Marchisa daughter of Olivarius de Thulia by whom the third yeer after he had a son whom his uncle Claudius being then living as God-father called by his own name Moreover not long after he was made Doctor it was his pleasure to take a view of all the sea-coast both to search out all the monuments of Antiquity and to get the rarest plants which that Countrey afforded which were to be sent to the garden of Belgenser The reason why he began with the Antiquities of Freius which to have seen once as he went into Italy did not content him was because he was to conduct some Gentlemen of his kinred who had been to solemnize his Commencement as far as Draguignan But his chiefest desire was to see a work worthy the Romane name and renown viz. A rock cut quite thorow or a large hollow channell dug in the steep side of an hill by which an arm of the river Siagne was to be brought five Provence-miles thorow the turnings and windings of the valleys and the woods Now it would be tedious to reckon up all that he observed and collected in his whole progresse It shall suffice to say that thence he took occasion to write and send many things to his friends But among the rest he made great account of a certain Consulary piece of coin which he said was not to be had not being so much as mentioned either by Goltzius Ursinus or any other writer which he sent to Pignorinus that he might shew it to Fridericus Contarenus Also he made great account of certain Inscriptions of Flaminius and Dudistius touching the filling up whereof for some letters were eaten away he consulted chiefly with Velserus Also he highly esteemed other choise rarities which he sent to Scaliger and certain I know not what shells of sea-fishes by occasion whereof he wrote unto Pena the Physician touching the shell of a Brand-goose or Sea-duck which was fashioned like the shell of a Limpin But to speak in particular of Plants he took along with him an Herbalist skilfull in the knowledge of all plants at all times and therefore he did not onely send plants into his own garden but he sent also roots of most of them to Clusius among the rest of Tragacantha whence Gum Tragant or as the common people say Cum Dragon is received of Aristolochia or Birthwort of Asphodelus or Daffodill and of the two sorts of Arbute-trees so called Withall he signified the desire he had to enjoy the company of Clusius a while at Belgenser where he would shew him a Styrax or Storax tree being a low shrubby tree with leaves like those of a Quince tree and flowers or blossoms not unlike the blossoms of an Orenge tree and in the sweet smelling liquour that comes from it not inferiour to the Storax of Syria which grows within a mile of the Town and not to be found in any other place Also he would shew him a Lentisk tree which sweats mastich no lesse than the Lentisk trees of Chios which are accounted the best Also he would shew him some other things which he should hardly see elsewhere When he returned he began to think of erecting a Covent of Heremites of Camaldoli in that goodly Desart by the Chappell under a rock which being dedicated to Saint Mary de Angelis is almost in the mid way between Massilia and Aix The reason whereof was because when he lived at Padua he exceedingly liked the Orders of those kind of Heremites and a learned man of that Order called Elias was then at Aix about a Novice that was to be received or was newly received Peireskius therefore delighted with his company kept him there many moneths together nourished him in the Desart and often would visit him and stay divers dayes with him In the mean while he procured that by a decree of the Citizens of Massilia and Aix such a Covent should be desired Also he procured leave to erect the same from the Lord of Mimet in whose Lordship the place was and bought the ground round about the place He used all diligence possible by the mediation of the Bishop of Padua and the Cardinall Pâ—llâ—vicinus to move the Superiours of that Congregation not onely to leave Elias there but to send some other religious persons the better to stock the new Covent He intreated that they would at least send some to view the place and sent money to bear their charges And great hopes he had but at the last all his labour proved in vain In like manner his second endevours for Pacius succeeded not according to his desire For whereas in the beginning of the Spring he had so wrought the matter that those of Aix had resolved that Pacius should be chief Professour of Law and that his stipend should be two thosuand four hundred pounds Tours a yeer he went himself to Monpellier with a Councellour of Aix to remove any difficulty that might stand in the way Neverthelesse he returned without effecting what he went for Pacius pretending that he expected three thousand pounds besides what he might occasionally gain but his wife was in deed and in truth the cause who hating to dwell in a Catholike City chose rather to go to Heidelberg Presently after he sell sick of which sicknesse he hardly recovered in the beginning of the Summer The wonderfull tendernesse of his skin proved very troublesome for on whatsoever part of his body his cloaths did sit never so little hard a red swelling would presently arise with vehement itching This gave him occasion to consider the cause of those spots and marks which many bring from their mothers wombs For it came into his mind that it might in like manner fall out that look on what part of their bodies women with child did lay their hands when they have a longing desire after somewhat on the same part of the child in the womb the stain of the thing longed for is printed This he told more than once and particularly not many yeers before his death when we were philosophizing about the image of a dog seen in the urine of a man bitten by a mad dog But the difficulty was why the mark should not be made rather in the mothers body than the childs yet he was convinced that the child in the womb was one body with the mother and nourished and quickened with the same kind of nourishment and the same spirits in all its parts even as it was at first formed of seed that came from all the parts of the body And therefore its tender body was affected with the same accidents as its mothers and any mark might be so much the easilier imprinted thereupon while with the spirits carrying the imagined shape it is by that touch of the mother as it were imprinted by how much it is tenderer than the body of its mother And this I remember hath been confirmed by a memorable example which I have heard reported viz. How a woman with child
