flouds there haue contrary courses to those of ours concerning encreasing and decreasing Because there saith he they encrease in the wane of the Moone but here with vs in the full Theophrast If the report of Vertomannus be true then are all the times and seasons by the motion of the Heauens in the Hemisphaere contrary vnto those of ours in this Hemisphaere in such wise that as the people enhabiting there are Antipodes vnto vs so also with them it is Sommer when Winter with vs and night with them when day with vs and then no meruaile if it be there with them a full Sea when the Moone is in the wane and low water in the full Moone contrarie to the flouds and ebbes here Philadelph Let it be as you say and suppose Whereas you said before that the Sea hath sometime a turbulent and raging motion what is the reason thereof Theophrast There are two causes of such motion One is certaine exhalations bred in the Sea causing windes to breake forth from thence And sometime a multitude of dry exhalations drawne vp from the Earth into the aire causing stormie windes which breake the course of the Sea to the greatamazement of Marriners and perill of Ships Who yet are so sodainly taken in such stormes but that they haue fore-warnings thereof by certaine tokens precedent as by the roaring of the Sea in a great calme by the sporting and playing of Dolphins and Porpoyses aboue the waters and by certaine visible fires called S. Helen S. Nicholas and S. Clare which are wont to hang on the Mastes of the Ships dazeling the eyes of such as are there After which fires and other shew tokens there followeth vndoubtedly in very short time great and intollerable tempest Philadelph What fires are they which you so name and sanctifie Are they not Spirits Theophrast They are no spirits but naturall things proceeding of naturall causes and are ingendred of certaine exhalations Of these Hieronimus Cardanus writeth after this manner There are two manner of Fires ingendred of exhalations whereof one is hurtfull the other without hurt That which is hurtfull is fire indeede ingendred of euill and venomous vapours which in continuance of time take fire as apt matters to be kindled The other kinde is no true fire but like the matter that is in such olde putrified wood as giueth the shining of fire without the substance and quality thereof Of the true kinde of fire is the fire-ball commonly called S. Helen which is sometime seene about the Masts of Ships being of such fierie nature that sometime it melteth brasen vessels and is a token of drowning for as much as this chaunceth onely in great tempests for the vapour or exhalation whereof this fire is ingendred connot be compact in forme of fire but is of a grosse vapour and by a great power of winde put together and is therefore a token of imminent perill As on the contrary part the like Fires called in olde time Castor and Pollux and now named the two lights of S. Peter and S. Nicholas which for the most part fall on the cables of the Ships leaping from one to another with a certaine flattering noise like birds are a token of security and of the tempest ouerpassed For they are but vapours cleauing to the Cables which in successe of time the fire passing from one to another appeare in the similitude of a light candle They are a token of security because they are litle not slow or grosse whereby they might all haue ioyned together in one thereby haue beene the more malicious and lasted longer whereas being many and but little they are the sooner consumed Thus farre Cardanus Philadelph I haue not heard of these Sea-fires before But I haue read of certaine whirle-pooles into the which what Ship so euer commeth it is swallowed vp and the fragments of the lost Ship are seldome cast vp againe What is the reason of this whiâ—le-pooles motion Theophrast I haue likewise read that in the Norwegian Sea are three Ilands namely Lofoth Langanes and Vastrad The Sea that runneth betweene these Ilands is called Muscostrom which signifieth boyling The Sea when it floweth here is swallowed into certaine Gulphes or Caues and is blowne out againe at the ebbe with no lesse violence then the streames of riuers which fall from the mountaines The reason why they are swallowed vp which chance to fall in with this or the like Sea is the eddie water which whirling round about with the violent fall of the Sea which before was pent in with the Ilands maketh a great Indraught which violently sucketh and swalloweth sodainly This is the wonderfull power of Nature passing the fabulous Sympleiades and the fearefull Malea with the dangerous places of Silla and Charibdis and all other miracles that Nature hath wrought in any other Sea hitherto knowne vnto men Now friend Philadelph to the end you may the better vnderstand what hath beene spoken before concerning the motion of the celestiall Orbes and also that you may plainly see as in a glasse how the Region of Fire and Aire vnder the Moone doe compasse about the Earth and Sea as also for the better perceiuing of things to be spoken hereafter behold this Mathematicall Figure following This outtermost