r the causes of the
late fires:

'ORDERED,

'That Mr. Lilly do attend this Committee on Friday next, being
the 25th of October, 1666, at two of the clock in the afternoon,
in the Speaker's chamber; to answer such questions as shall be
then and there asked him.

'ROBERT BROOKE.'

By accident I was then in London, when the summons came unto me. I was
timorous of Committees, being ever by some of them calumniated,
upbraided, scorned, and derided. However I must and did appear; and let
me never forget that great affection and care yourself (Oh most
excellent and learned Esquire Ashmole) shewed unto me at that time.
First, your affection in going along with me all that day; secondly,
your great pains and care, in speaking unto many worthy Members of that
Committee your acquaintance, that they should befriend me, and not
permit me to be affronted, or have any disgraceful language cast upon
me. I must seriously acknowledge the persuasions so prevailed with those
generous souls, that I conceive there was never more civility used unto
any than unto myself; and you know, there were no small number of
Parliament men appeared, when they heard I was to be there.

Sir Robert Brooke spoke to this purpose:

'Mr. Lilly, This Committee thought fit to summon you to appear before
them this day, to know, if you can say any thing as to the cause of the
late fire, or whether there might be any design therein. You are called
the rather hither, because in a book of your's, long since printed, you
hinted some such thing by one of your hieroglyphics.' Unto which I
replied,

'May it please your Honours,

'After the beheading of the late King, considering that in the three
subsequent years the Parliament acted nothing which concerned the
settlement of the nation in peace; and seeing the generality of people
dissatisfied, the citizens of London discontented, the soldiery prone to
mutiny, I was desirous, according to the best knowledge God had given
me, to make enquiry by the art I studied, what might from that time
happen unto the Parliament and nation in general. At last, having
satisfied myself as well as I could, and perfected my judgment therein,
I thought it most convenient to signify my intentions and conceptions
thereof, in Forms, Shapes, Types, Hieroglyphicks, &c. without any
commentary, that so my judgment might be concealed from the vulgar, and
made manifest only unto the wise. I herein imitating the