Nicholas Flammel, his exposition of the hieroglyphicall figures which he caused to bee painted vpon an arch in St. Innocents Church-yard, in Paris. Together with the secret booke of Artephius, and the epistle of Iohn Pontanus: concerning both the theoricke and the practicke of the philosophers stone. Faithfully, and (as the maiesty of the thing requireth) religiously done into English out of the French and Latine copies. By Eirenæus Orandus, qui est, vera veris enodans

ARTEPHIVS HIS SECRET BOOKE.

ANtimony is of the parts of Saturne, and hath in euery respect the nature thereof: so this Sa∣turnine Antimonie agrees with the Sunne, hauing in it selfe Argent viue, where∣in no mettall is drowned but gold; that is to say; Gold onely is drowned in Antimoniall Saturnine Ar∣gent

viue, and without that Argent viue, no mettall can bee whitened: It whi∣teneth therefore Leton, that is, Gold, and it reduceth a perfect Body into its first matter, that is, into Sulphur and Argent viue of a white colour, and shining more than glasse. It dissolues I say, the perfect Body which is of his nature; for this water is friendly, and plea∣sant to the Mettalls, whi∣tening the Sunne, because it containes a white Argent viue. And from hence thou mayest draw a great secret, to wit, that the water of Sa∣turnine Antimony ought to be Mercuriall and white, to the end that it may whi∣ten the Gold, not burning it, but dissoluing and after∣wards

congealing it to the forme of white Creame. Therefore, saith the Philo∣sopher, that this water ma∣keth the Body to bee vola∣tile, because after it hath beene dissolued in this wa∣ter, and cooled againe, it mounts aloft vpon the sur∣face of the water; Take (saith he) gold crude, folia∣ted, laminated, or calcined with Mercury, and put it into our Vinegre Antimo∣niall, Saturnine, Mercuri∣all, and drawne from Sal Ammoniack (as is said) in a broad vessell of glasse, foure fingers high or more, and leaue it there in a temperate heate; and in short time thou wilt see lifted vp, as it were a liquor of oyle swimming aloft, in manner

of a thinne skinne: That ga∣ther with a spoone, or with a feather, dipping it in, and so doing many times in a day, vntill there doe no∣thing more arise; afterward make the water vapour a∣way by the fire, that is to say, the superfluous humor of the vinegre, and there will remain vnto thee a fifth essence of Gold, in forme of a white oyle incombustible, wherein the Phylosophers haue placed their greatest secrets; and this oyle is ex∣ceeding sweete, and is of great power to mitigate the pain and griefe of wounds. All the secret then of this secret Antimoniall, is that by vertue thereof we know how to extract & draw out of the body of the Mag∣nesia,

Argent viue, not burning, (and this is Anti∣mony and Mercuriall subli∣mate) that is, we must draw a water liuing, incombusti∣ble, and then congeale it with the perfect Body of the Sunne, which is dissol∣ued therein, into a nature and substance white, con∣gealed as if it were creame, which maketh it all to be∣come white: Neuerthelesse, first of all this Sunne in his putrifaction and resolution in this water, in the begin∣ning will loose his light, be darkened, & become black, and afterward will lift him∣selfe vpon the water, and there will swimme vpon it by little and little a white colour i•• a white substance. And this is called to whiten

the red Leton, to sublime it Phylosophically, and to re∣duce it into his first matter, that is to say, into white Sulphur incombustible, and into Argent viue fixed; and so the terminated moi∣sture, that is to say, Gold, our Body, by the reiteration of liquefaction in this our dissoluing water, is turned and reduced into Sulphur, and Argent viue fixed: And so the perfect Body of the Sunne taketh life in this water, is reuiued, inspired, encreased, and multiplied in his kind, as all other things are; for in this water it com∣meth to passe, that the Body compounded of two bodies, of the Sunne and of the Moone, puffeth vp, swelleth, putrisieth as a graine of

Corne, becommeth great with young, is lifted vp, and encreaseth, taking the sub∣stance & nature, liuing and vegetable.

Also our water, or our foresaid vinegre, is the vi∣negre of Mountaines, that is to say, of the Sunne and Moone, and therefore it is mixed with the Sunne and Moon, and cleaueth to them perpetually: to wit, the Bo∣dy taketh from this water the tincture of whitenesse, and with it (the water) shineth with inestimable brightnesse. Hee therefore that knowes how to turne the Body into white siluer medicinall, hee may after∣ward by this white gold, ea∣sily turne all imperfect met∣tals into very good and fine

siluer. And this white gold, is by the Phylosophers cal∣led, their white Moone, the white Argent viue fixed, the Gold of Alchimy, and the white smoake. Therefore without that our Antimo∣niall vinegre, the white gold of Alchimy, cānot be made. And because in our vinegre there is a double substance of Argent viue, one of An∣timony, and another of Mercury sublimed; it doth therefore giue a double weight & substance of Ar∣gent viue fixed, and also augments therein (in the gold) the naturall colour, weight, substance, and tin∣cture thereof.

Therefore our dissoluing water, carries a great tin∣cture and great fusion, be∣cause

that when it feeles the common fire, if there be in it the perfect Body of the Sunne or of the Moone, it suddenly maketh it to bee melted, and to be turned in∣to his substance, white as it is, & addes colour, weight, and tincture to the Body. It hath also power to dis∣solue all things that may be melted, and it is a ponde∣rous body, viscous, preci∣ous, and honourable, resol∣uing all crude bodies into their first matter, that is, in∣to Earth, & a viscous pow∣der, that is to say, into Sul∣phur and Argent viue. If therefore thou put into this water any mettall, filed, or attenuated, and leauest it for a time in a gentle heate, it will bee all dissolued, and

changed into a viscous wa∣ter, or a white oyle, as is said. And so it molifies the Body, and prepares it to fusion & liquefaction, nay, it makes all things fusible, that is, stones and mettals, and af∣terwards giues them spirit and life. Therefore it dis∣solues all things with a wonderful solution, turning the perfect Body into a fusi∣ble medicine, melting, pene∣trating, and more fixed, en∣creasing the weight and co∣lour.

