vnlesse we shold say that which is not lawfull that they are at one time good and at another time euill and that they cannot mixtly be the cause both of good and euill the which is not to be thought or beleeued that all the starres haue not one selfe caelestiall substance none of them separating themselues from theyr owne nature so that all the starres beeing good they may be the cause of good but not of euill BE. These authorities me thinks conclude not throughlie the purpose of their intention for there are manie thinges that can cause both good and euill and therefore the caelestiall bodies also may doe the same AN. This is when there is in any thing both good euill working effects according to the nature thereof but there is no euill in the heauens not in any thing therein contained for according to Aristotle in his seconde Booke De Coelo the motion thereof is life to all things in the ninth of his Metaphisickes also he affirmeth that in those things which are sempiternall there can be found no euill error or corruption And Auerroes entreating of this matter vseth these wordes It is a thing manifest saith he that in those things which are Eternall and whose essence is without beginning there can be no euill error or corruption the which cannot be in any thing but where euill is and heereby may be knowne the impossibilitie of prouing that which the Astronomers say that there are some of them luckie and others vnluckie this only may be knowne of them that there are som better then others By these words we may vnderstand that the starres are all good but not in equalitie neither haue they all equall vertue goodnes and as in them there is no euill at all so can they not be the cause of any harme at all neither can wee say that their influences cause any contagious or pestilentiall infirmities so thinketh Mercurius Trismegistus in his Asclepius Where the heauen saith he is that which engendreth and if the office thereof be to engender it cannot be to corrupt Proclus in his booke De Anima holdeth the same The Heauens saith hee founded with a harmony in reason containe all worldly thinges putting them in perfection accomodating them and benefiting them which being so how then can they damnifie destroy or corrupt them Auerroes also alleadgeth another reason by the testimonie of Plato who sayth That euill is found in those things which haue no order nor agreement and all diuine thinges are framed and constituted in most excellent order whereby it followeth that the starres and other caelestiall bodies haue no euill in them and hauing none in them they cannot worke or cause any This opinion followeth Iamblicus in his Booke De Misterijs Egiptiorum and Plotinus in his tenth Booke where he demaundeth if the stars be the causes of any thing iesting and scoffing at the Astronomers who affirme that the Planets with their motions are not onely the causes of riches and pouertie but also of vertue vices health and diseases that in diuers times they worke vpon men diuers operations And finally he will by no meanes permit that there are any euill starres or that they can be sometimes good and somtimes euill which opinion is also maintained by Auerroes in his 3. booke of Heauen Where whosoeuer sayth hee beleeueth that Mars or any other planet or starre howsoeuer set in coniunction or opposition can hurt or doe domage he beleeueth that which is contrary to all Philosophy Marcilius Ficinus in his Comentaries vpon the sixth Dialogue of Lawes sayth thus One thing we must vnderstande and beleeue that all forces and mouings of the superior Bodies which discende into vs are of their owne nature alwaies causers of our good and guide vs thereunto wee must not therefore iudge that viciousnes of ill conditioned men proceedeth of Saturne or rashnes and crueltie of Mars or craft and deceit of Mercury or lasciuious wantonnes of Venus Let vs see what reason thou hast to attribute vnto Saturne that frowardnesse and vice which thy euill custome conuersation exercise or dyet hath engendred in thy body or minde or to Mars that fiercenes and crueltie which seemeth to resemble that magnanimitie and greatnes to which he is enclined or to Mercurie that subtiltie and craft called by a better name industrie or to Venus thy lasciuious loue and wantonnesse Hapneth it not often that men loose their sight yea and sometimes their liues vnder the flaming blasts of the Sunne-beames which is ordained onely for our comfort and to giue life and nourishment to things And doe wee not see diuers that in open ayre receaue the warmenesse thereof to theyr comfort who in enclosed places are with a small heate smothered sluft choaked And euen as these men through the heate of the Sun whose nature is to helpe cherrish and comfort doe receaue domage by theyr owne faulte in not vsing the same as they shoulde doe so may the successes of those which are borne vnder these planets which by their nature are al good throgh euil vicious education proue naught though the inclination of their planets be neuer so good and fauourable So that by these wordes of Marsilius the opinion of Astronomers Mathematitians and Phisitions seemeth not to be wel grounded but that how commonly held or allowed soeuer it be he holdeth it to be reprouable by many and euident arguments LU. The Philosophers are not a little beholding to you for strengthning their opinion with so many authorities effectual reasons no doubt but if this matter were put to your arbytrement they should finde of you a fauourable iudge AN. I haue not so good opinion of my selfe as to take vpō me the arbitrement of this matter though it were of lesse substance then it is especially so many wise learned men maintaining either side I haue therfore onely rehearsed touched some of their allegations on both sides leauing you in your choyse to leane vnto that opinion which liketh you best referring alwaies the iudgement therof to those that are of greater learning deeper studie and more grounded wisedome thē my selfe though it seemeth vnto me to be a matter scarcelie determinable considering the varietie of effectuall reasons that may be alleaged of either side LVD For all this I account you halfe partiall and therefore I pray you aunswere mee to one obiection which might be of the Astronomers side opposed the which is thus We see that there are diuers venomous and hurtfull hearbes and manie other Wormes Vermins and Serpents so contagious that they are thorough theyr poysons and infections noisome vnto men yea and often causers of their death And seeing that all inferiour bodies are ruled receauing their forces and vertues from the influence of the heauenly and superior bodies it then seemeth that they should be cause of the domage which is wrought by the
were thought of some to be Incubi because they were so luxurious Hence many tooke occasion to authorise that for truth which is reported of Marlyn that he was begotten of a deuill but thys is better said then affirmed for whether it be so or no God onely knoweth and besides this vvhich I haue said he speaketh of many other particularities secrets that are amongst the deuils which in truth it is best not to know nor vnderstand for the knowledge of them can be no way profitable and may perchance be some way hurtfull BER If the deuill can doe that which this Marcus sayeth perchance Lactantius Firmianus tooke thence occasion to vvrite that folly of his saying that the authority of Genesis vvhich saith As the sonnes of GOD sawe the daughters of men which were beautifull they tooke them for wiues and had children by them is vnderstood by the Angels vvhom God held heere in the world so that he attributeth to thē bodies with which they conuersed with women and begot chyldren AN. Truly you may rightly terme it his folly for there cannot be a greater as both S. Thomas all the other Docters of Theologie affirme vnderstanding by the sons of God men that serued him walked in the way of righteousnes by the sons of men those that followed their owne lusts and pleasures not regarding that which they ought to doe for it were absurd to thinke that the Angels should pollute themselues with such filthines as the deuils doe who also doe it not because they therin receiue delight but because of the sin and and offence which they therin make men to commit ioyntly with them for they cannot in truth howsoeuer they fashion their bodies exercise any vitall operation though there want not some who say that the deuils come to be enamoured of women pursue them in loue with lust and desire but I esteem this to be a meere mockery for it the deuill at any time make a shew of loue the same is dissembled that which he only seeks is the destruction of the soule without hauing any other respect for verification of which I will tell you what I saw in the Iland of Cerdinia in the citie of Caliar where at that instant was handled the inquisition of certaine Witches vvho they said had confederation did cōmunicate with those of Fraunce Nauarre of which many not long before had bin sought out punished at that very time there was a beautifull young mayden of the age of 17. or 18. yeres old apprehended accused to haue acquaintance and fleshly conuersation with the deuill brought to the same by the allurements and entisements of one of these Witches The deuill vsed oftentimes to resort vnto her in the likenes of one of the most beautifull young gentlemen in the world vsing so sweete and comely behauiour that the poore wench became so vehemently enamoured and so deepely inflamed in his loue that of all worldly felicities she accounted his company to be the greatest but he when he saw his time and thought her to be sure enough his tooke such order that the matter was discouered and the mayden taken who persisted so obstinatelie against the perswasions of those that willed her to repent to craue mercy that it was wonderfull thinking surelie that the deuill woulde helpe her as he had promised perseuering in such ardant loue and affection towardes him that with her passionate speeches she amazed and moued to pitty those that heard her speake and for conclusion willingly suffered herselfe to be put aliue into the fire and burnt still in vaine reclaiming the promised assistance of her abhominable Louer loosing thereby both her body and soule which so easily shee might haue saued in dying Christianlike and taking patientlie with repentance her bodily death in this world LU. Trulie her end was most pittifull and lamentable yet farre better did another of which I haue heard beeing lykewise a young mayden rich beautifull of good parentage who with extreame and vehement affection became to be inamoured of a young Gentleman liuing in the same Tovvne where shee remained but for her reputations sake she couered so warily this secrete feruent affection of hers that it was neyther perceaued of the Gentleman himselfe nor of any man else the deuill onely excepted who seeing occasion offered whereby as he thought to procure her damnation tooke vpon him the likenes habite and gesture of the Gentleman offring vnto her his seruice and loue with such artificiall perswasions that after solemne promise of marriage he came to haue the vse of her body to which otherwise her chast desire woulde neuer haue consented after which hee frequented many nights her companie lying in naked bedde with her as if hee had beene indeede the Gentleman vvhose shape he tooke vpon him and with whose loue the mayden was so ardently enflamed In this manner passed ouer manie monthes the deuill alwaies perswading her not to sende him any messages because it was for some respects conuenient to keepe the matter for a while secret withall that she