to goe up to the mouth, and through the sores thereof to be evacuated with the flegme. If therefore in time of such a cure the sick man dyed, that Mercury not finding any egresse, remained in his mouth betwixt his teeth, and that carkasse became the naturall vessell of Mercury, so being shut up fast for a long time was congealed into Gold by its own proper Sulphur, being purified by the naturall heat of putrefaction, caused by the corrosive phlegme of the Mans body. But if Minerall Mercury had not been brought in thither, there could Gold never have been produced. And this is a most true example, that Nature in the bowells of the earth, doth of Mercury alone produce Gold, and Silver, and other Metalls, according to the disposition of the place, or matrix; for Mercury hath in its self its own proper Sulphur, with which it is coagulated into Gold, unlesse it bee hindred by some accident, or hath not a requisite heat, or a close place. The vertue therefore of Animall Sulphur doth not congeal Mercury into Gold, but into Flesh: for if there were such a vertue in Man, it would happen to be so in all bodies; which it doth not. Many such miracles, and accidents fall out, which being not well considered by the Writers, occasion the Readers to fall into errors: yet the honest searcher must apply all things to the possibility of Nature; if they doe not agree with Nature, they must be let alone, and waved. It sufficeth the diligent Student, that he hath here heard what is the Originall of the Principles (since the beginning being unknown, the end is alwaies doubtfull) of which wee have in this Treatise not Ænigmatically, but as cleerly as we could, and as it was lawfull for us, spoken unto the searcher thereof: by means of which, if God shall enlighten any ones mind, hee shall know what a successor owes to his predecessors, seeing this Art is alwaies acquired by the same kind of wits, and dispositions. Which Art wee after this kind of clear manifestation of it, lay up into the bosome of God the most high Creator, and our Lord, and commend our selvs together with all honest hearted Readers to his grace, and infinite mercy. To whom be praise, and glory, for ever, and ever. FINIS. [Illustration: *decorative divider*] OF THE NATVRE Of Things. _THE FIRST BOOKE._ _Of the generations of Naturall things._ [Sidenote: The generation of naturall things is twofold.] [Sidenote: All things proceed from putrefaction.] [Sidenote: The cause of putrefaction is a moist heat.] [Sidenote: The power and nature of putrefaction.] [Sidenote: What putrefaction is.]