At which words Mercury began to laugh, and to speak unto him saying, What wilt thou have, that thou thus troublest mee my Master Alchymist? _Alch._ O ho, now thou callest me Master, when I touch thee to the quick, now I have found where thy bridle is, wait a little, and by and by thou shalt sing my song, and he began to speak to him, as it were angerly, Art thou that Mercury of Philosophers? _Merc._ (as if he were afraid answered) I am Mercury, my Master. _Alch._ Why therefore wilt not thou obey mee? and why could not I fix thee? _Merc._ O my noble Master, I beseech thee pardon mee, wretch that I am, I did not know that thou wast so great a Philosopher. _Alch._ Didst not thou perceive this by my operations, seeing I proceeded so Philosophically with thee? _Merc._ So it is, my noble Master, although I would hide my selfe, yet I see I cannot from so honourable a Master as thou art. _Alch._ Now therefore dost thou know a Philosopher? _Merc._ Yea, my Master, I see that your worship is a most excellent Philosopher. _Alch._ (being glad at his heart saith) truly now I have found what I sought for. (Again he spake to Mercury with a most terrible voice:) Now go to, be now therefore obedient, or else it shall be the worse for thee. _Merc._ Willingly, my Master, if I am able, for now I am very weake. _Alch._ Why dost thou now excuse thy selfe? _Merc._ I doe not, my Master, but I am faint and feeble. _Alch._ What hurts thee? _Merc._ The Alchymist hurts mee. _Alch._ What, dost thou still deride mee? _Merc._ O Master, no, I speak of the Alchymist, but thou art a Philosopher. _Alch._ O wel, well, that is true, but what hath the Alchymist done? _Merc._ O my Master, hee hath done many evill things to mee, for hee hath mixed mee, poor wretch as I am, with things contrary to mee: from whence I shall never bee able to recover my strength, and I am almost dead, for I am tormented almost unto death. _Alch._ O thou deservest those things, for thou art disobedient. _Merc._ I was never disobedient to any Philosopher, but it is naturall to mee to deride fools. _Alch._ And what dost thou think of mee? _Merc._ O Sir, you are a great man, a very great Philosopher, yea greater then _Hermes_ himselfe. _Alch._ Truly so it is, I am a learned man, but I will not commend my selfe, but my Wife also said to mee, that I am a very learned Philosopher, she knew so much by me. _Merc._ I am apt to beleeve thee, for Philosophers must be so, who by reason of too much wisdome, and pains fall mad. _Alch._ Goe to then, tell me therefore what I shall doe with thee; how I shall make the Philosophers Stone of thee. _Merc._ O my Master Philosopher, I know not, Thou art a Philosopher, I am a servant of the Philosophers, they make of me what they please, I obey them as much as I am able. _Alch._ Thou must tell mee how I must proceed with thee, and how I may make of thee the Philosophers Stone. _Merc._ If thou knowest, thou shall make it, but if thou knowest not, thou shalt doe