The Signature of All Things — trans. John Ellistone (1651)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (John Ellistone). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
2. For so we are to consider of the Creation of this World, that the whole Essence of Eternity has moved itself in the Place of this World, and the whole Form was enkindled. and stirred, and that in the Desire to Manifestation; and there the Generation divided itself in the Flagrat of the enkindled Fire into four Parts, viz. into Fire, Water, and Earth, and the Air is its moving, egressive Spirit; as is to be considered in Sulphur, which consists in these four Things.
3. In like Manner also the Astrum is thus generated out of the first Mother; and all put together is only one Body, and it all takes its Rise from the inward Spirit; as a Hand or Foot grows forth from the inward Center, and has already its Form in the Center, viz. in the first Operation, and so only grows into a Form as the Spirit is.
4. The first Mother of all Things, viz. the Lubet with the Desire, does especially introduce itself into seven Forms, and yet continues steadfast in three only, but manifests itself in seven Forms.
5. The first Form is astringent, viz. an austere Attraction, which is a Cause of Coldness and Salt, and all Corporality.
6. The second Form is the Compunction, viz. the Drawing or Motion, and cause Stirring up, the Feeling, also Pricking, Aking, Tormenting; the Affection of Bitterness, Enmity and Friendliness, Joy and Sorrow.
7. The third Form is the great Anguish in the Impression, which causes two Wills, viz. one to the Fire, where the Will of the free Lubet falls down to the Wrath in the Fire, and again goes into itself, and makes a Lustre in the Fire's Sharpness.
8. Now the fourth Form is the Fire itself, viz. the first Principle in the Life, with which the dark and Light World do separate; also in this Flagrat all Material Separation are effected, and the Corporality and Multiplication begin according to the Property of the first Eternal Mind, viz. according to the Essentiality a mortal [Ens,] and according to the free Source a living [Ens.]
9. The fifth Form is now the second Desire, which is effected after the Separation, and that according to two Properties; viz. one according to the Lubet of the Liberty out of the Light, which is the highest Love-Desire; and the other according to the Fire’s Lubet, which leads its Life of its Essence in the Love in the Light, from whence the Joyfulness, and every true Life arises.
10. The Love gives Essence; for it is expressive, and yielding, viz. itself; for God gives himself to every Essence; and the Fire is receptive; for it needs Essence in its wrathful Hunger, else it extinguishes; and then the Lustre of the Light would go out, and the Desire of Love would cease, for the Fire makes the Light desiring, viz. of the Joyfulness; for if the Fire dies, the Light waxes dark, and Love turns into Anguish, as may be conceived of in the Devils.
11. The fifth Form arises from the turning Wheel before the Fire, where the Multiplication of the Essence arises out of the Property of Mercurius in the Salnitral Flagrat; with the Enkindling of the Fire one Form is introduced into another; and if now the Love-Desire penetrates all the Forms, then all the Forms grow very desirous the one after the other, for the dear Lovely Child Venus is in all.
12. Here begin the Taste, Smell, Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, and Speaking; for the Light opens another Principle of another Source, and fills all; and here springs up the Life in Death, viz. the Love in the Anger, and the Light shines in the Darkness; here the Bridegroom embraces his Bride, and God himself refills his Anger, viz. the Wrath of Nature; and in this Form all Speeches Understanding, and Senses arise, and the true, real Life of all Creatures; so also the Life in the Vegetables, viz. Trees, and Herbs, in each Thing according to its Property.
13. The seventh Form arises from all the other, and is the Body, Mansion-House, or Food of the other, and it is thus effected; when the other Forms Taste each other in their mutual Penetration in the Love-Desire, then in each Form there is an Hunger or Desire after the Love, viz. after the Light; now each Hunger or Desire is reaching forth after the Thing it desires, and eagerly attracts the Property of the Thing desired; and thus out of two one Essence is made, viz. out of the Hunger, and that which the Hunger desires; for this Hunger does not stand in Death, it does not anymore enclose itself up in Death, unless it be too great, and the Imagination in the Hunger be too great, and the Hunger cannot obtain that same Thing, then it choaks; as many Times a Child is choaked or smothered in the Mother's Womb, if this Form be enkindled in another Form to eat of some external Thing, whereupon the Mother grows so ardent in longing, and if she cannot get it, the Child also cannot get it; now it choaks in the Hunger, or else a Member is spoiled, from whence the Hunger arose.