|b{THE_BOOK_OF_QUINTE_ESSENCE_OR_THE_FIFTH_BEING;_}
|b{That_is_to_say,_MAN'S_HEAVEN.}
|b{Ed._from_British_Museum_MS._Sloane_73_}
|b{about_1460-70_A.D.}
|b{by_Frederick_J._Furnivall,_}
|b{EETS_OS_16_(1866;_rev._ed._1889)}



|p1


THE BOOK OF QUINTE ESSENCE
OR THE FIFTH BEING;
That is to say,
MAN'S HEAVEN.

|r[Sloane_MS._73,_f.10,_Brit._Mus.]
|r------------------------
|r_BOOK_I.


|r[f.10a]  |r<b> With če my¨t, wisdom, & grace of če holy trynite, I write
          to ¨ou a tretice in englisch breuely drawe out of če
     book of quintis essencijs in latyn, čat hermys če prophete and
 |r4 kyng of Egipt, after the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris,
     hadde by reuelacioun of an aungil of god to him sende, čat
     če wijsdom and če science of čis book schulde not perische,
     but be kept and preserued vnto če eende of če world, of alle
 |r8 holy men from al wickid peple and tyrauntis, for greet perilis
     čat my¨te falle čerof. For wičinne čis breue tretis, wič če
     grace of god, I wole more determine of practif čan of theorik.
     ¨itt ben boče nedeful / The firste and souereyneste priuyte čat
|r12 god, maker of kynde, ordeyned for mannys nede, how čat olde
     euangelik men, and feble in kynde, my¨te be restorid, and haue
     a¨en her firste strenkčis of ¨ongče in če same degree čat is in
     al kynde, & be mad hool parfi¨tly, except če strok of če
|r16 čundir blast, & violent brusuris, and oppressynge of to myche
     betynge / Also perilous fallyngis of hi¨ placis, to myche absty_nence,
     & očere vuel gouernaunce a¨ens kynde, And also če
     teerme čat is sett of god, čat noman may a-schape, as Iob seič in
|r20 latyn / "Breues dies hominis sunt &c." Forsoče philosophoris



|p2


     clepen če purest substaunce of manye corruptible čingis elemen_tid,
     `quinta essencia,' čat is to seie, `mannys heuene,' drawe out
     by craft of mani; for whi, as quinta essencia superior, čat is,
 |r4 heuene of oure lord god, in reward of če.iiij elementis, is
     yncorruptible & vnchaungeable / ri¨t so |r[f.10b] quinta essencia su_perior 
     inferior čat is to seie, mannys heuene, is incorruptible,
     in reward of če .4. qualitees of mannys body; and so it is
 |r8 preued naturaly čat oure quinta essencia, čat is, mannes heuene,
     in it-silf is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wič
     fier / ne coold and moist wič watir / ne hoot & moist with eyr,
     ne coold and drie wič erče; but oure quinta essencia avaylič to
|r12 če contrarie, as heuene incorruptible / But vndirstonde čat oure
     qui[n]ta essencia is nou¨t so incorruptible as is heuene of oure
     lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composicioun
     maad of če .4. elementis; & it hath .iij. names by the philoso_phoris
|r16 , čat is to seie / brennynge watir / če soule in če spirit of
     wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne ¨e wole concelle it, čanne
     schal ¨e clepe it `oure quinta essencia'; for čis name, & če
     nature čerof, ri¨t fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly
|r20 čei biriede če truče with hem. and witič weel that it is clepid
     brennynge watir; and it is no brennyng watir: forwhi, it is not
     moist ne coold as comoun watir; for it brenneč, & so doič not
     comyn watir; ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir for eir cor_rumpič 
|r24 a čing a-noon, as it schewič weel by generacioun of flies,
     & areins, and siche očere; but sikirly čis is alwey incorruptible,
     if it be kept cloos fro fli¨t / Also it is not coold and drie as erče.
     for souereynly it worchič & chaungič. And it is not hoot and
|r28 drie as fier, as it schewič by experience; for hoot čingis it kelič,
     & hoot sijknessis it doič awey / Also čat it ¨eueč incorruptibi_lite,
     and kepič a čing fro corruptibilite |r[f.11a] and rotynge, it is preued
     čus / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt
|r32 čerinne, it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is čerinne /
     miche more čanne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body
     from al manere corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure quinta
     essencia, čat is to seie, mannys heuene, čat god made to če con_seruacioun



|p3


     of če .4. qualitees of mannys body, ri¨t as he made
     his heuene to če conseruacioun of al če world / And wite ¨e for
     certeyn čat manye philosophoris and lechis čat ben now, knowe
 |r4 nou¨t čis quinta essencia, ne če truče čerof / Forwhi; god wole
     not čat čei knowe it; for her greet brennynge coueitise &
     vicious lyuynge / Forsoče quinta essencia superior, čat is to seie,
     heuene of oure lord god bi him silf / Aloone / ¨eueč not conser_uacioun 
 |r8 in če world, and wondirful influence, but by če vertue
     of če sunne, planetis, and očere sterris; ri¨t so oure quinta
     essencia, čat is, mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wič če sunne
     mineralle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite
|r12 čat fier may not appeire, corrumpe, ne distroie. and čis is verry
     gold of če myn, of če erče, or of če floodis gaderid / for gold of
     alkamy maad with corosyues distroieč kynde, as aristotle and
     manye očere philosophoris prouen / and čerfore good gold na_turel,
|r16 & of če myn of če erče, is clepid of philosophoris `sol' in
     latyn; for he is če sonne of oure heuene, lich as sol če planet is
     in če heuene aboue; for čis planete ¨eueč to gold his influence,
     nature, colour, & a substaunce incorruptible. And oure quinta
|r20 essencia, mannys heuene, is of če nature |r[f.11b] & če colour of heuene /
     And oure sol, čat is, fyn gold of če myne, schal make it fair, ri¨t
     as sol če planete makič heuene fair / and so čese two togidere
     ioyned schal ¨eue influence in us, and če condiciouns of heuene
|r24 and of heuenly sonne / in as miche as it is possible in deedly
     nature, conseruacioun and restorynge of nature lost, & renew_ynge 
     of ¨ongče / And it schal ¨eue plenteuously heelče: and so it
     is preued by astronomy aboue, čat sterris čat hač influence vpon
|r28 če heed and če necke of man / as ben če sterris of arie, taurus,
     and gemini, ¨euen influence syngulerly vpon Gerapigra galieni /
     And čerfore it hač a synguler strenkče, by če ordynaunce of
     god, to drawe awey če superflue humouris fro če heed, če necke,
|r32 and če brest, and not fro če membris byneče / And so I seie of
     spicis čat drawič humouris fro če knees, če leggis, and če feet,
     čat resseyuen a synguler influence of če sterris of Capricorn,
     Aquarie and pisces, & ri¨t so of očere, et cetera / Comounne
|r36 ¨e not čis book of deuyne secretes to wickid men and auerous;



|p4


     but kepe ¨e it in priuytee / Take če beste wiyn čat ¨e may
     fynde, if ¨e be of power; & if ¨e be ri¨t pore, čanne take
     corrupt wiyn, čat is, rotyn, of a watery humour, but not egre,
 |r4 čat is, sour, for če quint essencia čerof is naturaly incorruptible
     če which ¨e schal drawe out by sublymacioun / And čanne
     schal čer leue in če ground of če vessel če .4. elementis, as it
     were, rotun fecis of wiyn / But firste ¨e muste distille čis wiyn
 |r8 .7. tymes; & čanne haue ¨e good brennynge watir / Forsoče,
     čis is če watri mater |r[f.12a] fro which is drawe oure quinta essencia /
     Thanne muste ¨e do make in če furneis of aischin, a distillatorie
     of glas al hool of oo. pece, wič an hoole a-boue in če heed, where
|r12 če watir schal be putt yn, and be take out / And čis is a 
     wondirful instrument čat čat čing čat by vertues of fier ascendith
     and distillith wičinne če vessel, per canales brachiales, čat is, by
     pipis lich to armys, be bore a¨en, and eftsoones ascendith, &
|r16 eft descendič contynuely day and ny¨t, til če brennynge water
     heuenly be turned into quintam essenciam / And so bi con_tinuelle 
     ascenciouns & discenciouns, če quinta essencia is
     departid fro če corruptible composicioun of če .4. elementis.
|r20 For bifore čat čing čat is twies sublymed is more glorified, and
     is more sotil, and fer from če corrumpcioun of če .4. elementis
     more separat čan whanne it ascendith but oonys; and so vnto
     a čousand tymes, so čat by contynuel ascendynge and descend_ynge, 
|r24 by the which it is sublymed to so myche hi¨nes of glorifi_cacioun, 
     it schal come čat it schal be a medicyn incorruptible
     almost as heuen aboue, and of če nature of heuene / And
     čerfore oure quinta essencia worčily is clepid `mannys heuene' /
|r28 And aftir manye daies čat it hath be in čis sotil vessel of glas
     distillid / ¨e schulen opene če hoole of če vessel in če heed čat
     was selid with če seel of lute of wijsdom, maad of če sotillest
     flour, and of white of eyren, and of moist papere, ymeyngid so
|r32 čat no čing respire out / And whane ¨e opene če hoole. if čer
     come out a passyn e heuenly swete flauour čat alle men čat
     come yn naturely |r[f.12b] drawe čerto. čanne ¨e haue oure quinta
     essencia / and ellis sele če vessel, and putte it to če fier a¨en
|r36 til ¨e haue it.



|p5


        And anočer maner worchinge of oure quinta essencia is
     čis / Take če noblest and če strengest brennynge watir čat ¨e
     may haue distillid out of pure my¨ty wiyn, and putte it into
 |r4 a glas clepid amphora, with a long necke / and close če mouč
     strongly wič wex; And loke čat half or če čridde part be fulle;
     and birie it al in hors dounge, preparate as it is seid hereafter /
     so čat če necke of če glas be turned dounward, & če botum
 |r8 be turned vpward, čat by vertu of če hors dounge če quinta
     essencia ascende vp to če botum. And če grost‚ of če mater
     of če watir descende dounward to če necke / And aftir manye
     daies, whanne ¨e take it out, softly lift vp če glas as it stondith,
|r12 and ¨e schal se in čickenes and cleernesse a difference bitwene
     če quintam essenciam sublymed, and če grose mater čat is in če
     necke / če wondirful maistry of departynge of čat oon fro čat
     očer is čis / Take a scharp poyntel, or a pricke of yren, &
|r16 peerse into če wex čat hongič in če monč of če glas a¨ens če
     erče / and whanne ¨e haue peersid al fully to če watir, take out
     če poyntel or če pricke / And čat erčely watir wole first come
     out čat is in če necke / and so til it be come out vnto če
|r20 departinge bitwixe it / and če quinte essence, |r[f.13a] čat is, mannys
     heuene sublymed. and whane ¨e se čat čis quint essence wole
     renne & melte aftir čat čis erčely watir be voydid, putte čanne
     swiftly ¨oure fyngir to če hoole, & turne vp če glas, and čanne
|r24 ¨e haue čerinne oure quinte essence, and če erčely watir wičoute
     aside. And čis is a passyng souereyn priuytee.
        The čridde maner is, čat ¨e take a greet glas clepid amphora,
     and seele it weel, and birie it weel in če wombe of an hors al
|r28 togidere. and če puret‚ of če quinte essencie schal be sublymed
     aboue, & če grost‚ schal abide byneče in če botme / take out
     softli čat čat fletič a-boue; and čat čat leeueč bihynde, putte it
     to če fier.
|r32    The .iiij. maner is čis. take what vessel of glas čat ¨e wole,
     or of erče strongly glasid, and čer-vpon a round foot of glas
     wič a leg. and seele če vessel with his couertour, čat če rod
     of če foot of če glas wičinne če vessel honge in če eyr, čat čat
|r36 čing čat ascendith to če couertour in če maner of a pott boilynge



|p6


     descende doun a¨en by če foot of če glas. and this instrument
     may ¨e do make wičoute greet cost / The fifče maner is, čat če
     brennynge water be .10 times distillid in hors dounge con_tynuely 
 |r4 digest.                                          4
       The science of makynge of fier wičoute fier / wherby ¨e
     may make oure quinte essence wičoute cost or traueile, and
     withoute occupacioun and lesynge of tyme / Take če beste horse
 |r8 dounge čat may be had čat is weel digest, and putte it wičine
     a uessel, or ellis a pitt maad wič če erče anoyntid čoru¨out with
     past maad of aischin. And in čis vessel or pitt, bete weel togidere
     če dounge; And in če myddil of čis doung, sette če vessel of
|r12 distillacioun vnto če myddis or more / For it is nede čat al če 
     heed of če vessel be in če coold eir / čat, čat čing čat bi vertu
     of če fier of če doung čat ascendith čerby be turned into watir
     |r[f.13b] by vertu of cooldnes of če eir and falle doun a¨en and ascende
|r16 vp a¨en. and čus ¨e haue fier wičoute fier, and but wič litil
     traueile.
        Also anočer maner of fier. sette ¨oure vessel forseid to če
     strong reuerberacioun of če sunne in somer tyme, and lete it
|r20 stonde čere ny¨t and day.
        Here I wole teche ¨ou how pore euangelik men may haue
     wičoute cost, and almoost for nou¨t, če gracious influence of
     gold, and če maner of če fixynge of it in oure heuene, čat is,
|r24 oure quinta essencia. if ¨e be pore, ¨e schal preie a riche man
     čat is ¨oure freend to leene ¨ou a good floreyn of florence / and
     anele it vpon a plate of yren as yren is anelid. and haue biside
     ¨ou a uessel of erče glasid, fillid ful of the beste brennynge watir
|r28 čat ¨e may fynde. & caste into če watir če floreyn anelid. and
     loke čat ¨e haue a sotilte and a slei¨če to quenche sodeynly če
     fier, čat če watir waaste not; and be weel awar čat non yren touche
     če watir. but af[t]er caste into če watir če floreyn, and do so .l.
|r32 tymes or more, for če oftere če bettere it is / And if ¨e se čat če
     watir waaste to myche, chaunge it čanne, and take newe, & do
     so ofte tymes. and whanne ¨e haue do ¨oure quenchour, putte
     alle če watris togidere / And ¨e schulen vndirstonde čat če
|r36 vertu of brennynge watir is sich čat naturely it drawič out of



