Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
Ch. 1 3] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 243
many in [their] marrow and bones, by their 1 incantation, for which they shall receive their 1 exorcisms, wages, with Lucifer, who would fain have raised adjuration?' his tincture to be above God.
38. But know that the tincture is in menkind somewhat diverse from that in womenkind ; for the tincture in menkind goeth out of the limbus, or man, and the tincture in womenkind goeth out of the matrix. For the virtue of the soul frameth [imprinteth, fashioneth or imageth] itself not only in the tincture, but in the whole body ; for the body groweth in the tincture,
39. But thus the tincture is the longing, the great desire after the virgin, which belongeth to the tincture ; for it is subtle, without understanding ; but it is the divine inclination, and continually seeketh the virgin, [which is] its playfellow ; the 2 masculine seeketh her in the a manly.
8 feminine, and the feminine in the masculine ; s womanly, especially in the delicate complexion, where the tincture is most noble, clear, and vigorous ; from whence cometh the. great desire of the masculine and feminine sex, so that they always desire to copulate, and the great burning love, so that the tinctures mingle together, and [try, prove, or] taste one another with their pleasant taste ; whereas one [sex] continually supposeth that the other hath the virgin.
40. And the spirit of the great world now supposeth that he hath gotten the virgin ; he
p. 244
graspeth with his clutches, and will mingle his infection with the virgin, and he supposeth that he hath the prize ; it shall not now run away from him, he supposeth now he will find the Pearl well enough. But it is with him as with a thief, driven out of a fair garden of delight, where he had eaten pleasant fruit, who cometh, and goeth round about the enclosed garden, and would fain eat some more of the good fruit, and yet cannot get in, but must reach in with his hand, and yet cannot come at the fruit for all that ; for the gardener cometh, and taketh away the fruit ; and thus he must go away empty, and his lust is changed into discontent. Thus also it is with him [viz. with the spirit of this world], he soweth thus in his fiery [or burning] grain, or lust the 1 seed into the matrix, and the tincture receiveth it with great joy, and supposeth that to be the virgin ; but the [sour] harsh Fiat cometh thereupon, and attracteth the same to it, while the tincture is so well pleased.
41. Now then the feminine tincture cometh in to aid, and striveth for the child, and supposeth that it hath the virgin : And the two tinctures wrestle both of them for the virgin, and yet neither of them both hath her, and which of the two overcometh, according to that the fruit getteth the mark of distinction of sex. But because that the feminine [tincture] is weak, therefore it taketh the blood also to it in the matrix, whereby it supposeth it shall retain the virgin.
corn.
Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 245
The Secret Gate of Women.
42. Hence I must shew the ground to them that seek ; for the doctor cannot shew it him with his anatomy, and though he should kill a thousand men, yet he shall not find that [ground].
They only know that [ground] that have l been » Or attained
. it upon it.
43. Therefore I will write from the virgin, which knoweth well what is in the woman. She is as subtle as the tincture. But she hath a life, and the tincture hath none : The tincture is nothing else but an exulting joyful mighty will, and a house [or habitation] of the soul, and a pleasant paradise of the soul, which is the soul's propriety [or own portion] so long as the soul with its imagination 2 dependeth on God. 2 sticketh to
, God and
44. But when it becometh false, so that its goodness, essences flatter with the spirit of the great world,
Ch. 1 3] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 243 many in [their] marrow and bones, by their 1 incantation, for which they shall receive their 1 exorcisms, wages, with Lucifer, who would fain have raised adjuration?' his tincture to be above God.
38. But know that the tincture is in menkind somewhat diverse from that in womenkind ; for the tincture in menkind goes out of the limbus, or man, and the tincture in womenkind goes out of the matrix. For the virtue of the soul frams [imprints, fashions or imags] itself not only in the tincture, but in the whole body ; for the body grows in the tincture,
39. But thus the tincture is the longing, the great desire after the virgin, which belongs to the tincture ; for it is subtle, without understanding ; but it is the divine inclination, and continually seeks the virgin, [which is] its playfellow ; the 2 masculine seeks her in the a manly.
8 feminine, and the feminine in the masculine ; s womanly, especially in the delicate complexion, where the tincture is most noble, clear, and vigorous ; from whence comes the. great desire of the masculine and feminine sex, so that they always desire to copulate, and the great burning love, so that the tinctures mingle together, and [try, prove, or] taste one another with their pleasant taste ; whereas one [sex] continually supposes that the other has the virgin.
40. And the spirit of the great world now supposes that he has gotten the virgin ; he 244 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 13 grasps with his clutches, and will mingle his infection with the virgin, and he supposes that he has the prize ; it shall not now run away from him, he supposes now he will find the Pearl well enough. But it is with him as with a thief, driven out of a fair garden of delight, where he had eaten pleasant fruit, who comes, and goes round about the enclosed garden, and would fain eat some more of the good fruit, and yet cannot get in, but must reach in with his hand, and yet cannot come at the fruit for all that ; for the gardener comes, and takes away the fruit ; and thus he must go away empty, and his lust is changed into discontent. Thus also it is with him [viz. with the spirit of this world], he sows thus in his fiery [or burning] grain, or lust the 1 seed into the matrix, and the tincture receives it with great joy, and supposes that to be the virgin ; but the [sour] harsh Fiat comes thereupon, and attracts the same to it, while the tincture is so well pleased.
41. Now then the feminine tincture comes in to aid, and strives for the child, and supposes that it has the virgin : And the two tinctures wrestle both of them for the virgin, and yet neither of them both has her, and which of the two overcoms, according to that the fruit getts the mark of distinction of sex. But because that the feminine [tincture] is weak, therefore it takes the blood also to it in the matrix, whereby it supposes it shall retain the virgin.
corn.
Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 245
The Secret Gate of Women.
42. Hence I must show the ground to them that seek ; for the doctor cannot show it him with his anatomy, and though he should kill a thousand men, yet he shall not find that [ground].
They only know that [ground] that have l been » Or attained
. it upon it.
43. Therefore I will write from the virgin, which knows well what is in the woman. She is as subtle as the tincture. But she has a life, and the tincture has none : The tincture is nothing else but an exulting joyful mighty will, and a house [or habitation] of the soul, and a pleasant paradise of the soul, which is the soul's propriety [or own portion] so long as the soul with its imagination 2 depends on God. 2 sticks to
, God and
44. But when it becomes false, so that its goodness, essences flatter with the spirit of the great world,