Alexander the Great Who sending to the Oracle of Delphos to know what should futurely betide him Answer was returned that his life should continue for a long season if it were not endangered by a Chariot Whereupon the King gaue strict and expresse commandement That all the Chariots within his kingdome should be pluckt in pieces and no further vse to be made of them and that no new ones should be after made neither would hee come neere vnto places that had any reference or relation to such a name Notwithstanding all his preuention hee was soone after slaine by Pausonias who wore at that time a sword which had a Chariot grauen vpon the pommell Dioclesian a man of a base and obscure parentage in Dalmatia serued as a common soldier in France and elsewhere vnder diuers and sundry Emperors Vpon a time reckoning with his Hostesse of the house wherein he was billited who was one of the sooth-saying Druides she told him that he was too penurious and did not beare the noble minde of a Souldier To whom he made answer That hee then reckoned with her according to his poore meanes and allowance and merrily added That if euer hee came to be made Emperor of Rome he would then shew himself much more bountifull To whom first looking stedfastly in his face she replied Souldier thou hast spoken truer than thou art aware of for after thou hast killed one Aper which signifieth a Boare thou shalt be made Caesar semper Augustus and weare the Imperiall Purple Dioclesian smiled and receiued it from her as a deliâ—ement or scoffe because hee had before bated her of her reckoning Yet after that time hee tooke great delight in the hunting and killing of Boares But diuers Emperors succeeding one another and he finding little alteration in his fortune hee was frequently wont to say I still kill the Boares but there be others that eat the flesh Yet in processe of time it happened that a potent man called Aper hauing married the sister of the Emperour Numerianus layd violent hands vpon his brother in law and most traiterously slew him For which facinerous act being apprehended by the souldiers and brought into that part of the Army where Dioclesian was who by reason of his long seruice was had in reputation with the prime Commanders the souldiers now demanding what should be done with the Traitor it was concluded amongst them that he should be at Dioclesians dispose who presently demanding of him his name and he answering Aper without further pause he drew his sword vttering these words And this Aper or Boare shall be added to the rest presently ranne him through the body and slew him Which done the soldiers commending it for an act of justice without further deliberation saluted him by the name of Emperor I haue read in the Chronicle of France concerning one of the French Henries That Gonvarus an Italian Astrologer hauing calculated his Natiuitie wrote vnto him about fiue yeares before the strange disaster of his death happened That the Starres and Planets threatned him in the one and fortieth yeare of his age with a dangerous wound in the head by which he should be strooke either blinde or dead and therefore aduised him to beware of tilts tourneys or any the like violent exercises for the space of that yeare Notwithstanding which in the predicted yeare at the solemne and pompous celebration of his Sisters mariage with the young King of Spaine after hee had three dayes together with great successe and generall applause demeaned himselfe in those Chiualrous exercises of Tilt and Barriers though hee was much persuaded by the Queene and entreated by the Lords after the breaking of many staues to giue ouer yet nothing could preuaile with him insomuch that in the very later end of the day when most of the Spectators were risen and departed out of the Tilt-yard he called to the Count Montgomerie Captain of his Guard earnestly importuning that he would runne one course more with him Which when hee sought by all meanes possible to excuse pretending many vnwilling delayes he tooke a speare and thrust it into his hand compelling him to another encounter in which he was most vnfortunately slaine by a splinter of the staffe that entring at the sight of his beauer pierced his braine and so concluded the great solemnitie with his owne lamentable Tragedie Before this accident happened in the beginning of the triumph one Nostrodanus told vnto diuers of the Kings seruants in secret that the King would be in great danger of death before the Tournament was fully finished And which is most remarkable a Merchants sonne of Paris a childe of about six yeares old not fully seuen being brought thither that day by his father and mother to see the Tilting at euery course the King ranne hee was heard to cry out aloud They will kill the King ô they will kill the King Plato was of opinion That children are no sooner born but they haue one of those Spirits to attend them which doth first copulate and conioyne the soule vnto the body and after being grown vnto some maturitie teach instruct and gouerne them The Academiques held That Spirits behold all mens actions and assist them that they know all our apprehensions and cogitations and when the Soule is deliuered from the Body they bring it before the high Iudge That they are questioned about our good or bad actions their testimonie being much preualent either to excuse or aggrauate That also they are vigilant ouer vs either sicke or in health waking or sleeping and especially in the very article and point of death oftentimes inspiring the parting Soule with a diuination surpassing all humane knowledge For instance Pheceredes Cyrus being vpon his death bed predicted victorie against the Magnesians which fell out accordingly And Possidonius telleth vs That a Rhodian dying nominated six men and told who should die first who second who third and so in order till he came to the last Neither did he any way faile in his prediction Porphirius was of opinion That not one onely but many Spirits or Genij had the charge of one and euery man one hauing care ouer his health another indulgent ouer his beauty and feature another to infuse into him courage and constancie c. But Iamblicus was of a contrarie assertion affirming That many needed not when one being of so pure and refined a nature was sufficient Some haue affirmed Spirits to be of diuers qualities therefore to worke in men according to their owne dispositions diuers effects Affirming That those AEthereall or Fierie stirre vp men to contemplation the Airy to the businesse and common affaires of this life the Waterie to pleasure the Earthy to base and gripple auarice So likewise the Martiall Spirits incite vs to fortitude the Ioviall to prudence the Venereall to lust the Mercuriall to policie and wisedome the Lunarie to fertilitie and plenty
all praise to him is due The sev'rall Classes that are held Amongst the Angels that rebel'd Of Lucifer the principall And his strange figure since his Fall Of such as most in pow'r excell And of their gouernment in hell Their Order Offices and Names With what prioritie each claimes The list of those that fell from blisse The knowledge that in Daemons is And how far stretcht Next of their wrath Tow'rds Mankinde and what bounds it hath Discov'ry of those ginnes and snares They lay t' entrap men vnawares Of Compacts common in all Ages And of the Astrologomages The Argument of the eighth Booke MICHAEL OF Sathans Wiles and Feats prestigious Appearing wondrous and prodigious Confirm'd by histories far sought Of Nouels by bad Daemons wrought And first of such is made expression That still with Mankinde seeke congression To whose fall they themselues apply Call'd Succubae and Incubi To finde those further we desire Of Water Earth the Aire and Fire And what their workings be to know As well aboue as here below How Authors 'mongst themselues agree What Genij and Spectars bee Faunes Sylvans and Alastores Satyrs and others like to these With stories mixt that grace may win From such as are not verst therein The Argument of the ninth Booke GABRIEL OF Spirits call'd Lucifugi From flying light I next apply My neere-tyr'd Pen of which be store In Mines where workmen dig for oare Of Robin Good-fellow and of Fairies With many other strange vagaries Done by Hob-goblins I next write Of a Noone-Diuell and a Buttry-Sp'rite Of graue Philosophers who treat Of the Soules