Part 8 (1/2)
Yet, this one thyng may I, (iustly) say. In _Nauigation_, none ought to haue greater care, to be skillfull, then our English Pylotes. And perchaunce, Some, would more attempt: And other Some, more willingly would be aydyng, it they wist certainely, What Priuiledge, G.o.d had endued this Iland with, by reason of Situation, most commodious for _Nauigation_, to Places most Famous & Riche. And though,
[* Anno. 1567 S. H. G.]
(of * Late) a young Gentleman, a Courragious Capitaine, was in a great readynes, with good hope, and great causes of persuasion, to haue ventured, for a Discouerye, (either _Westerly_, by _Cape de Paramantia_: or _Esterly_, aboue _Noua Zemla_, and the _Cyremisses_) and was, at the very nere tyme of Attemptyng, called and employed otherwise (both then, and since,) in great good seruice to his Countrey, as the Irish Rebels haue * tasted:
[* Anno. 1569]
Yet, I say, (though the same Gentleman, doo not hereafter, deale therewith) Some one, or other, should listen to the Matter: and by good aduise, and discrete Circ.u.mspection, by little, and little, wynne to the sufficient knowledge of that +Trade+ and +Voyage+: Which, now, I would be sory, (through Carelesnesse, want of Skill, and Courrage,) should remayne Vnknowne and vnheard of. Seyng, also, we are herein, halfe Challenged, by the learned, by halfe request, published. Therof, verely, might grow Commoditye, to this Land chiefly, and to the rest of the Christen Common wealth, farre pa.s.sing all riches and worldly Threasure.
+Thaumaturgike, is that Art Mathematicall, which giueth certaine order to make straunge workes, of the sense to be perceiued, and of men greatly to be wondred at.+ By sundry meanes, this _Wonder-worke_ is wrought. Some, by _Pneumat.i.thmie_. As the workes of _Ctesibius_ and _Hero_, Some by waight. wherof _Timaeus_ speaketh. Some, by Stringes strayned, or Springs, therwith Imitating liuely Motions. Some, by other meanes, as the Images of Mercurie: and the brasen hed, made by _Albertus Magnus_, which dyd seme to speake. _Boethius_ was excellent in these feates. To whom, _Ca.s.siodorus_ writyng, sayth. +_Your purpose is to know profound thynges: and to shew meruayles. By the disposition of your Arte, Metals do low: Diomedes of bra.s.se, doth blow a Trumpet loude: a brasen Serpent hisseth: byrdes made, sing swetely. Small thynges we rehea.r.s.e of you, who can Imitate the heauen. &c._+ Of the straunge Selfmouyng, which, at Saint Denys, by Paris,
[* Anno. 1551]
* I saw, ones or twise (_Orontius_ beyng then with me, in Company) it were to straunge to tell. But some haue written it. And yet, (I hope) it is there, of other to be sene. And by _Perspectiue_ also straunge thinges, are done. As partly (before) I gaue you to vnderstand in _Perspectiue_. As, to see in the Ayre, a loft, the lyuely Image of an other man, either walkyng to and fro: or standyng still. Likewise, to come into an house, and there to see the liuely shew of Gold, Siluer or precious stones: and commyng to take them in your hand, to finde nought but Ayre. Hereby, haue some men (in all other matters counted wise) fouly ouershot th? selues: misdeaming of the meanes. Therfore sayd _Claudius Caelestinus_.
[De his quae Mundo mirabiliter eueniunt. cap. 8.]
_Hodie magnae literaturae viros & magna reputationis videmus, opera quedam quasi miranda, supra Natur putare: de quibus in Perspectiua doctus causam faciliter reddidisset._ That is. +_Now a dayes, we see some men, yea of great learnyng and reputation, to Iudge certain workes as meruaylous, aboue the power of Nature: Of which workes, one that were skillfull in Perspectiue might easely haue giuen the Cause._+ Of _Archimedes Sphaere_, _Cicero_ witnesseth.
[Tusc. 1.]
Which is very straunge to thinke on. +_For when Archimedes_+ (sayth he) +_did fasten in a Sphaere, the mouynges of the Sonne, Mone, and of the fiue other Planets, he did, as the G.o.d, which (in Timaeus of Plato) did make the world. That, one turnyng, should rule motions most vnlike in slownes, and swiftnes._+ But a greater cause of meruayling we haue by _Claudia.n.u.s_ report hereof. Who affirmeth this _Archimedes worke_, to haue ben of Gla.s.se. And discourseth of it more at large: which I omit.
The Doue of wood, which the _Mathematicien Archytas_ did make to flye, is by _Agellius_ spoken of. Of _Daedalus_ straunge Images, _Plato_ reporteth. _Homere_ of _Vulcans Selfmouers_, (by secret wheles) leaueth in writyng. _Aristotle_, in hys _Politikes_, of both, maketh mention.
