CHAP. I.

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 [Page 2] and seduceth men, goeth without touch or check; the Astrologer scaping, while the Witch is punished, may not that well be said?

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 [...]: and in derision, of some they are called [...] and [...] Of S. Hierome they are some­time [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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.

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 [Page 5] 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 [Page 6] 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 [Page 7] 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 [...], 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 [Page 8] 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 [...] 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 [Page 9] 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 [Page 10] 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 [Page 11] 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, [Page 12] 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 [Page 13] 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 [Page 14] 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 [Page 15] will say: for mine owne part I would be glad to take any course for the ouerthrow of this monster:

If any will perish wilfully in this Idolatrous impie­tie, to them I will protest that

CHAP. III.

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 [Page 16] 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 [Page 17] 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 [Page 18] 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.

But doth not Firmicus see how by his opinion, one of their [...], 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 [Page 19] 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.

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 [Page 21] 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 [Page 22] 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

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 [Page 23] 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. [Page 24] 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 [Page 25] 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.

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, [Page 26] 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 [Page 27] 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 [Page 28] 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.

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 [Page 29] as Homer saith of Chalcas, Iliad. lib. primo, vers. 60.

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 [Page 30] 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 [Page 31] the birth, which might seeme rather to be regarded then the birth: for at the first it is called for sixe dayes space [...], in which time it retaineth the name of seed, as you may reade in Galen [...]. 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 [...]. Thirdly, the heart, head, and liuer be­ing perfected, and the other members beginning to come, it is called [...]. Lastly, when all the members being finished, it beginneth to stirre and moue, it is called [...]. 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 [Page 32] 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 [...], the first assault of the disease, which wil not serue their turne, as being [...], 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. [Page 34] 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.

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: [Page 35] 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 [Page 36] 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:

CHAP. VIII.

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,

Or that,

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 [Page 39] 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 [Page 40] 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 [Page 41] 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 [Page 42] 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, [Page 43] 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. ‘ [...].’ 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 [Page 44] 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,

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:

CHAP. IX.

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 [Page 46] 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 [Page 47] 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.

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 [Page 48] 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,

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.

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.

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, [Page 50] 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, [Page 51] he might well heare that of Horace;

When he hath puffed and taken on all that he can, he bringeth forth no more then the swelling moun­taine.

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?

Figulines cōparison is scarse worth a figge. For suppose [Page 52] betweene the pricks vpon the wheele, were found a quarter of the wheele, then betweene the pricks made with the like speede in the [...] or vtter rim of heauen, wilbe a great deale more then a quarter, nay infinite­ly more, considering how much swifter heauē runneth then any wheele. Farther, if he had not bin a Nigid, here he should haue considered how vnlike and vnfit his comparison was, the wheele running about, God knowes, how many thousand times, while the heauen goeth but once about. The heauen (as all saue Nigits knowe) moueth round but once in 24 houres, in which time how many thousand times the wheele will about, God knoweth. Suppose the wheele went about but once in 24 howers, as heauen doth, and then he might haue said somewhat, but not much to the purpose, for then one might giue two prickes with such speed, as that no great space would be be­tweene them. The swiftnesse of the motion of heauen in this case is not to be measured by the course of his [...] but by the angles which he describeth at the cēter, vpon which altogether dependeth the alteration of the position, and face of heauen. Now considering the distance and the swift motion of heauen, if there should light many thousand miles betweene these two imaginarie pricks: yet in so infinite a body it were a matter of nothing, nor would make any sensible diffe­rence. Farther if the swiftnes were such, that the man­ner of constellation were so quickly altered, then the birth time of any cold neuer be taken, nay farther the reason of S. Gregory, Homil tom. sup. Euang. would be good and vailable. If therefore saith he, Iacob and E­sau may be thought not to be borne vnder the same [Page 53]

[Page 54]

