Fundamentals of alchemy

Alchemia
This is a long page, but the three texts below are well
worth the read, I have some ending comments that I wish
to share. These examples are of the Beginning stages of
our Art. The first is a famous tract entitled the Secret Book.
Written in the sixteenth century by someone named
Artephius, who claims that at the time of his little tract he
had lived about a thousand years (do remember that the
Stone does not give eternal physical life, for one must
pass through the three stages of life at some point, but
cleanses the body of disease and fortifies it so one might
live much longer than expected). This secret book is one
of the most revealing texts explaining the entire process
and the first process both at the same time. It is clear,
concise and to the point. Note however that there is
apparently no order or explanations as to which stage and
substance he is writing about. It is left entirely up to the
"clever young Philosopher" to discover. As we
Philosophers progress and read more and more of the
great texts, it becomes clearer and more precise (all of the
true texts agreeing with one another albeit with different
analogies and allegories). One begins to see themes
suddenly arising apparently out of nowhere, a burst of new
enlightenment arises and what was hidden before,
becomes clear. The second text was written by John
Pontanus who also claimed to find the Stone, and his text
is to the point of one substance: the Sophic Fire or Secret
fire. This is the one substance that has been ignored by
most of the other philosophers. I say ignored because they

would say something about it (and do describe it much as
these two texts) in the middle of explaining something
completely different; as if it were a matter of little or no
importance.
Before we begin, there are a few questions that I think we
need to ponder about pertaining to Alchemy and its
practices. Here are some that I've had: Why can't Nature
attain perfection on her own, why do we need to help Her
through our Art? At what point do plants and minerals
(animals for that matter) die after removing them from the
ground or mine? What is the Seed of gold and how do we
get it? Why would one even want to live for so long, is it a
noble thing or is it selfishness in fear of death or other
shady reasons? How can we as Alchemists help our fellow
creatures (animals, vegetables and minerals) continue and
grow in their own paths. How intimate can I know the three
cycles of Nature and how far can I delve into the "layers"
of the Three. Do the four Elements exist conceptually or
do they have a true vibratory existence that we can
perceive, if not with scientific equipment at least with our
physical, mental or spiritual faculties? Will I ever know
Nature well enough to bring about the completion of some
if not all of the Works of the Masters? Why am I even
doing this and are my actions true and follow according to
my perceptions and observations of Nature? So I think
one last thought and ponder upon the depths of reality and
perception...

"In order to manifest anything, we must first know
intimately and exactly what it is that we wish to
manifest."
The Secret Book
Antimony is a mineral participating of saturnine parts, and
has in all respects the nature thereof. This saturnine
antimony agrees with sol, and contains in itself argent
vive, in which no metal is swallowed up, except gold, and
gold is truly swallowed up by this antimonial argent vive.
Without this argent vive, no metal whatsoever can be
whitened; it whitens laton, i.e. gold; reduces a perfect body
into its prima materia, or first matter, viz. into sulphur and
argent vive, of a white colour, outshining a looking glass. It
dissolves, I say the perfect body, which is so in its own
nature; for this water is friendly and agreeable with the
metals, whitening sol, because it contains in itself white or
pure argent vive. And from both these you may draw a
great Arcanum, viz. A water of saturnine antimony,
mercurial and white; to the end that it may whiten sol, not
burning, but dissolving, and afterwards congealing to the
consistence or likeness of white cream. Therefore, saith
the philosopher, this water makes the body to be volatile;
because after it has dissolved in it, and infrigidated, it
ascends above and swims upon the surface of the water.

Take saith he, crude leaf gold, calcined with mercury, and
put it into our vinegar, made of saturnine antimony,
mercurial, and Sal ammoniac, in a broad glass vessel, four
inches high or more. Put it into a gentle heat, and in a
short time you will see elevated a liquor, as it were oil
swimming atop, much like a scum. Gather this with a
spoon or feather dipping it in; and in doing so often times a
day until nothing more arises; evaporate the water with a
gentle heat, i.e. the superfluous humidity of the vinegre,
and there will remain the quintessence, potestates or
powers of gold in the form of a white oil incombustible. In
this oil, philosophers have placed their greatest secrets; it
is exceeding sweet and of great virtue for easing the pains
of wounds. The whole, then, of this antimonial secret is,
that we know how to extract or draw forth argent vive, out
of the body of Magnesia, not burning, and this is antimony,
and a mercurial sublimate. That is, you must extract a
living and incombustible water, and then congeal, or
coagulate it with the perfect body of sol, i.e. fine gold,
without alloy; which is done by dissolving it into a mature
white substance the consistency of cream and made
thoroughly white. But first this sol by putrefaction and
resolution in this water, looses all its light and brightness,
and will grow dark and black. Afterwards, it will ascend
above the water, and by little and little will swim upon it in
a substance of a white colour. And this is the whitening of
red laton to sublimate it philosophically, and to reduce it
into its first matter; viz. into a white incombustible sulphur
and a fixed argent vive. Thus the perfect body of sol,
resumes life in this water; it is revived, inspired, grows,
and is multiplied in its kind, as all other things are.

For in this water, it so happens, that the body is
compounded of two bodies, viz. sol and Luna; is puffed
up, swells, putrefies, is raised up, and does increase by
the receiving from the animated nature and substance.
Our water, or vinegar as aforementioned, is the vinegar of
the mountains, i.e. of sol and Luna; and therefore it is
mixed with gold and silver, and sticks close to them
perpetually; and the body receives from this water a white
tincture, and shines with inestimable brightness. Who so
knows how to convert, or change the body into a medicinal
white gold, may easily, by the same white gold, change all
imperfect metals into the best or finest silver. And this
white gold is called b the philosophers "luna alba
philosophorum, argentum vivum, album fixum, aurum
alchymiae, fumus albus" and therefore without this our
antimonial vinegar the stone of the philosophers cannot be
made. The reason, is because in our vinegar there is a
double substance of argentum vivum, the one from
antimony, and the other from mercury sublimated, it does
give a double weight and substance of fixed argent vive,
and also augments therein the native colour, weight,
substance and tincture thereof.
Our dissolving water therefore carries with it a great
tincture and a great melting or dissolving. When it feels the
heat of the vulgar fire (if there being in it the pure and fine
bodies of sol or Luna), it immediately melts them, and
converts them into its white substance such as itself, and
gives to the body colour, weight, and tincture. In it also is a
power of liquefying or melting all things that can be melted

or dissolved; it is a water ponderous, viscous, precious,
and worthy to be esteemed, resolving all crude bodies into
their prima materia, or first matter, viz. earth and a viscous
powder (that is into sulphur, and argentum vivum). If
therefore you put into this water, leaves, filings, or calx of
any metal, and set it in a gentle heat for a time, the whole
will be dissolved, and converted into a viscous water, or
white oil (as said before). Thus it mollifies the body, and
prepares for liquefaction; yea, it makes all things fusible,
viz. stones and metals, and after gives them spirit and life.
And it dissolves all things with an admirable solution,
transmuting the perfect body into a fusible medicine,
melting, or liquefying, moreover fixing, and augmenting the
weight and colour. Work therefore with it, and you shall
obtain from it what you desire, for it is the spirit and soul of
sol and Luna; it is the oil, the dissolving water, the
fountain, the Balneum Marie, the preternatural fire, the
moist fire, the secret hidden and invisible fire. It is also the
most acrid vinegar, concerning which an ancient
philosopher saith, I besought the Lord, and he showed me
a pure, clear water which I know to be the pure vinegar;
Altering, penetrating, and digesting. I say penetrating
vinegar, and the moving instrument for putrefying,
resolving and reducing gold or silver into their prima
materia or first matter. And it is the only agent in the
universe, which in this art is able to reincrudate metallic
bodies with the conservation of their species. It is
therefore the only apt and natural medium, by which we
ought to resolve the perfect bodies of sol and Luna, by a
wonderful and solemn dissolution, with the conservation of
the species, and without any destruction, unless it be to a

new, more noble, and better form or generation, viz. into
the perfect philosopher's stone, which is their wonderful
secret or Arcanum. Now this water is a certain middle
substance, clear as fine silver, which ought to receive the
tinctures of sol and Luna, so they may be congealed, and
changed into a white and living earth. For this water needs
the perfect bodies, that with them after the dissolution, it
may be congealed, fixed, and coagulated into a white
earth. But if this solution is also their coagulation (for they
have one and the same operation), because one is not
dissolved, the other is congealed. There is no other water
that can dissolve the bodies, but that which abides with
them in the matter and the form. It therefore cannot be
permanent unless it is of the nature of the other bodies,
viz. sol and Luna, that they may be made one. When you
see the water coagulate itself with the bodies that be
dissolved therein, be assured that your knowledge, way of
working and the work itself are true and philosophic, and
that you have done rightly according to Art. Thus you see
that nature has to be amended by its own like nature; that
is, gold and silver are to be exalted in our water, as our
also with these bodies; which water is called the medium
of the soul, without which nothing has to be done in this
art. It is a vegetable, mineral and animal fire (thus the
three kingdoms of the world being analogous and the
same thing) that conserves the fixed spirits of sol and
Luna, but destroys and conquers their bodies; for it
overturns, and changes bodies and metallic forms, making
them to be no bodies but a fixed spirit. And it turns them
into a humid substance, soft and fluid, which hath
ingression and power to enter into imperfect bodies. It

mixes with them in their smallest parts, tinges and makes
them perfect; which they could not do, while they
remained in their metallic forms or bodies that are dry and
hard, and therefore have no entrance into other things to
tinge and make perfect what was before imperfect. It is
necessary therefore to convert the bodies of metals into a
fluid substance; for that every tincture will tinge a thousand
times more in a soft and liquid substance, than when it is
in a dry one, as is plainly apparent in saffron.
Therefore the transmutation of imperfect metals is
impossible to be done by perfect bodies while they are dry
and hard; for which cause sake they must be brought back
into their first matter, which is soft and fluid.
It appears therefore that the moisture must be reverted
that the hidden treasure may be revealed. And this is
called the reincrudation of bodies, which is the decocting
and softening them, till they lose their hard and dry
substance or form; because that which is dry cannot enter
nor can tinge anything except its own body nor can it be
tinged except it be tinged already; because, as I said
before, a thick dry earthy matter does not penetrate nor
tinge, and therefore, because it cannot enter or penetrate,
it can make no alteration in the matter to be altered. For
this reason gold colours not, until its internal or hidden
spirit is drawn forth out of its bowels by this, our white
water, and that it may be made an altogether spiritual
substance, a white vapour, a white spirit, and a wonderful
soul. It behooves us therefore by this our water to
attenuate, alter and soften the perfect bodies, to wit sol

and Luna, that so they may be mixed with other perfect
bodies. If we had no other benefit by this our antimonial
water, than that it rendered bodies soft, more subtle, and
fluid, according to its own nature, it would be sufficient. But
more than that, it brings back bodies to their original of
sulphur and mercury, that of them we may afterwards in a
little time, in less than an hour's time, do that above
ground which nature was a thousand years doing
underground in the bowels of the earth, which is a work
almost miraculous. And therefore our ultimate, or highest
secret is, by this our water, to make bodies volatile,
spiritual, and a tincture, or tinging water, which may have
ingress or entrance into bodies, for it makes bodies to be
merely spirit, because it reduces hard and dry bodies, and
prepares them for fusion, melting and dissolving; that is, it
converts them into a permanent or fixed water. And so it
makes of bodies a most precious and desirable oil that is
the true tincture, and the permanent fixed white water, by
nature hot and moist, or rather temperate, subtle, fusible
as wax, which does penetrate, sink, tinge, and make
perfect the work. And this our water immediately dissolves
bodies (as sol and Luna) and makes them into an
incombustible oil, which then may be mixed with other
imperfect bodies. It also converts other bodies into the
nature of a fusible salt that the philosophers call "Sal
alebrot philosophorum." A salt more noble than any other
salt, being in its own nature fixed and not subject to vanish
in the fire. It is an oil indeed by nature hot, subtle,
penetrating, sinking through and entering into other
bodies, it is called the perfect or great elixir, and the
hidden secret of the wise searchers of nature. He

therefore that knows this salt of sol and Luna, and its
generation and perfection, and afterwards how to commix
it, and make it homogenous with other perfect bodies, he
in truth knows one of the greatest secrets of nature, and
the only way that leads to perfection. These bodies thus
dissolved by our water are called argent vive, which isn't
without its sulphur, nor sulphur without the fixedness of sol
and Luna; because sol and Luna are the particular means,
or medium in the form through which nature passes in the
perfecting or completing thereof. And this argent vive is
called our esteemed and valuable salt, being animated
and pregnant, and our fire, for it is nothing but fire; yet not
fire, but sulphur; and not sulphur only, but also quicksilver
drawn from sol and Luna by our water, and reduced to a
stone of great price. That is to say it is a matter or
substance of sol and Luna, or silver and gold, altered from
vileness to nobility. Now you must note that this white
sulphur is the father and mother of the metals; it is our
mercury, and the mineral of gold; also the soul, and the
ferment; yea, the mineral virtue, and the living body. That
is, our sulphur, and our quick silver; or sulphur of sulphur,
quicksilver of quicksilver, and mercury of mercury. The
property therefore of our water is, that it melts or dissolves
gold and silver, and increases their native tincture or color.
For it changes their bodies from being corporeal, into a
spirituality; and it is in this water which turns the bodies, or
corporeal substance into a white vapor, which is a soul
which is whiteness itself, subtle, hot and full of fire. This
water also called the tinging or blood-color-making stone,
being the virtue of the spiritual tincture, without which
nothing can be done; and is the subject of all things that

can be melted, and of liquefaction itself, which agrees
perfectly and unites closely with sol and Luna from which it
can never be separated. For it joins in affinity to the gold
and silver, but more immediately to the gold than to the
silver, which you are to take special notice of, is also
called the medium of conjoining the tinctures of sol and
Luna with the inferior or imperfect metals; for it turns the
bodies into the true tincture, to tinge the said imperfect
metals, also it is the water that whiteneth, as it is
whiteness itself, which quickeneth, as it is a soul; and
therefore as the philosopher saith, quickly entereth into its
body. For it is a living water which comes to moisten the
earth, that it may spring out, and in its due season bring
forth much fruit. For all things springing from the earth, are
endued through dew and moisture. The earth therefore
springs not forth without watering and moisture; it is the
water proceeding from May dew that cleanseth the body;
and like rain it penetrates them, and makes one body of
two bodies. This aqua vita or water of life, being rightly
ordered and disposed with the body, it whitens it, and
converts or changes it into its white color, for this water is
a white vapor, and therefore the body is whitened with it. It
behooves you therefore to whiten the body, and open its
unfoldings, for between these two, that is between the
body and the water, there is desire and friendship, like as
between male and female, because of the propinquity and
likeness of their natures. Now this our second and living
water is called "Azoth," the water washing the laton viz.
the body compounded of sol and Luna by our first water; it
is also called the soul of the dissolved bodies, which souls
we have even now tied together, for the use of the wise

philosopher. How precious then, and how great a thing is
this water; for without it, the work could never be done or
perfected; it is also called the "vase naturae", the belly, the
womb, the receptacle of the tincture, the earth, the nurse.
It is the royal fountain in which the king and queen bathe
themselves; and the mother must be put into and sealed
up within the belly of her infant. And that is sol himself,
who proceeded from her, and whom she brought forth;
and therefore they have loved one another as mother and
son, and are conjoined together, because they come from
one and the same root, and are of the same substance
and nature. And because this water is the water of the
vegetable life, it causes the dead body to vegetate,
increase and spring forth, and to rise from death to life, by
being dissolved first and then sublimed. And in doing this
the body is converted into a spirit, and the spirit afterwards
into a body; and then is made the amity, the peace, the
concord, and the union of contraries, to wit, between the
body and the spirit, which reciprocally, or mutually change
their natures which they receive, and communicate one to
another through their most minute parts, so that that which
is hot is mixed with that which is cold, the dry with the
moist, and the hard with the soft; by which means, there is
a mixture made of contrary natures, viz. of cold and hot,
and moist with dry, even most admirable unity between
enemies. Our dissolution then of bodies, which is made
such in this first water, is nothing else, but a destroying or
overcoming of the moist with the dry, for the moist is
coagulated with the dry. For the moisture is contained
under, terminated with, and coagulated in the dry body, to
wit, in that which is earthy.

Let therefore the hard and the dry bodies be put into our
first water in the vessel, which close well, and let them
there abide till they be dissolved, and ascend to the top.
They may then be called a new body, the white gold made
by art, the white stone, the white sulphur, not inflammable,
the paradisiacal stone, viz. the stone transmuting
imperfect metals into white silver. Then we have also the
body, soul and spirit altogether; of which spirit and soul it
is said, that they cannot be extracted from the perfect
bodies, but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving
water. Because it is certain that the things fixed cannot be
lifted up, or made to ascend, but by the conjunction or help
of that which is volatile. The spirit, therefore, by help of the
water and the soul, is drawn forth from the bodies
themselves, and the body is thereby made spiritual; for
that at the same instant of time, the spirit, with the soul of
the bodies, ascends on high to the superior part, which is
the perfection of the stone and is called sublimation. This
sublimation is made by things acid, spiritual, volatile, and
which are in their own nature sulphureous and viscous,
which dissolves bodies and makes them to ascend, and
be changed into air and spirit. And in this sublimation, a
certain part of our said first water ascends with the bodies,
joining itself with them, ascending and subliming into one
neutral and complex substance, which contains the nature
of the two, viz., the nature of the two bodies and the water.
And therefore it is called the corporeal and spiritual
Compositum, corjufle, cambar, ethelia, zandarith, duenech
the good. Properly it is called the permanent or fixed water
only, because it flies not in the fire. But it perpetually

adheres to the commixed or compound bodies, that's, the
sol and luna, and communicates to them the living
tincture, incombustible and most fixed, much more noble
and precious than the former which these bodies had.
Because from henceforth this tincture runs like oil, running
through and penetrating bodies, and giving to them its
wonderful fixity; this tincture is the spirit, and the spirit is
the soul, and the soul is the body. For in this operation, the
body is made a spirit of a most subtle nature; and again,
the spirit is corporative and changed into the nature of the
body, with the bodies, whereby our stone consists of a
body, a soul, and a spirit. O God, how through nature,
doth thou change a body into a spirit: which could not be
done, if the spirit were not incorporated with the bodies,
and the bodies made volatile with the spirit, and
afterwards permanent and fixed.
For this cause sake, they have passed over into one
another, and by the influence of wisdom, are converted
into one another. Oh Wisdom: how thou makest the most
fixed gold to be volatile and fugitive, yeah, though by
nature it is the most fixed of all things in the world. It is
necessary therefore, to dissolve and liquefy these bodies
by our water, and to make them a permanent or fixed
water, a pure, golden water leaving in the bottom the
gross, earthy, superfluous and dry matter. And in this
subliming, making thin and pure, the fire ought to be
gentle; but if in this subliming with soft fire, the bodies be
not purified, and the gross and earthy parts thereof be not
separated from the impurities of the dead, you shall not be
able to perfect the work. For thou needest nothing but the

thin and subtile part of the dissolved bodies, which our
water will give thee, if thou proceedest with a slow or
gentle fire, by separating the things heterogene from the
things homogene. This compositum then has its
mundification or cleaning, by our moist fire, which by
dissolving and subliming that which is pure and white, it
cast forth its feces or filth like a voluntary vomit, for in such
a dissolution and natural sublimation or lifting up, there is
a loosening or untying of the elements, and a cleansing
and separating of the pure from the impure so that the
pure and white substance ascends upwards and the
impure and earthy remains fixed in the bottom of the water
and vessel. This must be taken away and removed,
because it is of no value, taking only the middle white
substance, flowing and melted or dissolved, rejecting the
feculent earth, which remains below in the bottom. These
feces were separated partly by the water, and are the
dross and terra damnata, which is of no value, nor can do
any such service as the clear, white, pure and clear
matter, which is wholly and only to be taken and made use
of. And against this capharean rock, the ship of
knowledge, or art of the young philosopher is often, as it
happened also to me sometimes, dashed together in
pieces, or destroyed, because the philosophers for the
most part speak by the contraries. That is to say that
nothing must be removed or taken away, except the
moisture, which is the blackness which they speak and
write only to the unwary; who without a master,
unrelenting reading, or humble supplications to God
Almighty, would ravish away the golden fleece. It is
therefore to be observed, that this separation, division,

and sublimation, is without a doubt the key to the whole
work. After the putrefaction, then, and dissolution of these
bodies, our bodies also ascend to the top, even to the
surface of the dissolving water, in a whiteness of color,
which whiteness is life. And in this whiteness, the
antimonial and mercurial soul, is by natural compact
infused into, and joined with the spirits of sol and Luna,
which separate the pure from the impure. That is, by lifting
up, by little and little, the part of the body, from the feces
and impurity, until all the pure parts are separated and
ascended. And in this work is out natural and philosophical
sublimation work completed. Now in this whiteness is the
soul infused into the body, to wit, the mineral virtue, which
is more subtle than fire, being indeed the true
quintessence and life, which desires or hungers to be born
again, and to put off the defilements and be spoiled of its
gross and earthy feces, which it has taken from its
monstrous womb, and corrupt place of its original. And in
this our philosophical sublimation, not in the impure,
corrupt, vulgar mercury, which has no qualities or
properties like to those, with which our mercury, drawn
from its vitriolic caverns is adorned. But let us return to our
sublimation. It is most certain therefore in this art, that this
soul extracted from the bodies, cannot be made to
ascend, but by adding to it a volatile matter, which is of its
own kind. By which the bodies will be made volatile and
spiritual, lifting themselves up, subtilizing and subliming
themselves, contrary to their own proper nature, which is
corporeal, heavy and ponderous. And by this means they
are unbodied, or made no bodies, to wit, incorporeal, and
a quintessence of the nature of a spirit, which is called,

"avis hermetis", and "mercurius extractus", drawn from a
red subject or matter. And so the terrene or earthy parts
remain below, or rather the grosser parts of the bodies,
which can by no industry or ingenuity of man be brought to
a perfect dissolution. And this white vapor, this white gold,
to wit, this quintessence, is called also the compound
magnesia, which like a man does contain, or like a man is
composed of a body, soul and spirit. Now the body is the
fixed solar earth, exceeding the subtlest of matters, which
by the help of our divine water is with difficulty lifted up or
separated. The soul is the tincture of sol and Luna,
proceeding from the conjunction, or communication of
these two, to wit, the bodies of sol and Luna, and our
water, and the spirit is the mineral power, or virtue of the
bodies, and also out of the bodies like as the tinctures or
colors in dying cloth are by the water put upon, and
diffused in and through the cloth. And this mercurial spirit
is the chain or band of the solar soul; and the solar body is
that body which contains the spirit and soul, having the
power of fixing in itself, being joinedwith Luna. The spirit
therefore penetrates, the body fixes, and the soul joins
together, tinges and whitens. From these three bodies
united together is our stone made: to wit, sol, Luna and
mercury. Therefore with this our golden water, a natural
substance is extracted, exceeding all natural substances.
And so, except the bodies be broken and destroyed,
imbibed, made subtle and fine, thriftily, and diligently
managed, till they are abstracted from, or lose their
grossness or solid substance, and be changed into a
subtle spirit, all our labor will be in vain. And unless the

bodies be made no bodies or incorporeal, that is
converted into the philosophers mercury, there is no rule
of art yet found out to work by. The reason is, because it is
impossible to draw out of the bodies all that most thin and
subtle spirit, which has in itself the tincture, except it first
be resolved in our water. Dissolve then the bodies in this
our golden water, and boil them until all the tincture is
brought forth by the water, in a white color and a white oil;
and when you see this whiteness upon the water, then
know that the bodies are melted, liquefied or dissolved.
Continue then this boiling, till the dark, black, and white
cloud is brought forth, which they have conceived. Put
therefore the perfect bodies of metals, to wit, sol and
Luna, into our water in a vessel, hermetically sealed, upon
a gentle fire, and digest continually, till they are perfectly
resolved into a most precious oil. Saith Adfar, digest with a
gentle fire, as it were for the hatching of chickens, so long
till the bodies are dissolved, and their perfectly conjoined
tincture is extracted, mark this well. But it is not extracted
all at once, but it is drawn-out by little and little, day by
day, and hour-by-hour, till after a long time, the solution is
completed, and that which is dissolved always swims atop.
And while this dissolution is in hand, let the fire be gentle
and continual, till the bodies are dissolved into a viscous
and most subtle water, and the whole tincture be educed,
in color first black, which is the sign of a true dissolution.
Then continue the digestion, till it become a white fixed
water, for being digested in balneo, it will afterwards
become clear, and in the end become like common argent
vive, ascending by the spirit above the first water. When
there you see bodies dissolved in the first viscous water,

know then, that they are turned into a vapor, and the soul
is separated from the dead body, and by sublimation,
turned into the order of spirits. Whence both of them, with
a part of our water, are made spirits flying up in the air;
and there the compounded body, made of the male and
female, viz. of sol and Luna, and of that most subtle
nature, cleansed by sublimation, teeth life, and is made
spiritual by its own humidity. That is by its own water; like
the air sustains a man, whereby from thenceforth it is
multiplied, and increases in its own kind, as do all other
things.
In such an ascension therefore, and philosophical
sublimation, all are joined one with another, and the new
body subtilized, or made living by the spirit, miraculously
liveth or springs like a vegetable. Wherefore, unless the
bodies be attenuated, or made thin, by the fire and water,
till they ascend in a spirit, and are made or do become like
water and vapor or mercury, you labor wholly in vain. But
when they arise or ascend, they are born or brought forth
in the air or spirit, and in the same they are changed, and
made life with life, so as they can never be separated, but
are as water mixed with water. And therefore, it is wisely
said, that the stone is born of the spirit, because it is
altogether spiritual. For the vulture himself flying without
wings cries upon the top of the mountain, saying, I am the
white brought forth from the black, and the red brought
forth from the white, the citrine son of the red; I speak the
truth and lie not. It sufficeth thee then to put the bodies in
the vessel, and into the water once and for all, and to
close the vessel well, until a true separation is made. This

the obscure artist calls conjunction, sublimation, assation,
extraction, putrefaction, ligation, desponsation,
subtilization, generation. Now the whole magistry may be
perfected, work, as in the generation of man, and of every
vegetable; put the seed once into the womb, and shut it up
well.
Thus you may see that you need not many things, and
that this our work requires no great charges, for that there
is but one stone, there is but one medicine, one vessel,
one order of working, and one successive disposition to
the white and to the red. And although we say in many
places, take this, and take that, yet we understand, that it
behooves us to take but one thing, and put it once into the
vessel, until the work be perfected. But these things are so
set down by obscure philosophers to deceive the unwary,
as we have before spoken; for is not this "ars cabalistica"
or a secret and a hidden art? And believest thou O fool
that we plainly teach this secret of secrets, taking our
words according to their literal signification? Truly, I tell
thee, that as for myself, I am no ways self seeking, or
envious as others are; but he that takes the words of the
other philosophers according to their common
signification, he even already, having lost Ariadne's clue of
thread, wanders in the midst of the labyrinth, multiplies
errors, and casts away his money for naught. And I,
Artephius, after I became an adept, and had attained to
the true and complete wisdom, by studying the books of
the most faithful Hermes, the speaker of truth, was
sometimes obscure also as others were. But when I had
for the space of a thousand years, or thereabouts, which

has now passed over my head, since the time I was born
to this day, through the alone goodness of God by the use
of this wonderful quintessence. When I say for so very
long a time, I found no man had found out or obtained this
hermetic secret, because of the obscurity of the
philosophers words. Being moved with a generous mind,
and the integrity of a good man, I have determined in
these latter days of my life, to declare all things truly and
sincerely, that you may not want anything for the
perfecting of this stone of the philosophers. Excepting one
certain thing, which is not lawful for me to discover to any,
because it is either revealed or made known by God
himself, or taught by some master, which he that can bend
himself to the search thereof, by the help of a little
experience, may easily learn in this book. In this book I
have therefore written the naked truth, though clothed or
disguised with few colors; yet so that every good and wise
man may happily have those desirable apples of the
Hesperides from this our philosophers tree. Wherefore
praises be given to the most high God, who has poured
into our soul of his goodness; and through a good old age,
even an almost infinite number of years, has truly filled our
hearts with his love, in which, methinks, I embrace,
cherish, and truly love all mankind together.
But to return to out business: Truly our work is perfectly
performed; for that which the heat of sun is a hundred
years in doing, for the generation of one metal in the
bowels of the earth; our secret fire, that is, our fiery and
sulphureous water, which is called Balneum Mariae, doth
as I have often seen in a very short time. Now this

operation or work is a thing of no great labor to him who
knows and understands it; nor is the matter so dear,
considering how small a quantity does suffice, that it may
cause any man to withdraw his hand from it. It is indeed, a
work so short and easy, that it may well be called woman's
work, and the play of children. Go to it then, put up thy
supplications to God. Be diligent in searching the books of
the learned in this science; for one book openeth another;
think and meditate of these things profoundly. Avoid all
things which vanish in or will not endure the fire, because
from these adjustable, perishing or consuming things, you
can never attain to the perfect matter, which is only found
in the digesting of your water, extracted from sol and luna.
For by this water, color, and ponderosity or weight, are
infinitely given to the matter; and this water is a white
vapor, which like a soul flows through the perfect bodies,
taking wholly from them their blackness, and impurities,
uniting the two bodies in one, and increasing their water.
Nor is there any other thing than Azoth, to wit, this our
water, which can take from the perfect bodies of sol and
luna, their natural color, making the red body white,
according to the disposition thereof. Now let us speak of
the fire. Our fire is mineral, equal, continuous; it fumes not,
unless it be too much stirred up, participates of sulphur,
and mistaken from other things than from the matter; it
overturns all things, dissolves, congeals, and calcines, and
is to be found out by art, or after an artificial manner. It is a
compendious thing, got without cost or charge, or at least
without any great purchase; it is humid, vaporous,
digestive, altering, penetrating, subtle, spiritous, not
violent, incombustible, circumspective, continent, and one

only thing. It is also a fountain of living water, which
circumvolveth and contains the place, in which the king
and queen bathe themselves; through the whole work this
moist fire is sufficient; in the beginning, middle and end,
because in it, the whole of the art does consist. This is the
natural fire, which is yet against nature, not natural and
which burns not; lastly, this fire is hot, cold, dry, moist;
meditate on these things and proceed directly without
anything of a foreign nature. If you understand not these
fires, give ear to what I have yet to say, never as yet
written in any book, but drawn from the more abstruse and
occult riddles of the ancients.
We have properly three fires, without which our art cannot
be perfected; and whosoever works without them takes a
great deal of labor in vain. The first fire is that of the lamp,
which is continuous, humid, vaporous, spiritous, and found
out by art. This lamp ought to be proportioned to the
enclosure; wherein you must use great judgement, which
none can attain to, but he that can bend to the search
thereof. For if this fire of the lamp be not measured, or
duly proportioned or fitted to the furnace, it will be, that
either for the want of heat you will not see the expected
signs, in their limited times, whereby you will lose your
hopes and expectation by a too long delay; or else, by
reason of too much heat, you will burn the "flores auri", the
golden flowers, and so foolishly bewail your lost expense.
The second fire is ignis cinerum, an ash heat, in which the
vessel hermetically sealed is recluded, or buried; or rather
it is that most sweet and gentle heat, which proceeding
from the temperate vapors of the lamp, does equally

surround your vessel. This fire is not violent or forcing,
except it be too much excited or stirred up; it is a fire
digestive; alterative, and taken from another body than the
matter; being but one only, moist also, and not natural.
The third fire, is the natural fire of water, which is also
called the fire against nature, because it is water; and yet
nevertheless, it makes a mere spirit of gold, which
common fire is not able to do. This fire is mineral, equal,
and participates of sulphur; it overturns or destroys,
congeals, dissolves, and calcines; it is penetrating, subtle,
incombustible and not burning, and is the fountain of living
water, wherein the king and queen bathe themselves,
whose help we stand in need of through the whole work,
through the beginning, middle, and end. But the other two
above mentioned, we have not always occasion for, but
only at sometimes. In reading therefore the books of the
philosophers, conjoin these three fires in your judgment,
and without doubt, you will understand whatever they have
written of them. Now as to the colors, that which does not
make black cannot make white, because blackness is the
beginning of whiteness, and a sign of putrefaction and
alteration, and that the body is now penetrated and
mortified. From the putrefaction therefore in this water,
there first appears blackness, like unto broth wherein
some bloody thing is boiled. Secondly, the black earth by
continual digestion is whitened, because the soul of the
two bodies swims above upon the water, like white cream;
and in this only whiteness, all the spirits are so united, that
they can never fly one from another. And therefore the
laton must be whitened, and its leaves unfolded, i.e., its
body broken or opened, lest we labor in vain; for this

whiteness is the perfect stone for the white work, and a
body ennobled to that end. It is a tincture of a most
exuberant glory, and shining brightness, which never
departs from the body it is once joined with. Therefore you
must note here, that the spirits are not fixed but in the
white color, which is nobler than the other colors, and is
more vehemently to be desired, for that as it were the
complement or perfection of the whole work. For our earth
putrefies and becomes black, then it is putrefied in lifting
up or separation; afterwards being dried, its blackness
goes away from it, and then it is whitened, and the
feminine dominion of the darkness and humidity perishes;
then also the white vapor penetrates through the new
body, and the spirits are bound up or fixed in the dryness.
And that which is corrupting, deformed and black through
the moisture, vanishes away; so the new body rises again
clear, pure, white and immortal, obtaining the victory over
all its enemies. And as heat working upon that which is
moist, causeth or generates blackness, which is the prime
or first color, so always by decoction more and more heat
working upon that which is dry begets whiteness, which is
the second color; and then working upon that which is
purely and perfectly dry, it produces citrinity and redness,
thus much for colors. We must know therefore, that thing
which has its head red and white, but its feet white and
afterwards red; and its eyes beforehand black, that this
thing, I say, is the only matter of our magistery. Dissolve
then sol and luna in our dissolving water, which is familiar
and friendly, and next in nature to them; and is also sweet
and pleasant to them, and as it were a womb, a mother,
an original, the beginning and the end of their life. That is

the reason why they are meliorated or amended in this
water, because like nature, rejoices in like nature, and like
nature retains like nature, being joined the one to the
other, in a true marriage, by which they are made one
nature, one new body, raised again from the dead, and
immortal. Thus it behooves you to join consanguinity, or
sameness of kind, by which these natures, will meet and
follow one another, purify themselves and generate, and
make one another rejoice; for that like nature now is
disposed by like nature, even that which is nearest, and
most friendly to it. Our water then is the most beautiful,
lovely, and clear fountain, prepared only for the king, and
queen whom it knows very well, and they it. For it attracts
them to itself, and they abide therein for two or three days,
to wit, two or three months, to wash themselves therewith,
whereby they are made young again and beautiful. And
because sol and luna have their original from this water
their mother; it is necessary therefore that they enter into it
again, to wit, into their mothers womb, that they may be
regenerated and born again, and made more healthy,
more noble and more strong.
If therefore these do not die and be converted to water,
they remain alone or as they were and without fruit; but if
they die, and are resolved in our water, they bring forth
fruit of a hundred fold; and from that very place in which
they seem to perish, from thence shall they appear to be
that which they were not before. Let therefore the spirit of
our living water be, with all care and industry, fixed with sol
and luna; for they being converted into the nature of water
become dead, and appear like to the dead; from thence

afterwards being revived, they increase and multiply, even
as do all sorts of vegetable substances; it suffices then to
dispose the matter sufficiently without, because that
within, it sufficiently disposes itself for the perfection of its
work. For it has in itself a certain and inherent motion,
according to the true way and method, and a much better
order than it is possible for any man to invent or think of.
For this cause it is that you need only prepare the matter,
nature herself will perfect it; and if she be not hindered by
some contrary thing, she will not overpass her own certain
motion, neither in conceiving or generating, nor in bringing
forth. Wherefore, after the preparation of the matter,
beware only lest by too much heat or fire, you inflame the
bath, or make it too hot. Secondly, take heed lest the spirit
should exhale, lest it hurt the operator, to wit, lest it
destroy the work, and induce many informities, as trouble,
sadness, vexation, and discontent. From these things
which have been spoken, this axiom is manifest, to wit,
that he can never know the necessary course of nature, in
the making or generating of metals, who is ignorant of the
way of destroying them. You must therefore join them
together that are of one consanguinity or kindred; for like
natures do find out and join with their like natures, and by
putrefying themselves, and mix together and mortify
themselves. It is needful therefore to know this corruption
and generation, and the natures themselves do embrace
one another, and are brought to a fixity in a slow and
gentle fire; how like natures rejoices with like natures; and
how they retain one another and are converted into a
white consistency. This white substance, if you will make it
red, you must continually decoct it in a dry fire till it be

rubified, or become red a blood, which is nothing but
water, fire, and true tincture. And so by a continual dry fire,
the whiteness is changed, removed, perfected, made
citrine, and still digested till it become to a true red and
fixed color. And consequently by how much more it is
heightened in color, and made a true tincture of perfect
redness. Wherefore with a dry fire, and a dry calcination,
without any moisture, you must decoct this compositum,
till it is invested with a most perfect red color, and then it
will be the true and perfect elixir. Now if afterwards you
would multiply your tincture, you must again resolve that
red, in new and fresh dissolving water, and then by
decoctions first whiten, and then rubify it again, by the
degrees of fire, reiterating the first method of operating in
this work. Dissolve, coagulate, and reiterate the closing
up, the opening and multiplying in quantity and quality at
your own pleasure. For by a new corruption and
generation, there is introduced a new motion. Thus we can
never find an end if we do always work by reiterating the
same thing over and over again, viz. by solution and
coagulation, by the help of our dissolving water, by which
we dissolve and congeal, as we have formerly said, in the
beginning of the work. Thus also is the virtue thereof
increased, and multiplied both in quantity and quality; so
that if after the first course of the operation you obtain a
hundred fold; by the second fold you will have a thousand
fold; and by the third; ten thousand fold increase. And by
pursuing your work, your projection will come to infinity,
tinging truly and perfectly, and fixing the greatest quantity
how much so ever. Thus by a thing of small and easy
price, you have both color, goodness, and weight.

Our fire then and azoth are sufficient for you: decoct,
reiterate, dissolve, congeal, and continue this course,
according as you please, multiplying it as you think good,
until your medicine is made fusible as wax, and has
attained the quantity and goodness or fixity and color you
desire. This then is the compleating of the whole work of
our second stone (observe it well) that you take the perfect
body, and put it into our water in a glass vesica or body
well closed, lest the air get in or the enclosed humidity get
out. Keep it in digestion in a gentle heat, as it were of a
balneum, and assiduously continue the operation or work
upon the fire, till the decoction and digestion is perfect.
And keep it in this digestion of a gentle heat, until it be
purified and resolved into blackness, and be drawn up and
sublimed by the water, and is thereby cleaned from all
blackness and impurity, that it may be white and subtle.
Until it comes to the ultimate or highest purity of
sublimation, and utmost volatility, and be made white both
within and without: for the vulture flying in the air without
wings, cries out that it might get up upon the mountain,
that is upon the waters, upon which the "spiritus albus" or
spirit of whiteness is born. Continue still a fitting fire, and
that spirit, which is the subtle being of the body, and of the
mercury will ascend upon the top of the water, which
quintessence is more white than the driven snow.
Continue yet still, and towards the end, increase the fire,
till the whole spiritual substance ascends to the top. And
know well, that whatsoever is clear, white, pure and
spiritual, ascends in the air to the top of the water in the
substance of a white vapor, which the philosophers call

their virgin milk. It ought to be, therefore, as one of the
Sybills said, that the son of the virgin be exalted from the
earth, and that the white quintessence after its rising out of
the dead earth, be raised up towards heaven; the gross
and thick remaining in the bottom, of the vessel and the
water. Afterwards, you will find in the bottom the black
feces, scorched and burnt, which separate from the spirit
and quintessence of whiteness, and cast them away. Then
will the argent vive fall down from our air and spirit, upon
the new earth, which is called argent vive sublimed by the
air or spirit, whereof is made a viscous water, pure and
white. This water is the true tincture separated from all its
black feces, and our brass or latten is prepared with our
water, purified and brought to a white color, which white
color is not obtained but by decoction and coagulation of
the water.
Decoct, therefore, continually; wash away the blackness
from the latten, not with your hands, but with the stone, or
the fire, or our second mercurial water, which is the true
tincture. This separation of the pure from the impure is not
done with hands, but nature herself does it, and brings it to
perfection by a circular operation. It appears then, that this
composition is not a work of hands, but a change of the
natures; because nature dissolves and joins itself,
sublimes and lifts itself up, and grows white, being
separated from the feces. And in such a sublimation the
more subtle, pure, and essential parts are conjoined; for
that with the fiery nature or property lifts up the subtle
parts, it separates always the more pure, leaving the
grosser at the bottom. Wherefore your fire ought to be

gentle and a continual vapor, with which you sublime, that
the matter may be filled with spirit from the air, and live.
For naturally all things take life from the inbreathing of the
air; and so also our magistry receives in the vapor or spirit,
by the sublimation of the water. Our brass or latten then, is
to be made to ascend by the degrees of fire, but of its own
accord, freely, and without violence; except the body
therefore be by the fire and water broken, or dissolved,
and attenuated, until it ascends as a spirit, or climbs like
argent vive, or rather as the white soul, separated from the
body, and by sublimation diluted or brought into a spirit,
nothing is or can be done. But when it ascends on high, it
is born in the air or spirit, and is changed into spirit; and
becomes life with life, being only spiritual and
incorruptible. And by such an operation it is that the body
is made spirit, of a subtle nature, and the spirit is
incorporated with the body, and made one with it; and by
such a sublimation, conjunction, and raising up, the whole,
both body and spirit are made white. This philosophical
and natural sublimation therefore is necessary which
makes peace between, or fixes the body and spirit, which
is impossible to be done otherwise, than in the separation
of these parts. Therefore it behooves you to sublime both,
that the pure may ascend, and the impure may descend,
or be left at the bottom, in the perplexity of a troubled sea.
And for this reason it must be continually decocted, that it
may be brought to a subtle property, and the body may
assume, and draw to itself the white mercurial soul, which
it naturally holds, and suffers not to be separated from it,
because it is like to it in the nearness of the first pure and
simple nature. From these things it is necessary, to make

a separation by decoction, till no more remains of the
purity of the soul, which is not ascended and exalted to the
higher part, whereby they will both be reduced to an
equality of properties, and a simple pure whiteness. The
vulture flying through the air, and the toad creeping upon
the ground, are the emblems of our magistry.
When therefore gently and with much care, you separate
the earth from the water, that is from the fire, and the thin
from the thick, then that which is pure will separate itself
from the earth, and ascend to the upper part, as it were
into heaven, and the impure will descend beneath, as to
the earth. And the more subtile part in the superior place
will take upon it the nature of a spirit, and that in the lower
place, the nature of an earthy body. Wherefore, let the
white property with the more subtle part of the body, be by
this operation, made to ascend leaving the feces behind,
which is done in a short time. For the soul is aided by her
associate and fellow, and perfected by it. My mother, saith
the body, has begotten me, and by me she herself is
begotten; now after I have taken from her, her flying she
after an admirable manner becomes kind and nourishing,
and cherishing the son whom she has begotten till he
come to a ripe or perfect age. Hear now this secret: keep
the body in our mercurial water, till it ascends with the
white soul, and the earthy part descends to the bottom,
which is called the residing earth. Then you shall see the
water coagulate itself with the body, and be assured the
art is true because the body coagulates the moisture into
dryness, like as the rennet of a lamb or calf turns milk into
cheese. In the same manner the spirit penetrates the

body, and is perfectly commixed with it in its smallest
atoms, and the body draws to itself his moisture, to wit, its
white soul, like as the loadstone draws iron. This is
because of the nearness and likeness of its nature; and
then one contains the other. And this is the sublimation
and coagulation, which retaineth every volatile thing,
making it fixed forever. This compositum then is not a
mechanical thing, or a work of the hands, but as I said, a
changing of natures; and a wonderful connection of their
cold with hot, and the moist with the dry; the hot is mixed
with the cold, and the dry with the moist: By this means is
made the mixture and conjunction of body and spirit,
which is called a conversion of contrary spirits and
natures, because by such a dissolution and sublimation,
the spirit is converted into a body and body in a spirit. So
that the natures being mixed together, and reduced into
one, do change one another: and as the body corporifies
the spirit, or changes it into a body, so also does the spirit
convert the body into a tinging and white spirit. Wherefore
as the last time I say, decoct the body in our white water,
viz. mercury, till it is dissolved into blackness, and then by
continual decoction, let it be deprived of the same
blackness, and the body so dissolved, will at length
ascend or rise with a white soul. And then the one will be
mixed with the other, and so embrace one another that it
shall not be possible any more to separate them, but the
spirit, with a real agreement, will be unified with the body,
and make one permanent or fixed substance. And this is
the solution of the body, and coagulation of the spirit,
which have one and the same operation. Who therefore
knows how to conjoin the principles, or direct the work, to

impregnate, to mortify, to putrefy, to generate, to quicken
the species, to make white, to cleanse the culture from its
blackness and darkness, till he is purged by the fire and
tinged, and purified from all his spots, shall be the
possessor of a treasure so great that even kings
themselves shall venerate him. Wherefore, let our body
remain in the water till it is dissolved into a subtle powder
in the bottom of the vessel and the water, which is called
the black ashes; this is the corruption of the body which is
called by the philosophers or wise men, "Saturnus
plumbum philosophorum", and pulvis discontinuatus, viz.
saturn, latten or brass, the lead of the philosophers the
disguised powder. And in this putrefaction and resolution
of the body, three signs appear, viz., a black color, a
discontinuity of parts, and a stinking smell, not much
unlike to the smell of a vault where dead bodies are
buried.
These ashes then are those of which the philosophers
have spoken so much which remained in the lower part of
the vessel, which we ought not to undervalue or despise;
in them is the royal diadem, and the black and unclean
argent vive, which ought to be cleansed from its
blackness, by a continual digestion in our water, till it be
elevated above in a white color, which is called the
gander, and the bird of Hermes. Therefore he who maketh
the red earth black, and then renders it white, has
obtained the magistry; he who kills the living, and revives
the dead. Therefore make the black white, and the white
black, and you perfect the work. And when you see the
true whiteness appear, which shineth like a bright sword,

or polished silver, know that in that whiteness there is
redness hidden. But then beware that you take not that
whiteness out of the vessel, but only digest it to the end,
that with heat and dryness, it may assume a citron color,
and a most beautiful redness. Which when you see,
render praises and thanksgiving to the most great and
good God, who gives wisdom and riches to whomsoever
He pleases, and takes them away according to the
wickedness of a person. To Him, I say, the most wise and
almighty God, be glory for ages and ages Amen.
The Sophic Fire
I, John Pontanus, who have travelled into various realms
and domains on my quest to know of a certainty what is
the Philosophers Stone, journeying through all parts of the
world, found but false Philosophers and deceivers.
Studying still, none the less, in the books of the Wise, and
my doubts increasing, I discovered the truth: and yet,
notwithstanding I had knowledge of the material, I erred
two hundred times before finding the operation and
practice of that true material. I commenced first my
operations with putrefactions of the Body of this material
over a period of nine months but this came to naught. I
placed it in the bain-made for lengthy periods, erring just
the same. I took and placed it in the calcinating fire for
three months and proceeded awry. All sorts and kinds of
distillation and sublimation spoken of, or apparently
spoken of by the Philosophers - Geber, Archelaus, and

almost any other - have I attempted and tried, and found
equally nothing. In brief, I tried to come at and perfect in
every way conceivable the subject of all the Art of
Alchemy, be this by manure, bathing, ashes, or the
thousand other sorts of fife mentioned by the Philosophers
in their works, but nothing did I discover of worth. It was
for this reason that I set myself to study the books of the
Philosophers for three years continual, studying among
others those of Hermes, whose brief words contain the
whole magistry of the Stone; though he speaks quite
obscurely of things above and below, of Heaven and of
the Earth. All one's application and care must then be only
to know the correct practice in the first, second and third
Works. It is not at all the fire of the bath, dung or ashes,
nor any of the other fires of which the Philosophers sing or
describe for us in their books. What, then is this fire which
perfects and achieves the entire Work, from beginning to
end? Certainly all Philosophers have hidden it; but for
myself, touched by a moment of pity, I would declare it
and the achievement of the whole Work. The
Philosophersone is unique, and one, but hidden and veiled
in a multiplicity of different names, and before knowing it
you will have seen much struggle: only with difficulty will
you come to know it by your own genius. It is watery, airy,
fiery and earthy, phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine and
melancholy. It is a sulphur and equally Quick Silver. It has
several superfluities which I assure you by the living God,
transform themselves into one unique Essence, if only
there be our fire. And whoever - believing such to be
necessary - would subtract anything from the subject,
knows of a certainty nothing of Philosophy. For the

superfluous, unclean, foul, scurvy, miry and, in general,
entire substance of the subject, is perfected into one fixed
spiritual body, by means of our fire. Which has never been
revealed by the Wise, thus making it that but few succeed
in this Art; imagining that some foul and unworthy thing
must be separated out. Now must one make appear, and
draw out the properties of our fire; if it agree with our
material in the way of which I have spoken, that is to say,
if it be transmuted with the material. This fire burns the
material not at all, nor separates anything from it, nor
divides nor puts apart the parts pure and impure, as is told
by all Philosophers, but converts the whole subject into
purity. It does not sublime as Geber or Arnold and all
others who have spoken of sublimation and distillation
sublime. And it makes and perfects itself in little time. This
fire is mineral, equal and continual, and never evaporates
unless over excited; it has certain of the characteristics of
sulphur, is taken and originates elsewhere than in the
material. It ruptures, dissolves, and congeals all things,
and similarly congeals and calcinates; it is difficult to fmd
by industry or by Art. This fire is the epitome and
abridgement of the Work in its entirety, taking no other
thing else, or very little, and this same fire introduces itself
and is of mediocre heat; for with this little fire the whole
Work is perfect, and all due and necessary sublimation
achieved together. Those who read Geber and all other
Philosophers shall never come to an understanding of it
though they live one hundred million years; for this fire
may not be discovered but by the sole and profound
meditation of the mind, following which one will
understand the books, and not otherwise. Error in this Art,

consists only in the acquisition of this fire, which converts
the material into the Stone of the Wise. Study, then, this
fire, for had I myself found it at the first, I should not have
erred two hundred times upon the veritable material. By
which am I no longer surprised if so many come not to the
accomplishment of the Work. They err, have erred and will
ever err, in that the Philosophers have placed their
veritable agent in but one, single thing, which Artephius
named, but speaking only for himself. Had I not read
Artephius, nor penetrated and understood, never would I
have arrived at the accomplishment of the Work. Here,
then, the practice: take the material with all dilligence,
grind and pulverise it physically and place it in the fire, that
is within the oven; but the degree and proportion of the fire
must also be known. To wit, that the external fire excite
only the material; and in a little time this fire, without that
one put a hand to it in any manner, will assuredly realise
the Work in its entirety. For it will purify, corrupt, engender
and bring to perfection the whole work, making appear the
three principal colours, the black, white and red. And by
our fire the medicine will multiply, not only in quantity but
also in virtue, if joined with the material in its raw state.
Search, therefore, this fire with all strength of your mind,
and you shall reach the goal you have set yourself; for it is
this that brings to completion all the stages of the Work,
and is the key of all the Philosophers, which they have
never revealed in their books. If you think well and deep
upon this above-mentioned fire, you will know it. Not
otherwise. Thus, moved by a moment of pity, I have
written this; but, and that I satisfy myself, as I made
mention above, the fire is in no wise transmuted with the

material. I wished to speak this and to warn well the
prudent concerning these things, that they spend not in
vain their money, but know in advance what it is that they
seek and, by this means, arrive at the truth of the Art; not
otherwise. God keep thee.
The mineral Fire; and the Great Elixir,
known as
The Philosophers Stone.
I John Pontanus have traveled over many regions, that I
might learn something that was certain concerning the
philosopher's stone and, compassing almost the whole
world, met with none but impostors, false deceivers, and
no philosophers: But studying always, doubting much, and
casting every way, at length I found the truth: But when I
knew the matter, I erred two hundred times before I found
the true matter, with the operation, and practice upon it.
First, I fell to putrefy the matter nine months together, and
found nothing: I put it in St. Mary's Bath for a certain time,
and erred in that, as before. Then for three months I put it
to a fire of Calcination, and wrought amiss: all manner of
Distillations, and Sublimations, such as the Philosophers,
as Geber, Archelaus, and almost all the rest, say, or seem
to say, should be used. I practiced and found nothing still.
Then again I tried to perfect the subject of the whole
alchymical art, all the ways that can be imagined; by
baths, by dungs, by ashes, and a multiplicity of other fires,
which are yet found in the philosophers books; and yet for
all that I found no good. Wherefore, for three years
continued, I studied the philosophers books, but chiefly the
works of Hermes alone, whose shorter words comprehend

the whole stone. Although he speaks obscurely of the
Superior, and Inferior, of the Heaven, and of the Earth.
The first instrument therefore that brings the matter to its
Esse in the first, second and third work, is not the fire of
the bath, nor of dung, nor ashes, nor of the other heats
which the philosophers have in their books. What
therefore is that fire that perfects thewhole work from the
beginning to the end? Certainly the philosophers have
always concealed it; but I being moved with piety, and
kindness to men, will declare it to you, together with the
complement of the whole work. It is then the philosophers
stone, but is called by various names, and thou shalt find it
hard to know: For it is watery, airy, fiery and earthy.
Phlegmatic, choleric and melancholy. It is sulphureous,
and is likewise argent vive: and has many superfluities in
it: all which, by the living God, are turned into a true
essence, our fire mediating: And he that separates any
thing from the subject thinking that necessary, knows
nothing in philosophy; because whatever is superfluous,
unclean, foul or feculent, finally the whole substance of the
subject is perfected to a spiritual body fixed, by mediation
of our fire. And this the philosophers never revealed, and
therefore few come at the art, thinking there is some such
superfluous nature to be removed. And now we are to
draw out the properties of our fire, and try, whether
according to the manner that I have said, it be so fitted to
our matter, that it may be transmuted by it, since that fire
burns not the matter, separates nothing from it, parts not
the pure from the impure (as all philosophers say) but
turns the whole subject to purity: It does not sublime as
Geber make his sublimations and as Arnoldus, and others

speaking of sublimation and distillation, such as are
perfected in a short time. It is mineral, it is equal, it is
continual, it vapours not away unless it be stirred up too
much; it also partakes of sulphur, and is taken from
somewhere else that from the matter; it pulls down all,
dissolves and congeals, and calcines: the invention of it is
artificial: it is a compendium without cost, or with very little;
and that fire is of a moderate ignition, because with a
remiss fire the whole work is perfected, and all the right
sublimations made. Whosoever should read Geber, and
all the rest, if they should live an hundred thousand years,
would not be able to comprehend it, because that fire is
found only by profound imagination; and then it may be
comprehended in the books, and not before. The error
therefore of this art, is, not to find the Fire, which turns the
whole matter into the true Stone of the Philosophers. Take
it then for thy study; for if I had found this fire at first, I had
not erred two hundred times in my practice upon the
matter: wherefore I wonder not, that so many, and great
wits, have not come at the work. They err, have erred, and
will err still, because the Philosophers have not set down
the proper agent; one only excepted, Artephius by name,
but he speaks for himself; and if I had not read Artephius
and heard him what he said, I had never attained the
perfect work. But this is the practice. Take it, bruise it, and
bring it down diligently by natural contrition, and put it to
the fire, and know the proportion of your fire, namely that it
is to be no stronger than only to excite the matter, and in a
short time even that fire without any opposition of hands,
will certainly complete the whole work. For it will putrefy,
corrupt, generate, and perfect, and make it to appear in

their times the three principal colours, black, white and
red. And by mediation of our fire, the medicine will be
multiplied if it be joined with crude matter, not only in
quantity, but also in virtue. Therefore with all thy power
look after thy fire, and thou mayst prosper in thy work,
because it does the whole work, and is the key of the
philosophers. But thou shalt come to know it by a right,
profound thinking upon the properties of the fire set down
before, and no otherways. This I writ out of piety, and that
I may satisfy thee finally; The fire is not transmuted with
the matter, because it is not of the matter, as I told you
before. This much I had in mind to say, and admonish the
prudent, that they spend not their money to no purpose,
but that they should know what they are to look for, and so
they may attain to the truth and no other way.
Some thoughts on the texts above.
It would appear that we are to look for something that is
not of the substance(s) that we are processing or working
upon. The Secret Fire is some substance that reduces
solid things, or things heavy, to their first fluid substance.
Its properties seem to be many at first glance, but there is
a certain theme of descriptions throughout that have a
coherency and similarity in the description of the Secret
Fire. First of all, it is a liquid or fluid substance. It is clear
"bright" looks like water and is referred to as a "Saturnnine
water", or Heavy Water. This is what is used to elicit Our
Mercury from the two bodies. This is the preliminary step
that needs to be taken before we even begin the true
Work. This substance then appears to be a "compendium"

that can be had for very little expense, is difficult to
prepare and is the most closely guarded secret that the
Alchemists have.
Taking into consideration other texts as well, let us begin
to formulate a theory of the preparation and, hopefully, the
realization or fruition of finding this elusive and hidden
material.
"...How many times have I made the pilgramige to the top
of this tower to solve the woes of the world. I laugh at
myself sometimes, how ridiculous I say to myself,
obsessing over something that I know little to nothing of.
Then again I have learned so much from Our Mother in
these few years of this short lifetime. Aahh so much to
learn about the Stone. One might call that a grand
conundrum. It takes years to find the stone, if one even
finds it at all, and many die in pursuit of it, passing on to a
different vibration never to have the thing that prolongs the
life that passed. What is so common and so simple to
create so difficult to discover? I may never know. I willl
write this here in hope that someone happens upon this
little diary and see something that I have blatently
neglected, but this is the proceadure as far as I have taken
it...
There are so many descriptions that pertaion to the
starting materials and the solvent that dissolves the matter
at hand. This solvent is clear, bright, shinning and
"outshines the looking glass". It is heavy, ponderous and
bears its own salt. By this I mean the body is removed
from the "clear water, shinning like the sea because it is
the water of the sea of knowledge" and calcine all
impurities from the body, in order to make it spititual when

the water is returned to the body in a philosophic way. I
shall grind it therefore and make of it a fine powder
calcined white so all superfluous and extraneous matter
that cannot withstand the fire, for nothing but perfection
withstands the fire, raising the matter to a finer state. Next
I will pour the water that I extracted the body out of on top
of the calcined matter and distill it once again. The water is
two things: the body contained within the liquid. Each
distillation cleanses the matter even more, and another
calcination to either white of red is deemed appropriate at
this time. It is the repetition of wet and dry that "unlocks"
the spirit contained within the matter and the whole
becomes three things: the body, the spirit and the water.
All three when intrinsically bound together by our Art
produce One thing, and that is the Secret Fire so sought
after...
I like to make stories about how one would think so many
years ago and take them to the Dreamtime and give them
a test. I literally become an ancient Alchemist many years
ago learning from others in the pursuit of my matter's
completion. I sit by a river and contemplate the Dance of
the Wooded River. I play my pipes in mournful celebration
of the beauty that surrounds me, I walk upon the moist
mossy trail that ambles cross the winding river and thank
the Great Spirit for the many blessings that have been
bestowed upon me since birth. Once again I would like to
suggest to you to find a place that you can go to at least
once a month to contemplate the many facets of our
Mother and her Ways. Become "mysitcal" if that is your
heart's desires. I prefer to call it "Spititual" but again it is all

up to you. You only get out of Alchemy what you put into
it.
Blessings, Pan.
The Crowning of Nature
This work is a good example of the allegorical side of
Alchemy. It is deliberately esoteric because it explains the
entire process of all three Works simultaneously with a
large or primary focus on the second or Spiritual path. This
one is loaded with gems, helps broaden one's
fundamental viewpoints upon that which we perceive and
the actions that we do. As an aside, all of the texts herein
are edited in order to clarify (such as periods instead of
semicolons and other such trivial semantic revisions. Note
also that I have none of the pictures that go along with this
Work, and I hope to place them here soon (they are well
worth the wait).
Introduction
The influence of the heavens by the will and command of
God, descends from above and mixes with the virtues and
properties of the Stars, and likewise in this manner is the
first production of our seed. You must not take it out of any
combustible for it fights with it without being prejudiced,
but is known out of a metallic root ordained by the Creator
only for the generation of metals. You must look for it in
the seed of its proper nature from which nature may
produce it. Bernard Trevisan's books are writ true, right
and once by circumstances to amuse souls. The Elements
are Water, Air, Earth, and Fire, which must be so applied

and governed until such time they produce a soul. We
gather the four elements by a concordance of the Seven
Planets. All our work is to Congeal and Dissolve the body,
and Congeal the Spirit. God being before all things, when
He was alone created one Substance, which He called the
first matter and of that substance he created the Elements,
and from them created all things. Our Stone is the
Quintessence of the Four Elements, separated from them
and reduced into a fifth Essence, being extracted out of
the body of the first matter. Nature created by God
prepared with human artifice, then by the Conjunction and
union of the said elements after their perfect rectification,
reduces them into a fifth, a glorious fifth Essence or Spirit
called Quintessence, appearing in a glorified body which is
found in one only thing created by God. Wheresoever is
found a metallic Spirit, a metallic Soul and a body metallic,
there is also found infallibly Quicksilver, Sulphur and Salt,
in which certainly will make a perfect metallic body. We
gather it from the most perfect Creature upon which the
Sun ever set his eyes. St Dunstan's work, De Occulta
Philosophia E: G: I: A, calls it the food of Angels, the
heavenly Viaticum, the Bread of Life, and it is undoubtedly
next under God, the true Alchochodon or giver of years,
and he does not so much admire the question whether
any man can die that uses it, as to think why the
possessors of it should desire to live, who have these
manifestations of Glory and eternity represented to their
fleshly eyes. Our Stone is made or composed of Two,
Three, Four, and Fire: of Five, that is the quintessence, of
Four which are the Four Elements, of Three which is of
three Principle natural things, of Two which signifies

double mercury, and of One which is the first principle of
all things, which was produced clean and pure from the
Creation of the world, fiat - be it made. There are
Creatures created more noble than Gold and we must look
[for] it where truth will find it, which so hath put in nature,
and man cannot know it by sight, except he see the whole
work. Adam our first father was in his inward parts, or
internal man, made according to the similitude of God of
the same substance and matter which the Angels were
made, though men (that the world hold great Doctors) say
and tell it for truth that God made man out of a piece of
mud, clay, or dust of the Earth, which is false, it was no
such matter, but a quintessential Matter, which is called
Earth but is no earth. Adam before his all had a far
different body than what he had after, and so far different
that if we should behold him as he was in his Innocency,
we should admire the glory of him, and tremble at the
sight, as at the sight of an Angel and such a body as our
blessed Saviour brought from heaven with him, such a
body shall we arise with, and with such bodies shall our
souls be endued with flesh and blood. Otherwise Man
would not differ from Angels, for this flesh and blood is put
upon us by the Holy Ghost, that is by regeneration. I
forebear to speak more of these mysteries known to few.
But he that liveth to be blessed with this Art, shall glorify
his Creator. Man the Microcosm or Little World, from the
Stars received Spirit, from the Great World his body, and
from God immediately his soul, so here is an illumination
of the Blessed Trinity. Now let us say something of the
production of the Great World out of nothing, when there
were neither time or place, and God created a certain

Chaos Invisible which the Philosophers call Hyle, the most
remote matter. Out of this He made an extract or Second
Matter Chaos, which the Philosophers know not by
speculation, but since that matter was and is visible and
tangible, in which were and are all the seeds and forms of
all creatures Superior and Inferior, that ever were made.
From this God divided the four Elements, in a word did
make all things Celestial and Terrestrial, the Angels, Sun,
Moon, and Stars. The knowledge and practice of the
Philosophers upon this Chaos brought them to the
knowledge of all wisdom, and from thence brought next to
God, seek thou and find all wisdom, and indeed Angelical
wisdom is attained by it. Incredulity is given to the world as
a punishment. He that knoweth not what he seeketh, shall
not know what he shall find.
Concerning the Ancient Chaos
Chaos is the first beginning of the first created from an
Uncreated Being, this God omnipotent created in the
beginning, but before the work of the days it was without
shape and also confused. But afterwards all the most
sound Philosophers nominated that Essence, the Mother
and the first matter of the world, for Hilon, and Nature, in
whose bosom innumerable forms lay hid, which the
Omnipotent Builder, that great Spagirus, appointed in his
time to break forth, for he had first included a spirit in that
Undigested Matter, Chaos, who some hath affirmed ought
to be called the Soul of the World, some the Form of
Forms, others the Proximate Instrument of the Creator. By
the benefit of this spirit so included, there is at length by
the most free will of God, providing for and overlooking all

things, a separation is made of the waters from the waters,
by which they were divided. But it is very remarkable, that
at the separation of the Chaos, there was a just division,
no deperdition, but every particle of the same being full of
spirit and life, they are fit for that to which they were
ordained, waxing strong and vegetating. Hence the
admirable strength of things, may by the sons of men be
drawn forth and become a true metamorphosis, if they
artificially search and handle them according to the nature
of the Chemical Art, for the true Philosophers have
considered of no other Mystery than Nature itself, and a
possibility of Nature, which Natural simplicity may indeed
suffice those that rely on it, for Nature doth work most of
all from its aptness of its own virtue and beginning, as it
doth demonstrate, only needing a little help of Art. With the
Cabalists this Chaos is twofold, to wit, Intelligibles and
Visibles, the one proceeding from the immediate decree of
God, the other is reported or declared to proceed
immediately from the execution of the same decree. Know
further, that the point you see in the White, is put for the
centre of the Earth, the whiteness doth signify the Earth
itself, the crooked line signifies the flowing water, which in
its own place would cover the Earth, but by the decree of
the most bountiful Creator, it encompasses some part
only. The white circle beset with little black spots, signifies
the Air, as the sevenfold little points of a golden color
denotes the Fire. These things being thus expounded and
declared, the next consideration shall be of the seven
Planets punctually compassing the Chaos.

Saturn, the Chemical Subject in the Root
of Art
The first of these is Saturn, and therefore is placed in the
ascendant, but he contains all the other planets, as the
others do the rest, but in a diverse order. From hence it is
known that all things are in all things, according to the true
philosophical intention. But Saturn himself is feminine and
melancholy, Jupiter feminine and phlegmatic and
sanguine, Mars masculine and sanguine, Mercury
feminine and phlegmatic, lastly the Moon feminine and
melancholy. Saturn is the first of the planets far exceeding
all his brethren in essence, order and dignity. He is
accounted the primary son of Nature, the root of metals
known to few. Hence saith the Clangor, the colouring spirit
is the philosopher's Mercury with its Red or White Sulphur
being naturally mixed with it in the mine and bowels of the
Earth, also indifferently prepared, the judgement of the
artificer being left until the perfect consummation, as it is in
the metaphor of Bellinus concerning the Sun, that which is
the spirit is called Saturn, in plain words tincturing and
dividing all metallic bodies especially gold with a true and
radical dissolution. As is manifest by Bellinus' words in the
Rosary "Know, saith he, that my father the Sun hath given
me power above all power and hath clothed me with a
garment of glory, and all the world seeks me and runs
after me, for I am that excellent one who exalts and
debases all things, and none of my servants except one
can overcome me, to whom is given that which is contrary
to me, and he destroys me, though not my nature, and
that is Saturn who separates all my members. Afterwards I

turn to my Mother who congregates all my divided and
separated members". Trevisan affirms the same thing, that
no other argent vive can be extracted out of any other
body, except out of the Red Servant, which is called by
Bellinus, the contrary Servant. But it is called a Servant (to
wit) the Servant of Nature, because it serves in the
generation of Metals in her Minerals, and because it
serves in Chemistry to generate that heavenly and also
specified stone. It is called Red, because in this last
preparation he goes into red dust. But it is termed to be
contrary to the Sun, because he doth radically dissolve
him and bring him into his first matter. But lest thou should
err, my Son, these things are not to be understood of
Saturn belonging to metals or mineral Mercury, but
concerning the metalline Sun and Moon which are
contained in our lead, (to wit) in potential and not visible.
Pythagoras says that every secret is in lead. That I may at
length conclude in one word this golden chapter, I do
plainly with a constant protestation affirm the more sound
Philosophers to have nominated it the Star of the Sun, the
Ens of the Moon (Sun and Mercury). Know further, that
although the subject of health and riches be the same, and
that we will handle them both in these commentaries, yet
professedly as to the sons of learning and men of
understanding it may appear in this place, we will
especially treat of the matter of Medicine, for it is our chief
intention. But as yet you see Saturn in the ascendant, and
all the planets accompanying him, but having the Sun and
Moon under his feet, by which is signified that Saturn
himself only doth contain in himself those two tinctures,
sought by so many and found or known to few. But that a

little solar star appears in the Moon, and a little lunar star
in the Sun, doth not want a Mystery, for the Sun and Moon
came forth of the one and same root, as may in a short
space be occularly demonstrated by an ingenious Artificer,
by the little white drops which afterwards become red is
signified abundance of Tincture, lying hid especially in the
body of Saturn. By the mountain out of which a flourishing
tree doth appear, is very fitly signified that Saturn is not
gotten elsewhere than in hilly places.
Distillation
After the subject was known, the first intention of the
philosophers that water should be got which they had
noted with many names amongst which that sharp vinegar
so much spoken of by them is one. But the second is
dissolving Mercury. The third is Marish water. Dissolving
Mercury is defined by a natural dissolution, and is defined
by them to be that by whence metals are dissolved by a
natural dissolution, and their spirits are brought from
power into Action. But before they can be brought to act,
Nature ought necessarily to be stirred up, but if the
dissolving Mercury should be dry there would be no
irritation of Nature, and so by consequence in vain would
the solution be hoped for. There are therefore some which
have endeavoured to have that dissolving Mercury, or this
water of those marshes, by Distillation, and it was
effected. Therefore Distillation with them is the elevation of
the watery vapours in the vessel, for in that are two parts
of the Stone (to wit), the Superior and the Inferior. They
will have the Superior part to be attenuated by Distillation,

especially again when the Earth drieth and fasteneth, the
Water makes clean and washeth, but the Air and Fire
maketh to color. Arnoldus says, it is necessary that there
be much Water and much Air, because the multitude of
the tincture will be so much as the multitude of the Air, but
the Water is purging and the efficient cause of the
clearness of the whole body and Medicine. Hence it is that
frequent Distillation is called the most true Ablution of the
Elements. It is therefore necessary that the Stone be
divided by the Four Elements and that by Distillation. First,
by a light fire equally temperated and continued, water is
to be gotten. Then the fire is to be made a little more
vigorous and stronger, until the fire be received mixed with
the fire. That which remains burned in the bottom is the
dry earth where the crystalline Salt of the Stone lieth hid.
Moreover, by the inferior circle, the furnace is signified. By
that Red as yet beneath, the fire is signified. By the
superior circle, the vessel in which the matter is put. By
the cloud is signified the smoke which seems to rise like a
cloud as you are distilling. Preparation To prepare in this
art is nothing else than to take away superfluities and
supply deficiencies, because light things cannot be fixed
without the company of weighty, and weighty things
cannot be exalted without the consortship of light things.
Neither can the hot without the consortship of the cold, the
cold of the hot, the moist of the dry, the dry of the moist,
the hard of the soft, the soft without the addition of the
hard, be or prepared. But when they are by course fitly
espoused, there is generated from them a temporated
substance, which the violence of the Fire cannot
overcome, nor the putrefaction of the Earth vitiate, neither

the limosity of the Water condensate, nor any contract,
adumbrate, or overshadow. We must know further that the
preparation of the aforesaid matter is perfected by the
removing of the superfIuous part and the addition of the
absent, by the exercise of the Four Regimens. The first of
them is a reduction to the nature of the Fire. The second is
a resolution into Water, and the third is a levigation into
Air, and the fourth is a pressing down to the Earth or
fixing. The first is by Calcining. The second is by
Loosening. The third is by distilling through a still. The
fourth is by Coagulating or Congealing with a light fire.
And so the whole preparation is perfected, to which
purpose the Hermite did also intimate in his Smaragdine
Table, saying, "it ascends from the Earth to Heaven and
descends again from Heaven to Earth". And that this
doctrine concerning the preparation of the Stone might be
better understood, Geber testifieth most openly
concerning this. Saith he, "Our art doth not consist in the
plurality of things for it is one matter (to wit) of metals in
which consisteth our Mystery, to which we have not added
any strange thing, neither do we diminish unless that in
the preparation we remove superfluity". But the other
things pertaining to this Chaos are clearly enough
unfolded by the second Chapter, but here it remaineth in
the Water.
Division
Division in this art is the separation of the parts of the
composition that they may be the better at length united.
In which sense composition is contrary to Division, which

indeed is the beginning and life of the thing, for unless
there were a Composition, the thing would not be
produced into a being. Hence the cunning Son of
Jazichus, the spirit will not remain in the body, neither will
it be in it nor tarry any longer, until the body be subtilated,
attenuated as the Spirit is. And when it is so attenuated
and subtilated and does go out of his density and
thickness to thinness, and from his grossness and
corporeality to spirituality, then the spirit will be mingled
with and drunk up in them, and so they are both become
one and the same and will not be separated, as neither
water mixed with water cannot be discerned, so although
the Philosopher's Stone be divided into two principles (to
wit) into the superior part which ascendeth, and into the
inferior part which remaineth in bottom fixed, yet
notwithstanding these two parts doth concord in virtue.
Therefore the materials are to be weighed and converted
and divided because they are changed from a thing into a
thing, as the seed of a man in the womb is in a natural
preparation turned from thing to thing, until there be found
a perfect man, from which was his root and beginning.
Moreover, by the Solar and Lunar stars is signified the
water already gotten out of the body of Saturn. By the Sun
and Moon the body of Saturn wherein the Salt yet
remaineth. By the red understand the fire, by mediation
whereof the aforesaid water was drawn forth.
Acuation
Acuation is that by which the Stone is amended by the
extraction of his proper earth, that is of the Salt, and by the

mixing of the same with Sulphur and his proper Mercury.
Hence Gratianus, of every thing there may be made
ashes, and of that Salt there is water, and of that water
there is Mercury, and of that Mercury by diverse
operations there is made Sun. He therefore that knows the
Salt and its solution, knows the hidden secrets of the
ancient wise men. Whosoever, therefore will alter spirits
and bodies and change them from their nature, it behoveth
that he first reduce them to the nature of Salts and Alums
otherwise he will do nothing, then let him lave or wash
those, that Sal may go forth fusible. You ought as Arnold
saith to praise God, from whence also another
Philosopher, put therefore thy mind on the Salt, the chief
and most hidden Mystery of all the Philosophers
Moreover, by the lunar star is signified the White Salt of
Saturn already gotten. By the circles, the furnace and
vessels. By the compassing red, the fire, and that of
Calcination, because Saturn is not gotten but first by
calcining.
The Green Lion
The Green Lion is that Philosophical Mercury so often
spoken of in his first beginning, or flourishing, easily
avoiding the fire, because it is not fixed, but being fixed it
desires it, and expects it and rejoiceth in it. It is of a Cold
and Airy nature, and out of it (as it is in the Rosary), God
created all mines. Let it not therefore seem strange to
anyone because it reduceth into and doth radically
dissolve all metals into their first matter, when as out of
him are all things, and in whose bosom are all the planets,

they lie hid and are contained. Seeing therefore that some
of them affecteth a sublime work to him and is a profitable
spirit, and there is no thing in the world besides him,
neither is there that may stand in his place, and is only
profusive in the body that wants him (hence Rosary). But
the ancient and wise Philosophers have engendered the
manner of wit (knowing) until it be a little done that he
might expect the fire. It doth not cease to go above the
reluctancy of the fire and is nourished with it, so that when
any fixation is fastened unto him, there proceeds
wonderful things and changes, because when he is
changed he changeth, and his entrance appears in his
sound and splendour. When therefore it is coloured it
coloureth, when it is loosed it looseth, and it doth make
itself white in the twinkling of an eye, and it becomes red
in succession, and it is a congregating water, milk, and
strong urine, softening oil, and the father of all wonderful
things. It is smoke and a cloud, and the fugitive servant
accidental Mercury eating the Sun, who hath preferred
himself before Gold and hath overcome, for it is
generated, risen and produced out of him. But lest thou
should err, my son, know that those which understood of
Mercury in the body of Philosophical Saturn and metalline,
to be true. Moreover the Lion is said to be green in the
threefold aspect. First in respect of his attractive power, for
here the Central Sun is like to the Celestial Sun and make
the world flourishing and green. Secondly, it is called the
green Lion, because as yet the Gold is incomplete nor
fixed in any body, and therefore is called living Gold.
Thirdly, it is called a Lion by reason of its very great
strength, reference being had to the Animal Lion, for as all

beasts obey the lion, so all metallic bodies do give place to
this living Gold.
Conjunction
Conjunction in this art is a natural act of two vapours of the
body and spirit, in one and the same genus but in a
diverse species of actors and sufferers [actives and
passives]. But lest thou should err, my Son, thou must
now that the spirit is twofold (to wit) Tinctural and
Preparing. The Preparing spirit dissolveth brass and
extracteth it out of the body of the lodestone, and reduceth
it again into the body itself. But the Tinctural spirit is
beyond the body, and it is a body itself of a watery nature,
but in the Elixir the tinctural spirit being masculine is the
body, the woman the spirit. Hence saith Arnold, the spirit
is not altered from the body so that it should lose its
spiritual virtue, but every body is altered and coloured by
the spirit. Join therefore, my Son, (as it is in the Rosary thy
Gabricius more beloved to thee than all thy sons, with his
sister Beya, who is a cold girl, sweet and tender. Hence it
is rightly gathered, that unless there should be such a
copulation, there would never be a Conception, Raising,
Pregnation, or Birth. This therefore, is the direction of this
disposition, which is especially assimilated to the creation
of Man. ut by the circles is signified the vessels and
furnace. By the Green Lion as it were but half into the
vessel, is signified that one part ought to be put in after
another and not altogether, as first Mercury then Salt or
Oil, and these things are to be put in by little and little,
after they are purified.

The Animal, Vegetable and Mineral Stone
We find the Philosophers Stone to be variously defined
with Philosophers in general, amongst which definitions
we will at length rehearse one or other of them. Therefore,
the Stone, as Clangor hath it, is a body composed out of
the first essence of metals, which first essence is indeed
termed other where Argentvive reduced from the power of
them into acting by the art of chemistry, the mystery of all
beginnings. Again the Philosopher's Stone is metallic
matter converting the substance and forms of imperfect
metals. That this conversion is not done but by its like is
long ago agreed upon by all Philosophers. It is therefore
necessary that the Stone be got out of a metallic matter (to
wit) our Mercury in which is all that which is so sought for
by the wise men, and lieth hid in our Mercury, although
this Mercury may be termed threefold. From whence three
principle Stones are known by philosophers, (to wit) the
Mineral of the Wise men, or the Mineral, Animal, and
Vegetable Stone of them, threefold in name, one in being.
Whereupon saith one of the Ancients, there are three
Stones and three Salts of which the whole magistery
consisteth, (to wit) Mineral, Animal, and Vegetable
(Mercury is mineral; the Moon is plant, because she
receiveth into herself two colours, white and red ; and the
Sun is animal because he receiveth three, (to wit)
constriction, white and red). But by the tree upon the
mountain on the left hand flourishing and bearing fruit, is
signified his vegetability, as by the leg of a man raised out,
his animality. By the third mountain upon which also a

flourishing tree grows out, two things are signified. First,
that Saturn is hid only in hilly places and it behoveth that
he should be digged out of the Earth, which may be
understood to be noted by the circle, from whence
especially his minerality appears.
Calcination
Calcination, as subtle witted Geber will, is the turning of a
thing into dust by the fire, and by the privation of its
humidity, consolidating other parts. According to others,
this Calcination is the last purgation of the Stone, the
restoring of its colour, the conserving of its innate Humour,
and the induction of Solution. And it is fourfold, for it is
either by the desiccation of the moistness of Nature, or by
reduction into the bottom of the furnace by fire, and then it
is called Alcoole or a subtle powder, or by the
amalgamation of familiar metals with quicksilver, by mixing
metals with six parts of Mercury, or by strong waters, the
spirits of the Salts of black vitriol, of sulphur and the like.
However it be, we use Calcination to mundify the part
fixed, and the Earthly part of the Stone. For every calcined
thing is in its kind fixed. And so the Sun and Moon are
calcined with the first water philosophically, that the bodies
may be opened and become spongeous and subtle, that
the second water may the better go in to work its work,
which is to exalt the Earth into Mirable Salt by its only
attractive virtue. Which second water is fire, not natural, by
whose virtue the completement of this art is done.
Moreover, by the Sun here joined with the Moon,
understand the body of Saturn even now to be calcined

with the Philosophical water. By the bird flying from above,
that in Calcination the spirit of Saturn goes downwards
and remains together with the body, as in Sublimation it
always goes upward, as is to be seen in the next chapter.
But by the bird or spirit flying upwards, understand dusky
clouds ascending frequent indeed but moderately.
Sublimation
Sublimation according to some is when that which is
extracted into the sublime part of the vessel is stirred up
and doth subsist there. According to Geber, it is the
elevation of a dry thing by the fire, with the adherency of
its vessel. Either definition is honest. We must know
further, that the philosophers for four reasons made
sublimation. First, that the body should be made a spirit of
a subtle matter. Secondly, that the Mercury might
incorporate itself with the body and become one with it.
And thirdly, that the whole may become White, then Red
and clean, and especially that the innate humidity of the
Stone might be restored, which he had at the first lost in
the bottom, and may be moved forwards and made fit for a
sudden liquefaction, because the medicine ought to be a
simple dust of a most subtle and pure substance, adhering
out of its nature to the Argent vive or a most easy
liquefaction, and hidden or secret subtilation of an easy
ingression, after the manner of water, and fixed on the
reluctancy of the fire, before the flight of Mercury.
Solution
This Solution is the reduction of a dry thing into water. By

this Solution metallic bodies are reduced into their first
form, that is into their next matter, to wit, Mercury and
Sulphur from whence they took their beginning. Some of
the Philosophers do put the matter of Solution to be
twofold, to wit, by hot mud and fervent water, but others do
contend that there is but only one Solution necessary in
this art, which only hath and is to be done out of and with
itself, and it is raw and clear without violence. Hence saith
the Philosopher - a raw solution is better than a sodden
one, a moist than a dry, a voluntary than a violent, a
temperate than a swift, a fragrant than a stinking, a clean
one than a thick, a black one than a red one, and therefore
in every Solution we must secretly beware of the
vitrification of the matter by the odours and vapours of
imperfect bodies, that the force of that generative form
may not be choked up with corrosives. Therefore, saith the
Philosopher "help Solution by the Moon and coagulation
by the Sun".
Putrefaction
Putrefaction according to some is the resolution of that
which is mingled into the hot and moist by a natural
putrefaction. According to others, Putrefaction, which is
also termed conception or espousing in the putrefaction
which is in the bottom of the glass, is the conception of the
proper and natural callidity in every moisture, under the
conservation of it from another moisture going about in the
glass. Yet notwithstanding, Putrefaction is necessary in
this work because there is never anything born,
increasing, nor animated, except after Putrefaction

