“IfanyonedesirestoseethebrethrenoftheRose-crossfromcuriosityonly，hewillnevercommunicatewithus。Butifhiswillreallyinduceshimtoinscribehisnameintheregisterofourbrotherhood，we，whocanjudgeofthethoughtsofallmen，willconvincehimofthetruthofourpromises。Forthisreasonwedonotpublishtotheworldtheplaceofourabode。Thoughtalone，inunisonwiththesincerewillofthosewhodesiretoknowus，issufficienttomakeusknowntothem，andthemtous。“
ThoughtheexistenceofsuchasocietyasthatoftheRose-crosswasproblematical，itwasquiteevidentthatsomebodyorotherwasconcernedinthepromulgationoftheseplacards，whichwerestuckuponeverywallinParis。Thepoliceendeavouredinvaintofindouttheoffenders，andtheirwantofsuccessonlyservedtoincreasetheperplexityofthepublic。Thechurchverysoontookupthequestion；
andtheAbbeGaultier，aJesuit，wroteabooktoprovethat，bytheirenmitytothePope，theycouldbenootherthandisciplesofLuther，senttopromulgatehisheresy。Theirveryname，headded，provedthattheywereheretics；acrosssurmountedbyarosebeingtheheraldicdeviceofthearch-hereticLuther。OneGarassesaidtheywereaconfraternityofdrunkenimpostors；andthattheirnamewasderivedfromthegarlandofroses，intheformofacross，hungoverthetablesoftavernsinGermanyastheemblemofsecrecy，andfromwhencewasderivedthecommonsaying，whenonemancommunicatedasecrettoanother，thatitwassaid“undertherose。“OthersinterpretedthelettersF。R。C。tomean，notBrethrenoftheRose-cross，butFratresRorisCocti，orBrothersofBoiledDew；andexplainedthisappellationbyallegingthattheycollectedlargequantitiesofmorningdew，andboiledit，inordertoextractaveryvaluableingredientinthecompositionofthephilosopher’sstoneandthewateroflife。
Thefraternitythusattackeddefendedthemselvesaswellastheywereable。Theydeniedthattheyusedmagicofanykind，orthattheyconsultedthedevil。Theysaidtheywereallhappy；thattheyhadlivedmorethanacentury，andexpectedtolivemanycenturiesmore；
andthattheintimateknowledgewhichtheypossessedofallnaturewascommunicatedtothembyGodhimselfasarewardfortheirpietyandutterdevotiontohisservice。Thosewereinerrorwhoderivedtheirnamefromacrossofroses，orcalledthemdrunkards。Tosettheworldrightonthefirstpoint，theyreiteratedthattheyderivedtheirnamefromChristianRosencreutz，theirfounder；and，toanswerthelattercharge，theyrepeatedthattheyknewnotwhatthirstwas，andhadhigherpleasuresthanthoseofthepalate。Theydidnotdesiretomeddlewiththepoliticsorreligionofanymanorsetofmen，althoughtheycouldnothelpdenyingthesupremacyofthePope，andlookinguponhimasatyrant。Manyslanders，theysaid，hadbeenrepeatedrespectingthem；themostunjustofwhichwas，thattheyindulgedincarnalappetites，and，underthecloakoftheirinvisibility，creptintothechambersofbeautifulmaidens。Theyasserted，onthecontrary，thatthefirstvowtheytookonenteringthesocietywasavowofchastity；andthatanyoneamongthemwhotransgressedinthatparticularwouldimmediatelylosealltheadvantagesheenjoyed，andbeexposedoncemoretohunger，woe，disease，anddeath，likeothermen。Sostronglydidtheyfeelonthesubjectofchastity，thattheyattributedthefallofAdamsolelytohiswantofthisvirtue。Besidesdefendingthemselvesinthismanner，theyenteredintoafurtherconfessionoftheirfaith。Theydiscardedforeveralltheoldtalesofsorceryandwitchcraft，andcommunionwiththedevil。Theysaidtherewerenosuchhorrid，unnatural，anddisgustingbeingsastheincubiandsuccubi，andtheinnumerablegrotesqueimpsthatmenhadbelievedinforsomanyages。Manwasnotsurroundedwithenemieslikethese，butwithmyriadsofbeautifulandbeneficentbeings，allanxioustodohimservice。Theairwaspeopledwithsylphs，thewaterwithundinesornaiads，thebowelsoftheearthwithgnomes，andthefirewithsalamanders。Allthesebeingswerethefriendsofman，anddesirednothingsomuchasthatmenshouldpurgethemselvesofalluncleanness，andthusbeenabledtoseeandconversewiththem。Theypossessedgreatpower，andwereunrestrainedbythebarriersofspaceortheobstructionsofmatter。Butmanwasinoneparticulartheirsuperior。Hehadanimmortalsoul，andtheyhadnot。