[Page 53] constellation, because they were not borne together, but one after another. For the same cause we must iudge that no one man is wholy borne vnder the same constellation, for he commeth not al at once out of the wombe, but peece by peece, first head, thē necke then brest and so forth. Lastly, Iacob houlding Esau by the foote, it might seeme to be one birth, as S. Au­gust. saith, lib. 2. de gen. ad lit. cap. 17. But to presse this matter of twinnes a little neerer, what would gentle Nigid say to the monster borne in Scotland, recorded by Buchanā, which in the lower parts was but one, hauing but one paire of legges, but aboue the nauill was two, hauing two paire of armes, and two heads. If you pric­ked, or hurt, any place beneath the nauill, they both felt it, but if you pricked aboue the nauill, the one felt onely: they would often chide, and some time confer louingly together, they liued till they were 28 yeares old, then one of them dying, with stincke and putre­faction was the cause of the death of the other. These two were borne at once, why should they not die at once? why should the one die by disease, the other by stincke? by their birth they should haue agreed wel, as hauing one constellation, but they did oft wrangle and fall out pittifully. If heauen cold not agree and accord them, yet their priuate necessities should haue main­tained better agreement, betweene them. The like storie hath Munster of two maides, which liued til they were ten yeares old, whome he himselfe knew, being borne with their foreheads ioyned together, and all the rest of their bodies seuerall. At the ten years end, the one dying, to saue the other they ventred to seuer them by cutting, but vpon the cut which cold not be [Page 54] cured, the other died not long after: heere also we see, that though they were borne at once, yet they died not at once, nor after one manner. These things being thus, Nigid might do well to leaue the wheele to the potter where he had it, and who can vse it better, for sure it doth not greatly serue his turne. But of Nigid for his deuise may wel be saide that of the Prouerbe, Tur­dus cacat sibi malū, for if it be true, that in so small a mo­ment of time there be such a great alteration in heauē by reason of the exceeding swift motion, then may all poore mathematicians put vp their pipes. For if in so little time there be so great alteration, that all things become not only diuerse, but also quite contra­ry, who shall euer be able to iudge of the birth, since the very moment, wherein conception and natiuitie are, by no meanes can be had? Wherefore though we should graunt that the stars had great force and pow­er ouer vs, notwithstanding be it what it will, no man could euer comprehend it, seeing these moments of constellations can not be had, the swift course of the stars, far passing & preuēting the slownes of our obser­uation. Iulius Firmicus that famous trifler, seeing the force of this argument, setteth a good face on it, and laboureth a pace with many words to lose this knot, but with what successe, and how miserably euery man that list, may see. Being strucke with this argument, he courseth vp and downe, in & out as a deare strucke with an arrow, but in vaine; for he cannot so be rid of it.

S. Thomas seeing this great slaughter of his frends, yet [Page 55] will not giue ouer: he must needs venter one foote far­ther, according to that,

Playing the part of Proteus with quircks and quiddities, he doth no lesse entangle himselfe then did Proteus in his nets but his fashion is now and then to run a sub­tiltie out of breath, though in the end he see not great­ly what to do with it, or what good can come of it. In a treatise entituled de fato, he saith, that twinnes often times differ in disposition, because all the seed is not receiued in the mother in the same instant. Againe, because there is not one and the same center of the hearts of both the twins, but diuerse and in diuerse places, therefore he saith that there is also a difference of Horizōs. Here is first to be cōsidered how little pause there is in the receiuing of the parts of the seede, then how little asunder the two hearts be to chaunge the whole nature of men. If this be admitted, it will not be enough for the Chaldeās, or figure-flingers, to tel him that such a one was borne at London or Yorke; for ex­ample, but you must tell him in what street, in what house, in what chamber, and in what part of the cham­ber; for al these will vary the Horizon, much more then the poore cels of the mother. But howsoeuer S. Tho­mas hit into this quirke here, yet in the whole question otherwhere he rūneth with the currāt of the church and fathers, and it is strange that he should stand here vpon so ridiculous a difference of Horizons. If in many miles the difference of Horizons be not sensible, what can it be in these two heartes. If thus to scan and wrest [Page 56] things be not Nodū in scirpo quaerere, I know not what is. Amphion and Zethus, though they began with some argeemēt, for they were both expositi: yet in the whole course of their life they were as dissenting as could be, no more thē a graue Philisopher, & an harsh clowne of the great difference of this paire of twinnes you may see both Athenaeus lib. 7. and Plato in Gorgia, and Tul­ly lib. 2 de orat. and Dion. Chrysost orat [...]. their iarring is well noted by Horace also libro. 1 Epist. Epist. 19.

Of whome also Propert. 3. Eleg. 15.6.

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 [Page 57] 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 [Page 59] 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, & [Page 60] 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 [Page 61] 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?’ [Page 62] 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 [...]. 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 [Page 63] 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.

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, [...], 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 [Page 65] 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 [Page 66] 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; [Page 67] 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 [Page 68] 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 [Page 69] 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 [Page 70] 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. [Page 71] 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 [Page 72] 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 [Page 73] such bables to the worlde, affirming them to be done by Astrologie, or a certaine wicked concealed Arte, called [...], 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, ‘ [...].’ 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 [...]. which with agreeth that of the Poet,

Vlysses is called [...], 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

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.

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 [Page 75] 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 [Page 76] at that time could haue no good issue. To whome he answered, as is in Arrhian lib. 7. that verse of Eu­ripides:

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, [Page 77] which fell, taught men these arts, now what can the deuill teach but lies, who was a lier from the begin­ning.

CHAP. XIIII.

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, [Page 78] according to that of the poet, Nec scire fas est omniae, and therefore the same poet giueth vs this counsell for future things,

This poet in this point is verie constant; for with this agreeth that. ode. 29. lib. 3.

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

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 [Page 79] 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.

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, [...], Againe by Astrology in that place is meant the obseruation of rising and setting of certaine stars, as [Page 80] 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. [...] pa. 345. lin. 49. where he saith that the stars are not [...], but [...], to foretell the chaunges of the aire, plentie, dearth, plagues, drouth and such like. With which also a gre­eth that which hee hath [...]. lib. 6. pag. 279. lin. 35. [...]. 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, [...], and [...]. Of some it is called [...], and of Clement. Alexand. [...], 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 [Page 81] that Clem. Alexand. [...] pag. 26. calleth the lawful [...], & that other in derision [...]. 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:

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?

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.

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 [Page 83] 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.

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 [Page 85] 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 [Page 86] 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.

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. [...].

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.

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 [Page 88] 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 [...] and mala, or [...] 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,

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 [...], so is he not [...],' 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, [Page 89] 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 [Page 90] 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 [Page 91] 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 [...], 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 [Page 92] 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 [Page 93] 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 [Page 94] 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.

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 [Page 95] 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 [Page 96] may compare with that of Sphynx. ‘ [...], &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. [...]. 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 [Page 99] 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 [...], we must walke without halting.

CHAP. XX.

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 [Page 101] 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 Latine, ‘Non caret effectu, quod voluere duo:’ In English,

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. [Page 102] 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.

This needeth no application, and therefore I passe it ouer. Now no maruell, if after this manner we abuse the stars and heauen, when in the same case we a­buse the parts of our bodies, to wit, the hands, thence framing an art called palmestry, going about by cer­taine

lines there obserued, to tell destinies, no lesse then the Astrologer doth by stars. Yet we know that the hand was neuer giuen for any such purpose, nei­ther Galen, writing de vsu partium, mentioneth any such vse of the hand, he calleth it [...], because we handle things with it. He saith it is both [...], and [...], to serue our turne both in war and peace: for in peace we help our selues with it, to do our busi­nesse and in fight we defend with it, & likewise offend; for the great vse of it, he saith that it was, [...]. [Page 104] And because at our first comming into the world, wee are borne without all meanes, or any instrument to helpe our selues, hauing only hands wherewith we handle al other instruments, and make them as it were our owne, therefore he calleth the hand [...], an instrument before instruments. For whereas other creatures are born with som furniture to help & defēd themselues, the Oxe hauing hornes, the Lyon pawes, the Horse hoofes, the Bore tuskes, the Bee a sting, and so forth: only man is borne without any weapon: but in steed of all weapons, he hath hands, whereby he maketh vse of all weapons: if he will iut, they be hor­nes: if he will scratch, they be pawes: if he will write, they be a pen: if he will cut, they be a knife: if he will fight, they be a sword, and so forth. Wherfore since na­ture could not furnish him with such variety, without his great trouble, or rather marring, she hath giuen this one part to supply the wantes of all those instru­ments, by applying them, and admitting them at need­full times, and vpon necessarie occasions. Neither in this point hath nature dealt better with our mindes then with our bodies. For whereas other creatures come into the world furnished with some art, to help thēselues: som things with the art of flying: others with swimming: Bees, with making hony: spiders with ma­king cobwebs: silke wormes with making silkes, and so forth: man commeth destitute of all art. Yet for sup­ply of that want, he hath receiued that which far pas­seth all arts, that is reason, by help of which he lear­neth all arts. Wherefore as Aristotle very fitly calleth the hand, [...], so no lesse fitly may we call rea­son [...], an arte before all arts. For that brute [Page 105] beasts, though they haue artes, yet do not learne them as men doe, but haue thē naturally, according to that of Hippocrates, [...], may well appere by that which Galē relateth of the eagle, duck, & the snake lib. 1. de vsu part. For if you take the egges of an eagle and duck, and a snake, and hatch them, at the very first hatching you shall see the eagle, and the duck trie as it were their wings, the yong snake in the meane time snusling into the mire; and if you keepe them all three together in one house till they be perfect, and so set them abrode together in the open ayre, you shall see the eagle mount vp into the ayre; the duck run into the ditche; & the snake run creeping into an hole. So the eagle will flie; the duck wil swim; the snake creepe into an hole, and all without teaching: so a deare, or calf, before the hornes come, if you anger it, it will but & push with the bare forehead, as if hornes either were there, or should be there. The hand therefore we see is giuen for handling, not for telling of destinies. Farther if this art be admitted, what great difference will there be in telling of fortunes, how hard will it be to tell some, in respect of other some; for in a country­mans hand who hath almost worne out the lines out of his hand with labour, what a hard thing were it to reade his destiny. Againe in the right and left hand the lines often times so differ that one hand may seem to say the other lyeth. In this case, I aske whether hand we must take. In some also I haue seene the lines with sores and biles, and such like worne out of the hand, or at least much changed from that they were before. In this case must we say that a mans destiny is changed with the lines, then a bile or a botch in the [Page 106] hand may alter all his life and course, then which no­thing can be imagined more absurd. Neither will this abuse stay here; it is by some drawne also to numbers: who would thinke very basely of numbers, if they did not see as they thinke, some farly, and misteries in them. Hence is it that vpon the numbers of 7 and 9 some haue grounded their clymactericall years, that euery seuenth yeare & euery 9. yeare should be clima­cterical, and 63, which is made of both those numbers, that is of 7 multiplyed into 9, is counted and called Clymactericus magnus, the great clymactericke. These yeares they count to bring great alteration to the life of man, dying in these years, but especially when they are 63 yeares olde. And therefore to estabish and for­tifie this follie, they haue recorded to vs such famous men as haue died in that yeare. In this point how cose­ningly they are wont to carrie themselues, euery one may see: for if any die, not only in that yeare in truth but any thing neare it, as in the 62, or 64 yeares of his life, they will fetch him into the 63 yeare, and say that his age was mistaken. Neither can their dulnesse see, what ill fauored consequence this position draweth with it, for if these numbers worke this effect vpon yeares, then why should they not worke the like vpon monthes, dayes and howers, and then we shall haue climacterie monthes, weekes, dayes, and howers, in all which we must be in as great daunger as in the climactericall yeares. That these numbers worke vpon other times as well as yeares, may be proued if they do worke at all, for the number of seuen we see by septimestris partus, that it worketh by monethes, that being vitall, whereas octimestris partus is otherwise sel­dome [Page 107] vital. Againe it is said to be obserued in women, that if they containe the seed seuen howers, they will conceiue, and at seuen dayes after it wilbe couered with a skin, like the skin of an egge Galen de semine. So we see that the number of seuen worketh not onlie by yeares, but dayes, monethes, and howers also. If there were any thing in the number, why should not the se­uenth moneth kill the child rather then the eight. For nine though it come not presently to my memory for men, yet for some other things, it is plaine enough, as in a bitche, which is nine daies saltie, goeth nine dayes with whelp, and hath her whelps nine daies blind: whereby we see this number also to shew his force not only vpon yeares, but also vpon dayes, and monethes. So that now we may safely conclude that this force of climacteries belōgeth not only to yeares, but to howers, dayes, and moneths as well, which