of Iupiter who moueth about in 12. yeeres The seauenth Heauen is the Sphaere of Mars who signifieth his circular motion once in 12. yeeres The eight Heauen is the circle of the Sunne who goeth about the earth once in a yeere The ninth Heauen is that of Venus who maketh a reuolution once in 246. daies The tenth Heauen is the Orbe of Mercurie who moueth round about his circuit once in 330. daies The eleauenth being the lowest Heauen is that of the Moone who goeth about the earth once in 28. daies making in this manner 12. reuolutions in one yeere Thus you may perceiue the seuerall motions of the Heauens in their seuerall degrees Philadelph Shew me I pray you whether all these Heauens in generall or one more especiall is the cause of the procreation of the inferiour earthie and naturall bodies Theophrast Nunquā nimis dicitur quod nunquāsatis dicitur There is neuer too much spoken where the disciple is not weary in hearing Know therefore that as the Heauen which is called Primum mobile is the first of all motions which tendeth to place from which all other latter and succeeding motion as procreation alteration growing or augmentation and perishing or death doe come euen so that body which is carried about with a continuall motion and circuit must needes be the cause of all bodies procreated And it is a very ancient opinion of the Philosophers that the Sunne mouing Astrall influences is of greatest vertue and power which being placed by God in the middest of Heauen illumineth all things both aboue and also beneath it and with his beames maketh the whole world fruitfull euen to the very center of the same For as the fountaine of life in mans body is the center of his heart where that secret vitall spirit is contained from whence naturall heate doth spring heating illumining and quickning the rest of the members euen so the Sunne by his heate and light doth naturally quicken all the parts of the world both superiour and inferiour For in regard of his heate it is called the Heart of the world and in regard of his light it is called the eye of the world The Sunne is the most noble body of all things that are in the naturall Heauens and in the earth therefore in respect of the worthinesse thereof and vertuous power wherewith it is endued next vnto God it is called the parent of all things because the seminarie and formall vertue of all things is secretly comprehended therein Philadelph Then it seemeth that the Sunne by his continuall and yeerely course comming toward vs doth promote and set forward the procreation of things and going from vs doth cause their decay and perishing Theophrast It is very true which you say for it agreeth with Aristotle who determineth that the celestiall and mundane conuersion is the cause of those things which are begotten and which perish It is necessarie saith he that this whole world which compasseth the earth about be so continued with his superiour conuersions and motions that the whole vertue thereof may be gouerned thereby For that ought to be accounted the first cause from whence all things haue the beginning of motion And further saith he this cause is sempiternall neither hath it as touching place any determined end but is alwaies in the end Also in his booke de mundo hee calleth Heauen an Element farre differing from those foure knowne and common Elements which he affirmeth to be diuine and immortall and free from destruction But for as much as there is in the Heauens a double or two-folde reuolution and conuersion the one which is the most swift mundane motion which is finished in the space of 24. houres and the other whereby the seauen inferiour Orbes are turned backward by a contrary motion to that of the higher Heauen the first of these two going alwaies forward after one manner in a constant course without change cannot be the cause of life and death things so contrary But the latter carying about the wandring starres by the Zodiacke when it bringeth them to the North maketh the pleasant Spring and life of things but when it carieth these into the South it bringeth the fall of the leafe and the decay of things terrestriall By this perpetuall calculation of the Sunne and Starres the Heauen is maried to the Earth and the inferiour Elements doe ioyne with the superiour Philadelph Whatsoeuer is moued is moued of another What then is the cause of the generall motion of the Heauens in their seuerall Orbes Some haue thought that the celestiall bodies are moued of their proper formes Some according to Platoes opinion consent of the Philosophers haue denied them to be liuing creatures affirming that it is one of the greatest shew-tokens of life that those celestiall bodies haue the principall cause of their motion in themselues and that they stand not in neede of an externall mouer And for this cause not onely the most auncient Chaldean Astrologers but also the Chieftaines of the old Phisiologie as well Greekes as Egyptians as witnesseth Plato in his Cratilo and Epinomides and else-where haue thought that the Caelestiall Orbes haue life and Soule from whence motion proceedeth and that the whole world is quickned by an vniuersall Soule therein which they imagined to be sempiternall Yea this opinion was so setled in the mindes of the Atheniens that they condemned Anaxagoras of an irreligious conceit because hee durst affirme the contrary What say you to this Doe you agree to this Philosophie Theophrast I allow it not for it must be granted that God alone is the first mouer and chiefe cause of all motion and therefore men illumined with a more cleare light of the knowledge of God than the Philosophers had in stead of that imagined Soule of the world vnderstand a certaine created spirit which moued vpon the waters in the first creation which Spirit receiued power from God to quicken cherish and conserue all things in their kinde and order vntill the determined end of the same Therefore we may safely say that neither Heauen nor the Starres are animated as bodies organicall and for that cause cannot be meete habitacles for a Soule but are rather bodies regular and vniforme moued by a certaine naturall necessitie according to the wisedome of the Almighty For we know that God passeth the whole frame of the Earth Sea and Heauens who fulfilleth all in all And to preuent the great ruine thereof he hath of his great goodnesse and infinite wisedome appointed that generall Nature to defend and preserue this great worke by the vertue and moderation thereof And that by the continuall and yeerely reuolution of the eight Heauen and by the influences and vertues of the Starres Planets and Celestiall powers all things might be well gouerned and abide constant in their estate vntill the predestinated time of their dissolution And yet in such manner that God himselfe still ordereth all things in these secondarie offices according to
his owne secret will and predestination Philadelph Hereby it appeareth that God being the first Mouer and cause of all motion is himselfe immoueable because if hee were changeable then must he necessarily be moued of another but of another he is not moued nor can be for then could he not be the first mouer because that thing which should moue him must needes be before him and also because he not being immoueable should be moued of another and so in the mouing and moued there should be no end but a proceeding infinitely which Philosophie reiecteth And if we should imagine that he is moued of himselfe then must he be deuided into the part mouing of and by it selfe and into the part moued by it selfe and so by motion he shall be without forme Which to thinke of the most high and chiefe simplicity were too detestable and execrable Theophrast God no doubt is altogether immutable who without all question as he is eternall and immensurable so also hee is most simple and most perfect For this cause the eternity which is in God taketh from him all temporall motion because he is all in all And this immensurablenesse taketh from him motion in place because he is euery where and his exceeding perfection and simplicity taketh away motion to Forme because he needeth nothing being most fully complete Therefore in no sort God is subiect to change and motion but standeth stable for euer of whose stability the Prophet Dauid speaketh thus Thou changest them and they shall be changed but thou art one and the same for euer And Boetius very notably speaketh hereof thus O quiperpetua mundum ratione gubernas terrarum caelique sator qui tempus ab aeuo ire iubes stabilisque manens das cuncta moueri O thou which by a perpetuall order doest gouerne the world the maker of Heauen and Earth which commandest the times to proceede from the beginning and which remaining stable thy selfe doest giue motion to all things God therefore in whom all things liue moue and haue their being is the same which giueth formes to all things that be in the created Heauens and in the Earth he is the beginning the middest and the end of all things If then the Diuine power and vertue passe through and is effectuall in all things by which the same exist hath appointed the perpetuall beginnings deuiding through all natures their seuerall kindes and fulfilling them with their proper seeds by which they receiue the spirit of life will any man make doubt that there is any thing in Nature which is not truly diuine and so called Some say of olde Deorum plena sunt omnia all things are full of Gods It is then rashnesse vtterly to take away without reason this excellencie of the Diuinitie infused by God into all naturall things which opinion hath beene receiued by the constant tradition of all the ancients and it is more then madnes to acknowledge that there is some Diuine thing giuen to many things and yet not to vouchsafe the same a Diuine name Philadelph Let it be as you say that there is some diuine thing in things Naturall yet what manner of thing that Diuine thing is I well vnderstand not neither can I coniecture Theophrast Why can you not coniecture seeing in a naturall body there is nothing more excellent then a simple forme and nothing afore it And for as much as the residue which apperraineth to Matter are inferiour to Forme as vile and transitorie it followeth and you may easely perceiue that the simple forme of a thing is that Diuine thing which is sought after And whatsoeuer doth represent and expresse the nature thereof the same also is partaker in some measure of the Diuinitie Philadelph But what force or strength doe you suppose that simple Forme to be of things of nature which I must attribute to the force and vertue of the mixture of Elements Theophrast If the Elements and their qualities haue certaine vertues and faculties proper vnto them then must the vertues and faculties of the Diuinitie be farre greater which in a higher degree surmounteth all other in dignity and perfection Also all the functions and workes of this simple Forme may of vs easely be discerned and knowne But how and from whence they proceede and what is the substance of the effecting cause or faculty thereof is as much hidden and vnknowne to vs as is the essence of the Diuinitie We see that the Magnes or Loadstone hath in it an attractiue faculty to draw Iron to it that the stone Astroites moueth of it selfe if a little quantity of vinegar be put to it That the Estridge hath a power by swift concoction to digest Iron that a Pidgeon by his heate digesteth stones which a Lyon whose heate is more vehement cannot doe That a little fish called Echeneis otherwise Remora is able to stay a ship against any violence of Oare or winde in full saile that out of the ashes of a Phaenix another of the same kind should be procreated That the Salamander should be rather nourished by fire then consumed That the Camelion liuing by aire should turne himselfe into euery colour which he seeth That a Cockatrice in his eye should haue power to slay a man That a Viper or