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 ...

Title

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 ...

Author

Philalethes, Eirenaeus.

Publication

London :: Printed by Tho. Ratcliff and Nat. Thompson, for William Cooper ...,

1678.

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Subject terms

Ripley, George, d. 1490?

Alchemy.

Link to this Item

https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A61326.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"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 ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A61326.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 17, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• THE Author's Preface TO HIS EXPOSITIONS UPON Sir GEORGE RIPLEY's Compound of Alchymy, &c.
• AN Advertisement.
• directions to the binder
• title page
• Sir GEORGE RIPLEY'S EPISTLE TO King Edward the Fourth, UNFOLDED.
  • STAVE IX. In the Edition 1591: but in Esq Ashmole's Theatrum it is Stave 8.
  • STAVE X.
  • STAVE XI.
  • STAVE XII.
    • For the more exact Guiding of your Pra∣ctice, take notice of these Twenty Rules following.
      • Rule I.
      • Rule II.
      • Rule III.
      • Rule IV.
      • Rule V.
      • Rule VI.
      • Rule VII.
      • Rule VIII.
      • Rule IX.
      • Rule X.
      • Rule XI.
      • Rule XII.
      • Rule XIII.
      • Rule XIV.
      • Rule XV.
      • Rule XVI.
      • Rule XVII.
      • Rule XVIII.
      • Rule XIX.
      • Rule XX.
• AN ADVERTISEMENT.
• These Books in this Catalogue were writ∣ten by Eirenaeus Philalethes, whereof these 15. following are Printed.
• title page
• An Exposition UPON THE PREFACE OF Sr GEORGE RIPLEY, Canon of Bridlington.
  • In the Beginning, when thou madest all of nought, a globous matter, and dark, un∣der confusion, by him the beginning, &c.
  • For as of one Mass was made all things, right so in our practice must it be.
  • All our Secrets of one Image must spring.
  • As in Philosophers Books, whoso list to see.
  • Our Stone is called the Lesser World.
  • One and Three.
  • Magnesia also.
  • Of Sulphur and Mercury.
  • Proportionate by Nature most perfectly.
  • But many one marvelleth, and marvel may, and museth on such a marvellous thing.
  • What is our Stone, &c.
  • For Fowls and Fishes to us do it bring, eve∣ry Man it hath: And it is in every place, in thee, in me, &c.
  • To this I answer, That Mercury it is I wis.
  • But not the Common, called Quick-silver by name.
  • But Mercury, without which nothing be∣ing is.
  • All Philosophers record and truly sain the same.
  • But simple Searchers putteth them in blame, saying they hid it.
  • But they be blame-worthy which be no Clerks, and meddle with Philosophy.
  • But though it Mercury be.
  • Yet wisely understand wherein it is, and where thou shalt it seek.
  • Else I counsel thee take not this work in hand.
  • For Philosophers flatter Fools with fair speech.
  • But listen to me, for truly I will thee teach.
  • Which is this Mercury most profitable.
  • Being to thee nothing deceiveable.
  • It is more near in some things than in some.
  • Take heed therefore what I to thee write.
  • For if to thee Knowledge never come, Therefore yet shalt thou me not twite.
  • For I will truely now thee excite to under∣stand well Mercuries three.
  • The Keys which of this Science be.
  • Reymund his Menstrues doth them call.
  • Without them truly no Truth is done.
  • But two of them be superficial.
  • The third Essential to Sun and Moon.
  • Their Properties I will declare right soon.
  • And Mercury of Metals essential, Is the Principle of our Stone material.
  • In Sol and Luna our Menstrues are not seen.
  • It appeareth not but by effect to sight.
  • This is the Stone of which we mean, Who so our Writings conceiveth aright.
  • It is a Soul and Substance bright.
  • Of Sol and Luna a subtile Influence.
  • Whereby the Earth receiveth resplendence.
  • For what is Sol and Luna, saith Avicen▪ But Earth which is pure White & Red?
  • Take from it the said Clearness, and then That Earth will stand but in little stead.
  • The whole Compound is called our Lead▪
  • The quality of Clearness from Sol and Lu∣na doth come.
  • These are our Menstrues, both all and some.
  • Bodies with the first we Calcine naturally▪ perfect.
  • But none which been unclean.
  • Except one.
  • Which is usually Named by Philosophers their Lyon Green.
  • He is the mean the Sun and Moon between, Of joyning Tinctures with perfectness.
  • As Geber thereunto beareth witness.
