Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Aug 25, 2020 1:02:50 GMT -5
Flow of Consciousness: History Edition
Welcome to the new and fancier edition of "Flow of Consciousness: History Edition." Previously, this was just a mind-dump. Now it's a mind-dump with a heading. That makes it better.
So, anyway, this topic is about Arthur Dee. He is a historical figure, son of the Magnus John Dee. He also has very few sources about him.
Why am I researching him? Because, long story short, I'm writing a historical fiction-fantasy story about him. The story is called What's Normal Here?. It takes place between 1599 and 1604, recording a scrap of Arthur's life that is mostly undocumented by history. There's a lot of things I'm researching to try and do both the character justice and incorporate a logical system to make alchemy work in a fantastical sense. It's a very long process, but in the mean time, I am working on developing the historical context and occurrences in his life. My hope isn't to change anything, just to add some fantasy twists and fill in blanks.
But I like talking into the void about what I find and from experience I've found people are entertained by the majorly entertaining life that this Elizabethan alchemist lived.
So welcome to my stupid stream of consciousness, where I'm just going to end up typing things randomly that I find into the chat as I go on wild tangents about who this man was, who were the people surrounding him, and maybe touch on the historical fiction novel that I'm slowly plotting out if it ever turns up.
Here's a bit of a summary that might get you started:
Arthur Dee is the son of a well known alchemist John Dee. He was also mildly well-known at the time for being an alchemist and doctor, but due to the Fire of London most of his records were lost from roughly between the ages of 8 and 60. The stuff we have between those ages are very, very sparse and incomplete. For example, we know he went to school at Westminster, but there is no records of him while he is there or even if he graduated. We know he went to college, but then we assume he dropped out, because records stop. We do not know where he got his college degree. This caused him problems for about eight years, because he started practicing medicine without a degree and the College of Physicians got on his case. The wikipedia page is incorrect and we do know the outcome of this case, if this source is accurate: www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/dee-arthur. He was suspended from being allowed to practice for a couple years, but then his family name allowed him out of thesituation. A college gave him an honorary degree - which might be what allowed him to start officially practicing. Records stop here. We know he got married, sources aren't sure exactly when. We know he had children. Sources debate exactly when. Then records pick up (ish) again, when he is recommended by the ruling London family to work with the current tsar of Russia. Finally we start getting personal records again - letters and a scattering of juicy court cases - but like most things, the records were shipped back to London where, you guessed it, the London Fire got them. So in the case of, say, Glover v Dee, we don't know what happened. While in Russia he continued his practice as a doctor and an alchemist. He wrote a book, but couldn't publish it in Russia so published it in Paris instead. He ended up in a brief court case as a witness - the case was regarding a traitor to Russia. The person got off, but was suspended from his job. Arthur was his friend. Arthur's daughter marries a man called Frances Glover on Christmas. A couple months later, Arthur throws a knife at him during an argument. It misses. Time skip after Moscow burns in several fires, including Arthur's house and artifact collection. We're having a rough time. Then we have a rougher time. Frances Glover gets sick. Arthur "treats" him. Then cue final court case in Russia. Cradocke v Glover/Dee. This has to do with the fact that they are accusing Arthur of murdering his own son-in-law. Aaaaaaaaaaand he may have done it or he may not of. No one knows, particularly considering part of that trial was //drum roll/ burned in the London Fire. Then Arthur's wife died. He leaves Russia. He starts working as a doctor to Charles the First. Sources stop. Sources start and Arthur is now retired/slightly practicing in retirement. He sort of lives with or lives near Sir Thomas Browne for a while and shares pretty much everything with him, from personal life story, to interests, to personal belongs. They're [insert slew of adjectives because historians don't want to comment on their relationship, but the string of adjectives and the fact they keep saying they wont speculate makes me suspicious] friends. Arthur's daughter dies in childbirth. Equally, there is yet another other partial case, which picks up in England now and it's about the fact that Glover's old boss was also the holder of all his money. And he wouldn't let Arthur's daughter have any of it. So they tried to get the money back. We don't know what happened. Arthur's plans for another trip with a "Hans Hanyar" but Hans Hanyar dies, so he can't. Then Arthur dies. Leaves in his will stuff to 3 daughters, 3 sons, 1 servant, and then roughly everything else went to Thomas Browne. The end.
Wait, psyche, they also can't agree on when he died! So that's there too! XD
Wait, psyche, they also can't agree on when he died! So that's there too! XD
And here's his wiki page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Dee It's really nothing very special. Most of it is just barebones of his history, with all the exciting bits removed.
Timeline
Excuse any old English. I occasionally supply best-guess current English "translations." So actually if anyone noticed I miss-listed a translation or assumed something incorrectly, please say!
Key:
1579: Born at Mortlake in that county on 13 July 1579 (“Mr. Arthur Dee’s birth was accompanied by the unhappy accident of the death of Mr. Fromonds, his mother’s father, who died that morning.” —MS. Ashm. 1790, fol. 63.)
Was christened on the 16th of July, got a fever at about 6 months in Jan. 16th 1580. Because that's 100% important for me to list.