essence and her seat The strange and horrid deaths related Of learn'd Magitions animated By Sathan the knowne Trutht ' abjure And study Arts blacke and impure Of Curious Science last the vanitie Grounded on nothing but incertaintie And that no Knowledge can abide the Test Like that in sacred Scripture is exprest The Seraphim Ex sumptib Tho Mainwaringe Armig THE ARGVMENT OF the first Booke A Ioue Principium the Creator Of all that liue sole Animator Atheisme and Sadducisme disputed Their Tenents argued and refuted A Deitie approv'd by all Gods Creatures in generall Into the world how false gods came And first began t' vsurpe that Name A Quaere made the world throughout To finde this God of whom some doubt 2 Argument The blessed Seraph doth imply The loue we owe to the most High INspire my Purpose fauour mine Intent O thou All-knowing and Omnipotent And giue me leaue that from the first of daies I Dust and Ashes may resound thy praise Able me in thy quarrell to oppose And lend me Armor-proofe t' encounter those Who striue t' eclipse thy glory all they can The Atheist Sadduce and Mahumetan That there 's a God who doubts who dares dispute Be'ng in it selfe a maxime absolute Which fundamentall Truth as it is seen In all things Light or Darke Wither'd or Green In Length Bredth Height Depth what is done or said Or hath existence in this Fabricke made By the word Fiat so amongst the rest In mans owne Conscience it is deep'st exprest Who 's he looks vp and sees a glorious Star Be 't fixt or wandering to appeare from far In bright refulgence can so stupid be Not to acknowledge this great Deity Who shall the Sun 's vnwearied progresse view As at the first creation fresh and new In lustre warmth and power still giuing chere To Plants to Beasts to Mankinde euery where Wh'obserues the Moon a lower course to range Inconstant and yet constant in her Change Ty'd to her monthly vicissitude And doth not thinke she also doth include A soueraigne power Looke downe the earth suruey The Floures Herbs Shrubs and Trees and see how they Yearely product The store of Herds and Flocks Grasing on pastures medowes hills and rocks Some wilde beasts others to mans vse made tame And then consider whence these creatures came Ponder the Wels Ponds Riuers Brooks Fountains The lofty Hils and super eminent Mountains The humble Valley with the spatious Plaine The faire cloath'd Medowes and full fields of graine The Gardens Desarts Forrests Shelues and Sands Fertilitie and Barrennesse of Lands Th' vnbounded Sea and vastitie of Shore All these expresse a Godhead to adore Be not in thy stupiditie deluded Thinke but how all these in one bulke included And rounded in a ball plac'd in the meane Or middle hauing nought whereon to leane So huge and pond'rous and yet with facilitie Remain immov'd in their first knowne stabilitie How can such weight that on no Base doth stand Be sway'd by lesse than an Almighty hand Obserue the Sea when it doth rage and rore As menacing to swallow vp the Shore For all the Ebbs and Tydes and Deeps profound Yet can it not encroch beyond his bound What brain conceiues this but the Power respects Which these things made moues gouerns and directs Do but ô man into thy selfe descend And thine owne building fully apprehend Comprise in one thy Body and thy Mind And thou thy selfe a little World shalt find Thou hast a nimble body to all motion Pliant and apt thou hast at thy deuotion A soule too in the which no motion 's seene But from all eyes hid as behind a skreene Th' effects we may behold from whose command The gestures come yet see we not the hand By which Th' are mov'd nor the chiefe Master He Who is prime Guide in our agilitie Is not so great of these things th'admiration So excellent a Worke of power to fashion Atheists anew and bring them to the way Let 's heare but what their owne Philosophers say One thus affirmes There 's no capacious place In Mans Intelligence able to embrace Th'incomprehensible Godhead and yet trace His steps we may his potencie still seeing In euery thing that hath on earth a being Saith Auicen He reason wants and sence That to a sole God doth not reuerence A third Who so to heav'n directs his eies And but beholds the splendor of the skies Almost incredible and doth not find There must of force be an Intelligent mind To guide and gouerne all things A fourth thus and the most learned of them doth discusse Seeming amongst the Heathen most to know There is a God from whom all good things flow To sing to the great God let 's neuer cease Who gouerns Cities People and gown'd Peace He the dull Earth doth quicken or make tame The Tempests and the windy Seas reclaime He hath the gouernment of States can quell Both gods and men his pow'r is seene in Hell Whose magnitude all visible things display He gouerns them with an impartial sway Where e're thou mov'st where so thou turnst thine eie Ev'n there is God there Ioue thou may'st espie His immense pow'r doth beyond limit run It hath no bound for what he wills is done What so thou seest throughout the world by day
of the Swanne aboue whose wings the Horse extenderh his hoofe and aboue the Horse Aquarius is listed and neere vnto him Capricornus Vnder the feet of Aquarius lieth the great Austriue Fish Before Cephaeus Cassiopeia and Perseus extendeth his foot vnto the backe of the Charioter Ouer the head of Perseus Cassiopeia is seene to walke Betwixt the Swanne and him that resteth vpon his knee the Harpe is placed in middest of whom aboue from the East the Dolphine is seene vnder whose taile is discouered the AEgle and the next vnto her is the Serpentarie Hauing spoke of the Boreal Circle wee come now vnto the Austral Vnder the sting of the Scorpion is the Altar placed and vnder his body the fore-parts of the Sagittarie are seene so farre as he is Beast his hinder foot is eminent in another part of the Australl Circle Neere to the Centaures priuy parts the taile of Hydra and the Crow At the knees of the Virgin is placed the Vrne vpon the left hand of Orion which is also called Incola Fluvius which some stile Padus others Eridamus lieth vnder the feet of Orion The Hare is next seene to shine with great refulgence and iust at his heeles Laelaps or the Dog with extraordinarie brightnesse behinde whose taile Argoë or the Ship hath station Orion stretcheth his hand towards the foot of the Bull and with his feet comes very neere to the Gemini The backe part of the Dog is aboue the head of the Ramme and the Deltoton or Triangle not far from the feet of Andromeda The Whale is beneath Aries and Pisces and the connexion of the two Fishes haue one common star c. Of the twelue Coelestiall Signes I haue spoken sufficiently already but of the other Stars in which I haue been very briefe it shall not be amisse to giue some of them a more large expression Of Draco or the Dragon we reade Caesar Germanicus thus Immanis Serpens sinuosa volumina torquet Hinc atque hinc superatque illas mirabile monstrum c. This Dragon of immense magnitude was appointed by Iuno to be the sleeplesse keeper of the Orchard wherin the Hesperian Apples grew whom Hercules in his aduenture to fetch thence the golden Apples as Pannaces Heracleus relateth slew and bore them thence To the perpetuall memorie of which facinerous act Iupiter translated both him and the Dragon into the Stars both in the same postures according to the successe of the fight the Dragon with his head cut off and he leaning vpon one knee his arms extended vpwards and his right foot stretched towards the Monster And therefore he is said to hold the skinne of the Nemaean Lion in his left hand for a perpetuall memory that naked and vnarmed he slew him singly in the forrest Inde Helicen sequitur senior baculoque minatur Se velle Artophilax c. Boâ—tes called also Auriga and Artophilax is said to be the Keeper or driuer of the Chariot which is the Septentriones Some report him to be Archas the sonne of Iupiter from whom the Prouince of Arcadia had after it's denomination Him Lycaon the sonne of Pelasgus entertaining Iupiter at a banquet caused to be cut in pieces and his limbs being cook'd after sundry fashions to be serued in to the table of purpose to proue whether he were a god or no. At which barbarous inhumanitie Iupiter iustly incensed burnt vp his pallace with lightning from heauen and after built there a city which was called Trapezos Lycaon he