Section 9

Common Schooles (To teaching) be not true,
Leave that Opinion, and lerne this of new
All Old men in that wcreoverfeene,
To fet in one degree anie qualities twaine :
Elfe thei faid fo that Schollers fhulde not finde
The fecret mixtures of Elementall kind.
Therefore who cannot his graduations,
Maie not be perfeft in our operations .•
For in true Number God made every thing *
Without true Number no Man trulie maie fingj
Who faileth of his Number faileth of his Song,
Who faileth with us mult doe Nature wrong.
COnfidcr alfo the nature of the meane, When it is in the Third degree made cleanej The purer that your meancs be, The more pcrfe&ion thereof ye (hall fee. The meanes reteyne a great part Of the vertues of this Arte : For the Principle maie not give influence To theFinall end, neither the refluence Unto, his Principall without fuccour and aid Of meanes conteyning the extremities aibrefaid :;; For like as by meanes of a treble Spirit, The Soulc of Man is to his Body knit, Of which three Spirits one is called Vitall, The fecond is called the Spirit Natural!. The third Spirit is Spirit AnimalL
N* And
3\(orton$
And where they dwell now lerne ye fhall : The Spirit Vitall in the Hen doth dwell, The Spirit Naturall as old Au&ors tell To dwell in the Liver i^ thereof faine, But Spirit Animall dwelleth in theBraines And as long as thefe Spirits three Continue in Man in there profperitie : So long the Soule without all ftrife ^ Woll dwell with the Body in profperous life, But when theis Spirits in Man maie not abide, The Soule forthwith departeth at that tide: For the futtill Soule pure and immortal! , With the grofle Body maie never dwell witfaall. He is fo heavic, and She fo light and cleane, Were not the (uttilneffc of this Spirit mearte. Therefore in our worke as Au&ors teach us, There muft be Corpus Anima, & Spiritm : Alfo in our worke ye fliall fo findc, That our meancs muft accord in every kinde Of both extremities with wifdome fought, Els all our worke fhall turnc cleere to nought : For prudent Nature maie not by workinge, Make Complement of appetite of a thing, j And fo paffc betweene extremities, But if {he firft paffe by all degrees Of everic meane, this is truth unfained, Wherefore Nature manie meanes ordained.
>J[ Ovv after all this to lerne ye had need,
-L Xof feven Circulations of Elements for your fpeedc.
According to number of the Planets feaven 5 Which no man knovreth but he have grace from heaven. Old Philofopkers, men of great engine, Said how of Circulations there (hulde be Nine-
7 It
Or dinall. 85
It is the furcr to doc by their advice, chaf. 5
Nethles Seaven maie your worke fuffice,
By inventions late found of new,
Gf later Phihfofhers whos wrkes be trewe.
But for Circulations: of Elements,
Some Clerks ween to have their intents.
When they fro Fier ordaine to defccnd,
To Aire (thei ween not to offend)
If thei to Water doe then proceed,
And thcns to Erth when thei fee need3
And in fuch wife by order fall,
From the higheft to the loweft of all:
Upon thefe words they tooke their ground,
That Aer eft cibus ignis found.
But truft me that fuch Circulation,
Is but only a re&ification,
Better ferving for feparation,
And for correction than for tranfmuta tion
But the truth is that appetite of the Fier,
Hath to worke in Erth his cheefe dcfire.
As upon his cheefe foodc materiall,
For Fier with Erth hath moft concord of all 5
Becaufe that ficcitie is the lyme of heate,
But Ay re of her kind is moft wet 5
Yet Fire without Ay re worketh not,
For Faces of Elements be knit with a knot
OfGeds hand that they maie not depart,
By noe engine ne craft of Mans art}
As in Plomps ye have example fairc,
Where heavie Water arifeth after Ay re;
Whereof noe caufe reafonable ye fliall finde,
But Connexion of faces of Elementall kinde.
But our Circulation is from Fier on high,
Which endeth with Water his moft contrary.
N 2 Ano-
S^- 3\(orton's
Chap.$. Another Circulation beginneth with Ayre,
Ending with his Contrary cleanc Erth and faier*
Fro Fier to Erth, fro thence to Water cleanc,
Fro thence to Ayre, thc^ fro thence by a meane ,
Paffing to Erth, then eftfoones to Fier,
To fuch Circulations the Red worke hath defire.
Other Circulations be better for the White,
That be rchearfed for her appetite.
