St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the election of daies of maryage of planting and of sowing. CHAP. 7.

BVt (a) who can indure this foolery of theirs, to inuent a new desteny for euery action a man vndertaketh; That wise man aforesaid it seemes, was not born•…•… to haue an admirable sonne, but rather a contemptible one, and therefore elected •…•…e his houre, wherein to beget a worthy one. So thus did he worke himselfe a des∣teny, more then his starres portended, and made that a part of his fate, which was not signified in his natiuity. O •…•…ondnesse most fatall! A day must now be chosen for marriage: because otherwise one might light of an vnlucky day, and so make an ill marriage. But (b) where then is the desteny of your natiuity? can a man change what his fate hath appointed, by choosing this day or that and cannot the the fate of that day which he chooseth be altered by another fate? againe, if men alone of all the creatures of earth bee vnder this starry power, why do they (c) choose daies to plant, and daies to sowe, and so forth; daies tame cattle, daies to put to the males for increase of oxen, or horses, and such like? If the election of those daies bee good, because the starres haue dominion in all earth∣ly bodies, liuing creatures and plants, according as the times do change; let them but consider how many creatures haue originall from one and the same instant, and yet haue such diuers ends, as hee that but noteth will de∣ride those obseruations as childrens toyes, for what sotte will say that all herbes, trees, beasts, birds, serpents, wormes, and fishes, haue each one a particular moment of time to bee brought forth in? yet men do vse for trying of the mathematicians skil, to bring them the figures of the births of beasts, which they haue for this end deligently obserued at home, and him they hold the most •…•…kild Mathematician, that can say by the figure, this protendeth the birth of a beast and not of a man, nay they dare goe vnto what beast it is whether fit for bearing woll, for carrages, for the plough, or the custody of the house, for the

are often asked counsell of the destenies of dogs, and giue answeres breeding great admiration. Nay men are now growne to that grosenesse of braine, that they thinke when a man is borne, creation is tyed to such an order, that not so much as a fly is brought forth in that region at that time, for if they giue vs but birth-rome for a fly, we will draw them by gradation till we come to an elephant. Nor haue they wit to consider this, that in their selected day of sowing corne, it springeth and groweth vp altogether, and being growne to the height i•…•…ipens altogether, and yet the canker spoyleth one peece and the birds another, and men cut vp the third, of al this corne, that neuerthelesse grew vp altogether. How will they doe with the constellation of this, that hath partaken so many kindes of ending? Or doth it not repent them of electing daies for these things, denying them to belong to heauens disposing, and putting onely men vnder the starres, to whome onely of all the creatures vpon earth God hath giuing free and vncon∣strained wills. These being considered, it is no euill beleefe to thinke that the As∣trologers (d) do presage many things wonderfully and truly, but that is, by a (e) secret instinct of euill spirits, (whose care it is, to infect, nousle, and confirme mens * 1.1 minds in this false and dangerous opinion of fate in the starres) and not by any art of discerning of the Horoscope, for such is there none.

L. VIVES.

WHo can (a) endure.] The Astrologers, Haly, Abenragel, Messahalach, and others write of these elections. Haly, Ptolomies interpretor as Picus Mirandula writeth, saith, this part of Astrology is friuolous and fruitlesse. (b) Where then.] If your natiuities destinie be against your enterprise, it shall neuer haue good end, as Ptolomy holdeth: Picus writeth much against Astrologers. lib. 2. and of this matter also. But Augustine hath the summe of all here. (c) Choose daies.] Hesiod was the first that distinguished the daies of the moone, and the yeare, for coun∣try * 1.2 businesses: and him did all the writers of husbandry follow, Greekes Latines and others: Democritus, and Virgill, Cato Senior, Uarro, Columella, Palladius, Plinie. &c. (d). Do presage.] * 1.3 He that often shooteth must needes hit some-times, few of the Mathematicians false answeres are obserued, but all their true ones are, as miraculous. (e) Secret instinct.] The presages from the starres (saith Augustine else where) are, as by bargaine from the deuills, and instincts of theirs, which * 1.4 the minds of men feele, but perceiue not and he presageth best, that is in greatest credit with his diuel.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Astrologers how true presagers.
• * 1.2

  Hesiod.
• * 1.3

  •…•…riters of husbandry.
• * 1.4

  Sup Gen ad. lit. et. 2. de. doct. Chr.