Theatrum chemicum Britannicum· Containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language. / Faithfully collected into one volume, with annotations thereon, by Elias Ashmole, Esq. Qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus. The first part.

THE WORKE OF JOHN DASTIN.

NOt yet full sleping, nor yet full waking, But betweene twayne lying in a traunce; Halfe closed mine Eyne in my slumbering, Like a Mā rapt of all cheer & countenance; By a manner of weninge & Remembrance Towards Aurora, ere Pheebus uprose, I dreamed one came to me to doe me pleasaunce That brought me a Boke with seaven seales close.

Following upon I had a wonderfull dreame,Line 2 As semed unto my inward thought, The face of him shone as the Sun-beame: Which unto me thys hevenly Boke brought, Of so greate Riches that yt may not be bought, In order set by Dame Philosophie, The Capitall and the flowrishing wrought By a wise Prince called Theologie.

Thys Boke was written with letters aureat,Line 3 Perpetually to be put in memory, And to Apollo the Chapters consecrate, And to the seaven Gods in the hevenly Consistory: And in Mercuries litle Oratory, Groweth all the fruite in breefe of thys Science, Who can expresse hem and have of hem Victory, May clayme the tryumph of his Minerall prudence.

Of this matter above betweene Starrs seaven,Line 4 By Gods and Goddesses all of one assent, Was sent Caducifer to Erth downe form Heaven: Saturnus as Bedell by great advisement; For to summon a generall Parliament, By concord of all both old and younge of age, To say in Breife their Councell most prudent: For Common proffit to knitt up a Marriage.

Betweene twaine Borne of the Imperiall blood,Line 5 And descended from Iupiters line, Of their Natures most pure and most good; Wythowte infeccion their seede is most divine: That noe Eclips may let them for to shine, So that Mercury doth stint all debate, And restraine their Courage by meaknes them incline; That of frowardnes they be not indurate.

For the Sunne that sitteth so heigh a loft,Line 6 His golden dew-droppes shall cleerely raigne downe, By the meane of Mercury that moven first made soft: Then there schalbe a glad Conjunccion, Whan there is made a Seperacion: And their two Spermes by Marriage are made one; And the said Mercury by devision, Hath taken his flight and from both is gone.

These be the two Mercuries cheife of Philosophers,Line 7 Revived againe with the Spirit of lyfe, Richer then Rubies or Pearles shut in Cofeurs; Washed and Baptized in waters vegitative, The body dissevered with heate nutrative: By moderate moysture of Putrefaccion; So that there is no excesse nor no strife Of the foure Elements in their Conjunccion.

The graine of Wheate which on the ground doth fall,Line 8 But it be dead it may not fructifie, If it be hole the vertue doth appayle; And in no wise it may not Multiplye, The increase doth begin whan it doth Putrefie; Of good Grafts commeth Fruites of good lastage; Of Crabs Verjuyce, of Ash is made Lye, Of good Grapes followeth a good Vintage.

Who soweth good Seede repeth good againe,Line 9 Of Cockles sowne there can grow no good Wheate, For as such a Ploughman traveleth in vaine, To fruitefull Land Cockle is not meete; Gall is ever bitter, Honey is ever sweete, Of all things contrary is fals Conneccions, Let Male and Female together ever meete; But both be clensed of their Complexions.

A Man of Nature ingendereth but a Man,Line 10 And every Beast ingendereth his semblable; And as Philosophers rehearse well can, Diana and Venus in marriage be notable, A Horse with a Swine joyneth not in a stable, For where is made unkindly geniture, What followeth but things abominable? Which is to say Monstrum in Nature.

All this I finde in the said Boke,Line 11 Brought to me when I lay a sleepe; And of one thing good heede I toke; The Wolf in kinde is Enemy to the Sheepe. The Rose full divers to the wild Neepe: For things joyned that be contrary; Dame Nature complayning doth sit and weepe: For falce receipts found in her Library.

And there it was so pitiously complained,Line 12 That men so err by false Opinions That be so farr from truth away restrained, Like as they had lost wholly their Reasons, Not considering in their discretions; What mischeife followeth as is oft seene, By these false froward Conneccions: As doth leapers with folkes that byne cleane.

Notwithstanding he that is sate so high in heaven,Line 13 Crown'd with a Crowne of bright stones cleere, Borne there to raine as cheife chosen of seaven: Equall with Phoebus shone in the same sphere, Without difference as Clerkes to us leare, Sate there most royallin his diadem: Very Celestiall and Angelike of cheare; And in all vertue like as he did seeme.

And in that Boke I found well by writing,Line 14 Like as the processe made mention: How that there was once a mighty rich King, Cleane of nature and of Complexion: Voyde of deformity from head soe forthe downe, Which for his beauty as it is specified, And for his cleanes most soverayne of renowne: Was among Planets in heaven stellefyed.

