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[Transcriber's Note:
This version of "The Book of Quinte Essence" is intended for those
readers who are unable to use either of the utf-8 versions (text or
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Characters that could not be represented in 7-bit ascii have been
"unpacked" and shown in brackets:
[gh] [th] yogh, thorn
[-n] [-a] [-e] letter with overline (abbreviation for following nasal)
['e] e with acute accent
[l-] l with bar
[lb] "pounds" abbreviation (lb with bar through both ascenders)
[P] pilcrow (paragraph symbol)
+transliterated Greek+
The 1866/1889 text printed many single letters in italics, representing
contractions in the 15th-century original. These italicized letters are
shown within {braces}. Italics elsewhere in the text are indicated with
_lines_ in the usual way. Brackets from the original text are [[doubled]]
where necessary to avoid ambiguity.
The printed text used headnotes, footnotes and several kinds of sidenote.
In this e-text, headnotes begin with the page number, and footnotes are
marked [Footnote...]; all other bracketed lines are sidenotes. Details
are explained at the end of the text.]
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
The
Book of Quinte Essence
or
The Fifth Being;
That is to say,
Man's Heaven.
A tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of [th]e book of quintis
e{ess}encijs in latyn, [th]{a}t hermys [th]e p{ro}phete and
kyng of Egipt, aft{er} [th]e flood of Noe
fadir of philosophris, hadde by
reuelaciou{n} of an aungil
of god to him
sende.
Edited from
British Museum MS. Sloane 73
about 1460-70 A.D.
by
FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL
_Published for_
THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY
_by the_
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON . NEW YORK . TORONTO
FIRST PUBLISHED 1866
REVISED EDITION 1889
REPRINTED 1965
Original Series, No. 16
Reprinted in Great Britain by Richard Clay
(The Chaucer Press) Ltd., Bungay, Suffolk
* * * * *
The odd account of the origin of this Treatise--in its first
lines--caught my eye as I was turning over the leaves of the Sloane
Manuscript which contains it. I resolved to print it as a specimen of
the curious fancies our forefathers believed in (as I suppose) in
Natural Science, to go alongside of the equally curious notions they
put faith in in matters religious. And this I determined on with no idea
of scoffing, or pride in modern wisdom; for I believe that as great
fallacies now prevail in both the great branches of knowledge and
feeling mentioned, as ever were held by man. Because once held by other
men, and specially by older Englishmen, these fancies and notions have,
or should have, an interest for all of us; and in this belief, one of
them is presented here.
The loss of my sweet, bright, only child, Eena, and other distress, have
prevented my getting up any cram on the subject of Quintessence to form
a regular Preface. The (translated?) original of the text is attributed
to Hermes--Trismegistus, "or the thrice great Interpreter," so called as
"having three parts of the Philosophy of the whole world"[1]--to whom
were credited more works than he wrote. The tract appears to be a great
fuss about Alcohol or Spirits of Wine; how to make it, and get more or
less tipsy on it, and what wonders it will work, from making old men
young, and dying men well, to killing lice.
The reading of the proof with the MS. was done by Mr. Edmund Brock, the
Society's most careful and able helper. To Mr. Cockayne I am indebted
for the identification of some names of plants, &c.; and to Mr. Gill
of University College, London, for some Notes on the Chemistry of the
treatise, made at the request of my friend Mr. Moreshwar Atmaram.[2] The
Sloane MS. I judge to be about, but after, 1460 A.D.[3] The later copy
(Harleian MS. 853, fol. 66) seems late 16th century or early 17th,[3]
and has been only collated for a few passages which require elucidation.
The pause marks of the MS. and text require to be disregarded
occasionally in reading.
EGHAM, _16th May, 1866_.
P.S. The short side-notes in inverted commas on and after p. 16 (save
'5 M^e' and the like) are by a later hand in the MS. The 'Spheres' on
p. 26, and the 'Contents,' p. vii-viii, are now added.--F. 1889.
[Footnote 1: _The Mirror of Alchimy_, composed by the thrice-famous
and learned Fryer, Roger Bachon, 1597.]
[Footnote 2: Mr. M.A. Tarkhad has been for many years Vice-Principal
of the Rajkumar College, for the sons of the native Chiefs of
Rajkote.--1889.]
[Footnote 3: Mr. E.A. Bond of the British Museum has kindly looked
at the MSS., and puts the Sloane at 1460-70 A.D., and the Harleian
at about 1600.]
* * * * *
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
PROLOG: GOD'S GREATEST SECRET 1
QUINTE ESSENCE DEFINED: ITS QUALITIES 2
HOW TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE 4
1ST WAY 4
2ND WAY 5
3RD WAY 5
4TH WAY 5
5TH WAY 6
HOW POOR EVANGELIC MEN MAY GET THE GRACIOUS INFLUENCE OF GOLD 6
HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE MORE THOROUGHLY 7
HOW TO MAKE FIRE WITHOUT COALS, LIME, LIGHT, ETC. 8
HOW TO CALCINE GOLD 8
HOW TO SEPARATE GOLD FROM SILVER 9
HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD 9
HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF ANTIMONY 10
HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF MAN'S BLOOD 11
HOW TO GET ITS QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF THE 4 ELEMENTS 12
HOW TO FIX ALL EARTHLY THINGS IN OUR QUINTE ESSENCE 13
BOOK II.
HOW TO MAKE AN OLD EVANGELIC MAN YOUNG 15
HOW TO CURE A MAN GIVEN UP BY DOCTORS 15
HOW TO CURE THE LEPROSY 16
HOW TO CURE THE PALSY 16
HOW TO FATTEN LEAN AND CONSUMPTIVE MEN 17
HOW TO CURE FRENSY, GOUT, AND TROUBLES FROM DEVILS,
WICKED THOUGHTS, ETC. 17
AND HOW OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IS HEAVEN 19
HOW TO CURE THE GOUT 19
HOW TO CURE THE ITCH, AND KILL LICE 19
HOW TO CURE QUARTAN FEVER 20
HOW TO CURE CONTINUAL (CHRONIC) FEVER 21
HOW TO CURE TERTIAN FEVER 21
HOW TO CURE DAILY OR QUOTIDIAN FEVER 21
HOW TO CURE AGUE, FEVER, AND LUNACY 22
HOW TO CURE FRENZY AND MADNESS 22
HOW TO CURE CRAMP 22
HOW TO CAST POISON OUT OF A MAN'S BODY 23
HOW TO MAKE A COWARD BOLD AND STRONG 23
HOW TO CURE PESTILENTIAL FEVER 23
HOW THIS QUINTE ESSENCE IS FOR HOLY MEN ONLY 25
THE SPHERES AND THE PLANETS 26
MR. GILL'S NOTES ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT 27
GLOSSARY 29
* * * * *
THE BOOK OF QUINTE ESSENCE
OR THE FIFTH BEING;
THAT IS TO SAY,
MAN'S HEAVEN.
[[Sloane MS. 73, fol. 10. Brit. Mus.]]
BOOK I.
[[Fol. 10.]]
[By the grace of God I translate you this Treatise revealed to
Hermes by an angel after Noah's flood, that the knowledge of
this book may be preserved to the end of the world.]
With [th]e my[gh]t, wisdom, & grace of [th]e holy trynite, I write
to [gh]ou a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of [th]e
book of quintis
e{ss}encijs in latyn, [th]{a}t hermys [th]e p{ro}phete and
kyng of Egipt, aft{er} the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris, 4
hadde by reuelaciou{n} of an aungil of god to him sende, [th]{a}t
[th]e wijsdom and [th]e science of [th]is book schulde not p{er}ische,
but be kept and p{re}serued vnto [th]e eende of [th]e world, of alle
holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis, for greet p{er}ilis 8
[th]at my[gh]te falle [th]erof.
For wi[th]i{n}ne [th]is breue tretis, wi[th] [th]e
g{ra}ce of god, I wole more determine of practif[*] [th]an of theorik.
[[* practise, MS. Harl.]]
[God's greatest secret for man's need is how to restore old
feeble men to the strength of their youth, except in case of
thunder-blast, and too much fasting, and the term set for all
men.]
[gh]itt ben bo[th]e nedeful /
The firste and souereyneste p{ri}uyte [th]at
god, maker of kynde, ordeyned for mannys nede, how [th]at olde 12
euangelik men, and feble in kynde, my[gh]te be restorid, and haue
a[gh]en her firste
strenk[th]is of [gh]ong[th]e in [th]e same degree [th]at is in
al kynde, & be m{a}d hool p{ar}fi[gh]tly, except [th]e strok of [th]e
[th]undir blast, & violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche 16
betynge / Also p{er}ilous
fallyngis of hi[gh] placis, to myche abstynence,
& o[th]{er}e yuel gou{er}naunce a[gh]ens kynde, And also [th]e
teerme [th]{a}t is sett
of god, [th]{a}t noman may a-schape, as Iob sei[th] in
latyn / "Breues dies ho{min}is s{un}t &c." Forso[th]e philosophoris 20
['N{ot}a.']
[Page 2: THE NAMES AND QUALITIES OF QUINTE ESSENCE.]
[The purest substance of corruptible things is Quinte Essence
or man's heaven.]
clepen [th]e purest substau{n}ce
of manye corruptible [th]i{n}gis elementid,
'qui{n}ta e{ss}encia,' [th]at is to seie, 'ma{n}nys heuene,' drawe out
by craft of mani;[1] for whi,
as quinta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior, [th]{a}t is,
[Footnote 1: ? MS. meant for 'man.']
[[* Fol. 10b.]]
heuene of oure lord god, in reward of [th]e .iiij elementis, is 4
yncorruptible & vnchau{n}geable /
ri[gh]t so [*]q{ui}nta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior
[Quinte Essence is incorruptible as to the four qualities of
man's body, but not as the heaven of God.]
inferior, [th]at is to seie, ma{n}nys heuene, is incorruptible,
in reward of [th]e .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body; and so it is
p{re}ued naturaly [th]at
oure quinta e{ss}encia, [th]at is, mannes heuene, 8
in it-silf[2] is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wi[th]
[Footnote 2: MS. 'siff.']
fier / ne coold and moist wi[th] watir / ne hoot & moist w{i}t{h} eyr,
ne coold and drie
wi[th] er[th]e; but oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a avayli[th] to
[th]e cont{ra}rie,
as heuene incorruptible / But vndirstonde [th]{a}t oure 12
q{ui}[n]ta e{ss}e{nci}a
is nou[gh]t so incorruptible as is heuene of oure
lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composiciou{n}
[It is called, 1. Burning Water; 2. the Soul in the spirit of
Wine; 3. Water of Life; and if you wish to conceal it, Quinte
Essence.]
maad of [th]e .4. elementis; & it hath .iij. names by the philosophoris,
[th]{a}t is to seie /
bre{n}nynge watir / [th]e soule in [th]e spirit of 16
wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne [gh]e wole concelle it, [th]a{n}ne
schal [gh]e clepe it
'oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a'; for [th]is name, & [th]e
nature [th]{er}of, ri[gh]t fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly
[th]ei biriede
[th]e tru[th]e with hem. and witi[th] weel that it is clepid 20
[It is neither moist and cold like water, nor hot and moist
like air, nor cold and dry like earth, nor hot and dry like
fire.]
brennynge watir; and it is no bre{n}ny{n}g watir: forwhi, it is not
moist ne coold as comou{n} watir; for it bre{n}ne[th], & so doi[th] not
comyn watir; ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir, for eir corru{m}pi[th]
a [th]i{n}g a-noon,
as it schewi[th] weel by gen{er}ac{i}ou{n} of flies, 24
& areins, and siche
o[th]{er}e; but sikirly [th]is is alwey incorruptible,
if it be kept cloos fro fli[gh]t /
Also it is n{o}t coold and drie as er[th]e.
for souereynly it worchi[th] & chaungi[th]. And it is not hoot and
drie as fier, as it schewi[th] by exp{er}ience;
for hoot [th]ingis it keli[th], 28
[It gives incorruptibility, for it prevents dead flesh from
rotting, and much more the living flesh of man.]
[[* Fol. 11.]]
