Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	name_n	think_v	1,683	5	4.2786	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66051	Mercvry, or, The secret and svvift messenger shewing, how a man may with privacy and speed communicate his thoughts to a friend at any distance.	Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.; Kinnaston, Francis, Sir, 1587-1642.	1641 (1641)	Wing W2202; ESTC R1665	56,355	185

parts of the face winking of the eyes twisting of the beard c. Any of which or all of them together may be as well contrived to serve for this purpose and with much more secrecie In which art if our gaming Cheats and popish Miracle-impostors were but well versed it might much advantage them in their cousening trade of life CHAP. 15. Concerning the swiftnesse of informations either by qualities as the impression of imagination and the sensitive species or by spirituall substances as Angels HAving already treated concerning the severall wayes of secrecy in discoursing I shall in the next place enquire how a man may with the greatest swiftnesse and speed discover his intentions to one that is far distant from him There is nothing wee say so swift as thought and yet the impression of these in another might be as quick almost as the first act if there were but such a great power in imagination as some later * Philosophers have attributed to it Next to the acts of thought the species of sight doe seeme to be of the quickest motion Wee see the light of the East will in a moment fill the Hemisphere and the eye does presently discerne an object that is very remote How we may by this means communicate our thoughts at great distances I shall discourse afterwards The Substances that are most considerable for the swiftnesse of their motion are either Spirituall Corporeall Amongst all created substances there are not any of so swift a motion as Angels or Spirits Because there is not either within their natures any such indisposition and reluctancie or without them in the medium any such impediment as may in the least manner retarde their courses And therefore have the ancient Philosophers imployed these as the causes of that mad celerity of the celestiall Orbs though according to their suppositions I thinke it would bee a hard match if there were a race to be run betwixt the Primum mobile and an Angell It being granted that neither of them could move in an instant it would be but an even lay which should prove the swifter From the fitnesse of spirits in this regard to convey any message are they in the learned Languages called Messengers Now if a man had but such familiaritie with one of these as Socrates is said to have with his Tutelary Genius If wee could send but one of them upon any errand there would bee no quicker way then this for the dispatch of businesse at all distances That they have been often thus imployed is affirmed by divers relations Vatinius being in Rome was informed by an apparition of that victory which Paulus their Generall had obtained over King Perses in Macedon the very same day wherein the battaile was fought which was a long time before any other Messenger could arrive with the new And it is storied of many others that whilst they have resided in remote Countries they have known the death of their friends even in the very houre of their departure Either by bleeding or by dreams or some such way of intimation Which though it be commonly attributed to the operation of sympathy yet it is more probably to be ascribed unto the Spirit or Genius There being a more especiall acquaintance and commerce betwixt the Tutelary Angels of particular friends they are sometimes by them informed though at great distances of such remarkable accidents as befall one another But this way there is little hopes to advantage our enquiry because it is not so easie to imploy a good Angell nor safe dealing with a bad one The Abbot Trithemius in his books concerning the severall ways of secret and speedy discoursing does pretend to handle the forms of conjuration calling each kinde of character by the name of spirits thereby to deterre the vulgar from searching into his Works But under this pretence hee is thought also to deliver some Diabolicall Magick Especially in one place where he speaks of the three Saturnine Angels and certain Images by which in the space of twenty foure houres a man may bee informed of newes from any part of the World And this was the maine reason why by Iunius his advice Frederick the second Prince Palatine did cause the originall Manuscript of that worke to bee burned Which action is so much though it should seem unjustly blamed by Selenus CHAP. 16. Concerning the swiftnesse of conveyance by bodies whether inanimate as Arrows Bullets or animate as Men Beasts Birds THe bodies that are most eminent for their swiftnesse may be distinguished into such as are either inanimate animate These inanimate bodies as Arrows Bullets c. have only a violent motion which cannot therefore be continued to so great a distance as some occasions would require But for so much space as they doe move they are far swifter then the naturall motion of any animated body How these have been contrived to the speedy conveyance of secret messages hath been formerly discoursed in the fourth Chapter which I now forbeare to repeat Those living bodies that are most observable for their speed and celerity in messages are either Men Beast Birds Though I doubt not but that Fishes also may be serviceable for this purpose especially the Dolphin which is reported to be of the greatest swiftnesse and most easily cicurated or made tame Amongst the ancient Footmen there are some upon record for their incredible swiftnesse Ladas is reported to be so quick in his running Vt arenis pendentibus cavo pulvere nulla indicia relinqueret vestigiorum that hee left no impression of his footsteps on the hollow sands And it is related of a boy amongst the Romans being but eight yeares old that did run five and forty mile in an afternoone Anistius and Philonides two footmen unto Alexander the great are said to have run 1 00 stadia in a day Which relations will seeme lesse incredible if wee consider the ancient Exercises and Games of this kind together with the publicke fame and rewards for those that were most eminent Amongst the variety of beasts there are some of more especiall note for their strength and swiftnesse Scaliger mentions a story though hee distrust the truth of it of a certaine beast called Ellend two of which being joyned in a little cart are said to passe three hundred leagues a day upon the ice In former ages and in other Countries the Dromedary and Camell and Mule were of more common use But in these times and places the horse for the most part serves instead of them all by the helpe of which wee have our swiftest meanes of ordinary conveyance The custome of riding post by renewing both horse and man at set stages is of ancient invention Herodotus relates it to be used by Xerxes in the Graecian war and that it was by the Persians called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The particulars that concerne

their learning called such an implicit writing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Capita dictionum When they were at the latter end then was it stiled {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Fi●es dictionum Both being reckoned as species of that Cabalisme which they called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Notaricon imposed by some later Rabbies from the Latin word Notari● Of the first sort is that collection from those eminent words Gen. 49. 10. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Shilo shall come and in him c. where the capitall letters make up the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iesu. So Psal. 73. 17 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} His Name shall continue and in him shall be blessed c. which place do's expressely treate concerning the Messi●s his name and therefore seemes unto the Jewes to be of strong consequence for the proofe of Christianity For so much is that Nation befooled in their absurd dotage upon these triviall literall collections that a reason of this nature is of greater force unto them then the most evident solid demonstration that may be urged Ludovicus Carret a famous Jew Physician to the French King being himselfe converted and writing an Epistle to this purpose unto those of his owne nation he do's chiefely insist upon the arguments of this kind as being in his opinion of greatest efficacy to prove the truth of Christian Religion Of the other sort is that passage Gen. 1. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} where the finall letters make up the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Truth Which kind of Cabalisme is sixe times repeated in the history of the Creation As if Moses by such an artificiall contrivance of the letters at the beginning of his writings did purposely commend unto our beliefe his following bookes Unto this David is thought to allude Psal. 119. 160. The beginning of thy word is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Truth Of this nature likewise is that observation from Exod. 3. 13. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} when they shall say unto me what is his name c. Where the finall letters answere {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iehovah It were an easie matter for a man that had leasure and patience for such enquiries to find out sundry arguments of this kind for any purpose 4. There is another way of hiding any secret sence under an ordinarie epistle by having a plate with certaine holes in it through which being laid upon the paper a man may write those letters or words that serve to expresse the inward sence the other spaces being afterwards filled up with such other words as in their conjunction to these former shall conteine some common unspected businesse 5. There is also another intricate way to this purpose much insisted on by Iritemius Porta and Selenus When each usuall word or forme of an epistle is varied to as many differences