for otherwise I shall be undone, for by reason of this stink I am constrained to change my shape. And what wilt thou have mee doe more? Am not I tormented sufficiently by thee? Doe not I obey thee? Doe not I mixe my self with those things thou wilt have me? Am I not sublimed? Am I not precipitated? Am I not made turbith? An Amalgama? A Past? Now what canst thou desire more of me? My body is so scourged, so spit upon, that the very stone would pity me: By vertue of me thou hast milk, flesh, bloud, butter, oyl, water, and which of all the metalls, or mineral can do that which I do alone? and is there no mercy to be had towards me? O what a wretch am I! _Alc._ O ho, it doth not hurt thee, thou art wicked, although thou turnest thy self inside out, yet thou dost not change thy selfe, thou dost but frame to thy selfe a new shape, thou dost alwaies return into thy first forme again. _Merc._ I doe as thou wilt have me, if thou wilt have me be a body, I am a body: if thou will have me be dust, I am dust, I know not how I should abase my self more, then when I am dust, and a shadow. _Alch._ Tell mee therefore what thou art in thy Center, and I will torment thee no more. _Merc._ Now I am constrained to tell from the very foundation. If thou wilt thou maist understand mee: thou seest my shape, and of this thou needest not know further. But because thou askest mee of the Center, my Center is the most fixed heart of all things, immortall, and penetrating: in that my Master rests, but I my selfe am the way, and the passenger, I am a stranger, and yet live at home, I am most faithfull to all my companions, I leave not those that doe accompany mee; I abide with them, I perish with them. I am an immortall body: I die indeed when I am slaine, but I rise againe to judgement before a wise Judge. _Alch._ Art thou therefore the Philosophers Stone? _Merc._ My mother is such a one, of her is born artificially one certain thing, but my brother who dwells in the fort, hath in his will what the Philosophers desire. _Alch._ Art thou old? _Merc._ My mother begat mee, but I am older then my mother. _Alch._ What devill can understand thee, when thou dost not answer to the purpose? thou alwaies speakest Riddles. Tell mee if thou art that fountain of which _Bernard_ Lord _Trevisan_ writ? _Merc._ I am not the fountaine, but I am the water, the fountaine compasseth mee about. _Alch._ Is gold dissolved in thee, when thou art water? _Merc._ Whatsoever is with mee I love as a friend; and whatsoever is brought forth with mee, to that I give nourishment, and whatsoever is naked, I cover with my wings. _Alch._ I see it is to no purpose to speak to thee, I ask one thing, and thou answerest another thing: if thou wilt not answer to my question, truly I will goe to work with thee again. _Merc._ O master, I beseech thee be good to me, now I will willingly doe what I know. _Alch._ Tell mee therefore if thou art afraid of the fire. _Merc._ I am fire my selfe. _Alch._