-^ji^SdX 
 
 PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY 
 GIFT 
 
 OF 
 
 JOSEPH RITJ^4AN 
 
T H F 
 
 CONFESS [ON 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FRATERNITY 
 
 O F 
 
 R: C: 
 
 Commonly 5 of the 
 
 Rofie Crofso 
 
 WITH 
 
 A Projface annexed thereto, and afhort 
 Declaration of their Phyficall 
 
 Work. 
 
 By EuGENius PhIlalethes. 
 
 Jarch: apud Fhiloftrat: 
 
 Veritas in trofiindo. 
 
 London , Printed by /. M. for Gila Calvert^ at th 
 black fpread Ea^lc ac the Weft end of Pa«/j. i6^%» 
 
§m Msl M^ ^^^ mkm'.^m Hr ^ 
 
 ^j$*<,p |>t$^ $>^>^'^-^ ^^t^^^'lh-I ^^*^4^^M 
 
 THE 
 
 Fubliflier to the Reader. 
 
 T is. thi Obrervation cf 
 \ fiich a>s skili Dreams , 
 That to travel m our [lecp 
 • ^ long way, /i;^^ all alone, 
 is a fign of Death. T^b^'s 
 It feems the Poet knew - 
 for when the Queen of Carthage rxia^ tQ 
 dytfor Love, he fits her with this Melm- 
 cholj Vifion : 
 
 Longam Incomitata videtur 
 
 Ire Viam. 
 
 Now the ufe / make cf it) is this : / 
 would he fowKe^ as r^ prognofticate. / 
 do therefore fromife mj prelent Work not 
 only Life, bt^t Acceptance : for in this my 
 Dream ( and I know yo^^wi/l call it (o) I 
 I travel not rvithout Company. There rvere 
 A 3 fome 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 y^;;?^ Gentlemen hefides my fdf, who af- 
 fected this Fame, and thought it no Dif- 
 paragement to their own : but it was their 
 pkafure tt flwuld receive light at my 
 hands, and this made them defer their own 
 Copies, which otherwife had f aft the Pre/, 
 J have,KeadcY^l?ut little more to fay y unlefi 
 1 tell thee of my Juftice, and now thou p^alt 
 fee how diftributive itts. The Tranflation 
 of the Fama belongs to an unknown hand, 
 hut the Abilities of the Tranflator / que- 
 (lion not. He hath indeed miftaken Da- 
 "mafcus for Damcar m Arabia, and this I 
 would not zlitx^for I am no Pedant to cor- 
 vcA another mans Labours. T/^^Copy 
 was communicated to me by a Gentleman 
 more learned then myfelfy and I (Ijould 
 name him here, but that he expects not ei- 
 ther thy thanks or mine. As for the Pre- 
 face, It is my own, dnd I wijh thee the full 
 Benefit ofity which certainly thou canjl not 
 mifs, // thou comft to it with clear eyes, 
 and a purged fpirit. Confider that Preju- 
 dice obftru^s thy Judgment ; for if thy 
 Affeftions are engaged, though to an Ignis 
 fatuus, thou doft think it a Guide, becaufe 
 
 thou 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 thou dofi follow it. It is not Opinion 
 makes Things Falfe or True: for men 
 hxnje deny'd a great part of the World, 
 which now the) inhabit ; ^W America as 
 well as the Philofophers Stone^n^^^ fome- 
 times in the Predicament of Impoflibili- 
 ties. There is nothing more abfurd, then 
 to he of the fame mind rvtth the Generality 
 of Men, for they have entertain d many 
 grofs Errors^iv/'/r^Time and Experience 
 have confuted. It is indeed our Sluggifh- 
 nefs and Incredulity r^^^ hinder all Di^- 
 coveries, for men contribute nothing to- 
 wards them hut their Contempt, or^whtch 
 is worft, their Malice. / have known all 
 this my felf, and therefore I tell it thee : 
 but what ufe thoji wilt make of />, / know 
 not. To make thee what Man fhould be, 
 is not in wv power, hut it is much in thy 
 own, ffthou know'ft thy Duty to thy felf. 
 Think of tti and Farewell, 
 
 E. P. 
 
 A4 TO 
 
TO THE 
 
 Wife and Uaderftanding 
 
 READER. 
 
 '^'^'^^'^Mom {{zkhSolomo?i'> is 
 CO a man an infinire 
 Treafure, for (he is the 
 Breath of the Power of 
 God , and a pure Influence that 
 fiowech from the Glory of the Al- 
 mighty ^ flic is the Brightnefs of 
 Eternal Light , and an undefi- 
 led Mirror of the Majefty of God, 
 and an Image of his Goodncfs ^ flie 
 teachech us Soberncfs and Pru- 
 dence 
 
The Epiflle^(<rc. 
 
 dcnce^Rightcoufnefs and Strength ; 
 flie underftands the Subtiky of 
 words, and Solution of dark fen- 
 tences j flie fofcknowcth Signs 
 and WonderSj and what fhall hap- 
 pen in time to eomc; with this 
 Treafure was our firft Father Adam 
 fully endued : Hence it doth ap- 
 pear, that after God had brought 
 before hinci all the Creatures of the 
 Field, and the Fowls under Hea- 
 ven, he gave to every one of them 
 their proper names, according to 
 their nature. 
 
 Although now through the f or- 
 rowful &11 into fin this excellent 
 Jewel Wtfdom hath been loft, and 
 meer Darknefs and Ignorance is 
 come into the World, yet notwith- 
 ftandinghath the Lord God fore- 
 times 
 
7 he Ep'tHle 
 
 times hitherto beftowed,and made 
 imnifcft the fame, to fome of his 
 Friends: For the wife King Sohmon 
 doth teftifie of himfelf, that he up- 
 on earneft prayer and delire did 
 get and obtain fuch Wifdom of 
 God, that thereby he knew how 
 the World was created, thereby he 
 underftood the Nature of the Ele- 
 ments, alfothe time, beginning 
 middle, and end, the increale and 
 decreale, the change of times 
 through the whole Year, the Re- 
 volution of the Year, apd Ordi- 
 nance of the Stars j he underftood 
 alio the properties of tame and 
 Wilde Beafts , the caufe of the 
 raigning of the Winds, and minds 
 and intents of men, all forts and 
 natures of Pla[ns,vertues of Roots, 
 
 and 
 
to the Tieader, 
 
 and others, was not unknown to 
 him. Now I do not think that 
 there can be found any one who 
 would not wifli and defire with 
 all his heart to be Pai taker of this 
 noble Trea(ure; but feeing the 
 fame Felicity can happen to none, 
 except God himfelf giveWifdom, 
 and fend his holy Spirit from a- 
 bove, we have therefore fet forth 
 in print this little Treatife, to wit, 
 Famam <^ Qonfejsionem^ of the Lau- 
 dable Fraternity of the Rofie 
 Crofs, to be read by every one, be- 
 caufe in them is clearly (hewn and 
 difcovered, what concerning it the 
 World hath to cxpedt. 
 
 Although thefe things may 
 fcem fbmewhat flrange, and many 
 may efteem it to be but a Philfo- 
 
 phicai 
 
ne Epifile 
 
 pbical fhew, and no true Hiftory, 
 which is publiflied and fpokca of 
 the Fraternity of the ^^fie Crofs ; it 
 fliall here fafficiently appear by 
 our Confe/sm^ that there is more 
 in recejfu then maybe imagiocd; 
 and it fliall be eafily underftood, 
 and obferved by every one ( if he 
 be not altogether voyd of under- 
 ftanding) what now adays, and at 
 thefe times , is meant thereb y* 
 
 Thofe who are true Dtfciples of 
 Wtfdom^ and true Followers of the 
 Spherical ^rt^ will conlider b::tter 
 of thefe things, aad bive them in 
 greater eilimation, as lUo judg far 
 otherwife of them;, as hath been 
 done by fome principal Perfons, 
 but clpccially of Mam Hafetmejier^ 
 Notarius fuhlicm to the Arch Duke 
 
 tdax- 
 
to the ^aJi r. 
 
 Maximilian^ who likewifc hath 
 made an Extract ex fcrlptk Theo- 
 logicis 7l:eoph'asH , and written a 
 Ircatiie u^mkr the Tide of ^e- 
 fmter , v^^licrein he willech , 
 rihat every Chriiiaan fliould be 
 a true Jefuic , that is , to walk , 
 live, be, and remain in J^fus: 
 He was bin ill rewarded of the 
 Jduits , brecaufe in his Aniwer 
 written upon the Fmtam , fee 
 did name thofe of the Frater- 
 7nty of the ^fie Crofs , The 
 highly illumhiated men ^ and un^ 
 deceiVnig fejuits ; for tbey not 
 able to brook it^his , layd haaid-s 
 on him., and put him into 
 the Callns , for which they 
 like wife have to expc<5t their 
 reward. 
 
 Bleffed 
 
Ihe Epiftle 
 
 Blefled Aurora will now 
 henceforth begin to appear , 
 who ( after the paffing away of 
 the dark Night of Saturn) with 
 her Brightneft altogether extin- 
 guiflieth the fhining of the 
 Moon , or the fmall Sparks of 
 Heavenly Wtjdom , which yet 
 remaineth with men , and is 
 a Forerunner of pleafant (Pk- 
 hm ^ who with his clear and 
 fiery gliftering Beams brings forth 
 that blefled Day ^ long wiflied 
 for, of many true»hearted • by 
 which Day-light then (hall truly 
 be known, and fliall be leen all 
 heavenly Treafures of godly Wif- 
 dom , as alfb the Secrets of all 
 hidden and unvifible things in 
 the World, according to the 
 
 Doctrine 
 
to the Reader. 
 
 Dodlrine of our Forefathers, and 
 ancient Wifemen. 
 
 This will be the right kingly 
 ^hy^ and moft excellent fhining 
 Carbuncle^ of the which it is faid. 
 That he doth fliine and give hght 
 in darknefs , and to be a perfect 
 Medicine of all imperfed Bodies, 
 and to change them into the beft 
 Gold, and to cure all Difeafes of 
 Men, eafing them of all pains and 
 miferies. 
 
 Be therefore, gentle Reader, 
 admoniflied, that with me you 
 io earneftly pray to God, that it 
 pleafc him to open the hearts and 
 rars of all ill hearing people, and 
 :o grant unto them bis blefling, 
 hat they may be able to know 
 lim in his Omnipotency, with 
 
 ad- 
 
The Efijlle^ (s^c 
 
 admiring comcmpiation of Na 
 ture, to his honour and praife, and 
 to the love , help , comfort and 
 ftrengmeoing of our Neighbors , 
 and CO the teftoring of all the 
 difcafed. - 
 
 'rhi 
 

 1 he Preface. 
 
 F it were the Bufinefs cf 
 mj Life or Lettrrmg , t0 
 procure mj felf that noyfe 
 jvhich meri' call Fame,/ am 
 not to feck rvhat might 
 conduce to it. It is an 
 A^Cdjfords many AdvSintdgcSjand I might 
 have thichoyto. of (everalVo\xnMxion%y 
 rvhereoTi to build my fclf. / carp fee withalli 
 that Time dnd Imployment have made 
 feme pcrfonsMcHy ivhorn their frjl Adven- 
 tures dtd not ^nde fuch. Thi^ fuddain 
 Growth mi^ht givi my imperfe<ftions 
 alfo r^e Confidence of fuch another ftart : 
 butaslUve not ^^ Common Examples > 
 fo I drive not a GommOn Defign. / have 
 taken a courfc different from that of the 
 World >/(Jr (Readers) I would have you- 
 ( a ) know^ 
 
The Preface. 
 
 know> that whereas yoU' plot to fct your 
 felves up, / c/o here contrive to bring my 
 felf down. / am in the Humor to affirm 
 the ElTcncc, and Exiftence of that admired 
 Chima^ra , the Fratcrnitic of R. C. And 
 now Gentlemen / thank you, I have Aire 
 and Room enough : me thinks you fneak 
 and (leal from me:, as tf the Plague and 
 this KcdCvof^ were infeparahle. Take my 
 Lord have n^ctcy, along with you, for I 
 pitty j/fl/^^ fickly Braines, and certainly as 
 to your prefent State t^^ Infcription // not 
 unfeafonable. ^SutinUQUof thisyfome of 
 yqu may advife mi tQ an AlTertion of the 
 CapreoU^/delPlAi^bo, or a Review <»/ 
 fi'^ Library of that difcreet Gentleman 
 iff the Mancha, fo/, in four Opinion tho^ 
 Knight$ and thef^ B^'qthcrs are equally In- 
 vifible. Thts is bard m-afi^r^j but J Pal not 
 infiji to diffxovc ym '- if there be any a- 
 mongfi the Living of the fame Eookifli 
 faith with my felf :i The^y are the Pcrfons / 
 would fpeak to> and yet in thisVlhda^ 
 mpdeftly , / invite them not, unlefi they be 
 ^rLeafure... :.,./.::.: . / ^ .. 
 
 • ) indeed 
 
The Preface. 
 
 indeed the Conitm^Xy which Magic eveti 
 in all Ages hath undergone, / can ( in my 
 opinion ) finde no other Reafons for it , hia 
 what the ProfefTors themfehes are guilty 
 ^/^jy Mif-conftrudion , and this in Refe^ 
 rcnce to a double Obfcurity , ^/Life and 
 Language. As for thetr nice (or tofpeak 
 a better truth) their Confcientious Retire- 
 ments, whereby they ^/<^ feparate themfelvs 
 from diflblute and brutifli fpirits, it is that 
 which none can fobcrly dtfcommend • naj^ 
 it is a very purging Argument, and may 
 ferve to wipe of thofe contra^ed, envious 
 fcandals , which Time and Man have in* 
 juriouttyf ajlned on their Memory. For if 
 we reafon difcreetly, we may not fafely 
 truft the Traditions 4;«i Judgement ^//^/^^ 
 World, concerning fuch perfons wh^ 
 fequeftred themfelves from the World* 
 and were no way addided to the Affairs ^r 
 Acquaintance thereof. It is true, they were 
 lofers by this Alienation , for both their 
 life and their Principles were crofTe t9 
 'hofe of their Advefiaries : They Uved in 
 he lliade, in the calm of Confcience and 
 blitude^ but their Encmks moved in the 
 ( a 2 ) Sun- 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Sun-lliinc,/;?/A^Eyc of worldly Tranf- 
 aftions, where they kept up their crvn Re- 
 pute xvnh d clamarou^ Defamation ofthefe 
 innocent and contented Eremits. The jccond 
 Obftacle to their Fame , wa^ partly the 
 fimplicity ofthetr ftyle , which is Scn^- 
 x.\xvC'\]kty and commonly begins like Solo- 
 mon's Text, with Mi Fili. But that which 
 fpoil'd all > and made them Contemptible 
 even tofome degree ofmiferie, w/is a corrupt 
 Delivery of the Notions and Vocabula of 
 the Art : for Magic like the Sun , moving 
 from the Ed,({^carr/ed along with it the Ori- 
 entallTcvmcSj which our Weflern Philo- 
 fophers whoskil'dnot the Arabic «;r Chal- 
 dce, &c. did mofl unhappily and ct/rrupt- 
 /y tranfcribe , and verily at this day they 
 are fo flrangely abused , it is more then a 
 Tasktoguefs^it f/^f/r Original. But this 
 is notall^forjome werefo lingular, as to in- 
 vent ^^r/^/;? Barbarous Tcrmes of their 
 mvn,andtheje conceited Riddles, together 
 with their Magiftcrial way of Writing 
 (for they did not fo far condefccnd as ta 
 kcafon^/;f/r Pofitions) made the world 
 conclude them a Fabulous Generation. 
 
 Indeed 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Indeed this %va$ a ft range courfc of Their Sy 
 and much different from that ^/ Trifmc- 
 giftus, tn rvhofe genuine works there ts not 
 (?;?f Barbarous iy\\zh\c ^nor mj ipointajjer' 
 ted, without mojl pregnant and Demon- 
 ftrative Reaibns. Certainly Hermes as to 
 his courfe of life rvas public and princely, 
 in his Doftrine clear and Rational, md 
 hence it n\zs that not onely his own times, 
 hut even all fubfcquent Generations were 
 moflconflmt Tributaries rt; his Honom. 
 On the contrary ( if we may conjecture by 
 EfFe(5lsJ there fucceeded him in his School 
 certain Melancholy envious Spirits ,tt7^^/^ 
 obfciire mfcrutable writings render d thar 
 Authors Contemptible, but made way for 
 that new noyfe of Ariftotle , which men 
 call Philofophie. / may fay then of theft 
 b^er^agicians what Solinus fomettmcs 
 fatdofthofc contentious fuccefibrs of K- 
 lexander r^^ Great : That they werebomy 
 Ad fegetem Romana? gloria? , non ad 
 Hcereditatem tanti Nommis. 
 
 It is equally true ^ That fime skulking 
 
 Philofophers whiles they envioufly fuf- 
 
 prefltheTmih^d/d occafionally promote 
 
 (as) ' a 
 
The Pteface. 
 
 a Lye : for they frAve ivay to the fincmics 
 growth 3 till At Ufl the Tares fo(fefi the 
 Yidd^ and then rvas the true Graine c^(l 
 intotheYixt, Nor indeed couldit he other- 
 TVife, for this Buflid being fiicedoojer the 
 hi^hiythe Darkncfs (?/ It invited Igno- 
 rance /i^r<?^^ : Andnoivjleps out Ariftotle 
 like .. Pcdler mth his pack, the Triumphs 
 of rvhofe petulant School had hut two weak 
 fupportersy Obfcurity and Envic. Both 
 thefe proceeded from the Malignancie of 
 fome eminent Authors , whom' God had 
 hlejl with Difcoveries Extraordinary : 
 Thefe to fecure themfelves and the Art , 
 judged tt their hejl conrfe to h\oi out the 
 path , that fuch as were unworthy might 
 never he ahle to follow them. It cannot he 
 denyed hut this M.y{\.^xy and cloud of the 
 letter carried with it both Difcretion /^W 
 Neceflitie, hut what fpoyl'd all Wits the 
 Excefs of the Contrivers, for they faB all 
 Dcccncie both in the Meafure y and the 
 M^ncrofit, I couMe twxn'xttou^ m Ex- 
 amples, ^W proofs ofthu kind yhr^t that 
 J hold ;> fupcrfluous to paufe at a point 
 which iis acknowledged ^n all Hands. To 
 
 be 
 
The Preface, 
 
 he fhort therty this Umbrage and Mift i)f 
 their Text required fome Comment arid 
 Cleanicfsj^/^r {cvf being able to Expound, 
 the World ran generally to the other fide 
 and the School-men have got the Day,;^^r 
 by Weight ^/^f bj Number. This conG.- 
 dcrcd, It cannot be thought unreafonable 
 andcertatnly not unfcafonable , tf a So- 
 ciety fi>;;/atf/^ t^//^^^ Truth, and^ViYd. m 
 the abftrufe principles of Nature , jhall 
 endeavour to reftifie the world : for hither- 
 to rve have been abufed with Greek Fables 
 and a fret ended knowledge ef Caufes , 
 httt rvitheut their much defired EfFeds. 
 We flat nl J fee , that if the leafl Difeafc 
 invades Us, the School-men have not one 
 Notion 5 that is fo much a charm , as to 
 cure Us: and rvhj then [hould we imbvacc 
 a Philofophie of meer words, when it is 
 evident enough , that we cannot live hut by 
 Works. Lettisnotforih2im^befoii\X}^\A 
 any more, for'tis a Barbarous Ignorance 
 to raaintaine that for Truth which our own 
 dayly Experience can afTure ^ to be Falfe. 
 Bttt fome body will refly , That the Anti- 
 quitie of this Peripatifm may claim fome 
 (a 4) Reve- 
 
'^' The Preface. 
 