  • With the second which is an humidity Vegetable reviving what earst was dead.
  • Both Principles Materials must loosed be.
  • And Formals, else they stand in little stead.
  • These Menstrues therefore know, I thee reed.
  • Without the which neither true Calcination Done may be, nor true Dissolution.
  • With the third Humidity most permanent.
  • Incombustible and unctuous in his Nature.
  • Hermes Tree unto Ashes is burnt.
  • It is our natural Fire most sure.
  • Our Mercury, our Sulphur, our Tincture pure.
  • Our Soul, our Stone born up with wind, In the Earth ingendred. Bear this in mind.
  • This Stone also tell thee I dare, Is the vapour of Metals potential.
  • How thou shalt get it thou must beware, For Invisible truly is this Menstrual. Howbeit with the second Water Philosophi∣cal, By separation of Elements it may appear To sight in form of Water clear.
  • Of this Menstrue by labour exuberate, With it may be made Sulphur of Nature.
  • If it be well and kindly acuate, And circulate into a Spirit pure, Then to dissolve thou must be sure Thy base with it in divers wise, As thou shalt know by thy practise, That point, &c.
  • For so together they may be circulate, That is, the base oyl and vegetable Menstrual, So that it be by labour exuberate, And made by craft a Stone celestial.
  • Of nature so Fiery that we it call, Our Basilisk, or our Cockatrice, Our great Elixir most of price. For as the sight of the Basilisk his object Killeth, so slayeth it crude Mercury, When thereupon he is project, In twinkling of an eye most suddenly. That Mercury then teyneth permanently All Metals to Gold and Silver perfite. Thus guide thy base both red and white.
  • Aurum Potabile thus is made, Of Gold not commonly calcinate.
  • But of our Tincture which will not fade, Out of our base drawn by our Menstrue circulate.
  • And for thy first ground principal, Ʋnderstand thy Waters Menstrual.
  • And when thou hast made Calcination, Increasing not wasting moisture radical, Ʋntil thy base by oft subtilation, Will lightly flow as Wax on a Metal. Then loose it with thy Vegetable Menstrual, Till thou have Oyl thereof in colour bright.
  • Then is that Menstruum visible to sight.
  • An Oyl is drawn out in the colour of Gold.
  • Or like thereto out of fine red Lead.
  • Which Raymund said when he was old, Much more then Gold would stand in stead.
  • For when he was for Age near dead, He made thereof Aurum Potabile, Which him revived as men might see.
  • poem
• title page
• Sir GEORGE RIPLEY's Compound of Alchymie Expounded by a Son of ART.
  • The first Gate opened, Which is CALCINATION.
    • Calcination is the Purgation of our Stone.
    • Restoring also of his natural heat. Of Radical humidity it loseth none, Inducing solution into our Stone most meet.
    • After Philosophy I you behight.
    • But do not after the common guise.
    • With Sulphurs.
    • Or Salts preparate in divers wise, Neither with Corrosives, nor with Fire alone, Neither with Vinegar, nor with Waters ar∣dent, Nor with the vapour of Lead, our Stone Calcined is according to our intent. All those to Calcining which are so bent, From this hard Science withdraw their hand, Till they our Calcining better understand.
    • For by such Calcination their bodies be shent, Which minisheth the moisture of our Stone; Therefore when bodies to powder are brent, Dry as ashes of Tree or Bone, Of such Calxes then will we none: For moisture we multiply radical, In Calcining minishing none at all.
    • And for a sure ground of our true Calcina∣tion, Work wittily only kind with kind, For kind unto kind hath appetitive incli∣nation.
    • Who knoweth not this in knowledge is blind, He may forth wander as mist in the wind, Wotting never with profit where to light, Because he understands not our words aright.
    • Joyn kind therefore with kind, as good rea∣son is, For every Burgeon answers his own seed, Man getteth Man, a Beast a Beast I wis, Further to treat of this it is no need. But understand this point if you will speed, Each thing is first Calcin'd in his own kind, This well conceiv'd, fruit therein shalt thou find.
    • And we make Calx unctuous, black, white, and red.
    • Of three degrees or our Base be perfite.
    • Flexible as Wax, else stand they in no stead.
    • By right long process, as Philosophers do write, A year we take or more for our respite: For in less space our Calxes will not be made, Able to tyne with Tincture that will not fade.
    • And for thy proportion thou must beware, For therein mayst thou be beguil'd, Therefore thy Work that thou not mar.
    • With Mercury as much then so subtil'd, One of the Sun, two of the Moon, Till all together like pap be done.
