Section 5

In three wifes to let he woll awaite,
With HaHe^ with Defpaire, and with Deceipe :
For dreade of Vertue which ye maie doe,
Whenyefhulde attaincthis grace unto.
The firft perill aforefaide is of Hafte,
Which caufcth moft deftrudiion and wafte •
All Au&ors writing of this ^A rte,
Saye hafte is of the Devils parte :
The little Boke writ ofthePhilofophcrsfeaft,
Saith, omnis fefiinatio ex parts diaboli eft:
Wherefore that Man fhall fooneft fpeede,
Which with greateLeafure wifely woll proceeded
Upon affay ye fhall trewly knowe
That who moft hafteth he trewly fhalbe flowe 5
For he with hafte fhall bringe his warke arrcare,
So mcty mes a Moneth, and fomcty mes a whole Yeare
And in this \^4rte it fhall ever be foe,
That a hafty Man fhall never failc of woe :
Alfoe of hafte ye may trewly be furc
That fhe leaveth nothing cleane and pure 5
The Devil hath none fo fubtill wile
AsvvithhaftinefTeyouto beguile 5
Therefore
OR DIN A LU ^1
Therefore oft tymes he will affault, chdf . 2 .
Your minde with hafte to make defattlt$
He {hall finde grace in Towne and Land,
Which can haftines all tynr*s withftand :
I fay all tymes, for in one pointeof tyme,
Hafte may deftroy all your engine 5
Therefore all hafte efchewe and feare;
As if that flie a Devil were*
My witt trewly cannot fufljee,
Hafte fufficiently for to defpife 5
Many Men have byne caft in greate care,
Becaufe thei would not of hafte beware 1
But ever call upon to fee an end,
Which is temptation of the Fcndc :
Noe moreof hafte at this prefent,
But blefled be ever the Patient.
WHen with Hafte the Feind hath noeavaile. Then with Dejpaire your mind he will aflaile § i Aud oft prefent this Sentence to your minde, How many feeken, and how few maicfinde^ Gf wifer Men then ever were yee : What furctie than to you maie be? He woll move ye to doubt alfo Whether your Teacher had it or noe 5 And alfo how it mought fo fall. That part he tought you but not all j Such uncertainety he woll caft out, /
To fet your minde with gree vous doubt % And foe your Pawes he woll rcpairc With wann hope and with much Defpaire 5 Againft this affault is no defence, Buc only the vertuc of Confidence : To whomcreafon fhulde you leade3 That you fhall have noe caufe to drcade %
y, ?h(ortons
Cb*p.2* If you wifely callto your minde
The vertuous manners, fuch as you findc In your Mafter and your Teacher^ Soe fhall you have noe nee^e to feare$ If you confider all Circumftanccs about, Whether he tought you for Love or for Doubt 5 Or whether Motion of him began, For it is hard to truft fuch a Man : For he that profereth hath more necde OfyoUythcn you of him to fpeede. This wife cei tainely ye maie well win, Before that you your warkes do begin ; Whe n fuch cer tainety ye truly have, Fro Difpairc ye maie be fure and fave.
But who can finde fuch a Mafterom, As was my Majler , him ncedeth not to doubt : Which right nobil was and fully worthy laude, He loved Juftice, and he abhorred fraude5 He was full fecrete when other men were lowde, Loath to be knowne that hereof ought he Could; When men difputed of Colours of the Rofe, He would not fpeake but keepe himfelfc full clofc ; To whome I laboured long and many a day, But he was folleyn to prove with ftraight affayc , To fearch and know of my Difpofition, With manifold proofes to know my Condition : And when he found unfeigned fidelity, In my greate hope which yet nothing did fee. At laft I conquered by grace divine His love, which did to me incline. Wherefore he thought foone after on a tyde, That longer dclayes I ne fliulde abide $ My manifold Ietters,my heavie heart and cheerc, Moved his Compaffion, thei perced him full neere 5
Wherefore
OrDI N ALL. 2^
Wherefore his Pennhe would noe more refraine, Chip.** But ashecre followerhfoe wrote heagainc.
