1. GREATE PYTHON

Through want of skill and reasons light
Men stumble at noone day
Whilst buisily our stone they seeke
That lyeth in the way

Who thus do seeke they know not what
It's likely they should finde?
Or hitt the marke whereat they ayme
Better then can the blinde?

No, hermes sonns for wisdome aske
Your footsteps shee'le direct
Shee'le natures way and secret cave
And tree of lyfe detect

Sun and moone in hermes vessell
Learne how the collours shew
The nature of the elements
And how the daisies grew

The eagle which aloft doth fly
See that they bring to ground
And give unto the snake some wings
Which in the earth is found


2. BOOK OF SILENCE

I shew you here a short conclusion
To understand it if ye have grace
Wrighten without any delusion
Comprehended in litle space

All that is in this booke wrighten is
In the place comprehended is

I have declared micle thing
If you have grace to keepe in minde
How our principle is one thing
More in number and one in kinde

For there ben things seven
That in principle doe dwell

Most precious under heven
I have so sworne I may not tell

I shew you here a short conclusion
To understand it if ye have grace


3. RED LUNE, SOL AND SEA

On the ground the is a hill
Also a serpent within a well
His tail is long with wings wide
All ready to flee by every side

Repair the well fast about
That thy serpent pass not out
For if that he be a gone
Thou lose the virtue of the stone

Where is the ground you must know here
And the well that is so clear

And what is the dragon with the tail
Or else the work shall little avail

The well must run in water clear

On the ground the is a hill
Also a serpent within a well
His tail is long with wings wide
All ready to flee by every side

The fire with water bright shall be burnt
And water with fire washed shall be


4. OF THE DIVISION OF CHAOS

So that of hyle, nor chaos, nor quintessence high
Is there any generation to multiply

In species or kinde here in earth below
Of creatures abiding under the sky

But the four elements do make influence
By their special powers into all things below
As they are simple and pure in kind

And into every thing do put quintessence
To reap such seed thereof: as men do sow

In every species together we them find
Creating sulphur, salt, and argent vive

The inward bodies of things that make them thrive
Whose gross bodies to destroy, if we them have
We must not spare thereof to deprave