HErmes, Father of all the Philoſophers ſaith, that our ſtone is made of one thing, becauſe all our Science and myſtery is made of our water, that is copper: And Ariſtotle, In one thing onely conſiſteth truth, and in multitude vanity.

And Pythagoras in the booke of his documents ſpeaketh, And I ſay vnto you that the foundation of this Art, for which many haue periſhed, is one thing, that to the Philoſophers is ſtronger and higher then the natures, and to the fooliſh is baſer then any thing we eſteeme.

And Geber; It is one thing, one medicine, to which we adde nothing, we diminiſh nothing, except that in ſeparation wee remoue the ſuperfluous.

And Raſis; Know my ſonne that it is one diſpoſition, and one nature, and one worke, and one veſſell to make the white and red.

And Morienus; This myſtery is wont to be made of one only thing, therefore put this in thy mind, for thou needeſt not many things, but one onely thing.

And Lucas in turba; For our verity is one, in which is the Spirit that we ſearch.

And another vncertaine Philoſopher ſaith, For our matter is one, containing in it ſelfe the eſſence of all the ſeuen metals, and in that ſubſtance is the dei • g Spirit which we ſeeke.

And in the booke intituled, The ſecret of Auicen, it is written thus; And know for certaine, that the Philoſophers cared not for the names, but one name, and one action; to wit, to ſeeth the ſtone, and bring forth his ſoule, becauſe their ſtone is alwaies one.

And Iohn of Damaſcus, in his Roſary of Phoebus ſaith, Therefore it is doubted of the ſtone, which is called the Philoſophers, which is it, and what; Seeing it was neuer named openly by any Philoſopher: Therefore in this many iudged diuers things, when in one onely conſiſteth truth. We do hold him dearely, teaching to auoid all others, and ſurely it is manifeſt by the Philoſophers Writs, that it is one thing, and that no ſtrange thing ſhould be ioyned thereto, becauſe nothing agreeth to a thing, but what is neerer to his owne nature.

And Arnoldus de villa noua, in his Roſary ſaith, Therfore it behoueth the ſearcher of this Science to be of a conſtant will in worke, that he preſume not to try ſometime this, ſometime that, becauſe our Art is not perfected in the multitude of things, for it is one.

And Raymund Lullius in the 49. Chapter of the Theoricke of his Teſtament ſaith, Thou muſt no waies be ignorant hereof, ſeeing it is neceſſary, that our Medicine of one onely kind, and one ſole nature be made.

And in the ſeuenty fiue Chapter, Moreouer wee ſay recapitulating, that ſeeing this thing is of one ſole nature, and of that onely this is made which mighty men deſire to haue and ſearch, and in many other places he mentioneth, which for ſhortneſſe ſake ſhall bee left out.

And George Ripply the Engliſh, in his Ladder of twelue degrees, ſaith, yet the matter of this worke according to all the authenticall Philoſophers, is one onely thing, containing in it ſelfe all neceſſaries to the accompliſhing of its owne perfection.

And Henricus Cornelius Agrippa, in the ſecond Booke of hid Philoſophy, in the fourth Chapter ſaith, There is one thing by God created, the ſubiect of all wonderfulneſſe, which is in earth and in heauen, it is actually animall, vegetable, and minerall, found euery where, knowne by few, by none expreſſed in his proper name, but couered in numbers, figures, and riddles, without which neither Alchymy nor naturall magicke can attaine their perfect end.

And in the Roſary of the Philoſophers it is written, But I aduiſe, that no man intrude himſelfe into this Science to ſearch, except hee know the beginning of true nature and her gouernement, which being knowne, he needeth not many things, but one thing; nor requireth great charges, becauſe the ſtone is one, the medicine one, the veſſelbone, the gouernement one, and the diſpoſition one, &c.

Many other authorities and ſentences of diuers Philoſophers (for the confirmation of this paſſage) I could produce, but for ſhortneſſe ſake, as alſo becauſe I thinke that the foreſaid ſentences of ſo many worthy Authors, are ſufficient enough for confirmation of this matter, we let them alone.