Every Circulation hath her proper feafon,
As her lightnefTe accordeth with reafon*
For as one Planet is more ponderous
Then is another and flower, in his courfe :
So fome Circulations which Clerks feeks,
Muft for her time have full thirtie Weeks ;
Other Circulations fliall oft time have lcffc,
As one Planet is lighter then another was:
But the time of one with another will amount
To twenty fix Wcekes proved by accompt.
After all groflfe workes made before hand,
And after all Circumftances had I underftandc $
Ignorance hereof decciveth raanie a Man,
Caufing them to ceafe where Wifemen began.
Common People which for this Science have fought,
Ween how in forty dayes it mought be wrought.
They know not how Nature and things of Arte,
Have a proper time afligncd for their part,
As it appeareth by this Similitude,
The Elephant for that ihc is great and rude,
Goeth with Foalc^ycars full twaync,
And fifty yeares ere that Foale gender againe.
Anaxtgoras faid in his Confideration,
That Mettals had for their generation
A thoufand Yeares, wherefore him lift to fay,
In refped thereof our Worke is but one Day.
Alfoc
O R D I N A L L. 2$
Alfo yc muft worke by good advice, Chap.$t
When ye fee Erth above Water rife;
For as Water bearcth Erth which we goe on ,
So woll it doe in working o?f our Stone :
Wherefore Well-fprings with ftrokes foft,
Soberly make ye muft in tymes oft 5
Whereby Water maie foberly flowe,
For violent Fluxes be perilous as nowc.
Moreover it healpeth in Alkimy To know fcaven Waters effe&uafly •• Which be Coppied with manic a Man, While. thci be common fecke them as yc can, Defire not this Boke to (how things all, For this Boke is but an OrdinalL By thofc Waters men Wecne in mind All faults to amend of Metalinc kinde 5 Alfo thei wecne of the Elements fower, The cffe&s to weene by their fuccour: For thei fuppofc with confidence unfeined, That all Venues requifit in them be conteyned; Some to molifie Mettalls hard wroght, And fome to harden Mettalls that be foft, Some to purifie, fome to make malleable; Everic-each according that he was able, Such Liquors to know it is profitt and good, Howbcit thei maie not to our Stone be food: Noble Au&ors men of glorious fame, Called our Stone iMtimofrnw by name : For his compofition is withouten doubt, Like to this World in which we walke about : Of Hcate, of Cold, of Moyft and of Drye, Of Hard, of Soft, of Light and of Heavy, Of Rough, of Smooth, and of things Stable,
Kf Mcdled
8(5 J^ortons
Chap, 5/ Mcdled with things flectinge and moveable $ Of all kinds Contrary broght to one accord >. Knit by the do&rine of God our blcfled Lord'v Whereby of Mettalls is jjiade tranfmutauon, Not only in Colour, but tranfubftantiation , In which ye have need to know this thing, How all the vertucs of the Elements tranfmuting> Upon the tranfmuted muft have full domination. Before that the fubftancc be in tranfmutation j And all partes tranfmuted muft figured be In the Elements tranfmuting imprefiTed by degree. So that the third thinge elemented of them all, Of fuch condition evermore be fhall. That it trewly have it maie be none other, (other. But her Subftance of that one, andher Vertueof that A Child at his Nativitic can eate his meate and cry,. Our Stone at his Nativity woll Colour largly. In three years after a Child can fpeake andgoe, Then is our Sum more Colouring alfo. One upon a Thoufand his tindure trewly is, Of clean waflien Mcttall I am trew witnes, Faftiely (beleeve it) and fully in your thought, Itmakethgood Silver as of the Myne is wrought; And alfo our Stone woll augment and increafe, In quantitie, and qualitie, and thereof never ceafe .$. And therefore his growing and augmentation, Is likned to Man in waxing and creation. Nathlcs one pointe of trewth I woll reporte5 Which to fome Men maie be difcomforte $- At the firft making of our Stone, That time for winninge looke for none $ If ye then ceafe, I underftande Ye fhall departe with loofinge hand , The Cofts be fo great before,,
i Expended
Ordinal l. 87
Expended and fct upon the (core 5 Chap, j,
But at the firft augment of all
Which tyme our Stove depart ye {hall
In parts twaine full equally, ?
With fubtill ballance and not with Eye .•
One for the Red3 that other for the White,
To mainteyne both for your delight 5
Then winning iirft beginneth to arifc:
But afterwards if ye be wife,
At every augment continually,
Profit ftiall grow comodioufly^
In this our White Warke alone,
As well as in the Ruby Stone 5
Whereof faid CMaria Sifter of %^ron9
Lyfe is Jhort, and Science is full long.