& hoot sijknessis it doi[th] awey /
Also [th]{a}t it [gh]eue[th] incorruptibilite,
and kepi[th] a [th]i{n}g
fro corruptibilite [*]and rotynge, it is p{re}ued
[th]{us} / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt
[th]{er}i{n}ne,
it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is [th]{er}i{n}ne / 32
miche more [th]anne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body
[It is Man's Heaven, preserving his body as Heaven does the
world.]
from al man{er}e corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia,
[th]{a}t is to seie, mannys heuene, [th]{a}t god made to [th]e
[Page 3: THE NATURE AND WORKING OF QUINTE ESSENCE.]
conseruac{i}ou{n}
of [th]e .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body, ri[gh]t as he made
his heuene to
[th]e conseruac{i}ou{n} of al [th]e world / And wite [gh]e for
[Many know it not now for their covetousness and vice.]
certeyn [th]at manye philosophoris and lechis [th]at ben now, knowe
nou[gh]t [th]is q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, ne [th]e tru[th]e [th]{er}of / Forwhi; god wole 4
not [th]{a}t [th]ei knowe it; for her greet bre{n}nynge coueitise &
[But as God's Heaven is aided by sun and stars, so our Heaven,
or Quinte Essence, is made fair by the sun mineral, or pure
gold of the mine, not of alchemy.]
vicious lyuynge /
Forso[th]e q{ui}nta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior, [th]{a}t is to seie,
heuene of oure lord god
bi hi{m} silf / Aloone / [gh]eue[th] not conseruacioun
in [th]e world, and wondirful influence, but by [th]e v{er}tue 8
of [th]e su{n}ne, planetis,
and o[th]{er}e sterris; ri[gh]t so oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, [th]at is,
mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wi[th] [th]e su{n}ne
min{er}alle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite
[th]at fier may not appeire,
corru{m}pe, ne distroie. and [th]is is v{er}ry 12
['N{ot}a.']
gold of [th]e myn,
of [th]e er[th]e, or of [th]e floodis gaderid / for gold of
alkamy maad w{i}t{h} corosyues distroie[th] kynde, as aristotle and
[Good natural gold is called _Sol_, because Sol the planet
gives gold its power, colour, &c.]
manye o[th]ere
philosophoris p{ro}uen / and [th]{er}fore good gold naturel,
& of [th]e myn of [th]e erbe, is clepid of ph{ilosophor}is 'sol' in 16
latyn; for he is
[th]e son{ne} of oure heuene, lich as sol [th]e planet is
in [th]e heuene aboue;
for [th]is planete [gh]eue[th] to gold his influence,
[Our Quinte Essence is the colour of heaven; gold makes it
fair; and the two work in us (so far as is possible) renewal
of youth, and give health plenteously.]
[[* Fol. 11b.]]
nature, colo{ur}, & a substaunce i{n}corruptible. And oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia, mannys heuene,
is of [th]e nature [*]& [th]e colour of heuene / 20
And oure sol, [th]{a}t is,
fyn gold of [th]e myne, schal make it fair, ri[gh]t
as sol [th]e planete maki[th] heuene fair / and so [th]ese two togidere
ioyned schal [gh]eue influence in us, and [th]e condiciou{n}s of heuene
and of heuenly so{n}ne / in as miche as it is possible in deedly 24
nature, conseruac{i}ou{n} and restorynge of nature lost, & renewynge
[As Aries, Taurus, and Gemini draw humours from the head and
breast, and not the limbs beneath, so those spices that do
draw from these limbs get their power from Capricorn, &c.]
of [gh]ong[th]e / And it schal [gh]eue plenteuously heel[th]e: and so it
is p{re}ued
by astronomy aboue, [th]at sterris [th]at ha[th] influence vpon
[th]e heed and [th]e necke of ma{n} /
as be{n} [th]e sterris of aries, taurus, 28
['N{ot}a.']
and gemini, [gh]eue{n} influence syngulerly vpo[-n] Gerapigra galieni /
And [th]{er}fore it ha[th]
a synguler strenk[th]e, by [th]e ordynau{n}ce of
god, to drawe awey
[th]e sup{er}flue humouris fro [th]e heed, [th]e necke,
and [th]e brest, and not fro [th]e membris byne[th]e / And so I seie of 32
spicis [th]at drawi[th]
humouris fro [th]e knees, [th]e leggis, and [th]e feet,
[th]at resseyuen a synguler influence of [th]e sterris of Cap{ri}corn,
[Tell not these Divine secrets to wicked men.]
Aquarie and pisces,
& ri[gh]t so of o[th]{er}e, {et} c{etera} / Comou{n}ne
[gh]e not [th]is book of deuyne secretes to wickid me{n} and auerous; 36
[Page 4: THE 1st WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE.]
['aq{u}a vite']
[--To make Quinte Essence.--]
[Take the best wine, or any not sour; distil it, and the 4
Elements shall be left like dregs.]
but kepe [gh]e it in p{ri}uytee / Take [th]e beste wiyn [th]at [gh]e may
fynde, if [gh]e be of power; & if [gh]e be ri[gh]t pore, [th]anne take
corrupt wiyn, [th]{a}t is, rotyn, of a wat{er}y humour, but not egre,
[th]{a}t is, sour, for [th]e
q{ui}nt e{ss}encia [th]{er}of is naturaly incorruptible 4
[th]e which [gh]e schal drawe out by sublymac{i}ou{n} / And [th]a{n}ne
schal [th]{er} leue in [th]e grou{n}d
of [th]e vessel [th]e .4. eleme{n}tis, as it
[Distil 7 times to get Burning Water; put this in a Distiller
in a furnace, and let the vapour rise, condense, and be
distilled till it is turned into Quinte Essence, and parted
from the 4 elements.]
were, rotu{n} fecis
of wiyn / But firste [gh]e muste distille [th]is wiyn
.7. tymes; & [th]a{n}ne haue [gh]e good bre{n}nynge watir / Forso[th]e, 8
[[* Fol. 12.]]
[th]is is [th]e watri mat{er}
[*]fro which is drawe oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia /
Thanne muste [gh]e do make in [th]e furneis of aischin, a distillatorie
['vas']
of glas al hool of oo. pece, wi[th] an hoole a-boue in [th]e heed, where
[th]e watir schal be putt yn, and be take out / And [th]is is a 12
wondirful instrument [th]{a}t
[th]{a}t [th]ing [th]{a}t by v{er}tues of fier ascendith
and distillith wi[th]i{n}ne [th]e vessel,
p{er} canales brachiales, [th]{a}t is, by
pipis lich to armys, be bore a[gh]en, and eftsoones ascendith, &
eft desce{n}di[th]
contynuely day and ny[gh]t, til [th]e bre{n}nynge wat{er} 16
heuenly be turned into
q{ui}nta{m} e{ss}encia{m} / And so bi continuell{e}
ascenciou{n}s & discenciou{n}s, [th]e q{ui}nta e{ss}encia is
dep{ar}tid fro
[th]e corruptible composiciou{n} of [th]e .4. eleme{n}tis.
For bifore [th]{a}t [th]ing
[th]{a}t is twies sublymed is more glorified, and 20
is more sotil, and fer
fro{m} [th]e corru{m}pciou{n} of [th]e .4. eleme{n}tis
more sep{ar}at [th]a{n} wha{n}ne it ascendith but oonys; and so vnto
['N{ot}a.']
[Distil it 1000 times, and it shall be glorified and become a
medicine incorruptible as heaven.]
a [th]ousand tymes, so [th]at by coutynuel ascendynge and descendynge,
by the which it is sublymed to so myche hi[gh]nes of glorificaciou{n}, 24
it schal come [th]{a}t it schal be a medicyn incorruptible
almoost as heuene aboue, and of [th]e nature of heuene / And
[th]{er}fore oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia wor[th]ily is clepid 'mannys heuene' /
[After many days unstop your distiller, and if there issues
out a heaven-sweet savour, you have our Quinte Essence. If
not, distil again till you have.]
And aftir manye daies [th]at it hath be in [th]is sotil vessel of glas 28
distillid / [gh]e schulen
opene [th]e hoole of [th]e vessel in [th]e heed [th]at
['lute']
w{a}s selid with [th]e seel of lute of wijsdom, maad of [th]e sotillest
flour, and of white of eyren, and of moist pap{er}e, ymeyngid so
[th]at no [th]ing respire out /
And wh{a}ne [gh]e opene [th]e hoole. if [th]{er} 32
come out a passynge heuenly swete flauour [th]at alle me{n} [th]{a}t
[[* Fol. 12b.]]
come yn naturely [*]drawe [th]{er}to. [th]anne [gh]e haue oure q{ui}nta
e{ss}encia / and ellis
sele [th]e vessel, and putte it to [th]e fier a[gh]en
til [gh]e haue it. 36
[Page 5: THE 2nd, 3rd, AND 4th WAYS OF MAKING QUINTE ESSENCE.]
