greatnes and huge extension seene by euery eie But for the fire we onely see the increase the power and simple matter thereof and his force or fountaine is esteemed to be in the concauitie of the moone aboue the aire Of such as say that there is no fire vnder the sphere of the moone Yet some among the naturall Philosophers affirme and maintaine that there is no fire vnder the orbe of the moone neither will acknowledge any other elementary fire but the fires of the celestial bodies and the heate of them which they communicate to all the rest of the creatures And therefore they assigne to these fires all the space which is from the moone to the highest heauen Saying moreouer that sith the heauen is a thing most pure it is not conuenient to place a thing most burning vnder that which is exempt from all qualitie For nature doth alwaies ioine extremities with things of meane qualitie as is found betwixt the flesh and the bones where she hath placed a filme or thinne skinne and betweene the bones and the ligatures she hath put the gristles so betwixt the scull and the braine because it is softer then flesh nature hath placed two filmes the hardest whereof is neerest to the bone of the head Thereupon then they conclude that the aire is much fitter then the fire to bee next the heauens and serue as a meane to ioine them with the earth and water And against it they argue that swiftnes of motion is the cause or argument of the heate and that there is no other fire others againe auouch that this cannot be For say they although that solide substances may by motion be heated as stones lead and liuing creatures yet those which disperse or scatter themselues abroad become thereby so much the colder by how much they are more lightly mooued witnes the aire and the water For all strong and swift windes are cold and riuers that haue a quick course are very cold Againe those that denie the elementarie fire Reasons of such as deny the fire to enuiron the aire do bring this argument to wit that the comets and flames which oftentimes do appeere in the heauens do cause in the aire verie great and as it were intollerable heates Therefore they demand what might happen if the vniuersall world especially the elementarie were enuironed by fire who could hinder but that that fire would inflame the aire and after it all other things sith the heate of the celestiall bodies would thereto giue aide They adde how Auerrois doth esteeme that all brightnes is hot and that the aire is such and that euery moist qualitie doth least of all other resist heate How then say they shall the aire resist the fire which is the most vehement and most sharpe of all elements It is true that this Arabicke author hath said that sometimes the fire is not actually hot but what then shall be his possibilitie We say that some medicines are hot by possibilitie because that being taken they heat woondrously But by what creatures shall the fire be deuoured to the end to reduce it to the qualitie of medicines Moreouer if the fire be not hot then is not the water cold which should be to confound al reason and the very order of the world Againe they demand what it is that letteth the fire that it shineth not and that it is not seene in the elementarie region Againe if fire be in the aire why then the higher we mount doe we finde the aire more cold and why do snowes more abound on the mountaine tops then in the lowest places yea vnder the torrid zone Which neuerthelesse might not seeme strange if one should consider how snowe falleth in winter onely and very colde haile in midst of summer the cause whereof we shall heereafter discouer But say they if one should obiect that the highest places are farthest remote from the reuerberation of the sunne this may be an argument of lesse heate but not of coldnes In fine they adde that if heate were in the highest of the aire in an elementary body it should principally there rest for to cause the generation of things Now for this reason it cannot be there considering that the celestiall heat is it that doth engender as al Philosophers maintaine Thereupon they conclude that this imagination of fire aboue the aire is vaine It seemeth also that be a thing neuer so light as is the fire yet can it not mount so exceeding high and to say that it was caried aloft onely coniecturing so and that the place thereof must be there such Rhetoricall arguments are not woorth rehearsing in serious matters Answere to many reasons which are alledged to prooue foure elements There are some also which to the reasons by vs before touched in the beginning of this speech do replie that it seemeth they do not conclude that there be fower simple bodies but rather the contrarie For for the first betwixt two extremes one meane not two is cōmonly assigned which being considered in regard of the elements there shoulde onely be three in number And for this vulgar opinion that in all compound bodies there are esteemed to bee fower elements the heat which is in mixt and compound substances cannot consist of elementarie fire For if the fire shoulde remaine in them it should much more rest in the herbe called Euphorbium and in Pepper which are of an extreme hot and drie nature and therefore one might more commodiously get fire out of them then out of most colde stones which yet wee finde to bee cleane contrarie Moreouer the distillations wherein many straine themselues to search the fower elements doe demonstrate but three substances onely to wit water for water oile insteed of aire and the earth which is in the bottome Now if that any do say that the reddest part of the oyle doth represent the fire because it is verie sharpe and verie subtile we will answere that such piercing sharpnes of sauour proceedeth from the vehement vertue of the fire which operateth in the distillation Which likewise doth manifestly appeere in the oyle extracted from mettals euerie part whereof is of a verie sharpe sauour Wherefore if euerie thing of such a qualitie representeth the fire it must follow of necessity that in euerie such essence no portion of aire may subsist But all the world doth alleage that there may fower humours be perceiued to remaine in the bodies of all liuing creatures And yet what auaileth that to prooue so many elements Nay what if I should say with Thrusianus expounder of Galen vpon the art of Phisicke that there are but three humors only But leaue we this disputation and let vs speake of a more strong and forcible argument taken from the combinations and coniunctions of the elementarie qualities which are in number fower as we haue heard in our precedent discourse They alone then and apart doe not constitute an element for they cannot
chap. 15 Page 74 Of diuels and euill spirits chap. 16 The third daies worke Page 80 OF the celestiall or sphericall world chap. 17 Page 86 Of the forme and figure of heauen and of the motion thereof as well generall as particular chap. 18 Page 91 Of the circles ingenerall and particularly of the Equinoctiall and Zodiake and of their signes chap. 19 Page 95 Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels and of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles chap. 20 Page 101 Of the hower-circles and what is done by them in sunne-dials and of the circles which diuide the 12. houses of heauen chap. 21 Page 106 Of the ascensions and descensions of the stars and of the signes and other arkes of the Zodiake and of the orientall and occidentall latitude of the sun or degrees of the zodiacke chap. 22 Page 109 Of the naturall and artificiall daies and of the nights of their diuersitie and cause chap. 23 Page 112 Of equall and vnequall temporall and artificiall howers of the heights of the sunne aboue the Horizon and of his right and reuerse shadowes chap. 24 The fourth daies worke Page 117 OF the substance and nature of heauen and of the celestiall bodies of their continuance change cha 25 Page 121 Of motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature chap. 26 Page 125 Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them chap. 27 Page 130 Of the influence and effects of the planets and starres in things here below either to good or euill chap. 28 Page 135 Of the truth which is found in prognostications of Astrologers and how the starres are appointed by God for signes and that from their influences no euill proceedeth chap. 29 Page 140 Of the planet Saturne and how it is not euill nor anie other starre chap. 30 Page 144 Of the planets ingenerall and how they worke in man not in constraining but disposing chap. 31 Page 148 Of the true Astronomie which the heauens doe teach vs and especially the sunne in his admirable effects chap. 32 The fift daies worke Page 152 OF the rising and setting of the sunne and of the prouidence of God which shineth in the commodities of daie and night chap. 33 Page 157 Of the second course and motion of the sunne and moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons and of the prouidence of God in these things chap. 34 Page 161 Of the image of God and of his light which is proposed vnto vs in the sunne with the felicitie of mans life in changing of light and darkenes chap. 35 Page 166 Of the eclipses of the sunne and moone and of the image which we haue therein of the constancie which is in God and of the inconstancie of men and of humane things chap. 36 Page 171 Of the beginning of naturall and corruptible things chap. 37 Page 176 Of the elements and of things to be considered in them in that they are distinguished by the number of fower chap. 38 Page 180 Of the opinion of those who admit but three elements not acknowledging the elementarie fire chap. 39 Page 185 Of the perfect compositions which are in the nature of all things by which the fower elements may be considered chap 40 The sixt daies worke Page 189 OF the agreement betwixt the elements and planets chapter 41 Page 195 Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the windes cha 42 Page 199 Of thunder and lightning chap. 43 Page 203 Of the true Meteors of Christians and of the supernaturall causes of thunder and lightning chap. 44 Page 208 Of snowes mists frosts frosts yce and haile chap. 45 Page 212 Of comets chap. 46 Page 216 Of cloudes and vapours chap. 47 Page 221 Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the rainebow chap. 48 The seuenth daies worke Page 226 OF dewes and raine chap. 49 Page 230 Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein chap. 50 Page 234 Of the windes and of their kindes and names and of the testimonies which we haue in them of the power and maiestie of God chapter 51 Page 239 Of the fowles of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde fowle chap. 52 Page 243 Of singing birdes and chiefly of the Nightingale and of sundrie others and of their wit and industrie chap. 53 Page 247 Of the Estridge of the Peacocke of the Cocke and of other fowles chap. 54 Page 251 Of the earth and of the situation immobilitie figure and qualitie thereof chap. 55 Page 255 Of earth-quakes chap. 56 The eight daies worke Page 261 OF the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth chap. 57 Page 265 Of the flowing and ebbing of the sea and of the power that the moone hath ouer it and ouer all other inferior bodies chap. 58 Page 269 Of salt fresh and warme waters and of other diuersities in them chapter 59 Page 274 Of the commodities which men reape of the waters by Nauigation and of the directions which sea-men doe receiue from heauen and from the starres vpon the sea chap. 60 Page 278 Of the diuision of lands and countries amongst men by the waters and of the limits which are appointed them for the bounds of their habitation chap. 61 Page 283 Of the commodities which are incident to men and to all creatures by the course of the waters thorough the earth chap. 62 Page 287 Of diuers kindes of fishes namely of the whale of the dolphin of the sea-calfe and others chap. 63 Page 291 Of the image that we haue of the state of this world and of men in the sea and in the fishes thereof chap. 64 The ninth daies worke Page 295 OF fruits and of the fertilitie of the earth and the causes thereof and of herbes trees and plants chap. 65 Page 299 Of the vertue that herbes and other fruits of the earth haue in phisick and in food and of the true vse of them chap. 66 Page 304 Of the diuersitie of plants and of their difference and naturall growth and of their parts of the most excellent amongst them chapter 67 Page 308 Of trees and especiallie of the pine the fir-tree the cypress tree and the cedar chap. 68 Page 313 Of trees bearing cinnamom cassia franckincense mirrh and cloues chap. 69 Page 318 Of trees and plants that beare nutmegs ginger and pepper chapter 70 Page 321 Of the date-tree of the Baratha or tree of India of the Gehuph and of brasill chap. 71 Page 326 Of the citron-tree limon-tree orange-tree oliue-tree and pomegranate-tree chap. 72 The tenth daies worke Page 331 OF mallowes wilde-mallowes purple-violets betonie ceterach and Saint Iohns-wort
propertie of things correspondent with their said effects Of the names of the twelue signes and the causes thereof The first signe is nominated Aries bicause that the Sunne then beginneth to approch to the highest point and the heate thereof doth increase which mixing with the humiditie that the precedent winter had brought in maketh the temperature of the aire hot and moist which agreeth with the nature of a ram The second signe is called Taurus bicause that when the sunne is therein the heate fortifieth it selfe and consumeth the moisture so that the temperature of the aire tendeth somewhat to drinesse which seemeth very answerable to the nature of the bull which is of greater power then that of sheepe The third signe is named Gemini bicause the Sunne being therein hath his heat redoubled and amongst all kindes of beastes the males and females haue naturall copulation two and two togither to ingender one like themselues and to continue their kinde The fourth signe is said to be Cancer for euen as the crab goeth backward so the sunne entring into this signe retireth backe towardes the Equinoctiall from whence he came making his declinations contrarie to those of Gemini The fift signe is called Leo bicause the sunne being therein by the redoubling of his beames the heate is strong and drinesse great euen as the lion is a puissant beast of hot and drie nature The sixt signe is named Virgo for as the virgine is a weake creature and of her selfe barren so the sunne being in this signe the heate diminisheth and drinesse ruleth whereby the production of things ceaseth and the earth becommeth barren The seuenth signe hath to name Libra bicause the disposition of the aire is then in ballance betweene the wasted heate and new-begun coldnes and bicause also the sunne being in this signe the daies and nights are in ballance betweene the decreasing of the one and increasing of the other The eight is called Scorpio bicause that then the colde ruling with drinesse are great enimies to nature and doe corrupt the aire which hath the proper qualitie of hot and moist whereupon ensue plagues and other dangerous diseases which surprise the creature like the venome of a scorpion which lies in his taile and is engendred of corruption The ninth signe is named Sagittarius for the sunne being in it the too much weakened heate is surmounted by cold whereupon there ensue fogs and frosts and other alterations of the aire as hurtfull to creatures as enuenomed arrowes The tenth signe is nominated Capricornus bicause that the sunne entring thereinto is the farthest that all the yeere it can be from the verticall point so that by rigour of the colde mixed with drinesse which hath then full domination as also by reason of the debilitie of heate the disposition of the aire is melancholie retaining the nature of a goate The eleuenth signe is signified by Aquarius bicause