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The PREFACE.

which appeared outwardly: Yet of another nature, I ſay, and not without the intervention and operation of Spirits, as will eaſily appear to any man by the particulars. Beſides the long Speeches, Diſcourſes, Interlocutions upon all occaſions and occurrences in the preſence of more then one alwayes; and externally audible to different perſons, for the moſt part or very frequently. That theſe things could not be the operation of a diſtempered Fancy, will be a ſufficient evidence to any rational man.

Again, let his uſual preparations and Prayers againſt an Apparition or Action (as he called them) his extraordinary prayers upon ſome extraordinary occaſions, as upon Edward Kelley his temporary repentance, and another for him when he was about to forſake him (in Latine a long one) Stephen King of Poland being then preſent. And again, when his Son Arthur was to be initiated to theſe Myſtical Operations and Apparitions, in the place of Edward Kelley, and the like. And again, his Humility, Piety Patience, (O what pity that ſuch a man ſhould fall into ſuch a deluſion! but we shall conſider of the cauſes in its right place afterwards) upon all occaſions, temptations, diſtreſſes, moſt eminent throughout the whole Book. Let theſe things be well conſidered, and above the reſt, his large and punctual relation of that ſad abominable ſtory of their Promiſcuous, carnal Copulation, under the pretence of obedience to God. —— Let these things, I ſay, be well conſidered, and I think no man will make any question but the poor man did deal with all poſſible ſimplicity and ſincerity, to the utmoſt of his underſtanding at that time. And truly, this one thing (as we ſaid before) excepted, his miſtaking of evil Spirits for good, it doth not appear by any thing but that he had his underſtanding, and the perfect uſe of his Reaſon to the very laſt, as well as he had had any time of his life.

Again, let it be conſidered, that he carryed with him where ever he went A Stone, which he called his Angelicall Stone, as brought unto him by an Angel, but by a Spirit ſure enough, which he ſhewed unto many; to the Emperor among others, or the Emperors Deputy, Dr. Curts, as I remember: But more of this Stone afterwards. We may therefore conclude ſurely enough, That Dr. Dee in all this Relation did deal with all ſimplicity and ſincerity. I ſhall only add, That whereas I uſed the word Reality before, concerning thoſe things that appeared, according to this Relation: I would not be miſtaken, as though I intended that whatſoever the Divel did ſeem to do or repreſent; it was Really and Subſtantially as it ſeemed and appeared, that would be a great and groſs miſtake. The very word Apparition doth rather import the contrary. All I underſtand by Reality, is, that what things appeared, they did ſo appear by the power and operation of Spirits, actually preſent and working, and were not the effects of a depraved fancy and imagination by meer natural cauſes. By which, ſtrange things, I confeſs, may be preſented and apprehended too, ſometimes by the parties with all confidence, as we ſaid before, though all be but fancy and imagination. But all circumſtances well conſidered, make this Cafe here to be of another nature; and it may be it was the policy of theſe Spirits to joyn two of purpoſe in this buſineſs, to make the truth and reality of it the more un-que-