FRANCIS BACON & THE ‘AA’ - RHEDESIUM

                                                        FRANCIS BACON & THE  ‘AA’  



ABSTRACT

    Francis Bacon is a little known English philosopher, who lived through an interesting period of English history. This is known as the Elizabethan Age – and he was friends to two monarchs of that time – Queen Elizabeth 1st, and later James 1st.

   I came across the work of Bacon while researching the involvement of Cardinal Rospigliosi in the affair of Rennes-le-Château. In this article I would like to present the esoteric concept of the persistent theme of Arcadia – which I feel pervades the enigma of Rennes-le-Château – most notably in the painting by Nicholas Poussin called ‘The Shepherds of Arcadia’. My previous research had speculated that Arcadia – when looked at in the context of 17th century translation's may have suggested that Arcadia really meant Arcady and that this was a real place in the area of Rennes-le-Château. While I still believe this to be at least plausible – I now recognise that the theme of Arcadia encompasses much more and can be more directly associated with the affair at Rennes.

    By starting with the alleged involvement of Rospigliosi and Poussin we will be led through the doors of those Arcadian Academies of the Renaissance period straight to Francis Bacon and his involvement with the Rosicrucians and his first use of the ‘AA’ device. This ‘AA’ device is still used today and has been identified with a secret priestly society active at the time of Saunière. This society appears to have extensive Rosicrucian connections and involves significant historical figures and the ‘occult’ revival of 19th century France. I sought to find out if a common source of knowledge of a hidden nature was being preserved in the Arcadian Academies and the ‘AA’ device of secret fraternities.

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    Cardinal Rospigliosi, who later became Pope Clement IX, was said to be the patron who gave to Nicholas Poussin the idea to paint ‘The Shepherds of Arcadia’(1). This painting is said to encode a ‘message’ which even prompted King Louis XIVth to sequester the painting for his own personal use.(2) Father Saunière, the priest of Rennes-le-Château is alleged to have found parchments during renovations to his church which alluded to Poussin and this very painting. While it is disputed that Saunière ever went to Paris and the Louvre to get a copy of the painting, nevertheless it is interesting because the painting has a history in its own right and because Plantard and de Cherisey saw fit to associate this painting with the tomb at Arques.

    If the ‘Shepherds of Arcadia’ does conceal some secret then it is plausible to assume that Rospigliosi was conversant with it. The painting shows three shepherds and a shepherdess contemplating an inscription on a tomb in a ‘country’ landscape. The inscription is the famous legend ‘Et in Arcadia Ego’. One assumes, in the title, some significance attached to the theme of Arcadia. This was my starting point. 
   We know that Cardinal Rospigliosi was said to immensely admire Queen Christina of Sweden. Queen Christina herself renounced all her titles and claims to the throne and instead surrounded herself with poets, painters, writers and other learned friends. She was interested in Rosicrucian works and writings and collected all manner of Rosicrucian manuscripts.(3) She visited the painter Guercino – one of the first painters to use the motto ‘et in arcadia ego.' Eventually Queen Christina set up an Academy and her artist friends became members in her honour. It was called the Arcadian Academy. The year was 1689. Significant cultural artists were members of this Academy and as far as I am aware this institution is still with us, albeit under a different name.  

     The Italian Arcadian Academy of Christina's was not the first of its kind. Rene d’Anjou (born 1408) is the earliest name I have found associated with an Arcadian theme. He is said in fact to have given the world the theme of ‘Arcadia.’(4) Rene was interested in other types of imagery which he fused with the Arcadia image including the Arthurian myths and the idea of chivalry. Also Rene is thought to have been in Italy when Cosimo de Medici ( c.1444) was setting up an Academy of Pythagorean and Platonic Studies. Michelle Lamy suggests that Blaise de Vigenere (Vigenere was secretary to the Duke of Nevers, who was touted as a possible Grand Master of the infamous Priory of Sion) set up an Academy of Arcadia for the Medicis. I suggest that the dates fail us on this occasion (Blaise was born 1523), unless it was a different Arcadian Academy and a later Medici family member? I respectfully suggest that it was probaby Rene d’Anjou that Lamy meant to refer too.

