A discovery of the impostures of witches and astrologers by John Brinley.

CHAP. I.

Of the Original thereof.

THat Astrology, which in our days by its being mixt with so many Superstitious Fopperies, is become suspicious and al∣most Ridiculous, was at the first a thing of great Va∣lue, and worthy of the greatest con∣sideration, may be concluded from the acceptance it found with the most Famous men in the very Infancy of the World; we may ascertain our

selves, that it was in use before the Deluge, from Genesis 18, where 'tis said that Noah enterd the Ark on the seventeenth day of the second Month, and came out again (the Waters being gone from the face of the Earth) upon the 27th. day of the second Month, in the year fol∣lowing. That it is of great Antiquity cannot be denied, but who was the first Author of it is uncertain: yet its Credible that it begun at Adam, and was continued by his son Seth, and Communicated to Posterity; in reference to which Opinion, is the Story of Seth's Pillars; which Pillars were made (by reason of what they had heard from Adam, (viz.) that the World should be Twice de∣stroyed, once by Water, and after∣wards by Fire) to preserve the Scien∣ces to them that were to replenish the Earth after the Deluge. One of which Pillars was remaining in Iosephus his time, as himself Testifies, in lib. Antiq.

cap. 11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. But whether this of the Pillars be Fabulous or no, it matters not; it is probable enough that it was found by the Ancients before the Floud, whose Lives usually ex∣tended to some Hundreds of years, a thing very requisite to the perfection of Astrology; nor was it (con∣sidered in its purity) a Study unbe∣seeming those Noble Spirits. In fa∣vour of this Opinion may be alledged that of Iosephus in cap. 7. lib. 1. that Enoch left a Treatise of Astrology, or (Astrology being taken after the Modern distinction) of Astronomy; which Treatise is yet extant in the Kingdom of the Queen of Sheba. Ter∣tullian quotes it in the 4th. and 15th. Books de Idololatriâ, and in the Book De habitu muliebri. cap. 3. where he proves by many Arguments, that those Books are not spurious; and answers the Objections that may be brought against it. Now although the Testi∣mony

of so Learned a man as Tertul∣lian, may stop the Mouths of all such as out of Sceptical humour may doubt the verity of what has been said; yet considering the great propension of some in our days, to overthrow what ever sound Doctrine has been Taught by the Seniors, aswell in Knowledge as in years, I shall endeavour to prove the Antiquity of this most Noble Sci∣ence by force of reason.

1. 'Tis not to be doubted that Adam, both by reason of his Converse with Angels, and his great insight into the Intellectual world; as also by his great knowledge of this visible world, which render'd him capable of distin∣guishing things, and giving a name sutable to the Nature of each thing; could understand the Nature of the Heavens, and those splendid Bodies there placed. So that if the Beauties of those Caelestial Bodies were Created to be subservient and significant to the Microcosm, it is most certain, that

the first Father of Mankind, under∣stood it.

2. The Wise and ever-True God, who has made every thing good, and made nothing that was not to be of some use to man, did certainly never design that Glorious and Resplendent part of the World, to be for a Gazing∣stock only, and not have operation or influence in the Universe; but to be a general Moderator, and Govenor of the most material Actions of Mor∣tal Bodies; as he has reserved to him∣self the disposing of that pure substance Mans Soul. And such was his love to Mankind, that he would Teach a way whereby they might recover part of that Knowledge was lost in the first Mans Fall and Disobedience. And so that they might not be altogether involved in Darkness, and obscurity of what was to come, he Taught them to Read in that Great Volume, the Chief Contingencies of their Life.

That what I say is probable, and

not an Idle Whimsey of some Melan∣cholick Brain, is Manifest from the common Opinion of Learned Men among the Iews, Greeks, and Latines, and others, who call the Heavens a Sacred Book, wherein by those Capi∣tal Letters (the Stars) may be read the Events of things below. The Learned Origen, upon this place of Genesis, Et erunt in signa, Affirms, that the Stars were placed in this Order in the Heavens for no other end, but to shew, by their diverse Aspects and Figures, whatever is to happen while the World indures, aswell in general as in particular; yet not so, as that they were the Causes of all these things: never any such thing came into the Thoughts, much less into the Writings of this Learned Man. For as the Prophecies that are Written in Books, are not the Causes of those Events, which they foretel shall hap∣pen, but only the Signs; so may the Heavens be (says he) very justly