it rises at four in the morning and blows till noon Now it is in Winter chiefly very violent especially when the South-wind blowes against it and sometimes it is so cold that when it blowes water is turned to Ice in the aire Otherwise it is a very wholsome wind and so are the Corn and Fruits and some Springs in that Place So by Antelmus of Freyus a Priest and a very good man he caused that wind to be observed which arises at the Hill Malignon and passes not beyond the descent thereof also the conflict of the South East and North-West winds which meeting at Cap Roux do there destroy one another A wonderful thing to tell nor is it lesse strange that the South-East wind is there wholsom and ripens the Corn whereas it is unwholsome and blasts the Corn at Aix the North-West wind working the quite contrary also that which was observed at Cannae by the foresaid Meynerius viz. how that none of the cardinal winds blow there but only the lateral ones whereas in other places it falls out otherwise But I should be too tedious if I should insist longer upon this subject yet one thing haply ought not to be forgot how that such as go into the Hole or Cave of Lanson like that of Pausilippus at both ends do perceive the wind blow out from each end which is a sign that the wind arises in the Cave and blowes outwards but comes not from without into the same Again he was no lesse curious in considering the motion of the mediterranean Sea which because it is known to run Westward by our European Coasts he would have enquirie made whether by the Coasts of Africa opposite to us it does not run Eastward and that by observing chiefly the Countrey where at the mouthes of Rivers the sand is heaped up because it is wont to be heaped up on that side towards which the Sea forceth the River water This he knew by the Sands which are plentifully cast up by Rhodanus For the Sea carries them to the Coast of Languedoc which by that meanes becomes void of Havens for only since the dayes of St. Lewis the Sea has forsaken the Town of Aiques-mortes a whole League And although the Sands of the River Argens may seem to be driven upon the Eastern shoare and to have filled up the Haven of Freius yet he perceived that the reason thereof was because the Gulf de Grimaud or the Gulf de Sainct Tropés scituate behinde the same drew more plenty of water and the Promontory between made the water turn round which gyration or whirling of the water forced the streames of Argens and the mudde or Sand upon the Eastern Coasts Upon the same occasion he would have the ebbing and flowing such as it was observed both in the Hadriatic Sea upon some Coasts of Africa and when by observatioÌ„ of the various motioÌ„s and Circuits of the Mediterranean Sea it was apparent that the water did perpetually flow out of the Pontus Euxinus by Thraciax Bosphorus the Propoutis and Hellespont into the Aegean Sea so that not only at Smyrna but in Crete yea and almost at Africa its motion may be discerned also being resolved that the Atlantick Ocean did continually flow in by the Fretum Gaditanum or Herculean strairs for it flowes back only a fixth part of the time it comes in and all the intermediate space which amounts to an eighth part the Ocean flowes perpetually into the Mediterranean Being resolved I say that these things were so he judged that he must of necessity have recourse to channels under the ground whereby the Mediterranean empties her waters into the Ocean and is by that meanes kept within her due bounds For after the same manner it is believed that the Caspian Sea which is closed in on all sides and though it receives so many Rivers flowes not over does by a passage under ground run into the Euxine Sea emptying it self there whereas in the middle of the Sea the waters are sweet which place by Aristotle is called Bathea or the Deeps of Pontus Moreover it thundred and lightened divers times that Summer And whereas it was my opinion that the thunder-fire which burns things on Earth did not come from on high but brake near at hand from a thick Cloud which contained and carried the matter thereof he would have it that the said fire though fluxive is yet with such violence forced out that from the middle Region of the Aire it reaches unextinguished unto the Earth where it does wonders He added that when six and thirty years agoe the high Altar of the Capucines at Aix was broken down with a Thunder-bolt he was then in the City and as he passed accidentally through a street called Preachers-street he had his eyes lift up to Heaven the same way But the wonder was that he observed in the middle of the Aire a certain handful of fiery rayes partly streaming out right and partly waving just after the manner as the ancients were wont to picture the Thunder-fire in the hand of Jupiter It s needless to relate the answer which I made I shall rather tell you that the Thunder-fire having thrown down a Crosse from the top of St. Johns Steeple the Iron beneath which was fastened in the stone was found to have a rusty Crust which was powerfully magnetic We did not so much wonder at the Iron which having bin purged now many ages might contract such a faculty but that