AMidst the inhospitable mountains of Egipt (during the raigne of Constan­tine the renowmed and religious Ro­man Emperor) there liued a vertuous and solitarie Hermit called Anthony, who forsaking his possessions, which were great, and renouncing the world as vaine, made the poore rich by his liberalitie, and his soule happie by his charitie, his bodily desires, he suppressed by fast, his souls perturbations, by constant resist, his sollace, was solitude, his pleasure, praier: his law, godlie feare, his hope heauen, his dinner time, the sun set: his nights rest, watchfull meditation: if he slept, it was standing, to mortifie his flesh; if he praid, it was kneeling, to shew his humilitie: his meat, bread; his sauce, salt; his drinke, water; his profession was ignorance, but in heauenlie things; and his knowledge perfect wisdome, (not expressed in vanitie of wordes, but in vertue and practise of good déeds.) To this holy Hermit resorted many, some presu­ming on their owne wits, other suspecting their owne infir­mities; this to receiue councell in his discontent, that to ga­ther comfort from his ghostlie preachings, (for they com­monly are most apt to reforme others, who haue maistered their affections and mortified their passions.) Among the rest as one of greatest marke, but of weakest mind, came Metrodorus the Tirian, who better skild in Plato, Empedo­cles, Democritus; than in true wisedeme, humilitie, and me­ditation: came to visit Anthonie, rather of purpose to carpe, then resolution to conceiue. The next was Asterius of Ta­padocia, [Page] who for practise in Magicke, and consulting with diuels, was banished Rome, and sent into Egipt. The last Frumentarius the Indian, who earnestlie desirous to sée the man who was renowmed for so many miracles, had forsa­ken his countrie, entred the deserts, met with these compa­nions, and at last found out Anthonie: and where should ver­tue be found, if not in solitude? Where (as the Philosopher thinketh) men rather intend their conscience, then their fame, and where (according to the opinion of Nicephorus) nothing is studied, but puritie of mind, nothing more affe­cted, then seuerity in life, and felicitie in meditation: But where found they thée O holie Anthony? What office be­comming thy happie spirit? What exercise wert thou ac­customed in? Truly (as Gregorie saith) slaying, and sacrifi­cing thy will; by obedience, pouring out, and offering thy soule in praier; testifying thy contrition, by thy trickling teares: thus in thy earthly bodie didst thou practise an im­mortall worke, and with the immoued eie of thy mind, didst thou behold God in faith. Till a stonished at the sodaine ap­proch of these worldlie men, thou wert saluted by them and cut off (by this friendly discourse) from thine earnest and hap­pie contemplations: Father Anthonie, in regard of thy re­uerend yeares, I am come to salute thée: and in respect of thy desolate and solitarie life, to reprooue thée, for my experience (teaching me to iudge things) hath enlightned my reason to censure follies: What life is this thou leadest? Where all things that should nourish nature are contemned, and each thing that may hasten death is sought after? Nature hath giuen thée a bodie to maintaine it, not to mortifie it: fortune hath giuen thée riches not to despise them, but to prise them: thou art borne to honour, why seekest thou then obscuritie? to thy countrie, why forsakest thou it? If it be felicitie thou desirest, studie thy health, (for according to the Epicure) not to be touched with sicknes is the interest of pleasure: la­bour to be mightie, that thy authoritie may helpe thy friend, and suppresse thy foe: indeuour to be rich, for affluence ma­keth our life happie, and our posteritie fortunate: striue to [Page] be wedded, that thou maist haue children, to be fortunate, that thou maist be famous, to be beloued in the world, that thou maist command the world. To be obscure, is to be mi­serable: and the greatest infelicitie in life, is to be despised: looke into the works of nature and condemne thy self, floures in the bud haue no aire till they be blossomed, stones in the mine, are obscure till they be polished, fruit on the trée, is sower, till it be ripened. It beginneth in a twig, that groweth to a trée, and by course of kind all things are made to encrease, and by encrease to profit: why then defraudest thou thy selfe of natures benefites? She made thée faire to be beloued, beautifull to be known, fortunat to be beautifull, of a child she made thée man to become strong, thy strength she emploied to encrease thy courage, thy courage she im­parted, to expresse thy fortitude: lastly, she gaue thée forti­tude to serue thy countrie: He is a diuell amongst men that profiteth no man, and who liueth only to himselfe, séemeth to be borne in spight of society. Solitudes are for beasts, citties for men, & he rightly is held a théefe in societie, that robbeth his countrie of his seruice: if thou wonder who tels thée this, know it is Metrodorus (not the corrupt vsurer of A­thens, but the great Philosopher of Tire) who am come both to schoole thée by Philosophie, & confound thée in arguments. Anthonie that had heard him speak with much patience, and examined his arguments as he vttered them, by this replie, droue him into melancholie, & the rest into admiration. Me­trodorus, sit down and let these thy associats actompanie thée, for in thwarting thy corrupt reasons by good proofes, I shall make thée ashamed of thine obstinacie, and these men feare­full of the like folly: Thou reproouest my life, because solita­rie; not considering this, that a good man is neuer lesse alone then when alone (as Themistocles said:) and the sences com­monly wanting their obiects of offence, are lesse subiect to fall: a desolate life, exempteth vs from dissolute desires, and where there are lesse baits of sinne, the soule is least of all soiled. Oh Philosopher thou art blind, not in thy bodily eies, but in the eies of thine vnderstanding? Sensualitie séeketh [Page] ease, deuotion chastisement, Thou cuttest down the thornes that let the way when thou iourniest, thou forsakest the path that is muddie and mirie, thou fliest the climes that are cold and vninhabited, what then should let thée to mortifie thy flesh, to quicken thy spirit, to subtue thy bodie, to lighten thy soule: and to forsake the path of this world, to walke directly to celestiall Paradice: it is a law among your sects, for elo­quence, to follow Cicero, for excellence, Demosthenes, for Philosophie, Plato and Aristotle, for the Mathematicks, Eu­clide: What then letteth me (O Metrodorus) to imitate Christ? whose life is a law to mine, & whose abstinence a les­son to instruct me? O that thou knewest the thing thou despi­sest, and wert as expert in practise, as malepert in reproofe: the solitarie man (I tell thée) liuing on the earth, forsaketh the same, and mortified in the flesh is planted in heauen by the spirit: he burneth in the loue of God, to banish the loue of this world, he wéepeth transitorie teares, to receiue eternal consolatiō: he fasteth in bodie, to be fed in soul: he depresseth himselfe to be lifted vp to heauen: he watcheth and thirsteth, to be refreshed in Paradice: he laboureth in this worle, to haue rest in another, finally flying the works of all vnclean­nesse, he not onely deploreth the miserie of his thoughts, if they tast the world, but lamenteth likewise the default of his actions, if they do but stumble on the world: O happie con­templatiue men (saith a father) whose tribulation is their sollace: whose contumelie, is their glorie: whose want, their abundance (worldly as thou art) how wicked are thy counsailes? Thou persuadest me to the world, that in no­thing is more noted then impugning God: Christ willeth pouertie, the world contemneth it: Christ blesseth the sor­rowfull, the world flieth the haunt of the vnhappie: Christ commandeth mortificatiō, the world to cherish the bodie: and (to conclude) Christ teacheth vs to be obedient, the world to be ambitious: in the world we find nothing but inticements of offence, the reliques of vanitie, the treasons of flatterie, the fruits of presumption: in the world example perucrteth vs, custome depraueth vs, and counsaile distracteth vs, for (as Le­cosme [Page] saith) men are too apt to imitate, and whose vertues they cannot attaine, their vices they spéedely practise. Looke into naturall effects, fire kindleth fire, like begetteth like, earth fatneth earth, and then conclude that pride engendreth pride; wrath, displeasure; blasphemie, blasphemie; and what men sée commonly, they hold lawfull in themselues: what shall I thinke of this world, but that it is a rocke whereon all mortall men make shipwrack; a desert, wherein men are soone lost; a sea, wherein we are quickly suncke, full of perils, full of snares: In it desires informe, vanities assault, lucre flattereth, rebels terrifie, detractions afflict, and commen­dations peruert: we are betraied by the world in the ampli­tude of riches, betraied by the weaknesse of pouertie, betrai­ed by the loftinesse of pride, betraied by opinions of vanitie: health tempteth vs, infirmitie tempteth vs, the one yéelding vs matter of negligence, the other cause of sinne. There is a snare in securitie, a snare in feare, neither is there much dif­ference whether the earthlie mind be possessed of ioies, or cares, whereas the sicknesse is one, either to reioice vnder vain delights, or to labour vnder gréeuous perturbations. For riches, they are instruments of temptations, snares of the diuel, norishers of vain desires, fruits of our perdition: it is very rare saith Gregorie for him that possesseth gold to in­ioy rest, & impossible for them that wholie haunt after riches in this life, to hope for the ioies of the other life: who ha­steth to be rich, can hardly be innocent: and who studieth to encrease his goods, neglecteth to lament his sinnes: who desire to be heires of this world, loose their immortall inheri­tance: what profiteth it a man to gather all that which is without himselfe, if he damne that only which is himselfe? It then worldlie wealth be so cursed in getting: what mise­ric inforceth it not in the vse and possession: Beléeue me, be­léeue me, riches extinguish the studie of vertue, mortifie the thought of celestiall things, disturbe the memorie, diuert the loue, and conuert all sanctitie to sensualitie: who so is grée­die to get, is readie to doe wrong, purchase bréedeth much fruit, vsurie more hate, marchandise much feare, all manner [Page] of gain al māner of trouble: Pouerty is the parent of vertue, Wealth the stepdame; & who contemneth secular ioies, de­ploreth sempiternall: Hierome so thought and so writ, That vertues and riches could not agrée in one brest, vsing in this cause, the example of Crates the rich Theban, who going to Athens to studie Philosophie, cast away a great sum of mo­ney, thinking it impossible for riches and vertues to agrée in one possession: Blessed is he (saith a father) who hath not fol­lowed those things, which being possessed, burthen man; & be­loued, defile him: and lost, crucifie him. Besides all this, the miserie and daunger in getting, the sorrow and harme in vse and possessing, consider the infinitie, and affinitie, of vices that follow lewd increasing: The memorie of death, martireth the rich: Temporall abundance, bréedeth forget­fulnesse of eternall: briefly, as wéed hath his worme, so the worme of wealth is his pride: What is a rich man, but a li­uing dead man? Or what can he challenge to be his, who hath his wealth Lord of himselfe, his mind subiect to his wealth, and all estranged from God? how shall I cal riches but the chains of sin, where pride is coupeled with lust, and lust is mounted in this chariot: The foure whéeles that draw it, are foure vices; the abuse of surfet, the delicacie of attire, the abundance of sléepe and idlenesse, and lastly, the heat of filthy lust: the horses of this chariot are backt by these two guides, The dulnesse of sloth, and the blindnes of secu­ritie: and of purpose are these coachmen without spurs, be­cause in y^e kingdome of pleasure, there should be nothing that might induce sadnes, or produce remorse: only dissimulation & improuidence beare the canapie, to shadow mans eie from repentance, vntill he fall into the snare of his own damnati­on. Thou blamest me for not being ambitious, not conside­ring this, that ambition is a subtile euill, a secret poyson, a hidden plague, a srautfull workeman, the mother of hipocri­sie, the parent of hate, the fountaine of sinne: the bait of of­fence, the rust of vertue, the moth of holinesse, the blinder of hearts, creating diseases of remedies, and begetting griefes of medicines: Thou willest me to cherish and to norify my [Page] bodie, but vertue to chasten it: for the flesh by euery light motion is subiect to commotion, and he that wil sit surelie on an vnbrideled colt, must cunningly breake him. Pithagoras séeing one of his followers pampering his flesh, and affe­cting belly chear, why (saith he) art thou about to build a pri­son for thy selfe? And Plato vnderstanding what wounds the mind receiued by the wicked inticements of the bodie, purposelie chose out an vnhealthfull Academy in Athens, that by such meanes he might correct the good disposition of the fare. Thus in their blindnesse perceiued these Philoso­phers that contemplation hath no enemie more capitall then our prowd and fraile flesh. O Metrodorus, I hate not my bodie, but the corruptions therof, and I only in this loue my selfe, in that I chastise my selfe: worthilie said Leo in a certaine sermon So much more euery man loueth himselfe by how much he hateth himselfe for Gods loue. Thou per­suadest me to wed, to encrease the world, and I say the world had more néed of wéeding then wedding. Thou saiest that mariage is a blessing, but I know it to be the sourse of mise­ries, for children being borne, make their parents carefull: and vnborne, miserable: liuing, vnfortunate: and dead deso­late. To this man the multitude of children bréedeth a ioy to possesse thē, but this ioy is extinct if he want to relieue them: to that man the want of an heire is noisome, who hath toild away life to get great possessions, and wanteth a son to en­crease his posteritie: so that the ones good fortune, is the o­thers calamity, and each of them desireth that successe wher­with he séeth his neighbor to be excruciat. This mā hath lost a swéet boy by death, that lamentetha lewd son in life, and both of these worthie commiseration, for the one gréeueth at his boies death, the other at his sons life. O scope of mans vanitie, where all things that are desired grow tedious, and the greatest benefits that are possessed, wax troublesome. O Metrodorus, accuse me not for flying the world, for it decei­ueth all men, the king by securitie, the prince by ambition, the magistrate by corruption, the merchant by misfortunes, all men, by being the world. He that dwelleth in Sodome [Page] cannot escape the shower of fire? he that loueth Egipt must liue in seruitude, and who will be of the world must not be without temptations: since therefore God is my portion, suffer him to be mine only pleasure, since the world is so wi­cked, learne thou to forsake it: Leaue thy sandie foundati­ons of this earth to build on the sure rocke Christ, honor po­uertie, for it mortifieth worldlie cares, and trauaileth to God without let: It is the end of griefe, the ground of peace, the cleannes of life, that deliuereth vs from the cares of this transitorie world and tieth vs to the lawes of eternall righ­teousnesse: studie obedience, for it is better then sacrifice: Learn humilitie, for it norisheth the soul, being pure Manna to féed the deuout mind, & Elebony to purge the ambitious: Finally prowd Philosopher learne to correct thine owne life, before thou condemne others, for he soonest misdoeth, that vainlie misthinketh. No sooner had Anthony ended this discourse, but Metrodorus quite confounded, sat eying the ground, Asterius amased beheld the heauens. Whilest wée­ping Frementarius broke out into this discourse: (Solitarie and sacred) behold the fruits of thy wisdome, thou hast put ob­stinacie to silence, drawne curiositie to admiration, whetted ignorance to contemplation. Now therefore what thou hast wrought by word, win by examples: for as Tully saith, ex­amples if they sauour of antiquitie, yéeld great authoritie in their proofe, and pleasure when they are heard: My sonne (quoth Anthonie) if obstinacie wax silent, there is hope he will heare, if curiositie admire, he begins to affect: and since thou in ignorance doest contemplate, thy zeale bursteth out into teares, which both expresse thy remorse (in respect of thy deserts) and thy desire to encrease in vertue: to seale them therefore to God whom he hath gently sommoned, I wil re­port a true historie, as full of admiration as of certaintie, and in euent so certaine as they are impudent that impugne it. Amidst those lustie mountaines of Italy that deuide the in­destious Sabins from the warlike Marsians, there liued a reuerend and respectiue father, called Menas, who forsaking the sollace of the world, tooke his only delight in solitarie [Page] meditation: of whose life there are as many famous witnes­ses, as Samnia hath fortunate warriors: This holy Hermit forsaking the resorts of men, consorted onely with God; growing one with him in charitie, who was and is the only fountaine of all charitie: neuer rose the sunne but preuented by his praiers: neuer shut the euening, but out worne by his meditations: neuer was he pensiue, but beholding the presumptions: neuer more pleasant, then in confirming a Conuertite: his riches was a hiue yéelding him hony, and the honie of his persuations suckled, and fed the weake mindes: Whilest thus he liued and thus perfited; It for tuned that cer­tian straglers that had left the Army of the Lumbards, to in­tend & folow pillage, ignorāt in the waies of Italie, lost their direct way, and by good hap fell into this desert: where tra­uelling long without either pleasure or profit, and in a de­sert disinhabited, where no victuals might be had, to assuage hunger: they at last hit on Menas caue, where they found him slacking his hunger with hearbes, quenching his thirst with water, and rather féeding to continue life, then to pamper nature. Where shewing themselues by their inci­uilitie, they not only robbed him of his meat, spoiled & tooke a­way his hiue, but beyond all reason beat him cruelly: The good old man that had no helpe but from heauen, nor wea­pon in his hand to defend him, but his tongue, praying ear­nestly whilest he was persecuted, at last brake out into this persuasion. What outrage is this you souldiers? whereas you neither respect age, nor regard deuotion, neither feare God, nor regard the lawes? wild beasts assaile not vnprouo­ked, Serpents sting not vntrod on, the harmelesse bird is no Harpies prey; shall then a Hermit in deuotion; an old man in yeares, a poore man in fortune, be subiect to your tirannies? In the law of kind you are cursed: for by it you are to endure no more to be done to others, then you can quietly admit in your owne causes: then since none of you can easily suffer iniurie, beware to be ouer earnest in offering it to other men: In the law written, all [Page] theft is forbidden: then what are you but law breakers that vse violence? The law of grace condemneth you, for it en­ioineth you to giue of your owne to other men, but you driue other men from their own. O what impietie is this, to de­fraud nature, to abuse God, to despise grace, and afflict man? In the Romane lawes (as Cato witnesseth) théeues were punished by the double, and taxed to restore twise that thing in value, which they had taken away by villany: in Gods law thieues are excluded from Gods kingdome: Oh earthly men consider what you loose by winning so wickedlie, you loose your liuing soules, to norish your deadlie sinnes: you loose heauen to purchase hel: You loose honor to win infamie, brieflie the poore curse you, the rich hate you, the Prince con­demneth you, the Magistrate plagueth you: what miseries then worke you for your selfe, when on earth you are estran­ged from all societie, in heauen forsaken for your impietie, in hell euerlastingly plauged for your securitie? Oh repent you presentlie, or too lately, is too lamentably: who deferreth his repentance, hasteneth his plague; where time is swift, the world but a shadow, mans life but a moment, his death imminent, how vaine is his delay in repentance, where re­uenge outstrippeth time, terrifieth the world, shortneth the shortnesse of life, and whets on death and damnation? Fur­ther, would this holie father haue discoursed, and more ear­nestlie would he haue vrged his arguments: But that a mis­creant wretch (who had neuer God in his lips, but to blas­pheme him, nor remorse in his heart where blood was to bée shead, séeing the rest of his fellowes some what amazed at these his persuasions) drew out his sword and purposelie ran at him to pierce his brest: when loe after a terrible and hide­ous crie, the heauen ouercast, the earth opened, and from the lowest hel a fiend appeared in shape, ouglie; in threats, dread­full, who seazing the sinfull wretch, first flong him vp into the aire, then threw him on the ground, sometime turning his lims from their naturall places, other whiles thundring out oracles of the wretches condemnation, till Menas mooued by [Page] compassion, and his companions terrified by example, hum­bly knéeling dispossessed him by praier whom the Deuil had possessed for his sinne▪ finallie the catiue reconciled, his soul­tiers scholed, and Menas recompenced, they returned to their armie reporting his fame, whilst he resorted to his me­ditations to yéeld thanks for their reconcilements. Neither was Gods power so tied to defend him from men, but that he likewise protected him from sauage beasts, so that being earnest in their prey, he subdued them by praier: making them feare at his presence, who otherwise caused all men to runne from their pursute: His studie likewise was to haue nothing in this world, and hauing nothing, to contemne all things: his charitie was to embrace all that visited him, and to conuert all that heard him: frée was he in reproouing the prowd, and reconciling the penitent; To be short, his solitude made him beloued of God, defended from men, preserued from beasts, and lastlie a Citizen of heauen: Metrodorus that had left his solitarie thoughts to listen to his holie histo­rie, hearing so many miracles, at first grew amazed, but subdued by self opinion (which quicklie peruerteth our faith,) he brake out into this reply, which be wrated his infirmitie. Though thy life old Hermit be the example of modestie, yet thy words are so wonderfull as they deserue