Edward Kelley

Edward Kelley

Edward Kelley (also spelled Edward Kelly) was a spirit medium who worked with Dr. John Dee in his magical workings. Besides the summoning of angels which Dr. John Dee so valued; Kelley also was believed to have transmuted base metals into gold.

Kelley's and Dee's association came to an abrupt end when Kelley received spirit messages suggesting that they should share everything; including Dr. John Dee's wife. She would not submit to this arrangement.

After parting ways with John Dee in 1589, he went to Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor in Prague. Rudolf threw Kelley into jail for charlatanism. Kelley most likely ended his days imprisoned.

One theory of the origin of the Voynich Manuscript claims that Kelley hoaxed the document using Cardan grilles to encode a real language, and then sold it for 600 ducats to Rudolf II.