Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	consideration_n	discourse_n	great_a	73	3	2.1542	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66051	Mercvry, or, The secret and svvift messenger shewing, how a man may with privacy and speed communicate his thoughts to a friend at any distance.	Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.; Kinnaston, Francis, Sir, 1587-1642.	1641 (1641)	Wing W2202; ESTC R1665	56,355	185

this proofe did confidently abjure the fact cursing the paper as being a false and lying witnesse After this being sent againe with the like carriage and a letter expressing the just number of figges that were to be delivered hee did againe according to his former practice devoure a great part of them by the way but before hee medled with any to prevent all following accusations he first tooke the letter and hid that under a great stone assuring himselfe that if it did not see him eate the figges it could never tell of him but being now more strongly accused then before hee confesses the fault admiring the divinitie of the paper and for the future doe's promise his best fidelity in every imployment Such strange conceits did those wilder nations entertaine concerning this excellent invention And doubtlesse it must needs argue a vast ability both of wit and memory in that man who did first confine all those different sounds of voyce which seeme to be almost of infinite variety within the bounds of those few letters in the Alphabet The first inventor of this was thought to be the Egyptian Mercury who is therefore stiled the Messenger of the Gods To which purpose the Poets have furnished him with wings for swiftnesse and dispatch in his errands And because the Planet of that name was thought to observe a more various obscure revolution then any of the rest therfore likewise did they attribute unto him such secret and subtle motions as might make him a trusty and private messenger and so the fitter for that preferment to which for this invention they had advanced him There is yet another way of discoursing by signes and gestures And thought it be not so common in practise as either of the other yet in nature perhaps it is before them both since infants are able this way to expresse themselves before they have the benefit of speech But now because none of these wayes in ordinary use are either so Secret or Swift as some exigences would require Therefore many of the Antients have busied themselves in a further inquiry how both these deficiencies may be remedied as conceiving that such a discovery would be of excellent use especially for some occasions that are incident to Statesmen and Souldiers That the ignorance of Secret and Swift conveyances hath often proved fatall not onely to the ruine of particular persons but also of whole Armies and Kingdomes may easily appeare to any one that is but little versed in story And therefore the redressing of these may bee a subject worth our enquiry Amongst the Antients that have most laboured in these particulars Aeneas Cleomenes and Democritus as they are cited by * Polybius were for their inventions of this kind more remarkeably eminent And that * Author himself hath given us such an exact relation of the knowledge of antiquity in these things that 't is a wonder these following ages should either take no more notice or make no more use of it Besides these there is also Iulius Africanus and Philo Mechanicus two antient Grecians who have likewise treated of this subject The Military significations in use amongst the Romans are handled by * Vegetius and Frontinus Their notes of Secrecy and Abbreviation in writing are largly set downe by * Valerius Probus and Pet. Diaconus There is likewise a volumne of these set forth by Ianus Gruterus which for their first invention are commonly ascribed unto Cicero and * Seneca In latter times these particulars have beene more fully handled by the Abbot a Tritemius b Theodorus Bibliander c Baptista Porta Cardan Subtilit lib. 17. de Var. C. 12. 6. d Isaac Casaubon f Iohannes Walchius g Gustavus Selenus h Gerardus Vossius l Hermannus Hugo and divers others in particular languages Amongst the rest our English Aristotle the learned Verulam in that worke truly stiled the Advancement of Learning hath briefly contracted the whole substance of what may be said in this subject Where he refers it to the art of Grammar noting it as a deficient part And in reference to this is it handled by most of those Authors who have treated of it That art in its true latitude comprehending a treaty concerning all the wayes of discourse whether by speech or by writing or by gesture together with the severall circumstances pertaining to them And so this subject belongs to the Mint of knowledge Expressions being currant for conceits as money is for valuations Now as it will concerne a man that deales in traficke to understand the severall kinds of money and that it may be framed of other materialls besides silver and gold So likewise do's it behove them who professe the knowledge of nature or reason rightly to apprehend the severall waies whereby they may be expressed