should not conceaue any vnkindnesse if seeing her in publique hee vsed no outward semblance of loue towards her aduising her also to vse in all poynts the like strangenesse towardes him preuenting heereby the inconuenience that might haue hapned if she should haue found herselfe in company with the supposed Gentleman The matter continuing thus it fell out that the Mother of this mayden gaue vnto her a booke of deuout prayers to read which she often perusing the deuill had no more power at all to come in place where she was nor to abuse her any longer because she ware the same continuallie about her necke Whereupon at the end of three Moneths shee wondring much at his absence and withall hearing that he I meane the supposed Gentleman courted another Gentlewoman entring into a most vnpatient iealousie shee sent him one day word that by any meanes he should com speak with her about a matter most important The Gentleman without vnderstanding the cause beeing full of curtesie and good behauiour awayting a time when her mother was out came and founde her alone and after hauing curteously saluted her demaunded what her pleasure was The mayden seeing him speake as one that scarcely knewe her bathing her face with teares in wordes full of griefe complayned of his strangenesse and forgetfulnesse asking him for what demerite of hers he had left her so long vnuisited The Gentleman astonished at this manner of speech aunswered her as a man amazed and vtterlie ignorant of her meaning whereupon kindled with exceeding choller shee began to threaten him that seeing he had despoyled her of that which she held dearest that he should not now thinke to cast her of and that if he would not of his owne accord accomplish the promise of marriage vvhich he had vowed vnto her shee would besides her complaints to God and the world
in those things which succeede vnto vs according to our purpose and pretence but in those that doe exceede our hope or come vnlooked for vnthought of and so we commonly mingle confound Fortune with Chaunce and Chaunce with Fortune yea sometimes we attribute that to either of them which is neither of both But to tel you the very truth this definition of Fortune is so intricate that I my selfe doe not throughly vnderstand his meaning where hee saith according to the purpose and to some end which are two diuers words may be vnderstoode in sondry sence as those doe which glosse vpon his text whose diuersity of opinions maketh the glosse far more difficill then the text it selfe But I will not meruaile hereat because perchaunce Aristotle would doe therein as he did in the selfe same books de Phisicis which being finished and Alexander telling him that it was great pitty that so high excellent a matter should by the publishing thereof become vulgar and cōmon he aunswered that he had written them in such sort that few or none should vnderstand thē And in truth the old Writers in all their works so delighted in compendious breuity of wordes that they not being clearely vnderstoode of those that followed in the ages after were the cause of an infinit variety of opinions neither is there any one which glosseth vpon thē who affirmeth not his interpretation to be the true sence meaning of the Author the same being perchaunce quite contrary But leauing this I say that though in this mother speech of ours we want fit and apt words to signifie the propriety of many things yet in expressing the effects of Fortune we haue more then either the Latine or Greeke for besides prosperous aduerse Fortune we haue Hap Mishap good Luck ill Luck by the which we signifie all successes both good and euill accustoming our selues more vsually to these words then to that of Fortune for what Chaunce soeuer happen to a man we cōmonly say that he was Happy or Vnhappy Lucky or Vnlucky LV. Me thinks that Felicity and Infelicity signifieth also the same that we may very well vse them in such sence as we doe the others AN. You are herein deceaued for Hap Mishap good and euill Luck prosperous aduerse Fortune are as we haue saide when they come by accidentall causes not keeping any order or limitation felicity as saith S. Anthony of Florence is in those things which happen to a man for his merrite and vertue infelicity in not happening to him which hath vertue and merrite to deserue them but these words we vse not in ordinary matters but in those that are of weight and moment some Authors also affirme the same to be vnderstood of prosperous and aduerse Fortune and that we ought not to vse this manner of speech but in difficill matters and such as are of substance and quality BER According to this rule wee erre greatly in our common speech for there are many that come to obtaine very principall estates and dignities not by their vertues and merrites but rather through their great vices and demerrites yet wee commonly say that such mens felicity is great and that they are very fortunate AN. You haue sayde the trueth for indeede wee goe following our owne opinion without any foundation of reason neither leaning to those graue and auncient Phylosophers of tymes past neyther to those which haue written what in true and perfect Christianitie wee ought to thinke thereof who affirme Fortune to bee that which happeneth in worldly and exteriour matters not thought on before nor looked for neyther of it selfe but proceeding from a superiour cause directly contrary to them which hold that such accidents happen without any cause superiour or inferiour but that they all come at happe hazard So that howsoeuer Fortune bee it must bee accidentally and not in thinges that come praemeditated and hoped for but seeing that the most sort of men obserueth heerein no order attrybuting all successes both good and euill to Fortune vvhether they happen or no in such sort as the Definition thereof requireth euery manne speaking and applying as he listeth I hold it for no error if amongst the ignorant wee followe the common vse but amongst the wise and learned me thinkes it were good for a man to be able to yeeld a reason of those things he speaketh and to speake of things rightly according to their Nature and property least otherwise hee be derided and held for a foole BER Greater in my iudgement is the error which wittinglie and wilfully we commit then that which is through ignorance onely neyther can any vse or custome be sufficient to authorize or allow that which in the iudgement of all wise and learned men is held for false and erronious But afore you passe any farther I pray you tell me what you meane in this your last definition whereas you say that Fortune is onely to be vnderstoode in exteriour things AN. It is manifest of it selfe that in thinges spirituall and interiour there can be no Fortune which who so list more at large to see and more particulerly to satisfie himselfe therein may reade S. Thomas in his second booke De Phisicis and in his third Contra Gentiles and S. Anthony of Florence in the second part of his Theologiques LV. As for the opinion of Philosophers you haue sufficiently made vs vnderstand the same now I would you would doe vs the fauour to declare vnto vs what the sacred Doctors of our holy Mother the Catholique Church doe teach and thinke therein AN. Farre different are they from the before alleadged Philosophicall censure for what good Christian soeuer you reason withall concerning Fortune he will aunswer you with the authority of Esay who saith Woe be vnto you that set a table before Fortune and erect Altars vnto her as to a Goddesse for with my knife shall you be cut in peeces The Gentiles as they were passing blinde in all diuine things pertayning vnto God and his omnipotencie so not beeing able to comprehend vnderstand his diuine vniuersall prouidence in all thinges they diuided the same frō God himselfe and made thereof a Goddesse attributing to her gouernment domination power and commaundement all the exterior things of the world which error of theirs herein committed some of themselues doe confesse and acknowledge as Iuuenall where he sayth Where Prudence is thou hast no deitie ô Fortune but wee for want of wisedome doe make thee a Goddesse and place thee in heauen According to which S. Hierome in an Epistle of his to Terentia sayth Nothing is created of GOD without cause neyther is any thing doone by chaunce as the Gentiles thinke the temeritie of blinde Fortune hath no power at all Whereby wee may see that Fortune is nothing else then a thing fained in the fantasie of men and that there is no
bee a bondslaue and such a one mee thinkes may with reason say that his Destenie placed him in that seruitude and bondage because hee came not there-vnto by his owne will neyther could hee by any meanes auoy de the same but would by any meanes seeke and procure his freedome if there were anie possibility thereof AN. This obiection may many wayes be aunswered the one is that it was no Accident or Chaunce that happened to this man to serue as a bondslaue because hee was begotten and borne in seruitude and besides there is no impossibility of recouering his liberty for euery day wee see happen sondry newe occasions whereby a slaue may be manumitted and sette free if then it be possible it followeth that there is no forcible Desteny if you will say that it was an accident in his Auncestors to fall into bondage to the end that this man should be borne a slaue I aunswere that it was in their choise and free-will because they might haue gone some whether else and haue refrained that place in which they stood in danger hazard to be made Captiues so that he cannot lay the fault vpon his Destenie but vpon those that might haue remedied the same and did not LU. You leaue me not well satisfied heerein for if I loose perforce my liberty neyther euer was it neyther now is it in my hand to remedy the same neyther am I hee that was any way the occasion thereof I may well say it vvas my Destenie and consequently vvith reason complayne of the same considering that it vvas not in my povver to auoy de it ANT. All that vvhich is not vnpossible may bee sayde auoy dable and if at anie tyme while one remaineth in bondage occasions may happen to recouer his freedome he can by no meanes say that his Destenie forcibly with-holdeth his liberty for though he want it against his will yet hee wanteth it not with impossibility of euer hauing it if he vse such meanes and industry as is requisite for the obtaining thereof For example we see daily manie slaues runne from their Maisters and set themselues at liberty not onely heere with vs but also such as are in captiuitie vnder the Mores and Turkes and if the enterprize which any such one vndertaketh for his liberty succeede not according to his intent it is because hee procured it not in such as was requisite or because it pleased not God to permit his deliuerie for his sinnes and demerrites or some other cause to vs hidden and vnknowne BER Thinke not that you haue here made an end for the principall poynt as yet remaineth If you remember you said that many of the Auncients held opinion that the causes of Desteny working with such necessity proceeded from the second superior caelestiall causes as the influence of the Planets and starres I pray you therefore make vs to vnderstand what is the force of the constellations and in what sort theyr influence worketh as well in vs as in other things for the cōmon opinion is that all things on the earth are gouerned maintained by the Caelestiall bodies whence it commeth that the Astronomers by calculating Natiuities casting figures and other obseruations come to foreknowe and vnderstand many thinges not onely concerning men but also tempests earth-quakes plagues inundations and other such like future calamities AN. It is a thing notorious that the starres haue their influences but not in such sort as the common opinion maintaineth first therfore you must vnderstand that their influence hath no power or force to worke any operation in the soules of men but onely in their bodies the reason whereof is that the soules are farre more noble and of more excellent perfection then the planets and starres so that the constellations being vnto them inferiour in beeing and substance are vnable to worke in them any effect at all That the soules are more noble then the caelestiall bodies S. Thomas proueth in this sort in his Booke against the Gentiles So much more noble saith hee is euery effect as it is neerer in likenes to the cause whence it proceedeth so our soules being liker vnto God then the caelestiall bodies are in beeing Spirits as is the first cause which is God must needs be more excellent then they so that they can haue no influence vnto them nor domination ouer thē the soules remaining alwaies free For though Dionisius sayd that God hath so disposed the whole order of the Vniuerse that all inferior thinges beneath should be gouerned by those that are superior and aboue yet he presently addeth and those that are lesse noble by those that are more noble and though by this reason the soules remaine free yet the bodies doe not so because they are lesse noble then the Sunne the Moone the other heauenly lights and so are subiect to their influences working in them diuers and contrary inclinations some good and some euill which they that seeke to excuse theyr vices and vvicked life call Destenies as though it were not in their power to flie and auoyde them through the libertie of free-will For if we say that Mars doth praedominate in men that are strong and valiant we see that many borne vnder his Planet are timorous and of small courage All those which are borne vnder Venus are not luxurious nor all vnder Iupiter Kings great Princes nor all vnder Mercurie cautelous and craftie neither are all those which are borne vnder the signe of Piscis fishermen and so forth of all the other Signes and Planets in manner that theyr effects are not of force and necessitie but only causing an inclination to those things the which by many wayes and meanes may be disturned altered auoyded chiefely by the disposition and will of the first cause which is God who addeth altereth taketh away at his pleasure the force vigor and influence of those Planets and starres restraining theyr vertue and force or els mouing directing and lightning our minds not to follow those naturall inclinations if they tend to euill and sinister effects The Angels deuils also may doe the same as beeing creatures more noble then the soule the one moouing to good and the other to euill for oftentimes our good Angell is the cause that we refraine those vices to which by the constellation of those heauenly bodies we are inclined and that we follow for our soules profit such waies as are vertuous and good and that wee auoyde those dangers which these influences doe threaten vnto vs. These also may a man of himselfe beware and eschew by discretion and reason for as saith Ptolomie The wise prudent man shall gouerne the starres LVD I confesse all this which you haue said to be true but yet besides the inclinations appetites of men the starres and Planets worke also in another manner as in aduauncing some men and abating others making some prosperous and rich yea
furiously sallied dooing great hurt and damage in the Country killing and wounding the passengers and destroying the fruits laboured grounds Ixion seeing that the people hereby endamaged exclaimed vpoÌ„ him resoluing to take some order for the destruction of these Bulls made it be proclaimed that he would giue rich rewards great recompences to who so euer should kil any of them There were at that time in a Citty called Nephele certaine young men of great courage which were taught instructed by those of the same towne to breake tame horses to mount vpon their backs sometimes assailing and sometimes flying as neede required These vndertooke this enterpise to destroy these Bulls and through the aduantage of their horses the vertue of theyr own courage slew tooke daily so many of them that at last they cleared deliuered the Country of this anoyance Ixion accomplished his promise so that these young men remained not only rich but mighty formidable through the aduantage they had of other meÌ„ with this vse redines of their horses neuer till that time seen or known before They retained still the name of Centaures which signifieth wounders of Bulls They grew at last into such haughtines pride that they neither esteemed the King nor any man else doing what they list them selues so that beeing one day inuited to a certaine mariage in the towne of Larissa being wel tipled they determined to rauish the dames and Ladies there assembled which they barbarously accomplished rising of a sodaine and taking the Gentlewomen behind them on their horses riding away with theÌ„ for which cause the wars began betweene them the Lapiths for so were the men of that Country called The Centaures gathering theÌ„selues to the mountains by night came down to rob spoile stil sauing theÌ„selues throgh the swiftnes of their horses Those of the Countries there about which neuer til that time had seen any horsman thought that the maÌ„ the horse had ben all one because the town whence they issued to make their warres was called Nephele which is as much to say as a cloud the fable was inuented saying that the Centaures discended out of the clouds Ouid in his Meramorphosis entreateth hereof say that it was at the mariage of Perithous with Hypodameya daughter to Ixion he nameth also many of the Centaures by whoÌ„ this tumult was committed but the pure truth is that which Eginius writeth LV. It is no meruaile if the people in those dayes were so deceaued hauing neuer before seen horses broken tamed nor men sitting on their backs the strange nouelty whereof they could not otherwise vnderstand for proofe wherof we know that in the Ilands of the vvest-Indies the Indians when they first saw the Spaniards mounted vpon horses thought sure that the man and the horse had beene all one creature the feare conceaued through which amazement was cause that in many places they rendered themselues with more facillity then they would haue done if they had knowne the trueth thereof But withall you must vnderstand that the Auncients called old men also Centaures that were Tutors of noble mens Sonnes and so was Chiron called the maister of Achilles through which name diuers being deceaued painted him forth halfe like a man halfe like a horse BER I was much troubled with this matter of Centaures wherefore I am glad that you haue made me vnderstand so much therof but withall I would that Signior Anthonio would tell vs what his opinion is of Sea men for diuers affirme that there are such and that they want nothing but reason so like are they in all proportions to bee accounted perfect men as wee are AN. It is true indeede there are many graue sincere writers which affirme that there is in the Sea a kind of fish which they call Tritons bearing in each point the shape humane the female sort thereof they call Nereydes of which Pero Mexias in his Forrest writeth a particuler Chapter alleadging Pliny which sayeth that those of the Citty of Lisboa aduertised Tiberius Caesar how that they had found one of those men in a Caue neere to the Sea making musick with the shell of a fish but he forgot an other no lesse strange which the same Author telleth in these very wordes My witnesses are men renowned in the order of Knighthood that on the Ocean Sea neere to Calays they saw come into their shippe about night time a Sea man whose shape without any difference at all was humaine he was so great and wayed so heauy that the boate began to sinke on that side where hee stoode and if hee had stayed any thing longer it had been drowned Theodore Gaze also alleadged by Alexander of Alexandria writeth that in his time one of these Sea men or rather men fishes accustomed to hide him selfe in a Caue vnder a Spring by the Sea side in Epirus where young maydens vsed to fetch their water of which seeing any one comming alone rising vp hee caught her in his armes and carried her into the Sea so that hauing in this sort carried away diuers the enhabitants being aduertised thereof set such grins for him that at last they tooke him kept him some dayes They offered him meat but he refused to eate and so at length beeing in an element contrary to his nature died The same Alexander speaketh of another Sea-monster which Bonifacius Neapolitanê° a man of great authority certified him that he saw brought out of Mauritania into Spain whose face was like a man some-what aged his beard haire curled and glistring his complexion and colour in a manner blew in all his members proportioned like a man though his stature were somewhat greater the onely difference vvas that he had certaine finnes with the which as it seemed he diuided the water as he swamme LVD It seemeth by this which you haue sayd of these monsters that there should be in them a kinde of reason seeing the one entred by night into the Shyp with intention to doe it damage and the other vsed such craft in his embuscades to entrappe those women AN. They are some likelihoods though they conclude not for as we see that there are heere on earth some beastes vvith more vigorous instinct of nature then others and neerer approching to the counterfaiting gestures of men as for example Apes and such like so is there also in this point difference among the Fishes of the Sea as the Dolphins vvhich are more warie and cautelous then the others as well in doing damage as in auoyding danger for Nature hath giuen all things a naturall and generall inclination to ayde help theÌ„selues withall Olaus Magnus handleth very copiously thys matter of Tritons or Sea-men of which in the Northerne Seas he sayth there is great abundance and that it is true that they vse to come into little Shyps of which with their weight
