BOOK

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Number XLIV.

Sir Thomas Smyth to the lord treasurer Burleigh; upon the same business.

That they might once know whether the gain of this new art would answer the charges.

MY very good lord, yesternight I wrot to your lord-Ubi supra. ship, and sent such matters as past here betwixt my lord of Leicester, Mr. Medely, and me. I see he makes no hast, but seeketh to tary: and now would amuse himself here about the Jewes conclusion. I am still of mind, that the Gentiles were wise in their sacrifices, when the priests called ever and anon, Hoc age. For they love to be always aliud agentes; either they deceive themselves, or other men. I would we had once set orders and accounts, what this new art will do. Eight days of March be now past. Sir John Hybbord's man now at Killingworth. And therefore my lord, and your lordship and I, writ to him, to take the charge in hand. If he be either gon from thence, or will not take the charge, then is there another excuse, subterfuge, and delay. Yet if Medley will go down, and begin so well as he can, with that which is there, 150l. which my man shall carry, will set the work going, till we shall truly be certified what can be done in a week or a month. For if there be not so much made as shall be on a day when he hath more lead and iron, yet there may be so much, as we may know what proportion of charge is to the proportion of gain; and what hope we may conceive.

And if sir John Hybbord do accept the charge, and do provide the iron, lead, and cask for my lord of Leicester, yet in the mean while may the workmen do somewhat: and my man to attend upon them, and keep the book: and so 81 that time not altogether lost. While the new iron and lead be brought, the melting furnace may be made, the bellows brought, and set in place, &c.

Your lordship shall do well to call upon Medely, that he make no more delays. Before, all was that his name was not in the book; therefore he procrastinated, he dis

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BOOK sembled, he would not teach his cunning. Now all the world knows it. Sir John Perot hath a whole discourse of the whole maner of that work in writing. My lord Mountjoy hath gotten one of Mr. Medeley's chief workmen to him. Divers in that country, it is told me, know the earths, and the working of it. And yet we do nothing. I would I might go down my self, and surely I might, for any good I do here. In less than eight days, I would be certified my self, and certify your lordships. My man shall shew your lordship what maner of acquittance I require of sir John Hybbord. For the like sir Homfrey had of me; penned by a lawyer before. And it is reasonable one Irishman standeth still in an agony: but rather like to quail. Yet that is irresolute also. Thus I bid your lordship most heartily farewel. From Rychemond, the 8th of March, 1574.

Your lordships always at commandment,

T. Smyth.

MSS.

penes me.

Number XLV.

Mr. John Dee to the lord treasurer: offering to discover to the queen where treasures of gold, silver, &c. were hid in the bowels of the earth.

RIGHT honorable and my singular good lord: whereBurghlian. as of late your honour very favourably used me, considering your marvaillous scantness of leisure from very weighty matters and public; I am now therefore most humbly to render thanks to your honour. Since which time I have some days attended at London, hoping for your lordship coming thither. And on Friday last perceiving your honour to be almost in a readiness to ride towards the court, ere I could get to London too, &c. Therefore finding your lordship at all times of usual access for suitors, so fraught with matters of more importance, than any of mine can justly be deemed, I thought good, with your lordship's leave and favour, thus by writing to enjoy one hour of your lord

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ships leisure, (best known to your lordship when that is,) to BOOK view the pattern of some part of my simple suit, which heretofore I would gladly have opened unto your honour by word of mouth. And that is this.

So much of my intent and studious doings is well known unto your lordship, and the most part of all universities in Christendom, (and further,) that for these twenty years last past, and longer, it may be very truly avouched, that I have had a mervaillous zele, taken very great care, endured great travail and toyl, both of mind and body, and spent very many hundred pounds; only for the attaining some good and certain knowledge in the best and rarest matters, mathematical and philosophical. How little or much therein the eternal God hath imparted to me, (for my talent,) he onely best knoweth: but certainly by due conference with all that ever I yet met with in Europe, the poor English Britan, (il favorita de vostra excellentia,) hath carried the bell away. God Almighty have the glory. The same zele remaineth, (yea rather greater is grown,) but the ability for charges is far lesser: and that somewhat occasioned the sooner through my frank dealing, for procuring and purchasing speedy means of good knowledge. Which also I did upon no small hope, that some needful supportal would be for me in due time devised, either through the mere and 82 gracious good favour, that I was persuaded the queen's most excellent majesty did bear unto me: or else through the procurement of some of the right honourable counsillors: which both right well know by hard dealing my father, Rowland Dee, (servant to her majesties father, and most renowed and triumphant king of our age,) was disabled for leaving unto me due maintenance; and also sufficiently understood of sundry suits in my behalf mentioned, for some aid towards the atchieving of some of my honest intents. Of which suits no one hitherto hath taken the wished for success, for any my behoof: nay, in the mean time of some of my travails beyond the seas, unless your honour had put to your helping hand, I had been defeated of that little exhibition which I enjoy being but borrowed a while

