Four Great Liars Striving — William Perkins

Four Great Liars Striving · William Perkins

A RESOLVTIon to the Countrey-man, prouyng it vnlawfull for him to bye or vse our yearly Prognostications.

GOOD Reader, I hauehave thought it cōuenient (for some speciall causes) in this short treatise, to disclose a part of my mynde vntounto thee, concernyng the makyng of Prognostications, and if it might be, to perswade thee, not to spend thy money in buying any of them. I hauehave long studied this Art, and was neuer quyet vntill I had seene all the secretes of the same: but at y^e length, it pleased God to lay before me, y^e prophanenes of it, nay, I dare boldly say, Idolatry, although it bee couered with fayre and golden shewes. Wherfore, that which I will speake with griefe, the same I would desire thee to marke with some attention. My reason shall partely concerne thee, partly y^e Prognosticatour himselfe. First on thy behalfe, I reason thus.

The first Reason, immoderate care.

1 AS a man doth see the blessinges of God vponupon him, so he must also labour with a carefull diligence to maintayne the state of this life. But because the affection of man is caried headlong vntounto a greedy couetousnesse: this desire of ouermuch carpyng and caryng, must bee bridled with two strong bittes.Math. 6.11. First, all our care must extende it selfe no further, then the present day: Secondly, in caryng we must not trust vntounto our selues, but fixe all our confidence in the mercy and prouidence of God who blesseth all, and without whose goodnesse, nothyng can come to passe, doe what we will. As touching the first, we hauehave the direction of our Sauiour Christ: who teacheth vsus to pray on this wise. GiueGive vsus this day our dayly bread, whereby we are giuen to vnderstand, that we are onelyonly to seeke for the present tyme, resting with this persuasiō, that he which hath blessed vsus this day, wil also to morow, & the next day shew his like goodnes vntounto vsus. Again, in y^e same place, our Sauiour Christ speaketh on this wise. Care not thē for the morow: Math. 6.34.for the morow shall care for it selfe: the day hath inough with his owne griefe. By this we learne that God will prouide for eueryevery day all things necessary, though we do not encrease the present grief, with caryng and casting in our heades how we shall liue in the tyme to come. Nowe tell me what is the cause that thou yearely doest buye a Prognostication, & one of those, whiche tell the straungest thynges? Is it because thou hast a delite to read the style of Prognostications? Or because thou wouldest learne to Prognosticate? Or because the pictures and Characters whiche they make, delite thy mynde? it were follie to be persuaded of this, seyng the very cause it selfe is manifest. Thy whole desire is to fil thy coffers, & to heape vp wealth, thou art afrayde least thou shalt become poore, therfore thou greedely buyest thee Prognostications, and cōtinually searchest all the corners of them, to see the state of the yeare to come, euē thus in mynde reasoning with thy self. I can neuer be quiet, nor take my sleepe, vntill such time as I hauehave knowne the state of the yeare ensuing, that I may frame my busines accordingly: This next yeare there will be much rayne, it will rotte corne vponupon the groūd, it wil be spoyled, I will keepe my corne vntill the next yeare following: I finde that corne wil be deare about halfe a yeare hence, I wil not sell my corne now, but keep it, that I may hauehave plenty of money for it, and sufficient beside, to maintaine my house: the sea and land is calme & quiet this yeare, the next yeare many shipwrackes & troubles in many countreys will fall, now I will fraught my ships that then I may be quiet. These imaginations are liuely argumentes of thy diffidence, & despayre in the goodnesse & louing kindnes of God. If thou feare God, louelove God, put thy whole trust in God, y^u art content to referre thy whole preseruation vntounto the handes of God: now, these proling and raingeing conceites of the tyme to come, argue that either thou neuer thinckest on God, or at the least perswadest thy selfe, that either he will not, or cannot helpe thee. And if thou, in thy couetous mind, pray vntounto God, thou cāst not pray according to the institution of Christ, without hypocrisie, giuegive vsus our dayly bread this day: UUherefore, seyng the hauing of Prognostications, commeth of so wicked causes, as is the greedy desire of prosperitie, & wealth, and argueth some kinde of diffidence in God: when thou readest these my wordes, examine thine own hart, if thou finde my sayings true (as certainely thou shalt) neuer hereafter desire to know the state of the yeare before hand, except it be for the seasons of the yeare, which I am perswaded, y^u mayst know in some part, without any skill, euen by thine owne experience.

The second Reason, neglect of Gods prouidence.

2 COncerning the contēpt of Gods prouidence, thus much I say. The Prognosticatour, if hee be asked whether he confesse the prouidence of God, he will with all his hart confesse it: but by his deedes he doth deny it, for all the thinges whatsoeuer, which can happen in a whole yeare, he attributeth them to the starres, & so he publisheth his Predictions, alwayes mentionyng starres, neuer, or very slēderly, making any significatiō of the power, & iustice, mercy, and euerlastyng wisedome of God. And surely, euen for the very paring of thy nailes, for the cuttyng of thy hayre, for the puttyng on of thy shoes, for taking a iourney two or three miles frō thine house, for obtayning at Gods handes thy request, for makyng thy bargaine with thy neighbour, for all thine actions bee they neuer so small: these wise men (if thou wilt aske their aduise) will giuegive thee counsell from the stars. Now whē these their irreligious predictions shalbe had in thy bosome, and red of thee dayly, thou being a man vnlearned & worldly giuen, neuer hearyng any mention of the speciall prouidence, & hand of God in eueryevery thyng, but long discourses of the vertues of Planets, & signes, doest neuer thincke vponupon the wonderfull and most infinite power of God, working after a speciall maner in eueryevery matter, but art drawne straightwayes into an admiratiō of the Astrologer, and a great feare of the constellations of heauen. An experience of this I found in thee, about two yeares ago. A learned man (yet in this case far deceiued) wrote an Astrologicall discourse of the cōiunctiō betwene Iupiter & Saturne, wherein he shewed of great alteratiō in eueryevery thing to fall. At this thou wast sore agast, thy mind was incōbred with …ettling thy goodes to set thē in order against that day: thy sōg for halfe a yeare was nothing els, but, the cōiunction the cōiunction: the day being come, what staryng was there and gazing into heauen, to see the meetyng of those 2. Planets: Now all this while, where was Gods prouidence? where was that trust and reioysing in him? where was that praysing of his name for all thinges whatsoeuer should come to passe? where was that meditation of his infinite, & vnsearcheable wisdome? these thinges were neuer thought nor hard of, and if they were hard of, yet by reason of thine earthly affections, they tooke no place in thine hart. This thy dealyng is like vntounto the follie of that man, who hauyng a costly clocke in his bosome, neuer extolleth or thinketh on the wit and inuention of the clockemaker, but is continually in admiration of the spring or watch of the clocke, by whose meanes all the wheeles hauehave their swifter or flower, their backeward or forward motiōs, and by which the whole clocke keepeth his course. Wherefore me thincketh that in a Christian common wealth, those onelyonly bookes should bee published for thine vse, which might beate into thine head, and make thee eueryevery houre and momēt to thincke on the prouidence of God: which being once settled in thy minde, the consideration of the meanes, which GOD vseth, will follow it of selfe. Contrarywise, to tell thee the meanes whiche GOD doeth vse, to thunder out the aspectes and constellations of Starres, and seldome to mention of his prouidence, maketh thee to feare, and admire, and louelove the means, quite forgetting the worke of God in the meanes. This fault was very rife amongest the Israelites, who came yearely vntounto Astrologers and wise mē: Wherefore that whiche is spoken by Ieremie vntounto them, is also spoken vntounto thee. Heere ye the word of the Lord, Ierem. 10.12that he speaketh vntounto you, O house of Israell: Thus saith the Lord, learne not the way of the heathen, and bee not afrayd for the signes of heauen, though the hethen be afraid of such: In like sort, God forbiddeth his people of England to giuegive credite, or feare the cōstellations & coniunctions of starres and Planettes which hauehave no power of themselues, but are gouerned by hym, & their secret motions and influences are not known to man & therfore there can be no certain iudgement therof. If thou wilt not heare & folow this which I say, see what will ensue. Thou seest that the greatest matters which these Diuinours and Prognosticaters foretell, fall out flat otherwise then they say, to to their perpetual shame, Truely I am perswaded, that it is the iudgement of God vponupon them (although they cannot see it) who maketh them, when they thinke they are moste wise, to be most fooles. For so the Lorde vsed the wise men and Astrologers of Chaldea, as he speaketh by his Prophet Esay. I am the Lord that made al things, that spred out the heauens alone, Esay. 44.24.& stretch out the earth by my self, I destroy the tokens of soothsaiers, & make thē that coniecture fooles, and turn their wise men backward, & make their knowledge foolishnes. Doest thou then O carelesse and miserable man, thinke to escape the same, or greater punishment being a cause of this fault, for if none desired to know what is to come, none would busie themselues in that vanity. Wherefore, read the worde of God in the 18. of Deut. When thou shalt come (sayth the spirite of God) into the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee, Deut. 18.9.thou shalt not learne to doe after the abhominations of those nations. In the wordes following Moses numbreth 9. abhominations.