|p7


     gold alle če vertues & propirtees of it, & it holdič incor_rumptibiletee 
     & an euene heete. |r[f.14a] čanne meynge čis brennynge
     watir čus giltid wič oure quinte essence, and vse it. but be war
 |r4 čat ¨e quenche not če floreyn in oure quinte essence; for čanne
     it were lost / And if it so be čat ¨e haue not čis brennynge watir
     redy, čanne quenche ¨oure floreyn in če beste whi¨t wiyn čat
     may be had / For sikirly če philosophore seič, čat wiyn hath
 |r8 also če propirtee to restreyne in it če influence and vertues of
     gold / And whanne ¨e haue do ¨our werk, ¨e schal wite čat če
     floreyn is als good, & almoost of če same wei¨te, as it was
     afore / čerfore vse wiyn or brennynge watir giltid, so čat ¨e may
|r12 be hool, and wexe glad, and be ¨ong. And čus ¨e haue oure
     heuene, and če sunne in him fixid, to če conseruacioun of mannys
     nature and fixacioun of oure heuene, čat is, oure quinte
     essence.
|r16    The science how ¨e schule gilde more my¨tily by brennynge
     watir or wiyn čan I tau¨te you tofore, wherby če water or
     če wivn schal take to it my¨tily če influence & če vertues
     of fyne gold.
|r20    Take če calx of fyn gold as it is declarid here-aftir in čis
     book, and putte it in a siluer spone, and anele it at če fier.
     & čanne caste če cals of the gold in če brennynge watir
     or in wiyn .l. tymes, as I tau¨te ¨ou tofore wič če floreyn. and
|r24 ¨e schule haue ¨oure licour by an hundrid part bettir gilt čan ¨e
     had tofore wič če floreyn / Forwhi. fier worchič more strongly
     and bettere |r[f.14b] in sotil parties čan it doič in an hool plate / And
     also brennynge watir or wiyn drawič out more my¨tily bi a
|r28 čousand part če propirtees of gold fro smale parties anelid, čan
     it doič fro a čicke plate / And ¨e schal vndirstonde čat wiyn
     not aloonly holdič in it če propirtees of gold, but myche more
     če propirtees of alle liquibles if čei be quenchid čerinne. and čat
|r32 is a souereyn priuite: Forwhi, if ¨e quenche saturne liquified
     in wiyn or in comoun watir .7. tymes, and aftirward in čat wiyn
     or watir ¨e quenche mars manye tymes, čanne mars schal take
     algate če neischede and če softnes of saturne / And če same
|r36 schal venus do, & alle očer liquibles / or ellis, And ¨e



|p8


     quenche mars in whi¨t wiyn or in comoun watir manye tymes,
     and aftirward in če same wiyn or watir ¨e caste saturne liquified
     ofte tymes, čanne wičoute doute ¨e schal fynde čat če saturne
 |r4 is maad ri¨t hard / Therfore če propirtees of alle liquibles may
     be brou¨t into wiyn or watir; but myche more my¨tily into
     brennynge watir good and precious.
        The science to make a fier, čat is, wičoute cole, withoute
 |r8 lyme, wičoute li¨t, worchinge a¨ens al maner scharpnes or
     accioun of visible fier, ri¨t as worchič če fier of helle / And
     čis priuytee is so vertuous, čat če vertu čerof may not al be
     declarid. And čus it is maad. Take Mercurie čat is sublymed
|r12 with vitriol, |r[f.15a] & comen salt, & sal armoniac .7. or .10. tymes 
     sublymed / and meynge hem togidere by euene porcioun. and
     grynde it smal, and leye it abrood vpon a marbil stoon; and by_ny¨te 
     sette it in a soft cleer eir, or ellis in a coold seler; and čere
|r16 it wole turne into watir / And čanne gadere it togidere in to
     a strong vessel of glas, and kepe it / This water forsoče is so
     strong, čat if a litil drope čerof falle vpon ¨oure hond, anoon it
     wole perce it čoru¨-out; and in če same maner it wole do, if it
|r20 falle vpon a plate of venus or Iubiter, into čis watir, it turneč
     hem into lijknes of peerl. who so coude reparale & preparate
     kyndely čis fier wičoute doute it wolde quenche anoon a bren_nynge 
     sijknes clepid če fier of helle. And also it wolde heele
|r24 euer cor[os]if sijknesse. And manye philosophoris clepič čis
     čing in her bookis `sal amarus,' al čou¨ čei teche not če maistrie
     čerof / If it be so čat čis firy watir breke če glas, and renne out
     into če aischen, čanne gadere alle togidere čat ¨e fynde pastid in
|r28 če aischen / and leye it vpon a marbil stoon as afore, and it wole 
     turne into watir. And čis is a greet priuytee.
        The science to brynge gold into calx / Take fyn gold, and
     make it into smal lymayl: take a crusible wič a good quan_titee 
|r32 of Mercur, and sette it to a litil fier so čat it vapoure
     not, and putte čerinne či lymail of gold, and stire it weel togi_dere 
     / & aftirward |r[f.15b] wičinne a litil tyme ¨e schal se al če gold
     wičinne če Mercurie turned into erče as sotil as flour. čanne
|r36 ¨eue it a good fier, čat če Mercurie arise and go his wey; or ellis,



|p9


     and ¨e wole, ¨e may distille and gadere it, puttynge čer-vpon a
     lembike / and in če corusible ¨e schal fynde če gold calcyned and
     reducid into erče / And if ¨e wole not make lymayl of gold,
 |r4 čanne make čerof a sotil činne plate, as ¨e kan, and putte wičinne
     če Mercurie al warm; and ¨e schal haue ¨oure desier / And
     in čis same maner ¨e may worche wič siluir / Thanne take če
     calx of čese two bodies, and bere hem openly wič ¨ou; and čer
 |r8 schal noman knowe what čei ben / And if ¨e wole bere hem
     more priuyly wičoute ony knowynge, čanne meynge hem wič
     pich melt, or wex, or ellis gumme. for čanne noman schal knowe
     it what it is. And whanne ¨e wole dissolue ony of čese calces
|r12 by hem silf, putte eičir by him silf in a test, or ellis če pich or
     če wex in which čei ben ynne; and anoon schal come out verry
     gold & siluer as čei were tofore.
        Now I wole teche ¨ou če maistrie of departynge of gold
|r16 fro siluir whanne čei be meyngid togidere / Forsoče ¨e woot
     weel čat čer be manye werkis in če whiche gold and siluir
     be meyngid, as in giltynge of vessel & Iewellis / čerfore
     whanne ¨e wole drawe če toon fro čat očir, putte al čat mixture
|r20 into a strong watir maad of vitriol and of sat petre. and če
     |r[f.16a] siluyr wole be dissolued, and not če gold: čanne ¨e haue čat
     oon departid fro če točir / And if ¨e wole dissolue če gold to
     watir, putte čanne yn če watir corosyue, Sal armoniac; and čat
|r24 watir wičoute doute wole dissolue gold into watir.
        The science to drawe out of fyn gold vta essencia is čis /
     First ¨e schal reduce gold into calx, as I tolde ¨ou tofore /
     čanne take vynegre distillid, or ellis oold vryne depurid fro če
|r28 fecis, and putte it in a uessel glasid; and če liquor schal be in
     če hei¨če of 4. ynchis; and čerinne caste če calx of gold, &
     sette it to the strong sunne in somer tyme, čere to abide / and
     soone aftir ¨e schal se as it were a liquor of oyle ascende vp,
|r32 fletynge aboue in maner of a skyn or of a reme. gadere čat awey
     wič a sotil spone or ellis a fečere, and putte it into a uessel of
     glas in če which be putt watir tofore. and čus gadere it manye
     tymes in če day, into če tyme čat čer ascende nomore / and aftir
|r36 do vapoure awey če watir at če fier. And če vta essencia of če



