The Magical Mirror of Doctor Dee
The greatest magician of all time was undoubtedly the Englishman John Dee. His life and his works are wrapped in shrouds of mystery, surrounded by all sorts of rumours. John Dee would have been Shakespeare’s model for the sorcerer Prospero in “The Tempest”. But this can’t be the reason why he once was called “the friend of the hounds of hell”… can it?
John Dee published a diary and several autobiographical writings; he was a recognized authority in the field of mathematics and the Greek and Latin authors, and the first to translate the Theorem of Euclid in English. He was very interested in the art of navigation, designed the basic idea for the meridian of Greenwich, proposed a strategy for the colonization of America and did research on optical techniques. His knowledge of astronomy led to a reform of the calendar. He was the astrologer of Queen Elizabeth I, and as a philosopher and a physicist he also studied of course alchemy, this noble art of turning base metals into precious metals. Some said he even was on an endless quest to find the potion that would give him and his clients eternal youth.
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John Dee was born in 1527. He was barely fifteen when he was admitted to the University of Cambridge. As a brilliant student, he usually worked 18 hours a day. He was nineteen when he designed for a theatre performance of a work by the Greek author Aristophanes an ingenious flying machine in the form of a beetle, that created some panic among the spectators. It was said that such an unidentified flying object could only have been created by means of black art, by a friend of the hell hounds. This accusation would weigh heavily on the further career of the young magician, who was excluded from the university.
In 1547, John Dee taught geography at the University of Louvain in Flanders. It seems that Mercator provided him with a globe and a bunch of navigational instruments. The young “Doctor Dee” already had the reputation of being a political and industrial spy, who worked in the service of the English crown. His occult practices would only have been a cover for his espionage work, as was also said of that other famous astrologer, Nostradamus.
John Dee was, indeed, often forced into politics. A Protestant by conviction, he was constantly threatened to be crushed between the Catholic and Protestant powers that ravished England. The Catholic Queen Mary imprisoned her half-sister Elizabeth in the castle of Woodstock, because of her Protestant sympathies. Elizabeth was afraid she would be poisoned. Coincidentally, her maid was a cousin of Dee. With the maid as an intermediary, Dee made a carefully optimistic astrological prediction for Elizabeth, saying that the situation was critical, but her life was not in danger. There even was a chance that one day she would become the Queen of England.
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Ive read 1/4 of this before and to read it again with more details is amazing!
Another fascinating tale of a historical character shrouded in mystery.
Really neat article, I will have to reasearch this fellow more.
“What could he desire more? Occasionally, he was even visited, in secret, by Queen Elizabeth!” I laughed here. Last I heard, that was the last thing most men of the era wanted.
You know, for a bit, I thought Dee was another identity of Christopher Marlowe. All the spy and occult stuff made me wonder. I guess those folks were really in love with demons.
Typo: “Nor Kelley seems tot have been present at that time in the laboratory.” Speaks for itself.
“Anyway, the polished and anthracite-like crystal “mirror” will later come in the possession of Horace Walpole, the famous writer of horror novels, in the best romantic tradition.” I’m going to correct you here based off of my one Walpole reading of the Castle of Otranto; Horace Walpole may have incorporated a few Romantic concepts, but he was a Gothic writer.
By the way, if I can get to it soon enough, you’re article may have just inspired me to write a short fict. Thanks for the read.
@Chris Marlowe II: Is this an alternate reality game or something?
@Addison Taylor: Thank you for the comments. You’re right, Horace Walpole was a Gothic Writer… but that’s also something like “romantic horror”, isn’t it? Let’s call him a gothorromantic!… Dee and Marlowe indeed were playing in the same league; Chris Marlowe II also seems to be pointing in that direction. Part two of the article, Doctor Dee & His Mirror of Magick (http://hubpages.com/hub/Doctor-Dee-and-His-Mirror-of-Magick) contains a video where they are suggesting the same.
‘Chris Marlowe II’, I think, is actually an author banned by Triond for malicious comments on other authors works, judging by his style of writing. I cannot actually remember his name.
Triond can remove an authors material but are unable to stop somebody creating a persona on Triond to leave comments. This patricular guy saw what was coming and claims that he removed his own material. (If it is him)
There is always some discussions in the Forums about “Trolls” Some people like to tackle them head-on, others believe that you do not “feed” the Trolls by acknowledging them.
However I would also offer that the reference in the comment to the person named after a French hotel could refer to an earlier game set by our very own Flemish f(r)iend! Could this be a contrived battle set upon his own Fields of Flanders?
Is there also relevance in the reference to mirrors?
As my grandmother used to tell my own mother:
“Beware of mirrors. Look in one long enough and you will eventually see the devil.”
Hi C Jordan and Patrick, once again I see that Chris has struck again. He idly hides behind his exploits and attack the innocent, although one would be smart to look the other way instead of savoring his words. He leaves cryptic clues, like a game of reality, although it lacks something.
You make history fascinating and intriguing. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
Another magical but unfortunate personality in the annals of history.
Another very interesting history. All this is very intriguing!
Thank you Patrick.
Dear Lauren,
Since you’re one of my favorite authors, I will forgive you – and I will forgive the nasty things you have said here about me too.
In fact, I’m preparing an article on your work and that of some other favorite authors of mine. I’m fascinated, just like you, by serial killers. Hey, maybe I’m one myself! Or you? Who knows! (*)
Yours Truly,
Chris Marlowe II
(*) Just joking, of course. Yeah, I’m a real Jack Nicholson kind of a Joker!
Nice article as always Patrick, cannot wait to find out who this Chris Marlowe II is….I went to his profile page and he talks of you there also plus I noticed he also left you a comment on your hub pages. This person sure seems to get around.
Mm, Chris to imply that I, the angel of triond, would even have the evil tendencies to strike a person dead it both strange, yet oddly exciting. Yes, we all have the power to end life, but isn’t that what history was all about. That’s why the strange obsession with serial killers. They were both cunning and brilliant, crazy and crafty, and they actually made their desires a reality.
I’m sure, given the circumstances, let’s say perhaps the end of the world, would you not fight to protect yourself?
After being gone for a spell (due to illness) I see you are up to some excellent writing. I can see I’m going to have to do some catching up. So, Mr. Dee was visited by the Queen, eh? So much for being the “virgin” Queen..lol.. I once remember reading as a child that Dee was considered a sorcerer because of his dealings with the occult. But nevertheless, I always thought he was intriguing. 
Take care Patrick.
I am not sure if I am more intrigued by the article or the appearance of Chris Marlowe too.
I am reading Lauren’s article in parallel with the Whodunnit … most intriguing, all of it.
This important information, is not only powerful, but very true. Great details provided also.
Good article.
Very cool article as usual! I have blogged this on http://www.webphemera.com
