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.

CHAP. III. Of the second Order.

NOW the second Manner I will shew plaine, How you shall worke it with little paine: When your three searsings be done after my lore, Then breake the Stone as you did before: Then must you have one Veschell, Which must be made like an Eggshell, Into the which Vessell the Matter you must putt, Then see that itt be well closed upp: The Vessells divided in parts three, Whereof two still voyde must bee: This Vessell must be set in a kinde heate, That the Matter may kindly sweate; The Spiritts must not be opprest with Fire, For then thou shalt never have thy desire; Neither must thy Vessell have cold, For then itt will spoile as Philosophers have told; But keepe itt in a temperate heate alwayes, For the space of fortie dayes: Then Blackesse will appeare to sight, That Blacknesse thou must bring to be White. ake out t he Glasse at the forty dayes end, And se that from cold thou doe itt defend; And set itt in a Furnace with dry fire, Till itt be White after thy desire, Which wilbe done in Weekes three, And dryed from his moysture utterly:

Then with the first Water thou first didst imbibe Againe thou maist feede it att this tyde, But give itt noe more, nor you doe thinke May suffice at once for itt to drinke, This done putrefy as you did before, Even in the very selfe same maner, And in the said tyme which it stoode before, Itt will becom of blacke Colour, And in the same Order if it congeale White, Then is your Worke both perfect and right; Now you must goe lerne the Bakers occupacion, How he Leavens Bread by Fermentacion; And truly to Ferment take noe plate of Gold, But parte of that the plates doe hold. You know that if Sol shew not a faire Tincture, Itt will be had but in little honour, Then Tincture of Gold is a most noble thing, With a grace to noble men of our workeing, For that true proverbe doth well accord, Base things befitt not a noble Lord. Now have I told you what Ferment is, To teach you to Ferment I will not misse; This Chapter is now brought to an end, And now the third Order to shew I intend.