therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should die and be made a god which could not happen to any man whilest he was yet liuing Cardanus speaking of fiery Spectars amongst many others relateth this story A friend of mine saith hee of approued faith and honesty trauelling one night late from Mediola to Gallerata when the Sky was full of clouds and the weather inclining to raine being within some foure miles of his journies end he saw a light and heard rhe voice as he thought of certain Cow-herds vpon his left hand and presently a hedge onely being interposed he saw a fiery Chariot couered with flames and out of it he might heare a voice crying aloud Cave cave Beware beware Being much terrified with this strange prodegie he put spurres to his horse and whether he galloped or rid softly the Chariot was stil before him He then betooke him to his orisons and supplications vnto God at length after the space of a full houre hee came to a Temple dedicate to the memorie of Saint Lawrence standing iust without the gate and there the Chariot of fire herdsmen and all sunke into the earth and was seene no more Cardanus hauing disputed something of the nature of this fire addeth That the Gallaterans suffered the same yeare not only a great plague but diuers other afflictions and disasters To these Spirits of the fire is ascribed that diuination by Pyromancie which some call Puroscopan In which superstition old pitch was cast into the fire with the invocation of certain of these Spirits Sometimes a Tead or Torch dawbed ouer with pitch was lighted and marked with certaine characters If the flame of the Tead gathered it selfe into one it was prosperous if diuided disastrous if it arose tripartite it presaged some glorious euent if it were diuersly dispersed it diuined to a sicke man death to a sound man sicknesse if it made a sparkling noise it was infortunat if it was suddenly extinct it threatned great misfortune So likewise in their sacrificing fires if the flame went streight vpward like a Pyramis it was a signe of a good omen if it diuided and dispersed of a bad There were diuers coniectures also from the colour the brightnesse the dulnesse the ascent the sparkling c. and this kinde of Magicke was frequent amongst the Liâ—uanians c. From the fiery I proceed to the Spirits of the Aire We reade in the sacred Scriptures That Sathan caused fire to fall from heauen to deuour and consume Iobs seruants and his cattell As likewise hee raised a vehement Whirle-winde and tempest which oppressed his sonnes and daughters with the house where they were then feasting with a sudden ruin Remigius telleth a story which is likewise affirmed by Delrius That a countrey-man of the prouince of Triuere setting some Plants in his garden with a yong maid his daughter the father commended her for going so neatly and quickly about her businesse The Girle telleth him that she can do stranger things than these and more stupendious The father demands What Withdraw your selfe but a little saith she and name but in what place of the garden a showre of raine shall fall and water the earth and in what not The countrey-man curious of noueltie withdrew himselfe and bad her vse her skill Shee presently made an hole in the ground into which she poured her owne water and stirring it about with a sticke murmuring certaine magicke words to her selfe presently a showre fel watering only that part of the gronnd which he had named vnto her and in the other fell not one drop of raine Gasper Spitellus writeth That some Indians haue much familiaritie with these Spirits For when they want rain one of their Magicke Priests with a shrill voice makes an acclamation That all the people shall assemble to such a mountain hauing first obserued a Fast which is to abstaine from the eating of salt pepper or any thing that is boiled That done he lowdly calls vpon the Stars and with deuout Orisons entreats of them that they would afford them seasonable showres Then they turne their eyes towards the lower grounds vpon their fields and houses taking in their hands a bowle full of charmed liquour which they receiue from the hands of a young man of their most noble families which they haue no sooner drunke but they lie intranced without sence or motion After being come to themselues they commix honey water and Maiz together and with them sprinkle the aire The next day they chuse out one of the most eminent men of their Nation both for nobilitie and age and lay him in a bed with a soft fire vnder it and when he beginnes to sweat they wipe off the moisture and put in a bason which they mingle with the bloud of a Goose and sprinkling it again into the aire as if they meant it should touch the clouds they then solicit the Starres againe That by the vertue of the old mans sweat the bloud of the goose and the water before mixed they may haue seasonable and temperat showres Which if they haue according to their desires they giue great thanks to the Starres and Planets and the Priest from the people is rewarded with rich gifts and presents Hieronimus Mengius writeth That a certaine Magition in a field adjacent to the tower or citadell of Bonnonia shewed two famous Generals Iohannes Bentivolus and Robertus Sanseverinus a spectacle in the aire in which was heard such a noise of drummes clangor of trumpets clamor of men neighing of horses and clashing of arms that the Spectators were afraid lest the heauen and the earth would haue met at the instant but in all the inuironing grounds saue onely in that place the aire was vntroubled Diodorus Siculus reporteth also That in the Syrtes of Lybia the Spirits of the aire are oftentimes visible in the shape of diuers birds and beasts some mouing some without motion some running some flying others in other strange postures But which is most miraculous sometimes they will come behinde men as they are trauelling leape vp and sit vpon their shoulders who may feele them to be much colder than eitheâ— snow or ice Olaus Magnus in his Historie remembreth That these airy Spirits haue such a predominance in the Circium sea they continually do so exasperat shake and trouble it that scarfe any ship can saile that way without wracke and foundring In the Isle called Island vnder the dominion of the King of Denmarke there is a port called Vestrabor not far from which men are vsually taken and wrapt vp in whirl-winds by the power of these Spirits are hurried many furlongs off Likewise in the Westerne parts of Norway these spirits with their noxious and blasting touch cause that neither grasse nor trees burgeon or beare fruit Likewise vpon the Bothnian continent the roofes are vsually blowne off from
in the Historia Anthologia from the two last of these arise those Latine Phrases so frequent amongst vs Bonis Avibus or Boâ—is Auspicijs which are interpreted With god lucke or fortune and Malis Avibus With euill speed or bad successe and because they would enterprise nothing Inauspicatè that is without the counsell of the Augures from thence Rem Auspicari hath been translated To initiat or begin a thing Romulus the first founder both of their Order and Colledge in Rome appointed only three vnto the ministerie of these ceremonies But Servius Tullius after hee had distinguished Rome into foure seuerall Tribes or quarters he added to the number of the Augures a fourth and made an Edict That they should all be selected and chosen from the Patricians who were the Patriots and noble Fathers of the City such as we call Senators But in proces of time Quintus and Cneius Ogulinus being made Tribunes of the people as much as to say Protectors of the Plebe or Commons obtained That to ioin with these foure fiue other should be made choice of out of the Comminaltie At which time the Senate made an Edict That they should neuer exceed the number of nine Notwithstanding which when Sylla was Dictator he added six more which made vp the number fifteene of which the eldest was called Magister Collegij i. Rector of the Colledge These Wisards had a prerogatiue aboue all the other Priests and Flamines in Rome for if one of them were conuicted of any heinous crime he was not put out of his place nor excluded from executing his office neither could hee be disabled nor any other substituted in his roome Although the Roman custom was that if any other Priest of what place or qualitie soeuer had been a notorious delinquent he was ipso facto confined and some other deputed vnto his office The absurditie and meere imposture of this Diuination or Soothsaying Marc. Cicero ingeniously obserueth in Pompey the Great Crassus and Iulius Caesar to whom all the Chaldees Wisards not onely promised prosperous and long liues but assured them of timely and peaceable ends Yet of their tumultuous imployments in the passage of their time vpon earth and of their wretched and miserable deaths Histories make ample and frequent mention Fulgosius telleth vs of one Misonianus who being imployed in a certaine expedition amongst the horsemen of the Roman Army perceiuing them in their march to be at a sudden stand and wondering why they aduanced not as before he perceiued presently that the cause of their sudden stay was by reason that the Augur had espied a Bird sitting vpon a tree and awaited whilest she proued her wing in voluntary flight by which hee might coniecture of the successe of their businesse In derision of which folly hee addressed his bow and with his first arrow strooke her dead to the earth when smiling to himself he turned to his companions and thus said Most certaine it is that little counsell and small aid is to be expected from these poore irrationall creatures to enquire from them what can either help or hinder vs when you see it apparant before your eies they are not able to preuent the disaster impending ouer their owne heads Whether this Southsaying take it's originall from the Chaldees who were great searchers