    I began to search for other Arcadian Academies. I was aware of the priestly L’AA – said to be a secret society of priests – also called the Arcadian Acaedmy. I thought it somewhat strange that a group of priests would call themselves after Arcadia. This Arcadian Academy, whatever it constituted, was said to be a successor to the Compaigne de St.Sacrament, another mysterious secret society. The Compaigne was formed in 1628 by certain individuals, the most prominent being St.Vincent de Paul, Jean Jeaques Olier & Nicholas Pavillion (the Bishop of Alet). It was supposedly set up to support Gaston d’Orleans, brother of Louis XIIIth and his claim to the throne of France.(5)

    By coincidence I also came across an Arcadian Academy in England. This Academy appeared to be around 100 years older than its Italian counterpart. Why would England have an Arcadian Academy?

Arcadianism

    Arcadia, of course is a geographical area in Greece. It actually encompasses the central Peloponnese area and its first king was Pelagus. The ‘concept’ of Arcadia takes two forms – but both deal with the idea of humankind's original state. The poet Virgil discusses Arcadia in terms of a kind of ‘utopia’ and it seems to be these Virgilian ideas that are being invoked by those artists who belong to Arcadian Academies(6).

    Queen Christina's Academy referred to above adopted the 7 reeded pipe of Pan (Pan is the God who rules over the Arcadian Golden Age) as its group emblem. The members called themselves ‘shepherds’ and their aim was to instigate a golden age and promote a return to the more simplistic ideals of living. In this the English Arcadian Academy were identical. Their members, especially Francis Bacon & John Dee were also identical with Rene d’Anjou and his interest in Arthurian myths and imagery as well as the idea of chivalry. In fact it was Bacon and the English AA that fused all these elements together and formed the Elizabethan games popular during the Reanissance. (7) These particular image ideas on a superficial level seems to have been because both Bacon and Dee identified themselves with the Tudor lineage – a lineage which is said to trace back to King Arthur, the Judiac Royal Line and even further back into Celtic history.

    According to Peter Dawkins, in his book on the English Arcadian Academy;

 “ Arcadia was presided over by shepherds, and Pan was the great God of Arcadia…arcadia comes from the word Arcas – the son of Zeus & Callsito. Callisto is the Great Bear & Arcas is the Little Bear in astronomical terms, and in Greek Mythology.

These stars circumnavigate the North Pole Star – which esoterically is the symbol of high Kingship….. the Bear is a ‘veil’ to a real name, which means shepherd. It is where the sheep ( ie initiates) and shepherds ( adepts & Masters) come from ……..” (8)

     There appears to be something literal in this description – that although symbolic names are being used ( sheep, shepherds etc.) it seems to refer to perhaps real people. The role of Pan, the god of Arcadia is described by Francis Bacon in his ‘Wisdom of the Ancients’. He writes;

 “ the ancients ….. described Nature under the person of Pan …… Pan represents and lays open the all of the things of nature … concerning his original there are two opinions ….. that either he came of mercury, that is the Word of God …or else he came from the confused seed of things (chaos) “ (9).

    TIME is of importance and the figure of Old Father Time was synonymous with that of Pan. Pan was also Saturn or Satan. In Arcadian imagery Pan is ‘man’ himself, who falls as Lucifer from the heavens onto the world of matter ………. Saturn, or Satan means ‘adversary’ but also Intelligence. Therefore it is Intelligence which will test the spirit to see whether one is good …Pan therefore actually represents our path to enlightenment.

    Bacon's work – SYLVA SYLVARUM – means ‘wood of woods’ or ‘ Pan of Pans’ (10). Apparently the Arcadian Pan was also called Sylva’ meaning ‘the lord of matter, author and director of the dance of the Gods, and author and disposer of the regular motion of the Universe’(11). Pan was known as the minister and companion of Bacchus (Dionysus), the God of tragic art and protector of theatre (12). In Bacon's admiration of Pan it might explain his statement that ‘what is now the Church of Christ was once the ‘brotherhood of Pan’(13).

    Pan then, rules over the Golden Age in Arcadia. Dawkin's asserts that this golden age is synonymous with the Rosicrucian Enlightenment (14) and others recognised this as the ‘Age of Aquarius’. The English Arcadian Academy, the Rosicrucain Enlightenment and the ‘new’ golden age appear to have been instigated by Francis Bacon. Bacon himself saw this ‘age’ as one of virtue, brotherhood and illumination (15).
  
    A previous researcher, Alfred Dodds in his book ‘The Secret History of Francis Bacon’ says:

“ while on the continent he (Bacon) had become initiated into the mysteries {by} those ‘Knights Templar’ that evolved into the Rosicrucians & Masons'.(16).

         Francis Bacon certainly frequented Europe and because of his royal connections moved in courtly and government circles. Bacon himself was respected immensely by his peers. He was in love, at one point, with Marguerite of Valois (daughter of the Queen, Catherine de Medici) – and he spent many years in France. (In further discussions with Peter Dawkins he told me about a book he is about to publish which details Bacons’ involvement with ‘the matter’ of France and his connection with Poussin's secret) (17). And while I fully accept that Bacon could have become privy to certain initiatory ‘orders’ through his connections – there are two figures who loom large in the early life of Bacon and who are more likely to have influenced him in this regard. They are John Dee and Robert Fludd.

    Dame Frances Yates has suggested that ‘rosicrucianism’ ultimately stemmed from John Dee. From my research it appears that John Dee has been greatly misunderstood. He was of a great mind and searched out all truth and all forms of knowledge. He excelled in the art of symbolism and disguise (he had a numerical ‘secret’ name – this was 007 – and Ian Fleming based this idea around his stories of James Bond). Dee read Greek at Cambridge University. He travelled extensively with the express purpose of gaining knowledge. He formed close ties with the likes of Mercator (who taught him the art of map-making) and Frisius (who taught him the art of navigation). He studied astronomy and astrology, alchemy the Cabbala and Hermeticism. He was friends with Geronimo Cardano (who in turn was a friend of Leonardo da Vinci) – and Dee taught the Cardano Grille cryptogram to his pupils. Dee was also said to have worked for the Earl of Pembroke.

    Dee sought religious reform at the Elizabethan Court. He was very worried about the wholesale destruction of ancient and arcane knowledge in the form of books and manuscripts. This was systematically being carried out, in England, by Mary Tudor. It had started with Henry VIIIth who had strove to dissolve the monasteries and all the old libraries. Mary Tudor continued this trend – ensuring that no book which was ‘against’ the Catholic religion would survive. Dee therefore started his own library at Mortlake – which became a centre for universal learning.

    Dee has been described as a Deist – that is he was a man of God but he subscribed to know formal religion. He has been described as Gnostic and is thought to have subscribed to the teachings of Valentineas, St. John the Evangelist, the Johannite sect and groups connected with Cathar thought. Dee consorted with the likes of Michael Mair, Raymond Andrae, Simon Studion, Robert Fludd and many others.

His ‘ group’ wanted to establish a ‘universal religion’. Was this his Rosicrucianism?  Dee and his group actually met to discuss how a plan of a 'universal religion' could be set in motion. Their stated aims were:

 “the inauguration of a universal religion & the removal of religious persecution “(18)

 Dee’s group formed an organisation called the ‘Evangelical Confederation against the Catholic League’ (19).

   Dee is even on record as saying that he wanted Britain to be the head of a United Europe (a curious echo later adopted by Plantard) and a new golden age, and that Britain was indeed the land of the Rosy Cross (20). The red cross and the rose have, apparently, been particular emblems of England. The emblems have taken the form of St George, King Arthur, St. Michael and the Virgin. In Catholic teaching England is known as ‘Mary's Dowry’ (21).

    John Dee and his evangelical confederation involved a gnostic understanding of the gospels with a more direct relationship with God ( i.e. no place for priests) (22). With other influential society members at Luneberg the ‘Confederatio Militae Evangelical’ was created. It purported to have existed in 1186, and according to Simon Studion, in his Naometria this ‘Militae’ was the source of all later Rosicrucian offshoots. He further discusses the significance of the rose & cross when joined together. He asserts that the Rosicrucian doctrines stem from the ancient teachings of the Essenes and that of the first Christians. This same Militae are the defensive body within the Order (why would Rosicrucian's need a defensive body?) and Studion tells us that they are the ‘real’ secret organisation within the Rosicrucian's themselves. He asserts further that they preserve the true and secret doctrines of Jesus Christ (i.e. they are an alternative church perhaps?). Studion tells us that this same Militae met on July 27th, 1587 – several weeks before Johann Valentin Andrea was born. This is an interesting statement – because the Rosicrucian's are generally thought to have started with Andreas 16thcentury Manifestos (23). This suggests Rosicrucianism was active before the publication of the Manifestos.

   Its fascinating that Studion states that  this Militae are the source of all later Rosicrucian offshoots. Presumably this would include the Rosicrucians that Poussin would have been aware of? For we know that Poussin was indeed aware of this group and that in fact he mixed with their supporters. For example Poussin has been placed in the company of such people as Gabriel Naude (the evidence comes from letters exchanged by Dal Pozzo, a very good friend of Poussin, who place Poussin as a guest at parties thrown for Cassiano Dal Pozzo where Rosicrucian supporters are also guests). Frances Yates refers to Naude reporting events surrounding the Rosicrucians when the furore erupted in Paris in 1623. Poussin was actually living in Paris at the time and would have witnessed it. Naude also reports in his publications that the Bretheren of the Rosicrucians met in Lyon to discuss their launch! From 1619 - 1622 (the years before this launch in 1623) Poussin was living in Lyon. Was he aware of the coming furore and the Rosicrucians? Naude gives a  list of those who represent the teachings of the Rosicrucians. They were John Dee, Trithemius, Ramon Lully and Paracelsus. 

         So this gives you a flavour of what Bacon and Dee together may have been striving for in their Arcadian Academy. Traditions that may have been picked up later by Rene d'Anjou and later other noble families. Dee started the ‘golden age’ with the use of cryptography. In his ‘Mona Heiroglyphica’(1564) Dee argues that occult mathematics is the source of all knowledge.(24). Cryptography he argued could both conceal the truth, but reveal the truth to those who had the requisite key. Occult mathematics, said Dee was the basis for all gnosis. 

    The English Arcadian Academy announced its arrival with the publication of the ‘Shepheards Kalender’ in 1579. The ‘AA’ logo is seen here but previously noted on the book of John Baptista Portas in 1563 on ciphers. The ‘AA’ logo was then used by prominent poets and writers (Philip Sydney, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Edmund Spenser, Ben Johnson and Bacon himself etc.) The logo appears to have been used by a select group of friends and ‘initiates’. As Dawkin's remind's us: ‘they were not just used as pretty pictures but symbolic images of some truth or other’ (25).

    Francis Bacon is said to be the initiator of this ‘AA’ secret logo. It begins with a plant known as the ‘lilac plant’ and is associated with a Scottish legend about the Hyacinth plant & would seem to correspond in some way to the anguished cry of Apollo at the accidental death of a youth named Hyacinth. Dawkins’ elaborates on the story in his book ‘Arcadia’ in which the AA is a cry from Apollo:

‘ …….. uttered when his beloved youth Hyacinth, the 15 year old son of Amilchar was accidentally slain ……… by a discus thrown by Apollo during the Spartan Games. The discus …. Hit the ground and bounced up …….. and sliced off the youths head ……….Apollo changed the youth into a flower …… and the God of Light then marked the flower with mourning signs – written as the Greek letter U’ (26).

This letter is a symbol of spiritual knowledge and illumination. The letter U is the Greek upsilon – and corresponds, in the English alphabet to the letters U& V, which is the image of A. Dawkin's discusses this story further – telling us that Hyacinth and Adonis are one and the same. He writes:

 ‘ the story relates to the mysteries of initiation – particularly to the 3rd degree in which the initiate dies, slain for love in the quest for light – but is reborn in a new … form (the 4th degree)’ (27).

     The Rosicrucian symbol ‘AA’ is associated directly with this anguished cry of Apollo – and is said to foreshadow ritual death. The AA logo was a ‘secret sign’ – and in the same vein – a PAN tail piece was developed. It is suggested that this AA symbol has been the secret emblems of ‘invisible sages’ for centuries (28).  
 
      In discussions with Peter Dawkins – he agreed that the secret AA logo used by Bacon & Dee could have signalled the Arcadian Academy of England. He felt however that the primary symbolism was firstly that of the ‘Alpha & Omega’ and then secondly that of ‘Apollo & Athena’(29). Dawkin's suggests that the AA logo goes as far back as Egypt – a signature used that corresponded with PTAH & the god Ra – and that these two gods symbolised Light & Wisdom (30).The AA logo has appeared on the Authorised Version of the Holy Bible (1611) and also the ‘Genealogies of the Scriptures’(1612). Also of interest are the uses of the AA logo by Andreas Alciat. He depicted the AA logo being used on pyramids & during the building of Solomon's Temple (31)

    Francis Bacon discusses the symbolism of the letter A in his book ‘Academie Francoise’ which was dedicated to Henri III (32). It appears that Bacon worked with a secret group called the ‘Family (or House) of Love’. This group appears to have been a fellowship of initiates who transmitted occult truths and mystical knowledge (33). It appears then that the AA logo is a device adopted by certain ‘adepts’ to signify truth, the mysteries, spiritual illumination and spiritual knowledge. This could, of course, explain why spiritual men such as Dee and Bacon were ‘rosicrucian’ and it may also explain why certain enlightened priests could also be ‘rosicrucian’.

    The Rosicrucian's are known to us as a confraternity of secret brothers set on a course no less of changing the world. Their manifestos describe how this will be done, suggesting even that the Manifestos exhibit an anti-catholic & anti-papal bias. The first two Manifestos were published anonymously. Only the third one is associated with Johann Valentin Andreas, who said he composed it as a joke. Francis Bacon himself is equated with not only Christain Rose Croix but also the author of the first two manifestos. In his ‘Great Instauration’ Bacon states his aims for:

 “ …. A general and universal reformation of the whole world ……. A renewal of all arts and sciences’(34)

    Bacon referred to himself as Apollo(35) and it is in the Rosicrucian Manifestos that the text describes a character called Apollo who sets up a society of men famous for their wisdom and virtue. The ‘Fama Fraternitis’ echoes Bacon and his ‘Great Instauration’ saying that the aim of the Rosicrucians were to promote;

 ‘the universal and general reformation of the whole world'

    The author of the Manifestos deplores the misuse of spiritual positions and authority for political and economic reasons. The author continues that the Rosicrucian's support the freedom of thought through knowledge and that its members were to heal the sick, meet once a year in a temple and that the ‘RC’ would be their seal. After Bacon had died his New Atlantis’ was published. In it he described a utopia and a secret brotherhood signified by the Rose Cross. They would meet every year in the Temple and heal the sick.

    Bacon is known to have set up a secret order (called the Knights of the Helmet –aka the Invisible College of the Rosy Cross Bretheren) (36).This later became the Royal College. His ‘New Atlantis’ almost echoes the Manifestos.
 
  Is this AA, the Arcadian Academy & Rosicrucianism related to Rennes-le-Château?

    The link appears to be secret knowledge of some sort, secret societies and the idea of a coming ‘new’ or ‘golden’ age which involves a complete reappraisal of religion and often hints at a ‘truer’ religion of Jesus Christ. There is very often antipathy towards the prevailing Roman Catholic dogma.

    Saunière has been linked to Rosicrucianism – most notably via the decorations of his St. Mary Magdalene Church at Rennes-le-Château. He is also said to have mixed with various personalities who were certainly steeped in Rosicrucian thought. It is stated that Saunière was also a member of a Hermetic & Rosicrucian order at Paris. This Order, at different points in its history included the likes of Papus, and Alistair Crowley. Alfred Saunière, brother of Father Saunière was, however, associated with the Rite of Memphis Misraim, which overlapped with the Martinists.
    The fact is that Arcadian Academies were obviously Rosicrucian and anti-catholic and this suggests that the question to be asked is; why would any priest be involved with any form of Rosicrucianism? Why would a secret society of priests in Toulouse call themselves the AA, said to represent the Academie de Arcadia?

   I began to look at the history of the AA and its activities, and also at the history of the Rosicrucian s in the town where this particular AA issued from. This was the town of Toulouse.

    This AA turned out to be a Catholic Secret Society. The members are described as Toulouse Royalists. The members practised official activities such as private forms of worship and although it existed as a secret society in Toulouse it was apparently 'as powerful as it was discreet’ (37). It seems on the outside to have been a charitable organisation from the 17th to the 20th century. The group had to remain secret during all of its existence until its archives were found.(38). It seems to have had branches at Beziers, Carcassone, Alibi, Pepignan, Cahors & Poitiers. The branch at Toulouse however was different and this secret assembly was known as the 'Philanthropic Institute'. This Amicorum Asscociato (AA) closed down after receiving more and more opposition from the Catholic hierarchy. I am, currently, not able to discover what constituted the ‘opposition from the Catholic hierarchy’ considering the AA was made up of Catholic priests. This AA has been suggested to be the successor of the Compaignie du St Sacrement’ and this could have come from the work of Count Begouen.(40) It was based at St.Sulpice.

    Another AA could be a reference to the ‘Association Alchemique de France’. It was founded by Papus in 1896 with other names such as Lalande, Bartlet, Sedir, de Guaita and Fr.Jollivet Castelot. This group was part of the ‘Faculty of Hermetic Studies’ which may have been linked to the ‘Ecole Hermetique’ which was previously known as the ’Groupe Independent d’ Etudes Esoterique' which was probably founded in 1877 by d'Alyvedre and Papus.

    The Rosicrucian's themselves are said to have had a lodge at Toulouse. According to the ‘History of the Rosicrucian's’(40) they ascribe to themselves the romantic notion that it was at the time of Charlemagne that a Lodge was set up. It is said to have been set up by Arnaud.

     In 1623 the Freemasons of Lyon incorporated a Rose Croix degree. This is interesting because Saunière is said to have been a member of a Martinist Lodge at Lyon. There were monks attached to monasteries who throughout history contributed to the spiritual creeds and dogmas of the Rosicrucians.(41) In 1001 the order is said to have established a Monastery at Nimes. This led to the Rosicrucian College or ECOLE RC. It flourished from the 12th century to the 16th century but was revived again in 1882. The current accepted history of the Rosicrucian history only starts with the appearance of the Manifestos in the 16th/17th century. However it is quite clear that the ideas and currents of thought expressed by Rosicrucianism is a lot older – but how old? In the guide book for Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland the authors suggest that Rosicrucianism goes back to the days of the Cathars. They discuss a number of Cathars (4000) who escaped the Albigensian persecution and ended up wandering the lands as troubadours, merchants and pedlars. The paper makers among them set up secret symbolism in the form of invisible watermarks (known as Lombardy paper) They give an illustration of a watermark which is termed Rosicrucian(42).
     An ‘anonymous’ graph was sent to Rhedesium called ‘L’occultisne Languedocien et ses avatars'. As the title suggests the diagram chronicles the links and lines of ‘descent’ for occult societies in France. The earliest appears to be in 1780 when Francois de Chefdebien founded the Phildelphes de Narbonne. This line then passes through to Marconis de Negre (in 1838 via his Rite of Memphis that he created at Montauban) to Charles Eugene and Theobald of Hautpoul (in 1840 they were members of La Sagesse at Toulouse. I will have cause to refer to La Sagesse later) and through to the Comte de Lapasse (in 1843 with the founding of his Ordre de la Rose Croix du Temple et du Graal). It is the Order set up by Lapasse that appears to be the precursor to those orders set up later by Peladan and Papus and their occult activities.

    This particular line of ‘descent’ culminates with Pierre Plantard and the ‘Prieure de Sion.

    References to the Rosicrucian's of Toulouse are mentioned by Emile Dantinne(43). It is said to have commenced in 1850 and he refers to the order as well as three names associated with it. They are Firmin Boissin, Dr Adrien Peladan and the Viscount de Lapasse. Adrien Peladan stated that it was De Lapasse who founded the Rosicrucian Order of Toulouse. The father of Adrien and Josephin Peladan, Louis was associated with de Lapasse, and is also known to have been a member of the ‘Order of the Temple’ which at that time was headed by a priest – AE GENOUDE in 1840.

This Order of the Temple may have connections with the Ordre du Temple – principally stemming from Bernard Raymond Fabre – Palaprat. The suggestion that occultists and priests mixed happily together in secret societies is not too outlandish.

I am certain that the Rosicrucian's of Toulouse liaised with the priestly society of the AA.

    Connections more pertinent still surface. Lapasse belonged to the ‘Societe Archaeologique du Midi de la France’ which was based also at Toulouse.(44) In 1863 he became Secretary General of this society. He was also a member of the ‘Compagnie des Jeux Floraux'. This order dates back to the Troubadours (which may have included the persecuted Cathars) who are linked with the Grail movement and the Templar Tradition. It is stated that this Society helped Henri Boudet and also influenced him in the writing of his opus ‘LA VRAI LANGUE CELTIQUE’ (45). Some see Boudet as being behind the activities of Father Saunière at Rennes-le-Château.
    Of course, I have wondered if these priests and the more modern occult societies in its higher degrees were in essence of the same mind as Bacon & Dee – who considered themselves guardians of ‘true’ knowledge or Gnosis. In some cases they may even be as ‘militant’ (for want of a better word) as Dee – who if you remember set up a Confederation Against the Catholic League. Is this really what the AA was – enlightened priests who held ‘true gnosis’ in opposition to the Roman Catholic Dogma – which is why their own hierarchy had them closed down?

    Josephin Peladan and his Ordre de la rose Croix Catholique et Esthetique de temple et du graal is said to now be a continution of the ORDRE OF THE ROSE CROIX OF TOULOUSE set up by Lapasse. If Henri Boudet was associated so directly with these personalities why not Saunière?

    Peladan held certain views that are common to the Prioy of Sion – that is; He believed that the French dynasty was the only dignified authority (what French dynasty?) and he supported the restoration of Christian ethics. This accords well with the royalist objectives of the AA. It may be pertinent here to mention that de Lapasse founded his 1850 order of the Rose Cross after another order, the LA SAGESSE ceased to exist during the Revoution in France. The members were also royalist and traditional Catholics and this Occult group included an Hautpoul family member (one of the families mentioned in the mystery of Rennes-le-Château). Their ideas were based on the idealism of knighthood which were based on the Templar Order. This Lapasse order was connected with the Arcade d’Orient.

   Referring back to Peladan he also researched the myths of ancient Greece, the Virgin Mary and also the evolution of the cross outside the Christian world.Why? The cross is an ancient symbol of infinity and it certainly pre-dates Chritianity. It is said to represent the world or the condition of the world. In this way it can be seen as an allegorical similarity with Pan in his ‘form’ of Saturn or Satan. The cross has ancient associations with suffering and sacrifice. The rose connotes, by contrast a new dawn, and a new hope. The rose upon the cross therefore represents immortality won by suffering.

   The AA as a device for truth and spiritual illumination and knowledge may have inspired our modern occultists. Michael Maier wrote about the AA as the ARCANA ACANISSIMA. Cagliostro made the AA a rite (SECRETO SSECTORM or Secret of Secrets) Aliester Crowley instigated an AA rite, which is still active today. Emile Dantinne set up the ORDER OF HERMES which has 4 degrees, of which the ARCANA ARCANORUM (AA) is the highest level. And finally the Golden Dawn has an AA rite at its highest level. And the secret Elus Cohen also have an AA rite.

    The AA according to a private correspondent of mine says that it is an Arcadian Academy in that the groups allege that they perpetuate ancient Egyptian traditions. At the beginning of the Christian era the mysteries of the Egyptian priests were merged with the biblical mysteries – they were said to be combined by Ormus. Ormus is said to be a converted follower of the Holy Marcus – writer of the 2nd Gospel. The unity of the two sets of mysteries is said to result in the Rosicrucian degree as told by the Rite of Memphis. This same rite speaks of a foundation of Ormus’s teachings in 1168AD. The rite was known as the Knights Of Palestine. In 1815 a Rite of Misraim Memphis was formed at Montauban - this was established on the same spot where a Misraim Lodge had existed under the obedience of a Lodge called ‘La Souveraine Pyramid' at Toulouse. (Marconis de Negre also founded a Rite of Memphis at Montauban in 1838). Traditionally the founder of these rites was Ormus. This is never more so than with the Ordre Elus Coen, an Egyptian Masonic line of initiation.

    The O.T.O report that the Elus Cohen, founded by Martin Pasqually, issued out of the Illuminates of Avignon and that they themselves issued out of French freemasonry. The earliest French freemasonry appears to be that of Louis Claude de Saint Martin and Cagliostro – who introduced Egyptian masonry.De Pasqually and Claude de St Martin were co-founders of the Martinist School. All these based their reforms and teachings on that of St.Germain. Martinism has 2 streams of tradition: operative (which is the Elus Cohen) and the philosophical tradition which transmits 3 degrees: Associate, Initiate and Superieur Inconnu. Members call themselves Superior Inconnu - terms used by the Strict Observance and Gold und Rosenkrezsystems. The name cohen is a French translation of the Hebrew cohanim which was a name given to the highest priests of Jerusalem in biblical times. The order was dissolved in 1780 and the Grand Master instructed the members to join the Strict Observance or the Philalethes. In the same year Chefdebien had founded the Philadelphes. Alfred Saunière worked for the family of Chefdebien. Saunière not only was a tutor to the Chefdebien family he was also a Jesuit. He was banned from the family after accusations of stealing documents from them.

    Pasqually himself used sources of Gnostic, Manichiestic and Catharistic origin – and fused them with hermetics and the Christian cabbala. The same ideas, themes and sources of knowledge appear over and over. The AA as a rite still exists today.


In Conclusion:

    The common source of underground or occult knowledge which has involved great thinkers, respected philosophers and many priests & religious heretics seem to refer time and again to the Church of Rome. A re-occurring theme is that of establishing a ‘new’ universal religion – participants are often anti-Catholic and more specifically anti-papal. There are persistent hints that the ‘Church of Rome' is not the real church of Christ, whoever Christ may yet turn out to be.

    I would speculate that the individuals involved who were also intelligent and learned – may have been sympathetic to these views. The priests may have been in possession of true gnosis. It may explain why these priests were hounded and then closed down by their own Catholic hierarchy. I am quite certain that an alternative ‘religious truth exists –& that this knowledge is guarded by great minds, secret sages, unknown superiors and enlightened Catholic priests


                                                                                                                                                                     Sandy Hamblett


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My deepest and sincere thanks go to the following for their help in the writing and research for this article.

Peter Dawkins – who gave me permission to reproduce, and to use extensively his work in the book ‘ARCADIA’ – and to his continued patience in answering my questions concerning Francis Bacon & his Rosicrucian connections
And secondly – to Milko Bogaard – who allowed me to use his voluminous amounts of his research, and to make use of his extensive knowledge and connections within the ‘occult’ world.

REFERENCES:
 
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  2. BAIGENT,M LEIGH,R & LINCOLN,H (1982) The Holy Blood & The Holy Grail. Corgi, London. p38.

  3. AKERMAN,S (2000) Christina of Sweden (1626-1689) The Porta Magica & the Italian Poets of the Golden & Rosy Cross @ WWW.LEVITY.COM/ALCHEMY/QUEEN CHRISTINA

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