called a Book, wherein God hath Written, all that is, hath been, and hereafter shall be. And for Confir∣mation Cites a Passage out of a Book called, Narratio Ioseph, wherein the Patriarch Iacob, giving his Blessing to all his Children, upon his Death-bed, says, Legi in Tabulis Coeli, quae∣cun{que} contingent vobis & Filijs vestris: whence the same Origen concludes on this Question, Vtrum Stellae aliquid agant? That some Mysteries may be assuredly Read in the Heavens; by reason that the Stars are disposed and Ordered there in the Form of Cha∣racters. Iulius Syrenus has underta∣ken the Defence of this Doctrine, and holds it a most safe and true Opinion. St. Augustine lib. 2. contra Manichae∣os, cap. 2. has this Expression; Ne{que} in illis corporibus Caelestibus hic latere posse Cogitationes credendum est, quem∣admodum in his corporibus latent; sed sicut nonnulli motus animorum apparent in Vultu, & maximè in oculis, sic in

illâ perspicuitate ac simplicitate Caelesti∣um corporum, omnes motus animi latere arbitror. All the Platonists in a man∣ner were likewise of the same Persua∣sion, and this is the reason that Por∣phyrie assures us, that when he had re∣solved to have killed himself, Plotinus who had Read his intention in the Stars, hindered him from doing it. To the same purpose is that of Or∣pheus,

—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

—certus tuus Ordo Immutabilibus mandatis, currit in Astris.

Amongst the Modern men, Flud has this expression in his Apology for the Rosie Cross men, In Coelo (inquit) inserti & impressi hujusmodi Characte∣res, qui non aliter ex Stellarum ordi∣nibus conflantur, quàm lineae Geome∣tricae, & Literae Vulgares ex punctis,

superficies ex lineis, Corpus ex super∣ficiebus.

Postellus gives us this account of his own Experience in this matter, in these words; Si dixero me in Coelo vidisse, in ipsis Linguae Sanctae Cha∣racteribus, ab Esrâ primum publicè expositis, ea omnia quae sunt in rerum naturâ constituta; ut vidi non expli∣citè, sed implicitè; vix ullus mihi crediderit: tamen testis Deus, & Christus ejus, quia non mentior.

After the Deluge, and the scatte∣ring abroad of the Nations through the whole Earth, the Study of Astro∣logy was likewise Dilated, and be∣come common to many Nations: so that they not only Vied one with another in the accurateness and per∣fection of Skill, but also about the Invention of it; every one desiring to ascribe the Invention of so Noble a Science to their own Country: but 'tis most probable, nay in a man∣ner certain, that they of Asia, (con∣sidering

that Adam was there made, and that Noahs Arks rested upon a Mountain in that part of the world, from whom the Face of the whole Earth was Inhabited) were they who first improved this Study. Nor is it reasonable to think that the Asians, who were setled in a Residence, and had both Motives and Opportunities enough, should let the Africans or Europoeans outstrip them in the In∣vention of Arts, who were Cumbered for many years in finding out conve∣nient Habitations, and in defending themselves from the Incursions of their troublesome Neighbours.

Amongst the Asians the Chaldae∣ans Challenge Priority in this mater, and glory of instructing other Nations herein, according to which is that of Herodotus in Euterpe: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. i. e. The Grae∣cians Learned of the Babylonians or Chaldeans the Doctrine of the Poles,

and of dividing the Day into Twelve parts. Likewise Didorus Siculus in the Third Book of Antiquities, Testi∣fies of the Chaldaeans, that by long observation of the Course of the Stars, they found out their Nature, and Foretold things that were afterwards to come to pass; Tully likewise in primo de Divinatione; Principio (inquit) Assyrij, ut ab ultimis auctori∣bus repetam, propter planitiem magni∣tudinem{que} regionum, quas incolebant, cum Caelum omni ex parte patens, at{que} apertum intuerentur, trajectiones, mo∣tus{que} Stellarum observaverunt. Nor is it meet that we forget Abraham, a man so highly approved of by God, who was a Chaldaean, and the Chief Astrologer of the East, of whom Be∣rosus, as Eusebius says, spoke in this manner, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Decimâ vero post Di∣luvium generatione apud Chaldaeos erat vir justus, & magnus, & Coelestium

habens experientiam. i. e. in the Tenth Generation after the Floud there was amongst the Chaldaeans, a Just and Great Man, one well skill'd in the Heavens; which no doubt is meant of Abraham, who was so Famous in re∣spect of the great sway he bore as a Nobleman; but more especially for his Piety, and Sober manner of Living, and his Miraculous and Con∣spicuous Preservation in all Dangers, by the immediate hand of Providence. Abraham Learn'd of his Father Thare or Terah, which is the Opinion of Philo in his Book of Nobility, where he Writes thus of Abraham, and his Father Thare, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Primus Pa∣rens Iudaeorum Chaldaeus erat Natione, Patre prognatus dedito syderali Scien∣tiae, uno ex ijs, qui circa Mathesin versarentur. Where by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is meant Thare the Father of Abra∣ham.

Now although we ought to look upon the Chaldaeans as the First and most Eminent in this Faculty, yet we are not to look upon them as the sole Monopolists of Sydereal knowledge; the Bactrians will put in for a share, and say, that though they did not first lay down the Rules, yet they improv∣ed them as high as any; Witness their so famous Zoroaster, who as Iustin tells us, in lib. primo Epitomes Trogi, Primus Magicas Artes dicitur invenisse, & mundi principia, Siderum{que} motus diligenter observasse: and was doubt∣less as expert in this Reading the Starry Book, as the greatest Chaldaean of them all.

The Aegyptians Learned from the Assyrians, and had the same conve∣nience for the Business; that is, a plain Champaign Country, and an Air sel∣dom or never Overcast with Clouds, or Vapours to hinder the Eye from Viewing the Motions of those Glo∣rious Bodies. 'Tis the Opinion of

Vossius in his Book De quatuor arti∣bus popularibus, That Abraham brought it amongst them when he Travelled into that Country; but however it was, they proved so good Proficients, as to invite the Graecians to come into their Schools for Instructi∣ons in this, and other curious Arts, as Theon Alexandrinus upon Aratus his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 tells us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: i. e. The Graecians received these Arts from the Aegyptians and Chaldaeans. And as Pride is still Fatal to great Parts, the Aegyptians puffed up with their Learning began to be Ungrateful, and Kick at their Masters the Chaldaeans, they thought themselves more Skil∣ful, and would have the Credit of Invention to themselves; on their side was Diodorus Siculus, who to make the Story Plausible Affirms, that Ba∣bylon is a Colony of the Aegyptians, first Planted by Belus the Son of Neptune and Lybie, who Erected a

Colledg in Babylon, and set Scholars therein to Study Astrology, as they did in Aegypt. Yet Diodorus Sicu∣lus is to be suspected, as being too great a Favourer of the Aegyptians; and another thing which makes this Opinion Invalid is, that the Egyptians can produce no Observations before Alexander the Great; whereas the Chaldoeans can prove theirs to be of far greater Antiquity.

The Arabians too were Skill'd in Astrology, as may be gathered from Chap. 9. verse 9. of Iob, where men∣tion is made of the Pleiades, Orion, and Arcturus.

The Aethiopians were not ignorant of the Stars and their different in∣fluences, for which they were behold∣ing to Atlas King of Mauritania, who is said to have Lived about the time of Ioseph the Patriarch, or as others, about the time of Moses; and was so ex∣cellent in this Study, that the Poets Feigned him to bear up Heaven with

his Shoulders. Having Traced Astro∣logy through Asia and Africa; we will now bear it company into Europe, and see, by whom it was first Taught in this Part of the world, which is not inferior to the other for curious knowledge.

Though Learning be never more Disturbed and Eclypsed, than where a Country is embroyled in War, Mars his Drum being too obstreperous for the sweet lays of the Muses, yet 'tis observable that it follows the Victor, and delights to fix her Seat where the Sword has drawn a place of Defence to secure her from the Affronts of those that desire to enjoy the Liberties and conveniences others have in Lawful Possession.

It was then Learning began to flou∣rish in Greece, when they had by their Prowess awed those that before Lorded it over them. And though it may be observed, that they were not altogether ignorant in Astrology, but

had some Glimpses thereof at the time of the Trojan War, from Homers telling, how Achilles his Armour had Stars Engraven on it by Vulcan; as also from the Story of Endymions being Loved by the Moon, which was occasioned from his Observations concerning the Moon; as also Phae∣thons Guiding the Chariot of the Sun, from the like occasion: the Stories of Orion, and Perseus, and Orpheus his Harp, being made Stars, all which only intimate unto us, their skill in the Course of the Stars; yet 'twas never improved to any conside∣rable height till Thales. Before his time, they had only so much know∣ledge therein, as to know the Seasons of the year, and the Rising and Set∣ting of some remarkable Stars; such an Astrologer was Hesiod, and such Plato calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, men only indued with the little Rudiments, and unacquainted with that accurate∣ness which Thales brought in; of

whom Diogenes Laertius gives this account in Vitâ Thaletis; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. i. e. most are of opinion that Thales was the first that Studied Astrology (in Greece) and observed the Course of the Sun, and Taught the reason of the Eclypses, as Eudemus says in his Astrological History. Anaximander Milesius was the Scholar of Thales; he Taught that the Earth was the Center of the World, and that it was Round, ob∣served the Tropicks, and Equinocti∣als, and Taught to know the hours by the shadow of a Gnomon. Scholar to Anaximander was Anaximenes Mi∣lesius, who found that the Moon bor∣rowed her Light, and that the Inter∣position of the Earth betwixt her and the Sun, was the Cause of her several Phases.

