Part 13

Some of them, when things succeed not, say: We are wise men, wee hear that the grasse grows, if the Art were true wee should have had it before other men: And so having brazen faces, lest wee should bee accounted undeserving men (as indeed they are, and also perverse) contemne, and undervalue the Art. This Science hates such men, and alwaies shews them the beginning in the end. Now we grant unto the unworthy, that this Art is nothing, but to the Lovers of vertue, and the true Searchers, and Sons of Wisdome, wee doe most highly commend it, and doe affirme it not only to be true, but altogether the truest: which, sometimes wee have really made good before men worthy of such a fight, I say before men of high, and low condition: (yet this Medicine was not made by us, but received from a friend, and yet most true) for the searching out of which wee have sufficiently instructed the Searchers thereof; whom if our Writings doe not please, let them read those of other Authors, which are easier, but with this Caution, That whatsoever they shall read, they shall alwaies compare it with the possibility of Nature, lest they assay any thing contrary to Nature. Neither let them beleeve, although it were written in the bookes of Philosophers, that Fire burns not, because this is contrary to Nature: but if it bee writ, that Fire hath a drying, and heating faculty, this is to bee beleeved, because it is according to Nature: For Nature doth alwaies agree with a sound judgment, and in Nature there is nothing difficult, all truth is plain. Then also let them learne, what things in Nature are of affinity with each other, which wee conceive may be easier done by our Writings, then any other, seeing wee think wee have wrote sufficiently, untill some other shall come, who shall set downe the whole Receipt so plaine, as to make cheese of Milke, which is not lawfull for us to doe.

But that I may not direct all things I say to the new beginner only, wee shall say something to you also who now have passed over these painfull labours. Have you seen that Countrey, where a man marryed a wife, whose nuptialls were celebrated in the house of Nature? Have you understood how the vulgar with you have seen this Sulphur? If therefore you will that old women should practise your Philosophy, shew the dealbation of your Sulphurs; say unto the vulgar, Come and see, for now the water is divided, and Sulphur is come out; hee will return white, and congeale the Waters. Burn therefore Sulphur from incombustible Sulphur, then wash it, make it white, and red, untill Sulphur become Mercury, and Mercury bee made Sulphur, which afterwards you shall beautifie with the soule of Gold: For if you doe not sublime Sulphur, from Sulphur, and Mercury from Mercury, you have not yet found out the Water, which out of Sulphur, and Mercury is created by way of distillation; hee doth not ascend, that doth not descend. Whatsoever in this Art is remarkable, by many is lost in the preparation, for our Mercury is quickened with Sulphur, else it would bee of no use. A Prince without a people is unhappy; so is an Alchymist without Sulphur, and Mercury. If thou hast understood mee, I have said enough.

THE CONCLVSION.

Every searcher of this Art must in the first place with a mature judgement examine the creation, operation, and vertues of the four Elements together with their actings: for if hee be ignorant of the originall, and Nature of these, hee shall not come to the knowledge of the Principles, neither shall hee know the true matter of the Stone, much lesse attain to any good conclusion; because every end is terminated upon its beginning. Hee that well knowes what hee begins, shall well know what shall bee the end. For the originall of the Elements is the Chaos, out of which God the Maker of all things created, and separated the Elements, which belongs to God alone: but out of the Elements Nature produceth the Principles of things, and this is Natures worke, through the will of God alone: Out of the Principles Nature afterwards produceth Mineralls, and all things: out of which the Artist also by imitating Nature can doe many wonderfull things. Because Nature out of these Principles, which are Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, doth produce Mineralls, and Metalls, and all kinds of things; and it doth not simply produce Metalls out of the Elements, but by Principles, which are the medium betwixt the Elements, and Metalls: Therefore if Nature doth not make those things, much lesse shall Art. And not only in this example, but also in every naturall processe a middle disposition is to bee observed. Wherefore here in this Treatise wee have sufficiently described the Elements, their actings, and operations, as also the originall of the Principles (because hitherto no Philosopher hath discovered things more cleerly) that the well minded searcher might the more easily consider in what degree the Stone differs from Metalls, and Metalls from Elements. For there is a difference betwixt Gold, and Water, but lesse betwixt Water, and Mercury; and least of all betwixt Mercury, and Gold. For the house of Gold is Mercury, and the house of Mercury is Water: but Sulphur is that which coagulates Mercury; which Sulphur indeed is most difficultly prepared, but more difficultly found out. For in the Sulphur of Philosophers this secret consists, which also is contained in the inward rooms of Mercury, of whose preparation, without which it is unprofitable, wee shall discourse hereafter in the third Principle of Salt, seeing here wee treat of the vertue, and originall, not Praxis, of Sulphur.

Wherefore now wee have not writ this Treatise that wee would disprove any of the ancient Philosophers, but rather confirm their Writings, and supply those things, which they have omitted: seeing that Philosophers themselves were but men, they could not be accurate in all things, neither is one man sufficient for all things. Miracles also have seduced some men from the right way of Nature, as wee read happened in _Albertus Magnus_ a most witty Philosopher; who writ, that in his times there were grains of Gold found betwixt the teeth of a dead man in his grave. Hee could not find out this Miracle, but judged it to be by reason of the Minerall vertue in man being confirmed in his opinion by that saying of _Morien_: _And this Matter, O King, is extracted from thee_: but this is erroneous, for _Morien_ was pleased to understand those things Philosophically. For the Minerall vertue is placed in its own Kingdome, as the Animall is in its Kingdome, as in the book of the Twelve Treatises wee have distinguished those Kingdomes, and divided them into three Kingdomes; because every one of these without the ingresse of any other thing stands in it self, and is multiplyed. It is true indeed that in the Animall Kingdome, Mercury is as the matter, and Sulphur as the vertue, but the Animall is not Minerall. The vertue of the Animall Sulphur if it were not in Man, it could not congeal the bloud Mercury into flesh, and bones: so also if there were not a vertue of the Vegetable Sulphur in the Vegetable Kingdome, it could not coagulate Water, or the Vegetable Mercury into Herbs, and Trees. So also it is to bee understood in the Minerall Kingdome. These three Mercuries doe not indeed differ in vertue, nor the three Sulphurs, because every Sulphur hath a power to coagulate its own Mercury; and every Mercury hath a power to bee coagulated by its owne proper Sulphur; and by no other that is a stranger to it. Now the reason why Gold was found, and generated betwixt the teeth of the dead man is this, because in his life time Mercury was by some Physitian conveyed into his infirme body, either by unction, or by Turbith, or some other way, as the custome, and manner was, and it was the nature of Mercury to goe up to the mouth, and through the sores thereof to be evacuated with the flegme. If therefore in time of such a cure the sick man dyed, that Mercury not finding any egresse, remained in his mouth betwixt his teeth, and that carkasse became the naturall vessell of Mercury, so being shut up fast for a long time was congealed into Gold by its own proper Sulphur, being purified by the naturall heat of putrefaction, caused by the corrosive phlegme of the Mans body. But if Minerall Mercury had not been brought in thither, there could Gold never have been produced. And this is a most true example, that Nature in the bowells of the earth, doth of Mercury alone produce Gold, and Silver, and other Metalls, according to the disposition of the place, or matrix; for Mercury hath in its self its own proper Sulphur, with which it is coagulated into Gold, unlesse it bee hindred by some accident, or hath not a requisite heat, or a close place. The vertue therefore of Animall Sulphur doth not congeal Mercury into Gold, but into Flesh: for if there were such a vertue in Man, it would happen to be so in all bodies; which it doth not. Many such miracles, and accidents fall out, which being not well considered by the Writers, occasion the Readers to fall into errors: yet the honest searcher must apply all things to the possibility of Nature; if they doe not agree with Nature, they must be let alone, and waved.

