Lives of alchemystical philosophers: To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophyWaite, Arthur Edward
Philosophy
Lives of alchemystical philosophers: To which is added a bibliography of alchemy and hermetic philosophy
Waite, Arthur Edward
Alchemists -- Biography; Alchemy -- Bibliography; Alchemy -- History
doctors came to him in troops, to persuade him to embrace their law,
promising him the most alluring recompences--slaves, palaces, wealth,
beautiful women, and the King’s friendship. “The result,” says one of
Lully’s biographers, “was that they were almost persuaded to embrace
_His_ law, Who alone could promise them eternal beatitude.”
The gates of Raymond’s prison were at length thrown open, and, as a
disturber of the public peace, he was enjoined to quit those parts at
once. The illustrious wanderer embarked in a Genoese vessel with his
books and papers, but he was wrecked ten miles from the town of Pisa,
escaping hardly with the loss of all his effects. At Pisa he fell
sick, and was carefully attended by the Dominicans. On his recovery
he resumed his public teaching. The conversion of the Mohammedans and
the conquest of the Holy Land were still his chief ends, and he so
eloquently solicited the inhabitants of Pisa to institute an order of
Christian Knights for the deliverance of Judea, that they sent him with
letters to the Holy Father; he was entrusted by the inhabitants of
Genoa with similar documents, and bore also the voluntary offer of the
ladies in that town to contribute towards such a pious and praiseworthy
purpose a considerable sum of money. With these assurances he sought
the Pope at Avignon, presented his letters, and added the most powerful
reasons of his own to persuade him to proclaim another crusade.
Naturally, he obtained nothing from the Papal Court, and he retired to
Paris, sorrowful at his failure and at the coldness of the prelates of
the Church. He continued writing and teaching, and in October 1311,
hearing that a general council would be held at Vienna, he considered
this a favourable opportunity and presented himself before it to demand
three things:--1. The establishment of several monasteries composed
of learned and courageous men, who, willing to expose their lives in
the quarrel of Christ, would take pleasure in acquiring languages in
order to publish the Gospel more effectually. 2. The reduction of all
the Military Orders in the Christian world into a single order, so that
living under one religious rule, and inspired with the same desires,
they might all do battle with the Saracens, and, suppressing all seeds
of jealousy, all selfish interests, by a laudable emulation, with
true Christian piety, seek to deliver the Holy Place from the hands
of the miscreants. 3. The condemnation, by authority of the Pope and
the Council, of all the works of Averroës used in Christian colleges
and schools, because they were distinctly and directly opposed to
the doctrines of true religion. In order to throw more light on this
last point he composed a treatise entitled _De Natale Pueri_. He was
again unsuccessful, and returned to Paris without having accomplished
anything. With unconquerable perseverance he again set himself more
diligently than ever to the composition of books in Latin, Spanish, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account