transhaped into a Wolfe and caused the dismembred limbes of Archas to be gathered together which hauing re-vnited he breathed in them new life and after committed him to a certain Goat-heard to be educated and brought vp Who after meeting his mother in the Forrest not knowing her would haue rauished for which the inhabitants of the Lycaean mount would haue slain him But Iupiter to free them both transfer'd them to the Stars where they are knowne by the name of the great and lesser Beare Him Homer calls Bootes Clara Ariadneae propius stant signa Coronae Hunc illi Bacchus thalami memor addit honorem It is said to be Ariadnes Crowne which Liber Pater or Bacchus caused to haue place amongst the stars which he presented vnto her at their espousals in the Isle of Creet But he who writes the Cretan historie saith That when Bacchus came to King Minor to demand his daughter in marriage hee presented vnto her that Crowne made by Vulcan in Lemnos the materials whereof were onely gold and pretious fulgent gems of such maruellous splendor that it lighted and guided Theseus through the intricate and darke Labyrinth Which was not translated into the Heauens til after their being in Naxos Isle It is still seene to shine with many splendant stars vnder the taile of the Lion Tempora laeva premit parti subiecta Draconis Summa genu subversa tenet qua se Lyra volvit The Harpe is said to haue place amongst the Stars for the honour of Mercury who made the first after the figure of a Tortois with seuen strings according to the number of the Pleiades daughters to Atlas which after he presented to Apollo Some attribute the inuention thereof to Orpheus by reason that hee was son to Calliope one of the Muses and composed it of nine strings suting with their number The musicke thereof was said to be of such sweetnesse that it attracted the eares of beasts and birds nay of trees and stones Moreouer it so preuailed ouer the Infernall Powers that by it he recouered his wife Euridice from hell Hee adoring Apollo more than any other of the gods and neglecting Liber Pater who honoured him the god being grieuously incenst against him whilest he was one day sitting on the mountain Pangoeus waiting for the Sun-rising Bacchus stirred vp the Bacchanalian women against him who with barbarous violence falling vpon him plucked him asunder limbe from limbe for so Eschilus writes the pieces of his body being after collected were buried in the Lesbian mountains and his Harpe after his death bestowed vpon Musaeus at whose entreatie Iupiter placed it amongst the Stars Cygnus de thalamis candeus qui lapsus adulter Furta Iovis falsa volucer sub imagine texit The Swanne was therefore said to haue place in the Firmament because Iupiter transfiguring himselfe into that shape flew into a part of the Atticke region and there comprest Nemesis who was also called Laeda for so saith Crates the Tragicke Poet. She was deliuered of an egge which being hatched brought forth Helena but because Iupiter after the act was done flew backe againe into heauen in the same shape he left the figure thereof amongst the Stars c. Cepheus extremam tangit Cynosurida Caudam Cepheus according to Euripides and others was King of AEthiopia who exposed his
part And then thy last day shall appeare It thou mayst neither wish nor feare I cannot passe Poetry without some Character though neuer so briefe Now what Poets are or at least ought to be Horrace lib. de stat Poet. thus contractedly deliuereth vnto vs Ille bonis faveat concilietur Amice c. The Good he fauors as to them a Friend The Angry swayes loues those that feare t' offend He onely praiseth and desires to tast Those Viands on a thrifty table plac't Iustice he loues and feares the higher Powers Nor cares who lookes on his retyred houres Counsell he honors and dares pray aloud Fortune may court the Wretch and curbe the Proud Of the great respect and honor conferred vpon them in antient times and how those Dignities vnmeritedly are since taken from them and they in succeeding Ages vilified Ovid lib. 3. de Arte Amand. not without great cause thus ingeniously complaineth Quid petitur sacris nisi tantum fama Poëtis c. What more do sacred Poets seeke than Fame Of all our Labours 't is the soueraigne aime Poets of Dukes and Kings were once the care And great rewards propos'd for what was rare A Holy-state and Venerable Stile Was then conferr'd on him who did compile Any braue Worke a name he did inherit And mighty wealth was throwne vpon his merit In the Calabrian mountaines Ennius had His pleasant Gardens Then was Scipio glad To haue but such a Neighbour and to chuse Selected houres to spend vpon his Muse. But now the Bayes are without honour worne For what 's a Poet but a name of scorne Yet let 's not sleepe our Fame since Homer dead Should this day be were not his Iliads read Antonius Mancinellus speaking in the praise of Poets writeth to this purpose By Nature they are strengthened by the power of the Minde inflamed and by Diuine Rapture inspired Rightly therefore did old Ennius call them Holy as those commended vnto vs by the gift and bounty of the gods The Coliphonians claime Homer to be their Citisen the Chij challenge him the Salamines would vsurpe him the Smyrnaeans ingrosse him and three more of the most potent Cities of Greece erected Monuments after his death to eternise him So deare was Ennius to Africanus that he afforded him a Graue amongst the antient and ennobled Family of the Scipio's Theophanes Mylitides receiued a whole City as a Gift which was then held too small a reward for one Poëm Alexander the Great held the richest Casket taken among the spoiles of Darius scarce worthy to preserue the Works of Homer in The same Alexander surprising Thebes preserued a great part of the City onely for Pindarus the Poets sake Those Murtherers who priuatly slew Archilichus Apollo himselfe reuealed and caused his death to be reuenged Sophocles the Prince of the Cothurnate Tragedie being dead at such time when Lysander beguirt the walls of Lacedemon the King was warned in a dream by Liber Pater to afford his Delight for so the god called him an honored sepulchre Poetry is a Study which instructeth Youth delighteth Old-age graceth Prosperitie solaceth Aduersitie pleaseth at home delighteth abroad shortneth the night comforteth the day trauelleth with vs dwelleth with vs c. The greatest Orators made vse of Poëms both for the strengthning of their Causes and ornament of their eloquence as we may reade in Cicero Asinius Hörtensius and others who frequently quoted the ingenious Phrases and graue sentences of Ennius Pacuvius Lucillius Terentius Caecilius c. Euripides the sonne of Muesarchides and Clito his father was no better than a Victualler and his mother got the other part of their liuing by selling of sallads an Herbe-wife as wee call them yet he proued to be the greatest Fauorit that King Archelaus had And Sophocles the Tragicke Poet was graced and honoured by all the Learned of his time and bore the prime office of Magistracie in the city where he liued The Poet Aratus in Grammar the scholler of Menecrates and in Philosophy of Timon and Menedemus flourished in the 124 Olympiad in the time that Antigonus the sonne of Poliarcetes reigned in Macedonia with whom euen to his last expiration he liued in great estimation and honour Aulus Licinius Archias a Poet borne in Antiochia was indeered to the best and greatest Orators in Rome and more particularly graced by the Family of the Luculli He was honored of many Greeke Heroës and had rich Presents sent from their prime Cities but he was especially endeered to Cicero Aristonius a Comicke Poet liued vnder Philadelphus and was Master of the kings Library after Apollonius Arrianus was a Poet in whom the Emperor Tiberius Caesar was much delighted for so Tranquillus reporteth Cyrus Panopolita was greatly honoured by the Empresse Eudoxia Cherilus Samius liued about the 63 Olympiad and was no more than Seruant vnto Herodotus the Historiographer who writing the Expedition of the Greekes against Xerxes was for euery verse in his Poëme rewarded with a piece of gold to the value of 16 shillings foure pence sterling Gorgius borne amongst the Leontini in Sicily was endeared to Critias and Alcibiades in their height of Fortune and to Pericles and Thucidides in the extremitie of his age Caius Manilius was the first that wrot any Astrologicall Poëm in Latine which he dedicated to Augustus Caesar and by him was greatly respected and rewarded Lenaeus a freed-man of Pompeys but after his friend and companion in all his expeditions surviving his Lord because Salust the historiographer had spoken bitterly against him after his death hee inueighed against him in a most sharpe Satyre calling him Lastaurus Lurchon Nebulâ— popinarius and Monstrous both in life and historie and moreouer a manifest Theefe from Cato and diuers other antient Writers Menander a Comicke Poet of Athens who writ fourescore in number had great honours done vnto him by the Kings of AEgypt and Macedon Homerus Iunior liued about the time of Hesiod the son of Andromachus and borne in Byzantium he writ 57 Tragedies and as Zezes in his Commentaries vpon Lycophron affirmes for one of them called Pleiades and dedicated to King Ptolomaeus he was greatly fauoured and royally rewarded Oppianus was of Silicia and borne in a City called Anazarbum The Roman Emperour Severus being inuested before the City and after paâ—le being congratulated both by the Optimates and Plebe he was onely neglected and not thought worthy a salutation by this Oppianus Hee therefore commanded him to be banished into an Island called Melita scituate neere vnto the Adriaticke sea In which place he wrot a noble Poëm Piscibusâ— which after the death of the emperour Severus he dedicated to his sonne Antoninusâ— for which Worke hee was recalled from exile and to recompence his injurie for euery verse in his Poëm he guerdoned him with a piece of gold But soone after returning with his father into his
About each roome blacke waters such as did Neuer see day Tysephone vp takes A scourge her vnkemb'd locks craule with liue Snakes Of such aspect th' Immortall eyes abhor her She in her rage doth driue the Ghosts before her Ixion there turn'd on his restlesse Wheele Followes and flies himselfe doth tortures feele For tempting Iuno's Chasti'ty Titius stretcht Vpon the earth and chain'd whose body reacht In length nine acres hath for his aspiring A Vulture on his intrals euer tyring Starv'd Tantalus there 's punisht for his sin Ripe Fruits touching his lip fresh Waues his chin But catching th' one to eat th' other to drinke The Fruit flies vp the Waters downeward shrinke There Danaus Daughters those that dar'd to kill Their innocent sleeping husbands striue to fill With waters fetcht from Lethe leaking tunnes Which as they poure out through the bottom runnes Another thus The Ghosts of men deceast Are exercis'd in torments hourely'encreast Where ev'ry punishment's exactly fitted According to th' offence in life committed Some you shall there behold hang'd vp on hye Expos'd to the bleake windes to qualifie Their former hot Lusts. Some are head-long cast Into deepe gulfes to wash their sinnes fore-past Others are scorcht in flames to purge by fire More cap'itall crimes that were in nature higher They with the lesse delinquents most dispence But mighty plagues pursue the great offence For all men suffer there as they haue done Without the least hope of euasion The sinne doth call th' offendor to the Bar The Iudges of the Bench vnpartiall ar ' No Nocent there the Sentence can evade But each one is his owne example made For when the Soule the Body doth forsake It turnes not into Aire as there to make It's last account Nor let the Wicked trust Their Bodies shall consume in their owne dust For meet they shall againe to heare recited All that was done since they were first vnited And suffer as they sinn'd in wrath in paines Of Frosts of Fires of Furies Whips and Chaines Yet contrary to this some Authors write As to the first opinion opposite Who to that doubt and diffidencie grow To question if there be such place or no. After our deaths saith one can there appeare Ought dreadfull when we neither see nor heare Can ought seeme sad by any strange inuention To him that hath nor fence nor apprehension Shall not all things involv'd in silence deepe Appeare to vs lesse frightfull than our sleepe Or are not all these feares confer'd vpon Th' infernall Riuers Styx and Acheron After our deaths in this our life made good No miserable Ghost plung'd in the floud Feares any stone impending full of dread Each minute space to fall vpon his head 'T is rather a vaine feare that hath possest vs Poore Mortals of the gods pow'r to molest vs That in this life may by the helpe of Fate Our fortunes crush and ruine our estate No Vulture doth on Titius intrals pray 'T is a meere Emblem that we fitly may Confer on passionat Tyteruâ—s and inuented To perso'nate such as are in Loue tormented Or with like griefe perplext c. Heare Seneca Is the fame true saith he that to this day Holds many in suspence That in the jawes Of Hell should be maintain'd such cruell Lawes That Malefactors at the Bar bee'ng try'de Are doom'd such horrid torments to abide Who is the Iudge to weigh in equall skale The Right or Wrong Who there commands the gaile Thus say the Ethnycks but we now retyre And from the Scriptures of this place enquire Hell is the Land of Darknesse desolate Ordain'd for Sinne to plague the Reprobate All such as to that dreadfull place descend Taste death that cannot die end without end For life begets new death the mulct of sin And where the end is it doth still begin Th' originall name we from the Hebrewes haue Sceol which is a Sepulchre or Graue Which nothing else but Darknesse doth include To which in these words Iob seemes to allude Before I go not to returne againe Into the Land where Darkenesse doth remaine Deaths dismall shadow to that Land I say As Darkenesse darke where is no sight of Day But Deaths blacke shadow which no order keepes For there the gladsome Light in Darkenesse sleepes The place where euerlasting Horror dwells 'T is call'd Gehenna too as Scripture tells The word it selfe imports The Land of Fire Not that of the knowne nature to aspire And vpward flame this hath no visi'ble light Burnes but wasts not and addes to Darknesse Night 'T is of invisi'ble substance and hath pow'r Things visible to burne but not deuour A Maxime from antiquity 't hath been There 's nothing that 's Immortall can be seen Nor is it wonder that this fire we call Invisible yet should torment withall For in a burning Feuer Canst thou see The inward flame that so afflicteth thee In Hell is Griefe Paine Anguish and Annoy All threatning Death yet nothing can destroy There 's Ejulation Clamor Weeping Wailing Cries Yels Howles Gnashes Curses neuer failing Sighes and Suspires Woe and vnpittied Mones Thirst Hunger Want with lacerating Grones Of Fire or Light no comfortable beames Heate not to be endur'd Cold in extreames Torments in ev'ry Attyre Nerve and Vaine In ev'ry Ioint insufferable paine In Head Brest Stomake and in all the Sences Each torture suting to the soule offences But with more terror than the heart can thinke The Sight with Darknesse and the Smel with Stinke The Taste with Gall in bitternesse extreme The Hearing with their Curses that blaspheme The Touch with Snakes Todes crauling about them Afflicted both within them and without them Hell 's in the Greeke call'd Tartarus because The torments are so great and without pause 'T is likewise Ades call'd because there be No objects that the Opticke Sence can see Because there 's no true temp'rature Avernus And because plac'd below 't is styl'd Infernus The Scriptures in some place name it th' Abisse A profound place that without bottom is As likewise Tophet of the cries and houles That hourely issue from tormented Soules There the Soules faculties alike shall be Tormented in their kindes eternally The Memory to thinke of pleasures past Which in their life they hop'd would euer last The Apprehension with their present state In horrid paines those endlesse without date The Vnderstanding which afflicts them most To recollect the great joyes they haue lost And these include Hells punishments in grosse Namely the paines of Torment and of Losse If we enquire of Lucian after these Betwixt Menippus and Philonides His Dialogue will then expressely tell How he and such like Atheists jeast at Hell The Dialogue HAile to the front and threshold of my dore Which I was once in feare toâ—haue seene no more How gladly I salute thee hauing done My voyage and againe behold the
