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
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
sith it is so much hidden from man Now in that the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures haue their proper motion wherein they continue according to the first ordinance established in nature by the soueraigne creator thereof we are much to admire both the cause and effects of such a constancie I intend heere to speake of a neere cause which is a secret amitie ingraffed into euery creature toward his owne nature For there is a loue Euery creature foloweth his owne nature an appetite or vniuersall inclination in all creatures which vrgeth and inciteth them to desire and search that which agreeth with their nature so that there is none so insensible which hath not in it selfe this amitie innate which euer pusheth it to follow the nature thereof and for this cause may we say that all motions proceed from loue And passing further we may contemplate the loue of God as the eternall source of amitie and inclination of all nature and as the first cause of causes and we shall say that in the same loue God louing himselfe proceeded to his worke which hitherto we haue celebrated and do now meane to prosecute For sith that God is the soueraigne good that all goodnes is by nature louing it cannot be but he must likewise loue himselfe exceedingly and consequently loue all that which he iudgeth to be good insomuch as it proceedeth from him who is the supreme good and the limit of all goodnes This loue then not being able to be idle The loue of God is the first of all motions nor yet the good which it loued would manifest both the one and the other first in the creation of the world namely in that of man and then againe in the restauration and reparation of his fall So we learne that the first motion whereupon all the rest depend is the loue of God which proceedeth from his bountie which he would not keepe shut vp nor inclosed in himselfe but would manifest and communicate it with his creatures whom he hath created to the end that he might be glorified in them and by them And as he loueth them for his owne loues sake and for that they were his worke so hath he set in them the seeds of loue both towards him and towardes themselues according to the diuers nature which he hath conferred vpon them It is then this naturall loue which constraineth them by a secret feeling of nature imprinted euen in those essences which haue neither reason nor vnderstanding to take delight in that which is agreeable to their creator and to follow his ordinance tending all to him and to that which he loueth bicause it is good and therefore good being done according to his will and bicause it pleaseth him to iudge it and approoue it for such Whereupon we may conclude that loue and amitie is the good by which all creatures haue an accord and agreement first with God their creator and then one with another and that vpon the same cause their conseruation and perfection doth depend Of the vnion and accord betweene all creatures Wherefore loue must be the bond and vnion of all the world which is an vniuersall peace and concorde betweene God and all his creatures For the diuine prouidence hath so disposed all the order of them that they be all conioined one with another by such loue and amitie that euen they which seeme to be cleane contrarie are allied reconciled and vnited togither by those which haue more correspondencie betweene them In such sort that we may therein behold a very pleasant and perfect harmonie like as in musicke wherein although it seemeth that the notes tunes and sounds be different one to another yet notwithstanding there is such a moderation in them that they yeeld togither a goodly concord and sweete melodie keeping their proportions times and measures As then by such peace and concord the celestiall spheres follow the generall and common course of the first highest and greatest of all within which they are contained and inclosed performing likewise each of them his particular course without endommaging themselues as we haue heretofore made mention so doe all the elements follow the heauen and obserue their order after it euery one in their degree from the highest to the lowest hauing their motions agreeable to their nature And euen as liuing creatures haue their agreements and coniunctions one with another euery one in his degree according to the couenant and participation of nature which they haue togither and as they are either neere to or farre off one from another euen so is it in the agreement and consent of nature which is betweene the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures composed of them For this cause as the angels retaine the first degree among liuing creatures and then man the second next them by reason that in his nature he neerest agreeth with the angels and doth neerest approch them so doth the heauen and celestiall fires retaine the first degree among creatures which are without soule and without life in their proper and conuenient motions according as we haue already declared And as man doth in some sort hold the middle place betweene the angels and the most perfect beasts so doth fire betwixt the heauen and the aire and as the aire doth keepe the middle place betwixt the fire and water so the water is a meane betwixt the aire and the earth But these things will claime a fitter place when we come to intreate of the elementarie world Wherefore we will returne to that which onely concerneth the heauenly bodies which forsomuch as we haue saide to be of the number of those creatures which are without life being contrarie to the opinion of the most famous philosophers my minde is that we should consider neerer of this matter bicause that by the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them it seemeth that they are not altogither depriued of life reason and vnderstanding as ARAM we may learne of you Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them Chap. 27. ARAM. THis being true that all creatures haue a certaine motion agreeable to their nature and a naturall loue which euer vrgeth them to seeke and pursue that which is most naturall for them as hath been already related in our antecedent speech it seemeth that this can hardly come to passe but that there must be in them some kinde of soule and life yea euen in those creatures that are most insensible And more I will say that it is not onely to be presumed that they haue some kinde of life but also a naturall vnderstanding which we may properly name inclination sith there is no essence but can follow his proper course and order in his owne nature and peculiar motions For the stones themselues and mettals by a kinde of soule and vegetatiue life doe
growe and increase in the earth wherefore it seemeth that they are nourished in the earth like to plants Yet we must note that to speake properly there is neither soule nor life attributed vnto them Foure kinds of soule and life For according to the common rule of the learned there are but fower kindes of soules of life except by abuse of the language this name life be taken generally for the estate of all creatures But when it is taken in his proper signification the soule and life is onely attributed to fower kindes of creatures A kinde of creature of a middle nature betweene plants and beasts that is to herbes trees and plants a nourishing or vegetatiue soule and life to * sensitiue plants as sea-sponges oisters cockles c. a sensitiue to perfect beasts a soule and life cogitatiue or knowing and to men an intellectuall or reasonable soule and life Though therefore that stones and mettals doe increase and grow in the earth yet this is done by addition of matter which is conuerted into their nature rather then by any nouriture which they draw from the earth as plants doe And therefore when we speake properly of life we must vnderstand something more then that which we simply call being And yet one may sometimes signifie the estate or being of any thing by the name of life taking the word generally and not in his most proper signification for the being of euery creature is like the life thereof insomuch as thereby it is conserued in his proper estate Iohn 1. And so it may seeme that Saint Iohn meaneth saying That all things were made by the eternall word of God and that without it nothing was made that was made and that in it was life for here the word Life might be taken for the being of all creatures In this respect it may be permitted vs to say that all creatures haue life but not like any of those which are properly called liuing creatures and each one according to the distinctions by vs before alledged Vnderstanding proper to men and angels onely Now let vs speake of the naturall vnderstanding which seemeth to be in all creatures I know that to speake properly vnderstanding and reason cannot bee attributed but onely to angels and men For though all creatures obserue their order and course in their naturall motions yet doe wee not conclude that they do this by vnderstanding and reason whereof they shoulde participate with men but rather by a naturall inclination which God hath bestowed vpon them to guide and direct them so Yet it seemeth that there is great difference betweene the celestiall bodies concerning which we now discourse and the other creatures which are without life and vnderstanding considering their well ordred motions and incorruptible nature as we haue heeretofore shewed For this is the cause why many Philosophers haue taught Opinions of diuers touching the life and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies that the heauens retained some kinde of life and vnderstanding briefly that the world was an animall or liuing creature for the reasons heeretofore alleaged And therefore some haue supposed that the celestiall and luminary bodies did nourish and preserue themselues by the moistnes and vapors which they attracted and drew vp by their heate out of the water and other elements And for faculties of sense and reason they also considered the same to be in them because that they haue their course and motions so well ordred and comprehended one by another that therein can be found no fault disorder or confusion Which so excellent order could not bee kept nor maintained it seemed amongst them without great reason vnderstanding and wisedome yea more great then is seene in all the men of the world togither For although they were created partakers of these graces and gifts yet so farre are they from maintaining such an order amongst them as do the celestiall bodies that contrariwise there is nothing but disorder and confusion in them and in all their actions For these reasons therefore sundry Philosophers haue concluded that as there are animals or liuing creatures in the earth in the waters and in the aire so likewise are there in heauen and that the sunne and moone the other planets and stars are celestiall animals not onely liuing but also participating of reason and vnderstanding Of the excellent politicall and military order in the heauens yea some haue named them celestiall intelligences And in truth they which haue good skill in Astronomie do consider how the Sunne the goodliest and most excellent of the lights of heauen possesseth the middle place among the seuen planets like the king and prince of them and which hath about him the lords of his court For on one side is Mars the warrior which hath charge of armies and on the other side Mercurie his Orator and ambassador Then is there betwixt him and Mercurie the planet Venus which is the day starre messenger of the morning which alwaies attendeth on the sunne at his rising and setting for she riseth euery day before him and setteth euery day after him and vnder those is the Moone These two planets seeme to be allowed him like mistresses of his house and huswiues of the most moist natures Then aboue Mars is the milde and benigne planet Iupiter to the end to moderate the vehemencie and furie of him And higher yet is Saturne who is cold slowe and sadde wherefore he may the better temperate the heate of Mars and serue the sunne like a sound and well staied counsellor neere about his prince Then may be seene the high heauen commonly called the firmament which containeth all the rest of the stars vnder which the sunne marcheth in his royall magnificence accompanied like a king with his court and armie all in gallant order Is not this then a goodly policie like a royall court a celestiall common wealth and a braue armie wherein euery star and planet keepeth his ranke and order And not onely for these considerations but euen by testimonies of Scripture there are some will vndertake to prooue that the celestiall bodies haue reason and vnderstanding Deut. 32. Isay 1. For the prophets namely Moses and Isay sometimes addressing their speech to the heauens call them for auditors as when they say Oh heauens heauens heare that which I shall speake and giue eare to my words So that they woonder why these holy men should call to the heauens if they had neither soule nor life Psal 148. nor reason nor vnderstanding And the Psalmist in his canticles doth exhort the heauenly bodies to praise God no lesse then the angels themselues But now let vs tell them that if by these authorities we must conclude that the spheres haue in them a soule life sense and reason we might say the like of the aire of the clouds waters fire haile snowe vapors windes yea and of all earthly creatures to the very plants For the
he returneth to the other without any ceasing rest or fainting Wherein we must especially acknowledge gods woonderfull prouidence who hath created him neither greater nor lesse then is necessary to performe the office which hath beene committed to him And for his greatnes we may truely iudge that it is immense and admirable because that in what place soeuer men may be whether in the east or in the west or in the north or in the south parts yet do they all behold it of one selfesame greatnes And therefore doth the prophet say They which dwell in the vttermost parts of the earth Psal 65. are afraid of thy signes and thou makest them ioyfull with the going foorth of the euening and the morning that is with the rising and setting of the sunne and other planets and starres Wherein we must note that though we commonly say of the sunne that he riseth and setteth as if we spake of a man that went to take his rest in the night after that he trauailed all day yet in truth he neither riseth nor setteth for that he is continually busie How the rising and setting of the sunne must be taken bringing day to some when others haue night But men say commonly so because that in regard of vs he seemeth when he retyreth as if he went to rest at euen-tide and that he riseth in the morning when he returneth vnto vs. Wherfore we say that he is hidden and downe when we see him not and that he is risen when he appeereth at point of day And so do the rude people and children which dwel neere the mountaines accustomablie say that he is gone to hide himselfe behind them And they which are neere the sea suppose that he goeth to plunge wash himselfe therein as the Poets also say accommodating their stile to the vulgar And yet al may behold that he riseth not on the same side where he setteth but on the other quite opposite Whereby is easie to be iudged that he hath not reposed all the while that men slept but hath passed much way And that he still carrieth his light with him for it is a most certaine thing that he hath not deliuered night and darknes to those people and nations by which he passed but light and day But if there be fewe amongst the rude and ignorant which meditate these things so farre there be fewer which consider of the prouidence of God that manifesteth it selfe in this perpetuall changing of day into night and of night into day For there is nothing more contrary then light and darknes and consequently then night and day And yet hath God so well disposed compacted and reconciled these contrarieties togither that if things were otherwise ordained there were neither man nor beast that could long liue vpon the face of the earth And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith Eccles 42. Oh how delectable are all his works and to be considered euen to the very sparks of fire they liue all and endure for euer and whensoeuer need is they are all obedient They are al double one contrarie to another hee hath made nothing that hath any fault The one commendeth the goodnes of the other and who can be satisfied with beholding Gods glory And indeed if the day should last perpetually and equally alike in all parts of the world the heat of the sunne would so scorch euery thing that it would drie vp and consume not onely men and beasts but euen all moisture and humiditie which is in the earth Meruailes of the prouidence of God in the commodities of day and night Whereby all liuing creatures should faile for they could not liue for two causes First because that life doth principally lie in heate and moisture and is conserued by them according to the order that God hath set in nature to guard and maintaine it Wherefore as men and beasts loose their life if their naturall heat be altogither extinguished so doth it likewise befall them when their moisture is entirely consumed For there must be a verie equall proportion in all those qualities which are in the bodies of liuing creatures to wit in heat and coldnes in drines and moisture according to the nature of the fowre elements whereof they are composed for the excesse of the one doth confound the other For which cause God hath so disposed the course of the Sunne that hee distributeth his heate in so good and iust measure that he hindreth the too much coldnes and moisture which might quench the naturall heate and yet doth not so consume them by the heat and drines which he causeth but that there alwaies remaineth so much as is needful for the life of all creatures And for the other reason that they would faile it is that neither man nor any other animall can liue without nourishment to repaire in them that which the naturall heate like a fire incessantly flaming hath consumed of radicall humor in their bodies yet this heat must be likewise maintained that it be not extinguished as wee haue amply discoursed concerning these things in the second part of our Academie For this cause then God hath ordained eating and drinking for the nouriture of all liuing creatures and hath appointed to the earth as to the mother of al the charge and office to produce fruits and other nourishments needfull for them Which she cannot do being by nature cold and drie if as she is warmed by the heat of the sunne she be not also moistned by the waters both of heauen earth And therefore when that the sunne hath heated and dried it vp all day long the night which is the shadow of the earth doth afterwards ensue and taking from vs the sight of the sunne and his light doth by this meanes bring vnto vs darknes which causeth night wherein the Moone who is colde and moist hath her rule as the sunne who is hot and drie hath his rule in the day time And so we must consider these two celestiall bodies very neerely according to their proper effects which we perceiue and experiment heere on earth below Genes 1 as also Moses testifieth vnto vs saying that God created two great lights amongst others to be as regents and rulers the one of day and the other of night So then as the earth and all that it beareth togither with all animals or liuing creatures that it nourisheth are heated and dried vp in the day time by the sunne euen so are they moistned and refreshed in the night time by the withdrawing thereof and by the humiditie and coldnes of the Moone Wherein there especially hapneth a mutuall accord betweene heauen and earth vnder which we comprise the aire waters and al creatures therein contained with their natures and qualities Moreouer in this maruel we are to consider that as men and animals cannot suruiue without nourishment which God hath prouided by the meanes aforesaid so likewise could they not liue without taking some rest
