Mysteriorum Pragensium Confirmatio, part 1 of 6 (14 Jan. 1585)

Mysteriorum PRAGENSIUM Confirmatio, Anno, 1585. Januarii 14. PRAGAE Iterum veni Pragam ultimo Decembris, ANNO, 1585.

✚ NOTE. Anno 1584.

ANNO, 1584, Decembris 20, (Stylo Gregoriano) we did set forth, I, Master Kelly, […] my Infant, with his Nurse, and John Crokar, (in a Coach with Horse, which I had bought of Master Frizer) from Cracovia toward Prage.

PRAGE.

Decembris 30. We came to Prage in the afternoon.

December 31. I wrote to Don Gulielmo de Sancto Clement, the Spanish Ambassador, as followeth.

ILlustrissime & magnifice Heros, Licet mea nondum privata curaverim negocia: pro quibus ordmandis, multos interim dum hinc abfuetim, & labores pertulerim, & sumptus fecerim: Tamen nolui literas ad vestram magnificentiam, à Nobilissimo illo Domino Palatino Syradiensi missas in multas horas à reditu meo retinere penes me: Ne aliqua ex parte, officio viderer deesse meo, tam erga vestram magnificentiam; quam ipsum Dominum Palatinum. Quantum vero ad Mysteriorum incredibilium progressum, habeo & quae dicam, & sunt quae audiam multa ad veritatis causam (invitissimis ejusdem adversariis quibuscunque) elucidandum. De quibus quando opportunum erit, paratissimus ero, cùm […], tùm audiri: eo quidem modo, quo sinceritati & […] meae erga […] saum Majestatem erit convenientissimum. Interim aliquot dierum intervallum liberum requiro, ut tam aedes mihi meisque conducam ([…] fieri possit) accommodas, quam ut alia, ad rem familia rem spectantia disponam, Deus Optim. Max. Magnificentiam vestram ornare beareque dignetur.

Pragae ultima Decembris 1584.

Illustrissimae Magnificentiae Vestrae Obsequentissimus, Joannes Dee.

Anno 1585, PRAGAE.

FRIDAY,

JAnuary 4. I hired the House in the Salt street, of the two Sisters: But Mr. Christopher Christian, who had long time been Chancelor, or Register of old Pragae, did make the Covenant or Bargain with me: he had Anne the one Sister, to Wife, and the other Sister named Dorothe, had to her husband. This Dorothea dwest in the House, and was to remove to an other House of her own hard by: and to deliver unto me and mine the whole House, with all the appurtenances of roomes and easements, and I to pay for the year 70 Dollers: and that quarterly, (every 3 Moneths expired) to pay the quarters rent thereof.

JAnuary 6. I wrote to D. Jacob Curtius: One of the Empereurs Privy Counsayle, of whom the former Records of Prage Actions do make abundant mention: And a letter of his written to me the 8th. day of October Anno 1584, is beginning of the Book next written before this. The Copy of the letter which I wrote now, is this.

Illustri & Magnifico viro Do Jacobo Curtio sacrae Cesareae Majestatis ab arcanis Consiliis, Domino meo plurimumcolendo.

ILlustris & magnifice vir. Majorine gaudio affici debeam ex bona vestra valetudine, & salvo meo ad Pragam reditu: an ex contumeliis hic interim dum abfuerim, contra me confictis, & variis ejaculatis reprehensionibus & quasi nimis, dolore torqueri, penè incertum videri possit. Ego quod statui, hactenus seci: suppellectilem scilicet ex Cracovia meam cum tota familia mea, huc jam adduci curavi; cum magnis quidem laboribus meis; & sumptibus haud modicis. AEdes (ex quo jam veni) tales quales, etiam cum aliqua difficultate, conduxi. Et hac presenti septimana, omnia hic nostra ad easdem citissime transferri, remque familiarem, & Oeconomicam, quodam crasso modo disponi, negociorum meorum requirit ratio. Interim vestram magnificentiam enixe […] habere velim, ne ullo modo aegrè ferat, quod eandem nondum inviserim, officioque meo, in hac parte, accuratè satisfecerim spero, quòd una mecum sentire velitis, jure merito in proverbium hoc […] dictum.

Satis citò, modò satis benè.