After Anaximines, was Anaxagoras Clazomenius, who Taught that the

Moon had in it Hills, and Valleys like the Earth, and that it was Habi∣table; that the Milky-way was made by the Reflection of the Sun-beams; that Comets are a Mass of Sparkles, proceeding from the Stars by reason of their Swift Motion, Collected into one Body; that the Sun was a Round, Fiery-Ball, Bigger than all Peloponne∣sus; that the Heavens consisted of Stones, which yet do not Fall, by reason of that extraordinary Circumgyra∣tion. In the second year of the Seventy Eight Olympiad he foretold, that one of those Stones should Fall from Heaven, which (they say) came to pass by the River Aegos in Thrace; how much he was addicted to the Study of Astrology, may be gathered from this; One asking wherefore he was Born, he Answer'd, to Contem∣plate the Sun, and Moon, and the Heavens; to another, Rebuking him for neglecting his Temporal Affairs, and asking him if he did not care for

his Country, he said, Yes I do, (point∣ing with his Finger towards Heaven) that is my Country.

Pythagoras is accounted Chief of the Italian Sect, and Taught in Italy at the same time as Anaximenes did at Miletum: he is said to have first observed the Obliquity of the Eclyp∣tick; he Taught that the Earth mo∣ved about the Sun, betwixt Mars and Venus. After him was Democritus the Abderite, and Empedocles Agri∣gentinus. About the first year of the Eighty Seventh Olympiad flourished Meton, the Son of Panthias, who Corrected the Calendar, and found out the Circulum decennovennalem, which we call the Golden Number; of whom Festius Avienus.

Illius ad numeros prolixa decennia rursum Adjecisse Meton Cecropeâ dicitur arte, Insedit{que} animis, tenuit rem Graecia sollers

Protinus, & longos inventam misit in annos.

Whereby is meant that Meton added Ten years to the Computation of Harpalus, who made Tables for Eight years only. This period of Nineteen years was approved of by Euctemon and Philippus, as best re∣conciling the Differences in the Sun and Moons Revolutions. Eudoxus the Son of Aeschines a Cnydian, a Famous Geometrician and Astrolo∣ger, opposed the Period found by Meton, by one of Eight years, but to no purpose.

The Multitude of Commentators upon Aratus, will not permit me to leave him out of the Roll; he Wrote in Verse the time of the Rising, and Setting of the Stars, and gave Rules to know what Temperatures of Air would be upon the different Aspects and Positions of the Heavenly Bo∣dies.

About the time of Ptolomaeus Phi∣ladelphus, Conon Flourished, who Collected the Eclypses of the Sun and Moon; and it was he that first gave Notice of the Star called Bere∣nices Hair, as Catullus says in his Poem de comâ Berenices.

Idem me ille Conon caelesti lumine vidit, E Bereniceo vertice Caesariem Fulgentem clarè, quam multis illa Deorum Non sine taurino sanguine pollicita est.

About Ten years after him, that is, about the Hundred and Fortieth Olympiad, Aristarchus Samius was Famous for his skill; he followed the Opinion of Pythagoras, Philolaus, and those who held the Motion of the Earth. About the same time Flou∣rished the Famous Archimedes, who made the Flying Dove, and the Ar∣tificial

Sphere, wherein were Motions answerable to that of the Caelestial Bodies, the Artificial Planets keeping Correspondence with the Natural.

The Study of the Stars being now grown to a considerable height, want∣ed not Admirers in all the succeeding Ages, who imployed their Parts and Indeavours in these Speculations; and by their Industry and good Fortune, dayly added to the perfection of this Art: It were easie for me to give you their Names in Order, as they ap∣peared to the world, to these very times: but that not being so necessa∣ry, I shall only speak something of the Progress it had, after the Decay of the Graecian Monarchy, and then proceed to my intended Discourse against the Defamers, and Blots to this Noble Science, the Judicial Astrologers.

