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Sketches of Early Scottish Alchemists : Michael Scot—King James Iv.— Sik George Erskin F Innertielo E Y Johb N

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Sketches of Early Scottish Alchemists : Michael Scot—King James Iv.— Sik George Erskin F Innertielo E Y Johb N SKETCHE EARLF SO Y SCOTTISH ALCHEMISTS9 17 . I. SKETCHES OF EARLY SCOTTISH ALCHEMISTS : MICHAEL SCOT—KING JAMES IV.— SIK GEORGE ERSKIN F INNERTIELO E Y JOHB N. SMALL, M.A., F.S.A. SCOT. The first well-known Scottish alchemist was the famous wizard or magician, Michael Scot of Balwearie, who was horn in Fifeshire about yeae th r 1200, aftee commencementh r e reig th f Alexande o nf o t . II r s thu contemporare wa sth e H e greath f ty o English alchemis naturar o t l philosopher, Eoger Bacon, who, fro vigorouss mhi intellect informatiod ,an n faadvancn i rs s agedreadee peoplehi wa th ,f eo d y eventuall b dan , y poisone monastis hi y db c brethren. Devoting himself fro earls mhi y years cultivatioe th o t f lettersno , Michael Scot repaire Universite th o t d f yo Oxford, which then enjoyed a high reputation, not only for the sciences of ethic philosophyd an s fot rbu ,thos astronomf eo chemistryd yan . This last science comprehended withi s rangit n e mysterth e f alchemyyo t ar n a , •which then was not only very passionately cultivated by the most learned kingdome meth f no t whic becombu d , hha subjece eth f royao t l patronage and munificence e sagaciouTh . d politian s c Edwar . I dseem o havt s e been so far transported by his belief in the transmutation of metals that he invited the famous Raymond Lully, one of the greatest philosophers times ohi f , int thes dominionss ohi wa n t currentli d ,an y reported that the gold which was expended in fitting out an expedition to the Holy Land had issued, not from the exchequer of the king, but from the labora- tory of the sage. To sho lonw wgho this belief remained followine th , g passage occurn si wora k entitle n "Essada Critican yo d Curiouan l s Learning,, E. T y b " printe London di n 169i 8: " I have rea somn di f theio e r (the Alche- mists') late books authenticalls thai t i t y recorded that Eipley Englishn a , adeptus, sen manr fo t y years successivel yhundrea d thousand poundf o s artificia knightle golth o dt Ehodef so o maintair against s wa e e th t th n Turks; and that Eaymond Lully, another adeptus, furnished Edward the First with six myriads of the same metal to carry on the holy war in the Holy Land." After leaving Oxford Michael Scot studied for some time at the Uni- 180 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 12, 1875. versity of Paris, where he applied himself to the study of mathematics with such success tha e acquireh t name dth f Michaeeo e Mathemath l - tician. He also devoted himself to the study of divinity, and received the degre f doctoeo theologyn i r . Having possesse infore d th himsel l - al f o f mation he could acquire in his pursuits at Paris, he resumed his travels, and visited many foreign countrie universitiesd an s t PaduA . e disah - tinguished himself by his essays in judicial astrology, and his predictions of future events rendere s wela l m knowhi d n Italyi n , where they were first promulgated, as he ever afterwards was in Scotland. The well-known description of Scot by Dante— " Quell 'altro, che ne' fianchi e" cosi poco, Michele Scotto fu, che yeramente Delle magiche frode seppe il giuoco," " That other, roun loine dth s slendeo S s shape hi Michaes f ro wa , l Scot, Practise evern di y sligh magif o t c wile," proves tha appearances hi t t leasa , describeds a t familias greae wa ,th o tt r Italian poet. Besides the testimony of Dante there is that of a popular Italian versifier, Theophilus Folengius ,s Macaroni whohi n i , c poem, published in 1549, describes Michael as a magician able to perform various enchant- ments, to summon fiends from the four quarters of heaven, to ride on an enchanted horse enchanten a saio t ,n i l do wra t ship d p an ,himsel . a n i f cloak which rendere wearee dth r invisible, t unlesint glare go o th f e eso h e sunbeamsth , whe s shadonhi w woul discoverede db . After speakinf go Solomon, Zoroaster, Medea, Thibet, and Picatrix as celebrated magicians, Folengi introduces Michael Scot in the following lines, which have been translated into verse by Professor Blackie:— "Behol rule Michaedf th e o l Scot concerning incantation, whicy B formx hreignsi o s wh hellis n appeasi m hi hf ro nation. And first a waxen shape is made in Saturn's mould of lead, This in the fragrant fire is hung by •vermeil silken thread, Whereby through heart of chariest maid love's kindly warmth is spread. Behold this wizard Sco stande h t s beneat hshada y tree, And groune onth d with many sign scircla e draweth lie, SKETCHES OF EARLY SCOTTISH ALCHEMISTS. 