no credit, mira­cles are for more then men, and those are our best obiects that are subiect to our sences: bring therefore better autho­ritie to confirme our beliefe, or for my part I shal thinke the storie is rather an Hiperbole, then a historie. Metrodorus (quoth Anthonie) this prooues thée to be carnall, because thou comprehendest nothing that is eternall: and therfore world­lie wits (as Gregorie saith) beléeue not spirituall things, be­cause they behold not that in experiment, which they heare by report: the reasons whereof I will expresse thée, because I am willing to confirme thée: Looke as a child borne in prison, and nourished in obscuritie, bearing nothing but the solitarie cries of his mother, & séeing nothing but the desola­tion of all delight, seemeth holie assured in the [...] of his sences & suspitious in all other approued certainties, so that [Page] if his mother tel of the sunne, he beléeueth nothing but obseu­ritie: if she talke of [...] Moone and Starres, he trusteth no­thing to be, in that he sées not their being: so carnall men hauing all things by hearsay, beléeue nothing but in experi­ence, liuing in the obscurities of the world, they admit no­thing that excéedeth their conceits, and hauing the marke of sinne in their bodies, norish not the light of contemplation in their soules: With Adam their father they are taxed to la­bours, but with Adam their father they conceaue not their fall, for the memorie of his former pleasures remaineth in him, but the remisconceit & worldlie blindnesse choketh thē: he remembring his former happinesse, vert: they nourished in their worldlie frailties, delight therein; and wanting faith to assist the report of heauenlie things, they want power to conceiue ought but earthlie thinges: men choaked by the world, are drowned in the world; the obscure man holds his countrie a Paradise, because he knowes no other, and Mop­sa with hir bleared eie is as déere to Nisus, as Phillis with her faire face to Amintas: world lie mens delight is tied to their knowledge, and what they sée, they commend, & what they heare, they suspect: They onlie that know the world trulie, trust it not in well knowing it, by faith they apprehend things vnséene, and by the spirit are assured of their vncer­tainties: Christ by becomming man, prooueth that nothing is vnpossible to God; by partaking infirmity, nourisheth our saiths: & we that know his sufferance excéedeth our senses, must cōclude, that onlie faith must apprehend his Deitie. To them that beléeue, he maketh all things possible; the holie Ghost helpeth them, who bréedeth charitie; their charitie in­flameth them, which norisheth faith; their faith assureth them being grounded in charitie. To them that beléeue not, that which they sée not, he giueth ouer to trust in that which they should not: in blindnes they liue, in obstinacie they continue, & desperat they die. O Metrodorus, beléeue antiquitie, for as by many discents, our progenies are maintained, so by me­morable reports, the truth retaineth his perfection: To be­léeue onlie that which we haue séene, is to condemne al that [Page] which our fathers haue obserued: and to tie all thinges to our sences, is to confesse we haue no liuing and reasonable souls. Thus far prosecuted old Anthonie his persuasions, and so fruitfully listened Metrodorus to his sound reasons, that the one reioiced to sée the others conformitie, and the other ap­plauded the Hermits zeale and industrie. Thus he that came to obiect, was taught to learn: and he that presumed too much on his owne power, was learnt to know his weake­nesse: Meane while Asterius inflamed with the selfe same fire, & willing to disconer his wound, to the end he might re­couer medicine, Thus kindlie saluted Anthonie, who as wil­lingly listened: Father (qd. he) since desperate cures, assure the Phisitions cunning, and fruitfull persuasion, shewes the orators forcible eloquence, I will cast off feare, and be­come forward: knowing thy perfection by experience, and disclose the infirmities of my mind, that they may be healed: with the happie cordials of thy counsailes: Do so my sonne said Anthonie, and let me heare thée that I may know thée. Asterius thus incouraged (after a déepe sigh) began this so­lemne discourse: Those that haue heard of Asterius (O Her­mit) haue either named him with feare or followed him with admiration: for that Magitian am I, who by my charmes haue tied the cloudes, restrained showers, enchanted trées, made barren women; tired the fish in the sea, bound the birds in the aire: forcing nature to submit to my art, and all science to be subiect to my incantations: in Rome, the lear­ned fauoured me, the Senators winckt at me, the commons presēted me, the maidens visited me, none durst prouoke me: For which causes waxing prowd, and by pride foolish obsti­nate, it chanced that some strise grew betwixt me and Six­tus then Bishop of Rome, whom the Romans honoured for his holinesse, and I hated for his vertues; His contention with me was to dissuade from magicke, my arguments a­gainst him were fatall exorcismes, his purpose to reclaime me from sinne, My practise to desraud him of life: Thus (his zeale working one way, my enuie another way,) at last wée met in an appointed place, where he falling to praiers, and [Page] I to practise: if I troubled the aire with clouds, he cléered the skie with orisons: brieflie, coniuring vp a Deuill, vnder purpose that violently he should driue him away, Sixtus by his praiers bound him, on his authoritie exiled me: My ba­nishment confirmed by Senate, allowed by the people, & de­sired by the godlie, I came into Egypt, purposing to find thée out, that by some debate of learning I might know the dig­nities of magicke: for so delightfull is the emperie ouer na­ture, the knowledge of the stars, the commanding of spirits, the manner of exorcisme, that in stéed of forsaking them, men rather earnestlie affect them: if therefore thou hold it pietie (O Anthonie) and these gentlemen estéeme it wonne time, that bewraieth truths; let vs sit and confer first of the nature of diuels, then consequently of the inclination of the stars, the workes of Astrologie, and the power of Magicke: That I may be either bettered in my knowledge, or no more bewitched with these calamities: What (quoth Frumen­tarius the Indian) is it possible there should be diuels, where neither Aristotle the maister, nor the Peripateticks his scho­lers euer knew them? for they ascribe to the planets that which we attribute to the seinds, to the celestiall bodies, what you to the infernall spirits, to causes naturall, what you to miraculous. Tis true my friend (quoth Anthonie) that philosophers thought so, but since we know there are effects aboue nature, (as to recite verses, scite authority, and repeat latine, in a ignorant demoniaque) it followeth that their al­legations are found, and our foundations sound, neither was the Stragerite only more ignorant in this point, but some Christians haue shewed lesse iudgement, for confessing there are deuils, they yet differ in this, that not taking diuels as we mean, they suppose them to be the souls of men: to whom it may be answered (according to corrected doctrin) that the soule being a bodilesse substance, cannot be translated into the substance of the diuell being incorporeate: other errors there be rather to be wincked at, then be written, suffered by diuine pollicie to take head, first to extinguish mane pre­sumption, next to confirme truths authoritie. Upon what [Page] conclusion then shall our faith rest said Frumentarius, where authorities are so different, reasons so dissident? Upon truth quoth Anthonie, which being it selfe, is neuer deceiued: What proueth more there are diuels then the prohibition to sacrifice to them, Leuit. 17? What sheweth their sacrifice to be more impious, thē the impiety vrged against the Isra­elites in that practise? Deut. 32. Hieroboam sacrificed to De­uils, in Iob, in Tobie, in the Euangelists, the proofes are ma­nifest in that cause, that therefore which is manifest by de­monstration, néedeth no proofe: blind Philosophie confirmes them, and shall we suspect them? Oracles approue them, shall we denie them? That there are deuils (O Hermit) said Metrodorus, no man suspecteth it, but respect of the authori­tie of their names, and the prescript of their power, therein lieth our question: And I shall resolue thée, Metrodoius (qd. Anthonie) in these difficulties: The Diuel hath diuers de­nominations, according to his diuers workings, he is called Diabolos of Dia, which is Duo and Bolos, which is Mor­cellus as he that desireth to swallow two morcels, the body and soule. The Hebrewes terme him Diabolus quasi deor­sum sluens, The Gréeks a calumner or accuser, the Latines, Angelus malus, for his bad tidings: He is likewise called Sa­than, because an aduersary: & Demon, because experienced in many things, and Belial, because yoakles; and an Apostata: Leuiathan, because the complement of all this, deuouring soule and bodie, affecting and séeking obscuritie; accusing and calumniating the iust, bringing message of mischiefe: as­sailing vs by his craft, beguiling vs by his experience, sedu­ring vs by his Apostacie, and planting in vs the excesse of all impietie. Briefly diuels, as a father saith, are desirous to hurt, deuoid of Iustice, swelling in pride, swallowed with enuie, craftie in deceit, who dwell in this aire, and being cast from the height of the superior heauen, are ordained and destinated to the prisō of obscurity, in regard of their pride, & restraint of their power: Their power is tied, not in such sort as they may not tempt, but as they may not tempt as they de­sire: by nature & permission, they may do things in semblance [Page] true, and séeming to the fantasie: as y^e Magitians (rods in re­spect of Moises) by permission, as spoiling Iob and his flocks: yet both these acts are held miraculous not in respect of na­ture, but in respect of sences debilitie: Ouer good men the de­uils haue power to proue, not to destroy: ouer bad to destroy, except repentant: Their prison, is the darkesome aire, till the time of the Iudgement, their hell the retreat of horror, from whence the issue is remedilesse. In mans enuie they tempt and impugne: in his pride vsurpe and confound: They assaile men by obiects, because they know the senses most flexible; they assaile by passion, assured that the soule is subiect to perturbations: they assaile by fantasie, because as Aristotle saith, the braine and heart are most subiect to unpression and fantasies: They seduce by persuasion, or in­citing passion, and that in two sorts, as Damascene witnes­seth, where he saith, Omnem malitiam & immund as passiones a daemonibus fuisse excogitatas & inuentas: Those in the aire, are till the iudgement enclosed for our exercise, to impugne, tempt, and assault vs; not beyond our power. Some alrea­die in hel which as now only afflict the soule, but after iudge­ment shall torment both bodie and soule. But is it true (graue father, quoth Metrodorus) that the malignant spirit appeareth to man on his death bed? Too true Metrodorus (said Anthonie,) and that by common course, for if it be cer­taine that a good angell is assistant to reléeue and succour vs, it is necessarie that an euill angell should be prest to tempt vs: for as the one is to helpe, the other is to destroy: and fur­ther as a Father saith, as in the issue of a conquest men show greatest value, so the néerer we approch to our end, the bu­sier is the feind to seduce vs: as appeared by Martin the Bi­shop who séeing sathan assistant at his death bed said thus: Quid hic astas cruenta bestia? In what manner, quoth Fru­mentarius (my good father Anthony) appeare they? for as spi­rituall, they cannot be séene, because there ought to be pro­portion betwixt the obiect and the power. I tell thée myson (answered Anthonie) they either appeare imaginatiuely by mouing humours and blood (and thereby forme certain appa­ritions) [Page] or they appeare in assumpted bodies, appropriat to their intents: and if suppositiuelie, or according to imagina­tion, they appeare to none but to those to whom the vision appertaineth: but if in an assumed body, it is by their power, and in that sort are subiect to many mens sights: Besides in temptations they aime at fiue things, first to corrupt faith by error: next to kéepe man in superstition: thirdly, to induce vice: fourthlie, to produce tediousnesse, and we arinesse in af­fliction: Lastlie to confirme men in their iniquities, that by that meanes they may be finally condemned and eternally perish. Besides, they continually tempt in desire, not in power: in desire, because they are enuious; in power because they feare to be subdued, and suspect their owne weakenesse, and to the end they might make the iust secure from tempta­tions. That there are workings then, we are sure by de­uils, because they be: that they hate we perceiue, because they seduce: that they are proud, we are resolued, in that they rebeld: that they are selfe louers, we know, for it was their sinne, all this thine arguments infer, or thy reasons ap­proue: but for Magicke, we doubt, and in Magicke we would be resolued: discourse therefore good Anthonie of that secret. What should he discourse said Frumentarius, where Pliny con­demns it as false, scornes it as vaine, and denies it for anie thing? One instance (quoth Anthonie) in Logicke destroies not an vniuersall proposition, neither is priuat reproofe a ge­neral conuiction. That it is, it appeareth, because forbidden: that it is forcible, it is manifest, because taxed and condem­ned by law: The name importeth effects aboue nature, which though receiued for art is but méer folly. They define Magicke to be the worker of many effects, the reasons wherof are neither comprehēded by sence, nor by any reason may be subiect to the mind or vnderstanding. The schoolmen likewise deuide it as being of two sorts, the one natural, con­uersing only in secret, & ending in naturall vertues: which though vnknowne to most men, is onelie admirable for ob­scuritie, not effect; (for those effects are vnrightly admirable which are incident to nature:) the other diabolicall, condem­ned [Page] by God, laws, and customes. Touching the naturall, it may be wrought without the concomitance or assistance of any spirituall bodie: and those are rightly called Magi, who are expert in those sciences, and practised in those works: for example, consider these wondrous effects which resem­ble preposterous and diabolicall actions, yet in effect are méerely naturall: as is the stone Molaris, which is found in Tigris (which as Aristotle in his book De animalibus wit­nesseth) being caried about a man defendeth him from the incursions of wild beasts: and the hearb Dictamnum, which being deuoured by goats driueth out those arrowes where­with they are wounded (as Pliny and other testifie:) And tou­ching the effects of the loadstone, if it were generally vn­knowne to man, he that first should either show it or vse it, should be held a Magician: for he should méerlie work mira­cles, and séeme both the author and agent of incredible mat­ters: diuers fathers there be that haue diuerslie written of these secrets, one of an iron ring fastened to a loadstone, which by the vertue of the attractiue minerall, drew linck by linck many other to the first, till it séemed an abso­lute and vnited chaine. Another registreth the historie of a wonderful fountaine, in which torches were extinguished; and extinct, were lighted again: Architas Doue, Dedalus La­borinth, both but the Proiects of wit, were held Magicall and admirable: Iohn of Mountroyall the Almaigne (so memora­ble in Ramus, in his booke of Mathematicall obseruation) made an eagle, which before the Emperor mounted into the aire, and afterwards dulie stooping, followed him to his gate. His flie, likewise of yron, who beholding it would not rather haue held him for a diabolical Artist, then an excellent Natu­ralist? So then it may be concluded rightly, that Naturall Magicke is a part of the most vnserched, and hidden Philo­phie, which were it come to knowledge of the ignorant, and practise of the learned, it should quickly leaue the name of Magicke, and loose no title amongst all other confirmed sci­ences: when therefore our eies behold, or our sences be af­fected with any such extraordinarie conclusions, we are not [Page] straightwaies to condemne them as erronious, but tò learn to know and censure them, the better to increase our iudge­ments: Touching the Diabolicall (which consisteth on no naturall causes or forces, but is effected by some immateri­all, and seperable vertue and power:) It is approued to be by these reasons. First because certaine actions thereof are, neither subiect to naturall causes, nor may be referred to ce­lestiall bodies: as for example, the oracles and answers of Magitians, either for finding treasure, discouering hidden things, or declosing thefts: next because there were some statues of Magitians which gaue answer to diuers questi­ons; thirdlie it is apparant that by personall assist, or mur­muring of exorcisme, certaine locks haue béene opened, (and other such like kind of workes) which being neither subiect to the power of nature, nor disposed by celestiall influence: we must néedlie confesse that such sort of Magicke is relying onlie on vertue immateriall, and not on causes naturall. If Diabolicall Magicke then in his wonders be so manifold, why doth God (intending the saluation of man) permit and suffer it to seduce him? or if there be wonders wrought there­by, whether is it by true effects, or illusion of the eies and sen­ces (said Frumentarius). I wil answer thée brieflie (my freind) to thy present demands (said Anthonie) first God permitteth Magicke, to the end that men weakened in faith, should be proued: and those who are depraued in manners, and credu­lous in lies, should be seduced by their owne desires: next tou­ching the effects and works therof, I say the most is done by illusion and deceipt of the sences: being both false and fai­ned in themselues, and done by the vanitie and error of wic­ked men: The proofe whereof, and the confirmation of the premisses, though it be apparant in the transformation of Circes and Medea (so famous and memorable in Poets, and others) as also in Diomedes men transformed into birds, V­lisses companions into beasts, and such like: yet relie I on this conclusion, That whereas of all arts whatsoeuer, there remaineth some token, work, or method worthie memorie; (as statues, Images, goodlie buildings and such like) yet of [Page] Magicke there is neither any Image, ring to be heard of, principles to be read of, only the most is writtē of Zoroastes, the inuenter (as Aristotle writeth) & is, that he drew many thousand verses, but how true he speaketh not; so that in truth it séemeth to be a fained thing for the most part, buil­ding more on illusion then truth, although in truth vnlaw­full Magicke hath his actuall working. How proue you that quoth Metrodorus? By scripture answered Anthonie, where it appeareth that Pharoahs Magitians conuerted their rods into Serpents, Exod. 7. Not (as Rauclinus and Ra­banus thinke) by prestigious and deceitfull illusion: but (as both schoolemen, and fathers anow) by true, and vntained conuersion. Resolue vs yet in this conclusion (quoth Asterius) whether all works of Magicke, be méerlie naturall without relation, or dependance on seperate substances? And de­cide vs that opinion of the Peripatetiques, and Trismegistus, who stronglie maintaine, that all works of Magicke, are done either by naturall vertue, or celestiall influence; nei­ther that any argument of seperable substances should be ta­ken from their workings. I confesse (said Anthonie) that some magicall works are méerlie naturall, because I haue heretofore confest there is a Magicke naturall, knowing it an assured principle in Philosophie, that there cannot be a cause without his effects. Besides if I should denie it, it is confirmed; For to effect these wonderful works, the Magici­ans commonlie vse vnknown hearbes, which conteine pre­sent and forcible remedies against all diseases, (as it appea­reth in the hearbs Corisesia and Calicia, which as Plyny in his second booke 17 chapter confesseth, doth fréese water,) and in Meniades, whose Iuice healeth the biting of Serpents: many other he alleageth, which they vse to inforce and expel sicknesses, which because they are vnknowne and of swift operation, they are for that cause estéemed miraculous of all men. And these magitians may know the vertues of these hearbes aboue named, either by the tradition of the most fa­med and renowned Phisitions, Pithagoras, Democritus, Em­pedocles, and others; or by reuelation of the deuils: which [Page] once discouered vnto them, and in secret deliuered to their posteritie, they may vse them naturally without concourse or assistance of any good or euill spirit. There are likewise other works of magitians, which are brought to passe by some one Immateriall and seperated vertue, and the reason is, because ther are certain operations of art Magick, which (as it is said before,) are effected by some immateriall & sepe­rated vertue & power: for whereas these kind of works ex­céed naturall facultie, & cannot (as it shal be made manifest,) be referred to good spirits, it must necessarilie follow, that they must haue relation to wicked: this sentence is confir­med by the fathers, concluded by the schoolemen, and made positiue by the lawes. How then shall the said work be vn­derstood to be done by the vertue of the deuils (quoth Metro­dorus.) If works be done excéeding natural facultie, they are magicall, if otherwise, Diabolicall (saith Anthony:) againe those works that are done by ministerie of vnknown words, or certaine characters, or by such wordes as are both imper­tinent and immateriall, in respect of the operation which is sought or expected; they may truly be concluded by the De­uill: Againe, if there be any rites, or peculiar and determi­nate obseruances, (as certaine houres, a certaine scite of stars, or such things as are done by a certain number of cros­ses or candles) although the words be sacred, & the maner ce­remonious, yet is the work to be estéemed both magical, and diuelish: Againe, if in their actions or works they vse any thing dissident from their effects, their works are not of God, but of the deuill: Superstitious suffumigations by haire, absurd sacrifice by nailes, all these in expelling deuils, are impious, and in inuocating them, magicall: For if such ceremonies were good, Christ and his Apostles had vsed them, if they were effectuall, Diuels could not be expulsed but by them: because they submit to betray, and are soly com­manded to deceiue. Should I suffer you to vrge questions, they would grow to infinite; and, he thus said, & thus he an­swered, doe quicklie wax tedious: I will therefore preuent your doubts by my knowledge, and satisfie you by reason, in [Page] more then you inspect: There growes a doubt (because selfe like works are wrought by Magicke, as by the gifts of espe­ciall grace) whether God or good angels, he the authors of the same, or the Diuell, and his erorcists the fautors and fur­therers? For Apostles haue cast out diuels, and so haue A­postatas, Moses turned his rod into a serpent, and so did the magirtans of Pharau; Peter healed, so did the vnbeléeuing, in Christs name: the Sinode of the Saints speake in vn­knowne toungs, and su do the possessed: this doubt is waigh­tie, and thus in two conclusions resolued: Some works are done by magistans, which are not done by grace, some other accomplished by grace, which excéed the power of Magicke: and the reason is, because magitians worke many inchant­ments which are altogether opposite to their course, that worke by infused grace: I meane grace not deseruedly got­ten, but gratias gratis datas, (gratefully infused:) contrari­wise, prophecie is receiued amongst the graces, which magi­cians by no meanes can attaine vnto, (as magitians:) for if deuils (according to their owne defects) cannot know things subsequent (which is proper to prophecie) magitians cannot attaine that misterie, who are but Magickes and their mini­sters: Againe magicians, worke nothing by Diuine, or An­gelicall power, for then both Gods law were faultie in re­proouing them for bad, and humane policy should be condem­ned, that wholie disanuls them, and their industries: for euil angels inuented sorceries; where God doth nothing, nei­ther angels indeuour any thing, but for pittie, goodnesse and grace; where the diuels work nothing but by subtile art, foo­lish discipline, and craftie pollicie. You may like wise ask me if there be any lawfull and godlie Magicke, patronized by angels, and furthered by them? And this difficultie may both haue reason to defend it, and authoritie to countenance it: you may ask me how, and thus I must resolue you: Good angels (you know) haue no lesse power, if not more, then the euill, but the euill communicat their power with euill men, why therefore should not good angels be as forward in fur­thering the good: The cōclusion of this argument is cōceiued [Page] in these few words which if they be markt as they be meant, may doubtles giue light to the industrious. Good angels com­municat to good men for charitie: diuels to bad men for wor­ship, and ostentation: the one that God may haue the praise only; the other, that they may deceiue wholy. The diffe­rence then of good and euill works twirt good and euill an­gels, is this, that the one worketh in charitie, the other in hatred: consequently no magick can be termed holie, because good angels are not prouoked thereby, but worke all things in charitie: Againe this is a certaine proofe, in the angels working, that often times and orderlie they worke obscure­ly, and very sildome visibly, the reason therof is, because they would not be adored: For men doe very easily arrogate Di­uinitie vnto them, whom they perceiue efficacious in anie kind of wonder: for example, when Paul (at Listra in Lica­onia) had healed lame men in the name of Iesus, the people would haue sacrificed vnto him as to a God. And this mista­king is more dangerous in respect of angels, because they most approximate God in dignitie, and excéed man in puri­tie: and for this cause are angels héedfull to giue occasion to men of Idolatrie, because they know their presence is a rea­dy obiect of wonder. For this cause (in the ninetéenth of the Apocalips) when Iohn had séene the angell, and fallen down and worshipped him, Beware (saith the angel) least thou doe it, (inducing this reason) Conseruus enim tuus sum, & fratrū tu­orum. Hereupon like wise it may be concluded, that since the angels are holie, and of the number of the blessed, perhaps they neuer meddle with terrene and humane affairs, except by Gods speciall commandement, and therefore all those be­nefits which man receiueth immediatly from God, or by the ministerie of the angels, (séeming to excéed his hope, and sur­passe our naturall facultie) must be peculiarly and properly ascribed to God, as the onlie author. Another doubt may a­rise, To what cause we should attribute the sascination and charming of children, by witches, or infants, by inchan­ters, which may be thus resolued: that either the witches soule infected with mallice, corrupteth the aire by her sight, [Page] and by y^t means infecteth yong infants (especially such who haue tender bodies capable of impression:) or otherwise, such fascination ought to be attributed to the mallice of deuils, with whom the foresaid witches are confederat, which com­meth to passe either by hidden fate, or Gods permission: For deuils cannot delude men, except God suffereth them. Furthermore, whereas the conseruation of bodies after death from corruption, the increase of hair, beard, and nailes, in the dead: the fresh bléeding of a slaughtered bodie at the presence of the murtherer, séeme matters of wonder, and are doubtfull whether they are to be ascribed to diuine miracle, or to natures power, or to deuils working (and the rather be­cause the debate thereof, according to many wise mens opi­nions, hath sorted to different conclusion) I will explaine the same in these following propositions: All miraculous works and apparitions in their kind, ought to be ascribed to these foure: To God, to angels, to Diuels, and to holie men, or to their spirits. Sometimes likewise such wonders may bée done by men possessed by the diuell, or by Magitians, or o­therwhiles by mans fallacious subsiltie: That such admira­ble things may be wrought by the subtiltie of the diuell, and illusion of wicked men, it appeareth in the example of that Demoniack, who when he would, could counterfeit to bée dead, faine blindnesse, séeme lame, or resemble a man trou­bled with the dropsie. Miracles likewise may be reduced to naturall causes (which are done about the bodies of the dead) as for example, the preseruation of dead bodies from putri­faction, which (according to some learning) may either be re­duced to the vertue of the place, the nature of the ointment, or some other corporall thing wherein the bodie is inclosed; by whose vertues the dead bodie is preserued from corrupti­on and inciueration. There may a naturall reason likewise be giuen of the growth of nailes, and increase of haires, in the dead, drawne either from the complexion of the dead bo­die, in which some unperfect vegetatiue forme may be indu­ced; or to the effects of nature, which dilateth and extendeth all thing when she beginneth to suffer any violence. Some­times [Page] likewise the preseruation to dead bodies may be as­cribed to diuine miracles, & the reason is, because God som­times conserueth the dead bodies of the saints incorruptible, to expresse their singular sanctitie, true innocence, and integritie of mind, which they insoled in life. Some bodies likewise are maintained and cōtinued incorruptible for ven­geance sake, (as that of Charles king of Hungarie, the ex­communicate:) sometimes the bodies of bad men are kept without corruption by the subtiltie of the deuill, to the end that this miracle might be ascribed to their merit in life, and men who detested their conuersation, should admire and wonder at their conseruation. As for the bubling of blood, from the wound of the murthered at the presence of the blood sucker, this solie is to be ascribed to Gods miracle, inforced to bréed horror of that crime, and detestation of such like im­pieties: But here may you say lieth there a déepe question, because I impose the name of miracle, both to the works of God, and the prestigious illusion of the deuill, confounding them in name which are different in nature: To which I answer (not without authoritie) that the deuils actions are vnproperly miracles; Gods trulie: the one done by prepara­tion, the other sodainly; the one to delude, the other to con­firme; the one to hinder, the other to profit man: Those then that worke by the diuell, do miracles vnproperlie, and here­in are the true confounded with the false in denomination, because we cannot distinguish of the sodainnes in perfor­mance, or the spéedinesse in execution. Some suppose and de­fine a miracle to be an vnaccustomed action wrought aboue the power of nature; wherin there are two things to be con­sidered: one, that it excéed the abilitie of nature, the other that it surpasse common custome: Where vpon it followeth that the creation of a humane soule is not properlie a mira­cle, for although the creation thereof excéed the power of na­ture, yet since it is a thing accustomed, and God createth souls daily, it may not rightly be called a miracle. Againe, a child borne with seuen fingers, a man with two heads, a wo­man with soure armes, (and such like) cannot in right bée [Page] held miraculous, for although such creations are vnaccusto­med, yet excéed they not the power of nature, because from naturall causes there may follow such like effects: to con­clude therefore positiuelie of miracles and their natures, I assure you, that things done sodainly by assistance of Diuine vertue for confirmation of truth, and demonstration of Gods power and wisdome, for erudition of the faithfull, and con­uersion of the reprobat, are rightlie miracles; but matters wrought with intention of deceit, fruits of subtile insinuati­on, these are the improper miracles of magicians, who con­tended with Moises and Aaron before Pharao, done secun­dum rem, as the schoolemen say, but not secundum modum. There is a question likewise, what magicians do in perfor­ming their miracles? namely whether they prepare the mat­ter only, or induce the form likewise; to which may be answe­red, that they prepare the matter only, & haue no power to in­form: for as fathers are not held the creators of their childrē, nor husbandmē the makers of their fruit (though in creating of these, gods power inwardly works by admission and suffe­ráce of their exterior motiōs:) so neither is it lawful to think that good or euill angels create, or magicians (the ministers of them) informe; but to him only may creation be ascribed, by whose power and word, allthinges were created. A­gain, (in working things miraculous) this is to be noted, that the impious only worketh by permission, the vertuons by impression, and assistance: the good are enabled by God to performe, the bad induced by the diuell to deceiue. God only likewise is said to do miracles by authoritie, angels and holy men dispositiuely, bad men and magicians permissiuely: nei­ther is it to be wondered that magicians raise stormes, choak an increase, procure abortion, (and such like things which the blessed do not) because this power is restrained in the saints, for feare least weakened by pernicious error, they should be deceiued, supposing there were greater gifts in such like effects, then in the works of Iustice, wherby the soule is enlightned, and eternal life gained. And therefore Christ said to his Disciples, Luke 10. Reioice not in this because spirits are subiect vnto you, but reioice because your names are [Page] written in heauen. There is likewise a controuersie among the learned, debated by many arguments, whether ma­gicians by the power of the deuill may locally chaunge, or spéedily transfer the bodies of men or beasts, and the rather because it hath beene deliuered by tradition, and confirmed by the mistaken, that old women hath béene transported by spirits from place to place, magiciās from countrey to coun­trey, and scholers from Paris to Rome; & on these grounds there are many opinions, some ascribing these works to the illusion of the sences, other vtterly denieng any such abili­ties: notwithstanding the reformed opinions are, that both Deuils and Magicians their Ministers may remoue and transfer the bodies of men from place to place: because it is manifest in Iobs children, where euill spirits ouerthrow the house on their heads: againe, hauing power to adhibit corpo­rall séeds to produce some certaine effects, it followeth, they haue power to remoue bodies, because rightly effects cannot be produced except locall motion be made & admitted. There is likewise a question why women are soonest troubled, and more oftentimes deceiued by the Diuell then men be? To which the answer is (for two causes) First, by reason of their credulitie, next because of their frailtie and infirmity: Their credultie appeareth in that they were first and soonest temp­ted; their fragility, in that they are more prone to lust: and therefore Peter called women the weaker vessels, because they are soonest wrought. And because carnall desire is the aime of Magicians, and women by nature are more flexi­ble, it commonly falleth out, that there are more women wit­ches thā men. Beside, for their credulities sake, Paul permit­teth them not to teach, least being themselues deceiued, they should peruert others: and therefore a father said, Quia semel mulier virum & edocuit, cuncta peruertit, idcuco nequaquā haec habeat velum, docendi de caeteris potestatem▪ Father (quoth Frumentarius) it is happie that women are absent, for should they heare what you speake, you might perhaps féele more then you wish. You deceiue your selfe quoth Anthony, for should they heare their infirmitie, they would take little [Page] cause to presume so much on their excellencie. This is be­side the te [...] (said Asterius) Let vs returne to our purpose, and resolue vs good Hermit, whether Diuels or inchanters may alterate bodies in respect of their qualities, procure sicknesse, inflict infirmities, and restore health. By their owne vertue (answered Anthony) neither can Diuels or Magicians ei­ther in naturall, or materiall things, immeadiatly induce a­ny forme, either by procuring health, or inducing sicknesse, by vrging heat, or increasing cold: and the reason is, because if they could induce one forme, they might induce all, and by that meanes both nature, and the whole world should be sub­iect vnto them: but since it is manifest that God hath not subiected the whole world to the good, and blessed angels; It followeth that by no meanes or reason it may be thought, that the matter of these visible things in the world and of the world, should be subiect to the beck and seruice of the trans­gressiue and accursed angels: Another conclusion is, that magicians can miraculously change both the matter and na­tures of bodies, applying the séeds of things, and ioining ac­tiue with passiue; and the reason is, that euen as art (which imitateth nature) can effect diuers things, which nature it selfe cannot; so deuils can do many things which are beyond mans reach, aboue al art, and besides the accustomed course of nature, as likewise because celestiall influence is very a­uailable and actiue in natural effects:) hence, in planting and husbanding, in phisicke and curing, and such like, the obserua­tion and consideration of the motion and course of both Sun and Moone are very necessary, and Diuels because they are expert and cunning Astrologers can better iudge and make choice of their houres to worke in: and this perhap is one es­peciall cause why magicians in their inuocation of Diuels obserue the face of heauen and the scite of the stars. The last conclusion is, that Diuels, except restrained by Gods power or preuented by good angels, can afflict mortall men with gréeuous calamities, as appeareth in Lot whome Sathan strooke: hereon a schooleman saith. Tho. 3. p. q. 29. Art. 1. ad 3. Clementissimus deus non permittit eos vti sua (quam naturaliter [Page] habent) potestati & ab bonis angelis, presertim quibus orbis, & hominum custodia commissa est impediantur: Our mercifull God (saith he) suffereth them not to vse their naturall power, which they haue, and they are especially let by good angels, who haue the world and men in their custodie. A decideable subiect may likewise be raised on this, whether Diuels can cure all diseases, and draw the line of our life to the extent and vtterance of many years? For by proofe we know, & ex­periēce find, that many by touch of hand, many by repetition of words, many by vse and bearing of characters, haue béene healed being sickly, refreshed being old, and recured in despe­rate estate. To this I answer, that in many cures (aboue the vse of arts) the Diuels haue power, but in all they haue not: the reason is, because their power extendeth no further then the application of naturall canses, and naturall supple­ments; whereas some excéed the power of nature being fa­tall, other the benefits and causes of nature, as age. Neither can they peculiarly procrastinate and lengthen mans life (as to a thousand or fiue hundred years, as in the infancie of the world men inioied) and the reason is, that mans intempe­rance and méere ignorance, hath made nature so corrupt and sickly, that neither hir sufficient supplements, whatsoeuer, may restore mans former integrity: neither are the heauen­ly influences so propitious, neither retaine the earthly ali­ments their former and effectuall valure: For God by his Diuine prouidence hath so disposed, that informer times, the naturall constellations were more healthy, the meats more auaileable, the medicines more working, the aire more temperate, the other elements more affectuall, in pro­tracting and continuing life, then now they be. Many more questions there are, and as subtile as many: induced by the Diuell (of whom we argue) and furthered by his ministers, whō we impugn. What a folly is this for man to hope (on his owne strength, without the Diuels assistance, to attaine the art to forme a true humane bodie, by the only vertue of na­turall forces? As it appeareth in Virgill, subtillie decei­ued by the Diuel:) where he is not able to make either gold [Page] or siluer, a homogenicall bodie by any colour or force of art? Nay what a mischief is in man to trust so much to a relaps, as he looseth the mercie of a reléeuer? It is a common fault likewise in this science, or rather sinne, for men to suppose that by some art or extraordinary means, or mans cunning, Diuels may be circumscribed and shut in determinate and certaine places, (as Christals, vials, or such like) or that they may be tied there by exorcismes, commanded to yéeld answers; or expelled vpon mislikes: For except Gods helpe doe immediatly further angels, or holie men doe immediat­ly commaund, Deuils by no meanes may be inforced and compelled. That God may commaund Diuels, it is eui­dent, in that he had authoritie to make, power to glorifie, and iustice to condemne them (as where Christ suffered thē to enter the Heard of Swine. Luk 12. 72. Gaue power to his Apostles to expel them, briefly limited thē, as in the Apo­calips.) That angels may command them, it must be con­fest, because as superiours by naturall power they may: that holy men can, God hath shewed by miracles: angels like­wise as superiors may compell, because by law of order and course of concord, inferior should not resist superiors. Be­sides as in all pollices in gouerning Cities, in constituting Commonweales, magistrats are set to represse multitudes, and iudges to correct disorders: so God in the pollicy of cele­stiall and infernall Hierarchies, hath set angels in loue, to corred angels in hate, and by their order without contrarie­tie to reforme the confusion of the Diuels peruerted mo­narchie. Briefly, as to superior motions, inferior are subiect; as to the planets, our bodies are dispositiuely subiugated, so by Diuine ordinance good command bad, to preuent corrup­tion, and are restrained by good, to correct their malice, and insolence. There are many likewise that suppose the Diuell is inclosed in a ring, ready to giue them answer, taxed to sub­mit to their curiosities, alwaies subiect to their commands: wherein they expresse their folly and their miscrie. Their folly in supposing him tied, that willingly answereth, and appeareth to deceiue: Their miserie, who thinke they hold [Page] the Diuell tied in fetters, where be kéepeth them fettered in follies. Tell me O Asterius, if man by his owne natural for­ces, can restraine or imprison a Deuil? If thou say yea, thou errest, for the weaker is subiect to the stronger. If thou con­fesse No, then either ascribe the power to God that truly worketh it, or say the Diuell hath deceiued thée, that submits to be thy superior: briefly, thinke him neuer well tied vnto thée, except restrained by God, least he deceiue thée. I pray thée tel me (quoth Metrodorus) whether magicians may cō ­pell the Deuil? Not by himselfe I told him, and so assure thée Metrodorus, quoth Anthonie: examin thy selfe, apply hearbs outwardly, speake incantations orderly, and tell me truely (thy faith being strong) if they can moue thée? If thou say they cannot, then boldly auow they cannot moue the Diuel, who is thy superior in power, and seducer by kind: Onlie that power which magicians haue ouer spirits, is this, by couenant and league, not by authoritie and command, They may draw the prince of Diuels to charge his inferior: and without such cōtract they can no way inforce thē. I pray you what command is this, where failing in any right, wanting one ceremonie, mistaking due houres, we neither may in­treat nor forwardly command them? Princes in Common­weales, are tied to performe couenants by bonds, and may breake them by prerogatiues, or may disannull them by con­victions, or frustate them by displeasures: So in this worlds kingdome the Diuell is condicionate by permission, not force: and sufferance, not power. Whence then was the art inuented (said Frumentarius) to restraine Diuels? from them­selues it cannot be, since they affect superiority, and from men it cannot be, because they deceiue them. That Art (said Anthony) which Asterius taught to shut spirits in vials, and include them in Christals, is not properly an art, but a con­uention, or secret, or publicke contract, betwéene fraudfull feinds, and bewitched men), the one affecting singularitie, the other Diuine honour, to which if men shall adhibit trust, and suppose them able to helpe, or mightie to harme, and vn­der such trust make any image of man, or creature, and con­secrate [Page] the same with such figures, charactors, words, suffu­migations, and actions, as are by them thought requisit; then doubtlesse such consecration ended, some spirit shal enter the image and giue answers, such as will deceiue, not such as can comfort; such as shall eternally destroy, and not reléeue: brieflie, such as shall flatter, an Apostata like Iulian, to de­ceiue him with Iulian. To conclude, art Magick is the inuen­tion and tradition of euill angels, who therfore (O Asterius) faine themselsues to be taken by thée, that they may take thée; bound by thée, that they may bewitch thée; subiect to thine emperie, y^t they may subdue thée; inclosed by thée, that they may confound thée eternally: and séeme to be tied to thy mirror or christall, to the end that fastened in the chaines of thy sinne, they may beare thée to the prison of eternall obscu­rities. There is likewise a prestigious deceit in Diuels, whereby they faine to dispossesse bodies possessed, either by force of Musicke, power of hearbe, vertue of stone (or any other sensible thing whatsoeuer) for such means as these be­ing subiect and passiue, the other superior and agent, it is impossible that any such sensible thing should inforce them: for hearbes, stones, and such other are bodies sensible, but Diuels whatsoeuer, are spirits seperate: so that except some supernaturall helpe from God assist these creatures, it is a­gainst reason, they should inforce the Diuels: where then Sathan faineth to yéeld to incantations, or to be expelled by musicke, as in Saule, or driuen backe by the liuer of fish, (as in Tobie) his expulsion is to be ascribed not to the harmonie of the Harpe, but Gods power and Dauids praier: neither the other to the smoke of the liuer, but to Tobies earnest in­tercessiō. By your leaue sir (said Metrodorus) it is not lawful to make vse of the Deuils helpe without sinne? It is possible and permissible (quoth Anthony) by Gods authoritie: For in the primatiue church, excommunicants haue béen deliue­red to the power of the deuill: and by Paules example it is sufferable, since he deliuered an incestious man to the hand of Sathan to be punished, ad interitum carnis (as the glosse saith.) But on our owne authoritie, we neither may nor [Page] should not, as appeareth. Leuit. 