JOiiy DEE. 
BW5 
vet marks of genius appear in his works. They are slight, and exe- 
cuted with the graver alone; but in an open careless style, so as 
greatly to resemble designs made with a pen. He was ekablished 
at Haarlem, and there pursuing his favourite studies in literature, he 
learned Latin, and was made secretary to that town, from whence he 
was sent several times as ambassador to the prince of Orange, to 
whom he addressed a famous manifesto, which that prince published 
in 1560. Had he stopped here, it had been \vell, but he undertook 
an argument as dangerous as it was absurd. He maintained that 
all religions communions were corrupted ; and that, without a super- 
natural mission, accompanied with miracles, no person had a right to 
administer in any religious office. He therefore pronounced that man 
to be unworthy the name of a Christian, who would enter any place 
of public worship. He shewed the sincerity of his belief by his prac- 
tice, for he W'Guld not communicate with either Protestant or Papist. 
His works were published in three vols. folio, in 1630 ; and though 
several times imprisoned, and at last sentenced to banishment, yet 
he did not alter his sentiment. He died at Dergoude in 1590, aged 
68. He worked conjointly with the Galies and other artists, from 
the designs of Martin Hemskirck. The subjects are from the Old and 
New Testament, and consist chiefly of niiddling-.sized plates length- 
wise. He also engraved several subjects from Francis Floris. 
John Dee. 
This singular character was a great mathematician, and greater 
enthusiast ; the son of Rowland Dee, gentleman sewer to Henry VIII. 
and grandson to Bedo Dee, standard-bearer to lord de Ferrars at the 
battle of Tournay : he was born at London, July 13, 1527 ; and after 
some time spent at school there, and at Chelmsford in Essex, w'as 
sent to John’s college in Cambridge, where he informs us of his pro- 
gress in the following words : “ Anno 1542, I was sent by my father, 
Rowland Dee, to the university of Cambri(;lge, there to begin with 
logic, and so to proceed in the learning of the good arts and sciences ; 
for I had before been meetly well furnished with understanding in the 
Latin tongue, I being then somewhat above fifteen years old. In the 
years 1543, 1544, 1545, I was so vehemently bent to study, that for 
those years 1 did inviolably keep this order, — only to sleep four hours 
every night ; to allow to meat and drink, and some refreshing after, 
two hours every day ; and of the other eighteen hours, all, except the 
time of going to and being at divine service, was spent in my studies 
and learning.” 
In 1547 he went into the Low Countries, on purpose to converse 
with Frisius, Mercator, &c. and other learned men, particularly ma- 
thematicians ; and in about eight months after, returned to Cambridge, 
.where, upon the founding of Trinity college by Henry VIII. he was 
chosen one of the fellow's, but his bias was to the study of mathe- 
matics and astronomy. He brought over with him from the Low 
Countries several instruments made by the direction of Frisius, toge- 
ther with a pair of large globes, made by Mercator : and his repu- 
tation was very high. His assiduity, however, in making astronomi- 
cal observations, (in those days always understood to be connected with 
