Mysteriorum Pragensium Confirmatorum Liber; Mysteria Stephanica (Cracow), part 2 of 4 (12 Apr. 1585)

Be mindful, be mindful, and lift up your selves, and be not blind, but consider the time of your visitation, and that which you do, is the work of a King, a King which is able in power, strength, and majestie to exalt you, to strengthen you, and to make you honourable, but in the end of the Visitation, and in the reward of your faithfulnesse, work not to day, and be sorry to morrow; But lay sorrow a fide, and continue your labour, least peradventure God unhood-wink, and make open the sight of Satan, and so deliver you.

Wo, wo, be unto them that are delivered, for beleeve me their tribulation is great.

There is horrour and gnashing of teeth, there is misery and vengeance for ever, there is horrour and the worm of conscience.

But two things are to be considered, here, whether the temptation be greater then the resistance, or the resistance, more dignified then the rigor of temptation.

Behold, the work is great, the labour is also equal unto it; And to fight against the Princes of darknesse in a set battail, requireth great force.

The temptations therefore that follow you, must needs be great, I see therefore the temptations surmounteth your strength, and your dignity is not such as […] resist against it; For why, Satan striveth not with you, simply for the sinne of Adultery, for the dregs of Fornication, for the covetous desire of money, for the want of charity, or because you are proud; But he striveth, riseth up against you and tempteth you against the Lord, and against the strength of his truth, whereunto you are elected: Therefore, I give sentence.

Lo, because that temptations hath entred into you above your power, and not so much for the subverting as of the work of the Lord intended, and of necessity to be done.

Signum quo […] esse possimus quod Deus Satana franum injiciet. Nota.

Therefore, I proceed not against you, but against Satan, and God shall deliver you from your temptations; And this shall be a sign and token, that I will hamper and bridle the jawes of theenemy, that is to say, so long as thou (Kelly) art in this flesh, never shall there appear, or visibly shew himself unto thee any wicked or evil spirit, neither shalt thou be haled in peeces, as thou hast been, whosoever therefore appeareth hereafter is of God; For thy eyes shall be shut up from the wicked object. Et intellectu tuo Non introibit umbra mortis.

But now take heed, thou either perverse or froward, stiff-necked or disobedient; The sinne is of thy self, and shall fall upon thee, and thou shalt not be spared as thou hast been; Now watch and gird up your selves, and do the will of the Highest, preferre and worship truth, that you may be also worshipped. Lift up your selves, as the servants of God, and help to bring stones unto the building of this great City, that you may be openers of the Gates, and that the white horse may enter, and that he that entreth may reward you with honour.

Equus albus. Apoc. cap. 19. B: Nostra vocatie magna. Dee sup.

Greater then you are in the dignity of truth, are not amongst mortal men, neither shall there be any amongst mortal men that shall more despise the World then you, therefore hath God framed one of you as a stiffe made asse, to bind up the countenance of his work, and to be free from yielding unto Satan, which well understandeth that Satan endevoureth, and that his Ministers cry out against this glorious habitation, which being built, the wicked come not to Coelosyria, neither shall they see the beauty of the Phoenices.

When you have read these things I come again, and ponder them well.

Δ We read them, and the places of Esdras, one in the second Chapter of the third Book of Esdras, and the other in the third and fourth Chapter of the same Book.

E. K. Now he is here himself alone.

Michael..... A Wood grew up and the Trees were young, and lo, there arose a great Tempest from the North, and the Seas threw out the air that had subtilly stoln himself into them, and the winds were great, and behold, there was one Tree which was older then the rest, and had grown longer then that which shot up by him; This Tree could not be moved with the wind, but the Tree that was young, was moved to and fro with the Wind, and strock himself oftentimes, upon the stiff set Tree: The Forester came and beheld, and said within himself, the force of this wind is great, see this young Tree beateth himself in peeces against the greater, I will go home, and will bring my ground instruments, and will er adicate him, and I will place him further off: Then if the winds come, be shall have room to move: But when he came home, the Lord of the Wood seeing him in a readinesse, with his Mattock and his spade, asked him of his going, which told the thing in order to his Master; But lo, his Master rebuked him, and he said thus, when the winds are not they increase, they are not hurtful one to the other, suffer them therefore, when the young Tree taketh roots, and shall look up unto some years, his roots shall link themselves with and uuder the roots of the greater; Then though the winds come, they shall not be hurtful one to another, but shall stand so much the more fast, by how much the more they are wrapped together, yea, when the old tree withereth, he shall be a strength unto him, and shall adde unto his age as much as he hath added unto his youth. And he ceased to dig.