as there are letters unto which they must all of them be severally assigned But these two latter inventions though they be of great secrecy yet because they require so much labour and trouble in the writer I shall therefore passe them over without any further enlargement CHAP. IX Of concealing any written sence under barbarous words and such as shall not seeme to be of any signification How all the letters may be expressed by any five t●ree or two of them Of writing with a double Alphabet How from these two last wayes together there may be contrived the best kind of secret writing ALL the wayes of secrecy by more letters already specified doe make the writing appeare under some other sence then what is intended and so consequently are more free from suspition There are likewise some other inventions to expresse any inward sence by barbarous words wherein onely the first and middle and last letters shall be significant As in this example Fildy fagodur wyndeeldrare disc ogure rantibrad Which in its resolution is no more then this Fly for we are discovered To this purpose likewise is that other way of expressing the whole Alphabet by any five or three or two of the letters repeated And though such a writing to ordinary appearance will seeme of no signication at all and so may seeme of lesse use Yet because a right apprehension of these wayes may conduce to the explication of some other particulars that follow it will not be amisse therefore to set them down more distinctinly All the letters may be expressed by any five of them doubled Suppose ABCDE A aa B ab C ac D ad E ae F ba G bb H bc I bd K be L ca M cb N cc O cd P ce Q da R db S dc T dd V de W ea X eb Y ec Z ed ee According to which these words I am betrayed may bee thus described Bd aacb abaedddbaaccaead Three letters being transposed through three places doe give sufficient difference whereby to expresse the whole Alphabet A aaa B aab C aac D baa E bba F bbb G bbc H caa I cca K ccb L ccc M aba N abb O abc P aca Q acb R acc S bca T bcb V bcc W bab X cba Y cbb Z cbc bac Hasten unto me Caa aaa bca bcb bba abb bcc abb bcb abc aba bba Two letters of the Alphabet being transposed through five places will yield thirty two differences and so will more then serve for the foure and twenty letters Unto which they may be thus applyed A. aaaaa B. aaaab C. aaaba D. aaabb E. aabaa F. aabab G. aabba H. aabbb I. abaaa K. abaab L. ababa M. abaab N. abbaa O. abbab P. abbba Q. abbbb R. baaaa S. baaab T. baaba V. baabb W. babaa X. babab Y. babba Z. babbb aababababababba aaaaababaaaaaaababba f l y a w a y There is yet another way of secrecy by more letters then are naturally required to the inward sence if we write with a double Alphabet wherein each letter shall in the fashion of it beare some such small distinction from the other of the same kind as is usuall in common mixed writing For Example The first Alphabet Aa Bb. Cc. Dd. Ee. Ff. Gg. Hh. Ii Kk. Ll. Mm. Nn. Oo. Pp. Qq Rr. Sss. Tt. Vuv. Ww Xx. Yy Zz The second Alphabet Aa Bb. Cc. Ddd. Ee. Ff. Gg. Hh Ii Kk. Ll. Mm. Nn. Oo. Pp. Qq. Rr. Sss. Tt. Vuv. Ww Xx. Yy Zz 1. Write an Epistle of an ordinary matter or if it be needfull contrary to what you intend Let the body of it consist chiefely of the first Alphabet onely inserting as you have occasion such letters of the second as may expresse that inward meaning which you would reveale to a confederate For example from those that are besieged Wee prosper still in

or humane nature is capable of These kind of mysterious interpretations from particular letters doe seeme to be somwhat favoured by Gods addition of the letter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} unto the name of Abram and Sara upon the renewing of his covenant with them which in all likelihood was not without some secret mysterie That being the chiefe letter of the Tetragrammaton might perhaps intimate that amongst their other posterity with the promise of which hee had then blessed them they should also be the parents of the Messias who was Iehovah This likewise others have confirmed from the example of Christ who cals himself Alpha Omega Revel. 1. 8. But though such conjectures may be allowable in some particulars yet to make all Scriptures capable of the like secrets does give such a latitude to mens roving corrupt fancies as must needs occasion many wild and strange absurdities And therfore Irenae●s does fitly observe that from such idle collections as these many heresies of the Valentinians and Gnosticks had their first beginnings As this way of short writing by the first letters was of antient use amongst the Iews so likewise amongst the Romans which appeares from many of their contractions yet remaining as S. P. D. Salutem plurimam dicit S. P. Q. R. Senatus populusque Romanus CR. Civis Romanus VC Vrbs cōdita And the like These single letters were called Siglae per Syncopen from the obsolete word Sigillae whence Sigillatim They were usually inscribed in their coines statues arms monuments and publike records You may see them largely treated of by Valerius Probus where he