    • Then make the Mercury four to the Sun, Two to the Moon as it should be.
    • And thus thy Work must be begun, In figure of the Trinity, Three of the Body, and of the Spirit three; And for the unity of the substance spiritual, One more then of the substance corporal.
    • By Raymunds Repertory this is true Proportion, there who list to look; The same my Doctor to me did shew.
    • But three of the Spirit Bacon took To one of the Body: For which I awoke Many a night ere I it wist. And both be true, take which you list.
    • If the Water also be equal in proportion To the Earth with heat in due measure, Of them will spring a new Burgeon, Both white and red in a Tincture pure, Which in the Fire shall ever endure. Kill thou the quick, the dead revive; Make Trinity Ʋnity without any strive. This is the surest and best proportion, For there is least of the part spiritual; The better therefore shall be solution, Then if thou didst it with Water small, Thine Earth over-glutting which loseth all. Take heed therefore to Potters Loam, And make thou never too nesh thy Womb. That Loam behold how it temper'd is, The mean also by which it is Calcinate, And ever in mind look thou bear this, That never thine Earth with Water be suffo∣cate.
    • Dry up thy moisture with heat most tem∣perate. Help Dissolution with moisture of the Moon, And Congelation with the Sun, then hast thou done.
    • Four Natures into a fifth so shalt thou turn, Which is a Nature most perfect and tem∣perate.
    • But hard it is with thy bare foot to spurn Against a bar of Iron, or Steel new acuate; For many so do which be infatuate, When they such high things take in hand, Which they in no wise understand.
    • In Eggs, in Vitriol, or in Blood, What Riches ween they there to find? If they Philosophy understood, They would not be in working so blind, Gold and Silver to seek out of its kind: For like as Fire of burning principle is, So the principle of gilding is Gold I wis. If thou therefore intend for to make Gold or Silver by craft of our Philosophy, Thereto neither Eggs nor Blood thou take, But Gold aud Silver, which naturally Calcined wisely, and not manually, A new Generation will forth bring, Increasing its kind as doth every other thing.
    • And if it true were that profit might be, In things which are not Metalline.
    • As in Blood, Eggs, Hair, Ʋrine, or Wine, Or in mean Minerals digg'd out of the Mine; Yet must that Element be first purified and separate, And with Elements of perfect Bodies be desponsate.
    • But first of thine Elements make thou Ro∣tation, And into Water thine Earth turn first of all, Then of thy Water make Air by levigation, And Air make Fire; then Master I will thee call Of all our Secrets great and small: The wheel of Elements then hast thou turn'd about, Truly conceiving our Writings without doubt.
    • This done, go backwards turning thy wheel again, And into Water turn thy Fire anon, Air into Earth, else labourest thou in vain.
    • For so to temperament is brought our Stone, And Natures contractions four, are made one; After they have three times been circulate, Also thy Base perfectly consummate.
    • Thus under the moisture of the Moon.
    • And under the temperate heat of the Sun, Thy Elements shall be incinerate soon, And then hast thou the Mastery won. Thank God thy Work was so begun: For then hast thou one token true, Which first in blackness to thee will shew.
    • The Head of the Crow that token call we, And some do call it the Crows Bill, Some call it the Ashes of Hermes Tree; And thus they name it after their will, Our Toad of the Earth which eateth his fill. Some call it by what it is mortificate, Our Spirit with Venom intoxicate. But it hath names I say to thee infinite; For after each thing that blackness is to sight Named it is, till time it waxeth white; Then hath it names of more delight, After all things that been full white. And the red likewise after the same, After all read things doth take the name, At the first Gate, &c.
    • poem
  • AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Second Gate, Which is DISSOLUTION.
    • Of Dissolution now will I speak a word or two, Which sheweth out what erst was hid from fight, And maketh intenuate things that were thick also, By virtue of our first Menstrue clear and bright, In which our Bodies eclipsed been of light, And of their hard and dry compaction sub∣tilate, Into their own first Matter kindly retro∣gradate.
    • One in Gender they be, and in Number two, Whose Father is the Sun, and the Moon the Mother; The mover is Mercury: These and no more be Our Magnesia, our Adrop, and none other Things here be, but only Sister and Brother: That is to mean, Agent and Patient, Sulphur and Mercury co-essential to our intent.
    • Between these two in quality contrarious, Ingendred is a mean most marvellous, Which is our Mercury and Menstrue un∣ctuous; Our secret Sulphur working invisibly, More fierce then Fire burning the Body, Dissolving Metals into Water Mineral, Which Night for darkness in the North we do call.