the rust of the Iron should be so powerful that was a thing worthy of assonishment He received in the mean while from Africa Seeds Plants and Animals Among which none was greater or more beautiful then the Beast called Alzaro which with his head and tail did represent a Buâ—â— but in the rest of his Body was like an Hart. His Horns were black bolt upright and would grow as was reported to a wonderful height It was a most swift Beast and such as could not be taken save when it was sucking-young Now he did not keep that Beast long but after he had sufficiently observed the same and got it painted out according to his mind he sent it to Cardinal Barberino He received likewise not long after the skin of such a like Beast from the Earl of Marchavilla returning from Constantinople and upon that occasion he was desirous to try and I know not what hindred him whether the same thing would betide the skin of this Beast which was wont to betide the skin of an Harr. For it was well known that an Harts skin being by the Curriers put in the bottom of their fat and a great heap of Oxe and other Hides laid thereupon would never rest after water was put in till it had got it self up above all the rest Which when we wondred at we supposed the cause to be the largeness of the Cavities of the Hairs which exceeded these of the other Hides for that every Hair is a kind of
Nor seems it lesse wonderfull that those raies are sometimes naked and sometimes have as it were leaves and branches upon them otherwhiles seeming inserted into a Nave like the spoaks of a Wheele and other such like observations which a friend had informed him of Another while he endeavoured to shew the reason of the snows whitenesse proceeding from very small bubbles reflecting the Light and of its starlike forme proceeding from six aequilaterall trianges into which figures circular bodies do naturally dispose themselves and nothing seemed to him more probable then that snow is so med of seems proper thereunto even as the various sorts of stones are made in the same manner receiving their proper figures as Plants and Animals do Whereupon it was by one then demanded whether these seeds were cause of the years fruitfulnesse seeing Husbandmen avouch that the fields do then yeild the most encrease when they have been longest covered with snow Against which he excepted that the seeds of snow are one thing the seeds of Plants another nor do Plants therefore spring up more abundantly because the snow by its fatnesse as some Imagine does make the Lands fruitfull but because it keeps in and represses those fat exhalations which steem out of the Earth and turnes them into nourishment for the Corne. Which may be better understood if we consider that the said exhalations being hot the snow is below so melted as to give way to the growing Plants being crusted and vaulted above and when the warmness of the Spring approaches it goes away in great fragments by the sides of the mountaines leaving behind it the Herbs and Corne grown up Hence occasion was taken to discourse of the force of such waters as proceed from molten snow so that this must now be acknowledged the cause of the Overflowing of Nilus and he having said that all this water of melted snow did not passe away in Torrents but was partly imbibed into the earth to encrease the fountain waters seeing the Fountain de Vau-cluse did not run more abundantly but was also a little troubled after snow was melted the whole Company was very desirous to hear him discourse at large touching the Originall of Fountaines Whereupon explaining his opinion than which he had none wherein he was more fixt resolved he declared that he could never conceive that the originall of Fountaines was from the Sea nor caused by the conversion of Aire into water but that they spring rather from rain waters melted snow contributing which falling far and near are so drunk in pierce so far into the Earth till they meet with certain Receptacles or wells the bottome whereof is stone Tarras or some such matter fit to hold water which have beneath certain narrow passages by which the Collected water issues gently fo that the stream is continued for many daies moneths and years For proof whereof he alleadged that all the most notable Springs were at the bottomes of Mountaines in which being of a rocky nature there are many such Receptacles or Cisternes which run at last all unto one and fountaines which arise in plain grounds may be derived from the Receptacles of Mountaines far off being brought along through channels under ground And that by the same reason waters might flow not far from the tops of lower Hills and in case they have not Receptacles sufficient of their own they might by the like Passages be brought thither from the Recepacles of higher Mountaines seeing water flowes so far upward according to the heighth from which it first came Whence also he collected that there could be no fountaines in the Continent nor in Islands which doubtlesse are highter then the surface of the Sea if Fountaines came from the Sea because water will rise no higher then the place from whence it fell For that vvaters should spring out in the very tops of the highest Mountaines as is Vulgarly reported vvas not credible there being no Eye-vvitnesse to testifie the same And that therefore the Cause vvhy in the Summer especially after great Drought Fountaines are dried up or run very penuriously can be no other then that the vvaters contained in the foresaid receptacles are either quite spent or much diminished Whence it is that after Rains the Fountaines run again that is to say not after leight or seldom showers but after large and continuali Raines of many daies and moneths durance Yet it is true as the Scriptures saies that the Originall of Rivers and Fountaines is from the Sea in asmuch as partly out of the open Sea partly out of such waters