Sometimes great intelligence goes side by side with equally great credulity. John Dee, the eminent mathematician, geographer and astrologer of the Renaissance, is a prime example. It is believed that having achieved universal recognition, he became carried away by mysticism, believed the clever deceiver who portrayed the voices of the celestials, and, in the end, lost everything. But even if you imagine that John Dee's partner did not tell him a word of lies, did he talk to the angels?
AGENT 007"
John Dee was born in England in 1527, when only a few years were left before the spread of Protestantism in the country. The large-scale anti-Catholic Reformation was already shaking the whole enlightened Europe, and England, of course, was no exception. In 1534, King Henry VIII, wishing to divorce his unloved wife, was refused by the Pope. In anger, Henry accused the Catholic clergy of England of encroaching on the royal power, dissolved all Catholic monasteries and orders, took away church lands and treasury, establishing himself personally as the head of the Anglican Church. The Calvinists, one of the Protestant branches, did not fail to take advantage of this to expand their influence in England. Heinrich fought them as heretics, but not particularly successfully. The new movement captivated Roland Dee - John's father, and then himself.
In 1553, after the death of Henry and his son Edward VI, Mary Tudor ascended the throne, trying to return Catholicism to the country, and with the most severe methods. In the same year, Roland Dee was arrested, quickly renounced the "heresy" and escaped with the confiscation of property. Two years later, John Dee was charged with a more terrible charge - of high treason and black magic. The fact is that twenty-six-year-old Dee was engaged in calculations so complex that in the eyes of society they seemed to be real magic. Fortunately, the genius of mathematics was also a virtuoso master of rhetoric and logic and managed to justify himself twice - first before the court of the Star Chamber, then before the Inquisitor Bonner, who received the nickname "bloody bishop". Dee was released only with a fine, and after that he repeatedly collaborated both with the English Catholic clergy and with Mary Tudor personally. But after the queen's death from a fever in 1558, John Dee instantly established himself at the court of the new queen, Elizabeth I, although she favored the Protestants. There is a plausible theory that Dee originally spied on Mary's court for Elizabeth, and then did the same during his travels in Europe. Moreover, he signed his reports only as "007", which four hundred years later was adopted by Ian Fleming, writing books about James Bond …that four hundred years later Ian Fleming took over, writing books about James Bond …that four hundred years later Ian Fleming took over, writing books about James Bond …
X KNOWLEDGE
Complementing and expanding the book of mathematician Robert Record "Fundamentals of the Arts" and writing his most famous work on "geometric magic" "The Hieroglyphic Monad", John Dee bought a house in Mortlake in 1564 and decided to turn it into an extensive library, and then a full-fledged scientific center … The huge building had enough space for students to live, and for storing scientific instruments, and for the meetings of hermeticists - followers of the occult doctrine of ancient knowledge, and, of course, for the library itself. Dee was never rich, but he had good connections in all walks of life. Over time, his library became, if not the largest in Europe, then in England - for sure. It contained tens of thousands of works on all known sciences, as well as alchemy, hermetic philosophy, and even forbidden magic books. It should be notedthat although word of mouth called the owner of the library in Mothlake "Queen Elizabeth's Merlin," John Dee was always a scholar first and foremost. For example, he was fond of making geographic maps, developed plans for two naval expeditions to the northeast, and made plans for settlements in North America. Dee was also looking for magic - but solely for practical purposes, such as experiments to turn lead into gold. A sharp mind, tempered by a passionate love for mathematics, kept him from mystical temptations … until one fateful day.like experiments to turn lead into gold. A sharp mind, tempered by a passionate love for mathematics, kept him from mystical temptations … until one fateful day.like experiments to turn lead into gold. A sharp mind, tempered by a passionate love for mathematics, kept him from mystical temptations … until one fateful day.
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On May 25, 1581, a shining figure appeared to John Dee, calling himself the angel Uriel. The messenger presented the scientist with an instrument - a perfectly polished piece of black mineral that resembles coal. This "black mirror" was supposed to become a window into the world from where Uriel himself came and through it a mere mortal could talk with angels. The event stunned Dee, plunged him first into delight, and then into despair. After all, no matter how he tried, no matter how he prayed, no matter what spells he used, the charcoal crystal remained mute.
SERVANTS OF THE CRYSTAL
Almost a year after gaining the "black mirror", John Dee met with a certain Edward Kelly, an alchemist and medium. And then a miracle happened - Kelly was able to hear the angelic speech with the help of a mysterious crystal! Or at least reliably convince Dee that he can. Soon they left England together, obeying the instructions of the voices, although both did not particularly want this. Judging by the records left by Dee in his diary, he tried to find out from the voices from the crystal the secrets of the universe, and even immortality, while Kelly was more interested in material goods. The "angels" themselves did not seek to fulfill the wishes of mortals - they only gave vague orders, promising a reward in the future. The mathematician and alchemist together traveled half of Europe, recording the instructions of the voices from the crystal in a special "Enochian language" named after Enoch, the seventh patriarch from Adam. These records then formed the basis of "Enochian magic", adored by occultists around the world. In the 20th century, the "angelic tongue" became the basis … for satanic rituals with the light hand of Anton Sandor LaVey.
Over time, even Kelly suspected the catch in the speeches of the celestials, through whom these very speeches were broadcast. The "angels" ordered to extend their teaching not only to ordinary people, but also to the rulers - in particular, the powerful emperor of Germany Rudolf II and the Polish king Stephen Batory. Although both rulers accepted and listened to John Dee calmly enough, he hesitated a lot before going to Poland. Then the voices went into a rage, cursing the mathematician and his entire family up to the fifth generation, and he had to pray with tears in his eyes so that they would have mercy. Increasingly, the messengers of the "black mirror" hinted that the outcome of the mission would bring "cleansing" for humanity and the coming End of the World. Exhausted, Dee began to feel that he was losing his mind and eventually gave up on the Ouija. He left Kelly in 1588 and decided to return to his homeland.
ADVANCES OF LAST YEARS
John Dee again found himself in his beloved England, but no one was waiting for him there. The house in Mortlake was ransacked, and most of the magnificent library disappeared without a trace. Dee tried to use his old connections at the court to get a decent position, but even Elizabeth herself coolly met her "agent" 007. The work did not go well, everything fell out of hand, respect and fame remained in the past, and at night an evil whisper of voices from a cursed crystal crawled into dreams … In 1605, a plague broke out in Manchester, taking the life of his beloved wife and children - the curse of the "angels" did overtake John Dee. He moved to London, where he died a few years later in absolute poverty and loneliness.
In his youth, John Dee dreamed of universal knowledge, in maturity - about immortality, in old age - about peace … but did not find anything of the desired. One could say that there is a lesson to be learned from this, but why? John Dee in any case appears before us as one of the brightest figures of the Renaissance, a symbol for any seekers of knowledge. Even succumbing to incredible temptation, in the end, he was able to remain himself.
Maxim Filaretov