potest res i. Nothing is sensible either to touch or to be touched but that which may be called a Body God created three liuing Spirits saith Gregor lib. Dialog The first such as are not couered with flesh the second that are couered with flesh but doth not die with the flesh the third both with flesh couered and with the flesh perisheth The first Angels the second Men the third Brutes The wise Socrates was accustomed to say That the whole Man was the Minde or Soule and the Body nothing else but the couer or rather the prison thereof from whence being once freed it attained to it 's proper jurisdiction and then onely began to liue blessedly Erasm. in Declamat de Morte and learned Seneca saith That as he which liueth in another mans house is troubled with many discommodities and still complaining of the inconuenience of this room or that euen so the Diuine part of Man which is the Soule is grieued now in the head now in the foot now in the stomacke or in one place or other Signifying thereby That he liueth not in a Mansion of his owne but rather as a Tenant who expecteth euerie houre to be remoued from thence The Soule of Man saith Saint Augustine aut regitur à Deo aut Diabolo It is either gouerned by God or by the Diuell The Eye of the Soule is the Minde it is a Substance created inuisible incorporeall immortall like vnto God and being the Image of the Creator Lib. de Definition Anim. Et sup Genes addit Omnis Anima est Christis Sponsa aut Diaboli Adultera Euery Soule is either the Spouse of Christ or the Strumpet of the Diuell Saint Bernard Serm. 107 vseth these words Haue you not obserued That of holy Soules there are three seuerall states the first in the corruptible Body the second without the Body the third in the Body glorified The first in War the second in Rest the third in Blessednesse And againe in his Meditat. O thou Soule stamped in the Image of God beautified with his Similitude contracted to him in Faith endowed in Spirit redeemed in Bloud deputed with the Angels made capable of his Blessednesse heire of Goodnesse participating Reason What hast thou to do with Flesh than which no dung-hill is more vile and contemptible Saint Chrisostome likewise De Reparat Laps If wee neglect the Soule neither can we saue the Body for the Soule was not made for the Body but the Body for the Soule He therefore that neglecteth the Superior and respecteth the Inferior destroyes both but hee that doth obserue order and giueth that preheminence which is in the first place though he neglect the second yet by the health of the first he shall saue the second also Isiod Etymol 11. The Soule whilest it abideth in the Body to giue it life and motion is called the Soule when it purposeth any thing it is the Will when it knoweth it is the Minde when it recollecteth it is the Memorie when it judgeth truly it is the Reason when it breatheth the Spirit when passionate it is the Sence And againe Lib. 1. de Summo Bono O thou Man Why dost thou admire the height of the Planets and wonder at the depth of the Seas and canst not search into the depth of thine owne Soule We haue heard the Fathers let vs now enquire what the Philosophers haue thought concerning the Soule There is nothing great in Humane actions saith Seneca in Prouerb but a Minde o◠Soule that disposeth great things Thus saith Plato in Timaeo To this purpose was the Soule ioyned to the Body that it should furnish it with Vertues and Sciences which if it doe it shall be gently welcommed of the Creator but if otherwise it shall bee confined to the inferior parts of the earth Aristotle lib. 2. de Animal saith The Soule is more noble than the Body the Animal than that which is Inanimate the Liuing than the Dead the Being than the Not being Three things saith Macrob. lib. 7. Saturnal there be which the Body receiueth from the prouidence of the Soule That it liueth That it liueth decently and That it is capable of Immortalitie Of Soules saith Cicero 1. Tuscul. Quast there can be found no originall vpon the earth for in them there is nothing mixt or concrete or that is bred from the earth or framed of it for there is nothing in them of substance humor or sollid or fiery For in such natures there is nothing that can comprehend the strength of Memorie the Minde or Thought which can record what is past or foresee things future which do altogether participate of a Diuine nature Neither can it euer be proued that these Gifts euer descended vnto Man but from God himselfe And in another place There is nothing admixt nothing concrete nothing co-augmented nothing doubled in these Minds or Soules Which being granted they can neither be discerned or diuided nor discerpted nor distracted And therefore they cannot perish for perishing is a departure or surcease or diuorce of those parts which before their consumption were ioyned together in a mutuall connexion Phocillides in his Precepts writeth thus Anima est immortalis vivitque perpetuò nec senescit vnquam i. The Soule is immortall liueth euer neither doth it grow old by Time And Philistrio The Soule of a wise man is ioyned with God neither is it death but an euill life that destroyeth it And Egiptius Minacus when one brought him word that his father was dead made the Messenger this answer Forbeare ô Man to blaspheme and speake so impiously for how can my father be dead who is immortall Nicephorus ex Evagrio Panorm lib. de Alphons Reg. gestis relates That the King Alphonsus was wont to say That he found no greater argument to confirme the immortalitie of the Soule than when he obserued the bodies of men hauing attained to their full strength begin to decrease and wax weake through infirmities For all the Members haue the limits and bounds of their perfection which they cannot exceed but arriuing to their height decline and decay But the Mindes and Intellects as they grow in time so they encrease in the abilitie of vnderstanding Vertue and Wisedome Elian. lib. 11. de Varia Historia reporteth of Cercitas Megala Politanus who falling into a most dangerous disease and being asked by such friends as were then about him whether hee were willing to dye O yes said he by any meanes for I desire to depart this world and trauell to the other where I shall be sure to meet with men famous in all kindes of Learning of the Philosophers with Pythagoras of the Historiographers with Hecataeus of the Poets Homerus of Musitions Olympius who by the Monuments of their judgments learning haue purchased to themselues perpetuitie AEneas Sylvius reporteth of the Emperour Fredericke That sojourning in Austria it hapned that one of his principall Noblemen expired who had liued ninety yeares in all
mayst resolue mee how thou shalt be re-created againe Obserue how the Light this day failing shineth againe tomorrow and how the Darknesse by giuing place succeedeth againe in it's vicissitude The Woods are made leauelesse and barren and after grow greene and flourish The Seasons end and then begin the Fruits are first consumed and then repaired most assuredly the Seeds prosper not and bring forth before they are corrupted and dissolued All things by perishing are preserued all things from destruction are regenerated And thou ô Man thinkest thou that the Lord of the Death and the Resurrection will suffer thee therefore to dye that thou shalt altogether perish Rather know That wheresoeuer thou shalt be resolued or what matter soeuer shall destroy exhaust abolish or reduce thee to nothing the same shall yeeld thee vp againe and restore thee For to that God the same nothing belongs who hath all things in his power and prouidence The whole frame of heauen saith Saint Ambrose in Psal. 119 God made and established with one hand but in the creation of Man he vsed both He made not the Heauens to his Similitude but Man He made the Angels to his Ministerie but Man to his Image Saint Augustine super Ioan. Serm. 18. saith One is the life of Beasts another of Men a third of Angels The life of irrational Brutes desireth nothing but what is terrene the life of Angels onely things coelestiall the life of Man hath appetites intermediate betwixt Beasts and Angels If he liueth according to the flesh he leadeth the life of Beasts if according to the Spirit hee associateth himselfe with Angels Hugo in Didasc lib. 1. speaking of the birth of Man saith That all Creatures whatsoeuer Man excepted are bred and born with naturall defences against injuries