Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 14.djvu/281

 sciences. Kelly, who was twenty-eight years younger than Dee, had been convicted of forgery, and had lost his ears in the pillory at Lancaster. To hide this mutilation he constantly wore a black skull cap, which also gave him a very solemn and oracular appearance. Dee, with whom he lived many years, seems never to have discovered his secret. On 10 March 1581–2 Kelly called on Dee at Mortlake, and expressed a wish to see or show something in spiritual practice. Dee disclaimed all skill in what was vulgarly accounted magic, but finally produced his crystal, to which aliqui angeli boni were said to be ‘answerable.’ After prayers from both, a spirit called Uriel appeared, who gave directions for invoking other angels, and insisted that Dee and Kelly should co-operate in their researches. He also gave minute instructions for constructing the ‘holy table’ and the ‘seal of God,’ which is delineated in Sloane MS. 3188, f. 30; and advised that a spirit named Lundrumguffa, who sought Dee's destruction, should be discharged. Kelly afterwards admitted that he had been sent to Mortlake in order to entrap Dee into an admission that he had dealings with the devil, but he perceived that it would be more advantageous to him to work on the old scholar's credulity, and he therefore agreed to be installed as ‘skryer,’ with an annual salary of 50l. At the ‘action’ of 21 Nov. 1582 Dee obtained from an angel another stone or crystal which had even more miraculous qualities than the other. These mystical conferences were continued, at intervals, for more than a quarter of a century. Dee believed in all the revelations made by his ‘skryer,’ and when Kelly threatened to leave was ready to make any offer to retain him.

Albert Laski, palatine of Siradz in Bohemia, visited England in 1583. He hoped to restore his ruined fortunes by the discovery of the philosopher's stone. On 31 July 1583 the Earl of Leicester informed Dee that he and Laski intended to dine with him on the next day. Dee pleading poverty, the queen sent him a present of forty angels. The dinner took place. Laski's curiosity was excited, and after some affectation of reluctance Dee and Kelly allowed him to join them in their researches. Money was required for the purchase of drugs and other materials, and in a short time the affairs of the alchemists became very embarrassed. Laski therefore proposed to provide for them in his own country. On 21 Sept. 1583 they left Mortlake privately, in order to embark for Holland. Immediately after Dee's departure the mob, who execrated him as a magician, broke into his house and destroyed a great part of his furniture and books, also his chemical apparatus, which had cost him 200l., and a fine quadrant of Chancellor's which cost him 30l. They likewise took away a magnet for which he gave 33l. (Compendious Rehearsal, ch. vii.)

Dee and his friends arrived on 3 Feb. 1583–4 at Laskoe, the palatine's principal castle, near Cracow. After some time the palatine, wearied with the delusions of Dee and Kelly, induced them to visit the Emperor Rodolph II. They arrived at Prague 9 Aug. (N.S.) 1584, and obtained an audience of the emperor, but Dee's extravagant stories only disgusted Rodolph, who declined to grant a second interview. After this Dee, who had gone to Poland to fetch his wife and children, prevailed on his former patron to introduce him to Stephen, king of Poland, on 17 April 1585. Stephen attended one of the actions with spirits, but detected the imposture. About this period they admitted into their secret society Francis Pucci, a Florentine, a man of education and talent, but about a year later he was ejected from their company, as he was suspected of bad faith.

After their repulse at Cracow Dee and Kelly returned to Prague, but the Bishop of Piacenza, apostolic nuncio at the emperor's court, protested against their presence so effectively that on 29 May 1586 a decree was signed commanding them to quit the emperor's dominions within six days. They hastened to Erfurt in Thuringia, but although they had letters from William Ursinus, count Rosenberg, a knight of the Golden Fleece and chief burgrave of Bohemia, whom they had flattered by predicting that he would become king of that country, the municipal authorities refused them permission to dwell in the city. They found a temporary asylum at Hesse-Cassel. On 8 Aug. Count Rosenberg obtained a partial revocation of the decree of banishment, the magicians being permitted to remain in any of his lordship's towns, cities, and castles. Accordingly they repaired in September to the castle of Tribau or Trebone in Bohemia, Rosenberg's principal residence, where they resumed their pretended intercourse with spirits, which had been interrupted for some time.

On 18 Sept. 1586 Edward Garland informed Dee that the emperor of Russia wished to receive him. The emperor promised to give him 2,000l. a year and to treat him as one of his chief men, while the lord protector offered to give him a thousand roubles out of his own purse besides (State Papers, Dom. Eliz. cxcvi. 143; printed in, i. 573; , Diary, ed. Halliwell, p. 22). This munificent offer was declined.