Year 1578
Original
Feb. 5th, sponsalia cum Jana Fromonds horam circiter primam. April 28th, I caused Sir Rowland Haywood to examyn Francys Baily of his sklandering me, which he denyed utterly. June 13th, rayn and in the afternone a little thunder. June 30th, I told Mr. Daniel Rogers, Mr. Hackluyt of the Middle Temple being by, that Kyng Arthur and King Maty, both of them, did conquier Gelindia, lately called Friseland, which he so noted presently in his written copy of Monumethensis, for he had no printed boke therof. July 14th, my sister Elizabeth Fromonds cam to me. July 27th, hora 9, min. 15 a meridie Francis Cowntess of Hertford.
Aug. 5th, Mr. Raynolds of Bridewell tok his leave of me as he passed toward Darthmowth to go with Sir Umfry Gilbert toward Hocheleya. Aug. 15, I went toward Norwich with my work of Imperium Brytanicum. Aug. 23rd, I cam to London from Norwich. Aug. 31st, I went to my father-in-law Mr. Fromonds to Cheyham.
Sept. 1st, I cam from Cheyham. Sept. 6th, Elen Lyne, my mayden, departed from this life immediately after the myd-day past, when she had lyne sik a month lacking one day. Sept. 12th, Jane Gaele cam to my servyce, and she must have four nobles by the yere, 26s. 8d. Sept. 25th, Her Majestie cam to Richemond from Grenwich. Sept. 26, the first rayn that came for many a day; all pasture abowt us was withered: rayn afternone like Aprill showres. Oct. 8th, the Quene's Majestie had conference with me at Richemond inter 9 et 11. Oct. 16th, Dr. Bayly conferred of the Quene her disease. Oct. 22nd, Jane Fromonds went to the court at Richemond. Oct. 25th, a fit from 9 afternone to 1 after mydnight. Oct. 28, the Erle of Lecester and Sir Francys Walsingham, secretary, determined my going over for the Quene's Majestie. Nov. 4th, I was directed to my voyage by the Erle of Lecester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham hora nona. Nov. 7th, I cam to Gravesende. Nov. 9th, I went from Lee to sea. Nov. 14th, I cam to Hamburgh hora tertia. Dec. 11th, to Franckfurt-uppon-Oder. Dec. 15th, newes of Turnifer's comming hora octava mane, by a speciall mesenger.
Musean translation
Modern machine-assisted Musean edition by Mouseia, from Halliwell's 1842 printing. Latin entries and catalogue titles are translated; uncertain readings are marked. In the Original, 'whereof' is normalized to 'of which' in five entries. The 9 December 1579 dream is decoded and respelled, with 'sal' for the cipher's 'shal'; the other decoded cipher reads 'one uppon a hundred'. This edition decodes the remaining cipher passages. Greek follows the source transcription. The editor's preface, footnotes, index and Ashmole's separate list are omitted.
Feb. 5th, the betrothal with Jane Fromonds at about one o'clock. April 28th, I caused Sir Rowland Haywood to examine Francys Baily about his slandering me, which he utterly denied. June 13th, rain and in the afternoon a little thunder. June 30th, I told Mr. Daniel Rogers, with Mr. Hackluyt of the Middle Temple present, that King Arthur and King Maty, both of them, conquered Gelindia, lately called Friseland, which he noted at once in his written copy of [Geoffrey of] Monmouth, for he had no printed book of it. July 14th, my sister Elizabeth Fromonds came to me. July 27th, at 9:15 after noon, Francis, Countess of Hertford.
Aug. 5th, Mr. Raynolds of Bridewell took his leave of me as he passed toward Darthmowth to go with Sir Umfry Gilbert toward Hocheleya. Aug. 15, I went toward Norwich with my work The British Empire. Aug. 23rd, I came to London from Norwich. Aug. 31st, I went to my father-in-law Mr. Fromonds to Cheyham.
Sept. 1st, I came from Cheyham. Sept. 6th, Elen Lyne, my maiden, departed from this life immediately after midday, when she had been sick a month minus one day. Sept. 12th, Jane Gaele came to my service, and she was to have four nobles a year, 26s. 8d. Sept. 25th, Her Majesty came to Richemond from Grenwich. Sept. 26, the first rain that came for many a day; all pasture around us was withered: rain in the afternoon like April showers. Oct. 8th, the Queen's Majesty had conference with me at Richemond between 9 and 11. Oct. 16th, Dr. Bayly conferred about the Queen's disease. Oct. 22nd, Jane Fromonds went to the court at Richemond. Oct. 25th, a fit from 9 in the afternoon to 1 after midnight. Oct. 28, the Earl of Leicester and Sir Francys Walsingham, secretary, determined my going over for the Queen's Majesty. Nov. 4th, I was directed on my voyage by the Earl of Leicester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham at nine. Nov. 7th, I came to Gravesende. Nov. 9th, I went from Lee to sea. Nov. 14th, I came to Hamburgh at three. Dec. 11th, to Franckfurt-uppon-Oder. Dec. 15th, news of Turnifer's coming at eight in the morning, by a special messenger.
Plain English translation
Modern machine-assisted Plain English edition by Mouseia, from Halliwell's 1842 printing. Latin entries and catalogue titles are translated; uncertain readings are marked. In the Original, 'whereof' is normalized to 'of which' in five entries. The 9 December 1579 dream is decoded and respelled, with 'sal' for the cipher's 'shal'; the other decoded cipher reads 'one uppon a hundred'. This edition decodes the remaining cipher passages. Greek follows the source transcription. The editor's preface, footnotes, index and Ashmole's separate list are omitted.
Feb. 5th, the betrothal with Jane Fromonds at about one o'clock. April 28th, I had Sir Rowland Haywood question Francis Baily about his slandering me, and he flatly denied it. June 13th, rain, and a little thunder in the afternoon. June 30th, I told Mr. Daniel Rogers—with Mr. Hackluyt of the Middle Temple there beside us—that King Arthur and King Maty both conquered Gelindia, lately called Friseland, and he noted that down straightaway in his own written copy of [Geoffrey of] Monmouth, because he had no printed book of it. July 14th, my sister Elizabeth Fromonds came to see me. July 27th, at 9:15 in the evening, Francis, Countess of Hertford.
Aug. 5th, Mr. Raynolds of Bridewell took his leave of me as he went through on his way to Dartmouth, to go with Sir Humphrey Gilbert toward Hocheleya. Aug. 15, I set out for Norwich with my work The British Empire. Aug. 23rd, I arrived in London, coming from Norwich. Aug. 31st, I went over to my father-in-law Mr. Fromonds at Cheam.
Sept. 1st, I came back from Cheam. Sept. 6th, Elen Lyne, my maid, died right after midday had passed, having lain sick for one day short of a month. Sept. 12th, Jane Gaele came into my service, and she is to have four nobles a year, 26s. 8d. Sept. 25th, Her Majesty came to Richmond from Greenwich. Sept. 26, the first rain to fall after many days; all the pasture around us had dried up; rain in the afternoon like April showers. Oct. 8th, Her Majesty the Queen had a meeting with me at Richmond between 9 and 11. Oct. 16th, Dr. Bayly discussed the Queen's illness with me. Oct. 22nd, Jane Fromonds went to the court at Richmond. Oct. 25th, a fit lasting from 9 in the afternoon until 1 after midnight. Oct. 28, the Earl of Leicester and Sir Francis Walsingham, secretary, settled my crossing abroad for Her Majesty. Nov. 4th, I was set on my voyage by the Earl of Leicester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham at nine. Nov. 7th, I came to Gravesend. Nov. 9th, I left Lee and put out to sea. Nov. 14th, I reached Hamburg at three. Dec. 11th, I went on to Frankfurt-upon-Oder. Dec. 15th, news of Turnifer's coming arrived at eight in the morning, carried by a special messenger.
About this section
Year 1578 is part of The Private Diary of Dr. John Dee by John Dee. This page sets the 16th-century English original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is part 14 of 35 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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