    • But yet I trow thou understandst not utterly, The very secret of Philosophers Dissolution, Therefore understand me, I counsel thee wit∣tily, For the truth I will tell thee without delusion, Our Solution is caused of our Congelation; For Dissolution on the one side corporal, Causeth Congelation on the other side spiri∣tual.
    • And we dissolve into Water which wetteth no hand; For when the Earth is integratly incinerate, Then is the Water congeal'd: This under∣stand, For our Elements are so together concatenate, That when thy Body from its first form is alterate, A new form is indued immediately, Since nothing being without all form is ut∣terly.
    • And here a secret I will to thee disclose, Which is the ground of our secrets all, And it not known thou shalt but lose Thy labour and costs both great and small: Take heed therefore in error that thou not fall. The more thine Earth, and the less thy moi∣sture be, The rather and better Solution shalt thou see.
    • Behold how Ice to Water doth relent, And so it must, for Water it was before; Right so again our Water to Earth is went, And Water thereby congeal'd for evermore: For after all Philosophers that ere were bore, Each Metal once was Water Mineral, Therefore with Water they turn to Water all.
    • In which Water of kind occasionate, Of qualities been repugnance and diversity, Things into things must therefore be Rotate, Ʋntil that Trinity be brought to perfect Ʋnity.
    • For the Scripture recordeth when the Earth shall be Troubled, and into the deep Sea shall be cast Mountains and Bodies likewise at the last.
    • Our Bodies be likned conveniently To Mountains, which after high Planets we name; Into the deeps therefore of Mercury Turn them, and keep thee out of blame, For then shalt thou see a noble game, How all will become Powder as soft as Silk; So doth our Runnit kindly curd up our Milk.
    • Then have thy Bodies their first form lost, And others been indued immediately, Then hast thou well bestowed thy cost, When others uncunning must go by, Not knowing the secrets of our Philosophy.
    • Yet one point more I must tell thee, How that each Body hath dimensions three, Altitude, Latitude, and also Profundity; By which all Gates turn we must our Wheel.
    • Knowing that thine entrance in the West shall be, Thy passage forth to the North if thou do well, And there thy Lights will lose their lights each deal, For there must thou abide for 90 nights, In darkness of Purgatory without lights.
    • Then take thy course up to the East anon, By colours rising variable in manifold wise, To the East therefore thine ascending devise, For there the Sun with day-light doth uprise In Summer, and there disport thee with de∣light.
    • Forth from the East into the South ascend, And set thee down there in a Chair of Fire, For there is Harvest, that is to say, an end Of all this Work after thine own desire, There shineth the Sun up in his Hemisphere. After the Eclipses in redness with glory, As King to reign over all Metals and Mer∣cury.
    • Ne te poeniteat faciem fuligine pingi, Adferet haec Phoebi nigra favilla jubar.
    • And in one Glass must be done all this thing, Like to an Egg in shape, and closed well.
    • Then must thou know the measure of Firing, The which unknown thy Work is lost each deal. Let never thy Glass be hotter then thou mayst feel, And suffer still in thy bare hand to hold, For fear of losing, as Philosophers have told.
    • Yet to my Doctrine furthermore attend, Beware thy Glass thou never open ne meeve, From the beginning till thou have made an end; If thou do otherwise thy Work may never cheeve. Thus in this Chapter which is but brief, &c.
    • poem
  • AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Third Gate, Which is SEPARATION.
    • Separation doth each part from other divide, The subtle from the gross, the thick from the thin; But manual Separation see thou set aside, For that pertains to Fools, which little fruit doth win. But in our Separation Nature doth not blin, Making division of qualities Elemental, Into a fifth degree till they be turned all.
    • Earth is turned into Water under black and bloe, And Water after into Air under very white, Then Air into Fire, Elements there be no moe, Of these is made our Stone of great delight. But of this Separation much more I must write; And Separation is called by Philosophers definition, Of several qualities a Tetraptive dis∣persion.
    • Of this Separation I find a like figure thus spoken: So out of our Stone precious if thou be witty, Oyl incombustible and Water thou shalt draw, And thereabout thou needest not at the Coles to blow.
    • Do this with heat easie and nourishing, First with moist Fire, and after that with dry, The Flegm with patience out-drawing, And after that the other Natures wittily: Dry up thine Earth until it be thirsty, By Calcination, else labourest thou in vain, And then make it drink up the moisture again.
