Chemical, Medicinal, and Chyrurgical ADDRESSES: Made to Samuel Hartlib, Esquire.  
VIZ. 

1. Whether the Vrim & Thummim were given in the Mount, or perfected by Art.  
2. Sir George Ripley's Epistle, to King Edward unfolded.  
3. Gabriel Plaits Caveat for Alchemists.  
4. A Conference concerning the Philosophers Stone.  
5. An Invitation to a free and generous Communication of Secrets and Receipts in Physic.  
6. Whether or no, each Several Disease hath a Particular Remedy?  
7. A new and easy Method of Chirurgery, for the curing of all fresh Wounds or other Hurts.  
8. A Discourse about the Essence of Existence of Metals.  
9 The New Postilions, pretended Prophetical Prognostication, Of what shall happen to Physicians, Surgeons, Apothecaries, Alchemists, and Miners.    
London, Printed by G. Dawson for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread Eagle at the west end of Paul's. 1655.   

A TABLE OF THE Chemical, Medicinal, and Chirurgical ADDRESSES, made to Samuel Hartlib, Esquire.  

A Short Discourse, proving Vrim & Thummim to be perfected by Art, and to be of like pure Substance, with the White and Red Elixirs. From Page 1. to Page 18.  
Sir George Ripeley's Epistle to King Edward unfolded. From Pag. 16. to Pa. 49.  
Gabriel Plaits his Caveat for Alchemists: Or a Warning to all ingenious Gentlemen, whether Laics, or Clericks, that study for the finding out of the Philosophers Stone, showing how they need not to be cheated of their Estates, either by the persuasion of others, or by their own idle conceits. From Pag 51. to Pag. 88  
One of Monsieur Renaudots French Conferences, concerning this Question; Whether or no each several Disease, hath a particular, and especial Remedy. From pag. 89. to pag. 99  
Another Conference of Monsieur Renaudots, concerning the Philosopher's Stone, Translated out of French. From pag. 101. to pag. 112.  
An Epistolical Discourse of Philaretus to Empericus, written by a Person of singular Piety, Honour, and Learning, inviting all true lovers of Virtue and Mankind, to a free and generous Communication of their Secrets and Receipts in Physic. From pag. 113. to pag. 150.  
A short and easy Method of Chirurgery, for the curing of all fresh Wounds, or other Hurts, especially commended to all Chirurgeous, serving in Wars, whither by Sea or Land. And to all that are employed in the public Hospitals of the Commonwealth. Translated out of Low Dutch. From pag. 153. to pag. 181.  
The Appendix containing Mr. Gerard Malynes Philosophy: About the Essence or Existence of Metals. Delivered accidentally in one Chapter of his book, called Lex Mercatoria, or the Ancient Law Merchant.  
A Translate of the Eleventh Chapter, taken out of a Theological Germane Treatise, printed in the year, 1655. under the Title of Postilion; pretending to be a Prophetial prognostication of what shall happen to Physicians, Surgeons, Apothecaries, with their Dependants, Alchemists, and Miners.    

WHETHER The Vrim & Thummim Were given in the MOUNT, Or perfected by ART.  
THe clear Vision of an Essence, causeth men to glorify God, who hath given power unto man, to manifest his eternal purpose of renovation of the creature by a natural operation: and although the true and natural essences of things are seldom manifestly known by themselves, yet humane learning, being as a sickle, whereby we reap divine knowledge, directs us to the mark; and the Philosophers all agree, Essences are bright, pure, and clear, confused in the creature, and may be purified, but the manner is not easily agreed, so that they lead us to the consideration of several Arts, and of natural and Artificial things, jointly and severally▪ some Arts have their termination in silence, as Rhetoric and Plead▪ others have their perfection upon the Superficies, as painting and carving: But the true Alchemist excludes all vulgar operations to extract the internal beauty; and there are three kinds of labourers in this Art, Alchymistae, Lauchymistae, Lachrymistae; yet no Art may justly be condemned for the fault of the Professors. For Albertus Magnus saith, Ho artificium omni arte certius ac sublimius est, & certissimum habet effectum. They name their Matter Adam, because from red earth he became the salt and light of the world, so only man, and their corporate lights, are called Microcosmus: therefore they consider wisdom in a created nature, as well subject to sense as invisible, and consequently material, because quality is as the matter of the Elements, and the central virtue is real, and may be specificate; neither is it contrary to nature, but beyond nature, that the true sense, and lively practice make one perfection. The Philosophers say, Whosoever hath their mystery, knows the thing in being, and in being and use before practice, and each for himself affirms: I write nothing, save that I have seen and done, nor have I done any thing, save that I knew before. Although that which is hid, is more than can be spoken, yet their whole intent is to manifest that which is hid, and to hide that which is manifest, therefore they conclude: Felix scientia cum sciente, and the holy Text saith, God giveth wisdom to the wise, 
Dan. 2.12.  and knowledge to them that know understanding. But because the question stands betwixt divine tradition, and natural disposition, we must look to the beginning, when the eternal Word commanded, 
Gen. 1.  and it was made: but in the Generation of Heaven and Earth, there is inserted a power of the perpetuation of Creation, wherein Vrim & hummim are created remotissima. 
Gen. 2. Psal: 33: 9: Heb. 11.3.  For albeit the visible only are mentioned, yet the invisible are understood, and difference taken betwixt things instituted without means, and those produced by help of mean subjects. For Almighty God is not said to rest, as if he had traveled in his work, 
Esay. 48.3.40.28.  but because he created no more any new kind of Creatures, than by the power of the word Fiat; Therefore not the Vrim & Thummim, save as they subsisted in other things like Misseltoe, which hath body, branch, and berry, yet no root of itself. But if we remember the things of old, we may declare these last from the first: 
Is. 96.9, 10.  For from the end of every intention springs the beginning, and the wisdom of God hath ordained diversity, but his power maketh all things equal, and thereby is manifested the eternal beauty. The Vrim & Thummim were substances; for Moses put them into the breastplate, the words signify light and perfection, knowledge and holiness, 
Leu. 8.8.  manifestation and truth, so the sense and substance doth predicate each other, as the convertible terms of Science and Essence make one perfection, and the substances were bright and perfect: also joint and several, because none can come to perfection without knowledge, and where the Almighty God appointed the end, he gives the means to deliver the Creature from the bondage of the Elements. Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge, are the means to attain them, and the gifts of grace are signified by them also. The Philosophers call the manifestation of the central virtue, Donum Dei, In their sacred use they were objective to the golden Cherubims, whose wings were stretched to the outmost side of the Temple, they signified the plenitude of Science, which hath identity with Essence; there was also the scarlet vail, which seemed ever moving, 
Eze. 28.5: 14, 16:  and signified pure fire generative, and moving, which selected and fixed in clear bodies, is Vrim & Thummim▪ For when the four spirits of the heavens proceed from the Lord of all the Earth, and were fixed in the North, then take silver and gold, and make crowns. There is a spiritual and natural use of these things, 
Luc. 6: 5, 8, 11  the Creator by his absolute power, may make children of stones, but his ordinary power requires means; and because the insensible things should make his love to man more apparent; he commandeth the Ark of Noah, and the Ark of the Testimony, to be made after the proportion of man's body, 
Gen. 6: 14:  the length six times the breadth, and ten times the thickness; in which numbers are contained all perfections. Yet is objected, they were not commanded to be made, 
Exo: 28: 30  but to be put into the breastplate. The great and glorious works of God are not unknown unto himself, but unto us, they are by present command, or by successive course, as the first fruits were supernatural; and again, the trees brought forth the same year, according to their natural course and perfection: also the word Essence, containeth the natural & spiritual condition of bodies, which are so fast connexed, that the true and natural Essence, is with great difficulty made apparent, although the matter be but as a light case to the form: In generation it moves a non ente ad ens. in corruption it moves ab ente actu ad non ens. Also some things have existence by the subject, which have no Essence in nature, neither are said to be created, as darknels, and silence, and things of putrefactive kind. So in the putrefaction of the Creature, that is not properly said to be made, which by an inward power doth purge itself by ebullition, and a kind of new generation, as doth the pure sulphur of Metal, the Artist being but as a Midwife; so that there is a necessary difference betwixt that which hath being by the power of God's work, and the work of man; for no effect is said to be necessary from the first and remote causes, but from the second and nearer; as in the spiritual operation in man, 
Esa: 32: 17:  the work of Righteonsness is peace, and the effect, quietness and assurance for ever. Also taking away Evening and Morning, which is mixed knowledge, the light of the seven days shall be a perpetual blessing, and perfect knowledge. Now to descend again to the Philosophers, Morien Romanus saith, secretum secretorum est illa dispositio, quaem anibus perfici non potest. Haec enim dispositio est naturarum mutatio. Another saith, Ars ergo postcontemplationem omnium horarum sequitur naturam, & recipit spiritus natura immundos, & eos sublimando subluerat & mundat, & tunc volendo fugere ab igne, ars ministrat naturas & natura eos convertit in corpora munda fixa, & de caeteris natura corporum dominabitur naturae spirituum in aeternum, per hoc ingenium mirabile. Bezaleel had the spirit of wisdom, 
Exo: 31: 3, 4:  understanding and knowledge, which are the means to attain this effect, and his ends directed to devise works in gold, silver and brass, which although in sound of words they seem inferior, yet they are in exaltations in Art progressive to the producing of Vrim & Thummim. For all the glorious furniture of the Tabernacle was not for worldly pomp, but for spiritual mystery and beauty of the Doctrine of the Law and the Gospel: so in natural things, there is no greater mystery than that the incorrupted quality of pure sulphur, should have regal power and rest, eternally visible, shining as the Sun in glory. As a man is chiefest of the Creatures, so gold is purest of bodies, Lord of stones, and noblest of Metals, which one calls secretum magnum Dei, and another saith, ille spiritus in Auro idem est cum spiritu generate omnium creaturarum: est que eadem unica generativa natura per omnia diffusa. And as the Sun is chiefest amongst celestial bodies, so his spirit doth reign over the fourfold nature, and being corporate is without shadow. One of the Rabbins saith, in the second Temple they made Vrim & Thummim, therefore that which hath been done, may be done, although the materials be concealed. For good in a better, is ever more excellent; but if Phidias gave him rude and obstinate stuff to carve, 
Esai 45: 2, 3  let his art do what it can, his work will want the beauty. And because nature of herself cannot attain her highest perfection, the Artist must break the gates of brass, and cut in pieces the bars of iron, that is ignorance, and the matter of the Elements, whereby the treasures of darkness, and incorporeal substances are hidden from us, but being removed, 
2 Kin: 6: 17  the invisible Essence is apparent, as the chariots of fire about Elisha. These Rabbins also hold every natural beginning to be either matter, or the cause of matter, viz. The four Elements sub nutus Dei, which they express in Numbers and figures, for number is Unity folded up, and Unity is number unfolded. The Mathematical number is collected of many Unites, as a line of many points; And number is said to be form, and material signifying Principia & Elementa, because vocabulum naturale est symbolum numeri, which is expressed in the setting of the precious stones four rows, three in a row, 
Exo: 28: 17  four to show the natural perfection, and three the inward genreration; as three and four the artificial exaltation. For these natural bodies do not show forth their virtues, 
Rev. 21: 18  until they be made spiritual; the precious stones signified the excellency of gifts in the Teachers, and the Vrim & Thummim the gifts of grace in the heart, because the central virtues are their materials, quia virtutes formant ad speciem. In things of greatest concordance are greatest virtues; for that which is most abundant in virtue, doth most excel in glory and beauty: Bezaliel hath the spirit of knowledge to devise works in gold, therefore his invention must necessarily consider the possibility from the object, and how to work upon the form, as well as upon the matter, and upon the centre as upon the superficies: For seeing the perfection of the matter is glorious, the perfection of the form must necessarily be more glorious; because the bodily nature shall eternally predominate: In the Creation the substance of the Sun was light corporate the fourth day, light is never without heat, and radical heat is the occultum corporis, which augmented and fixed, shines as the Sun in glory, which shows the majesty of nature as in a liquid glass; notwithstanding, 
Cor. 5: 37  that which is sowed is not quickened, except it die, and it is a rule amongst the Philosophers: Ad perfectionem omnium Artium requiritur renascentia. To like purpose another saith: Corpus ad omnes perferandas miserias est ordinatum. Oportet enim transire per ignem & aquam & renasci, aliter in requiem eternam ingredi non poterit. And another saith, Post resurrectionem habemus gloriam & fortitudinem sempiteranam tunc gaudebunt omnes in prosperitate magnâ qui sciunt nostrum progressum. So the end of every intention shows the beginning, the Creatures were made perfect, and to be perfect: for the formal and final cause is the same, the difference is in the perfections. Some hold that the ancient Philosophers by this holy art have become Prophets: And because Adam his dominion of the creatures was the knowledge of their natures and Properties, by this Science he knew the world should be twice destroyed: For both fire and water are necessarily required to the purification of the creature. And as sense is the light of nature, so reason is the perfection of sense, & by example we see with others eyes, but by reason with our own. Notwithstanding we may consider Tubal-Cain, 
Gen: 4●32  who was an instructor of every Artificer in brass and iron, that is (saith the Philosopher) a perfect Master in the decoction of Mineral virtue, which Daemogerger calleth ferrum. Et Aurora consurgens hath these words: Ego sum ferrum siccum & durum & fort, pistans & pistatum omne bonum. Et non est res mundi agens actionem meam. Per me enim generatur secretum secretorum, quando convalesco à langu●ribus, tunc habeo vitam leonis rugientis, etc. Etiam Raym Lullius, Absque ferro homines suam vitam sustentare non posse: Iterum Ferrum potest quod aurum non potest, seipsum mortificat, seipsum vivificat, seipsum rubore decorat. And this operative spirit is the regal sulphur, which questioneth in Marlin his Allegory. Where are mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them? bring them hither, that I may slay them. The Antimonial and Arsenical spirits must be vanquished, for only to the benign, gentle, and most suffering Mercurial spirit is given absolute victory: Lux sata est justo, etc. Therefore sow light, and reap perfection, 
Ps: 97: 11:  sow gold, and reap the internal beauty. Notwithstanding the Philosopher's work is not upon gold, no more than a man doth ride upon a block, because he mounts a great horse by it: but their is use of it. And one saith, gold is dissolved by wisdom, therefore in the power of Art to better, yet the fast locked body must not only be made relative, and the exterior from destroyed, but from the crude nature, and confused substance doth naturally arise, a subtle white fume, which is said to be vita quaedam unica omnia replens, colligans & connectens, that is, aqua clarissima putrefactionis, and being corporated is clear as a Crystal looking glass, and then called ens enti admixtum essentia composita & Vrim, also by help of the same pure body (save that forma ex materia non nascitur) is produced a more perfect substance brighter than a carbuncle, giving sufficient light to read by, which is called essentia simplex, ens omnis privationis expers & Thummim. 
Rome 8: 21  For the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, unto a glorious liberty, and the animality being changed into spirituality, the corporal and spiritual virtues are eternally fixed. 
Isa. Holl: de m●: Dan: 1●: 3:  Some hold a glorified body shall be like a Crystal Lantern, with a taper in it, and like them men shall differ in glory. Certainly the wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and the Creator hath given power to men to manifest the redintegration of the world, by a lineary and successive course in short time, which himself shall make apparent, when time shall cease. But de entibus â fortuna non potest esse veritas, nec scientia: Also we must specially remember only the homogeneal nature, is capable of so high excellence, which Bezaleel did work upon, and hath the spirit of knowledge, 
Exo. 38.22. Heb. 8.5.  which word in the original, is used for sense and experience, and he made all the Lord commanded Moses, who might make nothing, save that he hath seen a pattern of in the Mount. Therefore Bezaleel was at least equal to those of the second Temple, and the ancient Philosophers. 
Eze. 29.5.14, 16. Zach. 4. Esay 4.5. job, 28. v. 5, 6.  It seems also the Prophets were not ignorant of these things; for there is mentioned of the stones of fire attained by wisdom, the stone of Tin in the hand of Zerubabel by the treasures, and stone of darkness, and as it were fire turned up, yet they knew not the order of making the Physical and Metaphysical bodies. For in nature many things are produced by habitual virtue, which seem incredible.   

SIR GEORGE RIPLYE'S EPISTLE TO King Edward unfolded.  
THis Epistle as it was immediately written to a King, who was in his generation, both wise and valiant, so it doth comprise the whole secret, both learnedly described, and yet Artificially vailed, yet as the Author testifieth, that in this Epistle he doth plainly untie the main knot. So I can and do testify with him, that there is nothing desirable for the true attaining of the mystery, both in the Theory and Practic of it, which is not in this short Epistle fully taught. This than I intent as a key to all my former writings, and assure you on my faithful word, that I shall not speak one word doubtfully or mystically, as I have in all my other writings, seeming to aver some things which taken without a figure, are utterly false, which we did only to conceal this Art: This key therefore we intent not to make common; and shall entreat you to keep it secret to yourself, and not to communicate it, except it be to a sure friend, who you are confident will not make it public. And this request we make upon very good grounds, knowing that all our writings together, are nothing to this, by reason of the contradictions which we have woven into them, which here is not done in the least measure. I shall therefore in this Epistle take up a new method, and that different from the former, and shall first draw up the substance of the Philosophy couched in this Epistle, into several Conclusions, and after elucidate the same.  
The first Conclusion is drawn from the nineth stave of this Epistle, the eight first staves being only complimental, and that is, That as all things are multiplied in their kind, so may be Metals, which have in themselves a capacity of being transmuted the imperfect into perfect.  
The second Conclusion in the tenth stave is, That the main ground for the possibility of transmutation, is the possibility of reduction of all Metals, and such Minerals as are of Mettalick principles, into their first Mercurialmater.  
The third Conclusion is in the eleventh stave, That among so many Mettaline or Mineral Sulphurs and so many Sulphurs there are but two that are related to our work, which Sulphurs have their Mercuries essentially united to them.  
The fourth conclusion from the same stave is, That he who understands these two Sulphurs and Mercuries aright, shall find that the one is the most pure red Sulphur of gold, which is Sulphur in manifesto and Mercurius in occulto, and that other is most pure white Mercury, which is indeed true quicksilver, in manifesto and Sulphur in occulto, these are our two principles.  
The fifth Conclusion from the twelfth stave is, That if a man's principles be true, and his operations regular, his event will be certain, which event is no other than the true mystery.  
These Conclusions are but few in number, but of great weight, the amplification, illustration, and ilucidation therefore of them will make a Son of Art truly glad.  
For the first, Forasmuch as it is not for our purpose here to invite any to the Art, only intending to lead and guide the Sons of Art; we shall not prove the possibility of Alchemy, by many arguments, having done it abundantly in another Treatise. He than that will be incredulous, let him be incredulous, he that will cavil, let him cavil; but he whose mind is persuaded of the truth of the Art, and of its dignity, let him attend to what is in the Illustration of these five Conclusions discovered, and his heart shall certainly rejoice.  
We shall therefore briefly Illustrate this first Conclusion, and insist there more largely, where the secrets of the Art are most couched.  
For this first then which concludes in effect the truth of the Art, and its reality, he that would therein be more satisfied in it, let him read the Testimoniy of all Philosophers, and he that will not believe the Testimonies of so many men, being most of them, men of renown in their own time, he will cavil also against all other Arguments.  
We shall only hold to Riplyes Testimony in this our key, who in the fourth stave, assures the King that at Louvain he first saw the greatest and most perfect secrets, namely the two Elixirs; And in his following verses, craves his confident credit, that he hath himself truly found the way of secret Alchemy, and promiseth the discovery of it to the King, only upon condition of secrecy.  
And in the eighth stave, though he protests never to write it by pen, yet proffers the King at his pleasure, to show him ocularly the red and white Elixir, and the working of them, which he promiseth will be done for easy costs in time. So then he that will doubt the truth of the Art, must account this famous Author, for a most simple mad Sophister, to write and offer such things to his Prince, unless he were able in effect to do what he promised, from which imputation his writings, and also the histories of him, of his fame, gravity, and worth will sufficiently clear him.  
We now come to the second Conclusion, the substance of which is, that all Metals and bodies of Metaline principles, may be reduced to their first Mercurial matter, and this is the main and chief ground for the possibility of transmutation. On this we must insist largely & fully, for (trust me) this is the very hinge on which our secrets hang.  
First, then know that all Metals, and several Minerals have ♁ for their next matter, to which (for the most part, nay indeed always) there adheres, and is concoagulated an external Sulphur, which is not Mettaline, but distinguishable from the internal kernel of the Mercury.  
This Sulphur is not wanting even in common Argent vive, by the Mediation of which, it may be precipitated into the form of a dry powder. Yea and by a liquor well known to us, (though nothing helping the Art of transmutation) it may be so fixed, that it may endure all fires, the Test and Coppel, and this without the addition of any thing to it, the liquor (by virtue whereof it is fixed) coming away entire, both in its Pondus and virtue.  
This Sulphur in gold and silver is pure, in the other Metals less pure, therefore in gold and silver it is fixed, in other it is fugitive, in all the Metals it is coagulated in Mercury or Argent vive, it is coagulable in gold, silver, and Mercury, this Sulphur, is so strongly united, that the Ancients did ever judge Sulphur and Mercury to be all one, but we by the help of a liquor, the invention of which, in these parts of the World we owe to Paracelsus (though among the Moors and Arabians it hath been and is (at this day) commonly known to the acuter sort of Chemists) by this I say we know that the Sulphur which is in Mercury coagulable, and in the Metals coagulated, is external to the nature of Mercury, and may be separated in the form of a tincted Mettalick Oil, the remaining Mercury being then void of all Sulphur, save that which may be called its inward Sulphur, and is now inincoagulable of itself (though by our Elixir it is to be coagulated, but of itself, it can neither be fixed nor precipitated, nor sublimed, but remains unaltered in all corrosive waters, and in all digestions of heat. One way then of Mercury azating all Metals and Minerals, is by the liquor Alcahest, which out of all such bodies as have Mercury in their constitution, can separate a running Argent vive, from which Argent vive all its sulphur is then separated, save that only which is internal and central to the Mercury, which internal Sulphur of Mercury no corosive can touch, Next to this way of universal Reduction, there are also some other particular ways, by which ♄ ♃ ♁, yea, even ♀ and ♂ may be reduced into a running quicksilver, by the help of Salts, which because (being corporeal, they pierce not so radically as the fore named liquor doth, they therefore do not so spoil the Mercury of its Sulphur but that as much Sulphur as there is in common Mercury, so much also there is in this Mercury of the bodies, only this Mercury hath specificated qualities according to the nature of the Metal or Mineral, from which it was extracted, and from that reason (as to our work, which is to dissolve perfect species of Metals) it hath no more virtue than common Argent vive: There is then but only one humidity, which is applicable unto our work, which certainly is neither of ♄ nor ♀, nor is drawn from any thing, which nature hath form, but from a substance compounded by the Art of the Philosopher. So then, if a Mercury drawn from the bodies, have not only the same deficiency of heat and superfluity of feceses as common Mercury hath, but also a distinct specificated form, it must (by reason of this its form) be so much the farther remote from our Mercury then common Argent vive is.  
Our Art therefore is to compound two principles (one in which the salt, and another in which the Mercury of nature doth abound) which are not yet perfect, nor yet totally imperfect and by consequence) may therefore (by our Art be exalted with that (which is totally perfect, cannot be) and then by common Mercury to extract not the Pondus, but the celestial virtue out of the compound, which virtue (being fermental) begets in the common Mercury an offspring more noble than itself, which is our true Hermaphrodite, which will congeal itself, and dissolve the bodies; observe but a grain of Corn in which scarce a discernible part is sprout, and this sprout, if it were out of the grain, would die in a moment; the whole grain is sown, yet the sprout only produceth the herb: So is it in our body, the fermental spirit that is in it, is scarce a third pars of the whole, the rest is of no value, yet all is joined in the composition, and the feculent corporeous, part of the body comes away with the dregs of the Mercury. But beyond the example given of a grain, it may be observed that the hidden and spiritual virtue of this our body, doth purge and purify its matrix of water, in which it is sown, that is, it makes it cast forth a great quantity of filthy earth, and a great deal of Hydropical saline moisture. For instance make thy washings (for a trial) with pure and clean fountain-water, weigh first a pint of the same water, and take the exact weight of it, then wash thy compound eight or ten times, save all the faeces, weigh thy body and Mercury exactly, weigh thy faeces being very dry, then distil or sublime all that will sublime a very little quick Mercury will ascend; then put the Residue of the faeces in a crucible, set them on the coals, and all the feculency of the Mercury will burn like a coal, yet without fume; when that is all consumed, weigh the remaining faeces, and thou shalt find them to be two thirds of thy body, the others being in the Mercury, weigh the Mercury which thou sublimedst, and the Mercury prepared by itself, and the weight of both will not recompense thy Mercury weight by far. So then boil up thy water to a skin, in which thou madest thy Lotions, for that is a thick water: and in a cool place thou shalt have Crystals, which is the salt of Mercury Crude, and no way fit for Medicines; yet it is a content for the Artists to see how the Heterogeneyties of Mercury are discovered, which no other Art save the liquor of Alcahest can do, and that in a destructive, and not a generative way as this is, for this operation of ours is made between male and female, within their own kind, between which there is a ferment which effecteth that which no other thing in the world could do. In all truth, I tell you, that if you should take our imperfect compound body, per se, and Mercury per se, and them alone, though you might bring out of the one a most pure Sulphur, and out of the other Mercury of Mercury, which is the nut of Mercury, yet with these thou couldst effect nothing, for fermental virtue is the wonder of the World, and it is by it, that water becomes Herbs, Trees, and Plants, Fruits, Flesh, Blood, Stones, Minerals and every thing, look then for it only, and rejoice in it as in a deservedly invaluable treasure; Now know that fermentation, work not out of kind, neither do salts ferment Metals; Wilt thou know then whence it is that some fixed Alcalyes do extract a Mercury out of Minerals, and out of the more imperfect Metals, consider then, that in all these bodies the Sulphur is not so radically mixed and united, as it is in Silver and Gold. Now Sulphur is of Kin to divers Alcalyes, that are ordinarily dissolved or melted with it, and by this means the Mercurial parts are disjoined, and the Argent vive is by fire separated. The Mercury thus separated, is spoilt of its Sulphur when as indeed there needs only a depuration of the Sulphur by separating the impure from the pure; but these salts having separated the Sulphur do leave the Mercury worse, that is, more estranged from a Metallick nature, than it was before, for in its composition that Sulphur of Saturn will not burn, but though it be sublimed, calcined, made sugar, or vitrefied, yet by fire and fluxes it still returns to the same it was in before, but its Sulphur being (as is aforesaid) separated, will take fire, if joined with Salt-peter, even as common Sulphur doth, So that the Salts act on the Sulphur of which they rob the Mercury, they act not for want of ferment which is not to be found, but only among Homogeneal things. Therefore the ferment of bread leavens not a stone, nor doth the ferment of any animal or vigetable, ferment a metal or mineral.  
So then, though out of Gold thou mightest obtain a Mercury by the help of the Liquor, of the first ens of Salt, yet that Mercury would never accomplish our work, whereas on the otherside made out of Gold by our Mercury, though there be three parts of our Mercury to one of Gold, This Mercury I say will by continual digestion) accomplish the whole work, marvel not then, that our Mercury is more powerful, which is prepared by Mercury, for certainly the ferment, which cometh between the compound Body and the Water, causeth a death, and a regeneration, it doth that, which nothing in the world can do, besides it severs from Mercury a terres treity, which burns like a Coal, and an Hydropical humour melting in common water, but the residue is acuated by a Spirit of life, which is our true embryonated Sulphur of our water, not visible, yet working visibly; We conclude that all operations for our Mercury but by common Mercury, and our body according to our Art are erroneous, and will never produce our mystery, although they be other wise never so wonderful. For as the Author of the Newlight saith, No water in any Island of the Philosophers, was wholesome, but that which was drawn out of the reins of the sol and Luna. Wilt thou know what that means? Mercury in its pond us and incombustibility is Gold fugitive, our Body in its purity, is called the Philosophers Luna being far more pure than the imperfect metals and its Sulphur also as pure as the Sulphur of Soil, not that it is indeed Luna, for it abides not in the fire, now in the composition of these three (1) our common Mercury and the two principles of our compound there intercedes, the ferment of Luna, out of which though it be a Body, proceeds yet a specificating odor: yea and oft the pondus of it is diminished: If the compound be much washed, after it is sufficiently clean. So then the ferment of sol and Luna intercedes in our composition, which ferment begets an offspring, more noble than itself a 1000 fold, wheas shouldst thou work on our compound Body by a violent way of Salts, thou shouldst have thy Mercury by far less noble, than the Body, the Sulphur of the Body being separated and not exalted by such a progress.  
We now come to the third conclusion, which is that among all metalline and mineral Sulphur there are only two, that belong to our work, which two have their Mercuries essentially united with them. This is the truth of our secrets, though we (to seduce the unwary) do seem to aver the contrary, for do not think that (because we do insinuate two ways, therefore) we really mean as we say, for verily (as witnesseth Ripley) There is no true principles but one, Nor have we but one matter, nor but one way of working upon that matter, nor but one regimen of heat, and one linear way of proceeding.  
These two Sulphurs as they are principles of our work, they ought to be homogeneal, for it is only Gold spiritual that we seek, first white, then red, which Gold is no other than that which the vulgar see, but they know not the hidden spirit that is in it. This principle wants nothing but Composition, and this composition must be made, with our other crude white Sulphur which is nothing but Mercury vulgar, by frequent cohobation of it upon our Hermaphroditical Body, so long till it be come a fiery water.  
Know therefore that Mercury hath in its self a Sulphur, which being unactive, our Art is to multiply in it a living active Sulphur, which comes out of the loins of our Hermaphroditical Body, whose father is a metal and his mother a mineral, Take then the most beloved daughter of Saturn, whose arms are a circle Argent, and on it a sable cross on a blackfield, which is the signal note of the great World, espouse her to the most warlike God, who dwells in the house of Aries, and thou shalt find the Salt of Nature, with this Salt acuate thy water, as thou best knowest, and thou shalt have the Lunary bath, in which the Sun will be amended.  
And in all truth I assure thee, that although thou hadst our body Mercurialized (without the addition of Mercury of any of the metals) made per se, that is without the addition of Mercury, it would not be in the least profitable unto thee, for it is our Mercury only, which hath a Celestial form and power, which it receives, not only, nor so much from the compound body, as from the fermental virtue which proceeds from the composition of both the body and the Mercury, by which is produced a wonderful Creature: So then let all thy care be to marry Sulphur with Sulphur, that is our Mercury which is impregnated, which Sulphur, must be espoused with our ☉ then hast thou two Sulplers married and two Mercuries of one off spring, whose father is the ☉ and ☽ the mother.  
The fourth Conclusion makes all perfectly plain, which hath been said before, namely that these two Sulphurs are the one most pure red Sulphur of Gold, and the other of most pure clean white Mercury.  
These are our two Sulphurs, the one appears a coagulated body, and yet carries its Mercury in its belly: the other is in all its proportions true Mercury, yet very clean and carries its Sulphur within its self, though hidden under the form and fluxibilitie of Mercury.  
Sophisters are (here) in a labyrinth, for because they are not acquainted with metalline love, they work in things altogether heterogeneal, or if they work upon metalline bodies▪ they yet either join males with males, or else females with females, or else they work on each alone, or else they take males, which are charged with natural inabilities, and females whose matrix is vitiated Thus by there own inconsideration they frustrate their own hopes, and then cast the blame upon the Art, when as indeed it is only to be imputed to their own folly, in not understanding the Philosophers.  
I know many pitiful Sophisters do dote on many Stones, vigitable, animal, and mineral, and some to those add the fiery Angelical, Paradaical Stone, which they call a Wonder working essence, and because the mark they aim at, is so great, the Ways also, by which they would attain their Scope, they make also a double, one Way they call the Via Humida, the other, the Via Sicca, (to use their languages).  
The latter Way is the labirinthian path, which is fit only for the great ones of the earth to tread in, the other the dedalean path, an easy way of small cost for the poor of the world, to enterprise.  
But this I know and can testify that there is but one Way, and but only one Regimen, no more Colours than ours, and what we say or write otherwise, is but to deceive the unwary, for if every thing in the world ought to have its proper causes, there cannot be any one end, which is produced from two ways of working on distinct principles. Therefore we protest and must again admonish the Reader that (in our former writings) we have concealed much, by reason of the two ways we have insinuated, which is the play of children, and the work of women, and that is decoction by the fire, and we protest that the lowest degree of this our work, is that the matter be stirred up, and may hourly circulate without fear of breaking of the vessel, which for this reason ought to be very strong, but our linear decoction is an internal work, which advances every day and hour, and is distinct from that of outward heat, and therefore is both invisible and insensible. In this our Work, our Diana is our body when it is mixed with the water, for then all is called the Moon, for Laton is whitened, and the Woman bears rule, our Diana hath a wood, for in the first days of the Stone, our body after it is whitened grows vegitably. In this wood, are at the last found two Doves, for about the end of three weeks, the soul of the Mercury ascends, with the soul of the disolved Gold, these are in folded in the everlasting arms of Venus, for in this season the confection are all tincted with a pure green colour, these Doves are circulated seven times, for in seven is perfection, and then they are left dead, for they then rise and move no more, our Body is then black like to a Crow's bill, for in this operation all is turned to powder, blacker than the blackest. Such passages as these we do oftentimes use, when we speak of the preparation of our Mercury, and this we do to deceive the simple, and it is also for no other end that we confound our operations speaking of one, when we ought to speak of another, for if this Art were but plainly set down, our operatiations would be contemptible even to the foolish. Therefore believe me in this, that because our works are truly Natural, we therefore do take the liberty to confound the Philosophers work, with that which is purely Nature's work, that so we might keep the simple in ignorance, concerning our true Vinegar, which being unknown, their labour is wholly lost.  
Let me then (for a close) say only thus much; Take our Body which is Gold, and our Mercury which is seven times acuated by the marriage of it, with our Hermaphroditical Body, which is a Chaos, and it is the splendour of the soul of the God Mars, in the earth, and water of Saturn, mix these two in such a pondus as nature doth require, In this mixture you have our invisible fires, for in the water our Mercury is an active Sulphur or mineral fire, and in the Gold a dead passive, but yet actual Sulphur now when that Sulphur of the Gold is stirred up and quickened, there is made between the fire of nature which is as the Gold, and the fire against nature, which is in the Mercury, a fire partly of the one and partly of the other, for it partakes of both, and by these two fires thus united into one, is caused both Corruption (which is Humiliation) and Generation (which is Glorification and Perfection:) Now know that God only governs this way of the internal fire, man being ignorant of the progress thereof, only by his reason beholding its operations, he is able to discern that it is hot, that is, that it doth perform the action of heat, which is decoction, In this fire there is no sublimation, for sublimation is an exaltation, but this fire is such an exaltation, as that beyond it, is no perfection.  
All our work then is only to multiply this fire, that is to circulate the body so long until the virtue of the Sulphur be augmented. Again this fire is an invisible Spirit, and therefore not having dimensions, is neither above nor below, but every where in the Sphere of the activity of our matter in the Vessel; So that though the material visible substance do sublime and ascend by the action of the elemental heat, yet this spiritual virtue is always as well in that which remains in the bottom, as in that which is in the upper part of the Vessel. for it is as the soul in the body of man, which is every where at the same time, and yet bounded or termined in none.  
This is the ground of one Sophism of ours, (viz.) when we say that in this true Philosophical fire, there is no sublimation, for the fire is the life, and the life is a soul, which is not at all subject to the dimensions of Bodies, Hence also it is that the opening of the Glass or cooling of the same during the time of working kills the life or fire, that is in this secret Sulphur, and yet not one grain of the metal is lost. The elemental fire than is that which any child knows how to kindle and govern, but it is the Philosopher only, that is able to discern the true inward fire for it is a wonderful thing, which acts in the body, yet is no part of the body. Therefore the fire is a Celestial virtue it is uniformed, that is, it is always the same until the period of its operation is come, and then being come to perfection it acts no more, for every Agent, when the end of its action is come then rests.  
Remember then that when we speak of our fire which sublimes not, that thou do not mistake and think that the moisture of the compound which is within the Glass ought not to sublime, for that it must do ●ncesantly, but the fire that sublimes not, is the metalline love, which is above and below and in all places alike. Now then for a close to all that hath been said, learn and be well advised what matter you take in hand, for an evil Crow lays an evil Egg, as the proverb hath it, let thy seed be pure, and thy matrix also pure, then shalt thou see a noble offspring, let the fire without be such, as in which our confections may play to & fro uncessantly, & this (in a few days) will produce that which thou most longest for, the Crow's Bill.   

