Page 30 - Book of Composition

your mind, And thereupon confer with yourself, and let there not be
anything which may gainsay you in this. Know therefore that sulphur
zarnett, that is Auripigmentum [Arsenic sulphide], is quickly burned and
is quickly consumed of the burning. Azoc does longer endure burning,
for all shapes being put to the fire, are quickly consumed. How will you
therefore expect any good of it, when as it is quickly consumed by the
combustion of the fire, and is burnt by the fire, and is brought into coals?
This is also convenient for you to know, that no stone nor budding thing
is mete for this Magistery. And the wise men have said, that if you shall
find this in a dunghill which you seek, then you must take it; but if you
shall not find it in a dunghill, that then you must take your hand from
your purse. For everything which is sold for great price is found in this
art unprofitable and deceitful. Therefore let this exposition suffice you in
this place, but take heed you lavish not anything in this Magistery:
because after it shall be accomplished you shall not need any expenses.
Whereupon Datyn [Zosimus] the philosopher said : “And I commend
unto you that you spend not any thing in the weight of shapes, and
especially in the Magistery of Q.” Again he said : “Whosoever shall seek
any other thing from this stone for this Magistery shall be likened unto a
man that endevoured to climb a ladder without steps, which thing he
being unable to do, he fell to the Earth on his face.

King Calid : Is this rare which you speake of, or is there much of it
found?

Morienus : This is not but as the wise man said, to the rich man and to
the poor man, to the bountiful man and to the covetous man, and also to
the man going, and to the man sitting. For this is cast in the ways, it is
trodden upon in the dunghills of those ways, and many men have digged
in dunghills, in hope to find it out in them, and herein they have been
deceived. But the wise men have known that thing, and have often tried
that one thing, which contained in itself four elements, and has dominion
over them.

King Calid : In what place or in what mineral is the thing sought for,
until it be found ?

At these words Morienus held his peace, and hanging his head, cogitated
what he should answer the king. At length he erected himself, and said:
O king, I confess a truth unto you, that this thing is more fixed by the
divine power in its creation, for every man which is created of God
cannot be without it.

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