circle of this figure of all the Sphaeres which is infinite doth represent the habitacle of God who was before all time and place Time and Place began when this created World began to be CHAP. III. Philadelph FOr so much as the Earth and Sea make but one globous body vnited and combined together I pray you describe the forme thereof vnto me Theophrast The globous body of the Earth in comparison of the Heauens circumference is a very small body lesse then the Sunne and bigger then the Moone extending it selfe within a small distance of the fierie Region and in that regard is a great body Philadelph Doth not this Earth being a spungeous body sucke into it and partake of the Salt that is in the Sea which if it doe so in my opinion it should procure barrennesse to the Earth Theophrast You haue forgotten it seemeth what I said before where I shewed you that the Salt of the Sea containeth in it the radicall Balsam of Nature and being so it is the cause of the generation first of most pretious pearles in the shels of fishes and of Corall springing out of the bowels of hard stones and rockes spreading forth branches like a Tree Salt is so farre from making the Earth barren that it fructifieth the same making it fat and giuing it power to be fruitfull Salt encreaseth and giueth a vegetating and growing vertue with seede in euery terrene thing For what other thing is it which maketh the Earth fat and bringeth to passe that one graine multipheth into an hundred but a certaine stercoration and spreading of dung and vrine of men and beasts vpon the eatrh which compast is full of Salt What other thing openeth the earth and
A DIALOGVE Philosophicall WHEREIN NATVRES SECRET CLOSET IS OPENED AND THE CAVSE OF ALL MOTION IN NATVRE SHEWED OVT OF MATTER AND Forme tending to mount mans minde from Nature to Supernaturall and Celestiall promotion And how all things exist in the number of three Together with the wittie inuention of an Artificiall perpetuall motion presented to the Kings most excellent Maiestie All which are discoursed betweene two speakers Philadelph and Theophrast brought together by Thomas Tymme Professour of Diuinitie SYRACH 43.32 There are hidden greater things then these be and we haue seene but a fewe of his workes LONDON Printed by T. S. for Clement Knight and are to be solde at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Holy-Lambe 1612. To the Right Honourable Sir Edward Coke Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas Thomas Tymme wisheth all happinesse in this life and in the world to come true felicitie in Christ Iesus AS that famous Zeuxis another Apelles intending to limme in her naturall colours the picture of Iuno selected fiue of the most beautifull Virgins that were in all Agrigent that from the comely feature of those in each part he might portray a compleate and most amiable picture so in like manner right Honourable I purposing to set Dame Nature vpon the Stage of the world in each limme well fashioned out of Matter and Forme haue taken her lineaments from the Art and wisedome of the more learned sort of Philosophers that in all her parts so well as I could she might stand faire and well composed to the common view of such especially as can discerne and iudge a property not common to all For euery plummet is not for euery sound nor euery line for all leauels neither is it possible out of euery blocke to make the sculpture of Mercurie no more then it is possible for euery one without a conuenient Bucket to draw water from the depth of Iacobs Well But your Lordship being in all humane Science profoundly learned and of mature Iudgement as hath appeared by effect can with Protogenes discipher Apelles worke by the draught of one onely line and can by your sublimed wisedome discerne the misterie of Matter and Forme And to the end your Honour may the better feele my meaning herein I haue reduced as it were innumerable beames to one Sunne and many Riuers to one Fountaine abridging large discourses into a conuenient compendium and methode But seeing no Pomegranat can be so faire but that some one imperfect and rotten kernell may be found therein I humbly beseech your Honour to deale with such occurent faults as Lapidaries are wont to deale with precious stones who to hide a cracke or flaw doe set the same more deepe in gold So my right Honourable Lord let your Noble name and High reputation of learning and sage prudence shaddow and adorne my imperfections in this Treatise Wherein albeit you finde not an Eagles nest no more then Theseus did notwithstanding through faire promises he had long looked for it yet happily your Honour at the least shall finde a Wrenne and then at the last you may say you haue a Bird. Now fearing least I paesse the due limits of proportion as did the Myndians who made their gates greater then their Towne I cease to stay your Lordship from your Honourable affaires crauing pardon for this my boldnesse and beseeching God to increase your dayes and yeeres with desired health to your ioy and comfort and to the good of this Church and Common-wealth of great Britaine Your Honours