thousand parts and observed that our Provence Palme or Span which is the 8th part of a Can or Rod does contain only seven hundred sixty and three of those parts but the old Roman foot containes nine hundred and six of the said parts the English foot nine hundred thirty three that of Holland 966 that of Lions and Grenoble a thousand fifty and two and that of Florence one thousand eight hundred and two But of this enough and too much I return now to Peireskius who soon after in the year 1610. went again to Mon-pellier And having effected his businesse according to his hearts desire he returned in the beginning of May at which time he happened to dream a dream 1610. which as often as he related to me which was divers times he would alwayes premise that if another should have related it unto him he could not have beleeved it There was in his company Jacobus Rainerius a Citizen of Aix who was wont to lodge in the same chamber with him and their lodging was at the white Inn between Monpellier and Nismes Now Peireskius was in a dream and talked to himself obscurely of I know not what strange businesse whereupon Rainerius awaked him asking him what was the matter To whom he replied Alas and well away what a sweet and pleasant dream have you robbed me of I dreamt I was at Nismes and that the Goldsmith offered to sell me a golden piece of Julius Caesars coin for four Cardecues and I was just ready to give him the money that I might have the piece whereas by your unseasonable waking of me the Goldsmith vanished out of my sight and the piece of coin out of my hands Soon after not thinking of the dream he went to Nismes and while dinner was making ready he walkt about the Town Now it happened wonderfully that he hit upon a Goldsmith and asking him if had any rarities he answered that he had a Julius Caesar in gold He asked him what he would take for it he said Four Cardecues Whereupon he presently gave him the money took his Julius Caesar and so was his dream wonderfully and most happily fulfilled Wonderfully I say for he might easily think upon Nismes whither he was to go the following day he might well dream of that piece of Coin of Julius Caesar which waking he had often desired and that he might meet with it in that City wherein there were so many reliques of Romane Antiquity and he might dream of a Goldsmith for to men of that trade such pieces are commonly brought by them which dig them up he might dream of an indifferent price such as Goldsmiths rather than Antiquaries are wont to set upon such commodities he might have thought of four Cardecues with which as a moderate price a Goldsmith might be content Finally a Goldsmith and at Nismes might have such a piece at such a price but that all these should concur and that the event should answer to the dream is altogether wonderfull Yet Peireskius was not the man that would conclude that this dream did therefore proceed from any preternaturall cause if such dreams had often happened he might peradventure have thought so but knowing the sport which Fortune is wont to make he reckoned this accident onely among those rare cases which are wont to amaze the vulgar such as they likewise relate of Eudemus the familiar acquaintance of Aristotle at Pherae and of the two Arcadians at Megara and some other such like howbeit the truth of all such like Histories rests wholly upon the credit of the Relatours Afterwards Peireskius stayed certain dayes at Arles that besides many other observations elsewhere he might curiously search into certain rare monuments at the monastery of Mon-majour And when returning from thence he came neer to Salon a Post met him from the Arch-Bishop to acquaint him speedily with the unheard of and lamentable death of King Henry Being wonderfully daunted he made haste neverthelesse to comfort Varius who was already acquainted with the thing and was beginning to endeavour by sending Messengers and Letters to preserve the Inhabitants of Provence in their obedience Moreover it is not to be forgotten how at the very beginning of the yeer and before Peireskius departed from Mon-pellier there was brought him out of Spain an Almanack or yeerly Prognostication made by Hieronymus Ollerius of Barcellona and the November foregoing printed at Valence in which the lamentable accident aforesaid was clearly foretold For he had so set down the circumstances of his nativity and certain principall things which had happened concerning him that no other King save Henry the Great could be thereby intended Which when he had shewed to Varius and acquainted Josephus Galterius Prior and the Lord of Valetta therewith a man excellently skilled in all the Mathematicall Arts but especially in Astronomy though no great heed were to be given to Astrologicall Predictions yet it seemed a matter not to be sleighted as concerning the life of so worthy a Prince Whereupon Varius presently sent the book to the King I shall not stand to relate how that great and truly generous Prince commending the care of Varius did contemn and sleight the Prognostication but because the event proved it to be true and Ollerius himself afterwards writing a Prognostication for the following yeer did wonderfully boast thereof therefore I must needs say that which at least may make it doubtfull whether it was from the stars or some other hints rather that he conjectured the said event For as for the vanity of Astrologie it is needlesse for me to speak any thing in this place especially seeing the nativities calculated 3 yeers since did prognosticate no ill till four yeers more were past Nor am I one of those that are in the least suspicious that the prophet had some traffick with evil spirits which might reveal and presage the same onely I say it is possible he was acquainted with the plot by which so an abominable and not to be named Parricide was committed Sure I am it could not be perfectly concealed neither in Spain nor in Italy for even the Kings Embassadours and namely the most excellent Johannes Bochartus Lord of Champigny then Agent at Venice had already pre-advertized his Majesty thereof And it was sufficiently proved that all the Sea-faring men of Marseilles who for two moneths before came from Spain brought word that there was a report spred abroad in Spain that the King of France either was already or should be killed by a sword or knife Also Peireskius related and writ to Malherbius that which may fitly be here inserted viz. How on the Saturday three dayes after that the kings death was published there passed thorow Aix a most illustrious Venetian of the family of the Priuli who had been Agent for the Commonwealth at Paris and was then going to be Agent at Madrid who when he went to visit Varius told him among other things how journeying thorow Millain
went the Inscription HONC OINO PLOIRUME COSENTIONT R. DUONORO OPTUMO FUISE VIRO LUCIOM SCIPIONE FILIOS BARBATI CONSOL CENSOR AIDILIS HIC FUET A. HEC CEPIT CORSICA ALERIAQUE URBE DEDET TEMPE TATIBUS AIDE MERETO And therefore because the explication of Sirmondus did most of all please him who proved that this Inscription was made in the 494th year after the building of Rome and consequently but a year later than the Dailâ—iâ—â— Inscription or that of the Columna Rostrata hitherto accounted to be the most ancient both for the Orthography Phrase and matter contained therefore thus he conceived it ought to be read HUNC UNUM PLUR IMI CONSENTIUNT ROMAE BONORUM OPTIMUM FUISSE VIRUM LUCIUM SCIPIONEM FILIUS BARBATI CONSUL CENSOR AEDILIS HIC FUIT HIC CEPIT CORSICAM ALERIAMQUE URBEM DEDIT TEMPESTATIBUS AEDEM MERITO Which may be thus Englished Very many good men at Rome do judge that this Lucius Scipio was a singlar and most excellent man He was the son of Barbatus Consul Censor Aedilis he took Corsica he built a chappell to †Honouring them as Deities because they spared him at Sea Tempests not without cause Peireskius approved this interpretation and therefore caused it to be printed concealing the name of Sirmondus because he of his modestie would not take the commendation to himself But the truth is Peireskius did not conceal his name when sending copies thereof up and down he wrote Letters to his friends Hence it was that Selden mentioned him in that same learned work of his De DIS Syris where he sayes this Inscription was communicated to him by Sir Robert Cotton who had it out of France from Nicolaus Fabricius Petriscius a man most renowned for nobility and learning Also the lately mentioned Aleander who when it was reprinted at Rome made an addition answered the objections that had been made against it And whereas among other things it seemed strange that no mention was made of that Triumph which Scipio made Aleander answered Verily that same quick-sighted Gentleman who is no lesse a lover of learned men than of learning it self Nicolaus Fabricius Lord of Peiresk does with good reason suspect that there wants another Inscription of Scipio which was counterpane to this of ours For the Sepulchers of the ancients were of great Bulke and it is no absurdity to think that as this Inscription was on the one side so that there was another Marble on the other side on which the Triumph Age Day of death c. were ingraven With these and such like matters did Peireskius busie himself when in the Moneth of November the Seal was taken from Varius and that most renowned Gentleman restored to the Liberty of a private Life But Peireskius who regarded not so much the glory of his Place as the eminency of his Virtues would never forsake him thinking it an unworthy baseness if he that had stood by him in his Prosperity should withdraw himself in his adverse fortune Howbeit he was wont to testifie concerning Varius that he accounted it no unhappy and ominous but a most happy accident as by which alone he was in a capacity of attaining the Tranquillity which he so much desired Wherefore he restored the Seal with great Alacrity and returning from the Court he would needs sup more liberally than ordinary with Malherbius and Peireskius as one that now had no businesse to disturbe him and retiring himself he led a most quiet and most sweet life conversing with his Books his friends and learned men About this time the Businesse about Riantium was removed from Paris to Tolouse 1617. and his Brother Valavesius about the Beginning of the following year went into that City And although his presence was likewise desired at Tolouse which as was thought would have much advanced the Businesse yet could he never be induced for any Danger never so great of the miscarriage of that Suit to leave Varius Yet you must not Imagine that for all this he left his care of the cause of Learning For he sent an almost innumerable Company of Books to Learned men in all parts partly of his own accord partly being requested by them as into Italy to Pignorius and Aleander and to Scipio Cobellutius then newly honoured with a red Hat and the title of Cardinall of Saint Susanna and to whom not long after the Custodie of the Vatican Library was given as a favour And into England to Cambden and Selden and others who had seriously intreated him that he would not envie the Learned Nation of Men his Learned notes upon the ancient Coines and his Observations upon that part of France which is called Gallia Narbonensis Into Holland he sent as to others so chiefly to Thomas Erpenius the renowned professor of Arabic and he sent with his Books and Letters certain Arabick Coines that he might lend his Assistance in their Interpretation which he had not yet sufficiently understood I forbear to mention how he received likewise back again many things which he desired as from Aleander a modell of the Farnesian Congius or old Galon-measure with Letters signifying that he had examined the Water of Tiber Fountain water and other waters and after manifold comparisons of the one with the other he could find no difference at all in their weight From Nicolas Alemannus a year before the Vatican-Library Keeper he received a Catalogue of the Poets of Provence From Andreas Bruggiotus a Supplement to his Index of the Grek Manuscripts which were kept in the foresaid Library From Pignorius a Breviarie of the Life of that famous Ludovicus Cornarus with the time of his Death who by his sobrietie had procured himself so long a life and such a lustie old Age for he wrote that he was buried at Padua the day after the Nones of May in the year 1566. From Facobus Colius a Book with his excuse for naming him only Nobilissimus Gallus without any further Illustration From Sanderus Elogies from Johannes Meursius divers of his works from Willerius Genealogies from Whinghemius Botanick Rarities and from others other things Also about this time he began to procure Notes upon the Calendar of Constantine which 17 years after Aegidius Bucherus did totally insert into his Commentaries of the Canon of Paschalis Victorianus viz. from the 236. page to the 288. And the truth is I question not how those papers were gotten and by whom imparted to that same rarely good and Learned Man only I desire the Reader to take notice that they were not transcribed save from that same very rare Book which belonged to Peireskius and is at this very day preserved in his Library Now he wrote largely thereabout both to Aleander and to most other Learned men who exceedingly desired the publication thereof for they esteemed it as a mighty treasure to correct the Annals and to rectifie all Chronologie both sacreed and profane For examples sake we may observe therein the Consulship of Probus and
Parliament of Aix The one of those Books has three Columns and consisls of three Languages each Language holding a distinct Column c. Whereupon Peireskius perceived that he was hereby pulled as it were by the Eare and put in mind of his engagement wherefore waiting only for a safe and convenient opportunity to send them he would trust them with none but Dionysius Guilleminus a man of singular Courtesie and that had lived in his Family from a boy so that he was formerly at Romollae and now also at Beaugensier his Bailie He sent him indeed to his Abbey in Aquitanie but he ordered him before hand to go out of his way and carry the Books to Paris I stand not to recount how great thanks Morinus returned for the said Books and how he magnified him with prayses only I shall tell you that he had then translated and sent him back the Samaritan Epistles which were long since written to Scaliger as we told you before THE LIFE OF PEIRESKIUS The Fifth Book HAving spent three years at Beaugensier he returned to Aix in the Month of September Helîas Lainaeus Marguerius was now come to Town whom the King after the death of Oppidaeus had made chief President of the Parliament and because Peireskius well knew his integrity joyned with great skill in the Lawes therefore out of Reverence to his dignity and vertue he would not go to his own house before he had saluted him Therefore his Nephew being obliged according to custome to visite all the Senators he went with him to the house of every one and commended him to them with great alacrity Neverthelesse it happened through his labour in that particular he fell into a pain in his Kidnies having loosened a store which four or five daies after he happily voided As soon as ever he was recovered he fell to his Senatorian employments having reserved as we said before to himself the function of his office for the space of three years which he did verily not out of vanity or desire of gain but that he might not want occasion to exercise his beneficence especially towards learned and religious persons and others well-deserving being accusiomed to maintain their Rights and take upon himself their Patronage Moreover he was recreated by certain Books which Minutius sent him out of the East with divers Coins especially the Basilidians also certain bulbous Plants and other such like things Among the rest there was one Volume which might well be so called à Volvende being rouled up smallest in bulk but by him most highly prized being found in a Box at the feet of a certain Mumie It was all written with Hieroglyphick Letters consisting of the true Papyrus or ancient Paper so called and might well be above two thousand years old At another time afterwards he received great store of Greek Books viz. as many as two large Chests could hold but he was not so happy in this purchase in regard of the integrity subject matter of the same Books For excepting an Arabian Bible written in the Arabick Persian and Chalde Tongues with the Commentaries of Rabbi Solomon all the rest were either very ordinary Books or very imperfect But this happened the year following at what time he was very busie in measuring and comparing divers ancient measures which as was before hinted he had at home For besides the knowledge of all kind of measures which was to him most delightful he hoped he should be able at length by comparing very many of them to reconcile many places in Authors touching measures which contradict one another as where Columella makes a Cochlear to be the fourth part of a Cyathus and Fannius makes it the twenty fourth whereas the same Fannius and Pliny will have the Cyathus to weigh ten drams Marcellus and others twelve and other such like places which he was minded to explain not only by conjectures but with the very weights and measures themselves For which cause he endeavoured to get all the ancient Vessels that he could any waies hear of to be measured But he conceived greatest reckoning was to be made of the more precious ones made of silver or other costly materials because the Ancients were wont in them to affect certain kinds of measures also that by that means they might be more acceptable either as being ordained for sacrifices or that being kept in Temples for most of them were consecrated gifts they might there the longer remain as Standards or authentick models of Measures He was therefore desirous that Guilleminus should abide divers Moneths at Paris to measure such precious Vessels which were kept at St. Dennis and in the chief Closets of Rarities in that City But he had especial proof of the humanity of Rociaeus who did not only procure him the capacity and patterns of Vessels but sent him one Vessel it self which he compelled him to accept whereupon Peireskius wrote him a Letter most full of gratitude and profound Learning wherewith he explained at large the meaning of the most exquisite sculpture and ornaments thereof In like manner because Jacobus Gaffarellus a man renowned for his skill in Hebrew and other endowments did reside at Venice 1633. he took care that he should measure those precious Vessels which being brought from Cyprus and Constantinople were kept in the Treasury of St. Mark and the illustrious Magnifico Valletanus Knight of St. Mark interceded with the Senate at the request of Peireskius and procured a Licence to that intent So he dealt with Naudaeus to procure him those at Ravenna and with Suaresius touching that great Smaragdine Charger which is at Genua and by the Genuenses called Scela and with Menetrius touching many which he knew were kept at Rome Nor must I in this place forget how he had a Crystal Cochlear sent him for a token by the generous Lady Foelix Zacchia Rondenina learned above her Sex and Letters withall of her husband Alexander Rondeninus wherewith that most renowned Heroina did very elegantly testifie how much she prized the Virtue of Peneskius And it seemed a strange thing that about the same time Carolus Tabaretius Cadafalcius Prosenescal of Digne sent him a larger Cochlear with three hund-ed peices of Mony coined in the Daies of Gallienus which were found therewith To come to other matters it was Spring when as Petrus Seguierius the illustrious President was made Keeper of the Kings Seal whereupon Peireskius did both congratulate his new Honour and received Letters from him wherein that great Personage did testifie that no Letters were more welcome to him then from Peireskius being both his Kinsman and one exceedingly praised for his Virtue and Knowledge At the same time his Brother Valavesius was chosen by the King Viguier of Marseilles to which City he went For that Magistrate begins his office every year in the Kalends of May and continues the whole year chief President of the Municipial Court Mean while I was with him when he would needs invite
weaknesse glory and â—â—eproach Vertues and Vices Plenty and Wants Adantages and Defects Antiquity and Modernes of all â—â—â— Kingdomes and states of Christendome are Imartially poiz'd by James Howel Esq Fol. 166. Renatus des Cartes ' excellent compendium of Musick with necessary and juditious Animadversions â—erâ—upon by a person of Honour Illustrated with livers figures in 4o. 167. The Scarlet Gowne or the History of the â—â—ves of all the present Cardinals of Rome written in â—alian and Englished by Henry Cogan Gent. 80. 168. A discourse of constancy Ly Justus Lipsius faithfully Englished by R. G. sometimes of Ch. Ch. Exon. containing many sweet consolations for all that are afflicted in body or in mind 12o. 169. Le Chemin abrege or a compendious Method for the attaining of Sciences in a short time with the Statutes of the Academy of Cardinall Richelieu Englished by R. G. Gent. 170. The Academy of Eloquence containing compleat English Rhethorick with common place and formes to speake and write fluently according â—â— the present mode together with letters amorous anâ— morall by Thomas Blunt Gent. 12o. 171. The Secretary in fashion or a compendion and refined way of expression in all manner of letter with instructions how to write letters of all sorts coâ—posed in French by P. St de la Serre in 8o. 172. Curia Politiae or the Apologies of several Princes justifying to the World their most eminent â—â—ctions by the strength of Reason and the most exact rules of Policy by the acurate pen of Monsieur Scudery Governer of Nostre-dame and now Englishe with the figures of many Emperors and Kings 173. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or observations on the present manners of the English briefly anatomizing the living by the dead with an usefull detection of the Mount banks of both sexes by Richard Whitlock M.D. late fellow of all Souls Colledge in Oxon 8o. 174. Scholae Wintoniensis Phrases Latinae The Latinâ—â— Phrases of Winchester School corrected and much augmented with Poeticalls added and four Tracts 1. â—â— words not to be used by elegant Latinists 2. The disference of words like one another in sound or signification 3. Some words governing a subjunctive modâ—â— not mentioned in Lillies Grammer 4. Concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for entring children upon making Themes by H. Robinson D. D. sometimes school-master of Winchester Colledge published for the commoâ—nse and benefit of Grammer schools 175. Atheismus Vapulans or a Treatise against Atheism rationally confuting the Atheists of these times by William Towers late student of Ch. Ch. Oxon. 176. De Juramenti Obligatione promissorij Praelectiones Septem Of the Obligation of Promissory Oathes seven Lectures read in the Divinity Schools at Oxford by Robert Sanderson D. D. and englished by his late Majesties appointment 8o. 177. Politick Maxims and observations written by the most learned Hugo Grotius translated for the ease and benefit of the English statesmen by H. C. S. T. B. 178. The perfect Horseman or the experienc'd secrets of Mr. Markhams fifty yeares practice shewing how a man may come to be a Generall Horse man by the knowledge of these seven Offices viz. The Breeder Ambler Keeper Farrier viz. The Feeder Rider Buyer Farrier Published with some Additions by Lancelot Thetford Practitioner in the same Art 40. yeares 179. Divine Poems written by Tho. Washborn B. D. 180. Buxtorf's Epitome of his Hebrew Grammar Englished by Iohn Davis Mr. of Arts. 181. Fasciculus Poematum Epigrammatûm Miscelaâ—eorum Authore Iohanne Donne D. D. 182. Poemata Graeca Latina à Gulielmo Cartwright C. C. Oxon. 183. The Marrow of Complements containing Amorous Epistles complementall entertainments Dialogues songs and Sonnets presentations of gifts instructions for Woers with other pleasant passages Bookes newly Printed for Humphrey Moseley 184 THe fifth Volume of Artamenes or the Grand Cyrus that excellent new Romance being the ninth and tenth Parts Written by that famous wit of France Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostredame and now englished by F. G. Esq 185 Elise or Innocency guilty a new Romance translated into English by John Jennings Gent. 186 Clelia an excellent new Romance written in French by the exquisite pen of Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostredame de la Gard. 187 Coralbo a new Romance in three Bookes written in Italian by Cavalier Gio Francesco Biondi and now faitâ—fully rendred into English 188 The Lusiad or Portugalls Historicall Poem translated into English by Richard Fanshaw Esq 189 The History of Philosophy the first Part by Tho Stanley Esq 190 The History of the Kingdome of Naples with the lives of all their Kings written by that famous Antiquary Scipio Mazzella with an Addition of what happened during the Rebellion of Massaniello and continued to this present yeare by I. H. Esq 191 Mr. Howel's fourth Volume of familiar Letters never published before 192 Manziny his most exquisite Academicall Discourses upon severall choice Subjects turned into French by that famous Wit Monsieur de Scudery and into English by an Honourable Lady 193 The English Treasury of Wit and Language digested into common places by Iohn Cotgrave Gent. 194 Lusus Serius a Philosophicall Discourse of the superiority of the Creatures by Michael Mayerus 195 The Aphorisms of Hippocrates with a short Comment on them taken out of Galen Heurnius Fuchsius c. 196 Euphrates or the waters of the East by Eugenius Philalethes 197. Hermeticall Physick or the way to preserve and restore health by Henry Nollius Chymist and Englished by Henry Vaughan Gent. 198 Dr Valentine's private Devotions in Welch 199 Mantuan's Eclegues Englished by Tho. Harvey 200 Medici Catholicon or a Catholick Medicine for the Diseases of Charity by John Collop Dr. of Physick 201 Poesis Rediviva or Poetry reviv'd by John Collop M. D. 202 The Saints Expectation and Reward A Sermon at the Funerall of Mr. Thomas Wiborow by Michael Thomas Minister of Stockden in Shropshire 203 A Sermon against Murder occasion'd by the Massacre of the Protestants in the Dukedome of Savoy by William Towers B. D. Books Printed this Terme 204. RAgguagli di Parnasso or Advertisements from Parnassus Written in Italian by that Faâ—ous Roman Trajano Bocalini and put into English by the right Honorable Henry Earle of Monmouth 205 A compleat History of the Lives and Reignes of Mary Queen of Scotland and of her Son and Successour James the Sixth King of Great Brittain France and Ireland by William Sanderson 206 The Destruction of Troy an Essay upon the second Book of Virgil's Aeneis by John Denham Esq 207 Poems viz. 1 Miscellanies 2. The Mistresse or Love-Verses 3. Pindarique Odes 4. Davideis or a sacred Poem of the Troubles of David by A. Cowley 208 God Incarnate shewing that Jesus Christ is the Only and the most high God In foure Books containing Animadversions on Dr. Lushingtous Comentary upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes by Edmund Porter ate of St. Iohn's Coll. Camb. Prebend of Norwich 209 Ducis Buckinghami in
he would have gone thither about businesse would not let him go pretending that his Brother was shortly to depart For there was a businesse then in agitation before the Kings Councell about the paiment of certain Scots or Taxes which those of Rians pretended to be due from Reginald by reason of certain Lands which he had But Varius took the businesse upon himself to procure that he should rather be sent and indeed perswaded his Uncle that he was over tender and that it was an injurie rather then kindnesse to hinder one of so rare a towardlinesse from the Consummation of his Virtue Wherefore his Uncle because he reverenced Varius giving his consent as for his Father he never openly denied him any thing Peireskius accompanied Varius in the beginning of August 1605. But it is incredible to relate how soon he became famous at Paris by the Commendation partly of his own Virtue and partly of his friend Varius The first Man that he longed to see was the Renowned Augustus Thuanus as well to give him thanks for his exceeding Civility and lindnesse as to receive any thing that might have been sent him from Scaliger And himself was wont to say that it cannot be expressed how joyfully he entertained him For he admitted him presently both into the Kings and his own private Library shewed him whatsoever records he kept up under lock and key to assist him in the Composing of his History opened his very heart and Bowels to him brimfull of wonderfull sincerity He then informed him of many things which he inquired after concerning the Learned men of Italie and because he wanted some particulars to furnish the commendatorie Testimonialls of the said Learned men he promised to procure what he desired by Letters from his friends When he visited him the second time presently Isaac Casaubon was sent for who had the Charge of the Kings Librarie under Thuanus He at the very first meeting was so affected that it is hard to say whether he admired or loved him more For the truth is he received so many things and learnt so much of him that he could not sorbear to speak thereof both publikely and in his private and samiliar Epistles For in the first place printing his Notes upon the Epistle of Gregorie Nyssen to Eustathia Ambròsia and Basilissa he made mention of a piece of brasse money of the Coine of Rogerius King of Sicilie which quoth he among many others with Inscriptions in Arabick and divers Images of severall Princes the most Learned Fabricius Peireskius a Senator of Aix did shew me Moreover when Peireskius discovered to him the Errors which are in Ursinus and Goltzius who giving more heed to Jacobus Strada then the ancient Coines had corrupted divers of the Sirnames of certain Emperors reckoned among the thirty Tyrants under Gallienus and namely of Marcus Piawonius Victorinus Lucius Aelianus whom they made falsly to the Marcus Aurelius Victorinus and Spurius Servilins Lollianus contrary to what appears upon the Coines which he let him see Casaubon gave him very great thankes saying moreover I beseâ—ch you by our newly begun and yet most ancient friendship if possibly you can that you will communicate to me what you have of that kind Doubtlesse that way which you have undertaken to clear up the dark passages of Antiquity is the most sure and only way I eagerly expect what the great Scaliger will observe touching these kind of Antiquities but I foresee there will be place for your gleanings after his Harvest For it was an happie thing that you should meet with these Coines which have given you light in such dark paessages But that I may not be tedious I shall only add what he wrote unto him a year or two after in these words I beseech God to grant all health and happinesse to so great a Patron of the Muses And I beg of you that as you have already judged me worthy of your favour so you will proceed to assure me of the same and be intreated to go on as you have begun of your own accord I do already find that I am much indebted to you and doubt not but I shall be farther obliged hereafter if you shall meet with any opportunity to assist me in my studies I know not whether you have heard that the most Serene Duke of Urbin has sent me that Copie of Polybius which you told me of and therefore I am chiefly beholden to you for that kindnesse c. Casaubon is a man well known and renowned among the Learned so that by him you may judge of the rest For what need I speake of Fronto Ducaeus Papyrius Massonus and some others to whom he carried commendations from Velserus Of Nicolaus Faber Jacobus Bongarsius Scaevola and the San-marthani Brethren Franciseus Pithaeus Peters own Brother 〈◊〉 almost an innumerable company of 〈◊〉 with whom he grew then familiarly acâ—uaâ—ited It is better to tell you that there was no famous Library which he ransackt not but especially and besides the fore-recited that of San-Victoria in which he told us that he saw besides many other things one which he most regarded viz. All the Acts of the Maid of Orleance with an Apologie for her and her Picture of all which a great Book was written by the Command of a certain Abbot who lived at the same time Also he talked of many things which he had seen in the studies of private Persons as namely of Johannes Jacobus Memmius Rociacus a man illustrious as well for his generous disposition and proper Virtue as the worthy familie he descended from and his hopefull issue who is yet living in an happy old Age Prince of the Counts of the Consistorie Also of Renatus Poterius Bishop of Bellovacum or Beauvois of whom he reported that he was honourable for histase Learning Likewise of Panlus Patavinus whose thousand Manuscript Books he commended yet made more account of his Chamber of Rarities And though he saw it exceedingly well surnished yet would he of his own accord needs augment the same with the Coines of divers Kings both of the first and second Family For he gave him some in which the names of the Kings were read as for example of Clotarius Crowned with a Crown of jewells after the manner of Constantime who instead of a Crown of Laurell used one of Jewells and some with the names of such Counts under wh◠〈◊〉 â—ny was coined as of Filarius of Rhemes 〈…〉 In scription Remus fit In like manner 〈◊〉 â—mended the Rarities and Books of Franciscus Olivarius Fontanaeus And Bagarrius being now keeper of the Kings Jewell-House of rarities it was no more then reason that he should see all that there was to beseen Moreover he approved of the designe of transferring all the store of Rarities of Franciscus Pererius Gentleman of Aix excellently furnished with most rare Curiosities into the Kings Store-house for he confessed there were yet many things wanting that it might be esteemed worthy the name
but they were only on the hollow and under parts of the stones but not upon those which lay most open to the skies Soon after he received out of Italy and sent to Thuanus the commendatory Elogies of certain men as of Hierenymus Columna Gabriel Faernus Cruceius and such like of whom he intended to make mention in his History Scaliger had sometime intreated him that he would renew his commerce which he had established in the East by the Agencie of Peter Ostagerius who was in times past his Host at Marseilles for the buying up of Samaritan Aegyptian and Arabick books grieving that for the space of fifteen yeers which he had spent in Holland he had not heard a word of the Samaritan Pentateuch which Ostagerius had promised to endeavour to procure for him Peireskius therefore having indeed formerly endeavoured somewhat in that businesse did now bestir himself more earnestly giving order that the foresaid book among many others should be bought in Aegypt and conveyed to him But the ship in which it was coming was pillaged by Pirats and the book could not be recovered but was utterly lost And so was Scaliger deprived of that most desired book nor did he ever receive the answer which he had so much expected which came happily to the hands of Peireskius after his death For Scaliger had written to the Samaritans of Aegypt and to their chief Priest Eleazar who dwelt in a City called Sichem asking them divers questions about the observation of the Sabbath and other Fessivals about the Messiah and how they named him and in conclusion he desired of them a copy of their Pentateuch or five books of Moses They answered him in two Letters but because they fell into the hands of Genebrardus and others they were detained till such time as Scaliger being dead Peireskius both obtained them and caused them lately to be turned into Latine by the exceedingly learned Johannes Morinus Also about this time he re-assumed his care of calling Pacius to professe at Aix and which is more of procuring that he might not any longer persist in an un-orthodox Religion but very many things did intervene which did again frustrate his manifold cares and endeavours His brother Valavesius was at that time in Paris about the businesse of Rians and because he should have some moneths vacation from his businesse therefore Peireskius intreated him that at least for his sake he would go see England and the Low-Countries and salute his friends there presenting such tokens as he should send them and procuring certain rarities for him Also he exceedingly intreated him that he would go to Aquisgranum that he might there disigently view what ever monuments were remaining of Charles the Great write out the Inscriptions and cause all the Pictures to be copied which he should meet with in Ecclesiasticall Books Glasse-windows Copes or Vestments Stones or any other things not neglecting to get the Platform of places and ornaments the Copies of Charters and the Prints of Seals prece or pretio for money or fair words He added that it so repented him when he was in Holland that he went not to Aquisgrane that were it not that he confided in his brother he was resolved on purpose and for no other intent to make another voyage thither Moreover his brother did all which he desired of him to the full with wonderfull care diligence and fidelity himself in the mean time after the beginning of the yeer went to Monpellier about the self same businesse for the Marquisse of Oreson had sued Brisack for making sale of the whole Jurisdiction of Rians He returned about the middle of the Spring 1609. being tormented with a most inexpressible tooth-ach and not long after his Father fell into a most dangerous disease himself also being taken with a fever which was very lasting and when it went away left him so weak that he was hardly well recovered by Autumn And here I must record what he himself related often When he had no appetite but loathed all meat so that he wasted away Jacobus Fontanus a famous Physician and his kinsman asked him if there were nothing which he had a mind to eat He said there was but he was very well assured that it would not be allowed him Whereupon he was urgent to know what it was He told him Musk-melons the Physician replied Take heart and be of good cheer for I do not onely permit but advise yea and charge you to eat of them but eat them at the beginning of your meal without bread and drink a little pure wine before and after which advice he followed and did well upon it so that all his life time after he did in this manner eat Musk-melons without any prejudice When he was recovered he divers wayes assisted divers learned men as Johannes Taxilis who was writing somewhat touching the new star which appeared in the great Conjunction aforesaid Gasparus Bricius a Parish-Priest in the same City a good industrious man and observant of the Celestial Bodies Johannes Baptista Hansenius whom he grew acquainted with at Rome in the learned family of Cardinall Baronius and who by his procurement was chief Rector of the School at Aix three yeers together And these with other learned men he obliged while he was yet in a weak condition of body his disease being onely abated not perfectly cured which was in much measure caused and lengthened by the losse of three excellent friends who died in Holland The first of which was Scaliger who had newly begun his Commentary of Hebrew moneys when he was taken with a dropsie through distemper of his liver which the fourth or fifth moneth after on the 21 of January brought him to his end The second was Clusius who through weaknesse of nature rather than the gout which had newly seized him died on the fourth of April His Posthumus works were set forth by his Executour Franciscus Raphelengius wherein Peireskius was frequently metioned as in this following passage for example There was brought out of Ginny into France an ear of corn not unlike the former the picture where of was sent to Clusius from Aix in Provence by the most noble honorable Nicolaus Fabricius Lord of Peiresk And afterwards The following picture of the Gum Tragant-tree was sent from Aix in Provence by the most magnificent and noble Gentleman Nicolaus Fabricius Lord of Peiresk Councellour to his Majesty of France in the Parliament of Aix with Letters to the most renowned Clusius And again Here may be added an Epistle of the most learned Mr. Doctor Fontane which was sent to us from Aix by the most magnificent and most prudent Gentleman Nicolaus Fabricius Lord of Peiresk in the Letter which he wrote to the most famous Clusius which though it came to us after the death of the renowned Clusius aforesaid yet we conceive it worthy to be inserted in this Supplement Moreover mention was made in that Epistle of a certain rare
