Page 29 - Scottish Alchemists

John Napier, thus early brought into contact with matters pertaining to
the mysteries of gold mining, was a believer in the power of discovering
hidden treasure by divination or the exercise of magic. In 1594 the famous
contract was entered into between Robert Logan of Restalrig, and Napier,
for the discovery of buried treasure in Logan’s fortress of Fastcastle. This,
one of the most impregnable places in the kingdom, was situated on a cliff
overhanging the German ocean, connected with the land by a very narrow
path; and it was supposed to contain many valuables which, from the lawless
and unsettled state of the country, had been secreted by those who never
returned to recover them. The contract was to the effect that “as ther is
dywerss ald reportis, motyffis, and appirancis that thair suld be within the
said Robertis dwellinge place of Fastcastell a soume of monie and poiss, heid
and hurdit up secritlie, quilk as yit is onfund be ony man. The said Jhone sail
do his utter and exact diligens to serch and sik out, and be al craft and ingyn
that he dow to tempt, trye, and find out the sam, and be the grace of God
ather sall find the sam, or than mak it suir that na sik thing hes bein thair, sa
far as his utter trawel, diligens, and ingyne may reach.” As a recompense,
Napier was to have the third part of the discovered treasure as his share, and
a safe conduct to Edinburgh lest he should be “spuizeit of his said third pairt,
or utherways hairmit in his body or geir”.7

With the subject of alchemy Napier was equally conversant, and the
following account of his conferences with a German adept, Daniel Muller, Dr
of Medicine, still exists among his manuscripts. A copy is also to be found in
the manuscript common-place book of Patrick Ruthven, brother of the first
Earl of Gowrie, now preserved in the Library of the University of Edinburgh.
The meetings seem to have been held in the sick chamber of this German

7 Life of Napier, by M. Napier, p.221.

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