thousand miles. He said they had the stone,[1] and could by means of it entirely heal all illnesses and confer long life. For Hugo Alverda,[2] their præpositus, was already 562 years old, and his colleagues were not much younger. And though they had hidden themselves for so many hundred years, only working—seven of them—at the amendment of philosophy, yet would they now no longer hide themselves, as they had already brought everything to perfection; and besides this, because they knew that a reformation would shortly befall the whole world; therefore openly showing themselves, they were ready to share their precious secrets with everyone whom they should consider worthy. If, then, one applied to them in whatever language, and be it that he was of whatever nation, each one would obtain everything, and none would be left without a kind answer. But if one was unworthy, and merely from avarice or frowardness wished to secure these gifts, then he should obtain nothing.
(Varia de Fama Judicia.)
2. Having said this, the messenger vanished. I then, looking at these learned men, see that almost all of them were frightened by this news. Meanwhile, they begin slowly to put their heads together and to pass judgment, some in a whisper, some