Worke therefore with it, and thou shalt obtaine from it that which thou desirest; for it is the spirit and the soule of the Sunne and the Moone, it is the oyle, the dissoluing water, the fountaine, the Balneum Ma∣riae,

the fire against Nature, the moist fire, the secret, hid∣den, and inuisible fire, and the most sharpe vinegre, of which a certaine ancient Phylosopher said, I besought the Lord, and hee shewed me a certain cleane water, which I knew to be the pure vine∣gre, altering, piercing, and digesting. The vinegre I say penetratiue, and the instru∣ment mouing the gold or the siluer, to putrifie, re∣solue, and to be reduced in∣to his first matter, and it is the onely Agent in the whole World for this Art, that can resolue and rein∣crudate, or make raw againe the Mettallicke Bodies, with the conseruation of their species. It is therefore the onely fit and natural mean,

by which we ought to re∣solue the perfect Bodies of the Sunne and Moone, by an admirable and solemne dis∣solution, vnder the conser∣uation of their species, and without any destruction, vnlesse it be to a new, more noble, and better forme, or generation, that is to say, into the perfect Stone of the Phylosophers, which is their wonderfull, and hidden se∣cret.

Now this water is a cer∣tain middle substance, cleere as pure siluer, which ought to receiue the tinctures of the Sunne and Moone, to the end that it may be con∣gealed and conuerted into white and liuing Earth; for this water hath need of the perfect bodies, that with

them after dissolution, it may bee congealed, fixed, and coagulated into white Earth; and their solution is also their congelation, for they haue one and the same operation, for the one is not dissolued, but that the other is congealed; neither is there any other water which can dissolue the Bo∣dies, but that which abideth with them in matter and forme; nay, it cannot be per∣manent, except it bee of the nature of the other body, that they may be made one together. Therefore when thou seest the water coagu∣late it selfe with the Bodies that bee dissolued therein, rest assured that thy Sci∣ence, Methode, and operati∣ons, are true and Phyloso∣phicall,

and that thou pro∣ceedest aright in the Art.

Nature then is amended in its like nature; that is, Gold and Siluer are amen∣ded in our water, as our wa∣ter also with the Bodies; which water is called the meane of the Soule, without the which wee can doe no∣thing in this Art; and it is the vegetable, animall, and minerall fire, preseruing the fixed spirits of the Sunne and Moone, the destroyer and the Conquerour of Bo∣dies, because it destroyes, dissolues, and changeth Bo∣dies, and mettallick formes, and makes them to bee no Bodies, but a fixed spirit, and turneth them into a moist, soft, and fluid substance, which hath ingression and

power to enter into other imperfect Bodies, and to be mixed with them by the smallest parts, and to colour them and make them per∣fect; which they could not doe when they were Met∣tallicke bodies dry & hard, which haue no entrance, nor power to colour and make perfect imperfect Bo∣dies. And therefore to good purpose doe wee turne the bodies into a fluid substance, because euery tincture will colour a thousand times more, when it is in a soft and liquid substance, then when it is in a dry one, as appeares by Saffron: and conse∣quently the transmutation of imperfect Bodies, is im∣possible to be done by per∣fect Bodies, while they are

dry, except they bee first brought backe into their first matter, soft and fluid: from hence wee conclude, that we must make the Moi∣sture returne, and so reueale that which is hidden; which is called the reincru∣dation, or the making raw againe of the Bodies, that is, the boyling and the softe∣ning them, vntill they bee depriued of their hard and dry corporality, or bodily∣nesse; because that which is dry, doth not enter, nor co∣lour any more then it selfe. Therefore the dry Earthly Body doth not teine, except it be teined, because as is a∣boue-said, that which is thicke and Earthy, entreth not, nor coloureth; and be∣cause it entreth not, there∣fore

it alters not; wherefore Gold coloureth not, vntill the hidden spirit be drawne from the belly thereof by our white water, and that it be made altogether a spiri∣tuall and white fume, the white spirit, and the won∣derfull soule.

Wherefore wee ought by our water, to attenuate, alter, and soften the perfect Bodies, that they may after∣ward be mixed with the o∣ther imperfect Bodies: And therefore if wee had no o∣ther profit by that Anti∣moniall water, then this, that it makes the Bodies subtile, soft, and fluid, accor∣ding to his owne nature, yet it were sufficient for vs: for it brings backe the Bo∣dies to their first originall

of Sulphur and Mercury, that of these, we may after∣wards in a short time, in lesse then one houre of the day, doe that aboue ground, which Nature wrought vn∣der ground in the mines of the Earth in a thousand yeeres, which is as it were miraculous. And therefore our finall secret, is by our water to make the Bodies volatile, spirituall, and a tei∣ning water, which hath in∣gression or entrance into the other Bodies: for it makes the Bodies to be a ve∣ry spirit, because it doth in∣cerate, (that is, bring to the temper and consistence of waxe) the hard and dry Bo∣dies, and prepares them to fusion, that is, turnes them into a permanent or abiding

water. It makes then of the Bodies a most precious bles∣sed Oyle, which is the true tincture, and the white per∣manent water, of nature hot & moist, temperate, subtile, and fusible as waxe, which pierceth, reacheth to the bottome, coloureth, & ma∣keth perfect. Therefore our water doth incontinently dissolue gold and siluer, and maketh them an incombu∣stible Oyle, which may then be mixed with other imperfect Bodies: for our water turnes the Bodies in∣to the nature of a fusible salt, which is by the Phylo∣sophers called, Sal Albroe, which is the best and the noblest of all salts, being in the regiment thereof fixed, and not flying the fire, and

it is indeed an oyle, of a na∣ture hot, subtile, penetra∣ting, reaching to the depth and entring, called the com∣pleat Elixir, and it is the hidden secret of the wise Alchimists. Hee therefore that knoweth this salt of the Sunne and Moone, and the generation, or prepara∣tion thereof, and afterwards how to mixe it, and make it friendly to the other imper∣fect bodies; hee in truth knoweth one of the greatest secrets of Nature, and one way of perfection.

