The Tale

tell eke many a one, As egremoine, valerian, and lunáry, And other such, if that me list to tarry; Our lampës burning bothë night and day, To bring about our craft if that we may; Our furnace eke of calcinatión, And of waters albificatión, Unslaked lime, chalk, and glair of an ey, Powders divérse, ashes, dung, piss, and clay, Seared pokettes, saltpetre, and vitriol; And divers firës made of wood and coal; Sal-tartar, alkali, salt preparáte, And combust matters, and coaguláte; Clay made with horse and mannë’s hair, and oil Of tartar, alum, glass, barm, wort, argoil, Rosalgar, and other matters imbibing; And eke of our mattérs encorporing, And of our silver citrinatión, Our cémentíng, and fermentatión, Our ingots, tests, and many thingës mo’. I will you tell, as was me taught also, The fourë spirits, and the bodies seven, By order, as oft I heard my lord them neven. The first spirit Quicksílver called is; The second Orpiment; the third, y-wis, Sal-Armoniac, and the fourth Brimstóne. The bodies sev’n eke, lo them here anon. Sol gold is, and Luna silvér we threpe; Mars iron, Mercury quícksilver we clepe; Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin, And Venus copper, by my father’s kin.