Non solum literae ad me vestrae, in abitu meo, mihi magno interim fuere solatio o: Sed & absente me, saepe testificata bona vestra de me concepta opinio magno me delinivit gaudio: de contumeliis igitur, & literis vestris, & veram de me opinione, sive judicio, cùm opportunum fuero nactus ocyum (predictis negociis meis confectis) vestrae magnificentiae adero, ut aliquid dicam: & paratissimus futurus, ut omnia quae poterofaciam, quò vobis & posteritati constet, fideliter & sincere (prout statueram) ad sacrae suae Cesareae Majestatis, aegregia servitia, animnm me applicasse meum.

Pragae Januarii 6. Anno 1585.

✚ Praga Anno 1585.

January 12.

Saturday Afternoon I removed clean from Doctor Hagek, his House by Bedlem, and came with all my Houshold to the House which I had hired of the two Sisters (married) not far from the Marketplace in old Pragae.

Pragae Actio prima, post reditum.

January 14.

Monday Circa 9 horam à media nocte: Precibus ad Deum de more fusis, & invocato lumine auxilioque Dei, ad ejusdem veritatem intelligendam, & cum virtute tractandam, &c.

E. K. Here is one with a Vail afore his face, as it were, a Hair Cloth of Ashcolour: I know him not yet: I see a Garden full of fruit, of divers sorts. In the midst of it is a place higher then the rest. On that place standeth a round House, it hath four corners, [withi[…]] and 4 Windows: and every Window is round, and hath 4 round partitions, round also. It hath 4 Doores, and at the East Door is one step, at the South 2 steps, and at the North 3, and at the West Door, 4 steps: The first Door is white, like Chrystal, transparent: The South Door is red of an high colour, transparent. The North Door is bright black, not to be thorough seen, as the rest. The West is green, like an Emerauld Stone: So is the South Door like a Ruby. The Doores be all plain. The House within (as it may be judged by the transparent Doores) seemeth to be white, and empty.

LEVANAEL as may appear Febru. 5. post; ultima parte. E. K Note, The House is round without and square within.

E. K. He that hath his face covered, openeth the Eaft Door; and all the House seemeth to be on fire, like a furnace. The fire within doth weve, and move about the House, and by the roofe. Now he openeth the West Door, and there appeareth, as if all the House were a fountain full of water. And there run divers streames, in the same one water, whereof, one doth go and come, as if it ebbed and flowed; which stream doth go about all the rest, by the sides of the House, that is, as if it were the Ocean sea compassing t[…] World. The next stream, within that, moveth from the 4 sides ward, and make (in manner) 4 Triangles, or rather Cones, of water, whose vertices rest cut off (as it were) by the middle stream of water which occupieth the middle or Center of the House, and is in circular form invironed.

An other manner of stream there is, which commeth from the 4 corners of an innermost square: and so run diametralitèr or contradictoriè wise, toward that circular middle stream.

The middle stream seemeth to issue out at the very Center of the place, and to mount up, and making an arch of his course, doth seem to fall circularitèr in one, circumference.

E. K. The fire also had diversity in it.

Δ I would you had noted the diversity of the fires also.

..... Those that learn truly, learn by parts.

E. K. The colour of the water in the Center, is most pure white.

The waters of that Saint Andrews Crosse, are like a water somewhat Saffronish coloured. The waters of the Triangles, are somewhat like a watrish blew, which appeareth most, in the top of the arches of their flowing:

For all spring otherwise.

The uttermost water, is of Quick-silver shew, as if it were somewhat mortified.

Δ In the figure following, you may gather a better and more easie understanding of this Description of the water streams.

Here is a blank, or void space in the Original Copie: but no figure.

E. K Now he openeth the Fire Door againe: And the fire appeareth in a square place. And there appeare 4 fires filling the whole place, leaving nothing vaccuum.

One of these fires seemeth to rise from the Center of the place; and to go in low arches to the 4 corners of the House.

The House seemeth to have 14 foot long in every side.

The arches of these fires seem to come from a trunk of fire, which riseth from about the Center: and seemeth to be 4 foot over in the Diameter.

This Trunk seemeth to be high three quarters of the height of the place; The place seemeth to be as high as it is broad.

On the top of this fiery trunk, seemeth the fire to be in form of a fiery Globe, having 6 foot, his Diameter, which fire reverberateth and rolleth in it self.

