that ♂ were in ♋ in □ to ☿ and to ♄ both which Positions do impede the Ingenuity and disturb the Iudgement Yet if ♂ were in △ and reception of ♃ and his ☿ so supported by ♀ as before supposed the prejudice would be thereby much lessen'd if not totally taken away And so the Doctor by his worthy Accomplishments and Acquisitions may reasonably obtain upon the World and deserve much more Honour and Advancement than the wearing of a Short Gown comes to though possibly he may not enjoy it But then if ♂ and ♄ both should Obviate and Cloud the ☉ notwithstanding his great and prodigious Parts his Honour would be darkened and I should cease to wonder why the Dr. should be a Collegian and Philosopher all his days The ☉ never shone splendidly in an Eclipse The same Stars that may denote Merit do not always signifie Honour and Reward § 78. Thus and no otherwise were the Doctors Nativity such as here suppos'd and in my hands would I descant upon it A quite different way should I go to work to what my Antagonist Vainly and Ludiorously surmises Alas it is not every one that hath ♄ and ♂ in □ ☌ or ☠that must therefore be Ill natur'd Moross Covetous c. or yet opprest with Corrupt Rotten Flegm or Sickly c. as Gassendus was For ♄ and ♂ may happen tho in the said Aspect c. not to be Significators of either the Natives Person or Manners § 79. Besides in the case supposed ♃ in ♠in △ and reception of ♂ would help to correct the Person one way as ♀ in reception of ☿ would mitigate it another Let not the worthy Dr. therefore refuse to impart his Nativity for it may so fall out in case Astrology be not confuted by his Pen as my Opponent thinks it is that his Stars may be better and more worthy the owning than he is aware of and possibly his Astrologer will prove kinder to him in hopes to oblige him then he may believe he hath merited § 80. Yea but my Antagonist presumes that had I the Doctors Nativity I should not only find out those strange significations therein but also espy out another most terrible thing thereby viz. That of his being a professed Enemy to the Church of Rome and all its Corruptions which is saith he as ugly a thing as can be in any Mans Geniture And why doth my Adversary think that I of any Man should busy my self so curiously and to no purpose in the World that I know of as to Pry into the Doctors Religion or concern my self in his dealings against Rome This is a brisk tonch of his kindness by the by and brought in by Head and Shoulders to render me a Papist or at the least Popishly affected I perceive by this Oblique Irony to say no worse of it my Antagonist is very credulous and believes the Scandalous Villanous Prints c. of the late Plotting Times wherein I have been most maliciously and wickedly traduced as well as many of my Betters Such a Sarcasm as this I could easily bear in such profligate Fellows as Mansell Dangerfield Care Coley c. but for this my Learned Adversary to lick up the Vomit of such Wretches and spit it a fresh at me concerns me more than a little § 81. I have indeed been used by the Non-conforming Saints as bad as if I had been a Papist They have burnt me twice in Effigie with the Pope R. Mansell the Meal-Tub-Collonel hath joyned the Popes determinations de Fide and my Praedictions de Facto together and Dangerfield hath Printed me a good Catholick in my Heart and that I shall ever desire to be though the Man means otherwise than he writes And charges me to have written a Popish Ballad whereby I encourag'd the Plot. Care hath be-Papisted me an hundred times over in his Packquet of Advice and in other his Seditious Phamphlets Coley hath sent me to my Beads with as great and assured Impudence as if he had seen me make use of them Calumminare audacter aliquid haerebit But would any man of reason believe the Scommas of such Creatures as these I cannot but expect fairer Quarter from the Learned part of the World than these sad Souls have afforded Such Fellows like pretended assistants at a Fire help still to add to the Bill of Loss and would Assassinate their best Friends Reputation for Money § 82. By the same method of Scandal the whole Body of the Clergy have been dealt with and term'd Papists in Masquerade The Kings and Governments best Subjects have all of them been so served But are they ever the more Popish for that A Papist Hum. Now if my Adversary fails of his Conjecture since Astrologers are Fallacious I am affraid He is an Astrologer too I will appeal to every Man of Letters whether this be ingenious in Him or prudently said I see the Gentleman is a Bigot I hope He is not a True Protestant for if he call Himself of the Church of England He must take heed least some One or Other pay Him in His