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.

SIR EDWARD KELLE'S VVORKE.

ALL you that faine Philosophers would be, And night and day in Geber's kitchin broyle, Wasting the chipps of ancient Hermes Tree, Weening to turne them to a pretious Oyle, The more you worke the more you loose and spoile. To you I say, how learned soever you be, Goe burne your Bookes and come and learne of me.

Although to my one Booke you have red tenn, Thats not inough, for I have heard it said, The greatest Clarkes ar not the wisest men, A Lion once a silly Mouse obeyd, In my good will so hold your selves appaid: And though I write not halfe so sweete as Tully, Yet shall you finde I trace the stepps of Lully.

Yt doth you good to thinke how your desire, And selfe-conceit doth warrantize vaine hope, You spare no cost, you want no coals for fier, You know the vertues of the Elitrope, You thinke your selves farr richer then the Pope. What thinge hath being either high or low, But their Materia prima you do know.

Elixir vitae, and the precious Stone, You know as well as how to make an Apple; If'te come to the workinge then let you alone, You know the coullers black brown bay and dapple, Controwle you once then you begin to fraple. Swearing and saying, what a fellow is this? Yet still you worke but ever worke amisse.

No no, my friends, it is not vauntinge words, Nor mighty oaths that gaines that sacred skill; It is obteined by grace and not by swords; Nor by greate reading, nor by long sitting still, Nor fond conceipt nor working all by will. But as I said by grace it is obteined, Seeke grace, therefore, let folly be refrained.

It is no costly thing I you assure, That doth beget Magnesia in hir kind. Yet is hir selfe by leprosie made pure: Hir eyes be cleerer being first made blind: And he that can Earths fastnes once unbind, Shall quickly know that I the truth have tould, Of sweete Magnesia, Wife to purest Gold.

Now what is meant by Man and Wife is this, Agent and Patient, yet not two but one, Even as was Eva, Adams Wife I wisse: Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone, Such is the Unionhood of our precious Stone. As Adam slept untill his Wife was made, Even so our Stone, ther can no more be said.

By this you se how thus it came to passe, That first was Man, and Woman then of him: Thus Adam heere as first and cheefest was, And still remaineda Man of perfect limme, Then Man and Wife were joynd together trimme. And each in love to other straight addressed them, And did increase their kind when God had blessed them.

Even so the Man our Stone is said to sleepe, Untill such time his Wife be fully wrought; Then he awakes, and joyfully doth keepe His new made Spouse, which he so dearely bought, And when to such perfection they be brought, Rejoyce the beauty of so faire a bride, Whose worth is more then halfe the world beside.

I doubte as yet you hardly understand, What Man or Wife doth truly signifie, And yet I know you beare your selves in hand, That out of doubt it Sulpher is and Mercury, And so yt is, but not the common certeinly: But Mercury essentiall is trewly the trew Wife, That killes her selfe to bring her Child to life.

For first and formost she receaves the Man, Her perefct love doth make her soone conceive: Then doth she strive with all the force she can, In spite of love, of life him to bereave, Which being done, then will she never leave, But labour kindly like a loving Wife, Untill againe she him have brought to life.

Then he againe her kindnesse to requite, Upon her head doth set a Crowne of glory, And to her praise he Poems doth indite, Whose Poems make each Poet write a story, And that she slew him then she is not sorry. For he by vertue of his loving Wife, Not only lives, but also giveth life.

But here I wish you rightly understand, How heere he m••k••s his Concubine his Wife, Which if you know not, do not take in hand, This worke which unto fooles is nothing rife, And looke you make attonem••nt where is strife. Then strip th•• Man into his shi••t of T••shew, And her out of her smock to ingender yssue.

To tell you troath he wanteth for no Wives In Land, or Sea, in Water, Air, or F••re, Without their deaths he wa••eth not their lives. Except they live he wants his cheif desire, He bindes them prentice to the righte•••• D••er, And when they once all Sorrowes have abidden, Then finde they Ioyes which from them first were hidden.

For then they finde the Joy of sweete encrease, They bring forth Children beautifull to sight. The which are able Prisners to release; And to the darkest Bodyes give true light, Their hevenly Tincture is of such great might. Oh! he that can but light on such a treasure, Who would not thinke his Joyes were out of measure?

Now by this question I shall quickly know If you can tell which is his Wife indeede: Is she quick footed, faire faced yea or no, Flying or fixed as you in Bookes do reade? Is she to be fed or else doth she feede? Wherein doth she joy, where's her habitation? Heavenly or Earthly, or of a strange nacion?

What is she poore? or is she of any wealth? Bravely of her attyre, or meane in her apparrell? Or is she sick? or is she in perfect health? Mild of her Nature? or is she given to quarrell? Is she a Glutton? or loves she the Barrell? If any one of these you name her for to be, You know not his Wife, nor never did her see.

And that will I prove to you by good reason, That truly noe one of all these is she, This is a question to you that is geason: And yet some parte of them all she must be, Why then, some parte is not all you may see. Therefore the true Wife which I doe meane, Of all these Contraries is the Meane betweene.

As Meale and Water joyned both together, Is neither Meale nor Water now but Dow; Which being baked, is Dow nor Water neither: Nor any more will each from other goe, The meane betweene is Wife, our Wife even so: And in this hidden point our seacret lyes, It is enough, few words content the wise.

