The Testament of Nicolas Flamel (English and French), 1806

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A

very curious

relic of old

removed—the bouse

m 1402

in the

Paris

Rue de

is

about to be

Venise, built

by the celebrated alchemist, palmist, and

philanthropist

.Nicholas

Fiamel. It is one of the few specimens of fifteenth century domestic architecture still to be seen in the French capital.

Until the Revolution its upper floors were let to poor old men and women who, in accordance with Flamei’s will, had only to pray for the repose of his soul and to say an Ave every day at the

hour

he

died,

to

secure their lodgings

rent

Fiamel was one of the most famous of mediaeval palmists, and wrote a book on the free.

subject.

*vo.

•

in the

co ntemporar

Em t

^

calf

Presentation

pn atdy p mted and issued in X !

Z’ n. JVL. rLxtremely uncommon.

Copy from

the Editor [/.

A.

a very limited number of copies.

TX No ^

Th cop

This book contains the English and French versions on opposite pages, and the édite states that the MS. is that which was deciphered by Saint Marc and Pernety about 176c ? and to which Pernety refers in his controversies with Villain (,f.No 48). l

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Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2016

https://archive.org/details/b22032356

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TESTAMENT P

•

\

OF

\

a

NICHOLAS 'FLAMME

,

LONDON : PRINTED BY

J.

AND

E.

HODSON, N°

15, CROSS-STREET,

H ATTON-GARDEN J

AND SOLD ONLY BY THE EDITOR.

[Price

]

180 G.

A

SHORT INTRODUCTION,

BY THE

EDITOR.

To the Amateurs of the Art no apology will deemed necessary

be

Abridgment

for introducing

to their notice.

It is

this

an obliga-

•* .

tion

due however

to the

Reader to say a few

words upon the original Manuscript,

yet,

without intending any commentary on the contents of it,

on

rest chiefly it’s

we shall it's

leave the

own

Work itself to

internal evidence for

support.

This

Work

then, in

it’s

kind,

is

by some

regarded as a treasure of price, and has for

many

years past been privately circulated in

manuscript in France.

among

the Lovers of this Science

The French copy was conveyed

to the Editor, verbatim etjideliter in the

in

which

it is

form

here presented, and to which he

has prefixed, for the convenience of those

a 2

who

INTRODUCTION.

IV

not be familiar with the original Lan-

may

guage, a plain translation.

At the end of the Practice some informaconveyed

tion

is

was

left

as to the

by the Author

manner

in

in Cyphers,

cerning the decyphering of

it

which

it

and con-

by two

intelli-

after

gent persons, upward of three centuries

it

was written. The correspondent who conveyed it,

in his letter, dated Paris, the 28

1803 ,

also writes

— “ Here

“ of Flamel, from which

I

is

th

of

March

the Manuscript

have only abridged

“ useless things, and some repetitions.

“ before began

to

copy

it

word

for

I

had

word,

the bottom of the page,

the

f(

putting at

(C

explanation in Latin ot those expiessions

« which are not

“ but

now

used in our language

I presently thought,

« have too much trouble iC

old language,

which

the time of Flamel.

« second page

I

is

to

that

;

you would

comprehend

this

actually that used in

For this reason,

have changed

my

in the

plan,

and

INTRODUCTION.

f

have translated

into

it

V

modern

French,, but

you may reckon upon my translation,

‘

1

were one and the same.” *

Thus

as if it

our

far

*

French correspondent

respeétable

may not be ill-timed to glyphic

Work

;

and

it

observe, that the Hiero-

published by Flamel himself at

Paris in the year

1413,

written, according to the

though mystically

method universally

adopted by these Writers, appears to agree

fundamentally in the philosophical Process,

“in operation on

especially

and signs of

the true

the true Matter,

Mercury,” agreeable to

the testimony of Eyræneus Philaletha, who, as lie

himself confesses,

drew much knowledge

from Flamel, and that he covertly worked on the same Principle

most perspicuous Revealed,

London,

&c. in

is

obvious from his two

Works,

entitled

and Ripley Revived ,

Secrets

printed

1669 and 1678.

Having introduced

the

learned and

in-

genuous Eyræneus Philaletha Cosinopolita,

it

INTRODUCTION.

VI

may be acceptable to allude to some differences in the

mode of working between him and

Philaletha, as well as

experimented Author. pupil Philalethes,

his

Marrow

the

Diana; yet

it is

of the

author

of Alchymy, confine

tions chiefly to the

this

their instruc-

working with the Doves of

was

evident, that Philaletlia

well acquainted with Flamel’s work, which,

though best

radically the same,

is

undoubtedly the

and the most direa of the two

Philalethes,

mise,

who was bound by

;

and even

a solemn pro-

and who expresses himself upon certain

seeins to points with caution and ambiguity,

refer to this better

in his

in the following lines

Marrow of Alchymy,

second book 66.

mode

Some

first

part of the

:

use Diana’s Doves for to prepare

The water, which a

And for to May twice

hit

for

it

tedious labour

right,

an

is,

artist rare

once unfortunately miss

:

The other way (which is most secret) we Commend to all that artists mean to be.

VU

INTRODUCTION.

This way

is

most

said to be

because the Pondus, that

is,

secret,

probably

the weights or

work

proportions are very different from that

which he openly describes

;

whereas, the

by

are unrevealed

proportions here given,

Flamel may therefore be

any other author.

nominated a master-key

Phila-

to this point.

letha also, as well as the multitudinous writers *

on

this subject,

mode of educing

upon

very mysterious

is

the philosophical sublimate

or sulphur, called by him, our gold. letha moreover,

the

in

his

Phila-

Secrets Revealed,

has written very subtilly and enviously on the three works,

and on the regimens of the

application to each mode. je6is Flamel

guide

is

which

as

sufficient for

to the It

is,

it

Upon

fire

these sub-

were, explicit, that

him

in

that will put his

is,

a

hand

plough. true,

could

we might have added have

readily been

the form of a Glossary,

a Key,

done

in

and a few Notes,

INTRODUCTION.

\in

we

but on reflexion

be unnecessary

would

it

for those

who

are the lcasl

science;

and

to

this

adapted for

concluded,

hastily unveiled

it

to the

ha\e thus

profanum vulgus,

something might probably have exposed us to

worse than the thanks of the Sophi

however to the deserving the philosophical reader, this leading

Remark;

studious,

we

that

In justice

:

and

to assist

shall finish

with

from an attentive

Pliilaletha, particuperusal of the works of

larly his

two

treatises

above-mentioned, and

those of other practitioners

whom

here mends, the light clouds sipate.

To

may

lie

recom-

swiftly dis-

industrious the judicious and

things are easy, but

upon the

all

and unde-

idle

merit nor reward. serving await neither

Reader, profit and farewell!

editor, LqndoNj 1806

.

\

f

-&- r7'

]

SOME ACCOUNT OF

mc o L JS

%

+

FJL^MEE,

'

AND HIS WORKS.

Doctor his

YV illiam

Salmon

in his Preface to

Medicina Practica, published in London

in 1/0 7,

mentions that he has translated and

annexed two principal Works of Flameh viz, his Hieroglyphica and his Sommaire Philo-

Of the Author

sophique.

ed Doctor writes,

man, ‘

“

yet

and

left

so

Flamel was a French-

originally

great

himself the learn-

a poor

Scrivener,

monuments behind him

must convince the most incredulous that he knew the Secret, and performed such mighty works at his own proper costs and as

charges, as

the

most opulent Prince in »

B

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

2

“ Europe can never do the like. I know a “ gentleman who went to view these mighty

"

buildings, and their records:

and Governors of those

The Archives

places,

he told me,

“ own the matter of fa6t, but deny the means, « saying that Flamel was a very pious man, James of and went a pilgrimage to S « Gallicia, for a reward of winch piety, the « bestowed that vast treasure upon '

holy saint

cc

iC

him by way of miracle; thereby denying effected, to the power of art by which it was

“

confirmation of establish in a miracle for a

«

the

Romish Church/’ to

alluding

He afterwards adds, Works,

above translated

the

Flamel we have

also

now

translated,

and

to which claused into Chapters and Sedtions, added his Summary of Philosophy,

« we have cc which was never printed with him ec

any language:

« added

his

Work we

his Hieroglyphicks

copper,

with quotations

« Hieroglyphick, «•

To

shewing

nefore in

have

neatly also

to

also

cut in

upon each what book,

reference, or chapter, and seftion, they have

“ belong.”

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

Chymica sen Catalogus

the Bibliotheca

III

Lib ror u m

3

Ph ilo soph icoru m

Hermeticoruin,

printed in Paris in 1654, by Petro Borellio

M.

D., a Catalogue containing nearly

books

known

to have been written

Science of Alchymy,

Works of Flamel

the

on the

above-mentioned

are noticed; the

firsts

written in Latin originally by Flamel,

Paris in the year 1612:

second, or the

as

and

French by P. Arnaud, and

translated into

published in

4000

The

Summary of Philosophy,

as

written by the Author in French, and after-

ward published.

There are

also other

Works

of Flamel noticed in that Catalogue, some printed and some in manuscript, and

them

this present

work, under the

title

among of Nic.