20. Where it is said, vir siue mulier in quibus phyonicus vel diuinationis fuerit spiritus, morte moriatur; and in the ninetéenth, Follow not magicians, nei­ther aske councell of Southsayers: So that hereby it appea­reth, that they sin mortally, who either for things lost, ei­ther for treasure hidden, or such like vanities, require the ad­uice of coniurers, or search out the assistance of Astrologers. Thrée only questions remaine holy Anthony, which tho­rowly decided, I am fully satisfied. What are they Asterius. quoth Anthony? The first is, whether witches or inchan­ters ministring remedies either for harmes done by them­selues, or practised by others, do offend; The second is, whe­ther it be lawfull to vse the helpe of a magitian in any thing; The last is, whether it be permissible in good sooth to practise any adiurations or incantations whatsoeuer? I wil answer these questions (said Anthony) as succinctly as I may, and as truly as I ought: For the first, they not only sinne gréeuou­sly, that hurt by Magicke, but such also as séeke by it to cure their owne defaults, or the infirmities in other: And the rea­son is, because that they which so worke, although they pro­fit their harmed neighbor, Yet as Saint Paul saith, Non sunt facienda mala, vt vnde eueniant bona: Euils are not to be done that good consequences may follow of them: and whereas it is a most pernicious thing to inuocate the Diuel, or to make any expresse, or priuat contract with him: so likewise the remedies induced therby are most wicked & pernicious: For what is euill of it selfe, is not bettered by any good circum­stance: Neither can any good intention reforme that which is naturally euil. So thē although it be a thing of much good­nes to preuent our neighbors incommodities, yet must it be held unlawfull to extinguish their harms by practise of diue­lish sorceries. Yet least you hold me precise, I must moderat this conclusion: for my opinion in this is not so peremptorie, but that I admit any lawful defraudatiō of Magick, as brea­king an instrument, burning an exorcisme, and pulling out a needle out of a picture of wax, all which actions (wanting the due circumstances of ceremonies, and diuelish obseruati­ons:) [Page] are rather passible in all men then reproouable in any. Touching the second, the difficultie is of no small mo­ment, yet as ambiguous, is shortly decided: Look as (saith Augustine) it is lawfull for me to vse the oth of an infidell (al­though I know he sweareth by those false Gods, whome he worshippeth) for mine owne profit; or as (saith the schoole­men) I may vse the Sacrament from a sinfull ministers hand: so may I take profit of another mans peruersenesse to mine owne commoditie: you are silent hearing this, hol­ding it vere dixit, because ipse dixit: but least I should deceiue those▪ whom I wish should conceit, I wil thus explaine this difficulty in a certain conclusion. How (may you say)? What will you induce? Nothing but truth; and because truth, cer­taine; and being certain, irreproouable: In a word therfore, all works and cōuersing with witches is wicked, their coun­sailes reprobate, and their works damned: and the reason is, that since the inchanter (séeking to make frustrate another mans increase by Diabolicall meanes) doth himselfe grée­uously sinne. It is impossible likewise, but that he who de­mandeth the same question, should in like sort be faulty. For he that requireth a man to do that which without sinne he cannot do, is gréeuously guiltie. For by that demand, he con­senteth to another mans iniquity, and besides his own sinne induceth him to offence, and euen as like paine, so like guil­tinesse bindeth both the agent, and the consenter: so Paul te­stified. Rom. 10. where he saith: They are worthy of death, not onlie who do such things, but they also, who consent to the déed, or the doer: the demander likewise was the appro­ximate and next cause of sinne, for although the inchanter were ready and prepared to the sin, yet had he not wrought the peculiar inchantments, had it not béene demanded at his hands. Touching the example also of the infidel, & the curate, they are altogether vnfit & impertinent to the cause we han­dle: for what so is demanded in these foresaid examples, are not euill in themselues, whereas those that are to doe them, if they list may rightfully finish them; and if they misdoe them, it is not by reason of the error in the thing it selfe, but [Page] the default of the agent, (who hauing power to finish the af­faire in good sort, would notwithstanding misdoe the same:) For he that requireth an oth from an infidel, wil not that he sweare by false Gods, for then he should sinne: but he only requireth him to sweare, and if the choice were in him, he rather would haue him sweare by the true God, then draw the false to testimony: In like sort also may it be answered of the curat, for without sinne may he minister, if he repent himselfe before the administration. Touching your third question, I hold it wholy vnlawful for this cause and reason, induced by Augustine vpon Genesis: because the Diuell (as it oftentimes falleth out in such like superstitious rites and ce­remonies,) insinuateth himselfe into mens actions contrarie to their knowledge, and oftentimes against their will: for men (and fond women especially) vse these rites, words, and remedies, in cure of infirmities, and doubtlesse the Diuels are assistant in their working, to the end they may deceaue, and persuade them to trust in vain and superstitious things▪ and this is that faedus tacitum, or secret league, which is said to be had with Diuels. Thus briefly haue I resolued thée, Asterius, setting little by my labor, so I may profit thée great­lie: Thou séest now the vanitie, scope, and issue, of this bodie of curiòsitie, here is nothing in it but deceit; nothing, but blasphemie; no meanes, but wicked: flie it therefore, and be rather glad that thou knowest how bad it is, then sorrie, to haue forsaken that which is preiudiciall to thy soule. Thou mouest me Anthonie (quoth Asterius) for whom authoritie and reason cannot moue, his sicknes is desperate and iudge­ment peruerted, and I begin to loath Magicke, onlie the de­lights of Astrologie & secrets of Astronomy; (if they in thy iudgements be permissible) are the marks I shoot at, and the studies I would be exercised in. Astronomy and Astrologie quoth Metrodorus? Why these are but customes of antiqui­tie, and apparances of Idolatrie, fruits of presumption, in­structions of vaineglorie, supererogating deceits, & the bug­beares of the simple: For the professors hereof are waxt so [Page] peremptorie, as they ascribe more to the Sunne, the Moone, the Stars, and plannets, and their owne astronomicall cal­culations, then either to the blessed angels, or to Gods ma­iestie. That is true said Frumentarius, for they faine to pull God from his kingdome, defraud him of his Maiestie, and make him more bound to the starres, then euer were crea­tures to man. For they will be Gods priuie counsailers, dis­pose of his doomes, determine his works, and by their cor­rupt wits (and course of the planets) presume more then man should practise. They say that all sicknesse or health, ri­ches, or pouertie, good, or bad, wisdome or follie, wholie de­pend on celestiall influences. They ascribe faire weather, or soul, to the reuolutions of the heauens, & presume so much on their foreknowledge, that no dissolution of Commonweale, no mortalitie of sicknesse, no tiranny of war, can fall out, but by their wits, and the celestiall bodies. For as they say, the bodies aboue, rule all things heare beneath: Thus make they by their owne imaginations, God more thrall and sub­iect then any Prince in his soueraigntie: For a king in his authoritie hath power of a page to make a Prince, of a poore man a Lord, without leaue of the plannets: Again, if a man trespasse against him, and be conuict of treason, he hath power to attach him, authoritie to iudge him, and means to execute him, he can depriue his heires of their heritage, and from their prosperities condemne them to pouertie. This power and fréedome hath a King, wheresoeuer the planets be, or in what signe aspect or constellation, without either leaue of the planets, or license of Astronomers: much more then the King of heauen (that made the Sun, the Moone, and all things of nought, ruleth and guideth them by his wil, and rewardeth & punisheth euery creature after his deseruing) may peremptorilie do what he list, without either assistance of planet, or councell of Astronomie. That is true said An­thonie, and I delight to heare it: your reasons Frumentarius, show your reading; Metrodorus allegations, his iudgement, now therefore that Asterius may make one with vs in this resolution, I will thus brieflie prosecute this subiect. We [Page] find in Genesis, 10. At the beginning of the world, whē God made all things of nought, the fourth day he made the Sun, the Moone and stars, and set them in the firmament to giue light to creatures here beneath: Ordaining the Sun princi­pally to illumine the day, the moone and stars the night, or­dering them to distinguish the one from the other, and to bée as tokens oftimes, daies, & years: He likewise placed them as marks and tokens, how to deuide yeares from moneths, months from daies, and daies from houres; aduising man when to sléepe, and when to wake, when to rest, and when to trauel, whē to plant, and when to sow, where to eare, and when to reape, and therefore (saw Solomon) that all things haue their times, and all things passe away vnder heauen, by the pace, and space of time: and so God made the firmament aboue (with those bright bodies that are therein) to serue mankind and all creatures, in their kind; and of light and time; of light, as a lanterne which may not be quenched; of time, as a clocke that may neuer faile: he made them like­wise for man, and not man to serue them: he gaue them al­so not to gouerne man, but he gaue man and woman wit, and discretion to gouerne themselues, by that light and knowledge of time, which he hath of the bodies aboue, that by their light they may sée to work, and by their stirring and their course, they may know what time it is wherein they ought to labour: and therefore saith the law, 2. q. v. Non licet in gloss. That the bodies aboue are tokens, and not causes of things here beneath: and as a lampe or clocke are neces­sarie for scholers, by night to rule, raise, and guide them in their studies: so do the bodies aboue, serue men on earth, that they may be enlightned by them, and by their mouing know their times to serue God according to their degrées and his dignities: and as the lampe or clocke in the colledge, ruleth not the scholer, but the scholers rule and order themselues by the clocke and candle, the one aduising them when to rise the other fréely lighting them to read: euen so man and woman, beast, and bied, and al liuing creatures, rule them by the bodies aboue, and yet the celestiall and superior bodies [Page] rule them not: they should not therefore be called gouer­nors of this world, because they gouerne not the world, but serue only as instruments of Gods power and gouernance: For it fareth by God and the celestiall bodies aboue, as it doth by the smith and his grindstone, the carpenter & his ax, the clockmaker and his clocke. Good Anthonie quoth Aste­rius, explaine me these comparisons. Thou séest apparantlie (quoth Anthonie) that when the smith grindeth a knife or a sword on his grindstone, the stone kéepeth and continueth in one course, and whirling circularlie about, doth so grind a­ny thing, as the smith that sitteth aboue, ordereth and dispo­seth it; if he will grind sharpe, it shall be sharpe; if blunt, it grindeth blunt; if square, it grindeth square; so as the maner dependeth not on the stone in turning, but on his hand in go­uerning. If he take away the sword or ax, the stone grindeth not, although it turne, and if the smith applie not some in­strument, it worketh nothing: Why euen so fareth it with God, and the bodies aboue. For the planets are celestiall sphears, obserue one circuler course, not in their owne dire­ction, but as from the beginning God ordered them: and as God will, so they worke: If he will they grind sharpe, and cause plagues, sicknesse, tempests, wars, and such like, they do so: and if his pleasure be, that they produce plenty, worke increase, stir calmes, and yéeld peace, they effect it: So God may do with the planets what he will, and without the pla­nets what he list, yet are they so tied to him, that they onlie worke by his ordinance. Since God then (saith Asterius) doth with the celestiall bodies what he will, and disposeth them when he will; and since he is frée in his doing, and vn­constrained by the planets, how should man know his secret doomes, by celestial influence? or determine of his works by y^t ordinarierourse of the planets? Asterius (quoth Anthonie) since thou canst not know by the axe when the carpenter will worke, nor iudge by the clocke, when the clarke will set it, nor guesse by the grindstone when or how the smith will grind: so neither by celestiall bodies or influence of planets, canst thou censure the procéedings of God, or iudge what he [Page] will ordaine of man, or how dispose of kingdomes, or when dispeople countries: For the planets are Gods instruments, and to them is prefixed one certaine and determinate moti­on, from which they may not varie, and which they cannot change: For frée election haue they none, in their doings, but God is the soueraigne iudge most rightfull, & most mer­cifull; most frée, and most able, to punish, to spare, to correct, and forbeare: For his might excéedeth mans reach, and no­thing may withstand him, and for that cause his works and wisdome is not limitted by the planets, but as men change their liuing, so God disposeth his louing, as they flie frō their follies, so poureth he down his graces: For example, we haue Niniuie, which for sinne was threatened with distruction within fortie daies: and for repentance, dismissed from the hand of displeasure: yet in this breach of determination, the planets altered not their course, neither was there any pre­science of Gods purpose by influence of celestial bodies. We read also in the fourth of the Kings: That God sent Esay the Prophet to Ezechias the King, because he had sinned, cōman­ding him to make his testament, because he should die; We find also written, that he trembled at his summons, repen­ted him sore, wept bitterlie, and askt mercie: and consequent­lie it appeareth (by the Prophet Esay, Gods messenger) to the king, that he had receiued his repentance, and heard his prai­ers, and that he should not die, but liue fiftéene years further: Now in this exchange of Gods wrath to mercie, what can Astrologie say, either of Gods purpose changed, or the pla­nets courses altered? But that it is apparant (quoth Asteri­us) that sodainly the Sun hereon changed his course, turned againe to the East, and renued the day againe. Oh sir (quoth Anthony) the turning againe of the Sun was not the cause of the mercie of God, neither a testimony of his iudgement changed, for he altered his doome before the Sun turned a­gaine: So that the turning of the Sun was nought els but a token of mercie to the king. For right as the Sun chan­ged his course vpon the repentance of Ezechias, so God alte­reth his sentence so soone as man repenteth him of his sinne, [Page] and therefore the law saith, [...] deus mutare sententiam, si tu noueris emendare delictum God altereth the perill as soone as he knoweth that thou art repentant for thy trespasse. It was also a token to the king, that Gods behest should bée fulfilled: Now sir, all the Astronomers that euer were, could not foretell that wonderfull returne of the sun: because it excéedeth the course of nature, and the law of kind, and therefore that token proueth sufficiently that God is not ru­led by the course of the planets, but that the planets are ru­led by him: Neither that his iudgements are tied to them, but their motion directed and ordered by him. S. Paul conside­ring this, cries out, Quis congnouit sensū domini, aut quis consi­liarius eius fuit? Who (saith he) knoweth the iudgement of God, or who was his counsellor? Forsooth not vaine Astro­nomers, fantasticke Astrologers, cursed inchanters, and such like: For they are lighter (as the French man saith,) by ten degrées and graines of wit, then Triboulet the king foole, and thrust furthest from Gods counsaile, as men whome he most hateth: and therefore Paul saith, The iudgements of God are incomprehensible, and no man may know them, Neither may any man tract his waies, or trie his-secrets. For they be so medled with mercie, and mixt with righteous­nesse, that they passe mans wit, and all humane capacitie: Vniuersa vire domini, veritas & vita, Iudicia domini abissus multa: The Iudgements of God be of a great depth, & the waies of our Lord are mercie & truth, yea so déepe are they, as no mans wit may sound them: so darke, as weak conside­ration cannot attain them: & therfore such Astronomers and Astrologers, that so much intermeddle with Gods works, and so déeply insinuate themselues into his secrets, are fond in their diuination, diuelish in their intention, and condem­ned in their enterprise. You are too strict (quoth Asterius, old Hermit) in reproouing Astronomy, and inforce more against Astrologie thē you haue reason, for they are not so peremp­torie as you iudge, but cōclude nothing for certain and deter­minate; onlie this they say, That they can measure inclina­tions of men, and dispositions of creatures, by the motion of [Page] the heauens, yet so as by vertue they conclude that both man and woman may ouer come the planets, alleaging in this the authoritie of Ptolemey, their arch maister, who with the Poet saith, Sapiens domina bitur astris: They concord likewise that by Astronomy they may know when men or women are enclined to war or peace, and when by common course of kind, tempest should arise, famine increase, warres take head, yet so restrain they themselues, y^t they confes that both praier may preuent such euill mishaps, & by course like­wise it happeneth, y^t though the constellations take no effect in one countrie, yet in another they may be forcible. Well said Anthonie. since they can tell me nothing that shall hap­pen, but ambiguouslie and doubtfully, since their demonstra­tions are fallible, and their positions vncertaine, It is in­conuenient either to trust them, or to put affiance in their follies, for so may euery foole tell what he will, and excuse his error: Their manner of spéech then is but a coppie and cou­lor of subtiltie and vntruth: a net to catch mens soules, a sin­full excusation of sinne, and a chaine to draw men from God, and to tie them to fantasies: wise they would be thought, and are prooued ignorant; secret and skilfull, but they are known deceiuers; and faine would they be thought of Gods coun­saile, but neither wot they how, neither can they, because they are so false: For the better proofe whereof you shall vn­derstand, that there is but one sunne, one moone, and other fiue stars, Saturne, Iupiter, Mars, Uenus, and Mercurie, which with other stars whirle about the earth with the fir­mament euerie day naturall, passing ouer all climats, and countries, water & aire, in foure and twentie houres, which is called a day naturall from midday to midday: and make no more abode ouer one then ouer another, how should they then more incline in one land then in another? Dispose one person more to vice or vertue, then another? or threaten one countrie more with warre or peace then another? Because (quoth Metrodorus, to help Asterius, some what amased) some constellation, or some coniunction, some aspect, or some influ­ence in their swift passage and motion, falleth vpon one land [Page] more then another, & as men are born vnder diuers constel­lations, coniunctions, aspects, & signs, so are they inclined in diuors manners, hauing their affections more appropriate to vice, or vertue, war or peace. That is false (quoth Anthony) and thus I proue it: when the kings sonne is born at one in­stant with the bondmans soune, the time is one, the constel­lations, the sunne, the aspects, sighes, and planets alike: yet haue they not one inclination and disposition, for the kings sonne is disposed by inheritance to be a king after his father, and the bondmands sonne is disposed by his birth, to bée a bondman all his life time: as his father was a hundreth yeares before his creation; no planet then could auoid this bondage, or depriue the kings sonne of his right and inheri­tance: In the same time, with the same aspects, vnder the same planets, when one child is brought forth, many other are borne; yet haue they not all one inclination, neither are they subiect to one dispositions For some of them are inclined to goodnesse, and some to wickednesse: some to sicknesse, and some to health: some to be wrathfull, some to be mercifull: some to be wise, some to be fooles: some foule, some faire, some rich, some poore, some long liuing, some soone dying: E­sau and Iacob had both one mother and one father (Isaac and Rebecca) and both were begotten at once, and yet were they diffident in manners, for Iacob was a good man, and E­sau a bad: Iacob beloued of God, Esau hated for his wicked­nesse: Iacob was smooth of bodie, Esay full of haire: Iacob was a true simple man, Esau a prowd, and malicious son: so then it appeareth that such diuers inclinations of men and women, depend neither on the planets, or the time of their births. What then are the causes of the diuersities said Fru­mentarius? Forsooth (quoth Anthony) Adams originall sinne, wherein we are conceiued, and being so conceiued, are to sin inclined, and therefore God saith, that mans heart & thought is prone to euill, euen from his youth, Sensus & cogitatio cor­dis generis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescentia sua: no man therefore may say of himself, my heart is clean, as who should say I am pure and cleane without sinne. Some like­wise [Page] are disposed to sicknesse, some more, and some lesse, and that for diuers causes: Sometimes for wicked sufferance, because children are not chastised in their youth: For as Sa­lomon saith, the child that is suffered to haue his will, sha­meth his mother and his kinsfolke: Some for wicked com­pany they be in, and wicked example of their elders, and mis­information: For as Salomon saith, A man in his ould age, hardly forsaketh the depraued customes of his youth. And yet it is a prouerb (qd. Metrodorus) Yong saint, old deuil. It is a sinfull prouerbe (said Anthonie) to draw men from sci­ence to sinne, from vertue to vice, and from God, to the Di­uell: for Scripture saith, Bonum est homini cum portauerit iugum suum ab adolescentia sua, Happie is the man saith he, that hath borne the yoake of our Lord from his youth. And as the Poet saith,

