3

Dee pathetically recapitulated his long desire for wisdom, his faith that more knowledge will be granted him. Kelly went out leaving Dee buried in prayer.

In two days, Kelly was again submissive to the spirits, who bade him not mistrust. "Let him that is a servant and is commanded to go, go. And let not the earth rise up and strive against the plowman." So they go on again with their cabalistic letters and signs. In the beginning of May, Dee notes: "E.K. is very well persuaded of these actions now, thanked be the Highest."

Later in the month he says: "There happened a great storm or temptation to E.K. of doubting and mistaking our instructors and their doings, and of contemning and condemning anything that I knew or could do. I bare all things patiently for God his sake." Kelly at the same time says: "I am contented to see and to make true report of what they will show, but my heart standeth against them."

That night after the sitting, he again swore he would not go on skrying. The morning after, Dee knocked at his study door, and bade him come, for Nalvage had left off the previous day in the middle of an interesting geographical lesson about unknown parts of the earth, and had told them to be ready to continue it next morning. Kelly was obdurate, and Dee retired to prayer. In half an hour, the skryer burst in with a volume of Cornelius Agrippa's in his hand, where he said all the countries they were told about yesterday were described and written down. "What is the use," he said, "in going on with this farce, if they tell us nothing new?" Dee replied that he was glad to see Kelly had such a book of his own; that Nalvage in giving those ninety-one new names of countries, all of seven letters, was answering his particular request; that he had verified the lands in the charts of Gerardus Mercator and Pomponius Mela, which he had at hand and produced, "and now," he said triumphantly, "we know exactly what angels govern which countries, in case we are ever called to practise there." Nalvage had described the natives of the countries and the products, suggesting that in Greenland a vein of gold might be found. "Your wilful phantasie," Dee ended to Kelly, "perverts your reason; and whereas you find fault with our instructors, I, who much more narrowly peruse their words, know that they give direct answers to my questions, except indeed when you misreport them, or I make a mistake in hearing or writing." So three days were lost, as Dee bemoans in the margin, and then Kelly was again induced to resume his skrying.

On the 25th, Laski arrived and left again for Kesmark. He now intended to redeem his property there. But King Stephan and his Chancellor were both set against him, and he wished Dee to go with him to the Emperor of Austria, Rudolph II.

Instructions were now given that they must be ready to go with Laski to the Emperor, must make themselves apt and meet, for until no remembrance of wickedness is left among them they cannot forward the Lord's expeditions. Gabriel tells Kelly at some length of his many faults. Dee did not hear this, but considerately does not ask for a repetition of the catalogue. He only bids Kelly listen well. Gabriel says if any will be God's minister, he must sweep his house clean, without spot. He must not let his life be a scandal to the will of the Lord.

"God finds thee, as he passes by in his Angel, fit in matter, but, my brother, God knows, far unfit in life. O consider the Dignity of thy creation. See how God beareth with thy infirmity fromtime to time. Consider how thou art now at a Turning where there lieth two wayes. One shall be to thy comfort, the other to perpetual woe."