most humble Thomas Tymme To the Reader THE Almighty Creatour of the Heauens and the Earth Christian Reader hath set before our eyes two most principall Bookes the one of Nature the other of his written Word By these we know that God was before all times infinitely one comprehending all things that now be in himselfe and being the beginning of Time created those things in number measure and waight adorning his worke most wonderfully with these three Instruments as with the first Formes And formed thus this vniuersall frame after the similitude of Vnitie in circular compasse in pure and meere simplicitie The wisedome of Natures booke men commonly call Naturall Philosophie which serueth to allure to the contemplation of that great and incomprehensible God that wee might glorifie him in the greatnesse of his worke For the ruled Motions of the Orbes the wonderfull workmanship of so many starrie Tents the connexion agreement force vertue and beauty of the Elements the scituation firmenesse and spreading of the Earth amidst the waters and so many sundry natures and creatures in the world are so manie interpreters to teach vs that God is the efficient cause of them and that he is manifested in them and by them as their finall cause to whom also they tend Yea the Naturall Motions which belong to all creatures euen to Vegetables casting their rootes downewards and their sprouts vpwards doe therein set forth the power and wisedome of the omnipotent Creator But the Mirrour wherein we may yet better behold God is Man a little World in whom shineth and is imprinted a Diuine Essence the like whereof is not to be found in any visible creature besides How necessarie is it then for men to consider the workes of God in his creatures And how much more necessarie is it to beholde their owne person and nature wherein there are almost as many meruailous workes of God as there are in the whole frame besides For what will it profit a man to measure the Vniuersall to compasse the whole Elementarie Region to know the things in them and their nature and in the meane time to be ignorant of himselfe For albeit a generall knowledge of all the creatures of this visible world will greatly helpe to leade man to the knowledge of God the Creator yet he shall neuer be able to know him well if with all he know not himselfe Plato searching by the meanes of Motion what was the substance nature and immortalitie of mans Soule attained to the vnderstanding of the Diuine Essence Aristotle also taking the same way acknowledgeth that he knew God vnder the name of the first Mouer who is perpetuall and immoueable But the wisedome Supernaturall called Theologie reuealed in the written word of God being farre more excellent then all naturall Philosophie sublimeth our spirits through the light of the diuine Spirit to mount as it were by Iacobs ladder with Phoenix wings from the things of Nature to Celestiall and Diuine things whereby we haue a light and bright vnderstanding If man had not sinned the booke of Nature would haue sufficed to haue kept him alwaies in the knowledge obedience of God his Creator For then he should himselfe haue carried that Booke whole perfect imprinted in his heart and minde neither should his Soule haue needed any other Teacher to know it selfe but it selfe should haue clearely beheld and contemplated it selfe so long as she
hot and colde thinking that all things were made of these and by these makeeh it plaine by demonstration that those qualities are onely instruments of a certaine more superiour and principall cause which hee hath expressed by the name of nature For whosoeuer shall affirme that these secundarie qualities haue the prerogatiue in themselues to worke and shall attribute the cause power as it were of acting to the Axe or such like instrument and so the forme and perfection of the thing reiected shall passe by the true cause imputing that to the actions of the Instrument which neuerthelesse should remaine idle if they were not moued stirred vp by the force of forme the same I say shall much forget himselfe Philadelph If there be so great force power in forme that to the same chiefly all motion and action must be imputed then shall wee be enduced to thinke that the functions and qualities which euen now you referred to temperament and matter take not their originall by themselues but first from forme What cause haue you then to determine that they proceede from temperament and matter Theophrast They which soare no higher then the wing of common sense doe carie them will affirme that such functions and qualities spring from matter and temperament albeit forme hath the first place and preheminence we following these mens low pitch of conceit affirme that those qualities proceede from Matter and Temperament because they are effected by these as by instruments But what qualities and faculties I simply pronounce to be of forme those I affirme to haue no neede of the helpe of Instrument Philadelph Goe to then Are not matter and temperament which you propund as Instruments certaine furtherances forces of the efficient forme Theophrast