because if it were not putrefied, it could not be poured
forth nor loosed, and if it were not loosed, it will be brought
to nothing. But thou must know this, My Son, that the
Putrefaction of the Philosophers is not sordid nor unclean,
but it is a mixing of the water with the Earth, and the Earth
with the water, by little and little, until the whole body is
become one. Hence Morien "in the Putrefaction of our
brass, the spirits are united with the body and are dried up
in it. For unless the water should be dried up with or by the
Earth, the colours would not appear". For Putrefaction is
nothing else but a mortification of the moist with the dry,
between whose mortification there doth appear blackness
in regard of the domination of the obscure woman. Yet the
process or force of itself, to wit, of the Philosopher's Stone,
is first Black, because unless it were first Black it would
not be White, nor Red, because that redness is composed
of Black and White. The Philosophers have called this
blackness, Silver, the black Lead, the head of the Crow,
and from whence it is said in Turba, "when thou shalt see
blackness to come to that water, know then the body is
melted".
Conception
Thou must know, my Son, that whilst the Earth in the
aforesaid blackness doth begin to retain with it some of
the Argent vive, then it is termed Conception, and then the
male acteth towards the female, to wit, Argent vive, with or
into the Earth, and this is the reason why the Philosophers
say that our Mystery is nothing else but the male and
female and their conjunction. For the water beareth sway

over the Argent vive, and the Earth increaseth, multiplieth,
and augmenteth. Hence again Philosophers say,
"Conception and Dispousation are to digest it in the
putrefaction in the bottom of the vessel, and the
generation of the genitors in the air and head of the
vessel, to wit, the still".For the body does nothing except it
putrefy and it cannot putrefy except with Mercury.
Therefore the Philosophers, "for with one part of the body
are six and thirty parts of the water to be taken, and let
putefraction be made with moist gentle fire of hot and
moist dung, and in no ways with others, so that nothing
may ascend. Because if any thing should ascend a
separation would partly be made, which ought not to be
done, until the male and female are perfectly joined
together, and one received the other, the sign whereof is
the superficies in the nature of perfect solution".
Impregnation
We must know that when the Earth is a little made white,
there it is termed Pregnation, because then the Earth is
Impregnated. For when the Earth is joined with an
imperfect body, it is called Our Earth, because the Earth is
the Mother of all the elements, when the Earth begins to
retain with it somewhat of Arsenic, or Our Salt, or Argent
vive, for then it is called a Conception, because the male
acteth towards the female, because the Mystery of the
Philosophers is nothing else but the male and female and
their conjunction. Water coming to them, that is Arsenic or
Our Salt, which increases much in the Earth and is
augmented and comes out when the Earth is dealbated,

then it is called a Pregnation, because the Earth having
conceived goes away pregnant. Moreover, that here and
in the former Chapter, the little star formed of seven fold
little pricks, becometh Red but not fully, it signifies that the
matter of the Stone now shut up in the Philosophical phial,
hath in some part suffered putrefaction, but it is far from a
plenary mundification, which is made in the bottom of the
vessel. For it ought to purge further, as is demonstrated by
the thirteenth Chapter. But whereas the Red and White is
not compounded of Red and White, but of Black and
White, there is no doubt but by the help of the Governor of
all things, it will in short space come into perfect
whiteness. But that the little star is not deprived of his
blackness, appeareth by the black complements sticking
to the little points and planets.
Generation
Matter and form are only contained (as saith the
Philosophers) by the Generation of Nature, but they
understand by the matter and form, the Agent and Patient,
thin and thick, Sulphur and Mercury, male and female, and
by consequence know Generation. He therefore that doth
know how to choose matter well disposed and very ready
to suffer, and strong to act, this man shall bring forth the
more excellent and strong effect, but that the generation of
the elixir might be the better done, let the artist diligently
consider what things are requisite for Nature in the
generation of metals, and what of art is to the generating
of the Stone, that a collection being made between these
thing he may have, from whence he may judge, whether it

be possible to generate the stone. Thou must know,
therefore, my Son, lest thou should err, that there are four
things that are altogether requisite or necessary to Nature
in the Generation of metals. First, to have composing
principles, one whereof hath itself as the Matter, the other
is the form of composing. Secondly, to have that due
weight of the principles. Thirdly, a fit place is altogether
required, that is a solid place, for unless the place where
Nature mingleth were according to the two principles solid,
the Vapours which are also termed Spirit would exhale,
and the solidity of the place doth condensate or thicken
those spirits already mixed, from whence it is they begin to
act and suffer one towards the other, by subtilizing and
separating impurities. The fourth thing requisite in the
generation of metals is heat temperated, by which metals
are in the end excluded and exhaled into the air. All these
things required are necessary in the art to generate the
Stone, all which the artist by imitating Nature in all things,
except in her weight, shall easily conceive that the Stone
may be gotten. But let him take the weight from Nature
necessarily as it shall be meet. Moreover, of the diverse
and intermingled colours appearing here and elsewhere,
you may see from day to day in the glass vessel, whereof
it is sufficient to have put you in mind, in this place.
Fermentation
Fermentation with the Philosophers is the incorporation of
the Animal part, the restoration of the vapour, the
inspiration of the odour, the supplying of the beings, and it
is double White and Red, whose ferment is the Sun, the

Sun of the Sun, the Moon of the Moon. That is, the Sun is
ferment to the Gold, or Red Elixir, and the Moon is ferment
to the Silver, or White elixir. But as substantial bodies, and
fixed upon the fire, cannot manifest their qualities, neither
do live or are lifted up of themselves, unless by the benefit
of spirituality, they are first purified and vivificated, so
neither can spiritual accidence manifest their permanent
virtue, except they are united and perpetuated with fixed
bodies. For then and not before, the body inbreatheth the
spirit, teaching him by vigorating, to reluct, strive or
struggle against the fire, and the spirit embraceth the body
teaching him to pierce through gross bodies, actually to
subtilize thick ones, and to generally cure all infirmities
and diseases. But the intention of Fermentation is that the
thing to be fermented should be prepared, washed,
calcined, and dissolved, that it may the better be joined
with the subtle work or body, that is to say, White ferment
with White, and Red with Red. Yet these things not
hindering, my Son, you are to know that Fermentation
doth not change the powder of the Stone into any form but
his own, but it giveth savor, odour, and strength to
transmute other bodies to his own nature. But by the
Toad, here understand the sphere of Saturn swelling with
tincture, or his heaven to be great and impregnate
therewith, and by and by ready to bring forth, which by the
ejection of the four elements appeareth most plainly in the
next Chapter, in the conversion of whom one after
another, until they are inseparably fixed, dependeth the
chief completement of this work.

The Separation of the Elements
We being about to speak concerning the generation of the
elements and their conjunction, by reason that one of
them cannot be understood without the other, we shall
handle them both together in this and the subsequent
Chapter. Therefore the separation of the elements in this
art is nothing else than to separate or segregate
heterogeneous (which are accidents from homogeneous
(which are of the Essence of the Stone), that at length the
mixture of the elements might be most pure and perfect.
But the conjunction of the elements is to keep up
homogeneous things, that is, those that are of the nature
of the Radical Moisture. Hence Raymond "have patience
in dealbation or whitening, because here lieth much
tardity". Thou must know further, my Son, that the
separation of the elements with the Philosophers is termed
the conversion of them, as if to convert the elements was
to make a thin body of a gross one, that is, of the body a
spirit, and afterwards of the moist a dry, of water earth,
and the elements are converted one into the other. But the
Philosophers do prescribe such a manner of converting
the body into the spirit. The earth is resolved into water,
and water into air, the air into fire, but the spirit is turned
into the body. This way the fire is coagulated and it
becomes air, but the air is coagulated and becomes water,
but the water is coagulated and becomes earth. From
whence saith Assidnus "behold elements hath met
together in one nature, who when they are so impelled
(that is coagulated) become friends, but when they wax
thin they become enemies. Therefore convert the

elements and thou shalt find what thou seeketh". It
behovest thee, therefore, first of all to mortify and exalt the
Stone, that is, the body, soul and spirit, seeing that no one
gains any thing in this art except he mortifieth, but
mortification is by the separation of the elements, by which
the effect of every element is shown. Therefore if thou wilt
make the elixir, it will be necessary that thou break this
Stone into his elements, which is signified by the parts of
the year, and then conjoin the elements by fire, Mercury
mediating, which is the Philosopher's chiefest secret, and
then this Mystery is completed, for all the art is placed in
conjoining and loosing. But these separations are done as
seest, my Son, Mercury mediating, for it first looseth the
body and makes separation which in the meantime are
conjoined by Salt and Mercury. But here we must diligently
note it is first of all Mercury,in the beginning of the work is
called water, then the blackness appearing earth, then
being sublimated air, and being made red is called fire.
The Conjunction of the Elements
Then being sublimated with some luminary body it is
termed Salt. Then being added to the whole composed
matter it is called the Spirit. And so the Earth, with Water,
Air and Fire, is a body, the Salt is the life, the last watering
of the only Mercury, the spirit. It is therefore evident that
the Stone consisteth of four elements, to wit, Water, Air,
Fire and Earth. For in the Stone there are the Soul, the
Body and Spirit, and yet but one Stone, as it is above said,
behoving to loose and coagulate him again, then all the
operations are contained under the Solution until the

Albifaction it is sodden again, and becomes a Stone again
when it is coagulated. Afterwards it is loosed again and
then the solution is reiterated, until the Stone comes out
like wax.
Ortus
Ortus in this art is termed to be conjunction of the second
salt or ferment, with the imperfect body prepared. Hence
Morien "we must know that the knowledge of our Mystery
is likened to the creation of Man. For first there is
conjunction, then conception, then pregnation, then Ortus
or a springing or rising, a bringing forth, then Nutrition". I
would therefore have thee understand this one thing,
because our seed is Argent vive. When the Earth is joined
to an imperfect body, which is termed Our Earth, because
the Earth is the Mother of all the elements, and they call it
Copulation. But when the Earth begins to retain with it
something of the Argent vive, then it is termed Conception,
when the male acteth towards the female. But when the
Earth is made white then it is called Pregnation, because it
is then pregnant, and then the ferment is joined with the
imperfect body until they become one in species and
aspect, and then it is termed Ortus, because our Stone is
then born, which is called a King by the Philosophers.
Whereupon it is said amongst them "Honour your King
coming from the Fire. Crown him with a Diadem, and bring
him up even to perfect age, whose Father is the Sun, his
true Mother the Moon".
Unnatural Fire or Fermentation

With the philosopher are four fires recorded, to wit,
Natural, Unnatural, against Nature, and Elementary, and
these fires may better be known by their complexion and
compositions. For out of Mercury dissolving and conjoined
in the body, there becomes another Mercury, which is
called Adrop, Thick Water, Our Water, the Second Water,
which is Fire, Strong Fire, Unnatural Fire. For those two, to
wit, Spirit and Body, being fit and joined together
according to their due proportion, out of them this second
Mercury, which we have described is made, and this is
that Mercury of which it is written, that in it is whatsoever
wise men seek, for the body, the soul and the Tincture are
drawn from this Mercury. But the second Mercury is moist
in the vapour, not oily but gummy, of a property indifferent,
subtle, easily lying the sharpness of the fire, and vanishing
away in it, possessing both body and spirit in loosing
remaining water in itself. Moreover by Fermentation in this
place, understand the second fermentation, because the
Stone, especially the Inferior part thereof, should as yet be
better prepared, washed, calcined, and dissolved, that it
may yet unto a more higher and nobler degree of
perfection, whereby it may the better be joined with any
subtle work or body. The little star with sevenfold little
pricks appearing a colour somewhat duskish, signifies that
the star, although it has suffered many alterations and
hath his elements indifferently mixed, yet is far from being
sufficiently mundified, seeing as yet it wanteth much
purgation, as by the same blackness which it hath in
putrefaction, appearing in the next Chapter. By the bird
flying from above, understand the Spirit descending, the
Stone putrefying temperately, and by little and little.

Purgation
Moreover by the domination of the Woman who is of the
Mercurial and Lunar humidity, the blackness doth as yet
appear, but here it is a little diminished in quantity as in the
following Chapters you may see, for by little and little it is
changed from colour to colour until the blackness doth
altogether vanish away, and the Stone becomes endued
with the greatest whiteness, which is a sign of perfection.
By the bird flying from above, understand as you were
admonished in the former Chapter.
Exaltation
Therefore, Exaltation is an ingenious nobiliating of the
magnet or lodestone being dealbated, which is chiefly by
the augmentation of the spirit, the sublimation of the Earth,
the promotion of the liquefaction by the exaltation of the
rectified elements, and by a lively constituting of the Fifth
Essence out of them. From whom, saith the Philosophers,
"when thou hast had the Water out of the Air, the Air out of
the Fire, and the Fire out of the Earth, then thou mayest
know that then the Stone hath lost the Water which he had
at first out of the Air, after his resolution into it. For the Air
and Water are contiguous elements, more light in mixing
and better in operation of fire". When the cold hath
overcome the hot, the Air is turned into Water, but when
the hot hath overcome the cold, the Water is turned into
Air, but thou must have the Air out of the Fire by his
Solution. Moreover now you see the four elements
wonderfully altered, exalted and almost fixed. By the azure
colour understand the Earth turned into Air, by the green

colour the Air turned into Water, by the yellow colour
Water turned into Fire, lastly by the colour somewhat
brown understand the Fire to be turned into Earth. By
which wonderful alteration is further signified that the
Stone now draweth nigh to Fixation. By the Pelican
penetrating and wounding her own breast, from which
rivers of blood do seem to flow, understand that this is
spoken of the Pelican by a similitude which is called the
Blood of Love, for as she doth impart her blood to her
young ones, so the Stone being brought to a
Quintessence by conversion into the four elements, is
ready to impart his tincture to the imperfect wanting it.
Lastly in that you have in the following figure the bird of
Hermes sleeping in the midst and applying himself to
perpetual rest, understand the discords and hatred of
enemies, that is, of the elements, are laid aside, lulled
asleep by their long alterations and conversions, laid
before our eyes in the former Chapters. But from the fire
from above temperately cherishing the Matter the artificer
buildeth the reason of making his Athanor.
Quinta Essentia
Let putrefaction and much conversion be upon him until it
being well purged by sublimation he be made white. For
as Marcus saith "when he has drunk his burning Mercury
he passeth away and remaineth in the shadows of
purgatory with many nights, but conceiveth in baths, and
brought forth in the Air, then waxeth Red, goes upon the
Water, and is white upon the tops, and is become White,
light and airy, which first was ponderous, dry and obscure
fire. For the Sun being Exalted the air waxeth hot and

drieth". But take this concerning the fifth essence in this
work and Mastery, is the mixing of all the four elements,
and the reduction of them into one pure substance. If
therefore thou wilt see the Stone, to wit, the fifth substance
by the four elements, thou must know that if every one of
them do not partake of the fifth nature, the Stone cannot
be united nor conjoined with a dry body.
Fixation
Fixation in this art is when the body receives a tinctural or
colouring spirit and takes away his volatility or flying, which
is by frequent iteration, until it becomes ashes of
everlasting duration, and the whole remains in the fire. We
must know further that fixation is always in the white,
though not every fixation.We must know moreover, that
out of the perfection of fixation, the fire becomes cold, by
whose benefit alone the Stone comes out fixed. When the
hidden Mystery of him is made manifest, his colour is
Citrine or Red, but after his first fixation in the white, there
follows no error in the whole Mystery, although you
proceed to the Crowning of Nature by often passing the
Philosophical Wheel, and by bettering your blessed Stone
by many reiterated solutions and coagulations. Lastly, by
the white circle is signified the white stone, now fixed by
the red fire, whose punishment now it suffereth and
feareth not, and by the vessel, which is within of an azure
colour, is signified the Ethereal spirit of the Stone, which
by the benefit of a cold fire doth animate the Stone.
Projection

Projection in this art is the reduction of the fixed earth
Multiplicative, or a formal substance firmly coloured, upon
much of convenient matter, to the desired joy of the Artist.
But because it is not well perceived, cast one pound upon
a thousand, but before this moist medicine may go out, the
Philosophers have noted some necessity of Ceration.
Hence speaketh Anonimus "it is better to project, now thou
dost cast upon fundaments, and fundaments upon. My
word, I will love thee, O Lord. I will have thee attend, the
which reason is in Saffron. If the Saffron should be
projected dry it would colour but little, but if being loosed it
be joined with a little liquor, and that little into much, it
would colour infinitely. Thou shalt therefore make thy
Projection so. First multiply 10 into 10 and then there will
be 100, and 100 into 100 and they will be 10000, and so
into infinity". But this cannot be done without Ceration,
which the Wise have so defined "Ceration is the fitting of a
hard and not fusible Medicine to Liquefaction by a frequent
Imbibition". Hence Morien in the Rosary "the whole
Mystery is nothing else than an extraction of Water out of
the Earth, and a casting of Water on the Earth, until both it
and the Earth putrefy, and become clean, seeing as yet
the Earth to be mingled with the Water, and the Water or
temperate decoction to be a little diminished, the other to
increase". They all say that this was perfect Ceration, from
whence they have also said further, that the Earth, when
the Water is Cered, drunk up and dried with the
temperated decoction of the Sun, that is, the heat, and is
turned into Earth, that therein is the whole matter. For his
force, as that divine Hermes speaketh, is entire if it were
turned into Earth. But enough and more than enough has

been said of the taking away of the Leprousy of Metals. Of
the curing of Man's body and continual health, understand
these things from a few days to a longer time. For a month
every day let there be taken of this blessed powder, the
quantity of a grain of mustard seed, in white wine or in any
other liquor, early in the morning. It is sudorific or causing
sweat, if anything be, to be sent forth by the pores. It is
laxative, if anything be, to be evacuated by stool. It is
diuretic, if anything be, to be driven forth by the passage of
urine. But it is never vomative, as that is altogether
contrary to nature. Moreover, that I may briefly conclude,
all this powder is like Ethereal fire, pleasantly consumes
all the hurtful superfluities in Man's body, raising it up,
rectifying, and bringing it to a just temperature and
equality. Furthermore, it not only rectifieth Man's body but
also reneweth the whole man, by the use thereof
continued for a few weeks. Lastly, none of the three
principles, to wit, of Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, can in the
least exalt itself. But presently, by one little grain, taken as
aforesaid, the disease is rooted out, and a man is
continued safe and sound without diseases, until the time
appointed of God. Therefore to the most Mighty God be
Praise, Honour and Glory, for ever and ever..
Multiplication
In the last Chapter it is made known what it is in general, but not how many fold, but it is by two ways, to
wit, quality and quantity But because the Wise have left us a perfect and known complete method
concerning this doctrine of Imbibition, and of their ways of operation which follow plainly and fully the
Crowning of Nature, I shall altogether give over speaking of them. I shall add this, instead of the Crown
concerning the ruling of Saturn, let a mineral be taken of the same, existing in his first being. Let it putrefy
in the belly of a horse, according to the Philosophical month, to wit, 40 days. After putrefaction, by the
benefit of Distillation, let the Vinegar so often spoken of, be extracted, to radically dissolve all the metals
of the Philosophers. Let that blessed produced vinegar be put upon other Saturn, who from whence may
go forth into transparent redness dissolved. Let the redness be extracted and putrefied anew, for the
space of a Philosophical month in a horses belly. Then in a strong vessel let it be first urged with a gentle

fire, afterwards a strong fire being used, the Red Oil will go forth like blood, through a 1000 small veins.
Let the dead head be reduced into Alcool, or subtle powder, calcined, and with phlegm reserved for this
use, let it be drunk up and digested and evapourated. Thou shalt have then this natural Salt which if thou
wilt mingle with the predicated oil and do urge back again, the red oil will go out transparent, colouring the
heavenly Stone, when it hath been coloured by himself and the specified Salt or Ferment. This is truth.
The Hermetic Arcanum
The secret work of the hermetic philosophy Wherein the
secrets of nature and art concerning the matter of the
philosophers' stone and the manner of working are
explained in an authentic and orderly manner. The work of
an anonymous author, penes nos unda tagi.
1. The beginning of this Divine Science is the fear of the
Lord and its end is charity and love toward our Neighbour;
the all-satisfying Golden Crop is properly devoted to the
rearing and endowing of temples and hospices; for
whatsoever the Almighty freely bestows on us, we should
properly offer again to him. So also Countries grievously
oppressed may be set free; prisoners unduly held captive
may be released, and souls almost starved may be
relieved.
2. The light of this knowledge is the gift of God, which by
His will He bestows upon whom He pleases Let none
therefore set himself to the study hereof, until having
cleared and purified his heart, he devote himself wholly
unto God, and be emptied of all affection and desire unto
the impure things of this world.
3. The Science of producing Nature's grand Secret, is a
perfect knowledge of universal Nature and of Art
concerning the Realm of Metals; the Practice thereof is
conversant with finding the principles of Metals by
Analysis, and after they have been made much more
perfect to conjoin them otherwise than they have been

before, that from thence may result a catholic Medicine,
most powerful to perfect imperfect Metals, and for
restoring sick and decayed bodies, of any sort soever.
4. Those that hold public Honours and Offices or be
always busied with private and necessary occupations, let
them not strive to attain unto the acme of this Philosophy;
for it requires the whole mans, and being found, it
possesses him, and he being possessed, it debars him
from all other long and serious employments, for he will
esteem other things as strange, and of no value unto him.
5. Let him that is desirous of this Knowledge, clear his
mind from all evil passions, especially pride, which is an
abomination to Heaven, and is as the gate of Hell; let him
be frequent in prayer and charitable; have little to do with
the world: abstain from company keeping; enjoy constant
tranquillity; that the Mind may be able to reason more
freely in private and be highly lifted up; for unless it be
kindled with a beam of Divine Light, it will not be able to
penetrate these hidden mysteries of Truth.
6. The Alchemists who have given their minds to their
well-nigh innumerable Sublimations, Distillations,
Solutions, Congelations, to manifold Extraction of Spirits
and Tinctures, and other Operations more subtle than
profitable, and so have distracted themselves by a variety
of errors, as so many tormentors, will never be inclined
again by their own Genius to the plain way of Nature and
light of Truth; from whence their industrious subtlety hath
twined them, and by twining and turnings, as by the Lybian
Quicksands, hath drowned their entangled Wits: the only
hope of safety for them remain in finding out a faithful
Guide and Master, who may make the Sun clear and

conspicuous unto them and free themselves from
darkness.
7. A studious Tyro of a quick wit, constant mind, inflamed
with the study of Philosophy, very skillful in natural
Philosophy, of a pure heart, complete in manners, mightily
devoted to God, though ignorant of practical Chemistry,
may with confidence enter into the highway of Nature and
peruse the Books of the best Philosophers; let him seek
out an ingenious and sedulous Companion for himself,
and not despair of obtaining his desire.
8. Let a Student of these secrets carefully beware of
reading or keeping company with false Philosophers; for
nothing is more dangerous to a learner of any Science,
than the company of an unskilled or deceitful man by
whom erroneous principles are stamped as true, whereby
a simple and credulous mind is seasoned with false
Doctrine.
9. Let a Lover of truth make use of few authors, but of the
best note and experience truth; let him suspect things that
are quickly understood, especially in Mystical Names and
Secret Operations; for truth lies hid in obscurity; for
Philosophers never write more deceitfully - than when
plainly, nor ever more truly - than when obscurely.
10. As for the Authors of primary note, who have
discoursed both acutely and truly of the secrets of Nature
and hidden Philosophy, Hermes and Morienus Romanus
amongst the Ancients are in my judgment of the highest
esteem; amongst the Moderns, Count Trevisan, and
Raimundus Lullius are in greatest reverence with me; for
what that most acute Doctor hath omitted, none almost
hath spoken; let a student therefore peruse his works, yea

let him often read over his Former Testament, and Codicil,
and accept them as a Legacy of very great worth. To
these two volumes let him add both his volumes of
Practice, out of which works all things desirable may be
collected, especially the truth of the First Matter, of the
degrees of Fire, and the Regimen of the Whole, wherein
the final Work is finished, and those things which our
Ancestors so carefully laboured to keep secret. The occult
causes of things, and the secret motions of nature are
demonstrated nowhere more clearly and faithfully.
Concerning the first and mystical Water of the
Philosophers he hath set down few things, yet very pithily.
11. As for that Clear Water sought for by many, found by
so few, yet obvious and profitable unto all, which is the
Basis of the Philosophers' Work, a noble Pole, not more
famous for his learning than subtlety of wit, who wrote
anonymously, but whose name notwithstanding a double
Anagram hath betrayed, hath in his Novum Lumen
Chymicum, Parabola and Aenigma, as also in his Tract on
Sulphur, spoken largely and freely enough; yea he hath
expressed all things concerning it so plainly, that nothing
can be more satisfactory to him that desires knowledge.
12. Philosophers do usually express themselves more
pithily in types and enigmatic figures (as by a mute kind of
speech) than by words; see for example, Senior's Table,
the Allegorical Pictures of Rosarius, the Pictures of
Abraham Judaeus in Flamel, and the drawings of Flamel
himself; of the later sort, the rare Emblems of the most
learned Michael Maierus wherein the mysteries of the
Ancients are so fully opened, and as new Perspectives
they present antiquated truth, and though designed

remote from our age yet are near unto our eyes, and are
perfectly to be perceived by us.
13. Whosoever affirms that the Philosophers' grand Secret
is beyond the powers of Nature and Art, he is blind
because he ignores the forces of Sol and Luna.
14. As for the matter of their hidden Stone, Philosophers
have written diversely; so that very many disagreeing in
Words, do nevertheless very well agree in the Thing; nor
doth their different speech argue the science ambiguous
or false, since the same thing may be expressed with
many tongues, by divers expressions, and by a different
character, and also one and many things may be spoken
of after diverse manners.
15. Let the studious Reader have a care of the manifold
significations of words, for by deceitful windings, and
doubtful, yea contrary speeches (as it should seem),
Philosophers wrote their mysteries, with a desire of veiling
and hiding, yet not of sophisticating or destroying the truth;
and though their writings abound with ambiguous and
equivocal words; yet about none do they more contend
than in hiding their Golden Branch.
Which all the groves with shadows overcast, and gloomy
valleys hide.
Nor does it yield to any Force, but readily and willingly will
follow him, who
Knows Dame Venus Birds and him to whom of Doves a
lucky pair Sent from above shall hover about his Ear.
16. Whosoever seeks the Art of perfecting and multiplying
imperfect Metals, beyond the nature of Metals, goes in
error, for from Metals the Metals are to be derived; even
as from Man, Mankind; and from an Ox only, is that

species to be obtained.
17. Metals, we must confess, cannot be multiplied by the
instinct and labour of Nature only; yet we may affirm that
the multiplying virtue is hid in their depths, and manifested
itself by the help of Art: In this Work, Nature stands in
need of the aid of Art; and both do make a perfect whole.
18. Perfect Bodies as Sol and Luna are endued with a
perfect seed; and therefore under the hard crust of the
perfect Metals the Perfect Seed lies hid; and he that
knows how to take it out by the Philosophers' Solution,
hath entered upon the royal highway; for-
In Gold the seeds of Gold do lie, though buried in
Obscurity.
19. Most Philosophers have affirmed that their Kingly
Work is wholly composed of Sol and Luna; others have
thought good to add Mercury to Sol; some have chosen
Sulphur and Mercury; others have attributed no small part
in so great a Work to Salt mingled with the other two. The
very same men have professed that this Clear Stone is
made of one thing only, sometimes of two, or of three, at
other times of four, and of five; and yet though writing so
variously upon the same subject, they do nevertheless
agree in sense and meaning.
20. Now that (abandoning all blinds) we may write
candidly and truly, we hold that this entire Work is
perfected by two Bodies only; to wit, by Sol and Luna
rightly prepared, for this is the mere generation which is by
nature, with the help of Art, wherein the union of male and
female doth take place, and from thence an offspring far
more noble than the parents is brought forth.
21. Now those Bodies must be taken, which are of an

unspotted and noncorupt virginity; such as have life and
spirit in them; not extinct as those that are handled by the
vulgar; for who can expect life from dead things; and those
are called impure which have suffered combination; those
dead and extinct which (by the enforcement of the chief
Tyrant of the world) have poured out their soul with their
blood by Martyrdom; flee then a fratricide from which the
most imminent danger in the whole Work is threatened.
22. Now Sol is Masculine for as much as he sends forth
active and energizing seed, Luna is Feminine or Negative
and she is called the Matrix of Nature, because she
receives the sperm, and fosters it by monthly provision,
yet doth Luna not altogether want in positive or active
virtue.
23. By the name of Luna Philosophers understand not the
vulgar Moon, which also may be positive in its operation,
and in combining acts a positive part. Let none therefore
presume to try the unnatural combination of two positives,
neither let him conceive any hope of issue from such
association; but he shall join Gabritius to Beia, and offer
sister to brother in firm union, that from thence he may
receive Sol's noble Son.
24. They that hold Sulphur and Mercury to be the First
Matter of the Stone, by the name of Sulphur they
understand Sol; by Mercury the Philosophic Luna; so
(without dissimulation) good Lullius advises his friend, that
he attempt not to work without Mercury and Luna for
Silver; nor without Mercury and Sol for Gold.
25. Let none therefore be deceived by adding a third to
two: for Love admits not a third; and wedlock is terminated
in the number of two; love further extended is not

matrimony.
26. Nevertheless Spiritual love pollutes not any virgin;
Beia might therefore without fault (before her betrothal to
Gabritius) have felt spiritual love, to the end that she might
thereby be made more cheerful, more pure and fitter for
union.
27. Procreation is the end of lawful Wedlock. Now that the
progeny may be born more vigorous and active, let both
the combatants be cleansed from every ill and spot, before
they are united in marriage. Let nothing superfluous
cleave unto them, because from pure seed comes a
purified generation, and so the chaste wedlock of Sol and
Luna shall be finished when they shall enter into
combination, and be conjoined, and Luna shall receive a
soul from her husband by this union; from this conjunction
a most potent King shall arise, whose father will be Sol
and his mother Luna.
28. He that seeks for a physical tincture without Sol and
Luna, loses both his cost and pains: for Sol afforded a
most plentiful tincture of redness, and Luna of whiteness,
for these two only are called perfect; because they are
filled with the substance of purest Sulphur, perfectly
clarified by the skill of nature. Let thy Mercury therefore
receive a tincture from one or other of these luminaries for
anything must of necessity possess a tincture before it can
tinge other bodies.
29. Perfect metals contain in themselves two things that
they are able to communicate to the imperfect metals.
Tincture and Power of fixation; for pure metals, because
they are dyed and fixed with pure Sulphur to wit both white
and red, do therefore perfectly tincture and fix, if they be

fitly prepared with their proper Sulphur and Arsenic:
otherwise they have not strength for multiplying their
tincture.
30. Mercury is alone among the imperfect metals, fit to
receive the tincture of Sol and Luna in the work of the
Philosophers' Stone, and being itself full of tincture can
tinge other metals in abundance; yet ought it (before that)
to be full of invisible Sulphur, that it may be the more
coloured with the visible tincture of perfect bodies, and so
repay with sufficient Usury.
31. Now the whole tribe of Philosophers do much assert
and work mightily to extract Tincture out of gold: for they
believe that Tincture can be separated from Sol, and being
separated increases in virtue but: Vain hope, at last the
hungry Plough-man cheats
With empty husks, instead of lusty meats. For it is
impossible that Sol's Tincture can at all be severed from
his natural body, since there can be no elementary body
made up by nature more perfect than gold, the perfection
whereof proceeds from the strong and inseparable union
of pure colouring Sulphur with Mercury; both of them being
admirably pre-disposed thereunto by Nature; whose true
separation nature denies unto Art. But if any liquor
remaining were extracted (by the violence of fire or
waters) from the Sun, it is to be reputed a part of the body
made liquid or dissolved by force. For the tincture follows
its body, and is never separated from it. That is a delusion
of this Art, which is unknown to many Artificers
themselves.
32. Nevertheless it may be granted, that Tincture may be
separable from its body, yet (we must confess) it cannot

be separated without the corruption of the tincture: as
when Artists offer violence to the gold destroying by fire, or
use Aqua fortis, thus rather corroding than dissolving. The
body therefore if despoiled of its Tincture and Golden
Fleece, must needs grow base and as an unprofitable
heap turn to the damage of its Artificer, and the Tincture
thus corrupted can only have a weaker operation.
33. Let Alchemists in the next place cast their Tincture into
Mercury, or into any other imperfect body, and as strongly
conjoin both of them as their Art will permit; yet shall they
fail of their hopes in two ways. First, because the Tincture
will neither penetrate nor colour beyond Nature's weight
and strength; and therefore no gain will accrue from
thence to recompense the expense and countervail the
loss of the body spoiled, and thus of no value; so: Want is
the poor mortal's wages, when his toil Produces only loss
of pain and oil. Lastly, that debased Tincture applied to
another body will not give that perfect fixation and
permanency required to endure a strong trial, and resist
searching Saturn.
34. Let them therefore that are desirous of Alchemy, and
have hitherto followed impostors and mountebanks, found
a retreat, spare no time nor cost, and give their minds to a
work truly Philosophical, lest the Phrygians be wise too
late, and at length be compelled to cry out with the
prophet, "Strangers have devoured his strength."
35. In the Philosophers' work more time and toil than cost
is expended: for he that hath convenient matter need be at
little expense; besides, those that hunt after great store of
money, and place their chief end in wealth, they trust more
to their riches than their own art. Let, therefore, the too

credulous tyro beware of pilfering pickpockets, for while
they promise golden mountains, they lay in wait for gold,
they demand bright gold (viz., money beforehand),
because they walk in evil and darkness.
36. As those that sail between Scylla and Charybdis are in
danger from both sides: unto no less hazard are they
subject who pursuing the prize of the Golden fleece are
carried between the uncertain Rocks of the Sulphur and
Mercury of the Philosophers. The more acute students by
their constant reading of grave and credible Authors, and
by the radiant sunlight, have attained unto the knowledge
of Sulphur but are at a stand at the entrance of their
search for the Philosophers' Mercury; for Writers have
twisted it with so many windings and meanderings,
involved it with so many equivocal names, that it may be
sooner met with by the force of the Seeker's intuition, than
be found by reason or toil.
37. That Philosophers might the deeper hide their Mercury
in darkness, they have made it manifold, and placed their
Mercury (yet diversely) in every part and in the forefront of
their work, nor will he attain unto a perfect knowledge
thereof, who shall be ignorant of any Part of the Work.
38. Philosophers have acknowledged their Mercury to be
threefold; to wit, after the absolute preparation of the First
degree, the Philosophical sublimation, for then they call it
"Their Mercury," and "Mercury Sublimated."
39. Again, in the Second preparation, that which by
Authors is styled the First (because they omit the First) Sol
being now made crude again, and resolved into his first
matter, is called the Mercury of such like bodies, or the
Philosophers' Mercury; then the matter is called Rebis,

Chaos, or the Whole World, wherein are all things
necessary to the Work, because that only is sufficient to
perfect the Stone.
40. Thirdly, the Philosophers do sometimes call Perfect
Elixir and Colouring Medicine - Their Mercury, though
improperly; for the name of Mercury doth only properly
agree with that which is volatile; besides that which is
sublimated in every region of the work, they call Mercury:
but Elixir - that which is most fixed cannot have the simple
name of Mercury; and therefore they have styled it "Their
Mercury" to differentiate it from that which is volatile. A
straight may is only laid down for some to find out and
discern so many Mercurys of the Philosophers, for those
only: Whom just and mighty Jove
Advances by the strength of love; Or such who brave
heroic fire, Makes from dull Earth to Heaven aspire.
41. The Elixir is called the Philosophers' Mercury for the
likeness and great conformity it hath with heavenly
Mercury; for to this, being devoid of elementary qualities,
heaven is believed to be most propitious; and that
changeable Proteus puts on and increases the genius and
nature of other Planets, by reason of opposition,
conjunction, and aspect. In like manner this uncertain
Elixir works, for being restricted to no proper quality, it
embraces the quality and disposition of the thing
wherewith it is mixed, and wonderfully multiplies the
virtues and qualities thereof.
42. In the Philosophical sublimation or first preparation of
Mercury, Herculean labour must be undergone by the
workman; for Jason had in vain attempted his expedition
to Colchos without Alcides. One from on high a Golden

Fleece displays which shows the Entrance, another says
how hard a task you'll find. For the entrance is warded by
horned beasts which drive away those that approach
rashly thereunto, to their great hurt; only the ensigns of
Diana and the Doves of Venus are able to assuage their
fierceness, if the fates favour the attempt.
43. The Natural quality of Philosophical Earth and the
tillage thereof, seems to be touched upon by the poet in
this verse:
Let sturdy oxen when the year begins
Plough up the fertile soil,
for Zephyrus then destroys the sodden clods.
44. He that calls the Philosophers' Luna or their Mercury,
the common Mercury, doth wittingly deceive, or is
deceived himself; so the writings of Geber teach us, that
the Philosophers' Mercury is Argent vive, yet not of the
common sort, but extracted out of it by the Philosophers'
skill.
45. The Philosophers' Mercury is not Argent vive in its
proper nature, nor in its whole substance, but is only the
middle and pure substance thereof, which thence hath
taken its origin and has been made by it. This opinion of
the grand Philosophers is founded on experience.
46. The Philosophers' Mercury hath divers names,
sometimes it is called Earth; sometimes Water, when
viewed from a diverse aspect because it naturally arises
from them both. The earth is subtle, white and sulphurous,
in which the elements are fixed and the philosophical gold
is sown; the water is the water of life, burning, permanent,
most clear, called the water of gold and silver; but this
Mercury, because it hath in it Sulphur of its own, which is

multiplied by art, deserves to be called the Sulphur of
Argent vive. Last of all, the most precious substance is
Venus, the ancient Hermaphrodite, glorious in its double
sex.
47. This Argent vive is partly natural, partly unnatural; its
intrinsic and occult part hath its root in nature, and this
cannot be drawn forth unless it is by some precedent
cleansing, and industrious sublimation; its extrinsic part is
preternatural and accidental. Separate, therefore, the
clean from the unclean, the substance from the accidents,
and make that which is hid, manifest, by the course of
nature; otherwise you make no further progress, for this is
the foundation of the whole work and of nature.
48. That dry and most precious liquor doth constitute the
radical moisture of metals wherefore by some of the
ancients it is called Glass; for glass is extracted out of the
radical moisture closely inherent in ashes which offer
resistance, except to the hottest flame notwithstanding our
inmost or central Mercury discovers itself by the most
gentle and kindly (though a little more tedious) fire of
nature.
49. Some have sought for the latent Philosophical earth by
Calcination, others by Sublimation; many among glass,
and some few between vitriol and salt, even as among
their natural vessels; others enjoin you to sublime it out of
lime and glass. But we have learned of the Prophet that
"In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth,
and the Earth was without form and void, and darkness
was upon the face of the Deep, and the spirit of God
moved upon the Waters, and God said, Let there be Light,
and there was Light; and God saw the Light that it was

good, and he divided the light from the darkness, etc."
Joseph's blessing spoken of by the same Prophet will be
sufficient to a wise man. "Blessed of the Lord be his Land,
for the Apples of Heaven, for the dew, and for the Deep
that lives Beneath: for the Apples of fruit both of sun and
moon, for the top of the ancient mountains, for the Apples
of the everlasting hills, etc.," pray the Lord from the bottom
of thy heart (my son) that he would bestow upon Thee a
portion of this blessed earth.
50. Argent vive is so defiled by original sin, that it flows
with a double infection; the first it hath contracted from the
polluted Earth, which hath mixed itself therewith in the
generation of Argent vive, and by congelation hath
cleaved thereunto; the second borders upon the dropsy
and is the corruption of intercutal Water, proceeding from
thick and impure water; mixed with the clear, which nature
was not able to squeeze out and separate by constriction;
but because it is extrinsic; it flies off with a gentle heat.
The Mercury's leprosy infesting the body, is not of its root
and substance, but accidental, and therefore separable
from it; the earthly part is wiped off by a warm wet Bath
and the Laver of nature; the watery part is taken away by
a dry bath with that gentle fire suitable to generation. And
thus by a threefold washing and cleansing the Dragon
puts off his old scales and ugly skin is renewed in beauty.
51. The Philosophical sublimation of Mercury is completed
by two processes; namely by removing things superfluous
from it, and by introducing things which are wanting. In
superfluities are the external accidents, which in the dark
sphere of Saturn do make cloudy glittering Jupiter.
Separate therefore the leaden colour of Saturn which

cometh up out of the Water until Jupiter's purple Star smile
upon thee. Add hereunto the Sulphur of nature, whose
grain and Ferment it hath in itself, so much as suffices it;
but see that it be sufficient for other things also. Multiply
therefore that invisible Sulphur of the Philosophers until
the Virgin's s milk comes forth: and so the First Gate is
opened unto thee.
52. The entrance of the Philosophers' garden is kept by
the Hesperian Dragon, which being put aside, a Fountain
of the dearest water proceeding from a sevenfold spring
flows forth on every side of the entrance of the garden;
wherein make the Dragon drink thrice the magical number
of Seven, until having drunk he put off his hideous
garments; then may the divine powers of light-bringing
Venus and horned Diana, be propitious unto thee.
53. Three kinds of most beautiful flowers are to be sought,
and may he found in this Garden of the wise: Damask-
coloured Violets, the milk-white Lily, and the purple and
immortal flower of love, the Amaranth. Not far from that
fountain at the entrance, fresh Violets do first salute thee,
which being watered by streams from the great golden
river, they put on the most delicate colour of the dark
Sapphire; then Sol will give thee a sign. Thou shall not
sever such precious flowers from their roots until thou
make the Stone; for the fresh ones cropped off have more
juice and tincture; and then pick them carefully with a
gentle and discreet hand; if the Fates frown not, this will
easily follow, and one White flower being plucked, the
other Golden one will not be wanting; let the Lily and the
Amaranth succeed with still greater care and longer
labour.

54. Philosophers have their sea also, wherein small fishes
plump and shining with silver scales are generated; which
he that shall entangle, and take by a fine and small net
shall be accounted a most expert fisherman.
55. The Philosophers' Stone is found in the oldest
mountains, and flows from everlasting brooks; those
mountains are of silver, and the brooks are even of gold:
from thence gold and silver and all the treasures of Kings
are produced.
56. Whosoever is minded to obtain the Philosophers'
Stone, let him resolve to take a long peregrination, for it is
necessary that he go to see both the Indies, that from
thence he may bring the most precious gems and the
purest gold.
57. Philosophers extract their stone out of seven stones,
the two chief whereof are of a diverse nature and efficacy;
the one infuses invisible Sulphur, the other spiritual
Mercury; that one induces heat and dryness, and this one
cold and moisture: thus by their help, the strength of the
elements is multiplied in the Stone; the former is found in
the Eastern coast, the latter in the Western: both of them
have the power of colouring and multiplying, and unless
the Stone shall take its first Tincture from them it will
neither colour nor multiply.
58. Recipe then the Winged Virgin very well washed and
cleansed, impregnated by the spiritual seed of the first
male, and fecundated in the permanent glory of her
untouched virginity, she will be discovered by her cheeks
dyed with a blushing colour; join her to the second, by
whose seed she shall conceive again and shall in time
bring forth a reverend off-spring of double sex, from

whence an immortal Race of most potent Kings shall
gloriously arise.
59. Keep up and couple the Eagle and Lion well cleansed
in their transparent cloister, the entry door being shut and
watched lest their breath go out, or the air without do
secretly get in. The Eagle shall snap up and devour the
Lion in this combination; afterwards being affected with a
long sleep, and a dropsy occasioned by a foul stomach,
she shall be changed by a wonderful metamorphosis into
a coal black Crow, which shall begin to fly with wings
stretched out, and by its flight shall bring down water from
the clouds, until being often moistened, he put off his
wings of his own accord, and falling down again he be
changed into a most White Swan. Those that are ignorant
of the causes of things may wonder with astonishment
when they consider that the world is nothing but a
continual Metamorphosis; they may marvel that the seeds
of things perfectly digested should end in greatest
whiteness. Let the Philosopher imitate Nature in his work.
60. Nature proceeds thus in making and perfecting her
works, that from an inchoate generation it may bring a
thing by divers means, as it were by degrees, to the
ultimate term of perfection: she therefore attains her end
by little and little, not by leaps; confining and including her
work between two extremes; distinct and severed as by
spaces. The practice of Philosophy, which is the imitator of
Nature, ought not to decline from the way and example of
Nature in its working and direction to find out its happy
stone, for whatsoever is without the bounds of Nature is
either in error or is near one.
61. The extremes of the Stone are natural Argent vive and

perfect Elixir: the middle parts which lie between, by help
whereof the work goes on, are of three sorts; for they
either belong unto matter, or operations, or demonstrative
signs: the whole work is perfected by these extremes and
means.
62. The material means of the Stone are of divers kinds,
for some are extracted out of others successively: The first
are Mercury Philosophically sublimated, and perfect
metals, which although the be extreme in the work of
nature, yet in the Philosophical work they supply the place
of means: of the former the seconds are produced; namely
the four elements, which again are circulated and fixed: of
the seconds, the third is produced, to wit, Sulphur, the
multiplication hereof doth terminate the first work: the
fourth and last means are leaven or ointments weighed
with the mixture of the things aforesaid, successively
produced in the work of the Elixir. By the right ordering of
the things aforesaid, the perfect Elixir is finished, which is
the last term of the whole work, wherein the Philosophers'
Stone rests as in its centre, the multiplication whereof is
nothing else than a short repetition of the previous
operations.
63. The operative means (which are also called the Keys
of the Work) are four: the first is Solution or Liquefaction;
the second is Ablution; the third Reduction; the fourth
Fixation. By Liquefaction bodies return into their first form,
things concocted are made raw again and the combination
between the position and negative is effected, from
whence the Crow is generated lastly the Stone is divided
into four confused elements, which happen by the
retrogradation of the Luminaries. The Ablution teaches

how to make the Crow white, and to create the Jupiter of
Saturn, which is done by the conversion of the Body into
Spirit. The Office of Reduction is to restore the soul to the
stone exanimated, and to nourish it with dew and spiritual
milk, until it shall attain unto perfect strength. In both these
latter operations the Dragon rages against himself, and by
devouring his tail, doth wholly exhaust himself, and at
length is turned into the Stone. Lastly, the operation of the
Fixation fixes both the White and the Red Sulphurs upon
their fixed body, by the mediation of the spiritual tincture; it
decocts the Leaven or Ferment by degrees ripens things
unripe, and sweetens the bitter. In fine by penetrating and
tincturing the flowing Elixir it generates, perfects, and
lastly, raises it up to the height of sublimity.
64. The Means or demonstrative signs are Colours
successively and orderly affecting the matter and its
affections and demonstrative passions, whereof there are
three special ones (as critical) to be noted; to these some
add a Fourth. The first is black, which is called the Crow's
head, because of its extreme blackness whose
crepusculun shows the beginning of the action of the fire
of nature and solution, and the blackest midnight shows
the perfection of liquefaction, and confusion of the
elements. Then the grain putrefies and is corrupted, that it
may be the more apt for generation. The white colour
succeeds the black wherein is given the perfection of the
first degree, and of the White Sulphur. This is called the
blessed stone; this Earth is white and foliated, wherein
Philosophers do sow their gold. The third is Orange
colour, which is produced in the passage of the white to
the red, as the middle and being mixed of both is as the

dawn with his saffron hair, a forerunner of the Sun. The
fourth colour is Ruddy and Sanguine, which is extracted
from the white fire only. Now because whiteness is easily
altered by another colour before day it quickly fails of its
candor. But the deep redness of the Sun perfects the work
of Sulphur, which is called the Sperm of the male, the fire
of the Stone, the King's Crown, and the Son of Sol,
wherein the first labour of the workman rests.
65. Besides these decretory signs which firmly inhere in
the matter, and show its essential mutations, almost
infinite colours appear, and show themselves in vapors, as
the Rainbow in the clouds, which quickly pass away and
are expelled by those that succeed, more affecting the air
than the earth: the operator must have a gentle care of
them, because they are not permanent, and proceed not
from the intrinsic disposition of the matter, but from the fire
painting and fashioning everything after its pleasure, or
casually by heat in slight moisture.
66. Of the strange colours, some appearing out of time,
give an ill omen to the work: such as the blackness
renewed; for the Crow's young ones having once left their
nest are never to be suffered to return. Too hasty
Redness; for this once, and in the end only, gives a certain
hope of the harvest; if therefore the matter become red too
soon it is an argument of the greatest aridity, not without
great danger, which can only be averted by Heaven alone
forthwith bestowing a shower upon it.
67. The Stone is exalted by successive digestions, as by
degrees, and at length attains to perfection. Now four
Digestions agreeable to the four above said Operations or
Governments do complete the whole work, the author

whereof is the fire, which makes the difference between
them.
68. The first digestion is the solution of the Body, whereby
comes the first conjunction of male and female, the
commixtion of both seeds, putrefaction, the resolution of
the elements into homogeneous water, the eclipse of the
Sun and Moon in the head of the Dragon, and lastly it
brings back the whole World into its ancient Chaos, and
dark abyss. This first digestion is as in the stomach, of a
melon colour and weak, more fit for corruption than
generation.
69. In the second digestion the Spirit of the Lord walked
upon the waters; the light begins to appear, and a
separation of waters from the waters occurs; Sol and Luna
are renewed; the elements are extracted out of the chaos,
that being perfectly mixed in Spirit they may constitute a
new world; a new Heaven and new Earth are made; and
lastly all bodies become spiritual. The Crow's young ones
changing their feathers begin to pass into Doves; the
Eagle and Lion embrace one another in an eternal League
of amity. And this generation of the World is made by the
fiery Spirit descending in the form of Water, and wiping
away Original sin; for the Philosophers' Water is Fire,
which is moved by the exciting heat of a Bath. But see that
the separation of Waters be done in Weight and Measure,
lest those things that remain under Heaven be drowned
under the Earth, or those things that are snatched up
above the Heaven, be too much destitute of aridity.
Here let slight moisture leave a barren Soil.
70. The third digestion of the newly generated Earth drinks
up the dewy Milk, and all the spiritual virtues of the

quintessence, and fastens the quickening Soul to the body
by the Spirit's mediation. Then the Earth lays up a great
Treasure in itself, and is made like the coruscating Moon,
afterwards like to the ruddy Sun; the former is called the
Earth of the Moon, the latter the Earth of the Sun; for both
of them are beget of the copulation of them both; neither
of them any longer fear the pains of the Fire, because both
want all spots; for they have been often cleansed from sin
by fire, and have suffered great Martyrdom, until all the
Elements are turned downward.
71. The Fourth digestion consummates all the Mysteries of
the World, and the Earth being turned into most excellent
leaven, it leavens all imperfect bodies because it hath
before passed into the heavenly nature of quintessence.
The virtue thereof flowing from the Spirit of the Universe is
a present Panacea and universal medicine for all the
diseases of all creatures. The digestions of the first work
being repeated will open to thee the Philosophers secret
Furnace (a liquid I believe). Be right in thy works, that thou
may find God favorable otherwise the plowing of the Earth
will be in vain; nor will the expected Harvest ever requite
the greedy husbandman.
72. The whole Progress of the Philosophers' work is
nothing but Solution and Congelation; the Solution of the
body, and Congelation of the Spirit; nevertheless there is
but one operation of both: the fixed and volatile are
perfectly mixed and united in the Spirit! Which cannot be
done unless the fixed body is first made soluble and
volatile. By reduction is the volatile body fixed into a
permanent body, and volatile nature doth at last change
into a fixed one, as the fixed nature had before passed

into volatile. Now so long as the Natures were confused in
the Spirit, that mixed spirit keeps a middle Nature between
Body and Spirit, Fixed and Volatile.
73. The generation of the Stone is made after the pattern
of the Creation of the World; for it is necessary, that it
have its Chaos and First matter, wherein the confused
Elements do fluctuate, until they be separated by the fiery
Spirit; they being separated, the Light Elements are
carried upwards, and the heavy ones downwards: the light
arising, darkness retreats: the waters are gathered into
one place and the dry land appears. At length the two
great Luminaries arise, and mineral, vegetable and animal
are produced in the Philosophers' Earth.
74. God created Adam out of the mud of the Earth,
wherein were inherent the virtues of all the Elements, of
the Earth and Water especially, which do more constitute
the sensible and corporeal heap: Into this Mass God
breathed the breath of Life, and enlivened it with the Sun
of the Holy Spirit. He gave Eve for a Wife to Adam, and
blessing them he gave unto them a Precept and the
Faculty of multiplication. The generation of the
Philosophers Stone, is not unlike the Creation of Adam, for
the Mud was made of a terrestrial and ponderous Body
dissolved by Water, which deserved the excellent name of
Terra Adamica, wherein all the virtues and qualities of the
Elements are placed. At length the heavenly Soul is
infused there into by the medium of the Quintessence and
Solar influx, and by the Benediction and Dew of Heaven;
the virtue of multiplying ad infinitum by the intervening
copulation of both sexes is given it.
75. The chief secret of this work consists in the manner of

working, which is wholly employed about the Elements: for
the matter of the Stone passes from one Nature into
another, the Elements are successively extracted, and by
turns obtain dominion; everything is agitated by the circles
of humidum and siccum, until all things be turned
downwards, and there rest.
76. In the work of the Stone the other Elements are
circulated in the figure of Water, for the Earth is resolved
into Water, wherein are the rest of the Elements; the
Water is Sublimated into Vapour, Vapour retreats into
Water, and so by an unwearied circle, is the Water moved,
until it abide fixed downwards; now that being fixed, all the
elements are fixed. Thus into it they are resolved, by it
they are extracted, with it they live and die; the Earth is the
Tomb, and last end of all.
77. The order of Nature requires that every generation
begin from humidity and in humidity. In the Philosophers'
Work, Nature is to be reduced into order, that so the
matter of the Stone, which is terrestrial, compact and dry,
in the first place may be dissolved and flow into the
Element of Water next unto it, and then Saturn will be
generated of Sol.
78. The Air succeeds the Water, drawn about by seven
circles or revolutions, which is wheeled about with so
many circles and reductions, until it be fixed downwards,
and Saturn being expelled, Jupiter may receive the
Scepter and Government of the Kingdom, by whose
coming the Philosophers' Infant is formed, nourished in the
womb, and at length is born; resembling the splendor of
Luna in her beautiful and Serene countenance.
79. The Fire executes the courses of the Nature of the

Elements, extreme Fire assisting it; of the hidden is made
the manifest; the Saffron dyes the Lily; Redness
possesses the cheeks of the blushing Child now made
stronger. A Crown is prepared for him against the time of
his Reign. This is the consummation of the first work, and
the perfect rotation of the Elements the sign whereof is,
when they are all terminated in Siccum, and the body void
of Spirit lies down, wanting pulse, and motion; and thus all
the Elements are finally resolved into Earth.
80. Fire placed in the Stone is Nature's Prince, Sol's Son
and Vicar, moving and digesting matter and perfecting all
things therein, if it shall attain its liberty, for it lies weak
under a hard bark; procure therefore its freedom that it
may succor thee freely; but beware that thou urge it not
above measure, for being impatient of tyranny it may
become a fugitive, no hope of return being left unto thee;
call it back therefore by courteous words, and keep it
prudently.
81. The first mover of nature is External Fire, the
Moderator of Internal Fire, and of the whole Work; Let the
Philosopher therefore very well understand the
government thereof, and observe its degrees and points;
for from thence the welfare or ruin of the work depends.
Thus Art helps Nature, and the Philosopher is the Minister
of both.
82. By these two Instruments of Art and Nature the Stone
lifts itself up from Earth to Heaven with great ingenuity,
and slides from Heaven to Earth, because the Earth is its
Nurse, and being carried in the womb of the wind, it
receives the force of the Superiors and Inferiors.
83. The Circulation of the Elements is performed by a

double Whorl, by the greater or extended and the less or
contracted. The Whorl extended fixes all the Elements of
the Earth, and its circle is not finished unless the work of
Sulphur is perfected. The revolution of the minor Whorl is
terminated by the extraction and preparation of every
Element. Now in this Whorl there are three Circles placed,
which always and variously move the Matter, by an Erratic
and Intricate Motion, and do often (seven times at least)
drive about every Element, in order succeeding one
another, and so agreeable, that if one shall be wanting the
labour of the rest is made void. These Circulations are
Nature's Instruments, whereby the Elements are prepared.
Let the Philosopher therefore consider the progress of
Nature in the Physical Tract, more fully described for this
very end.
84. Every Circle hath its proper Motion, for all the Motions
of the Circles are conversant about the subject of
Humidum and Siccum, and are so concatenated that they
produce the one operation, and one only consent of
Nature: two of them are opposite, both in respect of their
causes and the effects; for one moves upwards, drying by
heat; another downwards, moistening by cold; a third
carrying the form of rest and sleep by digesting, induces
the cessation of both in greatest moderation.
85. Of the three Circles, the first is Evacuation, the labour
of which is in extracting the superfluous Humidum and
also in separating the pure, clean and subtle, from the
gross and terrestrial dregs. Now the greatest danger is
found in the motion of this Circle, because it hath to do
with things Spiritual and makes Nature plentiful.
86. Two things are chiefly to be taken heed of in moving

this Circle; first, that it be not moved too intensely; the
other, that it be not moved for too long a time. Motion
accelerated raises confusion in the matter, so that the
gross, impure and undigested part may fly out together
with the pure and subtle, and the Body undissolved be
mixed with the Spirit, together with that which is dissolved.
With this precipitated motion the Heavenly and Terrestrial
Natures are confounded, and the Spirit of the
Quintessence, corrupted by the admixture of Earth is
made dull and invalid. By too long a motion the Earth is
too much evacuated of its Spirit, and is made so
languishing, dry and destitute of Spirit, that it cannot easily
be restored and recalled to its Temperament. Either error
burns up the Tincture, or turns it into flight.
87. The Second Circle is Restoration; whose office is to
restore strength to the gasping and debilitated body by
Potion. The former Circle was the Organ of sweat and
labour, but this of restoration and consolation. The action
of this is employed in the grinding and mollifying the Earth
(Potter-like), that it may be the better mixed.
88. The motion of this Circle must be lighter than that of
the former, especially in the beginning of its Revolution,
lest the Crow's young ones drown in their nest by a large
flood, and the growing world be drowned by a deluge. This
is the Weigher and Assayer of Measures, for it distributes
Water by Geometrical Precepts. There is usually no
greater Secret found in the whole practice of the Work
than the firm and justly weighed Motion of this Circle; for it
informs the Philosophers' infant and inspires Soul and Life
into him.
89. The Laws of this Circle's motions are, that it run about

gently: and by little and little, and sparingly let forth itself,
lest that by making haste it fail from its measure, and the
Fire inherent be overwhelmed with the Waters, the
Architect of the Work grow dull, or also be extinguished:
that meat and drink be administered by turns, to the end
there may be a better Digestion made, and the best
temperament of Humidum, and Siccum; for the
indissoluble colligation of them both is the End and Scope
of the Work. Furthermore see, that you add so much by
Watering, as shall be found wanting in assaying, that
Restoration may restore so much of the lost strength by
corroborating, as Evacuation hath taken away by
debilitating.
90. Digestion, the last Circle, acts with silent and
insensible Motion; and therefore it is said by Philosophers,
that it is made in a secret furnace; it decocts the Nutriment
received, and converts it into the Homogeneous parts of
the body. Moreover, it is called Putrefaction; because as
meat is corrupted in the Stomach before it passes into
Blood and similar parts; so this operation breaks the
Aliment with a concocting and Stomach heat and in a
manner makes it to putrefy that it may be the better Fixed,
and changed from a Mercurial into a Sulphurous Nature.
Again, it is called Inhumation, because by it the Spirit is
inhumated, as a dead man buried in the ground. But
because it goes most slowly, it therefore needs a longer
time. The two former Circles do labour especially in
dissolving, this in congealing although all of them work in
both ways.
91. The Laws of this Circle are, that it be moved by the
Feverish and most gentle heat of Dung, lest that the things

volatile fly out, and the Spirit be troubled at the time of its
strictest Conjunction with the Body, for then the business
is perfected in the greatest tranquility and ease; therefore
we must especially beware lest the Earth be moved by
any Winds or Showers. Lastly, as this third Circle may
always succeed the second straightway and in due order,
as the second the first: so by interrupted works and by
course those three erratic Circles do complete one entire
circulation, which often reiterated doth at length turn all
things into Earth, and makes similarity between opposites.
92. Nature uses Fire, so also doth Art after its example, as
an Instrument and Mallet in cutting out its works. In both
operations therefore Fire is Master and Perfecter.
Wherefore the knowledge of Fire is most necessary for a
Philosopher, without which as another Ixion (condemned
to labour in vain) he shall turn about the Whorl of Nature to
no purpose.
93. The name Fire is Equivocal amongst Philosophers; for
sometimes it is used by Metonymy for heat and so there
be as many fires as heats. In the Generation of Metals and
Vegetables Nature acknowledges a Three-fold Fire; to wit,
Celestial, Terrestrial and Innate. The First flows from Sol
as its Fountain into the Bosom of the Earth; it stirs up
Fumes, or Mercurial and Sulphurous vapours, of which the
Metals are created, and mixes itself amongst them; it stirs
up that torpid fire which is placed in the seeds of
Vegetables, and adds fresh sparks unto it, as a spur to
vegetation. The Second lurks in the bowels of the Earth,
by the Impulse and action whereof the Subterraneous
vapours are driven upwards as through pores and pipes,
and thrusts outwards from the Centre towards the surface

of the Earth, both for the composition of Metals, where the
Earth swells up, as also for the production of Vegetables,
by putrefying their seeds, by softening and preparing them
for generation. The third Fire, viz., Innate is also indeed
Solar; it is generated of a vapid smoke of Metals, and also
being infused with the monthly provision grows together
with the humid matter, and is retained as in a Prison; or
more truly, as form is conjoined with the mixed body; it
firmly inherits in the seeds of Vegetables, until being
solicited by the point of its Father's rays it be called out,
then Motion intrinsically moves and informs the matter,
and becomes the Molder and Dispenser of the whole
Mixture. In the generation of Animals, Celestial Fire doth
insensibly co-operate with the Animal, for it is the first
Agent in Nature; for the heat of the female answers to
Terrestrial Fire; when the Seed putrefies, this warmth
prepares it. For truly the Fire is implanted in the Seed;
then the Son of Sol disposes of the matter, and being
disposed, he forms it.
94. Philosophers have observed a three-fold Fire in the
matter of their work, Natural, Unnatural, and Contra-
Natural. The Natural they call the Fiery Celestial Spirit
Innate, kept in the profundity of matter, and most strictly
bound unto it, which by the sluggish strength of metal
grows dull, until being stirred up and freed by the
Philosophers' discretion and external heat, it shall have
obtained a faculty of moving its body dissolved, and so it
may inform its humid matter, by Un-folding Penetration,
Dilatation and Congelation. In every mixed body Natural
Fire is the Principle of Heat and Motion. Unnatural Fire
they name that which being procured and coming from

