SendivogiusproceededtoPrague，andmadehiscomplainttotheEmperor。AnexpresswasinstantlysentofftothePrince，withordersthatheshoulddeliverupMuhlenfelsandallhisplunder。ThePrince，fearfuloftheEmperor’swrath，causedthreelargegallowstobeerectedinhiscourt-yard；onthehighestofwhichhehangedMuhlenfels，withanotherthiefoneachsideofhim。HethuspropitiatedtheEmperor，andgotridofanuglywitnessagainsthimself。Hesentback，atthesametime，thebejewelledhat，themedalandchain，andthetreatiseuponthephilosopher’sstone，whichhadbeenstolenfromSendivogius。Asregardedthepowder，hesaidhehadnotseenit，andknewnothingaboutit。
　　ThisadventuremadeSendivogiusmoreprudent；hewouldnolongerperformtheprocessoftransmutationbeforeanystrangers，howeverhighlyrecommended。Hepretended，also，tobeverypoor；andsometimeslayinbedforweekstogether，thatpeoplemightbelievehewassufferingfromsomedangerousmalady，andcouldnotthereforebyanypossibilitybetheownerofthephilosopher’sstone。Hewouldoccasionallycoinfalsemoney，andpassitoffasgold；preferringtobeesteemedacheatratherthanasuccessfulalchymist。
　　ManyotherextraordinarytalesaretoldofthispersonagebyhisstewardBrodowski，buttheyarenotworthrepeating。Hediedin1636，agedupwardsofeighty，andwasburiedinhisownchapelatGravarna。
　　Severalworksuponalchymyhavebeenpublishedunderhisname。
　　THEROSICRUCIANS。
　　Itwasduringthetimeofthelast-mentionedauthorthatthesectoftheRosicruciansfirstbegantocreateasensationinEurope。Theinfluencewhichtheyexerciseduponopinionduringtheirbriefcareer，andthepermanentimpressionwhichtheyhaveleftuponEuropeanliterature，claimforthemespecialnotice。Beforetheirtime，alchymywasbutagrovellingdelusion；andtheirsisthemeritofhavingspiritualisedandrefinedit。Theyalsoenlargeditssphere，andsupposedthepossessionofthephilosopher’sstonetobe，notonlythemeansofwealth，butofhealthandhappiness；andtheinstrumentbywhichmancouldcommandtheservicesofsuperiorbeings，controltheelementstohiswill，defytheobstructionsoftimeandspace，andacquirethemostintimateknowledgeofallthesecretsoftheuniverse。Wildandvisionaryastheywere，theywerenotwithouttheiruses；ifitwereonlyforhavingpurgedthesuperstitionsofEuropeofthedarkanddisgustingformswithwhichthemonkshadpeopledit，andsubstituted，intheirstead，araceofmild，graceful，andbeneficentbeings。
　　TheyaresaidtohavederivedtheirnamefromChristianRosencreutz，or“Rose-cross，“aGermanphilosopher，whotravelledintheHolyLandtowardsthecloseofthefourteenthcentury。WhiledangerouslyillataplacecalledDamcar，hewasvisitedbysomelearnedArabs，whoclaimedhimastheirbrotherinscience，andunfoldedtohim，byinspiration，allthesecretsofhispastlife，bothofthoughtandofaction。Theyrestoredhimtohealthbymeansofthephilosopher’sstone，andafterwardsinstructedhiminalltheirmysteries。HereturnedtoEuropein1401，beingthenonlytwenty-threeyearsofage；anddrewachosennumberofhisfriendsaroundhim，whomheinitiatedintothenewscience，andboundbysolemnoathstokeepitsecretforacentury。Heissaidtohavelivedeighty-threeyearsafterthisperiod，andtohavediedin1484。
　　ManyhavedeniedtheexistenceofsuchapersonageasRosencreutz，andhavefixedtheoriginofthissectatamuchlaterepoch。Thefirstdawningofit，theysay，istobefoundinthetheoriesofParacelsus，andthedreamsofDr。Dee，who，withoutintendingit，becametheactual，thoughnevertherecognisedfoundersoftheRosicrucianphilosophy。Itisnowdifficult，andindeedimpossible，todeterminewhetherDeeandParacelsusobtainedtheirideasfromthethenobscureandunknownRosicrucians，orwhethertheRosicruciansdidbutfollowandimproveuponthem。Certainitis，thattheirexistencewasneversuspectedtilltheyear1605，whentheybegantoexciteattentioninGermany。Nosoonerweretheirdoctrinespromulgated，thanallthevisionaries，Paracelsists，andalchymists，flockedaroundtheirstandard，andvauntedRosencreutzasthenewregeneratorofthehumanrace。MichaelMayer，acelebratedphysicianofthatday，andwhohadimpairedhishealthandwastedhisfortuneinsearchingforthephilosopher’sstone，drewupareportofthetenetsandordinancesofthenewfraternity，whichwaspublishedatCologne，intheyear1615。