own Coyn. The quarrel is about the Truth of Astrology or Natural Phylosophy which He will confute And when all is done He gives the World to understand That I am a Papist and then I am bloodily confuted Bellarmine thou lyest So dost thou Astrologer Give Him the Palm He bears away the Bell. But to demonstrate this a most notorious and malicious Scandal upon Me my Adversary for his more certain satisfaction may if he please see Me very often in the Abby-Church of St. Peters Westminster in the time of Divine Service if that will convince Him And I am almost morally assured He will not Censure me as either Hypocrite or Trimmer by reason of my plain-dealing with Him § 83. Notwithstanding if I should learn so far of my Opponent to speak freely as He often professes and wise Men will commend him for it what if I should take the same Liberty and say That of the Controversy between the Church of Rome and Vs I am no Competent Iudge Am I the worse Christian or Protestant for that I trow not I will be Iudged by the Wise and Moderate Nay I undertake it not I find it not in the Stars Howbeit I am apt to pin my Iudgement it may be on the Author of the Mystery of Iniquity in many particulars bating me one blind Story of Pope Ioan. Now I spoil all again and a Papist I must be Right or Wrong § 84. Concerning which I wonder much how so sharp quick and Ingenious a Man as Dr. More should suffer his Reason to be so far impos'd upon as readily to give credit to so unreasonable and improbable a Fable which though it do not with me may probably with others bring All the rest that he hath said against the Church of Rome into question § 85. For is it possible that Sexes should not be discernable from the
VVhereas by allowing them of what excellent use are they found in Astronomy Physick Musick Trigonometry Trade c. But as I have said before I will leave the general cause of Astrology to be defended by some more Learned and Able Pen and only concern my self to prove that the very Principle upon which I am Impeached is Firm and Good and so far from being shaken or weakened though briskly impleaded by the Antagonist that it carries the Face of Truth in it and ever will be found to do so The PRINCIPLE is this ☞ § 19. Cardinal Signs possessing all the Angles of a Nativity renders the Native Famous and Notable in his Generation This is a Truth so Conspicuous Great and Undeniable not only in the Genitures of Men but of Kingdoms Cities Castles c. and in all the other parts of Astrology the Cardinal Signs on Angles are ever of so Famous and Remarkable signification and import that it stands in need of no other Proof than the attestation of Antiquity and the consent of Modern Astrologers And thus it hath been proved before this Learned Opponent or my self were born and will remain a Truth when We shall be no more § 20. The year it self is govern'd by the Cardinal Signs or Points of Heaven The Moveable Feasts of the Church depend upon the Equinoctium Vernum the grand Cardinal Point of all The Church begins its Year at or about the Vernal Equinox Nay God hath honoured the Cardinal Points of Heaven by dispensing his greatest blessings and benefits unto the world under them and thus in the time of the Law as well as Gospel The Iews Pascha and their Feasts of Azymes and Tabernacles were appointed to be Celebrated under Cardinal Signs God sent his own dear Son our Blessed Saviour into the world and permitted him to suffer on the Cross for our Sins both under Cardinal Signs The greatest Actions of the world depend upon Equinoctial and Solstitial Points viz. Aries Cancer Libra Capricorn and if instances of Mens Births may pass for proof and I know no reason why they should not I could produce a Multitude to confirm it § 21. Now knowing it to be purely rational for us from a constant experience of an Effect to conclude the cause thereof Aphoristically true and that Ptolomy and all other Astrologers have made their Aphorisms from a continued Observation of the Truths they contain and so wrote Probatum's on them From the same ground of Observation I adventured in my Eighteenth Aphorism Printed at the end of my Collectio Geniturarum to assert That Cardinal Signs possessing the Angles of a Nativity makes the Native of any condition or capacity most Eminent and Famous in his Generation and to do such Acts that after Ages shall admire Which said Aphorism together with my illustration thereof upon the Geniture of that Immortal Arch bishop of Canterbury as the Reverend Dr. Pierce justly stiles him Printed in my foresaid Book of Genitures is the presumed ground of my Adversary's dissatisfaction I shall therefore endeavour to support the Truth thereof 1. By sundry Authorities and Reasons 2. By Experience from 10 Notable Genitures which Astrologically do little less than Demonstrate the Truth of it § 22. First by Authority Cardinal Signs as Cardan teaches Sig. 5. Aphor. 