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.

Artic. 3. Of predictions, or whether the signes of heaven may be understood or searcht into.

THey be Davids words, that The works of the Lord are great, and sought out of those who have pleasure therein. And Moses here, in testifying that God created

the starres for signes, doth likewise shew that they may be understood; otherwise to us they were no signes at all. Neither do I doubt, but that even Moses himself, and Daniel likewise, who were * 1.1 brought up, the one in the learning of the Egyptians, the other in the skill of the Caldeans, did understand the signification of these signes. And from whence was it that those nations had their knowledge, but from Noah and Abraham; if Iosephus or Berosus may be credited? For concerning Noah, do not those authours storie, that soon after the floud he taught the Armenians and Scythians the secrets of these things? Whereupon they said, that he participated of a divine spirit. So also Abraham, that Father of many nations, did equally instruct the Caldeans and Egyptians: al∣though indeed afterwards it was their bold adventure to mix magick, and superstitious vain inventions, with this their lawfull skill.

And for us, experience hath travelled in the manifesta∣tion* 1.2 of the severall qualities belonging to the lamps of heaven. For as we know the fire to be hot, the water moist, this herb to be cold, that to be drie: so also by ob∣servation, it doth manifestly appeare that the sunne gives heat and cherisheth, the moon moisteneth, Mars drieth; and so of the rest. Or thus, ♄ Saturn is cold and drie, stirres up and increaseth melancholy. ♃ Jupiter is temperately hot and moist, works most upon sanguine complexions, stirring up and increasing that humour. ♂ Mars, through his heat and immoderate drinesse, stirres up and increaseth choler; and so, often proves an acci∣dentall cause of brawlings, fightings, warres, and the like, beside such sicknesses as may come by the supera∣bundancie of that humour. ☉ Sol is moderately hot and drie, greatly cherishing all kinde of creatures. ♀ Venus is cold and moist, but it is in a temperate manner; and as for her operation it is seen most in flegmatick complexi∣ons.

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

☿ Mercurie is said to be drie in respect of his own na∣ture, but joyned to any of the other Planets, he puts up∣on him their natures, and works as they work. Then followeth (the Moon, and she is well known to be the mistris of moisture. Neither can you truely say that it is impossible to finde their natures to be either thus or thus: for it is but 30 yeares that the longest of these did ever spend in his periodicall revolution: and but 72 yeares (as Tycho teacheth) can runne about whilest the fixed starres alter one degree in their longitude. Insomuch that Saturn (whose period is but 30 yeares) cometh twice to the same point of heaven before the eighth sphere is moved one degree: and Jupiter (whose revolu∣tion is 12 yeares) cometh 6 times to the same place: and Mars (who accomplisheth his period in little lesse then 2 yeares) meets 36 times with the same starres in the same place: and as for the Sunne, Venus, Mercurie, and the Moon, their meetings with them be oftner. Al∣so it is certain that the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, is once every 20 yeares; and Mars and Saturn visit each other in lesse then every two yeares: by means whereof it is no hard thing, or as a thing impossible, to finde out the simple natures either of the Planets or fixed starres.

And from these natures thus known, and their mix∣tures, and places observed, it is that the effect is fore∣seen and the judgement given: which, if it be modestly, carefully, deeply, and deliberately done, by one well versed or conversant in these things, doth for the most part happen as is foretold: for the most part, I say, and not alwayes. For as the Physician knoweth that the same portion of either single or mixed simples, will not work upon all bodies alike; so neither can the like portion and power of qualities stirre up, or work alwayes ad idem, but may sometimes receive either intention or remission, ac∣cording

to the indisposed aptnesse of the subject, the ele∣ments or elementary bodies not alwayes admitting of their powers alike; or when they be overswayed by more potent and prevailing operations. For universall and particular causes do many times differ, and then the one hinders the operation of the other. As for example, particular causes (as the conjunction of Venus and the Moon, or some such like meeting) may promise rain, snow, or sleet, when universall causes (which are not so easily seen) do often turn it into more fair and warm weather. And so also particular influences may seem to work upon such or such humours, and thereupon make the bodie subject to this or that sicknesse, and the minde enclined to this or that kinde of action, with ma∣ny such other like things: howbeit it may so happen that nature may be at this time so abstrusely shut up, that what we see not may overpower and work beyond what we see.

A man had need therefore have Argus his eyes to pierce throughly into these causes, and examine with∣out rashnesse either what may help or what may hin∣der; otherwise his judgement may fail him even in things wrought by the course of nature (for of other things he ought not to judge.) And indeed when there is a divers mixture of qualities, all in a manner of equall portions (as it may sometimes be) how hard a thing is it then to finde out (without a sound judgement) the true event! for there be many difficulties proceeding from the weaknesse of our judgements. And for that again which I said before of natures abstruse kinde of work∣ing, although I be no Stoick to tie Gods mightie hand to second causes, yet I verily suppose that all things are not beyond the course of nature which seem to be extra∣ordinarie; but even many strange seeming things are wrought by the power of nature: as sometimes in un∣wonted

storms, tempests, droughts, strange appearances, or other like accidents. And this again I also think, that one man may see the cause when another cannot: whereupon it comes to passe that there is such diversitie of judgements and thwarting of opinions many times about one and the same thing. Also I might adde some∣thing (which one or other will be readie to object) con∣cerning the devils permission in raising unwonted windes, storms, and such like. Or I might speak, not onely of Gods power, but of his providence likewise in disposing his creatures to manifest their operation ra∣ther in one place then in another; which is an act pro∣ceeding from his secret purpose and divine wisdome: as when the clouds (according to his decree) do disburden themselves of their wearie drops rather here then there, or there then here: For, saith he in the 4 chap. of Amos, at the 7 vers. I have caused it to rain upon one citie, and it hath not rained upon another, and the citie where it hath not rained was barren. But I shall not need to meddle further: For (notwithstanding these difficulties) it is manifest enough that the signes of heaven may be both sought into, and also in some ample measure under∣stood.

