The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Another work of mine owne practice containing great and true secrets after the doctrine of our father Hermes theorick is redy likewise to presse into your honors presence...whiche seene, I hope your lordship shall see that the truth of the ancient magick natural is not at this day unknown and unpractised among the serchers and studiers of truth. 139 It is unclear whether Norton ever sent Cecil this second treatise. However, it is apparent that a number of Norton‘s alchemical works have not survived, including ‗The Flower of True and Auncient Physick and Phiosophie‘, mentioned in this treatise. 140 The extent of Cecil‘s relationship with Norton is unknown. Previous historians have not established any link between them, nor is there any extant correspondence between the pair. Norton may have appealed to Cecil based purely on his contemporary reputation. What is clear, however, is that this reputation suggested that Cecil would be interested in a treatise that combined Paracelsian and more traditional alchemical ideas, even though it involved a rejection of classical authorities. Whilst a lack of evidence about Cecil‘s medical treatment makes it difficult to analyse his medical patronage, the case studies examined in this chapter strongly suggest that he favoured chemical medicine. Cecil‘s career certainly came at a time of increasing alchemical influence in medical practice. Paracelsian physicians, basing their practice on an alchemical understanding of both nature and the body, began to rival establishment Galenic physicians. Cecil‘s consultation with two prominent and controversial Paracelsians, Valentine Russwurin and Eliseus Bomelius, demonstrates at the very least a readiness to try these new alchemical methods. Even amongst Cecil‘s more conventional physicians, such as William Paddy and William Gilbert, there was a willingness to make use of chemical treatments. A number of suits demonstrating medical knowledge also support the conclusion that chemical medicine interested Cecil. When suitors such as Nicholas Gybbard and 139 Ibid. 140 Ibid. 74
Henry Bossevyle suggested practical chemical solutions to Cecil‘s medical problems, especially his notorious gout, they did so in the clear expectation that he would consider their offers. These men, both of some local standing, would have known of Cecil‘s interests by reputation. Likewise, Humfrey Lock and Samuel Norton‘s treatises— demonstrations of a theoretical understanding of alchemical medicine—were aimed at a man who believed in alchemical principles that had both medicinal and non-medicinal applications. Whilst Cecil was an important patron of alchemy in his own right, in his role as a government minister he orchestrated some of the most historically significant alchemical projects in the Elizabethan period. To Cecil these projects were coherent attempts to solve urgent national problems through alchemical transmutation. Chapter three therefore examines Cecil‘s efforts to utilise alchemy as a solution to crises in Crown finances. 75
Page 1 and 2:
The Alchemical Patronage of Sir Wil
Page 3 and 4:
Abstract This thesis examines the a
Page 5 and 6:
Acknowledgements Thanks must first
Page 7 and 8:
List of Abbreviations APC Acts of t
Page 9 and 10:
Introduction William Cecil, through
Page 11 and 12:
late seventeenth and early eighteen
Page 13 and 14:
economic policy, only cursory exami
Page 15 and 16:
otherwise. The dull, elderly, burea
Page 17 and 18:
y such prolific authors as A. E. Wa
Page 19 and 20:
marginalised the importance of alch
Page 21 and 22:
Many of the distortions in the hist
Page 23 and 24:
difficult to access with microfilm
Page 25 and 26:
Chapter 1: Cecil and Alchemical Phi
Page 27 and 28:
other aspects of medieval knowledge
Page 29 and 30:
explain why alchemy made sense in t
Page 31 and 32: accuracy of the Aristotelian texts.
Page 33 and 34: short-sighted match. 44 There is ev
Page 35 and 36: University in the period. 56 A high
Page 37 and 38: some tentative conclusions about Ce
Page 39 and 40: Cecil tended to favour more practic
Page 41 and 42: Actes and Monuments (1563), ―fata
Page 43 and 44: Dee and Cecil‘s relationship over
Page 45 and 46: symbolism, seems tenuous. It ignore
Page 47 and 48: great pleasure in the workes of Nat
Page 49 and 50: demonstrated the divine spirit of l
Page 51 and 52: alchemical knowledge than his geogr
Page 53 and 54: eports to Cecil are almost exclusiv
Page 55 and 56: Thynne also affirmed the importance
Page 57 and 58: From Longleat Thynne wrote for Ceci
Page 59 and 60: his desperate financial situation.
Page 61 and 62: no significant records of their pra
Page 63 and 64: such as John Dee and country gentle
Page 65 and 66: The late 1560s saw the first signif
Page 67 and 68: eminently qualified to deal with th
Page 69 and 70: the patronage of James Blount, Lord
Page 71 and 72: medicines. Amongst the collection o
Page 73 and 74: gold into France to fund Catholic e
Page 75 and 76: in distayne‖. 98 However, it is n
Page 77 and 78: of a dedicatory epistle to Cecil, f
Page 79 and 80: home I have not seen‖. 120 Where
Page 81: of yeeres before Paracelsus time‖
Page 85 and 86: metal and European currencies, furt
Page 87 and 88: De Lannoy first came to the attenti
Page 89 and 90: god send it her majesty as trouly a
Page 91 and 92: perform alchemy. Rather, Waad belie
Page 93 and 94: and Leicester. 56 De Lannoy promise
Page 95 and 96: Cecil could not convince the Queen,
Page 97 and 98: the accounts of Elias Ashmole and S
Page 99 and 100: context of Dee‘s failed English C
Page 101 and 102: By March 1589 Dee had left Bohemia
Page 103 and 104: entirely self centred‖. 117 Cecil
Page 105 and 106: Cecil and the Queen‘s demands tha
Page 107 and 108: love and honor vertue and knolledge
Page 109 and 110: Kelley‘s demise. 148 Wotton repor
Page 111 and 112: depryved of his libertye and frends
Page 113 and 114: According to Page, Kelley had not i
Page 115 and 116: a number of attempts to convince Ke
Page 117 and 118: For the Queen and Cecil, Smith‘s
Page 119 and 120: £500 from the company, they were t
Page 121 and 122: payment. Peterson refused them; he
Page 123 and 124: Smith‘s plan, they must have been
Page 125 and 126: Chapter Four: Alchemy and Economic
Page 127 and 128: essays Meta Incognita: A Discourse
Page 129 and 130: y chance she threw and burned in th
Page 131 and 132: y others without trewthe‖. 25 Wal
Page 133 and 134:
work did not make this link, and ne
Page 135 and 136:
linked. It is, however, significant
Page 137 and 138:
laming betrayal, setbacks and decep
Page 139 and 140:
to involve cementation rather than
Page 141 and 142:
Clearly aware of Cecil‘s rising i
Page 143 and 144:
certainly the practical expert, who
Page 145 and 146:
new process which ―my Lord Burghl
Page 147 and 148:
Image 3: An Elizabethan Map of the
Page 149 and 150:
was the potential benefit for the C
Page 151 and 152:
Medley ―by commaundement mencyone
Page 153 and 154:
thanked Wotton for his letter detai
Page 155 and 156:
intention to have medled with any c
Page 157 and 158:
and to have received through his fa
Page 159 and 160:
again imprisoned, this time almost
Page 161 and 162:
was a key investor, attempted to ut
Page 163 and 164:
understanding of nature. John Dee,
Page 165 and 166:
promised ―an ounce or so of powde
Page 167 and 168:
conviction regarding the reality of
Page 169 and 170:
———, Calendar of Patent Rolls
Page 171 and 172:
Bennet, Henry, A Famous and Godly H
Page 173 and 174:
Szulakowska, Urszula, ‗The Pseudo
Page 175 and 176:
Fiddler, Paul A., and Thomas J. May
Page 177 and 178:
Matthews, John, (ed.), The Rosicruc
Page 179 and 180:
———, The Life of the Learned
show all

The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?