A complex woodcut depicts a monumental portal divided into three levels. The upper level (the tympanum) shows Christ in majesty at the center, standing on a pedestal and holding an orb topped with a cross. He is surrounded by angels carrying scrolls. To his right (the viewer's left), Saint Paul holds a sword, with Nicolas Flamel kneeling at his feet. To his left (the viewer's right), Saint Peter holds his keys, with Perrenelle kneeling at his feet. The lowercase letters "n" and "P" appear within architectural niches above the donors. The middle level consists of five panels: a winged lion, a figure (likely an evangelist) holding a book and a circular scroll, a resurrection scene where bodies rise from graves, two angels sounding trumpets, and a winged dragon. The lower level depicts the Massacre of the Innocents across three small central panels, framed by two explanatory texts in French.

Latin inscriptions on the scrolls of the upper level:

O Eternal King original: "O REX SEMPITERNE"
O Almighty Father original: "O PATER OMNIPOTENS"
O Good Jesus original: "O IESV BONE"
Hail, Lord of the Angels original: "SALVE DOMINE ANGELORVM"
Erase the evils I have committed original: "DELE MALA QVAE FECI"
O Christ, I pray, be merciful original: "CHRISTE PRECOR ESTO PIVS"

Latin inscriptions in the panels of the middle level:

Come to the judgment of God original: "VENITE AD IVDICIVM DEI"
Arise, you dead, come to judgment original: "SVRGITE MORTVI VENITE AD IVDICIVM"

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NICOLAS FLAMEL, AND PERRENELLE HIS WIFE.

HOW THE INNOCENTS WERE SLAIN BY THE COMMAND OF KING HEROD.

TO THE READER,

GREETINGS.

A large decorative woodcut initial letter "I" features ornate leafy and floral patterns, marking the beginning of the address to the reader.

I would have (friend Reader) provided these commentaries in both Latin and French, just as I did with ARTEPHIUS; but because of the various figures In alchemical literature, "figures" refers to the symbolic illustrations that encode the chemical processes of the "Great Work." that must often be represented, I have been unable to give them to you in more than one language. For it would have been clumsy to place the figures in both the Latin and French texts, or to put them in only one. And by placing them in only one, the figures—occupying significant space—would have prevented the Latin and French from matching up properly on the pages; I have therefore been constrained to provide them to you in this French version alone.

Now, I have chosen the French version so that, first, all good Frenchmen might understand them freely, and thereby withdraw themselves from their errors and expenses The "errors and expenses" refers to the common trap of "puffers"—amateur alchemists who wasted their fortunes on incorrect chemical experiments and costly, fruitless materials., and second, so that this book might not spread to foreign nations, who are far more inquisitive regarding these matters than the French. But if I see that you take pleasure in this, I shall also give them to you in Latin along with the History of the Garden of the Hesperides In Greek mythology, this was a garden with golden apples; in alchemy, it symbolizes the stage of the work where the "golden fruit" of the Philosopher's Stone is produced., composed by Lorthulain Lorthulain: A French rendering of Ortolanus (the "Gardener"), a 14th-century alchemist famous for his commentary on the Emerald Tablet.