For it is true that God Almightie having both set and foreseen the course of nature long before, doth now uphold it by his providence, instrumentally to perform his will. Neither every day doth he make the windows of heaven to stand open, or the fountains of the great deep to be broken up; nor yet doth he every day make the sunne or moon to stand still, or the shadow to go back, or an Eclipse to be at a quite contrarie time, or the moon again to arise before her usuall course: but hath undoubtedly left his works to be sought out of all those who take pleasure therein; and, according to that portion of sound judgement which he hath given to

every one, they may understand either more or lesse of these signes: For as one starre differeth from another in lustre and beautie; so one mans knowledge and better judgement transcends not seldome above the rest. Neither can the devil every day have it in his commission to go and blow down houses upon the heads of Jobs children. Nay (saith one) if these significations are not to be considered, why are they so divinely written and painted in the heavens? Surely it were impietie altoge∣ther to pluck or draw away our mindes from the obser∣vation of these things. For if the heavens (as they do) declare the glorie of God, or the firmament shew forth his handie work, we may well beleeve that they expresse what God effecteth by them: for otherwise every thing which God created, doth declare his handie work as well as they. Eclipses, conjunctions, prodigious sights, flashings, comets, new starres, what are they but the Oracles of God? by which, changes, alterations, and sundrie calamities are threatned to the world: And these, if any one contemne them, what doth he but despise the admonitions of God? Also, how much these observati∣ons have profited the Commonwealth, let Thales teach us: For they that have Thales his skill, may by these signes judge of cheapnesse and plentie, of dearth and deernesse, with other like things whose knowledge can∣not but be profitable to the life of man.

Onely beware that more be not attributed to the hea∣vens,* 1.3 then to him that made the heavens; not more to the servants then to the Master, as they did who made them gods; or they who trust and rely upon them, not daring to take a journey, or begin a work, or speak with a friend about any businesse, without a needlesse consul∣tation.

Also know that the observing of these signes must not be mixed with magicall spells, as charmers do, when in

stead of using, they come to abusing of herbs: For as the herbs on the ground were not made to be abused in such damned and forbidden practises; no more were the starres in the skie. Neither ought the observing of these signes to be mixed with charactericall practises, diabo∣licall or superstitious divinations, making of images un∣der such or such a constellation, dangerous elections of times, either to procure good or bring down ill from heaven, as they did who blasphemously maintained, that men are long-lived and their souls go to heaven when Saturn is in Leo: or they, who have not quaked to af∣firm, that when the Moon is joyned with Jupiter in the head of the Dragon, whatsoever a man then asketh at the hands of God, he shall receive. Neither ought we to flie unto them for finding of things lost: for where you cannot argue from the cause to the effect, their use is unlawfull. Nor may we use them in the contingencie of things when the cause is unknown or indeterminate. Nor were they made to decide horarie questions, or sor∣tilegious demands. Nor yet may we erect figures, there∣by to answer to certain questions: as to know whether a man shall have the thing he hopeth or looketh for; to know what shall become of a mans secret enemies; to know of the speedie or slack return of him that taketh in hand any journey, and of such things as shall happen in the journey; or to know, by the eighth house, whether a man shall enjoy the goods and dowrie of his wife; or by the seventh, whether a man shall obtain that woman in marriage which he desireth; or by the sixth, to know whether a man shall keep or leave his servant; with other the like questions, of which can be given or known no cause, why the starres should ever be thought to effect them: in somuch that it is a kinde of wonder to think how it should come to passe, that ever any one could forge out such inquiries to be answered from the

signes of heaven. For the starres were not made to justi∣fie the dangerous practises of wicked impostours, nor to give answer to the causelesse curiosities of superstitious demanders; but made to be both signes and causes of such things as already I have mentioned: for when the state of the question is come beyond the course of the foure principall qualities of cold, heat, moisture, and drinesse, it will finde succour neither in sound philoso∣phie, nor in the holy Word of written veritie.

Last of all, let this one thing be remembred, that the constellations (as is well known, and apparently per∣ceived of Astronomers) by reason of a slow motion which the fixed starres hath, sliding from the equinocti∣all point about one degree in 72 yeares, are now remo∣ved into other signes of the divided Zodiack, causing those signes, by the qualitie of the starres which are now in them, to be of another nature: as Aries which was hot and drie in the dayes of Ptolomie, is (by reason that the starres of Pisces are moved thither) cold and moist: and Taurus which was cold and drie, is now of the na∣ture of the starres of Aries, that is, hot and drie: and so of all the residue of the fixed starres, they are removed into new houses, or other mansions. Which if it be not pro∣portionably considered, let any mean capacitie judge how grosse an errour may heedlessely be produced by an unskilfull artist.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 7. 22. Dan. 1. 17.
• * 1.2

  The natures of the starres may be known.
• * 1.3

  The signes of heaven must not be abused.