Meruaylous was the workemanshyp, of late dayes, performed by good skill of _Trochilike. &c._ For in Noremberge, A flye of Iern, beyng let out of the Artificers hand, did (as it were) fly about by the gestes, at the table, and at length, as though it were weary, retourne to his masters hand agayne. Moreouer, an Artificiall Egle, was ordred, to fly out of the same Towne, a mighty way, and that a loft in the Ayre, toward the Emperour comming thether: and followed hym, beyng come to the gate of the towne. *
Thus, you see, what, Arte Mathematicall can performe, when Skill, will, Industry, and Hability, are duely applyed to profe.
[A Digression.]
And for these, and such like marueilous Actes and Feates, Naturally, Mathematically, and Mechanically, wrought and contriued:
[Apologeticall.]
ought any honest Student, and Modest Christian Philosopher, be counted, & called a +Coniurer+? Shall the folly of Idiotes, and the Mallice of the Scornfull, so much preuaile, that He, who seeketh no worldly gaine or glory at their handes: But onely, of G.o.d, the threasor of heauenly wisedome, & knowledge of pure veritie: Shall he (I say) in the meane s.p.a.ce, be robbed and spoiled of his honest name and fame? He that seketh (by S. Paules aduertis.e.m.e.nt) in the Creatures Properties, and wonderfull vertues, to finde iuste cause, to glorifie the aeternall, and Almightie Creator by: Shall that man, be (in hugger mugger) condemned, as a Companion of the Helhoundes, and a Caller, and Coniurer of wicked and d.a.m.ned Spirites? He that bewaileth his great want of time, sufficient (to his contentation) for learning of G.o.dly wisdome, and G.o.dly Verities in: and onely therin setteth all his delight: Will that m leese and abuse his time, in dealing with the Chiefe enemie of Christ our Redemer: the deadly foe of all mankinde: the subtile and impudent peruerter of G.o.dly Veritie: the Hypocriticall Crocodile: the Enuious Basiliske, continually desirous, in the twinke of an eye, to destroy all Mankinde, both in Body and Soule, aeternally? Surely (for my part, somewhat to say herein) I haue not learned to make so brutish, and so wicked a Bargaine.
Should I, for my xx. or xxv. yeares Studie: for two or three thousand Markes spending: seuen or eight thousand Miles going and trauailing, onely for good learninges sake: And that, in all maner of wethers: in all maner of waies and pa.s.sages: both early and late: in daunger of violence by man: in daunger of destruction by wilde beastes: in hunger: in thirst: in perilous heates by day, with toyle on foote: in daungerous dampes of colde, by night, almost bereuing life: (as G.o.d knoweth): with lodginges, oft times, to small ease: and somtime to lesse securitie. And for much more (then all this) done & suffred, for Learning and attaining of Wisedome: Should I (I pray you) for all this, no otherwise, nor more warily: or (by G.o.ds mercifulnes) no more luckily, haue fished, with so large, and costly, a Nette, so long time in drawing (and that with the helpe and aduise of Lady Philosophie, & Queene Theologie): but at length, to haue catched, and drawen vp, * a Frog?
[* A prouerb. Fayre fisht, and caught a Frog.]
Nay, a Deuill? For, so, doth the Common peuish Pratler Imagine and Iangle: And, so, doth the Malicious skorner, secretly wishe, & brauely and boldly face down, behinde my backe. Ah, what a miserable thing, is this kinde of Men? How great is the blindnes & boldnes, of the Mult.i.tude, in thinges aboue their Capacitie? What a Land: what a People: what Maners: what Times are these? Are they become Deuils, them selues: and, by false witnesse bearing against their Neighbour, would they also, become Murderers? Doth G.o.d, so long geue them respite, to reclaime them selues in, from this horrible slaundering of the giltlesse: contrary to their owne Consciences: and yet will they not cease? Doth the Innocent, forbeare the calling of them, Iuridically to aunswere him, according to the rigour of the Lawes: and will they despise his Charitable pacience?
As they, against him, by name, do forge, fable, rage, and raise slaunder, by Worde & Print: Will they prouoke him, by worde and Print, likewise, to Note their Names to the World: with their particular deuises, fables, beastly Imaginations, and vnchristen-like slaunders?
Well: Well. O (you such) my vnkinde Countrey men. O vnnaturall Countrey men. O vnthankfull Countrey men. O Brainsicke, Rashe, Spitefull, and Disdainfull Countrey men. Why oppresse you me, thus violently, with your slaundering of me: Contrary to Veritie: and contrary to your owne Consciences? And I, to this hower, neither by worde, deede, or thought, haue bene, any way, hurtfull, damageable, or iniurious to you, or yours?
Haue I, so long, so dearly, so farre, so carefully, so painfully, so daungerously sought & trauailed for the learning of Wisedome, & atteyning of Vertue: And in the end (in your iudgem?t) am I become, worse, then when I beg? Worse, th? a Mad man? A dangerous Member in the Common Wealth: and no Member of the Church of Christ? Call you this, to be Learned? Call you this, to be a Philosopher? and a louer of Wisedome?