Chapter III: Dr. Dee's Diary

I am not prepared to say, with its modern editor, that Dr. Dee's Diary[26] sets the scholar magician's character in its true light more clearly than anything that has yet been printed; but I concede that it reveals in a very striking and interesting manner the peculiar features of his character--his superstitious credulity, and his combination of shrewdness and simplicity--as well as his interesting habits. I shall therefore extract a few passages to assist the reader in forming his opinion of a man who was certainly in many respects remarkable.

(i.) I begin with the entries for 1577:

'1577, January 16th.--The Erle of Leicester, Mr. Philip
Sidney, Mr. Dyer,[27] etc., came to my house (at Mortlake).

'1577, January 22nd.--The Erle of Bedford came to my house.

'1577, March 11th.--My fall uppon my right nuckel bone, _hora
9 fere mane_, wyth oyle of Hypericon (_Hypericum_, or St.
John's Wort) in twenty-four howers eased above all hope: God
be thanked for such His goodness of (to?) His creatures.

'1577, March 24th.--Alexander Simon, the Ninevite, came to
me, and promised me his service into Persia.

'1577, May 1st.--I received from Mr. William Harbut of St.
Gillian his notes uppon my "Monas."[28]

'1577, May 2nd.--I understode of one Vincent Murfryn his
abbominable misusing me behinde my back; Mr. Thomas Besbich
told me his father is one of the cokes of the Court.

'1577, May 20th.--I hyred the barber of Cheswik, Walter
Hooper, to kepe my hedges and knots in as good order as he
saw them then, and that to be done with twice cutting in the
yere at the least, and he to have yerely five shillings, meat
and drink.

'1577, June 26th.--Elen Lyne gave me a quarter's warning.

'1577, August 19.--The "Hexameron Brytanicum" put to
printing. (Published in 1577 with the title of "General and
Rare Memorials pertayning to the perfect Art of Navigation.")

'1577, November 3rd.--William Rogers of Mortlak about 7 of
the clok in the morning, cut his own throte, _by the fiende
his instigator_.

'1577, November 6th.--Sir Umfrey Gilbert[29] cam to me to
Mortlak.

'1577, November 22nd.--I rod to Windsor to the Q. Majestie.

'1577, November 25th.--I spake with the Quene _hora quinta_;
I spoke with Mr. Secretary Walsingham.[30] I declared to the
Quene her title to Greenland, Estotiland, and Friesland.

'1577, December 1st.--I spoke with Sir Christopher Hatton; he
was made Knight that day.

'1577, December --th.--I went from the Courte at Wyndsore.

'1577, December 30th.--Inexplissima illa calumnia de R.
Edwardo, iniquissima aliqua ex parte in me denunciebatur:
ante aliquos elapsos diro, sed ... sua sapientia me
innocentem.'

I cannot ascertain of what calumny against Edward VI. Dee had been accused; but it is to be hoped that his wish was fulfilled, and that he was acquitted of it before many days had elapsed.

I have omitted some items relating to moneys borrowed. It is sufficiently plain, however, that Dee never intended his Diary for the curious eyes of the public, and that it mainly consists of such memoranda as a man jots down for his private and personal use. Assuredly, many of these would never have been recorded if Dee had known or conjectured that an inquisitive antiquarian, some three centuries later, would exhume the confidential pages, print them in imperishable type, and expose them to the world's cold gaze. It seems rather hard upon Dr. Dee that his private affairs should thus have become everybody's property! Perhaps, after all, the best thing a man can do who keeps a diary is to commit it to the flames before he shuffles off his mortal coil, lest some laborious editor should eventually lay hands upon it, and publish it to the housetops with all its sins upon it! But as in Dr. Dee's case the offence has been committed, I will not debar my readers from profiting by it.

(ii.) 1578-1581.

'1578, June 30th.--I told Mr. Daniel Rogers, Mr. Hackluyt of
the Middle Temple being by, that Kyng Arthur and King Maty,
both of them, did conquer Gelindia, lately called Friseland,
which he so noted presently in his written copy of Mon ...
thensis (?), for he had no printed boke thereof.'