 Reverence-, af^dwe mufi complementally 
 invite it abroad , »<?r churlilhly turn it 
 out of Doors , This m my. opinion sere to 
 dance before Dagon, as David did before 
 the Ark •' to fay th.it rcfpcd to a Lye ,. 
 tvhich IS due onely to the Truth, d/id this is 
 Anfv/CYfuffcient. As for that Fraternity, 
 ivhefHi^oxy /tW Confeflion / have here 
 adventured to publifli, / have for my own 
 fart no Relation to them , neither do 1 
 w///f A defire f^^/r Acquaintance : / know 
 they are Mafters of great My fteries, and I 
 know withal that nature is jo large, they 
 may as wel Receive a^ Give. / w.^4 never 
 ^^^^lavilli an Admirer of xhcm^ as to 
 prefer them to all the World yfor it is pof- 
 iible and fcrhats true > that a private 
 man may have thattn his pofieirion^^ri^^A'- 
 of they are l^nounx. It is not their title 
 and the noyfe it hath occalion'd , that 
 i makes me commend them-^ The Ac- 
 
 knowledgment / give the/n , was hrft 
 procured by their Books, for there 1 found 
 them true Philofophers, and therefore not 
 ChiiricTra's {as mofi think ) but Men. 
 Their Principles are every iviiy Corrc- 
 
 Ipondcnt 
 
The Preface. 
 
 fpondent to the Ancient and Primitive 
 WiMome, nay, they are confonant to our 
 very Religion , and confirm every point 
 thereof* I ffueftion not but mofl of their 
 Proponils may fern Irregular to com- 
 mon Capacities •, hut where the Preroga- 
 tive and Power <?/Nature ts known^there 
 will they quickly fall even, for they want 
 not their Order and Sobriety. It will he 
 expecfed perhaps y that I f})ould [peak fome- 
 thm^ us to their Peribns ^zr/^^ Habitations, 
 hut m this ?ny cold Acquaintance will ex- 
 cufe me •, or had I any Familiarity with 
 them, I Ihouldnot doubt to ufe tt with more 
 Difcretion. As for their Exiftcncc, (// 
 Imaj fpeak like 4 School-man,) there is 
 great reafon weflwuld believe it^neither do 
 I fee how wc can deny it-, unlef we grant, 
 that Nature is ftudied, and Books alfo 
 written arid publiihed hy fo.^ne other Crea- 
 tures then Men. It is true indeed ^that their 
 Knowledg^^firft wa^ not purchafcd hy 
 their own Difquifirions, for they received 
 It from the Arabians, amongU whom tt re- 
 mainedas the Monument and Lc^vxy of 
 the Children of the Eaft. Nor is this at all 
 
 impro- 
 
The Preface- " 
 
 improbable, for the Eaftern Countries 
 
 have been /r/rv^)'^ famous/(;r Magical ani 
 Secret Societies. Now am I tofeek how far 
 you will believe me m this, becaafe I am a 
 Chriftian s, andyet I doubt not but you will 
 believe 4 Heathen, becaufe AviHoilc was 
 one. 
 
 Take then amongB you a more accent able 
 Ethnic^ / »?(?4;7 Philoftratus, /i;r thus he 
 delivers himfelf in the life <?/ ApoUonius. 
 Bt brings in his Tyaneus difcourftng wtth 
 Prince Phraotes, andamongH other Quc- 
 iiions propofed to the Prince, ApoUonius 
 asks himy Where he had learnt his Philo- 
 fophy, and the Greek Tongue, for a- 
 mongft the Indians ( [aid this Greek ) 
 there are no Philofophers ^ To this fimple 
 Qua? re the Prince replies y yzKa.jAf^nd with 
 a notable Sarcafm, hi ^ ^clkcuoi^ ^r. Our 
 Forefathers (faid he) did ask all thole 
 who came hither m lliips,if they were not 
 Pirates-, for they conceived all the 
 World (but themfelvcs) addided to that 
 vice, though a great one : But you Gre- 
 cians ask not thofe ftrangers who come 
 toyou.ifthey be Philofophers. To this 
 
 he 
 
The Preface. 
 
 he Adds A very dijfolute Opinion cf the fame 
 Grecians, ?famelj,thdX Philofophy, which 
 of all Donatives is ^mtAlov^ the Divineft, 
 ihould be efteemed amongft them as a 
 thing indijfferent^and proportionate to all 
 Capacities: And this, I am fure (fakh 
 Phraotes r(7 Apollonius) is a kind ot Pi- 
 racy tolerated amongft you : 59 Ui ^' m^ 
 v{ji4v TdjjTof ttJ AHrfiv^v i^hf oT</^«6 • which being 
 appljedhere to Philofophy, I jhould make 
 hold to render tt Sacriledg. But the Prince 
 proceeds, and ich<do\b his Novice, forfuch 
 was ApoUonius, rvho was never acquaint- 
 ed with any one Myftery of Nature. I 
 underftand (faith he) that amongft you 
 Grecians there are many Intruders, that 
 injuftly apply themfelves to Phiiofo- 
 phy, as being no way conformable to it : 
 Thefe ufurp a Profeflion which is not 
 their own*, as if they ftiould firft rob 
 men of their Clothes , and then wear 
 them, though never fo difproportionatc •, 
 and thus do you proudly ftradle in bor- 
 rowed Ornaments. And certainly ,as Pi- 
 rates, who know themfelves liable to in- 
 numerable toitures, do lead a fottifli 
 
 and 
 
The Preface. 
 
 and a loofe kind of life : Even fo amongft 
 yoUjthefe Pirates and Plunderers of Phi- 
 lofophy are wholly given to Lufts and 
 Compotations •, and this I fuppofe is an 
 Evil that proceeds from the Blindnefs 
 and Improvidence of your Laws. For 
 fliould any Man-ftealer be found a- 
 mongft you, or Ihould any adulterate 
 your Coyn^thefe were Offences Capital, 
 and puniflied with Death : But for fuch 
 as counterfeit and corrupt Philofophy, 
 your Law corrects them not, neither 
 have you any Magiftrate ordained to 
 thatpurpofe. Thmwefee inwbdtref}ccf 
 the Greek Sopbiftry was rvith the Indians, 
 and that clamorous Liberty thej kid ro 
 diflradl one another •, fome of them being 
 Epicures, (ome Cynics, forne Stoics, [ome 
 again Peripatetics, and jomc of them fre- 
 /eW^^ Platonics. It is net to be doubted, 
 hut the fcuffiing and fquabling of thefe 
 Sedaries dtd at Ufl produce the Sccj)tic, 
 who fnding nought tn the vSchools but 
 Oppofition /t;7^Bittcrnefs, rejolvedfora 
 nervcouxic^ andfecnrcdhis Peace rvtthhis 
 Ignorance. 
 
 Phraotes 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Phraotes having thm returned that 
 Calumny, Tr^/^/>> ApoUonius beHowedon 
 the Indians, to the Bofom of this conceited 
 Greek, gives him now an Accompt of his 
 own Coliedg,/ mean the Brachmans, with 
 the Excellent and wholefom Severity of 
 their Dilcipline. Jnd here I cannot but 
 ohferve the Infolence ^/Tyaneus, who he- 
 ir, g a mcer llranger in the Indies, notwith- 
 jla/zdin^r runs into a pofitive Abfurdity, 
 and before he /A/^converfed with the Inha- 
 bitants, concludes them ;»^^ Philofophers. 
 7heft bad Manners ^/liis / could (andfer- 
 haps not unjuftly) dciivc from the Gufto- 
 mary Arrogance of his Country-men, 
 whoje kindnels to their own IfTue diflin- 
 guijh'dpot the Greeks and the Sages : hut 
 the reft of the world they difcriminatcd 
 with a certain Shcc^-m^'ck of their own^ 
 and branded them with the name of Bar- 
 barians. How much an Afperfion this is^ 
 weflmtl (Quickly undcrftand,//rv^ attend the 
 Prince in his Difcourfe, for thm he in- 
 flrucfs Apollonius. Amongsi m Indians 
 \ (faith he) there are but few admitted to 
 Philgfophyj and this is the manner of 
 
 their 
 
The Preface. 
 
 their Eledlion. At the Age of eighteen 
 years the perfon to be eleded comes to 
 the River Hyphafis, and there meets with* 
 thofe Wile men, for vvhofe fake even you 
 alfo Jfo/lom^ are come into thefe parts. 
 There he doth publiquely profefs a very 
 ardent defire and affeftion to Philofo- 
 phy • for fuch as are otherwife difpofed, 
 arc left to their own Liberty, to follow 
 what ProfeiTion they pleafe. This done, 
 the next confideration is , whether he 
 be dcfcended of honeft parents or 
 no 5 and here they look back even to 
 thrte Generations, that bytheDifpofi- 
 tion and Qualities of the Anceftors, they 
 may guefs at thofe of the Child ^ If they 
 fifid them to have been men of a known f 
 Integrity, then they proceed m his Ad- * 
 miilion •, but firft they try him^and prove } 
 him with feveral Tcntations. For ex- ^ 
 ample, Whether he be naturally modeft, 
 or rather afts a counterfeit Baflifulnefs ' 
 for a time, being otherwife impudent and ' 
 la&ivious : Whether he be fottifli and ! 
 gluttonous, or BO : Whether he be of an 
 infolentbold fpirit, and may .prove Re- 
 fractory, 
 
The Preface, 
 
 radory, and difobedicnt to his Tutors 1 
 Sow thofe that are appointed to cxa- 
 nine him, have the skill to read his Qua- 
 ities in his countenance •, for the Eyes 
 lifcover moft of mens Manners, and in 
 he Brows and Cheeks there are many 
 txcellent Jndtctdy whereby Wife mcn^ 
 md fuch as are skiU'd in the Myfteries of 
 sjature , may difcover our minds and 
 lifpofitions, as Images are difcovcred in 
 : glafs. And certainly fince Philofophy 
 .mongft the Indians is had in very great 
 ionor, it is neceffaiy. that thofe who 
 vould know the fecrets of it, iliould be 
 empted and proved by all poifible Try- 
 b, before ever they be admitted. This 
 9as then the Difcipline of the Brachmans^ 
 1^ indeed of all the Magi m the Eleftion 
 hd Proof of their Pupils. But Ml thi^ 
 %as News to ApoUonius, md therefore he 
 ^ks Phraotcs, tfthefe Wife-men, menti- 
 mdm i/l^-Dilcourfe, were of the fame or- 
 [er fl7/>A thbfe, rvho did fvmettmes meet A- 
 exander the Great, and hadfome Confe^ 
 ence with him de* rk ivf<iMVj concerning 
 Hkavcn, for it feer/fs thef were A&i'olo' 
 
 gers. 
 
Tlie Preface. 
 
 gers. To this the Prince anjrversy that thefe 
 Planet-mongers were the ofucT^cw, who 
 were a people difpojed to the Wars : 
 
 ffOtpidV Ti fJLiTef)(^^ef-(Tct^' (pcLiTiyy QvJ^iV '/JtJ^OV (iS'O' 
 
 ra ; And for Knowledg (Luth he) they 
 make a great Protellion of ity but indeed 
 they know nothing that is Excellent* But< 
 he -proceeds : ol 'oa.7iyvaf ^o^oh &c. Thofe^. 
 Wife-men (fatth he) who are truly fuch,^' 
 dwell between the Rruer Hyphafis nnd 
 Gangcs^tnto which f lace Alexander never 
 came 7 not that he dnrji not attemp^ tty </\Kh 
 %HA<u TA li^. i7nff}iixnviv 'ojurvy but as I think 
 (faith the Prince ) the Reverence due to 
 their My dciks kept h/m off, .To this he: 
 addsy that Alexander knew the Rt^er Hy-i 
 phafi-s was paflable^^W/A^r he might with 
 eafe beUagure the City^ wherein theje Magi. 
 did dwell ^ ahjKdiTbjj yi\\>^(nvy but their Tow-*, 
 cr (faith he) had he brought with hirn ^ 
 thouland/i^c^ Souldiers as Achilles wasyi 
 and three thoufandy//f/> as Ajax, he could, 
 never have taken it. To this he gives his; 
 KcuCqn^namelyythat the Magi did not wak^ 
 any fallies to beat ojf their Enemies, but' 
 keeping quietly within their gates , thej 
 
 deftroyed 
 
The Preface. 
 
 ^cftroyed them with Thunder andLigh-^ 
 tening. Here was a ftory might havejlar- 
 tied ApoUonius, who knew not the power 
 ^/ Gun- powder 5 hut tn thefe our days 
 there is nothing more familiar and credi- 
 ble. But notwtthflnndingthe Improve^ 
 ments ^/ this fatd Invention are not 
 known even to the prejent Generations , 
 for the Pyrography of Cornelius Agrip- 
 pa, and the Powder ^f Friar Bacon were 
 never yet brought totheYidd. And now 
 let us hear the Friar himfelf^ who dtfcourj- 
 ing of [ever al wonderful Experiments, 
 tells us amongsi the reft of a fecret Com- 
 pofition, which being form' d into ViWs^ or 
 iittle BallSj and then caft up into the Air, 
 jvculdbruk out into Thunders and high- 
 itenings, more violent W horrible tien 
 thofc ^/Nature. Prater vero hxc( fai$i 
 he) funt alia ftupenda Natura? : nam So- 
 ni velut Tonitrus & Corufcationes pof- 
 funt fieri in Aere : imo majori horroi-c 
 quam lU.i qux fiunt.per Nataram, Nam 
 modica materia adaptara, fcilicet ad 
 quantitatem unius pollicis, fonum facit 
 Horiibilem, & Corufcationem oftendir 
 (b) vehe- 
 
The Preface. 
 
 v.ehcmentem : ct hoc fit multis modis, 
 quibus Civitas, aut Exercitus deftruatur. 
 MirafunthcTC, fi quis fciret uti ad ple- 
 num in dcbita qiiantitate & materia. 
 Thti^s he. But let us return to ApoUonius, 
 for now he trots like d Novice to the River 
 Hyphafis, and carries wtth him a Com- 
 mendatory Letter to the Brachmans, ha- 
 ving requejled the Prince to tell them he 
 was a gopd Boy. Here thefe admirable 
 Eaftcrn Magicians prefent him mth fuch 
 Rarities as m very truth he was notc^pi- 
 ble of. Firjl of all they jhew him (as Philo- 
 dratus dejcribes It) a certain Azure y or 
 Sky-coloiir'd Water, and this Tindlurc 
 was extreamly predominant in it, but with 
 much Light and Brightnefs. This fl range 
 Liquor (the Sunjbiningon it ^^Noon) 
 attracJedthe Beams or Splendor toitfelfy 
 and did fink downwards, as //coagulated 
 with the Heat, but reflected to the Eyes of 
 the Beholders a mofl beautiful Rain-bow. 
 Here we have a ferfeB Delcription of the 
 PhilofophersMcvcuvy^ but there isfomthing 
 more behind, Apollonius confc/eth how 
 the Brachmans told htm afterwards, that 
 /i'A) Water was ^^){lov t) {JJ'offy a certain 
 
 fecret 
 
1 he t'rcracc. 
 
 fccrct W^tQV^andthat there was /'/Sunder 
 ity or within it) y» (Ta¥<Pd,^.Kivn9a Blood-red 
 Earth. In a word, they told him tkit none 
 night Anvk^ ori2iQ.cofthathi(\\xox^ nei- 
 '^herwivs /f drawn ^r all for 4;^^ ordinary 
 jfes. After this mof: myflerious Water, 
 'hey jhew him alfo a certain myfterious 
 Fire, and hcvcfor my part I do not intend 
 '0 comment. From this Fire he is brought 
 ■0 certain Tubs , or fome fuch VefTels , 
 thereof the one was called the VeiTel of 
 Iain, and the oihcv the Veflel ^ Winds : 
 i// which are mojl deep and excellent Alle- 
 gories. But thefe Rarities imfly no more 
 hen the Rudiments ^/Magic. Let t^ now 
 rpme to the Medecine it (elf, and the admi- 
 -ahle EfFefts thereof. The Brachmans 
 T^/VA ApoUonius ) anointed their Heads 
 ^hiul^aS'i ^A^(j.axc*^with a gummy Medicine, 
 tndthis made their Bodies toUcam at the 
 i)ores, and fweat in that abundance, as if 
 [faith he) they ^^^ purged thcmfelves with 
 Fire. This is enough to f rove them Philo- 
 bphers. And now let tpsfee what kind of 
 iiabitation they had,and how much a parall- 
 el it is to that place or dwelling of R. C. 
 vhich ^/^^Followers r^// Locus S.Spiritus. 
 (b2) The 
 
1 he Prtrace. 
 
 TheW&'Vncn f/4/»E^ ApoUonius) dwei 
 en a link Hill, €r Mount, and on tht Hil 
 then re fled always a Cloud, in which th 
 Indians housed themfelves (far fo th 
 word ftgnifesy) and-htrc did theyrende, 
 themfelves vifible or invifible,^ their om 
 will ^/y/difcretion. This Secret oflnvi 
 iibility rvas not known to the Dutch Boor 
 nifr to hts Plagiary , the Author of th 
 Manna : hut the Fraternity <?/ R. C. cm 
 move in this white Mift. Ut nobifcuii, 
 autem convenias(pj r^^jf)neceffe eft han< 
 iucem cernas,fine enim hac luce, Impaf- 
 libile eft nos videre, nifi quando volu-l 
 mus. But Tyancus tells m fomethin^ 
 more 5 namely y that the Brachmans them-\ 
 felves did not Vnovf whether fte Hill was\ 
 com faffed about with Walls, or had any 
 G^tcsthatdid lead to it, or no-^ for tht\ 
 Mift ohflrn^ed all Difcoveiics . Confidei 
 what you read, for thm fomehody writes 
 concermngthelizhivmonof^.C,. Vidi 
 aliquando Olympicas domos, non proi 
 cul a Fluviolo & Civitate nota, quas S* 
 Spiritus vocariimaginamur. Helicon eft 
 dcquoloquor, aut biceps ParnafTus, in 
 quo Equus Pegafus fontcm aperuit pc- 
 
 rcnnis 
 
The Preface, 
 
 :nnis zqux adhuc ftillantem, in quo Di- 
 na fe lavat, cui Venus ut Pediffcqua, & 
 aturnus ut Anteambulo, conjunguntur. 
 ntelligenti nimium, Inexperto mini- 
 lum hoc erit diftum. But to clear the 
 tofpeft a. little more, let us hear Apollo- 
 ius ma certain' fpccchof his to the M- 
 lyptians, describing this Elyfium of the 
 Hf achmans : eIJ^oit ^ji<r/i^ if^j^a; b^^X/^^f*? «/- 
 juwTAf ^ T» J yn^'i i^ «it i-TT dvTtii ' I havetfeen^ 
 [faith he) the/Bx^chmzmoflndi^.drveU- 
 jg- on the Earth, 4;?^ not on the Earth: 
 ^ey were guarded without Walls, and f of 
 fing nothing, they enjoyed all things- 
 'his is plain enough, and on this Hill have 
 \alfo a defire to live, // it were for no other 
 teafon, hut what the Sophift fometimes 
 ijplyed to the Mountains : Hos primum 
 ol falutat, ultimofque deferit. Qui$ 1q- 
 iim non amet,dies longiores habejateiil f 
 \ut of this place / will not (peak myrmtCy 
 ■ft the Readers Jhouldhfo mad, 4/ toen^, 
 <rtain a fufpicion,t^4/" / am of the Order. 
 \(hal nmv therfore proceed to the Theory of 
 i^e Bnchmans^and this onlyfo far as their 
 iiftory will give mcle^vt. ifindj^ixchos, 
 I (b 5.) the^ 
 
ll The Preface. 
 
 ihenfeated in his Throne, and about him 
 therefl of A a^ Society, rvhere having firjl 
 flaced ApoUonius in the Seat Royal of 
 Phraotes, Jarchas welcomes him with this 
 unconfned Liberty : 'e^^t* o t/ /3kX(J, vrwi^ 
 Ivi'^A yd^ iiKHf ^dylei f^J'oTtLt * Propound 
 I (fatdhe) what Queftions thou wilt, for 
 
 f. thou art come to Men that know all 
 
 things. Here Ty^^ntus puts in, and very 
 ivifely asks them, What Principles the 
 World was compounded of ^ To this 
 the Brachmans re/ly,lt was compounded 
 of the Elements. Is it made then (pith 
 ApoUonius) ^/ rAf four Elements ^ No 
 (fatd the great Jarchas ) but of Five.i 
 Here the Grecian is puzzled ^ for he fides 
 Earth (fatth he) and Water, Air and Fire, 
 I know not any thing : What then is this 
 fifth Subftance^ It ts (faith Jarchas) thi 
 ^ther, rvhich is the Element o( Spirits^ 
 for thofe Creatures which draw in the Air^ 
 are Mortal •, but thofe which draw in thi 
 i£ther,^r^ Immortal. And here I cannot 
 but obferve thegrojs Ignorance ofAipol- 
 lonius, who being aprofefiPythagovcan^ 
 had never heard of the i£ther, thatfamoui 
 Pythagorean Principle. } 
 
The PreF^ce. 
 
