PHILASTROGUS KNAVERY epitomised, WITH A VINDICATION OF Mr. Culpeper, Mr. lily, and the rest of the Students in that noble Art, from all the false aspersions (of the malicious Antagonists) cast upon them, about the great Eclipse of the sun. Whereunto is annexed an Epistle to all moderate spirited men, showing the people's great mistakes, and misunderstanding of the honest and ingenious Artists, who spoke truly, as is averred by this ensuing Tractate. Written by J. G. a lover of all irgenious Arts and Artists— April the 5. 1652. London, Printed in the year, 1652. Courteous Reader. I Present thee here with a strange Tractate, yet it flows with truth, Artists being condemned undeservedly; as I am a lover of Artists for Arts sake, so (to my poor power) have I endeavoured a vindication of them, but I could have wished one more abler would have taken it in hand. Now if thou be a lover of Art, look in here if thou hast a mind, and if any thing in it be worthy of honour, give honour to whom honour is due. Farewell. A WHIP FOR PHILASTROGUS, OR His Ignorance epitomised. HAving perused many scurrilous Pamphlets full of opprobrious language, filling the itching ears of the vulgar with strange words, and not only hurtful to the ears, but destructive to the sense of seeing likewise: Most people being purblind by looking into such a foolish speculum; these two senses, being but the forerunner of the evil that is behind, and that takes hold of the Intellectuals, of all sorts (the wise excepted) even to the involving them, into the epidemical diseases of the times, making them seem to the wise, obvious to sense, and reason,— The foolishness of this age (said one of wisdoms children) exceeds all the preceding follies: But to return, had he who styled himself Philastrogus been wise, he would have scorned to have absconded his name from the world, but he knowing he hath done evil, lets his bastard-brat fly about for a father and, and dares not own it himself; But by (or without) your leave sirs, I will run over your malicious Pamphlet (but shall not use prolixity) counting my time more precious then to expend it, to the answering of such a piece of folly, but shall take notice of what you prove yourself to be: 1. No Christian, and that by several arguments, of which more anon. 2. You prove yourself to be a singular knave. 3. You prove yourself to be a fool and a dunce. 4. A madman. 5. A cheater of the commonwealth. Of these in their order, and so to my Journeys end. First, That you are no Christian, I prove thus. ALL envous and malicious men (be they Priests or physicians) deviate from Christianity, and by the rule of Christ are no Christians— (Mat. 5.) But you are, (and have proved yourself) both envious and malicious, therefore you are no Christian— The first Pamphlet you sent abroad (Entitled lilies Ape whipped) by your own confessions was scurrilous, and in my judgement, was simple enough in all reason— The second as an extract of your former vented conjury, hath proved you, to be more simple, and inhuman then your former, you thinking, that your base calumniating terms (would not prove you fool sufficient) against Mr. Culpeper—, but like a foolish fiddler that plays your old lessons over again (when you play your most) and so your unchristianlike spirit comes forth in the same foolish dialect, to speak against Mr. lily too (though your ground you speak on be ten thousand times more nonsensical than any almanacs you accept against— But why talk I thus to one of such excelling parts? what did I say excelling parts! excel do you indeed in one sense; but 'tis in the most beggarly things you do excel, dirt being too good an element for you to wallow in— Toreturn— The humble spirit of a Christian (for that's the work I have to do) envies no man nor thing: but you envy the men you know not (if you know their persons, their intellects you are ignorant of) and carp at the things that are too high for you, like the Fox in the Fable. The Fox comes to the vine when the grapes were ripe, and looks upward and sees them too high, quite out of his reach, he presently slights the grapes, going his way feigns they are sour, the reason is because he could not come at them, otherwise they had been sweet enough for him— So you carp against the knowledge of these men and envy them, and the reason is, because their Knowledge, their Art, is too high for you, it is out of your reach. If you had any knowledge in what you envy you would not be to seek of the difference between Astrologers and Astronomers, the one being to calculate, the other to predict from their calculations. But I shall leave you to that prediction, in the Revelations, which implies Ignorance, to the ignorant—. And now I think you see in what you excel others (i. e.) in ignorance, for all men in one sense or other may be said to excel, but your retentive faculty is a receptacle for nothing but ignorance, therefore you can be said to excel in nothing properly but ignorance—. Secondly, That you are no Christian, I prove thus. A Man that puts forth himself in the nature of a Crokodile or Serpent, venting his venom against men that are lovers of God, and goodmen, cannot be said to be a Christian. But