From the sides of the Trunk (between the said Globe and foresaid Arches,) goeth up fire Triangularly, filling all; saving that which remaineth filled, by the flames of fire, which ariseth from the Globe to the 4 corners of the House, filling all the place above the Globe: as by the figure annexed, more plainly may appear.

E. K. Note The colour of the fire of the 4 arches, is very red; The rest are very pure, Aërial, candent, &c.

The Motion of the trunk fire is swiftest.

The Original Center of all these fires, seemeth to be very little.

E. K. Now he openeth the red Door.

The House seemeth darkish, of colour of the

smoak of a Wax Candle being put out.

..... By it self, it is not, but by the Sunne, it is clear.

E. K. It hath 4 motions in it also: every one moving more swiftly then the other: All from the middle of the House. Three of them move arch-wise to the sides.

The first and second arise to half the height of the place.

The third occupieth the other half.

The fourth goeth upright to the top of the House.

The second his space (that he striketh against on the Wall) is double to the space of the Wall, against which the first smiteth.

Here is a blank, or void space in the Original Copie: but no figure.

E. K. Now he openeth the black bright Door; And the House there seemeth full of black dust, like Gun-powder colour, or somewhat of Leadish colour.

E. K. Now he seemeth to goe down, faire and softly from the House, down the little Hill, and from thence goeth by a water side, to a Rockish Mountain.

E. K He speaketh.

..... Ascend. I am now ready for you: Bring out your Mattocks, Spades, and Shovels. Enig è veri eri.

E. K. Now come out of that Rock, seven lean men, with Spades, and Shovels, and Mattocks, &c.

..... Follow me.

E. K. Now they be come up to the foresaid Hill.

..... Come on, Dig till you finde.

E. K. Every one standeth distinctly one from another, and they dig on the foresaid Hill, which before seemed covered with Earth and Grasse: But now it appeareth to be a Rock, and they dig that the Fire flieth out again of their stroakes, and some have broken their Mattocks, some their Spades, all except two, one with a Shovel, an other with a Pickax.

The Workmen. O Lord we labour in vain.

..... So you are sure to do, unlesse you have better Tooles.

The Workmen. Alas we labour in vain.

One of them. This is long of you.

..... I bad you provide Instruments to labour with, but you asked not me, wherein you should labour. Therefore have you digged away that which you saw, and have repulse with that you know not.

A dark man thou art, and hidden from men, and so are thy doings.

One of them said to the man covered with Hair-Cloth of Ash colour.

E. K. They stood gazing one on another.

..... Have you not better Instruments? Go, provide your selves, and return.

E. K. They runne a great pace to the foresaid Rocky Cave from whence they came out first. Now they come againe with great Beetles of Iron, and Wedges. They knock their Wedges (as we use in Wood) and so break off great Slakes of Stone, like Slate, and throw it down the Hill.

One of them. What a thing is this, that this Wedg is broken?

Another We are in worse case then ever we were.

E. K. Their Wedges are broken, the most part, and the Fire flieth out of the Stone in great abundance.

..... The nature of this Stone is not to cleave: Therefore if you have no other Instruments you must cease.

E. K. They are in great disquietness among themselves.

..... Those that go a Journey, provide them Cloathes against all weathers: He that is worthy of the Name of a Conqueror, carrieth with him all Engines: Where the Bridges be broken down, he stayeth not, because he is prepared: Behold, he hath victuals for time to come, and his Study is as well the event, as is the mean. So should true Labourers do: considering what they work in. For the Earth is a Monster with many faces: and the receptacle of all variety. Go home, stand not idle. Provide by Arts for the hardnesse of Nature, for the one Sister weepeth without the other.

E. K. They go away speedily.

..... They have their Tooles to harden, and their Steeles to temper. It will be more then au hour space before they return. Therefore may you spend the time in your necessity, and use the time of day as you are acquainted or wonted. I also must over-see them, or else their labour will be without fruit.

E. K. Now he is gone.

Δ. Gloria […]. & F. & SS. sicut erat, &c. Amen.

Monday,

The same day, after dinner we returned to our former purpose for God his Service, to his Honour and Glory.

E. K. He is here. Now the Labourers be comming out; They have Wedges made long and sharp: and Pickaxes with three pikes very short.

They say. Our trust is, that these tools will serve.

