ABSTRACT
[f. 6r] All thinges seame harde when wee doe begine, But labore and diligence doth them winne. We oughte not to Recone nor counte the thinge harde That Bringeth Joye and wealth afterwarde. Neither oughte wee to Care what wee doe Exspende, 5 For purified Soules to the heavens shalle ascende. Doe all thinges in Order, as Tyme doth aforde, For Nature with Nature doth alwaies Accorde. Of thinges Naturale, Commixed by proportion, doth springe A new Borne babe surmountinge all thinge: 10 That supernaturalle is, as by profe we finde, That Reyneth and Ruleth over his kinde. From whence he sprange, he is bettered so: He reyneth all bodies and Endeth all wooe. But in the first principles therin be wise, 15 And prepare them after the philosophers’ guise. This is a Chife principle (Note it Righte well): That Nature with Nature doth accorde and dwelle. And the Chiffeste of our skile therin is founde, And Mars in Cako his Musiek doth sounde. 20 And Diana also, and none but shee, Doth seperate Cako with Mercurie. For when sturne Mars hath plaied his parte, And in striving with Cako hath lefte his harte, Dyana to seperate and set them aparte 25 Conjoyneth with Cako to enter this Arte, Agreing together like man and Wife, Till Mercurie puffeth and Endeth the strife. And 3 in one doth then Agre, And with Mercurie from Luna awaie doth flee, Carying with him both Cako and Mars, [f. 6v] Leavinge Luna alone, both Naked and harse, To be transposed to her olde hewe. And soe they bide her farwell and adewe, Til after againe when they doe mete. 35 The reste lye prayinge at Mercurie’s feete To make him able, in strength and poware, In the nexte meetinge to abide the sharpe shower: When he shal meete with Sol and Luna together To transforme them I knowe not whether 40 But into him selfe, as I suppose. The som of this Arte for to disclose, Yf thou worke wisely as thou shouldest doe, My wordes and writing thou shalte finde true. But here I will leave them Imprisoned nowe, 45 Until one unto another they yeald and bowe, And agree together like perfecte friendes. Then for thy paines they will make thee amendes, When they ar lincked together in such unity That one from another they Cannot fly. 50 They shall Revive and be made alyve, And overcom all that with them strive. Their furi and fiercnes, yt shalbe so greete, And thir hie colloure of which I doe treate, That all to them selves they shall Converte. 55 And then arte thou Lord and master of this arte, For the which live welle, and give God the praise; Helpe the pore, and be secrete allwaies. I, Forman, have writen thes verses fewe The trouth of this art to thee to showe. 60 Crave wisdome of god, the sence to understand, Ells meddell not herwith, nor tak it in hand. For yt wil coste thee moch worldly pelfe; But trust not others, but doe yt thy self. Learne, therfore, firste to cleanse, purifie, & sublime, 65 To dissolve, Congelle, distill, and somtime To Conjoyne and separate, and howe to doe all, That when thou thinkeste to rise, thou dost not falle. Truste to thy selfe and not to another; I can say no more to thee yf thou were my brother. 70 finis quod Simon Forman
