water of silver Mercury of the Sun secret water water of the Sea of life miraculous white water permanent water the spirit of the body the unctuous vapour the blessed water the vertuous water the water of the wisemen the Philosophers vinacre the minerall water the dew of heavenly grace the seed of divine benediction heaven of earth earth of heaven stone salt fire caement balsome venerable nature our Philosophicall Chaos first matter matrix mother mother of the Chaos quintessence Nothing And yet the waters upon whose face the spirit of God moved must needs be understood of this chymicall chimericall fancy and foppery This earth to earth is just the doctrine of the Magi. Metals say they and all things may be reduced into that whereof they are made They speak the very truth it is Gods own principle and he first taught it Adam Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return And so let all vain arts and vile adulteratings of holy Scripture But I am weary with writing and have nauseated the Christian Reader yet had I not troubled my self or them with these collections had I not found them dispersed in English to the great dishonour of our Church and danger of our people Nor would I have added a word of reply to the confidence of asserting there 's enough in that to overthrow it self but for the impudence of challenging And for that cause I could willingly have said more but that I had an eye to the question and that part of it whether the recitation be not refutation enough I am not altogether ignorant or unaware that these are but the scatterings and sprinklings in comparison of those wherewith the Rabbinizing and Christianizing Magicians and Astrologers yea and Chymists too seek to stuff out their portentous volumes yea to fraight their very fragments and paint their very Pamphlets glad to snatch at and crowd in any place of Scripture upon any occasion that so they might pretend some consistency nay and convenience of their imposturous Arts and Artifices with the pure word of God But let all those depravations perish in their own dung for any further raving of mine who am loath to rake further into them unforced CHAP. II. 2. From the truth of Faith 1. WHether it be not the sole property of the prime verity to require simply a Faith or belief unto himself and to the Doctrine of his divine authority and revelation and therfore not belonging to any humane art science discipline or institution whatsoever much lesse to be arrogated to any that is diabolicall and prestigious yea vain unnecessary and unprofitable Wherefore then should Faith pure Faith be so precisely required and severely exacted above all other helps and means to the study and profession proficiency and successe of Magick and magicall operations 2. Whether Magick and Astrologie as indeed all ascititious and commentitious errours and heresies of any art study or profession whatsoever have not proceeded from a false and superstitious Faith and such as is no whit analogall either to the object or to the end of true religious Faith and not only so but altogether excessive and repugnant thereunto 3. For as much as Almighty God requires not a Faith in those things which he hath not revealed Why then should Magicians exact it to their mysteries which they so often check at themselves and one another for revealing nay professe or pretend themselves whether through envy or ignorance as adjured not to reveal 4. All Faith is not only in the Intellect but also in the Will And therefore ere it be believed how prove they that Magick ought either to be assented to as true and demonstrable or yet to be affected as good and lawfull 5. Whether all that can be supposed to those they call the Mathematicall arts and sciences be sufficient to acquire unto them an assent of Faith properly so called suppose some probable truth is not an assent of opinion enough to that Suppose some necessary truth is not an assent of reason sufficient for that Suppose some reall effect will not assent of experiment now serve the turn Is nothing answerable to all or the best of these but only a Faith which properly is either in God or of the things of God or at least to those things which are directly in order to God But suppose there be none of those must now this prime assent be allowed where all the other are justly to be denied 6. Right and pure Faith is neither of a bare proposition although true nor yet of a meer prediction although probable but of a divine promise only and that not only because certain and infallible but because good and beneficiall neither is there in either of the other the substance or evidence of things hoped for but in this last alone And therefore if Magicians and Astrologers cannot afford us such a promise ought we not justly to disclaim an adherence acquiescence affiance or confidence in any of their propositions or predictions whatsoever 7. Faith is properly in the heavenly mysteries of divine revelation such as cannot be otherwise attained unless they be infused nor otherwise comprehended but by faith alone Now as for the Secrets of Philosopâ—…e are they not acquisite and such as may be attained by industrie study discourse reading observation art science experience yea and sufficiently assented to by the light of nature lense reason opinion perswasion And though peradventure some Secrets of Philosophie such as are true and usefull may be divinely revealed or infused yet for as much as that is but to the common light of Nature Sense or Reason which for assent considers not the authority of God revealing but the evidence of the thing revealed How then can this be of Faith which is speciall and supernaturall altogether 8. A divine supernaturall infused theologicall Faith is given not because of the appearance or evâ—dence of the thing propounded but because of the authority and infallibility of the proposer And daâ—e they arrogate thus much to their Art or excuse their defect of evidence through a presumption of infallibility But if it be a naturall acquisite humane or civill faith or assent which they expect then we ask where the evidence proof demonstration reason For though reason follows the first yet it precedes the second kind of faith 9. Whether a miraculous faith or the faith of Miracles such as must needs be the faith of Magicall miracles and Astrologicall Predictions abovt suâ—uâ—e contingents as it is defective in Theologie so it be not excessive to Philosophie That is although it be very incompleat in relation to divine doctrine yet whether it be not too transcendent for any humane discipline to exact 10 Whether it may be verily called a faith of Miracles to give credit unto Magick or Astrologie because of some mirandous or stupendious things either effected or foretold in as much as we are taught to believe that such things may be done both by false arts and
About the election of dayes to such and such actions 59. About the planetary hours and the divisions of them 60. About the inherency and efficiency of the first qualities heat cold drought and moysture 61. About the effectualness of Symmetricall and harmonicall proportions 62. About the way of constituting the figures of Heaven 63. About the erecting and the correcting of theams and scheams 64. About the best and truest way of calculating 65. About the Astrologicall Tables 66. About inequalities 67. About elections 68. About rectifications 69 About the number of aspects 70. About the Lord of the geniture and his election 71. About the making choice of significators 72. About the deducing of the space of life 73. About judging of the morall disposition of the mind 74. About judging of the configuration or stature of the body 75. About the way of judging upon fortune and riches 76. About the reserving their yearly judgement to the true or apparent rising or setting of the Stars 77. About the searching out the Genius of a man by the Stars 78. About matters to be more or lesse regarded and esteemed in astrological judgement 79. About the reading of the Stars by hieroglyphicks characters letters syllables words sentences aspects conjunctions constellations oppositions configurations resemblances c. 80. About the portents of prodigies celestiall or terrestriall 81. About the vertue and power of contract sight sound voice breath numbers characters rings seals images c. 82. About the force of imagination 83. About the causes much more the interpretation of dreams 84. About the use and verâ—ue of lots 85. About the authentiqueness of their own authors old and new out of whom might be collected many a century of contrary and contradictory opinions Now since they themselves are not agreed upon the grounds and means of their art why should they expect that we should consent to such effects and issues of it as they pretend Is it not just and meet that they should first reconcile one another to truth ere they require our faith who will believe a certain or probable prognostication or prediction by such means and wayes as they themselves believe not but contradict and impugn not only as uncertain and improbable but as vain and false While some of them are so modest as to plead only for a probability what is this but to confesse that this art or science is nothing else but an opinion or conjecture But while there are such varieties diversities contrarieties and contradictions of opinions what does this prove but that all their conjecturings and opinings are but opinions against opinions or but opinions upon opinions or else nothing at all CHAP. XIV 14. From the absurdity of Errours VVHether the grosse errours that have been and are and ever will be some or others of them in Magick and Astrologie arise from the evill disposition of the Authors or of the Arts And in the Arts whether from the misapplyed circumstances or ceremonies and not rather from the misimagined substance and scope For from some accidentall mistakes only how can it be credible or possible that such puerile hallucinations and anile delirations should once have sprung or spread in the world as touching the nature originall matter form quantity quality site orders numbers figures motions and effects of the celestiall bodies As namely 1. That the Sun is nothing else but an Oven or hollow furnace full of fire 2. That the Sun is a golden turf or clod 3. That the Sun is made either of burning stone or iron 4. That the matter of the Sun is glassey or made of glasse 5. That the sun is the compact of severall flames 6. That there are two suns in the firmament one archetypall and invisible and the other sun which we see but the image or shadow of that which we see not 7. That the sun rising out of the Sea and setting in the Sea is kindled in the East and quenched in the West 8. That the sun is no bigger than it seems 9. That the sun is of the same breadth as is the earth 10. That the sun is bipedall or hath two feet 11. That the sun is not above a foot broad 12. That the sun is sometimes bigger sometimes lesser 13. That the sun stands still and the earth moves round about it 14. That the sun was at first a mortall man and first reigned in Egypt and because of his common benefits was translated into Heaven and immortalized there 15. That the moon is in magnitude equall to the sun 16. That the moon is bigger than the earth about nineteen times bigger than it 17. That the moon is an earthy substance covered over with a mist 18. That it is inhabited by many huge living creatures 19. That it is planted in a much more flourishing manner with trees and herbs than is the earth in its prime 20. That there are in it Fields and groves and mountains and vallys c. 21. That the moon consists of an unequall constitution earthy and frigid 22. That it is of an hot and fiery constitution 23. That it is partly conspicuous partly obscure 24. That the moon is endowed with an intellectuall mind 25. That it is an half fiery sphear a fiery compacted cloud 26. That it is mingled of ayr and fire 27. That it is an ascension or rather an accession collected from the vapours of sweet waters 28. That it attracts to it earthly dregs 29. That in the globe of the moon as in a glasse the received species of mountains are represented 30. That the inequality of the moon is caused because of some bodies interjected betwixt it and the sun 31. That the moon sometimes leaves the heavens 32. That an Asse once dranke up the moon That a great Dragon devoured it 33. That the moon dyes when she is in the Eclipse 34. That there is another earth within the concave of the moon and that men live there after the same manner as they doe here 35. That the moon is made of green Cheese and that there is a man in the moon with a bush at his back this I adde from the vulgar which doubtless took it up from such authours and urge it with like authority 36. That the Stars are made of an earthy porish matter much like to that of a pumice stone 37. That every Star is a world by it self containing in it both ayr and earth 38. That the Stars are composed of fiery clouds which like coals are quencht all the day time and kindled again at night 39. That the Stars are formed of ayr and are turned about like wheels and being full of fire spit out flames 40. That the Stars are fiery stones and the Sun the great burning stone amongst them 41. That the Stars are nourished by vapours abstracted and ascending from the ayr and the earth 42. That the Stars are animate sensible rationall and intelligent creatures 43. That the Stars are capable of vertues morall vertues and
sufficient to moderate all fond hopes and fears Or what is able to doe that but a lively faith voyd of these heathenish superstitions and assuredly believing That there is an all-provident God that only foresees all things necessarie and to whom nothing is contingent or casuall That can will and doth work for the best of his both with second causes and exteriour means as also without them yea and against them That binds not the world much lesse tyes his Church unto them That hath written his childrens names in the book of life and much more then they may be assured hath numbred the hairs of their heads as concerning all earthly accidents That shines and moves in the Sun and Moon and starres and makes their generall influxes more or lesse effectuall as he is pleased to adde or abstract his speciall motion or oppose his immediate administration or interpose the office of his more excellent Ministers Angells and reasonable Souls CHAP. XIX 19. From the affinity to Witch-craft 1. WHat difference betwixt Astromancy Magomancy or Magastromancy as touching a sorcerous both superstition and operation and all these after-named viz. Stareomancy or divining by the Elements Aeromancy or divining by the ayr Pyromancy by fire Hydromancy by water Geomancy by earth Theomancy pretending to divine by the revelation of the Spirit and by the Scriptures or word of God Daemonomancy by the suggestions of evill Daemons or Devills Idolomancy by Idolls Images Figures Psychomancy by mens souls affections wills religious or morall dispositions Antinopomancy by the entrails of men women and children Theriomancy by Beasts Ornithomancy by Birds Icthyomancy by Fishes Botanomancy by herbs Lithomancy by stones Cleromancy by lotts Oniromancy by dreams Onomatomancy by names Arithmancy by numbers Logarithmancy by Logarithmes Sternomancy from the breast to the belly Gastromancy by the sound of or signes upon the belly Omphelomancy by the navell Chiromancy by the hands Paedomancy by the feet Onychomancy by the nayles Cephaleonomancy by brayling of an Asses head â—uphramancy by ashes Capnomancy by smoak Livanomancy by burning of Frankincence Carromancy by melting of Wax Lecanomancy by a basin of water Catoxtromancy by looking glasses Chartomancy by writing in papers Macharomonâ—y by knives or swords Chrystallomancy by glasses Dactylomancy by rings Coseinomancy by seives Axinomancy by Sawes Cattabomancy by vessells of brasse or other metall Roadomancy by starrs Spatalamancy by skins bones excrements Sciomancy by shadowes Astragalomancy by dice Otnomancy by Wine Sycomancy by Figgs Typomancy by the coagulation of cheese Alphitomancy by meal flower or branne Crithomancy by grain or corn Alectromancy by Cooks or Pâ—llen Gyromancy by rounds or circles Lampadomancy by candles and lamps And in one word for all Nagomancy or Necromancy by inspecting consulting and divining by with or from the dead The question is not about the difference of all these from the first to the last in matter instruments ceremonies or circumstances but whether they be not of like maleficall sorcery for main substance and formality And whether divining by the Starres and Planets be not a cause enclining and disposing at least an occasion inviting and encouraging what through imitation estimation toleration to all these sorts of sorcerous divination and the like 2. Whether there be any kind of Magick simply so naturall or laudably so arted as many serve to abstract it from the maleficall and diabolicall For though there be many occult qualities and miracles of nature and actives and passives there which perfectly known and fitly applyed might help to work wonders without either tempting of God or the Devill yet because of the difficulty of such things and not that alone but their uselessnesse and because of mens ignorance and for all that their curiosity and because of the Arts insufficiencie and besides that the fallacie and chiefly because of Satans privie suggestions and delusory seducements the study and search after these things proves very confused indiscerned unsafe and pernicious And because of all these the abuse of this astro-magicall art is as palpable as the practice but the use as occult as the Art it self But especially as touching the practice of this art if there be an artifice of doing wholly separate from malefice why then are the same things done by those that are altogether ignorant of the art so they have but a faith and why without such a faith is nothing to be done by the Art it self How many things have been done by all manner of Magicians that can have no naturall causes no true rules of art no power or comprobation from God and therefore must needs be acted by a confederation and familiarity with some evill spirit How many things have they presumed to predict or foretell which neither divine wisdome is pleased to reveal neither is it ordinarily for humane reason or art to find out but must only be done by a demoniacall sagacity or suggestion what sounds and syllables and words and sentences doe they murmure or pronounce and that to the very inanimates whom words can in no wise effect or move or else are so barbarous and insignificant as that if they were uttered to the intelligent they cannot conceive them their extent or use Now by whose invention is it that such words should be most operative in magick art that are operative upon no understanding How many rites solemnities ceremonies preparations doe they use which have naturally no force or vertue to the producing of the effect not yet can any way prepare the matter to the receiving thereof What sacrifices iâ—molations consecrations prostrations adorations invocations execrations imprecations attestations comminations exorcisms adjurations c. And none of all these commanded by God and therefore not done to him how easy is it then to suspect by whom all these are suggested and for whom they are intended 3. Whether if be in Magick and Astrologie that the art hath power over the heavenly bodies or the heavenly bodies power over the art not the first because for the Art to have power over the heavenly bodies so as to stop or turn the course of the stars or by odes and incantations to fetch down the moon from her orb as the old Magicians have boasted this is beyond the power of a Devill or an Angell and were not only against the particular order of nature but would utterly confound the whole course of it And by conjurations or confections so to prepare the matter as to allure or force down influences and to make it by art capable and sufficient both to receive and retain them this were to mingle heaven and earth to subjugate the superiour bodies to their inferiors to preferre accidents to substances and turn the whole universe upside down Not the second for not only the speculations but also the practicks of their art a many of them are meerly intellectuaâ—l rationall arbitrary over which theâ— stars and planets can have no power The stars are corporall things arts or sciences are mentall how come
lust which shews what furious lust they are prone to that are borne under this cold and dull Planet Saturne is old because of his slow motion and want of heat He hath a Sythe in his hand and a Serpent by him because he is a retrograde Planet Jupiter binds him deposes him casts him into hell and all this is but a figure of a conjunction depressing infringing or tempering his malignant influence But Iupiter does no such thing but rather frees and restores him and does that signifie nothing was not this benigne Planet now a meanes to help and forward his malignity But Saturne was foretold by an Oracle that his own sonne should depose him from his Kingdom What were divining Oracles before the Planets Or indeed are there not over the Starres that can foretell their fates as well as they can the fates of others In short the Golden age was under Saturnes raigne why then is he made so maleficall a Planet wheresoever he is predominant It would be long to note the like of Iupiter Mars Sol c. and after all such observation the question at last would return to this whether Mythology or Astrology the poeticall or the speculatory Fable serves most to make one another good or more significant 3. Of the strange uncouth improbable impossible ridiculous and superstitious causes grounds forms prescripts waies means and instruments whereby to acquire the Art procure the power and prepare unto the practice of Divinatory Magick and Astrologie MElampus Tirefias Thales and Apollonius Tyanaeus could understand the voyce or language of Birds The latter of them sitting among his friends seeing many Sparrowes upon a tree and another comming in chirping to the rest told them that it told its fellows that there was a sack of Wheat spilt in such a place neere the City and they going to see found it so But how learnt Appollonius this rare divining art why peradventure by Democritus his prescript who named the Birds whose blood being mingled together would produce a serpent of which whosoever would eate should understand the voyces of Birds Or else by that of Hermes who saith If any one shall goe forth to catch Birds on a certaine day of the Kalends of November and shall boyle the first bird that he catcheth with the heart of a Fox that all that shall eate of this bird shall understand the voyces of Birds and of all other animals Or else that of the Arabians who say that they shall understand the meaning of bruits who shall eate the heart and liver of Dragons The Sybils the Bacchides and Niceratus the Syracusan and Amon were by their naturall melancholy complexion Prophets and Poets Hesiod Ion Tynnichus Calcinensis Homer and Lucretius were on a sudden taken with a madnesse and became poets and prophecied wonderfull and divine things which they themselves scarce understood Cornelius Patarus his Priest did at that time when Cesar and Pompey were to fight in Thessalia being taken with madnesse foretell the time order and issue of the battle How great heats love stirres up in the liver and pulse Physitians know discerning by that kind of judgement the name of her that is beloved So Naustratus knew that Antiochus was taken with the love of Stratonica When a mayd at Rome died the same day that she was married and was presented to Apollonius he accurately enquired into her name which being known he pronounced some occult thing by which she revived It was an observation among the Romans in their holy rites that when they did besiege any City they did diligently enquire into the proper and true name of it and the name of that God under whose protection it was which being known they did then with some verse call forth the Gods that were the protectors of that City and did curse the inhabitants thereof and so at length their Gods being absent did overcome them Vsyche in Apuleius prayes thus to Ceres I beseech thee by thy fruitfull right hand I embrace thee by the joyfull ceremonies of harvests by the quiet silence of thy chests by the winged Chariot of Dragons thy servants by the furrows of the Sicilian earth the devouring wagon the clammy earth by the place of going down into cellars at the light nuptials of Proserpina and returnes of the last inventions of her daughter and other things which are concealed in her Temple in the City Eleusis in Attica The Aegyptians and Arabians confirme that the figure of the Crosse hath very great power and that it is the most sure receptacle of all the celestiall powers and intelligences because it is the rightest figure of all containing four right angles and it is the first description of the superficies having longitude and latitude and they said it is inspired with the fortitude of the Celestials Rabbi Israel made certaine cakes writ upon with certaine divine and angelicall names and so consecrated which they that did eate with faith hope and charity did presently breake forth with a spirit of Prophecy Rabbi Iohena the sonne of Iochabod did after that manner enlighten a certain rude Countreyman called Eleazar being altogether illiterate that being compassed about with sudden brightnesse did unexpectedly preach such high mysteries of the law to an assembly of wise men that he did even astonish all that were neere him A certain man called Heruiscus an Aegyptian was endued with such a divine nature that at the very sight of Images that had any deity in them he was forthwith stirred up with a kind of divine phrenzy The Sybil in Delphi was wont to receive God after two waies either by subtill spirit and fire which did break forth somewhat out of the mouth of the cave where she sitting in the entrance upon a brazen three-footed stoole dedicated to a Diety was divinely inspired and did utter prophecyings or a great fire flying out of the cave did surround this prophetesse stirring her up being filled with a Deity to prophecy which inspiration also she received as she sat upon a consecrated seat breaking forth presently into predictions There was a Prophetesse in Branchi which sate upon an Extree and either held a wand in her hand given to her by some Deity or washed her feet and sometimes the hem of her garment in the waters by all these she was filled with divine splendor and did unfold many Oracles In the Countrey of Thracia there was a certaine passage consecrated to Bacchus from whence Predictions and Oracles were wont to be given the Priors of whose Temples having dranke wine abundantly did doe strange things Amongst the Charians also where the Temple of Clâ—vius Apollo was to whom it was given to utter divine things they having dranke much Wine did strange things There was also a propheticall fountaine of Father Achaia constituted before the Temple of Ceres where they that did enquire of the event of the sick did let down a Glasse by degrees tied to a small cord to the top of the water and