Nathlcs it greately retardeth Age,
When it is ended by ftrong Courage;
But fome that have byne tought trcwlie,
Have forfooke their workc lewdly 5
When their greate labour have byne pafle,
For thei know not how at the lafte
Groweth the profit and the winninge,
Which thei would have at the beginningc,
Therefore I finde that it is necde,
The trewth to tell when ye fhulde fpeede,
For when I am paft and out of mindc,
This my Witnes fhall reft behinde,
For which caufe I doe not fpare,
Of this Arte the trewth to declare 5
As much as I dare, that I be not fhent
For breaking of Gods Commandemenu
This wife endeth all our White Werke
Shewed fufficiently for an able Clerke>
After
88 $s(omri
s
Chap.$,
AFter all this upon a day I heard my noble Mafter fay, How that manic men patient and wiCcf Found our White Stone ^ith Exercife 5 After that thei were trevvlie tought, With great labour that Stone they Caught 5 But few (faid he) or fcarcely one, In fiftcenc Kingdomes had our Red Stone t And with that word he caft his Eye, Looking on me full fteadilye3 Of his words he faw me woe, I faid alas what fhall I doef For above all Erthly thinge, I raoft defirc and love Cunninge. And for the Red Stone is prefervativc, Moft precious thinge to length my Life 5 The Redstone (aid lis lever fame, Then all were Gould that I would foe to be He faid I was to younge of Age, Of Body lufty and likely to outrage, Scantly of the age of twenty eight yeares, He faid Pbilofophers had noe fuch Compeers § This woefull anfwer then he made to me, Till ye be elder he (aid it maie not be. Alas good Mafier remember faid 1, Howbeit my Body be light and luftie,. Prove and affay and you fhall finde Age fufficient within my Minde, He held his words full ftill that tyder And fo long tymc he did abidc^ After this fudainely in wonderous wife, He tempted me after the Philosophers guifco Which to reherfe it were too longe, And to fhew how I fhould doe wrongc,

Ord i stall* 8p
For that muft be kept fecreatc, Cfaf, y#
For them which ihall with this Science meet? 5
Yet at the laft with leafure and with fpace
I wan his love, by help of Gods Grace 5 / .
So that I had with Grace tike trewe do&rine
Gf Confe&ion of the Red medicine*
Whom to feeke it avaikth right noughts ,
Till the White medicine be fully wrought.
Alfoc both Medicines \in their beginninge
Have one manner^TVeflell and Wprkjngc,
ffTwHTToFtlie^WlHtc as alfo forTthe Rcd>
Till all quick things be made dead ;
Then Veflells and forme of operation i
Shall chaunge, in Matter, figure, and Graduation*
But my herte quaketh^ my hand is tremblinge,
When I write of this moft felcouth thinge.
Hermes brought forth a true fcntence and blounte>
When he faid Ignis & A^ot iibi [ufficiunt.
The Expofitorof Hermes and Arijlotle joynte,
In that joynte workeihewd a ftraunge pointe3
He faid Albertus Magnus the Black Freere5
Nether Freer Bacon his compeere,
Had not of our Red ftene confideration^
Him to increafe in multiplication.
The Expofitor knew it fufficicntly3
And my Mafier tought me trewly.
Albeit that I never made affaye
Gf the Redworke before this Dayer
The caufe appcarcth in this Boke before^
When I was robbed then I would no more,
Kethleffe I have put me fo farr in preafs.
That fecreatc Trcwth to fliew I cannot ceafej;
ReherfThg fuch as were greately too bold,
So great fccreats to Ihew as thei toldes
G » Thei
po 5\(ortoris
Chap. j. Thei (aid that withki the Center of incompleatc White Was hid our Red Stone of moft delight: Which maie with ftrength and kinde of Fier, Be made to appeare rig:ht as we defier- Tandulphus in Turba faide, mentt fecura, * Bt ejus umbra in vera tinttura. Maria confirmed it in fide oculataJ Stuod in if fa albedine ejl rubedo occuluu* The Boke Laudabile Sanctum made by Hermes^ Of the Red Worke fpeafceth in this wife : Candida tunc rubeo jacet uxer nuptamarito^ That is to faie, if ye take heede thereto, Then is the faire White Woman Married to the Ruddy Man. Underftandinge thereof if ye would gett, When our White Stone {hall fuffer heatc. And reft in Fier as red as Blood, Then is the Marriage perfect and good 5 And ye maie trewly know that tymc, How the fcminall feed Mafculine, Hath wrought and won the Vi&ory, Upon the mcnftrualls worthily ^ And well converted them to his kinde, As by experience ye fhall finde : PaCTing the Subftancc of Embrhn9 For then compleate is made out Stone- Whom wife Men laid that ye ftiulde feede With his owne Venome when it is need. Then ride or goe where ye delight, For all your Cofts he woll you quite.