HAuing ſeene that the reduction to the firſt matter, is neceſſary, that the matter may bee fit for the ſeparation of the Elements, now it is to bee ſeene what thing is this firſt matter.

And it is aboue ſaid, that all Philoſophers agreeing, do affirme this ſentence, vſe venerable nature. Therefore in confirmation of this paſſage, I will ſerue my ſelfe only with ſome of their ſentences, which ſhall ſeeme vnto me moſt to the purpoſe for the declaration of this matter.

Arnold de Ʋilla noua, in the firſt Chapter of his Roſary ſaith, It is therefore manifeſt, that the operation of the Medicine is the operation of nature, and that the Medicine it ſelfe is the ſame nature; for the Medicine it ſelfe only is compoſed of nature, &c.

And Raymund Lully in the 72. chapter of the Theoricke of his Teſtament ſaith, Our Maſtry is by nature, and with nature, and of nature, and is made by the meanes of nature.

And in the 76. Chapter, Wherefore who will make any thing, let him make it by nature, and let him know the concordance of nature: becauſe without that, neuer any thing can bee done. Seeing that nothing of the world which is facible, is beyond the limited bounds or waies of nature, becauſe by it and with it, it is made, and is to be made.

And in the 14. Chapter of the Practicke he ſaith, Sonne, if thou vnderſtand this, thou ſhalt vnderſtand & know how all things of the world are made by nature, and how thou may make them to the reſpect of nature, if thou can haue the aire which is cauſed by nature, &c.

And in many other places hee maketh mention, and the Roſary of the Philoſophers ſaith, Wherby firſt we make knowne, that all workers beyond nature are deceiuers, and that they worke in a thing vnfit.

And thereafter he ſaith, In the Art of our maſtry, nothing is hid by the Philoſophers, except the ſecret of the Art, which is not lawfull for any man to reueale: which if it were done, he ſhould be curſed, and ſhould incurre the indignation of the Lord, and ſhould die of an Apoplexie. Wherefore all errour in the Art ariſeth of that, that they take not the due matter: therefore vſe venerable nature, becauſe of it, by it, and in it, our Art is engendred, and in no other. And therefore our maſtry is a worke of nature, and not of the workeman, and ſo who knoweth not the beginning, doth not obtaine the end, and who knoweth not what hee ſeeketh, ſhall not know what he ſhall find.

But becauſe vpon this authority ſome may ſay, that this Philoſopher intendeth and ſpeaketh of the true matter, on which wee muſt lay the foundation: I ſay that it is true, but out of what matter it behoueth vs to take the ſame nature as yet hee maketh no mention, which is incloſed in the centre of the ſame matter, witneſſing Raymund in his 7. Chap. of the Theoricke of the Teſtament.

Where he ſaith, And wee haue ſaid aboue, that in the centre of the earth is the virgin earth, and the true Element, and that it is created by nature, therefore nature is in the centre of euery thing, &c. As yet alſo more manifeſtly ſhall be ſhewed, when it ſhall bee declared, which followeth, what thing is this nature.

Now hauing aboue ſhewed the neceſſity to reduce the body vnto the firſt matter, and in this chapter proued that it behoueth to worke with nature, ſo that it appeareth almoſt that this firſt matter is the ſelfe ſame nature, by the meanes of the authorities aboue alledged of the Philoſophers; therefore for better declaration it is good to proceed from degree to degree.

Firſt it is ſaid the matter to bee one ſole thing, there after wee haue ſpoken of the reduction vnto the firſt matter; and now it appeareth that this firſt matter is (as ſaid is) the ſame nature. It remaineth then to be ſeene, what thing is this nature, and it ſhal be the laſt concluſion about this paſſage.

I ſay that of diuers Philoſophers, it hath beene named with diuers and infinite names, ſome doe call it Chaos, ſome Hyle, others the firſt Matter, others a confuſed Maſſe, Matter without Forme, Confuſed Clodde, others Mercurie; alledging that ſpeech of Hermes, who ſaith, In Mercurie is all which the Philoſophers ſeeke, &c. and with many other infinite names, as I haue aboue ſaid, the which would bee too much to deſire to remember all.

But I my ſelfe am diſpoſed, leauing all other names, to name it vnder the name of Salt in this my little treatiſe, alledging for confirmation of my opinion, a number of ſentences of diuers Philoſophers.

And firſt we ſhall begin with Geber, who in his Teſtament ſpeaketh of no other, but of the ſalt of metals, and ſheweth that therewith is made the Elixir, as he may ſee who would ſtudy it.

And the Roſary of the Philoſophers ſaith, The ſalt of metals is the Philoſophers ſtone.

And a little further, The ancient wiſe men, becauſe they ſpoke many things, did conclude vpon ſalt which they call the ſope of the wiſe, and the little key which cloſeth and openeth, and againe ſhutteth, and no man openeth; without which little key, they ſay none in this age, can attaine to the perfection of this ſcience, that is, vnleſſe he know to calcine ſalt after his preparation, &c.

And after he ſaith, Who hath not taſted the taſte of ſalts ſhall neuer obtaine his wiſh.

And Gratianus ſaith, Of euery thing may be made aſhes, and of that aſhes may be made ſalt, and of that ſalt is made water, and of that is made Mercurie, and of that Mercury through diuers operations is made Sol.

And Auicen ſaith, Sonne if thou wilt bee rich, prepare ſalts vntill they be a pure water, becauſe ſalts are converted into a ſpirit by fire.

And Raymund in the ſeuenty two chapter of the practicke of his Teſtament ſaith, And we ſay vnto thee that the ſaid natures are nothing but ſharp ſalts, &c.

And there after, But ſonne we ſpeake to thee with reuelation, that thou remember of the ſalt, which we haue told thee aboue, with one part of his propertie; becauſe at no time muſt you vnderſtand here of other ſalt; vnleſſe it be of metals, which are reſolued vnto it, as by artifice you may ſee to the eie. If therefore thou know how to ſweeten this ſalt, it will enter in the bodies, as the true nature which will ſtand inwardlie, and can transforme them from one kinde to another; becauſe ſeeing ſalts are the firſt nature of metals, of a metallicke propertie, by the friendſhip of that thing, they are conioyned together. Seeing ſalt is nothing but fire, nor fire is but ſulphure, nor ſulphure is but quicksiluer reduced into a ſtone; after that it is the matter of a nature altered and changed from baſeneſſe to nobility.

Heere clearely is verified and confirmed that paſſage aboue ſaid, That in the centre of the earth is the virgin earth, &c. and that nature is in the centre of euery thing, &c. And in many other places mention is made, which for ſhortneſſe ſake ſhall be left out: O what labours, what ſweats, what troubles, muſt be done! What moſt thicke and moſt hard walls muſt be broken and paſſed! and what ports and locks muſt bee opened, before it can bee penetrated and entred into that centre, where that bleſſed virgin earth is found, otherwaies by the ſaid Raymund called the earth of labour.

And truly the earth of labour it may be called, becauſe it is purchaſed with great trouble and watching.

The which was well vnderſtood by Chryſogonus Polydorus, in his preface of Geber, when he ſaid, The golden fleece is not giuen vnto Iaſon, vnleſſe firſt he vndergoe the ſure and dangerous labours. And ſo much the more, becauſe it is to bee knowne, that where the glorious God hath put great vertue, there yet hath he left greateſt difficulty for cuſtody: but let vs leaue this, and returne to our firſt diſcourſe. I ſay then that I haue gathered together many ſentences of diuers Philoſophers, all which haue treated of ſalt: whoſe names to bee ſhorter I will conceale, as alſo becauſe ſome of theſe ſentences are taken out of bookes of vncertaine Authors: and I will repeat only their ſayings with a continuall order one after another.

