[ T h e fi r s t t r a c e a b l e p r i n t e d e d i t i o n o f F a m a F r a t e r n i t a t i s d a t e s 1 6 1 4 . H o w e v e r , t h e r e i s s o m e e v i d e n c e t h a t F a m a w a s c i r c u l a t e d i n t h e m a n u s c r i p t fo r m p r i o r t o t h a t t i m e . I t w a s fi r s t p u b l i s h e d i n G e r m a n a n d th e n in 1 6 1 5 in L a tin . F a m a is v ie w e d a s th e k e y d o c u m e n t o fth e R o sic ru c ia n m o v e m e n t. T h e fo l l o w i n g t r a n s l a t i o n , t a k e n fr o m A . E . W a i t e ' s e d i t i o n , i s a c c r e d i t e d t o T h o m a s V a u g h a n ( E u g e n i u s

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A lth o u g h th e ru d e w o rld h e re w ith w ill b e b u t little p le a s e d , b u t ra th e r s m ile a n d s c o ff th e re a t; a ls o th e p rid e a n d c o v e to u s n e s s o f th e le a rn e d is s o g re a t, it w ill n o t s u ffe r th e m to a g re e to g e th e r; b u t w e re th e y u n ite d , th e y m ig h t, o u t o f a ll th o s e th in g s w h ic h in th is o u r a g e G o d d o th s o ric h ly b e s to w u p o n u s , c o lle c tL ib ru m N a tu ra e , o r, a P e rfe c t M e th o d o f a ll A rts . B u t s u c h is th e ir o p p o s itio n th a t th e y s till k e e p , a n d a re lo th to le a v e , th e o ld c o u rs e , e s te e m in g P o rp h y ry , A ris to tle , a n d G a le n , y e a , a n d th a t w h ic h h a th b u t a m e re s h o w o f le a rn in g , m o re th a n th e c le a r a n d m a n ife s te d L ig h t a n d T ru th . T h o s e , if th e y w e re n o w liv in g , w ith m u c h jo y w o u ld le a v e th e ir e rro n e o u s d o c trin e s ; b u t h e re is to o g re a t w e a k n e s s fo r s u c h a g re a t w o rk . A n d a lth o u g h in T h e o lo g ie , P h y s ic , a n d M a th e m a tic , th e tru th d o th o p p o s e it its e lf, n e v e rth e le s s , th e o ld E n e m y , b y h is s u b tilty a n d c ra ft, d o th s h e w h im s e lf in h in d e rin g e v e ry g o o d p u rp o s e b y h is in s tru m e n ts a n d c o n te n tio u s w a v e rin g p e o p le .

C .R .C ., a G e rm a n , th e c h ie f a n d o rig in a l o f o u r F ra te rn ity , h a th m u c h a n d lo n g tim e la b o u re d , w h o , b y re a s o n o f h is p o v e rty (a lth o u g h d e s c e n d e d o f n o b le p a re n ts ) in th e fifth y e a r o f h is a g e w a s p la c e d in a c lo y s te r, w h e re h e h a d le a rn e d in d iffe re n tly th e G re e k a n d L a tin to n g u e s , a n d (u p o n h is e a rn e s t d e s ire a n d re q u e s t), b e in g y e t in h is g ro w in g y e a rs , w a s a s s o c ia te d to a B ro th e r, P .A .L ., w h o h a d d e te rm in e d to g o to th e H o ly L a n d .A lth o u g h th is B ro th e r d ie d in C ip ru s , a n d s o n e v e r c a m e to J e ru s a le m , y e t o u r B ro th e r C .R .C . d id n o t re tu rn , b u t s h ip p e d h im s e lf o v e r, a n d w e n t to D a m a s c o , m in d in g fro m th e n c e to g o to J e ru s a le m . B u t b y re a s o n o f th e fe e b le n e s s o f h is b o d y h e re m a in e d s till th e re , a n d b y h is s k ill in p h y s ic h e o b ta in e d m u c h fa v o u r w ith th e T u rk s , a n d in th e m e a n tim e h e b e c a m e a c q u a in te d w ith th e W is e M e n o f D a m c a r in A ra b ia , a n d b e h e ld w h a t g re a t w o n d e rs th e y w ro u g h t, a n d h o w N a tu re w a s

H e re b y w a s th a t h ig h a n d n o b le s p irit o f B ro th e r C .R .C . s o s tirre d u p , th a t J e ru s a le m w a s n o t s o m u c h n o w in h is m in d a s D a m a s c o ; a ls o h e c o u ld n o t b rid le h is d e s ire s a n y lo n g e r, b u t m a d e a b a rg a in w ith th e A ra b ia n s , th a t th e y s h o u ld c a rry h im fo r a c e rta in s u m o f m o n e y to D a m c a r.

H e w a s b u t o f th e a g e o f s ix te e n y e a rs w h e n h e c a m e th ith e r, y e t o f a s tro n g D u tc h c o n s titu tio n . T h e re th e W is e M e n re c e iv e d h im n o t a s a s tra n g e r (a s h e h im s e lf w itn e s s e th ), b u t a s o n e w h o m th e y h a d lo n g e x p e c te d ; th e y c a lle d h im b y h is n a m e , a n d s h e w e d h im o th e r s e c re ts o u t o f h is c lo y s te r, w h e re a t h e c o u ld n o t b u t m ig h tily w o n d e r.

H e le a rn e d th e re b e tte r th e A ra b ia n to n g u e , s o th a t th e y e a r fo llo w in g h e tra n s la te d th e b o o k M in to g o o d L a tin , w h ic h h e a fte rw a rd s b ro u g h t w ith h im . T h is is th e p la c e w h e re h e d id le a rn h is P h y s ic k a n d h is M a th e m a tic k s , w h e re o f th e w o rld h a th m u c h c a u s e to re jo ic e , if th e re w e re m o re lo v e , a n d le s s e n v y .

A fte r th re e y e a rs h e re tu rn e d a g a in w ith g o o d c o n s e n t, s h ip p e d h im s e lf o v e rS in u s A ra b ic u s in to E g y p t, w h e re h e re m a in e d n o t lo n g , b u t o n ly to o k b e tte r n o tic e th e re o f th e p la n ts a n d c re a tu re s . H e s a ile d o v e r th e w h o le M e d ite rra n e a n S e a fo r to c o m e u n to F e z , w h e re th e A ra b ia n s h a d d ire c te d h im .

A n d it is a g re a t s h a m e u n to u s th a t w is e m e n , s o fa r re m o te th e o n e fro m th e o th e r, s h o u ld n o t o n ly b e o f o n e o p in io n , h a tin g a ll c o n te n tio u s w ritin g s , b u t a ls o b e s o w illin g a n d re a d y , u n d e r th e s e a l o f s e c re c y to im p a rt th e ir s e c re ts to o th e rs .E v e ry y ea r th e A ra b ia n s a n d A fric a n s d o s e n d o n e to a n o th e r, in q u irin g o n e o f a n o th e r o u t o f th e ir a rts , if h a p p ily th e y h a d fo u n d o u t s o m e b e tte r th in g s , o r if e x p e rie n c e h a d w e a k e n e d th e ir re a s o n s . Y e a rly th e re c a m e s o m e th in g to lig h t w h e re b y th e M a th e m a tic s , P h y s ic , a n d M agic(forin those are they of Fez m ostskilful) w ere am ended.T here is now -a-days no w antof learned m e n in G e rm a n y , M a g ic ia n s , C a b a lis ts , P h y s ic ia n s , a n d P h ilo s o p h e rs , w e re th e re b u t m o re lo v e a n d k in d n e s s a m o n g th e m , o r th a t th e m o s t p a rt o f th e m w o u ld n o t k e e p th e ir s e c re ts c lo s e o n ly to th e m s e lv e s .

A t F e z h e d id g e t a c q u a in ta n c e w ith th o s e w h ic h a re c o m m o n ly c a lle d th e E le m e n ta ry in h a b ita n ts , w h o re v e a le d u n to h im m a n y o f th e ir s e c re ts , a s w e G e rm a n s lik e w is e m ig h t g a th e r to g e th e r m a n y th in g s , if th e re w e re th e lik e u n ity , a n d d e s ire o f s e a rc h in g o ut s e c re ts a m o n g s t u s .