then the drinesse is surmounted by the moisture now beginning the cold neuerthelesse remaining wherefore the aire is cold and moist like water and disposed to snowes and raine The twelfth and last signe is Pisces bicause as fishes are colde and moist following naturally the water hauing yet some little naturall heate euen so is the temperature of the aire then cold and moist hauing yet some heate growing by the approch of the sunne to the vernall Equinoctiall point so that the cold diminisheth And thus much concerning the signes of the Zodiacke and the names to them ascribed for which cause the fixed starres which are in this circle and comprised within the said signes both of the one side and on the other haue been painted according to the fashion of the saide beasts and their influence iudged from the causes by vs here declared and not that the said signes haue taken their names of the nature and disposition of the said starres And by this consideration of the propertie of each signe in the Zodiacke we learne that by the introduction of one qualitie ensueth the expulsion of the contrarie and by the augmentation of the one the decrease of the other Which must onely be vnderstood concerning the qualities happening in the aire by the radiation of the sunne onely being strong meane and weake and the disposition of inferiour things without comprising therein the other constellations and aspects of the planets changing greatly altering the said disposition of the aire neither doe we touch the opinions of professors of iudiciall Astrologie who for other reasons and principles of the said arte attribute to the same signes other qualities then those that we haue expressed But from them wee may extract fower triplicities which make the twelue signes correspond with the fower elements to wit Gemini Cancer Leo with the fire Pisces Aries and Taurus with the aire Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius with water and Virgo Libra and Scorpio with earth Now must we pursue our purpose concerning the circles of the sphere as well great as small mooueable as immooueable the treatise whereof ACHITOB I referre to you Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles Chap. 20. ACHITOB. BEsides the two principall mooueable circles which haue beene declared vnto vs in the precedent speech there are also demonstrated in the sphere two other great circles whereof one passeth by the Equinoctiall points and the other by the Solstists or sunsteads and poles of the Zodiacke and both by the poles of the world where they are diuided into three angles And by this meanes they part as well the Equinoctiall as the Zodiacke into fower parts the parts whereof answere togither in iust and equall proportion Of two circles called Colures These two circles haue to name Colures that is to say vnperfect because they haue an vnperfect reuolution in turning with the sphere vpon the points of their circumference and not about their proper poles like other circles One of them then is called the Equinoctiall colure and the other the Solstitial colure And the one passeth by the circle of the Zodiacke at the beginning of the signes Aries Libra which are the Equinoctiall signes and the other at the beginning of the signes Cancer and Capricorne which are the Solstitiall signes And it is to be noted that the arck of the Solstitiall Colure comprised betweene the Equinoctiall and one of the Solstists is the measure of the greatest declination of the Sunne which must of necessitie be equall to the arck of that Colure which is betweene one of the poles of the world and the next pole of the Zodiacke For by how much one greater circle declineth from another by so much the poles of the one are distant from the poles of the other because all greater circles are equall and haue one common center and do equally part themselues and likewise their declination is iust in the midst of their cuttings or intersections We must
also consider in the sphere fower principall lesser and mooueable circles whereof the two first doe limit out the whole obliquenes of the Zodiacke and the declination thereof from the Equinoctiall as also the conuersions of the Sunne towards it And these circles are nominated Tropickes Of the two tropick◠that is turning or conuertiue because they passe by the two Solstists of the Zodiacke That then which passeth by the first point of Cancer which is the Sommer-Solstice is called the Tropicke of Cancer or sommer-Tropick and that which passeth by the first point of Capricorne or winter-solstice is named the winter-Tropicke or Tropicke of Capricorne being therefore one equall to another because they are equally distant from the Equinoctiall For the two other lesser circles Of the two polary circles they are those which be described about the poles of the world by the poles of the zodiack limiting the deuiation or distance of the said poles and for this cause they are called polarie-circles and do retaine the names of the Poles of the world For one is named the North or Arcticke-circle and the other the South or Antarcticke-circle being also equall one to another by the same reason as is vnderstood of the Tropicks And you must note that these said fower lesser circles do diuide the whole sphere into fiue parts or principall regions commonly called Zones whereto as many parts or diuers regions answere vpon the terrestriall globe Of the fiue zones of the world which Zones are different as well in figure and greatnes as also in nature or accidental disposition caused chiefly by the radiation of the sunne The first then of these fiue parts or regions of the sphere is comprehended betweene the two Tropicks diuided by the Equinoctial in the midst for which cause it is the most ample of all the rest The two extremest and smallest are comprised about the poles of the world within the Arcticke and Antarticke circles wherefore the one is called the North and the other the South Zone And the other two are meanes betweene the greatest which is middlemost and the two extremest or least which are about the poles of the world being larger towards the two Tropickes then towards the polary circles which togither are the boūds of them And among these fiue Zones which enuiron the earth some parts of them are become habitable Of the causes which make some parts of the earth habitable and others not and others not by meanes of the diuers effects caused by the sunne For the meane region about the equinoctial is for three causes temperate First because the sun being vnder or about the said Equinoctiall it maketh a greater circuit in the Vniuersall motion of the whole world and runs faster away for which cause his heat maketh not so great impression vpon the earth Secondly because it passeth suddenly from the South to the North part by reason of the transuers disposition of the Zodiacke about the Equinoctiall And thirdly because the daies are there equall with the nights whereby the heate of the one is tempered by the coldnes of the other But about the Tropicks the heat is excessiue in Sommer First because the sunne is then in those stations wherein his shining endureth longer vpon the earth and by reason also that he performeth lesse compasse and passeth slowly away whereby his heat taketh more deepe impression And besides all this the daies are longer then the nights in such sort that the heat of the one surmounteth the cold of the other For the two polarie regions and the circumiacent parts it is manifest that they are far out of the funs way whereof ensueth that by the too much oblique radiation thereof heat is there exceeding feeble and cold great and intollerable Finally in the midst or about the two other foresaide regions betweene the Equinoctiall and poles of the world the disposition of the aire is temperate as well by reason of the commixture of the heate which is about the Tropicks and the cold which is about the polarie circles as bicause of the meane radiation of the sunne that is to say neither too direct nor too oblique So then the middle Zone comprised betweene the two Tropicks is temperate about the midst intemperate through excessiue heate about the extremities thereof whereupon it is in this part called the Torrid-zone bicause the sun doth alwaies turne about it And the two polarie and extreme regions are perpetually intemperate through colde And the two meanes are temperate about the midst and in one extreme thereof intemperate with heate and in the other with cold But thereof followes not that all intemperate places should be inhabitable but onely very hard and difficult to dwell in Hitherto hath our talke been concerning the principall and mooueable circles of the sphere Of immooueable circles and first of the Horizon now let vs intreate of the immooueable Euen then as the Zodiack Equinoctiall are the two chiefest amongst the mooueable circles so are the Horizon and Meridian amongst the immooueable By the Horizon is meant a great circle imagined in heauen which diuideth that halfe of heauen which is seene from that halfe which is not seene that is which parteth the Hemisphere vnder vs from that which is aboue vs. And to this same circle one of the poles is alwaies the verticall point and the other pole is the point opposite Wherefore by how much each place hath his point higher by so much doth the Horizon of each place differ for there are so many Horizons as there be particular places And therfore the Horizon of those which haue the verticall point that is the point which is right ouer head vnder the Equinoctiall is named the right Horizon bicause it must needes passe by the poles of the world and diuideth the Equinoctiall at right angles one equall to another Whereupon it is also called a right sphere bicause it seemeth to bee rightly placed in respect of that Horizon and the starres to make their motion directly by the vniuersall motion of the sphere But the Horizon of those whose zenith is out of the Equinoctiall towards the one or other pole of the world is called oblique bicause that one of the poles to wit that which the verticall point is next to is eleuated aboue the said Horizon and the other pole is so much depressed vnder the same which for this occasion doth diuide the Equinoctiall at oblique angles vnequal one to another Wherefore also the sphere is said to be oblique bicause it is obliquely placed in respect of the said Horizon and the starres turne obliquely in the vniuersall motion And therefore it is euident that all direct Horizons are of one selfesame disposition but amongst the oblique there are as many differences of obliquitie as are distances betweene the verticall point and the Equinoctiall or as the eleuation of the pole is diuers aboue them For the Meridian it is a great circle
indeed Plato commaunded to be chased out of the cōmonweale But to returne to our purpose it is most euident that these ancient Poets great Philosophers Diuines do testifie that Saturne is an happie and willing planet And in so much as they accuse him for deuouring all his children except fowre they themselues interpret that of Time by which indeed he consumeth all things except the fowre elements which still remaine because that out of them and into them all nature is changed And thereof it commeth that they so call them to wit the fire Iupiter the aire Iuno the water Neptune and the earth Pluto Moreouer if wee will in excuse of Saturne consider the cause of the malice which commonly Astronomers attribute vnto him From whence the euils do proceed which are attributed to Saturne it is certaine that the euils wherewith they accuse him proceed from his cold and drie nature by which hee seemeth to fauour melancholie whose propertie is to oppresse and stop the desiring power and naturall loue whose seate is hot and moist And in that they separate Saturne from humane societie we must vnderstand that this is not the planet which properly they meane but rather the childe disposed to such complexion and disposition partly through the influence of the starres partlie through his birth and seed of the parents or the place of his generation or of his foode and partly also through the disposition which he may get by nurture and manners and especially if the saide planet ruling in the natiuitie of the childe The meanes to correct all euill influences it bee inuaded with the drines of Mars and coldnes of the Moone But yet one may correct euery such euill influence For the childe increasing in yeeres and iudgement may addict himselfe to studie and contemplation of high and diuine things which are the delights of him who leadeth a solitarie life and doubtlesse hee shall perceiue that Saturne is not euill but doth rather fauour him with a good influence And if any finde himselfe heauie by reason of his Saturnine cōplexion Matth. 5. let him meditate on that which is written Blessed are they which mourne if hee bee pensiue or silent let him harken to that which is said Marie hath chosen the good part if he haue desire to store vp riches let him lay vp in heauen For so may he easily correct euery euil inclination which he shall naturally haue And as much may we speake of him who shal be stirred vp with the inflāmation of Mars For if the Martial choler maketh him hastie and subiect to anger let him not vse it against the poore and little ones but to represse vices For as golden Chrysostome saith Where there is no wrath nor indignation there science profiteth nothing the iudgements are not constant and crimes are not corrected Let then warres murders boldnes magnanimitie spoiles captiuities flights violences and such like be exercised against the enemies of God and for the publike peace and then this Mars will not be euill Nomb. 25. but rather numbred amongst the saints and seruants of God with Phineas sonne of Eleasar commended for his zeale and with Dauid who fought the battels of the Almightie But if among warriors there happen deceit periurie frauds temeritie furie man-slaughters thefts and such mischiefes all this commeth to passe bicause the rule of reason is broken And then this gate being open the winds of passions whiske out and blow violently like a great tempest But so long as they remaine vnder the commandement of Eolus to wit so long as reason duly gouerneth euery violent motion proceeding from Martiall choler is easily moderated and turneth to profit The like must be iudged of Venus who is saide to induce men to a lustfull and lasciuious desire For if we gouerne well the concupiscence or appetite heated by this planet the sunne and Mars thereto ministring feruor thereupon woulde ensue a good loue inflamed towards God and our neighbor So then we may conclude our speech that men do wrongfully complaine of their nature or the influence of the starres when they should rather accuse the peruersnes of their il-inclined wil which causeth their voluntarie sinne as in the second part of our Academie we haue related But this will be more cleere vnto vs if we consider how the stars worke in man not in constraining but disposing which ARAM shall be the subiect of your speech Of the planets in generall and how they worke in man not in constraining but disposing Chap. 31. ARAM. MAny holding opinion that we obtaine nothing by the influence of the stars doe reiect the doctrine of Astrologians as absurde and altogither differing from philosophie And amongst other reasons they alledge that there haue been many graue philosophers who haue applied their care and diligence to search out the causes of things borrowing their knowledge from phisicke from the Mathematicks and from many other arts and sciences and yet neuer looked after the causes in astrologie namely Pythagoras Plato Aristotle Plotin Auicen Auerrois Hippocrates and others the most renowmed ancient authors But one may answere them that as it was forbidden by the Mosaicall lawe that any should reape his field all throughout Leuit. 19. 23. but should leaue some corner for the poore and needfull whereof they might make bundles and fardles to sustaine themselues and appease their hunger so it may be that the former philosophers haue left to their posteritie in the spatious field of the secrets of nature ynough for others to gather and to search out after them And indeede if any one should set himselfe against vs saying Saint Augustine Ambrose Ierome Origen Damascene and other doctors both Hebrues Greekes and Latines haue with most diligent labour sounded the sense of the scriptures without touching that which now you doe wherefore that which you say is not true What could this conclude against vs For it is a common thing in schooles that nothing is concluded of pure negatiues Nothing concluded by denying And the Sages cōdemne not that which any one hath found out for excellent by the subtiltie of his owne wit though it neuer before had been touched by others Wherefore no man is to be condemned if he make a farther search of causes then many ancient philosophers haue done who would not passe the bounds of the elementarie nature being contented to sound the causes by the power and qualities of these inferior bodies as many of our age doe whose theoricke and practick doth too much faile Let vs moreouer adde that the most renowmed amongst the ancients accord in this point Inferior things draw fauour from the superior That the inferior things and such as are called naturall doe drawe to them the fauor of the superior and celestiall rather by one aspect then by another Which skil is holden excellent to be knowne But for the Peripatetickes who abased in their sensible obiects content themselues with the
