Ripley reviv'd, or, An exposition upon Sir George Ripley's hermetico-poetical works containing the plainest and most excellent discoveries of the most hidden secrets of the ancient philosophers, that were ever yet published / written by Eirenæus Philalethes ...

For I will truely now thee excite to under∣stand well Mercuries three.

BUt because one Book never is suffici∣ent in this Mastery, to discover all that is to be known, and other Authors write variously of Mercury: Attend fur∣ther what I have to say to thee concern∣ing this point.

We have in our work properly three Mercuries, of which one is to be by the Philosopher prepared, of which I have spoken; and this being joynd with the perfect Body, and set to digest, the Glass is shut, and then in this first Composition is the Matter called Rebis, that is, (two things) to wit in Number, for you may yet separate each from other in its intire nature.

These two being joyned, do operate so within the Vessel till the Compound become a black Powder, which is then called the Ashes of the Platter.

This Powder relenteth into a black Broth, which is called Elixir, or Water extracted by Elixation, which is reiterate Liquefaction.

This Elixir is divided into a more sub∣tile part, which is called Azoth, and the grosser part is called Leton, which is by Azoth washed and whitened.

In Rebis the Matters are confused, in Elixir they are divided, and in Azoth they are conjoyned with an inseparable union.