into curiosities or no I am not willing to make any further inquisition as not being much materiall to my present purpose But of this I am most certaine That it was in continuall vse and practise amongst the Canaanites and from thence conueyed vnto the children of Israel which how abhominable it was in the sight of God Almighty and that such diabolicall superstitions should haue any place amongst his chosen people you may read in Leuiticus these words Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirits neither Soothsayers yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them I am the Lord your God Againe in Deutronomie Let no man be found amongst you that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go thorow the fire or that vseth Witchcraft or a regarder of the Times or a marker of the flying Fowles or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that counselleth with Spirits or a Soothsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lord and because of these abhominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee c. Let vs then beleeue that it is God onely and not Fate which gouerns all things To confirme which I will conclude with that of the Poet Statius Heu ducas Fati tenor est ne quod illi Non liceat quantae poterunt mortalibus annis c O the strict Lawes of Fate Can that haue being That is not with thy constant will agreeing Or is it in thy brasse-leav'd booke decreed We to our graues in such Post-haste should speed Not so Would the Creator take in hand To command Time the swift houres still would stand In Hells blinde dungeon Death his head should hide And th' idle Sisters lay their worke aside Of all Idolatry in generall we thus reade the Prophet Esay All they that make an Image are Vanitie their delectable things shal nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know therefore they shall be confounded Who hath made a god or molten an Image that is profitable for nothing Behold all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded for the Workemen themselues are men let them all be gathered together and stand vp yet they shall feare and be confounded together The Smith taketh an instrument and worketh it in the coles and fashioneth it with hammers and worketh it with the strength of his armes yea he is an hungred and his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint The Carpenter stretcheth out a line he fashioneth it with a red thread he plaineth it and pourtraieth it with the compasse and maketh it after the figure of a man and according to the beautie of a man that it may remaine in an house Hee will hew him downe Cedars and take the Pine tree and the Oke and taketh courage amongst the Trees of the Forrest he planteth a Firre tree and the raine doth nourish it and Man burneth thereof for he will take thereof and warme himselfe he also kindleth it and baketh bread yet he maketh a god and worshippeth it he maketh an Idol and boweth vnto it he burneth the halfe thereof euen in the fire and vpon the halfe thereof he eateth flesh hee rosteth the rost and is satisfied also he warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warme I haue beene at the fire and the residue thereof he maketh a god euen his Idol he boweth vnto it and worshippeth and prayeth vnto it and saith Deliuer me for thou art my god They haue not knowne nor vnderstood for God hath shut their eies that they
concealed from the knowledge of the Ciuill Magistrate A third is The pulchritude order effect propagation conseruation and duration of the things in the world A fourth The distinction of euery Species which we see daily and yearely to propagate and multiply vpon the earth A fifth The Societies Kingdomes and Empires which are not planted and setled rashly or by chaunce confirmed sustained and changed A sixt The great and remarkable punishments of impious and wicked malefactors who though they escape the hand of the temporall Iudge here below yet cannot escape the rod of the Auenger aboue for it is a generall rule obserued as well in Moralitie as Diuinitie That for the most part heinous sinnes haue horrible punishments impending which neuer could be executed if God were not the Executioner of his owne Iustice. The seuenth The blessing and benefits conferred vpon good and godly men nay euen amongst meere Naturalists we see honour and offices bestowed vpon such as are meriting and wel meaning The eighth is The Order of Causes which in the nature of things doth not proceed into Infinites but of necessity they comply and returne to some prime Mouer by which they are gouerned and in which they insist Lastly Prodigies and Signes which forewarne great strange accidents as Eclipses Comets Earthquakes Gapings and openings of the earth in which whole Cities and Islands haue beene swallowed vp in an instant monstrous and prodigious births c. But I now proceed to speake something concerning the Vnitie of the Godhead This is hee of whom Petrarch