thereof as enter into the Cavities and secret passages of the Earth vapours are raised which being turned into Rain do cause fountaines and Rivers after the manner aforesaid He perceived afterwards that it was necessary for him to depart and therefore he consented at length to the setting forth of that little Treatise De Magnae Deūm Matris Attidisque initiis Which because it contained an Interpretation of certain Characters or Hieroglyphicks which were seen upon a certain brazen hand found at Tornay which Peireskius received from Dionysius Villerius he had been instant for three years that Pignorius would change his dedication and inscribe it to Villerius Which when he could not obtain he would not have the Edition longer deferred Pignorius reasoning the Case with him in these words There are many reasons which make me dedicate the same to you but above all your singular humanity whereby you have so wholly obliged me and all that I am by your daily kindnesses that I haveinothing remaining which I may truly call mine own In the next place your great and Various Learning by which you have wonderfully treasur'd up in your Mind and thought all Antiquity and whatsoever any where is rare and excellent Also he caused to be printed two Books of Mathematicall Epistles of Georgius Ragusaeus or against Arts divinatory which he had received from Paulus Gauldus and which he had left to his beloved Hannibal Fabrotus the forementioned President of Aix who abode then at Paris So was he very carefull that the workes of Varius might be printed with all Additions possible which because he could not see done as his desire was before he departed therefore he lest the whole Care of the Edition to Duchesnius to see it finished In like manner leaving behind him a new Edition of the Poems of Cardinall Barberinus half finished with additions he committed the whole Care thereof to Viassius who was then at Paris and freely profered his service to that intent Moreover that which so constrained him to hasten his return was the old Age and encreasing sicknesse of his Father Yet would he have tarried till Autume had he not been necessitated to passe through Aquitania being resolved to view a certain Abbey which made him take the more time Wherefore he departed in the moneth of August from Paris where he had spent seven years and some moneths When he same to
whole face thereof so suddenly changed so that the wals which because of the Funeral being hung all with black did testifie sorrow were presently being hung a fresh with red because of the aproach of the Guest made to expresse the greatest chearfulnesse possible Moreover as soon as he was saluted by Parliament and all the other orders of the City the Tables were so furnished that a more magnificent provision could not be imagined Eight dineing rooms were served at one and the same time without any confusion and the high courage of Peireskius was to be admired whose Providence was not disturbed by the sadnesse following his Fathers death When all was taken away the Legat desired also to view his Study and to passe over some sweet houres in familiar discourse and in viewing the rarities This Viasius harpt upon in his Panegyric to Urbanus Octavus in these verses among the rest So did we see him in his way from France 1625. Unto Peiresk his noble House advance That House renown'd for Vertue and the Praise Of ancient Gentrie and the Muses Baies Where all that 's left of Athens and old Rome Inshrined lies as in a sacred Tombe When at his departure he brought him on his way he was forced to go to Riants where upon pretence of his Fathers Death the Tenants began to make some stir where composing things as well as he could and the contrariety of the wind holding the Legat still at the Port of Tolon he went to him again thither and presented him with a couple of Goats with long ears hanging down so low that if their heads be a little bowed down they touch the ground The Cardinal having finished this legation soon after began another For he went Legate into Spain but by force of weather he was divers times stayed upon the Coasts of Provence But his chief stop was at the Tower of Buquia which stands at the ingress of the Martigian Coast or the Sea Colony so that Peireskius could hear of him and come to him Which was doubtlesse a great solace to the Legat for besides his most delightful company some daies enjoyed Books were also brought him with the reading whereof the tediousness of the time was abated Among the rest there were certain observations touching the ebbing and flowing of the Seas which Peireskius had not long before caused to be collected by Antonius Natalis a Physician of Provence who dwelt in Bretagne which because they exceedingly pleased the Legat he promised to do his endeavour 1626 to procure more of them Also he further promised him That he would acquaint him with whatever he met with temarkable in that Legation and particularly that he would procure which Peireskius chiefly desired the Epitaphs to be written out and Pictures to be taken of the Earls of Barcellone especially of Alphonsus sirnamed the Chast Moreover Peireskius returned home troubled with an exceeding great Rheum besides pains in his Kidneys and other disorders contracted by reason of his Fathers sickness which would not let him sleep a nights nor suffer him to rest so much as in his Bed Amongst other refreshments books were not the least for he received divers from sundry his friends some of which made mention of him as one for example called Glossarium Archaeologicum containing an Exposition of Barbarous Latine words whose Author was Sir Henry Spelman of England who in the Preface to his Work If I should speak of persons quoth he beyond the Seas I was in no small measure incited from France by the most noble Nicolaus Fabricius Peireskius his Majesties Counsellour in the Parliament of Aix