no other end then that the maintainers thereof should not be forced to acknowledge the world to be gouerned by diuyne Prouidence against which Prouidence they had a mighty auersion it selfe of necessity being most formidable and dreadfull to a mynd wallowing in all wickednes voluptuousnes as is euidently gathered out of Lucretius and Pliny That the world and the parts thereof cannot receaue their being from themselues is no lesse euident First among subblunary bodyes as all those be which are vnder the Moone those which are most perfect as Man other liuing Creatures cannot be of themselues for how can those things receaue their being frō themselues which need a preparation and concourse of so many causes that they may be borne and so many externall helpes and furtherrances that they may liue Or how can that be of it selfe which is extinguished perished with so great a facility Here perhaps it may be replyed that those bodies which be Indiuidua as particuler men are not of themselues but that the humane nature in generall as being eternall or for euer is of it selfe and that the like may be said of other Species or kindes of things But this is spoken ignorantly seeing the Species of any creature or body is not a thing separated from the Indiuidua as certaine Platonickes dreamed but doth exist in the Indiuidua neither hath it any esse or being in rerum natura but only by reason of the Indiuidua Yea for exāple species humana or the whole kynd of men is nothing els but the whole multitude of particuler men which haue beene are and may be as they all beare a liknes of nature among themselues Now then if Indiuiduall and particuler Men do depend of another cause then must also the whole Species or kynd which is not distinguished à parte rei as the Philosophers speake from the Indiuidua depend also of another cause This point is further manifested in that the whole Species or kynd may vtterly be extinguished or perishd But what dependeth not of another but hath it being only of it selfe cannot be extinguished for what is of it selfe did neuer begin but had euer its existency and therefore cannot cease or desist to be That it neuer begun is proued in that what once did begin sometimes was not and therefore it is produced as the phrase is à non esle ad esse from the not being of a thing to the being of the thing it selfe Now a thing cannot produce or cause it selfe and the reason is because that which doth produce ought to precede or go before that therby it may draw that which is to be produced à non esle ad esse Therefore whatsoeuer beginneth once to be is produced of another consequently receaueth not it s being of it self for to haue its being of it selfe is to haue its essēce without the influxe of any other efficient cause Therefore it is auident that what is of it selfe did neuer begin therefore shall neuer end and on the contrary syde what did begin hath not its being from it selfe but is necessarily produced of another Furthermore euery thing compounded of matter and forme cannot be of it selfe but necessarily is produed of some efficient cause which must dispose the matter and produce the forme and ioyne the forme to the matter for the matter neither receaueth those dispositions nor the forme from its owne essence since they may be separated therefore this vnion of the matter the forme is occasioned by some extrinsecal cause The same may be said of euery thing consisting of parts for seing the parts are not through any necessity vnited among themselues but may be mutually separated one from another it must needes follow that this vnion proceedeth from some cause which ioyned the parts togeather From these premises afore it appeareth that also the Elements as the earth the water the ayre and the fire are not of thēselues but haue some efficient begining for if those things which are most perfect for their nature among these sublunary bodyes haue not their being from themselues but from some other cause then much more those bodies which are most imperfect as the Elements are must for their being depend of another for to be of it selfe and not to depend of another is a signe of greatest perfection seing what is thus in nature is to it selfe the origen and fountaine of all good and standeth not in need of any thing externall Furthermore the Elements are not for themselues but for others I meane as they are parts of the world and as they afford matter to compounded bodyes therfore they haue not their being from themselues for that Axiome in Philosophy is true to wit Quod habet causam finalem ad quam ordinetur habet etiam efficientem à qua ordinetur What hath a final cause to the which it is directed and ordained the same hath also an efficient cause by the which it is so ordained for nothing is of it selfe to the end that it may serue another but that it may enioy it selfe Therefore euen in this respect that any thing is non propter se sed propter aliud not for it owne self but that it may conduce and be seruiceable to some other thing it followeth that the same thing is ordained by some one which hath intended the good of another Besides in that the Elemēts do enioy this or that magnitude or greatnes this place or that place in respect of the whole space and place in the world they receaue not this from thēselues seing their essence necessarily exacteth none of these circumstances therefore they take them from some extrinsecall cause which appointeth to euery one of the Elements their measure or greatnes their place or situation To conclude the Elements are subiect to so many mutations and changes and to so great a need of extrinsecall causes as that in regard hereof how can it be possibly conceaued that they should be of themselues or be at their owne fredome and liberty and in respect of their being not to depend of another These former reasons do conuince that Materia prima whereof the Philosophers do teach that all things were first made hath not its being from it selfe but from some other cause For this Materia prima either is not distinguished from the Elements as many auncient Philosophers did should who taught that the Elements are mere simple bodies without composition of matter or forme and the last subiect of all former or els if it be distinguished from thē as Aristotle with his followers maintained then is it far more imperfect then the Elements as seruing but for their matter whereof they are made Therefore seing this Materia prima is most imperfect and next to Nothing being subiect to all mutations and as it were a seruant to all natural causes and being of it owne nature depriued of all forme wherwith to be inuested and
