Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net





[Transcriber’s Note:

This text uses a number of characters that depend on utf-8 encoding,
particularly “ȝ” (yogh) and “þ” (thorn). For readers who are unable to
view these characters, there is an alternate version of this file using
only ascii (typewriter) characters.

The 1866/1889 text printed many single letters in italics, representing
contractions in the 15th-century original. These italicized letters are
shown within {braces}. Italics elsewhere in the text are indicated with
_lines_ in the usual way. Brackets from the original text are [[doubled]]
where necessary to avoid ambiguity.

The printed text used headnotes, footnotes and several kinds of sidenote.
In this e-text, headnotes begin with the page number, and footnotes are
marked [Footnote...]; all other bracketed lines are sidenotes. Details
are explained at the end of the text.]

                 *       *       *       *       *
                     *       *       *       *
                 *       *       *       *       *

                                The
                       Book of Quinte Essence

                                 or
                          The Fifth Being;

                          That is to say,
                            Man’s Heaven.


A tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis
    e{ess}encijs in latyn, þ{a}t hermys þe p{ro}phete and
           kyng of Egipt, aft{er} þe flood of Noe
               fadir of philosophris, hadde by
                  reuelaciou{n} of an aungil
                        of god to him
                             sende.


                            Edited from
                    British Museum MS. Sloane 73
                         about 1460-70 A.D.
                                by
                       FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL


                          _Published for_
                   THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY
                             _by the_
                      OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
                    LONDON · NEW YORK · TORONTO




FIRST PUBLISHED 1866
REVISED EDITION 1889
REPRINTED       1965


Original Series, No. 16
Reprinted in Great Britain by Richard Clay
(The Chaucer Press) Ltd., Bungay, Suffolk

       *       *       *       *       *


The odd account of the origin of this Treatise--in its first
lines--caught my eye as I was turning over the leaves of the Sloane
Manuscript which contains it. I resolved to print it as a specimen of
the curious fancies our forefathers believed in (as I suppose) in
Natural Science, to go alongside of the equally curious notions they
put faith in in matters religious. And this I determined on with no idea
of scoffing, or pride in modern wisdom; for I believe that as great
fallacies now prevail in both the great branches of knowledge and
feeling mentioned, as ever were held by man. Because once held by other
men, and specially by older Englishmen, these fancies and notions have,
or should have, an interest for all of us; and in this belief, one of
them is presented here.

The loss of my sweet, bright, only child, Eena, and other distress, have
prevented my getting up any cram on the subject of Quintessence to form
a regular Preface. The (translated?) original of the text is attributed
to Hermes--Trismegistus, “or the thrice great Interpreter,” so called as
“having three parts of the Philosophy of the whole world”[1]--to whom
were credited more works than he wrote. The tract appears to be a great
fuss about Alcohol or Spirits of Wine; how to make it, and get more or
less tipsy on it, and what wonders it will work, from making old men
young, and dying men well, to killing lice.

The reading of the proof with the MS. was done by Mr. Edmund Brock, the
Society’s most careful and able helper. To Mr. Cockayne I am indebted
for the identification of some names of plants, &c.; and to Mr. Gill
of University College, London, for some Notes on the Chemistry of the
treatise, made at the request of my friend Mr. Moreshwar Atmaram.[2] The
Sloane MS. I judge to be about, but after, 1460 A.D.[3] The later copy
(Harleian MS. 853, fol. 66) seems late 16th century or early 17th,[3]
and has been only collated for a few passages which require elucidation.
The pause marks of the MS. and text require to be disregarded
occasionally in reading.

    EGHAM, _16th May, 1866_.

P.S. The short side-notes in inverted commas on and after p. 16 (save
‘5 M^e’ and the like) are by a later hand in the MS. The ‘Spheres’ on
p. 26, and the ‘Contents,’ p. vii-viii, are now added.--F. 1889.


    [Footnote 1: _The Mirror of Alchimy_, composed by the thrice-famous
    and learned Fryer, Roger Bachon, 1597.]

    [Footnote 2: Mr. M.A. Tarkhad has been for many years Vice-Principal
    of the Rajkumar College, for the sons of the native Chiefs of
    Rajkote.--1889.]

    [Footnote 3: Mr. E.A. Bond of the British Museum has kindly looked
    at the MSS., and puts the Sloane at 1460-70 A.D., and the Harleian
    at about 1600.]

       *       *       *       *       *


CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

  PROLOG: GOD’S GREATEST SECRET                                      1
  QUINTE ESSENCE DEFINED: ITS QUALITIES                              2
  HOW TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE                                         4
      1ST WAY                                                        4
      2ND WAY                                                        5
      3RD WAY                                                        5
      4TH WAY                                                        5
      5TH WAY                                                        6
  HOW POOR EVANGELIC MEN MAY GET THE GRACIOUS INFLUENCE OF GOLD      6
  HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE MORE THOROUGHLY                  7
  HOW TO MAKE FIRE WITHOUT COALS, LIME, LIGHT, ETC.                  8
  HOW TO CALCINE GOLD                                                8
  HOW TO SEPARATE GOLD FROM SILVER                                   9
  HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD                          9
  HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF ANTIMONY                     10
  HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF MAN’S BLOOD                  11
  HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF THE 4 ELEMENTS               12
  HOW TO FIX ALL EARTHLY THINGS IN OUR QUINTE ESSENCE               13

BOOK II.

  HOW TO MAKE AN OLD EVANGELIC MAN YOUNG                            15
  HOW TO CURE A MAN GIVEN UP BY DOCTORS                             15
  HOW TO CURE THE LEPROSY                                           16
  HOW TO CURE THE PALSY                                             16
  HOW TO FATTEN LEAN AND CONSUMPTIVE MEN                            17
  HOW TO CURE FRENSY, GOUT, AND TROUBLES FROM DEVILS,
    WICKED THOUGHTS, ETC.                                           17
  AND HOW OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IS HEAVEN                              19
  HOW TO CURE THE GOUT                                              19
  HOW TO CURE THE ITCH, AND KILL LICE                               19
  HOW TO CURE QUARTAN FEVER                                         20
  HOW TO CURE CONTINUAL (CHRONIC) FEVER                             21
  HOW TO CURE TERTIAN FEVER                                         21
  HOW TO CURE DAILY OR QUOTIDIAN FEVER                              21
  HOW TO CURE AGUE, FEVER, AND LUNACY                               22
  HOW TO CURE FRENZY AND MADNESS                                    22
  HOW TO CURE CRAMP                                                 22
  HOW TO CAST POISON OUT OF A MAN’S BODY                            23
  HOW TO MAKE A COWARD BOLD AND STRONG                              23
  HOW TO CURE PESTILENTIAL FEVER                                    23
  HOW THIS QUINTE ESSENCE IS FOR HOLY MEN ONLY                      25

  THE SPHERES AND THE PLANETS                                       26
  MR. GILL’S NOTES ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT                     27
  GLOSSARY                                                          29

       *       *       *       *       *


          THE BOOK OF QUINTE ESSENCE
              OR THE FIFTH BEING;
                THAT IS TO SAY,
                 MAN’S HEAVEN.

     [[Sloane MS. 73, fol. 10. Brit. Mus.]]




BOOK I.


      [[Fol. 10.]]

    [By the grace of God I translate you this Treatise revealed to
    Hermes by an angel after Noah’s flood, that the knowledge of
    this book may be preserved to the end of the world.]

With þe myȝt, wisdom, & grace of þe holy trynite, I write
to ȝou a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe
book of quintis e{ss}encijs in latyn, þ{a}t hermys þe p{ro}phete and
kyng of Egipt, aft{er} the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris,           4
hadde by reuelaciou{n} of an aungil of god to him sende, þ{a}t
þe wijsdom and þe science of þis book schulde not p{er}ische,
but be kept and p{re}serued vnto þe eende of þe world, of alle
holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis, for greet p{er}ilis          8
þat myȝte falle þerof. For wiþi{n}ne þis breue tretis, wiþ þe
g{ra}ce of god, I wole more determine of practif[*] þan of theorik.

      [[* practise, MS. Harl.]]

    [God’s greatest secret for man’s need is how to restore old
    feeble men to the strength of their youth, except in case of
    thunder-blast, and too much fasting, and the term set for all
    men.]

ȝitt ben boþe nedeful / The firste and souereyneste p{ri}uyte þat
god, maker of kynde, ordeyned for mannys nede, how þat olde              12
euangelik men, and feble in kynde, myȝte be restorid, and haue
aȝen her firste strenkþis of ȝongþe in þe same degree þat is in
al kynde, & be m{a}d hool p{ar}fiȝtly, except þe strok of þe
þundir blast, & violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche            16
betynge / Also p{er}ilous fallyngis of hiȝ placis, to myche abstynence,
& oþ{er}e yuel gou{er}naunce aȝens kynde, And also þe
teerme þ{a}t is sett of god, þ{a}t noman may a-schape, as Iob seiþ in
latyn / “Breues dies ho{min}is s{un}t &c.” Forsoþe philosophoris         20

  [‘N{ot}a.’]


  [Page 2: THE NAMES AND QUALITIES OF QUINTE ESSENCE.]

    [The purest substance of corruptible things is Quinte Essence
    or man’s heaven.]

clepen þe purest substau{n}ce of manye corruptible þi{n}gis elementid,
‘qui{n}ta e{ss}encia,’ þat is to seie, ‘ma{n}nys heuene,’ drawe out
by craft of mani;[1] for whi, as quinta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior, þ{a}t is,

        [Footnote 1: ? MS. meant for ‘man.’]

      [[* Fol. 10b.]]

heuene of oure lord god, in reward of þe .iiij elementis, is              4
yncorruptible & vnchau{n}geable /
        riȝt so [*]q{ui}nta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior

    [Quinte Essence is incorruptible as to the four qualities of
    man’s body, but not as the heaven of God.]

inferior, þat is to seie, ma{n}nys heuene, is incorruptible,
in reward of þe .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body; and so it is
p{re}ued naturaly þat oure quinta e{ss}encia, þat is, mannes heuene,      8
in it-silf[2] is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wiþ

        [Footnote 2: MS. ‘siff.’]

fier / ne coold and moist wiþ watir / ne hoot & moist w{i}t{h} eyr,
ne coold and drie wiþ erþe; but oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a avayliþ to
þe cont{ra}rie, as heuene incorruptible / But vndirstonde þ{a}t oure     12
q{ui}[n]ta e{ss}e{nci}a is nouȝt so incorruptible as is heuene of oure
lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composiciou{n}

    [It is called, 1. Burning Water; 2. the Soul in the spirit of
    Wine; 3. Water of Life; and if you wish to conceal it, Quinte
    Essence.]

maad of þe .4. elementis; & it hath .iij. names by the philosophoris,
þ{a}t is to seie / bre{n}nynge watir / þe soule in þe spirit of          16
wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne ȝe wole concelle it, þa{n}ne
schal ȝe clepe it ‘oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a’; for þis name, & þe
nature þ{er}of, riȝt fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly
þei biriede þe truþe with hem. and witiþ weel that it is clepid          20

    [It is neither moist and cold like water, nor hot and moist
    like air, nor cold and dry like earth, nor hot and dry like
    fire.]

brennynge watir; and it is no bre{n}ny{n}g watir: forwhi, it is not
moist ne coold as comou{n} watir; for it bre{n}neþ, & so doiþ not
comyn watir; ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir, for eir corru{m}piþ
a þi{n}g a-noon, as it schewiþ weel by gen{er}ac{i}ou{n} of flies,       24
& areins, and siche oþ{er}e; but sikirly þis is alwey incorruptible,
if it be kept cloos fro fliȝt / Also it is n{o}t coold and drie as erþe.
for souereynly it worchiþ & chaungiþ. And it is not hoot and
drie as fier, as it schewiþ by exp{er}ience; for hoot þingis it keliþ,   28

    [It gives incorruptibility, for it prevents dead flesh from
    rotting, and much more the living flesh of man.]

      [[* Fol. 11.]]

& hoot sijknessis it doiþ awey / Also þ{a}t it ȝeueþ incorruptibilite,
and kepiþ a þi{n}g fro corruptibilite [*]and rotynge, it is p{re}ued
þ{us} / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt
þ{er}i{n}ne, it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is þ{er}i{n}ne /  32
miche more þanne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body

    [It is Man’s Heaven, preserving his body as Heaven does the
    world.]

from al man{er}e corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, þ{a}t is to seie, mannys heuene, þ{a}t god made to þe


  [Page 3: THE NATURE AND WORKING OF QUINTE ESSENCE.]

conseruac{i}ou{n} of þe .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body, riȝt as he made
his heuene to þe conseruac{i}ou{n} of al þe world / And wite ȝe for

    [Many know it not now for their covetousness and vice.]

certeyn þat manye philosophoris and lechis þat ben now, knowe
nouȝt þis q{ui}nta e{ss}encia, ne þe truþe þ{er}of / Forwhi; god wole     4
not þ{a}t þei knowe it; for her greet bre{n}nynge coueitise &

    [But as God’s Heaven is aided by sun and stars, so our Heaven,
    or Quinte Essence, is made fair by the sun mineral, or pure
    gold of the mine, not of alchemy.]

vicious lyuynge /
        Forsoþe q{ui}nta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior, þ{a}t is to seie,
heuene of oure lord god bi hi{m} silf / Aloone / ȝeueþ not conseruacioun
in þe world, and wondirful influence, but by þe v{er}tue                  8
of þe su{n}ne, planetis, and oþ{er}e sterris; riȝt so oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, þat is, mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wiþ þe su{n}ne
min{er}alle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite
þat fier may not appeire, corru{m}pe, ne distroie. and þis is v{er}ry    12

  [‘N{ot}a.’]

gold of þe myn, of þe erþe, or of þe floodis gaderid / for gold of
alkamy maad w{i}t{h} corosyues distroieþ kynde, as aristotle and

    [Good natural gold is called _Sol_, because Sol the planet
    gives gold its power, colour, &c.]

manye oþere philosophoris p{ro}uen / and þ{er}fore good gold naturel,
& of þe myn of þe erbe, is clepid of ph{ilosophor}is ‘sol’ in            16
latyn; for he is þe son{ne} of oure heuene, lich as sol þe planet is
in þe heuene aboue; for þis planete ȝeueþ to gold his influence,

    [Our Quinte Essence is the colour of heaven; gold makes it
    fair; and the two work in us (so far as is possible) renewal
    of youth, and give health plenteously.]