So that besides the usefulnesse of this subject for some speciall occasions it doth also belong unto one of the liberall Arts From which considerations wee may infer that these particulars are not so triviall as perhaps otherwaies they would seeme and that there is sufficient motive to excite any industrious spirit unto a further search after them In this following discourse I shall enquire 1 Concerning the Secrecy of meanes whereby to communicate our thoughts 2 Concerning their Swiftnesse or quicke passing at any great distance 3 How they may be both joyned together in the conveiance of any Message In the prosecution of which I shall also mention besides the true discoveries most of those other wayes whether Magicall or Fabulous that are received upon common tradition CHAP. II. The conditions requisite to Secrecy The use of it in the Matter of speech either By Fables of the Heathen Parables of Scripture TO the exactnesse of Secrecy in any way of discourse there are these two qualifications requisite 1. That it be difficult to be unfolded if it should bee doubted of or examined 2. That it be if possible altogether devoid of suspicion for so far as it is liable to this it may be said to come short in the very Nature of Secrecy since what is once suspected is exposed to the danger of examination in a ready way to be discovered but if not yet a man is more likely to be disappointed in his intention when his proceedings are mistrusted Both these conditions together are to bee found but in few of the following instances only they are here specified to shew what a man should aime at in the inventions of this nature The art of secret information in the generall as it includes all significatory signes may be stiled Cryptomenysis or private Intimations The particular wayes of discoursing were before intimated to bee threefold 1. By Speaking 2. By Writing 3. By signes or gestures According to which variety there are also different wayes of Secrecy 1. Cryptologia 2. Cryptographia 3. Semaeologia Cryptologia or the Secrecy of

parts of the face winking of the eyes twisting of the beard c. Any of which or all of them together may be as well contrived to serve for this purpose and with much more secrecie In which art if our gaming Cheats and popish Miracle-impostors were but well versed it might much advantage them in their cousening trade of life CHAP. 15. Concerning the swiftnesse of informations either by qualities as the impression of imagination and the sensitive species or by spirituall substances as Angels HAving already treated concerning the severall wayes of secrecy in discoursing I shall in the next place enquire how a man may with the greatest swiftnesse and speed discover his intentions to one that is far distant from him There is nothing wee say so swift as thought and yet the impression of these in another might be as quick almost as the first act if there were but such a great power in imagination as some later * Philosophers have attributed to it Next to the acts of thought the species of sight doe seeme to be of the quickest motion Wee see the light of the East will in a moment fill the Hemisphere and the eye does presently discerne an object that is very remote How we may by this means communicate our thoughts at great distances I shall discourse afterwards The Substances that are most considerable for the swiftnesse of their motion are either Spirituall Corporeall Amongst all created substances there are not any of so swift a motion as Angels or Spirits Because there is not either within their natures any such indisposition and reluctancie or without them in the medium any such impediment as may in the least manner retarde their courses And therefore have the ancient Philosophers imployed these as the causes of that mad celerity of the celestiall Orbs though according to their suppositions I thinke it would bee a hard match if there were a race to be run betwixt the Primum mobile and an Angell It being granted that neither of them could move in an instant it would be but an even lay which should prove the swifter From the fitnesse of spirits in this regard to convey any message are they in the learned Languages called Messengers Now if a man had but such familiaritie with one of these as Socrates is said to have with his Tutelary Genius If wee could send but one of them upon any errand there would bee no quicker way then this for the dispatch of businesse at all distances That they have been often thus imployed is affirmed by divers relations Vatinius being in Rome was informed by an apparition of that victory which Paulus their Generall had obtained over King Perses in Macedon the very same day wherein the battaile was fought which was a long time before any other Messenger could arrive with the new And it is storied of many others that whilst they have resided in remote Countries they have known the death of their friends even in the very houre of their departure Either by bleeding or by dreams or some such way of intimation Which though it be commonly attributed to the operation of sympathy yet it is more probably to be ascribed unto the Spirit or Genius There being a more especiall acquaintance and commerce betwixt the Tutelary Angels of particular friends they are sometimes by them informed though at great distances of such remarkable accidents as befall one another But this way there is little hopes to advantage our enquiry because it is not so easie to imploy a good Angell nor safe dealing with a bad one The Abbot Trithemius in his books concerning the severall ways of secret and speedy discoursing does pretend to handle the forms of conjuration calling each kinde of character by the name of spirits thereby to deterre the vulgar from searching into his Works But under this pretence hee is thought also to deliver some Diabolicall Magick Especially in one place where he speaks of the three Saturnine Angels and certain Images by which in the space of twenty foure houres a man may bee informed of newes from any part of the World And this was the maine reason why by Iunius his advice Frederick the second Prince Palatine did cause the originall Manuscript of that worke to bee burned Which action is so much though it should seem unjustly blamed by Selenus CHAP. 16. Concerning the swiftnesse of conveyance by bodies whether inanimate as Arrows Bullets or animate as Men Beasts Birds THe bodies that are most eminent for their swiftnesse may be distinguished into such as are either inanimate animate These inanimate bodies as Arrows Bullets c. have only a violent motion which cannot therefore be continued to so great a distance as some occasions would require But for so much space as they doe move they are far swifter then the naturall motion of any animated body How these have been contrived to the speedy conveyance of secret messages hath been formerly discoursed in the fourth Chapter which I now forbeare to repeat Those living bodies that are most observable for their speed and celerity in messages are either Men Beast Birds Though I doubt not but that Fishes also may be serviceable for this purpose especially the Dolphin which is reported to be of the greatest swiftnesse and most easily cicurated or made tame Amongst the ancient Footmen there are some upon record for their incredible swiftnesse Ladas is reported to be so quick in his running Vt arenis pendentibus cavo pulvere nulla indicia relinqueret vestigiorum that hee left no impression of his footsteps on the hollow sands And it is related of a boy amongst the Romans being but eight yeares old that did run five and forty mile in an afternoone Anistius and Philonides two footmen unto Alexander the great are said to have run 1 00 stadia in a day Which relations will seeme lesse incredible if wee consider the ancient Exercises and Games of this kind together with the publicke fame and rewards for those that were most eminent Amongst the variety of beasts there are some of more especiall note for their strength and swiftnesse Scaliger mentions a story though hee distrust the truth of it of a certaine beast called Ellend two of which being joyned in a little cart are said to passe three hundred leagues a day upon the ice In former ages and in other Countries the Dromedary and Camell and Mule were of more common use But in these times and places the horse for the most part serves instead of them all by the helpe of which wee have our swiftest meanes of ordinary conveyance The custome of riding post by renewing both horse and man at set stages is of ancient invention Herodotus relates it to be used by Xerxes in the Graecian war and that it was by the Persians called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The particulars that concerne

puta bipedalem colloquatur animi sui sententiam impertiat ad quaesita respondeat saith a late Author But in this experiment it is not only the secondary vertue of the needles that can be thus effectuall as is supposed in the former invention but there must be the help also of the loadstone it selfe As for the reason why these magneticall powers are able to worke through solid bodies 'T is considerable that any quality may be diffused through such a substance as hath no naturall repugnancie unto it Wee see the light does passe as wel through hot bodies as cold through solid as fluid c. only Opacitie keeps it out because that quality alone is contrary to its nature So likewise is it with magneticall vertues which doe equally spread themselves through all kind of bodies whether rare or dense diaphanous or opacous there being no quality contrary to this because it is that generall endowment of the whole globe that universall quality to which all other particulars are naturally subservient The second sort of relations to this purpose are such as referre to diabolicall Magick Of which kind is that invention thought to be which is commonly ascribed to Pythagoras of whom it is reported that hee could write any thing in the body of the Moone so as it might be legible to another at a great distance Agrippa affirmes this to be naturally possible and the way of performing it not unknown to himselfe with some others in his time And Fridericus Risner seemes to beleeve it For speaking of the strange experiments to be wrought by some glasses he adds Denique certo artificio depictas imagines a●t scriptas literas nocte serenâ plenae lunae sic opponi possunt ut radiis lunam irradiantibus ideoque reflexis videas legas quae Constantinopoli Lutetiam tibi nuncientur There is an experiment in Opticks to represent any writing by the sun-beams upon a wall or front of a house For which purpose the letters must be first described with wax or some other opacous colour upon the surface of the glasse in an inverted forme which glasse afterwards reflecting the light upon any wall in the shade will discover these letters in their right forme and order Unto some such invention I did first before I had well considered these particulars attribute the performance of those strange promises in Nuntius inanimatus But upon better thoughts it will be found that the species of reflexion in this experiment are so weake that unlesse the glasse and the letters be very bigge and the wall somwhat neere there will be no distinct appearance of the writing And therefore this way there can be no thoughts of contriving any reflected species that shall be visible at so great a distance as the Moone Nor is there any other naturall means conceiveable by which so strange an effect may be performed which is the reason that it is so frequently attributed to diabolicall Magick by almost all the Writers that have occasion to treat of it But Agrippa in another place speaking concerning this invention affirmes that it was performed thus Pythagoras did first describe with blood any letters which hee thought fit in some great glasse and then opposing the glasse against the full Moone the letters would appeare thorough it as if they were writ in the circumference of her body Quae collibuisset sanguine perscripsit in speculo quo ad pleni luminis lunae orbem obverso stanti à tergo res exaratas in disc● lunae commonstravit In which passage he seemes to intimate that this writing in the Moone could not be visible at any great distance as it is related in common tradition but that it did appeare to such onely betwixt whose eyes and the Moone this glasse might be interposed And according to this the wonder of the relation ceases nor may it truly be referred to Diabolicall Magick More properly reducible to this kind are those inchaunted glasses mentioned in divers Authors In which some Magitians are said to containe such familiar spirits as doe informe them of any businesse they shall enquire after I have heard a great pretender to the knowledge of all secret Arts confidently affirme that he himselfe was able at that time or any other to shew me in a glasse what was done in any part of the world what ships were sailing in the Mediterranean who were walking in any street of any Citie in Spaine or the like And this hee did averre with all the laboured expressions of a strong confidence The man for his condition was an Italian Doctor of Physick for his parts hee was knowne to be of extraordinary skill in the abstruser Arts but not altogether free from the suspition of this unlawfull Magick CHAP. 20. Of informations by significatory fires and smokes Their antiquity The true manner of using them to this purpose That these were meant in Nuntius inanimatus THe experiments of this kind that are true upon naturall grounds have beene made either by fire in the night or smoke and such other signes visible at a distance in the day time These informations by significatory fires have beene of ancient use The first invention of them is commonly ascribed to Sinon in the Trojan warres Specularem significationem Trojano bello Sinon invenit saith Pliny This was the signe upon which he agreed to unlock the wooden horse Flammas cum regia puppis Extulerat But Diodorus Siculus affirmes them to be practised by Medea in her conspiracie with Iason And they are frequently mentioned in other ancient Historians * Herodotus speaks of them in the Grecian warre against Xerxes And * Thucydides testifies of them in the onsets that were made by the Peloponnesians against Salamis and in the siege of Corcyra Appian speaking of Scipio at Numantia how he divided his campe into divers companies saies that he assigned each of them to severall tribunes with this charge Si impeterentur ab hoste de die * panno rubro in hasta sublato significarent de nocte igne If the enemie did charge any of them they should signifie it to the others in the day time by holding up a red cloth in the night by fires Vegetius affirmes it to be usuall when the Army was divided to informe one another in the day by smoke in the night by fires These significatory fires were by the Grecians called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith Suidas and somtimes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The use of them was chiefly for the answer of some particular Quaere that was before agreed upon As concerning the comming of aydes or enemies if the enemies were comming they were wont to shake these torches if the aydes they held them still saith the Scholiast upon Thucydides But they have by more exact inventions beene enlarged to a greater latitude of