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mitted the whole buſineſs unto me; I read it over very exactly, and took notes of the moſt remarkable paſſages (as they appeared unto me) truly I was so much confirmed in this firſt opinion by my ſecond reading, that I ſhall not be afraid to proſeſ's that I never gave more credit to any Humane Hiſtory of former times. All things ſeemed unto me ſo ſimply, and yet ſo accurately, and with ſo much confirmation of all manner of circumſtances written and delivered, that I cannot yet ſatisſie my ſelf, but all judicious Readers will be of my opinion. But nevertheleſs, to help them that truſt not much to their own judgments, let us ſee what can be ſaid.
Firſt, I would have them, that would be further ſatisfied, to read Dr. Dee in that forecited Preface, where he doth plead his own cauſe, to acquit himself of that grievous crime and imputation of a Conjurer. But that was written, I muſt confeſs, long before his Communication with Spirits: yet it is ſomewhat to know what opinion he had then of them that deal with Divels and evil Spirits. But after he was made acquainted, and in great dealings with them, and had in readiness divers of theſe his books, or others of the ſame Argument, containing their ſeveral conferences and communications, to ſhew, and the manner of their appearing exactly ſet down; obſerve, I pray, with what confidence he did addreſs himſelf to the greateſt and wiſeſt in Europe. To Queen Elizabeth often, and to her Council, as by many places of this Relation doth appear; but more particularly by his Letter to Sir Francis Walſingham, Secretary, &c. That he did the like to King James and his Councel, may eaſily be gathered by the Records (in this Relation) of 1607. but much defective. But then to the Emperor Rodolphe, to Stephen King of Poland, and divers other Princes and their Deputies; the wiſeſt and learnedſt, their ſeveral Courts did afford for the time: the particulars of all which addreſſes and tranſactions are very exactly ſet down in the book. Nay, ſuch was his conſidence, that had it not been for the Nuncius Apoſtolicus his appearing against him at the Emperors Court by order from the Pope, he was, as by ſome places may be collected, reſolved for Rome alſo, not doubting but he should approve himſelf and his doings to the Pope himſelf and his Cardinals. In theſe his addreſſes and applications being ſtill very ready to impart all things unto them that would entertain them with that reſpect he thought they deferred; yea, readily, which is very obſervable, even to receive them into this Myſtical Society, whom he thought worthy, and in ſome capacity to promote the deſign; as de facto he did divers in ſeveral places: Albertus Alaſco, Prince Palatine of Polonia, Puccius a learned man, and Prince Roſemberg in Germany, who were long of the Society, beſides ſome admitted to ſome Actions for a while, as Stephen King of Poland, and ſome others. We will eaſily grant (as elſewhere hath been treated and handled at large) that a diſtempered brain may ſee, yea, and hear ſtrange things, and entertain them with all poſſible confidence, as real things, and yet all but ſancy, without any real ſound or Apparition. But theſe ſights and Apparitions that Dr. Dee gives here an account, are quite of another nature; yea, though poſſibly the Divel might repreſent divers of theſe things to the fancy inwardlywhich