Such as the vessell taketh when it is new, such it sauou­reth when it is old: and therefore Saint Iohn Baptist, Tobie, Ieremy, Sampson, and Samuel, (with many others) are pray­sed in sacred Scripture for their holinesse in youth, For com­monly they that are good in their young yeares, in their re­retired age make a happie end: according to the Prouerbe, Qualis vita finis ita: And although for a time they be subiect to sinne, and vanitie, God suffereth them to fall therein, least they should be prowd of their own goodnes, & take disdaine at others sinfull wretchednesse: Some also is more enclined to sinne then another, because he was gotten and conceiued in sinne more then another, although they were both borne in wedlocke: For husband and wife may sinne gréeuouslie to­gether in misuse of their bodies, or in distemperance, if they either exceed measure, or manner, or default in time, as in sicknesse, or otherwise: The sinne notwithstanding is in the asker, net in the giuer: They may like wise sinne by wicked intention, or fulfilling the iusts of the flesh, not to the intent to the wicked fornication, nor to yéeld the debt of their bo­dies, nor to bring forth children to the worship of God, but only to their owne lust: men also are enclined to sinne by [Page] their excesse meats and drinks, and by the misgouernance of their fiue sences: and for these causes one is inclined to sick­nesse more then another: For sinne oftentimes is a cause of bodely sicknesse, and by misdiet of the mother when she is with child, or by indisposition of the father or mother, or both, when the child is gotten: and by miskéeping of the child in youth, many sicknesses are fallen into: for children in youth, are apt to haue all things, and by that meanes do oftentimes receiue that inwardly, which altereth their complexions and peruerteth their natures. God likewise smiteth them some­time with sicknesses, and mischiefe, for that their fathers and mothers sinne in too vnséemly cockering, and affection: Knowing their parents corrupt desires to be so great, that to instruct their sonnes they will hazard their soules. Some­time also he smiteth with sicknesse, to shew his might, and power, as he did in him that was borne blind, that the power of God might be showne in him in restoring his sight: ma­ny other causes likewise there be which passe mans wit, and are not subiect to our reasons. For wée may not alwaies know Gods will, neither are his secrets to be censured by our sences; yet are not these assigned reasons alwaies gene­rall: For sometimes a good man hath a wicked sonne, and a wicked man a worthie heire, for should children alwaies fol­low their fathers and mothers in goodnesse or wickednesse, then should all the right of their reformation and vertue, be ascribed to the parents, and not to God, and the one should haue cause to bée prowd, the other yéeld matter to be forgot­ten: and therefore God so medleth one with another, & mo­derateth his iudgemēts by his wisdome, that the good childrē should not presume on themselues, nor be prowd, neither the ill should be euer sorrowfull and desperate, but should onely trust in God, that of the wicked, maketh good, and of the re­probate righteous. It is said quoth Frumentarius, that as chil­dren be borne vnder diuers signes, so are they likewise in­clined to diuers trades, and estates, so that vnder some signe, one should be a fisher, and vnder some other a goldsmith, and vnder some other a scholer: It is said, is well said (quoth [Page] Anthonie) but it is true, is better: Many countries know us coiners, and many though they know them, yet haue no vse of them: in a great realm of six hundreth miles in length, and two hundreth in bredth, there are no coiners, but in a place assigned them by the king, not by signes or celestiall bodies, but by his seale and patent; and there are they planted to print money, not by Iupiter, Mars, or Mercury, but by the ordinance of his maiestie: and if any man coine, but those the King hath admitted, he shall be punished like a traitor, nei­ther can the signes or planets saue his life. They likewise that are borne néere the sea, or nigh some great water, do themselues follow fishing, & instruct their children in that fa­cultie, not by reason of the signs where vnder they are borne, but for their better oportunitie and increase of liuing. They that are borne from the sea, some follow tillage, some cloa­thing, the one by reason of vpland, the other through abun­dance of wool; some be shepheards, some southsaiers, & so of other crafts and trades, as the countrie requireth, not accor­ding to the disposition of the signes and planetarie circles, but according to their natures, countries, and manners. A man likewise that hath many children, bindeth them pren­tice, not as the constellations direct him, but as his abilitie serueth him: So then you may well perceiue, that such di­uersitie in liuings, and change in trades and occupations, de­pendeth on the childrens friends that ordain so for them, and not on signes and planets which are neither propitions to the one, nor partiall to the other. If then the planets haue no power in these things, What say you to distenie and her power (quoth Metrodorus) for Seneca saith, Regitur fatis mor­tale genus: and Lucan, Regit omnia fatum: it séemeth then that all things befortune man and woman by desteny. Fond men speake fondly, and therefore trust them not (said Antho­ny) for as Gregory writeth, Absit a cordibus fidelium vt ali­quid esse fatam dicatur: God forbid (saith he) that any Chri­stian man should beléeue that there were any fate, or deste­nie. For God that made and fashioned man if naught, rules, gouerneth, and ordereth his life according to his de­serts; [Page] and his righteousnes and mercie: and to be short, man was not made for the stars, but the stars for him. Yet is the Gospel against you (said Asterius) for we find that as soone as Christ was borne of his blessed mother, his star appeared in the East, giuing hereby an assured token and proofe, that ech man is borne vnder a certaine star, and constellation, which is called his destinie: for al his after liuing is gouerned ther­by, as both Astronomers and Astrologers confesse vnfained­ly. It séemes well, that to maintaine folly (O Asterius) foo­lish men deceiue by folly: vsing vntruths to persuade, which neither can abide the tast of truth, or their triall: For the star that appeared at Christs birth had no mastery ouer him, but the blessed child was Maister and Lord of the star: The star gouerned not the child, but the child gouerned the star: The star did worship and seruice to Christ, and therfore was it called the childs star, because the child was Lord of that star as he was of all others: For he was and is Lord of sonne, Moone and stars, and all things whatsoeuer: They may not therfore confirm their follies and false iudgements, with an Astronomicall iudiciall of the star; for as Augustin and other doctors confirm, it was no star or planet of the fir­mament, but a preordinate light sent by God, al which may be proued both by art, and vnfained authoritie. For as arts­men confesse, Minima stella fixa, maior est tota terra, The least star in the firmament is bigger then the whole earth: euery planet like wise is greater then the earth, except the Moone and Mercury, (which in that they be somewhat lesser then the earth, do sometime loose that light they receiue from the sunne, by the interposition and shadow of the same) as when the earth falleth betwixt the sunne and them: and if that be true then, if that star had béene so great as another star, it should haue ouerwhelmed all the earth: for it néerely approched the earth in conducting the kings on their way: The stars also of the firmament follow the course of the fir­mament, and in euery day naturall arise in the East, and set againe in the West: but that star did far otherwise, for first it shined both night & day without obseruation of the course [Page] of the firmament, & next only directed the right way wher­by the Magi were to trauell to Bethléem, conducting them to the sonne of iustice which rose out of the cleere skie, the Maiden Marie. Thee stars likewise in the firmament shine by night, but that star appeared in the Horizon both day and night. The stars like wise of the firmament shine both to rich and poore, to yoong and old, to skilfull, and vnskilfull, but that star appeared only to the Kings and their attendants. The stars in the firmament are perpetuall and euerlasting, since as the Philosopher thinketh, Sola sublunaria sunt caduca, but that star had but nine months continuance at the most, and if some clarks erre not, continued but fortie daies. Thē what manner of star was it (quoth Metrodorus) resolue vs in this difficultie? Some schoolemen say it was but the likenesse of a star (said Anthony) for the Kings had no knowledge of an­gels, but only intended the stars: Some say it was the same child that lay in the oxes stall, which appeared to the Kings, and led them to Bethléem in likenesse of a star, and therefore the hymne saith, Iacet in praesepio, & fulgebat in caelo, But the common sentence of the learned is, that it was a starre newly ordained by God, to shew the birth of our Lord Iesus Christ, and as soone as it had executed the office that it was ordained for, it turned againe to that matter which it came from. How could they know by the star that such a child was borne said Asterius? For neither could the star speake to thē, neither instruct them in such matters. Uery true (quoth An­thony) and therefore Augustine saith openly in a Sermon, that the star wrought nought els by his apparance but asto­nishment, studie, and amase in them, to discerne what it might intend; and when they were at their wits end, & knew their cunning serued them not, then God shewed vnto them by inspiration inwardly, or by an angell openly what it be­tokened, and bad them follow that star. And so saith Chriso­stome on Mathew. They knew also by Balaams prophecie that such a child should be borne, but they knew it not by the secret of Astronomy: Neither might they know the time of his birth, nor the place, as the Gospell testifieth. Why then [Page] saith Augustine and other fathers, that the science of iudicial Astronomy and knowledge of childrens birth was lawfull vntill the comming of Christ? Since by their science they could not comprehend his birth. But as they say before it was lawfull, but not after his birth: Saint Augustine (quoth Anthonie) saith not that the studie was lawfull or granted to be done, neither that it was permissible to trust therein, (for it was alwaies false and reproued both by God and by Phi­losophers, by authorities and by reasons:) but he saith that the science and cunning was granted by God, and held law­full, not the practicke of the science. Man may like wise re­proue the knowledge, and learners therof, and shew by their owne principles and grounds, that it is a fained and vncer­taine studie: finally that the science is properly no science, but an open folly as it well appeareth in Christs birth: and because in his birth it was so apparantly disproued, therfore after his birth it is neither lawfull to know it, reasonable to vse it, but onely wisedome to reproue the folly of them that practise it. Astrologie likewise as the schoolemen say, was both vnlawfull before Christs birth and after, but the know­ledge was suffered both before and after, to reproue man in his follie, and the follie of menthat practise it. Where find you that God defended and forbad iudiciall Astronomy be­fore, and after Christs birth, quoth Metrodorus? In the first precept of the first table (said Anthony) where he forbid­deth that men should make them any likenesse of that which is in heauen; but Astronomers (as much as in them lieth) make themselues like to God in heauen, by rea­son they ascribe to themselues that which belongeth to God: and therefore God reproueth them and saith vnto them, Nuntiate quae ventura sunt in futurum & sciemur quod dij estis vos, Esay: 18. Tell vs the things that be to come after this, and then shal we know that you be Gods: and therfore saith the law 26. q. 4. Igitur, that they call themselues diuines; as if they knew Gods counsels, and by their deceits and fals­hoods, tell the people things that are to come, as if they were full of godhead, and Gods fellows: and in this sort they and [Page] such other offend most gréeuously against the first comman­dement, for they make themselues like vnto God in heauen, and that worship which only belongeth to God, they take to themselues: and for such presumption and pride, angels kind was destroied, and mankind also: For as we read Esai 11, Lu­cifer said in his heart that he would ascend the highest hea­uen, and plant his seat aboue the stars, and sit in the mount of the testaments, & that he would mount vp aboue the heart of the skies, excéed all angels, and be like him that is highest: But sodainly he fell into hell, and so shall all false Astrono­mers and Astrologers do, except they amend them, for they fix their wits, firm their studies, and plant their faith so much on the stars, that they passe the stars, and be like to God in their considerations, who is most highest: They will like­wise sit in the mount of the testament, for they wil be against Gods lawes, and prefer their iudgements before Gods pro­hibitions: and therefore if their science were true, the testa­ment of Gods law should be fruitlesse: besides, if their stu­die stand with religion, Gods law is void, Ecclesiasticall vain, laws of countries, iudgement, and reason should wholy be vnnessarie: For no man is worthie to be punished for his sinne, nor can be deseruedly rewarded for his good déeds, if he be fatally tied vnto them: But he that doth well, and may doe amisse, is therefore worthy great reward: and for that he doth euill, when he might doe well, and might leaue his misdéeds, and will not, he is worthy of punishment: but if he were moued by the bodies aboue, either to vertue or vices he were worthie neither of pleasure nor plague: and there­fore this pride and presumption lost Adam, Eue, and all mankind: for when the feind told them they should bee as Gods, knowing good and euill, they consented to him, and eat of the apple, contrary to Gods command; for they would be as Gods, and like to Gods in knowing things that were to come: as we find that when God led the children of Israell into the land of promise, he forbad them iudiciall Astronomse and all other maner of witchcrafts, commanding them that they should not ask counsell of any such diuinors or witches, [Page] For I shall destroy (saith he) the nations before you, because they haue vsed such abhominations, and if you vse them also, I shall also destroy you: we find likewise that God repro­ued the people of Babilon for their witchcrafts, and the children for their Astronomy they trusted in, for of al nations they were most addicted thereto in those daies, and to them he spake in this wise, Widowhood and barrennes shall come vpon you in one day by reason of the multitude of thy wit­ches, and the hardinesse of thy charmes; and because thou hast trusted in such mallice, thy cunning and science hath de­ceiued thée: disease and woe shall fall on thée, and thou shalt not know from whence it commeth, Sodaine mischiefe shal fall on thée, which thou maist not escape; stand (saith he) with thy charms and with the multitude of thy witches, in which thou hast trauailed from thy yong age, looke now if they haue power to strengthen thée against thine enemie, Thou hast failed, and thou shalt fall in the multitude of thy counsail that thou hast taken from such men: let now thy diuinors (saith he) of heauen stand and succour if they can, they that stare so a­gainst the stars, and looke after the planets, and call and cast yeares, moneths, and daies, to tell things that are to come, they shall not helpe thée: For as Paul saith, their counsell is nothing. This science of Astronomy likewise is reproued by Salomon, where he reprehendeth those that say that the sunne, the Moone and stars were Gods and gouernors of the world, whereas gouernance doth only and truly belong to wittie and reasonable thinges, as to God who is soueraigne wisdome; To angels as the wisest of his creation; to men as illuminated by his spirits: But vnreasonable bodies aboue are only instruments of Gods gouernance, and therefore cannot but indirectly be called guides and disposers: Such iudiciall Astronomy also is comdemned by the law. 26. q. 6. Igitur, and in many other places of scripture also: S. Paule likewise misliketh such practicke in Aronomy, where he saith, You kéep holy daies, and yeares, as heathen people do, I am therefore affraid (quoth he) that I haue trauai­led about you in vaine to conuert you all: and on the same [Page] place the glosse reprehendeth the craft of Astronomie very earnestly: Such sciences likewise are reproued in Pauls E­pistle to the Corin. 10. I shall (saith God) destroy the wise man, and the slight of the subtill, and of them that trust so much in their cunning: Where also Saint Paule saith, Where is now the wise man that setteth so much by his owne wit? Where is now the man of law, with all his slights? Where is now the searcher of nature, and the course of kind? God (saith he) hath turned the wisdome of the world into folly. I count (said Metrodorus) that this deuining of things to come which onely depend on the wil of God and mans industries, are méere and great follies: For no Astro­nomer by his cunning can tell me my thoughts, nor resolue me in succéeding purposes, nor how I shal lead my life: they know not my counsailes, although they sée and speake with me, how should they then know Gods will, since they neither sée him, nor speake with him? Themselues cannot foretell or beware of their owne mischiefes, and how may he rightly know a star so farre oft, that cannot warely escape a pit hard at hand: so that as far as I sée, the more they worke by their craft, the worser they spéed. Now trust me (said Anthony) I like thy present reasons, & to shew their further arrogance, I will thus prosecute my purpose, wherby you shall espy their wonderous folly, and find that the more they trust in their secrets, the lesse they trust in God: There will no wiseman as you know write his hid secrets and yéerely busines in the roofe of his hal, nor about the wals therof, least al men might read them and know them, no more will God write what he thinketh to doe in the firmament, that therein all fooles might discerne his secrets, and forepointments. For Christ hid many things from his apostles, and said to them, Non est vestra nosce tempora vel momenta, quae pater posui in sua po­testate: It longeth not to you to know the times and mo­ments which the father of heauen hath receiued into his power; and by the Prophet Esay he said, Secreta meū mihi, se­cretum meum mihi: I kéepe my secrets to my selfe; and since he kéepeth such counsails from his friends, much more obscu­reth [Page] he his secrets from his enemies. They say that by the secrets of Astronomy, they may lawfully tell and deuiue of faire, and drie wether, of raine and of tempests, for they fall by common course of nature (quoth Asterius) and therefore they may be foreknowne and foretold. Asterius (answered Anthony) as I haue said before, the course and kind of pla­nets dependeth on Gods will only, and are méerely at his owne disposition, as the instrument stands on the worke­mans hand, and in his will to doe there with what he will. So that Astronomers by their cunning cannot certainely foretell either drought, raine, or succéeding tempest, neither censure the same by stars, (as the materiall causes of the same) but by the celestiall bodies as by tokens they may know the successe of frost, haile, snow, wet, drought, and such other things, and that knowledge hath the shéepheard in the field, the shipman on the sea, the bird in the aire, the fish in the water, and the beasts in the wood, far better then all the A­stronomers in the world. How then may bodies aboue bée tokens of things, and not causes said Asterius? The falling of soot quoth Anthony, in the chimney, is a token of succée­ding raine, but not the cause of raine, but the raine rather is cause of the soot falling: For when the aire wareth moist, then doth the soot through the moisture thereof, wax heauie, and so falleth downe, and in so falling is a token of the moi­sture of the aire: So swetting of water out of the stone, is a token of raine, yet is it no cause thereof, but the raine & moi­sture of the aire is cause of the swetting of the same: The melting also of salt, when it turneth to water, is a token of raine, but not the cause: Smoake in the house when it pas­seth not out readily, is a token of raine, and the blew glow­ing of fire a token of frost, but none of both causes of either: The Halo likewise about the Moone a token of wind, but no cause; al such tokens showing the disposition of the aire, but not the cause: and in like manner superiour constellati­ons by their light and manner of shining, are tokens of wet, and drought, and such like: And as the light of the Sun she­weth the disposition of glasse, when it shines vpon it, whe­ther [Page] it be white, or blacke, red or gréene, and yet is not the cense of the same colors: and the Moone in one lunacion, and in the same time sheweth in one countrie great tokens of raine, and 20 miles off, showeth great tokens of drought, and so it falleth out: yet it is the same Moone, and the same lunacion: and therefore the same cause in diuersitie is not in the Moone but in the aire. In one countrie sheweth wind and tempests, in another far otherwise, some is made whote by the reuerberation of the sun, in another countrie not so, but far different: In one day also it gloweth, in another it fréezeth: The sunne showeth his light one time of the day, another time it doth not: which diuersities stand not on the sunne, but on the aire, and other causes. For the sun of it selfe as Philosophers say, is alwaies of one certaintie, and shi­neth euer alike. It is not whoter one time, then it is at ano­ther time: But such diuersitie falleth by the diuersitie of the aire, and other meanes and causes surpassing mans capaci­tie. Sometimes such aduentures of hunger, pestilence, tem­pests, drought, and inundacions fall out by the ordinance of God for mans sinne, and to expresse his might and power: Sometime without meane only at his will: Sometime by the working of good or euill angels at Gods bidding: Some­time by the working of the supernaturall bodies at his bid­ding: For as I first said, he may doe with the planets what he will, and he may doe without them what he list: And therefore by the course of the planets we may know such ad­uentures and casualties, not as being causes thereof, but on­ly as being tokens; for God made them for tokens to man and beast, bird, and fish, and all other creatures whatsoeuer: and therefore we ought to obserue them as tokens, not as causes: and diuine by them as meanes, not material agents: for we neither know when they be causes of such changes, or when they be not. What say you to this Anthonie quoth Asterius? The Moone according to Philosophie, is the causes both of the ebbings and floatings of the sea, and as Aristotle writeth, it followeth the course of the Moone: It may be (said Anthonie) that the sea kéepeth his time of ebbing and floa­ting [Page] by the course and time of the Moone, in one country soo­ner, in another later: yet fareth not euery sea in the same sort, but one part of the West sea about Brittaine and Ire­land, and in some other néering lands, els where, where ap­proximation and néerenesse causeth currents: But in other far countries, & in the Gréek sea, neither such ebs or floats, are euer found, and so it séemeth there be other causes of the floating and ebbing of the seas, and not the Moone alone: But true it is, that man, beast, bird, & fish, y^e sea, the aire, the trées, and flowers, & all other creatures obserue those orders in time, kind, and working, which God hath appointed thē: which time they know by the Sunne, Moone, and stars: For as Salomon saith, each thing hath his time ordained by God by law of nature, which time they know, and kéepe by the course of the bodies celestiall, which are to them as tokens what they should doe, and rules of kind that they be ordai­ned to: and therefore God saith by the Prophet Ieremie, The puttocke in the aire knowes his Time, the Turtle and the Swallow kéepe their time, but my people knoweth not the time of our Lord God: For in these daies men regard not Gods iudgements, but tie themselues to Astronomers, and planetarie aspects, yet notwithstanding all the rules of Astrologie, each kind is ordained by Gods ordinance, what Time each thing shall be done, or follow his kind: which time they both feele and know by the bodies celestiall. For as the Philosopher saith, The bodies aboue measure all things here beneath by prescript of time. And therefore saith Dauid that at night when the Sunne is downe, then in the darke­nesse begin beasts to séeke their prey, to wake and walke in deserts, and when the sunne riseth, they return to their dens, and hide them, and then goe men out and worke till it bée night, not the Sunne and Moone causeth them to doe so, but onely the law of kind ordained by God, teacheth them so to doe: and tieth them to obserue their kindly times. In the dawning and springing of the day birds begin to sing, and those flowers swéetlie spread, that in the night time were softlie closed; Man, bird, and beasts, beholding the light, re­ioiceth [Page] at that time, because their kindly course of working is renued againe by the louely presence of the shining Sun, which warmeth them with his beames, and encourageth them with his light. The Sunne like wise ruieth them not (to speake properlie) but kind ruleth them in time, by the course of the sun, & other superior constellations: We read in holy Scripture, that on Gods commaund and word earth produced trées, brought forth flowers, and was clothed with grasse, each yéelding his fruit in his degrée, and his flower in his kind: The third day before God made either sun, moon, or stars, he gaue them vertue, and nature to bring forth trées, fruit and grasse of many sundrie kinds, but to the Sunne hée gaue not it nature, neither to the Moone, nor to the starres, but he made them to shine and to be tokens of time, to all creatures here beneath: And God himselfe gaue to trées, grasse and hearbes diuers vertues, and wonderfull natures to bud, blosiome, to bring forth faire and gréene leaues of diuers fashions and qualities: so that no man by wisedome can equall the least, or cease to admire at the smalest: Some be ordained for Summer, some for Winter, some in one sea­son to loose their beauties and faire coulours, some in another to recouer that they lost: some to be continually gréene, as the lawrell: Such many diuersities God hath ordained in kind in all creatures whatsoeuer, assigning to each their due time naturall, either to sade or flourish, to spring or wither, to prosper, or decay. In one landfalleth hunger, in another land plentie, some countries yéeld wine, others abound with wool; in one prouince is plentie of gold, Siluer, and Mine­rals, in another, barrennesse void of all abundance. There is also sometime a generall plague, other sometime a sicknesse restrained in some climate: some die in their youth, other some in age, some with long sicknesse, some by sodain death: how should men know these changes by the influence of the planets, or assigne causes thereof (and many such other innu­merable,) by the defined number of constellations? Dispute not Asterius (quoth Frumentarius) but submit, for it passeth maus wit to decide these things, and is only knowne to God [Page] who made al things. For which cause I hold it fally in men to intermeddle with such secrets and hidden misteries, and namely with thinges yet to come. Well Frumentarius, said Asterius, let your opinion stand, yet cannot I giue ouer que­stioning till I be resolued, if in the wonders that fall against kind, the celestiall bodies be tokens or signes of any aduen­tures to come? I will satisfie thée (said Anthony) for such as doubt, show they would learn. That which falleth out aboue the course of kind, betokeneth that there is some what excée­ding aboue the course of kind, be it weale, or woe, prosperity or aduersitie: But commonly such aduentures happen ra­ther against bad then good betiding: as comets, stars, & bur­ning castles in the aire, eclipses of the Sunne and Moone a­gainst kind, armed men in the aire, or rainebowes turned vpside downe, mishappen monsters in their birth, and against kind. These and such like that fal out against common course of nature be tokens that the people, where they doe appear, are vngratious in their liues, & monsterous in their actions: foretelling that the Lord of all nature is offended to sée them so disobedient and vnnaturall. It may well be as thou saist (quoth Metrodorus) for many such haue appeared within few yeares, and neuer so many thinke I in so little while, and much sorrow and woe hath followed after them, as the coun­tries haue séene and felt also: I pray thée therefore tell me what these obortions mean, these commets portend, & mon­sters signifie, which of late dayes haue hapned in this peace­able countrie? They are manifest tokens of great offence a­gainst God (quoth Anthonie) they are testimonies of our countries sinnes, and the plagues that are comming, except we amend vs: for greater falshood and treason, greater per­iurie and mispresion, greater couetousnesse and iniustice, greater heresie and blasphemie, greater lust and ambition was neuer in countrie ouerlookt by the Sunne; we are not ashamed to sinne, but do sinne openly, and (to the great slan­der of Christendome) the infidell sheweth Christ in his life, where we only (and that fildome) celebrate him with our tongues: and because we neither repent, nor amend our [Page] liues, (but as the Prophet saith, tie sinnes together with cartropes, and rather hunt after new, then repent the old) therefore these tokens of miserie appeare successiuely beto­kening that God smiteth not all at once, but warneth vs by leisure to repentance. Wherin if we vse dalliance, after long forbearance, God wil vse méere force, and the plague will be so heauie, we shall not be able either to heare the report thereof, or indure the mortall persecution. Thy words are both true and manifest (quoth Frumentarius) for euery estate and degrée in this land is giuen to sinne, men rather couet to be rich, then to be righteous, to do wrong, then to do right: and to conclude, the wounds of this world are so fatall, as they cannot be healed either by thy counsaile, or our com­plaints: In leauing therfore these termes of expostulation, and commiseration, let me intreat thée to discouer the opini­on of the learned touching such comets and stars appearing contrary to the course of kind. Frumentarius (quoth Antho­nie) Philosophers say, that comets are hot exhalations, car­ried vp aboue the middle region of the aire, and there become new stars, denouncing future misfortunes: And of these Metiors and impressions, there are thrée sorts, in thrée regi­ons of the aire: the one are of the matter of fire, the other of water, & the last periticipates both of the one and the other. The comets are of the first cannuk or magnitude, and it is said, that euery comet is an exhalation hot, and drie, terre­striall thicke and waightie, which by the vertue of the stars is attracted vpward by little and little into the most heighest region of the aire, where by reason of the affinitie of the fire, and the cominance and agréement of his matter, it is gathered, and inflamed by the motion of the celestial bodies; then increaseth it, becomming round by his owne proper motion, and conformable to that starre, vnder which it was first gathered, or rather it goeth by the motion of some other celestiall bodie, from East to West, or remaineth in one place (as the fixed stars.) After the apparitions of these fierie bodies, droughts, plagues, and other tragicall misfortunes happen. And it is therefore called a comet by reason of his [Page] hairie figure. Of these there are two sorts, the one called Crinita, the other Barbata: for so Aristotle tearmeth and di­stinguisheth them: Plinie in his second booke setteth downe diuers kinds and dependances of them, gathered as it sée­meth rather from tradition, then certaine truth: they com­monly appeare by night in the North part, whence it may be thought the Prouerbe ariseth, Omne malum ab Septentrione, Of their effects I will propose some examples to thy satisfa­ction; partly such as Garcaeus Peucer and Licosthenes haue touched, partly such as haue escaped their diligence. In the yeare 681 about the 16 Sinode held at Constantinople, and during the raigne of Constantine the fourth then Emperor, There appeared a comet according to the Gréeks, by the La­tines held Crinita, which appearing aboue the Horizō thrée months, portended great mischiefes, both to Rome and Ita­lie: For after it, insued a great plague, and after that a worse famine, and besides, the heauens so conspired against man, that many were consumed by lightning: in the yeare 954 like wise, (during the empire of Otto the first) besides stones of huge bignesse falling from heauen, bitter winds, bearing downe great towers, and bloodie crosses, falling from hea­uen, there appeared a comet of mightie magnitude, followed by a famine so forcible, as many millions of men, women, and children, died either by the force thereof, or the furie of iniurious warres. In the yeare 1265 for thrée monthes space a mightie comet appeared in the East, extending her beames to the mid heauen Westward, which then arose whē Pope Viban the fourth seest sickned, and then vanished when his life finished: during the raigne of Wenceslaus the third king of Bobeme, another comet appeared, after which fol­lowed a great persecution of the Christians, and after that such an earthquake as ouerthrew many cities and castles: in the last year of Lodowie the fourth then Emperour, there appeared a Crinite comet for two months space, seconded by great famine: in the yeare 1352 a comet appeared in the North in the month of December which was no sooner ex­tinct, but that great winds followed, fierie beames fell from [Page] heauen, and Pope Innocent the 6 died. In the yeare 1482 two comets appeared, the one about the beginning of Ia­nuarie fierie in coulor, sparkling in beames, and fearefull to behold, which bending towards the West, at first tooke be­ginning in the entrance of Libra, and after passed so farre Northward, that it passed beyond the Zodiake, and after 16 daies continuance was extinguished: and no sooner was this dissolued, but another appeared very fierie and bloodie, exten­ding toward the East, after which such greiuous plagues, fa­mines, and war, persecuted the Christian clunes, as nature suffered not the like ruines in many yeares: Thus then it appeareth that comets are tokens and warnings of ensuing death or plagues sent by God to fore warn men that his ven­geance is at hand. To conclude, all signes in heauen are but as tokens, not causes; gouerned and directed by God, not go­uerning, and materially inforcing man: and they likewise that either repose their trust in them, or trifle away their stu­dies in their natures, they that iudge thereby as inforcers of casualties, and hang their wisdome on iusensible creatures, are both condemned by God, and held foolish by the wise. Be not therefore deceiued Asterius, build not vpon apparance, thinke not all gold that glutereth, but flie Magicke as diue­lish, dispise Astrologie as vncertaine, and trauell in the stu­die which may lighten thy mind, and not corrupt thy vnder­standing. First ad example to thy persuasion (said Metrodo­rus) for those that are wrought by reason, are wonne & woun­ded by example: I will satisfie thée quoth Anthony, for I de­fire both his, & thy safetie. There liued sometime in France a yoong and toward scholer called Gilbert, who borne of ob­scure Parents, yet caried a high mind, fixing his studie on Philosophy, and delighting in nothing more then the secrets of nature, but wanting the supplies of wealth (and séeing too few men liue by wit) he took vpon him the Habit of a Monck in the Monasterie of Floriarenee, within the diocesse of Au­reliana, not for deuotion or religions sake only, but rather to flie constraint then assen contemplation: There liuing long time, and profiting not a little, in stéed of holie misteries, he [Page] studied Magicke, in stéed of Moses, Ptolomey; so that by this meanes becomming worldly, and by that meanes wic­ked, he for sooke his cowle, left his cloister, and fled to Hispa­lis a cittie of Spaine there to professe his long affected Phi­losophie: No sooner was he arirued in that cittie, but contra­rie to all expectation his fame began to increase, his studies to be more vehement, his ambition more earnest, so that he finally promised the Diuell if he would raise him to the dig­nitie of Papacie, he would be his both bodie and soule: This condition ratified betwéene them, by these steps he presently ascended. First became he tutor to Otto the emperor, and af­terwards to Robert of France; making by this meanes di­uers famous scholers, and attaining thereby many mightie friends. At last wearied with teaching, (which is a great & busie trouble) he exchanged his Academy into Archbishop­rick, his rod into a crosier, his cap into a miter, attaining the Archbishopricks of Rhemes and Rauenna by bribes, and by Simony, and not content with these, but aspiring prowdlie to a higher place: at last by many insinuations with the Di­uell, and promises to be his bodie and soule after death, hée attained the Papacie, not crowned by the Emperor as a ho­ly diuine, and Philosopher, but like a most execrable & dam­ned Magician. Installed thus in the soueraigntie, he poiso­ned those whom he hated, peruerted those whom he loued, persecuted the professors of the truth: hiding so much mis­chiefe vnder the shadow of holinesse, as the world no sooner espied it, but they began to detest him. And because where honour is attaind, it cannot be lost without discontent, very curious of continuance of his life, and desirous to escape death, by magical incantations he so wrought the diuel, that at last he gaue him this answer of his fortune, Thou shalt liue so long (saith he to Pope Siluester, for the name of Gil­bert he gaue ouer at his coronatiō) til thou enter Ierusalem. The vain man prowd of this replie, fearing neuer in Rome to méet with Ierusalem, and supposing the Prophecie exten­ded to the citie in Paltestine, where it only had relation to a Minster in Rome, he followed banquetting, tooke his delight [Page] and pleasure, leauing nothing vn sought that might further his vanitie and securitie: at last in the fourth yeare of his raigne and the tenth day of the first month, whilest he sacri­ficed and said masse in Rome in the Cathedrall church of the holy crosse in Hierusalem, on a sodaine he was warned hée should die, and at last he perceiued how vainly he was decei­ued, where vpon moued with repentance, and publickly con­fessing his sins to the people, and exhorting to flie the baits of preposterous ambition, and eschue the deceipts and magi­call illusions of the Dwell, he prepared himselfe to the death which sodainly followed: charging his ministers amidst the pangs thereof, that after his death they should cut his bodie into péeces, and so scattered, should lay it on a chariot, not suffering him to be buried in any place, but where they wil­lingly rested: At last he dead, and his will effected, both to shew Gods prouidence, and to examplefie his mercie, vpon vnfained repentance, he was laid in a chariot, so mangled and cut péecemeale; and was conducted by the horses to the Cathedrall church of Lateran, where willingly staying, he was worthily burried, she wing in his life the vanities of ma­gicke, and in his death the effectuall fruits of repentance. Thus hast thou heard, O Asterius, a true and certaine ex­ample, Which if thou follow, the world will reioice in thy conuersion, and thy soule shall haue comfort in my counsaile. Thou hast wonne me holy hermit (quoth Asterius, not with­out sheading of teares) and I long to be instructed in a better kind of studie, my former delights are tedious to mine ears, and my present state, dangerous by my sins. O Asterius said Anthonie, as thou hast liued ill so learne to liue well, & take the benofite of Gods forbearance, least thou be ouertaken with his iustice. Thou séest a good matron will rather die then betray hir husband, a stout captaine perish ere he leaue his souldiers, so play thou by Christ, as thy maister obserue him, as thy guide follow him, as thy iusticer feare him, as thy redéemer loue him: and learne to die for him who suffered death for thy follies: duly bethinke thée now on the gréeuous­nesse of sin, hourely flie thou the occasions of offence, learn in [Page] the beginning to resist temptations, mortifie thy flesh, that hath beguiled thy spirit, kéepe thy toung from talking of va­nities, restraine thy heart from being intangled with the in­ordinate loue of visible delights, séeke solitude, flie idlenesse, think God alwaies present, and suspect sin alwaies egging, and come and learne what the desert is, and loue to liue with Anthony. Great is my desire said Asterius, and forward my zeale, but I haue a father to loue, a mother to content, their presence is mine only comfort, their absence my miserie. Ah Asterius quoth Anthome, this as Hierome saith, is the Ram and battering Cannon of all pietie, that knitteth vs so much to earthly loue, as we despise heauenly: Harke what Cli­machus saith, It is better quoth he, to gréeue our parents thē to discontent Iesus, for he created and saued vs, they onely loose vs by louing vs; Gods loue must extinguish eternall loue, and he that will be his, must be wholy his: Let not thy parents teares draw thée from him, least thou increasest e­ternall teares to thy owne soule, when thy Parents inuiron thee like bées, and brey about thée like waspes, complaining and lamenting, propose thou thy sinnes to thy selfe, that thou maist ouercome griefe with griefe. Thou are bound to forsake thy father for Gods sake, neither doest thou hate thy father by comming to Christ, but thou makest him happie by producing thée, who art sealed to Christ: shall the celestiall trumpet of Christ draw thée to battell with the world, saith Augustine Epist. 