181 Four spirits then with might bests y hi voic o , t callse eh d an , One spirit fro ease mth t appears, another fro weste mth , From south .and north a third and fourth his mighty power attest ; When h ymakee theih d reinsrai a , which rules with magic force, Well known to all, a wondrous beast, a black, infernal horse, Which him o'er land and sea more swift than Turkish arrow bears, And ever and anon he burns that horse's sacred hairs. Then doth this wizard pain shipa t shia , p with right good oars, That cuts the brine from sea to sea and reacheth many shores. thed marroe nAn th w from human spin burnete esmokeh n du n hi , That teaches him with whispered spells to consecrate a cloak— Spells whic spirite hth s heafeard welr ran fo , l they kno tokene wth , Nor man nor spirit can stop his ears when potent words are spoken; This cloa wearo kwh s throug l thihal s vasty worl wandey dma r wide Unseen, if only he beware in the sun's light to ride, For thus his shadow will be seen, and he himself espied." From. Italy Sco inty t omadwa Spain s residencs ehi toohi d p an ,k u t ea Toledo universite th , whicf yo the s hwa n highly celebrate e cultith r - dfo vation of the occult sciences. While there he began and concluded a trans- lation from the Arabic into Latin of Aristotle's' 'History of Animals," which procured him the notice of Ferdinand II., who gave him the office of royal astrologer requese th t thaf A o t .t monarc composee hh worda k entitled " Liber introductorius, sive Judicia qusestionum," which embraces the whole science of astronomy and astrology. His famous treatises entitled " Physiognomi "Dehominid a "an s procreatione " were also written while he resided at the court of Spain. Afte lapse th rsomf eo e years Michael probablo wh , y received frone th i king littl t n experienceempta bu e knows e b y wa o praiset ne h d s a , alchemist, went to Germany, where he resided for some years, practising medicine with considerable success e theH n. passed ove Englando t r , wher founehe patroa d Edwarnin d I., who abovas , e related fira m was , believer in alchemy and the occult sciences. He returned to his native country shortly afte deate th r Alexande f ho r III. t Therlittlbu es ei know subsequens hi f no t life, wit exceptione hth , per- havins hapshi f o , g been ambassado n sena s a t Norwao rt y wit r DavihSi d Wemyss to bring over the young Queen Margaret, the maid of Norway, grand-daughter of the deceased monarch. He died in the year 1292 at 182 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APEIL 12, 1875. an advanced age, and was buried according to some authorities at Holme Coltrame in Cumberland, and according to others in Melrose Abbey. Popular tradition stile ar s l vividly retaine manf do y wonderful feats performe famoubhe sdby wizard " Auld Michael. nativhis eIn "countr y alspowers ohi s .are still remembered r WSi . notes d Scotthi an , o sn t i , Lase th tf tho Minstrel, ey "La " describes how, accordin fameo gt , Michael evoked a fiend in the shape of a huge black horse, and, mounted on his back, flew Franco t throug r ai deman o et e hth d satisfaction fro kine mth g of that country for piracies committed by his subjects on the Scottish coast; how by his power over spirits he caused one of them, for whom he had to find constant employment, to build a cauld or dam across the Tweed at Kelso, whic executes hwa nighta whicn d i an , h still does honoue th o t r infernal architect; and how by the same agency, and in the same short space of time, he caused the Eildon Hill to be divided into the three picturesque peaks bears whicw no .t hi Notwithstandin terrible gth e powers which Michael Scot possessede th , wizard was not deficient in human sympathies. In one of his singular books, called the " Mensa Philosophica," or the Philosopher's Banquet, he states furnishes thai t i t t onldno y wit dishew hhealthr fe a " fo s a t bu , large discourse for pleasure." These pleasurable discourses consist of " certaine jests and merry conceits to exhilarate and solace our bodyes and minde tablesr ou seruet e sa ,b whic o likt n d i e eh ar carrawaie e th t sa interestinfeast.r s i ou t I f "o d o remargt en k that severa f theslo e jests see havmo t e bee populao ns havo t s era been incorporate originae th n di l editio Miller,e "f nJo o " printe 1739n di .
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