To which they answered, that there was a certain rock in the parts of that world, which contained the Golden Sands, which rock was hollow within, and did produce a gum that was a hundred years before it came to its full strength and perfection; this gum, said they, if it be held in a warm hand, will dissolve into an oil, the effects whereof are following: It being given every day for some certain time, to an old decayed man, in the bigness of a little pea, will first make him spit for a week, or more; after this, it will cause vomits of phlegm; and after that it will bring forth by vomits, humours of several colours; first of a pale yellow, then of a deep yellow, then of a green, and lastly of a black colour; and each of these humours have a several taste, some are fresh, some salt, some sour, some bitter, and so forth; neither do all these vomits make them sick, but they come out on a sudden, and unawares, without any pain or trouble to the patient: And after it hath done all these mentioned effects, and cleared both the stomach and several other parts of the body, then it works upon the brain, and brings forth of the nose such kinds of humours as it did out of the mouth, and much after the same manner; then it will purge by stool, then by urine, then by sweat, and lastly by bleeding at the nose,

and the hemorrhoids; all which effects it will perform within the space of six weeks, or a little more; for it does not work very strongly, but gently, and by degrees: Lastly, when it has done all this, it will make the body break out into a thick scab, and cause both hair, teeth, and nails to come off; which scab being arrived to its full maturity, opens first along the back, and comes off all in a piece like an armour, and all this is done within the space of four months. After this the patient is wrapt into a cerecloth, prepared of certain gums and juices, wherein he continues until the time of nine months be expired from the first beginning of the cure, which is the time of a child’s formation in the womb. In the meanwhile, his diet is nothing else but eagles-eggs, and hinds-milk; and after the cerecloth is taken away, he will appear of the age of twenty, both in shape, and strength. The weaker sort of this gum is sovereign in healing of wounds, and curing of slight distempers. But this is also to be observed, that none of the imperial race does use any other drink but limewater, or water in which limestone is immerged; their meat is nothing else but fowl of several sorts, their recreations are many, but chiefly hunting.

This relation amazed the Empress very much; for though in the world she came from, she had heard great reports of the philosopher’s stone, yet had she not heard of any that had ever found it out, which made her believe that it was but a chimera; she called also to mind, that there had been in the same world a man who had a little stone which cured all kinds of diseases outward and inward, according it was applied; and that a famous chemist had found out a certain liquor called alkahest, which by the virtue of its own fire, consumed all diseases; but she had never heard of a medicine that could renew old age, and render it beautiful, vigorous and strong: Nor would she have so easily believed it, had it been a medicine prepared by art; for she knew that art, being nature’s changeling, was not able to produce such a powerful effect; but being that the gum did grow naturally, she did not so much scruple at it; for she knew that nature’s works are so various and wonderful, that no particular creature is able to trace her ways.