 But let as come to his fecond Queftion, 
 rvhich of dll Others doth mojl betray his 
 veaknefs ^W inrufficiency. He reqaefls 
 archas to inform him. Which of the E- 
 ements was firft made < To this Abfur- 
 lity the learned Brachman dnfwers like 
 nmfelf: They were made (Jatdhe) all 
 It once •, and he gives this Reafon for it, 
 Becaufe no living Creature is generated 
 J^ t^i^&y by peece-meals. This rvas a 
 vholefom and a rational Tenet, for the 
 Chaos )r^ firft made, and in i\\2it all the 
 Elements at one and the fame Inftant^/^r 
 he World rv^ manifefted, and brought 
 )ut of the Cha.os^ like a Chick out of an 
 Eg. To this Apollonius replies like a pure 
 iophifter: y^Wmuft Lthinkthen (faith 
 Ve) that the World is a living Creature < 
 •tl yt (faith Jarchas) Cyiai yiyvd<rKni ' Yes 
 Vcrily^if you reafon rightly, for it giveth 
 Life to all things. Shalhvethen (faith 
 Fyaneus) call it a Male ^ or a Female 
 Z reature :' Both,///^ the mfe Brachman : 
 
 \\j\oi ya.^ ^ourr$ ^vyftvofj^Q-, ret ^nr^i ts, }^ cta- 
 
 e9f u rlw i^aoyovioM 'Tr^.rli * For the World 
 '^eing a Com{?ound of both Faculties, 
 ^up flies the. Office ^/Father and Mother 
 ( b 4 ^ in 
 
 f 
 
;// The Preface. 
 
 in, the Generation ofthofe things that have 
 life. We Are now come to ApoUoniiis his 
 lafl Fhilofophical Quere, and forry I am 
 that he km not the wit to profound either 
 more or better ^efltonsy hut rve mufl take 
 them a^ the) arc. He itsks Jarchas.w/'^r^rr 
 the Earth or the Sea did exceed in quanti- 
 ty i To this the Indian replies ^ that if he 
 only confide/ d the Mediterraneanj or fome 
 other particular Channel, the Earth with- 
 out qiieftion did exceed: huttfyoujpeak 
 (ftid he) T^f 'TTo^oM tIjj vy^u iKTid¥^ conccrn' 
 /;5g- Humidity, or Moifture in general, 
 then verily the Earth is much leffer then 
 the Water, for it is the Water that bears , 
 up the E^nh.This indeed is /&//WRcafon, 
 and conformable both to Scripture and 
 Nature : for the very Spirit that animates 
 and fupports ^/'^Uiiiverfe, hath his Habi- 
 tation/^; ^^^ Water. 
 
 And now 1 fiippofc it is apparent to the 
 underftanding Readers (for others I 
 would not have) that the Brachmans were 
 not a fabulous y fuperjlitioi.s Society, but 
 men ofakvQVC Dodiinc^whofe Principles- 
 were anfrverahle to the very Rigour of Na- 
 ture, and did not Wicnton beyond her Law. 
 
 / 
 
The Preface. 
 
 could wifh Apollonius hdd been more 
 ible to deal with them, but fo ihort rvas he 
 )/ Philofophy, that he knew not what to 
 isk them, and that ample Liberty which 
 hey gave him, was all oftt to no purpofe. 
 This is clear to fuch as know anything 
 mt of his former Queries, which we hanjc 
 ilreadj mentioned : but if we look on the 
 ccft ofhts Problems,^^^ are moft of them 
 7Ut fo many Hiftorical Fables, which he 
 Wought with htm out of Gvcqcq ^and now he 
 hegins to fhake his Budget. The firfl thing 
 :omes out, is the UctfiyJc^^y a Monfter^ 
 tvbich Mandevil could never meet withaJl : 
 md then he quefiions Jarchas ^ ^ X?t/<rou 
 wI^aI©-, concerning a certain Water of the 
 ^our ofGold^and this indeed might figni- 
 i€ fomething, hut that he underwood tt Xi- 
 XctzViY^ofcommonyOrdinary Well-fprings : 
 and therefore Jarchas tells him, that he ne- 
 *uer heard of his Martichora, neither was it 
 ever known, that any Fountains (?/golden 
 Waters didjpring />; India. But this is 
 not all: In the Rear of this firange 'Rc^d 
 march the Pygmies,f/?e Sciapodcs, and the 
 Macrocephali : to which might he added ^tll 
 the Animals in Lucian'^ Hiftory. But as 
 
The Preface. 
 
 tve commonly fay, that there is noSmozk 
 without fome Fire, fo amongU thefe for- 
 rcign Fables came tnfome Indian Allego- 
 ries, and probably the Brachmans them- 
 Jelves had given them out, at once r(? de- 
 clare and obfcure their Knowledg. Thefe 
 Allegories are but two, ;2W Jarchas infifts. 
 much upon thcm^he fides ajolemn Acknow- 
 ment; i x?"^'^'^^"''' There is no reafon 
 (fatdhe) but we fliould believe there are 
 fuch Things. The firft of thefe two Myfte- 
 ries is the Pantarva,n7/>/^^ Ficinus corrupt- 
 I J tranfcnhes Pantaura, and of this Apol- 
 lonius de fired to know the Truth ^ namely, 
 if there was fach a Stone at all, and whether 
 it was enriched with fo ftrange aMagne- 
 tifm, as to attrad to it lelf all other preci- 
 cious Stones < This Queftion the Brach- 
 man fatisfies experimentally , for he had 
 this goodly Stone about htm, and favour d 
 ApoUonius rvtth the fight thereof. But for 
 our better Information, let us hear Jarchas 
 him[elf defcribe it, for he doth tt fo fully, 
 thai a, "very ordinary Capacity may go a- 
 long with him. This Stone (faith he) is ge-; 
 nerated in certain earthy Caverns, fome 
 four yards deep, and hath m it fuch abun- 
 dance 
 
The Preface. 
 
 dance of Spirit, that tn the place of it^ 
 Conception, the Earth fwells up, and at 
 laft breaks with the very Tumor. But to 
 look out this Stone, belongs not to every 
 Body, for it vaniflieth away, unlef it he 
 cxtrafted with all foj^thle Caution •, only 
 we that are Brachmans,^^ certain praftifes 
 of our own, can find out the Pantarva. 
 *The{e are the words of Jarchas, where you 
 fball obferve. That he hath confounded the 
 firft 4;^ifecond Generation of the Stone, 
 it being the Qw^om of the Philofophers 
 never to exprefs their Myfleries diftinftly. 
 The fecond Birth then he hath fully and 
 clearly difcovered, for when the Philofo- 
 phers firft Earth/'/ moiftened with its own 
 milk,?> (wxlhjbetng impregnated rvithfre- 
 quent Imbibitions, till at lajl it breaks,^W 
 with afoft heat fublimes •, and then afcends 
 the Heavenly Sulphur, being freed fro?n 
 his Hell, for it leaves behind ^^^ Binarius, 
 or Terra Damnata, and is no more a Pri- 
 foner tothatD^ok. This firft heavenly 
 Sulphur /J commonly called Petra ftellata, 
 & Terra Margaritarum : hut Raymund 
 LuUy calls it Terram Terr^, and in a cer- 
 tain place he defcribcs it thtis : Hxc eft 
 Tincftura 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Tin(5lura (faith he) qu^e a vili Terra fc 
 fpoliat, & alia multum nobili reinduit fe. 
 But elfervhere frefcribing fomeQ2.vt2x.sfor 
 the Rorid Work, he expreflj mentions the 
 firft dnd fecond Sulphurs, common^ called 
 Sulphura dc Sulphuribus. Hoc (fdth he) 
 intelligirur de Terrajquo? non eft feparata 
 a Vafc, de Terra Terra?. This is enough 
 to prove the Affinity of the Pantarva, and 
 the Philofophers Stone : Let m novo re- 
 turn to ^zxcCiZs^ for he proceeds in his In- 
 ftruftions, 4;/^ ApoUonius hears htm to no 
 purpofe. The Pantarva (faith he) after 
 night difcovers a Fire as bright as day, for 
 it is fiery and^\mng : but tf you look on it 
 in the day-time, it dazles the eye with cer- 
 tain gleams or Corufcations. Whence this 
 Light came:,and what it wzs^the Brachman 
 was not ignorant of: to q h aJt» <pe»f,'7rvtv[jLA 
 tbv AppnT« /^v©- • That Light ( [aid he) 
 which fliines in it, is a Spirit of admirable 
 Power •, for it attrafts to it felf all things 
 that are near it. And here he tells Tyaneus, 
 /^^/if// precious Stones werecaft into the 
 Sea^r into fome River, and this too con- 
 fufedly, as being far Scattered and dif- 
 perfed one from another •, yet this Magi- 
 
 1 - 
 
The Preface. 
 
 cal Stone bei»g let dorvn after them, would 
 bring them again together ^ for they nwuld 
 all move towards f^^Pantarva^^Wcluftcr 
 under it, Ith a fwarm ^/Bees. This is all 
 he tells him 5 but in conclufion hefrodaceth 
 his Pantarva, />? plain terms he^ewedhim 
 the Philofophers Stonc^and the mraculofis 
 Effeds thereof. "The jecond Secret rvhtch 
 AfoUonius Jtftmhled on, for he knew it not 
 4s a S^cvct^rvas4he Gold of the Gryphons, 
 4fid this aljo Jarchas doth acknowledge hut 
 J pall forbear to fpeak of n^ for I hold it not 
 \»lt^gether convenient. 
 
 It ts time now to dtfmif ApoUoniuSj/^W 
 Jbis Brachmans, and this I will do ^ but I 
 pallfirft fr event an Objedion, though a 
 forry one, for Ignorance makes ufe of all 
 Tools. It will be fatd perhaps, I have been 
 -^ bold 7P/i^ Apollonius, who, in the opi- 
 nion of many men, and fuch as would he 
 thou^t learned, was a very great Philofo- 
 pher. To this I anfwer, that I queftion 
 not any mans learning : let them think of 
 themfclves as they pleafe -, and if they c^n, 
 let them be anfwerable to their thoughts : 
 But as for ApollonLus, I fay , the noife of 
 his Mixuks^ like thojeof^^vky^ may fill 
 
 fome 
 
3/) The Preface. 
 
 fame credulous ears, and this fudden La- < 
 rum may procure htm Entertainment : but 
 had thefe Admirers Perufed his Hiftory, 
 they had not betraf d fo »/;^(r^ weaknefs, as 
 f^ allow him any fober Charafter. It is 
 trucy Philoftratus attributes many fi range , 
 performances to htm, as that hejhouldx2ii(c 
 the Dead, ^ree himself from Prifon , and . 
 ihakc off his Chains^Tv/Y/' as much Divinity 
 as S. Peter himfelf-' Nay, that pleading , 
 with Domitian in a full Senate, he fhould 
 fuddenly vaniih away , and be tranflatedi;/ 
 a moment from Rome to Puteoli. Truly j 
 thefe are great effeds •, but if we cor^fvAci: I 
 only what Philoftratus himfelf will con- 1 
 fefs^ we fhall quickly find that all thek 
 things are but his Inventions. For in the 
 Beginning of his Romance, where he would 
 give his Readers an Accompt of his Mate- 
 nzls^andjrom what hands he received them, 
 he tells usy that Damis, who was Apolloni- 
 us his fellow-traveller, did write his Life, 
 ' and all the Occwxrcncts thereof : but thefe 
 Commentaries of Damis (fatth he) were 
 never publifhed by Damis himfelf, only a 
 friend ^/his, 4 Some-body, '^d^<r«xiy>'T/V, a \ 
 certain familiar ^Damis did communicate 
 
 them 
 
The Preface. 
 
 I hem UhU T» Brt^/AiJ^/ 5 to Julia the Queen. 
 Arid here Philoftratus tells me, that this 
 '^^}Kcn commanded him to tranfcribe thefe 
 Commentaries. It jeems then they were 
 originally rvritten m the Gvcck^ andVbi- 
 oftratus IS a meer Tranfcribler, and no 
 Author. This I cannot believe,/^?/" Damis 
 vas an AfTyrian, and:,as he himjelfconicS- 
 zxhya very ignorant perfon, and altogether 
 Jliterate : but meeting with ApoUonius, 
 
 iAAMcri 75 ^fjLi^iv EAAttjy v2r' dvn 'f/JOfj^©-^ and 
 
 wnverfmg with the Greeks^ he alfo was al- 
 noft made a Grecian, hut not altogether, 
 mfi learned a Grecian as to write Hifto- 
 ries, andm a ftile like that ^/Philoftratus. 
 But this is not all : Our Author tells us of 
 me Mxfagenis, who had formerly written 
 he Life ^/ ApoUonius in four Books : but 
 ■ his fellow (faith he) was ignorant of the 
 jPcrformances or Miracles of Tyaneus. 
 wind what follows this Ignorance C » >*? 
 Mo/^')i}j^ Ti ^^(riKTiov' We muft not there- 
 ore believe M^tragenis. And why not I 
 '^efeech you ? Becaufeforfooth he lived near, 
 fnot in the days ^f ApoUonius, but never 
 leard ofthote monftrous fables whuh Phi- 
 oftratus afterwards invented* Wc rnufi 
 
 then 
 
he /ii 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 then believe Philoftratus himfelfy for 
 the 'Tt^^iwMv tU^ not the familiar friend, huii 
 the familiar fpirit of ApoUonius : it wa^^ 
 ht indeed that wrought all thefe Wonders, 
 for ApoUonius himjelf never wrought a- 
 ny. Now for the Learning of this Tyaneus 
 (fince it is the pleaftire of Jome men to think 
 ^/;» learned) Imufi confef formy fart i 
 cannot find it. The Pnilofophy that ht 
 pretended to, was that of Pythagoras, for 
 thm he rants it to Vardanes the Babyloni- 
 an .* Soviet Q ^0/ ny0<fc^©f tf , 2*^<» AvS'e)i'i ^C^\ 
 
 I am a M.2ii\tv (faith iejof the Wifdom ofi 
 Pythagoras the Samian, he taught me the 
 true form of worfliipping the gods, andi 
 who of them ar^ vifible, who invifible, 
 and how I may come to fpeak with them. 
 How true tins ts^ we may eaftly know, //w 
 look hack on /'/^Education. His Tutor 
 in the Pythagorean Principles was one 
 Euxenus, a notable Sot, and ameer Igno- 
 xznx^as Philoftratus tells us. He was (faith 
 onr Author ) an Epicure in his courfe of 
 life •, and for his Learning, he could only re4 
 feat fome kmcnccs c?/ Pythagoras, btftdtd 
 ;?p^ underftand them : and therefore he comA 
 
 fares 
 
The Preface. 
 
 rj/ar hm ti (ertain Mimic Birds, ^bo ate 
 aughfthtif h'tftprlib and their ^€#Vi;i««o 
 mt know n(ft what the wcrds fignific. N(n$ 
 tidt Irvftruftions he was like to receive 
 r^mthif man, Ut any indifFcrem: Reader 
 4dg. Bttt we hanjefomething mere to fay: 
 '09 //ApoUonius vpneth he rva^ ^Babylon, 
 !w/^converfe wnhthe gods^ rvhjdtd h$ 
 fterrvards dcfire to he taught of men < 
 Wvfhen he comey to India, he reqnefis tht 
 toachmans to teach htm the Art <?/i>ivi- 
 tttionv Certainljjjodhe b€erj> familiar with 
 yfigels ^wa? Spirits, he had not troubled 
 ^nm mthfifch a Q^c&ion, Thefeirfdeed 
 ieithe flips of Philollratus, j^e' had th^ 
 KT^Lying, hut wanted the Art of Mc- 
 In another place he telis m^ thap 
 Uonius under flood iri^w; ^»v«< M^^ 
 all the Languages that men did 
 , andwhid}ism<irennraculomy^^fZX\. 
 ffcret Cogitations* "Thisknmchm^ 
 h»t^ortlj aftert»ards he foraets thefe 
 ^m^ perfeftion^: for mbert »e brmgs 
 to Phraotcs 5 lijat ferioui Eaftem 
 cc, there d$th he f^e 4;^ Interpreter 5 
 ^"ifyaneus, w^formcxlyHnderp^oddJ^ 
 (c) Ian* 
 
The Preface. 
 
 languages, could not underftand the lan- 
 guage of the Prince ^ and fo far jvas he 
 from knowing his fecrct thoughts, that he 
 did not know in how many languages he 
 could exprefs thofe thoughts : for when 
 the Prince was p leafed to exprefs himfelf 
 in the Greek Tongue, Tyaneus was quite 
 dejeded, and did much wonder how he 
 came to he a Mafter of that Dialed. Now 
 if any man will fay y that the Brachmans 
 did impart their Myfterics to him:, it is ap- 
 parent enough they did not. This is it 
 which even Damis tells us : for Apol- 
 lonius (.faith he) requefled nothing 
 of the , B^hmans , hut certain Divi- 
 natory Tricks, hy which he might 
 to.retcil.^^^^^-^to come,^ And here Jar- 
 c\\2S takes occafion to difcourfe with htm 
 4^^/^frRcveUtions, for hejp.eaks not of. any \ 
 Prognofticating KnackSjir^/V^ this Greek) 
 did look after. He tells him then, . that he\ 
 ]udgd htm a moll happy man, who could 
 ohtatn any Fore-knowledg at the hands of 
 God, and preach that , to the Ignorant^ 
 which he did already forcfee. ^//<?^* Rules 
 to divine by, he prcfcribes not any, for tt 
 
 was 
 
The Preface. 
 
 iv^ too grofs an Error forfuch a Philofo- 
 pher^Himfelf: He only tells him y That 
 hefhouldleddafureltfe y and keep htmfdf 
 i^oxXck from the Flelli. One paflagc in- 
 deed there is, which I cannot omit : Jarchas 
 informs ApoUonius , that of all Gifts 
 imparted to Man by Revelation, ^4y/ro? tS 
 TYiilcLTeim^ cToTfoi'^ The chiefeft ( jaidhe) 
 is the Gift of Healing, or Medicine. But 
 this Heavenly, andmofi Beneficial Truth y 
 ApoUonius was not lenfible of: for he 
 was fo great a ftranger to the Secrets of 
 Kature, that he did not know what to ask 
 •^'or. For my own party tf I durjl think 
 Vtm a Philofophcr, / \hoHld feat him with 
 i^e Stoics 5 for he was a great M^Hcx of 
 Vioral Severities, and this is all the Cha- 
 radcr / can give him. As for Philoftratus, 
 f we were not even with him^I jhoiUd think 
 'e had much abufed us : forwheyihepend 
 is Hiftory, he allow' d us no Difcretion^ 
 ho were to come after him. I could he for- 
 ^for fome Abfurdities he hathfajlened on 
 archas, did not the Vnnci^\c'i> of that glo- 
 oii6 Brachman refute them. What they 
 \\^ey Ijhail not tell yoth for I am confind to a 
 0\ ( c 2 ) Pre- 
 
The Pre&ce. 
 
 Preface^ a»d can^^ot proponion myDiC-^ 
 eourfe to the deferts ofjny Subjed. 
 
 J»d here fame Critic may drop his^ Dif- 
 cipline, and bid me face about, fori am. 
 Wide of my Text, the Society ^/R. C. / 
 htwe indeed exceeded mmy{.(iiv\(Xtothe 
 Brachmans, hiu in all that there was no 
 Impertinency. / didity tojhew the Coa- 
 formity of the old W new ProfcifTors : 
 mdthis ts fo(ar from Digvc&oriy I can 
 think k near it. Dcmonftration. For mhm. 
 rve harue Evidence thM Magicians hawe^. 
 been, tt is proof aljo that theyvc\2iy: be -, 
 //Wd /^ cannot ^^ denyed, httt Prcfidems 
 ^Av///^ Impoflibility. / hold it tlienwonh 
 Car obfervation, that eventhofe Magi^tvAt? 
 came to Chrift himfclf , came from^ tho 
 Eaft: huS: a^ nȣ cannot prove they wcv^ 
 Brachm^ns, fa?iather can tve prove they^ 
 were not. Nojv if any man w^// hefocvo(s^ 
 as to contender the^ Negative, hefhall 
 have r)(ky thanks for the- advantage he air 
 lorn me •, for then it maft folloWj, that 
 the Eaft afforded, more Magical Societies, 
 then one^ Bat. this poiqt I nad not infift 
 on.: for- the learned nv/t not deny , htU- 
 
 Wif- 
 
The Preface. 
 
