since it is a thing unworthy,
and to the Divine Majesty ungrateful,
for Man, who should be a Consort
of the Divine Nature, to wax brutish
with Brutes, I present to you, my
most faithful Friends, and Patrons
of this Science, this most rare History:
having as time, and my Ability would
permit, recollected all things, and
have faithfully commemorated them.
Therefore, omitting all paints, and
flourishes of Rhetorical Expressions,
I will forthwith betake my self to the
discovery of all, whatsoever I both
saw, and heard from Elias the Artist
touching this. For truly, I was not so
intimately familiar with him, as that
he should instruct me in the way of preparing
the Universal Medicine,
after the Method of Physico-artificial
Chimistry: yet he supplyed me
with such Reasons in the Method of
Healing, as I shall never be able to
commend his worth with condigne
Praises. Therefore, most curious Favourers,
and true Lovers of the Chimical Art,
accept of this little work,
as a mean Gift, or if you had rather,
peruse if only for recreation of the
mind; for in it I shall relate all things