These Bodies thus dissol∣ued by our water, are called Argent viue, which is not without Sulphur, nor Sul∣phur without the nature of the Luminaries (or lights) because that the Lights (the

Sunne and Moone) are the principall meanes, or mid∣dle things, in the forme, by which Nature passeth in the perfecting and accom∣plishing the generation thereof: And this Quick-siluer, is called the Salt honoured, and animated and pregnant, (or great with Childe) and fire, seeing that it is nothing but fire, nor fire, but Sul∣phur, nor Sulphur, but quicke-siluer, drawne from the Sunne and Moon by our water, and reduced to a stone of great price; that is to say, it is the matter of the Lights, altered from base∣nesse vnto noblenesse. Note that this white Sulphur is the Father of Mettals, and their Mother together, it is

our Mercury; and the Mine∣ra of Gold, and the Soule, and the ferment, and the minerall vertue, and the li∣uing Body, and the perfect Medicine, our Sulphur, and our Quick-siluer, that is, Sulphur of Sulphur, and Quick-siluer of Quick-sil∣uer, and Mercury of Mer∣cury. The property there∣fore of our water is that it melteth gold and siluer, and augments in them their na∣tiue colour; for it turnes the Bodies from Corporality, in∣to Spirituality, and this wa∣ter it is which sends into the Body a white fume, which is the white soule, subtile, hot, and of much fierinesse. This water is also called the bloudy stone, and it is the vertue of the spiri∣tuall

bloud, without which nothing is done, & the sub∣iect of all liquable things, and of liquefaction, which agrees very well, and clea∣ueth to the Sunne and the Moone, neither is it euer se∣parated from them, for it is of kinne to the Sunne and to the Moone, but more to the Sun then to the Moone; Note this well: It is also cal∣led the mean of conioyning the tinctures of the Sunne and Moone with imperfect Mettals; for it turnes the Bodies into a true tincture to teine the other imperfect Mettals, and it is the water which whiteneth, as it is white, which quickeneth as it is a soule; and therefore (as the Phylosopher saith) soone entreth into its body. For it

is a liuing water, which commeth to moisten its earth, that it may budde, and bring forth fruit in his time, as all things springing from the Earth, are engen∣dred by the dew or moi∣sture. The Earth therefore buddeth not without wa∣tring and moisture: It is the water of May-dew, that clenseth the Bodies, that pierceth them like raine wa∣ter, whiteneth them, and maketh one new Body of two Bodies. This water of life being rightly ordered with his Body, whiteneth it, & turneth it into his white colour; for the water is a white fume, and therefore the Body is whitened by it: whiten the Body then, and burne thy Bookes. And be∣tween

these two, that is, be∣tweene the Body and the water, there is friendship, desire, and lust, as betweene the male and the foemale, because of the neerenesse of their like natures: for our se∣cond liuing water is called Azot, washing the Leton, that is, the Body, compoun∣ded of the Sunne and Moon by our first water. This se∣cond water is also called the soule of our dissolued Bo∣dies, of which Bodies wee haue already tyed the soules together, to the end that they may serue the wise Phylosophers. O how per∣fect and magnificent is this water, for without it the worke could neuer bee brought to passe! It is also called the vessell of Nature,

the belly, the wombe, the receptacle of the tincture, the Earth, and the Nurse. It is the Fountaine in which the King and Queene wash themselues, and the Mother which must be put and sea∣led in the belly of her In∣fant, that is, the Sun which proceeded from her, and which shee brought forth: and therefore they loue one another as a Mother and a Sonne, and are easily ioyned together, because they came from one & the same roote, and are of the same sub∣stance and nature. And be∣cause this water is the wa∣ter of the vegetable life, therefore it giueth life, and maketh the dead body to vegetate, encrease, & spring forth, and to rise from death

to life, by solution and sub∣limation; and in so doing, the Body is turned into a spi∣rit, and the spirit into a bo∣dy, and then is made amity, peace, concord, and vnion between the contraries, that is, betweene the Body and the spirit, which reciprocal∣ly change their natures, which they receiue and communicate to one ano∣ther by the least parts, so that the hot is mixed with the cold, the dry with the moist, and the hard with the soft; and thus is there a mixture made of contrary natures, that is, of cold with hot, and of moist with dry, an admirable connexion & coniunction of enemies. Then our dissolution of bo∣dies, which is made in this

first water, is no other thing then a killing of the moist with the dry, because the moist is coagulated with the dry, for the moisture is contained, terminated, and coagulated into a Body, or into Earth, onely by dri∣nesse. Let therefore the hard and dry bodies be put in our first water in a vessell well shut, where they may abide vntill they be dissolued, and ascend on high, and then they may bee called a new Body, the white gold of Al∣chimy, the white stone, the white Sulphur, not burning, and the stone of Paradice, that is, the stone which con∣uerts imperfect Mettals into fine white siluer: Hauing this, we haue also the Body, Soule, and Spirit, all toge∣ther,

of the which spirit and soule it is said, that they can∣not be drawn from the per∣fect Bodies, but by the con∣iunction of our dissoluing water, because it is certaine that the thing fixed, cannot belifted vp, but by the con∣iunction of the thing vola∣tile. The spirit then by the mediation of water and the soule, is drawne from the Bodies, and the Body is made no Body, because at the same instant the spirit with the soule of the Bodies moun∣teth on high into the vpper part, which is the perfecti∣on of the stone, and is called sublimation. This sublima∣tion (saith Florentius Cata∣lanus) is done by things sharpe, spirituall, and vola∣tile, which are of a sulphu∣rous

and viscous nature, which dissolue the Bodies, and make them to be lifted vp into the Ayre in the spi∣rit. And in this sublimation a certaine part and portion of our said first water ascen∣deth with the Bodies, ioy∣ning it selfe to them, ascen∣ding and subliming into a middle substance, which holdeth of the nature of the two, that is, of the Bodies, and of the water; and there∣fore it is called the Corpo∣rall & spirituall compound, Corsufle, Cambdr, Ethelia, Zandarach, the good Due∣nech, but properly it is one∣ly called the water perma∣nent, because it flyeth not in the fire, alwayes adhering to the commixed Bodies, that is, to the Sunne and

Moone, and communica∣ting vnto them a liuing tin∣cture, incombustible, and most firme, more noble and precious then the former which these bodies had, be∣cause from hence-forward this tincture can run as oyle vpon the bodies, perforating and piercing with a won∣derfull fixion, because this Tincture is the spirit, and the spirit is the soule, and the soule is the body, because in this operation the body is made a spirit of a most sub∣tile nature, and likewise the spirit is incorporated, and is made of the nature of a body with bodies, and so our stone contains a body, a soule, and a spirit. O Nature how thou changest the body into a spirit, which thou couldst

not doe, if the spirit were not incorporated with the bodies, and the bodies with the spirits made volatile, or flying, and afterward per∣manent or abiding. There∣fore they haue passed into one another, and are turned the one into the other by wisdome. O wisdome, how thou makest Gold to be vo∣latile and fugitiue, although by nature it be most fixed. It behoueth therefore to dissolue and melt these Bo∣dies by our water, and to make them a permanent water, a golden water subli∣med, leauing in the bottom the grosse, earthly, and su∣perfluous dry. And in this sublimation the fire ought to be soft, and gentle; for if in this sublimation the Bo∣dies

bee not purified in a lent or slow fire, and the grosser earthly parts (note well) separated from the vncleannesse of the dead, thou shalt be hindred from euer making thy worke perfect; for thou needest onely this subtile and light nature of the dissolued Bo∣dies, which our water will easily giue thee, if thou pro∣ceed with a slow fire, for it will separate the Heteroge∣neall (or that which is of another kinde) from the Homogeneall, (or that which is all of one kinde.)

