in my time unexpectedly.  I had a sister lived in the Minories, in that very house where formerly had lived one Evans, not my tutor, but another far exceeding him in astrology, and all other occult learning, questioned for his life about 1612.  I am sure it was when the present Earl of Manchester’s father was Lord Chief Justice of England.  He was found guilty by a peevish Jury:  but petitioning King James by a Greek petition, as indeed he was an excellent Grecian; ‘By my saul,’ said King James, ’this man shall not die; I think he is a better Grecian than any of my Bishops:’  so his life was spared, &c.  My sister’s master when new modelling the house, broke up a window, under which were Evans’s secret manuscripts,[19] and two moulds in brass; one of a man, the other of a woman.  I bought the moulds and book for five shillings; the secrets were wrote in an imperfect Greek character; but after I found the vowels, all the rest were presently clear enough.

    [Footnote 19:  From these manuscripts he gained his first
    knowledge.]

You see, most worthy Sir, I write freely; it is out of the sincerity of my affection, many things wrote by me having been more fit for a sepulture than a book:  But,

Quo major est virorum praestantium, tui similium inopia; eo mihi charior est, & esse debet & amicitia tua:  quam quidem omnibus officiis, & studiis, quae a summa benevolentia possunt, perpetuo colam:  However, who study the curiosities before-named, if they are not very well versed in astrology, they shall rarely attain their desired ends.  There was, in the late times of troubles, one Mortlack, who pretended unto Speculations, had a crystal, a call of Queen Mab, one of the Queen of Fairies; he deluded many thereby:  at last I was brought into his company; he was desired to make invocation, he did so; nothing appeared, or would:  three or four times in my company he was put upon to do the work, but could not; at last he said he could do nothing as long as I was in presence.  I at last shewed him his error, but left him as I found him, a pretending ignoramus.

I may seem to some to write incredibilia; be it so, but knowing unto whom, and for whose only sake, I do write them, I am much comforted therewith, well knowing you are the most knowing man in these curiosities of any now living in England; and therefore it is my hope, these will be a present well-becoming you to accept.

Praeclara omnia quam difficilia sint, his praesertim temporibus.  (Celeberrime Armiger,) non te fugit; and therefore I will acquaint you with one memorable story related unto me by Mr. John Marr, an excellent mathematican and geometrician, whom I conceive you remember:  he was servant to King James and Charles the First.