It sufficeth the diligent Student, that he hath here heard what is the Originall of the Principles (since the beginning being unknown, the end is alwaies doubtfull) of which wee have in this Treatise not Ænigmatically, but as cleerly as we could, and as it was lawfull for us, spoken unto the searcher thereof: by means of which, if God shall enlighten any ones mind, hee shall know what a successor owes to his predecessors, seeing this Art is alwaies acquired by the same kind of wits, and dispositions. Which Art wee after this kind of clear manifestation of it, lay up into the bosome of God the most high Creator, and our Lord, and commend our selvs together with all honest hearted Readers to his grace, and infinite mercy. To whom be praise, and glory, for ever, and ever.

FINIS.

OF THE NATVRE Of Things.

_THE FIRST BOOKE._

_Of the generations of Naturall things._

[Sidenote: The generation of naturall things is twofold.]

[Sidenote: All things proceed from putrefaction.]

[Sidenote: The cause of putrefaction is a moist heat.]

[Sidenote: The power and nature of putrefaction.]

[Sidenote: What putrefaction is.]

The generation of all natural things is twofold: Naturall, and without Art; and Artificiall, _viz._ by Alchymie. Although in generall it may bee said that all things are naturally generated of the Earth by means of putrefaction. For Putrefaction is the chiefe degree, and first step to Generation. Now Putrefaction is occasioned by a moist heat. For a continuall moist heat causeth putrefaction, and changeth all naturall things from their first form, and essence, as also their vertues, and efficacy, into another thing. For as putrefaction in the stomach changeth, and reduceth all meats into dung; so also putrefaction out of the stomach in a glasse, changeth all things from one form into another, from one essence into another, from one colour into another, from one smell into another, from one vertue into another, from one power into another, from one property into another, and generally from one quality into another. For it is evident, and proved by daily experience, that many good things, which are wholsome, and medicinable, become after putrefaction naught, unwholsome, and meer poison. So on the contrary, there are many bad, unwholsome, poisonous, and hurtfull things, which after their putrefaction become good, lose all their unwholsomnesse, and become wonderfull medicinable: because putrefaction produceth great matters, as of this wee have a most famous example in the holy Gospel, where Christ saith: Unlesse a grain of Wheat bee cast into the Earth, and be putrefied, it cannot bring forth fruit in a hundred fold. Hence also we must know, that many things are multiplyed in putrefaction so as to bring forth excellent fruit. For putrefaction is the change, and death of all things, and destruction of the first essence of all Naturall things; whence there ariseth a regeneration, and new generation a thousand times better, &c.

[Sidenote: Putrefaction is the first degree to generation.]

[Sidenote: Putrefaction is manifold.]

Seeing therefore putrefaction is the first degree, and step to generation; it is very necessary that wee know putrefaction well. Now there are many kinds of putrefactions, and one produceth its generation in another manner, then doth another. One also sooner then another. Wee said also that moisture, and heat were the first degree, and step to putrefaction, which produceth all things, as a Hen doth her egs. Wherefore through, and in putrefaction, all mucilaginous flegme, and matter is made living, whatsoever it prove to be at last.

[Sidenote: An artificiall hatching of Chickens.]

An example of this you have in egs, in which there is a mucilaginous humour, which by any kind of moderate continuall heat is putrefied, and turned into a living Chicke, not only by the heat of the Hen, but any such kind of heat. For in such a degree of Fire egs may be brought to maturity in a glasse, and ashes, and become living birds: yea any man may ripen an egge in his arm-hole, and hatch a Chicke, as well as the Hen.

[Sidenote: The raising of a dead bird to life.]

And here wee must take notice of something that is greater, and more then this: _viz._ if that living Chicke be in a vessell of glasse like a gourd, and sealed up, burnt to powder, or ashes in the third degree of Fire, and afterward so closed in, be putrefied with the exactest putrefaction of Horse-dung, into a mucilaginous flegm, then that flegm may be brought to maturity, and become a renewed, and new made Chicke: to wit, if that flegm bee againe inclosed in its former shell, or receptacle. This is to revive the dead by regeneration, and clarification, which indeed is a great, and profound miracle of Nature. According to this processe may all Birds bee killed, and made alive againe, and made new: and this is the highest, and greatest miracle, and mystery of God, which hee ever discovered to mortall man.

[Sidenote: The Artificiall generation of Man.]