Our compound there∣fore receiueth mundificati∣on or clensing by our moist fire, that is to say, dissoluing and subliming that which is pure and white, and cast∣ing

aside the foeces, like a voluntary vomit (saith A∣zinaban.) For in such a dis∣solution, and naturall sub∣limation, there is made a loosing, or an vntying of the Elements, a clensing and a separation of the pure from the impure, so that the pure and white ascendeth vpward, and the impure and earthly fixed remaines in the bottome of the wa∣ter, or the vessell, which must be taken a way and re∣mooued, because it is of no value, taking onely the mid∣dle white substance, flowing and melting, and leauing the foeculent earth, which remained below in the bot∣tome, which came princi∣pally from the water, and is the drosse, and the dam∣ned

earth, which is nothing worth, nor can euer doe any good, as doth the pure, cleare, white and cleane matter, which wee ought onely to take. And against this Capharaean rocke, the ship and knowledge of the Schollers and students in Philosophy, is often (as it happened also vnto mee sometimes) most improui∣dently dashed and beaten, because the Phylosophers doe very often affirme the contrary, namely, that no∣thing must be remooued or taken away, but the moy∣sture, that is, the Blacknesse, which notwithstanding they say and write, onely to deceiue the vnwise, grosse, and ignorant, which of themselues without a Mai∣ster,

vnwearied reading, or Prayer vnto God Al∣mighty, would like conque∣rours carry away this gol∣den fleece.

Note therefore, that this separation, diuision, and sublimation, is without doubt the key of the whole worke. After the putrifacti∣on then, and dissolution of these Bodies, our Bodies doe lift themselues vp to the surface of the dissoluing water, in the colour of whitenesse, and this white∣nesse is life; for in this whitenesse, the Antimoniall and Mercuriall soule, is by the appointment of nature, infused with the Spirits of the Sunne & Moone, which separateth the subtile from the thicke, and the pure

from the impure, lifting vp by little and little, the sub∣tile part of the Body, from the dregs, vntill all the pure be separated and lifted vp: And in this is our Philoso∣phicall and naturall subli∣mation fulfilled: And in this whitenesse is the soule infused into the Body, that is, the mineral vertue, which is more subtile than fire, being indeed the true quin∣tessence and life, which de∣sireth to bee borne, and to put off the grosse earthly foeces, which it hath taken from the Menstruous and corrupt place of his Origi∣nall. And in this is our Philosophicall sublimation, not in the naughty com∣mon Mercury, which hath no qualities like vnto them,

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wherewith our Mercury drawne from his vitriolate cauernes, is adorned. But let vs returne to our subli∣mation. It is therefore most certaine in this Art, that this soule drawne from the Bodies, cannot be lifted vp, but by the putting to of a volatile thing, which is of his owne kinde; by the which the Bodies are made volatile and spirituall, lif∣ting vp, subtiliating, and subliming themselues, a∣gainst their owne proper nature, which is bodily, heauy and ponderous; and by this meanes they are made no Bodies, but incor∣poreall, and a fifth essence, of the nature of the Spirit, which is called Hermes his Bird, and Mercury drawne

from the red seruant; and so the earthy parts re∣maine below, or rather the grosser parts of the Bodies, which cannot by any wit or deuice of man be perfect∣ly dissolued. And this white fume, this white gold, that is, this quintessence, is also called the compound Mag∣nesia, which as a man, con∣taines, or like a man is com∣pounded of a Body, a Soule, and a Spirit: For the Body is the fixed earth of the Sunne, which is more than most fine, ponderously lif∣ted vp, by the force of our diuine water; The soule is the tincture of the Sunne and of the Moone, procee∣ding from the coniunction or communication of these two: But the spirit is the

minerall vertue of the two Bodies, and of the water, which carries the soule, or the white tincture vpon the Bodies, and out of the Bo∣dies, as the tincture of Di∣ers, is carried by water vp∣on the cloth. And that Mer∣curiall spirit is the Bond or tyall of the soule of the Sun; And the Body of the Sunne is the Body of fiction, con∣taining with the Moone the spirit and soule. The spirit therefore pierceth, the body fixeth, the soule coupleth, coloureth and whiteneth. Of these three vnited toge∣ther, is our Stone made, that is, of the Sunne, and Moone, and Mercury. Then with our gilded (or golden) water, is extracted a nature surpassing all na∣ture,

and therefore except the bodies bee by this our water dissolued, imbibed, ground, softened, and spa∣ringly and diligently go∣uerned, vntill they leaue their grossenesse and thick∣nesse; and be turned into a thinne and impalpable spi∣rit, our labour will alwayes be in vaine, for vnlesse the bodies bee changed into no bodies, that is, into the Phi∣losophers Mercury, the rule of Art is not yet found, and the reason is, because it is impossible to draw out of the bodies that most thinne or subtile soule, which hath in it all tincture, if the bodies be not first dissolued in our water. Dissolue therefore the bodies in the golden wa∣ter, and boyle them, vntill

by the water all the tincture come out into a white co∣lour, or a white oyle, and when thou shalt see this whitenesse vpon the water, then know that the bodies are dissolued or melted, and continue the decoction, vn∣till they bring foorth the cloude which they haue conceiued, darke, blacke, and white. Put therefore the perfect bodies in our water, in a vessell Hermeti∣cally sealed, vpon a soft fire, and boyle them conti∣nually, vntill they bee per∣fectly resolued into a most precious oyle: Boyle them (saith Adfar) with a gentle fire, as it were for the hatch∣ing of chickens, vntill the bodies bee dissolued, and their tincture most neerely

conioyned, (marke well) be wholly drawne out: for it is not drawne out all at once, but it commeth forth by little and little, euery day and euery houre, vntill after a long time this dissolution be complete, & that which is dissolued do alwaies arise vppermost vpon the water. And in this dissolution let the fire bee soft and conti∣nuall, vntill the bodies bee loosed into a viscous impal∣pable water, and that the whole tincture come forth, first in the colour of blacke∣nesse, which is a signe of true solution: Then con∣tinue the decoction, vntill it become a white permanent water, for gouerning it in its bath, it will afterward be cleare, and in the end be∣come

like common argent viue, climing thorow the ayre vpon the first water. And therefore when thou seest the bodies dissolued in∣to a viscous water, then know that they are turned into a vapour, and that thou hast the soules separated from the dead bodies, and by sublimation brought in∣to the order and estate of spirits, whereupon both of them with a part of our wa∣ter, are made spirits, flying and clyming into the ayre, and that there the body compounded of the male and female, of the Sunne and Moone, and of that most subtile nature, clensed by sublimation, taketh life, is inspired by his moysture, that is, by his water, as a

man by the Ayre, and there∣fore from hencefoorth it will multiply, and increase in his kinde, like all other things. And therefore in such an eleuation and Phi∣losophical sublimation, they are all ioyned one with an∣other, and the new body, inspired by the Ayre, liueth vegetably, which is a won∣der. Wherefore vnlesse the Bodies bee subtilized and made thinne by fire and water, vntill they doe arise like spirits, and bee made like water and fume, or like Mercury, there is nothing done in this Arte. But when they ascend, they are borne in the ayre, and chan∣ged in the ayre, and are made life with life, in such sort that they can neuer bee

separated, as water mixt with water. And therefore it is wisely said that the Stone is borne in the Ayre, because it is altogether spi∣rituall; for the vulture flying without wings, crieth vpon the top of the moun∣taine, saying, I am the white of the blacke, and the red of the white, and the Citrine sonne of the red, I tell truth, and lie not.

It sufficeth thee therefore to put the Bodies in the ves∣sell, and in the water once for all, and to shut the ves∣sell diligently, vntill a true separation be made, which by the enuious is called coniunction, sublimation, assation, extraction, putre∣faction, ligation, despousa∣tion, subtiliation, genera∣tion,

&c. and that the whole Maistery bee done. Doe therefore as in the ge∣neration of a man, and euery vegetable, put the seed once into the wombe, and shut it well. By this meanes thou seest that thou needest not many things, and that our worke requires no great charges, because there is but one Stone, one Medicine, one Vessell, one Regiment, and one successiue disposi∣tion to the white, and to the red. And although we say in many places take this, and take that, yet wee vnderstand that it behoo∣ueth to take but one thing, and put it once in the vessell, and to shut the vessell vntill the worke be perfected; for these things are so set down

by the enuious Philoso∣phers, to deceiue the vnwa∣ry, as is aforesaid. For is not this Art Cabalisticall, and full of secrets? And doest thou, foole, beleeue that wee doe openly teach the secrets of secrets? and doest thou take our words according to the literall sound? Know assuredly, (I am no whit enuious as others are) he that takes the words of the other Philo∣sophers, according to the ordinary signification and sound of them, hee doeth already, hauing lost Ariad∣nes thread, wander in the middest of the Laberinth, and hath as good as ap∣pointed his money to per∣dition. But I, Artephius, after I had learned all the

Art and perfect Science in the Bookes of the true-spea∣king Hermes, was some∣times enuious, as all the rest, but when I had by the space of a thousand yeeres, or thereabouts (which are now passed ouer mee since my natiuity, by the onely grace of God Almighty, and the vse of this wonder∣full fifth essence) when, I say, for so long time I had seene no man that could worke the Maistery of Hermes, by reason of the obscurity of the Philoso∣phers words, mooued with pitie, and with the good∣nesse becomming an honest man, I haue determined in these last times of my life to write all things truely and sincerely that thou

maist want or desire no∣thing to the perfecting of the Philosophers Stone, (excepting a certaine thing, which it is not lawfull for any person to say or to write, because it is alwayes reuealed by God, or by a Maister, and yet in this Booke, he that is not stiffe∣necked, shall with a little experience, easily learne it.) I haue therefore in this Booke written the naked trueth, although cloathed with a few colours, that euery good and wise man, may from this Philosophi∣call Tree happily gather the admirable Apples of the Hesperides. Where∣fore praised bee the most high God, which hath put this benignitie into our

soule, and with a wonder∣full long olde age, hath giuen vs a true dilection of heart, wherewithall it seemeth vnto mee, that I doe truely loue, cherish, and imbrace all men. But let vs returne vnto the Arte. Surely our worke is quick∣ly dispatched, for that which the heate of the Sunne doeth in a hundred yeeres in the Mines of the Earth for the generation of a Mettall, (as I haue often seene) our secret fire, that is, our fierie sulphureous water, which is called Bal∣neum Mariae, worketh in short time.

And this work is no great labour to him that knoweth and vnderstandeth it, nei∣ther is the matter so deare,

(considering a small quan∣tity sufficeth) that it ought to cause any man to plucke backe his hand, because it is so short and easie, that it may well bee called the worke of Women, and the play of Children▪ Work then cheerefully (my sonne) pray to God, read Bookes conti∣nually, for one Booke ope∣neth another, thinke of it profoundly; fly all things that vanish in the fire, for thou hast not thine intent in these combustible and consuming things, but one∣ly in the decoction of thy water, drawne from thy lights. For by this water is colour and weight giuen infinitely, and this water is a white fume, which as a soule floweth in the perfect

bodies, taking wholly from them their blacknesse and vncleannesse, and console∣dating the two Bodies into one, and multiplying their water: And there is no o∣ther thing that can take a∣way their true colour from the perfect Bodies, that is, from the Sunne and Moone; but Azoth, that is, this our water, which coloureth and maketh white the red Body, according to the regiments thereof.

But let vs speake of fires. Our fire therefore is mine∣rall, equall, continuall, it va∣pours not, vnlesse it be too much stirred vp, it partakes of sulphur, it is taken other∣where then from the mat∣ter, it pulleth downe all things, it dissolueth, congea∣leth,

and calcineth, it is arti∣ficiall to finde, it is a short way (or an expence) with∣out cost, at the least, with∣out any great cost, it is moist, vaporous, digestiue, altering, piercing, subtle, ayery, not violent, not bur∣ning, compassing or enuiro∣ning, containing but one, and it is the Fountaine of liuing water, which goeth about, and containeth the place where the King and Queene bathe themselues. In all the worke this moist fire is sufficient for thee, at the beginning, middest, and end; for in it consisteth the whole Art: This is the fire naturall, against nature, vn∣naturall, and without bur∣ning; and finally, this fire is hot, dry, moist, and cold,

thinke vpon this, and work aright, taking nothing that is of a strange nature: And if thou doest not well vn∣derstand these fires, hearken further to what I shall giue thee, neuer as yet written in any Booke, from out of the abstruse and hidden cauila∣tion of the Ancients, con∣cerning fires.

We haue properly three fires, without the which the Art cannot bee done, and hee that workes with∣out them, takes a great deale of care in vaine. The first is the fire of the Lampe, which is continuall, moist, vapo∣rous, ayery, and artificiall to finde; for the Lampe ought to bee proportioned to the closure (or enclosure) and herein wee must vse great

iudgement, which com∣meth not to the knowledge of a workeman of a stiffe necke: for if the fire of the Lampe be not geometrically and duly proportioned and fitted to the Furnace, either for lacke of heate thou wilt not see the expected signes in their times, and so thou wilt loose thy hope by too long expectation, or else with too much heate thou wilt burne the flowers of the Gold, and so sadly be∣waile thy lost labour. The second fire is the fire of ashes, in which the vessell herme∣tically sealed is shut vp; or rather it is that most gentle heate, which proceeding from the temperate vapour of the lampe, goeth equally round about the vessell:

This fire is not violent, if it be not too much stirred vp, it is digesting, a tering, it is taken from another Body then the matter, it is but one, or alone, it is moist and innaturall, &c. The third is the naturall fire of our wa∣ter, which for this cause is also called fire against na∣ture, because it is water; and yet neuerthelesse it makes a meere spirit of Gold, which common fire cannot doe; this fire is minerall, equall, and partakes of Sulphur, it breakes, congeales, dis∣solues, and calcines all, this is piercing, subtile, not bur∣ning, and it is the Fountaine of liuing water, wherein the King and Queen bathe themselues, whereof wee haue neede in the whole

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worke, in the beginning, middle, and ending, but the other two abouesaid, wee doe not alwayes need, but onely sometimes: Ioyne therefore in the reading the Bookes of Phylosophers these three sorts of fire, and without doubt thou shalt vnderstand all their cauil∣lations concerning their fires.

As touching the Colours, hee that doth not make blacke, cannot make white, because blacknesse is the be∣ginning of whitenesse, and a signe of putrifaction and al∣teration, and that the Body is now pierced and morti∣fied. Therefore in the pu∣trifaction in this water, there first appeares blacke∣nesse, like vnto the broth

wherein bloud, or some bloudy thing is boyled. Secondly, the blacke Earth by continuall decoction is whitened, because the soule of the two bodies swimmes aloft vpon the water like white creame; and in this onely whitenesse, all the spi∣rits are so vnited, that they can neuer fly from one ano∣ther. And therefore the Le∣ton must be whitened, and teare the Bookes, least our hearts be broken, for this intire whitenesse is the true stone to the white, and the body ennobled by the ne∣cessity of his end, and the tincture of whitenesse, of a most exuberant reflexion, and shining brightnesse, which being mixed with a Body, neuer ••••parteth from

it. Here then note, that the spirits are not fixed, but in the white colour, which by consequent is more noble then the other colours, and ought more earnestly to be desired, considering it is, as it were, the complement & perfection of the whole worke. For our Earth is first putrified in blacknesse, then it is clensed in the ele∣uation or lifting vp, after∣wards being dryed, the blacknesse departeth, and then it is whitened, and the darke moist dominion of the woman perisheth, and then the white fume pier∣ceth into the new Body, and the spirits are shut vp, or bound together, in drinesse, and that which is corrup∣ting, deformed and blacke

with moisture vanisheth, and then the new Body ri∣seth againe, cleere, white, and immortall, getting the victory oueral his enemies. And as heate working vp∣on that which is moist, cau∣seth or engendreth blacke∣nesse, which is the first co∣lour, so by decoction euer more and more, heate wor∣king vpon that which is dry, begetteth whitenesse, which is the second colour; and afterward working vp∣on that which is purely & perfectly dry, it causeth ci∣trinity and rednesse; and so much concerning the Co∣lours.

We must therefore vn∣derstand, that the thing which hath the head red and white, the feete white,

and afterwards red, and yet before that, the eyes blacke, this onely thing is our mai∣stery: dissolue then the Sun and the Moone in our dissol∣uing water, which is fami∣liar, friendly, and of the next nature vnto them, which is likewise to them sweete and pleasant, and as it were a wombe, a mother, an Originall, the beginning and the end of life, and that is the reason why they are amended in this water, be∣cause Nature reioyceth in Nature, and Nature con∣taines Nature, and in true Mariage they are ioyned together, and made one na∣ture, one new body, raised vp, and immortall. And thus we must ioyne consan∣guinity with Consanguini∣ty,

and then these natures will meete, and follow one another, putrifie them∣selues, engender themselues, and make one another re∣ioyce, because Nature is gouerned by Nature, which is neerest and most friendly to it. Our water then (saith Danthin) is the most plea∣sant, faire, and cleere Foun∣taine, prepared onely for the King & Queene, whom it knoweth very well, and they know it; for it drawes them to it selfe, and they abide therein to wash themselues two or three dayes, that is, two or three moneths; and it maketh them young againe, & faire. And because the Sunne and Moone haue their Originall from this water their Mo∣ther,

therefore it behoueth that they enter againe into their Mothers wombe, that they may be borne againe, and be made more strong, more noble, and more va∣liant. And therefore if these doe not die, and be not tur∣ned into water, they remain alone, and without fruite; but if they die, and be resol∣ued in our water, they bring fruit an hundreth fold; and from that very place, where it seemed they had lost what they were, from thence shall they appeare that which they were not before. Let therefore the spirit of our liuing water, be with great wit and sub∣tilty fixed with the Sunne and the Moone▪ because they being turned into the

nature of water, doe dye, & seeme like vnto the dead; yet afterward being inspi∣red from thence, they liue, encrease, and multiply like all other vegetable things. It is enough then to dispose the matter sufficiently from without, for from within, it selfe doth work sufficiently to its owne perfection. For it hath in it selfe a certaine and inhaerent motion, accor∣ding to the true way, better then any order that can be imagined by man. And therefore doe thou onely prepare, and Nature will perfect; for if shee bee not hindered by the contrary, shee wil not passe her owne certaine motion, as well to conceiue, as to bring forth. Wherefore after the prepa∣ration

of the matter, take heede onely least by too much fire thou make the bath too hot: Secondly, take heed least the spirit▪ doe ex∣hale, because it would hurt him that worketh, that is to say, it would destroy the worke, and cause many in∣firmities, that is, much sad∣nesse and anger. From this that hath beene spoken, is drawne this Axiome, to wit, that by the course of na∣ture, he doth not know the making of Mettals, that knoweth not the destruction of them. It behoueth then, to ioyne together them that are of kindred, for Natures doe finde their like natures, and being▪ putrified, are mixed together, and morti∣fie themselues. It is necessary

therefore to know this cor∣ruption and generation, and how the Natures doe im∣brace one another, and are pacified in a slow fire, how Nature reioyceth in Nature, and nature retaines nature, and turnes it into a white nature. After this, if thou wilt make it red, thou must boyle this white, in a dry continuall fire, vntill it bee as red as blood, which will bee nothing else but fire and a true tincture: And so by a continuall dry fire, the whitenesse is changed, amended, perfected, made Citrine, and acquireth red∣nesse, a true fixed colour. And consequently by how much more this red is boy∣led, so much the more is it coloured, and made a tin∣cture

of perfect rednesse; Wherefore thou must with a dry fire, and a dry calci∣nation, without any moy∣sture, boyle this compound, vntill it bee clothed with a most red colour, and then it will be a perfect Elixir.

If afterwards thou wilt multiply it, thou must a∣gaine resolue that red in a new dissoluing water, and after by decoction whiten and rubifie it by the degrees of fire, reiterating the first regiment. Dissolue, con∣geale, reiterate, shutting, opening, and multiplying in quantitie and qualitie at thine owne pleasure: for by a new corruption and generation, there is againe brought in a new motion, and so we could neuer find

an end, if we would alwayes worke by reiteration of so∣lution and coagulation, by the meanes of our dissol∣uing water, that is to say, dissoluing and congealing, as is said in the first regi∣ment. And so the vertue thereof is increased and multiplied in quantitie and qualitie, so that if in the first worke, one part of thy Stone, will teyne an hun∣dred, in the second it will teyne a thousand, in the third ten thousand, and so by pursuing thy worke, thy proiection will come into infinitie, teyning truly, and perfectly, and fixedly, euery quantitie, how great soeuer it bee, and so by a thing of an easie price, is added co∣lour, and vertue, & weight.

Therefore our fire and A∣zoth are sufficient for thee; boyle, boyle, reiterate, dis∣solue, congeale, and so con∣tinue according to thy will, multiplying it as much as thou wilt, and vntill thy Medicine bee made fusible as waxe, and that it haue the quantitie and vertue which thou desirest. There∣fore all the accomplishment of the worke, or of our second Stone, (note it well) consisteth in this, that thou take the perfect Body, which thou must put in our water, in a house of glasse, wel shut and stopped with Cement, lest the ayre get in, or the moysture inclosed get out; and there hold it in the di∣gestion of a gentle heate, as if it were of a bathe, or the

most temperate heate of dung, vpon the which with the fire thou shalt continue the perfection of decoction, vntill it bee putrified and resolued into blacke, and afterwards be lifted vp, and sublimed by the water, that it may thereby bee cleansed from all blacknesse and dark∣nesse, and that it may bee whitened and made subtile, vntill it come to the vtmost purity of sublimation, and at the last be made volatile, and white, within and with∣out: for the vulture flying in the Ayre without wings, cryeth that it might get vp∣on the Mountaine, that is, vpon the water, vpon the which the white Spirit is carried. Then continue a conuenient fire, and that

Spirit, that is, the subtile substance of the Body and of Mercury will ascend vp∣on the water, which quin∣tessence is whiter than the snow; continue still, and in the end strengthen thy fire, vntill all which is spirituall mount on high: for know well, that all that is cleare, pure, and spirituall, ascends on high in the ayre, in the forme of a white fume, which the Philosophers call, the Virgins milke.

It behooueth therefore, that (as Sibill said) the Sonne of the Virgin bee ex∣alted from the Earth, and that the white quintessence after his resurrection bee lifted vp towards the hea∣uens, and that the grosse and thicke remaine in the bot∣tome

of the vessell and of the water; for afterwards when the vessell is colde, thou shalt finde in the bot∣tome thereof, the foeces, blacke, burnt, and combust, separate from the spirit and white quintessence, which dregs thou must cast away. In these times the Argent viue raineth from our ayre vpon our new earth, which is called Argent viue, sub∣limed from the ayre, where∣of is made a water viscous, cleane and white, which is the true tincture separated from all blacke foeces, and so our brasse or Leton, is with our water gouerned, purified, and adorned with a white colour, which white colour is not gotten, but by decoction and coagulation

of the water. Boyle it then continually, wash away the blacknesse from the Leton, not with thy hand, but with the Stone, or the fire, or our second Mercuriall water, which is the true tincture. For this separation of the pure from the impure, is not done with hands, but na∣ture her selfe alone, by working it circularly to perfection, bringeth it to passe. It appeareth then that this composition is not a manuall worke, but onely a change of the natures, be∣cause nature dissolues and conioynes it selfe, it sub∣limes and lifts vp it selfe, and hauing separated the foeces, it groweth white: and in such a sublimation the parts are alwayes ioyned

together, more subtile, more pure and essentiall, because that when the fiery nature lifteth vp the subtile parts, it lifteth vp alwayes the more pure, and by conse∣quent leaueth the grosser in the bottome. And there∣fore it behooueth by an in∣different fire, to sublime in a continuall vapour, that the Stone may bee inspired in the ayre, and liue. For the nature of all things takes life of the inspiration of ayre, and so also all our Maistery consists in vapour, and in the sublimation of water. And therefore our brasse or Leton must by de∣grees of fire bee lifted vp, and freely without vio∣lence, of himselfe, ascend on high, wherefore vnlesse

the Body bee by fire and water dissolued, attenuated, and subtilized, vntill it as∣cend as a spirit, or climbe like Argent viue, or as the white soule separated from the Body, and carried in the sublimation of the Spirits, there is nothing at all done in this Arte: But when it ascends on high, it is borne in the ayre, and changed in the ayre, and is made life with life, being altogether spirituall and incorruptible: And so in such a regiment the Body is made a spirit of a subtile nature, and the spi∣rit is incorporated with the Body, and is made one with it, and in such a sublimati∣on, coniunction, and eleua∣tion, all things are made white.

And therefore this Phyloso∣phicall and natural sublima∣tion is necessary, for that it maketh peace betweene the body and the spirit, which is vnpossible otherwise to be done, otherwise then by this separation of the parts: wherefore it behoueth to sublime them both, to the end, that in the troubles of this stormy Sea, the pure may ascend, and the impure and earthly may descend: And for this cause it must be boyled continually, that it may be brought to a sub∣tile nature, and that the body may assume and draw to it selfe the white Mercuriall soule, which it naturally re∣taines, and suffereth it not to be separated from it, be∣cause it is like vnto it, in the

neerenesse of the first, pure, and simple nature. From hence it appeares, that this separation must be made by decoction, vntill there re∣maine no more of the fat of the soule, which is not lifted vp, and exalted into the vp∣per part, for so they shall be both reduced vnto a simple equality, and vnto a simple whitenesse. The vulture therefore flying in the ayre, and the Toade going vpon the Earth, is our Maistery▪ And therefore when thou shalt gently, and with great discretion, separate the Earth from the water, that is, from the fire, and the sub∣tile from the thicke, then that which is pure, will as∣cend from Earrh into Hea∣uen, and that which is im∣pure,

will goe downe to the Earth, and the more subtile part will in the vpper place take the nature of a spirit, and in the lower place the nature of an Earthly Body; wherefore let the while na∣ture with the more subtile part of the Body, be by this operation lifted vp, leauing the foeces, which is done in a short time: for the soule is aided by her associate and fellow, and perfected by it. My Mother (saith the Body) hath begotten mee, and by me shee her selfe is begotten; and after shee hath taken her slight, (or I haue taken from her her flying) shee after the best manner shee can, be∣comes a pious Mother, nou∣rishing and cherishing the sonne whom shee hath begot∣ten,

vntill he come to perfect state. Heare this secret: Keepe the Body in this our Mercuriall water, vntill it ascend on high with the white soule, and the Earthly descend to the bottome, which is called, the Earth that remaines: then shalt thou see the water coagu∣late it selfe with its body, and shalt bee assured that the Science is true, because the Body coagulateth his moi∣sture into drinesse, as the rennet of a Lambe coagula∣teth milke into Cheese. In the same fashion the spirit will pierce the body, and there will be a perfect mix∣ture made by the least parts, and the Body will draw vn∣to himself his moisture, that is to say, his white soule,

euen as the Load-stone draweth the Iron, because of the likenesse and neere∣nesse of his nature, and his greedinesse, and then the one will hold the other, and this is our sublimation and coagulation, which retai∣neth euery thing volatile, and maketh that it can flye no more. Therefore this compositiō is not a manuall operation, but (as I said) a changing of natures, and a wonderfull connexion of their cold with hot, and their moist with dry: for the hot is mixed with cold, and the dry with moist, and so by this meanes is made the mixture and coniunction of the body with the spirit, which is called the chan∣ging of contrary natures;

because that in such a solu∣tion and sublimation, the spirit is turned into a body, and the body into a spirit; so that the natures being mingled together, and redu∣ced into one, doe change one another, in as much as the body makes the spirit a body, and the spirit turnes the body into a teyned and white spirit.

And therefore (this is the last time that I will tell thee) boyle it in our white water, that is, in Mer∣cury, vntill it bee dissolued into blacknesse, and then by continuall decoction, it will bee depriued of his blacke∣nesse, and the body so dissol∣ued, wil at length arise with the white soule, and then one will bee mingled with

the other, and they will embrace one another, so that they shall no more be diuided asunder, and then the spirit is vnited to the body with a reall accord, and are made one perma∣nent thing; and this is the solution of the body, and the Coagulation of the spirit, which haue one and the selfe same opera∣tion.

Hee therefore that knoweth how to mary, to make with childe, to mortifie, to putrifie, to engender, to quicken the species, to bring in the white light, and to clense the vulture from his black∣nesse and darknesse, vntill he be purged by fire, coloured and purified from all his

spots, shall bee the owner of so great dignity, that Kings shall reuerence him, and doe him ho∣nour.

Wherefore let our body abide in the water, vntill such time as it be loosed in∣to a new powder in the bot∣tome of the vessell and of the water, which is called the blacke ashes, and this is the corruption of the body, which is by wise men called Saturne, Leton, or Brasse, the Phylosophers Lead, and the discontinued powder. And in this putrifaction and re∣solution of the Body, there appeare three signes, to wit, the blacke colour, the discon∣tinuity of the parts, and a stinking smell, which is like∣ned to the smel of sepulchres

or graues. This ashes then is that of which the Phylo∣sophers haue said so much, which remained in the lower part of the vessell, which wee ought not to de∣spise, for in it is the Diademe of our King, and the Argent viue, blacke and vncleane, from whence the blacknesse must be purged by conti∣nuall decoction in our wa∣ter, vntill it be lifted vp in a white colour, which is called the Goose, and the Poulet of Hermogenes. He therefore that maketh the red Earth blacke, and then white, hath the Maistery, as also hee that killeth the liuing, and quickeneth the dead: there∣fore make the blacke white, and the white red, that thou mayest make the worke

perfect; and when thou seest the true whitenesse appeare, which shineth like a naked Sword, know that in that whitenesse, is rednesse hid∣den; and then thou must not take out of the vessell that whitenesse, but onely boyle it, to the end, that with dri∣nesse and heate, there may come vpon it a Citrine co∣lour, and in the end, a most shining and sparkling red; which when thou seest, with great feare and trem∣bling, praise the most good, and most great God, which giueth wisedome, and by consequence, riches vnto whom he pleaseth; and ac∣cording to the iniquity of the Persons, taketh them a∣way againe, and depriueth them of them for euer,

plunging them in the serui∣tude and slauery of their enemies. To him be praise and glory for euer and euer. Amen.

FINIS.