O f th e s e o f F e z h e o fte n d id c o n fe s s , th a t th e ir M a g ia w a s n o t a lto g e th e r p u re , a n d a ls o th a t th e ir C a b a la w a s d e file d w ith th e ir R e lig io n ; b u t, n o tw ith s ta n d in g h e k n e w h o w to m a k e g o o d u s e o f th e s a m e , a n d fo u n d s till m o re b e tte r g ro u n d s o f h is fa ith , a lto g e th e r a g re e a b le w ith th e h a rm o n y o f th e w h o le w o rld , a n d w o n d e rfu lly im p re s s e d w ith a ll th e p e rio d s o f tim e . T h e n c e p ro c e e d e th th a t fa ir C o n c o rd , th a t a s in e v e ry s e v e ra l k e rn e l is c o n ta in e d a w h o le g o o d tre e o r fru it, s o lik e w is e is in c lu d e d in th e little b o d y o f m a n , th e w h o le g re a t w o rld , w h o s e re lig io n , p o lic y , h e a lth , m e m b e rs , n a tu re , la n g u a g e , w o rd s a n d w o rk s , a re a g re e in g , s y m p a th iz in g , a n d in e q u a l tu n e a n d m e lo d y w ith G o d , H e a v e n a n d E a rth ; a n d th a t w h ic h is d is a g re e in g w ith th e m is e rro r, fa ls e h o o d , a n d o f th e d e v il, w h o a lo n e is th e firs t, m id d le , a n d la s t c a u s e o f s trife , b lin d n e s s , a n d d a rk n e s s in th e w o rld . A ls o , m ig h t o n e e x a m in e a ll a n d s e v e ra l p e rs o n s u p o n th e e a rth , h e s h o u ld fin d th a t w h ic h is g o o d a n d rig h t, is a lw a y s a g re e in g w ith its e lf; b u t a ll th e re s t is s p o tte d w ith a th o u s a n d e rro n e o u s c o n c e its .

A fte r tw o y e a rs B ro th e r R .C .. d e p a rte d th e c ity o f F e z , a n d s a ile d w ith m a n y c o s tly th in g s in to S p a in , h o p in g w e ll a s h e h im s e lf h a d s o w e ll a n d s o p ro fita b ly s p e n t h is tim e in h is tra v e l, th a t th e le a rn e d in E u ro p e w o u ld h ig h ly re jo ic e w ith h im , a n d b e g in to ru le a n d o rd e r a ll th e ir s tu d ie s a c c o rd in g to th o s e s u re a n d s o u n d fo u n d a tio n s . H e th e re fo re c o n fe rre d w ith th e le a rn e d in S p a in , s h e w in g u n to th e m th e e rro rs o f o u r a rts , a n d h o w th e y m ig h t b e c o rre c te d , a n d fro m w h e n c e th e y s h o u ld g a th e r th e tru eIn d itia o f th e tim e s to c o m e , a n d w h e re in th e y o u g h t to a g re e w ith th o s e th in g s th a t a re p a s t; a ls o h o w th e fa u lts o f th e C h u rc h a n d th e w h o leP h ilo so ph ia M o ra lis w e re to b e a m e n d e d . H e s h e w e d th e m n e w g ro w th s , n e w fru its , a n d b e a s ts , w h ic h d id c o n c o rd w ith o ld p h ilo s o p h y , a n d p re s c rib e d th e m n e w A x io m a ta , w h e re b y a ll th in g s m ig h t fu lly b e re s to re d . B u t it w a s to th e m a la u g h in g m a tte r; a n d b e in g a n e w th in g u n to th e m , th e y fe a re d th a t th e ir g re a t n a m e w o u ld b e le s s e n e d , if th e y s h o u ld n o w a g a in b e g in to le a rn a n d a c k n o w le d g e th e ir m a n y y e a rs ' e rro rs , to w h ic h th e y w e re a c c u s to m e d , a n d w h e re w ith w ith th e y h a d g a in e d th e m e n o u g h . W h o s o lo v e th u n q u ie tn e s s , le t h im b e re fo rm e d (th e y s a id ). T h e s a m e s o n g w a s a ls o s u n g to h im b y o th e r N a tio n s , th e w h ic h m o v e d h im th e m o re b e c a u s e it h a p p e n e d to h im c o n tra ry to h is e x p e c ta tio n , b e in g th e n re a d y b o u n tifu lly to im p a rt a ll h is a rts a n d s e c re ts to th e le a rn e d , if th e y w o u ld h a v e b u t u n d e rta k e n to w rite th e tru e a n d in fa llib le A x io m a ta , o u t o f a ll fa c u ltie s , s c ie n c e s , a n d a rts , a n d w h o le n a tu re , a s th a t w h ic h h e k n e w w o u ld d ire c t th e m , lik e a g lo b e o r c irc le , to th e o n e ly m id d le p o in t a n dc e n tru m, a n d (a s is u s u a l a m o n g th e A ra b ia n s ) it s h o u ld o n ly s e rv e to th e w is e a n d le a rn e d fo r a ru le , th a t a ls o th e re m ig h t b e a s o c ie ty in E u ro p e , w h ic h m ig h t h a v e g o ld , s ilv e r, a n d precious stones,sufficientforto bestow them on kings,fortheirnecessary uses and lawfulpurposes, w ith w h ic h [ s o c ie ty ] s u c h a s b e g o v e rn o rs m ig h t b e b ro u g h t u p fo r to le a rn a ll th a t w h ic h G o d h a th s u ffe re d m a n to k n o w , a n d th e re b y to h e e n a b le d in a ll tim e s o f n e e d to g iv e th e ir c o u n s e l u n to th o s e th a t s e e k it, lik e th e H e a th en O ra c le s .