generations it is necessarie that something remaine from which they are drawne in their first originall When then any creature is engendred by another if the forme perish and any thing do remaine it must of necessitie be the matter Nothing can cleane perish which the corruption it selfe doth manifest because that nothing can wholy perish so long as it is corrupted For the apple perisheth and is conuerted into wormes so is the wood into cinders when it is burned so water changeth it selfe into vapors and smoke by the heate of the fire or of the sunne Now all vapor and smoke is something for it can stifle a man and if it be receiued and gathered into a vessell it turneth to drops of water Behold then how manifest it is that in all this vniuers there is a certaine thing hidden vnder euerie forme which is not made by common generation nor yet doth perish by corruption and which like some prime subiect being diuided vnder many and sundry formes wee call as we haue alreadie said the first matter not engendred permanent because it perisheth not but remaineth and consisteth according to the effect thereof And when we compare it to the formes we saie that it is by power the same which they are because that it can receiue all formes so that the matter of a childe being formed is said to be a childe by power and by effect it is the subiect whereof the childe may consist for it is a mixture so fashioned and such as one may see it But when it is compared to the forme of the childe it is simplie called a matter by power for if it were such by effect then were it a childe of it selfe not a subiect of him So then by the consent of all Philosophers there is a certaine grosse matter disfurnished of formes but capable of all though by nature it be depriued of all For which cause also they establish with this matter priuation Of priuation of the changing cause for a beginning of naturall things And mounting higher they consider of a changing or working cause by force whereof the matter being wrought and mollified which is onely in power is at length actually performed euen as waxe being plied and softned by handling and working in the hand is fashioned into diuers formes according to the will of him that doth it Of the finall cause And because that nature doth nothing at aduenture but al for some good purpose thence it is that the finall cause is by some considered as a principle Of the forme And likewise because that the neerest end of the working cause is the forme which it taketh out of the bosome of the matter and that for this intent it worketh and mouldeth it to the end to reduce it to a perfect estate to receiue a forme for these causes Aristotle constituteth the forme for the third principle The which cannot be drawne out of the wombe of the matter except it be first disposed and prepared by conuenient qualities and therefore the Philosophers say that about them the maker bestoweth and emploieth all his labour and all the time of the action to the end that the species may presently appeere in a point moment vnseparable as it were for the wages of his paines But the Peripateticks call the worker the cause rather then a principle And the followers of Plato being more cleere-sighted in sacred mysteries doe teach that although the naturall causes do appeere to vs of themselues forming fashioning Thâ—â— naturalâ— causes 〈◊〉 principles and moulding euerie bodie yet neuerthelesse are they not the prime and first causes of euerie thing that is made but rather instruments of the diuine art to whom they serue and obey euen as the hands of a cunning workeman though they compose place and change the whole matter of an house as wood stone and morter and that nothing besides them may bee seene whereto the fashion of the edifice might bee attributed yet are they knowne of vs to be an instrument obeying and seruiceable to the Idea which being seated in the minde of the Architect he performeth and acteth with his hands in sensible matter the worke which he hath conceiued And for this occasion the Academicks speake of these two causes the instrumental and the exemplarie cause when they intreat of the framing of all things Which me thinketh is often confirmed by the Peripatetickes when this axiom is read in their writings Euerie worke of nature is the worke of Intelligence And both the one and the other do confesse that God hath drawne all things out of the matter But because that for to drawe them out the matter must necessarily be presupposed and the forme which thereof is fashioned must be conceiued as also the power or application and disposition of the said matter Three principles according to Aristotle Thereupon are sprung the three principles of naturall things which Aristotle ordayneth to wit matter forme and priuation Which opinion Pythagoras seemed to leane vnto teaching that in the first production of things there were present the Euen and the Odde for the Euen according to the doctrine of those which doe philosophically discourse by numbers and principally the binarie or number of two signifieth the matter and the vneuen or odde betokeneth the forme Moreouer the degrees of formes and things composed are excellently and harmoniously distributed by the Euen and Odde numbers as by their writings we may easily learne But let vs note that that which the Pythagorians signifie by numbers Plato doth abundantly describe by greatnes and smalnes because all that which is doth retaine a greater or lesse degree of essence and perfection which neuerthelesse is distinguished by euen and odde numbers And if one speake of bodies euery one of them hath a great little or meane quantitie which likewise is by the same numbers limited and distinguished But to leaue the curious disputation concerning these things to the Philosophers and so to grow to the conclusion of our speech concerning the principles of naturall and corruptible things we must call that into our memorie which we haue alreadie declared how that the matter stood in need of a worker and ordayner Now this same is none other Of one alone and onely principle but the alone and onely principle of principles and the cause of causes God omnipotent author of the Vniuers who being a soueraigne worker hath produced out of the subiect by him created all compound bodies From whom likewise it is necessarie that all formes doe flow whether they be drawne out of the bosome of the matter as some Philosophers affirme or proceed without any meanes of the forme-giuer as many learned dispute for he must alwaies be said to be engendring and producing which draweth the matter into an effect by any manner whatsoeuer Moreouer Motion and place set by some for principles some subtile spirits do account among the principles of naturall things
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
of it It is true that Auerrois doth interpret this text of Aristotle concerning heauen But how should the heauen be this Eternall whom all things should enforce themselues to follow considering that it of it selfe is eternall in fauour of whom the elements heauen it selfe and euerie creature doth worke Doth not the doctrine of Aristotle resound in each point that God is the end of all things in desire of whom they are mooued as to the thing loued and desired But leauing this Arabian Auerrois who studieth in all his works to deface marre many other sentences of his master that he may defend that which he imagineth let vs conclude that according as the Philosophers confesse the elements in their being the plants in their life and fruitfulnes the liuing creatures in a better life and in their condition such as it is imitate in emulation the diuine power and perfection and that man endued with the singular gift of libertie and free will doth in the same imitate God and beareth in a better estate and condition then any other thing his image and semblance By such considerations say I is also prooued the freedome and libertie of God alwaies tending to good according to his good pleasure because he contayneth within himselfe that which hee conferreth vpon others And briefly to answere all their reasons heretofore alleaged let vs hold that that Soueraigne perfection which is in God wanteth not in the lowest degree nor for the cause thereof nor yet that his simple vnitie is distributed into a multitude because that in it selfe by infinite power it contayneth all things Neither doth the intellectuall soule degenerate although as they teach it exerciseth the power to feele Proper faculties to be considered in God to strengthen to cause encreasing and to mooue according to his estate For that we may mount to higher considerations God perceiueth with such his senses as the holy Scriptures attribute vnto him He mooueth all other things himselfe remaining stable he giueth them strength and feedeth them with the foode of his wisedome But hee performeth all these things by a meanes by a perfection power which is vnknowne to humane spirits except they be illustrated with his light And there is in him a fertilitie without trauel which is the fountaine of all other things through which he produceth alwaies within himselfe but outwardly he doth it at the pleasure of his will Which because it is the rule of contingence it is not possible nor fit for vs to search out the cause of the first beginning For when we are thereto arriued Aristotle himselfe doth charge to stay for God hath no need of any precedent disposition nor of helpe neither did feare resistance nor was hindered by space he who in commaunding created all things But the causes of things here below the instruments and subiect framed by his word require a precedent disposition haue need of an application attaine succession of time and seeke such helpes as are requisite for such a one as negotiateth by power limited And therefore as we haue alreadie said when they deduce their reasons from these conditionall and naturall workers to him which is free and deliuered from all these things they fall into diuers errors But if by the workes which they contemplate in this Vniuers they do enforce themselues to attaine to the knowledge of the Soueraigne Architect then let them attribute vnto him all these things after a conuenient perfect manner separating from him all that denoteth feeblenes and impotencie in the worker And then they shall see that the supreme things of the Architype accord by a sweete and melodious consonancie to those which are more base and meane all which are comprised in the creator as in a modell and patterne and contemplated by vs here below as in a shadow or trace But this shadow and much more the trace doth want much of him whom they represent And yet by them as by a token or priuie note we attaine to some obscure knowledge of the creator although his workes doe agree with him neither in different proportion or signification nor yet in al and through all in the same reason but onely by a certaine resemblance they represent vnto vs the perfect fashion of supernall things by their most grosse and base nature euerie one in their degree But this is sufficient concerning this subiect now speake we of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation of the world vndoubtable which we refer to you ARAM to declare vnto vs. Of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation and newnes of the world vndoubted Chapter 7. ARAN AS we haue seene how weake and feeble the arguments of Philosophers against the creation and newnesse of the world are so is it expedient also that being readie for the combat we march in battell against them armed with true and strong reasons and vnder the authoritie of very good and approoued witnesses to the end to make vndoubted to all Manie witnesses of the worlds creation that which wee haue already declared concerning the creation of the Vniuers And first we will recite those who being woorthie of credite haue taught it vs. We haue alreadie seene how that the opinion of Plato concerning this generation of the world accordeth with the doctrine of Moses Mercurius Trismegistus in his Pimandre deliuereth in few words the same sacred mysteries rendring the composition of this Vniuers and of the gouernors thereof and of all things created to be vndoubtable And by the baser elements he aduertiseth vs of the pure workemanship of nature vnited neuerthelesse with the thought of the Creator Which elements he affirmeth to be for this purpose established by the will of God onely and yet in farre woorse condition then before they were in the worker Empedocles of Agrigentum and Heraclitus of Ephesus affirme not once but oftentimes the world to be engendred and corruptible Democritus teacheth that it hath had beginning that it one day must perish and neuer againe be renued Hesiod and Orpheus the Poets sing that it hath beene created Thales one of the seuen Sages affirmeth Hieraclus that this round frame is the worke of God Pythagoras Hieraclus his expounder confesse God creator father of all things To which accord Auicen Arabian Algazel Sarrasin Philo no lesse excellent in doctrine then in Greeke eloquence and Alcinois the Platonist who saith It is necessarie for the vniuersall world to be the perfectly-beautious worke of God And many such other authors the most cōmended for learning whom it would be too lōg tedious to rehearse affirme the same But leauing the testimonies of strangers let vs come to such as haue receiued frō diuine oracles A certaine approbation of the doctrine of Moses by supernatural illumination that which they haue taught vnto vs. We haue heard that which Moses teacheth vs concerning the generation of the world now let vs consider how his