    • Separation thus must thou oftentimes make, Thy Waters dividing into parts two, So that the subtle from the gross thou take, Till the Earth remain below in colours bloe; That Earth is fixed to abide all woe. The other part is spiritual and flying, But thou must turn them all into one thing.
    • Then Oyl and Water with Water shall distill, And through her help receive moving: Keep well these two, that thou not spill Thy Work for want of due closing, And make thy Stopple of Glass melting, The top of thy Vessel together with it, Then Philosopher lick it is up shit:
    • The Water wherewith thou mayst revive thy Stone, Look thou distill before thou work with it. Oftentimes by it self alone, And by this sight thou shalt wit, From feculent faeces when it is quit: For some men can with Saturn it multiply, And such like substance, which we defie.
    • Distill it therefore till it be clean, And thin like Water as it should be, Like Heaven in colour bright and sheene, Keeping both figure and ponderosity: There with did Hermes moisten his Tree, In his Glass that he made it to grow upright, With Flowers discoloured beautiful to sight.
    • This Water is like to the venomous Tyre, And with it the mighty Triacle is wrought; It is a poison most strong of ire, A stronger poison cannot be thought, Oft times therefore at the Pothecaries it is sought. But no man shall thereby be intoxicate, From time it is to Medicine Elixerate.
    • For then as is the Triacle true, And in its working doth marvels shew, Restoring many from death to life; But see thou mingle it with no Corrosive, But choose it pure and quick running, If thou thereby wilt have winning.
    • It is a marvellous thing in kind, And without it can nothing be done, Therefore did Hermes call it his Wind, For it is up-flying from Sun and Moon, And maketh our Stone to fly with it soon, Reviving the dead, and giving life To Sun and Moon, Husband and Wife.
    • Which if they were not by craft made quick, And their fatness with Water drawn out, And so the thin dissevered from the thick, Thou shouldest never bring this Work about. If thou wilt therefore speed without doubt, Raise up the Birds out of their Nest, And after bring them again to rest.
    • Water with Water accord will and ascend, And Spirit with Spirit, for they be both of one kind, Which when they be exalted make to de∣scend. So shalt thou unloose that which Nature erst did bind, Mercury essential turning into Wind; Without which natural and subtle Separa∣tion, May never be compleat profitable Genera∣tion.
    • Now to help thee in at this Gate, This last secret I will disclose to thee, Thy Water must be seven times sublimate, Else shall no kindly Dissolution be, Nor Putrefaction shalt thou none see; Like liquid Pitch nor colours appearing, For lack of heat within thy Glass working.
    • Four Fires there be, which thou must under∣stand, Natural, against Nature, unnatural also, And the Elemental, which doth burn the brand; These four Fires use we and no moe, Fire against Nature must do thy Body woe. This is our Dragon as I thee tell, Fiercely burning as the Fire in Hell.
    • Fire of Nature is the third Menstrual, That Fire is natural in each thing, But Fire occasionate we call unnatural, As heat of Ashes and Balnes for putrefying. Without these Fires thou mayst nought bring To Putrefaction, for to be separate, Thy Matters together proportionate.
    • Therefore make Fire thy Glass within, Which burneth the Body much more than Fire Elemental, if thou wilt win Our secrets according to thy desire: Then shall thy Seed both rot and spire, By help of Fire occasionate, That kindly after they may be separate.
    • Of Separation the Gate must thus be won.
    • poem
  • AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Fourth Gate, Which is CONJUNCTION.
    • After the Chapter of Natural Separation, By which the Elements of our Stone disse∣vered be, The Chapter here followeth of secret Con∣junction, Which Natures repugnant joyneth to perfect unity, And so them knitteth that none from others may flee, When they by the Fire shall be examinate, They be together so surely conjungate.
    • And therefore Philosophers give this defi∣nition, Saying this Conjunction is nothing else But of dissevered qualities a Copulation, Or of principles a Coequation as others tells. But some men with Mercury that Apotheca∣ries sells, Meddleth Bodies that cannot divide Their Matter, and therefore they slip aside.
    • For until the Soul be separate, And cleansed from its original sin With the Water, and throughly spirituali∣zate, The true Conjunction mayst thou never begin. Therefore the Soul first from the Body twine, Then of the corporal part and of the spiritual, The Soul shall cause Conjunction perpetual.
    • Of two Conjunctions Philosophers mention make, Gross when the Body is with Mercury re∣incrudate; But let this pass; and to the second heed take, Which is, as I said, after Separation celebrate, In which the parties be left with least to colligate, And so promoted unto most perfect tempe∣rance, That never after may be repugnance.
