In dieser Statt Saltzburg siehet man auch die begrebnus des weltbekanten vnd erhabenen Doctoris Philippi Theophrasti mit dem zunahmen Paracelsi/ des furtrefflichen Medici/ Mathematici/ Chimisten/ Caballisten/ Philosophen/ vnd tieffsinnigen erkunder der Naturen/ welche vormals etliche jahren in der vniversitet zu Basel/ vff der Statt besoldung/ mit verwunderung vieler menschen/ die Medicinam vff eine newe vnd den Alten schier gantz widerwertige weise geleret. Sol nit allein dem Galeno fast zuwider/ sonder auch den Auicennam alda in offentlicher vniversitet verbrant haben. In seinem sterb beth hat er all sein gut (welches nicht gering gewesen) den armen besetzt vnd anno 1541 den 24 Sept[embris] ist er wie man vermutet/ seliglich verscheiden/ vnd alhie zur Erden bestattet worden. Er ist seines herkommen halben ein Edler auß dem geschlecht von Brombast gewesen/ vnd ein Natürlicher aus einem Commentheur Teutsches Ordens zu Adenaw in der Eyffel/ alda auch das Wapen noch in der Kirchen gefunden wirt. Er ist al sein leben ein Einsidler und ohn frawen erkantnus gewesen: wil solches wol seiner keuschheit nicht vnzugemessen lassen/ jedoch werden noch wol tausent sein, so dieses nit wissen: Nach dem sein Vatter gesehen, das ein sonderlich vnd kein gemeiner geist vnd verstant in ihm stecken thet/ hat er ihn (damit er sich durch verweibung nit verdurbe) in der jugent castriren lassen (Ich denck aber wol/ weil der vatter ein Ordens Herr gewesen/ wird er den stam durch diesen gern zeitlich abgehawen han) vnd ihn auff das studiren gehalten/ auch daran nixt gesparet. Er hat viel wundere vnd seltzame Schriften nachgelassen/ deren Ich zimlich viel gesehen/ aber nur etwas dauon gelesen. Die i[h]n erheben wollen, sollen schier gantz einen Abgott von ihm machen; die anderen, so ihm zuwider, sollen schier einen gantzen atheum auß ihm machen/ vnd ich hab etliche argumenta sehr hogverstendiger leuth wider ihn gelesen/ die mir (vnd wan ich schon ein Ertz Paracelsist were) schwerlich vnd mühlich solten sein zu wider legen/ wil vnder vielen nur eins hiehin setzen/ welches aber allein den gelerten wird gepredigt sein:

In this city of Salzburg one also sees the grave of the world-renown and noble Doctor Philippus Theophrastus with the byname Paracelsus, the splendid medico, mathematician, chemist, cabbalist, philosopher and profound explorer of nature, who some years ago at the University of Basel while on that city's salary taught medicine to the astonishment of many people in a new way that was totally abhorrent to the classics.

He is said not only to have loathed Galen but also have burnt Avicenna there, in public university space.

On his death bed he gave all his possessions (of which there were not few) to the poor, and on 24 September of 1541, as one presumes, he passed away peacefully and was interred in this very place.

He was by birth half a noble of the lineage of Brombast and a natural from a commander of the German Order at Adenau in the Eiffel mountains, where the crest can still be seen in the church.

He was a hermit for all his life and did not know women: Without distracting in any way from his chastity there will nevertheless be thousands who do not know this:

When his father noticed that in him was a remarkable and unusual sense and intelligence he had him castrated in his youth, so that he would not spoil himself through emasculation, (I think, however, that being a master of the Order, his father preferred to cut the branch forever that might have grown from him) and urged him to study, for which he spared nothing.

He left many wonderful and strange writings, of which I have seen many but read only a few. Those who want to elevate him are said to make him into a real idol; the others, who reject him are claimed to make a complete atheum of him, and I have read a range of arguments from very educated people against him that I would have difficulty and much trouble to prove wrong (even if I were an arch-Paracelsist). I only want to quote one of many, which however will only be a sermon for the learned men:

Judicium sapientium (so der Autor / so says the author) de Paracelso qui arroganter Theophrastum se vocitarit: 'Impius fuit et blasphemus in Deum (videatur Archidoxis magica, Liber Azoth, et de efficacia characterum), contumeliosus in naturam, omnium bonorum turpis et scurrilis calumniator, videatur Paragranum etc. quare in numero Philosophorum non est habendus. Hoc judicium si cui dat nauseam, is tam diu vomat ac singultiat, quousque praedictos Paracelsi libros totum perlegerit, et a colluuiis Paracelsica sordidus ventriculus fuerit expurgatus. A castis igitur et piis scholis sit relegatus grex Paracelsicus'. ^*

Diß ist ein scharpffe red/ wer kan sie fassen. Für mein person wurd ich vom gantzen opere Brombastico sagen/ welches Reuchlinus seliger von den Talmudischen Buchern auch sagte: al sind sie schon vielen sehr schedlich zu lesen/ so wurd mich gleichwols bedawren, das man seine bucher drumb vertilgen solt/ dieweil auch noch etwas gutes vnnd nützliches daraus mag erschopfft werden. Aber wenn es mir von wegen der vnfreiheit des orts gestattet wurde, mein geringes iudicium auch vber den guten Physicum zu geben/ so wurde Ich zwar noch einige seiner tugent herfur bringen, deren i[h]n niemant lichtlich wurd priuiren kunnen oder auch begeren; vnd hergegen auch so viel kindische vnd abergleubische tatelungen, welche einem alten weibe am Spinrocken vbel gnug angestanden hetten/ ich geschweig einem so ernsthafften Philosopho, das ein sonderlich ingenium in i[h]m gesteckt habe/ vel ipse frons arguit [wie an seinem Stirn zu sehen ist]/ dan er vber alle massen calvus [kahlköpfig] gewesen/ vnd seine physiognomei einen rechten spiritum magicum mit bringt mit grösser gravitet dan des Cornelii Agrippae oder Alberti. So viel hievon.

This is biting talk indeed; who can comprehend it! As to my own opinion I would say about the entire Bombastic opus what the late Reuchlinus has said about the Talmud: though reading them will do much harm to many, I would nevertheless be sorry if his books should be destroyed for that reason, because something good and useful may be extracted from them still.

But if I could, under the circumstances of the local censorship, proffer my own small iudicium on the good Physicum, I would put forward several of his virtues that no one can lightly take away from him or covet; but also so much childish and superstitious criticism that would have suited badly an old woman at the spindle, let alone such an earnest Philosopho that had a special genius in himself vel ipse frons arguit [as even his forehead showed] since he was calvus [bald] beyond measure and his physiognomy brought with it a real spiritum magicum with more dignity than that of Cornelius Agrippa or Alberti. So much about that.

^* Verdict of the wise men (so der Autor / so says the author) on Paracelsus who arrogantly called himself Theophrastus: 'He was impious and blasphemous towards god (have a look at [his] Archidoxis magica, The Book Azoth, and On the Effectiveness of Letters), abusive towards nature, a scandalous and coarse critic of all good people, see his Paragranum etc. For this reason he should not be counted among philosophers. If this verdict causes abhorrence to anyone, let that person vomit and gurgle for so long, until he has read the forementioned books of Paracelsus, and his dirty belly will be purged from the Paracelsian streams. May therefore the Paracelsian herd be removed from the clean and pious studies!'

Translation by Han Baltussen, University of Adelaide.