at first almost fell over the Threshold: Therefore, his Oyl being lavishly spent, he re∣turned to his own, and told many things confusedly, concerning the Sepulchres, which he had not perceived, nor known, nor believed, although he had seen them. All from thence∣forth, boast rashly among their own people, that they know many things, who saluted not so much as the Threshold of Nature, except at a far distance, from the relation of Galen. In the next place, Avicen with his company, although he became more cautious by the viewing of Galen; yet he entred not much deeper, but looking behind, about, and above him, and being taken with giddiness, his foot being dashed against a stone, fell headlong down: but returning, he boasts in a Forraign Dialect, that he had seen far more than his Predecessors: The which, when his followers understood, and stuck to, they chose a certain one of them for a Standard-Defender; they all of them had rather fight for the glory of their sworn Prince, than that they would themselves enter the passages: as if the mind of man, that is free, being readily inclined like unto Clients, had forsworn liberty: Therefore none having afterwards endeavoured to enter, and being content with the first Boasters, they prefixed on their Centuries, that themselves were to fight for the glory and Trophy of a matter not yet known; but as many as came unto the entry, being as it were factiously addicted unto the first Patron, and insisting in the steps of Predecessors, presently fell down together.
They dreamed that they were entred; at leastwise, they were deprived of light and help for removing the darkness of so great an heap. Others also, afterwards hastened toward the Vaults, but they brought not the light with them, they perceived their Oyl to be extinguished, and snatcht away by the Enemies of the first Truth, and humane health, and Inhabitants of darkness. At length, Paracelsus having entred with a great Torch, fastened a small cord to the wall, about his first paces, which he might follow as a Compa∣nion, and Reducer of the wayes; he aspiring to pierce whither the footsteps of mortals had not yet taken their journey. The rout of Birds is presently amazed at so great a sight, it thinks that Prometheus had entred; it dares not, nor was able to extinguish the Torch, yet it secretly attempts to do it. This man seeth very many Monuments, he is long and freely enlarged, he fills the entries with smoak, and while he is intentive, as a greedy devourer of truth, his strength fails, his Torch falls, his light is extinguished in the middle of his course, and he is as it were choaked with fumes. I a poor miserable man, have at length entred with the least light of a Lanthorn; and that nothing might hinder, and that nothing might detain my hand from the work, I indeed refused a Rope, and hung my Lanthorn at my girdle, but a Crook followed at my back, making a path the rule of my return: Therefore I insisting only in my own footsteps, I there saw far other things than the foregoing company of Ancestors had described.
But because I was alone, strength was wanting for so difficult weights, and I having en∣deavoured many things, the rout of Bats being against me; at length, after the manner of the former, I departed without fruit; yea, far worse; because through long delay, the light was darkned unto me, and my eyes afterwards refused to bear any further light; for why, because they had now too much accustomed themselves to darkness: Even so, that unless I had wholly abstained from my stubborn intent, the heavenly light of the day had profited me nothing: at leastwise, this one only and most true thing I had learned; that we all having trusted only unto humane aids, did walk in thick darkness, through unknown ways, most difficult windings, and paths of the night, imitating the industry of a few, and those badly to be trusted in: neither that at length we did bring any fruits from thence, except the light badly consumed, be-darkned eyes cheeks looking pale with greyness, confu∣sions of mind, presumptions of vanity, and the image of the night at hand, full of terrour and despair.
Moreover, I discerned, that all sorts of Knaves and Harlots, Deceivers, Jews, and Tor∣menters, when as they had once intruded themselves by their own rashness, they were soon, by boldness, raised to a degree: For I have not found in any a greater liberty, more ample rashness, more cruel credulities, more thick darknesses, and more frequent confusi∣ons, than in the most noble of gifts; wherein, it is free for any one to kill, if the murder be involved in the Cloak of a succour, and the party slain be covered with earth. There∣fore I begged of God, that he would vouchsafe to set a bound in so wicked naughtinesses, which they committed against the Divine Image of his Majesty: But soon after, I dis∣cerned the vanity of my desire: For truly, as long as mens own profit holds the superiori∣ty, and medicine is exercised as a Plow, they contend in vain, who endeavour to compose my Christ the Father of the poor, with Mammon.
I praised those Cities in times past, wherein it was not lawful for an undiscreet Col∣ledge