C. E. C. did not return, but shipped himself over, and went

to Damasco, minding from thence to go to Jerusalem. But
by reason of the feebleness of his body he remained still
there, and by his skill in physic he obtained much favour
with the Turks, and in the meantime he became acquainted
with the Wise Men of Damcar in Arabia, and beheld what
great wonders they wrought, and how Nature was discovered
unto them.

Hereby was that high and noble spirit of Brother C. E. C.
so stired up, that Jerusalem was not so much now in his
mind as Damasco ; 1 also he could not bridle his desires
any longer, but made a bargain with the Arabians that
they should carry him for a certain sum of money to Damcar.

1 Damascus and the unknown city denominated Damcar are con-
tinually confused in the German editions. Brother C. R. C. evi-
dently did not project a journey to Damascus, which he had already
reached ; nevertheless this is the name appearing in this place, and
I have decided on retaining it for reasons which will subsequently
be made evident.

FAMA FRATERNITATIS. 67

He was but of the age of sixteen years when he came
thither, yet of a strong Dutch constitution. There the
Wise Men received him not as a stranger (as he himself
witnesseth), but as one whom they had long expected ;
they called him by his name, and shewed him other secrets
out of his cloyster, whereat he could not but mightily
wonder.

He learned there better the Arabian tongue, so that the
year following he translated the book M into good Latin,
which he afterwards brought with him. This is the place
where he did learn his Physick and his Mathematics, whereof
the world hath much cause to rejoice, if there were more
love and less envy.

After three years he returned again with good consent,
shipped himself over Sinm Arablcus into Egypt, where he
remained not long, but only took better notice there of the
plants and creatures. He sailed over the whole Medi-
terranean Sea for to come unto Fez, where the Arabians
had directed him.

It is a great shame unto us that wise men, so far
remote the one from the other, should not only be of
one opinion, hating all contentious writings, but also be so
willing and ready, under the seal of secresy, to impart their
secrets to others. Every year the Arabians and Africans
do send one to another, inquiring one of another out of
their arts, if happily they had found out some better
things, or if experience had weakened their reasons.
Yearly there came something to light whereby the Mathe-
matics, Physic, and Magic (for in those are they of Fez
most skilful) were amended. There is now-a-days no want
of learned men in Germany, Magicians, Cabalists, Physi-
cians, and Philosophers, were there but more love and

68 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.

kindness among them, or that the most part of them would
not keep their secrets close only to themselves.

At Fez he did get acquaintance with those which are
commonly called the Elementary inhabitants, who revealed
unto him many of their secrets, as we Germans likewise
might gather together many things if there were the like
unity and desire of searching out secrets amongst us.

Of these of Fez he often did confess, that their Magia
was not altogether pure, and also that their Cabala was
defiled with their Eeligion; but, notwithstanding, he
knew how to make good use of the same, and found still
more better grounds for his faith, altogether agreeable
with the harmony of the whole world, and wonderfully
impressed in all periods of time. Thence proceedeth that
fair Concord, that as in every several kernel is contained a
whole good tree or fruit, so likewise is included in the
little body of man, the whole great world, whose religion,
policy, health, members, nature, language, words, and
works, are agreeing, sympathizing, and in equal tune and
melody with God, Heaven, and Earth ; and that which is
disagreeing with them is error, falsehood, and of the devil,
who alone is the first, middle, and last cause of strife,
blindness, and darkness in the world. Also, might one
examine all and several persons upon the earth, he should
find that which is good and right is always agreeing with
itself, but all the rest is spotted with a thousand erroneous
conceits.

After two years Brother K. C. departed the city Fez,
and sailed with many costly things into Spain, hoping
well, as he himself had so well and profitably spent his
time in his travel, that the learned in Europe would highly
re Joyce with him, and begin to rule and order all their

FAMA FRATERNITATIS. 69

studies according to those sure and sound foundations.
He therefore conferred with the learned in Spain, shewing
unto them the errors of our arts, and how they might be
corrected, and from whence they should gather the true
Inditia of the times to come, and wherein they ought to
agree with those things that are past ; also how the faults
of the Church and the whole Philosophia Moralis were to
be amended. He shewed them new growths, new fruits,
and beasts, which did concord with old philosophy, and
prescribed them new Axiomata, whereby all things might
fully be restored. But it was to them a laughing matter,
and being a new thing unto them, they feared that their
great name would be lessened if they should now again
begin to learn, and acknowledge their many years' errors,
to which they were accustomed, and wherewith they had
gained them enough. Who so loveth unquietness, let him
be reformed (they said). The same song was also sung to
him by other nations, the which moved him the more
because it happened to him contrary to his expectation,
being then ready bountifully to impart all his arts and
secrets to the learned, if they would have but undertaken
to write the true and infallible Axiomata, out of all
faculties, sciences, and arts, and whole nature, as that
which he knew would direct them, like a globe or circle, to
the onely middle point and centrum, and (as it is usual
among the Arabians) it should onely serve to the wise
and learned for a rule, that also there might be a society
in Europe which might have gold, silver, and precious
stones, sufficient for to bestow them on kings for their
necessary uses and lawful purposes, with which [society]
such as be governors might be brought up for to learn all
that which God hath suffered man to ''[know, and thereby

70 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.

to be enabled in all times of need to give their counsel unto
those that seek it, like the Heathen Oracles.

Verily we must confess that the world in those days
was already big with those great commotions, labouring to
be delivered of them, and did bring forth painful, worthy
men, who brake with all force through darkness and bar-
barism, and left us who succeeded to follow them. As-
suredly they have been the uppermost point in Trygono igneo,
whose flame now should be more and more brighter, and
shall undoubtedly give to the world the last light.

Such a one likewise hath Theophrastus been in vocation and
callings, although he was none of our Fraternity, yet, never-
theless hath he diligently read over the Book M, whereby
his sharp ingenium was exalted ; but this man was also
hindered in his course by the multitude of the learned and
wise-seeming men, that he was never able peaceably to
confer with others of the knowledge and understanding he
had of Nature. And therefore in his writings he rather
mocked these busie bodies, and doth not shew them alto-
gether what he was ; yet, nevertheless, there is found with
him well grounded the afore-named Harmonia, which with-
out doubt he had imparted to the learned, if he had not
found them rather worthy of subtil vexation then to be in-
structed in greater arts and sciences. He thus with a free
and careless life lost his time, and left unto the world their
foolish pleasures.

But that we do not forget our loving Father, Brother