To the Readers.  
WHereas this Book is to be Printed by a well-willer to all men, that love knowledge more than riches, and to be censured by all men: I desire no man to assent, unless his reason do move him: therefore I am contented that every man, upon the reading thereof, shall have his free vote; if he praise my work, that will make me neither fatter nor more proud; if the dispraise it, that will make me no leaner, nor abate the courage of my noble mind: for the truth is, that my mind is a size too great, to value, or regard the speeches of the common people, more than the chattering of Magpyes, or the prattling of Parrots. So I take my leave,  
At Westminster, this 10. of March. 1643. Your loving Friend, G. P.   

A CAVEAT FOR ALCHEMISTS, OR, A warning to all ingenious Gentlemen, whether Laics or clerics, that study for the finding out of the Philosopher's Stone; showing how that they need not to be cheated of their Estates, either by the persuasion of others, or by their own idle conceits.  

The first Chapter.  
WHereas I am shortly to demonstrate before the High and Honourable Court of Parliament in England, that there is such a thing feisible as the Philosopher's Stone; or to speak more properly, an Art in the transmutation of Metals, which will cause many a thousand men to undo and beggar themselves, in the searching for the same: I cannot choose but to publish these advertisements, for that is a fundamental point in my Religion, to do good to all men, as well enemies as friends: If I could be satisfied, that the publishing thereof, would do more good than hurt; then the world should have it in plain terms, and as plain as an Apothecary's receipt: But in regard that I have often vowed to God Almighty upon my knees, to do the greatest good with it, that my understanding could persuade me unto, I have craved the advice of the Honourable Parliament, for that I have strongly conceived an opinion, that by the well contriving of the use of it, the world's ill manners may be changed into better: if this can be done, than I should break my vow to God, if I should not do my best endeavours, and therefore I dare not to cheat God Almighty (having obtained this blessed science of his free gift) and go into a corner, and there eat, drink and sleep like a swine, as many have done before me, upon whom this blessed knowledge, hath been unworthily bestowed: but had rather improve it to his glory, if my counsel craved shall so think fit. But howsoever my meaning is to do some considerable good with it howsoever, that is, to make myself a sea-mark, to the end, that no ingenious Gentleman shall from henceforth be undone by the searching for this noble Art, as many have heretofore been  
Therefore my first Caveat shall be to show, that no man needs to be damnified above the value of 20. s. to try whether he be in a right way to it, or not?  
The second Caveat shall be, to show a way how to try whether any wand'ring Alchemist, that promiseth golden mountains, know any thing or not?  
The third Caveat shall be, to show how any man's judgement ought to be grounded by a Concordance of the best books, before he fall to practise?  
The fourth Caveat shall be, to show which are false books, and which are true ones, to the end that every student in this excellent Art, may trouble himself with fewer books, till he hath made a Concordance, and hath gathered the same out of the enigmatical discourses, and hieroglifical figures, wherein this Art is hidden, and never to be found in plain terms, nor written plainly in any receipt.  
Well for the first Caveat, that no man needs to be damnified above 20. s. to know whether he be in a right way, or not, let him be pleased to consider, that without putrefactio unius, there can be no generatio alterius; as in all other sublunary bodies, as well Animals as Vegetables, right so in Minerals and Metals.  
Therefore he that cannot take one ounce of the filings of copper, or any other base Metal, and by an ingenious addition of a Mineral moisture of the same kind, putrefy the same in a few months, and make it totally volatile, except a few faeces of no considerable weight, than he is out of the way, and is not to meddle with gold or silver, or any thing of great price: for he shall never obtain his desire, (though he spend his whole life, time and estate.  
Also he that hath not gathered a Concordance, by reading of books, which cannot be controlled by humane wit, is not fit to begin to practise this noble Art, and not in one part thereof, but in six several parts, which are these that follow.  
First, it is clear that he must have a Mineral spirit, before he can dissolve a Mineral body, or else he will work out of kind; and if he think that Quicksilver, which is sold at the Apothecary's shops, is this Mineral spirit, than he is deceived, and will find it to be so; but the truth is, that if nature had not created quicksilver, this Art could never have been found; not that it can be made the Philosopical dissolvent, by any preparation whatsoever, but without it the first dissolvent (for there are three) cannot be gotten: for it only hath power to separate this Mineral spirit, from a crude Mineral, taken from the mine, which the fire hath never touched, and no other thing under heaven can do it else, no more than any creature besides a Bee, can extract honey out of a flower.  
Secondly, that he must know the secret of dissolution, (which is not by the common way used by Alchemists, but by the way meant by Bernardus Comes Trovisanus, where he saith, hujus dissolutionis via paucissimis est nota: and I know not one Alchemist this day, nor ever did, to whom, if I should have given him the true dissolvent in one hand, which is a ponderous bright water, and the dissolvend in the other hand, which is a powder, or filings of metal: ye he knew not how to dissolve it.  
Thirdly, he must know what is meant by the hollow Oak, a comparison not very unfit for the furnace, wherein this secret of dissolution, is to be accomplished.  
Fourthly, he must know the reason and manner of refixing his bodies when he hath made them volatile, by this secret way of dissolution.  
Fifthly, he must know the secret of projection, which hath beguiled many, when by their great charges study and labour, they have made the Philosopher's Stone, so that they could make no use it. For when it is mingled with the imperfect metals, yea, though prepared philosophically, not vulgarly, yet there is another thing to be done, before the metal transmuted goeth to the test, or else all is lost: and if any one will not believe me, let him read the books of Raymundus Lullius, and he shall find in three several places, in several books, that after projection, the matter must be put in cineritio, in vasi longo, but he saith also, non intelligas quod ponas plumbum in cineritio: for there is something to be separated by the Art of the Philosopher, before the lead come to do its duty, or else all will be gone according to the saying: totum vertitur in fumum, quicquid ineptus agit.  
Sixthly, he must know the fire, and the regiment thereof; and also the nature, which is to be gentle, continual, compassing round about the matter, and not burning it.  
And now that I have showed what an Artist must know, or else all his labour and charge is lost, I wish every man to consider what a hazard he undergoeth, if he meddle without the knowledge of these six secrets, for so much as he may very well fail, though he have them, I mean, though he have the Theoric, yet he may fail in the Practic.  
Therefore if any smoke seller, or wand'ring Alchemist, shall come to any ingenious Gentleman that studieth this Art, though he bring with him a recipe that promiseth golden mountains, and maketh affidivit, I mean that searcheth never so deeply, that he hath done it, or seen it done, which is a common trick amongst wand'ring Alchemists: believe him not, unless he can satisfy you concerning all the six former mentioned secrets, for if you do believe him having not that knowledge, I will give my word for him, that he shall cozen you. For there is but unica via, unica operatio, to accomplish any work in Alchemy, which is as hard to be found, as the way to heaven in this world, where there are an hundred Religions, or rather an hundred Sects of Religion, wherein the true Religion is smothered and bemisted, even as the way to make the Philosopher's Stone is, by the idle conceits of men, that are ruled by opinion, more than by knowledge.  
As for example, on Petrus Bonus ferrariensis a great learned man, and a Doctor of the chair of an University, wrote a book called Margarita Pretiosa, and penned it most admirably, concerning the Philosopher's stone, and the way to make it; and when he had done, confessed that he never had made it, yet he guessed indifferent well, but all his directions are not worth a button. I would give an impression of his books away freely, that I had his School-learning, but as for his knowledge, I would not give two pence: whereby it may be seen how easily wise men may be deceived, and therefore let fools look about them before they attempt this noble science.  
Also one Gaston Dulco Cl●vens, a great Champion that quarrelled with all opposers of this sacred Art, and wrote a book, which is greatly esteemed by Alchemists, and seemeth very rational to all those, which have not the practic, wherein he defendeth the truth of this Art by 32 Arguments, and many experiments, which are all false, upon my certain knowledge, and if my purse could speak it, should swear it.  
And many others have written upon this subject, which knew nothing but what they had collected out of books, to what end, I know not, unless it were to draw other learned men unto them, thinking to gain some knowledge by their conference.  
Also another, whose name I have forgotten (for it is a great while since I read any books) wrote a book entitled De interitu Alchemy, which is as foolish as any of the other, unless that when all his hopes were at an end, he thought that some man would have come unto him, and confuted him, by showing him the experience of it.  
Well thus much for false books; now as for true ones, I could name many, that could not be written, but by those that had made certain trial of the work; but for brevity sake, and to keep this book within the price promised, viz. two pence▪ I will name only four, viz. The Compound of Alchemy, written by Georgius Ripleus Anglus, The Hierogliphical Figures of Nicholaus Tilamellus, whose body lieth buried in Paris: The works of Raymundus Lullius; The two books of Bernardus Comes Tievisanus: These four men showed by their actions, that they had the Art of the transmutation of Metals. For Georgius Ripleus Anglus, maintained an Army of soldiers at Rhodes against the Turks, at his own charge: Nicholaus Tilamellus builded up seven Churches, and seven Hospitals at Paris, and endowed them with good revenues, which may be easily proved: Raymundus Lullius made gold in the Tower of London, to furnish an Army to go against the Turks: Bernardus Comes Trevisanus, recovered his Earldom again, which he had formerly spent in the seeking of this Art. And now me thinks, I hear every one demanding, how shall we do to find out this great secret?  
But Geber an Arabian Prince, and a famous Philosopher shall answer in his own words, viz. non per lectionem librorum, sed per immensam cognitionem, per profundam imaginationem, & per assiduam praxim: and when all this is done; he concludeth, that est donum Dei Altissimi, qui cui vult, largitur, & subtrahit.  
Well now me thinks I hear the cozening Alchemists, saying, what shall we do now, we have no other living? To which I answer, that I would gladly rid the world of cheaters if I could: but if they must needs cozen, then let them trade with those that have so little love to art, that they cannot afford to read this book, to defend themselves, and that will improve the wits of the world very much, so that it may possibly do more good than hurt: for the truth is that the world is unhappy, only for want of wit, which I have demonstrated in a little book lately printed, which showeth how any Kingdom may live in great plenty, prosperity, health, peace and happiness, and the King and Governors may live in great honour and riches, and not have half so much trouble, as is usual in these times▪ and if any one shall be cheated, and lay the fault upon me for discovering of cheats in this book, I cannot help it: for he that is willing to do good, must needs do some hurt, unless men were Angels. But in this case I see not but my action is justifiable: for first, I have given every one an antidote against cheating, and if they will not take it, let them be cheated, and then I will show them a way to recover their losses, by an experiment tried upon myself: for till I was sound cheated of divers hundred pounds, I thought myself to be a very knowing man: but then I found that I was a fool, and so disdained not to learn wit at any body's hands that could teach me, whereby I attained a considerable quantity of knowledge, which I will not give or change, for any man's estate whatsoever; but though I sped so well by being cheated, yet I wish all others to take heed, for fear lest that their fortunes prove not so good as mine.   