Hieronymus Bignonus c. Where you must observe that Bignonus and those other persons whom he there mentions were set on by Peireskius to sollicite Spelman to set out his Book Also the notes of Pignorius upon the Book of Vincentius Cartarus of the Images of the Gods also his symbolical Epistles in the 29 whereof Pignorius recites to Peireskius an Epistle of Marsilius Ficinus touching the occasion of the friendship between him and Bembus both born on one and the same day out of a Book which was in the study of Pinellus which you and I quoth he knew in its flourishing condition Also he was very inquisitive after divers Monuments of Antiquity which he would have brought to Aix A principal was a Marble Tomb of most elegant fabrick which being dug up near Brignolle he sent a Cart on purpose and twenty industrious chosen men to fetch the same This Monument verily he esteemed so highly of that when afterwards Rubens was to go into Spain he could not tell what better Argument to use to intice him thither then to tell him of the sight thereof and when he observed therein some Images which either through Age or bad usage were defaced he would needs have from Rome a Model in plaister of another in which he had observed the like figures that after the example thereof he might cause them to be repaired Also he was comforted by one Barbleus of Colen an industrious young man and skilled in Physick who made him paper spheres of all sorts that is to say according to the Hypotheses of Ptolomy Copernicus Ticho and others Nor must I forget how he was exceedingly refreshed with the exceeding courteous society of Jacobus Lorinus a Jesuite who had commented upon the Psalms who when he first returned from Rome came to him at Avenion and bestowed upon him a treatise of Bellarmines written with his own hand Finally to divert himself he read at that time a Book termed Arelatense Pontificium made by Petrus Saxius a Canon of Arles But he took it very ill that he I know not out of what respect did affect to set up the Rights of our Kings and did not only not oppose what might justly be opposed but went about unjustly to weaken the same wherefore he rested not till by a decree of Parliament the Book was prehibited Peireskius was now a little better when after divers Letters both from the Cardinal Legate and Putean the Knight and others dated at Madrid he was informed that the Cardinal was to return and would passe through Marseilles in the beginning of September Thither therefore he went though not perfectly recovered and expected the Cardinals arrival certain dayes But he lost his labour because he having a good wind sailed by and stayed only a little while at Tolon whence he sent some of the rarest things he brought with him out of Spain to Aix and excused himself Which when Peireskins received he returned thanks by Letters in some of which he carefully recommended Christophorus Puteanus a Carthusian whose learning and innocent conditions did sufficiently testifie that he was Brother to the Puteans of Paris I stand not to relate how well the Cardinal took the said Recommendation for Putean himself wrote that he was unable to express what good will and civility he had found Only I think it more pertinent to say
that Putean held a most brotherly correspondence with Peireskius for no kindness ever lay in his power which he did not do for him Here I must nor forget how about the same time he recommended Josephus Maria Suaresius of Avenion a very learned young man who was by that means received into the Family of the Cardinal Nor must I forget Lucas Holstenius the Darling of learned men an Hamburger who was also not long after admitted into the said family 1627 after that his Vertue had bin made known to Peireskius by the commendations of the Puteans and to the Cardinal by the commendations of Peireskius when he was at Paris Both of them verily did afterward testifie their thankfulness and by frequent learned Letters did merit that favour as for Peireskius he let slip no occasion where by he might do either of them any good In the Winter he was again vexed with Rheumatick defluxions and pains in his Kidneys yet did he not cease to write divers Letters but principally to the Puteans by whose help he was wont to brag that he saw nigh at hand all that was done in the World as by the help of the Prospective Glasse he saw things ordinarily out of sight in the Heavens Among other things he shewed the Reason why the Taxes anciently set upon men came in process of time to be so diminished For seeing quoth he our fore-fathers and Ancestors expressed the rates of the said taxes by Florens coine so called which vvere then of Gold and vvere of greater value then the Solati it is come to passe that because Florens vvere then valued at twelve silver shillings or Spur-royals a Tax of a Floren is now satisfied with twelve shillings whereas nevertheless these of ours have so far degenerated from the ancient ones that six of ours amount not to the value of one of those We may now say eight and shortly ten so that they who would lay Taxes which shall not lessen in process of time must learn not to express them by pounds Tours or any other kind of vulgar money but they must estimate them by Corn or some other yearly increase of the Earth and compel them to pay accordingly For seeing the fruitfulness or barrenness of the same grounds is much one and the same at all times the price of the fruits of the Earth must needs keep much at one and the same But the usual value of money does not in like manner continue but continually decreases as has bin formerly declared Moreover 1627. Valavesius did in the mean time return from Paris and the business of Rians after so many years invincible suits was finished by arbitration The year 1627. was beginning when taking breath after the cares of such like businesses he resolved the next Vacation to take