Knowe also, that when the bodie is mingled with moysture, and that the heate of the fire meeteth therewith, the moysture is conuerted on the body, and dissolueth it, and then the spirite cannot issue forth, because it is imbibed with the fire. The Spirits are fugitiue, so long as the bodies are mingled with them, and striue to resist the fire & his flame: and yet these parts can hardly agree without a good operation and continuall labour: for the nature of the soule is to ascend vpward, whereas the center of the soule is. And who is hee that is able to ioyne two or diuers things togither, where their centers are diuers: vnlesse it be after the conuersion of theyr natures, and change of the substance and thing, from his nature, which is difficult to finde out? Whosoeuer therefore can conuert the soule into the bodie, the bodie into the soule, and therewith mingle the subtile spirites, shall be able to tinct any body.
_Of the Decoction, Contrition, and washing of the stone._
Thou art moreouer to vnderstand, that Decoction, contrition, cribatiõ, mundification, and ablution, with sweet waters is very necessary to this secret and mastery: so that he who will bestow any paines herein, must cleanse it very well, and wash the blacknesse from it, and darknes that appeareth in his operation, and subtiliate the bodie as much as hee can, and afterwarde mingle therwith the soules dissolued, and spirits cleansed, so long as he thinke good.
_Of the quantitie of the Fire, and of the commoditie and discommoditie of it._
Fvrthermore, thou must bee acquainted with the quantity of the fire, for the benefit and losse of this thing, proceedeth from the benefit of the fire. Wherupon _Plato_ said in his booke: _The fire yeeldeth profit to that which is perfect, but domage and corruption to that which is corrupt_: so that when his quantitie shal be meete & conuenient, it shal prosper, but if it shall exceed measure in things, it shal without measure corrupt both: to wit, the perfect and corrupt: and for this cause it was requisite that the learned should poure their medicines vpon Elixir, to hinder and remoue from them the burning of the fire, & his heate. _Hermes_ also said to his father. I am afraide Father of the enemie in my house: to whom he made answer, Son take the dog _Corascene_, & the bitch of _Armenia_, put them together, and they shal bring a dog of the colour of heauen, and dip him once in the sea water: for he shall keepe thy friend, and defend thee from thy enemie, and shall helpe thee whersoeuer thou become, alwaies abiding with thee, both in this world, and in the world to come. Now _Hermes_ meant by the dog & bitch, such things as preserue bodies from the scorching heate of the fire. And these things are waters of Calces and Salts, the composition whereof, is to be found in the Philosophers books, that haue written of this mastery, among whome, some haue named them Sea-waters, and Birdes milke, and such like.