ation, for he
found he had not money enough, without pawning his plate, to entertain
Count Laski and his retinue in a manner becoming their dignity. In this
emergency he sent off an express to the Earl of Leicester, stating frankly
the embarrassment he laboured under, and praying his good offices in
representing the matter to her majesty. Elizabeth immediately sent him a
present of twenty pounds.

[43] Albert Laski, son of Jaroslav, was Palatine of Siradz, and
afterwards of Sendomir, and chiefly contributed to the
election of Henry of Valois, the Third of France, to the
throne of Poland, and was one of the delegates who went to
France in order to announce to the new monarch his elevation
to the sovereignty of Poland. After the deposition of Henry,
Albert Laski voted for Maximilian of Austria. In 1583 he
visited England, when Queen Elizabeth received him with great
distinction. The honours which were shewn him during his
visit to Oxford, by the especial command of the Queen, were
equal to those rendered to sovereign princes. His
extraordinary prodigality rendered his enormous wealth
insufficient to defray his expenses, and he therefore became
a zealous adept in alchymy, and took from England to Poland
with him two known alchymists.--Count Valerian Krasinski's
_Historical Sketch of the Reformation in Poland_.

On the appointed day Count Laski came, attended by a numerous retinue, and
expressed such open and warm admiration of the wonderful attainments of
his host, that Dee turned over in his own mind how he could bind
irretrievably to his interests a man who seemed so well inclined to become
his friend. Long acquaintance with Kelly had imbued him with all the
roguery of that personage, and he resolved to make the Pole pay dearly for
his dinner. He found out before many days that he possessed great estates
in his own country, as well as great influence, but that an extravagant
disposition had reduced him to temporary embarrassment. He also discovered
that he was a firm believer in the philosopher's stone and the water of
life. He was therefore just the man upon whom an adventurer might fasten
himself. Kelly thought so too; and both of them set to work to weave a
web, in the meshes of which they might firmly entangle the rich and
credulous stranger. They went very cautiously about it; f