them which Moses himself in Deuteronomie calleth Gods of the earth To the which all Nations were attributed not signifying others than the heavenly starrs and their souls That the heavens and the heavenly bodies are animated with certain divine souls is not only the opinion of Poets and Philosophers but also the assertion of the Sacred Scriptures and of the Catholicks For Ecclesiastes also describeth the soul of heaven Coelestiall bodies are animated because they are said to receive commands from God which is only agreeable to a reasonable nature for it is written I have injoyned a command on all the stars Moreover Job seemeth to have fully granted that the starâ—s are not free from the stain of sin for there we read The stars also are not clean in his sight Which cannot verily be referred to the brightnesse of their bodyes The Masters of the Hebrews think that the names of Angells were imposed on them by Adam according to that which is written he Lord brought all things which he had made unto Adam that he should name them and as he called any thing so the name of it was Hence the Hebrew Meculiabs think together with the Magicians that it is in the power of man to impose names upon Spirits Many prophecying Spirits were wont to shew themselves and be associats with the souls of them that were purified examples whereof there are many in sacred writ As in Abraham and his bond-mayd Hagar in Jacob Gedâ—on Elias Tobias Daniel and many more So Adam had familiarity with the Angell Raziel Shem the Son of Noah with Tophiel Abraham with Zadkiel Isaac and Iacob with Peliel Ioseph Joshua and Daniel with Gabrâ—el Moses with Metattron Elias with Malhiel Tobias the younger with Raphael David with Cerniel Mannoah with Phadaâ—l Cenez with Cerrel Ezekiel with Hasmael Esaras with Uriel Solomon with Michael There is a kind of frenzy which proceeds from the mind of the world This doth by certain sacred mysteries vows sacrifices adorations innovations and certain sacred arts or certain secret confections by which the Spirit of their God did infuse vertue make the soul rise above the mind by joyning it with deities and Daemons So we read concerning the Ephod which being applyed they did presently prophesy Rabbi Levi affirmeth that no propheticall dream can be kept back from his effect longer than twenty two years So Joseph dreamed in the seventeenth year of his age and it was accomplished in the 39. year of his age A humane soul when it shall be rightly purged and expiated doth then being loosed from all impurity break forth with a liberall motion ascends upwards receives divine things instructs it self when happily it seems to be instructed elsewhere neither doth it then need any remembrance or demonstration by reason of the industry of it self as by its mind which is the head and Pilot of the Soul it doth imitating by its own nature the Angels attain to what it desires not by succession or time but in a moment For David when he had not learning was of a Sheepheard made a Prophet and most expert of divine things Salomon in the dream of one night was filled with the knowledge of all things above and below So Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and the other Prophets and Apostles were taught If there be a deprecation a magicall deprecation made for the destruction of enemies let it be commemorated that God destroyed the Gyants in the Deluge of waters and the builders of Babel in the confusion of tongues Sodome and Gomorah in the rayning of fire the hoste of Pharaoh in the Red Sea and the like adding to these some maledictions out of the Psalms or such as may be gathered out of other places of Scripture In like manner when we are to deprecate still magically deprecate against dangers of waters let us commemorate the saving of Noah in the flood the passing of the children of Israel thorough the Red Sea and Christ walking dry shod upon the waters and saving a Ship from shipwrack commanding the winds and waves and lifting up Peter sinking in the waters of the Sea and such like But if a prayer be necessary for obtaining oracles or dreams whether it be to God Angels or Hero's there are many places offer themselves out of the old Testament where God is said to talk with men promising in very many places presages and revelations besides the propheticall dreams of Jacob Joseph Pharoah Daniel Nebuchadnezzar in the old Testament and the Revelation of John and Paul in the new In consecrations magicall consecrations of Fire Water Oyl Books Swords c. Read holy Writ and thence apply such attributes names words phrases examples as are suitable c. We call Daemonâ— holy because in them God dwels whose name they are often said to bear whence it is read in Exodus I will send my Angell who shall goe before thee observe him neither think that he is to be despised for my name is in him In like manner certain confections magicall confections are called holy into which God hath put the speciall beam of his vertue as we read in Exodus of the sweet perfume and Oyl of annointing We reverence the image of a Lamb because it representeth Christ and the picture of a Dove because it signifieth the Holy Ghost and the forms of a Lynn Oxe Eagle and a Man signifying the Evangelists and such things which we find expressed in the Revelations of the Prophets and in divers places of the holy Scripture Moreover these things confer to the like Revelations and dreams and therefore are called sacred pictures Amongst the Jews black dayes are the 17. day of June because on that day Moses brake the â—ables Manasses erected an Idoll in the Sanctum Sanctorum and the walls of Jerusalem are supposed to have been pulled down by their enemies Likewise the 9. of July is a black day with them because on that day the destruction of both the Temples happened And every nation by this way may easily make the like calculation of dayes fortunate or unfortunate to them And the Magicians command that these holy and religious dayes be observed no less than the Planetary dayes and the celestiall dispositions c. Whosoever rhou art who desirest to operate in this faculâ—y in the first place implore God the Father being one that thou mayst be one worthy of his favour be clean within and without in a clean place because it is written in Leviticus Every man which shall approach those things which are consecrated in whom there is uncleanness shall perish before the Lord. God accepteth for a most sweet odour those things which are offered to him by a man purified and well disposed and together with that perfume condescendeth to your prayer and oblation as the Psalmist singeth Let my prayer O Lord be directed to thee as incense in thy sight Moreover the soul being the off-spring and image of God himself is delighted in these perfumes and odours receiving them by
his Magick But shall I shew you his library and that in this threefold Philosophie Observe then first and censure afterwards Have salt in your selves and again you are the salt of the earth and in a third place salt is good This is his minerall doctrine Will you know his vegetable It is in two little books a Mustard-seed and a Lilly Lastly he hath his animal Magick and truly that is a scrowl sealed up I know not who may open it Hee needed not that any should bear witnesse of man for he knew what was in man And what of all this blasphemy sayes some splenatick Sophâ—ster No more but this its easie to observe and censure at once I have ever admired that discipline of Eliezer the steward of Abraham who when he prayed at the well in Mesopotamia could make his Camels also kneel I must not believe there was any Hocas in this or that the spirit of Banks may be the spirit of prayer Why believe you any Magick to be in it then Jacob makes a Covenant with â—…n that all the spotted and brown cattell in his flocks should be assigned to him for wages The bargain is no sooner made but he finds an art to multiply his own colours and sends his Father-in law almost a wooll gathering And Iacob took him rods of green poplar c. As for this practice of Iacob namely the propagation of his speckled flocks it is an effect so purely magicall that our most obstinate Adversaries dare not question it Good words here pray threatned men live and may bee permitted to speak truth Ioseph being 17 years old an age of some discretion propounds a vision to his Father not loosely and to no purpose as we tell one another of our dreams but expecting I believe an interpretation as knowing that his Father had skill to expound it The wise Patriark being not ignorant of the secrets of the two Luminaries attributes Males to the Sun and Females to the Moon then allows a third signification to the miâ—or Stars and lastly answers his Son with a question What is this that thou hast dreamed c. Now I think no man will deny but the interpretation of dreams belongs to Magick c. I speak of a Physicall exposition as this was c. I have said ye are Gods a name communicated to them because they had the power to doe wonders For in this Magical sense the true God speaks to Moses See I have made thee a God to Pharaoh c. Lest any man should deny that which we take for granted namely the Philosophie of Moses I shall demonstrate out of his own books both by reason as also by his practâ—ce that he was a naturall Magician In Genesis he hath discovered many particulars and especially those secrets which have most Relation to this Art For instance he hath discovered the Miâ—erâ— of man or that substance out of which man and all his fellow creatures was made This is the first matter of the Philosophers stone Moses calls it sometimes water sometimes earth Gen. 1. 20. and 2 19 c. But this is not all that Moses hath written to this purpose I could cite many more magicall and mysticall places but in so doing I shall be too open Wherefore I must forbear I shall now speak of his practice And Moses took the Calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire and grinded it to powder and strewed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drink of it Certainly here was a strange kind of Spice and an Art as strange c. Gen. 28. 