THE COMPOUND OF ALCHEMY. OR The ancient hidden Art of Archemie: Containing the right & perfectest means to make the PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, Aurum potabile, with other excellent Experiments. Divided into twelve Gates. First written by the learned and rare Philosopher of our Nation GEORGE RIPLEY, sometime Cannon of Bridlington in Yorkeshyre: & Dedicated to K. EDWARD the 4. Whereunto is adjoined his Epistle to the King, his Vision, his Wheel, & other his Works, never before published: with certain brief Additions of other notable Writers concerning the same. Set forth by Ralph Rabbards Gentleman, studious and expert in alchemical Artes.  Pulchrum pro Patria pati. 
LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Orwin. 1591.   

TO THE MOST HIGH and Mighty PRINCESS, ELIZABETH by the grace of GOD QUEEN of England, France, & Ireland, Defender of the faith, etc.  
EXcellent, most gracious, & sacred SOVEREIGN: calling often to remembrance, how miraculously it pleased the Almighty many ways to preserve & defined your MAJESTY, in the time of late domestical persecution, from the merciless hands of those butcherly murderers, who not only sought all occasions by spilling your HIGHNESS innocent blood, to bereave this Kingdom, and us all, (that since have lived under your royal, prosperous, and happy Government) of so rare and precious a jewel, as Nature hath not at any time to any Nation else where, afforded the like; but also prosecuted with sword, fire, banishment, or (at the least) straight imprisonment, all such as were in any respect favoured by your HIGHNESS, or in any sort cast their eyes once toward the Orient, where the bright splendent beams of your incomparable MAJESTY, lighteneth our Horizon, to the comfort and consolation of many thousands afflicted, & the singular joy of the whole Realm, very few persons excepted, whose bleared eyes being dazzled therewith, sought palbable darkness, to avoid the clear light then arising with the rare Comet or incomparable day star of your most excellent MAJESTY unto us: whose piercing rays hath since like the Sun beams both dispersed all grossemists and fogs of ignorance, error, & blind superstition, and withal so comforted and nourished the plant of infallible truth of the Gospel, (first taking root in this Land in the short Reign of the peerless Prince EDWARD the sixth your majesties Brother, of most rare expectation and famous memory) as the same being now sprung up to a perfect tree of such full groat, that the branches thereof have spread themselves long and wide many ways over other Empires, Kingdoms & States, maugre the Devil, the Pope, & the King of Spain, with all their fraternity, consorts, leaguers, and adherents, or other their Ministers, spreaders and maintainers of lies; under the shelter and covert of which flourishing Palm, all true Christians have been, are, and (I hope) long shall be (by the continuance of your majesties most bountifuull and gracious especial favour) protected and shrouded, from the burning heat of the sharp persecutions of all malicious Enemies thereof: the which GOD of his great mercy grant. Pondering I say (most high and mighty PRINCESS) the manifold imminent dangers, your sacred MAJESTY by the omnipotent wonderful providence, of Almighty GOD, with more than human virtue, and feminine patience sustained; & in the end (contrary to all expectation) escaping the rage, fury, tyrannical attempts, and secret devilish practices of your HIGHNESS mortal Enemies, (utter professed unreconcilable adversaries) to the eternal truth: whereof myself was an eye witness, and so far privy of some of the most mischievous intended conspiracies, as for my faithful endeavours by such rare secret services as were by me effected to prevent the same; I tasted (amongst the rest of such as then honoured, reverenced, and of bounden duty loved your majesties rare virtues) so great extremity of imprisonment, & other hard usage many ways, as scaping with life, (by timely and happy alteration of the state) I felt long after the pains of those torments, whereby my health in xx. years after was extremely impaired: But when I consider on the other side withal, the strange and miraculous Heroical Actions both martial & politic which have been (since in the time passed of your HIGHNESS most prosperous reign) beyond all expectation performed with singular government and incomparable magnanimity, far passing all human wisdom and man's force (whereof posterity shall want no due records of worthy Registers) I can not but forget all sorrow, & exceedingly rejoice, assuring & persuading myself GOD hath ordained your MAJESTY to accomplish yet far greater matters for his glory and your own eternal memory, than time hath yet revealed: for the better accomplishment whereof, every dutiful subject and good Patriott ought in time of tranquillity to prepare and furnish themselves according to their several gifts, abilities, and different faculties: to further and set forth a work so great as is likely to fall out by all consequence of reason in this your majesties most happy reign, uz. the Nobility with learning, judgement, and experience, for counsel and advice, as well for warlike discipline as for civil government; for that the one cannot long continue without the other: Gentlemen with ingenious devices and stratagems of war both for sea and land, and the whole Souldiorie of all sorts with activity, and the practice of such sorts of weapons as they shall addict themselves unto, or be found fit to serve withal, whereby every man of what degree or quality soever professing the wars, may in time of cessations of Arms, some in one sort, some in an other, enable themselves for the defence of their Country, against they shallbe employed; for without appointment & calling, no man ought to intrude or offer himself, in such sort as is now too commonly used; which is the cause that so many audacious insufficient blind baiards are set a work: whilst the modest, skilful, and experienced live retired, attending their vocation by the Magistrate: of which number I profess myself in my faculty to be one, who having these forty years amongst many other most commendable exercises and inventions of so warlike Engines, found out divers devices of rare service, both for Sea and land, some whereof (whose charge exceeded not my small ability) I have performed and made the use thereof known unto many my honourable, skilful and experienced good friends at home, and to some Princes beyond the Seas, whereof ignorant persons having by chance light on some Modules or Patterns of small importance imperfect, have vainly arrogated the invention unto themselves; not knowing in any sort the use and force thereof in service, making thereby great advantage to themselves by abusing superior Authority with these imperfect first Elements of my preparations to greater matters; supplying the lameness and effects thereof, by their formality, and mellicious frivolous discourses, wherein there is no substance to any purpose: seeking to reap thereby the fruits of my chargeable and painful labours; & my name in the mean time never once brought in question: Such is and hath been the insolent, and shameless boldness of ignorant persons in all times fit to be restrained, lest greater mischiefs and inconveniences ensue thereby, when occasion requireth due trial to be made of their sufficiency, and the right use of these rare Experiments. But to leave (most gracious SOVEREIGN) the consideration of these important causes unto the deep wisdom and discreet providence of your HIGHNESS own careful foresight, and the ordering and reformation thereof to such as are in authority: And to return to my purpose; among many studious inventions, whereunto I have bend my mind as well for the service of my country, when time shall serve, as for mine own satisfaction; Looking withal into some part of the rare inscrutable secrets of natural Phlosophie, and falling sometimes to the chargeable, painful, and fruitless practise thereof▪ by distillation, and other transmutation of Plants, Herbs, Stones and Minerals of all sorts: aiming at that mark, which many learned and greater Clerks than myself have shot at, and yet miss; I have notwithstanding by the way light (to my singular contentment) on infinite rare conclusions, both profitable, pleasant, and serviceable; so that although my simple skill could not attain to such perfection, as I desired, yet have I no cause to repent me any way of my travels therein employed but rather great occasion to lament me of my long discontinuance from the same, by loss of many years spent unprofitably in a labyrinth of law suits, and private contention with men of very great ability, and better friended than myself, wherein now utterly wearied, and worn out of heart, through the greatness of my adversaries purse and friends, I am now forced for want of ability, after ten years chargeable suit, to relinquish the same, and to return to those my delectable studies and serviceable exercises again, as well to digest melancholic conceits, as to keep old age from such extreme wants, as the iniquity of times, the tedious grievance by delays, the striving against strong arms will bring; the least able to weary afar wealthier man than myself, hoping yet to recover some part of my lost time, and (if ability altogether fail me not before I die,) to make unto your MAJESTY some rare Present by experiments Chemical or Martial, such as hitherto hath not been performed by any other. Wherefore (most gracious SOVEREIGN) desiring henceforth to employ the rest of my short course, in more serious sort, to the service of GOD, your MAJESTY, and my Country, & by all means I can possible to profit some ways this Royal kingdom and State, (wherein I have lived these threescore years and more) I am bold to publish this rare work of learned Ripley under your majesties protection for the instruction and direction of all students, and lovers of the secret mysteries of natural Philosoophie; delivering most compendiously the hidden Art and high Mystery of making the Philosopher's Stone, (sought for by many thousands in all ages, but found of very few, and they such as rapt with the excellency thereof, have in contempt of the world, retired themselves from common society, keeping the same most secret to themselves, esteeming the world not worthy of so precious a jewel. For the certainty and probability whereof, if any shall be doubtful let them advisedly read thoroughly this work, and afterwards peruse the doings of such other our worthy country men as have written most learnedly thereof, as Friar Bacon, john Pauper, Sir Thomas Norton knight, john Garland, & especially M. Doctor Dee in his Monas Hyerogliphica, and many others most plainly teaching the same, whose depth of learning Theorical if it were yet executed by any experienced practitioner, I doubt not but your MAJESTY should shortly see that which the world thinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and if I had been so fortunate as to have spent these seven years passed in one of your majesties manifold fruitless still-houses: I durst before this time have presumed to promise more of myself than I will speak of, which disability through my foresaid troubles, now suffer me not to perform in such sort as I desire, & have best leisure to do in my old age, but I hope (the premises considered, my dutiful good will, & affection to my country in giving encouragement and means unto others by publication of this most learned Author) will be taken in good part, the rather being patronized by your sacred MAJESTY, against all venomous darts of the envious & malicious tongues, of such who being ignorant themselves of all good sciences, would otherwise malign the perfections & virtuous endeavours of the well deserving. Thus hoping your MAJESTY will of your accustomed clemency, accept of this my present as a pledge of my fidelity and dutiful zeal to your MAJESTY, humbly craving pardon for my boldness; I cease to be further troublesome, daily praying to the Almighty long to continue your majesties most prosperous Reign over us, with great increase of honour, and felicity, to hi● glory, until double Nestor's years.  
Your majesties most loyal subject, RALPH RABBARDES.   

To the right Honourable, Worshipful, and worthy Gentlemen of England, and other learned & industrious Students in the secrets of Philosophy.  
Having reserved the Copy hereof (Right Honourable, and gentle Readers) these forty years for many secret uses, corrected by the most learned of our time, and feeling myself, now through age declining, and otherwise hindered with troublesome suits in law, which constrained me to discontinew these and such other commendable practices, for the benefit and defence of my Prince and Country: I have thought good to publish the same, the rather for that there are but a few copies left, and those for the most part corrupted by negligence, or mistaking of ignorant writers thereof: Being partly encouraged hereunto by the learned Philosopher Seneca, who accounteth it an Act meritorious to preserve or revive Science from the Cinders, and to eternize virtuous acts with perpetual memory: Finding it strange, that so excellent a Monument as this most rare and learned work of George Ripley, should so long lie hidden in obscurity, & pass from hand to hand a hundredth and fifty years without utter defacing; seeing that many notable works published, have in far shorter time perished. He lived in the time of king Edward the 4. & Richard the usurper, in great fame & estimation, for his rare knowledge in these secrets: And to utter his further commendation in a word; if this his work be perused with the eye of judgement, and practised by those that are experienced, I shall not need to fear the loss of my labour, when some of my Countrymen which cannot attain unto the highest hidden mystery, shall yet find many things both pleasant and profitable, divers ways serviceable to Kingdoms, States, and Common weals: And if one among ten thousand can hit the mark, (whereat the whole world hath aimed) we shall not hereafter need to seek out the Sands of Ganges, for that which lieth hid in the secrets of Ripley: which I offer here to the view of the learned, and have presumed the publishing hereof, chief for the benefit of my Country men; and especially to satisfy the often & importunate request of many my learned good friends, not doubting but that the skilful will yield me my due▪ howsoever the ignorant shall esteem thereof: which if I shall find to be accepted according to my good meaning, I shall thereby be further encouraged to impart some other rare experiments of Distillations and Fireworks of great service, not hitherto committed in writing or put in practice by any of our nation; although of late some mere toys have been highly admired, and extraordinarily rewarded: The charge whereof will be found utterly lost, when perfect trial shall be made of their slender use and force. To conclude, If this my good intent shallbe answerable to your expectations, I have obtained the fullness of my desires.  
Yours in the furtherance of Science, Ralph Rabbards.   

Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius.  
ALchymicae indagaus arcana Georgius artis  
Chremata Riplaeus, rari miranda reliquit  
Ingenij monumenta sui, quae nulla vetustas  
Exedet, aut putri poterit sepelire veterno.  
Illotis nemo manibus mysteria tanta  
Tractet, at Hermeticam veneretur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Hanc Plato divinus foedus vocat, aurea Naso  
Vellera, & a vigili mala aurea septa dracone.  
Laudibus hanc multis celebrant Mirandula, Lullus,  
Geber, Auicenna, Hypocrates, Morienus, Aquinas,  
Duns Scotus, Arnaldus, Vincentius, Oldradus, Hermes,  
Plinius, Albertus, Ficinus, Cuba, Valescus,  
Eustathius, Suidas, Maro, Zosimus, Haly, Baconus,  
Rhasis, Aristoteles, Rosinus, Petrus ipse Aponensis,  
Complurésque alij: cuncti almae huic grata Sophiae  
Munera persoluant, linguisque animisque benigni.  
Thomas Newton.   

J.D. gent: in praise of the Author, and his work..  

Lo here a Work, containing rare effects,  
Replete with ripest fruits of ripley's toil,  
Whose mellowed savour studious minds directs  
T'attain the skill that may enrich their soil:  
And though his Book be carped at by Zoile,  
Yet doth the same comprise such depth of Art,  
As makes his fame eternizd by desert.   

The learned will (no doubt) delight therein,  
And their delight will draw them on to skill:  
Admit the simple force it not a pin,  
So much the more the wise embrace it will.  
Who seeks by Art to climb up honours hill,  
To such perteynes this precious Stone divine,  
For pease are fit far, than Pearl for Swine.   Tam Arte, quam mart.  

P. Bales Gent. in commendation of the Author, and his twelve gates: Orderly set down in the 12. last verses.  

Grant to me Muses nine, & thou most sacred Apollo,  
That in a vain of a lofty verse, I may be reporter  
Of the renowned skill to the world by Ripley revealed:  
Which in a Book tituled by the name of Alchemy compound  
He to the King Edward of England fourth fro the conquest,  
Writ in a verse pithily, with his hand very worthily penned.   

Twelve chapters did he write, by the first to Calcine he teacheth,  
And by the next readily privy Dissolution handleth:  
To Separate Eliments very plain by the third he declareth,  
And by the fourth (as in marriage) Conjunction ordereth:  
To putrefy most kindly the seed by the 5. he pronounceth:  
And by the sixth chapter true Congelation uttereth.   

Then followeth by the seventh, how must be Cibation used,  
But by the next chapter, duly Sublimation offered,  
Ninthly the way measured, for Fermentation aptly,  
And by the tenth rightly, there is Exaltation holden,  
Infinite in number shown how to Multiply leaventhly:  
Lastly, the work very fitly by cleanly Projection endeth.   Statuto bono, statuto.  

The Sum of this Work, learnedly reduced into these few Verses, by the divine Poet Palingenius.  
HVnc iwenem Archadium, infidum, nimiúmque fugacem,  
Prendite, & immersum Stygijs occidite Lymphis  
Post Hyales gremio impositum Deus excipiat, quem  
Lemnia terrae colit, sublatumque in cruce figat:  
Tunc sepelite utero in calido, & dissoluite putrem:  
Cuius stillantes artus de corpore nostro  
Spiritus egrediens penetrabit: & ordine miro,  
Paulatim extinctum nigris revocabit ab umbris,  
Aurata indutum clamyde, argentóque nitentem:  
Proijcite hunc demum in prunas, renovabitur alter  
Vt Phoenix: & quae tanget, perfecta relinquet  
Corpora, naturae ●eges & foedera vincens:  
Mutabit specijs: paupertatémque fugabit.   

S.E.K. concerning the Philosopher's Stone, written to his especial good friend, G.S. Gent.  

THe heavenly Cope hath in him natures four,  
Two hidden, but the rest to sight appear:  
Wherein the Spermes of all the bodies lower  
Most secret are, yet spring forth once a year:  
And as the earth with water Authors are,  
So of his part is dryness end of care.   

No flood so great, as that which floweth still:  
No thing more fixed, than Earth digested thrice:  
No wind so fresh, as when it serveth will:  
No profit more, then keep in, and be wise:  
No better hap, than dry up aïre to dust,  
For than thou mayst leave of, and sleep thy lust.   

Yet will I warn thee, lest thou chance to fail,  
Sublime thine earth with stinking water erst:  
Then in a place where Phoebus' only tail,  
Is seen at midday, see thou mingle best:  
For nothing shineth that doth want his light,  
Nor doubleth beams, unless it first be bright.   

Let no man lead, unless he know the way,  
That wise men teach, or Adrop leadeth in,  
Whereof the fi●st is large, and easiest prey,  
The other hard, and mean but to begin,  
For surely these, and no one more is found,  
Wherein Apollo will his harp strings sound.   

Example learn of GOD, that placed the Skies,  
Reflecting virtues from and t'euerie point,  
In which the mover wherein all things lies,  
Doth hold the virtues all of every joint:  
And therefore Essence fift may well be said,  
Containing all, and yet himself a maid.   

Remember also how the Gods began,  
And by descent who was to each the Sire:  
Then learn their lives and kingdoms if thou can,  
Their manners eke, with all their whole attire?  
Which if thou do, and know to what effect,  
The learned Sophies will thee not reject.   

If this my Doctrine bend not with thy brain,  
Then say I nothing, though I said too much:  
Of truth 'tis good, will moved me, not gain,  
To write these lines: yet writ I not to such  
As catch at crabs, when better fruits appear,  
And want to choose at fittest time of year.   

Thou mayst (my friend) say, What is this for lore?  
I answer, Such as ancient Physic taught:  
And though thou read a thousand books before,  
Yet in respect of this, they teach thee nought:  
Thou mayst likewise be blind, and call me fool,  
Yet shall these Rules for ever praise their School.   
Sr. E.K.   

The Vision of Sir George Ripley, Cannon of Bridlington.  
WHen busy at my book I was upon a certain night,  
This Vision here expressed appeared unto my dimmed sight,  
A toad full rudde I saw did drink the juice of grapes so fast,  
Till overcharged with the broth, his bowels all to braced,  
And after that from poisoned bulk, he cast his venom fell,  
For grief and pain whereof his members all began to swell;  
With drops of poisoned sweat approaching thus his secret den,  
His cave with blasts of fumous air, he all bewhited then:  
And from the which in space a golden humour did ensue,  
Whose falling drops from high did stain the soil with ruddy hue,  
And when his corpse, the force of vital breath began to lack,  
This dying toad became forthwith like coal for colour black:  
Thus drowned in his proper Veins of poisoned flood,  
For tear me of eighty days and four he rotting stood:  
By trial than this venom to expel I did desire,  
For which I did commit his carcase to a gentle fire:  
Which done, a wonder to the sight, but more to be rehearsed,  
The toad with colours rare through every side was pierced:  
And white appeared when all the sundry hews were passed:  
Which after being tincted, rudde for evermore did last:  
Then of the venom handled thus a medicine I did make,  
Which venom kills, and saveth such as venom chance to take,  
Glory be to him the granter of such secret ways,  
Dominion, and Honour, both with worship and with praise.  
AMEN.   

Titulus operis.  
HEre beginneth the compound of Alchemy,  
Made by a Cannon of Bridlington,  
After his learning in Italy,  
At Ixninge for time he there did won:  
In which he declared openly  
The secrets both of Moon and Son,  
How they their kind to multiply  
In one body together must won.  
Which Cannon Sir George Ripley hight,  
Exempt from Cloister observance,  
For whom ye pray both day and night,  
Sith he did labour you to advance,  
He turned darkness into light,  
Intending to help you to happy chance,  
Giving counsel that you live right,  
Doing unto God no displeasance.   

A brief note to the Readers.  
THe Wheel that is placed (Gentlemen) last, as the period of this secret Work may of some be challenged (through the diversity of Copies) to differ from the first. But herein I assure you I have observed no less care than counsel, and that of known Practisers, whose censures (made more certain by experience) have determined all doubts, and made me bold to publish what followeth for the most ancient. If any literal fault be past, amend it with your pens: if any carper inveigh against me, defend me with your courtesies: and let them (if they can) condemn by cunning. Farewell.  
R. Rabbardes.   

The Compound of Alchemy. A most excellent, learned, and worthy work, written to king Edward that fourth, by Sir George Ripley, Cannon of Bridlington in Yorkshire, containing twelve gates. The Prologue.  

Child of this discipline incline to me thine ear  
And hearken to my doctrine with all thy diligence  
These words of wisdom in mind do thou bear,  
Which of old fathers be true in sentence:  
Live clean in soul, to God do no offence.  
Exalt thee not but rather keep thee low,  
Else will thy God in thee no wisdom sow.   

From sinful doctrine and wicked thought,  
The holy spirit doth him withdraw,  
Nilling to dwell where sin is wrought:  
Dread God therefore and obey his law:  
A righteous man forsook I never saw:  
Neither his seed beg bread for need:  
In holy scripture this do I reed.   

Make wisdom therefore thy mother to be,  
And call on Prudence to be thy friend,  
By paths of truth they will guide thee,  
With love and honesty wheresoever thou wend:  
Both virtuous to be, courteous and heard:  
Pray God therefore that thou mayst find,  
Wisdom and Prudence with mouth and mind.   

All manner good come with them shall,  
And honesty by their hands innumerable,  
Then into cumbrance shalt thou not fall,  
So be they in riches incomparable:  
To worship and profit they will thee able,  
To cunning and all manner of grace,  
Both here and after thy lives space.   

For these benefits which they do bring,  
I mean these virtues of prudence and sapience,  
To whom I can compare nothing,  
No riches, nor spices of redolence,  
Above all treasure such is their excellence,  
That whatsoever earthly precious is,  
To them is compared as clay I wis.   

Infinite treasure to man they be,  
Who useth them shall friendship have  
With God in heaven and there him see,  
After them therefore busily crave,  
For body and soul they will both save,  
And here in goods thee multiply;  
And afore princes thee dignify.   

Think how Adam lost his wisdom,  
Samson his might which was so strong:  
King Saul also lost his kingdom,  
And David was punished for his wrong:  
In the Oak by the hair fair Absalon hung,  
King Ezechias by sickness had punishment,  
And many one more for sin was shent.   

But see how other which lived we'll,  
And to their God did no offence,  
Such chastisement did never feel;  
But God showeth ever to them benevolence,  
Enoch and Hely were carried hence,  
To Paradise, and other good livers were  
Of God rewarded in diverse mannere.   

Some had great Fortune, some great cunning,  
Some had great peace, some great riches,  
Some conquered lands to their great winning▪  
Some were exalted for their great meekness,  
Some other were saved from the cruelness  
Of Tyrants, Lions, and of the hot furnace,  
As Daniel and others in many a place.   

Thus to good livers God sent great grace,  
And unto sinners great and sore punishment,  
Some to amend in this life had space,  
Some suddenly with fire from heaven were brent,  
Sinful Sodomites for ever were shent,  
With Dathan and Abiron with many more,  
Which sunk for sin to endless woe.   

Thus ever sith this world was wrought,  
God hath rewarded both evil and good:  
Thus if it may rest in thy thought,  
From sinful living to change thy mood.  
If sinful people this understood,  
They ought to be afraid God to offend,  
And soon their sinful lives to amend.   

Therefore with God look thou begin,  
That he by grace may dwell with thee,  
So shalt thou best to wisdom win;  
And knowledge of our great privity:  
Nourish virtues, and from vices flee,  
And trusting thou wilt thee well dispose,  
Our secrets to thee I will disclose.   

Keep thou them secret and for me pray,  
Look that thou use them to God's pleasure,  
Do good with them what ever thou may;  
For time thou shalt this life endure,  
That after thy end thou mayst be sure  
In heaven for to rewarded be,  
Which God grant both to me and thee.   
FINIS   

The Preface.  

O High incomprehensible and glorious Majesty,  
Whose luminous beams obtundeth our speculation,  
O trinehood in persons o onehood in deity, t  
Of Iherarchiall jubilists gratulant glorification,  
O piteous purifier of souls and pure perpetuation,  
O deviant from danger, o drawer most debonair,  
From this troublesome vale of vanity, o our Exalter.   

O power, o wisdom, o goodness inexplicable,  
Support me, teach me, and be my governor,  
That never my living to thee be displicable,  
But that I acquit me to thee as true professor,  
At this beginning good Lord hear my prayer,  
Be nigh with grace for to enforce my will,  
Grant wit that I may mine intent fulfil.   

Most curious coffer and copious of all treasure,  
Thou art he from whom all goodness doth descend,  
To man and also to every creature,  
Thine handiwork therefore vouchsafe to defend,  
That we no time in living here misspend,  
With troth here grant us our living so to win,  
That into no danger of sinfulness we rinne.   

And forasumch as we have for thy sake  
Renounced our wills, the world and fleshly lust,  
As thine own professors us to thee take,  
Sith in thee only dependeth all our trust;  
We can no further; to thee incline we must:  
Thy secret treasure vouchsafe unto us,  
Show us thy secrets and to us be bounteous.   

And amongst others which be professed to thee,  
I me present as one with humble submission,  
Thy servant beseeching that I may be,  
And true in living according to my profession,  
In order Cannon regular of Bridlington;  
Beseeching thee Lord thou wilt me spare,  
To thy true servants thy secrets to declare.   

In the beginning when thou mad'st all of nought,  
A globous matter and dark under confusion,  
By him the beginning marvelously was wrought,  
Containing naturally all things without division:  
Of which in six days he made clear distinction:  
As Genesis apertly doth record.  
Then heaven and earth were perfected by his word.   

So through his will and power, out of one mass  
Confused; was made each thing that being is,  
But afore in glory as maker he was,  
Now is and shall be without end I wis,  
And purified souls up to his bliss  
Shall come a principle this may be one,  
For the declaring of our precious stone.   

For as of one mass was made all thing,  
Right so in our practise must it be,  
All our secrets of one Image must spring,  
As in Philosopher's books whoso list to see,  
Our stone is called the less world, one and three;  
Magnesa also of sulphur and Mercury,  
Proportionate by nature most perfectly.   

But many one marveleth and marvel may,  
And museth on such a marvelous thing,  
What is our stone; sith Philosophers say  
To such as ever be it in seeking.  
For fowls and fishes to us doth it bring,  
Every man it hath, and it is in every place,  
In thee in me, and in each thing, time and space?   

To this I answer that Mercury it is I wis,  
But not the common called quicksilver by name,  
But Mercury without which nothing being is,  
All Philosopher's record and truly sane the same,  
But simple searchers putteth them in blame,  
Saying they hide it but they be blame worthy,  
Which be no clerk and meddle with Philosophy.   

But though it Mercury be, yet wisely understand,  
Wherein it is, and where thou shalt it seech,  
Else I counsel thee take not this work in hand,  
For Philosophers flatter fools with fair speech:  
But listen to me, for truly I will thee teach,  
Which is this Mercury most profitable,  
Being to thee nothing deceivable.   

It is more near in some things than in some;  
Therefore take heed what I to thee write  
For if knowledge to thee never come,  
Therefore yet shalt thou me not twit,  
For I will truly now thee excite  
To understand well Mercury's three,  
The keys which of this science be.   

Raymond his menstrues doth them call,  
Without which truly no truth is done:  
But two of them be superficial,  
The third essential of Sun and Moon,  
Their properties I will declare right soon,  
And Mercury of metals essential,  
Is the principle of our stone material.   

In Sun and Moon our Menstrue is not seen,  
It appeareth not but by effect to sight,  
That is the stone of which we mean,  
Who so our writings conceiveth aright,  
It is a soul, a substance bright.  
Of Sun and Moon a subtle influence,  
Whereby the earth receiveth resplendence.   

For what is Sun and Moon saith Avicen,  
But earth which is pure white and red:  
Take from it the said clearness, and then  
That earth will stand but in little stead;  
The whole compound is called our lead:  
The quality of clearness from Sun and Moon doth come,  
These are our menstrues both all and some.   

Bodies with the first we calcine naturally  
Perfect, but none which been uncleene,  
Except one which is usually  
Named by Philosophers the Lion green:  
He is the mean the Sun and Moon between  
Of winning tincture with perfectness,  
As Geber thereunto beareth witness.   

With the second which is an humidity  
Vegetable, reviving that erst was dead,  
Both principles materials must loosed be  
And formalls, else stand they little in stead:  
These menstrews therefore know I thee reed,  
Without the which neither true calcination  
Done may be, not true dissolution.   

