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286 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUC1ANS.
According to this genealogy,
Robert Fludd was the
youngest of five sons. He was entered of St John's College
in the year 1591, at the age of seventeen. Having gradu-
ated both in arts and medicine, he appears to have travelled
extensively, for the space of six years, in France, Germany,
Italy, and Spain. On his return to England, he was made
a member of the London College of Physicians, and took
his degree of Master in Arts in the year 1605. His first
published work appeared in 1616,
about which time he was
visited by Michael Maier, by whom he was probably acquainted
with the Rosicrucian controversy, and with whom
he corresponded after the renowned German alchemist had
returned to his own country. Fludd appears to have re-
sided chiefly in London, then as now the great intellectual
centre of England. He had a house in Fenchurch Street,
according to Fuller,* and another in Coleman Street, where
he died in the year 1637, on the 8th day of September.
He was buried in the chancel of Bersted Church, under a
tomb which he had previously erected
" An oblong square
of dark, slate- coloured marble, occupying a large space of
the chancel wall on the left as you stand before the altar,
looking up the body of the small church towards the door.
There is a seated half-length figure of Fludd, with his hand
on a book, as if just raising his head from reading to look
at you. Upon the monument are two marble books in-
scribed Misterium Cabalisticum and Philosophia Sacra.
There were originally eight books. The inscription to his
memory
is as follows :
" 'VIII. Die Mensis VII. A D m , M.D.C.XXXVII. dori-
bus vrua vaporat crypta tegit cineres nee speciosa tvos ovod
mortale minvs tibi. Te committimus vnvm ingenii vivent
1 "Worthies of Great Britain," p. 78 of the second part.