CHAP. XXV. Of his Pilgrimage into Spain, and meeting with a Jewish Priest, who in part Interpreted the said Book to him.
I. AS for what was in all the rest of the writ∣ten Leaves, which was wrote in good and intelligible La∣tin, I must conceal, lest God being offended with me, should send his Plagues and Judgments upon me: It would be a wickedness much greater, than he who wisht that all Men in the World had but one Head, that he might cut it off at one blow.
II. Having thus obtained this delicate and pretious Book, I did nothing else, day and night, but study upon it; conceiving very well all the Operations it pointed forth, but wholly ignorant of the Prima ma∣teria with which I should be∣gin, which made me sad and discontented.
III. My Wife (whose Name was) Perrenelle, whom I loved equal with my self, and had but lately Mar∣ried, was mightily concern'd for me, and with many words comforting me, earnestly desired to know how she might deliver me from this trouble.
IV. I could no longer keep counsel, but told her all, shewing her the very Book, which when she saw, she became as well pleased with it as my self, and with great delight beheld the admira∣ble Cover, the Engraving, the Images, and exquisite figures thereof, but under∣stood as little of them as I.
V. Yet it was matter of Consolation to me to dis∣course, and entertain my Page 528 self with her, and to think what we should do to find out the interpretation and meaning thereof.
VI. At length, I caused to be painted within my Chamber as much to the life or original, as I could, all the Images and Figures of the said fourth and fifth Leaves.
VII. These I shewed to the greatest Scholars and most learned Men in Paris, who understood thereof no more than my self: I told them they were found in a Book which taught the Phi∣losophers-Stone.
VIII. But the greatest part of them, made a mock both of me, and that most excel∣lent Secret, except one whose Name was Anselme, a pra∣ctiser of Physick, and a deep Student in this Art.
IX. He much desired to see my Book, which he va∣lued more than any thing else in the World, but I al∣ways refused him; only made him a large de∣monstration of the me∣thod.
X. He told me, that the first Figure represented Time, which devours all things; and that according to the number of the six written Leaves, there was required the space of six years to per∣fect the Stone; and then said he, we must turn the Glass, and see it no more.
XI. I told him this was not painted, but only to shew and teach the Prima materia, or first Agent (as was written in the Book:) He answered me, that this digestion for six years, was as it were a second Agent; and that certainly the first Agent was there painted, which was the White and heavy water.
XII. This without doubt was Argent Vive, which they could not six, i. e. cut off his feet, or take away his Vola∣tility, save by that long di∣gestion in the pure blood of young Infants.
Page 529 XIII. For in that, this Argent Vive being joyned with Sol and Luna, was first turned with them, into a Plant, like that there paint∣ed, and afterwards by cor∣ruption into Serpents, which Serpents being perfectly dry∣ed and degested, were made a fine powder of Gold, which is the Stone.
XIV. This strange or Forreign Discourse to the matter, was the cause of my erring, and that made me wander for the space of one and twenty years in a per∣fect Meander, from the Ve∣rity; in which space of time I went through a thousand Laborinths or Processes, but all in vain; yet never with the Blood of Infants, for that I accounted Wicked and Villanous.
XV. For I found in my Book, that the Philosophers called Blood the Mineral Spirit, which is in the Me∣tals, chiefly in Sol, Luna, and Mercury, to which sense, I always in my own judg∣ment assented; yet these In∣terpretations for the most part, were not more subtil than true.
XVI. Not finding there∣fore in my operation or course of my processes the signs, at the time written in my book, I was ever to begin again.
XVII. In the end having lost all hope of ever under∣standing those Symbols or Figures, I made a Vow to God, to demand their in∣terpretation of some Jewish Priest, belonging to some Synagogue in Spain.
