Section 3

Surely for confirmation we may take notice of the Time ; They have been kepi and obferyed for many • Ages, and tjais
dotb
I oj the KojecYHCians" \ 5
Ch not a little ftrengthen the firft Au-
jrityi for if you prefcribe Lawcs to
y who were not under fuch beforehand
tijietidfuch Lavves continue a longfeafon
andiiviolated, it will follow that thofe
[iniiawes being juft and good may yet en-
[i]f.are : for that nothing hinders, but thac
-.j.lis private Legiflative power may be in
irce, being neither contrary to Divine
'Civil Statutes, the Lawes of Nature,
poficivc Law, or Cuftome of Na-
i J To forije it may fecme a ftrange thing fQtjiat our Authors name (hould not be jj,£j'nown ; to which we anfwcr. ^ Our Father indeed hath lien hid as be- gpj.ig long fince dead, and his Brethren al- jupough they live and retaine in Record ijjjjnd Memory his Sacred Name 5 yet be- .^j^iufeofibme fecret and weighty caufes, j^d-renoc willing to have his name orper- Jdu known. Befides they have a conti* Ij ual fucccfSon and genealogy from him l^gOthemfelves j and they received after- ^j/ards a Lampe from a known confcde- ate and colleague of their Fraternity; ^j.'hey can read the Authors foule in his
ookes, view the true Feature in the pidt- jj re, judge of the truth of the caufc by i the
1 4 '^he Myfieries and Lawes
theeffeft 5 whofc afttons confirms thei ili( goodnefleand finccrity 5 their hands ar w( let with eyes, (o that their btJiefe go* tffl beyond their fight 5 whar other mci jd foolifhly and ignorantly think incredibi flc and viiine, they know to be reaii ant (iii poflible. «fi
Shall we deny that thofe men wH i\ were chofen and felefted to be of the Frai «: ternity, were unacquainted wlch ou*, |c Author/' Surely they were mcft inti i^. mate and familiar with him, and perfor « tned with alacrity what ever -he cotn f mandedorenjoyned them, it
To thofe indeed to whom the know- ledge of him v/as no benefit, he was not neither was it neceffary that he fhouk be kaown, unlefTe fuch pcrfons over curi* ous pry cd into matters which concert them not 5 for as it belongs not to us tc have intelligence what defignes are in a- gitation within the walls dl'roy, or whc inlndia doth adminifter juftice orgivc Lawes ; fo like wife ought thtfy not tc intermeddle with this Author and his Brethren altogether unknown to them, If we behold fmoiike breathing out of an houfe, we prcfently conclude that there is fire within. And why (hould not wc
although
of the Rofeeruciam* I J
^ though the Father and the Fraternity 5 1 venotbeenfeenby oiitivard eye, yec g( fcaufe of their workcSjby the eye of our ndes difccrn and fatistie our felves ncerning them ? We can paflea judge- ai mt upon a Tree by the tniit^j although efrukbe plucked off; it fufficeth to e knowledge ot a man if weiieare hiai ke: Whence Socr^ites fp.-'ke thus to /oung vertuous man, but one that hdd s peace *, fpeake (Taid he^ that I may fo|:areth€e. A Dog difcovers himfelfe T his barking, a Nightingale by her reetchaunting notes; and we judge of 1 other things according to their a6t- fiolgs. And why then cannot we diftin- aifti this our Author from cheats by his ri oiitions and Lawes , i\nct it is the o-^ en lers whole ddigrie to delude? they itliakc gain of their tricks , that which ould be iarkfcme to an ther, they take yieafurein^andmake a fport of dangers yiid hazards.
Our Author is namelefle, but yet wor- hi^iy of credit, unknown to the vulgar, ut well known to his own Society. And jme may ask the reafon of his conceal- lent. We know that the AntientPhi- rfophers counted thcmfelves happy in a
private
1 6 Ihe My juries and Lams
private life 5 and why may not Moderm 1^ enjoy the ftrae priviledge, fince necefficj u| may put thefe ncore upon it then thcin I ^4 The World is now more burdned witli ^a wickedneflc and impieties : Indeed thd ai; whole Creation as it flowed from Go4 on was exceeding good;, but mans fall hat(| \ brought a curfe upon the Creatures. Vfh \\ lidorus had not been fo credulous^ coul^ m he have forefeen his Fate 5 by whofe exi it ample others have got wKdome, thej id dare not entruft themfelves with the rudi f|i multitude, but fecrccly do withdraui {^ themfelves j for commonly an handfom^ 4 opportunity makesa Theife; and he thai In cxpofes his treafures upon an high hill to all mens eyes, invites Robbers. Men called Homines have both their name an nature ab humoj from the earth, whicl fometimes being parched with cxtream heat opens; fometimes feemes to drowned with floods; which depend upon the Sun, Winde , Showres, either of the cither yeilding no influence at at all, or exceeding in their operations. Even fc thcmindeofman is not alwayes in the fame condition ; fometimes it enlargeth itfelfe in covetoufnefl^e, fometimes Vice is more pleafing to it then Virtue, and
plundering
Ofibe RofecmciaHT. % f
; plundering is prefer'd before honefty and
"^ ^jftice. But I would not be thought to
^iclude all men in this cenfure ; for we
tend oncly thofe who having neither
afon nor learning, do differ very little
^^ om the brute beafts.
Wherefore the Father of this Fraterni- was not fo much careful of concealing nfelf ill refpeft of his own interefl ; It herein he wifely confulted the good d welfare of his (ucceflbrs and the lolf Fraternity. Shall we efteeme him vife man who is not wife for himfelfe ? that Ariftiffus^ Amxarchus and many til hers do worthily beare their dif-
aces. M( Every one by dangerous atcheivements an d noble exploits can get renown ; and liid He have grown famous by notorious am d execrable villani^s. As Hero^ratus lO fired the great Temple of Diana : po t this our Author and his Succeffors hci iicealethemfelveSjVery well knowing tat a fling Honour and Popularity ries in the taile of it; not that they \ili:e or (corne humane Society, but that ged ymay as it were at a diftance behold Vic : enormities of men, being onely ao i;ftators and not aftors* Vffmocritus is iiin ! C reported
1 8 7he Mjifteries and Lawtt
reported to have put out his eyes that h might not fee the vanity and emptiijffl of the world in refpeft of goodfielie ant venue, and its fulncffe of deceit, luxury andallvrce : But our Author and hi SucctfTors have taken a very wife couri! to concealc themicJVeR ; no ipan tha would exaftly fee an objeft,will fixe bodk, his eyes upon it 5 neither wiil a wife mai put himfelfc into the hands of tithe tdercnty or Marsy they being Patror c Tht hs and Robbers; neither vtii h cntruft himfelte with Jupiter or / ^i fince that the one is arm.d with thunaei bolts, the other with arrowes 3 by whal J the unfortunate Hjacintbtti periO d, ail was Metamorphofed into a flower beai ring his name. b
M
iic!
• lao,
CHA!|igg ' ittfr
' oaft D(Ji
m
ofihtEjofiifrHciansi 19
CHAP. III.
^^ i^ncerning the gtnerd intent and efeSofthefe Lawes with the par^ ticuUr Circm^fiancef of Place^ Tinte^ Meanes^ andth$Ena.
iiU
ITJ^E have already at large difcourftd mV of the maker and efficienr caul'c
'^i thefe Lawes; now we (hall treat of icir ESefts and Circumftances. That is properly teritjed an cffcft 'hich in all points agrees with its caufe j ) that if our Author Was an upright ian, thefe La Wes which flow from hijhi all likeWife be good^it being a very rare
ilAJiing to fee a vertUous ofi-fpring degene* itefrora their Parents and An ceftors. It if evident enough that thefe Lawts 0 arifwer their iatentionjbykhat order idfirmeknot of fricndfhip which yet >ntiliut$ amongft that Honorable So- C 1 ciety 5
JO The Afyjieries and Latpcs
cicty ; for if Rcafon, Nature, and Truth, had not juflified their pioceedings, doubtleffc they had long fince been ruin^aj cd and come to nothing. Many indecdjE aime well, but yet hit not the marke ; and j we know thit a fudden ftorme croffts thci endeavour and define of the Mariner in arriving at his fafe Haven: even io he; thatfetshirafelfe to any noble exploit^ (hall finde blocks in his way ; and if he goes ihorow with itjGod (hould have ducj thankes by whofe providence and blef- fing he obtaines fo happy an iffue. tj^
Hitherto thefe Brethren have not ro pented of their condition^ neither w they ever, being fervants to the King Kings, all the fruits of their labours tn dedicate to him. Religion with them In greater efteeme then any thing in th World 5 as well in the Book of natun as the written word they read and ftud; Gods Omnipotency, his Providence aniLj his Mercy j they account it their duty tx ^^ helpc and relieve the poor and op ^^ prefled ; and furely fuch adions becom ^^^ Chridians y (o unworthy a thing it \ ^ that Heathens and Turkcs (hould oul p^
Go
ftripeusinthem It is not oeccflary ^lat apy ihouIJQj]
knO|
4>fth RcfecTHcianf. % I
:now their place of meeting, but they ■ vhom it properly concerns. We arc ure that it is not in Vtofia^ or amongft he Tartars, but by chance in the middle )i Germany^ for Europe feemes to re- emble a Virgin, and Germany to be her )elly; it is not decent that a Virgin hould difcover her felfe, left (he rather )e accounted a Strumpet then a Virgin ; etitfuffice that we know her not to be )arren 5 to have conceived, yea and )r6ught forth this happy Fraternity: ikhough hers i$ a Virgin-wombe, yet ' he have teem'd with many rare and un- known Arts and Sciences. We meane hVjtrmany whkh at prefent flowrifhcth bftnd aboundeth with Rofes and Lilies, ^ ^^rowing in Philofophical gardens where \\o rude hand can crop or fpoile them.