12. As for the Angels of whom it is said that they ascended and descended by the ladder their motion prooves that they were not of the superiour Hierarchie but some other secret essences for they ascended first and descended afterwards but if they had been from above they had descended fiâ—st which is contrary to the text And here Reader I would have thee studie upon what upon a frivolous obâ—ervation from the bare order or position of the words which without other grounds and helps either in the same place or other plainer places is alone insufficient for any genuine and orthodox deduction and hath been is and may be the occasion of infinite incongruous erronious false and hereticall collections Such as this Not that I would interpret but request the sense of the Illuminated I desire to know what my Saviour means by the Key of Knowledge Luke 11. 52. Who can forbear to reply being so insolently and scornfully provoked What ever it be that you desire to know it is not that which you desire to teach Not the Key of doctorall and Magisteriall Rabbinismes and Cablalismes Not the Key or rather pick-lock of nature Magicall Chymistry whereby you think to unlock the Chaos Not the Key of death for Necromancers to goe in and consult with the dead Not the Key of the bottomless pit to bind or loose Spirits and Daemons and Devils These are no Keys of knowledge neither would Christ have reprooved the takiâ—g away of these nay it is a woe that they are not taken away But the Key of the house of David the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven understand either of Grace or Glory Had your desire been sincere it had been but consideâ—ing the rest of the verse and comparing it with Mat. 2â— 3. and ye might soon have been satisfied The door is open others are going in before you who forbids you to be entring but you are stumbling at the threshold their taking it away Why know ye not that the Lawiers Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites had usurped a power authority jurisdiction an office calling ministry to expound and teach the Law and the Prophets and this was a taking it to themselves And now they taught Rabbinismes Caballismes traditions doctrines of men and thus they took it away from others What should I speak of those many books cited in the old Testament but no where to be found which if they were extant no doubt but they would proove so many reverend invincible Patrons of Magick Every Christian man doubts of that saving your self And so of the 27. books mentioned by your Kim Cim since you dare to reject those your self is convicted to number up This fine virgin water or Chaos was the second nature from God himself and if I may so say the child of the blessed Trinity What Doctor then is he whose hands are fit to touch that subject upon which God himself when he works lays his own Spirit for namely so we read The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water And can it be expected that I should prostitute this mystery to all hands whatsoever that I should proclame it and cry it as they cry Oysters What doe you else when you cry the egge of nature Sperme spermatick moysture salt slimy unclean viscuous humidity virgin water milk Mercury Hyanthes tears water of the Moon water and no water
actions what then becomes of those events Whom then will they make their Astrologicall Prognostications to be powerfull over but sensuall men or knaves or perswasive to but unreasonable men or Fooles For rationall men will still be arguing seeing the starres are not powerfull upon-reason nor above it how can their power stand against it 4. If reason be predominant to Divination nay if it be made conducible to divining Predictions why then have the most bruitish and barbarous people of all the world been alwayes most addicted thereunto Why durst it never peep forth among knowing Christians save only in times of greatest ignorance and superstition or else upon occasion of the discontinuance or discountenance of good learning And further why are they reputed and recorded to be most apt as well as most frequent in Divinings and Prophesyings when Reason is most suspended obscured and debarred as in sleeps dreams abalienations distractions phrenzies furies Nay why are they mostly observed when breaking forth from the mouths of children fools mad-men melancholy fanatick distraught dying c 5. Whether the New Astrologers are able to give better reasons for their divining or predicting art or faculty than the old ones did All which are either so false as that they make nothing for them or else so contrary as that they make altogether against them As consider them in those their arguments If there be no presignification of things future then there are no Gods Were there many Gods indeed they might be too many to keep counsell but there is one God who will admit no creature here to be his Counsellour Again then are they ignorant of future things Peradventure such Gods may not know one anothers minds or intentions or yet actions but a God knows all things past present future and is only known to himself and it is sufficient for the being of any thing that he himself alone knows it to be Again it is then because they are not able to declare them In one God his pleasure of revealing is his power to reveal Again then they love not men Gods love is to communicate himself to the creature according to his will and according to its kind Again else it is because they envy us this knowledge Envy is at anothers good and therefore not in him that can see no good which is not his own Again or else it is because they think it pertains not to men to fore-know things to come or that it befits not their divine Majesty to preacquaint humane creatures with then These latter indeed are true assertions of the true God and irrefragable argumentations against any truth of a predicting or presaging art 6. How will they answer an Heathen Philosopher thus questioning them or reasoning against them shall we attend to the praefation of irrationals and inanimate and not rest our selves satisfied with the confariation of reasonable men what reason can more move to think all their divination to be nothing than that they can give no reason for it what reason can the Aruspex give why the inspection of the liver or lights should design times and actions for lucky or unlucky What can the Augur why a bird flying on the righthand or on the left should presage this or that for fortunate or unfortunate What can the Astrologer why the starre of Jupiter and Venus conjoyned with the Moon should be so benign to the birth of a child and on the contrary that of Saturn and Mars so malignant Wherefore should they make God to be so busie to instruct men sleeping and so carelesly as it were to neglect men waking And what reason is there for this that Cassandra in a distracted fury should foresee things future which Priamus with all his collected prudence and deliberate cannot doe 7. Whether this be a sufficient reason to bear sway with reasonable men That therefore so little reason is it to be rendred for the Mysteries of Magick and Astrologie as they call them lest men might so slight them as common things and not value them as rarities or unheard-of curiosities Nay because they want Reason which is the main of every humane art is it not therefore that they so universally and earnestly exact Faith and such a faith as is proper only to a divine Faith 8. Whether an Astrologers formall affirmation be as good as an infallible demonstration Else why prove they it not by Reason divine morall naturall yea or artificiall when they say that such or such a conjunction of the Planets signifies innovation of Religion removall of Churches mutation of States translation of Kingdomes transmigration of Nations deposition of Princes alteration of Magistrates persecution of Ministers ruine of Families dissension of Lawyers losse of Merchants wrack of Mariners breaking of Tradesmen undoing of Farmers desolation of Cities depopulation of Countries mortality of Men murrain of Cattell dearth of Corn c. And all these through heresies sects factions blasphemies profanations impieties hypocrisies pride ambition covetousnesse lusts treacheries conspiracies seditions tumults contentions warres battells murders thefts robberies oppression fraud dissimulation hatred envy hunger diseases fires waters tempests c. And all these by Superiours Inferiours Neighbours Servants Children Wives Husbands Kindred Friends Enemies Strangers c. We know there may be innumerable such consequences or casualties in the world and that by such means or instruments but how prove they that the Starres are either the Signs or Causes of them If they put us off with this only That the Disciples and Auditors in Astrologie must be believers Let them tell us from what necessity they impose this duty otherwise they say nothing or nothing but say and so leave both our faith reason and senses unsatisfied 9. Since as they say themselves the Influences of the Starres are ineffectuall as neither apt nor convenient to produce agreeable effects in the matter of Sublunary things unless there be a proportionable equall or just measure and mixture in their irradiations and that without either excesse or defect How then shall we believe them in their prognosticated effects if such a proportion as they speak of be not first demonstrated unto us 10. Whether all such Astronomicall demonstrations as are of pure Astronomicall effects from the staries as of hot cold dry and moyst be any reall proofes in Astrologie of beneficall and maleficall influences of vertuous and vitious efficacies of fortunate or unfortunate events For as much as these differ as naturall and preternaturall as necessary and arbitrary as consequentiall and casuall c. 11. Where are the influences of the starres received and how How can they by fair experience prove they are present in the elements Must we trust the four corners of a Figure is this all their evidence thus we are taught to examine them by one of their own neighbours And therefore they shall give me leave to question with them a little further That Caelestiall vertue or efficacy which either Causes or Signes such terrestriall