1582: (3) July 3rd, hor. 12¼, Arthur Dee fell from the top of the Water-gate Stayres down to the fote from the top, and cut his forhed on the right eyebrow.
December 19, 1586, John Dee writes:
19 Dec. On the 19th day (by the new calendar), to
please Master Edward Garland[1] (who had been sent
as a messenger from the Emperor of Muscovy to ask
me to come to him, etc) and his brother Francis, E.K. made a public demonstration of the philosophers’ stone in the proportion of one grain (no bigger than the least grain of sand) to 1 oz and a ¼ of common and almost 1 oz of the best gold was produced. When we had weighed the gold, we divided it up and gave the crucible to Edward at the same time.[
1587: (see above note) Dr. Arthur Dee was a young man (aged 8) when he saw this projection made in Bohemia, but he was so inflamed therewith that he fell early upon that study, and read not much all his life but books of that subject; and two years before his death, contracted with one Hunniades, or Hans Hanyar, in London, to be his operator.
July 19th, (just 8) a certayn kinde of recommendation between our wives. Next day saw relenting of E. K. also by my Lord’s entrety.
Sept. 1st, Tuesday morning, covenanted with John Basset to teach the children the Latyn tong, and I do give him seven duckats by the quarter, and the term to begyne this day; and so I gave him presently seven duckatts Hungary, in gold, before my wife. God spede his work!
1588 (age 9): Aug. 5th, after dynner the little boy, sonne to the Captayn of Rhaudnitz, hurt Arthur’s nose with a raser, not in anger but by chance wantonly.
Aug. 27th, John Basset (so namyng himself) otherwise truely named Edward Whitlok, under pretence of going to Budweiss to buy cullors and so to return agayn, did convey himselfe from my servyce of teaching Arthur grammer.
1589: (10)
1590: (11)
1591 (age 12): June 27th (11), Arthur wownded on his hed by his own wanton throwing of a brik-bat upright, and not well avoyding the fall of it agayn, at Mr. Harberts abowt sonn-setting. The half-brik weighed 2½ lb.
1592:
Jan 9th, (12) Arthur fell into a quotidian jentle ague at 9 of the clok in the morning as he was at the servyce in the hall.
March 18th, (12) Arthur and Katharine were let blood at London by Doctor Dodding’s consoling.
May 3rd, (12) Wensday, at 10 of the clok Arthur was put to Westmynster Schole under Mr. Grant and Mr. Camden.
Dec. 24th to 31st, (13) at Mr. Lurensey of Tooting all these days, and Newyere’s Day allso, and so cam home by coach (as we went) by Tuesday none, I, my wyfe, Arthur, Kate, &c.
1594:
July 13th, (15) Michael (brother) died on John Dee and Arthur Dee's birthday.
1597:
Nov. 7th, (18) Paulo post nonam mane Arthur’s left eye hurt at playing at fence with rapier and dagger of sticks, by a foyne of Edmond Arnold.
1598: (19)
1599: (20)
1600. June 10th (20), set out from London. Jun. 18th, I, my wife, Arthur Rowland, Mistres Marie Nicols, and Mr. Richard Arnold cam to Manchester.
Dec. 2nd (21), colledg awdit. Allowed my due of £7 yerely for my howse-rent tyll Michelmas last. Arthur Dee a graunt of the chapter clerkship from Owen Hodges, to be had yf £6 wer payd to him for his patent. (Arthur Dee was granted the chapter clerkship, given by/originally owned(?) by Owen Hodges, ... ?????????) (Edited note: I think this may be him getting admitted into a school now, but I'm not sure.)
1601. Jan. 19th, borrowed of Adam Holland of Newton £5 till Hilary day, uppon a silver salt dubble gilt with a cover, waying 14 oz. Feb. 2nd, Roger Cook his supposed plat laying to my discredit was by Arthur my sone fownd by chaunce in a box of his papers in his own handwriting circa meridiem, and after none abowt 1½ browght to my knowledg face to face. O Deus, libera nos a malo! All was mistaken, and we reconcyled godly.
Feb. 10th to 15th, reconciliation betwene us, and I did declare to my wife, Katharine my dowghter, Arthur and Rowland, how things wer thus taken.
AT SOME POINT that year, Theodore (brother) died.
1602 (?): (23) Married Isabella Prestwych (Prestech)
1603: April 4th Margaret Dee born
1604: (25)
March (24), Jane (mother), Madinia (sister), Frances (sister), and Margaret (sister) die of bubonic plague.
