Anti-Prognostication, Treatise 2
TO begyn playnly as we entende to procede, we must fyrst calle to remembraunce, what matter we hauehave in hāde and then with like plainnesse declare, what playne order we ent…nde to take in discussyng of the same. Therfore omyttynge all colours of rhetor…ke, and all impediments of paynted speache, our pur pose is (to speake it at one breathe) vtterly to ouerthrowe the science of astrologie. Astrologie (leste any man shoulde doubte, bycause it is no Englishe worde) is sayd to be a knowledge, wherby the practisers of it saye, that they can tell of all thyng that are not come to passe, before they come to passe, by the course & mouyng of the starres, or els to describe it more plainely, is yt knowledge by whiche the prognosticatiōs be made, that tell of rayne and fayre weather, sickenes and health, warre & peace, plentie and dearthe, with suche lyke: By whiche also they cast your natiuities, tell you …oure fortunes, pretende to gyue you knowledge of thinges that be lost: and last of all appoynt you dayes and tymes good or euyll, for all thynges that you hauehave to doo. As, for workes of phisike, to let bloud to take purgations, and al other medicins for other cōmon matters, to sow, to plant, to iourney by lande, to iourney by water, to bye and sell, to marye, to begynne anye woorke, and fynally to attempt any thyng that men vse cōmonly in their lyfe to doo. Our intent is therfore in this shorte Trea tise to persuade all such as he therto beyng deceiued by a false opinion of learnynge, hauehave gyuen credite vntounto them: that herafter (yf they see that all is not onelyonly vayne, but also vngodlye) they cleane forsake them and theyr prophesie… as thyngs that lette them to prosper well in theyr busines and also hynder theim to put theyr truste in God and his promyses. For what confidence hathe be in god or his worde, that dare not take in hande any honest and ver…ous affaires (in which God hath promised to ayde and set forwarde all theim that louelove hym) except …e must fyrste aske counsayle of a blynde southsayer and Astrologiā? And let them not be offended though I call theim blynde, for accordynge to the prouerbe, Who is so blynde as, he that wil not see? But perchaunce so…me will say…, that bycause I am blynde and ignoraunt in so goodlye a science, therefore I … dysprayse it. As towchynge that matter, they hauehave no cause to say so, for be it spoken withoute diswoorshyp of any of theym, and with smalle pryde in my self, I knowe what the arte is as well as they, and so muche the rather doo I condemne it, leste seynge the vanitie and vncertaintie thereof, I shoulde bee counted as they are, wylfully blynde, and not seyng when theyr eyes bee open.
Thus much for oure entente, our order shall be suche, as best maye be perceyued. For wee wylle fyrste speak… agaynste the wholle knowledge generally, and thenne particularly agaynste eueryevery membre and parcell thereof. And because wee wylle spende no paper in superfluous sentences, we must remembre what was sayd in the former booke, that it was impossible for any man to hauehave any knowledge of thynge… to comme …y the course of the starres. Wherevnto wee wyll adde for playnner …nderstandynge this that foloweth. As towchyng t… mouynge and course of th… hea…ens, bycause menne may see th…ym, they myghte also (as they hauehave doo…) by longe and dilygent obseruation fynd out a learnyng, that shuld …each the truth of thē, but seing the starres be all of one forme or facion, yt is sphericall or rounde like a ball, duplicate page duplicate page (although some be greatter then some also some hygher then some) it can not be, that a man beholdyng or lookyng vponupon them, shoulde vnderstande of what qualities or significations they are. As for the coloure of them (although to speake exquisitely by the rules of natural philosophie they hauehave no colour) is …o lyke in moste (exceptynge the sonne and the moone) that in so smalle varietie of colours, a man can not discern so dyuers and manye qualities. And not withstandynge that they ymagine the planette Saturne to bee blacke or blewe, and Mars to be redde or fyery, they can if they were disposed (I meane the learned sorte) gyue an other reason of theyr colour, nothynge seruynge for the auauncement of theyr pretende… knowledge. By this it is manyfest, that by seeyng, lookynge, or beholdyng the starres, no man can knowe what they signifye, forasmuche as by the syght nothyng can properly be perceyued but colour and fashion. Then what waye is it possible, that a man shuld vnderstand what those hygh bodies all of one colour… and fashion shoulde betoken? Some wyll say peraduenture, that as the course of the starres was founde out by diligent obseruation, so lykewyse theyr sygnifications were learned by earneste markyng wha… chaunced alwayes vnderunder eueryevery sygne or planet. Howe vntrue this is, we shal part ly nowe declare, and partly leaue tyll we come to the particulars.