in like manner obnoxious to vices 44. That the Stars are numerable and the number of them is 1600. saith one 1022. saith another 800. saith another more and less say others 44. That the least Star in the Heavens or the least visible is eighteen times bigger than the earth 45. That the Stars of the first honour and magnitude are bigger than the earth 107. times of the second 86. or 90. times of the third 72. times of the fourth 54. times of the fift 31. or 36. times of the sixt 18. times Have not they judged these old dimensions to be errors that have since altered them and whether theirs be not errors too let others judge or let them judge one another by their various opinions in this kind 46. That the Planets when they are lowest or are nearest the earth yet are they so many Semidameters distant from it viz. the moon 53. Mercury 65. Venus 167. The Sun 1122. or as some say 1124. Mars 1216. Jupiter 8854. Saturn 14378. 47. That when they are highest or most remote then are they thus distant viz. the Moon 64. Mercury 167. Venus 1070. the Sun 1210. Mars 8022. Jupiter 14369. Saturne 18500. 48. That the sphear of the fixed Stars is 14000. Semidameters distant from the earth others say 19000. others say 20081½ 49. That a Semidameter is 913. German miles 50. That the Moon is distant from the center of the earth 33. Semidameters or 30129. German miles so that the singular regions of the ayr have 11. Semidameters or 10043. German miles if the distance be computed from the center of the earth Likewise Mercury 64. Semidiameters or 58584. Germane miles Venus 167. semidiameters 152471. German miles the Sun 1120. semidameters 1022560. German miles Mars 1220. semidameters 1113860. German miles Jupiter 6678. semidameters 8103788. German miles Saturn 20100. semidameters or 18360430. German miles The eighth sphear 40220. semimidameters 36720860. German miles 51. That Saturn is 22. times bigger then the whole earth Jupiter 14. Mars lesser 13. The Sun greater 139 2 8. Venus lesse 6 1 â— Mercury 19. the moon 42. And again Saturn greater 91 1 â— Jupiter 95½ Mars 1â…“ The Sun 162. and 166 Venus lesse 37. Mercury 22. the Moon 1900. 52. That it is from the earth to the Moon 15150. miles From the Moon to Mercury 12812. miles From Mercury to Venus as many From Venus to the Sun 23438. miles From the Sun to Mars 15425. miles From Mars to Jupiter 68721. miles From Jupiter to Saturn as many From Saturn to the firmament 120485. miles 53. That for the order and placing of the Stars and Planets the Sun is in the midst of the Seaven and above that Mars and above that Jupiter and above that Saturn but beneath the Sun Venus and beneath that Mercury and beneath that the Moon 54. That Mercury follows next to Mars and next it Venus and next it the Sun and next it the Moon 55. That the Sun is in the last place but one or two and Venus above it and next after Mars 56. That Mercury is next to the Sun and under that Venus 56. That both Sun and Moon are above the fixed Stars 57. That the Sun is the Center of the world 58. That the Light of the Stars is materiall is a body is void of matter is a spirituall substance 59. That the Light of the Stars is of a middle nature betwixt corporeall and incorporeall 60. Is a substantiall form 61. Is a manifestation of colour 62. Is a fire 63. Is an accident reall or intentionall either or both 64. That the Light of the Stars is proper is mutuatitious is partly one partly another 65. That the Heavens are unmoveable 66. That the lower world turns round 67. That the moving Intelligences or Angles are the assisting forms of Stars 68. That the Stars fly like Birds in the ayr 69. That the Stars make a melodious harmony in their motion or revolution 70. That the celestiall bodies not only move with an insensible Musick but are moved by a sensible musick 71. That there is in sounds a vertue to receive the heavenly gifts and that the Heavens doe consist by an harmonicall composition and doe rule and cause all things by harmonicall tones and motions 72. That there are two half Orbes carryed about the earth the one all fire the other most ayr and they two as they wheel about make the day and the night 73. That the Stars erratile are some male some female yea sometimes male and sometimes female 74. That the Heavens and celestiall bodies are animated and have souls and souls properly so called 75 That the world the Heavens the Stars and the elements have a soul with which they cause a soul in these inferior and mixed bodies 76. That they have also a spirit which by the mediating of the soul is united to the body 78. That the souls of the Stars are not created together with their bodies but are extrinsecally added to them 79. That the world lives hath a soul and sense 80. That the above named souls have reason 81. That the soul of the world is placed chiefly in the Sun 8â— That the â—oul of the earth is not to be thought as it were the soul of some contemptible body but to be rationall and also intelligent yea and to be a 〈◊〉 83 That the souls of creatures and men are infuâ—ed into their bodies by the Stars 84 That Comets are the souls of famous 〈◊〉 triumphing in heaven 85. That Comets be fiery animals walking upon the superficies of the Elements 80. That the first principle of all things is water from which all things proceed and into which all are resolved 87. That all things are generated through the condensation and rarefaction of the ayr 88. That the Sun Moon and Stars have their originall from the earth 89. That the Sun and the Stars are begotten of clouds 90. That the whole body of nature hath the originall from the Sun and the Moon That the Sun makes Stars out of clean Chrystalline water 91. That the Heavens are a book in which the manners actions fortunes and fates of all are singularly written 92. That by the Mathematicall we receive the caelestiall vertues as motion sense life speech c. 93. That amongst all Mathematicall things Numbers as they have more of forme in them so also are more efficacious by which the next access to prophecying is had 94. That in Gestures there lyes the reason of numbers and great vertues c. 95. That the very elements of Letters have some divine numbers by which collected from the proper names of things we may draw conjectures concerning occult things to come 96. That by the number of Letters we may find out the ruling Stars of any one that is born and whether the husband or wife shall dye first and know the prosperous or unlucky events of the rest of our works 97. That the child cannot be long-lived that is born under the horned moon
the body is there not a medicine and meat to cure it but if it could intend any evill upon the soul or mind yet is there not education and discipline to prevent it Many things may be effected besides nature may they not much more then besides Fate If every man may fabricate his own Fortune why not also contrive his own Fate If Fate had never had name or nature or power would things have fallen out otherwise than they doe fall out why then should Fate be inculcated since without Fate there is Nature and Fortune to which all things necessary or casuall may be aptly referred In this old Philosophicall dispute what easie Moderator would not give this censure That either side hath said sufficient to overthrow his Adversaries opinion but neither of them enough to establish his own 7. Hath not the constellatory Fatation introduced so many starry Gods into the world Yea made so many providentiall and tutelary Gods and Goddesses some Select others Ascriptitious to have a hand in the whole administration of the Universe But particularly so many Geniall or Genitall Gods and Goddesses and their sundry ordinations and offices at every mans geniture As of Janus Jupiter Saturn Genius Mercury Apollo Mars Vulcan Neptune Sol Orcus Liber Pater Tellus Ceres Juno Lucina Fluona Luna Diana Minerva Venus Vesta Moreover Vitumnus Sentinus Mens Mena Iterduca Domiduca Abaona Adeona and Dea Fatua too not of the least ordination and operation either in the birth or life or death And no marvell that they make so many Consent-Gods goe to the fate of a Man when they will have so many to be busie about the fate of an herb As Seia fatally president of the sowing Segetia or Segesta at the comming up of the Corn Nodotus or Nodinus