made and with two touching both Eclipses made at Hasnia by the renowned Christianus Severinus Longomontanus who was the Affistant of Ticho Brahe About this time there came forth a book in the Italian Tongue intitled Squinitius wherein the Venetian Liberty was examined from the very foundations of the Republike Which book because it seemed to contain rare skill in the History of the Empire and the Gothish Kings therefore it was presently beleeved as many at this day think that Peireskius was Author thereof But the truth is I can bear him witnesse that he never intended such a thing but contrarily he alwayes so reverenced the Majesty of the Republike and his friends which he had therein that he was rather enclined to do any service thereunto than to act any thing in cisgrace thereof Nor do I enquire whether the Author of this book was Antonius Albizius that noble Florentine who had two yeers before set out the Pedegrees of Christian Princes as some were of opinion or which is more likely the renowned Marcus Velserus of whom we have frequently spoken by reason of his excellent learning and singular propensity to the House of Austria I shall onely say that some have unjustly suspected that Gualdus and Pignorius did either assist in the writing thereof or communicated their notes for him to digest for they were more ingenuous and greater lovers of their Countrey than to be stained with such impiety But to be sure Peireskius never dreamt of such a thing Moreover being about to depart from Paris and taking leave of his friends he undertook among other things to send to Mericus Vicus at the beginning of Winter a pair of Phoenicopteri or Red-wings birds so called For he had a great desire to bring up some of those birds not onely for their Scarlet-coloured wings which makes our Countrey-men call them the Flaming Birds nor the longnesse of their thighs and neck which made Juvenal term this bird Phoenico-pterus ingens but chiefly becanse of the manner of their diet with which Peireskius related some of them had been kept by Varius For he related how they did eat their meat rather in the night than in the day which meat was commonly made of bread moistened with water how they could discern the approach of cold weather and would come to the fire so as sometimes to burn their feet and when one foot pained them they would go upon their other foot and use their bill in stead of the burnt foot how they slept standing upright upon one foot with the other drawn up to their brest amongst their feathers that a little sleep served their turn and such like At his departure he was most exceedingly grieved for the death of his most loving friend Nicolas Faber who not onely many dayes before had commended to the King that rare man Thomas Billonus when he did present his most laborious and admirably happy Anagrams In his journey he was vexed with great difficulty of urine After he was returned nothing so much grieved him 1613. as an injury which one of the Senatours had done unto Varius both before the Nativity and at the beginning of the new yeer wherefore he never was from him all that while save eight dayes during which he was troubled with a grievous disease about the end of April His brother in the mean while returned to Paris and he sent divers tokens to his friends by him Also he sent many things into Italy to Pascalinus Benedictus and others with whom he discoursed about divers Subjects and of whom he likewise desired some things for his friends Among whom was Casaubon as also Henricus Polanus the Mint-Master who desired him to procure for him out of Italy divers books hard to be found as also ancient weights or at least the comparison which had been made between them and those of Paris Another while writing to Paris he made it his chief businesse to commend Hannibal Fabrotus a famous Lawyer rarely adorned with the knowledge of polite Literature both to Thuanus and to other of his friends who had already heard of his learning As for what concerns other learned men Sirmondus setting out not long after Notes upon Sidonius Apollinaris did relate a Constitution which Cusanus took to have been made by Constantine the Great and Scaliger judged that it was made by Constantine the Tyrant but Peireskius shewed out of a * Civil Law book so called Code of Arles that it was rather made by the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius being written to Agricola President of the Gallick Provinces touching the holding of an Assembly of the seven Provinces once every yeer at Arles Moreover Jacobus Fontanus dedicating to him his Commentaries upon the Aphorisms of Hippocrates hath these words in his Epistle Dedicatory The pains that I have taken in composing this book I desire may passe into the world shielded with your patronage who gloriously shining with the abundance of all Virtues and Sciences will chase away the evil speeches of all censorious Detractours and cause that this work which is usefull for Physicians may be delightfull also seeing your repute is so great not onely with them but with all others that are addicted to the studies of learning that they cannot challenge to themselves any virtue without the knowledge of your testification and acceptance thereof There was also at the same time a book set out and dedicated to him by the foresaid Taxillus containing his judgement of that new star which was seen nine yeers agone But Peireskius could neither approve of his designe nor of his judgement because he contrary to better Authours which even Peireskius had furnisht him with did argue that the foresaid star was below the Moon and no higher than the upmost region of the air For he could not endure that men should seek out subtilties to establish the old opinions of the Schools contrary to evident demonstrations and observations as if that time could teach nothing and that experiments were not to be preserred before dark and cloudy reasonings For which cause at the same time he very much commended the candid ingenuity of Pacius whose judgement being demanded concerning those spots in the Sun which were now discovered by the Prospective-Glasse he desired time to consider of it professing that he was confounded and judging that from new Observations new Hypotheses ought to be framed About the same time there was a great rumor spread abroad touching the bones of certain Gyants which being found in Dauphine the King commanded that they should be sent to him for the report went that there was found in a certain feigned place not far from the stream which runs between Rhodanus and Isara a sepulchâ—e made of Bricks thirty foot long twelve foot broad and eight foot high with a stone upon it wherein was this Inscription THEUTOBOCHUS REX Also that when the sepulchre was opened there appeared the Skeleton of a man twenty five foot and an half long ten
that Putean held a most brotherly correspondence with Peireskius for no kindness ever lay in his power which he did not do for him Here I must nor forget how about the same time he recommended Josephus Maria Suaresius of Avenion a very learned young man who was by that means received into the Family of the Cardinal Nor must I forget Lucas Holstenius the Darling of learned men an Hamburger who was also not long after admitted into the said family 1627 after that his Vertue had bin made known to Peireskius by the commendations of the Puteans and to the Cardinal by the commendations of Peireskius when he was at Paris Both of them verily did afterward testifie their thankfulness and by frequent learned Letters did merit that favour as for Peireskius he let slip no occasion where by he might do either of them any good In the Winter he was again vexed with Rheumatick defluxions and pains in his Kidneys yet did he not cease to write divers Letters but principally to the Puteans by whose help he was wont to brag that he saw nigh at hand all that was done in the World as by the help of the Prospective Glasse he saw things ordinarily out of sight in the Heavens Among other things he shewed the Reason why the Taxes anciently set upon men came in process of time to be so diminished For seeing quoth he our fore-fathers and Ancestors expressed the rates of the said taxes by Florens coine so called which vvere then of Gold and vvere of greater value then the Solati it is come to passe that because Florens vvere then valued at twelve silver shillings or Spur-royals a Tax of a Floren is now satisfied with twelve shillings whereas nevertheless these of ours have so far degenerated from the ancient ones that six of ours amount not to the value of one of those We may now say eight and shortly ten so that they who would lay Taxes which shall not lessen in process of time must learn not to express them by pounds Tours or any other kind of vulgar money but they must estimate them by Corn or some other yearly increase of the Earth and compel them to pay accordingly For seeing the fruitfulness or barrenness of the same grounds is much one and the same at all times the price of the fruits of the Earth must needs keep much at one and the same But the usual value of money does not in like manner continue but continually decreases as has bin formerly declared Moreover 1627. Valavesius did in the mean time return from Paris and the business of Rians after so many years invincible suits was finished by arbitration The year 1627. was beginning when taking breath after the cares of such like businesses he resolved the next Vacation to take a view of whole Provence to gather Inscriptions partly such as he had not and partly such as had bin ill or unfaithfully taken and that to gratifie the foresaid Donius who having an huge Volume of Inscriptions such as were not in Gruterus ready for the Presse he was desirous to interweave those of Provence which Peireskius should collect And he had not indeed leasure to perform what he intended yet nevertheless he left not to sollicite Donius to put out his work hoping that in the mean while there would be a fardle of Provincian to joyn to the same for he liked better that they should be put all together at the end of the Book as the Spanish ones were in Gruters Volume than that they should be confusedly interposed here and there as was usual in others Moreover he began upon this occasion to treat with Donius not only touching Inscriptions but he being really a man variously and plentifully learned touching his Onomasticon his Musical work his Convivales touching Hetrusian moneys certain Justinian Coines of the ancient kind of Weapons and many such like things He treated also about the same time with Nicolaüs Rigaltius his Majesties Library-keeper famous for his very rare learning touching the Exposition of those Riddles of Virgil concerning certain Lands in which there grew Flowers with the names of Kings written upon them and Lands where the Heavens appeared but three ells wide And when by way of answer he received touching the former certain rare observations touching Flowers strangely variegated in their colours and touching the latter that interpretation which is usually given concerning a Well he called to minde among other things how that a Well was dug at Rians out of which a very small quantity of Heaven must needs be seen when as in the day-time at the bottom thereof a man might see the Stars the eyes being plunged as it were by the depth into the darkness of night and the sight of the eye by dilatation as is wont to happen in a dark place receiving plentiful species or representations even of the smallest things There was then newly come to be Arch-Bishop of Aix Alphonsus Plesseus Richelius a Praelate of remarkable learning and rare piety taken from among the Carthusians and Peireskius perceiving that he exceedingly loved him he used all diligence in the continual testification of his Respects and Service thereby to approve himself worthy of his Love When he went to visit Marseilles he bore him company and by that means he there saluted Gabriel Albaspiuaeus Bishop of Orleance who was then retired thither was studying about a work which was afterwards printed of the mystery of the Eucharist In which he made frequent mention of Books communicated by Peireskius calling him The Love and delight of Learning and the Ornament of Provence Afterwards also he strongly assisted the Arch-Bishop in the setling of a publick Post who carrying Packets of Letters every week by Post-horses to Lyons and bringing the like from thence might hold also a weekly entercourse with the Parisians And he had indeed long desired such a thing and more then once endeavoured the same as a thing of publick advantage and grateful to his friends but none before him had sufficiently animated the Arch-Bishop nor could the Parliament of Provence be ever perswaded to allow the charges Great was the joy occasioned hereby as of all learned men who desired to receive frequent letters from Peireskius so especially of the Puteans who by this means could both frequently and easily send him what ever newly ptinted Books or other novelties and he also could send them with like facility what ever he obtained out of Italy Africa and the whole East For from this time forward he kept a more frequent correspondence then ordinary with the Consuls and Merchants resident in all the Eastern parts that by their means he might procure Greek Hebrew and Arabick Books with others written in the oriental Languages Whereupon he soon obtained some as namely from Cyprus an excellent Book Peri Aretes cai Cacias about Virtue and Vice of Constantinus Porphyrogeneta containing collections out of Polybius Diodorus Nicolaus Damascenus and other
the water running from East to West and making an hollow way where the Mediterranean Sea now is many Valleys were so opened that the Rocks and Mountains kept the same Situation from East to West of which kind are not only the chief in this Province but the Pyrenaean and Appennine Hills the Rhetian Alps in Europa Taurus in Asia Atlas in Africa and the most of our Hills are broken and divided towards the Sea And that the Alps which border upon the Sea and some lesser Mountains and Valleys have a contrary Situation might proceed from some particular Deflux of water after the same manner as we observe after the overflowing of Rivers the water which runs over the Banks does plow up the congested mud and make ditches and consequently swelling Banks which are Situate athwart the Rivers course But of this Argument enough and too much Also he was wont to hold learned discourses touching that Gyantly body dug up at Tunis of an almost immense magnitude as Thomas Arcosius a man doubtlesse of various learning did signifie from those parts For he wrote that the Scull would contain eight mellerolles of Provence that is to say a Paris Bushel and an eighth part A monstrous size questionlesse and therefore Peireskius advised Arcosius to view all things with his own eyes and to weigh every thing scrupulously Telling him that the grinding Tooth which he had sent him might be either the Tooth of a very great Elephant or of some kind of Whale Moreover he rejoyced much both at the return of Minutius and for the finding of a certain Tripod For he returning with good successe from Aegypt brought many Books with him especially written in the Coptick that is to say the ancient Language and Character of Aegypt besides others which he had sent with the Samaritan Books aforesaid He brought also two Mumies viz. dead Bodies embalmed after the most ancient and costly manner one of which was very large entire rare and as by ornaments might be collected the Body of some Prince He brought also some Coins amongst the which he highly esteemed two Tetra dragmes the one Attick the other Tyrian and a piece of Coin of Hugo King of Hierusalem and Cyprus As for the Tripod it was dug up at Freius and because it was not much above a Foot high Peireskius conceived that it was one of those vetive Tripods placed in the Temples and made in fashion of that principal one on which Phoebus standing and drawing the Spirit from the cave beneath did rave and was thought to utter Oracles By occasion whereof he afterwards wrote divers Letters to Paris Rome and other places to provoke the learned to discourse of certain unknown mysteries of the Tripod The middle hole of its threesided Basis is triangular of circular lines the extremities whereof suhain certain Anticks which bear up the Bowl but so that they meerly touch one another and fall asunder with the least motion So that he conceived when that Spirit did move it self all Tripods must needs fall some concussion of the parts being made Also he argued that the Cortina was not that vessel for the Pithonesse did not ascend so high but another Hemisphere of a scaly kind of surface in imitation of the skin of the Serpent Pithon killd by Apollo with which the foresaid hole was immediatly covered so that the Priest had the Cortine beneath and the Bowl hanging over Now he took pains only to expresse and to approve by conjectures what might be meant by that curvi-lineal Triangle Wherefore there was no learned man with whom he did not consult thereabouts himself in the mean time both touching that and other parts pouring forth such streams of Learning that all men without controversie allowed him the Bayes Let us near Holstein in the name of all the rest For those things quoth he which you have written of this subject in a good long discourse to Father Putean you should in vain expect from me or any other Antiquary so far have you prevented and outgone all our care and diligence I passe over how to gain a fuller knowledge in this matter he sought to get divers Tripods especially out of Italy whereupon Menetrius sent him some besides an exquisite description and delineation of others which he could not obtain About the beginning of the following year 1631. the troubles did still continue when the Prince of Condee coming into Provence did at length compose the same In the beginning of the Spring the Cardinal having finished both his Legacies and received at Paris the purple Cap he returned to Rome and taking his journey through Provence he would needs see his old friend at Beaugensier And among other things it was very delightful to him to behold the toresaid Mumie and to hear Peireskius discourle of it and other kinds of embalming Meanwhile a Question arising Whether Aegyptians also were wont to pat a Passe-penny in the mouth of the dead he thought good to open the coverings and see if they could find any Wherefore as soon as he had unwrapped the Head he sought diligently but could not see any naulum or Passâ—â—nny in the mouth When he was about to depart Peireskius was bold to intreat him and encrease the weight of his carriage for he was to send to Holstenus twenty Greek manuscripts of the Interpreters of Plato and Aristotle which he had bought out of the Study of Pacius for two hundred Crowns and long since resolved to send them The Cardinal was willing and out of his love to Learning and learned Men â—he took upon him the care of seeing them convaied And here it must not be forgotten how he took along with him at that time Gabriel Naudaeus a Parisian of great renown among the Learned and by his Books already published well known and dear to Peireskius Wherefore Peireskius took greatdelight both to embrace and speak with the man and to congratulate his Patron in that he had chose such a man to assist in his Studies And truly he tessified more then once how much he was delighted with his company not knowing whether he should more admire the candor and gentleness of his mind or his unexhaustible learning and knowledge of all kind of Books But how much Naudaeus did honour Peireskius and how largely he then tasted of his beneficence he did asterwards testifie both in private Letters and in his publick dedicatory Epistle prefixed to his Medico-philological Question VVhether it be more wholsome to study in the morning or in the evening For therein calling him The Maecenas of all learned men and fearing the Fortune of that ancient Maecenas he yowes to write a Panegyrick of his praises and why in the mean time he Dedicated this Work to him The Cause he saies is the admiration of your Vertue and the indignation which long since I conceived within my self that it was not celebrated by the Pens of all leanred men to whom neverthelesse it daily affords matter to
to undertake the work Which when he could not have granted he desired him at least to lend the same to Kircherus who was both present and at Rome and being skilled in the Tongue already might set upon the work But he conceived great hopes of obtaining out of the East both Coptic and other rare Books when he received a Copy of the Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians which was newly published in print being lately brought from Aegypt and Constantinople to England and when about the very same time that very good man Aegidius Lochiensis a Capucine returned out of Aegypt where he studied the Oriental Languages seven whole years together For he being received with great exultation by Peireskins from whom he had had no small assistance in that Countrey he told him of rare Books which were extant in divers Covents and Monasteries And memorable it is how he saw a Library of eight thousand Volumes many of which bore the marks of the Antonian Age. And because among other things he said he saw Mazhapha Einock or the Prophecie of Enoch foretelling such things as should happen at the end of the World a Book never seen in Europe but was there written in the Character and Language of the Aethiopians or Abyssines who had preserved the same therefore Peireskius was so inflamed with a desire to purchase the same at any rate that sparing for no cost he at length obtained it Moreover the good man aforesaid having accidentally made mention of a great fire which happened in Semus a Mountain of Aethiopia at the same time that the fire happened at Pesuvius in Italy thereupon he discoursed largely touching Channels under ground by which not onely waters but fires also might passe from place to place and consequently Vesuvius might communicate the fire to Aetna Aetna to Syria Syria to Arabia foelix Arabia foelix to the Countrey bordering upon the red Sea in which stands the Mountain Semus aforesaid whether a long row of arched Rocks do make the Channel or whether the fire it self breaking in at the chinks do make it self way and create channels pitching the same so with a bituminous suffumigation that it keeps out the Seawater which goes over it And that fires under ground do make themselves way may be known by the Mountain Puteolus in the time of Pope Paul the third and others at other times made by the eruption of fire And that the foresaid Incrustation or pitching is sometimes broken away so that water may enter in we have a signe in that when Vesuvius was on fire the shore of Naples was somewhat parched the Monntain in the mean while vomiting forth such waters as it had drunk in by the chinks but burning through the admixture of combustible matter In like manner he afterward interpreted that same fiery Torrent which flowed from off Mount Aetna one whole year together running down extream hot two or three miles long and five hundred paces or half a mile broad the Liquor being a mixture of Sulphur Salt Lead Iron and Earth The year ending he was greatly delighted to detain at his House for certain dayes the famous Poet Santamantius who returned from Rome with the Duke of Crequy And though he were wonderfully delighted with his sporting wit and the recitation of his most beautiful Poems yet he took the greatest pleasure to hear him tell of the rare things which had bin observed partly by himself and partly by his Brother in their Journies to India and other Countries He told among other things how his Brother saw in the greater Java certain Live-wights of a middle nature between Men and Apes Which because many could not believe Peireskius told what he had heard chiefly from Africa For Natalis the Physician before mentioned had acquainted him that there are in Guiney Apes with long gray combed Beards almost venerable who stalk an Aldermans pace and take themselves to be very wise those that are the greatest of all and which they tearme Barris have most judgement they will learn any thing at once shewing being cloathed they presently go upon their hind legs play cunningly upon the Flute Cittern and such other Instruments for it is counted nothing for them to sweep the house turn the spit beat in the Morter and do other works like Houshold Servants finally their femals have their Courses and the males exceedingly desire the company of Women But Arcosius who of late years dedicated divers Books to him as Memoriale Principum Commentarii politici Relatiode Africa related in certain Letters what had happened to one of Ferrara when he was in a Country of Marmarica called Angela For he hapned one day upon a Negro who hunted with Dogs certain wild men as it seemed One of which being taken and killed he blamed the Negro for being so cruel to his own kind To which he answered you are deceived for this is no man but a Beast very like a man For he lives only upon Grasse and has guts and entrals like a Sheep which that you may believe you shall see wich your eyes whereupon he opened his belly The day following he went to hunting again and caught a male and a female The female had Dugs a foot long in all other things very like a Woman saving that she had her entrals full of grasse and herbs and like those of a Sheep Both their Bodies were hairy all over but the hair was short and soft enough These relations of Africa invite me to annex the Commerce which Peireskius setled the following year upon this occasion One Vermellius of Monpellier at first a Jeweller had given himself to be a Souldier and having spent what he had he returned to his former Art and having got together divers Jewels he set sail in a Ship of Marseilles for Aegypt and the next opportunity to the innermost part of Aethiopia When he had brought his Jewels and all his precious Commodities thither he was taken notice of by the Queen of the Abyssines who was delighted with Europaean Ornaments and growing famous at Court he was not unknown to the King It happened in the mean while that the King waged warre against an enemy of his Crown who raised an Army of fifty thousand men Whereupon Vermellius having gained some familiarity with the King defired his leave to train for a small time 8. thousand Souldiers promising that with so small a Company he would overthrow that great Army of his enemies The King supposing him to be couragious and industrious consented and he both chose and so exercised those men which were allowed him after the method of Holland which was unknown in those parts that in conclusion he most happily defeated those great forces Returning victorious he was made General of all the forces of the Kingdom and wrote to his friends at Marseilles to send him certain Books especially of the Art military also certain Images and painted Tables and such like things Which when Peireskius heard of
him two years before how he had stuck certain seeds of the Flower of the Sun into a piece of Cork which following the course of the Sun as the flowers use to do did turn about the floating Cork and by a certain hand annexed point out the hours which were marked upon the Vessels Upon which occasion it came into his mind to pare that swiming stone which Mersennus had given him round about that being rounded like a Globe it might serve in place of Cork to make Heliotropick Sun-turning Magnetick experiments He was in hope about the beginning of the same Spring to entertain Pomponius Bellevreus being to go Embassador from the King to the Princes of Italy but his journey being shaped another way his hope of seeing him was made void as also of embracing Franciscus Vayerus à Mosha whose learning and candor he had understood both by his letters and works and by the relation of their common friends Moreover while he expected from Italy the foresaid tactick or military Books he sent to Salmasius in the mean time several draughts of Swords Daggers Hatchets or Poleaxes Haiberts and other Weapons which the ancients used of Brasse and particularly of two Helmets the one of which was sent out of the Borders of the Samnites or from Aprutium the other was found at the very Lake it self of Thrasymen with the cheek or eare peices yet remaining and hanging down on either side Nor did he send him these things only to assist him in his writings about the Roman Militia but also the Pictures and representations of divers kinds of Fibulae buttons or hasps to perfect that work which he had taken in hand touching the apparel of the Ancients upon occasion of a certain dissertation touching that same Acia mollis neidleful of soft thred which Cornelius Celsus writes must not be used too much twisted to make Surures and Clasps or Buttons to hold the lips of wounds together For Alphonsus Nunnesius and Jacobus Chiffletius famous Physicians contend that by the word Acia we must understand a neidle or some other Instrument made of metal but the learned Franciscus Rioya and Franciscus Figueroa himself also a renowned Physician said that we are to understand thereby a linnen or silken thred Now it is expected what both Salmasius will determine of this controversie as also another friend of Peireskius a Dane called Johannes Rhodius a Physician who having made choyce of Padua for his residence begins to be famous both for his other ingenuous Learning and for his excellent skill in the Art of Physick Moreover he sent a rare work touching Animals written in the Arabick Tongue by Ebembitar and brought lately out of Aegypt after another Copy procured with great labour and cost had perished by Ship-wrack He sent also another Arabian Book wherein were the Canons of the Constantinopolitan the Ephesian the Laodicean the Cesarian and the Gangrensian Councels the Canons of the Apostles and of St. Clement the constitutions of Constantinus Valentinianus Theodosius and I know not what other things besides He sent the Rituals or service-Service-Book of the Copticks as their Epistles Gospels Psalms and especially a Book containing three Liturgies of Basil of Gregory and of Cyril with an Arabick Translation He sent more but there was nothing which he more accounted of then a volume of the four Evangelists written in the Elcuphtick or Cophtick Tongue and expounded in Arabick and especially because the years were expressed in which each of the Evangelists wrote For though at first there was wanting the Praeface to Matthew where the year was to be expressed and the Praeface to John seemed to be faulty sayng that the story was written in the sixth year of the Empire of Tarsos 1634. instead of Nero and the thirtieth year after the Ascension of Christ yet as concerning the other two it made it appear that that of Luke was written by him at Antioch in the 12th year of Claudius and the 20th after the Ascension and that the other of Mark vvas vvritten in the fourth year of the same Claudius and the 12th after the Ascention Now he was of opinion that there might be some help drawn from thence to judge of the controversie touching the year of the passion of Christ and peradventure also touching his Nativity vvhich Joseph Scaliger and Seth Calvisius make to be two years before the beginning of the vulgar Account and Laurentius Suslyga Joannes Keplerus and others make it more then two years sooner Wherefore he wrote not only to Rome to see if haply the foresaid Praefaces might be supplyed and corrected but also again to Aegypt to get if possible the like volume more compleat But how would he have even leaped for joy if he had known that which we afterwards understood viz. that there is extant an Arabian Book very like the former in the Custody of the illustrious Mon-morius Master of Requests in which the Praefaces are all perfect They relate according to the Translation of the learned Hardyaeus how that the Gospel of Matthew was written in Hebrew in the first year of Claudius and the ninth year after Christs Ascention that the Gospel of Mark was written in Latine the fourth year of Claudius and the twelfth after Christs ascension that the Gospel of Luke was written in Greek the 14th of Claudius and the 22th after the Ascention 1635. and that the Gospel of John was written in Greek the 8th year of Nero and the 30. after the Ascension out of which being more consonant it is easie to see how the other are to be mended He sent also into Aegypt to certain Capucines dwelling there but especially to Agathangelus Vindocinensis besides many other Books two Tomes of the Annals of Baronius which were desired besides the whole work which he had formerly bestowed upon them also to Coelestinus à S. Liduina a bare-foot Carmelite the Brother of Golius divers Books but especially the Magnus Thesaurus Arabicus printed at Millain in foure Volumes which being sent three or four times before either to him or to others was lost being taken by Pirates It would be too long to reckon up the rest of this kind seeing that I must not passe over what he did in the mean time at home He knew the ardent desire which had long possessed me of having the several Appearances of the Moon and the varieties appearing in each of them by the Perspective-glasse painted out with lively Colours in their just proportions and scituations And for this very intent I sought for and procured of the most rare Galilaeus a Prospective or Telescope very long and exactly made and now I wanted only an industrious Painter furnished with a good Talent of patience He therefore for my sake kept not only a great part of the former year but the greatest part of this year present the rare Painter Claudius Salvatus Alvernates in his return from Rome who by my direction was to perform that taske He
earnestness he expected out of the East Books of six or eight Columns termed therefore Hexapli and Octapli Amongst the which there was a Psalter distinguished into six Columns and so many several Languages which being taken by the Pyrates he would have redeemed at any rate though it cost at first but 24. pounds Tours Wherefore he lest no stone unturned till hearing that the Pirates were arrived at Tripolis in Africa he wrote unto the Bassa or Governour of that City using the mediation of friends who put him in hopes that the Book should be sent him Moreover it so happened that some one or other hearing how much he desired that Book hoping to receive a great reward for their pains brought him a Book charily wrapt up which they said had been pawned to them in that City How much he rejoyced at the first presentation thereof it cannot be expressed but whenas having taken off the coverings he saw it was nothing but the Arabic Dictionary of Thomas Erpenius it can as hardly be expressed how he was daunted not knowing whether he should blame the mistake or imposture of the bringers And here I should add such things as he obtained from one place or another in Africa as Coines Inscriptions and divers relations of Southern Northern and Oriental Affaires partly new and partly old and other such like things But it seems better by way of Conclusio to make mention of that same very learned Commentary which Jacobus Gothofredus aforesaid had composed from the Roman Lawes touching the Dominion of the Seas and the Right of gathering up ship-wrackt goods and dedicated the same to Peireskius For among other things speaking to him he has these words I thought good at this time to make you privie to and witness of this action who are such a lover of all mysterious and excellent Learning that you spare no cost in seeking helpes all the world over nor in provoking and furthering such men as are able to take pains in the advancement and restauration thereof many of which by your means are become famous and that deservedly Than which practice of yours what can be more illustrious seeing the glory wâ—h is given commonly to Princes you have thereby fo happily derived to your own Name Or what can tend more to eternity to which your self have recommended so many partly by restoring to light the monuments of the Ancients partly by exciting the best wits of this present Age I must needs confess for mine own part that my mind is never more inflamed to these studies then when you are wont to incite me thereto for I find my self rather powerfully drawn than perswaded by those Letters wherewith you provoke me to study when I am overwhelmed with publick negotiations And a little after In regard also of that same singular Candor of yours which I esteem as a pattern of ingenuity it self which you would have all that write Books to observe and to be far from all kind of bitternesse And again This Book therefore cannot be unsutable to you which so exceeding sitly agrees with your dignity the Subject of your studies and your disposition and manners I hope also that it will therefore please you because it treats of a Subject useful to humane life and has him for its Authour who does not only make use of you as his best and most faithful friend but every where boasts of your friendship The Spring was now begun when he entertained the Cardinal Bichius and with him Suaresius his old friend formerly preferred to the Bishoprick of Vaison who was going to Rome with the Cardinal He was refreshed at the same time by the coming of Franciscus Bochartus Campinius Master of the Requests and sent into Provence with the Title of the Superintendent of Justice For he exceedingly loved and honoured him both for the exceeding goodnesse of his disposition and rare Vertue as also for the Memories sake of his excellent Father who having been Master of the Exchequer Chief of the Consistorians and first President of the Supreme Senate or Parliament did alwaies affect Peireskius Whereupon Campinius also made so much of him again and did so honour him that having a Son born a moneth after he chose him to be his sons God-father and would have him give the child his own name Afterwards followed the famous recovery of the Islands de Lerins about which he was wonderfully sollicitous and the History whereof he accurately described Mean while he performed all offices of respect to the first President and his wife who in the moneths of April and May were grievously sick And he saw them indeed recover he saw the Islands regained while in the mean time his own more hard hap was at hand For the following June he fell into a deadly Disease of which and his death which followed thereupon before I say any thing it seems convenient to describe more particularly the habit of his Body the manners of his mind and the studies in which he exercised his Wits For although this may seem sufficiently understood by the course of his life which we have hitherto described yet are there innumerable things remaining to be told which will give great Light to the Story of his life the knowledge whereof having bin by most learned men desired cannot prove unpleasing to any THE LIFE OF PEIRESKIUS The Sixth Book HE was therefore to begin with his Stature of a middle and decent pitch neither too tall nor over-low The Habit of his Body was lean and consequently his Veins conspicuous both in his Fore-head and Hands His constitution as it was subject to Diseases so was it none of the strongest which made him in his latter years to go with a staffe And for the same reason his Members were easily put out of joynt especially his left shoulder which was three times dislocated His fore-head was large and apt to be filled with wrinkles when he admired any thing or was in a deep study His eyes were gray and apt to be blood-shotten by the breach of some little vein when he blowed his nose violently He fixed his eyes either upon the ground when he was seriously discoursing upon any subject or upon the Auditors when he perceived that they were pleased with what he said He was a little Hawk-nosed his Cheek being tempered with red the hair of his Head yellow as also his beard which he used to wear long His whole countenance carried the appearance of an unwonted and rare courtesie and affability howbeit no Painter had the happiness to express him such as he was indeed and in truth As for the care he had in ordering his Body he affected cleanliness in his Diet and all things about him but desired nothing superfluous or costly And truly though he was careful that the Cloathes he wore abroad might not be unsuitable to his dignity yet he never wore silk In like manner the rest of his House he would have adorned according to his