Be not therefore haled in sunder, neither be you offended one at another, peradventure Reason would set you aside: But God will not Behold, if you break the yoke that you are in, and runne astray, he that erreth shall perish: even so shall he that standeth also be desolate: For why the driver angry, continueth not with one: But he shall return home, and shall not see the end of the Harvest Love therefore one another, and comfort one another; for he that comforteth his brother, comforteth himself: and when one is a weary, let the other draw; For, why you are men and not yet crowned; the first is paid: so is also the tenth; Even so the tree that is grafted beareth fruit sooner then that which groweth of the seed. Notwithstanding, both have their place in the Orchard, the night let that yield unto day, and Winter bear rule over Summer: Let youth yield unto ripe for years; Solomon saith, it is good for that young man that obeyeth the counsel of his elder; In the Council House the things that they handle are for their Common-wealth; Notwithstanding hath his order and degree. Cast your eye upon all things and you shall have examples; Peter in his vocation preached the same Gospel that the rest of the Apostles did, but he was greater then the rest, not in respect of his Apostleship, nor in respect of feeding, but that God might keep his order, as the chief amongst them, which preferred Peter first, Therefore be not stubborn. But I command you in the Name of him that sent me, and because you have vowed that the one of you did nothing without the others coursel, notwithstanding shall you not be two counsellors.

Therefore, in things that are to be done, let the Door occupie the superiority; The Seer let him see, and look after the doings of him that he seeth; For you are but one body in this work.

E. K. He is gone out of sight.

Δ As concerning my Letters and businesse into England, I thought good to ask counsel what I were best to do with the Letters to the Queen and others.

Michael..... Gather out of the book of Enoch, the Seal and the Angel of thy Countrey, deal with him.

Δ I found a Door, in the name due to Britannia. Anno 15.

Michael..... Thou shalt easily find the truth by their appearing, for the one answereth not unto the others function.

It is ascribed to my negligence, that I have not the practice of […] his Book. Sigillum […]. Liber Enoch. Note this Role.

Hereby must thou do in all.

Kingdomes and Estates, both how, and what thou wilt, that thou hast not is thy own errour.

Note...... Understand me well here.

When thou wilt have any thing to do in the World, in humane affaires, seek nothing in Sigillo AEmeth, Enoch his Book is a worldly Book.

Veritas in Coelo.
Imago veritatis, in terra.
homini
Imago imagini respondet.
Coelestia autem petnntur a Coelo.

Δ I beseech you.

Michael..... Darknesse yeeldeth unto light: Falsum quod est, veritati malum bono.

But note in the Book of Enoch there are those that are good, there are there also those that are evil, the Prince of darknesse is evil.

And those that are evil there, do stand on his side: but as his Ministers give place to those that are good, so do they also.

Note...... But as concerning the manner how to practise that Book, I would gladly hear somewhat.

Michael...... Sua sunt, sua dicunt.

Δ I understand this to be required at his hands that gave us that Book.

Michael..... Polonia te expectat, & qui EST praecessit.

Δ As concerning my health helping, may I stay here yet 8 dayes, and then make speed to be going towards Poland, as was prescribed to me.

Michael..... Possum tibi concidere dies, Septem —

If thou didst know that which I see, thou wouldst not go, but thou wouldst runne: He that is before is a Gardener, and he knoweth the vertue of Herbs: But the eighth day I will be there also.

..... Where, and which eighth day.

Michael..... The eighth day hence I will be in Cracovia: I have told thee plainly.

Δ May I then stay well 7 dayes, before I set forth on my journey.

Michael..... Potes, & non potes.

Thou hast thy own judgment granted thee, thereby thou maist do it: But in respect of the necessity that requireth thee there, thou canst not.

Δ I beseech you not to be offended, if I ask the cause of the Lord Lasky, silence — Δ — He stayed long.

E. K. Why did you not speak now.

Michael..... Behold, he hath said with him selfe, (and those that are wicked, have whispered unto him) surely it seemeth that they despise me, and obstinately (because he […] not received letters from you) he useth this silence.

Moreover, he hath not done, as God commanded him: But I will give him thee, use thou him as thou wilt.

Δ I render unto thee O most merciful, mighty and loving God) thanks and honour, and will (during my being) praise thy holy Name.

E. K. He is gone, and went away mounting upward, &c.

Quis, sicut Deus noster, qui humilitèr resplicet, & peccatores sua ditat […].

Illi soli sit omnis laus, honor, & gloria, nunc & semper.

Amen.

✚ Pragae.

Monday

Aprilis 1. Manè, circa 8.

Δ A remembrance for me. England Letters.

A. L. His Letters opened, and some yet kept.

Emerick his traiterous dealing to be deciphered; Counsel for the manner of our going, and what things shall be needfull to take with us.

Δ Praecesfeci, & visitatas, & alias (ex tempore) ejaculationes, pro auxilio Dei omnipotenti necessario in omnibus nostris (Dei prescripti) tractandis negotiis, &c.

E. K. Here is a tall man with white clothes, with wide sleeves, and his garment very much pleated, and a thing like a Cypress scarf before his face black, which had been many times doubled, and with a knot behind him, Two others there are by him on his left hand, one of them is apparelled in a green thing like a Cassock comming down to his middle leg, and a pair of shooes on his feet, and a hat on his head.

The other in a marble Jerkin like a leather Jerkin with panos, and a pair of Hose, with round Breeches of the same stuff, his neither stocks like common black, and usual shooes, and on his head an hat as the other hath of the English fashion: The first hath a little beard short, aburn […], The other hath a young beard whitish.

..... Why do you provoke me to indignation?

E. K. He seemeth to speak to them two looking on them.

Why accuse you me of doing wrong?

Have I not lead you out by the hand from the Serpents?

Carried you against nature thorow the waters?

Have I not held you up from falling?

Have I not brought you hither unto the Hill?

E. K. There appeareth a very great Hill up to the Heavens by him.

This is the entrance.

The way is open for you ascend.

And are you not yet ashamed to urgeme?

If I have done you wrong, wrong be unto me.

If I have done more then I ought to do, why do you vex me?

Δ He seemeth to mean us.

E. K. He speaketh to them two.

I have said unto you eat, and you have not.

I have told you it is time to eat; but you have your own time.

I have said unto you Go before; Follow me.

But in this case I will not be […] against you.

These […] that record my sayings shall […] judgment against you.

Therefore now unto you. E. K. He turneth toward you, Δ]

Here you see the Hill, here you see the way open:

Here you see no hinder ance.

Yet, […] these men accuse me, trouble me.

Determine you against them.

Call not at these Doores any more, untill you be called unto them.

Ye have said if, before the Lord, if you had not, it had been better for you.

E. K. He treadeth them two under his feet all to pieces, and taketh his hands, and flingeth the bloud of them about, and it sticketh to the sides.

A voice...... What is it to me if man had never been.

E. K. He wrappeth up the place of their lying as if it were a Cloth, and putteth or tumbleth them out of fight.

E. K. Now he is gone like a Whirl-wind away.

LORD,

Δ I am heartily sorry for any thing I have said or done, which hath provoked thy indignation, thy mercy be upon us, and not the rigor of thy most just Judgment. Amen. Thy Name be alwayes praised. Amen.

O Lord, I find my own weaknesse and frailty continually, and therefore I call unto thee for thy gift of Wisdome, that I might wisely and discreetly serve thee all the dayes of my life. O Lord, the escapes of my lips and the folly of my heart pardon, I most heartily beseech thee: And if thy helping hand forsook us, and much more, if thy indignation work against us, we are in most miserable and pitifull case, have pity, have mercy, have compassion on us, Lord, Lord, Lord, forgive this our offence whatsoever; Suffer us not to be confounded through our little faith, O God, help our faith, help, help, or else we perish.