The Hefperiati Nymphs have their a- >ode here ; Mglcy Heretufa^ and Hefpre^ \ujay with their golden boiighe8,left they igainc become a prey to Herctdes^ are kcre fecured. Here are Geryons vaft bulls n faire and fiife palhires ', neither Cacusy 'lor any malicious perfon can fteale or b'erfecuce them. Who can deny that the 3olden Fleece is here, or the princely
I3arden of Mars and Aita who is feigned C3 to
9^ The Mfjkries and Lam^
to be Son oifhocltu and Fbdittms Brother?, here are fed the (heep and oxen of the Sun called FecudeSyVfhtnce is derived the word F^c«»i^, Money the Queen pf the World.
It would be to no purpofc to fpeake of ehemcanes by which thcfe things have been deduced from their firft Author;' firce that the Brethren in their Book cn- ticuled their Fame and GonfeiTion, and in other writing have at larpedecjared them. He brought them ^t& from Ara- h'ta into Gefmany his native Country ^and then dcfignfd to make up the Fraternity 5 and thejfe made the firft part of the Book' called M. of which theiT is fo much men- tion in \}\tit¥ama ; which was afterward- tranflated out of Arahich into Latints) out of which Book M» they learned many^ MylKri^s, anclip ir af in a glaffcthey ckar"^^?') '?^/ ihe A^iatcmy and Idea of' tht UnJverfc • And doubtleffe (hortly* they wiU^ into the W'« ? d, that ihofe who covet after knoiwledge inay receive fatisfaftion; nay I confidfntly believe that happy day t) be at hand 5 (0 may we jixlgc of the L'tnby his Paw; for as the tbbingg ana Sowings of the Sea ( as B^films Va^
ientiitUi
i r^;pprt5 ) do:h carry much Wealth
^ .« 1^; domes } lb theft Iccrets
.J piiblickeviewj having much
, fji {he Worlds Harmony (o much
nlb^j F^thtf^ora^y miy yeildusno
i- proh-: and conceQt.
Neither h
w J haV€ btf n fo (Duch alike as this to
he M. yes this F. i? i^e jVf. neither muft
Iv^ ex peck another M»
"^ The end for which thef« Lawf s were
nade w^s the common good and benefit
vhich partly belongs to the Brethren
hemfeivcs, and partly refpefts others,
:ither in their mrades or oodies to the
urnUhing of that with knowledge, and
0 the remedying of the direafee of che Kher ; for they being anibitloas to irofit and advantage others, have taken
1 courfe fu table to their in:entions« But if any (hall ob)e lave not confulted their own fafety, hefe things will confute 5 as alfo that 4icy have endeavoured the good and velfare of others.
In this cafe the fcales hang very even, nclining neither to the one nor other, nd the firft Unity is equivalent to the ^*| ifth, or fecond aiid third linked together ^ C4 A every
«4 ^*^ Myfteries and Ldms
every one( as the Provcrbe hath It) will chriftenhisownchTlde firft; and Rivera (asthe Wifcman fpeakes J ftreame not ^ out, unleffc the fountaine is full ; he gives beft, that gives fo to one that he may give oftentimes.
But when were thefe Lawcs firftpro- inulgatcd,you may learne out of the Fa- nt4 by chance about the yeare 1413)1 Ifhe was borne in the yeare 1378. and travelled at 1^. yearesofage, he was out 6, yearesj and returned at the end of 8, butexpefted ^.yeares before he brought | ^hisbuunefle to any end, and gavehii Lawes : But thefe things are rather conjeftural then certainc, in regard that we want the Hiflory in which they arc diftinftly fet down.