affirms the study of them to be very necessary for one that would understand the Roman affaires His enim exprimebant nomina Curiarum Tribuum Comitiorum Sacerdotiorum Potestatum Magistratuum Praefecturarum Sacrorum ludorum Rerum urbanarum rerum militarium Collegiorum Decuriarum Fastorum Numerorum Mensurarum Iuris civilis similium They were first used by the Notaries at Senates and other publike assemblies and from thence retained in their Statutes civil Lawes Whence Manilius makes it the note of a good Lawyer Qui legum tabulas condita jura Noverit atque notis levibus pendentia verba Thus saith Isidor A inversed ● did formerly stand for pupilla and M inversed ● for mulier By these letters DERICP is signified De eare ita censuerunt patres When the Judges were to inscribe their severall opinions on a little stone or Tessera to be cast into the urne by the note A they did absolve by * K condemn by N. L. Non liquet they did intimate that they could not tell what to make of the businesse and did therefore suspend their judgements But because of those many ambiguities which this contracted way of writing was liable unto and the great inconveniences that might happen thereupon in the misinterpretation of Lawes therefore the Emperour Iustinian did afterwards severely forbid any further use of them as it were calling in all those Law bookes that were so written Neque enim licentiam aperimus ex tali codice in judicium aliquid recitari The chiefe purpose of these antient Abbreviations amongst the Romans was properly for their speed But it is easie to apprehend how by compact they may be contrived also for Secrecy CHAP. 11. Of writing by invented Characters The distinction of these into such as signifie either letters words notions The generall rules of unfolding and obscuring any letter-characters How to expresse any sense either by points or lines or figures BEsides the wayes of Secret writing by the common letters there may likewise be divers others by invented notes The difference of characters whereby severall languages are exprest is part of the second generall curse in the confusion of tongues For as before there was but one way of speaking so also but one way of writing And as now not only nations but particular men may discover their thoughts by any different articulate sounds so likewise by any written signes These invented characters in the generall are distinguishable into such as signifie either 1 Letters 2 Words 3 Things and notions First concerning those that signifie letters To which kind some learned men refer the Hebrew character that is now in use Affirming that Ezra first invented it thereby the better to conceale the secrets of their Law and that they might not have so much as their manner of writing common with the Samaritans other Schismaticks 'T were but needlesse to set downe any particulars of this kind since it is so easie for any ordinary man to invent or vary them at pleasure The rules that are usually prescribed for the unfolding of such characters are briefly these 1 Endeavour to distinguish betwixt the vowells and consonants The vowells may be knowne by their frequencie there being no word without some of them If there be any single character in English it must be one of these three vowells a. i. o. 2 Search after the severall powers of the letters For the understanding of this you must mark which of them are most common and which more seldome used This the Printers in any language can easily informe you of who doe accordingly provide their sets of letters Which of them may be doubled and which not as H. Q. X. Y. And then for the number of vowells or consonants in the beginning middle or end of words a man must provide severall tables whence hee may readily guesse at any word from the number and nature of the letters that make it As what words consist only of vowells what have one vowell and one consonant whether the vowell be first As in these words Am. an. as if in is it of on or us Or last as in these words Be he me by dy ly my ty do to so c. And so for all other words according to their severall quantities and natures These tables must be various according to the difference of languages There are divers the like rules to be observed which are too tedious to recite You may see them largely handled by Baptista Porta and Gustavus Selenus The common rules of unfolding being once knowne a man may the better tell how to delude them Either by leaving out those letters that are of lesse use as H. K. Q. X. Y. and putting other characters instead of them that shall signifie the vowells So that the number of this invented Alphabet will be perfect and the vowells by reason of their double character lesse distinguishable Or a man may likewise delude the rules of discovery by writing continuately without any distinction betwixt the words or with a false distinction or by inserting nulls and non-significants c. These Characters are besides lyable to all those other wayes whereby the common letters may bee obscured whether by changing their places or their powers The particulars of