With the third humidity most permanent,  
Incombustible and unctuous in his nature,  
Hermes tree unto ashes is brent,  
It is our natural fire most sure,  
Our Mercury, our Sulphur, our tincture pure,  
Our soul, our stone borne up with wind  
In the earth engendered, bear this in mind.   

This stone also tell thee I dare,  
Is the vapour of metals potential,  
How thou shalt get it, thou must beware,  
For invisible truly is this menstrual,  
Howbeit with the second water philosophical,  
By separation of Elements it may appear  
To sight, in form of water clear.   

If this menstrue by labour exuberate  
With it may be made Sulphur of nature,  
If it be well and kindly acuate  
And circulate into a spirit pure,  
Then to dissolve thou must be sure,  
Thy base with it in divers wise,  
As thou shalt know by thy practice.   

That point therefore in his due place,  
I will declare with other more,  
If God will grant me grace and space,  
And me preserve in life from woe,  
As I thee teach look thou do so:  
And for the first ground principal,  
Understand thy waters menstrual.   

And when thou hast made Calcination,  
Increasing not wasting moisture radical,  
Until thy base by oft subtilation,  
Will lightly flow as wax upon metal,  
Then lose it with thy vegetable menstrual,  
Till thou have oil thereof in colour bright,  
Then is that menstrue visible to sight.   

And oil is drawn out in colour of gold,  
Or like thereto out of fine red lead,  
Which Raymond said when he was old,  
Much more than gold would stand in stead:  
For when he was for age nigh dead,  
He made thereof Aurum potabile,  
Which him revived as men might see.   

For so together may they be circulate,  
That is the base oil and the vegetable menstrual,  
So that it be by labour exuberate,  
And made by craft a stone celestial,  
Of nature so fiery that we it call,  
Our basilisk or our Cockatrice,  
Our great Elixir most of price.   

Which as the sight of basilisk his object  
Killeth, so slayeth it crude Mercury,  
When thereupon he is project,  
In twinkle of an eye most suddenly,  
That Mercury then teineth permanently,  
All bodies to Sun and Moon perfect,  
Thus guide thy base both red and white.   

Aurum potabile thus is made,  
Of gold not commonly calcinate,  
But of our tincture that will not fade,  
Out of our base drawn with the menstrue circulate▪  
But natural calcination must algate  
Be made, ere thy gold dissolved may be,  
That principle first therefore I will teach thee.   

But into chapters this Treatise I will divide,  
In number twelve with due recapitulation;  
Superfluous rehearsals I'll lay aside,  
Intending only to give true information,  
Both of theoric and practic operation:  
That by my writing whoso guided will be,  
Of his intent perfectly speed shall he.   

The first chapter shall be of natural Calcination,  
The second of Dissolution secret and Philosophical,  
The third of our elemental Separation,  
The fourth of Conjunction matrimonial,  
The fift of Putrefaction follow shall,  
Of Congelation albificate shallbe the sixth,  
Then of Cibation the seventh shall follow next.   

The secret of Sublimation the eight shall show;  
The ninth shall be of firmentation;  
The tenth of our exaltation I trow;  
The eleventh of our marvelous multiplication;  
The twelfth of projection, than recapitulation:  
And so this treatise shall take an end,  
By the help of God as I intent.    


Of Calcination. The first Gate.  

CAlcination is the purgation of our stone,  
Restoring also of his natural heat,  
Of radical humidity it looseth none,  
Inducing solution into our stone most meet,  
After philosophy I you behight  
Doo, but not after the common guise,  
With Sulphur's or Salts preparate in divers wise.   

Neither with Corosiues nor with fire alone,  
Neither with vinegar nor with water ardent,  
Nor with the vapour of lead our stone  
Is calcined according to our intent:  
All those to calcining which so be bend,  
From this hard science withdraw their hand,  
Till they our calcining better understand.   

For by such calcination their bodies be shent,  
Which minisheth the moisture of our stone:  
Therefore when bodies to powder be brent,  
Dry as ashes of tree or bone,  
Of such calxes than will we none;  
For moisture we multiply radical,  
In calcining minishing none at all.   

And for a sure ground of our true calcination,  
Work wittily only kind with kind:  
For kind unto kind hath appetitive inclination,  
Who knoweth not this in knowledge is blind,  
He may forth wander as mist in the wind,  
Wotting never with profit where to light,  
Because he conceives not our words aright.   

join kind to kind therefore as reason is,  
For every burgeon answers his own seed,  
Man getteth man, a beast a beast I wis,  
Further to treat of this it is no need.  
But understand this point if thou wilt speed,  
Each thing is first calcined in his own kind;  
This well conceived fruit therein shalt thou find.   

And we make Calx unctuous both white and red  
Of three degrees or our base be perfect,  
Fluxible as wax, else stand they in no stead.  
By right long process as Philosophers do write,  
A year we take or more to our respite:  
For in less space our Calxes will not be made,  
Able to teyne with colour that will not fade.   

And for thy proportion thou must beware,  
For therein mayst thou be beguiled,  
Therefore thy work that thou not mare,  
Let thy body be subtly fyl'de  
With Mercury as much then so subtiled,  
One of the Sun, two of the Moon,  
Till altogether like pap be done.   

Then make the Mercury four to the Sun▪  
Two to the Moon as it should be,  
And thus thy work must be begun,  
In figure of the trinity,  
Three of the body and of the spirit three,  
And for the unity of the substance spiritual  
One more than of the substance corporal.   

By Raymond's reportory this is true,  
Proportion there who list to look,  
The same my Doctor to me did show,  
But three of the spirit Bacon took,  
To one of the body for which I a woke,  
Many a night ere I it witted.  
And both be true take which you list.   

If the water also be equal in proportion  
To the earth, with heat in due measure,  
Of them shall spring a new burgeon,  
Both white and red in pure tincture,  
Which in the fire shall ever endure,  
Kill thou the quick the dead revive;  
Make trinity unity without any strive.   

This is the surest and best proportion,  
For there is least of the part spiritual,  
The better therefore shall be solution,  
Than if thou did it with water swall,  
Thine earth over glutting which loseth all  
Take heed therefore to potter's loam,  
And make thou never too nesh thy womb.   

That loam behold how it tempered is,  
The mean also how it is calcinate,  
And ever in mind look thou bear this;  
That never thine earth with water be suffocate,  
Drye up thy moisture with heat most temperate,  
Help Dissolution with moisture of the Moon,  
And Congelation with the Sun, than hast thou done.   

Four Natures into the fift so shalt thou turn,  
Which is a Nature most perfect and temperate,  
But hard it is with thy bare foot to spurn  
Against a bar of iron, or steel new acuate,  
For many do so which be infatuate,  
When they such high things take in hand,  
Which they in no wise do understand.   

In eggs, in vitriall, or in blood,  
What riches wend they there to find,  
If they Philosophy understood,  
They would not in working be so blind;  
Gold or silver to seek out of kind:  
For like as fire of burning principle is,  
So is the principle of gilding gold I wis.   

If thou intent therefore for to make  
Gold and Silver by craft of our philosophy,  
Thereto neither eggs nor blood thou take  
But Gold and Silver which naturally  
Calcined wisely and not manually,  
A new generation will forth bring,  
Increasing their kind as doth every thing.   

And if it true were that profit might be  
In things which be not mettaline,  
In which be colours pleasant to see,  
As in blood, eggs, hair, urine. or wine,  
Or in mean minerals digged out of the mine,  
Yet must that element be putrefied and separate,  
And with Elements of perfect bodies be dispousate.   

But first of these elements make thou rotation,  
And into water thine earth turn first of all,  
Then of thy water make air by levigation,  
And air make fire, than Master I will thee call  
Of all our secrets great and small:  
The wheel of Elements then canst thou turn about,  
Truly conceiving our writings without doubt.   

This done, go backwards turning the wheel again,  
And into water turn thy fire anon,  
Air into earth, else labourest thou in vain,  
For so to temperment is brought our stone,  
And Nature's contractions four are made one,  
After they have three times been circulate,  
And also thy base perfectly consummate.   

Thus under the moisture of the Moon,  
And under the temperate heat of the Sun,  
Thine Elements shallbe incinerate soon,  
And then thou hast the mastery won:  
Thank God thy work was then so begun,  
For there thou hast one token true,  
Which first in blackness to thee will show.   

The head of the Crow that token call we,  
And some men call it the crows bill;  
Some call it the ashes of Hermes tree,  
And thus they name it after their will:  
Our Toad of the earth which eateth his fill,  
Some nameth it by which it is mortificate  
The spirit with venom intoxicate.   

But it hath names I say to thee infinite,  
For after each thing that blackness is to sight,  
Named it is till time it waxeth white,  
Then hath it names of more delight,  
After all things that been full white,  
And the red likewise after the same,  
Of all red things doth take the name.   

At the first gate now art thou in,  
Of the Philosopher's Castle where they dwell,  
Proceed wisely that thou may win  
In at more gates of that Castle,  
Which Castle is round as any bell,  
And gates it hath eleven yet more,  
One is conquered, now to the second go.   
The end of the first gate.   

Of Dissolution. The second Gate.  

OF Dissolution now will I speak a word or two,  
Which showeth out what erst was hid from sight,  
And maketh intenuate things that were thick also,  
By virtue of our first menstrue clear and bright,  
In which our bodies eclipsed been of light,  
And of their hard and dry compaction subtilate,  
Into their own first matter kindly retrogradate.   

One in gender they be, and in number two,  
Whose Father is the Sun, the Moon the Mother,  
The Mover is Mercury, these and no more  
Be our Magnesia, our Adropp, and none other  
Things here be, but only sister and brother,  
That is to mean agent and patiented,  
Sulphur and Mercury coessential to our intent.   

Betwixt these two equality contrarious,  
Engendered is a mean most marvelously,  
Which is our Mercury and menstrue unctuous,  
Our secret Sulphur working invisibly,  
More fiercely than fire burning the body,  
Dissolving the body into water mineral,  
Which night for darkness in the North we do call.   

But yet I trow thou vndestandst not utterly,  
The very secret of the Philosopher's Dissolution,  
Therefore conceive me I counsel thee wittily,  
For the truth I will tell thee without delusion:  
Our solution is cause of our Congelation;  
For Dissolution on the one side corporal,  
Causeth Congelation on the other side spiritual.   

And we dissolve into water which wetteth no hand,  
For when the earth is integrately incinerate,  
Then is the water congealed; this understand  
For the elements be so together concatenate,  
That when the body is from his first form alterate,  
A new form is induced immediately,  
For nothing being without all form is utterly.   

And here a secret to thee I will disclose,  
Which is the ground unto our secrets all,  
And it not known thou shalt but lose  
Thy labour and costs both great and small,  
Take heed therefore in error that thou not fall,  
The more thine earth, and the less thy water be,  
The rather and better solution shalt thou see.   

Behold how ice to water doth relent,  
And so it must for water it was before,  
Right so again to water our earth is went,  
And water thereby congealed for evermore,  
For after all Philosophers that ever were boar,  
Each metal was once water mineral,  
Therefore with water they turn to water all.   

In which water of kind occasionate,  
Of qualities been repugnant and diversity,  
Things into things must therefore be rotate,  
Until diversity be brought to perfect unity:  
For Scripture recordeth when the earth shall be  
Troubled, and into the deep Sea shall be cast,  
Mountains and bodies likewise at the last.   

Our bodies be likened conveniently  
To mountains, which after high Planets we name,  
Into the deepness therefore of Mercury  
Turn them, and keep thee out of blame,  
For then shalt thou see a noble game,  
How all shall become powder as soft as silk,  
So doth our rennit kindly kurd up our milk.   

Then hath the bodies their first form lost,  
And others been induced immediately,  
Then hast thou well bestowed thy cost:  
Whereas others uncunning must go by,  
Not knowing the secrets of our philosohie:  
Yet one point more I must tell thee,  
How each body hath dimensions three.   

Altitude, Latitude, and also profundity,  
By which all gates turn we must our wheel,  
Knowing that thine entrance in the West shall be,  
Thy passages forth to the North if thou do we'll,  
And there thy lights lose their lights each devil;  
For there thou must abide by ninety nights  
In darkness of purgatory withouten lights.   

Then take thy course up to the East anon,  
By colours passing variable in manifold wise,  
And then be winter and vere nigh overgone,  
To the East therefore thine ascending devise,  
For there the Sun with daylight doth uprise  
In summer, and there disport thee with delight,  
For there thy work shall become perfect white.   

Forth from the East into the South ascend,  
And set thee down there in the chair of fire,  
For there is harvest, that is to say an end  
Of all this work after thine own desire,  
There shineth the Sun up in his Hemisphere,  
After the Eclipses in redness with glory,  
As king to reign upon all metals and Mercury.   

And in one glass must be done all this thing,  
Like to an Egg in shape and closed we'll,  
Then must thou know the measure of firing,  
The which unknown thy work is lost each devil:  
Let never thy glass be hotter than thou mayst feel  
And suffer still in thy bare hand to hold,  
For fear of losing, as Philosophers have told.   

Yet to my doctrine furthermore attend,  
Beware thy glass thou never open ne move  
From the beginning till thou have made an end;  
If thou do contrary, thy work may never cheve.  
Thus in this Chapter which is but brief,  
I have thee taught thy true solution:  
Now to the third gate go, for this is won.   
The end of the second gate.   

Of Separation. The third gate.  

Separation doth each part from other divide,  
The subtle from the gross, the thick from the thin  
But Separation manual look thou set a side,  
For that pertains to fools that little good doth win,  
But in our Separation Nature doth not blinn,  
Making division of qualities elemental,  
Into a fift degree till they be turned all.   

Earth is turned into water under black and blow,  
And water after into air under very white,  
Then Air into fire, elements there be no more,  
Of these is made our stone of great delight,  
But of this Separation much more must we write,  
And Separation is called by Philosopher's definition,  
Of the said four elements terraptative dispersion.   

Of this Separation I find a like figure,  
Thus spoken by the Prophet in the Psalmody,  
God brought out of a stone a flood of water pure,  
And out of the hardest rock oil abundantly,  
So out of our stone precious if thou be witty,  
Oil incombustable, and water thou shalt draw,  
And there about at the coal thou needst not to blow.   

Do this with heat easy and nourishing,  
First with moist fire and after that with dry,  
The phlegm with patience out drawing,  
And after that the other Natures wittily  
Drye up thine earth until it be thirsty,  
By Calcination else labourest thou in vain,  
And then make it drink up the moisture again.   

Separation thus must thou oftentimes make,  
Thy waters dividing into parts two,  
So that the subtle from the gross thou take,  
Till earth remain beneath in colours blow,  
That earth is fixed to abide all woe,  
The other part is spiritual and flying,  
But thou must turn them all into one thing.   

Then oil and water with water shall distill,  
And through her help receive moving,  
Keep well these two that thou not spill  
Thy work for lack of due closing,  
And make thy stopple of glass melting,  
The top of thy vessel together with it,  
Then Philosopher-like it is up shit.   

The water wherewith thou mayst revive the stone,  
Look thou distill before thou work with it,  
Oftentimes by itself alone,  
And by this sight thou shalt wit,  
From feculent feces when it is quit:  
For some men can with Saturn it multiply,  
And other substance which we defy.   

Distill it therefore till it be clean  
And thin like water as it should be,  
As heaven in colour bright and sheen,  
Keeping both figure and ponderositee,  
Therewith did Hermes moisten his tree:  
Within his glass he made it grow upright,  
With flowers discoloured beautiful to sight.   

This water is like to the venomous Tire,  
Wherewith the mighty treacle is wrought,  
For it is poison most strong of Ire,  
A stronger poison cannot be thought,  
At Pothecaries often therefore it is sought,  
But no man by it shallbe intoxicate,  
From the time it is into medicine elixerate.   

For then as is the treacle true,  
It is of poison most expulsive,  
And in his working doth marvels show,  
Preserving many from death to life,  
But look thou meddle it with no corrosive,  
But choose it pure and quick rinning,  
If thou thereby wilt have winning.   

It is a marvelous thing in kind,  
And without it can nothing be done,  
Therefore Hermes called it his wind,  
For it is up flying from Sun and Moon,  
And maketh our stone fly with it soon,  
reviving the dead and giving life,  
To Sun and Moon, husband and wife.   

Which if they were not by craft made quick,  
And their fatness with water drawn out,  
And so the thin dissevered from the thick,  
Thou shouldst never bring this work about:  
If thou wilt therefore speed without doubt,  
Raise up the birds out of their nest,  
And after again bring them to rest.   

Water with water accord will and ascend,  
And spirit with spirit, for they be of one kind,  
Which after they be exalted make to descend,  
So shalt thou divide that, which Nature erst did bind,  
Mercury essential turning into wind,  
Without which natural and subtle Separation,  
May never be complete profitable generation.   

Now to help thee in at this gate,  
The last secret I will declare to thee,  
Thy water must be seven times sublimate,  
Else shall no kindly Dissolution be,  
Nor putrefying shalt thou none see;  
Like liquid pitch, nor colours appearing  
For lack of fire within the glass working.   

Four fires there be which thou must understand,  
Natural, innaturall, against Nature also,  
And elemental which doth burn the brand:  
These four fires use we and no more,  
Fire against nature must do thy body woe,  
This is our Dragon as I thee tell,  
Fiercely burning as the fire of hell.   

Fire of nature is the third menstrual,  
That fire is natural in each thing;  
But fire occasionate, we call unnatural,  
As heat of ashes, and balnes for putrefying:  
Without these fires thou mayst nought bring  
To Putrefaction, for to be separate,  
Thy matters together proportionate.   

Therefore make fire thy glass within,  
Which burneth the body much more than fire  
Elemental, if thou wilt win  
Our secrets according to thy desire:  
Then shall thy seeds both rot and spire  
By help of fire occasionate,  
That kindly after they may be separate.   

Of Separation the Gate must thus be won,  
That furthermore yet thou mayst proceed  
Towards the Gate of secret Conjunction,  
Into the Castle which will thee inner lead:  
Do after my counsel if thou wilt speed,  
With two strong locks this Gate is shir,  
As consequently thou shalt well wit.   
The end of the third Gate.   

Of Conjunction. The fourth Gate.  

AFter the Chapter of natural Separation,  
By which the elements of our stone dissevered be,  
The chapter here followeth of secret Conjunction,  
Which Natures repugnant joineth to perfect unity,  
And so them knitteth that none from others may fly,  
When they by fire shallbe examinate,  
They be togethers so surely coniungate.   

And therefore Philosophers give this definition  
Saying this Conjunction is nothing else  
But of dissevered qualities a copulation,  
Or of principles a coequation as others tells:  
But some men with Mercury that Pothecaries sells  
Meddleth body, which cannot divide  
Their matter, and therefore they slip aside.   

For until the time the soul be separate  
And cleansed from his original sin  
With the water, and thoroughly spiritualizate,  
The true Conjunction mayst thou never begin:  
Therefore the soul first from the body twine,  
Then of the corporal part and of the spiritual.  
The soul shall cause conjunction perpetual.   

Of two Conjunctions Philosophers mention make,  
Gross when the body with Mercury is reincrudate▪  
But let this pass, and to the second heed take,  
Which as I said is after Separation celebrate,  
In which the parties be left with least to colligate,  
And so promoted unto most perfect temperance,  
That never after amongst them may be repugnance.   

Thus causeth Separation true Conjunction to be had,  
Of water and air, with earth and fire,  
But that each element into other may be lad,  
And so abide for ever to thy desire,  
Do as do daubers with clay or mire,  
Temper them thick and make them not too thin,  
So do updrying, thou shalt the rather win.   

But manners there be of our Conjunction three,  
The first is called by Philosophers Diptative,  
The which betwixt the agent and patient must be,  
Male and female, Mercury, and Sulphur vive,  
Matter, and form, thin, and thick to thrine,  
This lesson will help thee without any doubt,  
And our Conjunction truly to bring about.   

The second manner is called Triptative,  
Which is Conjunction, made of things three,  
Of body, soul and spirit, that they not strive,  
Which trinity thou must bring to unity,  
For as the soul to the spirit the bond must be;  
Right so the body the soul to him must knit,  
Out of thy mind let not this lesson flit.   

The third manner and also the last of all,  
Four Elements together which join to abide,  
Tetraptative certainly Philosophers do it call,  
And specially Guido the Montano whose fame goeth wide,  
And therefore in most laudable manner this tide,  
In our Conjunction four Elements must aggregate  
In due proportion, which first a sunder were separate.   

Therefore like as the woman hath veins fifteen,  
And the man but five to the act of their secunditie,  
Required in our Conjunction first I mean,  
So must the man our Sun have of his water three,  
And nine his wife, which three to him must be:  
Then like with like will joy have for to dwell,  
More of Conjunction me needeth not to tell.   

This chapter I will conclude right soon therefore,  
Gross Conjunction charging thee to make but one,  
For seldom have strumpets children of them ybore,  
And so thou shalt never come by our stone,  
Without thou let the woman lig alone,  
That after she once have conceived of the man,  
Her Matrix be shut up from all other than.   

For such as add ever more crude to crude,  
Opening their vessel letting their matters keel,  
The sperm conceived they nourish not but delude  
Themselves, and sp●ll their work each devil,  
If thou therefore have lift to do we'll,  
Close up thy Matrix and nourish the seed,  
With heat continual and temperate if thou wilt speed.   

And when thy vessel hath stood by months five,  
And clouds and Eclipses be passed each one,  
The light appearing, increase thy heat then believe,  
Until bright and shining in whiteness be thy Stone▪  
Then mayst thou open thy glass anon,  
And feed thy child which is ybore,  
With milk and meat ay more and more.   

For now both moist and dry is so contemperate,  
That of the water earth hath received impression,  
Which never (after that) asunder may be separate;  
And right so water to earth hath given ingression,  
That both together to dwell have made profession,  
And water of earth hath purchased a retentive,  
They four made one never more to strive.   

Thus in two things all our intent doth hang,  
In dry and moist, which be contraries two▪  
In dry, that it the moist to flixing bring,  
In moist, that it give liquefaction to the earth also:  
Then of them thus a temperment may forth go,  
A temperment not so thick as the body is,  
Neither so thin as water withouten mis.   

Losing and knitting thereof be principles two  
Of this hard science, and poles most principal;  
Howbeit that other principles be many more,  
As shining fanes, which show I shall:  
Proceed therefore unto another wall  
Of this strong Castle of our wisdom,  
That in at the fift Gate thou mayst come.  
The end of the fourth Gate.    

Of Putrefaction. The fift Gate.  

NOw we begin the chapter of Putrefaction,  
Without which pole no seed may multiply,  
Which must be done only by continual action  
Of heat in the body, moist not manually:  
For bodies else may not be altered naturally,  
Sith Christ doth witness, without the grain of wheat  
Dye in the ground, increase mayst thou none get.   

And in likewise without the matter putrefy,  
It may in no wise truly be alterate,  
Neither thy Elements may be divided kindly,  
Nor the conjunction of them perfectly celebrate:  
That thy labour therefore be not frustrate,  
The privity of our putrefying well understand,  
Or ever thou take this work in hand.   

And Putrefaction may thus defined be  
After Philosopher's sayings, to be of bodies the slaying;  
And in our Compound a division of things three,  
The killed bodies into corruption forth leading,  
And after unto regeneration them abling,  
For things being in the earth, without doubt  
Be engendered of rotation of the heavens about.   

And therefore like as I have said before,  
Thine Elements commixed and wisely coequate,  
Thou keep in temperate heat eschewing evermore,  
That they by violent heat be not incinerate  
To powder dry unprofitably Rubificate,  
But into powder black as a crows bill,  
With heat of Balne or else of our dunghill.   

Until the time that nights be passed ninety,  
In moist heat keep them for any thing.  
Soon after by blackness thou shalt espy  
That they draw fast to putrefying,  
Which thou shalt after many colours bring  
To perfect whiteness by patience easily,  
And so thy seed in his nature shall multiply.   

Make each the other then to half and kiss,  
And like as children to play them up and down▪  
And when their shirts are filled with piss,  
Then let the woman to wash be boon,  
Which oft for faintness will fall in a swoon,  
And die at the last with her children all,  
And go to purgatory to purge their filth original.   

When they be there, by little and little increase  
Their pains, by heat, aye more and more,  
The fire from them let never cease.  
And so that thy furnace be surely apt therefore,  
Which wise men call an Athenore,  
Conserving heat required most temperately,  
By which thy matter doth kindly putrefy.   

Of this principle speaketh sapient Guido,  
And saith by rotting dieth the compound corporal,  
And then after Morien and other more,  
Vpriseth again regenerate simple and spiritual,  
And were not heat and moisture continual,  
Sparme in the womb might have none abiding,  
And so there should no fruit thereof upspring.   

Therefore at the beginning our stone thou take,  
And bury each one in other within their grave,  
Then equally betwixt them a marriage make,  
To lig together six weeks let them have,  
Their seed conceived, kindly to nourish and save,  
From the ground of their grave not rising that while,  
Which secret point doth many a one beguile.   

This time of conception with easy heat abide,  
The blackness showing shall tell thee when they die,  
For they together like liquid pitch that tide,  
Shall swell and burble, settle and putrefy,  
Shining colours therein thou shalt espy,  
Like to the rainbow marvelous to sight,  
The Water than beginneth to dry upright.   

For in moist bodies heat working temperate,  
Engendereth blackness, first of all which is,  
Of kindly Conjunction the token assignate,  
And of true putrefying: remember this,  
For then perfectly to alter thou canst not miss,  
And thus by the gate of blackness thou must come in,  
The light of Paradise in whiteness if thou wilt win.   

For first the Sun in his uprising obscurate  
Shallbe, and pass the waters of noah's flood,  
On earth which was an hundredth days continuate  
And fifty, away ere all these waters yood;  
Right so our waters (as wisemen understood)  
Shall pass, that thou with David may say,  
Abierunt in sicco flumina: bear this away.   

Soon after that Noah planted his vineyard,  
Which royally flourished, and brought forth grapes anon,  
After which space thou shalt not be afeard,  
For in likewise shall follow the flourishing of our stone:  
And soon after that thirty. days be gone,  
Thou shalt have grapes right as Ruby read,  
Which is our Adropp, our Vcifer, and our red lead.   

For like as souls after pains transitory  
Be brought to Paradise, where ever is joyful life;  
So shall our Stone (after his darkness in Purgatory)  
Be purged, and joined in Elements withouten strife,  
Rejoice the whiteness and beauty of his wife,  
And pass from darkness of purgatory to light  
Of Paradise, in whiteness Elixir of great might.   

And that thou mayst the rather to Putrefaction win,  
This example thou take to thee for a true conclusion,  
For all the secret of Putrefaction resteth therein;  
The heart of oak that hath of water continual infusion  
Will not soon putrefy, I tell thee without delusion:  
For though it in water lay 100 years and more.  
Yet shouldst thou find it sound as ere it was before.   

But and thou keep it sometime wet & sometime dry,  
As thou mayst see in timber by usual experiment,  
By process of time that oak shall putrefy;  
And so even likewise according to our intent,  
Sometime our tree must with the Sun be brent,  
And then with water we must it keel,  
That by this means to rotting we may bring it we'll.   

For now in wet, and now again in dry,  
And now in heat, and now again in cold  
To be, shall cause it soon to putrefy,  
And so shalt thou bring to rotting thy gold:  
Entreat thy bodies as I have thee told,  
And in thy putrefying, with heat be not too swift,  
Lest in the ashes thou seek after thy thrift.   

Therefore thy water out of the earth thou draw,  
And make the soul therewith for to ascend;  
Then down again into the earth it throw,  
That they oft times so ascend and descend:  
From violent heat and sudden cold defend  
Thy glass, and make thy fire so temperate,  
That by the sides the matter be not vitrificate.   

And be thou wise in choosing of the matter,  
Meddle with no salts, sulphurs, nor mean minerals:  
For whatsoever any worker to thee doth clatter,  
Our Sulphur and our Mercury been only in metttalls,  
Which oils and waters some men them calls,  
Fowls and birds, with other names many one,  
Because that fools should never know our stone.   

For of this world our stone is called the cement  
Which moved by craft as nature doth require,  
In his increase shall be full opulent,  
And multiply his kind after thine own desire,  
Therefore if God vouchsafe thee to inspire,  
To know the truth, and fancies to eschew  
Like unto thee in riches shall be but few.   

