CHAP. I.

A iuſt complaint againſt the long toleration of Aſtrologicall ſuperſtition, of their titles how they be called, and of their profeſsion, what it promiſeth.

ALthough I looke for no great effect or reformatiō of that which I intend to ſay againſt Aſtrologers: yet I hope I may freely vſe that ancient and accuſtomed libertie of all ages, to talke and ſay my mind againſt them. For doe what I can, that of Tacitus will be ſtill true, pronouncing them to be a profeſſion alwaies condemned, and miſliked, yet ſtill retained and vſed. Notwithſtanding to ſpeake for our ſelues, & for the preſent time, it may ſeeme ſtrange, that in ſo long profeſſiō of the Goſpel, ſo groſſe & heatheniſh a ſuperſtition ſhuld go ſo currant. I may well call it heatheniſh, me think, ſince the Church in all ages, with Emperours, Doctors, Fathers, & Councels, haue euer condemned it. Witchcraft, becauſe it toucheth our hogges, & cattell ſometime: findeth now & then ſome hard entertainment, as it well deſerueth. But this damnable ſuperſtition, which diſhonoreth God, polluteth heauen, deceiueth and ſeduceth men, goeth without touch or check; the Aſtrologer ſcaping, while the Witch is puniſhed, may not that well be ſaid?

Dat veniam coruis, vexat cenſura columbas.

Might not this egerneſſe, and vehemency, which we haue vſed among our ſelues about caps and copes, haue bene much better beſtowed vpon this ſo prophane an abuſe? While we ſtraine a gnat, we ſwallow a camel: & while we build our owne conceits & toyes in the ayre, we leaue the houſe of God vnbuilt. What ſhould be thought, that ſo many honorable and graue aſſemblies of parliament, and ſo many reuerend conuocations in ſo long time ſhould not once goe about the redreſſe of an abuſe ſo groſſe and palpable, that euen the offenders themſelues are readieſt to condemn themſelues. In ſo much that ſome of them of late haue ſet out certaine reformed Almanacks, wherein they haue not medled at all with winde, weather, diſmall dayes, purges and ſuch like: but only with changes of the Moone, Eclipſes, Feſtiuall daies, both mouable, & vnmouable, and ſuch like. When themſelues are aſhamed of themſelues, what reaſon haue others to forbeare them? No doubt, as the great impoſtors of the world, ſo oft as they meet, they are ready to laugh one of another. Theſe mē are called by the names of aſtrologers, prognoſticators, almanack-makers, figure-flingers, wiſe men, wiſards, and ſuch like. And in Latine Chaldaei, Aſtrologi, Mathematici, Magi, Planetarij, Genethliaci, Babylonij, Diuini, Fatidici. In greeke alſo they are termed & known by the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : and in deriſion, of ſome they are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Of S. Hierome they are ſometime called Augures, and by a decree of Pope Gregory the yonger, Aſtrologers are anathematized vnder the name of Aruſpex. And S. Auguſt. in a book de natura daemonū, ſheweth that they which obſerue daies & houres in their buſines, are ſignified by the name Aruſpex. So in the olde time they were not called by the name of Aſtronomers, Mathematiques, or Aſtrologers: but for their iudging by the planets, they were called Planetarij: for caſting natiuities, Genethliaci: and of the countrie that ſent them out abroad by ſwarmes, they were termed Chaldaei. The quid nominis of this art is as here is ſaid, for the farther definitiō or quid rei, ſee Sextus ab Heminga, who bringeth three diuers definitions of three diuers authors for the diuiſion of it. Whereas commonly it is diuided into foure parts, he diuideth it into two partes only, of purpoſe reiecting the other two, as derided by the aſtrologers themſelues. For the ſubiect of Aſtrology, he deuideth it into two parts, actiue & paſſiue, making heauen the actiue part, and earth the paſſiue. Where alſo he relateth a proper conceit of Cardan, that heauen is like the earth, & the ſtars like moūtaines, and ſtones vpon the earth. The actiue ſubiect of heauen he alſo deuideth into foure parts. pag. 10. To diſcourſe ſeuerally of thoſe points wold but ſpend time: & therefore I thought beſt only to point to them. Theſe men being altogether ignorant of all good learning, not only in the ſtars, which they profeſſe, beare vs in hand that all our actions and enterpriſes depend vpon certaine conſtellations, and aſpects of ſtars, and reuolutions, extending this their skill to natiuities, queſtions, elections, intentions, thoughts, and the foretelling of things to come: intermedling and buſying themſelues euen in the ſecrets of Gods prouidence. In which they do not onely moſt lewdly and impiouſly make many to giue ouer al care of their life and actions, as being forced by the ſtars, which they cānot reſiſt, but alſo moſt blaſphemouſly impeach the diuine prouidence. For if all our actions depend of the ſtars, then may God haue an euerlaſting playing day, and let the world wag.

CHAP. II.

Diuinitie proofes againſt Aſtrologie: firſt authorities, and then reaſons, and that Chriſtianitie and Aſtrologie cannot ſtand together.

Becauſe therfore the chiefe impietie of theſe mē is againſt God himſelf, we wil firſt aſſault them with reaſons out of diuinitie: Hieremie cap. 10. The Iewes are willed to giue no credite to ſtargazers, nor to feare them a whit: Learn not the waies of the Gē tiles, neither feare the ſignes of heauen, as they doe, becauſe the lawes and ordinances of the people are vain. With Hierem. agreeth Eſay cap. 47. where he derideth Southſayers truſting in their predictions, & obſeruations. Let thy Soothſayers ſtand and ſaue thee, which gazing vpon the ſtarres, and counting the moneths, take vpō them to foretel thee what is to come. In the ſame chapter he ſaith, there ſhal ill come vpon thee, but whence thou ſhalt not know (that is, ſuch as no conſtellation ſhal forewarn) & calamitie ſhal ruſh vpon thee, which thou canſt not auoide, to wit, by elections of houres, or other ſuperſtitious tricks of Aſtrologie. And cap. xliiij of the ſame prophet, God ſaith: I am the Lord that do fruſtrate, and diſappoint the ſignes of wiſards, making the Southſayers made, foiling their wiſemen, and making their skill fooliſh. Of them the Prophet Micha ſaith Chap. 3. vers. 7. that they ſhall bluſh at their lies, and hide their faces for ſhame. With theſe three Prophets agreeth Salo. Eccl. cap. 8. No man knoweth that which is paſt, neither can any tel him that which is to come. Deuteron. xviij. ver. x. it is ſaid, that whoſoeuer vſeth this trade is an abhomination to God, and that this was one of the cheefe cauſes, why God diſplaced the nations, and baniſhed them. And in the ſecond booke of Kings it is ſaid, that their vanitie was the ouerthrow of the people of Iſrael; for there is ſaid that they applied Southſayings, which folly alſo is derided of Iob in theſe words: Doſt thou know (ſaith he,) the order of heauen, and wilt thou reduce the courſe of it to the earth? And againe who ſhal declare the order of heauē? In which place alſo is touched a double errour of aſtrologers; the one, that they aſcribe many things to heauen, which belong not to it: another that euen the very effects of heauen, they cannot foreſee by heauen. Vpon theſe ſo plentifull & plaine places the church grounding, hath not ſpared from time to time, to cenſure theſe men moſt ſeuerely, as appeareth by many decrees, as you may reade, in ſecūda parte Decretorum cap. xxvi. the fiue firſt queſtions & in the firſt Bracaren Councell cap. ix, and x. and in the firſt counſell of Tolledo. In which councels there is this Decree againſt Aſtrologers. If any put his truſt in aſtrology let him be anathema. Alſo in the firſt chapter de ſortilegijs, is prouided that none ſhal liſten to diuinations. In the ſecond chapter of the ſame title is concluded, that it was an hainous offence, that one tooke vpō him by the help of his aſtrolabe, to recouer a ſtolne thing, although he did it ſimply, and of good zeale. By a decree alſo of Gregory the younger, Aſtrologers are accurſed vnder the name of Aruſpices, as I haue ſhewed els where. What hath bin the iudgemēt of the fathers concerning theſe men you may ſee, if you pleaſe to reade, either Baſil Hom. vi. in Geneſin, or Chriſoſt. and Gregorius Magnus vpon the ſecond chapter of Mathew, or Olympiodorus vpon the ſeuenth and tenth chapter of Eccleſiaſtes, or Caſsiodorus vppon the 70.118. Pſal. But eſpecially S. Auguſt. lib. 2. vpon Geneſis ad literam cap. 17. And lib. 2. De doctrina Chriſtiana cap. 21. Saint Auguſtines authoritie is of the more waight, becauſe he confeſſeth, that himſelfe was of that damnable crew, in the third booke of confeſſions: & in the ſeuenth booke his words be theſe; Now alſo I had renounced the falſe predictions, and wicked follies of Aſtrologers: and (meaning thē farther ſaith) whome chriſtian and true pietie expelleth and condēneth. And in his booke de natura Daemonum, he affirmeth, that it is not lawful for any chriſtian to caſt natiuities. In his ſecond booke de doctri. Chriſt he ſaith, it is a great madneſſe and follie to goe about to tell by the ſtars, the manners, actions and euents of men. And in the ſame booke he ſaith, Whoſoeuer giueth a peny to an Aſtrologer, goe he neuer ſo free vnto him, he returneth from him a bondman. With theſe agreeth Euſebius lib, 14. cap. 4 de praeparatione Euangelica, & lib. 6 cap. 9. Athanaſius alſo vpō thoſe words to the Coloſſians. According to the elements of the world, and not according to Chriſt, condemneth al theſe Aſtrological obſeruations of times. Baſil in his Hexam. ſaith; It is ridiculous to confute Aſtrologers, yet neceſſarie, leaſt others ſhould be intangled by their cunning. Damaſ. in theologicis ſententijs, graunteth that there may bee ſignes in heauē, of raine, drowth, heat, cold, winds, but not of our actions. With theſe auncient fathers agree alſo the ſchoolemē, as Aquinas in expoſitione ſymboli, Bonauenture in 1 Centiloquij parte, Petrus Tarantaſſius in 4. Conuentariorum in ſenten. and Iohn Gerſon, and diuerſe others both papiſts and proteſtants. Iulianus Apoſtata plaied but his part, when he would proue Abraham to be an aſtrologer out of theſe words cap. 15. of Geneſis. God brought out Abraham, and ſaid to him, view the heauens & number the ſtarres, if thou can, for ſo ſhal thy ſeed be. Notwithſtanding confeſſe we muſt, that Philo in his booke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , attributeth to Abraham great perfection in Aſtronomy: yet that ſhall no waies helpe to excuſe Iulian, their minds wherwith they ſpake it, being as differēt as may be. Farther Iuliā maketh, or wold make Abrahā an Aſtrologer, but Philo an Aſtronomer. Now what is the difference of Aſtronomy and Aſtrologie, may be plaine by that of Caſſiodorus vpō the 118. Pſal. His words be theſe; Aſtronomy is an art, which cōſidereth the courſe & figures of ſtarres, and their mutuall aſpectes both among themſelues, and in reſpect of the earth. Which Arte our anceſtors haue not much reiected, ſo that it goe no farther. But whē men erroniouſly glaunce into Aſtrology, thinking to picke the liues of men out of the courſe of the ſtarres, then they are abhominable and ſtarke blinde, taking vpon them to foreſee thoſe things which the creator for good cauſe meant to conceale from vs. That Abraham was inſtructed & skilful in Aſtronomy Philo proueth out of the interpretation of the name Abraam, ſignifying 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as if one ſhuld ſay, a loftie or mounted father, this title of loftie, or mounted father, being giuen him, becauſe hee lifted and mounted himſelfe from the earth by ſtudy of high and heauenly matters, ſearching what was the greatnes of the Sun, what was his courſe, how he doth determine the ſeaſons of the yeare, by his comming and going to and fro, ſearching alſo concerning the moon of her diuerſe lights, forms, waxings, wainings; of the motions of the other ſtars, both fixed, and not fixed. For (ſaith he) the ſtudy & enquiry of theſe things is not baſe & barren, but of al other moſt liberall, and full of good fruite, ſo that they bee referred as they ought to be to the vſe of life & mēding of māners. For ſaith he, as trees are nothing worth, vnleſſe they beare fruit: ſo Philoſophy auaileth nothing, if it bring not forth godly life, as her fruit. Inſomuch that ſome cō paring philoſophy to a field, haue likened the natural parts of it to the Plants; the logical part to the fence and hedges, but the morall to the fruit, affirming that the hedges & fences round about, are made onely for the ſafty of the fruit, but the plants to bear fruit, ſo ſay they, muſt the natural & logicall parts of Philoſophy be referred to the moral part, wherwith is taught honeſt cōuerſation & goodlife? By this place of Philo, we ſee both how farre Abraham waded in Aſtronomy, & to what end. Thus hauing cleared him from the troopes of the enemie, it remaineth, that we leaue him not ſo, but proceed in the purſuit. But firſt thus wee reaſon againſt theſe men. The hearts and wayes of all men are in the hands of God, who doth diſpoſe and turne them, as ſeemeth beſt to him, according to that, Pro. cap. 27. Homo proponit, Deus autem diſponit. If therefore no mā know his own waies for the time to come, much leſſe can the Aſtrologers know them. Againe, the diuell himſelfe knoweth not certainly future cauſes, for if he did, he would neuer haue egged the Iewes forward to crucifie Chriſt, by whoſe death his tyranny ouer mankind was to be aboliſhed and diſſolued: neither would he be ſo buſie in tempting and moleſting the Saints of God, if he knew before he ſhould be foiled by them, and ſo increaſe their glorie. But what do we ſpeake of the diuell, ſeeing neither the Angels nor bleſſed ſoules of the faithfull, who ſtill behold God, and ſee into the courſe of ſtarres, as farre as any Wiſard, cannot certainely know our actions before hand, without ſome ſpeciall reuelation from God? What madneſſe were it then to giue that to the diuell, which is denied to Angels and Saints? Againe, whatſoeuer belonged to Chriſt, or the ſtate of his Church, we ſee hath beene euer foretold long before by the Prophets moſt diſtinctly and plainely; which things if they could haue beene foretold by the ſtarres and ſtarregazers, then were the foundation of all true religion ſhaken. Neither by this meanes is religion and Diuinitie ſhaken onely, but alſo all morall doctrine and philoſophie: for whoſoeuer is perſwaded, that all dependeth on heauen, and therefore thinketh that all mens deeds and euents may be foreknowne and foretold by tooting vpon the ſtarres, he muſt needs thinke withall, that the ſoule is mortall, and the prouidence of God not to be ſuch as our faith teacheth, and that the myſteries & miracles of our religion, though they be indeed ſupernaturall, yet depend vpon celeſtiall cauſes and powers. How ill Chriſtianitie and Aſtrologie ſtand together, may appeare by the fact and practiſe of the Epheſians, Act. 19. who as ſoone as they were conuerted by the Apoſtles preaching, bid farewell to figure-flinging, and flung their curious books into the fire.

The ſpeech of S. Auguſtine receiuing a certaine penitent figure-flinger into the church, is very notable in theſe words after the expoſition of the 61. Pſal. This man being ſeduced by the enemy, was a long time a figure-flinger: being ſeduced himſelfe, and ſeducing others, he deceiued, entiſed, & ſpake manie lies againſt God, who hath giuen men power to do good and not harme. This man denied that his owne will committed adulterie, but Venus: and that his owne will committed murther, but Mars: and that iuſtice was done, not by God, but Iupiter: and many ſuch blaſphemies did he vtter. And after a few lines continuing the ſame ſpeech, he ſaith: This man was loſt, but he hath beene ſought, and is now found & brought home: the books that would haue burnt him, he bringeth with him to be burnt, that they being caſt into the fire, himſelfe may find refreſhing. Epiphanius in his booke de ponderibus telleth of a Biſhop that was depriued for ſtudying figure-flinging. Farther, all our religion, faith, the comming of our Sauiour, the labour and paines of his Apoſtles and Prophets in planting the Church, by this meanes ſhould be in vaine, vnleſſe ſome perhaps will not ſticke to ſay, that the miracles of Chriſt, with his death, birth, &c. depend vpon conſtellations, and aſpects of ſtarres. And then wee may alſo go on, and ſay that we are by deſtinie called to Chriſt, and that either there is no difference betweene good and euill, or that God is the authour of euil. Some of them ſay there is ſuch vertue in Mars wel placed in the ninth houſe, that by our only preſence we chaſe diuels out of poſſeſſed bodies.

Others by this arte thinke they can iudge of mens thoughts and conſciences. Maternus ſaith, that they which are borne, Saturne being in Leo, ſhall firſt liue long here, & afterward go to heauen. Albumaſar ſaith, that he that ſhall pray to God for any thing, when the Moone and Iupiter are ioyned in the head of the Dragon, ſhal obtaine whatſoeuer he asketh. Of this Petrus Aponenſis ſaith, that he had triall in himſelfe. For in that coniunction when he had asked learning of God, he perceiued, he ſaid, that he was thereby mightily furthered: yet I thinke that many haue had as much wit as he had, without asking: and of thoſe that haue asked without the help of that conſtellation, no doubt many haue far paſſed him for all manner of gifts. Wherfore it ſhould ſeeme that there be ſome conſtellations better for wit then this, for himſelfe it was wel that he asked in pudding time, as they ſay; for if he had not, perhaps we ſhould haue had a very wiſe man of him. But that it hath bin alwaies pernicious and hurtfull to the Church, may thence appeare, becauſe alwaies the greateſt aſtrologers haue made religion, as well as any humane or politique lawes ſubiect to conſtellations. Ptolemy in the ſecond booke of his Centiloquium, aſcribeth to the nature of celeſtiall formes, & ſtarres, that this motion hath one religion, and that another. And a certaine greeke interpreter of Ptolemy attributeth the miracle of Moſes paſſing the red ſea on foote with the people, to the skil of Moſes obſeruing the fluxe and refluxe of the ſea, as if in the ſame water both Gods people were not ſaued, and Pharao with his aſtrologers drowned, as if Ioſue had not paſſed Iordan drie foote, where was not fluxe nor refluxe to yeeld to him. Albumaſar deriueth from heauen both our religion and the Turkes, and all other lawes, and his interpreter Henricus Macleuienſis found a ſhip in heauen, by which Noe framed his arke, which deuiſe Halliacenſis admitteth with great applauſe. Abraham Iudeus very impiouſly and ridiculouſly referreth to diuerſe conſtellations the law of Moſes, the departing out of Egypt, and whatſoeuer els hapned to that people. Guido Bomattus alſo moſt prophanely and madlie ſaith, that Chriſt vſed elected howers, when he anſwered the Apoſtles, deſiring him not to goe into Iudea, that there were twelue howers of the daie. He made choiſe of an howre ſaith he, in which the Iewes could not hurt him, as if we did not reade in the ſame Goſpell, that he ouerthrew them, and paſſed through the midſt of them vnſeene, euen at none day. Others thinke that when they reade in Paul of the fulneſſe of time, and in the Goſpell, now is your hower, and the power of darkeneſſe, and in an other place my howre is not yet come, that by theſe places are meant their conſtellations. For anſwer to them, I would gladly know of thē, whether they thinke it eating time, whē they are hungry, and drinking time when they are thirſty how ſoeuer it fareth with heauen at the ſame time. If they be not ſtarke ſtaring madde, they will graunt that euery thing hath a time, howſoeuer heauen goeth, according to the nature of the thing in hand, and the oportunitie of Doing. So diuine miracles haue their time, but according to the purpoſe of God, not according to the conſtitution of heauen. The ſame Guido ſaith, that the Chriſtian religion is the religion of Iupiter, and in the proems of his Theorickes, againſt Gerardus, he writeth that wee muſt praie deuoutly to Mercurie in chooſing of a new Pope. Roger Bacon ſaith, that Chriſtians might doe well to keepe Satterdaie holie daie with the Iewes, becāſe it is no good day for worke, as belonging to Saturne. With the like madneſſe ſome of them haue ſaid, that Venus giueth felicitie in this world, and Iupiter in the world to come. Theſe things therefore being thus, who doth not ſee how Chriſtianitie and Aſtrologie will ſute together? how a Chriſtian and an Aſtrologer cannot wel mantle in one coate? But for heretiques we knowe how well they haue alwaies bin ſeene in theſe artes. Tertullian. Lib. 1. contra Marcionem ſaith, that the Marcioniſtes were commonly Aſtrologers, & in his booke de Idololatria, he inueigheth mightily againſt them. They thinke ſaith he, that we are not to ſeeke after God, preſuming that the ſtarres raigne ouer vs, and force vs with an immutable decree. Epiphanius ſaith of Manes, that he was good at ſuch theſe magicall knacks, and ſtudied them hard. S. Auguſtine tom. 1. Confeſsionum ſaith, that the writings of the Manicheans, were full of Aſtrologicall toyes, which they vnderſtoode not themſelues. As for Priſcillian, all knew how worthily he is condemned, for tying euen our reprobation and election to the courſe of heauen and ſtarres. Of the Priſcillianiſts ſaith Saint Auguſtine cap. 70. de Haereſ. They affirme alſo that men are bound with certaine fatall ſtarres, and that our bodies are framed according to the twelue ſignes of heauen, as do they which are commonly knowne by the name of Mathematiques, placing Aries in the head, Taurus in the necke, Gemini in the ſhoulder, &c. And a little after he ſaith: Theſe fables, vanities, and ſacriledges doth this hereſie embrace. Wherefore by Saint Auguſtines opinion, theſe men may well be counted heretiques; whom, of the 12. ſignes which they abuſe, we may very fitly call Dodeafemoriani.

Neither do I well ſee how that of Origen can be allowed: where he ſaith, that this ſcience was permitted till the Goſpell came, that as ſoone as Chriſt was borne, none ſhould caſt natiuities by the ſtarres, lib. de Idolol. Much better is that ſaid of him in the ſixt Homely vpon Ioſuah: where among other ſhames and reproches of Egypt, he reckoneth vp Aſtrologie; and hauing named diuers, in the end hee inferreth thus: Which obſeruations if thou admit, and entangle thy ſelf with anew, thou doſt doubtles plunge thy ſelf into Egyptian reproches, if therefore, ſaith he, at any time this curioſitie tickle thee, by the inſtigation of the enemie in thine heart, ſay to thy ſelfe: I doe follow my guide Ieſus, in whoſe power are things to come, and what things ſo euer he will, thoſe things ſhall come. Though there bee ſmall hope, that wee will heare the dead, when we regard not Moſes and the Prophets, yet for our deeper condemnation in this point, let vs ſee what the dead, that is, Heathen and prophane Philoſophers will ſay: for mine owne part I would be glad to take any courſe for the ouerthrow of this monſter: Fectere ſi Superi nequeant, acherontamouebo, Since God cannot preuaile with fooles, Ile trie the force of humane ſchooles.

