Dedication, no date (1576-09-04), Adam von Bodenstein to Citizens and City Council of Basel (BP.Bod.1577-01)

Author:	Adam von Bodenstein
Type:	Poem
Date:	4 September 1576
Place:	Basel
Pages:	12
Language:	German

Quote as:

https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2646

Editor:	Edited by Julian Paulus
Source:	Adam von Bodenstein, Herrlicher Philosophischer rhatschlag zu curirn Pestilentz/ Brustgeschwer/ Carfunckl, [Basel: Pietro Perna] 1577, sig. A2r-A7v [BP.Bod.1577-01]

Translation:

Raw translation see below

Abstract:

The author addresses the people of Basel during a time of pestilence in the late 16th century, offering guidance based on his experiences and knowledge of medicine. He reflects on his application of Theriacam Mummiatam, a remedy described by Paracelsus, which he had found to be beneficial when administered to many individuals. However, he observed that when the medicine could not be digested and instead was expelled, human help and natural remedies were of no use. The author equates pestilence with an unnatural sickness that arises from human sin and describes it as a spiritual being. He asserts the necessity of both spiritual and physical remedies, such as fasting, charity, and prayer, as well as a physician’s use of the most potent and effective medicine available. The author then discusses his pursuit of an antidote that could be elevated to the highest degree to combat the disease. He references his diligent research and financial investments in his quest for a cure. He also stresses the importance of prevention, likening it to a wall or a shield that can protect against the disease. The author concludes his address by offering thanks to God and Theophrastus, asserting his confidence in his knowledge and skills, and expressing his willingness to share his knowledge for the benefit of others. (generated by Chat-GPT)

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[sig. A2r] Magnificis prvdentissimisqve Dominis, Consvlibvs, Tribvnis, Senatvi, populoq́ue Basiliensi. Salvtem precatur.

Edlen/ Gestrengen/ Ehrnuesten/ fromme weysen G[nädigen] lieben herren/ demnach in E[uer] G[naden] Stett vnnd Land zu sterbender zeit/ insonderheit des verfloßnen drey auch vier vnd sechtzigsten jars/ alß die grimme lues pestifera alhie vnnd vilen enden mit grosser exaltation sich eingerissen/ ich mich wol gebrauchen auß eignem willen mit ernst vnd fleiß lassen/ vnd sonderlich domalen die mummiatam [sig. A2v] Theriacam/ welche Paracelsus beschrieben/ vilen personen mitgetheilet/ befunden (vormittelst Göttliches segens) jhr vberschwenckliche gute probam. Also/ daß welchem ich solche eingegeben/ vnnd er dieselbig bey sich behalten/ biß das nahergefolget dosis altera/ zum andern mal einzunemmen/ dem warde sein kranckheit inn gesundtheit verkehrtet. Darauß vnd anderen circumstantijs mir ein grosse freude begegnet/ ja daß ich ein prædiction bekam/ stellen dorfft vnd sagen/ wie sichs in diesem leger mit dem patienten zutragen würde: Dann wo ernente medicin nicht platz haben/ daß sie jr würckung vben mocht/ sonders von dem feinde durch erbrechen außgeworffen/ etwann durch mich ein mal/ etwann biß inn des dritt administriert/ vnnd alweg wider außgeiaget worden/ So konte ich schliessen/ das menschliche hilff/ vorsichtigkeit vnnd natürliche mittel nichts mehr verfangen mochten. Es was dieser weissagung ein vrsach/ [sig. A3r] weil die natur der inner Adech die remedia respuirt/ nicht zu hilff annam/ so kontents die innaras proprietates jhme nicht mit theilen/ Wo aber sie angenommen/ verfolgte gewißlich/ daß diese plag dem medico vnnd der medicin auß lauterer barmhertzigkeit Gottes vnterworffen vnd natürlich worden/ auff des dem menschen sein leben verlengeret. Weil nun gnedige Herren/ ich solches auffsehens in ernenter Pestilentzischer regierung auch andern zuuor gehabt vnd erfahren/ daß pestis Ein vnnatürliche kranckheit/ Ein besondere růr vnd plag/ so sich erhebt auß des menschen sünde/ Ein vnsichtlich/ vngreifflich/ geistlich wesen/ (wie das beschrieben von Paracelso so keins wegs herkünfftig von einigem humore/ sonders aussen ane in den menschen auch seinen liquorem sich alß ein dampff vnd rauch durch anziehung des geruchs/ Oder wie ein donnerstral vnd schutz der kugel auß der bixen/ oder ein stich vom schwerdt oder wunden inn den [sig. A3v] menschlichen corpus sich begibet/ eindringt vnd oben herab widerfart/ So müß diß bey allen der grund sein/ daß zweyerley geistliche formalische remedia müssen fürgenommen vnd gebrauchet werden/ nämlichen das erst/ Dz wir alle sampt vnd sondere mit fasten/ almůsen geben vnd betten versünent durch fürbitt vnsers seligmachers/ Gott seinen grimmen zorn vnd gerechtigkeit/ vnd bewegen in barmhertzigkeit/ alß Niniue. Das ander/ daß der medicus die Alexipharmaca in jrer höchsten potentia/ kraft vnd tugent gebracht hab: in die sie von Gott anfangs der erschaffung geordnet/ vnd jme dise inuoluirte/ vermischte eingewicklete kraft herausser von corpore ziehe/ wie der berckman die volkommne metallen auß den berck vnd flüchtigen ärtz absönderet/ außzeucht/ dz rein vom vnreinen vnd onbestendigen (jeglichs in seiner art) segregirt/ also vil vnd offtmalen/ biß er gereicht vnd kompt zu dem fixen vnnd feinen klaren metallen/ vnd dann ist der medicus gerecht in seinem werck/ vnd wol- [sig. A4r] gefasset in seinem beruff: wann er/ sprich ich/ die confusion so mit der natur in allen createn laufft hat gscheiden/ wie der schöpfer himmels vnd erdrichs anfangs dz chaos zerteilet vns zu einem reichen/ exempel/ Dann im schweiß seines angesichts soll jder in seiner vocation sein brot bekommen/ die natur producirt vns nichts dz gerichts vnd stracks ins volkommen gebracht seie/ Vns wachsen kein hosen oder schuch/ aber wol die thierer so die heüt vnd wollen geben/ Vns wachset kein brot/ aber die frucht/ die drescher bringens erst vom helm/ seigerens von vnrat/ werffens von onfruchtbaren mißkorn/ der müller malts/ reinigts von kleien/ der beck bachts durch feürs hitz/ vnd in diser reuerberirung behalts erst die prob dz es brot sey: Vnd solch brot/ darin aller tierer fleisch vnd blůt ist/ denen diß zu nutriment erschaffen/ issets ein mensch/ so verkerts sich zu menschen fleisch: jssets ein hund/ so wirts hunds fleisch/ &c. Ebs nu ins end gbracht ist/ vnd bleibt also gewachsen auß dem samen/ wer wurd von stengl/ stro/ sprür vnd wie es producirt langwerendes nutriment [sig. A4v] dienlich fleisch vnnd blut zu werden/ (besonders im mensch) entpfahen? Wurde etwann nutzbarer erscheinen die locustas/ sprößling in der wüste zu essen der gewechsen. Auff solchen grund müssen vnnd sollen wir vnser andere remedia ordnen/ damit gebracht werde defensiuum vnd curatiuum in formalem medicinam/ alß vil lumen naturæ gedulden kan/ auff des spiritus vitæ dardurch eylenden beistand befinde/ vnnd in schnelle gegegen were/ sich bewapnen möge/ durch vnsere Christliche natürliche kunst/ welche ohne spagiria nimanden vnter die handt zu vnsern zeiten geben wirt. Also spreche ich/ das gifft des Pestilentzischen geschosses/ vnnd der brand durch jre gewisse emunctoria vnd des zufellig gifft durch andere meatus hinauß getriben/ alß