HedidnotlongremainontheContinent，butreturnedtoEnglandin1551，beingatthattimeinthetwenty-fourthyearofhisage。Bytheinfluenceofhisfriend，SirJohnCheek，hewaskindlyreceivedatthecourtofKingEdwardVI，andrewardeditisdifficulttosayforwhatwithapensionofonehundredcrowns。HecontinuedforseveralyearstopractiseinLondonasanastrologer；castingnativities，tellingfortunes，andpointingoutluckyandunluckydays。DuringthereignofQueenMaryhegotintotrouble，beingsuspectedofheresy，andchargedwithattemptingMary’slifebymeansofenchantments。Hewastriedforthelatteroffence，andacquitted；butwasretainedinprisonontheformercharge，andlefttothetendermerciesofBishopBonner。HehadaverynarrowescapefrombeingburnedinSmithfield，buthe，somehoworother，contrivedtopersuadethatfiercebigotthathisorthodoxywasunimpeachable，andwassetatlibertyin1555。
OntheaccessionofElizabeth，abrighterdaydawneduponhim。
DuringherretirementatWoodstock，herservantsappeartohaveconsultedhimastothetimeofMary’sdeath，whichCircumstance，nodoubt，firstgaverisetotheseriouschargeforwhichhewasbroughttotrial。Theynowcametoconsulthimmoreopenlyastothefortunesoftheirmistress；andRobertDudley，thecelebratedEarlofLeicester，wassentbycommandoftheQueenherselftoknowthemostauspiciousdayforhercoronation。Sogreatwasthefavourheenjoyedthat，someyearsafterwards，ElizabethcondescendedtopayhimavisitathishouseinMortlake，toviewhismuseumofcuriosities，and，whenhewasill，sentherownphysiciantoattenduponhim。
Astrologywasthemeanswherebyhelived，andhecontinuedtopractiseitwithgreatassiduity；buthisheartwasinalchymy。Thephilosopher’sstoneandtheelixiroflifehauntedhisdailythoughtsandhisnightlydreams。TheTalmudicmysteries，whichhehadalsodeeplystudied，impressedhimwiththebelief，thathemightholdconversewithspiritsandangels，andlearnfromthemallthemysteriesoftheuniverse。HoldingthesameideaasthethenobscuresectoftheRosicrucians，someofwhomhehadperhapsencounteredinhistravelsinGermany，heimaginedthat，bymeansofthephilosopher’sstone，hecouldsummonthesekindlyspiritsathiswill。
Bydintofcontinuallybroodinguponthesubject，hisimaginationbecamesodiseased，thatheatlastpersuadedhimselfthatanangelappearedtohim，andpromisedtobehisfriendandcompanionaslongashelived。Herelatesthat，oneday，inNovember1582，whilehewasengagedinferventprayer，thewindowofhismuseumlookingtowardsthewestsuddenlyglowedwithadazzlinglight，inthemidstofwhich，inallhisglory，stoodthegreatangelUriel。Aweandwonderrenderedhimspeechless；buttheangelsmilinggraciouslyuponhim，gavehimacrystal，ofaconvexform，andtoldhimthat，wheneverhewishedtoholdconversewiththebeingsofanothersphere，hehadonlytogazeintentlyuponit，andtheywouldappearinthecrystalandunveiltohimallthesecretsoffuturity。[The“crystal“alludedtoappearstohavebeenablackstone，orpieceofpolishedcoal。ThefollowingaccountofitisgivenintheSupplementtoGranger’s“BiographicalHistory。“——“TheblackstoneintowhichDeeusedtocallhisspiritswasinthecollectionoftheEarlsofPeterborough，fromwhenceitcametoLadyElizabethGermaine。ItwasnextthepropertyofthelateDukeofArgyle，andisnowMr。Walpole’s。Itappearsuponexaminationtobenothingmorethanapolishedpieceofcannelcoal；butthisiswhatButlermeanswhenhesays，’KellydidallhisfeatsuponThedevil’slooking-glass——astone。’“]