1 To make his child go throgh the fire.

2 To vse witchcraft.

3 To regard tims, this is thy falt

4 To mark the flying of foules.

5 To be a sorcerer.

6 To be a charmer.

7 To counsell with spirites.

8 To be a soothsayer.

9 To aske counsell at the dead.

Al these horrible abhominations being rehearsed, marke what followeth. For al that do such things are an abhomination vntounto the Lord, Deut. 18.9.& because of their abhominations, the Lorde thy God doth cast thē out before thee: now seing most of these abhominations, & especially the 3. is vsed of vsus, why should we not fear y^e like iudgments vponupon vsus, vnlesse we will repent, and that with speede.

1 The reasons which concerne the Prognosticatour, and maye auayle to the perswading of thee, not to buy any more of their vnprofitable bookes, as these which follow, first their vnhability in Prognosticating: secondly, their manifest vntruthes: thirdly, their impieties: fourthly, their tricks of deceit. What? can they not foretel that which is to come? can they not make coniectures of that whiche is like to ensue? No surely. And I will vse argumentes to confirme it vntounto thee.

The first reason, of the vse and end of the Heauens.

THe true vse of the heauens consisteth in many pointes. 1. To declare the glory of God.Psal. 19.2. The Heauens (saith Dauid) declare the glori of god & the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands. It is an Alphabet written in great letters, in which is described the maiestie of God, and that by these foure speciall poyntes: First, the maiestie of the worke it selfe. 2. the infinite multitude of Starres. 3. by the wonderfull varietie of Starres. 4. by the greatnesse of the Starres.

Secondly,2 it maketh sinners and wicked menne inexcusable before the iudgement seate of God.Rom. 1.20. For the inuisible things of him (saith Paule) that is, his eternall power, and Godhead are seen by the creation of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse.

Thirdly,3 they serue to the appointing of times, as day, night, monethmonth, yeare,Gen. 1.14. which are both measured and described by the course of the sonne, and moone, and other Starres. And so the feast of the Israelites, and the computation of the yeare in our Church, dependeth thereupon, and without them there would be great confusion both in the common wealth and Church.

Fourthly, they serue to be signes,4 that is, to foretell things to come. And they are signes either of extraordinary thinges, or thinges which be ordinary. Whē they are signes of extraordinary thinges, then there is, and appeareth in them some extraordinary work of God: as appeareth in these examples which follow. At the suffering of Christ, not onelyonly the vayle of the temple rent, Mat. 27.and the dead rose foorth of their graues, but also the sunne was wholly eclipsed, the Moone being in y^e full. At whiche sight, Dyonisius Areopagita, a good Astronomer spake these words: either the frame of this world is destroied, or the God of nature suffereth. The Prophet Ezechiel being commaunded of God to prophecie the destruction of Egypt, he first putteth downe extraordinary signes: And when I wil put thee out, Ezec. 32.78.I wil couer the heauen, and make the starres therof darke: I will couer the sun with a cloud, and the Moone shall not giuegive her light. All the lights of heauen wil I make darke for thee, and bring darkenesse vponupon the land, (saith the Lord.) Before the second cō ming of our sauiour Christ, there shall be signes in the sunne, and moone, and in the starres. Lastly, the extraordinary going backe of the sunne signified the lengthning of the life of king Ezekias. Secondly the starres or signes of generall things, which happen ordinarily eueryevery yeare in nature among vsus.

As of

1 approching and dedeclining of

1. The spring.

2. Sommer.

3. Haruest.

4. VVinter.

2 Ordinary weather in these quarters.

3 Ebbing and flowing of the sea.

4 Seasons of

5 Plowing.

6 Sowing.

7 Setting.

8 Planting.

9 Cutting.

10 Felling.

11 Reaping.

I say generall, because the perticuler estate and affayres of menne can in no wise before signified by the stars. I saye ordinary, because the thinges which fall out seldome, and are besides the common course of nature, as plentie of all things, famyne, plague, war, euersions of kingdomes, &c. Doe not depende vppon the Starres. For the confirming of this, I hauehave three reasons: first, in the 1. of Genesis, God saith that he made the lights to be signes, Gen. 1.14.15and yet, the same God in the 47. of Esay sayth,Esay. 47.13.14. he will destroy the signes of them which diuine: flatly forbidding vsus to vse Starres, as meanes to iudge of any thing to come, sauing onelie of those, of which they are expresely made signes of God in the creation: al which are put downe before. Secondly, this is manifest by the order of the creation:Gen. 1.12.14 the third day God created vponupon the earth hearbs & trees, & the earth brought forth fruites and was fertile: the fourth day God commaunded lights to be made in the firmament of heauen, to seperate the dai and the night, and to be for signes & for seasons, and dayes, and monethes, and then it was so, and then God sawe it was good. Out of which I gather that it cannot be a signe causing famyne, or plenty and fertilnes, because fertilitie went before the creation of the host of heauen. Also of wars, and plagues, and the particular estates of men, they can bee no signes, because man was not yet created, and yet euen then they were signes. Some will saie they were no signes of those matters in the creation, but nowe they may be, and are: No, for the woorkes which God created, he now preserueth, neither increasing, nor diminishing anie thinge in them. Philo, Iudeus in his booke de opificio mundi sayth, hee was perswaded that God foreseeing the mindes of men, geuen to search strange matters to come, did in this order create the heauens, to confute and dysprooue theyr imaginations. Thirdly the Heauens and starres were made for the vse of manne, and man is theii ende, so that it is absurde to imagine they hauehave anye force in the affayres of man. Nowe then, Prognosticatours if they will foreshowe of straunge thinges to come: they must vndoe the worke of their Creator, and giuegive vntounto it newe vses, otherwise they shal not bee able to prognosticate as they yearelie doe.

The second reason, the prouidence of God.

THe prouidence of God is his decree by which he appointeth how euerie thing shall come to passe. The continuall execution of this decree is ordinarily by meanes, but often without meanes. The meanes which God vseth are either generall or speciall. Generall are these by which hee gouerneth all the whole worlde, and euerie perticuler thinge, whiche concerneth this life: vntounto this kinde are referred spirituall creatures, called Angelles, by whome the philosophers saie the heauens are gouerned, and wee see that whole kingdomes, Prouinces, and Citties hauehave been kept and defended by them, as also consumed and destroied. Againe the starres and heauenly bodies are vsed of GOD to gouerne and order things here below as it is in the 19▪ Psalme. Nothing is hid from the heate of the sunne. Psal. 19.And by the prophet Hosea, the Lord speaketh thus I will heare the heauens, the heauens shall heare the earthe, the earth shal heare the corne, the corne shall heare Israell. But this instrument is onelie a generall instrument, and hath his wor… in ordinary matters of nature. Beside▪ these meanes, there be manie …her by whiche God ruleth the world. In the beginning hee sette … ouer the whole worlde▪ that hee … foules, beasts and al things … set the first born before their brethren, … Abell ▪ Princesse and Tirauntes ouer Citties▪ Kingdomes, common wealthes, and therfore by reason of their dignitie calleth thē Gods▪ There be also gouernours of families ouer their families, fathers ouer their children, maisters ouer their seruants. Yet GOD hath a more neare care in preseruing and gouerning his chosen, as appeareth in the 43. of Esaye. Thus saith the Lorde God that created thee, Esay. 43.O Iacob: and hee that fourmed thee▪ O Israell▪ feare not, for I hauehave redeemed thee, I hauehave called thee by thy name, thou art mine: when thou passest through the waters, I wil be with thee, & through the floudes, that they doe not ouerflowe thee. When thou walkest thorough the verye fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neyther shall the flame kindle vponupon thee, for I am the Lorde thy God, the holy one of Israell thy sauiour. This is also manifest by that Sympathie which is in the Lord, when hys Children are afflicted as appeareth by the 11. of Zacharie. Hee which toucheth you, toucheth the apple of myne eye. Zach▪ 11And in the 9. of the Actes. Saule, Saule, why persecutest thou mee, Actes. 9.that is, my electe. UUherefore there bee also speciall meanes by whiche hee more carefullie gouerneth the elect. As bee Aungelles, whome Paule to the Hebrewes calleth ministring spirites: it is certayne they defend eueryevery one of the elect perticularly. Hitherto may be referred the preaching of the word of god, the ministring of the sacraments. Besides this. God vseth the diuels, and wicked men and tiraunts to exercise the faith of his elect and to confirm them in patience: whereby they are called the seruauntes of the Lord, axes, hammers, sawes, and swordes in the hand of God: as Pharao and Nabuchadnezzar, and Senacherib ▪ Moreouer as the meanes by which hee worketh vponupon y^e wicked are also many.

As ▪

1 Angels good and euil. Ex. 14.

2 Frends and familiars. Iere. 13.14. Amos. 7.1.

3 Wilde beasts. Ierem▪ 8.17.

4 Heauen aboue. Deut. 11.17.

5 Diseases, plague. Exod. 15.16.

6 Famyne. Hos. 9.3.

7 Fire. Hos. 8.14.

8 Fury. Hos. 7.9.

9 Hardnes of hart. Rom. 1.28.

10 Captiuitie. Ierem. 15.2.

All these meanes Gods prouidence vseth, first that he might shew his goodnesse towards vsus: secondly, y^t hee might be known to be the Lord ouer al, thirdly, that we might be thankeful, because he not onelyonly himself gouerneth vsus, but also maketh his creatures to serue our turnes. Ma…ie this must be noted (as I said before) that in all these secondarie causes, beside their naturall worke, which God hathe giuen them, there is also the speciall worke of God his speciall h…d showed. God worketh not by second causes as Magistrates gouerne their comon wealths by their inferiour officers. For they so gouerne by them, that they doe nothing or very little themselues▪ and peraduenture neuer know what is done. God gouerneth not the world so, but in eueryevery perticuler worke, he hath his perticuler stroke. That the thunder burneth, moueth, hurteth, it is the generall prouidence of God: but that it burneth, or hurteth this or that manne, on this or that part, in this or that manner, it is the special prouidence of y^e same God. The Lord hath s…wed his special prouidence in one excellent example. If the hatchet, (sayth God) fall forth of the hand of him whiche loppeth the tree, and kill a man in the way, I the Lord hauehave killed him. God also gouerneth the worlde immediately, and hys prouydence woorketh without meanes, and manie thinges he bringeth to passe agaynst all meanes, which is manifest by that of Matthew. Man liueth not by bread onelyonly, but by euerie worde which proceedeth out of the mouth of God. For example without meanes. The spirite of God did moue vponupon the waters, and couer them in the creation immediatly. The first garment which was made, was of leather, and God alone without means made it. Noe in the Arke was preserued by God alone an whole yeare against the force of the waters, without meanes did he keepe the shoes and garmentes of the Israelites whole fortie yeares. He alone ius…ifieth, sanctifieth, and conuerteth a sinner, against the course of nature he made y^e sea to diuide it self, the sun to go backward, the fire not to burne the 3. children, the Lyons not to deuour Daniel. The causes of this, are these. 1 That we may knowe when God worketh by causes, he doth by no necessitie, but freely. 2. that wee might know when God vseth meanes, that then he is not idle, but worketh al in all. 3. That if meanes want▪ naye if meanes bee agaynst vsus, yet we should not dispayre of GODS prouidence. Now to come to oure Prognosticatours, and Moone prophettes, how shall they be able to knowe what will come to passe hereafter? for first, the heauens being onelyonly one particuler instrument of Gods prouidence, amongst manie, they cannot certainly and truely saye, this thing or that thinge proceedeth from the heauens: secondly they cannot determine whether GOD in extraordinarie matters, as Plague, Famyne, Barrennesse, Distempered weather, Earthquakes, Warres, &c. Doth worke immediatelye, or wyth meanes: If with meanes, they cannot determine, whether the Heauens, or Aungelles, or menne, or anye other thinges bee the meanes of hys prouidence. Thirdly, if they were able to knowe what the Heauen woorketh naturallye, yet they were neuer the better, for GOD beside the power of the heauens: hath in all thinges his particular workyng prouidence, alteryng, and framyng, and bendyng a… waxe his instruments to his good will. Truely by this consideration, a Christian man will be brought to leaue of to seeke what euent the workes of God shall hauehave before they come to passe. If a man shall come into a Ioyners shoppe can hee by knowing the vse of all his tooles, tell what thinges he hath made in his shoppe? No. What is the cause of that? he vseth not onelyonly his tooles in his worke, but thereunto adioyneth his owne hand, by which he handleth and tourneth the toole to his own pleasure, and so maketh diuers kinde of workes with the same instrumentes. The same may bee sayd of our Prognosticatours, whiche I would to God they would somewhat consider.

The third Reason, the want of experience.

IF our Prognosticators hauehave any means to foretell thinges to come, they hauehave those meanes either without experiēce, or with experience: If they hauehave them without experience, then must thou accompt all which they do to be foolish dreames & deceite. For all kinde of humaine learning whiche is profitable, & hath vse in the life of man, is taken frō often obseruations, and experience. If it be sayd that they hauehave their directions in Prognosticating from experience, and that of all tymes, I will conuince them thus. True experience of the causes of thinges is an often obseruing of the effectes of the same causes, with this grounde that they can proceede from no other thyng. The Phisician sayth Rhoubarbe doth purge choler. Well: how knoweth he this? hee hath often tryed this, and that in olde men, young men, children: and hath found, that in the bodies of all men, the cause of purgyng this humor, could be ascribed to nothyng els. UUherefore hee may peremptorily conclude, Rhoubarbe purgeth choler. Our Prognosticatours, in the heauens, can hauehave no such experience. For they can not obserue often the same position of starres in the heauen. The order and cause of the fixed starres and Planets, whiche we finde in the heauens this day, the next day wil be chaunged, and neuer the like agayne. They will say, in deede although the same position of the whole heauen neuer happen, yet the same coniunctions of notable starres, the same visinges and settynges, and the same constellations of the chiefest stars are marked often. I say agayn, that when these Eclipses and great coniunctions happen, the rest of the starres beyng otherwise affected then they were before, & hauyng new positions, may either encrease and diminish their effectes, or els hinder them, and quite take them away. As we see when the Sunne casting his beames into a chamber, the light of candels▪ and torches, and fires doe make it shine dimme, yet these beyng absent, it will shine bright. Agayne, they are not able to saye that constellations, whiche they hauehave marked, are causes of those effectes whiche followe, as warres, diseases, distēpered wether, earthquakes, famine, &c. For in those thinges which happē together, the one is not the cause of the other. When Nero played vponupon his harpe, Rome was on fire: yet Neroes playing on the harpe was no cause of the burning of Rome. Also these effects may hauehave others causes in the heauen, then those which they marke, and they may come immediately frō God, they may come onelyonly from the will of man. UUherfore seyng that they cannot assure themselues that those Eclipses, & coniunctions are the workes of such effectes vponupon earth, & they cannot hauehave often obseruations of the course of heauen, their rules of Predictions are feyned and supposed, & not built vponupon true experience. Let a man whiche knoweth not one hearbe, take all kindes of hearbes, and put them into a great vessell, yet so, that there be more of some hearbes, and lesse of other some: let him beate them all together, & make a compound vertue of all their vertues: Can he now tell the nature and operation of eueryevery particular hearbe? Can he deuide and seuer by any helpe the vertue of one hearbe frō another? No in deede. The same thing may be sayd of the starres of heauen: all their lightes, and all their influences (as they terme it) are in the lower bodies▪ more plainly, eueryevery earthly body hath in it all the secret powers, & workyng of eueryevery particular starre: so that they make (as it were) a compounde operation rising of all, or of the most of their vertues ioyned together? for the Astrologers hold, that although the light may be hindred by the thickenes of the body, yet the heauenly influence pearceth through all. Therefore they are not able to seuer, and learne the nature of these starres, except they cā stoppe the influence of what starres they list, and bring them into what cō passe they will. Yet thus much I will graunt them, that they may hauehave a litle knowledge of the vertue of the Sunne, and Moone. and some other starres: as we see those hearbes in the former cō position, whose vertues be the chiefest, though not fully, yet somewhat doe represent their nature, and shew themselues aboue the rest. But what is this to the purpose? If I confesse the operations of the Sunne & Moone. If I shall graunt that Saturne is in nature cold & dry, Iupiter warme & moyste, Mars hot & dry, Venus cold and moiste, Mercurie in nature mixt, the notable fixed starres in the Zodiacke to bee of the nature of Planets, and to hauehave manifest operations, as the rising of the …gg to make heate & tempestuous seas, the rising of Arcturus to make rayne and showers, Pleiades to be of the nature of Mars & the Moone &c. what will all this suffice to make a Prognostication? for seyng all starres hauehave their owne powers, & peraduenture also the least starres▪ whiche we make no accompt of, hauehave great effectes amongest vsus (as one grayne of muske in the Apothecaries shoppe maketh a greater smel then all other powders bee they neuer so many) nothyng will the knowledge of the operation of some▪ Starres preuaile, the rest beyng not knowne and neuer regarded. They will say they hauehave some experience but yet vnperfite. I hauehave showed how they hauehave no true experience at all: and their vnperfite experience maketh them perfite lyers.

The fourth Reason, the ignoraunce of causes.

