the Sciences doing that for Posteritie which Antiquitie hath done for vs to the end that Learning be not lost but from day to day may receiue some increase OF THE VARIETY OF THINGS The first Booke INtending to represent according to my ability the interchangeable course and alteration of all things in the worlde together with the causes of the principall chaunges and varieties to be perceiued as well in the superiour as in the inferiour part thereof sithence the time that the first memory of man began euen to this present I most humbly acknowledge the diuine prouidēce of God to be aboue all beleeuing assuredly that God almighty maker and gouernour of this great worke so excellent in beauty so admirable in varietie and so singular in continuance to whome I pray to aydeme in this so high so long so difficult an enterprise hytherto neuer attempted of any is carefull of all affaires happening therein euen to the least contayning in himselfe the beginning the end and the meanes of them all and pursuing the order which he hath giuen to the world from the beginning in creating it will that it be tempered by alternatiue chaunges and maintayned by contraries his eternall essence remayning alwaies one and vnchangeable First of all then the heauen notwithstanding it hath receyued of God the maker thereof many excellencies amongst other creatures beyng round and hauing throughout his extremities or vtmost partes distant or remoued from the middle or inmost parte which is the most perfect figure and most like vnto it selfe on which he hath also bestowed conuenient circular motion exempted from the wandring and inconstancie of others turning it by the same and in the same and to him selfe wherein he doth perseuer yet neuerthelesse since it hath a body it can not wholy warrant or preserue it selfe from alteration chaunge The Auncients made eight spheres in it of the firmament and of the seauen Planets but since haue beene obserued the ninth and the tenth our later Astrologers affirming that the tenth doth turne round about the world in 24. houres goyng by the right side from East to West and by this so swift and impetous motion doth force and cary with it all the other inferiour spheres and doth make them make the same turne in the selfe same space of time although that their proper motions be contrary vnto it drawing on the left side from West to East namely the ninth being the slowest in 49. thousand yeares The eighth to haue two th one of 36. thousand yeres thother of seuen thousand The sphere of Saturne in 30. yeres of Iupiter in 12 of Mars in two of the Sunne Venus Mercury in one yere of the Moone in 28. daies Time also was made with heauen and with the starrs so that hauing had the selfe same beginning they shall also haue the same end when the world shall be dissolued returning into their auncient Chaos and former darknes For the daies moneths yeres and ages which were not before that the heauen and the starres were created incontinently began with them and number was distinguished and obserued by their course That is the entercourse of daies and nights by the daily motion of the firmament The moneth after that the Moone hath gone ouer her whole circle and attained to the sunne The ordinarie yere when the sunne hath accomplished his course The great yere when the seauen Planets and thother fixed starrs returne to their first places representing the same nature which was at the beginning The liues of all things and the prefixed time of their continuance being determined by lesser or greater numbers according to the disposition of the matter whereof they are made springing growing florishing diminishing perishing in certainetimes and by vnequall spaces being reduced to the selfe same end euery one seeling his corruption to be the cause of another generation Insomuch that it seemed vnto Plato that the world was nourished by the consumption and decay of it selfe producing alwaies new creatures vnto the old and raising vp of others like vnto them in the places of those that were perished without suffering the kinds to faile or surcease which by this meanes do alwaies remaine as it were immortall But howbeit the world is round and hath not in it either high or low considering that the place which is in the midst ought not to be termed high or low nor that which compasseth about be called the midst neither hath in it any part differing from the other if regard be had vnto the midst and euery other opposite thing notwithstanding in respect of our selues we say that it hath high low right and left That Pole which we see being termed low according to Aristotle thother which is hidden from vs high And the East whence the first motion proceedeth is the right side The West is the left whence commeth a motion contrary to the former Then the Astrologers and Philosophers affirme that from the superiour part of the world there discendeth a certaine vertue accompained with light and heat which some of them do call the spirit or soule of the world others say it is nature which mingleth it selfe with the masse of this great body penetrating quickening norishing and moderating al these variable thinges vnder the Moone which being of such efficacy beginneth first with the fire and the aire which being moued by the celestial mouings doe afterwardes moue the water and the earth and consequently the natures compounded of these fower Elements as wel men beasts birds and fishes as plants trees herbes and mettals That there is the first mouing whereof do depend all other inferious motions and al essence whatsoeuer That there hence do proceede diuers temperatures of bodies inclinations of mindes manners of men properties of nations vices and vertues health and sicknes force and feeblenes shortnes and length of life mortality riches and pouertie prosperitie and aduersity That there hence al estates and sects do take their beginnings their course continuance and their ends In briefe that al this inferiour world doth obey the superiour is gouerned by it Especially that all humaine affaires do depend thereon and yet are to be preuented by deeds not that such effects doe necessarily come to passe and inuiolably by a fatall Law but that they may be auoided by wisedome or turned from vs by diuine praiers or augmented or diminished or moderated by nurture custome and instruction First that the Sunne lightning all thinges with his beames doth giue euident proofe therof who rising and setting maketh the day and the night by comming towards vs and going from vs causeth the yeres continually to be renewed and by the obliquity or crookednes of the Zodiacke with the helpe of the twelue signes which are in it doth distinguishe by his Solstices and Equinoxes the fower seasons of the sommer and winter of the spring and haruest In the which consisteth the vicissitude of life and death and the change of all thinges
subiecteth it selfe cōtinually to al mouings changings in the same perpetuity that the first mouer moueth formeth neuer faileth to produce these transitory things OF THE VICISSITVDE WHICH THE fower Elements haue amongst them selues and euery one by it selfe THat successiue alteration which is in the inferiour part of the world consisteth principally in the fower Elements of which it is compounded which doe receiue continual change both amongst themselues togither and eche of them seuerally First when the water is thickned it seemes to become a stone or a peece of earth when it vapours away to be breath or aire Also the aire enlightened is conuerted into fire the fire extinguished and thickned is turned into aire againe the aire thickned into mists and clouds whence proceedeth water Also we see of water earth and stones to be ingendred in such sort that they giue one to another by turne and course a continual generation Seeing then they neuer remaine in the same estate it is hard to discerne th one from the other But that which we see to be now of one forme then of another and like vnto fire we must not call it fire but like vnto fire neither water but such a thing as water and so likewise in the rest as thinges which haue not any stability Wee ought not to signifye them by names such as wee vse to demonstrate any thing as when wee say this or that for they flie and will neuer abide this demonstration being onely applyable to thinges which are stable but eche of them ought to bee called such and such according to his similitude as the fire and whatsoeuer else hath generation But that wherein they seeme to bee formed and fashioned agayne ought onely to bee designed by this or that remaining alwaie the same without diminishing either power or faculty and continually receyuing all without retayning euer any semblable forme It is the first matter exposed to all nature to receiue any forme and beyng stirred and formed by those thinges which happen on it sometimes it seemeth to be of one sorte and sometimes of another But the matter that is subiect to such à formation should not be well prepared or ordered if it were not of it selfe without forme and naturally despoyled of all the formes which it is to receiue for if it were like to any of these thinges when his contrary or any other nature should come it could not well represent it hauing the other already wherfore it behoueth it to be exempted of all shapes figures and formes which must receyue into it selfe all kindes Wee will not say than that the mother and receptacle of this inferiour world is the earth the ayre the fire the water or