      [[* Fol. 11b.]]

nature, colo{ur}, & a substaunce i{n}corruptible. And oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, mannys heuene, is of þe nature [*]& þe colour of heuene /    20

And oure sol, þ{a}t is, fyn gold of þe myne, schal make it fair, riȝt
as sol þe planete makiþ heuene fair / and so þese two togidere
ioyned schal ȝeue influence in us, and þe condiciou{n}s of heuene
and of heuenly so{n}ne / in as miche as it is possible in deedly         24
nature, conseruac{i}ou{n} and restorynge of nature lost, & renewynge

    [As Aries, Taurus, and Gemini draw humours from the head and
    breast, and not the limbs beneath, so those spices that do
    draw from these limbs get their power from Capricorn, &c.]

of ȝongþe / And it schal ȝeue plenteuously heelþe: and so it
is p{re}ued by astronomy aboue, þat sterris þat haþ influence vpon
þe heed and þe necke of ma{n} / as be{n} þe sterris of aries, taurus,    28

  [‘N{ot}a.’]

and gemini, ȝeue{n} influence syngulerly vpon̅ Gerapigra galieni /
And þ{er}fore it haþ a synguler strenkþe, by þe ordynau{n}ce of
god, to drawe awey þe sup{er}flue humouris fro þe heed, þe necke,
and þe brest, and not fro þe membris byneþe / And so I seie of           32
spicis þat drawiþ humouris fro þe knees, þe leggis, and þe feet,
þat resseyuen a synguler influence of þe sterris of Cap{ri}corn,

    [Tell not these Divine secrets to wicked men.]

Aquarie and pisces, & riȝt so of oþ{er}e, {et} c{etera} / Comou{n}ne
ȝe not þis book of deuyne secretes to wickid me{n} and auerous;          36


  [Page 4: THE 1st WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE.]

  [‘aq{u}a vite’]

    [--To make Quinte Essence.--]

    [Take the best wine, or any not sour; distil it, and the 4
    Elements shall be left like dregs.]

but kepe ȝe it in p{ri}uytee / Take þe beste wiyn þat ȝe may
fynde, if ȝe be of power; & if ȝe be riȝt pore, þanne take
corrupt wiyn, þ{a}t is, rotyn, of a wat{er}y humour, but not egre,
þ{a}t is, sour,
        for þe q{ui}nt e{ss}encia þ{er}of is naturaly incorruptible       4
þe which ȝe schal drawe out by sublymac{i}ou{n} / And þa{n}ne
schal þ{er} leue in þe grou{n}d of þe vessel þe .4. eleme{n}tis, as it

    [Distil 7 times to get Burning Water; put this in a Distiller
    in a furnace, and let the vapour rise, condense, and be
    distilled till it is turned into Quinte Essence, and parted
    from the 4 elements.]

were, rotu{n} fecis of wiyn / But firste ȝe muste distille þis wiyn
.7. tymes; & þa{n}ne haue ȝe good bre{n}nynge watir / Forsoþe,            8

      [[* Fol. 12.]]

þis is þe watri mat{er} [*]fro which is drawe oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia /
Thanne muste ȝe do make in þe furneis of aischin, a distillatorie

  [‘vas’]

of glas al hool of oo. pece, wiþ an hoole a-boue in þe heed, where
þe watir schal be putt yn, and be take out / And þis is a                12
wondirful instrument
        þ{a}t þ{a}t þing þ{a}t by v{er}tues of fier ascendith
and distillith wiþi{n}ne þe vessel,
        p{er} canales brachiales, þ{a}t is, by
pipis lich to armys, be bore aȝen, and eftsoones ascendith, &
eft desce{n}diþ contynuely day and nyȝt, til þe bre{n}nynge wat{er}      16
heuenly be turned into
        q{ui}nta{m} e{ss}encia{m} / And so bi continuell{e}
ascenciou{n}s & discenciou{n}s, þe q{ui}nta e{ss}encia is
dep{ar}tid fro þe corruptible composiciou{n} of þe .4. eleme{n}tis.
For bifore þ{a}t þing þ{a}t is twies sublymed is more glorified, and     20
is more sotil, and fer fro{m} þe corru{m}pciou{n} of þe .4. eleme{n}tis
more sep{ar}at þa{n} wha{n}ne it ascendith but oonys; and so vnto

  [‘N{ot}a.’]

    [Distil it 1000 times, and it shall be glorified and become a
    medicine incorruptible as heaven.]

a þousand tymes, so þat by coutynuel ascendynge and descendynge,
by the which it is sublymed to so myche hiȝnes of glorificaciou{n},      24
it schal come þ{a}t it schal be a medicyn incorruptible
almoost as heuene aboue, and of þe nature of heuene / And
þ{er}fore oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia worþily is clepid ‘mannys heuene’ /

    [After many days unstop your distiller, and if there issues
    out a heaven-sweet savour, you have our Quinte Essence. If
    not, distil again till you have.]

And aftir manye daies þat it hath be in þis sotil vessel of glas         28
distillid / ȝe schulen opene þe hoole of þe vessel in þe heed þat

  [‘lute’]

w{a}s selid with þe seel of lute of wijsdom, maad of þe sotillest
flour, and of white of eyren, and of moist pap{er}e, ymeyngid so
þat no þing respire out / And wh{a}ne ȝe opene þe hoole. if þ{er}        32
come out a passynge heuenly swete flauour þat alle me{n} þ{a}t

      [[* Fol. 12b.]]

come yn naturely [*]drawe þ{er}to. þanne ȝe haue oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia / and ellis sele þe vessel, and putte it to þe fier aȝen
til ȝe haue it.                                                          36


  [Page 5: THE 2nd, 3rd, AND 4th WAYS OF MAKING QUINTE ESSENCE.]

    [--The second way to make Quinte Essence.--]

    [Put the strongest Burning Water into an ‘amphora;’ seal it
    up; bury it neck downwards in horse-dung, and the Quinte
    Essence will rise into the globe and the impurities settle in
    the neck.]

And anoþ{er} maner worchinge of oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia is
þis / Take þe noblest and þe strengest bre{n}nynge watir þ{a}t ȝe
may haue distillid out of pure myȝty wiyn, and putte it into
a glas clepid ampho{ra}, w{i}t{h} a long necke / and close þe mouþ        4
strongly wiþ wex; And loke þat half or þe þridde p{ar}t be fulle;
and birie it al in hors dou{n}ge,
        p{re}p{ar}ate as it is seid hereaft{er} /
so þ{a}t þe necke of þe glas be turned dou{n}ward, & þe botu{m}
be turned vpward, þ{a}t by v{er}tu of þe hors dou{n}ge þe q{ui}nta        8
e{ss}encia ascende vp to þe botu{m}. And þe grosté of þe mater

    [Take the glass out of the dung; make a hole in the wax seal,
    let out the impure earthy water, and when the Quinte Essence
    would begin to run, turn the glass up, and keep your Quinte
    Essence.]

of þe watir descende dou{n}ward to þe necke / And aftir manye
daies, whanne ȝe take it out, softly lift vp þe glas as it stondith,
and ȝe schal se in þickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene          12
þe q{ui}nta{m} e{ss}encia{m} sublymed,
        and þe grose mat{er} þ{a}t is in þe
necke / þe wondirful maistry of dep{ar}tynge of þ{a}t oon fro þ{a}t
oþ{er} is þis / Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, &
peerse into þe wex þat hongiþ i{n} þe mouþ of þe glas aȝens þe           16
erþe / and wha{n}ne ȝe haue peersid al fully to þe watir, take out
þe poyntel or þe pricke / And þ{a}t erþely watir wole first come
out þ{a}t is in þe necke / and so til it be come out vnto þe
dep{ar}ti{n}ge bitwixe it / and þe q{ui}nte e{ss}ence, þ{a}t is, mannys  20
heuene sublymed. and wh{a}ne ȝe se þ{a}t þis q{ui}nt e{ss}ence wole
re{n}ne & melte aftir þ{a}t þis erþely watir be voydid, putte þanne
swiftly ȝoure fyngir to þe hoole, & t{ur}ne vp þe glas, and þanne

      [[* Fol. 13.]]

ȝe haue þ{er}i{n}ne oure
        q{ui}nte e{ss}ence, [*]and þe erþely watir wiþoute               24
aside. And þis is a passy{n}g souereyn p{ri}uytee.

    [--The third way.--]

    [Put your amphora into a horse’s belly instead of the dung,
    and proceed as above.]

The þridde man{er} is, þ{a}t ȝe take a greet glas clepid ampho{ra},
and seele it weel, and birie it weel in þe wombe of an hors al
togidere. and þe pureté of þe q{ui}nte e{ss}encie schal be sublymed      28
aboue, & þe grosté schal abide byneþe in þe botme / take out
softli þ{a}t þ{a}t fletiþ a-boue; and þat þat leeueþ bihynde, putte it
to þe fier.

    [--The fourth way.--]

    [Substitute for the amphora a vessel of glass or earth, with a
    tube running from the top and hanging in the air, into which
    the vapour may fall and condense.]

The .iiij. maner is þis. take wh{a}t vessel of glas þ{a}t ȝe wole,       32
or of erþe strongly glasid, and þ{er}-vpon a round foot of glas
wiþ a leg. and seele þe vessel w{i}t{h} his couerto{ur}, þ{a}t þe rod
of þe foot of þe glas wiþi{n}ne þe vessel honge in þe eyr, þ{a}t þ{a}t
þi{n}g þ{at} asce{n}dith to þe couertour in þe maner of a pott boilynge  36


  [Page 6: THE 5th WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE, &C.]

    [--The fifth way.--]

    [Distil your Burning Water ten times.]

descende doun aȝen by þe foot of þe glas. and this instrument
may ȝe do make wiþoute greet cost / The fifþe maner is, þat þe
brennynge wat{er} be .10 tymes distillid in hors dou{n}ge contynuely
digest.                                                                   4

    [--To make fire without fire, and Quinte Essence without cost
    or trouble.--]

The sci{en}ce of makynge of fier wiþoute fier / wherby ȝe
may make oure q{ui}nte e{ss}ence wiþoute cost or traueile, and

    [Put horse-dung into a vessel or pit lined with ashes, and
    place your vessel in it up to the middle. The cold top part
    will condense the vapour caused by the heat of the dung.]

w{i}t{h}oute occupac{i}ou{n} and lesynge of tyme / Take þe beste horse
dou{n}ge þat may be had þ{a}t is weel digest, and putte it wiþine         8
a uessel, or ellis a pitt maad wiþ þe erþe anoy{n}tid þoruȝout w{i}t{h}
past maad of aischin. And in þis vessel or pitt, bete weel togidere
þe dou{n}ge; And i{n} þe myddil of þis dou{n}g, sette þe vessel of
distillac{i}ou{n} v{n}to þe myddis or more / For it is nede þ{a}t al þe  12
heed of þe vessel
        be in þe coold eir / þ{a}t, þ{a}t þ{in}g þ{a}t bi v{er}tu
of þe fier of þe dou{n}g þ{a}t ascendith þ{er}by be turned into watir

      [[* Fol. 13b.]]

[*]by v{er}tu of cooldnes of þe eir and falle dou{n} aȝen and ascende
vp aȝen. and þus ȝe haue fier wiþoute fier, and but wiþ litil            16
traueile.

    [Or, place your vessel in the sun’s rays.]

Also anoþ{er} maner of fier. sette ȝoure vessel forseid to þe
strong reuerberaciou{n} of þe su{n}ne in somer tyme, and lete it
stonde þ{er}e nyȝt and day.                                              20

    [--How poor evangelic men may get the gracious influence of
    gold.--]

Here I wole teche ȝou how pore eua{n}gelik me{n} may haue
wiþoute cost, and almoost for nouȝt, þe g{ra}cious influence of
gold, and þe maner of þe fixynge of it in oure heuene, þat is,

    [Borrow a Florence florin of a rich friend, anneal [?heat]
    it on a plate of iron, and throw it into some Burning Water,
    taking care to quench the fire quickly to prevent the Water
    wasting.]

oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia. if ȝe be pore, ȝe schal p{re}ie a riche man    24
þat is ȝo{ur}e free{n}d to leene ȝou a good floreyn of florence / and
anele it vpon a plate of yren as yren is anelid. and haue biside
ȝou a uessel of erþe glasid, fillid ful of the beste brennynge watir
þat ȝe may fynde. & caste into þe watir þe floreyn anelid. and           28
loke þat ȝe haue a sotilte and a sleiȝþe to quenche sodeynly þe
fier, þat þe watir waaste not; and be weel war þat no{n} yren touche

    [Repeat this 50 times in fresh Water, and then mix all the
    Waters together.]

þe watir. but af[t]er caste into þe watir þe floreyn, and do so .l.
tymes or more, for þe oftere þe bettere it is / And if ȝe se þ{a}t þe    32
watir waaste to myche, chaunge it þanne, and take newe, & do
so ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue do ȝoure quenchour, putte

    [The Water draws out all the properties of the gold.]

all þe wat{ri}s togidere / And ȝe schulen vndirstonde þat þe
v{er}tu of bre{n}nynge watir is sich þat naturely it drawiþ out of       36


  [Page 7: HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE.]

    [Mix the gilt Burning Water with Quinte Essence.]

      [[* Fol. 14.]]

gold alle þe v{er}tues & p{ro}pirtees of it, & it holdiþ
incorru{m}ptibilitee & an euene heete. [*]þanne meynge þis brennynge
watir þus giltid wiþ oure q{ui}nte e{ss}ence, and vse it. but be war
þ{a}t ȝe quenche not þe floreyn in oure q{ui}nte e{ss}ence; for þanne     4

    [You may substitute for Burning Water best white wine, which
    also retains the powers of gold.]

it were lost / And if it so be þat ȝe haue not þis brennynge watir
redy, þanne que{n}che ȝoure floreyn in þe beste whiȝt wiyn þat
may be had / For sikirly þe philosophore seiþ, þat wiyn hath
also þe p{ro}pirtee to restreyne in it þe influence and v{er}tues of      8
gold / And whanne ȝe haue do ȝo{ur}e werk, ȝe schal wite þat þe
floreyn is als good, & almoost of þe same weiȝte, as it was
afore / þerfore vse wiyn or bre{n}nynge watir giltid, so þ{a}t ȝe may

    [This gilt Water will make you well and young again.
    In it you have the Sun fixed in our Heaven.]

be hool, and wexe glad, and be ȝong. And þus ȝe haue oure                12
heuene, and þe su{n}ne in him fixid, to þe conseruac{i}ou{n} of mannys
nature and fixaciou{n} of o{ur}e heuene, þ{a}t is, oure q{ui}nte
e{ss}ence.

  [‘science.’]

    [--How to gild Burning Water or Wine more thoroughly.--]

The sci{enc}e how ȝe schule gilde more myȝtily by brennynge              16
watir or wiyn þan I tauȝte you tofore, wherby þe wat{er} or
þe wiyn schal take to it myȝtily þe influence & þe v{er}tues
of fyne gold.

    [Heat calcined gold in a silver spoon and put it in Burning
    Water or wine 50 times, as with the florin before.]

Take þe calx of fy{n} gold as it is declarid here-aftir in þis           20
book, and putte it in a siluer spone, and anele it at þe fier.
& þa{n}ne caste þe cals of the gold in þe brennynge watir
or i{n} wiyn .l. times, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore wiþ þe floreyn. and

    [Your liquor will be better gilt, as the fire and Water or
    wine work more powerfully on the grains of gold than on a
    plate.]

ȝe schule haue ȝoure lico{ur} by an hu{n}drid p{ar}t bettir gilt þan ȝe  24
had tofore wiþ þe floreyn / Forwhi. fier worchiþ more strongly

      [[* Fol. 14b.]]

and bett{er}e [*]in sotil p{ar}ties þan it doiþ in an hool plate / And
also bre{n}nynge watir or wiyn drawiþ out more myȝtily bi a
þousand p{ar}t þe p{ro}pirtees of gold fro smale p{ar}ties anelid, þan   28

    [Wine retains the properties of all liquibles quenched in it.]

it doiþ fro a þicke plate / And ȝe schal vndirstonde þ{a}t wiyn
not aloonly holdiþ in it þe p{ro}pirtees of gold, but myche more
þe p{ro}pirtees of alle liquibles if þei be quenchid þ{er}i{n}ne. and þat

    [If Saturn (lead) liquefied be quenched in wine, and then Mars
    (iron) be quenched in it, Mars acquires the softness of Saturn.]

is a souereyn p{ri}uite: Forwhi, if ȝe quenche saturne liquified         32
in wiyn or in comou{n} watir .7. tymes, and aftirward in þat wiyn
or watir ȝe quenche mars manye tymes, þa{n}ne mars schal take
algate þe neischede and þe softnes of saturne / And þe same
schal venus do, & alle oþ{er}e liquibles / or ellis, And ȝe              36


  [Page 8: TO MAKE FIRE WITH NO FIRE. TO CALCINE GOLD.]

    [Again, if you quench Mars in wine and put in it Saturn
    liquefied, this will be made hard.]

quenche mars in whiȝt wiyn or in comou{n} watir manye tymes,
and aftirward in þe same wiyn or watir ȝe caste saturne liq{ui}fied
ofte tymes, þanne wiþoute doute ȝe schal fynde þat þe saturne
is m{aad} riȝt hard / Therfore þe p{ro}pirtees of alle liquibles may      4
be brouȝt into wiyn or watir; but myche more myȝtily into
brennynge watir good and p{re}cious.

    [--To make fire without coals, lime, light, &c.--]

The sci{enc}e to make a fier, þat is, wiþoute cole, w{i}t{h}oute
lyme, wiþoute liȝt, worchinge aȝens al maner scharpnes or                 8
acc{i}ou{n} of visible fier, riȝt as worchiþ þe fier of helle / And
þis p{ri}uytee is so v{er}tuous, þ{a}t þe v{er}tu þ{er}of may not al be
declarid. And þus it is maad. Take Mercurie þ{a}t is sublymed

    [Mix equal parts of sublimated Mercury, Salt, and Sal
    Ammoniac, grind them small, expose them to the air, and
    they’ll turn into water, a drop of which will eat thro’ your
    hand, and make Venus (copper) or Jupiter (tin) like pearl.]

      [[* Fol. 15]]

w{i}t{h} vit{ri}ol,
        [*]& co{m}e{n} salt, & sał armoniac .7. or .10. tymes            12
sublymed / and meynge hem togidere by euene porc{i}ou{n}. and
grynde it smal, and leye it abrood vpon a marbil stoon; and by
nyȝte sette it
        i{n} a soft cleer eir, or ellis in a coold seler; and þ{er}e
it wole turne into watir / And þanne gadere it togidere i{n} to          16
a strong vessel of glas, and kepe it / This wat{er} forsoþe is so
strong, þat if a litil drope þ{er}of falle vpon ȝoure hond, anoon it
wole p{er}ce it þoruȝ-out; and i{n} þe same maner it wole do, if it
falle vpon a plate of venus or Iubiter, into þis watir, it turneþ        20

    [If it could be moderated it would cure the disease Hell fire,
    and every corrosive sickness.]

hem into lijknes of peerl. who so coude rep{ar}ale & p{re}p{ar}ate
kyndely þis fier, wiþoute doute it wolde que{n}che anoon a brennynge
sijknes clepid þe fier of helle. And also it wolde heele
eu{er}y cor[os]if sijknesse. And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis          24

  [‘sal amarus.’]

    [It is also called ‘Sal Amarus.’]

þi{n}g in her bookis ‘sal amarus,’ al þouȝ þei teche not þe maistrie
þ{er}of / If it be so
        þ{a}t þis firy watir breke þe glas, and re{n}ne out
into þe aischen, þanne gadere alle togidere þ{a}t ȝe fynde pastid in
þe aischen / and leye it vpon a marbil stoon as afore, and it wole       28
t{ur}ne into watir. And þis is a greet p{ri}uytee.

  [‘Scie{n}ce.’]

    [--To calcine gold.--]

    [Cut gold into shavings; put it into a crucible with Mercury;
    heat it, and it will crumble into dust like flour. Heat it
    more till the mercury goes his way; or distil it, and the gold
    powder will be in the crucible.]

The sci{enc}e to brynge gold into calx / Take fyn gold, and
make it into smal lymayl: take a crusible wiþ a good q{ua}ntitee
of Mercur{ie}, and sette it to a litil fier so þ{a}t it vapoure          32
not, and putte
        þ{er}i{n}ne þi lymail of gold, and stire it weel togidere /

      [[* Fol. 15b.]]

& aftirward [*]wiþi{n}ne a litil tyme ȝe schal se al þe gold
wiþi{n}ne þe M{er}cur{ie} turned into erþe as sotil as flour. þa{n}ne
ȝeue it a good fier,
        þat þe M{er}cur{ie} arise and go his wey; or ellis,              36


  [Page 9: TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD.]

and ȝe wole, ȝe may distille and gadere it, puttynge þ{er}-vpon a
lembike / and in þe corusible ȝe schal fynde þe gold calcyned and

    [A thin plate of gold will do instead of shavings, and Silver
    may be treated like gold.]

reducid into erþe / And if ȝe wole not make lymayl of gold,
þanne make þ{er}of a sotil þi{n}ne plate, as ȝe kan, and putte wiþi{n}ne  4
þe M{er}cur{i}e al warm; and ȝe schal haue ȝoure desier / And
in þis same maner ȝe may worche wiþ siluir / Thanne take þe
calx of þese two bodies, and bere hem openly wiþ ȝou; and þ{er}

    [To carry these powders about, mix them with pitch, wax, or
    gum, melting the mass when you want the metal.]

schal noman knowe what þei ben / And if ȝe wole bere hem                  8
more p{ri}uyly wiþoute ony knowynge, þanne meynge hem wiþ
pich melt, or wex, or ellis gu{m}me, for þanne noman schal knowe
it what it is. And whanne ȝe wole dissolue ony of þese calces
by hem silf, putte eiþir by hi{m} silf in a test, or ellis þe pich or    12
þe wex in which þei be{n} y{n}ne; and anoon schal come out verry
gold & silu{er} as þei were tofore.

    [--How to separate gold from silver when mixed with it.--]

Now I wole teche ȝou þe maistrie of departynge of gold
fro siluir wha{n}ne þei be meyngid togidere / Forsoþe ȝe woot            16
weel þat þer be manye werkis in þe whiche gold and siluir
be meyngid, as in giltynge of vessel & Iewellis / þ{er}fore

    [Put the mixture into a solution of vitriol and saltpetre, and
    the silver will be dissolved.]

whanne ȝe wole drawe þe toon fro þat oþir, putte al þat mixture
into a strong watir maad of vitriol and of sał pet{re}. and þe           20

      [[* Fol. 16.]]

    [Corrosive water and sal ammoniac will dissolve the gold.]

[*]siluyr wole be dissolued, and not þe gold: þa{n}ne ȝe haue þat
oon departid fro þe toþir / And if ȝe wole dissolue þe gold to
watir, putte þa{n}ne yn þe watir corosyue, Sał ar{moni}ac; and þat
watir wiþoute doute wole dissolue gold into watir.                       24

  [‘science.’]

  [‘N{ota}.’]

    [--How to get out of gold its Quinte Essence.--]

    [Put calcined gold into distilled vinegar or purified urine;
    set it in a hot sun; a film will soon rise; skim it off,
    collect all such in a glass vessel till no more rise.]

The sci{enc}e to drawe out of fyn gold vta e{ss}encia is þis /
First ȝe schal reduce gold into calx, as I tolde ȝou tofore /
þanne take vynegre distillid, or ellis oold vryne depurid fro þe
fecis, and putte it in a uessel glasid; and þe liquor schal be in        28
þe heiȝþe of 4. ynchis; and þ{er}i{n}ne caste þe calx of gold, &
sette it to the strong su{n}ne in somer tyme, þ{er}e to abide / and
soone aftir ȝe schal se as it were a liquor of oyle ascende vp,
fletynge aboue in man{er} of a skyn or of a reme. gadere þat awey        32
wiþ a sotil spone or ellis a feþ{er}e, and putte it into a uessel of
glas in þe which be putt watir tofore. and þus gadere it manye
tymes in þe day, into þe tyme þ{a}t þer ascende nomore / and aftir
do vapoure awey þe watir at þe fier. And þe vta e{s}sencia of þe         36

    [Evaporate the water left; the residuum is the Quinte Essence
    of Gold.]


  [Page 10: TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF ANTIMONY, &C.]

gold wole abyde byneþe. And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis
q{ui}nta e{ss}encia an oile incombustible, þ{a}t is a greet p{ri}uytee /
And if ȝe wole
        fixe þis q{ui}nta e{ss}encia i{n} o{ur}e heuene, þ{a}t[1] it

    [And if you fix this Quinte Essence in our heaven, it will
    restore man to the strength of his youth.]

        [[1 then, MS. Harl.]]

may wiþoute doute restore aȝe{n} to man þ{a}t nature þat is lost,         4
and reduce hi{m} aȝe{n} i{n}to þe v{er}tu of þe strenkþe of ȝongþe, and
also lenkþiþ his lijf into þe laste terme of lijf set of god // Now

    [Now I have told this most sovereign secret, which should not
    be shewed. The Quinte Essence of gold is best to heal wounds.]

      [[* Fol. 16b.]]

  [[N{ota}.]]

forsoþe I haue toold ȝou þe souereynest [*]pr{i}uytee and restorynge
of mannys kynde, and i{n} p{ar}t greet þing þat schulde not be            8
schewid / Forwhi. þis oyle, þat is to seie, q{ui}nta e{ss}encia of gold,
hath þe mooste swetnes and v{er}tu to a-swage and putte awei þe
ache of woundis, and for to heele woundis, oolde sooris, and
manye wondirful yuelis / Also i{n} þe same maner ȝe may drawe            12
out of siluir, q{ui}nte e{ss}encie //

    [--How to get its Quinte Essence out of Antimony.--]

The science to drawe out of antymony, þat is, m{er}casite
of leed, þe v^te e{ss}encie, is a souereyn maistrie, and a p{ri}uytee

    [Put powdered antimony into distilled vinegar; heat it till
    the vinegar is red; take away the red vinegar, and put fresh;
    take that away when red. Put the red vinegar into a distiller,
    and 1000 drops of blessed wine shall come down the pipe;
    collect this; it is an incomparable treasure.]

of alle p{ri}uytees / Take þe myn of antymony aforeseid,                 16
and make þ{er}of al so sotil a poudre as ȝe kan / þanne
take þe beste vynegre distillid, and putte þ{er}inne þe poudre
of antymonye, and lete it stonde in a glas vpon a litil fier
into þe tyme þat þe vynegre be colourid reed. þanne take þ{a}t           20
vynegre awey, and kepe it clene, and putte aȝen þer-to of oþ{er}e
vynegre distillid, and lete it stonde vpon a soft fier til it be
colourid reed. & so do ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue gaderid
al ȝo{ur}e vynegre colourid, putte it þanne in a distillatorie. and      24
first þe vynegre wole ascende; þanne aft{er} ȝe schal se merueilis:
for ȝe schal se as it were a þousand dropis of blessid wiyn
discende doun in maner of reed dropis, as it were blood, by
þe pipe of þe lymbike / þe which lico{ur}, gadere togidere in a          28
rotu{m}be / and þanne ȝe haue a þing þ{a}t al þe tresour of þe world

  [[No{ta}.]]

may not be in
        comp{ar}isou{n} of worþines þ{er}to / aristo{t}le seiþ þ{a}t
it is his lede in þe book of secretis, al þouȝ he [*]telle not þe name

      [[* Fol. 17.]]

