Page 25 - Book of Composition

Hermes also said: “The Earth is the Mother of Elements ; they proceed of
the Earth, and return again to the Earth.” Hermes said again: “As all
things proceed of one thing, so my Magistery is made of one substance
and matter. And as the four elements are contained in man’s body, so
God hath created those things distinct and conjoined, and also collected
and dispersed through the whole body: because one body drowns them,
and holds them together, and yet every one of them effects an unlike
work of the work of another. And although they are in one body, yet they
have diversity of colour and diversity of government.” Therefore after
the same manner we must understand concerning this Magistery. The
philosophers have spoken many such testimonies of this Magistery, of
some part of which we will make mention in the sequel.

King Calid: By what means or by what reason may it be done, if there is
but one root of it, and one substance and one matter of this Magistery,
when as among the philosophers there are many and divers names found
of the root ?

Morienus : Surely the names of the root of it are manifold, but if you
look orderly into these things which have been before spoken, you shall
find one root, one substance, and one matter of it, which to the intent you
may the better understand, I will yet rehearse unto you certain other
testimonies of ancient men.

King Calid : Go forward in declaring to me the Magistery of this work.

Morienus : Heraclius said unto certain of his disciples : “the stone of the
date is nourished by that substance which covers it, and the substance
which covers it is nourished by the stone, and of the root of it many
branches increase and multiply, which increase their number by reason
of it.” And Hermes said : “Look unto the red complishment, and the red
diminished from its redness, and all redness. Consider also the citrine
complishment, and the citrine diminished from its citrinness, and all
citrinness. Consider all so the black complishment, and blackness
diminished from its blackness, and all blackness.” In like sort an ear of
corn proceeds of a grain, and many branches come forth from one tree,
although the tree take its beginning from its springing. A certain wise
man also which forsook the whole world for God, brings unto us a like
example: for he said : “The first creation of Man is sperm, and a hundred
grains are engendred of one grain, and by growing it becomes a great
tree. And of one man, a like woman being taken unto him, often times

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