sb. and a. Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: α. 6 spagirique, 7– spagiric (7 -ick); 6–7 spagericke, 7 spargerick. β. 7–8 spagyrick, 7– spagyric. [ad. early mod.L. spagiricus (used, and prob. invented, by Paracelsus), whence also F. spagirique († spargirique Cotgr.), It. spargirico, -ica, Sp. and Pg. espagirico, -ica.]
A. sb. † 1. The science of alchemy or chemistry.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 29. Yet who such monarches for Phisique, Chirurgery, Spagirique,… as some of these arrant impostors?
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 183. Alchymie or Spagyrick … is the inuenter and schoolmistresse of distillation.
2. An alchemist.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., Wks. (Grosart), II. 251. The greatest Empiriques, Spagiriques, Cabalists,… and occult Philosophers.
1613. Drumm. of Hawth., Cypress Grove, Wks. (1711), 127. Can the Spagyrick by his Art restore, for a Space, to the dry and withered Rose, the natural Purple and Blush.
1645. Bp. Hall, Discontentm., § 4. 14. Like to some cunning Spagirick, that can intend or remit the heat of his furnace according to occasion.
1867. Cornh. Mag., March, 369. A traveller who saw the celebrated spagyric at the Hague, represents him as still adhering to his old spiritual tricks.
B. adj. Pertaining to alchemy; alchemical.
α. 1596. J. Hester, trans. Paracelsus’ Exper. & Cures, F. The Spagericke Antidotarie of the preparation and making of medicines against Goonshot.
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 153. They which are but meanely seene in the spargerick art, and haue been chymists a very short time.
1656. W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., § 706. 227. At this day Spagirick, (or Hermetick,) Physick is in request.
1681. trans. Willis’ Rem. Med. Wks., Vocab., Spagiric, belonging to alchymie, or to the chymical art.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1757), II. 280. Skilful in the Spagiric Art, as well as the Art of Medicine.
1833. Carlyle, Misc. Ess. (1872), V. 106. He is distributing spagiric food, medicine for the poor.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. 103. Medical practitioners of the old school, who denounced the spagiric method.
1891. Q. Rev., Oct., 408. The pretensions to ‘spagiric’ immortality of Cagliostro.
β. c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 49. As for the Chymic or Spagyric Medicines, I cannot commend them to the use of my posterity.
1660. J. H[arding], trans. Basil. Valent. Chariot Antim., 67. Antimony … being by Spagyrick Art transmuted, becomes medicinal.
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., II. 395. Medicinally Charitable to the publick by his Spagyrick Repositary.
1844. Hecker, Epid. Middle Ages, 273. The severe metallic remedies of the Spagyric school.
1899. Literature, 17 Jan., 35/1. The sages, those who practised the true spagyric art.