MY very trufty,my deere beloved Brother, I muft you anfwer, it may be none other • The tymc is come you {hall receive this Grace, To your greare comfort and to your folacc : Your honeft defire with your grcate Confidence, Your Vertue proved with your Sapience ; You1 Lovc,your Trewth,your longPerfeverancc, Your ftedfaft Minde fhall your Defire advance : Wherefore it is ncedc that within fhort fpace, Wee fpcake together, and fee face to face : If I fhulde writcvI fhulde my fealty breake, ThereforcMouth to Mouth I muft needes fpeakc^ And when you come, mine Heier unto this Arte I will you make, and fro this londe departe. . Ye fhall be both my Brother and my nc Heier, Of this greate fecretc whereof Cterkes deGpzwc: Therefore thanke God which giveth this renownc, For it is better then to were a Crowne : * Next after his Saints, our Lord doth him call Which hath this Arte to honour him withall : Noe more to you at this prefent tyde, But haftily to fee me, difpofe you to ride.
'T'His Letter receiving, I hafted full fore, A To ride to my M after an hundred miles and more * And there Forty dayes continually, 7
I learned all the fecrcats of Alkimy : Albeit Philofophy by me was upderftonde, As much as of man/ other in thisXonde5 Nethles fooles which for their Science fought, Ween that in forty dayes it wilbe wrought. * Betweenc Forty dayes warkc now ye may fee, And Forty dayes lerningcisgreaitdiverfitie*
G Then
2 a 3\(ortons
Chap, il Then darke doubts to me appeared pure*
# TherefowndIdifclofedthej?^iwCr^/iV4^r^ The canfe of Wonders were to me foe faire, And fo rcafonable, that T could not difpaier. If your Mafter. and yc refembleall aboute My good 'M'afiir and me, than have ye no doubre*
THe third impediment deceipt we call, Amongft other to me the worft all 5 And that is of Servamts- that ftiould awaite Upon your warke, for fomecan muchdeccipte;; Some be negligent5fome fleeping by the fire, Some be ill- willd, fuch {hall let your defire 5v Some be foolifli^ and fome be over bold, Some keepe no Counfell of Do&rine to them tould 5 Some be filthie of hands and of fleeves * Some meddle ftraunge Matter^ that greately greeves- Some be drunken, and fome ufe much to jape.^ Beware of thes. if you will Kurt efcape5 The Trew be foolifh, the Witty be falfe, That one hurts me Sorer that other als : lor when I had my warke well wrought,. Such ftale it away and left me nought. Then I remembring the coft, the tyme, and the tpaine,. Which! fhulde have to begin againe , With heavie hearte farewell adieu faid I> I will noe more of Alklmy. But howe that chaunce befell that Seafor?,\ Few men would it beleeve by reafon-: YetTenn perfons be witnes trew all - How that mifhapp did me befalle, Which might not be only by Man, Without the Devil as they tell can. I made alfo the Blixeroi life^ Which racberefta.Maciiaunt's wife s-
The,
Ordinalu 25
The guintejsens I made alfo, chap. 2 .
With other fecrcts manie moe,
Which finfull people tooke me fro,
To my greate paine and mjuch more woe :
Soe in this worke there is no more to fainc,
But that every loj is medled with his paine.
OF Paine there is a litle yet behinde, Which is convenient to be had in mind^ That fell upon a bleffed Man 5 Whereof the trewth report I cann. Thomas Daulton this good man height, He fetved God both day and night, Of the Red Medicine he had greate Store, I trowe never Engliih man had more. A Squier for the body of King Ehward, Whofc name was Thomas Harbert^ Tooke this D40//00 againft his defier, Out of an Abbie in Gloucejler-jhier^ And brought him in prefence of the King% Whereof Deluis had fomc tiding, For Daulton was whilome Deluts's Gierke $ Deluis difclofed ofDaultons werke. Deluis was Squier in confidence With King Edward ok in his prefence. Deluis reported that in a little ftounde, How Daulton had made to him a thoufand pound Of as good Goulde as the Royall was, ^ Within halfe a daye and fome dele laffe5 For which Deluis fwarc on a Booke. Then Daulton on Deluis caft his looke, And faid to Deluis^ Sir you be f orfwo're, Wherefore your hert hath caufe to be fore. Of nothing faid he, that I now have told, Witnes our Lord whom fudas fOuld.
G 2 But
3\(ortons
But once (aid Dt Ims I fware to thee,
That thou fhouldft not be uttered by me*
Which I may breake well I underftand,
For the Kings weak and f or'ajl his Lande.
Then faid Daulton full foberlie,
Thisanfwer voydeth no perjury.
How fhould the King in you have Confidence,
Your untrewth confeffed in his prefence.
But Sir faid Daulton to the Kings Grace,
I have bin troubled oft in many a place
For this Medicine grevioufly and fore,
And now I thought it ihould hurt me no more -:
Wherefore in the K^Abbie where I was take,
Icaftitinafoule and Common lake
Going to the River which doth ebb and flowe,
There is deftroyed as much riches nowe,
As would have ferved to the Holy land,
For twenty thoufand men upon a band.
I kept it longc for our Lords blefled fake,
To helpe a Kingt which that journey would make*
Alas Daulton then faide the Kingt $
It was fowly don to fpill fuch a thinge.
He would have Daulton to make it againe,
Daulton faid it might not be certeine :
Why (faid the Kingt) how came ye thereby *
He laid by zCbannon oiLichfitldt trewly,
Whofe workes Daultonkcpt dilligently,
Many yeares till that Chmnon muft dye.
And for his fervice he faid in that fpace,
The Cannon gave him all that thereof was$
The Kingt gave to Daulton Marks foure,
With liberty to goe where he would that hotire*
Then was the Kingt in his herte fore,
That he had not knowne Daulton before*
And
O R D I N A L L. 57
And ever it happneth without lcafinge, Chap.it
That Tyrants be full nigh to a Kinge. r#
Tor Herberte hy for Danlton in waight^
And brought him to Stepqej with deceipte.
The fcrvaunts of Herbert the mony tookc away
Which the King gave to Danlton that day.
And alter Herbert 'carried Danlton farr,
From thence to the Cafle of Gloucester y
There was Danlton prifner full longc,
Herbert to Danlton did mickle wrongc ;
Fro thence he had him to prifon faft
ToTroy, till foure yeares were nigh paft,
And after he brought him out to dye5
Danlton to death obeyed lowly,
And faid Lord ftfne bleffed thou be,
Me thinks I have byne too longe from thee.
A Science thou gaveft me with full greate charge, ,
Which I have kept without outrage.
I founde noe man yet apt thereto,
To be myne Hcyer when I am goe :
Wherefore {Cwcctc Lord) now I am faine
To rcfigne this thy guift to thee againe.
Then Daulton mzdc devout prayers, and ftilL
Withfmiling cheere he faid now doe your wiL
When Herbert fawe him To glad to dye,
Then ran water from Herberts Eye:
For Prifon ne Death could him not availe
To winn this Arte, his Crafte did him failc.
Now let him goe faid Herbert than,
For he (hall never hurt ne profet t man.
But when Dmlton from the block fliould rife*
He looked forth in full heavie wife,
And fo departed with full heavie cheere.
It was not hus will to live one yearc,
G 3 This -
j\(ortons
This was his Pain-as I you tell.
By men that had no dread of Hell.
Herbert dyed foone after in his bed,
And Deluis at Teuxbury loft hb head ;
This wife greate Paine^s you may fee,
Followeth this Arte in every degree.
Hecre loft the King all his intent,
For Herbert was proude and violent ,
Soe nobil a man to opprcfTe with pride,
And like a f cllonc him leade and guide;
Where that by goodnefle patience and grace,
There might have growen full great folace ,
As well to the King, ye may underftonde,
As for th'eafe of Commons of this londe 5
But wonder not that grace doe not faP,
For finn reygneth in this londe over all.
Loe here was grace full ready at hondc,
To have ccafed Taxes and Tallages of this londe -
Whereby much Love and Grace would have be,
Betwecne Knight-hood Prieft-hoode and Comminaltie.
Here ye maie fee how vicious violence
Maie not purchafe the vertue of fapience :
For vice and vertue be things contrary,
Therefore the vicious maie not come thereby 5
If Vicious men mought lerne this Science^
They would therewith doe wondrous violence :
And with Ambitioufneffe grow evermore
Worfe of Conditions then they were before.
Now is this Chapter offoy and Paine gone,
The Chapter following (heweth Matters efenr Stene.
Chap.
OrDINALL. 2p
n t t t Ghaf* *
VjHAP, 111.
