These fragments were reproduced by Elias Ashmole in the Theatricum Chemicum Brittanicum. Other pieces by Charnock have already been transcribed at Adam McLean's site.
Coppied
From Thomas Charnock's
owne hand writing.
When an hunderth & fourscore had run their race
Then sone after in short time & space,
Blacknes began to shew his Face,
But when a C. and L. had overcumde hym in fyght
He made him wash his Face white & bright
Which unto me was a joyfull syght.
Yet xx. at last came in with great bost,
And made both Black and White to fly the Cost.
Written by T. Charnock at the end of Scotus de Bufone.
Here in Gods name take thy rest,
Quietly in thy warme nest,
For so Charnocke thinks it best,
Tyll the Sune hathe runne West,
Seaven tymes 600. and 16. just,
Then this Chyld awake thou must.
Written at the end of RIPLYE'S Cantalena.
Abowte 653. I dare be bold,
This Chyld shall put on a Crowne of Gold;
Or at 656. at the moste,
This Chyld shall rule the roste.
Other Fragments scattered in the wast places of an old Manuscrips, written with T. Charnock's own Hand.
We worke this Worke of wonder,
By Wayght, Measure and Number.
Quoth THOMAS CHARNOCK.
When he is full Black then take some payne,
To wash him 7. tymes in the water of Jourdayne.
Fro the tyme that he be Black and Ded,
Wash him 7 tymes, or he be perfect Red.
And when he is full Black then take some payne,
To wash hym 7. tymes in the water of Jourdayne.
And when you see hym perfect Redd,
Then take a stone and knock him on the hedd.
And when this Woman is brought a bed,
Take the Chyld and knock hym on the hedd.
CHARNOCKE, 1573
Perfect Whyte will not be accomplished,
Untill it hath byne twelve tymes circulated,
Six tymes Black, and vi. tymes Whyte.
Betwixt true Black, and true Whyte,
Wyll appeare many Collers to syght.
Wyll appeare many Collers to syght.
}T.C.
Betwixt Purgatory and Paradyse,
The Raigne-bows Collers will arise.
The Raigne-bows Collers will arise.
}T.C.
Betwixt Black and Whyte sartayne,
The Pekokes fethers wyll appeare plaine.
The Pekokes fethers wyll appeare plaine.
}T.C.
Looke you conceive my words aright,
And marke well this which I have sede;
For Black is Ferment unto the Whyte,
And Whyte shalbe Ferment unto the Rede:
Which I never saw till I had whyte heres upon my head.
T.C. 1574.
The 50 yeare of my age.
The 50 yeare of my age.
3 comments:
Welcome back!
BW, Costin
haha, thank you!
Hopefully it will not again be another few years between now the next post :P
McLean seems to do a rather good job on Charnock. His interpretations are a bit stiff, seemingly lacking the lab-work element.
Not often - in modern times - one sees a post on this clever man, Charnock.
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