|p10


     gold wole abyde byneče. And manye philosophoris clepič čis
     quinta essencia an oile incombustible, čat is a greet priuytee /
     And if ¨e wole fixe čis quinta essencia in oure heuene, čat it
 |r4 may wičoute doute restore a¨en to man čat nature čat is lost,
     and reduce him a¨en into če vertu of če strenkče of ¨ongče, and
     also lenkčič his lijf into če laste terme of lijf set of god // Now
     forsoče I haue toold ¨ou če souereynest |r[f.16b] priuytee and restorynge
 |r8 of mannys kynde, and in part greet čing čat schulde not be
     schewid / Forwhi čis oyle, čat is to seie, quinta essencia of gold,
     hath če mooste swetnes and vertu to a-swage and putte awei če
     ache of woundis, and for to heele woundis, oolde sooris, and
|r12 manye wondirful yuelis / Also in če same maner ¨e may drawe 
     out of siluir, quinte essencie //
        The science to drawe out of antymony, čat is, mercasite
     of leed, če vte essencie, is a souereyn maistrie, and a priuytee
|r16 of alle priuytees / Take če myn of antymony aforeseid,
     and make čerof al so sotil a poudre as ¨e kan / čanne
     take če beste vynegre distillid, and putte čerinne če poudre
     of antymonye, and lete it stonde in a glas vpon a litil fier
|r20 into če tyme čat če vynegre be colourid reed. čanne take čat
     vynegre awey, and kepe it clene, and putte a¨en čer-to of očere
     vynegre distillid, and lete it stonde vpon a soft fier til it be
     colourid reed. & so do ofte tymes. and whanne ¨e haue gaderid
|r24 al ¨oure vvnegre colourid, putte it čanne in a distillatorie. and
     first če vynegre wole ascende; čanne after ¨e schal se merueilis:
     for ¨e schal se as it were a čousand dropis of blessid wiyn
     discende doun in maner of reed dropis, as it were blood, by
|r28 če pipe of če lymbike / če which licour gadere togidere in a
     rotumbe / and čanne ¨e haue a čing čat al če tresour of če world
     may not be in comparisoun of worčines čerto / aristotle seič čat
     it is his lede in če book of secretis, al čou¨ he |r[f.17a] telle not če name
|r32 of če antymonye aforseid / Forsoče čis doič awey ache of alle
     woundis, and wondirfully heelič. če vertu čerof is incorruptible
     & merueilous profitable / it nedit to be putrified in a rotombe
     and seelid in fyme, and čanne it worchič greet priuytees / For_soče 
|r36 vta essencia of čis antymony čat is reed, in če which is



|p11


     če secreet of alle secretis, is swettere čan ony hony, or sugre, or
     ony očir čing.
        The science in the extraccioun of če .5 essencie from blood,
 |r4 and fleisch, & eggis / To ¨ou I seie, čat in euer elementid
     čing, če .5. essencie remayneč incorrupte: it schal be čanne
     če moost čing of merueyle if I teche ¨ou to drawe out čat
     fro mannys blood reserued of Barbouris whanne čei lete blood;
 |r8 also fro fleisch of alle brute beestis, and fro alle eggis, and očere
     suche čingis. for als myche as mannes blood is če per tist werk
     of kynde in us, as to če encrees of ča čat is lost, it is certeyn
     čat nature čat .5. essence maad so perfi¨t čat, wičoute ony očir
|r12 greet preparacioun wičoute če veynes, it berič forč čat blood
     anoon aftir into fleiseh. and čis 5 essence is so ny¨ kynde čat
     [it] is moost to haue  / Forwhy. in it is merueylous vertu of oure
     heuene sterrid, and to če cure of nature of man worchič moost
|r16 deuyn myraclis, as wičinne I schal teche ¨ou / čerfore resceyue
     of Barbouris, of ¨ong sangueyn men, or colerik men, whanne čei
     be late blood, če which vse good wynes. take čat blood aftir čat
     it hač reste, and cast awey če watir fro it, and braie it wič če
|r20 .10. part of comen salt preparate to medicyns of men; and putte
     it into a uessel of glas clepid amphora, če which, sotely seele,
     and putte it wičinne če |r[f.17b] wombe of an hors, preparate as tofore,
     and renewe če fyme oonys in če wike, or more, and lete it
|r24 putrifie til al če blood be turned into watir / and it schal be doon
     at če mooste in xxx. or xl dayes, or aftir, more or lasse / čanne
     putte it in a lembike, and distille it at a good fier / what so euere
     may ascende, putte čat watir vpon če fecis brayed, meyngynge
|r28 vpon a marbil stoon; putte it a¨en, and aftir distille it a¨en
     manye tymes rehersynge / And whanne ¨e haue čis noble čing
     of blood, čerof če .5. beynge drawe out / putte a¨en če watir in
     če stillatorie of circulacioun til ¨e brynge it to so myche swetnes
|r32 & an heuenly sauour, as ¨e dide če brennynge watir. and čis is
     če 5 beynge of blood deuyn, and miraclis more čan man mai
     bileue but if he se it.



|p12


        Now wole I teche ¨ou to drawe out če .5 beynge from
     capouns, hennes, and al maner fleisch of Brut beestis, and
     from al maner eggis of foulis čat ben holsum and medicyn_able 
 |r4 to ete for man kynde / Grynde summe of čese čingis
     forseid, which čat ¨e wil, as strongly as ¨e can in a morter, wič
     če 10 part of him of sal comen preparate to če medicyne of
     men, as I seide tofore. putte it in če wombe of an hors til it be
 |r8 turned into water. distille as it is aforeseid, and in če stillatorie
     of circulacioun če watir čat is distillid, putte it in a¨en til it be
     brou¨t to če swete heuenly sauour and smel aforeseid /
        The science to drawe out če 5 beynge of euerych of če .4
|r12 elementis, and to schewe euerych of če forseid čing bi hem
     silf; & čat is ri¨t merueylous / I wole not leue for a litil to
     schewe a greet secreet, how ¨e may drawe out če 5 beynge of
     ech of če 4 elementis of al če čing rehersid afore, and profitably
|r16 schewe hem / And če maner ys |r[f.18a] čis / take čat čing putrified
     and brou¨t into watir, what so euere ¨e wole, as I tau¨te ¨ou
     tofore; and čat čing be mannes blood brou¨t into watir, of če
     which ¨e wole drawe out če 4 elementis / putte čerfore čat
|r20 water, or čat blood putrified, in a stillatorie of glas, and sette
     it wičinne a pott of watir, and ¨eue vndirneče a fier til če watir
     of blood be distillid by če pipe of če lembike into a glas clepid
     amphora, ri¨t clene / And whanne no čing may more by čat fier
|r24 ascende, for certeyn ¨e haue of blood drawen out al oonly če
     element of watir / Forwhi. fier of čat bath hath no strenkče to
     sublyme eyr, or fier, or erče. and so [take] čo čre elementis, and
     sette in če same bath by.vij. dayes čat čei be weel meyngid, &
|r28 so cloos čat no čing be distillid / aftir če.vij. dayes take če
     stillatorie, and putte it to če fier of aischen, čat is strongere čan
     fier of bath clepid marien; and če watir schal ascende in foorme
     of oyle schynynge as gold / and aftirward čat no čing more schal
|r32 ascende, ¨e haue čanne in če ampulle .ij. elementis, čat is to seie,
     watir and eyr. & oon from anočir ¨e schal departe in če bath,
     puttynge yn a¨en wher al-oonly če cleer watir schal ascende /
     and če eyr schal al-oonly remayne in če botum of če vessel in
|r36 lijknesse of oyle of gold. če which oyle čat is gold, če which oyle