wanteth fastnes clearnes and waight which makes this mettall vnperfect and impure And Iron is procreated of the same quicksiluer impure tough part earthie and burnt white and not cleere which maketh this mettall base and foule failing in purenes and in waight All which mettals being made of quicksiluer which is waterie doe for this cause retaine the nature of the water To this author accordeth Auicen in his Phisickes and in the epistle to Hazem the philosopher But Gilgil the Spanyard supposed that mettals had been engendred of cinders bicause they sinke in water and melt like the glasse which is drawne from terrestriall-cinders and beaten stone But this concludeth not for mettall sinketh and descendeth by reason of that terrestriall part which it hath incorporated with the liquid part and bicause that the pores which retaine the aire are closed and shut vp And for glasse it is not extracted out of the earthie matter but out of the radicall moisture which is within the cinders and stones For in euery compound are the fower elements though the nature of one hath more domination therein For this cause likewise plants are founded vpon the third angle of the world called airie Concord of the plants with the aire for they doe not growe nor fructifie but in open day and doe properly retaine the nature of the aire which they alwaies require as being fittest and aptest for them Yea the wood it selfe would presently corrupt and rot being depriued of the aire if the watrie humor doe not succour it which participateth with the aire Finally vpon the fourth angle of this fower-faced edifice to wit Animals accord with the fire vpon the fire is the liuing sensitiue creature built whose life as many learned doe teach is by meanes of fire and obtained from the Empyreall heauen and from the spirit of life which is a quickning fire and distributeth life to all the mundane wheeles as we may learne by the oracles of Ezechiel saying Ezech. 1. And the spirit of life was in the wheeles Behold then how vpon the fower bases of the elements are planted fower sorts of perfect compounds to wit stones mettals plants and liuing creatures True it is that vnder euery vniuersall kinde of these there are diuers particular species distinct the one from the other for although stones may be properly earthie yet are they sometimes nominated of some other element which most preuaileth in their composition For doubtlesse all the elements doe meete togither in the procreation of them but chiefly earth and water Whereupon obscure and thicke-darke stones are called earthie-stones and cleere transparent stones waterie Diuersitie of the nature of stones and some also are melted by a great fire to be turned into glasse Some also with raine falling drop by drop are engendred in the shels of oisters as those pearles which are found in the Indian and Britaine seas The chrystal and Beryll are made of water frozen voide of pores or subtile passages so that they can neither receiue heate nor be melted It appeereth also that there is fire in the composition of stones which likewise is forced out of the flint being stroken with a gad of steele To which purpose Hermes amongst his secrets teacheth that a stone doth sometimes spring out of the fire mounting from earth to heauen and then againe returning to the earth that nourished it For mettals likewise Diuersitie of the mettals though they be waterie some of them doe neuertheles retaine the nature of fire as gold and iron one of which imitateth the fire of the sunne and the other the fire of Mars But tinne and copper are airie this receiuing influence from Venus that from Iupiter Siluer agreeth with the moone Lead with Saturne quicksiluer with Mercurie and yet all of them are endued with a waterie nature wil melt and doe differ in waight For as one water doth differ in waight from another so doth mettall from mettall not onely in speciall but also in vndiuisible proportion For common gold differeth in waight from that which the Latines call Obrysum or else Ofiryzum of the Hebrue word Ofir which we call fine golde and which hath been oftentimes purged and refined in the fire and wasteth not therein The gold of Tharsis also doth differ from the gold of India and Hungarie and so of others So likewise doe waters differ in goodnes and in waight according to the region and place wherein they are and by how much they are neerer to the fountaine by so much are they better and lighter And by their waight as Vitruuius will haue it one may knowe the goodnes of the aire according to which he willeth men to choose out places to build houses in Concerning plants although they may be by nature airie A different propertie of the plants yet there are some whose rootes iuice leaues and blossomes are said to be hot in the first second third or fourth degree and others are cold and drie some also are moist which diuersitie happeneth according as the plant obtaineth more or lesse of the nature of one of the elements Diuersitie of nature in animalibus The like is of liuing creatures For though they may properly be said to be of the nature of fire yet are there some which being more earthie delight in the earth as mowles woormes and commonly all creeping things Likewise all fishes are nourished by the water the chameleon by the aire the salamander by fire as some affirme bicause that he long time indureth fire through his excessiue coldnes There are some also which burne with great heate as doues and lions some are cooled with moisture as the lambe and some are dry as hares and deere But neuerthelesse in regarde of their life they are all especially of the nature of fire distinguished by degrees wherefore diuers names haue beene assigned to them being borrowed from the elements or from their qualities Of the celestiall and supercelestiall elements And besides all this which we haue heere discoursed concerning the elements which may bee found in the perfectly compounded substances of this elementarie world many learned men affirme that they are also resident in the celestiall and supercelestiall world But that as they are heere thicke and grosse so by a contrary reason they are pure and cleane in heauen and in it liuing and euery where well doing They say then that these celestiall elements are as the woorthiest excellent portion of those which subsist vnder the moones-sphere in the second degree and which remaine also in the bowels of the earth as the most base and grosse lees of the elements And that in heauen they are certaine vertues or powers and in nature the seedes of things and in the world below grosse formes For as they argue if there were no elementarie powers in heauen how then by the celestiall influences should these elements heere below be engendred and transformed in such sort as that which
now is aire may be conuerted into raine the water exhaled into aire the earth turned into wood which nourisheth the fire and from the wood riseth aire and ashes fal which is earth For these causes also it is very likely that the Astronomers distinguish the signes of the Zodiack and the Planets by the elements attributing three signes to euery of them as we haue already declared But we shal finde enough to content vs concerning this matter when we discourse particularly as touching the firme concord which remaineth betwixt the terrestriall elements and the Planets Which AMANA let be the subiect of your morrow speech The end of the fift day THE SIXT DAIES WORKE Of the agreement betwixt the Elements and the Planets Chap. 41. ASER. AS the celestiall spheres doe follow that vniuersall common course which the first heauen that containeth and encloseth them all doth begin beside the motions that are proper peculiar to each of thē as we haue alreadie heeretofore declared so must we in like sort note that the elements do follow the heauens obserue an order after them euery one in his degree hauing their motions also agreeable to their nature And that likewise there is betwixt them and the celestiall bodies a certaine accord and answerablenes of powers and qualities aptly proportioned by degrees euen as is found in all creatures compounded of them We will then first entreat of this agreement betwixt the elements and the heauens Agreeablenes of the earth with the moone beginning with the earth which is correspondent to the moone in diuers respects For as the earth draweth the water to it and soketh it vp in such sort that it is numbred by the Sages amongst those things which are neuer satisfied to wit with water so doth the moone with a perpetuall attraction draw the water making it sometimes to rise to wit when from the orientall Horizon she cōmeth to the midst of heauen from whence descending to the occidentall Horizon she carieth it away with her with such violence that it seemeth to flie from vs. Againe when the moone runneth in the point opposite to the midde heauen she draweth the water away with her then returning againe to the easterne Horizon she causeth it to follow after her in like sort When she encreaseth also she draweth vp the humors in trees and mens bodies when she waineth she chaseth them downe Againe the earth and moone do agree in the first qualities of cold and drie wherewith the earth is actually and the moone operatiuely replenished which also according to her nature being somewhat terrestriall doth suppe vp the celestiall waters and all the influences of the bodies aboue her which as neerest to vs she doth communicate with vs. For she receiueth from the other planets and principally from the sunne that which she distributeth heere below And therefore Plato in his Banquet saith The moone and earth singular in variety That the moone participateth with the sunne and with the earth Moreouer the moone is singular in varietie whence it commeth to passe that one while she is crooked with hornes another time diuided into equall proportions or halues then being full round she is here and there bespotted somtimes she seemeth vnmeasurably great in hir round fulnesse presently after she appeereth very small now she sheweth very faire towards the north afterwards againe she is couched in the south so within a few daies she submitteth hir selfe to coniunction and by and by is she full and big presently after she is deliuered of the fruit which she had conceiued Now in this great changeablenes the moone doth shew vs that the earth is like vnto hir For now being disrobed of hir ornaments she appeereth blacke afterwards being painted and adorned with herbes and flowers she seemeth very faire One part thereof is stonie another part is marish In one place it is leane in another place fat here abased in vallies there lift vp in mountaines here fertile yonder barren One part is checkered with diuers spots this red that blacke one white another browne One portion is close and clammie another thinne and sandie Moreouer the earth is sometimes void and emptie and then she receiueth the coniunction of the planets whereby in short space being filled she bringeth foorth fruit So then the moone amongst the stars and the earth amongst the elements doe agree in many particulars Now as touching the water The water correspondent to mercury it seemeth to be answerable to Mercurie and to Saturne also For the order of the planets and the correspondencie which they haue to things here belowe did require that next after the earthly moone waterie Mercurie should be situate whome poets haue named the Arbiter or vmpier of the waters then followeth next airie Venus and after hir the sunne which is of the nature of fire Then againe Mars participating of the same force hath his seate next aboue the sunne airian Iupiter aboue Mars waterish Saturne ouer Iupiter and the signe-bearing heauen aboue Saturne as answering to the earth then higher againe is the first mooueable of the nature of fire It is certaine that the nature of Mercurie is by so much more hard to be deciphered by how much his starre is more hidden and harde to be seene and that very seldome too And therefore doe Astronomers affirme that his influent power is secrete by reason that hee easily accepting the nature of the planet wherewith hee is conioyned or of the signe wherein hee is resident seemeth to operate not according to his owne proper nature but as the executor of the influence of another Whereupon he is by them nominated Hermes to signifie that he is as it were interpretor of the other stars intendements For by the testimonie of Ptolemie he drieth vp being with the Sunne he cooleth with the Moone hee fauoureth the vnderstanding with Saturne he bestoweth aduise policie in warlike affaires where stoutnes is required with Mars and conioyned to Venus he engendreth the * One that is of both sexes Anerogyne or Hermaphrodite which must be vnderstood concerning him who exerciseth subtiltie of wit which he receiueth from Mercurie in the second Venus which is disordinate For such a man is effeminate retayning the propertie of both sexes So that Mercurie agreeing with the reasonable discourse and fauouring the same as he is turned towards the superiour stars or else towards the inferiour he likewise produceth diuers effects in so much that his propertie cannot easily be comprehended And yet may he verie aptly be said to be of the nature of water as many Philosophers are of opinion considering that the order of the planets requireth to obserue the harmonie and league of things heere below with those aboue that he should be watrie Moreouer as water doth in washing take away the spot that couereth in such sort that the naked bare forme doth appeere so Mercurie contributing fauour to the promptnes and subtiltie of mens wits