Flamelli Testamentum M. S. Of Flamel himself and of the history of his discoveries in the Art, the best and most authentick account, at this distant period, can

now

On

only be colle&ed from his

own Works:

this also there

seems good reason to place dependence, because the whole tenor of his writings exhibit

him

in

* b 2

no other character

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

4

than that of a

man

of piety and

strict veracity.

To enable the Reader to decide for

himself on

to his

these points, the Introduction

Hiero

discoglyphica, including the history of his words, as veries, is here given from his own

rendered by Salmon. <c

“

Scrivener, living in

I Nicolas Flame],

Paris,

anno 1399,

in the

Notary-street,

« near S'- James of the Bouchery, though I “ learned not much Latin, because of the “ poorness and meanness of my parents, « notwithstanding were (by them that « me most) accounted honest and good « pie. Yet by the blessing of God, I

who envy peo-

have

« not wanted an understanding of the hooks « of the philosophers, hut learned them, and “ attained « even of

to a certain their

hidden

kind of knowledge, secrets.

For which

« cause sake, there shall not any moment of “ my life pass, wherein remembering this so « vast a good, I will not upon my bare knees “

or otherwise in (if the place will permit) of heart, with all the entireness

“ my “ affe&ions, render thanks

my

to this

my

most

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

5

Who never for-

**

good and gracious God.

“

sakes the righteous generation,, or suffers the

“ children of

the just to

beg

nor

their bread,

“deceives their expectations, but supports

“ them with blessings, who put “ trust in him.

their

“ After the decease of my parents,

I

whole

Nicolas

“ Flamel got my living by the art of writing, “ ingrossing inventories, making up accounts,

“ keeping of books, and the like. In “ course of living there fell by chance “

my

this

into

hands a gilded book, very old and large,

“ (which cost me only the sum of two florins, “ which was about 65. 8c/. formerly, now 10s.

“English).

It

was not made of paper or other books be, but of ad-

“ parchment, as “ mirable rinds (as “

trees.

it

seemed to me) of young

The cover of it was of brass;

it

was

“ well bound, and graven all over with strange “ kind of letters, which I take to be Greek “characters, or some such like.

This I “ know, that I could not read them, nor were “ they either Latin or French letters or words,

" of which I understand something.

But

as

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

6

"

to the matter

which was written within,

it

" was engraven (as I suppose) with an iron “ pencil or graver upon the said bark leaves;

“ done admirably well, and in " Latin letters, and curiously " contained thrice seven

" were numbered in " and every seventh

fair

and neat

coloured.

It

leaves, for so they

the top of each folio: leaf

was without any

"writing; but in place thereof, there were

“

several images or figures painted.

"

the

first

« Virgin

" On “

seventh leaf was depicted, 2.

1.

Serpents swallowing her up :

the second seventh,

And on

Upon

A

the last seventh,

A

—

Serpent crucified:

A

Desart or

JÏÏÎ-

$

“ demess;

in midst

whereof w as seen many r

whence issued out a number of serpents here and there. U pon “ the first of the leaves w as w ritten in capital

cc

fair

fountains, from

<<r

letters

« priest,

of gold, Abraham, the Jew , prince

L évité,

astrologer and philosopher, to

“ the nation of the Jews, dispersed bp

the

wrath

“ of Gocl in France, wisheth health. After “ which words, it was filled with many exe“ orations and curses, with this word Mara-

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. (t

*

7

nath A, (which was oft repeated) against any one that should look into it to unfold if except

he were either priest or scribe.

The person “ ignorant of

bought

it:

that sold

its

me

this

book, was

worth, as well as I

I judge it

who

might have been stolen

“ from some of the Jewish nation, or else found in some place where they anciently '

“ abode.

In the second leaf of the book, he consolated his nation, to

sel,

ways,

and

and gave them pious coun~ turn from their wickedness and evil but above

all to

flee

from

idolatry,

wait in patience for the coming of " the Messiah, who conquering all the kings to

“ and potentates of the earth, should reign in “ glory with his people to eternity. Without doubt, this was a very pious, wise, and un" derstanding man. In the third leaf, and in all

the

“ t,lem

**

assist

that followed,

he taught

in plain

metals,

“

w riting to

words the transmutation of the end that he might help and

his dispersed

tributes to the

people,

to

pay

their

Roman emperors, and some

8

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

.

“ other things not needful here to be repeated. “ He painted the vessels by the sides or marthe

tc

gin of the leaves, and discovered

*(

colours as they should arise or appear, with

te

all

€C

But of the prima

the rest of the work.

materia , or

“ not

so

“ them,

first

much

as

all

matter or agent, he spake

one word

that in the fourth

:

but only he

and

told

fifth leaves,

he had entirely painted or decyphered it, “ and depiéted or figured it, with admirable *c

dexterity and workmanship.

“

it

was singularly

well,

Now

though

and materially or

and painted, yet by that could no man ever have been able to under“ stand it, without having been well skilled in

“

intelligibly figured

“

their cabala,

“

tions,

and

which

also

to

is

a series of old tradi-

have well studied their

« books. The fourth and fifth leaf thereof “ was without any writing, but full of fair “ figures bright and shining, or as it were “ enlightened, and very exquisitely depicted. « First, there was a young man painted, with “ wings at his ancles, having in his hand a “ caducæn rod, writhen about with two serV

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. *r

w herewith

pents,

“ covered with

lie

This seemed,, in

“ my mean apprehension, " heathen gods,

upon an helmet

stroke

head.

its

9

to

my

be one of the

Mercury: against him there came running and flying with open

“ wings, cc

“ hands

“

it

man, with an hour-glass

a great old

upon

fixed

viz.

like

his head,

and a scythe

in his

Death, with which he would (as

were in indignation ) have cut

off the feet

“ of Mercury.

On the other side of the “ fourth leaf, he painted A fair Flower on the Top of a very high Mountain, which was very

much shaken

Its foot-stalk

“

red,

and

its

was blue,

€t

the north

tions.

On the

its

flowers white

it

the dragons and griffins

made fifth

their nests

leaf

was

and habita-

Afair Rose-tree

flowered, in the midst of a garden,

up “

and

leaves shining like fine gold:

and round about

“ of

with the north wind.

growing

against a hollow oak, at the foot where-

°* bubbled forth a fountain

of pure white

which ran headlong down into the depths below. Yet it passed through the water,

“

“ hands of a great number of people, *

C

who

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

10

« digged

in the earth, seeking after

it:

but by

of their blindness, none ot them knew it, except a very few, who considered reason

<( €{ ec

its

On the last side of the fifth leaf, depicted A King 'with a Fciulchion who

weight.

was

,

« caused €e

“ “ “

his Soldiers to slay before

him many

by and weepThese murtlierers.

Infants , the mothers standing ins: a at

the feet of their

being gathered up by other was put into a great vessel wherein

infants* blood, soldiers,

“ Sol and Luna came to bathe themselves: « And because this history seemed to repre“ sent the destruction of the Innocents by ff

Herod, and that

I learned the chiefest part

of the art in

book

“ “

figures,

that

;

therefore I placed

church-yard these hieroglyph ick

in their

“

this

of

this learning,

which was contained

thus have in the

you

first five

leaves.

“ As

what was in all the rest of the “ written leaves, which was wrote in good and « intelligible l atin, I must conceal, lest God, ei

for

being: offended with me, should

« plagues and judgments upon me:

send his it

would

ACCOUNT OP NICOLAS FLAMEL. " be a wickedness much wished that

all

men

greater, than

in the

“ head, that he might cut

it

“ well tc

off at

upon

the operations

all

it

it

who

one blow.

this delicate

precious book, I did nothing night, but study

he

w orld had but one

" Having thus obtained tc

11

;

else,

and

day and

conceiving very

pointed forth, but

wholly ignorant of the prima materia w

" which

I

should begin, which

ith

made me sad

and discontented.

My whom

wife,

whose name was Perenelle,

loved equal with myself, and had

I

^

t'

“

for

was mightily concerned

me, and with

“me, earnestly “might deliver

many words comforting desired to know how she me from this trouble. I

" could no longer keep counsel, but told her

“

shewing her the very book, which when “ she saw, she became as well pleased with it ali >

as myself,

and with great delight beheld the

" admirable cover, the engraving, the images, “ and exquisite figures thereof, but under“ stood as little of them as I. Yet it w 7

mcucr

of consolation to

me

as

to discourse

12

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

“ and

to entertain

think what

C(

interpretation

“ At length,

my

should do to find out the

we

(C

myself with her, and to

and meaning

caused to be painted within

I

much to

chamber, as

as I could, all the

«

said fourth

and

thereof.

the

life

or original

images and figures of the

fifth leaves.

These

I

shewed

“ to the greatest scholars and most learned « men in Paris, who understood thereof no more than myself: I told them they were “ found in a book which taught the philoso* c

But the

pher’s-stone.

“ them made

a

mock both

greatest

of

deep student in

whose name

praetiser of physic,

this art.

of

me and that most

excellent secret, except one

« was Anselme, a

part

He much

and a

desired

^ to see my book, which he valued more than “ any thing else in the world, but I always « refused him; only made him a large demon“ stration of the method. “ He told me, that the first figure repre« sented Time, which devours all things; and “ that, according to the number of the six written leaves, there was required the space

ACCOUNT OP NICOLAS FLÀMEL. “ of six years to pcrfeéî the stone ; e

said he,

we must

“ no more/

“ but only

“

book

“

vive,

was not painted,

which was

this digestion

were, a second agent;

it

first

agent was there

the white

This, without doubt,

which they could not or take

feet,

away

and heavy

was argent

fix,

i. e.

cut off

his volatility, save

by

that long digestion in the pure blood of

" young cive

“

this

it

to

that certainly the

painted,

“ his

“

him

he answered me, that

:

water.

“

turn the glass, and see

f° r six years was, as

and

and then/

shew and teach the prima mateor first agent, as was written in the

ria, rr

I told

€

13

first

infants.

For

in

that,

this

argent

being joined with Sol and Luna, was turned with them, into a plant, like that

“ there painted, and afterwards by corruption into serpents, which serpents being " P erfe6 dried and digested, were made a

%

fine P ow der

of gold, which

“ This strange or matter, that

is

the stone.

foreign discourse to the

was tae cause of

made me w ander

my

erring,

and

for the space of one-

" and- twenty years in a perfect mæander from

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEt.

14 •*

the verity; in

which space of time

I

went

«

through a thousand labyrinths or processes, of but all in vain; yet never with the blood

«

infants, for that I

“

villainous.

*c

For

I

accounted wicked and

found in

my

book, that

« the philosophers called blood the mineral “ spirit, which is in the metals, chiefly in Sol,

“ Luna, and Mercury, to which sense I “ always in my own judgment assented; yet were « interpretations for the most part these

« not more subtle than true. Not finding “ therefore in my operation or course of my written in

« processes the signs, at the time « my book, I was ever to begin again. “ In the end, having lost all hope of

ever

“ understanding those symbols or figures, I “ made a vow to God, to demand their mter<•'

belonging to pretation of some Jewish priest,

with « some synagogue inSpain. Whereupon, carrying « the consent of my wife Perenelle, figures « with me the extra» or copy of the habit and “ or pictures, I took up a pilgrim’s “ staff, in the same manner as you see me

“ figured without the

said said arch, in the

ACCOUNT OP NICOLAS FLA MEL.

15

church-yard, in which Ï put these hieroglyphic figures: whereon also I have set on

^

'

i

c

" <(

on both hands, the

sentingin order

all

process, repre-

the colours of the stone,

as they arise in the operation,

again.

This

is,

as

it

and go away

were, the very begin-

n,n & of kin Hercules his book, entituled S " Ins, or the Rainbow, which treats of the colour of the stone, in these words: Opcris “ processio multàm natures placet in English,

—

The

process of the

unto nature.’

" “

"

And

work these

is

very pleasing

words

I also

put

there expressly, for the sakes of great scholars and learned men, who may

understand

to

what they

allude.

In this same manner, I say, I put myself

pon

journey

to

Spain; and so much I did, that I in short time arrived at Montjov " and a whi,e at S'- James, where with much aevotion I accomplished my vow. d ° ne Leon ’“ at m ”.

((

m

J return, I met « with -a. a merchant of Boulogne, who brought

me

acquainted with a physician, one

M.

16

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS F LAM EC.

“ Canchcs, a Jew by nation, but now a “ Christian, dwelling at Leon aforesaid. “ I shewed him the extrafit or copy of my

“

figures,

by which he was (as

it

were)

ra-

“ vished with great astonishment and joy. He “ desired immediately, if I could tell him any « ne ws of the book from whence they were which “ drawn? I answered him in Latin (in < language he asked me the question) that I of the “ doubted not of obtaining the sight

«

i>0 ok,

if I

could meet with any one

who

this, " could unfold the aenigmas. Hearing earnest« and being transported with great unto me « ness and joy, he began to decypher was much « the beginning: to be short, he to hear tidings « pleased that he was in hopes

hear

to « of the book, and I as much pleased (And doubt“ him speak and interpret it. much talk of the book ; er less he had heard which was « but it was, as he said, of a thing

« believed

to be utterly lost).

Upon

this v\c

Leon “ resolved for our voyage; and from thence to « we passed to Oviedo, and from

ACCOUNT or NICOLAS FLAMEL. Sanson, where

“

to sea,

“

we

17

took shipping and went

in order to

going into France.

voyage was prosperous and happy *» “ and being arrived in the kingdom of France, <( (C

<c cc

*

>UI

'

he most truly interpreted unto est part of

my

me

the great-

figures, in

which, even to the points and pricks, he could decypher great mysteries

which were admirable

to

me.

“ Having attained Orleans, “

man fell sick, even

“ with extreme sea-sickness

as

being

learned

being alHicted

vomitings, which

" nued with him, ‘

to death,

this

still

conti-

caused by his notwithstanding which, he

:

" was

first

in continual fear, lest I should leave or “ forsake him, which was a great trouble to

“ him.

And

hi> side,

although I was continually by yet he would be almost always

" eaUing for me “ of his sickness

end of the seventh day he died, which was no small me; and I buried him (as ;

at the

"grief to well as “ m y P resent condition would permit me in ) " a church at Orleans. *

D

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL.

18

*

.

«

manner of my * arrival, and the joy of Perenelle, let him cc look upon us two, in the city of Paris upon

“ He

that

would

see the

the door of the chapel of

James of

the

Bou-

“ chery, close by the one side of my house, “ where we are both painted kneeling and (e For through tne giving thanks to God. cc

grace of

God

it

was that

I attained the per-

knowledge of all that I desired. Weil (C I had now the prima materia, the first prin“ ciples, yet not their first preparation, which “

«

!

fe£t

is

a thing most

“ things in “ that also,

difficult,

the world. after a

But

above

all

in the

end

other I

had

long aberration and wan-

dering in a labyrinth of errors for the space “ of three years, or thereabouts, during which ec

“ time

I

did nothing but study,

and search,

“ and labour, so as you see me depicted with" out this arch, where I have placed my pro“ cess. Praying also continually to God, and reading attentively in

my

book, pondering

" the words of the philosophers, and then try« ing and

proving the various operation*

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. which

I

19

thought to myself they might mean

by their words. “ At length I found that which I desired “ which I also soon knew by the scent and odour thereof: haying

this I easily

plished the magistery.

accom-

For knowing the

preparations of the prime agents, and then literally

“ book,

following the

directions in

I could not then miss the

work

my if

I

would.

Having

come now to projection; and the first time I made projec“ tion was upon Mercury, a pound and a attained this, I

“ half whereof, or thereabouts, I turned into

" pure silver,

better than that of the mine, as I

“ proved by assaying of causing others to assay

it

it

myself,

for

and

also

me many times.

“ This was done in the year of our Lord 138 2 January 17 , about noon, being Mon:

daJ*

“

,

m y °wn house,

Perenelle only being

present.

“ Again, following exaftly the directions in my book, literally and word by word, I

" made projection of #

.the

d2

red stone, on the

20 f<:

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. of Mercury, Perenelle only

like quantity

being present, and in the same house;

“ which was done Lord,

viz.

This Mercury

into almost as

better indeed than also,

“ fC

I

and more speak

same year of our

1382, April 25, at five in the

afternoon.

muted

in the

it

I

truly trans-

much gold

common

gold,

;

much

more

pliable.

in all truth, I

have made

three times with the help of Perenelle,

“ understood

it

“

in

assisted

me

soft

as well as myself,

my

operations

:

it

who

because she

and without

“ doubt, if she w ould have indeed done it a alone, she would have brought the work to “ the same or full as great perfe&ion as I bad “ done. I had truly enough when I had once done

it;

but

I

« pleasure and delight

found exceeding great in seeing

and contem-

plating the admirable works ot nature withAnd to shew to you that I in the vessels.

had then done it three times, I caused to be « depi6ied, under the same arch, three fur“ naces

«

like to those

which

rations of this work.

serve for the ope-

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. rf

I

was much concerned

21

long time,

for a

"lest that Perenelle (by reason of extreme

"joy) should not hide her felicity, which I " measured by my own, and lest she should

" let fall some words among; her relations “ concerning the great treasure which we " possessed. For an extremity of joy takes " away the understanding, as well as an ex" tremity of grief and sorrow: but the good" ness of the most great God had not only

given and

filled

me

with

this

blessing, to

" give me a sober and chaste wife, but she was " also a wise and prudent woman; not only

"

capable of reason, but also to do what was reasonable,

and was more

than ordinarily other

“ “

women

and secret

are.

Above

was exceedingly religious and devout: and therefore seeing herself without all

l

s l ie

10 P e

of children, and

years, she

made

it

now

well stricken in

her business, as

“ think of God, and

“ works “

discreet

I did, to

to give ourselves to the

of charity and mercy. “ Before the time wherein I wrote this dis-

course,

which was

at the latter

end of the

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLÀMEL.

