It is evident from the events recorded in this and in pre- 

 ceding chapters that in the time of Rudolph's reign belief in 



"The subtill Science of Holy Alkimy" 



was practically universal among all classes of people, and it 

 is a fact that in the sixteenth century few persons were 

 courageous enough to oppose the highly respectable super- 

 stition. At rare intervals enlightened men of advanced views 

 made conscientious attacks on the fallacious theories and ex- 

 posed the bold impostures by which the promoters sustained 

 the claims of the pseudo-science, but they were regarded as 

 pessimistic croakers, or were entirely unheeded. Had the 

 English poet Chaucer been more widely read, his "Canon 

 Yeoman's Tale" might have opened the eyes of thinking men,, 

 but he was in advance of his times. 



"'Graunt mercy', quod the preest, and was ful glad, 



And couched coles as the chanoun bad 



And whyle he bisy was, this feendly wrecche, 



This fals chanoun, the foule feend him fecche! 



Out of his bosom took a bechen cole, 



In which ful subtilly was maad an hole, 



And ther-in put was of siluer lymaille 



An ounce, and stopped was, with-outen fayle, 



The hole with wex, to kepe the lymaille in. 



And understondeth that this false gin 



Was nat maad ther, but it was maad bifore." 



* * * * 



"And whyles that the preest wyped his face 

 ^ This chanoun took his cole with harde grace, 

 And leyde it up aboue, on the midward 

 Of the crosslet, and blew wel afterward, 

 Till that the coles gonne faste brenne." 



* * * 



. . . "He took out of his owen sleue 

 A teyne of siluer (yuel moot he cheue!)" 



129 



