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84 Schuler and Johannes Prætorius had observed the new star.

About the end of the year Tycho returned home, apparently intending very soon to leave his native land for ever in order to reside at Basle. He had, however, not yet confided his intentions to anybody, but luckily King Frederick II. had his attention specially drawn to Tycho through an embassy to Landgrave Wilhelm, which happened to return to Denmark from Cassel about that time. The Landgrave had requested the members of the embassy to urge the king to do something for Tycho, so as to enable him to devote himself to his astronomical studies at home; as these would do much credit to his king and country, and be of great value for the advancement of science. When Tycho paid his respects to the king, the latter offered him various castles for a residence, but Tycho declined these offers. King Frederick was, however, fond of learning, and anxious to retain in the kingdom so promising a man; and he shortly afterwards sent off a messenger with orders to travel day and night, until he could deliver into Tycho's own hands the letter of which he was the bearer. On the 11th of February, early in the morning, as Tycho was lying in bed at Knudstrup, turning over in his mind his plan of emigrating, the royal messenger, a youth of noble family and a connection of Tycho's, was announced, and was at once brought to his bedside to deliver the king's letter. In this Tycho was commanded immediately to come over to Seeland to wait on the king. He started the same day, and arrived in the evening at the king's hunting-lodge at Ibstrup, near Copenhagen. The king now told him that