveterate :
Whith Recipe and 'Decipe this Scyence is violate. Therefore to me this Key he did difpofe The feacrets of this Arte to open and difclofe.
8. Thus faid Father Tyme this Key when he me tooke 5 Unlock quoth he this Gate now by thy felfe,
And then upon him forrowfully did I looke, Saying that one Key could not undoe Locks twelve, WTiofe Axe quoth he is fare both head and helve Hold will together, till the Tree downe fall, Soe open thou the firft Lock and thou hail: opned all.
9 .What is the firft Lock named tell me then I pray thee, faid I, and what fhall I it call ? It is faid he the Seacret of all Wife Men ; Chaos in the bodyes called the firft Original!: Prima materia^ our Mercury, our MenftruaU:
Our Fitrioff, our Sulphur, our Lunary mod of price;
[Put the Key in the Lock, twill'open with a trice*
Ss 2 „ fo.Then
5
I o. Then the Key of knowledge I bufily tooke in hand
And began to fearch the hollownes in the Lock,
The words thereof I fcarce did understand,
"So craftily conveid they were in their (lock ;
I proved everyway, and at laft I did unlock The crafty Gynns thus made for the nonce, And with it the other Locks fell open all at once.
1 1. At this Gate opening even in the entry
A number of Philofophers in the face I met,
Working all one way the fecrets of Philofophy
Upon Chaos darke that among them was ktt
Sober men of living, peaceable and quiet; They buifiiy dsfputed the Materia Trima, Reje&ing cieane away Simnl jlttlta & frivola,
12. Here I faw the Father of Philofophers, Hermes, Here I faw Ariftotle with cheere moO jocund ;
Here I faw Morten, and Senior in Tmba more oriefle,
Sober Democritm, Albert , "Bacon and Ramnnd,
The Monks an
Working moft feacretly, who faid unto me ;
Beware thou beleeve not ail that thou doeft fee.
13. But if thou wilt enter this Campe ofPhilofophy With thee take Tyme to guide thee in the way ;
For By- pathes and Broad waves deepeValies and hills high Here (halt thou finde, with fights pleafant and gay, Some thou fhale meete with, which unto thee (hall fay, Recipe this, and that ; with a thoufand things more, To Detipe thy felfe, and others -3 as they have done before,
14, Then Father 7)w* and I by favour of thefe men Such fights to fee paffed forth towards the Campe, Where we met difguifed Philofophers leane, With Porpheries, and Morters ready to grinde and (hmpe, Their heads (baking, their hands full of the Crampe ; * Seme lame with Spafmer,. fome feeble, wan and blind With Arfqick and Suiphus, to this Art moft unkinde.
15. Thefe
^Bloomfields 'BJoffims. $09
i5.Thefewere "Brooke the Preifl:, and Yorkg with Coates gay, Which robbed King H E N RT of a Million of Gold, Martin Per ten, Major, & Thomas De-la-hay Saying that the King they greatly inrich would, They whifpered in his Eare and this Tale they him tould*
We will worke foe your highnes the Slixer vit
A princely worke called Opus Regale.
1 6 .Then brought they in the Viccar of Maiden With his greene Lyon that moft Royall feacretr, Richard Record^ and litje Mailer Edeny Their Mettalfs by Corrafives to Calcine and frett $ HughOldcaftle and Sir Robert Greene with them mett.
Roafting and boy ling all things out of kinde,
And like Foolofiphers lefr of with lofTe in the end.
17. Yet brought they forth things beautiful! to fight, Deluding the King thus from day to day, .
With Copper Citrinatefor the Red, and albified for the White And with Mercury rubified in a glaflfe full gay, But at the laft in the fire they went away.
All this was becaufe they knew not the verity,
Of Attitude, Latitude and Profundity.
18. Thence Father Tyme brought me into a Wildernes, Into a Thicket having by. paths many one ;
Steps and footeings I faw there more and lefle
Wherein the aforefaid men had wandred and gone,
There I faw Marcafites,Mineralls, and many a (tone. As Iridis, Talck, and Alome, lay digd from the ground The Mines of Lead, and Iron, that they had out found.
19. No marvel I trow though they were muchfet by That with fo greate Riches could endue the King,
So many Sundry wayes to fill up his Treafury ; With fi\ty matters greate charges in to bring, The very next way a Prince to bring to begging ;
And make a noble Reaime andCoramon wealth decay, - Tfaefe are Royall Philofophers the cleane contrary way.
Ss 3 20. From
3io %lootyfieldsT3loJJoms>
io.From thence forth I went {Tyme being my guide,) Through a greene Wood, where Birds fing cieerely, Till we came to a field pleafant large and wide Which- he faid was called The Campe ofPhitofophy- There dowrte we Fatt to h^are the fweete Harmony Of divers Birds in their fweete Notes finging, And to receive the Savour of the flowers fpringing.
2 1 .Here Junobete PaBas, here ApoRo do d well5
Here true Philofophers take their dwelling place
Here duly the Mufes nyne drinke of PyrenesWtW,
No boafting broyler here the Arte can deface;
Here Lady Philofophy hath her royall Pallace : Holding her Court in moil high Confiftory, Sit ting with herCouncellors moft famous of memory.