But many men be moved to work after their fantasy,  
In many subjects in which be tinctures gay:  
Both white and red divided manually  
To sight, but in the fire they fly away:  
Such break pots and glasses day by day,  
Enpoysoning themselves and losing their sights,  
With odours, smokes, and watching up by nights.   

Their clothes be bawdy and worn thread bare,  
Men may them smell for multiplyers where they go,  
To file their fingers with corrosives they do not spare,  
Their eyes be bleared, their cheeks lean and blow,  
And thus for had I witted they suffer loss and woe:  
And such when they have lost that was in their purse,  
Then do they chide, and Philosophers sore do curse.   

To see their houses it is a noble sport,  
What furnaces, what glasses there be of divers shapes,  
What salts, what powders, what oils, waters fort,  
How eloquently de Materia prima their tongues do clap,  
And yet to find the truth they have no hap;  
Of our Mercury they meddle & of our sulphur vive,  
Wherein they dote, and more and more unthrive.   

For all the while they have Philosophers been,  
Yet could they never know what was our Stone,  
Some sought it in dung, in urine, some in wine,  
Some in star slime (for thing it is but one),  
In blood, in eggs: some till their thrift was gone,  
Dividing Elements, and breaking many a pot,  
Shards multiplying, but yet they hit it not.   

They talk of the red man and of his white wife,  
That is a special thing, and of the Elixirs two,  
Of the Quintessence, and of the Elixir of life,  
Of honey, Celidonie, and of Secondines also,  
These they divide into Elements, with others more;  
No multiplyers, but Philosophers called will they be,  
Which natural Philosophy did never read nor see.   

This fellowship knoweth our Stone right we'll,  
They think them richer than is the King,  
They will him help, he shall not fail  
France for to win a wondrous thing,  
The holy Cross home will they bring,  
And if the King were prisoner tale,  
Right soon his ransom would they make.   

A marvel it is that Westminster Kerke,  
To the which these Philosophers do much haunt,  
Since they can so much riches work  
As they make boast of and avaunt,  
Drinking daily at the wine a due taunt,  
Is not made up perfectly at once;  
For truly it lacketh yet many stones.   

Fools do follow them at the tail,  
Promoted to riches weening to be;  
But will you hear, what worship and avail  
They win in London that noble City?  
With silver maces (as you may see)  
Sergeants awaiteth on them each bower,  
So been they men of great honour.   

Sergeants seek them from street to street,  
Merchants and Goldsmiths lay after them watch,  
That well is him that with them may meet,  
For the great advantage that they do catch,  
They hunt about as doth a bratch,  
Weening to win so great treasure,  
That ever in riches they shall endure.   

Some would catch their goods again,  
And some more good would adventure,  
Some for to have would be full feign  
Of ten pounds one, I you ensure,  
Some which have lent without measure  
Their goods, and be with poverty clad,  
To catch a noble, would be full glad.   

But when the Sergeants doth them arrest,  
Their pautners be stuffed with Paris balls,  
Or with signets of Saint martin's at the least;  
But as for money it is pissed against the walls:  
Then be they led (as well for them befalls)  
To Newgate or Ludgate as I you tell,  
Because they shall in safeguard dwell.   

Where is my money become, saith one?  
And where is mine, saith he and he?  
But will you hear how subtle they be anon  
In answering, that they excused be?  
Saying, of our Elixirs rob be we,  
Else might we have paid you all your gold,  
Though it had been more by ten fold.   

And then their Creditors they flatter so,  
Promising to work for them again  
In right short space the Elixirs two,  
Doting the Merchants that they be feign  
To let them go, but ever in vain;  
They work so long, till at the last,  
They be again in prison cast.   

If any them ask, why they be not rich?  
They say they can make fine gold of tin,  
But he (say they) may surely swim the ditch,  
Which is upholden by the chin;  
We have no stock, therefore may we not win,  
Which if we had, we would soon work  
Enough to finish up Westminster Kerck.   

And some of them be so devout,  
They will not dwell out of that place;  
For there they may withouten doubt  
Do what them list to their solace,  
The Archdeacon is so full of grace,  
That if they bless him with their cross,  
He forceth little of other men's loss.   

And when they there sit at the wine,  
These Monks they say have many a pound,  
Would God (saith one) that some were mine.  
Yet care away, let the cup go round;  
Drink on saith another, the mean is found,  
I am a master of that Art,  
I warrant us we shall have part.   

Such causeth Monks evil to done,  
To waste their wages through their dotage,  
Some bringeth a mazer, and some a spoon,  
Their Philosophers giveth them such homage,  
Behighting them winning with damage,  
A pound for a penny at the least again;  
And so fair promises make fools feign.   

A royal medicine one upon twelve,  
They promise them thereof to have,  
Which they could never for themselves  
Yet bring about, so God me save:  
Beware such Philosophers no man deprave,  
Which help these Monks to riches so,  
In thread bare coats that they must go.   

The Abbot ought well to cherish this company,  
For they can teach his Monks to live in poverty,  
And to go clothed and moneyed religiously,  
As did Saint Bennet, eschewing superfluity,  
Easing them also of the ponderosity  
Of their purses, with pounds so aggravate,  
Which by Philosophy be now alleviate.   

Lo who so meddleth with this rich company,  
Great boast of their winning they may make:  
For they shall reap as much by their Philosophy,  
As they of the tail of an ape, can take:  
Beware therefore for jesus sake,  
And meddle with nothing of great cost,  
For if thou do, it is but lost.   

These Philosophers (of which I spoke before)  
Meddle and blunder with many a thing,  
Running in errors ever more and more,  
For lack of true understanding:  
But like must like always forth bring,  
So hath God ordained in every kind;  
Would jesus they would bear this in mind.   

Ween they of a Nettle to have a Rose,  
Or of an Elder to have an apple sweet:  
Alas, that wisemen their goods should lose,  
Trusting such lorrells when they them meet,  
Which say our Stone is trodden under feet,  
And maketh them vile things to distill,  
Till all their houses with stench they fill.   

Some of them never learned a word in Schools,  
Should such by reason understand Philosophy?  
Be they Philosophers? Nay, they be fools:  
For their works prove them unwitty,  
Meddle not with them, if thou be happy;  
Lest with their flattery they so thee till,  
That thou agree unto their will.   

Spend not thy money away in waste,  
Give not to every spirit credence,  
But first examine, grope, and taste;  
And as thou provest, so put thy confidence,  
But ever beware of great expense:  
And if the Philosopher do live virtuously,  
The better thou mayst trust his Philosophy.   

Prove him first, and him appose  
Of all the secrets of our Stone;  
Which if he know not, thou need not to lose,  
Meddle thou no further, but let him gone,  
Make he never so piteous a moan;  
For then the Fox can fag and feign,  
When he would to his prey attain.   

If he can answer as a Clerk,  
Howbeit he hath not proved it indeed,  
And thou than help him to his work;  
If he be virtuous I hold it meed,  
For he will thee quite if ever he speed,  
And thou shalt know by a little anon,  
If he have knowledge of our Stone.   

One thing, one glass, one furnace, and no more,  
Behold this principle if he do take,  
And if he do not, then let him go,  
For he shall never thee rich man make;  
Timely it is better thou him forsake,  
Than after with loss and variance,  
And other manner of displeasance.   

But if God fortune thee to have  
This Science by doctrine which I have told,  
Discover it not whosoever it crave,  
For favour, fear, silver, or gold;  
Be no oppressor, lecher nor boaster bold:  
Serve thy God, and help the poor among,  
If thou this life lift to continue long.   

Unto thyself thy secrets ever keep  
From sinners, which have not God in dread,  
But will thee cast in prison deep,  
Till thou them teach to do it indeed,  
Then slander on thee shall spring and spread,  
That thou dost coin then will they say,  
And so undo thee for ever and aye.   

And if thou teach them this cunning,  
Their sinful living for to maintain,  
In hell therefore shallbe thy woonning,  
For God of thee and them will take disdain:  
As thou nought couldst therefore thee feign,  
That body and soul thou mayst both save,  
And here in peace thy living to have.   

Now in this Chapter I have thee taught,  
How thou thy bodies must putrefy,  
And so to guide thee that thou be not caught,  
And put to durance loss or villainy  
My doctrine therefore remember wittily,  
And pass forth towards the sixth Gate,  
For thus the fift is triumphate.   
The end of the fift Gate.   

Of Congelation. The sixth Gate.  

OF Congelation I need not much to write:  
But what it is, I will to thee declare;  
It is of soft things induration of colour white,  
And confixation of spirits which flying are;  
How to congeal, he needeth not much to care,  
For Elements will knit together soon,  
So that Putrefaction be kindly done.   

But Congelations be made in divers wise,  
Of spirits and bodies dissolved to water clear,  
Of salts also dissolved twice or thrice,  
And then congealed into a fluxible matter;  
Of such congealing, fools fast do clatter,  
And some dissolveth dividing manuallie  
Elements them after congealing to powder dry.   

But such congealing is not to our desire,  
For unto ours it is contrarious,  
Our congelation dreadeth not the fire:  
For it must ever stand in it unctuous,  
And it is also a tincture so bounteous,  
Which in the air congealed will not relent  
To water, for then our work were shent.   

Moreover congeal not into so hard a stone  
As glass or crystal, which melteth by fusion,  
But so that it like wax will melt anon  
Withouten blast: and beware of delusion,  
For such congealing accordeth not to our conclusion  
As will not flow, but run to water again  
Like salt congealed, than labourest thou in vain.   

Which congelation availeth us not a deal,  
It longeth to multiplyers, congealing vulgarly:  
If thou therefore list to do we'll  
(Sith the medicine shall never flow kindly,  
Neither congeal, without thou first it putrefy)  
First purge, and then fix the elements of our stone,  
Till they together congeal and flow anon.   

For when thy matter is made perfectly white,  
Then will the spirit with the body congealed be:  
But of that time thou mayst have long respite  
Or it congeal like pearls in sight to thee,  
Such congelation be thou glad to see,  
And after like grains red as blood,  
Richer than any worldly good.   

The earthly grossness therefore first mortified,  
In moisture blackness engendered is;  
This principle may not be denied,  
For natural Philosophers so sayne iwis:  
Which had, of whiteness thou mayst not miss;  
And into whiteness if thou congeal it once,  
Then hast thou a stone most precious of all stones.   

And by the dry like as the moist did putrefy,  
Which caused in colour blackness to appear,  
Right so the moist congealed by the dry,  
Engendereth whiteness shining by night full clear,  
And dryness proceedeth as whiteth the matter,  
Like as in blackness moisture doth him show  
By colours variant always new and new.   

The cause of all this is heat most temperate,  
Working and moving the matter continually,  
And thereby also the matter is alterate,  
Both inward and outward substantially,  
Not as do fools to sight sophistically:  
But in every part all fire to endure,  
Fluxible, fixed, and stable in tincture.   

As Physic determineth of each digestion,  
First done in the stomach in which is dryness,  
Causing whiteness without question,  
Like as the second digestion causeth redness,  
Complete in the liver by heat in temperateness,  
Right so our Stone by dryness and by heat  
Digested is to white and red complete.   

But here thou must another secret know,  
How the Philosopher's child in the air is borne,  
Busy thee not too fast at the coal to blow,  
And take this neither for mock nor scorn,  
But trust me truly, else is all thy work forlorn,  
Without thine earth with water revived be,  
Our true congealing shalt thou never see.   

A soul it is betwixt heaven and earth being,  
Arising from the earth as air with water pure,  
And causing life in every lively thing,  
Incessable running upon our four fold nature,  
Enforcing to better him with all his cure,  
Which air is the fire of our Philosophy,  
Named now oil, now water mystically.   

And this mean air which oil or water we call,  
Our fire, our ointment, our spirit, and our Stone,  
In which one thing we ground our wisdoms all,  
Goeth neither in nor out alone,  
Nor the fire but the water anon:  
First it out leadeth, and after it bringeth it in,  
As water with water which will not lightly twin.   

And so may water only our water meeve,  
Which moving causeth both death and life  
And water to water doth kindly cleeve  
Without repugnance or any strife,  
Which water to fools is nothing rife,  
Being of the kind withouten doubt  
Of the spirit, called water and leader out.   

And water is the secret and life of every thing,  
That is of substance in this world yfound,  
For of water each thing hath his beginning,  
As showeth in women when they shallbe unbound  
By water, which passeth before if all be sound,  
Called Albien, first from them running,  
With grievous throws before their childing.   

And truly that is the cause most principal  
Why Philosophers charge us to be patiented,  
Till time the water be dried to powder all  
With nourishing heat, continual, not violent:  
For qualities be contrarious of every element,  
Till after black in white be made an union  
Of them for ever, congealed without division.   

And furthermore, the preparation of this conversion:  
From thing to thing, from one state to another,  
Is done only by kindly and discreet operation  
Of Nature, as is of sperm within the mother;  
For sperm and heat, are as sister and brother,  
Which be converted in themselves as nature can,  
By action and passion at last to perfect man:   

For as the bodily part by nature was combined  
Into man, is such as the beginner was▪  
Which though it thus from thing to thing was alterate  
Not out of kind, to mix with other kind did pass,  
And so our matter sinews within our glass,  
Within itself must turn from thing to thing▪  
By heat most temperate only it nourishing.   

another example natural I may thee tell,  
How the substance of an egg by nature is wrought  
Into a Chicken not passing out of the shell,  
A plainer example could I not have thought,  
And their conversions be made till forth be brought  
From state to state, the like by like in kind,  
With nourishing heat: only bear this in mind.   

Another example here also thou mayst read  
Of vegetable things, taking consideration,  
How every thing groweth of his own seed  
Through heat and moisture, by natural operation;  
And therefore minerals be nourished by ministration  
Of moisture radical, which there beginning was,  
Not passing their kind within one glass.   

There we them turn from thing to thing again,  
Into their mother the water when they go:  
Which principle unknown, thou labourest in vain.  
Then all is sperm; and things there be no more  
But kind with kind in number two,  
Male and female, agent and patiented,  
Within the matrix of the earth most orient.   

And these be turned by heat from thing to thing  
Within one glass, and so from state to state,  
Until the time that nature doth them bring  
Into one substance of the water regenerate:  
And so the sperm with his kind is alterate,  
Able in likeness his kind to multiply,  
As doth in kind all other things naturally.   

In the time of this said process natural,  
While that the sperm conceived is growing,  
The substance is nourished with his own menstrual,  
Which water only out of the earth did spring,  
Whose colour is green in the first showing:  
And from that time the Sun hid●th his light,  
Taking his course throughout the North by night.   

