The Key of Alchemy E-Book

Samuel Norton

• Herausgeber: Edizioni Aurora Boreale
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Samuel Norton (1548-1621) was an English country gentleman, an initiate and an alchemist.
The son of Sir George Norton of Abbots Leigh in Somerset, he was great-grandson of Thomas Norton, author of the Ordinal of Alchemy. He studied for some time at St. John's College, Cambridge, but records show no degree. On the death of his father, in 1584, he succeeded to the estates. Early in 1585 he was in the commission of the peace for the county, but apparently suffered removal; he was reappointed in October 1589, on the recommendation of Thomas Godwin, bishop of Bath and Wells. He was sheriff of Somerset in 1589, and was appointed muster master of Somerset and Wiltshire on 30 June 1604.
Norton was the author of many alchemical tracts, edited and published in Latin by Edmund Deane in Frankfurt in 1630.
Norton's works circulated earlier, from John Robson, to Richard Napier, to Elias Ashmole. Portions of the work in manuscript, brought together before Deane edited his volume under the title of Ramorum Arboris Philosophicalis Libri tres, are in the British Library (Sloane MS. 3667, ff. 17-21, 24-28, and 31-90), and the Bodleian Library (Ashmolean MS. 1478, VI. ff. 42-104). Norton was occupied on the work in 1598 and 1599. Among the Ashmolean MSS. is a work by Norton entitled The Key of Alchimie, written in 1578, when he was at St. John's College, and it is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I. We propose it to our readers today.

Leseprobe

SYMBOLS & MYTHS

SAMUEL NORTON

THE KEY OF ALCHEMY

Edizioni Aurora Boreale

Title: The Key of Alchemy

Author: Samuel Norton

Publishing series: Symbols & Myths

Editing by Nicola Bizzi

ISBN: 979-12-5504-733-9

Cover image: Alchemical painting (XVII century)

Edizioni Aurora Boreale

© 2024 Edizioni Aurora Boreale

Via del Fiordaliso 14 - 59100 Prato - Italia

[email protected]

www.auroraboreale-edizioni.com

INTRODUCTION BY THE PUBLISHER

Samuel Norton (1548-1621) was an English country gentleman, an initiate and an alchemist.

The son of Sir George Norton of Abbots Leigh in Somerset, he was great-grandson of Thomas Norton, author of the Ordinal of Alchemy. He studied for some time at St. John's College, Cambridge, but records show no degree. On the death of his father, in 1584, he succeeded to the estates. Early in 1585 he was in the commission of the peace for the county, but apparently suffered removal; he was reappointed in October 1589, on the recommendation of Thomas Godwin, bishop of Bath and Wells. He was sheriff of Somerset in 1589, and was appointed muster master of Somerset and Wiltshire on 30 June 1604.

Norton was the author of many alchemical tracts, edited and published in Latin by Edmund Deane in Frankfurt in 1630.

Norton's works circulated earlier, from John Robson, to Richard Napier, to Elias Ashmole. Portions of the work in manuscript, brought together before Deane edited his volume under the title of Ramorum Arboris Philosophicalis Libri tres, are in the British Library (Sloane MS. 3667, ff. 17-21, 24-28, and 31-90), and the Bodleian Library (Ashmolean MS. 1478, VI. ff. 42-104). Norton was occupied on the work in 1598 and 1599. Among the Ashmolean MSS. is a work by Norton entitled The Key of Alchimie, written in 1578, when he was at St. John's College, and it is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I. We propose it to our readers today.

Nicola Bizzi

Florence, December 30, 2024.

A phoenix. Alchemical miniature

Ramist tincture tree of Physics and Alchemy, illustration from Samuel Norton’s alchemical treatise Catholicon Physicorum (1630)

THE KEY OF ALCHEMY

These, which your highness here doth see,

Are leaves of Hermes' secret tree:

Thro' wisdom's love warelie brought to pass

By sowing seed in wombs of glass:

And given they are let you know

The garden where such fruit doth grow:

Elixers three so called of old

For health of man, Sun, Moon, Silver, Gold,

This soil is dewed by Impe of Saturn's race

Whose sire dame Maya did embrace

The crooked God, whom loving dame did wed

With heat doth cause our tree to spread.

The Petition of the Author to Alchemy

Alchemy noble Muse, of all most worthy praise

Which bring'st Dame Nature's secret laws to light

In Sphaere of princely mind again thyself upraise

From whence at first thou chose to shine with open light.

If love of lore allured thee to lodge in Hermes' breast,

Then fasten foot and stay thy steps; here is the place of rest.

If care of Patron's mighty hand may thee inflame

Or if thou hast regard of Pallas' gift for witt,

Or seekest anew from princes sent to fetch thy name

Alchemies greater here in regal chair doth sit:

If Calid's virtues were the marke whereat thou didst shoot

Draw up thy bow: hit right: our tree doth yield a greater fruit.