I tell me who that was It is said he he Who said I for I caÌ„not know him vnlesse you otherwise name him vnto me It is he said he Why said I do you then mock me Well said be Then I must needes tell you It is the holy father who hath taught all our blowers that they are but doulâ—es which in many yeeres doe multiplye all their somewhat into nothing Where himselfe yeerely in France only transformeth and multiplieth fortie pound of lead which may be worth two crownes into 40000 pounds of golde which may be worth 600000. crownes and then maketh attraction thereof euen to Roome Truely sayd I I will giue you tenne crownes the more for breaking your minde so plainly vnto mee but I would wish you not to vse much such speech in this towne least our maisters of Sorbonne immediatly deuounce you an hereticke of seuentene Carects and a halfe Wherevpon wee parted and glad he was that he had found some meanes to fatten himself againe for he was as leane as a red Herring And for my parte I began to consider of the hidden propertie of this authenticall Caballe and hauing throughly pondered therof I fonnd that my iolly blower had better successe in that which he had told me then in all y t he had done But because the time was theÌ„ too hot to rehearse this tale I hid it in a corner of my memorie Hauing thus discoursed vpon the falsehood that resteth in this Vulcanist arte whensoeuer it list to stretch to the forging of gold I will speake one word of certaine Alcumistes or rather Philosophers who being consumed in Philosophie doe in their operations adioyne the power of nature with the necessarie ayde of the arte I will tell you what one of them once sayd vnto me concerning the matter wherevpon he had laboured which now I haue called to minde He tould me that the whole studie and labour of man in the search hereof was vayne vnlesse God would reueale vnto him things vnknowne Also that for the attayning to perfection in this arte it was requisite first to be an honest man secondly to pray often to God to graunt him light in this darknesse thirdly to gather knowledge of the arte out of good bookes and finally hauing found out the secrete to keepe it secrete and not to abuse this treasure but to employ it in the reliefe of the needie or in very good workes Whereto I replyed that I found it somewhat strange that he would seeme to worke vyolence to nature and submit Gods order to mans will which was vnlikely to obeye because euery man would giue ouer the artes and sciences to the ende idely to enritch himselfe in things superfluous and of best necessitie to mans life He aunswered that in this operatiue science wee could not perceiue nature to bee any whit forced but working with all facilitie order and power which so much the more declared the wonderfull power and wisedome of God likewise that he knew very well that in as much as this knowledge could not dwell but in a contemplatiue soule not polluted with earthly affections fewe men were perticipants therein Of whom the most contenting themselues that they had hit the marke were very scrupulous in the publishing of that which rather by heauenly meditatioÌ„ then practise they had comprehended either to vse the fruites thereby atchieued but in most necessarie occasions He sayd he that is desirous to learne the arte must marke what the Scripture saith First seeke the kingdome af God and all things shall bee giuen you Also this saying of the Psalmist The Lord declareth his secretes to those that feare him To this I aunswered that these places were ment of spirituall matters and not of mettalles True sayd he such is their proper interpretation howbeit we may sometimes see the effects in things materiall when the former blessing goeth before as appeared in Salomon who vpon his prayer had the graunt both of wisedome and aboundance of wealth You beleeue then sayd I that it is possible to transforme mettalles also that some men haue attained thereto They be both true aunswered he for my selfe haue seene most euident proofes thereof and as I thinke there bee some yet liuing which be skilfull in the arte and to the ende to gather some taste thereof I pray you reade good bookes for in them you shall see not only beames but euen very lights which will shewe you not only the errors of this blowing but also the true likelihoodes of the metallicall Philosophie Herevpon I was blanke for hauing finall experience in this doctrine I was loth to aunswer impertinently and being halfe dazeled with so many goodly words I thought it best to stay vntill by effect I might see the truth of this affirmation before I would alowe or disalowe thereof which I yet waite for Neither am I so franticke as to thinke that God cannot as soone extend his liberalitie to a good maÌ„ albeit by extraordinary meanes to vse it lawfully as he could giue to effeminate Sardanapalus 40. millions of gould also to the monster Caligula 67. by ordinarie meanes which they wasted in all abominations Thus much haue I thought good to speake of the materiall Philosophers stone now will I proceede to that which I take to be the true for the knowledge whereof we can haue recourse to no better writer then Salomon whom in my opinion wee ought to beléeue as him that was endued with perfect wisedome whose conceipts and speeches were in many things guided by the spirite of truth and therfore the rather cleaue