On the Highest Good, etc.

Robert Bacon in his own defense, from the booklet on the power of Art and Nature.

original: "Robert. Bacon," referring to the 13th-century English philosopher Roger Bacon. The text uses "Robert," a common contemporary variation or error.

Although nature is powerful and wonderful, nevertheless Art, using nature as an instrument, is more powerful than natural virtue, as we have seen in many things. However, whatever exists outside the operation of Nature or Art is either not human, or it is a fiction and occupied with frauds. Because of this, it is a most wicked occupation when a man despises the laws of Philosophy and, against all reason, invokes nefarious Spirits so that through them he may fulfill his will. And in this lies the error: that they believe Spirits are subjected to them, and that Spirits are compelled by human will. This is impossible, for human power is far inferior to that of the Spirits. Or they wander even further in this: that they believe through certain natural things which they use, evil Spirits are either summoned or put to flight. And they err still, when through invocations, prayers, and sacrifices, men strive to appease them and bring them forth for the benefit of men; for without comparison, it would be easier to obtain from God or from good Spirits whatever a man ought to consider useful. But neither do the evil Spirits assist favorably in these useless matters, except insofar as it is permitted by God because of the sins of men—He who rules and governs the human race. Therefore, these ways are outside the teachings of Wisdom; indeed, they work better to the contrary, nor have those who truly practice Philosophy ever cared for these methods.

And elsewhere: And thus many secrets of Nature and Art are thought to be Magic, and Magicians foolishly trust in charms and characters In this context, "characters" refers to talismans, symbols, or encoded sigils., thinking that they provide power to them. For the sake of pursuing these, they abandon the work of nature and art because of the error of charms and characters, and thus both kinds of these men are deprived of the utility of Wisdom, compelled by their own foolishness. Therefore, those things contained in the books of Magicians are all to be kept away; although they may contain something true, they abuse so many falsehoods that the truth cannot be discerned from the false.

These things he says for himself, and there throughout his entire admirable booklet, he declares the power of art and nature—that is, the mysteries of natural Magic.

What do you say, (just judges)? Is this religious man, according to the opinion of that Monk Likely referring to a critic or the specific accuser mentioned in the previous context., guilty or not guilty? I shall say no more on this matter, since the integrity of this good man shines forth more clearly than the midday light (despite his slanderer). But now let another be produced: and let him be an Abbot—a man of no small esteem in the Roman Church—Trithemius, I say, the Abbot, a man known to all the learned and most celebrated for his profound knowledge, who has not only himself but also other religious men speaking on his behalf. His accusation—or rather, truly his judgment—is such:

Marin Mersenne (1588–1648) was a French mathematician and theologian who famously attacked "magical" works.

I gladly leave the other rhapsodies and "name-makings" original: "Onomatopœias," likely referring to the creation of spirit names. of the Rabbis, just as those things which Cornelius Cornelius Agrippa. has in the cited place, and Trithemius in his Steganographia, which is most worthy of the flames, etc.

Trithemius in his own defense, in his letter to Cornelius Agrippa.

We ask and pray that you always exercise yourself through your labor toward better things, and show the light of true Wisdom—with which you are especially and divinely illuminated—even to the ignorant. Nor let the consideration of any scoundrels (take note, Mersenne!) pull you back from your purpose, of whom it is truly said: "the weary ox plants its foot firmly," etc.

These things he says for himself, by which he wishes to indicate to the world that the entire effort of a Christian man is in the acquisition of the light of true Wisdom, by which he may be divinely illuminated, so that in that light, he may see the light.

Abbot Sigismund appears on behalf of Trithemius, as in Column 440 of Marin’s work.

I, Lord Sigismund, Abbot of the Seon Monastery of the Order of Saint Benedict, confess and attest that all things written in the three books of Trithemius's Steganography are natural and pertain to natural Magic, even if they are not understood because of the various characters, numbers, and modes of conjuration, by which he seems to propagate Demonic Magic—although under those names, he only hides natural secrets, etc.