IN sacred Scripture ( gentle Reader ) among others we finde this lawe full of Christian Loue and Charitie : Thou shalt restore againe the wandering or straying ▪ Oxe or Deuteron . 22. 〈◊〉 . Asse of thy neighbours vnto him : By which law the eternal God would as by an euident argument confirme and establish amongest vs mutuall loue and amitie . For if in this sorte Gods lawes doe commaund vs to take care of the straieng cattle of our enimies : how much more then do they will vs to helpe the miserable ease and great dangers of the bodies of our friends , and to restore their health ? Wherefore when as I ( together with Theophrastus Paracelsus and other excellent men ) vnderstoode the errours of manie Phisitions of our time , I beganne to deuise with my selfe by what meanes I might attaine to the knowledge of true phisicke , which is deriued out of the light of nature , not out of the darke writings of the heathen . And I iudged it to be necessarie to trauell , and to go vnto far places , to seek out learning and knowledge , and not to hope or looke for it , sitting at home idlelie . I prepared my selfe therefore to my 〈◊〉 , and with long trauell and labour haue searched out and learned those things , which for christian loue sake I can no longer keepe silent , that I might call backe the wandering children into the path of true doctrine , and hauing declared my iournie and labours , they also being excused and defended , which are laid open vnto al maner of slaunders , by those which so greatly commend the heathenish phisicke , whose deceits in som part I wil indeuor to disclose ; I wil afterward declare what those that are desirous of true and naturall phisicke , are to looke for at my hands , and what Bookes of true phisicke I haue gathered together in sundrie places , being mooued with compassion towards those that go astraie , I wil communicate and set forth for their publike profit and commoditie . But first the matter so requireth , that to auoide the hatred of the common sort , as well from my selfe , as from al other fauourers of the Arte of Separation , I should dulie answer vnto the aduersaries , whose frowardnesse and malice is such , that they wil with proude wordes annihilate , reiect , and condemne others inuentions , which they themselues see and perceiue they may vse with great successe and profite . And yet they in the meane season arrogate vnto themselues the commendations due vnto the Authors , and with a lying kinde of st●alth robbe the inuenters of Artes of their due honour ; which is a subtil kind of craft , springing out of the deceits of the olde serpent . For when as reports are spread of the straunge cures of sundrie grieuous diseases , which are wrought by the benefite of tinctures and vegetall and minerall spirites , by the cunning and labour of those whom the common sort at this day cal Chymists or Alchimists : by and by on the contrarie part they crie out that those colliar phisitions can do no good but kil al men that put themselues into their hands with their venemous medicines , so that they ought to bee driuen out of the commonwealth , and that they are deceiuers , and that their extractions and preparations , their subtile and thinne spirit wil profit nothing , and that the spirit of Vitriol is poison , the essence of Antimonie and Mercurie is nothing , the extraction of Sulphur is nothing worth , neither the liquor of gold : and to be briefe , that al things are contrarie to the nature of man , and more to be auoided then the eies of a basiliske . And yet they in the meane time like cunning and crastie theeues priuily , and with fair promises picke out from the poore Chymists the secrets of Phisicke , and secretly learne those things that they forbid the common people as poisons , afterwardes challenging them for their owne practises . And by this wicked iniury they deriue vnto themselues the fauour , friendship , praise , gifts and rewardes of men , which by good right are altogether due vnto those that by their labour , sweat , watching , and diligent search in natural things by Vulcans arte haue found out such things , and published them for the common commoditie of man . And yet not contented therewith , they also publish great volumes filled with toyes , lies , & sophistications ; going about as much as in them is , to suppresse , ouerthrowe , and vtterly to extinguish the light with darkenesse , and the trueth with lies , & practise ( the most plaine and manifest workemistresse established euen by trueth it selfe ) with a vaine fained theoricke , deuised by their owne subtile braine . I say to thee ( thou notable Doctor , that so backebitest Paracelsus ) how canst thou by any meanes with thy trifling wordes deface the worke it selfe , or with thy theoricke refell the practise ? Art thou so great a doctour and knowest not , that thou hast profited so much , as by thy worke thou canst bring aught to effect ? Paracelsus teacheth that the falling sickenesse is to be cured with the spirit of Vitrioll , and performed it , and the worke it selfe declares it daily : prooue thou the contrarie , and cure the same disease with thy pilles , sirropes , and electuaries , then shalt thou haue the victorie . It is not sufficient for thee by bringing thy reasons , to proue that metalline medicines are not agreeing for mans nature , neither that metals may be so prepared that they may heale . Why ? Thou deniest that which indeede is performed , and openly seene with eies . It is a foule thing to be ignorant in that that euery man knoweth . For out of all doubt you haue all heard , that most daungerous diseases haue bin cured with metaline tinctures , yea , with such as haue not been rightly prepared by counterfeit Paracelsians , as with Vitrum Antimonij , which doth plucke vp sodainely at once by the rootes the impurities of the feuer , although not without great weakening of the powers , yet it healeth : And yet we alow not such perillous cures . And so likewise of others . N 〈…〉 Mineralles worke this , not being rightly prepared , what thinke you will they doe being rightly prepared and purged from their venome and poison ?

