We, the deputies of the principal College of the Brethren of the Rose-cross, have taken up our abode, visible
and
invisible, in this city, by the grace of the Most High, towards whom are turned the hearts of the just. We show and
teach without books or signs, and speak all sorts of languages in the countries where we dwell, to draw mankind, our
fellows, from error and from death
— from the Paris Poster, which appeared mysteriously overnight around the city in March
of 1623, and which sent the entire populace into a frenzy of speculation and excitement about the group's shadowy
Purpose
Also known as
The Invisibles, the
Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross were largely the inspiration for
the Illuminati and one
of history's
secret societies par excellence, who took their name, according to the ascribed legend,
from a German philosopher Christen Rosencreutz
1 (who may or may not have existed) who, while travelling on
pilgrimage to the
Holy Land in the last days of the 14th century (not a wise time for a white boy to be backpacking in the
Middle East, given
the Crusades had just started to wind down after five centuries), took ill at
Damascus (in
Syria) where
he was restored by 'learn'd Arabs' who restored his health and revealed the Eastern mysteries to him. He returned to Germany,
took his trusted friends into confidence about these secrets, and set themselves to the task of
freeing the minds and bodies
of the world. Whispers of their activites began to circulate in 1605 around German cities, next in London around 1615, then
in 1623 they hit Paris with a poster campaign (odd behavior for the
invisible).
Months after the first another followed: “If any one desires to see the brethren of the Rose-cross from
curiosity only, he
will never
communicate with us. But if his will really induces him to inscribe his name in the register of our
brotherhood, we, who can judge of the thoughts of all men, will convince him of the truth of our promises. For this reason we
do not publish to the world the place of our
abode. Thought alone, in unison with the
sincere will of those who desire to
know us, is sufficient to make us known to them, and them to us.”
Their rules of conduct, according to
Robert Fludd's
Apologia compendia Fraternitatem de Rosea-cruce suspicionis et
infamine maculis aspersam abulens (London, 1616):
- First. That, in their travels, they should gratuitously cure all diseases.
- Secondly. That they should always dress in conformity to the fashion of the country in which they resided.
- Thirdly. That they should, once every year, meet together in the place appointed by the fraternity, or send in
writing an available excuse.
- Fourthly. That every brother, whenever he felt inclined to die, should choose a person worthy to succeed him.
- Fifthly. That the words “Rose-cross” should be the marks by which they should recognise each other.
- Sixthly. That their fraternity should be kept secret for six times twenty years.
Jesuit priest Abbé Gautier wrote a book claiming they were simply 'drunken Lutherans' from Mainz conspiring in beer-halls
'under the rose' of German ale.
Gabriel Naudé2 wrote another exposé,
Avis a la France sur les Frères de la
Rose-croix along the same lines, calling the group historical
pranksters.
Sources:
Numerous secret books from the Vanier Library,
Concordia University-
Loyola,
Walton Hannah Masonic Collection3, Charles Mackay's
Memoirs of Extraordinary
Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (London, 1852) and the very helpful (if not exactly mysterious)
Confraternity of the Rose Cross site: http://www.crcsite.org. Accessed: Jun. 13, 2002.
Notes:
1. Historical conspiracy theorists believe this was also the inspiration for the
Rosencrantz character from
Hamlet,
implying
Shakespeare was somehow involved with these shady characters. Of course, Rosencrantz was also none too sharp, depsite his conspiring, and not really a terribly flattering role.
2. Naudé was also reponsible for the definitive study
Apologie pour tous les grands personnages qui ont été faussement
soupçonnez de Magic (Paris, 1625)
3. If you are genuinely interested in this or any other mystical order and live anywhere near
Montreal, the collection at the
Vanier Campus, in
Notre-Dame de Grace (
NDG) is well-worth the trip. Stop by 9-4: Mon-Fri. and simply ask at the
reference desk for the special collections office. Or just check out: http://mercury.concordia.ca/search/j?SEARCH=walton+hannah) beforehand and pick out some titles. It is a closed collection though, meaning no borrowing is allowed, but some of the occult histories are exceedingly rare and in fantastic condition, especially the 18th c. pamphlets.