What a pity Dr. Dee has not recorded his authority for King Arthur's Northern conquests! The Mr. Hackluyt here mentioned is the industrious compiler of the well-known collection of early voyages.

Occasionally Dee relates his dreams, as on September 10, 1579: 'My dream of being naked, and my skyn all overwrought with work, like some kinde of tuft mockado, with crosses blue and red; and on my left arme, about the arme, in a wreath, this word I red--_sine me nihil potestis facere_.'

Sometimes he resorts to Greek characters while using English words:

'1579, December 9th.--+This nigt mi uuiph dremid that one kam
to 'er and touched 'er, saing, "Mistres Dee, gou ar konkeined
oph child, uos name must be Zacharias; be oph god chere, he
sal do uuel as this doth!"+

'1579, December 28th.--I reveled to Roger Coke the gret
secret of the elixir of the salt +oph aketels, one uppon a
undred+.'

Other entries refer to this Mr. Roger Coke, or Cooke, who seems to have been Dee's pupil or apprentice, and at one time to have enjoyed his confidence. They quarrelled seriously in 1581.

'1581, September 5th.--Roger Cook, who had byn with me from
his 14 years of age till 28, of a melancholik nature, pycking
and devising occasions of just cause to depart on the
suddayn, about 4 of the clok in the afternone requested of me
lycense to depart, wheruppon rose whott words between us; and
he, imagining with himself that he had, the 12 of July,
deserved my great displeasure, and finding himself barred
from view of my philosophicall dealing with Mr. Henrik,
thought that he was utterly recast from intended goodness
toward him. Notwithstanding Roger Cook his unseamely dealing,
I promised him, if he used himself toward me now in his
absens, one hundred pounds as sone as of my own clene
hability I myght spare so much; and moreover, if he used
himself well in life toward God and the world, I promised him
some pretty alchimicall experiments, whereuppon he might
honestly live.

'1581, September 7th.--Roger Cook went for altogether from
me.'

In February, 1601, however, this quarrel was made up.

(iii.) Of the learned doctor's colossal credulity the Diary supplies some curious proofs:

'1581, March 8th.--It was the 8 day, being Wensday, hora
noctis 10-11, the strange noyse in my chamber of knocking;
and the voyce, ten times repeted, somewhat like the shriek
of an owle, but more longly drawn, and more softly, as it
were in my chamber.

'1581, August 3rd.--All the night very strange knocking and
rapping in my chamber. August 4th, and this night likewise.

'1581, October 9th.--Barnabas Saul, lying in the ... hall,
was strangely trubled by a spirituall creature about
mydnight.

'1582, May 20th.--Robertus Gardinerus Salopiensis lactum mihi
attulit minimum de materia lapidis, divinitus sibi revelatus
de qua.

'1582, May 23rd.--Robert Gardiner declared unto me hora 4½ a
certeyn great philosophicall secret, as he had termed it, of
a spirituall creature, and was this day willed to come to me
and declare it, which was solemnly done, and with common
prayer.

'1590, August 22nd.--Ann, my nurse, had long been tempted by
a wycked spirit: but this day it was evident how she was
possessed of him. God is, hath byn, and shall be her
protector and deliverer! Amen.

'1590, August 25th.--Anne Frank was sorowful, well comforted,
and stayed in God's mercyes acknowledging.

'1590, August 26th.--At night I anoynted (in the name of
Jesus) her brest with the holy oyle.

'1590, August 30th.--In the morning she required to be
anoynted, and I did very devoutly prepare myself, and pray
for virtue and powr, and Christ his blessing of the oyle to
the expulsion of the wycked, and then twyce anoynted, the
wycked one did rest a while.'

The holy oil, however, proved of no effect. The poor creature was insane. On September 8 she made an attempt to drown herself, but was prevented. On the 29th she eluded the dexterity of her keeper, and cut her throat.

(iv.) Occasionally we meet with references to historic events and names, but, unfortunately, they are few:

'1581, February 23rd.--I made acquayntance with Joannes
Bodonius, in the Chamber of Presence at Westminster, the
ambassador being by from Monsieur.'

Bodonius, or Bodin, was the well-known writer upon witchcraft.

'1581, March 23rd.--At Mortlak came to me Hugh Smyth, who had
returned from Magellan strayghts and Vaygatz.

'1581, July 12th.--The Erle of Leicester fell fowly out with
the Erle of Sussex, Lord Chamberlayn, calling each other
trayter, whereuppon both were commanded to kepe theyr chamber
at Greenwich, wher the court was.'

This was the historic quarrel, of which Sir Walter Scott has made such effective use in his 'Kenilworth.'

'1583, January 13th.--On Sonday, the stage at Paris Garden
fell down all at once, being full of people beholding the
bear-bayting. Many being killed thereby, more hurt, and all
amased. The godly expownd it as a due plage of God for the
wickedness ther used, and the Sabath day so profanely spent.'

This popular Sabbatarian argument, which occasionally crops up even in our own days, had been humorously anticipated, half a century before, by Sir Thomas More, in his 'Dyalogue' (1529): 'At Beverley late, much of the people being at a bear-baiting, the church fell suddenly down at evening-time, and overwhelmed some that were in it. A good fellow that after heard the tale told--"So," quoth he, "now you may see what it is to be at evening prayers when you should be at the bear-baiting!"'

The Paris Garden Theatre at Bankside had been erected expressly for exhibitions of bear-baiting. The charge for admission was a penny at the gate, a penny at the entry of the scaffold or platform, and a penny for 'quiet standing.' During the Commonwealth this cruel sport was prohibited; but it was revived at the Restoration, and not finally suppressed until 1835.

'1583, January 23rd.--The Ryght Honorable Mr. Secretary
Walsingham came to my howse, where by good luk he found Mr.
Adrian Gilbert (of the famous Devonshire family of seamen),
and so talk was begonne of North West Straights discovery.

'1583, February 11th.--The Quene lying at Richmond went to
Mr. Secretary Walsingham to dinner; she coming by my dore,
graciously called me to her, and so I went by her horse side,
as far as where Mr. Hudson dwelt. +Er maiesti axed me
obyskyreli oph mounsieuris state: dixe bisthanatos erit.+

'1583, March 6th.--I, and Mr. Adrian Gilbert and John Davis
(the Arctic discoverer), did mete with Mr. Alderman Barnes,
Mr. Tounson, Mr. Young and Mr. Hudson, about the N. W.
voyage.

'1583, April 18th.--The Quene went from Richmond toward
Greenwich, and at her going on horsbak, being new up, she
called for me by Mr. Rawly (Sir Walter Raleigh) his putting
her in mynde, and she sayd, "quod defertur non aufertur," and
gave me her right hand to kiss.

'1590, May 18th.--The two gentlemen, the unckle Mr. Richard
Candish (Cavendish), and his nephew, the most famous Mr.
Thomas Candish, who had sayled round about the world, did
visit me at Mortlake.

'1590, December 4th.--The Quene's Majestie called for me at
my dore, circa 3½ a meridie as she passed by, and I met her
at Est Shene gate, where she graciously, putting down her
mask, did say with mery chere, "I thank thee, Dee; there wus
never promisse made, but it was broken or kept." I understode
her Majesty to mean of the hundred angels she promised to
have sent me this day, as she yesternight told Mr. Richard
Candish.

'1595, October 9th.--I dyned with Sir Walter Rawlegh at
Durham House.'

(v.) Some of the entries which refer to Dee's connection with Lasco and Kelly are interesting:

'1583, March 18th.--Mr. North from Poland, after he had byn
with the Quene he came to me. I received salutation from
Alaski, Palatine in Poland.

'1583, May 13th.--I became acquaynted with Albertus Laski at
7½ at night, in the Erle of Leicester his chamber, in the
court at Greenwich.

'1583, May 18th.--The Prince Albertus Laski came to me at
Mortlake, with onely two men. He came at afternone, and
tarryed supper, and after sone set.

'1583, June 15th.--About 5 of the clok cum the Polonian
prince, Lord Albert Lasky, down from Bisham, where he had
lodged the night before, being returned from Oxford, whither
he had gon of purpose to see the universityes, wher he was
very honorably used and enterteyned. He had in his company
Lord Russell, Sir Philip Sydney, and other gentlemen: he was
rowed by the Quene's men, he had the barge covered with the
Quene's cloth, the Quene's trumpeters, etc. He came of
purpose to do me honour, for which God be praysed!

'1583, September 21st.--We went from Mortlake, and so the
Lord Albert Lasky, I, Mr. E. Kelly, our wives, my children
and familie, we went toward our two ships attending for us,
seven or eight myle below Gravesende.

'1586, September 14th.--Trebonam venimus.

'1586, October 18th.--E. K. recessit a Trebona versus Pragam
curru delatus; mansit hic per tres hebdomadas.

'1586, December 19th.--Ad gratificandam Domino Edouardo
Garlando, et Francisco suo fratri, qui Edouardus nuncius mihi
missus erat ab Imperatore Moschoriæ ut ad illum venirem,
E. K. fecit proleolem (?) lapidis in proportione unius ...
gravi arenæ super quod vulgaris oz. et ½ et producta est
optimè auri oz. fere: quod aurum post distribuimus a
crucibolo una dedimus Edouardo.

'1587, January 18th.--Rediit E. K. a Praga. E. K. brought
with him from the Lord Rosenberg to my wyfe a chayne and
juell estemed at 300 duckettes; 200 the juell stones, and 100
the gold.

'1587, September 28th.--I delivered to Mr. Ed. Kelley
(earnestly requiring it as his part) the half of all the
animall which was made. It is to weigh 20 oz.; he wayed it
himself in my chamber: he bowght his waights purposely for
it. My lord had spoken to me before for some, but Mr. Kelly
had not spoken.

'1587, October 28th and 29th.--John Carp did begyn to make
furnaces over the gate, and he used of my rownd bricks, and
for the yron pot was contented now to use the lesser bricks,
60 to make a furnace.

'1587, November 8th.--E. K terribilis expostulatio,
accusatio, etc., hora tertia a meridie.

'1587, December 12th.--Afternone somewhat, Mr. Ed. Kelly
[did] his lamp overthrow, the spirit of wyne long spent to
nere, and the glas being not stayed with buks about it, as it
was wont to be; and the same glass so flitting on one side,
the spirit was spilled out, and burnt all that was on the
table where it stode, lynnen and written bokes,--as the bok
of Zacharias, with the "Alkanor" that I translated out of
French, for some by [boy?] spirituall could not; "Rowlaschy,"
his third boke of waters philosophicall; the boke called
"Angelicum Opus;" all in pictures of the work from the
beginning to the end; the copy of the man of Badwise
"Conclusions for the Transmution of Metalls;" and 40 leaves
in 4to., entitled "Extractiones Dunstat," which he himself
extracted and noted out of Dunstan his boke, and the very
boke of Dunstan was but cast on the bed hard by from the
table.'

This so-called 'Book of St. Dunstan' was one which Kelly professed to have bought from a Welsh innkeeper, who, it was alleged, had found it among the ruins of Glastonbury.

'1588, February 8th.--Mr. E. K., at nine of the clok,
afternone, sent for me to his laboratory over the gate to see
how he distilled sericon, according as in tyme past and of
late he heard of me out of Ripley. God lend his heart to all
charity and virtue!

'1588, August 24th.--Vidi divinam aquam demonstratione
magnifici domini et amici mei incomparabilis D[omini] Ed.
Kelii ante meridiem tertia hora.

'1588, December 7th.--+great phrendkip promisid phor mani,
and tuuo ounkes phor the thing.+'[31]

FOOTNOTES:

[26] 'The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee,' edited by J. O. Halliwell (Phillipps) for the Camden Society, 1842.

[27] This was Sir Edward Dyer, the friend of Spenser and Sidney, remembered by his poem 'My Mind to me a Kingdom is.'

[28] The 'Monas Hieroglyphica.'

[29] The celebrated navigator, whose heroic death is one of our worthiest traditions.

[30] A warm and steady friend to Dr. Dee.

[31] This Diary, written in a very small and illegible hand on the margins of old almanacs, was discovered by Mr. W. H. Black in the Ashmolean Library at Oxford.