Page 12 - Scottish Alchemists

quhilk science he callit the Quintassence; whereupon the king made great
cost, but all in vain.”

The following entry in the Treasurer’s accounts is one of the earliest
notices of Damian that occurs: “Item the thrid day of March (1501-2) send
to Strivelin iiii hary nobles and . . . . to the Leich for to multiply, summa £9.”
The day following, “Item to the King and the Franch Leich to play at the
cartis £9.5.” On the 29th of May 1502 the King’s Treasurer paid to Robert
Bertoun, one of the King’s mariners, “for certain droggis brocht home to him
to the Franch Leich £31 45.” and the day after he gave “to the Franch Leich,
quhen he passit his way 300 Franch crownis,” or £210 Scottish money. This
probably refers to a temporary visit to the Continent in furtherance of his
schemes.

The ascendency of Damian was such that in 1504 King James appointed
him Abbot of Tungland in Galloway. But, although appointed to an office of
high preferment in the church, the newly-made Abbot busied himself more
with his experiments than with his clerical functions. “This Dignitary” says
Dunbar, “never chose to go to Mass though warned by the holy bell or
skellat.” He also disobeyed the ecclesiastical law which required persons of
his rank in the church to say matins. He neither put on stole nor fanon, lest
they should have been defiled with the smoke of his laboratory.
Notwithstanding his little attention to ecclesiastical matters, and the ridicule
which he brought on himself by an unsuccessful attempt to fly with artificial
wings from Stirling Castle to France2, the Abbot retained the favour of the
King, and the books of the Treasurer (1507-8) repeatedly mention him as
having played at dice, cards, etc., with his majesty; and on the 8th
September 1508, “Damian, Abbot of Tungland, obtained from the King a
license to pass out of the realm and remain in what place he pleases at the
study, or any lawful occupation during the space of five years, without
incurring any hurt, prejudice, or skaith, anent the Abbay and place of

2 Bishop Lesly in his "History," noticing an embassy sent to France in 1507, says
that the Abbot of Tungland "tuik in hand to flie with wingis aud to be in Fraunce
befoir the saidis ambassadouris. And to that effect he causit mak ane pair of
wingis of fedderis quhilkis beand fessinit upoun him, he f1ew of the Castill wal1
of Stiveling, but skortlie he fell to the ground and brak his thee (thigh) bane: but
the weyt thairof he ascryvit to that thair was sum hen fedderis in the wingis quhilk
yarnit and covet the mydding and not the skyis. In this doinge be preissit to
counterfute ane king of Yngland callit Bladud, quha, as thair histories mentiones,
decked himself in fedderis, and presumed to flie in the aire, as he did, bot falling
on the teniple of Apollo brak his neck.” History, p.76, Edin. 1830, 4to.

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