at the knitting or knotting Volutina at the involving of the leaves Batellina or Datellea at the opening of the blade Proserpina at the budding Hostilina at the equall shaping of the eare Flora at the flourishing Lasturtia at the nourishing Tutilina in the keeping Matuta or Matura at the ripening Messia at the mowing and Runcina not only at the weeding but at the plucking up by the roots 8. Whether Fate be one or many If it be one simply then what needs any reduction if it many why is it not reduced to one And then in vain is that done by many which may be done by one and it is prophane l to ascribe that to many which ought to be a scribed to one If it be one truly then is it undivided in it self and divided from all others which how can that which is a series or connexion of so many things be especially having its inherence in movables or mutables If it be but one accident why should it imply all under a necessity If it be but one by aggregation collection connexion so are things fortuitous as well as fatall Besides such an unity is in the meanest degree of entity Wherefore then should it order and subordinate things of a more perfect degree then it self If it be many or a multiplicity then is it unequall indeterminate uncertain and next to a nullity If it be one why then so they make it do diverse according to divers conjuctions and constellations If it be many how can they make any certain and particular pronouncing upon it 9. Whether that they call Fate be in the first or among the second Causes If in the first that is as much as to make it equall unto God If among the second then is it inferiour unto man For among second causes and especially in involuntary actions and all such as fall under humane counsell and deliberation the intellectuall mind and rationall will hath no superiour And what more contrary to the order of nature and creatures than that the lesse noble should be disposing and governing those more noble than themselves 10. Whether there be a fatall necessity upon all acts or events If upon all acts where 's Liberty if upon all events where 's contingency And whether upon these both good and evill and that whether naturall civill or spirituall If upon naturall acts and events good or evill then what use of means either to preserve or to prevent If upon acts civill and good what merit what praise if upon acts civill and evill what laws what punishments If upon events civill and good what thanks if upon events civill and evill what hopes If upon acts spirituall and good what free grace if upon acts spirituall and evill what free will If upon events spirituall and good what free bounty If upon events spirituall and evill what free mercy 11. How can there or why should there be such a thing as Fate imposing a necessity upon actions and events when as divine providence it self doth it not so as to exclude liberty contingency or casualty from things But works with second causes according to their own motion and manner Permitting sometimes their exuberancy sometimes their deficiency preserving to them their sundry orders offices and degrees of efficiency Suffering the remoter causes or agents to be impedited by the more proximate that all effects might not be taken for naturall and necessary but that his own free disposing might appear Although nature and every naturall agent be of it self and ordinarily determinated to one effect and to the producing of it after the same way yet he suffers it to be impedited by one debility and indisposition or another either to come to pass otherwise or else to be altogether prevented that so he might preserve a contingency in all naturall causes to the intent nothing might be thought absolutely necessitating but his own will and pleasure above Much more doth he confirm a freedom to the rationall will not only that good may the more chearfully be done and accepted but the evill also that is done or suffered may not unjustly be imputed to providence because of a necessity imposed 12. If fate be as they define it the Series order nexure ligation complication constitution disposition of second causes c. what feeble things are all those seconds put together without the first what can their own motion work to without his speciall concurrence what if he work not with them what if without them what if against them Leave them to themselves and what knot in a rope of Sand Can there be a perpetuall series or indissoluble connexion betwixt causes so disparate yea so adverse as naturall internall necessary and arbitrary adventitious accidentall yet after this order is fate oftentimes finished A languishing man not only consumes away within himself but the ayr meats drinks poyson act the fatall consummation To an ordinated destiny of an unfortunate end comes in inordinately fire water a fall a gun a sword an unlucky hand c. and hath not this necessitating fate now the complement by accident and is there not a casuall intervention of more force to the fatall effect than all the causall connexion How
undertake to be here resolving 1. As concerning Fortune in general If you would know whether your fortunatenesse or infortunity prosperity or adversity shall be more or lesse in the beginning middle or end of your life in body minde name goods relations c. 2. As concerning Religion If you would know whether you shall be of any Religion or none whether of a true or of a false Religion whether heretical schismatical hypocritical whether constant or wavering in Religion c. 3. As concerning marriage If you would know whether you shall ever marry or not when or about what age you shal marry how many wives or husbands you shall have whether you shall get a wife easily or after long and hard suit which shall love first or most sc the husband the wife or the wife the husband whether you two shall live long together and love mutually equally and constantly whether your wife shall be a virgin a widdow or an harlot be noble or base beautiful or deformed rich or poor faithful or disloyal vertuous or vitious wise or foolish sullen or cheerful frugal or lavish subject or imperious modest and silent or light and loquacious which of you twain shall die first or the one bury the other c. 4. As concerning children If you would know whether your wife shall be fruitful or barren whether she shall bring forth twins or monsters whether boys or girls when and under what constellations to lie with your wife for the begetting of children male or female tall or low of stature fair or deformed healthful or sickly dull or witty wise or foolish rude or mannerly long lived or short lived whether your children shall be many or few dutiful or ungracious thriving or prodigal c. 5. As concerning friendship If you would know whether your friend shall be true faithful useful constant or on the contrary whether your enemies shall be potent or impotent noble or base secret or open reconcileable or implacable whether you shall have more enemies then friends and your enemies more ready and able to hurt then your friends to help whether your greatest friends or enemies shall be aliens or allies c. 6 As concerning honours If you would know whether you shall be honourable or despised preferred or disgraced abroad or at home whether you shall attain to honour and preferment by the Princes favour by wealth by the mediation of friends or by your own deserts whether your honours shall last and how long c. 7. As concerning Magistery and Magistracy If you would know what course of life you shall lead publick or private military or civil liberal or mechanick when under what constellation and with what election to auspicate or enter upon your Science Art Trade Occupation Profession Office Place Calling what shall be your advantage or prejudice hereby c. 8. As concerning servants Whether you shall live or die a servant whether you shall serve a good or a bad master when and under what planetary elections to go to service that so it may be both more easie and beneficial c. 9. As concerning building when or according to what electional houses of the heavens to build your house on earth so as it may stand firm against wind and rain escape fire and be freed from rats mice c. 10. As concerning husbandry If you would know according to what sydereal elections to hire let plant improve plow sow reap c. 11. As concerning commerce If you would know when and under what fortunate position of the starres to buy and sell and gain by the bargain what commodities will be cheap or dear and when c. 12. As concerning Riches If you would know whether you shall waxe rich by inheritance acquisition dead mens goods merchandizing other mens mony by mines woods cattle husbandry finding of hidden treasures by offices places executorship feoffeship c. Whether you shall get goods lawfully or unlawfully with ease or industry when your wealth will grow upon you to what measure or value they wil amount and how long they shall last And whether you shall become poor by suertiship compartnership contention idlenesse luxuriousnesse unprudence fire water winds rots murrains thieves robbers plunderings and whether your riches or poverty shall be first or last 13. As concerning Laws and Lawings If you would know on what lucky day or electional hour to enter your suit whether your advocate will be faithful and diligent