HedidnotlongremainontheContinent，butreturnedtoEnglandin1551，beingatthattimeinthetwenty-fourthyearofhisage。Bytheinfluenceofhisfriend，SirJohnCheek，hewaskindlyreceivedatthecourtofKingEdwardVI，andrewardeditisdifficulttosayforwhatwithapensionofonehundredcrowns。HecontinuedforseveralyearstopractiseinLondonasanastrologer；castingnativities，tellingfortunes，andpointingoutluckyandunluckydays。DuringthereignofQueenMaryhegotintotrouble，beingsuspectedofheresy，andchargedwithattemptingMary’slifebymeansofenchantments。Hewastriedforthelatteroffence，andacquitted；butwasretainedinprisonontheformercharge，andlefttothetendermerciesofBishopBonner。HehadaverynarrowescapefrombeingburnedinSmithfield，buthe，somehoworother，contrivedtopersuadethatfiercebigotthathisorthodoxywasunimpeachable，andwassetatlibertyin1555。
　　OntheaccessionofElizabeth，abrighterdaydawneduponhim。
　　DuringherretirementatWoodstock，herservantsappeartohaveconsultedhimastothetimeofMary’sdeath，whichCircumstance，nodoubt，firstgaverisetotheseriouschargeforwhichhewasbroughttotrial。Theynowcametoconsulthimmoreopenlyastothefortunesoftheirmistress；andRobertDudley，thecelebratedEarlofLeicester，wassentbycommandoftheQueenherselftoknowthemostauspiciousdayforhercoronation。Sogreatwasthefavourheenjoyedthat，someyearsafterwards，ElizabethcondescendedtopayhimavisitathishouseinMortlake，toviewhismuseumofcuriosities，and，whenhewasill，sentherownphysiciantoattenduponhim。
　　Astrologywasthemeanswherebyhelived，andhecontinuedtopractiseitwithgreatassiduity；buthisheartwasinalchymy。Thephilosopher’sstoneandtheelixiroflifehauntedhisdailythoughtsandhisnightlydreams。TheTalmudicmysteries，whichhehadalsodeeplystudied，impressedhimwiththebelief，thathemightholdconversewithspiritsandangels，andlearnfromthemallthemysteriesoftheuniverse。HoldingthesameideaasthethenobscuresectoftheRosicrucians，someofwhomhehadperhapsencounteredinhistravelsinGermany，heimaginedthat，bymeansofthephilosopher’sstone，hecouldsummonthesekindlyspiritsathiswill。
　　Bydintofcontinuallybroodinguponthesubject，hisimaginationbecamesodiseased，thatheatlastpersuadedhimselfthatanangelappearedtohim，andpromisedtobehisfriendandcompanionaslongashelived。Herelatesthat，oneday，inNovember1582，whilehewasengagedinferventprayer，thewindowofhismuseumlookingtowardsthewestsuddenlyglowedwithadazzlinglight，inthemidstofwhich，inallhisglory，stoodthegreatangelUriel。Aweandwonderrenderedhimspeechless；buttheangelsmilinggraciouslyuponhim，gavehimacrystal，ofaconvexform，andtoldhimthat，wheneverhewishedtoholdconversewiththebeingsofanothersphere，hehadonlytogazeintentlyuponit，andtheywouldappearinthecrystalandunveiltohimallthesecretsoffuturity。[The“crystal“alludedtoappearstohavebeenablackstone，orpieceofpolishedcoal。ThefollowingaccountofitisgivenintheSupplementtoGranger’s“BiographicalHistory。“——“TheblackstoneintowhichDeeusedtocallhisspiritswasinthecollectionoftheEarlsofPeterborough，fromwhenceitcametoLadyElizabethGermaine。ItwasnextthepropertyofthelateDukeofArgyle，andisnowMr。Walpole’s。Itappearsuponexaminationtobenothingmorethanapolishedpieceofcannelcoal；butthisiswhatButlermeanswhenhesays，’KellydidallhisfeatsuponThedevil’slooking-glass——astone。’“]
　　Thissaying，theangeldisappeared。Deefoundfromexperienceofthecrystalthatitwasnecessarythatallthefacultiesofthesoulshouldbeconcentrateduponit，otherwisethespiritsdidnotappear。
　　Healsofoundthathecouldneverrecollecttheconversationshehadwiththeangels。Hethereforedeterminedtocommunicatethesecrettoanotherperson，whomightconversewiththespiritswhileheDeesatinanotherpartoftheroom，andtookdowninwritingtherevelationswhichtheymade。
　　Hehadatthistimeinhisservice，ashisassistant，oneEdwardKelly，who，likehimself，wascrazyuponthesubjectofthephilosopher’sstone。Therewasthisdifference，however，betweenthem，that，whileDeewasmoreofanenthusiastthananimpostor，Kellywasmoreofanimpostorthananenthusiast。Inearlylifehewasanotary，andhadthemisfortunetolosebothhisearsforforgery。Thismutilation，degradingenoughinanyman，wasdestructivetoaphilosopher；Kelly，therefore，lesthiswisdomshouldsufferintheworld’sopinion，woreablackskull-cap，which，fittingclosetohishead，anddescendingoverbothhischeeks，notonlyconcealedhisloss，butgavehimaverysolemnandoracularappearance。Sowelldidhekeephissecret，thatevenDee，withwhomhelivedsomanyyears，appearsnevertohavediscoveredit。Kelly，withthischaracter，wasjustthemantocarryonanypieceofrogueryforhisownadvantage，ortonurturethedelusionsofhismasterforthesamepurpose。NosoonerdidDeeinformhimofthevisithehadreceivedfromthegloriousUriel，thanKellyexpressedsuchafervourofbeliefthatDee’sheartglowedwithdelight。Hesetaboutconsultinghiscrystalforthwith，andonthe2ndofDecember1581，thespiritsappeared，andheldaveryextraordinarydiscoursewithKelly，whichDeetookdowninwriting。ThecuriousreadermayseethisfarragoofnonsenseamongtheHarleianMSS。intheBritishMuseum。Thelaterconsultationswerepublishedinafoliovolume，in1659，byDr。MericCasaubon，underthetitleof“ATrueandFaithfulRelationofwhatpassedbetweenDr。JohnDeeandsomeSpirits；tending，haditsucceeded，toageneralAlterationofmostStatesandKingdomsintheWorld。“[Lilly，theastrologer，inhisLifewrittenbyhimself，frequentlytellsofpropheciesdeliveredbytheangelsinamannersimilartotheangelsofDr。Dee。Hesays，“Theprophecieswerenotgivenvocallybytheangels，butbyinspectionofthecrystalintypesandfigures，orbyapparitionthecircularway；where，atsomedistance，theangelsappear，representingbyforms，shapes，andcreatureswhatisdemanded。
　　Itisveryrare，yea，eveninourdays，“quoththatwiseacre，“foranyoperatorormastertoheartheangelsspeakarticulately:whentheydospeak，itisliketheIrish，muchinthethroat！“]
　　Thefameofthesewondrouscolloquiessoonspreadoverthecountry，andevenreachedtheContinent。Dee，atthesametime，pretendedtobeinpossessionoftheelixirvitae，whichhestatedhehadfoundamongtheruinsofGlastonburyAbbey，inSomersetshire。
　　PeopleflockedfromfarandneartohishouseatMortlaketohavetheirnativitiescast，inpreferencetovisitingastrologersoflessrenown。Theyalsolongedtoseeamanwho，accordingtohisownaccount，wouldneverdie。Altogether，hecarriedonaveryprofitabletrade，butspentsomuchindrugsandmetalstoworkoutsomepeculiarprocessoftransmutation，thatheneverbecamerich。
　　AboutthistimetherecameintoEnglandawealthypolishnobleman，namedAlbertLaski，CountPalatineofSiradz。Hisobjectwasprincipally，hesaid，tovisitthecourtofQueenElizabeth，thefameofwhosegloryandmagnificencehadreachedhimindistantPoland。
　　Elizabethreceivedthisflatteringstrangerwiththemostsplendidhospitality，andappointedherfavouriteLeicestertoshowhimallthatwasworthseeinginEngland。HevisitedallthecuriositiesofLondonandWestminster，andfromthenceproceededtoOxfordandCambridge，thathemightconversewithsomeofthegreatscholarswhosewritingsshedlustreuponthelandoftheirbirth。HewasverymuchdisappointedatnotfindingDr。Deeamongthem，andtoldtheEarlofLeicesterthathewouldnothavegonetoOxfordifhehadknownthatDeewasnotthere。TheEarlpromisedtointroducehimtothegreatalchymistontheirreturntoLondon，andthePolewassatisfied。
　　Afewdaysafterwards，theEarlandLaskibeingintheantechamberoftheQueen，awaitinganaudienceofherMajesty，Dr。Deearrivedonthesameerrand，andwasintroducedtothePole。[AlbertLaski，sonofJaroslav，wasPalatineofSiradz，andafterwardsofSendomir，andchieflycontributedtotheelectionofHenryofValois，theThirdofFrance，tothethroneofPoland，andwasoneofthedelegateswhowenttoFranceinordertoannouncetothenewmonarchhiselevationtothesovereigntyofPoland。AfterthedepositionofHenry，AlbertLaskivotedforMaximilianofAustria。In1585hevisitedEngland，whenQueenElizabethreceivedhimwithgreatdistinction。ThehonourswhichwereshownhimduringhisvisittoOxford，bytheespecialcommandoftheQueen，wereequaltothoserenderedtosovereignprinces。Hisextraordinaryprodigalityrenderedhisenormouswealthinsufficienttodefrayhisexpenses，andhethereforebecameazealousadeptinalchymy，andtookfromEnglandtoPolandwithhimtwoknownalchymists——CountValerianKrasinski’s“HistoricalSketchoftheReformationinPoland。“]Aninterestingconversationensued，whichendedbythestrangerinvitinghimselftodinewiththeastrologerathishouseatMortlake。Deereturnedhomeinsometribulation，forhefoundhehadnotmoneyenough，withoutpawninghisplate，toentertainCountLaskiandhisretinueinamannerbecomingtheirdignity。InthisemergencyhesentoffanexpresstotheEarlofLeicester，statingfranklytheembarrassmenthelabouredunder，andprayinghisgoodofficesinrepresentingthemattertoherMajesty。Elizabethimmediatelysenthimapresentoftwentypounds。
　　Ontheappointedday，CountLaskicame，attendedbyanumerousretinue，andexpressedsuchopenandwarmadmirationofthewonderfulattainmentsofhishost，thatDeeturnedover，inhisownmind，howhecouldbindirretrievablytohisinterestsamanwhoseemedsowellinclinedtobecomehisfriend。LongacquaintancewithKellyhadimbuedhimwithalltherogueryofthatpersonage；andheresolvedtomakethePolepaydearlyforhisdinner。Hefoundout，beforemanydays，thathepossessedgreatestatesinhisowncountry，aswellasgreatinfluence；butthatanextravagantdispositionhadreducedhimtotemporaryembarrassment。Healsodiscovered，thathewasafirmbelieverinthephilosopher’sstoneandthewateroflife。Hewas，therefore，justthemanuponwhomanadventurermightfastenhimself。
　　Kellythoughtsotoo；andbothofthemsettowork，toweaveaweb，inthemeshesofwhichtheymightfirmlyentangletherichandcredulousstranger。Theywentverycautiouslyaboutit；firstthrowingoutobscurehintsofthestoneandtheelixir；and，finally，ofthespirits，bymeansofwhomtheycouldturnoverthepagesoftheBookofFuturity，andreadtheawfulsecretsinscribedtherein。LaskieagerlyimploredthathemightbeadmittedtooneoftheirmysteriousinterviewswithUrielandtheangels；buttheyknewhumannaturetoowelltoaccedeatoncetotherequest。TotheCount’sentreatiestheyonlyrepliedbyhintsofthedifficultyorimproprietyofsummoningthespiritsinthepresenceofastranger；orofonewhomight，perchance，havenoothermotivethanthegratificationofavaincuriosity:buttheyonlymeanttowhettheedgeofhisappetitebythisdelay，andwouldhavebeensorryindeediftheCounthadbeendiscouraged。ToshowhowexclusivelythethoughtsbothofDeeandKellywerefixedupontheirdupe，atthistime，itisonlynecessarytoreadtheintroductiontotheirfirstinterviewwiththespirits，relatedinthevolumeofDr。Casaubon。TheentrymadebyDee，underthedateofthe25thofMay1583，says，thatwhenthespiritappearedtothem，“I，[JohnDee]，andE。K。[EdwardKelly]，sattogether，conversingofthatnoblePolonianAlbertusLaski，hisgreathonourherewithusobtained，andofhisgreatlikingamongallsortsofthepeople。“Nodoubttheywerediscussinghowtheymightmakethemostofthe“noblePolonian，“andconcoctingthefinestorywithwhichtheyafterwardsexcitedhiscuriosity，anddrewhimfirmlywithintheirtoils。“Suddenly，“saysDee，astheywerethusemployed，“thereseemedtocomeoutoftheoratory，aspiritualcreature，likeaprettygirl，ofsevenornineyearsofage，attiredonherhead，withherhairrolledupbefore，andhangingdownbehind；withagownofsilk，ofchangeableredandgreen，andwithatrain。Sheseemedtoplayupanddown，andseemedtogoinandoutbehindthebooks；and，assheseemedtogobetweenthem，thebooksdisplacedthemselves，andmadewayforher。“
　　WithsuchtalesasthesetheyluredonthePolefromdaytoday；