and discommodities as the Tree is preserued by the Barke the Bird is couered with her Feathers the Fish defended with his Skales the Sheepe clad with his Wooll the Herds and Cattell with their Hides and Haire the Tortoise defended with his Shell and the skin of the Elephant makes him fearelesse of the Dart. Neither is it without cause that when all other Creatures haue their muniments and defences borne with them Man onely is brought into the World naked and altogether vnarmed For behoofull it was that Nature should take care of them who were not able to prouide for themselues But Man borne with Vnderstanding had by his natiue defects the greater occasion offered to seeke out for himselfe that those things which Nature had giuen to other Animals freely he might acquire by his Industry Mans reason appearing more eminent in finding out things of himselfe than if they had freely bin bestowed vpon him by another From which ariseth that Adage Ingeniosa fames omnes excuderit Artes. To the like purpose you may thus read in Chrisostome vpon Mathew God hath created euerie sensible Creature armed and defended some with the swiftnesse of the feet some with clawes some with feathers some with hornes some with shells c. but he hath so disposed of Man by making him weake that he should acknowledge God to be his onely Strength that being compelled by the necessitie of his infirmitie he might still seek vnto his Creator for supply and succour To come to the Ethnycks Solon being asked What Man was made answer Corruption in his birth a Beast in his life and Wormes meat at his death And Silenus being surprised by Mydas and demanded of him What was the best thing which could happen to Man after a long pause and being vrged by the King for an answer burst out into these words The best thing in my opinion that Man could wish for is not to be borne at all And the next thing vnto that is Being borne to be soone dissolued For which answer he was instantly released and set at libertie Phavorinus was wont to say That Men were partly ridiculous partly odious partly miserable The Ridiculous were such as by their boldnesse and audacitie aspired to great things beyond their strength The Odious were such as attained vnto them the Miserable were they who failed in the atchieuing of them Stoeb Serm. 4. King Alphonsus hearing diuers learned men disputing of the miserie of Mans life compared it to a meere Comedie whose last Act concluded with death And saith he no such is held to be a good Poet who doth not wittily and worthily support his Scoenes with applause euen to the last catastrophe Aristotle the Philosopher being demanded What Man was made answer The example of Weakenesse the spoile of Time the sport of Fortune the image of Inconstancie the ballance or scale of Enuy and Instabilitie Stobae Serm. 96. Man saith an other hath not power ouer miseries but miseries ouer him and to the greatest man the greatest mischiefes are incident Cicero saith That to euery man belong two powers a Desire and an Opinion the first bred in the body acciting to pleasure the second bred in the Soule inuiting to goodnesse And that man saith Plato who passeth the first part of his life without something done therein commemorable and praise-worthy ought to haue the remainder of his life taken from him as one vnworthy to liue From the Philosophers we come next to the Poets We reade Homer in his Iliads to this purpose interpreted Quale foliorum genus tale hominum c. As of Leaues is the Creation Such of Man 's the Generation Some are shak'd off by the winde Which strew'd vpon the earth we finde And when the Spring appeares in view Their places are supply'd with new The like of Mankinde we may say Their time fulfil'd they drop away Then they the Earth no sooner strow But others in their places grow Claudian writeth thus Etenim mortalibus ex quo Terra caepta coli nunquam sincera bonorum c. To mortall men by whom the earth began First to be cultur'd there is none that can Say hee 's sincerely happy or that Lot Hath design'd him a temper without spot Him to whom Nature giues an honest face The badnesse of his manners oft disgrace Him whom endowments of the Minde adorne Defects found in the body make a scorne Such as by War their noble fames encrease Haue prov'd a very pestilence in Peace Others whom peacefull bounds could not containe We oft haue knowne great fame by Armes to gaine He that can publique businesse well discharge Suffers his priuat house to rome at large And such as fault can with another finde To view their owne defects seeme dull and blinde He that created all and He alone Distributes all things but not all to one Iacobus Augustus Thuanus in his Title Homo Cinis you may reade thus Disce Homo de tenui Constructus pulvere qua te Edidit in lucem conditione Deus c. Learne ô thou Man from smallest dust translated On what condition God hath thee created Though thou this day in Gold
griefe cherish And in his minde growes witty how to perish But Wretch remoue the Visard and that terror Before so horrid thou shalt finde vaine error A Meditation vpon the former Tractate I. TO rip vp Gods great Counsels who shall striue Or search how far his hidden works extend Into the treasure of his wonders diue Or thinke his Maiestie to comprehend These things are granted vnto none aliue For how can such as know not their owne end Nor can of their beginning reason show Presume his Pow'r aud Might vnspeakable to know II. If He should say Weigh me the weight of Fire Or striue to call backe Yesterday that 's past To measure out the Windes I thee desire Or search the dwellings of the Ocean Vast How the Seas flow or how their Ebbes retyre Or in what moulds the Sun and Moone were cast Whence thou hadst life and fashion in the wombe Or wherfore born thence now to seek a second tomb III. Sure thou wouldst answer Fire cannot be weigh'd Or if What ballance can the heat sustaine And of the Windes what measure can be made For I shall striue t' imprison them in vaine And how the chambers of the Depth are layd Which none hath seene that hath return'd againe Or who the Houres already past can summe Or by his art preuent those seasons are to come IV. How should I frame a Modell so capatious In which to cast the body of the Sunne Or of the Moone so infinitely spatious Or truly tell the courses that they run Neither can humane wit proue so audatious To question of his end e're he begun Neither with our weake sence doth it agree To find how meere from nothing we first came to bee V. If of the Fire which thou dost hourely try If of the Winde which blowes vpon thy face If of the Day which dayly passeth by And what is now to morrow hath no place Or those bright Planets mouing in the sky Which haue Times Daughters in perpetuall chase Or if the Seas abisse thou canst not sound To search whose chanels yet there neuer line was found VI. If of thy selfe thou canst no reason show By all the vnderstanding thou canst claime How in the wombe thou first beganst to grow Or how thy life into thy body came Yet all these things to be we see and know They lie before vs and we giue them name But if we cannot show the reason why How can we search the mysteries of the most Hye VII Number we may as well the things to come Gather the scatter'd drops of the last raine The sands that are vpon the shore to summe Or make the wither'd Floures grow fresh againe Giue the Mole eyes or speech vnto the Dumbe Or with small Vessels th' Ocean striue to dâ—aine Tell all the glorious stars that shine by night Or make a Sound or Voice apparant to the sight VIII The Forrest of it's lofty Cedars prowd Whose spatious boughes extended neere and far And from the earth the Sun aid seeme to cloud Much glorying in it's strength thinks none should bar His circumscribed limits therefore vow'd Against the mighty Ocean to make war Calling a Councell of each aged Tree Who with vnanimous consent thereto agree IX Like counsell did the curled Ocean take And said Let vs rise vp against the Land Let 's these our spatious borders larger make Nor suffer one tree in his place to stand The Earths foundations we haue pow'r to shake And all their lofty mountaines countermand Much honour by this conflict may be had If we to these our bounds can a new Countrey add X. Yet was the purpose of the Forrest vaine For a Fire came and all the Woods destroy'd And 'gainst the