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I. TRES proprìe habemus ignes, sine quibus ars non perficitur, & qui absque illis laborat in unum curas sus cipit.
II. Primus est lampadis, & is continuus est, humidus, va∣porosus, aêreus, & artificialis ad inveniendum.
III. Nam lampas debet esse proportionata ad clausuram, & in hac utendum est magno ju∣dicio, quod non pervenit ad ar∣tificem dura cervicis.
IV. Quia si ignis lampadis non est geometricè & debitè proportionatus, aut per defe∣ctum caloris non videbis signa in tempore designata, atque prae nimia mora, expectatio aufu∣giet tua, aut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ardore nimio flores auri cemburentur, & laborem tuum iniquè deflebis.
V. Secundus ignis est cine∣rum, in quibus vasrecluditur Hermeticè sigillatum, aut poli∣us est calor ille suavissimus qui ex vapore temperato lampadis, circuit aequaliter vas.
VI. Hic violentus non eft, nisi nimium excitetur, digerens est, alterans est, ex alio corpore quam à materia sumitur, uni∣cus est, est etiam humidus, & innaturalis, &c.
VII. Tertius est ignis ille naturalis aquae nostrae, quae vocatur etiam contra naturam, quia est aqua, & nihilominus ex auro facit merum spiritum, quod ignis communis facere non potest.
VIII. Hic mineralis est, aequalis est, de sulphure parti∣cipat, omnia diruit, congelat, solvit, ac calcinat, hic est pe∣netrans, subtilis, incomburens & est fons aquae vivae in quo se lavant Rex & Regina, quo indigemus in toto opere, in principio, medio, & fine.
IX. Aliis vero duobus su∣pradictis, non, sed tantum ali∣quando, &c.
X. Conjunge ergo in legendis libris philosophorum, hos tres ignes, & proculdubio intel∣lectus eorum de ignibus non te latebit.
I. WE have properly three Fires, with∣out which this our Art can∣not be perfected; and who∣soever works without them, takes a great deal of Labour in vain.
II. The First Fire is that of the Lamp, which is con∣tinuous, humid, vaporous, Spiritous, and found out by Art.
III. This Lamp-fire ought to be proportioned to the enclosure; wherein you must use great Judgment, which none can attain to, but he that can bend to the search thereof.
IV. For if this Fire of the Lamp be not measured, and duly proportioned or fitted (to the Fornace) it will be, that either for want of heat you will not see the expect∣ed Signs, in their limited times, whereby you will lose your hopes and expe∣ctation by a too long delay: Or else, by reason of too much heat, you will burn the Flores Auri, the Golden Flowers, and so foolishly be∣wail your lost Expence.
V. The Second Fire is Ig∣nis Cinerum, an Ash heat, in which the Vessel herme∣tically sealed is recluded, or buried: Or rather, it is that most sweet and gentle heat, which proceeding from the temperate Vapours of the Lamp, does equally surround your Vessel.
VI. This Fire is not vio∣lent or forcing, except it be too much excited or stir∣red up; it is a Fire digestive, alterative, and taken from another body than the mat∣ter; being but one only, moist also, and not na∣tural.
VII. The Third Fire, is the natural Fire of our Wa∣ter, which is also called the Fire against nature, because it is Water; and yet never∣theless, it makes a mere Spi∣rit of Gold, which common Fire is not able to do.
VIII. This Fire is Mine∣ral, equal, and participates of Sulphur; it overturns or destroys, congeals, dissolves, and calcines; it is penetra∣ting, subtil, incombustible and not burning, and is the fountain of Living Water, wherein the King and Queen bathe themselves, whose help we stand in need of, through the whole Work, through the beginning, mid∣dle and end.
IX. But the other Two above-mentioned, we have not always occasion for, but only at some times.
X. In reading therefore the books of Philosophers, conjoin these Three Fires in your Judgment, and with∣out doubt, you will under∣stand whatever they have wrote of them.