Marchisa daughter of Olivarius de Thulia by whom the third yeer after he had a son whom his uncle Claudius being then living as God-father called by his own name Moreover not long after he was made Doctor it was his pleasure to take a view of all the sea-coast both to search out all the monuments of Antiquity and to get the rarest plants which that Countrey afforded which were to be sent to the garden of Belgenser The reason why he began with the Antiquities of Freius which to have seen once as he went into Italy did not content him was because he was to conduct some Gentlemen of his kinred who had been to solemnize his Commencement as far as Draguignan But his chiefest desire was to see a work worthy the Romane name and renown viz. A rock cut quite thorow or a large hollow channell dug in the steep side of an hill by which an arm of the river Siagne was to be brought five Provence-miles thorow the turnings and windings of the valleys and the woods Now it would be tedious to reckon up all that he observed and collected in his whole progresse It shall suffice to say that thence he took occasion to write and send many things to his friends But among the rest he made great account of a certain Consulary piece of coin which he said was not to be had not being so much as mentioned either by Goltzius Ursinus or any other writer which he sent to Pignorinus that he might shew it to Fridericus Contarenus Also he made great account of certain Inscriptions of Flaminius and Dudistius touching the filling up whereof for some letters were eaten away he consulted chiefly with Velserus Also he highly esteemed other choise rarities which he sent to Scaliger and certain I know not what shells of sea-fishes by occasion whereof he wrote unto Pena the Physician touching the shell of a Brand-goose or Sea-duck which was fashioned like the shell of a Limpin But to speak in particular of Plants he took along with him an Herbalist skilfull in the knowledge of all plants at all times and therefore he did not onely send plants into his own garden but he sent also roots of most of them to Clusius among the rest of Tragacantha whence Gum Tragant or as the common people say Cum Dragon is received of Aristolochia or Birthwort of Asphodelus or Daffodill and of the two sorts of Arbute-trees so called Withall he signified the desire he had to enjoy the company of Clusius a while at Belgenser where he would shew him a Styrax or Storax tree being a low shrubby tree with leaves like those of a Quince tree and flowers or blossoms not unlike the blossoms of an Orenge tree and in the sweet smelling liquour that comes from it not inferiour to the Storax of Syria which grows within a mile of the Town and not to be found in any other place Also he would shew him a Lentisk tree which sweats mastich no lesse than the Lentisk trees of Chios which are accounted the best Also he would shew him some other things which he should hardly see elsewhere When he returned he began to think of erecting a Covent of Heremites of Camaldoli in that goodly Desart by the Chappell under a rock which being dedicated to Saint Mary de Angelis is almost in the mid way between Massilia and Aix The reason whereof was because when he lived at Padua he exceedingly liked the Orders of those kind of Heremites and a learned man of that Order called Elias was then at Aix about a Novice that was to be received or was newly received Peireskius therefore delighted with his company kept him there many moneths together nourished him in the Desart and often would visit him and stay divers dayes with him In the mean while he procured that by a decree of the Citizens of Massilia and Aix such a Covent should be desired Also he procured leave to erect the same from the Lord of Mimet in whose Lordship the place was and bought the ground round about the place He used all diligence possible by the mediation of the Bishop of Padua and the Cardinall Pâ—llâ—vicinus to move the Superiours of that Congregation not onely to leave Elias there but to send some other religious persons the better to stock the new Covent He intreated that they would at least send some to view the place and sent money to bear their charges And great hopes he had but at the last all his labour proved in vain In like manner his second endevours for Pacius succeeded not according to his desire For whereas in the beginning of the Spring he had so wrought the matter that those of Aix had resolved that Pacius should be chief Professour of Law and that his stipend should be two thosuand four hundred pounds Tours a yeer he went himself to Monpellier with a Councellour of Aix to remove any difficulty that might stand in the way Neverthelesse he returned without effecting what he went for Pacius pretending that he expected three thousand pounds besides what he might occasionally gain but his wife was in deed and in truth the cause who hating to dwell in a Catholike City chose rather to go to Heidelberg Presently after he sell sick of which sicknesse he hardly recovered in the beginning of the Summer The wonderfull tendernesse of his skin proved very troublesome for on whatsoever part of his body his cloaths did sit never so little hard a red swelling would presently arise with vehement itching This gave him occasion to consider the cause of those spots and marks which many bring from their mothers wombs For it came into his mind that it might in like manner fall out that look on what part of their bodies women with child did lay their hands when they have a longing desire after somewhat on the same part of the child in the womb the stain of the thing longed for is printed This he told more than once and particularly not many yeers before his death when we were philosophizing about the image of a dog seen in the urine of a man bitten by a mad dog But the difficulty was why the mark should not be made rather in the mothers body than the childs yet he was convinced that the child in the womb was one body with the mother and nourished and quickened with the same kind of nourishment and the same spirits in all its parts even as it was at first formed of seed that came from all the parts of the body And therefore its tender body was affected with the same accidents as its mothers and any mark might be so much the easilier imprinted thereupon while with the spirits carrying the imagined shape it is by that touch of the mother as it were imprinted by how much it is tenderer than the body of its mother And this I remember hath been confirmed by a memorable example which I have heard reported viz. How a woman with child
heroicall virtues For the clearer evincement whereof I shall collect some testimonies to witnesse the truth of what is suggested in this particular And in the first place I shall cire the famous Paulus Gualdus who wrote the life of Pinellus and of whom mention was lately made He after he had lamented the death of that worthy man and said That Nature was sparing in her production of such personages and that they had need to live Met huselahs age who should look for another Pinellus viz. such an one whose study might restore the studies of Humanity to their splendour whose riches might be laid out in collecting the most renowned books and whose Dignity might be a Patronage to learned Men at last he adds Verily if our Age shall produce such another sure I am it cannot be any save Nicolas Fabricius a French-man of Aix in Provence a most renowned young Gentleman who at Rome and Padua when he was but a youth in comparison did so earnesty and eagerly embrace Pinellus and his studies that he seemed to us and all learned men delighted with these studies a very Miracle This was indeed an excellent Prediction But let us consider likewise the Wish of Erycius Puteanus then as we said before Professor of Eloquence and Chronologie at Millain He writing to Peireskius O the wound quoth he Which we have received by the death of Pinellus That never to be forgotten man is gone away satisfied with honour and renown and secure of his own fame But he hath left us in Griefe and want and the muses in mourning weeds Who shall stand up in his stead and take sorrow from us and Sack-cloath from the muses Not only Learning but Wealth also is requisite for such a work Who will be the Man Does mymind deceive me or are you the man called to this work to be what Pinellus was I wish it I vow it and so God save thee thou hopefull young man And here peradventure it will not be unpleasing to insert the answer of Peireskius which was in these words You tear my soul in pieces with grief while you rip up that wound which is made in my mind by the Death of that incomparable man 'T is not without cause you double your mournfull and sorrowfull words you justly bewaile our hard hap and cause enough you have while you invite us all to mourn and exclaime Who will take grief from us and Sackcloath from the Muses But in the Conclusion you make us laugh when as if you would prophesie you add that I shall be what Pinellus was and seriously wish the same as if it were a thing possible Which is all one as if when an huge Fir-Tree is Cutt down you should wish that some low shrub might aequal the Strength Tallnesse thereof But your love to me forced this vow and wish from you when you were thinking of some other thing for which I suppose you never imagined you should he called in question And in case I wishing and vowing the same thing to you should say with the Poet TUNUNC ERIS ALTER AB ILLO THOU SHALT TO HIM SUCCEED these I am sure who thoroughly know you will say that I am no vain Prophet for in this case there is need of your help and not of mine A witty and neat answer verily how beit he takes no notice of that which was most truly said by Putean that to undergo such a ask there was also need of Wealth as well as Learning There were likewise other very elegant Letters which passed betwixt them one of which is printed in the second Century of the Epistles of Putean wherein about the beginning of the next year which was 1602. he after a most becoming way complaines that he was termed Deorum Genus one of the immortall Race of the Deities There were I say other Letters written but I have collected what is usefull to my present purpose by which it is easy to undentand how fitly Janus Gruterus in the Preface to his great Volume of Inscriptions did joyne together by way of Commendation Erycius Puteanus and N'colaus Fabricius calling them Young men who excell all others Whouse to haunt the Muses sacred Springs And drink dry Aganippes Waterings Moreover that great Volumne was in the Presse when Pinellus departed this life and Peireskius supplied such things as were to be inserted thereinto not only out of the Treasuries of Pinellus but also from what he had observed and written-out at Rome Venice and other Places as appears by that which is so frequently read at the bottome of the Inscriptions On t of the Papers of Nicolaus Fabricius I come now to Marcus Velserus at whose request Gruterus obtained those Papers He was almost equall to Pinellus and his singular friend flourishing at Augsburg where he was one of the two that Governed the City Though I hold my tongue his own writings and all Learned men having had experience of his munificent and most ready Assistance do sufficiently speake how brave a man he was and how great a soule he had Velserus therefore in Letters which he wrote to Peireskius did testifie that he so highly valued him and his friendship that there was nothing that Pinellus lest behind him which he had rather inherit yea and he also not only acknowledging him to be the heir of the Virtues of Pinellus but conjecturing that he should be likewise the successor of his own he began to love him as if he had been his Son not ceasing so long as he lived by frequency of Letters to restifie his affection In this one thing he dealt hardly with him constantly refusing to let him have his Picture which Resolution he held towards all others that most passionately desired the same 1602. Yet Peireskius caused him as he had done some others to be drawn when he knew not of it hiring a Painter to stand in a secret place where he might see his Countenance And so he obtained what Occotold him it was in vain to hope for when he received this answer from Velserus Cato major was desirous that Posterity should enquire why no Statue had been erected for him contrarily it lies me in hand I suppose to take heed least any hereafter should wonder if not disdaine and ask what Ambition it was that made me creep into the Society of those famous men whose Images or Pictures Fabricius pretends to Collect. I forbear to tell how excellently our Peireskius ansvvered that passage of his for writing back to Occo Cato quoth he said both wittily and discreetly that he had rather posterity should enquire why he had no Statue then why a statue was erected in Memorie of him yet he never that I ever read of refused to suffer himself to be painted or figured out in a Statue witnesse those many Figures of him which go up and down even at this day And therefore neither ought Velserus the true Picture of Cato to refuse the same to which end I
any thing from another For he never left publishing the same and though it were a thing of small moment or had cost him dear yet would he evermore profess himself obliged being also accustomed by several offices and observances to testifie his gratitude For if any had given him a piece of Coine a Seal a Parchment Marble Vessel or any other thing of great antiquity brought out of some far Countrey or otherwise rare then besides his affectionate thanks he would presently enquire what that man delighted in or what he stood in need of probably as Books Pictures Plants or other things with which when he durst not with money he would return to the value of what he received with use This may be peculiarly manifested by divers Books which he bought at a very dear rate but it may suffice for example sake to say that because he knew that many men were delighted with Mercurius Gallicus the Roman History of Coeffeteus Octavius Strada of the Lives of Emperors with Pictures and other such like therefore he would alwaies have a great company of these Books by him that when occasion offered it self he might have somewhat in readiness to give away By which it came to pass that in a small space of time he has had eight ten and more of a sort of those Books and given them all away yea and sometimes when he was out of hopes ever to get the like Books again such as were Eusebius of Scaliger's Edition Origanus his Ephemerides and hundreds besides For he could never forbear to testifie that he was born rather to give than to receive and because he took not more pleasure in any thing than in a gift well bestowed that he accounted that day lost in which he had not upon some occasion or other exercised his liberality And therefore wise men wished him the Riches of Croesus and the Treasures of Arabia that he might more fully manifest that same liberal and great mind of his For they counted it a wonder where he had wherewith to satisfie so great expences knowing sufficiently his contempt of Riches and how free he was from any taint of covetousness And some indeed there were who disliked his course supposing that he was not sufficiently careful of his estate For his expences seemed to exceed his Incomes which they could judge by this one thing that he sent to Rome yearly three thousand pounds Tours to be expended But he regarded none of these Rumors and alvvaies counted it great gain to be honourably profuse vvhile he sought the advancement of Learning and the good of learned men Also that of the Poet vvas true of him Quaesivit nomen quaerat avarus opes He sought a name let others leek vvealth that are covetous for verily whether it were that he diminished his