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hundred eighty four, September the third, (being a Monday) Dr. Dee first appeared (being presented by Honorable persons, and expected) before the Emperor Rodolph. Among other things he then told him, That for these two years and a half, Gods holy Angels had used to inform him: Our Book, or first Action here, beginneth 28 May, 1583. According to this reckoning, it must be, that above a year and three Moneths before, began the first Apparition: The account then of fifteen Moneths from the first Apparition, we want: How much (in bulk) that might come to, I cannot tell; neither will I warrant all perfect from this 28 of May, 1583 to the fourth of April 1587. though for the most part the coherence is right enough to that time: But from thence to the twentieth of March, 1607. is a vast chasma or hiatus, of no less then twenty years: How this hath happened, I cannot tell certainly; what I guess, is this, some years after Dr. Dees death () Sir Robert Cotton bought his Library (what then remained of it) with his Magical Table, (of which afterwards) and the Original Manuscript, written With his own hand, whereof this is a Copy: The Book had been buried in the Earth, how long, years or moneths, I know not; but so long, though it was carefully kept since, yet it retained so much of the Earth, that it began to moulder and perish some years ago, which when Sir Thomas C. (before mentioned) observed, he was at the charges to have it written out, before it should be too late: Now full fifty years, or not many wanting, being passed since this Original came to Sir Robert, it is very likely, that had any more in all that time been heard of, Sir Robert, or Sir Thomas, his Son and Heir, would have heard of it, and got it as soon as any body else: And because no more hath been heard of all this while, it is more then probable that no more is extant, not in England, nor I think any where else: Happily the rest might perish, some part, (if not all) even whilest the Doctor lived; and we shall finde in this Relation, That a good part of his holy Books were burned, but (which is more strange) a great part of them, by the help of Spirits, recovered and restored: Or it may be, that since his death, the rest (the place where they lay being unknown) might rot in the earth; now if, as probably no more be extant, we may account this that we have here, in that respect perfect, because here is all that can be had. But if any, (as it is the nature of many, if not most, rather to desire that which cannot be had, then to content themselves with that which may) shall much lament the loss of the rest, and be less pleased with this, because so much (though indeed we know not certainly whether much or little) is wanting; I would desire them to consider with themselves, in case there had been twice or thrice as much more as all this comes too, what should have been done with it? For my part, for so much as is here set out (all we had) I thought it would do best, though somewhat long, yet as a thing very extraordinary, and of great consequence to many good purposes and uses; I thought, I say, it would do best to have it all Printed; Yet we had some confideration about it, and it may be some others would have thought that less might have served the turn: But I hope more will be of my minde, and there be but few actions but afford somewhat that is extraordinary, and for some respect or other observable and useful; Howsoever, I am confident, if all had been extant, (supposing that the rest would have made much more) that none orvery