Page 29 - Charnock alchemical letter
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rich thing.

And entreated Daulton to work for him and to make it again, But Daulton
said he could not work it certain. Why said the king how came you
thereby. Of a canon of Lichfield quoth Daulton truly, whose work I kept
diligently many years till my Master did die, and then he gave me all that
that thereof was left, for my diligent service. The king was then sorry
that he had now known of Daulton before, and gave him four mark in
gold, and liberty to go where he would, for that Delves was not able to
charge him that he had made or multiplied any counterfeit, or false
coloured metal. The squire Herbert died shortly after in his bed, and
Delves at Tewkesbury lost his head.

                                   The Oxford Man

Yea marry this story liketh me well, for by this I perceive that there is
some truth in this science, because Delves swore in the kings presence.
But have you any more?

                                  Master Charnock

There was one Master Thomas Norton13 of Gloucestershire who had this
science and wrought in Bristol behind Saint Thomas Church in the
troublesome time between Henry the VI and Edward the IV and by the
same he purchased great lands and did many great deeds of charity, and
gave many rich gif ts to Saint Thomas Church in Bristol. And when he
thought that Edward the IV had been settled quietly in the kingdom he
favouring his party, more than any other side, came and presented
himself to the king, and was his philosopher, about the time that King
Edward changed the coins, and raised the gold to 40 £ an oz and silver to
40 d an oz whereby some of his commoners did mourn and some were
glad. This by my philosophers’ authors, which I could never read in no
English chronicles. And he was a man highly learned in all the seven
sciences liberal. And Sir George Norton of Gloucestershire who now is
came of his ancestry and stock.

                                   The Oxford Man

Now I think you have done with as many Englishmen as you have
diligently learned by your great travels through the realm who did attain
unto the science of natural philosophy, either by working of it, or by
fortune.

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