A treatise against iudicial astrologie Dedicated to the right Honorable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight, Lord Keeper of the great Seale, and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell. VVritten by Iohn Chamber, one of the prebendaries of her Maiesties free Chappell of VVindsor, and fellow of Eaton College.

CHAP. X.

Of the small vse of Predictions though they were true.

FArther we say, that if their predicti∣ons or prognostications be true, thē they are of necessitie; and if of neces∣sitie they cannot be auoided, and if they cannot bee auoyded, they are knowne in vaine: for to what end should we know things so before, if wee cannot preuent and auoide them? Nay, by this meanes we should be in much worse case, then if wee knew nothing, being tormented and vexed, not onely with the present euils, but with expectation of them long before. This well knew Seneca, as may well ap∣peare by those words, Epist. lib. 13. Epist. 89, Whether the starres (saith he) be causes of euents (what auai∣leth

the knowledge of a thing immutable) or signi∣fie onely, to what end wouldest thou preuent that which thou canst not escape? Whether thou knowest or knowest them not, all is one, come to passe they wil. But both pithily, and like a Philosopher hath Phauori∣nus concluded this case in few words. They foretell vs (saith he) either good or bad things. If they foretell good things and deceiue, thou shalt be vnhappy with long expectation: if they foretell true things, but ill, then thine owne minde will make thee vnfortunate before thy destinie come: if they foretell good things which shall happen, then shalt thou haue a double crosse, for both shalt thou be wearied with long expe∣ctation and long hope, and thy forehope shall much abate and blemish the fruit of thy future ioy. There∣fore there can be no good vse of these predictions, so that here may haue place that of Sophocles,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Where little wit and sence is found, The pleasant life doth more abound.

And how miserable a thing it is, to be in suspence be∣tweene hope and feare, and to be subiect to the affe∣ctionate expectation of future euents, witnesseth Ho∣race lib. 1. Epist. 2.

Qui cupit, aut metuit, iuuat illum sic domus aut res, Vt lippum pictae tabulae fomenta podagram. Who longs and feares, of house and goods, no greater comfort hath, Then bleared eyes by pictures faire, and gowtie legs by bath.

If we had but any meane care, these things were e∣nough to awake vs, and stir vs vp to a better conside∣ration. The Troians, when by the blow of Laocoons dart they heard the armor rattle, & sound within the horse, they might haue learned, Si mens non laeua fuisset, ferro Argolicas foedare latebras; but in their mad moode be∣sotted through Sinons subtilty, as cosening a Iacke as any figure-flinger, but a great deale more cunning, they hoise in the horse with heaue and hoe, funem∣que manu contingere gaudent. Doe not we the like? we see these liers striuing for the whetstone, and yet, as if they said nothing but truth, wee embrace and ad∣mire them, & by buying their bookes maintaine their lewde practise.