E. K. They fall to work. They make like square holes, and put in their wedges, and break up the rock or blackish stone (like yron-mine, or Magnes stone) in roundish lumps as big as a two-peny loaf, about two or three inches thick. They pick or dig round about the hole first, and so after use their wedges. The Pickaxes have three heads, every pick thereof bigger then the other. The first as big as one finger: the second as two: the third as broad as four fingers. And so after the first digging they fetch three or four cakes or pieces out of one hole, and then they go to another. Now one of them is faln into the ground, up to the arm-pits. Now another is faln in, to the knees. Now the house standing thereon beginneth to shake, and waver from one side to the other. Now the men be gotten out of the holes they stuck in.

..... Make an end of your labour.

One of the workmen to the Guide. It behoveth you to find a remedy, or to let us understand what remedy we shall […], that you may descend thence: for lo, the peril you stand in, is great: for this Rock was nothing else but a shell, whose kernel is a bottomlesse lake, and a myre quickened with some shut up water.

..... You come hither as Labourers, therefore make an end of your work, and stand not idle. If the house fall, and I sink, then is your labour at an end. For the end of your labour is the fulfilling of my will, and the promise which you have made me.

One of them. We are ready to do our promise; but we are more ready to provide that you may be amongst us; so you may be free from danger.

..... O you of little wit; are you not ashamed? which of you have dwelt within the secrets of this Hill? yea, which of you intendeth to fulfil his promise? Judge not a thing whereof you have no skill, neither be slack in that you have to do: for the one hath his […] of idlenesse, and the other is condemned of rashnesse: For why? It springeth on […] mother ignorance.

They say. If we work, it is against reason. Neither […] our tools […] to this labour. Therefore we had rather be idle, then to labour about nothing: for to labour in vain, is to do nothing.

If we were determined to work, how should we […] our […], since the Instruments of working want?

..... Gather up the pieces of your spades, that is wood, and may be joyned together: The older and the baser they are, the fitter they are to turn up such soile.

E. K. There commeth a Smith by with a budget full of nails.

One of them to the Smith. What hast thou there?

Smith. Nailes.

E K. They be like Horshooe-nails.

..... Thou cam'st in good time, leave thy nails behind thee, and at thy return I will pay thee for them. See, God is not unmindful of us, for nails are the fittest things to further your work. Joyn therefore your spades and shovels together, and labour.

E. K. Now they are mending their spades and shovels, the iron of them being all off and broken.

Now they work, and throw away the earth like durty sand, and the skurf of the […] sticketh to their spades and shovels.

E. K. One goeth behinde, and maketh a trench to let the water out from the sand.

One of them. How now! Have we found harvest in the midst of winter?

..... Why: what have you there?

One of them. Marry either Alablaster or Salt.

E. K. Now one of them knocketh a piece off with his shovel-end, and reacheth it up to his Guide.

..... Did I not tell you, that the Earth hath many faces?

E. K. They work now easily, and cut up like Salt or Alablaster.

Now they have digged all the hill away, even to the house. Now the house seemeth […] upon that white stuff.

One of them. If we dig any further, we shall undermine the house.

..... Go to your businesse.

E. K. They work.

..... Soft, soft. Now labour with your hands as softly as may be. Stand aside.

E K. Now he taketh one of the irons of their spades, and seemeth himself to pare the sides of the Foundation under the house, and it seemeth to be a vessel of transparent glasse, and having fire within it.

..... The fear of the Lord is a burning fire, consumeth not, but […] the body; the old dross it wipeth away, and the daily influxion of the flesh and sin it separateth from the soul.

Behold (I say) he liveth not, but unto whom life is given: neither is their any joy, but it is ascending; for the end of joy is glory; but glory is the consummation of desire, and the beginning of felicity. No man entreth into joy, but by life: neither is there any life, but in the fear of God.

Whosoever therefore hath the fear of God, let him draw […], and […] hither. Number exceedeth not, but by unities. Neither is there any multiplication but by order. For the root of number is one. And things that ascend are dignified by order. Out of this vessel go four vents ascending into that Rock, which is the Root, which is this building.

It is said, Behold: let my spirit enter in, let there be Separation mad within the house of the North, that the earth may be divided into her members. Cursed be that body, that is not divided, according to proportion, answering to the Division. For she hath yet not cast off the shape of darknesse.