V e rily w e m u s t c o n fe s s th a t th e w o rld in th o s e d a y s w a s a lre a d y b ig w ith th o s e g re a t c o m m o tio n s , la b o u rin g to b e d e liv e re d o f th e m , a n d d id b rin g fo rth p a in fu l, w o rth y m e n , w h o b ro k e w ith a ll fo rc e th ro u g h d a rk n e s s a n d b a rb a ris m , a n d le ft u s w h o s u c c e e d e d to fo llo w th e m . A s s u re d ly th e y h a v e b e e n th e u p p e rm o s t p o in t inTrygono igneo, w h o s e fla m e n o w s h o u ld b e m o re a n d m o re b rig h t, a n d s h a ll u n d o u b te d ly g iv e to th e w o rld th e la s t lig h t.

S u c h a o n e lik e w is e h a th T h e o p h ra s tu s b e e n in v o c a tio n a n d c a llin g s , a lth o u g h h e w a s n o n e o f o u r F ra te rn ity , y e t n e v e rth e le s s h a th h e d ilig e n tly re a d o v e r th e B o o k M , w h e re b y h is s h a rp in g e n iu m w a s e x a lte d ; b u t th is m a n w a s a ls o h in d e re d in h is c o u rs e b y th e m u ltitu d e o f th e le a rn e d a n d w is e -s e e m in g m e n , th a t h e w a s n e v e r a b le p e a c e a b ly to c o n fe r w ith o th e rs o f th e k n o w le d g e a n d u n d e rs ta n d in g h e h a d o f N a tu re . A n d th e re fo re in h is w ritin g h e ra th e r m o c k e d th e s e b u s ie b o d ie s , a n d d o th n o t s h e w th e m a lto g e th e r w h a t h e w a s ; y e t, n e v e rth e le s s , th e re is fo u n d w ith h im w e ll g ro u n d e d th e a fo re -n a m e d H a rm o n ia , w h ic h w ith o u t d o u b t h e h a d im p a rte d to th e le a rn e d , if h e h a d n o t fo u n d th e m ra th e r w o rth y o f s u b tle v e x a tio n , th a n to b e in s tru c te d in g re a te r a rts a n d s c ie n c e s . H e th u s w ith a fre e a n d c a re le s s life lo s t h is tim e , a n d le ft u n to th e w o rld th e ir fo o lis h p le a s u re s .

B u t th a t w e d o n o t fo rg e t o u r lo v in g F a th e r, B ro th e r C .R ., h e a fte r m a n y p a in fu l tra v e ls , a n d h is fru itle s s tru e in s tru c tio n s , re tu rn e d a g a in in to G e rm a n y , th e w h ic h h e h e a rtily lo v e d , b y re a s o n o f th e a lte ra tio n s w h ic h w e re s h o rtly to c o m e , a n d o f th e s tra n g e a n d d a n g e ro u s c o n te n tio n s . T h e re , a lth o u g h h e c o u ld h a v e b ra g g e d w ith h is a rt, b u t s p e c ia lly o f th e tra n s m u ta tio n s o f m e ta ls , y e t d id h e e s te e m m o re H e a v e n , a n d m e n , th e c itiz e n s th e re o f, th a n a ll v a in g lo ry a n d p o m p .