The Rosary of the Philosophers E-Book

Arnaldus de Villa Nova

• Herausgeber: E-BOOKARAMA
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

"The Rosary of the Philosophers" ( Rosarium philosophorum sive pretiosissimum donum Dei) by Spanish physician, religious reformer and alchemist Arnaldus de Villa Nova, is a 16th century essential alchemical treatise. It was published in 1550 as part II of De Alchimia Opuscula complura veterum philosophorum (Frankfurt). The treatise included a series of 20 woodcuts with German language captions, reproduced in this reprint in form of images. 

Leseprobe

Table of contents

THE ROSARY OF THE PHILOSOPHERS

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

THE ROSARY OF THE PHILOSOPHERS

Arnaldus de Villa Nova

This is a transcription of the 18th century English translation of the Rosarium in MS Ferguson 210. The text was originally printed as part II of De Alchemia Opuscula complura veterum philosophorum..., Frankfurt, 1550.

Part 1

Here beginneth the Book of the Rosary of the Philosophers most diligently compiled and brought into one volume.

They who desire to have the most true knowledge of the greater science of the philosophical Art, let them diligently peruse this little book and often times read it over and they shall obtain their prosperous and wished desire. Listen to these things, you children of the Ancient Philosophers, I will speak in the loudest and highest voice I can, for I come unto you to open and declare the principal state of human things and the most secret treasure of all the secrets of the whole world. I will not do it feignedly and erroneously but altogether plainly and truly, wherefore use you towards me such devotion of hearing as I shall bring unto you magistery of doctrine and wisdom, for I will show you a true testimony of those things which I have seen with my own eyes and felt with my hands. There are many men too forward as deceitful boasters which after great expenses and labours, find out no effect but misery. I will therefore speak plainly and manifestly so that the unskillful, as those that are expert and skilful, shall be able to understand the secret of this mystery. Neither shall any man justly use slanderous and blasphemous words against me, for seeing that the Ancient Philosophers have written so obscurely and confusedly that they are not understood, nor seem not to agree together, because diverse men searching after this most precious Art have either been deceived or terrified from their purpose, therefore without all deceit or obscurity, I will plainly set down the true experiment before your eyes, together with the opinions of the Philosophers, serving well for our purpose that the matter whereof we entreat may be manifest and plainly understood.

First we must note that all men which work beyond nature are deceivers and work in an unlawful manner. Furthermore, of man nothing is born but man, and of a brute beast nothing but a brute beast, and every like bringeth forth nothing but his like, wherefore he which have not of his own, cannot at his pleasure have another man's. We speak this that no man should let his money go from him. For some men being deceived by letting their money pass from them, and so living in penury, do also endeavour to seduce other men and to bring them to like misery. But my counsel is that no man be too forward in this art, in hope to attain some great matter, unless he knows the beginning of true nature and the regimen thereof, which being known there is not then any need of more things than one, neither doth it require great expenses, because it is one stone, one medicine, one vessel, one regimen, and one disposition, and know this: that it is a most true Art. Furthermore the Philosophers would never have laboured and studied to express such diversities of colours and the order of them unless they had seen and felt them.

Wherefore again we say this, that all men labouring beyond nature are deceivers and deceived. Therefore let your exercise and labour be used in Nature because Our Stone is of an Animal, of a Vegetable, and of a Mineral substance. Be thou therefore of one mind and opinion in the work of nature and presume not to try this thing here and that thing another time, for our Art is not effected with the multitude of things and though the names thereof be diverse and manifold, yet it is always one only thing and of one thing. For that is not brought into nature which being in it is not of its own nature, therefore it is necessary that the Agent and Patient be One thing, and the same thing in kind or in general, but in species another and diverse, according to Mercury by which the woman is diversified from the man, because, although they agree in one kind, yet they have a distinct difference between themselves, as Matter and Form differ, for Matter suffers action but Form works and makes the Matter like itself. Therefore, Matter naturally desires Form, as the woman does the man, and the foul does the fair, so the body embraceth the spirit more freely that it may come to its perfection. Therefore, by knowing the natural roots you shall the better make your work of them. Because I cannot any other way express or explain our stone, nor form it by any other name, it is manifest by that which went before, that our stone is compounded of four elements, both rich and poor have it, and it is found in every place, it is likened to all things and is also compounded of body, soul and spirit and it is altered from nature into nature even to the last degree of his perfection.

They have also said that our stone is made of one thing and it is true for the whole magistery is done with our water, for that water is the sperm of all metals, and all metals are resolved into it, as has been declared.

Likewise, the salt of metals is the stone of the Philosophers, for our stone is a water congealed into Gold and Silver and resists the fire and is resolved again into its water of which it is compounded in its kind. Therefore, the reduction of bodies into their first matter as into Argent vive is nothing else but a resolution of the congealed matter by which a lock is opened by the ingression of one nature into another.

Whereupon, the Philosophers have said that Sol is nothing else but ripened Argent vive, for in Mercury there are but two elements in act, that is to say earth and water which are passives, but the active elements as air and fire are in that might and power only because those things are brought from power into act in pure Mercury according to due digestion and proportionable decoction, then Gold is made. Wherefore there are four elements in Gold made fit in equal proportion and therefore ripe and active Sulphur is there, and our Art helpeth nature by her ministering ripe Gold to Mercury, in which is ripe and well digested Sulphur, but from nature by the work of nature.

Arnoldus: Whosoever would come to the knowledge of this Art and is not a Philosopher will prove a fool, because this Science is only of the Secrets of Philosophers.

Senior: This Art is reserved in the power of God and is an enemy to the lay people.

Geber: Therefore this Art is not necessary for poor and needy men but is rather an enemy to them.

Aristotle in the Second Book of his Politics: It is impossible for a poor man to be a Philosopher.

There is a double way in this art according to the Philosophers, that is - universal and particular. The universal way is easy and rare, and it is that which is brought forth from true and natural beginnings, by which a speedy and reformative virtue doth presently and in a moment hardens Mercury, and it tinctureth any metal that is duly prepared, into true Gold or Silver.

But the second way is called particular and it is hard and laboursome. Note this, although Alchemy in the universal way be partly natural and partly artificial, yet it is more natural than otherwise, because by nature no strange or foreign thing is brought in the way of true Alchemy, for nature hath whereon to work because actives are joined to passives by a competent union and application, but the rest nature worketh by herself.

Plato: Our stone is a thing which hath not touched the fire, nor the fire touched it, from which our mercury riseth.

There are three sorts of labourers according to the art of Alchemy, that is the Alchimist, the Lauchimist, and the Lachrymist. Not every one who sayeth "Take, Take", shall enter into this art, because it is one only receipt, and one body entereth not into another.

Gratianus: Take this and this and do thus and thus, and you shall have this, and this is a common thing among all Philosophers.

Whereupon the Philosopher said, the first word, "Take, Take", hath made many errors, therefore, the first work is to dissolve the matter of the stone, that is, not common Mercury.

Arnoldus: Fools understanding the sayings of the Philosophers according to the letter do find out no truth, and they say it is a false science because they have tried it and found nothing, and then they become as men desperate, condemning this science and dispraising the books thereof, and therefore the science maketh small account of them, because our science of the secrets of nature hath no enemy but the ignorant, according to these verses following:

This stone is had in small regard With men of slender wit But yet the wise and learned sort Make great account of it.

Alphidius: Know this, that God hath not ordained this stone of which this great secret entreateth to be bought for a great price, for it is found out being cast in the way, and may as well be had of a poor man as of a rich man, that every man may come unto it by reason and knowledge. Argent vive is not the stone, whereupon Constantinus saith "Because it is fusible, therefore it is not the stone".

Argent vive is fire whereupon the Philosopher said, "Know therefore that Argent vive is fire and burns bodies more than fire".

We are the beginning and first nature of metals, Art by us maketh the chief tincture. There is no fountain nor water found like unto me. I heal and help both the rich and the poor, But yet I am full of hurtful poison.

The juices of Lunaria, Aqua Vitae, Fifth Essence, Spirit of wine, mercury vegetable, are all one. The juices of Lunaria is made of our wine, which thing is known but to few of our children, and with it is our solution made, and our potable gold is made, that being the mean thereof and cannot be without it.

For the imperfect body is converted into the first matter, and those waters being conjoined with our water do make one pure and clear water, purifying all things and yet containing in itself all necessary things. And this water of which and with which our magistery is effected, is both dear and cheap, for it dissolveth bodies not with common solution as the ignorant report, which converts the body into cloud water, but by the true philosophical solution, in which the body is changed into its first water of which it hath been from the beginning this self same body. That is, the water transforms bodies into Ashes. But know this, that the Art of Alchemy is a gift of the Holy Ghost and know that in our days we have had Master Arnold de Villa Nova in the Roman Court, a great Physician and Divine, who hath also been a notable Alchimist, who made small wedges of gold which wedges he granted to be put to any trial.

Arnoldus: Let the Artificers of Alchemy know this, that the forms of metals cannot be transmuted unless they be reduced into their first matter, and then they are transmuted into another form than that which they had before. And that is because the corruption of one thing is the generation of another thing, as well in artificial things as in natural things. For Art imitates nature and in certain things it correcteth it and excelleth it as nature is helped by the industry of the Physician.