No verely But as in any artificiall worke the Caruer or Smith is he which is the first and principall agent and who hath the power and faculty of acting which is his Art and strength of body but the Artificers instrument as Axe or Hammer is but an helper and in the instrument there is as it were a certaine borrowed helpe or force not which worketh but by which the worke is the better effected and to this end the well fashioned and sharpe Toole is a great furtherance euen so in like manner almost in the naturall working of things whereby they are brought to passe Forme is the first and chiefe efficient hauing in it the effecting power But Matter and Temperament are as helping instruments of the efficient cause and either of these to wit Matter and Temperament haue their power and faculty and an apt constitution by which the effect may more easely be brought to passe Therefore in euerie naturall body there are three efficient causes namely Forme Matter and Temperament euery of which haue their peculiar force whereby it worketh strongly or after a weake manner Forme of it selfe is the beginning of working neither doth it borrow any thing of the Instrument to haue being or the nature of beginning which commeth afterward as by accessarie meanes Forme therefore had the power and faculty of acting before such time as it acted by the Instrument euen as the Caruer before he worke any thing with his Toole hath ability and Art to effect the which faculty he taketh not from his Toole or Instrument Whereby it appeareth that the faculty which is naturally in euerie forme and which is called the property thereof is farre different from Matter and Temperament in force and vertue for a Caruer or Painter by his Science onely which is his faculty without the helpe of any Instrument can make an Image in his minde so in like manner the forme of a thing effecteth the thing without the helpe of Matter and Temperament And forasmuch as these three are mixed and conioyned in euery naturall body Formes can scarsly shew forth their forces apart and by themselues in effect but that therewith Matter and Temperament will expresse their supplie But on the contrary part Matter and Temperament cannot shew forth themselues without forme so that these in their seuerall kindes must be distinguished and not confounded CHAP. V. Philadelph YOur ternarie of Forme Matter and Temperament putteth me in minde of three principles which that great and ancient Philosopher Hermes Trismegistus hath deliuered that is to say Salt Sulphur and Mercurie which three hee appointeth as the onely naturall beginnings of all things created which agreeth not with Aristotles foure Elementarie principles How can these two opinions so different in number stand together Theophrast Aristotle had reason to appoint a quaternarie of Elements according to the number of the foure qualities hot colde drie and moyst as the first principles of all things as is to be seene in his second booke of Generation of liuing creatures Yet forasmuch as one can beget nothing of himselfe but three therfore three doe make one body by a compound made by a three-fold efficacie of the diuine word For God in the beginning as Moses testifieth made of nothing a Chaos deepe or waters which we please to call it animated with his spirit who being the great workmaister in the creation separated first light from darknesse and this Ethereall Heauen which we beholde as a quarta essentia or fourth eflence or most pure spirit or most spiritual simple created body Then be deuided waters from waters that is to lay the more subtill aterie and Mercuriall liquor from the more thicke clammy oyle-like or Sulfurous liquor After that Moses telleth vs that God separated from the more grosse waters the Earth which standeth apart by it selfe like Salt And thus in the bosome of the world God encluded these three simple bodies Salt Sulphur and Mercurie as the first formes of things Philadelph Doe the Philosophers the followers of Hermes exclude the Element of Fire in the composition of bodies elemented Theophrast In Genesis it is euidently to be seene that there is made mention of Heauen Earth and Water onely but of Fire and Aire no mention at all because these two are encluded vnder the other as vnder Heauen Fire and vnder the superiour waters Aire so that hereby it is plaine that there is no other fierie element but Heauen a fourth essence separated out of the more subtill matter and forme of the three elements which being so separated and extracted is no other thing but a pure Aetheriall and most simple fire most perfect and farre different from the three Elements as imperfect which Fire is the Author of all formes powers and actions in all the inferiour things of nature as the first in degree among the second causes and carieth it selfe like a Father toward his off-spring Philadelph What are the essences of these three Fire Aire and Earth Theophrast The first which is fire is a substance containing in it life and motion or the soule of the Elements The second which is Aire is a substance which hath in it the nourishing foment of life and the