any thing from another For he never left publishing the same and though it were a thing of small moment or had cost him dear yet would he evermore profess himself obliged being also accustomed by several offices and observances to testifie his gratitude For if any had given him a piece of Coine a Seal a Parchment Marble Vessel or any other thing of great antiquity brought out of some far Countrey or otherwise rare then besides his affectionate thanks he would presently enquire what that man delighted in or what he stood in need of probably as Books Pictures Plants or other things with which when he durst not with money he would return to the value of what he received with use This may be peculiarly manifested by divers Books which he bought at a very dear rate but it may suffice for example sake to say that because he knew that many men were delighted with Mercurius Gallicus the Roman History of Coeffeteus Octavius Strada of the Lives of Emperors with Pictures and other such like therefore he would alwaies have a great company of these Books by him that when occasion offered it self he might have somewhat in readiness to give away By which it came to pass that in a small space of time he has had eight ten and more of a sort of those Books and given them all away yea and sometimes when he was out of hopes ever to get the like Books again such as were Eusebius of Scaliger's Edition Origanus his Ephemerides and hundreds besides For he could never forbear to testifie that he was born rather to give than to receive and because he took not more pleasure in any thing than in a gift well bestowed that he accounted that day lost in which he had not upon some occasion or other exercised his liberality And therefore wise men wished him the Riches of Croesus and the Treasures of Arabia that he might more fully manifest that same liberal and great mind of his For they counted it a wonder where he had wherewith to satisfie so great expences knowing sufficiently his contempt of Riches and how free he was from any taint of covetousness And some indeed there were who disliked his course supposing that he was not sufficiently careful of his estate For his expences seemed to exceed his Incomes which they could judge by this one thing that he sent to Rome yearly three thousand pounds Tours to be expended But he regarded none of these Rumors and alvvaies counted it great gain to be honourably profuse vvhile he sought the advancement of Learning and the good of learned men Also that of the Poet vvas true of him Quaesivit nomen quaerat avarus opes He sought a name let others leek vvealth that are covetous for verily whether it were that he diminished his Revenues or neglected to amplifie them yet he got so much Glory and Renown as others cannot attain with their immense riches And these men that blamed him should have considered that Riches are not coveted only to expel Hunger Thirst and Cold for a small matter will serve for these and other natural uses but chiefly that a man may live in splendor and leave Monuments to propagate his same after he is dead For that is the secret End at which all mortals aime how ever they dissemble the matter which neverthelesse they do not attain who study the enriching of their family never so much I stand not to say that Peireskius was of that mind as to reckon the world his Family and to account all wise and good men to be to him in place of Fathers Brothers or Children with whom he made all things common I name such men as these because though he neeer denied any thing to the well-deserving yet he made such choice that he would not give to all indifferently For when any one was less deserving he knew how to temper his liberality And I remember when one desired him to lend him ten Crowns he answered that he had not ten to lend but he had two which he would freely give him Which when he took and some asked him Why he did so It is sufficient answered he to satisfie present necessity and I would rather be a penurious giver than a troublesome Creditor having found by experience that many men shun my sight because they know themselves in my debt Moreover seeing nothing gains friends so much as Beneficence and friendly Offices it is no wonder that he had so many so good and so illustrious all the world over For his constant care was to provide wherewith to gratifie every man and when his assistance was implored he so bestirred himself as that he thought he was unhappy if he had not foreseen and prevented the necessity of his friend Wherefore he knew very well what was the true Love-potion his love especially being so qualified that he never respected his own profit nor would ever let slip any occasion of doing good to his friends In like manner he never asked any thing for himself of Magistrates and Great men but for his friends sakes and especially for learned men he never blusht to Petition for any thing which might do them good And whether they attained any thing by his intercession or by other means he would alwaies return thanks and take upon him both in his own name and in the name of the Muses and Common-wealth of Learning the restification of gratitude Nor did he only love his friends but those whom they loved especially their Parents Children Kinsfolks Allies he ardently respected to whom he would shew himself a Counsellor Helper Protector and Patron And it is a small thing to say that he spared no cost to further his friends affaires for which is much more he neither regarded his own health nor the unseasonableness of the weather when he knew his friend was in danger And his candor and ingenuity was so great that he never called his friends to account for what he had intrusted them with Yea and took it very ill when having deposited Monies in the hands of those excellent Brethren the two Puteans to be laid out upon Books and other occasions they would make Bills of what they had laid out and reckon what all came to for it was far from his mind that matters should be carried so scrupulously between him and them In a word he had such a candid and innocent heart as justly procured him the most loving and respectful friends in the world Moreover what a comfort may we think he was to his friends when he visited them in their sickness death of children or being afflicted with any other casualty For never man had better and more amiable words and because he had bin accustomed to suffer diseases and pains no man was better acquainted with what was fit to asswage all kind of maladies We have known some that despaired of life and were restored by his means so ingenious he was in detecting and so eloquent
no other inconvenience at least of losse of Time In like manner he took it ill if any being far distant did stay till his return or for some other occasion fully to relate or transmit any thing for he would that what ever was requisite for him to know or have should be written to him at large and sent forthwith because through such kind of delayes he had bin frequently deprived of many goodly very profitable things Now he that loved him could not be too large in his Letters because he desired to have all the circumstances of the subject matter punctually set down Yea and he often complained that those that wrote did not sufficiently consider that such things as were clearly visible to them and which therefore as too well known either they little esteemed or neglected to write were to persons absent altogether unknown and would to them seem new and consequently delightful And therefore as vvhen he himself enquired into any thing or questioned another about it he would not omit to enquire into every thing which concern'd the same even so when he desired any thing to be sought into and observed by others either near at hand or far off he alwaies gave order that it should be viewed all manner of waies so that no circumstances if possible might lie hid vvhich he therefore vvas commonly accustorned exactly to set down in vvriting being vvonderfully delighted when any one of his own accord and by his own industry did attend either all or most or at least some circumstances Moreover his care was exceeding great to procure plenty and variety of Books For to say nothing of Manuscripts vvhich if ancient in case he could not procure them he would cause Copies to be written out and sometimes vvrote them out himself having by him Catalogues of the most renowned and chief Libraries in the world To pass over I say Manuscripts he bonght up printed Books at Rome Venice Paris Amsterdam Antwerp London Lions and other places and that not only after the Mart vvas over at Francfort but all the year long his friends acquainting him with and sending him such as were for his turn for which he caused mony to be paid either by the Bankers and Money-changers or by friends Also where ever any Libraries vvere to be sold by out-cry he took order to have the rarer Books bought up especially such as were of some neat Edition vvhich he had not And truly 't is incredible to tell how great a number of Books he gathered together also it is incredible how it should therefore come to passe that he lest not a most compleat Library behind him but neither of these will seem strange if a man shall consider that he sought Books not for himself alone but for any that stood in need of them He lent an innumerable company vvhich vvere never restored also he gave a world away as I hinted before of vvhich he could hardly hope ever to get the like again Which he did when learned men had occasion to use them For as for such Books as vvere commonly to be had at the Book-sellers of them he vvas wonderfully profuse and lavish For vvhich cause as often as he vvas informed of Books newly come forth he would have many of them vxhich he vvould partly keep by him and partly distribute them immediately among his friends according as he knew they would like the subject matter thereof And whether he gave them away or kept them he would be sure to have them neatly bound and covered to which end he kept an industrious Book-binder in his House who did exquisitely bind and adorn them Yea and sometimes he kept many Book-binders at once for one man was hardly ever able to bind up such store of Books as came trowling in from all parts Also it happened frequently that such Books as he borrowed being neglected by their owners and ill bound he delivered to his binder to be rectified and beautified viz. when their subject matter or rarity deserved that cost so that having received them ill-bound and ill-favoured he returned them trim and handsome And so he did by all the very old Books which he could get whether printed or Manuscripts Nor did his care only extend to such as were entire and perfect but even to the fragments of Books and Leaves half eaten And being demanded why he would be at that charge in the Book-binding he would say the Cause was inasmuch as the best Books when they fell into unlearned mens hands ill-accoutred were pittifully used he therefore endeavoured that they might be prized at least for the beauty of their binding and so escape the danger of the Tobacconist and Crocer And those which he bound for his own use he would have his Mark stampt upon them Which Mark was made up of these three Capital Greek Letters N K Φ which were so neatly interwoven that being doubted they might be read to the right hand and to the left by which initial capital Letters these three words were designed Nicolas Klaudius Phabricius As for the Room wherein his Library was kept it was indeed too small though the whole walls were filled and nests were placed likewise on the floore filled with Books Also he had Books in the Porch of his Study and likewise piled on heaps in several Chambers And truly he had frequent thoughts to build a large Gallery but so many things were then to be removed especially the Library of his Father and Ancestors in which he had laid up the greatest part of his rarities also he was alwayes so full of business that he could not accomplish what he intended but left the House just as he at first found it I omit to say that the Porch to his Study aforesaid also the Porch to the House and his Carden and other places were loaded with Marbles both such as were engraven upon and such as were formed into statues and that whereas in the old stndy he had treasured up an huge Masse of old Coines and weights especially the lighter fort and in other places weights measnres Arms Statues and innumerable other things it must needs be that all things lay as it were confused to others but to him that knew perfectly where every thing was they were orderly placed He was far from the Practise of those mentioned by Seneca who adorned with cutious gold-worh such Corinthian Vessels as the madness of a few men had rendred estimable for he neglected even those precious Boxes which he proâ—ided at first for his Coines especially after his losse by Theeves had made him more cautious so that he made cases of Ebony and such like stuffe only for things lesse subject to be stole as the Tripod aforesaid the drinking Cups and such like things Nor was it without cause that I told you how that what might seem to others consused was not so to him For though he would frequently excuse himself that all in his House was nothing but
a confused and indigested Masse or heap yet was he never long in seeking any thing in so great an heap provided that none medled with ms Rarities Books or Papers but himself and that rome body else being commanded to ferch this or that had not put them out of order For to say nothing of his Books which were all titled and distributed into certain Classes and proper places as much as might be and which he could describe to Simeon Corberanus an ingenious Joyner by any the least circumstance even where they were not methodically digested he was wont so to digest and bind up into bundles with paper or some other covering all other things that with his own hand he would write litles upon every bundle intimating whatsoever was therein contained And whereas he was accustomed in a peculiar manner to bind up into bundles such Letters as he received according to the variety of Perfons Places or Times he first writ upon each who wrote the same from whence what year moneth and day and subjoyned a brief Index of the chief matters which in reading he had marked with a line drawn under them for by this meanes he was holpen both to answer the same more distinctly and speedily as also to finde the same if at any time he went to seek any thing in his Letters And if any new matters were contained in his Letters which others desired to be acquainted with he did not promiscuously shew them but caused them so to be written out that he first enclosed within certain bars or lines what he would have omitted in the transcription cutting off such names of men things and business as he desired to conceal also changing and sweerening the phrase that no offence might be taken And as he was wont to keep carefully such Letters as were sent him by others so did he cause his Scribes to write Copies of such as he himself wrote which he kept by themselves according to the variety or condition of the Countries or Persons to whom fie sent them And being sometime demanded why he did so he answered Not because he thought his Letters worth keeping but because it concerned him many times to see what long since or lately he had written or not written least he might inculcate the same thing after the same manner and so become tedious or might omit that which he was uncertain whether he had written or no or least such things which he had sought out and digested with great care might slip out of his memory or he might want wherewith to convince such as should deny that he had informed them of this or that or finally least in case his Letters should come to misearry he must be forced to take pains to compose new ones As for the reading of Books he had truly in his latter yeares little time to bestow therein For he was wholly in a manner taken up with writing of Letters and when he did run over any Books he did it chiefly that he might collect somewhat from them to put into his Letters And whensoever he gave himself to reading he was not wont cursorily to slip or run over the difficult places but he kept a slow pace and was wont to stop when he met with any difficulty To which end he alwayes had his pen at hand with which he drew a line under obscure places and whatever he thought worthy of observation For he said that he was thereby put in mind vvhen he toook the Book in hand again to consider afresh the difficult passages to inculcate and imprint upon his mind such things as vvere most observable and readily to finde what vvas most for his turn He vvas not therefore of their mind vvho having gotten fair Books are afraid to blot them vvith such lines or marginal notes for he esteemed those Books most highly into which he could insert most notes and therefore he commonly caused all his Books when they were in Quires to be washed over with Alum-water and when he foresaw their Margents would not be large enough he caused white paper to be bound between the printed leaves Also he was wont when he received any observations from his friends either to write them into his Books with his own hands or to cause his said friends or some others to write them in In like manner if he had received by gift or had bought Books which had belonged to learned men he esteemed them â— so much the more highly by how much the fuller they were of such things as they had inserted with their own hand-writing And he was exceeding desirous to get into his Hands Books of the Authours own hand-writing especially such as had not bin printed when ever he could procure them of the Authours or their Heires which he would cause to be printed or if the Authours were unwilling he would at least have them written out for his own use And for this very cause he had alwayes Scribes in readiness amongst which I must not forger to name his most faithful and laborious Scribe Franciscus Parrotus that whether in the vulgar Languages or in Larine Greek Arabick or Turkish or any other Language he would have any thing transcribed he might not fail to have it done to his mind For he could never endure that the least invention or observation of any man should be lost being alwayes in hopes that either himself or some other would be advantaged thereby And it is requisite that I acquaint you that as he was careful of all other studies so was he not unmindful of that which concerned his own Office For conceiving that every man who by the condition of his birth or his own free Election was destined to some kind of publick life ought chiefly to bend his mind to that which his Office and Designation required and that asterward he might divert to other studies at his pleasure Therefore he himself though he followed indeed other studies yet did he not therefore cease to exercise himself in that Art wherein he was most studied and whereof he made Profession For he studied the Lawes after the liberal method of Cujaeins which tends to illustrate the said Lawes from the Fountains themselves and fundamental Maxims of Equity and Right rather then from the rivulets of the Doctors or Lawyers And this it was that chiefly made him affect the study of Antiquity because it gave him great light therein and besides a Manuscript of the Pandects which he had he sought after the Manuscripts also of other Books because some places in the printed Books had need to receive light from them And upon this occasion truly I remember how doubting upon a time and the Florentine Pandects could not perfectly satisfie him what the Interpretation should be of that Law called Neratius concerning possession kept or lost only by the mind he wrote to Rome that out of an old Manuscript of Cardinal Barberino's the Text of that Law with the Marginal Interpretations might
intimated So for the most part the Moon marked on did signifie an unity not only because she alone does enlighten the night with rare splendor but because from the word Luna L being taken there remains una which signifies one So upon some was marked that side of the Astragalus or Cock-all which being cast uppermost makes one and upon others that side was only understood the opposite being expressed called Senio Sice or Six The like things he declared in the other parts of the As or pound weight as when in the Semissis or half pound was marked an ear of Corn because the ancients alluded to the words Semiuis Semissis but thus much may suffice to have hinted to shew how he by his study industrious sagacious examination of these things could interpret matters which no Books could shew which therefore did so much the more aflonish the hearers For it was otherwise a lesse wonder though many were justly delighted therewith that he could as well eloquently discourse of vessels and measures as he could by producing the vessels and measures of the Ancients make clear demonstration of what he said And verily as oft as any Vessel Coin or Statue or any other extraordinary thing was presented to him he was alwaies wont as soon as he could so to weigh and consider the same that before he laid it up or restored it to the owner he would perfectly know all that might be known or conjectured touching the same For he consulted with his Books compared it with like things and called to mind what ever he had observed that might give light thereunto and by all posble Art he enquired into the capacity weight or shape thereof and asked the opinion of all learned men in all parts of the world and collected all his own conjectures which he could by any reason make good and in brief he would not let it passe till he knew as much thereof as it was possible for any mortal man to know And when he had arrived so far then either he inserted all he knew into a Book of the same or like matter or he wrote it in a sheet of paper to be put into his commentaries or he took occasion to write a Letter one or more wherein he explained the fruit of his labours in that subject It is therefore no wonder seeing all his life long he used this diligence that nothing could be propounded which like another Oedipus he did not presently explain and unfold The same course he took touching the wonderful things of Nature of which seeing all along we have made frequent mention it is needless to make any further specification in this place It may suffice to say that no man made more observations or procured more to be made to the end that at last some Notions of natural things more sound and pure than the vulgarly received might be collected for which cause he admired the Genius and approved the design of the great Chancellour of England Sir Francis Bacon often grieving that he never had the happinesse to speak with him being then alive when he was at and came last from Paris He was verily displeased with that Doctrine of Nature which is commonly taught in the Schools as being too obscure and imaginary built more upon tricks of Wit than experiments of Nature He was therefore wont to frown and look with a very discontented countenance when he met with such Writers of natural Philosophy which did contend more with subtilty than solidity and though he commended the acuteness of their wits yet he grieved that it was worn out rather about words and trivial distinctions than employed in penetrating into the nature of the things themselves whose very surface was still unknown And if they were very stifly opinionated and addicted either to the Aristotelean or any other Sect he would leave them to their own wisdom and never conrest with them about any thing but if they were such which for Love of Truth would lay aside prejudice had rather gently to hear then stubbornly contradict then would he pour forth such discourses as they could not but receive with pleasure and applause For although they did not altogether allow some of his opinions yet were they wonderfully affected while he did evermore confirm his opinions either by the observations of such things as though vulgar were not sufficiently marked or by the relation of his own or other mens experiments of which he had alwaies plenty to produce so continually curious was he to note down and collect the same or by producing the things themselves about which the question was for he was furnished with an infinite quantity of rare Minerals Stones Plants Animals such as for any price or by any Art he could obtain and keep By the Premises may be gathered that he was not pleased with those Logical and Metaphysical niceties which are no waies prositable and serve to maintain bawling and contentious disputes For though he was delighted to hear a thing acutely concluded yet he grieved that the Subject matter was but a trifle So was he also many times troubled when he heard men discourse of sublime things which fall not under sense For that the mind of man could ascend so high as to Ideas and separate substances that he accounted a thing to be admired and commended but to dream so many things concerning them and to go about to prove the same by such weak Reasons and Analogies that was a thing which he did not approve but pittie For he was grieved that excellent wits should passe over unknown and unhandled such things as we see with our eyes and feel with our fingers and busie themselves about such matters as they cannot reach no not so much as by a probable conjecture Yea and he was wont to say that he was not without fear that the Doctors did presume too far when with such confidence they disputed so many things touching God and matters Divine besides what the Christian Faith teaches us to believe For all the Decrees of Faith he said must be accounted indubitable but what they discourse over and above cannot be but doubtful and seeing what is maintained by one is contradicted by many the Majesty of sacred divinity is thereby violated For which cause he could indeed bear with those unprofitable publick disputes in matters Logical Physical Medicinal and such like but he could not with patience endure the boldness of such as would take upon them to prove that there is no God that God is unjust impotent improvident miserable and the like for though they said they did it to illustrate the truth yet he thought it was a thing undecent and that no Prince or discreet man could take it well that such things should be controverted concerning himself especially when there was no need of such disputes He could better bear that manners should be called in Question and controverted provided the Statutes of Religion and Laws of
Chartrenses of Montriou Valbonne Val St. Marie de Vrbonne de Verne Bompas LXXVII Avenion Letters of Pope Clement the 4th The Earl De Venisse LXXVIII Aurenge LXXIX Very rare Memorials for the History of France chiefly touching the troubles of the Ligue or Confederacy in general and what happened in Provence touching the same Divers curious Relations made by Mr. Peiresk in Conferences Ancient Parliaments LXXX Grotius Querengus LXXXI The third Discourse and Commentaries of Mr. Lewis de Perussiis Esquire de Coumons Knight of the Kings Order also the Continuation of the Warre and Troubles of those times from the 22th of February 1554. to the year 1581. LXXXII The Bull of the Legation of Avenion The End Courteous Reader these Books following are printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Princes Armes in Sr. Pauls Church-yard Various Histories with curious Discourses in humane Learning c. 1. HIstoricall relations of the united Provinces of Flanders by Cardinall Bentivoglio Englished by the Right Honorable Henry Earle of Monmouth Fol. 2. The History of the Warrs of Flanders written in Italian by that learned and famous Cardinal Bentivoglio Englished by the Right Honorable Henry E. of Monmouth The whole worke Illustrated with a Map of the 17. Provinces and above 20 Figures of the thiefe Personages mentioned in this History Fol. 3. The History of the Warrs of the Emperor Justinian with the Persians Goths and Vandalls written in Greek by Procopius of Caesaria in eight Bookes translated into English by Sir Henry Holcroft Knight Fol. 4. De Bello Belgico the History of the Low-Country Warrs written in Latine by Famianus Strada in English by Sir Robert Stapylton Illustrated with divers Figures Fol. 5. The use of passions written by I.F. Senalt and but into English by Henry Earle of Monmouth 8o. 6. Judicious and Select Essaies and observations by the Renowned and learned Knight Sir Walter Raleigh with his Apology for his Voyage to Guiana Fol. 7. The Compleat Horseman and Expert Farrier in two books by Thomas De Grey Esquire newly printed with additions in 4â— 1656. 8. Unheard-of curiosities concerning the Talismaticall Sculpture of the Persians The Horoscope of the Patriarchs and the judgment of the Starrs by J. Gafâ—nel Englished by Edmund Chilinead Ch. Ch. Oxon. 9. The History of the Inquisition composed by â— F. Servita the compiler of the History of the Councill of Trent in 8º traslated out of Italian 10. Biathanatos a Paradox of self-murther by Dr. Jo. Donne Dean of St. Pauls London 11. The Gentlemans Exercise or the Art of limning painting and blazoning of Coats and Armes c. by Henry Peacham Master of Arts 4o. 12. M. Howels History of Lewis the thirteenth King of France with the life of his Cardinal de Richelieu Fol. 13. Mr. Howels Epistolae Ho elianae Familiar letters Domestick and Forren in six Sections partly Historicall Politicall Philosophicall the first Volume with Additions 8o. 14. Mr. Howels new volume of Familiar letters partly Historicall Politicall Philosophicall the second Volume with many Additions 8o. 15. Mr. Howels third Volume of Additionall letters of a fresher date never before published 8o. 16. Mr. Howels Dodona's Grove or the Vocall Forest the first part in 12o. with many Additions 17. Mr. Howels Dodona's Grove or the Vocall Forest the second part in 8º never printed before 18. Mr. Howels Englands Teares for the present wars 19. Mr. Howels Fre-eminence and Pedegree of Parliament in 12o. 20. Mr. Howels Instructions and Directions for Forven Trvels in 12º with divers Additions for Travelling into Turky and the Levant parts 21. Mr. Howels Vote or a Poem Royall presented to his late Majesty in 4o. 22. Mr. Howels Angliae Suspiria lachrymae in 12o. 23. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's Romulus and Tarquin Englished by Hen. Earl of Monmouth in 12o. 24 Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's David persecuted Englished by Ro. Ashly Gent. in 120. 25. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi of the successe and chiefe events of the Monarchy of Spain in the year 1639. of the revolt of the Catalonians from the King of Spain Englished by Rob. Gentilis Gent. in 12o. 26. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's considerations on the lives of Alcibiades and Coriolanus Two famous Roman Commanders Englished by Rob. Gentilis 27. Policy unveiled or Maximes of State done into English by the Translator of Gusman in 4o. 28. Gracious priveleges granted by the King of Spaine to our English Merchants in 4o. 29. Englands looking in and out by Sr. Ralph Maddison Knight 4o. 30. Gratiae Ludentes jests from the University 31. The Antipathy between the French and the Spanyard an ingenious translation out of Spanish 32. Mr. Birds grounds of Grammar in 8o. 33. Mr. Bulwers Phylocophus or the Deafe and Dumb mans friend in 12o. 34. Mr. Bulwers Pathomyotomia or a Dessection of the significative Muscles of the Affections of the Mind 12o. 35. An Itinenary containing a voyage made through Italy in the years 1646 1647. illustrated with divers Figures of Antiquity never before published by John Raymond Gent. in 12o. Books in Humanity lately Printed 36. THe History of Life and Death or the prolongation of Life written by Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban in 12o. 37. The naturall and experimentall History of Winds written in Latine by Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban translated into English by an admirer of the learned Author 12o. 38. The life of the most learned Father Paul Authour of the History of the Councill of Trent translated out of Italian by a person of quality 8o. 39. Paradoxes Problems Characters by Dr. Donn Dean of St Paul's to which is added a booke of Epigrams written in Latin by the same Author translated by Iasper Main D. D. 12o. 40. Ignatius his conclave a Satyr written by Dr. Donne Deane of St. Paul's 12o. 41. A Discovery of subterraneall Treasure viz. of all manner of Mines and Minerals from the Gold to the Coale with plain directions and rules for the finding of them in all Kingdomes and Countries written by Gabriel Platt 4o. 42. Richardi Gardiner ex Aede Christi Oxon. specimen Oratorium â—o. 43. The Soveraignty of the British Seas written by that learned Knight Sir Iohn Burroughes Keeper of the Records in the Tower 12o. 44. Grammatica Burlesa or a new English Grammar made plaine and easie for Teacher and Schollar composed by Edward Burles Master of Arts. 45. Artificiall Arithmetick containing the Quintessence of the Golden Rule the true valuation of all Annaities also to find the distance at one station An Art never till now published usefull for Merchant Gunners Seamen and Surveyors by Robert Iager of Sandwich in Kent Gent. 46. Naturall and Divine Contemplations of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul of Man in three books written by Nicholas Moseley Esq 8o. Seâ—â—rall Sermons with other excellent Tracts in Divinity written by some most eminent and learned Bishops and Orthodox Divines 47. A Manuall of private Devotions Meditations for every day in the week by the right
their studies and behaviour though the modestie and discretion of them both but especially of Peireskius was such that it was rather a point of Honour then any matter of necessity to appoint them a Tutor Wherefore Paulus Gudanes Fonvivius a Gentlem an of Berne who was returned from his Travailes in Italie Poland Germanie and other Countries and had seen the severall Humors of many Nations and their Cities and whom the Chancellour Bellevre had resolved to send with his own Son he was chosen to be their Tutour With him therefore they departed about the beginning of September and Peireskius chose rather to set out at the Haven of Cannes then any where else both that he might visit an ancient Monastery situate not far off in the Island Lerius as also that he might view in passing the ancient Monuments of Freius When they were come to Geniia and had sufficiently viewed those magnificent Palaces they were yet to saile by Porto-Venere and L'Ericy but Peiresk us would go the rest of the way by Land both because he was sick at Sea and because he intended curiously to view some things which he had in his mind For he had made himself by his own Industry a Iournall Book and was resolved not so to travaile right on from City to City but if he heard of any thing worthy observation here or there he would turn out of his rode and go thither if he had a mind to it For which cause he never of his own accord joyned himself in Company with any Strangers and when others joyned themselves to him he would use some civill excuse to intimate before hand that they must shortly part Company And these digressions of his at the very beginning had like to cost him dear for turning out of his way to see the Mines of Massa one of the Baudity or Robbers so called had so took upon him to be his guide that unlesse shee had been timely discovered he would have brought him where he should have had his throat cur Having staid a while at Luca he desired to view a rare Closet of Curiosities which was at Pisa but he could not do it before he had visited Liburnum and returned thither again And I remember among other things which he was wont to tell us he saw there how he wondered most at a sprig of Corall which grew upon a dead mans skull which I therefore observe because this was none of the least reasons which moved him to go and see men fish for Corall of which we shall speak hereafter in its place Briefly to passe over other places he went from thence thorow Florence Bononia Ferraria and when he had staid a few dayes at Venice he finally settled his abode at Padua He had been there hardly a few moneths when his vertue began to be renowned thorow the whole University For though he and his brother were frequent hearers and visiters of the Professours of Law and namely of Jacobus Gallus Bartholomaeus Silvatcius Joachimus Scainus and Ottonellus Piscalcius yet did he visit all the other learned men of the University and quickly brought them into an admiration of him Among the rest Thomas Segetus the very same whom Lipsius had commended in the third Century of his Epistles did so testifie his good will and respects unto him that he put down this by way of preface and title GENIO GALLIAE NARBONENSIS INGENIO ET MATURAE IMMATURO AEVO NICOLAI FABRICII VIRTUTI SACRUM PRID. NATAL CHRISTI M.D.IC. that is To the Genius of Provence in France to the wit and in unripe yeers ripe vertue of Nicolaus Fabricius I consecrate this testimoniall And that rare man Erycius Puteanus not only praised by Lypsius and afterward his Successour in the University but now already ordained to be both the Kings Chronologer and chief Professour of Oratory at Millain made use of this following Inscription CUI GRATIAE ADOLESCENTIAM ORNANT ERUDITIO JUVENTAM PRUDENTIA SENECTAM IS ADULESCENS VOLUPTATEM AMICIS CREAT JUVENIS HONOREM PATRIAE SENEX UTRUMQUE SIBI TU VERO NICOLAE FABRICI CUNCTA SIMUL AMICIS PATRIAE TIBI IN SPE AETATIS ET FLOREM JUVENTAE ET FRUCTUM SENECTAE PROFESSUS PATAVII ∞ DC KAL FEBR. That is He whose youth is adorned by the Graces his mature age with learning and his old age with wisdom is a Pleasure to his frieuds in his youth an Honour to his Countrey in his riper yeers and both to himself in his old age But as for thee O Nicolas Fabricius Thou art all at once to thy Friends thy Countrey and thy Self for in thy hopefull yeers thou discoverest at once both the blossoms of youth and the fruits of old age 1600. Padna the Kalends of February 1600. And these are the testimoniall Inscriptions which among many others I thought good to relate And as he drew the eyes and attentions of all men so was he best known and most dear to the renowned Johannes Vincentins Pinellus who being by originall and blood from Genoa and born at Naples made choice of that city wherein quietly to passe his dayes giving himself wholly to promote good Arts and ingenuous Literature For he had provided a most complearly furnisht Library and a Store-house of all most exquisite rarities and curiosities so that he furnished all the learned men of that age both far and near with such books or other things as they stood in need of He being most skilfull in all curious things did stir up all men to study and kept open house to entertain the discourses and acquaintance of learned men both Italians and other Countrey-men Lipsius and Scaliger and Thuanus and Casaubon and Pithaeus have given testimony of his worth and who not among the learned He therefore being such a man fell presently in love with the Genius of Peireskius as being so very like his own So that he did both admire and reverence vertue and learning grown up and almost come to maturity in a Youth There are many Letters yet to be seen whereby he testified the greatest familiarity possible one while asking his advice in many particulars about coins the places where matters mentioned in stories had been acted touching the answers which he was to return to the demands of Ursinus Velserus and others otherwhiles giving him thanks for his interpretations of hard matters places in anthors for sending him books patterns of rarities copies of manuscripts and other things sometimes by way of requitall sending him such books rarities inscriptions letters as he had received lately from Rome or other parts otherwhiles inviting him to know discourse behold passe his judgement and the like all which to particularize would be redious not to speak of the Letters which to the number of sourty he wrote to him when he was at Venice Florence or Rome all very familiar and full of testifications of the greatest good will imaginable Now Peireskius was wont to go once a quarter to Venice both to receive moneys to
defray his necessary charges by Bils of Exchange and also to enjoy the society of learned men lovers of Antiquity such as Father Paul Sarpi Dominicus Molinus and many others likewise that he might see what ever in that city was of repute for costlinesse or rarity To which purpose he was very much assisted by the authority of Philippus Canaius Fraxineus the most Christian King of France his Embassadour there he himself also making such friends as by whose authority he attained the sight and knowledge of what ever he desired The chief of which was Fridericus Contarenus Procurator of St. Mark who having a study richly furnished with rarities was neverthelesse unacquainted with the value thereof till Peireskius shewed him what every rarity was and how to be valued what the Greek Inscriptions both of Moneys and Tombs did signifie and the like by which he gained a singular interest in his affections And not onely in his but his whole Families which was the rise of that acquaintance which he had with Angelus Contarenus when as twenty yeers after he was Embassadour for the Republike in France and with Vincentius Contarenus who six yeers after setting out a book of Divers Readings So far as from France saith he the most noble Nicolas Fabricius excellently skilled both in the Laws and in all Antiquities did think sit very lovingly to advize me I passe over Johannes Mocenicus who had very rare curiosities I passe over Bembus the Knight all whose stock of rarities in a manner which he had received by tradition from Cardinall Bembus he bought up I passe over the Patriarch of Aquileia in whose closet he was wont to relate how he had seen to the number of 300 very rare Achates or Agats precious stones so called besides many others of other kindes I will onely relate what Putean being at Venice wrote to Pinellus on the 11th of the Kalends of June in that Epistle of his which is extant being the 82 of his Promulsis I was sayes he in the house of Scaramellus I saw the monument of Septumia though to little purpose all things were so justly expressed that verily I know not whether I should more admire the industry or the memory of our Fabricius or both who in great haste had so happily painted it forth or directed the hand of him that afterward did so happily paint and form it From which we may observe how industrious and diligent he was in observing every thing But going to Venice about the end of August he discovered his longing desire and designe of going to Rome for though the Porta-sancta were not to be opened nor the Jubilee celebrated till the beginning of the following yeer yet he was of opinion that if he should wait there some moneths beforehand he should not lose his time He had been informed that shortly the famous marriage of the most Christian King with Maria Medicea who is now the Queen-mother was to be celebrated at Florence and he would not for any thing but be present at the Solemnity to behold the same Wherefore after he had written to Padua and particularly to Pinellus sending him certain Inscriptions and other things and withall intreating him to write by him to his friends at Rome he departed in the beginning of September hiring a Bark to Ferraria or at least as far as to Francolin But he came not to Florence till the twentieth day of the moneth because what ever he met with worthy the sight he stayed so long as to take a perfect view thereof But he made his longest stay at Bonnonia because Julius Caesar Velius who was reputed a most exquisite Antiquary being much taken with his sweet converse would needs hold him the longer to enjoy his company Nor could that good old man forbear to write most cunning Letters touching his happinesse in the acquaintance of Fabricius which were full of wonderfull commendations Pinellus I am sure cals them most cunning Letters commending Fabricius that he was none of those who in their travels do nothing but post from place to place and therefore according to that of Seneca are wont to have many hosts but few friends Coming to Florence he received Letters from his parents and among some recommendatory Epistles he found one from Charles of Lorram the Duke of Guise and Lieutenant of Provence to Nicolas Brularrus Sillerius who was afterward Chancellour of the Kingdom and at present the Kings Embassadour at Rome being come thither to celebrate the marriage He therefore desired to have Peireskius and his brother in his family that by his countenance they might have a more free admittance to see every thing But besides the Solemnity he was chiefly delighted to see those brave Libraries where he took notice of and that I may so speak almost adored the monuments both of great princes and of learned men by whom good letters began to be restored to the world I shall not speak in particular of the Pandects which though they were most charily kept up in the palace of the great Duke yet he found means to see them being well assured that the learned world could not produce a more illustrious monument of Antiquity than they were Also he made himself friends there but none as I remember more constant than Richard Richards a Student in the knowledge of plants and marbles who conducted him up and down to shew him the publike edifices and gardens After a moneth he went to Sena where his greatest care was to salute Celsus Cittadinus who was then writing a book touching the originall and progresse of the Latine and Italian tongues Finally departing thence he came to Rome about the end of October Now it is not to be expressed how soon he became famously known at Rome not onely because the letters of Pinellus and others had already made his name renowned but also principally because as soon as he began to frequent the company of the learned men there he made them exceedingly both to admire and love him It were long to recount the excellent Personages whom he there honoured as friends by all which for his sparkling wit and most temperate manners he was highly respected but because I cannot passe them all over in silence they that deserve in the first place to be mentioned are those two great Cardinals Baronius and Bellarmin The former of which was astonished when he heard him discourse in his presence touching the Inscriptions inserted in his Annals and other abstruse points of History And what may we suppose he thought 1560. when he shewed him certain precious stones and divers pieces of coin upon which the Basilidians Valentinians other hereticks were wont to write certain barbarous words thereby to conceal their opinions For he had collected many of these to illustrate what he had inserted into his second Tome from the Amethyst of Fulvius Ursinus touching the word A B P A Ξ A Ω or A B P C Ξ by which the Basilidians did