therefore only in the muscles there are six thousand for thus writeth Galen Eadem ars c. The same art is to be seene about all the bowels indeed about euery part so as if one consider the scopi which the structure of mans body hath the multitude of them would rise vnto some myriades And here upon Galene concludeth that mans body is framed by some most wise and most puissant workeman It was not sufficient that mans body should consist of bones and muscles but withall it was needfull that it should haue naturall heat by the which it might liue bloud by which it might be nourished spirits by the which it might moue and excrcise its senses for without this spirit the soule could neither vse any sense nor the body moue it selfe for seing the spirit is of a most attenuated and thin substance as a thing betwene the most subtile soule and the grosse body it is therefore the immediate and next instrument or Organum of the soule by meanes whereof the soule causeth in the body motion and sense and without the which there can be no distribution of nourishment made through out the whole body Therefore the diuyne Prouidence hath fabricated and made three principall parts in mans body by the which these operations may be performed to wit the Hart the â—â—uar and the braine The Hart is ordained for the vital heat and spirits of the whole body the Liuer for the sanguineous bloody and naturall spirits and the braine for the animal spirits To these three other externall instruments parts of the body are seruiceable To the Liuer belong the teeth the Esophagus and the stomacke to affoard the matter of blood or a certaine concocted iuyce which is called Chylus The Intestinâ—â— or entrals do serue partly to traÌ„smit send this Chylus through the Mesaraical veynes to the Liuer and partly to deonerate disburden the body of the excrementall part of meat and food Furthermore to the Liuer belongs that vessel called folliculus fellis the receptacle of gall that therby after the Chylus is once turned into blood it may draw to it selfe containe the more sharpe matter or substance of nourishment which matter would be otherwise hurtfull to the body The Liene or Splene conduceth that it may attract to it the more grosse and seculent parts of blood The Reynes that they may sucke vp the raw and redundant wheish matter being mixt with blood and after they do send it through the vessels of vryne to the bladder to be auoided in conuenient tyme. The Longs are seruiceable to the Hart wherby the Hart is refrigerated and cooled and the vitall spirits recreated and refreshed through the often attraction and expiration of new and fresh ayre Now the spirits are engendred after this sort The meate being once concocted the best iuyce of it is transferred to the Liuer This transmission or sending it thither is made partly by the vitall compression or closing of the stomacke and partly by the vertue of the veynes of the Intestine called Ieiunum and other innumerable veynes which being placed in the mesenterium or in the midle of the bowels haue apower of sucking to them The Liuer then receiuing the Chylus through a fistula or hollow pipe turneth it throgh its owne natural disposition into blood and after that the more thin parts therof it chaÌ„geth into a vapour which commonly is called spiritus naturalis this vapour distendeth enlargeth and openeth the veynes and pores of the body One part of this blood the liuer by meanes of vena caua which proceedeth or ryseth from it selfe sendeth to the heart Then through the heate of the hart this blood is wonderfully extenuated and refyned first in the right ventricle of the Heart and after in the left ventricle so a great part therof is conuerted into a most subtill and thin vapour of which vapor one part is sent froÌ„ the Heart to the brayne by a great Arterie there being elaborated againe clarifyed tempered in that fould of small arteries which is commonly called rete mirabile it becomes spiritus animalis the Animall spirits do serue only to sense and motion which are peculiar functions of a liuing Creature The rest of these spirits being mingled with most thin and pure blood the Hart distributeth through out the whole body through the Arteries conseruing and maintaining herby the natural heat of the body and this spirit is vsually tearmed spiritus vitalis And here now we are briefly to shew how both kynds of these spirits and bloud is dispersed throughout the whole body that therby we may the better apprehend by how admirable and wonderfull a Wisedome all these things are thus disposed Our body consisteth of heat and moisture The heat dayly consumeth and spendeth the moisture vapouring it away into ayre as the like appeareth by water exposed to the Sunne or to fyer which by little and little vanisheth away And thus all the meÌ„bers and entrals of mans body would soone decay and dry away if there were no instauration and repairing thereof made by nourishment The immediate next nourishment of the body is blood and therefore it is requisite that blood be distributed