“Know then,” said Dee, with an air of great pride and complacency, “that my stone was brought by the ministration of angels, in answer to fervent and oft-repeated prayer.  One night, as I sate with Kelly, discoursing on the rise and fall of empires, the setting up and the downfall of estates, and many other matters of grave and weighty import, he looked uneasy for a while, saying that he felt a strange sensation, and, as it were, a heavy weight on his right shoulder, as though something sat there.  He said a spirit, invisible at that time, was in all likelihood hearkening to our discourse, and wished to communicate with us.  He then spake as though to some one behind him, and listened—­’Sayest thou so’ said he; ‘then will I speedily apprise the Doctor.’  He then told me it was the angel Uriel, who would bring us a wonderful glass or crystal, whereby a seer, properly gifted, would be enabled to see many wonderful things; but this surprising faculty I do not possess, by reason of a fiery sign not occupying the cusp of my ascendant and medium cosli.  Edward Kelly was, however, permitted to supply this defect, and I might confidently rely, he said, on the truth of those revelations, which I was to note down for the benefit of mankind, and the establishing of a new dispensation upon the earth.  None but good angels could enter into this glass, and they would teach me, as he then foretold, many things, whereby, gaining great honour and renown, kings and princes should be reproved of me, who was raised up for their sakes.  At this revelation I was exceeding glad, and more so on finding the day following in my study this precious gem, which, as I once told the Emperor Rodolph, is of such value that no earthly kingdom is worthy to be ’compared to the virtue or dignity thereof.  I well remember the time,” said Dee, delighting to dwell on these recollections:  “I was at Prague, the emperor having sent for me; I went up to the castle, where, in the Ritterstove, or guard chamber, I stayed a little; Octavius Spinola, that was the chamberlain, saluted me very courteously, having understood that I was he whom the emperor waited for.  Returning to the privy-chamber, he came out again, leading me by the skirt through the dining-chamber and the privy-chamber, where the emperor sat at a table with a great chest and standish of silver, and my book and letters before him.  Then craved I pardon, at his Majesty’s hand, for my boldness in sending him my ’Monas Hieroglyphica,’ dedicated to his father; but I did it of the sincere and entire good-will that I bare to his father Maximilian, and also unto his Majesty.  He then thanked me very kindly, saying that he knew of my great endowments, and the esteem I had gotten of the learned; of this he had been informed by the Spanish ambassador.  He said my book was rather too hard for his capacity; but he heard I had something to say to him, Quod esset pro sua utilitate.  ‘And so I have,’ I replied, looking back