    [It cures the pain of all wounds, and when fermented it works
    great secrets.]

of þe antymonye aforeseid / Forsoþe þis doiþ awey ache of alle           32
woundis, and wondirfully heeliþ. þe v{er}tu þ{er}of is incorruptible
& merueilo{u}s p{ro}fitable / it nedit to be putrified in a rotombe
and seelid i{n} fyme, and þanne it worchiþ greet p{ri}uytees / Forsoþe
þe vta e{ss}encia of þis antymony þat is reed, i{n} þe which is          36


  [Page 11: TO EXTRACT THE QUINTE ESSENCE FROM MAN’S BLOOD.]

þe secreet of alle secretis, is swettere þan ony hony, or sugre, or
ony oþir þing.

  [‘Science.’]

    [--How to get its Quinte Essence from Man’s Blood.--]

The science in the extraccioun of þe .5[3] e{ss}encie from blood,

        [Footnote 3: 5 for _fifth_, or _quinte_.]

and fleisch, & eggis / To ȝou I seie, þat in eu{er}y elementid            4
þing, þe .5. e{ss}encie remayneþ incorrupte: it schal be þanne
þe moost þi{n}g of merueyle if I teche ȝou to drawe out þat
fro mannys blood reserued of Barbouris whanne þei lete blood;
also fro fleisch of alle brute beestis, and fro alle eggis, and oþ{er}e   8

    [Man’s blood is the perfectest work of nature in us, and its
    Quinte Essence converts blood into flesh, and works divine
    miracles of healing.]

suche þingis. for als myche as mannes blood is þe p{er}fitist werk
of kynde in us, as to þe encrees of þ{a}t þat is lost, it is certeyn
þat nature þat .5. e{ss}ence maad so p{er}fiȝt þ{a}t, wiþoute ony oþir
greet p{re}p{ar}acioun wiþoute þe veynes, it beriþ forþ þat blood        12
anoon aftir into fleisch. and þis 5 e{ss}ence is so nyȝ kynde þat
[it] is moost to haue[4] / Forwhy. in it is merueylous v{er}tu of oure

        [Footnote 4: MS. Harl. reads ‘and this fifte beinge so
        nighe kinde it is most to haue.’]

    [Get from Barbers the blood of young sanguine men; let it
    stand; pour off the serum; mix the blood with a tenth of
    prepared salt; put it in an amphora; seal that up; put it in
    a horse’s belly, renewing the dung weekly till all the blood
    turns into water; distil that; put the outcome on the pounded
    fæces, and distil over again.]

heuene sterrid, and to þe cure of nature of man worchiþ moost
deuyn myraclis, as wiþi{n}ne I schal teche ȝou / þerfore resceyue        16
of Barbouris, of ȝong sangueyn men, or colerik men, wha{n}ne þei
be late blood, þe which vse good wynes. take þat blood aftir þ{a}t
it haþ reste, and cast awey þe watir fro it, and braie it wiþ þe
.10. p{ar}t of co{men} salt
        p{re}p{ar}ate to medicyns of me{n}; and putte                    20
it into a uessel of glas clepid ampho{ra}, þe which, sotely seele,

      [[* Fol. 17b.]]

and putte it wiþi{n}ne þe [*]wombe of an hors, p{re}p{ar}ate as tofore,
and renewe þe fyme oonys in þe wike, or more, and lete it
putrifie til al þe blood be turned into watir / and it schal be doon     24
at þe mooste in xxx. or xl dayes, or aftir, more or lasse / þanne
putte it in a lembike, and distille it at a good fier / what so euere
may ascende, putte þat watir vpon þe fecis brayed, mey{n}gynge
vpon a marbil stoon; putte it aȝen, and aftir distille it aȝen           28
manye tymes rehersynge / And whanne ȝe haue þis noble þing

    [Heat the water in the distiller till it comes to a heavenly
    savour. This Fifth Being works miracles hardly credible unless
    seen.]

of blood, þerof þe .5. beynge d{ra}we out / putte aȝen þe watir in
þe stillatorie of circulaciou{n} til ȝe brynge it to so myche swetnes
& an heuenly sauour, as ȝe dide þe brennynge watir. and þis is           32
þe 5 beynge of blood deuyn, and miraclis more þan man mai
bileue but if he se it.


  [Page 12: TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF BEASTS AND THE 4 ELEMENTS.]

    [--To get the Quinte Essence out of capons, beasts, eggs, &c.--]

Now wole I teche ȝou to drawe out þe .5 beynge from
capou{n}s, he{n}nes, and al man{er} fleisch of Brut beestis, and
from al maner eggis of foulis þat ben holsum and medicynable

    [Grind some of them with a tenth part of prepared salt; put
    ’em into a horse’s belly till they become water, and distil
    that till it’s heaven-sweet.]

to ete for mān kynde / Grynde summe of þese þingis                        4
forseid, which þat ȝe wil, as strongly as ȝe can in a morter, wiþ
þe 10 p{ar}t of hi{m} of sal co{m}e{n} p{re}p{ar}ate to þe medicyne of
me{n}, as I seide tofore. putte it in þe wombe of an hors til it be
turned into water. distille as it is aforeseid, and in þe stillatorie     8
of circulac{i}ou{n}
        þe watir þat is distillid, putte it in aȝen til it be
brouȝt to þe swete heuenly sauour and smel aforeseid /

  [‘science.’]

    [--To draw the Fifth Being out of each of the Four Elements,
    and to separate them.--]

The science to drawe out þe 5 beynge of eu{er}ych of þe .4
elementis, and to schewe eu{er}ych of þe forseid þing bi he{m}           12
silf; & þ{a}t is riȝt merueylous / I wole not leue for a litil to
schewe a greet secreet, how ȝe may drawe out þe 5 beynge of
ech of þe 4 elementis of al þe þing rehersid afore, and p{ro}fitably

    [Take any thing rotted and turned into water, as man’s blood;
    put it in a glass distiller, and distil it over into an
    amphora.]

      [[* Fol. 18.]]

schewe hem / And þe man{er} ys [*]þis / take þ{a}t þing putrified        16
and brouȝt into watir, what so eu{er}e ȝe wole, as I tauȝte ȝou
tofore; and þat þing be mannes blood brouȝt into watir, of þe
which ȝe wole drawe out þe 4 elementis / putte þ{er}fore þat
wat{er}, or þat blood putrified, in a stillatorie of glas, and sette     20
it wiþi{n}ne a pott of watir, and ȝeue vndirneþe a fier til þe watir
of blood be distillid by þe pipe of þe lembike into a glas clepid

    [When no more vapour rises, you have drawn out the water.]

ampho{ra}, riȝt clene / And whanne no þing may more by þat fier
ascende, for certeyn ȝe haue of blood drawen out al oonly þe             24
element of watir / Forwhi. fier of þat bath hath no strenkþe to

    [Put the other 3 elements for 7 days into the same bath, then
    into a coal fire, and the water shall rise as oil shining like
    gold, the air remaining at the bottom like oil of gold. Put
    these aside.]

sublyme eyr, or fier, or erþe. and so [take] þo þre elementis, and
sette in þe same bath by .vij. dayes þat þei be weel meyngid, &
so cloos þ{a}t no þing be distillid / aftir þe .vij. dayes take þe       28
stillatorie,
        and putte it to þe fier of aischen, þ{a}t is strongere þa{n}
fier of bath clepid marien; and þe watir schal ascende in foorme
of oyle schynynge as gold / and aftirward þ{a}t no þing more schal
ascende, ȝe haue þanne in þe ampulle .ij. elementis, þat is to seie,     32
watir and eyr. & oon from anoþir ȝe schal dep{ar}te in þe bath,
puttynge yn aȝen wher al-oonly þe cleer watir schal ascende /
and þe eyr schal al-oonly remayne in̅ þe botu{m} of þe vessel in
lijknesse of oyle of gold. þe which oyle þat is gold, þe which oyle      36


  [Page 13: HOW TO FIX OTHER THINGS IN OUR QUINTE ESSENCE.]

    [To separate fire from the earth, put 4 lbs. of water on 1 lb.
    of earth; place it in the Marian bath for 7 days; then in hot
    flames; red water shall ascend and black earth fall.]

þat is ayr / putte it aside. þanne þ{er} leeueþ ȝitt fier wiþ erþe.
to dep{ar}te fier from erþe, putte þe element of watir, þat is to
seye .iiij ℔ of watir, vpon j ℔ of mat{er} / and putte by .vij. daies

    [Put the red water into the distiller; pure water shall rise;
    red water, or fire, shall remain; so you have the 4 Elements
    separate.]

to encorp{er}e wel as tofore in þe bath of marien̅ / Aftirward            4
putte it to þe fier of flawme riȝt strong, and þe reed wat{er} schal

  [[* Fol. 18b.]]

ascende. þe which gadere togidere as longe as ony [*]þing ascendiþ.
and to ȝou schal remayne an erþe riȝt blak in þe botum. þe which
gadere togidere aside / þanne þe redeste watir ȝe schal take. forwhy.     8
þer be .ij. eleme{n}tis, þat is to seie, þe element of watir and fier.
þa{n}ne yn þe stillatorie, to þe fier of baþ, cleer watir schal asende.
and in þe botu{m} schal remayne þe reed watir, þat is, þe element
of fier. and so ȝe haue now first oon oyle, þat is, ayer o side, and     12
watir, and fier, and erþe. and note ȝe weel þ{a}t þ{er}fore þe element
of watir is putt aȝe{n} to drawe out from erþe fier and eyr, for þei

    [Distil each into its Quinte Essence, or rectify it, and thank
    our glorious God for this bit of knowledge.]

wole not ascende, but þoruȝ þe help of element of watir. brynge
aȝe{n} eu{er}ych into 5 beynge wiþ þe vessel of circulacioun as tofore   16
/ or ellis rectifie, makynge oon ascende .7 tymes bi an oþir /
but first ȝe moste þe riȝt blak erþe of oon hide[5] nature, in þe
furneys of glas mon[6],
        or ellis reu{er}berac{i}ou{n}, xxj. dayes calcyne /

        [Footnote 5: of vnkinde natuer. Harl. 853.]
        [Footnote 6: of glasse made. Harl. 853.]

And for a cause I speke to ȝou nomore of this science. but               20
ioie ȝe, and thanke oure glorio{us} lord god of þese þingis þat
ȝe haue had.

    [--To fix all earthly things in our Quinte Essence.--]

The science to fixe alle erþely þingis in n{ost}ra 5ta e{ss}encia,
þat is to seie, o{ur}e heuene, þat by her influence þei may ȝeue         24
þerto þer p{ro}p{er}tees and her hid vertues / oure glorious god

    [God has given it the power of drawing all the virtues out of
    every thing in 3 hours.]

haþ ȝeue sich a uertu to oure q{ui}nta e{ss}ence, þat it may drawe
out of euery matier of fruyȝt / tree / rote / flour, herbe / fleisch,
seed & spice / And eu{er}y medicynable þing, alle þe v{er}tues,          28
p{ro}pirtees, and naturis, þe whiche god made in he{m}; and þat
wiþi{n}ne .iij. houris.

    [Put therefore every thing necessary for any syrup into our
    Quinte Essence, and in 3 hours it shall be 100 times better
    than before.]

Now I haue schewid ȝou a souereyn p{ri}uytee, how þ{a}t ȝe
may wiþ oure heuene drawe out eu{er}y 5 e{ss}encia from alle             32
þingis aforeseid / þ{er}fore alle necessarie þingis to eu{er}y syrup
putte yn oure 5 e{ss}encie, & wiþi{n}ne .iij. houris þ{a}t watir schal
be sich a sirup, vndirstonde wel, bettir by an hundrid p{ar}t, by


  [Page 14: OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IMPROVES EVERYTHING 100 FOLD.]

      [[* Fol. 19.]]

    [Whatever medicines are put into our Quinte Essence, it
    increases their power a hundred fold.]

cause of oure 5 e{ss}encie, þan it [*]schulde be wiþoute it / And
so I seie of medicyns
        comfortatyues, digestyues, laxatyues, rest{ri}ktyues,
and alle oþ{er}e; forwhy. if ȝe putte seedis or flouris,
fruyȝtis, leeues, spicis, coold, hoot, sweet, sour, moist, do þei         4
good or yuel,
        i{n}to o{ur}e 5 e{ss}enci{e}, forsoþe sich 5 e{ss}enc{e} ȝe
schulen haue þerfore. oure 5 e{ss}encie is þe instrument of alle
v{er}tues of þi{n}g t{ra}nsmutable if þei be putt in it, encreessynge
an hu{n}drid foold her worchingis //                                      8

  [End of Part I.]

    Explicit p{ar}s p{ri}ma tractatus q{ui}nte e{ss}encie:




  [Page 15: TO MAKE OLD MEN YOUNG, AND DYING ONES WELL.]

BOOK II.