I begin with Alcuinus, otherwise call'd Flaccus Albinus; not that he was the first, who deserved to be taken

Notice of, but for Brevity; consider∣ing it would Swell my Volume to too large a Bulk to name them all. He was Born in England, a Yorkshire-Man, and was made Deacon in the days of Offa King of the Mercians, and was by him, for his great Learning, but especially for his skill in the Mathe∣matical Studies, sent over to Charles the Great, and was by him Honou∣rably received, and staid with him in France. He got a Grant for an Uni∣versity at Paris, and Taught the Li∣beral Sciences there. He Read Astro∣nomy to Charles the Great, and shew'd him the use of an Ephemeris: 'twas he gave the German Names to the Winds, by which our seamen at this day call them.

This Kings being delighted so much with Astronomy, brought him into a good Esteem with the then King of Persia, who was addicted the same way, and sent him a Dial for the Planets, which was no less pleasant

for the Favour, than useful for the Ingenuity of it.

Not long after lived Maimon King of the Saracens, who caused Ptolo∣mies System to be brought in again, after it had been a long time neglected. And Contemporary with him, was the Famous Albumassar the Arabian.

In the year One Thousand Four Hundred and Eighty, flourished Mar∣silius Ficinus, at first a great Favou∣rer of Judicial Astrology; but after∣wards Reading that Excellent Trea∣tise of Picus Mirandula's, concerning that Subject, he Recanted, being con∣vinced of the Fopperies thereof by the reasons of so Learned a Man. He was a Great man in all Learning, but an especial Admirer of Plato's Philosophy.

In the year One Thousand Five Hundred flourished Abraham Zacuti, Mathematician to Emanuel King of Portugal; he left a perpetual Alma∣nack for the Revolutions of all the Stars.

From the year of Christ One Thou∣sand and Five Hundred, Mathemati∣cal Studies grew so Universal, and well known in the Christian World, that it is impossible to Rank them in their Order, the Multiplicity of Students bringing Confusion into the History. I shall only therefore speak of the most Renowned. And first, with Ioannes Wernerus a German, who was a most exact Observer of the Starry Motions; he Wrote two Books of the Motion of the Eighth Sphere.

Contemporary with him was Ioan∣nes Blanchinus, and about sixteen years after was Ioannes Staeflerus; he Taught the way to make an Astro∣labe, and Wrote Commentaries upon Proclus his Sphere; he was sometimes Master to Philip Melancthon, and in∣flamed that Learned man with such a Love to Mathematicks, as endured to his very Death. After him was Henricus Baersius, and Iohn Cario,

both very Eminent men, of which the first Wrote a Book of the Compo∣sition, and use of the Quadrant, the other of Practical Astrology, and Ephimeredes for many years.

In the year One Thousand Five Hundred Thirty Six, Nicolaus Coper∣nicus became Eminent, one who re∣vived many Opinions that had for a long time been Buried in obscurity; of whom Ismael Bulialdus in his Pro∣legomena's to Phylosophical Astrono∣my, gives this Character, Nicolaus Copernicus vir absolutae subtilitatis, non solum observator fuit, sed etiam Hypotheseos Pythagoricae antiquae in∣staurator. Per eum enim ex humanis cogitationibus exemptoe Ptolomaicarum Hypotheseon tricae, & circulorum mul∣tiplicium involutiones, & ad Physicam simplicitatem revocatae sunt hominum mentes.

After him was Petrus Apianus, Lu∣cas Gauricus a Neopolitan, and Ioachi∣nus Fortius Rithenbergius, common∣ly

called Sterck, who lived at the same time with Erasmus Roterodamus; and was first moved to apply himself to study, by Conversing with Erasmus, and more particularly (as himself Confesses) by Reading that little Treatise De ratione studij.

In the year of Christ One Thou∣sand Five Hundred and Sixty, Lived Gerardus Mercator, a man well Read in Astrology.

Many others there are, whom it is needless to insert, not that they were less deserving than others, but because these I have mentioned may serve to shew by whom, and at what times this Science has been propagated.

And though some may object, that I go against my self in thus playing the Herald, and reckoning the An∣cestors of Astrology; and that it had been more advantageous to my Cause to have sought to have proved, that none of Ingenuity or Learning had ever studied in these matters: yet let

them know, that it makes much for me upon Consideration, that none of these ever descended to these Nonsen∣sical Fopperies, wherewith Judicial Astrology is stuffed full, and which has brought into Question the more material points of the Heavenly Reading. Nor have these Fortune-tellers any more reason to boast, that so many Worthy men have imployed themselves in Contemplating the Star∣ry Bodies, than the Romanists to boast of St. Peter, and the Apostles Doctrine, forasmuch as both of them have lost their Art and Religion with Super∣stition and Fopperies.