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he philosophers have not undeservedly placed sulphur in the first place amongst the three principles, as being the most worthy principle, in the knowledge of which the whole art consists. now there is a threefold sulphur, and that is to be chosen above the rest: a sulphur tinging, or colouring: a sulphur congealing mercury: the third is essentiall, and ripening. of which we ought to treat seriously, but because we have set forth one of the principles by way of dialogue, so also wee shall conclude the rest, lest we should seem to be partiall, and detract from either of them. sulphur is more mature then any of the other principles, and mercury is not coagulated but by sulphur: therefore our whole operation in this art is nothing else but to know how to draw forth that sulphur out of metalls, by which our argent vive in the bowels of the earth is congealed into gold, and silver:[pg 127] which sulphur indeed is in this work in stead of the male, but the mercury in stead of the female. of the composition, and acting of these two are generated the mercuries of philosophers.

wee told you in the dialogue of mercury with the alchymist, of an assembly of alchymists that were met together to consult out of what matter, and how the philosophers stone is to be made, and how that by the misfortune of a tempest they were without any conclusion dispersed almost through the whole world. for there arose a strong tempest, and very great wind, which dispersed them all abroad, and so blowed through some of their heads, that till this time they cannot yet recover themselves, by meanes of which divers sort of worms are bred in their brains. now there were amongst them men of divers opinions, and conditions, and among the rest there was this alchymist, which in this treatise i shall discourse of: hee was otherwise a good man, but without a conclusion, or unresolved, also of the number of those, who propound to themselves to find out the philosophers stone casually, and he was companion to that philosopher, who disputed with mercury. now this man said, if it had been my fortune to have spoke with mercury, i should have fished him dry in few words; that other, saith hee, was a foole, hee knew not how to proceed with him. mercury indeed never pleased mee, neither indeed do i think there is any good in it; but i approve of sulphur, because at that meeting wee discoursed most excellently of it: if that tempest had not disturbed us, wee had concluded that that had been the first matter, for i am not wont to trouble my selfe with[pg 128] light, and triviall matters, my head is full of profound imaginations. and so being full of confidence hee resolves to work in sulphur, hee began therefore to distill it, to sublime, calcine, to fix it, to make oyle per campanam of it, sometimes by itselfe, and sometimes with crystals, and egge-shels, and hee tryed divers other operations about it: and when hee had spent much time and costs, and could find nothing to his purpose, he was sad, and being in a miserable perplexity passed over many nights without sleep; also oftentimes hee went forth out of the city, to behold things, that hee might the more conveniently devise something that was certain in his operation: now it fell out upon a time, as he was walking up and down, hee fell into an extasy with beholding of things, and came unto a certain green wood, very full of all manner of things; in which were mines of all mineralls, and metalls, and all kinds of beasts, and birds, and abundance of trees, herbs, and fruit: there also were divers conduits of water, for in those places there was no water to be had, but what was brought thither by divers instruments, and pipes, and this by divers artificers from divers places: that was the chiefest, and clearer then the rest, which was drawne by the beams of the moon; and this was procured only for the nymph of the wood. there also did feed bulls, and rams, and the shepheards were two young men, whom the alchymist asking, said, whose wood is this? whom they answered saying, this is the wood, and garden of our nymph venus. the alchymist walks up, and down in it: and the place pleased him well, but yet hee did still think of his sulphur; and so being weary of walking, and[pg 129] in a sad condition sate by the side of the channel, under a certain tree; and began to lament most miserably, bewailing his time, and charges, which he spent in vain with operating (he could not els have deceived others, but have damnified himself only) and said, what is this, all men say it is a thing common, of small esteem, easy, and i am a learned man, & i cannot find out this wretched stone. and so in his lamentation he began to curse sulphur, because he had spent so much cost, and labour in vain upon him: and sulphur also was in that wood, but this was unknown to the alchymist. whilst he was thus lamenting, he heard this voice as it were of some old man: friend, why dost thou curse sulphur? the alchymist looked every way round about him, and seeing no body, was afraid. but that voice said to him again, friend why art thou so sad? the alchymist taking courage, said, sir, the hungry man is alwaies thinking upon bread, so doe i alwaies upon the philosophers stone. vox, and why dost thou curse sulphur? alch. sir, i beleeved that that was the first matter of the philosophers stone, and therefore in working upon it many years, i spent much, and could not find that stone. vox. friend, truly i know that sulphur is the true, and principall subject of the philosophers stone, but i know not thee, nor any thing of thy labour, and intention: thou dost without cause curse sulphur; because he is in cruell prisons, and cannot be at hand to every body; seeing hee is put bound in a most dark dungeon, and goes not forth, but whither his keepers carry him. alch. and why is he imprisoned? vox. because hee would bee obedient to every alchymist, and doe what they would have him, contrary to his[pg 130] mothers will, who forbad him to obey any, but such as knew her, wherefore shee put him into prison, and commanded that his feet should be bound, and set keepers over him, that without their knowledg, and pleasure hee should goe no whither. alch. o wretch! for this reason hee could not come to mee: truly his mother doth him great wrong: and when shall hee bee let out of those prisons? vox, o friend! the sulphur of philosophers cannot goe forth hence but in a long time, and with a great deale of labour. alch. sir! and who be his keepers that keep him? vox, friend! his keepers are of the same stocke, but tyrants. alch. and who art thou, and how art thou called? vox, i am judge, and governour of the prisons, and my name is saturne. alch. then sulphur is kept in thy prisons. vox, sulphur indeed is kept in my prisons, but hee hath other keepers. alch. and what doth hee doe in the prisons? vox, he doth whatsoever his keepers will have him. alch. and what can hee doe? vox, hee is the maker of a thousand things, and is the heart of all things; hee knows how to make metalls better, and corrects mineralls, teacheth animalls understanding, knowes how to make all kind of flowers in hearbs, and trees, and is chief over them, corrupts the aire, which hee amends again: hee is the maker of all odours, and painter of all colours. alch. out of what matter doth hee make flowers? vox, his keepers afford matter, and vessells, but sulphur digests the matter, and according to the variety of his digestion, and weight, various flowers, and odours are produced. alch. is hee old? vox, friend, know that sulphur is the vertue of all things, and is the second by birth,[pg 131] but yet older then all things, stronger, and more worthy, yet an obedient child. alch. sir, how is hee known? vox, divers wayes, but best by the state of the vitalls in animalls, by the colour in metalls, by the odour in vegetables: without him his mother works nothing. alch. is hee the sole heir, or hath hee brethren? vox, his mother hath but only one son like him, his other brethren are associated with evil things, hee hath a sister which he loves, and is againe beloved by her, for shee is as it were a mother to him. alch. sir, is hee every where uniform? vox, according to his nature, but hee is changed in the prisons; yet his heart is alwaies pure, but his garments are stained. alch. sir, was hee ever at liberty? vox, yea, especially in those times when there were such wise men, betwixt whom, and his mother there was great familiarity, and friendship. alch. and who were they? vox, there were very many: there was hermes, who was as it were one with his mother: after him were many kings, and princes, as also many other wise men, in ages since, as aristotle, avicen, &c. who set him at liberty: these knew how to unloose his bonds. alch. sir, what did hee give them for setting of him at liberty? vox, hee gave them three kingdomes: for when any doth unbind him, and releaseth him, then he overcomes his keepers, which before did govern in his kingdome, and delivers them being bound to him that released him, for to bee his subjects, and gives him their kingdomes to possesse: but that, which is more; in his kingdome is a looking-glasse, in which is seen the whole world. whosoever lookes in this glasse may see, and learn in it three parts of the[pg 132] wisdome of the whole world, and so shall become very wise in these three kingdomes, such were aristotle, avicen, and many others, who as well as they before them, saw in this glasse how the world was made: by this they learned what were the influences of the celestiall vertues upon inferiour bodies, and how nature by the weight of fire compounds things; as also the motion of the sun, and moon: especially that universall motion, by which his mother is governed: by this they knew the degrees of heat, cold, moisture, drynesse, and the vertues of hearbs, and indeed of all things, whence they became most excellent physitians. and truly, unlesse a physitian be such a one as knows, why this hearb, or that, is hot, dry, or moist in this degree, not out of the books of galen, or avicen, but out of the originall of nature, from whence they also understood these things, hee cannot bee a well grounded physitian. all these things they diligently considered, and bequeathed their writings to their successors, that men might bee stirred up to studies of a higher nature, and learn how to set sulphur at liberty, and unloose his bonds: but men of this age take their writings for a sufficient ground, and authority, and seek no further; and it sufficeth them if they know how to say, so saith aristotle, or; thus saith galen. alch. and what say you, sir, can an herb bee known without an herball? vox, those ancient philosophers wrote their receipts out of the very fountain of nature. alch. how sir? vox, know that all things in the earth, and upon the earth, are generated, and produced of three principles; sometimes of two, to which the third is joined: he there[pg 133]fore that knows these three principles; and the weight of them, how nature joins them together, may be easily able by decoction to understand the degree of fire in the subject, whether well, or ill, or indifferently decocted, and that according to more or lesse: for all vegetable things are known by those, who know the three principles. alch. and how is this done? vox, by sight, tast, and smell; in, and from these three senses are gathered the three principles of things, and the degrees of their digestions. alch. sir, they say that sulphur is a medicine. vox, yea, and the physitian himselfe, and to them that set him free from prison, by way of thankfulnesse hee gives his blood for a medicine. alch. sir, the universall medicine being had, how long may a man preserve himselfe from death? vox, even to the term of death: but this medicine must bee taken cautiously, for many wise men have been destroyed by it before their time. alch. and what say you sir, is it poison? vox, hast not thou heard that a great flame of fire destroyes a little one? there were many philosophers, which received the art from other mens experience, which did not so throughly search into the vertue of the medicine; yea, by how much the more powerfull, subtiler the medicine was, it seemed to them to bee the more wholsome; and if one grain of it can passe through many thousands of metalls, much more mans body. alch. sir, how then must it be used? vox, it must bee so used, that it may strengthen the naturall heat, but not overcome it. alch. sir, i know how to make such a medicine. vox, thou art happy if thou dost know. for the blood of that[pg 134] sulphur is that intrinsecall vertue, and siccity that turnes, and congeals quicksilver, and all metalls into gold, and mens bodies into health. alch. sir, i know how to make oyle of sulphur, which is prepared with calcined crystalls; i know also another, which is done by a bell. vox, certainly then thou art a philosopher of that assembly; for thou dost understand, and expound my words aright, as also, unlesse i am deceived, of all the philosophers. alch. sir, is not this oyle the blood of sulphur? vox, o friend! the blood of sulphur is not given to any but to those, who know how to set him free from prison. alch. sir, doth sulphur know any thing in the metalls? vox, i told thee, that hee knows all things, and especially in metalls, but his keepers know that there he could bee easily set at liberty, wherefore they keep him there bound fast in most strong prisons, so that hee cannot breath, and they are afraid lest hee should come into the kings palace. alch. is hee imprisoned so in all metalls? vox, in all; but not alike, in some not so strictly. alch. sir, and why in metalls in such a tyrannicall manner? vox, because hee would stand in awe of them no longer, when hee shall once come to his kingly palaces, for then hee can be seen, and looke freely out of the windows; because there he is in his proper kingdome, although not yet as hee desires. alch. sir, and what doth hee eat? vox, his meat is wind, when hee is at liberty, it is decocted; but in prison hee is constrained to eat it raw. alch. sir, can those enmities betwixt him and his keepers bee reconciled? vox, yes, if any one were so wise. alch. why doth not he treat with them concerning a paci[pg 135]fication? vox, that hee cannot doe by himselfe, because presently hee waxeth hot with anger, and rage. alch. let him doe it by a commissioner. vox, certainly hee would bee the most happy man in the world, and worthy of eternall memory, who could tell how to make peace betwixt them; but this no man can doe but hee that is very wise, and can agree with his mother, and have co-intelligence with her: for if they were friends, one would not hinder the other, but joining their forces together would make things immortall. truely hee that would reconcile them together would bee a man worthy to be consecrated to eternity. alch. sir, i will compose those differences betwixt them, and free him, i am in other matters a man very learned, and wise: besides, i am very good at operations. vox, friend, i see truly that thou art big enough, and thou hast a great head, but i know not whether thou canst doe those things or no. alch. sir, perhaps thou art ignorant of what the alchymists know, in matter of treaty they have alwaies the better of it, and truly i am not the last, so that his enemies will but treat with mee, if they will treat, assure your selfe that they will have the worst. sir, beleeve mee, the alchymists know how to treat, if they only will but treat with mee, sulphur shall presently be at liberty. vox, i like your judgement well, i hear that you are approved of. alch. sir, tell mee if this bee the true sulphur of the philosophers? vox, this truely is sulphur, but whether it be the philosopher, that belongs to thee to know. i have said enough to thee concerning sulphur. alch. sir, if i can find his prisons, shall i bee able[pg 136] to set him at liberty? vox, if thou knowest well, thou shalt; for it is easier to free him then find them. alch. sir, i beseech thee tell mee but this, if i find him, shal i make the philosophers stone of him? vox, o friend! it is not for mee to judge, doe thou look to that, yet if thou knowest his mother, and followest her, sulphur being at liberty, the stone is at hand. alch. sir, in what subject is this sulphur? vo. know for certain that this sulphur is of great vertue, his mine are all things in the world, for hee is in metalls, hearbs, trees, animalls, stones, and mineralls. alch. and what devill is able to find him out lying hid amongst so many things, and subjects? tell mee the matter out of which the philosophers take him. vo. friend, thou comest too neer, yet that i may satisfie thee, know that sulphur is every where, but shee hath some certaine palaces, where shee is wont to give audience to the philosophers; but the philosophers adore him swimming in his owne sea, and playing with vulcan; when the philosophers goe to him unknown in his vile garments. alch. sir, in the sea, why then is hee not mine, since hee is hid here so neer? vo. i told thee that his keepers put him into most dark prisons, lest thou shouldst see him, for hee is in one subject alone, but if thou hast not found him at home, thou wilt scarce find him in the woods. but doe not thou despaire in finding of him out: i tell thee of a truth, that hee is in gold, and silver most perfect, but in argent vive most easy. alch. sir, i would very willingly make the philosophers stone. vo. thou desirest a good thing, sulphur also would willingly bee out of bonds. and so saturn departed. now a deep sleep seased upon the al[pg 137]chymist, being weary, and there appeared to him this vision, hee saw in that wood a fountain full of water, about which walked sal, and sulphur, contending one with the other, untill at last they began to fight; and sal gave sulphur an incurable wound, out of which wound, in stead of blood, there came out water, as it were most white milk, and it became to be a great river. then out of that wood came forth diana a most beautifull virgin, who began to wash her self in that river: whom a certain prince, a most stout man (and greater then his servants) passing by, and seeing, began to admire at her beauty; and because shee was of a like nature with him, hee became enamoured with her, which when she perceived, shee was inflamed with love towards him. wherefore as it were falling into a swoun she began to be drowned: which that prince seeing, commanded his servants to help her; but they were all afraid to goe to the river; to whom the prince said, why doe you not help diana that virgin? to whom they replyed, sir, this river is indeed little, and as it were dryed up, but most dangerous: once upon a time wee were willing to go into it without thy knowledge, and wee hardly escaped the danger of eternall death; wee know also that others that were our predecessors perished in it. then the prince himselfe laying aside his thick mantle, even as hee was armed, leaped into the river, and to help faire diana hee stretched forth his hand to her; who being willing to save her selfe, drew also the prince himselfe to her, and so were both drowned. a little after their souls came out of the river, flying above the river, and said, it was well done of us, for else wee could not have[pg 138] been freed from those bodies which are polluted, and stained. alch. but doe you ever return into those bodies againe? anime, not into such filthy bodies, but when they be purged, and this river shall bee throughly dryed up by the heat of the sunne, and this province shall bee often tryed by the aire. alch. what shall you doe in the mean time. anim. here wee shall fly upon the river till those clouds, and tempests shall cease. in the mean time the alchymist fell into a more desired dream of his sulphur; and behold there appeared to him many alchymists coming to that place to seek after sulphur, and when they found the carkasse of that sulphur that was slain by sal by the fountain, they divided it amongst themselves: which when the alchymist saw hee also took a part with them; and so every one of them returned home, and began to work in that sulphur, and till this day they doe not give over. but saturne meets this alchymist, and saith to him, friend, how is it with thee? alch. o sir, i have seen many wonderfull things, my wife would scarce beleeve them; now also i have found sulphur, i beseech you sir help, let us make the philosophers stone. saturnus. with all my heart, my friend, make ready then argent-vive, and sulphur, and give hither a glasse. alch. sir, have nothing to doe with mercury, for he is naught, he hath deluded my companion, and many others. sat. without argent-vive, in whose kingdome sulphur is the king, the philosophers have done nothing, neither doe i know what to doe without it. alch. sir, let us make it of sulphur alone. sat. well then, my friend, but it will succeed accordingly. then they took that sulphur, which the alchy[pg 139]mist found, and they did what the alchymist would have done, they began to work divers ways, and to make experiments of sulphur in divers strange kind of furnaces, which the alchymist had: but in the conclusion of every operation there was brought forth nothing but matches, such as old women usually sell to light candles withall. then they began a new work, and sublimed, and calcined sulphur according to the alchymists pleasure; but in what way soever they worked it, it succeeded as before, for still they made nothing but matches; then said the alchymist to saturn, truly sir, i see it will not succeed according to my fancy, i beseech thee doe thou work alone, what thou knowest. then saturn said, see then, and learn. hee then took two mercuries of a differing substance, but of one originall, which saturn washed in his owne urine, and called them sulphurs of sulphurs, and mixed the fixed with the volatile, and the composition being made, hee put it into its proper vessell, and lest the sulphur should fly away, hee set a keeper over him, and then put him into a bath of a most gentle heat, according as the matter required, and hee made all things very well. then they made the philosophers stone, because of the true matter a true thing must needs bee made. the alchymist being very glad took the stone with the glasse, and beholding the colour thereof, which was like burnt blood, hee was amazed, and by reason of too much joy hee began to leap, in which leaping the glasse fell out of his hands upon the ground, and was broken. and so saturn vanished away. the alchymist also being awaked out of his dream, found nothing in his hands but matches[pg 140] which hee made of brimstone: but the stone flew away, and doth still fly; whence it is called volatile: and so that miserable alchymist learned nothing else by that vision but how to make matches: who afterwards laying aside the stone, became to be a physitian; by searching after the stone of the philosophers hee got the stone of the kidneys. last of all hee led such a life, as such kind of alchymists are wont to doe, who for the most part become physitians, or quacksalvers, which thing will happen to all, who betake themselves to the art casually without any foundation, but only by hearesay, or by meanes of receipts.

some of them, when things succeed not, say: we are wise men, wee hear that the grasse grows, if the art were true wee should have had it before other men: and so having brazen faces, lest wee should bee accounted undeserving men (as indeed they are, and also perverse) contemne, and undervalue the art. this science hates such men, and alwaies shews them the beginning in the end. now we grant unto the unworthy, that this art is nothing, but to the lovers of vertue, and the true searchers, and sons of wisdome, wee doe most highly commend it, and doe affirme it not only to be true, but altogether the truest: which, sometimes wee have really made good before men worthy of such a fight, i say before men of high, and low condition: (yet this medicine was not made by us, but received from a friend, and yet most true) for the searching out of which wee have sufficiently instructed the searchers thereof; whom if our writings doe not please, let them read those of other authors, which[pg 141] are easier, but with this caution, that whatsoever they shall read, they shall alwaies compare it with the possibility of nature, lest they assay any thing contrary to nature. neither let them beleeve, although it were written in the bookes of philosophers, that fire burns not, because this is contrary to nature: but if it bee writ, that fire hath a drying, and heating faculty, this is to bee beleeved, because it is according to nature: for nature doth alwaies agree with a sound judgment, and in nature there is nothing difficult, all truth is plain. then also let them learne, what things in nature are of affinity with each other, which wee conceive may be easier done by our writings, then any other, seeing wee think wee have wrote sufficiently, untill some other shall come, who shall set downe the whole receipt so plaine, as to make cheese of milke, which is not lawfull for us to doe.

but that i may not direct all things i say to the new beginner only, wee shall say something to you also who now have passed over these painfull labours. have you seen that countrey, where a man marryed a wife, whose nuptialls were celebrated in the house of nature? have you understood how the vulgar with you have seen this sulphur? if therefore you will that old women should practise your philosophy, shew the dealbation of your sulphurs; say unto the vulgar, come and see, for now the water is divided, and sulphur is come out; hee will return white, and congeale the waters. burn therefore sulphur from incombustible sulphur, then wash it, make it white, and red, untill sulphur be[pg 142]come mercury, and mercury bee made sulphur, which afterwards you shall beautifie with the soule of gold: for if you doe not sublime sulphur, from sulphur, and mercury from mercury, you have not yet found out the water, which out of sulphur, and mercury is created by way of distillation; hee doth not ascend, that doth not descend. whatsoever in this art is remarkable, by many is lost in the preparation, for our mercury is quickened with sulphur, else it would bee of no use. a prince without a people is unhappy; so is an alchymist without sulphur, and mercury. if thou hast understood mee, i have said enough.