The compovnd of alchymy Or The ancient hidden Art of Archemie: Conteining the right & perfectest meanes to make the Philosophers Stone, Aurum potabile, with other excellent Experiments. Diuided into twelue Gates. First written by ... George Ripley ... & Dedicated to K. Edward the 4. Whereunto is adioyned his Epistle to the King, his Vision, his Wheele & other his Workes, neuer before published: with certaine briefe Additions of other notable Writers concerning the same. Set foorth by Raph Rabbards Gentleman, studious and expert in Archemicall Artes |
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The Epistle by the same Author written to King Edward the 4.
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 | The compovnd of alchymy |  |
The Epistle by the same Author written to King Edward the 4.
O honorable
Lord, and most victorious Knight,
With grace and vertue abundantly endewed,
The safegard of England, and maintainer of right;
That God you loueth, indeed he hath well shewed:
Wherefore I trust this land shalbe renewed
With ioy and riches, with charitie and peace,
So that olde ranckors new vnderstrewed,
Tempestuous troubles, and wretchednes shall cease.
With grace and vertue abundantly endewed,
The safegard of England, and maintainer of right;
That God you loueth, indeed he hath well shewed:
Wherefore I trust this land shalbe renewed
With ioy and riches, with charitie and peace,
So that olde ranckors new vnderstrewed,
Tempestuous troubles, and wretchednes shall cease.
And therefore sith I see by tokens right euident,
That God you guideth, and how that you be vertuous,
Hating sinne, and all such as be insolent,
How that also manslaughter to you is odious,
Vpon the iudgement also that you be piteous:
Me seemeth ruthe it were but that you should liue long;
For of your great fortune you are not presumptuous,
Nor vengeable of spirit to reuenge you of each wrong.
That God you guideth, and how that you be vertuous,
Hating sinne, and all such as be insolent,
How that also manslaughter to you is odious,
Vpon the iudgement also that you be piteous:
Me seemeth ruthe it were but that you should liue long;
For of your great fortune you are not presumptuous,
Nor vengeable of spirit to reuenge you of each wrong.
These considered with others in your most noble State,
Like as God knoweth, and people doo witnes beare,
So entirely me mooueth, that I must algate
Record the same, and therein be no flatterer:
And not that only, but also to write here
Vnto your Highnes, humbly to present
Great secrets, which in farre countries I did learne,
And which by grace to me most vnworthie are lent.
Like as God knoweth, and people doo witnes beare,
So entirely me mooueth, that I must algate
Record the same, and therein be no flatterer:
And not that only, but also to write here
Vnto your Highnes, humbly to present
Great secrets, which in farre countries I did learne,
And which by grace to me most vnworthie are lent.
Once to your Lordship such things I did promise,
What time you did commaund to send vnto me,
And sith that I wrote it in secret wise,
Vnto your grace from the Vniuersitie
Of Louaine, when God fortuned me by grace to see
Greater secrets and much more perfite,
Which onely to you I will disclosed to be,
That is the great Elixer both red and white.
What time you did commaund to send vnto me,
And sith that I wrote it in secret wise,
Vnto your grace from the Vniuersitie
Of Louaine, when God fortuned me by grace to see
Greater secrets and much more perfite,
Which onely to you I will disclosed to be,
That is the great Elixer both red and white.
For like it you to trust that truly I haue found,
The perfect way of most secret Alchymie,
Which I will neuer truly for marke nor for pound
Make common but to you, and that conditionally,
That to youre selfe you shall keepe it full secretly,
And only to vse it as may be to Gods pleasure,
Else in time comming to God I should abye,
For my discouering of his secret treasure.
The perfect way of most secret Alchymie,
Which I will neuer truly for marke nor for pound
Make common but to you, and that conditionally,
That to youre selfe you shall keepe it full secretly,
And only to vse it as may be to Gods pleasure,
Else in time comming to God I should abye,
For my discouering of his secret treasure.
Therefore be you well aduised and with good deliberation,
For of this secret shall know no other creature,
But onely you as J make faithfull protestation,
For all the time that here in life J shall endure,
Whereto J will your Lordship me ensure,
To my desire in this my oath for to agree,
Least I to me the wrath of God procure,
For such reuealing of his great gift and priuitie.
For of this secret shall know no other creature,
But onely you as J make faithfull protestation,
For all the time that here in life J shall endure,
Whereto J will your Lordship me ensure,
To my desire in this my oath for to agree,
Least I to me the wrath of God procure,
For such reuealing of his great gift and priuitie.
If God fortune you by me to win this treasure,
Serue him deuowtly with more lawde and thanking,
Praying his Godhead in life that you may so endure,
His gifts of grace, and fortune to vse to his pleasing,
Most especially intending ouer all thing,
To your power and cunning his precepts ten
So to obserue, that into no danger your selfe you bring,
But that you in glory may see him hereafter, Amen.
Serue him deuowtly with more lawde and thanking,
Praying his Godhead in life that you may so endure,
His gifts of grace, and fortune to vse to his pleasing,
Most especially intending ouer all thing,
To your power and cunning his precepts ten
So to obserue, that into no danger your selfe you bring,
But that you in glory may see him hereafter, Amen.
And yet moreouer I will your Lordship to pardon me,
Eor openly with pen I will it neuer it write,
But whensoeuer you list by practise you shall see,
By mouth also this precious secret, most of delight,
How may be made perfect Elixers both red and white,
Plaine vnto your Lordship it shall declared be,
And if it please you, with easie expences and respite,
I will them worke by grace of the Trinitie.
Eor openly with pen I will it neuer it write,
But whensoeuer you list by practise you shall see,
By mouth also this precious secret, most of delight,
How may be made perfect Elixers both red and white,
Plaine vnto your Lordship it shall declared be,
And if it please you, with easie expences and respite,
I will them worke by grace of the Trinitie.
But notwithstanding for perill that may befall,
If I dare not here plainely the knotte vnbinde,
Yet in my writing I will not be so misticall,
But that by studie the true knowledge you may finde,
How that each thing is multiplied in his kinde,
And how the likenes of bodies metaline be transmutable
I will declare, that if you feele me in your minde,
My writing you shall finde true and no fained fable.
If I dare not here plainely the knotte vnbinde,
Yet in my writing I will not be so misticall,
But that by studie the true knowledge you may finde,
How that each thing is multiplied in his kinde,
And how the likenes of bodies metaline be transmutable
I will declare, that if you feele me in your minde,
My writing you shall finde true and no fained fable.
As Philosophers in the metheors doe write,
The likenes of bodies metaline be not transmutable,
But after he added these wordes of more delight,
Without they be reduced to their beginning materiable,
Wherefore such bodies within nature be liquiable,
Minerall and metaline may be mercurizate,
Conceiue you may this science is not opinionable,
But very true, by Raymond and others determinate,
The likenes of bodies metaline be not transmutable,
But after he added these wordes of more delight,
Without they be reduced to their beginning materiable,
Wherefore such bodies within nature be liquiable,
Minerall and metaline may be mercurizate,
Conceiue you may this science is not opinionable,
But very true, by Raymond and others determinate,
In the saide booke the Philosophers speake also,
Therein if it please your Highnes for to reade,
Of diuers sulphures, and especially of two,
And of two mercuries ioyned to them indeed,
Whereby he doth true vnderstanders leade,
To the knowledge of the principle which is onely trew,
Both red, moist, pure, and white, as I haue espied,
Which be neuerthelesse found but of verie few.
Therein if it please your Highnes for to reade,
Of diuers sulphures, and especially of two,
And of two mercuries ioyned to them indeed,
Whereby he doth true vnderstanders leade,
To the knowledge of the principle which is onely trew,
Both red, moist, pure, and white, as I haue espied,
Which be neuerthelesse found but of verie few.
And these two things be best, he addeth anone
For him that worketh the Alchymie to take:
Our golde and our siluer there with to make all one,
Wherefore I say who will our pearle and Ruby make,
The said principles looke he not forsake:
For at the beginning, if his principles be true,
And if so be by craft he can them also bake,
In th'end truly his worke he shall not rue.
For him that worketh the Alchymie to take:
Our golde and our siluer there with to make all one,
Wherefore I say who will our pearle and Ruby make,
The said principles looke he not forsake:
For at the beginning, if his principles be true,
And if so be by craft he can them also bake,
In th'end truly his worke he shall not rue.
But one great secret right needfull to be knowne,
That though the Philosophers speake plurally,
All is but one thing you may me well trowe,
In kinde which is our base principally,
Whereof doth spring both white and red naturally,
And yet the white must come first out of the red,
Which thing is not wrought manually,
But naturally, craft helping out of our lead.
That though the Philosophers speake plurally,
All is but one thing you may me well trowe,
In kinde which is our base principally,
Whereof doth spring both white and red naturally,
And yet the white must come first out of the red,
Which thing is not wrought manually,
But naturally, craft helping out of our lead.
For all the partes of our most precious stone,
As I can proue, be coessentiall and concrete,
Moreouer there is no true principle but one,
Full long it was ere I therewith could meete,
Who can reduce him and knoweth his heate,
And onely kinde with kinde can well redresse,
Till filthie originall be clensed from his seate,
He likely is to finde our secrets more and lesse.
As I can proue, be coessentiall and concrete,
Moreouer there is no true principle but one,
Full long it was ere I therewith could meete,
Who can reduce him and knoweth his heate,
And onely kinde with kinde can well redresse,
Till filthie originall be clensed from his seate,
He likely is to finde our secrets more and lesse.
Therefore worke kinde onely with his owne kinde,
And so your Elements ioyne that they not striue.
This poynt also for any beare in minde,
That passiue natures you turne into actiue,
Of water, fire, and winde of earth make bliue,
And of the quadrangle make a figure round,
Then haue thou the honie of our bee-hiue,
One ounce well worth one thousand pound.
And so your Elements ioyne that they not striue.
This poynt also for any beare in minde,
That passiue natures you turne into actiue,
Of water, fire, and winde of earth make bliue,
And of the quadrangle make a figure round,
Then haue thou the honie of our bee-hiue,
One ounce well worth one thousand pound.
The principall secret of secrets all,
Is true proportion which may not be behinde,
Wherein I counsell thee be not superficiall,
The true conclusion if you thinke to finde,
Turne earth into water and water into winde,
Therefore make fire and beware of the flood
Of Noah, wherein many men are so blinde,
That by this science they get little good.
Is true proportion which may not be behinde,
Wherein I counsell thee be not superficiall,
The true conclusion if you thinke to finde,
Turne earth into water and water into winde,
Therefore make fire and beware of the flood
Of Noah, wherein many men are so blinde,
That by this science they get little good.
I counsell you eate and drink temperately,
And beware well that Iposarcha come not in place,
Neshe not your wombe by drinking immoderately,
Least you quench naturall heate in little space,
The colour will tell appearing in your face,
Drinke no more therefore than you may eate,
Walke vp and downe after an easie pace,
Chafe not your bodie too sore to sweate.
And beware well that Iposarcha come not in place,
Neshe not your wombe by drinking immoderately,
Least you quench naturall heate in little space,
The colour will tell appearing in your face,
Drinke no more therefore than you may eate,
Walke vp and downe after an easie pace,
Chafe not your bodie too sore to sweate.
With easie fire after mouing when you sweate,
Warme your bodie and make it drie againe,
By riuers and fountaines walke after meate,
At morning time visit the high mountaine,
That Phisick so biddeth I read certaine,
So high the mountaines yet doe you not ascend,
But that you may downwardes your way haue plaine,
And with your mantle from colde ye you defend.
Warme your bodie and make it drie againe,
By riuers and fountaines walke after meate,
At morning time visit the high mountaine,
That Phisick so biddeth I read certaine,
So high the mountaines yet doe you not ascend,
But that you may downwardes your way haue plaine,
And with your mantle from colde ye you defend.
Such labour is wholesome your sweat for to drie
With napkin, and after it see you take no colde,
For grosse humors be purged by sweate kindely,
Vse Diacameron then confect with perfect golde,
Hermidocles for watry humors good I holde,
Vse Jpericon perfor at with milke of tincturiall,
And sperma Cæti with red wine, and when you wax olde,
And Goats milke sod with wine nourisheth moysture radicall.
With napkin, and after it see you take no colde,
For grosse humors be purged by sweate kindely,
Vse Diacameron then confect with perfect golde,
Hermidocles for watry humors good I holde,
Vse Jpericon perfor at with milke of tincturiall,
And sperma Cæti with red wine, and when you wax olde,
And Goats milke sod with wine nourisheth moysture radicall.
But a good Phisition who so intendeth to be,
Our lower Astronomie needeth well to know,
And after that to learne well vrine in a glasse to see,
And if it neede to be chafed the fire for to blow,
Then wittily it by diuers wayes for to throw
After the cause to make a medicine bliue,
Truly telling the infirmities all on a row,
Who this can doe by his Phisick is like to thriue.
Our lower Astronomie needeth well to know,
And after that to learne well vrine in a glasse to see,
And if it neede to be chafed the fire for to blow,
Then wittily it by diuers wayes for to throw
After the cause to make a medicine bliue,
Truly telling the infirmities all on a row,
Who this can doe by his Phisick is like to thriue.
VVe haue our heauen incorruptible of the quintessence,
Ornate with signes, Elements, and starres bright,
VVhich moysteth our earth by subtill influence,
And of it a secret sulphure hid from sight,
It fetcheth by vertue of his actiue might,
Like as the Bee fetcheth honey out of the flower,
VVhich thing could doe no other worldly wight.
Therefore to God be all glory and honour.
Ornate with signes, Elements, and starres bright,
VVhich moysteth our earth by subtill influence,
And of it a secret sulphure hid from sight,
It fetcheth by vertue of his actiue might,
Like as the Bee fetcheth honey out of the flower,
VVhich thing could doe no other worldly wight.
Therefore to God be all glory and honour.
And like as yce to water doth relent,
VVhere it was congealed by violence of colde,
VVhen Phœbus it shineth with his heate influent,
Euen so to water minerall reduced is our golde,
As witnesseth plainely, Albert, Raymond, and Arnold,
By heate and moysture and by craft occasionate,
VVhich congelation of the spirits, loe now J haue tolde,
How our materialls together must be proportionate.
VVhere it was congealed by violence of colde,
VVhen Phœbus it shineth with his heate influent,
Euen so to water minerall reduced is our golde,
As witnesseth plainely, Albert, Raymond, and Arnold,
By heate and moysture and by craft occasionate,
VVhich congelation of the spirits, loe now J haue tolde,
How our materialls together must be proportionate.
At the dyers craft you may learne this science,
Beholding with water how decoction they make
Vpon the wad or madder easily and with patience,
Till tinctures doe appeare which then the cloth doth take,
Therein so fixed that they will neuer forsake
The cloth, for washing after they ioyned be,
Euen so our tinctures with the water of our lake,
VVe draw by boyling vvith the ashes of Hermes tree.
Beholding with water how decoction they make
Vpon the wad or madder easily and with patience,
Till tinctures doe appeare which then the cloth doth take,
Therein so fixed that they will neuer forsake
The cloth, for washing after they ioyned be,
Euen so our tinctures with the water of our lake,
VVe draw by boyling vvith the ashes of Hermes tree.
Which tinctures when they by craft are made perfite,
So dyeth mettles with colours aye permanent,
After the qualitie of the medicine, red or white,
That neuer away with anie fire wilbe brent:
To this example if you take good tent,
Vnto your purpose the rather you shall winne.
And let your fire be easie, and not too feruent,
Where nature did leaue what time you did beginne.
So dyeth mettles with colours aye permanent,
After the qualitie of the medicine, red or white,
That neuer away with anie fire wilbe brent:
To this example if you take good tent,
Vnto your purpose the rather you shall winne.
And let your fire be easie, and not too feruent,
Where nature did leaue what time you did beginne.
First calcine, and after that putrifie,
Dissolue, distill, sublime, discend and fixe,
With Aqua vitæ oft times both wash and drie,
And make a marriage the bodie and spirite betwixt,
Which thus together naturallie if you can mixe,
In loosing of the bodie the water congeald shalbe,
Then shall the bodie die vtterlie of the flixe,
Bleeding and changing his colours, as you shall see.
