Page 39 - Charnock alchemical letter

how to purchase, off whom and where
when I had heard, of this great work
I searched to wit, what manner of clerk
was he, and what he knew of school
and therein he was but a fool
it I suffered, and held me still
more to learn, of his lewd will
then said I it were a lewd thing
such matters to show to a king
but if the proof were reasonable
he would think it a foolish fable
the monk said, how that he had in fire
a thing which should fulfill his desire
whereof the truth, within forty days
I should well know, by true assays
then I said, I would no more than tide
but forty days I said, I would abide
when forty days were gone and past
the monks craft was clean over cast
then all his abbeys, and all his thought
was turned to a thing of nought
and as he came, he went full lewd
departing in a mind full shrewd
for soon after, within a little while
many true men he did beguile
and afterward, went into France
lo this was a pitiful chance
that fifteen abbeys of religion
should in this way, fall to confusion
great wonder it was, what things he meant
and why he set all his intent
abbeys to build, then was it wonder
why would he live obedience under
but be apostate, and rail about
this best science to find out.

The Oxford Man

This was a mad headed monk, to set his mind to build so many abbeys,
and it he himself, would not bide, Saint Benedict’s rule. And of like,

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