The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee | Page 4

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 vitæ,
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.]
Aug. 8th, John Elmeston,[m] student of Oxford, cam to me for dialling.
Aug. 9th, Jane Dee churched. Aug. 16th, Monsieur cam secretly to the
court from Calays. Aug. 20th, wyndy, clowdy, rayny. Aug. 26,
Monsieur went back agayn to France. Sept. 10th, my dream of being
naked, and my skyn all overwrowght with work like some kinde of tuft
mockado, with crosses blew and red; and on my left arme, abowt the
arme, in a wreath, this word I red-- sine me nihil potestis facere: and
another the same night of Mr. Secretary Walsingham, Mr. Candish, and
myself.
[Footnote m: This person is not noticed by the Oxford biographers.]
Oct. 3rd, Sir Leonel Ducket his unkend letter for mony. Oct. 4th,
goodman Hilton requested me for his ij. sonnes to resort to my howse.
Oct. 5th, raging wynde at West and Southerly, in the night chefely. Oct.
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, great rayne for three or four dayes and nights. Oct.
13th, this day it broke up; the fote bote for the ferry at Kew was
drowned and six persons, by the negligens of the ferryman
overwhelming the boat uppon the roap set there to help, by reason of
the vehement and high waters. Oct. 18th, Mr. Adrian Gilbert and John
Davys reconcyled themselves to me, and disclosed some of Emery his
most unhonest, hypocriticall, and devilish dealings and devises agaynst
me and other, and likewise of that errant strompet her abominable
wordes and dedes; and John Davis sayd that he might curse the tyme
that ever he knew Emery, and so much followed his wicked cownsayle
and advyse. So just is God! Oct. 31st, payed xxs. fyne for me and Jane
my wife to the Lord of Wimbleton (the Quene), by goodman Burton of
Putney, for the surrender taken of my mother of all she hath in Mortlak
to Jane and me, and than to my heyres and assynes, &c.

Nov. 25th, the Lord Clinton cam to me and offred Skirbeck by Boston
for Long Lednam. Nov. 29th, I receyved a letter from Mr. Thomas
Jones. Dec. 9th, Guvf avtg zv jvs qerzvq gung bar xnz gb ure naq
gbhpurq ure, fnlvat, "Zvfgerf Qrr, lbh ne pbaprvirq bs puvyq, jubf anzr
zhfg or Mnpunevnf; or bs thq purer, ur funy qb jry nf guvf qbgu!"[n]
Dec. 22nd, I payd Jane 13s. and 4d. for her wagys tyll Michelmas last,
for the half yere, so that I owe her yet 6s. 8d. Dec. 28th, I reveled to
Roger Coke[o] the gret secret of the elixir of the salt of nprgryf bar
hccba n uhaqerq.
[Footnote n: Dee has occasionally made use of Greek letters for the
preservation of his notes, still