Laude, honour, power and glorie, be giuen to thee, O Almightie Lorde God, with thy beloued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, and the holy Ghost, the comforter. O holy Trinitie, that art the onely one God, perfect man, I giue thee thankes that hauing the knowledge of the transitorie things of this worlde (least I should bee prouoked with the pleasures thereof) of thy abundant mercie thou hast taken mee from it. But forsomuch as I haue knowne manie deceiued in this art, that haue not gone the right way, let it please thee, O Lord my God, that by the knowledge which thou hast giuen mee, I may bring my deare friends frõ error, that when they shal perceiue the truth, they may praise thy holy and glorious name, which is blessed for euer. Amen. _The Preface._ I _Hortulanus_, so called for the Gardens bordering vpon the sea coast, wrapped in a Iacobin skinne, vnworthy to be called a Disciple of Philosophie, moued with the loue of my welbeloued, doo intend to make a true declaration of the words of _Hermes_, the Father of Philosophers, whose words, though that they be dark and obscure, yet haue I truely expounded the whole operation and practise of the worke: for the obscuritie of the Philosophers in their speeches, dooth nothing preuaile, where the doctrine of the holy spirit worketh. CHAP. I. _That the Art of Alchimy is true and certaine._ THe Philosopher saith. _It is true_, to wit, that the Arte of _Alchimie_ is giuen vnto vs. _Without leasing_. This hee saith in detestation of them that affirme this Art to bee lying, that is, false. _It is certaine_, that is prooued. For whatsoeuer is prooued, is most certaine, _And most true_. For most true golde is ingendred by Art: and he saith most true, in the superlatiue degree, because the golde ingendred by this Art, excelleth all naturall gold in all proprieties, both medicinall and others. CHAP. II. _That the Stone must be diuided into two parts._ Consequentlie, he toucheth the operation of the stone, saying: _That which is beneath, is as that which is aboue_. And this he sayth, because the stone is diuided into two principall parts by Art: Into the superiour part, that ascendeth vp, and into the inferiour part, which remaineth beneath fixe and cleare: and yet these two parts agree in vertue: and therefore hee sayeth, _That which is aboue, is like that which is beneath_. And this diuision is necessarie, _To perpetrate the myracles of one thing_, to wit, of the Stone: because the inferiour part is the Earth, which is called the Nurse, and Ferment: and the superiour part is the _Soule_, which quickeneth the whole Stone, and raiseth it vp. Wherefore separation made, and coniunction celebrated, manie myracles are effected in the secret worke of nature. CHAP. III. _That the Stone hath in it the foure Elements._