PREFACE TO THE KING

In the year 1557, in the Mirror of Unity or Apology for Roger Bacon, the Englishman. original: In Speculo Vnitatis sine Apologia pro Rogero Bachone Anglo. Dee refers to a work he wrote years earlier defending the 13th-century scientist Roger Bacon against charges of magic.

...most [gratefully] The Latin text completes the word gratissimum from the previous page.: we have previously argued in an apologetic manner. But such great mysteries concerning these things are certain to me, which have their most solid foundations (both of that art of Grammar Dee uses "Grammar" here not just as language rules, but as a "Sacred Grammar" or "Kabbalah" where letters and shapes reveal hidden truths about reality., and of those mysteries which are drawn out with its help) laid in the Holy Scriptures of ALMIGHTY GOD; foundations so great that I could not explain them in a large book, nor does this place, for now, seem to require it. Nor should you wonder, O Illustrious King of the Romans, that I now mention in passing that alphabetic writing contains great mysteries: (Since HE who alone is the Author of all mysteries, compared HIMSELF to the First and Last Letter. A reference to Revelation 1:8: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending." (Which is to be understood not only in the Greek language: but can be demonstrated in various ways through this art, both in Hebrew and in Latin.) O, how great, then, must be the mysteries of the intermediate letters? And it is no wonder that this is so established in letters: since all things, both visible and INVISIBLE, manifest and most occult (whether by Nature or by Art), emanating from God himself, are to be surveyed by us with the most diligent search, for the sake of preaching and celebrating His GOODNESS, WISDOM, and POWER. Hence, Paul taught that the HUMAN RACE is without any excuse;

To the Romans, chapter 1. Specifically Romans 1:20, which argues that God's nature is visible through His creations.

Even if they had no other written monument concerning these things, than that which is carved into all creatures from CREATION by the very Finger of GOD. But, I am not doing this now so curiously that I would wish to demand these things from all grammarians: but rather [I address] those who labor to draw out the hidden mysteries of things: since we [wish] to make them witnesses that [there is] a certain RARE thing of this kind (from our [work]...