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Bloomfield, William - The Dreame of Mr Blomefeild
Identifier
016000
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
This allegorical poem, sometimes going under the tile 'The Campe of Philosophy', by the 16th Century alchemical philosopher and physician, William Bloomfield, was included in Ashmole's Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, 1652. A number of early manuscript copies have survived.
It is prefaced with the following text -
The compendiary of the noble science of
alchemy compiled by Mr Willm Blomefeild
philosopher & bacheler of phisick admitted
by king Henry the 8th of most famous memory.
Anno Domini 1557
I don't think he was an alchemist from the poem, but it isn't a bad poem, so is worth including. This is an extract, not the full poem
A description of the experience
The Dreame of Mr Blomefeild
5
In the month of march, asleep as I did lye,
Late in the night, of the clocke about eleuen,
In spiritu rapt I was, soodenly into heauen;
Where I saw sittinge in most glorious maiesty
Three beholding, I adored but one in deitye:
6
A Spirit incircumscript with burninge heate incombustible;
Light of brightnes permanent, as fountaine of all light;
Three knit in one, with glory incomprehensible,
Which to behold I had a greate Delighte.
This trulye [to attayne] surmounted my might;
But a voice from that glorious brightnes to me saide,
"I am one god of Immeasurable maiesty: [be not afraide]."
7
In this vision so cleare, that it selfe did so extend
With a voice most pleasant, being three & one,
Pearsed my minde, & taught me to comprehende
The darke sayinges of philosophers each one:
The altitude, latitude & profundity of the stone
To be three in substance & one in essence,
A most heauenly treasure procreate by quintessence.
8
The studied I what quintessence should be;
Of visible thinges apparant to the eye
The fifth being, even a straunge privity
In euery substance resting invisibly.
The invisible godheade is the same, thought I,
Prime cause of beinge & the prime essence,
And of this macrocosm the most suffren quintessence.
9
This is the heauenly and secret potency all
That Devided is, & resteth indivisible
In [all] thinges animall, vigitall, & minerall;
Whose vertue in them, & strength, is invisible.
From god it cometh, & god maketh it sencible
To some preelect; to other doth it denay.
As I sate thus museinge, a voice to me did say:
10
"Study thou no more of my being, but stedfastly
Beleeue this trinity equally knit in one.
Further of my Secretes to muse is but folly,
Passing thy capassity, & all human reason."
The heauens closed vp againe in that season.
Then father Tyme set me at the gate,
And Deliuered me a key to enter in thereat:
11
The key of knowledge & excellent Science,
Whereby all secretes of philosophi are reserate:
The Secretes of nature sought out by Diligence,
Voidinge fables envious of fooles inveterate:
With recipe & Decipe, this science is violate.
Therefore [to me] this key he did Dispose,
The secretes of this art to open & Disclose.
12
This said father Tyme, this key when he mee tooke:
"Vnlock," quoth he, "this gate by thy selue."
And then vpon him sorrowfully Did I looke,
Saying that one key vndoe could not lockes twelue.
"Whose axe is sure," quoth he, "both the head & helue,
Hold will together till the tree Downe fall.
So open thou the first locke, & thou hast opened all."