Friar B A C O NH I S

DISCOVERYO F T H E

M I R A C L E S A R T,

N A T U R E,And

M A G I C K.______________________

Faithfully translated out of Dr Deesown Copy, by T.M. and never

before in English.______________________

______________________L O N D O N,

Printed for Simon Miller at the Starrein St Pauls Churchyard, 1659.

{Of

Transcribed, printed and published privately atCaen, France by

Dr. Alan R. Young, Ph.D. For friends only.September, 1993

T H E

TRANSLATORT O T H E

READER.Pre juda te

eye much les-sens the no-

blenesse of the Sub-ject. Bacons name maybring at the first aninconvenience to theBook, but Bacons in-genuity will recom-pence it ere he be so-

A 2 lid-

To the Reader.lidly read. This as anApology is the usherto his other Workes,which may happilybreath a more free Airhereafter, when oncethe World sees howclear he was, from lo-ving Negromacy. ’Twasthe Popes smoak whichmade the eyes of thatAge so sore, as theycould not discern anyopen hearted and

clear

To the Reader.clear headed soul froman heretical Phantasme.The silly Fryers envy-ing his too pryinghead, by their craft hadalmost got it off hisshoulders. It’s dange-rous to be wiser thanthe multitude, for thatunruly Beast will haveevery over-toppinghead to be loppedshorter, lest it plot, ru-ine, or stop the light,

or

To the Reader.or shadow its extrava-gancies. How famousthis Frier is in the judg-ment of both godlyand wise men, I referreyou to the Probatumsof such men, whosesingle Authorities wereof sufficiency to equal-lize a Jury of others;and as for the Book, Irefer it to thy reading.As for myself, I refer me tohim, whom I serve, and hopethou wilt adore. THE

T H E

J U D G M E N TO F

Divers Learned MenC O N C E R N I N G

Fryer B A C O N.

O Selden de Diis SyrisSintag.I.r.2.—7.25.

That singular Mathe-matician, learned be-yond what the Age he

liv’d in did ordinarily bring forth,Roger Bacon an Oxford man, anda Fryer minorite.

The Testimony of Gabriel Powel inhis Book of Antichrist in Preface, p.14.

A 4 Roger

Roger Bacon an Englishman, afounded Scholar of Merton-Colledg inOxford, a very quick Philosopher, andwithall a very famous Divine, he had anincredible knowledge in the Mathe-maticks, but without Necromancy (asJohn Balleus doth report) although hebe defam’d for it by many: Now thisman after he had sharply reproved thetimes wherein he liv’d; these Errours,saith he, speak Antichrist present. Ni-cholas the Fourth Pope of Rome didcondemn his Doctrine in many things,and he was by him kept in prison formany years together; as Antonine hathit in his Chronicle. He flourished in theyear of our Lord, 1270.

John Gerhard Vossius in his Bookof the four Popular Arts, printed atAmsterdam, 1650 is every where fullof the praises of Bacon, as in the year1252. About these mens time RogerBacon also flourished, an Englishman,and a Monk of the Order of St. Francis;who as he had div’d into all Arts and

Scien-

Sciences: so also he writ many thingsof them, he was a man both learned andsubtil unto a Miracle, and did such won-derfull things by the help of Mathe-maticks, that by such as were enviousand ignorant, he was accused of Dia-bolical Magick, before Pope Clementthe 4th, and for that cause was detain-ed in prison by him for some time. Jo.Pecus Earl of Mirandula, the Phe-nix of all the wits of his Age, calshim likewise, very ingenious. Mo-ranlicus also commends highly his Op-ticks. He was buried at Oxford in theMonastery of the Monks of his own Or-der, anno 1284. So Chap.35. §.32.anno 1255. So Chap. 60. §. 13. OfMusick, anno 1270. So Chap.70§.7.1270. Roger Bacon flourisht in Eng-land, a man wonderfully learned. AndChap. 71.§.8. anno 1270. Roger Ba-con a Franciscan Monk, and a Divineof Oxford, was famous amongst theEnglish in all sorts of Sciences; a manof so vast learning, that neither Eng-

land,

land, no nor the world beside, had al-most any thing like or equal to him.And either by envy or ignorance of theAge, wherein he lived, was accused ofMagick. He in the mean time didwrite and recommend to the Memory ofPosterity, a Book of Weights, of theCenters of heavy things, of the Pra-cticks of Natural Magick, &c. For hewas a man well vers’d in all sorts ofstudy, very learned in the Latine,Greek and Hebrew Tongues, a Mathe-matician every way accomplisht, andvery skilfull both in Philosophy, Phy-sick, Law and Divinity.

THE

T H E

C O N T E N T SOf the

Several Chapters.Chap.1. Of and against fictitious Appa- rences and Invocation of Spirits. I.Chap.2. Of Charmes, Figures, and their Use. 4Chap.3. Of the force of Speech, and a Check to Magick. 10Chap.4. Of admirable Artificial In- struments. 17Chap.5. Of Perspective Artificial Ex- perience. 19Chap.6. Concerning strange Experiments.

23Chap.7. Of Retarding the Accidents of Old Age, and Prologation of Life. 28Chap.8. Of obscuring the Mysteries of Art and Nature. 35Chap.9. Of the manner to make the Phi- losophers Egge. 41Chap.10. Of the same Subject another way. 46Chap.11. Of the same Subject another way. 49

BE pleased to takenotice, that there

is now in the Press 18Books of the Secrets ofArts & Nature, Collect-ed out of the choicestAuthors, both Antientand Modern; first de-signed by John WeckerDr of Physick, and nowmuch enlarged by Dr

R. Read. The like neverbefore in the EnglishTongue. To be sold atthe Starre in St PaulsChurch-yard.

(I)

A

L E T T E RSENT BY

Frier ROGER BACONT O

William of Paris,Concerning both

The Secret OperationO F

NATURE & ART,As also

The Nullity of Magick._______________________

C H A P. I.Of and against fictitious Apparences and

Invocation of Spirits.

Hat I may carefully renderyou an answer to your de-sire, understand, Nature ispotent and admirable in her

working, yet Art using the advantage of

B nature

2 Of the Invocation of Spirits.nature as an instrument (experience telsus) is of greater efficacy than any naturalactivity.

Whatsoever Acts otherwise than bynatural or artificial means, is not humane,but merely fictitious and deceitfull.

We have many men that by the nimble-nesse and activity of body, diversificationof sounds, exactness of instruments,darkness, or consent, make things seem tobe present, which never were really exi-stent in the course of Nature. Theworld, as any judicious eye may see,groans under such bastard burdens. AJugler by an handsome sleight of hand,will put a compleat lie upon the verysight. The Pythonissæ sometimes speakingfrom their bellies, otherwhile from thethroat, than by the mouth, do createwhat voices they please, either speakingat hand, or farre off, in such a manner,as if a Spirit discoursed with a man, andsometimes as though Beasts bellowed,which is all easily discovered by privatelaying hollow Canes in the grasse, orsecret places, for so the voices of men willbe known from other creatures.

When inanimate things are violentlymoved, either in the Morning or Eve-

ning

Of the Invocation of Spirits. 3ning twilight, expect no truth therein,but down-right cheating and cousen-age.

As for consent, men by it may under-take any thing they please, if so be theyhave a mutual disposition.

