Guide To Magic, Sorcery Witchcraft by Sax Rohmer

Author:Sax Rohmer [Rohmer, Sax]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Anthropology, General
ISBN: 9781317847564
Google: ty-DDwAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 43569224
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2002-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

IV. THE EXCHANGE OF WIVES

Alchemy was the one topic of Prague. Men spoke of it in the market-place, in the highways and the byways. By day, this process and that furnished subject for debate; by night, the glow of a thousand furnaces told of the quest pursued. It was even said that an apartment of the Imperial palace was fitted up as an alchemical laboratory.

We can imagine the reception here accorded to the possessor of St. Dunstan’s powders!

Very shortly, indeed, all Prague was burning with a fever of excitement; for it was noised abroad, indeed was accepted as verity from palace to hovel, that the great English Adept, Edward Kelly, was transmuting with absolute success.

One of these operations is reported to have taken place at the house of the Imperial physician, Thaddeus de Hazek, and Kelly also is said to have initiated high officers of State into the secret. Whatever of truth be discoverable in all this, there certainly remains one outstanding fact. The whole party was suddenly translated from abject poverty to extraordinary affluence. Their extravagance became unbounded, and wherever they went they were attended by magnificent retinues.

In fact, this phase of our subject’s career must always be an enigma and a stumbling-block in the path of inquiry. Contemporary authorities speak of Kelly’s experiments, certainly, but with a halting voice for the most part, and in terms which conflict one with another.

There seems to be little doubt, however, that they were invited to the Court of Rudolf II, but in what measure the kindly offices of Count Laski served them here we cannot hope to learn. Whereas there seems to be good evidence to show that Kelly was created a Marshal, one authority actually tells us that Dee and Kelly met with but little consideration during their sojourn in Prague, and that the Emperor Rudolf, at the end of a few months, gave orders that they should quit Bohemia within twenty-four hours; this, as an alternative to a dungeon or the stake.

From the same source we learn that both families now suffered the utmost privation until chance threw in their path a new and wealthy patron in the shape of King Stephen of Poland. From the Court of Stephen, their dealings with whom are but poorly substantiated, they proceeded to Trebona, where they were sumptuously entertained by one Count Rosenberg.

According to a frankly hostile historian, their stay at the palace of this new patron lasted nearly four years. Rosenberg appears to have been more ambitious than avaricious, for he was an extremely wealthy man and allowed his guests an almost unlimited command of his money. He cared little for the amount of gold which the philosopher’s stone would pour into his coffers, but desired its possession on account of the new and extensive lease of life which would thereby be assured to him. Kelly told him, says our authority, that he would become King of Poland, and promised that he would attain to the age of five hundred years

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