　　Theyasserted，inthefirstplace，“thatthemeditationsoftheirfounderssurpassedeverythingthathadeverbeenimaginedsincethecreationoftheworld，withoutevenexceptingtherevelationsoftheDeity；thattheyweredestinedtoaccomplishthegeneralpeaceandregenerationofmanbeforetheendoftheworldarrived；thattheypossessedallwisdomandpietyinasupremedegree；thattheypossessedallthegracesofnature，andcoulddistributethemamongtherestofmankindaccordingtotheirpleasure；thattheyweresubjecttoneitherhunger，northirst，nordisease，noroldage，nortoanyotherinconvenienceofnature；thattheyknewbyinspiration，andatthefirstglance，everyonewhowasworthytobeadmittedintotheirsociety；thattheyhadthesameknowledgethenwhichtheywouldhavepossessediftheyhadlivedfromthebeginningoftheworld，andhadbeenalwaysacquiringit；thattheyhadavolumeinwhichtheycouldreadallthateverwasoreverwouldbewritteninotherbookstilltheendoftime；thattheycouldforceto，andretainintheirservicethemostpowerfulspiritsanddemons；that，bythevirtueoftheirsongs，theycouldattractpearlsandpreciousstonesfromthedepthsoftheseaorthebowelsoftheearth；thatGodhadcoveredthemwithathickcloud，bymeansofwhichtheycouldshelterthemselvesfromthemalignityoftheirenemies，andthattheycouldthusrenderthemselvesinvisiblefromalleyes；thattheeightfirstbrethrenofthe“Rose-cross“hadpowertocureallmaladies；that，bymeansofthefraternity，thetriplediademofthePopewouldbereducedintodust；thattheyonlyadmittedtwosacraments，withtheceremoniesoftheprimitiveChurch，renewedbythem；thattheyrecognisedtheFourthMonarchyandtheEmperoroftheRomansastheirchiefandthechiefofallChristians；thattheywouldprovidehimwithmoregold，theirtreasuresbeinginexhaustible，thantheKingofSpainhadeverdrawnfromthegoldenregionsofEasternandWesternInd。“Thiswastheirconfessionoffaith。Theirrulesofconductweresixinnumber，andasfollow:——
　　First。That，intheirtravels，theyshouldgratuitouslycurealldiseases。
　　Secondly。Thattheyshouldalwaysdressinconformitytothefashionofthecountryinwhichtheyresided。
　　Thirdly。Thattheyshould，onceeveryyear，meettogetherintheplaceappointedbythefraternity，orsendinwritinganavailableexcuse。
　　Fourthly。Thateverybrother，wheneverhefeltinclinedtodie，shouldchooseapersonworthytosucceedhim。
　　Fifthly。Thatthewords“Rose-cross“shouldbethemarksbywhichtheyshouldrecogniseeachother。
　　Sixthly。Thattheirfraternityshouldbekeptsecretforsixtimestwentyyears。
　　TheyassertedthattheselawshadbeenfoundinscribedinagoldenbookinthetombofRosencreutz，andthatthesixtimestwentyyearsfromhisdeathexpiredin1604。Theywereconsequentlycalledupon，fromthattimeforth，topromulgatetheirdoctrineforthewelfareofmankind。[ThefollowinglegendofthetombofRosencreutz，writtenbyEustaceBudgell，appearsinNo。379oftheSpectator:——“Acertainperson，havingoccasiontodigsomewhatdeepinthegroundwherethisphilosopherlayinterred，metwithasmalldoor，havingawalloneachsideofit。Hiscuriosity，andthehopeoffindingsomehiddentreasure，soonpromptedhimtoforceopenthedoor。Hewasimmediatelysurprisedbyasuddenblazeoflight，anddiscoveredaveryfairvault。Attheupperendofitwasastatueofamaninarmour，sittingbyatable，andleaningonhisleftarm。Heheldatruncheoninhisrighthand，andhadalampburningbeforehim。Themanhadnosoonersetonefootwithinthevault，thanthestatue，erectingitselffromitsleaningposture，stoodboltupright；and，uponthefellow’sadvancinganotherstep，liftedupthetruncheoninhisrighthand。Themanstillventuredathirdstep；whenthestatue，withafuriousblow，brokethelampintoathousandpieces，andlefthisguestinsuddendarkness。Uponthereportofthisadventure，thecountrypeoplecamewithlightstothesepulchre，anddiscoveredthatthestatue，whichwasmadeofbrass，wasnothingmorethanapieceofclock-work；thatthefloorofthevaultwasallloose，andunderlaidwithseveralsprings，which，uponanyman’sentering，naturallyproducedthatwhichhadhappened。Rosicreucius，sayhisdisciples，madeuseofthismethodtoshowtheworldthathehadre-inventedtheever-burninglampsoftheancients，thoughhewasresolvednooneshouldreapanyadvantagefromthediscovery。“]
