"Ana. He bears

"The visible mark of the beast in his forehead, "And for his stone, it is the work of darkness, "And with philosophy blinds the eyes of man. "Trib. Good brother, we must bend unto all means "That may give furtherance to the holy cause. "Ana. Which his cannot: the sanctified cause "Should have a sanctified course.

"Trib. Not always necessary :

"The children of perdition are oft-times "Made instruments even of the greatest works. "Beside we should give somewhat to man's nature, "The place he lives in, still about the fire, "And fumes of metals, that intoxicate

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"The brain of man, and make him prone to passion. "Where have you greater atheists than your cooks? "Or more profane, or choleric, than your glassmen ? "More antichristian than your bell-founders ? "What makes the devil so devilish, I would ask you, "Satan, our common enemy, but his being "Perpetually about the fire, and boiling

"Brimstone and arsenick?

"You did ill to upbraid him

"With the brethrens' blessing of Heidelberg, weighing "What need we have to hasten on the work,

"For the restoring of the silenc'd saints,

"Which ne'er will be, but by the philosopher's stone; "And so a learned elder, one of Scotland, "Assured me.

"Ana. I have not edified more, truly, by man,

"Not since the beautiful light first shone on me, "And I am sad my zeal hath so offended."

Trib. Let us call on him then.

Ana. The motion's good,

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And of the spirit; I will knock first. Feace be within.

Enter SUBTLE.

Sub. Oh, are you come? 'Twas time. Your threescore minutes

Were at the last thread, you see," and down had
"Furnus acedia, turris circulatorius:

"'Lembick, bolts-head, retort, and pellicane
"Had all been cinders." Wicked Ananias !
Art thou return'd? Nay, then it goes down yet.
Trib. Sir, be appeased; he is come to humble
Himself in spirit, and ask your patience,
If too much zeal hath carried him aside
From the due path.

Sub. Why, this doth qualify.

Trib. The brethren had no purpose, verily,

To give you the least grievance; but are ready
To lend their willing hands to any project

The spirit and you direct.

Sub. This qualifies more.

gone

Trib. And for the orphans' goods, let them be valued, Or what is needful else to the holy work,

It shall be number'd. Here, by me, the saints
Throw down their purse before you.

Sub. This qualifies most !

Why, thus it should be; now you understand.
G

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Have I discoursed so unto you of our stone,

"And of the good that it shall bring your cause? "Shew'd you,

"That even the medicinal use should make you afaction "And party in the realm? As put the case

"That some great man in state, he have the gout; "Why, you but send three drops of your elixir, "You help him straight; there you have made a friend. "Another has the palsy, or the dropsy; "He takes of your incombustible stuff,

"He's young again: there you have made a friend. "A lady that is past the feat of body,

"Tho' not of mind, and hath her face decay'd "Beyond all cure of paintings, you restore

"With the oil of talck; there you have made a friend, "And all her friends.

"Trib. Ay, 'tis very pregnant.

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"Sub. And then the turning of his lawyer's pewter "To plate at Candlemas.

"Ana. Candle-tide, I pray you.

"Sub. Yet, Ananias?

"Ana. I have done.

"Sub." Oh, but the stone! all's idle to't; nothing!

Nature's miracle,

The divine secret, that doth fly in clouds

From east to west; and whose tradition

Is not from men, but spirits.

Ana. I hate traditions:

I do not trust them

Trib. Peace.

Ana. They are popish, all,

I will not peace. I will not

Trib. Ananias.

Ana. Please the profane, to grieve the godly. I

may not.

Sub. Well, Ananias, thou shalt overcome.

Trib. It is an ignorant zeal that haunts him, sir:
But, truly, else, a very faithful brother;
A botcher, and a man, by revelation,

That hath a competent knowledge of the truth.
Sub. Has he a competent sum there i' the bag,
To buy the goods within? I am made guardian,
And must for charity and conscience sake,

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Now see the most be made for my poor orphans: "Tho' I desire the brethren too, good gainers." There they are within. When you have view'd and bought 'em,

And ta'en the inventory of what they are,

They are ready for projection; there's no more
To do; cast on the med'cine, so much silver
As there is tin there, so much gold as brass,
I'll gi't you in by weight.

"Trib. But how long time,

"Sir, must the saints expect yet?

"Sub. Let me see

"How's the moon now?-Eight, nine, ten days

hence,

"He will be silver potate; then three days

"Before he citronise: some fifteen days

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"The magisterium will be perfected.

"Ana. About the second day of the third week In the ninth month?

"Sub. Yes, my good Ananias."

Trib. What will the orphan's goods arise to, think

you?

Sub. Some hundred marks; as much as fill'd three

cars

Unladen now; you'll make six millions of them.
But I must ha' more coals laid in.

"Trib. How!

"Sub. Another load,

"And then we have finished. We must now increase "Our fire to ignis ardens; we are past

"Fimus equinus, balnei cineris,

"And all those lenter heats. If the holy purse

"Should with this draught fall low," and that the saints Do need a present sum, I have a trick

To melt the pewter you shall buy now, instantly, And with a tincture make you as goodDutch dollars As any are in Holland.

Trib. Can you so ?

Sub. Ay, and shall 'bide the third examination.

Ana. It will be joyful tidings to the brethren.
Sub. But you must carry it secret. -

Trib. Ay; but stay :

This act of coining, is it lawful?

Ana. Lawful!

We know no magistrate; or if we did,

This's foreign coin.

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