 WifdcMH and Light were fir (I manifeftcd 
 pn rhejame ipms^naw^ljytH the Eaft, rvh^re 
 tireG.r&MsLnfUr/i'ed: md hence did the 
 World receive not only their Religion^^/^r 
 rtr^r Philofophy, for Cuftom hath di- 
 ftiiguiflied thofe Two. From this Yoviw- 
 tunnlfOfthts living, Oriental One, did the 
 brothers ^R.C. drarvthetrvjho\e(o\Xi 
 Waters : for their Founder received his 
 f^inciples at Damcar in Arabia, as their 
 Fama mil mflructyou at large. It was mt 
 mf^if then , ;/ / fpent my hour in that 
 bright Region,^<j/ pviyd a mak Gratitude 
 to thofe Primitive Benefadiors : for 'tts a 
 Law with m€y Qui aquam hauris, puteum 
 corona. But that I may come at lafi tv the 
 Subjecft intended, I fl^all cohkCs folr my 
 ^rt,/ have no acquaintance mth this Fra- 
 Itcrnity as to their Perfons ^ but their 
 Doftrine/^w not fo much n ftranger ft?. 
 And here, for the Readers fatisfaftion, / 
 Ihallfpenk fomething of it, not thai I wotdd 
 difcover er point at any particulars : for 
 that's a kindnefs (as they thcmfelves pro- 
 fe/) which they have not for any man 3 nifi 
 abfumpto Salis Modio, ftll they prfi eitt a 
 ( c 3 ) Bafhel 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Bufhel ^f Salt with htm, Thej tell us then> 
 that the Fire and Spirit of God did work 
 npon the Earth md the Water •, and out 
 (fxh.tm did the Spirit extract a pure clear 
 ^ Subttance, which they call the Ttx^^iirnl 
 Heaven ; tn this Heaven the Spirit (fay 
 they) feated himfelf, imprefmg his Image 
 therein ' and out of this Heavenly clari- 
 fied Extraft, impregnated with the Influx 
 and Image of the Spirit, w^ formed that 
 moji noble C\X2iX.\xvc^ whom we call Man. 
 This firft matter of Man (as they defcrihe 
 it) was a liquid tranfparent Salt, a certain 
 bright Earth, purified by a fupernatural 
 Agent, and temper'd with a ftrange 
 unftuous Humidity, enlightened with all 
 the TincSures of the Sun ^W Stars. It was 
 and is the Minera of all Creatures •, and 
 this Society doth acknovvlcdg it to be their 
 "very Bafis, and the firft Gate that leads to 
 all their Secrets, ihis Earth ^r Water 
 (call it which you willy for tt is both) n2^' 
 turiWy produceth their h^cnx^but it comes -! 
 not to their hands without Art. By their 
 Agent / under jiand their Fire, commonly ^ 
 ^.t^e<j/Mas AqucE, Vulcanus, Solinvifi- 
 
 bilisj 
 
 U 
 
The Preface. 
 
 ^iliSjFilius Solis, Aftrum inferius, Faber 
 xcultuSj Intrinfecus 5 with a thoufand 
 ther names. It is fans all Metaphors 
 oQmv Tvf, x5 'TcuiJoT^(pov' and that I may 
 peak Truth even intheiphrak ofAnlio- 
 
 Tfav Toix^u. This is that Fire which Zo- 
 
 Oafter calls ^EfXTV^eiJ^luj n KofffjL\i 'i'^x^^ ^ 
 
 u? i^ontpoeAov* In flam terms , it is the ^ 
 rindlure of the Mmix^ a fiery, radiant '^ 
 ioul, that calls up another Soul like it 
 plf; for It awakes the Anima of the Met- 
 ury, which is almofl drown d in a cold, 
 ndfhegmaiic Lethe. And here Reader,-^^ 
 t it be thy Endeavor to under fi and the 
 •hilofophers : for they tell m, that God 
 ^•firfl created the Chaos, and afterwards 
 ivided it into three Portions, of the, 
 rft he made the Spiritual World, of the 
 xond the Vifible Heavens , and their 
 .ights •, hut the third and vvorft part wa^ 
 ifointed for this Sublunary Building. 
 ut of this courfe and remaining Portion 
 ' extracted the Elemental Quinteffencc, 
 • firft Matter of all Earthly Things , 
 jd of this the four Elements {for there is 
 (c 4) fuh 
 
The Preface 
 
 fuch 0' bold Arithmetic) were made. N^vf 
 Eeader^ucCs^ if tho/( d^fi know the Mat- 
 ter ^ for tt may he thdn art one of thofe who 
 fonceiv^ thcmfelves ti be Some-body. / 
 tell thee this Theory fs Raymund Lul- 
 lyV, and if thou can fi make nothing^ tt^ 
 I cm without a figure tell thet how wife 
 thoti art. There are in the World as many 
 forts i^/Salts, as there are Species, and the 
 S^ts differ as the S^QCit^ do y narneljy Ef« 
 fcntially . f4}r the Specific Forms Ue in 
 the Salt, Now learn efme, that there is n9 
 true Phyfic, hut what ts in Salt : for Salt 
 was never known to putrifie, nay it hinders 
 Putrifa<5tion and Corruption m all 
 things^ and what hinders Corruftion, hin- 
 ders all Difeafes , Now it is evident to all 
 the World, thai: Salt hinders Corruption^ 
 and a Solution af the parts, and this not 
 only in living Things, hut even m dead 
 Bodies : for if they he fcafon'd with Salt, 
 then are they preferved, and Corruption 
 comes not at them. It is to he obfervcd^ 
 that Virgib> the Cure (jfiEneas brings in 
 his Mother Venus with a Panacea, or an 
 Univerfal Medicine : 
 
 -— occulte 
 
The Preiacc. 
 
 -— occuke M^dictns, fpargitque fofubres 
 AidbzoCix {uccos, & odoriferam Panaccam. 
 
 This word is mnch aim fed hj certAin Ai- 
 chimifts, as thfy caU themfelves : ifut Scr- 
 vius ufon the Place tels us ^ it is Nomcn 
 mire compofitum 5 andht ohfewesout of 
 Lffcretius, that the Panacea rv^ Salt. 
 It is ti'ue, th^t if we could futrtfie Salt, it 
 would difcover all ^/^eMyfteries ^^/Nature, 
 for it hath all the Tinftures in it : bnt to 
 deftroy this fubftance , is a hard task, for 
 he that would do it^muH do Something morty 
 then Death can do, for even her Preroga- 
 tive comes not fo far. Howfoever it cannot 
 he denjed)hut fome Wife men have attain d 
 to the putrifaftion of Salts , but this Key 
 they received from God, and it is the great 
 Sccraof their Avt, What I admire mojl 
 in ity is this : That when it is kil'd , it dyes 
 not, hfit recovers to a better life , which is 
 a very ftrange priviledge. On the con- 
 trary, if fome Animal dyes , if an Herb 
 withers , or tffome mettal he calcin'd md 
 the parts thereof truly feparated , x^ can 
 never reftore them again : hut this Myfti- 
 cal fubft. ince , this Root of the world, if 
 
 yoii 
 
The Preface. 
 
 'jon bring his parts together , after they 
 are feparated , then mil not he be quiet, 
 but run from oneComplexion to another, 
 from this Colour to that ; a^ from Green 
 to^tA^frcm^t^to Black, from Black 
 to a Million of Colours , and thefe mira- 
 culous Alterations xvtll not ceafe , tilMie 
 hath work'd out his own Refurredion , 
 andhath clearly hiow^hihimfelf to 4 Su- 
 per-natural Temperature. / fay then 
 that Salt i^ ^^^ true Grain, ^^^Secd not 
 onely of this world, but of the next, and it 
 is the Myftery that God hath made. It 
 is a living water , wherein there dwels a 
 divine Fire, and this Vive binds the pa.vts 
 thereof to himklfc^ coagulates them, ^W 
 flops their flux , and Salt is the water , 
 that wets not the Hand. This Fire is the 
 life , and therefore it hinders Death •, ^ay 
 it is f^ch a prcicrvaiivQ againfl it, that the 
 very grofs Body of Salt prevents Cor- 
 ruption, 'wherefoever it comes. But if 
 any man would fully know the powers?/ 
 this Fire , let him wifely and effectually 
 diflodgc A/«;, let him deftroy his Habita- 
 tion 5 and then he flhtll fee, what courfe this 
 
 Artift 
 
The Preface. 
 
 irtift mil take , to repair his own Houfe. 
 ^0 not think now that I fpeak of common 
 alts 5 though I confej^ they are great Me- 
 icines , tf n9^hx\y frefared. 
 
 I told thee formerly there rvere feveral 
 )rts of Salts , and here / rvould have thee 
 vdti^ lejt thy labours jhotdd end mth 
 Mt Complaint of the Chimift in Sendi- 
 ogius : Lapidem (faith he ) amiffum 
 eplorabat^ & maxime condolebat,quod 
 •aturnum non interrogaverit , quale 
 » A L hoc fuerit , cum tot varia Genera 
 ialium reperiantur. / fhall advife thee 
 ben to confider the feveral Divifions of 
 he C haos •> which I have formerly men- 
 ion'd out of Raymund LuUy , for the 
 natter as it is there defcrib'd , is not 
 iibjeft to many Complexions, and there- 
 fore thy Miftakcs cannot he many. And 
 iorvletus touch at the Treafures of otir 
 Jaltifli liquor , Wc^/^r liquid Salt. Ve- 
 XYdimxxs (\\xxi^o ( faith one ) ad ilium fpi- 
 itus , feu Aqua? gradum , qui nobis fen- 
 ibilior, magifque familiaris eft •, Natu- 
 ra^q*, aerese veftigiadfligenti Inquifitione 
 .crutemur> in cujus Occulto mirabilia 
 
 deli- 
 
The Preface. 
 
 <iclitx^fcunt : videlicet, Angdi omnium 
 Gcncrum , Forma? rcrum infcriorup 
 EfCtmificx , Humidum radicale cujufq 
 Vivcntis, Ignis fpiffi Nutrimentum, Ad 
 mirabiles Meteororum apparitiones,ven 
 torum cujufque Anguli violcntie Irni^ 
 tiones, & infinita alia Myfteria. Ar^^i>i 
 perhaps thou dofl begin to blcfs thy f elf : fr 
 ?V /> poffible ( [ay ^ thou) that rf^^'bodilj 
 fubftancc fhoMinclofe fuch Myftcrics A 
 thefe^ In thts,my Friend, thou hajl thy Li 
 berty : trouble not thy jf/j^ about it, for th 
 faith will add nothing to it, and thy IncrcJ 
 dulity cannot take any T\\\x\%froin itJX\\\ 
 or^ly thoufhalt do, hepleafed to give way tt 
 my faucinefs : for I mufl tell thee , / do noi 
 know ^^^r Thing, which I may calllm' 
 poffible. / am lure there are in Natnn 
 powers of all forts , and anfwerable ti 
 all Defircs : and even thofe very powers 
 are fubjcft to Us. Behold, I will declare 
 unto thee their Generation, arki their fecrel 
 Defcents even to this Earth. It is mofi 
 certain that God works by the Idea's ofhii 
 own minde , arU the Idea's difpence their 
 Seals > and communicate them dayly rtl 
 
 tk 
 
The Preface. 
 
 >e Matter. Nomtkhnma Mundi hatA 
 tr//^ fixed ftarrs > htyf^rtkuJa^ Eomis,. 
 
 Seminal Conceptions anfw^Mctotfic 
 iea's of the Divine minde .* and here: 
 H^lhe jirjl receive tho(g fptritual Powers 
 $A Influences, rvhtch originally fmcesd 
 ;(ij0 G od. From th^s place they, ojrt con- 
 jyed to the Planets, effecUlly tathe Sun 
 ■(wf-Moon, a^thefetrva^gvc2xlLi§,hx%im'- 
 ptt them to the Air^ andfrwn the Aia: thef 
 ^ dorvfh to the Belly or Matrix of tkt 
 fiacth m^rolifityJpiritedWind^ andW^ 
 vs. Seeing thefPth^ the ViiibleHea- 
 Mis receive the Brightnefs.tf//^^^ Spirim:- 
 
 World, and this Earth r^e Brightnefe 
 f" the Vifible Heavens, why may mt wa 
 Wfomething on Earth, rvhtch takes. ia 
 m- Brightneis, and comprehends in ir 
 1# the Powers of the. two fuperior 
 liKorlds < N-ow if therehefu^ha SubjeA 
 'he found ^ift^ffofe tt rmli not he deny cd^ 
 itt the Powers of the Angelical andCe^ 
 ifldaL Worlds are o/ery ftrange Pow^y, 
 Mwhatth^tis rvhich they cannot d<)^ is^ 
 4rd tv determine. The S\xh]e&:.th&nis 
 /e Salt / have fpokenof formerly:^ it is the 
 
 Body 
 
fe 
 
 TTie Preface. 
 
 Body of the Univcrfal Spirit, "oxwiu*, iU 
 
 tuSi^aJ^if (ru(ji(t fni TKA^iK'ii hoya. It tS thi^" 
 
 Sperm ^/Nature, rvhich [he prepares/^f ''^ 
 her own Light, a^ if we jhould prepare Oy) "(fi 
 for a Lamp. A ftrange Subftance it is-, ipi 
 hut njer'jQ.omx^o^^ md of fomeV\ii\o{0'^^ 
 phers mo ft properly called^ Salina virdns, d 
 & Mirabilis. And here it will not he amifi i 
 to (peak fomethwg of the Cahaltjls Linea fj, 
 viridis , or green Line , a Myftcry not \^ 
 rightly apprehended even by jome of the '^ 
 Mekkubalftn, hut certatnly the Moderritai 
 Rabbins knowttnot at all. It is thelafi'^^ 
 Midah or Propriety of the Sephiroths, 
 for it receives and includes 4// /^^Influ- 
 ences of the Sphirftical Order. It com- 
 paljeth the He^vcns^and m them ^/'^ Earth, 
 like a green Rain-bow, or one vaft Sphere f'^ 
 ^/Viridity, and from this Viridity the di^ 
 vine Influences are fliowr'd down like. 
 Rain through the ^Ethcr into the GlobesA 
 of the fixed Stars : for what the Air is to 
 the Globe of the Earth, juch ts the iEther 
 to the Globes of the Stars, and here lies a- 
 Secret of the Mekkubalim,/^r they tellnsy 
 there is a douhle Venus, in duplici Aere. 
 
 Btit 
 
The Preface. 
 
 But of this enough. I mil norvjpeak of the 
 ? hi lo fop hers Secret, and blefled Viridity, 
 vhich is to be feen and felt here below. It 
 5 the Proteus of the old Poets •, for if the 
 >pirit cf this green Gold he at Liberty, 
 vhich mil not he till the Body is bound, 
 hen mil he difcover all the Eflences of the 
 Llniverfal Center, 
 
 fum varia? illudent fpecies, atq; ora Ferarum : 
 ?ict enim fubito fus horridus, acraq; Tigris, 
 iquamofufque Draco, & falva ccrvice Lexna : 
 ^at aaem flimmis fonitum dabic, acq; ira Vindis 
 ixcidet, auc in Aquas tenues dilapfus abibic ; 
 |)mnia transformac fcfe in miracola Rerum, 
 
 gnerrq; Horribikmq; fera, Fluviumq; liqnente. 
 
 - 
 
 Btit this is Poetry : let m now hear the 
 iwe Scene defcrihed by a ;^^ excellent, 
 ^d wit hall a fevere Profeflbr of Phdofo- 
 'hy. Ubi vero fpiritus (faith he) exceflit 
 ifragilibus, per quos fparfus erat, mea- 
 tbus, eftque ab omni prorfum CoUuvic 
 rurgatus, in infinitas fefe attollit formas 5 
 lodo in Herbam, modo in Lapidem, 
 iUt, in Infolitum quoddam Animal: 
 nterdumin ^quor, aut Unionem , aut 
 jcmmain, aut Metallum: dulceque 
 ai . rubentibus 
 
The Preface* 
 
 nibentibiis jam Flam mis tmkzm^ iAr 
 raultas ftatim colornm Myriadas tranfitj i 
 vivitqwc portcnrorum fempcr Eflfcftor, m 
 ac Magus, ifto ncquaquam ftJtifccnsla 
 borc/cd vigore ac viribus indies adolof- ti 
 cats^ 7hi^he: And /toj¥ Kc^dtv I mujt i 
 J) ttdlrkee-, t/rat ail t hefe Mirzclcs ^r ow mt ^[]\ 
 p 4 certain Earth, a fofi red Chy-) i^f^^chip 
 s7 te he found everywhere. It may he thot^ 
 art much troubled at thefe Appearances 
 which' I harue mentioned, hut what wiht 
 /Afl«/ajf./'^Jtimblichus>n?A^? tells m feriouP 
 ly, /^rf/'f^/j Earth n^/Z/^rrr^? Angels, / 
 mean good Spirits < for fo did he. But lef 
 whear r^// Auditor ^j/^Anebo, for thm 
 he twites from iEgypt Pa Porphyrius. ^r 
 Omnium primz (fait If he) SfAntiquifli- 
 maEntia^in Ultimis quoque ftibrutilanr, 
 faun^eriahaque principia matcrialibu^ 
 adiiiflt. Nemo itaquc miretur-, fi quam? 
 mawriam effcdicimus puram, atquc Di- 
 wnam. NamipfaquoqucmateriajquutiH 
 abOpifice, Patrcqu^ Omnium faiSafit,^ 
 merita pcrfeflioncm fui quandam ac-^ 
 quifivir, aptam ad Dcos lufcipiendos^ 
 Quinctiam quum nihil prohibet fiipc-^ 
 
 riora 
 
The Preface. 
 
 •iora Liimen fuum ad Inferiora diffim-* 
 icrc; neque igitiir matcriam permit- 
 iintexpertem Fore Superiorum. Qua- 
 >ropter quantumcunque matena? pei- 
 reftiim^ &purLimcft5 atquc deiformc, 
 id Deorum fufccptioncm non eft inep- 
 :um. Nam quum oportuerit criam 
 Terrena nullo modo Divina? Commti- 
 nionis expertia fore , ipfa quoque 
 TERRA divinam quandam portio- 
 hcm lufccpic, ad capiendos Deos fuf- 
 Rcientemi Non ergo fas eft omnem, 
 Matcriam dcreftari, fed folam, qua^ 
 Diis fuerit aliena*, Propriam vero ad 
 'Idlos decet eligerc, utpotequo! confen- 
 ■ rirepoflit: Neque eiiim alicer Terrenis 
 Qcis 5 Sc hominibus hie habitaniibus , 
 ^offclfio, portiove uUa ex Divinis con- 
 ingere potcft ^ mfi TALE quiddam 
 dus jadum fuerit FUNDAMEN- 
 rUM. Arcanis itaque Sermonibus 
 crcdcndum eft, Teftantibus a DEIS 
 !>er Beata Speftacula , Traidtam 
 [Hiffe MATER I AM Qll A N- 
 DAM, HcTC ergo illis ipfis Traden- 
 tibus cognataeft. Talis erso Materia 
 ( d ) ^ Deos 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Deos excitat, ut fe demonftrent, &c ' 
 Thefe are the words tf/ Jamblichus, in thai ^ 
 profound Difcourfc of htSy where hegivey'^^ 
 Porphyrius an Accompt of the M^yy- 1 
 tian, Caldcan, /^WAflyrian Myfteries.jjJ 
 I know /^(? Philofophical Earth difcoversi^ 
 not thofe Forms / have (poken of in tht\\ 
 common y or dinar 'j Procefs, which if an) 
 ;?74/z knows, J Jha/i not therefore call him J 
 a Philofopher. There are fcvcral ways nfi 
 to ufe this Myftery, both firft and laft;tfl 
 and ibmc of them may he communicated, i 
 hut fome not. To conclude^ I fay, that leii 
 this clarified Earth is the St^§,c of [all k 
 Forms, for here they are manifcfted like^i 
 Images in a Clafs; and when theTimc^t 
 of their Manifeftation is finiihed , they t 
 retreat into that Center, out of which at \% 
 firft they came. Hence came all Vege- w 
 tables, 4// Minerals, and all the hxiimA^ 
 in the World ^ even Man himfelfwith all 
 his Tumult and Principality. This Soft 
 Clay is the Mother of them all : and what 
 the Divine Yirgii fometimes faid of Italy^ 
 Tjjdy be very properly applyed to this our 
 Saturnine WSovcraign Earth. fe 
 
 Hiec 
 
 nt( 
 
The Preface. 
 