a view of whole Provence to gather Inscriptions partly such as he had not and partly such as had bin ill or unfaithfully taken and that to gratifie the foresaid Donius who having an huge Volume of Inscriptions such as were not in Gruterus ready for the Presse he was desirous to interweave those of Provence which Peireskius should collect And he had not indeed leasure to perform what he intended yet nevertheless he left not to sollicite Donius to put out his work hoping that in the mean while there would be a fardle of Provincian to joyn to the same for he liked better that they should be put all together at the end of the Book as the Spanish ones were in Gruters Volume than that they should be confusedly interposed here and there as was usual in others Moreover he began upon this occasion to treat with Donius not only touching Inscriptions but he being really a man variously and plentifully learned touching his Onomasticon his Musical work his Convivales touching Hetrusian moneys certain Justinian Coines of the ancient kind of Weapons and many such like things He treated also about the same time with Nicolaüs Rigaltius his Majesties Library-keeper famous for his very rare learning touching the Exposition of those Riddles of Virgil concerning certain Lands in which there grew Flowers with the names of Kings written upon them and Lands where the Heavens appeared but three ells wide And when by way of answer he received touching the former certain rare observations touching Flowers strangely variegated in their colours and touching the latter that interpretation which is usually given concerning a Well he called to minde among other things how that a Well was dug at Rians out of which a very small quantity of Heaven must needs be seen when as in the day-time at the bottom thereof a man might see the Stars the eyes being plunged as it were by the depth into the darkness of night and the sight of the eye by dilatation as is wont to happen in a dark place receiving plentiful species or representations even of the smallest things There was then newly come to be Arch-Bishop of Aix Alphonsus Plesseus Richelius a Praelate of remarkable learning and rare piety taken from among the Carthusians and Peireskius perceiving that he exceedingly loved him he used all diligence in the continual testification of his Respects and Service thereby to approve himself worthy of his Love When he went to visit Marseilles he bore him company and by that means he there saluted Gabriel Albaspiuaeus Bishop of Orleance who was then retired thither was studying about a work which was afterwards printed of the mystery of the Eucharist In which he made frequent mention of Books communicated by Peireskius calling him The Love and delight of Learning and the Ornament of Provence Afterwards also he strongly assisted the Arch-Bishop in the setling of a publick Post who carrying Packets of Letters every week by Post-horses to Lyons and bringing the like from thence might hold also a weekly entercourse with the Parisians And he had indeed long desired such a thing and more then once endeavoured the same as a thing of publick advantage and grateful to his friends but none before him had sufficiently animated the Arch-Bishop nor could the Parliament of Provence be ever perswaded to allow the charges Great was the joy occasioned hereby as of all learned men who desired to receive frequent letters from Peireskius so especially of the Puteans who by this means could both frequently and easily send him what ever newly ptinted Books or other novelties and he also could send them with like facility what ever he obtained out of Italy Africa and the whole East For from this time forward he kept a more frequent correspondence then ordinary with the Consuls and Merchants resident in all the Eastern parts that by their means he might procure Greek Hebrew and Arabick Books with others written in the oriental Languages Whereupon he soon obtained some as namely from Cyprus an excellent Book Peri Aretes cai Cacias about Virtue and Vice of Constantinus Porphyrogeneta containing collections out of Polybius Diodorus Nicolaus Damascenus and other
Historians out of which divers deficiencies in noble Authours might be made up It is not to be believed how small a thing he valued two hundred pounds Tours which he gave for this Book were it only that he conjectured it was the Emperours own individual Book which he had for his own use because of the shape of the Letters and their elegancy the neatness of the binding and rare Verses prefixed in prayse thereof Also he obtained that which he had long sought for viz. certain Councels of the Christian Bishops after the recovery of the Holy Land for he had long bin perswaded that there was some Copy or other of them to be had in those parts He had indeed formerly caused some of them to be written out of the Vatican Library About the same time he wrote unto all parts to assist Holstenius who was labouring about the edition of a Noble pack of ancient Geographers He chiefly wanted a Description of Thracian Bosphorus made by Diony sius Byzantius which Petrus Gyllius made use of but only in Latine and imperfect in describing the said Bosphorus And because he thought it likely that the Greek Text might be found among the Books of the Cardinal of Armenia of whose Family Gyllius was therefore Peireskius so wrought that the Bishop of Ruten searcht all the Library over and at last sent him a Catalogue thereof to assure him that there was no such Book there to be found You may be sure he spared not to send Letters to the Popes Nuncio's to the Kings Embassadors to all the learned men he knew amongst whom verily I must not forbear to name that same rare Bishop of Tolouse Carolus Monchalius out of whose wealthy Storehouse so many rare Manuscripts were brought that he might at least be assured there was no such Book to be