Certaine Brethren I found he had in Number,Line 15 And of one Mother they were borne every each one: But a Sicknes did them sore cumber, That none was whole on his feete to gone, Hoarse of language, cleere voice had they none: For with a scabb that was contagious, They were infected, hole was their none; For ever exiled because they were Leaprous.

The said King rose up in his Royall see,Line 16 Seeing this mischeife cast his Eye downe, And of his mercy, and fraternall pittye, Surprized in heart, full of Compassion: And began to complaine of their Infeccion, Alas quoth he how came this adventure, Under what froward or false Constelacion; Or in what howre had yee your ingendure.

But sithence this mischeife ys to you befall,Line 17 There is nothing which were more expedient, Then to chuse one out amongst us all, Without spott all cleere of his intent, For you to dye by his owne assent, To save the people from their Damnation: And with his blood ere yo be fully shent, To make of his mercy your remission.

The which Liquor most wholesome is and good,Line 18 Against leprous humors and false infeccions, When from a veyne taken is the blood; Cleansing each parte from all corrupcions, The Originall taken from generacions: Which is descended downe from stock royall, Nourished with Milke of pure complexion; With menstrous which are not superficiall.

But when the Brethren of this worthy KingLine 19 Heard the Language, they fell in full great dread, Full sore weeping and said in Complayning That none of them was able to bleede, Because their blood was infeccious indeede, And of corrupt blood made is noe Sacrifice, Wherefore alas there is noe way to speede, That we can finde, to helpe us in any wise.

Of our Birth and of our Originall,Line 20 Cleerely and truly to make mencion; Excuse is there none in parte nor in all; In sin was first our concepcion: Our bringing forth and generation, Fulfilled was in sorrowe and wickednesse, And our Mother in a short conclusion With Corrupt milke us fostred in distresse.

For who may make that seede to be cleane,Line 21 That first was conceived in uncleanes, For cancred rust may never I meane, By noe crafte shew forth parfect brightnes: Now let us all at once our Course addres; And goe unto our Mother to aske by and by, The finall cause of our Corrupt sicknes; That she declare unto us the Cause and why.

The said Children uprose in a furyLine 22 Of wofull rage, and went by one assent Unto their Mother that called was Mercury: Requiring her by greate advisement, Before her Goddesses being every one present. To tell them truly and in noe parte to faine, Why their nature was corrupt and shent; That caused them evermore to weepe and complaine.

To whome the Mother full bright of face and hew,Line 23 Gave this answer remembred in Scripture, First when I was wedded a new, I conceived by prosses of true Nature: A Child of seede that was most cleane and pure, Undefiled, most orient, faire and bright, Of all the PLANETS cheife of ingendure: Which now in Heaven giveth so clcere a light.

Whose Complexion is most temperate,Line 24 In heate and cold and in humidity, In Erth also that there is noe debate, Nor noe repugnaunce by noe quallity: Nor none occasion of none infirmity, That among them there may be none discord, So well proportioned every-each in his degree, Each hower and space they be of so true accord.

Whose Nature is so imperiall,Line 25 That fire so burning doth him noe distresse: His royall kinde is so celestiall, Of Corrupcion he taketh no sicknesse; Fire, Water, Air, nor Erth with his drines, Neither of them may alter his Complexion, He fixeth Spirits through his high noblenes; Saveth infected bodyes from their Corrupcion.

His Heavenly helth death may not assayle,Line 26 He dreadeth noe venome, nor needeth no treacle, Winde Tempest ne Wether against him may prevaile, Soe high in Heaven is his Tabernacle, In Erth he worketh many a miracle: He cureth Lepers and fetcheth home Fugitive, And to gouty Eyne giveth a cleere Spectacle: Them to goe that lame were all their lief.

He is my Son and I his Mother deare,Line 27 By me conceived truly in Marriage; As touching your Birth the sicknes doth appeare, Of Menstruous blood brought forth in tender age, Your Leprie is shewed in Body and in Visage, To make your hole Medicine is no other Drinke, nor potion to your advantage, But the pure blood of him that is your deare Brother.

A good Shephard must dye for his Sheepe,Line 28 Without grudging to speake in words plaine, And semblable take hereof good keepe, Your Brother must dye and newe be borne againe, Though he be old, be hereof well certaine; To youth againe he must be renewd, And suffer passion or else all were vaine, Then rising againe right fresh and well hewd.

Old Aeson was made young by Medea,Line 29 With her drinks and with her potions, Soe must your Brother of pure Volunta Dyeand be young through his operation, And that through subtile natures Confections, By whose death plainely to expresse; Yee shalbe purged from all infeccions: And your foule leaprie changed to cleanes.

With the said words the King began to abraydLine 30 The tale adverting that she had tould, How might a Man by nature thus he said Be borne againe, namely when he ys old? Then said hys Mother by reason manifold: But if the Gospell thus doth meane, In Water and Spirit be renovate hott and cold, That he shall never plainely come into Heaven.