anything which is made of them or whereof they are made but that it is an inuisible nature without forme yet capable of any to be comprehended onely by the vnderstanding with reason and not to be perceiued by the senses that the fire seemeth to be somewhat that is heated and the water somewhat that is moistned likewise the aire and the earth according as it receiueth their formes suffering the other passions which depend of them by meanes whereof it seemeth to be of all formes But because it hath not forces or faculties neyther of the like qualitie nor of the same waight it keepeth not any equalitie but is vnequally moued or stirred of these kindes which againe are moued of it by which motion they are caried hither thither and discerned the one from the other by kinds qualities obseruing the order which is giuē them to the end that by the coherence of different bodies there should not remayne that confusion which was before the constitution of the world These foure Elements so different in natures and qualities and contrary one to another are assembled by such à proportion that those which are light are held downe by waight least they should mount higher and contrariwise the heauy least they should fall are hāged on the light ones which tend alwaies vpward remaining all by à like force cōstrained kept in their places by the perpetual circuit of the world which turning alwaies in it selfe holdeth the earth balanced in the midst as the lowest of al which againe in counterchange doth ballaunce the other Elements themselues which holde it as it were ballaunced and hanged in the midst of them The water is diffused rounde about it And the ayre is caried ouer them both making but one globe The fire is seated highest which beyng placed betweene the heauen and the aire is pure on that parte which toucheth the celestiall bodie and impure in that which is next to the ayre receyuing many chaunges in diuers formes And although in that parte next vnto heauen it haue no contrarie to corrupt it remayning in his naturall place apt for the conseruation thereof neuerthelesse the partes of it doe not alwaies perseuer in their puritie by reason of the difformitie or diuersitie of the motion which turneth it and shaketh them and forceth them downwards towards the aire euen to the earth where they perish are consumed Likewise the ayre is diuersly altered by the others which are next vnto it for being diuided into three partes the highest the middle and the lowest the highest parte next vnto the fire to the celestiall mouings and the starres is thinnest and purest the lowest next vnto the earth is thickest and grossest the meane or middlemost is temperate betwixt both yet colder notwithstanding then either of them both for the highest doth participate with the heate of the starres the inferior is warmed by the vapours proceeding from the earth and then againe by the repercussion of the Sun beams and also by the artificiall fires vsed amongst men and the naturall which are hid in the earth But the meane being secluded from both extremities doth continue in his coldnes The aire then being thus diuided is for the most part variable inconstant and changeable especially neere vnto the earth where it doth and suffereth much according to the diuers scituation of the places and according to the aspects and different course of the starres which by their contrary rising and falling doe raise exhalations and vapours from whence proceede the windes clowdes showers tempestes lightninges thunders haile frost snow and other calamities of the earth with great strife of natural things amongst themselues some striuing vpwards which are forceably kept downe by resistance of the starres others being violently caried away the raine descendeth the cloudes ascend the waters are dried the haile and snowe do fall the Sun beames reflexed doe heate the windes whirling about blow vnequally th one against thother being sometimes calme and sometimes stormie And the Northren windes are raised by Iupiter the Easterne windes by the sun the Southren by Mars the VVesterne by the Moon Or els by the foure triplicities of the twelue signes of the Zodiacke those three which are of qualitie hot and drie mouing
winde from the oriental part vnder the equinoctiall line called East the three other cold and drie raising the Southern wind comming from vnder the Pole antarticke the other three hot and moist the West winde being also vnder the equinoctiall line the other which are colde and moist the North winde comming from vnder the pole articke which windes haue their different properties according to the places from whence they proceed and where they blow mouing about the water and the earth euen as the starres by which they are raised The foure principall windes haue foure other collaterall all which eight together are called entier or whole windes betwixt whom are placed eight halfe windes and sixteene other quarters of windes and by these is all nauigation ordered But the water on which they saile being contiguous or ioyning to the aire receiueth no lesse varietie than it and maketh but one globe with the earth For as the earth being drie of his owne nature cannot endure without moisture neither should the water haue any where to abide without resting it selfe on the earth they haue therefore bin thus by nature ioyned together the one opening the vaines and conduites of the earth the other passing through it both within and without to serue instead of à bande vnto it All water of his proper motion descendeth downe from on high but in the Ocean sea which enuironeth the earth are found three motions th one from East to West another from the North towards the South the third of the daily ebbing flowing for from six houres to six it aduaunceth and enlargeth it selfe then it abateth and retyreth The which motions are seene also in the Mediterranean sea towards the bankes The cause of the first motion from East to West is the daily mouing of the firm ament by whose impetuositie all the Spheres are moued with a good part of the fire and the aire The other from the North towards the South is because that the Sea is higher in the North parts then in the South in respect that the Northren cold ingendreth more water then the Sea can containe within the space distance and heigth of his bankes and the water which is in the South part is consumed and diminished by the heat of the same So one part of the water in the North forceth downe an other on that side which is lowest and moueth accidentally from the place of his generation The third followeth the reuolution of the Moone which alwaies increasing and decreasing appeareth sometimes horned sometmes half round some times almost round and sometimes spotted then by and by cleere great when she is at full and anon she is not seen at all Sometimes she shineth all night sometimes ariseth late sometimes she shineth all day supplying the brightnes of the sunne and comming to Eclipsie yet appeareth notwithstanding and at the monethes end hideth her selfe when she is said to trauaile Sometimes also she is low and sometimes high which neuer happeneth after one sort for sometimes one would say that she were fixed to the firmament other whiles that she touched the top of the mountaines so low she is abased she is sometimes found in the South side of the heauens and sometimes we must seeke her in the North. Since then that she is so variable it is no meruaile if the ebbings and flowings of the Tydes in the sea which are caused chiefely by her are also variable First in the daily motion which the Moone maketh with the heauen in twentie fower howers there are two tydes ebbing and two flowing the sea increasing by the space of six howers and diminishing six others which are twelue And it doth asmuch in other twelue howers which are twentie fower Their augmentations are not alwaies alike in all times and places for by the space of seauen daies the waters do increase when they call them liue waters and seauen other daies they decrease when they are called dead waters In such sort that from the first day of the change of the Moone vntil the eight which is the first quarter the waters are diminished and from the said quarter vntill the fifteenth which is full Moone they are still augmented and from thence till the third quarter they goe still decreasing and from that to the coniunction they are increased againe So the first day of the Moone is chiefe of the waters and the second day the waters are yet verie great and the third in like sort but the fourth day they begin to waxe lesse and so go diminishing from day to day vntil they come to the eight for then are the low waters and on the ninth likewise and the tenth almost the same then on the eleuenth is the rising of the waters when they begin a little to augment And from that time forwarde they increase euery day vntill the fifteenth when it is full moone and then it beginneth againe to be head water and on the sixteenth it increaseth likewise and almost vnto the ende of the seuenteenth But on the eighteenth it decreaseth and goeth so diminishing euery day vntill the thirtieth when as she is in coniunction And so on the first day it beginneth againe to behead water and proceedeth thus increasing and decreasing as hath bin said Yet in these increasings the waters are not so high at one time as at another but greater at one time and lesse at another Also the ebbing and flowing of tides are not equal in all places Neuertheles when the