    • Thus causeth true Separation true Conjuncti∣on to be had, Of Water and Air, with Earth and Fire; But that each Element into other may be led, And so abide for ever at thy desire, Do as do Dawbers with Clay or Mire, Temper them thick, and make them not too thin, This do up-drying the rather thou shalt win.
    • But manners there be of our Conjunction three, The first is called by Philosophers diptative, The which between Agent and Patient must be, Male and Female, Mercury and Sulphur vive, Matter and Form, thin and thick to thrive. This Lesson will help thee without doubt, And our Conjunction truly bring about.
    • The second manner is called Triptative, Which is a Conjunction of things three, Of Body, Soul and Spirit, that they not strive, Which Trinity thou must bring to Ʋnity.
    • For as the Soul to the Spirit the bond must be, Right so the Body the Soul to him must knit. Out of thy mind let not this Lesson flit.
    • The third manner, and also the last of all, Four Elements together which joyns to abide, Tetraptative certainly Philosophers do it call, And specially Guido de Montanor, whos fame goeth wide, And therefore in most laudable manner this tide.
    • In our Conjunction four Elements must ag∣gregate In due proportion, which first asunder were separate.
    • Therefore like as the Woman hath veins fifteen, And the Man but five to the act of their fe∣cundity, Required in our Conjunction first I mean, So must the Man his Son have of his Water three, And nine his Wife, which three to him must be: Then like with like shall joy have for to dwell. More of Conjunction me needeth not to tell.
    • This Chapter I will conclude right soon therefore, Gross Conjunction charging thee to make but one, For seldom have Strumpets Children ybore, And so shalt thou never come by our Stone, Without thou let the Woman lig alone; That after she have once conceived by the Man, Her Matrix be shut up from all other than.
    • For such as evermore add crude to crude, Opening their Vessel, letting their Matters keel, The Sperm conceived they nourish not, but delude Themselves, and spill their Work each deal; If therefore thou have list to do weel, Close up thy Matrix, and nourish thy Seed With heat continual and temperate, if thou wilt speed.
    • And when thy Vessel hath stood by months five, And Clouds and Eclipses passed each one, The light appearing increase thy heat, then believe, Ʋntil bright and shining in whiteness be thy Stone. Then mayst thou open thy Glass anon, And feed thy Child which is ybore, With Milk and Meat aye more and more.
    • For now both moist and dry is so contem∣perate, That of the Water Earth hath received im∣pression, Which never after that asunder may be se∣parate, And right so Water to the Earth hath given ingression, That both together to dwell have made pro∣fession; And Water of the Earth hath purchased a retentive, They four made one never more to strive.
    • Thus in two things all our intents do hing, In moist and dry, which be contraries two; In dry, that it the moist to fixing bring; In moist, that it give Liquefaction to the Earth also.
    • Then of them thus a temperament may forth go, A temperament not so thick as the Body is, Neither so thin as Water withouten miss.
    • Loosing and knitting be principles two Of this hard Science, & Poles most principal, Howbeit that other principles be many moe, &c.
    • poem
  • AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Fifth Gate, Which is PUTREFACTION.
    • Now we begin the Chapter of Putrefaction, Without which Pole no Seed can multiply, Which must be done only by continual action Of heat in the Body, moist not manually; For Bodies else may not be altered naturally.
    • Sith Christ doth witness, without the Grain of Wheat Dye in the Ground, increase thou mayst none get. And in likewise without the Matter putrefie, It may in no wise truly be alterate, Neither thy Elements may be divided kindly, Nor the Conjunction of them perfectly cele∣brate: That therefore thy labour be not frustrate, The privity of our putrefying well under∣stand, Or ever thou take this Work in hand.
    • And Putrefaction may thus defined be, After Philosophers definition to be of Bo∣dies the slaying, And in our Compound a division of things three, The killed Bodies into Corruption forth lea∣ding, And after unto Regeneration them ableing; For things being in the Earth, without doubt Be engendred of Rotation of the Heavens about.
    • And therefore like as I have said before, Thine Elements commixt and wisely co∣equate, Thou keep in temperate heat, eschewing ever∣more That they by violent heat be not incinerate, To powder dry unprofitably Rubificate: But into powder black as the Crows Bill, With heat of our Bath, or else of our Dunghill.
    • Ʋntil the time that Nights be passed ninety, In moist heat keep them for any thing, Soon after by blackness thou shalt espy, That they draw fast to putrefying.
    • Which after many colours thou mayst bring To perfect whiteness, by patience easily, And so the Seed in his nature shall mul∣tiply.
    • Make each the other to hale and kiss, And like as Children play them up and down, And when their Shirts are filled with Piss, Then let the Woman to wash be bown, Which oft for faintness will fall in a swo, And die at last with her Children all, And go to Purgatory to wash their filth Original.
    • When they be there, by little & little increase Their pains with heat aye more and more, The Fire from them let never cease, And see that thy Furnace be surely apt there∣fore, Which wise men call an Athanor: Concerning heat required most temperately, By which thy Matter doth kindly putrefie.
    • Of this principle speaketh sapient Guido, And saith by rotting dyeth the Compound corporal, And then after Morien and others moe, Ʋp riseth again regenerate, simple and spi∣ritual. And were not heat and moisture continual, Sperm in the Womb might have none abi∣ding, And so there should no fruit thereof up spring.
    • Therefore at the beginning our Stone thou take, And bury each in other with their Grave, Then equal between them a marriage make, To lig together six weeks let them have. Their Seed conceived, kindly nourish and save, rom the ground of their Grave not rising the while, Which secret point doth many one beguile.
    • This time of Conception with easie heat abide, The blackness appearing shall tell thee when they die, For they together like liquid Pitch that tide Shall swell and bubble, settle and putrefie; Shining colours therein thou shalt espy, Like to the Rainbow, marvellous to sight, The Water then beginneth to dry upright.
    • For in moist Bodies heat working tempe∣rate, Engendreth blackness first of all, which is Of kindly Conjunction the token assignate, And of true putrefying; remember this, For then perfectly to alter thou canst not miss. And thus by the Gate of blackness thou must come in To the light of Paradise in whiteness, if thou wilt win.
    • For first the Sun in his uprising obscurate Shall be, and pass the Waters of Noah's Floud, On Earth which were a hundred days con∣tinuate And fifty, away ere all these Waters goed; Right so our Waters, as Wise men under∣stood, Shall pass, that thou with David may say, Abierunt in sicco flumina; bear this away.
    • Soon after that Noah planted this Vineyard, Which Royally flourished, and brought forth Grapes anon, After which space thou shalt not be afeard.
    • For in like wise shall follow the flourishing of our Stone.
    • And soon that after thirty days are gone, Thou shalt have Grapes right as Ruby red, Which is our Adrop, our Usifur, and our red Lead.
    • For like as Souls after pains tranitory, Be brought to Paradise where ever is joy∣ful life; So shall our Stone after his darkness in Pur∣gatory, Be purged and joyned in Elements with∣outen strife.
    • Rejoyce the whiteness and beauty of his Wife.
    • And pass from darkness of Purgatory to light Of Paradise, in whiteness Elixir of great might.
    • And that thou mayst the rather to Putre∣faction, Win this example, thou take, &c. The heart of an Oak which hath of Water continual infusion; For though it in Water lay an hundred years and more, Yet shouldest thou find it sound as ever it was before.
    • But and thou keep it sometimes wet and sometimes dry, As thou mayst see in Timber, And so even likewise, &c. Sometimes our Tree must with the Sun be brent.
    • And then with Water we must it keel, That so to rotting we may bring it weel.
    • For now in wet, &c. To be shall cause it soon to putrefie, And so shall thou bring to rotting thy Gold, Intreat thy Bodies, &c. And in thy putrefying with heat be not too swift, Lest in the Ashes thou seek after thy thrift.
    • Therefore the Water out of the Earth thou draw, And make the Soul therewith for to ascend, Then down again into the Earth it throw, That they oft-times so ascend and descend.
    • From violent heat and sudden cold defend Thy Glass, and make thy Fire so temperate, That by the sides the Matter be not vitri∣ficate.
    • And be thou wise in choosing of the Matter, Meddle with no Salts, &c. But whatsoever any Worker to thee chatter, Our Sulphur and our Mercury been only in Metals, Which Oyls and Waters some men them calls, Fowls and Birds, &c. Because that Fools should never know our Stone.
    • To know to destroy their whole Composition, That some of their Components may help in conclusion.
    • For of this World our Stone is called the Cement, Which moved by craft as Nature doth re∣quire, In his increase shall be full opulent, And multiply his kind after thy own desire: Therefore if God vouchsafe thee to inspire, Like unto thee in Riches shall be but few.
