A closer look
If you want to impress a Holy Roman Emperor, all you need is a pinch of confidence and a pocket full of red dust. The infamous English occultist Edward Kelley convinced Emperor Rudolf II that he possessed the legendary Philosopher's Stone in powder form. By utilizing sleight of hand to slip small amounts of real gold into his bubbling chemical cauldrons, he faked the transmutation of lead into gold. Unsurprisingly, when the Emperor demanded mass production, Kelley stalled, got locked in a castle tower, and tragically fell out of a window trying to escape.
