LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 21 



grees sowtherly of the said river mowth : or els, that you 

 shall trend about the very northen and most easterly poynt 

 of all Asia, passing by the province Ania, and then in the la- 

 titude of 46, keping still the land in vewe on your right hand 

 (as nere as you may with safety) you may enter into Quinsay 

 haven, being the chief city in the northen China, as I terme 

 yt, for distinction sake, from the other better known. 



And in, or about eyther, or both of these two warme places, 

 you may (to great good purpose) be occupyed the whole 

 wynter after your aryvall in those quarters : as, sometyme by 

 sea, sometyme in notable fresh ryvers, sometymes in discrete 

 vew, and noting down the situation of cities within land, &c.: 

 and ever assaying to come by some chartes, or maps, of the 

 cuntry, made and printed in Cathay or China ; and by some 

 of their bookes likewise, for language, &c. 



You may have opportunity allso to sayle over to Japan 

 Hand, where you shall fynde Christen men, Jesuites of many 

 cuntries of Christendom, and perhaps some Englishemen ; 

 at whose hands you may have great instruction and advise 

 for our affayres in hand. God be favorable to these attempts, 

 greatly tending to his glory, and the great honour of this 

 kingdome ! Amen*. 



Anno 1580. A. Maij. 35. 



By me JOHN DEE. 



STEPHEN POWLE TO MR. WEST. 



[MS. Lansd. No. 100. Art. 19.] 



The coppie of my letter to Mr. West whearin is the tower 

 and fabricke of the horologe in Strasbourg described. 



Right worshipfull Sir, and my moste especiall good frend ; 

 Whereas it pleased you in your letter dated the 8. of No- 

 vember, moste courteously to request that of me which your 

 manifowld desertes of right might have commaunded, I have 

 endeavored, accordinge to the utmoste of my power, which 

 doth shewe the smalnes of my skill, to satisfie your request 

 therein, and have noted the particular poinctes of the tower 

 and clocke of Strasbourge ; wherein, because I finde many 

 thinges farr to exceed the reporte, therefore I feare to under- 

 take this bould enterprice, to send them put downe in wri- 

 tinge. For as Allexander, which was the only monarch was 



* Among the Harleian charters, EE. xix., is " the counterfet of Mr. Fernando 

 Simon his sea charte, whiche he lent unto my master at Mortlake, anno 1580." 

 In the same collection, EE. xvii., is Dr. Dee's own chart. 