These I mention, as practices whereinneither philosophical Reasons, Art, orpower of Nature is prevalent. Beyondthese there is a more damnable practice,when men despising the Rules of Philoso-phy, irrationally call up wicked Spirits,supposing them of Energy to satisfie theirdesires. In which there is a very vast er-rour, because such persons imagine theyhave some authority over Spirits, andthat Spirits may be compelled by humaneauthority, which is altogether impossible,since humane Energy or Authority is in-feriour by much to that of Spirits.Besides, they admit a more vast mistake,supposing such natural instruments, asthey use, to be able either to call up, ordrive away any wicked Spirit. And theycontinue their mistake in endeavouring byInvocations, Deprecations or Sacrificesto please Spirits, making them propiti-ous to their design. Without all questi-on, the way is incomparably more easie

B 2 to

4 Of Charms, Figures,to obtain any thing, that is truly goodfor men, of God, or good Angels, thenof wicked Spirits. As for things whichare incommodious for men, wicked Spi-rits can no further yeeld assistance, thenthey have permission, for the sins of thesonnes of men, from that God, who go-verns and directs all humane affairs. Hencetherefore I shall conclude (these thingsbeing beyond, or rather against the Rulesof Wisdome) No true Philosopher didever regard to work by any of these sixwayes.

____________________________

C H A P. I I.

Of Charms, Figures, and their Use.

WHat men ought to believe touch-ing Figures, Charmes, and such

stuff, I shall deliver my opinion. With-out doubt there is nothing in these dayesof this kind, but what is either deceitfull,dubious, or irrational, which Philoso-phers formerly invented to hide their se-cret operations of Nature and Art fromthe eyes of an unworthy generation. Forinstance, if the virtue of the Load-stone,

whereby

and their Use. 5whereby it draws iron to it were not dis-covered, some one or other who hath amind hereby to cosen the people, so goesabout his businesse, as lest any by-standershould discover the work of attraction tobe natural, he calls Figures, and muttersforth some Charmes. Thus many thingslie dark in Philosophical writings; inwhich the wiser sort of Readers will ex-presse so much discretion, as reject theFigures and Charmes, eying the works ofNature and Art, that so they may see themutual concurrence of animate and inani-mate creatures, occasioned by Naturesconformity, not any efficacy of Figuresor Charmes. This is the cause why theunlearned crew have judged such naturalor artificial operations to be merely Ma-gical. And some fond Magicians beleeve,That their casting of Figures and Charmeswas the sole cause of such operations;hereupon leaving their natural and artifi-cial operations have stuck close to theirerroneous casting of Figures and Charmes.And thus they both have by their ownfolly deprived themselves of the benefitof the others wisdome. In times past,godly and religious men, orrather God himself, or his

B 3 good

Nnmb.6.27.

6 Of Charms, Figures,good Angels composed several Prayerswhich yet may retain their primitive vir-tue. As to this day, in several Coun-treys certain prayers are made over hotirons, and water in the River, &c. Bywhich the innocent are cleared, and guiltycondemned; yet all this is done by theAuthority of the Church, and her Pre-lates. Our Priests exercise their holy

water, as formerly theJews did in the Old Testa-ment, in making the water

of Tryal, whereby the wise was tryed,whether she were an adultresse, or ho-nest. Not to instance in others of the likenature. Concerning those Secrets, whichare revealed in Magicians writings, al-though they may contain some truth, yetin regard those very truths are envelopedwith such a number of deceits, as it’s notvery easie to judge betwixt the truth andfalshood, they ought all worthily to berejected. Neither must men be believed,who would assure us, That Solomon, orsome other of our sage Progenitors wereAuthors of such Books, because thoseBooks are not received either by theChurches Authority, or by any prudentmen, but only by a few cheating Compa-

nions

Numb. 5.

and their Use. 7nions to be the work of such men. Mineown experience assures me they composeand set forth new works and inventions oftheir own, in lofty high flown expressi-ons, the more colourably to make theirlies passe under the shelter of the Text;prefixing some specious titles, the bet-ter to set them off, impudently a-scribe such bastard births to famous Au-thors.

Figures are either composed of wordsinvolved in the formes of letters, invent-ed to contain the sense ofsome * speech or prayer; orthey are made according tothe face of the Heavens in proper and se-lect seasons. The Figures of the formersort must have the same sentence that Igave of prayers formerly; asfor Figures and * Impressi-ons of the other kind, un-lesse they be made in their peculiar seasons,they are not of any efficacy. And henceit is that all wise men think they effect no-thing, who only go according to theirprescribed Characters, not at all regard-ing more than the bare external forme.The more knowing sonnes of Art, disposeall their works of Nature and Art accord-

B 4 ing

* Oraionis.

* Sigillis.

8 Of Charms, Figures,ing to the power of the Heavens, castingtheir work under a right Constellation,no lesse than the casting it in a right Fi-gure. Now in regard there is much diffi-culty to discern the motion of CelestialBodies, many are cousened, and veryfew know, how to begin their work eitherprofitably or truly. Hence it comes topasse, that the croud of judicious Mathe-maticians and Starre gazers effect little,and that unprofitable, while the moreexpert Professours, who sufficiently un-derstand their own Art, attain many con-veniences both by their Operations andJudgements in select and proper opportu-nities: And yet let us take notice, howthe Physician, or he that would re-erect adrooping soul, effects his designe by theuse of Figures or Charmes, which inthemselves are meerly fictitious (as Con-stantine the Physician is of opinion.) Phy-

sicians use Figures orCharmes, not for any pre-valency in them, but thatthe raising of the soul is ofgreat efficacy in the curingof the body, and raising itfrom infirmity to health, by

oy and confidence is done by Charmes;for

Thus somethink the Kingsevil is cured,by creating abelief thetouch of theKing can cure.

and their Use. 9for they make the Patient receive the Me-dicine with greater confidence and desire,exciting courage, more liberal belief, hopeand pleasure. The Physician then whowould magnifie his cure, may work someway of exciting hope and confidence in hisPatient; not that hereby he should cheat,but stirre up the sick to believe he shallrecover, which if we pin ourfaith on Constantines sleeve,is very tolerable. Upon thisaccount he defends the hang-ing Charmes or Figures a-bout the Neck. The soul noquestion is of much prevalen-cy by reason of its strongaffections over its properbody, as Avicen saith in lib.de anima, & 8. & animal. to which allwise men accord. Hereupon it was, thatthey concluded sick persons should be de-lighted by the company of children to playbefore them, and other pleasing objects.Yea they frequently consent to such thingsas please the appetite, though they be ob-noxious to their disease; because affection,desire and hope of the soul conquers manydiseases.

B 5 CHAP

This may bedone lawfully,if the partythat is theprincipal agentdoth nothingby way ofcompact withany Spirit, orsinistrously.

10 Of the force of Speech,

C H A P. I I I.

S E R M O N I S.

Of the force of Speech, and a Check toMagick.

IN regard truth must not receive theleast injury, we should take more ex-

act notice how every agent communica-teth the Virtue and Species which is init to other extrinsecal objects; I mean notonly the substantial Virtue, but even A-ctive Accidents, such as are in tertia specieQualitatis.

As for the Virtues which flows fromthe Creature, some of them are sensible,some insensible. Man which is both themost noble corporeity, and dignified ra-tional soul, hath no lesse than other thingsheat and spirits exhaling from him andso may no lesse than other things emitand dispose of his Virtues and Species toexternal Objects.

Some creatures we know have powerto metamorphose and alter their objects.

