Ye be as bold as is Bayard the blind, That blunders forth, and peril casteth none; He is as bold to run against a stone, As for to go beside it in the way: So farë ye that multiply, I say. If that your eyen cannot see aright, Look that your mindë lackë not his sight. For though you look never so broad, and stare, Ye shall not win a mite on that chaffare, But wasten all that ye may rape and renn. Withdraw the fire, lest it too fastë brenn; Meddle no morë with that art, I mean; For if ye do, your thrift is gone full clean. And right as swithe I will you tellë here What philosóphers say in this mattére.
Lo, thus saith Arnold of the newë town, As his Rosáry maketh mentioún, He saith right thus, withouten any lie; “There may no man mercúry mortify, But it be with his brother’s knowledging.” Lo, how that he, which firstë said this thing, Of philosóphers father was, Hermés; He saith, how that the dragon doubtëless He dieth not, but if that he be slain With his brother. And this is for to sayn, By the dragón, Mercúry, and none other, He understood, and Brimstone by his brother, That out of Sol and Luna were y-draw. “And therefore,” said he, “take heed to my saw. Let no man busy him this art to seech, But if that he th’ intentión and speech Of philosóphers understandë can; And if he do, he is a lewëd man. For this sciénce and this conning,” quoth he, “Is of the secret of secrets pardie.”