moone is at Northeast it is full sea and when she is at Southeast it is low water Also there is nothing perpetuall in the earth sometime the sea or some other water enclosed within it breaking out forceably doth couer a part thereof sometimes againe it retireth The Riuers and fountaines are dryed vp and there arise new in other places Some Countries are turned into standing pooles and marishes others into sandie deserts others into woodes then being husbanded and laboured they become fertile of barrain and againe on the contrarie barrain of fruitful The Mountaines are made plain and the plaines are lifted vp some places are swallowed by Earthquakes or scorched by exceeding heats When it hath long bin manured it waxeth wearie then by rest and cherishing it recouereth vigour In tract of time it waxeth old if not wholie yet at the least in his parts then is renewed and becommeth young againe We see euery yeare at the spring time and beginning of Summer how being watered with small rayne caused by soft windes and moderately heated it openeth the seedes of all things which before were shut vp and putteth some of them into herbes stalkes and eares others into stems and husks others into budds others into tender tops the garden trees yeeld buds flowers leaues and fruit the forestes and woods are clothed with greene bearing on their branches and bougâ—es the birdes pricked with a desire of engendring which record by themselues their melodious songs The Fishes leape and the
other they haue so little preuailed that yet at this present they are not able there to till the land except the riuer Nilus be held in by Causwais and bankes And it is not possible that this countrey did first of all bring foorth men which notwithstanding the bankes and causies yet by meanes of the mudde and dreggs which the riuer Nilus bringeth in and leaueth there appeareth yet all waterie By these reasons both th one and thother nation maintained their antiquitie But as concerning Egypt it is certaine that a part thereof was somtimes couered with water All that which is aboue Memphis towardes the mountaines of Ethiopia hath bin Sea by the opinion of Herodotus And Strabo thinketh all the land which is from Siena vnto the Sea watered with the riuer Nilus to haue bin at the beginning called Egypt which was much increased as one may see by the verse of Homer sauing that the Isle of Pharos was a daies iourney distant from firme land which is now euen almost ioyning to Alexandria If these things be true they show sufficiently that this land is not auncient Neither can the Scythians proue their antiquity If it be true that Herodotus sayth that they began but a thousand yeeres before the raigne of king Darius ouer the Persians But as both regions by the reasons debated haue not bin very apt for habitation of men so is it better to beleeue that land to haue bin first inhabited which hath the aire most temperate by which meanes the Egyptians said that they were most auncient But as they by reason of the waters cannot alleage any auncient habitation so neither can the Scythians because they dwell in a quarter which is afflicted with continuall colde Wherefore it is more conformable vnto trueth to say that the middle region betweene them both where the territory of Damasco is situated hath borne the first men as the holy Scripture witnesseth which is exempted from the discommodities of Egypt and of Scythia and by reason of the situation is naturally more temperate then either of them both Otherwise it is hard by humaine knowledge to know in what place what people or what nation hath bin the first by how much space or how many yeres it was afore the rest Yet the opinion in times past touching the beginning of people was such that at the beginning of all things the heauen and earth had one onely essence and forme but that afterwarde the Elements being separated one from the other the world tooke that order in which we see it now Amongst which elements there befell into the aire that continuall motion which it hath and to the fire for his lightnes that place which it hath aboue the aire and for the same reason to the Sunne stars the course which they naturally keep That which was mixed with moisture by reason of his heauines remained in the same masse Wherhence was created of the moistest the sea of the hardest the earth being soft in it selfe and myrie Which when it was first dried and made thicker by the heate of the sunne after by force of the heate lifted vp made to swell vpwards there grew together in many diuers places therof certaine humours ingendring rottenes couered and hid with thinne and tender skinnes As generation then is made in moist thinges by adding heate vnto it and the aire blowen abroade by night feedeth it with moisture which is strengthened in the day time by the power of the sunne finally these rotten things being come as it were to their extremity brought forth as if the time of their childbirth had bin come the figures of all sorts of creatures and liuing things after those little skinnes were broken Of which liuing creatures such as had receiued most heate were made flying birds and mounted into the higher regions those which had most earth remained as serpents and such other beasts below they which retained the nature of water were put in the element of their complexion and called fishes Then the earth being made dryer from thence forward as well by the heate of the sunne as by the winds left bringing forth any more such creatures But those which were already made begot others by continual commixtion Men being thus formed sought their liuing in the fields leading a sauage life without any order vnto whō the hearbs trees brought forth of thēselues that which was necessarie for their life But the wild beastes became against them and their enemies in such sort that to resist them and for their common profit they began to assemble togither giuing aide one to the other and seeking here and there safe places for their habitation And these first assemblies were the true beginning of euery people and nation THE CHALDEES very skilfull in Astrologie held opinion that the world had alwaies bin that it had no beginning nor should haue no end Aristotle hath bin of the same opinion and that all liuing creatures were sempiternall Plato in his third and twelfth booke of lawes doubteth of the world and of mankind whether they were from the beginning or no saying that the generation of men either had no beginning or that it began an inestimable length of time before vs. The same authour in his Timaeus Critias Menexemus and his Politick is of opinion that by long tracte of time the vigour of mens minds and fertility of their bodies diminisheth by little and little in such sort that our vnderstandings find themselues as it were depriued of their diuinity the bodies void of their accustomed fertility Thē God meaning to restore mankind into his former dignity drowneth or burneth the earth tempering in such sort the celestiall motions by himselfe which is their mouer that the heauenly destiny giueth place and concurreth alwaies with his diuine prouidence And that the earth being abundantly watered with fresh humour and made fruitfull by the heat ensuing doth bring forth or els that the rayne falling more plentifully after excessiue heates drouths there are engendred or regenerated not only little creatures but great ones also being borne of the earth as of their mother Of which opinion also were many Egyptians Greekes and Arabians namely Algazel and Auicen with whom Aristotle agreeth in his Problemes when he sayth that in little mutations of times little creatures are brought foorth and so in the great greater and very great in the greatest mutations THE IEWES CHRISTIANS AND SAR AZENS following the diuine prophet and Lawgiuer Moyses beleeue that God hath made the world of nothing and created Adam the first man after his owne likenes of the dust of the earth and breathed in his face that spirit of life and that he was made with a liuing soule afterwards meaning to giue him helpe and company made a profound sleepe to fall on him and being a sleepe took one of his ribbes and made Eue there of the first woman That they were placed in an earthly paradise where was