for this till that which is promised of the comming of Antechrist be fulfilled which wee knowe not when it shall please GOD to bring to passe In the meane time seeing it now beginneth to grow late let vs deferre this communication of ours till we meet againe to morrow or any other time when it shal please you BER I am well content therwith because the howre of Supper approcheth but on condition that we faile not to meet heere againe to morrow at this time and walke into this pleasant Garden hereby where the varietie of sweet sauours and odoriferous flowers will exceedingly delight vs giue vs occasion to passe our time in good conuersation LUD No man better content with this match then I in the meane time committing you to the protection of the Angels I take my leaue for I must goe this other way AN. God haue both you and vs in his keeping and blesse vs euerlastingly The end of the second Discourse The third Discourse entreating of Fansies Visions Spirits Enchaunters Charmers VVitches and Hags Contayning besides diuers strange matters which haue hapned delightfull and not lesse necessarie to be knowen Interlocutores LVDOVICO ANTHONIO BERNARDO LU. SO soone as I knew of your beeing here I made as much hast as I possibly might to come to you and had not it been that some occasions hindered mee I woulde not haue failed to haue beene the first BER I likewise had a desire to haue come sooner to the end I might the more at leysure haue enioyed the pleasant freshnes of this Garden But because the way betweene this and my lodging is long I stayed for the company of signior Anthonio to enioy by the way his good conuersation LU. To say the very truth I am glad that I finde you here for if I had been heere my selfe alone I should haue beene halfe afraid AN. And of what LV. Haue you not heard that which is bruited abroad these few dayes past AN. I haue not heard any thing neither know I what you meane vnlesse you first declare it vnto me LVD Why it is openly sayde ouer all the Towne that there hath of late appeared in thys Garden certaine visions Spirits which haue affrighted diuers men so that for my part though it be somewhat against my good reputation I am not ashamed to confesse it I am so fearefull that I had rather fight with any man how far soeuer aboue mee in force and strength then to be alone in place where any such cause of feare and amazement might happen AN. There are many which would laugh at this which you say attribute your feare to faintnes and want of courage but I will not meruaile hereat because I know how violently such passions and conditions of the mind are which as it seemeth grow and are borne in men so that though they would neuer so faine yet they cannot shake them off forget them so that I haue seene a man who if you shewed him a Rat would cry out and enter into amazement trembling like a child though in all other his actions he wanted neither valour nor courage Besides this it is a thing publique and well knowne of a Noble man in this Country of ours who if you shut any doore in the whole house where hee is at what houre so euer it be of the night entereth into such an alteration and agony that sometimes he is ready to throw him selfe out at the window And there are others which if you make any iesture at them with your hands or fingers they trouble and vexe them selues as though you did them the greatest oppression and outrage in the world BER These are naturall passions and imperfections which seeing as the olde prouerbe is no man can take away that which Nature hath giuen they that are troubled with them are not to be blamed if they cannot leaue and cast them off so lightly as it seemeth they might to those that are not encombred with them AN. They are not so absolutely naturall as you terme them for they are qualities which worke in men according to the complexion of which they are and as the complexion which is the causer of them may change and is often changed through space of time and many other accidentall causes so also may be changed these which you call passions defects or inclinations naturall We see this verified by good experience in those who are much troubled with melancholly who so long as this humor dureth are amazed at all things which they see hauing in their minds a kind of impression and imagination which maketh those thinges seeme to be of an other figure then in deede they are but this humor consuming and the other humors comming to praedominate aboue that of melancholly this amazement of theirs weareth away and they become in conditions far different to that they were before in this sort the chollerick man is commonly hasty and heedelesse in all occasions and the flegmatick more slowe and tardise But age time and chaunces change many times one complexion into an other and ioyntly the passions conditions and operations of them as by example we see euery day LV. So that you say though they be not wholy naturall yet there is no great error in saying that they are whiles their complexion so continueth without changing AN. Vnderstand it how you will but howsoeuer they are the force which they haue is great so that if it be not with singuler reason and discretion they are sildome kept vnder and subdued BER May they then at any time be subdued AN. Yea indeed may they for I my selfe haue seene good experience thereof in a kindswoman of mine not dwelling farre from hence which being vexed with a kind of melancholly called by the Phisitions Mirrachia vvhich bereaueth the Patient of all iudgement driuing him to a kind of madnes and frenzie in such sort suppressed and preuented the same with discretion and reason that shee sildome suffered her selfe to be vanquished thereof And truly it was strange to see the combate that passed betweene her the melancholly in such sort that you should see her sometimes forced to fall downe groueling to the ground flat vpon her face and though the violence of this humor was such that it forced her somtimes to teare in peeces such thinges as she had about her and to cast stones at those that passed by and to bite those that approached her yet reason continually so striued against the vehemencie of these passions gouerning detaining suppressing them that by little and little they vtterly forsooke her leauing her sences cleare her iudgment vntroubled as it was before but leauing this and returning to your speech of the Spirits which are reported to be seene somtimes in this Garden did you euer procure to sound out the truth thereof LU. Yes marrie did I but I could neuer learne any certainty thereof so that I hold it for a iest and all
somewhat difficill yet not so much as you make it for they were not inuented without cause or without contayning vnder them a signification which oftentimes is manifested vnto vs by the effect and sequell of such aduentures and chaunces as doe happen vnto vs. LU. It were not amisse in my opinion seeing wee haue happened on a matter so subtile and disputable if we endeuoured to vnderstand what might be sayde as concerning it for wee cannot passe the conuersation of this euening in a matter more pleasant or more necessary to be knowne then this and therefore sir you cannot excuse your selfe to take the paines to satisfie vs in this of which we are so ignorant and contayneth therein so many doubts AN. Though in respect of my small vnderstanding I might iustly excuse my selfe yet I will not refuse to satisfie you in this or any thing else whereto my knowledge and capacity extendeth on condition that you will not binde me any farther or expect more at my handes If I shall erre in any thing lette it remaine onely amongst our selues as in our former conuersations it hath doone for this matter being so farre from my profession I feare mee I shall not bee able to say all that vvere necessarie and behoouefull for the good vnderstanding thereof BER Greater should bee our error in leauing to reape the fruite of your learned conuersation and therefore without losing any more time I pray you deferre it no farther AN. Well to obey you then I will begin according to the common order with the definition of Fortune which Aristotle writing in his second booke De Phisicis Cap. 6. sayeth in this sort It is a thing manifest that Fortune is an accidentall cause in those things which for some purpose are done to some end Vppon the woordes of this Definition all the Phylosophers that haue vvrytten Glosses vppon Aristotle doe spende much time and many reasons vvith great alterations and argumentes the vvhich differing one from an other I vvill forbeare to recite least vvith the rehearsall of them I shoulde confounde your vnderstanding and beginne an endlesse matter I vvill therefore onely say that vvhich in my opinion I iudge fittest for the purpose and most materiall to satisfie your desire for your better vnderstanding I vvill therefore beginne vvith that vvhich in Humanitie is helde and vvritten as concerning Fortune and then vvhat in Phylosophie is thought thereof and lastlie vvhat vvee that are Christians ought to thinke and esteeme in true Diuinitie in deede Touching the first of the Gentiles as they erred the groslyest that might be without all reason and sence in all things concerning their Gods so without any foundation or ground faigned they Fortune to be a Goddesse dominating and hauing power ouer all things as writeth Boetius in his first booke of Consolation so that as well in Rome as in other places they builded and dedicated vnto her temples in which she was worshipped and adored of the which and of the founders of them many Authors make mention as Titus Liuius Pliny Dionisius Halycarnaseus Plutarch and Seneca The Praenestins a people of Italy held and adored her for the chiefest Goddesse and Protectresse of their Common-wealth but omitting this as not making much to the purpose I will tell you the diuers sorts and manners where-with they figured her forth in their temples Some paynted her like a franticke vvoman standing with both her feete vppon a rounde ball others with great wings and no feete giuing thereby to vnderstand that shee neuer stoode firme others fashioned her with a head touching the cloudes and a Scepter in her hand as though shee vniuersally gouerned all things in the world Others sette in her hand Cornucopia or the horne of aboundance shewing thereby that from her we receaue all both our good and euil Some made her of glasse because it is a mettall so easily crazed and broken but the most vsuall manner of painting her was with a wheele in her hand continually turning the same vp downe her eyes being blindfolded and mufled wherby it might appeare that hee which was in the height of all prosperity with one turne of the wheele might easily come vnder and be cast downe and likewise those vnderneath and of base estate might easily be mounted vp into higher degree Others thought it good to picture her like a man and therefore made vnto him a particuler temple Diuers also paynted her sayling by Sea vpon the backe of a great fish carrying the one end of a sayle puffed with a full winde in her hand and the other vnder her feet deciphering as it were thereby the fickle and dangerous estate of Saylers seafarers and hence as I take it proceedeth that common phrase of speech that when any man hath passed great tempest and danger by sea we say Corrio fortuna as though Fortune had medled with the matter Besides these they deuised and figured her forth in many other shapes with a thousand rediculous toyes and imaginations the cause of which diuersitie of formes attributed vnto her was because shee vvas a thing onely imagined and not knowne in the world as vvas Ceres Pallas Venus Diana and their other Goddesses so that they described her by gesse imagination according to the conceits inuentions of their own fancies some of which were passing grosse ridiculous and absurd LU. I haue not seene any picture of Fortune that pleaseth mee better then that in a table of your inuention where you paynt her vvith the wheele of which you spake in her hand holding her eyes betweene open and shut with a most strange and vncertaine aspect placing vnder her feete Iustice and Reason wearied and oppressed in poore ragged and contemptible habites lamenting in sorrowful gesture the iniury they receaue in being held in such captiuity slauery on the one side of Fortune standeth Pleasure and on the other Freewill both beeing pompously attired with rich and beautifull ornaments each of them holding in her hand a sharpe Arming-sworde seeming with angry gesture to threaten them some great mischiefe if they ceased not their complaints I leaue the other particularities thereof but it appeareth well that her effects are better knowne vnto you then they were to diuers of those Auncients AN. That liberty which they had in their imagination may I also haue to describe her properties and conditions seeing she obserueth neither Reason nor Iustice in her actions but oppresseth and banisheth them in a manner out of the world gouerning herselfe by her owne will pleasure without order or agreement as Tully writeth in his booke of Diuination There is nothing sayth he so contrary to Reason Constancie as Fortune and therefore the Ancients termed her by so sundry Names calling her blind franticke variable vnconstant cruell changeable traytresse opiniatre without iudgement besides infinite other foule Epithetes and ignominious names alwaies accusing and condemning her as vvicked light inconstant mutable
riding neere to the place where the men were after I had asked them for whom that poast was sette vp and they with theyr aunswere satisfied mee I narrowly markt and behelde the gesture and countenaunce of the young man who was of a very good complexion and of an honest face hee seemed to be about the age of twentie or twenty one yeeres his garments were not costly but cleanly and hansome asking him if hee vvere the Hangman he aunswered mee that hee was demaunding of him in Latine if euer he had beene a student hee aunswered me to that demaund and many others in the same tongue very eloquently but at last asking him of what country and place he was he aunswered me that hauing confest himselfe to be a Hangman he could with no honesty reueale vnto me any thing touching his Country or Parentage and therefore prayed me to hold him for excused I perceauing his shamefastnes vrged him farther saying How is it possible that hauing such knowledge and vnderstanding thou hast taken vppon thee so base infamous and dishonest an office Truly thou deseruest the greater blame and punishment by howe much more carelesly thou vsest the excellent giftes which God hath endued thee withall as comlines of fauour proportion good capacity and vnderstanding in vsing of which well thou mightest doe God and thy Country seruice wheras now thy talent lieth hidden and buried He hauing a while attentiuely listened to that which I said vnto him aunswered at length with many teares that such was his hard Desteny by which he was thereto forcibly compelled against the sway of which he was not able to preuaile of whose error and ignorance taking pitty I beganne to make vnto him a large discourse causing him to vnderstand that there was no Desteny able to force Free-will but that euery man had liberty to dispose of himselfe as he pleased and to take what way he list so that hee could not blame his Desteny but himselfe onely which hauing election of so many good wayes had suffered himselfe to be guided so ill Vsing these and many other such reprehensiue speeches vnto him hee fell into such weeping and shed so many teares that I tooke compassion of him vvithall he told me that he had falne into this misery for want of good counsaile hauing heeretofore neuer met with any that had told him so much whereby to lighten him out of the error wherein he was but seeing quoth he that which is past may be repented but not vndone I will by Gods grace hereafter take a new course lesse dishonourable to my kindred for you shall know sir that I am borne of Parents of a very honest condition beeing brought into this miserable estate in which you now see me through play only but God be thanked it is yet vnknowne to my friends that I execute this detestable office neither dooth any man of this Towne knowe whence I am for the place where I was borne is farre from this Country so that I am fully resolued to change my manner of life and to follow your counsaile and heere-with bitterly bewailing his vnfortunate course I brought him home with me to my lodging in which he remained that night seeming to be exceeding sorrowfull and the next morning departed vvhether hee went I knowe not but from that time forward he was no more seene in those quarters and truly by many signes I sawe in him hee gaue me good hope that hee would doe as he said AN. This fellowe had neuer seene the authority of S. Gregory in his Homily of the Epiphany where God defend saith he the harts of those that are faithfull from saying that there is any Destenie this is vnderstoode when they thinke or hold for a certainty that such thinges as happen to them proceede from the constellations or other superiour causes as not any way to be auoided or declined Therefore whensoeuer this word Destenie is mentioned we must vnderstand the same that we did of Fortune that is the will and prouidence of God But the best is not to vse it at all thereby to auoyde the error into which the common people doe fall yea and a much greater which is the deniall of free-will for if that Destenie were a thing indubitable and the sway thereof not to be resisted then should neyther reward punishment grace nor glory be due vnto deserts and so diuine Plato in his Gorgias To say saith hee that there is any constrayning or vnineuitable Destenie is a fable of vvomen which vnderstand not what they say so that all thinges are subiect to the free-will of man not to doe any thing forcibly but by contentment of the same vvill for being a Free-will there can be no Destenie But because in plunging our selues farther into this matter we should fall vpon that of Prescience Predestination engulfing my selfe in which I should not be able to finde the way out it is sufficient onely to declare though it be but superficially what belongeth to this word Destenie still vnderstanding that all proceedeth and dependeth of the Diuine will and prouidence of God and so sayth S. Austine in his fifth booke De ciuitate Dei If for this cause humaine thinges are attributed to Destenie let him which calleth the will power of GOD by the name of Destenie take heede and correct his tongue And so concluding we may inferre that there is no Desteny at all at least in such sence as the common people vnderstandeth the same but that by this word we ought to vnderstand the prouidence of GOD and the fulfilling of his will which alwayes leaueth vs in free liberty to choose that which is good and to eschewe that which is euill For this word Destenie is chiefely vnderstood and mentioned in matters of aduersity which when they happen vnto vs are eyther for that we seeke and procure them or else that God permitteth them because our sinnes and wicked life deserueth such chastisement Let not him say that is hanged that his Destenie brought him there-vnto but the small care he had to liue vertuously to feare GOD and to flie vice was the cause thereof The like of him that murdereth or drowneth himselfe for if such had liued well and refrayned those vices and enormities for punishment of vvhich they vvere condemned by the Ministers of Iustice or by theyr ovvne guilty desperate conscience to dye they should neuer haue had any such cause to complaine But there is so much herein to be sayde that in seeking particulerly to discusse euery poynt thereof it vvould be too tedious especially to those vvho desire no more then well to knowe the conclusion how it ought to bee vnderstoode vvhich by this praecedent discourse I hope you doe BER I vnderstand you very well yet mee thinkes vnder correction that there are some things which happen forcibly to men and not to be auoy ded as for example a man borne of Parentes that are bondslaues of force must
and sometimes from low base estate enthroning them in kingdoms as for example King Gygas and almost in our very time Tamberlaine the great and deiecting others that were great and mighty yea Kinges and Monarches into extreame calamitie miserie infinite examples whereof may be seene in the Booke called The fall of Princes and manie others full of such tragicall disastres And it is manifest that this proceedeth from the constellations vnder which they are borne and the operations with which they worke because many Mathematitians and Astronomers knowing the day howre and moment wherin a man is borne vse to giue their iudgement and censure what shall betide vnto him so borne according to the Signes and Planets which then dominate in their force and vigure And many of them doe fore-tell so trulie manie wonderfull thinges that it seemeth scarcely possible to any man but God to knowe them which seemeth to proceede through the will of God whom it hath pleased to place that vertue in those Planets wherby the future successe might be knowne of those persons that are borne vnder thē And though I could here alleadge many examples of Emperours Kings and Princes whose successes to come vvere foretold them by Astronomers truly as indeed they hapned yet omitting them because they are so cōmonly known I will tell you one of Pope Marcellus who came to be high Bishop whose Father liuing in a place called Marca de Ancona where he was also borne beeing a great Astronomer at the birth of his sonne casting presently his natiuitie sayde openly that he had a sonne borne that day which should in time to come be high Bishop but yet in such sort as though he were not which came afterwards to be verified for after he was elected in the Consistorie by the Cardinals hee dyed within twentie daies not beeing able to publish or determine any thing by reason of his short gouernment I knewe also a man in Italie called the Astronomer of Chary who whatsoeuer he foretold the same proued in successe commonlie to be true so that he was held for a Prophet truth it is that hee was also skilfull in Palmestrie and Phisiognomie and thereby strangely foretold many things that were to come and perticulerly he warned a speciall friend of mine to looke wel vnto himselfe in the xxviij yeere of his age in which he should be in danger to receaue a wounde whereby his life shoulde stand in great hazard which fell out so iustly as might be for in that yeere he receaued a wound of a Launce in his bodie whereof he dyed A certaine Souldiour also one day importunating him to tell his fortune declaring vnto him the day and howre wherein he was borne and withall shewing him the palme of his hand and because he excused himselfe growing into choller and vrging him with threatnings to satisfie his demaund he told him that he was loth to bring him so ill newes but seeing you will needs haue it quoth he giue me but one crowne and I will be bound to finde you meate and drinke as long as you liue The Souldiour going away laughing and iesting at him seeing presently two of his fellowes fighting went betweene to part them and was by one of them thrust quite through the body so that he fell downe dead in the place AN. I cannot choose but confesse vnto you that many Astronomers hit often right in their coniectures but not so that they can assuredly affirme those thinges which they foretell of force and necessity to fall out there being so many causes and reasons to alter and change that which the signes and Planets doe seeme to portend the first is the will of God as being the first cause of all things who as he created and made the starres with that vertue and influence so can he by his only will change and alter the same when it pleaseth him Also all the starres are not knowne nor the vertues which they haue so that it may well be that the vertue of the one doth hinder make lesse or cause an alteration in the effect of the other and so an Astronomer may come to be deceaued in his calculations as vvas the selfe same Astronomer of Chary which you speake of when he fore-told that Florence being besieged with an Army imperiall with the forces of Pope Clement should be put to sackage and spoile of the Souldiours This Prophecie of his had like to haue cost him his life if hee had not made the better shift with his heeles for the Souldiours by composition that the Towne made finding themselues deluded made frusttate deceaued of their prophecied booty would haue slaine him if he had not with all possible diligence made away Besides if this were so there must of necessity follow a great inconuenience and such as is not to be aunswered for if when so euer any one is borne vnder such a constellation that of force the good or euill thereby portended must happen vnto him the selfe same then by consequence must needs happen to all those which are borne in that instant vnder the same signe and Planet for according to the multitude of the people which is in the worlde there is no houre nor moment in which there are not many borne together of which some come to be Princes and some to be Rogues When Augustus Caesar was borne it was vnpossible but that there were others also borne in the very same poynt and moment which for all that came not to be Emperours and to gouerne the whole worlde in so flourishing a peace as he did yea and perchaunce some of them went afterwards begging from dore to dore And thinke you that Alexander the great had no companions at his birth Yes without doubt had he though they had no part of his good Fortune and prosperity This matter is handled very copiously by S. Austine in his fifth booke De ciuitate Dei aunswering the Mathematitians and Astronomers which say that the constellations and influences are momentary whereby it should ensue that euery part and member of the body should haue a particuler constellation because the whole body together cannot be born in one moment nor in many moments to be short therefore they are many times deceaued that giue such great credite to the abusiue coniectures of Astronomy spending their whole time about the speculation and fore-knowledge of future things pertaining not onely to the birth of men fore-shewing their fortunes and successes but also to those of plagues earth-quakes deluges tempests droughts and such like things that are to happen BER If I vnderstand you well your meaning is that the influence of the Planets worketh not in men with any necessity or constraint but onely as it were planting in them an inclination to follow the vertue of their operations which may with great facility be euited in such thinges as are within the vse of free will and Lybre arbitrement In
otherwise we should attribute vnto them some vse of reason which can be neither in them nor in Beasts what shewe so euer they make thereof BER Let vs leaue this least otherwise wee interrupt Signior Anthonio in the prosecution of his promised discourse touching the Septentrionall Countries which is a matter not to be let slip AN. I would that I were therein so instructed that I could entreate so particulerly and plainly thereof as it were requisite I should but though the fault be mine in that I vnderstande little yet I want not an excuse where-with to wipe away some part of the blame For the great confusion of the Authors both Auncient Moderne that write thereof as yesterday you vnderstoode is such that it maketh me also confuse and wauering in whether of theyr opinions I should follow Trust me it is a world to see theyr disagreements and he had neede of a very Diuine iudgment that should conforme himselfe to the vnderstanding of Ptolomaeus Solinus Stephanus Dyonisius Rufus Festus Auienius Herodotus Plinius Anselmus Strabo Mela and diuers other of the Auncients some of the which in reckoning vp of Nations and Prouinces name onely one saying forth others aboue this and others aboue that beyond of the one side and of the other some declare the names particulerly of each one but in such sort that comparing them with these by which we now know thē they are not to be discerned which are which for with great difficulty can we know who are the right Getes Massagetes Numades Scythians and Sarmates but onely that we goe gessing according to the names which they now haue for there are Authors that giue to the Land of the Scithians onely 75. leagues of widenes and others will needs haue the most part of all those great Countries Northward to be contained vnder them so that Pliny not without cause speaking of these Septentrionall parts termeth them to be so vast and of so farre a reach that they may be accounted an other new part of the world yet he then knew nothing of the interiour part thereof towards the Pole which is now discouered But leauing this there is no lesse difficulty and difference in the description of those parts which we now know and vnderstand yea euen those which are neere vs and with whom we haue traffique as Norway Denmarke Gothland Sweueland and the Prouinces which we call Russia Prussia of which they write so intricatly especially in some points that they hardly giue resolution to those that reade them notwithstanding which difficulties seeing there is no part of the world in which there are not some thinges though to them common yet rare and strange to those that haue not seene them but newly heare them spoken of I will tell you some particularities recorded by the Authors that make mention of these Regions with which we may passe in good conuersation this euening as we haue done the rest And first to begin with their men they say that they are of great stature their lims members wel proportioned and their faces beautiful Amongst which there are many Gyants of incredible greatnes which as you enter farther into the Lande so shall you finde them greater Of these make mention Saxo Grammaticus and Olaus Magnus chiefely of one called Hartenus another Starchater and two others Angrame and Aruedor who were endued with so extraordinary a force puissance that to carry an Oxe or a Horse vpon their shoulders though the way were very long they accounted nothing There are also women nothing inferiour to them in strength some of which haue beene seene with one hand take a Horse with a man Armed vpon his back and to lift him vp and throw him downe to the ground and of these and others sundry Authors write many notable thinges worthy of memory which seruing nothing to our purpose it were in vaine heere to rehearse Leauing them therefore I say that the continuance of the Snow in all these Septentrionall Lands is such that the high eminent places and toppes of mountaines are couered there-with all the yeere long and many times the valleyes and low places also notwithstanding all which extreamity of cold they haue very good pastures both for Beasts wild and tame for theyr fodder and grasse is of such quality that the very cold nourisheth and augmenteth the force verdure therof The greatest discōmodity they haue is through the wind Circius which the greater part of the yere blustreth in those Prouinces and that with such raging fury violence that it renteth vp the trees by the rootes and whirleth whole heapes of stones from vp the earth into the ayre wherby those that trauaile are often in great danger of their liues the remedy they haue is to hide shroud themselues in caues hollow vauts vnder the mountains for somtimes the tempests are so incredibly raging terrible that there haue ben ships in the Bothnyk Sea which though it be neere the frozen Sea yet notwithstanding is nauigable hoised vp into the ayre thrown down violently against the maine Land a matter scarsly credible but that it is verified by so many so graue Authors at other times you shall see waues of the Sea resembling mighty mountains raised in height then with their fal drowne and ouerwhelme such ships as are neere somtimes the tiles yea the whole roofs of the house taken away blown far off which is more the roofs of their churches couered with Lead other mettals haue ben torn vp caried away as smoothly as though they had been but feathers neither haue men Armed and a Horseback more force to resist the violence of this wind then hath a light reed for either it ouerthroweth them or else perforce driueth thē against some hillock or Rock so that in diuers places of Norway which lie subiest to this wind there grow encrease no trees at all for they are straight turned vp by the roots For want of wood they make fire of the bones of certaine fishes which they take in great quantity the bleetenes of this wind for sildome in those parts bloweth any other is cause that the most part of the yere the Riuers ponds Lakes are all frozen yea the very waters of the Springs doe no sooner com out of them but they are presently congeled into Ice when the heat of the Sun thaweth or melteth any Snow the same presently turneth into so hard an Ice ouer that which is vnderneath that they can scarcely pearce it with Pickaxes so that euery yeere their yong men in plaine fields make thick wals of snow like vnto those of a Fortresse in som such place that they may receaue the heat of the Sun melting through which they conuert into a hard Christaline Rock of Ice and sometimes of purpose after they haue framed this edifice of snow they cast water vppon the same to make
continually hearde so great hideous a noyse that no man dareth to approch neer it by three or foure leagues The shyppes keepe alwayes a loofe of fearing and flying that Coast as death it selfe There is seene amongst those trees such an abundance of great black fowles that they seeme in a manner to couer them who rysing vp into the ayre doe make so great a clowde that they obscure in a manner the cleerenesse of the Sunne theyr crying or rather roring is so horrible and fearefull that such as heare them though verie farre of are constrayned to stoppe theyr eares They neuer flie out of the precincts of thys Iland the same beeing alwayes shadowed with a kinde of obscuritie in manner like a Clowde diuersifying it froÌ„ the Land neere vnto it Some saith he doe affirme this Mountaine to be a part of Hell where the condemned soules are tormented vvhich opinion though it bee ridiculous yet the propertie of this Mountaine is strange and in the cause thereof some hidden mysterie which we comprehend not BER These are matters the secrecie of whose causes are not to be sifted out like vnto that of the Mountaines of Angernamia one of the farthest of those Northerne Prouinces which are so high that they are seene a farre of by those that sayle on the Bothnycke Sea and by them with great care and diligence auoyded through a wonderfull secret in them contayned which causeth a noyse so hideous violent feareful and full of astonishment that it is heard many leagues of and if that by force of tempest driuen or otherwise through ignoraunce vnwitting any ship passeth neere thereunto the horror thereof is so great that many die presently through the penetrating sharpnes and vntollerable violence of the same many remaine euer after deafe or diseased and out of theyr wits Neyther are they that trauaile by Land lesse carefull in auoyding these Mountaines Once certaine young men of great courage beeing curious to discouer the cause heereof stopping theyr eares as artificially as they coulde deuise attempted in little Boates to rowe neere these mountaines and to view the particularities of them but they all perrished in that attempt by theyr desastre leauing an example and warning to others not to hazard themselues in like danger That which we may hereafter imagine is that there are some clefts or Caues within the Rocks of these Mountaines and that the flowing and ebbing of the water striuing with the wind and hauing no aspyration out causeth that fearefull rumbling and hideous noyse and this is vnderstood because the greater the tempest is at Sea the greater is the noyse in those Mountains the same being in calme and milde weather nothing so loude and violent Of these mountains Vincentiê° maketh mention in his glasse of Histories though he write not so particulerlie of them as some moderne Authors doe which affirme that they haue seene them LV. Me thinks this place is as perrillous as that of Charibdis and rather more considering the sharpnes and terror of the noyse which penetrateth so farre and in my iudgement the flowing and ebbing of the water should draw vnto it the shippes and make them