THE FIRST TREATISE

[...as the] hen's material Likely referring to the white or yolk of an egg, a common alchemical metaphor for the raw matter that contains the potential for life., nevertheless it cannot develop either its real or accidental form The "real form" is the internal essence or soul of a thing; the "accidental form" refers to its outward physical characteristics like color or texture., otherwise than by putrefaction, which is caused by the influence of warmth, so can also neither the real nor the accidental form of the Philosopher's Stone The legendary substance capable of perfecting metals and curing all diseases. originate in their natural matter without the agency of Putrefaction or Decoction A process of heating or boiling a substance in liquid to extract its essence., of which we shall speak here-after.

PUTREFACTION takes place when the natural heat of a moist body is expelled by an external heat, or else when the natural heat of the subject is destroyed by cold. For then the natural warmth leaves everything and gives room to putrefaction.

The Philosophers A term alchemists used to refer to themselves—the "natural philosophers" or seekers of hidden wisdom. do not mean this kind of Putrefaction. Their Putrefaction is a moistening of dry bodies, that they may be restored to their former state of Greening and Growing This refers to viriditas (greenness), the life-force alchemists believed could be "re-awakened" in seemingly dead matter..

In this process of Putrefaction, moist and dry are joined together and not destroyed, but the moisture is quite separated from the dryness, then it is necessary to separate the dry parts that turned to ashes.

This Incineration The process of burning a substance until it is reduced to ash. the Philosophers will also not have, but they will have their Putrefaction, which is a drying, trituration Grinding or crushing a substance into a fine powder. and calcination Heating a substance to a high temperature to remove volatile parts and make it friable., to be done in such wise, that the natural moisture and dryness be united together, but se-