Library of the Sages — Valentine, Khunrath, Hollandus, Bernard

Superfluous, in which the very fixed blood dilates itself, which metallic body is penetrated by the great heat of the fixed blood of the Lion the alchemical symbol for fixed sulfur or the solar principle like a fire, and is penetrated and purified of all impurities, and is immediately become a perfect and fixed matter. In this way, the servant first enriches his Lord, because the Lord could not previously give anything of his garment, as he could not do without it since nature had given and permitted him to have only one. And thus the King, having received the tributes of his subjects—the stable and firm garments and inheritances—this is to the end that the master and the servant might remain together. Do not be astonished that the King has need to borrow from his subjects, seeing that their bodies are inconstant, for they borrow much and keep little promise.

But when the King can be a participant in that, he better overcomes the heat and the cold than the metaux ladres leprous metals; base or imperfect metals, and by such reception he becomes the regent and particular Victor of all the others, with great victory and triumph of riches and health with long life. I hope that for the beginning you will have understood enough of the instruction of these natural and supernatural things of the first

tincturing root of metals and minerals, upon which the angulaire cornerstone is placed, and the general foundation of the true rock in which nature has placed and deeply hidden these gifts and secrets: namely, also the fiery and tincturing spirits. They have had this color from the starry heaven by the operation of the heavens, and the power to further tincture and fix that which was not fixed before.

And because the garment and the crown of gold are lacking to the Lune Moon; Silver along with fixity, as also ♁ symbol likely referring to Antimony or the Earthy nature of metals to Saturne Lead, Jupiter Tin, and likewise also ♁ to Mercure Mercury: and although Mars Iron and Venus Copper have no need of their garments and can share them with the other five, yet they can do nothing at all without the Lion. This is because they have not reached nor been provided with the fixity of their mercuries, nor the malleability of their salts, according to what they need to acquire riches, until the Lion has conquered them in combat and both sides have triumphed and they are reunited together for a very great improvement original: "melioration", which improvement is hidden in the