That heauen is of round forme is a sure testimonie vnto vs. So likewise there are many naturall reasons which declare it to be such For all the partes of the frame thereof doe consist of themselues doe sustaine themselues and doe comprehend themselues not hauing neede of any stay or ioint hauing neither a beginning nor ending place Moreouer this roundnes of heauen may be knowne by the sight of the eie For on which side soeuer you behold it you may see the halfe in our hemisphere as it doth shew it selfe which could not come to passe in any other figure but in a round which also is the most perfect and most capable of all other figures to bee comprised in one selfesame circuit and is therewithall the easiest to mooue euery way And therefore it is not onely conuenient but also necessarie for all the heauens and celestiall orbes of which we before intreated as well bicause of the perfection of their essence as by reason of their proper motions which are circular and correspondent to a round forme besides all this bicause these spheres are placed one within another making their reuolutions vpon diuers poles and in diuers spaces of time Which could not be obserued nor the integritie of the whole heauen maintained if the celestiall forme were any other saue round and circular Of the proper and naturall motion of the spheres For the proper and naturall motion of the spheres is circular that is framed equally distant round about their center which is the point in the midst of the world so that neither the whole heauen nor any of the particular spheres doth wholy abandon or passe out of his owne place and situation but onely the partes of them doe incessantly change place in that they turne about their said common center And therefore is this circular motion much more noble and perfect then that which is made by a right line either mounting from the center of the world towards the circumference Of the motion proper to the fowre elements or else descending from it towards the center which motion is proper to the fower elements For fire and aire do mount vpwards but water and earth descend naturally downwards Also fire mounteth higher then aire and earth descendeth lower then water and each of these enuiron the center of the world which is the lowest place of all and farthest from the circumference which is the highest of all So then the circular motion is naturally due and conuenient to the most noble and most simple bodie which is the heauen and most necessarie for it as it appeereth more cleerely to vs by the continuall motion of the starres both fixed and wandring which proceedeth of the onely moouing of their spheres What stars are For we must note that the starres are nothing else but certaine firme cleere and solide partes of their heauens made in round forme like the heauen whose motion they follow which likewise receiue their light from the sunne who is the very source and fountaine whereinto the soueraigne creator hath put the brightnes of the whole vniuersall world Now this circular motion of heauen is found by obseruation to haue two principall differences that is to be made vpon sundry poles and axes and in sundry partes and positions of the world as also in diuers spaces and quantities of times Of the axis of the spheres and of the poles We call that the axis of the sphere which is the diameter that passeth through the same vpon which it is turned and the vttermost points of the same axis are the poles For the whole vniuersall world hath his proper and naturall motion like a liuing creature and euery of the orbes and particular heauens haue also a peculiar motion like to the partes and members of the whole great bodie For which cause as also for diuers other considerations many learned personages haue affirmed that the world is an animal or liuing creature And amongst others Origen is wholy of that minde who enforceth himselfe to prooue it as well by reasons as by authoritie of holy scripture And therefore he saith thus in his booke of principles Though the world be ordained to diuers offices yet the estate thereof must not be thought to be dissonant or any whit disagreeing But euen as our bodie alone is composed of many members Reasons of such as haue said that the world is an animal and is contained by one soule so I thinke we must suppose that the vniuersall world is a great and vnmeasurable animal which as by a soule is sustained by the power and wisedome of God The Platonists doe all with one mouth teach the same thing And among many reasons by which they would confirme this point we will take onely that of Plato in his Timaeus which me thinkes is most excellent There are saith he two motions the one proper the other strange or exterior now that is more diuine which of it selfe is mooued then that which is stirred by the power of another And this motion proper and diuine is in our soules onely from which the beginning of the other strange motion is taken Seeing therefore that all motion proceedeth of the ardor of the world and that this ardor is not mooued by exterior agitation but of it owne accord it is therefore necessarie that there must be a soule Whereupon we gather that the world is an animal and that not without vnderstanding Now if thereupon any aske why heauen changeth not nor becommeth diseased nor dieth nor faileth as other liuing creatures doe The answere of Chalcidius in this point pleaseth me very much Notable difference in the workes of God when he saith commenting vpon Timaeus That which is instituted by God without meanes is free and exempt from change from age from sicknes from oldnes and from death And in this point agree all Academicks as also might bee well proued by circumstance if that be well considered which the sage philosopher Moses declareth to haue beene produced by the creator without helpe or matter and that which hath beene also performed by meanes of the second causes For though man was created and formed by the handes of God yet was hee not made without dust or earth which was a meane subiect But the Eternall hath made the heauens and the whole frame of the world of nothing For which reason it might seeme perpetuall and not perishing For as we haue heretofore declared though the heauens and earth must passe away yet doth not this plainly conclude an annihilating of them but rather a changing and renewing Psal 102. For so speaketh the kingly prophet saying The heauens shall waxe old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And of this consideration we may frame an excellent reason concerning the immortalitie of the soule bicause it was made without any meanes by God himselfe But leauing this argument let vs pursue that
subiect to change and the rest are immutable incorruptible persisting alwaies in their estate during the course of this world Stones mettals minerals and such like creatures are of the number of those that haue neither life nor any naturall moouing whatsoeuer but like the earth it selfe The water aire winde and fire are creatures which though they haue not life yet haue they moouing but they are subiect vnto corruption as are all other creatures composed of the elements whether they retaine life or not For by reason that they are compounded of matters and contrarie qualities they doe at length corrupt and are changed not in regarde of their first nature and substance which perisheth not Nothing perisheth in regard of the matter though it change formes but returneth alwaies into the same elements whereof euerie compound consisteth And though stones and mettals be exceeding hard yet are they not exempt from corruption but are consumed by vsage yea euen gold and siluer which are the most precious mettals and of so excellent temper that they resist fire But the celestiall bodies whereof we entreat now consist of such matter nature and substance that being in perpetuall motion they euer perseuere in their entire and first forme not being subiect to any change in their bodies nor any way consuming like to the other creatures winch are vnder them Of the matter or substance of heauen But what this matter or substance is hath beene much disputed on amongst the most learned For some Philosophers haue affirmed that the heauens starres and planets which we behold are compounded of the same elements whereof all other creatures are made but yet of the most pure parts and portions of them And render this reason viz. that they could not be visible if they were not created of visible matter For none can make a visible thing of an inuisible Whereupon they conclude that there is in the composition of celestiall bodies some portion of earth and water which are visible elements and more water then earth because it is more pure and cleere then the earth is and because it hath motion And in that they are most splendant cleere and mooueable they attribute the principall cause thereof to the nature of the aire and fire and the most subtile parts of them whereof say they they are singularly composed But others hold that the heauens consist of another kinde of substance then of the elements which they name a fift-essence of most rare and different substance from the elementarie and much more excellent and noble Others more cunning finde in the heauens diuers and vnequal substances Whereto may seeme to accord that which Americus Vespucius hath declared in the discourse of his third Nauigation to the Indies concerning the magnitude of the stars making mention of three verie great ones called Caponi which are not cleere And many other authors haue noted diuersitie of shining and cleerenes among the stars and that some part of heauen is thicker then the rest But whatsoeuer may be subtilly inuented in this matter it seemeth verie well that heat is the substance of celestiall bodies which is inseparable from brightnes Of heat light and brightnes which is a similitude and semblance of light hauing the substance of it and of heat so annexed with it selfe that it is almost nothing else So that the light brightnes heat may be taken for one selfe same substance and matter of heauen and of all the spheres Which we must moreouer note to be so established and ordained by God that the Sunne Moone and all the other stars and planets are no whit chaunged since the day of their creation any more then their said spheres neither are they more wearied worne Of the continuance and changing of the heauens or corrupted for all the labour which they haue performed by the space of so many yeeres then they were the first day of their creation For you must not holde it for a chaunge and alteration of their natures and qualities in that according to their diuers courses the stars and planets are sometimes far from and sometimes neere to one another and that they haue oppositions coniunctions and diuers and different respects according to the varietie of their motions nor yet for the eclipses of the Sunne and Moone For such changes are not in their proper bodies substance and qualitie but onely in regard of vs and our sight But to this constancie stablenes and continuance of the heauens and the celestiall bodies the words of the kingly Prophet in the Psalmes may seeme to be repugnant Psal 102. when he saith Thou O God hast aforetime layd the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure euen they all shall waxe olde as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile Also it is written Math. 24. 2. Pet. 3. that the heauens and earth shall passe That the day of the Lord shall come like a Thiefe in the night and in which the heauens must passe away like a noise of a tempest the elements must melt with heat and the earth with all the workes that are therein shall bee burnt That the heauens being set one fire shall be dissolued Esay 65. 66. Apoc. 21. and that we looke for new heauens and new earth according to the promise of God in whom dwelleth righteousnes All these testimonies yet do not contradict that which we heretofore said concerning the nature of the celestiall bodies For we refer their stabilitie and continuance to the course of all this great world which God hath ordained and established to endure till the consummation and ending thereof in such sort as he hath declared to vs in his word Moreouer it is one thing to speake of the heauens comparing their nature with that of other visible and corporall creatures and another thing when we compare them with the nature of God or of his word as the holy Scripture cōmonly doth Psal 90. For according to the doctrine thereof a thousand yeers are as one day before God wherfore also this visible frame both celestiall terrestrial is nothing else but as a vesture which weareth waxeth old is clean done after that it is worne al out And sith that both heauen and earth are created by the word of God Iohn 1. there is no doubt but they shall faile rather then it For it remayneth for euer like God from whom it proceedeth from all eternitie There is yet diuersitie of opinions amongst the ancient doctors about the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture concerning the matter which we do now treat of For some indeed say that the heauens shall perish with the rest of the world if it so please the creator and if he will haue it so considering that all creatures both visible and inuisible
receiue their essence and continuance not from themselues but from God alone Yet for all that do they not thinke that the heauens shall altogither faile nor that God will haue it so And others maintaine that though the heauens must passe and be dissolued according to the word of God that yet this defect shall not be an entire annihilating but onely a certaine chaunge which shall come to them by which they shall be renued in far more perfection Whereto it seemeth that Saint Paule agreeth Rom. 8. when he cleerly testifieth concerning all creatures ingenerall that they are subiect to corruption because of the sinne of man and for that cause they doe attend with great desire for the reuelation and redemption of the children of God because they shal not be relieued nor deliuered from the seruitude of corruption to be in the liberty of the glory of them and restored to their integritie till the day ordayned by the creator for the acceptation of his into eternall felicitie For thereupon ensueth that the heauens and celestiall bodies sigh and grone attending togither with the other creatures this blessed day to be chaunged renued restored which S. Peter likewise teacheth in the place before cited Yea some philosophers accord with him concerning the dissolution of the world by fire but not concerning the cause thereof For they refer it not to the sinne of man which hath infected the heauen the earth and all things contained therein and put the world into disorder and confusion but to the nature of fire which at last consumeth all and whereof they giue a reason by naturall causes There are also some Astronomers who affirme that some change may bee perceiued in the spheres and heauenly bodies concerning their courses and ordinarie motions and that they are somewhat different from those which they haue had from the beginning how they waxe weary are worne and become old in their function like to other creatures although this change doth much lesse appeere in them then in the other works of God but wee will leaue this argument to the professors of Astrologie And let it suffice vs for conclusion of this matter to consider what the stabilitie and continuance of men in this world may be seeing that all other creatures must receiue a change and haue an end yea the very heauens themselues For what are all people in respect of this great Vniuers And againe what is euery one of them particularly in comparison of the generalitie of mankinde and of all those which haue already gone before vs But let vs returne to that which concerneth the heauens and sphericall bodies considering that which doth touch their motions besides that which hath beene already declared which AMANA shall be the subiect for you to discourse vpon Of the motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature Chapter 26. AMANA EAre we enter into the declaration of the subiect which is now propounded vnto vs to discourse vpon concerning heauen my desire is that wee may cal to our memorie that which we haue already heeretofore heard of the nature of the heauens concerning the matter whereof they are compounded and concerning their beautie stabilitie and continuance For so shall wee reduce the end of our discourse to that principall point whereunto we haue alreadie from the beginning destinated it that is so much the better to acknowledge our God and his prouidence to the end to glorifie him I say then that if we considerately meditate vpon the excellencie of the celestiall bodies we shall therein finde a more expresse image of the eternitie and maiestie of God and of his diuine and immutable nature then in any of all the other visible creatures Moreouer we may accept of them as a testimony and example not onely of the immortalitie which God hath ordained for mens soules which are spirituall natures but also of that which he hath promised our bodies after our resurrection For that hee can accomplish his promise we neither may nor must make doubt of if we beleeue that he is almightie No more must we make doubt of his will sith he hath declared it vnto vs in his word If then he hath beene able to create the heauens and the stars and planets which in them are like splendant precious stones enchased in rings of a matter so firme and durable that it remaineth incorruptible and as it were immortall whether it be taken from the fowre elements or be of an other quint-essence as we haue already heard It shal be no lesse easie for him to make our bodies incorruptible and immortall hauing deliuered them from corruption and death to which through sinne they were subiect Now let vs pursue that which particularly concerneth the heauen in his motion wherein wee haue notable signes of the glorie and bountie of our God Three sorts of motion To vnderstand then sufficiently that which concerneth the present matter we will first note that there be three sorts of motion in the whole world For there is one which tendeth to the midst and to the center of the Vniuers which is in the earth the lowest of elements which motion for that it descendeth is proper to the most heauie elements and to such creatures as do most participate with them Then is there another motion contrarie to the first which alwaies tendeth from the midst and from belowe vpwards and this is proper to the most light elements and to those natures which do neerest approch vnto them and which participate with their qualities more then the rest But the third kinde of motion is that which neither mounteth nor descendeth either one way or other but goeth round euer turning about the midst like a circle or a wheele And this is that which is proper to heauen and to the sphericall bodies being most certaine disposed and composed by a most constant and firme order For though that all the elements and all other creatures which haue motion obserue an order therein yet is it more subiect to change according as the inferior bodies are subiect to the superior But those haue a more certaine course because they depend not vpon other bodies which are aboue them but immediately vpon God without the meanes of any other corporall nature And therefore of all the motions which are in all creatures that of the heauen and heauenly bodies is chiefest and most excellent Of the motion of the spheres attributed to the angels For whereas some attribute the motions of the spheres to the angels as if God vsed their ministerie heerein as we haue already declared whether it be so or not yet this is most certaine that the heauens haue their motion immediately from God seeing there are no corporall natures aboue them whereby they may be mooued For the angels are certaine spirituall creatures on whom if the omnipotent hath imposed this charge we must be content to leaue the vnderstanding thereof to him alone