comprehend by any certaine reason Yet it is mans duty being set vpon the opâ—n Stage of this world to take a view of all the creatures of God to him knowne to search after such hidden causes therein soberly that he may magnifie the most omnipotent and wise Creatour of Nature CHAP. II. Philadelph YOu hauing spoken afore of the celestiall motions it resteth that you say somewhat concerning Water motion Therefore shew mee now I pray you the cause of the Seas motion wherein I haue observed a great diuersity somtime ebbing and somtime flowing one while calme and another while turbulent Theophrast The Sea in generall hath three degrees of motion the one calme and quiet continually as in that Archipelagus called Mare pacificum and Mare delzur which is seldome troubled with tempest that M. Anthonie Pigafetta sometime Knight of the Rhodes and one that did accompanie Magelanus in his first voyage and enterie into this Sea vpon the first discouery thereof testifieth that hee with his company sailed therein 4000. leagues in the space of three moneths and 20. daies In all which time being without sight of land they had no misfortune of winde nor of any other tempest Another degree of motion is in these parts of the Ocean called the Spanish Seas which doe moue and swell with surging waues like mountaines in such wise that the top Mast of one Ship going before another cannot be seene of the follower being as it were in a valley betweene two water hils In these Seas Ships cannot saile neere together least they fall foule one vpon another Otherwise in these Seas the passage is lesse perillous then in the narrow Seas for that the billowes waues of these goe whole and breake not the Sea in that channell being so deepe that a whole dry-fat of line may with a Lead be sunke therein without finding any bottome A third degree of motion is in that part of the Ocean commonly called the narrow Seas which coasteth Northward vpon England Scotland and Ireland and toward the South vpon Fraunce Flanders and so along the trade toward the the East from the West these Seas are sometime calme sometime by occasion of tempest very rough turbulent for that the passage of the Sea in that channell is interrupted with rockes and sands to the great hazard of them that saile therein Philadelph But for so much as the Sea is euer in motion either ebbing or flowing shew me I pray you the cause of such naturall and inter changeable motion which keepeth time and tide twise in 24. houres from East to West and from West backe againe to the East in the circumference of the whole Globe of the Earth Theophrast I finde in Writers such variety of opinion concerning this motion that I know not certainly what to determine to content you yet to giue you the best satisfaction I can herein you shall haue my conceite which neuerthelesse I submit to the iudgement of the more learned in Natures Schoole I suppose that there are two principall causes of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea The one supernaturall the other naturall The supernaturall and diuine cause is God who in the creation of all things by his spirit which he created as witnesseth Tertullian was the inspirer and animater of the whole vniuersall which Spirit serued the will of the Creatour as an Instrument to giue such motion to the Sea as wee see it hath appointing it bounds which it cannot passe without the will of the most mighty Commaunder Another naturall cause beside that created Spirit whereof Moses speaketh calling it the Spirit of God Iob expresseth by the similitude of Fire put vnder a Pot saying It is God which maketh the Sea to boyle like a Pot. Hereof I gather that there is a naturall fire of two sorts One in-set contained in the Marine Salt for the Sea generally is Salt euen to the North. And Salt as witnesseth Plinie yeeldeth the fatnesse of oyle and oyle by a certaine natiue heate is of property agreeing to fire And Iosephus Quersitanus and Christoferus Parisiensis affirme that Salt is both animall and vegetall hauing life in it as the radicall Balsam of Nature and to be the first mouing thing in the same which maketh to grow and to multiply and therfore serueth for the generation of all things so as with the Poets and ancient Philosophers it may be said that Venus the mother first beginner of all generation is begotten of the salt spume of the male For which cause Venus was called by the Greekes Aligines as affianced to the salt Sea The other naturall Fire the cause of the Sea flowing and ebbing is forraine or externall And this also is of two sorts One subterraneall which is as fire vnder a boyling pot For the earth hath more fire in it then hath water which fire lieth hidden in stones till it be beaten out with steele This subterraneall fire doth also cause the motion of the Sea being of substance liquide fluible moueable and altogether a passiue subiect to acting fire And when it beginneth to runne any way the precedent part therof by reason of the continuation cleauing together is thrust forward by the follower according to this sentence Vndam vnila sequitur one water