TO THE PRINTER,

WILLIAM SILVIUS:

JOHN DEE OF LONDON,

Decorative woodcut initial letter 'V' featuring intricate floral motifs and foliage within a square frame.

YOU SEE, my friend, most excellent William, how uniquely dear and most distinguished I hold the virtues of the most illustrious King MAXIMILIAN: To whom, from the caskets of my heart original: "Scrinijs." A scrinium was a cylindrical box or chest used for storing scrolls or papers. Dee uses it metaphorically for the storehouse of his intellect., I communicate rare and most excellent secrets Arcana original: "Arcana," meaning hidden or secret knowledge.: And for that reason, I have taken care that they be communicated to him, so that many more throughout the world might be able to enjoy these same things through your diligence and reliability. This is partly in his honor, on account of his exceptional and royal virtues, and partly so that others may take an example from him: a man who is able both most wisely to attend to the royal governance of kingdoms and yet also learn in abundance the stupendous Mysteries of philosophers and sages.

There are, therefore, two things for which I must especially pray of you: One, that everywhere you imitate (as much as you can) my accurate diligence in the variety of letters, points, lines, diagrams, schemes, numbers, and other details: Lest this very same body which I have brought forth (by GOD'S WILL) well-formed in every part, should emerge into the light either mutilated or deformed through the negligence of typography: in-