SO it is that for a long time I haue bin greatly delighted in the contemplation of the properties and vertues of this admirable creature of God which we call the Magnet, or Loadstone. And as my lei­sure and occasions haue ser­ued by conference from time to time, with the skilfullest Nauigators of our age, by reading all the Treatises (as came vnto my knowledge) of such as had written thereof, and therewithall trying by practise the truth of those things which I doubted of, and lastly finding some things by my owne ex­perience of good importance by others not at all [Page 2] mentioned. The chiefe of these which I iudged profitable for common vse I did set forth in a small Treatise intituled Magneticall Aduertisements. And although of mine owne louing affection towards such (as yee are) I haue bin alwaies ready to further you in these knowledges the best I could, yet I doe assure you faithfully, that diuers of good iudgment, learning, and eminent place, (vnto whom I com­municated my experiments) very vehemently vr­ged my publishing of them.

A copie of this Treatise being by stealth writ­ten out of my Manuscript, by one that vnderstood it not, and by that meanes committed diuers er­rors, this Doctor Ridley deuoured some of them, and by his endeuouring to square my propositions according to his owne conceipts, and so supercili­ously to controll (and censure the things which he vnderstood not) he hath missed of the truth very farre and wide, and hath herein wronged both him­selfe, and mee, and his readers, but most of all his beleeuers; and yet such is his kinde disposition, that he hath purloyned out of the scambled copie of my Treatise, for to adorne his owne Treatise of Magneticall bodies and Motions all these that fol­low; as in his Treatise,

• Fol. 7. The hilly knobbes, and angulous parts &c. for 17 lines.
• Fol. 8. The greater stones &c. 5 lines.
• Fol. 9. Steele and yron &c. 4 lines.
• Fol. 10. The 14. 17. 18. 19. figures are mine.
• [Page 3] Fol. 18. 19. The 1. 2. 3. 7. [...]mine, the 4. Doctor Gilberts.
• Fol. 22. Euery part and peece of a Loadstone, &c. 7 lines.
• Fol. 27. If a wyer be touched &c. 5 lines.
• Fol. 30. & 31. It is to be obserued in the fa­shion of a Magnet &c. 16 lines.
• Fol. 36. For although that naturally &c. 9 lines.
• Fol. 51. & 52. Also if a Magnet be fastened &c. 4 lines.
• This practise is profitable for Trauellers &c. 14 lines moe.
• Fol. 63. 64. The best way to touch &c. 11 lines.
• And some haue thought it better &c. 14 lines.
• Fol. 66. Set two Loadstones &c. 3 lines.
• Fol. 71. An Adamant doth loose much of his vertue &c. 3 lines.
• Fol. 72. That 20. Chapter (onely a few words chopped and changed) is whole mine.
• Fol. 83. And for this cause the Adamant &c. 3 lines.
• Fol. 89. A peece of Steele well tempered &c. 2 lines.
• The two next are his owne, and very absurd.
• Fol. 90. Now it is to be obserued &c. 10 lines.
• Fol. 95. The needles and compasses &c. 14. lines.

So that it cannot but seeme to any indifferent per­son very strange, that Doctor Ridley would publike­ly so traduce mee, and that by name, and so con­temptuously [Page 4] [...] friuolous Animaduersions, and could neuer [...] my name, no not so much as once to acknowledge it in all these things which he hath by stealth learned of mee, and inserted into his Magneticall Motions for his owne, the which with their consequents if you withdraw from his Treatise, you will leaue his motions very dull. For except this Ridley, had ploughed with my Heifor, hee had not knowne my Riddle. Sic vos non vobis.

In my aduertisements indeed, I made mention that some body had in this manner dealt euilly with mee, and I reproued certaine faults that some body had committed, especially in the fundamentall Magneticall heare-sayes of misnaming of the true North and South, in Magnets and Magneticall bo­dies, and in making the Inclinatory needle with the one end heauier than the other, and some others: But these two especially, for because they doe draw on many others, as they doe both in his Booke, and wheresoeuer they shall be admitted, they will in­crease like a snow-ball, waxing still greater as they goe, and all his dawbing of them with his vntem­pered morter in his silly Animaduersions do amend the matter nothing at all, but make it farre worse than before. For the common good, I might not let them passe vnreproued, and yet I would not publikely name him, but vsed this word some body. The like himselfe hath, viz. Some say, some la­bour to cleare, some thinke &c. in his booke mea­ning mee, being not contented onely to vsurpe [Page 5] that which was properly mine for his owne (as aforesaid) but also hee tooke vpon him (although very ignorantly) to confute some of mine vnder these termes, and this onely out of a stolne Manu-script. Whereas all men know that Manu-scripts ought to be vncontrould vntill the Author hath published them, who may alter and change things in the meane space as he thinketh good.

He stileth himselfe principall Phisition vnto the Emperor of Russia, the which many men wonder at, being so yong as he than was, and supposed that he went ouer only as Phisition vnto our Merchants there, that he should in so short a time become that Emperors principall Phisition. If he were, he sped better then Bomelius did, who is said to haue died there in that cold climat of the extreamest hot kinde of Calenture.

Out of all question, somewhat it is more then ordinarie, that maketh him of so hauty a spirit, so to braue the world with such prodigious assertions of his Magneticals, in, and aboue the Moone; the earths Magneticall circular Motions, and his paltry abusing of the holy scriptures to support his luna­ticke fictions vnder the name of Magneticall Phi­losophie.

There are yet two texts of Scripture, which it is a wonder how they escaped him; the one is in Iosuah 10. ver. 12. and the other is in Esay 38. ver. 8. In the one: That the Sunne and the Moone stood still the space of a whole day: The other, that the shadow in Achas diall went backe 10 de­grees, [Page 6] and the Sunne in the skie returned 10 de­grees by the which he was descended.

For it is his guise to make contrary conclusions vnto that which the Scriptures affirme, and there­fore blame him not, if he doe so despise Aristotle, who neuer taught any such Logicke.

Now therefore that yee may in few words vnder­stand the vntruth of the earths Magneticall Motion, that is so mainely emblazoned by him, and the weaknes of my Animaduersors Magneticall skill, you must know, that the Magneticall Motion is a naturall inclination of two Magnets or Magneticall bodies, that may freely moue, respecting the one the other within the Orbe of their forces with their convenient ends, that is to say, the North end of the one alwaies respecting the South of the other.

If the two Magnets or Magneticall bodies be of like quantitie, forme, and goodnes, their Motions will be of like quicknes of the one towards the other; but if they differ in any of these, their Mo­tions will be so much the slower.

Now forasmuch as all Magneticall motions are alwaies respectiue of the one Magnet or Magne­ticall bodie towards another, it followeth by ne­cessarie consequent, that no Magnet or Magneticall body, can either moue, or be moued of it selfe, but is vtterly voide of all intrinsecall or selfe-Motion, the true and onely cause of his Motion being euer­more without it selfe.

And therefore mine Animaduersors selfe-motion [Page 7] of the Globe of the earth circularly, by Magneticall vigour, in the which hee doth so gallantly triumph; is but an idle figment, and a meere Chimera: but his definition of Magneticall bodies is very sutable vn­to it; viz. very monstrous; namely, That wee de­fine to be a Magneticall body, which doth remaine and place it selfe in one place, or kinde of situation naturall, not alterable, as all starres doe, and the great Regent globes of Saturne, Mars, Iupiter, the Sunne and the Earth doe: or such, as with respect and attendance follow other globes, as the two starres which support Saturne; the foure attendants vpon Iupiter, lately discouered by the truncke-spe­ctacle; the two trauersers about the Sunne, called Venus and Mercury; and the Moone, which doth follow or goe about the earth, and respecteth the same alwayes with one Pole, and therefore hath a peculiar Magneticall vertue, that guideth her in this kinde of situation.

Any man that considereth this goodly defini­tion, being the foundation and ground of his Mag­neticall discourse, and the very first sentence of his booke, and many the like fancies in his Motions and and Animaduesions will easily discerne what his Magneticall skill is, and what a vanity it were for me, to spend any precious time to confute in parti­cular such vnreasonable and senselesse opinions, which haue more neede of Helleborus to purge them out of his head, then Arguments to confute them in his booke. And in his friuolous animaduersions [Page 8] seeking to maintaine his former errours, and he be­ing so snappish to haue them amended, hee maketh them ten times worse then they were before, and far more palpable: But my tetricall Animaduersor must be ruled by reason, and affoord all those his patience that do beleeue the holy Scriptures, which flatly doe denie the Earths motion, and affirme the motion of the Sunne, Moone & Stars, in the whole current thereof, as Psal. 19. 6. 104. 5. Iosua 10. 12. 13. 14. Esay 38. 8. &c.

Also that hee will giue men leaue to credit their senses, in matters subiect vnto sense, and not repug­nant vnto reason; and that he will not be offended with those who do pitifully laugh at his Magneticall Astronomy, with those topsituruy motions, like ‘Voluitur Ixion, & se sequitur que fugitque.’

For although some great learned men in those Sciences, have vsed the supposed motion of the earth, for an Hypothesis, seruing their ready calcu­lations; as they haue done also their supposed Epi­cycles, for the motions of the Planets and their courses: yet that is no reason for to auouch them for to be in themselues true and reall things, accor­ding vnto some mens vaine fancies, who doe argue after this sort.

It is an easier matter, and more (as they say) agree­able vnto nature, for so small a body as the globe of the Earth is in comparison of the heauens, to mooue circularly in the space of foure and twenty houres, then it is for the huge Vniuerse so to doe; and that which is done with lesse hazard, is to bee preferred [Page 9] before the like, which may not bee performed with­out feare of a greater danger, with diuers other rea­sons like vnto these.

But although such as these are, may goe current in a mechanciall Trades-man shop, yet they are ve­ry insufficient to bee allowed for good, by men of learning, and Christians by profession, who know right well, that it is great folly for to oppose that which we call difficult, vnto an omnipotent power, Who stretcheth out the heauens like a curtaine, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in, Esay 40. ve. 22. He stretcheth out the North ouer the empty, and han­geth the earth vpon nothing, &c. Iob 26. ver. 7.

And that which we call Nature, it being nothing else but Gods ordinance; there can bee nothing contrary, but all things agreeable vnto nature, which God hath ordained. But God hath ordained the motion of the Sunne, Moone, and Stars (as afore­sayd) and the vnmooueablenesse of the earth; ther­fore this is more easie, and more agreeable vnto na­ture; which is preserued onely by obeying Gods ordinance, and heerein onely that consisteth, and hath her being. And that the earths magneticall vertue hath no power at all to performe or help any such motion, as is also before made manifest.

But that mine Animaduersors magneticall skill is ascended vp into our Moone it selfe; yea, and yet higher, farre beyond the Moone, vnto the other Planets and Starres, and into euery one of them, this is such a point of his Magneticall Philosophie, that would make Stupidity it selfe astonished to heare of it.

[Page 10]There was (as the Poets faine) a certaine King of Phrygia, that had a gift giuen him of the Gods, at his owne request, that whatsoeuer he touched with his body should be gold, but by that meanes being ready to starue, because his victuals were also turned to gold, he entreated earnestly that he might surren­der his gift.

It seemeth that mine Animaduersor endeauou­reth for to make shew, that he hath a stranger gift; namely, that by his very lookes (for his lookes, with his Truncke-spectacle, are his meanes) he can turne all things to be Magneticall, that hee doth earnestly behold; He hath scowred the Heauens already, e­uen from the one end vnto the other, that both Pla­nets and Stars are become magneticall in his head; what tumultuous stirre may they breed there, no man can tell, it is his safest way to confine his Mag­netismes vnto the earth, as their naturall seat, and not suffer them to clamber vp into the skies, where they haue nothing to doe, lest that infinite dispersion of his magneticall knowledge, doe in the end ouer­charge his braine, and make him magnetically mad, or at the least to incur the censure of him that said, ‘Delphinum siluis appingit, fluctibus aprum.’

As therefore whilst his wits are yet his owne, it is his surest way (like the King of Phrygia) to surren­der that gift againe, to leaue his trifling with the ho­ly Scriptures, and to bee no more a censuring Ani­maduersor in matters that he hath but small skill in: and that he will heereafter learne to be wise vnto so­briety, Metirise quemque suo modulo ac pede verum [Page 11] est. And forasmuch as his animaduersions containe nothing at all, of any truth and importance against mine Aduertisements, but onely many ignorant, many wilful mistakings, contradictions & cauillings, and maintainings of his former absurdities, the which the more they are stirred by him, the more they stinke. I will content my selfe with this breefe discouery of this Animaduersor, and his animaduer­sions, and so to leaue him for this time peeping in his truncke-spectacle at his celestiall magneticall re­gent globes, with his proud motto: ‘Non sufficit orbis.’ To try whether he can yet finde vs heere hence any more new glorious dreames, wherby he may either encrease the number of the hundred of merry tales, or els augment the noble history of Huyn of Burgis.

And whereas he chargeth me opprobriously for to haue in my Treatise nothing of mine own, but all of other mens, and some of his: mine answer is, that he knoweth in his owne conscience (if he haue any) that hee speaketh a manifest vntruth, contrary vnto his owne knowledge in both. Yea, I am verily per­swaded, that if he would but giue his owne consci­ence, leaue to speake out, it would ring him a tale in his eare vnto this effect: That he himselfe knoweth right well, that where my knowledge (euen such as it is) in these matters faileth: all the store of skill that he hath, cannot aduance it, no not so much as one strawes bredth, notwithstanding all the great countenance hee setteth on it, with his swelling ti­tles of his Magneticall bodies and motions, and his [Page 12] Aristarchicall censuring of my Aduertisements. ‘Nil dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu.’ And for my iust defence, I will rehearse but these few things (yet such as are of principall importance in this Art) whereas I could name diuers other.

I was the first that made the inclinatory instru­ment transparant, and to bee vsed pendant, with a glasse on both sides, and a ring on the top, whereas Doctor Gilberts hath but of one side, and to bee set on a foot. And moreouer, I hanged him in a com­passe box, where with two ounces waight he will be fit for vse at sea.

Another is, that I was the first that found out and shewed the difference betweene iron and steele, and their tempers for magneticall vses, which hath giuen life and quickning, vniuersally to all magneti­call instruments whatsoeuer.

I was also the first that shewed the right way of touching magneticall needles.

I was the first that found out and shewed the pee­cing and cementing of Loadstones.

I was the first that found out and shewed the rea­sons why a Loadstone being double capped, must take vp so great waight.

These things (yee worthy Gentle-men) haue I mentioned onely to giue you content and satisfa­ction: For although my magneticall knowledge be no manner of way gainefull vnto me, as all that are acquainted with me, know how little I doe esteeme of it in any such respect, yet forasmuch as I haue published my Magneticall Aduertisements of my [Page 13] very earnest affection towards such as yee are, and dedicated them vnto one right worthy Gentle-man of your Society in steed of all, euen for your sakes I could not suffer my paines and good will towards you, to be so scornfully trampled vnder foot (with out some gaine saying) and pratled out of conceit with cauilling only, and multiplicity of vaine words and peeuish brauadoes, The Lord prosper you in all laudable knowledge and vetuous practise.