TO THE PRINTER,

WILLIAM SILVIUS:

JOHN DEE OF LONDON,

YOU SEE, my friend, excellent William, how uniquely dear and most distinguished I hold the virtues of the most Illustrious King MAXIMILIAN: To whom, from the caskets Scrinijs: Literally chests or boxes for books; Dee uses it here to describe the private "cabinets" of his mind or heart. of my heart, I communicate rare and most excellent secrets. And for that reason, I have taken care that they should be shared with him, so that even more people throughout the world (partly in his honor, on account of his exceptional and royal virtues, and partly so that others may take him as an example: one who can most wisely attend to the royal governance of kingdoms, and yet also learn the stupendous mysteries of philosophers and wise men in abundance)—more people, I say, might be able to enjoy the same through your diligence and faithfulness.

There are, therefore, two things for which I must most earnestly entreat you: First, that everywhere you imitate (as much as you are able) my own accurate care in the variety of letters, points, lines, diagrams, schemes, numbers, and other things. This is so that the very same body which I have brought forth (BY GOD’S WILL) as well-formed in every part, should not come out into the light either mutilated or deformed through the negligence of the printing process; [for it would be] unworthy