followeth another Thus the Sea passeth to and againe from one Gulph to another For there are two Gulphes caused by two vast continents the one comprehending all Asia Africa and Europe and that other America Which two continents deuide the whole Sea into two parts of the world opposite one to the other East and West These two Gulphes rest at no time but like as Sea monsters doe they breath to and againe vntill the one haue engorged the other so full that it is compelled to pay vnto his lender backe againe that which is borrowed And thus the Sea hauing a naturall impotencie to stay it selfe in rest suffereth a certaine reciprocall motion into and out of it selfe without intermission which motion Aristotle calleth Talantosin The other externall heate causing the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is that which proceedeth from the Moone which Aueroes calleth the Lady and Mistresse of the Sea who by her beames and influences maketh the Sea hot and by the same heate doth beget exhalations in it wherewith when the Sea swelleth it floweth to the shoare and Sea bankes fulfilling the Hauens with Tide And the same exhalations being diminished and abated the Sea againe setteth in it selfe Therefore when by the Moones ascention and approaching to the South her light and heate is encreased then doth she make the waters to swell and flow But when she descendeth and enclineth to the Horizon her heate being by little and little diminished the waters doe fall and abate Thus all these causes working together the Sea doth moue in waight number and measure according to the ordinance of the Almighty Philadelph Lewes Vertomannus in his booke concerning Nauigation into East India affirmeth that the
maketh it to sprout in the beginning of the spring time after that the Sunne is exalted into the signe of Aries which signe is the fall of Saturne and the house of Mars signes altogether fierie but the sublimations and eleuations of the Spirit of Salt This is that which giueth heate and quickneth which maketh to grow and which ioyeth and decketh the fields and the medowes with grasse and flowers and which produceth that most ample and vniuersall vigour and vertue Philadelph It seemeth then that the naturall Salt of the earth hath in it a vitall and nourishing heate whereby not onely the Caues and hollow places but also Springs of water are made warme as that famous Spring which atiseth in one of the fiue Ilands of Molucca called Bachian where the water issueth out hot in the beginning but is very colde when it hath stood a while in another place This water springeth from the mountaines on the which the fragrant Cloue-trees doe grow Theophrast Such are those sulphurous Springs also which arise out of the Earth in the Citie of Bathe which are so much the more hot by how much the Winter in colde is more vehement And this doth yet further appeare by this example that the mountaines of Norway and Sweathen are fruitfull in mettals in the which Siluer and Copper are concocted and molten in veines which scarsly can be done in fierie fornaces In Iseland also toward the Sea coast are foure Springs of water of most diuers and contrary nature The first whereof by reason of his perpetuall and feruent heate sodainly turneth all bodies that are cast therein into stones reseruing neuerthelesse their first formes and shape The second is of intollerable coldnesse The third is sweeter then honey and most pleasant to quench thirst And the fourth is plaine poyson pestilent and deadly But this is to be obserued that in these springs is such aboundance of Brimstone that 1000. pound waight thereof is bought for the tenth part of a Ducket For the truth of these things reade Ziglerus in his booke of the North Regions Philadelph You tell of strange things and report matter of meruaile Theophrast But to make you meruaile more the same Ziglerus reporteth that in Iseland are three mountaines of a meruailous height the tops wherof albeit they be couered with snow yet are the neather parts of them of like nature to the mount Aetna in the Iland of Cicilie boyling with continuall flames of Fire casting forth Brimstone One of these mountaines is called Helga the other Mons Crucis and the third is named Hecla whose flames neither consume Flaxe nor Towe matters most apt to take fire not yet are quenched with water with like force as the shot of great artillarie is driuen forth by violence of fire euen so by the commixion and repugnancie of fire colde and brimstone great stones are here cast out into the ayre The Inhabitants of the Iland doe thinke that in this mount Hecla is the place where the euill soules of their people are tormented Thus Philadelph you may see that the Earth is not without a naturall Sulphur Salt which Salt by heate causeth both motion and generation not onely of Trees Plants Hearbs and Flowers with fruits of singular vertue and beauty wherewith the Earth is garnished seruing not onely for necessity but also for pleasure but hath also in the bowels thereof many excellent natures as Salts and Sulphurs of sundry sorts minerals and mettals in such plenty that it may seeme a store-house of infinite riches ordained by God for man for whom hee prepared this habitacle before he created him And albeit this Globouse body of the earth is not Sphaericall or perfectly round yet it tendeth to Sphaericitie being contracted by hils and dales in the parts thereof Philadelph Seeing the Sea which is combined and ioyned with the Earth hath motion it seemeth to some that the Earth hath also perpetuall motion And of this opinion is Nicholaus Cusanus as appeareth in his booke De docta ignorantia and Copernicus accordeth with him as is to be seene in his booke of Reuolutions who for their purpose alleadge these reasons First that we should rather attribute motion to the contained then to the containing to the thing placed then to that which affordeth place Secondly that it is conceite and imagination which maketh vs thinke that the Heauens doe moue rather then any truth of such motion indeede For that the motion of the Earth cannot be perceiued but by a certaine comparison of the fixed As for example if a man perceiue not the ebbing and flowing of the water being in a Ship at Sea where he seeth no land-marks how shall he perceiue that the Ship doth moue After the same manner a man being vpon the Earth and seeing neither Sunne Moone nor Starre it seemeth vnto him that he is in a center immoueable and that all other things doe moue Thirdly that it is very vnlike that the vast and huge compasse of the Heauens should make reuolution once in 24. houres space rather then the Earth being but as a pricke in comparison thereof Fourthly that the wandring Starres be alwaies more neere to the Earth toward the euening as when they are opposite to the Sunne the Earth comming betweene them and the Sunne and further from the Earth at Sunne setting when they are hidden about the Sunne at what time we haue the Sunne betweene them and the Earth Whereby saith Copernicus it plainely appeareth that we haue the Sunne for our fixed center rather then the Earth Fiftly that it is a condition farre more noble and diuine to be immoueable then to be mouing and vnstable which quality of motion and instability better agreeth with the Earth then with the Heauens Other reasons are aleadged which being of no great importance for breuity I omit These may suffice being the more principall by which they maintaine the motion of the Earth which reasons seeme to mee pregnant and inuincible Theophrast Then it seemeth you will preferre nouelty before Antiquity For Ptolome that great Atlas of the world and Prince of the Astronomers with the more part of auncient Philosophers haue euer beene of opinion that the Heauens doe moue and that the Earth is firmely fixed Therefore I say vnto you with S. Augustine Qui errantem laudat errorem confirmat et qui adulatur ad errorem allicit that is who so praiseth him that erreth confirmeth the errour and hee which flattereth allureth to error It is said of Ixion that he tooke a cloud for Iuno So the more part of men embrace lyes for truth falshood for certainty and ignorance for knowledge Men haue laboured to draw out of the shallow Fordes of their owne braine the deepe and vnsearchable misteries of GOD. Aristotle a man of singular wit notwithstanding his great learning and knowledge in humane Sciences attained not to the thousand part in the knowledge of those things which are laide vp in the Clofet of
Nature Yet hauing an insatiable desire thereto at the last because he could not perceiue the reason why the Sea caused seauen Tides in one day at the sttraight of Nigront he cast himselfe into the Sea vttering these words Quoniam Aristoteles mare capere non potest capeat Aristotelem mare that is because Aristotle cannot comprehend the Sea let the Sea comprehend Aristotle A iust iudgement vpon man when he seeketh to be wise without God and his word Salomon saith Man cannot finde out the worke that is done vnder the Sunne Man laboureth to seeke it but cannot finde it The Sciences inuented by mans wit are more varying then the skinne of the Camelion more contrary then the Elements more perillous then the Sea more light then the windes more intricate then a laborinth and more obscure then darknesse Philadelph It is true which you say yet haue you not answered the reasons of Copernicus and Cusanus whose opinions are also confirmed by Heraclides Ecphantes and by Nicetus Syracusanus and some others Theophrast My digression from your question is not altogether impertinent and from the matter But now I come to answere Cusanus and Copernicus with reasons not taken out of humane Philosophie which as I haue said is vncertaine the greatest Philosophers disagreeing among themselues which caused in their Schooles diuers Sects as the Scaeptickes Pyrrhonickes Academickes Peripatetickes Platonists Stoickes Epicures Pythagorians and others who as in opinion so also they differed in name I say I will bring you no deceitfull Philosophie but that which is diuine and infallible proceeding from the wisedome and mouth of that great God who is the Creatour of the Heauens and Earth who onely is true and euery mortall man a lyar Heare therefore what the Prophet Dauid being diuinely inspired speaketh concerning the motion of the Sunne in his Sphaere He commeth forth saith he as a Bridegroome out of his Tabernacle and reioyceth as a mighty man to runne his course his going out is from the end of the Heauen and his circuit is to the end of the same and nothing is hid from the heate thereof If the Sunne and Moone moued not in their Sphaeres Ieshua should in vaine haue required of the Lord the stay of their motions till he were auenged of his enemies saying Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon The which came to passe as a miracle contrary to the course of Nature and the Sunne abode and the Moone stood still c. So that one day was so long as two naturall dayes at that time It was also supernaturall and a miracle that the Sunne contrarie to his naturall motion and course was retrograde in his Sphaere going backward ten degrees as appeared by the shadow of Ahazes Dioll But as touching the Earth it hath no motion at all naturally as hath the Heauens For God saith the Prophet hath founded it vpon the Seas and established it vpon the flouds so that it should neuer moue The Earth accidentally may haue some violent motion when God is angry with man for sinne at which time the Earth shall tremble and quake and the foundations of the mountaines shall moue and shake Let therefore these Diuine warranties and euidences of sacred Scripture suffice to confound mans vaine inuention fond imagination concerning the stability of the Heauens and motion of the Earth And to make plaine the demonstration vnto you that the Heauens moue and not the earth I will set before you a memorable Modell and Patterne representing the motion of the Heauens about the fixed earth made by Art in the immitation of Nature by a Gentleman of Holland named Cornelius Drebble which instrument is perpetually in motion without the meanes of Steele Springs waights Philadelph I much desire to see this strange inuention Therefore I pray thee good Theophrast set it here before me and the vse thereof Theophrast It is not in my hands to shew but in the custody of king Iames to whom it was presented But yet behold the description therof here after fixed Philadelph What vse hath the Globe marked with the letter A Theophrast It representeth the Earth and it containeth in the hollow body thereof diuers wheeles of brasse carried about with mouing two pointers on each side of the Globe doe proportion and shew forth the times of dayes moneths and yeeres like a perpetuall Almanacke Philadelph But doth it also represent and set forth the motions of the Heauens Theophrast It setteth forth these particulars of Celestiall motion First the houres of the rising and setting of the Sunne from day to day continually Secondly hereby is to be seene what signe the Moon is in euery 24. houres Thirdly in what degree the Sunne is distant from the Moone Fourthly how many degrees the Sunne and Moone are distant from vs euery houre of the day and night Fiftly in what signe of the Zodiacke the Sunne is euery moneth Philadelph What doth the circumference represent which compasseth the Globe about marked with this letter C Theophrast That circumference is a ring of Cristall Glasse which being hollow hath in it water representing the Sea which water riseth and falleth as doth the floud and ebbe twise in 24. houres according to the course of the tides in those parts where this Instrument shall be placed Whereby is to be seene how the Tides keepe their course by day or by night Philadelph What meaneth the little Globe about the Ring of the glasse signed with this letter B Theophrast That little Globe as it carrieth the forme of a Moone cressent so it turneth about once in a moneth setting forth the encrease and decrease of the Moones brightnesse from the wane to the full by turning round euery moneth in the yeere Philadelph Can you yeeld me any reason to perswade me concerning the possibility of the perpetuity of this motion Theophrast You haue heard before that fire is the most actiue and powerfull Element and the cause of all motion in nature This was well knowne to Cornelius by his practise in the vntwining of the Elements and therefore to the effecting of this great worke he extracted a fierie spirit out of the minerell matter ioyning the same with his proper Aire which encluded in the Axcltree being hollow carrieth the wheeles making a continuall rotation or reuolution except issue or vent be giuen to the Axeltree whereby that imprisoned spirit may get forth I am bolde thus to conjecture because I did at sundry times pry into the practise of this Gentleman with whom I was very familiar Moreouer when as the King our Soueraigne could hardly beleeue that this motion should be perpetuall except the misterie were reuealed vnto him this cunning Bezaleel in secret manner disclosed to his Maiestie the secret whereupon he applauded the rare inuention The fame hereof caused the Emperour to entreate his most excellent Maiestie to licence Cornelius Bezaleel to come to his Court there to effect the like Instrument for him