and variable motion so that she causeth to be correspondent to man as to the end and image of the whole Vniuers all the loftie members of it All these properties I say are attributed by sundry Astronomers to the planets in regard of the good which they cause to men Againe others acknowledge some of them to be the cause of many euils and those they call ill planets not celestiall For they say that Saturne is foolish niggardly difficult Euilnes of Saturne inducing to dangers fraud mischiefe treasons violence captiuitie banishment losse periurie contumacie wrath hatred of all good feare anguish griefe burials sorrow and losse of children also that he causeth sorceries empoisonings theft maketh Magicians Of Mars they say that he prouoketh to treason warre Of Mars murder boldnes rashnes pride sedition contention rapine ambushments woundings flights disloialties villanies foolish loue easie offending many cogitations ill counsell and that he maketh princes violent cruell inhumane desirous of bloud and slaughter periured deceitfull inconstant cursing and full of all wickednes and that he foresheweth a mishapen and impudent man and that he is pernicious to birthes causing abortiue fruit Finally that in all parts of heauen he menaceth some mischiefe For the rest I passe them heere in silence that I may not bee too tedious in this matter which some Mathematicians and Poets ascribe to other planets making them cause of many other euils according to the diuers constellations where they doe contemplate them But to speake my minde we like Christians must beleeue and not thinke as many naturalists doe who in stead of acknowledging a God do forge to themselues an Idoll of Nature that it should be the planets or starres who like fountaines or Ladies of vertues properties and powers giue influence to men of the foresaide qualities but onely that in disposing their bodies being compounded of the elements vpon which the planets worke they serue to aide them to abound in vertues or vices according as their minde beeing moderatrix of all their actions doth dispose hir faculties to intend good or euill For this cause we say that to those which want the gifts and graces of Gods spirit all things cannot but succeed badly and the influences of the spheres hurt them rather then otherwise yea some more then other some as to the contrarie the minde of the faithful well instructed doth correct the naughtines of the stars deliuereth himselfe from all peruerse inclination This is it that the thrise great Philosopher Mercurius saith entreating of those whom the diuine power whatsoeuer it was had forsaken leauing and abandoning them to the euill as hee speaketh and all that which was sensible in them For thus saith he Of such the forces of anger appetite which being wel directed would cause euery good worke turne into a nature depriued of reason So then we learne that very vaine is the faith that is giuen to the planets to constellations and to foolish diuinations and superstitious prognostications of Astrologians For true Christians feare not the signes of heauen nor their aspects and regards but do wholly depend vpon the grace of God and of his prouidence which turneth all to the good of his elect Against iudiciall astrologie And therefore though wee condemne not true Astrologie namely Astronomie yet must we not approoue the superstition and curiositie which is in many concerning that part of this science called Iudiciall which they holde for a certaine and infallible doctrine by which may be foreseene and knowne the euents of men But let vs rather hold with that which Ieremie teacheth vs Ierem. 10. saying Feare not the signes of heauen according to the gentiles for the customes of the people are vaine Which is as much as if he had said that such curious obseruations full of superstitions are friuolous and false belonging to pagans and idolaters and not to the people of God For this cause also we haue in the bookes of the other prophets many things spoken against the predictions and prognostications of the Chaldees and Babylonians Esay 47. namely in Isay For God which is aboue all nature hath meanes which men cannot perfectly know either by reason of their ignorance or for that those meanes are supernaturall So that it happeneth that things oftentimes succeede cleane contrarie to that which the Astronomers haue forespoken prognosticated Against the casters of natiuities according to their contemplation But I woulde willingly aske them what foundation they can haue when like prophets they enterprise to foretell men good lucks and ill lucks and all euents which they must expect and chiefly to kings princes and other chiefe personages For where doe they finde when God created the stars and planets that he gaue them commission to reueale to Astrologers what should be the nature and complexion of euery one according to the planet vnder which they should be borne And againe how can such iudiciall science haue certaintie seeing there are a thousand men that are borne euery day in the world in one selfesame countrie at one selfesame time hower and instant one sometimes to be a king and another a poore shepherd being neither like in nature nor like in manners but sometimes more contrarie then fire and water For this is much prooued in many twinnes as the scripture giueth vs a notable example in Iacob and Esau For they were borne so close to one another Genes 25. that Iacob helde with his hand the sole of his brother Esaus foote and therefore the name of Iacob was giuen him And by how much the one was humble good and peaceable by so much the other was proud wicked and warlike And who can beleeue that God hath set marks in any of the signes of heauen to signifie to men that which he hath ordained concerning euery one in his eternall counsell which is hidden from the angels themselues Surely whatsoeuer we can learne is through his holy spirit which he communicateth to such as he pleaseth reuealing to them his secrets as heretofore he did to his most faithfull seruants And therefore he that would haue most certaine prognostications must not goe away to seeke and aske them of other more true Astrologians then the prophets and apostles with their writings For they haue surely foretold all that must come to passe in the world to the very consummation of time and chiefly touching the monarchies empires and kingdoms of the earth namely Daniel And I belieue that God hath not created the stars planets more for kings princes other great personages thē for the simple least Too sound true a prognosticatiō haue we against them all in Isay Isay 60. by which he prophesieth that euery kingdome euery nation which serueth not the Lord shall perish So likewise all the blessings and cursings of the lawe Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. are so many most certaine prophesies of all that which good and bad
heauens is far from all chaunge and error it is neither inebriated nor subuerted Wherewith then wil they blame the heauens If any say that by nature they are euill Reason and originall of euill in nature how is it that this euill should come into their nature For the Sages collect these reasons and originall of euill in nature either for that the efficient cause cannot gouerne the superfluitie of the matter or else cannot supply where it faileth or else cannot dulie dispose it and such other reasons as presuppose a feeble power of the cause But for as much as the smith and carpenter of the heauens is of infinite power how should he faile in his workmanship For there was no other cause which might encounter him since that without any aide he framed the heauens neither could any thing resist the infinite worker who reduced all things into a due and proper estate as we haue heretofore amply declared Yet notwithstanding so many reasons how many are there which obstinately leaning to the vaine and curious obseruations of the starres as an infallible rule of the life and estate of man do aboue all things feare least in the ascendant of the natiuitie any euill planet should haue domination And indeed do we not behold that Astrologers and aboue all Magitians are so much sought after amongst vs that many do as one may say hold him to be miserable who knoweth not his Horoscope To the ende then that we may better expell out of the braine of euerie one such foolish opinions let vs I pray you stretch out this discourse in particular against such as accuse Saturne and Mars for most euill planets the charge whereof AMANA I commit to you Of the Planet Saturne and how it is not euill nor any other starre Chapter 30. AMANA VVE shall doe verie well if keeping our selues from the superstition curiosity which misguideth many in the studie of iudicial Astrologie and Diuination we stay our selues in the most simple and most certaine Astronomie which the spirit of God teacheth vs by the creation of the world that is to contemplate the creator by his works For so should we become good Astronomers and Christian Astrologers if I say contemplating the heauens and all the ornament of them we propose them vnto vs as vniuersall preachers of the glorie of the Soueraigne and consider them as the high works of his hands as the Psalmist doth exhort vs. Psal 8. 19. And so by creation of the Sunne Moone Stars and other celestiall bodies we shall learne to meditate what light there is in him who dwelleth in the inaccessible brightnes and which is the father and fountaine of all lights as also what good we are to hope for of him For by that good which the corporall light bringeth vnto vs for our bodies and the Sunne A good and true vse of astronomie Moone and Starres for the life of men wee may somewhat iudge what felicitie is prepared by the Diuine and spirituall light for our soules and by God our Creator in whom it abideth beeing a sure meanes not to feare the signes of heauen nor the constellations and aspects of the starres wherewith many do so menace men as if in heauen as in a court of tyrants it were ordained that so many mischiefes as should happen to the world should be contriued But let those who so charge the starres of crimes and therefore turne ouer the bookes of Pagan Astrologers and Atheists rather then diuine writings lend a while an care to some good witnesses whom they themselues cannot reprooue and who do euen praise the planet of Saturne the malice of whom we haue heard to be so great Behold then first of all how the prince of the Astronomical doctrine deposeth and testifieth concerning this planet in these termes Ptol. in 3. apotel How the planet Saturne is good If Saturne be only signifier in the estate of the minde and Lord of the place of Mercurie and of the moone and blaseth towards the corners of the world good aspects and beames the childe shall be a louer of good things of great and firme counsell and a searcher out of secret things and diuine Likewise Iulius Firmicus adorning this planet with many great praises saith that from his vertue proceedeth a quicke and subtile spirite in the deliberation of affaires a certaine worde a stable amitie a long foresight and a roiall counsell There be also many moderne Astronomers who say of the same Saturne That euen as the common and ciuill life is designed by Iupiter so likewise the solitary and diuine life is appropriated to Saturne Yea the ancient Philosophers and Poets haue sung that he is most good and that the golden world did passe vnder him fayning that Iupiter did afterward vsurpe the kingdome hauing chased out Saturne and that then began the siluer age Praise of ancient poets And let vs note in regard of the most famous Poets amongst the ancients that they haue by their writings penetrated into the most profound cabinets of nature and approched the secrets of the diuine thought For they sung not iestes as some hold which the old fathers would not mention to their little children but they haue beene acknowledged of the Sages for great diuines who hid the mysteries both of the one and other nature vnder the vaile of fables and for this cause are they celebrated of such as vnderstand well their doctrine That it is so Aristole doth plainly manifest in that the confirmeth great points of Philosophie by the testimonie of Simonides and of Homer And Archesilaus the inuentor of the new Academie ascribed so much honour to Homer that he neuer went to bedde but he read some of his verses first and saide likewise in the day time that he might haue more leasure to read that he went to his beloued Anaxagoras also yea and our Basil with laud admire the excellent vertue in the writings of this Greeke Poet. And how many be there likewise who esteeme Virgil the imitator of Homer for a doctor in all naturall and morall Philosophie For many referre all that which he hath fained to an allegoricall sense Lucretius also entreateth of all the precepts of Philosophie in verse And Orpheus singeth more loftily then humane knowledge can extend to the mysteries of Theologie and of the sacred ceremonies which he had learned out of holy letters as himselfe confesseth Ouid likewise hath couered many of the secrets of Pythagoras of the creation disposition of the vniuers in his Metamorphosis but because he depraueth thē with too lasciuious a discourse he looseth very much of their dignitie Wherein he hath been imitated of many other Poets Against the poets of this age as in this our age wherein there are verie many who doe the office rather of bauds then of the true children of the chaste Muses because they delight to weaue poisoning sense in the web of their faire words Such
sensible qualities for the cause of all effects saying that if there be found any effect ouer which such a qualitie hath no power that this proceedeth from a cause to vs vnknowne we may euidently see Error of Aristotle in the cause of the heat of the sun that they haue erred in all their teachings For when Aristotle intreateth in the Meteors of the heate of the sunne he saith that it proceedeth from two causes ioined togither to wit from his motion and place not from his motion onely as being quicker then Iupiter Mars and Saturne which forasmuch as they are more remote their inflammation in a very quicke motion doth not attaine to vs. Neither also can the heate of the sunne proceede from the moone Venus and Mercurie bicause that though they be neerer vnto vs yet being more slow in motion they are not so much inflamed This reason he deliuereth and this makes me to woonder how a person so celebrated could imagine an inflammation in such things as receiue no strange impression For he would attribute that to the distance and motion which should be referred to the naturall vertue Might not some other then better sound the cause why the interiection of the sunne beames doth bring heate though Aristotle a most subtile searcher of naturall causes could not attaine to it Which perhaps he abstained to doe bicause he would not passe the limits by him appointed in his basest philosophie which he calleth naturall Yet neuerthelesse mounting somewhat higher in that which he writeth to Alexander he teacheth that in taking of medicines the aspect of the heauens must be diligently obserued But Hippocrates proceeding farther doth foretell the diseases recouerie and death by the house of the Moone A phisition must bee an Astronomer and the aspects therof with the other planets And Haly in the beginning of the worke of this author and according to his aduse saith that the phisition ignorant in astronomie is like a blinde man that gropes for his way with his staffe Besides it would be too long to collect that which Plato in his obscure discourse and diuers Academicks and vnknowne philosophers doe teach to be extracted from the heauens both how and when Of the power of the starrs in men not constraining but disposing And what do the heauens by their continuall motion but onely worke in vs Some may say they giue influence to the elements and to plants But I demand are not our bodies heated by the sunne and altered and with cold benummed by the Moone The simple vulgar is not ignorant heereof Why then do we not say that the starres communicate other influences no lesse knowne to the Sages then these of the said lights are to the vulgar And yet not that their power performeth entire effects For with them as we haue heard concur the diet manners natiuitie and place but aboue all the liberty of the minde is alwaies dominant to moderate and gouerne all the inclinations thereof which indeed proceedeth of the proper spirituall nature thereof which mooueth the body and not the bodie the minde and with this consenteth that which Ptolomie saith in the beginning of his Apotelesmes and in his booke of fruite speaking