About the time that Shakespeare was finding himself as a playwright and poet, the Elizabethan magus, polymath and spy John Dee was involved in a series of scrying sessions with his unsavory side-kick Edward Kelly. During the sessions, Kelly would peer into a crystal or a “shew-stone”–a polished piece of obsidian fitted into a frame–and report back to Dee on what he saw and heard. In this author’s humble opinion, the following is one of the most interesting–and profound–texts that a ghost ever had a hand in. It was allegedly uttered by a slatternly looking spirit immediately after the infamous wife-swapping incident, in which–due to the suggestion of the angels (according to Kelly)–Dee and Kelly swapped wives for an evening, much to the aversion of Jane Dee. The arresting thing about this poem is its resemblance to the “Thunder, The Perfect Mind” text found in the Nag Hammadi Library of about 1000 years earlier.

Transcribed from Cotton Appendix XLVI, Division XII, ?Actio Tertio Trebonae Generalis?, ff.
218-220.

I am the dowghter of fortitude, & ravyshed every howr, from
my youth, for behold, I am understanding, &
science dwelleth in me: & the hevens oppress me,
They covet and desyre me with infinite appetite
few or none that are erthy have embraced me
for I am shadowed with the circle of the sonne: and covered with
the morning clouds: my feet are swifter than the wynds,
& my hands are sweter than the morning dew. My garments
are from the beginning: & my dweling place is in my
self. The lyon knoweth not where I walk: neyther
do the bestes of the field understand me. I am deflowered & am
yet a virgin. I sanctifie & am not sanctified
happy is he that embraceth me. for in the night season
I am sweete, in the day full of pleasure
my company is a harmony of many Cymballs
And my lips sweeter than helth it self. I am a harlot
for such as ravish me: and a virgin with such as know
me not: for lo I am loved of many: & I am a
lover to many: and as many as come unto me as they should
do, have their enterteynment. Purge your streets o
you sons of men, & wash your howses clean
Make your selves holy, & put on righteousness
Cast out your old strumpets, & burn their cloathes
Absteyn from the company of other women that are
defyled, that are sluttish, & not so handsome, &
bewtiful as I. And then will I come & dwell
amongst you. And behold I will bring furth
Children unto you: & they shall be the sons of comfort
I will open my garments, & stand naked before you
that your love may be more enflamed toward me.
As yet, I walk in the clowds, As yet, I am carryed with
the wyndes: And can not descend unto you for the multitude
of your abominations, & the filthy lothesomnes of your dwelling
places.
***
Now therfor, let the erth give furth her fruits unto
you: And let the mowntayns forsake theyre barrenness
wher your fotesteps shall remayne. happy is he that
slauteth you: & cursed is he that holdeth up his
hands against you. & power shall be given unto
you from hence furth to resyst your enemies: & the
lord shall always here you in the types of your
trubbles, And I am sent unto you to play
the harlot with you: And am to enrich you with the
spoyles of other men: prepare for me, for I come
shortly. Provyde your Chambers for me that they
may be swete & clenly: for I will make a
dwelling place amongst you: and I will be
common with the father & the sonne, yea and with
all them that truly favoreth you
for my youth, is in her flowre and my strength is not
to be extinguished with man. Strong am I above &
below. Therefor, provyde for me. for behold I now
salute you. And let peace be amongst you: for I
am the Dawghter of Cumfort. Disclose not
my secrets unto women: nether let them understand
how swete I am. for all things belongeth not unto
every one
I come unto you again.

June, 1587.

You can read more of Dee and Kelly’s texts in Meric Casaubon’s A True & Faithful Relation of What paffed for many Yeers Between Dr. John Dee and Some Spirits. (London: 1659)