Thomas Norton (Alchemist)

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Thomas Norton (* 1433 in Colerne , Wiltshire ; † 1513 ) was an English alchemist and poet . He wrote the alchemical work Ordinall of Achimy , a 3,000 line poem on alchemy.

Life

Thomas Norton was born in Colerne, a small town in Wiltshire, England. Nothing is known about his schooling. He was sheriff of Somerset from 1476 to 1477 . Previously, from 1475 to 1476, he was also a member of the Peace Commission (Commission of Peace) of this county. He also worked there as a tax collector from 1477 to 1479. In 1479 he accused the mayor of Bristol of high treason. He also belonged to the private circle of advisers to King Edward IV (ruled 1461–1486). He did not study alchemy while he was in public office. In 1477 he wrote the Ordinall of Achimy , which is his only surviving work. The ordinall was especially given in the Latin copy ( Tripus Aureus , 1618) by Michael Maier (also printed in Musaeum Hermeticum ). The original English text appeared in the alchemical collective journal Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (English), edited by Elias Ashmole .

Ordinall of Alchemy

The 3,000-line poem, written in 1477, has been preserved in 39 copies. The earliest examples date from the years 1480–90. The text is also said to have been known to John Dee , a London alchemist and merchant.

The ordinall is divided into seven chapters preceded by a "poeme". In his text it becomes clear that Norton doubts and denies the possibility of the multiplication of metals by transmutation. However, he believed in the real goal of transmutation , the conversion of metals into other metals. The metals are, Norton continues, inanimate. In Norton's view, the Philosopher's Stone must be made of marcasite and magnesia in order to be able to turn metals into gold and silver. In the alchemical sense, marcasite is a group of shiny sulphidic minerals. Magnesia refers to the MgO known today under the name magnesium oxide .

Furthermore, he subdivided the magnum opus in its ordinall further than was usual up to his time. A large part therefore comprised the solution and purification (Solutio and Putrificatio) and led to the separation of the four elements (air, water, earth, fire). In fine work these four elements were then combined to form the elixir ( philosopher's stone ) according to the basic alchemical principle "Solve et Coagula". During the process, changes in color could then be observed, which should turn from black to white to red if the experiment was successful. In addition, the experiment had to be very carefully carried out, starting with the careful warming ( Digestition ), passing for circulation, where the substance has the physical states goes through the following scheme: solid-liquid-gas-liquid-solid.

Norton also emphasizes the importance of a favorable astrological constellation and the importance of the vessel. The Philosophical Egg, an egg-shaped glass, is the only vessel to be used. The fire must also be at the correct temperature. He calls the metal conversion transubstantiation.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas Norton: The ordinall of alchimy. ( Memento of December 4, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Another author in this compilation was Basilius Valentinus , and an anonymous author with the pseudonym John Cremer , alleged abbot of Westminster.
  2. ^ Facsimile of the text in Ordinall of Alchemy (1929), edited by Eric John Holmyard .

literature

  • Reidy, John (ed.) (1975), Thomas Norton's Ordinal of Alchemy , ISBN 0-19-722274-9 . (English)
  • Clericuzio, Antonio: Norton, Thomas. in: Alchemy. Lexicon of a Hermetic Science. Priesner, Claus; Figala, Karin (Ed.), CH Beck Verlag Munich, 1998.
  • Joachim Telle : Norton, Thomas († 1313/14), Lexikon des Mittelalter , 1993, Volume 6, 1257

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Norton, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English alchemist and poet
DATE OF BIRTH 1433
PLACE OF BIRTH Colerne , Wiltshire
DATE OF DEATH 1513
Place of death England