Antiquity He did much more commend that work of the Rudolphin Tables which was then published by Kepler For seeing they were collected out of the most accurate observations of the new Atlantis of Ticho Brahe he judged rightly that by their meanes a more exact knowledge of the celestial motions might be had then by any others And therefore because that work was many years exposed therefore he maturely collected divâ—â—s observations by which they might be examined And in a special manner he intreated the Assistance of those excellent men Petrus Franciscus Tondutus San-legerius a Lawyer of Avenion and Jacobus Valesius Scotus General Treasurer in Dauphine both of them excellently skilled in all Mathematical Arts but especially in Astronomy Also he was assisted by both of them to amend divers faults of the Presse 1628. and because the latter signified that he had instructed Eleazar Feronceus an industrious Gardner of Herbs and a very ingenious man to observe the celestial Bodies therefore Peireskius laboured to get from him in particular some observations I passe over how he would needs also have and keep by him some observations of mine before I left Paris wherefore I sent him my Tables and among the rest my observations of that late Eclipse of the Moon whose chief appearances being observed at Aix did shew that the middle thereof was in the same year the 20. of January at nine a Clock and three fifths Now he sent it to Paris Rome Florence Padua Lovain and other places that if haply the like observation had bin made the difference of the interceding Meridians might be calculated For he was alwayes desirous to see Geography reformed about which he then wrote to Petrus Bertius exhorting him that together with the Edition of Eusebius he would hasten the sacred Geography which he had promised Not to speak how he delt with him to perswade him that he would set out a Map of the World according to the various descriptions of Dionysius Strabo Plinie Ptolemaeus and others That I may add somewhat touching observations he exceedingly desired that some Interpreter might be found out who could explain the Figures and Characters which were evidently to be seen upon a fragment of Brick-work which was not long before dug up at Babylon and sent to him for he conjectured it was some of that Brick-work upon which Plinie tells us from Epigenes that the Babylonians wrote the Observations which they made of the Stars for seven hundred and twenty years Upon which occasion he was much taken to consider that it should come into the mind of certain good men doubtless to ingrave an Inscription upon a stone at the Gate of the Chappel which stands overlooking a Rock at Druentia near Mirebel of which he was informed by a friend of his Joannes Gallaupius Castuellius who was Heire of his Fathers Vertues and Auditor of his Majesties Accounts For the said Inscription contains nothing else but a memorial of that Eclipse of the Sun which happened upon the third of the Nones of June in the year 239. of which he had formerly notice out of certain Registers and namely of our Church in which also there is mention of another seen in the year 1415. on Friday being the 7th of June an hour after Sun-rise of so great darkness that the Stars might most clearly be seen He had heard a little before of the death of Jacobus Allealmus the Mathematician for which he was exceeding sorrowful fearing the losse of certain works both of his own and of Franciscus Vieta the most renowned Geometrician Even as not long after hearing of the death of Fontaneus he feared the losse of many rarities and Manuscripts amongst which he was wont to commend a Book of Alciats de Rebus Mediolanensibus written with his own hand And it was his desire that rare and good Manuscripts if they were not quickly printed should be kept rather in publick then private Libraries because by that means they would be lesse subject to miscarriage But he desired withall that there were some men that should take care to bring to light by printing such as had lain too long in obscurity in the Libraries for which cause when he wrote to Cardinal Barborine he was very earnest with him beseeching him that out of the great good will he bore to learning he would cause the Vatican Printery to be set on work again that so many rare Greek Manuscripts might come abroad into the World And this he was occasioned to do by the generous design of Michael Jayus a Citizen of Paris who set up a Printery in which there was already begun an Edition of the Bible which would be more compleat then that which is called Plantains and the King of Spains Bible and because at Rome Holstenius was willing to take pains in the business Also he had heard of a dissertation which I had long since with Merindolus touching the passage of Chyle into the Liver For I found a way by the Porus cholidochus so called the Veins of the Mesentery being obstructed Having therefore writ him word that there was a Book published by Gasper Asellius Anatomist at Ticinum wherein he shewed how he had discovered certain milky veins in the Mesentery besides the commonly noted red ones which probably carried the Chylus he speedily got divers of the Books which he sent up and down to Physicians which were his friends experimenting in Dogs Sheep Oxen and most kind of Animals besides that which Asellius had written touching his rare invention Also when I had given him notice that Dr. William Harvey an English Physitian had set out an excellent Book of the passage of the blood out of the Veins into the Arteries and back out of the Arteries into the Veins by secret Anastomoses and that among other Arguments he confirmed the same by the valves of the Veins touching which he had heard somewhat from Aquapendens and whose Inventer he was wont to say was Father Paul Sarpi of Venice he would thereupon needs both have the Book and search out those valves and know other things as those winding passages in the Septum of the heart which Harvey denied but I made appear unto him In like manner being told of the many-pointed tongues of flies which might be plainly seen by an Augmenting-glasse he made many experiments in Insects of like nature and especially in Bees that he might thereby give occasion to Rigaltius to mend and illustrate Pliny his Chapter of Bees Likewise when Grotius had signified that there was a many headed Insect which bred in pieces of Wood fallen into the Sea he did not only look into all Authours which had written of any such thing but he enquired of all Fishers and other curious persons inhabiting upon the Sea-Coast and prevailed so far at last that he found out if not the same thing yet a Fish with seven heads and bodies as it were in the middle of unequal length implanted round about into a certain