And firſt the firſt ſaith, Our ſtone is no other thing but ſalt; who worketh in this Art without ſalt, is like vnto him who will ſhoot not hauing a ſtring. If the omnipotent God had created no ſalt, the Art of Alchymie had not beene. Salt is Coproſe, and Coproſe is ſalt: all leſſer and greater minerals truly are nothing elſe but ſalt: nothing is more fluxible than ſalt: nothing more piercing than ſalt, and his nature: nothing cleaner, purer, more ſpirituall, and more ſubtill, than ſalt and his nature. Nothing ſtronger than ſalt and his nature; nothing more incombuſtible than ſalt and his nature; nothing more volatile than ſalt and his nature; nothing ſweeter than ſalt and his nature; nothing ſowrer than ſalt and his nature.

Theſe two paſſages doe ſeeme to bee repugnant, ſaying ſweet and ſowre, which is vnderſtood, ſowre before the preparation, and ſweet after.

And following they ſay, nothing is neerer to the fire than ſalt and his nature, nothing more laſtying and fit to preſerue things from putrifaction, than ſalt and his nature.

Then ſeeing the ſalt euen ſo as he is, without other preparations, is of ſuch vertue, that it preſerueth things from putrifaction, as is ſeene by experience; what will it doe, when from it the elements ſhall bee ſeparated and reduced into a fifth Eſſence? I thinke with my ſelfe that it ſhall be that, which our Philoſopher vnderſtandeth of the ſecret Spirit.

Now let vs follow. The ſalt is the life of all things: I cannot faile when any braue place of importance commeth to my hand, but I muſt ſpeake my opinion agreeing the Philoſophers together.

This Philoſopher ſaith, Salt is the life of all things. And Morienus ſaith, But this ſtone is not a vulgar ſtone, becauſe it is more precious, without which nature worketh nothing at any time, whoſe name is one.

By the which I ſay that ſeeing ſalt is the life of all things, it is neceſſary to ſay and affirme with Morien, that without it nature worketh nothing at any time.

And Raymund in the Chapter before alledged, ſpeaking of Salt vnder the name of nature, ſaith, Seeing this is, becauſe nothing can be engendred without it, &c, and I may bring hither many other Philoſophers for confirmation of this wonderfull ſentence, the which I will omit, for to follow the reſt.

Salt is nothing elſe but a pure dry water; nothing more tranſparent, nothing more ſhining, nothing more lightſome than ſalt and his nature. If I would tell my opinion vpon all theſe ſentences worthy to be written in letters of gold, I ſhould enlarge my ſelfe too much.

But this I cannot let paſſe with ſilence, for confirmation of ſo many excellent ſentences aboue ſpoken in the 2. Chapter concerning the light. And here is ſeene this Author to confirme the ſame, ſaying, Nothing more tranſparent, &c.

Now let vs follow; Nothing is neerer vnto mett all than ſalt and his nature. How is it poſſible to be ſilent with this ſentence worthy to be grauen in plate of Gold, and not written in Paper? O how open a field is here to diſcourſe! but let vs follow, Nothing more excellent, created by nature, than Salt and his nature. Nothing more ſimple than Salt and his nature. Nothing more ſtinketh than Salt and his nature. Nothing more odoriferous than ſalt and his nature.

Seeing theſe two paſſages do appeare to be diſagreeing, it behoueth to vnderſtand them as theſe others aboue, of ſweet and ſowre; to wit, before and after the preparation.

Nothing better in nature created by God than Salt and his nature. Nothing is in the world that containeth ſo diuers colours in it, as Salt and his nature. Nothing heauier and weightier than Salt and his nature. Salt is of a nature animall, vegetable, and minerall, and hath in his nature the actiues and paſſiues.

And here is verified the ſpeech of Ariſtotle, ſaying, It is a Stone and no Stone, and it is minerall, animall, and vegetable, which is found in euery place, in euery time, and beſide euery man, &c. Our oile, our water, our ſulphur, our Mercury, is no other thing in his vertue than Salt. There are three ſtones of white things, which three are found in Salt. Salt is a vertue mixt with all the Elements. There is nothing that ſo ſtrongly containeth in it the foure Elements as Salt.

I will ſay nothing vpon this place, becauſe who will ſtudy well all this which is aboue ſaid, ſhall find to bee here the laſt concluſion and Key of all.