Wee must also know that after this manner men may bee generated without naturall Father, or Mother, _i.e._ not of a Woman in a naturall way: but by the Art, and industry of a skilfull Alchymist may a Man bee borne, and grow, as afterwards shall bee shewed.

[Sidenote: The generation of men by brutes.]

[Sidenote: As the seed is, so is the fruit.]

It is possible also that men may be born of beasts, according to naturall causes, but yet this cannot bee done without much impiety, and heresie; to wit, if a man should couple with a beast, and that beast should, as a woman doth, receive the Sperm of the man, with desire and lust into her matrix, and conceive: then the sperm doth of necessity putrefie, and by the continual heat of the body, a man, and not a beast is thence produced. For alwaies as the seed is that is sown, so also is the fruit that is brought forth; and unlesse it should be so, it would be contrary to the light of Nature, and to Philosophy. Wherefore as is the seed, such is the hearb that springs from thence. So of the Seed of an Onyon is brought forth an Onyon, not a Rose, nor a Nut, not a Lettuce. So of Corne, Corn is brought forth, of Barley, Barley; of Oats, Oats: and so it is with all other fruits, which have seed, and are sown, &c.

[Sidenote: The force of womens imagination.]

In like manner also it is possible, and not contrary to Nature, that an irrationall bruit should bee produced by a woman, and a man. Neither are wee to judge of, or censure the woman, as the man, (as in the former case) shee therefore is not to bee accounted impious, or hereticall, as if shee acted contrary to Nature, but it is to be imputed to her imagination. For her imagination is alwaies the cause of it. And the imagination of a breeding woman is so powerful, that in conceiving the seed into her body, shee may change her infant divers wayes: because her inward starres are so strongly bent upon the infant, that they beget an impression, and influence upon it. Wherefore the infant in the Mothers wombe in its forming is put into the hand, and will of its Mother, as clay in the hand of the Potter, who thence frames, and makes what his will, and pleasure is: so the Woman that is breeding, forms the fruit in her body, according to her imagination, and her starres. Therefore it often falls out, that of the seed of a man, Cattle, and other horrid Monsters are begot, according as the imagination of the Mother is strongly directed upon the Embryo, &c.

Now as you have heard, that by putrefaction many, and various things are generated, and made alive, so also you must know, that of many hearbs, by putrefaction divers living creatures are bred, which they that are skilled in these things know.

[Sidenote: All animals that are bred meerly of putrefaction are poisonous.]

Here also wee must know, that all such Animalls, which are bred, and made of putrefaction, containe some poison, and are poisonous, yet one far more strong then another, and one after another manner then another: as you see in Serpents, Vipers, Toads, Frogs, Scorpions, Basiliskes, Spiders, Wood-bees, Pismires, and many sorts of Wormes, as Cankers, Maggots, Locusts, &c. All which are bred in, and through putrefaction. Also amongst Animalls there are bred divers Monsters; And there are Monsters also which are not bred of putrefaction of themselves, but are made by Art in a glasse, as hath been said; because they oftentimes appear in a very wonderfull shape, and form, fearful to behold, as oftentimes with many feet, many tailes, many colours, oftentimes many heads, worms with the tailes of Fishes, or feathers, and other unusuall forms, that the like have not been seen.

[Sidenote: What Monsters are.]

Wherefore not only all Animalls, which have not proper Parents, and are not borne of things like to themselves are Monsters, but also those which are bred of other things.

[Sidenote: The secret poison of the Basilisk.]

