Page 8 - Scottish Alchemists

Then doth this wizard paint a ship, a ship with right good oars,
That cuts the brine from sea to sea and reacheth many shores.
And then the marrow from human spine he burneth in dun smoke,
That teaches him with whispered spells to consecrate a cloak -
Spells which the spirits hear and fear, for well they know the token,
Nor man nor spirit can stop his ears when potent words are spoken;
This cloak who wears through all this vasty world may wander wide
Unseen, if only lie beware in the sun’s light to ride,
For thus his shadow will be seen, and he himself espied.”

From Italy Scot made his way into Spain, and took up his residence at
Toledo, the university of which was then highly celebrated for the cultivation
of the occult sciences. While there he began and concluded a translation
from the Arabic into Latin of Aristotle’s History of Animals, which procured
him the notice of Ferdinand II, who gave him the office of royal astrologer.
At the request of that monarch he composed a work entitled Liber
introductorius, sive Judicia quaestionum, which embraces the whole
science of astronomy and astrology. His famous treatises entitled
Physiognomia and De hominis procreatione were also written while be
resided at the court of Spain.

After the lapse of some years Michael, who probably received from the
king little but empty praise, as he was known to be an experienced alchemist,
went to Germany, where he resided for some years, practising rnedicine with
considerable success. He then passed over to England, where he found a
patron in Edward I, who, as above related, was a firm believer in alchemy
and the occult sciences. He returned to his native country shortly after the
death of Alexander III.

There is but little known of his subsequent life, with the exception, per-
haps, of his having been sent as an ambassador to Norway with Sir David
Wemyss to bring over the young Queen Margaret, the maid of Norway,
grand-daughter of the deceased monarch. He died in the year 1292 at an
advanced age, and was buried according to some authorities at Holme
Coltrame in Cumberland, and according to others in Melrose Abbey.

Popular traditions are still vividly retained of many wonderful feats
performed by the famous wizard ‘Auld Michael.’ In his native country also
his powers are still remembered, and Sir Walter Scott, in his notes to the Lay
of the Last Minstrel, describes how, according to fame, Michael evoked a
fiend in the shape of a huge black horse, and, mounted on his back, flew
through the air to France to demand satisfaction from the king of that
country for piracies committed by his subjects on the Scottish coast; how by

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