129. are the grand Distinguishers and Dividers of the several great parts of the World Nay we know the several prime Seasons of the Year are observ'd to receive their beginnings under the Cardinal Signs And thus the Learned Childrey my late worthy Friend Prebend of Salisbury hath truly termed ♑ Capricorne the conception of Vegitables and ♈ Aries the birth of them Iudag Astrol. p 13. Sect. 26. And suitably we see ♋ Cancer to be the Perfection and Glory of them and to ♎ Libra we most reasonably and justly attribute their decay And this is of so constant certain and undoubted verity that every Year gives us a fresh Demonstration thereof and no man that hath his Sences serviceable unto him will offer once to deny it The Learned Vossius who is willing to exclude Starry Influences yet affirms That the greatest motion of the Winds and Tides are observed about the Equinoxes viz. the two principal Cardinal Signs If then it be found reasonable to allow it the true office and business of Cardnal Signs to Distinguish Divide and Declare not only the Grand parts of the World but likewise the most Eminent and Observable Seasons of the Year viz. such as all the Creation are affected with Then by an Argument à Minori They may most reasonably be pre-sumed to Distinguish and Denote the most Active and Prodigious Persons of any degree when they shall be found posited on the Angles of their Genitures But Experience is a most constant and never failing Evidence of this Truth as shall be more fully shewn anon We might further confirm unto you the Truth of this Aphorrism or Argument by an Observation taken from the most common and ordinary acting belonging even to Domestick Imployments or House-keeping 'T is even become a Proverb that of all Drink your March-Beer bears away the Bell. And why so why should March have the Reputation but because the Sun is then in the Equinox i. e. the chiefest of the Cardinal Signs And let it be observed I pray you whether the rest of the Cardinal Points be not also peculiarly influential in this matter although not fully so much as Aries yet much more then any of the other Eight Signs termed By-corporeal and Fixed § 23. Nor is it thus in the grand Seasons of the Year only which are marked out by the Suns progress through the Cardinal Signs but in the peculiar Quarternions of the Moon also as she passes the Equinoxes and Solstices ever remembring that as the Sun hath the greatest virtue in Aries the Moon hath most power in Cancer And of this Truth every good House-wife may frequently make tryal if she pleases in Baking Brewing c. For the Lunar Year though it be a lesser is as compleat as the Solar and the Moon transiting the Cardinal Points in her Circuit is as surely though not so largely serviceable to the use and necessities of Humane kind as is the Sun Let any one for Experiment sake it is not much trouble make use of the same requisites as at other times either in Baking Brewing c. when the ☽ Moon shall be in ♈ Aries ♋ Cancer ♎ Libra or Capricorn ♑ and put those Signs on the Angles also at the beginning of the Work and having used your ordinary honest endeavours as when no such care is taken then observe the Issue and if you find a better effect of your Labour than at any other time when the Moon and Angles are not so related I hope you will not refuse with me to attribute somewhat to the Virtue and Dominion of Cardinal Signs beyond any of the other Eight Let Me also remember that it is happily observed by a
Learned Reverend Author of whom the World will receive e're long a Plenary Account of the Influences of the Stars in the alteration of the Air c. that the vigour of the Moon is most seen in the Tides upon her Appulse to the Equinoxes and Tropicks Which Observations the Philosophical transactions happen to confirm And the Learned Virtuosi know that it is no great Secret § 24. But to make this more Conspicuous by Authority let us call to mind what the Learned Ludovicus de Regiis affirms Aphor. 