Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
47. But being the Fiat is the mightiest among them all, (for it is as it were a spirit, and although it be no spirit, yet it is the sharp essence), therefore it attracteth the seed to it, and desireth the limbus of God in paradise, out of which Adam's body was created by the Fiat, and l would create an Adam 1 will, out of a heavenly limbus ; and then the spirit of the great world insinuates himself and supposeth, [and saith], The child is mine, I will rule in the virgin ; and he always filleth it with the elements, from whence the tincture becometh full and veryp. 248 thick [gross, swelled, or impregnated] ; and there then the tincture getteth a loathing against the fulness ; for the tincture itself is clear, and the Fiat with the elements is thick [gross and] swelled;
1 Or are im- from whence women (when they 1 grow big [with pregnated or with child, childj) know well enough, that many of them loathe some meats and drinks, and long still after some strange thing [to eat], for the tincture cometh to have a loathing of all that the spirit of this world with his elements filleth in, and willeth to have somewhat else ; for this virgin doth not relish them, but becometh [discontented and] sorry, and
2 Or own forsaketh them, and goeth into her 2 ether, and
Principle.
cometh not again.
48. And then the spirit of the sun, stars, and elements of this world, supposeth with itself [saying], Now thou art in the right, the child is thine, the foundation is laid, thou wilt bring it up, the virgin must be thine, thou wilt live therein, and have thy joy [delight, and habitation] in her, her ornament must be thine ; and thus [he] attracteth always to himself in his great lust, by the Fiat, which in eternity goeth not away ; and [he] supposeth that he hath the virgin.
b Saturnus : This is done in the first month.
49. And there the blood of the mother (wherein the tincture of the mother is) is drawn into the seed. And when the [sour] harsh Fiat hath tried, [and perceiveth] that to be sweeter than its own essence,Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 249 then it frameth [imageth or representeth] itself with great earnestness [or longing] therein, and becometh sharp in the tincture, and will create Adam, and so severeth the materia [or matter] ; and then the spirit of the stars and elements is in the midst, and ruleth mightily in the Fiat.
y. Jupiter : This is done in the second month.
50. And then the materia [or matter] is severed according to the wheel of the stars, as they (viz. the planets) stand in order at this time, and which of them [all] is predominant, that (by the Fiat) figureth the matter most, and the child getteth a form, after the kind of that [planet].
$ Mars : All this which f olloweth is done in the third month.
51. Thus the matter (by the Fiat) is severed into members. And now when the Fiat thus attracteth the blood of the mother into the matter, then l it is stifled [or choked] ; and then the tincture » the blood, of the blood becometh false, and full of anguish ; for the [sour] harsh essence (viz. the Fiat) is terrified, and all the joy (which the sour [harsh] Fiat gat in the tincture of the blood) withdraweth ; and the Fiat beginneth to tremble in the terror, in the sour [harsh] essence ; and the terror goeth away like a flash, and would fain depart and fly away out of the essence, and yet is withheld by the Fiat, which [terror] is now turned hard, and madep. 250 tough by the essence, which now closeth the child about ; this is the skin of the child. And the tincture flieth suddenly, flashing upwards in the terror, and would be gone ; yet it cannot either (for it standeth in the out-birth [or procreation] of
1 stretcheth the essences) but l riseth up suddenly in the terror, and taketh the virtue [or power] of all the essences with it. And there the spirit of the
2 represented, stars and elements 2 figureth itself also therein, and filleth itself also therein, in the flight, and supposeth that it hath the virgin, and will go along with it ; and the Fiat gripeth it all, and holdeth it [fast], and supposeth that the Verbum Domini [the Word of the Lord] is there in the
3 huriyburly, 3 uproar, that will create the Adam ; and it
47. But being the Fiat is the mightiest among them all, (for it is as it were a spirit, and although it be no spirit, yet it is the sharp essence), therefore it attracts the seed to it, and desires the limbus of God in paradise, out of which Adam's body was created by the Fiat, and l would create an Adam 1 will, out of a heavenly limbus ; and then the spirit of the great world insinuates himself and supposes, [and says], The child is mine, I will rule in the virgin ; and he always fills it with the elements, from whence the tincture becomes full and very
248 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 13 thick [gross, swelled, or impregnated] ; and there then the tincture getts a loathing against the fulness ; for the tincture itself is clear, and the Fiat with the elements is thick [gross and] swelled;
1 Or are im- from whence women (when they 1 grow big [with pregnated or with child, childj) know well enough, that many of them loathe some meats and drinks, and long still after some strange thing [to eat], for the tincture comes to have a loathing of all that the spirit of this world with his elements fills in, and wills to have somewhat else ; for this virgin does not relish them, but becomes [discontented and] sorry, and
2 Or own forsaks them, and goes into her 2 ether, and
Principle.
comes not again.
48. And then the spirit of the sun, stars, and elements of this world, supposes with itself [saying], Now you are in the right, the child is your, the foundation is laid, you will bring it up, the virgin must be your, you will live therein, and have your joy [delight, and habitation] in her, her ornament must be your ; and thus [he] attracts always to himself in his great lust, by the Fiat, which in eternity goes not away ; and [he] supposes that he has the virgin.
b Saturnus : This is done in the first month.
49. And there the blood of the mother (wherein the tincture of the mother is) is drawn into the seed. And when the [sour] harsh Fiat has tried, [and perceives] that to be sweeter than its own essence,
Ch. 13] OF THE CREATING OF THE WOMAN 249 then it frams [imags or represents] itself with great earnestness [or longing] therein, and becomes sharp in the tincture, and will create Adam, and so severs the materia [or matter] ; and then the spirit of the stars and elements is in the midst, and ruls mightily in the Fiat.
y. Jupiter : This is done in the second month.
50. And then the materia [or matter] is severed according to the wheel of the stars, as they (viz. the planets) stand in order at this time, and which of them [all] is predominant, that (by the Fiat) figures the matter most, and the child getts a form, after the kind of that [planet].
$ Mars : All this which f ollows is done in the third month.
51. Thus the matter (by the Fiat) is severed into members. And now when the Fiat thus attracts the blood of the mother into the matter, then l it is stifled [or choked] ; and then the tincture » the blood, of the blood becomes false, and full of anguish ; for the [sour] harsh essence (viz. the Fiat) is terrified, and all the joy (which the sour [harsh] Fiat gat in the tincture of the blood) withdraws ; and the Fiat beginns to tremble in the terror, in the sour [harsh] essence ; and the terror goes away like a flash, and would fain depart and fly away out of the essence, and yet is withheld by the Fiat, which [terror] is now turned hard, and made
250 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 13 tough by the essence, which now closes the child about ; this is the skin of the child. And the tincture flies suddenly, flashing upwards in the terror, and would be gone ; yet it cannot either (for it stands in the out-birth [or procreation] of
1 stretches the essences) but l rises up suddenly in the terror, and takes the virtue [or power] of all the essences with it. And there the spirit of the
2 represented, stars and elements 2 figures itself also therein, and fills itself also therein, in the flight, and supposes that it has the virgin, and will go along with it ; and the Fiat grips it all, and holds it [fast], and supposes that the Verbum Domini [the Word of the Lord] is there in the
3 huriyburly, 3 uproar, that will create the Adam ; and it