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Last of all, when she saw that both Chuch and State
was now in a well-ordered and setled condition, her
thoughts reflected upon the world she came from; and
though she had a great desire to know the condition
of the same, yet could she advise no manner of way how
to gain any knowledg thereof; at last, after many serious
considerations, she conceived that it was impossible to
be done by any other means, then by the help of Immaterial
Spirits; wherefore she made a Convocation
of the most learned, witty and ingenious of all the
forementioned sorts of men, and desired to know of
them, whether there were any Immaterial Spirits in their
World. First, she enquired of the Worm-men, whether
they had perceived some within the Earth? They
answered her Majesty, That they never knew of any
such Creatures; for whatsoever did dwell within the
Earth, said they, was imbodied and material. Then
she asked the Flye-men, whether they had observed
any in the Air? for you having numerous eyes, said
she, will be more able to perceive them, then any other
Creatures. To which they answered her Majesty,
That although Spirits, being immaterial, could not be
perceived by the Worm-men in the Earth, yet they
perceived that such Creatures did lodg in the vehicles
of the Air. Then the Emperess asked, Whether they
could speak to them, and whether they did understand
each other? The Fly-men answered, That those Spirits
were always cloath'd in some sort or other of Material
Garments; which Garments were their Bodies,
made, for the most part, of Air; and when occasion
served, they could put on any other sort of substances;
but yet they could not put these substances into any
form or shape, as they pleased. The Emperess asked
the Fly-men, whether it was possible that she could be
acquainted, and have some conferences with them?
They answered, They did verily believe she might.
Hereupon the Emperess commanded the Fly-men to
ask some of the Spirits, whether they would be pleased
to give her a visit? This they did; and after the
Spirits had presented themselves to the Emperess, (in
what shapes or forms, I cannot exactly tell) after some
few complements that passed between them, the Emperess
told the Spirits that she questioned not, but they
did know how she was a stranger in that World, and
by what miraculous means she was arrived there; and
since she had a great desire to know the condition of the
World she came from, her request to the Spirits was,
to give her some information thereof, especially of
those parts of the world where she was born, bred, and
educated, as also of her particular friends and acquaintance;
all which, the Spirits did according to her desire;
at last, after a great many conferences and particular
intelligences, which the Spirits gave the Emperess,
to her great satisfaction and content, she enquired
after the most famous Students, Writers, and Experimental
Philosophers in that World, which they
gave her a full relation of; amongst the rest she enquired,
whether there were none that had found out yet the
Jews Cabbala? Several have endeavoured it, answered
the Spirits, but those that came nearest (although themselves
denied it) were one Dr. Dee, and one Edward
Kelly, the one representing Moses, and the other Aaron;
for Kelly was to Dr. Dee, as Aaron to Moses;
but yet they proved at last but meer Cheats, and were
described by one of their own Country-men, a famous
Poet, named Ben. Johnson, in a Play call'd The Alchymist,
where he expressed Kelly by Capt. Face, and
Dee by Dr. Subtle, and their two Wives by Doll Common,
and the Widow; by the Spaniard in the Play,
he meant the Spanish Ambassador, and by Sir Epicure
Mammon, a Polish Lord. The Emperess remembred
that she had seen the Play, and asked the Spirits whom
he meant by the name of Ananias? Some Zealous
Brethren, answered they, in Holland, Germany, and
several other places. Then she asked them, Who
was meant by the Druggist? Truly, answered the
Spirits, we have forgot, it being so long since it was
made and acted. What, replied the Empress, can
Spirits forget? Yes, said the Spirits; for what is past,
is onely kept in memory, if it be not recorded. I did
believe, said the Emperess, That Spirits had no need
of memory, or remembrance, and could not be subject
to forgetfulness. How can we, answered they,
give an account of things present, if we had no memory,
but especially of things past, unrecorded, if we
had no remembrance? Said the Emperess, By present
knowledg and understanding. The Spirits answered,
That present knowledg and understanding was
of actions or things present, not of past. But, said the
Emperess, you know what is to come, without memory
or remembrance, and therefore you may know
what is past without memory and remembrance. They
answered, That their foreknowledg was onely a prudent
and subtile observation made by a comparing of
things or actions past, with those that are present, and
that Remembrance was nothing else but a repetition of
things or actions past.
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