And how can you with a safe conscience reiect those things whereof you haue no knowledge ? It is not sufficient to affirme an●e thing except it be confirmed by probable and grounded reasons . Euerie man will play the Censor of Paracelsus , whom it is more easie to reprehend , then to follow . And whilest euerie man desireth to seeme , or to be thought more learned then other , no man wil learne of another . I say euery Paracelsian which doth but onely carry coales vnto the worke , can shewe you by eie three principles of Theophrastus physicke . Haue you tasted the most sharp salt ? or the most sweete o●le ? or the balme that most delicate li●uor ? All those being hidden in euerie thing that is created , you haue not once perceiued . The metalline spirites , in whome physi●ke doeth consist , by no meanes can be found out , neither what force they haue or fellowship with mans nature , but only by fire , for as fire did first shew that the smoake of Mercurie was poison to mans nature without an●e subtile speculation , but thou didst neuer handle coales , neither canst draw any so smal a baulme out of the Vegetals therfore being ignorant in metalline physicke , thou canst not so much as once ghesse what it is ▪ and therefore doest iudge of things vnknowen , as the blinde man doeth of colours . Is it not a great folli● to write against a thing , and not to vnderstand it wel before ? Such as are addicted to Paracelsus doctrine , when they perceiue you haue no stronger weapons then those you haue hitherto gathered , they will conclude that you rather confirme and establish Paracelsus physicke , then confute it . It is not enough to say a thing is false , except there be morè probable and better shewed . Hereby it appeareth that ye nourish a secret ignorance of naturall things in your selues .

What , 〈◊〉 you those great physitions and excellent philosophers ? How commeth it then to passe that the force of drugs are hidden and vnknowen vnto you ? Do you not in this point come ●eere vnto the empericks , whom you with great pride and brag of knowledge r●iect , when as you say ; the Chymist , be he neuer so excellent , is no phisitian , but he that with iudgement and reason hath learned to make and v●e all r●●●dies for diseases : For in those points consisteth the chiefest glorie and commendation of a Phisitian , and the onelie safetie of the sicke . Howe vaine is this reasonable phisitian , which prepareth his medicines with reason and not with the hand ? He is the very phisitian that with his own hand purgeth his medicines from their venome , and being so prepared , with sharpe iudgement doth applie them to their proper diseases , that the seede of the disease may be pulled vp by the rootes , and so must the speculation and practise , reason and the worke concurre and ioyne together , because iudgement without practise is barren . Tell me , howe commeth it to passe that mercurie healeth the French pox and the filthie scabbe ? Why doe you command the miserable sicke persons to annoint themselues with quickesiluer as shepheardes grease their sheepe ? How happeneth it ( I say ) that mercurie is the speciall best remedie against these diseases ▪ Do you d●●●● that met●als ●o an●● 〈◊〉 , y●● and the greatest p 〈…〉 e cures ? Why doe you co 〈…〉 such as 〈◊〉 infected with leprosie to swallow gold ▪ ●hi● do you boile it in bro●●●● with cap●●● ? Why do you mingle 〈◊〉 gold in your 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 ries ? You know that the force of the ●epro●●● is of● delaied that it break●●● not out into the vpper part of the skinne by taking of crude gold● into the stomacke : Then if golde that is compact and not resolued do● worke this effect , w●at will not the spirite of golde worke being ●oosed from his grose substance ?