22

“ year of our Lord 1413, after the death of my faithful companion (whose loss I cannot “ but lament all the days of my life), she and €e

I

had already founded and endowed with

*c

revenues fourteen hospitals, three chapels,

te

and seven churches,

“ which we had new *c

in the city of Paris, all

built

and enriched with great with

“ Ci

many

about as

gifts

and revenues,

reparations in their cliurch-

We

yards.

from the ground,

have done

also

much

as

at

Boulogne

we have done

at Paris:

not to speak of the charitable a6ls which

we

both did to particular poor people, princi-

fC

pally to poor

widows and orphans: whose

names should

I divulge,

of the charity, and the

my

w ith the largeness way and manner of

cf

doing

te

in this world, so neither could

it,

as

reward would then be only

ing to the persons to

“ Building, cr

pels,

whom we

it

be pleas-

did

it.

therefore, these hospitals, cha-

churches,

"

city, 1

te

fourth arch,

and church-yards in

this

caused to be depicted, under the said the

marks or signs of

most true and this art, yet

essential

under

vails.

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL. “ types, *

k

tation

and hieroglyphic covertures, in imiof those things which are con-

tained in the gilded

“

the

book of Abraham

Jew.

“ This representation '

l

may

signify

things, according to the capacity

derstanding of those Vk

first,

23

two

and un-

who may view them:

the mystery of the resurreftion

and

day of judgment, wherein Christ Jesus our “ Tord, (whom I pray and beseech to have " mercy upon us) shall come to judge the world.

‘

f

as

Secondly,

it

might signify to such

have learned natural philosophy

all

the

'*

the principal and necessary operations of the “ magistery, or the true and w hole process

of

“ the grand elixir.

These hieroglyphic

guies sene also as a double *

the heavenly

life.

The

w ay,

first

7

fi~

leading’ to

demonstrating

" the sacred mysteries of our salvation, as shall " hereafter Revved, the other demonstrating to

the wise

and men of understanding, “ tbe direa and P®rfcà way of operation and lineary

" which

work of

the philosopher’s stone: being perfected by any one, takes

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAMEL»

£4 tc

away from

te

which

is

liim the root of

covetousness

;

all sin

and

changing

liis

evil,

e\il

“ into good, and making him liberal, cour“ teous, religious, devout, and fearing God,

For

soever he was before.

t(

how wicked

<c

from thenceforward he

is

continually ra-

« vished with the goodness of God, and with « his grace and mercy, which he has obtained

« from the fountain of lc

eternal goodness

;

with

the profoundness of his divine and adorable power, and with the consideration of his

<c

admirable works.

« These “ iC

to

are the reasons

set these

this

“ that

me

and representations in this place, viz. to the end

figures

manner and if any

which moved

in

man obtain this inestimable good,

ec

or becomes master of

(C

tieece,

and golden

this rich

he may consider with himself (as

I

which God has ec bestowed upon him in the earth, buying “ houses, lands, and possessions, which are the « did) not

to hide this talent

" vanity and <c

to

follies

of this world

pursue his work, and

duct, with

all

to

:

but rather

bestow the pro-

love and charity,

among

the

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLÀMEL. “ poor and needy

“ learned €C

remembering

;

25 he

that

among them that poswit, among the bones of

secret

this

scssed nothing, to

“ the dead, in which number he himself shall “ shortly be found. And that after this life he must render an account,

before a most

“just and mighty judge, who will judge “ every one according to his works, and to “ whom he must render an account for every

“ vain and

idle

word,

“ Having therefore well weighed

and well understood those

“ ing €C

also the

via, or

first

my

my

words,

hav-

figures,

knowledge of the prima mate-

agents, pursue thou the

work

to

“ the perfection of this magistery of Hermes, “ for the glory of God, and the good of “ necessitous and distressed human kind but

;

(C

more

especially to those

household of

faith, to

such

who

are of the

as are truly

poor

and just people, aged persons and widows “ orphans and forlorn, the despised, and for" saken, whom the world is not

worthy

*

E

of,

26

ACCOUNT OF NICOLAS FLAM EL.

“ dispersing bounteously of this your hidden “ treasure, with an open and liberal, but secret

hand.”

,

'

TESTAMENT OF

NICHOLAS FLAMEL.

B

TESTAMENT O

F

NICHOLAS FLAMEL.

1.

1

Nicholas Flamel, a scrivener of

Paris,

in the year 1414, in the reign of our gracious prince Charles the vi‘\, whom God preserve;

and

after the

Perenelle, light,

in

am

death of

my

seized with a desire

remembrance of

behalf, dear

faithful

nephew,

her,

partner

and a de-

and in your

to write out the

whole

magistery of the secret of the Powder of Proje6lion, or the Philosophical

TinQure, which

hath willed to impart to his very insigniout, as ficant servant, and which I have found

God

thou

also wilt find out in

declare unto you.

working

as I shall

TESTAMENT DE

NICOLAS FLAMEL. EXTRAIT.

Je

î.

Nicolas Flamel, écrivain de Paris,

cette présente

année 1414, du régné de notre

prince bénin Charles Yi, auquel Dieu veuille, bénir; et après la mort de

pagne Perenelle, me prend en

me

recordant d icelle

*,

ma

fidelle

fantaisie et liesse*,

en grace de

cher neveu, d’écrire toute la maitrise secret de la

comtoi^ 3

du

Poudre de Projeétion ou Teinture

Philosophale,

que Dieu apris vouloir 4 de départir à son moult 5 chétif serviteur, et que ay répéré * comme répéreras en ouvrant 7

comme 1

te diray.

2

Laetitia-

4 Voluit.

5

.

.

De illâ recordans

Multùm.

6

Reperii.

B 2

3

(ego).

7

Magisterium,

Operand o*

TESTAMENT OF

3

And for this cause do not forget to pray God to bestow on thee the understanding of

2.

to

the reason of the truth of nature,,

which thou

wilt see in this book,, wherein I have written

the secrets also as I

word

for word, sheet

sheet,

and

have done and wrought with thy dear

whom

aunt Perenelle, 3.

by

I very

much

regret.

Take heed before thou workest,

the right

way

as

a

man

The reason of nature Moon, as I have said are those figures

is

in

to seek

of understanding.

Mercury, Sun and

my

which thou

book, in which seest

arches of the Innocents at Paris.

under the

But

I erred

greatly upwards of 93 years and an half, in

labouring without being able to marry the

Moon,

that

is

extraét from

quicksilver, to the Sun,

and

them the seminal dung, which

to is

a deadly poison; for I was then ignorant of the agent or medium, in order to fortify the

Mercury: as

common

for without this agent,

water.

Mercury

is

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

3

Et ces causes n’oublie mie 8 de prier Dieu que te buille 9 entendement de raison de vérité de nature, que verras en cettuy ° livre, où t’ai écrit les secrets mot à mot, feuillet par 1

comme j’ai

feuillet, et ainsi

ta

chere tante Perenelle, que je regrette moult

grandement.

.

.

3 Avise bien, avant d’ouvrer .

îe

ouvré avec

fait et

ment.

impétrer 1

Lune,

comme ay

dit

figures

que verras

ès arches des

Soleil et les

,

a

chemin comme homme d’entendeLa raison de nature est Mercure,

droit

sont

1

mon

en

livre

où

Char-

niers de Paris. Ains’

plus de LJ3 ans et voii marier la Soleil,

aj resté court par moult 1 demi à labourer 4 sans pou*

Lune, qu’ 15

et tirer

d’eux

le

vèf argent, au

est

fumier seminal qu’

1

«

venin mortifère, pour ce que ne connoissois 1 * mie l’agent ou medium, afin de fortifier est

le

Mercure: car

comme 8

eau vul^ale O

Non.

9

operans.

1

4

*

Laborare.

veram.

Mercure sans

le

>

Ut

9

«°Inisto.

Impetrare.

Sine

quæ.

illo

est

•

tibi det.

1 s

»

1

icelui 18

3 I

Agente.

6

> *

Ego autcm 1 7

qui.

9

Antequam

erravi

quia

mullùm.

non cogno*

Communis.

TESTAMENT CE

4

/

,

what manner Mercury is to be fortified by a metallic agent, without which it never can penetrate into the belly of the Sun

Know

4.

in

and of the Moon afterward it must be hardened, which cannot be effected without the ;

sulphureous

spirit

must therefore agent, that

is

of gold or

silver.

You

open them with a metallic say with royal Saturn ia, and

first

to

afterward you must acuate the

philosophic means, that you

Mercury by a

may

afterward by

Mercury dissolve into a liquor gold and Luna, and draw from their putrefa&ion the

this

generative dung.

And know

5.

way

thou, that there

no other

nor means to

w ork

in this art, than that

give thee

word

for

which

I

tion, unless

it

be taught as

easy to perform, but

very

is

I

word

now

;

an opera-

do, not at

all

which on the contrary

is

difficult to find out.

Believe stedfastly, that the whole philoof sophic industry consists in the preparation 6.

the

Mercury of the w ise,

for in

it is

the whole

has alof what we are seeking for, and which ways been sought for by all ancient wise men ;

NICOLAS FLAMEL. 4.

Sache comment

le

4

Mercure

doit être for-

par un agent métallique, sans quoi peut jamais pénétrer dans le ventre du tifîe

il

ne

Soleil et

de

la

Lune;

ne peut de

l’or

être

il

faut ensuite l’endurcir, ce qui

opéré que par l’esprit sulfureux

ou de l'argent.

faut

Il

donc que tu

ouvres d’abord avec un agent métallique, c est a-dire avec la Saturnie royale, et ensuite les

que tu acues (acuas)

Mercure par un moyen philosophique, afin que tu puisses apres ceia par ce Mercure fondre en liqueur ° r et k Lune > et tirer d e leur

\

le

pourriture le

.

lumier génératif.

