John Dee

“ XI. That the Funds of the Society shall be disbursed in payment of necessary expenses incident to the production of the Works of the Society, and that all other expenses shall be avoided as much as possible.
XII. That, after the Members of the Society shall have reached One 12 Thousand Two Hundred, vacancies in that number shall be filled up by the Council, from time to time as they occur.
XIII. That every Member not in arrear of his Annual Subscription, shall be entitled to One Copy of every Work published by the Society during that year. ”

“ A Point, by his motion, produceth, Mathematically, a line: (as we sayd before) which is the first kinde of Magnitudes, and most simple: An Vnit, can not produce any number. A Line, though it be produced of a Point moued, yet, it doth not consist of pointes: Number, though it be not produced of an Vnit, yet doth it Consist of vnits, as a materiall cause. But formally, Number. Number, is the Vnion, and Vnitie of Vnits. Which vnyting and knitting, is the workemanship of our minde: which, of distinct and discrete Vnits, maketh a Number: by vniformitie, resulting of a certaine multitude of Vnits. ”

“ To diffuse a knowledge of 6 the existence and objects of the Society tends, not merely to promote its welfare, but also to carry out the purpose for which it was established, by directing the attention of the possessors of MSS. to those collections in which there yet exist, unpublished, inestimable papers which this Society would be ready and willing to make available. ”

“ Oh, that men wist, what proffit, (all maner of wayes) by this Arte might grow, to the hable examiner, and diligent practiser. “Thou onely, knowest all thinges precisely (O God) who hast made weight and Balance, thy Iudgement: who hast created all thinges in Number, Waight, and Measure: and hast wayed the mountaines and hils in a Balance: who hast peysed in thy hand, both Heauen and earth. ”

“ Nichols have continued to the Council the same attentions, and have rendered them the same valuable and gratuitous assistance in the general management of the affairs of the Society, which they have given from its Institution. Nothing can be more honourable to Messrs. Nichols, or more advantageous to the Society; and the Council are assured, that it is only necessary for them to state the fact to the Members, in order to its being duly appreciated. ”

“ Ah, what a miserable thing, is this kinde of Men? How great is the blindnes & boldnes, of the Multitude, in thinges aboue their Capacitie? What a Land: what a People: what Maners: what Times are these? Are they become Deuils, them selues: and, by false witnesse bearing against their Neighbour, would they also, become Murderers? Doth God, so long geue them respite, to reclaime them selues in, from this horrible slaundering of the giltlesse: contrary to their owne Consciences: and yet will they not cease? ”

“ XIX. That every Member of the Society who shall intimate to the Council his desire to withdraw from the same, or who shall not pay his Subscription for the current year within three Months after his Election, or after such Subscription shall have become due, shall thereupon cease to be a Member of the Society.
XX. That the Council may appoint Local Secretaries in such places, and with such authorities as to them shall seem expedient; every Local Secretary being a Member of the Society. ”

“ A long magnitude, we terme a Line. A Line is neither thicke nor broade, but onely long: Euery certayne Line, hath two endes: A point. The endes of a line, are Pointes called. A Point, is a thing Mathematicall, indiuisible, which may haue a certayne determined situation.” If a Poynt moue from a determined situation, the way wherein it moued, is also a Line: mathematically produced, whereupon, of the auncient Mathematiciens, A Line. a Line is called the race or course of a Point. ”

“ The passage to which Dee alludes is as follows:— “a man to be curstly affrayed of his owne shadow; yea, so much to feare, that if you, being alone nere a certaine glasse, and proffer, with dagger or sword, to foyne at the glasse, you shall suddenly be moved to give backe (in maner) by reason of an image appearing in the ayre betwene you and the glasse with like hand, sword, or dagger, and with like quicknes, foyning at your very eye, likewise as you do at the glasse. ”

“ Astronomie, is an Arte Mathematicall, which demonstrateth the distance, magnitudes, and all naturall motions, apparences, and passions propre to the Planets and fixed Sterres: for b.ij any time past, present and to come: in respect of a certaine Horizon, or without respect of any Horizon. By this Arte we are certified of the distance of the Starry Skye, and of eche Planete from the Centre of the Earth: and of the greatnes of any Fixed starre sene, or Planete, in respect of the Earthes greatnes. ”