which he would compare wth the statues searching out the Age of every one and for the most part discerning the hand of the Workman for his Acutenes was such that he could discern in a moment what was truely ancient and what only by imitation Also he would have Copies of all Inscriptions savouring of Antiquity endeavouring by his Sagacitie to supply such words or Letters as were eaten out and to restore such as were in a manner desperate Moreover he perused as much as he could though not so much as he desired such Manuscripts as were preserved in the Vatican Farnesian or other Libraries and such as seemed to him most rare he noted in his Table-book In like manner he noted down the Vessels Pfctures Images and what ever he met with worthy of observation in sundry Conservatories of Metals Conservatories of Images Sore-houses Studies Walks and Galleries to passe over an innumerable Company of things which either he bought with his mony or by exchange or had given him and of which he obtained at least the Patternes the Figures in moles the Seals or Stamps One thing grieved him viz. that he could neither obtain nor any where so much as see the Coines of Tullius Hostilius and Servius Tullius mentioned by Goltzius nor yet those other Coines mentioned with these Inscriptions Col. Aquae-Sextiae Col. Arclate Col. Avenio Col. Arausio-Secundanorum and such like which in love to his Country he most earnestly sought for but in vain By this meanes he caused himself to be exceedingly admired not only at Rome where all Learned Men were ambitious of his friendship but in sar remore places whithersoever the same of him did spread it self And at this time it was that his great acquaintance began with Natalitius Benedictus a man most amply furnished with most exquisite Rarities who dwelt then at Fullinium and with Adolphus Occo a Physitian of Augsburge who was then setting out the second time a Book of the Coines of the Roman Emperors not to speake of those he knew before as Hieronymus Rubens at Ravenna Caesar Nichezola at Verona Antonius Tolentinus at Cremona Caesar Camnanus at Vicentia and many in other places But it is wonderfull how famous he grew at Padua especially as the Letters sent him about that time by Laurentius Pignorius do testifie who though himself so skilled in Antiquities did yet professe that he Learned more out of one of his Letters then out of ten Volumes of Antiquaries And who admired not only the abundance of the things which he collected but the rare choice that he made when as of two peices of Constantines Coine which were sent him he said he knew them as men are wont to know the Lion by his claw The like Expressions were written by Emundus Brutius Georgius Ragusaeus Jacobus Papifavius Martinus Sandellus and whom I ought to have named first Marcus Cornarus the most worthy Major of the City with whom he afterwards exercised friendship by Letters as long as he lived But in what esteem he was at Padua this one thing does testifie that whereas the Print of a Sapphire being sent thither from Augsburge with an Inscription in which the word Xiphiae did puzzle all the curious Antiquaries Pinellus writ unto him referring unto him the Examination and Judgment thereof I omit how he satisfied their Doubts and gave Light to that word cheifly from Strabo who from Polybius makes mention of the hunting of the Xiphia which was a Sea-monster As for what concerns the state of new Rome there was no Temple College nor Hospital which he went not into no magnificent Palace no famous worke of any of the Popes which he visited not no Picture of Raphael Urbin Michael Angelo Polydorus Caraevagius Titianus or any other famous Painrer which he viewed not Likewise the Burning places and secret Caves under the ground places full of Veneration and Monuments of Christian Pietie and Constancie Also he was present at the Performance of Religious Ceremonies as much as he thought he might with safety For being but or a weakly complexion he was loath to thrust himself into a tumultuous Crowd of People And therefore as concerning the usuall solemnities of the Jubilee he saw and observed them as far as he was able but he committed the Care of seeing all close at hand to his Brother Valavasius as being the stronger of the two from whom he was to receive the Relation of all 1601. The same he did with Reverence to the Ceremonies as they are called of the Lords Supper about which time both he and his Brother that they might see the Pope waiting upon those poor Men whom he daily feeds and sitting with them at Table in the same Hall they bought the turnes of Two poor men and putting on their Cloathes they were present among the rest and though the Pope knew who they were yet he pleasantly dissembling his knowledge and taking no notice of them they saw all The feast of Easter being over at Rome and after he had distributed divers tokens which he received from home and also had sent some to Pinellus he journeyed to Naples It were superfluous to reckon up how far and how often he went out of his way to enquire after divers places both in Latium and Campania celebrated by Authors Then he was he said most affected when he saw and diligently viewed those places recorded by Virgil 1601. as Cajeta Cuma and their Reliques Mons Misenus the Avernian Lake and such like As also the Places where they say Cicero and Lucullus had their Country Houses or where Sciplo Africanus and Virgil were buried and such other matters relating to great Personages He said moreover that when he entered into that Cave or as Seneca calls it that long and dark Prison viz. the Mountain Pausilippus which was dug a mile throrough which he past and repast it grieved him that the Man who had attempted so rare an Action so much for the accommodation of Travellers and shortening of their Journey was either altogether unknown or not certainly known at most For he judged that he was more worthy of Commendation then Xerxes who warring against Greece did not only separate the Mount Athos from the Continent but also dug a way thorough the midst of it As soon as ever he came to Naples he could not contain himself but he must visit the two Porta's those famons Bretheren Now after he was brought in to the elder Brother whose name was Johannes Vincentius he was so taken after a little discourse that crying out as a man in admiration he led him in to his younger Brother Johannes Baptista that he likewise might be strucken with the like Admiration And Peireskâ—us was wont to relate that though Johannes Faptista was already well in years and venerable for his hoary haires yet that he was wont with such Reverence to observe the Commands and be at the Beck of John Vincent his Brother that he could not give more respect to
pray you entreat him that he may not refuse and give not ever I again beseech you untill you have perswaded him After Velserus Josephus Justus Scaliger must follow that renowned Person more famously known then to need my Commendation He I say must follow to make it appear how freely and cheerfully Peireskius devoted himself to him and other Learned Men. For he truly exceedingly applauded his own good fortune that such a friend had succeeded into the Place of Pinellus That you may understand the occasion it was thus Scaliger had writ to Pinellus to procure him certain Hebrew Books also certain Coines of the Scaligers that had been Princes and sent with all certain things of his own and fathers wriring which they had written with their own individuall hands also both their Pictures as he had desired him Carolus Clusius wrote at the same time and sent one of his Books of the History of rare Plants and the Picture of Lobelius which was desired not to speake of the Letters which Scaliger sent to Carolus Leberoneus Bishop of Valence who dwelt then at Padua They came to Padua when not only Pinellus was dead but Caesar also the Duke of Atheruntium was gone out of the City who was Pinellus his Brothers Son And because he had left Order with Gualdus that if any Letters came to his Uncle he should receive them send them to him to Naples therefore Gualdus received all and before he sent them did make Peireskius therewith acquainted Whereupon Peireskius set pen to paper and wrote back to Scaliger acquainting him with the death both of Pinellus and the Bishop and assuring him that what he had sent would be thankfully accepted by the soresaid Caesar he took upon himself the Care of procuring those Hebrew Books and Coines which he had desired Pinellus to get for him promising that he would at least by the first opportunity send him some which he had already offering also to communicate some other things in his Custody tending to the Illustration of the familie of Scaligers which because he had in Veneration he added that he could not let those Pictures of him and his Father go before he had procured Copies of them He wrote in like manner to Clusius and it cannot be expressed how much they professed themselves obliged to so generous a disposition and such singular Humanity Which occasioned this speech of Scaliger in a Letter to Velserus which is inserted into the third Book in which I received quoth he those Coines of the Familie of Scaligers together with yours and our friend Fabricius his Letters for which I give you thanks I have not yet received those Hebrew Books which he sent me out of Italie because they are among the goods of Raphelengius which are not yet arrived As soon as I shall receive them I will both write to him to give him thankes and you shall be sure to hear again from me Now this Letter was written on the fourth of the Ides of May. And to acquaint you with some others to whom he cheerfully lent his assistance In the first place what ever Pinellus had taken in hand in favour of Learned men he endeavoured with all his might to accomplish and bring the same to perfection For he left no stone unturned nothing unessaied that he might effect what Pinellus had promised to Prosper Alpinus a very famous Physitian about the gayning of a Treatife touching a third Sect of Methodicall Physitians And whereas we should speake of those whom after the example of Pinellus he assisted one may serve instead of all viz. the foresaid Pignorius who interpreting the Table of Isis that is to say a famous Brazen table full of Aegyptiun Hieroglyphicks which being a Relick of Petrus Bembus the Cardinall was at that time kept as a rarity in the Library of the Duke of Mantua gives thankes in the first place to Velserus but then adds and to Nicolas Frabricius Lord of Chalasium a young Gentleman most illustrious by the Splendor of his family and and his own profound Learning who has not only bountifully communicated most rare reliques of Antiquitie wherewith he is most richly furnished for the use of my self and other students but has been very careful that we might have the use of the Rarities of othermen By his Industrie it is that not only at Venice I have upon all occasious had accesse to the rare Coines and prccious stones of the most illustrious Fridericus Contarenus Procurator of St. Marke and of Johannes Mocenicus but also at Rome I was admitted to the rich Treasurie of that gallant man Laelius Pascalinus out of which I was furnished with Coines Gemms Seales all rare From the said Fabricius I must acknowledge to have received all which I publish to the world out of the precious Treasuries of Natalitius Benedictus from which these Augmentations of ours have received both strength and spirit For all which we have produced to Illustrate the History of Epiphanius Irenaeus and the other Fathers touching their cudgelling of the ancient Sectaries came from thence These things I have set down at large because they confirme much of what has been said before And I shall add as touching Pignorius how when he wrote his book of the Antiquities of Padua Peireskius procured for him of Johannes Vincentius Porta that which he afterward did commit to writing as also Philippus Tomasinus touching an arm of Titus Livius viz. how the Citizens of Padua took an arm from among the bones of Titus Livius which they kept and bestowed it upon that renowned Patron of learning Alphousus King of Arragon he most earnestly by Antonius Panormita his Embassadour desiring the same in the yeer of Christ 1451. And when no body knew what was become of this arm Peireskius took occasion to send certain tokens to Porta as it were in recompence of the Effigies of a certain marble wherein was expressed the ancient manner of putting Souldiers sub jugum under the yoke or Gallows and withall earnestly desired him to write him word what he could by his great sagacity discover touching the said arm Who returned him by way of answer that neither King Alphonsus being prevented by death nor yet Panormita could accomplish the buriall of the said arm according as they desired but his successour being Secretary of State had placed it under a marble stone without the Oratory with this Inscription Here lies the arm of Titus Livius the Historiographer which was in times past procured by Antonius Panormita and many yeers after buried in this place by Johannes Jovianus Pontanus Neverthelesse this marble had not been seen for many yeers last past by reason of a Chappell built thereupon by a Covent of I know not what Friers Moreover as Peireskius was bountifull towards Pignorius so was he likewise to Ulysses Aldrovandus that same famous writer of the History of all kind of living Creatures who had of him many Coines especially Asiatick towards the Illustration of
in other places the first was Mr. William Camden who has merited so much of his Country Britannia with whom falling once into a discourse of the Antiquity of the British Language to which the Language of Bretagne in France does belong after he had asked him about many words used in severall Countries of France he demanded among the rest what Arelate or Arles and Tolo or Tolon might signifie to which Camden answered that Arelate in the Brittish tongue did signifie a City standing on moist or marish ground and that Tolon signified an Harpe peradventure by reason of a neighbouring Promontory called Citharistes or Harpers Hill He learned also of Camden other such like Interpretations by which he was brought almost to be of the mind of Strabo Tacitus and other who write that the French-men and the Britaines had at first but one and the same Language The next was Sr. Robert Cotton eminent amongst the honestly curious fort of men Also Jacobus Collius and his Father in Law Matthias Lobellus the Kings Herbalist both whom he was desirous to oblige Also Albericus Gentilis Sr. Henry Savill Johannes Nordenus and many more Nor must I passe over the then Learned young Man John Barclay whom how much he affected shall be shewn hereafter But he was wont to greive that he was not acquainted neither with Dr. Gilbert who wrote the Book touching the Nature of the Load-stone nor with Thomas Lydiate a a famous Mathematician I shall not here recount the many Libraries wherein he observed such books as were most rare nor the studies which he saw and out of which he procured all precious rarities he could But above all others he made great account of a precious stone which cost an hundred and fifty pounds Tours by reason that Aetio was graven thereupon with a Phrygian Tiara or Turbant upon his head being supposed to be the father of Andromache the wife of Hector I shall only tell you how that because he would depart sooner than was hoped he left a great misse of himself both in the Family of the Embassadour and among his learned friends who making afterwards sundry times mention of him it shall suffice here to extract a saying of the foresaid Camden in his description of Britain where speaking of certain coins belonging to this matter in hand he sayes Such as these were never dug up any where else that ever I heard of till of late the most noble Nicolas Faber Petriscius excellently skilled and most acute in judging of ancient Coins shewed me some of the same kind which were found in France And he had stayed indeed somewhat longer in England but because he had promised to be absent but three moneths therefore a moneth after he went into Holland which from the first he was resolved to take a full view of though he kept his intent secret When he was to depart a company of young Gentlemen would needs bear him company who came from France with Boderius But they were taken up with the exercise of Arms and other studies whereas he proceeded to make it his chief businesse to find out learned men And in the first place he saluted such as he understood to be most renowned at Middleburg Dort Roterdam Delft and the Hague but this he did only in passing and cursorily because his chief care was to visit Scaliger whole abode was at Leiden His resolution was to speak with him first under the notion of a stranger wherefore he changed his name and presented him with a Letter commendatory as written by Peireskius When Scaliger had read it he embraced him exceeding courteously for Peireskius his sake After much discourse divers books being occasionally brought forth Peireskius desired to write a few sines out of one of them whereupon having given him pen ink and paper and reading unto him that which he desired to write out he had no sooner writ a line or two but Scaliger knew his hand whereupon he fell to embrace him in most amiable manner complaining how he had beguiled him And falling afterwards into a most delicious discourse of divers matters Scaliger among other things declared that he intended to make a second Edition of Eusebius for the first Edition did not altogether please him and of his Fathers Commentary upon Aristotle de Animalibus but that afterwards neverthelesse he was intended to return into France and to lay his bones by the bones of his Father Julius And when Peireskius replied That he would not then die in a false beleef that is a Protestant Scaliger wept but gave him no answer Peireskius having expounded to him divers coins and especially shekels he bestowed upon him though against his will a rare Semi-shekel whose interpretation he admired above all the rest He also gave him again by way of requital many things which was most delightfull to him he gave him the desired and expected draught of the sepulchres of the Scaligers with the verses written upon the said sepulchres which he brought along with him to that end For he had received the said draught but the March before from Verona nor could he get it before though he writ often about it because Nichezola had been sundry times sick and because Sylvius Donius who first began the work died while he was about it One thing there was about which Peireskius would fain have asked Scaliger but he never durst do it lest he should trouble him that was his book touching the Quadrature of a Circle which he had printed twelve yeers ago and which was presently by Franciscus Vieta and Adrianus Romanus aud afterwards by Christofer Clavius the best Geometrician among the Jesuites and other learned and expert Mathematicians convicted to be erroneous For he had been forewarned that if he should harp upon that string it would stir his choler And as concerning his pedigree he would not make shew of the least doubt whether he were indeed descended from the Princes of Verona whose stock he said did end in him yet with a little more freedom and as desirous to know how he should answer others he laid before him what was objected by Scioppius Guillandinus and others After Scaliger his care was to visit Carolus Clusius who being over fourscore yeers old began to be troubled with the gout as also Scaliger had begun to be troubled therewith a few months before He found him taking care that the figure of the Fungus Coralloïdes or Corall-fashioned-Mushromp which he had sent him out of Provence with almost an innumerable company of other kinds of Plants Roots and Seeds might be printed in the second Appendix to his History of Outlandish Plants And he seasonably advertized him touching some Indian Plants in the description whereof he had erred and some which he had never heard of before producing withall the descriptions of them according to the Fruits shewed him at Paris by Vespasianus Robinus After Clusius he visited the chief Lights of the University and particularly
contracted friendship with Bonaventura Vulcanius who was then busied about the Edition of Procopius with Dominicus Baudius who besides his skill in History was an elegant Poet and with some others But he was wont to grieve because Heinsius was then absent from Leiden whom he heard Scaliger more than once commend He went afterwards to Amsterdam where he could hardly be satisfied with questioning about and viewing so many excellent rarities which are brought out of both the Indies to that famous Mart. He went to Enchuysen to see the closet of rarities of Bernardus Paludanus where he could have spent his whole life with content In his return staying a while at the Hague he would not depart till he became acquainted with Hugo Grotius who though a young man was adorned with mature learning of all sorts Also he stept aside to Scheveling to make triall of the carriage and swiftnesse of a waggon which some yeers before was made with such Art that it would run swiftly with sails upon the land as a ship does in the sea For he had heard how Grave Maurice after the victory at Nieuport for triall sake got up into it with Don Francisco Mendoza taken in the fight and within two hours was carried to Putten which vvas fourteen miles from Scheveling He therefore vvould needs try the same and vvas vvont to tell us hovv he vvas amazed vvhen being driven by a very strong gale of vvind yet he perceived it not for he vvent as quick as the vvind and vvhen he savv hovv they flevv over the ditches he met vvith and skimmed along upon the surface onely of standing vvaters vvhich vvere frequently in the vvay hovv men vvhich ran before seemed to run backvvards and hovv places vvhich seemed an huge vvay off vvere passed by almost in a moment and some other such like passages At Delft he was pleasantly entertained by Abrahamus Gorlaeus whom it was his hap to find taking care to have certain Greek Coins engraven some of which he had sent him from Paris having formerly given him to the quantity of a thousand which he had brought with him out of Italy For Gorlaeus was endeavouring to supply such Coins as were wanting which he had promised in his Dactyliotheca or Treasury of Rings and Seals a book so called therefore he committed the copy which was shortly to be printed to Peireskius that he according to his candor might weigh the same and blot out what he did not like and he faithfully followed his corrections especially in somewhat which he had writ touching Trajan And here he was wont to relate a thing worth observation viz. How Gorlaeus though unacquainted with the Latine tongue yet understood all Latine books concerning Coins after the same manner as Forcatulus understood all Mathematicall books so effectuall is obstinate labour springing from a most vehement defire of knowing any thing He saw also at Delft a Nun yet remaining alive ever since the Hollanders had apostatized from the Romane Catholike Religion having formerly seen at Utrecht a Canon a kind of Friar permitted to live according to his first profession And whereas he admired not only all the monuments of Antiquity which were remaining at Utrecht but also whatever the Domination of the Dukes of Burgundy lest remaining so did he most of all admire and exceedingly commend the Hollanders because they refrained from demolishing the Temples preserving the Quires untoucht with the Scutcheons of the Knights of the Golden Fleece annexed thereunto which were institured in the dayes of Philip sirnamed the Good But he intended to return thōrow Brabant Flanders and the rest of the Belgick Provinces having first obtained a sase conduct or passe from the Hollanders and the Arch-Duke And first of all he came to Antwerp about the end of July where he contracted friendship with Andreas Schottus and Carolus Scribanius learned men of the Society of Jesus also with Aubertus Miraeus Dean of the Church and excellently skilled in the Belgick and Ecclesiasticall Histories and with Nicolaus Roccoxius a man exceedingly delighted with the study of Antiquities and with Henricus Sedulius Authour of the life of St. Elziarius Afterwards when he came from Mechlin to Lovain nothing so much grieved him as the death of Justus Lipsius that same excellent Light and Load-star of all good literature extinguished a few moneths before For he hoped quickly to have obliged him as well as he had done Scaliger by all kind of civilities and services He grieved likewise that Adrianus Romanus that famous Mathematician was not there at that time whom he exceedingly longed to reconcile to Scaliger After he had seen the Academy and the learned men which were therein he would needs go to the house of a certain Physicians widow to see a couple of Hares with horns which were said to have been brought from Norwey And because he found one of them dead he would buy what ever it cost him both the horns thereof and the pictures of both of them At Brussels he became acquasnted with Carolus Bromanius Count of Brovey and some others but he was most of all taken with the samous Painter Venceslaus Cobergus who had then in hand a rare quadripartite work of the Architecture painting and writing of the Ancients of the images of the Gods of the Coins or rather Medals or brazen pieces from Julius Caesar to Galienus Moreover he was wont to tell of divers discourses he had with him concerning the severall parts thereof but especially the last because of the opinion of Cobergus that these Medals could not be money his chief argument being because the stamp which was upon them would ask the workman two moneths to make it so that seeing there could not above two hundred be coined by the same stamp the price of the work would have amounted far above the value of the money Touching this discourse I onely remember that Peireskius made answer that they used the labour of their servants which cost them nothing and Cobergeus replied that this was done when it was forbidden to servants not onely to paint any thing but to learn the Art of Painting When he was about to depart from Brussels he wrote a very learned Epistle to Sir Robert Cotton and sent him also the prints of divers moneys and namely one of Commodus by reason of the unusuall orthography of the word Brittania with a doublet and singlen Then he salnted at Gaunt Laurentius Deebrotius whom he knevv in Italy At the Isles Florentius Nallaeus a learned Canon Authour of the Liturgick Antiquities At Tornay Dionysius Willerius a Canon and Chancellour and Hieronymus Winghemius also a Canon the one a rare Antiquary the other exceedingly addicted to the knowledge of rare Plants At Doway William Richardotus the son of John the President with whom he kept sriendship ever since his being in Italy and Andreas Hojus Greek Prosessour whom I have heard relate with what delight he was present at the most sweet discourses of Peireskius and
he saluted there the Earl of Fontane and having by way of discourse expressed what a mighty Army his Majesty of France had in readinesse the Earl answered he was not at all afraid thereof because the death of one man would shortly overthrow the same But I must not harp too long upon this string Not long after Peireskius received Letters from Pignorius written the third day of the same moneth wherin he was made acquainted that Galilaeus by his newly invented Telescope had discovered certain great and wonderfull sights concerning the Stars and principally four new Planets which are carried about Jupiter which he had called the Medicean Planets For in the beginning of the former yeer which was 1609 Jacobus Metius of Alcmair in Holland while he was compounding and fetting together sundry sorts of glasses to try their effects he happened accidentally upon that same comparison and composition of a convex and a concave glasse by which especially the Tube being interposed he that lookt thorow the same might see small things grow great and things distant brought neer whereupon the invention of the Telescopium or Perspective-Glasse is attributed to him though Johannes Baptista Porta had already published some such thing in print but Galilaeus only by the rumour of such a thing which he had heard began to invent not onely the cause of the effects of the Telescope or Perspective-Glasse but also the way to make one whereupon after divers essayes and trials he hit at last upon the way to make a most exact one And that was it by which in the two first moneths of the tenth yeer aforesaid he accomplished those observations which he published in March under the Title of Sidereus Nuncius or the Heavenly Intelligencer Peireskius therefore being acquainted therewith himself with great ardency of affection that he might obtain his Book and a Telescope or Prospective glasse as soon as possibly he could But though he got a Book yet was it long ere he could obtain an exquisite Telescope though he got some both from Italie Holland and Paris as soon as they began to be made there And this was the reason that before November he could not discover nor observe the Planet's aforesaid moving about Jupiter at least he could not perceive their full number But as soon as he discovered them t is wonderfull with what joy he did contemplate so rare a sight For presently he shewed the same to Varius and other friends and that he might lose no time he made him an Observatorie and invited the foresaid Galterius and kept him divers daies and spent almost two whole years together in his observations with him His Brother was yet at Paris wherefore he never ceased to urge and sollicite him till he had caused divers glasses for prospectives to be made which he sent him to the number of Fortie For he hoped at last to obtain some of the best sort and such as Galileus made use of Meanwhile notwithstanding having contemplated certain revolutions he began to consult with Galterius about framing of Hypotheses and Tables of their Motions Wherefore Galterius having undertaken the businesse prevailed in a short time so far that be determined as exquisitely as he might the times in which the said Mecicean Stars did first finish their Circum volutions viz the outtermost in 16. daies and 16. houres the next in seven daies three hours and an half the third in three daies thirteen hours and an half likewise the innermost in one day 18 hours and an half I reckon not the minutes because though computation was made even to the Seconds as Astronomers speake yet daily experience taught that there was still somewhat to be added and diminished so that there still remaines something for the Obervation and diligence of following times to amend I only touch upon these things to intimate how vehemently Peireskius endeavoured that this new Invention might be speedily perfected For he made choice likewise of Johannes Lombardus a diligent Man to assist in the observations and of Petrus Robertus a Candidate in Physick and Johannes Baptista Morinus a Candidate in Philosophie two young Men to assist Galterius in the arithmeticall comptuations which would have been too tedious for him alone to calculate Also he got the observations which Johannes Keplerus the Emperors renowned Mathematician and others also besides Galileus had made that by comparing of them the Hypotheses might be perfected Also he caused a †an Artificiall Machine or Sphere mechanicall Theorie or Instrument to be made like the Vulgar one of Peurbachius that the Roots of the Motions being praesupposed the Places of the Medicean Stars might be calculated for years moneths daies and hours Also he gave them names that they might be the better distinguished one from another For seeing Galileus had called them all in generall the Medicean Stars he would not by any meanes change that Appellation but yet he chose out certain Princes of the Medicean familie whose names he would confer upon the severall Stars And because he was bound saving the Honour of the Familie to give the names of two renowned Queens which that house had yeilded France unto two Stars therefore he gave the name of Catharine to the outmost Planet to the other which shines more gloriously then the rest the name of Mary to that which follows the name of Cosmus Major and to the innermost Cosmus minor He purposed afterwards to publish in print both his Oblervations and Tables but understanding that Galileus was earnestly endeavouring the same thing therefore lest he should seem to go about to snatch away the Honour which was due to him he desisted from his purpose Finally it came into his mind to assist the Geographers in delivering the Method of finding out the longitude For seeing the motions of these Planets are exceeding swift and their Configurations every night different therefore he conceived that if observation were made in seveverall places East and West at what moments they happened the distances of places according to the varietie of times might most punctually be known and that consequently Geographical Maps and Carts might be so amended and perfected that for time to come the Art of Navigation might attain the highest pitch of perfection Wherefore he sent Letters to this effect to Jodocus Hondius at Amsterdam wherein also he desired that he would send him the name and Country of him that invented the first prospective Glasse for as yet he knew not that it was he whom we mentioned before He wrote also largely to his Brother in Paris desiring him to send severall sorts of Prospectives which he had ordained to make observations in sundry places but especially in the Easterne Countries and in the new world West-Jndies whither some of his friends were shorly to go And afterward he obtained indeed some observations principally from the forenamed Johannes Lombardus who went Eastward as far as Aleppo but they did not sufficiently satisfie him nor could
foot broad between the shoulders and five foot deep upon the chest That the scull was observed to be five foot long and ten foot in compasse Which prodigious spectacle being viewed an whole day together the rest of the bones turned to ashes there remaining onely those which were carried to Paris and seen by every body viz. a part of the lower jaw-bone two Vertebra's of the back-bone some pieces of a rib shoulder-blade and thigh-bone the other thigh-bone the shank an huckle-bone an heel besides some fragments which were not sent to Paris as namely of a thigh-bone and likewise two teeth Moreover it was reported that there were sound about fifty pieces of silver Coin with the picture of Marius upon them and on the other side the letters MA being the beginning of his name from whence they would needs have it concluded that Theutobachus the Teutonick King being vanquished by Marius was buried there a man of so tall a stature that Authors report him to have been higher than the trophies which were carried as tokens of victory and that he was wont to leap over sour or five yea six horses Moreover as Peireskius questioned the truth of the report so he considered with himself what might give occasion to such a fable especially after he had read over a book which Nicolaus Habigotus a Chirurgeon of Paris had written thereof He questioned not but that such bones were found in that place and he granted that they might be the bones of some more ancient Gyant but he could never be perswaded that they were his bones whose they were reported to be For in the first place neither Theutobochus nor his Subjects used the Latine tongue so that they should make a Latine Inscription upon any tomb which they would erect nor would the Romans in case according to the kindnesse they used towards their enemies they had built the tomb have made it of bricks for a plaistered work it was not which was not then in use for Sepulchres but of marble or at least of some other stone whereon they might engrave a memoriall both of their victory and of the kindnesse expressed to their enemies also they would have chosen an high or at least a stony place and not on so sandy and infirm as that was lest it should easily come to be overwhelmed or overturned Also he wondered that the stone with its Inscription was neither kept nor shewed which ought to have been sent to Paris with the bones and that the Sepulchre was not left untouched or at least some remarkable Reliques thereof as the Lord of the place who was curious to spread the report of the Gyants bones could not but desire It increased his suspition in that the dimensions of the scull were said to be taken it being found whole and yet that it should turn to dust so soon whiles other bones remained firm For the hatchers of this fabulous story seemed to fear lest by diligent inspection thereof and comparing the same with some dead mans scull the truth might have been more easily found out As for the Coins he said Those letters did not signifie Marius whose former name Caius would not have been omitted nor would the name Marius have been set down to halfs but entire after the Romane manner but that it signified rather MAssilia Marseiles which was then a Republike and to which as a Graecian City that fashion of Coin was proper and not to the Romanes And because not long ago nor â—ar from that place many such pieces had been found and he had received some from the renowned Frerius of whom we spake before for that cause he suspected whether or no the places as well as the times had not been feigned And whereas Theutobochus is recorded in story to have been taller then the Trophies that argues him to have been ten or twelve foot high according to our Vulgar feet for such was the height of the Trophies which were carried in Triumphs reckoning in the height of those that carried them and the length of their Armes lifted up and such the Stature of the Heroes was reported to have been viz. halse as high again as the ordinary Stature of Men but not 25. foot Nor is that which is written of his leaping over or bestriding four or six Horses so to be understood as if he had stretched his thighes so wide as to bestride them all at once but because it was his custome to passe from one Horse to another that is to change his Horses often because he soon wearied them with his Heavinesse Which may be gathered in that Florus who recorded that passage tells us that he was wont to mount upon four or six Horses whereas when he fled he had hardly an Horse to carry him intimating that he had not such a Multitude of Horses with him as his custome was to have for his own use Finally he discoursed many things both touching the place of the Victorie touching the Triumph a Part or Pageant whereof was Theutobochus and of some other things whereby the Credit of the foresaid Report was weakened He obtained also in his latter years some fragments of these kind of Bones but by looking upon them he was more confirmed in his opinion supposing at last that these great Bones which we often admire at when Sepulchers are digged up to be Elephants Bones as if the Lords of those Beasts had prized them or peradventure intended to abuse Posterity by their so carefull burying of them Also he was of opinion that Bones are sometimes shewed which have been dug out of Sands or other Places where they had been casually overwhelmed with Earth since it is hard to find a man deserving credit who has seen those Sepulchers so built with his own eyes only we credit such us sell them shew them or pâ—oâ—esse that they found or digged them up Which made him often wish that some man that could neither deceive nor be deceived would saile into Sicilie and make Inquisition about those Bones of Gyants which are said to be dug up not far from Palermo especially the Sculls For he hoped that such a man would use that ingenious Speech of Suetonius That at Capreae there are great Bones of vast Beasts which are said to be the Bones of Gyants But enough and too much of this Subject 1614. The year following proved a cruell year by reason of the death of divers of his renowned friends For he understood by Letters which Gualdus sent him being dated in April that Contarenus the Procurator was dead at Venice Lalius Pasealinus at Rome and Nichezola at Verona Also he heard afterwards that the most excellent Velserus died at Augsburg on the 24. day of June and soon after Casaubon died in England Yea and he also himself in a Letter which he wrote in the Moneth of May to Natalitius Benedictus makes mention of the Duke of Arschotan as dead In another Letter he makes mention of the death