thus A good Astrologian may well preuent much euill which otherwise might happen by the disposition of the starres if he foreknow their nature and forecast how to hinder that it happen not and that the ill-disposed subiect receiue no dommage by the place by which it should receiue profit So then wee should not impose vpon Saturne an harmefull sadnes or wicked seueritie nor vpon Mars a cruell rashnes nor on Mercurie a cautelous malice nor on Venus lasciuious loues nor an inconstant proceeding on the Moone no more then he that hath bleare-eies should impute his infirmitie to the light nor the flaming of an house to the fire nor the bruise to the stone nor bōds prisons and executions of malefactors to the seueritie of the iudge For euery euill effect ensueth vpon the indisposition of the subiect receiuing and not vpon the influence of the superior powers which to the contrarie we may maintaine as already we haue done to be of it selfe good still yea by the particular ordinances of the starres according to the doctrine of Mathematicians For thus many of them say Saturne disposeth the intellectual vertue he prouoketh to wisedome and to contemplation of diuine and humane things and pierceth to the brightnes of true Philosophie But if the Saturnist applie his profound thoughts to euill to accomplish his disordinate appetite then he wholy intendeth to deceite fraud and coggings and yet the loftiest and diuinest part thereof called Synteresis resisting it in him then full of melancholie he feeleth himselfe so oppressed with anxietie and tediousnes How the stairs become ill that he supposeth that most good and profitable which is most noisome and dommageable and as he findeth himselfe more oppressed with the often remembrance of his wicked life many visions do oftentimes present themselues vnto him like semblances of the dead shadowes of the deceased horrors of sepulchers and tombes of such as are departed To the inner eie of his thought presenteth it selfe the wrath of God the assaults of the diuel despaire hate of saluatiō And as much may we speake of the Martialist who if he excite the violence and force of his courage not to zeale of iustice as he ought to doe but to accomplish his desires and carnall appetites then commits he theeueries rapes and many other mischiefes So that thereupon some will attribute euill to the planets which are called wel-willing For the ordinance of Iupiter which by the hot and moist or by a debonaire nature guideth to clemencie might bee so much augmented that the curbed and peruerted spirit might be forced to an entire dissolution So the noble and milde influence of Venus which maketh man benigne if it be not moderated will make him be effeminate and a slaue to all lustfull appetites And the sunne father of life and giuer of light directeth men to true wisedome and roiall dignitie and yet if the splendor of the minde be abused and that it be conuerted into pride it mounteth into an ambitious presumption arrogancie and scorne of others Thus then may we say that many euils may proceed from that which is good as of the abundance of wine wherewith any man is glutted doth arise the oppression of the hart abating of vertue and many such accidents though being moderately taken it reioiceth the hart and comforteth the naturall powers So the water likewise which is a good element and very profitable for all drowneth and choaketh those which take not heed thereof and ouerturneth those buildings which are not very firme Wherefore let vs conclude that all influences are good so that the subiects be well disposed and can vse them and especially that the starres and planets operate in man not in constraining but in disposing his inclinations the which
For they are not of nature like the heauens and planets which haue continuall motions and yet weare not away And therfore as God hath appointed the day for his creatures to trauell in so hath he ordained the night for them to rest in And as waking is proper to trauell so is sleeping peculiar to rest In which sleepe being requisite and sleepe requiring humiditie and freshnes the better to dispose and induce liuing creatures to sleepe the night is much fitter therefore and for rest bicause of the moist and colde nature thereof then is the day which participateth most with heate and drines And bicause all repose is in the night it is also more quiet then the day neither is there so much noise which may hinder sleepe and rest Wherein we haue yet another commoditie of the distinction and exchange of daies and nights whereto we may likewise adde that which Dauid declareth when he saith Psal 104. Hee appointed the moone to distinguish the seasons the sunne knoweth his going downe Thou makest darknes and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest creepe foorth The lions roare after their praie and seeke their meate at God When the sunne riseth they retire and couch in their dens Then goeth man forth to his worke and to his labour vntill euening Behold heere goodly considerations how God hath prouided for the preseruation of the life of his creatures by meanes of day and night For because that the wilde beasts which liue by praie are dangerous and cruell he so guideth and gouerneth them by his prouidence that he keepeth them quiet and shut vp all day in their caues and dens in such sort that they seldome come foorth but in the night to seeke their praie euen then when men and domesticall beasts retire themselues and rest out of their dangers Thus haue we verie many commodities by the day and the night And more should be found out by a carefull search For all that which we haue hitherto declared is so euident before the eies of euery one that the most rude and simple amongst men must needs consider and vnderstand it But I thinke it most conuenient that continuing the principall subiect of our discourses we shoulde speake of the excellent instructions which do likewise present themselues in the consideration of the second course and motion of the sunne and moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons whereof we haue heretofore made mention Then to you AMANA I commit this discourse 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. AMANA THe Sunne as we haue heeretofore heard hath two sundrie courses the one by which he bringeth vnto vs night and day and the other by which he distinguisheth vnto vs yeeres and seasons Now euerie one seeth that the sunne passeth and runneth through the heauens it seemeth to many that the heauen stirreth not though in truth it be otherwise For it is the heauen which turneth and taketh and carieth away the sunne with it so causing him to performe his course So likewise euery one knoweth that the daies nights yeeres and times are diuided and measured by the course of the Sunne but the ignorant and common people vnderstand not how this commeth to passe neither doe they consider of it For these causes then there bee many who cannot so-well acknowledge the excellencie magnificence and diuine glorie which shineth in the heauens as they doe who haue beene conuersant in the studie of Astronomie and Astrologie considering that the celestiall light continually lightneth their vnderstanding And without this guide all science little auaileth for the true knowledge of God It is then from Astronomers that wee learne Of the two courses which the sunne hath how that besides the course which the sunne moone do ordinarily make within the space of fower and twenty howers which is commonly called a naturall day as likewise all the other planets and starres make their course by violence of the course of the highest heauen who comprising all the spheres within the concauitie thereof carrieth them away with him and causeth them to performe the same course which he pursueth like to a great wheele that should draw about other lesser ones that were conioined with it Besides I say this common course of all the heauenly bodies the sunne the moone and the other planets haue another course proper peculiar to euery of their spheres which God hath assigned them according to which the sunne performeth his in 365. daies and sixe howers and certaine minutes as long obseruation and daily experience hath taught those who haue diligently applied themselues to the contemplation of the heauens who likewise haue knowledge of the proper course of the moone and euery one of the starres as hath beene alreadie related in our precedent speeches Of the effects of the second course of the sunne and moone Now as by the first course and motion of the sunne we haue a distinction of the daies and nights so likewise by the second course thereof is giuen vnto vs the difference of their length and shortnes and the distinction of the yeeres and diuers seasons For we take the succession of the yeeres from this second course of the sunne as from the moone we haue the distinction of the moneths according to which she encreaseth decreaseth as we ordinarily behold by reason of the diuers opposition of the sunne from whom she receiueth her light in such quantitie as is sufficient for her to shine vpon the earth Eccles 43. So Ecclesiasticus saith That the Lord hath made the moone to appeere according to her seasons which shoulde be a declaration of the time and for a perpetuall signe that the feasts are appointed according to her her light diminishing to the last end and the moneths take their name of her and that she groweth woonderously in her changing Likewise each one knoweth that the moone declareth the times fit to sowe plant loppe in to do other such like businesses whereof one must iudge according to the state and disposition of her So then these two great lights the Sunne and Moone are most notable before all the world forsomuch as euerie one may see with his eies if he be not altogither depriued of vnderstanding the excellent works which God performeth in them and by them Psal 147 And therefore also the holy scripture doth propose them vnto vs more often and more especially to induce vs to consider of the maiestie of God in his works then any other of the celestiall bodies which are infinite in number Which for this cause none can know particularly nor yet number them nor name them saue God alone as his word teacheth vs by his prophet saying He counteth the number of the starres and calleth them all by their names Whereupon we may affirme that all
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
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
which make the distinctions of eight other windes called sub-principall and which compound their names of their two next collaterall windes expressing the most notable first to wit North-northeast North-northwest South-southeast South-southwest East-northeast East-southeast West-northwest West-south-west Moreouer they that frequent the Mediterran sea as Greekes and Italians do cal the north Transmontano the south Austro east Leuante west Ponante northeast Greco northwest Maestro southeast Sirocho southwest Garbin and so of them compound the names of the other eight windes which are betwixt them as hath beene before declared And we must note that the windes haue commonly euery one their turne in such sort that when one opposite wind ceaseth and is laid his contrarie riseth Notable things in the windes But if at any time the next winde to that which ceaseth begin to blowe it runs byas-wise from left hand to right as the sun doth and one may know the fourth daie of the moone what winde will raigne longest during her time But the easterne windes do longer endure then those which rise towards the west And the sunne doth strengthen the winde and also appease it for at his rising setting they are commonly greatest at noone he calmeth them especially in sommer The winde is also commonly found to lie still either at midday or at midnight for it doth alwaies cease either through great colde or through vehement heate Likewise the raine doth make it cease whereupon this prouerbe sprung vp that little raine allaieth much winde But it is woondrous that the windes which are as it were but a puffe should performe such things as men could not doe with their hands yea though there were a multitude togither For how many people neede there be yea horses and oxen yoked togither to breake burst and pull vp the great and mightie trees which the winde abateth ouerturneth breaketh and rooteth vp with a blast onely And herein we haue goodly matter againe Testimonies of the diuine omnipotencie in the windes whereby to profite in the acknowledgement of the soueraigne maiestie and almightie prouidence of the creator and gouernour of all nature For it is certaine that as the Lord manifesteth himselfe to men such as they may comprehend him to be when he calleth the sound and noise of thunder his voice that he performeth admirable things as we haue alreadie noted we may perceiue that he doth the like also by violence of the windes And therefore the prophet saith I know that the Lord is great and that our God is aboue all Gods Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord Psal 135. that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all the depths He bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth foorth the winde out of his treasures Ierem. 10. It is he saith Ieremie that giueth by his voice the multitude of waters in the heauen and he causeth the cloudes to ascend from the ends of the earth he casteth out lightnings in the raine and bringeth foorth the windes out of his treasures The winde saith the Preacher goeth towarde the south Eccles 1. and compasseth toward the north the winde goeth round about and returneth by his circuits Now if the blasts of the winds be so strong it must needes be that the bellowes out of which they are blowen must be puissant and mightie For although it is written of the wicked Psal 10. that they are so proud and doe presume so much of their force and power that they seeme to be able to ouerthrow men townes and fortified places onely with a blast yet neuertheles it is the Lord who hath the power to abate them and all the loftie and stout with all their forts and bulwarks For all the windes togither are but as one little puffe which passeth from his mouth Wherefore if in breathing onely he driueth and remooueth heauen earth and the sea and all this world performing actes so great and woonderfull what may we esteeme of his soueraigne force when he would imploy his whole power For there is neither winde nor thunder nor deluges of water nor any thing that is comparable to the wrath of God and to the power which he hath to execute his vengeance vpon his enemies But he emploieth his creatures as the ministers of his wrath when and how he pleaseth And therefore the diuine poet in his canticles wishing liuely to describe the assistance that God had shewed him Psal 18. in deliuering him out of the hands of the wicked and in punishing them he proposeth him comming accompanied with fearefull thunders with thicke cloudes with vehement windes and stormes with lightnings tempests great raine hard haile and darke weather so that the foundations of the sea and of the earth couered with waters were discouered and the earth was mooued and trembled the mountaines shooke and bowed bicause of the furie of the wrath of the Lord. For indeede who is God but the Lord and who is mightie but our God Now it is certaine that bicause men cannot comprehēd the greatnes of the power and wrath of God against the wicked the holy Ghost doth often speake of naturall things by the prophets for to make them vnderstand by that which is visible in nature and which may most astonish and affray them So then if we shall consider so many excellent points of doctrine concerning the prouidence of God as are taught vs in the schoole of nature by meanes of the meteors as we haue hitherto discoursed of the cloudes thunders lightnings stormes flouds of water windes whirlewindes and tempestes they will serue vs no lesse for preachers then the celestiall bodies doe to manifest vnto vs especially the iudgements and heauie plagues of the almightie and to make vs oftner thinke thereupon then we doe as also the raines by the fertilitie which they cause in the earth will minister matter vnto vs to acknowledge his blessing and perpetuall grace vpon those who feare and honour him Wherefore wee haue rested long ynough in that which particularly concerneth and is dependent vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire sauing that before we intreat of the earth and of the water and of the principall things worthy of consideration in them we wil say somewhat concerning the birdes of the aire seeing that we haue already comprised them as in truth they must be amongst the things conioyned and depending vpon the higher elements I will leaue you then ACHITOB to discourse vpon their nature Of the foules of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde foule Chap. 52. ACHITOB. HAuing discoursed though simply like disciples of Christian doctrine and not like masters and professors of naturall philosophie vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire and hauing considered their nature and effects and the things engendred in them and by them it falleth very fitly for vs
