Other accounts of Edward Kelley's transmutations

---

[Father Backhouse's tale, from Ms. Ashmole 1790, folios 60-61.]

...This Pursevant asking Sir Ed: how he came by this hee tould him this story. That Doctor Dee & hee falling into the Company of an Italian (who was in Orders) at Prague, the Italian asked the Doctor whether he knew that Dee which wrote the Monas Hierogliphica - & and perceiving him to owne it let fall severall words which Doctor Dee tooks no notice of, (to try whether he understood what he pretended to have written) for this Italian was supposed to be the true Author. After walking into the ffields & discourcing further of the power of the Elixir, & other secrets in nature, the Italian tooke up the skirt of his Garment and in the bottome of which was sowed up a litle Glasse that had a black pouder in it, this he opened & tooke a litle twig from a tree & put it into the Glasse & tooke out some of the pouder & touched the barke of the Tree therewith, and immediately the Tree began to wither & and within an hower was wholy blasted; when he had done thus seeing some Swine lye sleeping neere that place, he layd some of the powder upon them, & they presently start up, fell a staggering & soe died, & within a litle space their Bodyes were converted into a kinde of Gelley.

Now by the Way Sir Ed: had observed the Italian to lay some Money under each of the Swine, what he might suppose them to be worth. & when they were come home, Sir Ed: fell to arguing with Dr Dee about what had past, & tould him he did beleive this Italian had the Elixir, & therefore if he would be ruled by him they would goe to the Italian & tell him unlesse he would comunicate some good Secret to them, they would apprehend him upon suspition for being sent from Rome to poyson the Chauncellor of Prague or some other Eminent person. This being concluded on Sir Ed: was to make enquiry after his lodging, & having at length found him out, tells the Italian, that from the high secrets he had shewed them before Dr Dee had an intent to informe the Chauncellor of Prague, that he supposed he was sent to poyson him, or doe some other notable mischeife, which he hearing of could not but (out of that greate affection he bore to him as one that was Master of so eminent secrets part of which he was pleased to let him be wittnes of,) give him notice of this Plot, & wish him to provide for his safety. The Italian apprehended this as a reall truth. & with much thankfulnes tould Sir Ed: he would imediately leave Prague, & if he would follow him to such a place in Polonia, he would there acquaint him with such things as should requite this large favour & if he found him not there yet he would leave a Note where he should come to him.

Sir Ed: upon this goes into Polonia, & there meetes with this Italian, who not only tould him the full & whole of the Secret of the Stone, but also gave him a large quantity of this Powder. /& by this Meanes Sir Ed: Kelley tould this Pursevant he came by it. & this very story this Pursevant tould my Father Bachus [Backhouse], who tould it to me. /& shewed him also the Diamond which he made of a Flint Stone.

From William Lilly's History of his Life and Times.

Dee and Kelly being in the confines of the Emperor's dominions, in a city where resided many English merchants, with whom they had much familiarity, there happened an old Friar to come to Dr. Dee's lodging. Knocking at the door, Dee peeped down the stair. 銭elly,' says he, 奏ell the old man I am not at home.' Kelly did so. The Friar said, 選 will take another time to wait on him.' Some few days after, he came again. Dee ordered Kelly, if it were the same person, to deny him again. He did so; at which the Friar was very angry. 禅ell thy master I came to speak with him and to do him good, because he is a great scholar and famous; but now tell him, he put forth a book, and dedicated it to the Emperor: it is called Monas Hieroglyphicas. He understands it not. I wrote it myself, I came to instruct him therein, and in some other more profound things. Do thou, Kelly, come along with me, I will make thee more famous than thy master Dee.'

Kelly was very apprehensive of what the Friar delivered, and thereupon suddenly retired from Dee, and wholly applied unto the Friar; and of him either had the Elixir ready made, or the perfect method of its preparation and making. The poor Friar lived a very short time after: whether he died a natural death, or was otherwise poisoned or made away by Kelly, the merchant, who related this, did not certainly know.