|p13


     čat is ayr / putte it aside. čanne čer leeueč ¨itt fier wič erče.
     to departe fier from erče, putte če element of watir, čat is to
     seye .iiij lb of watir, vpon j lb of mater / and putte by .vij. daies
 |r4 to encorpere wel as tofore in če bath of marien / Aftirward
     putte it to če fier of flawme ri¨t strong, and če reed water schal
     ascende. če which gadere togidere as longe as ony |r[f.18b] čing ascendič.
     and to ¨ou schal remayne an erče ri¨t blak in če botum. če which
 |r8 8 gadere togidere aside / čanne če redeste watir ¨e schal take. forwhy.
     čer be .ij. elementis, čat is to seie, če element of watir and fier.
     čanne yn če stillatorie, to če fier of bač, cleer watir schal asende.
     and in če botum schal remayne če reed watir, čat is, če element
|r12 of fier. and so ¨e haue now first oon oyle, čat is, ayer o side, and
     watir, and fier, and erče. and note ¨e weel čat čerfore če element
     of watir is putt a¨en to drawe out from erče fier and eyr, for čei
     wole not ascende, but čoru¨ če help of element of watir. brynge
|r16 a¨en euerych into 5 beynge wič če vessel of circulacioun as to_fore 
     / or ellis rectifie, makynge oon ascende .7 tymes bi an očir /
     but first ¨e moste če ri¨t blak erče of oon hide nature, in če
     furneys of glas mon, or ellis reuerberacioun, xxj. dayes calcyne /
|r20 And for a cause I speke to ¨ou nomore of this science. but
     ioie ¨e, and thanke oure glorious lord god of čese čingis čat
     ¨e haue had.
        The science to fixe alle erčely čingis in nostra 5ta essencia,
|r24 čat is to seie, oure heuene, čat by her influence čei may ¨eue
     čerto čer propertees and her hid vertues / oure glorious god
     hač ¨ene sich a uertu to oure quinta essence, čat it may drawe
     out of euery matier of fry¨t / tree / rote / flour, herbe / fleisch,
|r28 seed & spice / And euer medicynable čing, alle če vertues,
     propirtees, and naturis, če whiche god made in hem; and čat
     wičinne .iij. houris.
        Now I haue shewid ¨ou a souereyn priuytee, how čat ¨e
|r32 may wič oure heuene drawe out euery 5 essencia from alle
     čingis aforeseid / čerfore alle necessarie čingis to euer syrup
     putte yn oure 5 essencie, & wičinne .iij. houris čat watir schal
     be sich a sirup, vndirstonde wel, bettir by an hundrid part, by



|p14


     cause of oure 5 essencie, čan it |r[f.19a] schulde be wičoute it / And
     so I seie of medicyns comfortatyues, digestyues, laxatyues, re_striktyues,
     and alle očere; forwhy. if ¨e putte seedis or flouris,
 |r4 fruy¨tis, leeues, spicis, coold, hoot, sweet, sour, moist, do čei
     good or yuel, into oure 5 essencie, forsoče sich 5 essencie ¨e
     schulen haue čerfore. oure 5 essencie is če instrument of alle
     vertues of čing transmutable if čei be putt in it, encreessynge
 |r8 an hundrid foold her worchingis //

        Explicit pars prima tractatus quinte essencie:



|p15


|rBOOK_II.

        Here bigynneth the secunde book of medicyns / The first
     medicyn is to reduce an oold feble euangelik man to če firste
     strenkče of ¨ongče / Also to restore a¨en his nature čat is
 |r4 lost, and to lenkče his lijf in greet gladnesse and perfi¨te heele
     vnto če laste teerme of his lijf čat is sett of god / ¨e schal take
     oure 5ta essencie aforeseid, čat is to seye, mannys heuene, and
     čerinne putte a litil quantite of 5 essencia of gold and of peerl.
 |r8 and če colde feble man schal vse čis deuyn drynk at morn and
     at euen, ech tyme a walnote-schelle fulle / and wičinne a fewe
     dayes he schal so hool čat he schal fele him silf of če statt and
     če strenkče of xl ¨eer; and he schal haue greet ioie čat he is
|r12 come to če statt of ¨ongče. And whanne his ¨ongče is recouerid,
     and his nature restorid, and heelče had, it is nedeful čat litil and
     seelde he vse 5 essence / Also it is nede ful čat he vse ofte good
     wiyn at his mete and at če soper, in če which be fixid če 5.
|r16 essence of gold, as I tau¨te ¨ou tofore.
        The secunde |r[f.19b] medicyn is to heele a man, and make hym
     lyue, čat is almoost consumed in nature, and so ny¨ deed čat
     he is forsake of lechis. but if it be če laste teerme of his lijf
|r20 sett of god, ¨e schal ¨eue him oure quinte essence of gold wič a
     litil quantite of watir of celendoyn ¨drawe, and meynge it wič
     če očere čingis aforeseid / and anoon as če sike hath resceyned
     it into his stomak, it ¨eueč to če herte influence of naturel heete
|r24 and of lijf. and čanne ¨e schal se him rise vp and speke, and
     wondirfully be comfortid and strenkčid čerby // čanne comforte
     him wič ministracioun of oure quinte essencie afore seid, and he
     schal be al hool / but if it be so čat god wole algatis čat he schal
|r28 die / And I seie to ¨ou truly, čat čis is če hi¨este maistrie čat
     may be in transmutacioun of kynde; for ri¨t fewe lechis now
     lyuynge knowe čis priuytee.



|p16


        The čridde medicyn is to cure če lepre čat is causid of
     corrupcioun and putrifaccioun of ony of če principal humouris
     of man; but not če lepre čat comeč to man of kynde of
 |r4 če fadir and of če modir leprous, -- for it is callid morbus
     hereditus, -- ne če lepre čat is sent of god by his plage, but čat
     čat is causid oonly of rotun humouris / take oure 5 essence
     aforeseid, wič če quinte essence of goold and peerl, a litil quantite
 |r8 at oonys, and vse it in maner as I seide afore / and wičinne a
     fewe daies he schal be partily hool čerof. and if ¨e haue non
     preparate redy oure 5 essence, čanne take in če stide čerof fyn
     brennynge watir / but čat očer is bettere.
|r12    Also, drawe a water of če fruy¨t of strawbery or mulbery
     tree, whanne it is ripe, and waische če lepre čerwič. čis watir
     is of so greet vertu, for a souereyn maistir took it a leprous
     |r[f.20a] womman, čat wič če waischinge oonly of čis watir, withynne
|r16 schort tyme was maad al hool / but sikirly če vertu čerof is
     myche worth if it be meyngid with oure 5 essence, or ellis
     brennynge watir; and čanne it schal be no nede to vse in čis
     perilous cure, venemys, as summe lechis doon.
|r20    The 4 medicyn is to cure palsie vniuersel. Forsoče alle
     philosophoris seyn čat če palesye vniuersel comeč of habound_aunce 
     of viscous humouris closynge če metis of vertu animale,
     sensityue, and motyue. And čerfore it is necessarie čat čo
|r24 čingis čat schal cure čis sijknes be temperate, hoot, and moist,
     and a litil attractyue, and to če synous confortatyue / Therfore,
     blessid be god, makere of kynde, čat ordeynede for če man
     paralitike oure 5 essence aforseid, čat souereynly to him com_fortynge, 
|r28 restorynge, and temperatly worchynge / čerfore fixe
     čerinne če 5 essence of čo laxatyues čat purgen flewme &
     viscous humouris, as a litil of euforbie, or turbit, or sambucy.
     & čanne wičoute doute, if god wole, če paralitik man schal be
|r32 hool wič comfortynge and restorynge of kynde, if ¨e make him
     a stewe hoot and moist with herbis, čat is to seye, eerbe yue,
     & sauge, čat haue an heuenly strenkče to comforte če joynctis,
     & če senewis, and če vertu motyue. and if ¨e haue not redi
|r36 preparate oure 5 essence, čanne take fyn brennynge watir til it