through the body that all parts of it be nourished therewith The Liuer is the shop as it were of bloud Therefore from the Liuer there are drawne two great veynes the one going vpwards the other downwards the body both which do after braÌ„ch and diuyde themselues into seuerall lesser veynes these againe into lesser and lesser till they end in most small veynes and to the eye scarce visible These veynes go towards the bowels to the muscles in them they are terminated and implanted Seing then that there are aboue six hundred muscles and that for the most part many small veynes do run into euery muscle it coÌ„meth to passe that besides those inuisisible veynes which for their smalnes are called venae capillares as resembling in quaÌ„tity the haires of a mans head there are some thousands of veynes or rather branches of veines which do rise and take their beginning from the two former great veynes Now by this meanes it is effected that there is not the least part of the body but there is nourishment brought to it The making and vertue of the veynes is wonderfull for they consist of fibrae or small strings and these are direct oblique or transuerse By the direct fibrae they attract and suck blood by the oblique they retaine and keep it and by the transuerse they transmit it further to the muscles and other extreme parts The same art and prouideÌ„ce is obserued in the concauityes hollownes of the intestina or bowels they haue the power of keeping bloud which once bursting out of them doth instantly putrifye and ingendreth diseases as we may obserue in Plurisyes Contusions and inflaÌ„mations The wheish humour is mingled with bloud for the more easy
and agreable to the nature of the thing itselfe as these things are Neither only in Man but in the Species or kynds of other liuing Creatures the artifice and skill of these three members are found for seing all liuing Creatures enioy sense and motion it is therefore needfull that they haue animall spirits and consequeÌ„tly a brayne sorting to its nature which is the shop of those spirits as also that they haue sinews deryued from the braine by the which the spirits are deferred and carryed to the Muscles In like sort because al liuing Creatures are nourished it is requisite that they haue a Liuer which prepareth and concocteth the nourishment and veynes by the help of which the nourishment is transferred to each part as also naturall spirits seeing by the benefit of these the aliment penetrateth all parts of the body Finally because the foresaid Creatures are to be cherished with a certaine natiue heate of their owne wherby they may liue it is expedient that they haue a hart from the which the natiue heat and vitall spirits are dispersed and arteryes by the which they are so dispersed Now these three principall meÌ„bers are most appositly and aptly framed and disposed in liuing Creatures not after one and the same maner but after different sorts according to the different nature of the said Creatures and therefore they are found in flies gnats fleas and the least wormes For these small creatures haue their braine their Liuer their sinews arteryes and veynes fabricated and made with wonderfull subtility their inward parts are not confounded in themselues nor of one forme but they haue seuerall perfect organs vnmixte they being of different temperature different faculty different vse different forme different connexion and of different place or situation yet made with such an invisible tenuity and smalnes as is incomprehensible to mans wit And this poynt is fully manifested by the sharpnes of their senses their swiftnes of motion their strange and great industry and sagacity Now it we consider the externall and outward parts of liuing Creatures how wonderfuâ—ly is euery part appropriated to its peculiar vâ—e end How easy expedite and quicke functions and motions haue they And how great variety is there of them according to the variety of their kinds Birds are made with small heads sharpe becks the more easily therby to cline and pieâ—ce the ayre with crooked pounces wherewith to hold fast the boughes of the trees wherupon they sit with fethers growing backward that their flying be not hindred which feathers ly close to the body whyle they fly that the ayre may the lesse enter among them their wings are most light and so framed as they may easily open and close for flying being fitted with a soft hollownes to receaue ayre in while they flye and to couer their body straitly and comely Such of them as feed vpon flesh haue most strong hooked beckes to teare the flesh asunder and sharpe and crooked tallants to apprehend and hould it Such as feed vpon the water haue log necks that they may dyue in to the water the deeper with their head To conclude how many colours are there â—n seuerall kynds of byrds How pleasant is the beauty of their wings How great is the difference of their sound and voyces How sweet is the singng of some of them And euen in some of those which haue but a very small body how shrill and piercing is the sound they make The making of forefooted beasts because they go vpon the ground is farre â—â—ffereÌ„t from the former Such as feed vpon flesh and liue vpon preying haue the members of their bodies fit and accommodated for prey In their mouth they haue two teeth aboue and two below long and strong to hold and teare a sunder their clawes sharpe and faulked or hooked to hold fast which clawes when they goe they so beare that they are not worne in catching their prey they stretch them out like fingars Those other beasts as feed vpon hearbs leaues or fruits haue their teeth and hoofs otherwise formed For the order of their teeth are eauen and equall one not being loÌ„ger then an other of which the furthermost are sharpe to cut the grasse or the new buds of trees flowers the inwardmost are broad blunt to grynd and make small the meat Their hoofs are firme and plaine that they may stand firmerly that their feet be not ouerpressed with the weight of their body Their neck of that length as staÌ„ding vprightly they may grase vpon the grasse and so accordingly Camels by reason of the hugenes of their body haue a very long necke But in an Elephant it is otherwise to whom a long necke would become deformed and would haue made that huge weight of his body to be vnapt to the defence of himselfe Therefore an Elephant hath a most short necke yet in liew therof a long snout with the which as with a hand it taketh any thing and reacheth it to his mouth Now who seeth not that all these things are thus purposely disposed and framed with wonderfull wisedome consideration And to come to â—ihes How fitly and proportionatly are then bodies framed to lyue in the Element of water The head of most of them is narrow the better therby to cut the water the tayle broad and spread out which serueth as 〈◊〉 to guyde the fishes motion with an extraordinary celerity and swiftnes They haue also close to their belly certaine fins wherof some haue two others foure or more these stand insteed of oares as it were by the helpe wherof they either moue in the water or stay their mouing vpon their backe they haue a certaine finne like vnto a skin which they stretch out that they may swin with their bodies downeward and that they may not easily be cast vpon their backs Their gils which they haue vpon the side of their chawes deserue for the casting out of water both of that which they daily draw in to the refrigeration of their hart as also of that which entreth into them whyle they are in taking of their food and nourishment And therefore such fishes as want these gils haue insteed of them certaine holes by the which they disburden themselues of this water And without this help of auoydance it is certaine that they would be presently suffocated and choaked as wanting all respiration Their Scales grow backward to the end they may be no hinderance to their swiming which when the fishes are in motion close neare together Such fishes as breath not much want lungs or lights and haue their hart thinly couered ouer neere vnto their mouth that it may be easily refrigerated and cooled by the attraction of water Those of a strong respiration haue lungs with which the hart is couered and other instruments fitting to the same end To conclude the kynds of fishes and variety of their formes is almost innumerable
euery one of them hauing their outward and inward parts and members most aptly framed to their vses and ends so nothing is there to be found which is not disposed with all reason wisedome prouidence Neither is this variety of formes elegancy of structure to be found only in the bodies of fishes but also in shels with the which the small fishes though imperfect in nature are couered Of these Shels their beauty and variety is wonderfull although they serue to no other vse then to couer and arme the small bodies of their fishes For there is no where greater shew of diuyne arte and skil then in these especially where there is produced such variety without any seed and only out of a formed Element as appeareth from the testimony of Pliny himselfe Tâ—â— ibi colorum differentiae c. So many differences of colours in Shels so many figures and formes as plaine hollow long horned as the moone gathered together in a round forme smooth rough c with many other formes by him recyted then after he further writeth Nitor puritas c. The shining purity is incredible in diuers of them exceeding â—ll mettals of gold and siluer and not to be corrupted but in a most long space tyme. This further is worthy of consideration in liuing Creatures To wit To man in that he is endued with reason there is giueÌ„ at his birth neither any thing to cloath his body nor any weapon for his owne defeÌ„ce but in place of these Hands are giuen him with the which he may make to himselfe all kynd of vestmeÌ„ts or weapons to weare or lay by at his pleasure But to beasts because they cannot make and procure these things to themselues they therefore receiue theÌ„ euen froÌ„ a most benigne and diuyne ProuideÌ„ce and they increase with the increasing of the beasts neither do they allat any time need any repayring For weapons are giuen to some Hornes to others Teeth to others Clawes to others strength in their feet to others a sharpe dart in their tayles to others a venemous poyson in their teeth or their hoofes and this endangereth their Enemies either by touching or breathing Of others their safety doth lye in their speedines of flying away or in their naturall craft and deceipt or in the hardnes of their shels wherwith they are couered or in the pricks of their skins which some of them can cast from them against their enemies Insteed of Cloth wherwith they are couered some haue haire others wool fethers scales a sharpe hard pil or rynd shels a smooth skin yet of sufficient hardnes Furthermore their is in euery liuing 〈◊〉 a vertue oâ— power by the which all these veapons and vestments as it were are framed in conuenient places formes and colours and this out of the earthly grosâ—er part of the nourishment or meat otherwise improfitable and but to be purged away Therefore we may worthily admire Gods Prouidence herein which turneth the matter otherwise hurtfull for the nourishing of the body into such necessary vses I heere pretermit the most diuers formes and shapes of those liuing creatures which are commonly called Insecta as flies gnats and the like as also all little wormes with the which the ayre the earth the fields the riuers and standing waters do abound in the Summer time Al parts or members in them are wonderfully faâ—e all most exactly framed and all most perfectly agreing and fitting to the functions for which they were made Among so many kinds of which small liuing bodies there is not one so base and vyle which is not able to procure an astonishing admiration in whom behold them attentiuely Yea by how much the creature ie more base and abiect by so much the more the art of diuyne Prouidence shineth in the fabricke and making of it The like Prouidence is shewed in the making of Plants which comming out of the earth do remaine fixed to the earth wherof there are many kinds most diuers formes of the said kynds Nothing is in theÌ„ which is without the height and fulnes oâ— reason All their parts most aptly sort to their ends The rootes whether it be a tree a young bud or an hearb do serue to â—asten the whole plant to the earth and to sucke from thence humour for the nourishing of al its parts The vertue of the rootes is strange seing the greatest trees that are though neuer so much diffused and spred out into braÌ„ches are by their rootes â—o affixed to the earth that no force of wynds can leuell theÌ„ with the earth The Barke or outward â—ynd seruing as a cloathing to them defencâ— them from cold and heat and from the encounter of any other domageable thing The Bowes and branches are directed for the greater increase of fruites The leaues serue partly for ornament and parly for the safty of the fruits least they perish through heat and showers The fruit serues for the continuance of the seed and in most of them for food of men and other liuing creatures and therefore they are more full of suck and there is greater store of them then the continuance of the seed requireth as appeareth in apples peares melions and many other kynds of fruits Plants do want Muscles because they want motion and do cleaue immoueably to the earth All parts euen from the lowest peece of the roote to the highest of the leaues are ful of pores they haue a power of sucking in and what they sucke in they do assimilate make it the same with the substance of the tree The leaues and fruyte do hang by a little stalke which coÌ„sisteth of many fibrae or smal strings through the stalke all the iuyce passeth which after is dispersed through the pores of the fibrae into all parts of the leaues and fruites in a most strange manner The stalkes do not adhere or cleaue to the boughes by any fibrae which are continued to the boughes but by such as are inserted in them and glewed or ioyned together through the force of a certaine humour The which humour being once dryed the fruyt and the leaues either freely of themselues or with very small pulling do fall downe In the Medulla or marrow of the Plant there is a genitall power or vertue and therfore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in Latin Matrix the which marrow being taken away though the tree do beare fruite yet is this fruite destitute of seed Euen as the roote the stocke of the tree and the boughes or branches do consist of the barke the wood and the marrow so the fruite consisteth of the barke of that part which is commonly called Pulpa and of the seed The sucke and humours of the earth being attracted by the roote and dispersed by the fibrae into the body and the boughes and perfectly conâ—octed the watery parts being improfitable to the tree or to that woodden substance whatsoeuer the
earth would become dry barren depriued of all beauty ornaments of trees grasse hearbs and flowers and finally not fit and commodious for the habitatioÌ„ of man beasts Showers receaue their fecundity and fruitfulnes from a double cause first by the mixture of a viscous and fat matter which is exhaled and drawne vp with the vapours from the earth and the sea for the sea being fertil hath a certaine fatnes with the which fishes are nourished Therefore while the Sunne eleuateth vp the more thin parts of it which are vapours it withal attracteth a certaine oyle and fat matter which being mingled with the vapours after throgh cold conden sd and thickned into rayne doth water the earth The same thing also hapneth when vapours and exhalations are drawne vp through the Suns heat from a fenny earth froÌ„ gardeÌ„s fields woods Secondly showers take their fruitfulnes from the spirit and heat included and impressed in the cloud or shower by the beames of the Sunne for this spirit or heat causeth all things to grow and increase And to the end that the fall of showers should not ouerwhelme with an ouer great and impetuous force weight the tender buds and flowers therefore the diuyne prouidence hath ordayned that they do not fall ouer abundantly and precipitantly but that froÌ„ a great height they should distil by little little through a large tract of the ayre wherby they being deuided into infinite most small drops do be sprinkle the earth with a pleasing moisture and humidity And to the end that what is thus falen vpon the earth should not by the heat of the Sunne be instantly dryed vp consumed before it could penetrate and descend to the roots of plants therefore for the most part certaine dry remnants of clouds do intercept the beames of the Sunne vntill the earth do drinke and suck vp the raine and transmit it to the rootes for the better nourishing of the fruite which it bringeth forth Also Snow which is as it were the froth of clouds is accompanied with no small benefit for besides that it affords matter for the continuance of springs and riuers descending from the highest mountaines it doth couer the earth as it were with a fleece of wool and by this meanes keeping the heat of the earth within it hindreth that frosts penetrating ouer deeply the earth do not extinguish the seminall vertue resyding in rootes and thus Snow is one cause of the earths great fertility of plants Snow also hath in it selfe a fecundity and fruitfulnes in regard of the ayre included in it which shining with infinite bubles giueth that extraordinary whitenes to the Snow Frost in like manner is most profitable to all things for by a repercussion beating backe it keepeth within the spirit heat of the earth and of liuing creatures not suffering it to euaporate and vanish away And from this it coÌ„meth that in colder couÌ„tryes and such as are subiect to frosts men are of a more robustious greater stature and longer lyued then in hoater regions Now these to wit Wynds showers snow frosts and the like come not promisâ—â—ously in any tyme of the yeare but are so distributed by certaine seasons thereof as they most aptly agree and sort to the begetting growing increasing and perfecting of plants and liuing creatures and to the perpetuating of their species and kynds and further do serue most coÌ„modiously to Mens vses From all which it is euen demonstratiuely concluded that all these are ordained and instituted by a most wise and most powerfull mynd or spirit for the good and sâ—ruice of liuing creatures and chiefly of Man to whom all the rest are subiect And that the Elements are for the same cause made and do to that end enioy such their peculiar situations and their proper formes and figures which now they haue doth abundanâ—ly appeare from the consideration of the earth and water For if we consider precisely things as they should be in their owne nature the earth ought to be exactly round and the water ought on euery syde to couer encompasse the earth Seing all things that are ponderous and heauy ought to descend equally towards the Center of the earth and by how much one body is more heauy then another by so much it ought to be more neere to the center and lower in place then the other Therefore the earth ought to be vnder the waters and the waters specially to be powred about it But we see that these two Elements are far otherwise situated for a huge portion of the earth to wit all that which is not couered with the sea and all the immense weight and heape of mountaines is far higher and more remote from the Center then the water is For there ruÌ„neth a mighty vast channell through the middest of the earth of an infinite profundity deuided into seuerall passages which running diuers wayes and in some places of greater breadth in others of lesser do make Ilands Into this channell all the Element of water is receaued that only excepted which being extenuated and made thin turneth into vapours that so the earth as free from being couered with water might be made seruiceable for the habitation of men and other creatures and for the groth and increase of things Furthermore the Earth is so fashioned and brought into that forme that from the sea towards the mediterranean places it by insensible degrees lifteth it selfe vp riseth higher vntill it end into mountaines and rockes in which poynt consisteth a most admirable art of the diuyne Prouidence For first by this structure of the Earth it is made free from all perillous inundations which by little and little and in long processe of tyme by tne influence of the starres or force of the wynds might endanger al the Earth For we see by experience that such bordering parts of the earth as are neere to the sea and do not much exceed the Sea in height are often vtterly ouerflowed with the deaths of the Inhabitants and losse of all goods Furthermore if this easy ascent rysing of the Earth were not there could not be any riuers for if the superficies of the earth were equally distant from the Center as in a globe perfectly round then would there be no fall of riuers for the water cannot flow except it fynd places more low and neere to the Center And if the Earth should suddenly be lifted vp into steepe heights then would the fall of riuers be more impetuous and violent then were requisite neither could riuers being so precipitious and downfall be commodious to mans vse neither could they runne continually through defect of matter I here omit the danger of inundations which often do chance to the great losse and detriment of the inhabitants when abundance of raine aud melted snow being gathered together do suddenly and precipitantly fall from some great height Therfore the Earth ought to ryse in height by
little and little and by insensible increasings from the mouthes of the riuers where they runne and disgorge themselues into the sea euen to their springs and to other mediterranean places Now if we insist in the speculation of mountaines we shall fynd that in nature there is no necessity of them but only for the behoofe and benefit of man For they first serue to breake the force of wynds which might be very domageable to all creatures if all coasts were plaine euen and no hinderance were interposed to slacken their strength Hence it proceedeth that wynds are more impetuous and boysterous in the open Sea where all is plaine and eauen without any obstacle then in the middle places of the Earth Secondly Mountaynes high hils serue for bounds of regions and kingdomes for they are as it were the limits or closures of great kingdomes by the which the ambition of men and desire of further enlarging their Regality is bridled and restrained least it should incessantly exercise it selfe in vexing and subduing their bordering neighbours Therefore the safety of kingdomes is much preserued and the infinite miseries and pressures still attending vpoÌ„ wares by the difficult inaccessible passages of the mountaines are much hindered Great hils do furthermore suppeditate and miniâ—â—er matter for building as stones lyme wood tyle or slate with many other things either necessary or at least very commodious to mans life For almost all metals and diuers kynds of pretious stones are digged out of the bowels and veynes of mountaines There also do grow vpon mountaines diuers rootes of great vertue and infinite kynds of hearbs as also most excellent wynes and oliues Lastly they containe the origins and beginnings of springs and riuers and they perpetuate stil continue them by feeding theÌ„ with matter and store of water Now let vs next descend to the quality of the Earth and Sea For this is not found to be such as the nature of these Elements being considered in it selfe doth require but such as may best sort to the preseruation of liuing Creatures and commodity of man For if we precisely consider the nature of these bodyes the Elements ought to be simple or without mixture of other bodies vniforme and in euery place of the same vertue operation affectioÌ„ For the earth in its owne nature is vehemently dry and moderately cold the water extremly cold and moyst the ayre moyst and moderately hot and all these are naturally depriued and voyd of al sapour or tast colour and odour or smell But this poynt is far otherwise for there are many diuersities differences of soyles of the earth for they are hoat cold temperate such as may be cruÌ„led away or brokeÌ„ into small peeces light ponderous fatty vnctious dry In colours blackish reddish yellow whyte as also of seuerall tasts â—nd odours or smels and fit and commodious for the bringing forth of seuerall things according to those verses Hic segetes illic veniunt faeliciùs vuae Arborei foetus alibi atque iniussa virescunt Gramina Nonne vides croceos vt Tmolus odores India mittit ebur molles sua thura Sabaei Therefore seuerall soyles earth haue their peculiar fecundity quality impressed in them by him who first created this Element Neither can we ascribe all this diuersity to the Sunne and the starres seing that vnder one and the same Climate there are some places more desert barren other most fertill and such of these places as are fertill do not bring forth the same kynds of plants other liuing Creatures though they receaue one and the same aspect influence from the Sunne and the starres In like sort the earth doth not produce all kinds of metals and minerals in one and the same place but diuers in diuers places For â—n one place it bringeth forth stones in another chalke red lead in a third brasse tyn and lead in others gold siluer pretious stones Therefore the earth in diuers places receaueth diuers vertues forces and operations that therby it may minister to Man all kynd of riches which not only coÌ„duce to an absolute necessity of mans life but also to a greater conueniency delicacy and splendour thereof which poynt doth turne to the greater honour glory laud of so munificent a Creatour In lyke sort the Sea hath its fruitfulnes altogether most admirable this diuers according to the difference of places For not in each part of the Sea all kynds of fishes are found for some kynds do breed in the North others in the South seas Some also only in the East others in the West seas Furthermore all the sea meere contrary to the nature of that Element is of a straÌ„ge saltnes Now from whence doth this come Or what power vertue gaue this saltnes to it and to what end The reason is ridiculous and absurd which some Philosophers haue inuented hereof to wit that this saltnes cometh by reason of the Sunne beames by the which the bottome of the sea is scorched and burned and that adustion and burning causeth saltnes say they is proued from the experience in burnt ashes That this reason is most insufficient is euident for how caÌ„ the bottome or the grouÌ„d vnder the sea being couered with such an infinite store of waters that in some places it is 500. or a thousand cubits deepe be so burnt by the Sunne as that from them all the whole sea should contract such a bryny saltnes For the Sunne burneth not but only by reasoÌ„ of its light which light doth not penetrate in the water further then 15. cubits as diuers Swimmers vnder water affirme and the light is so faynt that the heat thereof can hardly be felt but a little vnder the water Now that saltnes should proceed of adustion it is required that the adustion be so great as that it dissolueth the matter reduceth it to its beginning as experience showeth Neither doth adustion and burning properly cause salt in other things but rather openeth and discouereth it And therefore we see that of seuerall bodyes the salt is seuerall and taketh its seuerall vertues operations from the bodyes so strayned refyned as the Chymickes do experimentally proue In like manner the spirit of euery thing or the oyle which is extracted out of it by fyre doth aforehand lye hidden in the thing it selfe Furthermore if salsity or brynenes proceed from this adustion then ought the Sea to be dosy more and more salt wherupon it would â—ollow that the fishes as not eÌ„during that temperature would in the end dye as it hapneth in the Lake Asphaltites which is called Mare mortuuÌ„ since the nature of fishes requires a certaine temperature of the waters To conclude the increase of this saltnes in the Sea would be noted at least in seuerall ages but no such augmentation hath hitherto bene obserued Of the lyke improbability is that sentence of the first origin of
mountaynes which teacheth that the first proceeded of Earthquakes by reason that the ayre and other such spirituall substance which being included in the bowels of the earth did aduance and lift vp the higher part therof This opinion might with some probability be maintayned if it were deliuered only of some certayne little hils But it cannot with any show or colour of lykelyhood be verifyed of that great multitude of most huge mountaines possessing many mediterranean places and extending in length 800. or 1000. myles But omitting many other strong reasons by the which this fiction is refuted I conclude that the saltnes of the Sea was first giuen to it by the authour and maker of it who as he implanted contrary to the course of nature a fecundity in the earth for the bringing out and nourishing of plants and liuing Creatures so the like the bestowed vpon the sea for the production ingendring and feeding of fishes From all which speculatioÌ„s it is most necessarily gathered and inferred that al these things aboue mentioned were so disposed and ordained for the vse and benefit of Man by some most wise and most powerfull Intelligence since all things euen besides their naturall condition do serue and become obedient to the vse of mans life and al do finally propend and are directed to this end Neither can there be rendred any other reason why they should be ordered in such sort as they are but only for the emolument commodity and seruice of Man Neither it is in any sort preiudicial to the being of a diuyne Prouidence that by reason and meanes of impetuous wynds hayle thunder earthquakes infection of the ayre inundation of waters drouthes the like men do often suffer great calamities miseries since these things do more euidently demonstrate the being of the said prouidence For as it is the property of a Prouident and wise Prince so to dispose his lawes tribunals or Iustice seats towers prouision of warres c. that they may be directed to the good and security of his subiects as long as they liue in due allegiance and duty towards him and the same things also to turne to their chastisings and punishments if after they should once endeauour to shake of the yoke of subiection Euen so although that supreme Power or spirit hath finally created the heauens the Elements for the seruice of man yet hath he so tempered these things that withall they may serue as scourges for the castigation of sinners which chasticement may neuertheles be beneficiall to such who know to make true vse thereof as hereafter we will shew Some here may obiect contrary to our former doctrine that such things wherof we haue intreated before haue not their eueÌ„t from any particuler end to the which they are by any intelligent cause directed but only by reason as the Philosophers phrase dialect here is necessitâ—tis materiae through the nature of the matter forcing or causing such effects as for example it is naturall that through the heat of the Sunne vapours and exhalations be attracted from the Earth the Sea the which being eleuated aboue are repelled backe by the cold of the midle Region so do cause wynds or els being gathered into clouds do minister matter for fayne snow and haile from which spâ—ngs and flouds do after take their souâ—ce and beginning I answere hereto and confesse that some of those things may seeme to take such their euents from their matter whereof they are made But this discouereth a greater and worth ver disposall of the diuyne Prouidence by the which the vniuersall cause of things to wit the motion of the Sunne staris is â—o ordayned and gouerned as that without â—â—e câ—course of any other efficieÌ„t cause it can occasioÌ„ the foresaid things as wynds â—â—â—â—e and the like at such tymes and in such sâ—â—soâ—s as are most conuenient for the producing and nourishing of plants and liuing creatures and for the benefit of man And therefore these effects do thuâ— fall out not only throgh the â—â—â—oâ—â—emeÌ„t of the matter but withall through the various aspect and applicatioÌ„ of the vniuersal cause Aâ—d herto for the greater fulnes of our answere herein that the disposition and placing of the Sea and the earth the first beginning large extension of mountaines the channels of riuers c cannot be referred to any necessity of matter or force of nature but are necessarily produced by art and Prouidence as is aboue shewed And thus it falleth out that for example Egipt being destitute of raine is in the summer tyme so watered with the inundation of Nilus therby so couered ouer with a fat vnctious â—ly me as it becometh most fertill In like sort one of the Iles of the Canaryes caâ—led Ferrâ— wanting altogether sweet water is supplyed heerein by diuyne Prouidence from a tree there growing whose nature is such as that it daily distilleth like vnto a spring or fouÌ„taine a certaine sweet humour which serueth for drinke both to man and beasts Now besides the heauenly and Elementary bodyes of which we haue spoken afore there are found three perfect kynds of mixed bodies to wit liuing Creatures Plants and all such things as are to be digged out of the bowels of the earth al which no doubt were first created and made for the vse of Man considering that we see they are subiect to Man he ruling ouer theÌ„ and applying them at his pleasure to his owne vse and benefit From all which this one true resultaÌ„cy or conclusion may infallibly be gathered that all this aspectable world with all the things which it containeth was first made for the cause of Man and that it serues for the tyme as a most ample and fayre house furnished with all things seruing either for necessity or pleasure and delicacy in the which man is placed to the end that he acknowledging a diuyne and supernaturall power to be the authour of this world may loue reuerence and adore the said power and that he may vse these things according to the true vse and prescript of Reason whether they conduce to the maintenance and sustentation of his body or solace and comfort of his mynd or to the health and increase of knowledge For seing the ranke of things intelligible and enduâ—d with Reason is the highest and most worthy among al things created it followeth that man as being an intelligent and reasonable creature is of a more eminent nature degree and order then any other thing in the whole world Therfore man ought to be the end of all things in the world and they to exist and be for his vse For man only considereth al things in the world apprehendeth all things and vseth and enioyeth all things Man only also feeleth and discerneth the sweetnes beauty of al things who being as it were a certaine secondary Numen or diuyne power doth produce and create by the help of his vnderstanding al this