1605: March 31st Jane Dee born
1606: July 24th John Dee is born (either born dead or is born and dies)
1608: March 16th Arthur Dee jr. born
December John Dee die - maybe
"Probably some time after 1605, Dee returned to Mortlake with his surviving daughter, Katherine (Arthur had married in 1602), and resumed the angelic actions with Bartholomew Hickman as skryer. An action appended to the True & Faithful Relation is dated 9 July 1607, and reveals that he was contemplating another foreign journey, and that he intended, or perhaps had been persuaded, to make Pontois his heir. Dee is traditionally said to have died at Mortlake in December 1608, but Pontois, who inherited Maginus's Ephemerides with the other books, noted against the date 26 March 1609 a death's head and 'Jno D hor.3.a.m.'. This is confirmed by a note of Anthony Wood to Ashmole that Dee had died in Bishopsgate Street, where Pontois lived. 1609 is also the date given in a letter from Arthur Dee. Neither Pontois nor another informant of Ashmole, John Aubrey, could find a will, but Aubrey was shown the site of Dee's grave in Mortlake church." mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/DNB/Dee.html
1609 March: John Dee die - maybe
1612: February 24 Maria Dee born
1613: September 8 Rowland Dee born
1614: September 5 Isabel Dee born
1615: October 25 Frances Dee born
1617: August 27th William Dee born
October 27th John Dee (Arthur's brother) was buried at St. Andrew's Undershaft, London
1619: March 30 John Dee jr. born
1620: August 27 Edmund Dee baptised
1621: September 23 Edmund Dee is buried
First commissioned to the Tsar {He started his medical practice in London and continued there until 1621. Though his father
John Dee had brought upon himself the grudge of King James I. which disfavour accompanied him
until the last days of his life, his son enjoyed the full confidence of the same king, so much so that
he rose among the ranks of the courtphysicians.
In 1621 two envoys of Tsar Mihail Fiodorovitsh, Yurij Rodionov and Andrey Kerkerlin,
appeared at the English court and asked the king to send along an experienced and excellent
physician to Moscow. The choice fell upon Arthur Dee, who appeared on a visit of introduction
before the Tsar on 8 September 1621.}
1622: January 15 Anna Dee born
1634: May 26th Francis Glover dies/possibly murdered by Arthur Dee
July 24 Isabella Prestwych (Prestech) dies
1635: Left Russia
although his son Arthur Dee would serve as per-sonal physician to Tsar Michael Romanov between 1621 and 1635
1637: Margaret Ashe/Dee dies
1641: Court case Dee c Craddock between Arthur dee and Frances Glover with Matthew Craddock.
1648 OR 1649: two years before his death, contracted with one Hunniades, or Hans Hanyar, in London, to be his operator. This Hans Hanyar having lived long in London and growing in years, resolved to return into Hungary. He went first to Amsterdam, where he was to remain ten weeks, till Dr. Arthur came to him. The Dr. to my knowledge was serious in this business and had provided all in readiness to go, but suddenly he heard that Hans Hanyar was dead.
1649: After his return to England Arthur Dee acted as court physician to King Charles I. When the
king was executed in 1649 Dr. Arthur Dee thought it better to move to the countryside.
1650: Mostly defunct possible date of death of Arthur Dee, but still cited by some sources.
1651: Some day in September, more accepted assumed date of death of Arthur Dee.
Sources (more interesting to read then the word makes it sound. I added footnotes to complain):
Currently most of this is sourced from here: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19553
Cited also is the letters sent between Sir Thomas Brown and Elias Ashmole concerning Arthur's new found interest in alchemy at age 8 and at age roughly 69 when his friend Hanyar unfortunately died before they could make their trip to Hungary. (Easiest to read is this text from wiki, but I checked it up against the original too: en.wikisource.org/wiki/On_Arthur_Dee
Then some other bits were added in from other articles. For the time being, I'm trying to stick with primary resources, but bet your best shoes that I'll have to move away from those soon. Guess why. Most of Arthur Dee's stuff was burned in the fire of London. And Russia didn't keep very good records that aren't behind a $50 pay wall. I'm certainly trying though. But for perspective, see the death dates. The confusion likely arises from Charlotte Fell Smith, who wrote a conflicting Appendix about the Dee family that lists Arthur's death at two different dates - on the same page. And I've kept that resource. Despite the fact it's confusing. And fairly unreliable. I'm a bit pressed for sources right now. XD
The Queen's Conjuror by Benjamin Woolley
(Really good book that explains things in modern language and with dates that reflect modern dates. 100% would recommend for the complete backstory about John Dee and a really good look at Kelley as well.)
Cited also is the letters sent between Sir Thomas Brown and Elias Ashmole concerning Arthur's new found interest in alchemy at age 8 and at age roughly 69 when his friend Hanyar unfortunately died before they could make their trip to Hungary. (Easiest to read is this text from wiki, but I checked it up against the original too: en.wikisource.org/wiki/On_Arthur_Dee
Then some other bits were added in from other articles. For the time being, I'm trying to stick with primary resources, but bet your best shoes that I'll have to move away from those soon. Guess why. Most of Arthur Dee's stuff was burned in the fire of London. And Russia didn't keep very good records that aren't behind a $50 pay wall. I'm certainly trying though. But for perspective, see the death dates. The confusion likely arises from Charlotte Fell Smith, who wrote a conflicting Appendix about the Dee family that lists Arthur's death at two different dates - on the same page. And I've kept that resource. Despite the fact it's confusing. And fairly unreliable. I'm a bit pressed for sources right now. XD
The Queen's Conjuror by Benjamin Woolley
(Really good book that explains things in modern language and with dates that reflect modern dates. 100% would recommend for the complete backstory about John Dee and a really good look at Kelley as well.)