Dee Meets Rudolph English

John Dee meets Rudolph II: the Latin passages translated into English


227b

Miserere
Have mercy on us O God, and be not angry with us for ever.

Candida si rubeo

If the white woman is married to a red husband, soon they will embrace
and the things embraced are conceived. They dissolve by themselves,
they are sometimes perfected by themselves: that the two which they
were may become one in the body. There are two things firstly: the Sun
with the Moon, at the base however. Make it, you shall see, a stone
is made from these things.

By the power of the Moon the Sun cut through with the act of rebis. The
Sun approaches the moon through the middle and makes one thing. The
Sun stretches the sail and travels through the sky on the ecliptic. It runs
where the sublime Moon retreats this one at last. That the light may be
given it which is kept back in the Sun. Nor does it truly depart, but wishes
to remain with it, illustrating certainly the dead body openly. If you knew
rebis you would know what it was. This art is dear, short, light and rare.
Our art is a game to a boy, labour to a woman. Know, all ye sons of this
art that none can gather the fruit of our elixir except by entering our
elemented stone. Even if he seeks another way, he will never enter the way
nor attain it. Rust is the work which is made from gold alone until it enters
into its humidity.


1a

Mysteriorum
The First and Imperial Book
of the Prague Mysteries
Begun
A.D. 1584
new style
the the praise, honour and
glory of
God Almighty
Amen.

Fieri potest
It may be that 1588 years, and the reckoning of others, have their beginning
from the very day of the passion of Christ or his ascension into heaven. And for this
reason: 33 or 34 years should be considered many, because Christ was that many
years old at the time of his passion or ascension. Then add 34 to 1588 years and
the result is 1622 years. And this particular number amounts to the time of the
years of the flood and the Ark, of which, scripture teaches, there will be a similitude
around the second coming of Christ. Either, seeing that a flood of water destroyed all
living things in the year of the world 1655 after the creation of Adam, so will a
flood of fire in which all things are to be transformed in the year 1655 after the
restoration of Christ (our spiritual Adam) to heaven (which we expect to be the year
1688), or there will be a great example of Christian charity and love.

Non faciet
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but
prophesy?
Amos 3
We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight
against God.
Acts 23
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see,
and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Luke 10 Matthew 13
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many
false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God
1 John 4
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1 John 4


A True and Faithful Relation p. 213-4

Paulus
1 Corinthians 1
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Δ. I note the revelation and second coming of Christ: then a confirmation which refers to another end of time: whence, according to the Revelation of John, this text could be seen as offering a taste of the kingdom of Christ in this world, etc.
1 Corinthians 1
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 2
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. See the things preceeding and following in the same chapter.

2a

Est
It is. And it is is how? Ill, and in the highest: and it has been measured.

Vide Apocalypseos
See Revelation chapter 16, but it seems they do not follow in the order
which somebody on earth would judge. But it is not even stated whether
revenge will be required often and once for all.


2b

Mittam
I shall send them an angel to aid them.

Madimi est
Madimi is of the order of Powers, see 26 June.

Mater Madimi
The mother of Madimi


3a

Hic, et haec
Here and this is my mother
Mater Madimi
The mother of Madimi
RODOLPHVS
Rudolph
Dei iuramentum
God’s covenant and pact with Dee concerning Rudolph.


3b

Mane
In the morning, around 8.40. When prayers were over

Increduli
The incredulous, the proud and the scornful

Dei iusiurandum
God’s oath to Dee for A.L.

Misericordia
The mercy of God on Dee with Emperor Rudolph

Prophetia
A prophecy concerning Dee

Incipienti
It shall be given to him who starts it.