XVIII. Whereupon with the consent of my Wife Perrenelle, carrying with me the Extract or Copy of the Figures or Pictures, I took up a Pilgrims Habit and Staff, in the same manner as you see me figured with∣out the said Arch, in the said Church-yard, in which I put these Hieroglyphick Figures:
XIX. Whereon also I have set on the Wall, on both hands, the Process, Page 530 representing in order all the colours of the Stone, as they arise in the operation, and go away again.
XX. This is, as it were, the very beginning of King Hercules his Book, entituled Iris, or the Rain bow, which treats of the colours of the Stone, in these words, Ope∣ris processio multùm naturae placet; in English, The Process of the work is very pleasing unto Nature.
XXI. And these words I also put there expresly, for the sakes of Great Scholars and Learned Men, who may understand to what they allude.
XXII. In this same man∣ner, I say, I put my self upon my Journey to Spain, and so much I did, that I in short time arrived at Montjoy, and a while after at S. James, where with much devotion I accompli∣shed my Vow.
XXIII. This done in Le∣on, at my return, I met with a Merchant of Boloign, who brought me acquaint∣ed with a Physician one M. Canches, a Jew by Nati∣on, but now a Christian, dwelling at Leon aforesaid.
XXIV. I shewed him the Extract or Copy of my Fi∣gures, by which he was (as it were) ravished with great astonishment and joy, he desired immediately, if I could tell him any news of the Book from whence they were drawn.
XXV. I answered him in Latin (in which Lan∣guage he asked me the Question) that I doubted not of obtaining the sight∣of the Book, if I could meet with any one who could unfold the AEnigma's.
XXVI. Hearing this, and being transported with great earnestness and joy; he be∣gan to decipher unto me the beginning: To be short, he was much plea∣sed, that he was in hopes, to hear tidings of the Book; and I as much pleased to hear him speak and inter∣pret it.
Page 531 XXVII. (And doubtless he had heard much talk of the Book, but it was (as he said) of a thing which was believed to be utterly lost:) Upon this we resol∣ved for our Voyage, and from Leon, we passed to O∣viedo, and from thence to Sanson, where we took ship∣ping, and went to Sea, in order to going into France.
XXVIII. Our Voyage was prosperous and happy; and being arrived in the Kingdom of France, he most truly interpreted unto me the greatest part of my Fi∣gures, in which, even to the points and pricks, he could decypher Great Mysteries which were admirable to me.
XXIX. Having attained Orleans, this Learned Man fell sick, even to death, be∣ing afflicted with extream Vomitings, which still con∣tinued with him, as being first caused by his Sea sick∣ness: Notwithstanding which, he was in continual fear, lest I should leave or forsake him, which was a great trouble to him.
XXX. And although I was continually by his side, yet he would be almost al∣ways calling for me; at the end of the seventh day of his sickness he died, which was no small grief to me; and I buried him (as well as my present condition would permit me) in a Church at Orleans.
XXXI. He that would see the manner of my Arri∣val, and the joy of Perenelle, let him look upon us two, in the City of Paris upon the Door of the Chappel of James of the Bouchery, close by the one side of my house, where we are both painted, kneeling, and giving thanks to God.
XXXII. For through the Grace of God it was that I attained the perfect know∣ledge of all that I desired. Well! I had now the Pri∣ma materia, the first princi∣ples, yet not their first pre∣paration, which is a thing most difficult, above all Page 532 other things in the World.
XXXIII. But in the end I had that also, after a long aberration, and wandring in a labarinth of Errors, for the space of three years, or thereabouts, during which time, I did nothing but stu∣dy and search, and labour, so as you see me depicted without this Arch, where I have placed my Process.
XXXIV. Praying also continually to God, and reading attentively in my Book, pondering the words of the Philosophers, and then trying and proving the various Operations, which I thought to my self, they might mean by their words.
XXXV. At length I found that which I desired, which I also soon knew by the scent and odor thereof: Having this I easily accom∣plished the Magistery.
XXXVI. For knowing the preparations of the prime Agents, and then litterally following the Directions in my Book, I could not then miss the Work, if I would.