you have put forth yourself in the nature of a Crokodile or Serpent, venting your venom, against the servants of Christ, viz. Mr. Lilly, Mr. Culpeper, and the rest of that noble and Christian-like Art— Therefore you are no Christian—. When these Honest men by their painful undertakings, and their daily study (as they have waited upon God, and served the world in) have imparted to the world the sweetness of that talon God hath given them: in their annual Judgements and Revolutions, and many other ways as they had occasion, as the learned writings of many of them testify, viz. Mr. Lilly's Introduction, his Chaos of the world, his Starry Messenger, and many more, which if considered with reason, would stop the mouth of the envious Antagonist. Mr. Culpeper his learned Translation of the London Dispensatory, his Semeiotica Vranica, his Directory for Midwives, and his English physician, and last of all, and not least to be considered his Magnatum Catastrophe: or a Treatise of the Eclipse of the Sun: I had forgot (almost) Mr, lilies Annus Tenebrosus. To sum up Mr. Ramseys' works, and Sir Christopher Heydon's, and many other excellent Artists, the time would fail me who have imparted their knowledge to the world, as men and Christians, willing to do good, each to other; I wish our lazy Presbyterian priests would thus labour to edify their flocks, and not trouble their simple brains to petition against Astrologers, who observe the stars and planets in the courses, lest God who binds up the influences of the heavens, let them lose to the utter destruction of such lazy shepherds—. I wish likewise, our college of physicians, would thus labour to find out cures, suitable to the cause of their patient's disease, (But why speak I thus? if Diana falls, Demetrius is undone) and mind their patients good more than their own interest. Now it most evidently appears, that these men have endeavoured to take away the blankets of Ignorance from poor people, and are willing that they should come to true knowledge, (viz.) 1. To know God. 2. To knowthemselves, their freedoms and privileges, and would not monopolise what's their right. But you like unchristianlike Priests and physicians have a long time absconded the truth from the vulgar, covering it with a black gown, and like so many great owls have frighted away the vulgar, as so many little birds, not suffering them to partake of what was their right, and if any honest hearted man discover your knavery to the vulgar, to show them how they are cheated, Then your master the Devil sets you on work (and will one day truly pay you your wages) to vent your malice and bitterness against them; and if this be Christianity— the Lord bless me from it. Thirdly, That you are no Christion, I prove thus. A liar (saith the Scripture) is an abomination of the Lord; whatsoever is abominable to the Lord, falls short of Christianity But you are an abomination to the Lord, in your lying, therefore no Christian— but one that falls short of Christianity. 1. The groundwork of your lying, is at the beginning in calling their almanacs nonsensical, knew you sense from nonsense you would not have so egregiously mistook; I was about to say, I'd satisfy you in that, but remembering the wiseman's words, I shall forbear, viz. Bray a fool (saith he) in a mortar, and his folly will not depart: I shall give the world notice, that his works have been praised by learned men, (besides Priests and physicians) and they will not call them non-sensical, because they have knowledge in the things he writes— 2. Your next of consequence is your gross mistake of him in his discerning faculty, for matter of astrology: Durst you show your face, to him, or any other Artist, I suppose you'd quickly prove yourself, as blind as a mole; for in such things, I see by your writing you have but little sight; therefore if you intend to vindicate your lies you must either fly to Westmisterian schoolboys or send to some of your brethren in envy, in Oxford or Cambridge for help: and yet it may be, not serve your turn neither. 3. Your lies now begin to multiply, I am come to a a third, and there you say ♃ (Jupiter) is in his detriment, but as false as the former (and that's false enough) for ♃ Jupiter is in his fall in ♑: and that makes you fall from wisdom, into the gulf of folly. Now I perceive of a truth, you are no Artist at all though you style yourself Philostragus, for you have lied with out measure, or wit either— And this fully evidences, that you are troubled with the vertigo in your brain, or rather your brains cracked, which makes you write in such a vain of madness, and not of reason. 