 | Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (1652) |  |
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The Preface prefixt to Sir Geo: Ripley's MEDULLA;
Which he wrote Ann. Dom. 1476. and Dedicated to Geo: Nevell then Arch-Bishop of Yorke.
1
Right noble Lord, and Prelate Deere,Vouchfafe of me these Verses take,
Which I present unto you heere,
That mencion of the Stone doth make,
Of wise men meetered for your sake.
For which of you thus much I crave,
Your gentle favour for to have.
2
This Stone divine of which I write,Is knowne as One, and it is Three;
Which though it have his force and might,
Of Triple nature for to be,
Yet doe they Mettalls judge and try.
And called is of Wise men all,
The mighty Stone that Conquer shall.
3
Disdaine you not nor yet refuse,To learne the vertues of them now,
By which you may if you them use,
Your selfe preserve and eke know howe,
Old age to hide, and Youth outshewe.
And Brasse by them transmuted is,
And eger Bodyes clensed I wis.
4
Fined also and made full pure,And Aurified be at the last.
The first of these I you assure,
Right hurtfull is for Man to tast,
For Life it will resolve and wast.
Of Corrosives made corrupting all,
And named is the Minerall.
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5
But Animall the second is,The third forsooth the Vegitable,
To cure all things their vertue is,
In every cause what soe befall,
Mankinde in health preserve they shall:
Reneweth Youth and keepeth it sound,
As trew by preofe the same is found.
6
And here I will teach you plaine,How for to make their Mixtures pure:
In order faire without disdaine.
I will tell you no Dreame be sure,
Beleeve me while my life may dure.
Looke what with mouth to you I say,
My deedes shall prove it true alway.
7
Yett shall some Figure my Meeter hide,Least the Arte with wings should fly away,
And soe as vile abroad to slide,
Whose sence, or Truth cannot decay,
And without fraude I will display
The matter plaine on every side,
And true likewise what soe betide.
8
Although ere this you have heard say,That such as practice doth this Arte,
Their thrift in Ashes seeke alway:
And learne at length with heavy heart,
Not more but lesse to make their part,
Yet be not you dismayed therefore;
Ne feare nor shrinke for it the more.
9
But trust the words which I you tell,For truly I doe flatly say,
I have both seene and known it well,
And wittnesse will the same alway,
This the Marrow called is I say,
A truer Text full well I wote,
In all this World finde shall you not.
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10
Then as this writing of our Wine,Whereof I bring you here a taste;
Whose heavenly Water pure and fine,
Doth all things worke withouten waste,
To your desire the bodyes fast
It doth dissolve, make light and open
With other things, not yett of spoken.
11
Against Nature yet is it not,But naturall as may men trow,
Which being cleansed from his spott,
There Phœbus splendor shall forth shewe,
And cause it fragrantly to grow;
For how more fragrant it shalbe,
Soe much of Valor more is hee.
12
For Phœbus nature doth surpasse,And bodyes pure, and eke the sky,
It doth beshine both Corne and Grasse,
The Sonn reneweth from on hye,
And causeth things to fructifie.
Doth mix, and fix, and natureth,
Drives plagues away and nourisheth.
13
Abandoneth, draweth, and clenseth the Aire,Maketh dews sweete, floods and humors dry,
Maketh softe, hard, sweete and fayre;
And purifieth Natures perfectly,
By his working incessantly;
It maketh all things to grow I say,
And chaseth Ugly things away,
14
In Laurell Tree, it is full greene,In Gold it lodgeth glistringly;
It decketh Stones with brightnes sheene,
The shinening bodyes are made thereby;
But if you will more certeinly,
Of Phœbus vertue have knowledging,
Then Saturns Chyld must yssue bring.
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15
O Pastor meeke draw Water cleere,From buds of Vynes out of a Glasse,
As red as blood as Gold it were;
Which will you give a Gummy Masse,
As pretious as ever was.
Thus without fraude made open is by wyse,
The Arte which you shall not dispise.
16
It multiplyeth and maketh also,Gold Potable know this for trewe,
By it are things increased soe,
That health thereby you may renewe,
To learne those Secreats dayly sue,
Which formally prolong well may
Your Life in joy from day to day.
17
For although many hate this Arte,Yet it is precious over all;
Try and discerne within your hearte,
By all the Lessons misticall;
A Gift it is Cœlestiall
Which here is taught to you him by
That prov'd it hath Assuredly.
18
This have I written for your sake,Not in vaine stile, but order plaine,
This little Booke of him you take,
Which frankly doth bestowe his paine.
To God committinge you againe,
And all that doth wish well to thee,
In any place wheresoever they bee.
19
If you unbroken long would keepe,In perfect health, your Vessel still;
Then for your Cannon looke you seeke,
Remembring him that hath good will,
By your assistance to fulfill:
And in such sort your Worke display,
As sound may to your lawd alway.
| Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (1652) | |