“ The forthcoming works are fully calculated to maintain, if not to increase, the reputation of the Society, and the Council see no reason to doubt but that the Society may long usefully and prosperously retain its station, and the number of its Members. ”

“ In histories are contained infinite examples of heroicall vertues to be of vs followed, and horrible examples of vices to be of vs eschewed. Many other artes also there are which beautifie the minde of man: but of all other none do more garnishe & beautifie it, then those artes which are called Mathematicall. Unto the knowledge of which no man can attaine, without the perfecte knowledge and instruction of the principles, groundes, and Elementes of Geometrie. But perfectly || to be instructed in them, requireth diligent studie and reading of olde auncient authors. ”

“ Dec. 7th, Jane my wife delivered her supplication to the Quene’s Majestie, as she passed out of the privy garden at Somerset Howse to go to diner to the Savoy to Syr Thomas Henedge. The Lord Admirall toke it of the Quene. Her Majestie toke the bill agayn and kept [it] uppon her cushen; and on the 8th day, by the chief motion of the Lord Admirall, and somwhat of the Lord Buckhurst, the Quene’s wish was to the Lord Archbishop presently that I shuld have Dr. Day his place in Powles. Dec. 22nd, payd seven shillings to Elizabeth Felde, part of her wagis. Given to Lettyce 5s., part of her wagis. ”

“ We account an Vnit, a thing Mathematicall, though it be no Number, and also indiuisible: because, of it, materially, Number doth consist: which, principally, is a thing Mathematicall. Magnitude. Magnitude is a thing Mathematicall, by participation of some likenes of whose nature, any thing is iudged long, broade, or thicke. “A thicke Magnitude we call a Solide, or a Body. What Magnitude so euer, is Solide or Thicke, is also broade, & long. A broade magnitude, we call a Superficies or a Plaine. ”

“ This arrangement will put the Society to a small annual expense, which can very well be afforded, and which the Council are persuaded the Members will think well bestowed, if it has the effect of preserving accuracy in the accounts. The recent arrangements in the Post Office render it easy for country Members to transmit their subscriptions by Post Office orders, which course the Council recommend to be adopted, making the Post Office orders payable to the Treasurer. ”

“ Our Bodyes, we can haue Smaller, then either Arte or Nature can produce any: and Greater also, then all the world can comprehend. Our least Magnitudes, can be diuided into so many partes, as the greatest. As, a Line of an inch long, (with vs) may be diuided into as many partes, as may the diameter of the whole world, from East to West: or any way extended: What priuiledges, aboue all manual Arte, and Natures might, haue our two Sciences Mathematicall? to exhibite, and to deale with thinges of such power, liberty, simplicity, puritie, and perfection? ”

“ By which properties & comparasons of these two, more easily may be described, the state, condition, nature and property of those thinges, which, we before termed of a third being: which, by a peculier name also, are called Thynges Mathematicall. For, these, beyng (in a maner) middle, betwene thinges supernaturall and naturall: are not so absolute and excellent, as thinges supernatural: Nor yet so base and grosse, as things naturall: But are thinges immateriall: and neuerthelesse, by materiall things hable somewhat to be signified. ”

“ Jan. 1st, abowt nine of the clok afternone, Michel, going chilyshly with a sharp stik of eight ynches long and a little wax candell light on the top of it, did fall uppon the playn bords in Marie’s chamber, and the sharp point of the stik entred throwgh the lid of his left ey toward the corner next the nose, and so persed throwgh, insomuch that great abundance of blud cam out under the lid, in the very corner of the sayd eye; the hole on the owtside is not bygger then a pyn’s hed; it was anoynted with St. John’s oyle. The boy slept well. God spede the rest of the cure! ”

“ Architecture, is a Science garnished with many doctrines & diuerse instructions: by whose Iudgement, all workes, by other workmen finished, are Iudged. It followeth. Ea nascitur ex Fabrica, & Ratiocinatione. &c. Ratiocinatio autem est, quæ, res fabricatas, Solertia ac ratione proportionis, demonstrare atque explicare potest. Architecture, groweth of Framing, and Reasoning. &c. Reasoning, is that, which of thinges framed, with forecast, and proportion: can make demonstration, and manifest declaration. ”

“ Aristotle in his Ethikes (to fatch the sede of Iustice, and light of direction, to vse and execute the same) was fayne to fly to the perfection, and power of Numbers: for proportions Arithmeticall and Geometricall. Plato in his booke called Epinomis (which boke, is the Threasury of all his doctrine) where, his purpose is, to seke a Science, which, when a man had it, perfectly: he might seme, and so be, in dede, Wise. He, briefly, of other Sciences discoursing, findeth them, not hable to bring it to passe: But of the Science of Numbers, he sayth. ”

“ John Gwyn, and twelve more in Montgomeryshyre, esquyers. Feb. 17th, delivered to Charles Legh the elder my silver tankard with the cover, all dubble gilt, of the Cowntess of Herford’s gift to Francis her goddoughter, waying 22 oz. great waight, to lay in pawn in his owne name to Robert Welsham the goldsmith for £4 tyll within two dayes after May-day next. My dowghter Katharin and John Crocker and I myself (John Dee) were at the delivery of it and waying of it in my chamber: it was wrapped in a new handkercher cloth. Feb. 25th, Mr. Heton borrowed the Concordantiæ Majores Roberti Stephani. ”

“ The Cutting of a Sphære according to any proportion assigned may by this proposition be done Mechanically by tempering Liquor to a certayne waight in respect of the waight of the Sphære therein Swymming. If any Solide Magnitude, Lighter then a Liquor, be let downe into the same Liquor, the waight of the same Magnitude, will be, to the Waight of the Liquor. (Which is æquall in quantitie to the whole Magnitude,) in that proportion, that the parte, of the Magnitude settled downe, is to the whole Magnitude. ”

“ By this Art, all Cranes, Gybbettes, & Ingines to lift vp, or to force any thing, any maner way, are ordred: and the certaine cause of their force, is knowne: As, the force which one man hath with the Duche waghen Racke: therwith, to set vp agayne, a mighty waghen laden, being ouerthrowne. The force of the Crossebow Racke, is certainly, here, demonstrated. The reason, why one mã, doth with a leauer, lift that, which Sixe men, with their handes onely, could not, so easily do. By this Arte, in our common Cranes in London, where powre is to Crane vp, the waight of 2000. ”

“ Which being multiplied Cubik wise, will sone shew it selfe, whether it be dubble or no, to the Cubik number of your Fundamentall Cube. By lines, thus: As your lesse and first line, (in your hollow Pyramis or Cone,) is to the second or greater, so let the Radical side of your Fundamẽtall Cube, be to a fourth proportionall line, by the 12. proposition, of the sixth boke of Euclide. Which fourth line, shall be the Rote Cubik, or Radicall side of the Cube, dubble to your Fundamentall Cube: which is the thing we desired. God be thanked for this Inuention, & the fruite ensuing. ”

“ I thinke, that none can iustly account them selues Architectes, of the suddeyne. But they onely, who from their childes yeares, ascendyng by these degrees of knowledges, beyng fostered vp with the atteynyng of many Languages and Artes, haue wonne to the high Tabernacle of Architecture. &c. And to whom Nature hath giuen such quicke Circumspection, sharpnes of witt, and Memorie, that they may be very absolutely skillfull in Geometrie, Astronomie, Musike, and the rest of the Artes Mathematicall: d.iiij Such, surmount and passe the callyng, and state, of Architectes: A Mathematicien. ”

“ We may be ashamed to be ignorant of the cause, why so sundry wayes our eye is deceiued, and abused: as, while the eye weeneth a roũd Globe or Sphere (beyng farre of) to be a flat and plaine Circle, and so likewise iudgeth || a plaine Square, to be roũd: supposeth walles parallels, to approche, a farre of: rofe and floure parallels, the one to bend downward, the other to rise vpward, at a little distance from you. Againe, of thinges being in like swiftnes of mouing, to thinke the nerer, to moue faster: and the farder, much slower. ”