without is introduced into the matter artificially; that it may
increase and multiply the strength of the natural heat. The
Fire Contrary to Nature they call that which putrefies the
Composite, and corrupts the temperament of Nature. It is
imperfect, because being too weak for generation, it is not
carried beyond the bounds of corruption: such is the Fire
or heat of the menstruum: yet it hath the name improperly
of Fire against Nature, because in a manner it is according
to Nature, for although it destroys the specific form, and
corrupts the matter, yet it disposes it for reproduction.
95. It is more credible nevertheless that the corrupting
Fire, called Fire against Nature, is not different from the
Innate, but the first degree of it, for the order of nature
requires, that Corruption should precede Generation: the
fire therefore that is innate, agreeable to the Law of
Nature, performs both, by exciting both successively in the
matter: the first of corruption more gentle stirred up by
feeble heat to mollify and prepare the body: the other of
generation more forcible, moved by a more vehement
heat, to animate and fully inform the Elementary body
disposed of by the former. A double Motion doth therefore
proceed from a double degree of heat of the same fire;
neither is it to be accounted a double Fire, for far better
may the name of "Fire contrary to Nature" be given to
violent and destructive fire.
96. Unnatural Fire is converted into Natural or Innate Fire
by successive degrees of Digestion, and increase and
multiply it. Now the whole secret consists in the
multiplication of Natural Fire, which of itself is not able to
Work above its proper strength, nor communicate a
perfect Tincture to imperfect Bodies; for although it be

sufficient to itself, yet hath it not any further power; but
being multiplied by the unnatural, which most abound with
the virtue of multiplying doth act far more powerfully, and
reaches itself beyond the bounds of Nature-colouring
strange and imperfect bodies, and perfecting them,
because of its plentiful Tincture, and the abstruse
Treasure of multiplied Fire.
97. Philosophers call their Water, Fire, because it is most
hot, and imbued with a Fiery Spirit; again Water is called
Fire by them, because it burns the bodies of perfect
Metals more than common fire does for it perfectly
dissolves them, whereas they resist our Fire, and will not
suffer themselves to be dissolved by it; for this cause it is
also called Burning Water. Now that Fire of Tincture is hid
in the belly of the Water and manifests itself by a double
effect, viz., of the body's Solution and Multiplication.
98. Nature uses a double Fire in the Work of generation,
Intrinsic and Extrinsic; the former being placed in the
seeds and mixtures of things, is hid in their Centre; and as
a principle of Motion and Life doth move and quicken the
body. But the latter, Extrinsic, whether it be poured down
from Heaven or Earth, raises the former, as drowned with
sleep, and compels it to action; for the vital sparks
implanted in the seeds stand in need of an external motor,
that they may be moved and act.
99. It is even so in the Philosophers' work; for the matter of
the Stone possesses his Interior Fire, which is partly
Innate, partly also is added by the Philosophers Art, for
those are united and come inward together, because they
are homogeneous: the internal stands in need of the
external, which the Philosopher administers according to

the Precepts of Art and Nature; this compels the former to
move. These Fires are as two Wheels, whereof the hidden
one being moved by the visible one, it is moved sooner or
later; and thus Art helps Nature.
100. The Internal Fire is the middle agent between the
Motor and the Matter; whence it is, that as it is moved by
that, it moves this; and if so be it shall be driven intensely
or remissly, it will work after the same manner in the
matter. The Information of the whole Work depends of the
measure of External Fire.
101. He that is ignorant of the degrees and points of
external Fire, let him not start upon the Philosophical
Work; for he will never obtain light out of darkness, unless
the heats pass through their middle stages, like the
Elements, whose Extremes are not converted, but only
their Means.
102. Because the whole work consists in Separation and
perfect Preparation of the Four Elements, therefore so
many grades of Fire are necessary there unto; for every
Element is extracted by the degree of Fire proper to it.
103. The four grades of Heat are called the heat of the
Water Bath, the heat of Ashes, of Coals, and of Flame,
which is also called "Optetic:" every grade hath its
degrees, two at least, sometimes three; for heat is to be
moved slowly and by degrees, whether it be increased or
decreased; so that Matter, after Nature's example, may go
on by degrees and willingly unto formation and
completion; for nothing is so strange to Nature as that
which is violent. Let the Philosopher propound for his
consideration the gentle access and recess of the Sun,
whose Light and Lamp bestows its heat to the things of

the world, according to the times and Laws of the
Universe, and so bestows a certain temperament upon
them.
104. The first degree of the Bath of Heat is called the heat
of a Fever; the second, of Dung. The first degree of the
second grade is the simple heat of Ashes; the second is
the heat of Sand. Now the degrees of Fire, Coals and
Flame want a proper Name, but they are distinguished by
the operation of the intellect, according to their intensity.
105. Three Grades only of Fire are sometimes found
amongst Philosophers, viz., the Water Bath, of Ashes and
of Flame: which latter comprehend the Fire of Coals and
of Flame: the Heat of Dung is sometimes distinguished
from the Heat of the Bath in degree. Thus for the most part
Authors do involve the light in darkness, by the various
expressions of the Philosophers' Fire; for the knowledge
thereof is accounted amongst their chief secrets.
106. In the White Work, because three Elements only are
extracted, Three degrees of Fire do suffice; the last, to wit
the "Optetic," is reserved for the Fourth Element, which
finishes the Red Work. By the first degree the eclipse of
Sol and Luna is made; by the second the light of Luna
begins to be restored; by the third Luna attains unto the
fullness of her splendor; and by the fourth Sol is exalted
into the highest apex of his glory. Now in every part the
Fire is administered according to the rules of Geometry; so
that the Agent may answer to the disposition of the
Patient, so their strength be equally poised betwixt
themselves.
107. Philosophers have very much insisted upon secrecy
in regard to their Fire; they scarce have been bold to

describe it but show it rather by a description of its
qualities and properties, than by its name: as that it is
called Airy Fire, Vaporous, Humid and Dry, Clear or Star-
like; because it may easily by degrees be increased or
remitted as the Artificer pleases. He that desires more of
the knowledge of Fire may be satisfied by the Works of
Lullius, who hath opened the Secrets of Practice to worthy
minds candidly.
108. Of the conflict of the Eagle and the Lion also they
write diversely, because the Lion is the strongest animal,
and therefore it is necessary that more Eagles act together
(three at least, or more, even to ten) to conquer him: the
fewer they are, the greater the contention, and the slower
the Victory; but the more Eagles, the shorter the Battle,
and the plundering of the Lion will more readily follow. The
happier number of seven Eagles may be taken out of
Lullius, or of nine out of Senior.
109. The Vessel wherein Philosophers decoct their work is
twofold; the one of Nature, the other of Art; the Vessel of
Nature which is also called the Vessel of Philosophy is the
Earth of the Stone, or the Female or Matrix, where into the
sperm of the Male is received putrefies, and is prepared
for generation; the Vessel of Nature is of three sorts, for
the secret is decocted in a threefold Vessel.
110. The First Vessel is made of a transparent Stone, or of
a stony Glass, the form thereof some Philosophers have
hid by a certain Enigmatic description; sometimes
affirming that it is compounded of two pieces, to wit, an
Alembic and a Bolt-head; sometimes of three at other
times of the two former with the addition of a Cover.
111. Many have feigned the multiply of such like Vessels

to be necessary to the Philosophical Work, calling them by
divers names with a desire of hiding the secret by a
diversity of operations; for they called it Dissolvent of
solutions; Putrefactory for putrefaction; Distillatory for
distillation; Sublimatory for sublimation; Calcinatory for
calcination &c.
112. But all deceit being removed we may speak
sincerely, one only Vessel of Art suffices to terminate the
Work of either Sulphur; and another for the Work of the
Elixir; for the diversity of digestions requires not the
change of Vessels; yea we must have a care lest the
Vessel be changed or opened before the First work be
ended.
113. You shall choose a form of glass Vessel round in the
bottom (or cucurbit), or at least oval, the neck a hand's
breadth long or more, large enough with a straight mouth
made like a Pitcher or Jug, continuous and unbroken and
equally thick in every part, that it may resist a long, and
sometimes an acute Fire The cucurbit is called a Blind-
head because its eye is blinded with the Hermetic seal,
lest anything from without should enter in, or the Spirit
steal out.
114. The second Vessel of Art may be of Wood, of the
trunk of an Oak, cut into two hollow Hemispheres, wherein
the Philosophers' Egg may be cherished till it is hatched of
which see the Fountain of Trevisan.
115. The third Vessel Practitioners have called their
Furnace, which keeps the other Vessels with the matter
and the whole work: this also Philosophers have
endeavored to hide amongst their secrets.
116. The Furnace which is the Keeper of Secrets, is called

Athanor, from the immortal Fire, which it always
preserves; for although it afford unto the Work continual
Fire, yet sometimes unequally, which reason requires to
be administered more or less according to the quantity of
matter, and the capacity of the Furnace.
117. The matter of the Furnace is made of Brick, or of
daubed Earth, or of Potter's clay well beaten and prepared
with horse dung, mixed with hair, so that it may cohere the
firmer, and may not be cracked by long heating; let the
walls be three or four fingers thick, to the end that the
furnace may be the better able to keep in the heat and
withstand it.
118. Let the form of the Furnace be round, the inward
altitude of two feet or thereabouts, in the midst whereof an
Iron or Brazen plate must be set, of a round Figure, about
the thickness of a Penknife's back, in a manner
possessing the interior latitude of the Furnace, but a little
narrower than it, lest it touch the walls; it must lean upon
three or four props of Iron fixed to the walls, and let it be
full of holes, that the heat may be the more easily carried
upwards by them, and between the sides of the Furnace
and the Plate. Below the Plate let there be a little door left,
and another above in the walls of the Furnace, that by the
Lower the Fire may be put in, and by the higher the
temperament of the heat may be sensibly perceived; at
the opposite part whereof let there be a little window of the
Figure of a Rhomboid fortified with glass, that the light
over against it may show the colours to the eye. Upon the
middle of the aforesaid plate, let the Tripod of secrets be
placed with a double Vessel. Lastly, let the Furnace be
very well covered with a shell or covering agreeable unto

it, and take care that the little doors be always closely
shut, lest the heat escape.
119. Thus thou hast all things necessary to the First Work,
the end whereof is the generation of two sorts of Sulphur;
the composition and perfection of both may be thus
finished.
The Practice of the Sulphur.
Take a Red Dragon, courageous, warlike, to whom no
natural strength is wanting; and afterwards seven or nine
noble Eagles (Virgins), whose eyes will not wax dull by the
rays of the Sun: cast the Birds with the Beast into a clear
Prison and strongly shut them up; under this let a Bath be
placed, that they may be incensed to fight by the warmth,
in a short time they will enter into a long and harsh
contention, until at length about the 45th day or the 50th
the Eagles begin to prey upon and tear the beast to
pieces, which dying will infect the whole Prison with its
black and direful poison, whereby the Eagles being
wounded, they will also be constrained to give up the
ghost. From the putrefaction of the dead Carcasses a
Crow will be generated, which by little and little will put
forth its head, and the Heat being somewhat increased it
will forthwith stretch forth its wings and begin to fly; but
seeking chinks from the Winds and Clouds, it will long
hover about; take heed that it find not any chinks. At
length being made white by a gentle and long Rain, and
with the dew of Heaven it will be changed into a White
Swan, but the new born Crow is a sign of the departed
Dragon. In making the Crow White, extract the Elements,
and distil them according to the order prescribed, until they
be fixed in their Earth, and end in Snow-like and most

subtle dust, which being finished you shall enjoy thy first
desire, the White Work.
120. If thou intend to proceed further to the Red, add the
Element of Fire, which is not needed for the White Work:
the Vessel therefore being fixed, and the Fire
strengthened by little and little through its grades, force the
matter until the occult begin to be made manifest, the sign
whereof will be the Orange colour arising: raise the Fire to
the Fourth degree by its degrees, until by the help of
Vulcan, purple Roses be generated from the Lily, and
lastly the Amaranth dyed with the dark Redness of blood:
but thou may not cease to bring out Fire by Fire, until you
shall behold the matter terminated in most Red ashes,
imperceptible to the touch. This Red Stone may rear up
thy mind to greater things, by the blessing and assistance
of the holy Trinity.
121. They that think they have brought their work to an
end by perfect Sulphur, not knowing Nature or Art, and to
have fulfilled the Precepts of the secret are much
deceived, and will try Projection in vain; for the Praxis of
the Stone is perfected by a double Work; the First is the
creation of the Sulphur; the Second is the making of the
Elixir.
122. The aforesaid Philosophers' Sulphur is most subtle
Earth; most hot and dry, in the belly whereof the Fire of
Nature abundantly multiplied is hidden. Therefore it
deserves the name of the Fire of the Stone, for it hath in
itself the virtue of opening and penetrating the bodies of
Metals, and of turning them into its own temperament and
producing its like, wherefore it is called a Father and
Masculine seed.

123. That we may leave nothing untouched, let the
Students in Philosophy know that from that first Sulphur, a
second is generated which may be multiplied ad infinitum:
let the wise man, after he hath got the everlasting mineral
of that Heavenly Fire, keep it diligently. Now of what
matter Sulphur is generated, of the same it is multiplied, a
small portion of the first being added, yet as in the
Balance. The rest, a tyro may see in Lullius, it may suffice
only to point to this.
124. The Elixir is compounded of a threefold matter,
namely, of Metallic Water or Mercury sublimated as
before; of Leaven White or Red, according to the intention
of the Operator; and of the Second Sulphur, all by Weight.
125. There are Five proper and necessary qualities in the
perfect Elixir, that it be fusible, permanent, penetrating,
tincturing, and multiplying; it borrows its tincture and
fixation from the Leaven; its penetration from the Sulphur;
its fusion from Argent vive, which is the medium of
conjoining Tinctures; to wit of the Ferment and Sulphur;
and its multiplicative virtue from the Spirit infused into the
Quintessence.
126. Two perfect Metals give a perfect Tincture, because
they are dyed with the pure Sulphur of Nature, and
therefore no Ferment of Metals may be sought except
these two bodies; therefore dye thy Elixir White and Red
with Luna and Sol; Mercury first of all receives their
Tincture, and having received it, doth communicate it to
others.
127. In compounding the Elixir take heed you change not
or mix any thing with the Ferments, for either Elixir must
have its proper Ferment, and desires its proper Elements;

for it is provided by Nature that the two Luminaries have
their different Sulphurs and distinct tinctures.
128. The Second work is concocted as the First, in the
same or a like Vessel, the same Furnace, and by the
same degrees of fire, but is perfected in a shorter time.
129. There are three humors in the Stone, which are to be
extracted successively; namely, Watery, Airy, and Radical;
and therefore all the labour and care of the Workman is
employed about the humor, neither is any other Element in
the Work of the Stone circulated beside the humid one.
For it is necessary, in the first place, that the Earth be
resolved and melted into humour. Now the Radical
humour of all things, accounted Fire, is most tenacious,
because it is tied to the Centre of Nature, from which it is
not easily separated; extract, therefore, these three
humors slowly and successively; dissolving and
congealing them by their Whorls, for by the multiplied
alternative reiteration of Solution and Congelation the
Whorl is extended and the whole work finished.
130. The Elixir's perfection consists in the strict Union and
indissoluble Matrimony of Siccum and Humidum, so that
they may not be separated, but the Siccum may flow with
moderate heat into the Humidum, abiding every pressure
of Fire. The sign of perfection is that if a very little of it be
cast in above the Iron or Brazen Plate while very hot, it
flow forthwith without smoke.
Let three weights of Red Earth or of Red Ferment, and a
double weight of Water and Air well ground up be mixed
together. Let an Amalgam be made like Butter, or Metallic
Paste, so that the Earth being mollified maybe insensible
to the touch. Add one weight and a half of Fire; let these

be transferred to the Vessel and exposed to a Fire of the
first degree; most closely sealed; afterwards let the
Elements be extracted out of their degrees of Fire in their
order, which being turned downwards with a gentle motion
they may be fixed in their Earth, so as nothing Volatile
may be raised up from thence; the matter at length shall
be terminated in a Stone, Illuminated, Red and
Diaphanous; a part whereof take at pleasure, and having
cast it into a Crucible with a little Fire by drops give it to
drink its Red Oil and incerate it, until it be quite melted,
and do flow without smoke. Nor may thou fear its flight, for
the Earth being mollified with the sweetness of the Potion
will retain it, having received it, within its bowels: then take
the Elixir thus perfected into your own power and keep it
carefully. In God rejoice, and be silent.
132. The order and method of composing and perfecting
the white Elixir is the same, so that thou use the white
Elements only in the composition thereof; but the body of it
brought to the term of decoction will end in the plate;
white, splendid, and crystal-like, which incerated with its
White Oil will be fused. Cast one weight of either Elixir,
upon ten times its weight of Argent-vive well washed and
thou wilt admire its effect with astonishment.
133. Because in the Elixir the strength of Natural Fire is
most abundantly multiplied by the Spirit infused into the
Quintessence, and the depraved accidents of bodies,
which beset their purity and the true light of Nature with
darkness, are taken away by long and manifold
sublimations and digestions; therefore Fiery Nature freed
from its Fetters and fortified with the aid of Heavenly
strength, works most powerfully, being included in this our

Fifth Element: let it not therefore be a wonder, if it obtain
strength not only to perfect imperfect things, but also to
multiply its force and power. Now the Fountain of
Multiplication is in the Prince of the Luminaries, who by the
infinite multiplication of his beams begets all things in this
our Orb, and multiplies things generated by infusing a
multiplicative virtue into the seeds of things
134. The way of multiplying the Elixir is threefold: By the
first: R, Mingle one weight of Red Elixir, with nine times its
weight of Red Water, and dissolve it into Water in a Vessel
suitable for Solution; the matter being well dissolved and
united coagulate it by decoction with a gentle Fire, until it
be made strong into a Ruby or Red Lamel, which
afterwards incerate with its Red Oil, after the manner
prescribed until it melt and flow; so shall thou have a
medicine ten times more powerful than the first. The
business is easily finished in a short time.
135. By the Second manner. R, What Portion thou please
of thy Elixir mixed with its Water, the weights being
observed; seal it very well in the Vessel of Reduction,
dissolve it in a Bath, by inhumation; being dissolved, distil
it separating the Elements by their proper degrees of fire,
and fixing them downwards, as was done in the first and
second work, until it become a Stone; lastly, incerate it
and Project it. This is the longer, but yet the richer way, for
the virtue of the Elixir is increased even an hundred fold;
for by how much the more subtle it is made by reiterated
operations, so much more both of superior and inferior
strength it retains, and more powerfully operates.
136. Lastly, take one Ounce of the said Elixir multiplied in
virtue and project it upon an hundred of purified Mercury,

and in a little time the Mercury made hot amongst burning
Coals will be converted into pure Elixir; whereof if thou
cast every ounce upon another hundred of the like
Mercury, Sol will shine most purely to your eyes. The
multiplication of White Elixir may be made in the same
way. Study the virtues of this Medicine to cure all kinds of
diseases, and to preserve good health, as also other uses
thereof, out of the Writings of Arnold of Villa Nova, Lullius
and of other Philosophers.
137. The Significator of the Philosopher will instruct him
concerning the Times of the Stone, for the first Work "ad
Album" must be terminated in the House of Luna; the
Second, in the second House of Mercury. The first Work
"ad Rubeum," will end in the Second House of Venus, and
the last in the other Regal Throne of Jupiter, from whence
our most Potent King shall receive a Crown decked with
most precious Rubies:
Thus doth the winding of the circling Year
Trace its own Footsteps, and the same appear.
138. A Three-Headed Dragon keeps this Golden Fleece;
the first Head proceeds from the Waters, the second from
the Earth, the third from the Air; it is necessary that these
three heads do end in One most Potent, which will devour
all the other Dragons; then a way is laid open for thee to
the Golden Fleece. Farewell! Diligent Reader; in Reading
these things invocate the Spirit of Eternal Light; Speak
little, Meditate much, and Judge aright.
The Times of the Stone.
The interpretation of The Philosophers' Significator. To
every Planet two Houses were assigned by the Ancients,
Sol and Luna excepted; whereof the planet Saturn hath

his two houses adjoining. Philosophers in handling their
Philosophical work begin their years in winter, to wit; the
Sun being in Capricorn, which is the former House of
Saturn; and so come towards the right hand. In the
Second place the other House of Saturn is found in
Aquarius, at which time Saturn, i.e., the Blackness of the
work of the Magistery begins after the forty-fifth or fiftieth
day. Sol coming into Pisces the work is black, blacker than
black, and the head of the Crow begins to appear. The
third month being ended, and Sol entering into Aries, the
sublimation or separation of the Elements begin. Those
which follow unto Cancer make the Work White, Cancer
adds the greatest whiteness and splendor, and doth
perfectly fill up all the days of the Stone, or white Sulphur,
or the Lunar work of Sulphur; Luna sitting and reigning
gloriously in her House, In Leo, the Regal Mansion of the
Sun, the Solar work begins, which in Libra is terminated
into a Ruby Stone or perfect Sulphur. The two signs
Scorpio and Sagittarius which remain are required for the
completing of the Elixir. And thus the Philosophers'
admirable offspring takes its beginning in the Reign of
Saturn, and its end and perfection in the Dominion of
Jupiter.

Fundamentals of alchemy

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Fundamentals of alchemy