The second Chapter.  
WHereas I have professed myself to be an Anticheator, it behoveth me to discover the several ways whereby the world is so universally cheated by the cozening Alchemists: and therefore though I could discover fourscore cheats, yet at this time I will only discover fourgrand ones, and so conclude.  
The first shall be to discover the knavery of Kelly the grand Impostor of the world, whom the Emperor of Germany kept prisoner in a Castle, and maintained him honourably, thinking either by fair means or by foul, to get the Philosopher's Stone out of him, who God knows had it not but made divers cozening projections before great men, which by the report thereof, have caused many to spend all that ever they had; and it cannot be well estimated, how many hundred thousand pounds have been spent in Europe about it, since that time, more than before.  
And thus one of his projections was made before three great men sent over by Q Elizabeth, to see the truth of the business. He gave order to them to buy a warming pan, which they did accordingly, and brought it to him; he took a pair of compasses, and marked out a round plate in the middle of the cover thereof, and with a round chisel he took out the piece; then he put it in the fire, and when it was red hot, he put a little powder upon it, which flowed all over it, and made it to look like to gold, which is an easy matter to be done: but when he came to fit it to the hole, he had a piece of good gold, taken out of a plate of gold by the compasses, not altered, and this by a trick of Legerdemain, or slight of hand (a thing common, for I have known a Porter that could have done it) he conveyed into the place, and delivered the warming pan ●nto the hands of the spectators, who brought it into England, and the noise thereof made almost all men's ears to tingle, and their fingers to itch, till they were at the business, and raised the price of Alchemy books fearfully. Now if he had meant plain dealing, he would have given them some of his powder home to their lodging, that they might have done the like again themselves at home, but he neither offered it, neither did they desire it, at which I marvel: for if he had denied that, as it is like that he would, than the knavery had been presently discovered, so that this false news had not been brought into England, whereby many men have received great loss. Some have reported that he clipped out a sheard with a pair of Goldsmith's shears, and then he took a little more time, and cast one of gold like to it, which is easily done: whethersoever he did, the whole scope of the business argueth cheating, and his meaning was nothing else, but by either of these ways, to make the spectators to be less suspicious; like to a juggler that foldeth up his sleeves for the like purpurpose. But admit that he had the true Philosopher's Stone, and that the body of a Metal might be altered by it, and turned into true gold, without reduction of it to the first matter, which is altogether impossible: yet he was a detestable villain to publish it in such manner, to the great damage of so many men as were thereby irritated to undo themselves, and not to give them some Advertisements, like to these in this book, whereby they might be preserved from undergoing any considerable loss. But the old saying proved true, qualis vita, finis ita: he lost his ears in London for cheating, when he was a young cozener; and when he was grown too skilful to be discovered by men, than God Almighty took punishment of him; for he bought as much linen cloth, pretending to make shirts and other things, as he thought would serve to let him down to the ground out at a window in the Tower of the Castle, wherein he was a prisoner; and whether his hold slipped, or the cloth was too short, I could never learn certainly; but it is certain that he fell down and broke his bones, and died, and there was an end of him.  

The second Cheat.  
A Nobleman in England thought that he had a transmutation of copper into silver showed to him, and thus the cheat was done. First, the cheater made two ingots of copper both alike, than he filled one of them into two equal parts, or very near the middle; then he got a piece of silver fashioned like to the longer end, but a little longer; then he got a Silver-smith to let the one into the other curiously, and solder it so, that the piecing could not be discerned, but that it appeared plainly to be one piece of metal, only of two colours, to wit, white and red: then he painted it all over with a colour made of copper, as is hereafter declared; then he dried it, and painted it over three times or more, till the colour was equal to the other, when this was done he brought that which was all copper to the Earl, and prayed him to file it at both ends, which was done; then he took it, and went to fetch his white powder, and a very little thereof, being made like to a Painter's colour, with a little vinegar, he prayed the Earl to paint it half way over, and so it was done: the Earl supposing he had painted the same ingot, which he formerly fi●ed at both the ends: well, than it was dried, and put into a cast of well tempered clay, and when the clay was dry, it was put into the fire, and there being heated by a little and little, till it was red hot, and not melted at all, it was left red hot till the charcoals were almost burned out, which was done in a short space; than it was taken out and made clean, and that half which was anointed with the Alchemists white Philosophers stone, was transmuted into better silver, than ever any Alchemist, or yet the best Philosopher in the world, did ever make; for it was all fine silver, without any waist at all, which was considerable before the refining: but if he had meant plain dealing, he would have divided his white powder into two equal parts, and have made his ingots but half so big, and would have done the first part himself before the Earl, and would have left him to do the other part himself in his absence, but this he neither offered, neither did the Earl desire it, whereat I marvel. This ingot was showed to many, and caused many a thousand pound to be spent, some by the said Earl, and some by others, that were thereby encouraged, and no doubt but that he had a great reward for cozening him; for great men will have honourable rewards to a man, that can satisfy them in the truth of this Art, and that they are satisfied fully, so long as the deception is not discovered.  
Now as for the making of the copper colour, it might be thus done. Take filings of copper, and twice as much quicksilver, and grind them upon a Painter's marble stone, with a little salt and vinegar, and they will come into a Mass, then wash away the salt and vinegar with common water, till the mass be bright as silver, but soft; then set it in a gentle heat all night, and it will be hard, then grind it with a little more quicksilver, not too much to make it very liquid, and set it in a gentle heat again till it be very hard, and this work reiterate, till it will drink up no more quicksilver, then are the filings burst into atoms; then evaporate the quicksilver in a crucible, with a gentle heat first, and afterwards, make it red hot, so will the copper be in red powder; this red powder must be stamped in a marble mortar, with warm water, and ever as the water is coloured red, it must be poured of into a great Jarre glass, and new water put to it, and so the work must be reiterated, till it will colour the water no more, then let the water stand a night, till the colour be settled to the bottom, then pour off the clear water, and dry the rest in the Sun, or in any gentle heat, & it will be as fine as any fine wheat flower, which must be ground upon a Painter's marble stone, with gum-water, till a Painter may paint with it.   

The third Cheat.  
An Alchemist traveled with this cheat into many Kingdoms and Countries, and it may be done by one that hath not the Art of Legerdemain, or slight of hand; and thus it was done. He filled a twenty shiling piece of gold into dust, and put it into the bottom of a crucible, or a Goldsmith's melting pot, than he made a thin leaf of wax of a fit breadth, and rammed it down a little hollow in the middle, & with an hot iron sodered it, than he painted it over with a paint hereafter mentioned, and dried it, and painted it again, and thus did till it was like the crciuble; and when he wanted money, he would go to a rich hostess in some City, and take a chamber for a week, and when he had been there a day or two, and had paid royally, the next morning he would be sick, and keep his bed, and when his Hostess came to visit him, he would ask her, if she could help him to a Goldsmith, that would do some business for him, and he would pay him for his pains very largely, so she was ready, and brought one; he asked him if he could do him one hours' work or two presently, the Goldsmith answered him, yes Sir, with all my heart: so he took his purse from under his pillow, and gave him half a crown, and prayed him to buy half an ounce of quicksilver, and bring it to him presently, the Goldsmith did so; then he gave him his key, and prayed him to open his portmantle, and take out a little box, and open it, where he found a crucible, and a little Ivory box, filled with the red powder of Vermilion; the Cheater prayed him to weigh out a grain of the red powder, with his gold weights, which he did; then he bid him look well upon the crucible if it were a good one, and not cracked in the carriage; the Goldsmith said it was as sound an one as he had seen, and had a good strong bottom, than he bid him to put it into the quicksilver, and the grain of red powder, and set it into the fire, and by degrees melt it down, the Goldsmith did so; when it was melted, he bid him set it by to cool, and then break it; then he lay down in his bed, and after a little while, he asked the Goldsmith what he found in the bottom, to which the Goldsmith answered, that he found a little lump of gold, as good as ever he saw, so he prayed him to help him to money for it, for his money was almost all spent; that I will said the Goldsmith presently, and went home, and weighed it, and brought him nineteen shillings in silver, and was desirous to know, how that red powder was made; he said it was an extract out of gold, which he carried with him in his long travels, for ease of carriage, and that there was no other grain in it, or else he would tell it him. So the Goldsmith asked him, how much he would have again of his half crown, and he should have all if he please; for he was well enough paid for his work, in seeing that rare piece of Art: no said the Alchemist, take it all, and I thank you too; so the Goldsmith took his leave, with great respect: then he laid down in his bed a little while, and by and by he knocked for his Hostess, who came immediately, and he prayed her to call for a porter; whilst that he wrote a note, she did so: when the porter came, he sent him to his fellow cheater, who lay in the other end of the Town, who presently brought him a letter formally framed betwixt them; upon the reading whereof, he called for his Hostess again, and desired her to fetch the Goldsmith again, she did so; when she brought him, he was rising, and gruntled and groaned, and told the goldsmith, that though he was not well, yet necessity forced him to go about earnest business, and showed him the Letter, and prayed him to read it whilst he put on his clothes, and when the Goldsmith had read it, he said, you see what a straight I am in for twenty pounds, can you furnish me, and to morrow or next day you shall work for me, and pay yourself, and I will leave you my box in pawn, which now you know how to make five hundred pounds of it, as well as I? the Goldsmith answered, it shall be done, and went down and told the Hostess all things; and also told her, that the Gentleman was in great distress for twenty pounds, and that he had promised to furnish him instantly, but he had but ten pounds by him, if she pleased to furnish him with the other ten pounds, she should be sure enough to have it with great advantage, for so short a time: for saith he, we shall have his box in pawn, and will make bold with twice as much of his powder, as our money comes to; and besides that, he will pay us royally I warrant you; and all the while I can do the work so well, that I should be glad never to hear of him more; so she agreed, and they brought him up twenty pounds presently, whereupon he delivered them the box, and made a motion to have it sealed up; but at length he said, that because they had furnished him in his necessity, and because he esteemed them to be honest people, in regard of his Host, he would not stay to seal it, and so took his leave, and prayed the Goldsmith to be ready within a day or two, to help him to work, but from that day to this, they never saw him; so when he came not again within a wek or a fortnight, they concluded that some misfortone had happened to him, or that he had taken cold by going abroad so hastily, being not well, and so was dead, for else he would have sent about it before that time, if he were but sick; so they resolved to make use of it, and fell to work with great alacrity; but when they could make no gold, their hearts were cold, and they found themselves to be miserably cheated.   

The fourth Cheat.  
This Cheat is described in old Chawcer, in his Canterbury Tale; but because everyone hath not that book, I will relate it briefly, and those that would see it more largely described, shall be referred to the said book.  
And thus it was done: The Cheater took a charcoal about two inches long, and one inch thick, and did cleave it through the middle, and made a little concavity in the middle thereof, and put in a little ingot of gold, weighing an ounce, into the middle of it, and glued it up again, so that it seemed to be nothing, but a very coal; then before the cheated, he put in one ounce of quicksilver into a crucible, and a little red powder with it, and bid the cheated to set it into the fire, and when it began to smoke, oh saith he, I must stir it a little, to mingle the powder with the Mercury, or else we shall have great loss; so he took up a coal from the heap with the tongs, like to his coal which he had prepared, and let it fall out of the tongs by the side of the heap, and dropped down his own coal by it, and took it up in room of the other, and stirred the quicksilver and the powder together with it, and left the coal in the pot, and then bid the cheated to cover the pot with charcoals and to make a good fire, and after a little space to blow it strongly with a pair of good hand bellows, till it was melted, for he assured him, that the quicksilver would be fixed and turned into gold, by the virtue of that small quantity of powder; which the cheated found by expeperience, as he verily thought, and so was earnest with the cheater to teach him his Art, but what bargain they made I have forgotten, for it is twenty years since I read Chawcers book.  
Now whereas I have received the reports of some of these Cheaters in divers manners, yet I am sure that they being wrought according to my prescription, will cheat almost any man that hath not read this book or Chawcers, unless a man should happen upon one that knoweth the great work, which is hardly to be found in ten Kingdoms; for he knoweth that none of these things can be done unless they be mere albifications or citrinations, but are nought else but sophistications and delusions, and will abide no trial, unless it be the eyes of an ignorant man that hath no skill in metals.  
Well now I will add some more Caveats to fill up my book, and so make a short conclusion.  
And first, To sum up all, Let men beware of all books and receipts, that teach the multiplication of gold or silver, with common quicksilver by way of animation or minera, for they cannot be joined inseparably by any medium, or means whatsoever.  
2. Let all men beware of any books or receipts, which teach any dissolutions into clear water like unto gold or silver dissolved in aqua fortis, or aqua regis, or spirit of salt, made by any way whatsoever, or any dissolution whatsoever, which is not done cum congelatione spiritus, according to the manner used in the great work.  
3. Let all men take heed of books, that teach any operations in vegetable, or animals, be they never so gloriously penned; for it is as possible for a bird to live in the water, or for a fish to live in the air, as for any thing that is not radically mettallical, to live in the lead upon the test.  
And lastly, let all men beware of his own conceit of wisdom, for that hath undone many a man in this Art. Therefore let every one take notice, that though it be a thousand to one odds, that any seeker shall not obtain his desire, that is because many men being unfit▪ and not qualified sufficiently to take in hand this great business; let these remember what Solomon, the wisest of men saith, into a wicked heart wisdom shall not enter, and he saith not great wisdom, nor much wisdom, but ordinary wisdom; then how can any wicked or foolish man hope to find out this great secret, which being the most sublime knowledge that God hath given to men, requireth the greatest wisdom to accomplish it, that God hath bestowed upon men.  
Therefore if any man attempteth this Art, which hath not attained to such a perfection in the knowledge of nature, especially in minerals, that by his own speculation and practice, without the help of books, he can write a rational discourse of either animals, vegetables, or minerals, in such a solid way, that no man can contradict it, without shame upon fair trial, the questions being rightly stated, than his labour and charge is the cause why so many men fall and undo themselves in this Art; for if the searcher be qualified sufficiently, than it is ten to one odds, that he speedeth.  
But to draw to an end: What should I say more? Oh, if any man either in England, or beyond the Seas, shall trouble himself to write to me, he shall be sure to have an answer, if he come to me, he shall be sure to lose his labour, if he think to win me by rewards, though never so great, he shall be sure to get nothing but a Jeer; for I did not write this book with an intent to teach the Art absolutely, but only to preserve men from undoing themselves foolishly; which if it be well considered of, will be found to be large charity: for but that I know where I am, to wit▪ in a free State, where the subjects know so well their own Liberties and Privileges, that they will never suffer any Tyrannical Government to prevail in this Nation, I should have been sure to have lost my liberty by this single action.  
But now I have been a Petitioner to the High and Honourable Court of Parliament, that I may demonstrate my ability, to do the the Commonwealth of England service, which service consisteth in three things principally, to wit, to show how the husbandry of this Land may be so improved, that it may maintain double the number of people, which now it doth, and in much more plenty: also to show how the Art of Physic may be improved▪ and last, to show the Art of the transmutation of Metals, if I may have a Laboratory, like to that in the City of Venice, where they are sure of secrecy, by reason that no man is suffered to enter in, unless he can be contented to remain there, being surely provided for, till he be brought forth to go to the Church to be buried.  
Geber an Arabian Prince, and a famous Philosopher, being overjoyed when he had found out the Philosopher's Stone, breathed out these words in the end of his book; Benedictus sit Deus sublimis, gloriosus, & omnipotens, & benedictum sit ejus nomen in secula seculorum.  
But I having not only found out the Philosopher's stone, but also a sure and infallible way to make England, and so the world happy by it, which is ten thousand times better than it, will exalt the praises of God in the superlative degree, and conclude thus: benedictissimus sit Deus, sublimissimus, gloriosissimus & omnipotentissimus, & benedictissim●m sit ejus Nomen in secula seculorum.     

A CONFERENCE Concerning this QUESTION: Whether or no each several Disease hath a particular and specifical remedy.  
THe first man said, that men, following the order of nature, always seek the nearest way: which hath caused them to make Maxims of all things, whereas in truth, there is no Maxim of any thing; for by the most certain of all Rules, there is no Rule so General, but it hath some exception; nay there are so many exceptions, that we have often cause to doubt on which hand the Rule is.  
And yet nevertheless men make Axioms in all Sciences, but chiefly in Physic, which taking upon it, the Government (as it were) of nature, wraps up in general Laws, all diseases with their Causes, Symptoms, and Remedies; although, as in the Law, so likewise in Physic, there never happen two cases alike. And when these Rules come to be applied to practice, every one confesseth that he doth not find that power of those Laws, which he had imagined to himself. But this is chiefly to be understood of particular and specifical diseases, such as the Pleurisy, the Cataract, and the Gout. For general diseases, and such as mere distempers, may be cured by as general remedies; that is, by such things as have contrary qualities.  
The second said, That specifical is that which is determined to one; and hath above it, Generical, and below it, Individual: Now the question is, Whether there be any remedies so determined to one species, or sort of disease, that they are fit for none else. I do think, that seeing there are diseases of the whole form, or frame of Man, as are pestilent, venomous, and malignant diseases; so there are likewise as general remedies. And experience shows, as in divers admirable cures, that there are remedies; the effects of which, do not depend upon their first qualities. As in Rheubarbe to be purgative, in Mugwort, to be good against fits of the mother, and in Bezoar to be Cordial, comes not from being cold or hot in such a degree; for then every thing of the same temper with them, would be purgative; good against fits of the Mother, or Cordial, which is not so. But there is no reason why the same Remedy may not be fit for one particular disease, by its occult qualities, and yet good for others by its manifest qualities, as food also is medicinal.  
The third said, That this question depends upon another, namely, Whether mixed bodies work only by their tempers and first qualities, or by their substantial forms, and specifical virtues. For if the working of every thing do not depend upon its whole form and substance, than Medicines cannot cure by their qualities of heat and cold, but by a particular and specifical virtue, proceeding from their form, and wholly contrary to that of the disease. For the understanding whereof, it must be observed, That as the natural constitution of each Mixed body doth consist in a perfect mixture of the four Elementary qualities, and in the fit disposition of the Matter, and in the entireness of the form: so may it be changed one of these three ways, either in its Temper, or in its Matter, or in its Form. And from thence it comes, that each mixed body, (as all medicinals are) can work upon our nature by its first, second, and third Faculties. The first Faculties come only from the Mixture of the four qualities, according to the diversity of which, the compound body, is either hot, as Pepper, or cold, as Mandrake, or moist, as Oil, or dry, as Bole-Armeniack, not immediately, but in operation. And by this Faculty only which proceeds from the temper of the thing, it is, that the Medicine works chiefly upon the temper of man's body.  
Their second Faculty comes from the different mingling of these same qualities, with the Matter. For a hot temper joined with a matter, disposed according to its degree of heat, shall be opening or eating in, or corrosive, or burning, or of some other virtue, whereof there are many sorts, according to the degrees of their mixture, from whence they are said to be either Attenuating, or Thickening, Scouring, or Sticking to, Rarefying, or Condensing, Loosning, or binding, drawing, or beating back, softening, or Hardening: and by this second faculty only, do Medicines work upon the Matter.  
The third Faculty of Medicines, is that which comes not from their quality, nor from their Matter, but from their Form, and from their specifical and occult virtue; and such is in the herb Sina, the faculty of purging away melancholy, and in Terra Sigillata, or Lemnia, the fortifying of the heart against poisons; as also the Scorpions killing with his tail, and thence some poisons do kill, without altering the Temper.  
The fourth said, That diseases are to be considered either in their genus, or in their species, or in their individuals.  
For the first, When the disease is nothing but a disposition disturbing the workings of nature; it may be cured by regaining the natural disposition.  
As for the second, If it be a distemper (for example) cold in the second degree, than the specifical Medicine for it, is hot in the same degree; if it be a disease in some of the members of a man's body, as (for example) an obstruction, than the only remedy is, to open the Conduits. If it be a breach, than the remedy is to piece again what is parted asunder: But if the disease be considered in the individual, whose substantial Form it destroys; then must we use particular remedies of the same nature; and those are the true spicifical ones.  
The fifth said, It is the same thing with the causes of health, that it is with the causes of diseases, Now we see that the same thing is hurtful to one, and not to another, and that not only in different species, but also in several individuals of the same species, because of several circumstances. And therefore some remedies will cure one, and will kill another; nay and that which was lately good, may be now hurtful for the same Individual: so that it is impossible to assign any specifical remedies for an Individual, and yet it is an Individual man that must be cured, and not the whole species of man▪  
The sixth said, That in nature, every thing is determined to one particular Action; and this proceeds alone from its Form and Being, which hath a nearer relation to that one Action, than to any other: So a Tree is determined to bring forth one fruit rather than another, It is the same case with those remedies, which are had from the three Families of Animals, Vegetables and Minerals. Some are proper to purge one particular humour, as choler, or melancholy, or water, or they provoke vomiting, or urine, or by sweat, or they are discussive, or cause sneezing, or stop coughing. Other Medicines strengthen one particular member, as the heart, the head, the liver, or the spleen; Some again are good against particular poisons; So Treacle is specifically good against a bite by a viper; So a Scorpion applied to a place, which he hath stung, heals it; So the Oil of Pine apple kernels is good against Orpiment; So long Hart wort & Rue are good against Aconite or Wolf-bane, and the rind of Lemon Tree against Nux Vomica: and the seeds of winter-cherry against Cantharideses, and Mummy against the Ulcers made by wild spurge: and the flower of water-Lilly, against Hellebore. So the root of wild Roses, and the herbs Gentianes, Balm, Betonie, and Pimpernel, are excellent against the biting of a mad dog, and so it is with others.  
There are others called Annulets, which being worn about the neck, or laid to certain parts of the body, do preserve from diseases. So (as Galen himself reports) peony worn, keeps from the falling sickness; So Wolves dung allays the Colic, and Jasper strengthens the stomach; And Trallian assures that the Aetites, or Eagle-stone, cures the quotidian Agues; and snails, and green lizards cure quartan Agues; and that an Ass' forehead, and a nail taken out of a broken ship, are good against the falling-sickness; So the ashes of Tadpoles and Frogs are used against the bloody Flux; Lapis Judaicus, and Goat's blood, against the stone in the kidneys; and the water of a Stag's head, and the bone of his heart, against the diseases of the heart. Now there is no reason why all these marvellous effects should be ascribed to the first qualities; and therefore Galen laughs at his Master Pelops, who gave that reason for them.  
The seventh said, That Physic, being first found out by use and experience, hath no need of reason in those things, which fall clearly under our senses; but only in those things which are beyond the preception of our senses; the which being confirmed by reason, are much the more infallible. However, when reason seems to thwart experience, we ought rather to stick to experience, so it be founded upon many observations: Seeing then that experience shows us there are many specifical remedies, whereof the weak wit of man cannot find out the cause, it is better in this case, to rely upon sense without reason, than upon reason contradicted by experience. Now if there be specifical remedies for some diseases, there are also for all; but they are so very many, that we cannot know them. And who is that man that can know the virtues and properties of every thing in the world? The Chemists are of this mind, for they hold that all Medicines have their signatures, or their peculiar marks and figures, by which they resemble the parts or diseases of man's body, and that they are writings (as it were) sealed with the hand of God, to teach men their faculties.  
Whence it comes that Lung-wort is good for the ●ungs Stags tongue for the spleen, Poppy and green Nuts for the head, Satyrium or Ragwort for the testicles, Winter-cherry for the Bladder, Hart-wort for the Womb, and Madder for a broken shinbone, Eyebright for the Eyes, Salomon's seal, and Through-leaf for those that are burst, because the root of the first is like the Hemia, and the stalk of the other passes through its leaf, as the gut doth through the cawl, the root of Tormentil, red Sanders, and the Bloodstone, for the bloody ay lux and Carduus Benedictus, and other prickled plants, are good against the pricking stitches in the sides.   

A CONFERENCE Concerning the Philosophers-Stone-  
THe first man said, That the Poets had reason to say that the Gods had left hope for men in the bottom of Pandora's box, after all their other goods were flown away; for nature dealing gently with man, doth so order it, that the almost infinite number of accidents of his life, (and those for the most part troublesome ones) cannot on the one hand lay him too low, but on the other hope will raze him again as high. For not to speak of Hope, as it is the chief of Christian virtues, accompanying a man even in death, and easing him of the pain of all his evils; Is a man in affliction? He comforts himself with hope of coming out▪ of it; Is he of low birth? He hopes by his brave exploits to make himself Noble▪ If poor, to enrich himself, if sick, to heal himself: Nay though he want the ordinary means of obtaining these ends, yet is he not discouraged.  
But that which most deserves to be laughed at by those which think it impossibly, or to be admired by those who will search deeper into the whimsies and fancies of men, is that an old, weak, sick, poor man, should nevertheless hope to be one day attended like a Prince, and not only to grow sound again, but also young and handsome. How can all this be? Why, by the Philosopher's Stone, which is the great work, the All-heal, the Elixir, and the universal Restorative. Now this being far from all likelihood, and there being divers other absurdities in that Chimerical Art, it makes me believe that there is no use of it, but to comfort miserable men with.  
The second said, that the Chemists, who busy themselves about the Philosopher's stone, are of two sorts.  
The one sort, though they promise transmutation of Metals by mixing, fixing, cimenting and other operations, yet do nothing but give Tinctures to the Metals by their Sophistications.  
The other sort, call themselves the true Sons of knowledge, and meddle not with particulars, but only with this great work, at which they all aim, though by several ways some of these, think to get it by blowing, and their way is to put gold and quicksilver together, which they keep for nine months long in a furnace, over a lamp. Others think it a very easy business, & call it the work of children, and say that to attain it there needs no knowledge but of the matter, the Fire, the Vessel and the manner, for the rest comes as it were of itself, after one hath received it by tradition, which they say is the only means to get it. There are some also who attribute this work to Revelation, and say that we need only to pray to God for it, and these believe that it is contained in the Scripture where it is said, That there needs a great deal of clay to make Pots with, whereas a little powder will make gold; and that it was this kind of knowledge which did so enrich Solomon, that Gold (as is said in the Scripture) was in his reign as common as stones, and that the gold of Ophir was that which the Philosopher's Stone had changed, and made much more excellent than natural gold; and what is said of the ships which he sent to fetch it, is spoken but parabolically, and figuratively, as was that story of the golden Fleece; for the golden Fleece was nothing but a Parchment wherein this secret was written; but the greatest number of Chemists are of an opinion made up of both these; for they say, that to obtain it, men must work, and God must help by an extraordinary grace and favour: I do think with them, that there is a Philosopher's Stone, or at least, that it is possible to be found out; That the matter of it is salt, and that its fire is motion. For seeing both these are found every where, this property fits them very well. For salt may be drawn out of all bodies, & heat likewise proceeds from the rubbing of bodies one upon another, in imitation of that heat which the Heavens do cause here below.  
The third said, That the Philosopher's Stone is a powder of projection, which being in a very small quantity thrown upon imperfect Metals (as all Metals except gold are imperfect) doth purify and heal them of their Leprosy and uncleanness, so that having purged them of their dross, and heightened their degrees, they obtain a more perfect Nature: for Metals differ from one another, only in degrees of perfection.  
This powder is of two sorts, the white, which serves to make silver with; and the red, which being more concocted, is fit to make gold with. To obtain this, a man needs the perfect knowledge but of three things; that is to say, of the Agent, the Matter, and the Proportion requisite, to the end that the Agent may draw out the inquired Form, out of the very bosom of the Matter duly prepared by the application of Active to Passives: The two first of these three are easy to know; for the Agent is nothing but heat, whether it be of the Sun beams, or of our common fire, or of the dunghill, which they call the Horse belly, or of Mary's bath, or of Animals? The Patients are Salt, Sulphur, Mercury, Gold, Silver, Antimony, Vitriol, or some few other such like things, from which what we have to look for, experience will easily show. But the application of the Agent to the Patient, the determination of the degrees of heat, the last preparation and disposition of the Matter, cannot be known but by much pains and long experience, which being very difficult; from thence it comes, that in this Art, we see more cheats and impostures, than truth; and yet Histories do assure us that Hermes Trismegistus, Geber, Raymundus Lullius, Arnoldus de Villâ Nouâ, Flamellus, Trevisanus, and some others have had the knowledge of it.  
But whereas this small number of those which they assure have had it, a almost infinite number of others have undone themselves by it; the search of it seems to be more curious than profitable.  
The fourth said, That as the Mathematicians, by endeavouring to square the circle, though they have not done it, yet are come to the knowledge of divers things which they knew not before; So the Chemists, though they have not light upon the Philosopher's stone, yet have discovered admirable secrets in the three great Families of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals. Now though no body had ever yet had it, yet may it be possible to be found out; not only for this general reason, that nature hath not given us desire in vain, but particularly because all Metals are of one kind, being made of one Matter, which is Sulphur and Mercury, and are concocted by the same heat of the Heavens, and differ only in the coction, as the grapes of one bunch, which ripen at several times. Which appears to be true, because gold and silver may be extracted out of all Metals, yea, even out of Iron and Lead, which are the most imperfect of all. So that Art ought not in this case to be counted inferior to those things which it perfects. And the Greek Etymology of Metals doth show that they may be changed from one to another.  
The fifth said, That as in the production of corn by Nature, the corn and the fat juice of the earth are the Matter, and the Efficient cause is partly internal and enclosed in the grain; and partly external, that is, the heat of the Sun; and that the place is the bosom of the Earth. So also in the production of gold by Art, the Matter is the gold itself and its quicksilver: the Efficient cause is partly in the gold, and partly in the external heat; the place is the furnace which holds the egg of glass, wherein is enclosed the Matter, which dissolves and turns black, (and this they call the crows head) then grows white, and after hardens into a red lump, so hard that they call it a Stone, which being beaten to powder, and kept three days together over a strong fire, in a vessel Hermetically sealed, turns into a purple colour, and then one dram of it will turn two hundred drams of quicksilver into pure gold, and the whole Sea too, if it were of like Matter.  
The sixth said, That Art may imitate Nature, but cannot outdo it; As it would be, if men could change other Metals into gold, that being impossible for nature to do, even in the Mines, and in never so long time.  
For Mines of Iron, Led, Tin, or Copper, never become Mines of Gold or Silver; therefore muchless can the Alchemist do it in his furnace, & no more than he can produce something more excellent than gold, as this Philosopher's stone would be: for gold is the most perfect compound of all mixed bodies, and is therefore incorruptible; muchless can the Alchemist bring to pass a thing, concerning the immediate Matter of which, its Efficient cause, its Place, Time, and Manner of working, men are not agreed; there being as many several opinions about it, as there are Authors, who are in great number.  
And besides, it is a mistake to say, that Metals are all of one kind, and that they differ but in coction, for we see that Iron is more concocted than Silver, it being harder, and not so easy to melt, and because their differing is needful for man's use. Now those perfect species which are near of the same kind as Metals are, do never change into one another, no more than an horse changes into a Lion. Nay, if there were such a Philosopher's stone could work upon Metals, yet would it not make gold or silver, but other stones like itself, or else would only imprint its qualities in them, according to the ordinary effects of all natural Agents. And if it were true that this powder of Gold, being thrown upon other metals, could produce more Gold, as one grain of corn, being sown in the ground, doth produce many other grains; yet ought the same order and progress to be observed in the multiplication of gold, that is in the production of corn: but this the Chemists do not, for they will have their multiplication to be done in an instant.  
The seventh said, That seeing Art doth draw so many natural effects out of one fit matter, as out of little worms may be had Serpents, Frogs, Toads, Bees, and Mice, and considering that the subject of these Metamorphosies, is a great deal harder to receive life than metals (which are insensible) to receive a Form as well divisible as its matter; He did not see, but that (at least, by the extraordinary help of good or evil Angels) men might come to have some knowledge of it. For besides, we see that several species do naturally change the one into the other, as Egpytian Nitre turns into stone; Jasper into Emerald, the herb Bazil into wild Time, Wheat into Cockle, and Caterpillars into Butterflies.  
And if we will believe the Scotchmen, they have a Tree, whose fruit falling into the water, turns into a bird.   

PHILARETUS TO EMPYRICUS.  
SIR,  
THough I am not ignorant that the Secrets you possess, are equally unknown in their compositions, and famed for their effects; yet I dare confidently expect from your goodness and Communication of that which was proved so successful in the cure of that disease, that the Proverb hath listed amongst the inconveniences of Wealth And though I doubt not but the charitableness of your own disposition, needs no Auxiliary motives to obtain the grant of so just a favour; yet a desire to let you see that Piety and Reason are no less your Petitioners in this particular, then Philaretus will I hope excuse my zeal, if to justify your good nature as well as my request, I take leave to represent to your consideration, the immensity of that goodness, that excludeth not its very enemies from its gracious effects, and there heapeth benefits▪ not only where they were never deserved, but where they never can be returned: this is a noble precedent and fit for your raised spirit; whose imitation cannot possibly misled you: since both Gods, Wisdom and his happiness, being no less infinite than his goodness, places it above controversy, that a transcendency in the one, is not at all inconsistent with the possession of an equal degree of the others. Our Saviour assureth us, that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and in effect, we see that God that enjoyeth a felicity as Supreme as any of his Attributes, maketh it his continual employment to oblige, and that there where he cannot expect a Retribution. And therefore the more diffused, and the less selfish and mercenary our good actions are, the more we elevate ourselves above our own, and the nearer we make our approximations to the perfections of the Divine nature. But to descend from these abstracted thoughts into less Platonic considerations, we are all acquainted with the strong obligation, that not charity only, but bare humanity layeth upon us to relieve the distresses of those, that derive their pedigree from the same father we are descended from, and are equal partakers with us, of the Image of that God, whose stamp we glory in. And can we fancy that all the duties of charity are fulfilled with the emptying the refuse of our servants tables into the poor man's basket, and flinging a piece of market money to a shivering Beggar? (though we deny not those acts their just commendation) no, as our neighbour, so far forth as he is afflicted, is the object of our charity; so all that we are to do, either to remove or sweeten that misery, is to be comprehended within the Acts of our charity, which doth therefore not confine us to any particular kind of assistance to our neighbour, that we may know it to be our duty to assist him in all kinds. Therefore doth the Scripture reckon the visiting of the afflicted and the prisoners, and the comforting of the sick amongst the prime and most eminent productions of that virtue; and therefore our Saviour himself (the exactest Precedent sure, of what his whole life was a continued practice of) did far seldomer employ his omnipotence to feed the hungry, than he wrought miracles to heal the diseased. Certainly the alms of curing is a piece of charity, much more extensie than that other of relieving; since only beggars are necessitous of the last: but Princes themselves do often need the former. Why should we think it a greater charity (or more our duty) to give a distressed wretch shelter from the natural cold of the air, than to protect him from the aguish joiness of the blood? or to shade him from the outward salutes of the hot Sun, then free him from the inward dog-days of a burning Fever? Sure this is not a charity much inferior to the preserving of men's lives, to restore them that good, without which, life itself is but a misery. How greatly, and how justly do we detest those Usurers, that hoard up all their bags from all those uses, that only can give riches the Title of a good? And yet the avarice of profitable secrets, is by so much worse than that of money, by how much the buried Treasure is more excellent. How universally should he be execrated, that in a scarcity would keep his B●r●s crammed, whiles he beholds his pining neighbours starving for want of bread? And yet the censured Miser cannot bestow his corn without losing it; whereas receipts, like Torches, that in the lighting of others, do not waste themselves, may be imparted without the least diminution. Certainly if (as a wise man allegorically said) he is as much guilty of the extinction of a lamp, that denieth it necessary oil, as he that actually blow hit out: they will not have a little to answer for, that by a cruel refusal of Sovereign receipts, permit the torments, and the death of thousands; they might (without their own least prejudice) have prevented, that had rather manifest a bad nature, than reveal a good secret, and hazard the lose of an eternal life to themselves, rather than either prolong or sweeten a temporal life unto others. Lastly, had all men been of this Retentive humour, how many excellent receipts must they themselves have wanted, for which they must acknowledge themselves beholding unto others? Had all men been so covetous of, and in that particular, their possessions would be, perhaps as narrow as their charity; that costive humour, being not more fit to bury than unapt to acquire. So that a kind of interest and justice as well as charity, seemeth to oblige us to make those goods communicable, that became ours but upon that score. Let us not then be less civil to our Posterity, than our Predecessors have been to us; but conveying to our Succeeders at least those benefits we derive from our Ancestors; let us not refuse our imitation to what we think worthy of our applause.  
And now Sir, having thus presented you with such thoughts of mine upon this Subject, as its Nature did readly suggest, I shall take the liberty succinctly to discuss their evasions, that are of a contrary sense. And in the first place, I find some Physicians objecting, that having laid outmuch of their money, and more of their time, in the search of such and such a secret, that discovery is now become either their Fortune, or their Subsistence, and by consequent the divulging it to others, would prove destructive to themselves. In this case I must ingeniously confess that all I can require is, that they deny not those that want it the benefit of the Composition, whilst that bewrays not the receipt, and refuse not to impart the Secret itself to those that need it, upon reasonable terms: for they that will not assent to this, must fly for shelter to some other excuse. In the next place it is objected by divers, that their receipts are of more curiosity, or at least have no relation to the cure of our Diseases. In which case, though I will not precisely exact their publication, yet let those whose secrets may any other way advantage the public; (since 'tis not the kind so much as the utility of our knowledge, that obliges us to dedicate it to the public service) Remember his fault that folded up his Talon in a Napkin; and fear to feel his doom, whose fault they commit. Another thing must require both of these and of the Antecedent secretists, is, that they take a special care to have their receipts survive their persons, consigning them into the hands of some confident or other, that they may not follow their owners to the grave (where next a bad conscience the worst companion is a good secret) and give men occasion to resemble them to Toads; who if we may credit the vulgars' uncontrolled report, when they feel themselves upon the point of dying, destroy that Antidotal stone in their heads, which is all that is worth any thing in them; left men should have cause to vaunt themselves of being the better for them; such people are in this worse than very Usurers and Hogs themselves; that these do some kind of good after their decease, but they take a great deal of pains to be as little guilty of that humanity after they have left the world, as they were whilst they lived in it. Others there are, that to excuse themselves, will tell us, that they received their receipts but upon condition, and that ratified, perhaps with an oath, never to disclose them; or (to give it you in a Periphrasis) that never any body should be the better for them. To which all that I can justly answer is, that if this promise have indeed been seriously made, it is a greater fault to violate it, than it was to make it. Though I am apt to believe that if all men declined the taking of receipts upon these terms, they might have them upon better. But by the way I must take leave to wonder at their niggard humour, that will thus stint their own charity, and in the presenting us a good, clog it with a restraint, so unsuitable to its Nature, that strips it of one of its Noblest Prerogatives, which is to be diffusive of itself. Some I have known, and those too conscientious, that allege, that the easy divulging of receipts, makes our Physicians less careful to beat about for remedies themselves when they find them already pared to their hands. To which I shall reply, That granting that to be true, which is not undisputable, it is far better to pleasure some few drones, than venture the perishing of whole swarms of Bees. Shall we not ease the pains of Legions of anguish Christians, for fear of sparing the pains of a few undiligent Physicians? We know how contrary this practice is to his, that would have spared Sodom itself for the sake but of ten good men. Besides that, if our Physicians be lazy, so much the greater is our necessity of using other means to recompense that want. Of the like nature with this is their excuse, or patience rather, that pretend a fear, that if their compositions should come to be divulged, they would presently be sophisticated or disguised: whereas themselves bestow the mixtures in their native purity. But thus they decline the doing of a certain good upon the sore, and perhaps causeless suspicion of a contingent harm; grounding their own want of chacharity, upon an uncharitable and unlikely apprehension of another's. As if the first inventor of navigation should have concealed from us that admirable and beneficial Art, for fear Pirates should likewise happen to abuse it. Had those Ancient Physicians that cure yet in their Coffins, and preserve the Lives of others after the loss of their own) been frighted with these groundless jealousies, the Churchyards had been frettily thronged ere this, and the dull Sexton's spade always might be as busy as the Gardeners. Besides, that 'tis very unlikely, there should be then more false receipts believed, when there are more true ones extant to confute them. If men will counterfeit receipts, they may easily suppose spurious compositions in spite of the concealment of the true one: but sure the easiest way to prevent that kind of cozenage, is to be so liberal of the Legitimate receipts, as to make men not to need it. Others there are, that promise indeed a publication of their secrets, but resolve to suspend it till they die.  
But to omit how much the review and ordering of these secrets, or their neglect will either distract or trouble us upon our deathbed, and not to mention how unfit it is, to sow in harvest what should then be ready to be reaped; and for a vain ostententation to delay both the good they might have done all their life time, and lose all the praises it would justly have deserved; To skip all this, I say, how many have we noted, whom either an unripe Fate would not give respite to effectuate those Intentions, or the falls usurpations of their Friends or Executors, hath cheated of that glory themselves might justly have expected. Sure these Posthumous Treatises on Themes, that have so great a tendency to the public good, that are rather the Authors dessein than his misfortune, are not usually more void of charity than Judgement: Since they deprive the writer both of the praise of his labours, and of the possibility to reform his errors. Others there are, that seek an Apology in telling us that if 'twere any receipt of ordinary value, they would not scruple at its communication, but being a rare and a most excellent secret, you must pardon them forsooth if they think themselves only worthy its possession. Which is in my opinion the very same reason, that most should prevail with them to disclose it: for the more sanative the remedy is, and the greater the benefit is, its knowledge may afford, the greater obligation lieth upon the owner to impart it, since our services will be expected proportionable to our abilities. For the nature of good is to grow greater by extension, but careful providence foreseeing how inclinable frail men would be to selfishness in the dispensation of such goods as these, hath most wisely provided, that the parting with these goods should not prejudice their possession, nor liberality impoverish him that uses it. Whom the Nature of the riches he disperses, resembles to the Sun, who though so bountifully he bestoweth his Beams on the whole universe never findeth a scarcity of them in himself: but the much greatest number of our secretists doth consist of those, who are ashamed to confess it, smother their secrets, only that they may be still talked of for the sole proprietaries of those rarities. But to let thousands perish, lest another should have the honour of their cure, to endeavour rather that our receipts should be known by few, then that they should cure many, and to prefer the vanity of possessing a Rare secret, to the satisfaction of having employed a successful one, are excuses that will hardly pass for currant at that great day, when many shall be excluded heaven for suffering others to be snatched up thither before their natural time, and when all men shall be crowned not for the excellency of what they have done. But because such a kind of people, use to be very little touched with considerations of this nature, I shall only entreat them a little to consider whether it be not a greater glory to oblige (and have many wear one's Livery) than to gain the reputation of having buried hoards, by keeping one's secrets more close than Ingeneers do Mines, which the least vent defeats. Experience itself can teach us, that our Physicians have got more honour by those few secrets that have died with them: as indeed it is not over probable, that closness should have like advantages with Liberality, in the acquisition of esteem and of applause. Lastly, some of our Chemists do object, that had they in their power that great Elixir itself, they call the universal Antagonist of all diseases, they should think it as unlawful to disclose as happy to possess it; partly because such extraordinary discoveries being rather inspired than acquired, ought not to be profaned by being divulged, and partly too, because that in these dissolute times it would be a tempting invitation to all kind of Riot and Intemperance, by securing us from the danger of the diseases that attend them. It is strange me thinks, that conscience should be fallen out with charity! But the objection itself furnisheth us with an answer to it; for if, since the negative is very probable, the Elixir be a secret, that we owe wholly to our Maker's Revelation, not our own industry, me thinks we should not so much grudge to impart what we did not labour to acquire, since our Saviour's prescription in the like case was this: Freely ye have received, freely give. Should God to one of our Divines reveal some newer Truths and Secrets of his Gospel, would we not condemn him for the concealment of what was imparted but to be communicated? Those secrets that were intended for our use, are not at all profaned by being made to reach their end: but by being fettered from the diffusiveness of their nature. And therefore though God should address those special favours but to some single person; yet he intendeth them for the good of all Mankind, and to make that Almoner to whom he trusteth them, not the grace but the steward of his graces.  
As for the other edge of the objection, shall we that think it unlawful to do evil that good may come of it; think it just to forbear duties left evil might ensue? And shall we let good men languish and perish for want of opportune relief lest others should be encoucouraged to expect it? Besides, that the same Reason that is here alleged, would justify the concealment of all other secrets; since neither is there any of them that is not abusable, nor would our Gallants venture upon excesses as they do, did they not confide in the virtue of those receipts we have already. To omit that to imagine to restrain vices by refusing men the remedies of those excesses they seduce them to; is a dessein as unlikely as the means are uncharitable. Since our inclinations alone being sufficient to vice, the obstracting only of the outward performance, whilst the desires are unreformed, doth make abstain not from the sin, but only from the act. Sure many of these envious Salamanders, will one day find their knowledge to be both their misery and their crime; when those rich secrets that were bestowed as jewels for their charity, shall serve but to aggravate their guilt. Then they will be forced to endure far greater torments than those that they declined to cure, and with as little pity as they here expressed, it being as foolish as unjust for them to expect that mercy that they refused to give. But by this time Sir I fear that I have made you as much need a receipt against impatience, as my friend doth one against the Gout; and therefore I will here conclude both your trouble, and this letter which beseeching you to do me the right to believe, that I shall not more willingly owe my life to your skill, than it shall be employed in your service, by  
SIR, Your most humble and obliged servant PHILARETUS.   

A SHORT And easy Method OF SURGERY, For the curing of all fresh WOUNDS, Or other Hurts: Especially commended to all Cyrurgions, serving in Wars, whether by Sea or Land; And to all that are employed in the public Hospitals of the Commonwealth.  
Newly translated out of Dutch, 1654.   

To the worshipful Tho. Allen, and Tho. Bowden, present Wardens, Mr. Martin Brown Alderman. Mr. Edward Arris, Mr. Henry Boone, and the rest of the Assistants of the Company of Barber-Cyrurgeons, London, etc. With all the skilful Practitioners of that Noble Science in England, Scotland, Ireland, etc.  
Gentlemen,  
Upon my return out of the Low-Countries, where in Holland, Brabant, and the Province of Vtrecht, I have spent almost the time of an an ordinary Apprenticeship, visiting the Universities of Leyden, Lovan, and Vtrecht, and dwelling some years in the renowned City of Amsterdam to satisfy an honest curiosity of knowing the world (which is justly said to be epitomised in Amsterdam) and to accomplish my studies of nature▪ Philosophy and physic, I visited my very worthy friend Samuel Hartlib Esq (the great lover and promoter to his power) of all ingenious Arts, and Artists whatsoever, of whom I received a paper printed in Dutch, with his earnest request that I would take the pains to make it speak English, because (as he was very much persuaded) that the common good of the English Nation would be hereby not a little promoted; forasmuch as the spreading of these Chyrurgical Medicines was recommended to him from his worthy and intimate friend Mr. Moriaen, a Gentleman of knowing integrity and repute, dwelling in Amsterdam (as myself can witness) excellently versed in the Mathematics, curiously seen in the Mechanics (as becomes him that was born at 
* A City famous for ingenious inventions, Mathematical, and Mechanical.  Noremburgh in upper Germany) studied in Divinity and Physic, but especially seen and practised in the Chemical Laboratory, as well as in the subtle & sagacious conceptions of the witty Van Helmont, Paracelsus, and the rest of the Tribe (a generation of writers in main respects, deserving largest commendations from others, if it were not their ill luck for the most part to be over large in praise of themselves, and their preparations; but peradventure the want of good neighbours may excuse them (at least in some measure) from so ingenious and learned hand Mr. Harblib received this discourse, not as from the Author, but as Promoter of the same, as having full knowledge of the truth of the Contents, when I had presented my much honoured friend with his paper in English, his former request begot another, viz. that I would devise some way how the Contents might be published to the best advantage, so as the matter might come to trial, I could devise no better way (worthy Gentlemen, ingenious Artists) than by recommending the same to your impartial trial, as knowing you both able to judge, abounding with oppertunities of trial, and of that candour and ingenuity, that you will make a true report of what you find, not being offended at the appearance of Empericalness in the discourse or practice therein commended, nor fearing that if these Medicaments prove so effectual as it is said, that they shall hindereth repute of the ingenious Chirurgeon, or make him seem less useful, forasmuch as the Author requires a skilful Artist, and refers many things in the application of his Balsams, to the judgement of of the expert Operator, What the Author is I can say no more, but that it appears in the discourse that he was no natural Dutchman, but rather as I guess a Germane, which Nation God hath made very happy in the invention of many profitable remedies in Physic and Chirurgery, by reason I suppose of their pertinacious industry in manual experiments, and because of their great courage in daring to haunt untrodden paths in the Quest of nature's Secrets▪ I commend the whole to your skilful trial, and sincere judgement, and rest.  
A real wellwisher to you all, William De Rand. From my house in White Crossstreet, near Cripplegate, Nou. 2. 1654.   

Necessary Considerations for all learned and experienced men, who deal in Chirurgery, either as Practitioners or Teachers thereof.  
BEing a lover of all knowledge as well in Chemistry as Physic and Chirurgery, and having observed many things in my Travels, I came at last to consider the multitude of miserable souls, which perish in Armies and Hospitals, and by all manner of wars. I forbear to say that they have been sent unto their last home through manifest negligence in cutting, burning and dismembering, so frequently practised in Hospitals, and the like houses of charity. By which considerations I was convinced in my mind, and brought into a continual thought, if there were no better, safer, and more compendious means to be used in the aforesaid cases, than what is commonly practised. And having weighed the matter, I found, that in general respecting the whole practice of Chirurgery, as well in new as old hurts, it would be an hard matter at present to propound such a way; but in particular, in reference to fresh hurts received in war, either in Water or Land service, as by shooting of Guns, cutting off any part or member, stabbing, gashing, beating or bruising, or what ever other fresh hurt, there may such a Chirurgery be avouched to heal them all▪ To which end I have a Method, which (by God's help) will not fail, which I have for mine own part practised, for above 25 years, finding by experience, that there is none like to it. Wherefore judging it needful in the highest degree to publish the same to the world, as one that should make conscience to die with such a secret unrevealed: I conceive (under correction, and without offence to any man be it spoken) that all Governors and Magistrates ought to recommend the same in charity, to all their respective Hospitals, and to make such maimed persons as lie in their houses of charity partakers hereof. And besides the charitableness of such a practice, it would prove likewise very beneficial and profitable unto themselves, when the maimed persons shall depart the sooner from the Hospitals, and the cries of the distressed shall not so long vex their ears, by reason that many violent and offensive practices of Chirurgery, in such cases usual, shall by this Method be avoided.  
Think but what a pleasant and comfortable thing it would be for a compassionate Chirurgeon both at Sea and Land, so lightly, and with so small charge to dress and bind up a Patient, after the way that I shall show anon. Consider what a work it is for a young Chirurgeon that would travel, to carry so many Instruments with him, such an innumerable company of Irons, so many Salves, and Ointments, and Oils, as would lad an Ass. So that it is work enough for a beginner in Chirurgery, to know the Medicaments and Instruments which he is to use, too much labour to carry them, and contrary to the gentleness of his disposition to use them, to the grief of the Patients, by raking in their wounds, and cutting their flesh, etc. O Cruel way of Healing, many times unnecessarily used, and which oftentimes troubles the conscience of the Operator, especially being once convinced how unnecessary that ordinary way of practice is. I know very well that Ignorance offends not, that men knowing no better must do as well as they can, and that they must not throw away the foul water before they have clean. And therefore will I by God's help, discover a better, more convenient and easier way of practice, only beseeching the Readers that they will not through any misaffection, or other conceit, cast the same behind their backs, nor say what news have we here with this outlandish sojouner? We have lived so long, and our fathers before us, and have used this Method of Chirurgery, we desire no better, we rest upon the Antiquity of our Art. Nay, but we ought to know, that in all Antiquity, or under the name of oldness, there hath still new matters been set on foot: and in all ages there have been, are and will be rare men, who bring things to light which are accounted and called new things, whereas such things are often older than those which are accounted of greater age. And every understanding man in his own faculty daily sees, that there is (as Solomon said) nothing new under the Sun: it hath been but for a while out of the knowledge and memory of men, and then returns into their knowledge, and therefore by such as did not know it before, it is called a Novelty. So is this that I propound, a thing that hath been long in the world, that is of age and Antiquity, only it hath been parceld out, one man having one part, another a second, another a third, etc. and my work it hath been with great diligence, pains and cost to collect all into a Sum, yea, and by long practice I am so experienced, that I am able sufficiently to imform thousands of men to practise the same.  
Now I desire the Reader not to misunderstand me, but to remember that this Method pertains only to fresh hurts, and that it is invented to spare (for the most part or very near) for the future, all use of tents, corrosives, saws, tongs, probes, hammers, nails, yea, and the greatest part of oils, salves, unguents, and other usual implements: forasmuch as in our Method, we very seldom or never make use of them. It may happen in some rare accident, that we may put a tent into some wound that goes just through the skin and no more, to keep the skin from closing (though I seldom find occasion so to do) and it may fall out in a great exulceration where the matter lies visible and at hand, and the patient is impatient and unruly— that we cut the skin just thorough, and so with hurting and forcing the Patient, we let the matter purge away. Howbeit this falls not often out, forasmuch as I hold it together with defensatives, and put it into good digestion by my Balsams, so that it seeks and makes its own way into the light, breaking of itself▪ and so it becomes quieter and better disposed to the cure, forasmuch as all manual incisions, either close up of themselves, or at least are very apt to close up, which is the cause that men are forced to use a tent; which an hurt, breaking of it own accord hath no need of, which commonly keeps open of itself to the very last, and then shuts itself up, as I▪ by many years' experience have found. And I do assure the honest truth-loving Chirurgeon, that I speak nothing at random or uncertainly, but that I propound (with God's blessing) a sure, sweet, soft way, which will stand him in stead at his greatest necessity. And though I propound this method, as proper for fresh hurts, yet may the skilful Artist do incredible wonders hereby, in other cures that occur to the diligent Practitioner; of which I think not fit to make any further speech.  
Know then, that this Chyrugery which I propound and offer unto you, consists only in three Balsams, and two Plasters. But although a good Chirurgeon may satisfy all intentions herewith, yet I have thought good to augment the number to five Balsams; all which being experimented by the skilful Artist, he may make use of that which shall serve his intent the best; especially seeing one Chirurgeon hath a better hand in curing than another, and there is great difference in the flesh of several men, in the point of aptness to be healed. Neither is it my meaning, that men should presently cast away, and throw aside what ever belongs to the present practice of Chirurgery, and use only this way of mine, by no means; but my advice is, that the Cyrurgion would have in his shop, or in his Chest, some of my Medicaments, that so upon occasion having made proof of mine and his own, he may give the commendation to those Medicaments that best deserve it. I shall now proceed to number and describe unto you my Balsams.  

The Balsams numbered up, with their properties and manner of Application.  

Number 1.  
This Balsam marked Number 1. I call, Balsamum universalem naturalem, that is an universal natural Balsam; because that it is the greatest Actor in all my Method of Chirurgery; for, whether the Patient be shot, or slashed, or stabbed, or otherwise hurt: take this Balsam and apply thereof presently after the blood is stopped; or if by reason of the extremity of the hurt falling upon reins and Arteries, the blood cannot so soon be stopped, yet apply of this Balsam thereto, after it is cleansed in a spoon, so much as the nature of the wound shall require, whether it be deep or shallow, etc. make the spoon so hot, that you can but endure your 〈◊〉 ●pon it without burning. If it be a deep shot or a stab, squirt it in very warm with a seringe, whether it go through the wound or not; for if the wound go through the member or part hurt, the Balsam will fly through, if it go not through, the Balsam will recoil back. If it be a flat, bruised, or battered hurt, anoint it with a feather dipped in this Balsam, so that it come to the ground or bottom of the wound, and then lay on the Plasters according to the ordinary practice of Art, so as to cover the whole maimed place. And this must be done once a day, unless some great quantity of matter do work out, for than it may be opened in the evening to air it and discharge it from the matter; and lay the Plasters on again, without using any more of the Balsam.  
With this Balsam are in a manner all wounds healed substantially, and from the bottom; and take notice that in such hurts as you apply this Balsam to, you need not to try or search with tent or probe how deep the wound is, the Balsam will do that for you, searching through and through better than you can do by any means whatsoever; neither need you to put any tent in to keep it open, for the Balsam will not suffer it to close, till the ground or bottom of the wound or hurt have sufficiently purged itself. I speak not of cleansing the wound every time it is dressed with warm Brandewine, salt water, or other wine; seeing the skilful Chirurgeon knows that the wound must always be cleansed, before the Balsam be applied. This method you must observe in all wounds and hurts, from the top of the head to the soles of the feet. So must you dress the shins— likewise, only be sure to set the shins— even and just together, and dry them and lay the Plasters upon them, and this must be done when the hurt is not deep, but shallow, lay an whole plaster of Op●deltod, or if you want that of Emplastrum album coctum, or a clean washed cloth is also good, for it serves chiefly but to cover the wound. I order the Shins to be thinly anointed, because if they be clean without proud flesh, they need little healing; and after they have been anointed, they must be dried, and the plaster laid over them.  
The use of this Balsam is very Sovereign, for where it is used according to the foresaid direction, men have hardly ever any symptomatical fevers to speak of, nor any inflammation or mortification; for this Balsam peirceth forthwith to the Centre or bottom of Nature, and supplies the necessities of Nature, by making flesh to come where it is wanting, how deep soever the wound is; and by eating out the proud flesh, or what ever grows up besides the intent of nature. And it makes the wound to yield a well digested matter; if a wound want digestion, it brings it to digest, and into a posture of healing; if the wound be inflamed, it brings it to temper and cooling; if it be cold and crude, it brings the same again to a natural warmth; if there be a swelling, it brings it down, and takes it quite away, a man needs but with his warm finger anoint the wound lightly round about, and it allays the swelling, which is very good for a Cyrurgion to prevent the Gangraena, and all accidents. And this is but children's play, which may be done sporting, by him that understands but to handle a wound, and rightly to bind and swath the same.   

Number 2.  
This Balsam marked Num. 2. does work as the former in some respects, howbeit it is a degree hotter, which in some men's flesh is necessary, and a Chirurgeon must make use of his experience. All good effects and no other are to be expected from this Balsam, and this is added to the former by way of supererogation, and not for necessity, only where there is need of matter thicker than ordinary, we commend this Balsam to the skilful Chyrugion to that intent.  
As for the former Balsam, marked with Num. 1. It is so tempered, that there is in it no excesses of the four qualities, Heat, Cold, Moisture, Dryness; so that by its perfect virtue, it fully satisfies all the wants of nature, removes all that burdens her. So that it were a sad thing and inconsistent with a good conscience for me to neglect the presentation of this Balsam, and more sad if those that need the same shall not be made partakers of the benefit thereof. And therefore I recommend the same to all such as love God, and are of ability to help those that stand in need. This small provision of one balsom, is more worth than all that the Chirurgeons ordinarily make use of, not to speak of the rest adjoined thereunto, as I am able to make it in reality to appear.  
A young novice in Chirurgery may pass through all Spitals and Hospitals, and to the astonishment of bystanders, do wonderful and incredible cures. As a friend of mine past therewith through all the Hospitals of Italy, and was requested by the Pope to take care of the sick and wounded men of his Army, where he did wonders, received all honour possible and no small recompense.   

Num. 3.  
The Balsam marked with Num. 3. is called Balsamum naturale per se, or natural Balsam of itself, because it is so kindly disposed, and sympathetical to the nature of man's flesh, which may be seen when any member is out of joint, or sprained, or bruised, etc. for then some of this Balsam being put into a spoon (as was said of the former) put your warm finger into it, and anoint the member all about the joint, or bruise, and then dry it in with your warm finger or hand, and wipe off all foulness very well, with a warm cloth, and lay on your defensative plasters, or pultesies, in case you want good defensatives. And this will take away the swelling, be it never so much; and if you would use this Balsam in case of an Ulcer, it will cause it to ripen and make the matter break out, and bring it to a good end, observing the directions given for the first. It does wonders in healing many outward wounds, as the former, and I have known in great Camps, such as used this and no other, and did wonders therewith. The reason whereof is, because it is so like the nature of man, which is the reason that I call it the natural Balsam. And ten or twenty drops thereof, daily drunk down with wine or Beer, strengthens the maimed person, and serves him for a wound-drink, so that, used either inwardly or outwardly, it hath more virtues than I dare mention. The truth is, it is of a far differing quality from the first Balsam, which I have termed Balsamum universalem. But this likewise will act its part, as the sincere experimenter shall find: wherefore I thought good to assign it a place in this my small chirurgery; that besides open wounds, men might also have a remedy for bruised, strained and dislocated, or disjointed members upon all occasions.   

Number 4.  
Is a Balsam which I call Nerve or Sinnew-Balsom, which may very profitably even to admiration be used, when the Sinews are in part cut off, or lie bare, and when their watery dropping cannot be stopped; yea, when the natural moisture of the limbs drops away; a case in which the Cyrurgeon is much troubled, the Patient's health decays, and the member, be it Arm, Leg, Finger, or any other whatever, commonly remains ever after stiff, as long as the patient lives. Which miserable condition to prevent, take so much of this Balsam, Num. 4 as shall seem needful, and heat it as hot as the patient can endure it, and squirt it with a syringe into the wound, or do it on with a clean feather, so shall you day after day see wonders. The member becomes suddenly refreshed, the Patient strengthened, the pain allayed; the matter digested, thicker, and whiter; the waterish moisture leaves running, and the Patient is prevented from having a stiff limb or member as aforesaid, in which case it is requisite, the Chirurgeon have a good hand to bind the Patient's hurt, as the condition thereof shall require. This Balsam is used after the same manner in all wounds, that abound with watery moisture; especially when they have been purged by Balsam 1. so that no proud flesh remains in them.  
With these 4 Balsams may a man perform all the chirurgery requisite in fresh wounds or other hurts: Notwithstanding by way of surplusage I shall add.   

Number 5.  
The Philosopher's water, which is used in all such hurts, as are troubled more than ordinary, with the growing up of proud flesh, which Cyrurgions commonly eat away with burnt Alum and Praecipitate. Wet a clean feather in this water, and strike over the proud flesh lightly every day, and lay a plaster on, to cover the wound, until such time as it is healed. It is remarkable, how this matter eats off, and separates the proud flesh, from the sound and natural, never hurting the good or natural flesh: many wounds are healed from the bottom with this water, which is not of so fierce and corrosive nature as the Alum and Praecipitate; not hurting the adjacent veins or Arteries, for it meddles only with that which is unsound, and not with that which is well and healthy.  
And now I hope I have set open a Door, and pointed out a sure way for all Practioners in Chirurgery to proceed in the cure of all fresh wounds and hurts whatsoever: only I shall exhort the skilful Masters in chirurgery, and the young Barber-Chyrurgions, where ever they travel, that they set their hand to the work in due season, and be careful in their Operations.  
The Medicaments are to be bought of Remeus Frank, who is to be found at Mr Hartlib's house, near Charing-cross, over against Angel-Court, viz. 

Num.  
1. The universal Balsam. for 2. guldens, and ten stivers, the ounce of each, which is about an English crown.  
2. The second Balsam. for 2. guldens, and ten stivers, the ounce of each, which is about an English crown.  
3. The Balsam called, naturalis per se. for two gilders the ounce, which is about 4 shillings English.  
4. The Nerve or Sinnew Balsom for three guldens the ounce, which is about 6. shil. English.  
5. Philosopher's Water. for three guldens the ounce, which is about 6. shil. English.      
FINIS.   

The Appendix, Containing Mr. Gerard Malynes Philosophy, about the Essence or Existence of Metals.  
Delivered accidentally in one Chapter of his Book, called, Lex Mercatorium, or, The Ancient Law-Merchant.  
ALl Philosophers, by the light of Nature and long observation have determined, that the sperm or feed of all things created of the four elements, doth in a secret manner lower within the two elements of water and earth; and that Nature doth continually work to produce perfect things, but is hindered therein by accidental causes, which are the begetters of corruption and imperfection of all things, whereby we have variety of things which are delectable to the spirit of man. Herein they observe the operation of the Sun and Moon, and the other Planets and Stars, in the generation of all things which either have a being or existence, as the Elements have; or a being and life, as vegetable Trees or Plants; or a being, life and sense, as Beasts, Birds, and other living Creatures; or a being, life, sense and reason, as Man hath, and all reasonable Creatures; which knowledge and wisdom, no doubt, the holy Prophet Moses did learn amongst the Egyptians. But had these Philosophers read the Book of Moses, (Acts 17.22. Genesis) of Creation and Generation. They would not have ascribed the guiding and conducting of all natural things to the two Leaders, namely, the Stars and Nature. Hence it proceedeth, that amongst vegetable things (which have a Being and life) they reckon all Metals, which have their beginning from Sulphur and Mercury, tanquam ex patre & matre; which meeting and concurring together in the veins of the earth, do engender through the heat and quality of the Climate, by an assidual concoction, according to the nature of the earth wherein they meet, which being either good and pure, or stinking and corrupt, produceth the diversity of the Metals of gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Led, and Iron, in their several natures: and hereupon they have assigned them under their distinct Planets, to be benevolent, or malevolent; as Led under Saturn, Tin under Jupiter, Iron under Mars, Gold under Sol, Copper under Venus, Quicksilver under Mercury, and Silver under Luna. So Mercury or Quicksilver is one of the seven Metals, which being volatile, and by his volubility running with every one, is in nature as they are, either good or evil: and howsoever they have placed Tin under the benevolent Planet Jupiter, experience hath proved unto us, that Tin is the poison of all Metals. Sulphur is excluded, which they say is of two colours, being white and corrupt in the Silver, which therefore falleth away, but red and pure in the Gold, and therefore permanent.  
These diversities of metals being come to pass by accidental causes, is the cause that Art (being Nature's Ape by imitation) hath endeavoured to perform that wherein Nature was hindered: whereupon Aristotle saith, Facilius est distruere Accidentale, quam Ess●n●iale, so that the Accidental being destroyed, the Essential remains, which should be pure.  
But this cannot be done without projection of the Elixir or Quintessence upon Metals. Hence proceedeth the study of all the Philosophers to make their miraculous stone, which I confess is very pleasant and full of expectation, when a man seeth the true and perfect transmutation of Metals, Led and Iron into Copper, the Ore of Lead into Quicksilver or Mercury, with a small charge to a very great profit, as it hath been made for me, until the maker of it died, within three months after he had made almost four thousand pound weight, as good as any natural Mercury could be, and that in six week's time.  
To return to our Philosophers, concerning the essence of metals, they have been transcended in the knowledge thereof, for they show the generation of Sulphur and Mercury in this manner.  
The exhalations of the earth being cold and dry, and the vapours of the seas being cold and moist, according to their natures ascending and meeting in a due proportion and equality, and falling upon some hilly or mountainous country, where the influence of Sun and Moon have continual operation, are the cause of generation; or properly from it is Sulphur engendered, penetrating into the earth where there are veins of water, and there they congeal into Gold or Silver, or into the Oars of Silver, Copper, and all other metals, participating or holding always some little mixture of the best, or being in nature better or worse, according to the said accidental causes. So that they do attribute the generation to the operation of the influences of the Sun and Moon; where the Book of God showeth us the creation of all things in heaven and earth, and the furniture thereof. The earth (being the dry part of the globe of the world) did appear and was made the third day, containing in it the Oars of all Metals and Minerals; whereas the Sun and Moon were created afterward on the fourth day, whose operation was incident to the things created, but not before. In like manner (say they) are Diamonds, Rubies, and other precious stones engendered, according to the purity of the matter, and the proportionable participation of every element therein: if the exhalations (being subtle) do superabound and prevail over the vapours, than hereof is Sulphur engendered: and if this subtle exhalation be mixed with the moist vapours, and wanteth decoction, as being in a very cold place, it becomes Mercury or Quicksilver, which can endure no heat or fire at all.  
The first Metal mentioned in the holy Scripture is Gold, which was found in the river Pison, running through the Garden of Eden into the Country of Havilah, where Gold doth grow, and this was in the East. According to which observation, all the veins of Mines run from East towards West, with the course of the Sun, as shall be more declared.  
To this argument appertaineth the Philosophical study of Prima Materia, to be found out by experience for the great work of La pis Philosophorum, by the operation of the Sun in seven years. The practice whereof was made about forty years since, by a Germane Doctor of Physic, at Danzig in the East Countries (as I have been informed by a friend of mine who was also a Physician) and was done in this manner, according to the bigness of the body of the Sun, being 166 times bigger than the whole Globe of the earth and water, making the circumference of the world. Whereupon he took 166 vials or glasses, wherein he did put of all the Oars of Metals and Minerals, and other things which had any affinity with Minerals, and some of them mixed, and calcined all of them, and closing or nipping up all the glasses by fire, he did expose them to the Sun in an eminent place, for and during the said time of seven years, and found thereby (as it was reported) Prima Materia, which was reduced to seven glasses; howsoever, it was certain that he grew very rich, & bought above an hundred houses in the that City before he died. Which was an occasion- that my friend (imitating him) did likewise place not far from London seven glasses, with calcined Metals and Minerals, upon a house top, against the back of a chimney, where the repercussion of the Sun did work upon them, which was admirable to behold from six month to six months, not only by the sublimation of colours, very variable and Celestial, but also of the rare alteration of the stuff, being sometimes liquid, another time dry, or part of it moist, ascending and descending very strange to behold, as myself have seen divers times from year to year. Some had been there two, three, four, five, and one almost seven years, the colour whereof had been yellow, then white in the superficies, then as black as pitch, afterwards dark red, with stars of gold in the upper part of the glass, and at last of the colour of Oranges or Lemons, and the substance almost dry. Many were the questions between him and me, but he was confident, that there was the Eli●●r, howbeit very doubtful, that he should never enjoy the same; and it came so to pass, for after a long sickness he died of a burning Ague, and a Gentleman gave a sum of money to his wife for that glass, whereof I have not heard any thing these seven years. In this glass he would show me the working of this Quintessence, according to the description of Ripley, who he was assured had the Lapis, and so had Friar Bacon, and Norton of Bristol: Kelley▪ had by his saying some little part to make projection, but it was not of his own making. The charge to make it was little or nothing to speak of, and might be done in seven months, if a man did begin it on the right day. The twelve operations of Ripley, he declared unto me were but six, and then it resteth; for, saith he, all Philosophers have darkened the study of this blessed Work, which God hath revealed to a few humble and charitable men. Calcination, Dissolution, and Separation are but one, and so is Conjunction and Putrefaction; likewise Cibation and Fermentation; then followeth Congelation; and at last Multiplication and Projection, which are also but one. For mine own part, seeing that no man can be perfect in any one Science, I hold it not amiss for a man to have knowledge in most or in all things: for by this study of Alchemy, men may attain to many good Experiments of distillations Chemical, Fireworks, and other excellent observations in Nature; which being far from Merchant's profession, I hope shall not give offence to the Reader of this book, seeing it is but in one chapter accidentally handled Neither will I crave pardon of the Muses, as it were, insinuating to the world to have a far greater knowledge in these trials or conclusions. But to satisfy the curiosity of some, that it maybe with a gaping mouth expect to understand somewhat of the Stuff put into these glasses; I may say as I was informed, That in some was the calcined o'er of Silver and Gold, in some other Mercury calcined, and Sulphur in some other; Arsenic for the air, Sulphur for the fire, Mercury for the water, and Sea-coal for the earth, were put all together as the four elements. In some other Glass was Vitriol and Orpiment▪ and what more I do not now remember; concluding, That where Nature giveth ability, Art giveth facility.  
I have read all the books of Paracelsus▪ that I could find hitherto, and in his Book De Transmutatione Rerum▪ I do find to this purpose the Observations following, concurring with my friend's opinion concerning Ripleys 12 Divisions, comprised into six, and the seventh is the matter itself, and the labour or working resteth▪ wherewith I do end this chapter, and proceed to the surer grounds of the Mines of Metals.  
Omne quod in Frigore solvitur, continet Aerum spiritum Salis, quen▪ in sublimatione vel distillatione acquirit & assumit.  
Omne quod in Frigore vel Aere solvitur, iterum calore, Ignis coagulatur in Pulverem vel lapidem. Solutio vero Caloris, solvit omnia pingua & omnia Sulphurea: Et quicquid Calorignis soluit: hoc coagulat, Frigus in massam, & quicquid calor coagulat, hoc soluit rursus Aeer & Frigor.  
Gradus ad Transmutationem sunt septem.  
Calcinatio, Sublimatio, Solutio, Putrifactio, Distillatio, Coagulatio, & Tintura.  
Sub gradus Calcinationis comprehenduntur Reverberatio & Cementatio.  
Sub Sublimatione, Exaltio, Ele●●●i●, & Fixatio.  
Sub Solutione, Dissolutio & Resolutio.  
Sub Putrifactione, Digestio & Circulatio, qui transmutat Colores, separat purum ab impuro: purum superius, impurum inferius.  
Sub Distillatione, Ascentio, Lavatio, & Fixatio.  
Coagulatio est duplex; una Aeris, altera Ignis.  
Tintura tingit totum corpus, & est fermentum massae, farinacea & panis.  
Secundum est, Quod calidius liquescunt, eo celerius, Tintura transcurrit, sicut Fermentum penetrate, & totam massam acetositato inficit, etc.  
Sequitur Mortificatio & Fixatio Sulphuris, & in Libro de Resuscitatione Rerum: Reductio Metallorum in Mercurium vivum.   

A Translate of the ELEVENTH CHAPTER, taken out of a Theosophicall Germane Treatise, printed in the year 1655. under the Title of Postilion or a New Almanac; being an Astrological & Prophetical Prognostication.  
Touching the end of the present Wars and Power of Rome, and that there are many Calamaties yet to come, after which there shall be an everlasting Peace, and a new World: and likewise what unheard of Miracles, and such as were never known before, shall happen: and what shall be the State of the World from this time, till the coming of Christ: and likewise every Man's Nativity is here cast, and his Fortune foretold him.  

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. A Prognostication of what shall happen to Physicians, Surgeons, Apothecaries, and their dependants, and Alchemists, and Miners.  
WHat Griefs, Calamities, and Miseries, all Men are troubled with from their coming out of their Mother's wombs till their going into their graves; none do feel so much as they that are afflicted with diseases, and sickness; and to recover and preserve the health of such, is the business of Physicians, and Apothecaries with their dependants▪ nor is there any Calling or profession on earth more useful for men, than is that of Physic, next to the Apostolical and Prophetical Calling: For if a man were Master of the World, and yet had not health; what were he the better for all other things. Indeed this profession of Physic hath excellent testimonies, not only in the sacred Scripture, but also from Experience. Now though this be so, yet nevertheless shall there be an end put to the business of Physicians, Apothecaries, and Surgeons, and they shall be eased of all their pains and care, and let them know this Prognostication; that from my watch tower, I have heard, though not yet seen, that within a short time we shall have an universal Medicine, which will not only recover the sick and keep them well, but also take away death, and for ever swallow it up. Can there be any thing more acceptable to Man? seeing that death masters every Man, though Christ died and rose again▪ and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Majesty of God. What a great comfort was it to wretched men in the times of Christ and his Apostles, that they were cured of divers diseases, and for this reason did Christ and his Apostles and Prophets▪ follow this profession, and therefore it is the most honourable of all, next to that of Prophesying, so that it is a wonder why the uncivil Civilians, should take place of the Physicians; but perhaps these wise men know not, that health is better than all the goods and riches of the World. But lest you should think I tell you a Fable; I would have you understand my Prognostication of the true universal Medicine, which shall serve not only Men, but also all Flesh; namely, that there grows in Paradise a Tree, which is, and is called the Tree of Life, which in the glorious and long expected coming of Jesus Christ our God and Saviour shall be made manifest, and then shall it be afforded to men, and the fruits of it shall be gathered, by which all men and all flesh shall be delivered from death, and that as truly, solidly, and surely, as at the time of the fall, by gathering the fruit of the forbidden Tree, we together withal flesh▪ fell into sin, death, and all ill. And this glory and great joy hath God reserved for Us, that live in these latter days, and hath kept his good Wine until now Therefore as in these times shall be made manifest, whatsoever hath been hidden hitherto, and even those things which are kept most secret, so now shall the way to the Tree of Life be laid open, which time the Apostle Peter▪ hints at, when he speaks of the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and of th● times of restitution, 
Acts 3.19, 20, 21.  (namely of that good which was lost and taken away in Paradise) and the Prophet Daniel 9.24. Of the great Apostle Paul we read that he was rapt into Paradise, and heard words not to be uttered, (or which it was no● fit for a man to tell) and of this I will glory (saith he. 
2 Cor. 21.4. ) What do we believe those words were? wretch that I am; I am far beneath Paul: for what should this be? or how should such thoughts arise in my heart? but this I may say in the fear of the Lord, that what I tell you, I have heard of the glory of the Sons of God, which is revealed to me, which every Creature shall enjoy with Us, having hitherto expected it with long desire and groans. 
Rom. 8.19.20, 21. Esdrass 47.53. and 8.52, 53, 54.  But when Elias who was with Christ in the Mount shall come, he will declare more to you of these things. So I tell you what I have heard of the Tree of Life, which hath been sealed up hitherto, and no man hath dared to break up the seal, nor indeed could: because a Fiery Mountain is in the way which shall not be removed before Christ come with great Power & Glory; whose coming we do declare to you, is much nearer than men believe it is: and seeing it is so, I do foretell all Physicians, that then their Physic shall be worth nothing; for another Garden will be found, whence shall be had herbs, that shall preserve men not only from sickness, but even from death itself. Who will not be glad of this, especially when you may partake of the benefit of it, if you receive and believe it, and do not despise my Prognostication. Besides let the Alchemists know this from me, that the Philosophers Stone, wherewith they have cured the sick; and their universal Medicine, and chief Remedy shall be worth nothing, being indeed most vile in comparison of this universal Medicine of which I have heard, and tell you of. What think you of this? you that have so bragged of your Chemistry hitherto, and have written so many Books and brought men into many errors; (I mean not the true Alchemists, that were good Christians, and in simplicity of heart truly served their neighbour, such as were the Benedictine Monk, Basilius, Valentinus, Paracelsus, and others, for they shall have this said unto them, I was sick and ye visited me, and have not so constanly taken fees from all, as many of our money-scrapers do, who forget mercy and charity, and are therefore no true Samaritans,) but I mean the knavish Cole-blowers, and pretenders to Chemistry. Know therefore ye Alchemists, that all your glory shall vanish away, both of your universal Medicine, and of your projection and Transmutation of base Metals into Gold and Silver, and this glory shall belong to the Miners, who in the New World shall dig out of the ground more Gold and Silver than needs, and that very pure and refined, without any cleansing or melting at all. 
Isa. 60.17.  Now have you not red a Prophecy of this in Isaiah, For Brass I will bring Gold, and for Iron I will bring Silver, and for Wood Brass, and for Stones Iron. It is not to be believed what great treasures and unexhausted riches are hid in the Mountains, nay and in the very fields and plains what a vast quantity there is of Gold, Silver, and precious Stones, which have hitherto been hid and sealed up till these last days, wherein all shall be made manifest, to the glory of God. But what are these earthly things, in respect of that glory which is in the divine World or the Original of these Worlds. For there is a thing more noble and excellent than the very Tree of Life, which is in Paradise, 
Psal. 118.  namely that Stone which hitherto the Builders have refused. Here now will many think with themselves: what means all this? give me the Philosophers Stone, or tell me where those treasures are hid which you speak of, and keep your fine conceits to yourself. Not so (say I) for it is a true prophecy, that He which seeks these fading things, 
1 joh. 2.17.  he shall decay with them. But he which first seeks the Kingdom of God, him will God seek and enrich him for ever. And therefore I wish from my very heart, that ye were of my mind, and then we would presently berich ourselves, and enrich others; I wish but as much as will serve me and my small family from day to day, though I might easily grow rich if I would worship the God of the world, but when I am offered riches, I say to myself, away Satan. And who would think that I have not a penny to buy my own supper and my poor little children's with, but what I borrow. O Man, if thou didst but know the inexhausted riches of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and of his Kingdom & Glory: thou wouldst utterly despise the riches and glory of this World, and think as Paul doth, But what things were gain to me, 
Phil. 3.7 8.  those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. And now is that glory manifested unto thee on free cost, nor needs it to cost thee any thing, & likewise the Gospel of the Kingdom is now preached unto the whole world, & unto all Nations, wholly on free cost; happy is he that acknowledges it, and receives it with thankfulness, but whoso despises and rejects it, shall himself be despised and rejected.   
FINIS.