    [--To restore an old evangelic man to the strength of his
    youth.--]

Here bigynneth the secunde book of medicyns / The first
medicyn is to reduce an oold feble euangelik man to þe firste
strenkþe of ȝongþe / Also to restore aȝen his nat{ur}e þ{a}t is
lost, and to lenkþe his lijf in greet gladnesse and p{er}fiȝte heele      4

    [Give him our Quinte Essence with some of that ‘1^a. M^e.’ of
    Gold and Pearl, a walnut-shell full at morn and eve. In a few
    days he shall feel only 40 years old. Then let him take little
    of our Quinte Essence, only that of Gold in good wine at
    dinner and supper.]

vnto þe laste teerme of his lijf þat is sett of god / ȝe schal take
oure 5ta e{ss}enc{ie} aforeseid, þat is to seye, mannys heuene, and
þ{er}i{n}ne putte
        a litil q{ua}ntite of 5 e{ss}encia of gold and of peerl.
and þe oolde feble man schal vse þis deuyn drynk at morn and              8
at euen, ech tyme a walnote-schelle fulle / and wiþi{n}ne a fewe
dayes he schal so hool[7] þat he schal fele him silf of þe statt and

        [Footnote 7: ? ‘be so hool.’ Or is _hool_ a verb, become
        whole, recover?]

þe strenkþe of xl ȝeer; and he schal haue greet ioie þat he is
come to þe statt of ȝongþe. And whanne his ȝongþe is recouerid,          12
and his nature restorid, and heelþe had, it is nedeful þat litil and
seelde he vse 5 essence / Also it is nedeful þat he vse ofte good
wiyn at his mete and at þe soper, in þe which be fixid þe 5.
essence of gold, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore.                                 16

  [‘2^a. M^e.’]

      [[* Fol. 19b.]]

    [--To cure a man given up by his doctors.--]

The secu{n}de [*]medicyn is to heele a man, and make hym
lyue, þ{a}t is almoost consumed in nature, and so nyȝ deed þat
he is forsake of lechis. but if it be þe laste teerme of his lijf

    [Give him Quinte Essence of Gold with celandine water, and he
    shall rise up and speak.]

sett of god, ȝe schal ȝeue hi{m} oure q{ui}nte e{ss}ence of gold wiþ a   20
litil quantite of watir of celendoyn ȝdrawe, and meynge it wiþ

  [‘Aq{u}a celidoyn.’]

þe oþ{er}e þingis aforeseid / and anoon as þe sike hath resceyued
it into his stomak, it ȝeueþ to þe herte influence of naturel heete
and of lijf. and þanne ȝe schal se hi{m} rise vp and speke, and          24

    [Then comfort him with our Quinte Essence, and he shall be
    cured, unless God wills he shall die.]

wondirfully be comfortid and strenkþid þ{er}by // þanne comforte
him wiþ minist{ra}ciou{n}
        of our{e} q{ui}nte e{ss}encie afore seid, and he
schal be al hool / but if it be so þat god wole algatis þat he schal
die / And I seie to ȝou truly, þat þis is þe hiȝeste maist{ri}e þ{a}t    28

    [Few doctors now know this highest secret.]

may be in transmutaciou{n} of kynde; for riȝt fewe lechis now
lyuynge knowe þis p{ri}uytee.


  [Page 16: HOW TO CURE LEPROSY AND PALSY.]

  [‘3^a. M^e.’]

    [--To cure the Leprosy that is caused by rotten humours.--]

The þridde medicyn is to cure þe lepre þat is causid of
corrupcioun and putrifaccioun of ony of þe p{ri}ncipal humouris
of man; but not þe lepre þ{a}t comeþ to man of kynde of
þe fadir and of þe modir leprous,--for it is callid morbus                4
heredit{us},--ne þe lepre þat is sent of god by his plage, but þat

    [Use our Quinte Essence, with those of Gold and Pearl; (or
    Burning Water, if you have no Quinte Essence.)]

þ{a}t is causid oonly of rotu{n} humo{ur}is / take oure 5 e{ss}enc{e}
aforeseid, wiþ þe
        q{ui}nte e{ss}enc{e} of goold and peerl, a litil quantite
at oonys, and vse it in maner as I seide afore / and wiþi{n}ne a          8
fewe daies he schal be p{ar}tily hool þ{er}of. and if ȝe haue n{o}n
p{re}p{ar}ate redy oure 5 e{ss}enc{e}, þanne take in þe stide þ{er}of fyn
bre{n}ny{n}ge watir / but þat oþ{er} is bettere.

    [Wash the leper with strawberry or mulberry water; this is of
    great virtue, but is much encreased by our Quinte Essence.]

Also, drawe a wat{er} of þe fruyȝt of strawbery or mulbery               12
tree, whanne it is ripe, and waische þe lepre þ{er}wiþ. þis watir
is of so greet vertu; for a souereyn maistir took it a leprous

      [[* Fol. 20.]]

[*]womman, þat wiþ þe waischinge oonly of þis watir, w{i}t{h}ynne
schort tyme was maad al hool / but sikirly þe vertu þerof is             16
myche worth if it be meyngid w{i}t{h} oure 5 e{ss}enc{e}, or ellis
brennyng watir; and þanne it schal be no nede to vse in þis
p{er}ilous cure, venemys, as su{m}me lechis doon.

  [4^a. M^e.]

    [--To cure Palsy, which comes from viscous humours closing the
    passages of motive power.--]

The 4 medicyn is to cure palsie vniuersel. Forsoþe alle                  20
philosophoris seyn þat þe palesye vniuersel comeþ of habou{n}dau{n}ce
of visco{us} humouris closynge þe metis of vertu a{n}i{m}ale,
sensityue, and motyue. And þerfore it is necessarie þat þo
þingis þat schal cure þis sijknes be temp{er}ate, hoot, and moist,       24

    [Blessed be God, our Quinte Essence will restore the paralitic.]

and a litil att{ra}ctyue, and to þe syno{us} confortatyue / Therfore,
blessid be god, makere of kynde, þat ordeynede for þe ma{n}
p{ar}alitike oure
        5 e{ss}enc{e} aforseid, þ{a}t souereynly to hi{m} comfortynge,

    [Fix in it the Quinte Essence of euphorbium and the like; and,
    if God will, the palsied man shall be whole, if you make him a
    stew of ivy and sage.]

restorynge, and temp{er}atly worchynge / þ{er}fore fixe                  28
þ{er}i{n}ne þe 5 e{ss}enc{e} of þo laxatyues þ{a}t purgen flewme &

  [‘sawe’]

viscous humouris, as a litil of euforbie, or turbit, or sambucy.
& þanne wiþoute doute, if god wole, þe p{ar}alitik man schal be
hool wiþ comfortynge and restorynge of kynde, if ȝe make him             32

  [‘No{t}a
  yue
  sauge.’]

a stewe hoot and moist with herbis, þat is to seye, eerbe yue,
& sauge, þat haue an heuenly strenkþe to comforte þe joynctis,

    [Failing Quinte Essence, let him drink Burning Water in fine
    wine, and wash all over with burning water.]

& þe senewis, and þe vertu motyue. and if ȝe haue not redi
p{re}p{ar}ate oure 5 e{ss}enc{e}, þanne take fyn brennynge watir til it  36


  [Page 17: TO CURE CONSUMPTION AND DRIVE AWAY DEVILS.]

be redy, and lete þe pacient drynke þerof a litil i{n} fyn wiyn.
and also he schal waische al his body and his extremytees wiþ
brennynge watir ofte tymes. and lete him vse þis a good while,
& he schal be hool. /                                                     4

  [‘5. M^e.’]

      [[* Fol. 20b.]]

    [--To fatten lean and consumptive men.--]

[*]The .5 medicyn for a man þat is almoost al co{n}sumed,
& waastid in al his body, and riȝt leene, as þ{a}t man þ{a}t
hath þe tisik & þe etik / Forsoþe þe v{er}ry cure to heele him
is oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} / Forwhi. it comfortiþ þe feble nature; and         8

    [Mix with our Quinte Essence a little celandine water; give it
    the patient, and he shall soon be wonderfully fat.]

þe nature þat is lost it restoriþ, & so restorid it p{re}serueþ /
And þ{er}fore if ȝe wol restore þe fleisch of a leene mannys body

  [‘Celidoyne.’]

almoost consumed awey, drawe þanne a watir of celidoyne, and
take þ{er}of a litil q{ua}ntite,
        and meynge wiþ oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} if ȝe                          12
haue it redy, or brennynge watir in stide þ{er}of, and ȝeue it hi{m}
to dri{n}ke; and wiþi{n}ne fewe dayes he schal be wondirfully
restorid and fat.

  [‘.6. M^e.’]

    [--To cure Frensy, Gout, and troubles from Devils.--]

The .6. medicyn for passiou{n}s of frenesie, foly, ymagynac{i}ou{n}s     16
and noyous vexac{i}ou{n}s of deuelis, and also for þe
goute als weel hoot as coold. certeyn exp{er}ience techiþ þat

  [‘colerike.’
  ‘Sangueyn.’
  ‘Fleumatyke.’
  ‘blake coler.’
  ‘malencoly.’]

    [Dark melancholy men are troubled more with anxieties than any
    others, being born under ‘Saturne, a wykyd planete.’]

colerik me{n} ȝeueþ to su{m}me ymagynac{i}ou{n}s; and sangueyn
me{n} be{n} ocupied aboute su{m}me oþ{er}e ymagynaciou{n}s; & ȝitt       20
flewmatik men aboute oþ{er}e / but þo me{n} þat habounde in blak
coler, þat is, malencoly, ben occupied a þ{o}usa{n}d p{ar}t wiþ mo
þouȝtis þan ben men of ony oþ{er} complexiou{n} / Forwhi. þ{a}t
humour of blak coler is so noyous, þ{a}t if it a-bounde and a-sende      24
vp to þe heed, it troubliþ alle þe myȝtis of þe brayn, engendrynge

  [‘Nota sequentia.’]

noyous ymagynaciou{n}s, bryngynge yn horrible þouȝtis boþe
wakynge and slepinge; and siche man{er} of men ben born vndir
þe constillacioun of saturne, the wickide planete / Forsoþe, to          28
siche me{n} deuelis wole gladly appere, & mi{ni}st{er} to hem[*] her

  [[* MS. hom]]

    [Devils gladly appear to them and tempt them, so that they
    often fall into despair and kill themselves.]

      [[* Fol. 21.]]

p{ri}uy te{m}ptaciou{n}s wiþi{n}ne þe cours of her þouȝtis; and þese
men þus [*]turmentid wiþ þe passiou{n}s of malencoly comou{n}ly
speke wiþ hem, stryue and dispute wiþ hem silf whanne þei be             32
a-loone, þ{a}t ofte tymes oþ{er}e folk may heere it / These maner
of me{n} þat ben þ{us} turmentid, as weel by passioun of malencoly
as of deuelis, ofte tymes falle in dispeir, and at þe laste sle hem
silf / þe p{er}fiȝt cure of alle þese is oure 5 e{ss}encie auri {et}     36

    [The cure is our Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearls, with a
    little senna or lapis lazuli.]


  [Page 18: TO CURE MELANCHOLY AND DRIVE OUT TROUBLES FROM DEVILS.]

p{er}ela{rum}, or ellis brennynge watir in stide þ{er}of, in þe whiche
ȝe fixe gold as it is aforeseid, wheri{n}ne be putt a litil of sen̅ē or
watir of f[u]mit{er}, or poudre of lapis lasuly, or ellis medulla{m}
ebuli, and vse it discreetly. forwhy. not al oonly oure q{ui}nte          4

    [Burning Water, with a purge, will also cure these diseases.]

e{ss}enc{e} auri
        {et} p{er}ela{rum} heelith þese disesis. / but also brennynge
watir in þe which gold is fixid, heeliþ hem, wiþ a litil of þo
þingis þ{a}t purgen and casten out blak coler sup{er}flue, & heliþ
þe splene.                                                                8

    [These medicines put away wicked thoughts, and bring in merry
    ones; they dispel devils’ temptations and despair, and bring a
    man to reason.]

Forsoþe þese medicyns puttiþ awey wickid þouȝtis and an
heuy herte malencolious; þei gladith and clense þe brayn and
alle hise myȝtis, and brynge yn gladnes and merye þouȝtis.
þei putte awey also þe craft of þe feendis temptac{i}ou{n}s, and         12
ymagynaciouns of dispeir. þei distroie, & make a man to forȝete
almaner of yueles, and naturaly bryngiþ him aȝen to resonable

  [‘Saturne. γ.’]

    [Saturn is an enemy to all creatures, and has power over foul
    solitary places, as Vitas Patrum says.]

witt. and for as myche as saturne þe planete naturaly ys coold
and drye, and is enemye to al kynde / Forwhy, euery snow,                16
euery hayl, euery tempest, & also þe humour of malencoly
comeþ of hi{m}. & he haþ his influence vpon derk leed, &
vpon derk [*]placis vnder þe erf[8], foul{e} and stynkynge, and derke

      [[* Fol. 21b.]]

        [Footnote 8: Erf = erþe.]

wodis, and vpon
        foule, horrible, solitarie placis, as it is pr{e}ued in          20
vitas patru{m}, þat is to seye, in lyues & colac{i}ou{n}s of fadris /

    [The Moon too is full of bane.]

And also þe moone, naturely coold and moist, haþ his influence
vpon þe nyȝt, and vpon myche moisture, and vpon þe placis
wha{n}ne 4. weyes metiþ togidere. forsoþe in alle siche placis þei       24
wole a-bide and schewe hem to her foloweris / but forsoþe þo

  [‘Jubiter and Sol | .B.’]

    [Jupiter and Sol, on the other hand, make devils flee, and
    betoken the joy of heaven, as Saturn and the Moon do hell.]

