CHAP. II.
Of the things and instruments necessarie and
fit for this worke.
IT behoueth thee to knowe the vessels in this masterie, to wit Aludela, which the Philosophers haue called Church-yards, or Cribbles: because in them the parts are diuided, and cleansed, and in them is the matter of the masterie made compleat, perfect, and depured. And euery one of these must haue a Furnace fit for it, and let either of them haue a similitude and figure agreeable to the worke. Mezleme, and many other Philosophers, haue named all these things in their bookes, teaching the maner and forme thereof. And thou must know, that herein the Philosophers agree togither in their wrytings, concealing it by signes, and making many books thereof, & instruments which are necessarie in these foure foresaid things. As for the instruments, they are two in number. One is a Cucurbit, with his Alembick: the other is Aludel, that is well made. There are also foure things necessarie to these: that is to say, Bodies, Soules, Spirites, and Waters: of these foure dooth the masterie, and minerall worke consist. These are made plaine in the Philosophers Bookes, I haue therefore omitted them in mine, and onely touched those things, which they passed ouer with silence: which he shall easily discerne, that is but of indifferent iudgement. And this booke I haue not made for the ignorant and vnlearned, but for the wise and prudent.