When he had put the matter out of Hazard he carefully procured a second Edition both of all the Acts and likewise of that Genealogie which without adding or taking away so much as a fyllable he reduced into an evident Scheme or Table From which it soon appeared that Wernerus Erle of Habsburg who died in the year 1096. had a Daughter named ITA de Tierstein or Homberg that is in the Language of the Genealogist who was married to Rudolphus of Tierstein or Homberg who bare Wernerus the Father of Albertus the Grandfather of Rudolphus the great Grandsire of another Albertus and the great Great-Grand-sire of another Rudolphus who was the first Emperor of that name and of the House of Austria And truly the sleight is wonderfull whereby both Franciscus Guillimanuus and Piespordius himself do in such manner dissemble that Wernerus was the Son of ITA as if he had been not Ita's but her Brothers Son of whose progeny neverthelesse there is no mention any where made as neither of Adelbert another Brother from whom the Habsburgian Succession did passe over to the family of Tierstein or Homberg But they were not ashamed to go contrary to the manifest truth of story and so to confound things that Guillimannus made Ita the Sister of Otto his Niece and Piespordius his Sister Wife Daughter in Law and Niece by the Sisters side from Wernerus of Tierstein And thus Peireskius rejoyced that he brake the neck of the designe of these flattering Genealogists and so much the more because Guillimannus said he gave great credit to those Acts of Muren aforesaid and Gaspar Scioppius two years after chose this same Guillimannus as his Author whom he would follow in that part of the Genealogie of the House of Autria I do not well remember whether it were for this or some other cause that he visited the Records of the Chapter at Rhemes the Canons being commanded by an order from the King to let him view all their Acts and Records and to shew him two peciall Instruments containing things of great moment I remember very well he was accounted most knowing in the French Histories of greatest Antiquity and that he gave a proof of his skill which I have heard both from himself and others For whereas in the moneth of March there happened a memorable fire in the Kings Court to the sight whereof he ran at midnight in the company of Jacobus Gillotus a most excellent Senatour he carried thither afterwards all the learned men well nigh in the City to contemplate the statues of the Kings the stumps whereof onely remained the rest being turned into ashes And when no body could tell whose statue that was which stood with a mangled face even before the fire happened he because of one place supernumerary argued that it was the statue of King Henry of England which Charles the seventh did onely mangle and not remove as unwilling that his own Statue should stand in the place of the Usurpers Nor was he content to undertake onely that particular labour against Piespordius and others but out of his love to the Kings Majesty and the glory of the French Nation he began from that time forwards to think of an Edition of all Authours especially those of that age who had written the Antiquities and History of France And because he knew that in divers Churches Monasteries and private Libraries many Books of that Argument were kept up unprinted he took care to search them out and because he himself was not then at leisure he acquainted Andreas Duchesnius a most diligent Historiographer with his designe who was at that time set upon the same undertaking He was then preparing an Edition of the Historians of Normandy wherefore Peireskius to testifie his sagacity and industry he sought and obtained of Sir Robert Cotton of England both a namelesse writer of the Acts of Emma Queen of England and likewise Wilhelmus Pictavinus whom he soon after annexed to his History and testified that by the mediation of Cambden They were sent to the Illustrious those are his words Nicolaus Fabricius de Petrisco Senatour in the Parliament at Aix one that is an advancer of learning and my most dearly beloved friend And because Fronto Ducaeus was at that time setting out a Greek Manuscript written with great letters containing a great part of the Bible and of so great antiquity that it was said to have been corrected by Origens own hand who averreo that it had been compared with the most ancient Tetraplus therefore Peireskius well remembering that the foresaid Cotton had a most precious Greek Manuscript written in the dayes of Theodosius in great letters likewise which cost King James a thousand Crowns therefore I say that this Edition might be more compleat he wrote and sent into England and passing his word and giving securitie that the Book should be forth coming he obtained the same and let Fronto Ducaeus have the use of it Moreover in Autumn the same year he was nominated by the King Abbot of Sancta Mariae Aquistriensis And the businesse which he had in that respect to transact at Rome was freely performed by divers Cardinals as Cobellutius Ursinius and he that was afterward Marquemontius but by none more carefully than by Maffaeus Barberinus who was afterward created and is yet living Pope For from that time forward they became acquainted and their acquaintance was strenghthened by letters frequently sent to and fro The occasion of their first acquaintance was a very elegant Ode composed by the Cardinall upon Mary Magdalex the beginning whereof was Innixa pennis versicoloribus For Peireskius having received a copy thereof from Aleander and being wonderfully delighted with it and all the learned men to whom he shewed it applauding the same he got leave by mediation of the said Aleander that it might be yet further published by printing The copies being all vended he was pleased to print the Poem again but in a larger form that it might be hung up at Sancta Balma a Rock and Hermitage famous for the penance of Saint Maudlen and other Churches and Chappels of Provence Yea and he thought good to print it the third time after he had won the said Cardinall to frame an Ode in favour of Saint Lewis King of France the beginning whereof is Objectu gemini maris and after he had made some other Odes that he could get by the stealth as it were of Aleander About the end of this year there appeared a famous Comet to the observation whereof he exhorted all the industrious men he was acquainted with Himself being destitute of fitting Instruments and not daring to trust himself in the air because of his sicklinesse made no other observation save that by the Perspective-Glasse he discerned the form of its head and hov it differed from the tail which he compared to the Sun-beams shining through a window But he was glad when he heard afterwards that such as dwelt not in
same had been observed in the Histories and Relations of Pirardus Moquetus and others that it should be lest to Philosophers to dispute those questions and did not become a Relater to play the Dogmatist especially contrary to the common opinion that the opinion of the earths flatnesse might be mentioned but so as believed by the Barbarians not defended by him if he persisted he would become a mocking-stock to Learned men and derogate from the credit of his Narrations though in themselvs true that he should reap praise enough sound and without spot from the naked History of his Travells that he would take care that the work should be dedicated to the King or to some other who would thankfully accept it and such like All which neverthelesse could not perswade the man to relinquish his former Intentions Moreover he caused a Chorographicall Map of Provence to be Ingraven and Printed which had been made by Petrus Johannes Bomparius thirty years before The form whereof though neat enough did not please him wherefore he caused Jodocus Hondius to grave it again two years after who likewise displeased him both because he omitted the name of Bomparius and especially because he chose rather to smiâ—â—ce other Editions in which the degrees of Latitude are falsely set down For for examples faâ—e Aix is set in the 42. degree and an eighth pâ—râ— which ought to have been in the 43. and at half and one or two minutes over Therefore he had it alwaies in his desire to make a new Map which by new observations and more exquisite dimensions should present every place in its due posture both in reference to the Heavens and other parts of the Country but he was by Death prevented Finally because he was wonderfully delighted with that which Johannes Baptista Morinus of whom we spoke before and who afterward was of great and deserved repute among the Kings Professors of Mathematicks was wont to relate touching that same Peregrination of his into the Mines of Hungary therefore he advised him to commit the said relation to writing so to Print the same And that he did but so as to premise an Anatomie of the Sublunary-world wherein he Laboured to evince that as the Aire is distributed into three Regions of which the uppermost is alvvaies hot the middlemost alwaies cold and the lovvest sometimes hot and sometimes cold so vvas the Earth divided into three Regions of vvhich the lowest vvas alvvaies cold the middlemost alwaies hot and the uppermost being contiguous to the Aire is sometimes hot sometimes cold according to the temper of the circumambient Aire But these studies did not suffice him 1617. but he must by divers kind offices besides endeavour to oblige men famous for their Virtues For why should I relate how that Pacius being now according to his wish become a Catholike and defiring to return into his Country he procured the chief Professorship of Padua to be bestowed upon him as also how when after two year he would return to Valentia he procured him to be called by Letters from the Viceroy and first President of Dauphine written by the Kings commands How when Philippus Jacobus Maussacus a great Ornament of the Senate of Tolouse had gotten the forementioned Commentaries of Julius Scaliger upon Ariftorle his History of Animalls he encouraged him not a little to Print the same with Notes nor was he negligent in sending them when they were printed to all the Learned men throughout Europe as to Aleander Pignorius and others How using the helpe of Barclay he caused divers amorous Poems to be writ out of a Book in the Vatican Library for to pleasure Gilbertus Gaulminius a rare light to good Literature when he understood that they were wanting in Theodorus Prodromus whith was shortly to be printed according to Salmasius his Copy as he also testified in his Epistle to the Reader How he freed divers from divers scruples as Pompeius Paschalinus touching the Agate of his deceased Father Thomas Erpenius touching the Saracenicall History and many such like There was at that time an hot contest in Point of Study between the often before mentioned very Learned Jacobus Sirmondus and Claudius Salmasius that same other glorious Example of polite Learning touching a famous question occasioned a year before by Jacobus Gothofredus in two dissertations touching the Subnâ—bian Grounds and the Churches or of the Diocese of the civill Pretor and of the Bishop of Rome As for that controversie how far it proceened how many Learned men on both sides joyned their forces is not to be related in this place Only I am to say that Peireskius was as carefull as he possibly conld be that the matter might be gently handled between them as did befit Learned Men. The truth is when Aleander also had interposed himself in the quarrell and had sent a treatise from Rome of that Subject to be printed at Paris Peireskius could hardly allow it and being urged he caused it indeed to be printed but with some mitigation of what he had hinted touching the Authority of Counciâ—s and Popes and the bitter passages which he had fcattered up and down against the opinion which he opposed He used the same liberty towards Barclay who had interwoven in his Argenis a Dialogue of somewhat too free a strain For he received about the same time a great part of that worke which he was to see printed And the truth is Barclay had determined that both he and Varius should be personated in that Book but Peireskius commending his affection made greater account of the friendship of Virginius Caesariuus which he had procured him from whom he had received Letters and most elegant Elegiack Verses Yet Barclay is to be commended who testified his gratitude by all meanes in his power as again when he received his Family at Rome about this time he composed an Elegie in the name of his wife Wherein among the rest were these verses To speake the Truth God-like * a mans name de-Vias I Chac't grief away by thy dear Memory The thought of Peiresk whom the High-God bless Did banish from my Mind all Heavinesse Heaven's bless that mighty Man this many a year To the French Nation Then they need not fear View but this wit you 'l say hee 's Pallas Child Which makes him love the name of Virgin mild What Muses and what Prudence were of Old All that to France in Peiresk now behold Long let him Live and my dear Husband Love Long let him Live and Growth of Honours prove And these things were done in the year 1620. 1620. In the beginning and progresse of the Spring whereof he was so troubled with the Strangnry and other diseases that he was hindered to his great grief from following Varius when he went with the King in the beginning of Summer to pacifie certain tumults in Normandie and other Provinces and afterwards to Aquitania and Bearn When he began to mend he received Letters from
Pius Mutius of Genoa certifying that there were yet remaining some reliques of Pinellus his Library For he wrote that he had found Fifty two Orations of Themistius which were saved out of his Library and had never been printed no not among those which were published two years since by Dionysius Petavius a man so Learned that I question whether the Society of Jesus has any that exceeds him He presently brought that piece of Themistius to him and when he found him studying about that huge work d. Doctrina Temporum which he printed a few years after he took occasion to speake many things in favour of Scaliger his quondam friend About the same time he took a curious view of the Treasury of the Chappell of Sancta Capella And among the rare and precious commodities contained therein he discovered an inestimable Jewell viz. an orientall Agat or Arabian Sardonyx a foot long according to the Parisian or Foot roiall wherein were ingraven with wonderfull Art five and twenty figure or pictures all exceeding white in a black Sea interdistinguished with a certain dark and obscure yellowishnesse It was adorned round about with Christian figure and inscriptions by a certain Greek Emperor so that when Baldwin had pawned it to D. Ludowick and at last it came into the hands of King Charles the fifth of that name and was thought to contain some sacred history it was brought into that treasury as a Religious Oblation But Peireskius when he viewed it and regarded the condition of the pictures he was satisfied that it represented rather a profane Story and as far as he could gather by conjectures he believed it was a representation of the Apotheosis or Deifying of the Emperour Augustus being dead Johannes Tristanus Santamantius a rare Antiquary did lately cause it to be printed with his Commentaries being cut in Copper And he professes that he had first knowledge thereof from Peireskius whom he calls a man of very rare and exquisite Learning so as to exceed all the commendation that he could give renowned through all Europe He writes afterward how that he first saw this rare monument of Antiquity in the company of Peireskius and began to conjecture what it might represent But because in processe of time he differed from the opinion of Peireskius and it has been my hap sundry times to hear Peireskius discourse the businesse therefore it will not be I hope unpleasing if I shall touch some principall differences of their Interpretations in this place for their sakes who shall endeavour to examine the matter having the Achat it self or its modell or the foresaid Book That figure therefore which Santamancius interprets to be Jupiter with Aeneas following him Peireskius judged to be Augustus by the help of the Goddesle Roma lift up to Heaven and he whom the other would have to be Augustus he Interpreted to be Marcellus the Lover of Horses whom the Fates only shewed the world Rome intimating that she delivered the Empire of the world which he refused over to Tiberius that stood next beneath him And truly if you attentively consider the Achat as far as the Copies do represent the same you will acknowledge the Countenance of a Youth rather then of an old Man In like manner him beneath Marcellus whom Peireskius took to be Drusus the Son of Tiberius with his hand stretched out towards Jupiter as begging the Kingdom after his Father Santamantius takes to be Numerius Atticus contemplating with his eyes lifted up and avouching that Augustus was caught up into Heaven And shee that sits by Drusus whom Peireskius took to be his wife Livilla Santamantius supposes may be Julia the Daughter of Augustus who was banished and him that was at the right hand of Jupiter he believed to be Drusus the Brother of Tiberius whom Peireskius supposed to be rather Julius Caesar Touching Germanicus Agrippina and Caligula they differ'd not nor touching Tiberius neither save that Peireskius said that the Imperiall Robe compassed with Serpents was Jupiters Target and the Lance without an head he called a Long Scepter So he took her to be Antonia the Mother of Germanicus whom Santamantius took to be Livia contrariwise he took her to be Livia whom Santamantius supposed to be Antonia But thus much may suffice to have spoken of this subject by the way But Peireskius was so overjoyed by finding so rare a Curiositie that he did not only invite Santamantius and all other men in Paris to see it but he wrote also Letters thereof into England Germany Italy and all France over But he wrote thereof in a speciall manner to Petrus Paulus Rubeus of Antwerpe that most renowned Painter and lover of all Antiquities but especially of Achats in which he was very skillfull who came in a moment to see it set it forth in lively colours And Peireskius got a gallant picture of it which he kept as a Jewell besides divers Impressions thereof in Brimstone Plaister of Paris Paper which he printed with the Achat it self Moreover by a great Providence he got the Impression of another rare Agat in Brimstone which was kept in the Emperours own Jewell-house It was an Agat somewhat lesse then the former which Philip the Fair left as a Legacie to the Nuns of Poissy he having had it of the Knights of Jerusalem who had got it in Palestine and being stollen away in the civill wars it was by certain Merchants carried into Germany and sold to the Emperor Rudolphus Secundus for twelve thousand Crownes Now the Impression thereof had been taken and preserved and I know not by what hap fell into the hands of Peireskius Nor did he only get the Impression but the true picture thereof likewise wrought long-since by the Hand of that famous Painter Nicolas whose rare workmanship is seen in the Gallery at Fountain Bleau I passe over how he Interpreted the Figures thereon so as to conceive they represented the Apotheosis or Deifying of Augustus while he was Living For as we read in Josephus that Herod made a Colossus or huge Image of Caesar resembling Jupiter Olympius in forme and Magnitude and another like a Roman resembling Argive Juno so it seems that in these figures Augustus is represented in the habit of Jupiter Olympius together with the Goddesse Roma in the habit of Argive Juno and in one place Jupiter and Juno are represented leaving their place and giving way also the Signe of Scorpio drawing his Clawes together to make roome for the new God and such like Moreover he was afterward troubled with a most vexatious disease in his Eyes But that I may proceed to shew you how many Designes he drove notwithstanding these Interruptions of diseases he caused most elegant pictures to be cut in Copper to illustrate a Book written by Rex Renatus Erle of Provence concerning †Tiltings Turnaments which was to be printed and that after he had obtained from Johannes Jacobus Chiffletius Vesuntinus a famous Physitian another Book of
Tornaments Andreas Favinus mentions this care of his in his Book of the Theater of Honour and in his third Book of the Orders of Knight-hood Also he reassumed his care of the Constantinian Kalender aforesaid about which he therefore wrote to Schilderus a Canon of Cameracum from whom he had received it also to Franciscus Carandelet us Dean of the same Church who was exceeding curious in all good things He took care about divers things which were kept in the study of the Duke of Arschot and Rubeus aforesaid in which point he was satisfied by Johannes Gaspar Gevartius a famous and if ever any a true Schollar with whom he had already contracted no sleight friendship at Paris Moreover he communicated all his rarer Coins with Rambervillerius who dwelt at Vic and Rambervillerius did reciprocally communicate such as he had to him At the very beginning of the Spring 1621. the year following he lay sick more than a moneth so that he could neither accompany Varius who was again to go with the King nor perform those many great offices of freindship which he had intended to Hugo Grotius then newly come into France for he prized him so highly that he was wont to say that France had gained him in the stead of Scaliger I shall not mention how afterward when Grotius set himself to write the History of his own times Peireskius did furnish him with divers monuments publike and private which he had by him also with very many which he had procured out of Italy namely from Antonius Querengus a learned and famous man to whom many things had been sent out of France because he was writing the Acts of Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma About that time there passed thorow Paris the foresaid Vicelegatus à Balneo who was sent the Popes Nuncio into Flanders who being desirous to see all things in the City which were remarkable Peireskius was recovered in a seasonable time to lead him up and down to learned men to studies to all rare works and with great alacrity though but one to persorm such offices as were hardly to be expected from many together And this was in the moneth of July August followed the saddest moneth that ever he knew For therein died †Mr. du Vair Varius and it extreamly troubled him that during his eight dayes sicknesse he could not be with him to perfom all the last duties of a friend Now that great man died at Tonins in Agennois at the siege of Clerac on the third day of the moneth to the great grief of all France But how Peireskius was peculiarly afflicted with this accident it is needlesse for me to relate For his disposition by this time sufficiently known with the vehement love he bare towards him and his continual observances do speak enough though I be slent All that wrote verses of the death of Varius did not without cause dedicate their said veses to Peireskius among the rest Hugo Grotius was one who thus bespeaks him Though thou who wast the comfort of his cares By which he steer'd the State-affairs of France Do'st more than all lament with dolefull tears His fate as if it were thy proper chance Brave Peiresk who deserv'st a better lot All France is envious at this thy grief And since his Countrey and the World a shot Must pay she will not have thee mourn in chief Also Petrus Bertius who among other passages thus exprest himself But O Peiresk since God will have it so Why do we sadly mourn Let 's set a bound Unto our griefs for we must also go When Fates do call though now both well and sound To let passe others I shall onely say That whereas Peireskius was very carefull that Varius might have all the honour which was due to his Dignities and Virtues he did it as being one of the three which were the Overseers of his last Will having had a Legacie consisting chiefly of Gothick Coins and because he could not sufficiently restifie the affection he bare to his deceasd friend This hard chance was attended by another which he bare likewise very mournfully For Barclay died at Rome just then almost when Varius died in the Camp so that Peireskius heard of his buriall when he expected from him a consolatory Letter and an Epitaph Just about the same time it happened that Peireskius urged him to finish his Argenis wherefore among other things it grieved him that Barclay had not finisht that Work according to his own Mind It was some comfort to him that he had first gotten a most elegant pourtraicture of Barclay to which he would needs have an Eingie subscribed ont of the rich vein of Grotius which also he sent to Debonerus Nor were these accidents enough but there soon followed the death of another which he took most passionately It was the death of Henry of Lorreigne Duke of Mayenne who was slain at Mount-Alban the sixth day of September His love to Peireskius was vehement and full of candor which made him take upon himself of his own accord to protect the Abbey of Guistres in Guyenne and to preserve the Lands and Inhabitants during that war When tidings of his death were brought Peireskius was troubled with a pain in his kidneyes and the Strangury which lasted eight dayes about the beginning whereof he was not able to behold that Prodigie which caused great admiration being seen not onely in the Camp but at Paris also and all France over viz. a Remarkable Brightnesse which in the night following the Twelfth day was seen in the Northern part of the Skie all over so that for many hours together it represented the clearest Sun-rise This was wonderfull the Moon not shining but it was more wonderfull to see a vapour which was shed abroad in the same quarter distinguished as it were into whitish obscure pillars set in rows being exactly perpendicular to the Horizon and moving very slowly from the East unto the West Finally it was a miracle to see a little after as it were certain Pyramids or Spires arising from the white appearances reaching to the top of the Skie very white out of which there shot vapours very thin and exceeding white as swift as lightening This I mention because Peireskius was glad that we observed the same whereby he was assured that it was nothing but a sport of Nature which many interpreted to be some military preparation or the Idea of a Battell The truth is some affirmed that they saw Armies in Battell-aray and Horse and Foot marching and how at last they saw the fight and bullets flying out of the guns T is wonder they said not that they heard the sound of Trumpets and the cries of the Souldiers seeing the same credulous humane frailty was cause of those other figments T is truly credible that if not all yet very many such tales related in Histories have proceeded from the same Original and deserve no greater credit But to return
to those sad accidents I need not speak of the death of Cardinall Bellarmin which happened about the same time at Rome For though Peireskius was somewhat troubled when he heard of it yet was he comsorted by the opinion which he had preconceived and the fame which was soon spread abroad of his admirable Sanctity I am rather to speak of the death of Paulus Gualdus which happened in October the tidings whereof were enough to kill him with sorrow for all his great constancie For we may estimate his grief for the death of this man by considering the acquaintance he had with him at the house of Pinellus and the various kindnesses and most sweet Letters which had passed between them for above twenty years together Peireskius had sent him a little before besides divers Prospective-Glasses augmenting Glasses lately found out by Cornclius Drebel who was likewise of Alcmair and Engineer to the King of Great Britain Moreover because Gualdus had so long and so much loved him he therefore made exceeding much of his brothers children Joseph the Arch-Presbyter and John Baptist the Knight especially the latter who seating himself at Rome as he was most studious of all good things so provided he himself with a plentifull store-house thereof There was another sad accident which I know not whether I should relate at which he happened to be present though not properly concerned which was that same memorable fire which happened upon the double Bridge which stands on piles by means whereof not onely the said Bridge was burnt and the houses thereon built but the wares also of the Silver-Smiths and Mercers which sold silks were burnt or drowned Peireskius quickly ran thither and beheld the fire with great grief and carefully set down all the mischief which was done by the unspeakable violence of the flames And he was wont to say that he would give any money for a picture that should represent to the life those vast rowling flames For Nero saw nothing so horrible when he beheld Rome on fire for those buildings were of stone but these were wholly in a manner wood nor was there such a floud beneath nor such immense gulfs After these things he began to think of returning home but he prolonged the time by little and little till a year or two more were past About the same time the custody of the great Seal was committed to Mericus Vicus a chief friend of his of whom we have made often mention and to Ludovisus Faber Caumartinus both of which were desirous to seem Inheritors of the affection which Varius had born towards him Moreover he continued in the affection and esteem of the Masters of the Exchequer who dearly loved him and that principally because he never demanded any thing for himself but was onely an Intercessour for good and deserving men Again he made no end of sending books up and down And therefore Canaden especially T is fit sayes he that I return you a thousand thanks for your great munificence and the great store of most excellent books which I have received from you When he sent to Selden he desired him that if but for his sake he would observe the situation of the English Churches whether to such as entered they stood East and whether they look towards the Aequinoctiall or either Solstice For he accounted it a thing worth the enquiry 1622. that he might find out as I suppose whether our Ancestours worshipped towards the Winter Sun-rise or some other way because according to the ancient tradition of the Church our Lord Christ who is termed the East or Sun-rise was born when the Sun was in the Winter Tropick He had already sped well at Paris in this enquiry for Jacobus Allealmus a famous Mathematician having examined the matter found that all the ancient Churches did decline from the Aequinoctiall to the Winter Sun-rise that of San-Victorina onely excepted which declined toward the Summer Sun-rise as for the San-Benedictine Church he made no reckoning thereof which he conceived was termed Bistornata because it had been twice turned or ill turned Moreover he procured for Learned men the Copies of very many Manuscripts as namely out of the Escuriall and Vatican Libraries out of which besides others he got a Coppy of Syncellus with which he helpt the Learned Johannes Raptista Altinus who was then setting forth the said author with Expositions And whereas upon that occasion he had sent to Alcmannus an exquisite Ichnographiall description of the Porch of Sancta Genovefa and of divers other places he received of him for the foresaid Altinus a Copy of the Anecdota of Procopius to the end they might be printed Also he obtained both out of the Vatican and out of the Ambrosian Library at Millain certain Copies of Africanus and other †Books of the art of Ordering an Army Tactiks for the sake of Ludovicus Machaltus a Valiant Man Studious of millitary Authors and of the Mathematicks He it was to whom Peireskius did demonstrate in a certain beautifull Diagram the way to multiply the species and appearance of one and the same thing between Two Glasses declining laterally one from another Moreover when Nicolaus Bergerus of Rhemes wrote in French an History of the publick Waies of the Roman Empire which the Greeks terme Basilicas the Kings high-waies he testified in his Preface that Peireskius acquainted him with an Itinerarie Table or Map very necessary for his work Now it is the same which M. Velserus got out of the Library of the Pentingeri two sheets being first happily found and illustrated with a Commentary and which Abrahamus Ortelius after long looking obtained and first lest to be published by Johannes Moretus and Petrus Bertius by the advice of Peireskius joyned to his Ptolemy Moreover Sundry Offices he performed to divers Learned Men As to Johannes Mocenicus from whom divers most rare Curiosities had been stollen at Venice to Claudius Menetrius Vesuntinus Studious of Antiquities and who had Letters from Chissletius to one Cuffler of kin to Drebelt and skillfull in making Augmenting glasses who was going into Italie and to very many more Another year was now begun 1623. and it was the 12th day of February when visiting the Chancellor de Sillery and finding there a knot of illustrious and Learned Men he acquainted them that there was Snow fallen of a Sexangular or starlike figure The businesse being observed by the Company and all counting it to be a prodigie he discoursed unto them how that it was a more usuall thing then any man will believe For every Winter it does divers times snow such like Stars but no man observes it both because those Stars do turn to shapelesse fleakes and because falling down single they quickly melt away or being mixt one with another are soon confounded And that the Contexture was wonderfull consisting of three small stroakes crossing one the other so that six raies are seen proceeding as it were out of one Centre
Nor seems it lesse wonderfull that those raies are sometimes naked and sometimes have as it were leaves and branches upon them otherwhiles seeming inserted into a Nave like the spoaks of a Wheele and other such like observations which a friend had informed him of Another while he endeavoured to shew the reason of the snows whitenesse proceeding from very small bubbles reflecting the Light and of its starlike forme proceeding from six aequilaterall trianges into which figures circular bodies do naturally dispose themselves and nothing seemed to him more probable then that snow is so med of seems proper thereunto even as the various sorts of stones are made in the same manner receiving their proper figures as Plants and Animals do Whereupon it was by one then demanded whether these seeds were cause of the years fruitfulnesse seeing Husbandmen avouch that the fields do then yeild the most encrease when they have been longest covered with snow Against which he excepted that the seeds of snow are one thing the seeds of Plants another nor do Plants therefore spring up more abundantly because the snow by its fatnesse as some Imagine does make the Lands fruitfull but because it keeps in and represses those fat exhalations which steem out of the Earth and turnes them into nourishment for the Corne. Which may be better understood if we consider that the said exhalations being hot the snow is below so melted as to give way to the growing Plants being crusted and vaulted above and when the warmness of the Spring approaches it goes away in great fragments by the sides of the mountaines leaving behind it the Herbs and Corne grown up Hence occasion was taken to discourse of the force of such waters as proceed from molten snow so that this must now be acknowledged the cause of the Overflowing of Nilus and he having said that all this water of melted snow did not passe away in Torrents but was partly imbibed into the earth to encrease the fountain waters seeing the Fountain de Vau-cluse did not run more abundantly but was also a little troubled after snow was melted the whole Company was very desirous to hear him discourse at large touching the Originall of Fountaines Whereupon explaining his opinion than which he had none wherein he was more fixt resolved he declared that he could never conceive that the originall of Fountaines was from the Sea nor caused by the conversion of Aire into water but that they spring rather from rain waters melted snow contributing which falling far and near are so drunk in pierce so far into the Earth till they meet with certain Receptacles or wells the bottome whereof is stone Tarras or some such matter fit to hold water which have beneath certain narrow passages by which the Collected water issues gently fo that the stream is continued for many daies moneths and years For proof whereof he alleadged that all the most notable Springs were at the bottomes of Mountaines in which being of a rocky nature there are many such Receptacles or Cisternes which run at last all unto one and fountaines which arise in plain grounds may be derived from the Receptacles of Mountaines far off being brought along through channels under ground And that by the same reason waters might flow not far from the tops of lower Hills and in case they have not Receptacles sufficient of their own they might by the like Passages be brought thither from the Recepacles of higher Mountaines seeing water flowes so far upward according to the heighth from which it first came Whence also he collected that there could be no fountaines in the Continent nor in Islands which doubtlesse are highter then the surface of the Sea if Fountaines came from the Sea because water will rise no higher then the place from whence it fell For that vvaters should spring out in the very tops of the highest Mountaines as is Vulgarly reported vvas not credible there being no Eye-vvitnesse to testifie the same And that therefore the Cause vvhy in the Summer especially after great Drought Fountaines are dried up or run very penuriously can be no other then that the vvaters contained in the foresaid receptacles are either quite spent or much diminished Whence it is that after Rains the Fountaines run again that is to say not after leight or seldom showers but after large and continuali Raines of many daies and moneths durance Yet it is true as the Scriptures saies that the Originall of Rivers and Fountaines is from the Sea in asmuch as partly out of the open Sea partly out of such waters thereof as enter into the Cavities and secret passages of the Earth vapours are raised which being turned into Rain do cause fountaines and Rivers after the manner aforesaid He perceived afterwards that it was necessary for him to depart and therefore he consented at length to the setting forth of that little Treatise De Magnae Deūm Matris Attidisque initiis Which because it contained an Interpretation of certain Characters or Hieroglyphicks which were seen upon a certain brazen hand found at Tornay which Peireskius received from Dionysius Villerius he had been instant for three years that Pignorius would change his dedication and inscribe it to Villerius Which when he could not obtain he would not have the Edition longer deferred Pignorius reasoning the Case with him in these words There are many reasons which make me dedicate the same to you but above all your singular humanity whereby you have so wholly obliged me and all that I am by your daily kindnesses that I haveinothing remaining which I may truly call mine own In the next place your great and Various Learning by which you have wonderfully treasur'd up in your Mind and thought all Antiquity and whatsoever any where is rare and excellent Also he caused to be printed two Books of Mathematicall Epistles of Georgius Ragusaeus or against Arts divinatory which he had received from Paulus Gauldus and which he had left to his beloved Hannibal Fabrotus the forementioned President of Aix who abode then at Paris So was he very carefull that the workes of Varius might be printed with all Additions possible which because he could not see done as his desire was before he departed therefore he lest the whole Care of the Edition to Duchesnius to see it finished In like manner leaving behind him a new Edition of the Poems of Cardinall Barberinus half finished with additions he committed the whole Care thereof to Viassius who was then at Paris and freely profered his service to that intent Moreover that which so constrained him to hasten his return was the old Age and encreasing sicknesse of his Father Yet would he have tarried till Autume had he not been necessitated to passe through Aquitania being resolved to view a certain Abbey which made him take the more time Wherefore he departed in the moneth of August from Paris where he had spent seven years and some moneths When he same to