raging practise of the Maine Sands interpos'd and it 's swift course annoy'd Some Pow'r there was which did their spleens restrain For neither of them their intents enioy'd 'Twixt these I make thee Vmpire vse thy skill Which canst thou say did well or which of theÌ„ did ill XI Both their intents were idle thou wilt say And against Nature that they did deuise The Woods were made within their bounds to stay And therefore to transgresse them were vnwise The Seas that quiet in their channels lay And would so proud an action enterprise Be thou the judge betweene each vndertaker Whether they both rebelled not 'gainst their Maker XII For as the Earth is for the Woods ordain'd Fixt there not to remoue their setled station And as the Flouds are in their shores restrain'd But neither to exceed their ordination So must all Flesh in frailty be contain'd For so it hath been from the first Creation And only the things heauenly vnderstand Who are in heav'n and prest at Gods almighty hand XIII If then things supernaturall we finde The depth whereof we cannot well conceiue So abdite and retruse from Mans weake minde Them we into our frailty cannot weave As what 's aboue Capacitie assign'd Those to the first Disposer let vs leaue What 's common amongst men is knowne to all But we may faile in those things metaphysicall XIV But be it euer our deuout intention To be so far remote from all ambition That whatsoeuer's aboue apprehension If it be true and of Diuine condition To quarrell with it in no vaine dissention But rather yeeld hereto with all submission Man made of earth to Earth God did confine Grace from aboue is the free gift of Pow'r Diuine XV. This Grace is the third Person in the Trinitie The second Wisedome and the first all Power To whom that we may haue more free affinitie Let vs submit vs henceforth from this hower And that we may attaine to true Diuinitie Pray That they will their mercies on vs shower Here in this life from Sathan vs defend And after bring vs to that joy which hath no end Crux pendentis est Cathedra docentis S. Augustine THE ANGELL Thom Hammon Armig Rich Gethinge M of the pen. THE ARGVMENT of the ninth Tractat. TO Spirits call'd Lucifugi From shunning Light I next apply My neere-tyr'd Pen of which be store In Mines where workmen dig for Oare Of Robin Good-fellow and of Fairies With many other strange Vagaries Done by Hob-goblins I next write Of a Noone-Diuell and a Buttry-Sprite Of graue Philosophers who treat Of the Soules essence and her seat The strange and horrid deaths related Of learn'd Magitians animated By Sathan the knowne truth t' abiure And study Arts blacke and impure Of Curious Science last the vanity Grounded on nothing but incertainty And that no Knowledge can abide the Test Like that in Sacred Scripture is exprest ¶ The second Argument THe Angell vnto Man knowne best As last of Nine concludes the rest The Angell THree Yong-men of Darius Court contend What thing should strongest be One doth commend Wine to haue chiefe dominion The other sayes The King hath prime place And the third doth praise The pow'r of Women to make others thrall But aboue
them Fairies In solitarie roomes These vprores keepe And beat at dores to wake men from their sleepeâ— Seeming to force locks be they ne're so strong And keeping Christmasse gambols all night long Pots glasses trenchers dishes pannes and kettles They will make dance about the shelues and settles As if about the Kitchen tost and cast Yet in the moruing nothing found misplac't Others such houses to their vse haue fitted In which base murthers haue been once committed Some haue their fearefull habitations taken In desolat houses ruin'd and forsaken Examples faile not to make these more plaine The house wherein Caligula was slaine To enter which none euer durst aspire After his death till 't was consum'd by fire The like in Athens of which Pliny writes In his Epistles As Facetius cites In Halberstad saith he there is a Dwelling Of great remarke the neighbour roofes excelling For architecture in which made aboad A mighty rich man and a belly-god After whose death his soule gon Heav'n knowes whither Not one night fail'd for many moneths together But all the roomes with lighted tapers shone As if the darknesse had beene chac't and gone And Day there onely for his pleasure stay'd In the great chamber where before were made His riotous feasts the casements standing wide Clearely through that transparance is espy'de This Glutton whom they by his habit knew At the boords end feasting a frolicke crew Of lusty stomacks that about him sate Serv'd in with many a costly delicate Course after Course and ev'ry Charger full Neat Seruitors attended not one dull But ready to shift trenchersâ— and fill wine In guilded bowles for all with plate doth shine And amongst them you could not spy a guest But seem'd some one he in his life did feast At this high rate they seem'd to spend the night But all were vanisht still before day light Of Bishop Datius a learn'd Clerke thus saith He for the true profession of his Faith Sent into exile in his difficult way Opprest with penurie was forc'd to stay In Corinth nor there lodging could he haue In any Inne or place conuenient saue A corner house suppos'd to be inchanted And at that time with sundry Diuels haunted There taking vp his lodging and alone He soundly slept till betwixt twelue and one When suddenly he knew not by what cranny The dores bee'ng fast shut to him came a many Of Diuels thronging deckt in sundry shapes Like Badgers Foxes Hedge-hogs Hares and Apes Others more terrible like Lions rore Some grunt like hogs the like ne're heard before Like Bulls these bellow those like Asses bray Some barke like ban-dogs some like horses ney Some howle like Wolues others like Furies yell Scarse that blacke Santus could be match'd in hell At which vp starts the noble Priest and saith O you accursed Fiends Vassals of wrath That first had in the East your habitation Till you by pride did forfeit your saluation With the blest Angels you had then your seat But by aspiring to be god-like great Behold your rashnesse punisht in your features Being transhap'd into base abject creatures This hauing spoke the Spirits disappeard The house of them for euer after clear'd One thing though out of course it may appeare Yet I thought fit to be inserted here The rather too the Reader I prepare Because it may seeme wonderfull and rare Receiue 't as you thinke good or if you please To beleeue Plutarch then his words are these One call'd Enapius a yong man well bred By the Physitions was giv'n out for dead And left to his last sheet After some howers He seem'd to recollect his vitall powers To liue againe and speake The reason why Demanded of his strange recouerie His answer was That he was dead 't was true And brought before th' infernall Bar. They view Him o're and o're then call to them who'haue charge The spirit from the body to inlarge Whom Pluto with the other Stygian Pow'rs Thus threat Base Vassals can we thinke you ours Or worthy our imployment to mistake In such a serious errand Do we make You Officers and Lictors to arrest Such as are call'd to their eternall rest And when we send for one whose dismall fate Proclaimes him dead you bring vs one whose date Is not yet summ'd but of a vertue stronger As limited by vs to liue much longer We sent that with Nicander you should meet A Currier that dwells in such a street And how haue you mistooke This Soule dismisse And fetch his hither to our darke Abisse With that saith he I waken'd His friends sent Vnto the Curriers house incontinent And found him at the very instant dead When he his former life recouered And though meere fabulous this seeme to be Yet is it no impossibilitie Fiends should delude the Ethnicks and on them Confer this as a cunning stratagem To make them thinke that he dispos'd mans breath And had the sole pow'r ouer life and death At nothing more these auerse Spirits aime Than what is Gods vnto themselues to claime Others there are as if destin'd by lot To haue no pow'r but ouer goods ill got For instance One long with the world at strife Who had profest a strict religious life And taken holy Orders at his booke Spending his spare houres to a crafty Cooke Was neere ally'de and at his best vacation Findes out a time to giue him visitation And greets him with a blessing The fat Host Is glad to