CHAPTER III.

Occult Studies in England — Friar Bacon — Impostors — Forman, Dee, and Lilly — their nostrums — Dr Richard Napier — Rector of Lynford — had all Forman’s Secrets — His Life and Devotion — Invocates Angels — Picture — Died praying, 1634 — Dr John Rainoldes — Great Rab- binical Scholar — Friend of Forman — His “ Censura Librorum ” — “The Third University” — Maier — History — born 1568 — Works, “ Atalanta Fugiens,” “Arcana Arcanissima,” “ Tractatus de Volucri Arborea,” &c. — Appearance — Connection with Fludd — Initiates him to Rosicrucian Society — More —a great Rabbinical Scholar — His History and Studies.
^HE earlier history of occult studies in England is one of imposture and shame. If we except the efforts of Friar Bacon, whose ideas and experiments, so far as we can understand them, were more serious and genuine than the rest, what can we say of Forman, Dee, and Lilly ? That these philosophers had attained some mystic and occult knowledge we need not doubt, but what were the uses they put it to ? Dee, although a favourite with Elizabeth, was little better than an impostor, and Forman was one who supplied lovers with “potions which should soften obdurate hearts, and married women with drugs to relieve them of the reproach of sterility ; rakes who desired to corrupt virtue, and impatient heirs who longed for immediate possession of their fortunes, with compounds which should enfeeble, or even kill.” Forman died in 1611.^ It is said that he visited Portugal, the Low Countries, and the East to improve his knowledge of astrology, astronomy, and medicine.- One of his pupils
1 Davenport Adams’ Witch, Warlock, and Magician, 105.
2 Davenport Adams’ Witch, Warlock, and Magician, 104.
DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
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was a person of a very different character. Dr Richard Napier, rector of Lynford, and graduate of the University of Cambridge, had all Forman’s “ rarities and secret MSS.,” and proved “ a singular astrologer and physician.” He had “ a library excellently furnished with very choice books.” “ He instructed many ministers in astrology, and would lend them whole cloke-bags of books.” John Aubrey tells that he was “ a person of great abstinence, innocence, and piety ; he spent every day two hours in family prayer.” He “ invocated several angels in his prayers, viz., Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, &c.” His portrait, preserved in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, shows him as a person of very occult” appearance. He dyed praying upon his knees, being of a great age, 1634, April the first.” His nephew. Sir Richard Napier, was one of the first members of the Royal Society.^
Napier corresponded frequently with Forman. The latter “ used much tautology, as you may see if you’ll read a great book of Dr Robert Flood [in Musseo Ashmoleano], who had it all from the MSS. of Forman.” ^ Thus it is seen that Forman, Napier, and Fludd formed a sort of succession, especially in astrological and geomantic studies.
One of the greatest of scholars in Rabbinical learning and curious questions at this time was Dr John Rainoldes (1549-1607), President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, the college of Jewel and Hooker. He was know-n as the living library,” and as “ the third University of England.” His great work, printed after his death, is entitled — “ Censura Librorum Apocryphorum Veteris Testament!.” ‘‘ Rainoldes’ work is of permanent value. It is indeed a great storehouse of curious learning — biblical, historical, chronological, rabbinical, patristic, scholastic.” Like many of the works of that kind, it was printed at Oppenheim, and appeared in 1611. 2 vols., 4to.^
V . ^ Memoirs of Merchiston, 238-241.
^ Wood’s Athense, ii. 100.
^ Dowden’s Paddock Lectures, 72-4.
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DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
Meanwhile, in Germany, a famous alchemist and scholar in curious lore was beginning to attract notice. This was Michael Maier, who was born at Ruidsburg, in Holstein, about the year 1568. Having studied medicine, he settled at Rostock, and practiced so successfully that he became physician to the Emperor Rudolph. He became a volumin- ous and ingenious writer. The most curious of them all is ‘ Atalanta Fugiens,’ which abounds with quaint and mystical copperplate engravings, emblematically revealing the most unsearchable secrets of nature.” Some of his works are of a purely alchemical nature.^
One of the most curious of Maier’s works is entitled — “ Arcana Arcanissima hoc est Hieroglyphica Egyptio- Graeca, &c.” In another he treats “ Sur la resurrection du Phenix.” In 1619 he published at Frankfurt — “ Tractatus de Volucri Arborea, absque Patre et Matre, in Insulis Orcadum.” Maier’s “ Septimana Philosophica,” 1620, is dedicated to the Archbishop of Magdeburg, and has his portrait inserted. He appears as a rather small person of not at all attractive appearance. The work consists of sup- posed philosophical conversations between King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and Hyram, Prince of Tyre.
But the most interesting fact in the life of Maier is that when visiting England, which he appears to have done more than once, he made the acquaintance of Robert Fludd in London, and, it is said, initiated him into the Society of the Rosy Cross, of which he was an enthusiastic member. Of this, and of the works published by him in defence of that society, and of efforts on behalf of it, particulars will be given further on.
Robert Fludd and Henry More were the two greatest Rabbinical students of their time. Before proceeding with the history of the life of Fludd, it may not be out of place to give a few particulars of the life of More.
1 Jennings’ Rosicrucians, 268, &c. ; Waite’s Lives of Alchemystical Philosophers, 160, 161.
2 Irving’s “ Literary Scotchmen,” i. 7.
DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
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He was younger than Fludd, being born in 1614. Edu- cated at Eton and Christ’s College in Cambridge, he ofraduated from the same college to which the illusti’ious Joseph Mede belonged. More was a great student of the “ Platonic writers and mystic divines, such as Marsilius, Ficinus, Plotinus, Trismegistus, &c., where his enthusiasm appears to have been highly gratified.” He believed “ that the true principles of divine philosophy were to be found in the writings of the Platonists. At the same time he was persuaded that the ancient Cabbalistic philosophy sprang from the same fountain. . . . His temper was naturally
grave and thoughtful, but, at the same time, he could relax into gay conversation and pleasantry.” Bishop Burnet describes him as an open-hearted and sincere Christian philosopher, who studied to establish men in the great principles of religion against atheism.” ^ Dr More declined all church preferment.
^ Chalmers’ Biog. Dicty. Art. — Dr Henry More.