whole face thereof so suddenly changed so that the wals which because of the Funeral being hung all with black did testifie sorrow were presently being hung a fresh with red because of the aproach of the Guest made to expresse the greatest chearfulnesse possible Moreover as soon as he was saluted by Parliament and all the other orders of the City the Tables were so furnished that a more magnificent provision could not be imagined Eight dineing rooms were served at one and the same time without any confusion and the high courage of Peireskius was to be admired whose Providence was not disturbed by the sadnesse following his Fathers death When all was taken away the Legat desired also to view his Study and to passe over some sweet houres in familiar discourse and in viewing the rarities This Viasius harpt upon in his Panegyric to Urbanus Octavus in these verses among the rest So did we see him in his way from France 1625. Unto Peiresk his noble House advance That House renown'd for Vertue and the Praise Of ancient Gentrie and the Muses Baies Where all that 's left of Athens and old Rome Inshrined lies as in a sacred Tombe When at his departure he brought him on his way he was forced to go to Riants where upon pretence of his Fathers Death the Tenants began to make some stir where composing things as well as he could and the contrariety of the wind holding the Legat still at the Port of Tolon he went to him again thither and presented him with a couple of Goats with long ears hanging down so low that if their heads be a little bowed down they touch the ground The Cardinal having finished this legation soon after began another For he went Legate into Spain but by force of weather he was divers times stayed upon the Coasts of Provence But his chief stop was at the Tower of Buquia which stands at the ingress of the Martigian Coast or the Sea Colony so that Peireskius could hear of him and come to him Which was doubtlesse a great solace to the Legat for besides his most delightful company some daies enjoyed Books were also brought him with the reading whereof the tediousness of the time was abated Among the rest there were certain observations touching the ebbing and flowing of the Seas which Peireskius had not long before caused to be collected by Antonius Natalis a Physician of Provence who dwelt in Bretagne which because they exceedingly pleased the Legat he promised to do his endeavour 1626 to procure more of them Also he further promised him That he would acquaint him with whatever he met with temarkable in that Legation and particularly that he would procure which Peireskius chiefly desired the Epitaphs to be written out and Pictures to be taken of the Earls of Barcellone especially of Alphonsus sirnamed the Chast Moreover Peireskius returned home troubled with an exceeding great Rheum besides pains in his Kidneys and other disorders contracted by reason of his Fathers sickness which would not let him sleep a nights nor suffer him to rest so much as in his Bed Amongst other refreshments books were not the least for he received divers from sundry his friends some of which made mention of him as one for example called Glossarium Archaeologicum containing an Exposition of Barbarous Latine words whose Author was Sir Henry Spelman of England who in the Preface to his Work If I should speak of persons quoth he beyond the Seas I was in no small measure incited from France by the most noble Nicolaus Fabricius Peireskius his Majesties Counsellour in the Parliament of Aix Hieronymus Bignonus c. Where you must observe that Bignonus and those other persons whom he there mentions were set on by Peireskius to sollicite Spelman to set out his Book Also the notes of Pignorius upon the Book of Vincentius Cartarus of the Images of the Gods also his symbolical Epistles in the 29 whereof Pignorius recites to Peireskius an Epistle of Marsilius Ficinus touching the occasion of the friendship between him and Bembus both born on one and the same day out of a Book which was in the study of Pinellus which you and I quoth he knew in its flourishing condition Also he was very inquisitive after divers Monuments of Antiquity which he would have brought to Aix A principal was a Marble Tomb of most elegant fabrick which being dug up near Brignolle he sent a Cart on purpose and twenty industrious chosen men to fetch the same This Monument verily he esteemed so highly of that when afterwards Rubens was to go into Spain he could not tell what better Argument to use to intice him thither then to tell him of the sight thereof and when he observed therein some Images which either through Age or bad usage were defaced he would needs have from Rome a Model in plaister of another in which he had observed the like figures that after the example thereof he might cause them to be repaired Also he was comforted by one Barbleus of Colen an industrious young man and skilled in Physick who made him paper spheres of all sorts that is to say according to the Hypotheses of Ptolomy Copernicus Ticho and others Nor must I forget how he was exceedingly refreshed with the exceeding courteous society of Jacobus Lorinus a Jesuite who had commented upon the Psalms who when he first returned from Rome came to him at Avenion and bestowed upon him a treatise of Bellarmines written with his own hand Finally to divert himself he read at that time a Book termed Arelatense Pontificium made by Petrus Saxius a Canon of Arles But he took it very ill that he I know not out of what respect did affect to set up the Rights of our Kings and did not only not oppose what might justly be opposed but went about unjustly to weaken the same wherefore he rested not till by a decree of Parliament the Book was prehibited Peireskius was now a little better when after divers Letters both from the Cardinal Legate and Putean the Knight and others dated at Madrid he was informed that the Cardinal was to return and would passe through Marseilles in the beginning of September Thither therefore he went though not perfectly recovered and expected the Cardinals arrival certain dayes But he lost his labour because he having a good wind sailed by and stayed only a little while at Tolon whence he sent some of the rarest things he brought with him out of Spain to Aix and excused himself Which when Peireskins received he returned thanks by Letters in some of which he carefully recommended Christophorus Puteanus a Carthusian whose learning and innocent conditions did sufficiently testifie that he was Brother to the Puteans of Paris I stand not to relate how well the Cardinal took the said Recommendation for Putean himself wrote that he was unable to express what good will and civility he had found Only I think it more pertinent to say
Antiquity He did much more commend that work of the Rudolphin Tables which was then published by Kepler For seeing they were collected out of the most accurate observations of the new Atlantis of Ticho Brahe he judged rightly that by their meanes a more exact knowledge of the celestial motions might be had then by any others And therefore because that work was many years exposed therefore he maturely collected divâ—â—s observations by which they might be examined And in a special manner he intreated the Assistance of those excellent men Petrus Franciscus Tondutus San-legerius a Lawyer of Avenion and Jacobus Valesius Scotus General Treasurer in Dauphine both of them excellently skilled in all Mathematical Arts but especially in Astronomy Also he was assisted by both of them to amend divers faults of the Presse 1628. and because the latter signified that he had instructed Eleazar Feronceus an industrious Gardner of Herbs and a very ingenious man to observe the celestial Bodies therefore Peireskius laboured to get from him in particular some observations I passe over how he would needs also have and keep by him some observations of mine before I left Paris wherefore I sent him my Tables and among the rest my observations of that late Eclipse of the Moon whose chief appearances being observed at Aix did shew that the middle thereof was in the same year the 20. of January at nine a Clock and three fifths Now he sent it to Paris Rome Florence Padua Lovain and other places that if haply the like observation had bin made the difference of the interceding Meridians might be calculated For he was alwayes desirous to see Geography reformed about which he then wrote to Petrus Bertius exhorting him that together with the Edition of Eusebius he would hasten the sacred Geography which he had promised Not to speak how he delt with him to perswade him that he would set out a Map of the World according to the various descriptions of Dionysius Strabo Plinie Ptolemaeus and others That I may add somewhat touching observations he exceedingly desired that some Interpreter might be found out who could explain the Figures and Characters which were evidently to be seen upon a fragment of Brick-work which was not long before dug up at Babylon and sent to him for he conjectured it was some of that Brick-work upon which Plinie tells us from Epigenes that the Babylonians wrote the Observations which they made of the Stars for seven hundred and twenty years Upon which occasion he was much taken to consider that it should come into the mind of certain good men doubtless to ingrave an Inscription upon a stone at the Gate of the Chappel which stands overlooking a Rock at Druentia near Mirebel of which he was informed by a friend of his Joannes Gallaupius Castuellius who was Heire of his Fathers Vertues and Auditor of his Majesties Accounts For the said Inscription contains nothing else but a memorial of that Eclipse of the Sun which happened upon the third of the Nones of June in the year 239. of which he had formerly notice out of certain Registers and namely of our Church in which also there is mention of another seen in the year 1415. on Friday being the 7th of June an hour after Sun-rise of so great darkness that the Stars might most clearly be seen He had heard a little before of the death of Jacobus Allealmus the Mathematician for which he was exceeding sorrowful fearing the losse of certain works both of his own and of Franciscus Vieta the most renowned Geometrician Even as not long after hearing of the death of Fontaneus he feared the losse of many rarities and Manuscripts amongst which he was wont to commend a Book of Alciats de Rebus Mediolanensibus written with his own hand And it was his desire that rare and good Manuscripts if they were not quickly printed should be kept rather in publick then private Libraries because by that means they would be lesse subject to miscarriage But he desired withall that there were some men that should take care to bring to light by printing such as had lain too long in obscurity in the Libraries for which cause when he wrote to Cardinal Barborine he was very earnest with him beseeching him that out of the great good will he bore to learning he would cause the Vatican Printery to be set on work again that so many rare Greek Manuscripts might come abroad into the World And this he was occasioned to do by the generous design of Michael Jayus a Citizen of Paris who set up a Printery in which there was already begun an Edition of the Bible which would be more compleat then that which is called Plantains and the King of Spains Bible and because at Rome Holstenius was willing to take pains in the business Also he had heard of a dissertation which I had long since with Merindolus touching the passage of Chyle into the Liver For I found a way by the Porus cholidochus so called the Veins of the Mesentery being obstructed Having therefore writ him word that there was a Book published by Gasper Asellius Anatomist at Ticinum wherein he shewed how he had discovered certain milky veins in the Mesentery besides the commonly noted red ones which probably carried the Chylus he speedily got divers of the Books which he sent up and down to Physicians which were his friends experimenting in Dogs Sheep Oxen and most kind of Animals besides that which Asellius had written touching his rare invention Also when I had given him notice that Dr. William Harvey an English Physitian had set out an excellent Book of the passage of the blood out of the Veins into the Arteries and back out of the Arteries into the Veins by secret Anastomoses and that among other Arguments he confirmed the same by the valves of the Veins touching which he had heard somewhat from Aquapendens and whose Inventer he was wont to say was Father Paul Sarpi of Venice he would thereupon needs both have the Book and search out those valves and know other things as those winding passages in the Septum of the heart which Harvey denied but I made appear unto him In like manner being told of the many-pointed tongues of flies which might be plainly seen by an Augmenting-glasse he made many experiments in Insects of like nature and especially in Bees that he might thereby give occasion to Rigaltius to mend and illustrate Pliny his Chapter of Bees Likewise when Grotius had signified that there was a many headed Insect which bred in pieces of Wood fallen into the Sea he did not only look into all Authours which had written of any such thing but he enquired of all Fishers and other curious persons inhabiting upon the Sea-Coast and prevailed so far at last that he found out if not the same thing yet a Fish with seven heads and bodies as it were in the middle of unequal length implanted round about into a certain
navel or thick Cake as it were These and such things as these he spent his thoughts about when he enjoyed any rest from the frequent pains of the Hemorrhoids and Strangury And whereas in the moneth of September to recreate himself he went to Beaugensier he returned time enough on the last day of the moneth to be present at a Town-meeting and to give beginning thereto by an excellent Oration at which meeting the Consuls of Aix who were also Proctors of Provence were wont to be chosen Not long after he was informed of the death of Malherbius his very good friend which he took very sadly And though he conceived that not only himself but all the French Muses were called upon to mourn yet was he comforted because he saw one to succeed him who was both his loving friend and umpire of the French language and Poetry the excellent Johannes Capellanius in whom he alwaies admired to see learning joyned with the study of Wisdom and gentlenesse of manners with candour of mind Afterwards he received a Copy of the Genealogical History of the Royal Family of France which the San-Marthani had set forth and wherein they had mentioned him with praise by reason of a Manuscript of Matthaeus Giovanazzius touching the Kings of Sicily of the house of Anjou which he had furnished them with And whereas at the same time a good and learned man Dominicus à Jesu Maria a Carmelite Friar being about to write of the Saints which had been of the Royal Family did desire some Monuments of him there was nothing of which he was more desirous to inform him then of Charles the second King of Sicilie and Earl of Provence For being dead he is had in veneration his whole Body being kept even to this day at Aix and in his life time he was so happy as to see his son Lewis designed Bishop of Tolouse and dying before him in repute for holinesse he saw him put into the Catalogue of Saints and consequently made prayers to him and left money in his will to build the Minories Church at Marseilles to his honour Afterwards he laboured not a little that a Channel might be made through Druentia or the river Verdun which runs through Druentia to Aix For he conceived that the City would then flourish and grow rich when by help of such a Channel it might traffick for all necessary Commodities both with the upper part of Provence and with the Sea Seventy years agoe Adamus Craponus Salonensis had brought a Channel from Druentia into the stony Feilds so called or whole Crautia and designed this to Aix and because there was now need of another Architect or designer of the Works therefore he wrote into the Low-Countries to get one of those men that designed the Channels which were made in that Countrey and that were newly endeavouring to unite the Scaldis and Mosa waters so called And it seemed that what he had generously propounded might be happily effected but that the Plague which hapned the year following 1629. and the disturbance thereby occasioned with his diversion to Beaugensier did quite frustrate his intentions But before we speak of these matters we must touch upon some things that he endeavoured in the mean season In the first place therefore by occasion of the aforesaid Edition of the Bible newly begun he was not content to have given notice of and procured from Rome to be sent to Paris a Samaritan Bible 1629. which was in the custody of that learned man and advancer of all good literature Petrus Valleus a Senator of Rome but he sent himself into the East a sagacious person Theophilus Minutius of the Order of Minims to search for further helps having first obtained for him a License both from the Pope and from the General of his Order and providing that he should neither want money to bear his charges nor to purchase such Books as were necessary for the design in hand And truly he failed not of his Exspectation for he by very good luck soon found and obrained a Samaritan Bible with the Hebrew Arabick joyned therewith howbeit in the Samaritan Character and two Syriack Testaments besides and many Arabick Books Nor must it be forgotten That Daniel Dayminius one of those Franciscans whom they call Recollects took great pains that these and other Books with divers Coines might come into the hands of Minutius Also he gave order to search in Cyprus for those Books in the company of which the Collections of Porphyrogenita aforesaid were found but they were so scattered that they could not be found by any search though never so diligent which grieved him exceedingly because he judged by one of the rest as of the Lion by his claw and was in great hopes And therefore that learned Men might at least not be frustrated of the benefit thereof he thought good to send it to Paris that Grotius Salmasius and other learned Men every man in his way might peruse the same and collect there-from what he thought most useful Moreover Hugo Grotius was a prime man that made use thereof who at his request presently set himself to write out and explain the illustrious fragments of Nicolaus Damascenus which he also with an Epistle dedicatory sent to him And while there was another that was doing the like by the rest of the Work he was desirous in the mean while to procure a second Edition of the Pharmacopeia of Antonius Constantinus a Physician of Protence who about thirty years before had endeavoured to shew That there was no need of exotick Plants and outlandish Medicaments since by the benignity of Nature the same Countrey which gives men their Birth does provide both meats sufficient to nourish and Medicaments able to cure them Therefore he sent that Copy which he had of the said Book to Renatus Moreus a great light of the Faculty of Physick in Paris who was very well contented to undergo that charge About this time he received a Golden Book of the learned Selden De Arrundellianis Marmocoribus or Stones with Greek Inscriptions which that most renowned Earl of Arundel had caused to be brought out of Asia into England and placed in his Gardens And it is indeed fit you should know that those Marbles were first discovered by the industry of Peireskius and dug up fifty Crowns being paid therefore by one Samson who was his Factor at Smyrna and when they were to be sent over Samson was by some trick or other of the Sellers cast into Prison and the Marbles in the mean while made away Nor must it be forgotten how exceedingly Peireskius rejoyced when he heard that those rare Monuments of antiquity were fallen into the hands of so eminent an Hero and the rather because he knew his old friend Selden had happily illustrated the same For his utmost end being publick profit he thought it mattered not whether he or some other had the glory provided that what was for the good of
number of the Letters such as those Cups were of old upon which were written Caius Julius Proculus whence thole Verses Naevia sex Cyathis septem Justina bibatur c. Six Cups in Naevia Seven in Justinia drink Also he shewed the Reason why they drank in a double Cup from the times of ancient Barbarisme For in those dayes they drank in their enemies Sculls whom they had slain and the more a man had slain the more Skulls he drank in one glewed to another But when men came to be civilized they at length abhorred that custome yet they substituted in the room thereof certain Vessels resembling Skulls as these had such a kind of shape but not so horrilbe in respect of the matter Finally taking occasion partly from these Cups partly from an ancient Hemina or old Brazen Semi-sextary which was found at Nismes and being seen at Paludanus his or Tornerius's house 3. years before was afterward by Petit brought to him partly from the Alabaster which he received that Summer out of the Reliques of the Gally which carried the Popes Nuncio Ceva into France after he had repaired it being broken and had for some weeks enjoyed the most delightful Company of Menetrius Also from the model of the Congius procured by Aleander which was found to contain of the water of a River in that Country Gapellus nine Pro ence pounds and two ounces by the ordinary weights as also from divers other Vestels which he either had there or sent for by occasion I say of these things he began divers discourses with Salmasius and other learned men about measures weights and Vessels For his opinion was that the Ancients were so industrious that they made no Vessel which did not contain a set measure and a certain weight Now he was confirmed in his opinion by a Box of weights which he received from Aleander for comming to try them he found that there was contained one within another in order an Acetable a Cyathus a Mystrum a Concha a Chemin and Cochlear measures so called besides the utmost Box which contained the rest being two pounds weight and a Quartarius in measure but so as the handles were turned inwards But I passe over how he was afterward more assured when returning to the City and his study he found a certain Vessel in which both the ounces and the smaller parts of the Cochlear were distinguished by divers Circles also he observed all kinds of Vessels which he had left at home But to insist upon what he transacted at Beaugensier he was also exceedingly delighted by the communication of a rare demonstration whereby the foresaid Josephus Galterius perfected the demonstration of Ptolomy touching finding the distances and magnitudes of the Coelestial Bodies And he truly according to his Industry had studied out the business many years before but he took the same in hand again upon occasion of the Uranometria of Lansbergius newly published wherein the good old man endeavouring to shew wherein Ptolomaeus Albategnius Copernicus Ticho and other excellent Artists had erred he himself seemed to come off somewhat dully For he did not distinguish the lines drawn from the Centers of the Sun and Earth into a right line touching upon the Angle of the Earths shadow from the true and appearing semi-diameters as in a perfect work was requisite as also he ought not to consider the appearing Diameter of the Sun from the Centre of the Earth but from the surface thereof whence it is seen Galterius therefore having considered all things drew a Diagram and framed a demonstration and sent all to Peireskius who exceedingly rejoyced and congratulated with him thereabout and having procured very many Copïes of the demonstration he communicated the same with such as he knew to be studious of such things at Paris Rome and other places So when he had gotten a Copy of those Dialogues of Galilaeus in which from the motion of the Earth in the same part of the Surface every day twice slacke ned and quickened by reason of the composition of the Diurnal and Annual motion he saw the cause declared of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea till that time unknown it is not to be expressed with what pleasure he found himself affected And when he observed that the Book was printed with Approbation with what exaltation he cryed out that this Age was happy wherein quick-sighted and sagacious men by explaining the motion of the Earth had explained the causes both of the proprieties of the Load-stone and of the flowing and ebbing of the Sea hitherto accounted most admirable and unknown Wilhelmus Gilbertus of Colchester in England having done the one in his Book of the Loadstone and Galilaeus the other in this Book of Systems Also he was recreated by a Book set out by Chifletius containing the Coats of Arms or Scutcheons of the Knights of the Golden Fleece emblazoned in the termes of Heraldry and having also received letters in which Petrus Hoserius than whom no man was better acquainted with the noble Families of France signified that he also would shortly set forth the Coats of the Knights of the Order of the Holy Ghost intimating that they were ready for the Presse Likewise an History printed of the Popes of Rome who being born in France had sate in the Papal Chaire made by Franciseus Bosquetus a Narbon Lawyer a man deserving all commendation and who was then composing the whole History of the French Church Also the true description of the Bridge at Ariminum sent by Naudaeus by which he was assured that the Consulship of Augustus was in XIII and his Tribuneship in XXXVIII for he doubted that there was a mistake in Gruterus who sayes XIV and XXXVIII Also Naudaeus sent him withall his own Relation touching the burning of Vesuvius which began December the year before and yet continued besides the Relations of divers others which he had got together Finally having resolved to return to Town the Autumne following he desired first to have the Samaritan Books in a readiness that the way being open he might send them all at once to Paris being very much troubled that they had bin there so long wanted For to compleat the Edition of the great Bible aforesaid the learned Johannes Morinus of the Order of praying Fryers was taking order about the Samaritan Pentateuch and the year before having premised Exercitations thereupon he made such publick mention of these Books that Peireskius was afterward wonderfully impatient till he could send them For he having first spoken of the Samaritan Copy which Petrus à Valle had communicated by the procurement of Peireskius he subjoyned Besides that Book we daily expect two other Hebrew Samaritan Books that by comparing them with this our Edition may be every way compleat These were procured out of Palestine a few moneths since by that most munificent Gentleman the Ornament of Learaing which he is evermore studying to advance Mr. Peireskius a most upright Senator in the
Athanasius Kircherus a very learned Jesuite then residing at Avenion He was reported to be exceeding skilful in the Mysteries of Hieroglyphicks wherefore he both sent him divers Books to help him and a Copy of the Table of Isis formerly described And because he had by him a rare Manuscript being Rabbi Barachias Abenephius an Arabian Author who was reported to have set down the manner of interpreting the Hieroglyphicks therefore he entreated him that at his coming he would bring with him both the said Book and some example of Interpretation with his own notes Which when he had done it cannot be expressed with what ardency he encouraged him to finish the work which he had begun and to hasten the printing thereof He was afterward called to Rome to succed in the place of that renowned Mathematician Christopherus Scheinerus whom the Emperor desired to have near himself Now Peireskius dealt earnestly not only with Mutius Vitellescus Generall of the Jesuites order but also with Cardinall Barberinus that they would encourage him to procure him leasure for the speedy putting forth of the work aforesaid He invited also at the same time Solomon Azubius a Rabbin of Carpentras not inferiour to the ancient Rabbins in learning He brought with him certain Astronomical Tables which he had by him composed at Tarascon by a certain Jew three hundred years ago and calculated to the Longitude and Latitude of that Place And because he knew what pains the foresaid Schickardus took for the reparation of Astronomy and Geography therefore he procured Azubius to write a Copy of the aforesaid Tables in Hebrew which he intended to send to Schickardus Now he sent it afterwards and the Interpretation of Azubius with it and some Arabick pieces which he knew would delight him by that excellent pains which he had taken about the History of Tarichus touching the Kings of Persia Moreover because his answer to the Letter sent him about the Planet Mercury did shew that he had neither seen that very ancient work of Aristarchus Samius touching the bignes of the Sun Moon nor certainly knew whether it were extant in the world therefore seeing he had acquainted him that the Book was yet extant in Greek in the Kings Library and that a Translation thereof in Latine with the Commentaries of Fredericus Commandinus had been printed in Italy therefore I say he both procured a Copy of the Greek Original and left no stone unturned until by the help of Naudaeus he found out and obtained a Latine Copy likewise which he bound up both in one bundle together with divers observations touching the motions of the Stars all which Schickardus received when he did not expect no nor think of such a thing He did the like to Hortensius aforesaid for knowing that he desired a Copy of the Dialogues of Galilaeus that he might compare what he had wrote touching the smallnesse of the Stars with what himself had wrote upon the same Subject by occasion of the small appearance of Mercury therefore he sent presently to get one of those Books and sent it of his own accord to Hortensius who suspected no such thing The like also he did to another I know not whom for understanding from him that he exceedingly desired a Copy of the Alcoran he presently got one at Grenoble by the assistance of Philippus Lagneus a good and learned man and true lover of Scholars that he might send it to the man who had not so much as asked any such thing of him The like also he did to Gaspar Bachetus Meziriacus who after he had published Diophantus and other excellent works was couragiously endeavouring to amend the French Translation of Plutarch and to illustrate his Castigations with notes For he having signified that he had never seen the Life of Homer in Greek written by Plutarch as soon as Peireskius heard it he presently endeavoured to get the said Life written out of a Greek Book which he remembred he he had seen in the Kings Library and when it was almost written out hearing that it was printed by Henry Stephen and put before his volume of Heroical Poets he presently sent to buy the said Volume which with Scaliger's Eusebius which he also wanted and Homer's Iliads newly gained out of the East with some notes of Porphyrius and other things unlooked for he sent to Bacchetus Moreover he caused to be exscribed out of the Library of Augsburge certain works of St. Cyril which the learned Joannes Aubertus stood in need of to compleat the Edition of that sacred Author for which cause also he procured divers Libraries in Spain and Sicilie to be searched especially the Vatican Library out of which he gained some things which to the end that Holstenius might the more willingly peruse and correct he procured by way of requital that Aubertus in like manner at Paris should look over and correct certain Greek Astronomers which being desired by Holstenius Peireskius had procured to be transcribed out of the Library of the most excellent Arch-bishop of Tolouse Also when Duchesnius seriously set himself to publish such Authors as had written the Historie and affairs of France Peireskius procured sor him besides many other Books both Petrus Bibliothecarius so called whom he procured by the sagacity diligence and felicity of Naudaeus and also the Chronologica fragment a Abbatiae sublucensis which to procure he implored the authority of Cardinal Barberine and the Assistance of Buccardus Divers others also there were who at his request commanded many Books to be exscribed One was Henricus Memmius that same renowned Prelate who excelling the gentility of his Parentage by the nobility of his mind was wonderful sollicitous to advance Learning and learned men according to the custome of his family Also the Earl of Marchaevilla was one from whom he received a Book touching the various sects of Mahumetans and to whom he wrote what kind of Sculptures Achats Coines and such like were to be sought for out of the East The aforesaid Felix Zacchia was also one from whom he obtained certain Monuments of the Families of Genna Also Julius Pallavicinus himself of Genua from whom he received a whole volume of the said Families besides other things which he sought to procure of Petrus Maria Boerus with whom he held perpetual entercourse others there were of whom he sought to gain the Antiquities of Hadria Pisa and other renowned Cities but to name them all would be tedious Nor must it be forgotten in this place how that having sormerly took care that the Coptic tongue might be induced and propagated all Europe over and Salmasius and Petitus had already much profited in that Language by a few Books he had furnished them with he added more volumes in the same Tongue and was very careful that Petrus Valleus might lend him that Vocabulary which he had brought out of the East that he might procure it to be interpreted and printed by Salmasius who was ready
1634. and was sure that his friends would do no such thing for him he provided of his own accord and sent to the Man both sweet Liquors by most exquisite art extracted out of Gelsemine Roses Oranges Gilloflowers which he conceived would be an acceptable present for the Queen as also Images Maps and Pictures of Kings Queens and other illustrious men and women and a great bundle of Books especially Mathematical Military of Architecture perspective and such like For he thought it an unworthy thing to desert such a fortune and not to assist as much as in him lay a man so conspicuous and so far off And because he was confident he would take all very gratefully he thought he might well desire of him some Aethiopick Books obvious Inscriptions a description of Mount Amara also of Religious Ceremonies Vessels and such like things as were unknown to Europeans And this he endeavoured being in the mean time distracted with great trouble of mind because the Senate and the Marshal de Vitre the Viceroy were at variance At the same time also he entertained and obliged by continual attendance and various Offices of friendship Franciscus Comes Noallius who was going the Kings Ambassador to Rome and staied some dayes at Marseilles and at Aix Not to speak how that having in his Company a young man skilful above his years in the Theorie and practise of Physick named Petrus Michonus Burdelotius Peireskius would needs have a full enjoyment of his Company both because of his proper endowments and because of the friendship which he had with his learned Unkle Joannes Burdelotius He entertained not long after Georgius Bolognetus the Popes Nuncio who comming for France took his way through Aix Now it is worth relating how he finding Peireskius busie about the Anatomy of I know not what Eye he would needs be by and understand all his speculations For he had an insatiable defire of knowing the Organ of sight and the true place in which sight is performed by impression and reflexion of the Image so that there was hardly any kind of Birds Fishes or four-focted Beasts which were to be gotten whose eyes were not dissected that he might observe wherein they agreed and wherein they differed Nor must I passe over in silence how the better to gratifie me whom he would have his assistant in that work he gave a full account of all in writing to Franciscus Luillerius Master of the Kings accounts at Paris whom he knew to be my singular friend whose learning candour and affection to all good Arts and to Justice and all vertue if I should in this place insinuate I should do it to no other end then to shew that his friendship was not without cause most dear to Peireskius Now because there was much talk of this business though the truth thereof were not understood therefore I think it worth my labour to make a Narrative thereof Between the more ancient opinion which held that the sight was performed in the Crystalline humour and the later which held it was in the tunâ—ca retina Peireskius held one between both viz. that the sight is in the glassie or vitreous humour For seeing he judged it most fit that the visive faculty should perform its office in the middle of the eye whence it might behold the Image in its own scituation therefore he designed this place within the vitreous humour in which part the raies of the things seen being passed through the Crystalline humour and reflected from the Retina do meet together as it were in one Center For supposing that the Crystalline did by its convexity turn the Image the contrary way he was of opinion that the Retina by its concavity did set the same right again and that therefore the faculty ought also to reside in the Center of its concavity that it might contems plate the Image being reflexed by the Retina and restored and consequently see the thing in its natural scituation This when he had fixed in his mind he thought there remained nothing for him to do but to search out the verity of the said Restitution As soon as ever therefore he had gotten a little leasure by means of the Easter-Holy-dayes he began to exercise Anatomists in several kinds of Animals Now it seemed generally that the hinder and innermore circumduction of the eye was as a Concave glasse by reason of the inverted reflexion both of the Candâ—e and other objects For the Tunica choroides being diversly coloured is polished like metal being very apt to shine by assistance of that black humor which is daubed upon the back thereof that blackness also assisting with which the inner circumserence is smeared as it were that the light or Image darting upon that glasse might more strongly and distinctly be painted therein Now when I name the Choroides I do not exclude the Retina which exceeding hardly and in few eyes can be preserved so united thereunto as not to slip out of its place when the vitreous humor runs out and be drawn together appearing as it is indeed a widened production of the optick nerve but when it is preserved united to the Choroides it is so thin clear and transparent especially being moystened that it seemes to be one and the same surface one and the same Looking-glasse on which the Images of things are imprinted Now although the Optic or the middle of the Retina does not diametrically answer the Pupilla outwardly opened for it stands a little lower yet the middle of the hinder and coloured part which is bright like metal does answer the same and is divided by a certain Circle as it were an Horizon from that obscurity which is in the fore-part But Peireskius did wonderfully exsult when after all the humors were let out and the Crystalline hung so as to be restored to its proper place well near the Image of the Candle was observed to be represented inwardly in the Retina not inverted but in its true scituation and again when the bottom was so inlightened that the Crystalline could only receive the light the Image which was inverted in the Retina was found to be received by the Crystalline in its right posture For be conceived it to be manifest that his conjecture was right in all points whereupon the more to confirm the same he sought out divers Glasses and Looking glasses both convex and concave reslecting and transmitting also divers Vialls or Glasse bottles in which diversly ordered 't is wonderful how many and how frequently repeated Experiments he made Moreover he could not easily be removed from his foresaid opinion only I remember when it was objected that the faculty of Seeing residing within the Eye should not look outwards towards the things themselves but inwards towards the Looking-glass aforesaid that therefore it could not truly be said to see the things themselves besides other things which argued that the sight was rather in the Retina I remember I say that