found And it is doubtless scarce credible that it is any where extant since it has escaped the so great Sagacity of that man For the same Holstenius said not without cause in a Letter to him For it has not yet bin my hap to see any mortal Man surmounting you in the knowledge of Antiquity or that could match you in the diligence and felicity of your Researches While he was thus busied he received a Book from the above-named Johannes Jacobus Chiffletius Physician in ordinary to the Infanta Isabella touching the Iccian Port from which Julius Caesar set sail for Brittain And he easily dissented from that Opinion which held Callis to be the Port aforesaid however he wished that rare man would make a more diligent search all that Coast over and though he had acutely proved that Mardike was the port yet that he should consider whether that name were applyable to a Port extant in these dayes of ours And the farther Port we read of seems not to be interpreted the inferior Port so as to mean the inferior Coast which is under Audomaropolis and is parceld out by pools of standing water but rather the Western so as to signifie one that is nearer and from whence the passage into Brittain is shorter But nothing was more delightful to him then to read withall that in the Audomaropolitan Lake there are floating Islands which bear both Men and Beasts and whereupon Alder-Trees and Willowes do pleasantly flourish Wherefore he was desirous two years after when I was to travel that way that I should take a curious view thereof and report the business to him which I did and sent him a branch which I pluckt off from a tall Willow which swum about with the ground it grew upon He was also sollicitous about that time touching the observation of that Article by which the Council of Trent condemned clandestine Marriages nor did he cease till he had perswaded certain scrupulous Ecclesiastick Judges that it was not only ratified by the Kings Authority in Parliament but also by special Decrees of the Metropolitan Synods of this Province I forbear to mention with what ardency he did sollicite Aleander that he would seriously set himself to describe that Earth-quake with which Aqulia was shaken from the last day save one of July and with which the Arch Bishoprick of San-severinas was reported to be swallowed up in the Moneth of September Other things I passe over only I must needs relate his rare modesty which made him change the Epistle of a Book dedicated to him That Book contained some spiritual Treatises of Saint Diadochus Nilus and Hesychius which Aleander Fichetus a very learned Jesnite printing at Lewis would needs dedicate to him Now he usurped the Booksellers name and thought he had used no Hyperbole in commending Peireskius whose vertue he sufficiently saw when he professed Phylosophy at Aix and was a publick preacher there But Peireskius himself would not bear it but being to send some Copies to Rome as there was no new thing which he did omit to send he caused that Epistle to be laid aside and another to be printed and prefixed to the Books he sent In the Epistle which he would have omitted were these passages Your Table your House your Study are a Starry firmament of all wits wherein the Heavenly Constellations the Stars of all Learning and learned men do briefly shine so that all things therein are not guilt with Gold or Silver but shine as Stars the Desks are filled with Stars where the Books stand like Constellations and your self sitting in the midst and embracing all give light to all add grace to all bestow life as it were and eternity upon all so that to you all well-writ Books through the world as the sacred fires of good minds do strive to mount as to their Heaven to receive light from you and shine again upon you c. This Epistle brings into my mind how the year following when he had received one of those Books termed Coelum Christianum begun by Joannes Bayerns and finished by Julius Schillerius Peireskius commended indeed their piety in giving to the Planets instead of the usual names those of Adam Moses and the Patriarchs and giving to the twelve signes the names of the Apostles and to other Constellations the names of other Saints or holy things besides figures newly invented and new Verses made of them but he liked not the design of perverting all the knowledge of the Heavenly Bodies which from all Antiquity is sprinkled up and down in all kinds of Books Howbeit he was not seriously afraid lest therefore Astronomers would change all the names of the Stars because they might easily see they should get no advantage but much disturbance thereby He added that those ancient Figurations of the Stars though profane were no hinderance to Christian piety and himself had long agoe observed these Images which had bin painted upon the vaulted roof of the Church at Vercellis a thousand two hundred years agoe Finally he wished the same industrious hand which had engraven these new ones had expressed those at Vertillis commendable for their great
to undertake the work Which when he could not have granted he desired him at least to lend the same to Kircherus who was both present and at Rome and being skilled in the Tongue already might set upon the work But he conceived great hopes of obtaining out of the East both Coptic and other rare Books when he received a Copy of the Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians which was newly published in print being lately brought from Aegypt and Constantinople to England and when about the very same time that very good man Aegidius Lochiensis a Capucine returned out of Aegypt where he studied the Oriental Languages seven whole years together For he being received with great exultation by Peireskins from whom he had had no small assistance in that Countrey he told him of rare Books which were extant in divers Covents and Monasteries And memorable it is how he saw a Library of eight thousand Volumes many of which bore the marks of the Antonian Age. And because among other things he said he saw Mazhapha Einock or the Prophecie of Enoch foretelling such things as should happen at the end of the World a Book never seen in Europe but was there written in the Character and Language of the Aethiopians or Abyssines who had preserved the same therefore Peireskius was so inflamed with a desire to purchase the same at any rate that sparing for no cost he at length obtained it Moreover the good man aforesaid having accidentally made mention of a great fire which happened in Semus a Mountain of Aethiopia at the same time that the fire happened at Pesuvius in Italy thereupon he discoursed largely touching Channels under ground by which not onely waters but fires also might passe from place to place and consequently Vesuvius might communicate the fire to Aetna Aetna to Syria Syria to Arabia foelix Arabia foelix to the Countrey bordering upon the red Sea in which stands the Mountain Semus aforesaid whether a long row of arched Rocks do make the Channel or whether the fire it self breaking in at the chinks do make it self way and create channels pitching the same so with a bituminous suffumigation that it keeps out the Seawater which goes over it And that fires under ground do make themselves way may be known by the Mountain Puteolus in the time of Pope Paul the third and others at other times made by the eruption of fire And that the foresaid Incrustation or pitching is sometimes broken away so that water may enter in we have a signe in that when Vesuvius was on fire the shore of Naples was somewhat parched the Monntain in the mean while vomiting forth such waters as it had drunk in by the chinks but burning through the admixture of combustible matter In like manner he afterward interpreted that same fiery Torrent which flowed from off Mount Aetna one whole year together running down extream hot two or three miles long and five hundred paces or half a mile broad the Liquor being a mixture of Sulphur Salt Lead Iron and Earth The year ending he was greatly delighted to detain at his House for certain dayes the famous Poet Santamantius who returned from Rome with the Duke of Crequy And though he were wonderfully delighted with his sporting wit and the recitation of his most beautiful Poems yet he took the greatest pleasure to hear him tell of the rare things which had bin observed partly by himself and partly by his Brother in their Journies to India and other Countries He told among other things how his Brother saw in the greater Java certain Live-wights of a middle nature between Men and Apes Which because many could not believe Peireskius told what he had heard chiefly from Africa For Natalis the Physician before mentioned had acquainted him that there are in Guiney Apes with long gray combed Beards almost venerable who stalk an Aldermans pace and take themselves to be very wise those that are the greatest of all and which they tearme Barris have most judgement they will learn any thing at once shewing being cloathed they presently go upon their hind legs play cunningly upon the Flute Cittern and such other Instruments for it is counted nothing for them to sweep the house turn the spit beat in the Morter and do other works like Houshold Servants finally their femals have their Courses and the males exceedingly desire the company of Women But Arcosius who of late years dedicated divers Books to him as Memoriale Principum Commentarii politici Relatiode Africa related in certain Letters what had happened to one of Ferrara when he was in a Country of Marmarica called Angela For he hapned one day upon a Negro who hunted with Dogs certain wild men as it seemed One of which being taken and killed he blamed the Negro for being so cruel to his own kind To which he answered you are deceived for this is no man but a Beast very like a man For he lives only upon Grasse and has guts and entrals like a Sheep which that you may believe you shall see wich your eyes whereupon he opened his belly The day following he went to hunting again and caught a male and a female The female had Dugs a foot long in all other things very like a Woman saving that she had her entrals full of grasse and herbs and like those of a Sheep Both their Bodies were hairy all over but the hair was short and soft enough These relations of Africa invite me to annex the Commerce which Peireskius setled the following year upon this occasion One Vermellius of Monpellier at first a Jeweller had given himself to be a Souldier and having spent what he had he returned to his former Art and having got together divers Jewels he set sail in a Ship of Marseilles for Aegypt and the next opportunity to the innermost part of Aethiopia When he had brought his Jewels and all his precious Commodities thither he was taken notice of by the Queen of the Abyssines who was delighted with Europaean Ornaments and growing famous at Court he was not unknown to the King It happened in the mean while that the King waged warre against an enemy of his Crown who raised an Army of fifty thousand men Whereupon Vermellius having gained some familiarity with the King defired his leave to train for a small time 8. thousand Souldiers promising that with so small a Company he would overthrow that great Army of his enemies The King supposing him to be couragious and industrious consented and he both chose and so exercised those men which were allowed him after the method of Holland which was unknown in those parts that in conclusion he most happily defeated those great forces Returning victorious he was made General of all the forces of the Kingdom and wrote to his friends at Marseilles to send him certain Books especially of the Art military also certain Images and painted Tables and such like things Which when Peireskius heard of