The Mathematicall Praeface to Elements of Geometrie of Euclid of MegaraDee, John
Philosophy
The Mathematicall Praeface to Elements of Geometrie of Euclid of Megara
Dee, John
Geometry -- Early works to 1800; Mathematics -- Early works to 1800; Philosophy -- Early works to 1800
and Corruption, in this Elementall world. And to the _Sunne_, _Mone_ and
_Sterres_ (being so many, so pure, so bright, so wonderfull bigge, so
farre in distance, so manifold in their motions, so constant in their
periodes. &c.) they assigne a sleight, simple office or two, and so
allow vnto thẽ (according to their capacities) as much vertue, and power
Influentiall, as to the Signe of the _Sunne_, _Mone_, and seuen Sterres,
hanged vp (for Signes) in London, for distinction of houses, & such
grosse helpes, in our worldly affaires: And they vnderstand not (or will
not vnderstand) of the other workinges, and vertues of the Heauenly
_Sunne_, _Mone_, and _Sterres_: not so much, as the Mariner, or Husband
man: no, not so much, as the _Elephant_ doth, as the _Cynocephalus_, as
the Porpentine doth: nor will allow these perfect, and incorruptible
mighty bodies, so much vertuall Radiation, & Force, as they see in a
litle peece of a _Magnes stone_: which, at great distance, sheweth his
operation. And perchaunce they thinke, the Sea & Riuers (as the Thames)
to be some quicke thing, and so to ebbe, and flow, run in and out, of
them selues, at their owne fantasies. God helpe, God helpe. Surely,
these men, come to short: and either are to dull: or willfully blind:
or, perhaps, to malicious. The third man, is the common and vulgare
_Astrologien_, or Practiser: who, being not duely, artificially, and
perfectly
[3.]
furnished: yet, either for vaine glory, or gayne: or like a simple dolt,
& blinde Bayard, both in matter and maner, erreth: to the discredit of
the _Wary_, and modest _Astrologien_: and to the robbing of those most
noble corporall Creatures, of their Naturall Vertue: being most mighty:
most beneficiall to all elementall Generation, Corruption and the
appartenances: and most Harmonious in their Monarchie: For which
thinges, being knowen, and modestly vsed: we might highly, and
continually glorifie God, with the princely Prophet, saying. +_The
Heauens declare the Glorie of God: who made the Heauẽs in his wisedome:
who made the Sonne, for to haue dominion of the day: the Mone and
Sterres to haue dominion of the nyght: whereby, Day to day vttereth
talke: and night, to night declareth knowledge. Prayse him, all ye
Sterres, and Light. Amen._+
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