Et sache qu’il n’y a point d’autre voie m moyen de travailler dans cet art, que celui que je te donne mot à mot; opération qui n’est 5.

nullement fade à

faite.

tres-epmeuse à trouver,

comme je C-

q „i

si

an

elle n’est

le fais.

Crois fermement

que toute

l „“ t

enseignée 8

l’industrie

philosophique co „s, s te dans la préparation du en des sages, parce qu’en lui est tout ce que nous cherchons, et

me

cm’nnr

cherché

les

•

t

anciens safres;> et que nous u avons,, w

^

TESTAMENT OF

5

no more than they, have done with nothing without this Mercury, prepared there i» Sun or Moon: for without these three, of accomnothing in the whole world capable medicinal plishing the said philosophical and

and

that we,

tinaure. It

is

we

expedient then that

learn to

spiritual seed. extraa from them the living and but Sun, Moon 7. Aim therefore at nothing

philosophical and Mercury prepared by a hands, but the industry, which wets not the

which has

metal, and

phureous

soul,

sulphur.

And

stray

in itself a metallic sul-

namely, the ignited light ot not in order that you may

yourself to from the right path, apply for there the

metals;

found

in all

;

aforesaid sulphur

but thou wilt

easily find

it,

is

even

the caverns and almost similar to gold, in and of Venus, depths of Mars, which is iron,

which

is

copper, nearly as

in the other; it,

this

and even

if

much

in the one as

you pay

attention to

moist sulphur has the power of tinging which is fine silver, into pure

and cold Luna, yellow and good Sun done by a

spiritual

;

but

this

medium,

ought viz.

to

be

the key

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

non plus qu’eux,

5

rien fait sans ce

Mercure,

prepare avec Soleil ou Lune car sans ces il n y a rien dans tout le monde qui :

trois,

puisse

faire

la

dite teinture

decinale.

nions à

Il

tirer

philosophique et mé-

donc que nous appred’eux la semence vive et spifaut

rituelle.

7 Ainsi ne

ise

^

qu’au

Soleil,

Mercure préparé par une

à la

Lune et au

industrie philoso-

phique, lequel nemouille point les mains, mais le métal, et qui ait en soi une ame métallique sulfureuse, savoir, la lumière ignée

Et afin que tu ne

chemin, attache

toi

te

du

soufre.

détournes pas du droit

aux métaux;

là le susdit

soufre se trouve dans tous; mais tu le trouveras facilement et même presque semblable à l’or dans les cavernes et les profondeurs

de Mars,

qui est

de Venus, qui

le fer, et

est le cuivre,

à

peu- pn'-s au tant en l'un qu’en l’autre; et

même

si

tu

y

fais attention,

ce soufre a le

pouvoir de teindre l’humide et froide Lune qui est argent fin en pur Soleil jaune et bon; mais il faut que cela se fasse par un medium spirituel, savoir,

la

clef qui ouvre tous les

C

mé-

TESTAMENT OF

ü

which opens

all

which

metals,

I

am going

to

therefore, that

make known to you. Learn which is a among the minerals there is one except Sun and Moon, thief, and cats up all for when he render the thief very good

who

;

has them in his belly, he

is

good

quicksilver, as I shall presently

to prepare the

make known

to you.

the right Therefore do not stray out of words, and then give road, hut trust to my 8.

thyself up

to the practice,

which

I

am going

of the Father, bestow on thee in the name

to

of Son, and Holy

Spirit.

»

•

1

THE PRACTICE. 9.

Take thou

eldest or in the first place the

not the vulgar, first-born child of Saturn,

9

of the God of War, parts; of the sabre clialibs and this latter into a crucible, Put parts.

4 therecomes to a melting redness, cast

when

it

Saturn, in the 9 parts of will redden the other.

the

filth

that

arises

and immediately

this

Cleanse thou carefully

on the surface of the

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

que je

iaux,

vais

prends donc que parmi

nn qui

est

un

le Soleil et la

les

voleur, qui

Ap-

connoitre.

faire

te

6

minéraux

mange

y en a

il

tout excepté

Lune, qui rendent très-bon ce

voleur; car quand

bon a preparer

il

a dans ventre

les

le vif-argent,

;

comme je

il

est

te le

dirai bientôt.

Ainsi ne te détourné pas du droit chemin, rapporte t’en âmes paroles, ensuite livre S.

toi

la pratique,

que je

vais te

du

Fils et

du Saint

Peie, et

donner au

I

tenus d abord

nom du

Esprit.

PRATIQUE d.

à

l’ainé

,

ou

enfant de Saturne, qui n’est point 9 patties; du sabre chalibé

le

premier

le

vulgaire,

(chalybeus) du

Dieu

guerrier,

dans un creuset, jetcs

y

les

4 parties. et lorsqu

neuf

parties de Saturne: aussitôt

celui ci rongera l’autre. les

’il

Mets ce dernier sera rouge fondant,

ordures qui s’élèvent c 2

Netoye avec soin au dessus de la Sa-

TESTAMENT OF

7

saturnia, with saltpetre

times.

tartar, four or

fne

operation will he rightly done

The

when thou

and

upon

seest

the matter an astral sign

like a star.

10.

Then

is

made

which opens and

the key

cuts through

and the all

sabre,

metals, but

and Venus, which it eats, this devours and keeps in his belly, and by

Moon

chiefly Sun,

art in the right

means thou

if

road of truth,

Saturthou hast operated properly. For this for it is a nia is the royal triumphant herb, imperfect king, whom we raise up by little

a philosophic

artifice

to the

greatest glory

and honour.

queen, that

is

to say the

of the Sun:

it is

degree of the It

Moon

is

also

the

and the wife

therefore both male and fe-

Mercury. This male, and our hermaphrodite the Mercury or Saturn la is represented in seven

first

pages of the book of

Abraham

golden Jew, by two serpents encircling a

the rod.

quantity of care to prepare a sufficient is to say about for much is required, that

Take it,

12 or 13

lbs.

you wish

to

of

it,

or even more, according as

work on

a large or a small scale.

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

tu r nie, avec

du

salpêtre et

L’opération sera bien

fois.

verras sur la matière

une

du

tartre, 4

faite

un signe

ou 5

quand tu

astral

comme

étoile.

10. Alors est faite la clef et le coutelas,

ouvre, et coupe tous

ment

Soleil, la

dévoré

et

métaux, principale-

les

Lune

qui

et

Vénus, qu ’il mange,

garde dans son ventre, et tues par ce moyen dans le droit chemin de vérité, si tu

as opéré

comme

il

faut.

Car

cette Saturnie est

herbe royale triomphante, parce qu’elle est un petit roi imparfait que nous élevons par 1

un

aitifice

philosophique au dcg’re de la plus

grande gloire reine, Soleil

et

honneur:

c est-a-dire la .

ede

Mercure

est

Lune

donc male

hermaphrodite.

feuillet

du

et la

aussi

la

femme du

et femelle, et

Saturnie est représente dans

mier

elle est

notre

Ce Mercure ou le

septième pre-

livre d’ Abraham

Juif par

ceux serpents autour d’une baguette d’or. iu auras soin d’en préparer suffisamment: <ai

il

en faut beaucoup, c’est-à-dire 12 ou 13

liVics et

meme

davantage, selon que tu voudras

opérer en grand ou en

petit.

TESTAMENT OF

8

Marry

11.

tliou therefore the

Mercury, that

which

may

is

to say quicksilver with this

the philosophic

is

acuate by

young god

him and

Mercury, that you fortify the said

run-

ning quicksilver, seven or even ten or eleven with the said agent, which

times,

is

called the

key, or a steel sharpened sabre, for scythes and

penetrates

Then

metals.

the bodies of the

wilt thou have the double

treble water represented

Abraham

the book of

all

cuts,

it

by the

the Jew,

and

rose tree in

which

issues

out of the foot of an oak, namely our Saturnia,

which

is

the royal key, and goes to precipitate

itself into the abyss,

that

is

to say, into the receiver,

neck of the throws

retort,

itself

perable secret,

adapted to the

suitable fire.

are found thorns

difficulties,

unless

God

and insu-

reveals

or unless a master bestows

Mercury does not marry with it is

same author,

where the double Mercury

by means of a

But here

12.

as says the

it.

this

For

royal Saturnia:

expedient to find a secret means to unite

them

:

which

for unless thou this

knowest the

artifice

by

union and peace are effeéled be-

8

NICOLAS FLA MEL.

Tu

11.

marieras donc

le

jeune Dieu Mer-

cure, savoir la vif-argent avec celui le

Mercure philosophique,

lui et

et

de

qui

est

afin d’acuer

fortifier le dit vif-argent

même

10 ou 11

nomme

parce qu’

fois,

clef

qui

ci,

avec

par

courant, 7

le susdit

ou sabre

est

agent,

d’ acier affilé,

coupe, incise et pénétre tous les corps des métaux.

Alors tu auras Peau douil

ble et triple représentée par le rosier

d ’Abraham

Juif,

laquelle sort

du

livre

du pied d’un

chene, savoir notre Saturnie, qui est la clef royale, et va se précipiter dans des abîmes,

comme

qui

le recipient

où va le

même

dit le

est

auteur, c’est-à-dire dans

adapte au col de la retorte,

se jeter le dessus

moyen d’un 12.