Therefore let the mockers of Alchymy hold their peace, ſeeing without true diſſolution they can doe nothing, and true diſſolution can they not haue, without they reduce the things diſſoluable into the nature of Salt, and make them reſolued that they may the ſooner be reſolued.

And to put an end to this Chapter, I will with the helpe of all the Philoſophers conclude, who ſay, Therfore who knoweth Salt & his diſſolution, he knoweth the ſecret of the ancient wiſe men. Therefore ſet thy mind vpon Salt. Thinke not vpon other things. For in it onely is hid the ſcience & the chiefe myſtery, and the greateſt ſecret of all the ancient Philoſophers.

FOlloweth yet in the ſame Author, and he ſaith;

And this water fixeth all ſpirits, and maketh them enter; for this water hath her ſuperiour and ſpirituall ſtrength that is not fixed, and hath her inferiour and corporall fixed, and yet is not fixed, but hath power to fix.

And this is it that the Philoſopher ſaith, That which is aboue is like to that which is beneath, for the working of the miracles of one thing; that is, it behooueth that this fifth eſſence, that is the ſpirit, haue or retaine her ſpirituall power, and haue all the corporall power of the foure elements, if miracles ſhould be done thereby: becauſe if it haue ſuch power, many miracles are done vpon the worke of Alchymie.

Alſo the Philoſopher ſaith, it aſcendeth from the earth vnto heauen, that is, theſe foure elements haue aſcended from the earth vnto heauen; that is to ſay in the ſpirit of the ſtone.

There after ſaith the Philoſopher, And againe it hath deſcended into earth; that is to ſay, theſe foure elements haue aſcended into heauen, and againe deſcended into earth; So that they be fixed in vertue of the ſpirit of the fift eſſence, and remaine one Cryſtalline ſtone: and it ſhall be Elixir retaining perfectly Mercury or the fugitiue ſlaue.

And ſo is manifeſt the fift apparition of the ſecret Spirit, vnder the forme of a Cryſtalline and glorious body.

But here is to be noted, that this Philoſopher ſheweth not the manner particularly, how this coniunction of the ſpirit with the body ought to be done; but onely metaphorically ſaith, they haue aſcended into heauen, and againe deſcended into earth, ſo that they be fixed, &c. Wherefore if I would produce the manner written by diuers Philoſophers, I ſhould be too tedious.

It ſufficeth vnto me onely to ſay, that Raymund in the threeſcore and ſecond chapter of his Codicill doth declare at large, and endeth in the threeſcore and fourth chapter of the ſaid place. And in his repertory ſheweth very well and cleerely.

And here is verified the ſpeech of Hermes, who ſaith, The earth is the mother of all the elements, and out of the earth they proceed, and to the earth they are reduced.

And Raymund in the third chapter of the theoricke of his Teſtament ſaith, And by this thy conſideration may be cleared, that in the end euery thing ſhall goe to his owne proper place, from whence it firſt came, &c.

And here endeth the third and laſt part of the ſecret Spirit, where he ſaith, In the fifth and laſt eſſence it appeareth in a glorified body. And it is the deſired end and true intention of the Philoſopher, when he ſaith, But there is one thing, which remoueth all corruptions.

Now this authour (as I haue aboue ſaid) ſheweth not the manner of the coniunction of the elements, but vnder figures: and the like doth the Author of the ſecret ſpirit, but vnder other figures and another manner of ſpeech, according to the letter; but as for the ſenſe, it is the ſame.

And therefore to giue matter to the diligent to ſtudy, and to accord one Philoſopher with another, I thinke good to ſet downe here the metaphors of the ſaid ſecret Spirit, the which are theſe following.

Which remaineth firie in the water, and carrieth with it the earth in the aire, &c.

There after he ſaith, containing fire burning in water, and earth clarified in aire, &c.

After, The glorified ſpirit cannot appeare but in a body agreeing to his kinde, &c.

Furthermore, Let not any man thinke, that the ſpirits are diuers; but howſoeuer it is called it is one and the ſelfe ſame ſpirit, who worketh all in all. This is the ſpirit which in aſcending the cleereneſſe of the heauen hath ouerſhined, and in deſcending, the purity of the earth hath incorporated, &c.

