Charnock began searching for alchemical secrets throughout England in his early twenties. He eventually found two masters who instructed him in the art: 'Master I.S.', a priest from Salisbury; and the former abbot of Bath. His work was tiresome and demanding, requiring him, amongst other things, to keep a fire burning at a constant temperature. He was also pursued by constant bad luck: on New Year's Day 1555, Charnock's tabernacle caught fire and destroyed his progress; inept servants continually spoiled his renewed efforts by mismanaging the fire heating his alchemical vessels; and two years later in 1557 he was conscripted when England
went to war with France and the local Justice of the Peace (who seems to have been a personal enemy) made sure that Thomas was forced into military service. In frustration at being conscripted, Charnock smashed his vessels. Troubled by his continual bad luck, and ostracised by his neighbours who were fearful of his experiments, Charnock vainly asked
Elizabeth I to allow him to carry on his experiments in the
Tower of London, or another "solitary place." He pledged to give Elizabeth the wealth and health of the
philosophers' stone within fourteen years if she would subsidise his costs, promising that he made this offer "uppon payne off losing my hedd." ==Personal life==