to his deuine sentences As also I thinke that all Alcumistes doe giue the most credite to his testimonies as of one who is often in their view in respect that he sawe and had a taste of those miseries which they so much reuerence In some of his bookes he hath taught that although man through his disobedience hath here belowe enthralled himselfe to many miseries yet God who is goodnesse it selfe would not leaue him so wrapped in mischiefe but that withall he hath prepared and offered to him innumerable benefites to the end that crauing them at his hands he might seeke them and by seeking euioy them and so to reape such contentation as may bee had in this life and to yeeld him praise for the same He deuideth them into two kindes In his booke of the Preacher he speaketh of such as are earthly and corruptible affirming that notwithstanding their beautie yet they that trust in them do finde more vanitie then pleasure I haue saith he built me houses and planted vineyards I haue made me gardens I haue had men seruants and maid seruants a great familie and many flockes I haue gathered gould and siluer with the treasures of Kings and Prouinces I haue appoynted singers and taken pleasure in the sonnes of men and in wealth I haue excelled all that haue bene before me in Ierusalem Neither haue 〈◊〉 forbiddeÌ„ my
remedie But for the first who liue in so ioyful and pompeous vnion together I doe not thinke it either méete or honest to ioyne with them or to participate with them in sacking murthering and robbing the innocent much better it were to eschue such concord But who be those that haue so liued The hystories do tell vs and furnish vs of examples enow both old and new I will content my selfe with the alleadging of one onely which is of Caesar Borgia Pope Alexander the 6. his bastard sonne who in horrible wickednesse was equall with the tyrants of olde time who also is the goodly patterne that Machiauel propoundeth to teach Princes how to rule This man replenished all Italy with bloud and vice found but ouer many defenders and adherents to assist him Truly that man had but a slender discretion and lesse vertue that coulde haue sought to liue in such a tyrannous concord Heere might wee place a Democratie vtterly depraued as was the Athenians wheÌ„ SoloÌ„ was condemned to death Likewise a corrupt Oligarchie as also was y e Athenians when the Lacedemonians established y e 30 gouernors who afterward grew to be tyrants murthered all the best citizens Next will I heare set downe the Senates tribunal seats of iustice most part of the Senators whereof haue consented to coÌ„mic al iniquity Such a one did y e Romane Senate resemble in y e time of Nero for all such detestable cruelties as he practised yea euen when he slew his mother did they vniuersally a 〈…〉 e accounting them as workes of pietie and healthsome to the common wealth But had it not rather bene impietie for a man to haue laboured to be of their order and so to haue prophaned himselfe in such a false concord Now will I speake somewhat of men of warre in a common wealth who are as it were the gard therof wheÌ„ passing the bounds of discipline they doe confederate and vnite themselues together and so taking vppon them the spoile and robbing of the people vpon mallice rather than necessitie doe destroie all Of this vnion a man may say that the greater it is the more noisome hurtfull For the last example of false concord which also is no lesse peruitious than the first I will set downe the same that was among the Bishops assembled at two or three Councels holden vnder the children of Constantine the great For the saide Bishops being in manner al Arrians or men infected with some other heresie did by a common consent condemne the Councell of Nice which was the most notable that euer was holden those that continued the soundest in points of religion That which was concluded in their assemblies was a plaine conspiracie against the truth no holie vnion of wils notwithstanding they shrouded themselues vnder that beautifull title Of all which matters here deducted euery man especially they that rashly do ship themselues simply into all ports may learne not to suffer themselues to be circuÌ„uented with outward shews which for the most part intangle the wisest that hereafter they be not forced to vse this phrase I thought it not Wee are also to note that notwithstanding those that vnite themselues in maner afore mentioned are sometimes of opinion to perseuere a long time they neuertheles do deceiue themselues because euill thinges bee of such a nature that many times when they are growen to a certain degree not gouerned with any thing that good is they 〈◊〉 turne to ouerthrow one another But the concord that continueth is the same that is between honest men which also proceedeth froÌ„ the motions of an vpright reason illuminated from aboue which maketh â—s affectionate one to another for being fed with so perfect a radicall humour it remayneth euer quicke and fresh as the trees that are planted along the riuers sides God grant therfore y t we euen we FrenchmeÌ„ may haue the same continually lodged in our hearts to the end to helpe to restore our Countrie to her auncient beautie The third Discourse Of the inconstancie whereby many do vse to hate condemne and detest their neighbours because of their contrarieties in religion THE onelie disputations