Albeit there be ſome others, yet they are not for this purpoſe, therefore they ſhall not be ſet downe otherwiſe.

I ſay then, if you interpret well theſe ſentences, with the others aboue alledged in the maſtrie of the ſeparation and coniunction of the elements, you ſhall finde them meet together, and agree very well.

Moreouer, it is to be noted, that the foreſaid author of the ſeparation of the elements, maketh diſtinction of the aforeſaid Elixir, for to congeale Mercury, from the other for medicine to mans body; which the Author of the ſecret ſpirit doth not. Alſo he ſaith, that it is a medicine fitted not onely for both, but alſo hath many other vertues as in him you may ſee; and the like many other Philoſophers doe affirme.

Neuertheleſſe, for to ſatisfie euery man, as alſo becauſe there are many very fine ſentences, very neceſſary, appertaining to the foreſaid Elixir to congeale Mercury, yet another manner ſhall be ſhewed for the health of man, as this Philoſopher would, the which is this that followeth.

SEeing that hitherto by the grace of the Lord God an end is put vnto the Expoſition of the ſecret ſpirit; and it is ſhewed by many ſentences of diuers wiſe Philoſophers, the great difficulty and deepeſt depth of ſo high a ſecret, not onely in knowledge of the matter, but alſo in preparation thereof: wherefore the Philoſophers ſay that it is very difficult, and they doe ſpeake in this manner.

The Philoſophers haue hid the preparation of the ſtone, becauſe it is the Key of the Art, and difficulteſt of things.

Some others ſay, The working and gouernment thereof cannot be knowne but by the gift of God or inſtruction of a maſter who ſhould teach it. The ſame ſaith our Philoſopher of the ſecret Spirit.

Therefore that would I know, what wee ſhould thinke and ſay, of ſo great a multitude of men (which otherwiſe I know not how to name) that when they haue ſeene a ſimple and ſophiſticate receit, ſay and affirme with an oath, that they can make the precious and moſt beloued ſtone of the Philoſophers; the which they haue purchaſed with ſo long ſtudies, troubles, teares and ſweats.

Which is altogether againſt the vſe and order of all the Philoſophers, as Villa Noua ſaith, The Alchymiſts of latter time, are for the moſt part mockers, and whiles by ſophiſtications they ſeeke rather to ſeeme wiſe then to be, they deceiue the yeelders to them, but the ancients not profiting according to their owne couetouſneſſe, haue wrapped vp this Art in riddles, ſhewing rather their owne ignorance then ſcience, &c.

I ſay then what ſhould we ſay of theſe? truly it cannot be otherwiſe anſwered but with the conference of Ianus Lacinius, and Petrus bonus ferrarienſis, in his precious new pearle, to exclaime & ſay, And no wonder becauſe it falleth out in this deſperate age, that men of euery ſort, and ſome the moſt ignorant, dare ſearch the hid cauſes of the Art and Science of this moſt happy and moſt high Philoſophy, thinking to wreſt and ſteale that bleſſed ſtone out of paper tricks, and deceits of ſome Idiots: For they are Smithes, and Weauers, Carpenters, and ſuch kind of men, deſiring to bee inriched without labour. An anſwer certainly to the purpoſe, worthy of ſuch kind of people.

But moreouer, what ſhall we ſay of an infinite number of lettered and learned men? of whom I know enow, who are ſearchers of this Science, and neuertheleſſe vnderſtand not the moſt obſcure bookes of the Philoſophers, to be written vnder Metaphors, but as the letter ſoundeth; and conſider not, or elſe will not conſider what the Philoſophers ſay, We haue not written our Bookes but vnto our children, and our children are they who vnderſtand our ſayings.

And Plato ſaith, Who knoweth our purpoſe, and our intention is now a Philoſopher, and is inriched; and who knoweth not our ſayings, he is in the ſnares of nature, &c.

And Geber: For whereſoeuer we haue ſpoken plainly, there we haue ſaid nothing, but where vnder riddles and figures wee haue put ſomething, there haue we hid the truth.

