John Dastin[1] (c.1293 – c.1386) was anEnglishalchemist of the fourteenth century. Little is known of his life beyond the texts which are attributed to him (A biographical noticeDe vita, aetate ac scripsis Johannis Dastin is found in a 17th-century manuscript: Ms Oxford, Bold. Libr., Ashmol. 1445, VIII, fol. 53).[2] Dastin is known for correspondence withPope John XXII and Cardinal Napoleone Orsini in defense of alchemical practice, dated to 1320.
Work attributed to Dastin was included in the 1625Harmoniae imperscrutabilis Chymico-Philosophicae ofHermannus Condeesyanus,[3] the 1629Fasciculus Chemicus ofArthur Dee, and the 1652Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum ofElias Ashmole.
Recent research has revealed that John Dastin lived around 1293–1386. He was born in the village of Greet, in the county of Gloucestershire and was ordained deacon in 1311. He studied at Oxford and was appointed vicar of the church of Bringhurst, Leicestershire. In mid-1317 he traveled to Avignon to work in the service of Cardinal Napoleon Orsini (†1342) and obtained the benefits of a canonry of the collegiate church of Southwell. During his stay in Avignon he was known as "magister Johannes Anglicus." He worked at the court of Napoleon Orsini, and he helped Giovanni Gaetano Orsini during his legacy in Italy (1326–1334). Dastin returned to Oxford in 1341 and was appointed vicar of the Church of Aberford, in Yorkshire, associated with Oriel College. He died at an earlier date than 1386.[4]
Dastin argues that artificial transmutation into gold with the help of sulphur of mercury (argent vive) is equivalent to natural transformation. Furthermore, that "art imitates nature, and in certain respects corrects and surpasses it just as infirm nature is changed by the industry of medicine."[5]
TheRosarius Philosophorum, also known by its incipitDesiderabile desiderium (thedesired desire). TheRosarium is known in manuscript[6] and was printed in 1702 byJean-Jacques Manget in hisBibliotheca Chemica Curiosa.
It was also attributed to Dastin's contemporaryArnaldus de Villa Nova (1238–1311 or 1313) and translated into French under the titleLa Vraie Pratique de la noble science d'alchimie. Later still it was attributed toNicolas Flamel under the titleThe Book of Washing.
In manuscripts, this text was often associated with theVisio Edwardi. It was printed for the first time in 1625 under the titleVisio Ioannis Dastin.[7]
An English translation,Dastin's Dream appeared inTheatrum Chemicum Britannicum ofElias Ashmole, published 1652. Ashmole wrote "I am persuaded. ... Dastin's Dream, has been turned into English Verse by some later Philosopher; for in his days we meet with no such refined English."[8]
Nam ars imitatur naturam et in quidam corrigit et superat eam, sicut mutatur natura infirma medicorum industria
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