beasts amidst the greene pastures skip vp and downe being inflamed with loue In briefe euery thing springeth groweth embelisheth florisheth and fructifieth all things are renewed On the contrarie when Autumne and Winter do returne all is full of horror and of sadnes cold raine dirt sleete hayle snow frost yce foggy mists long nights and almost continuall darknes We trauaile the earth day and night more to satisfie our pleasures then for our necessarie norishment And notwithstanding that which it endureth superficially might seeme tollerable if we did not pierce it so farre as to seeke gold and siluer brasse copper lead tinne yron stones to build and others accounted precious in the entrailes therof Neither is it onely thus vexed by men but it seemeth that the three other Elements haue conspired the ruin of this one alone without speaking of the heauen it selfe which by his vntemperate disposition hath cut off a great part therof Might it not haue sufficed the Sea to haue compassed it and to haue cut off a great part therof without stretching it selfe into it in so many gulfes little distant the one from the other breaking through mountaines and making violent ruptures as though it would spread it selfe ouer all Then so many riuers lakes marishes so many standing pooles as are throughout so many springs and little brooks so many swift and raging streames The aire shaketh it causing it to lose that naturall propertie of beeing immoueable ouerwhelming not onely fieldes houses townes cities but whole nations and countries oftentimes not leauing any appearance whereby one may see that there haue bin such Then the fire being so fertile that it ingendreth of it selfe and groweth of little sparks becomming in an instant great and impetous burneth it in many places both without and within beeing dispersed about the chimnies arysing out of billets and sticks-ends beaten together appearing thorough the cloudes or comming of lightning kindled by burning glasses opposed to the sunne which also with the other starres doth drie and scorch it excessiuely in some seasons and countries It is a meruaile that being so vexed on all parts it is not already consumed but so farre are these great and violent calamities from distroying it that they rather helpe to the conseruation thereof For the Earthquakes by the openings which they make draw out the corrupted windes which were kept in the entrailes of it and caused within such disordered noise the inundations do clense the filth the heats digest those humors which they find too grosse as the colds and frosts do moderate that which is inflamed HOW ALL THINGS IN THE WORLD are tempered and conserued by vnlike and contrarie things IN like maner is the Earth and euery other thing in the world tempered and conserued by things of dislike and contrarie qualitie It is not then without cause that nature is so desirous of contraries making of them all decency and beautie not of things which are of like nature This kind of tempering is the cause that such things as before were diuers and different do accord and agree together to establish intertain and embellish one an other the contrarietie becomming vnitie and the discord concord the enmitie amitie and contention couenant Wherefore Heraclitus said that discord and concord were the father and mother of all things And Homer that whosoeuer spake euill of contention did blame nature Empedocles maintayned not of discord by it selfe but that with concord it was the beginning of all things meaning by discord the varietie of things that are assembled and by concord the vnion of them But the vnion in this assemblie ought to exceede the contrarietie Otherwise the thing should be dissolued the principles diuiding themselues So we see in the Heauen contrarie mouings to preserue the world Venus placed in the midst neere vnto Mars to asswage his fircenes which of his owne nature is corruptiue And Iupiter next vnto Saturne to mitigate his malice The inferiour world composed of contrarie elements to maintaine it selfe by the proportion which they haue together and the natures made of them to preserue themselues by the temperature of different qualities which being simple in their nature without any maner of mixtion or composition and contrarie one to the other when they are compared in their qualities in the highest degree yet of them are all thinges compounded and by their commixtion is the beginning of all generation There are found in the bodie of the world Earth Water Aire Fire Sunne Moone and other starres There is matter forme priuation simplicitie mixtion substance quantitie qualitie action and passion In mans bodie bloud flegme choler melancholie flesh bones sinewes vaines arteries head eies nose eares hands feete braine hart liuer and splene In the oeconomical bodie husband wife children Lord slaue master and seruant In the politike bodie Iustice Fortitude Prudence Temperance Religion warfare iudgement counsaile magistrates and priuate men noble and base rich and poore young and olde weake and stronge good and euill labourers artificers merchants retaylers and cariers which are all dislike parts and the most of them contrarie conioyned together by due conueniency Art imitating nature in the painting of blacke white greene blew yellow red and other mingled colours representeth the portraitures conuenient to those things for the which they are made And in Musick of high and low long and short is made an accord Grammer consisteth of letters vowels and mutes The Sciences can not well be taught without comparing of contraries th one being considered principally and in regard of that one thother accidentally that it may be auoyded As Physicke doth accidentally treat of sicknes to the end to be the better able to preserue health and to auoyd the other The Ethicke and Politicke science doe not onelie shew what is honest iust and profitable but also that which is dishonest vniust and domageable Insomuch that we may say in all cases that contraries when they are put neere one to the other they appeare the more cleerely Euen as want maketh riches to be the more esteemed and the obscuritie of darkenesse commendeth the cleerenesse of light The sweetnesse of the Springtime is more esteemed by the sharpenesse of Winter the happinesse of peace by the calamities of warre and faire weather after long rayne So it seemeth that the good can not be knowen without the euill and although they be contrarie yet haue they such a coniunction that in taking of one both are tane away For the good can not be vnderstood nor esteemed but by conferring of it with euill to auoid it neither the euill shunned and eschewed except that which is good be throughlie knowen Plato sayth the like of pleasure and sorrow that although they be two thinges contrarie and repugnant betweene them selues and can not bee together in one person yet neuerthelesse if any one follow and receiue the one he is for the most part euer constrained to take the other as if they were both in one point and
to the inconstancy of fortune but reiecting all such dedestiny fatall necessitie hazardous chance acknowledging truly the world to be gouerned by the diuine prouidence and reducing al thereunto do firmly beleeue that God according to his good pleasure and one onely Spirite which doth all thinges in all men distributeth to diuers persons distinct and different graces respecting still the common good and preseruation of humane society which cannot endure without many and diuers estates charges administrations offices callings and workes in such sort preseruing it selfe by mutuall succour and reciprocall aide But that the true vertue ought chiefly to be required hoped for of him without reiecting either natural inclination or good education And that therefore it behoueth that this natural instinct of which we haue spoken should be prouoked and stirred vp by vertuous institution which correcteth the ill if there be any and augmenteth the good in such as are of a good naturall disposition guiding by wise precepts and counsels this natural aptnes and inclination vnto true perfection Since that nothing in the beginning is perfect but that there goeth alwaies before some toward disposition and after followeth the accomplishment As at the point of day breake there is first a certaine glimmering before the light appeareth In trees the bud and the flower come before the fruit In corne that is sowen the blade and the eare come before the graine The goodnes of nature alone without discipline is not wel assured and discipline without nature altogether vnprofitable Euen as in tilling of the land to haue good profit therof it is not enough to haue good groūd but it behoueth also that the husbandman be skilful in his trade haue good seed After to confirme thē both and to take a good custome which may alwaies remain perseuerance continual exercise are requisite in such workes and actions as concerne that vocation whereunto one is called As the dyer being desirous to giue some fine dye vnto a cloth which shal long time keepe his colour doth first wash it and prepare it carefully and after dyeth it againe and againe So to the obtaining of perdurable praise in any calling wee must vse necessarie preparatiues and euen from our youth imprint vertue in our hartes and our manners by diligent instruction that it may long remaine with vs. These meanes are seldome found altogether but where they meete fitly and agreably they make men accomplished and admirable such as those haue ben in times past which at this day wee so highly commend and esteeme Such are the opinions concerning the varietie which is amongst men hauing all of them a great apparance of trueth But heere wee will followe the celestiall and naturall as the most common and that which Ptolomey writeth thereof in these wordes The properties of people sayth hee haue vsually been distinguished either by all Parallels and all Angles or by their scituation towardes the Ecliptique and the sunne For the inhabitants of our land situated in an aquilonarie quadrant which are subiect to Souther parellels that is to say which are described by the equinoctial vnto the tropique of Sommer as the sunne goeth ouer them their bodies are blacke and in a manner burnt therewith their heire thicke and curled their faces scorched they are slender of stature hot of nature and cruel of disposition by reason of the great heat which raigneth in their coūtrey We cal thē Ethiopians being so disposed as we haue said and hauing such constitution of aire wherein do agree with them all the liuing creatures and things growing of that Countrey But those which are vnder Aquilonarie Parallels that is to say which inhabite such places as are vnder the North because