see his Vncle Sod and Rost He sets before him there is nothing fit To bid him welcome wanting downe they sit The good old man after some small repast More apt to talke than eat demands at last Of his Lay Nephew since he toiles and striues In this vaine world to prosper how he thriues The Cooke first fetcheth a deepe sigh then sayes O Vncle I haue sought my state to raise By ev'ry indirect and law lesse meane Yet still my couetous aimes are frustrat cleane I buy stale meat and at the cheapest rate Then if my Guests complaine I cog and prate Out-facing it for good Sometimes I buy Beeues haue been told me of the murrain dye What course haue I not tooke to compasse riches Ventur'd on some haue been found dead in ditches Bak'd dogs for Venison put them in good paste And then with salt and pepper helpt their taste Meat rosted twice and twice boyl'd I oft sell Make pies of fly-blowne joints and vent them well I froth my cannes in ev'ry jug I cheat And nicke my Ghests in what they drinke or eat And yet with these and more sleights all I can Doth not declare me for a thriuing man I pinch myne owne guts and from others gleane And yet though I shew fat my stocke is leane The good old man though at his tale offended No interruption vs'd till he had ended First hauing shooke his head then crost his brest Cousin said he this lewd life I detest Let me aduise
Augures 47. The vanitie of Augurie 48. Of Idolatry in generall 49. An Emblem 50. A Meditation vpon the precedent Tractat 53. THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND TRACTAT VVHence the multiplicity of gods came 59. The Vnitie of the God-head 60. Arguments to confirme it 61 62. The power and operation of the Planets 63. The Sybils of God 64. The Oracle of God 65. The God-hoods Vnitie not to be diuided 66. The same illustrated 67. The Manichees 68. Mans attributes giuen to God how far they extend ibid. Gods appellations in Scripture 70. Of the Trinitie 71. Reasons why Christ is called Our God 72. Christ typically figured in Aaron 73. Obseruations of the Trin. in Vnitie c. 74. Orators and Philosophers of God 75. Of Gods Vbiquitie 76. Hiero and Simonides 78. Proper names belonging to God 79. Idolatry brought from Asia into Italy 80. Reasons why Atheists doubt of God 82. Pregnant reasons to proue a Deity 83. From the Poets and Philosophers 84 85. Apothegmes concerning God 86. Further of the Poets 90 91 c. Hierogliphyckes of God 93 The Vadiani of God 94 Attributes belonging to God 95. God in all Tongues stiled by foure letters 96. The Fathers of the Trinitie 98. Philosophers Sentences of God 101. Comparison for the further illustration of the Godhood 104. An Emblem 106. A Meditation 108. THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD TRACTAT THe three diuisions of the World Elements Terrest Coelest Super-Coelest 111. Cabalists and Rabbins of Moses Ark. 112. A Consimilitude betwixt the Arke and the World ibid. A second Consimilitude 114. A third consimilitude 115. The best Philosophers of the premisses ibid. Creatures participating diuers Elements 116. Manâ— wisedome the wisedome of the world The birth of Wisedome 117. Her beauty honour sweetnesse and effects 118. Her fruitfulnesse and power 119. At what time Time began 120. The creation of the Sun and Moone 121. Their seuerall offices 122. Of the Stars and Planets according to the Poets Arctos major minor the Serpent Bootes Corona Hercules 123. Lyra Olor Cepheus Cassiopeia Andromeda Perseus Auriga Serpentarius Sagitta 124. Aquila Delphinus Equus Deltoton Pistrix Lepus Orion 125. Lelaps Procion Argo Centaurus Ara Hydra 126. Notius Galaxia 127. Of the twelue Coelestiall Signes and first of Aries ibid. Of Taurus and the Hyades 128. Of Gemini and Cancer 129. Stars called Asini and of the Lion 130. Of Virgo or the Coelestiall Maid 131. The seuen Deadly Sinnes 132. The storie of Icarius and Erigone 133. Fruits of Drunkennesse 134. A remarkable story of a Dog 135. Arctuâ—â—us Canicula Libra Scorpio 137. Sagittarius 138. Capricornus Aquarius 139. Pisces 140. The birth of Venus 141. Of the Worlds originall ibid. The inuention of Letters Writing c. 142. Of Cities The Ages 143. Grammar Rhethoricke Logicke Memorie Geometry Musicke c. 144. Against those who maintaine more Worlds or the eternitie of this 145. The death of Aristole 146. The nobilitie of Mans conceit 147. Annus Magnus Vertens Mundanus ibid. The ridiculousnesse thereof 148. The definition of the World 149. The Fathers concerning the World 150. The Poets of the World and ruin thereof 151. The Philosophers of the World 153. The World defined 154. Philssophers of the beginning of the world 156. Creation from Atomes Number Infinites c. 157. Against Curiositie and vaine Questions 158. Of the foure Elements 160. The Poets of the Ages 161. The Golden Age 162. The Siluer and Brasen Age 163. The Iron Age 164. A diuision of mans Age 165. Of the Yeare called Climatericall 167. Illustrations of the Signes Coelestiall 168. The order of the Starres and the Austral Circle 169. Draco Artophilax 170. Corona Lyra the death of Orpheus c. 171. The Pleiades Virgiliae c. 181. Cometa the motion of the Sun the Bisext or Leap-yeare 182. The Eclipse rules to know faire or foule weather by the Sun 183. Philosophers and Poets of the Moone 184. Coniecture of weather by the Moone 185. An Emblem 186. A Meditation 189. THE CONTENTS OF THE FOVRTH TRACTAT THe three Ternions of Angels with their seuerall offices 194. How they are concatinated among themselues 195. Of such as hold there be no Angels nor Spirits 196. Their opinions confuted 197 Angels and Spirits proued from Dreams ibid. The Dreames of Simonides Sylla M. Artorius Calphurnia Iulius Caesar Amilcar c. 198. The Old and New Testament of Dreams 199. Angels visible and of euill Spirits 200. Rabbi Achiba concerning Spirits 201. Abram Avenzara and Rabbi Azariel of Loue and Hate 202. A story of an Emperor and two Beggars 203. Of Poets and Poetry ibid. A Meditation of Death 204. Honour due to Poets and done vnto them of old 205. A nomination of some of our moderne Poets 206. Buchanans complaint that the Muse is so neglected 207. Buchanans Epigram 208. Spirits Saturnine Iovial and Mercurial 209. The Essence of Angels 210. Sundry opinions of the Fathers concerning Angels 211 To proue them incorporat 212. The Lateran Councell of Angels 213. The difference of their Knowledge 214. Foure Angels over the foure windes ibid. Ouer euery heauen or Sphere 215. Angels of the Zodiacke their offices and names ibid. Foure Angels ouer the foure Elements 216. The obiect of Gods will in the Creation 219 Angels the first creatures made with the light pure the charge they haue ouer Man ibid. Seuerall imployments of Angels in the Scriptures 220. Dreames defined 221. Eudemus Galen Q. Catulus Sophocles Alexand Philosoph Sfortia M. Antonius Torellus Alcibiades Croesus Atterius Ruffus Cambyses Aspatia Tit. Attinius their dreames 223â— c. Histories concerning predictions of Nero Philip of Macedon c. 226. Dioclesian Henry King of France 227. Plato's opinion of Spirits 228. Spirits of diuers qualities and of the Socraticum Daemonium 229. Histories of the same ibid. S. Augustine of the power of Spirits 230. Strange opinions of Spirits and that none can be mortall 231. A discourse of Death from the Poets 232. From the Philosophers 233. From the Fathers 234. A Dialogue concerning death interpreted from Lucian 235. Of Constancie in death 240. A contented life 241. Further of Poetry and Poets 242. A nomination of many famous Greeke Poets 243. The miserie that attends the Muse illustrated by the sad fate of many antient Poees 245. Ioh. Campanius to that purpose 248. M. Edm. Spencers complaint 249. Faustus Andrelinus the like 250. A Spanish Prouerbe interpreted 251. That Spirits can transport men or beasts 252. Histories of strange transportations 253. A story of a Centurion 254. Of a Captiue 255. A Nobleman of Insubria 256. Transportation of Witches 257. Antonius Leo 258. Paulus Grillandus of Witches 259. Medea 260. The velocitie of Spirits 261. Histories to proue the same 262. An Emblem 263. A Meditation 266. THE CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH TRACTAT GOds Power Wisedome and Goodnesse in the Creation 271. The concordance betweene the Seraph and the Primum Mobile 272. Betwixt the Cherubin and the Starry heauen 274. Betwixt the Thrones and Saturne