If you will not beleeue Paracelsus , that the cure of m●st dangerous diseases 〈…〉eth hidden in mettalles , at the least , 〈◊〉 those that liued long before him , amongst whome Arnoldus de villa 〈◊〉 is chiefe , who in his booke of the prese●●ation of youth saith th●● : Pearles 〈◊〉 into liquor , comfort the naturall heate , help the 〈…〉 embling of the heart , and those that are feareful , and properly they clarifie the blood of the heart ▪ and manie diseases are cured by them . For i● is a salt of the 〈◊〉 which the wise call their Animall stone , and some the Minerall C 〈…〉 , and all the maisterie in the preparation of it , is , that it may be resolued into a most pure and potable water with such things as doe not destroy his nature . This saith Ar 〈…〉 , who speaketh 〈◊〉 of stamping , but of solution : but to what purpose d●●l all●●dge thi 〈…〉 Verily , that you may see how with your owne swords you cut your owne throats , you vse pearles , corals , and pr 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in your elect●aries and broathes , and those you bea●e into pouder . You 〈◊〉 as it were a certaine medicinall vertue in pretious stones , but you deale as naughtie cooks and rude countrie wo●●● do , that when pa 〈…〉 ges o● ha●●s come to their hands , they 〈◊〉 the● 〈◊〉 the po●tage pot , or else ●eethe them in water : euen so stampe and breake your pearles which should rather be dissolued . Alb●it you should make powder as subtil as the aire , you should nothing profite : for as you put it into the stomacke , so shall you see it passe away againe , and hereupon of very necessitie were the rules of Chy〈…〉 preparations brought into physicke , which you doe hate worse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serpent●r a dog , with the practisers of their .

What 〈…〉 ll neede many wordes ? If you will not yet gra●nt that 〈◊〉 speciall 〈◊〉 of diseases consisteth in minerals , hearken what 〈◊〉 Math●●lu● saieth in the fourth booke of his Epistles : the bodies of 〈◊〉 sicke being 〈◊〉 of seedes of diseases , will hardly be healed without m 〈…〉 ●alline medicines . And in his treatise of Antymonie he saith : A●tymonie doth no lesse purge the diseas●s of the bodies , then metals , from super 〈…〉 uities . This did that learned 〈…〉 an vnderstand when as yet he 〈◊〉 not the true prepration of Antymony . Likewise hee greately esteemeth the potable ●olde , the preparation whereof , as the sa●e M 〈…〉 vsed it , I will de●●a●e vnto you . because you shall not be ignorant . Take gold twise or thrise purged with Antymony , make it into thinne plates and in a ●it vessell , hang the plates that they touch not one another , and let i● be burned and calci●ed in a ●●rnace duly 〈◊〉 by the space of halfe 〈…〉 out and laide open in the aire , they do dissolue , and there flowe from it a certaine oilie humour red of colour , and of taste sw●●●ish . He drew out two ounces of oile of golde , but out of that which was not so well bu●nt , the liquor did not so readily runne out . Sometimes he vsed to poure on the spirit of wine rectified , & that so long , and so much , vntil the whole red colour was drawen out . You shall rectifie those spirites or essence of wine very subtilly , if you put it into a glasse cucurbite vnder a limbecke with a receiuer , and set it in most cold or snowie water , and couer the head round about with a linnen cloth stieped in warme water , for then the subtiler partes will rise vp , leauing the waterie substance in the bottome . Gold calcined and often infused with the spirit of wine with many imbibitions , and againe distilled by a Limbecke , leaueth in the bottome behinde a reddish liquor . That Physition vsed first to purge the body , and then to shaue and heate the crowne of the head , and them to poure on a dramme of that oile , and to giue so much also to be drunke 〈◊〉 maluesey . The like is to be wrought with fine siluer for the diseases of the head , and so likewise of other mettalles , for being duely prepared , they do dissolue , because they are saltes .

