THe Art of destillation ( whiche they call Chymia , Alchimia , Alkimia , Chemia Suidas calleth it , and Alchemia ) hath inuented many profitable things for mans life , and in Phisicke also certain meruelous thinges , and praise worthy , if a man prepare them righte and diligentlye . For the lacke of knowledge , Couetousnes or negligence of Phisitions and commun Apothecaries is the cause why many such preparations are set litle by : and worthily , if you respect that which they prepare : vnworthely , if ye marke the Art it selfe , whiche certes is most excellent and most profitable : which semeth to be the cause why it lay hid so long , and began to come in vre very late . Some ascribe vnto Hierom of Brunswick , which about .lxx. yeares past practised Phisick at Argentyn , the originall of getting out waters , as they cal them , and liquors and oyles out of simple medicines by the strengthe of fire : but they are much deceiued , for this Arte was not inuented by him , but wryten in our Dutch tung and first set out by him . In mine opinion this inuencion is so auncient as the inuencion of the very Chymia , which I suppose was celebrated first and put in wryting by men that vsed the Punicall or els the Arabicke tonge , a litle after the age of the Grecian Phisicions , Of those I speake that writ almooste the latest , as Aetius , Oribasius , Actuarius , Psellus . In certain libraries in Italy euen at this day , are there extant certain wrytinges of Chymia by certain late Grecians , namely a certain Philosopher called Stephan : al so a boke intituled of the chaunging of metals , which communlye are called Chymia , or Arcymia . There is also a boke to be had of Alchymia made by Auicenna vnto Assis a Philosopher . Geber ( the Nepheu of I canne not tell what great Mahomet ) who is celebrated as a captain and prince of this science , what age he liued in I can not easily say . Although I iudge him not to haue bene the first in uentor of this Art , but one that broughte it to lighte and renouned it . This man in his worke intitled Summae perfectionis , discoursinge excellentlye and disputinge manye things of destillacion generallye , writeth that diuers maners of destilling are knowne almost of all men , euen as an auncient inuencion , yea in his time also , no new thing . Certain late wryters declare the wrytinges of Alchymia not only of Albertus Magnus , S. Thomas , Rhaza , and Auicenna , Arabik Phisitions , but also of Aristotle , Plato and Salomon , at the least wise mention to be made by them of it : to whome I geue small credence , not that I thincke this studye to be the newer , but certes that it was ether vnknown to these philosophers or mentioned in no place . Some there be that expound feetly and wittily al the feinings of the Poets , and chieflye that of the golden fleece , sought by the Argonautae , vnto the multiplying of Golde or Art of enterchaunging of metalles . Some also ascende higher , and make the first men by and by after the beginnidg of the world , authors therof . Some simplely make it most auncient , and affirme that no certainty is to be had of the first inuenters . At Padway in Italy in our time was found a most auncient monument , namely an erthen pot , hauing written vpon it this Hexasticon .

Within this pot was an other litle pot with the inscription of these verses .

Again , within this little pot was found a light yet burning betwene two Phials , the one of Gould , the other of Siluer , ful of a certain mooste pure liquor , by the vertue wherof they beleue that this lighte had burnte manye a yeare , as did noote in their collections and gatherings of old auncient inscriptions or Poesies Petrus Appianus and Bartholom eus Amantius Hermolaus Barbarus also in his Corollarium or addicion vpon Dioscorides made mention of this same thing , wheras he entreateth of waters in commun. There is also ( saith he ) a heauenlye water , or rather diuine of the Chymistes , whiche boothe Democritus and Mercury Trimegistus knewe : callinge it sometimes a deuine water , somtimes a Seythicall liquor , somtimes pneuma , that is , spirit of the nature of the firmament , and of the fift essens or substance of things : wherof potable gold , and that philosophers stone much spoken of , but not yet fond , consisteth . Hereupon also is the name geuen vnto the art calling it Psammurgicall , and misticall , and Annophysiall and holy , and greatest : as thoughe it had certaine secreate letters , and such as it should be conueniente to kepe and restrein the profane commun people from . This kinde of liquor , as I suppose , dothe the Epigram signifye of late found within the field of Padua nie vnto the village called Atesta , made vpon earthen or bricke mettal , and therfore frail , and broken vnwares by the handes of a man of the country digging the ground in the same place . The remembrance wherof least it should pearish we haue added hereunto the very wordes . This holy gift to the God , &c. as before . Therfore it appeareth that the study of this Art was of moste antiquitie amongste the Barbarus nacions , but deriued vnto the Romains and Grekes somwhat late , nether before perauenture that the Romains obteined the dominion of a great part of the worlde : or if sooner yet couertly & reteined emongst a very fewe . Cicendulae that shine in the night ( saith Cardane ) teach vs that a liquor may be made that may shine in the dark . It is made certes by the putrifying of those things that haue most erceding brightnes , light & perspicuitie . I dout not but it is possible to be made , wherof and how , I am vncertain . But these things are almost besides our matter , sauing that it mighte seme vtterly that the way to sublimate & destil , as they term it , hath had his original of the Chimists , & continued also alwais with their art : was opened vnto the men of our parte of the world then first , when as the world being made known bithimpery of the Romains , sundry kinds of spices also & diners medicins vnknown befor to the men of Europe , & to the Grekes & Latins also , began to be brought in : and afterward also more , what time as the Mauritans & men learned in the Arabik tung & doctrin , possessed a great part of Spain , wherby certain bokes of learned men cam vnto vs : & amongst the latter sort , as I think , the works of one Bulcasis Benaberazeris who in the place wher he intreteth of the preparation of medicins , teacheth also of many things to be sublimated & destilled . About the age of the same man almost , I think Iohannes Mesue was famous , whom we read to haue liued about the yere of our Lord . 1158. But be mencioneth none other destild waters than of Roses & Wormwod . Men say Auicenna florished the yere of our Lord . 1149 ▪ who also speketh of Rose water destild . The vsa of metalli things sublimated is far more auncient , at the leaste wise touching the tradition or tretises of authors , & like wise is the vse of oyls that are made by descension or downwarde as in Rasis & Aetius . A certain man ( whose name I spare to rehers , ) writ of late that these maner of destilled liquors wer not vnknown to the latter Greke writers , vsing this argument , that destilled liquors are sometimes named in the writings & works of Actuarius , And in dede he nameth in some places Rhodostagma , as in his Iulep against the cogh : & a litle folowing in an other Iulep intybostagma . But with these words is signified nothing els than a simple syrup of Roses or Endiue . Rhodostactum doth Agenita describe in his . 7. boke , y t. 15. cha. with these words . Sieth .ii. sextars of the iuice of Roses that nails wherof are taken away , one sertar of hony skimming it til the .iiii. part be consumed . Ye a litle before also he describeth Hydrorosatū rosed water , that also far differing from a destiled liquor , or water destild for it consisteth of .iiii. pounds of Roses the nailes taken away .v. sextaries of water : ii . sextaries of hony . The Arabians also or their expositors , when they speake of the water of any plant , they vnderstand the decoction of it in water : and likewise Nicolas Myrepsus that writte in Greke of the compositions of medicines , whome it appeareth to be a verye late wryter , by the barbarous woordes that he vseth very oft : wherin I maruel this , that no mention is made by him of waters or oyles prepared in Chymistical instruments . Only the oyl Capnistum or smoked , that is destilled by descention , doth he describe , as Aetius also . Moreouer , the thinges that the Chimistes make may I comprehend in .ii. kindes for the moste parte , that they be ether liquors or Massy things , the liquors againe are ether watery or oyly : and these ether aiery or fiery . The Massy things , are ether such as rest in the bottom : or such as are caried vpwarde : and that .ii. waies , ether as pure bodies and substauces , as they which they cal sublimated , quick siluer . &c. or Sout for the remedies of the eies wyth Phisicions . There be also other artificial manner of preparings , wherwith the purest and most effectual parte in medicines is drawne out , and as it were the forme is separated from the matter .

And although I am not greatly trauailed nether in the Chymistical nor in the other manner of preparings , but by the way haue got the kuowledge of certain thinges , partly by mine own experience in some things , & partlye of myfrends : yet what so euer and how much so euer this is , I wil communicat it with the studions of Phisick : not as though I entend to teach perfectly and absolutely the very Art of destilling and preparing of other things , but as it were wryting vnto such as now already are not all voyde and withoute knowledge of these things , hauing ether experimented them selues or red other mens wrytings . For I haue nothing so exrellēt or secrete , but I couet it might ge abrode to the publik and common profit , and although in smal wealth , yet haue I ben euer of nature ready to communicate and make any man priuye of any cunning I had , which som referre vnto simplicitie or childishnes , other some better to the liberalitie of my disposition . There be some that do vtterly cloke and kepe secrete their things , and that diuers kinde of men : some for Ambicion , that they maye haue wherewith to excell and pas other menne : some also for couetousnes , to get gayne thereby : other thorowe the ignoraunce of the aunciente wryters , as thoughe there were not put in wrytinge ether the same or far better by men of antiquitie , whiche now are despised of many , and a folish and vnsaciable lust is ther alwais to find out new things . Ther wantes not such as think , great and effectual medicins shuld be kepte secrete for this cause , least vncunning men , as many practicioners be , without al reason almost , and al learnynge , might abuse them , and conuert those thinges whiche are inuented for the helth of men , to their destruction . To such wold I answer , As no kind of euil ought to be committed for this intent that any good thing might follow therof : so that which is good ought not to be left vndone , leaste som euil might ensue , for the world shal neuer be without them that wil abuse good things and profitable inuencions . But good men , simplely suche good thinges as they haue , they make them common , and wil not stick nor cese to do so because they feare , that certain leud persons may do hurt therby . But I wil leaue of this disputation , thye do I protest sincerely & as I thinck withal my hart , that I couet by my example to stur vp learned and good Physions , that laying apart al Ambition , Couetousnes , Ignorance , Enuy , if they can bring any excellent thinge vnto our profession , that they wold do it gentlely and publikely . As for the vnlearned certes , they in ministring not only these great and effectual medicines , of whiche sorte we shal put diuers in wrytinge heare , but meates also and most common drinkes , out of time , do hasard and brynge mens liues manye times to diseases and deathe : and it is well known that Hippocrates writ how our Ptisan ministred not in due time , was the cause of death to a certaine man sick of the Pleurisy . These therfore ought to be lefte partly to their ignorance , partly to their leude malapartnes . But they that haue nede of the Physicion are to be admonished to do that in Phisicke , that all men are wont to do in al other Artes : that is , to chuse good Physicions , and learned , and such as exercise and practise this Art by their profession , both with reasons , as a part of Philosophy and also in the very actions and doinges of cures . But I return to the purpose . The preparing therfor ( as I say ) is of the greatest moment and weight in euerye matter . In Rhetorik vtterans , gesture , and pronunciation more almost moue the mindes of the hearers , then the very argument that is handled . Hereupon it cometh that things put in meter and in numbers , do delite so greatly : which if a man vtter in proos , they shal be taken for cold , dnl and solishe . Hereof cometh it that one beinge asked the question what was the chiefest thinge in an orator , answered pronunciation : what was the next and the third : the same . Shewes and plaies , that thei delite the hearers and beholders so greatly , it is much more long of the form and maner of their forniture and preparance then of the matter plaied or shewed . In like maner in the verye thinges and workes , the forme , the fashion , figure , maner , aswel of nature as of Art , finally a certain preparation is more marked and commended then the matter . Likewise in physsk , the conninge to prepare thinges aright , and the descression to minister them aptly , haue the greatest moment and skil moste . Nether is it of greater force what thou ministrest , then in what maner . And althoughe there be manye circircumstances to be considered , that thou maist exhibit the medicin aright , yet the maner , and the preparing is with in the medicine , and is at it were the form therof and part the other circumstaunces are withoute it , as time , place , and such things as are to be considred about the sickman . But letting pas other waies of dressing and preparing at this present , we wil onli touch those , bi the which al the vertue and faculti or operation is separated from the substance of the medicins , so that the more liquid and moyst , the more pure and subtil part of euery remedy or medicin , maye be bad seuered and drawn out from the grose and erthy part : whether it be gathered into a liquor drawn out of the sam remedy or medicin or into an other certaine ertarnall . &c. which the barbarous wryter Arnold calleth Eruirtuare to outuerteuat , or Excorporare , to outcorporate . Furthermore , if sumthings shal seme to be written somwhat curiously or double diligently , ye must consider that suthe pertain not to the Physicions of the common people and pore fooke , but to such as abound more with riches and ease , & haue plenty of seruants , or such as remain in Prynces or Kings courts : or also to Philosophers , that busilye searche out the meruelous mutacion and vertues of natural thinges , and in them delite them selues . To conclude , let no man maruel that so great and longe commendacions and praises are added to certain medicines , as vnto the Quintessences as they call them , to Aqua vities , & made ba●mes , and that vnto some meruelous vertues are attributed , as to sharpen the wit and memory , to conserue the senses and youth . &c. When as euen by the auncient Grekes & Latins also we read such effects and operacions to be ascribed to Triacle and other preseruatiues and compositions , specially by the Arabians vnto diuers things , yea euen of Galen also vnto Triacle . Ther be som that I wil not auow , and whose credit I leaue to the authors , whose names I write euery where . But it is said before alreadye , that we wryt all these thinges for the learned and discreate men , which for the most part shall iudge more easily how much credit is to be geuen to euery thinge . Althoughe in verye many it is not sufficient to be furnished with learning and iudgement , excepte experience and practise be ioyned also therwith . But I make an end heare of my Preface .