If any will periſh wilfully in this Idolatrous impietie, to them I will proteſt that Teſtor in occaſu veſtro, nec tela, nec vllas vitauiſſe vices. Witneſſe, I haue not ſpar'd my bloud, Nor anie thing to do you good.

CHAP. III.

That the difficulties of this Arte by ignorance, firſt of the number of ſtars, then of the conſtellation, thirdly of the birth-houre are ſuch, as muſt needs ſpoyle this Arte, as alſo may appeare by examples brought.

FIrſt therefore the ignorance of theſe Wiſards ſhall be ſufficient to ouerthrow all their arte: the greateſt and graueſt Philoſophers are not agreed of manie controuerſies in heauenly matters. And Ariſtotle lib. 2. de Coelo, text. 17.34.60.61. confeſſeth himſelfe in many of theſe points to be ſo far to ſeeke, that he is forced oft in ſteed of ſound arguments to vſe probabilities and coniectures. And if it fared thus with Ariſtotle the prince of Philoſophers, what is to bee thought of theſe companions, but euen that which is commonly ſaid, who is ſo bold as blind Bayard? No doubt, there are in heauen a number of ſtarres, which, ſince becauſe of their diſtance, no man can diſcerne, no man can know, which notwithſtanding haue their operation. If therefore the ſtarres, which cauſe the effects, be vnknowne, how can the effects themſelues be knowne, ſeeing euerie thing muſt bee knowne by his cauſes? Further, Aſtrologers confeſſe, that they haue no certaine knowledge, euen of many of thoſe ſtarres which are ſeene: how then can theſe paltry wiſards, of a few ſtarres, which they know, ſo confidently pronounce of things to come: as if by the influence of thoſe which they know not, the effects of thoſe which they know might not be hindered and altered? Vnleſſe perhaps to this they will anſwere, that the vnknowne ſtarres are without force or influence: which were moſt ſottiſh and abſurd. Among Aſtrologers it is plaine, that in the eight Spheare are ſtarres 1022. euerie one bigger then the earth; wherefore their force and power muſt needs be ſuch as the poore ſtargazers can hardly apprehend, conſidering their arte is bounded and limitted ſpecially & principally, with the obſeruations of Planets only, their ſpending and occupying it ſelfe. But that the ſtarres haue no ſuch force or power at all, is plaine, for if they haue it, they muſt haue it of God; but of God they neuer had it, for then he would not haue forbidden the vſe of them, no more then he hath the vſe of meates, fruits, herbes, &c. to which he hath giuen power to nouriſh & cure mans bodie. As we are bidden to take meat and drinke with thankſgiuing: ſo no doubt he would haue willed vs to vſe the helpe of ſtarres, if there had beene anie ſuch force in them. But now that he hath forbidden them, what ſhall we thinke? Againe, to what end had he forbidden the tree of knowledge, if he had left a ſtar of knowledge. The Magi were led to Chriſt by a ſtar, but not by a figure. Hence it is plaine that the ſtarres do not performe that which is ſaid; for were there not ſtarres enough before, but they muſt haue a new one to guide them? Will a figure mention the death of meane and baſe people, and ſay nothing of Chriſt? where, when, and how he was borne, but we muſt haue a new ſtarre? Although indeed Iulius Firmicus lib. 2. cap. 33. ſeemeth to be of opinion, that certaine perſons are ſo great, that the ſtarres do not reach to their natiuities and actions: his words be theſe. Only the Emperour is not ſubiect to the courſe of ſtarres, neither haue the ſtarres any power in his deſtinie: ſo that Figure-flingers and wiſards cannot certainely foretell anie thing either of the ſtate of the cōmon-wealth, or of the life of the Emperor. If this be true, great reaſon it is, that Chriſt ſhould be free from the neceſſity of ſtarres. Neuertheleſſe ſome of them haue beene buſie, calculating and caſting his natiuitie.

As for this ſtarre becauſe it was directed immediately and extraordinarily by God, let them not meddle with it, nor pollute it with their diueliſh arte: if they wil needes be doing, let them rather meddle with thoſe two ſtarres, the one mentioned by Marcus Varro, being Venus: which he ſaith went before Aeneas from Troy to Laurentum, & there left him: the other, which directed them that found Saint Anthonies body, going before them till it came ouer his bodie: for ſo Lilius Giraldus ſaith it is recorded in the antitiquites of his countrie. Theſe be more fit for them to deale with, and ſo ſhall that be verified of them, Like lips, like Lettuce. For Firmicus, as hee here denieth the force of the heauens ouer excellent perſonages: ſo ſome others of this profeſſion haue renounced it in baſe and meane creatures, as it is ſaid hereafter: and ſhall we beleeue them in a little remnant left in the middeſt? ſurely we would gladly haue ſomewhat to beleeue, that are thus ready to beleeue all their ſottiſhneſſe.

O curuae in ſtellas animae, & pietatis inanes!

But doth not Firmicus ſee how by his opinion, one of their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or rather the verie Palladium of their arte is quite ouerturned, to wit, that Nondum abiere Idus Martij. Was not Caeſar an Emperour, and therefore no ſtarre-ſubiect?

About 22. yeares ago, 1578. was for halfe a yeeres ſpace together at leaſt, ſeene a new ſtarre in Caſsiopaea, which by the iudgement of all the beſt obſeruers of it, was out of the reach of Meteors, as being as high as the Sunne from the earth at leaſt. In this caſe we muſt grāt either that this ſtar was bred & corrupted in heauen (which being granted, it will follow that the like may, and doth happen in others alſo) or that there be more Planets then ſeuen, whoſe courſes are vnknowne to vs; or laſtly that the fixed ſtarres do not keepe their eighth orbe, but haue their ſeuerall circuits and motions. Which doubt, as it ſeemeth of old, troubled that famous Hipparchus, if we beleeue Plinie, cap. 25. lib. 2. his words be theſe: That neuer ſufficiently commended Hipparchus, in his time obſerued a new ſtarre; whereupon he began to doubt whether the like might happen oft, and whether thoſe which we cal fixed, are alſo mouable. And ſome (it ſeemeth) were of opinion, that all the ſtarres were not made at once, but ſome at one time, and ſome at another, as may appeare by that, that the Arcadians are more ancient then the Moone: and that of Apollonius lib. 4. ver. 261.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Not all the ſtarres were yet found out, Which run the heauen round about.

Some were of opinion, that heauen without was compaſſed round about with fire, and that the eighth Sphere was full of holes, through which the fire made ſhew of ſtarres. But how this opinion can either help or hinder our new ſtarre I do not ſee, and therefore I paſſe it ouer as moſt ridiculous.

Concerning the aſpects, & poſitions of ſtars in natiuities, that muſt needs be a brittle, & ſlippery point, very ſubiect to errour and miſtaking. For firſt, it muſt needs be very hard to obſerue the very inſtant, or moment of times wherin one is borne. Secondly there is no leſſe difficultie in marking the aſpect of the ſtarre which was at that inſtant. For both the midwife may miſtake the time, and the Aſtrologer may miſtake the aſpect, by reaſon of interpoſition of fogges, or vapors, which may either happily quite take away and hide, or at leaſt darken, and obſcure the aſpect. Neither is that to be forgotten, that often times the ſwifte reuolution of the heauen cauſeth the conſtellation to be paſt before it can be noted, conſidering that euery moment the figure and face of heauen with the poſition of the ſtarres is varied. Notwithſtanding, theſe wiſardly wiſe Aſtrologers take vpon them to tell euery mans Fortune, if they may once knowe the time of his birth.

Which time notwithſtanding preciſely and ſufficiently for his purpoſe he cannot knowe. For ſuppoſe one were borne ſuch a yeare, ſuch a day, ſuch an howre in the beginning or in the end of the ſame howre, yet that will not ſerue the figure-flingers turne, who muſt not knowe in a certaine latitude, but very exactly the very momēt of time, which he is not to hope to learne of either midwife, or parents, who make their account ſo, that they thinke they come near, if they miſſe not too too much. Farther we may doubt, how the birth is to be taken, & conſidered, whether when the child firſt ſheweth, or when it is half out, or when it is quite deliuered. Neither can we exactly fit the time for any one of theſe. For either for the ſtoutneſſe of minde, or ſtrength of body, or diſpoſition of nature, or skilfulneſſe of the midwife, the ſtrength of the child, or innumerable ſuch like cauſes, euery one of theſe times may vary, to wit, both the time of pearing firſt, & the time of farther bearing, and the time of full deliuery. Becauſe in the caſting of theſe the Aſtrologers faile, they can neuer hit right vpon the howre of natiuitie, therefore though they neuer ſo much profeſſe to knowe the figure of heauen in the natiuitie, yet by this we may ſee they do not attaine to it, and ſo their Horoſcopus, and houſes muſt needs goe to ground. Againe how will they finde the houre of natiuitie in ſuch as may be thought to haue had no natiuitie, as Scip. Africanus, Manlius &c. who after their mothers were dead were cut out of their mothers wombes. If the birth be nixus matris, or cum nixu, then theſe had no birth, no more then they had many times after, when they were taken out of their ſwadling clouts. Ioan. Schenchius reporteth lib. 4. obſer. 189. of one Burcardus comes de Lintzgroue, who becauſe he was cut from his dead mother was commonly called Ingenitus. If therefore they which come thus into the world by art, can not properly be ſaid to be borne, or to haue a birth, how cā the figure-flinger caſt ſuch natiuities, or tel their deſtinies. If the aſtrologer had bin to caſt the natiuity of our firſt parents Adam & Eue, to tel thē how long they were to ſtay in Paradiſe, how they ſhould be deceiued by the ſerpent, how many children they ſhuld haue, & how long they ſhould liue in this caſe, what wold they ſay, what hower would they take, when there was neither cōception, nor natiuity. Nay in Adam, by the perfection of his creation being ſo full of all wiſedome, & knowledge, in him I ſay, what an aſtoniſhment would the very firſt ſight of heauen haue wrought, when looking vp thither he ſhould haue ſeene his owne deſtiny in the ſtarres? Diodorus Sicul. reporteth that ſome Philoſophers, among whome was Anaxagoras, and his ſcholler Euripides, were of opinion, that the firſt men were made, as all other things were, by the ſun working vpon the ſlime, and moiſture which is found in the new made world. This kinde of breeding they confirme with that which is to be ſeene about Nilus. For after Nilus hath a good while ouerflowed all, and throughly ſoked & moiſtned the earth, the heate of the ſun comming vpon it, by a kind of putrefaction, it ſilleth all the cuntry full of miſe. At this day ſaith Diodorus, are certaine litle creatures ſtill ſo bred, as flies, and wormes, but not greater, as men, and Lions, ſee there the Cauſe. Of this opinion ſeemeth to haue bin Lucretius, and, which is to be maruelled at, euen Auicen alſo, who farther ſaith, that euen at this Day, a man might be framed out of the earth, contrary to Diodor. to Lucret. lib. 5. you may adde two poets moe Ouid. lib. 1. Metamor. Natus homo eſt &c. Horace. od. i6. lib. 1. Fertur Prometheus.

Addere principi limo coactus particulam vndique defectā. If this were true, how would the Aſtrologer doe, or what ſhift and ſhufling would he make to get the Horoſcopus for the firſt man, who had neither conception nor birth, whereby hee might be guided?

CHAP. 4

That the Diuiſion of heauen, the Aſtrologers noting of the Horoſcopus, and the relation of the birth hower are all moſt deceiuable.

But for preciſeneſſe in this point, it will not be amiſſe to relate out of Sextus Empiricus, how theſe Chaldeans were wont of old to take the true time, and what courſe they tooke for that purpoſe Becauſe the 12 ſigns are not bounded, and as it were chalked out to them, but very vncertainly circumſcribed by the obſeruation of Diſperſed ſtarres, they tooke this courſe to deuide a circle into 12 equall parts, marking ſome faire ſtarre in the Zodiake, and filling a great veſſell full of water, they let that water run into another veſſell, while that ſtarre going from his riſing in the Horizon, went round, and came to his riſing place againe, taking from point to point to be the full reuolution of a circle. Again they tooke the twelfth part of this water, and conſidered in what time it did likewiſe run out of the ſame veſſell, for in that they held, that the twelfth part of the circle went round, & that part of the circle to the whole circle had the ſame proportion, as had that twelfth parte of the water to the whole water.

By this relation to the twelft part, they noted the end by ſome faire ſtar, which they ſpied in the Horizon, whether it were North or South. By this help & means they tooke vpon them to determine, and point out the aſcenſions in the Zodiake, which notwithſtanding by no meanes are determinable, but ſo that a ſigne which is not riſen, may ſeeme to be riſen, and contrary a ſigne which is riſen, may ſeeme to be not riſen: neither will this way by water running ſo much further & helpe them. For both the water it ſelfe, and the temperature of the ayre, and things ſtopping the fluxe, will cauſe the time of the running to vary and be vnequall. For it is like, that the water will run faſter in the beginning, while it is cleare, then at the end, when it waxeth thicke, and muddy. For the ayre, it is like, if it be foggie & thicke, it muſt needs hinder the running by a ſort of ſtopping it, but if it be cleare & pure, it will helpe and further it. Againe the veſſell will not run a like faſt, being ful, and neere empty, but ſometimes ſlower, ſometimes faſter, the celeſtiall motions ſtill continuing the ſame ſwiftneſſe, by this meanes they notwithſtanding thought to get the true Horoſcopus, and the aſcending ſigne of the Zodiake, in which how far they were deceiued may appeare, both by that which hath bin ſaid, and more at large in Sext. Emp. cap. contra Aſtrologos. But for the matter of the Horoſcopus, which is the ground of the reſt, it can by no meanes ſtand. For when they ſay, that one ſitting by the woman in trauell ſignifieth the moment of the birth by the ſound of the baſen to the Aſtrologer viewing the ſtars vpon the hill top, where he marketh the ſigne riſing: firſt we ſay, that ſeeing the time of the birth cannot be limited, as hath bin proued, it wilbe hard to notifie it by a baſen, or ſuch like. But ſuppoſe the birth may be taken: yet the time cannot be taken and noted. For before the ſound of the baſen can come to the hill top, will paſſe a good deale of time, as for example, we ſee it fall out in the cleauing of wood, or diſcharging of ordināce a far off: for a good while after the axe is downe & the peece ſhot off, we heare the ſound, becauſe the ſound is long in going to him which heareth it. Therfore the Aſtrologer cannot perfectly take the time of the ſigne riſing, which is the Horoſcopus. Againe, not only paſſeth much time, while the ſound goeth betwene him which ſitteth with the woman, and the Aſtrologer tooting vpon the ſtarres, but euen while hee tooteth vpward, and examineth in what ſigne is the moone, and the reſt of the ſtarres, the face and figure of heauen is changed before he can accommodate, and apply thoſe things which he ſaw in heauen to the birth hower. Farther, this kind of noting may perhaps haue ſome ſucceſſe in the night, when the Zodiake, and the ſtarres in it may be ſeene. But becauſe many are borne in the day time alſo, when nothing can be noted, but the motion of the ſun, and many times ſcarſe that, it followeth, that theſe figure-flingers may ſometime hit, and ſome time miſſe quoad hoc. It may be alſo that euen in the night they may miſſe, if the night be miſty and foggy. But to grant that the Horoſcopus, and their Centers, as they call them, with the reſt of their houſes may be knowne: yet plaine it is, that none of theſe ſimple country-folkes, which come to the figure-flingers, commeth with the preciſe obſeruation of time, as is fit. For there is more cunning in that point then euery poore countrie man can attaine to, as hath been ſhewed before. Becauſe therefore the figure-flinger hath not marked himſelfe the birth-houre, but taketh it by the relation of an vnskilfull meſſenger, it remaineth, that no certaine prediction, but errour, and deceit rather muſt enſue of this fantaſticall & falſe arte.

CHAP. V.

That the birth-time, and the time for obſeruing the Horoſcopus muſt be a preciſe time, and not with a latitude onely.

TO ſalue this, if they will reply, that they ſtand not ſo much vpon the preciſe and perfect point of time, as vpon a time conſidered more laregely, and in ſome reaſonable latitude, then the elements and effects of their predictions ſhall ſufficiently refell and conuince them. For of them that haue beene borne together in the ſame time with ſome latitude of time, all haue not led the ſame life: but ſome of them, for example, haue reigned like Kings: others haue rotted in priſon. There were not many Alexanders, nor Platoes, nor Ariſtotles at once, although no doubt manie were borne at the ſame time with euerie one of them. For beſide heauen, vnder which, as a generall cauſe, both the Philoſophers of Athens, and the hogs of Boeotia were borne, Ariſtotle had other more immediate and peculiar cauſes. For firſt he had both a good ſoule, and a good body, but of heauen neither, but as of an vniuerſall cauſe; for his ſoule, he had it of God, as hee had his bodie of his parents. He gaue himſelfe to philoſophie, not forced by the heauens, but induced of his owne will. He alſo profited in Philoſophie exceedingly, but that was by reaſon of his paines and ſtudie: but many that ſtudied as much, profited nothing like, that may be, becauſe he had a better maſter, and mo helpes. But he paſſed all his ſchoolefellowes and equals: for that no doubt hee had a better wit, which he receiued of God, not of any conſtellation. The like may bee ſaid for Alexander. His victorie againſt the Perſians, & his good ſucceſſe againſt the Indians were maruellous. They were ſo, yet ſuch as no ſtarre but his princely vertues did effect; for he excelled in courage and Art Militarie, he had a notable Armie trained vp vnder his father Philip, which for his bountie and vertues loued him moſt dearely. Againe, he had to deale with daſtardly people; ſo that his vncle ſaid of him, that hee fought with women, not with men. Wherefore if the figure-flinger giue the birth-time ſom latitude, he can neuer certainly ſay, that he which is borne at ſuch a time, ſhal be fortunate and happie, ſince many borne at the very ſame time, were verie vnhappie and miſerable. Neither on the other ſide can he pronounce him poore and needie that was borne in ſuch an hower, ſince diuerſe borne in the ſame houre, liued all their life long in great abundance and plentie. Neither would it a little trouble the figure-flinger, if one ſhould retort the argument thus: If they which haue the ſame conſtellation, muſt needs haue the ſame haps and euents; then they which haue diuers conſtellations, muſt haue diuers and different euents and ſucceſſe, which is falſe. For we ſee many, though differing in yeares, bodily forme, and manie other wayes, yet haue come to the ſame end; to wit, either by fight in warre, ſhipwracke, fall of houſes, or ſuch like. Neither may they here reply, that ſome one, whoſe deſtinie was to be drowned, was the cauſe that all the reſt were caſt away with him. For why ſhould this mans deſtiny preuaile againſt the deſtinies of all the reſt? & why were they not as wel all ſaued for ſome one mans deſtinie, who was to periſh by land? Laſtly, ſome haue gone about to entangle them with a queſtion or obiection of bruit beaſts. If the courſe of life and effects be guided by conſtellations; if in the ſame conſtellation be borne a man and an aſſe, they muſt both trie the ſame fortune of life, and not the man to be aduanced in honour and eaſe, the poore aſſe in the meane time carying burthens, and his backe full of ſtripes: therefore either our life is not guided by the ſtarres, or if it be, no body can tell how. Againe, while the child is in the mothers wombe, it is ſubiect to many diſeaſes and quames, I would aske the figure-flinger, if he can foretell the accidents; I would know of him alſo, whether he can tell what day, and what houre the child ſhall be borne: for theſe things depend as much of the ſtarres, as any thing after it is borne. Theſe things and ſuch like he muſt ſay either that hee can, or cannot tell. If he cannot, then wee haue our purpoſe: if he ſay he can, then wee aske him how: for the natiuitie hee cannot be guided by, which is yet vnknowne to him, the child not being yet borne.

CHAP. VI.

That they cannot be verie confident in their owne Arte, as not knowing which to chuſe for their worke, whether the conception or the birth: where alſo are recited other times of alteration not inferiour to the birth-houre.

FOr this and ſuch like cauſes, ſome haue thought more reaſon to take direction frō the conception, which ſeemeth indeed to ſtand with much better reaſon then the natiuity, euen by Ptolemies iudgement in his Apoteleſmata, in theſe words: When the temporall beginning of a man is to be appointed naturally and properly, that muſt be when the ſeed is receiued into the wombe, but improperly and accidentally, when the child is borne. Whoſoeuer therefore ſhall vnderſtand the houre when the ſeede was receiued, he ought rather to follow that hower, in iudging the proprieties of the bodie and mind, and to conſider the figure of heauen at that time. Hitherto Ptolemie: Who in this cauſe is the rather to be liſtened to, becauſe of all he is counted Captaine in this kind: and as Homer ſaith of Chalcas, Iliad. lib. primo, verſ. 60. — 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But becauſe he knew how hard a thing it is for the Aſtrologer to get the true time of conception, for feare he might infringe their diuinations and predictions by the birth, he ſtraight way addeth this colour. But they that know not the conception, they muſt whether they will or no flie to the natiuitie. Haly in his booke de Electionibus confeſſeth plaine, the effectuall way of telling deſtinies, to be in the cōception: which becauſe the Aſtrologers know not, they are glad to take hold of the natiuitie. Moreouer, when the Aſtrologers are vrged with the obiections of twinnes, who though their birth be all one, yet often haue diuers and contrarie euents, they are wont to anſwere, that the diuerſitie of euents in twinnes dependeth of their diuers conceptions. Notwithſtanding ſome of them will by no means admit the conception, becauſe no man is able to ſay, whether the conception went together with the ſeed or otherwiſe. For it may be in a moment, as when we ſee greaſe put into the fire, it by and by kindleth; it may be alſo ſome good while after: for the ſeed which is caſt in the ground, doth not by and by ſprout, and take roote in the clods. And ſince there is ſome diſtance betwene the mouth and bottome of the mother, where conception is made, the ſeed muſt haue ſome time for paſſing this diſtāce; which time becauſe our Chaldeans knowe not, they can neuer rightly know the cōception. And if, as ſome Phyſitians hold, there be a kind of concoction, and preparation required of the ſeed in the mother, before there can be any conception: ſeeing theſe great craftſmen know not how much time is neceſſarie and requiſite to this preparation, they muſt needes be ignorant of the time of conception. Farther, as in other parts of their bodies women differ one from another, for the operations of the parts: ſo it is more then probable, that they haue the like differēce in the operatiō of the mother, wherby ſome are more quicke, and ſome more ſlow in conception: and euen in one and the ſame woman, it may be that ſhe is ſometimes more eaſie, and ſometimes more hard to conceiue, and ſometime will not conceiue at all. This being ſo, by no means can we exactly attaine to the time of conception, that thereby we might ſet a figure. Neither can it be ſaid, that the time of conception can be knowne by certain ſignes, as by the ſtraightneſſe of the mouth of the mother, by the ſtaying of the menſtrua, by their longing, &c. for all theſe happen very commonly to them which haue not conceiued. But ſuppoſe they did not happen verie commonly, yet becauſe they ſignifie the conception, when many dayes are paſt, they can neuer bring vs to the true houre which we ſeeke. But the Aſtrologer to foretel the future caſualties of anies life muſt know the time not with a latitude, and gheſſe, but the verie inſtant, and perfectly. Hence it is plaine that the figure cannot be well framed by the cōception, as much may be ſaid againſt the birth-time. But if they ſhould follow in theſe predictions the conception, then ſhould they be quickely at a ſtand, becauſe the time of conception is much harder to obtaine for the moſt part. It is alſo to be noted, that beſide the conception, the child hath diuerſe times of notable alteration before the birth, which might ſeeme rather to be regarded then the birth: for at the firſt it is called for ſixe dayes ſpace 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in which time it retaineth the name of ſeed, as you may reade in Galen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . lib. 1. After that, it groweth to a kind of fleſhly ſubſtance, making ſome confuſed ſhew of hart, braine, and liuer, at which time it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Thirdly, the heart, head, and liuer being perfected, and the other members beginning to come, it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Laſtly, when all the members being finiſhed, it beginneth to ſtirre and moue, it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To euery one of theſe foure times, ſome, as Conciliator, and Aegidius Romanus, and ſome others, haue appointed a certaine number of dayes, which I meane not to ſtand vpon, as being a thing not allowed by Galen. In concluſion, they adde out of Auicen. lib. 9. de Animalibus, that the time of quickening is double to the time of forming; & the time of birth double to the time of quickening. As if you would deuide the whole time into ſeuen equall parts, alotting one of thē to the formation, which they account commonly fortie daies; & two mo to the quickning which they recken to be dayes 120, and the fourth left to the birth, which put to the reſt, maketh in the whole 280. that is, in moneths 9½, or there about. Theſe times being thus notorious, and ſo limited, might ſeeme to giue as much direction as can be looked for of the natiuity: yet becauſe none of them can be obtained certainly, all men leaue them and fly to the natiuity: in which they thinke they haue great vantage, though it be far otherwiſe, as hath been ſhewed.

Again, that which hath bin ſaid of the diuerſe times of the child in formation, may generally be proſecuted thus. Of things which perfected in time, not in a moment, or inſtant, the deſtinie muſt needs be doubtfull: of the which hower notwithſtanding they pronounce as definitiuely, as if there were no doubt. For that may be taken for the fatall hower, either wherein the efficient cauſe beginneth the thing, or in which the thing is conſummate and perfected. Farther, wee are to conſider, that diuers partes haue their diuers beginnings, which are not finiſhed all at once, but one after another in order, which in generall, as I ſaid, we may hold to be true in all things. Now in a man how many and how diuerſe fatal beginnings, as they terme them, may there be? As Firſt, when the man and woman lie together, then with the ſeede which is admitted into the wombe. Thirdly when the ſeede worketh the womans excrement into a childe: as whē milke is curdled with the earning: Fourthly when the childe is couered ouer with membranes and vilmes: Fiftly when the heart firſt appeareth: Sixtly when the ſoule commeth to it, which is the fitteſt time of all: Farther when it beginneth to be a man then it conſiſteth of matter, & forme, which accompliſh the ful ſubſtance of it: The laſt time of al, & the leaſt to be regarded is the birth-time. Notwithſtanding this time as being no ſubiect to ſence, haue the Aſtrologers preferred and choſen as moſt fit for their predictions: but how wiſely, may eaſily appeare; ſeeing time doth neither begin, nor make nor perfect a man, but only ſhew him to the world, being already made and perfected. For this cauſe no doubt Ptolemy attributeth more to the conception then to the birth apoteleſm. lib. 3. as hath bin alleaged before.

But their vnſetledneſſe, and wauering in their owne art, may beſt appeare in ſicke men, whoſe recouery or Death they profeſſe to foretell. For that being a point depending vpon the natiuitie as much as any one thing: yet they leaue that commonly, and inſteed of it take the hower, when the ſicke man firſt beginneth to be ſicke, vpon which beginning they make diuerſe and doubtfull diſputes: ſome taking it for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the firſt aſſault of the diſeaſe, which wil not ſerue their turne, as being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without latitude, nor partible, which ſlippeth away before the figure can be ſet: others taking it for the ſpace of three or foure firſt daies: others determining it by ſignes of concortion, but all theſe waies they ſeing to lie open to many exceptions, ſome of them fly ad horam decubitus, when the ſicke man firſt taketh his bed: which conceit in my opinion is the deceatfulleſt of all. For ſuppoſe two fall ſicke at once, the one of the plague, the other of the gowt, following this way they muſt needs both dye, or both eſcape, although we ſee how many die of the plague, and how few of the gowt. Againe, if this way were good, what an aduantage had the figure-flinger of all the world, who by taking his bed, when he liſt, might put off death for euer, if he would. For if he ſawe an ill hower, he might take another time ſoner or later as he pleaſed, and ſo playe boe peepe with death. Here belike is true the meaning of that, Sapiens dominabitur aſtris, a wiſe man is aboue the ſtars. If ſuch wiſards may gouerne the ſtarres, and heauen, we may well pittie them in thoſe words: O domus antiqua quam diſpari dominaris domino? O heauenly houſe hard is thy caſe, by maiſters ſuch to haue diſgrace. Are not the ſtarres wiſe to giue wiſdome againſt themſelues? Farther, if the hora decubitus differ in two perſons, belike the one ſhal ſcape, and the other ſhall die: and if the hora decubitus differ in three, thē one ſhal ſcape, another ſhall die, and what ſhall become of the third? And if the caſe be put of moe, then the doubt wilbe greater, Ita male inſtituta ratio exitum reperire non poteſt; ſo hard it wilbe to come clearely out of an abſurditie.

CHAP. VII.

Of an euaſion which they vſe, when they are vrged with the examples of beaſts, plants and ſuch like.

As was ſaid before, a great queſtion might be moued, whether for men the conception, or natiuitie were to be taken, & for other things the ſame doubt is greater. For example, in a chicken are three notable times, the hatching, the laying of the egge, and the firſt conception of it. If a figure-flinger ſhould be asked the deſtiny of an hen, whether ſhee were to die at ſhrouetide, or by the foxe, or to be thraſhed to death: to anſwer the queſtion which of theſe three times would he take for ſetting his figure? Againe, the hen hatching all her young ones at once, let him anſwere whether they muſt all haue the ſame fortune; how many of them ſhould flye away with the kite, how many die of the pip or otherwiſe. In ſowing of corne, though it all fall into the ground at once, in the ſame poſition of heauē: yet you ſhall ſee it proue diuerſly: of ſome will come good wheate: of ſome, darnell, of ſome ſmutty geare: and of ſome, that which we call ſolders, which could not be, if the figure of heauen preuailed. Farther I haue heard of ſome husbandmen, that one and the ſelfe ſame graine ſhooting out from his roote diuerſe eares, will yeelde ſome of them good wheate, & other ſome ſmutty. To theſe and ſuch like obiections they are wont to anſwer, that their art extēdeth no farther then men, it doth not reach to cattes, wormes, flies, herbes, and ſuch like. To this their anſwer we may well reply that of S. Auguſt. lib. 2. de Gen. ad lit. cap. 17. Quid autem inſulſius, et hebetius, quam cum iſtis rebus conuincuntur, dicere ad ſolos homines ſibi ſubijciendos fatalem ſtellarum pertinere rationem? What can be more ſenſleſſe, or ſottiſh, then, when they are vrged with theſe things, to ſay, the ſtarres haue power onely ouer men, to rule them? Phauorinus in the 14. of Gel. cap. 1. ſaith, Nulla ratio videtur, cur ea ſyderum vis in hominibus valeret, ſi deficeret in caeteris, It were no reaſon to ſay that the ſtarres had power ouer men, if they had none in other things. But will you ſee the brauery of imprudency? They that now reſtraine their art to men only, denying it in beaſtes, are wont, when it pleaſeth them, to extend it euen to citties, houſes and ſuch like, as if by conſtellations they could tell vs what ſhould become of theſe things. The ſtory of Taruntius Firmanus, is reported by Tull. lib. 2. de diuinatione, who at the requeſt of Varro caſt the natiuitie of the citie of Rome. Quidam Lucius Firmanus familiaris noster inprimis Chaldaicis rationibus eruditus, vrbis etiam noſtrae natalem diem repetebat abijs Parilibus, quibus eam a Romulo conditam accepimus, Romā que in iugo quum eſſet Luna, natameſſe dicebat, nec eius fata canere dubitabat. O vim maximam erroris, etiam ne vrbis natalis dies, ad vim ſtellarum, & lunae pertinebit? Fac in puero referre, ex qua affectione coeli primum ſpiritum duxerit, num hoc in latere, aut in coemento, ex quibus vrbs effecta eſt, potuit valere: One Lucius Firmanus an acquaintance of mine, a very odde fellow for mathematiques, was wont to fetch the pedigree of our cittie from that feaſt, wherein it is thought to haue been builded by Romulus. Farther he added, that the moone at that time was in Libra, not ſticking alſo to reade the deſtiny of it. O the force of ignorance, muſt the foundation euen of a citie be drawne too within the compaſſe of Moone & ſtars? Admit it were of ſome moment in a child, how the heauens were affected when it was borne, muſt therefore the like needs bee graunted in bricke and mortar, wherof the city was made? In Merton Colledge in Oxford in the Wardens lodging, a window there hath the figure of heauen, when the firſt ſtone was laid with theſe verſes adioyned: Cubice ſume decem & vndena bis accipe quadrae, Summis ſex & ſeptem iungas tempora Chriſti, Tunc ſurgunt domus haec condita quando fuit, Richardi impenſis Fitziames Praeſidis aedis, Sedi & Roffenſi Praeſulis eximij. Do take the cube of ten, and eke of twentie two the ſquare, To which adde ſixe and ſeuen, and ſo of Chriſt wil come the yeare, When the firſt ſtone here was laid.

Piſces. 5. Mercurius. 27 Luna. 1.

Aquarius. 16. Venus. 15.

Capricor. 28

Capricor. 10.

Sagit. 2. Iupiter. 11 Scorpio 11

Libra. 19

Virgo. 5.

Leo. 16.

Cancer. 28.

Cancer. 10.

Taurus 5 Mars 5 Gem. 2.

Aries. 19. Sol. 2. Saturn. 1

Figura coeli in primilapidis iactura, anno Chriſti, 1497. 12. die Martij. hora 10. minuto 20. ante meridiem: dies erat Sabathi: hora verò Veneris.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the vncertaintie and falſhood of their Predictions.

BVut to grant them which is more then needs, that there is ſomwhat in their predictions, yet it is no more then we ſee was of old in Apollos Oracles, ſuch as that, Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere poſſe: Aeacida the Romans ſtout Shall ouercome, there is no doubt. Or that, Croeſus Halim penetrans, magnam peruertet opū vim: Croeſus by paſſing Halis floud, Shall be the bane of mickle good. For ſome in ſteed of a man will deſcribe vnto you a dawe, or ſuch like. One miſſing a ſiluer ſpoone, which was hidden by a Corniſh Chogh, which hee had in his houſe, and going to the figure-flinger to know what was become of his ſpoone, the figure-flinger anſwered, the party which had it, had long legs, went in a blacke coate, with a paire of red ſtockings, he had a beake noſe, & was borne weſtward from that place, he might ſeeme to be a gentleman by his high birth; but he thought no Engliſhmā by reaſon of his ſtrange tongue. Now the Chogh indeed had long legges, red ſhanks, blacke feathers, a beake, was borne weſtward, and high, and in ſteed of ſpeach chattereth. With this blind deſcription many were called into ſuſpition, but the poore Chogh in the end was found to haue hid the ſpoone. This tale goeth for good with many: but I am out of doubt, that they cannot gheſſe ſo well. If they will get any credit to their gheſſes, let thē gheſſe at ſomewhat, that ſhall happen to morrow, or ſhortly after, the euent whereof we are like to ſee, and as they carry themſelues in that, ſo truſt them in the reſt. If in theſe and ſuch like they ſhall faile, ſhall we bee ſuch puppies as to beleeue them in the reſt? As if they colde ſay true in nothing, but where they could not be controlled. If we were not too much beſotted, that which they ſay about windes and weather, as ſnowe, raine, froſt, drouth and ſuch others, might ſufficiently put vs in minde how to credit them in the reſt, and that there is no art in their predictions. How commonly doe they ſay falſe in theſe? And if at any time they ſaye true, yet it is ſo, that any man may ſee it was rather by hap then by skill. For if any vnskilfull man not profeſſed that way, ſhould ſet downe weather for euery day at all aduenture, we doubt not but he would hit ſometime euen as they doe. But the vanitie of their trade can no way better appeare then by comparing of diuerſe Almanacks together, where you may ſee, if you wil ſee, the exceeding folly of both parts, as well of them in writing, as others in beleeuing. Adrian Turnebus reporteth of himſelfe, that he was wont to make trial of their art. By this meanes many times (ſaith he) to trie their art, at the beginning of the yeare in a new almanacke, where they write raine, I write drouth: where they calme, I windie: where they cleare, I clowdie, obſeruing the euent, and at the yeares end, I gathered the ſum of both our predictions, & found my ſelfe a great deale better, and truer Aſtrologer. Whereby we may ſee what a goodly art that is, which a man may ſeeme to haue by ſcoffing, and laughing at it, but what will bleſſed Cardan himſelfe ſay in this caſe? In his commentaries lib. 1. cap. 2. his words be theſe of Aſtrologers, they handle (ſaith he) their matters ſo careleſly, that they make the art to be great y ſlaundered. Since therefore their predictions are for the moſt part falſe, or rather all falſe, to ſpeake on, it is plaine they proceed not from any art, or certaine obſeruations, but of raſh and ignorant babling at all aduenture. Betwene art and hap hazard is this difference, the one hitteth oft, and very ſildome faileth; the other faileth commonly, and ſcarſe euer hitteth, no not one in a hundred. Now what reaſon is there, that one trueth ſhould credit ſo many lies, rather then ſo many lies ſhold diſcredit that one trueth, which might haue bin a lie, as well as the reſt, but that the blinde man ſometimes hitteth the haire. But ſince their lies are mo then their truthes, why may we not thinke that they hit vppon the truth, by chance? for when they conclude, that their art is good, becauſe ſometime they hit, by as good an argument, will I proue that all arts, be they neuer ſo ſuperſtitious & ſottiſh, are good; for there is none of them, but if they be ſtill gheſſing, they wil ſometime hit. Wherfore if Aſtrologers ſhal condēne any diuining arts as falſe, they may be proued to ſpeake contradictories, ſince they may be all proued true, by as good reaſon as they bring for their art: but if againe they ſhall hold them all for true, they ſhalbe no leſſe ſubiect to contradiction. For ſuppoſe the Chiromancer, the Aſtrologer, and the Geomancer were al put to one queſtion, no doubt they would ſeeldome agree in the truth: and when any of them hapned vpon the truth you ſhould finde it there, where you leaſt looked for it, either becauſe chaunce ruleth moſt, where there is leaſt reaſon, or becauſe in the worſe arts, the diuell is more ready to deceiue. For that of S. Auguſtine is moſt true, that Aſtrologers by the inſpiration of the diuell, which they perceiue not, doe ſometime tell the truth, which hapneth moſt commonly, when they ſeeme miraculouſly to foretell any particular euent. For Ptolemy himſelfe ſaith, that no man can foretell a particular without ſome diuine inſpiration. The Aſtrologers iugling in predictions, and our raſhnes in beleeuing, ſeemeth Tullie to haue touched very finely. lib. 2. de diuinat: What needeth many words ſaith he, ſince we ſee daily theſe iugling companions conuinced? how many things haue I knowne them to aſſure Pompey, Craſsus and Ceſar, that none of them ſhould die, til he was old, at home, and with very good reputation, and famouſly? yet Pompey died in Egypt where he was beheaded: Caeſar in the Senate by ſtabbing: Craſſus among the Parthians with his whole army. Wherefore I cannot but maruaile ſaith Tully, if any liue, who will beleeue them, whoſe predictions are daily confuted by deedes and euents. Seneca in his booke entitled Ludus in mortem Claudij Caeſaris, by the way gyrding and ſcoffing at theſe vagabond lyers, maketh Mercury, perſwading the furies to kill Claudius, to vſe this reaſon, to wit, that theſe miſerable Chaldeans may not alway lie. For they were wont yeare by yeare, and moneth by moneth to giue out the death of Claudius: his words are theſe: Patere iſtos mathematicos aliquādo verū dicere, which euery yeare, & moneth, ſince he came to the ſtate, haue bin burying him, much like this of Claudius is that which is written of pope Alexander the ſixt of that name, the Aſtrologers of that age were wont to giue out year by yeare, that he was but a dead man, and cold not paſſe ſtill the preſent year: yet, as it were in contempt of their predictions, he liued ſtill, and held out ſtrong and luſty. But in the yeare 153. theſe wiſe artificers changing their note, would now contrary bleſſe him with long life; affirming that he ſhould liue long in great ſucceſſe, and proſperitie. But leaſt they ſhould be any whit truer in now propheſying his life, then they had bin before in propheſying his death, he died in the ſelfeſame yeare. See with what a full ſtreame and maine oppoſition Saint Ambroſe went againſt theſe liars. lib. 4. in Hexaem. Cap. 7. A little while agoe, ſaithe he, when there was great need of rain, one ſaid, lo now the new moon will bring ſhortly raine, and notwithſtanding our great want, yet I was loth that ſuch blinde aſſertions ſhould proue true. Finally I was very glad, that wee had no raine til it being obtained by the prayers of the church, gaue ſufficient proofe that we were not to rely vpon the change of the moone, but vpon the prouidence and grace of the creatour. By this example the vanitie of Aſtrology was confuted, and the force of chriſtianitie and godly prayer confirmed. Albumazar referring all great chaunges to ten reuolutions of Saturne, which is in 300 yeares, hath counted Chriſt to be borne 600. yeares after Alexander the great, in which computation he is about 300. yeares out. But no maruell of him, ſince he is ſo far out in a plainer computation of Ptolemy the mathematique, making him one of the kings of Egypt, which raigned after Alexander, when it is well knowne to the contrary, that he was no king, and liued in Adrian the laſt time 160 yeares after thoſe Ptolemyes that were kinges of Egypt. It were infinite to lay their lies together: that one of 1588. may ſtand for many, and the rather becauſe it hapned in our memory. It were well that all of that trade had thoſe two figures. 88. ſeared in their foreheads, that when they meet, they might laugh one at another, as did the Aruſpices in olde time. Howſoeuer they might laugh, it was no laughing matter to the Catholike king, and his inuincible Nauie, who will be famous for that exploit till 88 come againe. The Spaniards belike thought, that this conſummation of 88 would be by water, and therefore very politikely they began to prepare for it betime, longer a great deale then euer Noah did for the flood. And ſure they might haue done well, if they had bin prouided of a pilot ſuch as was Hen. Nicholas in Chaucer. But it fell out reaſonable well with them, for they ſped almoſt as well in their Calloones, as if they had bin in his tubs. Some of theſe figure-flingers vpon their skil haue bin ſo confident, that before hand vpon their predictions, they would venter neuer to keep ſhop longer in that trade, if their predictions failed. Their predictions failed, & they haue bin as good as their word by neuer medling that way ſince.

A maine maiſter in theſe matters, no leſſe then Leouitius, Iliad. 1. verſ. 91. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . wold needs giue out to the world the day of his death: The day being paſt, and the man aliue, and as well for health as euer he was, one told him of it, maruelling that ſo learned a man wold be ſo fowly ouerſhot: but he ſeeking to put it off with a ieſt, anſwered, that he neuer made a more happielie.

Pope Iohn the 22. was alſo very preſumptuous this way, giuing out to all his friends in a ſolemne meeting and feaſt, to their great comfort, as he thought, that he was to liue a long time: yet for all his skill he died within foure dayes after. In 88. what cauſe had men to beleeue that prediction, when in all the yeares before they ſaw no preparation to any ſuch matter, neither in heauen, nor in earth. If the world was then to die, there would haue gone ſome ſignes of decay, as it were ſickneſſe before: except they thought it was to die in a ſound, or an apoplexie. When men are thus readie to father all their follies vpon heauen, imputing to it the cauſe of whatſoeuer hapneth, who can hold, and not exclaime with him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Alacke how men do heauen accuſe, When they themſelues do it abuſe. Neither are their predictions only falſe, but alſo moſt infortunate, as running ſtill vpon infortunate and diſmall effects or euents, as may appeare by their learned Almanackes, where you ſhall find ſuch catalogues of diſeaſes, warres, treaſons, and ſuch like, without anie one mention of anie good to come, that a man would thinke there were no goodnes in heauen. For ſuch diſmall Wiſards may well ſerue that of the Poet, Iliad. 1. verſ. 106. where Agamemnon brauing Chalcas, vſeth theſe words: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Could Prophet moſt infortunate, that neuer yet could tell Of any thing that ſhould befall, or happen to me well. Thou lou'ſt ſuch things to prophecie, as meanes no good but ill: Thou neuer ſpake good word as yet, or did good with thy will.

CHAP. IX.

Of the ſubiect of Predictions.