4. A fourth lie is like unto it (it makes me smile to see how like the father, the children look) a liar bringeth forth nothing but lies, as appears by your unlimited way of lying, you say, he wears a periwig, and that's as base a lie, as ever you writ, or spoke in your life; I was about to say, I wondered that you could frame yourself so orderly to the way of lying, but that I need not, if I consider that ☿ Mercury is ill dignified in you, which will if you have not a special care, make you a reproach to the world; I need not I think give the world satisfaction in this so well a known lie— for I think, it is not unknown, to more men of quality, in London, that he hath as firm a head of hair as any man in England: and this will be proved true (as it is true) when you like a Baal's priest shall have no covering on your head for your knavery. Say I am honest in dealing so candidly with you, I really believe I do not wrong you; well, as I have discovered your unchristianlike malice, so I come next to your knavery. But I leave the courteous Reader, to make the moral or application himself, because I have somewhat else to do, then to dilate or open every piece of knavery you have vented— First, That you are a Knave I prove thus. 1. HE is a Knave that exclaims on men for good. But you have exclaimed upon Mr. Lilly, Mr. Culpeper, and the rest of that noble Art, for good— Therefore you are a Knave— 2. He is a Knave in grain (and fool too) that speaks a thing and cannot prove it— But you have spoken many things against Mr. Culpeper, Mr. lily, and the rest of that noble Art, Ergo— He is a fool and a dunce that speaks or writes merely upon imagination, and fancy, and not on sure ground: but you have both writ and spoke merely upon imagination and fancy, and not on sure ground, Ergo— He is a madman (and besides himself) that speaks dividually by the fancy of a foolish hearsay, and not by a grounded knowledge or real sight: But you like a madman, or a man besides yourself, have spoken dividually by the fancy of a foolish hearsay, and not by a grounded knowledge or real sight, Ergo— He is a perfect cheater that publishes a mess of lies twice— But you have published a mess of lies twice, and upon too several men chiefly, for want of wit; to take a joint view of the Calculation of your lies, (your malice and madness being not sufficiently vented) Mr. Lilly whom you praise in one of your pamphlets, you dispraise in your other, therefore you appear to be a cheater and a madman, again— to conclude, (for 'tis high time to leave off talking to a fool) your significator being in a house where he doth not delight, viz. ♈ Aries, and ill dignified in you, as appears by your wit and manners, for they are both alike; And now let me tell you 'tis most easy (for you) and most requisite, that you should be acquainted with that hornbook, and this I really believe, you are as likely to be acquainted with it, as any I know, if you are not already, I think (nay I am sure) the rules of Art will not lie. And now I would give you a little insight in the business, to do you good, though you yourself delight in envy, and to do evil to others— and that I may acquaint you with something to purpose, take notice that ☉ the sun is very near unto Mercury, and ☿ Mercury is your significator, and they make more conjunctions in tracing the zodiac, than any the other planets do, the moon excepted— and when they make their conjunctions, beware your forehead— One word more to you, and I have done; and that shall be a caution, Take heed how you asperse any of the servants of God; but you according to your apprehension, may judge them, to be none of that number, but that they are so I shall prove thus, All those that in the spirit of love, are willing to communicate to the world, of what God has made them to partake, are real servants of God— But Mr. Culpeper, and Mr. Lilly (and many before inserted) in the spirit of love, have communicated to the world of what God has made them to partake. Therefore the Astrologers are really the servants of God, take heed therefore (I say) that you do not abuse the servants of God, lest the judgements of God take hold on them, as on the mock-priests of old, causing you to be your own executioner and there be none to deliver you. To all those that are moderate. DEar hearts, the cloud of ignorance that lies upon you, begins to be drawn aside, by the power of a divine presence speaking in honest minded men, that so you may have a purer sight manifested to you, to see clearly that truth that belongs to your peace, which hitherto hath been absconded & hidden from you, 'tis the will of God that you should be as Mary, always choosing that good part, there is a time I confess when God doth hide himself, under the most oblique and enigmatical clouds, and so he hath now from the generality of the world, which makes the truth so evilly spoken of: Behold my friends, I show you a mystery— The Lord hides himself certain times from his people, and yet all things, at all times, both above us and below us, speaks him forth to us, in a most sweet and harmonious manner. The Lord sometimes shakes the truth by changes here below, (and a reverend Divine once said, that worldly changes was one of the clouds in which Christ came) as he hath done of late years, with a witness. He sometimes speaks from heaven, as he did by that most direful Eclipse of the Sun on the 29. of March, admonishing us to beware of high aspirings, lest our glory be eclipsed: Many malicious Antagonists, have thrown dirt in the face of all those to whom God revealed that wonderful sign of heaven, and not for want of ignorance have vented many base aspersions to the throwing down of Art, and the dishonour of God that gives the Art. But to you that are rational and moderate I shall aver that there hath not been one so great this two hundred years, I mean not so much of the body of the Sun obscured, yet I confess it hath been much darker, but than it hath been a more cloudier day, and a day of gloominess, and the reason why it was no darker with us, was by reason of the moons distance from the dragon's head, otherwise we might have been forced to have made use of candles as well as those in the North, & Northwest parts of this land. The envious Antagonists cry out against the Astrologers for not declaring what weather would be, but if you please to peruse but Mr. Booker's Ephemeris, you will quickly find them out of their text: for Mr. Booker speaks plainly and tells them about the 18. day of March, it breaks and clears up, and is very fair for many days together, with fresh temperate and wholesome winds, not mentioning any bad weather to intervene at all. And yet saith the malicious Antagonist, they know not where it should be fair or foul, if this was not vented by a spirit of malice judge you— Others are so ignorant, that they will not stick to say, that had not this day been written of, it would not have been taken notice of, but had they had the perfect sight of their eyes and but looked toward the north and northwest part of the heavens they might have seen it no lighter than in a moonshiney-night— There are some others (and they none of the smallest fools neither) who expected the earth to be covered with an Egyptian darkness at nine a clock, when none of our English Astrologers writ any such thing at all, but this they writ, that the Sun should begin to lose his light some min. before nine: which accordingly he did, if I do not wonder never trust me, how men could frame such an irrational opinion as this, as sure as the Suns in the firmament their Senses suffered as great an eclipse as the Sun, when they vented it, certainly they never read Scripture nor heard reason, for if they had they must have received the Sun, to be the greatest Luminary, and that full body of light, that gives life to all creatures by its sweet arrays, and comfortable beams; and how in reason then could any expect it to be dark quite when the Astrologers writ that it should begin but then to be dark. On this account do all ignorant people asperse the Astrologers, and say, that they predicted this Egyptian darkness: but my dear friends take notice the Astrologers writ no such thing, for they knew to the contrary. True it is indeed, Mr. Booker speaking of the black Saturday about 54. years agone) says that this may be called black Monday, this being a more direful Eclipse then that, and that by reason of the Suns being Eclipsed in the very degree of his exaltation, and from Mr. Booker's words Black-munday had its rise: But would you know the truth of the aspersion, if you would, then thus, A company of knavish Italian Mountebanks, spreads their bills abroad, telling poor people what might preserve them from the terrible Eclipse of the Sun, when as they begin not to operate or show themselves till Michaelmas next, and yet poor people (not for want of Ignorance) thought they should have been strucken dead in the streets. Being affrighted with those knavish Mountebanks, who told them of (and scared them with) an Egyptian darkness, when the English Astrologers never writ any such thing. Therefore you now knowing the original of this business if your moderation be not eclipsed, you may moderate the passion of the ignorant, who have been set at work by these self-seeking fellows, viz. the Mountebanks, to rail and speak evil of the things they know not. I could wish that our governors would a little take notice of these flying and false aspersions, that are about this Eclipse, for let them assure themselves, the prodigious effects of it, doth relate to them more than to the commonalty, they being in superior places, the Sun being a superior planet, and signifies men of power, and therefore it most concerns them to take notice of it, and cause these aspersions to cease, or give some trusty men power to prohibit them, lest the vengeance of God take hold of this nation. 'Tis impartial justice in this and all other things we ought to have from men in power, 'tis our due, men in power ought to have submissive obedience, and reverence from us 'tis their due, that this alone may be perfected, and our governors of this nation may sing a quietus est, with their governed to the stopping of all malicious mouths shall be my earnest prayer and desire, and I think this is no bad prayer nor desire neither. Farewell. FINIS. Postscript to the Reader. Reader, THere are many other Pamphlets extant that are bespattered with lies and forgeries, that had the Pamphleter been known, his folly would have been laughed at, or he laughed at for his folly, Mercurius Phreneticus with his Gallimofry of nonsense, is one of the chiefest, I had thought to have made some animadversions upon him and the rest, but upon perusal I have found them so full of simplicity, that I will not trouble thee with it at all, apprehending thou mayst hear enough of such kind of stuff, and it may be more than thou art willing. Farewell. J. C.