K. K. Here he is againe.

..... When the Lord bad thee go, if thou had'st so done, and had'st not taken thine own time, more had been given unto him, and more had been added unto thee.

But now Letters came, that have passed through the hands of Sodomites and Murderers, (through whose hands they are accursed) you rejoice, you receive comfort, you determine to goe.

But if you had left those letters behind you, had come when I bad you go. Then had my Name been untouched.

Δ Pardon, pardon, pardon, ô God, thy judgments are just.

Therefere is the Lord angry, and forgetteth not this offence.

For he that dealeth with me, dealeth not as with a man, for I have nothing in me tied to time, much lesse hath he that sent me.

Δ O God, what a wretched miserable man am I, thus to fall, and to offend my God, O Lord, that thou judgest is very just; for man would have taken indignation against his servant that should not go where he biddeth, or that would seek or use better credit to encourage him to his duty, then his Masters, &c.

Many times hast thou been wearied.

Have mercy, O God. Et dele omnes […] meas, cor mundum crea in me, & averto iram tuam a nobis, Is thy fury implacable, or shall thy anguish last for ever, what is slesh and dust before thee?

..... There shall remaine the sting of this offence, in both your generations, until the fifth.

And I swear unto you by heaven.

Δ Spare this Sentence of indignation (O God) against us. Thou hast said in what hour soever a sinner is sorry for his sinnes, and turneth unto the Lord, &c. And Lord, I am heartily sorry, I bewaile with teares this great offence, thou seest my contrite heart, O God, O God, O God, &c.

..... This hath added much, even hath bound up the rod, which I spoke before unto thee..

Δ Thy mercies be recorded, likewise, O Lord, and praised from Generation to Generation.

After this we sat and considered, and perceived, and confessed the greatnesse of our offence, how it concerned much the Honour and Glory of God, if we had gone without receiving the advertisement of those Letters; So should they hear (the) and the King St. have perceived that we had the direction of God, and of his good Angels, and not to have depended upon mans letters, or perswasions, &c. we both a like confessed this great misdoing, and so framed our selves to make all speed away that possible we could, the mercies of God be upon us now and ever.

E. K. He is here, and said, Be thou shut for twenty dayes, and withal pulled a thing-like a Curtain about the Stone, and the Stone seemed to be full of the same substance, being like the froth of the Sea, yet hanging or joyning together like Curds of a posset.

Misericordias Dominum in aeternum cantabo, quis sicut Deus meus, qui cum iratus fuerit, misericordiam praestavit contrito corde invocantibus: Soli igitur Deo meo, sit omnis […], honor, gloria & jubilatio, nunc & semper,

Amen.

A Pragae.

Aprilis 5.

Friday, I took my Journey from Pragae toward Cracovia, God be our good speed, E. K. I, Thomas Kelly, & Hugh Brycket my servants.

✚ Cracoviae, 1585.

Friday.

Aprilis 12. A meridie we came to Cracovia, and as we were within an English mile of the City, being a fair and calm day, there passed about half a mile before us, crossing from the right hand to the left Whirlwinds, divers one after another, wreathing up the dust with great vehemency on high, and shooting forward still, and then mounting into the air, and so went Southerly from us, and likewise some began on the right hand, and came furiously, raising up and wreathing the dust up into the air Southerly also, and did not crosse the way.

When we came to our house, we found that a stranger was set into it, by the Landlords (Mr. John Long, the Judge, and Martin Plutner) and having by me the keys of the Store-house, and of the Street-door, I caused my stuff brought with me to be set in, and that night we made hard shift for lodging. But the new and forced in tenants gave me leave to have one of my Bedsteads, which was in one stove, and emptied the same to us, with much ado.

Saturday and Sunday we were sore out-faced or rather threatned, that we should have no house there, and also one Bonar his arms were set upon the door, as if the house had been allowed to him ex officio. Monday I made the Rector privy of the Injuries I indured, and he courteously sent two Masters of Art with me to the Proconsul to have Citation for the Landlords to appear on Tuesday by 7 of the clock, to answer to our complaint.

This Monday-night came the Lord Lasky from Lasko, upon a Letter he had received from me from Niso, of my coming.

Tuesday (Aprilis 16) the Lord Lasky came to the house, and in the morning would have presently cast all their stuff out of doors, but by entreaty he permitted them to empty all into the lower stove.

In the mean space I appeared with my Lawyer or Attourney Mr. Tetaldo, (an Italian) an ancient Practitioner in the Polish and Cracovian Causes: And to conclude, I had a Decree against my Landlords, that I was to have at least an half years warning; whereupon John Laugh gave me warning to avoid at Michaelmas, and so we came from the Court or Town-house, called Praetorium in Latine. This same Tuesday afternoon, my Lord Lasky went to the King of Poland up into the Castle, and told him of my comming, and how evilly I was used: and he said, why did he not cast them out of doors? so have I now, quoth the Lord Lasky; and the King granted the House to be holden ex officio: And the next day the King was desirous to speak with me.

Aprilis 17. Wednesday, I went with the Lord Lasky to the King, to whom I said, to this intent, Consolatio, pax, & misericordia Dei sit tibi, ô serenissime Rex: Coram quo, Divinitus recipi admonitionem, ut me sustinem, quod nunc humillime facio: paratissimus cum omni fidelitate & sinceritate ea cum Regia vestra Majestate tractare, quae mihi divinitus injungantur, Quorum mysteriorum historias de ordine in ordinem referre, prout occasio dabitur, non recusabo aliaque omnia peragere, quae Deo & vestrae Majestati […] gratia fore intelligero, &c.

The King answered, Vt de vestra persona […] bona audivi absente, ita jam mihi gratus valde est adventus vester, & si quod sit in quo vobis meagratia & favor, possit esse commodo non deero me vestrum favorem, & protectorem existere: Atque de […] & aliis majoribus rebus aliquid magis opportuni loquendi tempus post festos istos dies: quo tempore vos ad me accersori curabo, &c.

Hereupon I made Coursy, as was appertaining, and stepped back somewhat from the King, and so the Vice-Chancelor and other Officers, the chief Secretary brought Bills to be read, and subscribed, or assigned with the Kings own hand, which he did: and after the Lord Lasky had watched a fit time to tell the King of his desire to speak a few words to his Majesty of some of his own astairs, and was bidden to resort straightway after dinner to his Majesty, we took our leave with reverence doing, and so went out of the privy Chamber, or rather with-drawing Chamber through his privy Chamber, where he had said Masse when wecame, and so into the Guard-chamber, and down, &c.

Friday, I took Ghostly counsel of Doctor Hannibal, the great Divine, that had now set out some of his Commentaries upon Pymander, Hermitis Trismigisti.

Saturday (Aprilis 20) I received the Communion at the Pernardines, where that Doctor is a Professor.

This day E. K. the Ghostly counsel and comfort, as his case required.

On Easter Monday, very devoutly in Saint Stephens Church E. K. received the Communion, to my unspeakable […] and content, being a thing so long and earnestly required, and urged of him, by ourspiritual good friends, as may appear by sundry former actions.

✚ Cracoviae.

Tuesday in Easter week,

Aprilis 23. Manè […] horam 8. Praecibus fusis; mediocritèr longis.

E. K. Here appears many thousands of spiritual Creatures, all in white: Now there seemeth one like Michael, (all in red) to stand […] them, they all standing in an half Moon compasse behind him.

Michael..... Adhuc semel (sed Stephano assidente) Loquor.

Sed si aurem, & animam suam, loquetae meae praebuerit stabilietur sedes illi

E. K. Now they seem all to mourn or hum, all in one tune.

He speaketh still, but I understand not his speech.

Sin minus loquitor pro me pestis: ulcere enim percutiam terram Zeli plenus sum, & Justitiae

E. K. All are vanished away.

Δ Ne observes iniquitates meas (Domine […] Christi) qui speramns in misericordia tua, qui redempti sumus […] sanguine tuo, Amen.

Emitte Domine verbum tuum Evangelicum, ut liquefacias & emolias obdurata corda mea frigore […], ut mea peccata purgentur, & efficiantur, quasi in Christo, ut nebula ignorantiae expellatur è cordibus meis, & spiritus Sancto gratia affluant aquae […] in poenitentia Salutari,

Amen.