_Out of what things the matter of_ Elixir _must be more nearly
extracted_.
The generation of mettals, as well perfect, as imperfect, is
sufficiently declared by that which hath bene already spoken. Now
let vs returne to the imperfect matter that must be chosen and made
perfect. Seeing that by the former Chapters we haue bene taught, that
all mettalls are engendred of Argent-uiue and Sulphur, and how that
their impuritie and vncleannesse doth corrupt, and that nothing may be
mingled with mettalls which hath not beene made or sprung from them,
it remaineth cleane inough, that no strange thing which hath not his
originall from these two, is able to perfect them, or to make a chaunge
and new transmutation of them: so that it is to be wondred at, that
any wise man should set his mind vpon liuing creatures, or vegetables
which are far off, when there be minerals to bee found nigh enough:
neither may we in any wise thinke, that any of the Philosophers placed
the Art in the said remote things, except it were by way of comparison:
but of the aforesaid two, all mettals are made, neither doth any thing
cleaue vnto them, or is ioyned with them, nor yet chaungeth them, but
that which is of them, and so of right wee must take Argent-uiue
and Sulphur for the matter of our stone: Neither doth Argent-uiue by
it selfe alone, nor Sulphur by it selfe alone, beget any mettall,
but of the commixtion of them both, diuers mettals and minerals are
diuersly brought foorth. Our matter therefore must bee chosen of the
commixtion of them both: but our finall secrete is most excellent, and
most hidden, to wit, of what minerall thing that is more neere then
others, it shuld be made: and in making choise hereof, we must be very
warie. I put the case then, y^t our matter were first of all drawne
out of vegetables, (of which sort are hearbs, trees, and whatsoeuer
springeth out of the earth) here wee must first make Argent-uiue &
Sulphur, by a long decoction, from which things, and their operation
we are excused: for nature herselfe offereth vnto vs Argent-uiue and
Sulphur. And if wee should draw it from liuing creatures (of which
sort is mans bloud, haire, vrine, excrements, hens egs, and what else
proceede from liuing creatures) wee must likewise out of them extract
Argent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction, frõ which we are freed, as we
were before. Or if we should choose it out of middle minerals (of which
sort are all kindes of _Magnesia_, _Marchasites_, of _Tutia_, Coppres,
Allums, Baurach, Salts, and many other) we should likewise, as afore,
extract Argent-uiue and Sulphur by decoction: frõ which as from the
former, wee are also excused. And if we should take one of the seuen
spirits by it selfe, as Argent-uiue, or Sulphur alone, or Argent-uiue
and one of the two Sulphurs, or Sulphur-uiue, or Auripigment, or
Citrine Arsenicum, or red alone, or the like: we should neuer effect
it, because sith nature doth neuer perfect anything without equall
commixtion of both, neither can wee: from these therefore, as from
the foresaide Argent-uiue and Sulphur in their nature we are excused.
Finally, if wee should choose them, wee should mixe euerie thing as it
is, according to a due proportion, which no man knoweth, and afterward
decoct it to coagulatiõ, into a solide lumpe: and therefore we are
excused from receiuing both of them in their proper nature: to wit,
Argent-uiue and Sulphur, seeing wee know not their proportion, and
that wee may meete with bodies, wherein we shall find the saide things
proportioned, coagulated & gathered together, after a due manner.
Keepe this secret more secretly. Golde is a perfect masculine bodie,
without any superfluitie or diminution: and if it should perfect
imperfect bodyes mingled with it by melting onely, it should be Elixir
to red. Siluer is also a body almost perfect, and feminine, which if
it should almost perfect imperfect bodyes by his common melting onely,
it should be Elixir to white, which it is not, nor cannot be, because
they onely are perfect. And if this perfection might be mixed with
the imperfect, the imperfect shuld not be perfected with the perfect,
but rather their perfections shuld be diminished by the imperfect,
& become imperfect. But if they were more then perfect, either in a
two-fold, foure-fold, hundred-fold, or larger proportion, they might
then wel perfect the imperfect. And forasmuch as nature doth alwaies
work simply, the perfection which is in them is simple, inseparable, &
incommiscible, neither may they by art be put in the stone, for ferment
to shorten the worke, and so brought to their former state, because
the most volatile doth ouercome the most fixt. And for that gold is
a perfect body, consisting of Argent-uiue, red and cleare, & of such
a Sulphur, therfore we choose it not for the matter of our stone to
the red Elixir, because it is so simply perfect, without artificiall
mundification, & so strongly digested and sod with a natural heate,
that with our artificiall fire, we are scarcely able to worke on gold
or siluer. And though nature dooth perfect any thing, yet she cannot
throughly mundifie, or perfect and purifie it, because she simply
worketh on that which shee hath. If therfore we should choose gold or
siluer for the matter of the stone, we should hard and scantly find
fire working in them. And although we are not ignorant of the fire, yet
could we not come to the through mundification & perfection of it, by
reasõ of his most firme knitting together, and naturall composition:
we are therefore excused for taking the first too red, or the second
too white, seeing we may find out a thing or som body of as cleane,
or rather more cleane Sulphur & Argent-uiue, on which nature hath
wrought little or nothing at all, which with our artificiall fire, &
experience of our art, we are able to bring vnto his due concoction,
mundification, colour and fixation, continuing our ingenious labour
vpon it. There must therefore bee such a matter chosen, wherein
there is Argent-uiue, cleane, pure, cleare, white & red, not fully
compleat, but equally and proportionably commixt after a due maner
with y^e like Sulphur, & congeled into a solide masse, that by our
wisdome and discretion, and by our artificiall fire, we may attain
vnto the vttermost cleannesse of it, and the puritie of the same, and
bring it to that passe, that after the worke ended, it might bee a
thousand thousand times more strong and perfect, then the simple bodies
themselues, decoct by their naturall heate. Be therefore wise: for if
thou shalt be subtile and wittie in my Chapters (wherin by manifest
profe I haue laid open the matter of the stone easie to be knowne) thou
shalt taste of that delightfull thing, wherin the whole intention of
the Philosophers is placed.