 \i xc dedit Argenti Rivos, iGrifque Metalla 
 .^ iftendit venis, atque Auro plarima fluxic. 
 
 xc Genus acre VirLim;Marros,Pubemq;Sabella, 
 ; -fTuetumq; Malo Ligiirem, Volfcofqi vcrucos 
 '^ xtulic:H;tcD-cios,Marios, magnoiq, Caraillos. 
 '' ilvs^ magna parents frugum, Saturnia Tellos, 
 
 |?gna Virum I — 
 
 Thfis Kcidcvljave I endeavor'd to pro- 
 nee fome Reafons /(?r thofe Jlra*ige Ef- 
 c6ts 5 whereof this Society huth made a 
 ubltc Piofellion. / did tt not as a Kind- 
 efs to them, for I fen no Plots, neither do 
 defire their Familiarity. / am indeed of 
 ufame Faith rvith them, andl have thm 
 refac'd, becaa^fe I had r/;^ Impudence r^? 
 link it concerr/dmo as much a^s them. 
 \nd verily it //true, f^^; where ioever / 
 leet my own Pofitions, there have I an 
 tltereft, and lam us «/«f/? bound to the 
 Defence of that Author, as l am to my 
 wn. iY(?n7yj?//-/7^ Ground /'^relayd, it 
 
 the Art of Water,r/^^ Philofophers Gla- 
 humida, and this Societies Parergon. 
 dare not jfeak any thing of their Meta- 
 hyfical Myftery, hut 1 can tell theett ts 
 ( d 2 ) not 
 
The Preface. 
 
 not the fame with the Philofophcrs Stone, fd 
 either in Form or Matte r, a?id let this fa- 
 tisfie thee. I k}:oiv [ome Difpofitions are 
 focrokto /^^y^ Principles, I mtghtwrnc 
 again to exci^fj jvhat I have written, hut 
 thi^ I am refoived not to do. If thoti> art 
 ^malicious Reader, anddofl think tt too 
 much, hecanfe tt fuits not with thy own 
 Ginglcs, Imufl tell theey thou ^rt none of 
 my Peers : for I have known fome Sci- 
 ences which thou hafl never heard of, nor 
 r Ay fathers before thee. But to n.akean 
 end, / would have every man defcend int9 
 himfelf, and rationally confidcr tho{e Ge- 
 nerations which are ohvtoiis to our eyes 
 W^ f^^ there is a power granted to man 
 over thofe Things , wh fe Original he doth 
 knew : Examples and Inftances we havi 
 in Corn , ana other Vcgitables , whoft 
 fttdi^mg known to the Husbandman ^Ai 
 can by the feed Multiply hts Corn, am 
 provide for hunfelf , as he thinks fit 
 It is]UrH fom Minerals, there is a feec 
 $ut of which Nature makes them, a firfl 
 matter •, and this the Magicians carcfall) 
 fought after, fvr they reafoned with them^ 
 
 fdves- 
 
The Preface. 
 
 (elves y that a^s Nature i) the Vegetable 
 *eed, didmultivly Vegetables,/^ might 
 they a!fo by the Minerall feed, mult/fly 
 Minerals. lVhe» they had found out the 
 feed, they fractic'dufon tt leveral wayes : 
 they didjhur it up m Glafles , keeping tt m 
 a mofl equall temperate heat , for many 
 moneths together , hut all rva^s to no pur- 
 pofe. Then did they fancy mother Courfe, 
 for the) buried it in the Earth, and left it 
 therefor a long time, but without any fuc- 
 cefs. Jt lafl they co iftdered, God mthout 
 all queflion being their Guide, ih.it Nature 
 had for every ieed a V^flel of her own, 
 and thdt all her VelTels were but feveral 
 forts of Eanh ; For exar/^ple. The Vege- 
 table Seed had the Common Earth for 
 his VcfVel, for therein Nature did fovv it^ 
 Ththnim^l Sperm had the Flefli for his, 
 andflejh is but afoft animated Earth j, as tt 
 appears in the Diflblution of the Body. 
 They ^aw plainly theny that both thefeVci- 
 fels were not appointed for the Mineral 
 Sperm,f^f)i were loocoXa for it, and com- 
 mon fire was too hot •, or if it were well 
 regulated, ^le/ cmld it not alter the Sperm, 
 ( d 3 ) for 
 
The Preface. 
 
 for it had not the Qualities of a Ma- h 
 trix. Then did they try fever al new f^' 
 Heats: they expo fed their Matter to the rf) 
 Sun, they buried it in Dunghills and w 
 beds of Quick-lime , they paced their 
 Glaffes in the Moon-beams , they in- 
 'uented new Baths, they made ufe of fand, 
 afties 5 and filings of Iron , they burnt 
 Oyl 5 and fancied all forts of Lamps , 
 but all this was Error, and it ended 
 in a trouble fm Nothing. Now all 
 thefe Falfitics p^ll a man meet with in 
 their Books •, for when they had found 
 eut the Mineral Veffcl, and efpecially the 
 fccond Earth, wherein they low'd their 
 Mercury and Sulphur, then did they fa 
 confound the Work , that: it is almojl 
 impoffible to get the Preparation out of 
 their hands. This I thought ft f^ touch 
 upon, that thofe Difficulties, which great 
 and affiring Wits 7nufl ftrive withall , 
 maj be the more apparent, and furely I 
 think I have pretty well elegit' d the way. 
 Thus Reader have I given thee my bejl 
 Advife, and now //^ remains thou fwuldsl 
 rail at me for it. It may be thou hafl a 
 
 free 
 
The Preface. 
 
 free Spirit^ hut if this Liberality con- 
 erns not thj Cx^dix^ keep thy Spleen to 
 ^yfelf, fori rvonld not have thee fpcnd 
 vhat thou canft mil fpare. 
 
 Soli T>eo (jloria. 
 
 Fama 
 
[ 
 

 "^':p4ma Fratemitatu, 
 
 .: OF THE 
 
 riratetnity of the moft laudable Or- 
 v:l7fon:{ derof the 
 
 Rofv Crofs. 
 
 )f.-;;::.i:.i-: -^ 
 
 Eeing the only Wife and 
 Merciful God in thefe lat- 
 ter days hath poured out 
 fo richly his mercy and 
 goodnefs to Mankind ^ 
 wherby we do attain more 
 id more to the perfed knowledge his 
 onJefusChrift and Nature y thatjuftly 
 c may boaft of the happy time, wherein 
 B there 
 
^C23 
 
 there is not only difcove red unto us th( 
 half part of the World, which was hereto 
 fore unknown & hidden, but he hath alf( 
 made manifeft unto us many wonderful 
 and never-heretofore feen. Works anc 
 Creatures of Nature, and moreover hati 
 raifed men, indued with gieatWifdom 
 Avhich might partly renew and reduce ai 
 Arts ( in this our Age fpotted and imper- 
 fed ) to perfeftion ^ fo that finally Mar 
 might thereby underftand his own No 
 blenefs and Worth , and why he is callec 
 MicrocofmuS) and how far his knowled^ 
 extendeth in Nature. 
 
 Although the rude World herewitf 
 will be but little pleafed, but rather fmik 
 and feoff thereat •, alfo the Pride and Co 
 vetoufnefs of the Learned is fo great, 
 it will not fuffer them to agreie td 
 gether ^ but were they united, they,migll 
 out. of allthofc things which kttksoui 
 Age God doth fo richly beftow upon us, 
 colled LihnmNatur^y orapcrfcdMe 
 thod of all Arts ; but fuch is their op- 
 pofition, that they ft ill keep, and arc loti: 
 to leave the old courfc, cfteeming Por 
 fhiryy Artflotle ^ and Gakn , yea and thai 
 
 whicfc 
 
which hath but a mecr iTiew of learning, 
 more then the clear and manifefted Light 
 and Truth ^ who if they were novv living, 
 with much joy would leave their errone- 
 ousDodrines.But here is too great weak- 
 nefs for fuch a greatWork: And although 
 in Theologie , Fhyfic , and the Mahema- 
 iic^ the Truth doth oppofe it felf •, never- 
 thelefs the old Enemy by his fubtilty and 
 craft doth fhew himfelf in hindering eve- 
 ry good purpofe by his Inftruments and 
 \ icontentious wavering people. To fuch an 
 intent of a general Reformation, the 
 moft godly and highly illuminated Fa- 
 ther, our Brother, C. i?. a German, the 
 chief and original of our Fraternity, hath 
 much and long time laboured , who by 
 reafon of his poverty ( although defcen- 
 ded of Noble Parents) in the fifth year of 
 age was placed in a Cloyfter , \Vhere 
 had learned indifferently the Greek 
 d Lmn Tongues , who ( upon his ear- 
 eft defire and requeft) being yet in his 
 growing years, was affociated to a Bro- 
 r, P.A.L, who had determined to 
 ^O to the Holy Land. 
 
 Although this Brother dyed in Cifrusy 
 B 2 and 
 
and fo never canie to ^erufalim y yet our 
 Brother C. R, did not return, hut {hipped 
 himfclf overhand went to Damafcoy mind- 
 ing from thence to go to ^erujalem.% but 
 by reafon of the feeblcnefs of his body 
 he remained ftill there, and by his siill in 
 Phyfickhe obtained much iavour with 
 the Turks : In the mean time he became 
 by^chance acquainted with the Wife men 
 oi Vamafco in Arabia: ^ and beheld what 
 great Wonders they wroiight , aad how 
 Nature was difcovered unto them •, here- 
 by was that high and noble Spirit of Bro- 
 ther C. K,{o ftired up^xliat ^^erufale?9imas 
 not fo much now in his mind as Damafco 5 
 alfo he could not bridle his dcfires any 
 longer, but made a bargain with the '^r^- 
 biansy that they fliould carry hini for a 
 certain fum of money to Damafco ^y; he 
 was but of the age of fixtecn years when 
 he came thither, yet of a ftrong '.Dutch 
 conilitutipn-, there the Wife received him 
 (as he himfelf wirneffeth) not asaftran- 
 ger, but as one whom, they had long ex- . 
 pcded, they called him by his name, and ^^ 
 Ihcw^ed hiiii ether fccrcis outof bis Gloy- 
 fter, whereat he could not but mightily 
 
 wonder 
 
15 3 
 
 wonder i He learned there better the A- 
 r ah fan Tongue-^ fo that the year follow- 
 ing he tranllated the Book M. into good 
 Latm, which he afterwards brought with 
 him. This is the place where he did 
 learn his Phyfick^ and his Mathematicks, 
 whereof the World hath juft caufe to re- 
 pyce, if there were more Love, and lefs 
 Envy. After three years he returned again 
 yv^ith good confent, fliipped himfelf over 
 ^Isinus Arabicus into Egypfy where he re- 
 mained not long 5 but only took better 
 otice there of the Plants and Creatures^ 
 e failed over the whole Mediterranean 
 Sea for to come unto Fe\^, where the 
 Arabians had direded him. And it is a 
 great fliame unto us, that wife men, fo far 
 remote th'one from th'other , fhould not 
 only be of one opinion, hating all conten- 
 ^ous Writings, but alfo be fo willing and 
 ready under the feal of fecrecy to impart 
 rheir fecrets to others. 
 
 Every year the Arabians and Africans 
 do fend one to another , inquiring one of 
 mother out of their Arts , if happily they 
 lad found out fome better things, or 
 f Experience had weakened their Rea- 
 
 r^^. 
 
fons. Yearly there came fomcthing ta 
 light , whereby the Maphematka, Phyfic 
 and Magic (for in thofe are they of /'^^ 
 moft skilful) were amended ^ as there is 
 now adays in Germany no want of learned 
 Mcn^ Magicians ) Cahalijlsy Phyficians, and 
 Fhilofofhersy were there T)Ut more love 
 and kindnefs among them , or that the 
 moft part of them would not keep their 
 fecrets clofe only to themfelvcs. At Fe'^ 
 he did get acquaintance with thofe which 
 are commonly called the Elementary In- 
 habitants, who revealed unto him many 
 of their fecrets : As we Germans likewife 
 might gather together many things , if 
 there were the like unity , and delire of 
 fearching out of fecrets amongft us. 
 
 Of thefe of Fe\^ he often did confefs , 
 that their 3/^^/4 was not alto^jether pure, 
 and alfo that their Cabala was defiled with 
 their Religion-, but notwithilanding he 
 knew how to make good ui^ of the fame, 
 and found ftill morcijbetter grounds of 
 his Faith, altogether agreeable 'vith the 
 Harmony of the whole World, and 
 wonderfully imprclfed in all Periods of , 
 times , and thence proceedeth that fair 
 
 Con- 
 
[7] 
 
 Concord, that as in every fcvcral kernel 
 IS contained a whole good tree or fruity 
 fo likewifeis included in the little body 
 3f Man the whole great World, whole 
 Religion, policy^ health, members, na- 
 ture, language , words and works, are 
 agreeing, fympathizing,and in equal tunc 
 and melody withGodjHeaven and Earthy 
 and that which is dif- agreeing with them, 
 is error, falftiood, and of the Devil, who 
 alone is thefirlt, middle, andlaft caufe 
 of ftrife, blindnefs, and darknefs in the 
 World : Alfo, might one examine all and 
 feveral perfons upon the Earth , he fliould 
 find that which is good and right, is al- 
 ways agreeing wirh it felf 3 but all the 
 reft is fpottcd with a thoufand erroneous 
 conceits. 
 
 After two years Brother C. R. depart- 
 ed the City-F^^, and failed with many 
 coftly things into Sfatn, hopiiig well , he 
 himfelf had fo well and fo profitably 
 fpent his time in his travel, that the learn- 
 ed in Eurofe would highly rejoyce with 
 him, and begin to rule, and order all their 
 Studies, according to thofe found and 
 fure Foundations. He therefore con- 
 ferred 
 
1^1 " 
 
 ferred with the Learned in ^p4/;^,fhewing 
 unto them the Errors of our Arts, and 
 how they might be correded, and front 
 whence they fliould gather the true Indi- 
 tia of the Times to come, and wherein 
 they ought to agree with thofe things that 
 are paft^alfo how the faults of theChurch [ 
 and the whole Fhilofopa Moralis was to be 
 amended: He fliewcd them new Growths, 
 new Fruits,and Beafts,which did concord 
 with old Fhiiojophyy and prefcribed them 
 new JxiomAta, whereby all things might 
 fully be reftored: But it was to them a 
 laughing matter-, and being a new thing 
 unto them, they feared that tlieir great 
 Name fhould be leffened, if they fliould 
 tiovi again begin to learn and acknowlcdg 
 their many yec-rs Errors, to which they 
 were accufi:jrned,and v;herewith they had 
 gained them enough ; Who fo loveth un- 
 quietncfs. lethim be leiormed. - j- 
 
 The fame Song was alfo fang to him 
 by other Nations, the which moved him 
 the more (becaufe it happened to him 
 contrary to his expcftation,') being then 
 ready bountifully to impart ail his Arts 
 Kind Secrets to the Learned, if ihey Vvould 
 
 have 
 
L9l 
 
 have but undertaken to write the true 
 and infallible Axiomatay out of all Fa- 
 culties. Sciences and Arts, and whole 
 Nature y as that which he knew would di-t 
 red: them, like a Globe, or Circle, to the 
 onely middle Point, and Centrum, and 
 ;as it is ufual among the Arabians) it 
 liould onely ferve to the wife and learn- 
 ed, for a Rule, that alfo there might be a 
 Society in Europey which might have 
 tjold. Silver, and precious Stones, fuffi- 
 dentforto beftow them on Kings, for 
 heir neceffary ufes, and lawful purpofcs : 
 vith which fuch as be Governors might 
 )e brought up, for to learn all that which 
 jod hath fuffered Man to know, and 
 hereby to be enabled in all rimes of need 
 o give their counfel untothofe that feek 
 :, like the Heathen Oracles : Verily we 
 nuft confefs that the world, in thofe days 
 vas already big with thofe great Com- 
 notions, laboring to be delivered of 
 |hem ^ and did bring forth painful, wor- 
 hy men, who brake with all force 
 hrough Darknefs and Barbarifm, and 
 eft us who fucceeded to follow them : 
 nd afTurcdly they have been the upper- 
 
 moii 
 
moft point in Trigone igmOy whofc flame 
 now ihould be more and mofe brighter, 
 and iliall undoubtedly give to the World k 
 the laft Light. [r 
 
 Suchaonelikewife hath TheofhraHm J( 
 been in Vocation and Callings, although i 
 he was none of our Fraternity, yet ne- \\ 
 verthelefs hath he diligentlyrcad over the i 
 Book M: whereby his fharp ingenium was lai 
 exalted •, but this man was alio hinderedi )f 
 in his courfe by the multitude of the ii 
 learned and wik-fecming men, that he^jz, 
 was never able peaceably to confer with^K 
 others of his Knowledg and Underftand- 
 ing he had of Nature. And therefore in if; 
 his writing he rather mocked thefe bufie ite 
 bodies, and doth not fhew them altoge- i^ 
 ther what he was : yet neverthelefs there ^] 
 is found with him well grounded the a-,^^ 
 forenamed HarmonU , which without „( 
 doubt he had imparted to the Learned, [^^ 
 if he had not found them rather worthy q, 
 of fubtil vexation, then to be inftrudednf 
 in greater Arts and Sciences-, he thenjif 
 with a free and carclefs life loft histime^»jp 
 and left unto the World their fooliflij^ 
 pleafures. ud 
 
 But 
 
But that we do not forget our loving 
 father. Brother C. It. he after many 
 lainful Travels, and his fruitkfs true In- 
 Irudions, returned again into Germany, 
 he which he (by reafon of the alterations 
 vhich were Ihortly to come, and of the 
 Irange and dangerous contentions) hear- 
 Uy loved : There, although he could 
 lave bragged with his Art, but fpecially 
 >f the tranfmutations of Metals 5 yet 
 lid he efteem more Heaven, and the Ci- 
 izens thereof, Man, then all vain glory 
 nd pomp, 
 
 Neverthelefs he builded a fitting and 
 leat habitation, in the which he rumina- 
 ited his Voyage, and Philofophy, and 
 educed them together in a true Memo- 
 ial. In this houfe he fpenta great time 
 n the Mathematicksy and made many fine 
 !nftrumcnts, ex omnibm hicjm artis farti- 
 >my whereof there is but little remaining 
 o us, as hereafter you ftiall underftand. 
 \fter five years came again into his mind 
 rhe wifhcd for Reformation 5 and in re- 
 ;ard he doubted of the ayd wind help of 
 )thers, although he himfelf was painful^, 
 ufty, and unwearifom, he undertook. 
 
 ixrif U 
 
withfomc few adjoyned with him, to at- 
 tempt the fame : wherefore he defired to [ 
 that end, to have out of his firft Cloyfter 
 ( to the which he bare a great affecftion) 
 three of his Brethren^ Brother G. K Bro- 
 ther -^.-A. and Brother ^. 0. who befides 
 that^they had fome more knowledg in the 
 Arts^then at that time many others had^he 
 did binde thofe three unto himfelf, to be 
 faithful, diligent, andfecrety as alfo to T 
 commit carefully to writing, all that 
 which he Ihould dired: and inftrudl them 
 in, to the end that thofe which were to 
 come, and through efpecial Revelation 
 fhoiild be received into this Fraternity, 
 might not be deceived of the leaft fiUa- 
 ble and word. 
 
 After this manner began the Fraterni- 
 
 ty of the Kofie CroJ^ ^ firft, by four per- 
 fons onely, and by them was made the j 
 Magical Language and writing, with a ^ 
 large Didionary, which we yet dayly ufe I 
 to Gods praifeand glory, and dofinde 
 great wiidom therein-, they made alfo 
 the firft part of the Book M: but in re- 
 fpcft that that labor vr:^s too heavy, and 
 the unfpeakable concourfc of the fick 
 
 hin- 
 
 10 
 
 If 
 
C^3l 
 
 lindredthcm, and alio ivhilft his new 
 )uilding (called Sancfi ffiritus) was now 
 inilhed , they concluded to draw and rc^ 
 eive yet others more into their Fratcr- 
 lity •, to this end was chofen brother 
 
 Chis deceafed fathers brothers fon, 
 )rother B. a skilful Rainter, G. and P.. D. 
 heir Secretary^all Germ^ms except f.A, 
 bin all they were eight in number , all 
 )atchelors and of vowed virginity ,, by 
 hofe was coUedied abook or volumn of 
 .11 that which man can defire ^ wifli, or 
 lopefor.Ti ro:i :.^ijov/ v-.-j ^^{ilqo:;. 
 
