4


Gabriel's dart, like a flame of fire, is upright in his hand. He pleads with Kelly in such adorable gentleness and with such tender and ecstatic weeping, that both his hearers cannot withhold their tears. Gabriel's words so moved Kelly that he professed absolute repentance for all his dealings with wicked spirits, vowed he would burn whatsoever he has of their trash and experiments, and write a book setting forth their horrible untruth, and blasphemous doctrine against Christ and the Holy Ghost. It is curious that among the other errors he renounced was the Eastern doctrine that a fixed number of souls and bodies have always been in the world, and that a man's soul goes from one body to another, viz., into the new-born child. In the light of after-events, it is significant that another belief abjured is that to the chosen there is no sin.

Dee was overjoyed, and full of thanksgiving. He believed utterly in Kelly's conversion, all the more because of his former lapses. If anything were wanting to prove it, it was to be found in the humble and patient spirit in which this impracticable, volcanic skryer of his now sat on patiently for two hours and a half before the stone without either cloud, veil, or voice appearing. This to Kelly was "no light pang." Nay, he argues that servants must wait as long as their Master pleases, and the time is better spent thanin any human doings. He opens his wayward heart to Dee, the man without guile, and avows that he had fully intended at his last outburst, ten days before, to have gone away secretly with those with whom he had so long dealt had they not threatened him with beggary - a thing, adds Dee, that he most hated and feared. Therefore, till this timehe had been a hypocrite. Now, in his new-found elation, he cares not for poverty; life eternal is more than riches and wealth. He that can be hired with money to forsake the devil is no Christian. He will doubt no more, but believe. Dee adds that he omits many others of his godly sayings, thinking these sufficient to write down. He had no suspicion of any ill faith. His love for Kelly was truly unbounded in its long-suffering. He offered a fervent thanksgiving for the conversion, and for Satan's defeat, and prayed for them both for "continual zeal, love of truth, purity of life, charitable humility and constant patience tothe end."

The same atmosphere continued next day, June 11. Kelly protests he could sit for seven years awaiting a vision. They do wait nearly four hours. Evidently Kelly converted is not going to be so good a medium as Kelly unregenerate. Dee explains the non-appearance as retribution for the three days wasted before. But they are all reather depressed, especially the Prince.

Then a vision appears of the castle of Grono, in Littau, where the King of Poland then was. Stephan's arms are seen over the gate. A man like an Italian is beheld, carrying an iron chest within which are an image in black wax, a dead hand, and so on. The promise is that Laski shall be King of Poland.

Early next morning Kelly, lying awake in bed, had a vision which he or Dee afterwards embodied in the curious diagram facing [ ? ].

It may be taken as a sample of the kind of intricate complications of theurgy which often absorbed the pair for days together.


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