perrish though you made therof no mention AN. It seemeth vnto me that you also haue read these Authors which treat of the Septentrional Countries seeing it commeth now to purpose I will tell you one no lesse admirable then the rest which is that in a citty called Viurgo neere the prouince of Muscouia there is a Caue called Esmelen of so secret a vertue that no man hath hetherto been able to comprehend the mistery and cause thereof which is that casting any quicke beast into the same there issueth out presently a sound so terrible as though 3000. great Canons were discharged and shot off together the effect of which is such that the hearers thereof if they haue not their eares very well stopt closed do fall presently down depriued of all feeling sence like dead men out of which mortall traunce som neuer reuiue some do but froÌ„ that time forward so long as they liue they detaine som defect or other The greater the beast is that is throwne thereinto the greater is the noyse and roaring that resoundeth out This Caue is compast about with a verie strong wall and the mouth thereof shut vp with a mightie strong doore hauing many Lockes of vvhich the Gouernour hath one Key in his keeping and the rest of the Magistrates each of them a seuerall least otherwise some desastre might fall out by which the Citty might come to be dispeopled which though it be very strong both of walles and Ramparts yet the greatest strength thereof consisteth in the Caue neyther is there any enemy so mightie or puissant that dareth to besiege it hauing before his eyes the ruine of great Armies that haue attempted the same before by which after the Citty was brought into some extreamitie the Cittizens bethinking themselues of the propertie of the Caue coÌ„maunded by publique proclamation all those of the towne to stop theyr eares and one night vnawares to the enemie they cast into the Caue a great number of liuing beasts vpon vvhich there presently issued forth such a hideous infernall noyse and the violence thereof strooke such amazement into the enemies that some fell downe in a traunce and others throwing away theyr Armes fledde out of theyr Cabbines trenches the most confusedly that might bee and withall to encrease theyr misery the Cittizens issuing out massacred the greater part of them by that meanes deliuering theyr Cittie from seruitude And though they could not but receaue som inconuenience through the horrour of that hellish noyse though theyr eares were neuer so well closed yet through the ioy of theyr victory and recouered libertie they made small account of the same since which time all the borderers there abouts fearing the effect of theyr Caue doe liue in league amitie with them BER In truth this is a matter of great admiration and such that though diuers very great secretes both of heauen and earth are comprehended yet the curiositie of no wit how perfect soeuer can reach to giue heereof anie reason LVD Let vs leaue these secrets to him that made them whose will perchance is to conceale theyr causes froÌ„ vs. AN. You say well and in truth the more wee should beat our wits about them the lesse we should be able to vnderstand them it suffiseth therefore for vs to knowe that these are the secrete and wonderfull workes of God shewen by Nature the vnderstanding whereof is aboue our reach and capacitie But to follow on our discourse of the wonders of this Countrey you shal vnderstand that in those standing waters frozen Lakes of which wee spake before the ayre remaineth oftentimes shut in and inclosed the which moouing it selfe and running vp down vnder the Ise seeking vent causeth such roring and noyse that it were able to amaze
women of Egipt are so fruitefull that they haue often 3. or 4. children at a burden and though he expresseth not so much yet we must imagine that many of them liue and doe well or otherwise hee would neuer make so often mention of them In this our Spayne we haue often seene a woman deliuered of three children at once and one in a Village not far hence of 4. and in Medina del campo some yeres passed it was publiquely reported that a certain principal woman was brought a bed of 7. at once and it is said that a Bookebinders wife of Salamanca was deliuered of 9. and we must thinke that in other Countries haue hapned the like of as great greater admiration though we as they say being in one ende of the world haue had no notice nor knowledge of them LV. Plinie saith it is certaine that sixe children may be borne at one birth which is most strange vnlesse it be in Egypt where the women bring sildome one alone into the worlde In Ostia there was a woman that had at one burden two sonnes and two daughters all liuing and doing well Besides in Peloponeso a woman was 4 times deliuered each time of 5. sonnes the most part of which liued Trogus Pompeius writing of the Egiptian women saith that they are often deliuered of 7. sons at once of which some are Hermophrodits Also Paulus the Lawyer writeth that there was brought from Alexandria to Adrian the Emperor a woman to be seene which had fiue liuing children 4. of the which were borne in one day the 5. foure daies after the deliuery of the first Iulius Capitolinus writeth the like of a woman deliuered of 5. sons in the time of Anth. Pius so that the matter which signior Bernardo rehersed of the woman with 3. liuing children is not so newe nor strange Besides it is coÌ„firmed with the publique fame of that which hapned to a lady one of the greatest of this land which being in trauaile it was told her husband that she was deliuered of one son within a little space of one more within few houres they told him that shee had brought him forth 4. more which were 6. in all who answered merily to those that brought him the newes if you can wring her well I warrant you qd hee you shal get more out of her This is no fable but a matter known to be true AN. Seeing we are falne into the discourse of prodigious births I can by no means passe ouer with silence that which Nicholaus de florentia writeth alledging the authority of Auicenna in Nono de animalibus that a woman miscaried at one time of 70. proportioned children the same author alledgeth Albertê° Magnê° which said that a certaine Phisition told him for assured trueth that beeing sent for into Almaigne to cure a gentlewoman hee sawe her deliuered of a 150. children wrapt all in a net each of them so great as ones little finger all borne aliue proporcioned I know well that these thinges are almost incredible to those which haue not seene theÌ„ yet is this one thing so notorious wel known that it coÌ„firmeth the possibility of the rest though it be far more admirable then any of theÌ„ all That which hapned to the lady Margaret of Holland which brought forth at one burden 306. children all liuing about the bignes of little mise which were christned by the hands of a Bishop in a bason or vessel of siluer which as yet for memory remaineth in a Church of the same Prouince the which our most victorious Emperor Charles the fift hath had in his hands this is affirmed to be true by many and graue witnesses Sundry authors write hereof especially Henricus Huceburgensis Baptista Fulgoso Lodo. Viues which saith that the cause of this monstrous birth was the curse of a poore woman which coÌ„ming to the gates of this great Lady to demaund almes in steede of bestowing her charity she reuiled taunted her reprochfully calling her naughty pack asking her how many fathers shee had for her children wherat the poore woman taking griefe beseeched God on her knees to send vnto this Lady so many children at a burden that she might be able neyther to know theÌ„ nor to nourish them BE. I think there neuer was the like of this seene or heard of in the world and truly herein Nature exceeded much her accustomed limites the iudgment thereof let vs referre to the Almightie who suffered permitted her to conceaue so many creatures which seeing it comes so well to purpose I will tell you what I haue heard of som men of credit such as wold not report any vntruth which is that in the kingdom of Naples or in diuers places therof the childbirth is passing dangerous to the Mothers because there issueth out before the childe appeare a little beast of the fashion bignes of a little frog or little toade and somtimes 2. or 3. at once if any of the which through negligence come to touch the grounde they hold it for a rule infallible that the woman which is in trauaile dieth presently which because so soone as it coÌ„meth out of the wombe it creepeth that swiftly they haue the bed stopt round about besides the ground wals so couered that it cannot by any means com to tuoch the earth besides they haue alwaies ready a bason of water wherein they presently put those litle beasts couering it so close that they cannot get out carry theÌ„ therin to some riuer or to the sea wherein to auoide the danger they cast theÌ„ and though I haue not seen any Author which writ so much yet all those that haue been in those countries confirme the same so that there is no doubt to be made thereof but that it is as true as strange and though it may seeme that I vse some digression froÌ„ the matter yet me thinks that it is not amisse that we should vnderstand what Aristotle writeth in his 3. booke de animalibus of a he Goat which as it seemed was euen ready to coÌ„ceaue if nature would haue giuen him therto any place for he had teates like vnto the femals great full of milk so that they milked him it came froÌ„ him in such quantity that they made cheese thereof AN. Meruaile not much at this for if you read the booke which Andreas Mateolus of Siena made de epistolis medecinalibus you shal find that he saith hee saw himselfe in Bohemia 3. of the same sort of the which hee himselfe had one for his proper vse whose milke he found by experience to bee the best medicine of all for those which were troubled with the Apoplexy or falling sicknes BER There must be some cause for which Nature in such a thing as this exceeded her accustomed order and perchance it was to bring a