V*s\(ilt wasca labourer in the fire • j5 ThreefCore years and more to win his defircr Brian was another, withHoltan in the Wcfte, Thes were ever bufie, & could pra&ice with But yet this Science thci never founde, (the beft :
For thei knew not the Matters, ne the Grounde, But rumbled foorth,and evermore they fought, They fpent their lyfe and their goods to nought 5 MuchlofTe, much coft, much angurfh they bought, Amonge their Receipts which they had' wrought : Then madcTcnJile to me hisgrcate complainte, With weeping Teares he faid his heart was fainte, For he had fpended all his lufty daycs In fals Receipts, and in fiich lewdc affayes ; Of Herbes, Gommcs, of Rootes and of GrafiTe3
Many kindes by him affaycd was,
As Crowefoote, Celondmc and Mizerion,
Vervaine, Lunara, and Martagon :
In Antimony, Arfenick, Honey, Wax and Wine.,
In Haire, in Eggs, in Merds, and Urine,
In Calx vive, Sandifer, and Vitriall,
In Markafits, Tutits,.and every Minerall,
In Malgams, in Blanchers, and Citrinacions3 ,
All fell to nought in his opperacions :
For he confidered not how he did rage.
When to God* proportions he layde furchargei
After all this, he thought nothing fo good,
To worke upon as ihulde be mans Blode ^
Till that I faid how blode would waftc and fume:
In mighty fire>and utterly confume .
Fori
J\(ortom
For Cbri/i his love then faidc he teach me,
Whereof the fubftancc of our Stone (hould be :
Tonftle (faid I j what Ihulde it you avayle
Such thing to know i your lirgs doth you faile
For very Age, therefore ceafe your lay*
And love your Beades, it is high time &o Praye-
For if you knew the Materialls of our Stone,
Ere you could make it your dayes would begone.
Thereof no charge good Mafler faid he,
It were fufficient Comfort now to me
To know the trc we Materialls without wrongc
Of that Stone which I have fought foe longe :
Jonfite (faid I ) It is noe litle thinge,
Whereof you would have trcwe tydingc 5
For many Au
But none of them fheweth it Cleerly oute :
For Auftors which of this Arte doc write,
Befought God&s witneffeth Democrite, )
That he unpaincd would fro this Worlde take
Their Soules whom he tought Bokes thereof to make 5
For greatly doubted evermore all fuche,
That of this Scyence they may write too much*; :
Every each of them tought but one pointc or twayne,
Whereby his fellowes were made certayne 5
How that he was to them a Brother",
For every of them underftoode each other;
Alfoe they wrote not every man to Teache,
But to (hew themfelvcs by a fecret Speache :
Truft not therefore to reading of one Boke,
But in many Au&ors works ye may looke 5
Liber librumapperit hhh Arnold the greateC&rfo,
Anaxagoras faid the fame for his werke :
Who that flothfall is in many bokes to fee,
Such one in Pra&ice prompt lhall never be 5
" But
im
O R D I N A L L. ^1
But Tonfile for almes I will make no ftore Chap, y
Plainly to difclofe it that never was done before 5
By way of anfwer for your recreation,
If ye cann wifely make Interrogation.
Good Matter ( faide he) then teach me trewly,
Whether the matters be Sol or Mercury?
Or whether of Sol or Lune it maie be,
Or whether I fhall take them all three ,
Or Solby it felfe, or Mercury alone,
Or Sulpher with them,for matters of out Stone i
Or whether I ftiallfal Almoniack take,
Or Miner all meants^ our Stone thereof to make t
Here be many queftions Tonfile 5faid I, Wifely remembred and full craftily •, You name it not yet but onely in generall, For you muft take fome deale of theis things all 5 Of thefe and of other you muft take a parte. One time or other to minifter this Arte : Many things helpeth to apt our Stone^ But two he Materialise yet our Stone is one^ Bctweene which two is fuch divcrfity, As betweene the Mother and the Childe may be : An other diverfity bctweene them find ye fhall, Such as is found betweene Male and Female : Theis two kindes fhall doe all your fervice, As for the White worke (if you can be wife 5 ) One of thes kindes a Stone ye fhall finde. For it abideth fire as (tones doc by kindc : But it is no Stone in touching ne in fight, But a fubtill Earth, bro wne3 roddy, and not bright : And when it is feparatc and brought to his appearage, Then we name it our grounde Litharge. Firft it is browne,roddy,and after fome deale white, And then it is called our chofen CMarkaftte :