Mais

feu couvenable.

ici

des difficultés

se

ou

Car Mercure ne

se

il

unir: car

trouvent des épines,

insurmontables,

révélé ce secret,

loyale,

si

un maitre ne un moyen

et

Dieu ne

si

marie pas avec

faut trouver si

du Mercure double par

le

la

donne.

Saturnie

secret de les

tu ne connois l’artifice par lequel

s’opère P union et la paix entre les susdits vifs

TESTAMENT OF

9

tween these aforesaid argent- vives, you nothing

any purpose.

to

any thing from

thee,

thee, therefore, that

work

will

profit

my

I

will

do

would not conceal

dear nephew; I

without Sun or

thee nothing.

tell

Moon this

Thou must

man, or voracious devour gold or silver in the weight

therefore cause this old

wolf, to

am now about to inform thee. therefore to my words, that thou mayest

and measure Listen

not

as I

err, as I

have done in

to eat.

operate.

work.

I say,

you must give gold to our old Remark well how you ought to

therefore, that

dragon

this

For

if

you give but

the melted Saturnia, the gold

is

little

gold to

indeed opened,

but the quicksilver will not take; and here

is

an uncongruity, which is not at all profitable. Ï have a long while and greatly laboured in this affiiaion, before I found out the means to succeed in

it.

If therefore

you give him much

gold to devour, the gold will not indeed be so much opened nor disposed, but then it will take the quicksilver, and they will both marry.

Thus

the

secret, for

means it is

is

discovered.

Conceal

this

the whole, and neither trust

it

NICOLAS FLA MEL.

9

argents, tu ne feras rien qui vaille. riente

cacher,

mon

donc que sans

Soleil

te sera

1

I

cher neveu.

ou Lune

Je

te dis

cet

ouvrage ne

feras

donc man-

ou loup vorace de l’or ou de argent en poids et mesure comme je te dirai. î

vieillard

ton oreille a mes paroles, afin

et te

n’erres point,

Je

dis

donc

comme j’ai

qu’il faut

ment

il

faut operer.

fait

dans ce

que tu travail.

donner à manger de

a notre vieux dragon.

à

Tu

point profitable.

gera ce

Je ne veux

l’or

Remarque bien com-

Car si tu donnes peu d’or

la

Saturnie fondue, l’or est bien ouvert, mais le vif-argent ne prendra pas; voilà

une chose incongrue, qui n'est nullement profitable.

J’ai longtems et beaucoup travaille

dans la

moyen d’y

avant de trouver le

tristesse

parvenir.

Si

beaucoup d’or à dévorer,

donc tu l’or

’V

oilà

le

et

ils

moyen

se

marieront

trouvé.

donnes

ne sera point

aussi ouvert ni disposé, mais alors vif-argent,

lui

il

prendra

le

tous deux.

Cache ce

secret;

car c est tout> et ne l’écris ni sur papier, ni sur autre chose, qui puisse être vue ; car nous serions cause de

grands malheurs

I)

TESTAMENT OF

10

any thing

to paper, or to

else

which may be

For we should become the cause of great

seen.

give

I

mischief.

it

thee under the seal of se-

love crecy and of thy conscience, for the

I

hear thee.

13 that

ten ounces of the red Sun,

Take thou

.

is

to say,

very

clean and purified

fine,

voracious nine or ten times by means of the alone two ounces of the royal Saturnia;

wolf

:

it is melted, melt this in a crucible, and when fine gold ; melt cast into it the ten ounces of

these

two together, and

ed charcoal.

it

them with a light-

will thy gold be a

Then

Four

opened.

stir

on a marble

iron mortar, reduce

it

slab or into

to

it

Make

curd like cheese, in the grinding and

working them with pure clear,

an

powder, and grind

to

well with three pounds of quicksilver.

them

little

and

and white

to

and

common that the like fine

fro

:

wash

this

water until

it

amalgama comes out

whole mass appears clear Luna. The conjunSion

golden Saturof the gold with the royal mass is soft to the nia is effeaed, when the touch like butter.

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

Je

donne sous

te le

ta conscience,

le

10

sceau du secret et de

par l’amour que j’ai

pour

toi.

13.

Prends dix onces de Soleil rouge, c’est-à

dire fin, net et purifié 9 à 10 fois par le loup

vorace seul: deux onces de Saturnie royale: fais

fondre celle ci dans

un

creuset, et lors-

qu’elle sera fondue, jetes y les 10 onces d’or fin; fais fondre les

deux ensemble,

avec du charbon allumé.

et renuie

Alors ton or sera

un peu ouvert. Jete le sur un morbre ou dans un mortier de fer, mets le en poudre et broyé avec 3 livres de vif-argent:

comme du ça et la

fromage, en

lave cet

:

que

la

ce qu’elle en sorte claire,

fine.

La conjonétion de

avec la Saturnie royale dorée

masse

beurre.

l’eau pure

masse puroisse claire et blanche

comme Lune la

prendre

broyant et agitant

amalgame avec de

commune, jusqu’à et

les

fait les

est

est faite,

douce au toucher

l’or

lorsque

comme du

TESTAMENT OF

11

14.

Take

this mass,

which thou

wilt gently

dry with linen or fine cloth, with great care: this

our lead, and our mass of Sun and

is

Moon,

not the vulgar, but the philosophical.

Put it into a good

much

retort

of crucible earth, but Place the retort in a

better of steel.

furnace, and adapt a receiver to

by

Two

degrees.

fire

so

that the

receiver: this

blowing

Mercury may

;

:

give

fire

hours after encrease your

Mercury

rose-tree

it

it is

is

pass into the

the water of the

also the

blood of the

Abraham the Jew. You may now suppose that this Mercury has eat up a little of the body of the king, innocents slain in the book of

and

that

it

will have

much more

hereafter,

which

more covered by the body of

the Sa-

dissolve the other part of

will be turnia.

Thou

hast

now

them

it

ascended one degree

or step of the ladder of the 15.

strength to

art.

Take the fæces out of the in a crucible in a strong fire

retort :

;

melt

cast into

it

four ounces of the Saturnia, (and) nine ounces of the Sun. Then the Sun is expanded in the said fæces,

and much more opened than

at the

NICOLAS FLA MEL.

11

Prends cette masse, que tu sécheras doucement avec de la toile ou du drap fin et 14.

avec beaucoup de soin: voilà notre plomb, et notie masse du Soleil et de la Lune non vulgaire, mais philosophique.

Mets la dans une

bonne

retorte de terre à creuset,

coup mieux

d’acier.

Pose

mais beau-

la retorte

dans un

fourneau, et adaptes y un récipient: donne du feu peu a peu. Deux heures après aug-

mente ton feu de maniéré que le Mercure passe oans le récipient: ce Mercure est l’eau du rosier fleurissant

nocens tués du

il

;

est aussi

le

sang des in-

Abraham

livre d’

Juif.

Tu

peux croire qu’ alors ce Mercure a mangé un peu du corps du roi, et qu’il aura beau-

coup plus de apres

force

pour dissoudre l’autre

qui sera plus

la Saturnie.

Te

couvert du corps de

voilà

monté un degré ou

échellon de l’échelle de 15.

Prends

les fèces

ci-

l’art.

de

la retorte;

fais

les

fondre dans un creuset à feu fort jetes-y 4 onces de Saturnie, 9 onces de Soleil.

Alors :

le Soleil

est

répandu dans

beaucoup plus ouvert que

les dites

la

fèces

premiere

et

fois’ et

TESTAMENT OF

12

and

first time,,

than before,

as the it

Mercury has more vigour have the strength and

will

virtue of penetrating the gold, and ot eating

more of

it,

and of

filling his belly

Operate therefore

degrees.

this

as at first

;

in grinding the

new mass

it

by

marry

stronger one degree

the aforesaid Mercury,

with

with

whole

together; they will take like butter and cheese

wash and grind them the blackness

is

several times,

got out

put the whole into the

:

dry

retort,

it

until

all

as aforesaid

and operate

;

;

as

hours, thou didst before, by giving during two to drive a weak fire, and then strong, sufficient out,

and cause the Mercury

to fall

into the

then wilt thou have the Mercury thou wilt have ascendstill more acuated, and philosophic ed to the second degree of the

receiver

;

ladder.

16.

Repeat the same work, by casting in

that is to say, by the Saturnia in due weight, till thou hast degrees, and operating as before,

reached the ladder

;

10th step

then take thy

Mercury is ignited,

of the

rest.

philosophic

For the aforesaid

acuated, wholly engrossed.

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

comme Mercure par avant, trer l’or,

il

aura

a plus de vigueur qu’au la force et la

d’un degré avec le

Opère donc comme la

tout

;

fois,

le susdit

se

iîs

;

prendront

jusqu’à ce que toute

comme du la

noirceur

comme je t’ai dit mets le retorte, et opère comme tu as déjà :

la

;

en donnant pendans deux heures un feu et puis fort et suffisant

fort

lave encore et broyé

en sorte seche dans

Mercure,

nouvelle masse, en

cette

beurre et du fromage plusieurs

vertu de péné-

d’en manger encore, et d’en remplir

son ventre peu à peu. premiere fois ; marie

broyant

12

pour pousser

tout fait,

foible,

et faire

Mercure dans le récipient; et tu Mercure encore plusacué, et tu seras

passer le

auras

le

monté au 2 mc degré de

l’échelle

philoso-

phique.