The said menstrual is (I say to thee in counsel)  
The blood of our green Lion and not of vitriall▪  
Dame Venus can the troth of this thee tell,  
At the beginning, to counsel if thou her call,  
This secret is hid by Philosophers great and small,  
Which blood drawn out of the green Lion,  
For lack of heat had not perfect digestion.   

But this blood called our secret menstrual,  
Wherewith our sperm is nourished temperately,  
When it is turned into the feces corporal,  
And so become white perfectly and very dry,  
Congealed and fixed into his own body,  
Then biscoct blood to sight it may well seem,  
Of this work named the milk white diadem.   

Understand now that our fiery water thus acuate,  
Is called our menstrual water, wherein  
Our earth is loosed and naturally calcinate,  
By Congelation that they may never twin,  
But yet to congeal more water thou may not linne:  
Into three parts of the acuate water said afore,  
With the fourth part of the earth congealed and no more.   

Unto that substance therefore so congelate,  
The fourth part put of water crystalline,  
And make them then together to be dispousate,  
By Congelation into a miner metaline,  
Which like a sword new slipped will shine,  
After the blackness which first will show,  
The fourth part then give it of water new.   

Imbibitions many it must have yet,  
Give it the second, and after the third also.  
The said proportion keeping in thy wit,  
Then to another the fourth time look thou go,  
The fift time and the sixth pass not therefore,  
But put two parts at each time of them three,  
And at the seventh time five parts must there be.   

When thou hast made seven times Imbibition,  
Again then must thou turn about thy wheel,  
And putrefy all that matter without addition,  
First blackness abiding if thou wilt do we'll,  
Then into whiteness congeal it up each devil,  
And after by redness into the south ascend,  
Then hast thou brought thy base unto an end.   

Thus is thy water then divided into parts two,  
With the first part the bodies be putrificate,  
And to thine Imbibitions the second part must go,  
With which thy matter is afterward demigrate,  
And soon upon easy decoction albificate,  
Then is it named by Philosophers out starry stone,  
Bring that to redness then is the sixth gate won.   
The end of the sixth gate.   

Of Cibation. The seventh Gate.  

NOw of Cibation I turn my pen to write,  
Sith it must here the seventh place occupy:  
But in few words it willbe expedite,  
Take heed therefore, and understand me wittily;  
Cibation is called a feeding of our matter dry,  
With milk and meat, which moderately thou do,  
Until it be brought the third order unto.   

But give it never so much, that thou it glut;  
Beware of dropsey, and also of Noah's flood:  
By little and little therefore thou to it put  
Of meat and drink, as seems to do it good,  
That watery humours not overgrow the blood,  
To drink therefore let it be measured so,  
That kindly appetite thou never quench it fro.   

For if it drink too much, then must it have  
A vomit or else it willbe sick too long,  
From the dropsy therefore thy womb thou save,  
And from the fl●x, or else it willbe wrong,  
But rather let it thirst for drink among,  
Than thou shouldst give it overmuch at once.  
Which must in youth be dieted for the nonce.   

And if thou diet it (as nature doth require)  
Moderately, till time that it be grown to age,  
From cold it keeping, and nourishing with moist fire,  
Then shall it grow, and wax full of courage,  
And do to thee both pleasure and advantage:  
For he shall make dark bodies whole and bright,  
Cleansing their leprosies through his might.   

Three times must thou turn about thy wheel,  
Still keeping the rule of the said Cibation,  
And then as soon as it the fire doth feel,  
Like wax it willbe ready unto liquation:  
This chapter needeth no longer protestation,  
For I have told thee the dietorie most convenient,  
After thine Elements be made equipollent.   

And also how to whiteness thou shalt bring thy gold,  
Most like in figure to leaves of hawthorn tree  
Called Magnesia, afore as I have told,  
And our white Sulphur without combustibilitie,  
Which from the fire away will never fly.  
And thus the seventh Gate (as you desired)  
In the uprising of the Sun is conquered.   
The end of the seventh Gate.   

Of Sublimation. The eight Gate.  

HEre of our Sublimation a word or two  
I have to speak, which the eight Gate is.  
Fools do sublime, but sublime thou not so,  
For we sublime not as they do iwis:  
To sublime truly therefore thou shalt not miss,  
If thou canst make thy bodies first spiritual,  
And then thy spirits (as I have taught thee) corporal.   

Some do Mercury from vitriol and salt sublime,  
And other spirits from scales of iron and steel,  
From eggshells calcined, and from quick lime,  
And in their manner yet sublime they right we'll:  
But such subliming accordeth never a devil  
To our intents, for we sublime not so,  
To true subliming therefore, now will I go.   

In Sublimation first beware of one thing,  
That thou sublime to the top of the vessel:  
For without violence thou shalt it not down bring  
Again, but there it will abide and dwell,  
So it rejoiceth with refrigeration I thee tell,  
Keep it therefore with temperate heat adown  
Full forty days, till it wax black and brown.   

For then the soul beginneth to come out  
From his own veins, for all that subtle is  
Will with the spirit ascend withouten doubt,  
Bear in thy mind therefore, and think on this,  
How here eclipsed been thy bodies,  
As they do putrefy subliming more and more  
Into water, until they be all up ybore.   

And thus their venom when they have spewed out  
Into the water then black it doth appear,  
Becoming spiritual each deal without doubt,  
Subliming easily in our manner,  
Into the water, which doth him bear:  
For in the air our child must thus be boar  
Of the water again, as I have said before.   

But when these two by Sublimation continual  
Be laboured so with heat both moist and temperate,  
That all is white and purely made spiritual,  
Then heaven upon earth must be reiterate  
Until the soul with the body be incorporate  
That earth become all that before was heaven,  
Which willbe done in Sublimations seven.   

And Sublimations we make for causes three,  
The first cause is, to make the body spiritual;  
The second is, that the spirit may corporal be,  
And become fixed with it, and consubstantial;  
The third cause is, that from his filthy original  
He may be cleansed, and his saltness sulphureous  
May be minished in him, which is infectious.   

Then when they thus together depured be,  
They will sublime up whiter than the snow▪  
That sight will greatly comfort thee:  
For then anon perfectly thou shalt know  
The spirits shall so adown ythrowe,  
That this eight Gate shallbe to thee unlocked,  
Out of the which many be shut and mocked.   
The end of the eight Gate.   

Of Firmentation. The ninth Gate.  

TRue Firmentation few Workers understand,  
That secret therefore I will expound to thee,  
I travailed truly through many a Land,  
Ere ever I might find any that would tell it me:  
Yet as God would, evermore blessed be he,  
At the last I came to the knowledge thereof perfit,  
Take heed therefore what I thereof do write.   

Firmentations in divers manners be done,  
By which our medicine must be perpetuate  
Into clear water: some looseth Sun and Moon,  
And with their medicines make them to be congelate;  
Which in the fire when they be examinate  
May not abide, nor alter with complement:  
For such Firmenting is not to our intent.   

But yet more kindly some other men done,  
Fermenting their medicines in this wise,  
In Mercury dissolving both Sun and Moon,  
Till time with the spirit they will arise,  
Subliming them together twice or thrice;  
Then Fermentation therewith they make:  
That is a way, but yet we it forsake.   

Some other there be which have more hap,  
To touch the troth in part of fermenting,  
They amalgame their bodies with Mercury like pap,  
Then thereupon their medicines relenting:  
These of our secrets have some henting.  
But not the truth with perfect complement,  
Because they neither putrefy, nor alter their Ferment.   

That point therefore I will disclose unto thee,  
Look how thou didst with thine unperfect body,  
Do so with thy perfect bodies in each degree,  
That is to say, first thou them putrefy,  
Their former qualities destroying utterly,  
For this is wholly to our intent,  
That first thou altar before thou ferment.   

To thy compound make firment the fourth part,  
Which ferments been only of Sun and Moon;  
If thou therefore be master of this Art,  
Thy Fermentation let thus be done,  
Fix water and earth together soon,  
And when thy medicine as wax doth flow,  
Then upon malgames look thou it throw.   

And when all that together is mixed,  
Above the glass well closed make thy fire,  
And so continue it till all be fixed,  
And well fermented to thy desire,  
Then make Projection after thy pleasure,  
For that is medicine each deal perfit,  
Thus must thou ferment both red and white.   

For like as flower of wheat made into paste  
Requireth ferment, which leaven we call  
Of bread, that it may have the kindly taste,  
And become food to man and woman cordial:  
Right so thy medicine ferment thou shall,  
That it may taste of the Ferment pure,  
At all assays for ever to endure.   

And understand that there be Ferments three,  
Two be of bodies in nature clean,  
Which must be altered as I have told thee;  
The third most secret of which I mean,  
Is the first earth of his water green:  
And therefore when the Lion doth thirst,  
Make him to drink till his belly burst.   

Of this a Question if I should move,  
And ask of workers, what is this thing?  
Anon thereby I should them prove,  
If they had knowledge of our fermenting:  
For many a man speaketh with wondering,  
Of Robin hood and of his bow,  
Which never shot therein I trow.   

For Fermentation true as I thee tell,  
Is of the soul with the body's incorporation,  
Restoring to it the kindly smell,  
With taste and colour by natural conspissation,  
Of things dissevered, a due reintegration,  
Whereby the body of the spirit taketh impression,  
That either the other may help to have ingression.   

For like as bodies in their compaction corporal,  
May not show out their qualities effectually,  
Until the time that they become spiritual,  
No more may spirits abide with bodies steadfastly,  
Till they with them be confixate proportionally,  
For then the body teacheth the spirit to suffer fire,  
And the spirit the body to enter to thy desire.   

Therefore thy gold with gold thou must ferment,  
With his own water thy earth cleansed I mean,  
Nought else to say but element with element,  
The spirit of life only going between,  
For like as an adamant as thou hast seen  
Draweth iron to him, so doth our earth by kind,  
Draw down to him his soul borne up with wind.   

With wind therefore the soul lead out and in,  
Mingle gold with gold, that is for to say,  
Make Element with Element togetherrin  
Till time all fire they suffer may,  
For earth is Ferment withouten nay  
To water, and water the earth unto,  
Our Fermentation in this wise must be do.   

Earth is gold, and so is the soul also  
Not common, but ours thus Elementate,  
And yet thereto the Sun must go,  
That by our wheel it may be alterate:  
For so to ferment it must be preparate,  
That it profoundly may joined be,  
With other natures as I said to thee.   

And whatsoever I have here said of gold,  
The same of silver I will thou understand,  
That thou them putrefy and alter (as I have told)  
Ere thou thy medicine to firment take in hand:  
Forsooth I could never find him in England  
Which in this wise to firment could me teach  
Withouten error, by practice or by speech.   

Now of this chapter needeth to treat no more,  
Sith I intent prolixity to eschew;  
Remember well my words therefore,  
Which thou shalt prove by practice true,  
And Sun and Moon look thou renew,  
That they may hold of the fift nature,  
Then shall their tincture evermore endure.   

And yet a way there is most excellent,  
Belonging unto another working,  
A water we make most redolent,  
All bodies to oil wherewith we bring,  
With which our medicine we make flowing,  
A quintessence this water we call,  
In man which healeth diseases all.   

But with thy base, after my doctrine preperate  
Which is our calx this must be done,  
For when our bodies be so calcinate,  
That water will to oil dissolve them soon,  
Make thou therefore oil both of Sun and Moon,  
Which is ferment most fragrant for to smell.  
And so the ninth gate is conquered of this Castle.   
The end of the ninth Gate.   

Of Exaltation. The tenth Gate.  

Proceed we now to the chapter of Exaltation,  
Of which truly thou must have knowledge pure,  
But little it is different from Sublimation,  
If thou conceive it right I you ensure,  
Hereto accordeth the holy scripture,  
Christ saying thus, if I exalted be,  
Then shall I draw all things unto me.   

Our medicine if we exalt right so,  
It shallbe thereby nobilitate,  
That must be done in manners two,  
From time the parties be dispousate,  
Which must be crucified and examinate,  
And then contumulate both man and wife,  
And after revived by the spirit of life.   

Then up to heaven they must exalted be,  
There to be in body and soul glorificate,  
For thou must bring them to such subtlety,  
that they ascend together to be inthronizate,  
In clouds of clearness to Angels consociate,  
Then shall they draw as thou shalt see,  
All other bodies to their own dignity.   

If thou therefore the bodies wilt exalt,  
First with the spirit of life thou them augment,  
till time the earth be well subtilizate,  
By natural rectifying of every Element,  
Them up exalting into the firmament,  
Then much more precious shall they be than gold,  
Because of the quintessence which they do hold.   

For when the cold hath overcome the heat,  
Then into water the Air shall turned be,  
And so two contraries together shall meet,  
Till either with other right well agree,  
So into Air the water as I tell thee,  
When heat of cold hath got domination,  
Shall be converted by craft of our circulation.   

And of the Air than fire have thou shall,  
By losing putrefying and subliming,  
And fire thou hast of the earth material,  
Thine Elements thus by craft dissevering,  
Most especially thine earth well calcining,  
And when they be each one made pure,  
Then do they hold all of the first nature.   

On this wise therefore make them be circulate,  
Each into other exalting by and by,  
And all in this one glass surely sigillate,  
Not with thine hands, but as I teach thee naturally,  
Fire into water then turn first hardly,  
For fire is in Air, which is in water existent,  
And this conversion accordeth to our intent.   

Then furthermore turn on thy wheel,  
That into earth the air converted be,  
Which will be done also right well,  
For Air is in water being in earth trust me,  
The water into fire contrarious in her quality,  
Soon turn thou mayst for water in earth is,  
Which is in fire, conversion true is this.   

The wheel is now near turned about,  
Into air turn earth which is the proper nest,  
Of other Elements there is no doubt,  
For earth in fire is, which in air taketh rest,  
This circulation begin thou in the west,  
Then into the south, till they exalted be,  
Proceed duly, as in thy figure I have taught thee.   

In which process clearly thou mayst see,  
Fron one extreme how to another thou mayst not go,  
But by a mean, since they in qualities contrarious be,  
And reason will forsooth that it be so,  
As heat into cold, with other contraries ●o,  
Without their means as moist to heat and cold,  
Examples sufficient before this I have told.   