22.There one faid to me, an ancient Man was hee \
Declaring forth the Matter of the Stone >
Saying that he was fent thither to Councell me,
And of his Religion to chufe me to be one ;
A Cioath of Tifhue he had him upon,
Verged about with Pearles of Coliour frefti and gay, He proceedath with his Tale, and againe he did thus fay;
23. Here all occult feacrets of Nature knowen are, Here all the Elements from things are drawne out ; Here Fire, Air and Water in Earth are knit together 5 Her« all our feacret worke is truly brought about, Here thou muftlearne in thy buifines tobeftoute,
, Night and day thou muft tend thy worke buifily, Having conftant patience never to be weary.
24. As we fatt talking by the Rivers running deerej I call myne Eye afide and there I did behold
A Ladj moft excellent fitting in an Arbour Which clothed was in a Robe of fine Gold, Set about with Pearles and Stones manifold. Then ask't I Father Tyme what fhe fhould be? , Lady Thilofopby quoth, hemoft excellent of beauty*
25. Then
"Blomfalds "BloJJoms, 311
25. Then was I ftricken with an ardent Audacity, The place to approach to where I faw this fighr, I rofe up to walke and the other went before me , Againft the Arbour, till I came forth right , There we all three humbly as we might,
Bowed downe our felves to her with humility.
With greate admiration extolling her felicity.
, :26.She (hewed her felfe both gentle and benigne, Her gefture and Countenance gladded our comming > From her feace iraperiall (he did her felfe decline , As a Lady loving perfecl wifdome and Cunning, Her goodly Poems, her Beauty was furmounting :
Her fpeech was decorate with fuch aureat fentence,
Far excelling famous Tallies Eloquence.
27. Then Father Tyme unto that Lady faid, Pleafeth it your highnes this poore Man to heare, And him to affift with your mod gratious aide : Then (he commanded him with me to draw neere Son , faid the Lady, be thou of good Cheere.
Admitted thou fhalt be among greate and fmall To be one of my Schollers principal!.
a 8. Then (he committed me to RymmdZuilie, Commanding him my fimplenes to inftruct, And into her Secrets to induce me fully, Into her privy Garden to be my conducl: Firft into a Towre moft beautifull conftruft,
Father Raymttndmz brought, and thence immediately
He led me into her Garden planted deiicioufly.
29. Among the faire Trees one Tree in fpeciall, Moft vernant and pleafant appeared to my fight. A name infcribed, The Tree Phildfopbicall, Which to behold I had greate delight: Then to Philofiphy my troth I did plight
Her Majefty to ferve s and to take greate paine, The fruits of that Tree with RaymandtQ attaine*
30. Then
2ii cBloomftelds *Blo[foms.
go Then Raymmd (hewed me Budds fifteene Springing of chat Tree, and fruites fifceene moe, Of the which faid Tree proceedes that we doe meane ; That ali The bleffed Stone ; one in Number and rro moe : Our greate Elixer mod high of price, Oar Azof, our TlafaHsk?, our Adrop, and our Qocatrlcu
5 1. This is our Antimony and our Red Lead
Glorioufly (hining as Phoebus at midday,
This is our Crowne of Glory and Diadem of our head ;
Whofe bearnes refplendant fhall never fade away 5
Who attaines this Treafure, never can decay : It is a Jewell fo abundant and excellent, That one graine will endure ever to be- permanent;
32. Heave thee heere now our feacrets to attaine, Looke that thou earneftly my Councell do enfue, There needes no blowing at the Cole, buifines nor paine : Bat at thyne owne eafe here maift thou continue, Old Antient writers beleive which are true 1 And they fhall thee learne to paffe it to bring,
Beware therefore of too many, and hold thee to one thing.
33. This one thing is nothing elfe but the Lyongreenes Which fome Fooles imagine to be Vitrioll Romaine7
It is not of that thing which Philofophers meane,
For nothing to us any Corofive doth pertaine,
Undcrftand therefore or elfe thy hand refraine ;
From this hard Scjence, leaft thou doe worke amifle, For I will tell thee truly ; now marke what it is, ,
34. Greene of Collorour Lyon is not truly
But vernant and greene evermore enduring i
In mod bitternes of death, he is lively :
In the fire burning he is evermore fpringing |
Therefore the Salamander by the fire living,
Some men doe him call, and fome na other name, The MeTuRine Minimally it is ever the fame.
v.- £ 35.Sbme
cBloomfieUs "Bloffoms. - 1?
3^. Some call it alfo a Subftance exuberate, Some call it Mercury of Mettaline eflence, Some Limns deferti from bis body evacuate , Some the Eagle fying from the North with violence ; Some call it a Toade for his greate vehemence.
But few or none at all doe name it in his kindc,
It is a privy guittteffence ; keepe it well in minde.
3 6* This is not in fight, but re fteft invifible 5 Till it be forced out oiQhaos darke, Where he remaineth ever indiviflble , And yet in him is the foundacion of our warke, In our Lead it is, fo that thou it marke.
Drive it out of him fo out of all other,
I can tell thee no better if thou were my Brother.
37.This£Wfdarke theMettallsI do calf,
Becaufe as in a Prifon it refteth them within,
The feacret of Nature they keepe in thrall s
Which by a meane we do warily out-twyne,
The working whereof the eafier to begin. Lift up thy head and looke upon the heaven, And I will learne thee truly to know the Planets feaven.