Fyrst therfore that their significations coulde not so be learned, it is manyfest by this reason: That those thynges whyche chaunce or come to passe bee infinite, that is innumerable to men, howe then coulde a certayn numbre of men know or learne whether all those thynges came to effecte as they had marked in a few? for although they had taken their obseruation in as ma ny as they coulde, yet were there manye mo, yea tenne thousande tymes as manye whiche they knew not of, that myght happen clean… contrary to theyr deuise. Dothe it not then playnly appeare, that by obseruation no man coulde discerne what those sygnes and heauenly bodies dyd forshew? Then if neither by beholdyng thē, nor yet by marking or obseruatiō of thē, it might be that mans witte coulde fynde out their signification: there remayneth no waye howe to knowe them, but that fonde fantasy of reuelation by some spirite or aungelle. Whiche I hauehave not without a cause before touched (although some wold think that I ymagin that obiection of my selfe) because that of some it is so obiected, not onelyonly in woordes, but also in writynge.
Concernynge reuelation we hauehave some …ynge sayde all readye, wherevnto we wyll ioyne this, that God vse… not by his mynysters to reueale any knowledge vntounto menne, but suche as is to his glory and theyr profyte. Nowe what auayleth it to Goddes glorye, that mortall men shoulde hauehave vnderstandynge of all thynges that he purposeth to doo, as who shoulde saye, he woulde hauehave men as cunnynge as hym selfe, or as thowghe he shoulde rule the world by theyr prognostications. And no profyte canne it bee to menne, to hauehave suche knowledge, whyche yf it were true, (as it is moste …alse) they were not able to preuente. If, God therefore dooeth not reueals any thynge whiche is not to his glorye, and the proufyte of his creatures, me thynke that vayne obiection is cleane put out of the waye. Lette this suffise for our purpose of inueyenge generally. Therefore proceede we to the particulars, whiche althoughe there bee as many as there bee dyuers actions, yet we wyll intreate onelyonly of two… sortes: the one of foreshewynge the states of thynges and tymes, that other of chusyng dayes and oportunyties. And to begyn with that whyche semeth chieffest amonge theym, to prognosticate of warre and peace, I meruayle that menne are so madde, as to looke for warre oute of theyr predictions, knowing that the cause therof proceedeth not of the starres, but of the deuyll, whyche alwaye labourethe to breake the bondes of vnitie and concorde, that shoulde be among christian men. And where doothe he plant the cause therof, but in the kyng, whose heart the scripture witnesseth, that as the diuisions of waters, so is it in the lordes hande, and whether he will, he moueth it. Seyng therfore that the kyng is not subiect to the influence of the starres, neyther is anye thing that procedeth from hym, gouerned by theim, and thenne consequentlye and necessarilye it folowethe, that all matters concernynge the commune wealthe, as warre and peace, discorde and rebellyon, lawes, and suche lyke, can neyther bee forshewen nor foreseene by Astrologie: dearthe and plentye bee caused by reasone of seasonable weather, or vnseasonable: Then yf the starres hauehave nothyng to doo with wether, they hauehave lesse to dooe with plentie or scarcity, which ar caused therby As for clowdes wherof rayne commeth, they are drawen vp in thynne vapours, by the heate of the sonne, into the myddle region of the ayre, and there, by colde, are made grosse, then by some wyndes they ar dissipated and dryuen abroade, or elles by some resolued and drop downe. And thys is the cause for the moste part, of rayne & fayre wether, so ye except the vncertayntie of the wynd may be knowen by the stars, rayne and fayre wether can neuer be foreshewed. But wherof commeth the wynd▪ I am sure they wyll not denye the Philosophers definition gathered oute of the seconde booke of his Meteors, which is, that the wynde is an exhalation whot and dry, drawen vp by the heate of the Sonne, and for the weight of it selfe fallyng downe, is laterally or sydelonges caried aboute the earthe. By this definition all power of signifying starres is cleane excluded. And as towchynge the place frome whens the wynd bloweth, the same philosopher doth also declare, that as it hapneth the matter thereof to be caried, so frome that place it moueth. And here by the way where as I vse the wordes of Happen and Chaunce, you muste not take me, that I meane the thynge shoulde come by blynde fortune or case: For I am of opinion, that nothyng commeth to passe without a cause, but my meanyng is, that by the causes and occasions therof, so it came to effect. But to returne into the way agayn, seyng the cause of the wynde is not forsene by the starres, no more can the wether that is partly caused by it, nor yet the dearthe or plentie whiche chaunceth by occasion of the weather, bee by Astrologie foreshewed. Then wi… al those …ut of your Prognostications, for what shoulde they doo there, of whiche it is impossible that you shoulde prognosticate. Sycknesse and healthe depende vponupon dyuers causes, but nothyng at al vponupon the course of the starres. for what way soeuer the starres runne their race, yf there be in the body abundance or defect, or from outward by corruption of the ayre infection it must nedes be sycke: and it none of these bee, though all the starres in heauen with all their oppositions and euil tokens shuld meete in the howse of sicknesse, yet the body shoulde bee whole, and in good healthe. But you wyl say, that those causes of sicknesse are wroughte by the constellation of the starres. Wel ones we hauehave a good con fort of Hieremy the prophet, that those are not to be feared. And to aunswere this obiection duplicate page duplicate page I woulde hauehave taken paynes, … that the moste parte of Astrologians ar by profession phisitions, whiche yf they be in dede as they professe, and hauehave learnyng accordyng to their degree (which I doubt not but they hauehave) they knowe assuredly, that the causes of sycknes and helth hang nothynge vppon mouyng of the celestiall bodies. The more shame is it for theym, yf they stiffely and stoutely maynteyn and defende that which they know to be moste vayne and false. But leaue sycknesse and healthe to theym that hauehave chiefely to doo with theym, and comme to Natiuytyes or Fortune tellynges.
If I hadde not beene my selfe seduced by suche a vayne credyte that I gaue to the wrytyngs of Astrologians, I would neuer beleeue, that any manne endewed with common sence and reasone, shoulde hauehave respecte to castynge of Natiuityes, or Fortune tellynges. For what madnesse ys yt to thynke, that beeynge but twelue sygnes and seuen planettes, eueryevery syngular manne hath of theym his singular constellation. I confesse that eueryevery syngular manne by the prouidence of God is guyded and preserued, but that eueryevery man that is borne hath his syngular influence, it is to muche incredyble. For I dare be bolde to saye (and if I were dryuen to it by good reasone proue it) that at one instant or Nunc, there is somtyme borne a kynge and a sclaue, a warryour and a cowarde, a wyse man and a foole, a learned manne, an vnlearned persone, a true man and a thefe, a ryche man and a poore, a Christian and a Pagan, a manne and a beaste. Howe thenne shall the Astrologian telle all these theyr Fortune, by one constellation? Furthermore what a straunge matter is it, that one constellation should woorke to so sundrye effectes? as yf an Astrologian hadde erected a fygure for one mannes natiuytie, a nother commeth to knowe of a thynge loste, at the same instant, the thyrde commeth to heare yf a sycke man shall dye or recouer, All these muste hauehave theyr aunsweres shapen theym oute of one fygure. But they wylle say perchaunce, that all these canne not happen at ones, then lette theym answere me to this question: Is there but one kynde of thyng done in the whole worlde, or vnderunder one meridian at one instāt or moment? And be allother ydle for that tyme▪ As for exāple, when one stealeth, is there nothyng done at that tyme but …alynge: When a kyng is borne, is none borne el… but kynges? Or when a sclaue is brought forth, is thir none els that season brought foorth but sclaues? Therefore yf they can not auoyde the mischefe of this answere, let them bee ashamed to practise any more suche vayne predictions, yea let them be astayde to vse tellyng of fortunes, lest they be counted in that poynte as yll as wicked Ma…asses, of whome the scripture reporteth, that amonge other his synnes he had also regarde to soothsayenge and fortune tellynge. As for Consurynge, I wyll not charge them, bycause theyr predictions ar not so sure as they are wonte to make.
But perchaunce they wyll say that al that I hauehave yet sayde, eyther agaynst their arte generally, or against these particulars, y… of no more strength then stubble or straw. Wherfore to shut vp the gappe, I entende to laye a greate blocke in their waye. And I shall desyre, theym when they make answere, (if they make any at all) that accor …ynge to the prouerbe, They wylle not stoumble at a strawe, and leape ouer a blocke. And the blocke that I wyll laye is of the heauy burthen that the Lord by the prophere Esays 47. Chapter threatneth vntounto Babylon the inuentresse of this art, where h… sayth: Nowe let the heauen g… sers and beholders of starres, the moone prophetes come and delyuer thee, yea and lette theym shewe thee, whan these thynges shall come vponupon thee: Beholde, (sayth he) they shall be as strawe, whyche yf it be kyndled with syre, no manne maye rydde it from the …hamence of the flame.
Doo you not heare, O you Astrologians, that the prophets saythe, that you canne hauehave no knowledge of thynges to came, as of warre, syckenesse, dearthe, vnseasonable weather, destruction, and suche other, whiche he threatneth vntounto Babylon. For it is manyfests, that this phrase or maner of speakynge, which the Prophete vseth, Lette them shewe when these thynges shall come to passe, is a stronger …gation or denyall, thenne yf in playne woordes he hadde sayde: They can not shew… the…, when these thynges shall comme to passe. Marke also what rewarde is promised to the vsers of this foreshewynge, that they shal be… in Goddes wrathe as straw… kyndeled with syre.
But I leaue this to theyr wysedom and discretion to consyder, and wyll proce…ede to the second kynde of particulars, that is Elections or chusynges of dayes. And here hauehave I nothyng to do with Galeues (foreign) for it is meruayle yf that it be not obiected against me, but I begynne with good dayes to let bloude. And what is the cause of bloudde lettynge? surely I thynke eyther to dyminishe humors in the body, or els to abate heate, or at least some suche cause in the body. whiche if it be vrgent, wyl not sticke to kyll the body, without consideration of signe or planet, orels if it be not so vehement wyl hurt the body, without respect of good days or yll. Therfore seyng this abundance of bloude wyll not tarie for good dais or yll, but wyll procede to annoy the body: wherfore shuld the body tarye for good sygnes to bee rydde of it? And lykewise of purgations, what sort soeuer they be: If any thynge bee nedefull to be pourged, yt wyll not ceasse from annoyeng vponupon good dayes, and woorke his malice onelyonly vponupon tuyll dayes: but who so euer is troubled with any suche thynge, shall feele that his disease lyttle regardeth the course of the starres, and he, yf he bee wyse, wyll as little regard them in sekyng for remedy. Who so shuld narowly marke this geare, should fynde out among them greuous absurdities, but wee entende to make but shorte woorke. Nowe therefore must we leape from phisike to husbandry.
