5 Sept.

AN AUDIENCE OF THE EMPEROR, 1584

court_patronage,angelic_spiritual

Wednesday, mane circiter horam 8. Praga:. Having finished our prayers, &c.: 'I have to the best of my ability both written and spoken unto Rudolph, as I was willed. How it worketh or taketh place in his heart is known to thee, 0 God, &c. 'Now I am to receive farther instructions, what is to be done in this cause, or else whatsoever shall please the Highest, &c.' E.K.: 'Now here is Uriel, and a black thing like a sarcenet of silk before his face, and over his head behind; by the rest of his garments it seemeth to be Uriel.' Note, Uriel his face now not seen of the eye which had highly offended God. URIEL: 'Such as defile the seat of the soul, and are suffocated with drunkenness, enter not into the Kingdom of Heaven, neither can behold the ornaments of the Lord his beauty. See, how Satan, how he runneth headlong about and through you.' E.K. had on Sunday last been marvellously drunk, &c. E.K.: 'He speaketh other words between, which I understand not.': 'Almighty, most just judge, have mercy upon us, and purify our hearts and consciences, granting us humble contrition, and sincere confession of our transgressions and iniquities whatsoever. Amen.' While I was thus requesting God, E.K. made a vow of penance, during his life (in token of hearty sorrowfulness for his fault in this day's Action noted), never to eat his supper or evening meal on Saturdays during his life: wherein I beseech the Highest to regard his inward intent and his continual memory of the Lord his mercies, in sparing him when he most had offended him. Note. The morning of this Wednesday (before I prepared myself for the former Action) I sent Emericus with two letters to be delivered: the one to the Spanish Ambassador (giving him thanks for his honourable dealing with the Emperor's Majesty in my behalf), and the other to the Noble