þingis þat ben of þe nature of Iubiter and of sol, goode planetis,
arne displesynge to hi{m}, and contrarie, and naturaly deuelis fle
awei fro he{m}, for þei haue greet abhominaciou{n} of þer v{er}tuous     28
influence / þ{er}fore it schewiþ weel þ{a}t þo þingis þat ben in þis
world, su{m}me þer ben þat bitokene þe glorious yoie of heuene,
and su{m}me þing þat figure þe derknesse of euerlastynge peynes
of helle / Forsoþe þe su{n}ne and iubiter, goode planetis, &             32
gold, pure metal, and alle pure þi{n}gis þat gladen a man, figurynge
by resou{n} þe ioie of heuene / and blak Saturne, and þe
spotty moone, figure & bitokene þe condicioun of helle / and


  [Page 19: TO CURE THE GOUT AND ITCH, AND KILL LICE.]

    [Devils hate the joys of God and the brightness of the sun;
    they delight in stinking places, and melancholy and hell-like
    things.]

siþ þ{a}t deuelis be dampned, & ful of wreche of helle, þerfore
þei hate þe clennesse & þe ioie of oure lord god & of hise
seyntis / also þei haten þe su{n}ne and his cleernes, and pure
þi{n}gis þ{a}t maken a man glad. and naturaly it plesiþ he{m} to          4
dwelle in derk, & in blak, orrible, stynkynge placis, in heuynesse,

    [But our Quinte Essence is heavenly, like the joy of Paradise,
    and drives away anger and all that devils love, so that it is
    fitly called ‘Man’s Heaven.’]

wreche, & malencoly, & i{n} þo þi{n}gis þ{a}t p{re}tende þe
condiciou{n} of helle / And siþ oure 5. e{ss}enc{e} aforeseid is so

      [[* Fol. 22.]]

heuenly a þi{n}g, & by sotil c{ra}ft [*]brouȝt to so myche swetnes,       8
it is so sou{er}eyn a medicy{n} þ{a}t it may weel be lijkned to þe ioie
of p{ar}adice. forwhi, it makiþ a man liȝt, iocunde, glad, and
merie, & puttiþ awey heuynesse[9], angre, melencoly, & wraþþe,

        [Footnote 9: houynesse MS.]

    [To deliver a man from a devil,--give him some of our Quinte
    Essence with that of gold and pearl, and St. John’s Wort
    water: at once the devil will flee away.]

þe whiche þat deuelis loue / +et ideo n{os}tra 5 e{ss}enc{ia} digne      12
vocat{ur} celu{m} humanu{m}+ / Also if a man be traueylid wiþ a
feend, and may not be delyuerid fro hi{m}, lete hi{m} dri{n}ke a litil
quantite of oure 5 e{ss}en{ce}, wiþ 5 e{ss}en{ce} of gold & peerl, and

  [‘fuga demonu{m}’]

wiþ an eerbe callid ypericon, i.[e.] fuga demonu{m}, and þe seed         16
þ{er}of grounden & aftirward distillid, & þe watir þ{er}of a litil
quantite medlid wiþ þe oþere 5tis e{ss}enc{iis}; {and} anoon þe deuel
wole fle awey fro him & fro his hous.

    [--To cure the Gout.--]

Also for þe goute, hoot or cold, þe pacient schal drynke                 20
oure 5. e{ss}enc{e} wiþ a litil q{ua}ntite at oonys of þe letuarie de

    [Take a little Quinte Essence and Rose-juice electuary, and
    use daily our Quinte Essence with that of Gold and Pearl.]

succo rosa{rum}. and lete hi{m} vse þis letuarie a litil at oonys ech
oþ{er}e day, til sup{er}flue humouris be purgid / but he schal vse
eu{er}y day a litil
        of oure 5. e{ss}en{ce} w{i}t{h} 5 e{ss}en{ce} of gold &          24
peerle; & wiþi{n}ne a fewe dayes þe pacient schal be hool. //

  [‘.7. M^e.’]

    [--To cure the Itch and destroy Lice.--]

The .7. medicyn, for to heele ycche, & for to dist{ri}e lies[10]
þat ben engendrid of corrupt humouris. take {o}ure 5 e{ss}enc{e}
bi hi{m} silf a-loone, and vse to drynke þ{er}of a litil quantite        28

        [Footnote 10: “A lous is a worme w{i}t{h} manye fete, &
        it co{m}meth out of the filthi and onclene sky{n}ne, &
        oftentymes for faute of atendau{n}ce they come out of the
        flesshe through the skynne or swet holes.
        To withdryue them / The best is for to wasshe the
        ofte{n}times, and to chaunge oftentymes clene lynen.”
        --_The noble lyfe and nature of man, Of bestes, serpentys,
        fowles, and fisshes y^t be moste knowen_. Capitulo. C. xix.]

    [Drink Quinte Essence. Mix Mercury with spittle, Stavesacre
    and Burning Water. Wash the body or head where the itch and
    lice are.]

at oonys / and take also a litil q{ua}ntite of M{er}[{curie}?]. &
mortifie it wiþ fastynge spotil, & medle it wiþ a good quantite


  [Page 20: TO CURE QUARTAN FEVER.]

of poudre of stafi-sagre, & þanne put it i{n} to a greet q{ua}ntite
of bre{n}nynge wat{er}, & þanne waische al his body, or ellis þe
heed where þe icche & þe lies ben. & vse þis medicyn .2. or
3. & þe sijk [*]man schal be hool.                                        4

      [[* Fol. 22b.]]

  [‘.8^ua. M^e.’]

The .8. medicyn for to cure the quarteyn and alle þe
passiouns þ{a}t comeþ of male{n}coly in mannys body; and þe

  [‘feu{er} q{ua}rtene.’]

    [--To cure Quartan Fever.--]

maistrie to p{ur}ge malencoly. and ȝe schal vndirstonde þat þe
q{ua}rteyn is gendrid of myche haboundau{n}ce of malencolye þ{a}t         8

  [‘ye q{ua}rten is ingendyrd of Malyncoly.’]

    [The Quartan arises from too much black choler, and lasts a
    year or more. To cure it soon, drink our Quinte Essence; if
    you have it not, put pith of white dwarf elder in Burning
    Water, and take a walnut-shell full morning and evening.]

is corru{m}pid w{i}t{h}y{n}ne þe body. and for þis humour is erþely,
coold, & drie, of þe nature of slowe saturne, þerfore þe accesse
of þis sijknes ben slowe, and it duriþ comou{n}ly yn a man a ȝeer
or more, and it puttiþ fro hi{m} gladnesse, & bryngiþ yn heuynes         12
more þan oþ{er}e feueris do / If ȝe wole heele þis sijknes in schort

  [[* ? our]]

tyme, lete þe pacient vse to drynke oon[*] 5 e{ss}enc{e}, and he schal
be al hool hastily / forwhi; it consumeþ þe corrupt sup{er}flue
humouris, & reducit nature to eq{ua}lite, and bryngiþ yn gladnesse,      16
& chasiþ a-wey heuynes & malencolie. and if it so be
þ{a}t ȝe haue nouȝt oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} / þanne take j ℔ of þe beste
bre{n}nynge watir, and þ{er}i{n}ne putte medullam ebuli, and namely
þe white, if ȝe may may haue it / of þis watir ȝeue to þe pacient,       20
morowe and eue{n}, a walnot-schelle ful at oonys. and he schal

    [Or, take whatever purges black choler, put it into Burning
    Water; make small pellets of it, and take one, and then two,
    gradually.]

be al hool / or ellis þus: take what þi{n}g ȝe wole þ{a}t purgiþ
malencolye, and putte a litil þ{er}of into brennynge watir, &
vse þ{a}t laxatif maad into smale pelotis, wijsly resceyuy{n}g riȝt a    24
litil at oonys, as oon litil pelot, and p{re}ue þerby how it worchiþ,
þa{n}ne anoþ{er} tyme .ij. at oonys, if it be nede / so þat þe mater
be a litil digestid and a litil egestid. for bettere it is to worche
a litil & a litil at oonys, þan sodeynly greue þe nature. forwhi,        28

      [[* Fol. 23.]]

two litil pelotis laxatif meyngid wiþ bre{n}ny{n}ge watir [*]wole
worche more myȝtily þan .8. pelotis wole do bi hem silf /

  [‘Nota for y^e q{ua}rtene.’]

    [It is said that a tooth from a live beast heals the Quartan,
    and the juice of Hen-bit or Chickweed put in a man’s nostrils.]

Also philosophoris seyn þat a tooþ drawe out from a quyk
beest, born vpon a man, delyueriþ fro þe quarteyn / Also                 32
þei seyn þat if þe yuis of þe eerbe þat is callid morsus galli{n}e
rub{r}i be putt in hise nose-þrillis whanne he bigynneth to suffre
þe accesse of þe q{ua}rteyn, he schal be hool, wiþ þe g{ra}ce of
god.                                                                     36


  [Page 21: TO CURE CONTINUAL, TERTIAN AND DAILY FEVERS.]

  [‘9^a. M^e.’]

    [--To cure continual Fever.--]

    [It arises from putrefaction of blood and corruptions of
    humours.]

The medicyn to heele þe feu{er}e contynuel{e}. alle philosophoris
seyn þat þe feu{er}e contynuel{e} is ge{n}drid of putrifaccioun
of blood and of corrupcieu{n} of humouris in it /
þ{er}fore þe cure þ{er}of is to p{ur}ge blood, and to putte awey þe       4
corrupcioun of it, & þe humoris vneuene to make euene,
þe nature lost to restore, and so restorid to kepe / Forsoþe alle
þese þingis worcheþ o{ur}e q{ui}nte e{ss}enc{e}; and þerfore it curiþ

    [Our Quinte Essence cures this, (tho’ Burning Water does not,)
    if mixed with Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearl, and a little
    Cassia or Herb Mercury.]

p{er}fiȝtly þe
        feu{er}e co{n}tynuel{e} / and þouȝ bre{n}nynge watir caste        8
out fro blood watry humouris and corrupt, ȝitt take it nouȝt in
þis cure / forwhi; þouȝ bre{n}nynge watir be .7. tymes distillid,
ȝitt it is [not] fully depurid fro his brennynge heete, & þe .4.
elementis / but siþ oure 5. e{ss}enc{e} is not hoot, ne moist, coold,    12
ne drie, as ben þe 4. eleme{n}tis / þ{er}fore it heeliþ p{er}fiȝtly þe
contynuel feu{er}e; namely wiþ co{m}mixtioun of þe 5 e{ss}enc{e} of
gold & peerle / and if ȝe wole strenkþe ȝoure medicyn, þa{n}ne
putte yn oure 5. e{ss}enc{e} a litil quantite of pulpa cassie fistule /  16
or ellis þe iuys of þe eerbe m{er}curial{e}. & if it so be þat oþ{er}e
humouris habounde to myche w{i}t{h} blood, þanne take þo laxatyues

      [[* Fol. 23b.]]

þat kyndely wole [*]purge hem, as comou{n} bookis of
fisik declareþ.                                                          20

  [‘10. M^e.’]

  [‘feu{er} t{er}cyane.’]

    [--To cure Tertian Fever.--]

The 10. medicyn to cure þe feuere tercian, þe which is
causid of putrifaccioun, or reed coler to myche haboundynge /

    [Take Quinte Essence, with Rhubarb and Endive water, morn and
    eve.]

to cure þees sijknes, tak oure 5 e{ss}enc{e}, or ellis fyn brennynge
watir,--but þe firste is bettere,--and putte þ{er}i{n}ne a litil         24
of rubarbe or of su{m}me oþ{er} laxatiue þat purgiþ reed coler, and

  [‘wat{er} of endyue.’]

a greet q{ua}ntite of watir of endyue; and vse þis medicyn at
morowe & euen. and þe pacient schal be hool wiþoute doute.

  [‘.11. M^e.’]

  [‘feu{er} cotydyan.’]

    [--To cure Daily Fever.--]

The 11. medicyn is for to heele þe feu{er}e cotidian, þe                 28
which is causid of putrifaccioun of flewme to haboundynge /
and siþ flewme is coold and moist. oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} (and in his
absence take good brennynge watir.) haþ stre{n}kþe and vertu to
consume þe rotu{n} wat{er}y inordinat, and to myche coold humidite /     32

    [Take our Quinte Essence, and a little Euphorbium, &c.]

þerfore take oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} or brennynge watir, and putte
þ{er}i{n}ne a litil of euforbij, turbit, or sambuci, or sum oþir þing
þat purgiþ flewme; and vse it morowe and eue, & þe pacient
schal be hool.                                                           36


  [Page 22: TO CURE AGUE FEVER, LUNACY, AND CRAMP.]

  [‘.12. M^e.’]

The .12. medicyn for to cure þe feuere agu, and þe lunatik
man and womman / discreet maist{ri}s seyn, þ{a}t þe feu{er}e

  [‘lunatyke p{er}sons.’]

  [--To cure Ague Fever and Lunacy.--]

agu comou{n}ly is causid of a uyolent reed coler adust, and of
blood adust, and of blak coler adust; and sumtyme of oon of               4

    [This fever comes of choler inflamed, and is accompanied by
    lightheadedness.]

þese adust, and sumtyme of two togidere, and sumtyme of .3.
togidere / and þerfore þe feu{er}e agu is þe posityue degree, and
in þe sup{er}latyue degree, comp{ar}atif gree & sup{er}latif gree /
For þe feu{er}e agu haþ comou{n}ly alienacioun of witt, & schewynge       8

  [‘No{t}a b{e}n{e}.’]

  [‘Signa.’]

      [[* Fol. 24.]]

of þingis of fantasy / And ȝe schal knowe weel whiche
ben þe humouris adust þat causen þe feu{er}e, be þese [*]tokenes /

    [As the patient sees black, gold, or red things, so the
    different humours are inflamed.]