38. ad Laet. and shall thy mother retaine thée? She counsaileth thée perhaps saith Barnard, to flie solitude, & by this meanes is contrarious to thy health and her owne; chuse therfore of both which thou wilt, either to satissie ones foolish will, or to loose boths saluation. But if thou louest her truly, forsake her rather, least forsaking Christ to remaine with her, she likewise perish for thy cause: perhaps thou will say, thou are not sure of thy vocation, because thou art called publikely: But heare what Barnard saith in 107 Epistle to Thomas, Vox haec non sonat in soro, nec auditur in publico, se­cretum consilium secretum quaerit auditum: auditui tuo gaodi­um pro certo dabit, & laetitiam si sobria aure perceperis: Thou [Page] maist say that solitude wanteth thē delights of this life, but I tel the with the wiseman, Prouerbe 15, better to be called, Ad oleum cum caritate quam ad vitulum saginatum cum odio. Thou wilt say the solitarie life is subiect to temptations and I tell thée that those who are tempted are beloued, and who abide the assault, are worthy of the lawrell: perhaps thou sus­pectest the necessaries of life, but heare Augustine what he saith, lib de Eleemos. Thinkest thou that earthly necessaries shall faile thée, where heauenly and diuine are giuen thée? Thou fearest perhaps that austerity of life will hasten thy death, but I tell thée, holy abstinence maintaineth life: Then Arsenius, who more abstinent? Yet saw he a 120 yeares: who more studied fasting then Ierome: Yet liued he twice fiftie: It is not austeritie that hasteneth death, but su­perfluitie that shorteneth life. Thou fearest perhaps that thou canst not cast off thine euill customes: but I assure thée that Gods graces are stronger then mans frailties: and spi­ritually tied vnto him, thou shalt say as Augustine did of him­selfe, how sodainly wared it swéet to me to want the swéet­nesse of trifles: and those toies which I feared to loose, I for­sooke with reioice. Thou fearest least thou shalt not conti­nue thy resolution, but whilest thou héedfully foreséest vncer­taine euils, thou retchelesly art restrained in the bond of thy sinnes. If thou giue eare with Augustine thou shalt hear this happie voice, Proijce te in eū, nolimetuere, nō te subtrahet vt cadas, proijce te securus excipiet te, & sanabit: Cast thy selfe on him, and feare not, hee will not suffer thée to fall: cast thy selfe securely and fréely on him, hee will both receaue thee and héale thée: perhaps thou desirest to defer thy time of con­templation, and wouldest be a worldling during youth, to serue God in age: Then when the world casteth thée off, it seemeth thou wouldest cast thy selfe on God; for shame for shame giue him the fattest sacrifice, for if thou come in youth to him, Anselme will compare thée to an angell, Hearke how Ierome crieth, Epist. 103. ad Pauli. vol. 30. [...]oestina quae­so te & herenti in salo nauiculae funem magis precide quam sol­ue: Thou dispisest perhaps the pouertie of my estate, but [Page] thou hast cause to loue it, for where hunger is, all things are taken with delight; and where humility, with thanks: Thou fearest the facilitie of religious discipline, but I tell thée that as the fether except stéeped in water, is easily lifted vp into the aire with the least puff of wind, so mans spirit (except soi­led with vices, and detained by worldly infirmities) is still mounting vp to heauen, as being a portion of the same. To conclude all doubts therfore, and draw thée to God (Asterius) know that the true delight of the mind is no waies but in God, and that all other are but as blemishes to the eie, spots in purple, and knots in timber; This Aristotle perceaued, who after he had very long and learnedly disputed of felicity, at last (after he had decided the delights thereof) concluded that the whole fulnesse thereof depended on the contem­plation of God: That is the true and only delight (saith Bar­nard, Epist. 114) which is not receiued by the creature, but the creator, and which when thou inioiest, no man may take from thée; in comparison of which, all other sollace is sadnes, all swéetnesse gréefe, each blessing bitter, all beautie filthy, finally whatsoeuer other thing may moue delight, trouble­some. Besides there is in no created thing, any degrée of good­nesse, any sparke of beautie, any appearance of pleasure, which is not more fréely, more effectually, and perfectly in God: first, because his nature is infinit: and if any thing should be defectiue in him, he could not be infinit: Againe, whatsoeuer earthly things they haue, they haue them from God, and no man can giue that to another, which he hath not himselfe: and therefore well said Barnard, Thou admirest (saith he) in the sunne brightnesse, in the flowers beautie, in bread sanor, in earth fecundity, but all these things are of God, neither is it to be doubted, but that he hath reserued far swéeter for himselfe then that which he hath giuen to his creatures: which being so, it must necessarily follow, that he who possesseth God, possesseth al things with him, and re­ceineth the same or greater delectation then he could take from all other wordly delights, were they vnited together: For as he who enioieth gold, enioieth the price of much sil­uer, [Page] and hath more easie cariage of the one then of the other, so he that is vnited with God, hath all the suck and marrow of true goodnesse, and with the possession thereof, an alienati­on from all other earthly frailties and infirmities, which are incident to fraile, fickle, and finite nature: Speake thou thus therefore with Augustine to God, 10. Confes. b. What loue I, when I loue thée? Not the beauty, forme, or fauor of the bo­die, not the ornament of time, not the brightnesse of light, befriendring mine eies, not the swéet melody of delightfull songs, not the oderiferous smell of flowers, spices, and oint­ments, not Manna, not hony, not soft pleasing members, fit for fleshly embraces: I loue not these, when I loue my God, and yet I loue a certaine light, and a certaine voice, and a certaine smell, and a certaine meat, and a certaine embrace when I loue my God: the light, the voice, the odour, the food, the embrace of my inferiour man: where that shineth to my mind, the place comprehendeth not; and where that soun­deth, which time carieth not away; and where that smelleth which breath disperseth not; and where y^t sauoureth, which eating diminisheth not; and where that sticketh which sacie­tie pulleth not away. This is that which I loue when I loue my God: Come away from this world Asterius, for like a théefe it will betray thée, like a net it will catch thée, like a Serpent it will sting thée, like a syrren it will inchant thée, like a Crocodile wéepe ouer thée: Briefly come and dwell with me, that thou maist dwell with God. As soone as An­thony had finished this discourse, and his auditorie conside­red on his oration, both Metrodorus and Asterius, the one for­saking his curiosity, the other renouncing both Astronomy and Magicke, cast away their vain vainnesse of Philosophy, and humbly submitted them to Anthony, and euer after, from worldly minded men, became zealous and contemplatiue fa­thers; only Frumentarius that had yet vndisclosed his cause of discontents, after he had applauded these conuersions, at last thus expresied his purposes. Though I haue cause to reioice O Anthonie, to behold these conuerts, and a desire in my selfe to be partaker of their profession, yet because a common­weale [Page] dependeth on my hands, I am restrained from that I would, and wholy tied to my countrie: Why hast thou sought me out quoth the Hermit. To be aduised by thée said Frumentarius, in choice of my counsaile, in that I am Prince; in disposition of my warres, because I feare to be inuaded; and in execution of iustice, what is to be followed. Thou shalt not depart vnsatisfied qd. Anthony, (though the world be not my science) & I will become a mortal man, to helpe an honest mind: First therefore for counsaile, thou oughtest to require it from almighty God, next from thy selfe, thirdly from others: in God thou oughtest to be wise & deuout, in thy selfe prouident, and in others carefull, and wary in exami­ning counsailes, discréet in auoiding seuere mistaking, lear­ned in retaining, and constant in obseruing: That thou oughtest to take counsaile, & request it at Gods hand, Iames teacheth thée, where he saith, If any of you lacke wisdome, let him aske it of God, Iacob, 10. and Paule in his Epistle to the Colossians saith; Whatsoeuer you doe either in word or déed, doe it in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, giuing thanks to God the father: For as Iames saith, Euery best gift, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, descending from the father of lights, with whom is no transmutation, nor shadowing of alteration: in demanding counsaile therefore at Gods hands, thou must both be deuout and prouident; to the end thou maist desire nothing at his hands, but y^t which shall stand with iustice, and be correspondent to honestie: and if so thou doe, doubtlesse whatsoeuer thou wilt, thou shalt obtaine: For Christ faith, whatsoeuer you shall aske of my father in my name, he shal giue it you, which thou maist thus vnderstand if thou be iust, and demand iustly: otherwise, if thou desire vnlawfull things, the iudgement shal light on thy selfe, and the peruerse counsaile destroy thine own soule: for as Iesus the sonne of Sirac saith, he that worketh vngodly counsailes, they shall returne and ouer whelme himself, nei­ther shall he know from whence they happen vnto him: For if in the law of common freindship, it be held both iniustice and iniurie, either to request dishonest things, or accomplish [Page] them being demanded; much more in Gods cause, who is our perfect friend, and only kéeper of our soules, ought we to be respectiue: and therefore as Cato saith:

Since therefore mans counsaile without Gods helpe, is both weake and fruitlesse, (by reason that without him, we may not do any thing) let vs first of all séeke from him our counsaile and his iustice, and all other goods shal bée annexed and tied vnto vs. Next of all, thou must aske counsaile, and examine it in thy selfe, namely, whether thy will peruert not thy reason; thy superstition, thy deuotion; thy selfe loue, thy iudgement; briefly, thou must chiefest of all, so draw coun­saile from thy selfe, that thy moderation be not peruerted by rage, nor thy discretion by light beliefe: First take héed, that neither thou thy selfe be irefull, nor thy counsellor be wroth­full, and that for many reasons: First, because the ireful man thinketh his abilitie to excéed his power, and by that means he ouercommeth his owne abilitie: for it is a true law, that he who thineketh he can more then his nature ministers; in excéeding his owne power, thinketh himselfe to be imbaced: secondly, because the wrothfull man speaketh not according as iustice directs him, but as the spléene peruerteth him: Thirdly, because wroth hindereth the mind, whereupon the Poet saith:

In counsailes therefore, and in other things, thou must restraine the disturbed motions of thy soule, and make thy desires obedient to the rules of loue and reason: for so Tullie counsaileth, when he saith, Gouerne thy wrath, because whē it hath power, nothing may either be done rightly, or consi­deratly: for those thinges which are wrought with any per­turbation, can neither be done with constancie, nor approo­ued by those that are absent: wroth hath no meane, neither doth interrupted furie admit any moderation. For the irefull man accounteth al counsaile inconsiderat: he that ouercom­meth his wroth, ouercommeth a great enemie, and he can [Page] neuer be considerat, that is sildome moderat: in counsell like­wise thou must auoid pleasure or cupidity, least either y^e one or other, ouercome the sence and iudgement of either thée, or thy chosen counsaile. First because desire and couetousnesse is the root of all euils, Paul ad Cor. Secondly, because the vo­luptuousnes of the heart extinguisheth the light of the mind, and containeth in it selfe all kind of inconuenience: For Tully in his booke de Senectute saith, That nature hath not giuen man more capitall or fatall enemies then the desires and pleasures of the bodie, for from it spring rash and vnre­frained lusts, inciting and peruerting the mind, and (after many enormities reckoned vp) he concludeth, that there is no place for vertue in the kingdome of pleasure. For which cause there is nothing so detestable or pestilerous as to folow pleasure, for where it taketh most head and roote, there is all the light of the soule extinguished. And truly pleasure is so bad, that it neuer springeth except griefe forego it: for as Al­phonsus saith, no man is delighted with drinking, except he be foregréeued with thirst, neither taketh any man pleasure in eating, except he hath béene plagued with hunger: neither affecteth any man rest, except he hath béene agréeued, and a­grauated by labor: beside, (this is to be noted) that in euery and the least danger, there is some imminent perill, where­vpon the Philosopher said thus, Whosoeuer is voluptuous, cannot want vice. Thirdly, in thy counsailes & other things thou must auoid and remoue couetous desire, quia parat pec­catum, & generat mortem, as Iames saith: Fourthly, thou must auoid desire both in thy selfe and thy counsailers; be­cause all desires are the gates of hell, by which we haue re­course vnto death: Fiftly in thine actions and counsailes whatsoeuer, thou must expell desire, because it loueth no­thing els, but that which is vnlawsul: & therfore Seneca saith, Ferocissima cupiditas pestis est, quis solet egenos facere quos ca­pit, quia finemquerendi, non inuenit, alia enim cupiditas, ex fine alterius nascitur, Desire (quoth he) is a fierce plague, which not only maketh thée poore when it surpriseth, because it fin­deth no end in séeking: for one desire is begotten by the is­sue [Page] and end of another, and therefore in another place (he saith) he is stronger that ouercommeth his desire, then hée which mastereth his enemie. Sixthly, desire in all affaires and actions, is to be both remoued and reproued, especiall to the end that infirmities may be auoided: for if (as it is proo­ued) desire hath no end, it deserueth (and that worthily) to bée dispised; whereupon (a father saith) follow not infinit things, for where is no end, there can be no rest, and where there is no rest, there can be no peace, and where there is no peace, God cannot dwell: for as Dauid saith, His place is in peace, and his habitation in Sion. In counsailes likewise thou must auoid all hast and rashnesse, for as in iudgement celeri­lie is condemned, (wherevpon it is wont to be said, that hée is the best iudge that quickly apprehendeth and slowly iud­geth; and againe, he hasteth to repent him that swiftly cen­sureth) so is it written of counsaile, in thy counsailes the lon­ger thou hast deliberated, thinke thou hast the righter done: for the swiftest counsails, are soonest repented: Thou must not therefore either giue or take counsaile hastely, or so­dainly, but with aduised deliberation, and competent delay: for as Seneca saith, Lib de For. honest. vit. Let nothing be so­daine vnto thée, but in all things foresée; for he who is proui­dent, saith not, I had not thought it should haue come to passe; for he doubteth not, but expecteth, neither suspecteth he but taketh héed: For which cause in temporall deliberations a competent delay is not to be reproued, for to deliberate on things profitable, is a most prouident delay. A Philosopher likewise saith, That all delay is odious, but yet it maketh a wise man: These conditions thus foreknowne and well de­bated of, thou must likewise take héed and prouide, that thou conceale thy counsaile to thy selfe, neither demand counsaile of another, if by other mens counsaile thou knowest thy e­state may not be amended. For as Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith, Shew not thy thought to thy friend or enemie, and if it be thy fault discouer it not, for he shall heare thée, and regard thée, and defending thy sinne laugh at thée: and another wise man saith, Thinke scarcely that one man can kéepe thy se­crets: [Page] and Alphonsus saith, Thy counsaile or secret being hidden, is as it were shut in thy prison, but being reuealed, holdeth thée prisoner in his prison: another saith, He that kée­peth his counsaile in his heart, is Maister of himselfe, for it is better for a man to hold his peace, then to desire any other man to kéep close his secrets: for as Seneca saith, If thou hast not gouerned thy selfe in silence, how canst thou séek secrecy from another? But if thou thinkest to better thine estate by another mans counsaile then deliberate with thy selfe, and diligently prouide in thy selfe, to whom thou wilt open thy secrets, and to whom thou will impart thy counsailes: In stéed of vnaproued friends, furnish thy selfe a thousand times rather with enemies then friends, because by good hap thine enemie may be made thy friend, & so by that meanes he may the more lightly procure thy indomagement: Prouide al­so, that thou discouer not thy resolution, to those counsailers whom thou meanest to employ, for men for the most part are flatterers, and rather respect the lookes of a migh­ty man then the truth, and that which they thinke will please, then that which is requisit; so that respecting ra­ther their will then their conscience, they deceiue thée in thy counsaile, and condemne their owne indiscretions. When then thou hast asked counsaile of thy selfe, prouide thée of thy counsailers, and know from whom thou oughtest to expect councell, for in asking aduice, carefully obserue this caution, to discerne thy good friends from thine euill enimies. To be short, counsel is to be expected frō good, wise, expert, & appro­ued friends, who haue both authority by age, and are known trustie by experience. And therefore Salomon saith, There is nothing may be compared with a faithfull feind, neither may the waight of gold and siluer outprise his faith and goodnesse: and in another place, The heart is delighted in ointments and diuers odors, & the heart is reioiced with the counsails of a good friend: There is nothing swéeter (saith he) thē to haue a friend, with who thou maist communicat thy secrets: For as the bodie is without a soule, such is a man without a friend: chuse thy friend likewise that he may be wise, & there­by [Page] verifie the old Prouerbe:

Chuse thy counsalle like wise of thy approued friends, be­cause many are thought wise, but too few faithfull, many are circumspect, but malicious, many haue smooth forheads, and false hearts, You must not therefore trust all men, but make triall of only faithfull men: For as Iohn saith, Belo­ued, beléeue not euery spirit, but prooue the spirits if they be of God: and the wise man saith, who quickly beléeueth, is light and vnstaied in heart, and shall be deceiued: for a mind easily misled, is quickly induced to folly, a Poet like wise that hath more of sence, then eloquence saith:

And Salomon saith, if thou possesse a friend, possesse him in temptation, for a friend is according to his times, & there­fore till miseries trie them, think no man trustie to thée. Haue care like wise that thou make choice of old men, for in the a­ged is wisdome, and in gray hairs experience, and (as Cassio­dorus saith) they are alwaies held most wise, who by the con­uersacions of many men, haue béene approued learned: And Tully in his booke de Senectute, hath this sentence: Great things are not managed by the velocitie, force, and celerity of the bodie; but by counsaile, authoritie, and science, of which old age is only not depriued, but also furnished: in as­king therefore counsaile of the aboue specified, obserue this rule, That first you make triall of one or two, before the whole bodie of your counsaile: for as Salomon saith, Many are pleasing vnto thée, and speake thée faire, but choose one counsailor amongst a thousand: and consult thou not with them at one time onely, but at many times also: for where there is no héed (saith the wise) the pollicie runs to ruin: But there is health where are counsailes: and generally the co­gitations are scattered where there is no aduice, but where there are many counsailors, their iudgements are confor­med. Now since thou knowest of whom thou art to demand counsaile, let vs like wise consider whose counsaile thou shouldest auoid: for there is as great pollicie in shunning a [Page] danger, as intertaining a good fortune. First therefore I ad­uise thée in any sort to flie the counsailes of fooles, for fond men delight in fond things; and aime al their counsailes, ac­cording to their conceits. For as a father saith, It is the propertie of folly to be searching into others escapes, and forgetfull of his owne. The wisemans heart (saith Salomon) is on his right side, but the heart of a foole on his left: If thou bray a foole in a morter (quoth the wise man) thou shalt not driue him from his follie. Briefly, if a wise man contend with a foole, whether he smile or sorrow, he shall find no rest. The counsaile of flatterers in like sort is to be auoided; and not only in aduersitie, but in prosperitie, the aduise of friends, and faithfull men is to be vsed: In prosperity like wise, we haue greatest vse of friendship, least we should be seduced by flatterie, or deceiued by dissimulation: For we oftentimes suppose our selues such as we are praised for; wherethrough we grow into mightie sinnes, and being puffed vp by mens opinions, are shamefully derided, and more cursedly mis­led: For which cause, thinke there is no greater plague in friendship, then pleasing and smooth coloured flatterie. And although flatterie be pernicious, yet can it hurt no man but him that receiueth and delighteth in the same, so that if hée open his eares to those flatterers, he greatly delighteth both him that flattereth, and himselfe most of all: Where vpon Cato saith, If any praise thée, remember to be thine owne iudge, and rather trust others mens iudgements of thy selfe, then beléeue thy selfe by thy selfe: whereupon Seneca in his Epistles writeth, Consider thy selfe inwardly, and beléeue not other what thou art; it more concerneth thée to know what thou séemest to thy selfe, then what thou art estéemed by others: For it is a wise mans part, rather to iudge him­selfe than his neighbour. And touching acceptance in taking counsaile in time of prosperitie, thus saith Seneca in his book de formula honestas vitas. Then when thou art in prosperitie ask counsaile, as if in danger, and rather feare faire spéech, then bitter good counsailes. For an euill man that speaketh faire, is the net of the innocent, and there are none so secret [Page] treasons, as those that are coloured with the office of dissi­mulation, or vnder the name of friendship: It is therefore better to receiue the stripes of a freind, then the kisses of a flatterer. Be not therefore moued with the faire, swéet, and choice words of a flatterer, but regard thine owne affaires, and examine their discourses: A wise man respecteth the matter, not the oratorie, for he that speaketh truth, his spéech is plaine and vnpolished. And although thou thinke thy selfe a wise man, yet trust not thine owne purpose, but with de­liberate iudgement séeke wisdome from another man: For Cassiodorus councelleth to séeke wisdome in another man in whom is greatnesse of science, for to doubt and to aske coun­cell of the wise, is neither vnprofitable nor immodest. The counsaile likewise of those men is to be eschewed, who in times past were thine enemies, and are afterwards recon­ciled: for no man safelie returneth into fauor with his ene­mie, For which cause Esope said, neither trust, or discouer your secrets to those with whom you haue béene at debate and contention.

