[MR] Wikipedia: Birth of John Dee

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

I intended to post this yesterday, but was out of town for most of the day
and forgot all about it when I got home.

Yesterday, 13 July was the birthday in 1527 of John Dee, mathematician,
astronomer, antiquarian, minor courtier and political advisor to Queen
Elizabeth I. On the seamier side, he was also a possible spy for England,
an alchemist, astrologer, and a controversial dabbler in the occult.  In
short, a sort of professional smart guy with a dark side, just the sort of
character who makes history so interesting.

After an education typical upper-middle class English son, John Dee entered
St. John's College, Cambridge at the age of 15. He earned his BA four year
later, becoming one of the original fellows of Trinity College. For several
years Dee toured and lectured on the Continent, lecturing and meeting all
sorts of academic and scientific big shots.

In 1555, Dee was arrested for treason when he cast unauthorized horoscopes
on Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth. He was tried before the Star Chamber,
and somehow weaseled out of any punishment, though his reputation as
occultist dogged him for the rest of his life. When Elizabeth ascended the
throne in 1558, Dee became her scientific advisor. He urged Elizabeth to
support Britain's colonial expansion, and was responsible for the concept
of the "British Empire".

John Dee is said to have had one of the largest private libraries in
England. His books, and his scientific instruments, attracted visiting
scientists and scholars from across Europe.

In 1582, Dee fell in with Edward Kelley, an alchemist and occult charlatan.
Together they toured European courts unsuccessfully peddling increasingly
bizarre occult theories involving conversations with angels, and in general
trying to suck up to various rich nobles. Impoverished, and his reputation
in tatters, Dee returned to England and accepted a minor appointment as
Warden of Christ's College, Manchester in 1595. In 1605 he retired to his
home at Mortlake in Surry, where he died in 1608 or 1609 at the age of 81.
Dee was buried at St. Mary the Virgin church in Mortlake, but his grave and
the parish registers have been lost.

John Dee's cultural influence, like that of Nicolas Flamel, has become a
staple in both fantastic fiction and occult pseudo-science. Unfortunately,
John Dee is remembered for all the wrong reasons, and his serious
scholarship in science mathematics is largely forgotten.

Curiously, John's son, Arthur Dee, was born on the same date in 1579. He
eventually became Charles I's physician. My real ancestor, Dr. Patrick
Napier, was King Charles' barber surgeon (described as "the only man
Charles would trust with a blade so near his neck"), so Arthur and Patrick
may have known each other. While fun to ponder, that's beyond our period of
interest.

More about John Dee is found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dee .

As for Edward Kelley, he is discussed here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Kelley .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.