Quinte Essence

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, vi 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, 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.

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.

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

BOOK II.

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.

BOOK II.

FOOTNOTES

THE SPHERES AND PLANETS

¶ Philosofirs puttyn 9 sper is vndirewritten; but Diuinis puttin þe tenþe sper e , where is heuyn empir e , in þe whiche, angel is & sowl is 1 of seynt is seruen god; i n þe whiche is crist, in þe same forme that he walkid i n erþe, and also owr e lady, & seynt is that arosen w i t h criste.

¶ Þe first spere of þe 9 is clepid ‘p ri mu m mobile,’ þe first mevabil thyng.

¶ Þe .ij. spere of sterr is : Arie s .1. þe rame. ¶ the secund hows of Mars, þe bool, ¶ þe secund hows of Venus, Gemini, ¶ þe secund hows of Mercuri, Canc er . ¶ þe hows of þe mone, leo. þe hows of þe sonne, Virgo. // þe first hows of M er cury, Libra // þe first hows of Venus, Scorpio // þe first hows of Mars, Sagittari us // þe first hows of Iubit er , Cap ri cornus // þe first hows of Saturne, Aquari us // þe secund hows of Saturne, Piscis. / þe secunde hows of Iubit er

¶ Saturn is a planete evel-willid and ful of sekenes. Wherfore he is peyntid w i t h an hooke, for he repeþ dow{n)} grene thyng is / he fulfilliþ his course in xxx ȝeere.

¶ Iubit er is a planete wele willyng to alle thi n g is to be gendrid, plent[i]ful & plesyng; therfor he is y-seid Iubit er as helpyn. i n xij [ȝ]eere he filliþ his course.

¶ Mars is an enemy to alle thyng is to be gendrid; wherfor he is clepid god of batel, for he is ful of tempest. he fulfilliþ his course i n .ij. ȝeere.

¶ Þe sonne is þe worthiest planet, y-set i n myddis. he fulfilliþ his course in CCClxv dayes & vj. howr is , þe whiche causen bisext.

¶ Venus is apte to alle thyng is to be gendrid. he fulfilliþ his course in CCCxxxvj daies.

¶ Mercuri swyft is y-seid a messeng er of daies [? heuene]. he fulfilliþ his course i n CCCxxxvj daies.

NOTES
ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT

By C.H. GILL, Esq., of University College, London

P. 4. Direction to submit any wine that is not sour to distillation. ( Sour wine is deficient in alcohol; that body having been changed into acetic acid by oxidation.) In the language of the mystical ideas which prevailed in the dawn of Chemistry, the colouring matters, sugar, &c. of the wine are called ‘the .4. elementis,’ or as it were the ‘rotten fæces of wine’??

The direction to distill the wine seven times is a good practical suggestion for the obtaining of strong alcohol which will burn well. Then follows a description of the distilling apparatus, which seems to have been arranged to ensure a very slow distillation, so as to obtain a product as colourless and scentless as possible.

P. 5. The second way to make the Quinte essence depends on distillation of alcohol by means of the heat of fermenting horse-dung; also the fifth manner.

P. 6. The directions for gilding burning water are all nonsense; but as the writer had no means of testing the truth of his statements, they may have been made in good faith.

P. 7. The idea which he expresses, that this gilt burning water will make you well and young, is difficult to explain, except on the assumption that, it being the strongest of alcohol, a very little served to produce that elevation of spirits which seemed to bring back the spring of youth.

P. 7 , l. 6 from the bottom. The word liquibles in the text does not mean liquids, for a liquid cannot be made hot enough to be quenched . If 28 the original liquibles cannot be retained I should substitute the word liquiables , meaning those things which can be liquefied by heat. Indeed in the next passage we find stated that if Saturn (the alchemists’ mystical name for Lead) be quenched, &c., and that if then Mars (Iron) be quenched in the same liquid, it will acquire the softness of Saturn. Or if you quench lead in spirit which has had iron first cooled in it, it becomes hard.

P. 8. The fire without coals, &c., is ‘corrosive sublimate,’ most probably containing an excess of Sulphuric acid (vitriol) as an impurity. If Copper (Venus) or Tin (Jupiter) be dipt into this solution of mercury they will have a deposit of mercury formed on their surface, which will give them a pearly appearance.

P. 8. To bring Gold into calx. When gold is treated in the way directed, a fine powder of gold of a brown or yellow colour is left. This might readily have been mistaken for a calx by those who had no clear ideas of what calx really was.

P. 9. The departing of gold from silver is essentially the same as the plan practised at the present day.

To get the Quintessence of Gold. I can make nothing of the directions, that is, I cannot see that they (the directions) hide any real truth.

P. 10. How to get the Quintessence of Antimony. I can make nothing of this part, and can only suggest that the vinegar used contained hydrochloric acid, and when distilled with ‘Myn Antimony’ (native sulphide of antimony) gave a distillate of Chloride of Antimony containing some ‘kermes’ which is red.

From this point onward there is little or nothing that can be explained by a Chemist.

GLOSSARY.

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FIRST PUBLISHED	1866
REVISED EDITION	1889
REPRINTED	1965

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

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
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