24. that Equinoctia Signa Tropica c. Equinoctial and Tropick Signs are the Horoscopes of the Kingdoms of the World and those are principally subject to them who at their beginning or first possessing of them by Conquest or otherwise had either of them Horoscopical And why so but because Kingdoms are the most Glorious Bodies or Constitutions of the World as the Cardinal Signs are the chiefest and most noted among the Twelve How Those Kingdoms who at their beginning had either of them Horoscopicals Why this over-reaches the matter in question and more than proves what I have asserted My Aphorism only affirms Those Persons to be Eminent that had all the Angles of their Genitures possessed with Cardinal Signs But this Author tells us and that truly too That those Kingdoms are most subject to Cardinal Signs that had either of them Horoscopical And Astrologers teach that the Heavens Operate upon Men Cities and Kingdoms equally with respect to their Natures and Differences § 25. Now if Kingdoms c. the most Eminent and noted Bodies of the World are subject to Cardinal Signs and naturally owned by them 'T is a natural Consequence and follows without drawing or straining that Men born under them according to the Limits of my Aphorism must be most Famous and Notable and not less than the wonder of the Age they live in with respect to the Sphere of their Activity and Admiration of Posterity Good Sir remember I do not say that they must be most Famous for Actions of Honour and Virtue only There may be such that are and have been as Famous for bad Deeds as for good Ones For Treachery Murder Perjury c. as for Prowess Piety Charity for Burning of Cities as well as for Building of them And many Persons that have been or are the grand Feavers of their Countreys Companies or Families are or have been as Famous as any that are or have been the most Fortunate and Successful in and for their Support Honour and Preservation Catiline will be as long liv'd in the Treasury of Fame as Cicero And Oliver Cromwell will be remembred as often as the Glorious Albemarl shall be mentioned § 26. But we proceed with our Authorties Cardan Aphor. 6. Seg. 7. affirms Quando Saturnus in Libra fuerit Jupiter in Cancro tunc magna in mundo mutationes contingent When Saturn shall be in Libra anst Iupiter in Cancer mighty changes and alterarions will happen in the World And what is the reason both Saturn and Iupiter are the Superiour Caelestial movers and therefore bear or carry with them greater power and force than any of the other Planetary Bodies as having the largest Orbs to move in consequently are endued with ability to Act and Perform the greatest and most stupendious Changes and Alterations They are the greatest Wheels in the Caelestial Clock-work and all the lesser motions wait and attend upon them Moreover ♋ Cancer and ♎ Libra being Cardinal Signs when those stately Superiour Planets are gotten therein they inherit the greatest Authority and Energie which they can possibly reach unto whereby to Operate upon Sublunaries because in those very Signs they receive the Dominion of Exaltation The more Potent any Man is he is the better enabled to perform his Intentions and that to the most Eminent and Worthy or unworthy purposes § 27. The prudent Dassipodius assures us Aphor. 79. That Signa Equinoctialia sentiuntur Dominium habere super statum Legum c. The Equinoctial Signs have Power and Dominion upon the Constitutions of Laws Religious Rights and Ceremonies Heresies Schisms c. What! can Cardinal Signs influence the Actions and Affairs of Kingdoms Societies and Conventions of Men either in Church or State and shall we think them unable to Influence or wing the Actions Passions and Inclinations of single Persons What Man of Reason can be guilty of such a method of Reasoning with hopes of credit or belief § 28. Nay the never to be enough commended Cardan affirms for a Truth Seg. 3. Aphor. 117. Cometae In Cardinibus Regum Mortes c. That Comets those Heavenly Flames and Torches when ever they appear in Cardinal Signs they betoken the Death of Emperours Princes Potentates c. Cardinal Signs you see still do carry a Signal of Wonder and Amazement in them as if indeed they were not designed by God to take cognizance of Mean or Ordinary persons or matters Yet further doth not the same Author teach us that Animae per cancrum descendunt per Capricornum ascendunt c. Seg. 4. Aphor. 155. That the Spirits of Vegitables and the most vigorous Actions of the World Descend or lose their Energie by Cancer and that they Rise and recover fresh strength by Capricorn And surely it is not for nothing that the Sun the most Glorious Body of the World the visible Deity and Fountain of all vital Power doth perambulate annually 23 Degrees and a half towards the North and as much again towards the South while this his stately and constant progress is bounded by the two Tropicks Cancer and Capricorn when as we see that according as is his Accession and Recession to and from those Famous Points so we have the larger or lesser Portion of his Presence our Days are longer or shorter we have more or less Sunshine or Shaddow and all Creatures are more or less Active Brisk and Vigorous § 29. Yet again hear