 Although we' do ndw Yrecly Gonfcfs, 
 hat the World is much amended within 
 .n hundred years, yet wje.are affured^that 
 )ur Axiomata fliall unmovably remain 
 mto the. Worlds Erd..^ and alfo the 
 vorld in her higheft &laft Age fliall nor 
 ttain to fee any thing dk. ^ for 6]XxJiQta, 
 akesher beginning from ^hat day when 
 Sod fpake/;/W, and fliall end when he 
 hall fpealc/^re^/^ yet Gods Clock ftri- 
 :^th every minute, where ours fcirce 
 Iriketh .perfct^ hours. ..We alfo fted- 
 aftlybeleeve, that if our Brethren and 
 athers.had lived in tlis our prefent. and 
 
 clear 
 
clear light , they would more roughlj fc 
 have handled the Pope^ii^^^;;^^/^, Scribes, tl 
 Artifts, and Sophifters, and had (hcweci oi 
 themfelves more helpful^not fimply with at 
 fighs, and wifliing of their end and con- oj 
 fummation/ |o 
 
 When now thefe eight Brethren had tc 
 difpofed and ordered all things in fuchf 
 manner^as there was not now need of any u 
 great labour, and alfo that every one was « 
 fufficiently inftruded, and able perfeftly {: 
 todifcourfe of fecret andmamfeftPhi-to 
 lofophy, they would not remain any 4 
 longer together, but as in the beginning!) 
 they had agreed, they feparated them-j 
 felves into feveral Countries,becaufe that ^ 
 not only thciv j^xiomata might in fecret jj 
 be more profoundly examined by the j^ 
 learned, but that they themfelves, if irttli 
 fome Country or other they obfervedc 
 anything, or perceived fome Error, theyiifi 
 might inform one another of it. i 
 
 Their Agreement was this -, Firft,That fo 
 pone of them (hould profefs any other (vi 
 thing, then to cure the iick, and that^r4- 1|, 
 tis, 2. None of the Pofterity ftiould bcce: 
 conftrained to wear one certain kind of li^ 
 
 habit, 
 
") habit^but therein to follow the cuftom of 
 
 *^the Country. 3. That every year up- 
 
 f( on the day C. they fliould meet together 
 
 1^1 at the houfe S. Sptritmj or write the caufc 
 
 )i^ofhisabfencc. 4. Every Brother fliould 
 
 look about for a worthy perfon, who af- 
 
 '2^ ter his difceafe might fucceed him. 5. The 
 
 d word C. R. fliould be their Seal^ Mark, 
 
 "] and Character. 6. The Fraternity fliould 
 
 '^ remain fecret one hundred years. Thefe 
 
 fix Articles they bound themfelves one 
 
 Co another to keep •, and five of the Bre- 
 
 ifthren departed, only the Brethren B. and 
 
 ^j p. remained with the Father Fra: R. C. 
 
 n 1 whole year t, when thefe likewife de- 
 
 parted, then remained by him his Coufen 
 
 and Brother ^, O. fo that he hath all the 
 
 days of his life with him two of his Bre- 
 
 :hren. And although that as yet the 
 
 Church was not cleanfed, nevcrthelefs 
 
 tve know that they did think of her, and 
 
 ivhat with longing defire they looked 
 
 for : Every year they aflembled togeflier 
 
 mthjoy, and made a full refolutionof 
 
 that which they had done •, there muft 
 
 rertainly have been great pleafure , to 
 
 lear truly and without invention related 
 
 and 
 
[15] 
 
 and rehcarfed all the Wonders whic! ^ 
 God hath poured out here and thert ell 
 through the World. Every one maj^^ 
 hold it out for certain, that fuch perforc i<5' 
 as were fent, and joyned together bjesi 
 God^and the Heavens, and cholen out oj*'' 
 the wifeft of men, as have lived in many w^ 
 Ages, did live together above all others i^^ 
 in higheft Unity, greateft Secrecy, and'^^ 
 moft kindnefs one towards another. ^^ 
 After fuch a moft laudable fort they ^'^ 
 did fpend their lives ^ and although they ^ 
 were free from all difeafes and pam, yet^ 
 notwithftanding they could not live and [' 
 pafsiheir time appomted of God. The '} 
 firft of this Fraternity which dyed, and ^^ 
 that mBnglmdy was ^. o, as Brother C. ^' 
 long before had foretold him^ he was i^' 
 very expert, and.well learned \x\CahaUii 
 as nis Book called B. witneffeth : Ih I 
 BngUndhs, is much fpoken of, and chief-- 1^ 
 ly bccaufe he cured a young Earl of Nor- % 
 folk oi the Leprolie. They had con- 
 cluded, that as much as pofTibly could be 
 their burial place fliould be kept fecret, as? 
 at this day it is not known unto us what 
 is become of fome .of them, yet every 
 
 ones 
 
Ci73 
 
 c! nes place was fupplyed with a fit Cue- 
 
 ici! ^flbr 5 but this we wil confefle publick- 
 
 :i I by thefe prefents to the honour of 
 
 M Jod 5 That what fecret foever we have 
 
 :) earned out of the book M. ( although 
 
 efore our eyes we behold the image 
 
 ^\ nd pattern of all the world ) yet are 
 
 :r here not fhewn unto us our misfortunes, 
 
 fj( Lor hour of death, the which only is 
 
 :nown to God himfelf, who thereby 
 
 ^1 vould have us keep in a continual rea- 
 
 linefss but hereof more in our Confefli- 
 
 m, where we dofet down 37 Reafons 
 
 vherefore wc now do make known our 
 
 Fraternity, and proffer fuch high Myftc- 
 
 ies freely, and without conftraint and re- 
 
 vard: alfo we do promife more gold 
 
 ;hcn both the Indies bring to the King 
 
 :>{ Spam-j for Europe is with child and 
 
 Nil bring forth a ftrong child , who fliall 
 
 ftand in need of a great godfathers 
 
 gift. 
 
 Afterthe death of 7.0. Brother R.C. 
 relied not, but as foon as he could, called 
 the reft together, (and as wc fuppofe) 
 then his grave was made-, although hi- 
 
 Itherto we ( who were the lateft) did not 
 C Tcnow 
 
know when our loving father i?. C. dad 
 and had no more but the bare names o 
 the beginners, and all their fucceflbrs ti 
 us-, yet there came into our memory, 
 fecret, which through dark and hiddei 
 words,and fpeeches of the loo years,bro 
 ther^.thcfucceffor of D. (who waso 
 the laft and fecond row and fucceflion 
 and had lived amongftmanyof us,)dif^ 
 impart unto us ofthe third row and fuc 
 celtion -, otherwife we muft confefs, tha 
 after the death of the faid A, none of u 
 had in any manner known any thing o 
 Brother R. C. and of his firft fellow-bre 
 thren, then that which was extant ol 
 them in our Philofophical Bihltotheca 
 mongft which our Axiomata was hek 
 for the chiefeft Rota Mundi^ for the mof 
 aitificial^and Prvtheus the moft profita- 
 ble. Likewifc we do not certainly knov 
 ifthefe ofthe fecond row have been o 
 the like wifdom as the firft, and if thej 
 were admitted to all things. It ihall h 
 declared hereafter to the gentle Reader 
 not onely what we have heard'of the bu 
 rial o(R. C. but alfo made manifcft pub 
 lickly by the for^fight, fuffcrance am 
 
 com- 
 
; 
 
 commanamcntofGodj whom wc moft 
 faithfully obey^that if we (hall be anfwer- 
 ed difcrectly and Chriftian-like, wcwill 
 not be afraid to fet forth publickly in 
 PrintjOur names^and firnames, our meet- 
 ings, or any thing elfe that may be requi- 
 red at our hands. 
 
 Now the true and fundamental relati- 
 on of the finding out of the high illumi- 
 nated man of God, Fra: c.R. C. is thisj 
 After that A. in GallU Narbonenfi was dc- 
 ceafed, then fucceeded in his place, our 
 loving Brother N, N. this m-an after he 
 had repaired unto us to take the folemn 
 oath of fidelity and fecrecy,he informed 
 lis hona fde^ That A. had comforted him 
 in telling him, that this Fraternity ftiould 
 ere long not remain fo hidden, but fhould 
 be to all the whole German Nation help- 
 ful, needful, and commendable •, of the 
 ivhich he was not in any wife in his eftate 
 afhamed of. The year following after he 
 had performed his School right, and was 
 minded now to travel, being for that pur- 
 pofcfufficiently provided WixhFortunatus 
 purfe, he thought(he being a good Archi- 
 tect ) to alter fomething of his building, 
 C 2 and 
 
C 20 3 I 
 
 and to makc^?fc more fit : in fuch renewingfoi 
 he lighted upon the memorial Table ir 
 which Avascaft of braffe, and containeth c 
 all the names of the brethren, with fomefeo 
 few other things 5 this he would transfer t 
 in another more fitting vault:for where or fi 
 when Fra: R, C. died, or in what country 
 -he was buried, was by our predeceffors 
 concealed and unknown untous. In this.i\ 
 Table ftuck a gi*eat naile fomewhatjd 
 ftrongj fo that when he was with force 
 drawn out, he took with him an indiffcr- JkI 
 cnt big ftone out of the thin wall, or plai- 
 ftering of the hidden door^and fo unlook- 
 cd for uncovered the door-, wherefore wek 
 did with joy and longing throw down the 4, 
 reft of the wall , and cleared the door, 
 upon which that was written in great let- 
 ters, Pofl 120 mnos fatebo^ with the year 
 of the Lord under it : therefore we gave 
 God thanks and let it reft that fame night, 
 bccaufe firft we would overlook our Ro- 
 tam-^ but we refer our felvcs again tothe 
 confelTion, for what we here publifli is 
 done for the helpof thofe that are wor- 
 thy, but tothe unworthy (God willing) 
 it will be fmall profit: For like as our 
 
 i 
 
 d 
 
oor was after fo many years wonderful- 
 yT difcovercd, alfo there ihallbe opened 
 door to Bur Of e ( when the wall is rc- 
 loved ) which already doth begin to ap- 
 ear, and with great dcfire is expeded 
 •fmany. 
 
 In the morning following we opened 
 he door, and there appeared to our fight 
 Vault of feven fides and corners, every 
 kie five foot broad, and the height of 
 ight foot •, Although the Sun never ftii- 
 ted in this Vault, neverthelefs it was en- 
 ightned with another fun, which had 
 earnied this from the Sun, and was fcitu- 
 ited in the upper part in the Center of 
 ie fieling •, in the midft , in ftead of a 
 Tomb-ftone, was a round Altar cover- 
 ed over with a plate of brafs, and thereon 
 :his engraven : 
 
 , A.C. R. C. Hocuniverfi comfsndmm 
 \ unius mihi fefulchrum feci. 
 
 Round about the firft Circle or Brim 
 Rood, 
 
 ^ejus mihi omnia. 
 
 In the middle were four figures, in- 
 clofed in circles, whofe circumfcription 
 ■as, C 3 i.Ne- 
 
C"3 
 
 I. NtquAquam vacuum, te 
 
 t^ Lt^s J'Ugum* 
 
 3»; Lwertas Bvmgelij, 
 
 4. Dei glor Uintah A. 
 This is all clear and bright, as alfo the JJ« 
 fevcnth fide and the two Heptagoni: fo we 
 kneeled altogether down^and gave thanks ^ 
 to the fole wife, fole mighty and fole eter- 
 nal God, who hath taught us more them 
 all mens wit could have found out, prai^. 
 fed be his holy name. This Vault we 
 parted in three parts>the upper part or fiel- 
 ing, the wall or fide,the ground or floor. 
 Of the upper part you Ihall underftand 
 no more of it at this time, but that it was 
 divided according to thefeven fides in the 
 triangle, which was in the bright center^ 
 but what therein is contained, you {hall 
 God willing (that are defirous of our fo- ' 
 ciety)behold the fame with your own eysj 
 but every fide or wall is parted into ten 
 fquares, every one with their feveral £- 
 gures and fentences, as they are tmly 
 fhewed, and fet forth Concentratum here 
 in our book. 
 
 The bottom again is parted in the triangle, 
 but bccaufe therein is difcribed the power 
 
 and 
 
 f4! 
 
 i 
 
tod rule of the inferior Governors, we 
 eave to manifeft the fame, for fear of the 
 ibufe by ihe evil and ungodly world.But 
 hofe that are provided and ftored with 
 :cjhe heavenly Antidote, they do without 
 c car or hurt, tread on, and bruife the head 
 >f the old and evil ferpenr, which this our 
 ge is well fitted for .* every fide or 
 n vail had a door for a cheft, wherein there 
 ay divers things,efpecially all our books, 
 vhich otherwife we had, befidcs the Voca- 
 'ular ofTheoph: Far^ Ho. and thefe which 
 laily unfalfifieth we do participate.Here- 
 n alfo we found his Itincrarium^ and vi- 
 4;»,whence this relationi:br the moft part 
 s taken. In another cheft were looking- 
 jlaffes of divers virtues, as alfo in other 
 )laceswere little bells, burning lamps, 
 k chiefly wonderful artificial Songs^ ge- 
 lerally al done to that end,that if it fliould 
 appen after many hundred years, the 
 3rder or Fraternity (hould come tono- 
 hing, they might by this onely Vault be 
 eftored again. 
 
 Now as yet we had not feen the dead 
 >odyofour careful and wife father, we 
 herfore removed the Altar afide,there we 
 C 4 lifted 
 
Ch3 , ' 
 
 lifted up a ftrong plate of brafs, and 
 found a fair and worthy body, whole and 
 unconfumed, as the fame is here lively 
 counterfeited, with all the Ornaments and^ 
 Attires •, in his hand he held a parchment 
 bookjCalled/.thewhichnextuntO the Bible, 
 is ourgreateft treafure^whichoughttobc 
 delivered to the cenfure of the world. At 
 the end of this book ftandeth this foUow^^ 
 ing Elogium \ 
 
 Granumfe^orijejti infitiim, ': 
 
 C. Rof, C, ex nohili at^ fflendida Ger- 
 mmiA R, C.familiaoriunduSy virfai fect^li 
 divinis reveUtionibus ftihtilij^imis imagi- 
 nationihusy indefeJSts Uhorihus ad (^celefii^i 
 atg^ humana, myjleria ^ arcma^ve admt^tis 
 foftquamjtiiim ( quam ArahicOy (jr African- 
 no tt inert bus Colleger (it) flujqtiam regiam^ 
 at/j^ imferatoriam Gaz^amfio feculo nondum 
 convenientem^ fojleritatt ertiendam cuflo 
 diviffet & ]am fuarum Artium, ut & no* 
 minis-, fides acconjuncfi^tmos herides infii^ 
 tmffet^mtmdumminutum omnibus mottbu{ 
 magno illi rej^ondentem fabricajfet hoc^ 
 tandem preterit arum y prajentium, c^futu^ 
 r4rumy rerum comfendio extraffo, centena-^ 
 
 ri$\ 
 
ihio wajor non morbo (quern ipfe nunquam 
 corf ore expertus eraty nunquam alios infef- 
 tarefinehat) ullo fellentefedjfiritu Dei evo- 
 cante^illumtnatam animam (inter Fratrum 
 amplexus & ultima ofcula ) fidelij^imo ere- 
 atoriDeo reddidtJSetiPater dilec^iJ^imus,Fra: 
 p$avtj?tmHSy preceptor fdeliftmus amicus 
 integerimus, afuis ad no annos hie abfcon- 
 ditus efi. 
 
 Underneath they had fubfcribed 
 themfeves, 
 
 i, I Fra: /. J, Fr, C. H, ele^ioneFra- 
 ttrnitatis caput. 
 '■, 2 Fr:G,F. M.P,C. 
 
 3 Fra.'R.C. Junior hdres S,fpiritus, 
 : 4 Fra: B.M, P,A. Pictor & Archi- 
 
 tpUns. 
 
 5 Fr: G.G. M.P.J. Cabalifia. 
 SecundiCirculi, 
 
 1 Fra: p. A, SuccejJor.Fr: J, o. Ma- 
 thematic us, 
 
 2 Fra: A. ^ucceffor Fra, P.D. 
 
 3 Fra: R. Succejforpatris C. R. C. cum 
 Chrifto triumphant. 
 
 At the end was written. 
 Ex Deo nafcimuryin^eficmonmuryper 
 ifiritumfanitum revivi[ctmus. 
 
 At 
 
At that time was already dead Brother fa. 
 f.O. and Frd: D. but their burial place ]oli 
 where is it to be found:' we doubt not but lal 
 our Fra: Senior hath the fame, and fome d 
 efpecial thing layd in Earth, and perhaps )iir 
 likewife hid-den: we alfo hope that this our 
 Example will ftir up others more deli- 
 gently to enquire after their names (whom 
 we have therefore publiflied) and to 
 fearch for the place of their burial 5 for 
 the moft part of them, by reafon of their 
 pradice and phyfick, are yet known, and 
 praifed among very old folks- fo might 
 perhaps our Gaza be enlarged, or at leaft 
 be better cleared. 
 
 Concerning Mimitum Mundum^ we 
 found it kept in another little Altar, truly 
 more finer then can be imagined by any 
 underftanding man^ but we will leave him 
 undefcribed, untill we (hal truly be an- 
 fwered upon this our true hearted Fa- 
 mam 'j and fo we have covered it again 
 with the plates, and fet the altar thereon, 
 fhut the door, and made it furc, with all 
 our feals-,befidcs by inftruftion and com- 
 mand of our Rota, there are come to fight 
 fome books, among which is contained 
 
 M. 
 
[27] 
 »/. (which were made in ftcad of houf- 
 oold care by the praife- worthy M. P.)Fi- 
 (ally we departed the one from the other, 
 nd left the natural heirs in pofleffion of 
 Air Jewels. And fo we do exped the an- 
 wer and judgnient of the learned, or un- 
 earned. 
 
 Howbeit we know after a time there 
 vil now be a general reformation^both of 
 Evine and humane things, according to 
 mr defire, and the expectation of others .• 
 for it s fitting, that before the rifing of the 
 Sttifl, there fhould appeir and break forth 
 Aurora^ or feme clearnefs, or divine light 
 pi the sky^ and fo in the mean time fome 
 5^, which fliall give their names, may 
 oyn together, thereby' to increafe the 
 itimber and refped of our F rater mty^znd 
 make a happy and wiflied for beginning 
 Df our Phtlofofhicd Canons^ prefcribed 
 CO us by our brother R. C. and be par- 
 takers with us of our treafures ( which ne- 
 ^v can fail or be wafted ) in all humility, 
 and love to be eafed of this worlds labor, 
 and not walk fo blindly in the knowledge 
 of the wonderful -vvorks of God. 
 - £ut that alfo every C hriftian may know 
 
 of 
 
[28] 
 
 of what Religion and belief we are, wt 
 confefs to have the knowledge of Jefus 
 Chrift (as the fame now in thcfe laft days, 
 and chiefly in Germany y moft clear and- 
 pure is profefTedjand is now adays clean- 
 led and voyd of all fwerving people, He- 
 retickSj and falfe Prophets,) in certain and 
 noted Countries maintained, defended 
 and propagated : Alfo we ufe two Sacra- 
 ments, as they are inftituted with all 
 Formes :indi Ceremonies oi tht ^xik. re-^ 
 newed Church. In Politia we acknow- 
 ledge the Roman Empire and ^artam 
 MonarchUm for our Chriftian head 5 al- 
 beit we know what alterations be at hand, 
 and would fain impart the fame with all 
 our hearts, to other godly learned men^ 
 notwithftanding our hand- writing which 
 is in our hands, no man (except God a- 
 lone) can make it common, nor any un- 
 worthy perloii is able to bereave us of it. 
 But we fliall help with fecret aid this fo 
 good a caufe, as God (hal permit or hin- 
 der us : For our God is not blinde, as the 
 Heathens Fortuna^ but is the Churches 
 Ornament, and the honor of the Temple. 
 Our Philojophy alfo is not a new Inventi- 
 
 on;» 
 
 f^ 
 
 ^'- 
 
on, but as Adam after his fM hath re- 
 ceived it, and as Mofes and Solomon ufed 
 k : alfo flie ought not much to be doubted 
 of, or contradifted by other opinions, or 
 meanings •, but feeing the truth is peace- 
 able, brief, and always like her felf in all 
 thiags^and efpecially accorded by with 
 ^efus in omnifarte and all members. And 
 as he is the true Image of the Father, fo is 
 flie his Image ^ It fhal not be faid, this is 
 true according to Philofophp but true ac- 
 cording to Theologie •, And wherein Plato, 
 Arijlotk) Pythagoras and others did hit the 
 mark, and wherein Enoch, Abraham, Mo- 
 fes, Solomon did excel-, but efpecially 
 wherewith that wonderful book the Bible 
 agreeth. All that fame concurreth toge- 
 ther, and make a Sphere or Globe, whofe 
 total parrs are equidiftant from the Cen- 
 ter,as hereof more at large and more plain 
 fhal be fpoken of in Chriftianly Con- 
 ference. 
 
 But now concerning (and chiefly m 
 thisourage) the ungodly and accurfed 
 Gold-makings which hath gotten fo much 
 the upper hand, whereby under colour of 
 it, many runagates and roguifli people 
 
 do 
 
do ufe great villanies, and cozen and a * 
 
 bufe the credit which is given them : ye; 
 
 now adays menofdifcretiondo holdtb^' 
 
 tranfmutation of Mettals to be the highef ? 
 
 point 5 and /I/y?/^;//;» in Philofoph% this i 
 
 all their intent, and defire, and that Goc f 
 
 would be moft efteemed by them, ancrj 
 
 honored, which could make great fton ^^ 
 
 of Gold, and in abundance, the whici ^ 
 
 with unpremeditate prayers, they hope tc "^ 
 
 attain of the alknowing God, and fearch- "^j 
 
 Cf of all hearts : we therefore do by thefc 
 
 prefents publickly teftifie. That the true F 
 
 Fhilofophers are far of another minde , e- 1; 
 
 deeming little the making of Gold,whic[] ^^ 
 
 is but a far ergon 5 for befides that they ^ 
 
 have a thoufand better things. ""'' 
 
 And we fay with our loving Father R. ^' 
 
 C. C. Phy: aurum nifi (Quantum Aurum'^ 
 
 for unto them the whole nature isdeted;cd:n 
 
 he doth not rejoyce, that he can make 
 
 Gold 3 and that,as faith Chrift, the devils'^* 
 
 ^'.re obedient unto him^ but is glad thathelj! 
 
 feeth the Heavens open, and the Angels of * 
 
 God afcending and defcending, and fais 
 
 name written in the book of life. Alfdl 
 
 we de teftifie that under the name oiChf 
 
C3«J 
 
 nia many books and pidiures are fct 
 brth in Contumeliamglona Dei:, as wc wil 
 lamc them in their due feafon, and wil 
 5ive to the pure-heaned a Catalogue, or 
 legifter of them : And we pray all lear- 
 Kd men to take heed of thefe kinde of 
 Sooks^ for the enemy never rcftcth, but 
 bweth his weeds, til a ftronger one doth 
 coot it out. So according to the wil and 
 aieaning of -Fr^; C.R. C. we his brethren 
 fcqueft again all the learned in Eurofe^ 
 pvho Ihal read (fern forth in five Langua- 
 J€S ) this our Famam and Conf^poner,-'^ 
 hat it would pleafe them with good de- 
 liberation to ponder this our offer , and to 
 examine moft nearly and moft Iharply 
 Jieir Arts, and behold the prefent time 
 ivith all diligence, and to declare their 
 minde, either Commnnkato confilioy or 
 fmguUtim by Print. 
 