A Man whiche will iudge rightly of any matter by the causes, must not onelyonly consider the common causes, but hee must also with them conferre the particular causes of all thinges which happen amonges… vsus, so he shall iudge a right. In heauen the starres be common causes of all thinges amongest vsus, because they shew their vertue on eueryevery matter, one way or other. The same things hauehave their peculiar efficientes, and matters, and formes, by whiche, & not by the heauens, they are made that▪ whatsoeuer they are. These proper causes because their natures be vnknowen vntounto vsus, I cannot see how the Prognosticatour is able to foretell any thyng to come, in good and conuenient maner, laying aside all deceiuyng and forgeing of vntruthes. To make this more playne, I wil vse this similitude. Suppose an henne to sit vppon many egges, some of her owne, some of diuers other foules: she imparteth her heate equally vntounto them: at the length she hatcheth, and some of her chickens are cockes, some hennes, some crowes, some patriches, some doues, some black, some white, some like and liue, some dye, some are killed of the kite, some are rosted. No man, I thincke, will professe so much skill, as to say that he by the considering of the henne and her heate, which is a common cause of the chickens, and all that befalleth them, is able to tell, why of this egge came a partriche, of that a crowe, why this egge had no chicken, why that had a dead chicken, &c. except hee doe therewith all adioyne the consideration of the particular effectts. The heauen is as it were an henne fostring vnderunder her winges all earthly thinges, imparting his vertue and heate vntounto all. Can our Prognosticatour: by the erectyng of figures, by consideryng the disposition of eueryevery Planet in their houses, and the significations of eueryevery thyng, iudge, why this man is wealthy that man a begger, why this noble man dyeth this yeare, none the next yeare, why it is nought to trauell this way, good to trauaile that waye, why these diseases abounde, and not other, why corne shalbe deare this quarter, not the next, why this weeke is fayre and temperate, that weeke, that monethmonth vnseasonable and tempestuous. Truely it is a thing flatte impossible. They must hereunto adioyne the particular nature of the countrey, the particular causes both in mens myndes and bodies, as, education, place, honestie, byrth, bloud, sicknesse, health, strength, weaknesse, meate, drincke, libertie of mynde, learnyng. &c. and all other speciall circumstaunces: whiche they neuer doe as we may see in their Prognostications: and if they woulde doe it, yet they could not. Wherefore I muste needes saye this, that their follie is greate in publishyng, their Prognostications: and thou also greatly to bee blamed whiche by thy greedie desire giuest them great occasion to be so vnprofitably occupied.

To shew more briefly & plainly of their vnabilitie in Prognosticating, although I graūt the stars hauehave great force,Hos. 2. yet I say they cannot iudge of thinges to come. And there be 6. impedimentes. The first impedimēt is imbecillicie of wit, for as mans eye from the earth beholding the heauens & the starres perceiueth them not in their iust quātitie, but as very small lightes: for in deede the Sunne is an hundred & threescore & sixe times bigger thē the earth, Saturne 90. times, Iupiter 95. Mars one and an halfe the Moone is the 39. part of the earth: the biggest sixed stars containe y^e earth 107. times, the stars of the secōd magnitude 90, the third 70. times, the fourth magnitude 54. times, y^e fift magnitude 35. times, the sixt magnitude 18. times. So the weaknes of mans vnderstanding is not able to conceiue and learne the thinges whiche the heauens do bring to passe on earth.

The 2. impediment, y^e infinite nūber of stars which no doubt all hauehave great power, although we do not finde it. For the Prognosticator onelyonly marketh 1028 starres & of these he taketh onelyonly heede vntounto a very fewe. Which is as though a man should iudge the power of an army by the powers of one or two souldiours and Captaines, not by the power of the whole company.

The 3. impedim…t is the infinite varieties of the vertues of stars, & the parts of heauē, which Astrologers graūt to be: yet they do not know thē. As touching y^e nature of the fixed stars, they know nothing but by the colour, which is red, leady▪ white, pale &c. resembling some Planet. And because they know not y^e vertue of all stars & eueryevery part of heauē, they are not able to iudge any thing but to their owne shame, no more then the Phisitian is able to know the nature of the cōpounde medicine without the knowing of eueryevery simple.

The 4 impedimēt, the manifold and dayly chaunge of the motions positiōs, and configurations of the stars: for if a man could tel both the number and nature of starres, yet the varietie of positions breedeth trouble & hindreth right iudgement: because by this meanes the powers of stars are increased, diminished, & chaūged. And these rules which serued for auncient tymes to foretell things, wil not serue vsus, because all the fixed stars hauehave chaunged their places, and the rest are dayly chaunged.

The 5. impedimēt, the infinite varietie of inferior things, which do hinder, peruert, chaūge, receiue, or not receiue y^e vertue & predictions of stars, as y^e nature of the soile, the dispositiō naturall of ayre, orders, & cōstitutions of the cō mon wealth, occasions, education, institution, kindes of meate and drinke &c.

The 6. impediment, the will of man, which freely in cōmon matters chuseth this, & refuseth that. There are many thinges which are caused without any worke of starres, onelyonly by the will of man, & study, as we may see in Socrates, Demosthenes, and other &c.

Thus much shall suffice to shew that they cannot Prognosticate of things ensuyng: now follow their manifold vntruthes, and most false rules. In disclosing them I will keepe the same order they vse in their Almanackes.

In the first or second leafe of their books thou shalt finde a picture of mās body with the 12. signes rounde about it, they call it the Anatomie of mans body, shewing how the 12. signes hauehave gouernemēt of the same, for the Moone or any other significatour of any thing being in the signe, they say, that it is daū gerous to boxe, to seare that part or to let bloud in it, whiche is subiect to the dominion of that signe. All these are nothyng but vayne Fables, as I will manifestly proue.

1. Whereas they call it an Anatomy, me thincketh, it is a butcherly Anatomy: nay that of the butchers is far better, for they ioyne head & appurtenaūce together: these men being sparing giuegive Aries the head, Leo and Cancer the hart & longes. As for the liuer. I know not which signe hath it, peraduēture in old time men had no liuers. At the Anatomye of a carrian crowes deale frendly, for eueryevery one hath somewhat: but in the diuision of mans body, signes play foule playe, for Capricorne hath got nothyng but a paire of knees. It is like that the signes scramblyng for their portions Capricorne beyng slowe got nothyng, hereupon compassion being had, there was a gathering made, and Sagittarius gaue the lower part of the thighe, Aquarius the higher part of the legge whiche both together make the knee. But to deliuer thee out of all doubt, marke these reasons whiche follow. 1. The signes cannot hauehave any such dominion ouer mans body: I make it manifest thus. There is no corporall heauen in deede aboue the firmament, yet because the firmament or 8 Sphere hath many motions, to giuegive reasons of those motions, the Astronomers hauehave feyned two heauens aboue the firmament, the Christaline heauen, and the first moueable or 10. Sphere, which they deuide into twelue partes. whiche partes they call signes. Now, I praye you tell me, is it possible to conceiue that an imagined part of any imagined heauen voyde of all starres, shall either hauehave in it selfe, or giuegive vntounto other Starres power to gouerne the parts of mans body? More reasonable was that man, who beyng asked what was the cause of the sandes in Sandwiche hauen, he aunswered the buildyng vppe of Tenterton Steeple Secondly the gouernement of the signes in the body is not taken from experience in nature,The twelue Signes feyned. but feyned long ago by some drowsie pate, and now because it hath a cloake of antiquitie, it is allowed. More naturall was this kinde of waye, that hote signes should gouerne hote partes, cold signes cold partes, earthy signes earthy partes. So Aries should gouerne the hart and the vitall bloud, not the head, & the rest of the signes those partes whiche are of their nature and disposition. Thirdly great experience of many men dayly confuteth this rule. For many learned Phisitians, & expert Chirurgians hauehave by infinite exāples found, that if a man be let bloud in the signe, or lanched, or boxed, or seared, no harme ensueth, nay they hauehave giuen testimony that the patients hauehave found euen then great comfort. Wherefore let not these thynges trouble thy mynde any more, but let them be nombred euen amongest vaine and vnprofitable fables.

2. Next after followeth Elections of dayes and houres, necessary for all matters as followeth.

Speciall dayes to

Prepare humors.

Let bloud.

Purge with

Vomite.

Electuaries.

Potions.

Pilles.

Cut hayre.

Comforte the vertue Bathe.

Attractiue.

Digestiue.

Retentiue.

Expulsiue.

Put children to schoole

Trauell.

Marrye.

Hunte, Hauke, Fishe.

Plante.

Geld Cattell.

Laye foundations.

Here, I pray thee, marke their naughtie dealinges how they abuse thy ignoraunce, to make themselues skilfull and to doe more then they can doe. For, if the iudgementes of the best Astrologers may be taken, certainly most of these elections cannot be prescribed to thee, vnlesse they knowe beforehand the figure of thy Natiuitie. For all Election, which concerne thy person, must be moderated (to speake as plainly as their toyes will suffer mee) by the direction of the roote of thy Natiuitie, and by the monthly and diurnall Progressions of thy present Reuolution. If anie of these pretende some euill, the perticuler Election may bee a meanes to increase, and to bring it to passe. For example, suppose, thou being a man toward marriage, in the Almanacke thou findest a good daye noted by the Prognosticatour to marry in: thou takest thy opportunitie: after a while, thou art wearie of thy life: the first daye of thy marryage was the last daye of thy ioye. UUhat is the cause of this? All the Planettes which were signifiers of thy marriage in thy natiuitie, were then euilly affected, and peraduenture also, at the first thou wast borne, they receaued some disgrace. So then thou maiest laye all blame, partly vponupon thy selfe for beleeuing and partlie vponupon the Prognosticator, who deceiued thee. But to come vntounto particulers, the elections of daies to purge the bodie with anie kinde of purgation, and to comfort the same, are most ridiculous. Why do they not also prescribe houres of eating meat? Why do they not appoint the kinds of meats and drinks, which wee must eate & vse daily? If thou see that God doth dayly blesse the enterprises of those Phisitians, which neuer regarde those elections in ministring to their patients: neuer esteeme of them, let them goe as lyes to the Diuell from whence they came. Concerning the electiōs of days to sowe, to sett, to plant, to lop, they are also foolish: the generall obseruation of the season of the yeare, in whiche these things are to be done is sufficient. And S. Augustine in his book de ciuitate Dei laugheth at the folly of them, whiche choose perticuler daies to do their husbandrie, as thogh some certain positiōs of starres had some speciall influence to the thinges which are sowne then. His reason is, because manie grains of corn beeing cast into the grounde together, springing vp together, and riping al at one time: yet some of them are blasted, some are eaten of birds, some are trodē down vnderunder foot, some stand and are neuer touched. The rest of the elections, and especially that of laying foundations is most absurde. They saye that if an house, a citie, a town hauehave his foundation when the starres be well affected, the inhabitauntes shall hauehave prosperous and quiet liuing: if when the starres be euill disposed, then trouble & disquietnes. They hauehave no experience of this, but y^t onelyonly which is most false, for they knowe not the foundations of cities and towns, neither the positions of the stars, when they were built. Let Rome and Venice be examples, because these are most alledged of Astrologers, the time in whiche they were built is vncertaine, and the Planets are falsly sette in the figure of the foundation of Rome because Mercurye is contrarie to the sunne, a thinge flatte impossible. Agayne the folly of this is thus manifest, that an house, or Citie, or common wealth may remayne the people being gone, as it is in the time of plague, and banishment, and conquestes of Princes: And the inhabitantes also may be safe and remain, the building quite ransumed, and beaten downe, as we may see in Carthage, the people and common wealth remai. ned, the Cittie quite defaced. That al elections are vnlawfull, Saint Augustine writing vntounto Ianuarius, prooueth it forth of the 4. to the Galathians by these wordes: ye obserue months and times and yeares (Therfore saith he) let vsus not obserue dayes, & yeres, and monethes, and times, least wee heare this of the Apostles: I am afraid least I hauehave taken labour in vayne with you: for he rebuketh them which say, I wil not goe, because the Moone is thus or thus mooued, or I will take my iourney that I may hauehave good successe, because there is such a position of Starres: I will not doe my businesse this monethmonth, because suche a Starre gouerneth this monethmonth: or I will doe my businesse this monethmonth because such a starre ruleth. How then shall a man doe, not to breake the worde of God? Art thou a man that desirest to leade a christian life? Then take the example of Paule, as a patterne to gouerne all the actions of thy life: without ceassing (saith he) I make mention of you in my praiers: Rom. 1.10.beseeching that by some meanes, one time or other I might hauehave prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vntounto you. So thou if thou hast anye businesse in hand, any iourney to take, any thing to buy or sell, or anie other matter: neuer regard the constellations of Heauen, committe thy selfe to the onelyonly prouidence of God, in whome thou hast thy life, and motion, and beyng, who directeth all thy steppes: pray vntounto him priuately with thy selfe to blesse thee and all thy actions, that they may tende to his glory, thy welfare: thou shalt finde that all thy enterprises wil hauehave better successe, then if the whole hoast of heauen, and all the Prognosticatours of england had promised neuer so much prosperitie. Now let vsus shew their absurd folly in prognosticating of the state of the yeare: of which their predictions are either generall for the whole yeare, or speciall for eueryevery day. In their general predictions are considered either the grounds of them, or the matters which they foretell. Their groūdes are especially two. 1. The figure of the reuolution of the yeare, erected when the sun entreth into the first minute of Aries. 2. The figure celestiall for the time of the Eclipse of the sunne and moone: for vp…n these twaine, say they, dependeth the whole state of the yeare. In their celestiall figures they consider the erecting of them, and the finding of the Lord of the figure. The erecting of the figure, containeth very many absurdities.

1 They follow that way, which Regiomontanus did inuent, neuer as yet prooued by anie experience, and flatly differing from those waies whiche of ancient Astrologers wer vsed▪ and were inuented by Gazulus and Campanus. Nay oftentimes it maketh the Planet or fixed starre to signifie a flat contrary thing to that which these two other do.

2 The casting of the heauens into twelue partes, signifieng twelue didistinct kind of matters is ridiculous, because it being imagined, and voyde of starres, can hauehave no force. Yet (some will say) other starres beeing in those places may hauehave and signifie suche or such effectes. I answere that if starres of diuers natures comming to such an house always signifieng some one kind of thing, then the house must of necessitie giuegive some force vntounto the Planet: and so it shall hauehave not onelyonly an augmenting, but also an effectually working power, which Astrologers deny, and no reason can proue.

3 They make the twelfth and eleuenth houses being higher aboue the horizon then the first, to bee of lesse force then it: and the fourth house to bee of greater power then any aboue the Horizon not Cardinall: and the ende of the ninthe to be more in power then the begynning of the eleuenth house: al which are against reason, because a Planet the more perpendicular his beames are, the more is hys force. They aunswere, althoughe the force of the light be greater, yet the secret influence is lesse, and the first house hath more forcible influence thē the twelfth or eleuenth. If the influence be secret how can they knowe it? againe they can by no good experience showe that those houses hauehave more influence then the rest: this influence maketh against them. I say they cannot prognosticate because thei know not one starres vertue. For whereas they saye, that the sunne, and moone and planets hauehave most force. I aunswere that it is by reason of their light, not their influence, which is small, and there is farre greater in the smallest fixed Starres. So that the fixed Starres althoughe they hauehave no light, or very small light perceiued, yet they hauehave most influēce. And so these men must needes dreame because they iudge by wrong causes. Well, their figure beeing framed and distinguished with faire characters, then goe they on to find the Lord of the figure, that is, that Planet which hath most dignities in the figure.

The dignities of the Planets, are founde out by these meanes especially.

1 Houses of Planets.

2 Exaltation.

3 Triplicitie.

4 Termes.

5 Starres.

6 Howses.

7 Freenesse from Combustion.

8 Directions.

9 Velocity of course.

10 Sazimi.

11 Some aspects of other Planettes.

These toyes be so foolish that a reasonable man woulde not vouchsafe to refute them: yet a worde or twaine. If the houses of the Planettes shall be battered and puld downe, all the rest of their worship and dignitie will lye in the dust. Aries and Scorpius are appointed the houses of Mars, Taurus, and Libra the houses of Venus, Gemini, and Virgo, the houses of Mercury: Cancer the house of the Moone, Leo the house of the Sunne, Sagittarius and Pisces the houses of Iupiter, Aquarius, and Capricornus the houses of Saturne. UUhat reason doe they giuegive of this? Leo and Cancer, say they, are the houses of the Sunne and Moone, because they resemble the nature of these Planets; and because they come most neare our heads: such reason they giuegive of the rest. What feeble groundes are these? As in the North parte of the worlde Cancer and Leo resemble the nature of the Sunne: so in the South part, in the contrarie climats, Capricornus, and Aquarius doe resemble their natures. Also in eueryevery countrey some diuers signes be either verticall or els come neare the topp of the countrey, and so all signes shall be the houses of the Sunne and Moone. Now then, the sunne being displaced, I cannot finde how the rest of the Planets can keep their hold. To go further the exaltations of Planets in like maner are verie dreames. They suppose Exaltations be those degrees in whiche the Planets were in the beginning of the world. But why shuld those places giuegive more force then any other? And if they could giuegive more force, yet they hauehave falsly assigned them. For the Sunne was not in Aries, when it was created of GOD, but was placed in Libra, whiche I proue by this reason. GOD created man and beast in perfect age, giuing vntounto them all kindes of fruites beeing then ripe, so that in the beginning was the tyme of the yeare, whiche wee call haruest. Now, because God neuer afterward chaunged the seasons, and wee finde that in the time of ripenesse the Sunne is alwaies in Libra, wee must needes also saie that hys place in the creation was in Libra. In the 23. of Exodus God commandeth that the feast of tabernacles should bee celebrated in the ende of the yeare when the Isralites had gathered their fruites out of the fieldes. Wherefore it must needes be that haruest was in the beginning of the yeare (the begynning and ending beeing both togither) and so by compting backwardes we shal find that the Sunne was in Libra in the beginning of the worlde. To this agreeth Iosephus de antiquit. Lib. 1. cap. 3. Rabbi Eleazer vponupon Genes. and Rabbi, Abraham, Abem, Esra vppon the 7. of Daniel.

The rest of the dignities of the planets consist of principles more weake then water. First what is more vnreasonable to a reasonable man then this, that swift motion shoulde giuegive vntounto a Planet two dignities, and slow motion two debilities: it seemeth to be plaine contrary. For a swift course hindereth the force of the Planet, a slowe course helpeth the same: and the stations of anie Planett make an effectuall and sensible operation. A cole of fire in a mans hand if it be shaken about very much, it heateth verie little, if it be shaken more slowly, it heateth more: but if it lie still, it burneth violently. Beside this, also experience confirmeth my assertion. In the yeare of our Lorde 1513. the Sunne enteryng into Pisces was almost in trine aspect with Saturne stationarie, a little while after, there was a great frost and snowe continuing many dayes: and when Saturne began agayne to be direct, the weather was indifferent warme. In the yeare 1518. In Aprill Iupiter almost in secunda statione beholding Saturne in statione prima caused a great heate considering the time of the yere. In the yeare 1520. Saturne (as I sayde before) beeing stationarie made suche a colde, that spoyled the Grapes and made Wine deare. Uppon these examples and manie other I may conclude, that the worke and influence of of Planettes, is moste felte when they are stationarie: because their vertue is fixed (as it were) in one place by reason of the slowe motion,

Combustion is in like sorte a feyned thing, UUhat reason can Astrologers geue, why it should geue vntounto a starre fiue debilities? They talke howe that experience teacheth them, that Planettes beeing vnderunder the beames of the Sunne, doe loose a great, nay (some say) all their force. It is a manifest vntruthe. For, Mercurie beeing of the nature of that Planett with which hee is conioyned, if he goe from coniunction with Saturne vntounto the Sunne, hee getteth no debilities thereby, but rather losing the feeble and vnfortunate Nature of Saturne, receiueth a more strong and fortunate nature of the Sunne. If any manne say against me that Mercurie combust hathe no force, he deceiueth himselfe. For if he be not hindered, hee naturallye will cause windes, beeing combuste he not onelyonly engendreth windes, but causeth tempestuous windes and foule weather. In Aries, Taurus, Cancer, hee maketh tempestes, in Virgo and Scorpius, raging Seas, in Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces rayne and snow. Againe when many dayes together there hath bene faire weather, the Sunne if it come to be in coniunction or any other aspect with Saturne maketh very foule weather, and therefore the aspectes of the sunne and Iupiter are called apertiones portarum pro pluuia. This could not com to passe if Saturne had his force diminished by the beams of the sunne. A Planet also being in Cazimi, that is, being within 16. minutes of the suns middle haith therby 5. dignities, which cannot well be, if that cō bustion giuegive 5. debilities. For the Planet is in the middle of his combustion, and the sunne casteth his beames and force verie vehemently vponupon it. These suns shew how absurde a dreame combustion is: yet if it were a good & sound principle of Astrologie, and gaue vntounto eueryevery Planet 5. debilities, yet it could not be proued, that libertie from combustion shuld giuegive fiue dignities, being onelyonly a meere absence and priuation of the other. Magnes at the presence of the Adamant, is hindred from drawing Iron: yet if the Adamant be away, the attractiue vertue of the magnes is not increased. Here I might with ease confute y^e triplicities of Planets, directions, aspects, applications, preuentions, refrenations, with many such like, but my intent at this time is onelyonly to shew thee some vntruthes of oure Prognosticatours.

Thus muche of the groundes of their predictions, now followe the matters of which they Prognosticate, and they are very manie: nay, there is no matter almost, of which they will not giuegive their verdite: but how they do this I will briefly make it manifest vntounto thee, that their lyes & their vnchristian dealing may bee more loathed of thee.

1 They foretell of Comets, Earthquakes, Famynes, and plagues &c. but they do it as the blind man which casteth hys staffe hee knoweth not where. No man as yet euer knewe the true causes of these. As for Cometes and blazing starres they do not rise of the influence of any starres, neither are they anye earthly thinges, but are in heauen, moste commonly far aboue the Moon, as by Geometrical & Astronomical demonstrations may be be proued: how this cōmeth to passe the Lord only knoweth. And surely they do thee great iniurie, that when as, no doubt, God doth lighten them, and send the rest extraordinarily, as threatnyng tokens of his sore displeasure, yet they will rocke thee a sleepe in the cradle of securitie by telling that such tokens came from the ordinary course of the heauens.

2. They foretell all thinges whiche happen in ciuill affaires amongst men, as are these which follow.

LoueLove and hatred of kinsfolke.

Mariages.

Encrease of farmes and liuings.

Iniuries and quarells.

Raysing of rentes.

Exactyng of subsidies by officers.

False rumors.

Imprisonmentes.

Hard intreating of Ecclesiasticall persons.

Buying, selling, vnderminyng.

The studying of sciences.

Frendes fall out for trifles.

Solemne progresses.

Fauour of noble men.

Men shall fall, body, and goodes into the Princes handes.

Marchandise vnprofitable. &c.

These and such like proceede onelyonly from the will of man: the constellations of starres are neither signes nor causes of them. Some will say, Non imponere necessitatem, sed inclinare Stellas, that is. That starres doe not constraine, but onelyonly incline the myndes of men: a most wicked saying, although most commonly spoken of, and defended. For y^e inclinyng of the wil of man is onelyonly the work of God, as the holy Scriptures doe teache vsus. The hart of man (sayth Salomon) purposeth his wayes, Prou. 1.6.9.but the Lorde directeth hys steps. Ier. 10.23.O Lord (sayth Ieremy the Prophet) that the waye of man, is not in himself, neither is it in man to walke and direct his steppes. Hee speaketh this, because that Nebuchadnezzar purposed to hauehave made warre agaynst the Moabites and Ammonites, but hearyng of Zedekias rebellion, hee turned his power to goe agaynste Ierusalem, therefore the Prophet sayth, that whereas hee had otherwise purposed, yet this was the Lordes inclination and direction. Agayne in the Prouerbes,Prou. 21.1. we read this: That the hart of the kyng is in the handes of the Lord, as the Riuers of water he directeth it whether he will. It will be sayd, that although God properly and immediately inclineth the will of man: yet also some small inclination must be giuen vntounto the Starres, and that immediately. For

Say some.

Constellations worke vpō the Elementes by the foure first qualities.

Elementes worke vponupon, and alter the compound bodies and humors.

Compounde bodies by their qualities change the senses.

The senses beyng altered, the vnderstandyng is altered.

The vnderstanding lastly altereth and inclineth the wil of man.

Therefore Constellations incline the will.

This reason is not much vnlike that whiche the dronken man maketh, seruing as well for the defence of his vice, as the former for approuing of truth in diuination.

He which drinketh well, sleepeth well.

He which sleepeth well thinketh no harme:

He which thinketh no harme, is a good man:

Therfore he whiche drinketh well, is a good man.

The deceites and vntruthes whiche be in their reasons, are very many.

1. The starres worke vponupon mens bodies, yet so y^t the nature of the Country and soyle, the meates and drinkes hauehave most commonly greater force. Why are the bodies of Gentlemen of England and poore labouring mē of diuers dispositions? are they not both in one countrey? do not the starres shew their force in them alike? yes truely, but the kinde of life and diet preuaileth. In the same region, why are they, which dwel vponupon hills, of other temperatures then they, which dwell vponupon playne & champion grounde? Why? doe not the same influences of Starres make them of like natures? is it not because the nature of the soyle preuayleth? So then, when as there be many causes effectuall, and differing in altering mens bodies, to builde an argument vponupon one cause is most vnreasonable.

2. The starres worke vponupon the Elementes earth, water, ayre, by makyng heate, cold, moisture, drines. The elementes, how worke they on mens bodies? They will also say by making heate, cold, moysture, dryenesse: which is most vntrue: for the whotter and dryer the Elementes be, the colder and moyster by nature are mens bodies. Accordyng to that saying of Empedocles: Nature placed a whote body in a cold countrey, and a cold body in a whote countrey.

3. The Philosophers say that all causes are either per se or per accidens. Now the heauens being causes of the alteration of the senses per accidens, they must not bee causes of the inclination of the will, either per se or per accidens, but per accidentis, accidens, whiche is most ridiculous.

4. This long chayne by whiche they lincke the will of man to the starres, if it shalbe applyed vntounto particulars it must needes breake: for the actions of the will is buying, selling, trauailyng, lying, heaping vp wealth, murdering, spreading of false rumours, offering of discourtesies, hatyng of kinsfolkes, and such like, whiche our heauengazers foretell, hauehave no coherēte with the first qualities, heate, cold, moisture, drynesse: neither can they any waye proceede from them, and therfore the starres cannot be causes of them, for they worke onelyonly by these qualittes.

5. This reason is nothyng to their purpose: for because they graunt that a man may freely resiste the inclination of the starres & he may hinder that, vntounto which the stars bend his wil, how dare they presume to say this or that will come to passe. The heathen men gaue vp thēselues to their own lustes & vanities and followed eueryevery litle and vayne inclination: & of them, in this order, did auncient Astrologers among them diuine that this or that time, such actions, such vices, such enterprises, such affaires should be amōg them. In like maner our English wisemē, speake of vsus as though we were beastes, not reasonable men, as thogh we neuer had heard the blessed Gospell of God, neuer tasted of the grace of God, neuer learned what is good and what is bad, neuer laboured to subdue our lustes & affections, alwayes turned to and fro with the blast of any influence, working very slenderly in vsus.

Thus muche of Ciuill affaires. They make mentiō also yearely of the diseases whiche shall reigne: but the way which they follow, is taken forth of the barren and vncertaine rules of of the old Astrologers, who do so ascribe vntounto eueryevery Planet certaine diseases, that if neede shall require, they may referre the same disease vntounto many significatours as in the plague, the putrefaction of humors is attributed vntounto Iupiter, the sharpe feuer vntounto Mars, the madnesse whiche followeth vntounto Mercurie, the whole plague vntounto Mars. In the plurecie the inflammation of the bloud betwene the skinne called Pluritis, and the ribbs is attributed vntounto Iupiter, the suppuration of the bloud vntounto Saturne, and the whole pluresie vntounto Iupiter. In the Iaundes the inflamation and corruption of humors, vntounto Iupiter, the yelow humor in the gaule, vntounto Mars, the obstruction of the partes vntounto Saturne, the whole Iaunds beyng white vntounto Mars, blacke, vntounto Saturne. And so in eueryevery disease, they vse this inconstancie and ambiguitie in Prognosticating. It is a rule among the Astrologers that if the Planets signifiers of diseases be well affected, then there shalbe no diseases but health: if they be euilly affected then diseases follow. Our Prognosticatours neuer marke this rule, but howsoeuer the Planets bee affected, they straightwayes pronounce that such diseases shall reigne. For exāple the last winter quarter, it was said by one of them, that y^e diseases which should afflict mens bodies were rewmes, coughes, cold laskes, swelling of the face & throte, fallyng of the Colmel sore eyes, deafenesse, the stone, goute, dropsie, greenesicknes, madnes, quarterne feuers. &c. And all the Planets signifiers of diseases in that quarter were indifferēt well affected: wherfore thou hast not one cause to feare their threatninges, but rather to be sorie for their continuall deceites, wishing them myndes that they may one day see their owne follie.

Concernyng the tyme when the constellations take their effectes, our Prognosticators say that some take their effectes, the same yeare, some not the same yeare but long after, as great coniunctions and Eclipses. For they say if the Moone be eclipsed one houre, she worketh her effect a monethmonth after, if two houres, two monethes after: and the Sunne for eueryevery houre it is Eclipsed taketh his effect an whole yeare after. Truely this rule whiche they follow, must needes be agaynst all reason. For why should not all coniunctions and oppositiōs of the Sunne and Moone differre their effectes as well as those coniunctions and oppositions in which the Sunne and Moone is Eclipsed? if they showe forth their power immediately after, why should not these also do the same? Moreouer the Epignosticall Astrologers who hauehave conferred the course of the heauens, with histories shew very manifestly, that Eclipses do not deferre the tyme of working their spite vponupon the earth.

In the yeare of our Lord. 1419. the Sunne was Eclipsed in Aries, and presently after shewed all his force. There was a great sedition in Prage that yeare: In Paris an vprore betwene them of the Citie and the Uniuersitie, and two thousand Scholers were slayne. Then also Wenzeslaus king of Bohemia being in a great palsie dyed▪ In the yeare .1524. There was a coniunction of Saturne and Iupiter in Scorpius & also a great Eclipse of the Sunne in Iune, whiche tooke their effectes the same yeare: Charles king of Fraunce driuen forth of his countrey: warre betweene Danes and the men of Sleswicke. There was a great plague in Germanye, Ciuill dissention amongest the Princes of the Empire and them which tooke the part of Iohn Husse .1452. An Eclipse of the Sunne in Sagittarius, his effectes began presently, and lasted a great while: Euen then Constantinople was taken by the Turke. The Hungarians and Bohemians besieged Fredericke the Emperour. 1473. the 27. of Aprill: the Sunne was Eclipsed in Taurus, Mars beyng in Aries, and Iupiter in Sagittarius. The same yeare in sommer was such heate and drynesse of weather that woodes euen withered, and one might wade ouer deepe riuers. In the yeares of our Lord. 1476. 1460. 1469. 1486. 1502. 1518. And many yeares after there were both great coniunctions & straunge Eclipses which tooke their effectes presently, not one, or two, or three yeares after (as our heauengazers beare thee in hand). All these examples whiche I bring agaynst them, I hauehave not fayned, but taken forth of those bookes which they hauehave in greatest estimation, and could, if neede should serue, bring an hundred more, all to shew their lyes, when as they cōmonly say thus, there shalbe an Eclipse this yeare, mary I will not here determine his effectes, but reserue them to be declared in my Prognostication one yeare or two yeares hence, when it will take place.

To know where the effectes of the starres shall take place, they hauehave appointed vntounto eueryevery signe certaine countreys, as ouer Europe they hauehave set the fiery Triplicitie, ouer the Orientall and North partes of the Asia the ayrie Triplicitie, the waterie Triplicitie ouer Aphrica, ouer y^e South partes of the Asia the earthie Triplicitie: & so eueryevery peculiar signe hath his dominion ouer some partes of those. Now therefore, when a coniunction or Eclipse is in any of these signes the Cities and countreys subiect vntounto them feele the force of that constellation especially. This is a most manifest vntruth and may bee confuted by many reasons. 1. The nature of the signes is not the same now as it was in tymes past, and by the confession of the … learned hauehave other effectes, now then they had in the dayes of … …: yet we see the nature of Countreys and people to remayne the same still, as may bee seene by readyng Tacitus, Plinie, Caesar, Strabo. 2. America whiche is halfe the worlde, hath no signes appointed ouer it: why? it was founde out of late. True it is, but this is an argument that y^e rules of Astrologie, are absurde, and were the bare inuentions and imaginations of idle braynes. For, there is no doubt, but that America his partes and Ilandes as Br…silea, Peru, Pari, Terra Florida, Iaua Maior, Iaua Minor, Puloana, Pauilonga, Subath: Massana, Mattan, Iuuacana, Cozumella, Iamaica &c. HaueHave felt the force of those Constellations, whiche they attribute to some partes of the olde world. Because these Countreys bee about the middle Zone, and hauehave both Planetes and signes full ouer them, and therfore if the starres threaten any straunge thynge to come, they must especially feele it. 3. Experience the cause of all actes is agaynst them, as is manifest in these examples. 47. yeares before the Natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ there was a coniunction of the higher Planets in Scorpius. And then was ciuill warre betwene Caesar and Pompey: And the chaunge of the Empire was in Europe. But according vntounto the institution of Astrologers all these troubles should hauehave bene in Aphrike, because Scorpius hath his dominion there. In the yeare of our Lord. 34. there was a great coniunction of Planets in Leo, and then (sayth one very prophanely) was the Gospell preached through the worlde. But if hee make this coniunction to be a signe of the preachyng of the Gospell, then it should more hauehave bene preached in the partes of Europe then Asia, which is not true. In the yeares of our Lord. 331. and 1137. There were great cōiunctions in Virgo, and yet the Countreys subiect to this signe felt no harme, but Italy was troubled with the Popes superstitions, and Arrius his heresie was broched. There was a meetyng of Planetes in Sagittarius. 73. yeares after Christ, when as Otho, Galba, Vitellius, and Vespasian troubled the Romaine Empire, yet there was no where more gre…uous warres then in Palestine, and no greater slaughter then of the Iewes, who are subiect vntounto Scorpius and not vntounto Sagittarius. In the yeare .1464. a coniunction of higher Planets was in Pisces, vnderunder whose dominion, although Europe be not placed, yet it most felt the smart by troubles and ciuill warres. So 1576. and 1577. Two Eclipses of the Sunne, the one in Leo, the other in Capricorne tooke their effectes in Germanie: when as Leo and Capricorne doe not rule that Countrey. It is vayne to shewe the absurditie of this rule by moe examples, these shalbe sufficient.

This shall suffice to hauehave spoken of their generall Predictions, now follow their speciall determinations of the state and temperature of the weather, wherein I will set forth first of all a most manifest and absurde contradiction, whiche most of them make & that is this. They vse (as I hauehave sayd) to set downe their iudgementes of the whole quarter, that it should be either moyst, hote, cold, or drye: afterward iudging particularly they disproue by particular dayes that whiche they sayd before. In the yeare of our Lord. 1581. one sayd that in y^e Autumne quarter should be a great drought, yet I perusing his particular iudgements vponupon the dayes of the quarter, I finde it should hauehave plētie of rayne. In the yeare last past, an other sayd, the s…mmer should be so hote & drye that euen Welles & riuers should be dryed vp, and fishes be scarce, and Cattell drye for want of water: yea the same partie in his particular iudgement of the weather, maketh 20. dayes of the same quarter, at the least rayne and misling, and 30. other either temperate or very cold.

