Lumen de Lumine

Take our two Serpents, which are to bee found every where on the Face of the Earth. They are a living Male, and a living Female. Tye them Both in a Love-knot, and shut them up in the Arabian CARAHA. This is thy first labour, but thy next is more difficult. Thou must incamp against them with the fire of Nature, and be sure thou doest bring thy Line round about. Circle them in, and stop all Avenues, that they find no Reliefe. Continue this siege patiently, and they will turne to an ugly, flabbie, venemous, black Toad, which will be transform’d to a horrible, devowring Dragon, creeping and weltring in the Bottome of her Cave without wings. Touch her not by any means, not so much as with thy Hands, for there is not upon earth such a violent, transcendent poyson. As thou hast begun, so proceed, and this Dragon will turne to a Swan, but more white than the hovering, Virgin Snow, when it is not yet sullied with the Earth. Henceforth I will allow thee to fortifie thy fire, till the Phoenix appears. It is a red Bird of a most deep Colour, with a shining Fiery Hue. Feed this Bird with the Fire of his Father, and the Aether of his Mother, for the first is meat, the second is Drink, and without this last he attains not to his full Glory. Be sure to understand this secret, for fire feeds not well, unlesse it bee first fed. It is of it self drie and Choleric, but a proper moysture tempers it, gives it a heavenly Complexion, and brings it to the Desired Exaltation. Feed thy bird then as I have told thee, and he will move in his Nest, and rise like a star of the Firmament.