Page 48 - Scottish Alchemists

Heilman, on whose authority these details, and those which follow, are
given.17

The Emperor Rudolph did not lose time in sending commissioners to the
adept. He ordered the goldsmith to be brought into his presence. When
questioned by the German Hermes, Gustenhover was forced to admit that he
had not himself prepared this marvellous powder, and that he was absolutely
ignorant of the manner of fabricating it. But this avowal had only the effect
of irritating the greedy sovereign against him. The poor goldsmith reiterated
his protestations without being any more listened to. He was ordained to
continue to make gold, although all his stock of the powder was exhausted.
This powder, a present from his guest, and which without doubt must have
been a compound of gold, had furnished to him the means of satisfying for
some time the imperial desire; but after he had expended it all he found
himself unable to do more. To escape the wrath of the Emperor, the
unfortunate goldsmith took to flight as a last resource. But, pursued and
brought back, he was shut up in a tower, in which the Emperor, always
believing that the alchemist was obstinately refusing to reveal his secret,
retained him a prisoner for life.

Many anecdotes are related in the works of Hogheland and Morhof,
before quoted, and in Guldenfalk’s Anecdotes Alchimiqies of projections of
a similar kind made by Seton in various towns of Germany. At last, in 1603,
the Prince of Saxony, having heard of the ability of the Cosmopolite, desired
to have a proof of his skill. Seton, however, did not think fit to appear, but
sent his servant Hamilton to operate before his Highness. The projection
made in presence of the whole Court was fully successful, the gold of the
adept having stood all the tests. The Prince then persuaded Seton to come to
Court, and at first affected to be favourable to him. A small quantity of the
philosophers’ stone, of which Seton made him a present, did not however
suffice to content the Prince, and he demanded to be informed of the secret
of the operator, which Seton obstinately refused to reveal. He was in conse-
quence made to endure all the torments that cruelty, stimulated by the thirst
for gold, could devise. He was pierced with sharp irons and burned with
molten lead, and was then shut up in a dark dungeon.

A Moravian gentleman, skilled in chemistry, however, called Michael
Sendivogius, who was at the time a favourite with the Prince, got leave to
visit Seton in prison, and proposed to rescue him. He raised a sum of money,
bribed the guards, and succeeded in conveying Seton out of the territories of
the Prince. He then demanded Seton’s secret, but the latter excused himself,

17 Manget, Bibliothca Chemica Curiosa.

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