[Fol. 10.]	W ith þe myȝt, wisdom, & grace of þe holy trynite, I write to ȝou a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis e ss encijs in latyn, þ a t hermys þe p ro phete and kyng of Egipt, aft er the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris, hadde by reuelaciou n of an aungil of god to him sende, þ a t þe wijsdom and þe science of þis book schulde not p er ische, but be kept and p re serued vnto þe eende of þe world, of alle holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis, for greet p er ilis þat myȝte falle þerof. For wiþi n ne þis breue tretis, wiþ þe g ra ce of god, I wole more determine of practif 1 þan of theorik. ȝitt ben boþe nedeful /	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.
	The firste and souereyneste p ri uyte þat god, maker of kynde , ordeyned for mannys nede, how þat olde euangelik men, and feble in kynde, myȝte be restorid, and haue aȝen her firste strenkþis of ȝongþe in þe same degree þat is in al kynde, & be m a d hool p ar fiȝtly,	God’s greatest secret for man’s need is how to restore old feeble men to the strength of their youth,
	except þe strok of þe þundir blast, & violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche betynge / Also p er ilous fallyngis of hiȝ placis, to myche abstynence, & oþ er e yuel gou er naunce aȝens kynde, And also þe teerme þ a t is sett of god, þ a t noman may a-schape, as Iob seiþ in latyn /	except in case of thunder-blast, and too much fasting, and the term set for all men.
	“Breues dies ho min is s un t &c.”	‘N ot a.’
2 THE NAMES AND QUALITIES OF QUINTE ESSENCE.	Forsoþe philosophoris clepen þe purest substau n ce of manye corruptible þi n gis elementid, ‘qui n ta e ss encia,’ þat is to seie, ‘ma n nys heuene,’ drawe out by craft of mani; 2 for whi, as quinta e ss encia sup er ior, þ a t is, heuene of oure lord god, in reward of þe .iiij elementis, is yncorruptible & vnchau n geable /	The purest substance of corruptible things is Quinte Essence or man’s heaven.
[* Fol. 10 b .]	riȝt so q ui nta e ss encia sup er ior inferior, þat is to seie, ma n nys heuene, is incorruptible, in reward of þe .4. q ua litees of mannys body; and so it is p re ued naturaly þat oure quinta e ss encia, þat is, mannes heuene, in it-silf 3 is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wiþ fier / ne coold and moist wiþ watir / ne hoot & moist w i t h eyr, ne coold and drie wiþ erþe; but oure q ui nta e ss e nci* a avayliþ to þe cont ra rie, as heuene incorruptible /	Quinte Essence is incorruptible as to the four qualities of man’s body,
	But vndirstonde þ a t oure q ui [n]ta e ss e nci a is nouȝt so incorruptible as is heuene of oure lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composiciou n maad of þe .4. elementis;	but not as the heaven of God.
	& it hath .iij. names by the philosophoris, þ a t is to seie / bre n nynge watir / þe soule in þe spirit of wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne ȝe wole concelle it, þa n ne schal ȝe clepe it ‘oure q ui nta e ss e nci a’; for þis name, & þe nature þ er of, riȝt fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly þei biriede þe truþe with hem. and witiþ weel that it is clepid brennynge watir; and it is no bre n ny n g watir:	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.
	forwhi, it is not moist ne coold as comou n watir; for it bre n neþ, & so doiþ not comyn watir;	It is neither moist and cold like water,
	ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir, for eir corru m piþ a þi n g a-noon, as it schewiþ weel by gen er ac i ou n of flies, & areins , and siche oþ er e; but sikirly þis is alwey incorruptible, if it be kept cloos fro fliȝt /	nor hot and moist like air,
	Also it is n o t coold and drie as erþe. for souereynly it worchiþ & chaungiþ. And it is not hoot and drie as fier, as it schewiþ by exp er ience; for hoot þingis it keliþ, & hoot sijknessis it doiþ awey /	nor cold and dry like earth, nor hot and dry like fire.
[* Fol. 11.]	Also þ a t it ȝeueþ incorruptibilite, and kepiþ a þi n g fro corruptibilite *and rotynge, it is p re ued þ us / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt þ er i n ne, it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is þ er i n ne /	It gives incorruptibility, for it prevents dead flesh from rotting,
	miche more þanne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body from al man er e corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure q ui nta e ss encia, þ a t is to seie, mannys heuene, þ a t god made to þe 3 conseruac i ou n of þe .4. q ua litees of mannys body, riȝt as he made his heuene to þe conseruac i ou n of al þe world /	and much more the living flesh of man. It is Man’s Heaven, preserving his body as Heaven does the world.
	And wite ȝe for certeyn þat manye philosophoris and lechis þat ben now, knowe nouȝt þis q ui nta e ss encia, ne þe truþe þ er of / Forwhi; god wole not þ a t þei knowe it; for her greet bre n nynge coueitise & vicious lyuynge /	Many know it not now for their covetousness and vice.
THE NATURE AND WORKING OF QUINTE ESSENCE.	Forsoþe q ui nta e ss encia sup er ior, þ a t is to seie, heuene of oure lord god bi hi m silf / Aloone / ȝeueþ not conseruacioun in þe world, and wondirful influence, but by þe v er tue of þe su n ne, planetis, and oþ er e sterris; riȝt so oure q ui nta e ss encia, þat is, mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wiþ þe su n ne min er alle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite þat fier may not appeire , corru m pe, ne distroie. and þis is v er ry gold of þe myn, of þe erþe, or of þe floodis gaderid /	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.
	for gold of alkamy maad w i t h corosyues distroieþ kynde, as aristotle and manye oþere philosophoris p ro uen /	‘N ot a.’
	and þ er fore good gold naturel, & of þe myn of þe erbe, is clepid of ph ilosophor is ‘sol’ in latyn; for he is þe son ne of oure heuene, lich as sol þe planet is in þe heuene aboue; for þis planete ȝeueþ to gold his influence, nature, colo ur , & a substaunce i n corruptible.	Good natural gold is called Sol , because Sol the planet gives gold its power, colour, &c.
[* Fol. 11 b .]	And oure q ui nta e ss encia, mannys heuene, is of þe nature *& þe colour of heuene / And oure sol, þ a t is, fyn gold of þe myne, schal make it fair, riȝt as sol þe planete makiþ heuene fair / and so þese two togidere ioyned schal ȝeue influence in us, and þe condiciou n s of heuene and of heuenly so n ne / in as miche as it is possible in deedly nature, conseruac i ou n and restorynge of nature lost, & renewynge of ȝongþe /	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.
	And it schal ȝeue plenteuously heelþe: and so it is p re ued by astronomy aboue, þat sterris þat haþ influence vpon þe heed and þe necke of ma n / as be n þe sterris of aries, taurus, and gemini, ȝeue n influence syngulerly vpon̅ Gerapigra galieni /	As Aries, Taurus, and Gemini draw humours from the head and breast, and not the limbs beneath, ‘N ot a.’
	And þ er fore it haþ a synguler strenkþe, by þe ordynau n ce of god, to drawe awey þe sup er flue humouris fro þe heed, þe necke, and þe brest, and not fro þe membris byneþe / And so I seie of spicis þat drawiþ humouris fro þe knees, þe leggis, and þe feet, þat resseyuen a synguler influence of þe sterris of Cap ri corn, Aquarie and pisces, & riȝt so of oþ er e, et c etera /	so those spices that do draw from these limbs get their power from Capricorn, &c.
	Comou n ne ȝe not þis book of deuyne secretes to wickid me n and auerous; 4 but kepe ȝe it in p ri uytee /	Tell not these Divine secrets to wicked men.
THE 1 ^ST WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE.	Take þe beste wiyn þat ȝe may fynde, if ȝe be of power; & if ȝe be riȝt pore, þanne take corrupt wiyn, þ a t is, rotyn, of a wat er y humour, but not egre, þ a t is, sour, for þe q ui nt e ss encia þ er of is naturaly incorruptible þe which ȝe schal drawe out by sublymac i ou n / And þa n ne schal þ er leue in þe grou n d of þe vessel þe .4. eleme n tis, as it were, rotu n fecis of wiyn /	‘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.
[* Fol. 12.]	But firste ȝe muste distille þis wiyn .7. tymes; & þa n ne haue ȝe good bre n nynge watir / Forsoþe, þis is þe watri mat er *fro which is drawe oure q ui nta e ss encia /	Distil 7 times to get Burning Water;
	Thanne muste ȝe do make in þe furneis of aischin , a distillatorie of glas al hool of oo . pece, wiþ an hoole a-boue in þe heed, where þe watir schal be putt yn, and be take out / And þis is a wondirful instrument þ a t þ a t þing þ a t by v er tues of fier ascendith and distillith wiþi n ne þe vessel, p er canales brachiales, þ a t is, by pipis lich to armys, be bore aȝen, and eftsoones ascendith, & eft desce n diþ contynuely day and nyȝt, til þe bre n nynge wat er heuenly be turned into q ui nta m e ss encia m / And so bi continuell e ascenciou n s & discenciou n s, þe q ui nta e ss encia is dep ar tid fro þe corruptible composiciou n of þe .4. eleme n tis.	‘vas’ 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.
	For bifore þ a t þing þ a t is twies sublymed is more glorified, and is more sotil, and fer fro m þe corru m pciou n of þe .4. eleme n tis more sep ar at þa n wha n ne it ascendith but oonys;	‘N ot a.’
	and so vnto a þousand tymes, so þat by coutynuel ascendynge and descendynge, by the which it is sublymed to so myche hiȝnes of glorificaciou n , it schal come þ a t it schal be a medicyn incorruptible almoost as heuene aboue, and of þe nature of heuene / And þ er fore oure q ui nta e ss encia worþily is clepid ‘mannys heuene’ /	Distil it 1000 times, and it shall be glorified and become a medicine incorruptible as heaven.
	And aftir manye daies þat it hath be in þis sotil vessel of glas distillid / ȝe schulen opene þe hoole of þe vessel in þe heed þat w a s selid with þe seel of lute of wijsdom, maad of þe sotillest flour, and of white of eyren, and of moist pap er e, ymeyngid so þat no þing respire out /	After many days unstop your distiller, ‘lute’
[* Fol. 12 b .]	And wh a ne ȝe opene þe hoole. if þ er come out a passynge heuenly swete flauour þat alle me n þ a t come yn naturely *drawe þ er to. þanne ȝe haue oure q ui nta e ss encia /	and if there issues out a heaven-sweet savour, you have our Quinte Essence.
	and ellis sele þe vessel, and putte it to þe fier aȝen til ȝe haue it.	If not, distil again till you have.
5 THE 2 ^ND , 3 ^RD , AND 4 ^TH WAYS OF MAKING QUINTE ESSENCE.	And anoþ er maner worchinge of oure q ui nta e ss encia is þis / Take þe noblest and þe strengest bre n nynge watir þ a t ȝe may haue distillid out of pure myȝty wiyn, and putte it into a glas clepid ‘ ampho ra , w i t h a long necke / and close þe mouþ strongly wiþ wex; And loke þat half or þe þridde 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 þ a t þe necke of þe glas be turned dou n ward, & þe botu m be turned vpward, þ a t by v er tu of þe hors dou n ge þe q ui nta e ss encia ascende vp to þe botu m . And þe grosté of þe mater of þe watir descende dou n ward to þe necke /	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 aftir manye daies, whanne ȝe take it out, softly lift vp þe glas as it stondith, and ȝe schal se in þickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene þe q ui nta m e ss encia m sublymed, and þe grose mat er þ a t is in þe necke / þe wondirful maistry of dep ar tynge of þ a t oon fro þ a t oþ er is þis /	Take the glass out of the dung;
	Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, & peerse into þe wex þat hongiþ i n þe mouþ of þe glas aȝens þe erþe / and wha n ne ȝe haue peersid al fully to þe watir, take out þe poyntel or þe pricke /	make a hole in the wax seal,
	And þ a t erþely watir wole first come out þ a t is in þe necke / and so til it be come out vnto þe dep ar ti n ge bitwixe it / and þe q ui nte e ss ence, þ a t is, mannys heuene sublymed.	let out the impure earthy water,
[* Fol. 13.]	and wh a ne ȝe se þ a t þis q ui nt e ss ence wole re n ne & melte aftir þ a t þis erþely watir be voydid, putte þanne swiftly ȝoure fyngir to þe hoole, & t ur ne vp þe glas, and þanne ȝe haue þ er i n ne oure q ui nte e ss ence, *and þe erþely watir wiþoute aside. And þis is a passy n g souereyn p ri uytee.	and when the Quinte Essence would begin to run, turn the glass up, and keep your Quinte Essence.
	The þridde man er is, þ a t ȝe take a greet glas clepid ampho ra , and seele it weel, and birie it weel in þe wombe of an hors al togidere. and þe pureté of þe q ui nte e ss encie schal be sublymed aboue, & þe grosté schal abide byneþe in þe botme / take out softli þ a t þ a t fletiþ a-boue; and þat þat leeueþ bihynde, putte it to þe fier.	The third way. Put your amphora into a horse’s belly instead of the dung, and proceed as above.
	The .iiij. maner is þis. take wh a t vessel of glas þ a t ȝe wole, or of erþe strongly glasid, and þ er -vpon a round foot of glas wiþ a leg. and seele þe vessel w i t h his couerto ur , þ a t þe rod of þe foot of þe glas wiþi n ne þe vessel honge in þe eyr, þ a t þ a t þi n g þ at asce n dith to þe couertour in þe maner of a pott boilynge 6 descende doun aȝen by þe foot of þe glas. and this instrument may ȝe do make wiþoute greet cost /	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.
THE 5 ^TH WAY TO MAKE QUINTE ESSENCE, &C.	The fifþe maner is, þat þe brennynge wat er be .10 tymes distillid in hors dou n ge contynuely digest.	The fifth way. Distil your Burning Water ten times.
	The sci en ce of makynge of fier wiþoute fier / wherby ȝe may make oure q ui nte e ss ence wiþoute cost or traueile, and w i t h oute occupac i ou n and lesynge of tyme /	To make fire without fire, and Quinte Essence without cost or trouble.
	Take þe beste horse dou n ge þat may be had þ a t is weel digest, and putte it wiþine a uessel, or ellis a pitt maad wiþ þe erþe anoy n tid þoruȝout w i t h past maad of aischin. And in þis vessel or pitt, bete weel togidere þe dou n ge; And i n þe myddil of þis dou n g, sette þe vessel of distillac i ou n v n to þe myddis or more / For it is nede þ a t al þe heed of þe vessel be in þe coold eir /	Put horse-dung into a vessel or pit lined with ashes, and place your vessel in it up to the middle.
[* Fol. 13 b .]	þ a t, þ a t þ in g þ a t bi v er tu of þe fier of þe dou n g þ a t ascendith þ er by be turned into watir *by v er tu of cooldnes of þe eir and falle dou n aȝen and ascende vp aȝen. and þus ȝe haue fier wiþoute fier, and but wiþ litil traueile.	The cold top part will condense the vapour caused by the heat of the dung.
	Also anoþ er maner of fier. sette ȝoure vessel forseid to þe strong reuerberaciou n of þe su n ne in somer tyme, and lete it stonde þ er e nyȝt and day.	Or, place your vessel in the sun’s rays.
	Here I wole teche ȝou how pore eua n gelik me n may haue wiþoute cost, and almoost for nouȝt, þe g ra cious influence of gold, and þe maner of þe fixynge of it in oure heuene, þat is, oure q ui nta e ss encia.	How poor evangelic men may get the gracious influence of gold.
	if ȝe be pore, ȝe schal p re ie a riche man þat is ȝo ur e free n d to leene ȝou a good floreyn of florence / and anele it vpon a plate of yren as yren is anelid. and haue biside ȝou a uessel of erþe glasid, fillid ful of the beste brennynge watir þat ȝe may fynde. & caste into þe watir þe floreyn anelid. and loke þat ȝe haue a sotilte and a sleiȝþe to quenche sodeynly þe fier, þat þe watir waaste not; and be weel war þat no n yren touche þe watir. but af[t]er caste into þe watir þe floreyn,	Borrow a Florence florin of a rich friend, anneal [?heat] it on a plate of iron, and throw it into some Burning Water, taking care to quench the fire quickly to prevent the Water wasting.
	and do so .l. tymes or more, for þe oftere þe bettere it is / And if ȝe se þ a t þe watir waaste to myche, chaunge it þanne, and take newe, & do so ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue do ȝoure quenchour , putte all þe wat ri s togidere /	Repeat this 50 times in fresh Water, and then mix all the Waters together.
HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE. [* Fol. 14.]	And ȝe schulen vndirstonde þat þe v er tu of bre n nynge watir is sich þat naturely it drawiþ out of 7 gold alle þe v er tues & p ro pirtees of it, & it holdiþ incorru m ptibilitee & an euene heete.	The Water draws out all the properties of the gold.
HOW TO GILD BURNING WATER OR WINE. [* Fol. 14.]	*þanne meynge þis brennynge watir þus giltid wiþ oure q ui nte e ss ence, and vse it. but be war þ a t ȝe quenche not þe floreyn in oure q ui nte e ss ence; for þanne it were lost /	Mix the gilt Burning Water with Quinte Essence.
	And if it so be þat ȝe haue not þis brennynge watir redy, þanne que n che ȝoure floreyn in þe beste whiȝt wiyn þat may be had / For sikirly þe philosophore seiþ, þat wiyn hath also þe p ro pirtee to restreyne in it þe influence and v er tues of gold / And whanne ȝe haue do ȝo ur e werk, ȝe schal wite þat þe floreyn is als good, & almoost of þe same weiȝte, as it was afore /	You may substitute for Burning Water best white wine, which also retains the powers of gold.
	þerfore vse wiyn or bre n nynge watir giltid, so þ a t ȝe may be hool, and wexe glad, and be ȝong. And þus ȝe haue oure heuene, and þe su n ne in him fixid, to þe conseruac i ou n of mannys nature and fixaciou n of o ur e heuene, þ a t is, oure q ui nte e ss ence.	This gilt Water will make you well and young again. In it you have the Sun fixed in our Heaven.
	The sci enc e how ȝe schule gilde more myȝtily by brennynge watir or wiyn þan I tauȝte you tofore, wherby þe wat er or þe wiyn schal take to it myȝtily þe influence & þe v er tues of fyne gold.	‘science.’ How to gild Burning Water or Wine more thoroughly.
	Take þe calx of fy n gold as it is declarid here-aftir in þis book, and putte it in a siluer spone, and anele it at þe fier. & þa n ne caste þe cals of the gold in þe brennynge watir or i n wiyn .l. times, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore wiþ þe floreyn.	Heat calcined gold in a silver spoon and put it in Burning Water or wine 50 times, as with the florin before.
[* Fol. 14 b .]	and ȝe schule haue ȝoure lico ur by an hu n drid p ar t bettir gilt þan ȝe had tofore wiþ þe floreyn / Forwhi. fier worchiþ more strongly and bett er e *in sotil p ar ties þan it doiþ in an hool plate / And also bre n nynge watir or wiyn drawiþ out more myȝtily bi a þousand p ar t þe p ro pirtees of gold fro smale p ar ties anelid, þan it doiþ fro a þicke plate / And ȝe schal vndirstonde þ a t wiyn not aloonly holdiþ in it þe p ro pirtees of gold, but myche more þe p ro pirtees of alle liquibles if þei be quenchid þ er i n ne.	Your liquor will be better gilt, as the fire and Water or wine work more powerfully on the grains of gold than on a plate. Wine retains the properties of all liquibles quenched in it.
	and þat is a souereyn p ri uite: Forwhi, if ȝe quenche saturne liquified in wiyn or in comou n watir .7. tymes, and aftirward in þat wiyn or watir ȝe quenche mars manye tymes, þa n ne mars schal take algate þe neischede and þe softnes of saturne /	If Saturn (lead) liquefied be quenched in wine, and then Mars (iron) be quenched in it, Mars acquires the softness of Saturn.
	And þe same schal venus do, & alle oþ er e liquibles / or ellis, And ȝe 8 quenche mars in whiȝt wiyn or in comou n watir manye tymes, and aftirward in þe same wiyn or watir ȝe caste saturne liq ui fied ofte tymes, þanne wiþoute doute ȝe schal fynde þat þe saturne is m aad riȝt hard / Therfore þe p ro pirtees of alle liquibles may be brouȝt into wiyn or watir; but myche more myȝtily into brennynge watir good and p re cious.	Again, if you quench Mars in wine and put in it Saturn liquefied, this will be made hard.
TO MAKE FIRE WITH NO FIRE.	The sci enc e to make a fier, þat is, wiþoute cole, w i t h oute lyme, wiþoute liȝt, worchinge aȝens al maner scharpnes or acc i ou n of visible fier, riȝt as worchiþ þe fier of helle /	To make fire without coals, lime, light, &c.
[* Fol. 15]	And þis p ri uytee is so v er tuous, þ a t þe v er tu þ er of may not al be declarid. And þus it is maad. Take Mercurie þ a t is sublymed w i t h vit ri ol, *& co m e n salt, & sał armoniac .7. or .10. tymes sublymed / and meynge hem togidere by euene porc i ou n . and grynde it smal, and leye it abrood vpon a marbil stoon; and by nyȝte sette it i n a soft cleer eir, or ellis in a coold seler; and þ er e it wole turne into watir / And þanne gadere it togidere i n to a strong vessel of glas, and kepe it /	Mix equal parts of sublimated Mercury, Salt, and Sal Ammoniac, grind them small, expose them to the air, and they’ll turn into water,
	This wat er forsoþe is so strong, þat if a litil drope þ er of falle vpon ȝoure hond, anoon it wole p er ce it þoruȝ-out; and i n þe same maner it wole do, if it falle vpon a plate of venus or Iubiter, into þis watir, it turneþ hem into lijknes of peerl.	a drop of which will eat thro’ your hand, and make Venus (copper) or Jupiter (tin) like pearl.
	who so coude rep ar ale & p re p ar ate kyndely þis fier, wiþoute doute it wolde que n che anoon a brennynge sijknes clepid þe fier of helle. And also it wolde heele eu er y cor[os]if sijknesse.	If it could be moderated it would cure the disease Hell fire, and every corrosive sickness.
	And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis þi n g in her bookis ‘sal amarus,’ al þouȝ þei teche not þe maistrie þ er of / If it be so þ a t þis firy watir breke þe glas, and re n ne out into þe aischen, þanne gadere alle togidere þ a t ȝe fynde pastid in þe aischen / and leye it vpon a marbil stoon as afore, and it wole t ur ne into watir. And þis is a greet p ri uytee.	‘sal amarus.’ It is also called ‘Sal Amarus.’
TO CALCINE GOLD. [* Fol. 15 b .]	The sci enc e to brynge gold into calx / Take fyn gold, and make it into smal lymayl : take a crusible wiþ a good q ua ntitee of Mercur ie , and sette it to a litil fier so þ a t it vapoure not, and putte þ er i n ne þi lymail of gold, and stire it weel togidere / & aftirward *wiþi n ne a litil tyme ȝe schal se al þe gold wiþi n ne þe M er cur ie turned into erþe as sotil as flour. þa n ne ȝeue it a good fier, þat þe M er cur ie arise and go his wey;	‘Scie n ce.’ To calcine gold. Cut gold into shavings; put it into a crucible with Mercury; heat it, and it will crumble into dust like flour. Heat it more till the mercury goes his way;
9	or ellis, and ȝe wole, ȝe may distille and gadere it, puttynge þ er -vpon a lembike / and in þe corusible ȝe schal fynde þe gold calcyned and reducid into erþe /	or distil it, and the gold powder will be in the crucible.
	And if ȝe wole not make lymayl of gold, þanne make þ er of a sotil þi n ne plate, as ȝe kan, and putte wiþi n ne þe M er cur i e al warm; and ȝe schal haue ȝoure desier / And in þis same maner ȝe may worche wiþ siluir /	A thin plate of gold will do instead of shavings, and Silver may be treated like gold.
	Thanne take þe calx of þese two bodies, and bere hem openly wiþ ȝou; and þ er schal noman knowe what þei ben / And if ȝe wole bere hem more p ri uyly wiþoute ony knowynge, þanne meynge hem wiþ pich melt, or wex, or ellis gu m me, for þanne noman schal knowe it what it is.	To carry these powders about, mix them with pitch, wax, or gum,
	And whanne ȝe wole dissolue ony of þese calces by hem silf, putte eiþir by hi m silf in a test, or ellis þe pich or þe wex in which þei be n y n ne; and anoon schal come out verry gold & silu er as þei were tofore.	melting the mass when you want the metal.
	Now I wole teche ȝou þe maistrie of departynge of gold fro siluir wha n ne þei be meyngid togidere / Forsoþe ȝe woot weel þat þer be manye werkis in þe whiche gold and siluir be meyngid, as in giltynge of vessel & Iewellis /	How to separate gold from silver when mixed with it.
[* Fol. 16.]	þ er fore whanne ȝe wole drawe þe toon fro þat oþir, putte al þat mixture into a strong watir maad of vitriol and of sał pet re . and þe *siluyr wole be dissolued, and not þe gold: þa n ne ȝe haue þat oon departid fro þe toþir /	Put the mixture into a solution of vitriol and saltpetre, and the silver will be dissolved.
	And if ȝe wole dissolue þe gold to watir, putte þa n ne yn þe watir corosyue, Sał ar moni ac; and þat watir wiþoute doute wole dissolue gold into watir.	Corrosive water and sal ammoniac will dissolve the gold.
TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF GOLD.	The sci enc e to drawe out of fyn gold v ^ta e ss encia is þis / First ȝe schal reduce gold into calx, as I tolde ȝou tofore / þanne take vynegre distillid, or ellis oold vryne depurid fro þe fecis, and putte it in a uessel glasid; and þe liquor schal be in þe heiȝþe of 4. ynchis; and þ er i n ne caste þe calx of gold, & sette it to the strong su n ne in somer tyme, þ er e to abide / and soone aftir ȝe schal se as it were a liquor of oyle ascende vp, fletynge aboue in man er of a skyn or of a reme . gadere þat awey wiþ a sotil spone or ellis a feþ er e, and putte it into a uessel of glas in þe which be putt watir tofore. and þus gadere it manye tymes in þe day, into þe tyme þ a t þer ascende nomore /	‘science.’ ‘N ota .’ How to get out of gold its Quinte Essence. Put calcined gold into distilled vinegar or purified urine; set it in a hot sun; a film will soon rise; skim it off, collect all such in a glass vessel till no more rise.
	and aftir do vapoure awey þe watir at þe fier. And þe v ^ta e s sencia of þe 10 gold wole abyde byneþe. And manye philosophoris clepiþ þis q ui nta e ss encia an oile incombustible , þ a t is a greet p ri uytee /	Evaporate the water left; the residuum is the Quinte Essence of Gold.
	And if ȝe wole fixe þis q ui nta e ss encia i n o ur e heuene, þ a t 4 it may wiþoute doute restore aȝe n to man þ a t nature þat is lost, and reduce hi m aȝe n i n to þe v er tu of þe strenkþe of ȝongþe, and also lenkþiþ his lijf into þe laste terme of lijf set of god //	And if you fix this Quinte Essence in our heaven, it will restore man to the strength of his youth.
[* Fol. 16 b .]	Now forsoþe I haue toold ȝou þe souereynest *pr i uytee and restorynge of mannys kynde, and i n p ar t greet þing þat schulde not be schewid / Forwhi. þis oyle, þat is to seie, q ui nta e ss encia of gold, hath þe mooste swetnes and v er tu to a-swage and putte awei þe ache of woundis, and for to heele woundis, oolde sooris, and manye wondirful yuelis / Also i n þe same maner ȝe may drawe out of siluir, q ui nte e ss encie //	Now I have told this most sovereign secret, which should not be shewed. [N ota .] The Quinte Essence of gold is best to heal wounds.
TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF ANTIMONY, &C.	The science to drawe out of antymony, þat is, m er casite of leed, þe v ^te e ss encie, is a souereyn maistrie, and a p ri uytee of alle p ri uytees / Take þe myn of antymony aforeseid, and make þ er of al so sotil a poudre as ȝe kan / þanne take þe beste vynegre distillid, and putte þ er inne þe poudre of antymonye, and lete it stonde in a glas vpon a litil fier into þe tyme þat þe vynegre be colourid reed. þanne take þ a t vynegre awey, and kepe it clene, and putte aȝen þer-to of oþ er e vynegre distillid, and lete it stonde vpon a soft fier til it be colourid reed. & so do ofte tymes. and whanne ȝe haue gaderid al ȝo ur e vynegre colourid, putte it þanne in a distillatorie . and first þe vynegre wole ascende; þanne aft er ȝe schal se merueilis: for ȝe schal se as it were a þousand dropis of blessid wiyn discende doun in maner of reed dropis, as it were blood, by þe pipe of þe lymbike / þe which lico ur , gadere togidere in a rotu m be / and þanne ȝe haue a þing þ a t al þe tresour of þe world may not be in comp ar isou n of worþines þ er to /	How to get its Quinte Essence out of Antimony. Put powdered antimony into distilled vinegar; heat it till the vinegar is red; take away the red vinegar, and put fresh; take that away when red. Put the red vinegar into a distiller, and 1000 drops of blessed wine shall come down the pipe; collect this; it is an incomparable treasure.
[* Fol. 17.]	aristo t le seiþ þ a t it is his lede in þe book of secretis, al þouȝ he *telle not þe name of þe antymonye aforeseid /	[No ta .]
	Forsoþe þis doiþ awey ache of alle woundis, and wondirfully heeliþ. þe v er tu þ er of is incorruptible & merueilo u s p ro fitable /	It cures the pain of all wounds,
	it nedit to be putrified in a rotombe and seelid i n fyme , and þanne it worchiþ greet p ri uytees / Forsoþe þe v ^ta e ss encia of þis antymony þat is reed, i n þe which is 11 þe secreet of alle secretis, is swettere þan ony hony, or sugre, or ony oþir þing.	and when fermented it works great secrets.
TO EXTRACT THE QUINTE ESSENCE FROM MAN’S BLOOD.	The science in the extraccioun of þe .5 5 e ss encie from blood, and fleisch, & eggis / To ȝou I seie, þat in eu er y elementid þing, þe .5. e ss encie remayneþ incorrupte: it schal be þanne þe moost þi n g of merueyle if I teche ȝou to drawe out þat fro mannys blood reserued of Barbouris whanne þei lete blood; also fro fleisch of alle brute beestis, and fro alle eggis, and oþ er e suche þingis.	‘Science.’ How to get its Quinte Essence from Man’s Blood.
	for als myche as mannes blood is þe p er fitist werk of kynde in us, as to þe encrees of þ a t þat is lost, it is certeyn þat nature þat .5. e ss ence maad so p er fiȝt þ a t, wiþoute ony oþir greet p re p ar acioun wiþoute þe veynes, it beriþ forþ þat blood anoon aftir into fleisch. and þis 5 e ss ence is so nyȝ kynde þat [it] is moost to haue 6 /	Man’s blood is the perfectest work of nature in us, and its Quinte Essence converts blood into flesh,
	Forwhy. in it is merueylous v er tu of oure heuene sterrid, and to þe cure of nature of man worchiþ moost deuyn myraclis, as wiþi n ne I schal teche ȝou /	and works divine miracles of healing.
	þerfore resceyue of Barbouris, of ȝong sangueyn men, or colerik men, wha n ne þei be late blood, þe which vse good wynes. take þat blood aftir þ a t it haþ reste, and cast awey þe watir fro it, and braie it wiþ þe .10. p ar t of co men salt p re p ar ate to medicyns of me n ; and putte it into a uessel of glas clepid ampho ra ,	Get from Barbers the blood of young sanguine men; let it stand; pour off the serum; mix the blood with a tenth of prepared salt; put it in an amphora;
[* Fol. 17 b .]	þe which, sotely seele, and putte it wiþi n ne þe *wombe of an hors, p re p ar ate as tofore, and renewe þe fyme oonys in þe wike, or more, and lete it putrifie til al þe blood be turned into watir / and it schal be doon at þe mooste in xxx. or xl dayes, or aftir, more or lasse / þanne putte it in a lembike, and distille it at a good fier / what so euere may ascende, putte þat watir vpon þe fecis brayed, mey n gynge vpon a marbil stoon; putte it aȝen, and aftir distille it aȝen manye tymes rehersynge /	seal that up; put it in a horse’s belly, renewing the dung weekly till all the blood turns into water; distil that; put the outcome on the pounded fæces, and distil over again.
	And whanne ȝe haue þis noble þing of blood, þerof þe .5. beynge d ra we out / putte aȝen þe watir in þe stillatorie of circulaciou n til ȝe brynge it to so myche swetnes & an heuenly sauour, as ȝe dide þe brennynge watir. and þis is þe 5 beynge of blood deuyn, and miraclis more þan man mai bileue but if he se it.	Heat the water in the distiller till it comes to a heavenly savour. This Fifth Being works miracles hardly credible unless seen.
12 TO GET THE QUINTE ESSENCE OUT OF BEASTS AND THE 4 ELEMENTS.	Now wole I teche ȝou to drawe out þe .5 beynge from capou n s, he n nes, and al man er fleisch of Brut beestis, and from al maner eggis of foulis þat ben holsum and medicynable to ete for mān kynde / Grynde summe of þese þingis forseid, which þat ȝe wil, as strongly as ȝe can in a morter, wiþ þe 10 p ar t of hi m of sal co m e n p re p ar ate to þe medicyne of me n , as I seide tofore. putte it in þe wombe of an hors til it be turned into water. distille as it is aforeseid, and in þe stillatorie of circulac i ou n þe watir þat is distillid, putte it in aȝen til it be brouȝt to þe swete heuenly sauour and smel aforeseid /	To get the Quinte Essence out of capons, beasts, eggs, &c. Grind some of them with a tenth part of prepared salt; put ’em into a horse’s belly till they become water, and distil that till it’s heaven-sweet.
	The science to drawe out þe 5 beynge of eu er ych of þe .4 elementis, and to schewe eu er ych of þe forseid þing bi he m silf; & þ a t is riȝt merueylous / I wole not leue for a litil to schewe a greet secreet, how ȝe may drawe out þe 5 beynge of ech of þe 4 elementis of al þe þing rehersid afore, and p ro fitably schewe hem /	‘science.’ To draw the Fifth Being out of each of the Four Elements, and to separate them.
[* Fol. 18.]	And þe man er ys *þis / take þ a t þing putrified and brouȝt into watir, what so eu er e ȝe wole, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore; and þat þing be mannes blood brouȝt into watir, of þe which ȝe wole drawe out þe 4 elementis / putte þ er fore þat wat er , or þat blood putrified, in a stillatorie of glas, and sette it wiþi n ne a pott of watir, and ȝeue vndirneþe a fier til þe watir of blood be distillid by þe pipe of þe lembike into a glas clepid ampho ra , riȝt clene /	Take any thing rotted and turned into water, as man’s blood; put it in a glass distiller, and distil it over into an amphora.
	And whanne no þing may more by þat fier ascende, for certeyn ȝe haue of blood drawen out al oonly þe element of watir / Forwhi. fier of þat bath hath no strenkþe to sublyme eyr, or fier, or erþe.	When no more vapour rises, you have drawn out the water.
	and so [take] þo þre elementis, and sette in þe same bath by .vij. dayes þat þei be weel meyngid, & so cloos þ a t no þing be distillid /	Put the other 3 elements for 7 days into the same bath,
	aftir þe .vij. dayes take þe stillatorie, and putte it to þe fier of aischen, þ a t is strongere þa n fier of bath clepid marien ; and þe watir schal ascende in foorme of oyle schynynge as gold /	then into a coal fire, and the water shall rise as oil shining like gold,
	and aftirward þ a t no þing more schal ascende, ȝe haue þanne in þe ampulle .ij. elementis, þat is to seie, watir and eyr. & oon from anoþir ȝe schal dep ar te in þe bath, puttynge yn aȝen wher al-oonly þe cleer watir schal ascende / and þe eyr schal al-oonly remayne in̅ þe botu m of þe vessel in lijknesse of oyle of gold. þe which oyle þat is gold, þe which oyle 13 þat is ayr / putte it aside.	the air remaining at the bottom like oil of gold. Put these aside.
	þanne þ er leeueþ ȝitt fier wiþ erþe. to dep ar te fier from erþe, putte þe element of watir, þat is to seye .iiij ℔ of watir, vpon j ℔ of mat er / and putte by .vij. daies to encorp er e wel as tofore in þe bath of marien̅ /	To separate fire from the earth, put 4 lbs. of water on 1 lb. of earth; place it in the Marian bath for 7 days;
[* Fol. 18 b .]	Aftirward putte it to þe fier of flawme riȝt strong, and þe reed wat er schal ascende. þe which gadere togidere as longe as ony *þing ascendiþ. and to ȝou schal remayne an erþe riȝt blak in þe botum. þe which gadere togidere aside /	then in hot flames; red water shall ascend and black earth fall.
	þanne þe redeste watir ȝe schal take. forwhy. þer be .ij. eleme n tis, þat is to seie, þe element of watir and fier. þa n ne yn þe stillatorie, to þe fier of baþ, cleer watir schal asende. and in þe botu m schal remayne þe reed watir, þat is, þe element of fier.	Put the red water into the distiller; pure water shall rise; red water, or fire, shall remain;
	and so ȝe haue now first oon oyle, þat is, ayer o side, and watir, and fier, and erþe. and note ȝe weel þ a t þ er fore þe element of watir is putt aȝe n to drawe out from erþe fier and eyr, for þei wole not ascende, but þoruȝ þe help of element of watir.	so you have the 4 Elements separate.
	brynge aȝe n eu er ych into 5 beynge wiþ þe vessel of circulacioun as tofore / or ellis rectifie, makynge oon ascende .7 tymes bi an oþir / but first ȝe moste þe riȝt blak erþe of oon hide 7 nature, in þe furneys of glas mon 8 , or ellis reu er berac i ou n , xxj. dayes calcyne /	Distil each into its Quinte Essence, or rectify it, and
	And for a cause I speke to ȝou nomore of this science. but ioie ȝe, and thanke oure glorio us lord god of þese þingis þat ȝe haue had.	thank our glorious God for this bit of knowledge.
HOW TO FIX OTHER THINGS IN OUR QUINTE ESSENCE.	The science to fixe alle erþely þingis in n ost ra 5 ^ta e ss encia, þat is to seie, o ur e heuene, þat by her influence þei may ȝeue þerto þer p ro p er tees and her hid vertues / oure glorious god haþ ȝeue sich a uertu to oure q ui nta e ss ence, þat it may drawe out of euery matier of fruyȝt / tree / rote / flour, herbe / fleisch, seed & spice / And eu er y medicynable þing, alle þe v er tues, p ro pirtees, and naturis, þe whiche god made in he m ; and þat wiþi n ne .iij. houris.	To fix all earthly things in our Quinte Essence. God has given it the power of drawing all the virtues out of every thing in 3 hours.
OUR QUINTE ESSENCE IMPROVES EVERYTHING 100 FOLD. [* Fol. 19.]	Now I haue schewid ȝou a souereyn p ri uytee, how þ a t ȝe may wiþ oure heuene drawe out eu er y 5 e ss encia from alle þingis aforeseid / þ er fore alle necessarie þingis to eu er y syrup putte yn oure 5 e ss encie, & wiþi n ne .iij. houris þ a t watir schal be sich a sirup, vndirstonde wel, bettir by an hundrid p ar t, by 14 cause of oure 5 e ss encie, þan it *schulde be wiþoute it /	Put therefore every thing necessary for any syrup into our Quinte Essence, and in 3 hours it shall be 100 times better than before.
	And so I seie of medicyns comfortatyues, digestyues, laxatyues, rest ri ktyues, and alle oþ er e; forwhy. if ȝe putte seedis or flouris, fruyȝtis, leeues, spicis, coold, hoot, sweet, sour, moist, do þei good or yuel, i n to o ur e 5 e ss enci e , forsoþe sich 5 e ss enc e ȝe schulen haue þerfore.	Whatever medicines are put into our Quinte Essence,
	oure 5 e ss encie is þe instrument of alle v er tues of þi n g t ra nsmutable if þei be putt in it, encreessynge an hu n drid foold her worchingis //	it increases their power a hundred fold.

	Explicit p ar s p ri ma tractatus q ui nte e ss encie:	End of Part I.

15 TO MAKE OLD MEN YOUNG, AND DYING ONES WELL.	Here bigynneth the secunde book of medicyns / The first medicyn is to reduce an oold feble euangelik man to þe firste strenkþe of ȝongþe / Also to restore aȝen his nat ur e þ a t is lost, and to lenkþe his lijf in greet gladnesse and p er fiȝte heele vnto þe laste teerme of his lijf þat is sett of god /	To restore an old evangelic man to the strength of his youth.
15 TO MAKE OLD MEN YOUNG, AND DYING ONES WELL.	ȝe schal take oure 5 ^ta e ss enc ie aforeseid, þat is to seye, mannys heuene, and þ er i n ne putte a litil q ua ntite of 5 e ss encia of gold and of peerl. and þe oolde feble man schal vse þis deuyn drynk at morn and at euen, ech tyme a walnote-schelle fulle /	Give him our Quinte Essence with some of that ‘1 ^a . M ^e .’ of Gold and Pearl, a walnut-shell full at morn and eve.
	and wiþi n ne a fewe dayes he schal so hool 9 þat he schal fele him silf of þe statt and þe strenkþe of xl ȝeer; and he schal haue greet ioie þat he is come to þe statt of ȝongþe. And whanne his ȝongþe is recouerid, and his nature restorid, and heelþe had, it is nedeful þat litil and seelde he vse 5 essence / Also it is nedeful þat he vse ofte good wiyn at his mete and at þe soper, in þe which be fixid þe 5. essence of gold, as I tauȝte ȝou tofore.	In a few days he shall feel only 40 years old. Then let him take little of our Quinte Essence, only that of Gold in good wine at dinner and supper.
[* Fol. 19 b .]	The secu n de *medicyn is to heele a man, and make hym lyue, þ a t is almoost consumed in nature, and so nyȝ deed þat he is forsake of lechis. but if it be þe laste teerme of his lijf sett of god, ȝe schal ȝeue hi m oure q ui nte e ss ence of gold wiþ a litil quantite of watir of celendoyn ȝdrawe, and meynge it wiþ þe oþ er e þingis aforeseid / and anoon as þe sike hath resceyued it into his stomak, it ȝeueþ to þe herte influence of naturel heete and of lijf. and þanne ȝe schal se hi m rise vp and speke, and wondirfully be comfortid and strenkþid þ er by //	‘2 ^a . M ^e .’ To cure a man given up by his doctors. Give him Quinte Essence of Gold with celandine water, ‘Aq u a celidoyn.’ and he shall rise up and speak.
	þanne comforte him wiþ minist ra ciou n of our e q ui nte e ss encie afore seid, and he schal be al hool / but if it be so þat god wole algatis þat he schal die / And I seie to ȝou truly, þat þis is þe hiȝeste maist ri e þ a t may be in transmutaciou n of kynde; for riȝt fewe lechis now lyuynge knowe þis p ri uytee.	Then comfort him with our Quinte Essence, and he shall be cured, unless God wills he shall die. Few doctors now know this highest secret.
16 HOW TO CURE LEPROSY AND PALSY.	The þridde medicyn is to cure þe lepre þat is causid of corrupcioun and putrifaccioun of ony of þe p ri ncipal humouris of man; but not þe lepre þ a t comeþ to man of kynde of þe fadir and of þe modir leprous,—for it is callid morbus heredit us ,—ne þe lepre þat is sent of god by his plage, but þat þ a t is causid oonly of rotu n humo ur is /	‘3 ^a . M ^e .’ To cure the Leprosy that is caused by rotten humours.
	take oure 5 e ss enc e aforeseid, wiþ þe q ui nte e ss enc e of goold and peerl, a litil quantite at oonys, and vse it in maner as I seide afore / and wiþi n ne a fewe daies he schal be p ar tily hool þ er of. and if ȝe haue n o n p re p ar ate redy oure 5 e ss enc e , þanne take in þe stide þ er of fyn bre n ny n ge watir / but þat oþ er is bettere.	Use our Quinte Essence, with those of Gold and Pearl; (or Burning Water, if you have no Quinte Essence.)
[* Fol. 20.]	Also, drawe a wat er of þe fruyȝt of strawbery or mulbery tree, whanne it is ripe, and waische þe lepre þ er wiþ. þis watir is of so greet vertu; for a souereyn maistir took it a leprous *womman, þat wiþ þe waischinge oonly of þis watir, w i t h ynne schort tyme was maad al hool / but sikirly þe vertu þerof is myche worth if it be meyngid w i t h oure 5 e ss enc e , or ellis brennyng watir; and þanne it schal be no nede to vse in þis p er ilous cure, venemys, as su m me lechis doon.	Wash the leper with strawberry or mulberry water; this is of great virtue, but is much encreased by our Quinte Essence.
	The 4 medicyn is to cure palsie vniuersel. Forsoþe alle philosophoris seyn þat þe palesye vniuersel comeþ of habou n dau n ce of visco us humouris closynge þe metis of vertu a n i m ale, sensityue, and motyue. And þerfore it is necessarie þat þo þingis þat schal cure þis sijknes be temp er ate, hoot, and moist, and a litil att ra ctyue, and to þe syno us confortatyue /	4 ^a . M ^e . To cure Palsy, which comes from viscous humours closing the passages of motive power.
	Therfore, blessid be god, makere of kynde, þat ordeynede for þe ma n p ar alitike oure 5 e ss enc e aforseid, þ a t souereynly to hi m comfortynge, restorynge, and temp er atly worchynge /	Blessed be God, our Quinte Essence will restore the paralitic.
	þ er fore fixe þ er i n ne þe 5 e ss enc e of þo laxatyues þ a t purgen flewme & viscous humouris, as a litil of euforbie, or turbit , or sambucy . & þanne wiþoute doute, if god wole, þe p ar alitik man schal be hool wiþ comfortynge and restorynge of kynde, if ȝe make him a stewe hoot and moist with herbis, þat is to seye, eerbe yue, & sauge, þat haue an heuenly strenkþe to comforte þe joynctis, & þe senewis, and þe vertu motyue.	Fix in it the Quinte Essence of euphorbium and the like; and, if God will, the palsied man shall be whole, if you make him a stew of ivy and sage. ‘sawe’ ‘No t a / yue / sauge.’
	and if ȝe haue not redi p re p ar ate oure 5 e ss enc e , þanne take fyn brennynge watir til it 17 be redy, and lete þe pacient drynke þerof a litil i n fyn wiyn. and also he schal waische al his body and his extremytees wiþ brennynge watir ofte tymes. and lete him vse þis a good while, & he schal be hool. /	Failing Quinte Essence, let him drink Burning Water in fine wine, and wash all over with burning water.
[* Fol. 20 b .] TO CURE CONSUMPTION AND DRIVE AWAY DEVILS.	*The .5 medicyn for a man þat is almoost al co n sumed, & waastid in al his body, and riȝt leene, as þ a t man þ a t hath þe tisik & þe etik / Forsoþe þe v er ry cure to heele him is oure 5 e ss enc e / Forwhi. it comfortiþ þe feble nature; and þe nature þat is lost it restoriþ, & so restorid it p re serueþ /	‘5. M ^e .’ To fatten lean and consumptive men.
[* Fol. 20 b .] TO CURE CONSUMPTION AND DRIVE AWAY DEVILS.	And þ er fore if ȝe wol restore þe fleisch of a leene mannys body almoost consumed awey, drawe þanne a watir of celidoyne, and take þ er of a litil q ua ntite, and meynge wiþ oure 5 e ss enc e if ȝe haue it redy, or brennynge watir in stide þ er of, and ȝeue it hi m to dri n ke; and wiþi n ne fewe dayes he schal be wondirfully restorid and fat.	Mix with our Quinte Essence a little celandine water; ‘Celidoyne.’ give it the patient, and he shall soon be wonderfully fat.
	The .6. medicyn for passiou n s of frenesie, foly, ymagynac i ou n s and noyous vexac i ou n s of deuelis, and also for þe goute als weel hoot as coold. certeyn exp er ience techiþ þat colerik me n ȝeueþ to su m me ymagynac i ou n s; and sangueyn me n be n ocupied aboute su m me oþ er e ymagynaciou n s; & ȝitt flewmatik men aboute oþ er e / but þo me n þat habounde in blak coler, þat is, malencoly, ben occupied a þ o usa n d p ar t wiþ mo þouȝtis þan ben men of ony oþ er complexiou n /	‘.6. M ^e .’ To cure Frensy, Gout, and troubles from Devils. ‘colerike.’ ‘Sangueyn.’ ‘Fleumatyke.’ ‘blake coler.’ ‘malencoly.’
	Forwhi. þ a t humour of blak coler is so noyous, þ a t if it a-bounde and a-sende vp to þe heed, it troubliþ alle þe myȝtis of þe brayn, engendrynge noyous ymagynaciou n s, bryngynge yn horrible þouȝtis boþe wakynge and slepinge; and siche man er of men ben born vndir þe constillacioun of saturne, the wickide planete /	Dark melancholy men are troubled more with anxieties than any others, ‘Nota sequentia.’ being born under ‘Saturne, a wykyd planete.’
TO CURE MELANCHOLY AND DRIVE OUT TROUBLES FROM DEVILS. [* Fol. 21.]	Forsoþe, to siche me n deuelis wole gladly appere, & mi ni st er to hem 10 her p ri uy te m ptaciou n s wiþi n ne þe cours of her þouȝtis;	Devils gladly appear to them and tempt them,
	and þese men þus *turmentid wiþ þe passiou n s of malencoly comou n ly speke wiþ hem, stryue and dispute wiþ hem silf whanne þei be a-loone, þ a t ofte tymes oþ er e folk may heere it / These maner of me n þat ben þ us turmentid, as weel by passioun of malencoly as of deuelis, ofte tymes falle in dispeir, and at þe laste sle hem silf /	so that they often fall into despair and kill themselves.
	þe p er fiȝt cure of alle þese is oure 5 e ss encie auri et 18 p er ela rum , or ellis brennynge watir in stide þ er of, in þe whiche ȝe fixe gold as it is aforeseid, wheri n ne be putt a litil of sen̅ē or watir of f[u]mit er , or poudre of lapis lasuly , or ellis medulla m ebuli , and vse it discreetly. forwhy. not al oonly oure q ui nte e ss enc e auri et p er ela rum heelith þese disesis. /	The cure is our Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearls, with a little senna or lapis lazuli.
	but also brennynge watir in þe which gold is fixid, heeliþ hem, wiþ a litil of þo þingis þ a t purgen and casten out blak coler sup er flue, & heliþ þe splene.	Burning Water, with a purge, will also cure these diseases.
	Forsoþe þese medicyns puttiþ awey wickid þouȝtis and an heuy herte malencolious; þei gladith and clense þe brayn and alle hise myȝtis, and brynge yn gladnes and merye þouȝtis. þei putte awey also þe craft of þe feendis temptac i ou n s, and ymagynaciouns of dispeir. þei distroie, & make a man to forȝete almaner of yueles, and naturaly bryngiþ him aȝen to resonable witt.	These medicines put away wicked thoughts, and bring in merry ones; they dispel devils’ temptations and despair, and bring a man to reason.