is to them as an interpreter taking away the vaile from strange languages obscurenes from riddles and parables and difficultie from euerie profound and mysticall speech and opening that which is shut vp in the secret cabinets of God and nature presenteth the naked truth to be contemplated Neither must we thinke that the starre of Mercurie performeth this but so far as it may operate in bodies by disposing or else as an instrument of the diuine omnipotency as we haue heretofore declared Concordance of the aire with Venus Let vs now speake of the aire It seemeth to be answerable in nature to Venus which is hot and moist And by the foresaid order of the planets succession in course that it must be referred to Iupiter For this cause the Astronomers haue dedicated to Venus the airie liuing creatures For euen as the aire winde coupleth and conioyneth things seuered so doth the Venerian power whereupon we will note that the Academicks taught how that there were two Venuses the one Etherian and the other Aërian the highest cleanest chasteth and most temperate according with Iupiter and conioyning the superiour diuine and spirituall things the lowest most disordinate slipperie variable and lasciuious which conioyneth in lust the creatures here below Of this Venus so many ribauldries are sung by wanton Poets because she is cause of all euill euen as the other is cause of all good To which speech the saying of Saint Augustine hath relation namely that two loues haue made two cities For the well disposed and good loue of God and the loue of one neighbour to the despising of ones selfe hath edified the citie of God But the peruerse loue of ones selfe to the forgetting of God hath reared vp the citie of the diuell Moreouer the Grammarians deliuer this reason why the power of this starre is called Venus because it doth concur in all things be they good or euill And surely all is filled with loue and nothing is void thereof as all things are full of aire which filleth the naturall appetite that abhorreth emptines By loue saith Boëtius are the heauens conioyned and the elements agree with bodies compounde Through it creatures dwell together the citie is preserued and the common wealth increased Through loue God made the world and doth gouerne it and the summe of all that which he requireth of vs is loue Saint Denis in his Hierarchie speaketh thus The loue of God hath not permitted that the king of all things should remaine in himselfe without fruit And as through loue he is spread abroad in all things without himselfe so hee delighteth to attract all things to himselfe and principally man in whom all is enclosed And therefore when he shall be vnited with God euen so shall all other things be Whether then that we speake of diuine or angelicall or spirituall or quickning or naturall loue we meane a power engraffed and conioyning which mooueth the superiour things to prouidence and care for the good of the inferiour disposeth equall things in a sociable communion and in fine admonisheth inferiour things that they turne themselues to those that are better and superiour Thus speaketh this great Doctor and Philosopher But let vs pursue the subiect of our discourse We haue declared that the Academicks haue taught a double Venus The like may be said of the Aire for we consider it in two parts the one thicke and foggie which is next the earth and the other pure and aetherian next vnto the stars which being heated by force of the winde which mixeth it selfe in all things seemeth to be verie fit for the propagation and maintenance of nature for which reason also the winde and the aire are called by one name of the Hebrewes who call all things according to their properties Finally the elementarie fire is answerable to the Sunne That the fire agreeth with the sunne and to Mars who are both of the nature of fire For as the Sunne is the true and celestiall fire boyling all that which appertaineth to the viands of this great animall the world so this elementarie fire causing all things to boyle by his great heat doth perfect the nourishment of creatures liuing in the earth Both the one and other fire heateth but this driuing the humours inward and the other drawing them out This imparteth his commoditie to that onely which is neere it but the superiour bestoweth his vertue vpon the farthest remote bodies in such sort that the force of his beames pierceth euen to the bowels of the earth where it boyleth and maketh mettals which afterward the elementarie fire purgeth Moreouer as Apollo so named as of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a priuatiue letter in composition and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth multitude as being he who alone contayneth the power of the heauens and of the starres or else because that his vertue and power consisteth of many fires by which he giueth light to all the stars whose naturall vigour produceth not their effects till such time as they bee filled with the powerfull seed of this faire Phebus who is so called of his beauty amiablenes which shineth in him as he is also named Sol as soly-shining or else by a name amongst the Hebrewes which one may interpret That which properly doth subsist because that the light and benefit thereof is proper and peculiar vnto him As this faire planet I say was acknowledged by the ancient Poets and Philosophers for the inuentor of phisicke because of the quickning heat well disposing power thereof so the fire heere beneath doth aptly patterne him by reason that heating the cold frozen creatures it doth in a manner restore their life vnto them So it is heate that giueth life and fruitfulnes For egges are not conuerted into chickens nor the silkeworme into a butterflie neither do plants grow nor yet are liuing creatures nourished and warmed except either by the superior or by the quickning or by the elementarie heat which by a certaine sympathie do seeme to bee of one selfesame kinde as it were through a correspondencie Yea the fire is so fruitefull that it engendreth it selfe and giueth power to other naturall things to engender not by the heate thereof onely but by the force of the light which it receiueth from him who hath said Genes 1. I am the light of the world Wherefore Moses being desirous to make manifest that all things had beene produced by the benefite of the light after that the matter which he calleth earth turned out of darknes was made he saith that presently the light was created as that by meanes of which life and forme must be giuen to all things and aptnes to be seene Which vitall vigor did no doubt consist in the diuine fire which is called the spirit of life the which resting vpon the face of the waters infused into all things the life and the formes by which euery thing might be discerned from other But
let vs now returne to our elementarie world and particularly behold the nature of the fower elements and of things engendred in them and by them Then haue we enough to stand vpon for the common opinion of those who establish this number of fower in that which hath beene already declared and now also in this discourse Let vs first then AMANA heare you discourse of the fire and of the aire and of their maruailous effects Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the Windes Chap. 42. AMANA MAny Philosophers doe diuide all that which subsisteth vnder the concaue of the Moone into three parts one of which they call the highest the other the middle and the third the lowest part The highest they place aboue the middle region of the aire and make as it were the same element partaker with the most pure fire which the ancients nominated Aether because that there the elements are pure subtile thin rare and for that the aire there is very temperate and cleere agreeing with the nature of heauen as to the contrarie in the lower part which is that where we inhabite there is not any sincere element for a sensible element is not pure but all things are there compounded and mixed with the muddie and grosse part of this mundane bodie And concerning the middle region of the aire it is that verie place where the meteors and high impressions do appeere So then aboue the elements are pure beneath the perfect composed bodies do faile by reason of their mixture of the elementary simplicitie in the middle they compound themselues vnperfectly in such sort that one may say that they possesse the middle place betwixt the nature of the elements and of things compounded Now as we haue said before and as the common saying of people is the heauen is often taken for this supreme and middle region of the aire and for the things which are to them conioined and do depend vpon their effects Of the things conioyned and depending vpon the effectes of the fire and of the aire So that in this regard we may vnderstand first two of the fower elements to wit the aire and the fire then all things ingendred in them and by them as windes thunders lightnings haile whirle-windes cloudes Psal 8. Matth. 6. Luke 8. tempests raine dewes frosts snowes and all kinds of fire and such like which arise and appeere in the aire And therein we may also comprise all the creatures which conuerse in it as birds and all creatures that flie euen as the holy Scripture teacheth vs when it maketh mention of the birds of heauen Now the element of fire is knowne to haue his place neerest to the moone being by nature hot and dry and is for this cause lightest hauing his motion quicker then all the elements bicause that lightnes and quicknes is proper to these two qualities heat and drines and therefore also the propertie thereof is to mount alwaies vpwards Of the proper nature of the fire and of the aire vntill that it hath attained to the place destinated vnto it being most conuenient for the nature thereof and which ioineth next vnto the spheres Next the fire the aire possesseth the second place and agreeth in nature with the fire in that it is hot but is contrarie thereto in that it is also moist And therefore the motion thereof followeth that of the fire but it is not so light and quicke by reason of the humiditie which maketh it more heauie and slow That the aire is alwaies mooued And yet it appeereth that it is alwaies mooued bicause that in narrow places small winds doe blow without ceasing For considering that the aire hath the motion thereof tending alwaies vpwards and that it is continually mooued vp and downe it bloweth in a great space very gently but passing through a creuisse or streight place all the violence thereof being drawne togither by reason of the narrownes of the place driueth out flieth vehemently vpon vs after the maner of the waters of great flouds which when it seemeth that they can scarce flowe being vrged through a narrow place or through sluces are constrained to runne out by much force with noise and roring Moreouer according as the aire is mooued either by the heate of the sunne or by the vapors and exhalations which this heat causeth to rise out of the waters and out of the earth or by the waues of the sea or by the caues of the earth and such like causes What winde is we perceiue the aire diuersly agitated For we must note that the windes are nothing else but the aire which is mooued and driuen more violently then ordinarie and which hath his motion more sodaine more violent and strong being driuen and pressed forwards according as the causes are more great or small and according to the places from whence they proceed And this is the reason why the aire is sometimes so peaceable that one cannot feele so much as one onely small puffe of winde but it is as calme as the sea when it is not tossed with any winde or tempest As is euident by those vanes and weathercocks which are set in the tops of turrets and houses for when the winde bloweth not their plates are nothing mooued and yet the aire doth neuer faile to blowe by reason of the perpetuall motion thereof but insomuch as it is not hoised vp and downe it passeth and flieth lightly away without any noise or bruite towards that part whereto we see the point of the vane enclined Of the diuersity of the windes and of the order and boundes of them Sometimes also one may feele some small pleasant and gentle winde to blowe without any violence which is very delectable recreatiue and profitable not onely in regard of men and other liuing things but in respect also of all the fruits of the earth At another time likewise the violence of the windes is so great that it raiseth vp whirle-windes stormes and tempestes which driue the aire with such fury and roughnes that it seemeth they would ouerthrow and confound heauen and earth togither beating downe and carying away all that is before them like a great deluge and water-floud which beareth away with it all that it meets with But though one may suppose so during such tempests yet the course of the windes are not so confused but that all of them obserue their order and certaine places out of which they issue and proceed and their bounds likewise whereat they stay and wherein they are confined as the element of which they are engendred And therefore by experience we see that they follow the course of the Sunne and that they are distributed and disposed according to all the partes of the world as we vsually diuide it hauing respect to the moouing of the spheres For as we diuide the course of the sunne and
all the regions of the earth into East West North and South so must we consider the fower principall winds which proceede out of these fower places one opposite to another Besides which there are certaine others which are called collaterall windes bicause that each of the first hath them vpon the one or other side of them so that those who haue ordinarily written concerning the windes doe appoint to the number of twelue common and ordinarie windes saying also that there are others which are proper to certaine regions and countries according to the nature of their situations and places as we may hereafter finde matter ynough thereof amply to intreat But here it will be good to touch one difficultie which may be alledged vpon our discourse Notable things in the diuersitie of the qualities of the windes and of the aire touching that which we haue said concerning the qualities of the aire For sith that it is hot and moist by nature and that the windes are nothing else but the same are mooued and puffed forwards what may be the cause that the windes doe not all of them retaine the nature of the aire For we knowe by experience that there are as many diuers qualities in the windes as in all the elements for some are hot and drie others hot and moist others moist and cold and some cold and drie Hereupon then we are to note that all creatures which subsist of a sensible and corporall nature are commonly diuided into two kindes which comprise them all The one are simple and the other compound of the first sort are the elements taken euery one alone in their proper and particular nature such as we haue already declared And all other creatures compounded of all the elements conioined togither are of the second kinde Wherefore if the elements were pure not any way mixed one with another then would each of them retaine their naturall qualities purely But bicause they are intermingled one with another they haue their qualities likewise mingled And therefore by how much the higher the aire mounteth by so much the more it is pure neat subtile and thin and by how much the lower it descendeth and approcheth the water and earth by so much the more it is grosse and thicke and partaketh more of the elements neere to which it remaineth And according as it is warmed by the heate of the sunne or by any other heate or else as it is cooled by the absence and default thereof euen so doth it become either more hot or more cold The like also may be said concerning the naturall moisture thereof For according as it is more or lesse mixed with water or neere vnto it so doth it receiue either a more moist or a more drie qualitie So therfore according to the places out of which the windes proceed issue and through which they passe they are hotter or colder drier or moisture pure or impure healthfull and holesome or pestilent and infectious yea euen stinking And for the same cause also it commeth to passe that as the diuersitie of lands and countries is disposed so winds which are felt in one place warme are in another place cold and so is it of their moisture and drines By the same reason also those that are healthfull for some are vnholesome for others and those which bring with them faire and cleere weather in one place doe in another place bring raine and tempests For the propertie of some of them is according to the countries wherein they blowe to chase away the cloudes and to make the aire cleere and the weather faire whereas others doe assemble and heape them togither Whereupon ensueth that some bring raine with them others snowe and others againe haile and tempests according as God hath ordained the causes in nature as the sequele of our discourse shall minister occasion againe to speake of Wherefore pursuing the order of our speech we will consider those things which are conioyned to the fire and aire and doe depend vpon their effects as are thunders and lightnings Whereof ARAM doe you discourse Of thunder and lightning Chapter 43. ARAM. THere is a certaine vniuersall loue and appetite in all creatures which inciteth them all to loue their owne kinde to desire it and to search after it But as their natures are diuers euen so is the loue and the appetite which is in them And therefore there are as many sortes of desires as there are diuersities of natures And thence it is that the fire and the aire doe naturally desire the highest places and doe thither tend euermore as the water and the earth doe require the lowest and doe thereto descend incessantly neither can these elements finde any stay or rest vntill they be arriued at those places which are appointed vnto them by nature And therefore what hinderance soeuer there may be yet euery thing doth alwaies seeke to returne to his naturall home and therein doth all possible endeuour Now here we are to consider the cause of thunders lightnings tempests earthquakes and such like motions and perturbations in the elements For all these things happen when the creatures which by their contraries are hindered from pursuing their owne kinde do fight with those which keepe them backe as if there were open warre betwixt them Which causeth that that which by force can make way doth at last vanquish But bicause of the resistance which there is this cannot be performed without great violence and maruellous noise from whence proceede many admirable effects and namely thunder which hath ministred occasion to many great spirits to search out the causes somewhat neerely But mens opinions as in a very deepe matter are diuers hereupon Of the causes of thunder For some maintaine that thunder is caused by the blowes and strokes that the fire maketh being inclosed within the cloudes which it cleaueth so making it selfe to appeere as is seene in lightnings Aristotle in his Meteors writeth that thunder groweth and proceedeth of hot and drie exhalations ascending out of the earth into the supreme region of the aire being there repulsed backe by the beames of the stars into the cloudes For these exhalations desiring to set themselues at libertie and to free themselues doe cause this noise which is often stopped by nature whilest they fight with the cloudes but when they can gaine issue then doe they make the cloude to cracke like a bladder full of winde that is broken by force Moreouer Plinie imitating the opinion of the Epicure teacheth Plin. hist natur lib. 2. that those fires which fall from the starres as we see often in calme weather may sometimes meete with the cloudes and fall vpon them and that by the vehemencie of this blowe the aire is mooued And that this fire plunging it selfe into the cloudes causeth a certaine thicke and hissing smoke which maketh a noise like an hot iron thrust into water From whence the whirlewindes which we see in the aire
his voice he worketh great things which we know not And who I pray you would not woonder to see the fire and water which are of contrarie natures mingled one with another and lodged both in one lodging and proceeding out of one place together For where remayneth this fire which sheweth it selfe in lightning commeth it not out of the cloudes wherein it is enclosed before they be opened and burst by the thunder And of what substance is the cloude Is it not of water massed vp together which couereth and keepeth in the fire as in an harth For doe not we oftentimes behold while it raineth and great flouds and streames of water do fall so that it seemeth that all the cloudes and the whole aire should melt and resolue into water that great lightnings of fire flash appeere and runne euerie where about like burning darts and arrowes For while the hot exhalations are inclosed in the cloude Causes of the noise and of the lightning of thunder and retayned therein peforce with the violence and contention which is betwixt these contraries the noise of thunder is made And when the matter is so abundant in the cloude that it maketh it to breake and open and that it may reach to the earth then is there not onely thunder and great lightning but also thunderbolts and which are of diuers verie maruellous and fearfull kinds For some bring with them that fire which is not easie to be quenched as we haue alreadie declared others are without fire and pierce through the most solide and firme bodies so that there is no force which can resist them And sometimes also it happeneth that those which are stroken therewith be they men or beasts remaine all consumed within as if their flesh sinewes and bones were altogither molten within their skin it remayning sound whole as if they had no harme so that it is verie hard to finde in what part the bodie was striken We are not then to hold in small accompt that the holy scripture proposeth God vnto vs so often thundring and lightning when it would declare vnto vs his maiesty and how terrible he is and to bee feared For it is certaine that he hath many weapons and of diuers sorts very strong and ineuitable when he will punish men and that his onely will is sufficient to serue him when and how he pleaseth Supernaturall causes to bee considered in thunder And therefore also wee must acknowledge besides these naturall causes which make and engender thunder the prime eternall and supernaturall cause of all things from which proceede so many signes of the meruailous iudgements of God through the ministerie of his creatures oftentimes contrary to that which seemeth to bee ordained by the lawes of nature For when he will thunder vpon his enemies he breaketh and suddainely consumeth them in strange manner And therefore it is written 1. Sam. 2. 7 that the Lord shall destroy those who rise vp against him and that he shall thunder vpon them from heauen And in the battaile which the children of Israel had against the Philistims it is said that after the praier of Samuell the Lord in that day thundred a great thunder vpon his enemies and scattered them and slew them before the host of Israel When Moses also stretched out his rod towards heauen it is said Exod. 9. that the Lord caused thunder and haile and that the fire walked vpon the ground and that haile and tempests stroke many men and beasts in Egypt Moreouer we doubt not but that euill spirits do sometimes raise vp tempests thunder and lightning because that the principall power of them is in the aire And therefore when it pleaseth God to slack their bridle they raise vp terrible and woondrous stormes Which is apparently demonstrated vnto vs in Iob Iob. 1. whose seruants and cattell Sathan burned with the fire which he caused to fall from heauen and by a great winde that he raised he ouerturned the house vpon his children And therefore also the scripture calleth the diuell Prince of this world Ephes 2. 6. and of darknes and of the power of the aire teaching vs also that wee must fight against the euill spirits which are in the celestiall places It is no meruaile then if euill spirits ioyne themselues with tempests to hurt men to their vttermost abilitie For which cause Dauid calleth the inflaming of the wrath of God choler Psal â—8 indignation and anguish the exploit of euill angels Wherefore it is certaine that when God hath a meaning not onely to punish the wicked but also to chastice his owne or to try their faith constancie patience he giueth power to diuels to this effect yet such as that he alwaies limiteth theÌ„ so that they can do nothing but so far as is permitted them Now he permitteth them so far as he knoweth to bee expedient for his glory and for the health of his or so much as the sins and infidelity of men deserue that he may chastice and punish them and bring vengeance vpon them for their iniquities And therefore mee seemeth that to such meteors the Epicures and Atheists should bee sent who mocke at the prouidence of God as likewise the tyrants of this world Against Atheists and Tyrants who treade all iustice vnderfoot to make them thinke a little whether there be a God in heauen and whether he bee without power and without medling in the gouernment of the world For I cannot beleeue that there is any one of them but would be waked out of his sleep how profound soeuer it were when he should heare God shoote out of the highest heauens and should vnderstand the noise of his cannons and should behold the blowes that he striketh For he is in a place so high that all the wicked together cannot make batterie against him nor yet auoid his ineuitable strokes who can slay them with the feare onely which they shall haue of his noise without touching them But though they cannot assure themselues in their harts against this soueraigne maiestie and power of the eternall yet are they so peruerse and wicked that rather then they will render to him the honor and glorie which is due they forge vnto themselues a nature to which they attribute his workes or else beleeue that they happen by chance as things comming by haphazard without any diuine prouidence But leauing such manner of people we will pursue our discourse concerning things engendred in the higher elements entreating of snowes mists frosts and haile the discourse whereof ASER I referre to you Of snowes mists frosts ice and haile Chap. 45. ASER. SIth that God is not subiect to the nature which hee hath created but doth euer rest the Lord and master thereof who can performe both without it and with it all that he pleaseth it therefore followeth that we must refer not to the creatures or to nature the workes which he hath done
that the vapors attaine to Reasons of those who say that the cometâ— are scituate in heauen And therefore the comets beeing seene there higher then the place of the vapors it necessarily followeth that they are not there ingendred neither yet in the highest of the pure aire called Aether considering that there is no matter which may be kindled But if any one alledge that the combustible humor is rauished and attracted thither by the power of the stars though that this place be higher then the common place of vapors wee may answere that forsomuch as wee behold many comets to continue more then two months and some three that this their long continuance may bee an impediment thereto because that the totall masse of the earth would not be sufficient for such an inflammation For fire is not perpetually fedde with one onely matter but requireth a new supply And seeing that these comets haue for the most part a beard or a taile and are seated in an higher place then the aire a man cannot iudge them to bee lesse then the Moone And it seemeth impossible that so much matter should be consumed as might maintaine this huge flame for three moneths Moreouer there is a meanes to know whether the comet be in the region of the aire or else be ingeÌ„dred in heauen For if it be quicker in motion from west to east theÌ„ the moone is theÌ„ of necessity must the place of the comet be vnder the lowest sphere but if it be more slow Comets mooued with three motions then without doubt it is bred in heauen Now it is common to all comets to be mooued with three motions namely with the first from east to west in the space of fower twentie houres like all the stars with the second from west to east almost in like space of time with the planet Venus For a comet which appeered the two and twentieth day of September 1532. and ended the third day of December proceeded as Fracastorius writeth in 71. daies from the fift part of Virgo to the eight part of Scorpio Which maketh manifest that it could not be vnder the Moone for then it should haue beene more swiftly mooued then this planet which retrogradeth thirteenth parts of the Zodiacke in fower and twentie howers according to the ordinarie course of the first motion and the comet had proceeded but 63. degrees in 71. daies But for the third motion peculiar to all comets which is considered according to the latitude it is such and so great that if the foresaid Author be not deceiued one is now mooued with incredible speed towards the North and another in an instant towards the South Which commeth to passe when the comets are neere to any of the Poles for then a little varietie of place conferred to the Zodiacke doth greatly change the latitude Besides it is to be noted that the beard of euerie comet doth directly stretch out that way which is opposite to the Sunne and when it setteth the same taile is straight Eastward As the like may be daily seene in the darke part of the Moone Moreouer the comet doth most vsually accompanie the Sunne and appeereth not but at euen-tide at the shutting vp of the day Which giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d What a comet properlyâ—â— that a comet is a globe placed in heauen which being inlightned by the Sunne doth plainely appeere and when his rayes passe farther they shew like the fashion of a bread or of a tayle Whereupon it appeereth that this flaming globe may be made in the midst of the spheres if the generation thereof be in them or else we must say and that seemeth true that the heauen is full of many stars not verie massie which the aire being drie and attenuated do present themselues to our sight For Venus hirselfe is sometimes seene in broad day which none can say to be newly engendred Of the prodigies which are attributed to comets Then through this drines of the aire it commonly happeneth that the seas are much turmoiled with tempests and that great blustring windes doe follow thereupon and that Monarches great Princes who are most drie through cold watchings or else through abundance of hot and delicate meates and of strong wine do thereupon die So likewise the drie and attenuated aire causeth the waters to diminish fishes to die and scarcitie of victuals which oftentimes stirreth vp seditions and the chaunge of lawes and finally the subuersion of states All which things I say doe seeme in some sort to proceed through the great tenuitie and drines of the aire thereof the comet then appeering may be a signe token but not the cause But if we wil meditate vpoÌ„ these things like christians we will say that what naturall causes soeuer Naturalists and Astrologers can render concerning comets signes and woonders which appeere sometimes in heauen that they should be so often vnto vs like so many trumpets heraulds and fore-runners of the Iustice of God to aduertise men that they remaine not buried in their filth and sinnes but returne to the infinite goodnes of God who reacheth out his hand and calleth to vs through such signes to change our life and leaue our execrable vices to the ende that through his mercie we may obtaine pardon for our faults Of diuers kinds of comets But let vs likewise note that although sundry sorts of comets are seene yet the Greekes call them properly stars that haue a sanguine bush of haire and are bristled at the top And those which haue vnder them a long beard made like haires they call Pogonies Plinie reporteth of sundrie other sorts and saith that the shortest time that euer comet was seene to appeare hath beene seuen daies Hist nat lib. 2. and the longest time eightie He maketh mention also of one which seemed terrible about the clime of Egypt and Ethiopia For it was flaming and wreathed round like a serpent hauing a very hideous and dreadfull aspect so that one would haue said that it had rather beene a knot of fire then a starre Afterward this author concludeth his speech with the opinion that many haue as is abouesaid that comets are perpetuall and that they haue a proper and peculiar motion saying also that none can see them except they be very far distant from the sunne in such sort that they may not be couered with his beames And yet the opinion of Aristotle is cleane contrarie thereto and so are a great number of other philosophers who affirme that comets are composed of a certaine fire and of an humor which it lighteth on by chance for which cause they are subiect to resolution But we will proceede no farther in this argument nor yet concerning the situation of them whether they be vnder the spheres or amongst them but will pursue our purpose concerning things vndoubtedly engendred in the highest elements as namely the cloudes The discourse whereof ARAM I referre to you