Thus have I taught thee how to make  
Of all thine Elements a perfect circulation,  
And at thy figure example to take,  
How thou shalt make this foresaid Exaltation,  
And of thy medicine in the Elements true graduation,  
Till it be brought to a gueneritie temperate,  
And then thou hast conquered the tenth gate.   
The end of the tenth Gate.   

Of Multiplication. The eleventh Gate.  

MVltiplication now to declare I proceed,  
Which is by Philosophers in this wise defined  
Augmentation it is of the Elixir indeed,  
In goodness and quantity both for white and red,  
Multiplication is therefore as they do write,  
That thing that doth augment medicines in each degree,  
In colour, in odour, in virtue and also in quantity.   

And why thou mayst this medicine multiply,  
Infinitely forsooth the cause is this,  
For it is fire, which kindled will never die,  
Dwelling with thee, as fire doth in houses,  
Of which one spark may make more fire iwis,  
As musk in pigments and other spices more,  
In virtue multiplied, and our medicine right so.   

So he is rich which fire hath less or more,  
Because he may so hugely it multiply,  
And right so rich is he which any part hath in store,  
Of our Elixirs which be augmentable infinitely,  
One way if thou dissolve our powders dry,  
And make often times of them Congelation,  
Thereof in goodness than makest thou Augmentation.   

The second way both in goodness and quantity,  
It multiplieth by iterate Fermentation,  
As in that chapter I showed plainly to thee,  
By divers manners of natural operation,  
And also in the chapter of our Cibation,  
Where thou mayst know how thou shalt multiply,  
Thy medicine with Mercury infinitely.   

But and thou wilt both lose and eke ferment,  
Both more in quantity and better will it be:  
And in such wise thou mayst it soon augment,  
That in thy glass it will grow like a tree,  
The tree of Hermes named seemly to see,  
Of which one pippin a thousand will multiply,  
If thou canst make thy projection wittily.   

And like as Saffron when it is puluerizate,  
By little and little if it with liquor be  
Tempered, and then with much more liquor dilate,  
Teyneth much more of liquor in quantity,  
Than being whole in his gross nature: so shalt thou see,  
That our Elixir, the more it is made thin,  
The further in tincture it fastly will rinne.   

Keep in thy fire therefore both even and morrow,  
From house to house that thou need not to rinne,  
Among thy neighbours thy fire to seek or borrow,  
The more thou keepest, the more good shalt thou win  
Multiplying it always more & more thy glass within,  
By feeding with Mercury unto thy lives end,  
So shalt thou have more than thou needest to spend.   

This matter is plain I will no more  
Writ thereof, let reason thee guide,  
Be never the bolder to sin therefore,  
But serve thy God the better in each tide:  
And while that thou shalt in this life abide,  
Bear this in mind, forget not I thee pray,  
As thou shalt appear before God at domes day.   

His own great gifts therefore and his treasure,  
Dispose thou virtuously, helping the poor at need,  
That in this world thou mayst to thee procure,  
Mercy and grace with heavenly bliss to meed,  
And pray to God devoutly that he thee lead,  
In at the twelfth gate, as he can best,  
Soon after then thou shalt end thy conquest.   
The end of the eleventh gate.   

Of Projection. The twelfth Gate.  

IN Projection it shall be proved if our practice be profitable,  
Of which it behoveth me the secrets here to move,  
Therefore if thy tincture be sure and not variable,  
By a little of thy medicine thus mayst thou prove,  
With mettle, or with Mercury as pitch it will cleave,  
And teyne in Projection all fires to abide,  
And soon it will enter and spread him full wide.   

But many by ignorance do mar that they made,  
When on metals unclensed Projection they make,  
For because of corruption their tinctures must fade,  
Which they would not away first from the body take,  
Which after Projection be brittle blue and black,  
That thy tincture therefore may evermore last,  
First upon ferment thy medicine see thou cast.   

Then brittle as glass will thy ferment be,  
Upon bodies cleansed and made very pure,  
Cast that brittle substance and soon shalt thou see,  
That they shall be curiously coloured with tincture,  
With all assays for ever shall endure,  
But profitable Projection perfectly to make,  
At the Psalms of the Psalter example thou take.   

On Fundamenta cast first this psalm Nunc di●●ittis,  
Upon verba mea, then cast Fundamenta believe,  
Then Verba upon diligam, conceive me with thy wits.  
And diligam upon attendite, if thou list to thrive,  
Thus make thou Projections, three, four, or five,  
Till the tincture of the medicine begin to decrease,  
And then it is time of Projection to cease.   

By this misty talking I mean nothing else,  
But that thou must cast first the less on the more,  
Increasing aye the number as wisemen thee tells,  
And keep thou this secret unto thyself in store,  
Be covetous of cunning it is no burden sore,  
For he that joineth not the Elixir with bodies made clean,  
He wotteth not surely what Projection doth mean   

Ten if thou multiply first into ten,  
One hundredth that number maketh sickerly,  
If one hundredth into an hundredth be multiplied, than  
Ten thousand is that number if thou count it wittily,  
Then into as much more ten thousand to multiply,  
It is a thousand thousand; which multiplied iwis,  
Into as much more a hundredth millions is.   

That hundredth millions being multiplied likewise  
Into ten thousand millions, as I to thee do say,  
Maketh so great a number I wots not what it is,  
Thy number in Projection thus multiply always:  
Now child of thy courtesy for me that thou pray,  
Sith I have told thee our secrets all and some,  
To the which I beseech GOD by grace thou mayst come.   

Now hast thou conquered these gates twelve,  
And all the Castle thou holdest at thy will,  
Keep thy secrets in store to thyself,  
And the commandments of God look thou fulfil,  
In fire see thou continue thy glasses still,  
And multiply thy medicines aye more and more,  
For wise men do say, that store is no sore.    
The end of the twelve Gates, entitled Ripley's Compound of Alchemy.   

Recapitulatio totius operis praedicti.  

FOr to bring this Treatise to a final end,  
And briefly here to conclude these secrets all,  
Diligently look thou, and to thy figure attend,  
Which doth in it contain these secrets great & small,  
And if thou it conceive, both theorical and practical,  
By figures and colours, by scripture plain,  
It wittily conceived, thou mayst not work in vain.   

Consider first the latitude of this precious Stone,  
Beginning in the first side noted in the West,  
Where the red man & the white woman be made one,  
Spoused with the spirit of life to live in rest,  
Earth and water equally proportionate, that is best,  
And one of the earth is good, and of the spirit three,  
Which twelve to four also of the earth may be.   

Three of the wife, and one of the man thou take,  
And the less of the spirit in this dispousation,  
The rather thy Calcination for certain shalt thou make:  
Then forth into the North proceed by obscuration  
Of the red man and his white wife, called Eclipsation,  
Losing them and altering them betwixt winter & vere,  
Into water turning earth, dark and nothing clear.   

From thence by colours many one into the East ascend,  
Then shall the Moon be full appearing by daylight,  
Then is she passed purgatory, and her course at an end,  
There is the uprising of the Sun appearing bright.  
There is Summer after Vere, and day after night:  
Then earth & water which were black, be turned to air,  
And clouds of darkness overblown, & all appeareth fair.   

And as in the west was the beginning of thy practice.  
And the North the perfect mean of profound alteration:  
So in the East after them the beginning of speculation is:  
But of this course up in the south the sun maketh consummation.  
There been the elements turned into fire by circulation:  
Then to win to thy desire thou needst not be in doubt,  
For the wheel of our philosophy thou hast turned about   

But yet about again two times turn thy wheel,  
In which been comprehended all the secrets of our philosophy.  
In chapters 12. made plain to thee, if thou conceive them well,  
And all the secrets by & by of our lower Astronomy,  
How thou shalt calcine bodies, perfect, dissolve divide & putrefy,  
With perfect knowledge of all the poles which in our heaven been,  
Shining with colours inexplicable, never were gayer seen.   

And thus our secret conclusion know withouten fail,  
Our red maintaineth not, nor his wife, till they teined be,  
Therefore if thou list thyself by this craft to avail,  
The altitude of the bodies hide, & show out their profundity,  
In every of thy materials destroying the first quality,  
And secondary qualities more glorious in them repair anon,  
And in one glass, and with one rule, four natures turn to one.   

Pale & black with false citrine, imperfect white & red,  
The Peacock's feathers in colours gay, the Rainbow which shall overgo,  
The spotted panther, the lion green, the crows bill blue as lead,  
These shall appear before thee perfect white, and many other more,  
And after the perfect white, grey, false citrine also,  
And after these, them shall appear the body red invariable,  
Then hast thou a medicine of the third order of his own kind multiplicable.   

Thou must divide thy white Elixir into parts two  
Before thou rubifie, & into glasses two let them be done.  
If thou wilt have for Sun & moon thy elixir both do so;  
And into mercury them multiply to great quantity soon,  
And if thou had not at the beginning to fill a spoon,  
Yet mayst thou them so multiply both white and red.  
That if thou live a 1000 years, they shall stand thee in stead.   

Have thou recourse to thy wheel therefore I counsel thee,  
And study him well to know in each chapter truly,  
Meddle with no fantastical multiplyers, but let them be,  
Which will thee flatter feigning them cunning in Philosophy,  
Do as I bid thee, them dissolve these foresaid bases wittily,  
And turn them into perfect oils with our true water ardent,  
By circulation that must be done according to our intent.   

These oils will fix crude Mercury and convert bodies all  
Into perfect Sun and Moon, when thou shalt make Projection;  
That oily substance pure & fixed Raimond Lul did call  
His Basilisk, of which he never made so plain detection:  
Pray for me to God, that I may be one of his election,  
And that he will for one of his, at doomsday me ken▪  
And grant me his bliss to reign with him for ever. Amen.   
Finis Recapitulationis.   

An Admonition, wherein the Author declareth his erroneous Experiments.  

AFter all this, I will thou understand  
For thy safeguard, what I have done,  
Many experiments have I taken in hand  
As I found written for Sun and Moon:  
The which I will tell thee, rehearsing soon,  
Beginning at the vermilion, which proved nought,  
And Mercury sublimed, which I dearly bought.   

I made solutions full many a one  
Of spirits, ferments, salts, iron, and steel,  
Weening so to make the Philosopher's Stone:  
But finally I lost every devil,  
After my books yet wrought I we'll,  
Which evermore untrue I preeved,  
Which made me oft full sore aggrieved.   

Water's corsive and waters ardent,  
With which I wrought in divers wise,  
Many one I made, but all were shent,  
Eggshells I calcined twice or thrice,  
Oils from Calxes I made up to rise,  
And every Element I did from other twin,  
But profit found I none therein.   

Also I wrought in sulphur and vitriall,  
Which fools do call the green Lion,  
In Arsinike, in orpiment, foul them befall,  
In debili principio was my inception,  
Therefore in fine, was fraud my conclusion:  
And thus I blew my thrift at the coal,  
My clothes were bawdy, my stomach never whole.   

Sal armoniac, and Sandivere,  
Sal Alcalie, Shall allembroke, and Sal attinckarre,  
Sal tartar, salt common, Sal gem most clear,  
Salt Peter, salt sod, of these beware,  
And from the odour of quicksilver keep thee far,  
Meddle not with Mercury precipitate,  
Neither with imperfect body's rubificate.   

I proved urine, eggs, hair and blood,  
The soul of Saturn, and also of markazite,  
Aes vst, and Crokefeere, which did me never good,  
And the scales of iron which Smiths of smite,  
Litarge and Antimony, not worth a mite;  
Of the which gay tinctures did I show,  
Both red and white, which were untrue.   

Oil of lime, and water with labour great  
I made, calcining it with salt preperate,  
And by itself with violent heat,  
Grinding with vinegar till I was fatigate,  
And also with aqua vitae, with spices acuate  
Upon a marble Stone, which stood me in cost,  
And oils with corrosives I made; but all was lost.   

Many a Malgame did I make,  
Weening to fix them to great avail,  
And thereto Sulphur did I take,  
Tartar, eggs, whites, and oil of the snail,  
But ever of my purpose did I fail,  
For what for the more, and what for the 'las,  
Evermore something wanting there was.   

Wine and milk, oils and rennyt,  
The slime of stars that fall on ground,  
Celedonie with Secundines and many more yet;  
In these I practised as I in books found,  
I won right nought, but lost many a pound,  
Of Mercury and metals I made crystal stones,  
Weening it had been a work for the nonce.   

Thus I roasted and broiled, as one of Gebers cooks,  
Oft times in the ashes my winning I sought,  
For I was deceived by many false books,  
Whereby untruth truly I wrought,  
But all such experiments availed me right nought,  
But brought me in danger and encumbrance,  
By loss of my goods and other grievance.   

For the love of our Lady such lewdness eschew,  
And meddle with no falsehood, that never proved we'll,  
Assay when thee liketh, and thou shalt find it true,  
Win shalt thou right nought, but lose every devil,  
Pence in thy purse pawtner few shalt thou feel,  
In smokes and in smells thou shalt have much woe,  
That uneath for sickness on earth thou shalt go.   

I saw never true work truly but one,  
Of which in this Treatise the truth I have told:  
Study only therefore how to make our Stone,  
For thereby mayst thou win both silver and gold,  
Upon my writing therefore, to ground thee be bold:  
So shalt thou lose nought if God be thy guide,  
Trust to my doctrine, and thereby abide.   

Remember that Man is most noble creature  
Of earthly composition, that ever God wrought,  
In whom is the four Elements, proportioned by nature,  
A natural Mercurialitie, which costeth right nought,  
One of his myner by art it is brought;  
For our metals be nought else but our miners two,  
Of Sun and Moon, wise Raymond said so.   

The clearness of the Moon, and of the Sun so bright,  
Into these two miners descendeth secretly,  
Howbeit the clearness is hid from thy sight,  
Which by craft thou shalt make it to appear openly:  
This hid Stone, this one thing therefore putrefy,  
And wash him in his own broth till white he become;  
Then ferment him wittily; lo here is all and some.   

Now to God Almighty I thee commend,  
Who grant thee grace to know this one thing;  
For now is this Treatise brought to an end:  
And God for his mercy to his bliss us bring,  
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus where the Angels do sing,  
Praising without ceasing his glorious Majesty,  
Which he in his Kingdom grant us for to see.   
Amen quod George Ripley.   

The Epistle by the same Author written to King Edward the 4.  

O Honourable Lord, and most victorious Knight,  
With grace and virtue abundantly endued,  
The safeguard of England, and maintainer of right;  
That God you loveth, indeed he hath well showed:  
Wherefore I trust this land shallbe renewed  
With joy and riches, with charity and peace,  
So that old ranckors new understrewed,  
Tempestuous troubles, and wretchedness shall cease.   