[--The second way to make Quinte Essence.--]
[Put the strongest Burning Water into an 'amphora;' seal it
up; bury it neck downwards in horse-dung, and the Quinte
Essence will rise into the globe and the impurities settle in
the neck.]
And ano[th]{er} maner worchinge of oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia is
[th]is / Take [th]e noblest
and [th]e strengest bre{n}nynge watir [th]{a}t [gh]e
may haue distillid out of pure my[gh]ty wiyn, and putte it into
a glas clepid ampho{ra}, w{i}t{h} a long necke / and close [th]e mou[th] 4
strongly wi[th] wex;
And loke [th]at half or [th]e [th]ridde p{ar}t be fulle;
and birie it al in hors dou{n}ge,
p{re}p{ar}ate as it is seid hereaft{er} /
so [th]{a}t [th]e necke
of [th]e glas be turned dou{n}ward, & [th]e botu{m}
be turned vpward,
[th]{a}t by v{er}tu of [th]e hors dou{n}ge [th]e q{ui}nta 8
e{ss}encia ascende
vp to [th]e botu{m}. And [th]e grost['e] of [th]e mater
[Take the glass out of the dung; make a hole in the wax seal,
let out the impure earthy water, and when the Quinte Essence
would begin to run, turn the glass up, and keep your Quinte
Essence.]
of [th]e watir descende dou{n}ward to [th]e necke / And aftir manye
daies, whanne [gh]e
take it out, softly lift vp [th]e glas as it stondith,
and [gh]e schal se in [th]ickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene 12
[th]e q{ui}nta{m} e{ss}encia{m} sublymed,
and [th]e grose mat{er} [th]{a}t is in [th]e
necke / [th]e wondirful
maistry of dep{ar}tynge of [th]{a}t oon fro [th]{a}t
o[th]{er} is [th]is / Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, &
peerse into [th]e wex [th]at
hongi[th] i{n} [th]e mou[th] of [th]e glas a[gh]ens [th]e 16
er[th]e / and wha{n}ne
[gh]e haue peersid al fully to [th]e watir, take out
[th]e poyntel or [th]e pricke /
And [th]{a}t er[th]ely watir wole first come
out [th]{a}t is in [th]e necke / and so til it be come out vnto [th]e
dep{ar}ti{n}ge bitwixe it /
and [th]e q{ui}nte e{ss}ence, [th]{a}t is, mannys 20
heuene sublymed.
and wh{a}ne [gh]e se [th]{a}t [th]is q{ui}nt e{ss}ence wole
re{n}ne & melte aftir [th]{a}t
[th]is er[th]ely watir be voydid, putte [th]anne
swiftly [gh]oure fyngir
to [th]e hoole, & t{ur}ne vp [th]e glas, and [th]anne
[[* Fol. 13.]]
[gh]e haue [th]{er}i{n}ne oure
q{ui}nte e{ss}ence, [*]and [th]e er[th]ely watir wi[th]oute 24
aside. And [th]is is a passy{n}g souereyn p{ri}uytee.
[--The third way.--]
[Put your amphora into a horse's belly instead of the dung,
and proceed as above.]
The [th]ridde man{er} is,
[th]{a}t [gh]e take a greet glas clepid ampho{ra},
and seele it weel, and birie it weel in [th]e wombe of an hors al
togidere. and [th]e puret['e]
of [th]e q{ui}nte e{ss}encie schal be sublymed 28
aboue, & [th]e grost['e] schal abide byne[th]e in [th]e botme / take out
softli [th]{a}t [th]{a}t fleti[th]
a-boue; and [th]at [th]at leeue[th] bihynde, putte it
to [th]e fier.
[--The fourth way.--]
[Substitute for the amphora a vessel of glass or earth, with a
tube running from the top and hanging in the air, into which
the vapour may fall and condense.]