and make a man quite blind as Histories testifie seeing that same dull whitenesse of the Paper does so vitiate the Organ as to draw a kind of Curtain before it not presently to be removed Now he was of opinion that as the light of the Sun and its heat is imprinted upon a Bononian stone so the light and whitenesse are imprinted upon the vitreous humor and by reason of their corpulency create there a certain shaddow of themselves but he was afterwards of opinion that the shadow externally appearing was not produced from the crassitude of the light or whitenesse but feigned by a fault which may happen not only in the vitreous but also in the watery and especially in the Crystalline humor Moreover the Species or representations of objects were so doubled in his Eyes that beside the primary and clear one he saw another secondary and darkish one insinuating it self by the side of the former So in a Book lying open or one a side of Paper while he was writing he saw plainly both the white margent and the beginnings of the lines yet so that a fingers breadth on this side or in the margent he seemed to see other obscure beginning of lines Also when he looked upon a time at a Hill opposite to the setting Sun he saw a threefold appearance thereof as also looking upon a thread it would appear to him manifold which gave him the first occasion to mark the rest Moreover when he knew that I had bin long in that mind that the axels of both the Eyes do never concur nor make as the common opinion is an angle in the thing seen but do run perpetually parallel so that only one Eye is directed upon the object while the other rests viz. that Eye which naturally is best sighted for one of the Eyes as well as Hands is alwaies stronger than the other wherefore it alone sees with that kind of sight which they tearm Distinct vision though the other may see by that kind of sight they terme Confused I say when he knew thus much he exulted as having made an experiment which contradicted a parallelism For holding his Eyes otherwise immoveable only opening the one and shutting the other interchangeably he observed that the right-hand Species passed to the left and the left-hand Species to the right so that a crosse motion of lines was made which is repugnant to a parallelism Whereupon I warned him to consider that the right-hand or distincter representation did belong to his left Eye which was the stronger and the left-hand or more confused to the right Eye which was the weaker and that only one axis was directed namely from the left Eye and that the Species fell into the right not directly but obliquely and so made a crossing after which manner all things feem double when we wreath our Eyes the sight of both eyes being confused because the image falls in only obliquely but he was not perfectly satisfied yea and he was of opinion that there might arise some difference in the observation of the Coelestial Bodies if one should peep with his right Eye to direct the Instrument and another with his left nor could he be satisfied till Schickardus had warranted him the contrary in some Letters of his But now it is time to leave these matters and speak of many other things which he observed about the same time Of which the Venae Lacteae or milkie Veins in the Mesentery were a principal of which we spoke before and which now again he would needs seek in as many creatures as he could And because he knew both from Asellius the inventor and by divers dissections that he had made that they could not be discerned save in a Creature yet living panting and that therefore they could not be observed in a man whom to cut up alive were wickednesse yet did he not therefore despair but that if a few hours after a man was hanged his bowels were lookt into some appearance of these Veins might be observed Wherefore becaused a man that was condemned to be hanged before sentence was pronounced to be fed lustily and securely that there might be that in his Body which would afford white chyle at the time appointed and then an hour and a half after he was turned off he caused the Body to be brought into the Anatomical Theatre Which diligence effected that his Belly being opened the whitish Veins appeared and out of some of them being cut a milkie liquor might be gathered which truly seemed strange Moreover he was careful to observe the several originals of winds For at first he was perswaded out of Aristotle that the Winds were earthy vapours which being beaten back by the cold air fly athwart and according to the condition of some Valley or some other place from whence they issue or which they fall upon they are carried sometimes Northward otherwhiles Southward sometimes Eastward and otherwhiles Westward but he found so many difficulties in that opinion that he was fain to have recourse to the matter of those exhalations and to examine for examples sake whether or no Vitriol Sal Nitre Bitumen Sulphur and such like things when they exhale do not cause the several conditions and varieties of winds Wherefore he would have some admirable kinds of winds to be observed in their Original and the proprieties of the places having an eye also to the Minerals and other things dug out of the Earth as also the Plants growing in those places Wherefore he sent Manlianus a learned Physician to Peiresk to observe in the Mount Coyerus a Cave out of which a cold wind proceeds so much the lesse sensible by how much a man comes nearer the original thereof such as is also observed in a Clift of Mon-ventour on the North side thereof To observe likewise the Legnian Lake not far off out of which when a fume is seen to arise a Cloud is certainly made which soon after discharges it self into a most cruel tempest which is also related of Pilates Lake in Dauphine and of others among the Pyraenean Hills Finally that he might occasionally observe a fountaine at Colmars which ebbs and flowes at just distances about eight severall times in the space of an hour So he took care that Budaeus a learned man should observe the wind called Ponthia or Ponticus ventus on the West side of the Alpes Cottiae at a town called Nihons It blows from the North along the River and exceeds not a quarter of a league in breadth nor doth it go in length above half or an whole league at most save that sometimes when it is more vehement than ordinary it runs divers leagues and reaches to Rhodanus This wind is daily and when it blows makes no intermission nor fluctuation but is always of one Tenor. It arises in Winter about midnight and dures till nine or ten in the morning in Summer from break of day till eight a clock in the Spring and Autumn
for Himself Sometimes also it hapned that what he propounded to himself did not succeed according to his desires so that he lost all his labour and charges yet it comforted him that he endeavoured nothing but what was laudable and that he was able to take the like pains and be at the same cost again For which cause he ceased not to endeavour the same thing frequently as not despairing but that at last the business would come to a good issue and knowing that one time or another many vain endeavours might be recompenced with one good success and that a Fisher man ought not therefore to break his Nets in peices because sometimes he makes a draught in vain And thus did he fortifie his patience and constancy being nevertheless of his own nature somewhat testy And he was wont to say that nothing did ever so much prevail with him to rule his passion as a sight which he happened to see in an Augmenting-glasse or Microscope For having inclosed therein a Lowse and a Flea he observed that the Lowse setting himself to wrastle with the Flea was so incensed that his blood ran up and down from head to foot and from foot to head again Whence he gathered how great a Commotion of Humors and Spirits and what a disturbance of all the faculties anger must needs make and what harm that man avoids who quits that passion Novv there vvere tvvo klnds of things for vvhich he vvas chiefly moved The one of vvhich and the principal vvas injury springing from ingratitude I say injury for vvhen his kindnesses vvere only forgotten he never seemed to be moved seeming rather himself to have forgotten the benefits he had conferred But vvhen any man proved so ingrateful as to be vvithall an hurt or hinderance to him or his in the bringing about of his affaires and purposes then he vvould begin to chafe and grovv exceeding angry yea and to reproach such persons and I remember how that presently thereupon endeavouring to reclaim and compose himself he was wont to say that upon such occasions as these his Philosophy failed him The other was the negligence of his Servants and their untoward performance of what he set them about For he was soon moved if they heard not at the first word speaking and came not quickly at the first call and if they did not what was commanded at the time and manner appointed For when he was doubtful of the Ability of any one or had good reason to suspect that out of conceit of their own wit they would be apt to leave out and put in chop and change then would he distinctly by peice-meale and in order relate how he would have every thing done if then it was not done as he had ordered he could hardly contain from breaking out into complaints and chiding Whereupon turning oftentimes to me he was wont to say It seems I must needs have you for a witness of my Infirmity For he was wont to contain himself and not to give bridle to his passions save in presence of his familiar friends And this was in a manner the only passion of his mind which he could not bridle howbeit he would soon be pacified and come to himself again and as for his Servants he would many times find fault and chide only to rowse them from floathfulnesse and to render them more wary for time to come Yea and he was so inclin'd towards those whom he accounted ingrateful and injurious that he was alwaies more willing to forget than revenge an injury and there was none that acknowledg'd his fault whom he would not embrace and confer new Obligations upon And now that we are speaking of the benefits by him conferred who is there that knows not how much he was inclined to Beneficence Doubtless there was never man gave more chearfully liberally or frequently For propounding to himself to imitate God and Nature who do not lend but freely give all things it may well be said of him that he prevented mens wishes out-went their hopes and was quicker in granting than they could be in wishing For a thousand times of his own accord he offered both assistance and moneys too yea and really gave the same to such as never thought thereof And see his Policy withalâ—â— When he sent to Holstenius those Interpreters of Platâ— and Aristotle which we spake of before and which cost him two hundred gold nobles he writ him a Letter by which it seemed that he only lent him those Books but he writ a brief Letter afterwards signifying that he did freely give them him only he wrote the former Letter that he might have it to produce to satisfie such as might importune him for the said Books as if that he had only borrowed them And how often think you did he that which is related of Arcesilaus that is to say put money under the pillow of his sleeping or otherwise not-observing friend when he perceived that he stood in need thereof and yet would out of bashfulness have refused the same if it had bin offered him Verily when it was not in his power so to do and yet he could not endure to see another man blush he used the hand of a familiar friend that he might render him that was to receive his benevolence more confident Truly I can be a witness in this case for even in his last daies he gave by my hand to a certain ingenuous person whom he knew to be in want and to be ashamed to signifie so much Nor would I have you think he did it that he might have a witnesse of his liberality for when he knew the parties he meant well to were not shie to receive his benevolence he was far from seeking a third person thereby to put them to shame For then he would give it himself and not only in private where was none to behold but he would never afterwards speak thereof to his most familiar acquaintance And therefore for examples sake if I came to know of the Money he bestowed upon Campanella I had it from Campanella himself who both told it in private and publickly declared the same but not from Peireskius though both of us sojourneyed with him at that very time Wherefore if to one man he gave an hundred Nobles to another two hundred to another three it came to knowledge by other means and not by himself For indeed he was none of those odious kind of men who upbraid the good turns they have done which as he that hath received them should remember so should he which conferred them forget of which rule never was any man more observant than he For he was so far from speaking of what he had bestowed that he could never endure that others should mention the same and would blush to hear them being accustomed so to extenuate what he gave as that he denyed in a manner that he had given any thing But his carriage was quite different when he received
receiving Honours and Complements but whereas he himself would most constantly refuse such as were given to him yet would he never omit any honour which he believed due to another Which he was sometimes blamed for especially seeing the great weakness of his Body might have very well excused him But his answer was Would you have me by being the first that leaves fooling to be reputed the greatest fool of all I shall not here recount his great Piety and filial Respect towards his Parents for it has bin formerly sufficiently hinted in place convenient Only I shall add one thing viz. how he overcame and mitigated the curst and shrewish humours of his Mother in Law Not long before he took his Degree of Doctorship he was sitting at the Table with her where she vented that choler against him which she had conceived against his Father Having given him many Tants and Reproaches and upbraiding him of many things whereto hoping that he would reply she intended further to disburthen her stomach he denying nothing of all that she had said replyed only All which you say Mother is true yea and there are many more things for which you may justly complain And then fearing lest she misinterpreting this assent should blame him for dissembling and grow more angry or through shame should seek some other occasion of scolding he presently rose from the Table and went his way She not expecting any such thing and wondring at so strange a carriage was so cooled in her courage that she contained her self and spoke not a word more Afterward she enquired of him in private why he knowing that what had bin laid to his charge was false did nevertheless assent thereunto and take the same upon himself to which he answered As I have already Mother so will I for the future take all upon my self and I do advise you that as often as you feel your Breast swell with anger you will empty the same and ease your self against me rather then any other For I shall take all patiently but others will be incensed so as to increase your Anger and make it that you can hardly give over before you have brought your self thereby into some grievous sickness Nor was this carriage of his unserviceable for afterward she behaved her self much more gently and began so far to love him that she had frequent thoughts to make him Heite of all she had and had done it but that he was far off in the Low-Countries when she died As for his Brother his Affection to him was so great and his Brothers love likewise so great to him again that it deserves to be recorded for an example to Posterity For from their tender years there was so great an Agreement betwixt them joyned with the greatest mutual good will possible that they alwayes conspired in the same studies never fell out nor ever so much as thought of dividing the Estate between them Touching his Kindred and Allies I can truly bear him witness that he most dearly respected them all and would have them use his House as their common In so ost as they came to Town making no difference how near or far off they were of kin to him And as he would chearfully undertake the Patronage of them all so was he wont when any differences arose amongst them to be Authour and Arbitrator of their Composure Of his Tutors and Teachers we spoke formerly in place fitting I shall only add what I have heard him say more then once that never any thing befell him more delightful then when he obtained I know not what of his great friend Varius for Fonvivius who was his Tutor during his Travails as has bin formerly related What need I speak any thing in this place of the love he bore to his Native Country when as it is clear enough from what has bin already recounted that he was wholly taken up in adorning the same for to let passe how he would slip no occasion of maintaining the Majesty of our Kings and the Honours Rights of the French against all out-landish Writers whatsoever I shall only speak a word of Provence how it was his chiefest care in a special manner to illustrate the same For to that end he took so much care and pains that he might pick an History out of the Ashes and Dust as it were of the Earls thereof and give light to its most noble Families using to this end not bare Tradition sleight Arguments uncertain Authorities but Authentick Records as Wills Mariage-Contracts Transactions of business Law-deeds Priviledges also Statues Tombes Inscriptions Pictures Scutcheons Coines Seals and other such like things which that he might discover and get into his hands he spared no Cost Pains or Industry perusing himself or causing to be perused all Acts and Monuments which could be found in the Treasuries and Records of the Princes Bishops Abbots Chapters Monasteries Nunneries Nobles Gentry and private persons whomsoever Also in the Statutes of Churches their Registers of Burials and Kalenders causing to be drawn out whatever thing of great Antiquity was shadowed pourtraied engraven or expressed in Books Vestments Glasse-windows and Buildings sacred or prophane So that it is lesse to be wondred at if no Gentleman in Provence was better acquainted with his own Noble Ancestors then Peireskius was seeing he examined all their Genealogies and tryed them by the Records and Coats of Arms whose variations he declared according to the several Houses to which they did belong So particularly he framed with great labour a Catalogue of the Viscounts of Marseilles drawing them down in order from so high as William the Brother of Saint Honoratus Bishop of Marseilles that is to say from the year nine hundred sixty and two And after the same manner he made Tables of the Bishops and Abbots and all renowned men taking very great pains likewise about the Trobadores or Poets aforesaid Hitherto also tended his care to get the Map of Provence corrected and printed and to get knowledge of the several bounds in several ages with the several Peoples Regions and Princes which we read to have bin therein to say nothing of their Lawes Magistrates Forms of Judicature which he also enquired into But his greatest care was punctually to search into and get a delineation of the Via Aurelia or way of Orleance so called as far as it ran through Provence also of the Amphitheatres that of Freius and the other at Arles of the Triumphant Arches of Orenge and of St. Remigius of the three Towers yet remaining in the Palace of Aix and in a word of all things savouring of Antiquity For that he was besides careful of Inscriptions Marbles Images and other such things is manifest from what has bin formerly declared as also what we have hinted tonching Live-wights Minerals Plants and other things either proper to Provence or brought thither from strange Countries Finally it was to this end that he constantly excited such wits as either
the Countrey were not medled with For he conceived that the Laws were most highly to be esteemed which might be wished indeed as good as possible deserving neverthelesse â—eneration whatever they be Forasmuch as in the obsetvation thereof consisted the safety of the Common-wealth so that such as are not very just may be more useful for publick good than juster provided they be religiously observed And therefore he did not dislike those men who being thus affected did contemplate the Laws and Customs of sundry Nations and compare them with our own For by this means he conceived an ingenuous man might lay aside that prejudice which makes the vulgar sort of men account the Customs of their own Countrey to be the Law of Nature and that nothing is well done which is not sutable to their waies and manners For when all things considered he shall see that other Nations have their Reasons to justifie their Manners and Customes and that every Nation dislikes the Customes of another then is he in a capacity to elevate his mind above the vnlgar condition and though he defend his own Countrey manners yet to be indifferently enclined towards all men and to become like Socrates a Citizen not of one Country only but of the whole World to admire nothing in humane affaires and in a word to have his mind so tempered as to enjoy the greatest tranquillity possible and consequently the greatest good And for this very cause he did not only out of Books and printed narrations inquire into the variety of mens manners which by himself alone or with some friends he examined but with all diligence possible he enquired of such as came from far Countries what notable thing they had observed concerning the manners of the people of those parts exhorting all his friends that took journies into forreign parts to observe the same And by this meanes he was so well acquainted with the ancient and late manners of all Nations that it was almost impossible to relate any new thing unto him so that he seemed to have bin born or at least to have conversed in all Countries so that consequently to that goodness wherewith he was naturally enclined to all men he added such a kind of humanity as made him embrace men of all conditions as if they were his Brothers being ready to do good to all and hurt no body For he indeed hated those abominable vices of Impiety Cruelty Malice Perfidiousness and the rest but distinguishing humane nature from the pravity thereof and taking the same into serious consideration he was moved with pitty that through weakness and blindness men could not continue in the way of vertue Seeing men were not sufficiently aware of the nature of their lusts and the true ends which good men should aim at For if men understood how little would content Nature they would abandon all deceit and fraud by which superfluous things are sought And if they knew but the use of Riches Humanity Honesty Moderation for want of which not only Societies but private mens lives are disturbed would not be banished the World Moreover he studied the Mathematicks with all his might because they were no wayes subject to the foresaid Disputes and they so accustomed the mind that being used to such truths as were made clear by demonstration it could not easily be deceived with the bare appearance of truth and in a word did by their evidence and certainty cause such a kind of pleasure as none could be greater more honest or more constant And the truth is he had not leasure scrupulously to study all the parts of Mathematicks yet he would know and understand the principal and more facile points of every one But he principally loved Astronomy because a Man as he was born for contemplation could not behold a greater more sublime and excellent sight then those illustrious Regions of the Heavenly Bodies And next to that he loved Geography because it and Chronology did most of all illustrate History and cause that ingenuous men and otherwise learned should not be like Children but rather possess themselves with the knowledge of the whole World and all the times and Ages thereof And next to that he loved Opticks because thereby were explained the Causes of so many things which appear to the eyes which are accounted miracles or at least would be so were it not for their familiarity and our want of consideration And therefore he was wonderfully delighted with painting which made him keep Painters procure Pictures whose excellency he knew as well as any man And he frequently averred that it repented him that he had not learnt to paint when he was young and wished that with the losse of two fingers of his left hand he could purchase that skill which his right hand wanted For though both in his own Countrey and abroad he had used the Industrious help of divers Painters yet he could not alwayes finde store of such as were skilful nor could he make so frequent use of other mens hands as his occasions required In like manner and for the same cause he loved the Arts of Carving Engraving and making Statues by which he caused ancient works to be imitated or amended So did he Architecture and the Art of making Engines for Water-works and such like Also Husbandry and in a word all kinds of Art and Industries for he kept not his mind intent upon the North pole alone or Charles his Wain but took a diligent view of the whole Heaven of Arts. It remains that I speak a word or two touching that opinion commonly spread abroad that he had composed divers Books and Treatises And the truth is it cannot be denyed but that he gave great hopes that he would publish in print the Antiquities of Provence with Observations upon Coines and other choyse Monuments of Antiquity and that he had a great desire long since to publish Commentaries concerning the Medicaean Starres and the Kalendar of Constantine that he would publish a compleat work touching weights and measures and that he had a mind to handle divers other Arguments for as there was no kind of Laudable Erudition which the vastness and curiosity of his mind did not embrace so was there nothing in a manner concerning which he had not Intentions to write Nevertheless he did nothing excepting what I told you just now he inserted into his Letters for as concerning that Book called Squitinius I have formerly said in place convenient what we are to think thereof For this excellent Man who never thought he had gotten Monuments enough touching any subject did gather all his life long great variety upon every Argument and the more he got the more he thought he wanted so that in conclusion he did not digest no nor so much as begin any thing And I remember when I was wearied by our Countrymen who would ask me if his History of Provence would shortly come forth I asked him How long he would have
who as he exceedingly honored Piereskius and was by him highly eueemed so did he take extraordinary pains in composing a Poem wherein he prosecutes the rare praises of his deceased friend most decently and copiously Nor will it be unworth my labour if I shall likewise select and insert the Epitaph which Rigaltius composed Valavesius made choice of to be engraven upon his Tomb. Which was as followes Here lies Expecting a Christian Resurrection Nicolaus Claudius Fabricius Lord of Pieresk Whose Sagacity Counsel Liberality Open'd the most secret Treasures of Antiquity To all the learned world of men A Man so rarely Happy That living in an Age of Quarrels All Men knew but no Man blam'd him The VIII of the Kalends of July in the year Of Christ 1637. of his own age LVII Let every good man pray for the best of Men. And verily I must not omit the Funeral Honours which were performed for him at Rome were it only because that crafty estimation of Vertue ought not to be forgotten with which those most politick men thought fit to adorn even a man born on this side the Alps. For vvhen the Pope Cardinal Barberino and other great learned men came not without extream sorrow to understand this sad Accident they thought fit to decree such Honours as might adorn a man so well deserving of the Roman and learned World He vvas chosen in his life-time though absent into the Academy which is called Academia Humoristarum which is a renowned Society of learned men who meet twice every moneth vvhere in a full Assembly one of the Academicks makes an Oration and others recire their Poëms and other vvorks vvorthy of a learned Auditory It was therefore thought fit that Peireskius should be honoured in that Assembly though contrary to the Lawes of the said Academy vvhich allow that Honour only to Princes of the same Society so that in whole forty years time only six and they Princes are recorded to have received that Honour But the fame and splendor of his rare Vertues overcame that obstacle as also the extream affection the Cardinal bore him with the generous humanity of Camillu Columna Prince of the Academy and the great admiration and respect of the Academicks by whose Votes it was carried The twelfth day therefore of the Kalends of January was appointed for the solemnity against which Seates were provided hung with mourning as also the Pulpit and an Image of Peireskius deceased set in a conspicuous place There came besides Cardinal Barberinus and his Brother Antonius the Cardinals Bentivolus Cueva Biscia Pamphilius Pallotta Brancatius Aldobrandinus Burghesius and such a multitude of other very renowned and learned men that the Hall was searce able to contain them Where the most choyle wits in all the City recited Verses in prayse of the deceased in Italian Latine and Greek and his Funeral Oration neat and eloquent was pronounced by Joannes Jacobus Buccardus who was chosen to perform that Office both for the excellency of his wit the great love he bore to his Countrey and his special Affection to the memory of the party deceased I would let down here the chief heads of the Oration but that it has bin already divers times printed with a dedication to that greatest of Cardinals and an Epistle subjoyned to the foresaid Luillerius And there was added to the Edition printed at Rome not only the foresaid Verses recited by the Academicks but also the Letter of Naudaeus forementioned and withall a rare fardle of Funeral Elegies which because they were expressed in almost all the Languages of the World for they were near upon forty Therefore they were entituled Panglossia or the Lamentations of Mankind in all Languages expressed for the Death of their Darling And because the Book was to be licensed and approved by the Master of the sacred Palace Loe how Lucas Holstenius made way and declared by this following ceninre that the Laudatory Oration of Buccardus was written eloquently and elegantly and with the same purity and Candor with which that most excellent and incomparable man alwayes lived and the Elegoes written by most renowned and most excellent man that is to say the very Teares of the Muses runnâ—â—g down in the clear and learned Humour of the â—â—man Academy at the Funerals of Peireskius â—â—ght by any meanes to be published that the memory of so great a Personage may be transmitted to all posterity seeing they set before Mens Eyes the illustrious Example of a Man born to advance all good Literature and Liberal Arts. And I have bin more large in recounting these things thus transacted at Rome because this was as it were his Apotheâ—sis or Canonization which was entertained with the whole Worlds applause For though there was no learned man who did not wish with all his heart that Peireskius might have bin longer the Recreation of Mankind which was in old times said of a Prince rather then so soon a Companion of Saints and Angels yet all were pleased that he was honoured in that Theatre of which he was while living judged most worthy And peradventure if it had bin his hap to live longer the greatest Honours might have bin conferred upon him without his seeking after but they could add nothing to his Honour vvho by the common vote of all men vvas ever counted vvorthy of the greatest which could be conferred Moreover as he vvas alwayes richer then the vvealth vvhich he contemned so was he more glorious then those Honours he scorned to seek for And therefore though he was taken away in the middle of his vvhole Age yet in respect of glory he lived very long having by his vertue attained an eternal Renown For as long as there shall remain any Lovers of good Literature they will dearly esteem his Memory whose love to learning and munificence towards learned men they shall see sprinkled in all Books We have mentioned many of them all along and have omitted more yea such as have been dedicated to him One thing I must not omit being proper fâ—r this place viz. that many Authours were resolved to dedicate their Books to him just when he died Amongst them were Campanella Licetus Hortensius Buccardus Arcosius and who not And what would have been done think you if he had attained a riper Age and longer lise Those things which he accomplished may justly be counted very many and very great but he vvas just then taken away vvhen by rare actions he began to exceed himself For he had now contrived to himself many vvayes of entercourse into all the Provinces of Europe into Asia and all the Eastern parts of the World into all Africa and the farthest bounds of Aethiopia into the two Continents of America and the unknown World it self so that he vvas now in a capacity more abundantly to unite all Mankind through the whole World by the Commerce and Correspondence of Letters and to supply all learned men with such Books and other things as
to treasure up in his Library The first place that invited his presence was Italy in which as there are flourishing at this day most excellent and elegant wits most civil and polite manners and transcendent Laws so are there yet remaining very many reliques of the ancient fortune and those most flourishing times for Arts and Literature Having therefore viewed the Cities of Liguria and Tuscanie he came by long journeys into this City of yours as the Seat of all Divine and Humane Empire the Mansion place of Antiquity and Humanity where with his eyes and feet he diligently went over and visited the Courts Theatres Temples Bathes Arches and Caves as also the Spires Columns Statues Monuments of Brasse and Marble Coins Jewels and Books in a word all the Monuments of the ancient Magnificence and Arts more of which and more illustrious are comprehended within your walls than in all the world besides these he viewed and handled and carried what he could home with him which he partly bought at a great rate partly received by way of free gift from learned men which as they are alwaies in great aboundance at Rome so were they then especially in the dayes of those most studious and most munificent Princes of the Family of the Aldobrandini in very great number and exceeding courteous All which but especially Fulvius Ursinus and Laelius Pasqualinus most diligent and industrious collectors and admirers of the Reliques of Antiquity were drawn into admiration and friendship by the Virtues and rare Learning of young Peireskius The same expectation and favour he brought with him from Rome to Naples where he conversed with Matthaeus Capuanus Prince of the Conchani more renowned for his love of Learning and his knowledge than for the great Dignity of his Family and Fortune and with Mars Gurgustiola one of the Supreme Council and a very learned man both which had in their houses most rich Treasuries of all kind of Antiquities There also he frequented the renowned houses of Johannes Baptista Portae and Ferrans Imperatus of which the former was an eager searcher out and explainer the latter a most diligent keeper and preserver of the most abstruse works of nature And seeing Peireskius spent his study pains no lesse in these kind of things than the contemplation of Antiquity he searcht every most secret corner not only of this most large and beautiful City but also of the whole Territory of the most happy Countrey or Campania where he might behold the pleasant spectacle of Nature which there chiefly delights to work wonders contending with the ancient Magnificence and Luxury of the Greeks and Romans He diligently viewed the rest of Italy and all that part of France which is on this side the Alpes turning aside to Ravenna that he might behold those dismal Trophies of Gothish Barbarisme erected upon the ruines of the Roman Empire as also and chiefly to visit Hieronymus Rubeus an eloquent Writer as well of those Antiquities as of the Art of Physick From thence he journeyed to Padua chiefly invited by the fame of the rare learning of Vincentius Pincllus and of his Library full fraught with Books in all Tongues and Sciences which fame was so spread all Europe over that learned men who intended to collect ancient Books to furnish Libraries or to set forth their own works did come from remote parts to consult with him thereof There Peireskius abode for a season not only to insinuate himself into the House and Library but the acquaintance also of Pinellus into which he perfectly rooted himself that he might know and understand his great care to adorn Learning and learned men and all other Virtues of that most excellent man to the intent he might imitate the same and in processe of time exercise them all with most ample additions for the advancement of Learning Of which thing be then and there gave so great and undoubted hopes that Paulus Gualaus a man famous both for his own wit and learning and the intimate familiarity he had with Pinellus in those elegant Commentaries which he wrote touching the Life of the said Pinellus did affirm of Peireskius that if our Age did ever produce a man equal to Pinellus it could be no other than he who at Padua being hardly past a youth did with such ardency embrace Pinellus and his studies that he was a miracle to Gualdus himself and to other learned men Which learned men truly as many as then happily spent their daies in study at Padua especially Pinellus himself and Hieronymus Aleander and Laurentius Pignorius men excelling in accuratenesse of judgement as well as polite Literature did so approve this grave testimony given by Gualdus touching the rare towardlinesse of Peireskius and did so admire and love the same in him that every one invited him to his house with the greatest hospitality imaginable and communicated to him their greatest ratities both such as were in their own studies and in the publick Libraries and Records both at Padua and at Venice a City abounding with those and all other excellent things which they did as well when he was absent from them as when he was present which was also done by the greatest part of the other Cities of Italy and of Europe discoursing with him by Letters touching their studies fending their Books either to be printed by him or for honours sake to passe into the world under his name and patronage Thus flourishing in the favour and entertainments of most renowned and learned men when he had enriched himself with Statues Tables Coins Books and other most ancient Ornaments of Italy he proceeded in his Travails to Germany and as far as to great Britain where he gathered many Reliques of Antiquity and gained the repute and goodwill not only of men skilled in the studies of wisdom and good Arts but also of such as excelled in Painting Architecture and other curious Actifices whom Peireskius being an elegant spectator of their works did highly account of in those Countries as formerly he had done in Italy making himself acquainted with them as with all other learned men especially with Petrus Paulus Rubeus both for his knowledge of Antiquity and his skill in Painting Graving and Architecture which Arts he seems to have first of all brought out of Italy into the Low-Countries with their ancient splendor and dignity Marcus Velserus a Magistrate of Augsburge studious of the Commonwealth there and a careful advancer of Learning through all Germany John Barclay at that time famous in England for the elegance of his wit and Learning Daniel Heinsius chiefly in Holland and his most learned Master Joseph Scaliger who as soon as he heard Peireskius whom he knew only by name and hear-say reason about matters of Learning being of a piercing and sound judgement he presently knew him and declared who he was His last peregrination was to Paris whither by reason of the great aboundance of excellent Books and most learned men which he there
found he made a second journey In his first journey thither he visited Jacobus Augustus Thuanus and his most renowned Liâ—â—â—y and saw Isaac Casanbon Franciscus Pithaeus and abundance of other learned men then living who came frequently to Thuanus his Library daily magnifying Thuanus as the most excelient Prince and Patron of History and all other Arts and learned men and earnest defender of the French Empire and Majesty And having spent ten years at his own house in perusing those Monuments of Antiquity and Learning which he had collected all Europe over and in reducing and digesting the same into his studie and memory wherewith he was endowed after a divine manner he went to Paris the second time to turn over and devour those other Libraries viz. the Kings that of St. Denis Victoria St. German and of the Memii and to visit those learned men which frequented the same of which there was at that time a new generation as it were sprung up Amongst whom those two most courteous brethren the Puteans do at this day excel who abiding with the sons of Thuanus their kinsmen excellently adorned with the gifts of wit and vertue derived from their Father do by all the waies and means they can assist and wonderfully adorn not only his Library but Learning also learned men which were commended to their faithful care and protection by the last will and testament of Jacobus Augustus Nicolaus Rigaltius who excels all men whatever in the polite elegancie of Learning and judgement and incorrupt purity of the Latine tongue to whom I glory to say that I am beholden for whatever progress I have made in that kind of Learning Claudius Salmasius and Hugo Grotius who challenge the principality of Literature and all good Arts Petrus Seguierius Henricus Memmius and Hieronymus Bignonius men more renowned for their Learning and rare love of Arts than the purple Robes they wear as ensignes of the supreme honours they enjoy in France whom for brevities sake I passe over I shall also passe by Sirmondus Pelavius Morinus Mersennus Burdelotius and Valesius and an almost innumerable company of others who are exceeding famous for their transcendent Learning and most excellent writings all whose hearts and good-wills Peireskius did win unto himself and oblige them to the service of his ends viz. the advancement of the Common-wealth of Learning Yet there is one man whom I cannot passe over namely Gulielmus Varius or Du Vair who may be compared to Marcus Tullus as well for his study of Eloquence and Philosophy and other high Virtues as for the sacred and inviolable friendship he alwaies held with this our Atticus He after that he had initiated Peireskius into the Parliament of Aix of which he was chief President he presently so addicted himself to his acquaintance and society that they continually lived together at Aix nor could he ever after endure him to be absent from him Wherefore when the King called him to Court to be Keeper of the Seal which is the highest dignity which a Gowned man is capable of in France he carried him to Court with him esteeming him to be the only man in France whom he could find in his heart to make his Camerade his bosome friend the assistant and companion of his State-Counsels and Honours Whose favours Peireskius made use of only in deprecating and shielding of the dangers and discommodities of his friends that is to say of learned men and procuring the advancement of Learning to which end besides many other rare Ornaments and accommodations he contributed one of the greatest moment for by his means there was procured in the Kings name great store of most ancient Books to supply and enlarge the Library at Paris which at all times stands so open for the use of all men that from thence most rare Monuments of ancient Learning are daily brought to light There was â—â— a manner but one good turn which â—e procured of Varius for himself viz. that by his authority he was admitted to search the most ancient Records of Courts and Churches in all the Towns of France As for wealth and honours he was so far from seeking them that he often refused such as Varius freely offered him who when he would have adopted Peireskius into the most ancient and worthy order of Prelates of France he had much ado at last to make him accept of an indifferent Church-living Varius being dead who gave all his rarities of antiquity in a manner to his most loving and officious friend committing his last Will and Testament to his faithful care and oversight Peireskius began to look after his own home and study from which he had been long absent when lo just at his departure from the Court of Paris he was in his journey invited again to the Court of Rome receiving the most joyful tydings of Cardinal Barberino his being made Pope For he knew the said Cardinal before his Election to the Popedom being the Prince of Wit Learning and Sanctity in the Roman Common-wealth having some whiles before procured a first and second Edition of his Divine Poems and obliged him with other services so that when the Messenger who intended first to acquaint the King with the news meeting Peireskius did only tell him that the learnedst of all the Roman Princes and his most loving friend was made Pope he presently knew that Barberino was placed at the Helm of the Common-wealth to his incredible joy For he did foresee that under a most learned Pope the Study of good Literature would be reduced into its ancient Light and Splendor and that Students in hope of Honours and Rewards would flock from the utmost ends of the Earth to adorn the Court of Barberino Which happiness of the times and learning that he might at least view with his Eyes and adore the new Pope who so highly favoured him he was by his friends perswaded to come to Rome not much against his will But he was loath that Ambition from the very suspicion whereof he was alwayes free rather then duty should be thought the occasion of his journey thither and after that with much adoe he had gotten out of the Island of Circe he feared if he gave eare to the Sirens Songs he should be by them detained therefore after a long peregrination he betook himself at length to his own Ithaca to the most desired Haven of his Study And then truly the Study of Peireskius and his whole House through the well-nigh Kingly Liberality of its present Master which from that time forward he used not only for the Ornament of Learning and the Instruments thereof but chiefly in assisting and honouring learned men was more magnificent and fuller of Hospitality then the Court of Alcinoüs A little after the return of Peireskius Cardinal Franciscus Barberinus brought thither with him the flowre and Cream of the Court of Rome being sent as Legate from the Pope to the most just and valiant King of France