Now by this simile heere I do reveale, A mighty Seacret if you marke it well; Call Mercury Water, imagine Sulphur Meale, What Meale I meane I hope the wise can tell: Bake them by craft, make them together dwell, And in your working make not too much hast, For Wife she is not while she is in Paste.

This lesson learn'd now give me leave to play, I shall the fitter be to learne another, My minde is turn'd cleane cam another way. I doe not love sweete secret thoughts to smother, It is a Child you know that makes a Mother. Sith so it is then must we have a Childe, Or else of Motherhood we are beguild.

What will you say if I a wonder tell you, And prove the Mother is Child and Mother too? Do you not thinke I goe about to sell you A bargaine in sport, as some are wont to do? Ist possible the Mother, to weare her Infants shoe? In faith it is in our Philosophy, As I will prove by reason by and by.

Ripley doth bid you take it for no scorne, With patience to attend the true Conjunccion, For saith he in the Aire our Child is borne, There he receiveth the holy Unction, Also with it a heavenly function. For after death reviv'd againe to lyfe, This all in all both Husband Child and Wife.

Whilst all is Earth Conception it is termed, And Putrefaction tyme of lying in, Perfect Conjunction (by artes-men is affirmd) The womans Childing where doth all Ioy beg Who knowes not this, his witts are very thin. When she is strong and shineth faire and bright, She's tearm'd the VVife most beautifull to sight.

Loe thus you see that you are not beguil'd; For if you marke it I have proved by Reason, How both is one the Mother and the Child, Conception, Breeding, Childing, every season: I have declared to you without all Treason, Or any false ambiguous word at all; And hewn you worke then finde it true you shall.

This is that Mercury essentiall truly, Which is the principall of the Stone materiall, And not those crude Amalgames began newly; These are but Mercuries superficiall, This is that Menstrue of perfect ••incturiall: This is most truly that One thing, Out of the which all profitt must springe.

If this content you not, abide displeas'd for me, For I have done. If Reason take no place, What can be said, but that there doubts will be, Doe what one can, where folly wins the race. Let it suffice, this is the perfect Base, Which is the Stone that must dissolved be. How that is done I will declare to thee.

This is the Stone that Ripley bidds you take, (For untill thus it be it is no Stone) Be rul'd by me, my councell not forsake, And he commands, Let Crudities alone, If thou have grace to keep thee free from moan. Then stick to this, let Phansey not o'resway thee, Let Reason rule, for Phansey will betray thee.

Take thou this Stone, this Wife, this Child, this All. Which will be Gummous, crumbling, silken, soft: Upon a Glasse or Porphire beat it small, And as you grinde, with Mercury feede it oft, But not so much that Mercury swim aloft, But equall parts, nipt up their seed to save; Then each in other are buried within their grave.

When thus and there you have it as is said, Worke in all points as Nature wrought at first: For Blacknes had thow needest not be afraid, It wilbe White, then art thou past the worst, Except th ou breake thy Glasse and beaccurst; But if through Blacknes thou to Whitenes march, Then will it be both White and soft as Starch.

This very place is cal'd by many names, As Imbibition, Feeding, Sublimation, Clyming high Mountaines, also Childrens Games; And rightly it is termed Exaltation, When all is nothing else but Circulation Of the foure Elements whatsoere fooles clatter, Which is done by heate upon Forme and Matter.

Earth is the lowest Element of All Which Black, is exalted into Water, Then no more Earth but Water wee it call; Although it seeme a black Earthy matter, And in black dust all about will scatter, Yet when soe high as to Water it hath clym'd, Then is it truly said to be Sublym'd

When this black Masse againe is become White, Both in and out like snow and shining faire, Then this Child, this Wife, this Heaven so bright, This Water Earth sublimed into Aire, When there it is it further will prepare It selfe into the Element of Fire, Then give God thankes for granting thy desire.

This Black, this White, doe we call Seperation, Which is not manuall but Elementall; It is no crude Mercuriall Sublimation, But Natures true worke consubstantiall, The White is called Conjunction naturall, Secret and perfect Conjunction not grosse; Which bringeth profitt all other losse.

When thrice yee have turned this Wheele about, Feeding and working it as I have said, Then will it flow like Wax without doubt: Giving a Tincture that will not vade. Abiding all tryalls that can be made. If wisely Project you can and keepe free, Both profitt and creditt to you it wilbe.

Your Medicine fixed and perfectly flowing, White you must thinke will Whitenes increase; So Red begets Red as Seede in the sowing Begetteth his like or as kinde doth in Beasse, And fire must be the true maker of peace: For white or red Ferment your Medicine augmenteth, And perfectly tinckteth and soone it relenteth.

That is to say, your Medicine ended, If White melt downe Silver and thereon Project it, If Red melt downe Sol, for so it is intended; Like unto like in no wise reject it, And out of the purest looke you elect it. Medicen one parte upon Ferment ten, That One on one Thousand of Jupiter then.

Your Jupiter standing red hot on the fyre, So soone as your Medicine upon him is cast, Presently standeth so hard as a Wyre, For then he is fixed and melteth by blast, And of all your working thisis the last. Then let it by Test or strong water be tryde, The best Gold or Silver no better shall bide.

Mercury erude in a Crucible heated, Presently hardeneth lik Silver anealed; And in the high Throwne of Luna is seated, Silver or Gold as Medicine hath sealed: And thus our greate Secret I have reveled. Which divers have seene, and my selfe have wrought, And dearely I prize it, yet give it for nought.

E. K.

FINIS.