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fome of thofe fecrets that he pretends unto by his Bocks. I know fome have thought him innocent, or at leaft, have attempted to justifie him: Some affect fuch things to fhew the'r wit, and think they fhall be thought much wifer then other men, if they contradict received Opinions, though ther van ty and ftrong conceit of their own parts, be the chief, if not onely ground. Learned and Judicious Mater Voffius, hath fhewed himself very willing to think the belt of him and his Bock; yet he gives it over at laft, and rather concludes on the contrary. They that dare defend Apollonius, the greatest upholder of Ethnicilm that ever was, and by moft Heathens accounted either a God, or a Magician, need not ftick at any thing in this kinde: But fay he was, what any man will have of him. (Frithemius we fpeak of, h's Polygraphy, he fet out in his lifetime, dedicated to the then Emperor: He tells the world of the greateft wonders to be done by it, that ever were heard of: All Wifdom and Arts, all Languages, Eloquence, and what not, included in it. But I never heard of any man that could make any thing of it or reaped any benefit in any kinde; which I think is the reafon that his Steganography. ment oned and prom fed in this firft work was fo long after his death before it was Printed: It was expected it would have given fonc light to the firft; but neither of that nor of this latter, could ever any thing, that ever I could hear, be made by any man. I have good ground for what I fay: For befides what others have acknowledged, I finde learned l'iginaire, (who in his old age w sgrown himfelf very Cabaliftical, or it may be had fome dipofition that way, though very learned otherwife, from his natural temper) as inuch grounded in that book, as any man before him: He doth plainly profefs he could make nothing of it: And truly if he could not, that had beftowed fo much time and pains in thofe unprofitable ftudies, I fee little hopes that any man elfe fhould. It would make a man almoft hate Learning, to fee what dotage, even the moît learned, are fubject unto: I could blefs them that know but little, fo themfelves knew it is but little that they know, and were humble: But it commonly falls out otherwife, that they that know but little, think that little to be much, and are very proud of it; whereas much knowledge (or to fpeak properly, more knowledge) if well uled, hath this advantage, that it makes men moft fenfible of their ignorance. The reading of Vigenaires book of Cyphers (which I once thought a rare piece, as many other things of the fame Author, which I had read) hath expreffed thefe words from me in this place; and becaufe thath fo much affinity with our prefent Theme, I was the bolder; But to return. Upon th's confideration, the Reader I hope, will not be forry the reft of the Tables (being many in number) were omitted. Though I must adde withal, had I known or thought any ufe could be made of them, having no better opinion of the Author (him or thent) I mean, from whom Dr. Dee had them) I fhould not have been very forward to have had a hand in their coming abroad.

I should have told the Reader before but it may do well enough here, that befides the particulars before fpecified, there were other things that belonged to this holy Furniture (as Dr. Dee fomewhere doth fpeak) whereof mention is made in fome places: as Carpet, Candleftick, Taper, Table-Cloth, Cufbion, and fome others perchance. But I know nothing needs be obferved uponany