The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Arthur Dee (13 July 1579 - Sept./Oct. 1651)

Other biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Dee Relationships: Arthur Dee was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Thomas Browne (19 Nov 1605-19 Oct 1682)
Arthur Dee was a son of John Dee (13 Jul 1527 -1608 or 1609)

Rowland Dee (-) was a grand-father of Arthur Dee
References in Documents:
Objects mentioned in correspondence
Sir Thomas Browne to Elias Ashmole (Ashmolean MS 1131, f. 280; Vol. 35 of Elias Ashomole's COLLECTIONS FOR THE ORDER OF THE GARTER.) Norwich, Oct. viij, 1674. Honord Sir,

I give you late butt heartie thancks for the noble present of your most excellent booke; which, by the care of my sonne, I receaved from you. I deferred this my ·due acknowledgment in hope to have found out something more of Dr. John Dee, butt I can yett only present this paper unto 414 MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. [1677-8. you written by the hand of his sonne, Dr. Arthur Dee, my old acquaintance, containing the scheme of his nativity, erected by his father, Dr. John Dee, as the title sheweth; butt the iudgment upon it was writt by one Franciscus Murrerus, before Dr. Arthur returned from Russia into England, which Murrerus was an astrologer of some account at Mosko. Sir, I take it for a great honour to have this libertie of communication with a person of your eminent merit, and shall industriously serve you upon all opportunities, who am,

Worthy good sir, Your servant most respectfully and humbly, THOMAS BROWNE. ("Recd. 24 Oct. 1674.") In the hand-writing of Ashmole.
Objects mentioned in correspondence
From Dr. Browne to Mr. Elias Ashmole [Ashmole MS 1788, art. 18, f. 153.] Most Worthy Sr.

I returne you humble thancks for your courteous letter and the good newes of the hopefull recoverie of Mr. Dugdale, unto whom I shall be readie in any further service, and shall, God willing, send unto him concerning the fish bone, which I have not forgott. It can very hardly fall into my apprehension how I can afford any addition unto your worthy endeavours. Notwithstanding, I have enclosed a list of such tracts of that subject which I have by mee. Most whereof I receaved from Dr. Arthur Dee, my familiar freind, sonne unto old Dr. Dee the mathematician. He lived many yeares and dyed in Norwich, from whom I have heard many accounts agreable unto those which you have sett downe in your annotations concerning his father and Kelly. Hee was a persevering student in hermeticall philosophy, and had noe small encouragement Having seen projection made, and with the highest asseverations be confirmed unto his death, that hee had ocularly undeceavably and frequently beheld it in Bohemia, and to my knowledge, had not an accident prevented, hee had not many yeares before his death retired beyond sea, and fallen upon the solemn processe of the great worke.

Sr. if you shall desire a viewe of any of these bookes, or all, I shall find some way to send them, and you may peruse or 2 That is, Lilly's Christian Astrology modestly treated of, in three books: or, an Introduction to Astrologie, London, 1647, 4to. of which his own copy is in the Ashmolean Museum.-W. H. B. 464 MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. [1658. transcribe them; butt I shall entreat the favour to have them returned. Mr. Stanley gave mee the honour of a visit some fewe yeares past, and if hee signified my mind unto you, you might have receaved them long agoe. Sir, I thinck myself much honored in your worthy acquaintance, and shall ever rest

Your very respectful freind and servant, Thomas Browne. Norwich, Jan. xxv, 1658.
Objects mentioned in correspondence
Sir Thomas Browne to Mr. Elias Ashmole [Asmole MS 1788, art. 17, f. 151.]

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.

(No. Signature.) (Note subscribed by Ashmole.} Recd. 29 March, 1674, 4h. P.M. from Dr. Browne, of Norwich, directed to Mr. Ashmole.
Objects mentioned in correspondence

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.