the same Author for we have not done with Cardan yet he tells us that He who is born at Noon when the Sun enters the Vernal Equinox will be Great and Famous without other Testimonies Nor need we fear to believe him since at such a time all the Angles of the Caelestial Figure will be adorn'd with Cardinal Signs This is the most convincing Proof that can be of the Truth of the matter in Question Cardan asserts herethe very same thing with me in the Aphorism impugned by my Adversary although it be in different words § 30. The Noble Firmicus as an admirable and close proof of the Argument in dispute gives us the Natalitical Schemes of sundry Famous Men as Pindar Archilocus and Archimedes all which have Cardinal Signs on the Angles of their Genitures And let me modestly ask my Learned Opponent whether all those Men have not been Famous in their Lives and Actions And if they have not been admired since their Deaths and so shall remain to all Posterity Here is some Authority
Life § 3. I well knew that I never publish'd any thing to the World but with an upright Mind and Intention to befriend it and if My misfortune have been such as not to be plainly and charitably understood yet I hoped never to have incur'd the Sensure of obtruding Frauds upon it as now by this my unknown Antagonist I am charged § 4. Every Man has as good a Title to his Reputation as to his Life or Fortune and ought as carefully and zealously to secure it And although my Antagonist be a Person of such Intellectuals and Acquisitions as may make a Mean Man more affraid than asham'd to take up his Gage yet finding my Credit and Veracity wounded I resolved to give him the best Satisfaction I was able in my own defence with an assured hope thereby of Healing up the Gash that He had unkindly given Me. § 5. This Task I also found incumbent upon Me for another Reason For when I remembred that I had now been a Student in Astrology more than Thirty years and had nearly as Many as well as I was able defended it and knowing that Great is the Truth and it must prevail even against the most Towering Antagonist I could not be easily brought to believe those things to be False which by Experience I had so often proved otherwise Especially when I had taken nothing upon Trust nor credited any thing because Ptolomy and Cardan said so but because by a constant Experimental proof of their Doctrine I found they had spoken True Therefore it is that I esteem my self engag'd to give this Opponent and the World together to which also He hath render'd Me accountable as clear Satisfaction to these things I stand chargable with as I am able In the doing whereof I hope to acquit my self of having broached or maintained either Paradoxes or plain Falshoods under the specious pretence and Guarranty of Astrological Truths § 6. As for this Learned Gentleman's impugning sundry of the main Principles of the Art I hold not my self concern'd at all unless Obiter to make any reply He directing himself therein not to Me in particular but to Astrologers in General of whom I am Minimus and do therefore hope if at least there be any need a thing I question very much the Art having been often and Learnedly defended already that some Person more worthy than my self like another Sir Christopher Heyden will step in and ease Me of that Task which I do not esteem to be my particular Province § 7. In pag. 257. of Cometomantia this Author is pleased to fall Foul upon the Doctrine of Genitures my DIANA indeed taxing it as liable to Fraud and Deceipt In this He hath neither injur'd Me nor the Truth for there is no Science in the World that can boast of its being free from either No not Divinity But not thus content He is pleased to fall roughly upon Me by Name citing some passages out of my Collection of Genitures which He thinks gratifies his humour and design in dealing with Me but how justly and with what fair shew of Reason will I hope by God's Blessing soon appear § 8. This Doctrine of Genitures by the way is the most Noble Worthy and Delightful of all the parts of Astrology and hath in all Ages had many Great Wise and Learned Favourers and Defenders And good Reason there is for it since it is daily demonstrated by fresh Experiences to be True and certain in the various Accidents and Fortunes good Reader be not offended at the word attending on Humane Kind I wish all the other Parts thereof were as well and as truly understood § 9. The Great Oracle of this present Age though lately Deceased I wish I could not tell the News The excellent Author of Religio Medici hath given his suffrage for it and on its behalf thus Learnedly and Modestly Argues We need not labour with so many Arguments to confute