speaketh in these words Who sees and heares vs before we speake He who said vnto Moses being silent Why do'st thou call vnto me He preuents our words and anticipates our actions Hee who knowes our very thoughts afar off long before they be conceiued He who heares our prayers before they yeeld any sound Hee who spieth our necessities before they appeare vnto our selues He who knows our ends before wee finde our beginnings and though Hee prooues vs to be wretched and vnworthy yet is alwaies ready to shew vs his grace and mercie And this is the sole God of Loue and Vnitieâ— of whom Boethius thus speakes Quod Mundus stabili fide Concordes variat vices Quod pugnantes semina Foedus perpetuum tenent c. That the World with stable Faith Concordant courses varied hath And that the wearing seeds of things From a perpetuall couenant springs Why Phoebus in his golden Throne The Roseat Morne and Day brings on Or Why those Stars that Hesperus Doth vsher forth to shine on vs The Moone takes charge of all the night Or why the Waues that hourely fight And with impetuous clamors rore To menace not inuade the shore For further than it's limited bounds No spot of Earth the Water drownds 'T is Loue that Soueraigne Empire hath Of Heauen Earth Sea that calmes their wrath And in a league of vnitee Bindes all the states of things that be ¶ So the Poet Claudian Nonne vides operum c. See'st not the World in glorious splendor shine Not by Force gouern'd but by Loue Diuine How vncompel'd in a most sweet desire From Age to Age the Elements conspire And how the trauelling Phoebus is content With his mid-road-way through the Firmament To no hand erring How the Sea 's restrain'd As willingly in his owne bounds contein'd And how the Aire wandring throughout the world Is hourely this way tost and that way hurld c. Pythagoras Samius in his Metempsuchosis or transmigration of Bodies as Cicero witnesseth of him was wont to say oftenâ— There is one God and not as many thinke without the administration of the world but Totus in Toto All in All. His Scholer Philolaus affirmed no lesse thus speaking There is one God Prince of the Vniuerse who is euer Singular Immouable and like onely vnto Himselfe Lactantius Diuinar Institut lib. 1. cap. 4. saith That Seneca the Philosopher though in his Writings hee inuocated many gods yet to shew that he beleeued but One you shall reade him thus Do'st thou not vnderstand the Maiestie and Authoritie of thy Iudge the Rector and Gouernor of Heauen and Earth the God of gods of whom all inferiour Deities adored amongst vs haue their dependance Againe in his Exhortations He when he first layd the foundation of this beautifull Machine and began that than which Nature neuer knew a Worke greater or better yet that all things might be gouerned by Captaines and Commanders though his sole Prouidence as He created so still guideth all he begot other gods as his Ministers and Superintendents Damascenus a Greeke Author writeth thus One hath produced all things who is adored in silence and is as the Sun which directly looked vpon is scarce seen the neerer the more obscurely but next it taketh away the very apprehension of the Opticke senses Iamblicus de Secta Pythagorica saith That there is of all things one Cause one God the Lord of all of whom euery good thing ought to be petitioned According to that of Horrace Epistol ad Lollium Sed satis est orare Iovem qui donat anfert Det vitam det opes c. Sufficient'tis if we to Ioue do pray Who life and wealth can giue or take away And Ovid lib. de Art Amand. facilè est omnia posse Deo An easie thing it is to God to do all things He is likewise the aime and end of all Contemplation nor is He any other thing to be contemplated than as an Abstract from a Multitude to an Vnitie This Vnitie therefore is God himselfe Prince of all Truth Felicitie Substance and of all Beginnings To this that of Lucan seemeth to allude si numina nasci Credimus To thinke the gods were borne we should be mad Most certaine 't is they no beginning had Heare what Proclus saith Who is the King The sole God of all things who notwithstanding he is separate from them yet from Himselfe produceth all things and to Himselfe conuerteth all Ends The End of Ends and first Cause of Agitation and Working and Author of all Good If thou dar'st beleeue Plato He is neither to be expressed nor apprehended Therefore this prime Simplicitie is sole King Prince and Ex-superance of all things that haue being He is supereminent ouer all Causes and hath created the substance of the gods so far as there is in them any apparance of Good Porphyrâ—us in his Booke wherein he discribeth the life of his Master Plotinus saith That God in his Vnitie hath generated and produced Many but so that this multitude cannot subsist if this Vnitie doth not still remaine One. And That they neither are of themselues nor haue any power to make others blest and happy Boethius hath these words Sedet Interia Conditor altus rerum regens flectit habenas Rex Dominus Fons Origo c. In th' Interim sits the Builder high And