And therefore sith I see by tokens right evident,  
That God you guideth, and how that you be virtuous,  
Hating sin, and all such as be insolent,  
How that also manslaughter to you is odious,  
Upon the judgement also that you be piteous:  
Me seemeth ruth it were but that you should live long;  
For of your great fortune you are not presumptuous,  
Nor vengeable of spirit to revenge you of each wrong.   

These considered with others in your most noble State,  
Like as God knoweth, and people do witness bear,  
So entirely me moveth, that I must algate  
Record the same, and therein be no flatterer:  
And not that only, but also to write here  
Unto your Highness, humbly to present  
Great secrets, which infarre countries I did learn,  
And which by grace to me most unworthy are lent.   

Once to your Lordship such things I did promise,  
What time you did command to send unto me,  
And sith that I wrote it in secret wise,  
Unto your grace from the University  
Of Louvain, when God fortuned me by grace to see  
Greater secrets and much more perfit,  
Which only to you I will disclosed to be,  
That is the great Elixir both red and white.   

For like it you to trust that truly I have found,  
The perfect way of most secret Alchemy,  
Which I will never truly for mark nor for pound  
Make common but to you, and that conditionally,  
That to yourself you shall keep it full secretly,  
And only to use it as may be to God's pleasure,  
Else in time coming to God I should abye,  
For my discovering of his secret treasure.   

Therefore be you well advised and with good deliberation,  
For of this secret shall know no other creature,  
But only you as I make faithful protestation,  
For all the time that herein life I shall endure,  
Whereto I will your Lordship me ensure,  
To my desire in this my oath for to agree,  
Lest I to me the wrath of God procure,  
For such revealing of his great gift and privity.   

If God fortune you by me to win this treasure,  
Serve him devoutly with more laud and thanking,  
Praying his Godhead in life that you may so endure,  
His gifts of grace, and fortune to use to his pleasing,  
Most especially intending over all thing,  
To your power and cunning his precepts ten  
So to observe, that into no danger yourself you bring,  
But that you in glory may see him hereafter, Amen.   

And yet moreover I will your Lordship to pardon me,  
For openly with pen I will it never it write,  
But whensoever you list by practise you shall see,  
By mouth also this precious secret, most of delight,  
How may be made perfect Elixirs both red and white,  
Plain unto your Lordship it shall declared be,  
And if it please you, with easy expenses and respite,  
I will them work by grace of the Trinity.   

But notwithstanding for peril that may befall,  
If I dare not here plainly the knot unbind,  
Yet in my writing I will not be so mystical,  
But that by study the true knowledge you may find,  
How that each thing is multiplied in his kind,  
And how the likeness of bodies metaline be transmutable  
I will declare, that if you feel me in your mind,  
My writing you shall find true and no feigned fable.   

As Philosophers in the m●the●rs do write,  
The likeness of bodies mataline be not transmutable,  
But after he added these words of more delight,  
Without they be reduced to their beginning materiable,  
Wherefore such bodies within nature be liquiable,  
Mineral and metaline may be mercurizate,  
Conceive you may this science is not opinionable,  
But very true, by Raymond and others determinate,   

In the said book the Philosophers speak also,  
Therein if it please your Highness for to read,  
Of divers sulphur's, and especially of two,  
And of two mercuries joined to them indeed,  
Whereby he doth true understanders lead,  
To the knowledge of the principle which is only true,  
Both red, moist, pure, and white, as I have espied,  
Which be nevertheless found but of very few.   

And these two things be best, he addeth anon  
For him that worketh the Alchemy to take:  
Our gold and our silver therewith to make all one,  
Wherefore I say who will our pearl and Ruby make,  
The said principles look he not forsake:  
For at the beginning, if his principles be true,  
And if so be by craft he can them also bake,  
In th'end truly his work he shall not rue.   

But one great secret right needful to be known,  
That though the Philosophers speak plurally,  
All is but one thing you may me well trow,  
In kind which is our base principally,  
Whereof doth spring both white and red naturally,  
And yet the white must come first out of the red,  
Which thing is not wrought manually,  
But naturally, craft helping out of our lead.   

For all the parts of our most precious stone,  
As I can prove, be coessential and concrete,  
Moreover there is no true principle but one,  
Full long it was ere I therewith could meet,  
Who can reduce him and knoweth his heat,  
And only kind with kind can well redress,  
Till filthy original be cleansed from his seat,  
He likely is to find our secrets more and less.   

Therefore work kind only with his own kind,  
And so your Elements join that they not strive▪  
This point also for any bear in mind,  
That passive natures you turn into active,  
Of water, fire, and wind of earth make believe,  
And of the quadrangle make a figure round,  
Then have thou the honey of our beehive,  
One ounce well worth one thousand pound.   

The principal secret of secrets all,  
Is true proportion which may not be behind,  
Wherein I counsel thee be not superficial,  
The true conclusion if you think to find,  
Turn earth into water and water into wind,  
Therefore make fire and beware of the flood  
Of Noah, wherein many men are so blind,  
That by this science they get little good.   

I counsel you eat and drink temperately,  
And beware well that Iposarcha come not in place,  
Neshe not your womb by drinking immoderately,  
Lest you quench natural heat in little space,  
The colour will tell appearing in your face,  
Drink no more therefore than you may eat,  
Walk up and down after an easy pace,  
Chafe not your body too sore to sweat.   

With easy fire after moving when you sweat,  
Warm your body and make it dry again,  
By rivers and fountains walk after meat,  
At morning time visit the high mountain,  
That Physic so biddeth I read certain,  
So high the mountains yet do you not ascend,  
But that you may downwardly your way have plain,  
And with your mantle from cold ye you defend.   

Such labour is wholesome your sweat for to dry  
With napkin, and after it see you take no cold,  
For gross humours be purged by sweat kindly,  
Use Diacameron then confect with perfect gold,  
Hermidocles for watery humours good I hold,  
Use Jpericon perforat with milk of tincturiall,  
And sperma Caeti with red wine, and when you wax old,  
And Goat's milk sod with wine nourisheth moisture radical.   

But a good Physician who so intendeth to be,  
Our lower Astronomy needeth well to know,  
And after that to learn well urine in a glass to see,  
And if it need to be chafed the fire for to blow,  
Then wittily it by divers ways for to throw  
After the cause to make a medicine believe,  
Truly telling the infirmities all on a row,  
Who this can do by his Physic is like to thrive.   

We have our heaven incorruptible of the quintessence,  
Ornate with signs, Elements, and stars bright,  
Which moisteth our earth by subtle influence,  
And of it a secret sulphur hid from sight,  
It fetcheth by virtue of his active might,  
Like as the Bee fetcheth honey out of the flower,  
Which thing could do no other worldly wight.  
Therefore to God be all glory and honour.   

And like as ye to water doth relent,  
Where it was congealed by violence of cold,  
When Phoebus' it shineth with his heat influent,  
Even so to water mineral reduced is our gold,  
As witnesseth plainly, Albert, Raymond, and Arnold,  
By heat and moisture and by craft occasionate,  
Which congelation of the spirits, lo now I have told,  
How our materials together must be proportionate.   

At the dyers craft you may learn this science,  
Beholding with water how decoction they make  
Upon the wad or madder easily and with patience,  
Till tinctures do appear which then the cloth doth take,  
Therein so fixed that they will never forsake  
The cloth, for washing after they joined be,  
Even so our tinctures with the water of our lake,  
We draw by boiling with the ashes of Hermes tree.   

Which tinctures when they by craft are made perfit,  
So dieth mettles with colours aye permanent,  
After the quality of the medicine, red or white,  
That never away with any fire willbe brent:  
To this example if you take good tent,  
Unto your purpose the rather you shall win.  
And let your fire be easy, and not too fervent,  
Where nature did leave what time you did begin.   

First calcine, and after that putrefy,  
Dissolve, distill, sublime, descend and fix,  
With Aqua vitae oft-times both wash and dry,  
And make a marriage the body and spirit betwixt,  
Which thus together naturally if you can mix,  
In losing of the body the water congealed shallbe,  
Then shall the body die utterly of the flux,  
Bleeding and changing his colours, as you shall see.   

The third day again to life he shall arise,  
And devour birds, and beasts of the wilderness,  
Crows, popingays, pies, peacocks, and mavois,  
The Phoenix, with the Eagle, and the Griffin of fearfulness,  
The green Lion, with the red Dragon he shall distress,  
With the white Dragon, and the Antelope, Unicorn & Panther,  
With other beasts and birds both more and less,  
The Basilisk also, which almost each one doth fear.   

In bus and nibus he shall arise and descend,  
Up to the Moon, and sith up to the Sun,  
Through the Ocean sea, which round is withouten end,  
Only shippen within a little glassen tun;  
When he is there come, then is the mastery won:  
About which journey, great goods you shall not spend,  
And yet you shall be glad that ever it was begun,  
Patiently if you list to your work attend.   

For then both body and spirit with oil and water,  
Soul, and tincture, one thing both white and red,  
After colours variable it containeth, whatsoever men clatter;  
Which also is called after he hath once been dead  
And is revived, our Markaside, our Magnet, and our lead,  
Our Sulphur, our Arsinike, and our true Calx vive,  
Our Sun, our Moon, our ferment and our bread,  
Our toad, our Basilisk▪ our unknown body, our man, our wife.   

Our body thus naturally by craft when he is renovate  
Of the first order, is medicine called in our Philosophy;  
Which oftentimes again must be propertualicate,  
The round wheel turning of our Astronomy,  
And so to the Elixir of spirits you must come: for why  
Till the son of the fixed by the son of the fixer be overgone,  
Elixir of bodies, named it is only,  
And this found secret point, deceiveth many one.   

This natural process by help of craft thus consummate,  
Dissolveth Elixir spiritual in our unctuous humidity,  
Then in Balneo Mare together let them be circulate,  
Like new honey or oil, till perfectly they be thickened.  
Then will that medicine heal all infirmity,  
And turn all metals to Sun and Moon perfectly,  
Thus you shall make the great Elixir, and Aurum potabile,  
By the grace and will of God, to whom be all honour and glory.   
Amen. quod George Ripley.  
FINIS.   

George ripley's Wheel mentioned in his work..  
In the Sun he puts his tabernacle,  
Sun and moon blessed be ye.  
The floods went away in the dryth. Coelum.  
Sol converted into darkness, and Luna into blood. ●horm.  
♉ ♍ ♑ Occidentalis, attentive, Autumn West. 🜃  
♋ ♏ ♓ Aquea, flegmatica, Australia, Expulsive, Winter, North. 🜄  
♊ ♒ ♎ Sanguinea, veria, Masculina etc. Orienntalis digestive. East. 🜁  
♈ ♌ ♐ Ignea, Choleria Meridionalis, Attractive, Summer. South. 🜂  
The altitude of the stone, fiery in quality, shining more than perfect quintessence, and end of the practice, speculative. Sol tenet ignem. South.  

As Christ the Scripture making mention,  
In the holy womb descended of Marie:  
Fron his high throne for our redemption,  
Working the holy Ghost to be incarnate,  
So here our Stone descends from his estate,  
Into the womb of our Virgin Mercurial,  
To help his brethren from filth original.   
The f●rst or West latitude of the Stone, and en●ring into the practive pole and earthly in quality. occasionate. Saturn holdeth the earth. West.  

As Christ his godhead hid from our sight,  
When he our kind to him did take,  
Even so our Sun his beams of light  
As for a time hath him forsake,  
For under the wings of his make  
The Moon, he hideth in his glory,  
And dieth in kind that he may multiply.   
The dark profundity of the Stone in the North, Purgatory all imperfect, wa●rie in quality, variable in colour, the eclipse of the Sun. Mercurius tenet aquam. North.  

As Christ our Saviour was tumulate,  
After his passion and death on tree,  
And after his body was glorificate.  
uprose endued with immortality▪  
●o here our Stone buried after penalty,  
Vpriseth from darkness & colours variable  
Appearing in the East with clearness incomparable.   
The East latitude of the Stone and entering into the speculative air of the full Moon. jupiter holdeth the air. East.  

As Christ from earth to heaven did ascend,  
In clouds of clearness up to his throne,  
And reigneth there shining without end,  
Right so our Sun, now made our Stone,  
Unto his glory again is gone,  
His fire possessing here in the South,  
With power to heal lepers and renew youth   

From paradise they go to heaven to won,  
shinining brighter than doth the Sun.   
✚  

Here the red man and his white wi●●  
Be spoused with the spirit of life.   

Into Paradise here we go▪  
There to be purged of pain and woe   

Here be they passed their pains all,  
Exceeding in brightness the crystal   
♄ ☉ ☉  
♃ ☽ ☽  
♂ ☿ ☿  
☉  
♀  
☿  
☽  
He brought water out of the stone, & oil out of the most hard rock.  
The Sun is in the eclipse, and the Moon shall not shine by night.  

Our heaven this figure called is,  
our table also of the lower astronomy,  
Which understood thou canst not miss,  
to make our medicine perfectly,  
on it therefore set thou thy study,  
And unto God both night & day,  
For grace, and for the Author pray.    

To the indifferent Reader.  
FOrasmuch, (Gentle reader) as nothing can be performed, with what singularity of judgement, exquisite foresight, great care and diligence soever, in any action of importance, but that some fault or error must of necessity be committed, it being an unseparable property of nature accident unto men to err; for that it is impossible for the most curious, quickest, and piercing eye to see all things: I hope therefore thou wilt not find it strange, if any thing have been mistaken by me in deciphering of this work, by conference of many old rude and ill written Copies, out of which the same with great travel and industry hath been gathered, as the Rose from among the briars and Thorns, or the sweet Violet out of the Nettles: for that every man carried with a several opinion and sense, thinketh best of his judgement, Copy and correction: whereupon it was not possible for me to ground any certainty, if I had not happened on a most ancient record thereof, and used the assistance of a most notable and experienced decipherer of old and unperfect writing, and after conferred with many skilful persons in this high Art: praying thee if in reading hereof thou shalt note any fault in matter or form▪ that thou wilt courteously note the same and send it unto me, or the house of Peter Bales in the Old Bayly, to be corrected upon the next general impression, there being but a small number of these Books imprinted, remaining at this time in his hands to be privately delivered to the learned & desirous thereof. Vale.