(for * 21. yeares ago) by certaine earnest disputations, of the Learned _Gerardus Mercator_, and _Antonius Gogaua_, (and other,) therto so prouoked: and (by my constant and inuincible zeale to the veritie) in obseruations of Heauenly Influencies (to the Minute of time,) than, so diligent: And chiefly by the Supernaturall influence, from the Starre of Iacob, so directed: That any Modest and Sober Student, carefully and diligently seking for the Truth, will both finde & cõfesse, therin, to be the Veritie, of these my wordes: And also become a Reasonable Reformer, of three Sortes of people: about these Influentiall Operations, greatly erring from the truth.
Wherof, the one, is +Light Beleuers+, the other, +Light Despisers+, and the third +Light Practisers+. The first, & most cõmon Sort, thinke the Heauen and Sterres, to be answerable to any their doutes or desires:
which is not so: and, in dede, they, to much, ouer reache. The Second sorte thinke no Influentiall vertue (frõ the heauenly bodies) to beare any Sway in Generation
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