Vault Alchemy

THE DOCTRINE OF TRUE ALCHEMY

AND OF THE METALLIC ART, WITHOUT

RIDDLES, AND THE CERTAIN

method, comprised of writings both new and old, now for the first time

and faithfully published for the most part: the index

of which you will find following the Preface.

original: "citra aenigmata" (without riddles). The editor claims this collection avoids the intentionally obscure, allegorical language often used by medieval alchemists to hide their secrets.

crossed-out handwritten line?

You have here, friend reader, many wonderful and most useful things, which until now lay hidden and as if buried: you will briefly understand the reason for this edition in the Preface addressed to the chemical philosophers.

original: "philosophos Chemistas" (chemical philosophers). This term was used before the modern distinction between chemistry and alchemy existed.

WILLIAM GRATAROLO

William Gratarolo (1516 to 1568) was an Italian physician and philosopher. He fled to Switzerland due to his Protestant beliefs and edited several important scientific and medical collections.

BASEL

1561