Revenues or neglected to amplifie them yet he got so much Glory and Renown as others cannot attain with their immense riches And these men that blamed him should have considered that Riches are not coveted only to expel Hunger Thirst and Cold for a small matter will serve for these and other natural uses but chiefly that a man may live in splendor and leave Monuments to propagate his same after he is dead For that is the secret End at which all mortals aime how ever they dissemble the matter which neverthelesse they do not attain who study the enriching of their family never so much I stand not to say that Peireskius was of that mind as to reckon the world his Family and to account all wise and good men to be to him in place of Fathers Brothers or Children with whom he made all things common I name such men as these because though he neeer denied any thing to the well-deserving yet he made such choice that he would not give to all indifferently For when any one was less deserving he knew how to temper his liberality And I remember when one desired him to lend him ten Crowns he answered that he had not ten to lend but he had two which he would freely give him Which when he took and some asked him Why he did so It is sufficient answered he to satisfie present necessity and I would rather be a penurious giver than a troublesome Creditor having found by experience that many men shun my sight because they know themselves in my debt Moreover seeing nothing gains friends so much as Beneficence and friendly Offices it is no wonder that he had so many so good and so illustrious all the world over For his constant care was to provide wherewith to gratifie every man and when his assistance was implored he so bestirred himself as that he thought he was unhappy if he had not foreseen and prevented the necessity of his friend Wherefore he knew very well what was the true Love-potion his love especially being so qualified that he never respected his own profit nor would ever let slip any occasion of doing good to his friends In like manner he never asked any thing for himself of Magistrates and Great men but for his friends sakes and especially for learned men he never blusht to Petition for any thing which might do them good And whether they attained any thing by his intercession or by other means he would alwaies return thanks and take upon him both in his own name and in the name of the Muses and Common-wealth of Learning the restification of gratitude Nor did he only love his friends but those whom they loved especially their Parents Children Kinsfolks Allies he ardently respected to whom he would shew himself a Counsellor Helper Protector and Patron And it is a small thing to say that he spared no cost to further his friends affaires for which is much more he neither regarded his own health nor the unseasonableness of the weather when he knew his friend was in danger And his candor and ingenuity was so great that he never called his friends to account for what he had intrusted them with Yea and took it very ill when having deposited Monies in the hands of those excellent Brethren the two Puteans to be laid out upon Books and other occasions they would make Bills of what they had laid out and reckon what all came to for it was far from his mind that matters should be carried so scrupulously between him and them In a word he had such a candid and innocent heart as justly procured him the most loving and respectful friends in the world Moreover what a comfort may we think he was to his friends when he visited them in their sickness death of children or being afflicted with any other casualty For never man had better and more amiable words and because he had bin accustomed to suffer diseases and pains no man was better acquainted with what was fit to asswage all kind of maladies We have known some that despaired of life and were restored by his means so ingenious he was in detecting and so eloquent
at his glory or ignorant of those things wherein all good and learned men are agreed For was there ever a man I pray you better skilled in Antiquity Nature Chronologie History and Languages or more ready to assist the labours of studious men by Speech Letters Books Models Plants Animals Pictures Coins and the like Monuments of ancient and latter times Or in a word better fitted to do all this with Will Wealth Authority Knowledge Providence and other Virtues with a mutual consent of all which that man must be adorned that will undertake like the renowned Peireskius to govern the learned world by his beck and at his pleasure Which truly how hard a thing it is to do you may hereby friend Gassendus conjecture in that if you have recourse to all the Heroes of ancient times you shall not find any one that has done the like And though the times immediatly foregoing have afforded Vincentius Pinellus and Dominicus Molinus men peradventure not much inferiour to Peireskius for their endeavours and desire to assist learned men yet I know not how they wanted divers helps which Peireskius had by which he was enabled to hold on his course with full sail from his early youth to his very last age And verily with what facility he did all this no man can be ignorant save he that cannot see the Sun at Noon-day For who knows not that his mouth was not the mouth of a man but of Delphick Apollo out of which Oracles daily issued touching the most abstruse and hidden things and that his house was like a renowned Mart or Fair full of most precious Wares brought from both the Indies Aethiopia Graece Germany Italy Spain England and the nearer Provinces and that no Ship entred the Havens of France which did not bring some strange Beast rare out-landish Plants ancient Marbles engraven or inscribed Books in the Samaritan Coptick Arabick Hebrew China and Creek Tongues or Reliques of highest Antiquity from Peloponesus into the only Treasurie of Peireskius Finally who can be ignorant that he did not gather all this Treasure for his own delight or to adorn his study that they might ly there as in the Cellars of the Capitol or Sepulchres where it was unlawful to remove or take any thing out for the benefit of others but that Peireskius made this Law to himself that if he knew any learned men that might be assisted by his Counsels Wealth Books Statues or Marbles he would not stay till with importunate intreaties they should defire the same but he would offer the same of his own accord and cause it to be brought unto their houses so that I could almost say he did overwhelm all learned men with the greatnesse and frequency of his benefits But what need is there that I should write these things to you most excellent Gassendus who have with your own eys seen more of the brave actions of that rare man worthy to be remembred to the daies of Eternity than any other man is able to set down in writing that being a work fit for none but your self who in your love to him and the Elegancy of your style and expression give place to no man Verily seeing no part of his life was without a Miracle seeing there was never man in this world to whom learned men were so much and so greatly endebted since the greatest part of what for some decads of years last past has been beautifully elegantly and learnedly observed came from him for the most part nor should he be reckoned among mortal men were it not for his immature and bitter death ô grief to tell who ought alwaies to have lived I am very well convinced that every man is not fit to transmit his memory to posterity for that a vulgar mouth should do it were great wickednesse yet to find out words sutable to so great and incomparable merits seems to me a very hard thing To gather therefore together a Breviary of the Life of this great Patron of the Muses out of the whole world whereinto it was diffused into a small Volume this is such a work which unlesse you shall perform most learned Gassendus who have the command of a pure elegant proper style used to write of matters Divine Caelestial of which kind all good men account Peireskius to have bin and who art wont to reduce the supream Orbes and their Miracles which are not verily more large than the Fame merits of Peireskius most artificially into a small Globe I can hardly find any man man else who can so fitly and happily perform this work For though all that were friends to Peireskius are furnished with Wit and Eloquence and they are all as well as you concerned to celebrate that man whose memory ought to be to them most sacred and although many things which may be set down and alledged touching his most excellent disposition his industry and wonderful readiness to assist the endeavours of good men may be known to any man as well as your self by his most excellent actions and works yet can it not be denied that the greatest of his Praises are better known to you than any other by reason of the intimate acquaintance you had with him and your continual living in the house and dealing with him for many years together Come on therefore my Gassendus take that pen in hand which has bin accustomed to defend or praise gallant men as well as to explain the Miracles of Nature and the Heavens and think with your self that in so doing you shall profit all the learned honot his and your Countrey advance the glory and splendor of great Person ages and Princes whiles out of that great love you have alwaies borne to him living and dead you shall set forth the true Picture of Peireskius who did incite and assist all men to be vertuous nor only to be seen but imitated also by them As for me who have alwaies so accounted of Peireskius as one in whom Nature was chiefly intended to try her strength in producing such a man as might want nothing excellent and comely as far as mortal nature was capable so that I cannot set him forth with words as I ought because the riches of his Merits have impoverished my Rhetorick therefore I most earnestly beseech you to take this one task in hand and I shall then conceive the piety of my self and others satisfied who are bound to prosecute the memory of Peireskius with eternal honour and grateful veneration if by you both the present Age and future Generation shall be made to understand that Peireskius was not only most learned and most munificent which the whole world can witnesse but a man most great and good beyond comparison a prime Patron of learned men one for prudence and learning and all kind of virtues so excellent that he ought in that respect to be reckoned amongst the miracles of our Age and honored accordingly Farewel and read