And Arnoldus: But the fooliſh vnderſtanding the ſayings of the Philoſophers according to the letter, are become blind, and haue found nought but a lie; and then they ſay the Science is falſe, becauſe we haue tried, and find nothing, and then they are like deſperate men, and doe deſpiſe the bookes and the Science, and therefore the Science deſpiſeth them, for our Science of the hid things of nature, hath no enemy but the ignorant.

Therefore this diuine Science is not purchaſed by being lettered and learned only, ſeeing it is the ſecret of God, as all men do affirme, for the which it is written.

Becauſe all wiſdome is from the Lord God, and therefore ſometimes theſe things are giuen to the ſimple which the moſt ſtudious cannot know.

Now let vs leaue this. I could in particular tell ſome manners of working of many, which I haue ſeene in my iournies of diuers workers, which I will leaue, that I bee not too long and tedious.

But I wil tell two ridiculous, which I haue ſeene in this noble City of London, where I was preſent my ſelfe, of two of my beſt friends ſearchers of this Science.

The one of which hauing diuers waies tryed fortune, and being one day by chance in a very ancient Palace, where hee ſaw a glaſſe window, in the which was painted the hiſtory or fable of Iaſon, when he went to Colchos, to purchaſe the golden fleece. Where reading ſomthing written, a fantaſie entred his head, ſo that he would not vnderſtand that the Philoſophers ſtone was made of other then of glaſſe, alledging a ſentence of a Philoſopher ſaying, in ſalt, and glaſſe is all the ſecret.

And againe hee ſaid that Alſidius ſpeaketh, breake the glaſſe and extract the ſtone, and put it in a glaſſe veſſell, or bolts head, and extract the oyle from it, and you ſhall finde this which the Philoſophers deliuered vnto vs, in this glaſſe is the quicke ſiluer which ouercommeth the fire, and is not ouercome by it.

And Raymund confirmeth the like in the eighty ſix chapter of the Theoricke of his Teſtament, where he ſaith, draw the quick-ſiluer out of the caues of glaſſe, &c. but what more?

He alledgeth two paſſages of the Reuelation of S. Iohn the Euangeliſt, chapter 21. where he ſaith, And the building of the wall thereof was of Iaſper ſtone, but the city it ſelfe, pure gold like to pure glaſſe ▪ And furthermore after, And the ſtreet of the city pure gold, like tranſparent glaſſe.

Where I remaining a little wondering, at this his fantaſticke fantaſie, asked him what affinitie and friendſhip, and what to doe had glaſſe with metall? He anſwered me that I vnderſtood not, and that it was vnderſtood the glaſſe made of metals, alledging the ſpeech of the Philoſophers ſaying, That the glaſſe of metall changeth euery metall to better, &c.

And Iohn Braceſcus vnderſtood the ſame in his dialogue of demogorgon: and Geber, when it is ſaid, that glaſſe made of iron is the Philoſophers ſtone. And ſo likewiſe may be made glaſſe of gold, and ſiluer, and of all other mettals.

Wherefore leauing him with this his Chimera: I will ſpeake of the opinion of the other no leſſe fabulous than this.

I ſay that this my other friend ſaid and affirmed, that he had the knowledge of the true Lunaria, ſo much mentioned by the Philoſophers, and that in it did conſiſt all the ſecret of this Art.

Out of the which (as he ſaid by a Philoſophicall way) he did take the iuyce, and of which hee made a ſalt, which was greene, ſaying that this was the true ſalt which the Philoſophers vnderſtood, alledging a ſentence of Hermes, that ſaith, All ſalts of what kinde ſoeuer are contrarie to our Art, except the ſalt of our Lunaria.

Of which ſalt he ſaid, by diuers operations he tooke the Mercury, the which was the Mercury vegetable; of which afterward he ſeparated, not onely the foure elements, but alſo he tooke a water, which hee called the ſpirit of the ſtone or fifth eſſence, alledging an infinite number of ſentences of diuers Philoſophers for his purpoſe.

