of the vertue of the second matter.

b

ut that thou maist the more easily conceive what this second matter is, i will describe the vertues of it, by which thou maist know it. and first of all know, that nature is divided into three kingdoms; two of them are such that either of them can subsist of it self, if the other two were not; there is the minerall, vegetable, and animall kingdom. the minerall can subsist of it self, although there were no man in the world, nor tree, or herb. the vegetable likewise, although there were no metall, nor animall, can stand by it self: these two are of one made by one: but the third hath life from the other two which wee have mentioned, without which it could not subsist, and is more noble and excellent then those two, as also it is the last of the three, and rules over the other: because alwaies vertue, or excellency ends in a third thing, and is multiplyed in the second. dost thou see in the vegetable kingdom? the first matter is an herb, or a tree, which thou knowest not how to make, nature alone makes it: in this kingdom the second matter is seed, which thou seest, in this the hearb, or the tree is multiplyed. in the animall kingdome the first matter is a beast, or a man, which thou knowest not how to make; but the second matter or the sperm, in which they are multi[pg 23]plyed, thou knowest. in the minerall thou knowest not how to make a metall, and if thou braggest that thou canst, thou art a foole, and a lyar, nature makes that, and although thou shouldst have the first matter, according to the philosophers, yet it would bee impossible for thee to multiply that centrall salt without gold: now the seed of metalls is known only to the sons of art. in vegetables the seed appears outwardly; the reins of its digestion is warm aire. in animalls the seed appears inwardly, and outwardly; the reins of its digestion are the reins of a male. water in mineralls is the seed in the center of their heart, and is their life: the reins of its digestion is fire. the receptacle of the vegetable seed is the earth: the receptacle of the seed animal is the womb of the female: the receptacle of water, which is the minerall seed, is aire. and those are the receptacles of seeds, which are the congealations of their bodies: that is their digestion, which is their solution: that is their putrefaction which is their destruction. the vertue of every seed is to join it self to every thing in its own kingdome, because it is subtill, and is nothing else but aire, which by fatnesse is congealed in water: it is known thus, because it doth not mixe it self naturally to any thing out of its own kingdome: it is not dissolved, but congealed, because it doth not need dissolution, but congealation. it is necessary therefore that the pores of the body be opened, that the sperme may be sent forth, in whose center the seed lyes, which is aire: that when it comes into its due matrix, is congealed, and congeals what it finds pure, or impure mixed with what is pure. as long as the seed is in the body, the body lives, when it is all consumed[pg 24] the body dies; also all bodies after the emission of seed are weakned: experience likewise testifies that men which give themselves over too much to venery become feeble, as trees, that bear too much fruit, become afterwards barren. the seed therefore, as oftentimes hath been repeated, is a thing invisible; but the sperme is visible, and is almost a living soule; it is not found in things that are dead: it is drawn forth two wayes, pleasantly, and by force: but because wee are in this place to treat of the vertue of it onely, i say that nothing is made without seed: all things are made by vertue of seed: and let the sons of art know, that seed is in vain sought for in trees that are cut off, or cut down, because it is found in them only that are green.