Nay where interest hath a share, truth can hardly be expected, though it be but in more trivial things, as even but for aery fame and vain-glory, as may be manifest in _Hierome Cardan_, who was a man of prodigious pride and vain-glory, which led him (as the learned Dr. _Brown_ hath noted) into no small errours, being a great Amasser of strange and incredible stories, led to relate them by his meer ambition of hunting after fame and the reputation of an universal Scholar. And of no less pride and vain-glorious ambition was his Antagonist _Julius Cæsar Scaliger_ guilty, of whom it may truly be said, that he was of the nature of those of the _Ottoman_ Family, that do not think they can ever raign safely, unless they strangle all their Brethren; so he did not think that he could aspire to the Throne of being the Monarch of general Learning, without stifling the fame and reputation of _Cardan_ and others, against whom he hath been most fell, and impetuously bitter. But when men fall out about professional interest, then the stories that through malice they invent and forge one against another, are incredible, as is manifest in many Examples; but we shall but give one for all, which is this. When _Paracelsus_, returning from his Peregrination of ten years and above, was called to be Physical Lecturer at _Basil_, where he continued three years, and more, having by his strange and wonderful Cures drawn the most part of _Germany_, and the adjacent Countries into admiration; so that he was, and might (notwithstanding the envy and ignorance of all his enemies) justly be styled, _Totius Germaniæ decus & gloria_: yet this was not sufficient to quiet the violent and virulent mind of _Thomas Erastus_, who coming to be setled at _Basil_, and finding that he could not outgo nor equal _Paracelsus_ in point of Medicinal Practice, and being strongly grounded in the Aristotelian Philosophy, and the Galenical Physick, did with all poyson and bitterness labour to confute the Principles of Chymical Physick that _Paracelsus_ had introduced; and lest his arguments might be too weak, he backt them with most horrible lyes and scandals, thinking that many and strong accusations (though never so false) would not be easily answered, nor totally washt off: which after were greedily swallowed down by _Libanius_, _Conringius_, _Sennertus_, and many others: so apt are men to invent, and suck in scandals against others, never considering how false and groundless they are, or may be: for that he wrongfully and falsely accused him in many things, will be manifest to any unbiassed person, that will but take pains to read his Life, written by that equitable Judge _Melchior Adams_, and that large Preface the learned Physician _Fredericus Bitiskius_ hath prefixed to his Works printed at _Geneva_ 1648. [Sidenote: History 1.] [Sidenote: _Vid. Resp. Rob. Flud. ad Foster._] [Sidenote: History 2.]