remedy for a disease so vneurable as this is accounted to be LU. Seeing we are in thys discourse of byrthes it were not amisse that we knewe in what space a woman may beare child so that the same may liue and be accounted lawful AN. This matter hath been handled by many authors which giue vs light herein The Lawiers say that in the 7 month taking therof some dayes away and in the tenth month likewise the birth may be called lawfull as one of their digests beginning septimo mense and diuers other declareth and Iustinianus in his Autentick of restitutions The Philosophers and Phisitions debate thereof more at large Pliny sayeth that the child borne in the eighth moneth may liue which is directly against the experience we haue and the opinion we generally hold thereof for we see that those children doe not liue which are borne in the seauenth moneth vnlesse they are borne iust at the time complet hee holdeth besides that the birth of eleuen moneths is lawfull and so hee sayeth that the mother of Suillius Rufus was deliuered of him at the end of eleuen moneths Other Philosophers haue held opinion that a woman may goe with child till the thirteenth moneth but to rehearse all their opinions were neuer to make an end he that seeketh to be satisfied heerein may reade Aristotle Aulus Gellius and many more Authors Phisitions which intreate copiously thereof it is sufficient for vs that wee haue said so much in a matter which we haue so sildome occasion to know or vnderstand BER This matter in truth is fitter for Phisitions to discourse of then for vs but in the meane time I would faine know what these Hermophrodites are vvhich I heard Signior Ludouico euen now say were so common to the Aegiptian women LV. This matter is so common that there is scarsely any one ignorant but that there are often children borne with two natures the one of a man the other of a woman though diuers times the one of so slender force and weake that it serueth not for other then to shewe what Nature can doe when she pleaseth but some there are though rare which are as fully puissant in the one nature as in the other of the first sort I knew a married woman my selfe which it was well knowne had also the nature of a man but without any force or effect though in her countenance and iesture there appeared a kind of manlines of the other sort also there are diuers and amongst the rest there was one in Burgos who beeing commaunded to choose whether nature she would exercise the vse of the other being forbidden her vpon paine of death made choise of that of the feminine sort but afterwards being accused that she secretly vsed the other vnder colour therof committed great abhomination she was found guilty and burned AN. I haue heard that there was another the like burned in Seuilia for the selfe same cause but in these parts we hold it for a great wonder that men should haue the nature of vvomen or women of men Yet Pliny alleadgeth the Philosopher Califanes which was with Alexander Magnus in his conquest of the Indies who sayth that amongst the Nasamans there is a people called Androgini who are al Hermophrodites and vse in their embracements without any difference as wel the one nature as the other But we would scarcely beleeue this being so vnlikely were it not confirmed by Aristotle which saith that these Androgins haue the right teate like a man the left with which they nourish their babes like a vvoman BER This matter seemeth vnto me very nevv strange neither doe I remember that euer I heard the like but there are so many things in the vvorld aboue our capacity that I hold it not impossible especially being affirmed for true with the authority of so graue authors though me thinks this Country must needes be very farre from those which are now of late discouered in India LV. I cannot choose but merualie much hereat and I beleeue that it is some influence or constellation or else the property of the Country it selfe which ingendreth the people in such sort as we see other Countries bring forth people of diuers complexions qualities conditions But now seeing we haue so long discoursed of births as wel cōmon natural as vnnatural rare it were not amisse if we said somwhat of such as are prodigious monstrous so far beyond that wonted order and rule of Nature which she is accustomed to obserue AN. It is true that there hath been seene diuers births admirable monstrous which either proceed frō the wil and permission of God in whose hands all things are or els throgh some causes and reasons to vs not reuealed though many of them by coniectures tokens com afterwards to be discouered which though they perfectly cōclude not the demonstration of the true cause yet giue they vs a great liklihood apparance to gesse thereat It is a thing naturall to all children to giue a turn in their mothers belly to come into the world with the head forwards yet this generall rule oftentimes faileth some come forth thwartlong some with their body double neither of the which can liue their body is so crusht and broken the mothers also of such are in exceeding danger Others come to be borne with their feet forward which is also passing dangerous as well for the mother as the child vnlesse they chaunce to come foorth with their armes hanging down close by their sides vvhich if they hold vpward or croswise they crush them or put them out of ioynt so that fevve such liue Of these cam the linage of Agrippas in Rome which is as much to say as Aegrè parti brought forth in paine and cōmonly those that are so borne are held to be vnlucky of short life Some say that Nero was so borne of his mother Agrippina who though he seemed in obtaining the Empire to be fortunate yet in losing it so soon with a death so infamous his end proued him vnfortunate miserable It happeneth also sometimes that the mothers die and that the children by opening their sides are taken out aliue come to liue doe vvell Of these was Scipio Affrican which was therfore the first that was called Caesar another Romaine Gentleman called Manlius as Pliny vvriteth in his seauenth booke BER It is a matter so true notorious that there is no dout to be made therof which we read in the chronicles of Spaine of the birth of Don Sanches Garcia king of Nauarre vvhose mother Donna Ursaca being at a place called Baruban to take her pleasure in the fields vvas by certaine Mores which of a sodaine came thither to spoile and make booty thrust into the body vvith a speare in such sort that the babe vvith which she went great appeared out of the wound as though
the rest they may sometimes fall out according as by the vertue and property of the signes and planets may be coniectured and iudged yea and sometimes also otherwise because it may please the first cause which imparted vnto them that vertue to change or alter their property or that there may be diuers other causes in the way which may hinder the effect of their influence AN. You haue in few wordes briefly knit vp the very pith and substance of the whole BER Well then let vs leaue this and come to Palmestrers which are they that tell Fortunes by seeing the lines of the inside of the hand whose diuinations they say prooue oftentimes true I would faine therefore know what credite we may giue them AN. I haue great suspition of those who confidently affirme their diuinations by Palmestry that they deale also in Negromancy that the deuill being farre craftier and subtiler then man and through his long experience and by certaine coniectures being able to knowe certaine thinges that are to come doth reueale vnto them the most part of those things for otherwise by the lines of the hand onely it were not possible to diuine so right though somtimes also the things simply thereby coniectured may proue true neyther can the Phisiognomers affirme that the same must needs be true which by their Science appeareth likely to happen For Aristotle which wrote a booke of Phisiognomy entreating of all the signes marks by which the conditions of men may be knowne sayeth that they are but casuall and by Chaunce As for those that seeing the Phisiognomy of a man doe iudge that he must come to be rich or that his end must be the Gallowes or that hee must be drowned and such like such must thinke that they be deceaued and ought therefore to reserue the successes of all thinges to the will of God whereby they may couer their error and remaine excused if the sequell fall otherwise out then they coniectured it should LU. This matter seemeth sufficiently debated of onely out of the former discourse resulteth one doubt which mee thinks were against reason that it should remaine so smothered vp and that is of the speech of Signior Anthonios where he sayd that of the influence of the signes planets and starres are engendered pestilences and new diseases inundations destroying vvhole Countries long drinesse vvhich causeth dearths infirmities scarsity of corne fruit with diuers other the like AN. This is a question in which the Astronomers and Philosophers doe disagree eyther holding of them their seuerall opinions For the Astronomers in community doe hold and affirme that all this which you haue said proceedeth from the constellations and that through their causes these domages do happen vnto men all the other euils also with the which we are afflicted alleadging for the proofe thereof the authority of Ptolome in his Centiloquium The man sayth he that is skilfull in the Science of Astronomy may fore see and auoide many euils to happen according to that which the starres doe shew portend and also they alleadge Gallen in his third book of Iudiciall daies whose words are these Let vs saith hee imagine that a man is borne the good Planets being in Aries and the euill in Taurus there is no doubt to be made but all thinges shall goe prosperously with this man while the Moone shall be in Aries Cancer Libra or Capricornus but when she shall possesse any signe in Quadrat aspect or in Diameter to the signe of Taurus he shall be molested with many troubles and vexations and hee goeth farther and sayth that this man shall begin to be perplexed with many infirmities when so euer the Moone shall be in the signes of Taurus Leo Scorpio or Aquarius and contrarily shall enioy perfect good health while the Moone shall be in the signes of Aries Libra Cancer or Capricornus They recite besides another authority of Auicenna in his fourth booke where he saith the configuration of the caelestiall bodies to be sometimes the cause of pestilentiall infirmities as when Saturne and Mars are in coniunction And so doth Gentil exemplifie it alleaging the selfe same place but what should I trouble my selfe in reciting their authorities when finally there is no Astronomer or Phisition which holdeth not the same but the Philosophers as I haue said maintaine a contrary opinion affirming that no domage or euil can proceede from the Planets signes or starres into the inferiour bodies and so diuine Plato in his Epynomide I surely thinke saith he the starres and all the caelestiall bodies to be a kinde of diuine creatures of a very beautifull body and constituted with a soule most perfect and blessed and to these creatures as farre as I vnderstand must be attributed one of these two things eyther that they and their motions are eternall and without any domageable preiudice or if not yet at the least that their life is so long that it is not necessary for them to haue any longer These are the words of Plato by the which is vnderstood that if the Caelestiall bodies haue no euill in them as beeing diuine pure cleane and sempiternall without any preiudiciall domage and free from all corruption and euill they can then by no means be causers of those domages euils which happen in the world to the inferior bodies Going on farther in the same booke This is sayth he the nature of the stars in sight most beautiful goodly in their moouings obseruing a most magnificent order imparting to inferiour creatures such things as are profitable for them By these authorities they inferre that seeing the starres are of such excellencie and that from them are imparted to creatures things profitable and wholesome they can by no meanes be the occasion of harme or mischiefe theyr nature office which they continuallie vse being contrarie thereunto But farther the same Author goeth on declaring the same more plainly Finally saith hee of all these thinges we may inferre this as a true and conclusiue opinion that it were vnpossible for the heauen the Planets the starres and the caelestiall bodies which appeare therein vnlesse they had a soule or vnlesse they dyd it through God by some exquisite reason to be able to reuolue the yeeres monthes dayes beeing the cause of all our good and so being of our good they cannot be of our euill And this explaneth Calcidiê° vpon the same Plato in his Tymaeus by these words Either sayth he all the starres are diuine and good without doing any euill or some of theÌ„ onely are euill and domageable But howe can this agree or howe can it be said that in a place so holy and so full of all bounty and goodnes there can be any euill And the starres beeing replenished with caelestiall wisedome euilnes and malice proceeding of the contrary which is folly howe can wee then terme the starres to be malicious or causers of any euill