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BOOK by special privilege and favour extraordinary. And that unwillingly on my part, if I could otherwise have had the supply thereof in like yearly value: which, as God knoweth, findeth not me and my poor family necessary meat, drink, and fewel, for a frugal, philosophical diet, &c.

To compare with any in public deserts and learning, I neither dare, nor justly can; but in zele to the best learning and knowledge, and incredible toyls of body and mind very many years, therefore only endured, I know most assuredly, that the learned never bred any man, whose accounts therein can evidently be proved greater than mine.

Then he proceeded to mention his discourse with the lord treasurer, at his last being with him, of tresure hid. Concerning which he thus expatiated.

I. It may please your honour to consider this clause, truly by me noted out of Theseus Ambrosius, fol. 206. b. In copiosa illa Antonii de Fantis Tarvissini librorum multitudine, magnum sane volumen repertum fuit; in quo abdita quamplurima: concerning philosophy, medicine, knowledge of herbs also, pertaining unto astrology, geomantia and magia. Et, in ejus præcipua quadam parte, tractabatur de Thesauris per totum fere orbem reconditis, atque latentibus: quorum admodum clara atque specifica notio haberi poterat. Secondly, Out of Henric. Leicestrensis, I suppose, it is noted in the Summary of English Chronicle, anno 1344, of a Sarazin coming then to earl Warren, as concerning a great treasure hid in the ground, in the marches of Wales, and of the good success thereof. Thirdly, This twenty years space, I have had sundry such matters detected unto me in sundry lands. Fourthly, Of late I have been sued unto by divers sorts of the people. Of which some by vehement iterated dreams, some by vision, (as they have thought,) others by speech formed to their imagination by night, have been informed of certain places where tresure doth ly hid. Which all for fear of keepers, (as the phrase commonly nameth them,) or for mistrust of truth in the places assigned, and some for some other causes, have forborn to deal further; unless I should encourage them, and

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counsil them how to procede. Wherein I have always been BOOK contented to hear the histories, fantasies, or illusions to me reported; but never intermeddled according to the desire of such. Hereof might grow many articles of question and controversy among the common learned, and scruples among theologians. Which all I cut off from this place: ready to answer only your lordship most largely, in termes of godly philosophy, when opportunity shall serve; making small account of vulgar opinions in matter of so rare knowledge. But making always my chief reckoning to do nothing but that which may stand with the profession of a true Christian, and of a faithful subject.

But if besides all books, dreams, visions, reports, and virgula divina, by any other natural means, and likely demonstrations of sympathia et antipathia rerum, or by attraction or repulsion, the places may be discryed or discovered, where gold, silver, or better matter doth ly hid within certain distance; how great a commodity should it be, for the queen's majesty and the commonwealth of this kingdom, if by such a secret, not only tresure hid may be deciphered in precise place, but also it may be disclosed, where in this land any mines, veins, or owre of gold and silver, be naturally planted?

Then he mentioneth the name of a strange book, which in old time was in this land, viz. Pandulphus de Meatibus Terræ.

One part of his present suit to his honour was, that by 83 his lordship's wisdom the queen's majesty might be induced to think somewhat favourably (as very many other noble and learned of foreign lands do) of my great travails, patience, constancy, cost, and credit, in matters philosophical and mathematical. And thereupon in the end of my careful race, to let some token of her majesties royal good affection procede towards me: whom your lordship knoweth, or may know, that emperors, kings, princes, dukes, marchises, earls, barons, and others, many men of great power and magnificent courage, have sued unto in my time, to enjoy my simple talent in their service or company. To whom