This man hath many other mynerall medicines , which were neuer knowen , either to Galene , or to Hypocrates , but brought to light by our Theophra●tus Paracelsus , of whome you great Philosophers and Phy●itions onely in name do vndis●reetely write . Do you thinke all things vtterly vnpossible vnto other men which you your selfe knowe not , or can not do , or that you cannot compasse with your diuine knowlege ? What will you say to this ? I know a man that within three , or at the most sixe daies , can heale the French pox with his Turp●tum minerale , not with that which is made with oile of vitrioll , but with another farre more excellent which shall not come to your handes or knowledge except you lay aside your frowardnes , and cease to bring the Paracelsians in suspition with the common people and noble men , and to defraud them of the fruit of their iust labors . You say , What haue you brought to passe ? what haue you found out whereby you should looke for praise or profit ? Then do we demaund of you , What haue you found out whereby phy●icke is the better furnished ? We haue brought into physicke , essences , oiles , balmes , and saltes , all which the Alchymists schooles haue founde out . And how great light is come vnto physicke onely by true distillation , it is knowen vnto all men , and daily experience teacheth , how great commodity hath redounded thereby vnto the sicke . In the meane time , if you so much detest the labour , yet at the least spare our good name . But it is no maruell , doth it not so alwayes happen , that the best labour is worst accepted and recompenced ? Euery good man ●●clined to vertue , wisedome , and fidelitie can witnes the same , what reward they haue often receiued for their fidelity and opening of the trueth . So so●e men when they can say no more , they obiect vnto the searchers of nature , their pouerty , filling the eares of the common people with glorious lies , alwaies chanting vpon th●se things which followe vpon the abuse and ●●ungerous cu●es of the cou●terfeit Paracelsians , iudging all things by their contempt pouertie , vile estate , and basenesse , but they will quickly auoyd that d●spised pouertie , which willingly they sustaine , that the nature of things might daily more & more be knowen vnto men , wherby the vnaccustomed cures of most grieuous diseases , might at length be found out , with the which such as are diseased , might through your sluggishnes all die , if God hauing compassion vpon them nowe at the end of the world had not prouided wholesome medicines , euen by most contemned men . The lepers and gowty , the infected with the physicke , falling sickenes , and French poxes , deuoured with the canker , fistula , & gteedy woolfe , with the dropsie , and palsey , and that with the plague & other diseases , are thrust into their graues . These ( I say ) and many other more , whome you through ignorance with your naughtie and corrupt potions and purgations , like butchers haue buried aliue , will rise vp against you . These ( I say ) wil call you to answer , and accuse you , euen the poore , whome you haue robbed of their goodes , will require your blood for the losse of their bodies , and consuming of their mony . Then what a madnes and cruel foolishnes is this , that in the time of any great plague , such as are infected , you shut vp in houses , set markes ●ppon them , keepe them in prison , strangle them with cares and solitarines , and kill them for hunger : Is the plague so to be cured ? Or whether doe you not thinke that all men may be infected from whence the first man was infected ? why do you not preserue the whole with your antidotes or defensiues being so famous physitions as you are ? but you haue tried almost all your medicines to be of no force in this disease . Do you in this sort loue your neighbour as your selfe ? or thus spend your life for your fellow , when as at no time ( if help be required ) there is greater neede of fellowship , companie , comfort and helpe than in the time of plague ? O what great punishment haue you deserued that refuse those that are forsaken of their friends , farre from their kindred , and as it were thrust into exile , whose solitarinesse hath beene more violent vnto them then the disease , and griefe of minde hath killed