Alchemy Academy archive

Alchemy Academy archive
September 2002

Back to alchemy academy archives.

Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemy & European Bell Makers
Fri, 30 Aug 2002

> Is there any history linking European bell makers with alchemy?

I would not be suprised if this were the case. I can tell you
that there is a connection in Rasa shastra and Siddha
Medicine - part and parcel of the alchemical and medical
traditions of Ancient India. I am not at home right now, but I will
look up the precise usage and indications for 'bell metal'.
Buddhist practitioners of the tantric schools to this day use
bells made of seven metals and there are 'seven-metal' rings
made for balancing astrological afflictions as well.

Subject: ACADEMY : Nicolas Flamel - Cimitiere des Innocents
From: Nancy Bell
Tue, 3 Sep 2002

Hello Claude,

Thanks to you and others for your responses on Flamel. I am
very curious, though. This is, I believe the second time you
mention the issue of Flamel's wealth. May I ask (since I prefer
not to assume) why you see this as being so significant?

Many thanks,

Nancy Bell

Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemy & European Bell Makers
Tue, 3 Sep 2002
From: Catherine Fox-Anderson

Dear William,

There is a legend in Mexico that the bell in the tower
of the Catedral on the main zocalo (plaza), built
after the conquest of 1523, was made by a Chinese
alchemist - if you are interested in more of what
little detail I have on this unconfirmed tale, you
could write me directly at foxanderson@yahoo.com...
I'd be interested in anything on this strain as well.

Catherine

Subject: ACADEMY : Alchemy & European Bell Makers
From: Leigh Penman
12 Sep 2002

Dear William Hollister,

There is a tantalising reference in the Rosicrucian Fama Fraternitatis,
where the brethren are examining the content of Fra. C.R.C.'s tomb:

'In another chest were looking glasses of divers virtues, also in another
place were little bells, burning lamps, and chiefly wonderful artificial
songs...'

The ref. appears on p.23 of the 1652 English translation, p.247 of Yate's
Rosicrucian Enlightenment.

Subject: ACADEMY : Odoardus Scotus
From: Adam McLean
13 Sep 2002

Has anyone come across an alchemical writer called
Odoardus Scotus ?

He appears to have written a manuscript presented to
Rudolf II

Adam McLean

Subject: ACADEMY : Odoardus Scotus
Fri, 13 Sep 2002
From: Rafal T. Prinke

Dear Adam,

> Has anyone come across an alchemical writer called
> Odoardus Scotus ?
> He appears to have written a manuscript presented to
> Rudolf II

The MS is discussed shortly in Evans' _Rudolf II_ (p. 210)
where he considers the possibility that the author may have
been identical with Alessandro Scotta, the notorious magician
who stayed in Prague for a while.

But on p. 227 he notes that he may in fact be identical
with Kelley, who was (or pretended to have been) of
Iro-Scotish noble descent.

Evans also notes that the MS _Speculum alchemiae_ (now
in Vienna) is "beautifully written on both sides of a single
strip of vellum, elaborately folded" - but elsewhere calls
it "fairly unremarkable in itself".

It would be interesting to compare the handwriting with that
of Kelley in the "Dee Corpus" in the British Library.

Best regards,

Rafal

Subject: ACADEMY : Nicolas Flamel - Cimitiere des Innocents
From: Claude Gagnon
Fri, 13 Sep 2002

The testament of Flamel reveals a total amount of 676 livres
tournois (500 livres parisis). That amount is for the end of the XIVth
and the beginning of the XVth century. Many economists say that it
is impossible to make even a rough economic equivalent for today
(ex. Étienne Fournial, "Histoire monétaire de l'Occident médiéval",
Paris, 1970, p.8, 9. 30, 98).

I have tried myself to make an approximation by using the rolls
we have for that period in Paris and in some other big cities of
France. The amount of Flamel would cover about 6% of the total
of income tax of Parisian particulars (502 ratepayers) in the year
1423 (knowing that Flamel died in 1418 but that no bumb or crash
are known from 1418 to 1423).

I consider that percentage excessive because Flamel was just a
public writer. He must have changed money to become so rich
at that time. Or doing what else?

Claude Gagnon