John Heydon’s encounter with his Rosicrucian muse - Euterpe

Walking upon the plain of Bulverton Hill to study Numbers and the nature of things, one evening, I could see between me and the light, a most exquisite Divine beauty; her frame neither long nor short, but a man [sic] decent stature; attir’d she was in thin loose Silks, but so green that I never saw the like, for the color was not earthly, in some places it was fancied, with gold & silver Ribbands, which lookd like the Sun and Lyllies in the field of grass; her head was overcast with a thin floating Tiffany; which she held up, with one of her hands, and looked as it were from under it; her eyes were quick, fresh and Celestial, but had something of a Start, as if she had been puzzled with a suddain occurrence.

From her vaile did her locks break out, like Sun beams from a Mist, they ran disheveld to her Brest and then returned to her cheeks in curles and rings of gold; her hair behind her was rowled to a curious Globe, with a small short spire flowered with purple and skie colour knots; her Rings were pure intire Emeralds, for she valued no Metal, and her pendants of burning Carbuncles. In brief her whole habit was youthful and flowery, it smelt like the East and was thoroughly ayrd with rich Arabian Diapasms; this and no other was her appearance at that time.

Bur whilst I admired her perfections, and prepared to make my addresses, she prevents me with a voluntary approach; here indeed I expected some discourse from her, but she looking very seriously and silently in my face, takes me by the hand and softly whispers, My love I freely give you, and with it these tokens, my Key and Signet, the one opens, the other shuts, be sure to use both with discretion; as for the mysteries of the Rosie Cross, you have my Library to peruse them all; there is not anything here, but I will gladly reveal it to you, I will teach you the virtue of Numbers of Names, of Angels, and Genii of men. I have one precept to commend to you and this it is, you must be silent; you shall not in your writings exceed my allowance, remember that I am your love , and you will not make me a Prostitute. But because I wish you serviceable to those of your own disposition, I here give you an Emblematical Type of my Sanctuary. viz. The Axiomata of the R.C. The Secrets of Numbers, with a full privilege to publish it. This is all, and now I am going to the invisible Region, amongst the Aetherial Goddesses, let not that Proverb take place with you, Out of sight, out of mind; remember me and be happy.

Now I asked her if she would favour me with her name; to this she replyed very familiarly, as if she had known me long before, My dear friend H. I have many names but my best beloved is Euterpe.

Reference

Heydon, John. The Holy Guide. Book VI 30-32. archive.org. The Internet Archive, n.d. Web. 16 August 2015.

Sieburth, Richard. N. 326.6. In Ezra Pound Poems and Translations, ed. Richard Sieburth. New York: Library of America, 2003. 1291.