their vertical point is farre remoued from the Zodiack and from the heat of the sunne they abound in cold and moisture in which there is much nourishment which is not drawen vp by the said heat By meanes whereof the men there are white of colour with long haire great of stature and well made but of cold nature and cruel maners through the vehement cold of those places The sharpnes of winter is agreable hereunto and the greatnes of all thinges which growe out of the earth and the wildnes of their beasts we call them generally Scythians Touching them which inhabite betweene the Tropique of Sommer and the North because the sunne goeth not on their Zenith nor yet to farr towards the South they liue in a very temperate aire ioyning their houses together being of gentle and sweete maners And such of them as are neerest the South are most ingenious and wise and haue accustomed to be best skilled in heauenly matters for asmuch as their vertical point is nearer the Zodiacke and the wandering starres which are vnder it by the familiaritie of which they haue their minds prompt readie for the comprehending and vnderstanding of affaires of arts especially of the Mathematickes Also such of them as are toward the East are more vigorous and firme of vnderstanding concealing nothing For by right wee say that the East is of the nature of the sunne and therefore that part of the day ought to be esteemed as the right side the better and more manlike as we see in liuing creatures the right side to be stronger and harder then the left On the contrarie they which are towards the west are more effeminate soft and secret for that part belongeth vnto the Moone which is seene alwaies towards the west betweene the interlunary spaces And therfore as the nocturnal worst and left side is reputed opposite vnto the East Aristotle affirmeth that those nations are barbarous which dwel vnder excessiue cold or heat for as much as the good temperature of the aire doth better both the manners and vnderstandings For the extreme Northern or Southern people are not ciuil by nature nor gouerned by discipline nor conioyned in habitations neither do they sowe nor plant helpe themselues little or nothing with manuary trades exchange in their bargaining one thing for another not knowing the vse of money but liuing without houses townes and cities wandering continually by great troupes representing great walking Cities guyded by diuers heads and Lords and trailing or drawing after them their little lodges or houels couered with leather mattes canes or course wooll to defend them selues against heat cold and raine And without long abode in any place they follow the commodities of the herbage and water for their beasts and cattel which they bring with them innumerable of diuers sortes as Horses Camels Sheepe and Kine wherewith they sustayne them selues and with venyson being destitute of Corne herbes and fruits Such were of auncient time in the Northern Countries the Scythians and Sarmatians or Sauromatians dwelling in fields or Champaignes infinitely large and spacious open without wood trees or bushes without waies or bounds on Chariots whereon they placed their wiues and children which were therhence called Nomades and Hamaxobites Being
ignorant of till age they nourished them selues with flesh and with milke their land which was plaine and vnited being fit for such maner of liuing and being holpen by sundry great riuers which running ouerthwart and watering the ground made it fat and fertill Vnto which Scythians the Tartarians haue succeeded liuing at this day as is said in the same manner Out of this quarter and this kind of people neuer came but two Philosophers Anacharsis and Zamolsis both of them brought vp elswhere how be it that in Greece there haue bin innumerable ON THE other part towards the south were the Numidians liuing in the open aire without houses alwaies in labour and trauaile not drinking any wine and faring simply and poorely seeking onely to satisfie nature and not to serue pleasure Who by reason here of were very strong whole lusty and able men and long liued The Arabians or Alarbians liue nowe in such manner sithence the comming of Mahomet leading with them their houses villages and townes which they carry on Chariots or on the backe of Camels following the commoditie of pasturage from Arabie and the riuer Euphrates euen to the Atlanticke sea being very hurtfull to the bordering plaines of Suria Egipt and all the neerer Africke especially about the time of gathering corne and fruits for they goe downe then by troupes close and thicke Then hauing taken what they can they retire with such swiftnesse that they seeme rather to flie then to run and it is not possible to ouertake them or to follow them thorough places destitute of waters It is a vagabond people and innumerable yet diurded by Nations and Lordes called Schez euil agreeing togither and hauing no firme habitation They dwel commonly vnder tents and pauilions made of course bad wool They liue with flesh and milke especially of Camels putting thereunto a little rice hony dates raisins drie figgs oliues and Venison when they can catch it going often with doggs and haukes to hunt red deare fallow deare Ostriches and all other sort of wild game They are commonly mishapen maigre and leane of small stature of tawny and duskish colour blacke eyed with a weake and feminine voice wearing no other garments but shirts sauing some chief of thē They ride the most part without sadles spurs or shoes on their horses Their armes are great India canes of x. or xij cubits long with a little yron at the end and a little taffeta in manner of a banderoll Notwithstanding liuing in this pouertie and miserie they glory that they are first nations and chiefe of the world in that they were neuer mingled with others and haue still preserued and kept entier the nobility of their blood Ioannes Leo an Affrican historiographer writeth that they haue many goodly obseruations of Astrology which by tradition they deliuer from hand to hand to their successours and increase them daily BVT those nations which are in the meane habitatio of the world are well disposed and instructed both in armes and learning hauing by nature both courage and vnderstanding togither They liue in good policy inhabiting houses hamlets parishes villages townes cities common weales kingdomes and Empires they haue vniuersities and publicke schooles in which all sciences are taught they haue variety of trads and occupations seruing not only for necessity but also for pleasure ornament and magnificence of buildings victuals habits and armes they haue iudgement reuenew warfare and religion wel appointed and maintained AMONGST these of the meane they which dwell neerest the South being naturally melancolick do giue themselues willingly to solytarines and contemplation being sharpe witted and ingenious as the Egiptians Lybians Hebrewes Arabians Phaenicians Assyrians Persians and Indians Wherfore they haue inuented many goodly sciences vnfolded the secrets of nature found out the Mathematickes obserued the celestial motions first knowen religion Amongst them haue bin found learned Philosophers diuine Prophets and famous Lawmakers THEY which drawe towards the North as the Almains thorough the abundance of humour and blood which doth hinder speculation do apply themselues more to sensible things and to Mechanical arts that is to say to the finding of mettals and conduct of mines to melt and forge workes in yron steele copper brasse in which they are admirable hauing inuented the vse of Ordinance Artillery and Printing THOSE which dwel in the very midst are not so naturally fit for the speculatiue sciences as the Southern nations nor so apt for the mechanicall workes as the Northern people are but are best seene in handling publicke affaires and from them are come many good institutions Lawes maners the art of gouernment or Imperial military discipline and politicke ordering of a common wealth the regiment of a Shipp or Pilots art Logike and Rhetoricke And as the Meridional nations haue not bin much exercised in armes nor the Septentrional in learning th one excelling in vnderstanding thother in force they of the meane being both ingenious and courageous embracing both letters and armes together and ioyning force with wisedome haue established flourishing and durable Empires which the other could not do for although the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales more hardie then wise haue by armes inuaded Europe Asia and Africke neuertheles for want of Counsell they established not any power of continuance Contrarywise the Romains being both valiant and prudent haue surmounted all nations by the glory of their decdes establishing the greatest Empire and of longest continuance that euer was And yet haue not been depriued of the excellency of disciplines or of mechanicall workes Amongst whom haue florished famous Captaines good Lawmakers learned Lawiers iust Iudges seuere Censors graue Senatours ingenious and pleasant Poets eloquent Oratours true and elegant Historiographers wary Marchants and exquisite Artificers CONCERNING the East and West all doe agree that the Oriental or Easterly situation in the same aspect of heauen and seated in the like place is better then the Westerly or Occidentall and that all thinges growe fairer and greater in th one then thother Notwithstanding we see the Westerne people to excell in force of body and the others in vigour and sharpnes of vnderstanding In so much that the West seemeth to haue some affinitie with the North and the East with the South The Gaules or Frenchmen haue often sent great armies into Italy Greece and Asia The Italians neuer ouercame France till they brought their Empire to his full heigth and force and that vnder Iulius Caesar who founde them deuided into factions The Italians ouercame the Grecians without great difficulty The Grecians who by their armes had penetrated into the farther Asia came not farre into Italy but vnder King Pyrrhus who was shamfully beaten back Xerxes came downe into Greece with an innumerable armie yet neuerthelesse was ouercome by a fewe Grecians and driuen backe againe with a reprochful and ignominious losse INREGARD of the parts of the habitable earth many excellent men of war haue ben renowmed in Europe few in Africk
sacrificed to pray onely for himselfe but hee must also pray for the prosperity of the king and generally of all the Persians being himselfe by this means comprised in the praier Euery one of thē when they would sacrifice brought his offering into a place that was not contaminated then hauing his attire on his head made for the most part of mirtle he called on that God to whom he sacrificed They would neither pisse spit nor void their noses into the riuers but reuerenced them aboue all things They suffered their dead bodies to be bitten praied on by doggs and birds before they would bury them others anointed them ouer with waxe then put them into the earth They and the Egyptians did not burne them because the Persians said it was not fit that a God should feed on a dead man the Egyptians thought the fire to be a liuing creature eating cōsuming whatsoeuer he seased on dying with his meat whē he was ful in their Law it was not permitted to cast the dead bodies to birds and beasts to deuoure them or to any liuing Creatures and therefore they embalmed them with salt that they should not be eaten of wormes The Egyptians would neuer kill any thing that had life The Mages killed with their handes euery liuing creature sauing man whom also the DRVIDES of Gaule did not spare to kill and sacrifice diuining by southsayings as the MAGES whom they resembled in many thinges shewing themselues so cerimonious in obseruing of Magick that they seemed to haue taught it to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them as Pliny sayth These Mages gaue out that the Gods appeared vnto them and foretold them of things to come affirming that the aire was full of spirits which did subtilly insinuate themselues into mens eyes that there were two princes namely one good God which they called Herosmades and the other euill whom they termed Arinan They clothed themselues with white garments liued of herbes cheese and course bread slept on the ground caried canes or reades in steed of staues They assembled in a holy place to communicate and talke togither Their authority was so great that Cambises when he went out of Persia left the gouernment of his house to one of them who in the absence of the king conspired with a brother of his against him and went about to make himselfe king Their Magicke consisted wholy in the religion and seruice of the Gods To whom they offered praiers vowes and sacrifices as if they onely were exalted beleeuing the resurrection of men and that they should be immortall Aristotle witnesseth that they were auncienter then the PROPHETS of Egypt Clearehus affirmeth that the BRACHMANES or GYMNOSOPHISTS of India came from thē ZOROASTER without doubt was the first inuentor whom somethinke by the etimologie of his name to haue bin an obseruer of the starres and to haue vnderstood natural things Plato in his first Alcibiades saith that the Magick of ZOROASTER is a knowledge of diuine mysteries which was wont to bee taught vnto the children of the kings of Persia to th end they might learne by example of the whole worlds common wealth to gouerne their owne And in his Charmides he sayth that the Magick of ZAMOLSIS was the physick of the minde causing it to vse temperance as the other is cause of bodily health Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus and the same Plato sayled and went far to learne it and hauing learned it did celebrate it at their retourne and kept it secret and many other vertuous amongest the auncients haue trauailed carefully therein getting great authority and reputation thereby For obseruing by it the meruailes hidden in the secretes of the world in the bosome of Nature and mysteries of God they haue discouered the concords of the world and agreement of the heauen with the earth accommodating the superiour thinges to the inferiour after they had once knowen their vertues howe they agree in doing and suffering which the Greekes call Sympathies and Antipathies which hath moued Plotinus to call such MAGES making profession of naturall MAGICKE the ministers of Nature It is at this day much vsed in CHINA and CATHAY which are Countries inhabited by most ingenious and industrious people where they are not permitted to come to Offices and Honours in the Common wealth without being learned namely in this MAGICKE which signifieth to speak simply according to the auncient Persian language perfect and soueraigne wisedome and MAGVS an expounder and obseruer of the diuinity Sithence that men haue abusiuely transferred this name to inchaunters who do wickedly abuse the simple making them beleeue that they know the secret and future things by strange words by signes and characters by diuelish deceits and impostures and other superstitious obseruations of Necromantie Geomantie Hydromantie Aeromantie Pyromantie such other of long time reproued both by diuine and humane lawes Wherhence may be vnderstood that there are two sorts of MAGICK th one natural thother superstitious The natural in contemplating the vertues of celestial and terrestiall things considering the conuenances contrarieties discouereth the powers which are hidden in nature mingling th one with thother in due proportion vnder certain constellation and applying the actiue to the passiue draweth them one to another by the similitude of nature So the elements do draw th one the other so the loadstone draweth the yron to it amber the chaffe and brimstone fire the sunne many flowers leaues the Moone waters Mars the winds many herbes drawe vnto them many liuing creatures and haue meruailous secret properties by the which this Magicke naturally worketh great miracles The other superstitious Magick is by inuocation of euil spirits which is a manifest Idolatry and hath alwaies bin forbidden by wel ordered common weales Such were the MAGICIANS of PHARAO which counterfeited diuelishly whatsoeuer MOSES ARON diuinely had wrought til such time as the rod of MOSES turned into a serpent did eate vp theirs which they had tourned also into serpents Such was SIMON MAGVS and such the Pythonisse was that called vp the soule of Samuel the prophet such also was Circe such a one was Medea Plutarch writeth that the spirit of Antony being bound by magicall verses and loue drenches that his liberty being lost he was fixed in the face of Cleopatra The Euthydemus of Plato compareth Oratorie and Magicke or Enchauntery togither and sayth that as Oratory is a delighting and appeasing of the Iudges and assemblies of men so that Enchanting is an asswaging of vipers spiders scorpions other venimous and cruel beastes as also of diseases The vanity of this superstitious Magick appeared especially in the Emperour Nero who gaue him selfe to it as much as euer any man did hauing neither want of goods of power nor of vnderstanding and desiring nothing more then to command the Gods and the dead Notwithstanding after he had called vnto him Tyridates king of Armenia
Athens to spend there the rest of his life in learning And whereas in any one particuler science one shall hardly attaine to any excellency though he vse no other exercise all his life he excelled in whatsoeuer he would apply himselfe vnto and neuer vndertooke to intreate of anything but he brought it almost to his soueraigne perfection wherein he was much holpen by the quicknes of his wit and sharpenes of his vnderstanding his inclination to learning and perseuerance the excellent learning of his master Plato whose auditor he was by the space of xx yeres the happines of that age wherein he was borne ful of good bookes and rich in all arts and the liberality of his scholer Alexander who supplied him with goods to come to his intention Many debate who was euer of greatest vnderstanding amongst men the which is difficult to be decided Notwithstanding if we consider it wel we shall not finde any more admirable then ARISTOTLE for the excellency of the workes which he hath composed and the worthynes of the matters of which he hath intreated PLATO hath not giuē himselfe so much to natural Phylosophy as ARISTOTLE but hath bin very curious of Moral and Politick and excellent in Metaphysick Thone hath intreated of the creation of the world of the figures qualities motions of the foure elements of which the world is compounded He set downe three principles God the Idea or for me and the first matter being the nurse of all generation Thother goeth about to proue that the world is eternall setting downe also three principles yet different from thother namely matter forme and priuation He disputeth of place of voide of time of motion of generation and corruption of the foure elements of mutations happened in the aire he