The Mirror: Therefore, use nature well because nature cannot be amended but in its own nature, to which bring in no foreign thing, neither powder, nor any other thing, because diverse natures do not make perfect the stone, neither does that enter into it which is not sprung from it. For if any foreign or strange thing be put into it, it is straight corrupted and that which is sought shall not be obtained.

Whereupon, I give you to understand that, unless you take like things in the beginning of the decocting and guide them subtly until they all be made water, till then you have not found out the work. Wherefore, I will make the precious secret known unto the students thereof, they they shall not be wearied in vain, because this magistery is nothing else but to decoct Argent vive and Sulphur, until the Argent vive be made all one, which defendeth the Sulphur from burning if the vessel be well closed, so that the Argent vive may not vanish away nor the Sulphur be burned or consumed, because our Argent vive is our pure water. And we see the example in common water, that every thing which is decocted in it is never burnt till the water is consumed and the fire be very strong, and when the water is consumed, then that which is in the vessel is burnt. And therefore, the Philosophers have willed us to stop the mouth of the vessel close, that our blessed water breath not forth, but that it may defend that from burning which is in the vessel, but water being put with these things doth forbid the fire to burn them, and then those things are done and made. And the greater the flame is, yet so much the more be hidden in the inward parts, that it be not hurt by the heat of the fire. The water receiveth them in his belly and repelleth the flame of the fire from them. But I would wish all the searchers after this Art, in the beginning to make a soft fire, till patience be made between the water and the fire, and after you shall see the water fixed without any ascending, then you need not care in what sort the fire be, but yet it is good to govern it with patience, till the spirit and body be made all one, so that the corporate bodies be made incorporate, and the incorporate be made corporate. Therefore, water is the thing which maketh white and red. It is the water which killeth and reviveth. It is the water which burneth and maketh hot. It is the water which dissolveth and congealeth. It is the water which putrefieth and afterwards causeth new and contrary things to spring up. Wherefore, my son, I counsel thee that all thy labour and diligence be used in the decocting of the water. And let it not be irksome unto thee if thou desire to have the fruit thereof and take care for no other vain matters, but for water only. Decoct that water by little and little, by putrefying until it be changed from colour into a perfect colour, and take care that in the beginning you burn not the flowers and greenness thereof, and be not too hasty in bringing your work to pass, and remember that your door be well and firmly shut, that he which is within fly not out and thus by the help of God you shall obtain a wished effect. Nature makes her operation by little and little, therefore, I would also that you should do so, yea rather let your imagination be according to nature, and see according to nature, of which bodies are regenerated according to nature in the bowels of the earth. Imagine this by true imagination and not phantastically and likewise see in what colour the decoction of them is made, in whether it be violent or pleasant.

Geber - Of the Investigation of TruthWe have considered in our volumes of the secret and natural powers and of the properties of natural things, and by our own experience of the invention of the searching out of a matter altogether certain. We have not found out any other thing but only those things of which our medicine is made, that it may have these properties in itself in transmuting of bodies. First, that it may have a most subtle earth in itself, and incombustible and apt to fix anything with its own radical moisture. Secondly, that it may have an airy and fiery moisture uniformly conjoined, so that if one be volatile the rest may be so also, and because that moisture above all other moistures abideth all other moistures, to the accomplishment of this sufficient thickness of ashes so far forth as the want thereof, with an unseparable permanency of the earth that is annexed without evaporation. Thirdly, because the natural disposition of moisture is such that by the benefit of its homogeneity it hath in all differences of its properties, annexed earth by the conversion of them both, because in the homogeneity of either of them it is tempered virtuously with an inseparable bond of conjoining, and after the degree of final preparation it yieldeth good melting. Fourthly, that this homogeneity is of such purity of Essence and artificially purified from all combustible and burnt substance, that all things which are joined with it are not burnt by it, but it preserveth them from burning. Fifthly, because it hath a clear and bright tincture in itself, white, red, pure, incombustible, stable and fixed, which neither the fire is able to change nor burnt sulphurs or sharp corrosives able to corrupt. Sixthly, because the whole engrafted compound with its final accomplishment is of such subtlety and thinness of substance, that after the final injection of the term of its decoction, it remaineth of most thin melting, in manner of water, and profound penetration even to the permutability of the last thing, of what fusion or melting so ever it be in the accomplishment, and cleaveth naturally to its fume with its affinity and nearness, and with inseparable hardness against the impression of the fire, even in its hour reducing bodies spiritually into its own nature.