be­ing true, how many fatall and dismall times must a man passe ouer euery day? Againe, if 63 be so dismall, why should it shew that force only vpon men, and not vpon crowes, elephants, stagges, and such other, which are thought to liue as long as man? Who euer obserued that in other things, that yeare was more mortall then any other? But in men they say, it is so common, to dispatch them, that therevpon it is called androcles, or androclon. But whereas the mandrag is called androclon that bruser of men, how doth that a­gree with the common opinion, that it helpeth wo­men to conception, doth it both make and marre men? About this doting opinion I haue bin demaunded of many women, to whome I could answear nothing but this, that if their husbands could not make them con­ceiue, [Page 108] there was small hope in the mandrag apple, as if it did breake and bruse men. Of which name also there is an herb, which, for that it killeth men, is called androclon: this herbe some take to be the mandrake, which by another name of some is termed also [...], & of others [...], as resembling the shape & forme of a man. Where we may wel note the won­derfull force of folly, and superstition, there being in this herbe not so much as the smallest resemblance of a man, not so much as in the roote, where the resem­blāce is dreamed to be, if there be any: But I haue vie­wed it, and seene it, and taken it out of the ground of purpose, and could neuer see wherein that resembled a man for any shape, more then any other roote did; yet we see how generally it is holden, that it is verie like a man for shape. If in these things which are so fa­miliar, which we may daily handle, and make triall of; if I say in these things superstition hath so preuai­led, how much sooner may it preuaile in matters of religion, which we cannot make any such triall of, as not being subiect to sence, and palpable, as this and many such like are? Now that which most aggraua­teth this folly, and sencelesse conceit of climacteries is, that some who would be counted both learned and religious, lay most of al hold vpon them. It were to be wished, that men in such cases wold, or could sobrie sa­pere, and not to take vpon them in things, which they are altogether vnskilfull in. While they will haue all learning, they lose oft times the opinion of that which they haue, much like Aesops dog, that could not con­tent himselfe with the bone, but would be snatching at the shadowe, and so loose all. But this of climactery [Page 109] yeares may seeme verie pardonable, if you consider the rest. Some do not sticke to affirme that by the misteries of numbers we may attaine to know the mistery of our saluation, and election, and how our names are regi­stred & recorded in Gods booke. Because I would not do any man wrong in so waightie a point, I will set the words downe as they lie in a certaine Mathemeticall preface, and they be these. Yet from these grosse and materiall things may we be led vpward by degrees, so in forming our rude imagination, toward the concei­uing of numbers absolutely, not supposing, nor admix­ting any thing created, corporall, or spirituall, to sup­port, containe or represent those numbers imagined, that at length we may be able to finde the number of our name gloriously exemplified, and registred in the booke of the Trinity most blessed and eternall. What can here be meant, but that by numbers we may finde out in what state we stand with God? We are taught that the spirit of God testifieth to our spirit, that we are the sonnes of God, but of the testimony of num­bers, I do not remember. Againe, what is here meant by numbers I cannot readily say: but if it may be law­full to ghesse, I would take it to be those numbers, which Horace od. 9. lib. 1. calleth Babylonij, that is cer­taine coniuring numbers, by which to seeke to know things to come, as is there said, is nefas. Thus we see that euen the heathen and infidels shall rise to con­demne vs in this point.

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 [Page 110] be found, what were those visions, reuelations, and [...], which the Apostle heard in the third hea­uen. If those words were within the compasse of a Ci­pher, why are they said to bee [...], 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 [Page 111] 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.

And of Iuno in the same booke, ‘ [Page 112]Talibus aggreditur Venerem Saturnia dictis.’ And in another place, ‘Irim de coelo misit Saturnia Iuno.’ And,

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 [...], sometime [...], and sometime [...]. 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 [...], 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 [Page 113] 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 [Page 114] 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? [Page 117] 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

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 [Page 118] 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 [Page 119] 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 [Page 120] 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 [Page 121] 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 [...], with the Center, of the Eccenter, she goeth faster then when she goeth [...], 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 [Page 122] 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 [Page 123] 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, [Page 124] 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 [Page 125] 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, [Page 126] 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 [...] 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.

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 [Page 116] second mee with their best aide, remembring that good admonition of the Poet,

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:

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. [...], 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, [Page 118] 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,

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,

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 [Page 119] 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 [Page 120] 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.

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 [Page 121] 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 [Page 122] 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 [...]. 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.