For as where fire bath béen long time, there neuer wan­teth vapour; so where ancient enmities haue béene conti­nued, there cannot be true loue, neither may there euer bée default of suspect: Thine enemie will wéepe in thy pre­sence, and when he spies his time, be imbrued with thy blood: associat thée not therefore with thine enemies, when thou maist find other friends, for the euils thou hast done them, they will not forget, and the fauours thou offerest them, they will suspect. Their counsaile like wise is to be eschewed who not for loue, but feare shew loue and dilection: for they are not friends but odious enemies. For Tully saith (in his Offi­ces) amongst all things there is nothing more apt to main­taine riches, and retaine them being compassed, then loue; neither any thing more fond, then to be feared: For men deadly hate those whom they feare, and whatsoeuer a man earnestly hateth, he desireth to sée perished. And y^t no wealth [Page] may withstand many mens hate, though before it were vn­knowne, yet now is it manifest, doc not therefore think that either counsailor or freind may be gotten by feare, for no man is faithfull to him he feareth, and therefore Martiall long:

And good counsel and friendship is not only not retained or attained by feare and terror, but euery kingdome likewise maintained by feare, doth soone come to perdition. For (as the Philosopher saith) he ought to feare many, when manie feare; and as Seneca concludeth, No terrible man can bée secure in his monarchie: The riotous mans counsaile also must be eschewed, for how can he be trustie in thy secrets, who is a traitor to his owne bodie? They likewise that pre­tend one thing priuately, and protest another openly, are to be reiected, for it is a certaine kind of harme and iniustice, to speake one thing secretly, and make shew of another thing openly: Flie likewise the councell of the euill and suspected, For he that is euill in himselfe, neuer deliuereth good coun­saile from himselfe, and where the heart is fraught with im­pietie, the tongue vttereth nothing but dissimulation and subtilty: young men in counsaile likewise are déepely to bée suspected, for they haue ripe wits, and yong desires, Woe saith the wise man to that land, whose king is a child, and whose Princes eat early. It followeth now in what sort, & how thou oughtest to examine counsaile: For in it there nee­deth great circumspection and discretion, that both the be­ginning progresse and end be very diligently examined. First therefore in discerning counsaile, both generally sup­presse in thy selfe, and remoue from thy counsailers, ire, pleasure, desire, & hast, the arch enemies of all deltheration; Secondly, respect the beginning of thy affairs, for the law tieth a man to circumspection in nothing more then the en­trance: and therefore the Prouerbe saith, He that hath be­gun well, hath halfe happily finshed. For all examples haue had their springs from good beginnings: and in al good things thou shalt continually find a double euill: in the beginning [Page] therefore thou oughtest to feare, because of the double euils which accompany euery thing: For if in good beginnings there is a doubt of double harme, much more in things bad­ly begun and improuidently disposed, is there danger, For they sildom or neuer haue good ends which haue badly begun: The beginnings are in our owne powers, but the euents in fortunes hands: wisely therefore, and with great discretion examine thou thy counsailes, for it is the propertie of a pru­dent man to prie into euery thing to auoid credulitie, and to preuent falshood. In examining thy counsaile likewise ob­serue these circumstances, that in euery thing thou respect that which is true and sincere, what conuenience or conse­quent, and whence matters take head, and what is the cause and reason of euery thing: Thou must therefore be respe­ctiue to the truth, because truth is only to be regarded, which only maketh men like to God, because God in himselfe is perfect truth, as appeareth by Christs words, Ego sum via, ve­ritas, & vita: I am the way, the truth, and the life; and there­fore require I sincerity (as Tully did) in counsaile, because pure and sincere veritie is to be respected, and mendacious and subtill lying, is earnestly to be auoided: For (as the Philosopher saith) veritie is perfect, when it is not inter­medled with falshood: and the wise man saith, Rather is a theefe to be beléeued, then an assiduous and common lier to be heard. And where I annex a cōuenient regard in affairs, it is for this cause, because in all thy counsailes, thou must haue this regard, that they be conuenient and agréeable with reason. Thou must likewise respect who they be that con­sent to the affairs, wil, and counsails, and who contradict the same, that by this thou maist know whether thy businesse or determination will sort to good or no: Thou must likewise examine and foresee, whether thy purpose consent or stand with possibilitie: and in all the foresaid, be so prouident in ex­amining, y^t thine appetite may agrée with reason, vtility, and possibility: Touching consequence also, haue diligent care in examining, whether thou shalt obtain good or euil, hate, fear, or loue, by thy counsailes; and whether either domage or vti­litie, [Page] iustice, or iniurie, (and many such like, which haue cor­respondence with the consequence, and may not fitly bée numbred in this place:) in all which, good is to be chosen and profit to be taken; hate, feare, iniurie, and all such other euils generally omitted and remooued: Touching the circum­stance, whence matters are deriued, thou must be very thoughtfull in examining euery word of the counsaile, and carefull to consider, whether they spring from vertue or vice, or from any thing that deseruedly ought to be auoided, or from which profit or commoditie may be drawne. Tou­ching examination of the cause, thou must be very prouident in pondering the reasons thereof, and earnestly séeking out the grounds of matters: For so Seneca counsailed, when hée said, search out the cause of euery action, and when thou hast found out the beginning, bethinke thée of the end, not slight­ly, but iudicially: dispose thy mind into thrée parts; ordinat the present; foresée the future; and remember that is past: for he rightly looseth his life, that bethinketh him not of y^t which hath past him; who neuer premeditates on things to come, manageth all things improuidently: Propose therfore in thy mind both the good and euill fortunes that may chance, that thou maist sustain the one, and moderat the other. Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be examined, consider like­wise how it is to be taken and approued: For then is coun­saile chiefly to be taken and approued when it is both exami­ned, and found to be good and profitable. And although the counsaile séemeth good, it is not presently to be executed: but thou must diligently looke into it, how thou canst effect the same. For he that commeth to the gouernement of a Com­monweale, and the management of affairs, must not only take consideration, that the thing is honest, but he must like­wise ponder with himselfe if he haue power to effect it: In which it is likewise to be considered, that he dispaire not rashly for sloth sake, or grow lesse considerate through desire and couetousnesse, so that in all affairs before they be enter­prised, thou must imploy a diligent preparation: Consider therefore that thou take not too much, for as the Prouerbe [Page] saith, Qui nimis capit, parum stringit: So that rightly thou oughtest to begin nothing but y^t which reasonably thou maist bring to effect. Search not (quoth Seneca) things aboue thy reach, only séek y^t which may be found, learn that which may be knowne, desire that which may be wisht for: He that desi­reth to flie before he get him wings, is assured to fal before he expecteth it: for if thou shouldest only take respect to the good­nesse, profit, and honor of the affaire only, without the consi­deration of the facilitie, possibilitie, and conuenience of the same, that would fall out which the poet saith,

And if the counsaile be doubtfull in déed or word, thou must rather conceale it, then execute it: leaue it, then take it: For it becommeth a wise man rather to be silent by him­selfe, then to speake against himselfe, because it is apparant that many haue béene ouertaken by their talke, but few men circumuented by their silence: for words are like to arrows, which are easily shot out, but hardly got in againe. In doubt­full matters therefore, silence is requisit, and actions vncer­taine, are better left vndone, then vnfortunatly hazarded. To conclude (in al the forenamed) so be thou stil instructed by thy selfe and others; that all other contraries let slip, thou only build and make choice of that which is good, true, profi­table, iust, and reasonable. Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be taken, consider likewise how, and in what sort it is to bée retained, which is euen then, when by proofe and experience it is knowne profitable. For proue all, saith S. Paule, and kéepe only that which is good, and that with great constancie: for so counsaileth Seneca, whē he saith, Be thou moouable, not light: constant, but not obstinate. It now remaineth that thou learne when thy counsailes, or promi­ses may be changed: the alteration whereof is approued for many causes: for the first cause ceasing and a new succéeding, counsaile or promise may be changed: and that according to Philosophie which saith, that the causes ceasing, the ef­fects likewise cease: counsaile also can and may be changed, [Page] it either by error or any other cause it proue vndecent: for as Seneca saith, Certaine things there be that séem good and are not, and certaine other which seeme and are so: for verie oftentimes the truth beareth show of a lie, and oftentimes a lie hideth the hope of truth: Counsaile likewise is to be changed, if it depend on dishonest causes, or in it selfe be vn­lawfull: For according to the law, and generally all vnlaw­full pronuses are of no regard: Counsel likewise is to be al­tered if it be sinfull, or pertaine thereto; for there is no counsaile against God: and of no lesse worth is a promise vnpossible, then an assumpsit vnreasonable. A wise man li­eth not when he changeth his purpose for the better, and it is alwaies held a rule among the learned, that the counsaile cannot be good which cannot be changed. Good father Antho­nie quoth Frumentarius, I am resolued in all points touching the course of counsel, I pray you therfore descend to the dis­course of wars: for the world being so much giuen to con­tention, there is nothing that should be sooner learned. Fru­mentanus quoth Anthonie, I will fit thée in this likewise, The discourse of war requireth a long Treatise, because it includeth great dangers, & that must aduisedly be spoken of, which rashly followed, is ruinous and fatall: War in one sort is the mother of inconuenience, for it indangereth those too often that hope in it, and helpeth those too fondly, that should fall by it: It is likewise an arme of iustice, for were there not armes to reuenge iustice, the authoritie of prince­dome would be too forward in iniuries: warre likewise is an effect of vengeance, for God sendeth the that are too secure in their peace, a mighty sword to confound them in their securi­tie: By war the wicked war rich, and the poore fortunat, and the effects thereof are such, as the hungrie are filled with good things, and the rich are sent empty away. To conclude, war is the Mistresse of confusion, making pollicie of confu­sions, and confusions pollicies. They that vndertake it, must serue the necessities thereof; and they that wish for it, are the discontented: who in affecting innouation in hope to be bet­tered, doe fall on the sword by vntimely death. Briefly, war [Page] is not to be wished for, for as Tully saith, All libertie is re­strained therein, and those profits that procéed therof, are as well ruins, as raisings of a Commonweale. The conque­ror, what winneth he? Who to reléeue a few colonies that are inuaded, looseth many thousand subiects, whose equals cannot be found out. Should I discourse at full of this sub­iect, define, deuide, subdeuide, and examine particulars, it would rather require a volume then a discourse, such as I can yéeld thée: I will therefore only touch things necessa­rie, and leaue the rest to thine own reading, instructing thée only in those things which are lawfull, and prescribing thée certaine rules when it is lawfull to enter fight, and admit contention, which may be referred to these eight causes. Thou maist lawfully fight, first of all for the maintainance of thy faith; next for iustice sake; Thirdly, to maintaine peace; Fourthly to conserue liberty; Fiftly to auoid dishone­stie and turpitude; Sixtly, to repell violence; Seuenthly, for the defence of a mans owne bodie; Eightly, for a necessarie cause: First touching war to be vndertaken for faith, there is nothing more iust, nothing more reasonable, neither anie thing more honest; for faith is our buckler, where vnder we gard all vertues, our seale of inheritance, our linck of Chri­stianity, our aliance with God, & rather is death to be suffe­red, then religion to be forsaken: we ought likewise to fight for Iustice sake, euen to the vtterance of our liues, for except iustice be maintained, Common-weales are ruinated: for peace likewise, war is lawfull; because by peace, iustice and communities are maintained: war likewise is lawful for the maintainance of liberty and auoidance of seruitude, for as Tully saith, When time and necessitie require, man may fight, and a valiant death is to be preferred before a seruile and obscure life: for happily is he killed, who ignominiously serueth, Thou maist also fight to auoid Turpitude, for no death is so odious as the indurance of dishonestie. Thou maist likewise fight to repell violence, for all laws & rights permit this, to repell force by force. In thine owne defence likewise maist thou war, for the law saith, that what man [Page] doth in his owne defence, is lawfully done. And law of na­ture likewise teacheth vs to detest iniuries, for it is better to withstand in time, then reuenge after wrongs: Resist thou therefore bouldly iniustice, violence, and iniurie done vnto thée, for as greatly is he in fault (saith Tully) that resisteth not if he can, as he that being of abilitie leaueth both his friends, and his countrie. Thou maist rightly war also vpon a iust cause, as being sommoned by denuntiation and gene­rall proclamation: For assuredly that enemie thinketh him­selfe strong, or in effect is rash and vnaduised, that calleth his equall to combate, and maketh open profession of displeasure. Againe, touching war, these few notes are to be considered, That God hath therefore ordained and commaunded the law of the sword, to bring them in peace by the sword, that will not otherwise obay the lawes of right and charitie. That war likewise is held lawfull, it appeareth, because God himselfe vouchsafeth the name of the Lord of hostes. To conclude, battaile according to other, is only lawfull in thrée causes: First when the cause is rightfull, Next the intention good: Thirdly, if it be done by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince. It is néedfull first of all that the cause bée rightfull, and that men fight only for the right, and to main­taine right, and for the preseruation of the communaltie, and those that are guiltlesse and would haue peace: for (as Augustine saith) the end of battaile should be peace. Their intention also must be rightfull, not that they fight for ambi­tion to get the authority, or for couetousnesse to get riches, or for malice to be reuenged of grutches, or for cruelty to mur­ther men: For if their intention be wicked, though their cause be iust, they sinne in manslaughter, and for their wic­ked intention God suffereth them to be ouercome in a right­full cause: it must likewise be executed by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince, not raised by iniustice, but made by common custome, by authority of law, by rightfull election, for al­though a man gather a multitude against his prince, and by the rebels his followers is made their head, yet is he nei­ther to command, neither ought they vniustly to obay, for [Page] both their election in him is vnlawfull, and obedience to­wards him vniust: This sufficeth (quoth Frumentarius) only good Anthony discourse of iustice, and thou leauest me well resolued: Frumentarius quoth Anthony, iustice hath best exe­cucion, where there foregoeth good election, for a prince that chooseth good iudges, is sure his laws shall be well executed: First therefore in choice of thy iudges, out of many, chuse few, out of few the wisest, out of the wisest the expertest, out of the expertest, y^e most prudent, of the most prudent, the most quietest, & of the quietest, the eldest: for the true and worthie iudge, without all doubt, must be of a generous & noble blood, old in years, of life honest, of little follie & much experience, in spéech resolute, and in knowledge profound. The true iudge must not relent by praiers, nor be corrupted with gifts, nor deceiued with words, nor disturbed with threatnings, or misseled with money, nor ouercome with pittie: The good iudge must haue alwaies one hand readie to sustaine the good, and the other to punish the wicked: A good iudge is hée that dealeth in truth, speaketh truth, and is a friend of truth, and an enemy to liers: A good iudge must be wise in that hée commandeth, iust in his iudgements, and moderat in his exe­cutions: and (that which is more then all that) in matters of iustice, & the determination thereof, he shew neither passion, nor affection. No man in this world is so perfect, but there is in him to be amended, neither any man so euill, that hath not in him to be praised. The historie writers doe note Homer of vaine spéech, taske Alexander for fury, Caesar for ambition, Pompey for pride, Demetrius for vices, Hanniball for periu­rie, Vespatian for couetousnesse, Traian for a winebibber, Aurelius for amorous: Amongst men so great, glorious, and famous as these, Iudges may wel think to be noted of faults, and therefore ought to be very carefull to direct a circum­spect and warie course in their liues: that they may auoid scandalizers and slanderers. Iudges likewise ought to bée good Christians, and not weake in patience, For there is no vertue more requisit in a Common-weale, then patience: for the iudge that is measured in that he speaketh, and dissem­bleth [Page] the iniuries done vnto him, he may not lightly fall. Those that gouerne people, and determin causes, much more then other men ought to liue warely, and be of more suffe­rance, for as they iudge, so are they regarded, measured, and considered: There is nothing in this world more sure (as I haue said before) then that he which is feared of many ought also to feare many; and therefore it commeth to passe, that many times the iudge is more damnified in his fame, then the sutor in his goods: I mean this of iudges who are proud and melancholie: But such as are mild and gentle in suffe­ring, the people examine not the liues they lead, but they dis­semble their other faults. He that hath charge of the Com­monweale, it is requisit that he haue a mild condition, in such wise that when he sée weaknesse, he make it strong, and where he séeth courage, in goodnesse, that he praise it; & where he séeth dissolution, that he chastice: and where he séeth ne­cessity, that he succour: and where he séeth sedition, to ap­pease it; and where he séeth conformitie, to conserue it: and where he seeth heauinesse to remedie it: and where he séeth gladnesse, to temper it: For after great pleasure and glad­nesse, many times doe follow no small distresses. Againe, it is requisit that iudges be mild in conuersation, and measured in words, for in them of such authoritie the people doe many times take more griefe with a word, then in others with the stroake of a sword. To conclude, let thy iudges deale with equall ballance, to rich and poore, so shall they please God, dis­charge their duties to thée, & get honour to their names in ex­ecuting iustice without rigor or affection. For thy selfe take these rules in thy gouernement and iustice, Doe all things with loue, and reuenge nothing for hatred, neither be held one of those that would pardon their enemies, and dare not for their friends: Aware in thy kingdome, least the prowd command the humble; the Tirant, the iust; the cruell, the pittiful; the dastard, the hardy; the ignorant, the prudent; and the worst théefes, hang the innocent: Sell not thy iustice for riches, least thou liue not to enioy them, and grow defamed by purchasing them: be not a couetous and wretched nig­gard, [Page] least thou séeke out carefulnes for thy selfe, enuy for thy neighbours, spurs to thine enemies, a prey for théeues, per­rill for thy person, damnation for thy soule, curses for thine heires, and law for thy children. Be not wrothfull in iustice, for it is a short madnesse; nor on light displeasures, least thou be held a foole; nor with a stronger then thy selfe, least thou repent; or with thy inferiour, least thou be held tyranous: Let not thy corruptions and customes draw on vaine de­lights, neither be thou held the maker of a law, to be the first breaker of the same: beware least thy followers be found wi­cked, for where vice is supported by authority, there subiects grow worse & worse: and where punishment is restrained, there insolency commands the lawes: be prouident that no merit passe thée without reward, or fault without punish­ment: carrie this alwaies in thy mind, That good men beare more honor to the sepulchres of the vertuous, then to the im­bossed palaces of wicked Tirants. To conclude, to beare thy fortune alwaies equall, make thy counsails alwaies honest, chuse thy iudges vpright & impartiall, and thy selfe shalt haue honor, thy magistrats fame, thy subiects peace, and thy coun­try plenty. Anthony would haue prosecuted this argument further, and Asterius was ready to vrge him to his historie, when sodainly the day ouercast, the sun hid him in the Oce­an, the birds be tooke them to rest, the winds to rise and rage, the heauens to wéepe and shower, so that interrupted both by night and stormes, perforced they were cut off from their conference, & all of them entered Anthonies caue, where till the morow I leaue them to their weake cheare and hard lod­ging. And if gentlemen I perceiue that this daies discourse delight you, in the morning when they wake, I shal intreat them to find out more matter and pleasure to content you, meane while I commit you and commend you to the tuition of the Almightie, ending with that of Ausonius:

And that of Martials: