The Secret of our fiery Mercury, so much concealed by all the Ancients, I have already largely disclosed, whereby a discerning Eye shall find therein much depth or Art revealed; And shall no proceed to discover the practice, which therefore be sure to consider well with good judgement, ere, you pass it over.

Take then our Mercury (which is our moon,) and espouse it to the Terrestrial Sun, (thus Man and Wife are joined,) to them add the reviving Spirit, which done you shall soon espy a noble Game, because you have rightly attended the noble Laws of Nature. But to be more particular, take of the Red Man one part, and of his White Wife three parts, which mix together, (this is a good proportion,) to which add of the Water four parts; this mixture is called our Lead, which will be moved to notion in a gentle which you must increase until it sweat. Otherwise, if you please, let this Pondus be observed, take of the Sun one part, and of the Moon two, to which add of the Water four parts, which maketh up the perfect number: and will prove to the a joyful rest, and the bond of Love.

Whereas Laton appeareth red, yet he availeth nothing to our work until he be whitened, in whose center lurketh a hidden Spirit, which appeareth not until it be joined with our Mercury, and this Mercury is a tender Body, the Spouse of Sol, to whom it kindly cleaveth.

This is thy Work begun with a Trinity, whereof the Body and its Soul are first conjoined, and then both are mixed with the Spirit; these we call the Sun, the Moon, and the Water, which are one in kind, although three in Number, and yet indeed are but two, because the Sun is hid, and doth not shew his light. Two Bodies thus combined, we often call our Lead, our Brass, and our Hermaphrodite, being within red and fixed, but appeareth to sight Saturnine, white and volatile, these Natures being separable, are by our Art made to become inseparable.

This is the wonder of our secret Work, that what is perfect, we cause to become retrograde, waiting a long time with patience until the Water congeal, which being obtained, we then sublime, exalt, and fix to dust this fifth Essence, which then we must again revive and circulate so oft, until Nature have advanced it onto its utmost height, still adding fresh Matter, as it needeth, and causing it to pass through the shades of Night, we gently decocting it, until clear Aurora bring the bright beams of Phoebus to appear.

Thus is the perfect amended by the imperfect, and both together are made transcendent in virtue; And thus by the help of Art assisting Nature, she is enabled to exceed her own Work alone; which is a sight that will greatly rejoice the painful Artist, and make him to forget all his toil and trouble.

Wherefore, let the practice be thus; take one Ounce of Sol, and of the Magnet Three, it makes four Ounces of the Body, to which add four Ounces of the Water, and let these be ordered thus; first let the rich Robes of Sol, be whitened by the moisture of the Moon, which may be done with a gentle Fire; the Mass shall then appear to the Eye Saturnine, and fluxible in heat like to Lead; then pour there on the due Pondus of Virgin Mercury, thus is the Body red, fixt, and solid in the hidden center, altho to signt it appeareth white, tender, and volatile.

This done, have in readiness a Glass Phial, of an Oval, or Spherical form, into which the matter must be put, be careful to Seal up the neck thereof so close, with the Seal of Hermes, that the enclosed Spirits may be secured from passing out, or the outward Air from entering there in. Let thy Glass be of such a fitt proportion as may contain at least four times the quantity you enclose, whereby a convenient space will be allowed for receiving the ascending Dew, which falling down again, doth thus by a long continued rotation dispose the Body to Solution, causing it to rot and dye, which after doth revive, and both become joined in a true union. But on the other hand take heed thy Glass be not too large, for then the Female Sperm would be too much dispersed, and thereby either it would not at all or very ill return to its Male, or fixed Earth; whereby thy Work would be spoiled; therefore let the bigness of thy Glass be proportioned to the quantity of thy Matter as aforesaid.

Wherefore one quarter of an Ounce of the purest Gold may serve for the Work, or for a trial a Dram may suffice for if you observe a due Pondus, Solis the Eight part of the whole compound, whose price is not so great but that a poor Man may bear the charge, unless he work amiss; therefore let the following Rules be observed; if to one part of the Man you take three parts of the Woman, then you must take four parts of the Water, to equal the Earth; but if you take one of the Man, and two of the Woman and to them add four of the Water, then will the Water be one part more than the Earth, as appeareth clearly by Ripley.

It now remains that we unfold the Secret of all our Fires, which so many have mistaken, whose Doctrine, as the Sages hold befits the curious Pen of a skilful Master, whereof I shall now speak with candour, and therefore friendly Reader carefully attend to what I shall here discover. First then consider well, and weigh in thy Mind the Reason of all our Works, and their Causes; by this means thou mayest be brought to understand that which hath confounded and mislead so many; wherefore I shall so far help thee as Reason may allow, which by the effect thou shalt my candor or prove.

Our Fires are these blocks at which the ignorant do fatally stumble; and Authors have written thereof so mystically, that hardly any Man can find a sufficient guide in what he should seek: no marvel then if he who knoweth our Fires may claim a Masters place. For Fire in our Art is used Homonumally, which is the cause that so many err therein; sometimes it doth signify our Water, which is so near of kin to our Laton; sometimes it denoteth the perfect Body, and sometimes neither, out floateth in the Water; that is the Sulphur of our Compound, is called a Fire, which in our Work is twofold, the one is perfect, and the product of Nature which how to find this Treatise doth fully shew: the other is included within our Water, by which thousands of Searchers have been deluded. Also our Water is threefold, and all these have so many various denominations of Fire, that he who shall attempt this Work without good judgement and care, shall surely spend his Cost and Time in vain: if therefore, thou wilt follow me, I shall be to thee a true and faithfull guide herein.

Some do erroneously judge, and therefore so ordain their Work, as that culinary Fire may claim no place therein, which they suppose to be applied in vain, and therefore such who do use it herein they are pleased to grace with the name of Vulgar Sophisters, deriding both them and their Works: for say they, it is the undoubted sense of authors, that our Fire is Magical, and not culinary, and therefore who so shall use Elemental Fire, shall surely miss his end, and on this ground they seek an uncouth Fire, not knowing what they seek.

It is true indeed that nature's Fire is Sulphur: which is hid within the Center, and this moveth the Work from State to State; and it is this that Authors bid the careful Artist by all means to improve; this is the hidden heat, which worketh invisibly, and is not to be discerned by the Eye. But yet it is as true, that the inward heat is actuated by the outward; because the fixed must thereby be raised from its seat, and made to fly with the volatile: like as an Egg needeth the heat of the Hen to produce a chicken, which being withheld the operation ceaseth.

Therefore thy Matter being found, take it and cleanse it from all its faeces, which mixt in a due proportion, put it into a proper Glass of a due bigness as before described, which must be so carefully closed up that the Spirits may not transpire; then place it in its nest, and set it; into a Furnace so curiously contrived, as that an equal and continual heat may be always kept there-in; this is our Outward Agent, which if wanting, the Work is straightway stopt, and runs to ruins; but take heed thy heat be not too great, which would surely destroy thy Work, as by the effect thou shalt find for hast makes waste, as all authors have forewarned.

Hence it follows that the outward Heat, is to be judged oft and regulated according to the inward Operation; of which I shall now treat in due order, whereby the Artist from the appearance of things to the Eye, may be directed either to increase or lessen the Heat, so as may be most suitable to effect the Work.

First then, when thy Glass is set in its Nest of Sand, let it be so fixed that it may not move in any wise, and then apply such a proper Heat under it, as may cause the latter to flow above, taking care that the Nest be so securely closed above, that no Air may pass in or out, nor thy Glass ever be suffered to cool: therefore never let thy Fire be so far spent (by Night or Day) that any cold should annoy thy Glass, but be careful to supply it from time to time with fresh Fuel as the former wasteth. To which purpose such a Furnace is to be chosen, which the Wise men have called an Athanor, wherein the continual Heat is to be Kept; having always ready a supply of Coals as occasion may require, and being careful to attend the same, at least once in twelve hours, between which whiles you may spend your time, where you list.

The Furnace may be made of Brick, laid in well tempered Mortar, made of Loam, mixt with Sand and Horse Dung, carefully beaten together, until it become such a Mass as may not be liable to crack; some in preparing their Mortar, mix therewith Ashes, some Hair or Flocks, etc. some one thing and some another; but however endeavour to choose the best. For next to the Matter itself a good furnace is the choicest Thing a Man should seek; and since Fire must bring; the Work to perfection, it were worth ones pains to bestow a weeks time in preparing a good Furnace, so artfully contriv'd, as may admit of various degrees of Heat at pleasure, and that it may be governed with such certainty as not to be liable to error.

Let your Furnace be composed of such Materials as unapt to moulder, chop or crack, because it being necessary to continue the Fire for a long time, such cranks or cracks, would make it difficult to guide the Fire to any certain decree requisite, but would almost unavoidably cause it to be greater or less than is desired.

Also take care not to build your Furnace where it may be liable to any accident or misfortune, that the Rain may not crop thereon, or the Wind blow upon your Glass, for so should you one time or other loose your Work; therefore be wary herein, that safety may attend your care, which you must dally continue to the end or your Work.

Likewise I esteem it necessary to chose a light-some place for your Furnace, for the Mind of the Artist will doubtless be so strongly inclined to beheld the Operations, as to desire to view them hourly, or daily at the least; which will be both delightful and satisfactory in seeing the Work goes right. Let not the Room where thou keepest thy immortal Heat, be such, as that the fumes ariseing from the Coals may find no vent; for so thou mayest catch such harm (as some through carelessness have done) as may cause the to repent too late, and perhaps such hurtful Scents might hazard thy Life.

If thou canst build thy Furnace high a Chimney it may be very convenient for carrying off the fumes aloft; but if thou judgest such a place too dark, then place it in a large Room, where then thou must not visit thy Glass too oft, nor stay by it too long at a time, for fear of harm: but if thou canst have an upper Room it would be best, in which such a vent might be contrived, that the fumes may pass freely away; then mightest thou be bolder, and attend it more frequently without danger; wherefore the Wise Man teach, that oft viewing the Work keeps the Artist from going astray, besides it is a pleasure to behold the various motions of the Work in the Fire.

Some choose to built a Tower by the side of their Nest, and this indeed giveth a certain Heat, but then the Coals will often rest therein, and not fall down freely to the Fire as it needeth them: some make their nest above the Coals, and they work not amiss; hence thou mayest choose either way, but certain it is, that some herein are better Workmen than others, and do contrive their Business with so much judgement and accuracy, as scarce to vary a point from their intention; and such no doubt will sooner attain their end, and bear away the Prize, than those who are less mindful in governing their Heat, who sometimes carelessly let it slack, and then again increase it by turns; which unequal procedure setteth the Work behind, and causeth Nature with less delight to run her course, who is so skillful in her curious Laws, that when she hath once begun, never ceaseth to operate unless she meet with an interruption which accordingly retards the Work.

It is were good if one a chosen friend can have as a partner in this Work, werby you might attend the same by turns, and so might both spend your alternate time in reading, writing, or walking the Fields, or a pleasant Garden, etc. as best suiteth your inclinations: for to be every day confin'd for so long a time, to such a careful attention as it requireth, would too much oppress the Spirits with anxious care; nor is it to good to be ever rolling one Stone, since manifold Evils might attend too much thoughtfulness, and therefore I advise the sometimes to divert thyself at pleasure.

Let not thy Operations be known to any but thy surest Friend, and do not as many Searchers have done, make all privy to your intentions, for they will be sure to mock and deride your folly; and therefore it is best to be silent; neither let thy Wife, thy Children, or thy Servants, be acquainted therewith, least they discourse thereof and expose it amongst their Companions, and acquaintance; but carry thyself with all the Secrecy thou canst, pretending; ignorance thereof, and counting the Art as a Fable.

For shouldest thou happen to miss thy aim, and for thy time and Cost, reap nought out Expense and Care what Man would have himself thought to be one of those who by this Art had reduced himself to want? Or shou'dest thou obtain the matchless Prize, yet what wise Man would have it known, that he had the Art of making Gold? Therefore it is better tacitly to enjoy it, not crying Roastmeat in the open Street, than to lay ones self subject to such, whom if you did not supply with Money at pleasure, or shew them the Art, would destroy both you and Art.

Consider well the danger, and be assur'd 'tis better to live in safety, than in fear, and so enure your self to secrecy that none nay hear thereof from you, either by boasting of what you can do, nor yet for any price procure the Secret from you. To which purpose beware of Drink and Company, for the one besots, and the other allures, for 'tis unlikely that he should keep a Secret long, who too often or too largely allows himself in Drinking, but on the contrary it is certain that Temperance is the best and most assured barr to command the tongues, without which it will not be long bridle.

All these Things being rightly observed, I next advise the not to expect the event with over greedy desire, but minding the Sayings of the Wise, and waiting with Patience the appointed Time, you'l be sure to find the End; But he that hopes in a short time to receive his Harvest, doth in fine deceive himself; hence some are so impatient that they cannot long left their Glass stand, quiet, but will be moveing, turning, or shaking it, where-by they do much wrong to Nature's Work, who being thus forced out or her own path, doth follow the fancies of those foolish Artists; which whoso violates her Course, will reap nothing but Wind.

Commit thy self and thy Work to God above, intreat his Grace and help, keeping thy self from all Vice and Sin, see that thou begin with him alone; this is the way for to attain success, otherwise thou mayest long toil, but always in vain. And if thou art so happy as to attain this rare Jewel, which many seek, but very few do find, be sure to thy utmost thou honour God, relieve the Poor, and help the Sick: Let not this great Talent be buried in a Napkin, but pursue Charitable Works, and do no wrong to any Man; so shall thou see Gods blessing rest on thee, whilst thou hast thy abode with Mortals here, and will be to the an earnest of that everlasting Happiness hereafter, which thou shouldest ever have in view. For of all the Blessings of this Life this Art is the greatest and of the highest Value, which is given only to such as endeavour to improve and use it well, who being truly Wise, do not doat on the fading pleasures of this Life, as to neglect the Everlasting Bliss.

I shall now briefly, yet plainly disclose the real workings of our Stone, with all its Colours as they appear in their proper Seasons; and he who snail heedfully observe my Discourse shall find that it truly sheweth more than hath ever been revealed by any Man, although there is something herein yet concealed.

Know therefore, that as soon as thy Compound shall feel the Fire, it will flow like onto Lead; the tender body which is the Soul of Steel, doth shew such mighty efficacy, that Solis whitened and devoured therein, on both of which Media's broth must then be poured. This is then our Sea, wherein there swimeth Five Fishes, who have neither Scale nor Bone, this Sea is ever round, without any brim, and both the Sea and Fishes are all one; these we digest until they make a broth, and all join in Unity.

Having attended Forty Days, then shall appear Black of the Blackest, like unto a well burnt Coal, when this thou seest and having passed the doom of blackness, thou needest not to fear but the White will at last shew itself, and afterward you will cone in due time onto the sparkling Red. This blackness is the Gate by which we enter into the light of paradise, this is the way, by which the Bodies are reduced to their center, and a dismal Night bringeth forth a glorious Day; let therefore thy chief care be to attain this Black, or else all other Signs shall be in vain.

At first the Colour appeareth argent, for the Sun must descend into the Womb of Luna, and both must be reduced into their first Matter, which is effected by Mercury alone, which so amendeth Nature in its kind, that the Sun and Moon are both soon eclipsed in this Water, the only cause of which alteration is the continual working of the Fire; by means whereof the Water draws from the Sun and Moon a Water of Life, wherein is hid a Spirit of great might, and is the proper seed of Sol and Luna. This Water and Spirit do evermore attend each other, and circulateth incessantly, still rising like an Air, and again descending, for those Spirits being loosed continue to operate until they become fixed, to the desire of the Artist.

But beware thy Spirits find anywhere to exhale, for that would spoil thy Work, and cause the much hurt, by thus breaking one of the strictest Laws of thy Work; neither cause them to rise too fiercely, lest they break thy Glass; which therefore cause to be made as strong as may be, and equally blown, without either knotts or flaws therein, which thou shalt set within a Ring of Brass, wherein let it be fixed with moistened Bone Ashes, closely pressed down, as a safeguard, thereunto.

Thou shall see thy Waters fly aloft, and also thy Body boiling underneath; and this Circulation thou shalt continue so long until the Eagle destroy the Dragon, when all dying together shall turn into an ugly Toad, which thou shalt burn until the Black decrease, which will be succeeded by manifold Colours, and the Light appeareth, this course continue with patience, until thou behold the Moon doth rise with her bright beams: this then is our young King which cometh from the East, bearing a Crescent Moon upon his Crest.

But here beware of making thy Heat over-great, and thereby causing the Red to appear before its time in colour like to a wild Poppy, with siccily; for that will be to thee a fatal Sign, shewing that thou workest amiss, by thus burning thy flowers, and turning them into precipitate. Therefore, for certainty in thy Operation, proceed therein with a gentle Fire, and be not moved with hate anticipate thy Work, no not a Day, but with patience wait until the Black being past, then mayest thou augment thy Fire a little, but rather let it be too little than too much, which will be the safer, which is the concurrent Council of all the old Sages, on which you may rely, as on a fix'd ground: For much time shall pass before thou see thy Gold resolve and rot, and this Work the Magi have found so tedious, that thereof they have oft complained.

And now I shall in few 'words discover all the hidden Operations of our new Art, which yet is old, but hard to find, amongst which I shall declare many Mysteries; therefore attend diligently onto what I shall teach you in the following Discourse upon the Oath of Secrecy.

The End of the Second Book.