Good days to sowe and plante, I thinke be whan the earth is moderatly moystned, and gentilly warmed with the heat of the sonne, whyche must bryng vp these seedes or plantes nourished with humours, and pleasauntly resolued with the southweste wynde, or other of lyke nature, As for the sygne or constellation yf the aforesayde lacke shall neuer prosper or encrease, the seedes sowen or plantes planted, nor endamage them, yf these causes d…o not sayle, and although bothe mete togyther, it is as muche healpe vntounto the sedes as it was ease for the Camell whenns the Flye leapt of from his backe.
To iourney by lande is good when so euer a manne hath honest and necessary affayres, the better yf the weather be faire, & the way cleane, specially yf he be a foote manne. But he, that hauynge vrgent busynes wyll tary vntyll he hauehave a good day, is worthy to come to late, or as they say, A daye after the fayre. For he that wyll not take hold of occasions heare that is before him, when she hath ones tourned her back may clawe on her bare skulle, and fynde duplicate page duplicate page neuer an heare to take holde of.
Good dayes to iourneye by water, are partly as they are to iourney by lande, and also it is required, that they hauehave a good … and prosperous wynde. With which i… they begynne theyr course, it is a greate … that they shall hauehave good successe. If any manne hauyng wynde and weather, ty… and tyde conuenient, wyll tarye for …erre or planette, sygne, or constellation, … leese those former oportunities, thoughe he hadde all the fauourable starres in heauen an his syde, shall hauehave a troublesome voyage.
Good dayes to bye and selle, bee market dayes, and all other whensoeuer a manne canne gette a good bargayne with honestie. I thynke but sewe marchantes wyll leese their mart in waightyng for heauenly healpe frome the starres.
Euyll dayes to bye and sell be holydais, and suche tymes as menne shoulde be occupied in prayer, and hearyng gods word. Ill places to bye and selle, bee Churches, and other places appoynted for praier and preachynge. Other days and places be indifferent, if the bargayns he good.
Good daies to mary are all the dayes in the yeare of theyr nature, in as muche as to doo a good thyng it is good at al tymes: The mariage it selfe taketh not effecte (as these superstitious diuinours saye) of the daye or tyme but of the cause and circumstaunce in whiche it is contracted. For yf those bee nought, not Uenus nor Iupiter nor all the louynge sygnes can make that mariage good: And yf thou marry in the feare of God, though Mars and Saturne satte ouer thee, and thoughe it were on the moste dismall daye that euer Egyptian or Chaldean obserued, thou shalte be sure of the Lordes blessynge, whyche he promiseth to all them that in his feare and louelove entreth into that honourable estate. So muche the more is theyr vnholsome harmonie to be hissed oute, that appoynts certayne days, in whyche yf a man shuld marry, the parties shoulde neuer agree or louelove one the other.
But I leaue the rest vntyl such tyme as I shall bee dryuen to answer them, where yf they keepe not modestie, as I thynke I hauehave doone, I wyl yet vtter more to the confusion of theym, and theyr arte.
But to close thys parte of Elections as we dyd the other with a sure barre, wherwith God woulde barre the Israelites, in the, xviii. chapter of Deuteronomie, sayeng by Moyses, Chere shall not be amonge you any choser of dayes or soothsayer. For those nations whithe the Lord casteth out before you among other abhominatiōs hauehave regarde to choosers of dayes, and sorcerers. Therfore yf this seeme not inough to keepe oute the Astrologians, but they wyll needes enter with theyr predictions and Elections, at the leaste lette all theym that nowe euen with theyr handes feele and handle the truthe, hereafter suffer them, as they are false prophetes, so to prophecie to them, whiche in the myddest of lyght and truth, wil peruersely embrace falsehod errour and darkenesse.
FINIS.
¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Sutton dwellyng in Pater noster row at the signe of the blacke Boy. The. 23. day of December. And are there to be solde.
Perused and allovved according to the Quenes maiesties iniunctions.
End of the text · William Fulke, Anti-Prognostication (1560)