The life and times of Dr John Dee

Monday à Meridie hora 4 ½. Δ. We preſented our ſelves, ready for inſtruction receiving, and preſumed not to call my good Miniſter ſpiritual, but by humble prayer referred all to God his good pleaſure. E K. The Golden Curtain which covereth all the Stone hangeth ſtill, but I heare a voice or ſentence thrice repeated, thus. A voice. …… Sanctum, Signatum,& ad tempus. Δ. The ſenſe hereof may be divers wayes underſtood, and more then I can imagine, but which ſenſe is to our inſtruction would I faine know. A voice. …… Sanctum, quia hoc velle ſuum; ſigillatum quia determinatum ad tempus. E K. Hard ſpeeches, but he could not perfectly diſcern them. A voice …… Ad tempus & ad tempus (inquam) quia rerum conſummatio. All things are at hand. The Seat is prepared. Juſtice hath determined. The Judge is not yet willing. Mercy thruſteth it ſelf betwixt the Divinity. But it is ſaid, The Time ſhall be ſhortned. E K. Saw no creature: But the voice came behind him over his head, till now: when he eſpied one ſtanding on the Table beſides the ſilke cloth on which the Stone ſtood, he ſeemed like a Huſbandman all in red apparel, red hoſe cloſe to his legs, a red jacket, red buttoned cap on his head, yea, and red ſhooes. He aſked E. K. how he did, and E.K. anſwered, Well I thank God. Δ. By your apparel it ſhould ſeem you have ſomewhat to ſay concerning the Commons of this Realme, and not of high School-points, or Sciences. I am deſirous to know who ſent you? What is your meſſage? and what is your name? for a name you have peculiar as all Creatures elſe. Δ. He pauſed a good while; whereupon I aſked him if he conſidered my ſpeeches? …… I conſider your ſpeeches, for I have left nothing behind. E. K. He kneeleth down and ſeemeth to ſay ſomewhat, his ſpeech is quick, round, and ready. He ſeemeth to pray in a ſtrange Language. I per- ceived theſe words among many other, Oh Gahire Rudna gephna oh Gahire, &c. His Countenance was directed towards the Stone. …… Veſtra a non mea facio. E K. Now he ſtandeth up. …… Haſt not thou ſaid, From whom comeſt thou? What is thy meſſage? [Δ. He looked to- ward me] And haſt urged my name? Saying, All things have a name. It is true; for ſo they have becauſe they are. Haſt thou left any thing unſaid? Δ. You rehearſe my ſpeeches not onely in general, but alſo in particular. The will of God be done (to his glory) for the reſt. ……… My meſſage is from him, in whoſe name thou has deſired it, which hath ſaid lift up thine eyes, and look unto (behold I ſay) the ſum of my Commandments, 1. What I am, 2. Whoſe Mini- ſters you are, and (as it is ſaid before) 3. To what end and purpoſe it is. Then ceaſe to plead when Judgement ſtandeth in place; For all things are determined already. The 7 doores are opened. The 7 Governours have almoſt ended their Government. The Earth laboureth as ſick, yea ſick unto death. The Waters pour forth weepings, and have not moiſture ſufficient to quench their own ſorrows. The Aire withereth, for her heat is infected. The Fire conſumeth and is ſcalded with his own heat. The B{o}dies above are ready to ſay, We are weary of our courſes. Nature would fain creep again into the boſom of her good and gracious Maſter. Darkneſſe is now heavy and ſinketh down together: She hath builded herſelf, yea (I ſay) ſhe hath advanced herſelf into a mighty building ſhe ſaith, Have done, for I am ready to receive my burden. Hell itſelf is weary of Earth: For why? The Son of Darkneſſe cometh now to challenge his right: and ſeeing all things prepared and provided, deſireth to eſtabliſh himſelf a kingdom; ſay -ing, We are now ſtronge enough, Let us now build us a kingdom upon earth, and Now eſtabliſh that which we could not confirm above. and therefore, Behold the end. When the time cometh, The …… thy ſorrows ſhall be greater than the ſweetneſſe, the ſorrows (I mean), of that thou ſeeſt; I mean in reſpect of the ſweetneſſe of thy knowledge. Then will you lament and weep for thoſe thou thought were juſt men. When you earneſtly pray it ſhall be ſaid unto you Labor. When you would take Mercy Juſtice ſhall ſay, Be it ſo. Therefore (I ſay) thirſt not overmuch: For fear leaſt thy capacity be confounded. Neither move thou him which hath, moved all things already to the end. But do thou that which is commanded. Neither preſcribe thou any form to God his building. All things ſhall be brought into an uniformal Order. Whom thou ſayeſt that thou haſt not yet confirmed, confirm with good counſel. It is ſaid I have accepted him. Are not theſe News ſufficient? It is ſaid, He ſhall govern me a people: of himſelf he cannot. Therefore let him believe, and ſecondly Rejoyce that the Angel of God hath ſo governed him. That in Election he ſhall govern him a people. Deſireth he to hear of greater bleſſedneſſe? He hath alſo ſaid: Then ſhall it be ſaid unto him, O King. It followeth conſequently that he is called, and that to a Kingly Ofice: For whoſoever is An- nointed in the Lord, his Kingdom is for ever. Will he be the ſon of perdition? Let him then with his fathers put on the garments of pride. Deſireth he news? Tell him thou has prayed for him; the Devil envyeth him, and his eſtate. Tell him that I ſay ſo. Say it is a ſhame for a Kings Son to commit theft; and for him that is called, to do the workes of unrighteouſneſſe. Studieſt thou to pleaſe him? Give him ſharp and wholeſome counſel: For in him (I ſay) the ſtate and alteration of the whole World ſhall begin. Wouldſt thou know from whence I came? Thou ſhalt. But do it Humbly, it is not my part to meddle any further than my charge. But as it is ſaid before unto thee, So ſhall it come to paſſe. Moſes had a rod whereby he was known, and tbe hand of God approved. Let him uſe therefore to carry the rod of righteouſneſſe about him. For we are ſeven: and in us is comprehended that rod wherewith Moſes wrought. As it is be gun ſo I end: What ye ſee here is holy [pointing to the …… and by him ſealed and for until the time. Therefore uſe patience herein until the time that is ſaid unto the …… Venite, videte, (& loquimini) Judicia mea. He that ſaith thus (I ſpeak of myſelf, and as concerning my meſſage,) is equal with the great eſt Angels, and his name is Murifri. Thou has written my name, and I am of thy Kalender, becauſe thy Kalender is of God. In the grounds of all thy Tables thou ſhalt finde my name. Δ. I remember not any ſuch name written by me, but it maybe contained in ſome new Compoſition, or Collection. Mur. …… It is true, for if thou hadſt remembred all thoſe things which thou haſt written, then ſhould not my meſſage need. Δ. If I might without offending you, I would move two Petitions unto you, one concerning the Soul, and the other concerning the body: Concerning the Soul, is for one Iſabel Liſter, whom the wicked Enemy hath ſore afflicted long with dangerous temptations, and hath brought her knives to deſtroy herſelf withall; ſhe reſiſteth hitherto, and deſireth my helping counſel, which how ſmall it is God knoweth. The other is of another woman, who hath great need, and is driven to maintain herſelf, her huſband, and three children by her hand la- bour, and there is one that by dream is advertiſed of a place of Treaſure hid in a Cellar, which this woman hath hired thereupon, and hath no longer time of hiring the ſaid Cellar, but till Midſummer next. She, and this dreaming Maiden digged ſomewhat, and found certain to- kens notefied unto her: But ſo left off. I would gladly have your help herein, if it pleaſed God. Mur. …… I anſwer thee, I will come again ſoon, and thou ſhalt receive a Medecine which ſhall teach thee to work help in the firſt. The ſecond is vanity, for it is not ſo, but to the intent that after great hope of this world hath infected the weaklings minde: Deſperation might have the more open and ready entrance. But yet ſhe ſhall be comforted for thy ſake. Δ. The praiſe be unto God. Mur. …… I Go. One thing I have to ſay, be faithfull in all things. I have ſaid. Δ. I prayed, and gave thanks hartily to God for his mercieds, and graces, and ſo roſe up. Δ. Then he ſaid write, M.49. under V.43. under R.35. 1. and 47. under /F. R. I.\ This ſhal lead thee to my name; he that ſent me be amongſt you. Δ. Amen, Amen, Amen. \9. 33. 42/ Δ. Note in Tabula Collecta, (which I firſt gathered of the 49. good Angels) I took the third letters out of the names, it is to wit, out of the 49th. name, and th…… 47. 9 33. 42. which agreed very well with the letters, but the five and thirtieth name did not yield R. in his third letter. Therefore I am…… in the……

