The Dialogue of Iron 
that is made or them, are neither founde ſulfur, noz quicke⸗ 
ſtluer. The canfe is harde, and the opinions are many, as 
vou haue heard. 4 knowe none that path hit the Parke. 
God only knoweth, who gaue to nature certain lawes, and 
maners tocongele, and make theſe mettals with ſuch mix⸗ 
ture and foꝛme as it hath pleaſed him fo do. Hero it is that 
ſome haue beens of opinion, and not without great reaſon, 
that the mettalles were made and bꝛed ioyntly, with the 
Woꝛld, as ſaint Auguſtin ſaith. All that euer the Loꝛs made 
he made it together, at one time, and he did create it euen ſa 
When he made the woꝛld, and created the earth, ieintly with 
it, and in the bowels of it he created the metalles, and that 
which is to be taken toꝛ moſt certaine in this cauſe, as alſo 
that which doeth ſhe we molt effectes,is the common opini⸗ 
on, which ſayeth, that the metalles are ingendꝛed of bꝛim⸗ 
tone, and quickſiluer, foꝛ therby are diſſolued many doubts 
which woulde be harde to verifie,ifit were not ſo. And this 
is the beſt opinion, moſt ſure, and true, and with the greateſt 
demonſtration. B Great thinges hath matter D. che wed 
bs , for they haue put me in admiration, and J doe vnder⸗ 
ſtande, that his defire is to gine vs to vnderſtand, the oꝛigi⸗ 
nal cauſe of what the pon is ingẽ dꝛed, ſeing that his intent 
is te treate ot it andof his greatnes. D. Trueth it is that 
mp pꝛincipal intent in that which J haue ſaide, is to ſhewe 
vou hewe the pron is made, and created the fame begin! 
nings, and matter, that the gold and filucr are made ot, and 
the reſt of the mettales, and that the pron dooeth not differ 
from the gold in moꝛe, then the golde is made of his begin · 
ninges cleane and pure, wherby it is bꝛight, gliſtering and 
faire, and the pon bycauſe it is made of groffe beginnings 
and not pure, theretoze if is foule,blacke,and darke, as We 
ſe it, and although it be ſo, pet it is moꝛe excellent then 
Solde, oz ſiluer, and all other mettalles, fo2 of it wwe reteiue 
mo3¢ benefite and haue moe niede qt it, then of all the ret: 
and al other mettalles without it are of value, to it bad 