of his studies and studious friends and acquaintance For in the first place he wrote sundry Letters to divers friends but larger to none than to Laelius Pascalinus touching the mistakes of Ursinus the pictures of the French Kings Seals Coins Titles chiefly confuring such as conceived that Charles the son of Pipin usurped the name of Great statues of Players touching his Aetio whom though Velserus conceived to be a Painter of whom Lucian makes mention in Herodotus he persisted in his opinion by reason of the Phrygian Tiara or royall Diadem conceiving that it was to be reserred rather to the father of Andromache touching Hercules pillars the Ostien Port and other things of inexhaustible curiosity In like manner he treated with Fontanaeus touching moneys and with Strada especially concerning ancient Coins with Claudius Frereus Master of the Requests and afterward chief President of the Parliament at Grenoble touching the French History with the San-marthani brethren so called about Genealogies with Pignorius touching purple with Nicolaus Faber and with others about a thousand things besides Moreover he made innumerable observations touching such kinds of fishes as are wont to be cast away when they are caught as unfit for food which he caused to be salted or otherwise preserved at Martigium de Martigues and all other places also concerning shell-fish plants and other things which he variously distributed up and down especially when about April he sojourned at Beaugensier with Varius where he discoursed most deliciously touching many things by him produced which the other had never seen before For they discoursed touching a blue Sea-fish shell found in the Olbien field or Countrey out of which a colour is extracted bearing the same name as also out of a certain Marble which resembles the Lapis Lazuli touching a starred stone resembling Corall and streaked like a star touching the Lepadites or Lepas being not unlike the shell of a single-sheld Sea-fish all which were dug out of the fields of Casteler Also of a streakedstone called Conchites which he had out of the Antipolitan country the territories of For touching jeat and yellow Amber dug at the Tower de Bevons By occasion whereof he fell to argue that Amber was a thing which naturally grows in the earth 1608. and is from thence dug out For they dig it also up in Sicily where by the violent force of running waters it is discovered and carried as far as to the Sea and beaten back by the waves of the Sea it is often found upon the shore And that therefore he said It is probable that the Amber which they fish out of the Baltick Sea was pluckt out of the earth by the violence of land-waters and brought into the Sea especially seeing it contains in like manner flies and other such like creatures enclosed therein And therefore that it was fabulous which hath been reported by some that there are very great trees in Norwey out of which this kind of Amber drops like a Gum and then congeals and becomes hard The truth is nothing in this whole yeer did more please him then that he observed and philosophized about the bloody rain which was commonly reported to have fallen about the beginning of July great drops thereof were plainly to be seen both in the City it self upon the wals of the Church-yard of the great Church which is neer the City wall and upon the City wals themselves also upon the wals of Villages Hamlets and Towns for some miles round about For in the first place he went himself to see those where with the stones were coloured and did what he could to come to speak with those Husband-men who beyond Lambesk were reported to have been so affrighted at the falling of the said tain that they left their work and ran as fast as their legs could carry them into the adjacent houses Whereupon he found that it was a fable which was reported touching those Husbandmen Nor was he pleased that the Naturalists should refer this kind of rain to vapours drawn up out of red earth alost into the Air which congeaâ—ing afterwards into liquour fall down in this form because such vapours as are drawn alost by heat ascend without colour as we may know by the alone example of red Roses out of which the vapours that arise by heat are congealed into transparent water He was lesse pleased with the common people and some Divines who judged that it was a work of the Devils and Witches who had killed innocent young children for this he counted a meer conjecture possibly also injuâ—â—ous to the goodnesse and providence of God In the mean while an accident happened out of which he conceived he had collected the true cause thereof For some moneths before he shut up in a box a certain Palmer-worm which he had found rare for its bignesse and form which when he had forgotten he heard a buzzing in the box and when he opened it found the Palmer-worm having cast its coat to be turned into a very beautifull Butterfly which presently flew away leaving in the bottom of the box a red drop as broad as an ordinary Sous or Shilling And because this happened about the beginning of the same moneth and about the same time an incredible multitude of Butterflies were observed flying in the Air He was therefore of opinion that such kind of But terflies ressting upon the wals had there shed as their excrement such like drops and of the same bignesse Wherefore he went the second time and found by experience that those drops were not to be found on the house tops nor upon the round fides of the stones which stuck out as it would have happened if blood had fallen from the sky but rather where the stones were somewhat hollowed and in holes where such small creatures might shroud and nestle themselves Moreover the wals which were so spotted were not in the middle of Towns but they were such as bordered upon the fields nor were they on the highest parts but only so moderately high as Butterflies are commonly wont to flie Thus therefore he interpreted that which Gregory of Tours relates touching a bloody rain seen at Paris in divers places in the dayes of Childebert and on a certain house in the Territory of Senlis Also that which is storied touching raining of blood about the end of June in the dayes of King Robert so that the blood which fell upon flesh garments or stones could not be washed out but that which fell on wood might For it was the same season of Butterflies and experience hath taught us that no water will wash these spots out of the stones whiles they are fresh and new When he had said these and such like things to Varius a great company of Auditours being present it was agreed that they should go together and search out the matter and as they went up and down here and there thorow the fields they found many drops upon stones and rocks
went the Inscription HONC OINO PLOIRUME COSENTIONT R. DUONORO OPTUMO FUISE VIRO LUCIOM SCIPIONE FILIOS BARBATI CONSOL CENSOR AIDILIS HIC FUET A. HEC CEPIT CORSICA ALERIAQUE URBE DEDET TEMPE TATIBUS AIDE MERETO And therefore because the explication of Sirmondus did most of all please him who proved that this Inscription was made in the 494th year after the building of Rome and consequently but a year later than the Dailâ—iâ—â— Inscription or that of the Columna Rostrata hitherto accounted to be the most ancient both for the Orthography Phrase and matter contained therefore thus he conceived it ought to be read HUNC UNUM PLUR IMI CONSENTIUNT ROMAE BONORUM OPTIMUM FUISSE VIRUM LUCIUM SCIPIONEM FILIUS BARBATI CONSUL CENSOR AEDILIS HIC FUIT HIC CEPIT CORSICAM ALERIAMQUE URBEM DEDIT TEMPESTATIBUS AEDEM MERITO Which may be thus Englished Very many good men at Rome do judge that this Lucius Scipio was a singlar and most excellent man He was the son of Barbatus Consul Censor Aedilis he took Corsica he built a chappell to †Honouring them as Deities because they spared him at Sea Tempests not without cause Peireskius approved this interpretation and therefore caused it to be printed concealing the name of Sirmondus because he of his modestie would not take the commendation to himself But the truth is Peireskius did not conceal his name when sending copies thereof up and down he wrote Letters to his friends Hence it was that Selden mentioned him in that same learned work of his De DIS Syris where he sayes this Inscription was communicated to him by Sir Robert Cotton who had it out of France from Nicolaus Fabricius Petriscius a man most renowned for nobility and learning Also the lately mentioned Aleander who when it was reprinted at Rome made an addition answered the objections that had been made against it And whereas among other things it seemed strange that no mention was made of that Triumph which Scipio made Aleander answered Verily that same quick-sighted Gentleman who is no lesse a lover of learned men than of learning it self Nicolaus Fabricius Lord of Peiresk does with good reason suspect that there wants another Inscription of Scipio which was counterpane to this of ours For the Sepulchers of the ancients were of great Bulke and it is no absurdity to think that as this Inscription was on the one side so that there was another Marble on the other side on which the Triumph Age Day of death c. were ingraven With these and such like matters did Peireskius busie himself when in the Moneth of November the Seal was taken from Varius and that most renowned Gentleman restored to the Liberty of a private Life But Peireskius who regarded not so much the glory of his Place as the eminency of his Virtues would never forsake him thinking it an unworthy baseness if he that had stood by him in his Prosperity should withdraw himself in his adverse fortune Howbeit he was wont to testifie concerning Varius that he accounted it no unhappy and ominous but a most happy accident as by which alone he was in a capacity of attaining the Tranquillity which he so much desired Wherefore he restored the Seal with great Alacrity and returning from the Court he would needs sup more liberally than ordinary with Malherbius and Peireskius as one that now had no businesse to disturbe him and retiring himself he led a most quiet and most sweet life conversing with his Books his friends and learned men About this time the Businesse about Riantium was removed from Paris to Tolouse 1617. and his Brother Valavesius about the Beginning of the following year went into that City And although his presence was likewise desired at Tolouse which as was thought would have much advanced the Businesse yet could he never be induced for any Danger never so great of the miscarriage of that Suit to leave Varius Yet you must not Imagine that for all this he left his care of the cause of Learning For he sent an almost innumerable Company of Books to Learned men in all parts partly of his own accord partly being requested by them as into Italy to Pignorius and Aleander and to Scipio Cobellutius then newly honoured with a red Hat and the title of Cardinall of Saint Susanna and to whom not long after the Custodie of the Vatican Library was given as a favour And into England to Cambden and Selden and others who had seriously intreated him that he would not envie the Learned Nation of Men his Learned notes upon the ancient Coines and his Observations upon that part of France which is called Gallia Narbonensis Into Holland he sent as to others so chiefly to Thomas Erpenius the renowned professor of Arabic and he sent with his Books and Letters certain Arabick Coines that he might lend his Assistance in their Interpretation which he had not yet sufficiently understood I forbear to mention how he received likewise back again many things which he desired as from Aleander a modell of the Farnesian Congius or old Galon-measure with Letters signifying that he had examined the Water of Tiber Fountain water and other waters and after manifold comparisons of the one with the other he could find no difference at all in their weight From Nicolas Alemannus a year before the Vatican-Library Keeper he received a Catalogue of the Poets of Provence From Andreas Bruggiotus a Supplement to his Index of the Grek Manuscripts which were kept in the foresaid Library From Pignorius a Breviarie of the Life of that famous Ludovicus Cornarus with the time of his Death who by his sobrietie had procured himself so long a life and such a lustie old Age for he wrote that he was buried at Padua the day after the Nones of May in the year 1566. From Facobus Colius a Book with his excuse for naming him only Nobilissimus Gallus without any further Illustration From Sanderus Elogies from Johannes Meursius divers of his works from Willerius Genealogies from Whinghemius Botanick Rarities and from others other things Also about this time he began to procure Notes upon the Calendar of Constantine which 17 years after Aegidius Bucherus did totally insert into his Commentaries of the Canon of Paschalis Victorianus viz. from the 236. page to the 288. And the truth is I question not how those papers were gotten and by whom imparted to that same rarely good and Learned Man only I desire the Reader to take notice that they were not transcribed save from that same very rare Book which belonged to Peireskius and is at this very day preserved in his Library Now he wrote largely thereabout both to Aleander and to most other Learned men who exceedingly desired the publication thereof for they esteemed it as a mighty treasure to correct the Annals and to rectifie all Chronologie both sacreed and profane For examples sake we may observe therein the Consulship of Probus and