As the Basilisk, who kilsby sight alone. The Wolf,

if

Plin. Nat.Hist.lib.39.c.4.

and a Check to Magick. 11if she first see a man beforethe man see him, makes theman hoarse. The Hyænasuffers not the dog whichcomes within his shadow tobark (as Solinus de mirabilibus mundi, and others)And Aristotle lib.3. de Vegetab. saith,That Female Palm-trees bring forth fruitto maturity by the smell of their Males.And Mares in some King-doms impregnate by thesmell of Horses (as Solinusaffirms.) Aristotle in hisSecrets assures us of several other contin-gencies which issue from the Species andVirtues of Plants and Animals. Hence Iargue, If Plants and Animals, which areinferiour in dignity to our humane Nature,can emit, then surely may man moreabundantly emit Species, Virtues and Co-lours to the alteration of external Bodies.To this purpose is that, which Aristotletels us (Lib. de somno & Vigilia) a men-struous woman looking in a glasse, dothinfect it with spots, likeclouds of blood. Solinusfurther writes, That in Scy-thia there are women which have two

sights

Plin. lib.8.cap.22.Solin. Poly.cap 8.Plin. lib.8.cap.30.Solin.c 30.

Cap.30. ex C.Plin.lib.4.c.32.& lib.8. c.42.

Cap.6. vid. &C.Plin. l.7.c.2.

12 Of the force of Speech,sights in one eye. (Hence Ovid, Nos etpupilla duplex) and that these women by

their glances kill men. Andwe our selves know, Thatmen of an evil complexion,full of contagious infirmi-ties, as Leprosie, the Fal-ling-sickness, spotted Fea-ver, bleer-eyed, or the like,infects those men in theircompany: While on theother side, men of a sound

and wholesome complexion, especiallyyoung men, do by their very presence ex-hilerate and comfort others; which no

question, as Galen in hisTechne, proceeds from theirpure spirits wholsome and

delightsome vapours, their sweet naturalcolour, and from such Species andVirtues as they emit.

That man whose soul isdefiledwithmany hainoussins, his Body infirme, hisComplexion evil, and hatha vehement fancy and desireto hurt his neighbour, maybring more inconveniences,Medicante corpre.

then

In the Nor-hern Countrysome are saidto have an evileye, and to doharm by theirlooks, yeathough theydo it not vo-luntarily.

The soul sinfulor not, worksmorally, notphysically tothe hurt ofothers, but theman who hatha body maydo something

He holds sightby emission.

and a Check to Magick. 13then another man. The Reason may be,the Nature of Complexion and infirmityyeelds obedience to the thoughts of theHeart, and is more augmented by the in-tervention of our desires. Hence it is thata leprous person, who is solicitous, desirousand fancying to infect some one or otherin the room, may more easily and force-ably effect it, than he which hath no suchintention, fancy or desire. For (as Avi-cen observes in the fore cited place) thenature of the body is obedient to thethoughts, and more intent fancies of thesoul. And (as Avicen in the 3d Metaph.affirms) the thought is the first mover,after that the desire is made conformableto the thought, then after that the natu-ral virtue, which is in the members, o-beys the desire and thought; and thus it isboth in good and bad effects. Hence it isthat a young man of a good Complexion,healthfull, fair, well featured Body, ha-ving his soul not debauched with sinne,but of a strong fancy and vehement desireto compasse the effecting of some magnifi-cent designe, withall adding the power ofhis Virtues, Species and natural heat; Hemay by the force of these*Spirits, Vapours and in-

fluences

* Al. Species.

14 Of the force of Speech,fluences work both more powerfullyand vehemently, than if he should wantany of these fore going qualifications,especially strong affections and force-able imaginations. Hence I conclude,Men by the concurrence of the foresaidCauses, Words and Works being the In-struments, bring great undertakings toperfection.

As for words, they are hatched within,by the thoughts and desires of the mind,sent abroad by heat, Vocale arteries, andmotion of the Spirits. The places oftheir generation are in open passages, bywhich there is a great efflux of such spirits,heat, vapours, virtues, and Species, asare made by the soul and heart. Andtherefore words may so farre causealterations by these parts or passages,as their Nature will extend. For it’sevident, That breathings, yawnings, se-veral resolutions of Spirits and heat comethorow these open passages from the heartand inward parts: Now if these wordscome from an infirm and evil complexion-ated body, they are constantly obnoxious.But if from a pure sound and wholsomeconstitution, they are very beneficial andcomfortable. It’s clear then, That the

bare

and a Check to Magick. 15bare generation and prolation of wordsjoyned with desire and intention are con-siderable in natural operations. Hereuponwe do justly say, Vox viva magnum ha-bet virtutem; Living words are of greatVirtue. Not that they have any suchVirtue of doing or undoing, as Magiciansspeak of, but only they have the Virtueof Nature, which makes me put in thisCaution of being extream cautelous here-in. For a man may, as many have alrea-dy done, erre on both hands: Somewholly denying any operation of words:Others superfluously decline to a Magicaluse thereof. Our duties should be to havea care of such Books, as are fraught withCharms, Figures, Orizons, Conjurati-ons, Sacrifices, or the like, because theyare purely Magical. For instance, theBook De Officiis Spirituum,liber de morteanimæ, liber de arte notoria with infi-nite others, containing neither precepts ofNature or Art, having nothing save Ma-gical Fopperies. Yet herewithall we mustremember, there are many Books com-monly reputed to be Magical, but have noother fault then discovering the dignity ofwisdome. What Books are suspicious,and what not; Every discreet Readers

ex-

16 Of the force of Speech, &c.experience will show him. The Bookwhich discovers natural or artificialopera- tions imbrace; that which is voidof either or leave both, as suspitious andunworthy the consideration of any wiseman. ’Tis usual with Magicians, to treat ofboth unnecessary and superfluous subjects.’Twas excellently said of Isaac (in lib. deFebribus,) The rational soul is not im-peded in its operations, unlesse by theManicles of ignorance. And Aristotleis of opinion, (in lib. secret.) That aclear and strong intellect, being impregna-ted by the influences of divine Virtue, mayattain to anything which is necessary.And in 3d Meteor, he saith, There is no influ-ence or power, but from God. In the Con-clusion of his Ethics, There is no Virtue,whether Moral or Natural without divineinfluence. Hence it is, that when we dis-course of particular agents, we excludenot the Regiment of the universal Agent,and first Cause of all things. For everyfirst Cause hath more influence on the Ef-fect, than any second Cause, as he speaksin the first proposition of Causes.

CHAP.

Of Artificial Instruments. 17

C H A P. I V.

Of admirable Artificial Instruments.

THat I may the better demonstrate theinferiority and indignity of Magical

power to that of Nature or Art, I shall awhile discourse on such admirable opera-tions of Art and Nature, as have not theleast Magick in them, afterwards assignthem their Causes and Frames. Andfirst of such Engines, as are purely arti-ficial.

It’s possible to make Engines to sailwithall, as that either fresh or salt watervessels may be guided by the help of oneman, and made sail with a greater swift-ness, than others will which are full of mento help them.

It’s possible to make a Chariot movewith an inestimable swiftnesse (such asthe Currus falcati were, wherein ourfore fathers of old fought,) and thismotion to be without the help of any li-ving creature.

It’s possible to make Engines forflying, a man sitting in the midstwhereof, by turning onely about

an

18 Of Artificial Instruments.an Instrument, which moves artifi-ciall Wings made to beat the Aire,much after the fashion of a Birdsflight.

It’s possible to invent an Engine of alittle bulk, yet of great efficacy, eitherto the depressing or elevation of thevery greatest weight, which would beof much consequence in several Acci-dents: For hereby a man may eitherascend or descend any walls, deliveringhimself or comrads from prison; and thisEngine is only three fingers high, and fourbroad.

A man may easily make an Instru-ment, whereby one man may in despightof all opposition, draw a thousand mento himself, or any other thing, which istractable.

A man may make an Engine, wherebywithout any corporal danger, he maywalk in the bottome of the Sea, or otherwater. These Alexander (as the HeathenAstronomer assures us) used to see the se-crets of the deeps.

Such Engines as these were of old, andare made even in our dayes. These all ofthem (excepting only that instrument offlying, which I never saw or know any,

who

Artificial Experiments,&c. 19who hath seen it, though I am exceed-ingly acquainted with a very prudentman, who hath invented the whole Arti-fice) with infinite such like inventions,Engines and devices are feasable, as makingof Bridges over Rivers without pillars orsupporters.

_____________________________

C H A P. V.

Of Perspective Artificial Experiments.

THe physical figuration of rayes arefound out to be very admirable. Glas-

ses and Perspectives may be framed, tomake one thing appear many, one man anArmy, the Sun and Moon to be as manyas we please. As Pliny in the 2d Book,Nat. Hist. chap. 30. saith, That Natureso disposeth of vapours, as two Sunnes,and two Moons ; yea sometimes threeSunnes shine together in the Air. Andby the same Reason one thing may in ap-pearance be multiplied to an infinity, inregard that after any creature hath ex-ceeded his own virtue (as Aristotle cap.de vacuo.) no certain bounds is to be assi-gned it.

This

20 Artificial ExperimentsThis designe may seem advantagious

to strike terrours into an Enemies Campor Garison, there being a multiplicationof appearances of Starres, or men as-sembled purposely to destroy them;Especially if the following designe be con-joyned to the former (viz.) Glasses so cast,that things at hand may appear at distance,and things at distance, as hard at hand: yeaso farre may the designe be driven, asthe least letters may be read, and thingsreckoned at an incredible distance, yeastarres shine in what place you please.A way, as is verily believed, JuliusCæsar took by great Glasses from theCoasts of France, to view the site anddisposition of stoth the Castles and Sea-Towns in great Britain. By the fra-ming of Glasses, bodies of the largestbulk, may in appearance be contractedto a minute volumne, things little inthemselves show great, while otherstall and lofty appear low and creeping,things creeping and low, high andmighty, things private and hidden to beclear and manifest. For as Socrates diddiscover a Dragon, whose prestiferousbreathings and influences corrupted bothCity and Countrey thereabouts, to have

his

of Perspective. 21his residence in the Caverns of theMountains. So may any other thingdone in an Enemies Camp or Garison,be discovered. Glasses may be framedto send forth Species, and poisonousinfectious influences, whither a manpleaseth. And this invention Aristotleshewed Alexander, by which he ere-cting the poison of a Basilisk upon theWall of a City, which held out againsthis Army, conveyed the very poisoninto the City it self. Glasses may be soframed and placed, as that any mancoming into a room, shall undoubtedlyimagine he sees heaps of gold, sil-ver, precious stones, or what youplease, though upon his approachto the place he shall perceive his mi-stake.

It’s then folly to seek the effectingthat by Magical Illusions, which thepower of Philosophy can demon-strate.

To speak of the more sublimatepowers of Figurations, leading andcongregating rayes by several Fra-ctions and reflexions to what distancewe please, so as any object may provecombustible. It’s evident by Perspe-

ctives

22 Artificial Experiments,&c.ctives they burn backward and for-ward, which Authours have treatedon in their Books. That which isthe most strange of Figurations andMouldings, is the description of Cele-stial Bodies, both according to theirLongitude and Latitude, in such Cor-poreal Figures, as they naturally moveby their diurnal motion. An Inventionof more satisfaction to a discreet head,than a Kings Crown.

But this will suffice as to Figura-tions, though we might produceinfinite prodigies of the like Na-ture.

____________________________

CHAP.

Of strange Apparations. 23

C H A P. V I.

Concerning strange Experiments.

TO our former discourse we may ad-joyn such work as are effected with-

out Figurations. We may have an ar-tificial composition of Salt-peter, and other ingredients;or of the oil of Red Petrolei,and other things, or with Maltha, Naph-tha, with such like, which will burn atwhat distance we please, with which Plinyreports, Lib. 2. Chap. 104. that he kepta City against the whole Roman Army:For by casting down Maltha he couldburn a Souldier, though he had on hisArmour. In the next place, tothese we may place the Gre-cian fire, and other combu-stibles. To proceed, Lamps may be madeto burn, and waters to keep hot perpetu-ally. For I know many things which arenot consumed in the fire, as the Salaman-ders skin Talk, with others, which bysome adjunct both are inflamed and shine,yet are not consumed, but rather purifi-ed. Besides these, we may speak of di-

vers

Oleum rubrumPetroleum.

Ignis Gracus.

24 Of strange Apparations.vers admirable peeces of* Nature. As the makingThunder and Lighting inthe Air; yea with a great-

er advantage of horrour, then thosewhich are onely produced by Nature.For a very competent quantity of mat-ter rightly prepared (the bignesse ofones thumb) will make a most hideousnoise and corruscation, this may be doneseveral wayes; by which a City or Ar-my may be overcome, much after thefashion as Gideon overcame that vastArmy of the Midianites with three hun-dred men, by the breaking of theirPitchers, and shining of their Lamps,together with the sudden leaping forthof the fire, and inestimable crackings.These would appear strange, if theywere designed to their just height bothof proportion and matter. I mightproduce many strange works of ano-ther kind, which though they bring nosensible profit, yet contain an ineffiblespectacle of wit, and may be appliedto the probation of all such secrets, asthe ignorant crew will not imbrace.Such might I name the attraction, ofIron to the Loadstone, a thing so in-

credu

* Art it shouldbe, as I sup-pose.

Of strange Apparations. 25credulous, as none save an eye-witnessewould believe. And in this attractionof Iron, experience will show a diligentsearcher, more wonders than any vul-gar capacity can entertain.

But to proceed to greater, and morethan these. There is an at-traction of gold, silver,and all other metals, by acertain stone, much afterthe same manner. Besidesone stone will runne to theheap. Plants may have their mutualconcurrence, and the parts of sensiblecreatures locally divided, will naturallymove to a mutual imbracement. Theconsideration whereof makes me think,that there is not any thing, whether indivine or outward matters too difficultfor my faith. To proceed higher, Thewhole power of the Mathematicks maycompose a spherical Engine, accordingto Ptolomies frame in eight Almagest;which sincerely describes both longitudeand latitude of all Celestial Bodies; butto give them a natural diurnal motionis not in the power of the Mathematicks.However a discreet head-piece woulddo well to try the making hereof of

C such

Silver and allother metals.Plin.Hist.l.36.cap.20.Aliter Vinegar.

26 Of strange Apparations.such materials and artifice, as it mighthave a natural diurnal motion. Whichseems to me possible; and because manythings are moved with the motion of theHeavens, as Comets, the Sea tides, withseveral other things, which are turnedabout either in the whole or in part. Sucha work might be thought more miracu-lous, and of a vaster benefit than anything hitherto mentioned. For the perfe-cting of this would frustrate all other,whether the more curious, or the morevulgar Astronomical Instruments, whichsurely would be more valuable than aKings Coffers; and yet there may mattersbe brought to passe, which though theywill not reach so near a miracle, yet offarre greater publick and private profit.As the producing so much gold or silver,as we please, not by the work of Nature

yet accomplishment of Art:seeing there may be ten andseven wayes of gold, eightby the mixture of silverwith gold; and the firstway is made by sixteen partsof gold with some parts ofsilver, which will attain

the four and twentieth degree of gold, al- wayes

Quid sint de-cem & septemmodi auri, octoseilicet ex ad-mixtione argen-ticum auro, &primus modussit.

Of strange Apparations. 27wayes augmenting one degree of goldwith one of silver, and so for the mixtureof brasse with gold. So thelast way is * by the four andtwenty degrees of pure gold without mix-ture of other metal. And beyond this,Nature knows no further progresse, asexperience tels us. Though Art may aug-ment gold in the degrees of purity, evento infinitenesse, and compleat silver, with-out the least cheat: And yet that whichseems more rare than all this is, Thatthough the rational soul (hath so farre itsfree-will, as) it cannot be compelled, yetmay effectually be excited,induced and di-sposed freely to alter its affections, desiresand behaviours to the dictates of anotherman. And this may not only be practicedupon one particular person, but upon awhole Army, City, or Body of a Nationliving under one Region, if we believe ex-perience. And this experience, Aristotlediscloseth in his Book of Secrets, both ofan Army, Region and single person. Andthus I have well nigh finished my thoughtsof Nature and Art.

C 2 CHAP.

* Ex from.

28 Of Old Age, and Long Life.

C H A P. V I I.

Of Retarding the Accidents of Old age, and Prolongation of Life.

THe furthest attainment, which thecomplement of Art, joyned with

the whole Energy of Nature can reachunto, is the Prolongation of Life to avery old date. How farre this is at-tainable, manifold experience hath shew-ed us. Pliny reports, That Pollio, a

man of a strong body andmind, lived much longer

then men usually now: of whom O-ctavius Augustus enquiring, What coursehe took to live so long? was answer-ed ænigmatically, he used Oyl without,and Mulsum within (now according tothe opinion of some, it’s eight parts ofwater, and nine of honey) I mightproduce many examples of the samequality: as that which fell out in thedayes of King William; A Countrey-man plowing in the field, found a gold-en vessel, containing a certain liquor,which he supposing to be the Dew ofHeaven, washed his face withall, and

drunk

Lib.22.cap.24.

Of Old Age, and Long Life. 29drunk of it, whereby he became renu-ed in spirit, body and excellency, Debubulio factus est Bajulus Regis Sicilie,from a Plow-man he was made Porterto the King of Sicily. And the PopesLetters assures us, That Almannus,held Prisoner by the Saracens, throughthe use of a Medicine lived five hundredyears. For the King, whose Captivehe was, having received this Medicinefrom the Embassadours of the greatKing, and being suspicious of them,made tryall hereof upon this Captive,which was brought him for that pur-pose. And the Lady of the Woods ingreat Britanny searching for a whiteHinde, found an Ointment, wherewiththe Keeper of the Woods anointed hiswhole body, except the soals of hisfeet, and he lived three hundred yearswithout any corruption, save in the soalsof his feet, which had some passions.We our selves know it frequent inthese dayes, That plain Country men,without the advantage so much as of aPhysicians advice, live very healthfullyan hundred years, or little lesse. Andthese are the rather confirmed by theoperations of Animals, as Harts, Ea-

C 3 gles,

30 Of Old Age, and Long Life.gles, Serpents, and many other, who bythe efficacy of heart or stones, have renew-ed their youth: And wise men seeingthat even bruits could reach so farre totheir Prolongation, adjudging it no lessefeasable by reasonable men, set them-selves on the Spurre to find out thissecret. Hereupon Artefius from his owningenuity, having found the Secrets,of Stones, Herbs, Sensibles, &c. bothfor the knowledge of Nature, and espe-

cially the Prolongation ofLife, did * rejoyce, that he

had lived 1025 yeares. Further, toconfirme this Assertion of the Prolon-gation of Life, it’s considerable, Thatman naturally is immortal, that is tosay, Potens non mori, hath a possibilityof not dying. Yea, even after his fall,he might live a thousand years, thoughby degrees the length of life was ab-breviated. Hence it follows, That thisabbreviation is Accidental, and conse-quentially may be repaired in whole orin part; and upon search we shall findthe accidental cause of this corruption,is not from the Heavens, or any otherthan the defect of true Government ofour health. In that our Fathers are

corrupt

* Al. Glory.

Of Old Age, and Long Life. 31corrupt and imbecil, they beget sonnesof a corrupt complexion and composi-tion, and their children upon the samescore are corrupted. Thus the Pedi-gree of corruption is deprived from Fa-thers to sonnes, until we settle upon ourheirs an assured abbreviation of ourdayes. Yet this doth not conclude,That to perpetuity there shall succeedan abreviation of our life, since thereis a positive period set to our life,men may live till they beeighty years, though thentheir dayes be but labour and sorrow.

Now if every man would from the brestexercise a compleat Regiment of health(which consists in such things as haverelation to Meat, Drink, Sleep, Wa-king, Motion, Rest, Evacuation, Re-tention, Air, and the Passions of themind) He might find a remedy resi-sting his proper malady. For uponthe prosecution of such a Regiment,one might arrive at the uttermost li-mit of that Nature he had from his Pa-rents will permit, and beled to the very last periodof Nature (I mean Na-ture fallen from its origi-

C 4 nal

Psalm 90.

Deest parenthe-sis in alio ex-emplo.

32 Of Old Age, and Long Life.nal uprightness) beyond which there isno further progresse; because it dothlittle or nothing availe against the cor-ruption of our Ancestours: and yet thegreat impossibility of any mans so or-dering himself in a mean, in all thefore-mentioned things, as the Regimentof health exacts, wherefore abbreviati-on of our dayes does not only fromour Progenitors, but hath its advanta-ges from the want of Regiment. How-ever the Art of Physick sufficiently de-termines this. Although nor rich, orpoor, wise or ignorant, no nor the mostaccurate Physicians themselves, do ac-complish this Regiment in themselves orothers, as every eye can discern; YetNature is not deficient in Necessaries,or Art any wayes incompleat, but ra-ther is advantagious to make insurrectionsand irruptions against, and so farre in-to these accidental passions, as they areeither wholly or in part rooted out.At first, and in the beginning of ourages declining, the remedy was easie:But since we have five thousand yearsor more disadvantage, the Cure is morecraggy.

But waving the Inconveniences wise men

Of Old Age, and Long Life. 33men moved by the considerations fore-mentioned, have endeavoured to findout the means and wayes, which notonly are forceable against the defectsof every mans proper Regiment, butalso against the corruptions of ourParents: Not that hereby they can at-tain to the yeares of Adam or Arte-sius, by reason of the growing corru-ption, but that our dayes may be aug-mented an hundred yeares, or more,above the ordinary age of most menin these dayes. And though it be im-possible absolutely to retard the acci-dents of old age, yet hereby theymay mitigate them, so as life willhappily be prorogued beyond thecommon account, yet alwayes with-in the ultimate circuit of Nature.There is a bounder of Nature, setin men since their Fall. There is abounder of every particulate man ari-sing from the proper corruption ofhis Parents. Beyond both these bound-ers it’s impossible to passe; yet happi-ly one may arrive beyond the latter:nor yet so farre to go beyond it, asthat the wisest of men can never reachthe former. Although there be a pos-

C 5 sibilty

34 Of Old Age, and Long Life.sibility and aptitude of Nature to pro-ceed to that boundary our first Parentsset them. Let no man think thisstrange, since this aptitude extends it-self to immortality, as appears both be-fore the fall,and shall be evident after theResurrection.

Perhaps you may object, That nei-ther Aristotle, Plato, Hippocrates, orGalen ever attained that prolongati-on. I shall answer, They have not at-tained the knowledge of many ordi-nary truths, which other ingeniousheads have found out; and if so, theymay easily miscarry in a businesse ofsuch weighty consequence, though theymade it their study: especially, if weconsider, how they were burdenedwith other impertinencies, and so weresooner brought to their gray haires,spending the inch of their Candles inmore debased and vulgar subjects, thanin finding out the wayes to so greatSecrets. We are not ignorant Aristo-tle sayes in his Predicaments, That theQuadrature of a Circle is possible, yetnot then known, Yea he cofesseth, him-self and all his Predecessors were ig-norant hereof, yet we in our times

know

Of obscuring Art and Nature. 35know it. Now if Aristotle did comeshort in such a trivial, much more mighthe in the deep mysteries of Nature. «E-«ven in these dayes wise men are ig-«norant of many things, which the«most ordinary capacity shall under-«stand ere long. Thus the Objection is oflittle force.

_____________________________

C H A P. V I I I.

Of obscuring the Mysteries of Art and Nature.

AFter an emumeration of some fewexamples concerning the preva-

lency of Nature and Art (that by thesefew we may gather many,) by theseparts the whole; and so from particu-lars, universals, which will demonstratethe unnecessary aspiring to Magick, sinceboth Nature and Art afford such suffi-cencies. I shall now endeavour a me-thodical procedure in singulars, layingopen both the causes and wayes inparticular: and yet I will call tomind how as Secrets (of* Nature) are not com-

mitted

* Deest in alio.

36 Of obscuring Art and Nature.mitted to Goats-skins and Sheeps-pelts,that every clown may understand them,if we follow Socrates or Aristo-tle. For the latter in his Secreta Se-cretarum affirmes, He breaketh the Hea-venly Seal, who communicateth the Se-crets of Nature and Art; the disclosing ofSecrets and Mysteries, producingmany inconveniences. In this case Au-lus Gellius in Noct. Atti. de Collatio-ne Sapientum, sayes, It’s but folly toprofer Lettices to an Asse, since hee’scontent With his Thistles. Et in lib.lapidum, The divulging of Mysteriesis the diminution of their Majesty,nor indeed continues that to be a Se-cret, of which the whole fry of men isconscious.

For that which all men, which wise,and the more noted men affirme istruth. That therefore which is heldby the multitude, as a multitude, mustbe false ; I mean of that multitude,which is distinct from knowing men.The multitude, it’s true, agree withwise men in the more vulgar concepti-ons of their mind; but when they a-scend to the proper principles and con-clusions of Sciences and Arts, they

much

Of obscuring Art and Nature.37much dissent (striving to get onely theappearancies in Sophismesand subtilties which wisemen altogether reject.)And this their ignorance ofthe properties and Secrets, makes thedivision from knowing men. Thoughthe common conception of the mind,have all one Rule and Agreementwith knowing men. Yet as for com-mon things, they are of small va-lue, nor enquirable for themselves,but rather for particular and properends.

The Reason then, why wise menhave obscured their Mysteries from themultitude, was, because of their deri-ding and flighting wise mens Secrets ofwisdome, being also ignorant to makea right use of such excellent mat-ters. For if an accident help them tothe knowledge of a worthy Mystery,they wrest and abuse it to the mani-fold inconvenience of persons and com-munities. Hee’s then not discreet, whowrites and Secrets, unlesse he conceal itfrom the vulgar, and make the moreintelligent pay some labour and sweatbefore they understand it. In this

stream

Al. Vacans so-phisinatibus &inutilibus.

38 Of obscuring Art and Nature.stream the whole fleet of wise menhave failed from the beginning of all,obscuring many wayes the abstuserparts of wisdome from the capacity ofthe penerality. Some by Charactersand Verses have delivered many Se-crets. Others by ænigmatical and fi-gurative words, as Aristotle sayes, (inlib. Secret, O Alexander, I shall dis-close to you the greatest of Secrets,which it becomes you by divine Assi-stance to keep secret, and perfect thething proposed. Take then then theStone, which is no Stone, which is inevery man, and in every place, and in alltimes; and it shall be called the Phi-losophers Egge, and the Terminus O-vi. And thus we find multitudes ofthings obscured in the Writings and Sci-ences of men, which no man without hisTeacher can unvail.

Thirdly, They have obscured theirSecrets by their manner of Writing, asby Consonants without Vowels, noneknowing how to read them, unlesse he

know the signification ofthose words. Thus the

Hebrews, Caldees, Arabians, nay themajor part of men do most an end

write

Significata.

Of obscuring Art and Nature.39write their Secrets, which causeth agreat obscurity amongst them, especi-ally amongst the Hebrewes. For asAristotle sayes in his fore-recited Book,God gave them all manner of Wisdomelong before they were Philosophers: Andall Nations had their Originals of Phi-losophy from the Hebrewes, as Albu-mazar in lib. Introductorii Majoris;and other Philoso phers, with Josephuslib.I. & lib.8. Antiquit. makes it evi-dent.

Fourthly, This obscuring is occasion-ed by the mixture of se-veral sorts of Letters, forso the Ethnick A-stronomer hid his know-ledge, writing it in He-brew, Greek and LatineLetters altogether.

Fifthly, This obscuring was by theirinventing other letters, then thosewhich were in use in their own, orany other Nation, being framed meerlyby the pattern of their own fancy,which surely is the greatest impediment;yet this was the practice of Artesius in lib.de Secretis Naturæ.

Sixthly,

Ethicus Astro-nomus fortasse.N. deest ergoAnglice dediEthnick.

40 Of obscuring Art and Nature. Sixthly, They used not the Chara-cters of Letters, but other Geo-metrical Characters, which have thepower of Letters according to theseveral Position of Points, andMarkes. And these he likewise madeuse of.

Seventhly, There is a greater Art ofobscuring, which is called Ars Noto-ria, which is the Art of Noting andWriting, with what brevity, and inwhat manner we desire. This way theLatines have delivered many things. Iheld it necessary to touche at these ob-scurings, because it may fall out, I shallthorow the magnitude of our Secretsdiscourse this way, that I may help youso farre as I may.

_____________________________

CHAP.

How to make the Philosophers Egge. 41

C H A P. I X.

In aliis Adverg.

Of the Manner to make the Philoso- phers Egge.

NOw I shall methodi-cally handle those

things I promised above, the dissolvingthe Philosophers Egge, and finding outthe parts thereof; a work which willgive beginning to other enterprises.Make a diligent purification of theCalx with the waters of the Alkali, andother acute waters, grind it by severalcontrition with the salts,and * burn it with manyassations, that the earthmay be perfectly separated from otherelements, which I hold wor-thy the * longitude of mystature. Understand it if youcan. For without doubt there will bea composition of Elements, and so itwill be part of that Stone which is noStone, which is in every man, and inevery place of man; and you may find

this

These are æ-nigmatical.

* Al. Conter-mina.

* Al. Melan-cholia staturæ.

42 How to make thethis in all the seasons of the year inits place. Then take oyl after the formof a Saffron-cheese, and so viscouous first

(as not to be smitten asun-der by a stroak) divide thewhole fiery virtue, and se-

parate it by dissolution, and let it bedissolved in acute water, of a temperateacutenesse, with a slight fire, and let it

be boyled till his ‡ fat-nesse, as the fatnesse of fleshbe separated by distillation,

that nothing of the unctiousnesse may issueforth; and let this fiery virtue be distilledin the water of Urine. Afterwards boil itin Vinegar, until the least part, which isthe cause of adustion be dried up, and thefiery virtue may be had; but if there be

no regard of it, †again let itbe made. Mind and search

what I say: for the speech is difficult. TheOyl is dissolved in acute waters, or in com-

mon Oil which works moreexpresly, † or in acute Oyl

of Almonds upon the fire; so as the Oylbe seperated, and the spirit remain occult,in the parts of living creatures, Sulphurand Arsnick. For the stones, in which theOyl of humidity overflows, have their

terminus

‡ Al. Terre-streitas.

† Al. Tum fac.

Al. Insensibi-le.

† Al. Ut.

