Five Treatises of the Philosophers Stone

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. We looke' batke to'forfn and the tirneofheimestherein: we (hall finale, and be fatisfied in judgement, that true honour proceeded, and was'at firfl; derived from Vertue; and what man yet, evbr lived, who was accounted or efieemed (o Virtuous, Wife, Good, and Rich, as thofe who had the true knowledge of Natu rall philofophy,' and her fecret Operations which from age to age, for many ages, Was by word of mouth delivered by One-to anorhcr,wherby many Shcphea rds, Heardfmen, Husbandmen and Others of like quality (by Gods el'peciall favour) became great' Princes, Go vernours, and Rulers over the people upon Earth, be ing thereby enabled to advance themfelves to what Riches and treal'ure they pleafed, (as will appears by the enfuing Treari es,) without-robbing Or taxing the people of ztheir Countriesunder their Government m any fort; who alfo by their Phyficall Medicine con: tinned length ofdayes, you th, and firen th 5 by which means thofe old men mentioned in t e Old Tellta ment, with many Other philofophers were nor only fo'lonnreferved from the Grave but alfo-thereby wron ht many miracles, to the wonder of the world as We} the might having the power and difpofe of the greate Treafure, and highefi Secret thatever A1m1 hty God revealed, to mortall man. And being fully atisfied of your Honours mofi Noble and Inge mious inclinatron and love to the fiudy of this m'ofl: Divine and Myfierious Art, which can proceed from no Other then azright Noble and Vertuous difpofition, and by a Divine infiinfi Nor is a'man of an Other fem er fit for the fiudy or knowled e thereo And con derin of a perfon of Honour t for the prefen ration Of t efe Treatifes, well weighing your Honours inclination,inclination, vertuous D1fpofition, and mature Judge n'ient holding my felic obligedto be ferviceable to my power to all faithfull findents in this moi't facred Art, have fixed upon your Honour, as moft worthy Of the prefentation not,,only ofthefemy prefent endea bur-aifq offuch'others-aa'shlj