The King was tristy and heavy of cheere,Line 31 Upon his Knees meekely kneeled downe, Prayed his Father in full low manner, To translate the Challice of hys passion, But for he thought the redempcion Of his brethren, might not be fulfilled, Without his death nor their Salvation; For them to suffer he was right willed.

And for to accomplish hys purpose in sentence,Line 32 By cleere example who so looketh right, Heavy things from their Circumferance, Must up assend and after be made light, And things light ready to the flight Must descend to the Center downe, By interchaunging of natures might, As they be moved by meane of Revolucion.

Soe as Iupiter in a Cloud of Gold,Line 33 Chaunged himselfe by transformacion, And descended from hys hevenly hold Like a Golden dewe unto Danae downe, And she conceived as made is mencion, By influence of hys power divine; Right so shall Phoebus right soveraigne of renowne To be conceived of his Golden raine decline.

And to comfort hys Brethren that were full dull,Line 34 The Sun hath chosen without warr or strife, The bright Moone when she was at the full, To be his Mother first, and after hys wedded wife; In tyme of Ver the season vegetative, In Aries when Titan doth appeare, Inspired by grace with the Spirit of lyfe, This marriage hallowed at midday Spheare.

And at this feast were the Godes all,Line 35 Saturne from blacknes was turned to white; And Iupiter let his mantle fall, Full pale and meager of greate delight, Clothed in lylies that every maner wight, Of Heaven and Erth, and Gods of the Sea, Rejoyced in Heart, and were full glad and light, To be present at this great Solemnity.

Mars forgot there hys sturdy black hardines,Line 36 Cast off his Habergeon fret with old rust; Venus forsooke her minerall rednes, Tooke Gold for greene and she againe also for lust, Because she had in Phoebus such a trust, That he should this feast hold of most noblenes: Of brotherly pitty needs as he must, Give her a mantle of Orientall brightnes.

After this Wedding here afore devised,Line 37 Of faire Phoebus and fresh Lucine; Philosophers have prudently practised, A Closset round by their wise Doctrine, Cleere as Christall of Glasse a litle shrine; With heavenly deawe stuffed that dungeon, Kept night and day with glorious maidens nyne; To keepe the Queene in her Concepcion.

Religiously they kept their Sylence,Line 38 Till that from heaven their a royall light, And there with all in open audience; Was heard a voyce almost at mid night, Among the Virgins most amiable of sight, That said unto them, to save that was forlorne; I must againe through my imperiall myght, Be of my Mother new conceived and borne.

I must passe by water and by Fire,Line 39 The brunt abide and there from not decline, To save my brethren I have so greate desire, With new light their darknes to yllumine, But sore I dread that venomous Serpentine, Which ever advanceth with his violence, My tender youth to hurt and to invenome, But in your keeping doe you your diligence.

The King thus entred in his bed royall,Line 40 The Queene conceived under a Sun bright; Under her feete a mount like Christall, Which had devoured her husband anon right, Dead of desire and in the Maidens sight; Lost all the Collour of his fresh face, Thus was he dead, the Maidens feeble of mighr Dispaired, flept in the same place.

The Serpent bold shed out his poyson,Line 41 The Queene and Maidens for feare tooke them to flight, Seaven tymes assending up and downe With in a vault, now darke, now cleere of light, Their generation was so strong of might, Tfter death now passeth Purgatory; Ao Resurreccion as any Sun bright, Things that were lost to bring to his glory.

The Queene tooke her full possession,Line 42 The Soule reviving of the dead King; But of old hatred the toxicate poyson, Was by the Serpent cast in to their hindring; The Prince was buried, but of his rising, The Btethren were glad the truth was seene, When they were washed by his naturall clensing; And their old Leprie by Miracle was made cleane.

The full Moone halfe shaddowed the Sun,Line 43 To putt away the burning of his light; Black shaddowed first the skyes were so dunn, The Ravens bill began who looketh right, Blacker then Jett or Bugle to sight; But l••tle and litle by ordinary apparance, The temperate fire with his cherishing might Turned all to white, but with noe violence.

Tyme to the Queene approched of Childing,Line 44 The Child of Nature was ready to fly, Passage was there none to hys out going: He spread hys wings and found no liberty; Of nyne Virgins he devoured three, The other six most excellent and faire, Fearefull for dread in their greatest beauty, Spread their feathers and flew forth in the Aire,

The Child coloured first Black and after White,Line 45 Having noe heate in very existence, But by cherishing of the Sun bright, Of forraine fire there was noe violence: Save that men say which have experience, He dranke such plenty of the Water of the well, That his six sisters made noe resistance; But would have devowred; Dasten can you tell.

Sometymes black, sometymes was he redd,Line 46 Now like ashes, now Citrine of Colour: Now of Safforne hew, now sanguine was his head, Now white as a lylie he shewed him in his bower, The Moone gave nourishment to him in his labour; And with all their force did their buisnes, To cloath hym fresher then any flowre, With a mantle of everlasting whitnes.