Thus endeth the fubtill Warke with all her ftore, I need not, I maie not, I woll ihew no more.
92
Vtyrtom
H a p.
VI.
0 wards the Matters of Concordance, Confider there be no variance Betweenefuch things as Ihulde accorde • For of variance maie grow difcord, Whereby your Warkes maie be loft*
V^Tith all your labour and all your coft:
He! that wol take pur VVarke in hande,
Five Concords he rnuft undcrftande. Thcfirji Concord is needc to marke
Vyhethcr his Minde accorde iwith the Warily
VVhich flialbe Lord to paie for all,
Els all your labour deftroy ye fliall.
The fecond Concord \s nfedfull to kenn,
Between this Crafte and her Workemen.
The Third (hM fervc well your intents,
V Vhen Warke accordeth with Inftmments.
The fourth Concord muft welbe fought,
With the Place where it fliall be wrought t
Fqr trewlie it is no little grace
To find a perfefl: working Place.
The Fift is of Concord and of Lovey
Bctweene your Warkes and the Spheare above.
Of theis five Concords rehede wt fliall/
Beginning with the firft of all.
FOr thtfirfi ye fliall well finde That full few Lords be ftable of Minde 7 Thci be hafty , the VVarke is longe, Thci woulde have you doe Nature wronge. Some now be onward as hafty as ficr,
Halfe
Or DIN ALL* 93
Halfe a yearc after have noe defire 5 chaf. 6.
And fomc in a Weeke, it is noe Nay,
Wollchaungc their mindes, and fome in a day,
And for one Moneth have ftill beleife,
And the next Moneth thei wall the Arte repreeve.
-It were much better for ftich to ccafc,
Than for this Arte to put them in preafle %
Let'fuch like Butterflies wander and pafle3
And lerne this lefTon both more and lafle,
Following the Sentence of this holie- letter,
Attingem a fine uf% ad fintm former ,
Difponens omnia fuaviter i
That is, proceede mightily to the End
From the Beginning, maugre the feinde.
All things difpofing in the meane ipace,
With great fuavity that commeth of grace.
All fhort-wittcd Men and mutable,
Such muft needs fee variable 5
And fome doe every Man beleive,
Such credence doth their Cofers greive;
To cverie new Talc to them tolde,
They give Credence and leave the olde.
But fome Lords be ftable of wit, y
Such be apt to finifli it.
Everie fuch Lord or Mafter of this Wcrke,
Be he Layman or be he Clerke,
Be he rich man, Knight , Abbot or Lorde^
He hath with this Arte greate -Concorde.
THe feconde Concorde with this Arte is, When ye can finde apt Mimflen* Noe Minifter is apt to this intent, But he be fober, wife/and diligent; Trewe^and^watchfiill, and alfo timerous^
p3 Clofe
pq. Js(ortoris
p.6. Clofe of Tongue, of Body not vitiou^ Clenly of hands, in Tuching curious, Not difobedienr, neither prefumptuous • Such Servants maieyour vorkes of Charge Minifter, and fave fronrall outrage; But truft not that two fueh Servants or three, Maie fufficicnt for your worke be5 If your Matter be of quantity reasonable, Then Eight fuch Servants be convenablcj But upon litle quantity, finde ye (hall Foure men able to performe all; That one halfe of them muftwerke While the other Sleepeth or goeth to Kerkes For of this Arte ye fhall not have your praye, But it be miniftred as well by Night as Dayc Continually, except the holy Sonday alone • From Evenfong begin till Evenfong be done* And while thei worke thei muft needes efchewe All Ribaudry, els thei fhall finde this trewe, That fuch miffaap fhall them befall, Thei fhall deftroy part of their Works or alls - Therefore all the Minifters muft be Men, Or elfe thei muft be all Wcomen 5 Set them not occupied one with another, Though fome to you be Sifter or Brothers Yet thei muft have fome good difporte Their greate labours to rccomfortc : Then nothingc fhall better avaunce Your worke than fhall this Concordance* ]