book called "Long Livers," originally printed in 1722, the consideration of which we shall

approach a little later. Before, however, parting with the general subject, I shall briefly
touch upon all the points omitted by Professor Buhle, and urged by others of the "Eosi-
crucian school " — at least so far as I have met with any in the course of my reading, which,
by the greatest latitude of construction, can be viewed as bearing ever so remotely upon the
immediate subject of our inquiry.

" At the beginning of the seventeenth century," says the Professor, " many learned heads
in England were occupied with Theosophy, Cabbalism, and Alchemy : among the proofs of this
may be cited the works of John Pordage, of Norbert, of Thomas and Samuel Norton, but
above all (in reference to our present inquiry) of Eobert Fludd." ^

The particular occasion of Fludd's first acquaintance with Eosicrucianism is not recorded ;
and whether he gained his knowledge directly fi-om the three Eosicrucian books, or indirectly
through his friend Maier, who was on intimate terms with Fludd during his stay in England,
is immaterial. At any rate — and it should be remembered that it is the Professor who is
arguing — he must have been initiated into Eosicrucianism at an early period, having pub-
lished his " Aiwlof/y" for it in the year 1617. Fludd did not begin to publish until 1616, but
afterwards became a voluminous writer, being the author of about twenty works, mostly
written in Latin, and as dark and mysterious in their language as their matter. Besides his
own name, he wrote under the pseudonyms of Eobertus de Fluctibus, Eudolphus Otreb,
Alitophilus, and Joachim Frizius. His writings on the subject of Eosicrucianism are as
follows: — L "A Brief Apology cleansing and clearing the Brotherhood of the Eosy Cross
from the stigma of infamy and suspicion ; " II. " An Apologetic Tract defending the Honesty
of the Society of the Eosy Cross from the attacks of Libavius and others ; " III. " The Contest
of Wisdom with Folly ; " IV. The " Summum Bonum," an extravagant work, from which I
shall give various extracts, written "in praise of Magic, the Cabbala, Alchemy, the Brethren

' Buhle's " Historico-Critical Inquiry into the Origin of the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons," though "confused
in its arrangement," is certainly not "illogical in its arguments," as contended by Dr Jlackey. Its weak point is the
insufficiency of the Masonic data with which the Professor was provided. On the whole, however, although some
inaccuracies appear with regard to Ashmole's initiation, and the period to which English Freemasonry can be carried
back,- the essay — merely regarded as a contribution to Masonic history — will contrast favourably with all speculations
upon the origin of Freemasonry of earlier publication. Whether Buhle was a Freemason it is not easy to decide ; but
from the wording of his own (not Do Quincey's) preface, I think he must have been.

' With tlie exception of "Norbert," whom I have failed to trace, all the writers named by Buhle are cited in the
Athene 0.xonienses. Soano says that the Masonic lodges "sprang out of Rosicrucianism and the yearly meeting of
astrologers," the first known members of which [the lodges] — Fludd, Ashmole, Pordage, and others, who were Para-
cclsists — being "all ardent Rosicrucians in principle, though the name was no longer owned by them."

112 EARLY BRITISH FREEMASONRY— ENGLAND.

of the Piosy Cross ; and for the disgrace of the notorious calumniator Fr. Marin. Mersenne ; "
and V. " The Key of Philosophy and Alchemy." ^

Some little confusion has arisen, out of the habit of this author of veiling his identity by
a constant change of pseudonym. But it may be fairly concluded that all the works below
enumerated are from his pen, since the references from one to another are sufficiently plain
and distinct to stamp them all as the coinage of a single brain.

Anthony k Wood omits the " Apology " (IT.) from his list of Fludd's works ; but though
denied to be his, it bears his name in the title page, and was plainly written by the author
of the " Summura Bonum " (IV.), being expressly claimed by him at p. 39 of that work.
Now, the " Sophife cum Moria Certamen " (III.), and the " Summum Bonum " (IV.), two
witty but coarse books, were certainly Fludd's, i.e., if the opinions of his contemporaries carry
any weight, and the summing up of the Oxford antiquary, on this disputed point, is
generally regarded as conclusive.^

Our author, indeed, sullied these two treatises by mixing a good deal of ill language in
them, but Gassendi freely admitted that Mersenne had given Fludd too broad an example of
the kind, for some of the epithets which he thought fit to bestow on him were no better than
" Caco-magus, Haeretico-magus, fsetidse et horridoe Magiae, Doctor et Propagator." And among
other exasperating expressions, he threatened him with no less than damnation itself, wliich
would in a short time seize him.^

Herein Mersenne showed himself a worthy rival of Henry VIII. and Sir Thomas More
in their attack on Luther, who was a great deal more than their match in vituperation, though
scarcely their superior in theology. It is certainly true that, as Hallam says, the theology
of the Great Eeformer consists chiefly in " bellowing in bad Latin," but it was effective, for he
not only convinced others, but also himself, or appeared to do so, that every opposite opinion
in theological argument was right, eternal punishment being always denounced as the penalty
of differing from the whim of the moment. Buhle's theory, as he goes on to expand it, is
that Fludd, finding himself hard pressed by Gassendi to assign any local habitation or name
to the Bosicrucians, evaded the question by, in his answer to Gassendi, 1633, formally with-
drawing the name, for he now speaks of them as " Fratres E. C. olim sic dicti, quos nos hodie
Sapientes, vel Sophos vocamus ; omisso ilk nomine, tanquam odioso miseris mortalibus velo
ignorantia obductis, et in oUivione liominum jam fere scpulto."^

I may observe, in passing, that, though from one cause or another, the name of " Eosi-
crucians " may have fallen into disrepute, that there is no reason why they .should have
hidden themselves under the name of " Freemasons," first, because there was no distinct

1 I. Apologia Compendaria, Frateruitatem de Rose! Cruce Suspicionis et Infamise, Maciilis aspersam, abluens et
aTistergens. Leydse, 1616 ; II. Tractatus Apologeticus, integritatem Societatis de Rosea, Cruce defendens contra
Libavium et alios. Lugduni Batavorum, 1617; III. Sophias cum MoriA Certamen, etc. Franc, 1629; IV. Summum
Bonum, quod est verum, Magiai, Cabals, Alchymia;, Fratrum Rosa; Crucis Verorum, Vera; Subjectura— In dictarum
Scientarum Laudem, in insignis Calumniatoris Fr. Mar. Marsennl Dedecus publicatum, per Joachim Frizium. 1629 ;