16. Réitère le

meme travail,

en jetant

turnie en poids convenable, c’est à dire

la Sa-

peu

à

peu et en opérant comme auparavant, jusqu’à ce que tu sois parvenu au 10 me degré de l’échelle philosophique

;

alors repose toi.

Car

le

susdit Mercure est igné, acué, engrossé entière-

TESTAMENT OF

13

of the male sulphur, and fortified with

and

full

the

astral juice

which was

in the

deep bowels

Be

of the gold and of our saturnine dragon.

am now

assured that I

writing for thee things

which by no philosopher was ever declared or For this Mercury is the wonderful written. caduceus, of which the sages have so

much

spoken in their books, and which they attest has the power of itself of accomplishing the philosophical work, and they say the truth, as I

have done

it

myself by

wilt be enabled to do

disposed: for

it is

it

this

the proximate matter

it

alone,

thyself, if

and none

and thou thou

else

art so

which

and the root of

all

is

the

metals.

17.

Now is done and accomplished

paration of the Mercury,

and proper to

work out

the

Philosophic Tincture,

transmuting

all

,

it s

naturally

silver,

to

rendered cutting

dissolve into

and

the pre-

or

nature gold

and simply the

powder

metals into gold and silver.

Some believe they have the whole maMergistery, when they have the heavenly 18.

cury prepared; but they are grossly deceived.

13

NICOLAS FLAMEλ.

ment, suc

tt plein

qui étoit daus

astral

de Tor

les

Sois

choses qu’aucun

t’écris ici des

est le

écrit.

Car ce

merveilleux caducée dont les

du

sages ont tant parlé dans leurs livres, et

quel

ils

tout

affirment qu’

seul

do

profondes entrailles

philosophe n’a jamais dit ni

Mercure

et fortifié

de notre dragon saturnien.

et

que je

assuré

de soufre male

a

il

l’ouvrage

pouvoir de faire

le

philosophique,

et

ils

comme je l’ai fait moi-meme par tout seul, et comme tu pourras le faire si tu

disent vrai, lui le

veux: car

c’est lui et

non d’autre qui

est la

matière prochaine et la racine de tout

mé-

tal.

17.

A présent est faite

paration du

et

accomplie

Mercure rendu tranchant

la pré-

et

pro-

pre à dissoudre en la nature l’or et l’argent,

pour opérer naturellement

et

simplement

la

Teinture Philosophique ou la poudre trans-

muant 18.

métaux en or et argent.

Quelques uns croyent avoir

tous

tère entier,

quand

préparé; mais

ils

le

magis-

Mercure

céleste

ils

ont

se

trompent grandement.

E

le

Î4

It

•

is

for this cause they find thorns before they

pluck the It

is

TESTAMENT Oï

rose, for

want of understanding.

true indeed, that were they to understand

the weight, the regimen of the suitable

way, they would not have much to

do,

and could not

But

in this art there

therefore

fail is

a

even

if

I

am

they would.

Learn

way to work.

and observe well how

manner

the

and the

fire,

about to

to operate, in

relate to

you.

In the name of God, thou shall take of thy animated Mercury what quantity thou pleasest: thou wilt put it into a glass vessel 19.

by

itself;

or two or four parts of the

Mercury

with two parts of the golden Saturnia ; that Sais to say, one of the Sun and two of the turnia; the whole finely conjoined like but-

washed, cleansed and dried; and thou wilt lute thy vessel with the lute of wisdom. ter,

Place

it

in a furnace

on warm ashes

at the

degree of the heat of an hen sitting on her Leave this said Mercury so prepared eggs. to ascend

and descend

for the space of

40 or 50

days, until thou seest forming in thy vessel a

NICOLAS FLAMEL.:

C

est

de

cueillir la rose, faute

pourquoi

est bien vrai

régime du vient pas

que

ils

trouvent

s’ils

14

les

épines avant

d’entendement.

entendoient te poids, le

feu, et la voie convenable,

beaucoup à

Il

n’aur-

ils

travailler, et qu’ils

ne

pourroient draient. travailler.

manquer quand même ils le vauMais en cet art il y a maniéré de Apprends donc et observe bien

comment il

faut opérer, ainsi

que je

vais te le

dire.

19.

Au nom

de Dieu tu prendras de ton Mercure animé ce que tu voudras: tu le mettras dans un vaisseau de verre tout seul,

ou 2

ou 4

avec 2 de Saturnie dorée, dont une de Soleil et 2 de Saturnie; le tout trèsfinement conjoint comme du parties,

beurre,

lavé

nétoyé et séché; et tu luteraston vaisseau avec le lut de sapience.

Place le dans un fourneau sur des cendres chaudes au degré de chaleur de la poule qui couve ses œufs.

Laisse le dit

Mercure

ainsi

préparé monter et descendre

pendant 40 ou 50 jours, jusqu’ à ce que tu verras se former dans ton vaisseau

blanc

un

soufre

ou rouge, appelé sublimé philosoE 2

TESTAMENT OF

15

philosophic white or a red sulphur, called the reins ot the sublimate, which issues out ot

phur with a the living

of

it

Thou

Mercury.

said

feather:

wilt coll eel this sul-

it is

the living

Moon, which Mercury

Sun and

begets out

itself.

sulphur, tritura cC 20. Take this white or red and pour on it, in îi glass or marble mortar,

in sprinkling

it,

a third part of

it’s

weight of

has been Mercury from which this sulphur make a paste like drawn. With these two into an oval put again this mixture ihe

butter friars

;

:

place

it

ia a furnace

on a 'suitable

fire

disposed with a philosophic of ashes, mild, and industry.

Concoct

until the said

changed into sùlphur/and ihoiCn ill that

is

sec

during

Mercury

is

this coflion,

Wonderful things in thy

vessel,

colours that exist in the to say, all the

cunst not behold without world, which thou to God ia gratitude for heart thy up lifting

so great a gilt21.

When thou hast attained to the

purple

for then the alchythou must gather it: transmuting every is made, powder mical

red,

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

phique,

Tu

le

15

quel sort des reins du dit Mercure.

ramasseras ce soufre avec la barbe d'une

plume:

c/est le Soleil

vivante que

vivant et la

Mercure enfante hors de

20. Prends de ce soufre blanc triture le

Lune

soi.

ou rouge*

dans un mortier de verre* ou de

marbre, et verses y dessus en l'arrosant la S partie de son poids du Mercure d'où ce soufre a été tiré.

Fait des deux une pâte

comme du beurre

:

remets ce mélange dans

vaisseau de verre ovale ; place le dans

un

un four-

neau sur un feu de cendres convenable* doux, et disposé avec une industrie philosophique.

Cuis jusqu'à ce que îedst Mercure se change en soufre, et pendant cette coétion* tu verras dans ton vaisseau des choses admirables* c'està-dire toutes les couleurs qui sont

au monde,

ec que tu ne pourras voir sans élever ton

a Dieu en reconnoissance d'un 21.

Quand

tu seras parvenu

si

cœur

grand don.

au rouge pour-

pre* tu le recueilliras : car alors est faite la

poudre alchy inique transmuant tout métal en

-

TESTAMENT OF

IG

metal into fine pure and neat gold, which tliou maist multiply by watering already done, grinding

concocting lire, it’s

it

in the

and the time

it

it

as

thou hast

with fresh Mercury,

same

furnace and

vessel,

will be

much

and

shorter,

virtue ten times stronger.

22. This then

the whole magistery

is

done

with Mercurv alone, which some do not bebecause they are weak and

lieve to be true,

stupid,

and not

at all able to

comprehend

this

work.

23.

thou desire to operate in

Shouldest

another way, take of line Sun in fine powder or in very thin leaves:

make a

paste of

it

with

7 parts of thy philosophic Mercury, which is our Luna put them both into an oval glass :

vessel well luted

a very strong

place

;

fire

s

that

it is

in a furnace; give to say,

such as will

keep lead in fusion ; for then thou hast found out the true regimen of the fire; and let thy 1

Jn the margin of the

« ing

this

way there

is

MS.

there

is this

follow.

a great danger of a rupture of the vessel.’*

Philalctha does not recommend this vealedy chap,

note— “ In

way

;

see Secrets

Re*

Translator,

NÎCOLAS FLAMËL.

or

fin,

pur

et net,

l’arrosant ainsi

16

que tu pourras multiplier en

que tu

as déjà fait,

avec de nouveau Mercure,

broyant

cuisant dans le

meme vaisseau, dans le meme fourneau et avec le meme feu, et le tems sera beaucoup plus court, et la vertu 10 fois plus forte.

22. Voilà le magistère entier fait avec le seul Mercure, que quelques uns ne croyent

pas vrai, parce qu’ ciles et sots, et

ils

sont eux

mêmes imbé-

nullement capables d’ entendre

cet œuvre.

23

.

