The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley
The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley
The Alchemical Patronage of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley
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entirely self centred‖. 117 <strong>Cecil</strong> likely received many more, now lost, reports from his<br />
overseas operatives on both the legitimacy <strong>of</strong> Kelley‘s alchemical claims, and on the<br />
prospects <strong>of</strong> convincing him to return to England.<br />
<strong>Cecil</strong> also sent letters directly to Kelley, in which he entreated the alchemist to<br />
return to England and serve his sovereign monarch. Kelley replied to <strong>Cecil</strong> on 24 July<br />
1590, that while<br />
we accord fully in matter and manner though in circumstances somwhat<br />
differ, for yt seemeth you desire the same thinge...the thinges looked for at<br />
my hands deserve farther grace and assurance reall than any way or where<br />
yet appereth 118<br />
Kelley‘s writing was remarkably self assured; the mark <strong>of</strong> a man who knew his services<br />
were in demand. He stated that he would be happy to serve his Queen and country if<br />
granted the appropriate honours and maintenance, if not his ―remayning abrode shall be<br />
her fault‖. 119 Kelley knew that Crown finances were inadequate to support the cost <strong>of</strong> war<br />
with Spain, and guessed that if he played his cards right he might extract massive<br />
concessions from the alchemically credulous <strong>Lord</strong> Treasurer.<br />
<strong>Cecil</strong>‘s reply, preserved in draft form in the Lansdowne Papers, demonstrates that<br />
he was neither so gullible as to ignore the swirling rumours about Kelley, nor willing to<br />
make any firm promises until he received direct pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> Kelley‘s abilities. After<br />
complementing Kelley‘s ―wisdom well mixed with a naturall dutyfull regard to your<br />
contraye and soverayn‖, <strong>Cecil</strong> confronted the alchemist with the accusations made about<br />
him in England. 120 Amongst the allegations was that Kelley had either been converted to<br />
Catholicism, or was in league with England‘s enemies. However, <strong>Cecil</strong>‘s primary concern<br />
was that Kelley would prove himself ―an impostor [and a deceiver-deleted], with your<br />
sophistication, as many hert<strong>of</strong>or both here and in other contres have bene proved; and that<br />
117 Francesco Pucci to Horatio Palavincino, 25 August 1590, TNA, SP 81/6 f.70r.<br />
118 Kelley to <strong>Cecil</strong>, 24 July 1590, TNA, SP 81/6 f.47r.<br />
119 Ibid.<br />
120 <strong>Cecil</strong> to Kelley, 1 June 1590, Lansdowne Vol. 103 no. 73.<br />
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