Dissolue, distill, sublime, discend and fixe,
With Aqua vitæ oft times both wash and drie,
And make a marriage the bodie and spirite betwixt,
Which thus together naturallie if you can mixe,
In loosing of the bodie the water congeald shalbe,
Then shall the bodie die vtterlie of the flixe,
Bleeding and changing his colours, as you shall see.
The third day againe to life he shall arise,
And deuoure birds, and beasts of the wildernesse,
Crowes, popingaies, pies, peacocks, and mauois,
The Phœnix, with the Eagle, and the Griffin of fearfulnesse,
The greene Lion, with the red Dragon he shall distresse,
With the white Dragon, and the Antelop, Vnicorne & Panther,
With other beasts and birds both more and lesse,
The Basiliske also, which almost each one doth feare.
And deuoure birds, and beasts of the wildernesse,
Crowes, popingaies, pies, peacocks, and mauois,
The Phœnix, with the Eagle, and the Griffin of fearfulnesse,
The greene Lion, with the red Dragon he shall distresse,
With the white Dragon, and the Antelop, Vnicorne & Panther,
With other beasts and birds both more and lesse,
The Basiliske also, which almost each one doth feare.
Jn bus and nibus he shall arise and descend,
Vp to the Moone, and sith vp to the Sunne,
Through the Ocean sea, which round is withouten end,
Onely shippen within a little glassen tunne;
When he is there come, then is the mastrie wonne:
About which iourney, great goods you shall not spend,
And yet you shall be glad that euer it was begunne,
Patiently if you list to your worke attend.
Vp to the Moone, and sith vp to the Sunne,
Through the Ocean sea, which round is withouten end,
Onely shippen within a little glassen tunne;
When he is there come, then is the mastrie wonne:
About which iourney, great goods you shall not spend,
And yet you shall be glad that euer it was begunne,
Patiently if you list to your worke attend.
For then both bodie and spirite with oyle and water,
Soule, and tincture, one thing both white and red,
After colours variable it containeth, whatsouer men clatter;
Which also is called after he hath once been dead
And is reuiued, our Markaside, our Magnet, and our lead,
Our Sulphur, our Arsinike, and our true Calx vine,
Our Sunne, our Moone, our ferment and our bread,
Our toad, our Basiliske, our vnknowen bodie, our man, our wife.
Soule, and tincture, one thing both white and red,
After colours variable it containeth, whatsouer men clatter;
Which also is called after he hath once been dead
And is reuiued, our Markaside, our Magnet, and our lead,
Our Sulphur, our Arsinike, and our true Calx vine,
Our Sunne, our Moone, our ferment and our bread,
Our toad, our Basiliske, our vnknowen bodie, our man, our wife.
Our bodie thus naturally by craft when he is renouate
Of the first order, is medicine called in our Philosophie;
Which oftentimes againe must be propertualicate,
The round wheele turning of our Astronomie,
And so to the Elixer of spirits you must come: for why
Till the sonne of the fixed by the sonne of the fixer be ouergone,
Elixer of bodies, named it is onely,
And this found secret poynt, deceaueth manie one.
Of the first order, is medicine called in our Philosophie;
Which oftentimes againe must be propertualicate,
The round wheele turning of our Astronomie,
And so to the Elixer of spirits you must come: for why
Till the sonne of the fixed by the sonne of the fixer be ouergone,
Elixer of bodies, named it is onely,
And this found secret poynt, deceaueth manie one.
This naturall proces by helpe of craft thus consummate,
Dissolueth Elixer spirituall in our vnctuous humiditie,
Then in Balneo Mare together let them be circulate,
Like new honie or oyle, till perfectly they be thickned.
Then will that medicine heale all infirmitie,
And turne all mettals to Sunne and Moone perfectly,
Thus you shall make the great Elixer, and Aurum potabile,
By the grace and will of God, to whom be all honour and glorie.
Dissolueth Elixer spirituall in our vnctuous humiditie,
Then in Balneo Mare together let them be circulate,
Like new honie or oyle, till perfectly they be thickned.
Then will that medicine heale all infirmitie,
And turne all mettals to Sunne and Moone perfectly,
Thus you shall make the great Elixer, and Aurum potabile,
By the grace and will of God, to whom be all honour and glorie.
Amen.
quod George Ripley.
FINIS.
| The compovnd of alchymy | |