I was very well acquainted with Dr. Arthur Dee, and at one time or other hee hath given me some account of the whole course of his life: hee gave mee a catalogue of what his father Dr. John Dee had writt, and what hee intended to write, butt I think I have seen the same in some of his printed bookes, and that catalogue hee gave me in writing I cannot yet find. I never heard him saye one word of the booke of spirits, sett out by Dr. Casaubone, which if hee had knowne I make no doubt butt hee would have spoake of it unto mee, for he was very inquisitive after any manuscripts of his father's, and desirous to print as many as hee could possibly obtaine; and, therefore, understanding that Sir William Boswell, the English resident in Holland, had found out many of them, which he kept in a trunck in his howse in Holland, to my knowledge hee sent divers letters unto Sir William, humbly desiring him that hee would not lock them up from 8 MS. Sloane. 1893.Catalogue of Browne's MSS. No. 9, 8vo. vol. iv, p. 463, &c. 9 MS. Sloan. 1854.-Catalogue of MSS. &c. No. 13, 4to. 466 MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. [1674. the world, butt suffer him to print at least some thereof. Sir William answered some of his letters, acknowledging that hee had some of his father's works not yet published, and that they were safe from being lost, and that hee was readie to showe them unto him, butt that hee had an intention to print some of them himself. Dr. Arthur Dee continued his sollicitation, butt Sir William dying I could never heare more of those manuscripts in his hand. I have heard the Dr. saye that hee lived in Bohemia with his father, both at Prague and other parts of Bohemia. That Prince or Count Rosenberg was their great patron, who delighted much in alchymie; I have often heard him affirme, and sometimes with oaths, that hee had seen projection made and transmutation of pewter dishes and flaggons into sylver, which the goldsmiths at Prague bought of them. And that Count Rosenberg playd at quaits with sylver quaits made by projection as before; that this transmutation was made by a powder they had, which was found in some old place, and a booke lying by it containing nothing butt hieroglyphicks, which booke his father bestowed much time upon: but I could not heare that he could make it out. Dee sayd also that Kelly delt not justly by his father, and that he went away with the greatest part of the powder and was afterwards imprisoned by the Emperor in a castle, from whence attempting an escape downe the wall, hee fell and broake his legge and was imprisoned agayne. That his father, Dr. John Dee, presented Queen Elizabeth with a little of the powder, who having made triall thereof attempted to get Kelly out of prison, and sent some to that purpose, who giving opium in drinck unto the keepers, layd them so faste asleepe that Kelly found opportunity to attempt an escape, and there were horses readie to carry him away; butt the buisinesse unhappily succeeded as is before declared. Hee sayd that his father was in good credit with the Emperour Rodolphus, I thinck, and that hee gave him some addition unto his coat of armes, by a mathematicall figure added, which I thincke may bee seen at Mr. Rowland Dee's howse, who had the picture and coat of armes of Dr. John Dee, which Dr. Arthur Dee left at Mr. Toley's when hee 1 His portrait is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum.-W. H. B. l672/3.] MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. 467 dyed. Dr. Arthur Dee was a young man when he saw this projection made in Bohemia, butt hee was so inflamed therewith, that hee fell early upon that studie and read not much all his life but bookes of that subject, and two years before his death contracted with one Hunniades, or Hans Hanyar, in London, to be his operator. This Hans Hanyar having. lived long in London and growing in years, resolved to returne into Hungarie; he went first to Amsterdam where hee was to remain ten weeks, till Dr. Arthur came unto him. The Dr. to my knowledge was serious in this buisinesse, and had provided all in readinesse to goe; but suddenly hee heard that Hans Hanyar was dead. If hereafter any thing farther occurreth to my memorie I shall advertize.