BVt ſome are woont to oppoſe them thus: Of things wee ſee done, becauſe ſome are neceſſarie, ſome caſuall, and ſome in our free power. The Aſtrologers muſt needes ſay, that their predictions hold either in neceſſarie things, or in caſuall euents, or in thoſe things which are in our power. If they ſay in neceſſarie things, then are their predictions in vaine, for that which hapneth neceſſarily, wee cannot auoid, but will we, nill we, it wil come to paſſe: whereas predictions are then onely auailable, when by them we can eſcape. Secondly, if they ſay in caſuall euents, then they do profeſſe an impoſſibilitie. For caſual euēts are vncertain, but of vncertainties which may happen this way, or that way, there can bee no certaine or ſure prediction. It remaineth therfore that their predictions be in things, which are in our power: which alſo is impoſſible. For that which is in my power whether it ſhall happen or no, neither hath any further cauſe at the firſt, that can no man foretell: the Aſtrologers therefore haue no certaine ſubiect for their predictions. The ſame reaſon as ſerued Tullie againſt the Wiſards of his time, may likewiſe fit vs againſt theſe, whom we now deale with, in the ſecōd de Diuinat. thence we reaſon thus: Aſtrologie auaileth neither where Sence, Arte, Philoſophie, or ciuill policie is vſed, therefore it auaileth no where, nor in anie ſubiect. Firſt, for Sence: To iudge colours we haue our eyes: to iudge ſounds, our eares: for ſmelles, our noſe, and ſuch like. Neither were an Aſtrologer, if he were blind, able to iudge of colors: or if he were deafe, of ſounds, were he neuer ſo skilfull. As for matters of Art, who wold leaue the Phyſitian, to know of him what phyſicke he ſhould take, or what diet he ſhould keepe, or what veine he ſhould open, what humour he were to purge, and how much, and with what doſis, in what forme of purge, whether with pilles, potions, or bole, and ſuch like? The ſquaring of circles, the doubling of cubes, and ſuch like, haue alwayes beene left to the Geometrician. For Arithmetike, who euer went to him to learne to adde or ſubtract? For Muſike, to learne to frame his voice, to know how to diuide the Monochord, or whether Diateſſaron be a concord, or a diſcord? For Aſtronomie, to know of him whether the earth or Sun were greater? whether the interpoſition of the earth, be the cauſe of the eclipſe of the Moone? For Philoſophie, who euer went to them to know his dutie toward his friend or fo, kiffe or kin, prince or ſubiect? How he was to frame a ſyllogiſme, what were the elements, whereof all things are made? What Prince for gouerning his realm did euer vſe them, rather then wiſe and ſage Councellours? If the queſtion be of the beſt forme of gouernement, what lawes, what faſhions are fitteſt, who in theſe cauſes conferreth with the Aſtrologer, and not rather with the States-man? If for anſwer to theſe and the like obiections they ſhall tell vs that their predictions are in another maner of ſubiect, as in particular actions of men, depending vpon their natiuitie, who doth not ſee how they ſeeke ſhifts and euaſions, ſuch as at this time my leiſure can not ſtand vpon? For particulars, can they tell vs whether Peter was euer at Rome: where King Arthur died; and how, and where he was buried, and ſuch like?

CHAP. X.

Of the ſmall vſe of Predictions though they were true.

FArther we ſay, that if their predictions or prognoſtications be true, thē they are of neceſſitie; and if of neceſſitie they cannot be auoided, and if they cannot bee auoyded, they are knowne in vaine: for to what end ſhould we know things ſo before, if wee cannot preuent and auoide them? Nay, by this meanes we ſhould be in much worſe caſe, then if wee knew nothing, being tormented and vexed, not onely with the preſent euils, but with expectation of them long before. This well knew Seneca, as may well appeare by thoſe words, Epiſt. lib. 13. Epiſt. 89, Whether the ſtarres (ſaith he) be cauſes of euents (what auaileth the knowledge of a thing immutable) or ſignifie onely, to what end wouldeſt thou preuent that which thou canſt not eſcape? Whether thou knoweſt or knoweſt them not, all is one, come to paſſe they wil. But both pithily, and like a Philoſopher hath Phauorinus concluded this caſe in few words. They foretell vs (ſaith he) either good or bad things. If they foretell good things and deceiue, thou ſhalt be vnhappy with long expectation: if they foretell true things, but ill, then thine owne minde will make thee vnfortunate before thy deſtinie come: if they foretell good things which ſhall happen, then ſhalt thou haue a double croſſe, for both ſhalt thou be wearied with long expectation and long hope, and thy forehope ſhall much abate and blemiſh the fruit of thy future ioy. Therefore there can be no good vſe of theſe predictions, ſo that here may haue place that of Sophocles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Where little wit and ſence is found, The pleaſant life doth more abound. And how miſerable a thing it is, to be in ſuſpence betweene hope and feare, and to be ſubiect to the affectionate expectation of future euents, witneſſeth Horace lib. 1. Epiſt. 2.

Qui cupit, aut metuit, iuuat illum ſic domus aut res, Vt lippum pictae tabulae fomenta podagram. Who longs and feares, of houſe and goods, no greater comfort hath, Then bleared eyes by pictures faire, and gowtie legs by bath.

If we had but any meane care, theſe things were enough to awake vs, and ſtir vs vp to a better conſideration. The Troians, when by the blow of Laocoons dart they heard the armor rattle, & ſound within the horſe, they might haue learned, Si mens non laeua fuiſſet, ferro Argolicas foedare latebras; but in their mad moode beſotted through Sinons ſubtilty, as coſening a Iacke as any figure-flinger, but a great deale more cunning, they hoiſe in the horſe with heaue and hoe, funemque manu contingere gaudent. Doe not we the like? we ſee theſe liers ſtriuing for the whetſtone, and yet, as if they ſaid nothing but truth, wee embrace and admire them, & by buying their bookes maintaine their lewde practiſe.

CHAP. XI.

The folly of predictions, cōfirmed by the diuerſitie of twinnes, who being borne both at once, diſſent oftentimes in the whole courſe of their life, and actions, with an anſwer to Figulinus Firmicus, and S. Thomas.

What are they able to ſay for twinnes, which are borne eodem enixu, ſometime one holding faſt by the other; which often times notwithſtanding are moſt vnlike, the one being a boy, the other a girle: the one being born aliue, the other dead. Proclus and Euriſthenes twinnes and kings of Lacedaemonia, were both in the end, and in the whole courſe of their life moſt contrary. But moſt forcible is the example of Iacob and Eſau, being moſt different in diſpoſition, manners, courſe of life, end, and whatſoeuer. If all heauen had bin altered betweene their birthes, they could not haue bin more different. To this they are wont to anſwere, that the time which paſſeth while the twinnes are borne, though it ſeeme little to vs, yet to heauen, by reaſon of the ſwift motion, is great, and maketh great diuerſitie. If this be true, that the conſtellation of natiuities be ſo quickly paſt, then it will follow, that the Aſtrologer will lacke time to obſerue it in, and farther the reaſon of S. Gregory Homil. 10 ſup. Euang. ſhall ſtand good. If therefore (ſaith he) Iacob and his brother are to be thought not borne vnder the ſame conſtellation, becauſe one of them was borne after the other, for the ſame reaſon we muſt thinke, that no one man is wholy borne vnder the ſame conſtellation, for he commeth not all away at once, but peece-meale, part after part, firſt the head, then the necke, then the breaſt, and laſt the feete. Iacob was borne with holde vpon Eſau, as if it were all one birth. This matter of twinnes hath S. Auguſt. diſcourſed at large, lib. 5. de ciuit. Dei, and lib. 2. de doctr. Chriſtiana.

But for the whole matter of twinnes the Aſtrologers need not to take much care, Nigidius Figulinus will cleare that point, and make it as plaine as pap and porridge. For though his name were Nigidius, yet was he no Nigid: being ſtung and netled with this obiection of twinnes, he telleth vs ſuch a ſolemne tale of the faſt running of a potters wheele, as he thought was beyond al expectatiō: but ſure I thinke the wheele, when he looked on it, ran ſo faſt, that it made him gyddie: whē he had talked al he can of his potters wheele, he might well heare that of Horace; — amphora coepit Inſtitui currente rota cur vrceus exit? It did begin at firſt to bee a pot of largeſt ſiſe: But in the end pot would not come, but pitcher did ariſe. When he hath puffed and taken on all that he can, he bringeth forth no more then the ſwelling mountaine.

Parturiunt montes, naſcetur ridiculusmus, The hill doth ſwell and taketh on, as it would cleaue in ſunder: And out there ſtartes a little mouſe, which made all laugh and wonder.

But now let vs heare the wheele creake a while. If (ſaith he) while he runneth his ſwift courſe, you doe pricke it twiſe with as much ſpeed as euer you can, & cauſe it to ſtand ſtil, you ſhal ſee what a great diſtance and ſpace wilbe betweene the two pricks, which you made. Wherefore (ſaith Nigid.) if heauen could be marked after the ſame manner with two pricks, what a monſtrous ſpace would be betweene them, conſidering how infinitely ſwifter the heauen runneth thē any wheele?

— Dij te Figuline, deaeque Rectum ob conſilium donent tonſore. God ſend thy Barbar (Figuline) a raſor ſharp and kene, To cut away the ſhagged haire, that hangeth in thine eyne.

Place this in folio 53.

Gratia ſic fratrum geminorum, Amphionis atque Zethi diſsiluit.

Of whome alſo Propert. 3. Eleg. 15.6.

Et durum Zethum & Lachrymis Amphionamallem, Experta eſt ſtabulis mater abacta ſuis. Twin Zethus, and twin Amphion, who had the ſelfe ſame mother, By this meanes fell to iarres, and could not well abide each other.

As theſe agreed in nothing but the poſition of heauen, ſo many others differing in that only, haue agreed with a maruellous conſent in al their life, and actions, as thoſe payres who are made famous to all poſterity, for their concurrence, and liking in the courſe of their liues, as Theſeus and Perithous, Pilades and Oreſtes, Damon and Pythias, Niſus and Euryalus, who, though they diſſented in natiuitie: yet otherwiſe were linked together with a maruellous conſent, which could not be by reaſon of heauen, in which they had nothing common, but by reaſon of ſome other cauſe. The Coū teſſe of Holland had 365 children, al hatched at once, is it like that they all had the ſame fortune? Caſtor and Pollux twins alſo, yet not verie like in their courſes, the one being a good rider, the other good at buffets. No more it ſeemeth did this twinniſhneſſe worke in Romulus and Remus, whoſe ends, actions and enterpriſes how ill they ſuted, appeareth at large in Halycarnaſseus and Liuie.

Now as the argument from the natiuity of twinnes is, as you ſee, verie forcible; ſo if we ſhould inſiſt vpon the conception, would it be more forcible? The conception of twinnes being in the ſame moment, there cannot be admitted any ſuch alteration in the poſition of heauen, but that the twinnes muſt needes haue all things alike and anſwerable: which becauſe they haue not, we may eaſilie eſtimate how litle is to be attributed to conſtellations. This argument from the conception is very militant for vs, vnleſſe ſome will flie to ſalue and ſecond it out of ſuperfetation, which is yet a doubt depending, and therefore not fit for deciding of queſtions. For if it ſhall be ſaid, that the ſeed of twins is receiued at diuers times of ſome diſtance, I grant it may be ſo, yet I thinke it is more then they are able to proue, the mouth of the mother after conception, ſhutting it ſelfe ſo cloſe, as may be, if we beleeue Galen or Hippocrates lib. 5. Aph. Aph. 51. or Auicen. lib. 3. ſen. 21. tract. 1. cap. 16. this holdeth very conſtantly, ſauing in women & mares, which two onely of all other things admit the vſe of the male after conception. Whereby it may come to paſſe, that they may haue ſuperfetation: yet both Plinie & Ariſtotle other where affirme that the Hare and Conie vſe ſuperfetation, ſo that after the conception of one, they will conceiue of another before they be deliuered of the firſt.

Alſo wee ſee it in many birdes: for example, Pheſants, which being put together cocke & hen, the hen will not lay anie egge till two moneths after; which proueth that euery egge is two moneths in perfecting; but after ſhe beginneth to lay once, ſhe will be ſcarſe two daies betweene euerie egge laying, which could not be without ſuperfetation. In women (ſaith Ariſtotle Hiſt. Animalium 7. cap. 4.) ſuperfetation happeneth not oft, neuertheleſſe ſometime it doth, and both liue, ſo that there go ſome reaſonable ſpace betweene the conceptions, after which maner Fablers do report Hercules and Iphiclus to haue beene begotten. There was alſo (ſaith he) a queane, which lying with her huſband, and her man both on one day, brought forth at one birth, one like her huband, another like her man. Theſe and ſuch like are related both by Ariſtotle, and Pliny lib. 7. which are rare examples. But if one would contend, he needed not confeſſe that thoſe twinnes were got by ſuperfetation, although a great Phyſitian Eraſiſtratus affirmeth all twinnes to be conceiued by ſuperfetation. Hippo and Empedocles thinke they come at one lying together, by reaſon of the great quantitie of ſeede; Aſclepiades attributing it not to the abundance, but quality and vertue of the ſeed. To theſe two Auicen addeth a third cauſe, that is, the ſhedding of the ſeed into the two ventricles of the mother, where are conceiued the two twinnes. But whether it be by the abundance, or qualitie, or diuerſitie of places, they muſt and are conceiued together, as the moſt & beſt hold, without anie ſuperfetation. For if ſuperfetation be admitted, then the one is in danger to bane the other, by his comming ſooner or later then his time, if they come together; although we haue heard of ſome that haue beene deliuered of one after another ſome good time, according to the diſtance of their conceptions.

Here were alſo to be conſidered, that one ſide of the matrix is ſtronger then the other, both by philoſophie and phyſicke: which being ſo, though two twins ſhuld concurre in the time of conception, yet they might varie in their birth, that which were ſooner readie comming ſooner into the world. It is alſo known that a man-childe commeth faſter on to his pefection, ſo long as he is vnborne, though after birth contrarie, the woman ripeneth faſter then the man child: which being true, it muſt needs follow, that though a boy & a gyrle were conceiued together, yet they might haue ſeuerall births, the boy being ſooner readie both by reaſon of his ſexe, and perhaps alſo for being conceiued in the ſtrōger part of the mother. For thoſe anſwerable, and as it were pararelled parts in the body, who can doubt, but they are the moſt preciſe and exact twinnes that may be; I meane the eyes, the eares, the armes, the legs, fingers, toes, and ſuch like. Both the eyes no queſtion are borne as iuſt in the ſame inſtant or moment as nothing can be iuſter, yet the one continuing, wee often ſee his fellow blinde, either by a reume or a blow, or ſome obſtruction of ſpirits, or ſuch like. How oft do we ſee the palfy poſſeſſe the one halfe only of the body both for motion and ſence, leauing the other halfe free? the one eare deafe, the other eare well: the one great toe gowtie, the other not; the one hand cut off the other hold on; the one ſide of the head troubled with the Hemicrania or Migram, & not the other? Yet no twins came euer ſo iuſt together into the world, as theſe anſwerable parts doe one with another, eye with eye, eare with eare, and ſo forth in the reſt. Let any of our cunning men ſhew how theſe differences and diuerſities may bee deduced cleanly from the ſtarres, & erit mihi maximus Augur, that is, as good a wiſard as the proudeſt of them all. As before we ſaid, that their continuall and common lying was ſufficient argumēt to proue that they had no ground of art; ſo now farther we ſay, that for lacke of ſufficient obſeruations they can haue no arte. For what if ſuch a man, borne in ſuch a conſtellation, had ſuch euents, will it therefore of this one obſeruation follow, that euerie one ſo borne ſhall haue the like? Nay, they muſt remember, that vnica hirundo non facit ver. Therefore that their predictions may be ſure & firme, they muſt haue obſerued the ſelfe-ſame habitude of ſtarres, not once only in one mans birth, but againe and again diuerſe times, that ſeeing and obſeruing ſtill the ſame euents in the ſame conſtellation, wee may learne that whenſoeuer the ſtarres ſhall be ſo placed, that then we are to looke for the ſame euents & accidents. And as in phyſicke we learne that a wound in the heart is death, not onely becauſe Dio died of ſuch a wound, but alſo becauſe Theon and Socrates and diuers other died of the like: ſo in Aſtrologie we may beleeue that this figure of heauen hath this ſignification, if firſt it hath beene certified, and ratified by a multitude of conſenting obſeruations. Seeing therefore that the ſame figure of heauen commeth but once in anno magno, that is, in yeares 36000. in ſo many thouſand yeares, wee can make obſeruation but of one natiuitie, which alſo wil be in great danger to miſcary, and to be loſt, by reaſon of ſo many decayes and ruines of the whole world, or at leaſt of the earth, either all at once or by peece-meale, in ſo infinite time. This deuiſe of Annus magnus ſome vtterly diſclaime from, as an impoſſibility, the motion of the ſtars being (as they alleage) incommenſurable, ſo that they can neuer all come to the ſame cōformation againe. But the lying of theſe mates lieth ſo open, that they neede neither me, nor any man elſe to confute or refell them. They babble much here of the long continuance of the Egyptians, that the Chaldeans had ſo plyed this caſe, that they had recorded in writing the natiuities of 407000. yeares, though to the contrary we know that it is not yet 6000. yeares complete from the beginning of the world to this day. The originall of the Chaldeans, reckened frō the diuiſion of tongues, is not yet 4000. yeares paſt. Hipparchus and Ptolemie vſing the verie ancienteſt obſeruations that they could get, cannot get anie beyond Nabonaſſarus. Theſe Egyptian antiquities are no leſſe pleaſantly then acutely confuted by Saint Auguſtine lib. 18. de Ciuit. cap. 40. Raſhly and vainely preſume ſome to ſay, that it is 100000. yeares ſince the Egyptians beganne firſt to obſerue ſtarres. But in what records or bookes haue they found this number, that receiued not paſt two thouſand yeares ago their firſt letters of Dame Iſis? Though proofes out of prophane Authours will not bee eſteemed of ſome, yet for the fanſie of a few I do not ſee why I ſhould forſake that courſe and way, wherein ſo many notable men haue gone before me, for to vſe that of the Poet, Quod decuit tantos cur mihi turpe putem? And ſince ſuch haue done it, ego homūcio id non facerem? And manie graue and ancient Fathers giue vs this leſſon, to take from Philoſophers, whatſoeuer good thing we find in them as ſtray goods, and ſo to bring it home againe for our owne vſe, becauſe all truth is of God, whom we are to worſhip. So doth S. Hierome teach, and ſo doth S. Baſil in a proper booke of that argument. S. Auguſtine alſo practiſed it himſelfe, and in his booke de doctrina Chriſtiana ſo teacheth others. The ſame did others by the example of Moſes, who was perfect in all manner of Egyptian learning: alſo by the example of S. Paul, who alleageth verſes out of Epimenides, Menander and Aratus, in whom alſo we find that for Philoſophers, Quod natura eſt Dei, manifeſtum eſt illis, that which was knowne of God, was manifeſt to them. In the firſt of Daniel it is ſaid, that God gaue the three children knowledge in all learning and wiſdome. Damaſcen interpreted Ariſtotle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Auguſtine hauing begun all Arts, finiſhed ſome. Aquinas almoſt vpon all Ariſtotle: ſo did alſo Bonauentura: ſo haue infinite good Diuines done of late: for the ancient fathers neuer condemned the truth whereſoeuer they found it: nay, rather if they found anie thing well ſaid of Chriſtians that had erred, they were not affraid to vſe it. For they would not reiect all Cyprians workes, becauſe he held an errour in Baptiſme. Origen had his faults, and yet the Church alloweth manie of his writings. So Saint Hierome borroweth manie good things of them, whom he condemneth of hereſie, neither doth he reiect the books of Lactantius and others becauſe they were full of errours. So Saint Auguſt. in his booke de doctrina Chriſtiana vſeth and liketh certaine rules of the heretique Ticonius. In the word of God we are ſet to learne of the Emet, the Lilies of the field, and the fowles of the aire, and why then may we not learne of Ariſtotle? The heauens declare the glory of God, and why not Ariſtotle? And if he declare it, why may we not learne it of him? Balaam was admoniſhed of his Aſſe, much more may we of Plato. God hath ordained praiſe out of the mouthes of babes and ſucklings, which babes may well be the Philoſophers, as nouriſhed with milke, rather then the ſound meate of the word. The Fathers often, as you may ſee by their homilies, preached without any text: and S. Paul made no choiſe of a Canonicall Text, when hee preached vpon the Inſcriptio ignoto Deo. Moſes harkened to Iethro a Prieſt of Madian, and married his daughter: Let Iethro be Ariſtotle, and his daughter Philoſophie, whence by ſome reaſonable analogie may follow, that Chriſtians may ſtudie philoſophy, and hearken to Philoſophers. Hierem. chap. 35. the Iewes are willed to learne of the Rechabites: neither can ſome time ſpent in philoſophie ſchooles do any harme, ſo that when we part from them we bring with vs ſomewhat to furniſh the Church of God as the Iſraelites did, going out of Egypt. Our Sauiour himſelfe manie times confirmeth his doctrine out of vulgar ſpeech, as when hee vſeth that common ſaying, Nemo propheta in patria, and when he alleageth againſt the Iewes iudging of the alterations of the weather, their owne ſaying: You ſay (ſaith he) if the euening be red, it wil be faire, if the morning red, it will be tempeſt. Likewiſe in the 16. of Luke, he vſeth a prouerbiall ſpeech: Hee that is faithfull in the leſſe, will be faithfull in the more.

CHAP. XII.

Aſtrology by philoſophers either condemned as wicked, or neglected as vaine and fooliſh.

AS in our diuinitie proofes was ſhewed, that doctors, fathers, councels were all banded againſt theſe iuglers: ſo here alſo may be produced an infinite catalogue of Philoſophers, and prophane authors, who haue euer condemned this vanitie. Xenophon in his booke de factis & dictis Socratis, reporteth that Socrates was wont to ſay, that the knowledge of future things, which belongeth to God onely, is not to bee attempted by men, becauſe that men cannot attaine to ſuch knowledge.

Pythagoras, Plato, and Democritus hauing trauelled for to confer with the Magicians of Perſia, the wiſe men of Chaldea, and prieſtes of Egypt, either neuer learned of them this kinde of art, or if they did, they ſeemed euer vtterly to contemne it as neuer vouchſafing to mention it in any writing. Ariſtotle though he hath no where writ purpoſely condemning this vanitie, yet his opinion ſcatteringly appeareth in many places of his works, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his words be theſe, Futurorum contingentium non eſse certam, et definitam veritatem: and Quae per accidens, quaequeraro, vel ad vtrumlibet contingunt, non poſſe ſcientia comprehendi, he hath alſo deliuered this very repugnant to this ſtar-craft, that theſe ſignes of corporall and ſenſible effects drawen from the ſtarres, may be auoided and auerred by others cauſes, according to that of Ptolemy, Sapiens dominabitur aſtris. By Cicero. lib. 2. de diuinatione it is plaine that Eudoxus, Panetius, Archelaus, Caſſander, and Scylax, Halicarnaſſeus, all great Aſtronomers, did vtterly reiect theſe toyes of Aſtrologie. Auicen would not haue vs to harken to the predictions of Aſtrologers in things to come, becauſe they neither know the points of heauen nor the nature of theſe inferiour things, neither are their predictions grounded vpon demonſtration, but vpon oratoricall, and poeticall proofes. As of Ariſtotle; ſo it is plaine of the whole ſect of Peripatetiques, in that they holde that heauen vſeth only theſe meanes in working, to wit, light, and motion. Euen Ptolemy alſo in certaine books de Fato, & prouidētia yet extant, hath abundantly confuted theſe follies, ſhewing them not to be the cauſes of theſe effects, but ſometime perhaps to ſignifie, being but vniuerſall and confuſed ſignes, whence procedeth a very deceitful and vncertaine coniecture. Wherefore Porphyrie writing his life, ſaith, that after long ſtudy of Aſtronomy, hee perceiued there was no truſt to be giuen to the doomes of Aſtrologers, which is alſo proued plentifully by Auicen in the laſt booke of his metaphyſickes. Aulus Gellius hath recorded a long and large diſcourſe of the great philoſopher Phauorinus againſt Chaldeans the chiefe brokers and brochers of this art. Picus alſo ſheweth how Diogenes Laert. Seneca, Plutarch, Seuerianus, and diuerſe others both auncient, and moderne reiected theſe toyes, and in his laſt booke, cap. 6. he relateth that ſaying of Porphyrie, that then oracles did faile, and fitten, whē they would anſwere by Aſtrologie, which Porphyrie alſo, as teſtifieth Philip Morney cap. 13. de verit. relig. ſaith that Apollo, when he could not anſwere out of the ſtarres, was wont to deſire men to depart, and aske him no queſtions, for if they did, he threatened to tell them nothing but lies. This was faire warning and plaine dealing, and I thinke the trueſt oracle that he euer vttered. Alexander Aphrod. the chiefe interpreter of Ariſtotle among the Greekes, writ a booke de Fato to Seuerus the Emperour & Antonius his ſonne, in which confuting Fatum, he ſaith nothing of Aſtrology, which the very name of Fatum would haue forced him to, if he had not vtterly contemned it. In this iumpe with him the reſt of the interpreters, who, if at any time they name Aſtronomy, they ſhew that they meane only that which conſidereth the courſe of the heauens. Ammonius the interpreter of Porphyrie in the beginning of his worke, hath ſufficiently vttered his minde. Auerroes chiefe expoſitor among the Arabians euery where baiteth, and hunteth Aſtrology, affirming it to be no art, and the figures imagined in heauen, to be but a meer fable and a tale of a tubbe, without which notwithſtanding Aſtrology can hardly ſtand. It were infinite to recite the late Philoſophers that haue banded againſt this vanitie. That of Plautus Horentinus is worth the marking, he when he had liued 85 yeares, caſt his owne natiuitie examining it with as much art and diligence as he could, notwithſtanding he could finde no ſigne of long life in it. As for thoſe that haue written in defence or approbation of this art, either new or old, there is ſuch paucity, that you may wel ſay of them that: apparent rari nautes in gurgite vaſto, they appeare here one, and there one like drowned rats; otherwiſe they would neuer flye for ſuccour to thoſe counterfeits, to wit a booke of Ariſt. intituled of great coniunctions, and ſecrets to Alexander, which was neuer his. With the like folly they attributed to Plato certaine bookes, bearing the name of inſtitution bookes, ſtuffed with toies and trifles. Likewiſe they alleage a booke of Ouid de vetula, vpon which frier Bacon relieth much. They father alſo vpon Albertus magnus, and Tho. Aquinas a booke de Necromanticis imaginibus, a bable not worth the name of Thomas, & farre from his iudgement in many other places. Thus we ſee, what poore ſhift they make to ſaue themſelues, much like a man in drowning, who catcheth roūd about at euery thing to help himſelfe. But they wil ſay, that they haue of euery ſide good Philoſophers, if we could hitte on them. As for example, Ptolemy, Haly, Firmicus, Albunaſar and others. For Ptolemy, as he was a rare man in mathematiques; ſo for this matter of aſtrology one ſaid very wel of him, that he was optimus malorum, that is, of bad the beſt; but for his philoſophy and vnderſtanding of Ariſtotle diuerſe learned men haue taken exception for his diuiſiō of contemplatiue philoſophy in his beginning of his Almageſt into Theological, Mathematical & Naturall, becauſe all things, as he there ſaith, conſiſt of matter, forme and motion, which are ſeparable by thought only, and not in deed: farther yelding the cauſe, why the Moone is moiſt, he aſcribeth it to the vapours, which it draweth frō the earth, thē how much more moiſt ſhould the Sun be, which is knowne to draw infinitely more? thē he ſaith that Saturne is cold becauſe of his diſtance from the Sunne; and Mars hot by reaſon of his vicinity. To which may be ſaid that of Mars hath his heat from the Sun, why is not the Sun as hot, or hotter then Mars? Theſe things are ridiculous in philoſophy & not worthy confutation. Of Albumaſar, I haue ſaid before ſo much as may bewray his weaknes. For Firmicus as I haue ſaid in an other place, he is but a talker. He writeth that Mercurie in a night natiuitie may poſſeſſe medium coeli or the tenth houſe, whereas it is plaine, that Mercurie can neuer be there then. For euer on the night time the Sun is more then fortie degrees from any part of mid-heauen: and Mercurie is alwayes within thirtie degrees or thereabout of the Sun, for which cauſe he was wont to be called Pileatus, as wearing an hat to ſaue him from the heat of the Sun, which was ſo nere him. I haue in another place ſpoken of his wiſe opinion, how the ſtarres and heauen haue nothing to doe in Emperours natiuitie. Guido Bonatus feareth that the foure mathematikes can not ſtand, if ſtrology faile. But ful wiſely, as if he knew not the difference of Aſtrology and Aſtronomy, Bardeſanes alſo a man very well learned in theſe points, hath a very good edge this way, as appeareth by Euſebius lib. 6. Euang. praepar. cap. 8. becauſe the place there is very notable, I wil here ſet it downe: It is as followeth; Among the Seres the law forbiddeth murder, adultery, & idolatrie, ſo that in thoſe countries is neither whore, theefe, nor murderer, neither doth the firie ſtarre of Mars in the middeſt of heauen there force any mans will to manſlaughter, neither could Venus in coniunction with Mars cauſe any to miſtreſſe another mans wife. Although it cannot be choſen, but that euerie day once Mars moueth to the middeſt of heauen, neither can it be denied, but in ſo great a country men are borne euerie houre. Among the Indians and Bactrians there be manie thouſands of thoſe whom wee call Brachmanni, who, what for tradition by fathers, what for lawes, neither worſhip images, nor eate any liue thing, neither euer drinke either wine or ale, but refraining from all euill, tend only vpon the ſeruice of God. In the meane time all other Indians their countrie-men, wallow in murder, drunkenneſſe and Idolatrie. There are alſo found ſome, or rather there is an whole nation in the Indies, dwelling in the ſame climate, which hunting and ſacrificing men, deuoure them: neither do anie ſtarres, bee they neuer ſo good, keepe them from bloud and villanie, neither anie ſtars ſo bad, that they can make the Brachmanni commit folly. By the lawes in Perſia men might marrie their daughters and mothers: neither did they this in Perſia only: but when they change their country and climate they retaine and vſe theſe abominations; for which cauſe other countries deteſting their filthines, call thē Maguſſaeos. And there be to this day in Egypt, Phrygia, and France, many of theſe Maguſsaei, which by ſucceſſion from their fathers are ſtained & polluted with this geare. Yet we cannot ſay, that they were all borne in the houſe of Saturne, or Mars, being in coniunction with Venus. The Amazones haue no husbands, but in the ſpring time go to their neighbour countries, & lie with the men: ſo it cōmeth to paſſe, that by the courſe of nature they muſt all bee deliuered at once, and killing the males, they bring vp only the females, becomming all warlike by a great care of actiuitie. It were folly to thinke that all theſe women were borne vnder the ſame conſtellation. This may be fortified and confirmed by the example of the Iewes, who liuing diſperſedly, continually circumciſe on the eight day, & reſt the Sabbath day. Now all the Iewes had not the ſame poſition of heauen in their natiuities, neither could any celeſtial power hale and pull them from the rites and cuſtomes of their fathers. But what ſhall wee ſay of Chriſtians, who being ſcattered infinitely all ouer the world, keepe the ſame kind of life, and doctrine, from which we cānot be moued a whit with rewards, threats, or puniſhment? Will they ſay that all Chriſtians had one Horoſcopus? But that of all others is moſt forcible, that they which before their conuerſion were moſt earneſt in the waies of their anceſtors, after they were once conuerted, changed religion, maners, kind of life ſo cleane, as if they had neuer beene the ſame men. Wherefore ſo manie Parthians as be Chriſtians keepe not many wiues, nor the Medes caſt their dead to the dogs, nor the Indians burne their dead, nor the Perſians marrie their daughters and ſiſters, nor the Egyptians worſhip the dogs, or Apes and ſuch like, but in all places they follow the ſame lawes, rites and maners. To be ſhort, daily men are borne euery where, and euery where we ſee them obſerue their own lawes and faſhions; neither do the birth-ſtars force the Seres to commit murther, or the Brachmanni to eate fleſh, neither can they reclaime the Perſians from their inceſtuous mariages, nor the Medes from caſting their dead to the dogs, nor the Parthians from multitude of wiues: for all nations as they liſt, &c. when they will vſe their libertie in obeying their lawes and cuſtomes, Hitherto Bardeſanes. With like arguments to theſe, you might fill whole volumes, and ouercharge the world. Ethiopians were all blacke, were they belonging to one conſtellation? Farther, it is no fable which is receiued of Hermophrodites, which play both the man and womans part, as they liſt, and at their choiſe. Such are the people beyond the Naſamones, and their next neighbours Madians, as ſaith Calliphanes: and ſuch bee found alſo in Europe, not only among the people called Lumenſes, among whom it is ſeuerely looked to, & prouided, that euery one ſhall at the firſt chuſe whether ſexe hee will, and hold himſelfe to it in paine of death: muſt theſe therefore for this conuenience be all borne vnder one ſtarre? And ſhould not the ſame conſtellation make Hermophrodites here as well as there? The like may be ſaid of the great people called Arimaſpi, who are all borne with one eye only, which accident Euſtathius vpon Dyonyſ. doth refer not to the ſtars, but to their winking of one eye when they ſhoote: for with much winking in aiming that eye waxed leſſe, firſt in the fathers, then in the ſons, then in their children, and ſo ſtill leſſe and leſſe, till at laſt it was quite out, and ſo continued.

Herodotus in Thalia reporteth that the braine or ſculs of the Perſians were ſo ſoft and tender, that one might pierce them with a ſmall peble ſtone; but the ſculles of the Egyptians ſo hard, that they would not breake with a great ſtone, which difference he referreth not to any conſtellation, but to the diuerſity of education, the Egyptians vſing to ſhaue their heads, and go in the ſunne, whereby their ſculs were hardened: the Perſians contrarie, neuer ſhauing, but keeping their heads warme with caps and tires.

Therfore we may ſee that there is more required to the conueniences and differences, then the poſition of ſtarres according to that of Ariſtotle, Sol & homo generant hominem, not Sol alone, nor homo alone: whence it will follow, that for the foreſeeing of future effects, there is more required then the knowledge of celeſtiall cauſes. Philoſophie teacheth vs, that vt res habet ad eſſe, ſic ſe habet ad cognoſci, that is, by what cauſes any thing is made, by the ſame it muſt be knowne, if we ſeeke for ſure and certaine knowledge.

With thoſe prophane teſtimonies alleaged a little before, agreeth that of Eccleſiaſtes cap. 7. verſ. 1. For who can ſhew what is good for man in the life, and in the number of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, ſeeing he maketh them as a ſhadowe, for who can ſhew vnto man what ſhall be after him? What a vaine queſtion were this, if euerie Aſtrologer could by caſting of natiuities, and ſetting of figures foretell our actions and accidents. But more vaine were it if that braſen head made by Albertus magnus, & placed in his ſtudy could anſwere ad omnia quaeſita, as is reported by Toſtatus, Num. to. 1. fol. 22. col. 2.

This head by like was wont to tel ſchooletales, and therefore S. Thomas his ſcholler getting into his ſtudy, fell vpon it, and brake it, and defaced it: this head was made by Aſtrologie and arte magike, as witneſſeth the ſame Toſtatus. He alſo relateth the like of another brazen head ſhrined at Zamara in Spaine. That euer any ſuch head ſpake we neede not to beleeue, but if it did, it was the diuell that anſwered within it, whom God doth often permit thus to delude vs, becauſe we delight in errour, and willingly deceiue ourſelues, harkening to lies rather then truth. When men broch ſuch bables to the worlde, affirming them to be done by Aſtrologie, or a certaine wicked concealed Arte, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are they not worthily derided, and called coniurers; yea, though they haue ſtudied manie yeares, ſpent much money, and trauelled many countries? For their long ſtudy, if it be but of toyes, they may worthily heare that, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For their great charges and expences they may heare that of Horace, Dedecorum pretioſus emptor, a child will giue more for a rattle or a hobby-horſe, then a wiſe man will doe for ſome good thing. And laſtly, if after ſuch long trauell they can make no more vſe of their labour, but to tell vs tales of Hobgoblin, and Will with wiſpe, let them pitie them that liſt, only the pitie was that euer they came home againe. To trauell far, if it be on foote, is a ſigne of good legges, but with a paire of good legs may goe a fond head: and, if it bee on horſebacke, yet a mans follies may ſit ſo cloſe to him, that hee ſhall hardly ouer-ride them; for that which Horace ſaith, Od. 1. lib. 3. Poſt equitem ſedet atra cura, is alſo verie true in this caſe: our follies are ſure companions, and therefore are called of Saint Baſil very fitly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . which with agreeth that of the Poet, Coelum non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt, The heauen and aire they only change, That forreigne countries vſe to range. Vlyſſes is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and ſuch like, not for bringing home with him a Bee in a boxe, or ſuch like: but his commendation was for ſeeing many countrie faſhions, and chuſing the beſt if he had harkned to the Syrens ſinging O decus Argolicum quin puppimflectis Vlyſſes, Auribus vt noſtros poſsis agnoſcere cantus. Nam nemo haec vnquam eſt tranſuectus caerula curſu, Quin prius aſtiterit vocum dulcedine captus. Vlyſſes do • ght • e knight of Greece, marke well what we ſhall ſay: For all men loue to heare our voice, that vſe to paſſe this way. Horace will tell you then, Epiſt. 2. lib. 1. Epiſt. Vixiſſet canis immundus, aut amica luto ſus, He had become a filthy dog, Or els a ſwine and dartie hog. Which is to be feared may well happē to many of our Tra • ellers at this day: and if you did ſee ſome of their courſes beyond ſea, you would not onely feare it, but ſweare it.

CHAP. XIII.

Aſtrologers puniſhed by Emperours, and derided by Alexander the Great.

BVt to returne, beſide the condem • ation of P • iloſophers, we ſee how that kinde of people haue bene perſecuted by diuers Emperours, as Diocleſian, Conſtantine, Theodoſius and Valentinianus, but eſpecially of Iuſtinian, who all held this profeſſion not onely vaine and friuolous, but alſo pernicious and peſtilent, according to that of Tacitus, Mathematici genus hominum potent • bus infidum, ſperantibus fallax. The ſame Author reporteth, lib. 20. annal. that there were lawes enacted at Rome for the baniſhment of Aſtrologers out of Italie, anno vrbis 614. Valerius reporteth, lib. 1. that Cornelius Hiſpalus Praetor made proc • amation, that within ten dayes all this kind of people ſhould backe out of, not Rome onely, but alſo all Italy. And • io in the end of his 49. booke ſheweth, that anno vrbis 721. M. Agrippa Aedilis thruſt out of the Citie all Figure-flingers and Iuglers.

Auguſtus alſo, as witneſſeth the ſame Authour, lib. 56. forbad all theſe cold Prophets to prognoſticate. Vlpian alſo lib. 7. de Offic. Proconſ hath theſe words: Farthermore, the wilie and craftie legerdemain of Aſtrologers was forbidden. Neither was it then firſt forbidden, for it was prohibited of old. Farther, there is a ſtatute to be ſeene, wherein it is prouided that Figure-flingers, Wiſards, & ſuch as practiſe ſuch lewd means to liue by, ſhould be diſcommuned, and their goods confiſcate. The ſame Authour further addeth: It hath bin very often forbidden almoſt of all princes, that no man ſhould enterpriſe, or meddle with ſuch toyes and follies, and they were diuerſe waies puniſhed, that entertained thoſe lewd practiſes. Though gra • e and ſtayed men will not bee eaſily ſed • ced by theſe iugling Iackes, yet becauſe, as one ſaith, Leuia, et inepta ingenia are wont to liſten to ſ • ch witleſſe ware, good magiſtrats prouided wholſome lawes for the reſtraint of them. For that all their art and profeſſion, is but mere gheſſing and hittie miſſie, as hath ben ſhewed before, may appeare by the anſwere of Alexand. to the Chaldeans, who vpon their skill in predictions, dehorted him frō going to Babylon, alleaging, that that iourny at that time could haue no good iſſue. To whome he anſwered, as is in Arrhian lib. 7. that verſe of Euripides: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . No Wiſard wiſer is then he, That gheſſeth well, for ought I ſee.

This is that Graecus vulgaris verſus alleaged by Tully to the ſame purpoſe. lib. 2. de diuina. It is maruell that Tully being ſo addicted and deuoted to Eurip. that hee eſteemed euery verſe of him a ſufficient proofe: It is maruel I ſay that he wold not rather quote him in this place by name, as he doth otherwhere, then alleage it ſo nicely, as if he knew not who had bin the author of it. Farther by his tranſlation which he giueth, it ſhould ſeeme that he had it by tradition, and heareſay, not by reading of Eurip. For neither hath he altogether followed Eurip. in ſenſe, nor, as he did, expreſſed it in verſe; for with him it is, Bene qui conijciet, vatem hunc perhibeto optimum. Others, who had belike not ſeene Eurip. nor read Tully for perhibeto read perhibebo. But howſoeuer we read in greeke or latine, this way, or that way, all commeth to one end; the whole arte is but gheſſing and vncertainties, this ſaith Euripides, this allowed Tully, this alſo confirmed Alexander, who (as ſaith the ſame Arrhian) hauing receiued no harme by his being at Babylon, to ſhame and confound as it were the vanitie of blind Chaldean prophecies, returned backe by the marſhes very cōfidently. And if that be true which Clem. Alex. auoucheth in his Eclogues pag. 345. lin. 45. then muſt all their predictions be nothing but lies. For there it is ſaid, that the Angels, which fell, taught men theſe arts, now what can the deuill teach but lies, who was a lier from the beginning.

CHAP. XIIII.

That none harken to Figure-flingers but Fooles, ſince God hath reſerued the the knowledge of future things to himſelfe.

Now if any, notwithſtāding that which hath bin ſaid, ſhalbe ſo fond, as ſtill to rely vpon theſe propheſies, and predictions, let him conſider that of S. Ambroſe lib. 4. cap. 4. The art of figure-flingers is like a cobweb, in which if a flie, or gnat be, 'entangled, it cannot ſcape, but greater things hapning into thē, they teare & ruſh through all thoſe weake and ſlender atercop nets. So it fareth with the figureflingers purſuits, wherin vnſetled giddy pates may eaſily be, and are ſnared, while men of ſounder ſence, & more ſtaid iudgemēt go cleare away. Here haue we not only the figure-flingers, but alſo his gentle auditour and client touched; for if there were no receiuers, there would be no theeues: if there were no wagling wits, theſe cogging figure-flingers might put vp their pipes. And ſo long as there is ſoothing, we ſhall neuer want ſouthſayers. Farther, we are to conſider, that all our knowledge is limited, and that we do but ſee as it were in aenigmate, that our vnderſtanding to the cleareſt things of nature, is but as the owles eye to the ſunne, that veritas in profundo latet, that God hath reſerued many things for his knowledge; which neither man nor angell can attaine to, according to that of the poet, Nec ſcire fas eſt omniae, and therefore the ſame poet giueth vs this counſell for future things, Tu ne quaeſieris ſcire (nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi finem dij dederint Leuconoe, nec Babylonios Tentaris numeros, vt melius quicquid erit pati. Seeke not Leuconoe to know, what death, and when may thee befall, Looke not for help of wiſards craft, for patience, their help is ſmall. This poet in this point is verie conſtant; for with this agreeth that. ode. 29. lib. 3.

Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginoſa nocte premit Deus, Ridetque, ſi mortalis vltra Fas trepidat, quod adeſt memento Componere aequus. Diuinely God hath future things concealed from mankinde, And laughes whē men do quake for feare, for things that are behinde.

With this agreeth alſo that of Pindarus. od. 12. oly.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

No man euer as yet could get a truſtie counſeller for actions to come, for in future things our counſels, and conſultations, are obſcure and blinde. By which teſtimonies we ſee that God hath reſerued to himſelfe the knowledge of future things, & not imparted them to any whoſoeuer. This derogation from God ſeemed ſo hainous to the Emperor Cōſtantine, that he puniſhed with loſſe of life whoſoeuer went to aske counſell of an Aſtrologer. And Iuſtinian ſaith, that it was good for the common wealth, to have geometrie taught, but of A • trology he ſaith it was damnable, a • d quite forbidden. Alſo Origen doth for the ſame cauſe as far cenſure thē which ſeeke to the Aſtrologers, as the Aſtrologers themſelues, Hom. 3. in Hier. If any of you ſeeke after the follies of Aſtrologers, he is in the land of the Chaldeans. If any waying the day of his natiuitie, and, as if there were any thing in the diuerſitie of houres, and times, admit this opinion, becauſe the ſtarres being thus and thus figured, make men riotous, adulterers, vnchaſt and ſuch like, he is in the land of the Chaldeans.

CAP. XV.

The Aſtrologers wreſting a place of Ariſtotle to their purpoſe.

BBut whereas before we alleaged Ariſtotle againſt theſe figureflingers, it may be they wil thinke, that we haue offered them great wrong, for they are wont to take ſore hold of a place Polit. lib. 1. cap. 7. where it is reported of Thales, that he by Aſtrologie foreſeeing how the yeares were like to proue, bought all the Oliues in the country, whereby he did wonderfully enrich himſelfe. To this authoritie firſt we ſay, that Ariſtotle doth not report this of Thales, as of his own knowledge, but rather as a tradition by heareſay, as may very ſufficiently appeare by thoſe words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Againe by Aſtrology in that place is meant the obſeruation of riſing and ſetting of certaine ſtars, as Arcturus, Vergiliae, and ſo forth, by which men were wont to direct their husbandrie: for that in this ſence of foretelling, the ſtarres were to great purpoſe, may appear by Clem. Alex. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pa. 345. lin. 49. where he ſaith that the ſtars are not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to foretell the chaunges of the aire, plentie, dearth, plagues, drouth and ſuch like. With which alſo a greeth that which hee hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . lib. 6. pag. 279. lin. 35. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . If here they vrge that the name of Aſtrology is vſed in that place, they ſhall but bewray their owne ignorance: for in Ariſtotle, and other good writers, the words, Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie were all one; neither were they ſeuered, till this counterfeit diuination came vp. If then they will know of vs by what name their myſtery, and art hath paſſed in the world, we muſt tell thē that though it deſerued to paſſe like a rogue with a bored eare, yet, contrarie to deſert, as being well deſcended, it hath paſſed with this difference, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Of ſome it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and of Clement. Alexand. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not being called euer Aſtronomie ſimply, but with theſe additions. But that Aſtronomy and Aſtrologie ſignified euer in good Authours all one thing, may appeare by Tully, lib. 2. de Diuinat. where it is ſaid of Anchialus & Caſſander, that although they were excellent in other parts of Aſtrologie, yet they neuer vſed theſe predictions. In the ſame place is the ſame word diuerſe times vſed: but what would we ſpeake of one place, when in all his workes you ſhall neuer find the other word Aſtronomie, but ſtill Aſtrologie: whereby is meant notwithſtanding, the ſame as others meane by the word Aſtronomy. Yet I am not ignorant that Clem. Alexand. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pag. 26. calleth the lawful 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , & that other in deriſion 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Baſe & vile though it be, yet in the end it ſo preuailed, that it did outface the lawfull Aſtronomie, by which it was at firſt countenanced, and brought into credite. It plaid with Aſtronomie as the Cuckow is ſaid to play with other birdes, tumbling their egs out of their neſts that ſhe may put in her owne. And as in this point Aſtrologie reſembleth the old Cuckow; ſo in another ſort ſhe reſembleth the young Cuckow, who in the end is wont to deuoure the bird that fed her. Verie fitly alſo may it be compared to the ſnake in Aeſop, who being refreſhed a little with heat, began to annoye and trouble all the houſe with hiſſing. Of this encroching, and inſinuating counterfait, may Aſtronomy well complaine in this maner: —eiectam, laris egentem Accepi, noſtraque amens in ſede locaui: When I thee found, and tooke thee vp, at firſt thou waſt an elſe, Yet like a foole I ſet thee vp, as high as was my ſelfe. If there be any ſimilitude in theſe 2. arts, it is but ſuch a countefeit reſemblance as is mētioned by Tully, lib. 3. de Orat. By ſcraping with the foot, & certaine termes of arte, wherein they bleare the eyes of them that cannot ſee into them. When Aſtronomie is compared to ſuch a miſhapen monſter, may it not well diſdaine the pariſon in theſe words?

Simia quam ſimilis turpiſsima beſtia nobis? I muſt needs wonder when I ſee A pouchmouth'd Ape ſo like to me.

But to returne to Thales, it is not to be thought, but that he was very raw, & far to ſeeke in theſe vaine ſpeculations, for in thoſe daies Greece was ſcarſe acquainted with the firſt principles of Aſtronomy, ſo far were they from Aſtrologicall toies.

CHAP. XVI.

VVho firſt among the Greeks gaue themſelues to Aſtronomie, and how farre.

IT is reported of Thales, that hee was the firſt among the Grecians that profeſſed any skill in theſe matters. About 80. yeeres after came Anaxagoras, who was the firſt that durſt aduenture to put any thing in writing, concerning the eclipſe of the Moone, which had like to haue coſt him his life: for being caſt in priſon of the Athenians for that cauſe, he was hardly deliuered by the great ſute and labour of Pericles. For the Athenians tooke the ſtarres to be Gods, not thinking that they went about by any naturall courſe, but freely at their owne election. After that, how many yeeres Nicias had like to haue marred the Athenian ſtate, for not knowing the cauſe of the eclipſe of the Moone, you may ſee in Plutarch and Plinie. Before Platoes time there is ſcarſe mention of any that tooke anie thing vpon him in theſe predictions. Eudoxus Gnidius, Platoes great acquaintance and friend, hauing conuerſed long with the Egyptians, where he attained to the perfection of Aſtronomie, and Aſtrologie, expreſſely diſallowed the latter, and firſt of his nation, gaue himſelfe wholly to embrace and ſtudie the former. No Grecian is recorded to haue giuen himſelfe ſo throughly to theſe ſtudies. He did ſo diligently among the Egyptians, obſerue the courſe of the ſtarres, that the high place where he made his ſtanding to note them, euen in Straboes time, was called Eudoxi ſpeculae, that is, Eudoxus beacon. This man among the Grecians, is ſaid firſt to haue beene skilfull in this arte, which notwithſtanding he is reported to haue condemned, becauſe he found it ſtill falſe and fickle. If one thing onely among a hundred fell out true, hee did not vſe that to make good all the reſt that were falſe, but contrarie, rather diſcredited that one for the reſts ſake. He knew that one ſhooting all day muſt needs ſometime hit the marke, were he neuer ſuch a bungler, and that in oft caſting the dice, where there is nothing but chaunce, one ſhall ſometime turne vp that chance which they call Venereus. As Ariſtotle affirmeth nothing of Thales skill: ſo if Eudoxus had knowne any ſuch memorable skill to haue beene in Thales, he would not haue concealed it, comming welnigh three hundred years after him. But this ſtorie of Thales is by Pliny reported of Democritus, ſo full of vncertaintie is the whole matter. Theſe things would haue bin conſidered of them that ſlaunder Thales with Aſtrologie. As for Ariſtotle, hee writeth onely, that this was attributed to him becauſe of his wiſedome and prouidence: but that he was an Aſtrologer, he no where ſaith, nor could well beleeue.

CHAP. XVII.

Aſtrologie compared with other artes.

BVt if profeſſions grounded vpon reaſon do often faile, no maruell if this witleſſe ſtarre-ſtaring be ſtill out, which hath no ground but blind chance, and the whirling of fortune. The phiſitian foreſeeth the diſeaſe: the captain treaſon: the gouernour the tempeſt; yet theſe are often deceiued, though they proceed with reaſon. As the husbandman, when he ſeeth the Oliue bloſſome, he hopeth ſo ſee the frute too, and he hath reaſon; yet ſometime it falleth out otherwiſe. The Phiſitian hath the water, the pulſe, actio laeſa, qualitas mutata, ſubſtantio naliter in haerentia, and a great many more helpes for indication, yet all too little ſometime, the water deceiuing ſo oft, that it is well called of ſome, meretrix medicorum. As for the difference of pulſes they are ſo nice, and ſo ſubtile, that one ſaith of them, Nemo novit, niſi Deus, et Galenus, qui habuit delicatiſsimum tactum: No man can diſcerne them but God, and Galen, who had a moſt ſubtile touche. Indeed the doctrine of pulſes is verie exquiſitelie ſet downe by Galen, neither containeth it any thing, which may not ſeeme full of reaſon; yet whether Galen euer in practiſe could diſtinguiſh thoſe differences, may well be doubted: ſpeculation is one thing, and practiſe is an other. I doubt not but many a muſitian in ſetting, could ſo daſh a ſong with proportions and moodes, that it would appoſe himſelfe to ſing it; the like for any thing I ſee, may be thought of Galens pulſes. The plaine and apprehenſible differences of pulſes, are by all meanes to be heeded, as ſhewing the ſtate and affects of the hart, according to that, orta atteſtantur ſuis principijs. As for the reſt which are ſo obſcure and ſubtile, if they be let paſſe, the matter is not great: wherein we ſhall ſeeme to imitate muſitians, who hauing three kinds of muſicke, dia tonum, Enarmonium, and Chronaticum, at this day retaine, and vſe onlie that firſt, as being more plain and manly, neglecting the two latter, partlie for ſome effeminateneſſe, partly for ſome difficultie in framing, and applying it to our voice. But a great deale more fit it were to compare this art with her fellow counterfaits aruſpicina, hydromantia, chiromantia, choſchinomantia, and ſuch like; for theſe be in deed ſutable, and matchable, euery one as falſe as his fellow: neither was euer Aſtrology either more in requeſt, or more honored then were theſe counterfeit toyes. Wherefore there is good hope, that as all thoſe other are vaniſhed and gone: ſo this will follow. Among the Romaines they were to do nothing either at home, or abroad, Niſi auſpicato, and in what great account was their Collegium augurum? Yet becauſe all was but meere follies, we ſee what is now become of them, euen time will weare ſuch things out, though we do not at all help, according to that, opinionum commenta delet dies, fantaſticall conceits time it ſelfe wil diſpatch. The feeding & flying, & guts of birds were they not a goodly thing to make Almanakes by, or to direct actions? What a notable ieſt is that of terripauium, and terripudium, and tripudium and how it came to tripudium ſoliſtimum? Now how ill fauoredly haue they agreed in ſiniſtrum, and dextrum, the Greekes taking dextrum for happie, the Latines contrarie ſiniſtrum, according to that of Virg. Aene. 2. ver. 692, ſubitoque fragore intonuit laeuum. Which difference alſo hath ben obſerued of Tully. 2. de diuinat. in thoſe words: Ad noſtri augurij conſuetudinem dixit Ennius.

Cum tonuit laeuum bene tempeſtate ſerena.

At Homericus Aiax apud Achillem, querens de ferocitate Troianorum, neſcio quid hoc modo proſpera Iupiter his dextris fulgoribus edit, ita nobis ſiniſtra videntur, Graijs et barbaris dextra meliora, quanquam haud ignoro, quae bona ſunt, ſiniſtra nos dicere, etiamſi dextra ſint. Neither ſhall we notwithſtanding ſee this difference obſerued well among the Latines, for of vntowardly and vnfortunate things ſaith Virg. Ecl. 1. Saepe ſiniſtra caua praedixit ab ilice cornix. With which agreeth that of Euſtath. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

But thus much only for a taſte, that we may ſee what artes thoſe can be, whoſe grounds are not yet agreed vpon. And yet I would thinke that euen theſe arts had more certaintie then Aſtrology, becauſe they deale with that which they ſee, and handle, to wit, the bowels of birds, and feeding, and ſuch like, wheras the Aſtrologer hath the ſtars ſo remote, that he muſt needs often miſtake and erre.

CHAP. XVIII.

That the Aſtrologers need no farther confutation, then ſuch as may be drawne out of their owne art, ſince their elections, and predictions can no way ſtand together.

BVt theſe Aſtrologers, as it ſeemeth, though they be full of fictions, yet were they neuer good poets; for they haue not wel learned that poeticall axiome, mendacem memorem, nor that of Horace, Sibi conuenientia finge: for if they had, then once hauing deliuered that our euents, actions, end, and enterpriſes do neceſſarily depend vpon the natiuitie, they would neuer haue obtruded to vs their doctrine of elections, they might eaſilie ſee how ill theſe two could ſtand together, for if our natiuitie, do neceſſitate as it were, and force our actions, what place can there be left for elections, except it be ſuch elections as is ſometime vſed among children, chuſe whether you will haue this or none. If the ſtars in our natiuitie diſpoſe of our actions, and future euents, then muſt our actions of force fall out thereafter. Otherwiſe how can they truely be ſaid to diſpoſe? Againe if our actions be in our owne election to make them better or worſe, by chuſing a fit or vnfit day for them, how can the ſtars be ſaid to rule and guide them? for if the ſtars rule them, they are not in our election, and if they be in our election, the ſtars do not rule them. We ſee therefore that theſe men can not be better confuted then by themſelues. Their poſitions haue no coherence, nor hang any better together then a rope of ſand. Belike here muſt that great ſaying take place, Sapiens dominabitur aſtris: but who ſhalbe their Sapiens or wiſe man then? ſure the Aſtrologer only for ought that I ſee; for he ſeing by his natiuitie, that ſuch an action, vpon ſuch a day cannot fal wel out, & vpon ſuch a day muſt fall well out, may change the day, & therwith the ſucceſſe of his enterpriſe, or action at his pleaſure: this euery man cannot doe, for lack of Aſtrologie, & therefore all the world be like are fooles ſauing the Aſtrologer. I will not here ſtand long to diſcourſe of their Egyptian, and diſmall dayes, nor of their deriuation, whether they come of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and mala, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and mala: Egyptian ſure they muſt needs be, becauſe they are of thoſe opprobria Egypti, which ſo long as we retaine, we are ſtill in Egypt. Difference of times we grant, that ſomtimes they are cleare and quiet, ſometime cloudy and troubleſome, according to that, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The time ſometime a ſtepdame is, both fierce, and fell, and eke The ſame ſometime a mother is exceeding kind and meeke.

Time was no ſtepdame to Croeſus till he came at Halys, but when he cried, O Solon, Solon, then the caſe was altered. Otherwiſe we are to confeſſe, that as God is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſo is he not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,' that is no accepter either of times or perſons. Geneſ. 1. ver. 18. God ſaw that the day was good, and ſhall we ſay that they are infortunate, or diſmall? This heatheniſh ſuperſtition is diſallowed by the preacher, forbidden by the Apoſtle, and exploded by S. Auguſtine. Eccleſ. 11. ver. 4, he that obſerueth, and waiteth for winde and weather, ſhall neuer make good harueſt, and therefore we are there warned to put the ſeed in the ground earely and late, becauſe we know not whether is moſt like to take: what was the cauſe why the Apoſtle feared the Galath. what would become of them, but their ſuperſtitious obſeruing of monthes, times, and yeares. S Auguſt. willing to ſhew them how they entangle themſelues, not being able to reconcile their elections and conſtellations, hath ſaid both very fitly, and fatherly to them, de ciu. dei. lib. 5. cap. 7, his words are as follow: Now what an intolerable thing is it, that by choiſe of dayes, they ſeeke to change their old deſtinies with new? For example, one had it not in his natiuitie, to haue a worthy ſonne, but rather a baſe child, and therfore like a profound clarke, he made choiſe of a good hower to lie with his wife. By this meanes he framed himſelfe a new deſtiny, which he had not before, and by this new deſtiny that became deſtiny to him, which was neuer his deſtiny by natiuitie. O madneſſe of all madneſſe! we muſt take heed what day we marry one. Belike leaſt for lacke of heed and choiſe, we ſhould light vpon a diſmale day. But by this meanes what is become of our birth conſtellation? can a mā by choiſe of a day alter his deſtiny, & cānot another power alter that which he hath choſen? Farther, if onlie men, not all other things be ruled by conſtellations, wherefore do they for planting and ſowing make choiſe of theſe dayes, & of other dayes for gelding their catell, breaking their coltes, couering their mares and ſuch like.

But to leaue Auguſtine, euen Ptolemy confeſſeth, that if thy natiuitie be againſt thy enterpriſe, the elections of dayes will be to ſmall purpoſe. Of this point Mirandula diſcourſed more at large. lib. 2. aduerſus Aſtrologos, but in effect the ſame you ſhall finde more briefly in S. Auguſtine in the place aboue cited. To this cōfuting them out of their owne principles muſt be added that of Alpetragius, teaching, that if there be a motion in heauen yet vnknowne, thē there is a body yet vnknown too for that motion: which opinion may alſo bee confirmed by thoſe motions, which haue of late bin diuiſed by our moderne Mathematiques, which they ſay their predeceſſours neuer knew. Now for the ſight and order of the planets, how doe they agree? while they that follow the Egyptians, place the moone next & immediatly vnder the Sun, as doth alſo both Plato & Aristotle. For Aristotle in his booke de coelo, & Plato in Timaeo placeth the Moone next to the Sun, ſtill vnderſtanding the Moone to be the loweſt of al the planets. Ptolemy, the Chaldeans, and the latter men place the Sun in the middeſt of the planets, thinking that place meeteſt for it, as King ouer the reſt. Geber and Theon in their cōmentaries vpon Ptolemy, hold that the Sun is nere the Moone. Andreas Sūmarius holdeth Saturne, Iupiter and Mars to be higher then the reſt: but which of them among themſelues is higheſt or loweſt, neither is knowne (ſaith he) nor can be knowne. Moſes Egyptius ſaith, there is no certaintie, what is the order and ſite of the planets, eſpecially of the three vppermoſt of the number of ſpheares aboue the planets, what doutfull worke haue they made, ſome holding the eight ſphear, in which are the fixed ſtares, to be the vttermoſt: others imagining a ninth orbe to compaſſe the eight which is inuiſible: ſome alſo ſuppoſe ther is a tenth ſpheare vtmoſt of all. The authours of the firſt opinion were the Egyptians, and the Chaldeans: which Plato and Ariſtotle after embraced and Hipparcus, and Ptolemy: the ſame was laſtly maintained by Leo Hebraeus, & Proclus the Platonike. The ſecond opinion follow moſt of our modernes, as Alphonſus, who firſt made ſupputations of planets by this ſphear, thinking it to be the vttermoſt. Of the ſame minde were Leopoldus, Mahala, and Campanus, and Albertus, all fathering this opinion vpon Ptolemy, but falſely: for with him is no ninth ſphere, much leſſe any tenth, as you may perceiue both by the ſecond booke of the Almageſt, & the firſt book of Apoteleſmata. For ſince Ptolemy vſeth both the mouable ſignes, called the images, or the figures of the eightſphear, and the immouable ſignes, referring to them the places of the planets, is ſufficient proofe, that he dreamed of nothing, without the eight ſpheare. For thoſe foure famous points, to wit, of the two tropicks, & two equinoctial he calleth the immouable ſignes, which are fixed and faſtned in the eight ſpheare, not in the ninth; for theſe be his words in the ſecond booke of the Almageſt; I will a buſe the names of the ſignes, applying them to the partes of the Zodiak, as if they began at the tropick and equinoctiall pointes, ſo the twelfth part from the vernall equinoctiall toward the ſommer tropick, I will call Aries, the ſecond twelfth part, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I will call Taurus, and ſo forth, according to the order of the twelue ſignes deliuered by vs. And in the firſt booke of his Apoteleſmata, he determineth the partes of the Zodiake, to which he referreth the planets, by the Solſtitiall, and Equinoctiall points, but be there, or be there not any ninth ſpheare, all the Aſtrologie of our age muſt needes downe. For if theſe celeſtiall influences proceede from all parts of heauens, it will follow, that they can prognoſticate nothing, which make no account of the whole Orbe, as if the bare places where no ſtarres are, had no force or power. But if theſe celeſtiall influences to change things here, proceede only from ſuch ſtarres as are indued with euident light and beams, then muſt they of force grant, that no force deſcendeth from the ninth Sphere hither, which either hath no light at all, or ſuch as cannot be perceiued. Wherefore either the whole Sphere is to be obſerued, which they do not, or that ninth Sphere, if there be any ſuch, is to be contemned, of which mind is Guido Bonatus, affirming that whatſoeuer is aboue the eight Sphere, belongeth not to the Aſtrologer. Farther, we are to note how they iarre not onely in motions, & reuolutions of the Planets, but euen of the Sun it ſelfe, how diuerſely and contrarie they write. Before Hipparchus time they held that the Sunnes reuolution, which is a yeare, conteined only 350. dayes, and a quarter of a day. Hipparchus thought the addition aboue euen dayes was leſſe then a quarter. Ptolemey thinketh that leſſe to bee the 300. part of a day. Albateguinus ſaith, it wanted of a quarter the 106. part of a day. Thebit ſaith, that the yeare containeth 365. dayes, 6. houres, 10. minutes, 12. degr. Philolaus ſaid that the naturall yeare conſiſted of 364. dayes and a halfe. Others in a matter of ſuch vncertaintie, though they came neere enough, if they made the yere of 365 dayes, which opinion Saint Auguſtine ſeemed not much to miſlike, who in his Commentary ſuper Geneſim, to the 365. daies addeth the whole quarter day. When we ſee theſe great men thus varie and diſſent, wee need maruell leſſe at the Arcadians, making yeeres of three moneths long: and at the Acarnanians, who vſed yeares of ſixe moneths; and Greekes hauing yeares of 354. dayes. As they diſſent much in the quantitie of the yeare: ſo is there as il agreement in the beginning of it. But that this point cannot be determined of, Ptolemie proueth in the ſecond booke of his Apoteleſmata for this reaſon, becauſe in a circle no man can find a beginning ſimply. Wherfore in the Zodiak are imagined foure beginnings by coniecture, the two Solſtitial, and the two Equinoctiall pointes. The Egyptians began their yeare at the vernall Equinoctial, the Romans at the winter Tropicke: others at the firſt of Libra. Plutarch in his Problems liketh Numa for beginning it at the winter Tropicke. If any, to determine this controuerſie, ſhall ſay that we are to heed the creation of the world, he ſhal rather increaſe, then diminiſh the controuerſie. For among the Hebrewes, where this were to be learned, is no certaintie to be found, ſome of them holding that the creation was in the Srping; others in Autumne: of which opinion are many, for concerning the celebrating of the Paſſeouer in the firſt moneth, that they ſay was ſpoken in reſpect of the ſolemnities. Farther, it is written in Exodus, that the feaſt of Tabernacles was in the end of the yeare, which feaſt we know, was kept in the end of the yeare. More might be brought to this purpoſe, which for breuities ſake at this time I purpoſely omit, ſeeing that Saint Hierome both otherwhere, & vpon Ezechiel, calleth October the firſt moneth, and Ianuarie the fourth. I will not heere inlarge how they varie about the diſtances of Mercurie from the Sunne, of the difference of Signes, and thoſe which they call images, or Figures, of which in truth there can no reckening bee made, ſince they are nothing in nature, but the deuiſes of men, which might haue made them otherwiſe, if they would, theſe which are now vſed, being deuiſed or related by Aratus, who (as teſtifieth Cicero) writ of Aſtrologie, and had none himſelfe.

CHAP. XIX.

Foure cauſes why Aſtrologers ſeeme often to ſay true, and that for their true ſaying they are neuer a whit the more to be truſted.

COnſidering the falſeneſſe of their predictions, though there hath been enough ſaid, why they ſhould not be truſted, yet nowe briefly I will ſhewe, that though all their predictions ſhuld fall out true, yet we were not one whit more to belieue or vſe them, but to follow the counſel of Saint Auguſt. lib. 2. de doct. Chriſt. cap. 22. who willeth vs to abandon theſe men, not becauſe they ſay falſe, but (ſaith he) though things come to paſſe as they ſay, yet beleeue them not: for though the ſhape of dead Samuel told the truth to Saul, yet the ſacrilege of ſuch repreſentations are not a whit the leſſe to be deteſted. And though the wiſe woman in the Acts of the Apoſtles, gaue a true teſtimonie to the Apoſtles; yet Paul did not ſpare that ſpirit, but rather cleanſed it by the rebuke, and caſting out of that diuell. Therefore all theſe Artes ſmelling of vaine, or rather hurtfull ſuperſtition, by reaſon of a certaine peſtilent confederacy betweene men and diuels, as falſe and fraudulent compacts, are to be reiected and abandoned of Chriſtians. Why they ſhould not be truſted though they ſay all true, may appeare, if we conſider the cauſes why they ſay ſometimes true, which may be reduced to foure: The firſt cauſe is referred to a certaine pact & league between the Aſtrologer and the diuell, or to a certaine ſecret inſtinct and motion, whereby men at vnawares are oft incited to gueſſe, according to that of Saint Auguſtine, lib. 5. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 27. It is not without cauſe beleeued (ſaith he) that when Aſtrologers maruellouſly make manie true anſweres, it commeth to paſſe by the ſuggeſtion of euill ſpirits, whoſe chiefe care is to ingraft and faſten theſe wicked and falſe opinions of ſtarres in mens minds, and not by any arte in obſeruing and noting the Horoſcopus, which is none indeede. And the ſame Father, lib. 2, de Gen. ad Lit. cap. 17. ſaith, that this their foretelling of things, euen when they ſay true, is but the worke of ſeducing ſpirits, to whom it is permitted to know ſome truth in temporall matters. The ſecōd cauſe may be the ſecret diſpoſition of the diuine prouidence, which by an hidden inſtinct ſometimes ſo moueth the blind and wicked minds of theſe Wiſards, that they foretell they cannot tell how to their followers, ſuch things as is neceſſarie for thē to heare, either for their deſert, or for ſome deepe iudgement of God. The third cauſe is the craft and ſubtiltie of the figure-flinger, who knoweth how to abuſe the ſimplicitie of them that ſeeke to him, Mille per Maeandros, by doubling and turning like an hare in the ſnow, deliuering his anſwer in ſuch riddles, as for obſcuritie may compare with that of Sphynx. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. or that of the Eunuch, the Bat, the Pummie ſtone, and the elder tree, Homo non homo, percuſſit, non percuſſit, auem non auem, lapide non lapide, in arbore non arbore. For when he beginneth his anſwere thus: The partie is of ſanguine complexion, dwelleth weſtward, & ſo forth, who can abide him? he will not ſay the man, nor the woman, but the party which agreeth to both, and then whetherſoeuer it happen on, he hath ſaid true. Now how many be there of ſanguine complexion, and though it ſhould fall out of ſome other complexion, yet great diſputes might be of the difference of complexions, to maintaine and vphold the lie, that though the party was not now ſanguine, yet naturally he was, but changed either by yeares, or diet, or trade of life, and ſuch like. The like ſcambling may be made in the reſt. The miſchiefes that iſſue from theſe blind riddles are infinite, for by them manie innocent and cleare people are called into queſtion and doubt. How happie had poore Aedipus beene, if he had neuer heard that blind Senarius. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . If the Oracle had meant him any good, he ſhould haue told him who was his mother, and that hee ſhould not lie with her in plaine tearmes. But if they ſhould deale plainly, they ſhould offend againſt one of Ptolemies rules in Centiloquio, Prop. 1. They muſt not (ſaith he) tell a thing particularly, but vniuerſally, as one that ſeeth a thing a farre off. The fourth cauſe is the doltiſh dulneſſe of ſuch as reſort to them, who through their credulitie ſuffer thēſelues willingly to be abuſed. Of ech of theſe cauſes might much be ſaid, which for breuitie ſake at this time I let paſſe. Thus we ſee that in ſeeking for anſweres, there is more to be reſpected then the truth, we muſt ſee to the meanes, that we ſeeke lawfully. In the word are the lawfull wayes of ſeeking expreſſed: Somnia, ſacerdotes, prophetae, Sortes, Angeli, omina, but to ſeek to theſe cold Prophets it is euerie where forbidden. If we ſhall know and confeſſe thus much, and yet neuertheleſſe retaine them, and vſe them, ſeeking to them, as indeed we do (for who almoſt, be he neuer ſo religious, will not ſeeke to them) we may iuſtly ſeeme to imitate Saule, who in hypocriticall impietie baniſhing Aſtrologers, and ſorcerers out of his kingdome, yet ſought to them himſelfe. If we diſallow them, & ſpeak againſt them, and yet vſe them, we may be thought to renounce them in word, and retaine them indeed, to thruſt them away with the one hand, and pull them to vs with the other, not much vnlike to merrie Skelton, who thruſt his wife out at the doore, and receiued her in againe at the window. The ſtorie is well known how the Biſhop had charged him to thruſt his wife out of the doore: but that which was but a meriment in Skelton may proue worſe with vs, for it is no dallying with God: if hee bid vs thruſt out theſe vile people, we muſt do it indeed, we muſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we muſt walke without halting.

CHAP. XX.

Of the true vſe of Starres, and ſtudie of Aſtronomie in the iudgement of Socrates and Bucer.

SVch things as God in his ſecrete iudgement hath reſerued to himſelfe, we muſt not goe about to picke out of the ſtarres, as if heauen were nothing worth, and of no vſe, vnleſſe we might play the fooles with it at our pleaſure. Socrates, as witneſſeth Xenophon lib. 4. de factis & dictis doth ſo farre allow of Aſtronomie, as it may be conuerted to the vſe and help of men, and was wont to perſwade men to get ſo much knowledge in it, as might make them perfect in the alteration of dayes, moneths, and reuolutions of yeares, for their trauell, nauigation, husbandrie, and ſuch like. But to ſtudie theſe idle curious toyes of figure-flinging, of houſes, centers, conſtellations, and ſuch like, he did by all meanes diſſwade, becauſe by theſe things came no good, nor benefite to the life of man. Farther he ſaid, it was more then a man could, to know theſe things, and that they did much offend God, that went about thoſe things which he would keepe to himſelfe. If any would not be ſo ſatisfied, but wold needs go on in this curious courſe, of them he was wont to ſay, that they were as mad as Anaxagoras. For he affirming the Sun to be fire, knew not that men looke on the fire, whereas they cannot behold the Sunne, and are coloured and tanned in the Sunne, but in the fire not at all. In that alſo he ſhewed his ignorance, as if the heat of the Sunne did not cheriſh and breed things, the heate of the fire contrary decaying them. But whereas he affirmeth the Sunne to be a fierie ſtone, he ſeemeth not to know that ſuch a ſtone wil not ſhine and giue light, nor can laſt or endure long, which both agree to the Sunne. With theſe mad opinions doth wiſe Socrates ſute the conceits of Aſtrologers.

With this great Philoſopher let me match a great Diuine, for ſo I hope that will be true, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In Latine, Non caret effectu, quod voluere duo: In Engliſh, Hardly ſhall you that thing withſtand, VVhich two men iointly take in hand. Bucer vpon the 138. Pſal. ver. 3. hath theſe wordes; Here (ſaith he) is ſet out the wonderfull worke of God, which we behold in the Sun, the moone, and the ſtars, appearing with ſo great and maruellous light, being both for the conſtancy of their courſe, and certaintie of their operations moſt wonderful. Theſe things were meet to be obſerued in the ſtars, and not contrary to Gods commandement to prognoſticate by them, or harken to prognoſticators, which was euer among all wiſe men very execrable, ſo that Diocleſian, though a perſecuter of Chriſt, did vtterly condemne and prohibit this art. Conſtantine alſo puniſhed with loſſe of life, not only the prognoſticatours, but alſo ſuch as ſought to them. cap. de maleficis, & mathematicis. For it is the dutie of a Chriſtian to depend wholy vpon God, neither to doubt, but that he ſo ordereth all, that nothing can happen but to his good and benefit. Wherefore not gaping after things to come, he muſt haue this care chiefly, that he order things preſent to the glory, and after the will of God. Let it therefore be enough for Chriſtians, that God hath declared theſe vanities to be abhominable to him. Deuter. 18.10. And that he doth ſo nippingly inſult as it were ouer ſtargazers by name, Eſay. 47.12. Let it ſuffice vs ſo to haue obſerued the motion of them, that we may know the diſtinction of times, and ſeaſons, and how to do thoſe things, for which God hath made them to be obſerued, by giuing full proofe of their vſe, ſuch as we ſee in husbandry, nauigation, and ſuch like. For other euēts, let vs not trouble our ſelues, ſince al things ſhall fall out for the beſt, if we feare God: neither let vs doubt, but whatſoeuer is good for vs, God will certainly reueale it in good time, as he was euer wont to doe to his people. When man was placed in Paradice, he was ſet there to dreſſe the garden, not to be gaſing ſtill vp to the ſtarres, like a wiſard: when he was put out, he was deſigned to till the ground, to digge, grub, weede, ſweat, and ſwinke, not to buſie himſelfe about aſpects, coniunctions, oppoſitions, conſtellations, influences, firy, and watrie triplicities, and ſuch like. Heauen is Gods booke, which we muſt leaue to him, and content our ſelues with our earthly abce, according to that Pſal. 113. Coelum coeli domino, terram autem dedit filijs hominum. To what end hath God placed vs ſo far from the ſtarres, if with Aſtrolabes, ſtaues and quadrants wee can do all things, as if we were neerer. You know what Horace ſaid fitly of the ſeuering of countries.

Nequicquam deus abſcidit Prudens oceano diſsociabili Terras: ſi tamen impiae Non tangenda rates tranſiliunt vada

The like follie to this I heard once vttered by a diſciphring rogue, who becauſe he had been in Italy and abroad, thought he might ſay what he liſt. He for his art of diſciphering went ſo far, that by it he ſaid, might be found, what were thoſe viſions, reuelations, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which the Apoſtle heard in the third heauen. If thoſe words were within the compaſſe of a Cipher, why are they ſaid to bee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Another beaſt I heard once in a publike Lecture, magnifying his skill in Logike, ſay, that he could proue predeſtination out of Arma virumque cano. Farther out was he then the poore Duns, who in a Lecture explicating thoſe words, held himſelfe a great deale cloſer to his Text, in this ſort: Arma, virumque cano, eſt propoſitio de copul • to extremo, & arma virumque non eſt ſubiectum, ſed praedicatum, & iſtud pronomen Ego, eſt ſubiectum illius verbi Cano, & eſt propoſitio ſic, Ego cano arma, & virum. With this he began to admire himſelfe, and proteſted to his Auditors, that Virgil was neuer ſo read before.

With this ſuperſtition of climactery yeares we may match another as groſſe of the leap yeares, which beca • ſe they follow the number of 4. comming euery 4. yeare, are holden by ſome to be no leſſe diſmall and dange • ous then the climacteries. If this be graunted, why then doe we not make euery fouth yeare a climactery, as well as euery 7. and 9. yeare, and ſo make 4. a climactery number? But let vs heare how they proue the leape yeare to be ſo fatall, and dangerous. The very nature of things, ſay they, and the habite of bodies are quite changed in the leape yeare, which they proue by the experience of Bathes that yeare, which they ſay, are verie vnwholſome, & do much harme, by the teſtimonie of ſhepheards and heardſmen, who report that their flockes and cattell thoſe yeares either conceiue not at all, or if they do, yet go not out their time, or if they go out, yet they bring forth certaine weake and craſed ware. Fruterers alſo complaine that their t • ees are barren in thoſe yea • es, or at leaſt yeeld naughtie fruit. Some further adde, that the kernels of ſome trees which are ſet that yeare will turne of thēſelues, ſo that the ſharp end will ſtand where the flat end ſhould be. And ſome that wold ſeeme wiſe, maintaine that thoſe yeares are periculous for women with child. Whereupon often times in many places you ſhal ſee thoſe ſuperſtitious cretures ſhriue thēſelues, gad a pilgrimage, ply their beads, prattle their Paternoſters, & weare garlands, which they cal our Ladies garlands or coronets.

Againe, they ſay that the leape yeare is Saturnine, which they proue thus. The Saturnine yeare is euery fourth yeare: but the leape yeare is euerie fourth yere: therefore the leape yeare is Saturnine. That the motion of Saturne is guided by foure, they would proue thus. Theſe inferiour things are moued by the ſuperiour: for ſay they, the humours of our bodies are moued by that ſtarre, to whicich they haue reſemblance: for example, Flegme is moued euerie day as following the Moone, which it reſembleth, ſo they ſay that bloud in motion followeth the Sun: choler Mars euery third day: Melancholy Saturne euery fourth day. Seing therefore the leape yeare is Saturnine, and therefore bad, it muſt needes do much harme to all things.

The opinion of the vnluckineſſe of Saturne ſeemeth to haue beene verie ancient, as may appeare by Virgil in many places, who whenſoeuer he will ſignifie Iupiter or Iuno offended, and reuengefull, is wont to call them Saturnios, and not elſe: as Aeneid. lib. 4.

Nec Saturnius haec oculis pater aſpicit aequis.

And of Iuno in the ſame booke, Talibus aggreditur Venerem Saturnia dictis. And in another place, Irim de coelo miſit Saturnia Iuno. And, —veteriſque memor Saturnia belli Tantos iratum voluit ſub pectore fluctus, And —Saturnique altera proles. But when the ſame Poet will ſignifie her fauour and grace, he will call her magna or bona, as in that, Adſit laetitiae Bacchus dator, & bona Iuno. Others ſay that Saturn in progreſſiō hurteth not at all, but only when hee is retrograde. And that for that cauſe he giueth the ſithe for his cognizance, which ſo long as you thruſt it forward, hurteth nothing: but if you draw it backward, will cut verie ſore whatſoeuer doth withſtand it.

This kind of proofe is but poeticall, and pretie, and therfore let euerie one eſteeme of it as far, and no farther then he liſteth: For it will be hard to yeeld anie good or ſubſtantiall reaſon for a thing of this nature. And if my coniecture might be heard againſt this opinion, I ſhould rather thinke that Virgil beſtowed that epithet of Saturnius vpō Iupiter by imitation of Homer, who is wont to tearme him ſometime 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſometime 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and ſometime 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . If any man wil call to mind how willingly Virgil is wont to imitate Homer, & how glad he is whēſoeuer his good hap is to reſemble him, he will eaſily acknowledge that this my coniecture is not altogether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, to no purpoſe, and out of tune.

For anſwer to the firſt reaſon, where it was ſaid, that the leape yeare changeth the nature of things, we ſay that it is moſt falſe: for neither could I euer obſerue it in any, and this preſent 1600. being leape yeare, doth ſufficiently conuince the contrarie. For wee ſee the courſe of nature by that means nothing interrupted or changed, for we continue all ſtill as wee were laſt yeare, men are men, and women are women ſtill, neither are fruit, or beaſtes, or bathes, or children euer a whit weaker or worſe then they were other yeares. So that the leape yeare for any thing I ſee, might well vſe the defence of merie Skelton, who being a Prieſt, and hauing a child by his wife, euerie one cryed out, oh Skelton hath a child, fie on him, &c. Their mouthes at that time he could not ſtop: but on a holy day in a mery mood, he brought the child to Church with him, and in the pulpit ſtript it naked, and held it out, ſaying; See this child, is it not a pretie child, as other children be, euen as any of yours, hath it not legs, armes, head, feet, limbes, proportioned euery way as it ſhuld be? If Skelton had begot a monſter, as a calfe, or ſuch like, what a life ſhould poore Skelton haue had then? So we ſay for the leape yeare, if it had changed the nature of things, as it is charged, how ſhould it haue done then to defend it ſelfe? If the nature of any thing change in the leap yeare, it ſeemeth to be true in men and women, according to the anſwer of a mad fellowe to his miſtreſſe, who being called knaue by her, replied that it was not poſſible, for ſaid he, if you remember your ſelfe, good miſtreſſe, this is leape yeare, and then, as you know well, knaues weare ſmockes. But for farther anſwer, we muſt tell them, that the leape yeare is no worke of nature, but ex poſitione humana, at mans appointment and pleaſure. Wherefore, ſince the leape yeare is but an humane cōſtitution, it cannot be that it ſhould change the nature of things.

For the obiection of ſhepheards and Fruterers, we ſay, that it is but a lewd ſhift of craftie hinds to deceiue their maſters, bearing them in hand, that their things are dead, when they haue ſtolne them.

For the obiection of women with childe in thoſe yeares, it is of ſmall force, conſidering how timerous and fearfull they be, and how naturally giuen to ſuperſtition.

Whereas they goe about to proue that the leape yeare is Saturnine, by the working of melancholie, which is euery fourth day, the anſwere is plaine, that melancholy in working obſerueth the fourth day, as we ſee in quartaine agues: but in Saturne it is nothing ſo, who leapeth rather by fiue: for ſtill after three ordinarie yeares complete, commeth the fourth leape yeare, otherwiſe quite then in a quartaine ague: where we ſee continually but two good daies, and the third euill, and yet it is called and counted a quartaine, although I am not ignorant that countrey people commonly call it the third day ague. The like groſſeneſſe is committed, when they ſay, that the Moone by her moiſture raigneth ouer flegme, and the ſea: which if it were true, why ſhould we not haue two fits euery day of a quotidian, as we haue two ſea tides.

Againe, the leape yeare being but a humane conſtitution, it had a time when it began, before that time when there was no leap yeare, nor intercalating, what was to be ſaid then? And if we ſhould not intercalate euerie fourth yeare, but euerie eight yeare, putting in two dayes, or euerie twelfth yeare, putting in three dayes, ſhould only thoſe yeares bee bad and diſmall? And now that the Pope intercalateth certaine dayes ſooner then we, and at euery 130. yeares, quite otherwiſe then we, will that make no alteration in the leap yeare? Againe, why may not any other of the three yeares be the fourth yeare as well as the leape yeare?

CHAP. XX

The vanitie of Criticall dayes howſoeuer deduced, whether from Galens new moneth, Hippocrates numbers, or Conciliators tetragonicall aſpects.

Galen the firſt authour, and founder of criticall dayes lib. 3. de diebus criticis, hath related to vs two lunarie influences, the one by reaſon of the ſun, of whome the Moone borroweth her light; the other by reaſon of the ſignes of the Zodiake, which ſhe paſſeth through once monthly. Then he ſetteth downe as both allowed by Aſtrologers, and confirmed by experience, that the Moone in oppoſite, and quadrangular aſpects, either in reſpect of the Sun, or in reſpect of the twelue ſignes, doth make great alterations in quadrangular diſtances frō the change ſhewing half only, and in oppoſite diſtances the whole at full, and ſo altereth the ſtate of the aire. Farther, he affirmeth the ſame alterations to happen to things, whē the Moone commeth to the quadrangular, and oppoſite places to thoſe where it was, when any thing was bred or borne. For example: If any thing began to be, the Moone being in Taurus, it ſhould vndergoe theſe alterations, when the Moone is come to Leo and Aquarius, which are ſignes quadrangularly reſpecting Taurus, which alſo he confirmeth with the authoritie of the Egiptians. Hence he thought to find the certaine and ſure cauſe of criticall daies, eſpecially ſince the ſeuenth and the fourteenth dayes are holden as principall critikes; becauſe in the ſeuenth day the Moone commeth to the fourth ſigne, from that which it was in at the beginning of the diſeaſe: and in the foureteenth day, to the oppoſite place of the ſame, in which two places, becauſe the Moone is wont to make ſtirres, it falleth out that in thoſe daies likewiſe the diſeaſes be troubleſome, and buſie to death, if the diſeaſe be dangerous: but to good helth, if it be otherwiſe. Now Galen being deſirous to proue not only the 21. as Archigenes would haue it, but the twētieth alſo to be critical, he fetcheth that from the courſe of the Moone, which goeth round once euery 27. dayes eight houres: which time is called menſis peragrationis, and periodicus, that is, the peragration moneth. Then parting this moneth into foure equall parts, he alloweth to euery quarter ſixe dayes twentie houres, ſo that the 21. day by the courſe of the Moone belonged partly to the 21. day naturall, partly to the twentieth. For his twelue firſt houres ended & concluded the twentieth day, the reſt beginning the 21. day. This being thus, he concludeth that criticall motions fall vpon the twentieth day in long diſeaſes, which proceed by numbers equall to the diſeaſes, the Moone comming to his ſecond quadrangle, in that number of daies: And againe, vpon the 21. day naturall in ſharpe diſeaſes which keep od dayes. Galen being come wel, as he thought, thus far, proceded farther to contradict Archigenes, namely, that no part of the 21. day ſhuld be criticall, but the whole twentieth day only. Wherefore he tooke not the peragration moneth, as we euen now called it, but that which is from change to change, conſiſting of 29. dayes twelue houres, which of the learned is called menſis coniunctionis, and menſis ſynodicus, and of vs may be called the change moneth. Againe, from the 29. day twelue howers, he taketh away thoſe three dayes, wherein the Moone commonly is hidden, and darkened in the change, becauſe he thought it did not worke vpon theſe inferiour matters for lacke of light. So there remained of that moneth only 26. dayes, twelue howers, which is wont to be termed and knowne by the name of menſis illuminationis: & we may cal it the Apparition moneth. Now this and the peragration moneth he put together, and made vp 53. dayes, and twentie howers: Then taking the halfe of this time, he made a month of his owne, containing 26. dayes, & 22. howers. This new kinde of month they are wont to call menſem medicinalem, that is, the phiſitians moneth, being compacted of thoſe dayes which the Moon hath light in, and in which it paſſeth round the Zodiake: as if this month ſhuld containe the influence of the Moone two waies, both in reſpect of the Sunne, and in reſpect of the Zodiake. By this account Galen had his purpoſe, ſince the weekes or quarters of this containe ſixe dayes, ſeuenteene howers and an halfe. So it came to paſſe, that the third quarter of the Phyſitian moneth ended with the twentieth naturall day, within foure howers and a halfe, which were put ouer to the 21. day. But all this pain Galen might haue ſaued, ſince by the peragration moneth alſo the 20. day fell to be criticall, as was ſaid: and he himſelfe doth not denie, but the 21. may be criticall, eſpecially in ſharpe diſeaſes. This haue I ſaid, leaſt when I haue ſhewed, that the criticall dayes cannot be referred to the Moone, whether we weigh her vertue by the Sun, or the ſignes, it might be anſwered, that we had not fully ſatisfied, becauſe Galen had found out a compound influence to make criticall daies by, which things notwithſtanding either he hath not done, or if he hath done it, yet hee did it without reaſon, as ſhall diuers wayes bee proued, for if theſe ſtirres, as he calleth them, happen when the Moone is in quadrangular or oppoſit ſignes to the place where any thing had his beginning: and againe, when it is illuſtrate with quadrangular or oppoſite Sun-beames, we ought not to expect theſe euents from the Moone: but at ſuch times as it is placed one of theſe waies, if ſo be that we look for thoſe euents from thoſe cauſes. But if we looke for them from the Phyſitians moneth, and from the halfes, and quarters of that, they ſhall not depend of thoſe cauſes, which Galen hath proued to raiſe and breede thoſe ſtirres: For then thoſe cauſes are not. Abſurd therefore and ſottiſh is it to ſay, that the vertue of both the conſtellations are mingled at that time, when none of thoſe conſtellations are found. Wherefore if this criticall power be ſought of Galen in the quarters and halfes of the Phyſitians moneth, and not in the quarters and halfes of the peragration moneth, and moneth of illumination, it ſhall not at all be found in Aſtrologicall influences. For neither can you bring it to the ſquare, and oppoſite ſignes, neither to the quadrangular or oppoſite ſites of the Sun. Farther, it can neither be made nor preſerued at ſuch time as theſe are not. Againe, according to Galens moneth, the thirteenth day rather then the fourteenth, ſhould be criticall, for that hath thirteene houres, whereas this hath but eleuen houres. Wherefore you that bee ſticklers for Galen, how will you here defend your ſelues, vſing the peragration moneth, not Galens, when you will make the fourteenth day criticall, but contrarie, when you will make the twentieth day criticall, leauing the peragration moneth, and falling to the other of Galens deuiſe?

Farther, if one ſhuld ſicken the day before the Moone began to bee in change, hauing the 7. day after for his critick, this by no meanes could depend either vpon the Sun, or vpon any ſigne, ſince the Moone for the moſt part of that time was darkened. So that euen by Galens iudgment it could not affect, or worke vpon vs. Moreouer, this counterfeit moneth of Galens neither agreeth with nature, and ſuppoſeth that the Moone is hid three daies from the Sun, which all men knowe to be falſe, and is againſt experience. Farther, it will follow, that (if thoſe dayes be ſtanding and fixed) the Moone ſhould goe alwaies alike faſt, not one while ſlower, and another while faſter. Which to bee moſt falſe, is plaine by Aſtronomicall computations. And who knoweth not that when ſhe goeth in her epicycle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with the Center, of the Eccenter, ſhe goeth faſter then when ſhe goeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which motion muſt needes abate from her ſwiftnes. But that the criticall dayes are not guided by the courſe of the Moone, whenceſoeuer they haue their vertue from Sun, or ſignes, is hence plaine. For if they had it of the Sun, it would follow, that we muſt ſtill fall ſicke at the change of the Moone. For otherwiſe vpon the ſeuenth day the Moon could not be halued, nor at her ful light vpon the 14. day, in which, he ſaith, diſeaſes are prouoked by reaſon of quadrangular and oppoſite configuration with the Sun: but if they haue their force from the ſignes, we may reaſon thus. The 7. & 14. day, as thou ſaiſt, hapneth the prouocation, but commonly the Moone vpon theſe dayes is not in the ſquare & oppoſite places, therfore from the Moon, by reaſon of thoſe places, cannot that commotion or prouocation proceed. The Minor of this ſyllogiſme is plain to all that haue but the leaſt skill in the courſe of the Moone: for ſometime it commeth to the ſquare aſpect vpon the ſixt day, and to the oppoſite ſigne vpon the 13. day, and ſometime it commeth not before the eight or 9. day to the ſquare aſpect. Neither are theſe criticall dayes altogether guided by this motion: and if they were, yet the manner of them would be otherwiſe then is preſcribed. Therefore diuers haue giuen other cauſes of criticall dayes, which depend nothing of the Moone. Hippocrates for the Moone is vtterlie ſilent, referring all rather to certaine numbers obſerued by nature, as both Aſclepiades, and Celſus haue noted.

Auicen quite reiected this lunatique opinion for the great vncertainty of it, as doth alſo Auerroes in his Colliget, ſhewing withall, that to medle with cauſes of criticall dayes, doth not belong to the Phiſitian, but to ſome higher philoſophy; the phiſitian ought only to know which are criticall, and how he is to handle his patient, when he perceiueth, and foreſeeth the criticall day: Wherefore in this point we may ſafely follow Galen, but not in the other; both becauſe he was deceiued, as hath bin proued, and becauſe his iudgement and authoritie in Philoſophy is not much ſet by, euen of ſome of his beſt friends: for both Auicen, and Rabby Moſes gaue out, that hee did but flutter in the bowes of arts, and neuer came at the root. Oftentimes alſo he faileth in logike, and naturall philoſophie, and in his diſcourſes of motus and anima. How ſlenderly he was ſeen in Aſtrologie, may appeare by his computation, which he maketh of the courſe of the Moone: and Conciliators defence of him, is, that in his time the motion of heauen, and that skill was very gazen, and ſcarce well found. Farther, he plainely refuſeth to giue the reaſon, why the Moone ſhould haue any ſuch force in theſe quadrangular and oppoſite ſignes, alleaging only the authoritie of the Aegyptians, whome notwithſtanding in the ſixt booke of Simples he taunteth and condemneth as doters. Neither could they be obſerued of ſuch as neuer well knew the courſe of the Moone. For Hipparchus of Rhodes was the firſt that in this point came any thing neare the truth: after him Ptolemy did better, yet ſo that the Arabians did not allow of him. Our moderne maſters (the courſe of the Moone being better found,) haue picked a new reaſon out of the nature of the ſignes, which agreeth neither with the truth, nor with Galen, whō they follow, nor with their poſitions, which they defend. The quadrangular and oppoſite ſignes, ſay they, haue contrary qualities (they meane for heat, cold, drineſſe, and moyſture,) either both, or the actiue qualities at leaſt. Then going on, they farther ad, that the quadrangular, and oppoſite aſpects are contrarie. Vpon theſe ſuppoſitions they infer, that when the Moone is come to theſe places, which are contrary to thoſe which it was in at the beginning of the diſeaſe, then nature & the diſeaſe ſtriue. For example, (ſay they) if the Moone be in Taurus, when one falleth ſicke, when it commeth to the quadrangular, or oppoſite place, to wit, Leo or Scorpius, then is deadly feid betweene the diſeaſe and nature. Hence we infer, that the Moone will much more doe it, when ſhe is in Gemini, which differeth from Leo more then Taurus doth, the like will fall out when ſhe is in Libra, which differeth from Taurus more then doth Scorpius. This argument, or conſequence, is to be proued euen out of the Aſtrologers themſelues. For by their poſitions, the ſign of Taurus is dry & cold; Leo dry and hot; Scorpius drie and cold; Gemini hot and moiſt. To this perhaps they will reply, that theſe ſignes are not ioyned by any aſpect. Againe we proue that there is no contrarietie in theſe places. For if they be contrarie, the Moone by their poſition ſhould ſhew this contrarie effect, as ſoone as it came to any place of contrarie qualitie: but it commeth from a cold and drie place to an hot and moiſt, & yeeldeth not the contrarie effect, therefore this poſition falleth. Now if they will ſay that the force conſiſteth in the aſpects themſelues, they ought conſequently to holde that the Moone comming to trigonall ſignes ſhould fortifie the diſeaſe, becauſe there is as much force to concord in triangles, as to diſcord in ſquares; for as by reaſon of diſcord of qualities, quadrangles ſtir vp the diſeaſe, ſo by reaſon of concord, triangles ſhall not ſtir them vp. This being thus, that will follow to croſſe the rules of Phiſitians, that the 11 day will be hurtfull, which notwithſtanding is otherwiſe by their rules, ſeing that the Moone the 11. day almoſt groweth trigonall. Farther, it cannot be (as Phiſitians hold) that the ſixt & eight day among the reſt, cauſe ill cōmotions, for this were againſt Aſtrologie, which vpon thoſe dayes bringeth the Moone to ſquare aſpects. Againe, why count they the tenth day & twelfth hurtfull, the Moone then not being placed in any aſpect with the ſigne of the diſeaſe? But neither by reaſon of ſun, Moon nor conſtellation, can they finde any cauſe why the criticall daies ſhould be ſometime euen, ſometime od. For to let the reſt paſſe now they make the 41. day criticall, after that they drawe in euen dayes, the 60, the 80, and the 120. then they goe by moneths and yeares. For the conſtellations in theſe times doe much vary, as the aſtrologers ſay, whereas the phiſitians will haue their criticall dayes to be ſet, continuall, and vniforme. To ſhut vp this diſcourſe, let vs heare the ſhamefull errour of Conciliator, the malice of the ſixt day which Galen compareth to a tyrant, as the ſeuenth day to a king, may be (ſaith he) reduced to the Moone, which commeth with more ſpeede to the tetragonal aſpect. The goodneſſe of the ſeuenth he chargeth vpon the nature of the tetragonall, which was cōtrary to the ſigne of the diſeaſe. So from the ſquare he deriueth both the malice of the ſixt, and the goodnes of the ſeuenth. Farther the circuit of humours he reduceth to the ſtarres; the ſloweſt circuit of melancholy (for that lieth quiet two dayes) he referreth to Saturne; choler he aſcribeth to Mars; flegme to the Moone; blood to Iupiter, but how fondly, now ſee. The blood putrifieth without any pauſe, therfore his circuit ſhould by their rule be aſcribed to the ſwifteſt planet, not to Iupiter, which, if you conſider his reuolution, is the ſloweſt of all ſauing Saturne. Againe, if that be true, that the operation of the ſlower ſtarres be ſlower proportionably to their ſlowneſſe, then choler ſhould make a longer fit then flegme, becauſe the reſtitution, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Mars is much ſlower then the Moones. Notwithſtanding the flegmatique fit is much longer then the fit of choler, for this latter is twelue howers, the other is eighteene howers long. Hence is cleare that the courſe giuen to flegme, doth better fit blood: for whereas it reſembleth the motion of the ſea, which ebbeth and floweth, ſcarſe putting any time betweene, that doth better agree to blood then flegme, which is in cōtinual motion as the ſea is, in which the litle time betweene the ebbing and flowing, can by no meanes anſwer to the ſixt howers reſpite in a flegmatike ague. Laſtly, if flegme anſwered to the water, then in twentiefoure howers, it ſhould make two periods of motition, as the ſea doth, which we ſee doth not anſwear neither. Farther, there is more reſemblance, & agreement betweene the earth and the water, thē earth and fire in reſpect both of motion, qualities, and place, and becauſe they be (as Ariſtotle ſaith) ſymbola. For the earth is cold & drie; the water cold and moiſt; the fire hot & dry; the firſt two deſcending, the fire aſcending, which alſo is in the higheſt ſpheare, as the earth in the loweſt, with the water next it, and then the ayre. Therefore the motion of choler ſhould more differ from flegme then from melancholie, if the humors be compared with the elementes.

And now that the Pope intercalateth certaine dayes ſooner then we, and at euery 130. yeares, quite otherwiſe then we, will that make no alteration in the leape yeare? Againe, why may not any other of the three yeares be the fourth yeare as wel as the leape yeare?

CHAP. XXI.

A Peroration exhorting to the aboliſhing of Aſtrologicall blaſphemie, with an incouragement of them that haue to deale in the reformation of that vngodly abuſe.

THus much in this Diſcourſe to ſhew the abuſe of a counterfeite arte, I haue thought good to write at this time, both that they which are ignorant may be ſeduced no longer, & that they which be otherwiſe, may be ſtirred vp, and put to an helping hand to the cleanſing of Augiae ſtabulum, that foule dung heap, which as yet wanteth ſome Hercules. And if my cariage in this cauſe hath beene ſuch, that I may ſeeme to haue ſaid well, I haue ſaid as I wiſh and would: if otherwiſe, I haue ſaid as I could, hoping that this good at leaſt ſhall come of my paines, that others who can do better, either will beare with me, for my endeuour in ſo weightie a cauſe, accepting my good will, according to that, In magnis voluiſse ſat eſt, in matters of importance the will is to be accepted: or will be readie to ſecond mee with their beſt aide, remembring that good admonition of the Poet, —ſi quid nouiſti rectius istis, Candidus imperti, ſi non, his vtere mecum. If you know better then that which is ſaid, put to your hand, and giue vs your aid.

The allegations and proofes that haue beene vſed, you ſee are not ſlender, or lightly to bee paſſed ouer, but drawne from the beſt Philoſophers and Diuines of all ages. You may ſee, not what Plato, Ariſtotle, Seneca, and ſuch others doe iudge: how good Emperours and Kings, both Chriſtian and others, haue baniſhed all this kind: but alſo what Fathers, Doctours, Councels, from time to time haue thought of them: nor that onely, which were notwithſtanding enough. But leaſt by anie meanes you ſhould hold your ſelues excuſable, you haue hard how God himſelfe doth ſomtimes threaten, ſometimes taunt, euer terrifie this vngodly crue. Wherefore (to them that the reformation of ſo great an abuſe belongeth, be it ſpoken) if you regard not the wiſdome of Philoſophers, nor the authoritie of Emperours, yet hearken to the godly and religious councels of Fathers and Diuines; if not to them neither, becauſe they are men, yet reſpect the maieſtie and will of God, who is in this caſe verie iealous, and will not be mocked: Sigenus humanum, & mortalia temnitis arma, At ſperate Deum memorem— If mortall men and humane armes you nothing do regard, Yet feare that God, which good and bad moſt iuſtlie doth reward. It was ſome thing in the bad iudge that heard the widow at laſt euen for her importunitie, neither for Gods ſake, nor mans ſake, but euen to be rid of her. In this caſe we are to hope better of them that are to deale in it, that they will proceed ſo in rooting out this ſuperſtitious relique, as ſhall become a good conſcience, that they will take the enimies of God as their owne enemies, as did Dauid, inimici facti ſunt mihi, I haue counted them as mine enimies: for how can you euer be thought to loue God, if you hate not his enemies? Wherefore perſwade your ſelues, that ſo much hatred as you haue to this profeſſion, or rather ſuperſtition, ſo much loue you haue to God and no more. If theſe things be not better looked to, no doubt it will go better with manie heathen and Infidels, then with vs, they ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt vs.

Wherefore euen to this we may well reply that of the Apoſtle: If anie be not carefull to condemne and expell this vngodly arte, he hath denied the faith, and is worſe then any infidell. Heathen Chalcas in Homer wold not rely vppon dreames, but that he thought they came from God, for ſo it appeareth by thoſe words, Iliad. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and ſhall we embrace, and admit thoſe things, by crediting them, which are only not allowed of God, but alſo verie offenſiue to him, and expreſſely forbidden by him.

For the better ſtirring vp of our ſlackeneſſe, and putting ſome edge in vs, I could wiſh that this vile profeſſion had ſome Colledges and endowments of reuenues and lands, ſuch as the Chaldeans had in Babylon, then I doubt not but there would ſtart vp a number, that would be verie nimble and helping in this cauſe: if not for the goodnes of the cauſe, yet for the fatneſſe of the ſpoile, which would follow their ouerthrow. But here we ſee that true in vs, which was wont to be ſaid of the Church of Rome, Curia Romana non captat ouem ſine lana. The Church of Rome wil neuer pull At ſheepe alone, but with the wooll. And no penie, no Pater-noſter: but euen of theſe reformers, if they will do any good in the cauſe, we will be ready to take it, acording to that, abs quiuis homine beneficium, neuer refuſe a good turne at any mans hand; acknowledging ſo much by the warrant of our Sauiour, that they that are not againſt vs are with vs. So long as this abuſe remaineth, wee are ſtill in Babylon, for that is not Babylon, —vbi dicitur altam, Coctilbus muris cinxiſſe Semiramis vrbem, Which Queene Semiramis hath fenc'd a goodly height and tall, With baked brickes, whereof ſhe made an admirable wall. But that is Babylon, where Babylonicall ſuperſtitions are maintained or ſuffered, in which ſo long as we continue, we can neuer truly ſay cecidit Babylon: but ſtill we haue neede to haue that ſounded in our eares, Exite de illa populus meus Reuelat. 18.4. Deuteron. 18.1 • . We learne that the ſtar-gaſers are deteſted of God, & that for harkning to thē, the heathen were caſt out of their countries, then what ſhall become of vs? If the heathen could not ſcape in their ignorance, what ſhal become of vs, who thinke our ſelues ſo learned, and brag of the word: which notwithſtanding, if we do not looke better to theſe things, we had better neuer haue known Let vs not be wiſer then God himſelfe. Let vs not deceiue ourſelues playing wily beguily, God is not mocked. If we be his ſchollers, let vs beleeue: In all artes Diſcentem oportet credere, the ſcholler muſt beleeue his maſter. If we truſt our ſelues we do but deceiue our ſelues, as the Iewes did in this very caſe. Eſay. 47.10. to whom it is there ſaid, that their wiſdom & knowledge had deceiued them. Wherefore to them, who haue to do in this reformation, let vs ſay that, Eſay. 47.13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counſels. Let now the aſtrologers & ſtargazers, & prognoſticators ſtand vp and ſaue thee from theſe things that ſhall come vpon thee. As for the wiſards & Aſtrologers themſelues, let them hear that in the ſame place: they are become as ſtubble; the fire hath conſumed them, neither ſhall they deliuer their ſoules from the hand of the flame. If the heathen were caſt out, and puniſhed for theſe abuſes, as appeareth Deuter. 18, no doubt, vnleſſe we repent, and amend theſe things, wee muſt looke to taſte of the ſame cup: God hath a day of reckening for vs: let not his long ſuffering increaſe our careleſſnes: he is not ſlow as ſome men count ſlowneſſe, Veniet et non tardabit, his arme is not ſo ſhortned, but he can reach vs. As yet he knocketh at thy hart by his word: but if thou wilt not open, he will knock thee indeed, and bruſe thee. Let vs thinke what a dreadfull thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God, if his wrath be kindled but a little, then happy are all they that put their truſt in him, the words of God neuer returne in vaine, either they will mende vs, or condemne vs, let them not be as Caſſandraes oracles reiected and diſpiſed, neither let vs be as the adder ſtopping our eares at the voice of the charmer. But here ſome perhaps will reply, that though ſome good law were enacted to reſtraine this blaſphemous folly, yet there were ſmall hope of good that way, ſince we ſee how good lawes are daily neglected, notwithſtanding this we muſt not ſo giue ouer.

Tu ne cede malis ſed contra audentius ito. To euill ſee thou giue not place, But looke it bouldly in the face.

Diſcharge thy ſelfe in making the law, and let the executour of it looke to himſelfe. It ſhall not be the firſt, good law that hath bin ill kept, and by this meanes we ſhall leaue a liuely teſtimony to the world, that we haue not been vnmindful of our dutie in this point. This 42 yeares we haue bin as men poſſeſſed of a letargie, we haue ſtood at a ſtaye, and ſcarſe gone any one ſtep forward: we haue played Salomons ſluggard rowling our ſelues in bedde, as a dore is wont vpon the hinges. Wherefore at laſt let vs wake, let vs rouſe our ſelues, ſtretch out our lazy limmes, goe to it with hand & foote, redeeming the time paſt. Let vs harken to the Reuel. 3.2. be awake, and confirme the things which remaine, that are ready to die, for I haue not found thy works perfect before God. Let vs harken to this, leaſt we heare that in the next verſe. If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come to thee as a theefe, and thou ſhalt not know in what hower I will come vpon thee. Therefore as I ſaid before, ſo I ſay againe, and to vſe the poets words, Iterumque iterumque monebo, I will ouer it againe and againe. This profeſſion is Babylon, the profeſſours are Babylonians, Exite de illa, leaue her: or as the Prophet Hieremie ſaith, chap. 50. verſ. 8. Recedite de medio illius Babel, & de terra Chaldaeorum egredimini, & eſtote tanquam hirci ante gregem, Come out of Babel, and ſhew your ſelues men, as it were goates before their heards, that is ſtoutly and without feare. And as it is in the 14. verſe of the ſame chap. Make war againſt Babel round about, whoſoeuer hath bow and arrow, beſtow a ſhot vpon her. And why? Quia peccauit contra Iehouam, ſhe hath ſinned againſt God. Conſecrate your hands vpon them, happie are you, if you bruiſe their bones and limmes againſt the ſtones. When you haue thruſt them away, you haue but thruſt away Balaam the falſe Prophet, you haue but thruſt away Balaams aſſe, that dull beaſt: you haue but thruſt away the mates and confederates of diuels: you haue but thruſt out certaine Cananites, feare them not for their great giantly ſtature. If we be afraide by putting away thē, to put away any point of good learning, we are too ſimple, good letters are the things that they are very innocent of, and free from, with them ſhall goe nothing but coſening, iugling, legerdemaine, lying, fraud, and falſehood. They are not filij ſcientiae: they are children of the bonde woman, they may not inherit with the children of the free woman, they are baſtards, the ſons of an hedge hore, their mother was an Hittitie. They would gladly make a ſhew of learning, Simia quā ſimilis turpiſſima beſtia nobis, they are but coū terfaits, off with their viſards, they are but that Aſinus Camanus: of with the Lions skin, & the aſſe will appeare in his likenes: & you if wil not, yet the aſſes eares will ſtick out to do them ſhame enough. Strip away the harneſſe, and vnder it you ſhall finde Patroclus, not Achilles, a counterfeit 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And thererfore ſince they wil be Patroclus, it were pittie but they ſhould finde an Hector to encounter with them. Let them make what ſhew of learning they can, yet will that ſtill be true, Simia ſimia erit &c. an ape wilbe an ape, and haue a fling at his nut-ſhels, howſoeuer hee be apparrelled, and diſguiſed. To enter their names in the booke or catalogue of the learned, were but to yoke an Oxe and an aſſe together. To beſtow or allow them any thing for lying, were but to take the childrens bread, and hurle it to the dogges, which are not worthie to eate the crums vnder the table. What do we ſtop, why doe we ſtay, what perils do we caſt, do we looke what themſelues will ſay? will we make the theefe the iudge? We haue heard Moſes & the Prophets, and will not that ſerue, vnleſſe we heare ſome from the dead? For authorities, & teſtimonies I thinke ſufficient haue been produced: if any looke for moe, I can ſay no more but this, aut hoc teſtium ſatis eſt, aut nihil erit.