	and for as myche as saturne þe planete naturaly ys coold and drye, and is enemye to al kynde / Forwhy, euery snow, euery hayl, euery tempest, & also þe humour of malencoly comeþ of hi m . & he haþ his influence vpon derk leed, &	‘Saturne. γ.’ Saturn is an enemy to all creatures, and has power over foul solitary places, as Vitas Patrum says.
[* Fol. 21 b .]	vpon derk *placis vnder þe erf 11 , foul e and stynkynge, and derke wodis, and vpon foule, horrible, solitarie placis, as it is pr e ued in vitas patru m , þat is to seye, in lyues & colac i ou n s of fadris /
	And also þe moone, naturely coold and moist, haþ his influence vpon þe nyȝt, and vpon myche moisture, and vpon þe placis wha n ne 4. weyes metiþ togidere. forsoþe in alle siche placis þei wole a-bide and schewe hem to her foloweris /	The Moon too is full of bane.
	but forsoþe þo þingis þat ben of þe nature of Iubiter and of sol, goode planetis, arne displesynge to hi m , and contrarie, and naturaly deuelis fle awei fro he m , for þei haue greet abhominaciou n of þer v er tuous influence /	‘Jubiter and Sol \| .B.’ Jupiter and Sol, on the other hand, make devils flee,
	þ er fore it schewiþ weel þ a t þo þingis þat ben in þis world, su m me þer ben þat bitokene þe glorious yoie of heuene, and su m me þing þat figure þe derknesse of euerlastynge peynes of helle / Forsoþe þe su n ne and iubiter, goode planetis, & gold, pure metal, and alle pure þi n gis þat gladen a man, figurynge by resou n þe ioie of heuene /	and betoken the joy of heaven,
	and blak Saturne, and þe spotty moone, figure & bitokene þe condicioun of helle /	as Saturn and the Moon do hell.
19 TO CURE THE GOUT AND ITCH, AND KILL LICE.	and siþ þ a t deuelis be dampned, & ful of wreche of helle, þerfore þei hate þe clennesse & þe ioie of oure lord god & of hise seyntis / also þei haten þe su n ne and his cleernes, and pure þi n gis þ a t maken a man glad. and naturaly it plesiþ he m to dwelle in derk, & in blak, orrible, stynkynge placis, in heuynesse, wreche, & malencoly, & i n þo þi n gis þ a t p re tende þe condiciou n of helle /	Devils hate the joys of God and the brightness of the sun; they delight in stinking places, and melancholy and hell-like things.
[* Fol. 22.]	And siþ oure 5. e ss enc e aforeseid is so heuenly a þi n g, & by sotil c ra ft *brouȝt to so myche swetnes, it is so sou er eyn a medicy n þ a t it may weel be lijkned to þe ioie of p ar adice. forwhi, it makiþ a man liȝt, iocunde, glad, and merie, & puttiþ awey heuynesse 12 , angre, melencoly, & wraþþe, þe whiche þat deuelis loue / et ideo n os tra 5 e ss enc ia digne vocat ur celu m humanu m /	But our Quinte Essence is heavenly , like the joy of Paradise, and drives away anger and all that devils love, so that it is fitly called ‘Man’s Heaven.’
	Also if a man be traueylid wiþ a feend, and may not be delyuerid fro hi m , lete hi m dri n ke a litil quantite of oure 5 e ss en ce , wiþ 5 e ss en ce of gold & peerl, and wiþ an eerbe callid ypericon , i.[e.] fuga demonu m , and þe seed þ er of grounden & aftirward distillid, & þe watir þ er of a litil quantite medlid wiþ þe oþere 5 ^tis e ss enc iis ; and anoon þe deuel wole fle awey fro him & fro his hous.	To deliver a man from a devil,—give him some of our Quinte Essence with that of gold and pearl, and St. John’s Wort water: at once the devil will flee away. ‘fuga demonu m ’
	Also for þe goute, hoot or cold, þe pacient schal drynke oure 5. e ss enc e wiþ a litil q ua ntite at oonys of þe letuarie de succo rosa rum . and lete hi m vse þis letuarie a litil at oonys ech oþ er e day, til sup er flue humouris be purgid / but he schal vse eu er y day a litil of oure 5. e ss en ce w i t h 5 e ss en ce of gold & peerle; & wiþi n ne a fewe dayes þe pacient schal be hool. //	To cure the Gout. Take a little Quinte Essence and Rose-juice electuary, and use daily our Quinte Essence with that of Gold and Pearl.
	The .7. medicyn, for to heele ycche, & for to dist ri e lies 13 þat ben engendrid of corrupt humouris. take o ure 5 e ss enc e bi hi m silf a-loone, and vse to drynke þ er of a litil quantite at oonys / and take also a litil q ua ntite of M er [ curie ?]. & mortifie it wiþ fastynge spotil, & medle it wiþ a good quantite 20 of poudre of stafi-sagre , & þanne put it i n to a greet q ua ntite of bre n nynge wat er ,	‘.7. M ^e .’ To cure the Itch and destroy Lice. Drink Quinte Essence. Mix Mercury with spittle, Stavesacre and Burning Water.
[* Fol. 22 b .]	& þanne waische al his body, or ellis þe heed where þe icche & þe lies ben. & vse þis medicyn .2. or 3. & þe sijk *man schal be hool.	Wash the body or head where the itch and lice are.
TO CURE QUARTAN FEVER.	The .8. medicyn for to cure the quarteyn and alle þe passiouns þ a t comeþ of male n coly in mannys body; and þe maistrie to p ur ge malencoly.	‘.8 ^ua . M ^e .’ ‘feu er q ua rtene.’
	and ȝe schal vndirstonde þat þe q ua rteyn is gendrid of myche haboundau n ce of malencolye þ a t is corru m pid w i t h y n ne þe body. and for þis humour is erþely, coold, & drie, of þe nature of slowe saturne, þerfore þe accesse of þis sijknes ben slowe, and it duriþ comou n ly yn a man a ȝeer or more, and it puttiþ fro hi m gladnesse, & bryngiþ yn heuynes more þan oþ er e feueris do /	To cure Quartan Fever. ‘ye q ua rten is ingendyrd of Malyncoly.’ The Quartan arises from too much black choler, and lasts a year or more.
	If ȝe wole heele þis sijknes in schort tyme, lete þe pacient vse to drynke oon 14 5 e ss enc e , and he schal be al hool hastily / forwhi; it consumeþ þe corrupt sup er flue humouris, & reducit nature to eq ua lite, and bryngiþ yn gladnesse, & chasiþ a-wey heuynes & malencolie.	To cure it soon, drink our Quinte Essence;
	and if it so be þ a t ȝe haue nouȝt oure 5 e ss enc e / þanne take j ℔ of þe beste bre n nynge watir, and þ er i n ne putte medullam ebuli, and namely þe white, if ȝe may may haue it / of þis watir ȝeue to þe pacient, morowe and eue n , a walnot-schelle ful at oonys. and he schal be al hool /	if you have it not, put pith of white dwarf elder in Burning Water, and take a walnut-shell full morning and evening.
	or ellis þus: take what þi n g ȝe wole þ a t purgiþ malencolye, and putte a litil þ er of into brennynge watir, & vse þ a t laxatif maad into smale pelotis, wijsly resceyuy n g riȝt a litil at oonys, as oon litil pelot, and p re ue þerby how it worchiþ, þa n ne anoþ er tyme .ij. at oonys, if it be nede / so þat þe mater be a litil digestid and a litil egestid. for bettere it is to worche a litil & a litil at oonys, þan sodeynly greue þe nature.	Or, take whatever purges black choler, put it into Burning Water; make small pellets of it, and take one, and then two, gradually.
[* Fol. 23.]	forwhi, two litil pelotis laxatif meyngid wiþ bre n ny n ge watir *wole worche more myȝtily þan .8. pelotis wole do bi hem silf /
	Also philosophoris seyn þat a tooþ drawe out from a quyk beest, born vpon a man, delyueriþ fro þe quarteyn / Also þei seyn þat if þe yuis of þe eerbe þat is callid morsus galli n e rub r i be putt in hise nose-þrillis whanne he bigynneth to suffre þe accesse of þe q ua rteyn, he schal be hool, wiþ þe g ra ce of god.	‘Nota for y ^e q ua rtene.’ It is said that a tooth from a live beast heals the Quartan, and the juice of Hen-bit or Chickweed put in a man’s nostrils.
21 TO CURE CONTINUAL, TERTIAN AND DAILY FEVERS.	The medicyn to heele þe feu er e contynuel e . alle philosophoris seyn þat þe feu er e contynuel e is ge n drid of putrifaccioun of blood and of corrupcieu n of humouris in it / þ er fore þe cure þ er of is to p ur ge blood, and to putte awey þe corrupcioun of it, & þe humoris vneuene to make euene, þe nature lost to restore, and so restorid to kepe /	‘9 ^a . M ^e .’ To cure continual Fever. It arises from putrefaction of blood and corruptions of humours.
	Forsoþe alle þese þingis worcheþ o ur e q ui nte e ss enc e ; and þerfore it curiþ p er fiȝtly þe feu er e co n tynuel e / and þouȝ bre n nynge watir caste out fro blood watry humouris and corrupt, ȝitt take it nouȝt in þis cure / forwhi; þouȝ bre n nynge watir be .7. tymes distillid, ȝitt it is [not] fully depurid fro his brennynge heete, & þe .4. elementis / but siþ oure 5. e ss enc e is not hoot, ne moist, coold, ne drie, as ben þe 4. eleme n tis /	Our Quinte Essence cures this, (tho’ Burning Water does not,)
	þ er fore it heeliþ p er fiȝtly þe contynuel feu er e; namely wiþ co m mixtioun of þe 5 e ss enc e of gold & peerle / and if ȝe wole strenkþe ȝoure medicyn, þa n ne putte yn oure 5. e ss enc e a litil quantite of pulpa cassie fistule / or ellis þe iuys of þe eerbe m er curial e .	if mixed with Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearl, and a little Cassia or Herb Mercury.
[* Fol. 23 b .]	& if it so be þat oþ er e humouris habounde to myche w i t h blood, þanne take þo laxatyues þat kyndely wole *purge hem, as comou n bookis of fisik declareþ.
	The 10. medicyn to cure þe feuere tercian , þe which is causid of putrifaccioun, or reed coler to myche haboundynge / to cure þees sijknes, tak oure 5 e ss enc e , or ellis fyn brennynge watir,—but þe firste is bettere,—and putte þ er i n ne a litil of rubarbe or of su m me oþ er laxatiue þat purgiþ reed coler, and a greet q ua ntite of watir of endyue; and vse þis medicyn at morowe & euen. and þe pacient schal be hool wiþoute doute.	‘10. M ^e .’ ‘feu er t er cyane.’ To cure Tertian Fever. Take Quinte Essence, with Rhubarb and Endive water, morn and eve. ‘wat er of endyue.’
	The 11. medicyn is for to heele þe feu er e cotidian, þe which is causid of putrifaccioun of flewme to haboundynge / and siþ flewme is coold and moist. oure 5 e ss enc e (and in his absence take good brennynge watir.) haþ stre n kþe and vertu to consume þe rotu n wat er y inordinat, and to myche coold humidite /	‘.11. M ^e .’ ‘feu er cotydyan.’ To cure Daily Fever.
	þerfore take oure 5 e ss enc e or brennynge watir, and putte þ er i n ne a litil of euforbij , turbit, or sambuci, or sum oþir þing þat purgiþ flewme; and vse it morowe and eue, & þe pacient schal be hool.	Take our Quinte Essence, and a little Euphorbium, &c.
22 TO CURE AGUE FEVER, LUNACY, AND CRAMP.	The .12. medicyn for to cure þe feuere agu, and þe lunatik man and womman / discreet maist ri s seyn, þ a t þe feu er e agu comou n ly is causid of a uyolent reed coler adust, and of blood adust, and of blak coler adust; and sumtyme of oon of þese adust, and sumtyme of two togidere, and sumtyme of .3. togidere /	‘.12. M ^e .’ To cure Ague Fever and Lunacy. ‘lunatyke p er sons.’ This fever comes of choler inflamed,
	and þerfore þe feu er e agu is þe posityue degree, and in þe sup er latyue degree, comp ar atif gree & sup er latif gree / For þe feu er e agu haþ comou n ly alienacioun of witt, & schewynge of þingis of fantasy /	and is accompanied by lightheadedness.
[* Fol. 24.]	And ȝe schal knowe weel whiche ben þe humouris adust þat causen þe feu er e, be þese *tokenes / Forwhi, if þe pacient seiþ þ a t he seeþ blak þi n gis, þanne blak coler, þat is, malencolie, is adust / & if he se þingis of gold / reed coler is adust / if reed þi n gis, and schewynge of bloodt þanne blood is adust / And if he seiþ þat he seeþ alle þese .iij, þingis, þanne alle þe humouris ben adust / For as myche as brennynge watir ascendiþ to þe heed, and gladly wole a man drynke /	‘No t a b e n e .’ ‘Signa.’ As the patient sees black, gold, or red things, so the different humours are inflamed.
	And siþ þ a t feuere agu regneþ in þe regiou n of þe heed / þe philosophoris counceilis þat þe pacient schal not resceyue it in þis sijknes /	Burning Water should not be taken,
	but it is nedeful þat he take oure 5 e ss enc e of gold and of peerl, meyngi n g þe 6 p ar t of 5 e ss enc e of watir of rose, violet, borage, and letuse 15 / and þanne ȝe schulen haue an heuenly medicyn to cure p er fiȝtly þis sijknesse.	but Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearl should, with that of Rose water, Violet, &c.
	For to cure þe frenesye and woodnes , or ellis at þe leeste to swage it / take a greet quantite of popilion , and þe beste vynegre þat ȝe may haue, and a good q ua ntite of rewe domestik, weel brayed, and meyngid wiþ þese forseid þi n gis;	‘for y ^e frenesye & wodnesse.’ To cure or assuage Frenzy and Madness.
	and biclippe þe heed and þe feet of þe pacient w i t h þis medicyn; and sum þerof putte to his nose-þrillis. þis medicyn anoon puttiþ awey þe frenesye & þe schewy n ge of fantasies / it curiþ also wode me n & lunatike me n . and it restoriþ aȝen witt and discrecioun, & makiþ al hool and weel at eese.	Wrap the head and feet in, and smell at, Popilion (with Vinegar mixed), and Rue.
[* Fol. 24 b .]	The .13. medicy n is to put a-wey þe craumpe fro a man. for as myche as wise me n seyn þ a t þe craumpe cometh of þe hurtynge & þe febilnes of þe senewis, as it schewiþ sumtyme yn medicyns maad of elebore, þer is no þi n g þ a t puttiþ awey þe 23 craumpe as doiþ oure 5 e ss enc e aforeseid, or ellis *brennynge watir in stede of it.	‘13 ^a . M ^e .’ To cure Cramp. Use our Quinte Essence or Burning Water.
TO CURE POISON AND COWARDICE.	The .14. medicyn, to caste out venym fro mannys body / take o ur e 5 e ss enc e , and putte þ er in e fleisch of a cok, neysch soden & sotilly brayed, note kirnelis, fyn triacle , radisch, & garleek smal brayed, and oþ er e þingis þ a t ben goode to caste out venym, as comou n bookis of fisik declariþ / And also, to comforte þe herte, putte yn oure foreseid 5. e ss enc e , þe 5. e ss enc e of gold and of peerl. and he schal be delyuerid þerof & be hool.	‘14 ^a . M ^e .’ To cast poison out of a man’s body. Take our Quinte Essence, with cock’s flesh, nut-kernels, &c., and Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearls.
	The .15. medicyn, to make a man þat is a coward, hardy and strong, and putte a-wey almaner of cowardise and drede / I seye ȝou forsoþe þ a t no þi n g m a y telle alle þe myraclis vertues þat god h a þ m aa d in o ur e 5 e ss enc e , and not al oonly in him, but also in to his modir, þat is to seye, fyn brennynge watir.	‘15a. M ^e .’ To make a Coward bold and strong.
	for to cure þis sijknesse, take a litil quantite of oure 5 e ss enc e , & putte þerto double so myche of brennynge watir, and a litil q ua ntite of þe iuys of eerbe pione and of saffron distillid togidere, and a litil of 5 e ss enc e of gold and of peerl; and ȝeue it him to drinke. and aftir sodeynly, as it were by myracle, þe coward man schal lese al maner drede and feyntnes of herte, and he schal recou er e strenkþe þat ys lost by drede, and take to him hardynesse, and he schal dispise deeþ; he schal drede no perelis, and passyngly he schal be maad hardy. þis is trewe, for it haþ ofte tymes by oolde philosophoris [bene] p re ued /	Give him our Quinte Essence with twice as much Burning Water, and a little Peony juice and saffron, and Quinte Essence of Gold and Pearl. The coward shall lose all faintness of heart, despise death, and dread no perils.
[* Fol. 25.]	þ er fore it were a greet wisdom þat cristen p ri ncis, in bateilis aȝen heþene me n , hadde wiþ hem in tonnes brennynge watir, þ a t þei myȝt take to eu er y fiȝtynge man half a riȝt litil cuppe ful þ er of to drynke in þe bigynnynge of þe batel. & þis p ri uyte owith to be hid from alle enemyes of þe chirche; and also *p ri ncis and lordis ministri n ge þese þingis schulde n o t telle what it is.	Therefore Christian Princes should have tuns of Burning Water, and give every fighting man a cup before battle with the heathen.
TO CURE PESTILENTIAL FEVER AND PLAGUES.	The .16. medicyn aȝens þe feu er e pestile n cial e , and þe maistrie to cure it. forsoþe holy scripture seiþ þat su m me tymes oure lord god sendiþ pestilence to sle su m me maner of peple, as it is seid deutrono miu m 28 in þis man er “Si 24 audire nolu er is 16 vocem d omi ni dei tui, ut custodias et facias om n ia mandata eius, ve n iant sup er te om n es maledicc i ones; iste maledictus eris in ciuitate &c.” et infra; “ad-iu n gat t ib i pestilenc iam donec consumat te de t er ra, p er cuciat te d omin us egestate, febre, et frigore, ardore et estu, et aere corrupto ac rubigi n e, et p er seq ua tur donec p er eas” hec ib ide m; et infra “ p er cuciat te d omin us vlc er e egipti, et p ar tem corp or is p er q uam stercora eg er ant ur . scabie q uoque , et p ru rigine, ita ut curari nequeas; p er cuciat te d omin us necessitate ac furore mentis” //	‘16 ^a . M ^e .’ To cure Pestilential Fever (when not sent as a punishment by God). God says in Deuteronomy xxviii. that if men will not hear His voice and obey His commandments, pestilences shall come on them.
	Therfore a gret fool were he þat wolde p re sume to cure þese plagis of pestilence þ a t ben vncurable, þat ben sent of god to ponysche synne // Also ȝe schal vndirstonde þ a t me n may die in .iij. maners. in oon maner by naturel deeþ, in þe teerme þ a t is sett of god / In anoþir maner bi violent deeþ, and also in þe .iij. maner occasionaly wiþi n ne þe teerme þ a t is sett of god; as þo me n þ a t to myche replecioun, or to greet abstynence or by disp er aciou n , or ellis by necligence, sle hi m silf /	These plagues a man would be a great fool to presume to cure,
	but sikirly alle oþ er e maner of feueris pestilence þat god suffriþ to come to ma n kynde by p er ilous influence of yuele planetis, by þe g ra ce of god & good gou er nau n ce may be curid p ar ti a ly wiþ oure 5. e ss enc e .	but all other pestilences from evil planets may be cured by our Quinte Essence with Aloes, Euphorbium, &c.,
[* Fol. 25 b .]	and þ er i n ne putte a litil of aloes epatik & euforbij, & a litil of ierapigra galieni & of 5 e ss enc e , of þe rote of lilie and also of gold & peerle, capilli ven er is *and ysope; for þese þi n g is ben nedeful to siche feueris & apostemes /	‘N ot a b e n e .’
	it is nedeful also þ a t wiþ þese þingis þer be sich a q ui nta e ss encia laxatyue þat wole purge þe sup er flue humouris þat abounde; and þat þe pacient so myche resceyue in a natural day þ er of þat he may go weel oonys to sege; and so lete him vse þis laxatif .3. i n þe woke;	and a laxative Quinte Essence that will send the patient to stool once a day.
	But be weel war þ a t he take wiþ oure q ui nta e ss encia but riȝt a litil q ua ntite of þe laxatif at oonys, as I tolde ȝou tofore, for peril þ a t miȝte bifalle.	‘Caueas.’
	& eu er y day take he by þe morowe an eye-schelle ful of good brennynge watir, and þe corrupt eyr schal not noye hi m ; & also vse in þe dayes, two or þre smale pelotis pestilenciales in oure 5 e ss encia, or in brennynge watir; & al þe hous of þe pacient schal be encensid 25 strongly .iij in þe day wiþ frank-encense, mirre, & rosyn, terbe n tyn & rewe.	He must also take every morning an egg-shell-full of Burning Water, and 2 or 3 pestilence pills in our Quinte Essence, and smoke his house with frankincense, &c.
MAY THIS BOOK...	and þis is p er fiȝt cure for þe feu er e pestilence / And þus ȝe may, wiþ þis 5 e ss encijs, cure alle þese sijkness es aforeseid, and manye oþ er e, as it were by myracle, if ȝe worche disc[r]eetly as I haue toold ȝou tofore /
	Now here I make an eende of þis tretis þat is clepid þe mooste & þe sou er eyneste secrete of alle secretis, and a passynge tresour þat may nouȝt fayle //	Here is an end of this most sovereign of all secrets.
	O quantu m malu m foret, si hic liber p er ueniret ad manus ho m i nu m mundano rum , ad noticia m tiranno rum , et ad s er uiciu m rep ro bo rum ! q ui a, si c ut s anct i p er hunc libru m pot er unt continuare op er a vite christian i diuci us et vehemenci us , ita et rep ro bi possent p er u er so vsi diuci us p er seu er are in malo. ego aute m , q ua ntu m in me est, p ro pt er solos s an c t os libru m hunc co n stituo, et ip su m custod[iæ] ih es u Christ i c om mendo nunc et in eternu m //=//	What ills will befall if it gets into tyrants’ and reprobates’ hands and prolongs their life in evil. I will keep it for holy men alone; and I commend it to Christ’s keeping now and ever.