holden about this matter in diuerse Countries within these few yéeres were sufficient to ingender great hatred yea euen among néerest kindred But when to the contention of wordes they ioyne déedes from whence haue proceeded infinite iniuries then are the passions coroborated and many mens heartes so poisoned that in the time of peace they caÌ„not satisfie their hatred against such as agrée not vnto their religious opinions neither their cruell reuenge in the time of warre In this matter when we come to demand what cause hath and yet doth ingender and bring forth these extremities many doe sufficiently declare that it is the zeale that euerie one beareth to his own religion that causeth them to be persuaded that all doctrine thereto repugnant is spotted with impietie and therefore they abhorre both it and all that professe it Now to the end not to stumble in this so rough a waie I haue thought it nothing amisse to open the signification of the word Zeale as also to shew the fruites that should procéede from so good a trée Zeale in my opinion is an ardent affection of the soule which tendeth to the honour of God and the saluation of our neighbour whereof it also followeth that it is offended when he is dishonoured Moses and Saint Paule did greatly declare the zeale that they did beare euen to Gods people when the one of them said Lord forgiue them this trespasse otherwise blot me out of the booke which thou hast written And Saint Paule who wished to be separated from God that his brethren according to the flesh who glorified God might bee brought into the waie of saluation By these speeches which some take to bee excessiue we are to vnderstand the vehemencie of their affection Likewise may Helias and Phinees bee vnto vs examples of the wrath that some conceiue when they sée impietie and wickednesse to abound Fâ—â— it moued the one of them to put to death all the Prophettes of Baal and the other Zambry and the Madianite And suche zeale is commended in the holy Scriptures because it was guided by the wisedome of God In this miserable worlde wherein we nowe liue are there fewe to be found that imitate Moses and Paul either that followe the examples of Helias and Phinehes notwithstanding many would vse the same for a cloake to their violent passions as peraduenture not considering that those wer perticular actions procéeding of inward motions or expresse commandements and so not to be made consequents Moreouer those dayes had especiall reasons for such kinde of iudgements which cannot well agrée with ours But the lawe of Charitie which is perpetual and the foundation of the two aforenamed wishes ought to reduce vs to the same practise and so might we
run at the Quintain somtime armed somtime vnarmed to handle their wepōs to vault leap wherto might also be added swimming wrastling for al these make a man strong 〈…〉 mble Some Catholikes there are that would haue yong Gentlemen also to dance galiards amōg thēselues only notwithstāding dancing be but vain so to learn to form the actions to haue y e bolder grace abroad These also might be the exercises of the mind which are no lesse necessary than the rest To haue in our own language lectures out of the auncient writers y t intreat of moral vertues policy war They might also be instructed in y e Mathematiks Geography fortificatiō some most vsual languages And this is profitable for a gentleman I meane to know so much as he can make vse of Furthermore because mās life consisteth as well of trauaile as of rest it is méete y t his idle time be emploied in some honest occupations to settle content his mind least it wander into bad cogitations and resolutions Which moued Aristotle to wish young men to learn musick so as there should also be masters appointed to that end likewise to play vppon instruments or to practise the pensill And for the teaching of all these things I thinke 8. or 10. masters to suffice who had néed to haue good stipends according to the seuerall qualities of the persons For euery one knoweth y t he that can teach to manage a horse deserueth more than a Painter Likewise inasmuch as it is requisite to haue good orders in euery societie especially in a house wher so many persons must meet to the end that obedience ciuill honestie may the better be obserued it were good also to choose for those foure places as many vertuous Gentlemen to be superintendents of the said Academies to whom as well the masters as schollers should yeld al reuerence who also should sée to the ordering of all things Euerie of them to haue 2000. frankes maintenance to the end to kéep residence vpon the place Neither should their office continue aboue 3. or 4. yeres which expired to make choice of new For if the youth y t might haue recourse thether should not be so brideled they woulde hardly beare thēselues modestly considering the libertie that already they begin to take The authoritie also of y e abouenamed might extend séeing any lewd as it were vncurable schqller to bannish him the Academie to driue him thence The charges for the maintenance of euery Academie wold not amount to aboue 3000 crownes so the whole foure to 12000. by yere which were but a small matter in respect of the great fruit y t would arise of the same But some good common wealths man will saie that it were better to deuise how to discharge the king of his debts than to put him in new charges To whom I answere that thus he should pay one of the greatest debts that he oweth which is to adorne his nobilitie w t vertue Besides that who so list to looke well shall sée an infinit nūber of yéerely expenses much worse bestowed Howbeit to the end not to burthē the realme which is alredie but ouercharged the rediest way to do this were to take the first benefices that shall fal w tout charge of soule be in his Maiesties gift out of them to appoint paiment For as wel they be giuē to such as spēd y e reuenues in prophane or rather so filthie vses as it is a shame to say The clergy do ordinarily cōplaine y t the noble men catch at spiritual promotions which then they would not do because y t being instructed and at their charges they would not séeke to trouble publike order For those that embolden themselues to such things do it for want of good nurture Afterward when the affaires of of France might be brought into better order the king might discharge the clergie of this bond Now doth the difficultie rest in the finding of so many masters For vnlesse it bee at Paris the other townes are in a manner vtterly vnprouided At the first peraduenture we must fetch some out of Italy especially such as can teach to manage a horse to vse weapons or to vault although I suppose that among the Prouinces there be many poore gentlemen sufficient for this purpose But before these Academies shal haue stood thrée yeres in vse themselues will haue framed more maisters than wee shall néede For the Frenchman is readie to learne artes and sciences especiallie if hee sée them in account and that those that haue skill bee maintained Furthermore notwithstanding the masters that should teach haue their stipends out of the common purse yet should they not bée debarred from taking by permission some honest rewards of their disciples to the ende to make them the more diligent to teach them well As also the superintendent might to his best auaile boorde some young Gentlemen which would redound to their benefite their parents commoditie To bee briefe there might be such discipline that such as should commit anie dishonest act should bee corrected either by exhortations punishmentes or shame as hath bene sayd to reforme them of their misdemeanours Perticulerlie to discourse of the orders to be obserued in these exercises were but superfluous Onely we shoulde thinke that except the principall feasts sondaies no daie should be exempt from bodilie actions It is also to be considered that inasmuch as the escuiry cannot haue horses inow to teach all euerie young Gentleman especially the rich at his cōming should bring one either broken or vnbroken For either with the one or with the other they maye alwayes exercise themselues Besides that it wil be a commoditie to their parents to send their horses to be there brokrn whether great horse or curtals Neither doe I doubt but by such time as a young Gentleman shall haue continued foure or fiue yeres in such a schoole he wil be able to shew himselfe in anie Princes court For beeing skilfull in so many honest exercises and withall instructed in other thinges that are not comprehended but by the vnderstanding who will not wonder at eighteene or nineteene yeeres of age to sée such towardnesse Now if either in the court or other where we sée one indued with such qualities we like of him wish him good luck What thē would we do if we should sée all the prouinces of the Realme plentifull in such fruits What a contentation might it bee to our king to sée himselfe inuironed with a nobility not in name onely but in vertue As also what an honour for the parents that haue erected so goodly pillers for the vpholding glorie of their families Likewise our youth being thus instructed we shall not néede to feare to send it into any place wheresoeuer because it shall be of good proofe and in liew of spoiling it selfe it shal choose the best in other
that the brighter the glasse is the more doth the inward light thereof appeare and being dimme small brightnesse may be séené These therefore hauing so good groundes doe want but good instructions to bring them to the knowledge of the dignity of man which consisteth in the lifting vp of his minde vnto the author of all his good Whereto also their noble calling ought to exhorte them And as in the actiue life that they leade they keepe it ordinarily occupied in diuers honest and profitable things so should they goe forward and thence ascend to spirituall for he that is deuoyde of such apprehensions maketh his condition very bad If any man saith Why are not we present at the religious ceremonies It is but a colde excuse because the most excellent parte of religion consisteth in the inward man And this doth the scripture teach vs when it saith that God is a spirite and will be woorshipped in spirite and truth And how may it be possible to caste of the heauenly misteries if this speculatiue power should not bende as a bowe to the search of so high trueths more necessarie for the sustenance of the soule then bread is for the bodie Howbeit there be but fewe of that degree that are very hot herein whereof it commeth that many are ignorant of that which they ought especially to knowe and are skilfull in that which they ought rather to bee ignorant of For proofe I will alleadge onely one example of a neighbour of myne who in certaine companie talking of religion sayd These Hugnenots would seeme to be great doctors but knowe no thing If you dispute with them they presently denye Purgatorie but then denye you the Trinitie and you neuer see men so amazed This I suppose he sayd thinking to haue sayd very well howbeit it is a lamentable case to see that he that ought to haue taught others had neede to haue gone to schoole to learne the first principles of Christianitie and Godlinesse sith in matters of ciuilitie he was sufficiently seene The bodily exercises which tend to honestie are very conuenient for gentlemen but they droope toward the ground if they be not susteyned by the soule which being deuout doth betweene times estraunge it selfe from this element Hereof are wee admonished in the fourth Commaundement of the lawe wherein God declareth that it is his will wee should rest the seauenth day that is to say that wee should forget all worldly cares and applye our whole minds to meditate vpon his wonderfull works as well of our creation and conseruation as redemption Wherein we see that contemplation is a common duetie whereto we may aduowe those to be most bound that haue receiued most kinds of benefites Now to speake of the second order which proceedeth from the first and third order namely the Gentrie and Communaltie Wee may well say that many of them are thrust forward voluntarily to learne the sciences as wel through a desire they haue of knowledge as also to profite others But there are also and that the greatest parte whom profite and necessitie doe stirre vp Among these some there are whose onely contemplation hath regard to their coffers which the first sorte regard not as ayming at better endes And in deede the chiefest duetie of a Philosopher is to whet his wictes to the knowledge of whatsoeuer exquisite things in the whole world whose contentation the higher that the spirite penetrateth the greater it is As for deuine knowledge which they that haue the Ecclesiasticall offices doe perticulerly professe the same doth require a soule free from worldly bonds and lettes because that in so high an argument it is to employ whatsoeuer the agilitie thereof And to them more properly then to any doth contemplation appertaine Not that I meane that they ought continually to bee therein occupied as a quadrant to behould the sunne for so in vaine should they be in office if they discharge not themselues to the benefite of those that are to receiue the vsurie of such spirituall talents as GOD hath imparted vnto them namely sound doctrine Thus doe we see that actiue life ought not to bée seuered for euer or any long time from the contemplatiue And this did the best Philosophers well knowe Also that great Deuine S. Augustine well allowed this orderly composition of the one and the other For although the spirituall actions are more worthie then the corporall yet must they not be separated I knowe very well that the Munkes especially the begging Fryers and Charterhouse for those of S. Bennet and S. Bernard are somewhat better companions will gainsay this affirming that the continuall contemplation which they haue chosen not being interrupted by mortal cares maketh both soule and bodie more perfect Truely it is a goodly matter to seeke to attaine to some small perfection according as mans frailtie can beare But sith S. Paule who attained to so high holinesse with his high and profound speculation continued neruerthelesse in continuall action to the edification of the Church I am driuen to aduowe that it is better to stay vpon his example then of any of the rest And to the end the better to lay open this matter I will set downe the liues of the auncient Munkes who liued within foure hundred yéeres after Christ in such maner as a very learned 〈…〉 hath gathered them out of the writings of S. Augustin Contemning saith he all worldly delights and pleasures they doe together leade a most holy and chaâ—â— life passing their time in prayer readings and conferences without puffe of pride contempt debate or enuie No man houldeth anything in proper neither is any man burdensome to his neighbour with their hands they doe such labour as may maintaine their bodies and not hinder their mindes from attending vnto God Then doe they commit their labours into the hands of those whom they call Deanes who of the money which they make thereof be accomptable to him that is called the father among them These fathers are such persons as are not only holy in life but also excellent in the doctrine of God and hauing preheminence in vertues as well as in power doe gouerne their children without any pride and as they haue authoritie to commaund them so are their sonnes as readie to obey them Toward euening euery man commeth foorth of his cell and yet fasting do meet together to heare their father which done they take their bodily refectioÌ„ as much as is requisite to maintaine health Euery man restrayneth his lustes so to vse it in all sobrietie yea euen the foode that is set before them which is neither much nor very delicate The ouerplus aboue their sustenance for they leaue much as well in that they labour diligently as also in respected of their sobrietie is destributed to the poore which care not greatly for earning it They force not of abouÌ„dance but care only to reserue no parte of their superfluitie In this austeritie