Since my last I got leave to transcribe what Mr. Charnocke wrote on the backside of the rolle, which I heer send you. I kept as neare as I could to the very errours of his pen, by which it may in part be seen that he was, as he professes, an unlettered scholar. The inside of the rolle (which is all in Latine, and perhaps the same with the scrowle mentioned in Theatrum Chemicum, p. 375) was composed by a great master in the Hermetic philosophy and written by a master of his pen. Some notes written in void spaces of it by Mr. Charnocke's hand shew he did not (at least throughly) understand it. But it seemes to me that this rolle was a kind of Vade mecum or manuall that the students in that wisdome carryed about with them. I presume 'twas drawn out of Raymund Lully, of which I shall be able to gaine fuller satisfaction when I have his workes come down.
I was also, since my last, at Mr. Charnocke's house in Comag, where the rolle was found; and saw the place where 'twas hid. I saw the litle roome and contrivance he had for keeping his worke, and found it ingeniosely ordered so as to prevent a like accident to that which befell him New Yeare's day, 1555; and this pretty place joining as a closet to his chamber was to make a servant needlesse and the worke of giving attendance more easy to himselfe. I have also a litle iron instrument found there which he made use of about his fire. I sawe on the doore of his little Athanor-room, if I may so call it, drawn by his own hand, with course colours and work, but ingeniously, an embleme of his worke, at which I gave some guesses, and so about the walls of his chamber. I thinke there was in all 5 panes of this worke, all somewhat differing from each other, some very obscure and almost worne out. They told me that people had been unwilling to dwell in that house, because reputed troublesome,—I presume from some traditionall storyes of this person, who was looked on by his neighbours as no better than a conjurer.
As I was taking horse to come home from this pleasant entertainment, I see a pretty ancient man come forth of the next doore. I asked him how long he had lived there. Finding that it was the place of his birth, I inquired if he had ever heard anything of that Mr. Charnocke. He told me he had heard his mother (who dyed about 12 or 14 yeares since and was 80 yeares of age at her decease) often speake of him; that he kept a fire in, divers yeares; that his daughter lived with him; that once he was gone forth, and by her neglect (whome he trusted it with in his absence) the fire went out and so all his worke was lost; the brazen head was very neare comeing to speake, but so was he disappointed.
I suppose the pleasant-humoured man—for that he was so appeares by his breviary—alludeing to Frier Bacon's story, did so put off the inquisitivenes of his simple neighbours, and thence it is come down there by tradition till now.
Indeed it appeares by the inclosed lines that when he wrote the rolle he had attained but to the white stone, which is perhaps not half the way to the red,
('Put me to my sister Mercury, I congeale into silver'); and, if the old woman's tale were true, he might afterwards be going on and be come neare to the red and then that vexing accident might befall him; and this might be, notwithstanding what is sayd in the fragment, referred to the yeare 1574, for (being so neare the red as the traditionall story sayes he was) he might see in that 50th yeare of his age that the white was ferment to the red.
You may observe my calculation differs in one thing from Mr. Ashmole's in his notes upon Theatrum Chemicum, p. 478: for he makes 'the presse' to have been (out of Stowe) 1558, but I (out of Dr. Burnet's History) 1557; and consequently he supposes the presse to have been after the finishing of the Breviary, but I presume he set on the Breviary after he was pressed. So indeed he himselfe plainly averres in the 4 last lines of chapter 4 of his Breviary (Theatrum Chemicum, p. 296). I mention this to give a reason for my dissenting from your worthy friend, to whome I must intreat you to communicate these informations that I have had opportunity to gather, and also present my humble service.
Sir,
I thought when I set pen to paper to have given you an account of some conversation I have had with a person who is a zealous friend and admirer of this sort of knowledge, but I see I have already gone beyound bounds. I shal onely say he hath almost convinced me that it is not so hidden and obscure, so difficult and unaccountable, as men commonly seeme to beleeve. I am in hopes to receive, by Mr. Hooke's and Mr. Lodwick's favour, the lamp for which he was pleased to give directions some time since.
I have not yet seen my miller and his invention, though he promised to bring it to me; I presume 'tis not yet ready. I expect him dayly.