Philosophers Egge. 43terminus in the union of its parts: for thereis no vehement union, but one may be dis-solved from another by the nature of wa-ter, which is the subject of liquefaction inthe spirit, which is the Medium betwixtthe dry parts and the Oyl. The dissolutionbeing made there will remain in the spirit, apure humidity, vehemently mixed withdry parts, which are moved in it, when thefire resolves it, which is sometimes calledof the Philosophers, Sulphur fusibile, some-times Oyl, other while an aery humour,sometime a conjunctive substance, whichthe fire separates not, sometimes Campho-re: and if you please, this is the Philoso-phers Egge, or rather the Terminus andend of the Egge; and it came to us fromthese Oyls, and may be esteemed amongstthe subtilities, when it is purged and sepa-rated from the water and oyl in which it is.Further, the Oyl is corrupted by grindingit with deficeating things, as with salt orAtrimentum, and by assation, because thereis a passion arising from the contra-ry; and afterwards it is to be sublimated,until it be deprived of † itsoleagineity, and because itsas Sulphur or Arsnick amongst Minerals, itmay be prepared, even as it is. Yet it’s bet-

ter

† Al. Olio suo.

44 How to make theter to boil it in waters, that are temperatein acuity, until it be purged and whitened.Which wholsom exaltation is made eitherin hot or moist fire: The distilation mustbe re-iterated, that it may sufficiently re-ceive its goodnesse, until it be rectified,the signs of its last rectification are candorand crystalline serenity: And when otherthings grow black, by fire, this growswhite, is cleansed, shines with clearnesseand admirable splendour. From this water

and its earth comes Argen-tum vivum in Minerals, and* when the matter hathwaxed white, this way it is

congealed; the Stone of Aristotle, whichis no Stone, it’s set in a Pyramid a hotplace, or (if you please) in the belly ofan Horse or Ox, and it imitateth an acuteFeavor. For from seven to fourteen, andfrom that it sometimes proceeds to oneand twenty, that the Fecis of the Ele-ments may be dissolved in its water, be-fore it be separate: The dissolution anddistillation is to be iterated, until it berectified. And here is the end of this in-tention. Yet know that when you haveconsummated your work, you are then tobegin.

Another

Al. Quandoquein salem Aru.o-niacum.

Philosophers Egge. 45 Another Secret I shall shew you, youmust prepare Argentum vivum by morti-fying it with the vapour of Tin for Pearls,and with the vapour of Lead for the StoneIberus; then let it be ground with desic-cating things, and Attramentis, and thelike, as is said, and let there be an assati-on: Then let there be a sub-limation * if for Pearlestwelve times; if for rednesse one andtwenty times, until the humiditywithin it be totally corrupted. Nor is itpossible, that its humidity be separated byvapour, as the fore-said oyl; because itsvehemently mixed with its dry parts; nordoth it constitute,as in the foresaid metals.In this Chapter you may be deceived, un-lesse you distinguish of the signification ofthe words. It’s now high time I involvethe third Chapter: that youacquire the Calx, the * Calxof the body, which you in-tend, the body is calcined, when it is ap-podiated, i.e. that the humour in it maybe corrupted by salt, and with salt Armo-niack and vinegar, and sometimes withburning things, and with Sulphur and Ars-nick: and sometimes bodies are fed withArgentum vivum, and sublimated from

them,

* Al. Septies.

* Al. Clavem o-peris.

46 How to make thethem, until they remain pu-tred. The claves of the Artare congelation, resolution,inceration, proportion; andanother way purification, di-stillation, separation, calcina-

tion and fixation, and then you mayacquiesce.

____________________________

C H A P. X.

F O R T E . 6 2 0.

Of the same Subject another way.

IN the 602. Arabian year you intreatedme for some Secrets. Take then the

Stone, and calcine it with a light assati-on and strong contrition, or with acutethings. But in the end mingle it a lit-tle with sweet water, and compound aLaxative Medicine of seven things (ifyou will) or of six, or of five, or asmany as you please; but my mindrests in two things, whose propor-tion is better than the other fixt pro-portion, or thereabouts, as experi-

ence

* Remaneantputris, ni fallormale imprimi-tur aut debetesse pura autputres.

Philosophers Egge. 47ence will teach you. Re-solve notwithstanding thegold at the fire, and triedit better; but if you will credit me,take one thing that is the Secret of Se-crets of Nature, able to do Miracles.Let it be mixed from two or more, ora Phoenix, which is a singu-lar creature † at the fire,and incorporate by a strong motion:to which if hot liquor four or fivetimes be applied, you have the compo-sition. Yet afterwards the coelestial na-ture is deliberated, if you infuse hot wa-ter three or four times. Divide there-fore the week from the strong in seve-ral vessels, if you believe me: Let thatwhich is good be evacuated. Again,use the pouder, and the water whichremains, carefully expresse: For of acertain, it will produce the parts ofthe pouder, not incorporated : there-fore take the water by it self; becausethe pouder exiccated from it hath pow-er to be incorporated into the Laxa-tive Medicine. Work therefore as for-merly, until you distinguish the strongfrom the weak, and apply the pouderthree, four, five times or oftener, and

work

Al. Mollius ca-leseant.

† Al. Adjunge.

48 How to make thework alwayes the way: And if youcannot work with with hot waters, do itwith water of Alkali, and by such acutethings you make the violence of theMedicine. But if by reason of the acuityand softnesse of the Medicine it be bro-ken, the pouder, being applied, applyvery carefully more of the hard and soft.But if it be by reason of the abundanceof the pouder apply more of the Me-dicine; if it be by reason of the strength

of the water, water it withpistils; and congregate the

matter, as you can, and separate the wa-ter by little and little, and it will re-turn to its state, which water you mustexiccate: for it contains both pouderand water of the Medicine, which areto be incorporated, as the principlepouder. Here you may not sleep, be-cause here is contained a very great andprofitable Secret. If you rightly orderin a right series of things, the parts ofthe Shrub or Willow, they will keepnatural union : and do not deliver thisto oblivion, for it is profitable for ma-

ny things. You must min-gle Pearls with the made

union: as I think there will arise some- thing

Pistillo.

Unione facta.

Philosophers Egge. 49thing like the Stone Iberus: and with-out doubt it mortifies that which is tobe mortified by the vapour of Lead.You shall find Lead, if you expressethe living from the dead; and the deadyou must bury in Olibanum and Sarco-colla. Keep this Secret, for it is ofsome profit, and so must you do withthe vapour of Pearls, and the StoneTagus, and you must (as I have said)bury the dead.

_____________________________

C H A P. X I.

F O R T E. 6 0 3.

Of the same Subject another way.

TO your desire in the Arabian year630. I return this Answer. You

must have the Medicine which may be dis-solved in the thing liquified and steeped init, and penetrate its interiour parts, and maybe mingled with it;and it may not be a fu-gitive servant,but transmute it. Let it bemingled by reason of the spirit, and let it befixed by the Calx of the metal; it is to bethought that fixion is prepared, when the

D body

50 How to make thebody and spirit are set in its place, and thespirit is made a body. Take then of thebones of Adam, and of the Calx the sameweight; let there be six to the Stone Tagi,and five to the stone of Pearl; let them beground with Aqua vitae, whose propertyit is to dissolve all other things, so as in itthey are dissolved and assated, until it beincerate, i.e. let the parts be united, asthe parts in wax. The sign of incerationis, that the Medicine liquifies upon ironvery hot. Then let it be put in the samewater in some hot and moist place, or let ithang in the vapour of waters made veryhot: after that dissolve and congeal themagainst the Sunne, Afterwards take Salt-peter, and argentum vivum shall be con-verted into lead : And again, wash thelead with it, and mundifie it, that it maybe the next to silver, and then work as apious man, and also the whole weight mustbe 30. But yet of Saltpeter L U R U-V O P O Vir Can Utriet Sulphuris : andso you may make Thunder and Lightning,if you understand the Artifice : but youmust observe, whether I speak ænigmati-cally, or according to the truth. Somemen have supposed otherwise: For it istold me, that you must resolve all into its

first

Philosophers Egge. 51first matter, of which you have Aristotlespeaking in vulgar and known places,which makes me silent herein. When youhave this, you have pure, simple andequal Elements. And this you may do bycontrary thing and various operations,which formerly I have called the Claves ofthe Art. And Aristotle sayes, That theequality of potencies excludes action, andpassion, and corruption. And these thingsAverrho’s affirms, reproving Galen. Andthis Medicine is esteemed the more pureand simple which may be found, which isprevalent against Feavers, passions of themind and body. Farewell. Whoever un-locks these,hath a key which opens and noman shutts: and when he hath shut no manopens.

