Nov. 25th, the Lord Clinton cam to me and offred Skirbeck by Boston for Long Lednam. Nov. 29th, I receyved a letter from Mr. Thomas Jones. Dec. 9th, Guvf avtg zv jvs qerzvq gung bar xnz gb ure naq gbhpurq ure, fnlvat, "Zvfgerf Qrr, lbh ne pbaprvirq bs puvyq, jubf anzr zhfg or Mnpunevnf; or bs thq purer, ur funy qb jry nf guvf qbgu!"[n] Dec. 22nd, I payd Jane 13_s._ and 4_d._ for her wagys tyll Michelmas last, for the half yere, so that I owe her yet 6_s._ 8_d._ Dec. 28th, I reveled to Roger Coke[o] the gret secret of the elixir of the salt of nprgryf bar hccba n uhaqerq.
[Footnote n: Dee has occasionally made use of Greek letters for the preservation of his notes, still retaining the English language. The present passage may as well be given:-- "This night my wife dreamed that one cam to her and touched her, saying, 'Mistres Dee, you are conceived of child, whose name must be Zacharias; be of good chere, he sal do well as this doth!'"]
[Transcriber's Note: See Transliteration Key at end of text.]
[Footnote o: In a more appropriate place I shall give from an Ashmolean manuscript a traditionary anecdote relating to this Roger Coke, or Cooke, and the great secret which Dee revealed to him.]
1580. Jan. 13th, I gave my wife mony for the month. Jan. 16th, Arthur fell sick, stuffed with cold fleym, could not slepe, had no stomach to eat or drink as he had done before. Feb. 26th, this night the fyre all in flame cam into my maydens chamber agayne, betwene an eleven and twelve of the cloke; contynued half an howr terribly, so it did a yere before to the same maydens, Mary Cunstable and Jane Gele. May 17th, at the Moscovy howse for the Cathay voyage. June 3rd, Mr. A. Gilbert and J. Davys rod homward into Devonshire. June 7th, Mr. Skydmor and his wife lay at my howse and Mr. Skydmor's dowghter, and the Quene's dwarf Mrs. Tomasin. June 8th, my wife went with Mistres Skydmor to the court. June 12th, Mr. Zackinson and Mr. Cater lay at my howse, having supped at my Lady Crofts. June 14th, Mr. Fosku of the Wardrip lay at my howse, and went the next day to London with Mr. Coweller. July 15th, the Lady Croft went from Mortlak to the court at Otlands. June 30th, payd Jane 20_s._ for thre quarters' wages, so that all that is due is payd, and all other recknengs likewise is payd her 6_s._ 8_d._; and Mary Constable was payd all old reknings 15_s._, and my wife had eleven pounds to dischardge all for thirteen wekes next, that is, till the 5th of November: I delivered Mr. Williams, the person of Tendring, a lettre of atturney agaynst one White of Colchester, for a sklaundre.