rather then the sickenesse ? what I pray you is true and christian friendship ? doth not this complaint of the sicke stirre vppe vnto pitie ? When I was in health thou wer● my friend , thou diddest visit me , and help me , but now that I am sicke , thou doest abhor●e 〈◊〉 , and liest from me , when fortune laughed vpon mee , thou diddest also laugh : but nowe that with griefe and teares I ●raue comfort , thou doest deny it . What doe you call visiting and helping ? You will not only not help your selues , but wil perswade princes to stop the passages , that no trauellers shall passe vnto those places , when as you ought with courage to relieue them of their griefe , and willingly to go thither to trie your cunning . But when any plague beginneth , you are the first that tremble , are afraide and despaire . The sicke are committed vnto you as children and infants which lacke diligent cure , you ought to helpe them as the father doth his children , and not to robbe them of their money . Then would the sicke man smile vpon you , if you would refresh his languishing life with some gentle balme : then woulde he reioyce in the sight of you , and call you his father . Euery naturall physition of necessitie ought to make his medicines with his own hands , and not to commit them vnto an vnskilfull Cooke , not to fill great volumes with receits , with the which I see those that are studious in physicke are in a manner ouerwhelmed , that they bee ready almost to fall downe and die vnder so heauie a burthen of receits , physicke is not so learned but with the labour of the hands , practise being workemistre●●e where Vulcan day by day doth shew new and pleasant remedies which nature teacheth the good steward her workeman , daily to purge better and better from their superfluities . Do you looke for a rich haruest , and do not first plow nor sowe ? Looke for knowledge of the secret naturall powers , and do not first seeke it out by labour with the fire ? for the most part of you all are daintie and slouthfull , and hee that is slacke in his workes , goeth like a blind man vnto his practise . If you did not so much abhorre the Chymicall Art you would learne to separate the pure from the vnpure ( which is the cause of the corruption of things ) by long digestions , distillations , and imbibitions , whereby you should make your medicines pure and cleane before you minister it to the sicke , so vppon the sodaine receiuing , the sicke nature should be refreshed , whereas the weake stomacke cannot concoct , digest , and separate grose matters . But these great doctors wil not be schollers , or yong souldiers , no more then an old dog wil be brought to hunting with whips , and g●aw his line and shew his grinning teeth to him that leadeth him , rather then he will bee ruled : euen so you will rather openly gainesay the trueth , and like dogs barke and bite at it , then you will confesse your errours . What , ought this to be a reproch vnto the Chymists , that for the true preparations of medicines whereof you are ignoraunt , and for their great labour and paine which you do eschew , they should be accounted beggars , poore , and ragged ? do you not thinke that the common people will at length finde out your deceits ? You haue beene sufficiently warned of many doctours of physicke , who truly haue not alowed your childish cures . Amongst whom Conr●de Gesner is one , and many other ●o , which if they were liuing most certainely would deny your fained Art . Likewise Iohn Woz of Cullen which flourished 1510. doth sharply reprooue the Physitions of his time , who in his writings vpon the plague and labyrinth of Physitions most plainely and excellently intreateth of metaline medicines and quintessences , and sheweth their vse . What will you answer to those things which that doctor Gorreus hath written in the fift booke of the extraction of the Quintessence out of herbes , where in his comments hee so excellently extolleth metalline medicines , and did vse them , little esteeming your medicines : for hee saieth the distillations of waters out of hearbes and other such like things , wherein the Apothecaries doe boast , are almost of no force , for it is nothing else but the sleame of the thing , whose principall liquor consisteth in the oyle of salt .

But that I may stirre vp in you an earnest desire to know the maruelous propertie of things , I will repeate vnto you the iudgement of Fernelius Ambian●● in his second booke and eighteenth chapter De Abdi 〈…〉 〈◊〉 causis . When first ( saith he ) I gaue my selfe vnto the studie of that sensible and metalline philosophie called Chymia , through long trauell ( as many other had , ) I getting a most perfect maister or teacher , did draw out of euerie plant and other liuing things verie diuerse and sundrie substances : First water , and that very plentifull if the plant were green● , more scarce if it were drie : then oyle , but not that fatte and filthy substance , which by presse is drawen of our men , but the workemanshippe of a more excellent Arte , which neither easilie corrupteth nor ●owreth by age , and that of two sortes , one thinne and white , an other drier and redde , &c. Then it followeth I will tell you by your leaue , not vttering this whole secret , but teaching you vpon what true groundes it doeth consist . But lest the straunge obscuritie of the name might offend you , which the fathers haue couered vnder a shaddowe or darke kinde of speech , I will most plainely and openly shewe it i 〈…〉 his place . And yet you can not away with them that giue you good counsell , as also you will not suffer learned and excellent men , neyther Gerard Dorne Doctour of Physicke , whome , no doubt , God hath raised vp vnto vs . This most excellent man is woorthie of eternall memorie , because that he by no iniurie , neither perilles could be te 〈…〉 ified , but that by his last writings he hath made ●aracelsus more famous , who doeth excell with a most auncient grauitie and authoritie , that at the least he might helpe the children or learning , fo● whose defence as a valiant souldier hee contendeth by word and deede euen to the death , the fellow and companio● of that learned physition I●se●hus Quirs●tan●● famous in physicke , who hath excellently deserued for physicke : and in his bookes hath vttered manie excellent philosophical secrets vnto the posteritie , and opened manie hidden spagyricall medicines , and woulde haue brought to light greater things , if the ingratitude of some had not stopped his willing minde , and specially of a perfumer , which goeth about to reprooue manie things , and to alow but few in his writing , and yet not able to shew better . Whereby it comes to passe , that through one mans ingratitude , al feele losse and lacke . Proceede therefore with courage , driue away those drones and sluggish beasts from the ●acke , so shall your head be crowned with perpetual praise . In the meane time , whatsoeuer we haue gotten by many trauels , and found out and learned with labour , we wil heere annex , praying out aduersaries , that if they neede them not , they wil not contemne or ●launder them , or terrifie others , which with willing minde would embrace these our labors : or else , to teach them some better things ; considering yet that something in the meane time ought to be giuen and granted vnto him , which for physickes sake hath put himselfe in so many dangers .

After the great murder and furie of our countrie●en the French men , when I went with D. Charles of Chambray , D. of Pansay into Italie , trauelling through ●●●ria , Ragusium , Sclauonia . Macedonia and Bizantium , ●i●cessantly applied my whole studie to vnderstand and knowe some certaintie touching the philosophers stone or chy●ical matters . But I could finde no true philosophers , onely false Physitions and Chymists euerie where , which had either altogether none , or else very litle knowledge of naturall Artes and preparations . At the length ( by Gods good will ) I happened vpon a very learned man Daniel Bishop of Dalmatia . Vnto this most excellent man I directed my letters , the which togither with his answer , alittle after sent to me , I will hereafter publish , wherein you shall see many philosophicall points delectable to be read and vnderstoode .

At the length , when I had sufficiently searched ouer the East countries , and could gather no certaine point in naturall sciences , I determined to take my iourney towardes Germanie with the most curteous prince Cabaneus Vydam of Ch●rtres , still imploying my minde to the earnest study of Chymicall physicke . And there I vnderstoode that Kinges and Princes were deceiued by vnskilfull practisers , which did vtter and sell their sophisticate Chymicall artes , which they had begged and scratched together out of all corners , with a pompous shew deceiuing the princes of their money , whereby it commeth to passe , that dailie a great number of sophisters , and sophisticators doe daily rise and spring vp , through which , not onely the most commendable art of Alchymie receiueth great detriment , is oppressed , and adulterate , and the Chymistes themselues made hatefull vnto all men , consuming their life , time , and goodes vpon vaine workes and practises : but also there redoundeth most great hurt and domage vnto the common wealth . For there are many deceiuers so craftie , that with a dissembled experience in the Chymicall arte , and with fained friendship and great promises they doe craftily learne of others their cunning , which they challenge for their owne , esteeme of great value , and carry them about to bee solde . As vpon a time certaine knaues by craft gote from mee certaine written bookes , and solde them for a great summe of money . Common wealths and the Chymicall art should be very well prouided for , if that such knaues might bee punished and restrained by the magistrate , so should the studious of the Arte be lesse deceiued , and in short space the true and pure Arte would appeare from those shadowes and sophistications . Wherefore to the ende that such as be desirous of the Arte may haue some pledge from mee , wherewith they may make this science more plaine , I will shortly ( God willing ) set foorth three bookes of the philosophers stone , written by diuers Authours , whereof the first was drawen out of certaine characters by a noble Brytaine , wherein all the darke speeches of the philosophers are most plainly expounded , wherevnto I will annex two hundred certaine infallible and true philosophicall rules , whereby those that doe erre and doubt touching the matter of the stone , shall be confirmed . The second booke is , I●hannes de ●ouill●sco Pedomonta 〈…〉 , which treateth of the philosophers mercurie , and how it is drawen , together with an Epistle of Iohn P 〈…〉 anus of the same argument . But there is a more certaine excellent Treati●e of an vncertaine Authour , which doeth explane many doubts in that sacred Phy●icke .