Deo nostro
To our God, immortal, invisible and omnipotent
be all honour, praise and glory, now and for ever.
Amen


4a

Mane
In the morning

Ne dicas
Neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error.
Ecclesiastes 5

Omnipotentis
The providence of our almighty creator, O Rudolph, happiest of all Christian
emperors, which arranges and perfects all things and indeed the ordered sequence
and coordination of things from first to last , is so unknown to men, that
most people think that everything they see happening outside or beyond the
bounds of their plans takes place at random, by happenstance
or chance, in this way and that. But those whose minds are illuminated by the light
of divine truth and more attuned to considering numerous sequences of things
separated by long intervals will perceive clearly what they should: what went
before as apparent causes and necessary occasions at another earlier and long separated
time. And to omit for now a diversity of examples which I might give by bringing together
the lives, conditions and deeds of other men, this one fairly notable example may be
given, the almost all too incredible meeting and divine harmony which seems to be
at hand between your Sacred Imperial Majesty and me your humble servant in God (from
numerous preceding occasions on both sides). When I was still young, two illustrious
emperors courted me: the victorious Charles V and his own brother Ferdinand, your Imperial
Majesty’s magnificent grandfather. The one met me at Bratislava in Hungary, the other at
Brussels in Brabant. The one in 1563, the other in 1549. And I began to enjoy the favour of
the most clement Emperor Maximilian, father of your Imperial Majesty and worthy of
immortal glory, then the crowned king of Hungary despite the Turkish Tyrant, also in
Bratislava, also in 1563, and I sought both to cherish his most rare virtues and to pass them
on as an example to posterity in a certain hieroglyphical book. While I was toiling on that
book I had a premonition that there would be one or another of the Austrian family at
some time who would confirm (or would be able to confirm) my greatest hope and the
best and greatest Republic of Christians. Your Imperial Majesty is therefore the FOURTH
Roman emperor of the most noble family of Austrian princes flourishing in my time to
whom I present myself: I, the fourth letter of the threefold alphabet. And so I present myself,
to humbly offer to kiss the feet of your Imperial Majesty, rejoicing if I may in any way be
of grateful use to such an emperor of the Christian Republic.

To your sacred Imperial Majesty alone, if at some time you are prepared to ascertain these
things (and are willing to betray them to nobody) you will be doing a thing most needful.

Prague, 17 August 1584
Your Imperial Majesty’s
Most humble and faithful retainer
John Dee

The superscription was this.
To the most serene and powerful prince and lord
Lord Rudolph by the grace of God ever August
Emperor of the Romans, King of Germany, Hungary
and Bohemia etc, Archduke of Austria, Duke of
Burgundy, Styria, Carinthia etc, Count of the Tyrol
and my most clement lord

libelli
In the 20th theorem of the book of the Hieroglyphic Monad
published some 20 years ago


4b

Mane
Morning about 7 o’clock
After our prayers to God as is our custom

aliquid
Something is missing here, possibly The spirit of Pride


5a

Pater
The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit

Desolatio
The desolation of which the prophet spoke, Revelation chapter 18

Apocalypsis
Revelation chapter 6

Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes: A time to keep silence, and a time to speak, as it says of the
transfiguration of Christ, Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9. And properly in
Matthew chapter 10, What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. etc. Luke 12


5b

Legislatio
The legislation is manifest, and in the holiest place.

Antichristi
The overthrow of the Antichrist by the Holy Spirit is to take place. 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2.

RODOLPHUS
Emperor Rudolph


7a

Respice finem
Respect the end

Causa
A necessary cause. Both the nearest and the proper, as they differ here.


8a

RVDOLPHVS
Emperor Rudolph

opera
Works, hope, faith, merit.


9a

ante
About 9 in the morning. After prayers we invited Uriel to enlighten,
direct and comfort us.

forte
Possibly Roland my son is meant, since God restored his life almost
miraculously at Cracow on 14 July 1584. But, oh God, you know that
this is as marvelous to me as the Virgin Mary finding she was pregnant.
See 21 September. God’s mercy promised.


11a

Deo nostro
To our merciful, faithful and just God be all honour praise and glory. Amen.


12a

In malevolam
For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto
sin. Ecclesiastes 1.


13a

Angelus
E.K.’s good angel

naturae
The life of nature and of grace.


14a

Est Est
It is, it is. To the praise, glory and honour of God, let it be, let it be. Amen.

Fiat
May God’s will be done, in accordance with his good favour. To whom
all praise, glory and thanksgiving now and to all ages. Amen.


15a

a meridie
After noon.

Ea est hominum

The condition of men on earth is such (noblest of men) that none seems to be born
for himself only. Indeed let none receive for himself all things so necessary to him
which spring to life spontaneously or are freely given to him by others. Thence arose
the mutual societies of men, their mutual friendships, their mutual works, their mutual
gifts, exchange and purchase of things and contracts of sale of things. There are various
diverse statuses of men, from which manifold offices and trades are procured of men,
between men and with men. Nor is the only usefulness and pleasure (which will perish)
of all of them the scope or end which they study and strive to achieve. But some have
another goal, and a more godly one, which we may name virtue or honourableness,
sent down from heaven to form and adorn men’s mind and adapt them to itself, so much
so that it renders them worthy of heavenly thrones. This, this is what, most illustrious
man, made your excellence so intent on me the other day, and so benign and most
courteous. This is what will refresh your memory and will sharpen your wits in my
Cause, to be proposed and recommended to his Imperial Majesty, and treating it in the
way in which such mysteries ought to be treated when few will believe them and fewer
still understand them, even though they are most true and most useful in themselves. The
sooner his Imperial Majesty embraces this wonderful and most great, not providence alone
but goodness, of God, the sooner and more fully the sincerity, goodness and usefulness of
my mission to him will be manifest. I should have wished to deliver the enclosed book and
letters enclosed to your excellency, in person. But (if you will pardon me) since I have
injured the skin of one of my toes I cannot very easily come on foot today. Accordingly I
have prevailed upon a friend of mine to do it and (kissing your excellency’s hands) to
offer you all my services and to offer this, for what it is worth, as a gift for his Imperial
Majesty.

Prague 24 August 1584
John Dee

To the most illustrious lord, Lord Don Gulielmo de
Sancto Clemente, the emissary of his most serene and
Catholic King of Spain to his sacred Imperial Majesty etc
my most respected lord


16a

Mane
In the morning, around 9, after prayers

causa
the indispensible cause

splendor
The splendour of the Sun during the day dulls the light of the moon
even when it is above the horizon.

Mundus
The world, man’s body, is like wax.

superior
The upper, human and lower impression.


17a

Per quae
Man is punished by the things by which he sins. He who says I shall go up, etc, is
then forever tempted as he goes up.


18a

vide
See Revelation chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Devs Mater
God is the mother of all things, and likewise the father.

Benedictus
Blessed is our God who hears the cry of the poor.


19a

super
See above, book 15. 2 June 1584.

Nam Deus
For God acts in his own as he wills
Deo nostro
To our almighty, eternal and wise God be all honour, praise and glory. Amen.

Deus bene vertat
May God turn it to good and to the honour and praise of his name.


20a

Ante
Before noon, around 10.

sunt duae
These are the last two letters in the table of the Holy Spirit in the Third Table.

Flagellum
The scourge of God.

Trinitas
The divine trinity and unity.

filij
The sons of faith and not human reason.


21a

Eius
His task is to transplant the gifts of God.

vide
See book 15, 28 May 1584.

Angeli
Angels observing our works and counsels.

Vltimus
Ga – the last of the spirits of the living.
Za – the scourge of those who resist the power, will and commandment of God.
Vaa – the transplanter of gifts

aeterno
To the eternal, almighty, triune God be all honour, praise and glory. Amen.


22a

Mane
In the morning. Note. Satan’s shrewd and violent stratagem.

Si fuisset
If it had been anyone else.

Nolo
I will not, Master Kelley, I will not.


24a

Nobilis
Noble and most famous Sir, respected Lord
The emperor has now indicated to the Lord Legate of Spain, my superior,
that he should summon your lordship to him, at two o’clock, for it is then
that he would hear you. If your lordship can come at the said hour, the
Lord Octavius Spinola will come for him, being his Imperial Majesty’s
constable and chamberlain. He will then introduce you to his Majesty.
In conclusion I dutifully commend myself to your lordship.

Your lordship’s obedient servant
Arnodus Vander Boxe

Hora
At exactly 3 in the afternoon.


24b

Deus bene
May God turn it to good, to the praise, honour and glory of his name. Amen.


25a

Mane
In the morning around 8. We finished prayers and I thrice repeated this sentence:
Send your light and truth upon us, O God, to lead us and bring us to the holy
mountain of Sion and the heavenly altar of Jerusalem.

