An Hermetic Work.

him to bring a glass full of rain water , and fetch some refined Silver laminated in thin p lates , Avhich therein AA'as dissolved within a quarter of an hour , like Ice when heated And presently he drank to me the half , and I pledged him the other half , AA'hich had not so much taste as sweet mUk ; Avhereby me thought I became very li ght-hearted ; I hereupon asked if this were a Philosophical drink , and wherefore Ave drank this Potion ? He replied I ought not to be so curious . And after he told me that by the

said Master ' s directions , he took a piece of a Leaden Pipe , Gutter or Sistern , and being melted put a little such sul phuriotis powder out of his Pocket , aud once again put a little more on the point of a Knife , and after a great blast of BelloAA's in short time poured it on the red stones of the Kitchin Chimney , which proved most excellent pure Gold ; Avhich he said brought him into such a trembling amazement , that he could hardly speak ; But his Master thereupon again encouraged him , saying , Cut for thyself the sixteenth part of this for a memorial , and the rest give away amongst the poor , AA'hich he did . And he distributed so great an Alms as he affirmed ( if my memory fail

not ) to the Church of Sparrenda : But whether he gave it at several times or once , or in the Golden Masse , or in Silver Coyn , I did not ask . At last , said he ( going on with the story of his master , he taught me throughly this almost Divine Art . As soon as this his History Avas finisht , I most humbly beg'd he would shew me the effect of Transmutation to confirm my faith therein , but he dismissed me for that time in such a discreet manner , that I had a denial . But Avifchall promising to come again at three

Aveeks end , and shew me some curious Arts in the Fire , aud the manner of projection , proA'ided it AA'ere then kvwful AA'ithout prohibition . Aud at the three Ai'eeks end he came , and invited me abroad for an hour , or two , and in our Avalks having discourses of divers of natures secrets in the fire ; but he Avas A'ery sparing of the great Elixir , gnwely asserting that AA'as only to magnifie the most sweet fame and name of the most glorious God ; and that few man indeavored to sacrifice to him in good Avorks , and this

he expressed as a Pastor or Minister of a Church , - but now and then I kept his ears open , intreating to shew me the Metallic ! , transmutation ; desiring also he Avould think me so Avorthy to eat and drink and lodge at my house , Avhich I did prosecute so eagerly , that scarce any Suiter coidd plead mere to obtain his Mistress from his Corrival ; but he Avas of so flxt and stedfast a Spirit , that all my endeavors AA'ere frustrate : 3 'et I could not forbear to tell him further I had a fit laboratory , and things ready and fit for an experiment , and that a promised favour was a kind of debt ; yea , true said he , but I promised to teach thee at my return Avifch this proviso , if it were not forbidden .

When I perceived all this in vain , I earnestly craved but a most small Crmn or Parcel of his ponder or Stone , to transmute four Grains of Lead to Gold ; and at last out of his Philosophical commiseration , he gave me a Grain as big as a Rape or Turnip seed ; -saying , receive this small Parcel of the greatest Treasure of the World , which truly few Kings or Princes have eA'er ImoAvn or seen : But I said , This perhaps Avill not transmit four Grains of Leadwhereupon he bid me deliver it him backwhich iu hopes

, , of a greater Parcel I did ; but he cutting halfe off AA'ith his Nail , flung it into the fire , and gaA'e me the rest wraped neatly up in Blew Paper ; saying , It is 3 'et sufficient for thee . I answered him ( indeed AA'ith a most dejected Countenance ) , Sir , what means this ; the other being too little , you give me HOAV less . He told me , If thou canst not maunage this ; yet for its great proportion for so small a quantity of Lead , then put

into the Crucible two Drams , or halfe an Ounce , or a little more of the Lead ; for there ought no more Lead be put in the Crucible then the Medicine can work upon , and transmute : So I gave him great thanks for my diminished Treasure , concentrated trul y in the Superlative degree , aud put the same charily up into my little Box ; saying , I meant to try it the next day ; nor woidd I reveal it to any . Not so , not so ; ( said he ) for Ave ought to divulge all tilings to the Children of ArtAA'hich tend to the singular

, may honour of God , that so they may live in the Theosophical truth , and not at all die Sophistically . After I made my confession to him , that whilst this Masse of his Medicine was in my hands , I indeavoured to scrape a little of it away with my Nail , and could not forbear ; but scratcht off nothing , or so A'ery little , that ' it Avas but as an indivisible Atome , Avhich being purged from my Nail , and wrapt in a Paper , I projected