|p17


     be redy, and lete če pacient drynke čerof a litil in fyn wiyn.
     and also he schal waische al his body and his extremytees wič
     brennynge watir ofte tymes. and lete him vse čis a good while,
 |r4 & he schal be hool. /
        |r[f.20b] The .5 medicyn for a man čat is almoost al consumed,
     & waastid in al his body, and ri¨t leene, as čat man čat
     hath če tisik & če etik / Forsoče če verry cure to heele him
 |r8 is oure 5 essence / Forwhi. it comfortič če feble nature; and
     če nature čat is lost it restorič, & so restorid it preserueč /
     And čerfore if ¨e wol restore če fleisch of a leene mannys body
     almoost consumed awey, drawe čanne a watir of celidoyne, and
|r12 take čerof a litil quantite, and meynge wič oure 5 essence if ¨e
     haue it redy, or brennynge watir in stide čerof, and ¨eue it him
     to drinke; and wičinne fewe dayes he schal be wondirfully
     restorid and fat.
|r16    The .6. medicyn for passiouns of frenesie, foly, ymagyna_ciouns 
     and noyous vexaciouns of deuelis, and also for če
     goute als weel hoot as coold. certeyn experience techič čat
     colerik men ¨eueč to summe ymagynaciouns; and sangueyn
|r20 men ben ocupied aboute summe očere ymagynaciouns; & ¨itt
     flewmatik men aboute očere / but čo men čat habounde in blak
     coler, čat is, malencoly, ben occupied a čousand part wič mo
     čou¨tis čan ben men of ony očer complexioun / Forwhi. čat
|r24 humour of blak coler is so noyous, čat if it a-bounde and a_sende
     vp to če heed, it troublič alle če my¨tis of če brayn, engendrynge
     noyous ymagynaciouns, bryngynge yn horrible čou¨tis boče
     wakynge and slepinge; and siche maner of men ben born vndir
|r28 če constillacioun of saturne, the wickide planete / Forsoče, to
     siche men deuelis wole gladly appere, & minister to hem her
     priuy temptaciouns wičinne če cours of her čou¨tis; and čese
     men čus |r[f.21a] turmentid wič če passiouns of malencoly comounly
|r32 speke wič hem, stryue and dispute wič hem silf whanne čei be
     a-loone, čat ofte tymes očer folk may heere it / These maner
     of men čat ben čus turmentid, as weel by passioun of malencoly
     as of deuelis, ofte tymes falle in dispeir, and at če laste sle hem
|r36 silf / če perfi¨t cure of alle čese is oure 5 essencie auri et



|p18


     perelarum, or ellis brennynge watir in stide čerof, in če whiche
     ¨e fixe gold as it is aforeseid, wherinne be putt a litil of sene or
     watir of f[u]miter, or poudre of lapis lasuly, or ellis medullam
 |r4 ebuli, and vse it discreetly. forwhy. not al oonly oure quinte
     essence auri et perelarum heelith čese disesis. / but also brennynge
     watir in če which gold is fixid, heelič hem, wič a litil of čo
     čingis čat purgen and casten out blak coler superflue, & helič
 |r8 če splene.
        Forsoče čese medicyns puttič awey wickid čou¨tis and an
     heuy herte malencolious; čei gladith and clense če brayn and
     alle hise my¨tis, and brynge yn gladnes and merye čou¨tis.
|r12 čei putte awey also če craft of če feendis temptaciouns, and
     ymagynaciouns of dispeir. čei distroie, & make a man to for¨ete
     almaner of yueles, and naturaly bryngič him a¨en to resonable
     witt. and for as myche as saturne če planete naturaly ys coold
|r16 and drye, and is enemye to al kynde / Forwhy, euery snow,
     euery hayl, euery tempest, & also če humonr of malencoly
     comeč of him. & he hač his influence vpon derk leed, &
     vpon derk |r[f.21b] placis vnder če erf, foule and stynkynge, and derke
|r20 wodis, and vpon foule, horrible, solitarie placis, as it is preued in
     vitas patrum, čat is to seye, in lyues & colaciouns of fadris /
     And also če moone, naturely coold and moist, has his influence
     vpon če ny¨t, and vpon myche moisture, and vpon če placis
|r24 whanne 4. weyes metič togidere. forsoče in alle siche placis čei
     wole a-bide and schewe hem to her foloweris / but forsoče čo
     čingis čat ben of če nature of Iubiter and of sol, goode planetis,
     arne displesynge to him, and contrarie, and naturaly deuelis fle
|r28 awei fro hem, for čei haue greet abhominacioun of čer vertuous
     influence / čerfore it schewič weel čat čo čingis čat ben in čis
     world, summe čer ben čat bitokene če glorious yoie of heuene,
     and summe čing čat figure če derknesse of euerlastynge peynes
|r32 of helle / Forsoče če sunne and iubiter, goode planetis, &
     gold, pure metal, and alle pure čingis čat gladen a man, figu_rynge 
     by resoun če ioie of heuene / and blak Saturne, and če
     spotty moone, figure & bitokene če condicioun of helle / and



|p19


     sič čat deuelis be dampned, & ful of wreche of helle, čerfore
     čei hate če clennesse & če ioie of oure lord god & of hise
     seyntis / also čei haten če sunne and his cleernes, and pure
 |r4 čingis čat maken a man glad. and naturaly it plesič hem to
     dwelle in derk, & in blak, orrible, stynkynge placis, in heuy_nesse, 
     wreche, & malencoly, & in čo čingis čat pre tende če
     condicioun of helle / And sič oure 5. essence aforeseid is so
 |r8 heuenly a čing, & by sotil craft |r[f.22a] brou¨t to so myche swetnes,
     it is so souereyn a medicyn čat it may weel be lijkned to če ioie
     of paradice. forwhi, it makič a man li¨t, iocunde, glad, and
     merie, & puttič awey henynesse, angre, melencoly, & wračče,
|r12 če whiche čat deuelis loue / et ideo nostra  5 essencia digne
     vocatur celum humanum / Also if a man be traueylid wič a
     feend, and may not be delyuerid fro him lete him drinke a litil
     quantite of oure 5 essence, wič 5 essence of gold & peerl, and
|r16 wič an eerbe callid ypericon, i.[e.] fuga demonum, and če seed
     čer grounden & aftirward distillid, & če watir čerof a litil
     quantite medlid wič če očere 5tis essenciis; and anoon če deuel
     wole fle awey fro him & fro his hous.
|r20    Also for če goute, hoot or cold, če pacient schal drynke
     oure 5. essence wič a litil quantite at oonys of če letuarie de
     succo rosarum and lete him vse čis letuarie a litil at oonys ech
     očere day, til superflue humouris be purgid / but he schal vse
|r24 euery day a litil of oure 5. essence with 5 essence of gold &
     peerle; & wičinne a fewe dayes če pacient schal be hool. //
        The .7. medicyn, f@or to heele ycche, & for to distrie lies
     čat ben engendrid of corrupt humouris. take oure 5 essence
|r28 bi him silf a-loone, and vse to drynke čerof a litil quantite
     at oonys / and take also a litil quantite of Mer[curie ?]. &
     mortifie it wič fastynge spotil, & medle it wič a good quantite



