To the Kings most excellent Maiestie

Dee, John, 1527-1608.

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To the Kings most excellent Maiestie.

*IN most humble and lamentable manner beseecheth your Royall Maiestie, your Highnesse most distressed Seruant, Iohn Dee: That, as, by the grace and prouidence of the Almightie, you are our King, our earthly Supreame Head, and Iudge: So it may please your sacred Maiestie, eyther in your owne royall presence and hearing; Or, of the Lordes of your Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell: Or, of the present assembled Parlament States, to cause your High∣nesse sayd Seruant, to be tryed and cleared of that horrible and damnable, and to him, most grieuous and dammageable Sclaunder: generally, and for these many yeeres last past, in this Kingdome raysed, and continued, by report, and Print, against him: Namely, That he is, or hath bin a Coniurer, or Caller, or Invocator of diuels: Vpon which most vngodly, and false report, so boldly, constantly, and impudently auouched: yea, and vncontrolled, and hitherto vnpunished, for so many yeeres, continuing: (Albeit, your Maiesties said Suppliant, hath published in Print, diuers his earnest Apologies, against it) yet some impudent and malicious forraine enemie, or English traytor to the florishing State and Honor of this Kingdome, hath in Print (Anno 1592. 7. Ianuarij) affirmed your Maiesties said Suppliant, to be the Coniurer belonging to the most Honorable Priuie Counsell, of your Maiesties most famous last Predecessor, (Queene Elizabeth) So that, seeing the said abhominable Sclaunder, is become so highly haynous, and disgrace∣full, that it pretendeth great discredit, and disliking to be had, also, of the said most Honorable Lordes, of your Maiesties priuie Counsell (as to vse any Coniurers aduise: and your said Suppliant to be the man.) It, therefore, seemeth, (vpon diuers respects,) to be very needefull, due and speedy Order, to be taken herein: by your Maiesties wisedom, and Supreme Authoritie: (by one, of the three foresaid meanes, or any o∣ther,) to haue your Highnesse said Suppliant, to be tryed, in the premisses: Who offereth himselfe willingly, to the punishment of Death: (yea, eyther to be stoned to death: or to be buried quicke: or to be burned vnmercifully)

If by any due, true, and iust meanes, the said name of Con∣iurer, or Caller, or Invocator of Diuels, or damned Spirites, can be proued, to haue beene, or to be, duely or iustly reported of him, or attributed vnto him: Yea, (good, and gratious King) If any one, of all the great number, of the very strange and friuolous fables, or histories reported and told of him (as to haue beene of his doing) were True: as they haue beene told, or reasonably caused any wondring among, or to, the ma∣ny headed Multitude, or to any other, whosoeuer, els.

And, then, your Highnesse said Suppliant, (vpon his said Iustification, and Clearing, made herein,) will conceyue great and vndoubted hope, that your Maiestie will, soone after, more willingly, haue Princely regard of redressing, of your Highnesse said Suppliant his farder griefes, and hinderances; no longer, of him, possibly to be endured: So long, hath his vtter vndo∣ing, by little and little, beene most vniustly, compassed. The Almightie and most mercifull God, alwayes direct, your Maiesties royall heart, in his wayes of Iustice and Mercy, as is to him, most acceptable: and make your Maiestie to be the most blessed and Triumphant Monarch, that euer this Brytish Empire, enioyed.

Amen.