27 Mar.

TO SALUTE A STRANGE KING, 1584

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Wednesday, mane circa horam 9. Praga:. E.K. came to me and asked me the Circle or copy thereof which was showed to him at Oxford,? and he had written out or described it by the light that was showed to him by the spiritual creature. He intended as he said to show it to a Jesuit, and to ask his counsel of it, &c., having a great misliking of our spiritual friends, saying that they were the great devils; and so the lesser that he dealt withal before, gave place unto them, &c. Hereupon I told him I would ask our friends' counsel before I delivered anything of theirs to their enemy, &c. He would presently have it, and with great threats most terrible and dangerous to me, he willed me to deliver it straightways. I, being occupied with writing a letter to the Queen's Mary, said as soon as I had leisure I would give it him. He said he would tarry my leisure. I told him that would scarce be this seven-night, I had so many letters to write. He thereupon grew in such a rage that he said I should not pass one foot beyond him before I did deliver it him. At length he rose to shut the door of the study upon me. I arose and went after him and took him by the shoulders to keep him from the door, and withal called aloud to my folks: 'Come here (how) here is violence offered unto me.' Whereupon they came in all, and my wife, and so afterward by degrees his fury assuaged, and my folks, my wife and his, went away. And after he had sitten two or three hours with me, he saw on my head, as I sat writing, Michael stand with a sword, and willed him to speak, which he did forbear to do above a quarter of an hour, as E.K. said. At length he spake as followeth. E.K.: 'Here appeareth Michael on your head, and hath bid me divers times to speak to you.' 1 disposed myself to write, and Michael bade bring the Stone. MICHAEL: 'Poland is waiting for you, and he who IS has led the way.' 6: 'As concerning my health helping, may 1 stay here yet eight days, and then make speed to be going towards Poland, as was prescribed to me?' MICHAEL: 'I can yield seven days unto you. The eighth day hence 1 will be in Cracovia. 1 have told thee plainly.' 6: 'I beseech you not to be offended if 1 ask the cause of the Lord Laski his long silence.' He stayed long. E.K.: 'Why do you not speak now?' MICHAEL: 'Behold, he hath said with himself (and those that are wicked have whispered unto him), "Surely it seemeth that they despise me," and obstinately (because he hath not received letters from you) he useth this silence.' E.K.: 'He is gone, and went away mounting upward, &c.'