The RCP holds the largest known collection of books from the library of John Dee (1527–1609). These were stolen from Dee in the 1580s by Nicholas Saunder, who left his own ownership marks on the books.

Exploring how Elizabethan mathematician, astrologer and book collector John Dee inspired the sorcerer Prospero from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.

Renaissance polymath John Dee had many interests including cryptography, the art and science of making and breaking codes. Among the books once owned by Dee now in the RCP library is a copy of a cryptographic treatise by Johann Trithemius.

A 16th century astrological chart in the RCP archives sheds light on the historical use of astrology as part of medicine and everyday life.

Sir William Browne and Sir Henry Halford can lay claim to being the vainest past RCP presidents as represented in the RCP museum collection.