in a miserable perplexity passed over many nights without sleep; also oftentimes hee went forth out of the City, to behold things, that hee might the more conveniently devise something that was certain in his operation: Now it fell out upon a time, as he was walking up and down, hee fell into an extasy with beholding of things, and came unto a certain green Wood, very full of all manner of things; in which were Mines of all Mineralls, and Metalls, and all kinds of beasts, and birds, and abundance of Trees, Herbs, and fruit: there also were divers conduits of water, for in those places there was no water to be had, but what was brought thither by divers instruments, and pipes, and this by divers Artificers from divers places: that was the chiefest, and clearer then the rest, which was drawne by the beams of the Moon; and this was procured only for the Nymph of the Wood. There also did feed Bulls, and Rams, and the Shepheards were two young men, whom the Alchymist asking, said, Whose Wood is this? whom they answered saying, This is the Wood, and Garden of our Nymph _Venus_. The Alchymist walks up, and down in it: and the place pleased him well, but yet hee did still think of his Sulphur; and so being weary of walking, and in a sad condition sate by the side of the channel, under a certain tree; and began to lament most miserably, bewailing his time, and charges, which he spent in vain with operating (he could not els have deceived others, but have damnified himself only) and said, What is this, all men say it is a thing common, of small esteem, easy, and I am a learned man, & I cannot find out this wretched Stone. And so in his lamentation he began to curse Sulphur, because he had spent so much cost, and labour in vain upon him: and Sulphur also was in that Wood, but this was unknown to the Alchymist. Whilst he was thus lamenting, he heard this voice as it were of some old man: Friend, Why dost thou curse Sulphur? The Alchymist looked every way round about him, and seeing no body, was afraid. But that voice said to him again, Friend why art thou so sad? The Alchymist taking courage, said, Sir, The hungry man is alwaies thinking upon bread, so doe I alwaies upon the Philosophers Stone. _Vox_, And why dost thou curse Sulphur? _Alch._ Sir, I beleeved that that was the first matter of the Philosophers Stone, and therefore in working upon it many years, I spent much, and could not find that Stone. _Vox._ Friend, truly I know that Sulphur is the true, and principall subject of the Philosophers Stone, but I know not thee, nor any thing of thy labour, and intention: thou dost without cause curse Sulphur; because he is in cruell prisons, and cannot be at hand to every body; seeing hee is put bound in a most dark dungeon, and goes not forth, but whither his Keepers carry him. _Alch._ And why is he imprisoned? _Vox._ Because hee would bee obedient to every Alchymist, and doe what they would have him, contrary to his Mothers