Speculum mundi· Or A glasse representing the face of the world shewing both that it did begin, and must also end: the manner how, and time when, being largely examined. Whereunto is joyned an hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature; occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.

Quest. But, if these lights be not walking spirits, why is it that they leade men out of their way?

Answ. They are no spirits, and yet leade out of the way, because those who see them are amazed, and look so earnestly after them that they forget their way; and then being once out, they wander to and fro, not know∣ing whither, sometimes to waters, pits, and other dan∣gerous places; whereupon the next day they will un∣doubtedly tell you strange tales (as one saith) how they were led up and down by a light, which (in their judge∣ment) was nothing else but some devil or spirit in the likenesse of fire which fain would have hurt them. But of this enough: and know last of all, that if one be some∣thing neare these lights, and the night calm, then going from them they will follow us, because there being no winde to hinder, we draw the Aire after us; or going to∣wards them they go from us, because we by our motion drive the Aire before us.

Moreover, when the like matter chanceth to be fi∣red* 1.1 in some such part of the Aire as is over the Sea, then these lights appeare to marriners, and are called Castor and Pollux, if there be two at once; otherwise Helena, if there be but one: The reason of which names was this;

Helena was the daughter of Iupiter and Leda, and by the heathens she was taken for a goddesse, but not for a god∣desse of good fortune: for this Helena was the cause of Troyes destruction; as thus. She was stollen away by Pa∣ris the sonne of Priamus K. of the Trojans, stollen, I say, out of Greece; whereupon her two brothers Castor and Pollux sayl to seek her, but they were never heard of more, or seen after: which losse of these brethren made it be supposed that they were translated into the num∣ber of those gods who use to give good successe to mar∣riners; for they were lost at sea; which is, as if they were translated from thence. Now then the Sea∣men having seen by often experience that one light was to them a signe of some tempest, and that two lights were a signe of fair weather, they called the one light Helena, and the two lights they called Castor and Pollux.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Helena, Castor and Pollux.