im büchli vermeldet wirt/ auch von aussen ane anzogen/ gedemmet (wie ein brannt gemeiner bixen kugel/ so mit knobloch oder speck vergifftet/ durch des öl von der glette vnd krebß safft ge- [sig. A5r] demmet vnd abgelöschet wirt) Ja ie höher vnnd subtiler der medicus die medicin præparirt/ je eher auch stercker des menschen krafft/ der innerlich mensch der Adech hilff bekompt/ vnd deren er warlich hochnötig/ quia periculum in mora: Dann so die medicin sich lang im nechsten magen saumen muß/ wegen jhrer grobheit/ daß der mag des medici arbeit erst thun soll/ zu scheiden das grob vom reinen/ das ist/ das corpus von der tugendt/ so nimpt vnser feind der todt inn solchen indutijs vnnd vertrag/ die beste plätz vnd befestungen ein/ spargiert das gifft in die blutadern vnd neruen des marcks erschrockenlich/ &c. So ist wahr/ daß vor mir viel loblicher menner gyfftiagende durchtringende media gesucht/ geschriben compositiones/ Theriacum/ item den Methridat vnd Electuarium de ouo/ &c. Aber diserer vnserer zeit/ inn deren bey allen völckern alles in das subtilist auff das höchst gestigen/ die Sünde/ Eigennutz/ Vnbill/ auch Straff/ [sig. A5v] Krieg/ Pestilentz wils nimmer angehn/ dann solchr receptorum compositiones alle zu vil mit crassa substantia verwicklet sein/ welchs ich nun emsiglich gesucht/ darbei weder meiner arbeit noch meines geldes verschonet/ sonders gedacht/ was fürzunemmen/ dadurch die antidota auch in höchste gradirung zubringen/ auff daß sie gegen der kranckheit stehen mochten. Also auß Gottes barmhertzigkeit mein beger durch fleisig suchen erlangt vnd gfunden/ namlichen curam der verletzung/ das dann das grössist vnd notwendigst. Die beschirmung vnd bewarung für solchen einfal ist also zuuernemmen/ dz der jenig/ welcher hinder einer dicken maur steht/ etwz defensionis hat/ für ringes gschütz/ jedoch so maurbrecher/ die kunstliche kuglen auß den mrösern/ hagelgschitz vnd tormenta darwider gebraucht werden/ so ist die sicherung am ende/ welche das harnisch vnd die maur mitgeteilt. Gleicher gstalt ists mir præseruantibus/ welche gwißlich vor allr feulung den corpus bewaren/ dz jm dise contagio vnd bestis/ welche natürlich geworden/ nit [sig. A6r] wol schaden zuzufügen vermag/ jdoch den sterckern gschoß so vnnachlaßent geer zuring. Diser ich ausserthalb deren balsamischen arte/ so in meinen antidoto ist/ hierin geschwigen mererteils/ Weil wol bekant bei auffrechten medicis die proprietas vnd eigenschaft im saltz/ myrren/ saffrag/ aloe/ schwebl ist/ Seint gleichwol herrliche hohe gaben Gotts/ innerlich/ dz ist/ in jren kreften wenigen bekant/ denselbigen sag ich/ so jre medicinen in geschribnen materien lernen wollen/ disen finaliter im ende begegnen wurde/ alß einen vermeinten handwercks vnterrichtung one eins lebenden artificis anleitung gelernet/ vil daruon plauderer/ vnd wann ers ins werck richten/ sol sein meisterstuck thun/ ist kein grund da/ sondern alles im Labyrinth. Die Alchimia so allr faulkeit ein feint ist/ dise ist ein füreri zur natur vermögenheit/ vnd wegen der arbeit ein grossr dorn den vermiedeten vnd faulen leuten für den augen/ Wann sie bedechten/ dz es greiflich vnd sichtlich wahr ist/ dz die todte abgestorbne cörper/ dz fleisch auß der metzig [sig. A6v] vor feulung vnnd gestanck zu bewaren mit grobem vermistem balsam/ darinn nicht das prædestiniert elementum florirn kan/ sonders alle viere durch einander vermischt sein/ ist. Wurdents bald mit vns stimmen/ dz vil mehr der lebendig corpus/ dem hilff von spiritu vitæ beschicht/ durch extractiones vnnd separatas rerum essentias zu balsamirn were/ wie solches dem vigilanti vnd industrio medico/ scrutatori physicalium/ vnnd philosophiæ (welcher an allen enden Gottlob/ vil sein) wol bekant/ vnnd je lenger je mehrer von Gott dem dürfftigen krancken zu trost offenbar wirt. Das ist nun dahin gesagt/ damit verstanden werde/ daß præseruantia sein/ vnd wie weit jhr vermögenheit/ Was des curatiff vnnd sein macht zu balsamirn belanget/ so ich auß der Alchimia der wahren vnd einigen philosophia naturali erlernet/ sampt des Paracelsi schreiben von krafft Mummiæ/ hab ich E[uer] G[naden] vnd auch einem ersamen Rhat gemeiner Burger- [sig. A7r] schafft zuerzeigung meines redlichen gemüts/ hiemit offerirn vnd zu offenbaren vnternommen/ dann ich (niemants warhaffter anderst von mir reden soll) von Gott darzu erkieset/ daß ich nit mir allein/ sonders meinem vatterlandt vnnd freunden/ lebete/ auch in rechten zugelassenen guten Christlichen künsten mich jeder zeit geübt vnd vben werde/ Wol ohne rhum/ aber mit warheit dörffte sagen/ daß ich mehr gesehen vnnd erfahren inn medicina vnd philosophia weder vil andere/ Soll mir der verdacht ohngöttlicher kunst/ ohnbillicher weiß wider das gebott der liebe nicht zugelegt/ sonders danck darfür gesagt werden. Jch sage meinem Gott vnnd Theophrasto ewigen danck/ daß ich aller meiner künsten mich befrewen/ berümen vnd in nöten drauff verlassen darff die auch vor Keisern vnnd Königen vnnd allen ehrliebenden wol eröffnen/ alß einen grossen schatz/ so mir mitgetheilet den Menschen zu wolfarht/ Gott zu preiß/ &c.

[sig. A7v] Bitte E[uer] G[naden] wolle solch mein oblation/ wie sie trewhertzig beschicht/ von mir annemmen/ deren ich jederzeit mit willigen diensten geneigt. Datum Basel mense Septembri 4. M. D. LXXVI.

E[uer] g[nädig] G[estrengen] e. w. vnd: Burger Adam von Bodenstein.

Apparatus

Corrections

English Raw Translation

Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 29 June 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.

To the Magnificent, Most Prudent Lords, Councillors, Tribunes, Senate, and People of Basel. I offer my regards.

Noble, distinguished, serious, pious, wise, gracious, and beloved lords, as in your Grace's city and land, at times of death, especially in the past three to four and sixty years, as the grim lues pestifera (the Black Death) ravaged here and in many places with great exaltation, I willingly devoted myself out of my own volition with earnest and diligence. Especially then, the mummiatam theriacam, which Paracelsus described, was shared with many people and found (thanks to divine blessings) to be of overflowing good proof. Thus, anyone who received it and retained it until the second dose was to be taken, their illness was turned into health. From this and other circumstances, I encountered great joy, even to the point of being able to make a prediction, daring to say how the patient's condition would progress in this camp: For where the mentioned medicine could not find a place, that it could exert its effect, but was thrown out by the enemy through vomiting, sometimes administered by me once, sometimes up to three times, and always vomited out again, I could conclude that human help, prudence, and natural means could not prevail anymore.

This prediction had a cause, because the nature of the inner vessels rejected the remedies, did not accept them for help, so they could not share their inner properties with them. But where they were accepted, it certainly followed that this plague was subjected to the doctor and the medicine out of pure mercy of God and became natural, in order to prolong human life. Since now, gracious Lords, I had such experience in the mentioned pestilential administration and others before and found that pestilence is an unnatural disease, a special disturbance and plague, which arises from human sin, an invisible, intangible, spiritual being (as described by Paracelso in no way originates from any humor, but from the outside in humans and their fluids, it takes the form of a vapor and smoke through the attraction of the smell, or like a thunderbolt and the push of the bullet from the gun, or a stab from the sword or wounds into the human body, it happens, penetrates and comes back from above. Therefore, this should be the foundation for all, that two spiritual formal remedies must be taken and used, namely the first, that we all together and individually, by fasting, giving alms and praying, appease God's fierce anger and justice through the intercession of our savior, and move him to mercy, like Nineveh.

The other, that the doctor brings the alexipharmaca to their highest potency, strength, and virtue: as they were ordained by God at the beginning of creation, and he extracts this wrapped, mixed, encased strength from the body, as the miner separates the perfect metals from the mountain and volatile ore, draws it out, separates the pure from the impure and the unstable (each in its own way), so many times, until he reaches the fixed and fine clear metals, and then the doctor is righteous in his work, and well-established in his profession: when he, I say, has separated the confusion that runs with nature in all creatures, as the creator of heaven and earth initially divided the chaos into a rich example. For in the sweat of his face shall each in his vocation get his bread, nature produces nothing for us that is immediately brought to perfection. No trousers or shoes grow for us, but the animals that give the skin and wool. No bread grows for us, but the fruit, the threshers first bring it from the chaff, sift it from the filth, toss it from barren tares, the miller grinds it, purifies it from the bran, the baker bakes it through the heat of the fire, and in this process, it first passes the test that it is bread: And such bread, in which all animal flesh and blood is, those created for this nourishment, if a man eats it, it turns into human flesh: if a dog eats it, it turns into dog flesh, etc. If it is now brought to its end, and remains thus grown from the seed, who would conceive from stems, straw, spurre, and as it produces long-lasting nourishing meat and blood to become (especially in man) useful? Would it ever appear more useful to eat the locusts, the sprout in the desert to grow. On such grounds, we must and should arrange our other remedies, so that the defensive and curative can be brought into formal medicine, as much as the light of nature can endure, so that the spirit of life finds rapid assistance through it, and in haste can arm itself, through our Christian natural art, which will not be handed over to anyone without spagyric these days. Thus, I say, the poison of the pestilential shot, and the fire are driven out through their certain emunctories and the accidental poison through other channels, as will be reported in the booklet, also attracted from the outside, subdued (like a fire of ordinary cannonballs, which is poisoned with garlic or bacon, through the oil of the glowworm and crab juice is subdued and extinguished) Yes, the higher and subtler the physician prepares the medicine, the sooner also stronger the human power, the inner man of the Adech receives help, and of which he is indeed in high need, because danger is in delay: Then if the medicine has to linger long in the nearest stomach because of its coarseness, that the stomach of the medicus has to do the work first, to separate the coarse from the pure, that is, the corpus from the virtue, then our enemy death takes advantage of such truces and agreements, the best places and fortresses, sprinkles the poison into the blood vessels and nerves of the marrow terribly, etc. It is true that many commendable men before me have sought penetrating media, written compositions, Theriacum, likewise Mithridate and Electuarium de ovo, etc. But these times, in which everything among all peoples has risen to the subtlest, the highest, sin, self-interest, injustice, also punishment, war, plague, it will never do, because such compositions of receptors are all too much entangled with crassa substantia, which I have now eagerly sought, spared neither my work nor my money, but thought, what to undertake, to bring the antidotes also to the highest degree, so that they might stand against the disease. Thus, out of God's mercy, I have obtained and found my desire through diligent searching, namely the cure of the wound, which is then the greatest and most necessary. The shielding and protection against such invasion is to be undertaken in such a way that the one who stands behind a thick wall has some defense against all-round artillery, however, when wall-breakers, the artful bullets from the mortars, hail shot and torment are used against it, the security is at the end, which the armor and the wall have shared. Similarly, it is with my preservatives, which certainly before all corruption protect the corpus, that this contagion and beasts, which have become natural, can not well do harm, however, the stronger shot so relentlessly shoots at. These I have for the most part kept silent about outside of the balsamic arts, which are in my antidote, because it is well known among upright physicians the properties and quality in salt, myrrh, saffron, aloe, sulfur is, are nevertheless magnificent high gifts of God, inwardly, that is, in their powers few known, to them I say, who want to learn their medicines in written matters, they would finally encounter at the end, as a supposed instruction of the craft without the guidance of a living artificer learned, many a talker, and when he wants to put it into practice, do his masterpiece, there is no foundation, but everything in the labyrinth. The Alchemy, which is an enemy to all laziness, this is a guide to the power of nature, and because of the work, a great thorn to the lazy and lazy people in front of the eyes, when they consider, that it is palpably and visibly true, that the dead decayed bodies, the flesh from the butcher to preserve from corruption and stench with coarse mixed balsam, in which not the predestined element can flourish, but all four are mixed together, is. They would soon agree with us, that much more the living corpus, which is covered by the spirit of life, through extractions and separate essences of things was to be embalmed, as this the vigilant and industrious physician, scrutator physicalium, and philosophy (which thank God, are many at all ends) well known, and the longer the more of God the needy sick to comfort becomes apparent. This is now said, so that it may be understood, what preservatives are, and how far their power, As for the curative and its power to embalm, which I have learned from the Alchemy of the true and only natural philosophy, along with the writings of Paracelsus about the power of Mummy, I have endeavored to offer and reveal to Your Grace and also an honorable Council of the common citizenship, to show my honest mind, since I (no one else should speak more truthfully of me) was chosen by God for this, that I not only live for myself, but for my fatherland and friends, also in rightful admitted good Christian arts I will always practice and exercise, Well without fame, but with truth I could say, that I have seen and experienced more in medicine and philosophy than many others, The suspicion of ungodly art, unfair wisdom against the commandment of love should not be attributed to me, but thanks should be said for it. I give eternal thanks to my God and Theophrastus, that I can rejoice, boast and rely on all my arts in times of need, which I can also well reveal before emperors and kings and all those who love honor, as a great treasure, which has been shared with me for the welfare of men, to the praise of God, etc.

Please, Your Grace, accept my sincere oblation, which I am always inclined to offer with willing services. Dated Basel, 4th of September, 1586.

Your gracious E. W. and Citizen Adam von Bodenstein.