"The Book of Quinte Essence or the Fifth Being; that is to say, Man's Heaven. A tretise in englisch breuely drawe out of the book of quintis essencijs in latyn that hermys the prophete and kyng of Egipt, after the flood of Noe, fadir of philosophris, hadde by revelacioun of an aungil of god to him sende."

The Book of the Quintessence was written during the reign of Edward IV; a copy is in the Sloane collection in the British Museum. It was written by Hermes, king of Egypt and father of philosophers, and proposes to teach how to restore the aged to youth, so long as they have not suffered from "thunder blast" or violent injuries. This miracle of rejuvenation was named the "burning water", "the soul in the spirit of wine", "the water of life", or the quinte essence. And this worthy distillation was certainly "man's heaven". And five ways of making this marvel are described.

1. Distill any wine which is not sour, to obtain the dregs which are composed of the four elements. Distill these seven times, and burning water will be obtained. This too must be distilled until it is converted into the Quinte Essence and separated from the four elements. After one thousand more distillations, this is fined down to a medicine incorruptible, of the nature of Heaven. Let many days pass ere the vessel is unstopped, and you shall know it to be the true quinta essencia by its scent, a passing sweet heavenly flavour irresistible to man.

2. Pour the burning water into an amphora, seal it securely, and bury it neck-down in horse-dung. Let the impurities settle in the neck of the amphora, then puncture the seal and release the "erthey water". What is left is the quintia essencia.

3. As in the last, but instead hide the amphora well "in the wombe of an horse."

4. Use a strong glass vessel, being made with a tube of glass one foot long which hangs down from the top of the vessel; thus the vapour, as it condenses in the process of distillation, can be collected in the glass tube.

5. Distill the burning water ten times over in horse dung continually digested.

But this essence can be made from antimony and from human blood; and indeed from all four elements - earth, air, fire and water - the essence can be drawn, and these distinct essences must then be separated from one another: there are many 5 essences.

"And sith oure 5 essence aforseid is to heuenly a thing, and by sotil craft brought to so myche swetnes, it is so soueryn a medicyn that it may weel be lijkned to the ioie of paradise. Forwhi, it makith a man light, iocunde, glad, and merie, and puttith away heuynesse, angre, malencopy, and wraththe, the whiche that deuilis loue and ideo nostra essencia digne vocatur celum humanum <on that account our essence is deservedly called the human heaven>. Also if a man be trauelyid with a feend and may not be deliuerid fro him, let him drinke a litil quantite of oure 5 essence, with 5 essence of gold and peerl, and with an eerbe called ypericon, ie fuga demonum, and the seed therof be grounden and afterward distilled, and the watir therof a litil quantite medlid <mixed> with the othere quintis essenciis, and anoon the deuel wole fle awey fro him and fro his hous.

"And since our 5 essence aforesaid is too heavenly a thing, and by subtle craft brought to so much sweetness, it is so sovereign a medicine that it may well be likened to the joy of paradise. Forwhich, it makes a man light, fecund, glad and merry, and puts away heaviness, anger, melancholy, and wrath, the which that devils love and on that account our essence is deservedly called the human heaven. Also if a man be travailed with a fiend and may not be delivered from him, let him drink a little quantity of our 5 essence, with 5 essence of gold and pearl, and with an herb called hypericon, ie fuga demonum, and the seed thereof be ground and afterward distilled, and the water thereof a little quantity mixed with the other quintessence, and anon the devil will fly away from him and from his house."

Now, this essence is guaranteed "for to hele yche and for to distrie lies" ie. to heal itches and destroy lice, and to cure quartain fever, and also to cure pestilential fever. And those afflicted with this fever must take every morning an eggshell full of good brennynge water and also use in the days two or three small pelotes pestilenciales--that is, pills to cure the pestilence--and also fumigate his house with "frank-ensence, mirie and rosyn, terbentyn and rewell, a perfect cure for the fever pestilence."