	Explicit librum de maximis secretis e ss encie quinte &c.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Book of Quinte Essence or the Fifth Being (1889)

The

Book of Quinte Essence

or

The Fifth Being;

That is to say,

Man’s Heaven.

A tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis
e e ss encijs in latyn, þ a t hermys þe p ro phete and
kyng of Egipt, aft er þe 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

Original Series, No. 16

REPRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY
(THE CHAUCER PRESS) LTD., BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

BOOK II.

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.

BOOK II.

FOOTNOTES

THE SPHERES AND PLANETS

NOTES
ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT

By C.H. GILL, Esq., of University College, London

GLOSSARY.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Book of Quinte Essence or the Fifth Being (1889)

The

Book of Quinte Essence

or

The Fifth Being;

That is to say,

Man’s Heaven.

A tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis e e ss encijs in latyn, þ a t hermys þe p ro phete and kyng of Egipt, aft er þe 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

Original Series, No. 16

REPRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY (THE CHAUCER PRESS) LTD., BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.

BOOK II.

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.

BOOK II.

FOOTNOTES

THE SPHERES AND PLANETS

NOTES ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT

By C.H. GILL, Esq., of University College, London

GLOSSARY.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

A tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of þe book of quintis
e e ss encijs in latyn, þ a t hermys þe p ro phete and
kyng of Egipt, aft er þe 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

REPRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY
(THE CHAUCER PRESS) LTD., BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

NOTES
ON THE CHEMISTRY OF THE TEXT