Si

tu desires d opérer par

\oie, prends

on

du

Soleil fin

feuilles tres-delices

une autre en poudre fine ou

en une pâte avec 7 parties de ton Mercure philosophique qui est notre Lune, mets les tous deux dans un vais!

fais

seau de verre ovale bien luté; place fourneau ; donne un feu très-fort 1 ,

le

dans un

c’est-à-dire

capable de tenir du plomb en fusion ; car alors est trouvé le vrai régime du feu; et que ton

*

Voie

En maro e du il

y

manuscrit

est cette note.

a à craindre la rupture

du

vaisseau.

En

suivant cette

TESTAMENT OF

17

Mercury, which

the philosophical wind,

is

gold, ascend and descend on the body oi the

which it eats up by degrees, and carries in it s Concoct it until the gold and Merbelly. both cury do no more ascend and descend, but union remain quiet, and then will peace and which be efl'ecled between the two dragons, i.

are fire and water both together.

24.

Then

great wilt thou see in thy vessel a

which is blackness like that of melted pitch, putrefa6lion of the the sign of the death and whole magistery. gold, and the key of the Cause

it

therefore to resuscitate

by concoct-

it: and be not weary with concocting will take during this period divers changes

ing

it,

to

say,

the matter will pass

place” that

is

through

the colours,

all

colour, the blue,

the black, the

ash

the green, the white,

the

red as blood or orange, and finally the red as at this last cothe crimson poppy: aim only

lour; for

it

is

the true sulphur, and the al-

chymical powder.

I say

nothing precisely

on the about the time; for that depends

in-

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

un vent philosophique, descende sur le corps de Tor qu'il

Mercure,

monte

qui

et

mange peu

à

est

peu

et

emporte en son ventre.

Cuis jusqu'à ce que l'or

montent

Mercure ne

et le

ni ne descendent plus,

meurent tous deux faites la

17

et qu'ils de-

tranquille, et alors seront

paix et T union entre

les

deux dragons*

qui sont feu et eau tout ensemble.

Alors tu verras dans ton vaisseau une

24.

grande noirceur, qui de

est le signe

l'or et la clef

donc

ressusciter

de cuire

:

comme

en cuisant,

pendant ce

toute les couleurs,

la

Fais le

ne t'ennuye pas

teins diverses

mutations

la matière passera

par

cendré, le céleste,

blanc, l’orangé, et enfin le rouge le

parot cramoisi: ne vise

cette derniere; car c'est le vrai soufre et

poudre alchymique.

jute

et

le noir, le

comme du sang ou qu’à

poix fondue,

de tout le magistère.

;

le

la

de la mort et de la pourriture

auront lieu c’est-à-dire,

le verd,

de

le

Je ne

te dis

pas au

tems; car cela dépend de l'industrie de

F

TESTAMENT OF

18

but thou canst not

dustry of the

artist;

working

have shewn.

as I

fail,

by

25. If thou art disposed to multiply thy

powder, take one part thereof, and water

it

with two parts of thy animated Mercury;

make

it

into a soft

and smooth paste ; put

it

in

a vessel as thou hast already done, in the same

furnace and

This second

and concoét it.

fire,

turn of the philosophic wheel will be done in less

time than the

and thy powder

first,

Let

have ten times more strength.

will

wheel

it

about again even a thousand times, and as

much

as

thou

Thou

wilt.

wilt then have a

treasure without price, superior to in the world,

and thou canst

more here below, and

riches, if

2G.

Thou

ly felicity,

for

all

there

is

desire nothing

thou hast both health

thou useth them properly.

hast

now the

which

I a

treasure of

all

world-

poor country clown of

Pointoise* did accomplish three times in Paris,

*

Flamel was indeed a native of Pointoise, a

Fiance, seven leagues distant from Paris.

little

town of

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

mais tu ne pourras manquer en

P artiste

;

opérant

comme je t’ai

douce; mets

fais

en une pâte molle et

dans un vaisseau,

la

dans

fait,

de deux parties de

et arrose la

partie,

ton Mercure animé;

déjà

dit.

veux multiplier ta poudre, prends

25. Si tu

en une

18

le

même fourneau,

comme tu as avec le même

Ce deuxieme tour de

feu, et cuis.

philosophique sera

fait

la

roue

en moins de tems que

premier, et ta poudre aura 10 fois plus de

le

Fais

force.

la

encore tourner,

mille fois

même, et tant que tu voudras. T u auras alors un trésor sans prix, supérieur à tous ce qu’il y a dans

bas

désirer ici richesses,

Tu

26.

monde,

le

;

car tu

tu en uses

si

as

donc

ne peux plus rien

et tu

as

la

comme

le trésor

il

santé et les faut.

de toute la

félicité

mondaine, que moi, pauvre rustique de Pontoise

1

1

,

j’ai fait et

Flame]

étoit

en

accompli par

effet natif

trois fois

de Pontoise, petite

à 7 lieux de Paris.

F 2

ville

à

de France

TESTAMENT OF

19

in

my

house, in the street des Ecrivains, near

t# the chapel of S Jacques de la Boucherie, and

which

I

Flamel give

thee, to the

thee, for the love I bear

honour of God,

the praise of Father, Son,

Amen.

for

His glory, for

and Holy

Spirit.

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

Paris, dans

ma maison

rue des Ecrivains, tout

près de la chapelle Saint Jacques de la rie,

et

19

que moi Flamel je

te

Bouche-

donne par

l’a-

mour qu j’ai pour

toi,

pour

louange du Pere, Fils et

sa gloire et

Saint Esprit.

Amen.

on l’honneur de Dieu

TESTAMENT OF

20

[The French correspondent addsj ff This is “ what I find at the end of the Manuscript/’

They

assert that the original

margin of a vellum Nicholas Flamel’s own hand-

was written upon Psalm-book, in

of this work

the

writing in favour of his nephew.

The

process

was written

in cyphers, the better to conceal

the secret.

Each

letter

different ways, so that to

alphabet therewith 96

was shaped

make up

letters

in four

the whole

were employed.

Father Pernetti and Monsieur de Saint

Marc

deci phered this writing with much difficulty.

M. de S u Marc was on the point of giving it

up; but Father

Pernetti,

who had

already

found out the vowels, encouraged him

on with the work, which they

to

go

at last over-

came, with complete success, about the year 1758.

NICOLAS FLAMEL.

I

20

aid ce que je trouve à la suite du Manuscrit.

On étoit

que

assure écrit

sur

Pseaumes en

l’original de cet

marges

les

d’un

velin, le tout écrit

de

ouvrage

livre la

des

propre

main de Nicolas Flamel en faveur de son neveu.

Le procédé étoit écrit en chiffres pour en mieux cacher étoit figurée

sorte

Chaque

secret.

de quatre maniérés

Marc

beaucoup de étoit près

lettre

différentes,,

que pour en former l’alphabet

voit 96 lettres.

Saint

le

Le Pere Pernety

il

de

se trou-

et

M.

de

déchiffrèrent cette écriture avec difficulté.

M.

d’y renoncer; mais

qui avoit déjà trouvé

les

de Saint le

Marc

Pere Pernety^

voyelles, l’encou-

ragea à continuer ce travail, dont ils vinrent à bout avec un entier succès vers l’an 1758»

«

<•

.

;

.

-

_

' •

•

*

GLOSSARY

BY THE

EDITOR.

This

little

Work

contains

more of the Sum and

Substance of the Secret, than nearly four thousand known Books that have been written, from Hermes to

Phtraletha, upon the obscured Science of Al-

ehymy.

Writer of the Preface.

GLOSSARY.

yIbyss.

Argent-lives, two.

Astral-juice.

Astral-sign

.

Blood of the innno cents.

Caduceus, the wonderful.

(

ixalybs

of the god of war, Sabre.

Colours .

Dragon

old.

Dragon, saturnine.

Dragons, two

Filth

.

God of war, Sabre chaîybs of Health .

the royal triumphant.

Hermaphrodite Mercury Imperfect King

7£e/y

or Royal

.

Key

King, imperfeâ.

.

.

the.

GLOSSARY.

Lead, our.

Luna,

fine.

Luna moist and

cold.

Lute of wisdom.

Male and female.

Mars.

M

Mercury, double.

Mercury, hermaphrodite.

Mercury of the Philosophers.

Mercury of the wise, see Mercury Mercury Philosophic or Sophie

philosophic

.

GLOSSARY,

Mercury, the heavenly.

Mercury Moon.

the

young god

Moon.

Moon

.

Moon, the

living.

Multiplication

.

Oak.

Old Man. Philosophic Sublimate,

Ph iloso ph ic Tinct are.

Purple red

Queen

Red Sun

.

.

see

Sublimate

GLOSSARY.

Royal Key.

Royal Saturnin

,

see Saturnin.

Sabre chalybs of the god of war.

Sabre.

Sabre

steel

Salt-pctre

sharpened.

and

Salt

of Tartar.

Saturn.

Saturnin ,

or

Royal Saturnin

Saturnin, golden.

Saturnine Dragon.

Saturn's first-born child.

Serpents encircling a golden rod.

Star.

Steps

of the philosophic Ladder;

GLOSSARY.

Sublimate Philosophic.

Sulphur

male.

Sulphur

white or red

Sulphur true.

Sun.

Sun.

Sun

red.

Sun, the living, or Philosophic Sublimate, see Sublimate.

Thief.

Time.

Venus»

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