|p20


     of poudre of stafi-sagre & čanne put it in to a gret quantite
     of brennynge water, & čanne waische al his body, or ellis če
     heed where če icche & če lies ben. & vse čis medicyn .2. or
 |r4 3. & če sijk man |r[f.22b] schal be hool.                                4
        The .8. medicyn for to cure the quarteyn and alle če
     passiouns čat comeč of malencoly in mannys body; and če
     maistrie to purge malencoly. and ¨e schal vndirstonde čat če
 |r8 quarteyn is gendrid of myche haboundaunce of malencolye čat
     is corrumpid withynne če body. and for čis humour is erčely,
     coold, & drie, of če nature of slowe saturne, čerfore če accesse
     of čis sijknes ben slowe, and it durič comounly yn a man a ¨eer
|r12 or more, and it puttič fro him gladnesse, & bryngič yn heuynes 
     more čan očere feueris do / If ¨e wole heele čis sijknes in schort
     tyme, lete če pacient vse to drynke oon 5 essence, and he schal
     be al hool hastily / forwhi; it consumeč če corrupt superflue
|r16 humouris, & reducit nature to equalite, and bryngič yn glad_nesse,
 , & chasič a-wey heuynes & malencolie. and if it so be
     čat ¨e haue nou¨t oure 5 essence / čanne take j lb of če beste
     brennynge watir, and čerinne putte medullam ebuli, and namely
|r20 če white, if ¨e may may haue it / of čis watir ¨eue to če pacient,
     morowe and enen, a walnot-schelle ful at oonys. and he schal
     be al hool / or ellis čus: take what čing ¨e wole čat purgič
     malencolye, and putte a litil čerof into brennynge watir, &
|r24 vse čat laxatif maad into smale pelotis, wijsly resceyuyng ri¨t a
     litil at oonys, as oon litil pelot, and preue čerby how it worchič,
     čanne anočer tyme .ij. at oonys, if it be nede / so čat če mater
     be a litil digestid and a litil egestid. for bettere it is to worche
|r28 a litil & a litil at oonys, čan sodeynly greue če nature. forwhi,
     two litil pelotis laxatif meyngid wič brennynge watir |r[f.23a] wole
     worche more my¨tily čan .8. pelotis wole do bi hem silf /
     Also philosophoris seyn čat a tooč drawe out from a quyk
|r32 beest born vpon a man, delyuerič fro če quarteyn / Also
     čei seyn čat if če yuis of če eerbe čat is callid morsus galline
     rubri be putt in hise nose-črillis whanne he bigynneth to suffre
     če accesse of če quarteyn, he schal be hool, wič če grace of
|r36 god.



|p21


        The medicyn to heele če feuere contynuele. alle philo_sophoris 
     seyn čat če feuere contynuele is gendrid of putri_faccioun 
     of blood and of corrupcieun of humouris in it /
 |r4 čerfore če cure čerof is to |r[f.23b] purge blood, and to putte awey če
     corrupcioun of it, & če humoris vneuene to make euene,
     če nature lost to restore, and so restorid to kepe / Forsoče alle
     čese čingis worcheč oure quinte essence; and čerfore it curič
 |r8 perfi¨tly če feuere contynuele / and čou¨ brennynge watir caste
     out fro blood watry humouris and corrupt, ¨itt take it nou¨t in
     čis cure / forwhi; čou¨ brennynge watir be .7. tymes distillid,
     ¨itt it is [not] fully depurid fro his brennynge heete, & če .4.
|r12 elementis / but sič oure 5. essence is not hoot, ne moist, coold,
     ne drie, as ben če 4. elementis / čerfore it heelič perfi¨tly če
     contynuel feuere; namely wič commixtioun of če 5 essence of
     gold & peerle / and if ¨e wole strenkče ¨oure medicyn, čanne
|r16 putte yn oure 5. essence a litil quantite of pulpa cassie fistule /
     or ellis če iuys of če eerbe mercuriale. & if it so be čat očere
     humouris habounde to myche with blood, čanne take čo laxa_tyues 
     čat kyndely wole purge hem, as comoun bookis of
|r20 fisik declareč.
        The 10. medicyn to cure če feuere tercian, če which is
     causid of putrifaccioun, or reed coler to myche haboundynge /
     to cure čees sijknes, tak oure 5 essence, or ellis fyn bren_nynge 
|r24 watir, -- but če firste is bettere, -- and putte čerinne a litil
     of rubarbe or of summe očer laxatiue čat purgič reed coler, and
     a greet quantite of watir of endyue; and vse čis medicyn at
     morowe & euen. and če pacient schal be hool wičoute doute.
|r28    The 11. medicyn is for to heele če feuere cotidian, če
     which is causid of putrifaccioun of flewme to haboundynge /
     and sič flewme is coold and moist. oure 5 essence (and in his
     absence take good brennynge watir.) hač strenkče and vertu to
|r32 consume če rotun watery inordinat, and to myche coold humi_dite 
     / čerfore take oure 5 essence or brennynge watir, and putte
     čerinne a litil of euforbij, turbit, or sambuci, or sum očir čing
     čat purgič flewme; and vse it morowe and eue, & če pacient
|r36 schal be hool.



|p22


        The .12. medicyn for to cure če feuere agu, and če lunatik
     man and womman / discreet maistris seyn, čat če feuere
     agu comounly is causid of a uyolent reed coler adust, and of
 |r4 blood adust, and of blak coler adust; and sumtyme of oon of
     čese adust, and sumtyme of two togidere, and sumtyme of.3.
     togidere / and čerfore če feuere agu is če posityue degree, and
     in če superlatyue degree, comparatif gree & superlatif gree /
 |r8 For če feuere agu hač comounly alienacioun of witt, & schew_ynge 
     of čingis of fantasy / And ¨e schal knowe weel whiche
     ben če humouris adust čat causen če feuere, be čese |r[f.24a] tokenes /
     Forwhi, if če pacient seič čat he seeč blak čingis, čanne blak
|r12 coler, čat is, malencolie, is adust / & if he se čingis of gold /
     reed coler is adust / if reed čingis, and schewynge of bloodt
     čanne blood is adust / And if he seič čat he seeč alle čese .iij,
     čingis, čanne alle če humouris ben adust / For as myche as
|r16 brennynge watir ascendič to če heed, and gladly wole a man
     drynke / And sič čat feuere agu regneč in če regioun of če
     heed / če philosophoris counceilis čat če pacient schal not
     resceyue it in čis sijknes / but it is nedefnl čat he take
|r20 oure 5 essence of gold and of peerl, meynging če 6 part of
     5 essence of watir of rose, violet, borage, and letuse / and
     čanne ¨e schulen haue an heuenly medicyn to cure perfi¨tly čis
     sijknesse.
|r24    For to cure če frenesye and woodnes, or ellis at če leeste
     to swage it / take a greet quantite of popilion, and če beste
     vynegre čat ¨e may haue, and a good quantite of rewe domestik,
     weel brayed, and meyngid wič čese forseid čingis; and biclippe
|r28 če heed and če feet of če pacient with čis medicyn; and sum
     čerof putte to his nose-črillis. čis medicyn anoon puttič awey če
     frenesye & če schewynge of fantasies / it curič also wode men
     & lunatike men. and it restorrič a¨en witt and discrecioun, &
|r32 makič al hool and weel at eese.
        The .13. medicyn is to put a-wey če craumpe fro a man.
     for as myche as wise men seyn čat če craumpe cometh of če
     hurtynge & če febilnes of če senewis, as it schewič sumtyme
|r36 yn medicyns maad of elebore, čer is no čing čat puttič awey če



