Text.Alchemica.1600-01.A2r/Translation

To the Illustrious, High-Born Prince and Lord, Lord Joachim Friedrich, Duke in Silesia at Liegnitz and Brieg, etc., Provost of the Primatial and Archdiocese of Magdeburg, etc., and His Princely Grace's Consort, the also Illustrious, High-Born Princess and Lady, Lady Anna Maria, Born Princess of Anhalt, Duchess in Silesia at Liegnitz and Brieg, etc., as well as Lord Augustus, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascania, Lord of Zerbst and Bernburg, etc., My Gracious and Favorable Authorities and Patrons.

Illustrious, High-Born Princes and Lords, and Gracious Princess, Since Your Princely Graces, all three persons, have shown yourselves so kindly and entirely gracious towards me and mine in the arrangement of my wedding, for which we are undeservedly indebted, and are too modest to repay: I have taken it upon myself, to at least show my modest gratitude, by dedicating and honoring this humble little book of mining to Your Princely Graces, all three persons. Also, considering that Your Princely Graces have recently acquired the noble gold mine at Reichstein, and the precious silver mine at Silberberg, and have a taste and love for mining, as befits High and Princely Persons, and it is highly commendable and glorious to promote such things, since the common man, due to poverty, cannot promote it as necessary in all lands, nor maintain it in a steady state. Since by God's grace and abundant blessing, the two principalities of Liegnitz and Brieg, as well as the aforementioned two magnificent mining towns, have been graciously bestowed upon Your Princely Graces to possess: He has also endowed Your Princely Graces with a special heart, which has a great taste and love for mining, surely inherited from the noble nature of your ancestors: Especially from Saint Hedwig, Silesian Sibyl, (as almost every land has had its own Sibyls) who brought forth many great secrets in her days, for the mighty benefit and good of this land and her Princely descendants, among other things, she also opened the gold mines of Goldberg and Liegnitz. The Liegnitz mine, as the annals show, provided at least 120 marks of gold weekly in surplus, which lasted eight years, amounting to 49,920 marks of gold, and often even carried 160 marks weekly: But with the Tartar wars four hundred and fifty years ago, and the Hussite wars, as well as internal conflicts, regrettably ceased, to the extent that today the lode stone is not recognized, let alone the method of exploitation, which, however, the said holy Duchess, undoubtedly, as a faithful mother of her subjects and country, has taught for all eternity, not with writings or words, but with works and deeds (which are imperishable) to those who could understand. For from the beginning of the world, this method of teaching the most important secrets has been practiced by the Sophi and Sibyls. It would therefore be desirable, and God should be prayed to, that these most precious mines were still in operation, they would bring no small benefit to Your Princely Graces and the lands, or at least, that they might come back to some extent, as well as the Reichstein and Silberberg mines to a better and more abundant state, to which this present little book of mining, in my opinion, would not be the least promotion (if rightly understood): and this book, and its author, are not only to be highly regarded for his great and varied experience in mining, and for his high learning and experience in chemistry, but also because he has read and draws upon the books of Theophrastus Paracelsus, the highly enlightened and divinely gifted man, of which are not yet in the light of day or known, and he fully agrees with his views, and without doubt, may have drawn all guidance from him: Then also the handwriting of the original is very close to Theophrastus's handwriting, as if he had written it himself.

Therefore, may the same be graciously accepted by Your Princely Graces, all three persons, from me in humility as a modest token of gratitude: Whom I, along with the entire Princely House, commend to God's gracious protection, and myself to their Graces, further favor, and promotion. Given at Brieg in Silesia on the 14th of August, in the Year of Christian Salvation 1600.

Your Princely Graces' Humble Servant, Elias Montanus.