HERE BEGINS
THE BOOK CALLED THE LADDER OF THE PHILOSOPHERS - Scala Philosophorum

As the Venerable Raymond Lull says: The intention of nature in carrying out our magistery is that the stone must be divided into four elements, so that each one by itself, according to the demand of nature, can be purified.

Side Notes: Principal division of the body.

And that is the preparation of things which precedes the operation of perfect preparation, and is properly called the separation of the elements, because it divides all the impure parts from the pure parts, so that with the lighter and purer ones our perfect preparation may be made successively with natural conjunction — which happens through the reunification of the moist with the dry, immediately and directly after their preparation, by the benefit of the separation of the elements. Otherwise, the moist would not love the dry, nor the body the spirit, if they had not first been well washed from their infections through distillations and calcinations, solutions and coagulations.

Side Notes: Cause of natural love.

For by the separation of the elements, the saltness of its sulfurous, burning nature — which came to it through the original stain of our menstrual matter, which is the corruption of our stone — is burned away. Therefore, the earth of bodies is calcined after the extraction of air, so that it may be thoroughly purified from false sulfurities and combustions. Hence it is clear that if at that time corruptible matter had not been placed through the corruption of the stone, it would never need to be purged.

And since it is thus necessary that, after the corruption of the stone, the compound of the stone itself be purified from all its filth, after its separation into the four elements with distillation and calcination, before Mercury is joined with the body to begin the real preparation — which is the creation of our stone —

It is therefore necessary that the stone be divided through the four elements with distillation and calcination. And this division is only so that the substance of the stone may be thoroughly clean, and so that all may be pure Mercury, which carries within itself the property of flowing and fixing.

Side Notes: Water of life

Then, when you wish to dissolve the body after its calcination, dissolve it with living silver (quicksilver), drawn from itself, purified through sevenfold distillation, for then the body is highly efficacious for penetrating and entering, due to the sponginess of its body. The spirits are frozen by the benefit of the dissolution of the fixed nature and the body, and the mixture of it with living silver, and if you understand this, it is a solemn matter: the dissolution which is done with the congelation of the spirit — and without this, it is not. But do not understand the separation of the elements to happen or be able to happen without putrefaction, through which the spirits are mixed in the body and with their elements, and this is what renders them volatile, as is seen in their separations.

Side Notes: Putrefaction after digestion.

Therefore, digest and putrefy the elements in their filth to the end, and this when it is well digested to satisfy our will, so that it may be well separated, and afterwards bury the separated flasks so that they may be better purified and be turned into living silver in the form of clear water. But if you do not divide the stone — namely, the fifth substance — through the four elements, know that it will not be able to be united naturally, nor joined with the dry body, if each of them does not hold something of the nature of the fifth essence, since that is the mixture of all the elements and their reduction into one pure substance. And it is fitting that those elements be well purified from their infections. And we tell you: sulfurities that are combustible and burning must be separated through the benefit of calcination, and utterly annihilated by fire and by earth, and the body must be broken down and made very subtle from their filth through distillations, and by being made subtle be turned into the nature of air by the lightening of its lightness.

Then one may bring about the conjunction of the male with the female, so that between them they may beget the son of fire, which is the great love of all the philosophers.

Side Notes: The occult and manifest of the stone.

And if you understand me well, here lies our whole philosophy. And here it must be noted that in the occult part of our stone there is heat and dryness, and in the manifest part, coldness and moisture; therefore, its manifest must be concealed, and its occult revealed: because the heat which is in the occult is the element, and the oil likewise is dry. For this dryness fixes, since the dryness of fire tinges. But that which is in the manifest is coldness and moisture. It is necessary, therefore, to have proportion between these things, so that the coldness and moisture may be tempered by the heat and dryness, in such a way that they do not flee from the fire. Therefore, make it so that the moisture and coldness receive the heat and dryness which were in the occult, so that they become one substance. That coldness and moisture is a watery and burning smoke, which corrupts and causes blackness, and that stone is of one virtue and nature in the occult, and of another in the manifest.

Side Notes: When the tincture of the oil [is].

But in full mixture it is of the same virtue and nature. And thus its form is changed into the most noble body. Then it becomes flowing like oil, which is the living tincture — multiplying, consolidating, coloring, clarifying, purifying, perpetuating, and confirming. For in that composition are the operations of the planets and their images in their places and times, just as in the process of generation.

For in the womb, in the first month, when the seed is received into the womb, Saturn operates, coagulating and constricting the matter with his coldness, and thus in that nature it is coagulated into the first mass.

In the second month, Jupiter operates, digesting with heat into a certain raw mass, which is called the embryo.

In the third month, Mars operates, acting on the matter with his heat and dryness, dividing and separating that mass, and arranging the members.

In the fourth month, the Sun operates, who nourishes the spirits, and the child begins to live.

In the fifth month, Mercury operates, who makes the passages and breathings.

In the sixth month, Venus operates, for she arranges and orders the eyes, eyebrows, and testicles.

In the seventh month, the Moon operates with her coldness and moisture; she labors to expel the infant. And if he is born then, he can live; but if not born, he is weakened.

And in the eighth month, Saturn again operates, constricting the fetus in the womb; and if born then, he cannot live.

But in the ninth month, Jupiter again, by nourishing with heat and moisture, restores strength to the fetus, and thus he is fully born and lives well.

Therefore it must be known that for three months water preserves the fetus in the womb. Likewise, air nourishes for three months, and fire likewise guards for the same amount. When these are completed, the blood which is nourished in the umbilicus, being cut off, flows to the breasts, and there it takes on the whiteness of snow. Therefore, the infant shall never be born until the breath of air is exhausted.

Then the passage is opened, and his mouth, and he is suckled. From these three we must understand and with keen intellect know how to compose and extract two. For from two three are not extracted, but indeed the reverse. Whence all who wish to know this must sharpen their minds to acquire the future treasure from three words, in which the stone is hidden, in which also are hidden heat and dryness, tincture and the depth of tinctures, and the hot oil, and the connective moisture.

It must be known that there are four principal operations of our stone: namely, to dissolve, to wash, to join, and to fix.

To dissolve is to divide bodies and make matter.

To wash is to bury, distill, ascend and descend.
To join is to impregnate, whiten, and redden.
To fix is to ferment and espouse.
Dissolution converts the stone into its first matter, that is, its water; washing into air, conjunction into fire, fixation into spiritual and tinging earth.

Whence Aristotle: When you have water from air, air from fire, and fire from earth, then you shall have the full art. Because the four elements are then well and perfectly prepared, and all this the master of the work and the fire accomplishes well in one single vessel, in four stages, namely, four kinds of color changes, as shall be said below.

Side Notes: The matter of the stone, which must be known.

Fire, according to Avicenna, is dissolved so that it may be converted into Mercury and divided into the four elements, so that it may have its first origin, and that the sulfur of the philosophers may be extracted from the body, and pure quicksilver be obtained upon the earth, from that matter from which gold and silver are made beneath the earth, and those being joined together are to be cooked until they become one — stable, penetrating, and going deep, a tinging and permanent thing, one part of which converts a thousand thousand of Mercury or any imperfect body into the truest gold or silver, according as the elixir shall have been prepared.

Side Notes: The property of the tincture.

And this marveled at Richard the Philosopher, and the son of the king of the Persians said: Above all wonder is this — that with one fire and one vessel are accomplished distillation, sublimation, mortification, calcination, whitening, reddening, fusion with solutions and congelations.

Side Notes: Running oil, actions of the tincture.

And he means to speak of the cold and moist, and its friendship is made with fire, and it becomes a running oil, penetrating, coloring, perpetuating, a living oil preserving, purifying, a living color, life-giving, making the dead to rise again. And it is a ferment impregnating itself, conceiving itself, bearing itself. All these things must be known by those who seek this art.

And it must be noted that there is no other truth in this science except this alone: namely, that if quicksilver (Mercury) is clean, pure, and coagulated, through the power of non-burning sulfur, it will be the best thing the alchemists can receive, from which they may make their gold, as Aristotle says in the fourth book of the Meteorologica.

Side Notes: White sulfur that does not burn.

And therefore it is concluded that without white sulfur that does not burn, neither gold nor silver can be made. Because the best sulfur, which is bright with redness, cannot become gold unless it was first white, because the citrine color is composed from much white mixed with a little black. And for that reason, the philosophers handed down the composition of white sulfur for silver, and afterward red sulfur for gold, because gold cannot be made unless silver comes first in the process. Now, white sulfur is obtained from the purest substance of silver, because it contains in itself everything that we need. Therefore, the artist must be of constant will, and not use many things, but focus solely on this one matter.

Side Notes: The artist must focus on the perfection.

Because in the multitude of things our art is not perfected.

But because this art is very difficult to know, we intend to provide teaching of its secrets, and first of Mercury and its water, of the body, spirit, and soul, and of their operations, which among many are altogether unknown and hidden.

Side Notes: Only one water for the whole work.

For the water of Mercury is that water which we must use—and no other—in our entire operation. But in its regimen the whole secret lies, and therefore in the beginning you must know the nature of Mercury and its regimen, with which, being duly prepared, the whole work is perfected. For Mercury heats and cools, dries and moistens, and performs contrary operations according to the diversity and manner of its governance. Therefore, in its governance the whole secret consists. And so the operator must well know its regimen without error, because through the same operation it does not perform contrary effects in the same degree—which would arise from itself—but the contrariety of the operation must proceed from itself thus disposed, and not from another; namely, through sublime solution and congelation, and through the mixing of its water with the water of the sun, with the sun purified. And before its congelation, it performs only one operation: that is, if it is projected upon copper, it only tinges it, and brings about no other complexion than it had before. And this is entirely with respect to appearance, not to essence, because by the test of fire the separation of the tincture from the body is possible, notwithstanding that the tincture is fixed, just as the moon is separated from the sun. But in true transmutation of copper or another metal, true coloring is required, and a true union of the coloring with the colored, and a coloring that is the true transmutation of all the elements. Second will be the fixation of the color and the induction of a new form, from which follows its proper coloration.

Therefore, the principles which Geber handed down cannot bring about a true medicine, nor those sayings of the philosophers in the Turba, as I firmly hold.

Furthermore, the Turba says that the medicine must be composed of the four elements, and its complexion considered. Therefore, the Turba here speaks only of the works of the basis—that is, of the foundation. For thus says Geber: “Where we have spoken more openly and plainly, there more have we concealed the science.”

Wherefore, it must be known, according to the authors, that the Stone is one; and if anyone errs from that one in the beginning, he will meet with weariness in the end.

Side Notes: One stone not in number.

Yet this one is not one in number, but in kind, as male and female are sufficient for generating offspring without any further addition. And so the Philosopher’s Stone, composed of two, suffices for the intended medicine—namely, the spirit and the soul, which are the sun and moon. And some say that to these two a third is added, namely the body. For just as man consists of body, soul, and spirit, so also does our Stone. Yet in this there are diverse opinions. For some say that one of them is spirit and body, and they deceive men regarding the addition of a third.

Side Notes: Opinions of various thinkers.

Others say that the third is called a composite of the two, since it resembles neither of its components, and is named with the name of all bodies. Others say that truly a body must be added to these two, because the work will be stronger and the operation of them completed in a shorter time. But however the opinion is held, the number is not increased. For clarity, it must be noted that Kibric is the father of Mercury and of all that melts. And this is called that One which is both precious and cheap. Quicksilver, truly, which is his son, although different and foreign in composition, behaves like father and son. And if a third is added to these two—namely, a metallic body—the number of two is not thereby multiplied, nor even the names, because the metallic body is composed from these two.

Therefore, it is clearly established that its composition, however you iterate it, consists of two.

Side Notes: Three are two.

And it is to be known that after these two are joined, they are always called by one name. Yet this one, which is called the copper of the philosophers, is named with the names of all things of this world. And this is why so many go astray—both because of the multiplicity of names, and also because of ignorance of the proper proportion.

Side Notes: The ferment of the philosophers

So, when you hear anything about the ferment of the philosophers, understand nothing else than a perfect body, that is, one most perfectly changed and sublimated.

And yet let no one believe that the spirit and soul can be joined to the body by mere grinding or by simple solution. An example: quicksilver joined with lead seems to be mixed, but in truth it is not, because by the violence of fire it is separated.

Side Notes: What coagulation brings about

But when the philosophers say “Dissolve and coagulate,” this is without doubt to be understood as the dissolution of the body and soul into water, and the coagulation causes the soul and spirit to be mingled with the body. Hence, if the soul and spirit were perfectly joined to the body by simple solution and simple congelation, the philosopher would not have said again, “Dissolve and coagulate, and again dissolve and coagulate,” so that the tincture of the Stone might increase—if by one solution and one congelation this could have been accomplished. Know, therefore, for certain that the more often it is dissolved and congealed, the more the soul and spirit are joined to the body and retained by it, and with each repetition the tincture is multiplied.

Side Notes: What coagulation brings about

And here one must know the greatest secret: that red and white stones made from the elements of other things can be joined with the perfect elixir, and then they add to its tincture—and not otherwise.

Side Notes: Sharp water effects solution

Another secret, too: that sharp waters may be made, with which the body with its soul and spirits may be dissolved with perfect solution, and afterwards congealed—God bearing witness. Nevertheless, all the parts of our Stone are concrete and coessential. Now the operation of this Stone is said to be manifold by the philosophers.

Side Notes: Diversity of methods among laborers

Some indeed purify separately, and compose, and afterwards perfect; and this operation is varied in many ways, and is laborious and difficult and subtle. Therefore, many err in it, because the aid—that is, the assistance of it—requires many extraneous things. Nevertheless, the operation of this Stone is one, linear, and perfected in one single vessel. Yet the fire is not uniform in its entire action. And therefore, that this treatise may suffice and benefit students, I say that the entering fire of this work is like the heat of the sun in the greater world. The sun, indeed, in springtime is moderate and mild in heat—otherwise, the tender herbs would wither, and fruits would by no means be brought forth. But this heat enters the plants until they gradually grow, and the more they grow, the more the sun's heat increases gradually each day until it reaches the temperate heat which is summer. And since then the sun is stronger, afterward strongest up to the end of Leo, until all things receive their due form and perfection. And blessed be God, who has marvelously ordered these things in His wisdom.

In the same way, therefore, must this Stone be governed. For some say that the heat of the first regimen ought to be like that of a hen brooding her eggs to bring forth chicks. Others say that it ought to be like the natural heat digesting food and nourishing the body. Others, like the heat of manure, because this heat is temperate. Others, like the heat of the sun when in Aries, because there the sun has its exaltation and principality, since there it begins to rise moderately and to warm.

Side Notes: The sun in Aries

And because of this, some have said that we ought to begin when the sun is in Aries and the moon is staying in Taurus. All these things are said to signify a moderate heat around the first action of this work. And although the action of this Stone is one—namely, a decoction with natural fire—yet the stages of this heat vary in three ways. First, there will be a moderate fire, and it lasts until blackness appears, and even until that blackness is turned into whiteness. This blackness lasts perhaps 46 days, more or less, according to the operator’s diligence and the fortune of the regimen. And this heat is likened to the heat of the sun passing from Aries into Taurus.

Side Notes: Time of blackness

When a certain whiteness appears, the fire is gradually increased, until the perfect drying or incineration of the Stone. And this heat is likened to the heat of the sun in Taurus, passing into Gemini.

Then, once the Stone is dried and incinerated, the fire is strengthened again, until the Stone becomes perfectly red and is clothed in royal vesture by the fire.

And this heat is likened to the heat of the sun in Leo. For this is the house of its dignity. Then it is continued until it becomes venom.

Then, indeed, our Dragon, fixed in the solar fire and shining, is adorned by the virtue of the celestial and terrestrial rays. Hence arises the Philosophers’ Stone, conquering all, digesting all, which corrects and amends all vices in the body.

Side Notes: It takes names from its colors

Its names are multiplied according to the multitude of appearing colors. For in the first regimen, when it is black, it is called earth and Saturn, and by the names of all black and earthly bodies. Then, when it is whitened, it is called living water and by the names of all waters and salts, alum, and things having whiteness. After it turns yellow and is sublimated and made subtle, it is then called air, yellow oil, and by the names of all spiritual and volatile things. Finally, when it becomes red, it is called heaven, red sulfur, gold, carbuncle, and by the names of all red things having beauty, both in stones and in animals and plants.

Side Notes: Male and female

Here it must be noted that our water is called the male, and the earth is called the female, which is the thickness of the Stone. And thus the earth becomes spiritual and aerial and subtle. And this thickness or earth is called our copper and our lead.

Side Notes: Our copper

Therefore, it must be governed gently, so that the sulfur may become incombustible, with the water in which it is. For the water dissolves it and whitens it. But some say that one of these, namely the dregs remaining at the bottom—which is called smoke—is the earth, and the other which ascends from the earth, that is, from the dregs, is heaven. Therefore, the heaven must be repeated upon the earth so many times until the earth becomes heavenly and spiritual, and the heaven becomes earthly, and is joined with the earth—then the work is complete.

Side Notes: When and how fixation happens

And it should be known that since the body is coarse and the spirit is subtle, they cannot be universally mixed unless first the body is so subtilized by the spirit that the body becomes equal to the spirit in subtlety. Then such a mixture is made which fire neither separates nor overcomes, even if it were acted upon continuously for a thousand years—because they are mixed in their smallest parts, in such a way that no artifice, once they have thus taken hold of each other, can separate them. Thus the dragon dies—and not without it; that is, unless it is killed with it. And this dragon—that is, sulfur—is extracted from the body through the magistery, and this is our secret sulfur.

Side Notes: First trial of the tincture

Therefore, when you wish to test the medicine, place the weight of one grain of wheat upon a thin plate of copper, and if with a little heat the plate melts inwardly and outwardly throughout, and is perfectly tinged, and perseveres in the fire with it, then the Stone is perfect.

Side Notes: Three unique effects

Thus it is clear that there are three things that complete our elixir which we have made: the first unites, the second composes the medicine. Thus, in one body, three are joined.

But this should be noted: if the medicine is again dissolved and completely governed as before, afterward there will be no end to its tincture. It tightens the pores of silver, making it heavier, and in other bodies it will drive out scum and stench, and it tinges them most perfectly, and finally changes them into gold or silver. And thus, through our art, the true alteration of one nature into another is accomplished.

But here it must be known that every alteration of minerals to the perfection of minerals stands in the higher degree of spiritual things. We do not speak of angels, nor of intelligences, but of the higher degree of perfection of all metals—and this is in the mineral spirit. For minerals agree with minerals, vegetables with vegetables, so that there is no contrariety, rather the greatest harmony. For this golden mineral spirit differs from gold only in that it is not fixed, whereas gold is fixed.

Thus, our gold is not the common gold, for ours is spiritual—it dissolves all imperfect bodies, separating the pure from the impure, since nature receives only what is of its own nature and rejects what is alien, which is a sign of its perfection. And therefore it dissolves, separates, divides, purifies, and illumines all bodies, tinges them, and transmutes them into the best gold, because the fixed body has been made spiritual according to the different degrees of digestion. For first it was silver before it became gold; therefore, gold is the most digested, etc.

The first degree of the ladder of the wise begins

Concerning the manner of birth among those born: Bacon, in The Mirror of Alchemy, says: No one is born unless from a man and a woman, nor is any seed generated unless from heat, moisture, cold, and dryness. Therefore, nothing comes from the work except from that which is truly luminous—like the most pure sun, which with its light illumines all lights, illumines the air, warms the earth, and with its heat generates and nourishes animals, plants, and stones, and casts out the darkness of that Mercury and other imperfect bodies when it is projected upon them, as Geber says in The Essence and Generation of the Sun.

For sulfur is radiant and shining in its most clear and pure substance; it illumines and irradiates not only in the day but also at night in the darkness—and likewise everything in which there is brilliance and illuminating magnitude shines with its light. And all these things are from its operation, since they are clothed with its garments.

Therefore, whoever seeks it, let him make peace between himself and his wife, so that they are not separated from each other but are inseparably mixed. And this will be done when you extract him partly from his own nature, and likewise his wife partly from her own nature. Once this is done, let them be killed—so that when they are killed (as will be more fully explained), they may be resurrected with a new, incorruptible resurrection, so that afterward they are immortal. For after their resurrection they will be clothed in glory and strong eternal strength, and then all who are of their secret will rejoice in great prosperity.

Side Notes: The spirit of sulfur

From them is created the greater world by nature—namely sulfur, magnesia, ceduae, quicksilver, and likewise the spirit of sulfur, and in like manner the hidden spirit of this science.

Side Notes: The nourishment from which the flow comes

Magnesia is earth, ceduae is air, and quicksilver is also water, and a flowing body.

Side Notes: The second water

The spirit also is the second water, by which all the above are nourished, every seed is vegetated, every light is kindled—therefore it produces all fruits.

Therefore, join the two natures, until you draw the natures unto yourself, and a most luminous and clearest thing is made, which shines and is illumined, after it has been brought into its great and most excellent perfection.

Yet to attain to such use and such great perfection, one does not arrive unless he first ascends the ladder of the wise, which is constituted of twelve degrees.

Side Notes: The effect of calcination

The first degree is calcination, which is the highest purification of our blessed and well-measured Stone, the restoration of heat, the conservation of innate moisture, and the inducement of dissolution.

Side Notes: Calcination through moisture

And everything calcined in its kind is fixed.

Side Notes: What the second water is, and its effect

And thus the sun and the moon are philosophically calcined with the first water, so that the bodies may be opened and become porous and subtle, so that the second water may more easily enter to perform its work—which is to exalt the earth into a marvelous salt, by its attractive virtue alone. This second water is a non-natural fire, by whose virtue the completion of this magistery is effected.

Side Notes: On various kinds of fire

And here, speaking of fires, Raymond says: It must be noted that there lie here operations contrary to one another—because just as fire contrary to nature dissolves the spirit of a fixed body into the water of a cloud, and constrains the body of a volatile spirit into frozen earth: so another fire, contrary to the first, freezes the dissolved spirit of a fixed body into a globular earth, and the fixed body of the volatile spirit it dissolves through fire—not into the water of a cloud, but into the water of the philosophers.

Because the fixed thing of nature is by fire turned volatile, and the spiritual body into spirit, and the moist becomes dry, and the heavy becomes light, and the moist spirit takes on the form of the cloud-water and its constrictive weight.

The unnatural fire is the fire of the bath (balneum), or it may be from dung, grape lees, horses, or another source occasioned by abundant industry.

But the elemental fire is that which is nourished by combustibles and sustains flame.

Once the secret properties of these fires are known, and the principles of our true medicine, the Magisterium is easily attained.

Therefore, if one asks from what our medicine is made, I say that it is extracted by art from those in which it potentially dwells by nature. And according to Avicenna: from those in which perfection or proximity to the prime matter is found, our medicine is drawn forth. But not from imperfect and foreign things, because the imperfect cannot perfect, nor can the impure purify.

And since it is fitting to extract natures from the root, Aristotle says: Let the artificers of alchemy know that the species of metals cannot be transmuted unless they are first reduced to the prime matter and form, which are the parts of primary essentiality, and in all bodies there is knowledge.

However, these are not altogether raw or crude things necessary absolutely for our work; rather, the center of the Philosopher's Stone is the neutrality of the extremes, because it is said that the seed of metals is contained in the matrix of the earth, whose extreme of one side, the lower, is metal, which is nevertheless created by nature in the bosom of the earth; and of the other side’s extreme, the upper, is the completed elixir, by which art through nature operates above the earth.

And there is no passage from one extreme to the other except through the middle, where neutrality must be sought, so that the body may be reduced to its center by art, which imitates nature as much as it can—though in some respects it is weaker, and in others it corrects nature.

Therefore, it must be known that the intention of our mutation is to begin where nature ends; for the origin of the work of nature of all things, man included, is watery within, and it extends divisibly to three degrees of extremity, namely to the height of perfect bodies, or the depth of the perfect, or to the breadth of their neutrality—that is, vivifying the dead and killing the living, whose vivification is deadly.

Hence the philosopher says: The whole is composed in three, around which the work of nature can be. First, to elicit, collect, purify natures, and proportionally join them in a watery species, and furthermore to freeze, which is utterly unknown to human memory.

But as for the artificial operation, which we strive to perform spiritually above contrary sense, still imitating nature—namely, killing the living, spiritually resurrecting the dead, and externally disposing toward the more-than-perfect.

Therefore, if the quantity of water is equal to the quantity of the sulfur itself, and gradually larger—namely enough to incorporate it—gold or silver is generated from them according to the quantity of its digestion.

Side Notes: Whence our compound comes

It must be known that we will not receive that which is of itself—namely of all of it; and after we know from where all of it is generated, it is necessary that it be nourished from those same.

Side Notes: What kind of nourishment

And our Mercury is not the Mercury of the common people, but is a Mercury mortifying Mercury by its odor.

Side Notes: The second water

And according to Albertus: Our Mercury is made from perfect bodies and not imperfect ones, that is, with the second water, after it has been properly calcined by the first water. And then it becomes the alkaline water, which coagulated is living silver, which is because they are our “clawed ashes” and our burnt soda.

The second step of the Scale of the Wise is Solution.

This is the revelation of the hidden, the attenuation of grossness, and the reduction of a hard, dry earth into a certain liquid substance. Hence the philosopher says: Do nothing until everything becomes water. And that water is the Mercury of the philosophers, which we must use and no other; yet it is not made until the sum of the volatile exceeds the sum of the fixed.

Side Notes: Water from opposites

This water, according to Hermes, the father of the philosophers, is called unique and magnesia from opposites, containing within itself the spirit, the soul, and the body of the ash; its name is unequal because nothing is like it, and it is fit to reveal hidden nature. Its secret is not found in others; according to the philosophers, it is called the heavenly water, and opposites are united in this water.

Side Notes: Contrariety in our water

Therefore, convert thing into thing, and you will have the mastery. And in this solution, the earth will be troubled, mountains will be transferred into the heart of the sea, and then the form is destroyed; but once one is destroyed, immediately another is introduced.

For every quality, coming to another quality, makes it such as it was not before, because it is not to give a natural quality but to remain under some form containing qualities either in act or in potential.

Wherefore Avicenna says: The later quality draws the entity from the quality which is prior to it.

But the solution of the stone is its reduction into mineral water, from which it was composed, operated on by nature, which stone does not bear fruit until it comes to nothing, like running water. Therefore, by dissolving this reduction, it is fitting that it becomes lighter and more suitable to neutrality, and afterward to be reduced to its primary watery nature or otherwise to some other subtlety ultimately. And what can be done with fewer things, is done in vain with more.

Side Notes: Possible from one Mercury

Wherefore the Philosopher says: If you can perfect it from Mercury alone, you will be the most diligent seeker of the precious work. And know that it is not foreign to that in which it converts itself, through natural mastery, just as it is evident through frozen ice, which when it dissolves turns into water—thus it is clear there was water before. Therefore, it is said: Unless everything is turned into water, it will by no means come to perfection. Hence Hermes says: Nature is not improved except in its own nature, whose nature is improved by the skill of art, and art in nature does not correct what nature cannot. Thus, art must assist nature in what nature has neglected. For what nature can perfect only in thousands of years, we through the skill of art, in less than a year, can perfect beyond perfection. Thus nature is helped by genius, and genius by art.

Aristotle says: If I did not see gold and silver, I would certainly say that alchemy is not true; but unless I saw the perfection of the work of nature speculatively, I would not reckon alchemy as true.

Side Notes: The method of our solution

It is to be known that there are many methods of solutions, yet of all those, only one solution is necessary for us, which alone must be made, as I said, from itself with itself, raw, clear, without violence.

Side Notes: Philosophical solution — dew-like, voluntary, clear, black

Hence the Philosopher says: Better is the raw solution than the cooked; the dewy than the dry; the voluntary than the violent; the tempered than the hurried; the glowing than the foul; the clear than the thick; the black than the red.

Therefore, in every solution, care must be taken to avoid the vitrification of the matter together with the odors and tastes of imperfect bodies, and also so that the force of that generative form is not suffocated by corrosive burning in any way. Assist the solution by the Moon, and the coagulation by the Sun.

The digestion of this solution is very necessary for us.

And our digestion is said to be the rarefaction of the humor, destructive maturation, relaxation of the joined parts, excitation of the disposition, and habilitation of separation, which may be done in various ways, as will be explained later.

But as Avicenna says, To dissolve the body and to freeze the spirit is our work, primarily, because the body is not dissolved unless the spirit is frozen. Nor is the spirit frozen unless with the solution of the body. For if both are joined simultaneously, each acts upon the other, as water acts on the earth mixed with it, thus refining it very much.

For the earth is not refined unless watered, nor is the water thickened unless the earth is refined. Thus, between the freezing of the spirit and the solution of the body, there is no difference in time nor in work, since each acts upon the other in its own way. The action and passion do not result as contrary to each other in species and similars, but in genus and nature, and one exceeding the other destroys or alters the rest according to the body mixed with humidity. The slow fire applied for a long time dissolves it because the humidity is converted over it and dissolves it; and the body encloses, retains, and thickens the humidity by its cold and dry quality, burning the humidity dry, and yet the humidity cannot exit the body unless it imbibes itself with fire.

For by the due working heat, the putrefying humidity turns into dryness. Therefore, when you dissolve the body, you freeze the humidity, and this with delay, which is chiefly because of the four opposing elements, so that peace may be made between them.

The Third Step of the Scale of the Wise

The four repugnant elements previously distinguished among themselves are thereafter separated by rectifying distillation in this third step of the scale of the wise. Therefore, this step is called our Separation. This is the separation of the watery vapor from the dark, liquid from the dregs; that is, purification, rarefaction, smoothing, extraction of coarse parts, division of connectors, production of principles, segregation of homogeneity.

Side Notes: Bathing. Stuffa or Stussa

Hence the Psalm: He brought forth water from the rock and oil from the hardest stone, for it must be done in proper baths and afterwards in dry stuffas, according to the reasoned demand. From these, at first in the baths, their phlegm is separated and removed. Then these four principles are separated according to the signs required from the beginning, and especially the Moon, the prior male rather than female, so that you reserve their mother in the bottom, in the first distillation, namely the sapphire citrine; later the orpiment both from moisture and by itself, so often rectified and separated in the dry stuffa until nothing rises with the southern redness, and the orpiment remains bright and white, which is perfected at the third or fourth time, whose signs of perfection are greenness, whiteness, purity, without dregs except perhaps white ones. Whose greenness is created from the abundance of the cold soul.

For Habakkuk says: Fire is black earth left at the bottom of the vessel, which while black corrupts. Therefore, it is to be calcined until it becomes white-hot and its own oil completely departs, so that it is deprived of all fatness, lest it hinder the work of drinking, so that it becomes dry-fire, which before was cold-wet like earth.

Side Notes: The two natures of our earth and water

Hence the Elder says: Our earth is taken from two natures, similarly water from two bodies, so that the subtle is separated from the gross. For ignorance extracts many from one and does not know how to extract one from many, then it will accomplish the union of desire. Therefore, this is made the soul of that which enters with life and spirit through the attraction of its air, from the reiteration of distillation, whose reiteration upon it becomes fiery, according to a stronger heat than fire. This is indeed the preparation which many ignore, for the philosophers have concealed the preparation of the stone, which is the key of the art and of the most difficult things.

Prepare therefore by preparing, purging, separating, rectifying, acquiring mastery. Divide therefore the stone into two principal parts, namely into the upper part, ascending above, spiritual and aerial, and the lower part, the earthly part. And yet these two parts are of one nature, whose division is necessary for performing the miracles of the one thing, that is, the generation of the philosopher’s stone. For the lower part is the earthly nurse and ferment, fixing the whole stone; and the upper part is the soul, vivifying the whole stone. To make this division in the philosophical furnace specified below requires due and nourishing heat, and continuous heat, namely for ten or fifteen days, and the longer the better the digestion of the water is perfected, from which our being is born.

And every es is sulfur, but not every sulfur is es.
Because the sulfur of nature is contained within sulfurs.
And all gold is es, but not all es is gold, just as every man is an animal, but not every animal is a man.
For from genus to species, as Plato says, the conclusion is not good.

This, then, our water is the key of the art, and the head of the work, and the spirit, and the soul, and the body compose our es.
And they are also called uterine brothers, because they proceed from the same womb.

And when you have water from air, and air from fire, and fire from earth, then a perfect separation is made.

Side Notes: Fourth Explanation of the Philosopher

For you have fire from earth, in rarefaction, calcination, and liquefaction; and you have earth from fire in congelation and inspissation.
When you have tempered these—that is, equally combined—in your philosophical vessel, place natural fire therein, whose heat will warm all things and tend toward the center of the fire.
When these, extended into the heavens and resting upon the summits of our mountains for a brief time, the air thus formed is generation, converting all things into their nature; whose light things succumb to heavy things, and the light things which had previously conquered with them and in them, in that heavenly dew descend into the earth to multiply infinitely.


Wherefore Philosopher Cæsarius says:

The first vein of the spring drips near the mountain's summit.
It moves the earth’s foundation, dissolves, and adds a second.
The third gleams bright, but with the moon’s harshness it quiets.
The fourth is born beneath the unclean, frosty wave,
The fiery fifth is born within you in general.
The sixth is found in veins of marble waters.
The seventh is found soaking the threefold sands,
The eighth force knows not how to give sweetness.
The ninth fills the yellowish veins with soil.
The black tenth earth composes the sand.
The heavy weight of the stone grows in the eleventh wave of sand,
The twelfth shines in veins of cracks, serene.
Therefore it veils the veins and twice distills the sands.
The venom of the spring comes from the mountain’s peak.

The Fourth Step of the Scale of Our Wisdom is called Conjunction.

Therefore, after the four distinct substances have been separated and rectified as previously explained, we join and connect these same four. This is called our conjunction: the blending of qualities, the union of what embraces, the reunion of what was scattered, the equalizing of principles, the arrangement of opposites.

The Rosarius says:
“Arrange the aerial substance by discernment, so that the earth be composed of two natures, and the water, as stated, of two bodies. For thus the subtle is separated from the gross, the rare from the dense, that is, as we have said, this must be done gently and with great skill—that is, with the due and nourishing heat. Our work does not need water except when it is bright; nor oil except when it is white and clear with a yellowish tinge; nor earth except when it is pale and nearly white. For then the earth is able to bind, the water to dissolve, and the air to color abundantly.”

And there are two earths and two waters in our work.
The first earth is that which remains at the bottom after the first distillation; it is properly pale, upon which our rectification is made, after separating the oil from this earth as hinted above, and similarly from the water. Then the oil is distilled by itself, and what remains at the bottom is called fire, which is sometimes also called the second earth. Aristotle speaks of these two earths, namely earth and fire, which together form the white calx; and of two waters, namely water and oil. Sometimes one name is taken for the other, so that unworthy inquisitors stray from the path of truth.

Aristotle again says:
“Add to it two operative virtues, namely water and oil; by rectifying water and air, earth and fire will also be rectified.”
I added this because in the previous chapter on separation I spoke less. Also, for those who tend to skim books so as not to find everything neatly placed in one chapter as required, I say regarding conjunction that there are three modes of joining:
— Dyptative, that is, between agent and patient, rare and dense, male and female, sulfur and mercury, matter and form.

Hence the philosopher says:
“In matter and form alone lies the generation of nature.”
Elsewhere he says:
“It suffices for the operator of this art to reduce the matter to simple purity of rarity and density, though not individually in the elements.”

Therefore, join Sabri with Beya so that they produce something like themselves, whose seed will multiply like stars. Thus it is clear that dyptative conjunction is sufficient in the work of the Master.

The Tripartite Conjunction, that is, the union of the Trinity, is made from body, spirit, and soul.
For according to the philosophers, just as the soul is the bond of the spirit, so the body is the bond of the soul, because the spirit penetrates, the body fixes, and the soul unites.
Thus, this Trinity in essence is unity, because they are eternally together and equal.

The Tetrapartite Conjunction is called the correction of the principles, so that one is perfected in the other.
Therefore, for the most praiseworthy conjunction, it is necessary that, just as in our work there are four elements, they be combined in a liquid composition that is fresh, warm, and duly proportioned.

Side Notes: Wonderful Comparison.

Since equality does not arise from three or four opposing forces in nature, but rather from those that overcome each other, just as a woman has fifteen veins and a man five, so the Sun in conjunction will first have three parts of its water, and its wife (the Moon) nine parts.
The male, having ascended over her, will hold her tail with his beak; and having placed this in the philosopher’s vessel, set in the philosopher’s furnace, and carefully sealed, it must stand resting on the aforementioned humor.

Side Notes: The seed is imposed.

And it must be known that the seed is never imposed except simultaneously into the matrix, and the matrix is enclosed until it produces into the light.

Side Notes: Eclipse of five months.

And when it remains in eclipse, that is, for five months, with darkness receding and clear light coming over, the heat is increased moderately; and so during the days of abstinence until the rising of the shining Sun, it is nourished with triple heat continually, because then it does not fear the punishments of the contending fire.

Side Notes: Causes of retention.

And thus the body is the cause of retaining the water, and the water is the cause of preserving the oil from combustion, and the oil is the cause of retaining the tincture of igniting heat, which is the cause of the appearance of color.
Thus, the dense substance will try to retain the subtle, and the soul will strive to contend with the fire and endure it, and the spirit will try to submerge and sink into the bodies.

And then the similar rejoices in its similar, because of the strong desire of material adhesion, especially of the sulphurous form.

Wherefore the philosopher Vometras says:
Two sulphurs dwell in the body, like fire in wood and stones, which by the most subtle art must be extracted without combustion.
For whoever does not distinguish the two sulphurs, knows nothing of sulphur; yet with one odor, the work begins and ends.

However, the mode of composition is double: one moist, the other dry, and by decoction they become one.
Therefore, neither should abandon the other, because the moist easily makes and leaves an impression.
And when moist and dry are tempered together, one obtains from the moist an easy impression, and the moist obtains from the dry a firm retention of all impression, sustaining the fire.
Hence, by reason of the moistness, from its fluidity comes perfection.

Therefore, do not dip until the Sun and Moon, and Spirit, and Soul are joined into one body, that is, transformed conjointly into earth.

An example of this is the potter’s work, whose firmness consists in two things: dry and moist; dry so that it may transform the moist, moist so that it may dissolve the dry; and thus, with spirit mixed with body, a temperate mixture is formed, neither so rare that it is spirit, nor so dense that it is body.
For dissolving and conjoining are the principal beginnings and poles of this art and work.
He who does not dissolve and coagulate multiplies errors.

The fifth stage of our scale is called Putrefaction.

Which is celebrated over forty-six nights in the shadow of purgatory.
And putrefaction is necessary because it is the corruption and the enabler of regeneration.

Wherefore Aristotle says: "From the dew of the heavens fertility grows and in fertility it germinates in the earth."
Therefore, at the beginning of birth, as we said, it is necessary to prepare the elements properly and supremely, and to mix them over a gentle fire, taking care of the fire’s intention, until the elements join and attain one another, and embrace in such a union that they gradually consent, and finally are dried by the gentle fire, and their conception is made, whose heat will last up to the sixteenth day before it is covered by blackness.

Side Notes: Drying in gentle fire.

This whole process must be continued with the decoction of humidity, but when the fire is kindled, Mercury will ascend above because of its spiritual nature to the ascending air.

Side Notes: Mode of congelation (freezing).

Therefore, one must gently govern the powers until its moisture is dried by fire.
For the heat of dissolution firmly freezes it, then gradually strengthens the fire so that it may bear being dried.

Wherefore Morienes says: "Know that nothing born or growing nor anything animated is possible except after putrefaction, because if it were not putrid, the stone of the foundation could not be, nor dissolved."
And this is because, through corruption, the composed body dies and through regeneration the simple spiritual one arises.

Wherefore the Savior says: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it alone remains. But if it dies, it produces much fruit."
And unless moisture were joined with heat continuously, the seed would not remain, nor would the fetus be generated.


Therefore, four degrees of heat must be noted:

The first is slow and lukewarm, like that of the flesh or embryo.

The second is moderate and tempered, like the sun in June.

The third is great and strong, like the fire of calcination.

The fourth is boiling and vehement, like fusion.

Each of these will double the other.

Side Notes: First Dispensation.

Hermes says:
“Take the stones of mixture at the beginning of the fresh work, and mix them equally in the earth, and let them be betrothed and piled one upon another for forty-six nights until conception occurs in the bottom of the vessel. This conception happens in putrefaction through the force of heat until they are corrupted, die, blacken, so that the liquid pitch, with due heat acting upon it, rots and turns the moisture into dryness. The continuous and evenly tempered fire completes the whole operation at leisure. But if the heat becomes too strong, the moisture is consumed too much, and the earth falls into corrupt and red powder. It is therefore evident that in moist heat there is the putrefaction of the moist.”

Side Notes: Moist heat.

Johninus says:
“The earth is the mother of the elements, and all proceed from it and return to it, and in it all mixed things rest and are ended. Therefore, the body must be fixed and calcined because it must fix the fugitive. Corruption indeed is the putrefaction of things, by the retention of vapor and the action of tempered heat. Hence, the heat connecting with moisture first produces blackness; therefore the sun is darkened at its rising.”

Side Notes: What happens in the nigredo?

And this blackening is the beginning of the work, the certain sign of putrefaction, and the beginning of mixture and the sign of the dissolution of the body, and the reception of each into the other, in which indeed the blackness and the variable shadow of purgatory remain for about five months and must be distinctly governed by tempered heat, in the springtime toward the north wind, like a child in its mother before animation, and it is the middle of the first work.

And as it is in the story of Noah:
“The waters obtained the earth and their dominion for 156 days,”
in whose blackness the concealment before the true whiteness all the colors of the world will successively be manifested according to the demand of nature, because the barbarous letters are described in the chamber of the wise, and the middle colors are named.

Wherefore the wise man says:
“Among the successes of wisdom, in 156 days the one is brought forth in the end, and 36 are fulfilled.”

And thus it is certain about those who go from this world to purgatory, before they are fully examined in the elements, to pass into the earthly paradise where is life with glory, which is the first whitening (dealbatio), whose blackness (nigredo) does not open the door to the fugitive, because it is formal air, dissolved by the action of sulphurous heat and extracted by another body. There you will receive life from its moisture, just as man proceeds from air and earth, just as magnesia (magnet) proceeds from iron.

Therefore, by right, water receives water as its proper nature, whose force is spiritual blood without which nothing is made. It is converted into body and the body is turned into the spirit itself. For where corruption happens, there life is made, and regeneration, because where death arose, there life shall rise again, and death shall no longer dominate it beyond.

Side Notes: Order of dissolution. One after another. Only one water.

The departure of the soul from the body, with the spirit extracting it, is when the body has been altered and gradually dissolved, little by little, one thing after another, one after another.

Side Notes: One after another.

For it does not leave and then enter again in one turn, since the parts are from one spirit besides whom there is no other. The soul is from it but diversifies from that spirit which is its root, from what it has acquired for itself from fiery heat and by rectification it has become warm and moist, in the nature of blood and air which before was hot, dry, and fiery.

Side Notes: Only one water.

And likewise when it is warm and moist, understand here the mode with conversions from cold moist to warm moist. Similarly when they say water and waters, understand by this one water which is spirit, from which waters will be born; understand this to be true. The mode is in those souls and spirits, since male and female, and every part entering upon them, namely body and spirit and soul, for which reason they said bodies, souls, and spirits, which is true and clear and not obscure; and because of the multiplicity of conversions and states from alterations, death and life, generation, baths, couches, and nourishment, it is called wisdom and the seed of the world.

Because the stone is different from all stones of this world in its nature and perfection and its reception, nourishment and growth, and its separations, to which no natural preparations are similar, because it is from the seed of the world, having much blessing. And if it were, as some foolishly think, from its stones and roots, it would not be called wisdom, since neither mortification nor vivification is in them, nor betrothal nor conception, nor generation of offspring, nor nourishment; since these are our preparations known from animals and our stones, which we have seen and stood upon, from the vanities and preparations of theirs in birds.

It is said in the explanation of the statute of Joseph, chapter ten:
“There are two birds joined below, whose tail the male upon the female having ascended holds her with his beak, which is the principle of light and the constellation of whitening at the rising of the moon most clearly.” Likewise is completed the saying of the Psalmist:
“The rivers have gone dry, etc.”

The sixth stage is called Congelation, whitening and naturally fixing.

It is a soft hardening, a hiding of the moisture, a fixation of the spirit, a gathering of divers things, a renewal of homogeneity or sameness, and the adaptation of fugitives from fire to fire, so that the tincture of one and the external nature may be preserved in another.

And know that the mortification of the coarse earthly (body) in the moisture generates blackness (nigredo), and the contraction of cold moisture into dryness generates whiteness (albedo).

For dryness proceeds by whitening, just as moisture by blackening through intermediate heat; because without nutritive heat the world cannot move. Red (rubeus), however, is more black than white with fire but without heat; saffron-yellow (croceus) from little black and much white with airy moisture.

Lemon-yellow (citrinus) is whiter than black with a great abundance of airy water dried rather than by fire, which comes neither from black directly to lemon-yellow nor to red unless it first was white; for there is no passage from the first to the third except through the second.

And know that elements are not united except in the white color. And since white is half-cooked, it does not require great heat, but red (rubeus), through strong fire, is turned wholly into fire as if fully digested, so that it fears no fire.

Therefore, be warned that the intimate substance is sometimes kept from conjunction to whiteness lest it cool or be moved in any way because of imminent danger. For if you observe our precepts about the perfect mixture of the elements, you will prosper, and know that our water is oil and our earth is dry fire, because neither air without water nor fire without earth can be well handled.

And know that nigredo is the color of death and eradication of moisture, whiteness (albedo) is regeneration and the semi-cooking of dryness.

Side Notes: Infinite colors.

Redness (rubedo) is also incorruptibility and complete digestion; and when you see the matter eclipsed for 156 days with other infinite successive transitional colors, then know the solution of the body and its exhaustion and the approach of the union of natures, and what is hidden in the womb of that blackness.

Hence the philosopher says: Our stone is the starry sun, like the blooming flowers of spring, from which all color proceeds by alteration. This wonderful alteration is not only manual work but also a change of natures, namely hot with moist, cold with dry, as is evident in the procreation of infants and the generation of regeneration, after whose deadly putrefaction much fruit is borne because the indivisible multiplies the form of its species.

And sperm is not generated in the matrix nor blood in man unless it is first carefully cooked in the liver until it has an intense redness.

Side Notes: Difference of digestion. Where one is born.

For only the heat of the liver reddens the chyle, and so the heat of fire reddens our white sulphur. For the first digestion is of the stomach, where dryness flourishes, which whitens all things.

Side Notes: Where one is born.

The second, indeed, is the liver, in which heat flourishes, reddening all things that are created by the conjunction of digestion. And know that the child of wisdom is born in the air, for this reason our water vivifies the earth of those things, and it is the soul which is in their body, namely when it is reduced near the end of the first work.

And know that the air extended between heaven and earth, through which the life of each thing consists, runs over all the four natures manifestly in it, and secretly, which are the four elements in a state of rectitude and improvement, and the fire of the stone; and in that air is their air, and not air.

Likewise, the fire we showed you is water, and our fire is fire and not fire; and by the attraction of air the spirit thrives, and by it is its life. But air is from water, and it is not water, nor is it separated from it, because life of each thing consists from both.

Side Notes: Fire is water.

Also, our middle stone, which is the soul, and the oil of the stone from which the discourse of virtues and tinctures proceeded, is neither entered nor gone out by fire, but water extracts it or opens it by the operation of nature because it is of a quicker egress with water, which is from the genus of water and of the genus of spirit, which is water.

As Hermes says: The secret and life of each thing is water because it has its principle from the emanation of water, which comes forth before the birth from the woman and is called the white (albineum).

Side Notes: Signs of readiness.

And this is the chief cause why the philosophers commanded patience in the dominion of the subtle quietness of the crude black earth because of the repugnance of opposing qualities.

Side Notes: Natural preparation.

Also know that this preparation of conversion, from thing to thing, from state to state, is effected as the seed of man alone is converted in the womb by natural preparation from thing to thing, until the perfect man is formed from which was its root and principle. Therefore it is not changed by this, nor does it leave its root dividedly from thing to thing, by the ingress of another thing upon it — the menstrual blood from which the seed was, that is, from blood similar to it, from which was its nourishment — and likewise all without the ingress of another thing upon it by external conserving and nourishing heat which enters upon it and is converted from state to state, and is divided from thing to thing, and becomes a snow-white chick, just as that from which it had its root and principle.

And likewise the seeds of all growing earth rot and are changed by the ingress of corruption upon them, then germinate and increase as those from which they had their root.

And because of this, minerals are not nourished so that they depart from their root, but the body returns to that from which it was, nor is it converted to another as to conception and extraction of the spirit, which is the egress of the woman’s blood that is called menstruum, with which the fetus, as long as it is in the womb, must only be nourished, because during the putrefaction of this fetus nothing of it will appear.

For the sun then goes to the northern part, and the water which proceeds from the woman is rightly called menstrum, because with it and in it the menstrual blood not yet well digested by the body proceeds, and it is that pure essence which first enlightened it, which it received from the sun, which is its life after its death, which also begins to depart from it in the first solution, whose color is green, because of the abundance of coldness of the soul, and thus menstrum is called the water with which the composition will be administered during the first three months.

Side Notes: What menstruum is.

But when the fetus begins to be vivified, it gradually attracts into its body this menstrum until it is drawn from the belly, and this through the course to the navel and thus is brought forth into the light. For menstrum is blood not well digested, converted into milk, which is called the crown. Whence it is evident that it is twice-cooked blood.

And know that our fiery water is sharp menstrual water, then the four parts of lime first dissolved, whose four natures, frozen and applied, by sudden putrefaction blacken all that is second water, of which the Rosarius speaks, saying: Our water is divided into two parts, of which one part freezes the body, namely with its seven imbibitions and congelations, the other part putrefies and liquefies like the aforesaid fiery water, sharpened and vomited forth.

Whence for the first, second, and third imbibition there must be added in turn to 4.2 parts of fresh water, 12 parts fresh earth, and fresh water, and always and at every time, namely 45 b 2, but seven times added 52, which with others twice 2 of sharpened water after congelation to be added make 3 acts with which, as before, it is wholly blackened, and further by decoction alone directed to perfection without addition, according to the Rosarium, whose process is completed sublimely and is said to be completed.

Whence [the saying]: To dissolve the body and to freeze the spirit is the first work of nature, as has been said, and note well: I wrote to find out by depicting more than by writing.

The seventh grade is called Cibatio.

Which is the thickening of subtlety, the subtilization of thickness, the increase of whiteness and redness, the augmentation of goodness and quantity, and the full unveiling of the variety of colors.

Side Notes: The soul is gold.

Whence the philosopher says: This is in the body, but their earth is white, in which their gold is sown, and their soul is gold. And that body is the place of knowledge; you gather it and it is the dwelling of tinctures. Hence that beard is likened to it, that is, the house of their knowledge, that is, the congregation of the philosophers. This is the body in which the blessed water has frozen, although a white beard is placed for the cucurbit (the vessel), by which the whole of our work is understood.

Two make one thing, namely the second, the third, and the fourth, that is, as regards this nourishment it is said.

Unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of life.

Wherefore Hercules says: “Refundite” (dissolve), that is, dissolve the body of magnesia, which is whitened and made like the leaves of the rose. For it is that which flees into the best, and the gold extracted from it is called the philosopher’s gold, and it is the tincture which is the soul; for when the water ascends, the spirit rises to the higher air. And this white body, when whitened gold has been, after its blackening, they named it our gold.

Whence the elder (Senior) says: Mix gold with gold, that is, water with ash.

And Hermes: Sow gold in leafy earth, therefore the philosophers say that our gold is not the gold of the common people. Hence indeed there are two orders of actions, namely whitening and reddening.

Side Notes: What sort of food.

Whence, in the exposition of Joseph’s statue, the earth of pearls and leaves is fed with two middle waters in a conductive and reserved way, reciprocally by transient responsories blackening, and by multiplying the primary, with which the white rose is completed in the summer time in the east, and the rising sun in the waxing moon according to the elder.

For of these two earths, that is humors, which are reduced over material dregs, of the moon and the sun, that is, over white earth, they are carried up to its highest ray, but simply to be perfected.

Side Notes: The first albedo.

For when the second [dimension] has entered, it is snatched from purgatory into paradise, which is called the first albedo of the said following work, and the second earth of leaves. Yet this second is from the first natural work. It is now sufficient to have spoken of the first and second dimension of our Tyrian, and of its three qualities and natures. Now remains to speak of the third dimension and the fourth quality of ours and color, which will be made red by the middle (medial) third ray in the clear time of autumn at midday; and this red is called the first rubedo of the second sun’s work, which however is the newest of the first natural work. And it is joined integrally with the trinities of the said water, preserved in the blessed phial, and by the third earth of the sun again properly appended, the second work is completed most reddily, namely the blessed Tyrian by spiritual dimension, like cinnabar.

For the second, third, and fourth become one by converting the square into the circle.

Hence Alphidius: By dry fire and dry calcination with its dry humor and dry decoction until it becomes cinnabar.

And both works agree, except that the white work is the work of winter, and the red work the work of summer, because the red work needs greater ignition threefold and sour feeding sevenfold.

And know that the soul is the bond of the spirit, just as the body is the bond of the soul. For the spirit penetrates the body and fixes, the soul couples in which is the sum of blackness and death, which, unless taken away, will not be perpetual. Therefore extract its soul, the blackness, from the water, expel death from the body by frequent irrigation, but as much as you dissolve in moisture, so much you will lack by drying. Wherefore it is said: boil and boil again, and do not tire to repeat this many times, namely blackening, whitening, and finally reddening.

Side Notes: Constant exhortation.

When you are in the work, let there be assiduity and endure with suitable expectation, whose end is convenience and joy; also absent be laziness and negligence and diabolical haste, whose end is damage and sadness.

The eighth degree is called Sublimation.

Side Notes: Misty mastery

This is not an ascent into the alembic, but a notation of the misty matter, or its removal in water.

For the modes of our sublimation and exaltation differ not in essence, except that by this sole sublimation the stone is enabled and perfectly united with its ferment.

Also then it is a simple medicine, but neither perfect nor most perfect, until by exaltation the medicine is ennobled and raised up, as will be shown below.

And know that we perform sublimation for four causes:

First, that the body may become spirit from the subtle matter.
Second, that Mercury may incorporate itself with the body and become one with it.

Side Notes: What medicine is.

Third, that the whole may become white, then red, and clean, and the saltiness of sulfur be diminished; and chiefly that the innate humidity of the stone, which the lime first lost, be restored, and be enabled to a swift liquefaction by motion, because the medicine ought to be a simple powder of the most subtle and purest substance, adhering to living silver by its own nature, and easily liquefied, secretly subtilized, and very finely entering into the water; and above, the fixed fire before the flight of Mercury, so that whatever is added to it shall be of the same complexion with it, with that to which it is added: thus if water is added, it will dissolve entirely in water; but if fire, it will be wholly fire.*

Side Notes: Fixing, resolving, intertwining.

And when you have fixed the elixir, reduce on it the apparatus of spirit, so that they may mingle and liquefy by the secret of nature in the philosopher’s vessel. For when they have stood for a while, their force will be stronger, converting the whole into a spirit similar to itself; and since it cannot stand by its own bond, join it so that it generates something similar to itself; do not join it to anything else, so that it turns into itself except with that of which it was in the beginning. And the reason is because sulfur is contained in sulfurs, and humidity likewise in humidity. For the spirit converting sulfur into a spirit similar to itself has become both fleeing, and the aerial spirit likewise in air; ascending, they love each other, as Hermes says: “The wind carried it in its belly.” Because the generation of our offspring takes place in air, and the sapient birth is in air. It ascends from earth to heaven and again descends to earth, seeking the higher and lower power.

Hence Arnoldus: “It is necessary for our son to be exalted from the earth to the air on the cross; for thus he must suffer, and so enter into his glory.”

The ninth degree is called Refermentation.

Which is twofold, namely white and red.
Whose ferment of the sun is the sun, and the light of the moon is the moon.

Now fermentation is the incorporation of the animating principle, the restoration of flavor, the inspiration of odor, the replenishment of beings.
And just as substantial bodies fixed above the fire cannot manifest their qualities, nor live of themselves, nor be raised up unless first purified and quickened by spirituality, so neither can spiritual accidents show their virtues permanently unless they first unite and are perpetuated with the fixed bodies of the body. Then the body embraces the spirit, strengthening it to contend against fire. And the spirit teaches the body, actively penetrating the gross, subtilizing the dense, healing, improving the imperfect, and perfecting, finally curing all general infirmities of bodies.

Avicenna also says: that the body and ferment which you mix there must be a simple and subtle powder, not however completely mixing in their appearance until each is dissolved in water, because in that state only a minimal commixture occurs, since it is easier to separate wine from earth than from water. But when water is mixed with water, it receives water as its proper nature, which never separates from one another, because nature delights in nature, and nature desires nature, fixes, conceives, embraces, nourishes, renews, directs, strengthens, whitens, and reddens.

The ferment must be prepared according to Avicenna, and must be washed, calcined, and dissolved, so that it can be joined with the subtle work or body, namely white with white, red with red. The ferment does not change the powder of the stone into any form other than its own, but rather gives to itself flavor and odor, with the power of transmuting other bodies into its own nature.

Side Notes: The effect of the ferment.

For when nature is reversed, each thing becomes one with each of the others, embracing their essence at first, so that as it forms, it is always adapted to receive every form, always fit for solution. Therefore, they place solution and give it a definition. Thus, the ferment is the fourth part of our air.

Side Notes: The ferment of the ferment.

And know that in every tincture, more is tinged in the liquid substance than in the dry, as is evident in saffron when placed in liquid. Hence, the ferment restores to itself, appropriately, its nature, color, and flavor in every way — that is, from potency to act. For the confection of the whitening multiplies, strengthens spirituality, annihilates combustion, contains the tincture so it does not flee, lightens bodies, and makes them mutually able to enter and join — which is the end of the work, without which the elixir is not completed; just as dough without ferment does not ferment, this is called the ferment of the ferment, and the coagulation of the coagulum.

And know that all dissolution happens according to suitability; for all that dissolves the moon also dissolves the sun, because it is the hottest body and cannot be penetrated except by the most subtle spirit, which is also called air. And these are all called the second spirit, whence is the homogeneity between two bodies, like between God and man, because it receives the second spirit according to the termination of the superior spirit.

Side Notes: There are two spirits.

And here is the spirit that unites two humors. And spirit is their ferment, therefore it is clear that pure silver does not coagulate white fire, and does not combine with pure silver, requiring nothing for whiteness. And so with pure gold for redness, because it profits neither itself nor others nor the world. Yet the operation of both is one and the same, except that the white work is the work of winter, as I said, and the red work is the work of summer: hence in the time of summer and the flood of the waves of waters, the third mastery is corrupted.

The sun does not color, as I said, unless it is tinged, nor does it fully color to completion unless it is more fully dissolved. And it is fully dissolved in the fourth degree by sublimation being fixed. And so it is clear that without ferment, neither sun nor moon will emerge.

According to Plato, unless it is in that which corrects it, what you seek will not come to pass. Therefore, we command to join the stone with its body, so that it generates a like to itself — that is, with pure silver or gold, which are the ferments of our final elixir.

And know that the ash is the ferment of gold, and gold is the water of them, and their water is the ferment of the body, and their bodies are their earth. And the ferment of this divine water is the ash, which is the ferment of the ferment. Therefore, mix gold with gold — that is, water with ash.

Side Notes: The effect of the ferment.

Also, join the spirit with its whitened earth and lime, which is its ferment; grind and prepare the whole with its water until it is fermented and becomes like fermented dough.

For the ferment of dough is nothing else than the leaven of its nature. And likewise, the ferment of the powder is nothing else but gold and silver, without which the complete elixir cannot be perfected, because it completes the tinctures and spirits. Whence the philosopher: “Honor now your noble king with a tetradic diadem from the fire.”

The Tenth Grade is called Exaltation.

Which is the ingenious nobility (nobilitatio) of our whitened magnesia, chiefly through the augmentation of the spirit of the earth, sublimation, the note of liquefaction, the rectification of elements by exaltation, and from them, the life-giving constitution of the fifth essence.

Hence Aristotle:
“When you have water from air, air from fire, and fire from earth, etc.”
This stone in the elements is called the final operation, not by manual work. First, it loses the water which it had from the air after its resolution into the air itself, for air and water are contiguous elements and mediums where lighter things are mixed, and better by the operation of fire.
When the cold conquers the heat in the air, it turns into water. But when heat conquers the cold in the water, it turns into air. And air, having fire within it, by its dissolution, putrefaction, and much convection over it until well washed by sublimation, becomes white.

As Marthos says:
“When it drinks its burning water, it is blackened, and it remains, as I said, in the shadow of purgatory with nights.”

Then the albumen stands for the watery part, afterward there is the upper membrane for the warm subsolar air, reconciling opposites, namely between the water and the fiery yolk, so that they do not destroy each other by opposing. Yet all are one, but the lower and colder air overcomes the earth, that is, the denser water and the higher air.

Therefore, the higher air, of the higher things, is warmer, rarer, and more subtle than the lower air.

And thus in one are contained five, namely one quaternity, that is earth, water, air, and fire, and the red point of the sun in the middle. And this chick is the bird of Hermes.

Wherefore, of all philosophers by all our ancient predecessors, our stone is called so, especially because of its whiteness and dryness, and the manifest watery nature surrounding it, and the intense redness of the same, occultly involved.

For Aristotle says that the transition between extremes is not made more rightly except through the middle. Therefore, heat is not turned into cold except through moisture, which is their middle, nor water turned into fire unless first turned into air, nor earth into air unless first turned into water. For fire and water are contrary elements, or extremes, and air and earth are their means, because as water is next to the lower air, so air is next to the higher fire. Therefore, water opposes fire, as earth opposes air, because water and air agree in moisture, fire and earth in dryness.

Side Notes: On the rotation of the elements.

Earth is immediately changed into fire, just as water into air, but fire and water, air and earth, are not rotated unless earth first turns into water, and air into fire. Fire, however, in its altitude, according to Roger Bacon, is naturally hot and dry in the fourth [state]. If you want to turn it into water, reduce the body to temperament so that it becomes susceptible, reduce it into lime, now into fire, and add water which is cold and moist, yet the temperament is neither hot nor cold. Thus water mixed with fire makes a temperament neither moist nor dry.

In the same way, by mediating qualities reducing and increasing, earth and air are brought to temperament, dry spirit mixed with body, as I said before: a temperament is made, not so rare as spirit nor so dense as body.

Moreover, when you are at work, study all the signs of nature which appear in every digestion, remember them in your mind and investigate their causes. For through this the knowledge of this regulation will become clear to you, namely to what degree the fire should be moderated.

But if the work is brought to the final red state before the due completion of the whiteness in its administration, it must be concluded that you have corrupted or erred, which must be avoided.

Side Notes: Signs of colors.

Then, for remedy, remove the redness by moistening with fresh white water, dampening fully with heat until it turns black, and always keep it warm until it continuously decays, and again make it black—beware especially of redness because of danger. The sign of perfect first whiteness, that is, of the whole matter, is the manifestation of a small hair-like circle, because around the matter on the sides of the vessel under the citron color, where before after the utmost blackness appeared a white circle. And do not worry about colors appearing before true whiteness, for they are not real.

Side Notes: Twice colored.

For it blackens twice, it vilifies twice, it whitens twice, and it reddens twice. When composed of four days of putrefaction, it will give a dark black color, lasting long; the second day a citron black; the third a black red; the fourth a clear red resembling dry saffron; and finally on the fifth day, with heat, the true whiteness about which you achieve no effect. When it appears glowing through the whole matter, like foliated earth or red leaves, fix it firmly and calcine it. Then by adding new moisture, exalt it again and fix it again, and so repeatedly. Finally, mortify it by fire as prescribed, and continuously exalt the whiteness into the gold of the sun charioteers, so that it ascends in the fiery chariot to heaven, after Elijah or to the jeweled region of the paradise of glory. And then our perfect theriac and round stone is made, because therein the tempered four elements of the stone are exalted in harmony.

The eleventh stage is called Multiplication.

This is the increase of goodness, the exaltation of color, and the infinitely skillful accumulation of quantity.

And therefore our medicine must be multiplied infinitely; this is the reason.

For the medicine itself is like fire in wood and like the balm in fine spices. Therefore, it grows more the more it is used and trodden upon; thus you must always leave a part of it, because one who has been enriched by it is enriched by fire.

The medicine can be multiplied in two ways. First, by solution and repeated coagulation, and this is its multiplication in virtue (goodness).

Second, by fermentation, and this is its multiplication in quantity. However, you will accomplish the increase faster by fermentation, because the solution alone does not work well unless first fixed in its ferment; therefore, our medicine is more perfectly multiplied by solution and exaltation, and in this spiritual way, after the first solution, exaltation, and coagulation, one part in the first projection falls upon 100, the second upon 1000, and so on, always increasing tenfold, continually exalted, up to infinity, which is the most precious gift of God.

Side Notes: Increase through ferment.

Therefore, it is concluded that it works more abundantly in much fermented and dissolved medicine, since only the ferment, because it is more refined, can be multiplied infinitely by fermentation alone; and this is so because the ferment draws to itself what is suitable, to its natural color and taste, in every way. Seeing this, the philosophers noticed that it did not flee, but when it was made with fugitives, it became fleeing. They therefore returned it to a similar non-fleeing body, and took into it that from which it could flee least, because of the closeness of its nature, the soul certainly entering its body more quickly, as if sent into another; if you try to send it in vain, you will labor in vain, since it is not a conflict of darkness and light. Therefore, to a body similar to the bodies from which they were drawn, they revived themselves and were prepared, because thus the dyeing and that to be dyed became one tincture. Do not think therefore that what dyes and flees is the true tincture of the philosophers. Because sulphurs dye and fabricate, unless joined with a living silver of their own kind. Therefore, it is necessary to mix it with living silver, some white, some red, of their own kind, and let the tincture flee. Thus, we order living silver to be mixed with living silver, as has been said, until one pure water is made.

And this is to be known, Adarnech, that all the names of things and their likenesses are contradicted by the ancients for no other reason than that you may understand that the beginning and the end of this matter attest this. And also know that this whole thing is nothing but one thing, which has a father and mother, and its father and mother mixed and nourish it, nor can it in any way differ from its mother. Therefore, with things mixed, so that by fixation they may multiply, place the vessel on the fire and carefully guard the top so that nothing escapes from it, and the entire management is to stay near the fire for the proper time, watch the medicine how it moves from color to color in less time than an hour of the day, until it comes to the middle of whiteness very quickly, lest it liquefy in the fire and congeal in the air, because the smoke, when it perceives the fire, penetrates the body and the spirit is bound into dryness; and the body will be one fixed bright white or red, according to what the medicine and ferment were. Then remove the fire, let everything cool completely, because one weight falls upon a thousand thousands, and two hundred thousand of any body so that it may be converted into the best gold or silver according to the quality of the elixir.

The twelfth and final step of this Scale of Wisdom and of the entire completed work is called Projection.

Which leads the desired artist to joy. Hence, briefly about projection: It must be known that it is first called proijce, that is, one weight upon a thousand, etc. However, it is better to say proijcere. Now you cast it upon the foundation, and lay foundations upon my words, and my words upon “I will love you, Lord,” and “I will love you,” upon “pay attention.” An example from saffron: if it is dry and cast, it colors little; but if dissolved and joined with a small amount, and that small amount colors greatly in infinity. Thus you shall make the projection: first multiply 10 by 10, and it will be 100; and 100 by 1000, and it will be ten thousand; and so on through common multiplications to infinity. The cause of all this is the leader, namely goodness, necessity, and perfection. Goodness so that it colors more abundantly, so that it works better and converts more. Necessity so that it colors better, fixes better, and enters into its like. Perfection, because the perfect medicine has the power to “convert Mercury into the purest gold and silver.” The perfect number is the denarius, the hundredfold, the thousandfold. Therefore, from beginning to end you make the projection. For if so little is cast upon so much fire, it would be endangered by it because of its smallness. But all the foundations of the medicine are to be made very subtle and tinctured, because the more it is made subtle and tinctured, the more abundantly it works, etc.

Epilogue and summary recap of all the above.

Therefore, take the stone sufficiently known in its chapters. And when the work’s urgency is diligently attended to, upon it perform the perfection of sublimation, so that by this it may be cleansed and refined until it reaches the ultimate purity of subtlety, and finally becomes volatile. This indeed is the first degree of its administration.

From here, with the means of fixation, it is made firm until it rests in the harshness of fire; thus the work of the moon is too white, and the work of the sun too red, because the white work belongs to winter, and the red to summer. Therefore it needs greater refinement of parts by its proper means in a greater decoction of digestion, that is, until it takes on the most reddish color. And in this one perfection the goal of the second degree of preparation consists.

But also in the third is the completion of the whole work, namely that the now fixed stone with means of refinement is made volatile, and again the volatile made fixed, and the fixed dissolved and dissolved again made volatile, and the volatile again made fixed, until it flows and alters in completion, certain to make it solar and lunar, because from the repetition of preparation of this third degree in the medicine results alteration and multiplication of goodness, so that each imperfect body may be turned into infinite true solar and lunar. Thus it also has effective power to heal every infirmity, above all other medicines.

Side Notes: Potable Gold.

For it delights the mind, increases virtue, preserves health, renews youth, delays old age, etc., as Arnold says. And gold thus made by the art is potable by accumulation, the fifth essence of ours upon it, until they thicken together, with which also the elements of other medicinal substances can thicken the circular oil. And then let the most true potable gold be held, the most effective balm of the philosophers, which is the most precious gift of God. Whose name be glorified here and forever. Amen.

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LATIN VERSION

INCIPIT
LIBER SCALA PHILOSOPHORVM DICTVS

Vt dicit Venerabilis Raymundus Lulij: Intentio naturæ ad faciendum nostrum magisteriu est, quod lapis diuidendus est in quatuor elementa, vt quodlibet per se, secundum exigentiam naturæ possit purificari.

Side Notes : Diuisio principalis corporis.

Et illa est præparatio rerum quæ præcedit operationem perfectæ præparationis, & proprie dicitur separatio elementorum, quoniam illa diuidit omnes partes impuras a partibus puris, vt cum leuioribus & purioribus fiat successiue cum naturali coniunctione nostra perfecta preparatio, quæ fit per reductionem humidi cum sicco, statim & immediate præparatorum, per beneficium separationis elementorum, aliter humidum non amaret siccum, nec corpus spiritum, si primo non esset bene ab eorum infectionibus lauata cum distillationibus & calcinationibus, solutionibus & coagulationibus.

Side Notes : Causa amoris naturalis.

Nam per separationem elementorum crematur salsatura suæ sulphureitatis, comburentis, quæ veniebat ei per maculam originalem nostri mestrualis, quod est corruptio nostri lapidis. Idcirco terra corporum calcinatur post extractionem æris, vt sit a sulphureitatibus falsis, & combustionibus sit optime depurata. Ergo constat quod si tunc materia corruptibilis non esset posita per corruptionem lapidis, nunquam oporteret eam purgari.

Et cum sic necesse est, vt post corruptionem lapidis compositum depuretur ipsius lapidis, ab omnibus suis sordibus, post separationem illius per quatuor elemēta, cum distillatione et calcinatione, antequam Mercurius coniungatur cum corpore, ad incipiēdam realem preparationem, quæ est creatio nostri lapidis.

Ideo necesse est quod lapis diuidatur per quatuor elementa cum distillatione & calcinatione. Et ista diuisio est solummodo, vt substantia lapidis sit fortiter munda, & quod totum sit purus Mercurius, qui portat in se proprietatem fundendi & fixandi.

Side Notes : Aqua vita

Tunc quando vis corpus dissoluere post suam calcinationem, dissolue illud cum argento viuo, tracto ab ipso purificato septenadistillationem, quoniam tunc corpus est multum efficax, ad penetrandum & intrandum, per spongiositatem illius sui corporis. Spiritus congelantur beneficio dissolutionis naturæ fixæ, & corporis, & mixtionis illius cum argento viuo, & ista sime intelligis est solennis materia, dissolutio, quę fit cum congelatione spiritus, & sine illo non, sed separatione elementorum non intelligas quod fiat aut fieri possit, nisi putrefactione, per quam miscentur spiritus in corpore, & cũ suis elementis, & illa est quæ reddit volatilia, sicut apparet in eorum separationibus.

Side Notes : putrefactio post digest.

Propterea ergo digere, & putrefac elementa in eorum fimis ad finem, & hoc quando erit bene digestum ad satisfaciendum nostræ voluntati, vt possit bene separare, et postea inhuma vtres separata possit melius depurari, & efficiatur argentum viuum, in forma aquæ claræ. Sed si non diuidis lapidem, videlicet substantiam quintam per quatuor elementa, scias quod ipsa vniri non poterit naturaliter, nec coniungi cum corpore sicco, si quodlibet eoru non tenet de natura quintæ essentiæ, quoniam illa est commixtio omnium elementorum, & reductio eorum in vnam pura substantiam. Et conuenit, quod illa elemēta sint bene depurata ab eoru infectionib. Et dicimus tibi, Sulphureitates cōbustiuae et cōbustibiles, per beneficium calcinationis separentur, & de toto anihilentur ab igne & a terra, & corpus cōminuatur & subtilietur multum ab illoru sordibus, cum distillationibus, & subtiliando vertantur in naturam aeris, per leuigationem leuitatis.

Deinde potest facere coniunctione masculi cum fœmina, vt inter se gignant filium ignis, qui tantus est amor omnium philosophorum.

Side Notes : Occultum & manifestum lapidis.

Et si me bene intelligis, hic iacet tota nostra philosophia. Et hic notandum, quod in occulto nostri lapidis est caliditas & siccitas, & in manifesto frigiditas & humiditas, quare oportet eius manifestum occultare, & eius occultum manifestare: eo quod caliditas quæ est in occulto, est elementum, oleum quoque est siccum. Hoc enim siccum figit, quoniam siccitas ignis tingit. Illud aut quod est in manifesto est frigiditas & humiditas. Oportet ergo habere proportionem inter ista, vt frigiditas & humiditas sint contemperata caliditati & siccitati, ita, vt non fugiant ab igne. Fac ergo vt humiditas & frigiditas recipiant caliditatem & siccitatem, quæ erant in occulto, vt fiant substantia vna. Illa quidē frigiditas & humiditas est fumus aquosus & adustiuus, qui corrumpit & parit nigredinem, & ille lapis est alterius virtutis & naturæ in occulto, & alterius in manifesto.

Side Notes : Tinctura olei quando.

Sed in integra commixtione est eiusdem virtutis & naturæ, Et sic mutatur species in corpus nobilissimum. Deinde fit currens vt oleum, quod est tinctura viua, multiplicatiua, consolidatiua, coloratiua, declaratiua, purgatiua, perpetuatiua & confirmatiua. In qua enim compositione sunt opera planetarum & eorum imagines suis locis & temporibus sicut in fætu operatiua.

Nam in fætu primo mense cum semen in matricem recipitur, operatur Saturnus coagulando & stringendo materiam sua frigiditate, & sic in ipsa natura in primam massam coagulatur.

Secundo mense operatur Iupiter digerendo caliditate in quandam massam crudam, quæ vocatur embrio.

Tertio mense operatur Mars agendo in materia sua caliditate & siccitate, diuidens ac sequestrans illam massam, membraqƺ disponens.

Quarto mense operatur Sol, qui nutrit spiritus, & incipit viuere partus.

Quinto mense operatur Mercurius, qui soramina & spiracula facit.

Sexto mense operatur Venus, disponit enim & ordinat oculos, supercilia, & testiculos.

Septimo mense operatur Luna sua frigiditate & humiditate, laborat ad expellendū infantem, Et si tunc nascitur, viuere potest, si vero non nascitur, debilitatur.

Et octauo mense iterum Saturnus operatur constringendo, sit fœtus in matrice, & si tunc nasceretur viuere non posset.

Nono autem mense iterum Jupiter caliditate et humiditate nutriendo, reducit vires fœtui, & sic complete nascitur, & bene viuit.

Igitur sciendum, quod tribus mensibus aqua fœtum in matrice conseruat. Aer quoqƺ tribus mensibus fouet, ignis vero totidem custodit, Quibus completis, sanguis eius qui fouetur in vmbilico, eo preciso egreditur ad mammas, ibique candorem niuis assumit. Igitur infanti nunquam patebit egressus quousque aeris flatus exhauriat.

Tunc autem egressus aperitur & os eius, & lactatur. Ab istis tribus oportet nos intelligere & acuto ingenio scire componere & extrahere duos. Nam a duobus non extrahuntur tria, sed bene e conuerso. Vnde omnes qui cupiunt hoc scire, acuant ingenia sua ad acquirendum futurum thesaurum ex tribus verbis, in quibus occultatur lapis, in quo etiam occultata est caliditas & siccitas, tinctura & profunditas tincturarum, & oleum calidum, & humiditas coniunctiua.

Sciendum quod quatuor sunt principalia lapidis nostri regimina, scilicet, soluere, abluere, coniungere, & figere.

Soluere est corpora diuidere & materia facere.

Abluere est inhumare, distillare, ascendere & descendere. Coniungere est inprægnare, dealbare & rubificare. Figere vero est fermentare & desponsare. Solutio conuertit lapidem in primam suam materia, id est sua aqua, ablutio in aerem, coniunctio in ignem, fixio in terram spiritualem & tingentem.

Vnde Aristoteles: Cum habueris aquam ex aere, aerem ex igne, & ignem ex terra, tunc habebis plenam artem. Quia quatuor elementa sunt tunc bene & perfecte præparata, & omnia ista magister operis & ignis bene facit in vno solo vase, in quatuor gradibus, scilicet quatuor colorū species conuersionis sicut inferius dicetur.

Side Notes : Materia lapidis quæ sit nota.

Ignis secundum Auicennam soluitur vt in Mercurium conuertatur, & in quatuor elementa diuidatur, vt suam primam originem habeat, & vt sulphur philosophorum a corpore extrahatur, & argentum viuum mundum habeatur super terram, de illa materia de qua auru & argentu subtus terra efficiuntur, ac illa simul coniuncta decoquantur, quousqƺ fiant vnum, stans, penetrans & profundans, tinges, & permanens, cuius vna pars conuertit mille milia Mercurý vel cuiuslibet corporis imperfecti in verissimum aurum vel argetum, secundum quod elixir fuerit præparatum.

Side Notes : proprietas tincturæ.

Et hoc admiratus Richardus philosophus, & filius regis Persarum ait: Super omne mirum est, quod vno igne et vno vase fit distillatio, sublimatio, mortificatio, calcinatio, dealbatio, rubificatio, fusio cum solutionibus & congelationibus:

Side Notes : Oleum currens Actiones tincturæ.

Et vult dicere de frigido humido, & facta est eius amicitia cũ igne, & fit oleu currēs, penetratiuu, coloratiuum perpetuatiuum, oleu viuū perseueratiuum, depuratiuu, color viuus, viuificatiuus, faciens resurgere mortuos, Et est fermentum seipsum impregnans, se concipiens se parturiens. Hæc omnia oportet eos scire, qui hanc quærunt artem.

Et notandum, quod nulla alia est veritas in hac scientia nisi ista solummodo: Videlicet quod si argentum viuum mundum, purum, coagulatum fuerit, per vim sulphuris non vrentis, illud erit res optima, quam recipere possunt alchimistæ, vt ex inde faciant eorum aurum, vt dicit Aristoteles quarto metheororu.

Side Notes : Sulphur album non urens.

Et ideo concluditur, quod sine sulphure albo non vrente, nec aurum nec argentum sieri possunt : Eo quod sulphur optimum quod cum rubore clarum, non potest ad aurum, nisi primo fuerit album, eo quod citrinum ex multo albo & permixto nigro componitur. Et ideo tradiderunt philosophi compositionem sulphuris albi ad argetum, et postea sulphuris rubei ad aurum, quia non potest fieri aurum nisi prius fuerit argentum per complemento. Sulphur autem album ex purissima argenti substantia habetur, eo quod ipsum continet in se totum quo indigemus. Ideo oportet artistam esse constantis voluntatis, nec pluribus vti, sed solum in hoc toto intendat.

Side Notes : Complemento intendat artista.

Quia in rerum multitudine ars nostra non perficitur.

Artem autem hanc, quia valde ardua est scire, doctrinam dare intendimus, de secretis ipsius & primo de Mercurio & eius aqua, de corpore spiritu & anima, & de eorum operationibus, que apud q plures omnino non sunt incognitæ & occultate.

Side Notes : Vnica tantum aqua per totum.

Est enim aqua Mercurij aqua illa, qua, & non alia vti debemus in tota operatione nostra. Sed in eius regimine constat totum secretum, & ideo in principio oportet te scire naturam Mercurij, & eius regimen, cum quo debite præparato, totum opus perficitur. Quia Mercurius calefacit & infrigidat, desiccat & humectat, & facit opera contraria secudum diuersitatem, & modum regiminis eius. Ergo in eius regimine consistit totum secretum. Ideoqƺ oportet operatorem eius regimen bene cognoscere, sine errorem cum per eandem operationem non operetur in eodem gradu contraria, quæ tum est ex se : sed contrarietas operationis debet præcedere a se sic disposito, & non ab alio, videlicet per sublime solutionem & congelationem, & per mixtionem eius aquæ cum aqua solis, cum sole purificato, & ante eius congelationem non operatur nisi vnicam operationem, vt si proijciatur supra cuprum, tantummodo tingit illud, & non adducit aliam complexionem quam prius habuit, & hoc totu quantum ad apparétiam, non quantum ad existentiam, quia per examitionem ignis possit separatio tincture a corpore, non obstante tinctura fixa, sicut luna separatur a sole. Sed in vera transmutatione cupri vel alterius metalli requiritur vera colorati & vera colorantis vnio cum colorato, et coloratio omniū elementorum vera transmutatio. Secundus erit coloris fixio & nouæ formæ inductio, ad quam sequitur coloratio propria.

Ideo principia quæ tradidit Geber per ea non potest fieri medicina vera, nec per dicta philosophorum in turba, vt ego firmiter teneo.

Præterea Turba dicit, quod medicina debet esse composita ex quatuor elementis, consyderare eius complexionem. Ideo turba non loquitur hic nisi de basis operibus, id est de fundamēto, Sic enim ait Geber: Vbi magis aperte & plane locuti sumus ibi magis scientiam occultamus.

Quare sciendum secundum authores, quod vnus est lapis, & si quis errat ab illo vno in principio, tedium sortietur in fine.

Side Notes : Lapis unus non in numero.

Hoc tamen vnum non est vnum in numero, sed genere, sicut masculus & fœmina sunt sufficientes ad prolem procreandum, sine aliquo alio additamento. Et sic lapis philosophorum ex duobus compositus sufficit ad medicinam intētam, scilicet spiritus & anima, quæ sunt sol & luna, & dicut quidam quod hijs duobus addatur tertiu, scilicet corpus. Nam sicut homo ex corpore & anima & spiritu constat, ita & lapis noster. In hoc tamen sunt diuersæ opiniones: Quidam enim dicunt, quod alterum ipsorum est spiritus & corpus, & decipiunt homines de additione tertij.

Side Notes : Opiniones diuersorum.

Alij dicunt quod tertium dicitur compositum ex duobus, quoniam neutris componentium assimilatur, et vocatur nomine omni corporum. Alij dicunt quod debet vere corpus his duobus adiungi quia fortius erit opus et in breui tempore ipsorum operatio finietur: Sed quocunqƺ modo teneatur opinio, numerus non augetur. Ad euidentiam notandum, quod Kibric est pater Mercurij et omnium liquabilium: Et hoc dicitur illud vnum, quod est carum & vile, argentum vero viuum, quod est filius eius, licet ab eo sit complexionatiue diuersum et extraneu, & sic se habet, sicut pater & filius, & si addatur his duobus tertium, videlicet corpus metallicum, numerus duoru propter hoc no multiplicaretur, nec etiam nomina, eo quod corpus metallicum ex his duobus est compositu. Constat ergo manifeste, quod eius cōpositio, quocunqƺ modo reiteres ex duobus constat.

Side Notes : Tria sunt duo.

Et sciendi est postoj ista duo coniungutur, semper vocantur vno nomine. Hoc tame vnu quod dicitur æs philosophoru nominatur nominib. omniu rerum istius mundi. Et propter qul hoc tanti errant, tum propter multiplicitatem nominū, tu etiā propter ignorantia debitæ proportionis.

Side Notes : Fermentum philosophorum

Ite quando audis aliquid de fermento philosophoru, nihil aliud intelligas q corpus perfectum, scilicet perfectissime mudatum et sublimatum.

Et tamen non credat aliquis, quod possit spiritum & animam coniungere corpori, per solam contritionem, aut per simplicem solutione. Exemplum de argento viuo iunctū plumbo, videtur sibi mixtum, sed in veritate non est, quia ignis violentia separatur.

Side Notes : Coagulatio Quod efficit

Quod autem philosophi dicunt: Solue & coagula, sic sine dubio intelligitur solutio corporis & animæ in aquam, & congelatio facit animam & spiritum corpori commisceri. Vnde si propter solam solutionem & simplicem congelationem animæ, & spiritus perfecte coniungeretur corpori, non dixisset philosophus iterum solue, & cogela, & iteru solue & cogela, vt accrescat lapidis tinctura, si in solutione vna & congelatione vna iugi potuissent. Scito ergo pro certo, quod quanto sæpius soluitur & congelatur, tanto plus anima & spiritus corpori coniunguntur, & retinentur ab ipso, & ad hoc qualibet vice tinctura multiplicatur.

Side Notes : Coagulatio Quod efficit

Et hic sciendum maximum arcanum quod lapides rubei & albi facti ex aliarum rerum elementis, possunt coniungi cum elixiri perfecto, & tunc addunt ad eius tincturam & non aliter.

Side Notes : Aqua acuta fit solutio

Aliud quocƺ secretu: vt fiant aquæ acutæ, cum quibus soluitur corpus cum animabus & spiritibus, perfecta solutione, & postea congelantur, Deo testante. Veruntamen omnes partes nostri lapidis sunt concreti & coessentiales. Huius autem lapidis operatio multiplex a philosophis poniť.

Side Notes : Diuersitas modus laborantium.

Quidam enim rectificant singulariter, & componunt, & postea perficiunt: Et ista operatio multipliciter variatur, & est laboriosa ac difficilis, & subtilis, ideo multi in ea errant, quoniam adminiculum, id est adiuuamen illius multa extranea exigit. Veruntamen huius lapidis operatio est vna, linearum, & in vno solo vase perficitur: Ignis tame non est vnisformis in actione totali, Et ideo vt studentibus tractatus iste sufficiat, & proficiat: Dico quod ignis huius operis intrans est sicut calor solis in mundo maiori. Sol vero tempore veris est moderatus & leuis in calore, Aliter vero herbæ quæ teneræ sunt aresierent, & fructus nullatenus perferrent. Est autem iste calor intrans plantas donec paulatim crescant, & quanto plus crescunt tanto magis calor solis gradatim quotidie crescit vel augetur, quousque veniat ad calorem temperatum qui est estas, & quia tunc sol fortior est, deinde fortissimus vsqƺ ad finem Leonis, donec omnia suam debitam recipiant formam et perfectionem. Et benedictus Deus hæc sua sapientia mirabiliter ordinauit. Similiter ergo modo iste lapis regendus est. Dicunt enim quidam, quod calor primi regiminis debet esse sicut galline cubantis oua sua ad pullos procreandos. Alij autem dicunt, quod debet esse sicut calor naturalis digerens cibum, & nutriens corpus, alij, vt calor fimi, eo quod calor iste est temperatus. Alij vt calor solis in ariete existētis, eo quod sol habet ibi principatum & exaltationem suam, quia ibi incipit mediocriter oriri & calescere.

Side Notes : Sol in ariete.

Et propter hoc dixerunt quidam quod debemus incipere sole existente in ariete, & luna in tauro commorante: Quæ quidem omnia ad designandum calorem moderatum circa primam huius operis actionem dicta sunt. Et quamuis huius lapidis actio vnica sit, scilicet decoctio cum igne naturali: Tamen status caloris huius tripliciter variatur, quia primo erit ignis moderatus, & durat ad nigredinem, & etiam donec illa in albedinem conuertatur, quæ nigredo durat forte 46. diebus vel plus vel minus, secundum studium operantis, & regimen fortunæ, & iste calor assimilatur calori solis ex ariete labentis in taurum.

Side Notes : Tempus nigredinis

Albedine quadam apparente augeatur ignis gradatim, vsqƺ ad perfectam lapidis exsiccationem seu incinerationem, & iste calor assimilatur calori solis in tauro, discurrentis in geminos.

Desiccato vero lapide & incinerato, iterum fortificatur ignis, donec lapis perfectissime rubeat, & regali veste induatur ab igne.

Et iste calor assimilatur calori solis in leone. Hæc enim est suæ dignitatis domus. Deinde continuetur donec sit venenum.

Tunc enim draco noster in fixatione solari fulgens, radio cœlestium & terrestrium virtute decoratur. Hinc autem lapis philosophicus omnia vincens, omnia digerens, qui corpori cuncta vitia corrigit & emendat.

Side Notes : Nomina sortitur ex colore.

Huius nomina multiplicantur secundum multitudinem colorum apparentium. Nam in regimine primo cum niger est vocatur terra, & Saturnus, & nominibus omnium nigroru & terrestrium corporum. Deinde cum dealbatur, vocatur aqua viua, & nominibus omnium aquarum & salium, aluminum, & rerum habentium albedinem. Postqƺ autem incitrinatur & sublimantur, & subtiliatur, tunc vocatur aer, oleum citrinum, & nominibus omnium spiritualium & volatilium. Deinde vero cum rubescit vocatur cœlum, sulphur rubeum, aurum, carbunculus, & nominibus omnium rubeorum preciosorum pulchritudinem habentium, tam in lapidibus quam in animalibus & plantis.

Side Notes : Masculus & fœmina.

Hic notandum, quod aqua nostra dicitur masculus, et terra dicitur fœmina, quæ est spissitudo lapidis, & sic terra fit spiritualis & aerea, & subtilis, & hæc spissitudo siue terra dicitur æs nostrum & plumbum nostrum.

Side Notes : Aes nostrum.

Oportet ergo ipsum suauiter regere, vt sulphur fiat incremabile, cum aqua, in qua illud est. Aqua enim ipsum dissoluit, & dealbat. Sed dicunt quidam quod alterum istorum, scilicet fex remanens in fundo, quæ dicitur fumus, est terra, et alterum quod ascendit a terra scilicet a fece est cœlum. Toties ergo reiterandum est cœlum super terram, donec terra fiat cœlestis & spiritualis, & cœlum fiat terrestre, & iungatur cum terra, tunc completum est opus.

Side Notes : Quando et quomodo fit fixio.

Et hoc sciendum quod cum corpus sit grossum, & spiritus subtilis, vniuersali permisceri non possunt, nisi primo corpus in tantum subtilietur a spiritu, vt ipsum corpus eidem spiritui æquipolleat in subtilitate, & tunc fit mixtio talis, quam ignis non separat vel superat, si per mille annos continue in ipsum ageret quia sic per minima permiscent, quod nullo ingenio postquam sic se inuicem ceperint poterint separari. Sic enim morietur draco, & sine illo non, hoc est nisi cum ipso interficiatur. Et iste draco id est, sulphur, extrahitur de corpore per magisterium, & est nostrum secretum sulphur.

Side Notes : Probatio prima tincturæ.

Quando ergo volueris tentare medicina, pondus vnius grani tritici super laminam cadentem cupri ponas, & si intra cum pauco calore lamina se diffuderit per totum intus, & extra est perfecte tingēs, & in igne secum perseuerans est lapis, tunc est perfectus.

Side Notes : Trium effectussingulares.

Et sic patet quod sunt tria, quæ complent nostrum elixir quod fecimus: primum coniungit, duo componit medicinam. Itaqƺ sunt vno corpore tria iuncta.

Sed hoc notandum, per si iterum medicina soluatur et per omnia regatur vt prius, postea non erit finis suæ tincturæ, & constringit poros lunę efficiens illam ponderosam, et in ceteris corporibus faciet ex respumam et fœtorem, & ea perfectissime tingit, & tandem mutabit in aurum vel argentum, Et sic per artem nostram fit vera alteratio vnius naturæ in aliam.

Sed hic sciendum quod omnis alteratio mineralium ad perfectionem mineralium stat in gradu sublimiori spiritualium. Nō loquimur de angelis, nec de intelligentijs, sed de gradu sublimiori perfectionis omnium metallorum, & hoc est in spiritu minerali, quia mineralia mineralibus, vegitabilia vegitabilibus conueniunt, vt nulla contrarietas sit, imo maxima conuenientia, quoniam spiritus iste minerę aureus, nec ab auro differt nisi in hoc, quod ipsum est fixum, spiritus vero non fixum.

Sic aurum nostrum non est aurum vulgi, quoniam nostrum est spirituale, quia dissoluit omnia corpora imperfecta, separādo purum ab impuro, quoniam natura non recipit nisi quod suæ naturæ est, alienum vero respuit, quod signum perfectionis eius est. Et ideo illud omnia corpora dissoluit, separat, diuidit, depurat, et illustrat, tingit & in aurum optimum transmutat, quia sic est corpus fixum, spirituale factum, & secundu diuersum digestionis modum. Nam primo fuit argentum antequam fuit aurum: Ideo aurum est maxime digestum &c.

Primus gradus scalæ sapientium incipit.

De modo nascentibus nati. Bachon in speculo alchimiæ dicit: Nullus natus nascitur nisi ex viro & muliere, nec etiam vllum germen gignitur nisi ex caliditate, humiditate, frigiditate & siccitate. Ergo nihil est operis, nisi ex eo quod est vere lucidum, vt ex sole purissimo, qui suo lumine omnia lumina est illuminans, qui illuminat aerem, & calefacit terram, calore suo generat & nutrit animalia plantas & lapides, & eicit tenebras illius Mercurij & aliorum corporum imperfectorum, cum proiectus fuerit super ea, vt dicit Geber, de essentia & procreatione solis.

Quia sulphur est irradians & splendens in sua clarissima & mundissima substantia, illuminat & irradeat non solum in die sed etiam in nocte in tenebris, & similiter omnia in quibus est splendor & magnitudo illuminans suo lumine. Quæ quidem omnia sunt ex opere suo, cum ex vestimentis suis sunt induta.

Ergo qui quærit illum, faciat pacem inter ipsum & vxorem suam, ita quod non separentur ab inuicem, sed misceantur inseparabiliter. Et hoc fiet quando ipsum extraxeris partim a natura sua, & similiter vxorem suam partim a natura sua, hoc facto interficiantur, vt cum interfecti fuerint (vt plenius patebit) resuscitentur resurrectione noua incorruptibili, ita quod postea sint immortales. Nam post eorum resurrectionem induentur gloria, & fortitudine forti sempiterna, & tunc gaudebunt in prosperitate magna omnes qui sunt secretum illorum.

Side Notes : Spiritus sulphuris.

Natura ex eis mundus maior creatur, qui sunt sulphur, magnesia, Ceduæ, argentum viuum, & similiter spiritus sulphuris & simili modo est spiritus occultus huius scientiæ.

Side Notes : Nutrimentum ex quo fluens.

Magnesia est terra, Ceduæ est aer, Argentum quoque viuum est aqua, & corpus fluens.

Spiritus quoque est aqua secunda, de qua omnia prædicta nutriuntur, omne germen vegetatur, omne lumen accenditur, ergo & omnes fructus facit.

Side Notes : Aqua secunda.

Has ergo naturas scilicet masculum & fœminam, calidum, frigidum, humidum, & siccum, vere coniunge, & nutrias ea aqua viua, spiritus lumenque eius tinctura habetur. Opus coque, compone illud ex quibus corporibus est. Nam apud philosophos aqua sapientiæ vocatur, a quibus sapiens artis coniungit eam, vt natura alteretur, & in aliam naturam conuertatur & natura per naturam appareat.

Side Notes : Duæ naturæ in lapide nostro.

Ergo duas naturas coniunge, donec naturas tibi attrahas, & fiat res lucidissima & clarissima, quæ lucesit & illuminatur, postquam fuerit in sua magna & excellentissima perfectione coaptata.

Ad talem vticƺ & tantam perfectionem non peruenitur, nisi scala sapientum, quæ ex duodecim gradibus constituitur, primitus ascendatur.

Side Notes : Effectus calcinationis.

Primus gradus est calcinatio, quę est lapidis nostri benedicti modulati summa purgatio, caloris restitutio, humoris innati conseruatio, & solutionis inductio.

Side Notes : Calcinatio per humidum.

Et omne calcinatum in suo genere est fixum.

Side Notes : Aqua secunda quid sit eius effectus.

Et sic sol & luna cum prima aqua calcinantur philosophice, vt corpora aperiantur, & fiant spongiosa & subtilia, vt aqua secunda melius possit ingredi ad operandum suum opus quod est exaltare terram in salem mirabilem, sola sua virtute attractiua, quæ aqua secunda est ignis non naturalis, cuius virtute fit huius magisterij complementum.

Side Notes : De ignibus diuersis.

Et hinc loquens de ignibus Raymund. dicit Notandum est quod hic iacet contrariæ operationes, quia sicut ignis contra naturam dissoluit spiritum corporis fixi in aquam nubis, & corpus spiritus volatilis constringit in terram congelatam: ita contrario ignis naturæ congelat spiritum dissolutum corporis fixi in terram globosam, & corpus spiritus volatilis fixum per ignem, contra naturam resoluit, non in aquam nubis, sed in aquam philosophorum, quia fixum naturæ ignis reuertitur volatile, & corpus spirituale in spiritum, & humidum fit siccum, & ponderosum fit leue, & spiritus humidus, secundum formam aquæ nubis, & ponderositatem constrictiuam.

Ignis innaturalis est ignis balnei, vel sunt quiuis fimi vel vindemię, vel equi, vel alius occasionatus ex abundanti industria.

Ignis autem elementalis est, qui combustibilibus enutritur, & nutrit flammam. Cognitis autem forum ignium arcanis, & veræ nostræ medicinæ principijs, de facili peruenitur ad nostrum magisterium.

Vnde si quærat ex quibus fit nostra medicina: Dico quod ex illis elicitur per artem, in quibus habitat potentionaliter per naturam. Et secundum Auicennam : ex illis in quibus perfectio seu proprinquitas primæ materiæ reperitur, nostra elicitur medicina. Non autem de imperfectis extraneis, quia imperfectum non potest perficere, nec immundu mundare. Et quia a radice conuenit naturas extrahere, dicit Aristoteles: Sciant artifices alchimiæ, species metallorum transmutari non posse, nisi prius reducantur in primam materiam & formam, quæ sunt partes essentialitatis primariæ, & omnibus corporibus inest scientia. Non tamen sunt cruda operi nostro necessaria omnino sed centrum lapidis philosophorum est neutralitas extremitatum, quia dicitur sperma metallorum in matrice terræ contentum, cuius extremitas vnius lateris, inferius est metallum, quod in sinu terræ tamen a natura creatur, & alterius lateris extremitatis superius est elixius completum, quo ars mediante natura super terram operatur.

Et non est transitus de extremo ad extremum, nisi per medium, quo neutralitas quæretur oportet, vt corpus ad centrum suum reducatur per artem, quæ imitatur naturam, in quantum potest, in quibusdam tamen debilior est, & in quibusdam naturam corrigit.

Vnde sciendum, quod intentio nostræ mutationis est incipere vbi natura finiuit, eo quod origo operis nature omnium homo genioru interius est aquosa, ad tres gradus extremitatis diuisionabiliter extenditur, videlicet ad altitudinem corporum perfectorum, seu profunditatem perfectorum, vel ad latitudinem neutralitatis illorum, videlicet viuificando mortuū, & occidendo viuum, cuius viuificatio mortifera est.

Vnde philosophus: Omne totum componitur in tribus, quo circa potest opus nature esse. Primo naturas elicere, colligere, depurare, & in specie aquosa proportionabiliter coniungere, ac insuper congelare, quod ab humana pænitus ignoratur memoria.

Sed quo ad artificialem operationem superius sensu contrario spiritualiter operari nitimur, natura tamen imitando, scilicet viuum occidendo, spiritualiter mortuu resuscitando, & ad plusquam perfectum exterius disponendo. Vnde si fuerit quantitas aquæ æqualis quantitati ipsius sulphuris, & paulatim maior, scilicet quantum sufficit pro incorporare, generatur ex eis aurum vel argentum, secundum quantitatem ipsius decoctionis.

Side Notes : Vnde sit quanonostra composita.

Sciendum quod non accipiemus illud, qd sui ipsius, sciliscet omnium ilius & postquam sciuerimus vnde illud omnium generatur, oportet ipsum ex eisdem nutriri,

Side Notes : Quale nutrimentum.

Et Mercurius noster non est Mercurius vulgi, sed est Mercurius mortificans Mercurium odore suo.

Side Notes : Aqua secunda

Et secundū Albertū: Mercurius noster fit ex corporibus perfectis & nō imperfectis hoc est, cũ aqua secunda, postq per primam aquam fuerit debite calcinata. Et quibus tunc fit aqua alcali, quæ coagulata, argento viuo, qui, quia sunt nostri cineres clauellati, et soda nostra combusta.


Secundus gradus scalæ sapientum est Solutio.

Quæ est occulti reuelatio, grossitudinis attenuatio, ac rei duræ, siccæ terræ, in quandam liquidam substantiam reductio. Vnde philosophus: Donec omnia fiant aqua nihil operamini. Et illa aqua est Mercurius philosophorum, quo & non alio debemus vti, qui tamen non fit, donec summa volatilis superat summam fixi.

Side Notes : Aqua ex repugnantibus.

Hæc aqua secundum Hermetem patrē philosophorum ex repugnantibus dicitur vnica & magnesia, continens in se spiritum, animam & corpus cineris, eius nomine impar, quia nihil ei simile, cuius conuenit occulta manifestare naturam, eius secretum nō est in alijs, quod secundum philosophos dicitur aqua coelentina, et sunt repugnantia, in hac aqua vna.

Side Notes : Contrarietas in aqua nostra

Conuerte ergo rem in rem, & habebis magisterium. Et in hac solutione dū turbabitur terra, transferentur montes in cor maris, et tunc destruitur forma, sed destructa vna, immediate introducitur alia.

Quia omne quale, adueniens quali, facit ipsum tale, quale ante non fuit, eo quod non est dare qualitatem naturalem, quin sub aliqua maneat forma, continens in se qualitates actu vel potentia.

Quare dicit Auicenna: Qualitas posterior trahit entitatem a qualitate, quæ est eius prior.

Solutio autem lapidis est reductio eius in aquam mineralem, ex qua erat compostus, operante natura, qui quidem lapis non fructificat, donec, ad nihilum deueniat, tanquam aqua decurrens. Ex quo ergo soluendo ipsam reductionem, fieri conuenit, leuius ac competentius est ad neutralitatem, & postea ad eius primam naturam aqueam vel aliter ad aliquam aliam subtilitatem finali reduci. Et quod fieri potest per pauciora, frustra fit per plura.

Side Notes : Possibile ex uno Mercurio.

Quare dicit Philosophus: Quod si ex solo Mercurio perficere poteris preciosissimus operis indagator eris. Et scias quod illud non est extraneum in quo se conuerti habet, per naturale magisterium prout per glatiem congelatum patet qui cum resoluitur in aquam vertitur, patet ergo ipsam prius aquam fuiffe. Quare dicit: nisi quodlibet uertatur in aquam, nullatenus deuenietur ad perfectionem. Vnde Hermes: Non emendatur natura nisi in sua natura, cuius natura emendatio fit artis ingenio, et ars in natura non corrigit quod natura nequit. Succurrendum est ergo naturæ, per artem quod obmissum est per naturam. Nam quod natura in millenis annorum terminis habet tantum perficere inferius, nos supertmus artis industria minori termino quam solo anno habemus plusquam perfectum perficere, & sic natura ab ingenio iuuatur, & ingenium ab arte.

Dicit enim Aristoteles: Nisi aurum & argentum viderem, pro certo dicerem, quod alchimia non esset vera, nisi perfectionem operis naturæ speculatiue viderem alchimiam pro vera non reputarem.

Side Notes : Modus nostræ solutionis.

Sciendum quod plures sunt modi solutionum, quorum tamen omnium solutio vna tantum est nobis necessaria, quæ solum habet fieri, vt dixi, ex se cum se &c. cruda clara sine violentia.

Side Notes : Solutio philosophica. Rorida voluntaria clara nigra.

Vnde Philosophus: Melior est solutio cruda, quam cocta, rorida, quam arida, voluntaria quam violenta, temperata quam festina, flagra quam fœtida, clara quam spissa, nigra quam rubea.

Et ideo in omni solutione cauendum est intime a vitrificatione materie cum odoribus et saporibus corporum imperfectorum, ac etiam ne vis illius formæ generatiua cum corrosiuis adurentibus in aliquo suffocetur, Adiuua ergo solutionem per lunam, & coagulationem per solem.

Cuius solutionis digestio valde in nobis necessaria.

Et dicitur nostra digestio, humoris rarificatio, destructiua maturatio, connexorum relaxatio, dispositionis excitatio, & separationis habilitatio, quæ diuersimode fieri poterit, vt postea dicetur.

Sed vt Auicenna dicit, Soluere corpus, & congelare spiritus, est opus nostrum, primum, quia non soluitur corpus nisi congeletur spiritus. Nec spiritus congelatur, nisi cum solutione corporis. Nam si simul coniunguntur, agit vterque in alterum, sicut aqua agit in terram sibi commistam, ergo subtilietis eam admodum suum.

Nam non subtiliatur terra nisi inspissetur aqua, nec inspissatur aqua, nisi subtilietur terra. Sic eium est inter congelationem spiritus, & solutionem corporis non est differentia temporis, nec opus diuersum, eo quod vtrumque agit in alterum, ad modum suum. Non enim resultat actio, & passio contrarijs in specie & similibus, in genere & natura, & vnum contrariorum excedens, destruit seu alterat reliquum secundum corpus humiditati mixtum, lentoque igni diu appositum soluitur, quia conuertitur humiditas super ipsum, & ipsum dissoluit: ac corpus suo frigido & sicco claudit, retinet, & inspissat humidum incinerans ipsum siccum, & tamen non potest exire humiditas a corpore, nisi imbibat se cum igne.

Nam calore debito operante putrescendo humidum vertitur in siccum. Et ideo cum corpus dissolueris, humidum congelas, & hoc cum mora, quæ est maxime propter quatuor elementa repugnantia vt pax fiat inter ea &.



Tertius gradus Scalæ Sapientum.

Prædicta quatuor repugnantia inter se distincta, postea per distillationem rectificatiua, in hoc tertio gradu scalæ sapientum separantur, Et ideo iste gradus dicitur nostra. Separatio. Quæ est vaporis aquosi scurei liquorose a fecibus separatio, seu depuratio, raritatis leuigatio, partium grossarum extractio, connectentium diuisio principiorum productio, homogenietatis segregatio.

Side Notes : Balneum. Stuffa or Stussa

Vnde Psalmus: Eduxit aquam de petra & oleum de saxo durissimo, quia fieri debet in balneis debitis postea in stuffis siccis, secundum exigentiam rationis. A quibus tunc in balneis primo flegma eorum separatur & euacuatur. Deinde quatuor ista principia secundum signa requisita ab initio separantur & maxime luna prior masculus quam fœmina, sicqƺ matre illorum in funde relicta, in prima distillatione, scilicet saphiram citrinam reseruabis postea auripigmētum tam ab humore, quam per se totiens in stuffa sicca separatiue rectificatur, quousqƺ rubore meridionali nihil ascenderit, & auripigmentum clarum & album remanserit, quod in tertia vel quarta vice perficitur, cuius signa perfectionis sunt viriditas, candor, puritas, absqƺ fecibus, nisi forte albis. Cuius viriditas ex anime frigiditas abundantia creatur.

Dicit enim Abakuc: Ignis est terra nigra in fundo vasis relicta, quæ dū nigra fuerit, corrupit. Ergo calcinatur ipsa vt candescat, & suu oleū omnino recedat, ita qd ab omni pinguedine priuet, ne ab bibendi opere impediat, vt fiat siccaignea, que prius frigide humida fuit, vt terra.

Side Notes : Duæ naturę terrę nostræ & aquæ.

Vnde Senior dicit: Terra nostra ex duabus naturis sumitur, similiter aqua ex duobus corporibus sicqƺ separatur subtile a spisso. Nam ignorantiex vno plura, extrahere ignorat, quoqƺ ex pluribus vnum componere, tuncƺ perficietru coniunctio concupiscentiae. Propter hoc efficitur hæc anima illius, quæ ingreditur, cum vita & spiritu per attractionem eius aeris, ex reiteratione distillationis, cuius reiterationis super eam fit ignea, secundum fortioris caloris est, quam sit ignis. Hęc est enim præparatio, quam plures ignorant, nam philosophi occultauerunt præparationem lapidis quæ clauis artis est & difficillimarum rerum.

Præpara ergo præparando, purgando, separando, rectificando magisterium conquirendo. Diuide ergo lapidem in duas partes principales videlicet in partem superiorem, superius ascendentem, & spiritualem, & aerea, & inferiorem fiam, & terre nam, Et tamen istæ duæ partes sunt vnius nature, quarum diuisio est necessaria, ad per petranda miracula rei vnius naturæ, id est, generationis lapidis philosophorum. Nam pars inferior terrea illius est nutrix, & fermentum, totum lapidem figens, Et pars eius superior est anima totum lapidem viuificans, Ad hanc diuisionem faciendam in furno philosophico inferius specificato, requiritur calor debitus, & nutritiuus, ac continuus scilicet per denam & quindenam & quanto diutius tanto melius perficitur digestio aquæ, ex qua oritur es nostrum.

Et omne es est sulphur, sed non omne sulphur est es. Quia sulphur naturæ sulphuribus continetur, Et omne aurum est es, sed non omne es, est aurum, sicut omnis homo est animal, sed non omne animal est homo, quia de genere ad speciem, vt Plato dicit, non est bona consequentia, Hæc enim, aqua nostra est clauis artis, & caput operis & spiritus, & anima, & corpus es nostrum componunt. Et dicuntur alias fratres vterini, quia procedunt de eodem vtero. Et cum habueris aquam, ex aere, & aerem ex igne, & ignem ex terra, tunc fit separatio perfecta.

Side Notes: Expositio philosophi quarta

Nam ignem habes ex terra, in rarefactione, calcinatione, & liquefactione, & terram habes ex igne, & congelatione, & inspissatione. Cum que habueris temperatum, id est, æqualiter complexionatum in vase philosophico ignem suppone naturalem vasi tuo, cuius calore sunt omnia calefacienda, & ad ignis centrum tendentia. Quibus in cœlum elongatis collatis, & residentibus super cacumina montium nostrorum, ad modicum tempus, aer ille factus, est generatio, omnia in naturam suam conuertendo, cuius leuia, grauibus succumbentia leuia quæ prius vicerant cum eis & in eisdem in illo rore cœlesti in terram descendunt in infinitum multiplicandum.



Vnde philosophus Cæsarius dicit.

Vena prior fontis stillat adverticem montis.
Terram mouens fundam, soluit additque secundam.
Tertia splendescit, sed cum luna dir a quiescit.
Quarta sub immunda pruinali nascitur vnda,
Ignea quintæ generalis nascitur in te.
Sexta marmarum venis reperitur aquarum.
Septima trenis tingens reperitur arenis,
Vis nibiloctauene ne scit præbere suaue.
Citrinis plenam venis dat gleba nouenam.
Nigra prior denam tellus componit arenam.
Crescit in vndenam lapidis graue pondus arenam,
Rimarum venis splendet duodena serenis.
Is ergo venis velab bis distillat arenis.
Venatamen fontis veniens de vertice montis.



Quartus gradus scalæ nostræ sapientiæ est, dicitur Coniunctio.

Igitur separatis vt præmittitur quatuor distinctis, & rectificatis ipsa quatuor coniungimus, & connectimus, & dicitur nostra coniunctio, qualitatum commixtio, complectentium copulatio, dispersorum replicatio, principiorum coequatio, repugnationi dispositio.

Dicit enim Rosarius: Dispone substantiam aeream per discretionem vt sic habeatur terra ex duabus naturis, & aqua vt prædicitur ex duobus corporibƺ quia sic separatur subtile a grosso, raru a spisso, videlicet quod prædiximus est faciendum suauiter, & cum magno ingenio, id est calore debito, & nutritiuo. Non enim est operi nostro aqua necessaria, nisi candida, nec oleum, nisi album lucidum citrinitatis, nec terra nisi pallida & subalba, quia tunc terra est abilis ad nectendum, aqua ad soluendum, Aer ad tingendum superabundans.

Et duo sunt terræ & duæ aquæ in nostro opere, Prima terra quæ in prima distillatione in fundo remanet, proprie est pallida, super quam fit rectificatio nostra, separato oleo ab ista terra sicut superius confuse tamen innuitur & ab aqua similiter. Iterum oleum per se distillatur, & tunc quod infundo remanet, dicitur ignis qui interdum dicitur terra secunda. De quibus duabus terris Aristoteles loquitur, vt puta de terra & igne quæ simul sunt in album calcinate acetiue, quæ duæ sunt aquæ scilicet aqua & oleum, Et aliquando sumit nomen vnius, pro nomine alterius, vt indigni inquisitores deueniant a tramite veritatis.

Rursum dicit Aristoteles. Adiunge ei duas virtutes operatiuas scilicet aquam & oleum, rectificando aquam & aerem, rectificabitur etiam terra & ignis. Hoc ideo addidi, pro eo quod in præcedenti capitulo de separatione minus dixi. Et propter eos qui solent libros deflorare, ne simul in vno capitulo totum ordinate positum inueniant qđ requirūt, sed quo ad coniunctione dico, quod tres sunt modi coniungendi, scilicet dyptatiua, vt inter agentem & patientem, rarum & densum, masculum & fœminam, sulphur & Mercurium, materiam & formam.

Vnde philosophus. Et in materia & forma tantum, continetur generatio naturæ, Item alibi dicit. Sufficit operatori huius artis reducere rem ad simplicem puritatem raritatis, & densitatis. Quamuis non singillatim in elementis, Coniunge ergo Sabri cum Beya vt inter se gignant tibi simile, quorum semen multiplicabitur sicut stellæ, Et sic patet quod dyptatiua coniunctio est sufficiens in magisterio.

Triptatiua coniunctio, id est, trinitatis vnio fit ex corpore spiritu, & anima, Nam secundum philosophos sicut anima est vinculum spiritus, ita & corpus est vinculum anime, eo quod spiritus penetrat, corpus figit, anima copulat, Sic ista trinitas in essentia est vnitas, quia coeterne simul sunt & co equales.

Tetraptatiua coniunctio dicitur principiorum correctio vt illorum vnum quod perpetrentur in altero, quare pro laudabilissima coniunctione necesse est, vt sicut in opere nostro quatuor elementa, in compositione liquida recenti tepida & debite proportionata.

Side Notes : Comparatio mirabilis.

Quoniam no consurgit aequalitas ex tribus seu ex quatuor repugnantibus, in natura conuincantibus, & sicut mulier habet quindecim venas & vir quinque. Ita sol in coniunctione, primo habebit tres partes aquæ suæ, & vxor eius nouem, cuius caudam masculus cum ascenderit super eam tenebit rostro, & in vase philosophico requisito, ac in furno philosophico collocato, & subtiliter obturato ante dicto humore supposito stare debet.

Side Notes : semen imponitur

Et sciendum quod nunquam nifi simul imponitur semen in matricem & continenti clauditur matrix, quousque producatur in lucem.

Side Notes : Ecclipsis quinque mensium/

Et cum steterit in eclipsi, videlicet, per quinque menses, tenebrositate recedente, & lumine claro superueniente, calor augeatur temperate, & sic maxime diebus abstinentiæ quousque sol refulgens oriatur, & ex tunc in calore triplo nutriatur continue eo quod tunc non timet pænas certantis ignis.

Side Notes : Causæ retinendi.

Et sic est corpus causa retinendi aquam, & aqua saluandi oleum a combustione, & oleum causa retinendi tincturam igneitatis causa apparentiæ coloris, sicque conabitur spissum retinere subtile, & conabitur anima pugnare cum igne & ipsum pati, & conabitur spiritus submergi, & fundi in corporibus.

Et tunc simili applaudit suo simili, propter concupiscentiam adhærentiæ materialis maxime & formæ sulphuree.

Vnde Vometras philosophus:
Duo Sulphura habitat in corpore, tanquam ignis, in lignis, & lapidibus, quæ arte subtilissima oportet extrahi absqƺ combustione. Nam qui non differt sulphura duo & sulphura nihil nouit vno tamen odore opus incipitur & finitur.

Duplex tamen est modus compositionis, vna videlicet humida, altera vero sicca, & decoctione fiant vnum. Itaque neutrum dimittat reliquum quia humidum faciliter impressionem facit atque dimittit. Cumque humidum & siccum, se simul contemperauerunt, adipiscetur ab humido facilem impressionem & humidum a sicco vt firmiter retineat impressionem omnem sustinens ignem. Vnde propter humidum a sua fluxibilitate ad perfectionem. Igitur nō per tingēs donec sol & luna, & spiritus, & anima in unum corpus, id est, in terram coniunctiue conuertatur. Exemplu, huius est opus figuli cuius fidentia in duobus consistit, videlicet sicco et humido, sicco vt conuertat humidum, humido vt soluat siccum, sicque spiritu cum corpore mixto fit temperamentum, non ita rarum, vt spiritus nec ita densum vt corpus. Nam soluere & coniungere sunt principalia huius artis & operis exordia & polis vnus. Nam qui non soluit & coagulat multipliciter errat.



Quintus gradus nostræ salaę est, dicitur Putrefactio.

Quæ quadraginta sex noctibus in vmbra pergatorij celebratur. Et est necessaria putrefactio, quia est corruptio & regenerationis abilitatio.

Vnde Arist. Ex roratu cœlorū fœlitia & in fœlicia germinat in terris. Idcirco in initio nascendi, oportet, vt diximus elementa præparare, recta atqƺ suprema, & æquata supra leuem ignem commisceri, & ignis intentionem cauere, quousqƺ elementa coniungantur, & se inuicem assequantur & tali coniunctione complexētur, quæ paulatiue sic assentur & tandem leui igne sic desiccetur, & eoru conceptio fiat cuius calor vsqƺ ad 16. diem duraturus erit, antequam cooperiatur nigredine.

Side Notes : Desiccatione in leui igne.

Quod cum humationis decoctione totum est prosequendum igne autem accenso Mercurius ascendet superius propter naturam spiritualem ad aerem scandentem.

Side Notes : Modus congelationis

Quare suauiter oportet regere virtutes donec sua humiditas igne siccetur, Nam calore solantis firmiter congela, deinde paulatiue vigora ignem vt siccatus possit tollerare.

Vnde Morienes: Scias nihil natum vel crescens nec animatum nisi post putredinem, eo quod si putridum non fuerit lapis fundi non possit, nec resolui, Et illud ideo, quia cum per corruptionem moritur, compositum corporale per regenerationem consurgit simplex spirituale.

Vnde Saluator: Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum manet. Si autem mortuum fuerit, multum fructum affert. Et nisi humiditas vreri essent coniuncta, & calor continuus sperma non maneret, nec fœtum procrearet.



Vnde Quatuor gradus calorum notandi sunt.

Primus lentus & tepidus velut carnalis seu embrionis.

Secundus mediocris & temperatus vt solis in Iunio.

Tertius magnus & fortis velut ignis calcinationis.

Quartus feruens & vehemens, quasi fusionis, quorum quilibet duplicabit alterum.

Side Notes : Dispensatio prima.

Hermes dicit: accipiantur lapides permixtionis in principio operis recentis & permisceantur equaliter in terram, & donec desponsentur et alijs in alijs cumulentur quadraginta sex noctibus vt fiat conceptio insundo vasis. Hæc autem conceptio fit in putrefactione per vim caloris donec corrumpantur, moriantur, denigrentur, vt pix liquida calore insuper debite operante putrescens, humidum vertitur, in siccum. Ignis autem continuus equaliter temperatus totum ad libitum explet negotium. Sed si calor inualuerit, nimium consumitur humidum, & terra cadet in puluerem corruptum & rubeum, liquet ergo quod in calore humido fit humidi putrefactio.

Side Notes : Calor humidum.

Dicit enim Iohanninus: Terra est mater elementorum, & omnia ex ea exeunt, & ad eam reuertuntur, & in ea quiescunt, & terminantur omnia mixta, quare oportet corpus esse fixum, calcinatum, cum debeat figere fugitiuum Corruptio nanqƺ est rerum putrefactio, ex retentione vaporis, & actione caloris temperati. Vnde calor connectens humidum generat primo nigredine, ideoqƺ obscuratus est sol in ortu suo,

Side Notes : nigredo quid fit.

Et hæc denigratio est operis initium, putrefactionis inditium certumqƺ et commixtionis principium, & corporis solutionis signum, et susceptio vtriusqƺ in alterum, in qua quidem nigredine & variabili purgatorij vmbrositate circa quinque menses restat permansurus, & calore temperato distincte regatur, tempore vernali in aquilonem, velut infans matris suæ ante inanimationem, & est medium operis primi.

Et vt habetur in Historia Noe, Obtinuerunt aquæ terram, & dominationem eorum 156. diebus, in cuius nigredine occultatio ante veram albedinem omnes mundi colores successiue manifestabuntur secundum exigentiam naturæ, eo quod literæ barbaræ descriptæ in thalamo sapientis, ac colores medii dicuntur.

Vnde dicit sapiens, Inter sapientiæ successus in 156. diebus egressiue florigeratur vnum in fine, 36. peragitur.

Et sic certum est de his qui de hoc mundo ad pergatorium vadunt, priusquam examinentur in elementis ad plenum transire ad paradisum terrestre vbi est vita cum gloria, qui est dealbatio prima, cuius nigredo est, quæ non aperit fugitiui ianua, quia est aer formalis, sulphurei caloris actione solutus & alio corpore extractus, ibide accipies vitam a suo humore, sicut homo ab aere & terra consequitur sicut magnesia ferrum. De iure ergo aqua suscipit aquam, sicut naturam propriam, cuius vis est spiritualis sanguis sine quo nil fit. Conuertitur autem in corpus & corpus in ipsam vertitur, id est in spiritu. Nam vnde fit corruptio, inde fit vita, & regeneratio, quia vnde mors oriebatur, inde vita resurgeret, & mors ei vltra non dominabitur.

Side Notes : Ordo dissolutionis. Vice post vicem. Vna aqua tantum

Egressio autem animæ a corpore cum spiritu ipsam extrahentem, est quando alteratum fuerit corpus, & dissolutum paulatim, & paulatim aliquid post aliquid vice post vicem.

Side Notes : Vice post vicem.

Non enim egreditur & postea ingreditur vna vice, quæ quidē partes sunt de spiritu vno preter quem nō est alius, anima est ex eo sed diuersificat ab isto spiritu qui est radix eius ex eo quod acquisiuit sibi a calore igneo & a rectificatione facta est calida, & humida, in natura sanguinis, & aer qui prius erat calidum siccum igneum.

Side Vna aqua tantum

Et sic similiter quando extitit calidum, & humidum, intellige, huc modum cum conuertentibus in frigido humido, ad calidum humidum, Similiter quando dicunt aqua & aquas, intelligunt per hoc vnam aquam quæ est spiritus ex quo parturient aquæ intellige hoc esse verum, Modus est in ijs animabus, & spiritibus quoniam, masculus & fœmina, & quelibet pars ingrediens super eos, scilicet corpus & spiritus, & anima propter quod dixerunt corpora, animas, & spiritus, quod verum est et planu et non obscurum, & propter multiplicitatem conuersionum, & statuum ex alterationibus, & morte, & vita, & generatione, & balneis, & lectuaria, & nutritura, nominata est sapientia, & semen mundi. Quia lapis est diuersus ab omnibus lapidibus huius mundi, in naturis suis, & perfectione sua, & susceptione, nutrimenti & augmenti, & separationibus suis, quibus nihil naturarum præparationum assimilatur, quia est de semine mundi, multam habens benedictionem & si essent vt opinantur ideote, ex lapidibus suis, et rogenis, non nominaretur sapientia, cum necȝ mortificatio, nec viuificatio, sit in eis, nec desponsatio, nec conceptio, nec prolis generatio, nec nutritura, cum sint præparationes nostræ quas nouimus ab animalibus & lapidibus nostris, quas vidimus & stetimus super eis ex vanitatibus & præparationibus eorum in auibus. Dicitur enim in expositione statue Ioseph capitulo decimo. Due sunt aues inferius colligatæ, quorum caudam fœminæ masculinus cum ascenderit, tenebit eam rostro, qđ est principium lucis, & constellationis albificatiue in ortu lunæ clarissime, sic quoqƺ completur dictum, Psalmistæ dicit: Abierunt in sicco flumina &c.



Sextus gradus dicitur Congelatio albificatiua naturaliter fixatiua.

Et est congelatio mollis induratio, humoris occultatio, spiritus fixatio, diuersorum colligatio, homogeniorum seu homogenitatis renouatio, fugientiumque ab igne ad ignem conueniens adaptatio, vt ostenti tinctura vnius, & natura extrauersina perpetuetur in altero.

Et sciendum quod mortificatio grossi terrestris in humido generatur nigredo, & constricto frigido humido in siccum generatur albedo.

Nam siccitas procedit dealbando, sicut humiditas denigrando calore mediante, quoniam absque calore nutritiuo mundo est dare motum, Rubeum vero est magis nigrum quam album cum igne sine caliditate, Croceum de paruo nigro, & multo albo cum aere humiditatis.

Citrinum est magis album quam nigrum cum multitudine aerietatis aquæ desiccate quam igne quod de nigro non deueniens, ad citrinum, nec ad reubeum nisi primo fuerit album, quia non est transitus de primo ad tertium, nisi per secundum.

Et sciendum quod elementa non vniuntur nisi
in albo colore, Cumque album sit semicoctum nō exigit magnum calorem, sed rubeum per ignem fortem vt complete digestum totum vertitur in ignem, vt nullum timeat ignem.

Vnde cauendum est intime nonnunquam a coniunctione vsqƺ ad albedinem materia ne frigescat, nec aliqualiter moueatur propter periculū imminens, Quia si præcepta nostra obseruaueris, de perfecta elementorum commixtione prosperaberis, & scias quod aqua nostra est oleum, et terra nostra est ignis siccus, eo quod nec aer absqƺ aqua, nec ignis absqƺ terra tractari bene queat, & scias quod nigredo est color mortis, & eradicatio humidi, albedo vero regenerationis, & semicoctionis siccæ.

Side Notes : Infiniti colores

Rubedo etiam incorruptibilitatis, & digestionis Completæ, cumque videris materiam per 156. dies eclipsatam cum ceteris coloribus infinitis successiue transitorijs, scias tunc corporis solutionem eiusque inanitionem atque naturarum vnionis, appropinquationem prænosticare, & quod in illius nigredinis ventre occultatur. Vnde philosophus: Lapis noster est, ille sol stellatus, vt flores veris pullulantes, a quo procedit alteratione omnis color. Quæ quidem mirabilis alteratio non est tantum manualis operatio, sed et naturaru permutatio, scilicet calidi cū humido, frigidi cū sicco, prout patet in infantis procreatione, & generationis regeneratione, post quoru putrefactione mortiferā multum fructum afferunt, eo quod indiuiduum multiplicat formam suæ speciei. Et sperma non generatur in matrice, nec sanguis in homine, nisi prius diligenter coquatur in epate, donec intensum habeat ruborem.

Side Notes : Differentia digestionu. vbi natus nascitur. Ignis est aqua.

Solus enim calor epatis chilum rubificat, sic & calor ignis, rubificat sulphur album nostrum. Nam prima digestio stomachi, in quo viget siccitas, omnia dealbat.

Side Notes : Ubi natus nascitur.

Secunda vero epatis in quo viget caliditas omnia rubificat, quod a complexione digestionis creantur, & sciendum, quod natus sapientis in aere nascitur, propter quod sit aqua nostra viuificans terram eorum, et est anima quæ est in corpore eius, scilicet quando reducitur circa finem operis primi. Et scito quod aer extensus inter cœlum, & terram, per quem consistit vita vnius cuisqƺ rei currit super omnes quatuor naturas in manifesto eoru, & in occulto, quae sunt quatuor elementa in statu rectitudinis & meliorationis & ignis lapidis, et in illo aere eorum est aer, & non aer. Item ignis quem tibi ostendimus, est aqua, & ignis noster est ignis, & non ignis, & per attractionem aeris viget spiritus, & per ipsum est vita eius, aer vero est ex aqua, nec est aqua, nec separatur ab ea, quia ex ambobus cōsistit vita vnius cuiusqƺ rei.

Side Notes : Ignis est aqua.

Item lapis noster medius qui est anima, & oleum lapidis de quo processit sermo virtutum & tincturarum, nec ingreditur, nec egreditur, per ignem, sed aqua extrahit eu aperatione naturæ eo quod velocioris egressionis est cum aqua, qm est de genere aquæ & de genere spiritus, qui est aqua. qm dicit Hermes: Secretum & vita cuiusqƺ rei, est aqua eo quod genitū habet principiū ex emanatione aque, quæ egreditur ante partum a muliere & vocatur albineum.

Side Notes : Signa paratus.

Et hæc est potissima causa quare philosophi mandarunt, patientiam habere in dominatione subtilis aquietatis terræ nigræ crude propter aduersantium qualitatum repugnantiam.

Side Notes : Preparatio naturalis.

Scias etiam quod hæc præparatio conuersionis, de re in rem, de statu, in statum, efficitur, sicut conuertitur semen hominis solum in matrice præparatione naturali de re in rem, donec formetur inde homo perfectus ex quo fuit radix eius, & principium, quare non ab hoc mutatur, nec exit de radice sua diuisiue a re in rem, ingressione alterius rei super ipsum sanguis menstruorum, ex quo fuit semen, id est, ex sanguine ei simile ex quo fuit nutrimentum eius & similiter omnium sine ingressione alterius rei super eo exteriori calore conseruatiuo & nutritiuo qui ingreditur super eo & conuertitur de statu in statum, & diuiditur de re in rem, & fit pullus a niue volans, & sicut illud a quo habuit radicem, & principium, & similiter semina omnium terre nascentium putrescunt, & mutantur per ingressionem corruptionis super eis. Deinde germinant & augmentantur, sicut illa ex quibus habuerunt radicem.

Et propter hoc mineralia non nutriuntur, vt exeant a sua radice sed corpus redit ad id ex quo fuit, nec conuertitur ad aliud quo ad conceptionem, & extractionem spiritus, quæ egressio sanguinis mulieris quod menstruū appellatur cum quo fœtus, quam diu in vtero est tantum pasci debet quia tempore putrefactionis huius fœtus nihil de eo apparebit.

Vadit enīm sol tunc ad aquilonarem partem, & aqua quæ egreditur de muliere, bene tunc dicitur menstrum, quia cū illa & in illa sanguis menstrualis nondum bene digestus a corpore egreditur, & est illa pura essentia quæ illam primo illuminauit, quam accepit a sole, quæ est vita eius post mortem eius quæ etiam egredi incipit ab ipso in prima solutione, cuius color est viridis, propter suam abundantiam frigiditatis animæ, & sic menstrum appellatur aqua cum qua tribus mensibus primis administrabitur compositum.

Side Notes : Menstruum quid sit.

Cum vero fœtus incipit viuificari attrahit in corpus suum hoc menstrum paulatiue, donec abstrahitur a ventre, & hoc per cursum ad vmbilicum & sic producitur ad lucem, Est enim menstrum sanguis non bene digeritur conuertitur in lac, quod corona vocatur. Vnde patet, quod est sanguis biscoctus.

Et scias quod aqua nostra ignea acuta est aqua menstruosa, tunc quatuor partes calcis prime solute cuius quatuor naturæ congelatę appositę subito putrefactione denigrat omnia que est secunda aqua, de qua loquitur Rosarius, dicens, aqua nostra diuidenda est in duas partes quarū vna parte corpus congelatur scilicet cum 7. suis imbibitionibus & congelationibus, altera vero parte putrefacit, & liquatur vt aqua ignea supradicta, acuata euomatur. Vnde pro prima secunda & tertia imbibitione apponendum est vicissim ad 4.2 partes aquæ recentis, terre 12. aquæ recentis,& semper & qulibet vice scilicet 45 b 2. sed septem vice apponuntur 52 quæ cum alijs bis 2 aquæ acuate post congelationem apponende faciunt 3. actum cum quibus vt prius omnino denigratur, & vlterius per decoctionem tantum ad perfectionem dirigatur sine additione, secundum Rosarium, cuius processus completioper sublimes et dicendum est completur.

Vnde Aurois: Soluere corpus et congelare spiritus est opus naturæ primum vt prædictum est, & nota. Scripsi vt reperi depingendo magis quam scribendo.



Septimus gradus est dicitur Cibatio.

Quæ est ingrossati subtiliatio, subtilis ingrossatio, albedinis & rubedinis, bonitatis ac quantitatis augmentatio, & colorum varietatis plenaria denudatio.

Side Notes : Anima est aurum.

Vnde philosophus. Hoc est in corpore, sed quod terra eorum est alba in qua seminatur aurum eorum, & anima eorum est aurum, Et illud corpus est locus scientiæ, congregas illam, & mansio tincturarum. Vnde illud Barbæ assimulauerunt, id est, domui scientiæ eorum, id est, congregationis philosophorum, hoc est, corpori in quo congelauit aquam benedictam, quamuis ponitur albi barba pro cucurbita, quo constat totum opus nostrum, Duæ faciunt res rem scilicet secunda, rertia, quarta, id est quo ad hanc cibationem dicitur. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto, non intrabit in regnum vitæ.

Quare dicit Hercules. Refundite id est soluite corpus magnesie, quod dealbatum est, & factum simile folijs rubi, Nam ipsum est quod fugit in optimam, & aurum extractum ab eo dicitur aurum philosophorum & est tinctura quæ est anima, cum aqua enim ascendit spiritus ad aerem altiorem: Et hoc corpus album, quando dealbatum fuerit aurum post denigrationem eius nominauerunt aurum nostrum.

Vnde Senior: Commisce aurum cum auro, id est, aquam cum cinere.

Et Hermes. Seminate aurum in terram foliatam, quare dicunt philosophi quod aurum nostrum non est aurum vulgi. Quare quidem ab actionum duæ sunt ordines scilicet albificandi & rubificandi.

Side Notes : cibus qualis.

Vnde in expositione statuæ Ioseph, Cibatur terra margaritarum ac foliorum cum duobus aquis medijs conduciue, atqƺ reseruate, vicissim responsoriæ transitoriæ denigrando, & primariæ multiplicando cum quibus completur rosa alba tempore æstuali in oriente & sol oriens in luna crescente secundum Seniorem.

Nam istarum duarum terraru, id est humores, quæ reducuntur super feces materiales, lunæ & solis, id est, super terra albam vehuntur ad altum eius radium, sed simpliciter perficiendum.

Side Notes : Albedo prima.

Nam cum ingressa fuerit secunda rapietur de purgatorio in paradisum, quæ vocatur albedo prima, dicti operis sequentis, & secunda terra foliorum. Est tamen hec secunda de primo opere naturali. Iam sufficit dixisse de prima et de secunda dimensione tyriace nostro, & de tribus qualitatibus & naturis eius. Nunc restat dicere de tertia dimensione & quarta qualitate nostra & colore, qui mediat tertio radio efficietur rubea in manifesto tempore autumnali in meridie, & hæc rubedo dicitur prima operis secundi solis quæ tamen est nouissima de primo opere naturali, & cum rebus trinaris dicte aquæ coniunge integre in b. phia reseruatis, & tertie terre solis vicissim apposite completur opus secundum rubicundissimum videlicet tyriacus benedictus dimensione spirituali velut cinapiū. Nam secunda, tertia, quarta, vnum fiunt conuertendo quadrangulum in rotundum.

Vnde Alphidius. Igne sicco & calcinatione sicca cū suo humore decoque siccū donec fiat cynapium. Et vtrumqƺ opus concordat excepto quod opus album est opus hyemis, & rubeum æstatis, quia opus rubeum maiori ignitione indiget in triplo & cibatione acetosa in septuplo.

Et sciendum quod anima est vinculum spiritus, sicut corpus est vinculum animæ. Nam spiritus penetrat corpus, & figit, anima copulat in quibus est summa nigredo & mors, quæ nisi ablatæ fuerint perpetue nō erunt, ab aqua ergo extrahe suam animam nigredinem, a corpore mortem expelle, frequenti irrigatione, sed quantum in humido solueris, tantum assando deficces, Quare dicitur coque & iterum coque & ne tedeat hoc plures reiterare, videlicet denigrando, dealbando, & completiue rubificando.

Side Notes : Adhortatio constans.

Cum in opere fueris adsit assiduitas, & patiam cum expectatione congrua, Cuius finis commodum & letitia, absit etiam pigrities, & negligentia & festinatio diabolica cuius finis damnum & tristitia.



Octauus gradus dicitur, est Sublimatio.

Side Notes : Nebulosa masteria

Quæ non est in alembicum ascensio, sed nebulosæ materiæ notatio, seu in aqua deportatio.

Nam modi sublimationis, & exaltationis nostræ non differunt in esse, nisi quod per hanc solam sublimationem intelligitur lapis habilitatio, & perfecte coniunctionis fermenti cum ipso.

Tunc quoqƺ est medicina simplex sed non perfecta, nec perfectissima quousqƺ per exaltationem nobiletetur medicina, & erigatur vt inferius patet.

Et sciendum quod quatuor de causis facimus sublimationem.

Primo vt corpus fiat spiritus de subtili materia. Secundo vt Mercurius incorporet se cum corpore & fiat vnum cum eo.

Side Notes : Medicina quid sit.

Tertio vt fiat totum albū, & deinde rubeum, & mundū, & salsedo sulphuris minuat, & precipue vt restituatur innata lapidis humiditas, quam primus in calce perdidit, & ad citissimam liquefactionem, permotiue abilitetur, quia medicina debet esse puluis simplex substantiæ suptilissimæ purissimæ, adhærentis argēto viuo, ex natura sua, & facillimeliquefactionis, occulte subtiliationis & tenuissime ingressionis admodū aquæ & super ignis pugna fixe ante fugam Mercurij, tunc quidquid apponitur illi erit eiusdē complexionis, cum eo cui apponitur, vt si aqua illi apposueris, totu soluet in aquam, Si vero in ignem, totum ignis erit.

Side Notes : Fixi resolutio interatio.

Cumque elixir fixaueris, reducas super ipsum, apparatum spiritu, quod commiscentur & liquefiat per secretū naturæ in vase philosophiæ. Nam cum steterint per mora temporis, vincet fortius eorum, conuertens totum in spiritum sibi similem, & ipsum cum impotens sit vinculo suo non stat, coniunge ergo ipsum, vt generet sibi similem, nec coniungas ad ipsum cū quouis alio, vt se conuertatur nisi cum eo de quo fuit in principio, & ratio est quia sulphura sulphuribus continentur, & humiditas similiter humiditate. Nam spiritus conuertens sulphur in spiritum sibi similem, factus est vtercƺ fugiens, & spiritus aerei simul in aerem, scandentes se diligut, vt Hermes inquit, Portauit illum ventus in ventre suo. Quia generatio geniti nostri fit in aere, & nascens in aere sapienter nascitur. Ascendit enim a terra in cœlum iterumqƺ descendit in terram, conquirendo vim superiorem, & inferiorem. Vnde Arnoldus: Oportet a terra exaltari filiū nostrum ad aerem in cruce, nam sic oportet ipsum pati, & ita intrare in gloriam suam.



Nonus gradus dicitur refermentatio.

Quæ est duplex, scilicet alba & rubea. Quorum fermentum solis est sol, & luae lumina lunæ luna.

Est autem fermentatio animantis incorporatio saporis restauratio, odoris inspiratio, entium suppletio Et sicut corpora substantialia & super ignem, fixa, non possunt suas qualitates manifestare, nec de se viuunt, nec eriguntur nisi beneficio spiritualitatis primum purificentur, & viuificentur, sic nec accidentia spiritualia possunt ostendere suas virtutes, permanentes, nisi cum fixis corporis bus prius vniantur & perpetuantur, Tuncqƺ corpus complectitur spiritu docens vigorando ipsum Contra igne preliari: Et spiritus corpus docens, ipsum actiue penetrare grossa, subtiliare densa, remediare meliorare imperfecta & perficere, omnibus quoque generaliter corporum infirmitatibus finaliter mederi.

Dicit insuper Auicenna: quod corpus & fermentum quod ibi misces, debet esse puluis simplex & subtilis non tamen facies omnino eorum mixtionis, donec vtrum eorum soluatur in aquam, eo quod in illa specie, fit tantum commixtio per minima, quia leuius est separare, vinum a terra quam ab aqua. Sed aqua quando miscetur cum aqua, recipit aquam tanquam naturam propriam quod nunquam separantur ab inuicem, eo quod natura natura letatur, & natura naturam appetit, figerat, concipit amplectitur, nutrit, renouat, dirigit, confortat, dealbat, & rubificat.

Fermentum autem præparare secundum Auicennam, & ipsum abluere, calcinare, & soluere, vt possit coniungi cum subtili opere, vel corpore, videlicet, album cum albo rubeū cum rubeo, fermentum non mutat puluerem lapidis ad formam aliquam, nisi suam, verum dat sibi saporem & odorem, cum vigore transmutandi alia corpora, ad suam naturam.

Side Notes : Effectus fermenti.

Nam cum conuersa natura sit, fit vnumquodque cum singulis, cuius complectitur essentiam primitus, eo quod quousque formetur, ad omnem formam suscipiendam, semper aptatur ad solutionem, igitur ponunt solutionem & huic solutioni dant diffinitionem, sic autem fermentum est quarta pars æris nostri.

Side Notes : Fermetum fermenti.

Et sciendum in qualibet tinctura plus est mellesimam partem tingens in liquida substantia quam in sicca, vt patet in croco cum ponitur in liquorem. Vnde fermentum reducit sibi appositum, ad sui naturam colorem, & saporem ad omnem modum, videlicet de potentia ad actum. Nam confectionem dealbati, multiplicat, spiritualitatem corroborat, combustionem annihilat, tincturam continet ne fugiat, corpora leuiat, & se inuicem facit ingredi, & coniungi, quod finis est operis, sine quo elixir non peragitur, quemadmodum pasta, sine fermento non fermentatur, quod dicitur fermentum fermenti, & coagulum coaguli.

Et sciendum quod omnis dissolutio fit secundum conuenientiam, omne enim quod dissoluit lunam, dissoluit etiam solem, eo quod corpus calidissimu est nec illud punetrare potest, nisi spiritus subtilissimus qui & aer dicitur. Et hæc omnia dicuntur spiritus secundus, vnde est homogeniū inter duo corpora, quasi inter deum & homine, quia superiori spiritu terminato recipit secundum.

Side Notes : Duo sunt spiritus.

Et hic est spiritus de duobus humoribus complificans. Et spiritus est illorum fermentum, quare liquet quod per argentū viuum nō congulat album ignem paties, & argento mero non coniungit nullum exigit ad albedinem. Et sic de auro mero ad rubeum, quia nec sibi nec alteri, nec mundo proderit. Vna tamen & eadem est operatio amborum, nisi quod opus album est opus hyemis, vt dixi & rubeum æstatis: vnde tempore æstatis & fluctuum inundatio aquarum corrumpit magisterium tertium.

Non tingit sol vt prædixi nisi tingatur, nec etiam tingit, ad complementum, nisi plenius dissoluatur. Ad plenum autem dissoluitur, in quartum gradum per sublimationem confixentur. Et sic patet quod sine fermento, non exibit, neque sol, neque luna.

Nam secundum platonem. Nisi sit in eo quod eum emendet, non fiet quod quæris, Quare iubemus coniungere lapidem cum suo corpore, vt generet sibi similem, id est cum argento vel auro mero, quæ sunt fermenta elixiris finalis nostri.

Et sciendum quod cinis fermentum est auri, & aurum est aqua eorum, & aqua eoru est fermentum corporis, & corpora eorum sunt terra eorum. Et fermentum huius aquæ diuinæ cinis est, qui est fermentum fermenti, Commisce ergo aurum cum auro, id est, aquam cum cinere.

Side Notes : Effectus fermenti.

Item Coniunge spiritum cum terra sua dealbata & calce, quod est suum fermentum, tere & confice totum aqua sua, quousc fermentetur, & fiet, vt pasta fermentata.

Nam pastæ fermentum nihil aliud est, quam leuamen de sua natura. Et sic pulueris fermentum, nihil aliud est, quam aurum & argentum sine quibus completiue elixir non peragitur, quia complificans tincturarum & spirituum est. Vnde quod philosophus. Regem nunc vestrum generosum dyadema tretaronatum ab igne honorate.



Decimus gradus dicitur Exaltatio.

Quæ est nostræ magnesiæ dealbate ingeniosa nobilitatio, quæ est potissime per spiritus augmentationem terræ sublimationem liq liquefactionis pronotationem elementa rectificata exaltando & ex eis viuificatiue quintam essentiam constituendo.

Vnde Aristoteles. Quando habueris aquam ex aere, aere ex igne, & ignem ex terra &c. Hæc autem lapis in elementis dicitur finali operatione non manuali. Primo amittit aquam quam habet ex aere post eius resolutionem in ipsam, aer nanque & aqua sunt elementa contigua, & media vnde leuiora sunt mixtione, atqƺ meliora operatione ignis, Cum frigidum vicerit calidum aer, vertitur in aquam. Cum vero calidum vicerit, frigidum aqua, vertitur in aerem, aerem vero habens ex igne, per eius solutionem putrefactionem & multam conuectionem super ipsum donec bene ablutum sublimatione fiat album. Nam vt dicit Marthos. Cum suam biberit aquam adurentem denigratur, manetqƺ vt prædixi in vmbra purgatory cum noctibus.

Side Notes : Vbi Conceptio & partus.

Concipit autem in balneis & parit in aere. Deinde rubescens, graditur super aquam et super cacumina dealbatur, & fit albus leuis, & aerius qui prius fuit grauis siccus et obscurus, ignis exaltatio sole incalescit aer & arescit, Vnde Psalmus: Exibit spiritus eius et reuertetur in terra sua in illa die peribunt omnes cogitationes, id est, dominationes humorum. Ex quo tunc versa, sunt in terram & abierunt in sicco flumina eo quod volans cecidit in nidulum, vnde prius exiuit.

Ignem vero habes a terra exaltatum per lapidis diuisionem aquæ distillationem & terræ calcinationem, quia sicut ab aere aquam habes distillando, sic ignem a terra habes calcinando. Et sic scias quod terra suam frigiditate aquæ præstat, aqua suam humiditatem aere donat, aer suam caliditatem igni communicat: Et sicut ignis viuit de aere, & aer de nutrimento aquæ, & aqua de nutrimento terræ, ita viuit lapis noster de omnibus elementis.

Et sciendum quod aer subtraneus, qui terram sustinet non demergetur in aqua, quæ sub se est prohibens terram humectari ab aqua. Aer est ergo complexionis, & diuidens inter diuersa, videlicet, inter terram & aquam, & factus est aer substantia solaris inter aduersantia concordans, ne se inuicem destruat videlicet inter aquam & ignem, exemplum huius est ouum, quod vnum est, continens in se plura, scilicet albumen & vitellum, pro materia & forma, necnon testam albumen & vitellum, pro corpore spiritu, & anima, pro quatuor autem elementis, videlicet testam præterea pelliculam inferiorem pro aere frigido subtraneo, qui est diuidens terram ne dimergatur in aqua.

Deinde albumen pro aqueitate, postea est pellicula superior pro aere calido subsolari inter aduersantia concordans, videlicet inter aquam & vitellum igneum, ne se inuicem repugnando destruant, Omnia tamen vnum sunt, aer autem inferior ac frigidior, superat terram, scilicet aquæ densioris aerisqƺ altioris.

Ideoque altior aer, altiorum, calidior rarior & subtilior est aere inferior.

Et sic in vno continentur quinque, scilicet vna quaternitas, id est terra, aqua, aer, & ignis, & punctus solis in medio rubeus. Et hic pullus est auis Hermetis.

Quare omnium philosophorum ab omnibus veteribus nostris, lapis noster nuncupatus est, maxime etiam propter albedinem, & siccitatem eius, ac manifestam aqueitatem ipsius circundante, ac intentissimam rubedinem eiusdem occultatiue implicantem.

Dicit enim Aristoteles quod non fit transitus rectius inter extrema, nisi per medium. Ideoque non vertitur calidum in frigidum, nisi per humidum quod est eorum medium, nec etiam aqua vertitur in ignem, nisi primo vertatur in aerē, nec terra vertitur in aere, nisi prius vertatur in aquam, nā Ignis & aqua sunt elementa contraria, siue extrema, & aer & terra sunt eorum media, quia sicut aqua est iuxta aerem inferius, sic aer est iuxta ignem superius. Ideoqƺ aqua contrariatur igni, sicut terra aeri, eo quod aqua & aer, conueniunt in humido, ignis & terra in sicco.

Side Notes : De rotatione elementorum.

Terra immediate mutatur in ignem, sicut aqua in aere, sed ignis & aqua, aer & terra non rotantur, nisi terra in aquam, & aer in ignem prius conuertantur, ignis vero in sua altitudine secundum Rogeriu bacconem est calidus et siccus in quarto naturaliter, que si vis vertere in aquam reduc corpus ad temperamentum vt sit susceptibile reduc in calcem, nunc ad ignem, & apponenda est aqua quæ est frigida & humida, sin quarto tamen est temperamentum nec calidum nec frigidum, & sic aqua cum igne mixta, facit temperamentum nec humidum nec siccum.

Eodem etiam modo mediantibus qualitatibus remittentibus & augentibus terra & aer ad temperamentum educuntur, sicca spiritu cum corpore mixto vt prædixi: fit temperamentum non ita rarum vt spiritus nec ita densum vt corpus.

Insuper etiam cum in opere fueris studeas omnia signa naturæ, quæ in qualibet decoctione apparent recordare in mente, & eorum causas inuestigare. Per hoc enim apparebit tibi scientia, huius regiminis certa videlicet in quo gradu moderandus est ignis.

Side Notes : Remedium cautele.

Sed si ad statum rubeum finalem ante terminum albedinis debitum in administrando opus deducitur, conficiendum est quod corrupistiue errasti quod absit.

Side Notes : Signa colorum.

Tunc pro remedio aufer rubedinem, cum aqua alba recenti imbibendo in humando & ad plenum cum calore in nigrum conuertendo, et sic semper tepido quousque putrescat iugiter, & iterum nigrum efficiatur quo rubore præcipue caue propter periculum, signum autem perfecte albedinis primæ videlicet totius materiæ, est manifestatio cuiusdam parui circuli capillaris, quia circa materiam per latera vasis sub citrini vbi prius post summam nigredinē apparuit circulus albus. Et non cures de coloribus ante veram albedinem apparentibus, quia veri non sunt.

Side Notes : Binies colorantur.

Nam bis nigrescit, bis vilescit, bis albescit, & bis rubescit, Na componitur quatuor diebus putrefactis, colorem dabit nigrum obscurum, diu moraturum, secundo nigrum citrinum, tertio rubeum nigrum, quarto rubeum claro similem croco sicco, quinto demum calore recte albedinis circa quam nullum consequeris effectum. Cum autem apparuerit candescens per totā materiam, ad instar terræ foliatæ vel foliorum rubum fixa firmiter illam & calcina. Deinde addendo nouum humorem exalta & iterum fixa, & hoc iteratius. Demum mortificato igne vt prædicitur, & continue exalta albedinem in aurum solis aurigum, vt ascendat in curru igneo ad cœlum, post Heliam vel in peradisum gloriæ dyadematæ regio insignito. Et tunc fit nostra tyriaca perfecta & lapis rotundus, quia in qua tatem temperatus quatuor elementa lapidis concorditer exaltantur.



Vndecimus gradus dicitur multiplicatio.

Quæ est bonitatis augmentatio coloris exaltatio, & quantitatis infinite artificiosa accumulatio.

Et quare in infinitum multiplicari, hæc nostra medicina debet, hæc est causa.

Ipsa nanque medicina est, sicut ignis in lignis & sicut mulcus in aromatibus bonis. Ergo est magis crescens, quo magis fuerit vsu conculcatus, quare oportet te partem illius relinquere omni tempore, quoniam ditatus 3. ab illa, sicut qui habet ignem ditatus est ab igne.

Duobus autem modis multiplicari poterit medicina. Primo per solutionem & reiteratam coagulationem, & hæc est eius multiplicatio virtualis in bonitate.

Secunda per fermentationem, & hæc est eius multiplicatio in quantitate: Citius autem augmentationem per fermentationem perficies, eo quod soluta nō bene operatur, nisi prius figentur in suo fermento: perfectius ergo per solutionem exaltationem nostra medicina multiplicatur, et hoc modo spiritualia, & post primam solutionem exaltationem, & coagulatione, pars vna in prima proiectione cadit super 100. secunda super 1000. & sic vlterius decuplare, semper exaltando, vsqƺ in infinitum quod preciosissimum est Dei donum.

Side Notes : Augmentū per fermentum.

Sicergo concluditur quod abundatius operatur in multa medicina fermentata, & soluta, quoniam solum fermentum quia magis est subtiliata, licet per solam fermentationem multiplicari poterit in infinitum, & illud ideo, quia fermentum reducit sibi appositum, ad sui naturale colorem et saporem, per omnem modu. Videntes ergo philosophi, quod illud non fugiebat, cum fugientibus factum est fugiens, Reiterauerunt ergo illud ad simile corpus non fugiens, & tulerunt in idipsum, a quo minime fugere potuerunt, propter propinquam suæ naturæ conuenientiam anima certe suum corpus citius ingrediens, quasi in alio mitteretur, quod si mittere studueris in vanum laborabis, quoniam non est conuincatio tenebrarum & lucis, Ad corpus ergo simile corporibus, ex quibus tracta sunt ipsa reuixerunt, & parata sunt, quia sic tingens & tingendum vna tinctura facta sunt. Non putes ergo illud quod tingit & fugit esse veram tincturam philosophorum. Quia sulphura tingunt, & fingunt, nisi simili argento viuo sui generis sint iuncta. Ideo oportet ipsum admisceri argenti viui alio albo alio rubeo sui generis, & tincturę fugiat. Quare iubesmus argentum viuum commisceri argento viuo, vt prædicitur donec vna aqua munda fiat.

Et hoc sciendum Adarnech, quod omnia rerum nomina & eoru similitudines nulla alia de causa ab antiquis contrariant, nisi et vos intelligatis, qđ huius rei principiu super finē testat. Et etiā sciatis qđ hoc totu non est res nisi vna, que patre huius et matre, & eius pater & mater ea miscuerunt, & pascunt, nec ipsa a sua matre aliquo modo differre possunt. Rebus ergo mixtis, vt per confixationem multiplicentur, pone vas ad ignem & custodi sumum præcauens ne fugiat ab eo aliquid, & regimen totum est in tempore ignis morare, prope vas & intuere medicinam quomodo mouebitur de colore in colorem, in minori tempore quam in vna hora diei, quousqƺ veniat ad metā albedinis citissime nāqƺ liquesfiet in igne, & cōgelet in aere, quia fumus, cum senserit ignem penetrabit in corpus et spiritus constringetur in siccum, eritqƺ corpus vnum fixum clarum album vel rubeum, secundum quod medicina fuerit & fermentum. Tunc decide ignem, dimitte totum infrigidari, quia cadit vnum pondus super mille milia, & ducenta milia, cuiusuis corporis vt conuertatur in aurum optimum vel argentum secundum elixiris qualitatem.



Duodecimus gradus & ultimus huius Scalæ sapientiæ & totius operis completiuus dicitur Proiectio.

Quæ ad desideratiuam læticiam artificem perducit. Vnde pro proiectione in paucis verbis. Sciendum est quod prius dicitur proijce, id est pondus vnum super mille, &c, Melius tamen est proijcere, nunc dimittis super fundamenta, & fundas menta super verba mea, & verba mea super diligam te domine, & diligam te, super attendite. Exemplum ex eo de croco, qui si siccus proijceretur parum tingit, sed si solutus iungatur, cum paruo aliquore, & illud paruum cum multo tingeret in infinitum. Sic ergo facies proiectionem, primo multiplica 10. in 10. & erunt 100. & 100. in mille, & erunt decem millia, & sic per communes vsque in infinitum. Causa autem horum omnino est dux, scilicet bonitatis, & necessitatis, & perfectionis. Bonitatis vt abundantius tingat, vt melius perficiat & plura conuertat. Necessitatis vt melius coloretur, melius figatur, & sibi simile ingrediatur perfectionis, quia medicina perfecta habet 'conuertere Mercurium in perctisimum aurum, & argentum, Numerus autem perfectus est, denarius, centenarius, millenarius. Ideo a principio ad vltimum facies proiectionem. Nam si ita parum supra ita magnum in ignem mitteretur, periclitareritur ab eo propter sui paruitatem. Verum omnia medicinæ fundamenta sunt multum subtilianda & tingenda, Quia quanto plus subtiliatur & tingitur, tanto abundantius operatur &c.



Epilogatio totius & omnium supradictorum summaria recapitulatio.

Sumatur ergo lapis in capitulis sufficienter notus. Et cum operis instantia assiduetur, super ipsum perfectio sublimationis, vt mundetur per hoc & subtilietur, donec in vltimam subtilitatis puritatem deueniat, & vltimo volatilis fiat, hic quidem est primus eius administrationis gradus.

Abhinc vero cum modis fixionis figatur, donec in ignis asperitate quiescat, sic autem opus lunæ nimis album, & opus solis nimis rubeū, quia album opus est hyemis, rubeum vero æstatis, ideoque subtiliationis maioris partium indiget per modos proprios in maiori decoctione digestionis, scilicet donec rubicundissimum assumat colorem. Et in hac vna perfectione secundi gradus præparationis meta consistit.

Sed & in tertio est totius operis complementū, vt scilicet iam fixum lapidem cum modis subtiliationis volatilem facias, & iterum volatilem fixum, & fixum solutum et solutum iterato volatilem, & volatilem iterato fixum, quousque fluat & alteret in complemento, solifico & lunifico certo, quoniam ex iteratione præparationis huius tertij gradus in medicina, resultat alterationis, & bonitatis multiplicatio, Vt vnumquodque imperfectorum corporum conuertat in infinitum solificum & lunificum verum. Sic etiam habet virtutem efficacem, ad sanandum omnem infirmitatem, super omnes alias medicorum medicinas.

Side Notes : Aurum potabile.

Nam animum letificat virtutem augmentat, sanitatem conseruat, iuuentutem renouat, senectutem retardat, &c. vt Arnoldus dicit. Et aurum sic factum per magisterium sit potabile per accumulationem, quintæ essentiæ nostræ super ipsum, donec pariter inspissentur, cum quibus etiam elementa aliarum rerum medicinalium poterunt inspissitudinem olei circulari, Et tunc habeatur aurum potabile verissimum balsamum philosophorum efficacissimum quod est preciossimum dei donū. Cuius nomen glorificetur hic et in euum Amen.