George Ripley (alchemist)

George Ripley (* 1415, † 1490 ) was one of the most important English alchemists.

Life

About his life little is known. He probably lived in the second half of the 15th century as a choir master of the Augustinian Order in Bridlington in Yorkshire. In addition to his ecclesiastical position, he also devoted himself to natural science and alchemy. To expand his knowledge, he traveled to France, Germany and Italy. For some time he lived in Rome, where he was appointed chamberlain of Pope Innocent VIII in 1477 and was able to continue his studies even more intense. When he returned to England in 1478, he claimed to be in possession of the recipe for making the Philosopher's Stone, which should allow, among other things, the gold making. Two hundred years later, Elias Ashmole recalled the old traditions, which Ripley has the Knights of St. John annually £ 100,000 allegedly turned to for their struggle to defend their religious seat on Rhodes against the besieging Turks, which was the clear demonstration of the art of making gold for Ashmole.

With the growth of scientific knowledge, alchemy, beginning from the mid-15th century - the time George Ripley 's - always longer the limit for cheating. The church gradually distanced himself from the speculative alchemy, which also contained many pagan elements. Ripley has been violated by the Augustinians and joined the Carmelite order in Boston ( Lincolnshire ), where he died in 1490.

In his book The Compound of Alchemy Ripley describes in pictures and illustrations and completely incomprehensible verses the 12 levels ( The Twelve Gates ) of the alchemical path for the preparation of the Philosopher's Stone.

Works

  • The Compound of Alchymy
  • The Alchemical Scrolls
  • The Mistery of Alchymists
  • The bosome -book
  • Liber Secretisimus
  • Five Preparations of the Philosopher's Mercury
  • A Treatise of Mercury and the Philosophers Stone
  • Cantilena
Order of St. John Carmelites Boston (Lincolnshire) Integrated Authority File
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