 Josten has suggested he acquainted himself with the Rosicrucian manifestos of the 1610s, perhaps traveling around Europe, as was popular among young gentlemen (possibly evidenced by his later French translations).Anthony à Wood asserts Backhouse was "a great Rosy Crucian", perhaps working off of a testament of Ashmole, though Josten has doubted he was a member of any real Rosicrucian fraternity.In December 1633, Backhouse composed an alchemical poem, "The Magistery", which was later to appear in Elias Ashmole's 1652 alchemical anthology, "Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum".