About eleven of the clock, Friday, the 27th of April, 1584, in Cracoviae...
It fell so out by the wonderful providence of God, that Edward Kelley and I, [John Dee, ordained as witnesses to the opening of the Book of Revelations, since the Vernal Equinox of last year,] quietly considered these actions generally, and the contrary spiritual informations given to him [Kelley], apart by himself and sometimes while we were receiving our instructions by our Schoolmasters; of which contrary power, some would rail on God and blaspheme his Majesty horribly, as may appear by the record of some late actions. But this was our conclusion, that we both desired the verity, and that so, as best might please God, in the manner of coming by it.
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Δ. Be Judge, O Lord, between us, sending us the verity of the judgment for the glory of thy name; for as much as they which impugn these proceedings do seem more perfect, and more wise and fruitful then our Schoolmasters, which I took to be the true and blessed Angels, &c... Precibus ad Deum finitis, pro luce & veritate, in hanc formam, Omnipotens, sempiterne, vere & vive Deus noster, mitte nobis spiritum sanctum & veritatem tuam, ut sapienter, fideliter & constanter tibi serviamus,omnibus diebus vitae nostrae. Amen
"The white Curtain, or veil, appeared very long..."
Sir Edward Kelley said, "Now is the note pluck't aside."
Δ. Blessed be the highest, who is Almighty.
Gabriel sayeth, together with the Lordly Spirit of Praise:
DANIDA, a mighty Prophet, not the least upon the earth, opened his mouth and said, "Behold, there shall a Whale come from the East, the fourteenth day of this month: SAB."
And he, this Prophet, entered into the fields, and he met with a Merchant, and he said unto him, "Thou art not for me: for thy intent dwelt in the world."
He went further, and, lo, there was a field of all kind of people, diversely recreating themselves in their own pleasures; and he yet said, "Lo, these are not for me."
He went on, and, lo, he saw... and it was a naked man... In his hands were divers things: moss, leaves, flowers, and herbs; and the prophet wondered, saying, "Why art thou naked?"
The man, he said, "Lo, I am old, and am without Garments, and these are the things wherewithal I will be clothed."
And the Prophet talked with him, and told him of the Whale. [Whereupon] he commanded him to kneel, and he lifted up hands his to heaven and prayed within himself; and he said also unto him, "I am a Prophet, rise up, I will bless thee in the name of my prophesy." And lo, he took him by the hand and went forward; the way was rough, stony, and very sound. As they went, they found men, huge and big, monstrous, and the Prophet said, "These please me not."
As they talked on the way they overtook a little child. The Prophet asked him his name, and he answered that he was a man. The Prophet said, "Thou pleasest me, for thou mayest be a man."
There was a hill, and they ascended, and, after a while, the child became weary, and sat down, saying with himself, "This hill is troublesome, I am not able to keep company with them."
The Prophet, missing him, went back, and found him sitting. And the child began to weep, saying, "Whither will you lead me?"
But the Prophet comforted him and said, "Now thou seest, thou art not a man."
And thus the child did [concede], ascending sundry times. And, lo, it was the top of the hill, and the Sun was hot and clear in the midst of the day. The Prophet said unto the child, "Look to the Centre of the Sun," And so he did, steadfastly.
And the Prophet said unto him, "Now I have experience of thee, and I know thou wilt be a man." And he said unto him, that was naked, "Here are Pen, Ink, and Paper. And lo thou hast one that can see far off." He shewed him the seas, saying, "Look unto the East..." And he told him of the Whale and of his coming, and of many mysteries.
But the man answered him, saying, "I am naked, the air is sharp, and I have no food; how can I therefore stay so many days?"
And he said unto him, "Sit down and note, until this child become a man. Feed by comfort. For the Whale shall be thine, in whose belly is a Chest swallowed of great value." And they were contented.
Behold, the people of the country were rich, having conquered many nations, and they had a monarch in the world; this monarch was skillful in all sciences, and knew all things to come. He called his counsel together, and said unto them, "Lo, thus it is: the cause why I have made those mighty banks, and have drawn my people from the lower places and the Seas, is for that, I fear a Whale... which, if he land in my Kingdoms, will be my destruction."
They told him what the Prophet had said; he began to rage, and was puffed up with anger. He opened his books the second time, and his eyes were opened, and he understood that the Prophet had ascended unto the top of the mountain, and had taken with him a naked man, and a child: and he said to his ministers, "Ascend, and bring me the child, for I will examine him, and know the Prophets meaning."
[Having coerced the child down] he appareled him richly, and gave him much, but he prevailed not [in his examinations]. And he said within himself, "Ascend again they shall, and bring down that man."
And the servants ascended, and they found a Marble stone, and they were angry among them∣selves, saying, "Is this a man?" And lo they came unto the king, and said, "Thou sendest us forth, but we found a mighty stone not able to be moved. Where is it therefore that thou wilt have us seek, that man?"
But he said within himself, "I will overcome the child," and he took him by the hand, and led him into his orchard, where he opened unto him the secrets of his books, so that he became skillful.
But, lo, the Prophet arose, and, as he walked towards the hill to comfort them whom he accounted his friends, he espied the child appareled strangely, and in company with strangers: and he opened his mouth, and began to prophesie, saying, "The King hath risen up against himself, for he hath chosen the chosen, and hath opened the secrets of his own kingdom to his destruction," and he stretched forth his hand, and said unto the child, "Come with me."
But the child was unwilling, for his pleasures were great. And he lifted up his voice and he swore... And, lo, he came with him even unto the mountain: and the Prophet said unto him, "When thou wast a child, I led thee, but now thou art become a man. stretch forth thy leggs, and labour," but he was yet unwilling.
Thus, whilst they were talking, the king's servants that waited upon him were at his feet armed, saying, "Come with us, for we are strong enough to deliver thee."
But the Prophet said unto them, "Go back and tell your king, that I found him on the way, and a stranger, and I had pity on him, and I took him for my own. Therefore strive not, for justice must prevail." And they began to stagger as drunkards, for they knew it was true. And to the child the Prophet said, "Now come with me, I will yet lead thee, and they ascended.
The Prophet held up his hands, and said, "I SEE." And behold, he that was naked arose, and said, "I SEE ALSO."
And the Seas arose, and a great tempest, and broke down the banks: and entered on the earth, doing much harm to the people of that kingdom; And, lo, there arose a wind... And there were four beasts, such as are in the world, and were never known. They came swimming, and so landed on the hill. The Prophet said, "Arise, draw out your swords and kill them." So they did.
Behold, the blood of them vanished into air, the flesh became earth, the entrails of them wasted away with the waters, and their bones burned with a great fire.
The second wind arose, and there were five crowns; in the midst of them sate the Father of life, with a golden head, whose feet bathed themselves in dew and sweet manna. The Prophet said, "Put forth your hands." And they did so, but, lo, they were afraid, for he that stood in the midst of the crowns, was full of beauty.
And the Prophet said, "Fear not, come with me." And he opened unto them the secrets of the crowns, for in every one of them was a golden sentence. And the secrets of the Hill began to shake, and there was a great earthquake.
The third wind arose, [whereupon] twelve cedar trees that were never corrupted came and planted themselves in twelve places of the hill, and they brought forth strange fruits, not as Cedar trees do.
The Prophet said, "Gather, for I know you hunger, that you may be refreshed." While they thus talked, the fourth wind arose, and, behold, all the mountain was a flaming fire, and there were five earthquakes, such as were not since the beginning of the world.
The Prophet took them up, for they were become as dead. And suddenly the firmament and the waters were joined together, and the Whale CAME, like unto a legion of storms, or as the bottomless cave of the North when it is opened, and she was full of eyes of every side.
The Prophet said, "Stand still," but they trembled. The waters sank, and fell suddenly away, so that the Whale lay upon the hill, roaring like a cave of lions, and the Prophet took them by the hands, and led them to the Whales mouth, saying, "Go in," but they trembled vehemently; He said unto them the second time, "Go in," but they durst not. And he swore unto them, and they entred in, and he lifted up his voice, and cried mightily, "Come away, and, 〈◊〉."
They stood before him richer then an emperor upon throne, for unto him that was naked were clothes given, and unto him that was a child and a man, were 12 gates opened. And the Prophet cried mightily, and said, "This Whale cannot die." And he lifted up his voice again and said, "Within this Whale are many chambers, and secret dwelling places, which I will divide betwixt you. On the right side, unto the which was a child and now a man, there are twelve opened, but unto thee that hast provided strange garments for thy self, and not such as men use to wear, I will give thee head, heart, and left side, whose places are 36. You shall enter, and be possessed this day together: And behold, the son shall return again 21 times, and in one year, but not all, at one time. You shalt depart hence into a dwelling that shall be all one: where there is no end, the place of comfort and unspeakable glory."
I have said.
Δ. As you have delivered us a parable, an enigma, or prophecy, so I beseech you, for the setting forth of God his honor and glory, to expound what is meant by the Whale, the naked man, the child, &c.
The Angel sayeth:
The Prophet is in his name.
The naked man is Dee,
The Childe is Kelly,
The Prince is the Devil,
The Hill is the World,
The waters are the bosom of God,
The 4 beasts are the 4 Elements,
The 12 Trees are the 12 parts of the Heavens,
The Whale is the spirit of God,
The Chambers are the degrees of wisdom,
The Thunders and winds are the ends of God his Will and Judgements.
The rest are not to be spoken.
Δ. Gloria Patri, & Filio, & spiritui sancto; sicut erat in principio, & nunc, & semper, & in secula seculorum.