Forwhi, if þe pacient seiþ þ{a}t he seeþ blak þi{n}gis, þanne blak
coler, þat is, malencolie, is adust / & if he se þingis of gold /        12
reed coler is adust / if reed þi{n}gis, and schewynge of bloodt
þanne blood is adust / And if he seiþ þat he seeþ alle þese .iij,
þingis, þanne alle þe humouris ben adust / For as myche as
brennynge watir ascendiþ to þe heed, and gladly wole a man               16

    [Burning Water should not be taken, but Quinte Essence of Gold
    and Pearl should, with that of Rose water, Violet, &c.]

drynke / And siþ þ{a}t feuere agu regneþ in þe regiou{n} of þe
heed / þe philosophoris counceilis þat þe pacient schal not
resceyue it in þis sijknes / but it is nedeful þat he take
oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} of gold and of peerl, meyngi{n}g þe 6 p{ar}t of       20

  [‘Rose
  violett
  Borage
  lutuse’]

5 e{ss}enc{e} of watir of rose, violet, borage, and letuse[1] / and
þanne ȝe schulen haue an heuenly medicyn to cure p{er}fiȝtly þis
sijknesse.

  [‘for y^e frenesye & wodnesse.’]

For to cure þe frenesye and woodnes, or ellis at þe leeste               24
to swage it / take a greet quantite of popilion, and þe beste

    [--To cure or assuage Frenzy and Madness.--]

vynegre þat ȝe may haue, and a good q{ua}ntite of rewe domestik,
weel brayed, and meyngid wiþ þese forseid þi{n}gis; and biclippe

    [Wrap the head and feet in, and smell at, Popilion (with
    Vinegar mixed), and Rue.]

þe heed and þe feet of þe pacient w{i}t{h} þis medicyn; and sum          28
þerof putte to his nose-þrillis. þis medicyn anoon puttiþ awey þe
frenesye & þe schewy{n}ge of fantasies / it curiþ also wode me{n}
& lunatike me{n}. and it restoriþ aȝen witt and discrecioun, &
makiþ al hool and weel at eese.                                          32

  [‘13^a. M^e.’]

    [--To cure Cramp.--]

The .13. medicy{n} is to put a-wey þe craumpe fro a man.
for as myche as wise me{n} seyn þ{a}t þe craumpe cometh of þe

    [Use our Quinte Essence or Burning Water.]

hurtynge & þe febilnes of þe senewis, as it schewiþ sumtyme
yn medicyns maad of elebore, þer is no þi{n}g þ{a}t puttiþ awey þe       36


  [Page 23: TO CURE POISON AND COWARDICE.]

      [[* Fol. 24b.]]

craumpe as doiþ oure 5 e{ss}enc{e} aforeseid, or ellis [*]brennynge
watir in stede of it.

  [‘14^a. M^e.’]

    [--To cast poison out of a man’s body.--]

The .14. medicyn, to caste out venym fro mannys body /
take o{ur}e 5 e{ss}enc{e}, and putte þ{er}in{e} fleisch of a cok, neysch  4
soden & sotilly brayed, note kirnelis, fyn triacle, radisch,

    [Take our Quinte Essence, with cock’s flesh, nut-kernels, &c.,
    and Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearls.]

& garleek smal brayed, and oþ{er}e þingis þ{a}t ben goode
to caste out venym, as comou{n} bookis of fisik declariþ /
And also, to comforte þe herte, putte yn oure foreseid 5. e{ss}enc{e},    8
þe 5. e{ss}enc{e} of gold and of peerl. and he schal be delyuerid
þerof & be hool.

  [‘15^a. M^e.’]

    [--To make a Coward bold and strong.--]

The .15. medicyn, to make a man þat is a coward, hardy
and strong, and putte a-wey almaner of cowardise and drede /             12
I seye ȝou forsoþe þ{a}t no þi{n}g m{a}y telle alle þe myraclis vertues
þat god h{a}þ m{aa}d in o{ur}e 5 e{ss}enc{e}, and not al oonly in
him, but also in to his modir, þat is to seye, fyn brennynge

    [Give him our Quinte Essence with twice as much Burning Water,
    and a little Peony juice and saffron, and Quinte Essence of
    Gold and Pearl. The coward shall lose all faintness of heart,
    despise death, and dread no perils. Therefore Christian
    Princes should have tuns of Burning Water, and give every
    fighting man a cup before battle with the heathen.]

watir. for to cure þis sijknesse, take a litil quantite of oure 5        16
e{ss}enc{e}, & putte þerto double so myche of brennynge watir,
and a litil q{ua}ntite
        of þe iuys of eerbe pione and of saffron distillid
togidere, and a litil of 5 e{ss}enc{e} of gold and of peerl; and
ȝeue it him to drinke. and aftir sodeynly, as it were by myracle,        20
þe coward man schal lese al maner drede and feyntnes of herte,
and he schal recou{er}e strenkþe þat ys lost by drede, and take to
him hardynesse, and he schal dispise deeþ; he schal drede no
perelis, and passyngly he schal be maad hardy. þis is trewe, for         24
it haþ ofte tymes by oolde philosophoris [bene] p{re}ued / þ{er}fore
it were a greet wisdom þat cristen p{ri}ncis, in bateilis aȝen
heþene me{n}, hadde wiþ hem in tonnes brennynge watir, þ{a}t
þei myȝt take to eu{er}y fiȝtynge man half a riȝt litil cuppe ful        28
þ{er}of to drynke in þe bigynnynge of þe batel. & þis p{ri}uyte
owith to be hid from alle enemyes of þe chirche; and also

      [[* Fol. 25.]]

[*]p{ri}ncis and lordis ministri{n}ge þese þingis schulde n{o}t telle
what it is.                                                              32

  [‘16^a. M^e.’]

    [--To cure Pestilential Fever (when not sent as a punishment
    by God).--]

The .16. medicyn aȝens þe feu{er}e pestile{n}cial{e}, and þe
maistrie to cure it. forsoþe holy scripture seiþ þat su{m}me
tymes oure lord god sendiþ pestilence to sle su{m}me maner
of peple, as it is seid deutrono{miu}m 28 in þis man{er} “Si             36


  [Page 24: TO CURE PESTILENTIAL FEVER AND PLAGUES.]

    [God says in Deuteronomy xxviii. that if men will not hear His
    voice and obey His commandments, pestilences shall come on
    them.]

audire nolu{er}is[11] vocem d{omi}ni dei tui, ut custodias {et} facias

        [Footnote 11: MS. volu{er}is.]

om{n}ia mandata eius, ve{n}iant sup{er} te om{n}es maledicc{i}ones; iste
maledictus eris
        in ciuitate &c.” {et} infra; “ad-iu{n}gat t{ib}i pestilenc{iam}
donec consumat te de t{er}ra, p{er}cuciat te d{omin}us egestate,          4
febre, {et} frigore, ardore {et} estu,
        {et} aere corrupto ac rubigi{n}e, {et} p{er}seq{ua}tur
donec p{er}eas” hec ib{ide}m; {et} infra “p{er}cuciat te d{omin}us
vlc{er}e egipti, {et} p{ar}tem
        corp{or}is p{er} q{uam} stercora eg{er}ant{ur}.
scabie q{uoque}, {et} p{ru}rigine, ita ut curari nequeas; p{er}cuciat te  8
d{omin}us necessitate ac furore mentis” // Therfore a gret fool

    [These plagues a man would be a great fool to presume to cure,
    but all other pestilences from evil planets may be cured by
    our Quinte Essence with Aloes, Euphorbium, &c., and a laxative
    Quinte Essence that will send the patient to stool once a day.]

were he þat wolde p{re}sume to cure þese plagis of pestilence þ{a}t
ben vncurable, þat ben sent of god to ponysche synne // Also
ȝe schal vndirstonde þ{a}t me{n} may die in .iij. maners. in oon         12
maner by naturel deeþ, in þe teerme þ{a}t is sett of god / In
anoþir maner bi violent deeþ, and also in þe .iij. maner occasionaly
wiþi{n}ne þe teerme þ{a}t is sett of god; as þo me{n} þ{a}t to
myche replecioun, or to greet abstynence or by disp{er}aciou{n}, or      16
ellis by necligence, sle hi{m} silf / but sikirly alle oþ{er}e maner
of feueris pestilence þat god suffriþ to come to ma{n}kynde by
p{er}ilous influence of yuele planetis, by þe g{ra}ce of god & good
gou{er}nau{n}ce may be curid p{ar}ti{a}ly wiþ oure 5. e{ss}enc{e}. and   20

  [‘N{ot}a b{e}n{e}.’]

þ{er}i{n}ne putte a litil of aloes epatik & euforbij, & a litil of
ierapigra galieni & of 5 e{ss}enc{e}, of þe rote of lilie and also

      [[* Fol. 25b.]]

of gold & peerle, capilli ven{er}is [*]and ysope; for þese þi{n}g{is}
ben nedeful to siche feueris & apostemes / it is nedeful also            24
þ{a}t wiþ þese þingis þer be sich a q{ui}nta e{ss}encia laxatyue þat
wole purge þe sup{er}flue humouris þat abounde; and þat þe
pacient so myche resceyue in a natural day þ{er}of þat he may
go weel oonys to sege; and so lete him vse þis laxatif .3. i{n} þe       28

  [‘Caueas.’]

woke; But be weel war þ{a}t he take wiþ oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia
but riȝt a litil q{ua}ntite of þe laxatif at oonys, as I tolde ȝou

    [He must also take every morning an egg-shell-full of Burning
    Water, and 2 or 3 pestilence pills in our Quinte Essence, and
    smoke his house with frankincense, &c.]

tofore, for peril þ{a}t miȝte bifalle. & eu{er}y day take he by þe
morowe an eye-schelle ful of good brennynge watir, and þe corrupt        32
eyr schal not noye hi{m}; & also vse in þe dayes, two or
þre smale pelotis pestilenciales in oure 5 e{ss}encia, or in brennynge
watir; & al þe hous of þe pacient schal be encensid


  [Page 25: MAY THIS BOOK {rest of line illegible} ]

strongly .iij in þe day wiþ frank-encense, mirre, & rosyn,
terbe{n}tyn & rewe.
        and þis is p{er}fiȝt cure for þe feu{er}e pestilence /
And þus ȝe may, wiþ þis 5 e{ss}encijs, cure alle þese sijkness{es}
aforeseid, and manye oþ{er}e, as it were by myracle, if ȝe                4

    [Here is an end of this most sovereign of all secrets.]

worche disc[r]eetly as I haue toold ȝou tofore / Now here
I make an eende of þis tretis þat is clepid þe mooste & þe
sou{er}eyneste secrete of alle secretis, and a passynge tresour

    [What ills will befall if it gets into tyrants’ and
    reprobates’ hands and prolongs their life in evil. I will keep
    it for holy men alone; and I commend it to Christ’s keeping
    now and ever.]

þat may nouȝt fayle // O quantu{m} malu{m} foret, si hic                  8
liber p{er}ueniret ad manus ho{m}i{nu}m mundano{rum}, ad noticia{m}
tiranno{rum}, {et} ad
        s{er}uiciu{m} rep{ro}bo{rum}! q{ui}a, si{c}ut s{anct}i p{er}
hunc libru{m} pot{er}unt continuare op{er}a vite {christian}i diuci{us}
{et} vehemenci{us}, ita {et}
        rep{ro}bi possent p{er}u{er}so vsi diuci{us}                     12
p{er}seu{er}are in malo. ego aute{m}, q{ua}ntu{m} in me est, p{ro}pt{er}
solos s{an}c{t}os
        libru{m} hunc co{n}stituo, {et} ip{su}m custod[iæ] ih{es}u
{Christ}i c{om}mendo nunc et in eternu{m} // = //


    Explicit librum de maximis secretis e{ss}encie quinte &c.            16




  [Page 26: THE SPHERES AND PLANETS]


      [[_leaf_ 26]]

¶ Philosofirs puttyn 9 sper{is} vndirewritten; but Diuinis puttin þe
tenþe sper{e}, where is heuyn empir{e}, in þe whiche, angel{is} &
sowl{is}[1] of seynt{is} seruen god; i{n} þe whiche is crist, in þe same
forme that he walkid i{n} erþe, and also owr{e} lady, & seynt{is} that
arosen w{i}t{h} criste.

    [Footnote 1: l{is} is the MS. l with a line at right angles to it.]

¶ Þe first spere of þe 9 is clepid ‘p{ri}mu{m} mobile,’ þe first mevabil
thyng.

¶ Þe .ij. spere of sterr{is}: Arie{s} .1. þe rame. ¶ the secund hows of
Mars, þe bool, ¶ þe secund hows of Venus, Gemini, ¶ þe secund hows of
Mercuri, Canc{er}. ¶ þe hows of þe mone, leo. þe hows of þe sonne,
Virgo. // þe first hows of M{er}cury, Libra // þe first hows of Venus,
Scorpio // þe first hows of Mars, Sagittari{us} // þe first hows of
Iubit{er}, Cap{ri}cornus // þe first hows of Saturne, Aquari{us} // þe
secund hows of Saturne, Piscis. / þe secunde hows of Iubit{er}
    [[_no more_]].

¶ Saturn is a planete evel-willid and ful of sekenes. Wherfore he is
peyntid w{i}t{h} an hooke, for he repeþ dow{n)} grene thyng{is} / he
fulfilliþ his course in xxx ȝeere.

¶ Iubit{er} is a planete wele willyng to alle thi{n}g{is} to be gendrid,
plent[i]ful & plesyng; therfor he is y-seid Iubit{er} as helpyn. i{n}
xij [ȝ]eere he filliþ his course.

¶ Mars is an enemy to alle thyng{is} to be gendrid; wherfor he is clepid
god of batel, for he is ful of tempest. he fulfilliþ his course i{n}
.ij. ȝeere.

      [[leaf 26, back]]

¶ Þe sonne is þe worthiest planet, y-set i{n} myddis. he fulfilliþ his
course in CCClxv dayes & vj. howr{is}, þe whiche causen bisext.

¶ Venus is apte to alle thyng{is} to be gendrid. he fulfilliþ his course
in CCCxxxvj daies.

¶ Mercuri swyft is y-seid a messeng{er} of daies [[? heuene]]. he
fulfilliþ his course i{n} CCCxxxvj daies.

¶ Þe mone is a planete ny þe erþe. [[_ends._]]

       *       *       *       *       *


                     NOTES

          ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT

By C. H. GILL, Esq., of University College, London


P. 4. Direction to submit any wine _that is not sour_ to distillation.
(_Sour_ wine is deficient in alcohol; that body having been changed into
acetic acid by oxidation.) In the language of the mystical ideas which
prevailed in the dawn of Chemistry, the colouring matters, sugar, &c. of
the wine are called ‘the .4. elementis,’ or as it were the ‘rotten fæces
of wine’??

The direction to distill the wine seven times is a good practical
suggestion for the obtaining of strong alcohol which will burn well.
Then follows a description of the distilling apparatus, which seems to
have been arranged to ensure a very slow distillation, so as to obtain a
product as colourless and scentless as possible.

P. 5. The second way to make the Quinte essence depends on distillation
of alcohol by means of the heat of fermenting horse-dung; also the fifth
manner.

P. 6. The directions for gilding burning water are all nonsense; but as
the writer had no means of testing the truth of his statements, they may
have been made in good faith.

P. 7. The idea which he expresses, that this gilt burning water will
make you well and young, is difficult to explain, except on the
assumption that, it being the strongest of alcohol, a very little served
to produce that elevation of spirits which seemed to bring back the
spring of youth.

P. 7, l. 6 from the bottom. The word _liquibles_ in the text does not
mean liquids, for a liquid cannot be made hot enough to be _quenched_.
If the original _liquibles_ cannot be retained I should substitute the
word _liquiables_, meaning those things which can be liquefied by heat.
Indeed in the next passage we find stated that if Saturn (the
alchemists’ mystical name for Lead) be quenched, &c., and that if then
Mars (Iron) be quenched in the same liquid, it will acquire the softness
of Saturn. Or if you quench lead in spirit which has had iron first
cooled in it, it becomes hard.

Of course there is no truth whatever in the above statements.

P. 8. The fire without coals, &c., is ‘corrosive sublimate,’ most
probably containing an excess of Sulphuric acid (vitriol) as an
impurity. If Copper (Venus) or Tin (Jupiter) be dipt into this solution
of mercury they will have a deposit of mercury formed on their surface,
which will give them a pearly appearance.

P. 8. To bring Gold into calx. When gold is treated in the way directed,
a fine powder of gold of a brown or yellow colour is left. This might
readily have been mistaken for a calx by those who had no clear ideas of
what calx really was.

P. 9. The departing of gold from silver is essentially the same as the
plan practised at the present day.

To get the Quintessence of Gold. I can make nothing of the directions,
that is, I cannot see that they (the directions) hide any real truth.

P. 10. How to get the Quintessence of Antimony. I can make nothing of
this part, and can only suggest that the vinegar used contained
hydrochloric acid, and when distilled with ‘Myn Antimony’ (native
sulphide of antimony) gave a distillate of Chloride of Antimony
containing some ‘kermes’ which is red.

From this point onward there is little or nothing that can be explained
by a Chemist.




                   GLOSSARY.


  [Transcriber’s Note:
  A number of the listed words are spelled differently in the text than
  in the glossary, or have italics that will affect text searching. The
  searchable spelling is given in braces at the end of the entry. Line
  references in braces were also added by the transcriber.]

Agu, p. 22, l. 1, ‘Intermittent Feaver, commonly called an _Ague_, has
  certain times of Intermission or ceasing; it begins for the most part
  with Cold or Shivering, ends in Heat, and returns exactly at set
  Periods.’ _Phillips._
Aischin, p. 4, l. 10, ashes.
Amphora, p. 11, &c., ‘a large vessel which derived its name from its
  being made with a handle on each side of the neck, from ἀμφί _on both
  sides_, and φέρω _I carry_.’ _Dict. of Gr. and Rom. Ant._
Anele, p. 6, l. 26, &c., heat?
Apostemes, p. 24, l. 24, imposthumes, boils.
Appeire, p. 3, l. 12, impair, worsen.
Arreins, p. 2, l. 25, spiders. {areins}

‘Cassia Fistula (Lat.), {p. 21, l. 16}, Cassia in the Pipe or Cane, a
  kind of Reed or Shrub that grows in _India_ and _Africa_, bearing
  black, round, and long Cods, in which is contain’d a soft black
  Substance, sweet like Honey, and of a purging Quality.’ _Phillips._
Colaciouns, p. 18, l. 21, ? comments, homilies. {colac{i}ou{n}s}
Comounne, p. 3, l. 35, communicate. {Comou{n}ne}
‘Continual Feaver {p. 21} is that whose Fit is continu’d for many Days;
  having its times of Abatement, and of more Fierceness; altho’ it
  never intermits, or leaves off.’ _Phillips._ {feu{er}e contynuel{e}}

Deedly, p. 3, l. 24, liable to death, mortal.
Departynge, p. 5, l. 14, parting, separating.
Depurid, p. 9, l. 27, purified, purged.
Distillatorie, p. 10, l. 24, a still. Randle Holme, (_Academy_, p. 422,
  col. 2,) speaks of ‘a Still or Distillatory Instrument,’ and further
  on, iv., ‘He beareth Sable, the Head of a _Distillatory_ with 3 pipes;
  having as many Receivers or Bottles set to them.’

‘Ebulum or Ebulus (Lat.), {p. 18, l. 3} the Herb _Wall-wort_,
  _Dane-wort_, or _Dwarf-elder_.’ _Phillips._ {appears in form _ebuli_}
Encorpere, p. 13, l. 4, mix, incorporate. {encorp{er}e}
Euforbii, p. 21, l. 3 bot., ‘Euphorbia, the _Libyan Ferula_, a Tree or
  Shrub first found by King _Juba_, and so call’d from the Name of his
  Physician _Euphorbus_.’ _Phillips._ {euforbij}
Euphorbium, ‘the gummy Juice or Sap of that Tree much us’d in Physick
  and Surgery.’ _Phillips._
Extremities, p. 17, l. 2, ends of the limbs. {extremytees}

Fecis, p. 4, l. 7; p. 9, dregs.
Fire of hell, p. 8, l. 23, a disease. {fier of helle}
Fumiter, p. 18, l. 3, fumitory. {f[u]mit{er}}
Fyme, p. 10, l. 2 bot., mud, clay.

Gerapigra galieni, p. 3, l. 29, ἱερα πικρα Γαληνου.
Giltid, p. 7, l. 3, having the properties of gold communicated by it.
Groste, p. 5, ll. 9, 29, grossness, heavy particles, residuum.
  {grosté}

Hide, p. 13, l. 18, ? for hide{us}; compare the Harleian reading
  ‘unkinde.’
Hool, p. 15, l. 10, recover, improve.

Incombustible, p. 10, l. 2.
Incorruptibility, p. 7, l. 2. {incorru{m}ptibilitee}

Kynde, p. 1, l. 12, all creatures; l. 13, nature.

‘Lapis Lazuli {p. 18, l. 3} a kind of Azure or Sky-colour’d Stone, of
  which the Blew Colour call’d _Ultramarine_ is made .. much us’d in
  Physick.’ _Phillips._ {lapis lasuly}
Lembike, p. 9, l. 2, ‘Alembick or Limbeck (Arab.), a Still, a Chymical
  Vessel used in Distilling, shaped like a Helmet, and towards the
  Bottom having a Beak or Nose, about a Foot and a half long, by which
  the Vapours descend. They are commonly made of Copper tinn’d over on
  the inside, and often of Glass.’ _Phillips._
Liquibles, p. 7, l. 6 bot., meltable metals.
Lymayl, p. 8, l. 6 bot., Fr. ‘_limaille_: f. File-dust, pinne-dust.’
  _Cotgrave._

Marien Bath, p. 12, l. 7 bot., Balneum Mariæ, a Chemist’s bath. ‘_Bain
  de Marie._ Maries bath; a cauldron, or kettle full of hot water.’
  _Cotgrave._ {bath clepid marien}
Medle, p. 19 last line, mix.
Medulla, p. 18, l. 3, pith.
Mercasite, p. 10, l. 14, ‘a kind of Mineral Stone, hard and brittle,
  partaking of the Nature and Colour of the Metal it is mixed with; some
  call it a Fire-Stone.’ _Phillips._ {m{er}casite}
Mercuriale, mercurie, p. 21, 19, &c., ‘Mercury .. among Chymists ..
  signifies Quick-silver; and is also taken for one of their active
  Principles, commonly call’d _Spirit_ .. Also the Name of a purging
  Herb, of which there are two sorts, _viz._ _Good Harry_ and _Dog’s
  Mercury_.’
Metis, p. 16, l. 22, _meatus_, passages.
Mon, p. 13, l. 19. ? {question mark in original: see footnote}
Morsus Gallinæ, the Herb Henbit or Chick-weed. _Phillips._ {cited at
  p. 20 l. 33}
Mortifie, p. 19 last line, ‘Among Chymists to change the outward Form
  or Shape of a Mixt Body; as when Quicksilver, or any other Metal, is
  dissolved in an _acid Menstruum_.’ _Phillips._

Neischede, p. 7, l. 2 bot., neshness, softness, pliancy.

Oo, p. 4, one. {cited at line 11 and later}

Popilion, p. 22, l. 24; ‘Populeum, an Ointment made of Poplar buds, of a
  cooling and allaying Quality.’ _Phillips._ Fr. ‘_Populeon._ Popilion,
  a Pompillion; an ointment made of blacke Poplar buds.’ _Cot._ {word
  appears on line 25, not 24}
Preparate, p. 8, l. 21, prepare. {p{re}p{ar}ate}

‘Quartan Ague {p. 20} is that whose Fit returns every fourth Day.’
  _Phillips._ {quarteyn}
Quenchour, p. 6 at foot, cooling the florin ?
Quintessence is defined by Phillips as ‘the purest Substance drawn
  out of any Natural Body; a Medicine made of the efficacious active
  Particles of its Ingredients separated from all _Fæces_ or Dregs; the
  Spirit, chief Force, or Virtue of any thing.’

Reme, p. 9, l. 5 bot., A.S. _reoma_, a strap, thong.
Reparale, p. 8, l. 21, make, compound. {rep{ar}ale}
Respire, p. 4, l. 5 from foot, exhale.
Restreyne, p. 7, l. 8, retain.
Reward, p. 2, l. 4, 7, regard.
Rotombe, p. 10, l. 3 bot., a retort.

Sambucy, p. 16, l. 7 bot., ‘Sambucus, the Elder-Tree; a Shrub of very
  great use in Physic.’ _Phillips._
Stafisagre, p. 20, l. 1, ‘Staphis agria, the Herb Staves-acre, or
  Lice-bane.’ _Phillips._ {stafi-sagre}

‘Tertian Ague or Feaver {p. 21} is that which intermits entirely, and
  returns again every third Day with its several Symptoms at a set
  Time.’ _Phillips._ {tercian}
To, p. 1, l. 16, too.
Triacle, p. 23, l. 5, cordial, ‘Treacle, a Physical Composition, made of
  Vipers and other Ingredients.’ _Phillips._
Turbit, p. 16, l. 7 bot., ‘Turbit, Tripoly, an Herb called Turbith, or
  blew Camomel.’
‘Turbith, an Herb so call’d by the Arabians, which grows in Cambaya,
  Surat, and other parts of Asia; a dangerous Drug upon account of its
  violent purging Quality.’ _Phillips._

Vapoure, p. 8, l. 5 from foot; p. 9 at foot, evaporate.

Woodnes, p. 22, l. 23, wildness, madness.

Ypericon, p. 19, l. 16, ‘Hypericon, St. _John’s-Wort_, an excellent Herb
  for Wounds, and to provoke Urine.’ _Phillips._

       *       *       *       *       *
           *       *       *       *
       *       *       *       *       *

[Technical Notes and Errata:

The character “l-bar” ƚ has been represented in this text by “l-stroke” ł,
as it is much more widely available.

Two entries in the Table of Contents were merged in the printed book,
apparently for reasons of space. The original form was:

  HOW TO CURE FRENSY, GOUT, AND TROUBLES FROM DEVILS, WICKED THOUGHTS,
    ETC., p. 17; AND HOW OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IS HEAVEN                 19

The main title page has been left as printed:
  e{ess}encijs...
The internal title page was changed from
  [Sloane MS. 73, fol. 10. Brit, Mus.]
The superfluous “e” and the comma after “Brit” appear to be the only
typographical errors in the book.

Each page of body text was surrounded by the following:

Top of Page:
  Synopsis of page contents. This e-text preserves the page breaks and
  line divisions of the 1866/1889 book.

Inner Margin:
  Line numbers in increments of 4, used for Index.

Bottom of Page:
  Footnotes, originally numbered from 1 on each page.

Outer Margin:
  Side footnotes: Identified by asterisk rather than by number. In this
  e-text they are printed directly below the referring line, in the same
  way as page-bottom footnotes.

  Folio number: Marked with an asterisk at the exact point of page break.
  It appears to be mere coincidence that the text of folio (leaf) 26 was
  printed on page 26 of the 1889 book.

  Marginal notations: These are described in the “P.S.” of the editor’s
  introduction.

  Subheads: Printed in italics, with horizontal lines above and below.

  Running summary: Provided by the 1866 editor. In this e-text, some of
  the more fragmentary summary notes have been combined into one block.

Special Case:
  On page 22, in the space at the end of a paragraph, a numbered
  footnote reads [_in margin_, ‘Rose / violett / Borage / lutuse/’]. In
  this e-text, the words have been shown as a marginal notation. ]