tooke Hermes on her knee Danc't him sung to him and vpon him smil'd And vow'd she neuer saw so sweet a child To take him as her owne she then decreed And call'd for milke the pretty Babe to feed But when him to be Maia's Son she knew By Iupiter the Lad from her she threw And call'd him Bastard and began to frowne And in her rising cast the Pitcher downe Spilt was the Milke and wheresoe're it lyte The place appeares than all the rest more white The golden Ramme styl'd Prince of all the Signes Rising his Crest he tow'ards the East inclines In th' AEquinoctiall Circle with his head Reacheth Deltoton with his feet doth tread Vpon the Pistrix Thus his story was Phrixus and Helles bred from Athamas And Nebula were at domesticke strife With their proud Step-dame and pursu'd her life But thence cast out into the Woods they came Where wandring long their Mother brought a Ramme Who mounting on his backe she bids them fly They take the sea but soone the winde growes high And the waues troubled Helles is afraid Le ts go her hold and then downe slides the Maid The angry billowes her of life bereaue She forc't her name vnto that Sea to leaue But Phrixus to the Isle of Colchos steeres And when arriv'd before the King appeares Who for he had so past and scap'd the Brine There offered vp the Beast at Mars his Shrine But the rich Fleece whose euery haire was gold Which did amase King Octa to behold He left to him which with such care he kept That to a monstrous Dragon that ne're slept He gaue the charge thereof till Iafon landed Who the swift Argo at that time commanded But by Medea's aid as most auer He bore from Colchos both the Fleece and her Some thinke the Ramme therefore immortalis'd By reason that when Bacchus enterpris'd An expedition into Africa And was distrest for water by the way A Ram was seene out of the Sands to make Whom they pursu'd but could not ouertake Till he had brought them vnto Fountaines cleare Which hauing done he did no more appeare Bacchus who thought him as Diuinely sent Because his Army was nigh tyr'd and spent With heate and thirst and by that means preserv'd Who else in that wilde Desart had been starv'd To Iupiter call'd Ammon there erected A stately Temple and withall directed His Statue rear'd that for the Beasts more grace They on his forehead two Rams hornes should place For so we finde him figur'd Why the Bull Hath place aboue Some thinke because Ioves Trull Europa he from Sidon into Creet Transwafted whilest the waue ne're toucht her feet Some hold him rather for that Beast of note On whom Pasiphae did so madly dote Others for Iö in an Heifers shape By Iove transform'd Queene Iuno's rage to scape The reason is because the head 's sole seene The hinder parts as hid behinde a Skreene He lookes vpon the East and in his face The Hyades fiue Sisters haue their place They Nurses vnto Bacchus haue been thought Call'd the Dodonean Nymphs and thither brought By his great Power Nor are they seen in vain Who neuer rise but they portend some raine They were call'd Atlas Daughters and tooke name From their sole brother Hyas who to tame A Lion striuing was depriv'd of breath For whom the Sisters wept themselues to death The Pleiades they be in number seuen Deare Sisters and together shine in heauen Six only seen at once The reason why Six with the gods congrest but one did ly With Sisiphus a Mortall for which reason She hides her face as had she done some treason The Gemini who louingly embrace Take on the right hand of Auriga place Aboue Orion who his rise begins In the mid place betwixt the Bull and Twinnes Such as deepe knowledge in the Stars professe Castor and Pollux call them Others ghesse Them to be Zeâ—us and Amphion who Were most kinde Brothers To which some say no But that Triptolimus and Iasion claime Scite in that Orbe and in the Heauens the name But of the first th' opinion best doth please And that they are the two Tindarides Brothers to Hellen two the most entire That e're could yet boast of Coelestiall Fire They in their life the Seas from Pyrats freed And after death it was by Iove decreed To set them so that from their glorious Sphere They may behold what euer is done there To curle or calme the Ocean they haue power To cleare the Aire or dampe it with a shower To tosse the Robbers ships on shelues and sands And steere the Merchants safe to forrein lands In Wracks they can preserue in stormes appease No stars haue more dominion on the Seas O're which th' are knowne to beare such watchfull eies That when one sets the other 's seene to rise The AEstiue Circle Cancer doth diuide Iust in the middle but a little wide From Hydra yet aboue his eyes reflect Directly on the Lions sterne aspect But why the Crab should be allow'd his Sphere It may be askt I 'le tell you what I heare When mighty Hercules did vndertake To combat Hydra neere the Lernian Lake As with his club he made the Monster reele This crept behinde and pincht him by the heele At which the Prince more angry for bee'ng stayd In his hot sight lookt backe to see what aid Hydra had got and when the Câ—ab he spy'd A Worme so base his fury was supply'd Then with a looke of anger mixt with scorne He stamp'd vpon 't vntill he saw it torne And shatter'd all to pieces with one spurne Halfe burying it in th' earth Then did he turne Againe vpon the Monster nor withdrew Till Hydra with her numerous heads he slew This seene by Iuno who the Crab had sent To vex the Heroë she incontinent The limbes disperst did suddenly combine And plac'd it one amongst the Twelue to shine Who beares vpon him Stars that shine but dull Call'd Asini yet make his number full The cause of their translation thus we read When all the gods assembled and made head Against the Gyants in that glorious war Where hills and rockes were tost and throwne from far It is remembred how amongst the rest To take the gods part Liber Pater prest Satyres and Sylvâ—nes Shepheards he from Pan And Neatheards tooke not sparing god nor man That neere to him were knowne to haue abode Not his owne Priests and they on Asses rode Now when the battell was to ioyne the cry On both sides 'gan to mount vp to the Sky At which the poore beasts much affrighted they Aboue the rest were loudly heard to bray The Gyants hearing it not knowing whence That noise should come began to hatch suspence How Iove had made of such strange Monsters choice Whose strengths perhaps might match that horrid voice Which made
much happier were that man On whom the prouidence of Heav'n would daine A gracious looke These words were spoke so plaine The Prince o're-heard them and commanded both To come to Court The silly men were loth Fearing they 'had spoke some treason Brought they were Into a stately roome and placed there In two rich chaires and iust before them spread A table with two bak'd meats furnished Both without difference seeming alike faire One cram'd with Gold other nought saue Aire For these they two cast lots To him that said He that trusts Heav'n that man is only made Hapned the Gold To the other that said Well Shall he thriue that trusts man th' empty fell The Emperor made this vse on 't Lords you see What a great Traine hourely depends on me I looke on all but cannot all preferre That in my seruice merit Nor do I erre 'T is their fate not my fault such onely rise By me on whom Heav'n bids me cast mine eyes How comes it that a Poet shall contriue A most elaborate Worke to make suruiue Forgotten Dust when no King shall expire But he brings fuell to his funerall fire No Optimate falls from the Noble throng But he records his Elegeicke Song In mourning papers and when all decayes Herse Shewes and Pompe yet That resounds his praise Of euery Match and Royall Combination His Pen is ready to make publication When all proue ag'd forgotten and blowne o're His Verse is still as youthfull as before And sounds as sweetly though it now seeme dead To after-Times it shall be euer read What 's Gentry then Or Noblesse Greatnesse what The Ciuill Purple or the Clergy Hat The Coronet or Mitre Nay the Crowne Imperiall What 's Potencie Renowne Ovations Triumphs with victorious Bayes Wisedome or Wealth Can these adde to thy dayes Inquire of Roman Brutus syrnam'd Iust Or Salomon the Wise they both are Dust. Learn'd Aristotle Plato the Diuine From Earth they came and Earth they now are thine Where are the Worthies where the Rich or Faire All in one common bed involved are Mans Life 's a Goale and Death end of the race And thousand sundry wayes point to the place From East the West the North the South all come Some slow some swift-pac'd to this generall Doome Some by the Wars fall some the Seas deuoure Certaine is Death vncertaine though the Houre Some die of Loue others through Griefe expire Beneath cold Arctos these they by the Fire The Torrid Zone casts forth forc'd to endure The scorching and contagious Calenture Some the Spring takes away and some the Fall Winter and Sommer others and Death All. Consider well the miserie of Man And weigh it truly since there 's none but can Take from his owne and others thousand wayes But yet not adde one minute to their dayes For now the Conqueror with the Captiue's spread On one bare Earth as on the common Bed The all-commanding Generall hath no span Of ground allow'd more than the Priuat man Folly with Wisedome hath an equall share The Foule and Faire to like Dust changed are This is of all Mortalitie the end Thersites now with Nereus dares contend And with Achilles He hath equall place Who liuing durst not looke him in the face The Seruant with the Master and the Maid Stretcht by her Mistresse both their heads are laid Vpon an equall pillow Subiects keepe Courts with Kings equall and as soft they sleepe Lodging their heads vpon a turfe of grasse As they on Marble or on figur'd Brasse Blinde Homer in the graue lies doubly darke Against him now base Zoylus dares not barke To him what attributes may we then giue And other Poets by whom all these liue Who as their putrid flesh is long since rotten So in their Sepulchres had lay'n forgotten Like common men had not their Muse high-flying Kept both these Worthies and themselues from dying How in these dayes is such a man regarded No not so much as Oile or Inke rewarded Yet shall a Sycophant or ballading Knaue If he but impudence and gay cloathes haue Can harpe vpon some scurrilous Iest or Tale Though fifteene times told and i th' City stale Command a Great mans eare perhaps be able To prefer Sutes and elbow at his table Weare speaking pockets boast Whom he doth serue When meriting men may either beg or starue Past Ages did the antient Poets grace And to their swelling stiles the very place Where they were borne denomination leant Publius Ovidius Naso had th' ostent Of Sulmonensis added and did giue The Dorpe a name by which it still doth liue Publius Virgilius likewise had th' addition Of Maro to expresse his full condition Marcus Annaeus Lucanus Seneca Bore title from his city Corduba Caius Pedo was styl'd Albinovanus Aurelius Olympius Nemesianus Some from the nature of their Poëms Thus Caius Lucilius was call'd Satyrus So Livius Andronicus Epicus And Lucius Accius syrnamed Tragicus c. Some from their seuerall Countries because they Were forrein borne Terens from Africa Is Publius Terentius Afer read Titus Calphurnius Siculus as bred In Sicily So many others had And that for sundry causes meanes to add Vnto their first for with their worth encreast Their stiles the most grac'd with three names at least◠Our moderne Poets to that passe are driuen Those names are curtal'd which they first had giuen And as we wisht to haue their memories drown'd We scarcely can afford them halfe their sound Greene who had in both Academies ta'ne Degree of Master yet could neuer gaine To be call'd more than Robin who had he Profest ought saue the Muse Serv'd and been Free After a seuen yeares Prentiseship might haue With credit too gone Robert to his graue Marlo renown'd for his rare art and wit Could ne're attaine beyond the name of Kit Although his Hero and Leander did Merit addition rather Famous Kid Was call'd but Tom. Tom. Watson though he wrote Able to make Apollo's selfe to dote Vpon his Muse for all that he could striue Yet neuer could to his full name arriue Tom. Nash in his time of no small esteeme Could not a second syllable redeeme Excellent Bewmont in the formost ranke Of the rar'st Wits was neuer more than Franck. Mellifluous Shake-speare whose inchanting Quill Commanded Mirth or Passion was but Will. And famous Iohnson though his learned Pen Be dipt in Castaly is still but Ben. Fletcher and Webster of that learned packe None of the mean'st yet neither was but Iacke Deckers but Tom nor May nor Middleton And hee 's now but Iacke Foord that once were Iohn Nor speake I this that any here exprest Should thinke themselues lesse worthy than the rest Whose names haue their full syllable and sound Or that Franck Kit or Iacke are the least wound Vnto their fame and merit I for my part Thinke others what they please accept that heart Which courts my loue
display'd From whom they receiue names as Day-Stars some Nocturnal others but the most part come Styl'd by his course Orientall those we call That moue from his Vp-rise they from his Fall Are Occidental Other Stars put on Names from the South and the Septentrion The Potestates their pow'r or'e things Inferior To mannage and dispose from the Superior Of all aboue 's immediately receiue Ev'n so the Sun shines only by his leaue The light it giues is but a shadow meere Of His that is so ' vnspeakeably cleere In Glory that all Glory doth transcend Which Humane Eye can no way comprehend And so his borrow'd lustre doth disperse To Men to Beasts and the whole Vniuerse The Potestates with things below dispense Without all tyrannie or violence The Sunne doth shine with amitie and loue On all alike and with the Starre of Iove Bee'ng in conjunction Mans minde it inflames With honour and to purchase glorious names Inspires with magnitude and claritie And these without all force or tyrannie By speculation in the Sun we see The glorious Trinity in Vnitie We from the Body or the Substance gather The Diuine Essence of th' Almighty Father In his bright Splendor we the Sonne include Who is the sole and onely Pulchritude The third proceeding persons God as great We see it plainly figured in his Heat Our Sauiour when he would exemplifie To vs his Fathers Power and Majestie Did it by this bright Planet Perfect be As is your Father that 's in Heav'n saith he Who causeth that his Sonne alike doth rise Vpon the Good and Bad. We must deuise In the next place how we may mak 't appeare The Principates with Venus Star cohere As she from all antiquitie hath been Styl'd by th' imagin'd name of Beauties Queene Because by obseruation euerie creature Borne vnder her she doth endow with feature Faire shape Good-grace and Amabilitie All which to her disposures best agree Ev'n so the Principates striue to bring neare To God himselfe whose Image they do beare All Soules beneath their charge make them to be Partakers of his Diuine Claritie For than Gods Image nothing is more bright Or more to ougly darkenesse opposite As the Platonicks vnder Venus name Including Loue make him the cause this Frame Was first by God built which from Chaos rude Was brought by him to this rare pulchritude Than which nothing more louely can be thought Whose gouernment 's as rare as comely wrought And that there 's nothing can more ougly be Than is Confusion and Deformitie So by the Principates as many hold Empires and States are gouern'd and controll'd Kingdomes well mannag'd They are like a border To guard without and what 's within to order Lest Fire or Sword or any mutinous storme Where they preserue should study to deforme 'T is to their office pertinent by right To keepe all things in Beauty and good plight These Principates are Dukes and Captaines styl'dâ— Yet are they not alone listed and fyl'd Vnder these Titles The Dominion claimes And Potestates the honour of these names The Principate for his rare Pulchritude The Domination for his Magnitude And for his Claritie the Potestate Antesignani writers nominate And vnto them these great names hauing shar'd Iupiter Sol and Venus are compar'd Iove because his infusion doth assure The most compleat and perfect temperature Venus because from her coelestiall place She doth dispose of beauty and good grace The Sun set 'gainst the Potestates so bright Because he is the Lord that gouernes Light The concordance that the Arch-Angels haue With Mercury doth now by order craue The place succeeding Intermediate Th' are 'twixt the Angell and the Principate From the superior Classes these receiue Their Diuine Mandates which beeng done they leaue The execution of his sacred will Vnto the Angels their Attendants still Moreouer as th' Arch-Angels eminent In place are seldome in Embassage sent Vnlesse some weighty matter to declare But by their ordination th' Angels are More frequently employ'd 'twixt God and Man Ev'n so who Mercury shall truly skan Will finde That Them he in that kinde comes neere For to what Star or Planet whatsoe're He doth apply himselfe their strength their state Their force he doth so liuely imitate As if he alter'd nature to the end That his owne influence might on theirs depend Therefore the Poets did on him confer The name of Hermes or Interpreter Vnto the gods Of him one Author writes Bee'ng in conjunction with the Sun he'accites To heate and drowth he in the Moone breeds cold With Saturne he makes wise with Mars Men bold And when he doth to Venus rise or set They 'twixt them two Hermophrodites beget Besides this Star as wisely one relates Seldome to Man himselfe communicates As by the eyes of Mortals rarely seene The Poets tell vs That he oft hath been Sent to the gods on embassy as when To Somnus in his darke Cimerian den To call thence Morpheus and to Maia ' his mother And often betwixt one god and another But to Man seldome Now we must deuise To know what apt coherences may rise 'Twixt Angels and the Moone Th' are lowe'st and least And in their later ranke conclude the rest Next they the true proprietie retaine Belonging to all Spirits And againe That sacred name is fitly to them giuen Because they are more often sent from heauen Than others of more eminent degree Hauing conuerst with men familiarly Besides all mundane businesse and affaires Committed are vnto their charge and cares All these conditions plainly't doth appeare Miraculously vnto the Moone adhere For she of all the Planets is the last In a degree below the others plac't As bringing vp the Number She is then An errant Star next Planet to vs Men. Thirdly the neerer that she hath her station The more her influence and operation Hath power on earth and the more various she Is in her change the more effects there be Proceeding from her Nauigators steere Their course by her as she or fills her Spheere Or empties it Astrologers enqueere From her in their conjectures sicke and craz'd Are as she works either cast downe or rais'd By her the spacious Ocean ebbs and flowes By her the skilfull Gard'ner plants and fowes So of the rest and in this sympathee The Moone thus with the Angels doth agree That when from the superior Stars she'hath ta'ne Her influ'ence she deliuers it againe Into Mans seuerall parts there reignes as Queene Such a faire correspondence haue the prime And chiefe of Angels with the Heav'ns sublime Or those which we call highest Like condition The middle Ternion hath and disposition With the mid Heav'ns for so at first 't was cast And the third Chorus with the third and last For as the first and supreme Heav'ns are sway'd By one sole motion so it may be sayd The supreme Angels of the highest Throne Haue their