Scorpion should kill a man with poyson That an Adder should preuent the force of a charme by stopping his eare That the fish Ephemera should die the very same day that it began to liue of the which one daies Feauer beareth the name That the feathers of an Eagle mixed with other feathers should consume them That the wilde and fierce Elephant at the sight of a Ramme should be made tame That a Vine should not prosper growing neere to a Laurell Tree That the Almond Tree being solitarie beareth no fruit but growing with other plants is very fruitfull That there should be such familiarity betweene the Oliue and the Mirtle Trees that the branches of the Myrtle should so friendly embrace the boughes of the Oliue and both their rootes to ioyne together in one That the stone Tyrrhemus being whole swimmeth but broken sinketh That where the Glow worme creepeth in the night no Adder will creepe by day That Rheubarb should haue power to separate Choler Agarick Flegme and Epithimum Melancholy That Hemlocke and Hellebore should be to a man pestiferous and yet that the Quaile should be nourished with Helebore and the Starling with Hemlocke That the seuerall parts of a Hare should haue diuers Formes faculties to heale diuers diseases As the lungs those that be short winded the bloud to break the stone in the bladder or reines of a man the bone which is behinde the knee in the after legge to cleanse away sand and grauell the Mawe outwardly applied to retaine and stay a conception the haue to stanch bloud These and many moe such like are hidden in the Closet of Nature the vndoubted causes whereof no man is able to shew nor
comprehend by any certaine reason Yet it is mans duty being set vpon the opâ—n Stage of this world to take a view of all the creatures of God to him knowne to search after such hidden causes therein soberly that he may magnifie the most omnipotent and wise Creatour of Nature CHAP. II. Philadelph YOu hauing spoken afore of the celestiall motions it resteth that you say somewhat concerning Water motion Therefore shew mee now I pray you the cause of the Seas motion wherein I haue observed a great diuersity somtime ebbing and somtime flowing one while calme and another while turbulent Theophrast The Sea in generall hath three degrees of motion the one calme and quiet continually as in that Archipelagus called Mare pacificum and Mare delzur which is seldome troubled with tempest that M. Anthonie Pigafetta sometime Knight of the Rhodes and one that did accompanie Magelanus in his first voyage and enterie into this Sea vpon the first discouery thereof testifieth that hee with his company sailed therein 4000. leagues in the space of three moneths and 20. daies In all which time being without sight of land they had no misfortune of winde nor of any other tempest Another degree of motion is in these parts of the Ocean called the Spanish Seas which doe moue and swell with surging waues like mountaines in such wise that the top Mast of one Ship going before another cannot be seene of the follower being as it were in a valley betweene two water hils In these Seas Ships cannot saile neere together least they fall foule one vpon another Otherwise in these Seas the passage is lesse perillous then in the narrow Seas for that the billowes waues of these goe whole and breake not the Sea in that channell being so deepe that a whole dry-fat of line may with a Lead be sunke therein without finding any bottome A third degree of motion is in that part of the Ocean commonly called the narrow Seas which coasteth Northward vpon England Scotland and Ireland and toward the South vpon Fraunce Flanders and so along the trade toward the the East from the West these Seas are sometime calme sometime by occasion of tempest very rough turbulent for that the passage of the Sea in that channell is interrupted with rockes and sands to the great hazard of them that saile therein Philadelph But for so much as the Sea is euer in motion either ebbing or flowing shew me I pray you the cause of such naturall and inter changeable motion which keepeth time and tide twise in 24. houres from East to West and from West backe againe to the East in the circumference of the whole Globe of the Earth Theophrast I finde in Writers such variety of opinion concerning this motion that I know not certainly what to determine to content you yet to giue you the best satisfaction I can herein you shall haue my conceite which neuerthelesse I submit to the iudgement of the more learned in Natures Schoole I suppose that there are two principall causes of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea The one supernaturall the other naturall The supernaturall and diuine cause is God who in the creation of all things by his spirit which he created as witnesseth Tertullian was the inspirer and animater of the whole vniuersall which Spirit serued the will of the Creatour as an Instrument to giue such motion to the Sea as wee see it hath appointing it bounds which it cannot passe without the will of the most mighty Commaunder Another naturall cause beside that created Spirit whereof Moses speaketh calling it the Spirit of God Iob expresseth by the similitude of Fire put vnder a Pot saying It is God which maketh the Sea to boyle like a Pot. Hereof I gather that there is a naturall fire of two sorts One in-set contained in the Marine Salt for the Sea generally is Salt euen to the North. And Salt as witnesseth Plinie yeeldeth the fatnesse of oyle and oyle by a certaine natiue heate is of property agreeing to fire And Iosephus Quersitanus and Christoferus Parisiensis affirme that Salt is both animall and vegetall hauing life in it as the radicall Balsam of Nature and to be the first mouing thing in the same which maketh to grow and to multiply and therfore serueth for the generation of all things so as with the Poets and ancient Philosophers it may be said that Venus the mother first beginner of all generation is begotten of the salt spume of the male For which cause Venus was called by the Greekes Aligines as affianced to the salt Sea The other naturall Fire the cause of the Sea flowing and ebbing is forraine or externall And this also is of two sorts One subterraneall which is as fire vnder a boyling pot For the earth hath more fire in it then hath water which fire lieth hidden in stones till it be beaten out with steele This subterraneall fire doth also cause the motion of the Sea being of substance liquide fluible moueable and altogether a passiue subiect to acting fire And when it beginneth to runne any way the precedent part therof by reason of the continuation cleauing together is thrust forward by the follower according to this sentence Vndam vnila sequitur one water followeth another Thus the Sea passeth to and againe from one Gulph to another For there are two Gulphes caused by two vast continents the one comprehending all Asia Africa and Europe and that other America Which two continents deuide the whole Sea into two parts of the world opposite one to the other East and West These two Gulphes rest at no time but like as Sea monsters doe they breath to and againe vntill the one haue engorged the other so full that it is compelled to pay vnto his lender backe againe that which is borrowed And thus the Sea hauing a naturall impotencie to stay it selfe in rest suffereth a certaine reciprocall motion into and out of it selfe without intermission which motion Aristotle calleth Talantosin The other externall heate causing the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is that which proceedeth from the Moone which Aueroes calleth the Lady and Mistresse of the Sea who by her beames and influences maketh the Sea hot and by the same heate doth beget exhalations in it wherewith when the Sea swelleth it floweth to the shoare and Sea bankes fulfilling the Hauens with Tide And the same exhalations being diminished and abated the Sea againe setteth in it selfe Therefore when by the Moones ascention and approaching to the South her light and heate is encreased then doth she make the waters to swell and flow But when she descendeth and enclineth to the Horizon her heate being by little and little diminished the waters doe fall and abate Thus all these causes working together the Sea doth moue in waight number and measure according to the ordinance of the Almighty Philadelph Lewes Vertomannus in his booke concerning Nauigation into East India affirmeth that the
Theophrast When the power which is in the seed that is to say when the preparation to bring in forme is come by daily encrease to full perfection it hath also obtained therewithall the forme of substance For forme necessarily followeth that perfection and neuer leaueth it For this cause Aristotle calleth Forme oftentimes by the name of Entelechia in regard of perfection either because it is an inseperable companion of perfect power or else because it doth fulfill and perfect it wholy Therefore as we say that perfection so also according to vsuall speech we say that forme is brought out of the power of the matter Philadelph Then it seemeth to me that forme is extracted out of the precurrent power no otherwise then act commeth out of the habit Theophrast The comparison which you haue made is fit to the purpose for by long custome and vse a Musitian or Harper hauing gotten a habit in deuiding his parts on his Instrument looseth not that habit though he fleepe but can readily when he awaketh shew his former skill according to his owne will Therefore as the act proceedeth from the habit or skill because the act cannot shew forth it selfe except the habit be first perfectly gotten so in like manner it fareth in the procreation of things For it is not Power that imprinteth the forme but an externall cause which notwithstanding being without the helpe of power should not haue strength enough of it selfe Philadelph I perceiue you well it is as if one hauing Science vseth it not yet when he hath will to make vse thereof he contemplateth and is in act a man of Science euen so what subiect so euer hath perfect power to beget a thing when the externall force of the agent commeth the same hath present action and forme And hereunto agreeth Aristotle who saith he which knoweth any thing if he haue his minde actually occupied in contemplation yet he keepeth his habit and hath not lost his Science in contemplating but doth rather amend and perfect it euen so that which hath receiued perfect power when the forme commeth putteth not off the quality of power but addeth thereto an ornament a perfection Thus you see I wel vnderstand you not peruerting your meaning I will now briefly repeate what hath beene spoken hetherto for my better memorie and also to let you see how well I haue obserued for my further knowledge that which at my request you haue deliuered to this effect following A briefe repetition of all that hath beene spoken Of all the things which the parent Nature hath brought forth the first constitution is made out of the inferiour and subiect matter and forme of the which two for as much as forme is farre the more excellent it is more often called forme then matter And as we doe see that the thing begotten is nothing permanent or stable but doth sometime fall and vanish away so that forme by which the thing did flourish cannot perpetually abide and cleaue to the matter but remoueth it selfe sometime and that very sodainly which shall be the destruction thereof But before forme came into matter it desired a certaine ornature and preparation of the same without the which it cannot enter there This preparation is called Power the which power is not so much as a portion nor the least mite of the approaching forme but onely a fore-running preparation or ordering of the matter Whatsoeuer hath begotten any thing is thought to haue employed and bestowed this power sometime by it selfe alone sometime with the seed or with a certaine Seminarie agreeing and answering thereto Therefore seeing power is a manifold and varying preparation of the body both out of those foure incorrupt beginnings of things which are the Elements with the temper made in the smallest proportion and wholy annexed together and a feat and comely conformation of the body with an apt coniunction of the parts therewith as also all commoderation and conueniencie of the naturall and in-set spirit this whole order of powers dependeth on the faculties and force of the seed and of him that cast the seed then when all preparation is fully finished which is when power is consumated then by a certaine naturall and ineuitable necessity the forme commeth and sheweth it selfe outwardly This forme is altogether simple without any composition of the formes of the subiects and yet is able to doe and further many things according to the seuerall faculties which it hath They which measure all things by the senses and haue an eye onely to the neerest cause contend and stifly holde that the forme is stirred vp and brought forth from out of the power of the matter which opinion they defend with strong arguments For the efficient or genitorie when he begetteth another thing of his name or kinde by himselfe or by the meanes of his seed or seminarie doth neither make nor yet put in the forme thereof but is the cause of this concourse onely namely that forme may be in the matter And this is that which is said to be the cause of the begotten and of the genitour which hath begotten But yet there is a more high most excellent workmaister who giueth forme outwardly by a certaine inspired motion This is the summe which hath bin hetherto spoken for my instruction Theophrast I commend your memory and collection in this repetition CHAP. IIII. Philadelph BY that which hath beene hitherto discoursed it appeareth that three things are in the composition of euery naturall thing to wit Matter Forme Temperament whereof two as principles namely Matter and Forme doe make euery thing but Temperament is onely in Matter which Matter is congealed and compacted out of the mixture of the first Elements of the world Now therefore declare whether the powers and forces of all things proceeded from these three and no more Theophrast Aristotle speaking of efficient causes propundeth some altogether without reason and some endued with reason and therefore saith Whatsoeuer things are the efficients of contrary works are partakers of reason and euery thing is deuoyd of reason which is the beginning of one worke onely hereupon I frame this argument Of the naturall causes and faculties which are without reason one cause is the beginning of one effect neither can moe or diuers effects proceede from one and the same but we obserue and see many effects and the same much different and vnlike of euery simple and naturall body therefore these cannot be referred to one common beginning but there must needes be many causes of these Philadelph Although this one beginning hath diuers causes and faculties yet I ascribe all those to Temperament except you shew vnto me that of these some doe proceede from Matter and some from Forme Theophrast First then I take this as granted from you that there are certaine forces and faculties in temperament Philadelph Should I denie that which is confirmed by the testimonie and opinions of all Philosophers Theophrast And
hot and colde thinking that all things were made of these and by these makeeh it plaine by demonstration that those qualities are onely instruments of a certaine more superiour and principall cause which hee hath expressed by the name of nature For whosoeuer shall affirme that these secundarie qualities haue the prerogatiue in themselues to worke and shall attribute the cause power as it were of acting to the Axe or such like instrument and so the forme and perfection of the thing reiected shall passe by the true cause imputing that to the actions of the Instrument which neuerthelesse should remaine idle if they were not moued stirred vp by the force of forme the same I say shall much forget himselfe Philadelph If there be so great force power in forme that to the same chiefly all motion and action must be imputed then shall wee be enduced to thinke that the functions and qualities which euen now you referred to temperament and matter take not their originall by themselues but first from forme What cause haue you then to determine that they proceede from temperament and matter Theophrast They which soare no higher then the wing of common sense doe carie them will affirme that such functions and qualities spring from matter and temperament albeit forme hath the first place and preheminence we following these mens low pitch of conceit affirme that those qualities proceede from Matter and Temperament because they are effected by these as by instruments But what qualities and faculties I simply pronounce to be of forme those I affirme to haue no neede of the helpe of Instrument Philadelph Goe to then Are not matter and temperament which you propund as Instruments certaine furtherances forces of the efficient forme Theophrast No verely But as in any artificiall worke the Caruer or Smith is he which is the first and principall agent and who hath the power and faculty of acting which is his Art and strength of body but the Artificers instrument as Axe or Hammer is but an helper and in the instrument there is as it were a certaine borrowed helpe or force not which worketh but by which the worke is the better effected and to this end the well fashioned and sharpe Toole is a great furtherance euen so in like manner almost in the naturall working of things whereby they are brought to passe Forme is the first and chiefe efficient hauing in it the effecting power But Matter and Temperament are as helping instruments of the efficient cause and either of these to wit Matter and Temperament haue their power and faculty and an apt constitution by which the effect may more easely be brought to passe Therefore in euerie naturall body there are three efficient causes namely Forme Matter and Temperament euery of which haue their peculiar force whereby it worketh strongly or after a weake manner Forme of it selfe is the beginning of working neither doth it borrow any thing of the Instrument to haue being or the nature of beginning which commeth afterward as by accessarie meanes Forme therefore had the power and faculty of acting before such time as it acted by the Instrument euen as the Caruer before he worke any thing with his Toole hath ability and Art to effect the which faculty he taketh not from his Toole or Instrument Whereby it appeareth that the faculty which is naturally in euerie forme and which is called the property thereof is farre different from Matter and Temperament in force and vertue for a Caruer or Painter by his Science onely which is his faculty without the helpe of any Instrument can make an Image in his minde so in like manner the forme of a thing effecteth the thing without the helpe of Matter and Temperament And forasmuch as these three are mixed and conioyned in euery naturall body Formes can scarsly shew forth their forces apart and by themselues in effect but that therewith Matter and Temperament will expresse their supplie But on the contrary part Matter and Temperament cannot shew forth themselues without forme so that these in their seuerall kindes must be distinguished and not confounded CHAP. V. Philadelph YOur ternarie of Forme Matter and Temperament putteth me in minde of three principles which that great and ancient Philosopher Hermes Trismegistus hath deliuered that is to say Salt Sulphur and Mercurie which three hee appointeth as the onely naturall beginnings of all things created which agreeth not with Aristotles foure Elementarie principles How can these two opinions so different in number stand together Theophrast Aristotle had reason to appoint a quaternarie of Elements according to the number of the foure qualities hot colde drie and moyst as the first principles of all things as is to be seene in his second booke of Generation of liuing creatures Yet forasmuch as one can beget nothing of himselfe but three therfore three doe make one body by a compound made by a three-fold efficacie of the diuine word For God in the beginning as Moses testifieth made of nothing a Chaos deepe or waters which we please to call it animated with his spirit who being the great workmaister in the creation separated first light from darknesse and this Ethereall Heauen which we beholde as a quarta essentia or fourth eflence or most pure spirit or most spiritual simple created body Then be deuided waters from waters that is to lay the more subtill aterie and Mercuriall liquor from the more thicke clammy oyle-like or Sulfurous liquor After that Moses telleth vs that God separated from the more grosse waters the Earth which standeth apart by it selfe like Salt And thus in the bosome of the world God encluded these three simple bodies Salt Sulphur and Mercurie as the first formes of things Philadelph Doe the Philosophers the followers of Hermes exclude the Element of Fire in the composition of bodies elemented Theophrast In Genesis it is euidently to be seene that there is made mention of Heauen Earth and Water onely but of Fire and Aire no mention at all because these two are encluded vnder the other as vnder Heauen Fire and vnder the superiour waters Aire so that hereby it is plaine that there is no other fierie element but Heauen a fourth essence separated out of the more subtill matter and forme of the three elements which being so separated and extracted is no other thing but a pure Aetheriall and most simple fire most perfect and farre different from the three Elements as imperfect which Fire is the Author of all formes powers and actions in all the inferiour things of nature as the first in degree among the second causes and carieth it selfe like a Father toward his off-spring Philadelph What are the essences of these three Fire Aire and Earth Theophrast The first which is fire is a substance containing in it life and motion or the soule of the Elements The second which is Aire is a substance which hath in it the nourishing foment of life and the
flouds there haue contrary courses to those of ours concerning encreasing and decreasing Because there saith he they encrease in the wane of the Moone but here with vs in the full Theophrast If the report of Vertomannus be true then are all the times and seasons by the motion of the Heauens in the Hemisphaere contrary vnto those of ours in this Hemisphaere in such wise that as the people enhabiting there are Antipodes vnto vs so also with them it is Sommer when Winter with vs and night with them when day with vs and then no meruaile if it be there with them a full Sea when the Moone is in the wane and low water in the full Moone contrarie to the flouds and ebbes here Philadelph Let it be as you say and suppose Whereas you said before that the Sea hath sometime a turbulent and raging motion what is the reason thereof Theophrast There are two causes of such motion One is certaine exhalations bred in the Sea causing windes to breake forth from thence And sometime a multitude of dry exhalations drawne vp from the Earth into the aire causing stormie windes which breake the course of the Sea to the greatamazement of Marriners and perill of Ships Who yet are so sodainly taken in such stormes but that they haue fore-warnings thereof by certaine tokens precedent as by the roaring of the Sea in a great calme by the sporting and playing of Dolphins and Porpoyses aboue the waters and by certaine visible fires called S. Helen S. Nicholas and S. Clare which are wont to hang on the Mastes of the Ships dazeling the eyes of such as are there After which fires and other shew tokens there followeth vndoubtedly in very short time great and intollerable tempest Philadelph What fires are they which you so name and sanctifie Are they not Spirits Theophrast They are no spirits but naturall things proceeding of naturall causes and are ingendred of certaine exhalations Of these Hieronimus Cardanus writeth after this manner There are two manner of Fires ingendred of exhalations whereof one is hurtfull the other without hurt That which is hurtfull is fire indeede ingendred of euill and venomous vapours which in continuance of time take fire as apt matters to be kindled The other kinde is no true fire but like the matter that is in such olde putrified wood as giueth the shining of fire without the substance and quality thereof Of the true kinde of fire is the fire-ball commonly called S. Helen which is sometime seene about the Masts of Ships being of such fierie nature that sometime it melteth brasen vessels and is a token of drowning for as much as this chaunceth onely in great tempests for the vapour or exhalation whereof this fire is ingendred connot be compact in forme of fire but is of a grosse vapour and by a great power of winde put together and is therefore a token of imminent perill As on the contrary part the like Fires called in olde time Castor and Pollux and now named the two lights of S. Peter and S. Nicholas which for the most part fall on the cables of the Ships leaping from one to another with a certaine flattering noise like birds are a token of security and of the tempest ouerpassed For they are but vapours cleauing to the Cables which in successe of time the fire passing from one to another appeare in the similitude of a light candle They are a token of security because they are litle not slow or grosse whereby they might all haue ioyned together in one thereby haue beene the more malicious and lasted longer whereas being many and but little they are the sooner consumed Thus farre Cardanus Philadelph I haue not heard of these Sea-fires before But I haue read of certaine whirle-pooles into the which what Ship so euer commeth it is swallowed vp and the fragments of the lost Ship are seldome cast vp againe What is the reason of this whiâ—le-pooles motion Theophrast I haue likewise read that in the Norwegian Sea are three Ilands namely Lofoth Langanes and Vastrad The Sea that runneth betweene these Ilands is called Muscostrom which signifieth boyling The Sea when it floweth here is swallowed into certaine Gulphes or Caues and is blowne out againe at the ebbe with no lesse violence then the streames of riuers which fall from the mountaines The reason why they are swallowed vp which chance to fall in with this or the like Sea is the eddie water which whirling round about with the violent fall of the Sea which before was pent in with the Ilands maketh a great Indraught which violently sucketh and swalloweth sodainly This is the wonderfull power of Nature passing the fabulous Sympleiades and the fearefull Malea with the dangerous places of Silla and Charibdis and all other miracles that Nature hath wrought in any other Sea hitherto knowne vnto men Now friend Philadelph to the end you may the better vnderstand what hath beene spoken before concerning the motion of the celestiall Orbes and also that you may plainly see as in a glasse how the Region of Fire and Aire vnder the Moone doe compasse about the Earth and Sea as also for the better perceiuing of things to be spoken hereafter behold this Mathematicall Figure following This outtermost circle of this figure of all the Sphaeres which is infinite doth represent the habitacle of God who was before all time and place Time and Place began when this created World began to be CHAP. III. Philadelph FOr so much as the Earth and Sea make but one globous body vnited and combined together I pray you describe the forme thereof vnto me Theophrast The globous body of the Earth in comparison of the Heauens circumference is a very small body lesse then the Sunne and bigger then the Moone extending it selfe within a small distance of the fierie Region and in that regard is a great body Philadelph Doth not this Earth being a spungeous body sucke into it and partake of the Salt that is in the Sea which if it doe so in my opinion it should procure barrennesse to the Earth Theophrast You haue forgotten it seemeth what I said before where I shewed you that the Salt of the Sea containeth in it the radicall Balsam of Nature and being so it is the cause of the generation first of most pretious pearles in the shels of fishes and of Corall springing out of the bowels of hard stones and rockes spreading forth branches like a Tree Salt is so farre from making the Earth barren that it fructifieth the same making it fat and giuing it power to be fruitfull Salt encreaseth and giueth a vegetating and growing vertue with seede in euery terrene thing For what other thing is it which maketh the Earth fat and bringeth to passe that one graine multipheth into an hundred but a certaine stercoration and spreading of dung and vrine of men and beasts vpon the eatrh which compast is full of Salt What other thing openeth the earth and
sending vnto Cornelius a rich chame of gold Philadelph It becommeth not me to make question concerning the certaintie of that which so mighty Potentates out of the sublimity of their wisedomes haue approued yet me thinketh that time and rust which corrupteth and weareth out all earthly things may bring an end to this motion in few yeeres Theophrast To the end time may not weare these wheeles by their motion you must know that they moue in such slow measure that they cannot weare and the lesse for that they are not forced by any poyse of waight It is reported in the preface of Euclydes Elements by Iohn Dee that he and Hierommus Cardanus saw an instrument of perpetuall motion which was solde for 20. talents of gold and after presented to Charles the fift Emperour wherein was one wheele of such inuisible motion that in 70. yeeres onely his owne period should be finished Such slow motion cannot weare the wheeles And to the end rust may not cause decay euery Engine belonging to this instrument is double guilded with fine gold which preserueth from rust and corruption Philadelph This wonderfull demonstration of Artificiall motion immitating the motion celestiall about the fixed earth doth more preuaile with me to approue your reasons before aleadged concerning the mouing of the Heauens and the stability of the Earth then can Copernicus assertions which concerne the motion of the Earth I haue heard and read of manie strange motions artificiall as were the inuentions of Boetius in whose commendation Cassiodorus writeth thus You know profound things and shew meruailes by the disposition of your Art mettals doe lowe in sundrie formes Diomedes picture of brasse doth sound a Trumpet loude a brasen Serpent hisseth birds artificiall sing sweetly Very strange also was the mouing of the Images of Mercurie The brasen head which seemed to speake made by Albertus Magnus the Doue of wood which the Mathematician Architas did make to flie as Agellius reporteth Dedalus strange Images which Plato speaketh of Vulcans selfe-mouers whereof Homer hath written the Iron Fly made at Noremberge which being let out of the Artificers hands did as it were flie about by the guests that were at the Table and at the last as though it were weary returned to his Maisters hand againe In which Citie also an artificiall Eagle was so ordered to flie aloft in the ayre toward the Emperour comming thither that it did accompany him a mighty way These were ingenious inuentions but none of them are comparable to this perpetuall motion here described which time by triall in ages to come will much commend Theophrast These great misteries were attained by spending more oyle then wine by taking more paines then following pleasure CHAP. IIII. Philadelph WHereas before in your discourse you haue shewed after what manner this inferiour world is gouerned by the superiour and also how all things that are procreated receiue their forme from thence now to ascend vpward againe I pray you declare vnto me in such plaine sort as you can in what sence and meaning Aristotle maketh one thing which is the first of all and mouing all to be the cause of all their beings so procreated For if Heauen be the giuer of Forme to euery creature what neede is there of such an obscure and tedious search And what will it auaile to shew the causes of things from that most hidden originall Theophrast Aristotle was of opinion that there are two worlds one which is this visible compound and corporeate world and the other an incorporeate world which we cannot see wholy replenished with Formes simples and free from all mixture body and dimension the most happie and blessed house of God and of all his Saints the Archtipe and exemplar of this inferiour and transitorie world which he briefly comprehendeth in these words It is manifest that without the compasse and aboue the created Heauens there is neither place emptinesse nor time Wherefore those things which be there are neither apt to be in place neither doth time cause them to be olde neither is there mutation of any of them which are set and placed aboue the vttermost conuersion called Primum mobile But being subiect to no transmutations nor affections doe enioy the best and most sufficient life in the vniuersall eternity And their best life is contemplation then the which there can be nothing more sweet and delectable Vpon these words of Aristotle I conclude that from this one thing cometh all things procreated as is shewed you before Philadelph What manner thing is that eternitie wherein the Saints of God haue life Theophrast It is an euerlasting being or if you please you may call it a Sempiternitie which in very deede is God For by that name Aristotle said he knew God as these words of his declare In Deo vita nimirum aeuamque continuum atque perpetuum inest hoc enim ipse est Deus That is God wherein is life and a continuall and euerlasting being And least it might seeme nouelty and an absurd thing to attribute this name vnto God Aristotle saith that this name was diuinely giuen by the Auncients For as the end which comprehendeth the time of the lfe of euery thing is called age and a long lasting time so the end of the vniuersall created Heauens and the end which containeth the whole infinite time is an euerlasting being and eternitie for it is immortall and diuine And how infinite Gods knowledge of all things is it hereby appeareth that Gods whole life is a working of the minde for God is his owne act and that act which is by it selfe is his best and perpetuall life If the action of the minde which is a contemplation be the perpetuall life of God who then will make any question but that Aristotle attributed the knowledge of all things vnto God For he verely is the knowledge of all things his owne action and his owne life whom Aristotle demonstrateth to be the most chiefe and super-excellent God to be perpetuall perfect immoueable indiuisible that cannot be defined by greatnesse nor by parts subiect to no alteration nor affection as to whom nothing is in any sort contrary And at the last he concludeth this demonstration of these things vpon this reason namely that in motions it is necessarie that at the last we come to something which moueth and is not moued which selfe and same is perpetuall and both substance and act also And he is the very same whom before he called the first of all things mouing all things Whatsoeuer Mindes and Formes are aboue the Heauen Citizens of that Olimpicke habitacle if they haue not the same forme that God hath yet haue they such a condition state and dignitie as is next vnto it in degree Philadelph What degree and dignitie is that which these heauenly Citizens enioy Theophrast It is the state of perfect blessednesse and the fruition of true felicitie in the life to come Philadelph But the Philosophers were of opinion