Monday after ſupper 1583. Δ. After ſupper, as we were together in my ſtudy, and attending ſomewhat the return of the good meſſager ſpiritual, and ſaid that he promiſed to come again ſuddenly, he appeared and anſwered. Mur. …… So I am, write 7. 30.25. 44.37.35 46. To the firſt S. to the ſecond O. the third L. the fourth G. the fifth A. the ſixth R. the 7th. S. A. That maketh S O L G A R S. Mur. …… Add the firſt, and laſt number together, it maketh 53. let that be the Centre to the reſt. Δ. To be put to the Center of the Steptagonum. Mur. …… So. The ground hereof is to be found in the third Table in the firſt book: I mean in the third of the ſeven, the Table of B.B. &c. being the firſt. My name is alſo to be found in the ſame Table. Form this upon a plate of lead: It prevaileth as a cure againſt ſuch infections. My promiſe is done. Δ. How is this to be uſed? Mur. …… Uſe it upon the body moleſted, adding the letters of her name in a ſmall Circle on the back half, not the letters in their forms expreſſed, but the number of ſuch letters. Δ. We know not how to number her name in our letters. Mur. …… Take them out of the ſecond Table (any Table elſe of the Seventh will ſerve) ſo that thou take the numbers as thou findeth them placed with the letters. Δ. How is this to be uſed about her body? Mur. …… As by diſcretion ſhall be thought beſt: It prevaileth ſufficiently, ſo it be done, but thus far I teach thee, and this, as concerning nature. The health of him which ſent me be amongſt you, Amen. Δ. Gloria & gratiarum actio perennis ſit Deo noſtro omnipotenti uni & Trino, Amen.

(1583-06-11 to 1583-07-10)

24. Heads of the grant to Adrian Gilbert to discover and settle the northerly parts of Atlantis, called Novus Orbis, not inhabited or discovered by any Christians hitherto but by him. The said Adrian Gilbert, John Dee, and John Davies to be exempt from all customs, for ever.