E. K. There runneth up fire into the house, from out of the round glasse vessel under the foundation of the house. And that fire maketh a great […] (through the black bright or marble door to be hard onely.) Now that North door is […] thrown open, and there appear in the house like kernels of apples, and slime appeareth, and water thinner then slime, and there appeareth pure water, else. Now there commeth together stuff like yellow earth, which the fire wrought out of the black earth: And the pure water runneth into that yellow stuff.

.....Of that take a part.

E. K. The fire returneth back again among the stuff in that house, and there appear of all Creatures some.

Here is Creation, and it is the first.

E. K. Now he taketh a lump of the earth lying by, which was thrown up, and he breaketh it into six pieces like round Balls.

E. K. He […] thing like a vessel of iron, and putteth into it that mixture of yellow earth and […].. And it looketh now like grasse mingled with water.

..... Thou art strong, and wilt beget a strong Child.

E. K. Now he […] out the earth which he put in, and it is a lump of gold. He giveth it him tha standeth by.

.....so are the seeds of the earth.

E. K. Now he taketh the second, and putteth it in.

.....Corruption is a thief, for he hath robbed thee of thy best Ornaments, for thou art weaker in the second.

E. K. He taketh it out, and it is as if it were pure silver.

.....Where there is double theft, poverty insueth. […], notwithstanding, Thou art true; for thou givest unto every thing as much as he […]: Thus openest the greatest hability and strength of thy power, not such as it hath been, but such as it is.

E. K. Now he putteth in the third Ball.

.....Thou must tarry, for thou art of an harder digestion, since thou art the third, Content thy self, for thou art not an Inheretor.

E. K. He taketh it out, and giveth unto one of them that standeth by, that is a red metal like copper.

E. K. Now he taketh up another of the Balls, and holdeth it in his hand.

.....Behold, thy mother, Heat is gone, and the enemy of life entreth; for he that passeth his middle age, decayeth, and draweth to an end.

Behold, thou shalt find a Step-mother, for thou cam'st out of time.

E. K. Now he putteth it into the vessel.

..... Let cold cover thy face, let the North truly beget thee, for thou art an enemy to thy predecessors. But thou art of great vertue, for of thy excrement shall vertue receive dignity. And thy vertue shall be a garland to Nature; for thou shalt be visible when the other are silent: the Seat shall not hinder thy ver̄tue, notwithstanding, thy vertue shall differ with the Seas: For as they differ, so shalt thou.

E. K. Now he taketh it our. It is a ragged thing like Smiths cynder of iron, and it hath holes in it, as if it were spongy.

E. K. Now he taketh up another Ball of the earth: he putteth it in.

..... Thou art tractable and like unto an obedient daughter: But thou shalt be the fifth in the second and an Instrument to the first.

E. K. Now he taketh it out, it is like unto a white whet stone, as he shaped it at the putting in, it is like Tynne.

E. K. Now he taketh up another Ball, and putteth it in.

..... Thou art the last that hath in himself and by himself his being: Behold thy face is like unto wax, but thy inward bowels are like unto the anger of a Serpent: Many shall have thee, but shall not know thee.

One of them by said. Will you give me nothing?.

E. K. A great cloud covereth them all, the stone and all.

Δ It dured so a quarter of an hour.

E. K. Now appeareth another, none of them before appearing. He seemeth afar off comming, and higher placed then the other, it seemeth to be URIEL, he hath his face covered with a Skarf of black hanging down to his breast.

URIEL..... Blessed are such as are not offended in the little ones.

[E. K. He speaketh now a language which I understand not.]

URIEL..... For the Angels of the God of Righteousnesse, are his little ones: and such as know not sin of Concupiscence by consent (I speak this for your understanding) Take heed (therefor) that you offend not your selves: for you must become little ones: and the power of the highest must abound in you.

He that offendeth his brother, offendeth God: but he that offendeth his own innocency, is abhorred of the Lord. Lo you are The children of Promise, and in you is the mystery of a great, and mighty Seal. Therefore study to humble your selves, for Humility is the Root of Innocency. But (my brethre) Innocents by nature you cannot be, neither can you serve God in the imagination of cleannesse of your own flesh. Now (therefore) since you are fleshly, will you become innocent? Or how can you seek that which Nature hath lost?