but that the windowes of heauen were opened and that raine fell vpon the earth forty daies and fortie nights For which cause also the Psalmist singeth The voice of the Lord is vpon the waters Psal 29. the glory of God maketh it to thunder the Lord is vpon the great waters He was set vpon the floud and he shal remaine king for euer which is asmuch to say as the Lord hath executed his iudgement vpon the wicked by the waters of the floud and that as then he tooke vengeance so it is he that doth for euer remaine iudge of the world and that maketh all creatures to tremble before him Where wee haue great matter of feare and trembling if wee beleeue the word of God and the testimonies which it deliuereth of his iudgements when I say we diligently consider the effects of the nature of the higher elements Therefore whensoeuer wee see close weather and the aire filled with cloudes threatning vs with raine and tempests the sight thereof should alwaies refresh and renew in vs the memorie of this iudgement of God so terrible and vniuersall in the flud to teach vs to walke in more feare of his Maiestie But there are few which thinke thereupon and can make their profite thereof and many to the contrarie doe but iest and scoffe at it as if it were a fable and a fantasie I knowe very well that the scripture saith that God set the raine-bow in the cloudes for signe of an accord and attonement betweene him and men and euery liuing creature to the ende that the waters might neuer after increase to such a floud as should roote out all flesh But we must note that the Eternall doth not here promise neuer to send any deluge vpon the earth Genes 9. Many goodly thingâ— to bee câ—â—â—â—dered in the rainâ—â—â—â—w but onely not a generall and vniuersall floud as the first was in the time of Noah For how many times hath he punished particularly many people with great inundations and deluges of water signifying vnto all that he hath all his creatures at commandement for euer to make them serue either to his wrath or to his mercie according as he will intreat men and hereupon we shall learne that though it seemeth that in the place before alledged the raine-bowe is named as if it had been spred in the aire at that time onely when it was giuen by God as a signe and sacrament of his couenant renewed yet neuertheles we must not doubt but that when God created the causes of this bowe in nature ordained by him he did also create it in the establishing of the world with other creatures But it was not vsed by God for a testimonie of his attonement with mankinde till after the flood So likewise it is certaine that this heauenly bowe hath naturally had at all times the significations which at this present it retaineth to presage raine or faire weather according as it diuersly appeereth But since that the creator hath accepted it for a signe of his couenant it hath had this vantage to be ordained as a gage and witnes of the promises of God And therefore whensoeuer we behold it in heauen we must not onely consider of it as of a naturall thing and as a prognosticator sometimes of raine sometimes of faire weather but likewise as a witnes and memoriall as well of the iudgement of God as of his grace and mercie and of the assurance of the conseruation of all creatures by his prouidence But though it should teach vs nothing of al this but should onely retaine the beautie and naturall signification thereof yet might it serue vs for an excellent testimonie of the maiestie of God and incite vs to giue him praise Eccles 43. For which cause Ecclesiasticus saith Looke vpon the raine-bowe and praise him that made it very beautifull it is in the brightnes thereof It compasseth the heauen about with a glorious circle and the hands of the most high haue bended it For what man is so dull but doth admire the great varietie of so faire colours as appeere in it euen in a substance so fine and subtile that it cannot be perceiued by any corporall sense saue by the sight I know that the philosophers doe teach Of the cause of th◠〈…〉 rainâ—â—bow that as a drop of water which one seeth in the sunne representeth many goodly colours like those in the raine-bowe which is made of a thicke watrie cloud full of drops in the middle region of the aire For euery darke obscure thing is as it were almost blacke as the shadowes doe demonstrate which by reason of their obscuritie seeme to be blacke And when an obscure thing is illuminated if it be bright it passeth in colours according to the abundance of the brightnes Now the cloud is obscure the drops of water are bright for this cause they represent vnto vs colours according to the variety of that light which shineth vpoÌ„ them And forsomuch as the innermost circle of the bow is nerest to the obscure or dark cloud it seemeth coÌ„monly to be blew that in the middle which is more illuminate appeereth greene and the vpper circle which is greatest and most lighted with celestiall brightnes is yellow Forasmuch then as there is a cause of euery thing the Naturalists doe much endeuour themselues to render reasons concerning the diuersities of these colours as Astrologians doe also to argue vpon the diuers predictions of this bowe as presaging sometimes raine sometimes faire weather sometimes winde and sometimes calme and cleere weather Hist nat lib. 2. Yet Plinie saith that it is often seene when it doth not prognosticate any thing and that no heede is taken of it for the time to come But let euery one ascertaine himselfe that it is caused by the beames of the sunne which striking into an hollow cloud are constrained to reuerberate and returne vpwardes toward the sunne And that the diuersitie of colours which are therein represented is made by the mixture of the clouds of the aire and of the fire which are found there togither Moreouer that this bow neuer is but when the sunne is opposit to that cloud and that it exceedeth not the forme of a semicircle also that it appeereth not by night though Aristotle saith that it hath sometimes been then seene But we wil leaue the philosophers to dispute vpon these things and to search the depth of their naturall causes and will conclude this speech and make an end of this day with a point of doctrine concerning the meteors of Christians which is that we must take very good heed not to be of the number of those who boasting of the knowledge of humane sciences haue despised the spirituall and diuine and of whom Saint Peter hath prophecied saying 2. Pet. 3. That there shoulde come in the last daies mockers and contemners of God walking according to their owne lusts which should say Where is the promise
of his comming for since the fathers died all thinges continue alike from the creation Which is as much as if they should say that there is a common and continuall course of nature which hath hitherto continued from the beginning of the world and shall endure for euer without end and without any judgement of God to come Against Atheists For thus prate our idolaters of nature who doe altogither denie the prouidence of God And therefore the blessed apostle doth also adde that they willingly know not that the heauens were of old and that earth that was of the water and the water by the word of God By which things the world that was perished being ouerflowed with waters Likewise saint Peter had before concluded 2. Pet. â— that if God hath not spared the old world but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the troup of the vngodly it cannot be that the wicked which are borne since into the world may thinke that their condemnation sloweth and that their perdition sleepeth For a thousand yeeres are but as one day and one day is as a thousand yeeres before the Lord. Psal 90. And the long terme that God alloweth to men to preuent his iudgement by repentance and amendment shall not hinder him to execute his iudgement yea by so much the more rigorously by how much the more long time and more vilely they haue abused his stay and patience Let vs then imprint this at this present in our memorie concerning our discourse of the waters sustained and hanged in the aire which haue serued God for so terrible ministers in the execution of his iustice when it pleased him to punish the iniquitie of men and to morrow pursuing our subiect we will speake againe of raines and heauenly waters to the end to consider of the admirable prouidence of God which shineth in them euen as you ASER shall giue vs to vnderstand The end of the sixt day THE SEVENTH DAIES WORKE Of Dewes and Raine Chapter 49. ASER. THe prouidence of God hath so disposed the nature of the aire and of the water that these elements seeme to repaire and maintaine one another For there is a place in the aire where water is as it were conuerted into the nature thereof there is another place againe wherein water returneth into his owne natural kinde sauing that whilest it hangeth and is sustained in the aire it is much more light and subtile then that which runneth in the earth for it retaineth more of the earth How the water ascendeth vp from the earth and changeth nature Although then that water is by nature more heauie then the aire yet doth not the heauines thereof let it from mounting vp from the earth because that by the heate of the sunne which attracteth it and other such like naturall causes by which it may be eleuated into the aire this waightines is taken from it or at least is so diminished that it doth then retaine more of the nature of aire then of water and so doth till such time as it hath ascended and attained to the place which God hath assigned to it in the aire For the heate of the sun doth conuert it first into vapors which are drawne out of the least terrestriall and most subtile parts thereof which approch neerest to the nature of the aire For which cause these vapors are more easily conuerted into aire the which resolueth it selfe againe into water then when such vapors are arriued at the middle region of the aire which is the coldest part thereof as well by reason that it is farther distant from the sunne and from all the other celestiall and aetherian fires then the supreme part thereof is as likewise because it cannot be heated like the lowest part thereof by reuerberation of the sunnes heate which scorcheth the earth Wherefore Moses declaring vnto vs how the Lord made the water mount from the earth and conuerted it into vapors saith The Lord God had not caused it to raine vpon the earth Genes 2. neither was there a man to til the ground but a mist or vapor went vp from the earth and watered all the earth For we behold euery day how that after the aire hath beene refreshed by the coolenes of the night the dew falleth in the morning vpon the earth and if the colde hath beene great it is turned into miste white hoarie-frost from which proceed the frosts that doe oftentimes spoile vines and trees which are most tender in colde weather when their branches are yet feeble and they begin to budde And let vs note that there are two sorts of vapors Of two sorts of vapors which make dew and raine which do commonly rise from the terrestriall towards the celestiall region the one is fat and thicke whereof the dewe is made and the other is subtile and thinne which turneth into raine Cornefields are fatned by the dewe which by reason of the thicknes thereof mounteth not very high and if that any part of it be better concocted as doth happen ordinarily in hot countries it resteth condensate through colde vpon the plants and is called Manna Of this it is that Pliny speaketh when he saith Hist nat lib. 11. that the great starres being risen in sommer and specially the most excellent or else when the raine-bowe is ouer the earth and that it raine not but onely make a small dewe which is heated by the sunne-beames that which then falleth is not home but is an heauenly gift and singular medicine for the eies for vlcers and for those accidents which may happen in the nauell and interior parts Which Manna is plentifully gathered in Targa a wildernes of Libya neere to the citie Agades especially when the nights are very faire partly for that they are colder then the day and partly for that the dewes cannot conuert themselues into the substance of clouds because as I said it is condensate by the cold Whereupon ensueth that when the raine is ingendred of vapors the colde cannot be great for then such vapors are attracted by the heate and are presently after thickned by the colde in the region of the aire And therefore there is but little Manna founde when the night is cloudie and lesse when it is rainie for then it melteth Behold then how the fattest part of vapors turneth into dew that which mounteth vp is condensate through colde in the subtile aire Why it raineth but little in summer and diuersly in other seasons and is afterwardes conuerted into raine And bicause that in sommer the heate doth drie vp very neere so much as it attracteth in vapors there is therefore verie seldome little raine therein for considering that in our countries the heate is weake it attracteth by little and little the vapors which the drinesse doth oftentimes consume before they can be conuerted into raine Wherefore it commeth to passe that if it
raine in sommer the raine is suddenly engendred for when the cloudes are too slowe they are consumed by the drinesse of the sunne And there where the aire is very cold and consequently thicke and grosse the vapor which is thither drawne being very light cannot be condensate bicause of the thicknes of the aire and the thinnesse of the vapor Which causeth that in stead of raine snow is engendred for snowe is a congelation of a vapor not condensate for the subtilitie of his proper substance and for bicause of the thicknes of the aire Wherefore when the cold is great in winter it raineth little And for the spring time bicause that the succeeding day doth consume more vapor then the precedent day had attracted for in the spring time the latter daies are still hotter and haue shorter nights for this cause it raineth then lesse then in autumne and oftner then in sommer or winter But in Autumne showres of raine are commonly great and of long continuance For the sunne being as then still powerfull vpon the earth many vapors are drawen vp But bicause the succeeding day hath still a longer night then the precedent and for that it was also warmer it is necessarie that the vapor should thicken and afterwardes descend And when the earth is moistned then that which did descend is againe attracted lying then vpon the superficies of the earth and being still somewhat deeper then before Whereof are made not onely raines but also rainie and windie cloudes Difference of raine water and earth water Thus haue we in summe then the forme of dewes and raine and the diuersitie of their course and how the earthly and heauenly waters differ from one another the raine water retaining more of the aire and being much purer and lighter then that which doth alwaies remaine in the earth For in comparison of terrestriall water it is like water distilled through a limbeck And yet how light soeuer it be it must neuertheles be heauier then the aire and especially when it is frozen within the cloudes and conuerted into snow or haile which is like stones of ice Wherein it seemeth that this rule of nature and naturall philosophie is not generally true which affirmeth That euery heauie thing doth alwaies drawe downwards considering there are waters hanged in the aire which is much lighter then the waters that it sustaineth Wherefore we must say Cloudes are in the aire as ships are vpon the waters that cloudes are in the aire in the region that is assigned vnto them in such sort as ships are in the water For none doubteth but that stones iron lead and all other mettals yea infinite other things of lesse waight are heauier then the water yet we neuertheles doe behold that there is no burthen so waightie but the water doth easily support it by meanes of a boat or a wooden ship or a galley which shall be euen of it selfe a great and heauie loade And yet the water which will sustaine such a charge cannot beare vp a pinne or a naile or a small peece of gold or siluer or a little stone but all shall sinke to the bottome Now the cause of all these effects is in the participation that the wood hath with the aire which maketh it much lighter then the other bodies which are more solide and massie For by reason that the wood is more open and more loose to giue way to the aire it receiueth lightnes thereof which causeth it to floate vpon the water whereas the other more terrestriall bodies doe sinke thereinto So then the aire sustaineth by meanes of the cloudes the waters which they containe inclosed within them euen as the sea and great riuers sustaine grosse and heauie burthens by meanes of ships For though the cloudes doe consist of water themselues and are engendred of it being drawne into the aire through blowing of the windes and afterwards massed vp in one bodie as we haue already vnderstood yet doe they subsist of a water lesse terrestriall and more airie then those waters which flowe here belowe for which cause they are also more light and more easily sustained by the aire vpon which they floate like ships vpon the sea and other waters And afterwardes when the cloudes returne into their first nature of water and when they be opened to let fall the waters which they containe the water which proceedeth from them doth resume also his proper course according to the naturall heauines thereof and returneth downwards descending to the earth And as ships sinke downe into the water when they are ouercharged as likewise the charges and burdens wherewith they are laden when they are split or broken by violence of windes or by some other force which maketh them dash one against another and against the rocks so is it with the cloudes and with the things which they beare and with the windes also wherewith they are driuen or else are inclosed within them which make a great noise when they striue to issue out so that the cloudes are rent and cracke as the thunders testifie vnto vs and the tempests lightnings and thunder claps which proceede from them as also the great deluges of water which showre downe with great violence and furie But we haue staied long ynough in this matter let vs now consider of the maruellous prouidence of God which shineth in the dispensation of the raine and heauenly waters As AMANA I leaue to you to discourse Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein Chap. 50. AMANA IN vaine shall we consider in meteors the works of nature which are therein proposed very great and excellent as our precedent speech doth manifest if we doe not learne in the same to consider and acknowledge the prouidence of God gouerning all things as it reuealeth it selfe in sundry sorts For all these goodly visible works must serue vs as images of the inuisible and spirituall things so that all the creatures of God may be competent iudges to condemne vs if by them we doe not learne to acknowledge their and our creator and to obey and honor him as behooueth vs we neede no other iudges I say to make vs vnexcusable before the throne of Gods iustice Rom. 1. according to the testimonie of Saint Paul sith he hath as it were made visible to the eie his diuinitie his power his bountie and his wisdome through his works and that so neere vnto vs as almost to be touched with our owne hands For as this holy apostle in another place saith he is neere to euery one of vs Acts. 17. so that howsoeuer we be blind yet should we at least finde him by groping like those that want sight For he neuer wāteth very euident witnes amongst men in cōferring benefits vpon them namely in giuing them raine from heauen and fruitful seasons according to the subiect we are now to speake of Let vs know then that it is he who
about it is of a round and circular figure in all parts for as for the mountaines valleies they are insensible in regard of the whole globe of earth The roundnes whereof doth euidently declare it selfe by the shadow thereof which sheweth it selfe in the eclipses of the moone to be round for it could not seeme so if the earth were not also of the same forme Moreouer the diuers and certaine supputation that Astronomers calculate concerning the times of the eclipses of the moone according as the places are more orientall or more occidentall doth manifestly conclude the same round forme so also doth the natural inclination of all the parts of the earth and of the water who stil tend downe declining to a lower place and this common descent of euerie part causeth this round figure The earth is of insensible quantitie Consequently it is to be noted that this earthly frame although it be in it selfe of maruellous greatnes yet is it of verie little and insensible quantitie in regard and comparison not onely of all the firmament but also of the sphere of the sunne the same earth being but as a point in the middest of the whole world which is apparantly demonstrated by the foresaid equalities of the daies and nights and by the obseruations of the courses of the celestiall bodies and chiefly of the sunne taken here below by instruments fit for such effects in such maner as if one were in the center of the world For in a little space that one may passe here vpon the earth proceeding from one place to another the view and disposition of heauen doth change and varie notably And in an open plaine place wherein one may stand vpon the earth or be in the sea they may alwaies discouer the one halfe of heauen All which things declare as we haue said that the earth and the water make a round globe which is but as a point and center in regard of the vniuersall world So much for the situation immobilitie figure That the earth onely meriteth the title of a mother and quantitie of the earth which onely aboue all other elements hath merited the title of a mother by reason of the great good which it affoordeth to all breathing liuing creatures For this gentle mother receiueth vs when we are borne shee nourisheth vs being borne she maintaineth and sustaineth vs being nourished and finally when the other elements refuse and leaue vs she receiueth vs into her bosome and couereth vs hauing as it were a perpetuall care of vs. Moreouer she riseth not vp against man as other creatures doe For the water conuerts it selfe into raine snowe and haile it swelleth in surges and waues and ouerfloweth all with flouds the aire thickeneth and ladeth it selfe with cloudes out of which proceede stormes and tempests and the fire is often cause of strange calamities vpon earth But this gentle and debonaire mother maketh hir selfe as a slaue to serue for all the commodities of man For how many things doe we cause hir to beare by force and how many things doth she bestowe of hir owne goodwill What odours and perfumes what sauours what iuices what and how many sorts of colours With what exchaunge and interest doth shee restore that which is lent hir How many sundry things doth shee nourish for man What quantitie of pretious mettals doth shee conceiue and keepe in hir entrailes for his vse Of two kindes of earth And therefore it seemeth that the earth subsisteth not of one onely kinde and indeede Aristotle diuideth it into two the one fossible which may bee digged and the other transmutable which may change qualitie For the fossible earth it doth alwaies remaine the same and is very earth but the transmutable remaineth not the same in kinde and in view for it conuerteth it selfe into mettall or into iuice or into some other matter But before wee doe proceede vnto the consideration of so many admirable effectes produced by the earth wee may now here beholde that we haue summarily set downe particulars enough wherin we may learne to acknowledge the infinite power wisedome and bountie of God the creator Testimonies of the power of God Isay 6. and how according to the testimonie of the angels all the earth is full of his glorie For first of all is not this a great woonder that the earth which is so huge a masse and the heauiest element of all the rest should be hanged in the aire in the midst of the world being so counterpoised that it sustaineth as one may say all the other elements and that it is inuironed by them and by all the other spheres and celestiall bodies it remaining firme for euer not moouing from the place thereof For where are the columnes and the pillers which beare and sustaine it and vpon what foundation are they founded And therefore it is not without cause â—ob 38. that the Lord saith to Iob minding to cause him to acknowledge his power maiestie where wast thou when I laide the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast vnderstanding who hath laide the measure thereof if thou knowest Or who hath stretched the line ouer it to wit to signe and marke out the foundations thereof whereupon are the foundations thereof set Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof And afterwards he addeth It is turned as clay to fashion Wherein it seemeth that he had reference to that that he created the earth as all this great visible world in round forme because it is the most capable of all formes that may be Behold then the testimonie that God himselfe deliuereth to Iob his seruant of the admirable creation of the earth Psal 104. And to the same purpose the kingly prophet saith that God did forme the earth vpon the bases therof that is to say vpon firme foundations so that it shall neuer mooue But what may we say then to the motions and tremblings of the earth which haue euer been knowne and are ordinarily seene This might seeme repugnant to that which Dauid here speaketh and to that which we haue deliuered concerning the immobilitie and firmenes of the earth And therefore mine aduise is that pursuing this discourse we should consider the causes of such tremblings to the end that we may know how that the earth faileth not to remaine euer firme though such shakings happen in some parts thereof which ACHITOB let vs heare of you Of earth-quakes Chap. 56. ACHITOB. FOrasmuch as the earth is not onely heauie by nature but euen the heauiest of all elements and is heaped vp and compacted togither in the midst of the great vniuersall world as the point and center thereof it therefore followeth that it is immooueable and without any naturall motion For if it had any as the other elements haue it is certaine that it must be downwards But bicause that God hath placed the earth in the midst of all his works towards which all heauy
the fire considering also that heat hath but little motion except it attaine to the height thereof whereas otherwise it doth quench it selfe And therefore it is that matter which burneth vnder the earth that ministreth this puissant heat which doth so warme the water And wee may moreouer note that all those waters which boyle so are naturally light and haue some medicinable facultie and propertie And yet they are not to be so much accounted of as that which is fit for common vsage in mens affaires to preserue health What water is best For good water hath neither colour smel nor sauour and is passing cleere and being drunke it abideth not long in the belly such they say is the water of the riuer Euleus which falleth from the mountaine Zager by Susiana whereof the kings of Persia did make prouision in their expeditions and warlike voyages For to the preseruation of health water is no lesse to bee carefully chosen Diuers causes of cold waters and their tasts colours and smelles then aire Now as warme waters are famous for the reasons heretofore deliuered so there are some waters also verie much admired for their great coldnes whereof snowe marble mettals cold aire sudden motion and the great fall from aloft euerie one in his degree may be the cause Againe the sauours or tastes of waters are verie diuers and the principal cause thereof is heat For sodden earth which is of sundry sorts giueth a tast to water according to the quality thereof And the like reason is concerning colours for fine thin clay doth cause the colour of waters but thick clay tarrieth not in water and therefore dieth it not The same cause is also in the difference of smels And alwaies waters that are of a good smel are profitable for creatures but stinking waters cause diseases for as Philosophers say contrarie causes appertaine to contrarie things Good water likewise is lightest as that which fleeteth aboue other water be it in riuers springs or wels From whence it commeth that fresh water floateth vpon sea water which likewise being more massiue and waightie beareth more heauie burdens And amongst fresh waters the water of Rhodanus or Rosne in France swimmeth vpon that of the lake of Geneua passing ouer the midst thereof Also many rare properties and great woonders are written concerning waters with the causes of them as that Of a floud which ran not on the sabboth day which is reported by Iosephus of a certaine floud in Iudea neere Syria which ranne euery day except vpon the Sabbaoth day which was reputed a matter religious and as a myracle although that this might happen and come to passe through a naturall cause if we will so argue to wit that no more water was gathered into this floud by orderly spaces then was sufficient to runne for sixe daies and not for the seuenth in such sort as Phisitions render a like cause concerning the renewings or fits and ceasings of feauers For the world is the great man as man is the little worlde But not stretching this discourse any farther we will onelie note for conclusion thereof that in the diuersitie of the kindes of waters that which is gathered togither in one place is salt Of the diuers appellations of waters is called the sea the fresh water so gathered togither is called a lake if it mooue not at all it is named a marish or fen but if it be somewhat deepe it is a standing poole and if it runne then is it a riuer if it gather through raines or by snowe then is it a torrent or raine-floud and if it spring it is a fountaine which is euer the best water and doth slowliest putrifie For it is least moist and is most concocted by the heauenly heate Also the lightest water doth hardliest corrupt for which cause it is most fit for the maintenance of mans life as approching neerest to the substance of the aire by which we breath We haue said enough then concerning this matter But me thinketh that our succeeding discourse requireth that we should entreate of those commodities which men receiue by waters through nauigation which ACHITOB shall be the subiect of your discourse Of the