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Quarto Small.

An Experimental Trea-tise of Surgery, by Fe-lix Wortz.

Abraham’s Faith, orthe good Old Religion,proving the Doctrineof the Church of Eng-land to be the only trueFaith of Gods Elect ByJohn Nicholson Minister of the Gospel.

The Anatomy ofMortality: By GeorgeStroad.

Three Treatises:1. The Conversionof Nineveh, touchingPraye r and Fasting.2 . Gods Trumpetsounding to Repen-tance. 3. Sovereignepreservatives againstdistrustfull Thoughtsand Cares: By WillAstersoll Minister ofGods Word at Isfieldin Sussex.

Aynsworth on theCanticles.

Paul Baine, his Dio-cesans Trial.

Gralle against Appo-onius.

is performed the propor-tioning of Lines formeasuring of all man-ner of Lands, Board,Glass, Timber, Stone,&c. by Tho. StirrupMathemat.

Large Octavo.

Florus Anglicus,with the lively Effigiesof all the Kings andQueens since the Con-quest, cut in Brass.

The Reconciler ofthe Bible, wherein a-bove two thousandseeming Contradicti-ons are fully and plain-ly Reconciled.

Evidences for Hea-ven, containing infalli-ble Signs and realDemonstrations for as-surance of Salvation:published by Edm. Ca-lamy Minister of Al-dermanbury, Lond.

The Life and Reignof King Charles fromhis Birth to his Death,By Lambert Wood.

The Night-Search,the second part: By H.Mill. A

of St Mathews Gospel:By John Glumbledon,Minister of the Go-spel.

The Saints Society.Dr Stoughtous thirteen

choice Sermons, withhis Body of Divinity.

The Reasons of thedissenting Brethern con-cerning the Presbyte-rian Governments, to-gether with the answerof the Assembly of Di-vines.

Gamdens Remains.The Harmonious

Consent and Confessi-on of Faith, of allthe Protestant Reform-ed Churches in Chri-stendome.

The discription ofthe Universal Qua-drant, by which is per-form’d with great Ex-pedition, the wholeDoctrine of Trian-gles, both plain andSpherical: Also theResolution of suchPropositions as aremost usefull in Astro-nomy, Navigation, andDialling: By which

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very usefull in thesetimes.

Daphnis and Chloe,A most sweet and pa-storall Romance foryoung Ladies, by Geo.Thornhill, Gent.

Mr. Pct. du Moulin,his Antidote againstPopery; published onpurpose to prevent theDelusions of the Priestsand Jesuits who arenow very busie amongstus

Herberts Devotions,or a Companion for aChristian, containingMeditations and pray-ers usefull upon all oc-casions.

Ovid de Ponto, inEnglish.

The spirituall Sea-man, or the MarrinersCompanion, being aCompendium of thePrinciples of Religion,by J. Durant, formerlyin the Navy, now atChrist-Church Cant.

The Loves of Cliviaand Lozio’s Romance.Mr. Knowles, his Ru-diment of the HebrewTongue. A

A view of the JewishReligion, with theirRites, Customes andCeremonies.

Useful Instructionsfor these Evil times;held forth in 22. Ser-mons, by NicholasLockyer, Provost of Eat-on Colledge.

The Nullity ofChurch Censures, orExcommunication, notof Divine Institution,but a meer humane In-vention: Written bythe famous Tho. Erastus,and never before Eng-lished.

Small Octavo.

Ed. Waterhouse Esq;His Discourse of Pietyand Charity.

Panacea, or the U-niversal Medicine; being a Discourse of theAdmirable Nature andVirtues of Tobacco:By Dr. Everard, and O-thers.

A view and Defenceof the Reformation ofthe Church of England,

Star in St. Pauls Church-yard.

the cure of all Disea-ses Incident to mansbody: By R. Williams.To which is added thephysical Mathematicks:By Hermes Tris-Megi-stus.

The Idol of Clowns,or the Relation of WatTiler’s Rebellion.

Historicall Collecti-ons or Ecclesiastickaffairs in Scotland, in-cluding the murther ofthe Cardinal of St. An-drews, and the behead-ing of their QueenMary in England, byR. Watson.

The Christian Mo-derator, in 3 parts.

The Golden Fleece,or a Discourse of thecloathing of England.

Dr. Sibbs his DivineMeditations.

Vigerius Preceptesof Idioismes.

Gretis Poemata.Three Books of

Mr. Mathews Ministerat Swansey in South-water.

1 The Messiah Mag-nified by the mouthes

of

A Book of Scheamsor Figures of Heaven,ready set for every fourMinutes of times, andvery usefull for all A-strologers.

Florus Anglicus, oran exact History ofEngland, f rom theReign of William theConquerour to thedeath of the LateKing.

Lingus, or the Com-bate of the Tongue, andfive Senses for Superi-ority: a serious Come-dy.

Venus Cabinet un-lockt, and her Secretslaid open.

The Spirits Touch-stone; being a cleardiscovery how a manmay certainly knowwhether he be trulytaught by the Spirit ofGod, or not.

The poor mans Phy-sician and Chyrurgi-on.

Physicall Rarities,containing the mostchoice Receipts in Phy-sick and Chyrurgery, for

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nish, all Englished andAlphabetically Dige-sted, by N. R. Gent.

Frier Bacon his Dis-covery of the Miraclesof Art Nature and Ma-gick, Translated byT.M.

Doctor Smith’s pra-ctice of physick.

The Grammar War.Posselius Apothegmes.Fasciculus Florum.Crashaw’ Visions.The Juniper Le-

cture.Helvicus Colloquies.The Christian Soul-

dier, his Combate withthe three arch-enemiesof man kind, the world,the flesh, and the de-vil.

Heinsius de Crepux-diis.

The History of Rus-sia, or the Governmentof the Emperour ofMuscovia, with the man-ner and fashions ofthe people of that Coun-trey.

Drexeliu’s school ofPatience.

Drexelius his right In-

of Babes in America;or Gaius and Gamaliel,a helpfull Father, andhis hopeful Sonne, dis-coursing of the threemost considerablepoints: 1. The greatwant of Christ. 2. Thegreat worth that is inChrist. 3. The goodway that is chalkt outby Christ.

2. The New Con-gregationall Church,prov’d to be the oldChristians Church, byScripture, Reason, andHistory.

3. The RendingChurch-member Re-gularly call’d back toChrist and his Church.

A physical Dictiona-ry, or an Interpretationof all the tearms ofArt, and markes used inPhysick, Anatomy,Chirurgery, and Chy-mistry.

Duodecim.

A Collection of Pro-verbs, English, French,Dutch, Italian, and Spa

Star in St. Pauls Church-yard.

Intention of every onesAction.

Viginti Quat.

The New Testa-ment.

The third part ofthe Bible.

Sir Richard Baker’sMed. and Prayers forevery day of the Week.

Playes

The Ball.Chawbut.Conspiracy.Obstinate Lady.The London chanti-

clers; a Comedy full ofvarious and delight-ful Mirth, never beforepublished.

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