which Order I can cite plenty of Eye-witnesses of the beneficent and most liberal nature of Piereskius not only out of this City and present Assembly but even out of the farthest parts of Syria and the immense Altitude of Mount Libanus I can bring the most learned Amira Bishop of the Maronites out of Magna Graecia that great Philosopher Campanella out of France the learned Petitus and an infinite multitude more out of other Provinces Also I could relate unto you an innumerable Examples of Liberality and Magnificence scarce credible of a King much lesse of a man only of a Senatorian Dignity Rank and Estate Whereas nevertheless which sounds more like a miracle than a thing credible he laid out in this City alone every year three thousand pounds-Tours that is to say a twelfth part of his whole Revenue which we may well think he did in other renowned Cities of Europe partly in sending Books and other such like tokens to his friends partly upon Books Statue Brazen Monuments and Marbles which were daily here discovered or at least upon Patterns of them and Images painted carved or molded in Wax Plaister or moystened Paper But consideration of the time most learned Academicks advises me now to take-in my Sails and look towards the Haven Yet verily that same ardency of your Countenances and Intention of your mindes does call upon me to perform the rest of my Promise which was that I would prove Peireskius to have far exceeded all other men not only in a rare love and Liberality towards Learning but which is the greatest matter of all in unwearied labour and incredible Industry in commenting and writing touching almost excellent Arts no part of which verily he left untouched He wrote the History of Provence which was his own Countrey in many large Volumes with so much diligence that whether you regard Antiquity or the Lawes Peace or Warre and the Changes happening in the Common-wealth you shall therein finde nothing wanting In other Volumes he set down the Originals of the Noble Families of the same Country and of his own by it self and seeing the Family of the Fabricii had its Original from Pisa from whence after the space of four hundred years flourishing in Chivalry it was propagated into France he did in the same Book excellently illustrate the Antiquity of Pisa and consequently of Italy of which he was alwayes an exceeding great Lover setting down many unknown passages touching the Gothick Kings who bore sway in Italy which he collected from ancient Coines as also touching the French Kings whose Originals and Pedigrees being obscured through length of time he much illustrated Finally he wrote most elegant and full Commentaries of all great and memorable things which were transacted in his time Also he adorned Philosophy by his writings and amplified the same especially the natural part thereof to which he was wonderfully addicted For he had made an elegant Book touching those sporting works of Nature which in some Countries are digged out of the ground viz. concerning wood and other things degenerating into the Nature of stone or some other different substance also touching huge and vast bones of Gyants as is commonly conceived a great quantity whereof he caused to be brought to him from far Countries touching which being of a discerning spirit he discovered many Impostures And as for Plants especially such as were of Indian growth he wrote a peculiar History of every one well near which he illustrated with experiments never before practised for he engrafted Trees with happy success not only upon Trees quite of another kind but upon the Horns Heads and other parts of living Creatures Of which live Creatures yea even of Elephants he diligently sought out the Nature manner and weight and dissected all their members as also of the Body of Man with his own hand especially the Eyes of huge Beasts and of Whales for the finding out of which he sent men as far as Herenles Pillars By which means he wrote new things never before heard of as of other parts of the Body so especially concerning the admirable frame of the Eye Nor was he lesse industrious in illustrating the Mathematical Arts giving himself up in his latter years to the study of Astronomy so as to build a most high Tower furnished with plenty of Instruments belonging to that Art where he watched all night long when the Skie was clear in Contemplation of the Starres not only diligently observing their Altitudes Magnitudes and Motions but penetrating by the quickness of his wit into their very matter and Nature assisted by that new and admirable Invention of the Telescope which makes the most remote and obscure Species and Representations of things clearly to be seen whose name and use was invented by Galilaeus the Prince doubtless of Mathematicians and a very loving friend of our Peireskius By the help of which Instrument Peireskius caused the several faces and appearances both of the other Planets and also of the Moon with the smallest marks and spots as it were which appeared therein to be diligently viewed and engraven in Copper Plates committing to writing his own perpetual observations thereof so that no man was better acquainted with this World of ours then Peireskius was with the Heavenly Orbs especially the Moon which the ancient Sages of Italy were wont to call Antichthôn the other Earth Whose Eclipses he did both observe himself and caused them by all Mathematicians to be more diligently observed then formerly not that he might assist the labouring Goddess whose shape like another Endymion he beheld and admired but that thereby he might finde out and set down the sure and certain distances of Cities Havens and Islands both from the four Coasts of Heaven and one from another and so take away the received Errors of Travellers and Seafaring-men A thing before not so much as endeavoured by any except one or two and they great Kings which it was hoped that Peireskius would at last happily accomplish For he caused most accurate observations of the Eclipses to be made in the most renowned Cities of the old and new World of which observations the most excellent he said was that which he received from Naples from his good friend Johannes Camillus Gloriosus an excellent Mathematician And herein he used the continual Assistance of Petrus Gassendus the most excellent Astronomer and Philosopher in France intimately acquainted with Peireskius so that he lived with him many years together in his own House as a bosom friend where he was assistant at his death and now out of the dear memory he beares to his Name and Vertues he is intended to write an History of his Life which makes me rejoyce that the work which I had long since designed is now taken out of my hands by a most learned man and my very loving friend yea and I congratulate the Memory of Peireskius in that behalf The excellent pains he took in describing your Antiquities O
Roman Academicks I cannot passe over in silence seeing there came no Vtensils nor Ornaments of the ancient Romans to his hands of which he had very many in his house of which he left not something or other in writing but most copiously and diligently touching the Weights Measures and Tripodes of the Ancients I omit the rest of his works in other parts of Learning I shall only add his Letters and Epistles to increase the admiration Which were so many and so learned as if he had writ nothing besides he might neverthelesse have been said to have gone through the whole Encyclopaedia or perfect Orbe of all Learning and liberal Arts. For you cannot think of any rare and excellent Argument in all the Arts and Sciences of which Peireskius did not write to all learned men either asking their judgment or returning his own being asked learnedly frequently and very largely so that he seems to have filled all Cities in all Countreys with his Letters shall I say or volums rather And that you may know I speak no more than the truth in this point consider I pray you with me how many and what for Epistles he sent to this very City for examples sake There are extant an almost innumerable company written to Pope Urbanus the 8th and to Cardinal Franciscus Barberinus comprehending that knowledge of good Arts which we all admire in those two most excellent and learned Princes There are extant Letters to Caesar Baronius and to Johannes Franciscus Vidius Balneus Cardinals to Josephus Maria Suaresius a Prelate to Christophorus Puteanus and Constantinus Cajetanus all of them persons renowned for the Science of great Arts touching Religion and matters Divine as also of humane affairs and history to Cardinal Vidus Bentivolus and Augustinus Mascardus persons best seen in that Art of any not only in this City but in all Italy and touching the abstruse and hidden things of Nature to Cassianus Putealis and Petrus Vallensis both of them renowned as well for their knowledge in natural Philosophy as other great endowments There are extant Letters of his touching Humanity as they call it and the ancient Tongues of Europe Asia and Africk as also concerning the latter Languages as the Gothick Cantabrick Provincian Italian to Lucas Holstenius Gabriel Naudaeus Leo Allatius Vincentius Noguera and Fredericus Ubaldinus men excellently and perfectly skilled in the said Languages also to Cardinal Franciscus Boncompagnus Vincentius Justinianus Maria Felix Zachus and Alexander Rondaninus her husband Stephanus Gnaldus and Claudius Menetrius men most diligent in searching out and preserving the Reliques of Antiquity touching Statues Coins ancient Jewels also touching Books anciently written and Manuscripts to those rare men Cardinal Scipio Cobellutius and Nicolaus Alemannus whom Peireskius intirely loved and whose benignity in opening to him the treasures of the Vatican Library he exceedingly wanted when he was dead These men ô Academicks 〈◊〉 know to have been most excellent in all Arts which I have therefore the more willingly reckoned up as it were mustered out because all of them in a manner as well Peireskius himself having bin long since chosen into this Academy have illustrated the splendor and glory of your order and daily illustrate the same Moreover he sent the like or a greater quantity of Letters not only to other Cities in Italy especially to Padua to Licetus Rolius Argolius and Thomasmus samous men in the Arts by them professed but also to Mantua Paris Oxford Leyden Lovane Augsburge Vindobona and other renowned Cities of the new old world flourishing with famous and learned men With which Letters truly of his he linked and united in a way of learned Commerce and correspondency not only the Nations on this and the the other side of the Alpes but all other Nations also of Europe and the barbarous people to boot so that in conclusion he made common to all those Nations those good Arts and all their Instruments which for the good of all he had treasured up in his own study and mind So that we must not judge of the excellency of Peireskius his learning nor of the worth and greatness of his study by his writings and other Monuments of the Ancients which are extant in his house but we must rather conclude that there are no famous Libraries in the whole world in which some part of the Library of Peireskius is not to be found and that no Books have been set forth in this Age of ours exceeding fruitful of Writers which do not carry with them as well the Learning as Name of Peireskius Imagine with your selves O Academicks that all studious persons do make as it were one Body in the middest whereof Peireskius performs the office of that quiet part for the nutriment whereof all the other Members in their several places do all they do and whose ministry is no lesse industrious nourishing as much as it is nourished so that with an insatiable desire of reading and learning devouring all the food of study and erudition which all men every where gathered and heaped up for him he turned the same by his heat of meditation and writing into juyce and blood which in like manner he dispersed into all parts as a common nourishment of all Wits unless we should rather say that Peireskius was the Soul of that same illustrious and immortal Body which governed the whole and by his force and Divinity did preserve and augment all and every the parts thereof I said Divinity O Academicks for he who spent a great part of the short age of fifty seven years in peregrinations and the Kings Gourt another part in the Parliament of Aix where he twice a day attended his Senatorian office could nevertheless leave so many so illustrious Monuments of his love of Learning his liberality in the advancement thereof to the eternal memory of posterity more Books and Letters written with his own hand than other long-liv'd men abounding with leasure are wont to read both in Latine Italian and French he I say seems to me worthy to be accounted more than a man Moreover that this Divine soul of Peireskius being now free from the fetters of his earthly body is mounted aloft and entred into possession of that eternal and coelestial Mansion to lead there most happily among the holy Saints that life he happily liv'd amongst us you have ô Roman Academicks all the reason in the world to think to honor the same with all Honors which are wont to be conferred on the greatest Heroes For besides that he lived with the greatest integrity and innocency possible he was also a great houourer of the Romane Religion and the Ceremonies thereof wherein he persisted most constant to his very last breath He valiantly contended for the Catholick Faith so that he reduced many thereto even of those that had left that most ancient and holy Religion and obliged themselves to new and strange ones having not without hope of
years are now past friendly Reader since in the time of Pope Urban the eighth I was sent for out of France to Rome to try if I could interpret the Inscriptions of the Roman Obeliskes it being reported that I had taken upon me the Restitution of this kind of Learning out of a very ancient Arabian Manuscript the business being eagerly urged and prosecuted by that great Maecenas of learned Men Nicolaus Peireskius a Senator in the Parliament of Aix in Provence And after that Kircherus had shewed from the very words of Gassendus how he was invited by Peireskius and desired to bring with him the Arabian Manuscript writ by Rabbi Barachia Nephi teaching the way to interpret Hieroglyphicks together with some example of an Interpretarion and his own notes he observes that the Authours right name is Abenephius and then reckoning up such as had bin assidant to the work he has these words This Treasury and Shop of Antiquities did first belong to that Gentleman worthy of immortal prayse and memory Nicolaus Peireskius a most renowned Senator of Aix in Provence who out of his zeal to promote these Studies caused all his Aegyptian Rarities which he had in his Treasuries of Antiquities to be drawn out and sent to me at Rome to assist me in my Restitution of the Art of interpreting Hieroglyphicks And again in Page 451. Just against the Chain there is the figure of a sacred Cup or Chalice which the Priests used in their Sacrifices which may be known by that Hieroglyphical Representation upon a certain Aegyptian Amphora a model whereof was sent me from the Store-house of Peireskius in which the Priests being to sacrifice to their God Mophtasen or Niligenius did hold this figure in their hands as it were a certain Cup with its appropriate Liquor by which means I first came to know the signification of this Figure And again in Page 473 he propounds the same figure and makes again honourable mention of Peireskius Peireskius and Kircherus were an Example to all men by so much Expense Care and Labour advancing the common good And I could wish that such Jewels Coines Vessels Statues and other such like things as lie hid in the Closets of Antiquaries might be brought to light for the explanation of ancient Histories and the augmentation of Learning which I have small hopes to see effected in these dayes of ours in whith there are few Kirchers and never a Peineskius After Kircherus Mersennus comes to be considered whom when Peireskius knew to be writing of Universal Harmony and all kind of Musick he presently sent him the names of two Musicians which contained the six Musical notes UT RE MI FA SOL LA in them letter for letter not one over or under Of which Mersennus makes mention in his first Volume of Universal Harmony printed at Paris in the year 1636. Now their names were these F. SALVATOR MILE and F. LOVIS ALMERAT That wonderful things have bin sometimes sound out in Anagrams who can deny Witness the Sybilla Gallica in which Thomas Billonius an Advocate in the Parliament of Aix has curiously abbreviated the Life of King Lewes the thirteenth by divers Anagrams comprehended in Heroical Verses which I do not mention in this place as intending to assert the Art of Divination by names much lesse the foolish and chymerical Conceits of Robert Flud touching the same but to bring upon the Stage an Art to me well known but through the carelesness of Students not sufficiently searched into by which through the Doctrine of Combinations all the Anagrams which can possibly be made of any name may without any labour be seen at one view nor can there more be found out by any Created Being Man or Angel so that if the name consist of four Letters it will afford 24. Anagrams if of five an hundred and twenty and so of the rest ad infinitum so that of a word or speech of sixty four Letters there does arise by these Combinations the wonderful product of ninety Cyphers out of which a skilful Composer may frame as many Anagrams And so much may suffice to have said occasionally in praise of this Art But that the six musical Notes VT RE MI FA SOL LA should be contained in the names aforesaid is but a matter of chance may appear in that the said Notes setting aside the Anagrammatism are contained in the Hymne which is wont to be sung on the Nativity of St. John Baptist as you may here behold UT queant laxis REsonare fibris MIra gestorum F Amuli tuorum SO Lve polluti LAbii reatum Sancte Johannes c. To reckon up in this place the Rarities contained in the Study of Peireskius would be a work too long for an Epistle Howbeit I shall briefly touch upon such things as it was my hap to meet with here and there And the first shall be that same Greek Manuscript of Constantinus Porphyrogeneta mentioned by Gassendus peri Aretes cai Cacias of Vertue and Vice out of which Valesius gathered an whole Book and printed the same which is now kept in the ample Library of Msr. Ranchinus a Senator in Languedock also the Epistle of a certain Sultan to an ancient King of France written in Arabick Characters upon a silken Paper sprinkled with small streaks of pure gold which shine up and down which being in some sort useful for our Histories I shall cause to be printed with an Interpretation in the Mother Tongue I must not forget to tell you how I saw a Cymbal of Brasse exceeding neat which came out of the same study it was of a round shape like an Orenge hollow within and divided into two parts like two Acorn Cups out of the bottom of which arose another Cup which was fastened to the other not by the surface but only in one point where it toucht which the two first being drawn down parallel from the top and boared as it were with so many holes being never so little stirred with the hand would make a musical sound which lasted a quarter and half quarter of an houre sending forth by repercussion of the Aire a manifold Eccho Out of the same Study came that Volume of the Travels of Vincentius mentioned by Gassendus being deposited with Peireskius in his life-time which intending to print he was hindred by the foolish Discourses of Blancus touching the plain Surface of the Earth and other such like things till at last after both their Deaths it was in the year 1649 again taken in hand and printed at Paris Touching which I desire such as are curious to take notice that the true Original Copy of the said Journey of Blancianus is kept by Mr. Hardii a Senator of Paris which being compared with the printed Edition does in some things vary therefrom being likewise enlarged with Topographical Maps of the places and the lively Pictures of the several Cloathings of divers Nations And if the Book come to be
printed again I dare say the Original Copy may be procured of that most courteous Gentleman to make the Edition thereby more compleat These things I had to say Renowned Sir touching Peireskius which supposing they would not be to you unpleasing I have therefore more willingly published under your name because I knew you to be a very great Referencer of Persons rarely learned in whose foot steps gloriously treading you daily search into the deepest mysteries furthered by your Genius so desirous to learn and what you search into you examine with a piercing Judgement what you finde out you commit to writing from whence the rich Treasures of Nature will one day advance into the World compleatly written by your eloquent Pen. Which God grant for the common good and your own immortal prayse In the mean while most loving friend as I now present this pledge of my Devotion to you so shall I daily God willing prepare some better and more worthy presents viz. the third and fourth Centuries of wonderful observations one Century of such as belong to our Microcosme a second part of Bibliotheca Chymica the Life Philosophy of Democritus a Treatise of an Universal Language and touching the way to expound the foure-square Venetian Cypher with a Key all which will I hope be acceptable to the curious Dated at Paris the Kalends of July 1654. To Petrus Borellus Dr. of Physick his loving friend F. H. P. L. YOu are an happy man friend Borellus whom good Fortune has made after so many years an Amplifier of the Dignity of Peireskius Happy man am I to whom you have directed your commendations of a man so heroically vertuous And we are both happy whom Gassendus has thought fit to propagate the memory of that renowned Man himself being the most worthy praiser of the Vertues of Peireskius and the perfect writer of his life By whose meanes Posterity will abundantly honour the most glorious name of that great Heroe which all learned men ought to admire and commend the same to eternity What was the habit of his Body what the manners of his minde and what his Studies have bin so punctually set down by Gassendus and in a style so sublime that no man well advised can pretend to add a tittle thereunto For he has given us a most perfect Picture of that brave Man expressed his rare works and in a pure style graphically painted forth his manners and inclination to all excellent Learning He has set forth to Posterity a genuine example of polite Literature and plentiful grounds of emulation to the learned World For by his most happy undertakings the Muses have recovered their spirit life and Countrey whom the Barbarisme of the former Age had banished out of the World To whom therefore must the Muses acknowledge their liberty when they shall reflourish to whom shall Studies and Arts acknowledge their recovery to whom shall learned men attribute the increase of Sciences and those helps tending to unlock the most abstruse points of knowledge To whom but to Peireskius and in the next place to Gassendus who was the first that did what no body else could do in painting out to the Life that worthy Heroe in a Picture which shall last to eternity I shall not go about ambitiously to praise the one or the other for they need no prayses who are above all Commendation and greater then any Titles can be given them whose renown will be immortal I shall only resume his Studies which Gassendus has most accurately prosecuted in his sixth Book and contract them into a small handful propounding his Manuscripts at large for the common good of those who desire the same But I need not explain these things to the learned I conceive it may suffice to say that this most unwearied Gentleman laboured all his life in gathering the same to this only end that he might be as a Midwife to Posterity Give me leave here to set down the very words of Gassendus and therein to admire the lowly modesty of that most eminent Man whose words touching himself are these in Gassendus viz. that he was unable to produce a mature and elegant birth or to lick the same into any shape as if he could be thought insufficient for such a burthen who left at his death fourscore and two Books of his own hand-writing of all most exquisite Arguments considerable for their Bulk but more for the variety and excellency of the subject matter in which he sets open to all men a Treasury of most choyse Learning by assistance whereof they who like him are wont to search into the depths of Erudition may be inabled to support the decaying Arts and save them from perishing Now what chance this great treasure of his has undergone which has bin hitherto hid from the learned I shall here briefly hint yea and ingenuously intimate who it is which hides the same that such as are disposed particularly to examine these great Riches by him heaped up or if possible to publish the same so as to satisfie the great thirst of those that earnestly enquire after them they may have the opportunity to search into the very bowels of these Books and bring forth the Treasure they meet with for the common good that the victorious labours of that rare man may be admired and that others being enriched with his spoiles may prosecute and perfect what has bin by him begun and deliver the same as an Inheritance to Posterity through the munificence of that great Maecenas Ten years after his Death his Heires caused his Library to be brought to Paris vvhich in the year 1647 I saw there consisting of a great Company of Books most curiously bound But alas what a miserable fate it underwent vvhen it came to sale they know vvho grieve for such a losse never to be repaired For this most rich Library might yea and ought to have bin reserved for the Muses or at least those precious Books vvhich by infinite Labour vvere procured from all the choisest Libraries in the World should have bin sold all together but the renowned Genius of this Librarie being extinct so fate ordered the matter that being torn into piece-meales it miserably perished vvhich is so ordered I conceive by the eternal providence of God that all men may remember in the midst of their most eager Collections of Books vvho are apt with too much confidence to brood over their learned Treasures that such things as are collected in time will likewise after certain revolutions passe away with time His Manuscripts doubtles had better fortune For that excellent and learned Man Petrus Puteanus when he was living caused very providently his said Manuscripts to be separated from the rest of the Books both to preserve the Labours of his friend from perishing and to satisfie the learned Common-wealth which is extream thirsty after abstruse knowledge Having therefore put all the sheets being in certain bundles according to the accurateness
Temple sacred Poems with the delights of the Moses upon severall occasions by Richard Crashaw of Cambridge 12o. 96. Divine Poems written by Francis Quarles 8o. 97. Clarastella with other occasionall Poems Elegies Epigrams Satyrs written by R. Heath Esq 98. Poems written by Mr. William Shakspeare 99. Arnalte Lucenda or the melancholy Knight a Poem translated by L. Laurence 4o. 100. The Odes of Casimire translated by Mr. George Hills of Newark 12o. 101. Alarum to Poets by I. L. 4o. 102. Fragmenta Poetica or Miscellanies of Poeticall Musings by Nich. Murford Gent. 12o. 103. Hymnus Tabaci Authore Raphaele Thorio 8o. 104. Hymnus Tabaci a Poem in Honour of Tobacco Heroically composed by Raphael Thorius made English by Peter Hausted Mr. of Arts Camb. 8o. 105. Olor Iscanus a Collection of some select Poems and Translations written by Mr. Henry Vaughan 106. Argalus and Parthenia by Francis Quarles 107. The Academy of Complements wherein Laâ—ies Gentlewomen Schollers and strangers may accommodate their Courtly practise with gentile Ceremonies complementall amorous high expressions and forms of speaking or writing of Letters most in fashion with Additions of many witty Poems and pleasant New songs 12o. Poems lately Printed 107. Poems and Translations the compleat works of Thomas Stanley Esq 8o. 105. Choice Poems with Comedies and Tragedies by Mr. William Cartwright late student of Ch. Ch. in Oxford and Proctor of the University The Aires and songs set by Mr. Henry Lawes servant to his late Majesty in his publick and private Musick 108. Herodian of Alexandria his Imperiall History of twenty Roman Caesars and Emperours of his time first written in Greek and now converted into an Heroick Poem by C. Stapleton 4o. 109. The Card of Courtship or the Language of love fitted to the humours of all degrees sexes and Conditions Incomparable Comedies and Tragedies written by severall Ingenious Authors 110. COmedies and Tragedies written by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher never printed before and now published by the Authots Originals Copies contayning 34 playes and a Masque Fol. 111. The Elder Brother by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 112. The Scornfull Lady by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 113. The Woman Hater by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 114. Thierry and Theodoret by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 115. Cupids Revenge by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 116. Monsieur Thomas by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 117. The two Noble kinsmen by Francis Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher 118. The Country Captain and the Variety two Comedies written by a person of Honour 12o. 119. The Sophy a Tragedy writen by Mr. Iohn Denham Esq Fol. 120. Brennoralt or the discontented Collonel a Tragedy written by Sir Iohn Suckling Knight 4o. 121. The deserving Favorite by Mr. Lod. Carlel 122. Albovine King of Lombardy by Sir William Davenant 123. The Just Italian by Sir William Davenant 124. The Cruel Brother by Sir William Davenant 125. The Unfortunate Lovers by Sir William Davenant 126. Love and Honour by Sir William Davenant 127. The Sophister by Dr. Z. 128. Revenge of Bussy D Ambois George Chapman 129. Byrons Conspiracy George Chapman 130. Byrons Tragedy George Chapman 131. Contention for Honour and riches J. Shirley 132. Triumph of Peace in 4º J. Shirley 133. The Dutchess of Malfy by Iohn Webster 134. The Northern lass by Richard Broome 135. The Cid a Tragicomedy translated out of rench by Ioseph Rutter Gent. 12o. 136. The Wild Goose Chase a Comedy written Fr. Beaumont and Iohn Fletcher Fol. 137. The Widow a Comedy by Ben Iohnson Iohn â—letcher and T Middleton 138. The Changling by T Middleton and Rowley 4o. 239. Six new plaies 1. The Brothers 2. The Siâ—ters 3. The Doubtfull Heir 4. The Imposture 5. The Cardinall 6. The Court-Secret by I. Shirley 140. Five new plaies 1. A mad couple well matcht The Novella 3. The Court Begger 4. The City Wit 5. The Damoiselle by Richard Broome 141. The Tragedy of Alphonsus Emperor of Germary by George Chapman 4o. 142. Two Tragedies viz. Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt and Agrippina Empresse of Rome by Thomas May Esq Playes lately Printed 143. THe Gentleman of Venice A Tragi-Comedy by James Shirley 144. The Polititian a Tragedy by James Shirley 145. The Passionate Lovers in two parts by Mr. Lodowick Carlel 146. Mirza A Tragedy really acted in Persia with Annotations by Robert Barron Esq 147. Three new playes viz. 1 The Bashfull Lover 2 The Guardian 3 The very woman by Phillip Masâ—enger Gent. New and Excellent Romances 148. CAssandra the Fam'd Romance the whole work in five parts written in French and now Elegantly rendered into English by a person of quality Fol. 149. Ibrahim or the Illustrious Bassa an excellent new Romance the whole worke in foure parts written in French by Monsieur de Scudery and now Englished by Henry Cogan Gent. Fol. 150. Artamenes or the Grand Cyrus an excellent new Romance written by that famous wit of France Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostre-dame and now Englished by F.G. Esq Fol. 151. The continuation of Artamenes or the Grand Cyrus that excellent new Romance being the third and fourth parts written by that Famous wit of France Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostre-dame and now Englished by F. G. Esq Fol. 152. The third Volume of Artamenes or the Grand Cyrus that excellent new Romance being the fist and sixt parts written by that famous wit of France Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostre-dame and now Englished by F. G. Esq Fol. 153. The fourth Volume of Artamenes or the Grand Cyrus that Excellent new Romance being the seaventh and eighth parts written by that famous Wit of France Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostre-dame and now englished by F. G. Esq Fol. 154. The History of Polexander a Romance Englished by William Browne Gent. Fol. 155. The History of the Banished Virgin a Romance translated by I. H. Esq Fol. 156. Casandra the fam'd Romance the three first books Elegantly rendred into English by the Right Hoâ—â—â—ble the Lord George Digby 8o. 157. The History of Philoxipes and Policrite a Romance made English by an honorable person 8o. 158. The History of Don Fenise a new Romance written in Spanish by Francisco de las Coveras Englished by a Person of Honour 8o. 159. Aurora Ismenia and the Prince with Oronta the Cyprian Virgin translated by Thomas Stanley Esq 160. Cleopatra a new Romance Englished by a Gent. of the Inner Temple in 8o. 161. La Stratonica or the unfortunate Qeene a new Romance translated into English 162. Choice Novels and Amorous Tales written by â—he most refined wits of Italy newly translated into English by a person of quality in 8o. 163. Nissena a new Romance Englished by an Honorable person in 8o. 164 Dianea a new Romance written in Italian by â—io Francisco Loredano a Noble Venetian Englished â—y Sir Aston Cockaine in 80. Bookes lately printed for Humphrey Moseley 165. A German Diet or the Ballance of Europe wherein the power and
Ream Insulam Expeditio Authore Edovardo Domino Herbert Barone de Cherbury Quam publici Juris fecit Timotheus Balduinus L. L. Doctor è Coll. Omn. Anim. apud Oxonienses Socius 210. The Siege of Antwerp written in Latine by Famianus Strada Englished by Tho. Lancaster Gent. 211 The History of Philosophy the second Part by Tho. Stanley Esq 212 Clella an excellent new Romance the second Volume Written in French by the exquisite Pen of Monsieur de Scudery Governour of Nostredame 213 Argalus and Parthenia written by Francis Quarles and â—â—ustrated with 30 Figures cut in Copper relating to the Sâ—ory 214 Practicall Arithmetick in whole Numbers Fractions and Decimals fitted to the severall uses of Gentlemen Merchants or Trades-men by Richard Rawlins Professor thereof in Greet Yarmouth These Bookes are now in the Presse 215. GLossographia or a Dictionary interpreting all such hard words whether Hebrew Greek Latin Italian Spanish French c. as are now used in our Refined English tongue Also the Teatâ—mes of Divinity Law Physick Mathematicks Heraldry Anatomy War Musick Architecture explained by Thomas Blount of the Inner Temple Bar. rester 216. Astrea A Romance written in French by Messire Honore D'Vrfe and now Translated into English 217. An Introduction into the Greek Tongue most plainly delivering the principall matters of the Grammar thereof composed for their sakes which understand not Latine and yet are desirous to have competent Knowledge in that language by Edmund Reeve B. D. Instructer of all the 〈◊〉 Tongues 218 The Rules of the Latine Grâ—â—â— construed which were omitted in the Book carred I illies Rules and the Syntaxis constrned by Edmund Recoe B. D. Instructer in all the Originall Tongues 219. Politick Discourses written in Italian by Paul Peruta Gent. of Venice Englished by the Right Honoâ—able Henry Earle of Monmouth 221. Of the Passion of the Soule and contentment of mind by Peter du Moulin the Sonne D. D. These Books I do purpose to Print very speedily 222 HEsperides or The Muses Garden stored with variery of the choisest flowers of Language and earning wherein grave and serious minds may be reâ—eshed with the sollid fruits of Philosophy History osmography intermixed with the sweets of Poetry and the ceremonious Courtier The Passionate Amongst with his admired Lady may gather Ranties Sulâ—â—able to their Fancies by Iohn Evans Gent. 223. Mosaicall Philosophy written in Latin by â—obert Fludd Esq and Dr in Physick and by himselfe afterwards translated into English 224. Disquisitions upon the Nativity of our Saviour Jesus Christ by the Honorable Sir Isaac Wake 225 The Expedition of the Duke of Backingham into â—he Isle of Ree written in Latine by the Right Honourable Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury c. and now endred into English 226. The Life of A Satyricall Puppy Called Nim tho worrieth all those Satyrists he knowes and barkes â—â— the rest by W. D. 227. The Anatomy of Prophane Love written in â—ulian and Englished by I. S. 228. Nicholas Flammell his Exposition of his Hâ—eroâ—phicall Figures with the secret Book of Artephius â—â—d the Epistle of Iohn Pontanus concerning the Phiâ—â—sophers Stone ☞ With an Addition upon the me Subject written by Synetius that most Learned and Famous Greeian Abbot never Printed before 229. Brittain's Ida written by that Renowned Poet Edmund Spencer 230. A Discovery of the Hollanders trade of Fishing and their Circumventing us therein with the meanes how to make profit of the fishing by which the have made and yet do reap so great a benifit by Sir W. Munson Knight somtimes Vice-Admirall of England 231. Sir Charles Cornwallis his Negotiation as Leiger Ambassador for Spaine 232. A Discovery of the State of Christendom containing many secret passages and hidden Mysteries the times both past and present with Historicall and Politicall Observations thereon by a person of Honour 233. A Grammar Lecture with Elegies written bâ— Francis Beaumont Gent. 234. A Discourse touching peace with Spain and retaining the Netherlands in Protection written bâ— Sir Walter Raleigh Knight presetned to his Majesty 235. A Discourse of the Warre of Germany with the Loâ—â— Chancellor Bacon's Petition and Submission toth House of Peeres 236. Andrea Palladio his four Books of Architectuâ— treating of private Buildings Highwayes Piazz exercisâ—â—g places and Temples Translated out of Iâ—sion by H. L. Esq 237. The Distresses By Sir W. Davenant 238. The fair Favorite By Sir W. Davenant 239. Newes from Plimouth By Sir W. Davenant 240. The Seige By Sir W. Davenant 241. The Spartan Ladyes By Lodowick Caâ—lell Gent. 242. The Discrect Lover or the Fool would be a Favorite By Lodowick Caâ—lell Gent. 243. Osman the Great Turk or the Noble Servant By Lodowick Caâ—lell Gent. 244. More Dissemblers then Women By Tho. Midleto Gent. 245. Woman beware Women By Tho. Midleto Gent. 246. No Witt like a Womans By Tho. Midleto Gent. 246. No Help like a Womans By Tho. Midleto Gent.