hath declared the birth liues figures parts inclinations affections and actions of all liuing creatures His scholer Theophrastus hath shewed the natures causes and reasons of plants other things growing on the earth Both of them haue written of the soul. But PLATO speaketh more certainly of the immortality therof then ARISTOTLE PLATO hath discoursed of a perfect common wealth of lawes and of vertues largely ARISTOTLE also hath composed many books in Morall philosophy deducing al the parts thereof euen to the Economick Moreouer he hath gathered the institutions and disciplines of the Common weales and kingdomes of his time and of such as florished before him Thone and thother haue shewed the changes which happened in them and the meanes how to remedy them As concerning Logick Aristotle attributeth to himselfe the inuention and perfection thereof He hath also spoken of Rhetorick and of Poesie so exactly that there is none found better in these professions Moreouer PLATO hath written in dialogues in the which commonly he bringeth in SOCRATES assuring nothing but disputing much of things both affirmatiuely negatiuely enquiring of all things and asking the opinion of the assistants or standers by without saying his owne or resoluing of anything Which maner of writing hath great efficacy and maketh things more intelligible as if they were then doing and were not taken from else-where obseruing the dignity of the persons introduced accomodating of apt speach vnto euery one according to the variety which causeth an exceeding pleasure In doing wherof he hath folowed an elegant maner of writing magnificent ful of maiesty and grauity both in words and sentences enriched with translations allegories and other colours of Rhetorik without obseruing any certaine methode of teaching But ARISTOTLE hath endeuoured to write methodically hee expresseth himselfe according as the matter requireth properly without any exquisite ornament of words That which he vndertaketh to treate off he pursueth it from the beginning vnto the end not digressing any waies leaueth nothing vndecyded Many haue blamed him for hauing made himselfe purposely obscure and ambiguous in many places and that he did it of craft fearing least some should handle him in such sort as he had handled others PLATO is more copious ARISTOTLE more pithy Thone hath mingled many strāge opinions in his books as of the transmigration of soules out of one body into another of the communion of wiues of children and of goods Thother hath more conformed himself to cōmon life to ciuil actiōs Th one hath chiefly stood on intelligible things thother on things sēsible Th one hath searched throughout for Ideas formes thother made but a iest therof as of the former opinions which he hath sharply reprehēded notwithstanding many haue bin of opinion that there was no differēce between thē in sentences but in words only haue assaied to reconcile them Finally the Greeks reckoned the one diuine and his doctrine hath bin much honoured both whiles he liued and after his decease Thother hath bin held for a wonderfull man of great iudgment and incomparable knowledge singularly respected and reuerenced of all that haue sithence giuen themselues to learning In briefe ARISTOTLE learned all the good which he knew of PLATO and it was a meruailous great happines vnto him to haue bin both a scholler of the most excellent philosopher that hath euer bin knowen and Master of the greatest King of the world It were not reasonable here to omit DEMOSTHENES who was a diligent hearer of Plato and a friend vnto Aristotle being so accomplished in eloquence that he is accounted the law and the rule of peroring and speaking well There is such force in his words and he hath so well disposed them that one cannot well add any thing to them or take ought from them It is not possible in those causes which he hath handled and in the Orations which he hath written wisely to inuent or subtilly to expresse any thing but he hath well vnderstood it Neither on the contrarie to find any thing more stately more graue or more beautified then that which he hath said and written For he was so studious and laborious that euen till the fiftieth yeare of his age there was neuer found any Artisan in Athens more diligent to rise early then he And although he had many imperfections of nature as being subiect to stammering in his speach short breathed and timerous he ouercame by diligence and industrie all his hinderances And vsed himselfe in such sort that there was no Oratour in his time albeit there were then many excellent that pronounced more cleanly and distinctly or spake longer and bolder then he Moreouer he was no smal personage but had while he liued great authoritie throughout Greece being feared and redoubted by the king of Macedon honoured by the great Signor of Persia who managed long the affaires of Athens where he was borne By reason whereof he well vnderstood matters of state the mutations which happen in Lordships and the causes wherehence they proceede and there is not any thing necessarie for publike gouernment but some apparance therof is found in him his counsailes tending not onely vnto profit but to honour and
one and thother is absolute in his kind and that they two may be compared with the Auncients deseruing verie well to be taken for good example and admired as notable relicks of antiquitie Fracastorius giueth such testimonie of PONTANVS Vidimus et Vatem egregium cui pulchra canenti Parthenope Placidusque cauo Sebethas ab antro Plauserunt vmbraeque sacri manesque Maronis Qui magnos stellarum ortus cantauit hortos Hesperidum caelique omnes variabilis oras SYNCERVS VIDA and FRACASTORIVS haue likewise deserued much in the Latine Poesie PETRARCH and ARIOSTO in the Italian RONSARD and BELLAY in the French GEORGIVS AGRICOLA a Germain hath so wel acquited himself in serching the nature of Mettals as Aristotle Theophrastus Plinie and other Auncients seeme to haue vnderstood nothing in comparison of him The Earle IOHN of MIRANDVLA was the honour of his age and might well haue bin compared to all the Egiptian Chaldean Persian Greek Romain and Arabian antiquitie if he had liued But it is now time to make an end of this discourse by which is euidently showen the vicissitude in all humane affaires armes learning languages arts estates lawes and maners and how they cease not to arise and fall amending or empairing by turnes And if the memorie and knowledge of that which is past be the instruction of the present and aduertisement for that which is to come it is to be feared least the power wisedome sciences bookes industrie workmanshipps and knowledges of the world being come to so great excellencie doe fall againe as they haue done in times past and come to decay by confusion succeeding after this order and perfection rudenesse after ciuisitie ignorance after knowledge and barbarousnes after elegancie I foresee alreadie in my mind many strange Nations differing in fashions colours and habites rushing into Europe as did in old time the Gothes Hunnes Lombardes Vandales and Saracens which will distroy our Townes Cities Castles Palaces and Temples will change the maners lawes languages and religion burne the Libraries spoiling whatsoeuer good things they shall find in these Countries inuaded by them to the end to abolish the honour and vertue thereof I foresee warres arising in all Countries both ciuile and foreine factions and diuisions springing which will profane both diuine and humane whatsoeuer famines and pestilences threatning mortall men the order of nature the rules of the celestiall motions and the agreement of the elements breaking off deluges and inundations comming on the one side and excessiue heates and violent earthquakes on the other and the world drawing towards an end bringing with it a confusion of all thinges and reducing them againe to their auncient and former Chaos But howbeit theis things proceed after the opinion of the Naturalists from the fatall law of the world and haue their natural causes yet notwithstanding the euents of them do principally depend on the pronidence of God who is aboue nature and who alone doth know the prefixed time wherein theis things shall come to passe Wherefore men of good mindes ought not to be amazed or astonished therewith but rather to take courage vnto them trauailing carefully euery one in that vocation whereunto he is called to th end to preserue to their power so manie goodly things lately inuented or restored whose losse would be almost irrepairable and to deliuer them ouer to such as come after vs as we haue receiued them of our auncestours and namely GOOD LETTERS as long as it shall please God that they endure Whom we will pray to preserue from indignitie such as make profession of them worthily that they may perseuere in this honest studie amending the Arts and clearing of the trueth to his praise honour and glorie For this occasion the better to encourage them shal be added an Inquisition on that common saying of men wherby they haue alwaies maintained and do maintaine that nothing can be said which hath not bin said heretofore that thereby they may vnderstand that the trueth is not wholy discouered nor all the learning taken vp by our forefathers The end of the eleuenth Booke WHETHER IT BE TRVE OR NO that there can be nothing said which hath not bin said before And that we must by our owne Inuentions augment the Doctrine of the Auncients not contenting our selues only with Translations Expositions Corrections and Abridgements of their Writings The Twelfth and Last Booke THE beginnings of the Artes haue bin small and the greatest difficultie was in the first inuenting of them then by the industrie of the learned they were by little and little augmented Correcting such thinges as were euill obserued and supplying such as were omitted but yet without making any thing entierly absolute wherevnto there might nothing be added Nothing is begon and ended at one time but by succession of time things are increased amended and become better polished Almost all the Artes haue bin inuented by Vse and Experience and afterwardes gathered and made by obseruation and reason and then consequently reduced into better forme and more certain by Diuisions Definitions Argumentations and Demonstrations by generall precepts and rules drawen from nature not from opinion and tending to the same ende not by staying and resting on that which men had formerly done said or written nor by only imitating of them after the maner of slouthfull and cowardly persons but by the adding of somewhat of their owne by some that came after according as the matters from time to time discouered and cleared themselues the honour commonly remayning to the last commers as the most exquisite and accomplished By whose example we ought to trauaile courageously with hope to make our selues better then them aspiring continually to perfection which as yet is not seene any where considering that there remayne more thinges to be sought out then are alreadie inuented and founde And let vs not be so simple as to attribute so much vnto the Auncients that wee beleeue that they haue knowen all and said all without leauing anything to be said by those that should come after them They haue not bin so arrogant as to looke that none should meddle or deale with those matters which they had handeled But on the contrarie considering the difficultie of knowledge and the weaknes of mans vnderstanding they haue exhorted others to trauaile therein speaking rather to stir them vp and prouoke them thereunto then to keepe them back or stay them from writing Let vs not thinke that nature hath giuen them all her good gifts that she might be barren in time to come but that as she hath in times past brought foorth certaine notable personages who haue manifested many of her secrets so she can againe bring foorth such as by the influence of heauen and a singular inclination by liuelynes of vnderstanding and perseuerance of labour shall attaine thither whither long experience diligent obseruation and subtilitie of reason haue not pierced till this present She is the same that she was in the
wherin the later haue not agreed with the former namely in those which are not yet sought out and will neuer be found if we content our selues with that which is alreadie inuented without adding any thing therunto By occasion whereof I will aunswere them henceforward which obiect that there are too many bookes Certainly if all that hath bin written by the auncient Philosophers Historiographers Oratours Poets Physitians Diuines and Lawiers had come to our hands all had bin full of bookes and we should haue had no other moueables in our house but bookes we should be constrained to go sit and lie vpon bookes And yet there remaine so many and are made from day to day that the age of man could not suffice to read not onely the writings in many disciplines but in one particuler and seldome are the Inuentories found perfect The great number serueth rather for charge then for instruction and it is much better to read some few that be good then to wander thorough many which are euill Lucian blameth an ignorant person which boasted that he had many bookes and Martial mocketh an other who thought thereby to be accounted learned Seauen hundred Volumes were found in the Librarie of Alexandria which were all burned together by a mischance of fire The learned caried their books thither from all parts as to the Theater of learning and they read them in the Museum which was there at the plaies ordained for the honour of Apollo and of the Muses the vanquishers receiuing great gifts in the sight and knowledge of all the world In somuch that none were reckoned learned which had not won some prize there Liuie calleth that great Librarie a worthy work of kingly care and magnificence But Seneca saith that it was neither care nor magnificēce but a studious pompe or superfluity yet not studious because the K s. Ptolomeyes had not erected it to serue for study but for a shew and spectacle As we see many priuate men also which haue gathered many togither wel printed boūd gilded to serue onely for ornaments which they neuer looke in themselues nor suffer others for feare of fouling them Also king ATTALVS assembled at Pergamus in emulation of the Ptolomeyes two hundred thousand volumes which were giuen by Antonius to Cleopatra so vanished There were in the Library of the GORDIANS xl thousand and a great number of exquisite ones in that of LVCVLLVS and AVGVSTVS There are some at this present very wel furnished both amongst the Christians and the Mahometists But going by the professions I haue read that DIDYMVS a Grammarian composed foure thousand books APPIAN sixe thousand who was so arrogant as to say that he made them immortall to whom hee dedicated his workes CICERO said that if his age were doubled yet would it not suffice to read all the Lyrick Poets Seneca thinketh as much of those that haue written of Logick There is no people nation citie common-wealth seigniorie coūtrey kingdom or empire but hath his Cronicles and Histories In Greece one only war of Marathon found three hundred Historiographers Plutarch in his liues alleageth more then two hundred of them SALVST and LIVIE are come to vs vnperfect and faulty as are also many others of lesse reckoning both Greekes and Romaines It is not possible to recken the books that are made of Phisicke which hath many times bin changed and diuided into diuers sects ARISTOTLE the Philosopher composed iiij hundred volumes and VARRO the most learned amongst the Romains as many The Emperour IVSTINIAN by the excessiue multitude of books which were of the ciuil Law was constrained to cause the Pandects to be made on which contrary to his edict haue bin heaped innumerable cōmentaries S. Iohn the euangelist saith that the world is not able to receiue all the books which should bee written of IESVS CHRIST as appeared in the time following wherein were infinite written in many languages concerning the Christian religion and the exposition of the old and new Testament ORIGEN alone hath written sixe thousand bookes The Gothes Vandales Alanes Hunnes Lombards Sarazens Turkes and Tartarians brought an inestimable losse to the libraries and corruption to the languages Bookes are different also according to the disposition of the times and inclination of the countries wherein they are made euen as wines are diuers according to the territorie qualitie of the aire and disposition of the yere the nature of the vine industry of the keeper Euery age hath his peculiar kind of speech Euery nation and age his phrase the Greekes and Latins writing after one sort the Hebrewes Chaldees and Arabians after an other All are not of continuance and as many are lightly and easily made so they are estsoones and incontinently lost Some are left off for the obscurity and to affected subtilty and barbarousnes which is in them Others despised or neglected as vnprofitable or consumed by length of time or destroied by warres changes of tonges and of religions or by being euil written and copied out or corrupted depraued In others there is nothing but tedious repetitions by changing the order and the words Plinie a man of great reading saith that in conferring and comparing of authours he hath found the old written out word for word by those that were next after them concealing their names and choosing rather to be taken in their theft then to acknowledge the debt Those which are respected here as holy are burned elswhere as abhomination The affected to some certaine sect religion or profession are red onely by people of the same sect religion and profession The poemes orations epistles chronicles histories comedies and tragedies are not loked on but by such as vnderstand the tongue wherin they are written out of it they commonly lose their grace There are not any which please and satisfy al people or which are receiued in al places except they be aduisedly made with great iudgment profound learning by a singular grace of God and a rare goodnes of nature resisting against enuious old age warranting themselues from the silence of obliuion Such as seeme to be those of Plato Aristotle Hippocrates Ptolomey who not content with the images of things and shadows of opiniōs haue sought the truth directly haue therfore escaped the iniury of time of fire of water of wars among so many nations contrary sects translated into diuers languages yet keeping stil the same grace as when they were newly made For as time abolisheth the opinions that are not wel groūded so it also cōfirmeth the infallible iudgemēts of a wise vnderstanding nature augmēting alwaies the reputatiō of those writers which haue best obserued vnderstood it The iudgment of time discouereth in the end the secret faults of al things who being the father of truth and a iudge void of passion hath alwaies accustomed to giue a iust sentēce of the life or death of writings But seeing that the arts