INTRIGUE CII. What Cautions are to be used in proposing difficult Matters.

THE Deceitful Proposals of Incredible things, are to be avoided; and the Artifices of Impostors, wherewith they commonly cheat Princes of their Wealth, ought to be examined before they be believed; for great Pretenders, the more easily to attain their ends, persuade Princes to be at some small cost, to acquire great gains; as to level Mountains, turn the Courses of Rivers, to look out for Treasures, and Mines of Gold, to invent new Engines, to Transubstantiate Mettals, to find out the Philosopher's Stone, &c. whereby, with their Deceitful Confidence, they seem to provoke and force Nature her self: Yet, as we must not altogether believe them, so must we not absolutely slight and reject them; but the Author's Sincerity must be observed, and Visi∣tors sent, to find out whether he offereth any Page  150feasible Proposal, which must be consulted up∣on, and tried by competent Judges; so that nothing may be undertaken rashly; for here the Italian Proverb, and Rule taketh place, D•∣gran parti parti-ti; that is to say, Beware of them who promise too much gain.