things tende and descende it cannot descende lower then it is by the nature thereof And therefore bicause it is solide and thicke and not liquide and fluent as the water and the aire it cannot glide as they doe nor remooue out of one place into another if it be not by some violence elsewhere mooued and made to stirre and tremble somewhere as it hath happened through diuers and maruellous earthquakes of which histories and the holy scripture it selfe doe giue euidence We must note then that there are diuers sortes of motions by which the earth is so shaken that it lifteth and casteth some parts sometimes vpwardes sometimes downewards Of diuers sorts of earthquakes And it is long of such motions and tremblings that there haue such masses and heapes beene cast out of it that great isles haue beene newly made as Geographers doe witnesse namely the isle of Rhodes and of Selos It sometimes also happeneth that the motions of the earth bee such that it openeth like a great gulph whereinto some parts thereof are cleane swallowed vp and deuoured togither with the countries and townes scituate therein so that there hath beene no marke left of them no more then as if they had neuer beene And it hath often hapned in such cases that some mountaines haue fallen one against another bicause the earth which was betwixt them hath sunck and beene swallowed cleane vp And then one might say that the prouerb is not euer true which saith that two mountaines neuer meet There is yet another kinde of motion wherein the earth mooueth and shaketh sometimes one way sometimes another way and tottereth like a ship that floateth on the water Which kinde of trembling is most dangerous as also when all the motion runneth one way Then is there yet another motion which philosophers properly call trembling to wit when two motions are opposite one to another as if two rammes should rush one against another And this is least daungerous of all although indeede they bee all very fearefull yet the feare is much greater when the tremblings continue with horrible and fearefull sounds like the bellowing of buls and as if the earth and all nature quaked and groaned beeing sore pressed and forced as is oftentimes seene â— the causes of earthquakes Now for the causes of all these kindes of earthquakes I may well say that there is no point in all naturall philosophie wherein the professors of this science finde themselues more intricately intangled nor wherein they more differ in opinions then in this For the Chaldeans and Astronomers referre the causes of motions and earthquakes to the heauen to the starres and to the planets and many philosophers assigne it to the water And yet those which are of this opinion differ amongst themselues For some suppose that the earth floateth vpon the water like a ship bicause it is enuironed with water according to the naturall order of the disposition of the elements whereby it is diuersly mooued Others doe attribute the cause of earthquakes to those waters onely which are inclosed within the vaines and caues of the earth Some also to the fire and some to the windes shut vp within it and some to the heate chased by the colde which striueth against it and causeth it to search an issue out For as the water vndermineth the earth and those places through which it doth passe euen so may the fire doe and if either of them be so inclosed that they cannot finde an easie issue they striue then to doe it by force and violence So doe the windes and the heate chased by the cold So then if the earth be vndermined it is no maruell if the vpper part sinke and fall downe being swallowed vp as into a gulfe considering that the earth bicause of the heauines thereof tendeth alwaies downward towardes the center thereof which is the midst of it and of all the worlde And if the waters or the fire or the windes inclosed and shut vp in the earth or the contrarie qualities which contend one with another cannot finde a passage or issue their power is so great that they constraine the earth which resisteth them and by forcing it make it to cleaue and open and to remooue and to shake in those places wherein it is forced Concerning all which things one may make a neere coniecture Of the force and violence in artillerie by the force and violence which is seene in ordinance and artillerie For euery one beholdeth what force there is by meanes of fire and of the matter inclosed within to wit powder and of the contrarie qualities wherof it is compounded and of the winde that therein is ingendred not onely to driue out with maruellous violence all the charge that therein is but also many times to burst the peece it selfe if there be any resistance to hinder it that it discharge not quickly or if it be not well made and very strong and well proportioned to the charge We behold also what a winde there issueth out and what noise it maketh and how the noise makes the earth to sound and tremble and oftentimes it happeneth that this onely winde killeth those that stand neere the cannons mouth such is the violence thereof although they be not touched at all with the bullet that it shooteth But wee beholde more cleerely in mines which are made vnder ground the violence of this powder when it is therein inclosed with the fire which is set thereto by traines For there is neither towne nor castle be they neuer so well founded nor any fortresse which is not onely shaken but ouerturned also like as by an horrible earth-quake Wherein we may note how that it hath not beene sufficient for men to counterfeit thunders and lightnings in artillerie but they haue also inuented the meanes to represent the motions and shakings of the earth in such manner as we haue signified There are some philosophers also Earthquakes compared to agues who haue taught that the same reason is in earthquakes as there is in the shaking of mens bodies and that they are like feuers and maladies of the earth which come vnto it through diuers causes saue that they hold not all the bodie thereof as they doe in men but onely some partes of it For they argue that the water is in the earth as the blood which hath his course through the vaines of mans bodie and the winde is as the vitall spirits which passe through the arteries thereof And as there happen diuers stoppings in the bodie which hinder the blood and vitall spirits that they cannot keepe their right course and ordinarie passage whereupon their order is troubled and the bodie pained in such sort that grones ensue and difficultie of breathing shakings and such like accidents So is it with the bodie of the earth when any thing happens to it contrarie to the naturall disposition thereof by the meanes which we haue already heard whether by water by fire
forward the floud decreaseth so that the third quarter it is in the same state wherein it was the first quarter Neuerthelesse when the waining moone is halfe round the floud beginneth to rise But when she is in coniunction with the sunne the tide riseth as high as at full moone And when the moone is high and septentrionall the tide is not so vehement as when she is meridionall bicause that being then more neere to the earth she doth the more exercise hir power But many haue indeuoured in this matter to vnderstand Why the ocean doth differ in flowing from other seas why the flowings of the Ocean sea doe reach farther then those of the other Mediterranean seas wherein the ebbings and flowings doe not appeere as in the Ocean Which may be said to proceed because that a thing which is entire hath more power then any part which is separated Also the high sea retayneth in it selfe more of the power of the Moone which worketh vpon it at ease and pleasure beyond all comparison more forcibly then vpon other seas which are narrower and minister lesse meanes to this planet to exercise her rule therein From whence it commeth to passe that lakes and riuers do neuer flow And for the Mediterranean seas they are enclosed about with the earth as in an hauen though there bee some places or some armes of the same seas verie broad Some likewise are verie much subiect to the Moone as the Adriaticke gulfe wherein Venice is builded which ebbeth and floweth twise euerie day like the Ocean And it is to bee noted that such motions are better perceiued on the shore and sea-coasts then in the midst thereof euen as the pulse of the arteries is better knowne in the extremes of the bodie then in the bulk thereof Other causes of the flowing and ebbing of the sea Some also do render this cause of the flowing and ebbing of the sea to wit that though the waters thereof be salt yet were not this sufficient for their conseruation no more then of their neighbor the aire if they had not a continuall motion For we see that sea-water doth presently corrupt beeing in a vessel and not mooued Many also haue noted that in euery reuolution or course of the moone the tyde resteth for three daies long to wit the 7. 8. and 9. day thereof and that when shee is at full all seas do purge themselues by scummes Certainely it is woondrous to see what power this planet hath not onely ouer the waters but also ouer the earth and ouer all liuing creatures Of the power of the moone ouer all creatures Which hath ministred occasion to many Philosophers to suppose that the moone was that quickning-spirit which nourisheth the earth and that also by hir inconstant course approching diuers waies to the inferior bodies shee produced diuers effects sometimes replenishing them and sometimes leauing them void empty Whereof it commeth that all fishes hauing scales and shels do encrease and decrease according to the course of the moone and that all liuing creatures also which haue bloud do feele themselues refreshed when shee renueth It is likewise supposed that the bloud augmenteth or diminisheth in man according as the moone encreaseth or waineth yea that herbes and trees do partake of hir power Aristotle also doth note that those creatures which are readie to die do die onely when the sea ebbeth But in this matter as in all things which do concerne the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean wee must euer haue recourse to the ordinance that the Eternall father of the vniuers hath established in all his creatures according to which they perseuer in obedience to their creator without transgressing one title of his lawes as wee haue a notable example in the sea and in the waters which containe themselues in such admirable sort as in our former speech is declared within their bounds and limits A maruailous inundation of waters in the yeere 1530. And if at any time they ouerflowe as whilome happened in Holland where the water brake through the dams and banks wherewith the countrie is bounded swallowing vp the coast-townes with an incredible losse of men and riches as also at the same time Tiber did so ouerflowe at Rome that it rose in the fields the height of a lance ruinating in fower and twenty howers many bridges and stately edifices the endommagement whereof comprising therein the mooueable goodes lost was esteemed to amount to the value of three millions of golde there being aboue three thousand persons choaked and drowned Such deluges I say doe not come to passe what natural causes soeuer the learned force themselues to render without the expresse command and ordinance of God who will after this sort vse the water to take vengeance vpon those whom he pleaseth to wash from off the face of the earth as being vnwoorthie to dwell longer thereupon And so he himselfe hath prophesied vnto vs saying Luke 21. There shall bee signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and waters shall roare Adding afterwards For the powers of heauen shall be shaken Moreouer we may say that although the celestiall bodies haue no more life sense and vnderstanding then the earth and the sea yet neuertheles they haue as it were a secret feeling by nature of the maiestie of God their creator who causeth them to rise vp against men for their rebellion and wickednes Surely when we see them rise and stand vp against men to worke them euill in stead of doing them good contrarie to the end of their first creation we must consider of them as if they enuied and denied to serue men any more which turne disloyall ingratefull and peruerse towards him from whom their totall good proceedeth As the sunne did witnes when it waxed darke at the death of our Redeemer depriuing those of his light which were risen vp against the eternal Sonne of God that had created them For it is certaine that the creatures do grone and trauell altogither as the scripture saith till such time as Iesus Christ shall come in iudgement Rom. 8. Acts. 3. which is the day of the restitution and restoring of all things foretold by the prophets And which day being neere it is no maruell if God doe daily shew his particular iudgements vpon men to put them in minde of this generall and vniuersall iudgement whereto heauen earth the sea and all creatures shall come togither and therefore also he giueth them so many signes of his wrath by thunders tempests deluges and inundations of water as we haue made mention But let vs proceed to contemplate his other works and great woonders which abound euery where both in the earth and in the sea in other terrestriall waters by which very many commodities do redound to men thorough the prouidence of God And first we will speake of the
great and dangerous temptations and afflictions Now the tyrannie malice crueltie and peruersnes of the wicked serueth in all these things for his children and to his glorie through his prouidence notwithstanding that he hateth all the wicked vsing them only as rods and scourges to chastise and punish those whom he pleaseth as he is likewise serued by diuels without approouing their works insomuch as they proceed from themselues But there is more yet For considering that God hath not created men like vnto beasts onely to liue in this world with a corporall temporall life but hath made them to immortality and eternall life like the angels he will then by the aduersities which he sendeth vnto them heere giue them to vnderstand that other blessings doe attend for them far greater then those which may be tasted vpon earth and which are common betwixt them and beasts Behold then the fruit which me seemeth must be gathered in our discourse this day now to morrow wee will step out of the sea and waters to take land againe and to consider vpon the treasures and benefits therein which it produceth for the commoditie of men and the diuersitie of creatures that liue therein whereof ASER you shall begin to discourse The end of the eighth daies worke THE NINTH DAIES WORKE Of fruits and of the fertilitie of the earth and the causes thereof and of herbs trees and plants Chap. 65. ASER. AS the holy scripture teacheth vs that before God did create the beasts of the earth Genes 1. he commaunded the earth that was discouered and free from the waters to bud foorth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seede the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kinde which hath his seede in it selfe vpon the earth and it was so we must likewise vnderstand that this commandement had not such vertue for that time onely but that it endureth and remaineth alwaies and so will doe till the consummation of the world For all herbes trees and plants that the earth euer hath borne doth beare or shall beare euen from the creation of the same vntill the end of the world doe proceede from the first ordinance and eternall word of the soueraigne by which all things haue beene created Wherefore Moses to the ende that men might acknowledge this diuine power which maketh the earth so fruitful doth expressely tell vs that God gaue this fertilitie before there was any sunne moone or starre in heauen For hee saith that these goodly lights were created the fourth day but that the production of herbs What is the cause of the fertility of the earth trees plants was on the third day Thereby then we must learne that although the sun moone and starres besides the husbandrie of man do serue by the ordinance of God for to make the earth fertile yet for all that it can bring foorth no fruit if the word and blessing of the Almightie do not giue it power For as it was fertile before it was aided by the starres euen so is it now in regarde of the tillage and husbandrie of man For there was neither man nor beast when it budded foorth the fruites which God commanded it to beare yea so much wanteth it to become fruitful by the trauell of man that to the contrarie it hath lost very much fertilitie and a great part thereof hath become barren since his first creation bicause of his sinne For in lieu of the blessing that God at first gaue thereunto Genes 3. he said afterwards to the man that it should be cursed for his sake and that it should bring foorth thornes and thistles and that he should eate the fruits thereof in sorrow For these causes then we must alwaies haue respect to the power of the word and of the blessing of God by which all things haue been created in their order as we haue heretofore declared and man last of al as the master-peece of the Lords worke Who hauing determined in his eternall counsell to create man after his owne image and likenes to the end that he might in this visible world represent his creator as in his most liuely semblance was not onely pleased to build him his lodging first to wit the whole world but would also replenish and furnish it euery where to the end that nothing might be found emptie But that which is herein to bee chiefly considered is that this diuine prouidence hauing giuen essence to all corporall creatures hath therewithall prouided necessarie meanes to keepe and preserue them all in their natures For minding to giue life to birds to fishes and to the beastes of the earth he had already prepared their foode before he had created them and had ordained the earth as the mother and the nurse of all creatures which are engendred and which dwell and are conuersant therein How creatures are nourished and preserued and in the waters and aire also for the birds and fishes Moreouer as all bodies are composed of fire of aire of earth and of water so the Lords will was that all these enimies should conioine togither and receiue aide one from another to the preseruation of liuing creatures by vertue of the alliance and agreement which is not onely betwixt the said elements but also betwixt them and the celestiall spheres as wee haue alreadie discoursed For considering that they be the principles of things hauing life they cannot liue nor be naturally conserued but by meane of the very same elements from which they take their originall And therefore the prouidence of God causeth that they doe all accord togither to nourish and maintaine those creatures which he hath made and created But seeing that we are in talke of the fertilitie of the Earth Of the fertility of the earth ordayned by God to that ende according as we haue declared who is it that can number the diuers kinds of herbs of trees and of all sorts of plants which it produceth And who is it that can but onely name and finde proper denominations agreeable vnto them And if we should speake of their diuersities and varieties in rootes in stalks in stockes in tops in branches in boughes in leaues in shapes in flowers in colours in seeds in fruits in tastes in smels and in sauours who would not maruell verie much We see how the Lord speaking onely of the Lilly of the field doth testifie that Salomon in all his royaltie was not adorned like one of those and therefore he bringeth it as a testimonie of his goodnes in reproch of those which take care for their clothing as if they distrusted in the prouidence of God Matth. 6. Luk. 12. and as if they supposed him not able enough to apparell them or at least that he had not so much care of men as he hath of the herbs and flowers of the field which he endueth and decketh with so gallant clothing with so many sorts of excellent faire colours and yet
it is singular good against hot and contagious feuers This same iuice is of so strong and pearsing vertue that if you powre it out twise or thrise fresh and wash whole pearles therewith steeping them in it and afterwards expose them to the sunne they will within fiue or six daies become as soft as honie in such sort that you may fashion them how you list Likewise if you steepe for certaine howers golde therein it wil diminish in waight In briefe limons doe not much differ from the vertue and nature of citrons but they are commonly somewhat lesse longer and not of so thicke a rinde fuller of iuice sharper in taste almost alike in seede of colour pale Oranges are more round and being ripe they haue a very orient golden colour Of Oranges and of their fruit their peele is thicker then that of limons and more bitter The iuice within whereof they be full is not in all of one taste for some are sweete some sower and some tart Orange-trees are alwaies greene like citron-trees They haue leaues like laurell broad thicke smooth sweete and pointed Their branches likewise are flexible pricklie and couered with a greene whitish coloured barke Their blossomes are white of a very excellent smell and are diligently gathered by perfumers where there is any quantitie for the composition of perfumes Some also distill water of them not onely for the excellencie of the smell thereof but also to serue in medicine especially against pestilent feuers which cause blisters Being taken in drinke it is very profitable when neede requireth to haue infected humors euacuated out of the inner part of the bodie to the outtermost part by sweatings for this water doth cause much sweating and doth greatly comfort the hart The peele of oranges is hotter sharper and bitterer in taste then that of citrons and limons And sweete oranges are hot in all parts but the iuice of all others is cold and resisteth corruption Wherefore they are good against feuers which the sweete are not Moreouer their iuice pressed out of the rinde doth easily inflame and doth also penetrate through great tenuitie within a glasse euen to the wine therein contained Of the Oliue-tree The oliue-tree also is excellent amongst trees and doth require a warme and temperate aire as is that of Prouence It is planted of twigs faire and fruitful yoong branches pulled from off the boughes of the tree being very thicke and of a foote and halfe long Oliue-trees haue long pointed leaues thicke smooth greene aboue and whitish vnderneath bitter in taste and somewhat sharpe They bud in Iulie and haue white flowers hanging in clusters out of which grow the fruit greene at first and as they ripen paler then waxe they purple and at last turne blacke They are gathered in the latter moneths of the yeere being no sooner ripe They are strowed vpon the floore till such time as they become wrinckled Afterwards they are ground and then put into the presse with hot water and so they yeeld their oile The wood of the oliue-tree is faire full of veines speckled massie and burneth as well greene as drie It is in no wise subiect to vermine especially so long as it is planted bicause of the odour thereof which is strong yea it defendeth all other plants therefrom which are neere vnto it as likewise through the bitternesse thereof it causeth Cabbages and Lettuse to die and all other moist herbes which are sowed in the plot with it Of the vse of Oliues Oliues are gathered for two occasions either that oile may be extracted out of them or that they may be reserued for bankets wherein they are serued to excite the appetite but all kindes of oliues doe not serue indifferently for these two vses for the greatest are best to eate and the least to drawe oile out of They which are kept for feasts are conserued in brine and salted vineger in such sort as they retaine their naturall verdure For the propertie of the oliue it hath in it a very restringent vertue for the decoction of the leaues in a clyster staieth the flux of the bellie and the iuice pressed out of the leaues with white wine and raine water restraineth all manner of bloodie flixe The licour which distilleth out of the greene wood as it burneth healeth the itch tetters and ringwormes New oliues being eaten prouoke the appetite and get a good stomacke although they harden the bellie Being very ripe they are moderately hot otherwise they are more binding and cooling The oile that is extracted out of oliues is of singular vertue being either applied outwardly or taken inwardly according to the indisposed parts of the bodie it looseneth and mollifieth the bellie dulleth the malice of poysons and doth subtilly driue them away yea if any venim or burning happen on the skin of the bodie and begin to make an vlcer or sore there nothing is better to heale this hurt then to annoint it with new fresh oile of oliues The Pomegranate tree also is to bee no lesse esteemed of Of the Pomegranate tree and of the fruit thereof then the forenamed trees because of the excellency of the fruit thereof The leaues of it resemble those of the Oliue-tree of a darck-greene colour very thick and full of many red strakes hanging by a red stalke The branches are pliable and full of prickles The blossomes red and open like bels the mouth of them cut in fashion of a star out of which proceede thinne red leaues with certaine small seedes hanged by the midst like them in a rose The fruit is couered with a rinde like vnto leather red without and yealow within full of infinite pointed graines red full of a wine-like iuyce with a stone in them And these graines are separated one from another with maruailous cunning of nature by fine thin yealow skinnes Moreouer there are three sorts of Pomegranates sweete sharpe and winie And the qualitie of them all is restringent but not alike For by their tast you may iudge of their difference And their graines are more binding drying then their iuice the rinde more then the graines and the blossomes haue the same virtue with the fruit And the powder of a Pomegranate dryed in an ouen in a new earthen pot close stopped beeing taken in drinck is maruailous singular to stay the flux of the bellie The leaues also of a Pomegranate tree well beaten or the iuice of them mixed with oile of roses doth verie much ease inueterated paines of the head beeing often laide to the forehead The boughes of this tree do chase away venemous beasts for which cause the ancients were wont to lay them ouer and vnder their beds The decoction of the root beeing drunck doth also kill great wormes in the belly and doth void them out Now haue wee said enough concerning trees for the subiect by vs vndertaken To morrow wee will discourse of the most singular hearbes and rootes to the
of Autumne Of Grapes so also are they the most nourishing of all the fruits of summer which are not to bee kept and they engender the best nourishment especially when they bee perfect ripe But all Raisins do not nourish after one manner for sweete ones haue a more hot substance and therefore they cause thirst do swell the stomacke and loosen the belly Contrariwise tart ones doe binde doe nourish little and are of hard digestion Greene and sowre ones are naught for the stomacke And the bigger grapes are the better they are especially if they be gathered verie ripe They which are kept hanged vp are best for nourishmēt because their great moisture is dried The fresh verie ripe grape is good for burnings if the wine thereof be prest out betwixt ones hands vpon the hurt places The mother of the wine or grapes being kept and mixed with salt is profitable against inflammations of the dugs hardnes of them through too much abundance of milke The decoction thereof clisterized serueth greatly for dysenterias or fluxes The stones or seeds haue a restringent vertue and are profitable for the stomacke Being parched and beaten into powder it is good to eate with meate against the fluxe and weaknes of stomacke Drie grapes or raisins haue yet greater vertues and properties in the vse of Phisicke and especially they which are sweetest and of most substance as they of Damascus of Cypres and of Candia The meate of them being eaten is good for the cough for the throat the reines and the bladder being eaten with their stones they serue against dysenterias Being boyled in a platter with sugar and flower of millet of barley and an egge they purge the braine being reduced into a plaister with flower of beanes and cumin Propertie of dry Raisins they appease inflammations Besides the nourishment of raisins is so distributed through the bodie according as their nature is sweete to the sweete sowre to the sowre meane to them that participate with both qualities and the sweete full and fat raisins doe nourish more then the sharpe and leane They which are without stones either by nature or art if they be sweet they are so depriued of all astriction so that they be maruellous lenitiue And therefore are they most fit for paines of the breast for the cough for sore throats for maladies in the reines and bladder and are good also for the liuer But we may not here forget to make mention of the fruit of the wilde Vine commonly called in French Lambrusque because of the admirable properties thereof The grapes of it are gathered and put to drie in the shade they are of a restringent vertue good for the stomacke and prouoke vrine they binde the belly and stay spitting of blood Now must wee speake of Wine which is made of the Raisin Of Wine and the properties thereof and grape produced by the vine Concerning it many affirme that it is the most sweete licour of all others the principall aide and chiefe prop of humaine life the chiefe restorer of the vitall spirits the most excellent strengthener of all the faculties and actions of the body reioicing comforting the hart very much and for these causes they say that the Auncients haue called that plant which beareth the fruit out of which wee receiue this wine Vitis quasi Vita life But yet wee must not deceiue our selues by so many praises attributed to wine considering that the vse thereof by the least excesse that may bee doth bring so many euils vpon man that they cannot bee numbred nor sufficientlie bewailed But beeing vsed temperately wee must confesse that it is a thing of greatest efficacie in the world to nourish and strengthen the bodie For it engendreth very pure bloud it is very quickly conuerted into nourishment it helpeth to make digestion in all parts of the bodie it giueth courage purgeth the braine refresheth the vnderstanding reioiceth the hart quickneth the spirits prouoketh vrine driueth out ventosities augmenteth naturall heat fatneth them who are in good health exciteth the appetite purifieth troubled bloud openeth stoppings conuaieth the nouriture throughout the whole body maketh good colour and purgeth out of the bodie all that which is therein superfluous But if wine bee taken without great mediocritie and temperance it doth by accident refrigerate the whole bodie For the naturall heat thereof by too much drinke remaineth choaked euen as a little fire is quenched by a great heap of wood cast thereupon Besides wine is hurtfull for the braine for the marrow of the back bone and the sinewes that grow out of it Whereby it falleth out that this principall part beeing hurt there succeede in time great and dangerous maladies thereupon to wit the apoplexie the falling euill the palsie shakings numbnes of members conuulsions giddines of the head shrinking of ioints the incubus the catalepsia lethargie frensie rheumes deafenes blindenes and shrinking of mouth and lips Moreouer wine immoderately drunke corrupteth all good manners and discipline of life For this is it that makes men quarrellers wranglers rash incensed furious dice-plaiers adulterers homicides in a word addicted to all vice and dissolution Besides it is to be noted that wine is fitter for old people then for them of other ages for it moderateth and mantaineth the cold temperature of ancient folkes which hath come vpon them for many yeeres Of the vse of Wine But it should not be sufferable if we will follow the counsell of the elders for children and yoong folkes to drinke thereof till they attaine to the age of twentie yeeres For otherwise it is as much as to put fire to fire And yet if we would follow the counsell of the Sages it should not be drunke at all except in certaine indispositions which might happen to the bodie according as the vse was in times past in Greece namely at Athens where wine was onely sold in Apothecaries shops as Aqua-vitae now is But aboue all heed must be taken that in the great heat of the yeere wine bee not drunke that is cooled by snow yee or verie cold water as we see by great curiositie done among vs. For it greatly hurteth the braine the sinewes the breast the lungs the stomacke the bowels the spleene liuer reines bladder and teeth And therefore it is no maruell if they which ordinarily vse it are in time tormented with the colicke and paine of the stomacke also with conuulsions palsies apoplexies difficultie in breathing restrainment of vrine stoppings of the inward members the dropsie and many other great and dangerous diseases Of Aquauitae and the manner how to distill it It resteth for conclusion of this discourse that wee say somewhat concerning wine distilled through a limbecke in a bathe of water which the Sages haue called for the admirable vertues thereof Water of Life For to make which Take of the best wine a certaine quantitie according to the vessel wherein you will distill it