 And although at this time we make no 
 mention either of our names, or meetings^ 
 l^et neveithelefs every ones opinion ihal 
 ^redly come to our hands, in what lan- 
 guage fo ever it be-,nor any body fhal fail, 
 ivhofo gives but his name tofpe^k with 
 femcof uSjCithei by word of mQuth, or 
 
 clfe 
 
C30 
 
 clfe if there be fome lett in writing. And 
 
 this we fay for a truth , That whofoever '^^ 
 flial earneftly^and from his heart^bear af- V( 
 fedlion unto us^itflial be beneficial to hitn J 
 in goods, body and foul 5 but he that is W 
 falfe-hearted, or onely greedy of riches, k 
 the fame fir ft of all fhal not be able in any io 
 manner of wife to hurt us, but bring him- w 
 felf to utter ruine and deftrudion. Alfo )i^' 
 ourbuilding(although one hundred thour id 
 fand people had very nearfeen and be^..iJ 
 held the fame)flial for ever remain un-^ v? 
 touched, undeftroyed, and hidden to the. ail 
 wicked world, fub umbra aUrum tmrum h 
 ^ehova, ka 
 
 , ' n\ 
 
 A Preface of the Confepon tothc fie 
 
 Reader who is de'firous of U 
 
 Wifdom, 
 
 HEre Gentle Reader, you ftial findc 
 incorporated in our Confeffion 
 thirty feven Reafons of our purpofe, and 
 intention , the which according to thy 
 pleafure thou'mayft feek out and comr 
 pare thf m together : thou mayft alfo coii- 
 fider with thy felf, if they be weighty,and 
 
 fuf- 
 
 pc 
 
[33] 
 iifficient enough to bring and per- 
 
 'wade thee for to take our parts. 
 
 i^erily it requires no fmal pains to confirm 
 
 hatwhichmen have not yet feen^but when 
 
 tfhal once com to light we doubt not^but 
 
 [ley willthen juftly be ailiamed offuch 
 
 oubts, and conjedures. And as we do 
 
 OAV altogether fecurely, freely, and with- 
 
 mt any hurt call the Pofe of Rome An- 
 
 ichrift^the which heretofore was held for 
 
 deadly fin, and fuch in all Countries 
 
 ^ere put to death for it. So we know cer- 
 
 ^linly^that the time ilial likewife come, 
 
 hat that which we yet keep infecret,we 
 
 lal openly, freely, and with a loud voice 
 
 ubliih and confefs it before al the Avorld-, 
 
 he which Gentle Reader wilh with us with 
 
 11 thy heart, that it may happen with 
 
 )ce( 
 
 D 
 
Qonfepo Fraternitatis, 
 
 Or, 
 
 The Confcflion of the taudahle Frater- 
 nity of the mofl honorable Order of 
 ^^eRofie Cxo^Sytvrtttento 
 the Learned of Europe. 
 
 WHatfoever there is publiflied, and 
 made known to every one, con 
 cerning our Frdternity,hy therorefaid Fa 
 ma, let no man eftecm lightly of it, noi 
 hold it as an idle or invented thing, and 
 muchlefs receive the fame, as though iiR 
 -were onely a meer conceit of ours. It 
 the Lord ^febovah ( whofseing the Lordi 
 Sabbath is almoft at hand, and haftenec 
 again, his period or courfe being finiflicd 
 to his firft beginning) doth turn abou* 
 the courfe of Nature-, and what hereto- 
 fore hath been Ibught with great pains 
 and dayly labor, is now manifefled untc 
 thofc Avho make fmall account, or fcarce 
 ly once think upon it-, but thcfe which de- 
 iirc it^ it is in a manner forced and thruft 
 
 pur 
 
cd upon them, that thereby the life of the 
 godly may be eafed of all their toyl and 
 labor, and be no more fubjed to the 
 ftorms of unconftant Fortune •, but the 
 wickednefs of the ungodly thereby, with 
 their due and deferved puniiliment,be 
 augmented and multiplied. 
 
 Although we cannot be by any fuf- 
 peded of the leaft Herefie , or of any 
 wicked beginning, or purpoie againft the 
 worldly Government ^ we do condemn 
 the Eaft and the Weft, (meaning the Pofe 
 and Mahomet ) blafphemers againft our 
 Lordjefus Chrift, and offer and prefcnt 
 with a good will to the chief head of the 
 Romifh Empire, our prayers, fecrets,and 
 great treafures of Gold, 
 
 Yet we have thought good, and fit for 
 the Learned fakes,to add fomewhat more 
 to this, and make a better explanation, if 
 there be any thing too deep, hidden, and 
 fetdown over dark inihc Fama^ or for 
 certain rcafons were altogether omitted, 
 and left out-, hoping herewith the Learn- 
 ed will be more addicfted unto us, and be 
 made far more fitter and willing for our 
 purpofe. 
 
 D 2 Con. 
 
Concerning the alteration and amend- 
 ment oiPhilojofhj^ we have ( as much as 
 at this prefcnt is needful ) fufficicntly de- 
 clared, to wit^that the fame is altogether 
 weak and faulty ^ yet we doubt not, al- 
 tiiough the moft part falfly do alle dge 
 that {he ( I know not how) is found and 
 ftrong, yet notwithftanding flie fetches 
 her laft breath and is departing. 
 
 But as commonly, even in the fame 
 place or Country where there breaketh 
 forth a new unaccuftomed difeafe. Na- 
 ture alfo there difcovereth a medicine z- 
 gainft the fame-, fo there doth appear for 
 fo manifold iniirmkks of Philofophj^ the 
 right means, and unto our Patna fuffici- 
 ently offered, whereby fhc may become 
 found again, which is now to be renewed 
 and altogether new. 
 
 No other Philofophy Ave have, then 
 that which is the head & fum,the founda- 
 tion and contents of all faculties, fcien- 
 ces and arts, the which ( if we will behold 
 ourage) containeth much of Theology and 
 medicine,but little of the wifdom of Law. 
 yers, and doth diligently fearch both hea- 
 ven and earth: or,tofpCwik briefly there- 
 of 
 
C373 
 
 of> which doth manifeft and declare fuf- 
 ficicntly Man r, whereof then all Learned 
 who will make themfelves known unto 
 uSj and come into our brotherhood, Ihall 
 finde more wonderful fecrets by us then 
 heretofore they did attain unto, and did 
 know, or are able to believe or utter. 
 
 Wherefore,to declare briefly our mean- 
 ing hereof, we ought to labor carefully 
 that there be not onely a wondering at 
 our meeting and adhortation, but that 
 likewife every one may know, that al- 
 though we do highly efteem and regard 
 fuch myfteries and fecrets,we neverthelefs 
 hold it fitj that the knowledge thereof be 
 pianifefted and reve:iled to many. 
 
 For it is to be taught and believed^ that 
 this our unhoped willing offer wil raifc 
 knany and divers thoughts in men, unto 
 whom(as yet) be unknown Miranda fext£ 
 \AtiiUSy or thofe which by reafon of the 
 courfe of the world, efteem the things to 
 come like unto the prefent, and are hin- 
 dred through all manner of importunities 
 of this their time, fo that they live no o- 
 therwife in the world, then blinde fools, 
 who can^in the clear Sun-fhine day, dif- 
 D z cern 
 
C381 
 cern and know nothing, then onely by 
 feeling. 
 
 Now concerning the firft part^we hold 
 this 5 that the Meditations, knowledge 
 and inventions of our loving Chriftian 
 Father (of all that, which from the be- 
 ginning of the wovld^Maris W^fdom ^ckhcv 
 through Gods Revelation^or through the 
 fervicc of the Angels andfpirits, or 
 through the iharpneis and deepnefs of un- 
 derftanding^or through long obfcrvation, 
 ufc and experience^hath foundout^invent- 
 cd, brought forth^corrcdied, and till now 
 hath been propagated & tranfplanted)are 
 fo excellent worthy and great, that if all 
 books lliould perifli, and by Gods al- 
 mighty fufFrance,all writings^^: all learn- 
 ing Ibould be loft, yet the pofterity will 
 be able onely thereby to lay a new foun- 
 dation, and bring truth to light again-, the 
 which perhaps w^ould not be fo hard to *' 
 do as if one Ihould begin to pull down 
 and dcftroy the old ruinous building, and 
 then begin to enlarge the fore Court, af- 
 terwards bring the lights in the Lodgings, 
 and then change the doors, ftaples and 
 
 Other things according to our intention. 
 
 But 
 
But to whom would not this be accep- 
 table, for to be manifefted to every one 
 rather then to have it kept and Ipared^as 
 an efpecial ornament for the appointed 
 time to come C 
 
 Wherefore fliould we not with all our 
 hearts reft and remain in the onely truth 
 C which men through lb many erroneous 
 and crooked ways do feek) if it had onely 
 )lcafed God to lighten unto us the fixth 
 Candelabrum': were it not good that we 
 needed not to carcjnot to fear hunger^po- 
 i^erty, ficknefs and age < 
 
 Were k not a precious thing, that yoii 
 could always live fo, as if you had liv'd 
 Tomthe beginning of the world, and 
 moreoverjas you fliould ftil live to theend 
 diereof ^ Were it not excellent, you dwel 
 in one place,that neither the peopk which 
 iwel beyond the River G4;^^^j in the In- 
 i*es could hide any thing,nor thofe which 
 ivc in Feni' might be able to keep fecret 
 their counfels from thee c' 
 
 I Were it not a precious things that you 
 :ould fo read in one onely book, and 
 vitlial by reading underftand, and re- 
 nember all that,which in all other book:^ 
 D 4 (which 
 
C40J 
 
 (which heretofore have been ^ and are 
 now, and hereafter {hal come out ) hath 
 been, is^ and ihal be learned, and found 
 out of theme' 
 
 How pleafant were it, that you could 
 fo fing, that in ftead of ftony rocks you 
 could drav; to the pearls and precious 
 ftones 3 in ftead of wilde beafts, fpirits, 
 and in ftead of hellifli Pluto^ move the 
 mighty Princes of the w^orld < 
 
 O ye people, Gods counfel is far other- 
 wife, who hath concluded now to en- 
 crcafe and enlarge the number of our 
 Fraternityy the which we with fuch joy 
 have undertaken, as we have heretofore 
 obtained this great treafure without our 
 merits, yea witliout any our hopes , and 
 thoughts-, and purpofc with the like fide- 
 lity to put the fame in praftice, that nei- 
 ther the compaiTion nor pity of our own 
 children (which fome of us in the Fra- 
 ternttj have)(lial draw us from it, becaufe 
 we know that thefe unhoped for goods 
 cannot be inherited, nor by chance be ob- 
 tained. 
 
 Ifthere be fome body now, which on 
 the other lidcwil complain of ourdif- 
 
 crc- 
 
C40 
 crction, that we offer our Treafures fo 
 
 freely, and without any difference to all 
 men,and do not rather regard and relpecfl 
 more the godly, learned, wife^or princely 
 perfons, then the common people •, thole 
 we do not contradid:, feemg it is not a 
 flight and ealic matter ^ but withall 
 we fignifie fo much, that our Arcmn 
 or Secrets will no ways be N:om- 
 mon 3 and generally made . known : 
 Although the ^tama be fet forth in live 
 languages,and is manifefled to every one, 
 yet we do partly very well know, that the 
 unlearned and grofs wits will not receive, 
 nor regard the fame-, as alfo the worthi- 
 nefs of thofe who fhallbe accepted into 
 our Fraternity are not efteemed and 
 Icnown of us by Mans Carefulnefs, bur 
 by the Rule of our Revelation and Mani- 
 fcflation. Wherefore if the unworthy 
 cry and call a thoufand times, or if they 
 (hall offer andprefent themfelves to us a 
 thoufmd times, yet God hath command- 
 ed our ears, that they lliould hear none of 
 them: yea, Godhathfocompaffedusa- 
 bout with his Clouds,that unto us his fcr- 
 vants no violence or force can be done or 
 
 com- 
 
)e( 
 
 committed ^ wherefore we neither can be 
 ken or known by any body, except he L| 
 had the eyes of ^n Eagle. It hath been 
 neceflary that the Fama fhould be fet 
 forth in every ones Mother Tongue, be- 
 caufe thofe lliould not be defrauded of 
 the knowledg thereof, whom (although [j; 
 they be unlearned) God hath not exclu- fj^ 
 ded from the happinefs of this Fraternity^ ^^[ 
 the w^hich fliall be divided and parted in- 
 to certain degrees ♦ as thofe which dwell 
 in the City Damear in Arabia, who have 
 a far different politick order from the o- 
 ihtr Arabians , For there do govern only 
 wife and underftanding men, who by the 
 Kings permifTion make particular Laws •, 
 accordmg unto which example alfo the 
 Government lliall be inftituted in Europe 
 (whereof we have a defcription fet down 
 by our Chriftianly Father) when firftis 
 done and come to pafs that which is to 
 precede. And thenceforth our Trumpet 
 fliall publiquely found with a loud found, 
 and great noile, when namely the fame 
 ( which at this prefent is fliewed by few, 
 and is fecretly, as a thing to come, de- 
 clared in Figures and Pidtures ) fliall be 
 
 free 
 
rcCjand publiqucly proclaimed, and the 
 .vhole World be filled withall. Even in 
 uch manner as heretofore, many godly 
 people have fecretly and altogether de- 
 perately puflir at the Popes Tyranny, 
 vhich afterwards, with great earneft, and 
 :fpecial zeal in Germany , was thrown 
 rrom his feat, and trodden undcr-foot, 
 ivhofc final fall is delayed, andieptfor 
 our times, when he alfo fliall be fcratched 
 in pieces with nails,and an end be made of 
 his AfTes cry, by a new voyce : The which 
 we know is already reafonably manifeft 
 and known to many learned men in Ger- 
 many,^s theirWritings and fecretCongra- 
 tulacions do fufficiently witnefs the fame. 
 We could here relate and declare what 
 all the time, from the year of our Lord 
 1378. (in which year our Chriflian Fa- 
 ther was born) till now, hath happened, 
 where we might rehearfe what akerations 
 he hath feen m the World thefe one hun- 
 dred fix years of his life, which he hath 
 left to our Brethren and us after his de- 
 ccafe to perufe : But brevity, which we 
 do obferve, will not permit at this prefent 
 to make rehear fal of it,till a more fit time: 
 
 At 
 
At this time it is enough for thcfe which 
 
 •^443 ^ 
 
 do not defpife our Declaration, having 
 therefore briefly touched it, thereby to 
 prepare the way for their acquaintance 
 and friendlhlp with us. 
 
 Yea, to whom it is permitted, that he 
 may fee, and for his inflrudion ufe thofe 
 great Letters and Charaders which the "^ 
 Lord God hath written and imprinted in ^ 
 Heaven and Earths Edifice, through the '"? 
 alteration of Government , which hath "^^^ 
 been from time to time altered and re- '^^ 
 newed-, the fame is already (although as ^^^ 
 yet unknown to himfelf) ours: And as 
 we know he will not defpife our inviting 
 and calling, fo none fhall fear any deceit-, 
 for we promife, and openly fay, That no 
 mans uprightnefs and hopes fliall deceive f^r 
 himjwhoioever lliall make himfelf known F 
 unto us under the Seal of Secrecy,and de- 
 fire our Fraternity. 
 
 But to the falfe Hypocrites,and to thofe 
 that feek other things then Wifdom, we 
 fay and witnefs by thefe prefents publike- 
 ly, we cannot be made known, and be be- 
 trayed unto them •, and much lefs they 
 fhall be able to hurt us any manner of 
 
 way 
 
 b 
 
C45 3. 
 
 TZy without the Will ot God ^ but they 
 
 aall certainly be partakers of all the pu- 
 ifliment fpoken of in our Fama ^ fo their 
 ricked Counfcls ihall light upon them- 
 Jves , and our Treafures fliall remain 
 ;ntouched and unftirred, until the Lion 
 oth come, who will ask them for his ufe, 
 nd imploy them for the confirmation 
 nd eftablilhment of his Kingdom. We 
 ught therefore here to obferve well, and 
 lake it known unto every one, that God 
 ath certainly and moft affiiredly conclu- 
 cd to fend and grant to the World be- 
 L)reher end, which prefently thereupon 
 lall enfue, fuch a Truth, Light, Life and 
 ilory,as the firft man^^^^w had,which he 
 y& inParadife, after the which his fuccef- 
 >rs wxre put, and driven with him to mi- 
 try : Wherefore there lliall ceafc all fer- 
 itude,falfliood,lyes,and darknefs, which 
 y little and little, with the great Worlds 
 .evolution, was crept into all Arts, 
 orks and Governments of Men, and 
 ave darkened the moft part of them. For 
 pm thence are proceeded an innumer- 
 t fort of all manner of falfe Opmions 
 dHerefies, that fcarce the wifeft of all 
 
 was 
 
was able to know whofe Dodrine anci 
 Opinion he fliould follow and embrace )fi 
 and could not well and eafily be difcern^xl 
 cd ^ feeing on the one part they were de^ivl 
 tained^hindered, and brought into Errors m; 
 through the refpeft of the Philofophersfig 
 and learned men, and on the other partve 
 through true experience. All the which^of 
 when it fliall once be abolifliedand re- fa 
 moved, and in ftead thereof a right and 
 true Rule inftituted, then there will re 
 main thanks unto them which have taken g 
 pains therein ♦, but the Work it felf fhallM 
 be attributed to the Bleffednefs of our 
 Age. 
 
