CHAP. II.
The interpretations Philo∣sophicall, according to the Maistery of Hermes.
I Desire with all my heart, that he who sear∣cheth the secrets of the Sages, hauing in his Spirit passed ouer these Idaea's of the life and resurrection to come, should first make his profit of them: And in the second place, that hee bee more aduised than before, that hee sound and search the depth of my Figures, colours, and rowles; prin∣cipally of my rowles, be∣cause that in this Art they speake not vulgarly. After¦ward let him aske of him∣selfe, Page 53 why the Figure of Saint Paul is on the right hand, in the place where the custome is to paint S. Peter? And on the other side that of Saint Peter, in the place of the figure of Saint Paul? Why the Fi∣gure of Saint Paul is clo∣thed in colours white and yellow, and that of S. Peter in yellow and red? Why also the man and the wo∣man which are at the feet of these two Saints, pray∣ing to God, as if it were at the Day of Iudgement, are apparrelled in diuers co∣lours, and not naked, or else nothing but bones, like them that are rising againe? Why in this Day of Iudge∣ment they haue painted this man and this woman at Page 54 the feet of the Saints? for they ought to haue beene more low on earth, and not in heauen. Why also the two Angels in Orange co∣lour, which say in their rowles, SVR GITE MORTVI, VENITE AD IVDICIVM DOMINI MEI, that is, Arise you dead, come vn∣to the Iudgement of my Lord, are clad in this co∣lour, and out of their place, for they ought to bee on high in heauen, with the two other which play vp∣on the Instruments? Why they haue a field Violet and blew? but principally why their roule, which speaks to the dead, ends in the open throate of the red and fly∣ing Lyon? I would then, Page 55 that after these, and many other questions which may iustly bee made, opening wide the eyes of his spirit, he come to conclude, that all this, not hauing beene done without cause, there must bee represented vnder this barke, some great se∣crets, which hee ought to pray God to discouer vnto him. Hauing then brought his beliefe by degrees to this passe, I wish also that he would further beleeue, that these figures and explicati∣ons are not made for them that haue neuer seene the Bookes of the Philosophers, and who not knowing the Mettallicke principles, can∣not bee named Children of this Science; for if they thinke to vnderstand per∣fectly Page 56 these figures, being ignorant of the first Agent, they will vndoubtedly de∣ceiue themselues, and neuer bee able to know any thing at all. Let no man therefore blame me, if he doe not easi∣ly vnderstand mee, for hee will be more blame-worthy than I, inasmuch as not be∣ing initiated into these sa∣cred and secret interpreta∣tions of the first Agent, (which is the key opening the gates of all Sciences) he would notwithstanding, comprehend the most sub∣tile conceptions of the en∣uious Philosophers, which are not written but for them who already know these principles, which are neuer found in any booke, because they leaue them Page 57 vnto God, who reuealeth them to whom he please, or else causeth them to bee taught by the liuing voyce of a Maister, by Cabalisti∣call tradition, which hap∣peneth very seldome. Now then, my Sonne, let mee so call thee, both because I am now come to a great age, and also for that, it may be, thou art otherwise a child of this knowledge, (God inable thee to learne, and after to worke to his glory) Hearken vnto mee then at∣tentiuely, but passe no fur∣ther if thou bee ignorant of the foresaid Principles.
This Vessell of earth, in this forme, is called by the Philosophers, their triple Vessell, for within it, there is in the middest a Stage, or a floore, and vpon that a dish or a platter full of lue∣warme ashes, within the which is set the Philosophi∣call Egge, that is, a viall of glasse full of confections of Art (as of the scumme of the red Sea, and the fat of the Mercuriall winde:) which thou seest painted in forme of a Penner and Inke∣horne. Now this Vessell of Page 59 earth is open aboue, to put in the dish and the viall, vnder which by the open gate, is put in the Philoso∣phicall fire, as thou know∣est. So thou hast three ves∣sels; and the threefold ves∣sell: The enuious haue cal∣led an Athanor, a siue, dung, Balneum Mariae, a Furnace, a Spaere, the greene Lyon, a prison, a graue, a vrinall, a phioll, and a Bolts-head: I my selfe in my Summarie or Abridgement of Philo∣sophy, which I composed foure yeeres and two mo∣neths past, in the end there∣of named it the house and habitation of the Poulet, and the ashes of the Plat∣ter, the chaffe of the Poulet; The common name is an Ouen, which I should neuer Page 60 haue found, if Abraham the Iew had not painted it, together with the fire pro∣portionable, wherein con∣sists a great part of the se∣cret. For it is as it were the belly, or the wombe, contai∣ning the true naturall heate to animate our yong King: If this fire be not measured Clibanically, saith Calid the Persian, sonne of Iasi∣chus; If it be kindled with a sword, saith Pithagoras: If thou fire thy Vessell, saith Morien, and makest it feele the heate of the fire, it will giue thee a box on the eare, and burne his flowres be∣fore they be risen from the depth of his Marrow, ma∣king them come out red, rather than white, and then thy worke is spoiled; as Page 61 also if thou make too little fire, for then thou shalt ne∣uer see the end, because of the coldnesse of the natures, which shall not haue had motion sufficient to digest them together.
The heate then of thy fire in this vessell, shall be (as saith Hermes and Rosi∣nus) according to the Win∣ter; or rather, as saith Dio∣medes, according to the heate of a Bird, which be∣ginnes to flie so softly from the signe of Aries to that of Cancer: for know that the Infant at the beginning is full of cold flegme▪ and of milke, and that too vehe∣ment heate is an enemy of the cold and moisture of our Embrion, and that the two enemies, that is to say, our Page 62 two elements of cold and heate will neuer perfectly imbrace one another, but by little and little, hauing first long dwelt together, in the middest of the tempe∣rate heate of their bath, and being changed by long de∣coction, into Sulphur in∣combustible. Gouern there∣fore sweetly with equality and proportion, thy proud and haughty natures, for feare lest if thou fauour one more then another, they which naturally are ene∣mies, doe grow angry a∣gainst thee through Ielousy, and dry Choller, and make thee sigh for it a long time after: Besides this, thou must entertain them in this tem∣perate heate perpetually, that is to say, night and day, Page 63 vntill the time that Winter, the time of the moisture of the matters, be passed, be∣cause they make their peace, and ioyne hands in being heated together, whereas should these natures finde themselues but one onely half houre without fire, they would become for euer ir∣reconcileable. See therefore the reason why it is said in the Book of the seuenty pre∣cepts, Looke that their heate cōtinue indefatigably with∣out ceasing, and that none of their dayes bee forgotten. And Rasis, the haste, saith hee, that brings with it too much fire, is alwaies followed by the Diuell, and Errour. When the golden Bird, saith Diomedes, shall be come iust to Cancer, and that from Page 64 thence it shall runne toward Libra, then thou maist aug∣ment the fire a little: And in like manner, when this faire Bird, shall fly from Li∣bra towards Capricorne, which is the desired Au∣tumne, the time of haruest, and of the fruits that are now ripe.