CHAP.
0f theRofecrucidKs* 15
C H A p. I V*
VftheFirJi L4m>^andthe excellency of Medicine above other Arts^tQwhicb the Brethren are devoted^ 1.
E are now come to treat' more particularly of each Law, and we tlifprill begin with the ill i^, vizi
That whoever of them {hail travel, ufi profefle Medicine and cure gratis thout any reward.
Ncceffity hath forced men to invent Arts for their help ; i cariofity hath fet others on worke to fatis6e Fancy, and luxury hath not been idle in feeking out meanes to pleafe it felfe : Now amongft thcfe Arts and Inventions^ fome are more noble and excellent, both in rcfpeftof thcmfelves , ag alfo in the cftimation of men. Do not we count it a Divine and Majeftical thing to govern f what more : glorious then to wage War with fuc-
ceffel
96 ^he Mjjierw and Lawef
ccfle? There are Merchants, Hand! Ctafcfmenj ;^r\d Husbandmen, in a Com^^ mon Wealth, and every one ads in hin proper fphere. In any profound polnc inDivinicy weconfulc the able Clergy 5 in a doubtful and fubtllc cafe we go to an able and hontfk Lawyer j in defperate fickneflie we feekA^Q an experienced and learnedPhyfiqan ; But Medicine feemsi defervedly to have the prehc nip once \ fbraPhyfician in Ccknefle governcs the Emperour, prefcribes Rules and DireAii ons which the Lawyer cannot doj fer the Lawgiver being prefent,thc Law!iath DO force, and may be changed and alee* red at his pleafure who fird; infiicuted ihem.
The Phyfitian likewife fights with the di^ej^esof roans body, and hath (faarpe battels With them, he overcomes to pre- ferring or reftoring health almoft loft «ttd decayed. Hence^^ri^^r^ places health amongftthofe things in which all men agree > for every one knowes that it is he&y and defires to be weii« and in the ©ext place to be rich and wealthy.
Wherefore a Phyfitians employment i8fofarfromi>eing contemptible, that it 4t concerned in a mans cheifed outwar4
good
\
I am m
ioi
. ybA and happtncfle, in maimaknng' '°?1 «lthand cBrina difcafts- God stfirft . sated man ; Nature Gods handmaid fl" ndaccth to the generation of him from c feed of bpth Snexes 5 and it is the Phy- ians office to recover man difeafed^anci reftore him co his native health^fo thao 18 Art hath much in It of Divinity5 If ing the fame fubjeft with the Crea- ^Ti and Generation, viz. Man whabe- g created after the Image of God^ wa9 by Creation, being begotten was atures by Generation 5 nay Chrift him- ^Ufe being incarnate did not difdain to : as well as the Phyfician of the foule, ) alfo to be the Phyfitlan of the body • he Prophets amongft the Ifraelitcsjpra- icedPhyfick, The Priefts amongft the '^P'ligyptians out of whofe number the ings were chofen* Laftly great Princes ive fludied this Art, not covetoufly for le reward, but that they might help the :ke. We have heard of fome who ha- ng flaine many in a fuA War, yet to earc themfelves have freely given Phy« ck, doing good to men to expiate the urtthey had formerly done. Wherefore finee the Profeilion of Phy- ck is fo high fa noUe and facred^ we
need
\c
28 The M/fterie/md Lams
need not admire chat aiDongft. other Act and Sciences in whidi^hey ex eel I, th^t Brethi^en of the Honourable Socict} (hould chufe and prefer this above then all. I confidently believe that the) knowing the moftintimatefccrctsof Na- tUFC^can naturally produce very ftrang €fie6b, which may as much amaze an ig norant Spc6^ator as the Gorgtns head! bu Medicine was dearer to them, as bein§ of i;noft profit and greateft value. j>;Butfome perhaps may exclaime again! thefe Brethren j faying that they are no PJiyHtians^but meere Empericks who in trudeuponPhyfick: Such indeed (hook firft look at home, and then abroad. 1 confeflfc that few of the Brethren haVi h4d their education, but yet they an great Schollarsy not fre(h or rawe in profound learning, but the greateft pro- ficients. They compound that Medicini which they adminider, it being as it wer4 thf.marrow of the great World. . cTo fpeake yet more plainelyi theii Medicine is Frometheus his fire which bj the affiftance oiMi^ierva he ftolc from th Sun,'nd conveyed it into man ; although difeafesand maladies were afterwards by the gods C as the Poets fcignc ) inflifted