commodities which men reape of the waters by nauigation and of the directions which sea-men receiue from heauen and from the starres vpon the sea Chap. 60. ACHITOB AMongst such things as are woorthie of consideration in the sea and in other waters we must not passe ouer in silence those goodly commodities and great profits which they bring vnto men by the meanes of nauigations and of the dealings and trafficks which they exercise by them For it is to be noted that euery land and countrey cānot be furnished with al commodities bicause God hath so disposed therof that some abound in those things which othersome do greatly want stand in need of But by meanes of sayling by water all that which can be required may be transported from one countrey to another with very small trouble charges so that one nation may communicate those commodities with another which the creator hath particularly bestowed on them all each granting mutuall helpe to the other by this meanes Wherin surely we may acknowledge the prouidence of God to be verie great manifold Of the prouidence of God in distribution of his gifts For first the Lord hath disposed of his creatures and distributed his treasures according to the diuersity of landes and countries euen in such manner as he diuideth his gifts and graces amongst men For he bestoweth not all either vpon one or vpon two or vpon three or vpon any other certaine number of them And therefore there neuer hath beene nor shall be any one which either could or may surpasse all others so much that hee may haue no need of another or that hath sufficient for himselfe For if one man possessed all he would thinke himselfe to be no more a man but a God rather and would therefore contemne all others Moreouer it is most certaine that if euery one were so well furnished with all things that they might all surpasse one another there would be no humane societie For one would make no account of another but being all puffed vp with pride whereto they are naturally enclined there woulde arise a thousand quarrels and dissensions amongst them as wee ordinarily see to happen amongst the proud mightie puissant and rich For seeing that charitie which should dwell amongst men can take no place how could they be vnited and allied togither in amitie if they were not constrained therto through necessitie and if it be a difficult matter to conioine and maintaine them in peace and mutuall good will what neede soeuer they haue one of another one may easilie iudge what woulde ensue if they had not necessitie for their mistresse to this effect which causeth them to do in spight of al their abilities that which she cannot obtaine of them
which is of a very strange forme There are found of them in the coast of India so great Of Tortoises that one shell onely is sufficient to couer a good pretie shed And in the countrie of the Chelonophagi there are some isles where they ordinarily vse tortoise shels in stead of boates For we must note that there be three sorts of Tortoises the terrestriall which breedeth in forrests marish ones which breed in fens and watry ones which breed in the sea Those then of this last sort haue insteed of feete so many broad gristles they haue no teeth but the nibbe of their beake is passing sharpe and their vnderchappe doth close as iustly within their vpper chap as a boxe doth with the lidde of it Being in the sea they liue vpon shell fishes for their mouth is so strong and hard that they crush them yea euen stones in peeces yet when they come on land they neuer liue but vpon herbes They lay egges like birds so that sometimes one may finde an hundred togither And they neuer hatch them in the water but putting them into an hole which they make in the ground and couering them well they smooth with their shels vnderneath the place wherein they are and hatch in the night time for a whole yeere long Also amongst the fishes which are famous for their strange operatiue power is the Torpedo or crampfish Of the cramp-fish which is a kind of hedgehogge hath many bristles the touch of whom be nummeth the fishers hands by some naturall and secret vertue And there be many kindes of these fishes who haue all of them their shell couered with bristles very thicke which bristles they vse in stead of feete to staie themselues vpon when they mooue and stirre from one place to another Their head and mouth is the lowest part of them and towards the ground And amongst the rest there is one not of the kinde of this bristled crampfish but a shell fish which the Latins call Remora because it hath such power that if it take hold of the bottome of ships it staieth them Yet we cannot read that any such thing hath beene seene since the time of Caius Caligula the emperor whom Historiographers report to haue beene one time staied in his ship by this fish to his great endommagement Of the Triton But the most woonderfull of all fishes is the Triton otherwise called the sea Bugge for hee hath haire vpon his head the nose of a man a broad mouth and the teeth of a wilde beast His hands fingers and nailes are somewhat like those of a man And the rest of his bodie is couered with a thinne shell with a taile vnder his belly in stead of feete like a dolphin Hist nat lib. 9. Pliny reporteth that in the time of the emperor Tyberius the people of Lisbone sent embassadors onely to aduertise him that in the coast of their sea there was a Triton discouered blowing of an horne in a caue Of the Nereides The Nereides also otherwise called Sirens or Mermaides do very neere approch to humane forme sauing that they bee rough and ful of shels in euery part of their body There are some also who testifie that they haue seene a sea-man hauing the entire forme of a man Finally it is a thing that seemeth altogither incredible that the diuersitie of fishes or rather sea-monsters should be such as they affirme who haue written thereof But we may well beleeue that the facilitie of generation and of life in the waters Of the cause of innumerable formes of fishes is cause of so many strange shapes For heate and moisture consist togither in generation and nourishment maintaineth life and in the sea heate and fatte moisture and nutriment do abound It is also to be noted that by reason of motion the pestilence neuer commeth into the water as into the aire for the sea is euer mooued and the aire is often still For which cause all kindes of creatures may easily be preserued in the sea but not so in the aire Againe fishes mooue themselues in the sea easily and without labour which the beasts of the earth do not who therefore are constrained to be hungrie or necessarily to be consumed by too much labour and trauaile Moreouer the sea freezeth not neither yet is too hot like the earth and like other waters except it be and that very seldome in the superficies thereof which is touched by the aire Therefore through so manie commodities and by the mixture of creatures of diuers kindes many monsters are engendred in the sea so that sometimes when it ariseth by meanes of the flowing thereof one may finde vpon the shore of the westerne Ocean to the number of three hundred kindes of monstrous fishes But although it seemeth that nature would expresse in fishes the formes of all terrestriall creatures put in them some resemblance of shape yet in the hinder part all fishes are except some fewe sea-monsters of a peculiar forme agreeable to their nature and do onely resemble other creatures in the forepart For as the rudder directeth and gouerneth a ship in the sterne so the taile of a fish doth guide it in swimming And for this cause the tailes of all fishes almost are forked But this is most certaine that their sorts and kinds surmount the kindes of other creatures in multitude in greatnes in force and in varietie of shapes But our intent is not heere to number them as we haue said for so we should finde matter enough to make a great volume as others haue done Wherefore to finish this argument and this daies speech see ACHITOB if by our discourses of the sea of the waters and of the liuing creatures which are engendred do liue in them you can deliuer any instruction which may be answerable to that end for which we especially continue our treatise concerning this great vniuers Of the image that we haue of the state of this world and of men in the sea and in the fishes thereof Chap. 64. ACHITOB LEt vs not doubt companions but that we haue a goodly image in this daies discourse of the state of this world and of all mans life For first That the world is like a sea what is this world but a sea wherein we nauigate and are in continuall danger Nay is the sea it selfe so variable so inconstant and so outragious For if we haue neuer so little respite peace and rest like as when the sea is calme and quiet presently there arise such violent whirlewindes stormes and furious tempests as it seemeth oftentimes that heauen earth and all the elements conspire and runne togither to worke nor ruine Yea when this wicked world sheweth vs fairest countenance becommeth most calme and gentle and that it feedeth vs with the fattest morsels then is it most false vnto vs and then are we in greatest danger For when we thinke our selues most sure therein then are
to celebrate his diuine prouidence Then ACHITOB begin you to entreate of trees Of trees and especially of the Pine the Fir-tree the Cypresse-tree and the Cedar Chap. 68. ACHITOB. Foure differences of plants transported IT is doubtlesse that the difference of trees of one kinde is chiefly caused by the diuersitie of regions And therefore amongst those trees that are transported from one place to another some do beare fruit as the Palmes at Genoa some also beare but vnperfectly as the Pepper-tree at Millaine There are some that cannot grow as the wood of Aloës brought out of India into Italy And some beare perfect fruit bicause they can agree with the aire and with the soile as well of one countrey as of another as the Vines transported out of Spaine into India But aboue all the calmenes of the aire and the answerablenes of the place are of great efficacy in the naturall propertie of trees do often cause them to beare great quantity of fruit and blossomes and are the cause that some are alwaies greene And therefore about the Grand Cairo and in the countrey of Elephants the leaues do neuer fall off the fig-trees and vines and in the Isles and other regions of the west Indies discouered by the Spaniards there is neuer a tree but is alwaies greene And therefore there are diuers trees both of one and of diuers kindes also higher greener and fairer to behold in one place then in another For in hot and moist countries all plants grow greater fuller of iuice and greener Property of the plants according to the quality of the regions where they growe if the proper nature of the plant doe not hinder and in hot and drie places they are smaller and drier and yet of no lesse vertue But in moist and cold regions the plants are weake and full of sappe And they which are hot by nature grow broad and high but the cold are small Now all trees whereof we now particularly entreat do by nature grow greatly for the most part and flourish a verie long time As Iosephus recordeth that Abrahams Oke did yet stand in his daies And there were betwixt the destruction of Hierusalem and the death of Abraham two thousand yeeres And next to the oke the palme the beech the oliue-tree the elme and the pine-tree do flourish longest Now will I proceede to a particular description of some trees the most woorthie to bee considered of Of the pine amongst which the Pine chalengeth the first place whereof there are two kindes one is domesticall and the other sauage The domesticall kinde hath an infinite sort of branches vpon the verie vppermost toppe of the stocke which spread rounde about it being very thicke of leaues which are pointed in the end and long it beareth plentie of great and sounde apples wherein are certaine hard kernels inclosed as blacke as soote in which the fruite is founde being couered with a thinne yellow skinne easie to get off by pilling it with your fingers And this fruite is sweete and pleasant in taste of a fatte and oylie substance For the sauage or wilde one there are many sorts of them Some growe on mountaines others on the sea coast They of the mountaines are of three kindes For there are some that be highest of all the rest which abound in the forrests of Bohemia Silasia Polonia and other places whereof the countrey men make pitch Which are euery whit like to the domesticall sort sauing that their apples bee lesse for they bee not much greater then those of Cypresse but they are a little longer and more sounde and husked like those of the domesticall Pine being full of gumme and of a sweete sent The second kinde of these mountaine Pines are such as haue no stocke or trunke but sprout their branches out of their roote close to the earth running along the ground till they attaine to tenne or fifteene cubits length they beare fruite like vnto the other but of a bigger sise and fuller of gumme and are founde in many places of Italy Finallie there are many other which are of goodly height and yet not so high as those of the first kinde neither haue they the barke of their stocks yellow like the other pines likewise their fruite is somewhat enclining towards red but more brittle then all the rest And the kernels of them are three square and crooked and in taste somewhat like those of the garden pine sauing that they leaue a certaine quicke sharpenes in the mouth which is proper to all wilde trees and they abounde in the territorie of Trent And the gumme that proceeds out of all these sorts of pines is white and sweete The sea pines are of two sorts differing onely in the greatnes and smalnesse of their fruite and do all of them produce white odoriferous gumme which turneth into a thinne liquor Qualities and virtues of the pine kernels whereof men make black pitch Moreouer as concerning the fruite of the pine in generall it is most certaine that therein are many great vertues properties and that it is very profitable for mans bodie For it is of a moderate temperature but that it enclineth more towards heate It ripeneth it mollifieth it resolueth it fatneth and it nourisheth well It correcteth the humours which are corrupted in the intrailes neuerthelesse it is hard in digestion and therefore to such as are cold of nature the kernels are ministred with honie to such as are hot with sugar to correct the strength of those kernels They do helpe being often eaten the paines of the sinewes and are good for those that be troubled with the Sciatica palsie shaking and numbnes of members They clense the lungs and the corruption of them purging out all clammie hummors and rottennes They are profitable against the cough and the corruption of the reines and bladder wherefore they ease them much who pisse but drop by drop and feele their vrine burne They fatten leane folkes and being taken with the iuice of purslaine they doe helpe eruptions of the stomacke Also the picked leaues of a greene pine being stamped and drunke with wine doe appease paines of the heart Other properties of some parts of the pine But the patient must abstaine from all fat meates Of the scales that couer the pine apples being sodde in very sharpe vineger is made a singular perfume against the Dysenteria And the water of those apples verie greene being distilled through a limbecke doth wash out the wrinckles of the face Moreouer of the oldest pines is pitch made which is called Nauall by reason that it is very good to pitch ships which to do men cut downe the pines with an hatchet which are become full of gummie iuice and hewe them in peeces as they doe other trees to make coales of Whereupon let vs note that they which inhabite mountaines say that it is a maladie amongst pines when not onely the hart thereof but the outward