DEE, JOHN, a famous mathematician and astrologer, was born (July 1527) in London, where his father was a wealthy vintner. In 1542, he was sent to St John's college, Cambridge. After five years close application to mathematical studies, particularly astronomy, he went to Holland, in order to visit several eminent mathematicians on the continent. Having continued abroad near a year, he returned to Cambridge, and was there elected one of the fellows of Trinity college, then first erected by King Henry VIII. In 1548, he took the degree of master of arts; and, in the same year left England a second time; his stay at home being rendered uneasy to him, by the suspicions that were entertained of his being a conjuror; arising partly from his application to astronomy, but especially on account of a piece of machinery in the Eikon of Aristophanes, which he exhibited to the university, and in which he represented the fearbeus flying up to Jupiter, with a man and a basket of victuals on its back. These suspicions he could never after shake off; nor did his subsequent conduct, as we shall see, tend to clear him of the imputation; for if he was not actually a conjuror, it was not for want of endeavours.
Upon leaving England, he went to the university of Louvain; where he was much esteemed, and visited by several persons of high rank. Here he resided about two years, and then set out for France; where, in the college of Rheims, he read lectures of Euclid's elements with vast applause. In 1551, he returned to England, and was introduced by the secretary Cecil to King Edward, who assigned him a pension of 100 crowns, which he afterward relinquished for the rectory of Upton upon Severn: but soon after the accession of Queen Mary, having some correspondence with the lady Elizabeth's servants, he was accused of practising against the queen's life by enchantment. On this account he suffered a tedious confinement, and was several times examined; till, in the year 1555, he obtained his liberty by an order of council.
When Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne, our astrological Dee was consulted by Lord Dudley, concerning a propitious day for her majesty's coronation. He was on this occasion introduced to the queen, who made him great promises, which were never performed, though she condescended to receive his instructions relative to the mystical interpretation of some of his unintelligible writings, which he published about this time. In 1564, he made another voyage to the continent; in order to present a book which he had dedicated to the emperor Maximilian. He returned to England in the same year: but in 1571, we find him in Lorraine; where, being dangerously ill, the queen sent over two physicians
physicians to his relief. Having once more returned to his native country, he settled at Mortlake in Surrey, where he continued his studies with unremitting ardour, and collected a considerable library of curious books and manuscripts, with a variety of instruments; most of which were afterwards destroyed by the mob, as belonging to one who dealt with the devil. In 1578, the queen being much indisposed, Mr Dee was sent abroad to consult with German physicians and philosophers (astrologers no doubt) on the occasion. We now behold him again in England, where he was soon after employed in a more rational service. Her majesty, desirous to be informed concerning her title to those countries which had been discovered by her subjects, commanded Mr Dee to consult the ancient records, and furnish her with proper geographical descriptions. Accordingly, in a short time he presented to the queen, in the gardens at Richmond, two large rolls, in which the discovered countries were geographically described and historically illustrated. These rolls are preserved in the Cotton library, Augustus I. His next employment was the reformation of the calendar, on which subject he wrote a rational and learned treatise, preserved in the Ashmolean library at Oxford.
Hitherto the extravagancies of our eccentrical philosopher seem to have been counterpoised by a tolerable proportion of reason and science; but henceforward we consider him as a mere necromancer and credulous alchemist. In the year 1581, he became acquainted with one Edward Kelly, by whose assistance he performed diverse incantations, and maintained a frequent imaginary intercourse with spirits. He was particularly intimate, it seems, with the angels Raphael and Gabriel. One of them made him a present of a black speculum, in which his angels and demons appeared as often as he had occasion for them; they answered his questions, and Kelly's business was to record their dictates:
Kelly did all his feats upon
The devil's looking-glass, a stone.