|p23


     craumpe as doič oure 5 essence aforeseid, or ellis |r[f.24b] brennynge
     watir in stede of it.
        The .14. medicyn, to caste out venym fro mannys body /
 |r4 take oure 5 essence, and putte čerine fleisch of a cok, neysch
     soden & sotilly brayed, note kirnelis, fyn triacle, radisch,
     & garleek smal brayed, and očere čingis čat ben goode
     to caste out venym, as comoun bookis of fisik declarič /
 |r8 And also, to comforte če herte, putte yn oure foreseid 5. essence,
     če 5. essence of gold and of peerl. and he schal be delyuerid
     čerof & be hool.
        The .15. medicyn, to make a man čat is a coward, hardy
|r12 and strong, and putte a-wey almaner of cowardise and drede /
     I seye ¨ou forsoče čat no čing may telle alle če myraclis ver_tues 
     čat god hač maad in oure 5 essence, and not al oonly in
     him, but also in to his modir čat is to seye, fyn brennynge
|r16 watir. for to cure čis sijknesse, take a litil quantite of oure 5
     essence, & putte čerto double so myche of brennynge watir,
     and a litil quantite of če iuys of eerbe pione and of saffron dis_tillid 
     togidere, and a litil of 5 essence of gold and of peerl; and
|r20 ¨eue it him to drinke. and aftir sodeynly, as it were by myracle,
     če coward man schal lese al maner drede and feyntnes of herte,
     and he schal recouere strenkče čat ys lost by drede, and take to
     him hardynesse, and he schal dispise deeč; he schal drede no
|r24 perelis, and passyngly he schal be maad hardy. čis is trewe, for
     it hač ofte tymes by oolde philosophoris [bene] preued / čerfore
     it were a greet wisdom čat cristen princis, in bateilis a¨en
     hečene men, hadde wič hem in tonnes brennynge watir, čat
|r28 čei my¨t take to euer fi¨tynge man half a ri¨t litil cuppe ful
     čerof to drynke in če bigynnynge of če batel. & čis priuyte
     owith to be hid from alle enemyes of če chirche; and also
     |r[f.25a] princis and lordis ministringe čese čingis schulde not telle
|r32 what it is.
        The .16. medicyn a¨ens če feuere pestilenciale, and če
     maistrie to cure it. forsoče holy scripture seič čat summe
     tymes oure lord god sendič pestilence to sle summe maner
|r36 of peple, as it is seid deutronomium 28 in čis maner "Si



|p24


     audire nolueris vocem domini dei tui, ut custodias et facias
     omnia mandata eius, veniant super te omnes maledicciones; iste
     maledictus eris in ciuitate &c." et infra; "ad-iungat tibi pestilen_ciam 
 |r4 donec consumat te de terra, percuciat te dominus egestate,
     febre, et frigore, ardore et estu, et aere corrupto ac rubigine, et per_ sequatur 
     donec pereas" hec ibidem; et infra "percuciat te dominus
     vlcere egipti, et partem corporis per quam stercora egerantur
 |r8 scabie quoque, et prurigine, ita ut curari nequeas; percuciat te
     dominus necessitate ac furore mentis" // Therfore a gret fool
     were he čat wolde presume to cure čese plagis of pestilence čat
     ben vncurable, čat ben sent of god to ponysche synne // Also
|r12 ¨e schal vndirstonde čat men may die in .iij. maners. in oon 
     maner by naturel deeč, in če teerme čat is sett of god / In
     anočir maner bi vi olent deeč, and also in če .iij. maner occa_sionaly 
     wičinne če teerme čat is sett of god; as čo men čat to
|r16 myche replecioun, or to greet abstynence or by disperacioun, or
     ellis by necligence, sle him silf / but sikirly alle očere maner
     of feueris pestilence čat god suffrič to come to mankynde by
     perilous influence of yuele planetis, by če grace of god & good
|r20 gouernaunce may be curid partialy wič oure 5. essence. and
     čerinne putte a litil of aloes epatik & euforbij, & a litil of
     ierapigra galieni & of 5 essence, of če rote of lilie and also
     of gold & peerle, capilli veneris |r[f.25b] and ysope; for čese čingis
|r24 ben nedeful to siche feueris & apostemes / it is nedeful also
     čat wič čese čingis čer be sich a quinta essencia laxatyue čat
     wole purge če superflue humouris čat abounde; and čat če
     pacient so myche resceyue in a natural day čerof čat he may
|r28 go weel oonys to sege; and so lete him vse čis laxatif .3. in če
     woke; But be weel war čat he take wič oure quinta essencia
     but ri¨t a litil quantite of če laxatif at oonys, as I tolde ¨ou
     tofore, for peril čat mi¨te bifalle. & euery day take he by če
|r32 morowe an eye-schelle ful of good brennynge watir, and če cor_rupt 
     eyr schal not noye him; & also vse in če dayes, two or
     čre smale pelotis pestilenciales in oure 5 essencia, or in bren_nynge 
     watir; & al če hous of če pacient schal be encensid



|p25


     strongly .iij in če day wič frank-encense, mirre, & rosyn,
     terbentyn & rewe. and čis is perfi¨t cure for če feuere pesti_lence 
     / And čus ¨e may, wič čis 5 essencijs, cure alle čese sijk_nesses 
 |r4 aforeseid, and manye očere, as it were by myracle, if ¨e
     worche disc[r]eetly as I haue toold ¨ou tofore / Now here
     I make an eende of čis tretis čat is clepid če mooste & če
     souereyneste secrete of alle secretis, and a passynge tresour
 |r8 čat may nou¨t fayle // O quantum malum foret, si hic
     liber perueniret ad manus hominum mundanorum, ad noticiam
     tirannorum, et ad seruicium reproborum! quia, sicut sancti per
     hunc librum poterunt continuare opera vite christiani diucius
|r12 et vehemencius, ita et reprobi possent peruerso vsi diucius
     perseuerare in malo. ego autem, quantum in me est, propter
     solos sanctos librum hunc constituo, et ipsum custod[i‘] ihesu
     Christi commendo nunc et in eternum // = //

|r16    Explicit librum de maximis secretis essencie quinte &c.



|p26



|r{THE_SPHERES_AND_PLANETS:_omitted}