　　ForeightyearstheseenthusiastsmadeconvertsinGermany；buttheyexcitedlittleornoattentioninotherpartsofEurope。AtlasttheymadetheirappearanceinParis，andthrewallthelearned，allthecredulous，andalltheloversofthemarvellousintocommotion。InthebeginningofMarch1623，thegoodfolksofthatcity，whentheyaroseonemorning，weresurprisedtofindalltheirwallsplacardedwiththefollowingsingularmanifesto:——
　　“We，thedeputiesoftheprincipalCollegeoftheBrethrenoftheRose-cross，havetakenupourabode，visibleandinvisible，inthiscity，bythegraceoftheMostHigh，towardswhomareturnedtheheartsofthejust。Weshowandteachwithoutbooksorsigns，andspeakallsortsoflanguagesinthecountrieswherewedwell，todrawmankind，ourfellows，fromerrorandfromdeath。“
　　Foralongtimethisstrangeplacardwasthesoletopicofconversationinallpublicplaces。Somefewwondered；butthegreaternumberonlylaughedatit。Inthecourseofafewweekstwobookswerepublished，whichraisedthefirstalarmrespectingthismysterioussociety，whosedwelling-placenooneknew，andnomembersofwhichhadeverbeenseen。Thefirstwascalledahistoryof“ThefrightfulCompactsenteredintobetweentheDevilandthepretended’Invisibles；’withtheirdamnableInstructions，thedeplorableRuinoftheirDisciples，andtheirmiserableEnd。“Theotherwascalledan“ExaminationofthenewandunknownCabalaoftheBrethrenoftheRose-cross，whohavelatelyinhabitedtheCityofParis；withtheHistoryoftheirManners，theWondersworkedbythem，andmanyotherParticulars。“
　　Thesebookssoldrapidly。Everyonewasanxioustoknowsomethingofthisdreadfulandsecretbrotherhood。ThebadaudsofParisweresoalarmedthattheydailyexpectedtoseethearch-enemywalkinginpropriapersonaamongthem。Itwassaidinthesevolumes，thattheRosicruciansocietyconsistedofsix-and-thirtypersonsinall，whohadrenouncedtheirbaptismandhopeofresurrection。Thatitwasnotbymeansofgoodangels，astheypretended，thattheyworkedtheirprodigies；butthatitwasthedevilwhogavethempowertotransportthemselvesfromoneendoftheworldtotheotherwiththerapidityofthought；tospeakalllanguages；tohavetheirpursesalwaysfullofmoney，howevermuchtheymightspend；tobeinvisible，andpenetrateintothemostsecretplaces，inspiteoffasteningsofboltsandbars；
　　andtobeabletotellthepastandfuture。Thesethirty-sixbrethrenweredividedintobandsorcompanies:-sixofthemonlyhadbeensentonthemissiontoParis，sixtoItaly，sixtoSpain，sixtoGermany，fourtoSweden，andtwointoSwitzerland；twointoFlanders，twointoLorraine，andtwointoFrancheComte。ItwasgenerallybelievedthatthemissionariestoFranceresidedsomewhereintheMaraisduTemple。
　　ThatquarterofParissoonacquiredabadname；andpeoplewereafraidtotakehousesinit，lesttheyshouldbeturnedoutbythesixinvisiblesoftheRose-cross。Itwasbelievedbythepopulace，andbymanyotherswhoseeducationshouldhavetaughtthembetter，thatpersonsofamysteriousaspectusedtovisittheinnsandhotelsofParis，andeatofthebestmeatsanddrinkofthebestwines，andthensuddenlymeltawayintothinairwhenthelandlordcamewiththereckoning。Thatgentlemaidens，whowenttobedalone，oftenawokeinthenightandfoundmeninbedwiththem，ofshapemorebeautifulthantheGrecianApollo，whoimmediatelybecameinvisiblewhenanalarmwasraised。Itwasalsosaidthatmanypersonsfoundlargeheapsofpuregoldintheirhouses，withoutknowingfromwhencetheycame。AllPariswasinalarm。Nomanthoughthimselfsecureofhisgoods，nomaidenofhervirginity，orwifeofherchastity，whiletheseRosicrucianswereabroad。Inthemidstofthecommotion，asecondplacardwasissuedtothefollowingeffect: