Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. VI.

The opinion of diverse learned men touching the folly of Alchy∣mistry.

* 1.1ALbert in his book of Minerals reporteth, that Avicenna treating of Al∣chymistry, saith; Let the dealers in Alchymistry understand, that the very nature and kinde of things cannot be changed, but rather made by art to resemble the same in shew and likenesse; so that they are not the very things indeed, but seem so to be in appearance; as castles and towers do seem to be built in the clouds, whereas the representations there shewed, are nothing else but the resemblance of certain objects below, caused in some bright and clear cloud, when the aire is void of thicknesse and grossnesse. A sufficient proofe hereof may be the looking glasse. And we see (saith he) that yellow or orrenge colour laid upon red, seemeth to be gold.* 1.2 Francis Petrarch treating of the same matter in forme of a dia∣logue, introduceth a disciple of his, who fansied the foresaid fond professi∣on and practice, saying; I hope for prosperous successe in Alchymistry. Pe∣trach answereth him; It is a wonder from whence that hope should spring, sith the fruit thereof did never yet fall to thy lot, nor yet at any time chance to any other; as the report commonly goeth, that many rich men, by this vanity and madnesse have been brought to beggery, whiles they have wearied themselves therewith, weakned their bodies, and wa∣sted their wealth in trying the means to make gold ingender gold. I hope for gold according to the workmans promise, saith the disciple. He that hath promised the gold, will run away with thy gold, and thou ne∣ver the wiser, saith Petrarch. He promiseth me great good, saith the disciple. He will first serve his own turn, and relieve his private pover∣ty, saith Petrarch; for Alchymisters are a beggerly kind of people, who though they confesse themselves bare and needy, yet will they make others rich and wealthy; as though others poverty did more molest and pity them then their owne. These be the words of Petrarch, a man of great learning and no lesse experience; who as in his time he saw the frau∣dulent fetches of this compassing craft; so hath there been no age, since the same hath been broached, wherein fome few wise men have not smelt out the evill meaning of these shifting merchants,* 1.3 and bewrayed them to the world.

An ancient writer of a religious order, who lived above a thousand years since, discovering the diversities of thefts, after a long enumerati∣on, in Alchymisters, whom he calleth Falsificantes metallorum & mine∣ralium, witches and counterfeiters of metals and minerals; and setteth

them as deep in the degree of theeves, as any of the rest, whose inju∣rious dealings are brought to open arreignment. It is demanded (saith he) why the art of Alchymistry doth never prove that in effect, which it pretendeth in precept and promise. The answer is ready; that if by art gold might be made, then were it behoovefull to know the man∣ner and proceeding of nature in generation; sith art is said to imitate and counterfeit nature.* 1.4 Againe, it is because of the lamenesse and unperfect∣ness of phylosophy, specially concerning minerals no such manner of pro∣ceeding being set down by consent and agreement of philosophers in wri∣ting, touching the true and undoubted effect of the same. Whereupon one supposeth that gold is made of one kind of stuffe this way, others of another kind of stuffe that way. And therefore it is a chance if any at∣taine to the artificiall applying of the actives and passives of gold and silver. Moreover, it is certain, that quicksilver and sulphur are the materials (as they terme them) of metals, and the agent is heat, which directeth; howbeit it is very hard to know the due proportion of the mixture of the materials; which proportion the generation of gold doth require. And admit that by chance they attaine to such proportion; yet can they not readily resume or doe it again in another work, because of the hidden diversities of materials, and the uncertainty of applying the actives and passives.

The same ancient author concluding against this vain art,* 1.5 saith, that of all christian lawmakers it is forbidden, and in no case tolerable in any commonwealth; first because it presumeth to forge Idols for co∣vetousnesse, which are gold and silver; whereupon saith the apostle, Co∣vetousnesse is idolworship; secondly, for that (as Aristotle saith) coin should be skant and rare,* 1.6 that it might be dear; but the same would waxe vile, and of small estimation, if by the art of Alchymistry gold and silver might be multiplied; thirdly, because (as experience proveth) wise men are thereby bewitched, couseners increased, princes abused, the rich impoverished, the poor beggered, the multitude made fooles, and yet the craft and craftmasters (oh madnesse!) credited. Thus farre he. Whereby in few words he discountenanceth that profession, not by the imaginations of his owne brain, but by manifold circum∣stances of manifest proof. Touching the which practice I think enough hath been spoken, and more a great deal than needed; sith so plain and de∣monstrable a matter requireth the lesse travell in confutation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The substan∣ces of things are not trans∣mutable.
• * 1.2

  Franc. Pe∣trarch. lib. de remed. utr. fort. 1. cap. 10.
• * 1.3

  Goschalcus Boll. ordinis S. Au∣gust. in suo prae∣ceptorio, fol. 244. col, b, c, d. & 1.
• * 1.4

  No certain ground in the art Alchymi∣sticall.
• * 1.5

  Idem ibid.
• * 1.6

  A varitia ido∣lorum cultus.