And chiefly Raymund Lully, and principally, in his apertory, where he ſaith, Take of the beſt iuyce of Lunary which thou canſt finde, &c. And the Roſary of the Philoſophers, where it ſaith, The iuyce of Lunaria, the water of life, the fift eſſence, the burning wine, the Mercury vegetable, are all one, the iuyce of Lunary is made of our wine, which is knowne to few of our children. And with it, by the meanes of it, is made our potable gold, and without it no waies.

And more he ſaid, that after he had taken his Mercury out of the ſame dregs or earth, he could take as much of the ſame Mercury as he pleaſed, without end, the ſame earth remaining neuertheleſſe euer in his proper weight and quantity, as at firſt: Which appeared wonderfull vnto me.

And I asking the reaſon thereof, hee anſwered me with Ʋincentius in his naturall, The light hath the property of the fountaine, the cauſe of multiplication.

And more he ſaid, that this his earth was like a well of ſuch water, as neuer could be dryed, and it was the body vnderſtood by Iohn Auguſtine Pantheus, in his Voarcha dumia, where he ſaith, That the vegetable body is full of iuyce, &c.

And moreouer he ſaid, that this was that true Salamander, that was ingendred, and nouriſhed in the fire, alledging many authorities of Philoſophers, amongſt which he made vſe of a booke intitled, The water of life perpetuall, which ſaid, it is fire of fire, and is ingendred of fire, and is nouriſhed in the fire, and it is the daughter of the fire, &c.

And that more he ſaid, that it was alſo that thing, and the ſpirit of the world, which Henricus Cornelius Agrippa ſpeaketh of, in the foureteenth chapter of the firſt booke of his Philoſophy, where hee ſaith, But it is more infuſed into thoſe things which haue taken moſt of this Spirit. For it is taken by the beames of the ſtarres, according as things render themſelues conforme vnto them. Therefore by this Spirit euery hid property is propagated in herbes, ſtones, and metals, and beaſts, by the Sunne, by the Moone, by the Planets, and by the Starres higher than the Planets, yea this Spirit may be more profitable vnto vs, if any man know how to ſeparate him well from other elements, or at leaſt vſe thoſe things which abound moſt in this ſpirit.

So that he made me remaine ſo confuſed, that I knew not what to anſwer. Whereby I am diſpoſed to ſtay no more with theſe melancholicke and fantaſticke humors, that I make not my ſelfe fall into ſome Hereſie to no purpoſe.

For the which I will exhort the true ſearchers of this noble ſcience, that they ſuffer not themſelues to be fooled with vaine opinions, nor to ſet a worke in the day that which they dreamed in the night, as theſe two my foreſaid friends haue done. But to bee conſtant and follow the documents of the foreſaid good Philoſophers. And ſo ſhall be made an end of this my ſhore diſcourſe, which is dedicated and preſented to the children of the truth, who delight in a ſolitary life.

Now my deare and rude booke, thou haſt endeuored to ſet forth all thy will in ſpeaking, and declaring by a method, and continued order. Gathering together ſo many fine ſentences, deſcribed by ſo many worthy and wiſe Philoſophers, and ſcattered not only in many chapters, but in diuers bookes, againſt their precept. Who doe command, that this noble Science ſhould be written obſcurely, and not with a cleare and continuated ſtile, to the end it bee not vſurped by the ignorant and vnworthy people.

But ſeeing that ſo it hath pleaſed thee to doe; at leaſt flie from the multitude of men, and learne the ſolitary life: and conuerſe only with thoſe noble and ſolitary ſpirits, to which thou art dedicated: becauſe in the ſolitary life is found this moſt noble ſecret ſpirit: ſecret it is called becauſe alſo it truly ſhunneth the conuerſation of the vulgar, and goeth to hide it ſelfe in ſolitary and ſecret places. And moreouer, becauſe that in the ſolitary life is learned to know God; In a ſolitary life, is learned to loue God; In a ſolitary life (I ſay) is learned to giue glory and praiſe to the moſt high, and moſt glorious creator of all, to whom bee praiſes through infinite ages of ages. Amen.