    • poem
  • AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Sixth Gate, Which is CONGELATION.
    • Congelation, &c. It is of soft things in duration of colour white, &c. How to congeal he needeth not much to care for Elements: But Congelations be made in divers wise of Spirits, &c. Of Salts dissolved, &c. and then congeal'd, And some dissolveth congealing manu∣ally, &c. But such congealing is not, &c.
    • Our Congelation dreadeth not the Fir, For it must ever in it stand unctuous; And it is also a Tincture so bounteous, Which in the Air, &c. Moreover congeal not, &c. But that like Wax it will melt anon with∣outen blast, For such congealing accordeth not, &c. Which Congelation availeth us not.
    • If thou therefore list to do weel, Sith the Medicine shall never else flow kindly, Neither congeal without thou first it putrefie, First purge, then fix the Elements of our Stone, Till they together congeal and flow anon.
    • For when the Matter is made perfectly white, Then, &c. But of such time thou mayst have long re∣spite, Ere it congeal, &c. And after into grains red as bloud, Richer, &c.
    • The Earthly grossness therefore first morti∣fied in moisture, &c. This principle may not be denied, &c. Which had, of whiteness thou mayst not miss, &c. And if, &c.
• THE BOOKSELLER TO THE READER.
• title page
• EXPERIMENTS for the Preparation of the Sophick Mercury, by Luna and the Anti∣monial-Stellate-Regulus of Mars, for the Philosophers Stone.
  • 1. The secret of the Philosophick Arsnick.
  • 2. The secret of preparing the Mercury with his Arsnick, for the separa∣ting its Faeces.
  • 3. The Purification of the Sophick Mercury.
  • 4. Another most excellent Purgation.
  • 5. The secret of the just Preparation of the Sophick Mercury.
  • 6. The secret of the Sophick Mercury.
  • 7. Another Purgation, but yet better.
  • 8. I have found the best way of prepa∣ring the Sophick Mercury, viz. such as follows.
  • 9. A threefold tryal of the goodness of the Prepared Mercury.
  • 10. Another tryal.
  • 11. The third tryal.
  • 12. The extraction of the Sulphur from the living Mercury by Separation.
  • 13. The Magical Sol out of this Luna.
  • 14. Out of this Sulphur, Aurum potabile.
  • 15. The gross conjunction of the Menstruum with its Sulphur, for the formation of the Off-spring of the Fire.
  • 16. The working of the mixture by a manual Operation.
  • 17. The putting in of the Foetus into the Philosophical Egg.
  • 18. The Government of the Fire.
• title page
• Sir George Ripley's RECAPITULATION.
• A Breviary of Alchemy; OR A COMMENTARY UPON Sir GEORGE RIPLEY'S RECAPITULATION: BEING A Paraphrastical Epitome of his XII Gates.
  • Stanza I. Position I.
  • Stanza II. Position II.
  • Position III.
  • Position IV.
  • Position V.
  • Position VI.
  • Position VII.
  • Position VIII.
  • Position IX.
  • Position X.
• These Books are Printed lately for William Cooper at the Pellican in Little-Britain, London.
• title page
• THE VISION OF Sr GEORGE RIPLEY, Canon of Bridlington, Unfolded.
• THE VISION OF Sr GEORGE RIPLEY, Canon of Bridlington, Unfolded.
  • A Toad full ruddy I saw.—
  • Did drink the juice of Grapes.
  • So fast.
  • Till over-charged with the Broth, his Bowels all to brast.
  • And after that, from poysoned bulk he cast his venom fell.
  • For grief and pain whereof his members all began to swell.
  • With drops of poysoned sweat, approach∣ing thus his secret Den.
  • His Cave with blasts of fumous Air, he all bewhited then.
  • And from the which in space a Golden Humour did ensue.
  • Whose falling drops from high did stain the soyl with ruddy hue.
  • And when his Corps the force of vital breath began to lack.
  • This dying▪ Toad became forthwith like Coal▪ for colour black.
  • Thus drowned in his proper Veins of poy∣soned Flood.
  • For term of Eighty Days and Four he rotting stood.
  • part
  • Then of the Venom handled thus a Medi∣cine I did make, Which Venom kills, and saveth such a Venom chance to take.
  • Glory be to Him the Grantor of such secret Ways; Dominion and Honour both, with Worship and with Praise. Amen.
• author's note
• Porta Prima. De Calcinatione Philosophica.
• A Catalogue of certain Books, Printed and to be sold by William Cooper at the Pel∣lican in Little-Britain, London.