[In the following excerpt from his autobiography, written in 1668, Lilly outlines how he came to be introduced to astrology.]

It happened on one Sunday 1632, as my self and a Justice of Peace's Clerk were, before Service, discoursing of many Things, he chanced to say, that such a Person was a great Scholar, nay, so learned, that he could make an Almanack, which to me then was strange: One Speech begot another, till, at last, he said, he could bring me acquainted with one Evans in Gun-Powder-Alley, who had formerly lived in Staffordshire, that was an excellent wise Man, and study'd the Black Art. The same Week after we went to see Mr. Evans, when we came to his House, he having been drunk the Night before, was upon his Bed, if it be lawful to call that a Bed whereon he then lay; he roused up himself, and, after some Complements, he was content to instruct me in Astrology; I attended his best Opportunities for seven or eight Weeks, in which time I could set a Figure perfectly: Books he had not any, except Haly de judiciis Astrorum, and Orriganus his Ephemerides; so that as often as I entered his House, I thought I was in the Wilderness. Now something of the Man: He was by Birth a Welchman, a Master of Arts, and in Sacred Orders; He had formerly had a Cure of Souls in Staffordshire, but now was come to try his Fortunes at London, being in a manner enforced to fly for some Offences very scandalous committed by him in these Parts, where he had lately lived; for he gave Judgment upon things lost, the only Shame of Astrology: He was the most Saturnine Person my Eyes ever beheld, either before I practised or since; of a middle Stature, broad Forehead, Beetle-brow'd, thick Shoulders, flat Nosed, full Lips, down-look'd, black curling stiff Hair, splayfooted; to give him his Right, he had the most piercing Judgment naturally upon a Figure of Theft, and many other Questions, that I ever met withal; yet for Money he would willingly give contrary Judgments, was much addicted to Debauchery, and then very abusive and quarrelsom, seldom without a black Eye, or one Mischief or other: This is the same Evans who made so many Antimonial Cups, upon the Sale whereof he principally subsisted; he understood Latin very well, the Greek tongue not at all: He had some Arts above, and beyond Astrology, for he was well versed in the Nature of Spirits, and had many times used the circular way of invocating, as in the Time of our Familiarity he told me. Two of his Actions I will relate, as to me delivered. There was in Staffordshire a young Gentlewoman that had, for her Preferment, marry'd an aged rich Person, who being desirous to purchase some Lands for his Wife's Maintenance; but this young Gentlewoman, his Wife, was desired to buy the Land in the Name of a Gentleman, her very dear Friend, but for her Use: After the aged Man was dead, the Widow could by no Means procure the Deed of Purchase from her Friend; whereupon she applies her self to Evans, who, for a Sum of Money, promises to have her Deed safely delivered into her own Hands; the Sum was Forty Pounds. Evans applies himself to the Invocation of the Angel Salmon, of the Nature of Mars, reads his Litany in the Common-Prayer-Book every Day, at select Hours, wears his Surplice, lives orderly all that Time; at the Fortnight's End Salmon appear'd, and having received his Commands what to do, in small Time returns with the very Deed desired, lays it down gently upon a Table where a white Cloth was spread, and then, being dismiss'd, vanish'd. The Deed was, by the Gentleman who formerly kept it, placed among many other of his Evidences in a large wooden Chest, and in a Chamber at one End of the House; but upon Salmon's removing and bringing away the Deed, all that Bay of Building was quite blown down, and his own proper Evidences torn all to pieces. The second Story followeth.

Some time before I became acquainted with him, he then living in the Minories, was desired by the Lord Bothwell and Sir Kenelm Digby to show them a Spirit, he promised so to do; the time came, and they were all in the Body of the Circle, when lo, upon a sudden, after some time of Invocation, Evans was taken from out the Room, and carried into the Field near Battersea Causway, close to the Thames. Next Morning a Country-man going by to his Labour, and espying a Man in black Cloaths, came unto him and awaked him, and asked him how he came there; Evans by this understood his Condition, enquired where he was, how far from London, and in what Parish he was; which when he understood, he told the Labourer he had been late at Battersea the Night before, and by chance was left there by his Friends. Sir Kenelm Digby and the Lord Bothwell went home without any Harm, came next Day to hear what was become of him; just as they in the Afternoon came into the House, a Messenger came from Evans to his Wife, to come to him at Battersea: I enquired upon what Account the Spirit carry'd him away, who said he had not, at the time of Invocation, made any Suffumigation, at which the Spirits were vexed. It happen'd that after I discerned what Astrology was, I went weekly into Little-Britain, and bought many Books of Astrology, not acquainting Evans therewith. Mr. A. Bedwell, Minister of Tottenham-High-Cross near London, who had been many Years Chaplain to Sir Henry Wotton, whilst he was Ambassador at Venice, and assisted Pietro Soave Polano, in composing and writing the Council of Trent, was lately dead; and his Library being sold into Little-Britain, I bought amongst them my choicest Books of Astrology. The Occasion of our falling out was thus; a Woman demanded the Resolution of a Question, which when he had done, she went her way; I standing by all the while, and observing the Figure, asked him why he gave the Judgment he did, sith the Signification shewed the quite contrary, and gave him my Reasons, which when he had ponder'd, he call'd me Boy, and must he be contradicted by such a Novice! But when his Heat was over, he said, had he not so judged to please the Woman, she would have given him nothing, and he had a Wife and Family to provide for; upon this we never came together after. Being now very meanly introduced, I apply'd my self to study those Books I had obtain'd, many times twelve, or fifteen, or eighteen Hours Day and Night; I was curious to discover, whether there was any Verity in the Art or not. Astrology in this Time, viz, in 1633, was very rare in London, few professing it that understood any thing thereof….