Although European craftsmen and technicians pre-existed, Robert notes in his preface that alchemy (here still referring to the elixir rather than to the art itself) was unknown in Latin Europe at the time of his writing.
ɔːlðˈoʊ jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən kɹˈæftsmɛn ænd tɛknˈɪʃənz pɹˈiːɛɡzˈɪstᵻd, ɹˈɑːbɚt nˈoʊts ɪn hɪz pɹˈɛfəs ðæt ˈælkəmi hˈɪɹ stˈɪl ɹᵻfˈɜːɹɪŋ tə ðɪ ᵻlˈɪksɚ ɹˈæðɚ ðɐn tə ðɪ ˈɑːɹt ɪtsˈɛlf wʌz ʌnnˈoʊn ɪn lˈætɪn jˈʊɹɹəp æt ðə tˈaɪm ʌv hɪz ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ.