The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee.

by John Dee.

PREFACE.

The present volume contains two curious documents concerning Dr. Dee, the eminent philosopher of Mortlake, now for the first time published from the original manuscripts. I. His Private Diary, written in a very small illegible hand on the margins of old Almanacs, discovered a few years ago by Mr. W. H. Black, in the library of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. II. A Catalogue of his Library of Manuscripts, made by himself before his house was plundered by the populace, and now preserved in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge.

The publication of this Diary will tend perhaps to set Dee's character in its true light, more than any thing that has yet been printed. We have, indeed, his "Compendious Rehearsall," which is in some respects more comprehensive, but this was written for an especial purpose, for the perusal of royal commissioners, and he has of course carefully avoided every allusion which could be construed in an unfavourable light. In the other, however, he tells us his dreams, talks of mysterious noises in his chamber, evil spirits, and alludes to various secrets of occult philosophy in the spirit of a true believer.

Mr. D'Israeli has given a correct and able view of his character in his "Amenities of Literature," which is remarkably confirmed in almost every point by the narrative now published. "The imagination of Dee," observes that elegant writer, "often predominated over his science; while both were mingling in his intellectual habits, each seemed to him to confirm the other. Prone to the mystical lore of what was termed the occult sciences, which in reality are no sciences at all, since whatever remains occult ceases to be science, Dee lost his better genius."

I shall refer the reader to this popular work instead of attempting an original paper on the subject, which would necessarily be greatly inferior to that drawn by the masterly hand of the author of the "Curiosities of Literature."

The Catalogue of Dee's Library of Manuscripts, although long since dispersed, is valuable for the notices which it preserves of several middle-age treatises not now extant. He is said to have expended on this collection the sum of three thousand pounds, a very large sum in those days for a person of limited income.

J. O. H.

35, Alfred Place, March 15th 1842.

DR. DEE'S DIARY.

1554. Aug. 25th, Barthilmew Hikman born at Shugborowh in Warwikshyre toward evening. My conjecture, uppon his own reporte of circumstances. Oct. 25th, D. Daniel Vander Meulen Antwerpiae, mane hora quarta.[a]

[Footnote a: It is almost unnecessary to observe that this and the following are notes of nativities. They are not for the most part contemporary notices, but apparently inserted at various times by Dee when professionally consulted as an astrologer.]

1555. April 22nd, Jane Fromonds borne at Cheyham at none. Aug. 1st, Ed. Kelly natus hora quarta a meridie[b] ut annotatum reliquit pater ejus. Oct. 12th, the Lord Willughby born hora septima mane, ante meridiem, Lat. 51 30', at Wesell in Gelderland.

[Footnote b: "Anno 1555, Aug. 1, hora quarta a meridie Wigorniae natus Dominus Edouardus Kelaeus," MS. Ashm. 1788, fol. 140, where there is a horoscope of this nativity in the handwriting of Dr. Dee. Ashmole, in his MS. 1790, fol. 58, says "Mr. Lilly told me that John Evans informed him that he was acquainted with Kelly's sister in Worcester, that she shewed him some of the gold her brother had transmuted, and that Kelly was first an apothecary in Worcester."]

1557. July 30th, Mr. Arundell of Cornwayle natus circa [horam]

quartam a meridie.

1558. Dec. 14th, Mary Nevelle, alias Mary Lewknor, borne inter 11 et meridiem mane, by Chichester.

1560. July 8th, Margaret Russell, Cowntess of Cumberland, hora 2 min. 9 Exoniae mane.

1561. Aug. 14th, Mr. Heydon, of Baconsthorp in Norfolk, hora noctis 11 natus in comitatu Surrey.

1563. March 23rd, Mr. William Fennar a meridie inter horam undecimam et duodecimam nocte. June 23nd, Jane Cooper, now Mystris Kelly, toward evening. Sept. 28th, Mr. John Ask ante meridiem, by York six myle on this syde; Elizabeth Mownson, circa horam 9 mane, soror magistri Thomae Mownson et uxor magistri Brown.

1564. Mrs. Brigit Cooke borne about seven of the clok on Saynt David's Day, which is the first day of March, being Wensday; but I cannot yet lerne whether it was before none or after. But she thinketh herself to be but 27 yeres old, anno 1593, Martii primo, but it cannot be so. June 20th, Mr. Hudson, hora septima ante meridiem. Aug. 21st, Wenefride Goose, inter 9 et 10 a meridie by Kingstone.

1565. Sept. 12th, John Pontoys, inter 9 et 10 ante meridiem prope Stony-Stratford; puto potius hora 8 min. 43. Oct. 17th, Thomas Kelley[c] hora quarta a meridie at Wurceter. Dec. 21st, Mr. Thomas Mownson at 11 of the clok in the morning.

[Footnote c: The brother of the celebrated astrologer before mentioned.]

1568. July 14th, William Emery born at Danbery in Essex paulo post undecimam horam noctis. Sept. 24th, Margaret Anderson mane inter 7 et 8.

1571. Samuel Swallow borne at Thaxstede in Essex Feb. 15 ante meridiem, inter horam undecimam et duodecimam, forte hora media post undecimam.

1575. July 31st, Simeon Stuard natus ante diluculum per horam 11 at Shinfelde; his grandfather by the mother was Dr. Huyck the Quene's physicien.

1577. Jan. 16th, the Erle of Lecester, Mr. Phillip Sydney, Mr. Dyer, &c., came to my howse.[d] Jan. 22nd, The Erle of Bedford cam to my howse. Feb. 19th, great wynde S.W., close, clowdy. March 11th, my fall uppon my right nuckul bone, hora 9 fere mane; wyth oyle of Hypericon in 24 howres eased above all hope: God be thanked for such his goodness of his creatures! March 24th, Alexander Simon the Ninivite came to me, and promised me his servise into Persia. May 1st, I received from M. William Harbert of St. Gillian his notes uppon my Monas.[e] May 2nd, I understode of one Vincent Murfyn his abhominable misusing me behinde my back; Mr. Thomas Besbich told me his father is one of the cokes of the Court. May 20th, I hyred the barber of Cheswik, Walter Hooper, to kepe my hedges and knots in as good order as he sed them than, and that to be done with twise cutting in the yere at the least and he to have yerely five shillings, [and] meat and drink. June 10th, circa 10, a shower of hayle and rayne. June 18th, borrowed 40 of John Hilton of Fulham.

June 19th, I understode of more of Vincent Murfyn his knavery; borrowed 20 of Bartylmew Newsam. June 20th, borow 27 uppon the chayn of golde. June 26th, Elen Lyne gave me a quarter's warning.

June 27th, showrs of rayne and hayle. Aug. 19th, the Hexameron Brytanicum[f] put to printing.

[Footnote d: "Dr. Dee dwelt in a house neere the water side, a little westward from the church [at Mortlake]. The buildings which Sir Fr. Crane erected for working of tapestry hangings, and are still (1673) employed to that use, were built upon the ground whereon Dr. Dee's laboratory and other roomes for that use stood. Upon the west is a square court, and the next is the house wherein Dr. Dee dwelt, now inhabited by one Mr. Selbury, and further west his garden." --MS. Ashm. 1788, fol. 149. The same account says that "Dr. Dee was wel beloved and respected of all persons of quality thereabouts, who very often invited him to their houses or came to his."]

[Footnote e: This of course is his celebrated Monas Hieroglyphica, frequently printed, and the nature of which I attempted to explain in a paper read before the Society of Antiquaries. Mr. Herbert, according to MS. Ashm. 1788, "dwelt then in Mortlack and was an intimate friend of Dr. Dee's."]

[Footnote f: This was his work printed in 1577 under the title of General and Rare Memorials pertayning to the perfect Art of Navigation, in folio, now a book of the greatest rarity. The original manuscript of it is in MS. Ashm. 1789, and Dee's own copy of the published work with MS. notes and additions is preserved in the British Museum. In his Letter Apologetical, 4to. Lond. 1603, he cites this work under the title of The Brytish Monarchie, as having been written in the year 1576.]

Nov. 3rd, William Rogers of Mortlak, abowt 7 of the clok in the morning, cut his own throte, by the fende his instigation. Nov. 6th, Sir Umfrey Gilbert cam to me to Mortlak. Nov. 18th, borowed of Mr.

Edward Hynde of Mortlak 30 to be repayed at Hallowtyde next yere.

Nov. 20th, two tydes in the forenone, the first 2 or 3 howres to sone. Nov. 22nd, I rod to Windsor to the Q. Majestie. Nov. 25th, I spake with the Quene hora quinta. Nov. 28th, I spake with the Quene hora quinta; I spake with Mr. Secretary Walsingham.[g] I declared to the Quene her title to Greenland, Estetiland and Friseland.

[Footnote g: Ashmole informs us that Walsingham continued for a length of time one of Dr. Dee's best patrons.]

Dec. 1st, I spake with Sir Christofer Hatton; he was made knight that day. Dec. 1st, I went from the cowrte at Wyndsore. Dec. 30th, inexplissima illa calumnia de R. Edwardo, iniquissime aliqua ex parte in me denunciabatur: ante aliquos elapsos dies, sed ... sua sapientia me innocentem.

1578. Feb. 5th, sponsalia cum Jana Fromonds horam circiter primam.

April 28th, I caused Sir Rowland Haywood to examyn Francys Baily of his sklandering me, which he denyed utterly. June 13th, rayn and in the afternone a little thunder. June 30th, I told Mr. Daniel Rogers,[h] Mr. Hackluyt of the Middle Temple being by, that Kyng Arthur and King Maty, both of them, did conquier Gelindia, lately called Friseland, which he so noted presently in his written copy of Monumethensis,[i] for he had no printed boke therof. July 14th, my sister Elizabeth Fromonds cam to me. July 27th, hora 9, min. 15 a meridie Francis Cowntess of Hertford.

[Footnote h: Rogers was a member of the University of Oxford, and a large commonplace-book in his handwriting is in Archbishop Tenison's library in St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.]

[Footnote i: That is, Galfridus Monumetensis de gestis regum Britanniae. Hackluyt mentions this fact in his collection of voyages.]

Aug. 5th, Mr. Raynolds of Bridewell tok his leave of me as he passed toward Darthmowth to go with Sir Umfry Gilbert toward Hocheleya.

Aug. 15, I went toward Norwich with my work of Imperium Brytanicum.[k] Aug. 23rd, I cam to London from Norwich. Aug. 31st, I went to my father-in-law Mr. Fromonds to Cheyham.

[Footnote k: This is the book just mentioned under the title of General and Rare Memorials, fol. Lond. 1577.]

Sept. 1st, I cam from Cheyham. Sept. 6th, Elen Lyne, my mayden, departed from this life immediately after the myd-day past, when she had lyne sik a month lacking one day. Sept. 12th, Jane Gaele cam to my servyce, and she must have four nobles by the yere, 26_s._ 8_d._ Sept. 25th, Her Majestie cam to Richemond from Grenwich. Sept. 26, the first rayn that came for many a day; all pasture abowt us was withered: rayn afternone like Aprill showres. Oct. 8th, the Quene's Majestie had conference with me at Richemond inter 9 et 11. Oct.

16th, Dr. Bayly conferred of the Quene her disease. Oct. 22nd, Jane Fromonds went to the court at Richemond. Oct. 25th, a fit from 9 afternone to 1 after mydnight. Oct. 28, the Erle of Lecester and Sir Francys Walsingham, secretary, determined my going over for the Quene's Majestie. Nov. 4th, I was directed to my voyage by the Erle of Lecester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham hora nona. Nov. 7th, I cam to Gravesende. Nov. 9th, I went from Lee to sea. Nov. 14th, I cam to Hamburgh hora tertia. Dec. 11th, to Franckfurt-uppon-Oder. Dec.

15th, newes of Turnifer's comming hora octava mane, by a speciall mesenger.

1579. A moyst Marche and not wyndy. June 10th, I shewed to Mr. John Lewis and his sonne, the physition, the manner of drawing aromaticall oyles. At that tyme my cat got a fledge yong sparrow which had onely a right wyng naturally. June 15th, my mother surrendred Mortlak howses and land, and had state geven in plena curia ad terminum vitae, and to me was also the reversion delivered per virgam, and to my wife Jane by me, and after to my heirs and assignes for ever, to understand, Mr. Bullok and Mr. Taylor, surveyor, at Wimbledon, under the tree by the church. June 22nd, Mr.

Richard Hickman and Barthilmew his nephew cam to me with Mr. Flowr, commended by Mr. Vicechamberlayn Sir Christopher Hatton.

July 6th, Mr. Hitchcok, who had travayled in the plat for fishing, made acquayntance with me, and offred me great curtesy.

July 13th, Arthurus Dee natus[l] puer mane hor. 4 min. 30 fere, vel potius min. 25, in ipso ortu solis, ut existimo. After 10 of the clock this night my wive's father Mr. Fromonds was speechles, and died on Tuesday (July 14th) at 4 of the clock in the morning. July 16th, Arthur was christened at 3 of the clok afternone; Mr. Dyer and Mr. Doctor Lewys, judg of the Admiralty, were his godfathers; and Mistres Blanche Pary of the Privie Chamber his godmother. But Mr.

John Harbert of Estshene was deputy for Dr. Lewys, and Mystres Awbrey was deputy for my cosen Mistres Blanche Pary.

[Footnote l: His horoscope is in MS. Ashm. 1788. "Mr. Arthur Dee's birth was accompanied by the unhappy accident of the death of Mr. Fromonds, his mother's father, who died that morning."

--MS. Ashm. 1790, fol. 63.]