And because that all nations , specially the Germanes , haue written bookes in their owne language , I will also write two bookes in the french tongue for the helpe of such as are studious of Philosophie , wherein I will intre●te of many preparations and speciall medicines tried by me , and others , also of diuerse elyxirs of the philosophers , extractions of mercuries and mercuriall waters , of many and diuerse dissolutions , I will also adde the interpretations of sundry Characters wherewith the bookes both of the olde and newe writers are written to couer and hide the Art . Also the exposition of a certaine Alphabet , without the which the worke can hardely be vnderstoode . And two treatises , the one of the vertues of the vegetall and minerall oiles , the other of the saltes and properties of many vegetals and minerals : whereunto I will also ioyne two treatises of philosophicall mines , and of making of vinegers , the which my labour and studie , if I see it acceptable vnto those that are studious of that Art , I wil shortly set forth greater things , which many with their whole heartes doe wish and desire . In the meane time , take in good part this little worke . That which wee haue hitherto spoken , is spoken onely vnto those that doe so deadly hate the Chymicall physicke , which thinke nothing can be well or profitably taught in Physicke that the olde harpe ●oundeth not . As though that nature were not more then Galen , or that all the learning of Physicke were to be drawne from the heathen , or that they alone had published the art , and established it with such sound arguments . Why do you not out of those authors confute those excellent men which are folowers of Paracelsus , amongst whom that great Doctor Petrus Seueri●us a Dane is chiefe , who in his Idea hath opened the inuincible foundation of Paracelsus Phisicke . Why do you not aunswere to the monarchie of the Trinitie of that learned doctor and Phisition Gerard Dorne ? Why doe you not confute the volumes of that famous Phisition Turnesser , beeing confirmed with the truth of practise . But for your sakes which daily cal Galens doctrine vnto examination , and with exact iudgement do consider of it , giuing place vnto Paracelsus , acknowledging and exercising his preparations and practise , I doe reioyce , and shortly more shall come out against the aduersaries , which shall bite them better . In the meane time with your worde , deede , and w●iting , defend the trueth from iniurie .

THis treatise of Paracelsus ( friendly reader ) came vnto my hands by the gift of a certain nobls Prince of Germanie , and because it is sufficiently euident to be Paracelsus worke , I thought it not good to reserue it to my selfe , but to publish it abroad , seeing there commeth no commoditie or profit of hidden treasure . This therefore such as it is ( louing Reader ) imbrace : and shortly , God willing , looke for more and greater matters . But this one thing I would haue you vnderstand , that when you do minister those exalted essences of Paracelsus and his precious oyles , thinke not that they are to be ministred by themselues , but with some other mixture to cary or leade them : and they must be vsed , the stomack first being purged with some speciall medicine of Paracelsus : as for example , if you will minister oyle of Vitrioll , mingle fiue or sixe droppes with an ounce of conscrue of Roses , so shall you safely giue it ; the like you must iudge of other things ; vse these happilie .