In one worde, the iudgementes whiche are set downe, of the weather, they are more tolerable then the rest: yet as long as the world endureth, no man shalbe able to Prognosticate truely what weather shalbe in eueryevery day of the yeare. The causes of this I hauehave set downe before, and neede not now to repeate. UUherefore they might leaue of anie longer to busie themselues in this kind. And it shalbe sufficient for thee leading a christian lyfe to know the generall and ordinarie estate of the partes and seasons of the yeare.

The third reason impieties.

Besides all this the impious speeches and vngodly practises, whiche these men vse, might moue a christian man to loath their predictions. First, yeerely some of them doe foretel whether men shall study and imbrace, or forget and neglecte true Religion. UUhat a filthie and diuelish thinge is this, not to bee suffered in a common wealth where the Gospell of Christ is preached. EueryEvery man naturally is the childe of wrathe, the vnprof…table seruant, dead in all kinde of sinne, hys vnderstanding it is enmitie agaynst God, his affections are rebellious against his will: none doth good no not one: not one hath anie facultie to receaue or keep true religion: we are as sawes in the hands of God, as the prophet Esay speaketh: howe then become wee religious? by the onelyonly worke of God.Ioh. 6.44. No man can come to me (saith Christ) except the father draw him. And as God draweth vsus first vntounto true religion, so he also maketh vsus continue in the professing of the same, as S. Paul saith, hee whiche hath begon a good worke in you, wil finish the same &c. By what meanes doth God do this? by the outward preaching of the law and the Gospell, and by the inwarde working of his holy spirite: other meanes the scripture neuer mentioneth. On the contrary part, if anie manne refuse the grace of God, and wil not imbrace the true Religion, it proceedeth from the hardnesse of his owne heart, and wilfull rebellion. Seeing therefore the rebellion of man commeth from his owne will,2. Cor. 4.34. and the imbracing of true godlinesse from God alone: UUhy dare they presume without great impietie to adioyne y^e constellatiōs as adiuuāts either vntounto man or God in this diuine work. Again these predictions are verie perillous, for if a manne be wickedly giuen, they hinder him from the acknowledging of his sinne, because they make him lay part of his faultes vppon the starres, when as all indeede come from his owne soule. And if a man be a penitent sinner and feele the grace of God: yet being weake in faith and cō science, they make him not to put hys whole trust in God, and to louelove hym with all his soule, with all his strength but allure him in som part to attribute that vntounto the stars whiche is the onelyonly work of God and not of any creature. 2 They vse to foretell what vices shall raigne, as in these examples.

There shall be much vnlawfull and secret whoredome.

Great robbing by hyewayes sides.

VVanton and young women shall sit in their Ladies lappes, by reason of theyr GODDESSES well placing.

Many shall vse deceite and cousening.

By these and such like, lewd & dissolute people, take occasions & ar stirred vp to liue prophanely, & to folow those vices vntounto which, y^e lusts of their nature carry them.

The fourth reason tricks of deceite.

A Iugler which taketh vponupon hym to doe straunge things must vse manie sleightes, least if the stander by shall see his trickes of ligierdemayne he be descried, and all his former cunning turne to his shame. Our Prognosticatours vnderstanding this, hauehave thought it conuenient to vse in their kind some trickes of deceiuing Iuglers, I can cal them by no better name, for so they are in deede. First publishing their predictions in thy behalfe, they vse such absurde, vnknowne, and insolent wordes, as (I thinke) neuer the lyke were red or hard amongest vsus in England. As are these which follow.

1 A Prognostication Astrologically calculated for the pole areticke for such a cittie whose longitude and latitude is thus.

2 Quartill reuolution.

3 Rectified for the motions and aspectes of the meridian and eleuation.

4 Capricorne in qualitie colde and drie, melancholie, in taste bitter, nocturnall foeminine, meridionall, of the earthly trigon.

5 Mercurialistes, Iouialistes, Martialistes. Hiemal Solstice Aestiual, Verual, Autumual.

6 Pars torturae coupled with the Dragons tayle.

7 Taurus a signe of the earthy trigonisme naturallie, colde in the signe horoscop: and virgo of the same stamp the signe of the preuention praeceeding.

8 A signe of the same triangularity Iupiter Lorde of this reuolution resident with Venus in domicilio deorsum ab Angulo cadente.

9 Planets retrograde.

10 Cardinal or a succedent position.

11 Lunarie defect. In his dodecatimorian.

12 Names of straunge authors. Proclus, Alchindus, Messahala, Zael, Albohazen Haly, Albumacer, Albubater, Guido, Bonetus, Hispaleusis, Firmius, Abrahā, Auenezra, Trismegistus, with many other wōdrous Doctors hauing a great deale of smale learnyng, and beeing farre borne as in Caldea, Persia, Arabia, Iury.

1 Thou wilt saye what meanes all this? here is great learning no doubt, it passeth my capacitie: who woulde not hauehave an Almanacke, if it wer for nothing but for this, to see and heare how profounde oure Prognosticatours are? Thou farre deceiuest thy self: for they perceiuing well that their deceits and lies may bee soone espied, hauehave inuented straunge tearmes to colour them, and to cast a mis…e before thine eyes that thou mayst not see their naughtie dealing. For any manne the more true and honest he thinketh his matter, the more desirous is he to speake plainly to the vnderstanding of all.

2 It was a point of the knauerie of the Diuell, otherwise called Apollo, as the Heathen men asked his counsell, to aunswere doubtfully, because when as hee was ignoraunt of the euent, yet woulde not, but seeme to know, as in this aunswere.

I tell thee Pyrrhus the Romaynes may conquere.

It is vnderstood two wayes: either that Aeacides might vanquish the Romaynes, or the Romaynes Aeacides. Our Prognosticatours hauehave chosen a verie good patterne to follow, their dealing with thee is the like: when they doubt and cannot tell what to Prognosticate, then they vse two wayes of foretelling, eyther to speak that which is tru eueryevery way, or that which is true euerie yeare. For the first, amongest many examples, I will put one or two that thou mayst see their dealing in true, not forged examples.

1 The coniunction of Mars and Saturne threaten warres, but Iupiter will mitigate the same: as a man should say, the Prognosticatour telleth true, except he tell a lye.

2 1585. We shall hauehave a very dry winter, if peraduenture any flouds and store of raine doe fall, they shal proceede of former causes.

3 This sommer quarter is like to be for the greatest part drie & whote, yet it is like neither to be to hote, nor to colde, but indifferent.

4 Neither faire, nor foule, both together.

5 Faire and calme, but a little missing.

6 Cloudes portending rayne and snowe.

Examples of those predictions, which may agree to euerie yeare are common with them, as these.

1 This yeare Artificers must take heede of too muche streining their backes.

2 Take heede of ventering in slipperie places holdly in building.

3 Old men shall dye.

4 Death of Sheepe and other cattell this yeare shal be.

5 Sundry diseases are like to raygne amongest manye whiche will sweepe away many.

6 False rumors, imprisonmentes, tortures.

7 Brethren and sisters shall louelove one another.

8 Sundry men & women shalbe troubled with paynes in their eyes.

9 Much strife amongest men and women.

10 Small louelove amongest kinsfolkes.

11 Much vnlawfull lust, this yeare and secret fornication.

12 Some Ecclesiasticall person shalbe in trouble, and some noble man shall dye, this is euer at one place, or other.

13 Many shipwrackes, & other stirres on the seas.

14 Many shall addict themselues to the study of Negromancie.

Agayne beside these wayes there is also a third, and that is this. They fearing lest their Prognostications should not bee regarded because of their lyes, and that they might winne men vntounto the vsing of them, hauehave adioyned Astronomicall matters of the rising and settyng of starres, of the aspectes and motions of Planetes, whiche are no profit to thee. Here also they hauehave annexed Tables of all the Faires in the land, and of the chief high wayes, which beyng of some price with thee, make that whiche is naught of it selfe, to be of some accompt.

A CONCLVSION.

THus much (good Reader) I hope shalbe sufficient to perswade thee of the Vanitie of PROGNOSTICATIONS: if not, I beseech thee accept of my simple endeuour, seruing in som part vntounto thy profite. For if thou be a christian man thou oughtest only to be contēted with knowing the times and ordinarie seasons of the yeare: not regarding nor searching any secret and speciall PREDICTIONS, for whiche the Lorde neuer gaue anie man warrant, but in plain words hath forbidden thē. Nay they which be ingrafted into IESVS CHRIST indeed, are so far from searching what shall be-fall hereafter, that they lead a life which is a continuall meditatiō of present death. The which the LORD for IESVS CHRISTES sake, graunt vntounto vsus, that wee may in some measure behold our own vanities.

Trinuno Deo sit omnis honos, omnis gloria.

End of the text · William Perkins, Four Great Liars Striving (1585)

Four Great Liars Striving, Part 3