Judicial Astrology for if there be a Truth therein it doth not injure Divinity If to be born under Mercury disposeth us to be Wity under Jupiter to be Wealthy I do not owe a Knee unto those but unto the Merciful hand that hath order'd my indifferent and uncertain Nativity unto such benevolent Aspects Rel. Med. Sect. 18. And as if God had inspir'd this Excellent Man with one of his greatest Truths the very particular verity here impugned and contended against by my Antagonist Sect. 23 He most truly and happily predicts and that according to the Rules of Art thus If there be any Truth in Astrology I may out-live a Jubilee as yet I have not seen one Revolution of Saturn nor has my Pulse beat thirty years This ever to be admired Author was but twenty eight years Old when he wrote that curious piece of Learning Yet for an Infallible proof of Astrology and his excellent Skill therein He lived unto almost Seventy years of Age to the Honour of God the Father of all good Arts thereby affirming that Divine Axiome That the Sun Moon and Stars do constantly praise their Maker and that even by the Science of Astrology Even that Art I say which only teaches and instructs us how to understand their Influences § 10. Nor is it hard for an able Astrologer to give an account of some never or at least rarely failing Instances of the Truth of this Art which the Aphorisms thereof allowed by this my Learned Opponent and I thank him for that for so far He is a Friend to what He opposes do most plainly and liberally affirm and prove I say the Aphorisms allowed by my Antagonist For He will not sure own some part of the Centiloquium and disallow the rest Which if He keep to then hath He Warranted the Doctrine of Genitures which He labours to confute And as for its being liable to Fraud and Deceit I will not refuse to grant him that that being no Plea against its Verity when He is pleased in p. 282. to concede that both Law and Physick yea and Divinity too are subject to the same Misfortunes § 11. What if divers Astrologers happen to have different Opinions upon the same Horoscope This doth no more annul or Destroy the Truth of the Doctrine of Genitures then the several Judgements of sundry Lawyers upon the same Case or Statute does impugne or invalidate the Law Bradshaw Dorislaus Cook Harrison c. those sad wretches understood Bracton Fleta c. all in a Republican sence whereby our late Glorious Sovereign with many of His Nobility and other of His Faithful Subjects was barbarously Murdered But the Learned Forster Mallet Bridgeman Palmer Finch c. Interpreted them in favour of the King and Monarchy by which means Rebellion hath been punished and the Church and State supported Veritas est Vna says the Excellent and Reverend Bishop of Salisbury in his Sermon at the Lord General Monk's Funeral p. 3. And I will be bold with that Reverend Prelate to affirm That
Truth is but one tho' the Pilates of the world may always be enquiring what it is § 12. Theologers do also vary in their Commentaries and Expositions on several places of Scripture Raise several Doctrines of different Natures from the same Text as was evident in the Learned Stillingsteet's Sermon called the Mischief of Seperation and the Opposition he receiv'd to it from five several angry Antagonists Nay Curse ye Meroz suffer'd the Rack in the late Rebellion and was forc'd to speak in the behalf of Treason and Sedition when we know it bears another Interpretation and may be pleaded for the Honour and Safety of Government The truth whereof Mr. Hickringill hath prov'd both from the Pulpit and in Print tho' since indeed he hath been Anomalous in some things though the comfort is he doth not persist § 13. If then it be so clear plain and Sun-like a Truth that the Noblest and most useful Sciences or Mysteries are liable to Fraud and Deceipt I will keep to this Learned Objectors words and yet in themselves are not the worse or less serviceable to Mankind Why should Astrology and therein the Doctrine of Genitures be rendred the less worthy or useful or yet thought more cheaply of for being liable to the same Let the chaff be winnow'd from the Wheat the Dross be seperated from the Oar the good Wine from the Dregs i. e. Purge and Refine Astrology as much as you will or can but have a care of destroying it Promote no Bills of Exclusion against Legitimate and long Experienced Truths least the Honour of him who guides Arcturus and his Sons be thereby Eclipsed and the native Glory and Influences of the Stars by such Artifices come to be darkened Men may erre the Stars can not let not the Art suffer for the errour or insufficiency of the Artist 'T is unreasonable 't is unjust § 14. But to be ingenious I will