it forms a thick stone round about as was seen in a certain stone which he kept in his study which being cloven asunder a flower was contained therein turned to stone And so he conceived the bones of men and other things were turned to stone And as for the Generation of those many-sided stones he argued from the conformation of Salt and Allum according to their proper figures And as for other stones he called to mind first what we said he observed in his young years when he was swimming in the smaller stream of Rhodanus into which the little River Sorga disburthens it self For he had withall observed that the River Sorga was at that time more troubled then ordinary by reason of an Earth-quake which happened at the Head thereof and that by reason that Rhodanus did then swell with a tempest it over-flowed for certain dayes together Whence he also reasoned that it was possible by that concussion of the Earth-quake that stony Spawn or seed might be voided forth of the Earth and so carried with the waters that being mingled with the mud which by reason of the over-flowing aforesaid did settle and grow together by little and little it might form stones thereof Again as for what concerns the hardening of the said stones he called to minde those three stones which John Brown the Chirurgion had given him which were newly taken out of the bladder of an Infant For whereas that which came first out was perfectly hard the second soft and the third like to run in a manner they were all nevertheless a few dayes after of the same hardness And whereas stones that abide long in the bladder are supervested with divers crusts by reason of the addition of new matter he said it it was the same thing which we observe in divers Caves or Sellers where the stony water dropping from above makes divers sorts of stones And whereas divers grains of Gravel being contained in the Bladder are there cemented together by a clammy stony humour falling from the Kidneys he shewed that it was the same thing which happened many times in Mountains and Rivers For we see many Rocks which consist of many small stones some common matter cementing the same which necessarily did afterwards become of a stony nature And he himself had in his study an Horse-shoo taken out of Druentia which was so compassed about with small pibbles from the River that another stony substance did joyn them one unto another and all unto the Horse-shoo The same was leen in a Sword and an Iron Ring taken out of the River Rhodanus and the same in a great Brasse Nail which being taken out of the Seyne was sent to him by Lomenius Whence he argued both touching the seed of stones raked from the Mountains and heads of Rivers and touching such stones as are bred daily in the channels of Rivers which kind of stones do also naturally encline to a round or oval figure save that according to the condition of the Conceptacle or by rowling wearing and breaking they may come to degenerate there-from And that I may add an observation of his touching that same stony Gravel he was the first that observed that the said Gravel is naturally so shaped in the form of a Lozenge or Rhombus that being looked upon through an augmentingGlasse it seems nothing but an heap of little Rhombs joyned together Whence it is not hard to explain the reason of that pain which Gravel makes when it is voided with the Urine for the acute angles of every grane do so prick and scratch the passage that they provoke a most sharp pain And being upon a time questioned touching the flexibility or that Whet-stone which he received from Jacobus Hallaus of Paris Master of the Accounts le reserred it to Talchum for he conceived that a certain moysture fit to make Talchum was so commixed with sand or those little grains of which a Whetstone is composed that the thickness of the Whetstone did hinder the transparency of the Talchum and the flexibility of the Talchum did marre the stifnes of the Wherstone So being asked concerning the stones of Crautia or the Herculean fields he supposed that all that plain was in times past over-flowed with water when Druentia or Rhodanus over-went their banks and that the lapidifick spawn being carried with the waters did there hard en into stones He proved it by what we see to happen in the Concretion of Salts For as in a Vessel wherein the water which is mixed with the salt is evaporated greater Cakes are found in the bottom then are sticking to the sides because the saltness does there both longer and more abundantly reside so in the middle of Crautia which is the lowest part the stones are observed to be far greater then about the sides especially in the Maritime and moorish parts where the stones are hardly so big as Nuts whereas in the middle the stones are for the most part as big as a mans head That which made the greatest difficulty was the incredible multitude of Fishes Shell fish and other Sea-Creatures which were found turned to stone even upon the highest Mountaine But because he had observed in a long tow of Hills as far a from Beaugensier a certain Zone as it were which was high but yet plain and parallel to the Horizon and even-surface of the Sea which was full of such kind of Creatures turn'd to stone he made no question but the Sea in arcient times had overflow'd the same at least he thought he might have recourse to the flood of Noah or to the Creation before the waters were gathered into one place For he thought it unquestionable that the Sea did by little and little forsake some Countries and overflow others as Aristotle proved touching AEgypt Polybius concerning the Euxine and himself concerning Arles Ndus Danubius Rhodanus and other Ricers making continents of the Earth which they continually bring along in their streams so that in process of time both low places become high and Sea-Coasts become Midland-Countries For which cause he wrote that he believed the City of Venice would one time or other be joyned to the Continent because in a certain tract of time the Continent had bin lengthened a thousand and five hundred paces or a mile and half Moreover from hence he made a conjecture touching the formation of Rocks which he conceived in the beginning of the world especially to be made by the abundance of moisture overflowing the whole Earth and the stony seed intermingled with the said Earth Whence it might come to passe that when the Rocks were not yet hardned such Rivers as then brake forth and began to run might break their way through the Rocks seeing those deep Channels on either side whereof are high Rocks of unisorm contexture and altitude could not be so hollowed by the insensible wearing of the water in case their hardnesse had bin perpetual And this peradventure was the Cause that
the water running from East to West and making an hollow way where the Mediterranean Sea now is many Valleys were so opened that the Rocks and Mountains kept the same Situation from East to West of which kind are not only the chief in this Province but the Pyrenaean and Appennine Hills the Rhetian Alps in Europa Taurus in Asia Atlas in Africa and the most of our Hills are broken and divided towards the Sea And that the Alps which border upon the Sea and some lesser Mountains and Valleys have a contrary Situation might proceed from some particular Deflux of water after the same manner as we observe after the overflowing of Rivers the water which runs over the Banks does plow up the congested mud and make ditches and consequently swelling Banks which are Situate athwart the Rivers course But of this Argument enough and too much Also he was wont to hold learned discourses touching that Gyantly body dug up at Tunis of an almost immense magnitude as Thomas Arcosius a man doubtlesse of various learning did signifie from those parts For he wrote that the Scull would contain eight mellerolles of Provence that is to say a Paris Bushel and an eighth part A monstrous size questionlesse and therefore Peireskius advised Arcosius to view all things with his own eyes and to weigh every thing scrupulously Telling him that the grinding Tooth which he had sent him might be either the Tooth of a very great Elephant or of some kind of Whale Moreover he rejoyced much both at the return of Minutius and for the finding of a certain Tripod For he returning with good successe from Aegypt brought many Books with him especially written in the Coptick that is to say the ancient Language and Character of Aegypt besides others which he had sent with the Samaritan Books aforesaid He brought also two Mumies viz. dead Bodies embalmed after the most ancient and costly manner one of which was very large entire rare and as by ornaments might be collected the Body of some Prince He brought also some Coins amongst the which he highly esteemed two Tetra dragmes the one Attick the other Tyrian and a piece of Coin of Hugo King of Hierusalem and Cyprus As for the Tripod it was dug up at Freius and because it was not much above a Foot high Peireskius conceived that it was one of those vetive Tripods placed in the Temples and made in fashion of that principal one on which Phoebus standing and drawing the Spirit from the cave beneath did rave and was thought to utter Oracles By occasion whereof he afterwards wrote divers Letters to Paris Rome and other places to provoke the learned to discourse of certain unknown mysteries of the Tripod The middle hole of its threesided Basis is triangular of circular lines the extremities whereof suhain certain Anticks which bear up the Bowl but so that they meerly touch one another and fall asunder with the least motion So that he conceived when that Spirit did move it self all Tripods must needs fall some concussion of the parts being made Also he argued that the Cortina was not that vessel for the Pithonesse did not ascend so high but another Hemisphere of a scaly kind of surface in imitation of the skin of the Serpent Pithon killd by Apollo with which the foresaid hole was immediatly covered so that the Priest had the Cortine beneath and the Bowl hanging over Now he took pains only to expresse and to approve by conjectures what might be meant by that curvi-lineal Triangle Wherefore there was no learned man with whom he did not consult thereabouts himself in the mean time both touching that and other parts pouring forth such streams of Learning that all men without controversie allowed him the Bayes Let us near Holstein in the name of all the rest For those things quoth he which you have written of this subject in a good long discourse to Father Putean you should in vain expect from me or any other Antiquary so far have you prevented and outgone all our care and diligence I passe over how to gain a fuller knowledge in this matter he sought to get divers Tripods especially out of Italy whereupon Menetrius sent him some besides an exquisite description and delineation of others which he could not obtain About the beginning of the following year 1631. the troubles did still continue when the Prince of Condee coming into Provence did at length compose the same In the beginning of the Spring the Cardinal having finished both his Legacies and received at Paris the purple Cap he returned to Rome and taking his journey through Provence he would needs see his old friend at Beaugensier And among other things it was very delightful to him to behold the toresaid Mumie and to hear Peireskius discourle of it and other kinds of embalming Meanwhile a Question arising Whether Aegyptians also were wont to pat a Passe-penny in the mouth of the dead he thought good to open the coverings and see if they could find any Wherefore as soon as he had unwrapped the Head he sought diligently but could not see any naulum or Passâ—â—nny in the mouth When he was about to depart Peireskius was bold to intreat him and encrease the weight of his carriage for he was to send to Holstenus twenty Greek manuscripts of the Interpreters of Plato and Aristotle which he had bought out of the Study of Pacius for two hundred Crowns and long since resolved to send them The Cardinal was willing and out of his love to Learning and learned Men â—he took upon him the care of seeing them convaied And here it must not be forgotten how he took along with him at that time Gabriel Naudaeus a Parisian of great renown among the Learned and by his Books already published well known and dear to Peireskius Wherefore Peireskius took greatdelight both to embrace and speak with the man and to congratulate his Patron in that he had chose such a man to assist in his Studies And truly he tessified more then once how much he was delighted with his company not knowing whether he should more admire the candor and gentleness of his mind or his unexhaustible learning and knowledge of all kind of Books But how much Naudaeus did honour Peireskius and how largely he then tasted of his beneficence he did asterwards testifie both in private Letters and in his publick dedicatory Epistle prefixed to his Medico-philological Question VVhether it be more wholsome to study in the morning or in the evening For therein calling him The Maecenas of all learned men and fearing the Fortune of that ancient Maecenas he yowes to write a Panegyrick of his praises and why in the mean time he Dedicated this Work to him The Cause he saies is the admiration of your Vertue and the indignation which long since I conceived within my self that it was not celebrated by the Pens of all leanred men to whom neverthelesse it daily affords matter to
Athanasius Kircherus a very learned Jesuite then residing at Avenion He was reported to be exceeding skilful in the Mysteries of Hieroglyphicks wherefore he both sent him divers Books to help him and a Copy of the Table of Isis formerly described And because he had by him a rare Manuscript being Rabbi Barachias Abenephius an Arabian Author who was reported to have set down the manner of interpreting the Hieroglyphicks therefore he entreated him that at his coming he would bring with him both the said Book and some example of Interpretation with his own notes Which when he had done it cannot be expressed with what ardency he encouraged him to finish the work which he had begun and to hasten the printing thereof He was afterward called to Rome to succed in the place of that renowned Mathematician Christopherus Scheinerus whom the Emperor desired to have near himself Now Peireskius dealt earnestly not only with Mutius Vitellescus Generall of the Jesuites order but also with Cardinall Barberinus that they would encourage him to procure him leasure for the speedy putting forth of the work aforesaid He invited also at the same time Solomon Azubius a Rabbin of Carpentras not inferiour to the ancient Rabbins in learning He brought with him certain Astronomical Tables which he had by him composed at Tarascon by a certain Jew three hundred years ago and calculated to the Longitude and Latitude of that Place And because he knew what pains the foresaid Schickardus took for the reparation of Astronomy and Geography therefore he procured Azubius to write a Copy of the aforesaid Tables in Hebrew which he intended to send to Schickardus Now he sent it afterwards and the Interpretation of Azubius with it and some Arabick pieces which he knew would delight him by that excellent pains which he had taken about the History of Tarichus touching the Kings of Persia Moreover because his answer to the Letter sent him about the Planet Mercury did shew that he had neither seen that very ancient work of Aristarchus Samius touching the bignes of the Sun Moon nor certainly knew whether it were extant in the world therefore seeing he had acquainted him that the Book was yet extant in Greek in the Kings Library and that a Translation thereof in Latine with the Commentaries of Fredericus Commandinus had been printed in Italy therefore I say he both procured a Copy of the Greek Original and left no stone unturned until by the help of Naudaeus he found out and obtained a Latine Copy likewise which he bound up both in one bundle together with divers observations touching the motions of the Stars all which Schickardus received when he did not expect no nor think of such a thing He did the like to Hortensius aforesaid for knowing that he desired a Copy of the Dialogues of Galilaeus that he might compare what he had wrote touching the smallnesse of the Stars with what himself had wrote upon the same Subject by occasion of the small appearance of Mercury therefore he sent presently to get one of those Books and sent it of his own accord to Hortensius who suspected no such thing The like also he did to another I know not whom for understanding from him that he exceedingly desired a Copy of the Alcoran he presently got one at Grenoble by the assistance of Philippus Lagneus a good and learned man and true lover of Scholars that he might send it to the man who had not so much as asked any such thing of him The like also he did to Gaspar Bachetus Meziriacus who after he had published Diophantus and other excellent works was couragiously endeavouring to amend the French Translation of Plutarch and to illustrate his Castigations with notes For he having signified that he had never seen the Life of Homer in Greek written by Plutarch as soon as Peireskius heard it he presently endeavoured to get the said Life written out of a Greek Book which he remembred he he had seen in the Kings Library and when it was almost written out hearing that it was printed by Henry Stephen and put before his volume of Heroical Poets he presently sent to buy the said Volume which with Scaliger's Eusebius which he also wanted and Homer's Iliads newly gained out of the East with some notes of Porphyrius and other things unlooked for he sent to Bacchetus Moreover he caused to be exscribed out of the Library of Augsburge certain works of St. Cyril which the learned Joannes Aubertus stood in need of to compleat the Edition of that sacred Author for which cause also he procured divers Libraries in Spain and Sicilie to be searched especially the Vatican Library out of which he gained some things which to the end that Holstenius might the more willingly peruse and correct he procured by way of requital that Aubertus in like manner at Paris should look over and correct certain Greek Astronomers which being desired by Holstenius Peireskius had procured to be transcribed out of the Library of the most excellent Arch-bishop of Tolouse Also when Duchesnius seriously set himself to publish such Authors as had written the Historie and affairs of France Peireskius procured sor him besides many other Books both Petrus Bibliothecarius so called whom he procured by the sagacity diligence and felicity of Naudaeus and also the Chronologica fragment a Abbatiae sublucensis which to procure he implored the authority of Cardinal Barberine and the Assistance of Buccardus Divers others also there were who at his request commanded many Books to be exscribed One was Henricus Memmius that same renowned Prelate who excelling the gentility of his Parentage by the nobility of his mind was wonderful sollicitous to advance Learning and learned men according to the custome of his family Also the Earl of Marchaevilla was one from whom he received a Book touching the various sects of Mahumetans and to whom he wrote what kind of Sculptures Achats Coines and such like were to be sought for out of the East The aforesaid Felix Zacchia was also one from whom he obtained certain Monuments of the Families of Genna Also Julius Pallavicinus himself of Genua from whom he received a whole volume of the said Families besides other things which he sought to procure of Petrus Maria Boerus with whom he held perpetual entercourse others there were of whom he sought to gain the Antiquities of Hadria Pisa and other renowned Cities but to name them all would be tedious Nor must it be forgotten in this place how that having sormerly took care that the Coptic tongue might be induced and propagated all Europe over and Salmasius and Petitus had already much profited in that Language by a few Books he had furnished them with he added more volumes in the same Tongue and was very careful that Petrus Valleus might lend him that Vocabulary which he had brought out of the East that he might procure it to be interpreted and printed by Salmasius who was ready
condition and very well furnished but he did not at all in a manner regard his own Chamber Instead of Tapestry there hung the Pictures of his chief friends and of famous men besides an innumerable Company of bundles of Commentaries Transcripts Notes collected from Books Epistles and such like papers His Bed was exceeding plain and his Table continually loaded and covered with Papers Books Letters and other things as also all the Sears round about and the greatest part of the floore In like manner as touching his Diet his care was to have a well-furnished and gentile Table for his friends and Family confining himself to a very slender and very wholesome Diet. He supt alone in his own Chamber save that for the most part he was content to have me his guest that he might not weary out his Family with staying till his Supper-time And because sometimes dining with his friends he fed more liberally then ordinary accoÌ„modating himself to Custom and the Companie therefore to ease stomack he would forbear his Suppers on such dayes He used the ordinary sort of Wine though he better liked of White-wine and desired to have it pretty tart supposing that being so it better quencht his thirst He tempered it with much water save in Musk-million season whereof eating at the beginning of his meales he followed the direction of his Physician of which I told you Now he was so great a lover of Musk-Millions that though he could abstain from any other kind of meat as he list yet towards them he professed he was not able to master himself For custom had made them exceeding pleasant unto him and the memory of his health recovered by them and his frequent experience that in Musk million-season he was †Those that are subject to these Infirmities and otherwise strong and healthy let them use Cowcumbers wel boyled if they cannot get or affect not Musk-millions and they shall finde I dare say the same effect never troubled with pains in his Kidneys nor bred or voided any Gravel For which cause he was wont to temper his Wine with the water of a natural Bathe or Physical Spring ever since the time that going into a Cottage near the Bathe and observing both Men and Women very aged he asked the reason and they made answer that they continually used the Physical or Bath-water not only to drink but to make their grewel and all kinds of broth to make Past Puddings Bread c. Moreover being exceeding sober in drinking and not curious in his Diet he was so continent that he was never overtaken with the Witcheries of Venus in his whole life-time And the cause may soon be rendred in regard that he was never given to idleness yet unless sobriety withdrew the Tindar from venereal Luxury it wil stir of it self and take fire upon the least relaxation of minde Now whereas I hinted occasionally that he was wont to eat his suppers late this is to be understood only of his later years For formerly he was wont to sup more early and so as to comport with his Guests and then to give himself a little after to writing and reading and so to continue studying late in the night yea and many times till day-dawn so that he took very little sleep and that only in the mornings But in process of time finding that this course did him hurt he began to leave studying between Supper and Bed-time whereupon he soon after found himself dull and indisposed to his morning studies and one business or other continually holding him employed all day long he found that he had no time left for study Whereupon he begun a new course viz. at four five or at the farthest six of the Clock at night when the generality of People begin to think of Supper he would shut himself up into his Chamber and suffer no man to visit him or to speak with him unless upon some very urgent occasion and so he would continue till nine of the Clock which he had alotted for his Supper-time conversing only with himself and the Muses Yea and on those dayes on which the Posts did set forth towards Paris or Rome he was wont to defer his Supper till ten or eleven a Clock and very often till after mid-night that he might write more and larger letters For which cause he oftentimes either detained the Posts in his own House or if they were gone he would by money and fair words procure them to stay for his Letters He went to bed almost as soon as he had supt and alwayes set his Larum so as to wake him quickly again Not that he was weary of his necessary rest but because when he slept above four houres such plenty of Urine flowed into his Bladder that the orifice thereof being shut with too much stretching he could not make water And therefore he was forced to break his sleeps which he did more frequently when the North-west wind blew or any the least cold aire affected him for then he was most of all troubled with the stoppage of his Urine Another occasion of his frequent awaking was his inclination to sweat which was so great that the heat of the Bed-cloathes or of the weather being joyned to his natural weakness he was forced to change his shifts once twice or sometimes three times in a night In the morning when he rose his custom was to keep his head very warm with his Hat or some other covering till his sweat and heat conceived during his sleep were abated otherwise the cold Aire entering into the open pores and stopping the same was wont to cause Rheumatick Defluxions and Tooth-ach For the same cause when he did write or read he sat far from the Windowes otherwise the cold would so pierce into his head and face or that Cheek which was next the Window as by little and little to cause Defluxions and bring the Tooth-ach For this cause also he did in the day-time as much as his occasions would permit keep himself out of the wind and Sun which he would sometimes excuse by saying that the Bodies of other men were like Plates of Iron not at all affected by the Aires injuries but that his own weak Body was like a sheet of paper which the least drop of water can penetrate Therefore he never walkt abroad which was the only bodily exercise which he used but when the Air was calm the Sun clouded or at least shining very weakly and inclining to set Also he had a Servant with him that waited upon him with an hand-Canopy to keep off the Sun-beams if need were the wind And because that might be troublesom to himself or his Company therefore he was wont to chuse his walks in Vales and shady places where he might go free and feed his eyes and eares For delighting more in discourâ—e then any other thing in the World he was wont to procure the Company of such men as were learned and of gentle meek
he knew or foresaw were born to honour their Countrey continually admonishing and animating them and affording them if need were Books and all other requisites And as he was wont to commend them who by their Writings and Inventions and especially by describing the Country and such things as had bin therein acted did render the same famous so did he most of all esteem the studies of Polycarpus Riviera the glory of the Carthusian Order who besides his immense Learning had rare knowledge of all the Affaires of Provence which he intended to relate in a particular volume of that Herculean work which he had in hand Also he was very much contented that by his exhortations he had perswaded Jacobus Morguesius a Senator of the Parliament of Aix and a great honour to that Court who had obtained a Writ of Ease that he would set himself to illustrate the Statutes of Aix by which means great light would be afforded to all the Tribunals of Provence And how often did he wish that Petrus Decormius the Advocate General a man of most rare learning would surrender his Office to his worthy and learned Sonne that he might wholly give himself to the Collection Disposition and Justification of the Decrees of Parliament especially such as himself had propounded How often did he defire that Scipio Pererius whose wit judgement and eloquence he could never enough admire would publish those Court-pleadings of his so learned and elegant And these few Instances among many others may suffice to shew his affection to his Country for it is to small purpose to say how much he grieved in troublesome times when there was no remedy but prayers It should now follow that I speak of his Religion towards Almighty God but it is in the first place confessed by all that he so defended the faith of his Ancestors that is to say the Roman Catholique Profession that he also took pains to draw as many of the Heterodoxe thereunto especially such as were learned as he was able Moreover his religious worship of the Deity was apparent by his rigid observance of all publick Ceremonies as far as his Health would permit For he was present at Masses Sermons and Processions and there was no remarkable Holyday in which he did not Confess himself to the Priest and receive the Encharist Moreover he had constantly a sincere faith and love towards God having high thoughts of so sublime a Majesty and exceedingly confiding in his goodness I say nothing of the Reverence he bare to the Pope Cardinals Legates Nuncio's for he omitted no occasion to testifie to them his Reverence Affection and Obedience so that it is no wonder that they had no business in Provence but they desired that he might have the mannagement thereof In which respect also he obliged the rest of the Praelates Generals and Provincials of Religious orders whom it would be redious particularly to recount being acknowledged fora Patron of all religious orders especially the Reformates who when they had any business in the Court of Rome the Kings Court in Provence or the Parliament there they presently implored his help And now that I may come to speak more partieularly of his studies I must premise in the first place that Peireskius was of a ready wit or if he were any way deficient he made it up with Art and Labour For things of most difficulty to understand he comprehended for the most part at the first hearing and by continual enquiry and exercise of his mind he fitted the same to understand any thing Moreover his wit was so naturally disposed to all studies that there was no kind of Learning with which he was not in love and whereof he delighted not to discourse with learned men Being moderate in all other things he seemed only immoderate in his desire of knowledge and never man was more desirous then he to run through the famous Encyclopedia or whole Circle of Arts. Yea and not only so but he was studious of Mechanicks or Handi-Crafts for which cause there was never any famous Workman that went that way but he entertained him at his House and learnt of him many works or mysteries of his Craft for he would keep him with Diet wages and gifts and make much of him for moneths and years together Moreover his sagacity vvas vvonderful by reason of his constancy vvhich rendred him indefatigable in his inquiries In which regard he was frequently happy in his conjectures because from such circumstances as were obvious he would smell out and happily divine such things as were hereupon dependent There never came any thing to his hands but he would attain all the knowledge thereof which was possible to be acquired so that he was justly reputed all the world over a kinde of Judge of abstruse and mysterious things For if any thing was any where found out whose Original Nature Use was unknown presently he was appealed to as if the true knowledge thereof could not be attained without his help Yea and he dived into the condition of such things as were not but were only imagined to be and considered whether it were possible that such things could be in Nature Of his Industry and quicknesse of wit we have all ready frequently spoken by reason of which he never deipaired to attain any thing which the wit of man could attain or bring about provided he had a mind thereto and would do his uttermost endeavour to accomplish the same And verily he accomplished and obtained many things which see ned above his condition and beyond his strength because he could easily foresee whatever might help or hinder and was indefatigable in improving the one and declining the other and would try a thousand waies till he had accomplisht his designs Moreover he made friends in all places and freely obliged them with courtesies that whether he had at present any design in his Head or might hereafter have they might be ready to serve him Wherefore having propounded unto himself his End what it was he would have effected he first considered whether he was to attain it by mony or entreaties through love or fear by command or free consent also who was able to contribute any thing thereto also what where when and which way and then without delay he set his hand dextrously to the work In like manner he was very acute and quick in his invention of the causes of any admirable works of Art or Nature for he conjectured with great facility and when he had a little digested his thoughts he would confirm his conjectures with reasons of all sorts Moreover he had a happy memory and which seldome failed him For though he complained that his memory was slippery and weak yet it cannot be expressed what a variety of things he remembred even from his young years and that not in general only but also with the particular circumstances of places actions words and persons Whence it was that he allwaies wonderfully