 As we now willingly confefs, that ma- 
 ny principal men by their Writings will 
 be a great furtherance unto this Reform- 
 ation which is to come •, fo we defire not 
 to have this honour afcribed to us, as if 
 fuchWork were only commanded and 
 impofcd upon us-, but we confefs, and 
 witnefs openly with the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, that it fliall firft happen that the 
 ftones iliall arife, and offer their fervice, 
 before there (hall be any want of Execu« 
 tors andAccomplilhersof Gods Coun 
 
 fel: 
 
[47] 
 
 el : yea, the Lord God hath already fent 
 before certain Mcffengers, which ihould 
 isftifie his Will, to wit, fome new Stars, 
 vhich do appear and are feen in the Fir- 
 nament in Serfentario and Cjgno, which 
 ignifie and give themfelves known to e- 
 i/^ry one,that they are powerful StgnucuLi 
 of great weighty matters. So then, the 
 fecret hid Writings and Characters are 
 moft nec-effary forallfuch thingswhich 
 are found out by Men : Although that 
 great Book of Nature {land open to all 
 en, yet there are but few that can read 
 nd underftand the fame. For as there is 
 iven to Man two inftruments to hear, 
 ikewife two to lee, and two to fmell, but 
 nly one to fpcak, and it were but vain to 
 xped: fpeech from the ears, or hearing 
 from the eyes : So there hath been Ages 
 or Times which have feen, there have al- 
 fo been Ages that have heard, fmelt, and 
 rafted : now there remains yet that which 
 in fliort time, honour fhall be likewifc 
 gi^^en to the Tongue, and by the fame •, 
 iwhat before times hath been feen, heard, 
 -and fmelt,now finally fliall be fpoken and 
 uttered forth, vi\. when the World fhall 
 
 awake 
 
C483 
 
 awake out of her heavy and drowfie 
 flecp, ^nd with an open heart, bare-head ^'^ 
 and bare-foot, fliall merrily and joyfully ^ 
 meet the now arifing Sun. F 
 
 Thefc Charad:ers and Letters, as God ^' 
 hath here and there incorporated them in \ 
 the holy Scripture the BMe, fo hath he ^ 
 imprinted them moll apparently into the ^^ 
 wonderful Creation of Heaven and ^ 
 Earth, yea in all Beafts. So that like as '^ 
 the Mathematician or Aflronomer can long ''' 
 before fee and know the Eclipfes which ^' 
 are to come, fo we may verily fore-know ^^ 
 and fore-fee the darknefs of Obfcurations "" 
 of the Church, and how long they (hall ^^'1 
 laft: From the which Characters or Let- ^' 
 ters we have borrowed our Magick wri- "" 
 ting, and have found out,and made a new "^ 
 Language for our felves , in the which "^^ 
 withall is expreifed and declared the Na- ^' 
 ture of all Things : So that it is no won- f 
 derthatwe are not fo eloquent in other ^ 
 Languages, the which we know that they J' 
 are altogether difagreeing to the Lan^a- J 
 ges of our forefathers, yldam ^nd Enoch, J^ 
 and were through the Babylonical Con- "^ 
 fufion wholly hidden. ^ ' 
 
 But 
 
C4p3 
 
 Bpt we muft alfo let you undcrftandi 
 that there are yet fome Eagles ^Feathers 
 our \Yay5the which do hinder our pur- 
 fe. Wherefore we do admoniih every 
 ne for to read diligently and continual-. 
 y the holy Bible ^ for he that taketh all 
 is pleafures therein, he fhall know that 
 e prepared for himielf an excellent way 
 o come in to our Fraternity : For as this 
 is the whole fum and content of our 
 ule. That every Letter oir Gharadter 
 hich is in theWorld ought to be learn- 
 ed and regarded well •, fo thofe are like 
 into us^and are very near allyed unto us, 
 vho do make the holy Bible a Rule of 
 iieir life, and an aim and end of all their 
 ludies •, yea to let it be a Comfmdtum 
 md Content of the whole World : And 
 lot only to have it continually in the 
 nouth, but to know how to apply and 
 iired the true underfianding of it to all> 
 imes and Ages of the W^rld. Alfo, it 
 s not our Cuftom to proftitute and'make 
 b common the holy Serif tures-^ for 
 here are innumerable Expounders of 
 he fame 5 fomealledging andwrefting 
 t to ferve for their Opinion, fome to 
 E fcandal 
 
ftdhdiiiit, iind hioft witkedly do liken it 
 tb^Kofebf W^*v ^^hich alike ihould 
 fcrx^'C the bivines yPhilofofhers y Phsficidns 
 and MMtmaticians, againft all the which 
 avc Jo^pehly witnefs and acktiowlcdg, 
 thit from the beginning of the World 
 thcit hath not been given untoMfen a 
 rilbft Woi-thy 5 a more excellent ^ and 
 more adii\irable and wholefom Book 
 theil tht l^oly Bible •, BlefTcd is he that 
 hath the fame, yea more blefled is he 
 who reads it diligently, but moft bieffed 
 of all is he that truly underftandeth the 
 fame, for he is moft like to God, and 
 doth come moft near to him. But what- 
 foever hath been faid in the Fama con- 
 cerning the Deceivers againft theTranf- 
 rautation oiMettals, and the higheft i>/e- 
 Jtcii7^ in the World, the fame is thus to 
 beunderftood, that this fo great gift of 
 God \\x do in no manner fet at naught, 
 or defpife it. But becaufe flie bringeth 
 not with her always the kno^vledg of 
 NatufCy, but this bringeth forth not only 
 Medic'tncy but alfo maketh manifeft and 
 open unto us innumerable Stents and 
 Wonders rj Therefore it is requifite, that 
 
 wc 
 
It 
 
 we be earneft to attain to the under* 
 
 i (landing and knowkdg of P-hiUfoph, 
 And moreover^ excellent Wits ought 
 not to be drawn to the Tinftureof 3/^/- 
 tdls, before they be^xercifed well intha 
 Icnowkdg of Nature. He muft ne^ds 
 be an ur>(atiab!e Creature, who is come 
 fo far, that neither Po\^rty nor Sicknefs 
 can hurt hiiii •, y^a who is exalted above 
 iall other men, and hath Rule over that, 
 the which doth anguifli , trouble and 
 |)ain others, yet will give hintrfelf- again 
 to idle thiegs, as to build houfes, make 
 Wars, and ufe all manner of Pride, be- 
 caufe he hath of Gold and Silycr oflfimte 
 ftore. ?'' c^bl /: 3:;d :i.': 
 
 God is far otherwife pleafed, forhe 
 cxalt'eththc lowly y and puUeth down the 
 fraud with difdain-, to thofe which are 
 nKferv^&rds he fendeth his fecly Ang^ 
 foipeat with them, hut the unclear d/i" 
 ters he driveth in the Wildermefs and 
 fditaiyiplac-es: The which is 'the right 
 ftcward of the .Romifh Sedu^-^f^, who 
 have Vomitted forth their BUf^^emies 
 agftiflft C^rtB, and-asyet do not abftain 
 fiotei tteir Lyes in. this clear ^fhining 
 ^•^^^i* E a Light: 
 
[52] 
 
 Light : In Germany all their Abomina- ji 
 tions and detcftable Tricks have been F; 
 difclofed, that thereby he may fully ful- lo 
 fill the meafure of fin, and draw near to go 
 the end of his punifliment. Therefore tli 
 one day it will come to pafs, that the tUi 
 Mouth of thofe Vipers will be flopped, bu 
 and the three double Ho4:n will be gr 
 brought to nought , as thereof at our jio 
 Meeting fliall more plain and at large be ^ 
 difcourfed. of 
 
 ForConclufionofour C(?;?^(?/i>;;, we h 
 muft earneftly admonifli you, that you ^ 
 put away, if not all, yet the moft Books I) 
 written by falfe Alchimifts , who do io 
 think it but ajeft, or aPaftime, when de 
 they either mifufe the holy Trmitp when rit 
 they do apply it to vain things, or dc- Hi 
 ceive the people with moftftrangeFi- L 
 gures,and dark Sentences and Speeches, yo 
 and cozen the fimple of their money 5 to 
 as there are now adays too many fuch q. 
 Books fet forth, which the Enemy of [ai 
 Mans Welfare doth dayly, 2Xid will to 
 the end, mingle among the good Seed, fco 
 thereby to make the Truth more diffi-; ^0 
 cult to be bclecvcdj which in her felf is [^i 
 
 fim- 
 
ifimple, cafie, and naked v but contrarily 
 Falftiood is proud, haughty, and co- 
 loured with a kind of Luftre of fceming 
 Uodly and of humane Wifdom. Yc 
 j.hat are wife efchew fuch Books, and 
 |:urn unto us, who feek not your moneys, 
 ibut offer unto you mod wiUmgly our 
 
 • \ircBX Treafures : We hunt not after 
 'i^our Goods with invented lying Tine- 
 
 • turesi but defire to make you Partakers 
 bf our Goods: We fpeak unto you by 
 
 ! \? arables y but would willingly bring you 
 ^ o the right, fimple, eafie, and ingenuous 
 5(5xpofition, Underftanding , Declara- 
 nt ion and Knowledg of all Secrets, Wc 
 1 (lefire not to be received of you, but in- 
 Myite you unto our more then Kingly 
 
 • viioufcs and Palaces , and that verily not 
 
 >y our own proper motion, but (that 
 70\x likewife may know it) as forced un- 
 o it, by the Inftigation of the Spirit of 
 
 odjby his Admonition,and by the Oc- 
 afion of this prefent time. 
 
 What think you, loving people, and 
 low feem you affcfted, feeing that you 
 low underlland and know, That we ac- 
 mowledg our felves truly and finccrely 
 E 3 to 
 
top rofcfe Chrijly condemn the Pope^ ad- 
 
 dift our ftlves to' the true Philofophy y 
 
 Ic^AxChrillhnltf^i and dayly call, in- 
 
 treat and invite- many more unto our 
 
 Fraternity y unto whom the fame Light 
 
 of God likevvife appeareth < Confidcr 
 
 you not at length how you might begin 
 
 with us, not only by pondering the Gifts 
 
 which are in you, and by experience 
 
 which you have in tlie Word of God, 
 
 befide the careful Confideration \ of the 
 
 imperfeftionof ^\\Ans, and manyo- 
 
 ther unfitting thiogs, to feck for ana- 
 
 mendment therein^ to appeafe God, 
 
 and to accommodate you for the time 
 
 wherein you live. Certainly if you 
 
 will p^trform the fame, this profit will 
 
 follow. That all thofe Goods which 
 
 NMnre hath in all parts of the World 
 
 wonderfully difperfed, fliall at one time 
 
 tlto^ether be given unto you, and (lull 
 
 €3fiiy disburden you of all that which 
 
 obfcureth the Underftanding of Man , 
 
 land hindereth the working thereof , 
 
 like unto the vain EfictdeSy and ExceiiT 
 
 trick Aftro nomical Circles. 
 
 ''. But thofe Pragmatical and buiic- 
 
 headed 
 
[5i] 
 headed qicn^ who either are bliridpd with 
 thf gliftpringQfQold, or (toiayiqorc 
 Wly) who are now honelt , Wift by 
 thinking iuch great Rifhes ihpilW nevci* 
 fail, might cafily be corrupted, and 
 brought to Idlencfs, and to riotons 
 proud living : Thofe we do defire that 
 they would not trouble us with their 
 idle and vain crying. But let them think, 
 that although there be a Medicine to be 
 had which might fully cure all Difeafcs, 
 neverthelefs thofe whom God hathde- 
 ftinated to plague with Difeafes, and to 
 keep them under the Rod of Cor regi- 
 on 5 fuch fhall never obtain any fuch 
 Medicine. 
 
 / Even in fuch manner, although wc 
 might inrich the whole World, and en- 
 due them with Learning, and might re- 
 leafe it from Innumerable Miferies, yet 
 fhall we never be manifefted and made 
 known unto any man, without the efpe- 
 cial pleafure of God ^ yea, it fhall be 
 fo far from him whofoever thinks to 
 get the benefit, and be Partaker of 
 our Riches and Knowledg , without 
 and againfl the Will of God , that he 
 E4 ihaU 
 
[5^3 
 
 fhall fooncr loft his life in fteking and 
 ftarching for us, then to find us, and 
 attain to come tothe wiihed Happinefs 
 of the Fratermty of the Rofie Crofi. 
 
 
 'T^ 
 
 . •:>iiDlii.\ 
 
C573 
 
 A SHORT 
 
 ADVERTISEME NT 
 
 to THE 
 
 READER. 
 
 This Adnjertijementy Reader, invites. 
 thee not to my Lodgtng^iox Ivvould 
 give thee no fuch Directions , my Nature 
 being move. Melancholy , then Sociable. 
 \ would onely tell thee how charitable 
 I am 5 for having purppfely omitted 
 {omc Necejfaries in my iovmcv Difcot^rfej 
 I have u^n fecond Thoughts refolycd 
 againftthat filence. 
 
 There is abroad a bold ignorance , for 
 Fhtlofophie hath her Confidents , but ill 
 zjenfe different from the Madams. This 
 Generation I have fometimes met withall^ 
 andleaft they fhould r/^^ , 2Lnd repent, I 
 thought it not amtfs to fhew them the 
 Frxctpieces, The fecond Philojophicall 
 
 work 
 
C58J 
 
 ivork is commonly cal'd the gr-ofs tvorky 
 but 'tis one of the greateft Subtilttes in will 
 the Art, Cornelius Agriffa knew the 
 firJfPraparation, and hath clearly difco- 
 'ueredii^ hut the Difficulty of the fecofjd 
 madehimalmoft an enemy to his own 
 Prcfefston. By th^ fee ond mrk y I under- 
 ftand not Coagulation^ but the Solution 
 of the Phtlojofhical Salty a fecret which 
 Agrippa Aid wot rightly know, as it ap- 
 pears by his fra^tfe at Malines ^ nor 
 would Nataltu6 teach him , for all 
 his frequent , and [eripus intreaties. This 
 was it 5 that made his necefsities (o "vtgo- 
 rousy and his fur[e fo rveak , that I can 
 feldome finde him in a full fortune. But 
 in this 5 he is not alone : Kaymund Lully 
 thebeftC^r/jf/^'? Arti^ that ever was, 
 received not this My(lerie from Arnoldus 
 for mhis fir fl Pra^f/fes he followed the 
 tedious common frocep , which after all 
 is fe^rce profitable. Here he met with a 
 Drudgene almoft invincible , and if we 
 add the Task to the time y k is enough 
 to make a Man old. Norton wasfo ftrange 
 an Ignoramus in this Point , that if the 
 Solution and Purgation were performed 
 
 in 
 
[59 3 
 
 in thret years , he thought it a hapfy 
 
 work, George Ripley laboured for new 
 Inventions^ to piHrt fie this red Sdt^ which 
 he envioufly cals his gold : aad his knAck 
 is,tocxpofeitto alternatfits oi coU^nd 
 heat, but in this he is fmgular, zndFaber 
 is fo wife he will not undcrftand him. 
 And now that I have mention'd Faber, 
 I muft needs fay that Tuhal-Cain himfelf 
 is P)ort of the r^ght Solution ^ for the Pro- 
 cejs he describes hath not any thing oi Na- 
 ture in it. Let us return then to Raymund 
 Lullie 9 for he was fo great a iV/^y?^r ,that 
 he performed the Solutton^ intra novem 
 Dies y and this Secret he had from God 
 himjelf'y for this is his Confe/sion. Nos 
 ( faith he ) de prima ilia nt^redtne a pane is 
 cogmta,benignum Spiritam extrahere af- 
 fect antes yfugn am tgnk vtncentemy c^ nm 
 ojiciunt y licet fenjibtis corporis ptultoties 
 palfavimuS} & octilis propnts ilium vidi- 
 mus ^ Extra^ionis tamen iffim notitiam 
 non habuinms auacunque Scientiarum^ vet 
 Arte : ideo/juejentie hamns nos adhucaltqua 
 ruflicitateexcxcatos y quia nullornodoeam 
 comfreherdere valuimm , dontc alim Spi- 
 ritHs pro^eti£p f^irans a patre Luminum 
 
 dejcenditi 
 
defcendit , tanquam fuos nulUtent^ defe- 
 rens 5 aut afe Poftulantibm deficiens , ^i 
 infommii t ant am claritatem mentis no [Ira 
 oculis infiil-it^ ut Illam intus (^ extra ^ re- 
 motaomm^gura^gratis rev el are dignattis 
 eH^ infatiJbUi honitate nos rejiciendoy de- 
 monfirans ut ad earn i?nflendam dijfonere- 
 mus corpus adunam naturalem deco^ionem 
 jecretam^ qua fenitus or dine retrograde 
 cum pungent iUncea y tot a ejus natnra in 
 meram Nigredmem vifibiliter dijjolvere- 
 tur. Here lyes the knot^ and who is he 
 that will untje ii < for faith the fame 
 Lullj^ it was never put to P4/?^r, and he 
 gives this Reafo.n for it. ^ia Soltus dei 
 eB earevelare ^ & homo dtvtn^ Majeftati 
 fubtraherenttitur^ cumfoli Deo pertinentia 
 vulgat jpiritu frolatto:ns human£^ aut lite- 
 rarum ferie. Profterea oferationem illam 
 habere non foteris , quotisqne fpmtualiter 
 prius filer is Divinitatts merit is corner oha- 
 tus, ^niahoc fecrct/cm a nemine mortali 
 Revelandumefiy praterquam ab Almo [pi- 
 ritu^ qui uhi *vult^ fpirat. It feems then 
 the greatefi Difficulty is not in the Coagu- 
 lation or production of the Fhilofophicall 
 Sait^ but in the Putrefa^wn of it, when 
 
 it 
 
it is produced. Indeed this agrees beH^ 
 with the ferice of the Philojofhers , for one 
 of thofc Prdciftans tels us , ^tfcit S A- 
 hEU,&e]us SOLUTIONEM5 
 fat SECRETUM OCGUL- 
 T U M antiquorum Fhtlofophorum. Alas 
 then ! what (hall we do < whence comes 
 our next Intelligence ? I am afraid here 
 is a fad Truth for fomebody. Shall we 
 run now to Luc>ts Rodargirus ^ or have 
 we any dufly Manufcripts^ that can in- 
 ftruft us < Well Reader , thou fceft how 
 free I am grown , and now I could dif- 
 cover fomething elfe, but here is enough 
 at once. I could indeed tell thee of the 
 fr/i and jecond juhlimation , of a double 
 Nativity, Ftfible and In^uiftble^ without 
 which the w/^^^^r is not alterable^ as to 
 our purpofe. I could tell thee alfo of Sul- 
 phurs fimple 3 and compounded , of three 
 Argents Five^ and as many Salts , and all 
 this would be new news ( as the Book-men 
 phrafc it) even to the be fl Learned in Eng- 
 land. But I have done, and I hope this 
 Di.fcourfe hath not demolifhed any man's 
 Caflles J for why fliould they defpatr^ 
 when I contribute to their Buildtn^^ 
 
 I 
 
I am a hearty Difpenfero ^ and if they 
 have got any thing by me , much good 
 may it do them. It is my ondyfea^'^ they 
 \vi\\mf/}ake when they r^^^, ^orwerel 
 to li^e long^ which I am confident I fliall 
 not, I would make no other rvifb ^ but 
 tharmy jf^r5 might be as many as their 
 £rri)rs. I fpeak not this out of any con- 
 tempt y for I undervalue no man ^ It is my 
 E Xpert ence in this kind oile:irnhig^ which 
 I ever made my Bufmefs , tliat gives mc 
 the holdnefs to fufpeft a fefsi'hlity of tht 
 fame f^jlmgs in others , which I have 
 found m my felf. To conclude, I would 
 have my Reader know, that the Philofo- 
 phas fnding this life fubjefted to Necef- 
 fitie 5 and that Necefsitj was incmfiflmt 
 with the Nature of the Svul ^ they did 
 therefore look upon Mm , as a Creature 
 originally ordained for fome hester State 
 thentheprefent^for ihisv^zsnox. agree- 
 able with his f^irit. This thought made 
 them feck the Gr^/^Wof his Creatro/!^ 
 that if .pollible , they might take hold of 
 Lihertte^ andtranfcend the Dtfpenpttions 
 of that Circle , which they Mjflcrimflj 
 cA*A Fate, Now what this reallj fgnrjies 
 
 not 
 
lot^;?^ in t€n thoufand knows, and yet wc 
 ire all Philofophers. 
 
 But to come to my Purpfcy I fay^ the 
 \rue Fhilofofhtrs did nndin every C<>///- 
 '>^//;^^ a double Complexion, Circumfe- 
 '/entialyZnd Central. The Ctrcumferentid 
 i.vas corrupt in all th^ngs.^hut in Jome things 
 iiltogcther venomoi^ • The Central not 
 ii? for in xht Center of every thing there 
 ; vas aperfe^ Unity, a miraculous indiflb- 
 \\xhhCmcordo{Fire ^nd Water. Thefe 
 \wo Complexions arc the Manifejlum and 
 the Occultum of the Arabians, and they 
 •^j?y? one another^for they are Contraries, 
 .:n the C^/^rer it felf they found no Dij- 
 
 I'ords at all, for the Difference of 5;?/m/ 
 :onfifted not in ^alttiesy but in Degrees 
 '">[ Ejfence and Tranfcendency. As for the 
 Vater, it was of km with xhcFne, for it 
 vas not common^hwi ethereal. In all Cen- 
 ers this Fire was not ihcfame,{or in fame 
 t was only a Solar Spirit, and fuch a Cf;;- 
 fr was called, J qua SoliSyAqua Ccelejiis, 
 iqua Auri , ^ Argenti •• In fome again 
 he iS/>/>/> was more then ^W^r, for it was 
 uper-coelefiial y and Metaphysical : This 
 »^//>/^ purged the very rational Soul, and 
 
I H 3 
 
 awakened her Root that was ajleepy and 
 thcvcfoi'c fuch a Center was called, .^^/^^ 
 IgMtincidy AqtiaSerenans, Candelas ac- 
 cerfdeiisl ^ Bmnum illuminans. Of both 
 thefe Water4-hzvtl difcourfed in thofe 
 fmall Tra^ates I have publifhed ^ and 
 though I have had fome D/r^ call at me 
 for my fatnsy yet this is fo ordinary I 
 mind it not, for whiles we //i/e here wc 
 nde in a High-way. I cannot think him 
 rvife whorefents his/;?j/^rw, forhcfets 
 a r^^^ upon /■/'i^;^^^ that are mrthle^, and 
 makes ufeof hh Spleen where his S cor /t 
 becomes him. This is the Entertainment: 
 I provide for my Adverjar.ies,ind if they 
 think it toocoarfe, let themj//<^^ where, 
 they underjland, and they may fare bet- 
 ter. ' 
 
 i 
 
 ir> 
 
 ■J^i'N I S: 
 
'^P'O'^^