So you see it is concerning a Basiliske, which also is a Monster, and indeed a Monster above all Monsters, and then which none is to bee more dreaded, because hee can kill any man with his meer looks, and sight: and because his poison is above all poisons, to which nothing in the world is to bee compared. Hee carries his poison in a most secret manner in his eyes, and it is a conceived poison, not much unlike a menstruous woman, who also carrieth a secret poison in her eyes, so that only by her looks a Looking-glasse is fouled, and tainted. So also if shee looke upon a wound, or an ulcer, shee infects that in the like manner, and hinders the cure thereof: so also with her breath, as well as sight, shee infects divers things, corrupts, and weakens them; and so also with her touch. For you see if shee medle with wine in time of her menstrues, that it is suddainly changed and made thick; The Vineger also that she medles withall, becomes dead, and uselesse: so also Hot-waters lose their strength: In like manner Civet, Amber Gryse, Musk, and such like perfumes, lose their odour by such a womans carrying, or handling of them. So also Gold, and Coralls lose their colour, also many Gemmes, and Looking-glasses are soiled therewith, &c. But to return to what I proposed concerning the Basiliske, by what reason, and in what manner hee carries poison in his looks, and eyes; you must know that hee hath that property, and poison from menstruous women, as is aforesaid. For the Basiliske is bred of, and proceeds from the greatest impurity of a Woman, _viz._ her Menstrues, and from the blood of the Sperm, if it bee put into a gourd glasse, and putrefied in Horse-dung, in which putrefaction a Basiliske is brought forth. But who is so couragious, and bold to make, take him out, and kill him again, unlesse hee cover, and fortifie himselfe well first with glasses: I should perswade none to doe it, nay, I would advise them to take heed of it.

[Sidenote: Monsters doe not live long.]

[Sidenote: Monsters come from the Devill.]

But that I may proceed in treating of Monsters, Know that Monsters amongst brutes, which are brought forth of other things, and not of their like, seldome live long, especially if they shall live neer, or amongst other brutes, because of an imbred disposition, and Gods disposing, all Monsters are odious unto brutes that are genuinely brought forth, and so also Monsters of men, which are generated by man, seldome live long. And by how much the more wonderfull, and remarkable they are, so much the sooner they dye, so that none exceed the third day amongst men, unlesse they bee presently carryed into some secret place, and kept apart from all men. Moreover you must know that God abhors these kind of Monsters, and that they are displeasing to him, and that none of them can be saved, seeing they bear not the image of God: whence wee can conjecture nothing else, but that they are so formed by the Devil, and are made for the Devills service, rather then Gods, because no good work was ever done by any Monster, but rather all manner of evill, wickednesse, and devillish deceits. For as an Executioner marketh his sons in cutting off their ears, putting out their eyes, burning their cheeks, fingers, hands, and cutting off their heads: so doth the Devil mark his sons through the imagination of their Mothers, which in their conceiving they drew from evill desires, lusts, and cogitations.

[Sidenote: Monsters are to be shunned.]

Also all men are to be shunned, which abound with, or want any member, or have a double member. For that is a presage of the Devills, and a most certaine signe of some occult wickednesse, and deceit, which follows upon it. Wherefore they seldome dye without the Executioner, or at least from some marke made by him.

[Sidenote: The artificiall generation of Men.]

But wee must by no means forget the generation of Artificiall men. For there is some truth in this thing, although it hath been a long time concealed, and there have been no small Doubts, and Questions, raised by some of the ancient Philosophers, Whether it were possible for Nature, or Art to beget a Man out of the body of a Woman, and naturall matrix? To this I answer, that it is no way repugnant to the Art of Alchymie, and Nature; yea it is very possible: But to effect it, we must proceed thus.

Let the Sperm of a man by it selfe be putrefied in a gourd glasse, sealed up, with the highest degree of putrefaction in Horse dung, for the space of forty days, or so long untill it begin to bee alive, move, and stir, which may easily be seen. After this time it will bee something like a Man, yet transparent, and without a body. Now after this, if it bee every day warily, and prudently nourished and fed with the _Arcanum_ of Mans blood, and bee for the space of forty weeks kept in a constant, equall heat of Horse-dung, it will become a true, and living infant, having all the members of an infant, which is born of a woman, but it will bee far lesse. This wee call _Homunculus_, or Artificiall. And this is afterwards to be brought up with as great care, and diligence as any other infant, untill it come to riper years of understanding. Now this is one of the greatest secrets, that God ever made known to mortall, sinfull man. For this is a miracle, and one of the great wonders of God, and secret above all secrets, and deservedly it ought to bee kept amongst the secrets until the last times, when nothing shall be hid, but all things be made manifest.

[Sidenote: Fairies, Nymphs, Gyants, &c. are made of artificiall men.]