Zacharias
Zechariah chapter 3.


26a

Deus est
It is God who reveals these things.


27a

Zachar
Zechariah chapter 13

Dies
The day of vengeance.

Regnum
The kingdom of Christ shall be established.

Diuina
The divine apparition is to be made to Rudolph himself.

forte
Perhaps ‘loose’.


28a

Malach
Malachi chapter 4.

Vide
See below, 22 September.

Rex
Stephan King of Poland.

CAVE
Beware.


29a

Deo nostro
To our true, living, almighty and everlasting God alone be the honour, praise
and blessing now and for ever. Amen.


30a

Illustri
To the illustrious and magnificent Lord, Lord Octavius Spinola, his Imperial Majesty’s
constable and chamberlain, that most honourable Lord

Illustrious and magnificent Lord, I cannot offer sufficient thanks to your magnificence
for the singular courtesy and goodwill with which you embraced me yesterday, a man
unknown to you yet eager for virtue and truth, for I have resolved to use up the entire
course of the rest of my life (if God is willing), to have his Imperial Majesty perceive
that the tremendous majesty of almighty God is to be unbelievably propitious to him.
And although I see that his sacred Imperial Majesty is kept exceedingly busy with the
many businesses of many regions, and ought not and could not rest from them for any other
very evident reason than the causes which are to be proposed, and by me, to his sacred
Imperial Majesty. HOWEVER, if any arrangement can be thought of concerning the choice
of place, time and agenda which his sacred Imperial Majesty would consent for me to
see or learn were acceptable to him, I would most willingly hear or receive the knowledge
and judgement of your illustrious magnificence concerning it. For in this I shall be
completely, as shall appear at the proper time, at the service of almighty God, and of his
sacred Imperial Majesty (most of all for the illustration of the holy Orthodox, Catholic
and Apostolic faith, and the defence and expansion of the Christian commonwealth, and
that I am and shall be the most committed, devoted and faithful servant of his sacred
Imperial Majesty.

4 September 1584.

The flower of opportunity should be plucked when ripe
For soon it will be withered.

Your illustrious magnificence’s most obedient
John Dee

factum
Done on 11 September following.


31a

mane
In the morning about 9, after prayers

Cui
Who has shall have.
Who has nothing shall not have.

Face
Do and it shall be done.

Vltra
Further I have not

Deus in
Lord make haste to help us and may your wisdom guide us to do that
which shall be most pleasing to you.

hora
About 9 I sent Mr Emeric Sontag, the secretary of the Palatine Lord
Siradensis to Lord Octavius Spinola with the letters which I have
described above, but where I wrote ‘with which you embraced me
yesterday’ now I wrote ‘with which you embraced me a few days ago’
and instead of ‘almost unbelievably propitious’ etc I now wrote
‘shall be almost incredibly propitious and in a wonderful way’. And I
wrote the rest as I have detailed above, but these letters were dated
11 September, the earlier ones being dated 4 September. Emericus
delivered those letters to the magnificent Lord Spinola immediately
after his Imperial Majesty’s dinner, and commanded him to come for
a response the following day after they were sent.

& pro
and instead of all the rest of my career I wrote the rest of my career


31b

mane
In the morning

Responsum
The response of the Emperor through Lord Spinola
His sacred Imperial Majesty has gladly understood what Mr John Dee
was at pains to have proposed through his Majesty’s chamberlain
the Lord Octavius Spinola. Concerning which, his Majesty has graciously
resolved himself as follows. Since his Majesty does not know the Latin
language exactly in every particular, and is moreover occupied with
many and various concerns, he cannot always be available for an audience.
It pleases his Majesty that Mr John Dee should deal with and confide his
business to the magnificent Lord Doctor Kurtzius, who is party to his Majesty’s innermost
councils, is most trustworthy, and endowed with great erudition. His Majesty
will take steps to assign the matter to the aforesaid Lord Councillor Kurtzius.
If not, and it otherwise pleases Mr John Dee, his Majesty will, insofar as he
is able amidst his commitments, aim to give Mr Dee satisfaction.

12 September 1584

Emeric Sontag in his own hand