The Act Against Multipliers – Stop Alchemists

In 1404, King Henry IV passed the Act Against Multipliers forbidding alchemists to use their knowledge to create precious metals.

What if you could change lead to gold? That knowledge would change the world. In medieval times alchemists believed just that. They believed that they could change common metals to precious metals. Worried that the alchemists might actually succeed, King Henry IV passed the Act Against Multipliers. Basically, he forbade anyone from multiplying gold with the use of alchemy.

This act lasted until 1689. At that time, the father of chemistry, Robert Boyle, constantly petitioned the court to remove it. The repeal of the act would have pleased him, as much of his experimentation in chemistry would have landed him in prison. Gratefully that did not and the knowledge of chemistry has grown.