rather short then long his head great his throate wide thicke lips bigge hanging eares his eies blew and blacke burning and sparkling his necke thicke and short his brest large and rough his shoulders broad legs thicke and hairy and a short and thicke taile which is a signe of force for the long and small taile noteth swiftnes his pawe and nailes great his barking high bigge and fearefull aboue all vigilant and very watchfull not running heere and there but staied and more slowe then hastie Hunting hounds are of sundrie sorts Of Dogs for the chase They which are swift are either white or browne or gray or blacke And the white are best for they are well winded quicke fierce wil not leaue the chase for any heat whatsoeuer neither will breake off for the prease of hunters nor for the noise and cry of men and they obserue change better then any other kinde of hound and are more certaine but they feare the water somewhat especially in winter-time If they bee cleane white or spotted with red they are the better The browne doth second them and are of a great courage forward quicke and fierce fearing neither water nor cold but they cannot endure heate and are not so easie to gouerne as the white The graie are not so quicke and furious as the rest neither yet the blacke who are commonly the biggest bodied Yet there are good dogs of all haires and colours but to choose a faire and good hound indeed these signes must be obserued His head must be meanly thick more long then flat his nosthrils wide and open eares broad and reasonable thicke crooked reines thicke loines bigge and large hanches faire thighes the right hamme-ioint well knit the taile thicke neere to the raines and the rest small to the end the haire vnder his bellie rough a thicke legge and the pawe of his foote drie and like to the pawe of a foxe great nailes as high behinde as before and the dogge must be short and crooked but the bitch must bee long For open nosthrils declare the dogge to be well winded crooked raines and straight hams signifie quicknes the taile thicke neere to the raines long and small to the end denote strength and force in the raines and that the hound is well breathed haire rough vnder the belly declareth that he is painefull fearing neither water nor colde a thicke legge foxes foote and great nailes demonstrate that he is not heauie footed and that he is strong in members to runne long without tiring Besides houndes there be grey-hounds bloud hounds water-spaniels tumblers and mungrels all which are of diuers kindes but our meaning is not to set downe an entire narration thereof considering that it is not necessarie for that purpose which we haue decreed in our discourses Wherefore we will content our selues to note in generall that there is no beast of greater sense and loue nor more docible then the dog For there be few things fit for the pleasure of man but may he easily taught to this kinde of creatures especially in all points concerning hunting Also histories abound with testimonies of their knowledge and loue towards those that nourish them Plinie reporteth of a dog Hist nat lib. 8. c. 40. which defended his master being assayled by theeues till such time as they had slaine him and that after his death the dog would not leaue his bodie but kept it both from the birds and from other wilde beasts that would haue deuoured it That another dog also knowing one amongst a troupe of people that had slaine his master flew vpon him and bit him with such furie that the murtherer was constrained to confesse the cause of the dogs rage reuealing his owne misdeed Now speak we of the horse Of the Horse which of al beasts is most profitable for man and is full of meeknes and docilitie He is praised in seuen and twentie conditions of which he seemeth to take three of the woman to wit yoong age meeknes of maners and beawtie three of the lion courage force and to be tall before not bowing in the midst nor higher before then behinde three of the Eagle a good eie a little head and to beare his head straight and aloft three of the oxe the foote great thighes moderately thicke and short and strong ioints three of the hart quicknes deliuernes to runne and leape well and lightnes three of the asse strong hoofes an hard skin and a strong and able backe three of the foxe a faire taile agilitie and a faire skinne three of the goose to eate well and quicke and to digest it to haue full bowels and in his pace his feete equally distant without enterfiering and three which are proper to himselfe a quicke and easie pace liuelines promptnes and gallantnes of hart and readines to obey the bridle and spurre without being slow therein If then we will know when an horse is perfectly faire That which is required in a faâ—â—e Horse we must first note that he haue a small head a gallant and faire forehead drie and cleane flesh great and blacke eies and standing out short sharpe and straight eares little drie and thinne lips and not vneuen a wide throat big open and red nosthrils his neck neither too short nor too long but meane loftie not too fat and crooked like an arch and vault with a fine curled long maine also that he haue a large breast soft and bearing out like that of a doue big boned legs but leane and drie of flesh straight high and euen from the foote to the knee thicke long fat sinewie and fleshie thighes but yet answerable to his buttockes sides and flanks high heeles thicke and short ioints and not close to the hoofe which must be hard high round blacke and hollow he must also haue the backe short not bunched nor high like an asses back but euen not too high nor too low broad long great straight and well flesht shoulders a smooth strong massiue thicke and as it were a double crupper a short taile of bone smal strong long haired which he must beare close betwixt his thighes a large and round flanke full sides and long aboue the belly which must be round small and well set vnder the sides that must be broad and long with a little distance from the hinder part to the ioint of the haunch and with small and equall cods How an Horse is good Moreouer he must haue to be good a stately pace a deliuer trot a swift gallop a light course a bounding and sudden leap an assured and readie pace quicke at hand and prompt to turne euerie way to recule backe and to runne suddenly forward not stamping or ratling with his bit nor kicking against the spur but conforming himselfe to the will of his master without starting or being afraid of any thing that he seeth heareth or feeleth not flinging and kicking amongst other horses In a word that horse
into gold as in many yeeres space lead turneth into siluer The mines thereof are more ordinarie then gold mines for Fraunce Italy Spaine England Germanie and many other regions of Europe do beare siluer in diuers places as well as the other parts of the world And it is there engendred in fower manners to wit either in the earth which being gathered together and then molten in the fire doth yeeld siluer or in lead wherwith it is often found mingled or in brasse or in stones out of which it is also extracted by fire For in the mountaine called Mons regius stones retaine verie much siluer which being also put into the fire there is found in euerie pound of siluer that runneth out of them halfe an ounce of gold at least Siluer is also many times found to be mixed with copper as in Alsaria neer to the Rhine in the mountaines of Saint Anne and in Meissen for there are stones full of copper in which is great abundance of siluer And when it is separated from lead it leaueth a scumme Of litharge which we call Lithargyrium which is a kinde of impure lead Of quicksiluer retayning some vertue of siluer For quicksiluer though it agree in name with siluer yet it approcheth neerer to gold for it is like vnto it in tenuitie and waight and to siluer in colour onely But for all this it is no mettall but a water condensate not by heat for it is not hardned nor by cold for then it would be a stone or mettall but by some other terrestriall rare and pure portion wherby it commeth to be verie waightie and cold splendent and liquide and is therefore rancked among those mettalline substances which differ but little from water and indeed the mountaines where quicksiluer groweth are verie greene and full of fountaines Of amber Let vs speake now of Amber which wee haue put into the number of mettals Many authors do disagree verie much in the discourse of Amber For some reckon that which is called Electrum amongst pliable and hard mettalline substances others will not acknowledge it to be any other then a gumme of a tree which is verie much like to that of the Pine and Fir-tree producing Rosin and is verie common in Arabia the happie Philemon writeth that in two places of Scythia Amber is digged out of the ground like a kinde of stone and in one place it is white in another yealow But omitting this argument we will follow those who make Amber a mettall whose nature and propertie is in meane betwixt gold and siluer and that such is the true and natural amber as that which we vse in our beads is artificial And it partaketh more of gold then of siluer because it is more pure and perfect and apt to be wrought For if it did consist more of siluer it could not endure the forge and hammer There are vessels made thereof for beautie and profit for good amber doth discouer poysons in these two manners by cracking and making the signe of an arch within For when the rare humiditie thereof commeth to be consumed by the force of venim it cracketh and the colour changing it seemeth that in steed of the great splendor thereof there doth a kinde of staine represent it selfe like vnto an arch Now that this kinde of amber is verie rare it is not because there is not enough to be had in mines but auarice and ignorance of the vertue thereof causeth that the gold is extracted whereby it ceaseth to be amber Concerning Iron it is taken out of the earth Of iron and to make it malleable the masse thereof is when it is taken vp laid to drie in the sunne and that which is earthy doth soften in the raine as that which is moist doth melt by the sun and the most sharp part thereof which is as the venim of it is consumed by the fire The mines of this mettall are common in Europe as in diuers parts of France which are enriched by the forges that are there set vp to bring this minerall substance to his perfection Which by how much the more it is concocted and purged by so much the more is it better in goodnes in such sort as that which is earthy doth at last turne to scales and drosse and the most subtile part thereof doth conuert into steele after it hath beene well purged and a little marble added thereto And this is artificiall steele Of steele For there is in many places naturall steele namely in Persia very good in the Chaldean Isle and neere Damascus whereof the best cemiters in the world are made which cut so well that there is no rasor bee it neuer so well steeled and tempered that hath a more fine and sharper edge For this cause some say that there are some kindes of steele and iron so excellent that waight for waight they are esteemed of greater price then gold Moreouer men may see what art can doe in iron when by much beating thereof and through the power of water iron bee it neuer so thin is made vnfrangible by blowes because that such water by meanes of fire doth consume the terrestriall and waterie excrement which is found in this mettall When then the iron is brought to be most pure most hard and most light then is it most subtile and therefore most strong and resisteth best Lead consisteth of foure kindes For there is black common Of lead low-pricked lead white which is ordinarily called tinne Bisemutum which is of meane quality betwixt black and white and is rare and knowne but to few people though it bee found in the mountaines of Bohemia and the fourth kind is compounded of Stibium The ore of lead is molten in furnaces prepared for that purpose and beeing molten it is let runne through pipes out of the furnace whither the workmen will And whilest it remaineth very hot they cast cleere water vpon it to make the foure arise which waxeth very massiue hard to breake yealow and bright as glasse and this is that which is called litharge of lead But this difference is betwixt white lead and true tinne Of tinne that this doth alwaies grow with siluer the other doth grow of it selfe in such sort that tinne is almost white lead blaunched by siluer Brasse as wee haue already said is made of a matter verie neere approching to that of iron Of brasse and copper and so also is copper But brasse hath this propertie that it neuer rusteth as iron and steele doth and therefore it will continue longer In times past also it was verie vsuall to make armor and bucklers thereof yea and launces likewise witnes Homer who recounteth that Menelaus pursued Paris with a brasen launce Flutes and pipes of organes and other musicall instruments are commonly made of brasse but it doth properly agree with trumpets because it maketh a great noise in dorick musicke and inflameth men to combat
by winde and such like Whereto we will adde also this opinion of those who attribute the cause of such motions and tremblings either to the drinesse of the earth which is the occasion that it cleaueth and chappeth and by this meanes giues open way to the aire and to the windes which penetrate thereinto or else bicause of the older age thereof to which they esteeme all creatures subiect whereupon it happeneth to it as to old buildings which being ruinous and almost rotten doe fall downe in some places of themselues These are the diuers opinions of men vpon this matter wherin if we desire to take a very short and sure way to attaine to the true cause wee must referre it to the wrath and iudgements of God bicause that what causes soeuer the learned can inuent the Eternall sheweth himselfe very powerful The true cause of earthquakes and the profit that wee may reape thereby and to be feared therein considering that he hath disposed all of them and that they all depend vpon him alone And surely this is a worke of the omnipotent woorthie to be woondred at and which may well cause men to mooue and tremble before his maiestie For if he shewe himselfe terrible and fearefull by deluges of water by haile thunder lightning stormes and tempests he doth no lesse by the motions and shakings of the earth which are in regarde thereof as thunders are in the aire For seeing that the earth is as the foot of the world and that it is assigned to men for their habitation whither is it that they may haue recourse if it quake vnder them and faile to sustaine them Whither shall they retire if she will allow them no more dwelling in hir but will spue them out as the scripture saith For if it be hard for them to flie before fire Leuit. 19. and before water and to finde harbour against windes thunders and tempests whither shall they flie if the earth will not receiue nor beare them And what dread may inuade them when sometimes it quaketh in such sort that it openeth and is swallowed vp as into a bottomlesse pitte as it came to passe when it swallowed Corah Dathan and Abiram and their families Nom. 16. Who will not bee astonished when it riseth vp ouerturning all euen the highest mountaines and hardest rockes and mooueth it selfe in such sort that it maketh houses and buildings dance like rammes and sheepe that would one butte at another wherewith many are vtterly destroied Examples of meruailous earth quakes as it happened in the yeere 1531. in the realme of Portugall which was so shaken by an earth-quake that at Lisbone the chiefe citie thereof there were ouerthrown almost twelue hundred houses besides a great number of others which were greatly spoiled This horrible earthquake continued the space of eight daies and gaue verie furious assaults fiue or sixe times a day And in the time of the Emperour Tiberius twelue cities in Asia were quite ruinated in one night by an earth-quake And Iosephus recordeth that by another Lib. 1 de bello Iud. thirtie thousand Iewes died So Iustine recounteth that by another earth-quake many cities were destroyed an hundred and seuentie thousand persons perished in the raigne of Tigranes in Armenia What causes then soeuer there may be in nature of so many terrible euents yet we must alwaies haue recourse to the Author and Gouernour thereof without whom it can performe nothing and he it is Psal 135. that bringeth earth-quakes out of his treasures as he doth the winds either by his commaundement without a meanes or by his ministers ordayned thereto or else by some power infused into things the which may according to his good pleasure display it selfe in effect to denounce his iudgments on men For he it is of whom the prophet speaketh The earth trembled and shaked and the foundations of the mountaines were mooued and quaked 2. Sam. 22. Psal 18. and the foundations of heauen were bowed and trembled because he was angrie Wherefore wee may verie well conclude Isay 66. Matth. 5. Acts. 7. that as God declareth his magnificence and woonderfull glorie in heauen which is assigned to bee his seat as his word teacheth vs and as we haue heretofore amply discoursed so likewise he doth manifest it no lesse in the earth which is his footstoole when he causeth it to shake and remooue as if being supprised with some great strong feuer it shooke trembled before him Iob. 9. And therefore Iob also saith The Eternall is wise in heart and mightie in strength who hath beene fierce against him and hath prospered He remooueth mountaines and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath He remooueth the earth out of her place that the pillers thereof do shake Iob. 26. the pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe But now let vs note that all that which we haue here deliuered disprooueth not the earth to remaine alwaies firme immooueable in it selfe in so much as it mooueth not out of the place which was appointed to it by God neither doth it swerue neuer so little considering that the moouings and tremblings are not vniuersall but particular onely in some places in such sort that the foundations thereof are not any whit altered And if we consider well of these things the Earth will serue no lesse for a preacher vnto vs then the aire and the fire yea then all heauen to denounce vnto vs the soueraigne maiestie of the Almightie ruling aboue all his workes as I hope to morrow we may haue goodly testimonies entreating of the water which is dispersed throughout the earth and afterwards speaking of the excellent commodities and pretious riches that these two elements doe yeeld to men into which matter you ASER shall enter with your dicourse The end of the seuenth day THE EIGHT DAIES WORKE Of the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth Chap. 57. ASER. THE holy Scripture doth certifie vs how that in the beginning the earth was couered ouer with water and that it appeered not in any sort but onely vnder the forme of a great deepe till such time as God commaunded the waters to retire into the channels and places which hee had prepared for their aboade So that then the earth was discouered euen so much therof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and beasts But this soueraigne creator of the Vniuers would not haue the waters to be gathered all into one place and not to haue their course through the earth but prouiding for euerie commoditie for his creatures he ordained that out of the great Ocean sea which is as the great bodie of the waters there should issue diuers armes and members by meanes whereof we haue the Mediterran seas out of which againe proceed many other waters as lakes flouds riuers and brookes For although that all