in pleading your cause and the Judge just and whether win the day or get the better of your adversary c. 14. As concerning travelling If you would know under what aspects to begin your journey prosperously whether it is safest to go by sea or by land by night or by day with company or without on horseback or on foot whether your journey shall be long or short your travel pleasant or tedious your return safe and advantagious c. 15. As concerning wars If you would know under what happy conjunction to raise your men whether they shall be trusty and couragious what weapons to make choice of what fortunate day to appoint for the battle where to take your ground when to give the onset when to retreat how to get the victory c. 17. As concerning things lost or stoln If you would know where they are who is the thief whether you shall recover your goods and how improved or impaired c. 18. As concerning sports and recreations If you would know whether it is best to take your pleasure within doors or without when to goe on hunting with sport and successe whether you shall win or lose in playing at cards dice c. 19. As concerning the minutest matters If you would know with what auspication and election to wash your hands kemb your head cut your hair pair your nails put on new cloaths greet a man or meet a beast that is coming towards you c. 20. As concerning health or sicknesse If you would know which of these shall be first or last whether natural or accidental what degree of malignity is to be gathered from the hour of decumbency whether the sicknesse or disease be curable and recoverable yea or no c. 21. As concerning death If you would know whether it shall be natural or vioient honourable or shameful abroad or at home suddain or after long languishing sooner or later whether you shall die by justice cruelty treachery and casualty by poyson pestilence sword famine thunder shipwrack fire water beasts thieves robbers servants children neighbours strangers by open or secret enemies c. Besides all these and infinite such like speculative interrogations as touching auspicating elections common both to prescribers and consulters there are together with these constellations certain practical configurations as the fabrications of Images statues pictures Talismanus idols painted molten graven under certain sydereal conjunctions for the repelling of things hurtful from you and procuring of things helpful to you
he presumed himselfe most secure was taken captive by Ostanes And Hading such another of them after all his presumption was forced to hang himselfe Guido of Flanders was deceived by a Necromancer of whom he had learnt the Art by which he had promised him that whensoever he would he should passe invisible out of any perill But that immutation little availed to the safety of his life Fredericke Stupbius who maintained his army with magicall money was notwithstanding taken by Rudolph of Habspurge and burnt Reatius a praestigious operator being therefore convented confessed his circulatory frauds and afterwards was slain by one whom he had deceived by those his delusory waies Methotin an idolatrous Magician his frauds being detected was slain by a concourse of people and his body nayled to a stake And Hollerus such another was cruelly murdered by his own aemulators A great Calculator confesses that Sebastian Castalio shewed an Astrologer to his great admiration the genesis of his little sonne who died in his infancy and yet that genesis had all the aphaeticall places safe and sound which might promise a prolonged life or direct any judge for to pronounce thereupon An Earle of Aspremont would seem to entertaine all comers with all kind of dainties but they were no sooner out of his house but that horse and man was ready to die with hunger and thirst A curious inquisitor was carried out of his own house into a very pleasant place as it seemed but in the morning found himselfe laid upon thorns and almost starved One Mendoza would present his banquets but they proved nothing but coales and ashes Hamilear the Carthaginian Captaine led on by the Ariolists sacrificed all the while he was in fight in hope of better successe but finding it in the discomfiture of his party to fall out on the contrary he cast himselfe as a desperate sacrifice into the fire to quench it with his blood that had put him in so great hopes and stood him in so little stead Rhadagusus a King of the Gothes in warring against the Romans did nothing almost but immolate or sacrifice for auspication or divinations sake so that they began boastingly to spread abroad Rhadagusus who had reconciled to himselfe the protection and assistance of such Gods was sure to overcome But nevertheless he was taken and slain with above 100000. of his army Papyrius Cursor oppugning Aquilonia the Pullarian Auspicator would needs be presaging clean contrary to his tokens whose fallacie being found out the Consul praesumed a good omen notwithstanding and beginning the fight caused the lying Augur to be placed in the front and the first dart that was cast by the enemy struck him stark dead Eudemus being foretold by a cunning dream-speller that although he was now in exile yet he should return to his own Land within five yeares within which space he notwithstanding dyed in Syracusa but to make his prediction good he said he meant his grave which is every mans own land Constantia an honourable dame of Rome having received assurance from Astrologers of a long healthfull and most happy life fell sick within five daies after of a burning feaver and finding that there was no way but death she strained her husbands hand and concluded both her speech and life with these complaining words Behold what truth is in the vain pregnosticates of fond Astrologers Ninus who detested all Astrologers with their deceipts suppressed Zoroastes who would deale in nothing without their encouragement Pompey with his guard of prophets lost his head and Caesar by contempt of Oracles subdued his enemies Iustinian exiling all sorts of false Prophets with their bag and baggage did flourish as a Conquerour whereas Iulian admitting them with all their packs of falshoods and blasphemous lies did perish as a castaway At such time as Brittanicus waited for the great lot of the Roman Empire by the comfort and encouragement of a vaine Astrologer he lost both life and all by the rigour of a bloody Tyrant Thraâ—illus the Mathematician whom Tiberius had taken into familiarity presaging good things upon the sight of a ship but things falling out contrary to what he predicted Tiberius was purposed as they walked together to cast him down a praecipice for a falsary and an intruder into his secrets Seneca by a pretty fancy bringeth in Mercury perswading with the Gods that they would abridge the life of Claudius if not for any other cause yet even for pitty and compassion of the poore Astrologers who had already been taken with so many lies from yeare to yeere about this point as if the destinies were not more favourable then their grounds were sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever St. Ambrose telleth of one that prognosticated great store of raine to fall after an exceeding drought but none was seen till it was obtained by the prayers of the Church Galen writeth that none of all those Prophets and Astrologers whose skill was commended and their depth admired in his time at Rome gave any perfect judgement either as touching the disease the continuance or cure thereof Manfredus a rare Doctor of Astrology assured Ordelaphius a Prince in Italy that that very yeere wherein he died if there were any certain knowledge by his art he should not end his life before extremity of age had made him lame and unweldy Paulus Florentinus lived till 85 yeeres of age and yet he would assure his friends in private that he never found one comfort that might promise long life in the figure of his birth but sudden death with many tragicall and most lamentable accidents The great dearth of Cattle which was so certainly expected by the Calculators Anno 1558. turned to a wonderfull encrease of all kinds of sustenance At the same time that the fond Bobemians were affraid to be consumed with sudden fire that should come down from Heaven as some preachers gave warning they were almost drowned with a second Flood by means of excessive showres spring-tides and store of land-land-waters that ranne down with immoderate abundance as if God had resolved to descry the falshood of their jugling At another time the people were so scared with an universall feare of waters scattered aboad by prophets of this kind as a certain Abbot seeking to prevent the worst built him a Tabernacle upon the top of Harrow on the Hill but the conclusion is that before Summer was halfe spent all the ditches were drawn dry and the castle perished for lack of water Paul Flerent noting two constellations under which the State of Florence was refreshed after long and bloudy warres findeth them so crosse and opposite one to another as himselfe is forced to confesse that small light of assurance may be taken from the blaze of this Beacon Peucer prognosticated upon the last Comet that our bodies should be parched and burned up with heat but how fell it out Forsooth we had not a more unkindly Summer for many yeeres in respect of