confess that among the many things which I have published to the World I may not possibly have performed all of them with an equal wariness Shew me that Author that ever did so and am very glad if at any time I meet with so much Civility from any Gentleman Schollar or Artist as to give me a kind and friendly notice thereof that I might thereby be taught to avoid the like misfortune for the future I am not Obstinate in Opinion yet can and dare struggle hard for a Truth But am most certain whatever it be in my Nature by reason of Adams transgression it is not in my Will to promote Error and no Man can chuse his Temper or Complexion § 15. I had Iupiter in Sagitary at my Birth and the Moon in his Domal Dignities in a benigne Sextile of Mercury and Trine to the Lord of my Horoscope And to the Honour of God and Credit of Astrology I can very justly say that I abominate Fraud and Falshood both in my self and others as those positions naturally incline I Honour the Truths of God and Nature wherever I find them and methinks when I meet therewith either in Man or Book I can scarce forbear paying a respect even to Adoration the Image of God in my Opinion being there and Magna est veritas And if at any time I have been so unhappy as unwarily to promote any thing that looks like Fraud or Deceipt my Will not consenting thereunto I own it a Fault to be repented of It is certainly a Crime to commit Fraud or be guilty of Deceipt but to teach others so to do duplicates the Errour § 16. But here by the way I must premise That if in the Art I Study there should happen to be any False Principles shuffled in and inhabit among the many True Ones and that I have unwittingly imbibed any of them not discovering them to be such for Truth hath its Counterfeits as well as Coin I hope I shall not therefore by Men of Learning and Reason be esteemed a wilful abettor to Errour and Falshood For to suffer such Censure upon so poor and weak a ground would conclude Costs and Damages against all Writers in any Faculty whatever What Science is there free from Errour Or what Man dares to call himself a Master of Truth or Perfection in any one Faculty We are only Men and must own St. Paul's Motto Scimus ex parte The forenamed excellent Prelate in his admirable Sermon on the Mysteries of the Gospel most truly tells us The Notions of Truth and Falshood lie more abstruse than those of Good and Evil and Men are more apt to be deceived in their wit than in their honesty p. 14. And in p. 26. of the same Sermon He most justly exclaims Even in Geometry and Arithmetick how many things are forcibly concluded to be true which are inexplicable un-immaginable incomprehensible And again No Truths are so liable to mistakes and prejudice as the professedly Mysterious p. 14. ut aute In curious Speculations it is very easy to Erre and to be imposed upon And of all Liberal Sciences Astrology is the most Mysterious It is called a Secret Art although it be now so publickly Disputed Professed § 17. I was Condemn'd by my Stars God so permitting it to be an enquirer into Astrology The Moon and Mercury were both Subterranean and in Friendly Aspect at my Genesis and as I have been convinc'd of any Errors in that Knotty and Difficult Science I have abandon'd them as may be seen in several Tract's which I have published to the World viz. Britains Royal Star Nuncius Astrologicus Obsequium Rationabile The Iust and Pious Scorpionist c. Nor shall I fail to follow the same course for the future and as I discover any thing therein really Rotten and Vnsound will not be affraid or asham'd to own them and make them known But I must assume the Liberty to tell the World that what my Learned Opponent hath laid at my Door for an Error I am so far from seeing or knowing it to be such that I doubt not by God's assistance to evince it the contrary by plain and well grounded Experience for that is the Foundation whereon I chiefly build and that to His and the Worlds Satisfaction § 18. To come more closely to the matter the Learned Objector is pleased in the first place to Question our Principles and thereby He thinks to disable Me for the Contest If We poor silly Astrologers were such inconsiderable Brutes as He seems to make Vs and altogether unable to answer for Our selves yet it is not fair for him to take away even a Poor Cripples feeble Crutches and then to beat him with them Contra Negantem Principia c. Against him who denies Principles who shall maintain a Disputation Let Me assume the liberty of Questioning the nine Digits in Arithmetick and I will soon be able to set all the Masters of that curious Art upon an almost un conquerable difficulty how to make any reasonable Harmony with their Numbers