The Book of Quinte Essence or The Fifth Being | Page 3

e{ss}encia sup{er}ior
[Quinte Essence is incorruptible as to the four qualities of man's body, but not as the heaven of God.]
inferior, [th]at is to seie, ma{n}nys heuene, is incorruptible, in reward of [th]e .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body; and so it is p{re}ued naturaly [th]at oure quinta e{ss}encia, [th]at is, mannes heuene, 8 in it-silf[2] is incorruptible; and so it is not hoot and drie wi[th]
[Footnote 2: MS. 'siff.']
fier / ne coold and moist wi[th] watir / ne hoot & moist w{i}t{h} eyr, ne coold and drie wi[th] er[th]e; but oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a avayli[th] to [th]e cont{ra}rie, as heuene incorruptible / But vndirstonde [th]{a}t oure 12 q{ui}[n]ta e{ss}e{nci}a is nou[gh]t so incorruptible as is heuene of oure lord god; but it is incorruptible in reward of composiciou{n}
[It is called, 1. Burning Water; 2. the Soul in the spirit of Wine; 3. Water of Life; and if you wish to conceal it, Quinte Essence.]
maad of [th]e .4. elementis; & it hath .iij. names by the philosophoris, [th]{a}t is to seie / bre{n}nynge watir / [th]e soule in [th]e spirit of 16 wyn, & watir of lijf / But whanne [gh]e wole concelle it, [th]a{n}ne schal [gh]e clepe it 'oure q{ui}nta e{ss}e{nci}a'; for [th]is name, & [th]e nature [th]{er}of, ri[gh]t fewe philosophoris wolde schewe / but sikurly [th]ei biriede [th]e tru[th]e with hem. and witi[th] weel that it is clepid 20
[It is neither moist and cold like water, nor hot and moist like air, nor cold and dry like earth, nor hot and dry like fire.]
brennynge watir; and it is no bre{n}ny{n}g watir: forwhi, it is not moist ne coold as comou{n} watir; for it bre{n}ne[th], & so doi[th] not comyn watir; ne it is nat hoot and moist as eir, for eir corru{m}pi[th] a [th]i{n}g a-noon, as it schewi[th] weel by gen{er}ac{i}ou{n} of flies, 24 & areins, and siche o[th]{er}e; but sikirly [th]is is alwey incorruptible, if it be kept cloos fro fli[gh]t / Also it is n{o}t coold and drie as er[th]e. for souereynly it worchi[th] & chaungi[th]. And it is not hoot and drie as fier, as it schewi[th] by exp{er}ience; for hoot [th]ingis it keli[th], 28
[It gives incorruptibility, for it prevents dead flesh from rotting, and much more the living flesh of man.]
[[* Fol. 11.]]
& hoot sijknessis it doi[th] awey / Also [th]{a}t it [gh]eue[th] incorruptibilite, and kepi[th] a [th]i{n}g fro corruptibilite [*]and rotynge, it is p{re}ued [th]{us} / Forwhi. what pece of fleisch, fisch, or deed brid, be putt [th]{er}i{n}ne, it schal not corru[m]pe ne rote whilis it is [th]{er}i{n}ne / 32 miche more [th]anne it wole kepe quyk fleisch of mannys body
[It is Man's Heaven, preserving his body as Heaven does the world.]
from al man{er}e corruptibilite and rotynge / This is oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia, [th]{a}t is to seie, mannys heuene, [th]{a}t god made to [th]e
[Page 3: THE NATURE AND WORKING OF QUINTE ESSENCE.]
conseruac{i}ou{n} of [th]e .4. q{ua}litees of mannys body, ri[gh]t as he made his heuene to [th]e conseruac{i}ou{n} of al [th]e world / And wite [gh]e for
[Many know it not now for their covetousness and vice.]
certeyn [th]at manye philosophoris and lechis [th]at ben now, knowe nou[gh]t [th]is q{ui}nta e{ss}encia, ne [th]e tru[th]e [th]{er}of / Forwhi; god wole 4 not [th]{a}t [th]ei knowe it; for her greet bre{n}nynge coueitise &
[But as God's Heaven is aided by sun and stars, so our Heaven, or Quinte Essence, is made fair by the sun mineral, or pure gold of the mine, not of alchemy.]
vicious lyuynge / Forso[th]e q{ui}nta e{ss}encia sup{er}ior, [th]{a}t is to seie, heuene of oure lord god bi hi{m} silf / Aloone / [gh]eue[th] not conseruacioun in [th]e world, and wondirful influence, but by [th]e v{er}tue 8 of [th]e su{n}ne, planetis, and o[th]{er}e sterris; ri[gh]t so oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia, [th]at is, mannys heuene, wole be maad fair wi[th] [th]e su{n}ne min{er}alle, fynyd, schynynge, incorruptibile; and euene in qualite [th]at fier may not appeire, corru{m}pe, ne distroie. and [th]is is v{er}ry 12
['N{ot}a.']
gold of [th]e myn, of [th]e er[th]e, or of [th]e floodis gaderid / for gold of alkamy maad w{i}t{h} corosyues distroie[th] kynde, as aristotle and
[Good natural gold is called Sol, because Sol the planet gives gold its power, colour, &c.]
manye o[th]ere philosophoris p{ro}uen / and [th]{er}fore good gold naturel, & of [th]e myn of [th]e erbe, is clepid of ph{ilosophor}is 'sol' in 16 latyn; for he is [th]e son{ne} of oure heuene, lich as sol [th]e planet is in [th]e heuene aboue; for [th]is planete [gh]eue[th] to gold his influence,
[Our Quinte Essence is the colour of heaven; gold makes it fair; and the two work in us (so far as is possible) renewal of youth, and give health plenteously.]
[[* Fol. 11b.]]
nature, colo{ur}, & a substaunce i{n}corruptible. And oure q{ui}nta e{ss}encia, mannys heuene, is of [th]e nature [*]& [th]e colour of heuene / 20
And oure sol, [th]{a}t is, fyn